scholarly journals Immunoglobulin VH genes are transcribed by T cells in association with a new 5' exon.

1988 ◽  
Vol 167 (6) ◽  
pp. 2011-2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Baer ◽  
A Forster ◽  
I Lavenir ◽  
T H Rabbitts

We previously detected mRNAs in a number of human T cell lines with a probe from within the Ig VH gene locus. We now show these mRNAs consist of Ig VH genes expressed in T cells. In one human T cell line, two RNA species have been studied and found to come from transcripts of unrearranged VH segments in which the leader exon, normally associated with VH transcripts in B cells, is replaced by a novel 5' exon (ET) not encoding a hydrophobic leader peptide. In genomic DNA, this new ET exon is adjacent to a pseudo-VH gene that has not been observed in mature mRNA. This implies that RNA splicing controls association of the new exon with the expressed VH segments. Hence, VH transcription does indeed occur in T cells, but is qualitatively different from that in B cells.

1983 ◽  
Vol 158 (1) ◽  
pp. 192-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Kraig ◽  
M Kronenberg ◽  
J A Kapp ◽  
C W Pierce ◽  
A F Abruzzini ◽  
...  

We have attempted to determine whether T cells and B cells that have the same antigenic specificity and whose receptors share idiotypic determinants in fact express similar VH gene segments. To do this, we have obtained and characterized a cDNA clone containing the entire coding sequence for the VH gene from a glutamic acid60/alanine30/tyrosine10 (GAT)-binding immunoglobulin that carries the CGAT idiotype. The GAT-VH clone was hybridized to Northern blots of GAT-specific T cell RNAs; there was no evidence of a T cell transcript that hybridized to the GAT-VH probe. The T cells analyzed included: (a) 10 GAT-binding suppressor T cell hybridomas, 6 of which secreted factors with CGAT idiotypic determinants, (b) one GAT-specific helper T cell hybridoma, and (c) two GAT-specific helper T cell lines grown in the absence of feeder cells. The detection limit of the Northern blot analysis was 1-2 copies of a particular mRNA species per cell for the hybridomas and 5-10 copies per cell for the T cell lines. Therefore, we conclude that T and B lymphocytes responding to GAT do not utilize similar VH gene segments. Furthermore, the presence of idiotypic determinants on T lymphocytes does not necessarily imply close structural similarity between T and B cell antigen receptors.


Blood ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 102 (12) ◽  
pp. 4130-4136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hye-Kyung Chung ◽  
Howard A. Young ◽  
Peter K. C. Goon ◽  
Gisela Heidecker ◽  
Gerald L. Princler ◽  
...  

Abstract Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection profoundly alters T-cell gene expression, and the dysregulated synthesis of cytokines could influence the course and pathologic consequences of infection. In the process of screening T-cell lines for T helper 1 (Th1) and Th2 cytokine mRNAs, we observed that interleukin-13 (IL-13) mRNA was highly expressed in HTLV-1-infected, IL-2-dependent T-cell lines. IL-9 and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) mRNAs were also expressed at high levels in chronically infected cell lines. IL-5 mRNA was detected in 60% of the HTLV-1-infected cell lines, but mRNAs for IL-4, IL-10, IL-2, and IL-15 were either below detection limits or did not correlate with HTLV-1 infection. Transcriptional activation of the IL-13 promoter by the HTLV-1 Tax trans-regulatory protein was demonstrated in Jurkat T cells transiently transfected with an IL-13 promoter-reporter plasmid. The clinical relevance of these observations was demonstrated by immunofluorescent staining and flow cytometry of lymphocytes obtained from HTLV-1-infected patients. These studies revealed that IL-13 production was directly related to the level of Tax expression in the infected CD4+ T cells soon after in vitro culture. As IL-13 plays key roles in tumor immunosurveillance, asthma, and central nervous system inflammation, it may contribute to the pathophysiology of HTLV-1-associated diseases. (Blood. 2003;102:4130-4136)


1992 ◽  
Vol 176 (5) ◽  
pp. 1465-1469 ◽  
Author(s):  
C H Chang ◽  
W L Fodor ◽  
R A Flavell

Terminally differentiated plasma cells and mouse T cells do not express major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II genes although class II gene expression is observed in pre-B and mature B cells as well as in activated human T cells. Transient heterokaryons were prepared and analyzed to investigate the mechanisms of inactivation of MHC class II gene in mouse plasmacytoma cells and mouse T cells. The endogenous MHC class II genes in both mouse plasmacytoma cells and mouse T cells can be reactivated by factors present in B cells. This reactivation of class II gene is also observed by fusion with a human T cell line which expresses MHC class II genes, but not with a class II negative human T cell line. It appears that the loss of MHC class II gene expression during the terminal differentiation of B cells or T cell lineage is due to absence of positive regulatory factor(s) necessary for class II transcription.


