Neurohypophysial Receptor Gene Expression by Thymic T Cell Subsets and Thymic T Cell Lymphoma Cell Lines

Abstract Neurohypophysial oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (VP) genes are transcribed in thymic epithelium, while immature T lymphocytes express functional neurohypophysial receptors. Neurohypophysial receptors belong to the G protein-linked seven-transmembrane receptor superfamily and are encoded by four distinct genes, OTR, V1R, V2R and V3R. The objective of this study was to identify the nature of neurohypophysial receptor in thymic T cell subsets purified by immunomagnetic selection, as well as in murine thymic lymphoma cell lines RL12-NP and BW5147. OTR is transcribed in all thymic T cell subsets and T cell lines, while V3R transcription is restricted to CD4+ CD8+ and CD8+ thymic cells. Neither V1R nor V2R transcripts are detected in any kind of T cells. The OTR protein was identified by immunocytochemistry on thymocytes freshly isolated from C57BL/6 mice. In murine fetal thymic organ cultures, a specific OTR antagonist does not modify the percentage of T cell subsets, but increases late T cell apoptosis further evidencing the involvement of OT/OTR signaling in the control of T cell proliferation and survival. According to these data, OTR and V3R are differentially expressed during T cell ontogeny. Moreover, the restriction of OTR transcription to T cell lines derived from thymic lymphomas may be important in the context of T cell leukemia pathogenesis and treatment

Efficient Immunoselection of Cytolytic Effectors with a Magnetic Cell Sorter

This paper describes a rapid and efficient method for the sorting of in vitro activated cytolytic effectors cells. For cytotoxic assays, a large number of cells with conserved function must be rapidly obtained. Immunomagnetic sorting was chosen because it is faster than flow cytometry sorting. The MACS system requires the use of paramagnetic beads of small diameter (100-150 nm), reputed to interfere minimally with cell function. In order to generate the cytolytic effectors, peripheral blood lymphocytes were cultivated in the presence of interleukin-2 (50 U/ml) and anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (BMA030, 100 ng/ml) for 4 days. Cell separation was based on the membrane expression of the CD3 complex. The purity obtained for positive (CD3+) cell sorting with the MACS was higher than 95%. The purity of negative (CD3-) cell fraction was more variable, but further purification by flow cytometry rapidly yielded purity higher than 95%. Cytotoxic assays were performed against four target cell lines (K562, Daudi, HL60 and U937) and proliferation assays showed that both negatively and positively selected populations had conserved their function acquired during culture in the presence of anti-CD3 mAb and IL2

Madin Darby bovine kidney cell synchronization by lovastatin: application to bovine herpesvirus-1 gene expression.

The number of investigations involving cell proliferation has increased rapidly in the last years. One of the major difficulties in studying cell-cycle-related events is obtaining highly synchronous cell populations without metabolic imbalance. This study demonstrates that the Madin Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells, a commonly used cell line in veterinary research, can be effectively synchronized using lovastatin (Lov), a drug used to treat hypercholesteremia in humans. This was demonstrated by the following results: (i) Lov inhibits cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner; (ii) Lov synchronizes MDBK cells mainly in the G1 and secondarily in the G2+M cell-cycle phases; (iii) the cytostatic effect of Lov can be specifically inhibited by addition of mevalonate (Mev) (Lov inhibits the synthesis of Mev); (iv) removal of Lov from G1-arrested cultures, followed by addition of Mev, resulted in the synchronous recovery of DNA synthesis; and (v) 5-bromo2'-deoxyuridine incorporation experiments revealed that MDBK cells synchronization by Lov can be followed for at least 3 cycles after removal of Lov and addition of Mev. Furthermore, as an application of investigations based on the availability of synchronized MDBK, we showed that bovine herpesvirus-1 gene expression is independent on the cell cycle.Journal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishe

MIXED PHENOTYPE MURINE LEUKEMIAS

Cell lines were derived from eight individual leukemias induced by X-rays in NFS mice. First typed as null cells (surface immunoglobulin negative, Thy-1 negative), they turned out to have a mixed phenotype with myeloid cytochemical markers, pre-B surface antigens and molecular markers of pro-B lymphocytes. They represent murine models for mixed phenotype (pro-pre-B-myeloid) leukemias

Cellular Aspects of the Pathogenesis of Radiation--Induced Thymic Lymphomas in C57 Bl Mice (Review)

peer reviewedRadiation-induced thymic lymphomas in C57Bl/Ka mice are interesting models for studying the successive steps of carcinogenesis. Irradiation initiates "preleukemic" cells, which are promoted to become neoplastic. Studies in mice in which lymphoma development is inhibited by a bone marrow transplantation after irradiation suggest that radiation--induced alterations to the T cell lineage, and particularly to thymic microenvironment, are critical for the promotion of preleukemic cells. It is proposed that the lack of physiological differentiation signals within the thymus, as a result of irradiation, allows these cells to escape the normal controls of thymocyte production and pushes them towards neoplastic transformation. A disturbance in the production of cytokines may be involved, since exogenous cytokines, such as Interferon gamma or Tumor Necrosis Factor a, can inhibit radiation-induced lymphomagenesis, reproducing the effects of bone marrow transplantation. The model is thus suitable for studying the mechanisms of carcinogenesis and designing biological manipulation devoted to cancer prevention in individuals who have been exposed to oncogenic agents

Cellular Events in Radiation-Induced Lymphomagenesis

Fractionated whole-body irradiation induces thymic lymphomas in most of treated C57Bl/Ka mice. The cellular events occurring during the latency period consist of the emergence of preleukaemic cells and of marked alterations to the T-cell lineage and the microenvironment within the thymus. The proportions of the various thymocyte subsets are modified, suggesting a blockage in the normal differentiation process. Thymic epithelial cells are functionally modified, leading to decreased interactions with immature thymocytes. Interestingly, bone marrow grafting early after irradiation, which inhibits the development of lymphomas, induces the disappearance of preleukaemic cells from the thymus, whereas thymocyte subpopulations and thymic epithelium are restored. Interferon gamma and tumor necrosis factor alpha also prevent the onset of lymphomas. Studies on the effect of bone marrow transplantation and cytokine inoculation in split-dose irradiated mice should allow characterization of the factors that modulate the progression of preleukaemic cells towards the neoplastic state