Project description:Transcriptional profiling of Homo sapiens inflammatory skin diseases (whole skin biospies): Psoriasis (Pso), vs Atopic Dermatitis (AD) vs Lichen planus (Li), vs Contact Eczema (KE), vs Healthy control (KO) In recent years, different genes and proteins have been highlighted as potential biomarkers for psoriasis, one of the most common inflammatory skin diseases worldwide. However, most of these markers are not psoriasis-specific but also found in other inflammatory disorders. We performed an unsupervised cluster analysis of gene expression profiles in 150 psoriasis patients and other inflammatory skin diseases (atopic dermatitis, lichen planus, contact eczema, and healthy controls). We identified a cluster of IL-17/TNFα-associated genes specifically expressed in psoriasis, among which IL-36γ was the most outstanding marker. In subsequent immunohistological analyses IL-36γ was confirmed to be expressed in psoriasis lesions only. IL-36γ peripheral blood serum levels were found to be closely associated with disease activity, and they decreased after anti-TNFα-treatment. Furthermore, IL-36γ immunohistochemistry was found to be a helpful marker in the histological differential diagnosis between psoriasis and eczema in diagnostically challenging cases. These features highlight IL-36γ as a valuable biomarker in psoriasis patients, both for diagnostic purposes and measurement of disease activity during the clinical course. Furthermore, IL-36γ might also provide a future drug target, due to its potential amplifier role in TNFα- and IL-17 pathways in psoriatic skin inflammation. In recent years, different genes and proteins have been highlighted as potential biomarkers for psoriasis, one of the most common inflammatory skin diseases worldwide. However, most of these markers are not psoriasis-specific but also found in other inflammatory disorders. We performed an unsupervised cluster analysis of gene expression profiles in 150 psoriasis patients and other inflammatory skin diseases (atopic dermatitis, lichen planus, contact eczema, and healthy controls). We identified a cluster of IL-17/TNFα-associated genes specifically expressed in psoriasis, among which IL-36γ was the most outstanding marker. In subsequent immunohistological analyses IL-36γ was confirmed to be expressed in psoriasis lesions only. IL-36γ peripheral blood serum levels were found to be closely associated with disease activity, and they decreased after anti-TNFα-treatment. Furthermore, IL-36γ immunohistochemistry was found to be a helpful marker in the histological differential diagnosis between psoriasis and eczema in diagnostically challenging cases. These features highlight IL-36γ as a valuable biomarker in psoriasis patients, both for diagnostic purposes and measurement of disease activity during the clinical course. Furthermore, IL-36γ might also provide a future drug target, due to its potential amplifier role in TNFα- and IL-17 pathways in psoriatic skin inflammation.
Project description:In this study we compared the effects of IL-2, IL-15, and IL-21 on the gene expression, activation of cell signaling pathways, and functional properties of cells derived from the CD4+ cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Whereas both IL-2 and IL-15 that signal through receptors that share the common gamma chain and the beta chain modulated the expression of >1,000 genes, IL-21 that signals via the receptor also containing gamma chain up-regulated <40 genes. All three cytokines induced tyrosine phosphorylation of Jak1 and Jak3. However, only IL-2 and IL-15 strongly activated STAT5, PI3K/Akt, and MEK/ERK signaling pathways. In contrast, IL-21 selectively activated STAT3. Whereas all three cytokines protected CTCL cells from apoptosis, only IL-2 and IL-15 promoted their proliferation. The effects of the cytokine stimulation were Jak3- and Jak1-kinase dependent. These findings document the vastly different impact of IL-2 and IL-15 vs. IL-21 on malignant CD4+ T cells. They also suggest two novel therapeutic approaches to CTCL and, possibly, other CD4+ T cell lymphomas: inhibition of the Jak1/Jak3 kinase complex and, given the known strong immunostimulatory properties of IL-21 on CD8+ T, NK, and B cells, application of this cytokine to boost an immune response against malignant CD4+ T cells. Experiment Overall Design: Sez-4 cell line was starved of IL2 for 16h, washed twice and placed into 6-well plates in 10ml RPMI (10% FBS) for 2 h followed by addition of IL-2 (200U), IL-15 (20ng/mL), or IL-21 (100 ng/ml) or medium alone for 4 h.