1983 ◽  
Vol 158 (6) ◽  
pp. 2024-2039 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Howard ◽  
L Matis ◽  
T R Malek ◽  
E Shevach ◽  
W Kell ◽  
...  

Antigen-activated T lymphocytes produce within 24 h of stimulation a factor that is indistinguishable biochemically and functionally from the B cell co-stimulating growth factor, BCGF-I, originally identified in induced EL4 supernatants: Supernatants from antigen-stimulated T cell lines are not directly mitogenic for resting B cells, but synergize in an H-2-unrestricted manner with anti-Ig activated B cells to produce polyclonal proliferation but not antibody-forming-cell development; biochemical studies reveal the B cell co-stimulating factor present in antigen-stimulated T cell line supernatants is identical by phenyl Sepharose chromatography and isoelectric focusing (IEF) to EL4 supernatant BCGF-I. We thus conclude that normal T cells produce BCGF-I in response to antigenic stimulation. Analysis of the mechanism of BCGF-I production by antigen-stimulated T cells showed that optimum amounts of BCGF-I were obtained as quickly as 24 h post-stimulation, and that the factor producing cells in the T cell line investigated bore the Lyt-1+2- phenotype. As few as 10(4) T cells produced sufficient BCGF-I to support the proliferation of 5 X 10(4) purified anti-Ig activated B cells. Finally, the activation of normal T cell lines to produce BCGF-I required either antigen presented in the context of syngeneic antigen-presenting cells (APC) or interleukin 2 (IL-2).


Blood ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 106 (11) ◽  
pp. 1482-1482
Author(s):  
Seung-Tae Lee ◽  
Yun Fang Jiang ◽  
Soung-Chul Cha ◽  
Hong Qin ◽  
Larry W. Kwak ◽  
...  

Abstract Advanced stage follicular lymphoma remains an incurable disease with a median survival of 8 to 10 years that has not significantly changed over the last four decades. Therefore, novel treatment options are necessary to improve the clinical outcome in these patients. The observation of spontaneous regressions in a small percentage of patients suggested that augmenting the host immune response could potentially control this malignancy. Strategies using active specific immunotherapy with idiotype vaccines led to induction of clinical and molecular responses in a few patients but have met with only limited success possibly due to the low frequency of antigen-specific T cells induced in the patients. In contrast to active immunization, T cells of a given specificity and function may be selected and expanded in vitro to the desired number for adoptive cell transfer. Towards this goal, we stimulated tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) or peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from five follicular lymphoma patients with CD40 ligand-activated autologous tumor cells at approximately ten-day intervals in the presence of IL-2 and IL-15. After four rounds of stimulations, T cell lines generated from 3/5 patients recognized autologous unmodified tumor cells by producing significant amounts of TNF-α, GM-CSF and/or IFN-γ. By phenotypic analysis, the T cell lines were predominantly CD4+ T cells (> 70%), and intracellular cytokine assay showed that up to 40% of the CD4+ T cells were tumor-reactive. The inhibition of cytokine production by anti-HLA class II but not class I blocking antibodies confirmed that the CD4+ T cells were tumor-reactive. Further characterization revealed that the T cells from one patient recognized autologous tumor but not autologous normal B cells suggesting that they were tumor-specific. While in a second patient CD4+ T cell clones generated from the T cell line by limiting dilution recognized autologous tumor and autologous normal B cells but not autologous monocytes suggesting that they were B cell lineage-specific. We conclude that follicular lymphoma-specific T cells exist and can be efficiently expanded in vitro from both TILs and PBMCs using CD40 ligand-activated autologous tumor cells for adoptive T cell therapy. Additionally, identification of antigens recognized by these T cells could lead to development of novel immunotherapeutic strategies for lymphomas.


1996 ◽  
Vol 184 (1) ◽  
pp. 203-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
G H Su ◽  
H S Ip ◽  
B S Cobb ◽  
M M Lu ◽  
H M Chen ◽  
...  

