Ivermectin, an unconventional agonist of the glycine receptor chloride channel

The effects of the antihelmintic, ivermectin, were investigated in recombinantly expressed human alpha (1) homomeric and alpha (1)beta heteromeric glycine receptors (GlyRs), At low (0.03 muM) concentrations ivermectin potentiated the response to sub-saturating glycine concentrations, and at higher (greater than or equal to0.03 muM) concentrations it irreversibly activated both alpha (1) homomeric and alpha (1)beta heteromeric GlyRs. Relative to glycine-gated currents, ivermectin-gated currents exhibited a dramatically reduced sensitivity to inhibition by strychnine, picrotoxin, and zinc. The insensitivity to strychnine could not be explained by ivermectin preventing the access of strychnine to its binding site. Furthermore, the elimination of a known glycine- and strychnine-binding site by site-directed mutagenesis had little effect on ivermectin sensitivity, demonstrating that the ivermectin- and glycine-binding sites were not identical. Ivermectin strongly and irreversibly activated a fast-desensitizing mutant GlyR after it had been completely desensitized by a saturating concentration of glycine. Finally, a mutation known to impair dramatically the glycine signal transduction mechanism had little effect on the apparent affinity or efficacy of ivermectin, Together, these findings indicate that ivermectin activates the GlyR by a novel mechanism

A Transcription Inhibitor, Actinomycin D, Enhances HIV-1 Replication Through an Interleukin-6-Dependent Pathway

We previously demonstrated that Actinomycin D (ActD) enhanced HIV-1 replication in the MT-2 cell, a human T-cell leukemia virus type-1-infected cell line. The MT-2 cell is known to produce multiple cytokines spontaneously. In this study, we investigated the impact of ActD on the cytokine production from MT-2 cells and HIV-1 replication in a latently infected cell line, U1. MT-2 cells were pulse-treated with 0 or 200 nM of ActD, and culture supernatants were collected 3 days after incubation. Supernatants from untreated cells (Sup0) induced HIV-1 replication by 150-fold in U1 cells. Culture supernatants from ActD-treated cells (Sup200) enhanced HIV-1 replication by 1200-fold. A combination of a sequential chromatographic approach and mass spectrometric analysis identified that the HIV-inducing factors in Sup200 were interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-beta. Quantitative analysis revealed that ActD treatment increased the concentration of IL-6 in Sup200 by 600% compared with that in Sup0 but decreased the amount of TNFbeta in Sup200 by 85%. Northern blot analysis showed that ActD treatment increased IL-6 transcripts; however, no change was seen in TNFbeta transcripts. These results suggest that ActD induces replication of HIV-1 through modulation of cytokine production

The effect of leflunomide on cycling and activation of T-cells in HIV-1-infected participants.

The pathogenesis of immunodeficiency due to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 is incompletely understood, but immune activation is believed to play a central role. Immunomodulatory agents that decrease immune activation may be useful in the treatment of HIV-1 infection.A randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled pilot study of leflunomide for 28 days was performed in participants with HIV-1 infection who were not receiving antiretroviral therapy. Participants randomized to leflunomide were subsequently treated with cholestyramine until leflunomide levels were below detection limit.Treatment with leflunomide was well tolerated with mostly low-grade adverse events. Leflunomide administration reduced cycling of CD4 T cells (by ex vivo bromodeoxyuridine uptake and Ki67 expression) and decreased expression of activation markers (HLA-DR/CD38 co-expression) on CD8 T cells in peripheral blood. In addition, decreased expression of HIV-1 co-receptors was observed in both CD4 and CD8 T cells in the leflunomide group. There were no significant changes in naïve and memory T cell subsets, apoptosis of T cells or markers of microbial translocation.Leflunomide was effective in reducing immune activation in the setting of chronic HIV-1 infection suggesting that targeting immune activation with immunomodulatory agents may be a feasible strategy.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00101374

Memory B cell frequencies at D30 correlate with the titers of anti-HPV16 and-HPV18 antibodies.

