David J. McClenahan

Regulation of expression of major histocompatibility antigens by bovine macrophages infected with Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis or Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium.

ABSTRACT Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosisand Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium are antigenically and genetically very similar organisms; however, they differ markedly in their virulence for cattle. We evaluated the capacity of bovine macrophages infected with M. aviumsubsp. paratuberculosis or M. avium subsp.avium to express major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and class II antigens on their surface and to interact with primed autologous lymphocytes. Our results indicate that infection of bovine macrophages with M. avium subsp.paratuberculosis promoted the downregulation of MHC class I and class II molecules on the macrophage surface within 24 and 12 h, respectively. Alternatively, MHC class II expression by M. avium subsp. avium-infected macrophages was not detected until 24 h after infection, and the magnitude of the decrease was smaller. Decreased MHC class I expression by M. avium subsp. avium-infected macrophages was not detected. Unlike M. avium subsp.paratuberculosis-infected macrophages, M. aviumsubsp. avium-infected macrophages upregulated MHC class I and class II expression after activation by gamma interferon or tumor necrosis factor alpha. Further, M. avium subsp.avium-infected macrophages were lysed by primed autologous lymphocytes, whereas M. avium subsp.paratuberculosis-infected macrophages were not. Overall, the results support the hypothesis that the difference in the virulence of M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis andM. avium subsp. avium for cattle is dependent on a difference in the capacity of the organisms to suppress mycobacterial antigen presentation to T lymphocytes.

Dynamin-2-dependent targeting of mannheimia haemolytica leukotoxin to mitochondrial cyclophilin D in bovine lymphoblastoid cells.

ABSTRACT Exotoxins which belong to the family containing the RTX toxins (repeats in toxin) contribute to a variety of important human and animal diseases. One example of such a toxin is the potent leukotoxin (LKT) produced by the bovine respiratory pathogen Mannheimia haemolytica. LKT binds to CD18, resulting in the death of bovine leukocytes. In this study, we showed that internalized LKT binds to the outer mitochondrial membrane, which results in the release of cytochrome c and collapse of the mitochondrial membrane potential (ψm). Incubation of bovine lymphoblastoid cells (BL-3 cells) with the mitochondrial membrane-stabilizing agent cyclosporine (CSA) reduced LKT-mediated cytotoxicity, cytochrome c release, and collapse of the ψm. Coimmunoprecipitation and intracellular binding studies suggested that LKT binds to the mitochondrial matrix protein cyclophilin D. We also demonstrated that LKT mobilizes the vesicle scission protein dynamin-2 from mitochondria to the cell membrane. Incubation with CSA depleted mitochondrial dynamin-2 in BL-3 cells, making it unavailable for vesicle scission and LKT internalization. The results of this study show that LKT trafficking and LKT-mediated cell death involve dynamin-2 and cyclophilin D, in a process that can be prevented by the mitochondrial membrane-protecting function of CSA.

Effects of Lipopolysaccharide and Mannheimia haemolytica Leukotoxin on Bovine Lung Microvascular Endothelial Cells and Alveolar Epithelial Cells

ABSTRACT Bovine respiratory disease resulting from infection with Mannheimia haemolytica commonly results in extensive vascular leakage into the alveoli. M. haemolytica produces two substances, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and leukotoxin (LKT), that are known to be important in inducing some of the pathological changes. In the present study, we examined bovine pulmonary epithelial (BPE) cell and bovine lung microvascular endothelial cell monolayer permeability, as measured by trans-well endothelial and epithelial cell electrical resistance (TEER), after incubation with LPS, LKT, or LPS-activated neutrophils. Endothelial cell monolayers exposed to LPS exhibited significant decreases in TEER that corresponded with increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines, apoptosis, and morphological changes. In contrast, BPE cells exposed to LPS increased the levels of production of inflammatory cytokines but displayed no changes in TEER, apoptosis, or visible morphological changes. Both cell types appeared to express relatively equal levels of the LPS ligand Toll-like receptor 4. However, TEER in BPE cell monolayers was decreased when the cells were incubated with LPS-activated neutrophils. Although the incubation of BPE cells with LKT decreased TEER, this was not reduced by the incubation of LKT with a neutralizing antibody and was reversed when LKT was preincubated with the LPS-neutralizing compound polymyxin B. Because BPE cells did not express the LKT receptor CD11a/CD18, we infer that contaminating LPS was responsible for the decreased TEER. In conclusion, LPS triggered changes in endothelial cells that would be consistent with vascular leakage, but neither LPS nor LKT caused similar changes in epithelial cells, unless neutrophils were also present.

