Mutational Escape in HIV-1 CTL Epitopes Leads to Increased Binding to Inhibitory Myelomonocytic MHC Class I Receptors

Escape mutations in HIV-1 cytotoxic T cell (CTL) epitopes can abrogate recognition by the TCR of HIV-1-specific CD8+ T cells, but may also change interactions with alternative MHC class I receptors. Here, we show that mutational escape in three HLA-A11-, B8- and B7- restricted immunodominant HIV-1 CTL epitopes consistently enhances binding of the respective peptide/MHC class I complex to Immunoglobulin-like transcript 4 (ILT4), an inhibitory myelomonocytic MHC class I receptor expressed on monocytes and dendritic cells. In contrast, mutational escape in an alternative immunodominant HLA-B57-restricted CTL epitope did not affect ILT4-mediated recognition by myelomonocytic cells. This suggests that in addition to abrogating recognition by HIV-1-specific CD8 T cells, mutational escape in some, but not all CTL epitopes may mediate important immunoregulatory effects by increasing binding properties to ILT4, and augmenting ILT4-mediated inhibitory effects of professional antigen-presenting cells.National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant R01 AI078799)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant P01 AI074415)Doris Duke Charitable Foundatio

Aromatic stacking between nucleobase and enzyme promotes phosphate ester hydrolysis in dUTPase

Aromatic interactions are well-known players in molecular recognition but their catalytic role in biological systems is less documented. Here, we report that a conserved aromatic stacking interaction between dUTPase and its nucleotide substrate largely contributes to the stabilization of the associative type transition state of the nucleotide hydrolysis reaction. The effect of the aromatic stacking on catalysis is peculiar in that uracil, the aromatic moiety influenced by the aromatic interaction is relatively distant from the site of hydrolysis at the alpha-phosphate group. Using crystallographic, kinetics, optical spectroscopy and thermodynamics calculation approaches we delineate a possible mechanism by which rate acceleration is achieved through the remote π–π interaction. The abundance of similarly positioned aromatic interactions in various nucleotide hydrolyzing enzymes (e.g. most families of ATPases) raises the possibility of the reported phenomenon being a general component of the enzymatic catalysis of phosphate ester hydrolysis

Immunomodulatory Effects of the Neuropeptide Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide in Acute Toxoplasmosis

Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide (PACAP) is an endogenous neuropeptide with distinct functions including the regulation of inflammatory processes. PACAP is able to modify the immune response by directly regulating macrophages and monocytes inhibiting the production of inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and free radicals. Here, we analyzed the effect of exogenous PACAP on peripheral immune cell subsets upon acute infection with the parasite Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii). PACAP administration was followed by diminished innate immune cell recruitment to the peritoneal cavity of T. gondii-infected mice. PACAP did not directly interfere with parasite replication, instead, indirectly reduced parasite burden in mononuclear cell populations by enhancing their phagocytic capacity. Although proinflammatory cytokine levels were attenuated in the periphery upon PACAP treatment, interleukin (IL)-10 and Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) remained stable. While PACAP modulated VPAC1 and VPAC2 receptors in immune cells upon binding, it also increased their expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). In addition, the expression of p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) on Ly6Chi inflammatory monocytes was diminished upon PACAP administration. Our findings highlight the immunomodulatory effect of PACAP on peripheral immune cell subsets during acute Toxoplasmosis, providing new insights about host-pathogen interaction and the effects of neuropeptides during inflammation

Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase-Activating Polypeptide Ameliorates Experimental Acute Ileitis and Extra-Intestinal Sequelae

