| 1. |
- Brännström, Kristoffer, et al.
(författare)
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The Schistosoma mansoni protein Sm16/SmSLP/SmSPO-1 assembles into a nine-subunit oligomer with potential To inhibit Toll-like receptor signaling
- 2009
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Ingår i: Infection and Immunity. - 0019-9567 .- 1098-5522. ; 77:3, s. 1144-1154
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The Sm16/SmSLP/SmSPO-1 (Sm16) protein is secreted by the parasite Schistosoma mansoni during skin penetration and has been ascribed immunosuppressive activities. Here we describe the strategy behind the design of a modified Sm16 protein with a decreased aggregation propensity, thus facilitating the expression and purification of an Sm16 protein that is soluble in physiological buffers. The Stokes radii and sedimentation coefficients of recombinant and native proteins indicate that Sm16 is an approximately nine-subunit oligomer. Analysis of truncated Sm16 derivatives showed that both oligomerization and binding to the plasma membrane of human cells depend on multiple C-terminal regions. For analysis of immunomodulatory activities, Sm16 was expressed in Pichia pastoris to facilitate the preparation of a pyrogen/endotoxin-free purified protein. Recombinant Sm16 was found to have no effect on T-lymphocyte activation, cell proliferation, or the basal level of cytokine production by whole human blood or monocytic cells. However, Sm16 exerts potent inhibition of the cytokine response to the Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and poly(I:C) while being less efficient at inhibiting the response to the TLR ligand peptidoglycan or a synthetic lipopeptide. Since Sm16 specifically inhibits the degradation of the IRAK1 signaling protein in LPS-stimulated monocytes, our findings indicate that inhibition is exerted proximal to the TLR complex.
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| 2. |
- Gullberg, Martin, 1955-
(författare)
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Recognition requirements and regulatory events directing T cell responses
- 1983
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The present study has considered cellular and molecular requirements in T cell responses. The central role of T cell growth factors (TCGF) in T cell responses prompted us to study the regulatory events directing TCGF production in lectin stimulated cultures. It was found that normal spleen cells, activated with Concanavalin A for 24 h, develop suppressive cells that block de novo TCGF production by fresh spleen cells. The induction time for effector suppressor cells (nonadherent, Lyt-2-positive T cells) was found to be 18 h and to parallel the termination of TCGF production in situ. The suppressive mechanism is neither iji situ absorption of TCGF produced at control rates nor killing of TCGF producing cells. These results suggest that suppression of TCGF production is an active process which directly and reversibly blocks TCGF-producing cells.This study also indicated that ConA induced a very limited proliferation of Lyt-2- T helper cells (TH) in unselected T cell populations. The activation and growth requirements of Lyt-1+ TH cells were directly investigated and compared with those of Lyt-2+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), as defined by the selective expression of Lyt differentiation antigens and functional activities. This analysis revealed a profound difference in activation and growth requirements between these T cell subsets. Thus, while Lyt-2+ CTL precursors can be induced to TCGF reactivity by soluble lectins, in the absence of specialized accessory cells,; Lyt-2" TH cell precursors show a strict accessory cell requirement both for activation and proliteration. Finally, the low level of TH cell effector function, detected in a primary responses to allo-MHC-antigens or lectins, appears to be due to the development of suppressive Lyt2+ T cells.The functional relevance of Lyt-2 antigens expressed on CTL membranes was further assessed in the last part of this study. Two distinct activation systems were used, namely MHC-antigens, provided as UV-irradiated stimulator cells or polyclonal induction by a 4 h pulse, with lectins. Both procedures were shown to selectively induce Lyt-2+ CTL precursors into TCGF reactivity without leading to mitosis, unless TCGF was added. In both cases it was found that monoclonal anti-Lyt-2 antibodies inhibited the two antigen- dependent phases of CTL responses namely, the initial induction step and target cytolysis. The analogy observed between antigen specific and lectin mediated indueton and target cytolysis, with regard to the susceptibility of inhibition by anti-Lyt-2 antibodies has lead to a general hypothesis on CTL activation.
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| 3. |
- Holmfeldt, Per, 1973-, et al.
(författare)
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Predominant regulators of tubulin monomer-polymer partitioning and their implication for cell polarization.
- 2009
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Ingår i: Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences (CMLS). - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1420-682X .- 1420-9071. ; 66:20, s. 3263-3276
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The microtubule-system organizes the cytoplasm during interphase and segregates condensed chromosomes during mitosis. Four unrelated conserved proteins, XMAP215/Dis1/TOGp, MCAK, MAP4 and Op18/stathmin, have all been implicated as predominant regulators of tubulin monomer-polymer partitioning in animal cells. However, while studies employing the Xenopus egg extract model system indicate that the partitioning is largely governed by the counteractive activities of XMAP215 and MCAK, studies of human cell lines indicate that MAP4 and Op18 are the predominant regulators of the interphase microtubule-array. Here, we review functional interplay of these proteins during interphase and mitosis in various cell model systems. We also review the evidence that MAP4 and Op18 have interphase-specific, counteractive and phosphorylation-inactivated activities that govern tubulin subunit partitioning in many mammalian cell types. Finally, we discuss evidence indicating that partitioning regulation by MAP4 and Op18 may be of significance to establish cell polarity.
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