Saffold virus is able to productively infect primate and rodent cell lines and induces apoptosis in these cells

10.1038/emi.2014.15Emerging Microbes and Infections3

Direct Presentation Is Sufficient for an Efficient Anti-Viral CD8+ T Cell Response

The extent to which direct- and cross-presentation (DP and CP) contribute to the priming of CD8+ T cell (TCD8+) responses to viruses is unclear mainly because of the difficulty in separating the two processes. Hence, while CP in the absence of DP has been clearly demonstrated, induction of an anti-viral TCD8+ response that excludes CP has never been purposely shown. Using vaccinia virus (VACV), which has been used as the vaccine to rid the world of smallpox and is proposed as a vector for many other vaccines, we show that DP is the main mechanism for the priming of an anti-viral TCD8+ response. These findings provide important insights to our understanding of how one of the most effective anti-viral vaccines induces immunity and should contribute to the development of novel vaccines

Vaccine delivery by penetratin: mechanism of antigen presentation by dendritic cells

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPP) or membrane-translocating peptides such as penetratin from Antennapedia homeodomain or TAT from human immunodeficiency virus are useful vectors for the delivery of protein antigens or their cytotoxic (Tc) or helper (Th) T cell epitopes to antigen-presenting cells. Mice immunized with CPP containing immunogens elicit antigen-specific Tc and/or Th responses and could be protected from tumor challenges. In the present paper, we investigate the mechanism of class I and class II antigen presentation of ovalbumin covalently linked to penetratin (AntpOVA) by bone marrow-derived dendritic cells with the use of biochemical inhibitors of various pathways of antigen processing and presentation. Results from our study suggested that uptake of AntpOVA is via a combination of energy-independent (membrane fusion) and energy-dependent pathways (endocytosis). Once internalized by either mechanism, multiple tap-dependent or independent antigen presentation pathways are accessed while not completely dependent on proteasomal processing but involving proteolytic trimming in the ER and Golgi compartments. Our study provides an understanding on the mechanism of antigen presentation mediated by CPP and leads to greater insights into future development of vaccine formulations

Methylation of WTH3, a possible drug resistant gene, inhibits p53 regulated expression

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Previous results showed that over-expression of the <it>WTH3 </it>gene in MDR cells reduced <it>MDR1 </it>gene expression and converted their resistance to sensitivity to various anticancer drugs. In addition, the <it>WTH3 </it>gene promoter was hypermethylated in the MCF7/AdrR cell line and primary drug resistant breast cancer epithelial cells. <it>WTH3 </it>was also found to be directly targeted and up regulated by the <it>p53 </it>gene. Furthermore, over expression of the <it>WTH3 </it>gene promoted the apoptotic phenotype in various host cells.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To further confirm <it>WTH3</it>'s drug resistant related characteristics, we recently employed the small hairpin RNA (shRNA) strategy to knockdown its expression in HEK293 cells. In addition, since the <it>WTH3 </it>promoter's p53-binding site was located in a CpG island that was targeted by methylation, we were interested in testing the possible effect this epigenetic modification had on the <it>p53 </it>transcription factor relative to <it>WTH3 </it>expression. To do so, the <it>in vitro </it>methylation method was utilized to examine the <it>p53 </it>transgene's influence on either the methylated or non-methylated <it>WTH3 </it>promoter.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The results generated from the gene knockdown strategy showed that reduction of <it>WTH3 </it>expression increased <it>MDR1 </it>expression and elevated resistance to Doxorubicin as compared to the original control cells. Data produced from the methylation studies demonstrated that DNA methylation adversely affected the positive impact of <it>p53 </it>on <it>WTH3 </it>promoter activity.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Taken together, our studies provided further evidence that <it>WTH3 </it>played an important role in MDR development and revealed one of its transcription regulatory mechanisms, DNA methylation, which antagonized <it>p53</it>'s positive impact on <it>WTH3 </it>expression.</p

WTH3 is a direct target of the p53 protein

Previous results showed that overexpression of the WTH3 gene in multidrug resistance (MDR) cells reduced MDR1 gene expression and converted their resistance to sensitivity to various anticancer drugs. The WTH3 gene promoter was found to be differentially regulated in paired MDR vs non-MDR MCF7 cells owing to epigenetic modifications and transcription factor modulations. To understand further the mechanisms that govern WTH3's differential expression, we uncovered a p53-binding site in its promoter, which indicated that WTH3 could be regulated by the p53 gene. This hypothesis was then tested by different strategies. The resulting data revealed that (1) the WTH3 promoter was upregulated by the p53 transgene in diverse host cells; (2) there was a correlation between WTH3 expression levels and p53 gene status in a cell line panel; (3) a WTH3 promoter region was directly targeted by the p53 protein in vitro and in vivo. In addition, overexpression of the WTH3 gene promoted the apoptotic phenotype in host cells. On the basis of these findings, we believe that the negative role played by the WTH3 gene in MDR development is through its proapoptotic potential that is regulated by multiple mechanisms at the transcription level, and one of these mechanisms is linked to the p53 gene