Project description:The common gamma chain (γc) is required for productive signaling by interleukin (IL)-15, IL-21 and IL-2, which are critically involved in immune activation and regulation. IL-21 and IL-15 are implicated in the pathogenesis of type-1 diabetes, graft-versus-host disease, and celiac disease (CeD), a gluten-mediated autoimmune-like enteropathy. Attempts to treat type-1 diabetes and graft-versus-host disease with biologics targeting one particular cytokine have failed. Both IL-15 and IL-21 have been suggested to drive activation of cytotoxic T cells (CTL) that are the effectors mediating tissue destruction in CeD and organ-specific autoimmune disorders. We show that the concomitant upregulation of IL-15 and IL-21 occurs only in full-blown CeD with villous atrophy. BNZ-2, a peptide that targets the γc, was able to block the cooperative IL-15/IL-21 mediated transcriptional activation of human tissue-resident intraepithelial CTL. Importantly, this inhibition was specific and did not interfere with IL-2 signaling, a cytokine with known immunoregulatory functions. Moreover, BNZ-2 blocked gluten-induced IFN-γ production in small intestinal organ cultures from CeD patients. These observations identify BNZ-2 as a therapeutic candidate for immune disorders in which IL-15 and IL-21 cooperate to induce CTL-mediated tissue damage.
Project description:In this study we compared the effects of IL-2, IL-15, and IL-21 on the gene expression, activation of cell signaling pathways, and functional properties of cells derived from the CD4+ cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Whereas both IL-2 and IL-15 that signal through receptors that share the common gamma chain and the beta chain modulated the expression of >1,000 genes, IL-21 that signals via the receptor also containing gamma chain up-regulated <40 genes. All three cytokines induced tyrosine phosphorylation of Jak1 and Jak3. However, only IL-2 and IL-15 strongly activated STAT5, PI3K/Akt, and MEK/ERK signaling pathways. In contrast, IL-21 selectively activated STAT3. Whereas all three cytokines protected CTCL cells from apoptosis, only IL-2 and IL-15 promoted their proliferation. The effects of the cytokine stimulation were Jak3- and Jak1-kinase dependent. These findings document the vastly different impact of IL-2 and IL-15 vs. IL-21 on malignant CD4+ T cells. They also suggest two novel therapeutic approaches to CTCL and, possibly, other CD4+ T cell lymphomas: inhibition of the Jak1/Jak3 kinase complex and, given the known strong immunostimulatory properties of IL-21 on CD8+ T, NK, and B cells, application of this cytokine to boost an immune response against malignant CD4+ T cells. Experiment Overall Design: Sez-4 cell line was starved of IL-2 for 16h, washed twice and placed into 6-well plates in 10ml RPMI (10% FBS) for 2h followed by pre-treating for 30â?? with pan-Jak inhibitor (300 nM), Jak3 inhibitor (300 nM), or drig solvent and cultured with IL-2 (200U) or medium alone for 4 h.
Project description:Kynureninase is a member of a large family of catalytically diverse but structurally homologous pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) dependent enzymes known as the aspartate aminotransferase superfamily or alpha-family. The Homo sapiens and other eukaryotic constitutive kynureninases preferentially catalyze the hydrolytic cleavage of 3-hydroxy-l-kynurenine to produce 3-hydroxyanthranilate and l-alanine, while l-kynurenine is the substrate of many prokaryotic inducible kynureninases. The human enzyme was cloned with an N-terminal hexahistidine tag, expressed, and purified from a bacterial expression system using Ni metal ion affinity chromatography. Kinetic characterization of the recombinant enzyme reveals classic Michaelis-Menten behavior, with a Km of 28.3 +/- 1.9 microM and a specific activity of 1.75 micromol min-1 mg-1 for 3-hydroxy-dl-kynurenine. Crystals of recombinant kynureninase that diffracted to 2.0 A were obtained, and the atomic structure of the PLP-bound holoenzyme was determined by molecular replacement using the Pseudomonas fluorescens kynureninase structure (PDB entry 1qz9) as the phasing model. A structural superposition with the P. fluorescens kynureninase revealed that these two structures resemble the "open" and "closed" conformations of aspartate aminotransferase. The comparison illustrates the dynamic nature of these proteins' small domains and reveals a role for Arg-434 similar to its role in other AAT alpha-family members. Docking of 3-hydroxy-l-kynurenine into the human kynureninase active site suggests that Asn-333 and His-102 are involved in substrate binding and molecular discrimination between inducible and constitutive kynureninase substrates.
