Annegret Glasow

Effects of ionizing radiation on the immune system with special emphasis on the interaction of dendritic and T cells

Dendritic cells (DCs), as professional antigen-presenting cells, are members of the innate immune system and function as key players during the induction phase of adaptive immune responses. Uptake, processing, and presentation of antigens direct the outcome toward either tolerance or immunity. The cells of the immune system are among the most highly radiosensitive cells in the body. For high doses of ionizing radiation (HD-IR) both immune-suppressive effects after whole body irradiation and possible immune activation during tumor therapy were observed. On the other hand, the effects of low doses of ionizing radiation (LD-IR) on the immune system are controversial and seem to show high variability among different individuals and species. There are reports revealing that protracted LD-IR can result in radioresistance. But immune-suppressive effects of chronic LD-IR are also reported, including the killing or sensitizing of certain cell types. This article shall review the current knowledge of radiation-induced effects on the immune system, paying special attention to the interaction of DCs and T cells.

Cross talk between retinoic acid signaling and transcription factor GATA-2.

ABSTRACT All-trans-retinoic acid (RA) stimulates differentiation of normal hematopoietic progenitors and acute myeloid leukemia cells. GATA-2 is a transcription factor expressed in early progenitor cells and implicated in the control of the fate of hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells. We have investigated the possibility that the GATA and nuclear hormone receptor pathways are functionally linked through direct protein-protein interaction. Here we demonstrate that in human myeloid KG1 cells, RA receptor alpha (RARα), the major RAR expressed in hematopoietic cells, associates with GATA-2. This association is mediated by the zinc fingers of GATA-2 and the DNA-binding domain of RARα. As a consequence of this interaction, RARα is tethered to the DNA sites that are recognized and bound by GATA-2, and the transcriptional activity of GATA-2 becomes RA responsive. The RA responsiveness of GATA-dependent transcription is eliminated by expression of either a dominant negative form of RARα or a GATA-2 mutant that fails to interact with RARα. Overexpression of RXRα inhibits RARα binding to the GATA-2-DNA complex, thus resulting in attenuation of the effects of RARα on GATA-2 activity. In addition, inhibition by RA of GATA-2-dependent hematopoietic colony formation in an embryonic stem cell model of hematopoietic differentiation provided biological evidence for functional cross talk between RA and GATA-2-dependent pathways.

Differential expression of prolactin receptor (PRLR) in normal and tumorous adrenal tissues: separation of cellular endocrine compartments by laser capture microdissection (LCM)

PRL stimulates adrenal steroidogenesis. In this study, we compared the PRLR expression in normal and tumorous adrenal tissues and investigated a potential proliferative effect of PRL in adrenal cells. mRNA expression of long and intermediate forms of PRLR was detected in both normal adrenal cortex as well as benign and malignant adrenal tumors and in the human adrenocortical carcinoma cell line NCI-H295. Molecular analysis of cells procured by LCM clearly demonstrated that PRLR mRNA is expressed in the adrenal cortex but not in the medulla. Immunostaining revealed PRLR protein in all three zones of the normal adrenal cortex. Furthermore, adrenal carcinomas and adenomas stained positive for the PRLR, while in phaeochromocytomas as in the normal adrenal medulla, no specific staining was observed. By WST-1 test, we could show that PRL (10(-7) M) decreased proliferation and viability of adrenal cells in primary cell culture suggesting that PRL is not a mitogenic factor of adrenocortical cells.

Influence of low dose irradiation on differentiation, maturation and T-cell activation of human dendritic cells

Ionizing irradiation could act directly on immune cells and may induce bystander effects mediated by soluble factors that are released by the irradiated cells. This is the first study analyzing both the direct effect of low dose ionizing radiation (LDIR) on the maturation and cytokine release of human dendritic cells (DCs) and the functional consequences for co-cultured T-cells. We showed that irradiation of DC-precursors in vitro does not influence surface marker expression or cytokine profile of immature DCs nor of mature DCs after LPS treatment. There was no difference of single dose irradiation versus fractionated irradiation protocols on the behavior of the mature DCs. Further, the low dose irradiation did not change the capacity of the DCs to stimulate T-cell proliferation. But the irradiation of the co-culture of DCs and T-cells revealed significantly lower proliferation of T-cells with higher doses. Summarizing the data from approx. 50 DC preparations there is no significant effect of low dose ionizing irradiation on the cytokine profile, surface marker expression and maturation of DCs in vitro although functional consequences cannot be excluded.

