Transforming growth factor-β1 gene polymorphisms are associated with progression of liver fibrosis in Caucasians with chronic hepatitis C infection

AIM: Considerable attention is focused on polymorphisms in the gene encoding transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1),a multifunctional cytokine that is in turn a potent growth inhibitor involved in wound healing and differentiation. In humans, it promotes the pathogenesis of organ fibrosis,atherosclerosis, cancer, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, keloid disease, and hypertrophic scarring. For this reason, much emphasis has been placed on studies elucidating the impact of TGF-β1 and its gene variations for the susceptibility and pathogenesis of these diseases.Unfortunately, some studies have serious limitations.METHODS: We have recently described a high-throughput method for investigation the Arg25Pro polymorphism of human TGF-β1 gene and showed that the frequency of the Pro25 allele is significantly associated with hepatic fibrogenesis. In this report, we describe two novel LightCyder (LC) techniques that facilitate the examination of the two other known alterations in the coding region of TGF-β1.We investigated whether these polymorphisms contribute to hepatitis-induced progression of fibrogenesis in Chinese and Caucasians.RESULTS: In the Chinese ancestry, the gene polymorphisms at codons 25 and 263 were not found and the genetic variant at codon 10 is unlikely to confer susceptibility to hepatic fibrosis. Contrarily, in Caucasians TGF-β1 allelic variations are more frequent and the presence of prolines either in codon 25 or 10 is associated with the interindividual variability in developing more severe fibrosis during chronic hepatitis C infection.CONCLUSION: In summary, these results confirm the hypothesis that TGF-β1 polymorphisms are associated with fibrosis progression in Caucasians chronically infected with hepatitis C.

Construction and expression of a humanized M_2 autoantigen trimer and its application in the diagnosis of primary biliary cirrhosis

AIM: To construct and express a humanized M2 autoantigen trimer designated as BPO and to apply it in the diagnosis of primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC). METHODS: cDNA fragments encoding M2-reactive epitopes of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex Ez (PDCE2), branched chain 2-oxo-acid dehydrogenase complex E2 (BCOADC-E2) and 2-oxo-glutarate dehydrogenase complex E2 (OGDC-E2) were amplified with PCR using total RNA extracted from human peripheral mononuclear blood cells. The fragments were cloned into the plasmid vector pQE-30 and then transferred into E. coliM15 (pREP4) for expression, which was induced by isopropylthio-β-Dgalactoside. The expressed recombinant BPO protein was demonstrated by SDS-PAGE, Western-blotting and Immunoabsorption test, its antigenic reactivity and specificity were identified with seven M2-positive sera confirmed at Euroimmun Research Center (Germany).Using the purified BPO, M2 antibodies in sera from patients with PBC and other liver related diseases were detected with ELISA. RESULTS: The expressed BPO was observed with both antigenic reactivity and specificity of M2 autoantigens. The determination of M2 antibodies by BPO with ELISA was more sensitive than using the Euroimmun's kit with the coefficients of variation less than 10 % in both interassay and intraassay.With the newly established method, M2 antibodies were found in 100 % (20/20) of patients with PBC. Six cases of liver disease with unknown etiology and 1 patient with drug induced liver injury had detectable levels of serum M2antibodies. There were also 2 patients with autoimmune cholangitis and 1 with autoimmune hepatitis showing M2-antibody positive. CONCLUSION: Compared with the routine immunofluorescenoe assay and commercially available assay kit using porcine heart mitochondrial protein as the antigen, the detection system established in the present study shows higher sensitivity and specificity and may be used as a powerful tool for the diagnosis of PBC.