Spi-B and PU.1 are hematopoietic-specific transcription factors that constitute a subfamily of the Ets family of DNA-binding proteins. Here we show that contrary to previous reports, PU.1 and Spi-B have very different expression patterns. PU.1 is expressed at high levels in B cells, mast cells, megakaryocytes, macrophages, neutrophils, and immature erythroid cells and at lower levels in mature erythrocytes. PU.1 is completely absent from peripheral T cells and most T cell lines based on sensitive RT-PCR assays. In contrast, Spi-B is expressed exclusively in lymphoid cells and can be detected in early fetal thymus and spleen. In situ hybridizations of adult murine tissues demonstrate Spi-B mRNA in the medulla of the thymus, the white pulp of the spleen, and the germinal centers of lymph nodes. Spi-B expression is very abundant in B cells and both Spi-B mRNA and protein are detected in some T cells. In situ hybridization and Northern blot analysis suggest that Spi-B gene expression increases during B cell maturation and decreases during T cell maturation. Gel-retardation experiments show that Spi-B can bind to all putative PU.1 binding sites, but do not reveal any preferred Spi-B binding site. Finally, both PU.1 and Spi-B function as transcriptional activators of the immunoglobulin light-chain enhancer E lambda 2.4 when coexpressed with Pip (PU.1-interaction partner) in NIH-3T3 cells. Taken together, these data suggest that differences in patterns of expression between Spi-B and PU.1 distinguish the function of each protein during development of the immune system.


2007 ◽  
Vol 406 (2) ◽  
pp. 317-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariko Tomita ◽  
Gregg L. Semenza ◽  
Canine Michiels ◽  
Takehiro Matsuda ◽  
Jun-Nosuke Uchihara ◽  
...  

HTLV-1 (human T-cell leukaemia virus type 1) is the causative agent for ATL (adult T-cell leukaemia). HTLV-1 Tax can activate the PI3K (phosphoinositide 3-kinase)/Akt signalling pathway, which is responsible for survival of HTLV-1-infected T-cells. HIFs (hypoxia-inducible factors) are transcriptional regulators that play a central role in the response to hypoxia. Overexpression of HIF-1α in many cancers is associated with a poor response to treatment and increased patient mortality. Our objectives in the present study were to investigate whether HIF-1 was activated in HTLV-1-infected T-cells and to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of HIF-1 activation by focusing on the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway. We detected a potent pathway that activated HIF-1 in the HTLV-1-infected T-cells under a normal oxygen concentration. Enhanced HIF-1α protein expression and HIF-1 DNA-binding activity were exhibited in HTLV-1-infected T-cell lines. Knockdown of HIF-1α by siRNA (small interfering RNA) suppressed the growth and VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) expression of the HTLV-1-infected T-cell line. HIF-1 protein accumulation and transcriptional activity were enhanced by Tax, which was inhibited by dominant-negative Akt. Importantly, mutant forms of Tax that are defective in activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway failed to induce HIF-1 transcriptional activity. The PI3K inhibitor LY294002 suppressed HIF-1α protein expression, HIF-1 DNA-binding and HIF-1 transcriptional activity in HTLV-1-infected T-cell lines. In primary ATL cells, HIF-1α protein levels were strongly correlated with levels of phosphorylated Akt. The results of the present study suggest that PI3K/Akt activation induced by Tax leads to activation of HIF-1. As HIF-1 plays a major role in tumour progression, it may represent a molecular target for the development of novel ATL therapeutics.


2004 ◽  
Vol 78 (22) ◽  
pp. 12537-12547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jörg G. Baumann ◽  
Derya Unutmaz ◽  
Michael D. Miller ◽  
Sabine K. J. Breun ◽  
Stacy M. Grill ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT Development of a mouse model for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection has advanced through the progressive identification of host cell factors required for HIV-1 replication. Murine cells lack HIV-1 receptor molecules, do not support efficient viral gene expression, and lack factors necessary for the assembly and release of virions. Many of these blocks have been described using mouse fibroblast cell lines. Here we identify a postentry block to HIV-1 infection in mouse T-cell lines that has not been detected in mouse fibroblasts. While murine fibroblastic lines are comparable to human T-cell lines in permissivity to HIV-1 transduction, infection of murine T cells is 100-fold less efficient. Virus entry occurs efficiently in murine T cells. However, reduced efficiency of the completion of reverse transcription and nuclear transfer of the viral preintegration complex are observed. Although this block has similarities to the restriction of murine retroviruses by Fv1, there is no correlation of HIV-1 susceptibility with cellular Fv1 genotypes. In addition, the block to HIV-1 infection in murine T-cell lines cannot be saturated by a high virus dose. Further studies of this newly identified block may lend insight into the early events of retroviral replication and reveal new targets for antiretroviral interventions.