Project description:Homo sapiens fresh whole blood was infected with Candida glabrata. RNA-pool of both species extracted at 0min (control), 15, 30, 60, 120, 240 min. Samples are rRNA depleted. Measurement of Candida glabrata gene expression.
Project description:Homo sapiens fresh whole blood was infected with Candida parapsilosis. RNA-pool of both species extracted at 0min (control), 15, 30, 60, 120, 240 min. Samples are rRNA depleted. Measurement of Homo sapiens gene expression.
Project description:Homo sapiens fresh whole blood was infected with Candida tropicalis. RNA-pool of both species extracted at 0min (control), 15, 30, 60, 120, 240 min. Samples are rRNA depleted. Measurement of Candida tropicalis gene expression.
Project description:In this study we compared the effects of IL-2, IL-15, and IL-21 on the gene expression, activation of cell signaling pathways, and functional properties of cells derived from the CD4+ cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Whereas both IL-2 and IL-15 that signal through receptors that share the common gamma chain and the beta chain modulated the expression of >1,000 genes, IL-21 that signals via the receptor also containing gamma chain up-regulated <40 genes. All three cytokines induced tyrosine phosphorylation of Jak1 and Jak3. However, only IL-2 and IL-15 strongly activated STAT5, PI3K/Akt, and MEK/ERK signaling pathways. In contrast, IL-21 selectively activated STAT3. Whereas all three cytokines protected CTCL cells from apoptosis, only IL-2 and IL-15 promoted their proliferation. The effects of the cytokine stimulation were Jak3- and Jak1-kinase dependent. These findings document the vastly different impact of IL-2 and IL-15 vs. IL-21 on malignant CD4+ T cells. They also suggest two novel therapeutic approaches to CTCL and, possibly, other CD4+ T cell lymphomas: inhibition of the Jak1/Jak3 kinase complex and, given the known strong immunostimulatory properties of IL-21 on CD8+ T, NK, and B cells, application of this cytokine to boost an immune response against malignant CD4+ T cells. Keywords: 3 replicates in each of 4 conditions
Project description:In this study we compared the effects of IL-2, IL-15, and IL-21 on the gene expression, activation of cell signaling pathways, and functional properties of cells derived from the CD4+ cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Whereas both IL-2 and IL-15 that signal through receptors that share the common gamma chain and the beta chain modulated the expression of >1,000 genes, IL-21 that signals via the receptor also containing gamma chain up-regulated <40 genes. All three cytokines induced tyrosine phosphorylation of Jak1 and Jak3. However, only IL-2 and IL-15 strongly activated STAT5, PI3K/Akt, and MEK/ERK signaling pathways. In contrast, IL-21 selectively activated STAT3. Whereas all three cytokines protected CTCL cells from apoptosis, only IL-2 and IL-15 promoted their proliferation. The effects of the cytokine stimulation were Jak3- and Jak1-kinase dependent. These findings document the vastly different impact of IL-2 and IL-15 vs. IL-21 on malignant CD4+ T cells. They also suggest two novel therapeutic approaches to CTCL and, possibly, other CD4+ T cell lymphomas: inhibition of the Jak1/Jak3 kinase complex and, given the known strong immunostimulatory properties of IL-21 on CD8+ T, NK, and B cells, application of this cytokine to boost an immune response against malignant CD4+ T cells. Keywords: 3 replicates in each of 4 conditions