Characterization of M2 antibodies in asymptomatic Chinese population

AIM: To investigate the presence of M2 antibodies specific for pdmary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) in asymptomatic Chinese and identify patients with early PBC.METHODS: Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ElISA)tests for M2 antibodies to recombinant protein were performed in 5 011 subjects (age range, 26-85 years; mean age: 45.81±15.02 years) who took an annual physical examination. M2-positive subjects were further analyzed for immunoglobulin (Ig) classes and subclasses of M2 antibodies.Clinical, biochemical and immunological data were obtained for M2-positive subjects. In addition, ultrasonography (US)or endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP)was performed to exclude any disorders other than PBC.RESULTS: M2 antibodies were detected in 8 (0.16%) of the 5 0LL subjects studied. Of the 8 subjects, 7 were female and 1 was male (age range: 40-74 years). An unexplained increase of serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (γ-GT) values, often to striking levels,was detected in 4 M2-positive subjects, 3 of them accorded with the diagnostic criteria recommended by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases, even though they had no symptoms of PBC (such as fatigue, pruritus or jaundice).Liver biopsy was performed in two M2-positive subjects and the histology was compatible with PBC in both cases.CONCLUSION: Our data, while not assessing the true prevalence of asymptomatic PBC in the general population,suggest that asymptomatic PBC is much more common in China than has been supposed.

The expression and antigenicity identification of recombinant rat TGF-β1 in bacteria

In order to study structure-function details of TGF-β1, the recombinant mature form of rat TGF-β1 was expressed in bacteria. Synthesis of the 112 amino-acid carboxyl-terminal part of TGF-β1 (amino acid 279-390) was controlled by an inducible gene expression system based on bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase. This system allowed an active and selective synthesis of recombinant TGF-β1. The molecular weight of expressed TGF-β1 monomer determined on SDS-polyacrylamide gel under reducing conditions was about 13 kD. Serial detergent washes combined with a single gel-filtration purification step were sufficient to purify the expression product to homogeneity. Amino-terminal sequencing revealed that the N-terminal of the recombinant protein was identical to the published data. In Western blot analysis the recombinant polypeptide showed excellent antigenicity against polyclonal TGF-β1 antibody. The mature recombinant rat TGF-β1 expressed in this study provides a useful tool for future detailed structural and functional studies.

Synthesis and Characterization of A Small Molecule CFTR Chloride Channel Inhibitor

A thiazolidinone CFTR inhibitor(CFTR_ inh-172 ) was synthesized by a three-step procedure with trifluromethylaniline as the starting material. The synthesized CFTR inhibitor was characterized structurally by means of 1H NMR and functionally in a CFTR-expressing cell line FRT/hCFTR/EYFP-H148Q by both fluorescent and electrophysiological methods. A large amount(100 g) of high-quality small molecule thiazolidinone CFTR chloride channel inhibitor,CFTR_ inh-172 ,can be produced with this simple three-step synthetic procedure. The structure of the final product 2-thioxo-3-(3-trifluromethylphenyl)-5-[4-carboxyphenyl- methylene]-4-thiazolidinone was confirmed by 1H NMR. The overall yield was 58% with a purity over 99% as analyzed by HPLC. The synthesized CFTR_ inh-172 specifically inhibited CFTR chloride channel function in a cell-based fluorescence assay( K _d≈1.5 μmol/L) and in a Ussing chamber-based short-circuit current assay( K _d≈0.2 μmol/L),indicating better quality than that of the commercial combinatorial compound. The synthesized inhibitor is nontoxic to cultured cells at a high concentration and to mouse at a high dose. The synthetic procedure developed here can be used to produce a large amount of the high-quality CFTR_ inh-172 suitable for antidiarrheal studies and for creation of cystic fibrosis models in large animals. The procedure can be used to synthesize radiolabled CFTR_ inh-172 for in vivo pharmacokinetics studies.