Effects of Extracellular ATP on Bovine Lung Endothelial and Epithelial Cell Monolayer Morphologies, Apoptoses, and Permeabilities

ABSTRACT Pneumonia in cattle is an important disease both economically and in terms of animal welfare. Recent evidence in other species has shown ATP to be an important modulator of inflammation in the lung, where it is released by activated alveolar macrophages and damaged lung cells. Whether ATP serves a similar process during infection in the bovine lung is unknown. In the present study, we examined the effects of ATP treatment on the morphology, apoptosis, and permeability of bovine pulmonary epithelial (BPE) cells and bovine pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (BPMEC). Monolayers of BPE cells underwent striking morphological changes when exposed to ATP that included separation of the cells. Neither BPE cells nor BPMEC exhibited increased apoptosis in response to ATP. BPE cell and BPMEC monolayers displayed virtually identical increases in permeability when exposed to ATP, with a 50% change occurring within the first hour of exposure. Both cell types contained mRNA for the P2X7 receptor, a known receptor for ATP. In BPE cells, but not BPMEC, the change in permeability in response to ATP was reversed by the addition of a P2X7 receptor antagonist. If similar permeability changes occur in vivo, they could be a factor in vascular leakage into lung airspaces during pneumonia.

Platelet kinetics in dogs treated with a glycoprotein IIb/IIIa peptide antagonist

Platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (GPIIb/IIIa) receptor antagonists have been highly effective inhibitors of platelet aggregation in preclinical studies and in clinical trials. However, decreased platelet counts have been documented in preclinical studies and in some patients receiving GPIIb/IIIa antagonists. We evaluated changes in platelet kinetics and fate in dogs receiving the GPIIb/IIIa receptor antagonist RPR 109891 orally for 4 days. Dogs receiving RPR 109891 had a 22-52% decrease in platelet count with the nadirs at 3-5 days after initiation of treatment. Platelet survival time was reduced by 19%, and platelet half-life was reduced by 63%. Indium-111-labeled platelets were rapidly cleared from the blood within 1 hour after administration of RPR 109891 on treatment days 1 and 2. This clearing was associated with a sharp increase in radioactivity in spleen but not in liver or lung. Platelet clearance was markedly attenuated on treatment days 3 and 4. Platelet counts returned to baseline within 1 week after discontinuation of treatment. These data indicate that RPR 109891 causes rapid and selective sequestration of platelets in the spleen.

Haemorrheology of Equine Platelet-Neutrophil Aggregates

The filterability of platelet-neutrophil aggregates through filters containing 5 μm pores was determined to evaluate the potential of plateletneutrophil aggregates to alter blood flow in the microvasculature. Incubation of platelet-neutrophil mixture with platelet-activating factor (PAF) and with 0.5 μM adenosine diphosphate (ADP) resulted in large platelet-neutrophil aggregates which rapidly plugged filter pores. Incubation of platelet-neutrophil mixtures with lower concentrations of ADP resulted in small platelet-neutrophil aggregates that contained only one neutrophil. Filtration of these samples resulted in a 1.3-, 3.2- and 3.7-fold increase in initial filtration pressure at ADP concentrations of 0.05, 0.15 and 0.25 μM, respectively. We conclude that platelet-neutrophil aggregates have reduced deformability and may alter blood flow in the microvasculature.