<p>Spearman rank correlational analyses were performed on the percentages of IgD^-CD38^HiCD27⁺ B cells at D30 post-first vaccination with the antibody titers of anti-HPV16 and-HPV18 antibodies from D30. The data were plotted in log₁₀ scale for both axes.</p

Longitudinal analysis of circulating Tfh1-, Tfh2-, Tfh17-like subsets and their PD1 and ICOS expression.

<p>One of the HPV vaccine samples (Gardasil) is shown. The contour plots on the left most column show the expression of CXCR3 and CCR6 on CXCR5⁺ CM cells in samples collected from the indicated time points that are shown on the right. These two markers were used to identify Tfh1-like (blue), Tfh2-like (red), and Tfh17-like (purple) subsets. The percentages of each of these subsets are shown inside the plots. The second, third, and fourth columns of plots show the expression of PD1 and ICOS in each of the Tfh-like subset. In the upper right quadrants, the percentages of PD1⁺ ICOS⁺ Tfh-like cells are shown. The percentages of PD1⁺ ICOS^- and double negative cells are indicated in the lower right and lower left quadrants, respectively.</p

Classification of circulating Tfh-like cell subsets.

<p>This classification is based on the model proposed by Schmitt <i>et al</i> [<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0137195#pone.0137195.ref019" target="_blank">19</a>].</p><p>Classification of circulating Tfh-like cell subsets.</p

Circulating CXCR5⁺CD4⁺ T Follicular-Like Helper Cell and Memory B Cell Responses to Human Papillomavirus Vaccines

<div><p>Through the interaction of T follicular helper (Tfh) cells and B cells, efficacious vaccines can generate high-affinity, pathogen-neutralizing antibodies, and memory B cells. Using CXCR5, CXCR3, CCR6, CCR7, PD1, and ICOS as markers, Tfh-like cells can be identified in the circulation and be classified into three functionally distinct subsets that are PD1⁺ICOS⁺, PD1⁺ ICOS^-, or PD1^-ICOS^-. We used these markers to identify different subsets of CXCR5⁺CD4⁺ Tfh-like cells in response to highly immunogenic and efficacious vaccines for human papillomaviruses (HPV): Cervarix and Gardasil. In this small study, we used PBMC samples from 11 Gardasil recipients, and 8 Cervarix recipients from the Vaccine Research Center 902 Study to examine the induction of circulating Tfh-like cells and IgD^-CD38^HiCD27⁺ memory B cells by flow cytometry. PD1⁺ICOS⁺ CXCR3⁺CCR6^-CXCR5⁺CD4⁺ (Tfh1-like) cells were induced and peaked on Day (D) 7 post-first vaccination, but not as much on D7 post-third vaccination. We also observed a trend toward increase in PD1⁺ICOS⁺ CXCR3^-CCR6^-CXCR5⁺CD4⁺ (Tfh2-like) cells for both vaccines, and PD1⁺ICOS⁺ CXCR3^-CCR6⁺CXCR5⁺CD4⁺ (Tfh17-like) subset was induced by Cervarix post-first vaccination. There were also minimal changes in the other cellular subsets. In addition, Cervarix recipients had more memory B cells post-first vaccination than did Gardasil recipients at D14 and D30. We found frequencies of memory B cells at D30 correlated with anti-HPV16 and 18 antibody titers from D30, and the induction levels of memory B cells at D30 and PD1⁺ICOS⁺Tfh1-like cells at D7 post-first vaccination correlated for Cervarix. Our study showed that induction of circulating CXCR5⁺CD4⁺ Tfh-like subsets can be detected following immunization with HPV vaccines, and potentially be useful as a marker of immunogenicity of vaccines. However, further investigations should be extended to different cohorts with larger sample size to better understand the functions of these T cells, as well as their relationship with B cells and antibodies.</p></div