ROLE OF BIVALENT CATIONS AND CHOLINE IN ATP-INDUCED APOPTOSIS OF HUMAN LYMPHOCYTES WITH P2Z RECEPTORS

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THE CORRELATIVITY ANALYSIS OF SIX METHODS OF DETECTING APOPTOSIS

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Transcriptional regulation of human α1(I) procollagen gene in dermal fibroblasts

AIM: To clarify the fractional activity of promoters from human α1(I) procollagen gene, the interaction between ciselements and consensus DNA-binding proteins responsible for high promoter activity, and the potential application of promoter competitors as well as cytokines for antifibrogenesis.METHODS: Sequence between 2 483 bp upstream of the start of transcription and 42 bp downstream of this site was investigated with serial 5'-deletion. The 5'-deleted promoters recombined with chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) as reporter gene were transiently transfected to human dermal fibroblasts. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay was performed to show the DNA-protein binding capacity of the promoter sequence. Cytokines including tumor necrosis factor α(TNFα) and interferons (INFs) were added to the culture medium of transiently transfected fibroblasts.Competitor DNA for the binding sites of Sp-1, Ap-1 and NF-1 was individually cotransfected transiently in order to block the promoter-driven CAT expression.RESULTS: Sequences of -2 483 to +42 bp and -268 to +42 bp of human α1(I) procollagen gene had high activity as promoters. Binding sites for Ap-1 and Sp-1 were among the cis-regulatory elements recognizing consensus transcription factors responsible for basal promoter activity of sequence -268 to +42 bp. TNFα, IFNα, IFNβ showed inhibitory effects on sequence -2 483 to +42 bp as promoter with activities 43%, 62% and 60% of control respectively. Transfection of the promoter competitors could reverse the promoter activity of -268 to +42 bp 40-60%.CONCLUSION: Sequences of -2 483 to +42 bp recombined with reporter gene provide an ideal construction for transcriptional study of α1(I) procollagen gene. The anticollagen capacity of TNFα and IFNs is associated with their transcriptional regulation. Ap-1 and Sp-1 mediate the basal transcriptional activation of human α1(I) procollagen gene in dermal fibroblasts. Competitors for highly active promoters might be a novel potential candidate in fibrotic blockade.

Enhancing DNA vaccine potency against hantavirus by co-administration of interleukin-12 expression vector as a genetic adjuvant

Background The heavy incidence and mortality of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, as well as no specific drugs in curing the disease, clearly indicate the need for development Of the more effective hantavirus vaccine. Refining the DNA vaccination strategy to elicit more clinically efficacious immune responses is now under intensive investigation. In the present study, we examined the effects of using an interleukin-12 expression plasmid as a genetic adjuvant to enhance the immune responses induced by a DNA vaccine based on the S gene encoding nucleocapsid protein against hantavirus. Methods BALB/c mice were immunized three times by intramuscular inoculations of DNA vaccine encoding of hantanvirus nucleoeapsid protein alone or in combination with a plasmid expressing murine interleukin-12 (pcIL-12). Booster immunizations were employed 2 times at 2-week interval. To evaluate the Immoral and cellular immune responses, antigen-specific lymphocyte proliferation and antibody production were assayed by MTT method and ELISA respectively. The level of interleukin-4 and interferon-gamma in the splenic lymphocytic cultured supernatant were detected with ELISA kit at day 5, 10, 17, 35 and 42 after primary immunization. Results Antigen-specific IgG antibodies was increased markedly at day 17 in the experiment groups and reached a plateau after day 35. As pcIL-12 co-injected, a significant inhibition of antigen-specific IgG levels was displayed over the period and the antibody mean titre was decreased to only about 1: 50 at day 42 after primary immunization, significantly lower than the group immunized with pcDNA3.1 + S alone, in which the mean titre was about 1:70. Interferon-gamma was increased remarkably by the co-injection of pcIL-12 compared with the injection of pcDNA3.1 + S alone. However, the production of interleukin-4 was inhibited by pcIL-12 coinjection. Furthermore, pcIL-12 co-injection efficiently enhanced antigen-specific lymphocyte proliferation. Conclusion Humoral and cytokine responses elicited by pcDNA3.1 + S inoculation can be modulated by coinoculation with pcIL-12 and efficiently induced Th1-dominant immune responses.