Additive effects of 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine and irradiation on clonogenic survival of human medulloblastoma cell lines.

Background and Purpose:In recent years, epigenetic modulators were introduced into tumor therapy. Here, the authors investigated the antitumor effect of 5-aza-2’-deoxycytidine-(5-aza-dC-)induced demethylation combined with irradiation on human medulloblastoma (MB) cells, which form the most common malignant brain tumor in children.Material and Methods:Three MB cell lines were treated with 5-aza-dC in a low-dose (0.1 μM, 6 days) or high-dose (3/5 μM, 3 days) setting and irradiated with 2, 4, 6, or 8 Gy single dose on an X-ray unit. Methylation status and mRNA expression of three candidate genes were analyzed by methylation-specific PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Cell survival and mortality were determined by trypan blue exclusion test. Proliferation was analyzed by BrdU incorporation assay, and long-term cell survival was assessed by clonogenic assay.Results:5-aza-dC treatment resulted in partial promoter demethylation and increased expression of hypermethylated candidate genes. A significant decrease of vital cell count, proliferation inhibition and increase of mortality was observed in 5-aza-dC-treated as well as in irradiated MB cells, whereby combination of both treatments led to additive effects. Although high-dose 5-aza-dC treatment was more effective in terms of demethylation, clonogenic assay revealed no differences between high- and low-dose settings indicating no relevance of 5-aza-dC-induced demethylation for decreased cell survival. MB cells pretreated with 5-aza-dC showed significantly lower plating efficiencies than untreated cells at all irradiation doses investigated. Analysis of surviving curves in irradiated MB cells, however, revealed no significant differences of α-, β-values and 2-Gy surviving fraction with or without 5-aza-dC treatment.Conclusion:5-aza-dC did not enhance radiation sensitivity of MB cells but significantly reduced the clonogenicity versus irradiation alone, which merits further investigation of its potential clinical application in MB possibly by combination with other chemotherapeutic agents.Hintergrund und Ziel:In den letzten Jahren wurden epigenetische Modulatoren in die Tumortherapie eingeführt. In dieser Arbeit untersuchten die Autoren den Antitumoreffekt der 5-Aza-2’-deoxycytidin-(5-aza-dC-)induzierten Demethylierung in Kombination mit Bestrahlung auf humane Medulloblastom-(MB-)Zellen, welche die häufigsten malignen Hirntumoren im Kindesalter bilden.Material und Methodik:Drei MB-Zell-Linien wurden mit 5-aza-dC in Niedrigdosis (0,1 μM, 6 Tage) oder Hochdosis (3/5 μM, 3 Tage) behandelt und mit 2, 4, 6 oder 8 Gy Einzeldosis bestrahlt. Die Untersuchung des Methylierungsstatus und der mRNA-Expression von drei Kandidatengenen erfolgte durch methylierungsspezifische PCR (Polymerase-Kettenreaktion) und quantitative Real-Time-RT-PCR. Lebendzellraten und Mortalität wurden durch Trypanblau-Ausschlusstest und die Proliferationsrate im BrdU-Assay bestimmt. Das Langzeitüberleben wurde durch einen klonogenen Assay ermittelt.Ergebnisse:Die 5-aza-dC-Behandlung führte zur partiellen Promotordemethylierung und zu einem Anstieg der Expression hypermethylierter Kandidatengene. Eine signifikante Verminderung der Lebendzellzahl und Proliferation bei Zunahme der Mortalität wurde sowohl in 5-aza-dC-behandelten als auch in bestrahlten MB-Zellen beobachtet. Bei kombinierter Behandlung summierten sich die Effekte der Einzelbehandlungen. Während die Inkubation mit 5-aza-dC in Hochdosis hinsichtlich der Demethylierung effektiver war als in Niedrigdosis, ergaben sich im klonogenen Assay keine Unterschiede zwischen beiden Behandlungsschemata, was darauf hinweist, dass die 5-aza-dC-induzierte Demethylierung nicht relevant für die Verminderung des Zellüberlebens ist. Mit 5-aza-dC vorbehandelte Zellen zeigten im untersuchten Bestrahlungsdosisbereich eine signifikant niedrigere „plating efficiency“ als unbehandelte Zellen. Die Überlebenskurven bestrahlter MB-Zellen wiesen jedoch keine signifikanten Unterschiede der α/β-Werte und der Überlebensfraktion nach 2 Gy in 5-aza-dC-behandelten gegenüber unbehandelten Zellen auf.Schlussfolgerung:5-aza-dC erhöhte die Strahlensensitivität von MB-Zellen nicht, reduzierte jedoch die Klonogenität signifikant gegenüber alleiniger Bestrahlung, was weitere Untersuchungen zur potentiellen klinischen Anwendung von 5-aza-dC bei MB, möglicherweise in Kombination mit anderen Chemotherapeutika, rechtfertigt.