Background The neuropeptide Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) plays pivotal roles in immunity and inflammation. So far, potential immune-modulatory properties of PACAP have not been investigated in experimental ileitis. Methodology/Principal Findings Mice were perorally infected with Toxoplasma (T.) gondii to induce acute ileitis (day 0) and treated daily with synthetic PACAP38 from day 1 to 6 post infection (p.i.; prophylaxis) or from day 4 to 6 p.i. (therapy). Whereas placebo-treated control mice suffered from acute ileitis at day 7 p.i. and succumbed to infection, intestinal immunopathology was ameliorated following PACAP prophylaxis. PACAP-treated mice exhibited increased abundance of small intestinal FOXP3+ cells, but lower numbers of ileal T lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes and macrophages, which was accompanied by less ileal expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-23p19, IL-22, IFN-γ, and MCP-1. Furthermore, PACAP-treated mice displayed higher anti-inflammatory IL-4 concentrations in mesenteric lymph nodes and liver and higher systemic anti- inflammatory IL-10 levels in spleen and serum as compared to control animals at day 7 p.i. Remarkably, PACAP-mediated anti-inflammatory effects could also be observed in extra-intestinal compartments as indicated by reduced pro- inflammatory mediator levels in spleen (TNF-α, nitric oxide) and liver (TNF-α, IFN-γ, MCP-1, IL-6) and less severe histopathological sequelae in lungs and kidneys following prophylactic PACAP treatment. Strikingly, PACAP prolonged survival of T. gondii infected mice in a time-of-treatment dependent manner. Conclusion/Significance Synthetic PACAP ameliorates acute small intestinal inflammation and extra-intestinal sequelae by down-regulating Th1-type immunopathology, reducing oxidative stress and up-regulating anti-inflammatory cytokine responses. These findings provide novel potential treatment options of inflammatory bowel diseases

MHC class I chain-related protein A shedding in chronic HIV-1 infection is associated with profound NK cell dysfunction

Natural killer (NK) cells play a critical role in host defense against viral infections. However chronic HIV-1 infection is associated with an accumulation of dysfunctional NK cells, that poorly control viral replication. The underlying mechanisms for this NK cell mediated dysfunction are not understood. Certain tumors evade NK cell mediated detection by dampening NK cell activity through the downregulation of NKG2D, via the release of soluble NKG2D-ligands, resulting in a potent suppression of NK cell function. Here we show that chronic HIV-1 infection is associated with a specific defect in NKG2D-mediated NK cell activation, due to reduced expression and transcription of NKG2D. Reduced NKG2D expression was associated with elevated levels of the soluble form of the NKG2D-ligand, MICA, in patient sera, likely released by HIV+CD4+ T cells. Thus, like tumors, HIV-1 may indirectly suppress NK cell recognition of HIV-1-infected CD4+ T cells by enhancing NKG2D-ligand secretion into the serum resulting in a profound impairment of NK cell function

The dUTPase Enzyme Is Essential in Mycobacterium smegmatis

Thymidine biosynthesis is essential in all cells. Inhibitors of the enzymes involved in this pathway (e.g. methotrexate) are thus frequently used as cytostatics. Due to its pivotal role in mycobacterial thymidylate synthesis dUTPase, which hydrolyzes dUTP into the dTTP precursor dUMP, has been suggested as a target for new antitubercular agents. All mycobacterial genomes encode dUTPase with a mycobacteria-specific surface loop absent in the human dUTPase. Using Mycobacterium smegmatis as a fast growing model for Mycobacterium tuberculosis, we demonstrate that dUTPase knock-out results in lethality that can be reverted by complementation with wild-type dUTPase. Interestingly, a mutant dUTPase gene lacking the genus-specific loop was unable to complement the knock-out phenotype. We also show that deletion of the mycobacteria-specific loop has no major effect on dUTPase enzymatic properties in vitro and thus a yet to be identified loop-specific function seems to be essential within the bacterial cell context. In addition, here we demonstrated that Mycobacterium tuberculosis dUTPase is fully functional in Mycobacterium smegmatis as it rescues the lethal knock-out phenotype. Our results indicate the potential of dUTPase as a target for antitubercular drugs and identify a genus-specific surface loop on the enzyme as a selective target

Regulatory T Cells Expanded from Hiv-1-Infected Individuals Maintain Phenotype, Tcr Repertoire and Suppressive Capacity

