Blood HEMOSTASIS, THROMBOSIS, AND VASCULAR BIOLOGY

An L-selectin ligand distinct from P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 is expressed on endothelial cells and promotes neutrophil rolling in inflammation

Shigeta, A., Matsumoto, M., Tedder, T. F., Lowe, J. B., Miyasaka, M., Hirata, T. — 2008-12-08

Neutrophils recruited from the blood are key players in the innate immune response. Selectins play critical roles in neutrophil recruitment by mediating their tethering and rolling in inflamed venules. While the roles of P- and E-selectin in this process are well established, the mechanisms of L-selectin–mediated neutrophil recruitment remain elusive. One proposal is that tethering is mediated by L-selectin on flowing neutrophils interacting with P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) on adherent neutrophils. To clarify whether L-selectin–mediated neutrophil recruitment depends entirely on PSGL-1, we examined the impact of L-selectin deficiency in mice with a PSGL-1–deficient background. L-selectin and PSGL-1 double-knockout mice exhibited a higher increase in their peripheral blood neutrophil count and a worse defect in neutrophil recruitment into the inflamed peritoneum than PSGL-1–deficient mice. Intravital microscopy of inflamed cremaster muscle venules showed that L-selectindeficiency or antibody blockade of L-selectin reduced the residual leukocyte rolling in PSGL-1–deficient mice. Flow cytometric analyses showed that the endothelial cells from the cremaster muscle bound L-selectin in a PSGL-1–independent manner. These results provide evidence for the existence of an L-selectin ligand distinct from PSGL-1 in inflammation and indicate that such a ligand is expressed on endothelial cells, promoting neutrophil rolling in vivo.

Genetic associations with thalidomide mediated venous thrombotic events in myeloma identified using targeted genotyping

2008-12-08

A venous thromboembolism (VTE) with the subsequent risk of pulmonary embolism is a major concern in the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma with thalidomide. The susceptibility to developing a VTE in response to thalidomide therapy is likely to be influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. To test genetic variation associated with treatment related VTE in patient peripheral blood DNA, we used a custom-built molecular inversion probe (MIP)–based single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chip containing 3404 SNPs. SNPs on the chip were selected in "functional regions" within 964 genes spanning 67 molecular pathways thought to be involved in the pathogenesis, treatment response, and side effects associated with myeloma therapy. Patients and controls were taken from 3 large clinical trials: Medical Research Council (MRC) Myeloma IX, Hovon-50, and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) EA100, which compared conventional treatments with thalidomide in patients with myeloma. Our analysis showed that the set of SNPs associated with thalidomide-related VTE were enriched in genes and pathways important in drug transport/metabolism, DNA repair, and cytokine balance. The effects of the SNPs associated with thalidomide-related VTE may be functional at the level of the tumor cell, the tumor-related microenvironment, and the endothelium. The clinical trials described in this paper have been registered as follows: MRC Myeloma IX: ISRCTN68454111; Hovon-50: NCT00028886; and ECOG EA100: NCT00033332.

UV-C irradiation disrupts platelet surface disulfide bonds and activates the platelet integrin {alpha}IIb{beta}3

2008-12-08

UV-C irradiation has been shown to be effective for pathogen reduction in platelet concentrates, but preliminary work indicated that UV-C irradiation of platelets can induce platelet aggregation. In this study, the mechanism underlying this phenomenon was investigated. Irradiation of platelets with UV-C light (1500 J/m²) caused platelet aggregation, which was dependent on integrin IIbβ3 activation (GPIIb/IIIa). This activation occurred despite treatment with several signal transduction inhibitors known to block platelet activation. UV-C also induced activation of recombinant IIbβ3 in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, an environment in which physiologic agonists fail to activate. Activation of IIbβ3 requires talin binding to the β3 tail, yet IIbβ3-724 (lacking the talin binding site) was activated by UV-C irradiation, excluding a requirement for talin binding. The UV-C effect appears to be general in that β₁ and β₂ integrins are also activated by UV-C. To explain these findings, we investigated the possibility of UV-C–induced photolysis of disulfide bonds, in analogy with the activating effect of reducing agents on integrins. Indeed, UV-C induced a marked increase in free thiol groups in platelet surface proteins including IIbβ3. Thus, UV-C appears to activate IIbβ3 not by affecting intracellular signal transduction, but by reduction of disulfide bonds regulating integrin conformation.

Angiostatic activity of the antitumor cytokine interleukin-21

2008-12-08

Interleukin-21 (IL-21) is a recently described immunoregulatory cytokine. It has been identified as a very potent immunotherapeutic agent in several cancer types in animal models, and clinical studies are ongoing. IL-21 belongs to the type I cytokine family of which other members, ie, IL-2, IL-15, and IL-4, have been shown to exert activities on vascular endothelial cells (ECs). We hypothesized that IL-21, in addition to inducing the antitumor immune response, also inhibits tumor angiogenesis. In vitro experiments showed a decrease of proliferation and sprouting of activated ECs after IL-21 treatment. We found that the IL-21 receptor is expressed on vascular ECs. Furthermore, in vivo studies in the chorioallantoic membrane of the chick embryo and in mouse tumors demonstrated that IL-21 treatment disturbs vessel architecture and negatively affects vessel outgrowth. Our results also confirm the earlier suggested angiostatic potential of IL-2 in vitro and in vivo. The angiostatic effect of IL-21 is confirmed by the decrease in expression of angiogenesis-related genes. Interestingly, IL-21 treatment of ECs leads to a decrease of Stat3 phosphorylation. Our research shows that IL-21 is a very powerful antitumor compound that combines the induction of an effective antitumor immune response with inhibition of tumor angiogenesis.

Mutations in complement C3 predispose to development of atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome

2008-12-08

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is a disease of complement dysregulation. In approximately 50% of patients, mutations have been described in the genes encoding the complement regulators factor H, MCP, and factor I or the activator factor B. We report here mutations in the central component of the complement cascade, C3, in association with aHUS. We describe 9 novel C3 mutations in 14 aHUS patients with a persistently low serum C3 level. We have demonstrated that 5 of these mutations are gain-of-function and 2 are inactivating. This establishes C3 as a susceptibility factor for aHUS.