Low-Dose Irradiation Affects Expression of Inflammatory Markers in the Heart of ApoE -/- Mice

Epidemiological studies indicate long-term risks of ionizing radiation on the heart, even at moderate doses. In this study, we investigated the inflammatory, thrombotic and fibrotic late responses of the heart after low-dose irradiation (IR) with specific emphasize on the dose rate. Hypercholesterolemic ApoE-deficient mice were sacrificed 3 and 6 months after total body irradiation (TBI) with 0.025, 0.05, 0.1, 0.5 or 2 Gy at low (1 mGy/min) or high dose rate (150 mGy/min). The expression of inflammatory and thrombotic markers was quantified in frozen heart sections (CD31, E-selectin, thrombomodulin, ICAM-1, VCAM-1, collagen IV, Thy-1, and CD45) and in plasma samples (IL6, KC, MCP-1, TNFα, INFγ, IL-1β, TGFβ, INFγ, IL-10, sICAM-1, sE-selectin, sVCAM-1 and fibrinogen) by fluorescence analysis and ELISA. We found that even very low irradiation doses induced adaptive late responses, such as increases of capillary density and changes in collagen IV and Thy-1 levels indicating compensatory regulation. Slight decreases of ICAM-1 levels and reduction of Thy 1 expression at 0.025–0.5 Gy indicate anti-inflammatory effects, whereas at the highest dose (2 Gy) increased VCAM-1 levels on the endocardium may represent a switch to a pro-inflammatory response. Plasma samples partially confirmed this pattern, showing a decrease of proinflammatory markers (sVCAM, sICAM) at 0.025–2.0 Gy. In contrast, an enhancement of MCP-1, TNFα and fibrinogen at 0.05–2.0 Gy indicated a proinflammatory and prothrombotic systemic response. Multivariate analysis also revealed significant age-dependent increases (KC, MCP-1, fibrinogen) and decreases (sICAM, sVCAM, sE-selectin) of plasma markers. This paper represents local and systemic effects of low-dose irradiation, including also age- and dose rate-dependent responses in the ApoE-/- mouse model. These insights in the multiple inflammatory/thrombotic effects caused by low-dose irradiation might facilitate an individual evaluation and intervention of radiation related, long-term side effects but also give important implications for low dose anti-inflammatory radiotherapy.

Benzodithiophenes potentiate differentiation of acute promyelocytic leukemia cells by lowering the threshold for ligand-mediated corepressor/coactivator exchange with retinoic acid receptor α and enhancing changes in all-trans- retinoic acid-regulated gene expression

Differentiation induction is an effective therapy for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL), which dramatically responds to all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA). Recent studies have indicated that combinatorial use of retinoid and nonretinoid compounds, such as histone deacetylase inhibitors, arsenics, and PKA agonists, has higher therapeutic value in this disease and potentially in other malignancies. In a screen of 370 compounds, we identified benzodithiophene analogues as potent enhancers of ATRA-induced APL cell differentiation. These effects were not associated with changes in global histone acetylation and, for the most potent compounds, were exerted at very low nanomolar concentrations, and were paralleled by enhancement of some, but not all, ATRA-modulated gene expressions. Investigating the mechanism underlying the effects of these drugs on ATRA-induced APL cell differentiation, we have shown that benzodithiophenes enhance ATRA-mediated dissociation and association of corepressor N-CoR and coactivator p300 acetyltransferase, respectively, with retinoic acid receptor (RAR) alpha proteins. These data suggest that benzodithiophenes act at the level of receptor activation, possibly by affecting posttranslational modification of the receptor (and/or coregulators), thus leading to an enhancement in ATRA-mediated effects on gene expression and APL cell differentiation. Given the specificities of these low benzodithiophene concentrations for PML-RARalpha and RARalpha, these drugs may be useful for combinatorial differentiation therapy of APL and possibly other acute myelogenous leukemia subtypes in which the overall ATRA signaling is suppressed.