Blood ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 104 (11) ◽  
pp. 248-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leonard Shultz ◽  
Bonnie L. Lyons ◽  
Lisa M. Burzenski ◽  
Bruce Gott ◽  
X. Chen ◽  
...  

Abstract We have developed, characterized, and validated a new genetic stock of IL-2r common γ (gamma) chain deficient NOD/LtSz-scid (NOD-scid IL2rγnull) mice that support high levels of human hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) engraftment and multilineage differentiation. Histology, flow cytometry, and functional assays document a severe depletion of lymphocytes and NK cells in NOD-scid IL2rγnull mice. These mice survive beyond 16 months of age and untreated as well as sub-lethally irradiated NOD-scid IL2rγnull mice are resistant to the development of lymphomas and are “non-leaky” throughout life. Intravenous injection of sub-lethally irradiated NOD-scid IL2rγnull mice with 7 x 105 human mobilized CD34+ stem cells leads to high levels of multilineage engraftment. At 10 weeks after engraftment, percentages of human hematopoietic CD45+ cells are six-fold higher in the bone marrow of NOD-scid IL2rγnull mice as compared to NOD-scid controls. Human CD45+ cells include immature and mature B cells, NK cells, myeloid cells, plasmacytoid dendritic cells and HSCs. Spleens from engrafted NOD-scid IL2rγnull mice contain high percentages of immature and mature B cells but low percentages of T cells. Treatment with human Fc-IL7 fusion protein leads to a high percentage of human CD4+CD8+ immature thymocytes and high percentages of CD4+CD8− and CD4−CD8+ mature human T cells in the spleen and blood. Validation of de novo human T cell development was carried out by quantifying T cell receptor excision circles in thymocytes and by analyses of TCRβ repertoire diversity. Human T cell function was evidenced by proliferative responses to PHA and streptococcal superantigen. NOD-scid IL2rγnull mice engrafted with human HSC generate differentiated functional human T and B cells and provide an in vivo model of multilineage human hematopoietic cell engraftment.


Blood ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 108 (11) ◽  
pp. 4761-4761
Author(s):  
Harold O. Longe ◽  
Anupama Sinha ◽  
Douglas V. Faller ◽  
Gerald V. Denis

Abstract We continue to develop and extend our novel adjuvant therapy approach to lymphoid malignancy. We supplement CHOP with DNA oligonucleotides that mimic the chromosomal telomere, which we call a “T oligo.” These agents are homologous to the 3′ overhang nucleotide sequence of telomeres and have previously been shown to have anti-tumor activity in animal models of malignant melanoma and breast cancer. They are currently being evaluated in melanoma and breast cancer patients. If introduced into human or murine normal, proliferating primary B cells or T cells, T oligo causes transient cell cycle arrest, while exerting no toxicity, but if introduced into human or murine malignant B cells or T cells, the arrest is followed by p53 phosphorylation, p21 message induction and ultimately p53-dependent apoptosis. Other p53-related effector molecules, such as p73, are also likely to be involved. The mechanism immediately suggests a novel method of chemotherapy for leukemia and lymphoma as an adjuvant with CHOP. Furthermore, we have previously shown with in vitro assay and in vivo mouse models of diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLCL) that T oligo produces a more-than-additive toxicity towards lymphoma cells when combined with vincristine. T oligo alone or in combination with sub-therapeutic doses of CHOP, the standard of care for DLCL, dramatically reduced lymphoma burden in spleen, lung, bone marrow and peritoneum. In combination, which we refer to as T-CHOP, there was a greater reduction in tumor burden than with either therapy alone. We now show in SCID mouse xenograft models of human T cell malignancies, using a Jurkat T cell leukemic line or a MOLT-4 T cell leukemic line that T oligo also works alone to reduce tumor burden dramatically and increase survival. Interestingly, because T oligo-driven apoptosis occurs in p53-null, human lymphoid tumors, even chemotherapy-resistant lymphoid tumors are nevertheless sensitive to T oligo treatment, which may have profound benefit for relapsed leukemia or lymphoma patients.


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