Rhinovirus regulation of IL-1 receptor antagonist in vivo and in vitro: a potential mechanism of symptom resolution. (41/2476)

Rhinovirus (RV) upper respiratory tract infections are prototypic transient inflammatory responses. To address the mechanism of disease resolution in these infections, we determined if RV stimulated the production of the IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) in vivo and in vitro. In contrast to IL-1alpha and IL-1beta, immunoreactive IL-1ra was readily detected in the nasal washings of normal human volunteers. Symptomatic RV infection caused a small increase in IL-1alpha, a modest increase in IL-1beta, and an impressive increase in IL-1ra. Maximal induction of IL-1alpha and IL-1beta was transiently noted 48 h after RV infection. In contrast, maximal induction of IL-1ra was prolonged appearing 48-72 h after RV infection. These time points corresponded to the periods of peak symptomatology and the onset of symptom resolution, respectively. Western analysis of nasal washings demonstrated that RV stimulated the accumulation of intracellular IL-1ra type I in all and secreted IL-1ra in a subset of volunteers. Unstimulated normal respiratory epithelial cells contained intracellular IL-1ra type I mRNA and protein. RV infection increased the intracellular levels and extracellular transport of this IL-1ra moiety without causing significant changes in the levels of IL-1ra mRNA. IL-1ra may play an important role in the resolution of RV respiratory infections. RV stimulates epithelial cell IL-1ra elaboration, at least in part, via a novel translational and/or posttranslational mechanism.  (+info)

Expression of cell adhesion molecules on limbal and neovascular endothelium in corneal inflammatory neovascularization. (42/2476)

PURPOSE: To investigate the expression of cell-adhesion molecules on corneolimbal and neovascular endothelium and the associated leukocyte infiltration in an experimental model of inflammatory corneal neovascularization (NV). METHODS: Corneal NV was induced in BALB/c mice by placement of nylon sutures. Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) was used topically to determine whether suppression of IL-1 could affect adhesion molecule expression and leukocytic infiltration. At set time points, corneal samples were analyzed immunohistochemically for expression of P-selectin, E-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1, vascular adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1, and platelet- endothelial adhesion molecule (PECAM)-1. Leukocytic infiltration at different time points was quantified histologically. In companion experiments mice deficient in ICAM-1 were investigated to determine the functional relevance of this molecule in corneal leukocyte infiltration. RESULTS: Significant enhanced expression of ICAM-1 was detected on the corneolimbal vascular endothelium as early as 8 hours and on the newly formed corneal NV by day 3, and treatment with IL-1ra led to significant suppression of this expression. IL-1ra-induced suppression of ICAM-1 expression was accompanied by a profound decrease in corneal leukocytic infiltration by 44.6% at day 1 (P < 0.003), 71.8% at day 3 (P < 0.001), 60.1% at day 7 (P < 0.001), and 63.8% at day 14 (P < 0.001), compared with control corneas. Similarly, in ICAM-1 knockout mice, the corneal leukocytic infiltration was 50.3%, 52.9%, and 36.4%, compared with wild-type control animals on day 1 (P < 0.001), day 7 (P < 0.005), and day 14 (P < 0.001), respectively. Expression of PECAM-1 was constitutively present on perilimbal vascular endothelium and had no response to IL-1ra treatment. No significant expression of P-selectin, E-selectin, or VCAM-1 was detected in this experimental model. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that leukocytic infiltration in this model of inflammatory corneal NV is closely associated with ICAM-1 expression, and that topical IL-1ra displays corneal anti-inflammatory effects, largely by suppressing ICAM-1 expression on vascular endothelial cells.  (+info)

Leptin actions on food intake and body temperature are mediated by IL-1. (43/2476)

Leptin regulates energy balance through its actions in the brain on appetite and energy expenditure and also shares properties with cytokines such as IL-1. We report here that leptin, injected into rats intracerebroventricularly or peripherally, induces significant dose-dependent increases in core body temperature as well as suppression of appetite. Leptin failed to affect food intake or body temperature in obese (fa/fa) Zucker rats, which posses a defective leptin receptor. Furthermore, injection of leptin increased levels of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-1beta in the hypothalamus of normal Sprague-Dawley rats. Central injection of IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) inhibited the suppression of food intake caused by central or peripheral injection of leptin (60 and 84%, respectively) and abolished the leptin-induced increase in body temperature in both cases. Mice lacking (gene knockout) the main IL-1 receptor (80 kDa, R1) responsible for IL-1 actions showed no reduction in food intake in response to leptin. These data indicate that leptin actions in the brain depend on IL-1, and we show further that the effect of leptin on fever, but not food intake, is abolished by a cyclooxygenase inhibitor. Thus, we propose that in addition to its role in body weight regulation, leptin may mediate neuroimmune responses via actions in the brain dependent on release of IL-1 and prostaglandins.  (+info)

