Multiple Cellular Responses to Serotonin Contribute to Epithelial Homeostasis

Epithelial homeostasis incorporates the paradoxical concept of internal change (epithelial turnover) enabling the maintenance of anatomical status quo. Epithelial cell differentiation and cell loss (cell shedding and apoptosis) form important components of epithelial turnover. Although the mechanisms of cell loss are being uncovered the crucial triggers that modulate epithelial turnover through regulation of cell loss remain undetermined. Serotonin is emerging as a common autocrine-paracine regulator in epithelia of multiple organs, including the breast. Here we address whether serotonin affects epithelial turnover. Specifically, serotonin's roles in regulating cell shedding, apoptosis and barrier function of the epithelium. Using in vivo studies in mouse and a robust model of differentiated human mammary duct epithelium (MCF10A), we show that serotonin induces mammary epithelial cell shedding and disrupts tight junctions in a reversible manner. However, upon sustained exposure, serotonin induces apoptosis in the replenishing cell population, causing irreversible changes to the epithelial membrane. The staggered nature of these events induced by serotonin slowly shifts the balance in the epithelium from reversible to irreversible. These finding have very important implications towards our ability to control epithelial regeneration and thus address pathologies of aberrant epithelial turnover, which range from degenerative disorders (e.g.; pancreatitis and thyrioditis) to proliferative disorders (e.g.; mastitis, ductal ectasia, cholangiopathies and epithelial cancers)

Nanobody-induced perturbation of LFA-1/L-plastin phosphorylation impairs MTOC docking, immune synapse formation and T cell activation

The T cell integrin receptor LFA-1 orchestrates adhesion between T cells and antigen-presenting cells (APCs), resulting in formation of a contact zone known as the immune synapse (IS) which is supported by the cytoskeleton. L-plastin is a leukocyte-specific actin bundling protein that rapidly redistributes to the immune synapse following T cell-APC engagement. We used single domain antibodies (nanobodies, derived from camelid heavy-chain only antibodies) directed against functional and structural modules of L-plastin to investigate its contribution to formation of an immune synapse between Raji cells and human peripheral blood mononuclear cells or Jurkat T cells. Nanobodies that interact either with the EF hands or the actin binding domains of L-plastin both trapped L-plastin in an inactive conformation, causing perturbation of IS formation, MTOC docking towards the plasma membrane, T cell proliferation and IL-2 secretion. Both nanobodies delayed Ser(5) phosphorylation of L-plastin which is required for enhanced bundling activity. Moreover, one nanobody delayed LFA-1 phosphorylation, reduced the association between LFA-1 and L-plastin and prevented LFA-1 enrichment at the IS. Our findings reveal subtle mechanistic details that are difficult to attain by conventional means and show that L-plastin contributes to immune synapse formation at distinct echelons

Free radicals and fast photochemistry during BERLIOZ

The free radicals OH, HO2, RO2, and NO3 are known to be the driving force for most chemical processes in the atmosphere. Since the low concentration of the above radicals makes measurements particularly difficult, only relatively few direct measurements of free radical concentrations have been reported to date. We present a comprehensive set of simultaneous radical measurements performed by Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF), Matrix Isolation - Electron spin Resonance (MI-ESR), Peroxy Radical Chemical Amplification (PERCA), and Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (DOAS) during the BERLIner OZonexperiment (BERLIOZ) during July and August of 1998 near Berlin, Germany. Most of the above radical species were measured by more than one technique and an intercomparison gave good agreement. This data set offered the possibility to study and quantify the role of each radical at a rural, semi-polluted site in the continental boundary layer and to investigate interconnections and dependencies among these free radicals. In general (box) modelled diurnal profiles of the different radicals reproduced the measurements quite well, however measured absolute levels are frequently lower than model predictions. These discrepancies point to disturbing deficiencies in our understanding of the chemical system in urban air masses. In addition considerable night-time peroxy radical production related to VOC reactions with NO3 and O-3 could be quantified