Grace H.W. Wong

A novel domain within the 55 kd TNF receptor signals cell death

Deletion mutagenesis of the intracellular region of the 55 kd TNF receptor (TNF-R1) identified an approximately 80 amino acid domain near the C-terminus responsible for signaling cytotoxicity. This domain shows weak homology with the intracellular domain of Fas antigen, a transmembrane polypeptide that can also initiate a signal for cytotoxicity. Alanine-scanning mutagenesis of TNF-R1 confirmed that many of the amino acids conserved with Fas antigen are critical for the cytotoxic signal. This region of TNF-R1-Fas homology is therefore likely to define a novel domain (death domain) that signals programmed cell death. Mutations within the death domain of TNF-R1 also disrupted its ability to signal anti-viral activity and nitric oxide (NO) synthase induction. In addition, large deletions in the membrane-proximal half of the intracellular domain did not block signaling of cytotoxicity or anti-viral activity but did block induction of NO synthase.

Molecular cloning and expression of a receptor for human tumor necrosis factor

A human tumor necrosis factor (TNF) binding protein from serum of cancer patients was purified to homogeneity and partially sequenced. Synthetic DNA probes based on amino acid sequence information were used to isolate cDNA clones encoding a receptor for TNF. The TNF receptor (TNF-R) is a 415 amino acid polypeptide with a single membrane-spanning region. The extracellular cysteine-rich domain of the TNF-R is homologous to the nerve growth factor receptor and the B cell activation protein Bp50. Human embryonic kidney cells transfected with a TNF-R expression vector specifically bind both 125I-labeled and biotinylated TNF-alpha. Unlabeled TNF-alpha and TNF-beta were equally effective at displacing the binding of labeled TNF-alpha to TNF-R expressing cells. Northern analysis indicates a single species of mRNA for the TNF-R in a variety of cell types. Therefore, the soluble TNF binding protein found in human serum is probably proteolytically derived from the TNF-R.

Manganous superoxide dismutase is essential for cellular resistance to cytotoxicity of tumor necrosis factor

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) induces the synthesis of protein(s) that can protect cells against subsequent killing by TNF in the presence of cycloheximide. Here we demonstrate that manganous superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), a mitochondrial enzyme involved in the scavenging of superoxide radicals (O2-), is such a protein. Overexpression of MnSOD confers increased resistance to TNF plus cycloheximide on the 293 human embryonic kidney cell line. Conversely, expression of antisense MnSOD RNA renders these cells sensitive to TNF even in the absence of cycloheximide. The TNF sensitivity of the ME-180 human cervical carcinoma cell line can also be modulated through expression of sense and antisense MnSOD RNAs. These data identify MnSOD as an important determinant of cellular resistance to TNF and implicate mitochondrially generated O2- as a key component of TNF-mediated tumor cell killing.

Cloning and expression of cDNAs for two distinct murine tumor necrosis factor receptors demonstrate one receptor is species specific.

Complementary DNA clones encoding two distinct tumor necrosis factor receptors were isolated from a mouse macrophage cDNA library. The cDNA for murine tumor necrosis factor receptor type 1 (mTNF-R1) predicts a mature polypeptide of 425 amino acids that is 64% identical to its human counterpart, whereas the cDNA of murine tumor necrosis factor receptor type 2 (mTNF-R2) predicts a mature protein of 452 amino acids that is 62% identical to human tumor necrosis factor receptor type 2. The two murine tumor necrosis factor receptors have limited sequence homology (approximately 20% identity) in their extracellular regions but no apparent similarity in their cytoplasmic portions. Northern (RNA) analysis indicates a single 2.6-kilobase (kb) transcript for mTNF-R1; a 3.6-kb and a more predominant 4.5-kb transcript are observed for mTNF-R2. A human cell line transfected with either mTNF-R1 or mTNF-R2 expression vectors specifically bound 125I-labeled recombinant murine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). Although mTNF-R1 had a similar affinity for both recombinant murine TNF-alpha and human TNF-alpha, mTNF-R2 showed strong specificity for recombinant murine TNF-alpha. This result suggests that the various activities of human tumor necrosis factor alpha reported in mice or in murine cell lines are probably mediated by mTNF-R1.

Protective roles of cytokines against radiation: Induction of mitochondrial MnSOD

Oxidative stress such as radiation can trigger the production of cytokines including tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and lymphotoxin (LT). The increased cytokine levels may in turn induce the synthesis of protein(s) that protect against subsequent killing by oxidative stress. Indeed, pretreatment of animals with TNF or LT can protect them against lethal doses of radiation and the alopecia that results from anticancer drugs. TNF or LT can specifically and selectively induce the expression of manganous superoxide dismutase (MnSOD). MnSOD, identified as one of the protective proteins, is a mitochondrial enzyme that scavenges superoxide radicals (O2-). TNF-R1 but not TNF-R2 is responsible for TNF and LTs induction of MnSOD. Paradoxically, the TNF-R1 is also the receptor that mediates the production of oxygen free radicals and apoptosis. Overexpression of MnSOD but not CuZn-SOD or EC-SOD enhances cellular resistance to radiation. Conversely, overexpression of antisense MnSOD RNA diminishes resistance. Transfection of cells with MnSOD lacking the mitochondrial matrix signal does not provide protection against radiation. However, insertion of the mitochondrial signal sequence into CuZn-SOD or EC-SOD results in significant protection. TNF or LT does not induce MnSOD in tumor cells; nor do they protect these cells against radiation. Actually, TNF or LT pretreatment can sensitize tumor cells to killing by radiation.