Discrimination between sialic acid-containing receptors and pseudoreceptors regulates polyomavirus spread in the mouse. (44/2476)

Variations in the polyomavirus major capsid protein VP1 underlie important biological differences between highly pathogenic large-plaque and relatively nonpathogenic small-plaque strains. These polymorphisms constitute major determinants of virus spread in mice and also dictate previously recognized strain differences in sialyloligosaccharide binding. X-ray crystallographic studies have shown that these determinants affect binding to the sialic acids. Here we report results of further experiments designed to test the importance of specific contacts between VP1 and the carbohydrate moieties of the receptor. With minor exceptions, substitutions at positions predicted from crystallography to be important in binding the terminal alpha-2,3-linked sialic acid or the penultimate sugar (galactose) destroyed the ability of the virus to replicate in cell culture. Substitutions that prevented binding to a branched disialyloligosaccharide were found to result in viruses that were both viable in culture and tumorigenic in the mouse. Conversely, substitutions that allowed recognition and binding of the branched carbohydrate chain inhibited spread in the mouse, though the viruses remained viable in culture. Mice of five different inbred strains, all highly susceptible to large-plaque virus, showed resistance to the spread of polyomavirus strains bearing the VP1 type which binds the branched-chain receptor. We suggest that glycoproteins bearing the appropriate O-linked branched sialyloligosaccharide chains are effective pseudoreceptors in the host and that they block the spread of potentially tumorigenic or virulent virus strains.  (+info)

Interleukin-1beta, interleukin-1 receptor antagonist, interleukin-4, and interleukin-10 gene polymorphisms: relationship to occurrence and severity of rheumatoid arthritis. (45/2476)

OBJECTIVE: To test if interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta), IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra), IL-4, or IL-10 gene polymorphisms could be used as markers of susceptibility or severity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: The study included 108 patients with early RA followed up for 2 years and 128 healthy controls. From genomic DNA, 6 polymorphisms in genes for IL-1beta, IL-1Ra, IL-10, and IL-4 were typed. Allelic frequencies and carriage rates were compared between RA patients and controls, between patients with erosive and nonerosive RA, and between patients with or without sustained remission. RESULTS: The RP1 allele of the IL-4 gene was found with a significantly higher frequency in RA patients compared with controls. The combination of an RA-related HLA-DR allele expressing shared epitope and the presence of allele E2 in IL-1beta exon 5 was found to expose patients to an increased risk of erosive disease, with an odds ratio of 8.20 (95% confidence interval 2.59-25.84, P < 0.0001). No significant association was observed between polymorphisms and the occurrence of sustained remission. CONCLUSION: This report, for the first time, indicates an association between RA and a polymorphic IL-4 gene sequence located in 5q31-33. In addition, the results show the prognostic value of a polymorphism in IL-1beta exon 5, which allowed prediction of erosive disease with a specificity of 91.8% in 42.1% of patients. Although these observations are very interesting, they have to be considered preliminary and will need to be confirmed.  (+info)

Interleukin-1beta immunoreactivity and microglia are enhanced in the rat hippocampus by focal kainate application: functional evidence for enhancement of electrographic seizures. (46/2476)

