scholarly journals Thalidomide selectively inhibits tumor necrosis factor alpha production by stimulated human monocytes.

1991 ◽  
Vol 173 (3) ◽  
pp. 699-703 ◽  
Author(s):  
E P Sampaio ◽  
E N Sarno ◽  
R Galilly ◽  
Z A Cohn ◽  
G Kaplan

Thalidomide selectively inhibits the production of human monocyte tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) when these cells are triggered with lipopolysaccharide and other agonists in culture. 40% inhibition occurs at the clinically achievable dose of the drug of 1 micrograms/ml. In contrast, the amount of total protein and individual proteins labeled with [35S]methionine and expressed on SDS-PAGE are not influenced. The amounts of interleukin 1 beta (IL-1 beta), IL-6, and granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor produced by monocytes remain unaltered. The selectivity of this drug may be useful in determining the role of TNF-alpha in vivo and modulating its toxic effects in a clinical setting.

1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 6561-6569
Author(s):  
L Klampfer ◽  
T H Lee ◽  
W Hsu ◽  
J Vilcek ◽  
S Chen-Kiang

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) activate transcription of the TSG-6 gene in normal human fibroblasts through a promoter region (-165 to -58) that encompasses an AP-1 and a NF-IL6 site. We show by deletion analysis and substitution mutagenesis that both sites are necessary for activation by TNF-alpha. Activation by IL-1 requires the NF-IL6 site and is enhanced by the AP-1 site. These results suggest that the NF-IL6 and AP-1 family transcription factors functionally cooperate to mediate TNF-alpha and IL-1 signals. Consistent with this possibility, IL-1 and TNF-alpha markedly increase the binding of Fos and Jun to the AP-1 site, and NF-IL6 activates the native TSG-6 promoter. Activation by NF-IL6 requires an intact NF-IL6 site and is modulated by the ratio of activator to inhibitor NF-IL6 isoforms that are translated from different in-frame AUGs. However, the inhibitor isoform can also bind to the AP-1 site and repress AP-1 site-mediated transcription. The finding that the inhibitor isoform antagonizes activation of the native TSG-6 promoter by IL-1 and TNF-alpha suggests that NF-IL6 has a physiologic role in these cytokine responses. Thus, the functionally distinct NF-IL6 isoforms cooperate with Fos and Jun to positively and negatively regulate the native TSG-6 promoter by TNF-alpha and IL-1.


Blood ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 83 (5) ◽  
pp. 1216-1225 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Rosselli ◽  
J Sanceau ◽  
E Gluckman ◽  
J Wietzerbin ◽  
E Moustacchi

Abstract We have previously shown an unbalanced cytokine production in Fanconi anemia (FA) cells, ie, an underproduction of interleukin 6 (IL-6) during growth. Among a number of cytokines analyzed, the only other anomalies detected concern tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha). In comparison to normal cells, this cytokine is overproduced by FA lymphoblasts from the four genetic complementation groups. Indeed, up to an eight-fold increase in TNF alpha is observed in the growth medium of FA cells. Moreover, addition of anti-TNF alpha antibodies partially corrects the FA hypersensitivity to treatment by mitomycin C (MMC). Treatment of FA cells with IL-6, which partially restored an almost normal sensitivity to MMC of FA cells also reduces the TNF alpha overproduction in FA lymphoblasts. No anomalies at the molecular level (Southern and Northern blot analyses) are detected for the TNF alpha gene and its mRNA. We have investigated the in vivo situation by assaying TNF alpha levels in the serum from FA homozygotes and obligate heterozygotes. In contrast to normal healthy donors or to aplastic anemia patients in whom serum TNF alpha is present only in trace amounts, all 36 FA patients and 21 FA parents monitored show a significantly (P < .001) higher level of serum TNF alpha activity. Consequently, abnormal TNF alpha production seems to be associated with the FA genetic background.


Blood ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 72 (6) ◽  
pp. 1875-1883 ◽  
Author(s):  
CS Johnson ◽  
MJ Chang ◽  
P Furmanski