Inhibitory effects of epigenetic modulators and differentiation inducers on human medulloblastoma cell lines

BackgroundMedulloblastoma (MB) is the most common malignant brain tumor in childhood with a 5-year survival of approximately 60%. We have recently shown that treatment of human MB cells with 5-aza-2’-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) reduces the clonogenic survival significantly. Here, we tested combinatorial effects of 5-aza-dC with other epigenetic (valproic acid, SAHA) and differentiation-inducing drugs (resveratrol, abacavir, retinoic acid) on human MB cells in vitro to intensify the antitumor therapy further.MethodsThree human MB cell lines were treated with 5-aza-dC alone or in combination for three or six days. Metabolic activity was measured by WST-1 assay. To determine long-term reproductive survival, clonogenic assays were performed. Induction of DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair was measured by γH2AX assay.ResultsThe applied single drugs, except for ATRA, reduced the metabolic activity dose-dependently in all MB cell lines. Longer treatment times enhanced the reduction of metabolic activity by 5-aza-dC. Combinatorial treatments showed differential, cell line-dependent responses indicating an important impact of the genetic background. 5-Aza-dC together with resveratrol was found to exert the most significant inhibitory effects on metabolic activity in all cell lines. 5-aza-dC alone reduced the clonogenicity of MB cells significantly and induced DSB with no further changes after adjuvant administration of resveratrol.ConclusionThe observed significant decrease in metabolic activity by combinatorial treatment of MB cells with 5-aza-dC and resveratrol does not translate into long-term reproductive survival deficiency in vitro. Further studies in animal models are needed to clarify the resveratrol-mediated anticancer mechanisms in vivo.

Dose-dependent short- and long-term effects of ionizing irradiation on neural stem cells in murine hippocampal tissue cultures: neuroprotective potential of resveratrol.

Radiation therapy plays an essential role in the treatment of brain tumors, but neurocognitive deficits remain a significant risk, especially in pediatric patients. In recent trials, hippocampal sparing techniques are applied to reduce these adverse effects. Here, we investigate dose‐dependent effects of ionizing radiation (IR) on juvenile hippocampal neurogenesis. Additionally, we evaluate the radioprotective potential of resveratrol, a plant polyphenol recognized for its bifunctional tumor‐preventive and anticancer effects.

Efficient cell death induction in human glioblastoma cells by photodynamic treatment with Tetrahydroporphyrin-Tetratosylat (THPTS) and ionizing irradiation

Background So far, glioblastomas cannot be cured by standard therapy and have an extremely poor median survival of about 15 months. The photodynamic therapy (PDT) with next generation photosensitizers, reaching a higher therapeutic depth, might offer a new, adjuvant treatment strategy in brain cancer therapy. Here, we investigated the effect of THPTS-PDT combined with ionizing irradiation (IR) on glioblastoma cells in vitro and in vivo. Results THPTS colocalized to mitochondria and was not found in the nucleus. THPTS (2–20 μg/ml)-PDT significantly reduced the proliferation, metabolic activity and clonogenic survival and induced cell death mainly through apoptosis and autophagy. THPTS-PDT combined with IR decreased the clonogenicity significantly compared to single treatments. THPTS (≤ 300 μg/ml) alone showed no dark toxicity. The maximum therapeutic depth of THPTS-PDT in C6 glioblastomas was 13 mm. Materials and Methods Three human glioblastoma cell lines (U-87 MG, A-172, DBTRG-05MG) were incubated with THPTS (1–300 μg/ml) 3–24 hours before laser treatment (760 nm, 30 J/cm2). THPTS localization and effects on metabolic activity, proliferation, cell death mechanisms and long-term reproductive survival were assessed. IR was conducted on an X-ray unit (0.813 Gy/min). Results were verified in vivo on a subcutaneous C6 glioblastoma model in Wistar rats. Conclusions This study demonstrated efficient THPTS-PDT in glioblastoma cells, in vitro and in vivo. The combinatorial effects of THPTS-PDT and IR are of specific clinical interest as enhanced eradication of infiltrating glioblastoma cells in the tumor surrounding tissue might possibly reduce the commonly occurring local relapses.