Using immunocytochemistry and ELISA, we investigated the production of interleukin (IL)-1beta in the rat hippocampus after focal application of kainic acid inducing electroencephalographic (EEG) seizures and CA3 neuronal cell loss. Next, we studied whether EEG seizures per se induced IL-1beta and microglia changes in the hippocampus using bicuculline as a nonexcitotoxic convulsant agent. Finally, to address the functional role of this cytokine, we measured the effect of human recombinant (hr)IL-1beta on seizure activity as one marker of the response to kainate. Three and 24 hr after unilateral intrahippocampal application of 0.19 nmol of kainate, IL-1beta immunoreactivity was enhanced in glia in the injected and the contralateral hippocampi. At 24 hr, IL-1beta concentration increased by 16-fold (p < 0.01) in the injected hippocampus. Reactive microglia was enhanced with a pattern similar to IL-1beta immunoreactivity. Intrahippocampal application of 0.77 nmol of bicuculline methiodide, which induces EEG seizures but not cell loss, enhanced IL-1beta immunoreactivity and microglia, although to a less extent and for a shorter time compared with kainate. One nanogram of (hr)IL-1beta intrahippocampally injected 10 min before kainate enhanced by 226% the time spent in seizures (p < 0.01). This effect was blocked by coinjection of 1 microgram (hr)IL-1beta receptor antagonist or 0.1 ng of 3-((+)-2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)-propyl-1-phosphonate, selective antagonists of IL-1beta and NMDA receptors, respectively. Thus, convulsant and/or excitotoxic stimuli increase the production of IL-1beta in microglia-like cells in the hippocampus. In addition, exogenous application of IL-1beta prolongs kainate-induced hippocampal EEG seizures by enhancing glutamatergic neurotransmission.  (+info)

Effects of soluble interleukin-1 type II receptor on rabbit antigen-induced arthritis: clinical, biochemical and histological assessment. (47/2476)

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of soluble interleukin-1 (IL-1) type II receptor (sIL-1RII) on a number of clinical, biochemical and histological parameters in rabbit antigen-induced arthritis. METHODS: Arthritis was induced by intra-articular injection of methylated bovine serum albumin (mBSA) into rabbits pre-sensitized to the same antigen. An initial i.v. bolus of sIL-1RII was administered, followed by s.c. mini-pump dosing for 14 days, starting at the time of the arthritis induction. Animals received vehicle (saline 500 microl + 5 microl/h), low-dose sIL-1RII (13.4 microg + 1.34 microg/h) or high-dose sIL-1RII (40.2 microg + 4.02 microg/h). RESULTS: Marked, dose-related inhibition of joint diameter, plasma prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and synovial fluid IL-1alpha and IL-1beta concentrations were seen after administration of sIL-1RII. However, synovial fluid PGE2 concentrations and synovial fluid cell counts were not affected. A significant inhibitory effect was also seen histologically on soft-tissue swelling and joint damage with high-dose sIL-1RII. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that IL-1 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of rabbit antigen-induced arthritis, thus confirming it as an excellent animal model with respect to evaluating anti-cytokine therapies for rheumatoid arthritis.  (+info)

Ovarian interleukin-1 receptor antagonist in rats: gene expression, cellular localization, cyclic variation, and hormonal regulation of a potential determinant of interleukin-1 action. (48/2476)

It is hypothesized that the intraovarian interleukin (IL)-1 system plays a prominent role in the regulation of follicular development and ovulation. A central component of the intraovarian IL-1 system is the IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA), a protein acting as a pure IL-1 receptor antagonist and one for which intracellular (icIL-1RA) and secretory (sIL-1RA) varieties have been described. It was the objective of this study to explore rat ovarian IL-1RA gene expression, to establish the identity and relative abundance of its alternative transcripts, to study its cellular localization, to determine its cyclic variation, and to assess its hormonal regulation. Protected IL-1RA cDNA fragments corresponding to either sIL-1RA or icIL-1RA were barely detectable in untreated whole ovarian tissue of immature rat origin. However, sIL-1RA transcripts reached a maximal value (3.3-fold increase over untreated control values; p < 0.05) 12 h after hCG administration (time of projected ovulation). In situ hybridization localized IL-1RA to mural, antral, and cumulus granulosa cells. Modestly intense staining was also apparent in oocytes. The basal pattern of sIL-1RA expression by cultured whole ovarian dispersates was characterized by a spontaneous increase to a peak value at 4 h. The early (4 h) sIL-1RA burst proved IL-1-, nitric oxide-, and protein biosynthesis-independent. However, treatment with IL-1beta led to a secondary sIL-1RA peak at 48 h, an effect that was substantially reversed by IL-1RA. This stimulatory effect of IL-1beta on IL-1RA expression proved relatively specific, and nitric oxide independent, but contingent upon de novo protein biosynthesis. The in vitro expression of icIL-1RA was barely detectable. Taken together, these in vivo and in vitro observations 1) document the rat ovary as a site of IL-1RA (sIL-1RA > cIL-1RA) expression, 2) localize the relevant transcripts to the granulosa cell, 3) disclose peak expression at the time of ovulation, and 4) establish IL-1 dependence.  (+info)