Abstract The effects of recombinant, macrophage-derived, murine tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) on hematopoiesis in vivo has been examined in normal mice and in Friend virus (FV)-induced erythroleukemic mice. Intravenous (IV) administration of a single dose of recombinant murine TNF-alpha (10(5) U per mouse) significantly suppressed normal and leukemic late-stage erythropoiesis as measured by numbers of mature erythroid colony forming cells (CFU-E) in the bone marrow and spleen and by peripheral blood reticulocyte counts. In normal animals, the immature erythroid (BFU-E), macrophage (CFU-M), and granulocyte- macrophage (CFU-GM) compartments were significantly stimulated by TNF- alpha in both the bone marrow and the spleen. In the bone marrow of leukemic mice, the BFU-E, CFU-GM, and CFU-M progenitor cell compartments were also stimulated by treatment with the monokine. In the spleens of leukemic mice (the primary site of FV leukemia cell accumulation), relative numbers of BFU-E and CFU-GM were increased by TNF-alpha, while those of CFU-M were suppressed. TNF-alpha caused a rapid decrease in the markedly elevated spleen weights of progressively leukemic mice, and in multiple doses it caused complete clinical disease regression in a significant percentage of leukemic animals. The combination of TNF-alpha with interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) increased the incidence of leukemia regression, compared with TNF-alpha alone. These results show that TNF-alpha exerts a suppressive influence on late-stage erythropoiesis in vivo and suggest that this effect might be exploited in the treatment of acute erythroleukemia, erythroid hyperplasias, and related diseases.


2002 ◽  
Vol 76 (11) ◽  
pp. 5515-5521 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua M. Friedman ◽  
Marshall S. Horwitz

ABSTRACT Recombinant adenoviruses (Ads) are useful tools in gene transfer because they are able to infect a wide variety of tissues and cell types and do not require a replicating target cell. However, transgene expression is only transient due to host innate and acquired immune responses to the virus. Most recombinant Ads have deletions of early region 3 (E3) genes, allowing more space for insertion of the transgene. Although the E3 region is not necessary for infection, it has been observed that these “nonessential” genes have immunomodulatory properties. We demonstrate here that the E3 region of Ad inhibits the activation of NF-κB induced by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1. Ad E3 is able to prevent NF-κB from entering the nucleus, where it is normally active. Ad E3 also appears to function by preventing the activation of the kinase complex, IKK, which is responsible for phosphorylation of IκB that retains NF-κB in the cytoplasm in an inactive state. The prevention of NF-κB activation has been mapped to a complex of two of the seven E3 products, E3-10.4K and E3-14.5K (RIDα/β). These and other studies indicate that, by using Ad vectors containing the E3 region, it may be possible to reduce the harmful proinflammatory effects of TNF-α and other cytokines that compromise the use of Ad gene therapy vectors in vivo.


1992 ◽  
Vol 263 (3) ◽  
pp. R708-R715 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Kapas ◽  
L. Hong ◽  
A. B. Cady ◽  
M. R. Opp ◽  
A. E. Postlethwaite ◽  
...  

Exogenously administered tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) elicits several symptoms of generalized infections such as fever, increased sleep, and anorexia. The aim of the present work was to localize these effects of TNF-alpha to specific amino acid sequences of the parent molecule by characterizing the in vivo and in vitro activities of several synthetic TNF-alpha fragments. Intracerebroventricular injection of TNF-alpha elicited dose-dependent fevers and increases in non-rapid-eye-movement sleep (NREMS) in rabbits. Four fragments also promoted NREMS and five elicited monophasic fevers. All of the somnogenic fragments share the amino acid sequence 31-36. In rats, TNF-alpha and one of the fragments [TNF-alpha-(69-100)] suppressed 12-h food intake. Furthermore, TNF-alpha increased the expression of the intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and enhanced interferon-gamma-induced HLA-DR expression in human glioblastoma cell line. In contrast, none of the fragments possessed these in vitro activities. Our in vivo results support the concept that there are biologically active regions in the TNF-alpha molecule.


1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 6561-6569 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Klampfer ◽  
T H Lee ◽  
W Hsu ◽  
J Vilcek ◽  
S Chen-Kiang

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) activate transcription of the TSG-6 gene in normal human fibroblasts through a promoter region (-165 to -58) that encompasses an AP-1 and a NF-IL6 site. We show by deletion analysis and substitution mutagenesis that both sites are necessary for activation by TNF-alpha. Activation by IL-1 requires the NF-IL6 site and is enhanced by the AP-1 site. These results suggest that the NF-IL6 and AP-1 family transcription factors functionally cooperate to mediate TNF-alpha and IL-1 signals. Consistent with this possibility, IL-1 and TNF-alpha markedly increase the binding of Fos and Jun to the AP-1 site, and NF-IL6 activates the native TSG-6 promoter. Activation by NF-IL6 requires an intact NF-IL6 site and is modulated by the ratio of activator to inhibitor NF-IL6 isoforms that are translated from different in-frame AUGs. However, the inhibitor isoform can also bind to the AP-1 site and repress AP-1 site-mediated transcription. The finding that the inhibitor isoform antagonizes activation of the native TSG-6 promoter by IL-1 and TNF-alpha suggests that NF-IL6 has a physiologic role in these cytokine responses. Thus, the functionally distinct NF-IL6 isoforms cooperate with Fos and Jun to positively and negatively regulate the native TSG-6 promoter by TNF-alpha and IL-1.


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