技术资料

MYH9 disorders such as May-Hegglin anomaly are characterized by macrothrombocytopenia and cytoplasmic granulocyte inclusion bodies that result from mutations in MYH9,the gene for nonmuscle myosin heavy chain-IIA (NMMHC-IIA). We examined the expression of mutant NMMHC-IIA polypeptide in peripheral blood cells from patients with MYH9 5770delG and 5818delG mutations. A specific antibody to mutant NMMHC-IIA (NT629) was raised against the abnormal carboxyl-terminal residues generated by 5818delG. NT629 reacted to recombinant 5818delG NMMHC-IIA but not to wild-type NMMHC-IIA,and did not recognize any cellular components of normal peripheral blood cells. Immunofluorescence and immunoblotting revealed that mutant NMMHC-IIA was present and sequestrated only in inclusion bodies within neutrophils,diffusely distributed throughout lymphocyte cytoplasm,sparsely localized on a diffuse cytoplasmic background in monocytes,and uniformly distributed at diminished levels only in large platelets. Mutant NMMHC-IIA did not translocate to lamellipodia in surface activated platelets. Wild-type NMMHC-IIA was homogeneously distributed among megakaryocytes derived from the peripheral blood CD34(+) cells of patients,but coarse mutant NMMHC-IIA was heterogeneously scattered without abnormal aggregates in the cytoplasm. We show the differential expression of mutant NMMHC-IIA and postulate that cell-specific regulation mechanisms function in MYH9 disorders. View Publication

A large membrane proteinase 3 (mPR3)-positive neutrophil subset (mPR3high) is a risk for Wegener's granulomatosis (WG). The relationship between mPR3 expression and clinical manifestations was investigated in 81 WG patients and mPR3 expression was studied in CD34+ stem cell-derived human neutrophils. The mPR3high neutrophil percentage correlated with renal function,anemia,and albumin at the time of presentation. The mPR3high neutrophil percentage and renal failure severity correlated directly after 5 yr. For elucidating mechanisms that govern mPR3 expression,studies were conducted to determine whether the genetic information that governs mPR3 expression resides within the neutrophils,even without stimuli possibly related to disease. CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells were differentiated to neutrophils,and their mPR3 expression was determined. A two-step amplification/differentiation protocol was used to differentiate human CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells into neutrophils with G-CSF. The cells progressively expressed the neutrophil surface markers CD66b,CD35,and CD11b. The ferricytochrome C assay demonstrated a strong respiratory burst at day 14 in response to PMA but none at day 0. Intracellular PR3 was detectable from day 4 by Western blotting. An increasing percentage of a mPR3-positive neutrophil subset became detectable by flow cytometry,whereas a second subset remained negative,consistent with a bimodal expression. Finally,human PR3-anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies induced a stronger respiratory burst,compared with human control IgG in stem cell-derived neutrophils. Taken together,these studies underscore the clinical importance of the WG mPR3 phenotype. The surface mPR3 on resting cells is probably genetically determined rather than being dictated by external factors. View Publication

We have generated mice null for IFN-beta and report the diverse consequences of IFN-beta for both the innate and adaptive arms of immunity. Despite no abnormalities in the proportional balance of CD4 and CD8 T cell populations in the peripheral blood,thymus,and spleen of IFN-beta-/- mice,activated lymph node and splenic T lymphocytes exhibit enhanced T cell proliferation and decreased tumor necrosis factor alpha production,relative to IFN-beta+/+ mice. Notably,constitutive and induced expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha is reduced in the spleen and bone marrow (BM) macrophages,respectively,of IFN-beta-/- mice. We also observe an altered splenic architecture in IFN-beta-/- mice and a reduction in resident macrophages. We identify a potential defect in B cell maturation in IFN-beta-/- mice,associated with a decrease in B220+ve/high/CD43-ve BM-derived cells and a reduction in BP-1,IgM,and CD23 expression. Circulating IgM-,Mac-1-,and Gr-1-positive cells are also substantially decreased in IFN-beta-/- mice. The decrease in the numbers of circulating macrophages and granulocytes likely reflects defective maturation of primitive BM hematopoiesis in mice,shown by the reduction of colony-forming units,granulocyte-macrophage. We proceeded to evaluate the in vivo growth of malignant cells in the IFN-beta-/- background and give evidence that Lewis lung carcinoma-specific tumor growth is more aggressive in IFN-beta-/- mice. Taken altogether,our data suggest that,in addition to the direct growth-inhibitory effects on tumor cells,IFN-beta is required during different stages of maturation in the development of the immune system. View Publication

Mast cells are tissue-resident immune cells that play a key role in inflammation and allergy. Here we show that interaction of mast cells with antibody-targeted cells induces the polarized exocytosis of their granules resulting in a sustained exposure of effector enzymes,such as tryptase and chymase,at the cell-cell contact site. This previously unidentified mast cell effector mechanism,which we name the antibody-dependent degranulatory synapse (ADDS),is triggered by both IgE- and IgG-targeted cells. ADDSs take place within an area of cortical actin cytoskeleton clearance in the absence of microtubule organizing centre and Golgi apparatus repositioning towards the stimulating cell. Remarkably,IgG-mediated degranulatory synapses also occur upon contact with opsonized Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites resulting in tryptase-dependent parasite death. Our results broaden current views of mast cell degranulation by revealing that human mast cells form degranulatory synapses with antibody-targeted cells and pathogens for dedicated secretion and defence. View Publication