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The common cytokine receptor γ chain (γc) plays an essential role in regulating lymphoid homeostasis. In fact, alteration of this gene causes severe immunodeficiency in humans and animals. Although soluble γc (sγc) was identified in the late 1990s, much remains unknown about its production. This study describes various mechanisms underlying the generation of sγc isoforms in different species. Our data demonstrate that mouse γc and the avian ortholog γc-a did not generate sγc. Moreover, two mouse isoforms, CRA-a and mγc-b, encoded by transcripts lacking a transmembrane region by alternative splicing, did not yield sγc. However, in ducks, sγc was produced from a γc-b transcript lacking a transmembrane region by alternative splicing. In chickens, sγc was produced in normal cells and cell lines by proteolytic shedding of the γc-b isoform containing intron 5, which displayed a relatively high probability of proteolytic cleavage of the ectodomain. This shedding was suppressed by leupeptin, serine and cysteine protease inhibitor. Compared to the chicken ortholog γc-a, expression of γc-b mRNA was differentially regulated according to tissue type, developmental stage, and antigen stimulation. These data demonstrate several mechanisms for producing sγc and suggest a potential role for sγc in avian lymphoid homeostatic responses to environmental antigens.

Oral administration of immunoglobulin in the colostrum or egg yolk has been considered an effective tool for preventing enterobacterial infection via passive immunization. During this process, the transmission and residence of the active immunoglobulin are the most important conditions for successful protection. We investigated the stability of encapsulated colostrum and egg yolk immunoglobulin for the effective transmission of immunoglobulin in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. First, we measured GI transit time. Contrast media passed through and reached the stomach within 10 min, the small intestine within 3.5 h, and the cecum within 5 h. Both the encapsulated colostrum containing anti-hepatitis A virus (HAV) antibody (IgG) and egg yolk with anti-rotavirus antibody (IgY) showed lower antibody activity than the non-encapsulated colostrum did in the stomach after administration; however, significantly higher antibody activities were observed in the encapsulated groups than in the non-encapsulated groups in the small intestine 3.5 h after the administration. In the large intestine, the antibody activities of the encapsulated groups were maintained or slightly increased in a time-dependent manner; however, the titers of each non-capsulated control were as low as the negative controls. Therefore, this encapsulation is considered a useful tool for the delivery of active antibody through the GI tract.

The cerebellum is involved in complex physiological functions including motor control, sensory perception, cognition, language, and emotion. Humans and animals with prion diseases are characterized clinically by ataxia, postural abnormalities and cognitive decline. Pathology in the cerebellum affected by prions includes spongiform degeneration, neuronal loss, and gliosis. To develop an in vitro model system for studying prion biology in cerebellar cells, we established and characterized an immortal cell line (CRBL) isolated from the cerebellum of mice lacking expression of a protein involved in cell cycle arrest. The characteristics of the cells include morphological heterogeneity, rapid proliferation, serum responsiveness during growth, and a change in the number of chromosomes. CRBL cells expressed both neuronal and glial cell markers as well as a considerable level of cellular prion protein, PrP(C). Upon in vitro infection, CRBL cells exhibited selective susceptibility to prions isolated from different sources. These cells chronically propagated prions from SMB cells. Strain-specific prion infection in CRBL cells was not due to instability of the cell line, allelic variance, or mutations in the PrP gene. Molecular properties of prions derived from SMB cells were maintained in the infected CRBL cells. Our results suggest that the specific interaction between a prion strain and hosts determined the selective susceptibility of CRBL cells, which reflects the conditions in vivo. In addition to the future studies revealing cellular and molecular mechanism involved in prion pathogenesis, CRBL cells will contribute to the studies dealing with prion strain properties and host susceptibilities.

Carbohydrate-binding protein 35 (CBP35), also known as the macrophage surface antigen Mac-2, is a lactosamine-specific lectin whose extracellular properties include the ability to agglutinate cells and to bind avidly to the basement membrane glycoprotein laminin. Although these and other properties would be facilitated by dimerization of this lectin, previous studies have argued against multimeric forms of this protein. We report here that macrophage CBP35, purified by laminin affinity chromatography, exists as several distinct species (Mr 35,000, 67,000, and 80,000) when analyzed under non-reducing conditions. This unexpected finding prompted us to study the biochemistry of multimerization using recombinant CBP35 (rCBP35). rCBP35 expressed in Escherichia coli forms disulfide-linked homodimers (Mr 67,000). The dimeric form of CBP35 binds to laminin with higher affinity than does monomer and by a lactosamine-dependent mechanism. Site-directed mutagenesis indicated that cysteine 186, the single cysteine residue in CBP35, is required for dimerization. These results raise the possibility that homo- and heterodimeric forms of CBP35 contribute to its postulated functions in cell-matrix interactions and growth regulation.

Current data indicate that cell adhesion to laminin, the major basement membrane glycoprotein, is mediated by specific integrins, a family of adhesion receptors. In addition, most cell types express a complement of high affinity non-integrin laminin binding proteins (LBPs). Despite considerable effort, the function of these LBPs has not been elucidated. We report here that the major non-integrin LBP of murine macrophages exhibits an Mr of 35,000 and is expressed on the cell surface. Protein microsequencing data revealed that this protein is identical to carbohydrate binding protein 35. This murine galactose-specific lectin is the macrophage antigen Mac-2. Thus, these data suggest that the non-integrin LBPs may contribute to laminin adhesion by a mechanism involving protein-carbohydrate interactions.

A mouse macrophage cytotoxic factor was purified to homogeneity from the serum-free culture supernatant of a mouse macrophage hybridoma clone, N/P-7-1, stimulated with lipopolysaccharide by gel filtration, affinity chromatography, anion-exchange chromatography, and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The purified material was judged to be homogeneous as to the criteria of sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and has a relative molecular mass of 17,500, as determined by SDS-PAGE, or 55,000, as determined by gel filtration on columns of both Sephacryl S-200 and TSK G3000SW. It has an isoelectric point of 5.0, and is trypsin sensitive, stable at 56 degrees C and labile at pH less than 6. The cytotoxic activity of the purified factor could not be inhibited by various sugars and lectins. The production of the factor from N/P-7-1 triggered by macrophage-activating factor for cytotoxicity, but not by mouse recombinant gamma-interferon. The factor should be synthesized after lipopolysaccharide stimulation because treatment of N/P-7-1 cells with a metabolic inhibitor, emetine or actinomycin D, prevents the production.

Stable mouse macrophage hybridomas were produced by somatic cell fusion between proteose peptone-elicited peritoneal macrophages and NS-1 myeloma cells. Three cloned hybrid cell lines, designated as N/P-5-3, -6-2, and -7-1, exhibited typical macrophage-like morphology. Moreover, their macrophage characteristics were confirmed by the manifestation of intracellular nonspecific esterase, the detection of Mac-1 antigens and Fc-receptors on the cell surface, and the demonstration of phagocytic and antigen-presenting activities. Furthermore, these cell lines, stimulated with LPS, secreted considerable amounts of a cytotoxic factor and interleukin 1. Cultured cells of various tumor cell lines were sensitive to the cytotoxic factor, but normal thymocytes, spleen cells, and liver cells were not killed by the factor.