While modulation of regulatory T cell (Treg) function and adoptive Treg transfer are being explored as therapeutic modalities in the context of autoimmune diseases, transplantation and cancer, their role in HIV-1 pathogenesis remains less well defined. Controversy persists regarding their beneficial or detrimental effects in HIV-1 disease, which warrants further detailed exploration. Our objectives were to investigate if functional CD4+ Tregs can be isolated and expanded from HIV-1-infected individuals for experimental or potential future therapeutic use and to determine phenotype and suppressive capacity of expanded Tregs from HIV-1 positive blood and tissue. Tregs and conventional T cell controls were isolated from blood and gut-associated lymphoid tissue of individuals with HIV-1 infection and healthy donors using flow-based cell-sorting. The phenotype of expanded Tregs was assessed by flow-cytometry and quantitative PCR. T-cell receptor ß-chain (TCR-β) repertoire diversity was investigated by deep sequencing. Flow-based T-cell proliferation and chromium release cytotoxicity assays were used to determine Treg suppressive function. Tregs from HIV-1 positive individuals, including infants, were successfully expanded from PBMC and GALT. Expanded Tregs expressed high levels of FOXP3, CTLA4, CD39 and HELIOS and exhibited a highly demethylated TSDR (Treg-specific demethylated region), characteristic of Treg lineage. The TCRß repertoire was maintained following Treg expansion and expanded Tregs remained highly suppressive in vitro. Our data demonstrate that Tregs can be expanded from blood and tissue compartments of HIV-1+ donors with preservation of Treg phenotype, function and TCR repertoire. These results are highly relevant for the investigation of potential future therapeutic use, as currently investigated for other disease states and hold great promise for detailed studies on the role of Tregs in HIV-1 infection.Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (Pediatric HIV Vaccine Program Award MV-00-9-900-1429-0-00)Massachusetts General Hospital. Executive Committee on Research (MGH/ECOR Physician Scientist Development Award)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (NIH NIAID (KO8 AI074405))National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (NIH NIAID AI074405-03S1)Massachusetts General Hospital (William F. Milton Fund)Harvard University. Center for AIDS Research (CFAR Scholar Award)Massachusetts General Hospital. Center for the Study Inflammatory Bowel Disease (P30DK043351)Harvard University. Center for AIDS Research (NIH funded program (5P30AI060354-09

Einfluss der Serumharnsäure auf die Nierenfunktion (eGFR, ACR) in der Allgemeinbevölkerung über einen Beobachtungszeitraum von 15 Jahren (Study of Health in Pomerania)

