8 research outputs found

    Assessment of the role of sphingosine 1-phosphate and its receptors in high-density lipoprotein-induced stimulation of astroglial cell function.

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    It has been suggested that lipoproteins in the central nervous system are involved in the regulation of several neural functions independent of cholesterol metabolism as well as those related to lipid metabolism. We recently demonstrated that lipoproteins are carriers for sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P). This raised the possibility that S1P mediates the neural cell functions induced by lipoproteins. In the current study, we examined the effects of plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL) on astroglial cell functions, focusing especially on the role of the lipoprotein-associated S1P. In rat type I astrocytes or C6 glioma cells, similar to S1P, HDL stimulated DNA synthesis and mRNA expression of fibroblast growth factor-2, a potent neurotrophic factor, which was associated with the activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) in a pertussis toxin-sensitive manner. The data from fractionation studies of HDL indicated that S1P may be a major component for the activation of ERK. In C6 glioma cells, HDL also induced phospholipase C-dependent intracellular Ca(2+) mobilization. Desensitization of the C6 glioma cells with S1P abolished these HDL-induced actions. Furthermore, overexpression of S1P receptors in C6 glioma cells led to a significant enhancement of HDL-induced ERK activation and Ca(2+) mobilization. Thus, at least some HDL-induced actions may be mediated by cell-surface S1P receptors in astroglial cells. These results imply that S1P might partially mediate lipoprotein-induced cholesterol metabolism-independent neural cell functions in the central nervous system

    Distinctive immunoregulatory effects of adenosine on T cells of older humans

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    A role for adenosine in immunosenescence was investigated in T cells from older (≥65 yr) and younger (24–45 yr) healthy humans. Adenosine concentrations in cultures of activated T cells were significantly higher (P<0.0001) for older (145±47 nM, mean±sd) than younger (58±5.5 nM) subjects. Expression of the activation coreceptor CD28 was suppressed significantly by 0.1 to 1 μM exogenous adenosine, with greater effects of 1 μM (P<0.01) on T cells of younger (mean suppression of 67 and 65% for CD4 and CD8 T cells, respectively) than older (means of 42 and 46%) subjects. T-cell chemotaxis to CCL21 was suppressed significantly by 0.3 and 1 μM exogenous adenosine, with mean maximum decreases of 39 and 49%, respectively, for younger subjects and 28 and 31% for older subjects. Generation of IL-2 and IFN-γ by T cells of younger and older subjects was suppressed substantially only at adenosine levels of 3 μM or higher. Lower baseline expression of CD28 and chemotaxis to CCL21 and S1P for T cells from older subjects attributable to endogenous adenosine were reversed completely by two different A(2A) adenosine receptor antagonists without affecting T cells of younger subjects. Adenosine is an endogenous T-cell immunosuppressor in older humans, and A(2A) antagonists reverse adenosine-induced T-cell deficiencies of aging.—Hesdorffer, H. S., Malchinkhuu, E., Biragyn, A., Mabrouk, O. S., Kennedy, R. T., Madara, K., Taub, D. D., Longo, D. L., Schwartz, J. B., Ferrucci, L., Goetzl, E. J. Distinctive immunoregulatory effects of adenosine on T cells of older humans
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