Zebrafish Kidney Phagocytes Utilize Macropinocytosis and Ca2+-Dependent Endocytic Mechanisms

Background: The innate immune response constitutes the first line of defense against invading pathogens and consists of a variety of immune defense mechanisms including active endocytosis by macrophages and granulocytes. Endocytosis can be used as a reliable measure of selective and non-selective mechanisms of antigen uptake in the early phase of an immune response. Numerous assays have been developed to measure this response in a variety of mammalian and fish species. The small size of the zebrafish has prevented the large-scale collection of monocytes/macrophages and granulocytes for these endocytic assays. Methodology/Principal Findings: Pooled zebrafish kidney hematopoietic tissues were used as a source of phagocytic cells for flow-cytometry based endocytic assays. FITC-Dextran, Lucifer Yellow and FITC-Edwardsiella ictaluri were used to evaluate selective and non-selective mechanisms of uptake in zebrafish phagocytes. Conclusions/Significance: Zebrafish kidney phagocytes characterized as monocytes/macrophages, neutrophils and lymphocytes utilize macropinocytosis and Ca 2+-dependant endocytosis mechanisms of antigen uptake. These cells do not appear to utilize a mannose receptor. Heat-killed Edwardsiella ictaluri induces cytoskeletal interactions for internalization in zebrafish kidney monocytes/macrophages and granulocytes. The proposed method is easy to implement and should prove especially useful in immunological, toxicological and epidemiological research

Testing a global standard for quantifying species recovery and assessing conservation impact

Recognizing the imperative to evaluate species recovery and conservation impact, in 2012 the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) called for development of a “Green List of Species” (now the IUCN Green Status of Species). A draft Green Status framework for assessing species’ progress toward recovery, published in 2018, proposed 2 separate but interlinked components: a standardized method (i.e., measurement against benchmarks of species’ viability, functionality, and preimpact distribution) to determine current species recovery status (herein species recovery score) and application of that method to estimate past and potential future impacts of conservation based on 4 metrics (conservation legacy, conservation dependence, conservation gain, and recovery potential). We tested the framework with 181 species representing diverse taxa, life histories, biomes, and IUCN Red List categories (extinction risk). Based on the observed distribution of species’ recovery scores, we propose the following species recovery categories: fully recovered, slightly depleted, moderately depleted, largely depleted, critically depleted, extinct in the wild, and indeterminate. Fifty-nine percent of tested species were considered largely or critically depleted. Although there was a negative relationship between extinction risk and species recovery score, variation was considerable. Some species in lower risk categories were assessed as farther from recovery than those at higher risk. This emphasizes that species recovery is conceptually different from extinction risk and reinforces the utility of the IUCN Green Status of Species to more fully understand species conservation status. Although extinction risk did not predict conservation legacy, conservation dependence, or conservation gain, it was positively correlated with recovery potential. Only 1.7% of tested species were categorized as zero across all 4 of these conservation impact metrics, indicating that conservation has, or will, play a role in improving or maintaining species status for the vast majority of these species. Based on our results, we devised an updated assessment framework that introduces the option of using a dynamic baseline to assess future impacts of conservation over the short term to avoid misleading results which were generated in a small number of cases, and redefines short term as 10 years to better align with conservation planning. These changes are reflected in the IUCN Green Status of Species Standard

The RNA uridyltransferase Zcchc6 is expressed in macrophages and impacts innate immune responses

<div><p>Alveolar macrophages orchestrate pulmonary innate immunity and are essential for early immune surveillance and clearance of microorganisms in the airways. Inflammatory signaling must be sufficiently robust to promote host defense but limited enough to prevent excessive tissue injury. Macrophages in the lungs utilize multiple transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms of inflammatory gene expression to delicately balance the elaboration of immune mediators. RNA terminal uridyltransferases (TUTs), including the closely homologous family members Zcchc6 (TUT7) and Zcchc11 (TUT4), have been implicated in the post-transcriptional regulation of inflammation from studies conducted <i>in vitro</i>. <i>In vivo</i>, we observed that Zcchc6 is expressed in mouse and human primary macrophages. Zcchc6-deficient mice are viable and born in Mendelian ratios and do not exhibit an observable spontaneous phenotype under basal conditions. Following an intratracheal challenge with <i>S</i>. <i>pneumoniae</i>, Zcchc6 deficiency led to a modest but significant increase in the expression of select cytokines including IL-6, CXCL1, and CXCL5. These findings were recapitulated <i>in vitro</i> whereby Zcchc6-deficient macrophages exhibited similar increases in cytokine expression due to bacterial stimulation. Although loss of Zcchc6 also led to increased neutrophil emigration to the airways during pneumonia, these responses were not sufficient to impact host defense against infection.</p></div