Chronische Nierenerkrankungen betreffen in Deutschland ca. 10 Millionen Menschen. Ihr Auftreten ist mit einem Anstieg der kardiovaskulären Mortalität und Letalität assoziiert. Das Vorliegen einer erhöhten Serumharnsäure wurde lange als Folge und nicht als möglicher Risikofaktor für die Entstehung einer chronischen Nierenerkrankung verstanden. Ziel der vorgelegten Arbeit war es, die Assoziation einer erhöhten Serumharnsäure (als kontinuierliche Variable) und Verschlechterung der Nierenfunktion (eGFR, ACR) in einer nierengesunden Population zu untersuchen. Grundlage für die Analyse waren Daten von 4042 nierengesunden Probandinnen und Probanden der „Study of Health in Pomerania“ (SHIP), einer populationsbasierten longitudinalen Beobachtungsstudie in der Allgemeinbevölkerung in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, die seit 1996 durchgeführt wird. Zur Klärung einer Assoziation wurden multivariate Regressionsmodelle entwickelt und die Abnahme der eGFR und der Anstieg der ACR über eine Beobachtungsdauer von 15 Jahren (SHIP-0 bis SHIP-3) untersucht. Die Regressionsmodelle wurden an Nierengesunden, an Probanden mit unterschiedlich hoher Serumharnsäure und im Phänotyp Hyperurikämie für eGFR und ACR prädiziert. Der Phänotyp Hyperurikämie lag bei Angabe einer Gicht, einer erhöhten Serumharnsäure im Interview / im Studienlabor oder bei Einnahme gichtspezifischer Medikamente vor. Als erhöhte Serumharnsäure galten für Frauen Serumharnsäurewerte > 357 μmol/l und für Männer > 428 μmol/l. Die Ergebnisse im multivariablen Modell zeigten eine inverse Assoziation zwischen eGFR und Phänotyp Hyperurikämie sowie zwischen eGFR und Serumharnsäure als kontinuierlicher Variable. Im Modell Phänotyp Hyperurikämie fiel die eGFR pro Jahr um 1,4 ml/min, bei den Nichtvorliegen des Phänotyps nur um 1,07 ml/min und Jahr. Im Modell „Serumharnsäure als kontinuierliche Variable“ fiel die eGFR umso steiler ab, je höher die Serumharnsäure zum Zeitpunkt SHIP-0 war. Eine signifikante negative Assoziation konnte für das Modell ACR und Phänotyp Hyperurikämie, nicht aber für das Modell ACR und Serumharnsäure als kontinuierliche Variable prädiziert werden. Im Modell ACR und Phänotyp Hyperurikämie stieg die logarithmierte ACR jährlich um 0,030 mg/g Krea. Die klinische Relevanz dieses Anstiegs konnte durch unsere Untersuchung nicht abschließend geklärt werden. Diese Dissertation zeigt eine negative Assoziation von erhöhter Serumharnsäure und der Nierenfunktion bei Nierengesunden. Weitere Untersuchungen sind nötig, um den optimalen Zeitpunkt für einen Therapiebeginn bei erhöhter Serumharnsäure auch in asymptomatischen Individuen festzulegen.Approximately 10 Million people are affected by chronic kidney disease in Germany. Its appearance is associated with elevated cardiovascular mortality and morbidity. For a long time, high serum uric acid levels have been considered rather the result than the cause of developing chronic kidney disease. The aim of this study was to examine the association between elevated serum uric acid levels (as a continuous variable) and the decline in kidney function (eGFR, ACR) in a general population. We analyzed data from 4042 healthy individuals participating in the “Study of Health in Pomerania” (SHIP – a population based longitudinal observational study of the general population in western Pomerania since 1996) to determine the association between elevated serum uric acid levels and the development of chronic kidney disease. By using a multivariate regression model, we estimated the decline in eGFR and the rise in ACR over a period of 15 years (SHIP-0 to SHIP-3). Data of healthy participants with different levels of serum uric acid or with phenotype hyperuricemia were implemented in our regression model and used to estimate eGFR and ACR. Phenotype hyperuricemia was present if gout or elevated serum uric acid levels or intake of gout specific medication were declared or study lab results revealed elevated serum uric acid levels. In women uric acid levels above > 357 μmol/l or in men levels above > 428 μmol/l were considered to be elevated. The result of our multivariate model describes an inverse association between eGFR and phenotype hyperuricemia as well as eGFR and serum uric acid as a continuous variable. If phenotype hyperuricemia was missing eGFR declined per 1,07 ml/min per year and 1,4 ml/min per year when phenotype hyperuricemia was present. Calculations of the model with uric acid as a continuous variable predicted a steeper decline in eGFR when serum uric acid level was higher at baseline (SHIP-0). A significant negative association resulted in calculating the model ACR and phenotype hyperuricemia but none using the model ACR and serum uric acid as a continuous variable. The model ACR and phenotype hyperuricemia resulted in a rise in log ACR per 0,030 mg/g creatinin per year. Although this result was significant its relevance has still to be determined. Our research shows a negative association between elevated serum uric acid and kidney function in healthy adults. Further investigation is necessary to determine the optimal serum uric acid level to initiate urate lowering treatments in asymptomatic individuals in order to delay decline in kidney function