Tumor necrosis factor-α pretreatment is protective in a rat model of myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury

Abstract We have demonstrated that tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) pretreatment protected the rat heart from ischemia-reperfusion injury. This effect was monitored by assaying for lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), an enzyme whose release correlates with loss of cell membrane integrity. Intact hearts removed from rats pretreated with TNF released significantly lower amounts of LDH compared to control hearts after 20 min. of total global ischemia followed by reperfusion. Hearts from TNF-α-pretreated animals contained higher levels of manganous superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) mRNA than hearts from untreated rats. Because oxygen free radicals have been implicated as a major cause of reperfusion damage and the function of MnSOD is to detoxify superoxide anions in the mitochondria, a possible protective mechanism for TNF-α may be to induce expression of MnSOD in the heart and thus confer resistance to oxygen free radicals generated during reperfusion.

Leukemia inhibitory factor and tumor necrosis factor induce manganese superoxide dismutase and protect rabbit hearts from reperfusion injury

Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) have been shown to protect animals from radiation, hyperoxia, and endotoxic shock. TNF is also known to induce the expression of manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) in vitro and in vivo. We therefore examined the effects of these cytokines on reperfusion injury in the isolated rabbit heart model. Rabbits were injected intravenously with 10 micrograms of either human TNF-alpha or lymphotoxin (TNF-beta), or murine TNF-alpha or murine LIF dissolved in saline. Control animals were injected with an equal volume of saline. After 24 h, hearts were isolated and perfused. Following an equilibration period, the hearts were subjected to 1 h ischemia and 1 h of reperfusion. All treated groups showed significant increases in percent recovery of developed tension (% preischemic) when compared to saline-treated control hearts. In addition there were significant decreases in lactate dehydrogenase release (LDH), accumulation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and accumulation of carbonyl proteins. These results correlate with increases in myocardial MnSOD activity. Thus, the protection from myocardial reperfusion injury seen in the pretreated group may be due to a mechanism that involves the induction of MnSOD.

Pulmonary O2 Toxicity: Role of Endogenous Tumor Necrosis Factor

The role of endogenous tumor necrosis factor (TNF) in the pathogenesis of pulmonary O2 toxicity was investigated. Intratracheal insufflation of anti-TNF antibodies prolonged the survival of rats exposed to 100% O2. No TNF bioactivity or immunoreactive protein was detectable in the alveolar lavage fluid or lung homogenate of rats exposed to normoxia or hyperoxia. However, levels of pulmonary TNF mRNA were markedly enhanced in rats exposed to hyperoxia. These results suggest that hyperoxia may cause the production of low level TNF, which in turn enhances O2 toxicity.

TUMOR NECROSIS FACTOR PROMOTES MOTOR FUNCTIONAL RECOVERY IN CRUSHED PERIPHERAL NERVE

The potential benefits of tumor necrosis factor pretreatment in promoting motor functional recovery of peripheral nerve following low load crush injury were examined. Using a specially designed crush device, rat sciatic nerve was subjected to a low load crush injury of 2-h duration. Recombinant murine tumor necrosis factor and saline were intraperitoneally injected into the experimental and control animals, respectively, prior to nerve crushing. Subsequent motor function was evaluated at intervals by measurement of the sciatic functional index. There was significantly (P < 0.05 to < 0.01) more rapid recovery in the tumor necrosis factor pretreated group as compared to the controls between day 14 and day 28. The sciatic functional index in the tumor necrosis factor group improved to -69.3 +/- 5.3 at day 14 and to nearly normal at day 21. In contrast, the sciatic functional index in the control group was -95.5 +/- 3.1% at day 14 and did not approach normal until day 42. Histological results paralleled the functional findings. The results suggest that tumor necrosis factor pretreatment has the potential to attenuate neurostructural damage and promote motor functional recovery in rat peripheral nerve.

Regulation of transplacental virus infection by developmental and immunological factors: studies with lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus.

Placental and fetal infections with lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus (LDV) were determined by virus titration, indirect fluorescence antibody (IFA), and in situ hybridization with cDNA probes. Experiments were designed to determine the effects of gestational age, timing of maternal LDV infection, and immunological (antibody and cytokine) factors on mouse placental and fetal LDV infection. Virus infection of the placenta was detected at high levels (almost all placentas infected) within 24 h post-maternal infection (p.m.i.), whereas fetal LDV infection was detected only at a low level by 24 h p.m.i. The percentage of fetuses becoming LDV infected progressively increased between 24 and 72 h p.m.i. When fetal infection was studied at 72 h p.m.i., earlier gestational ages (9-11 days) were associated with fetal resistance to infection, whereas between 12.5 and 15 days of gestation, virus infection was detected in 50-71% of fetuses. Maternal treatment with interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) or anti-LDV monoclonal antibodies was associated with reduced rates of fetal, but not placental, LDV infection. These results demonstrate that both developmental and immunological factors are important in the regulation of transplacental LDV infection.