Jyotsana Gupta

T lymphocyte subset profile and serum alpha-1-antitrypsin in pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an inflammatory disorder characterized by the presence of non‐fully reversible airflow limitation. The study was undertaken to investigate the involvement of alpha‐1‐antitrypsin (α1AT) and T lymphocyte subsets in the pathogenesis of COPD. Blood samples of 50 subjects, including 25 healthy volunteers and 25 patients with COPD, were analysed. Serum trypsin inhibitory capacity (STIC) was determined by enzymatic assay. CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes were enumerated in heparinized blood using a fluorescence activated cell sorter counter. The STIC in COPD patients was found to be decreased significantly than in controls (P < 0·01). In COPD patients with lower expression levels of α1AT, a highly significant decrease in the number of CD4+ T lymphocytes (P < 0·0009) and CD4/CD8 ratio was observed compared with control subjects (P < 0·008). The mean ± standard error of CD8+ lymphocytes was found to be little different (only marginally decreased) in COPD patients compared to healthy controls; however, an alteration in the individual count of CD8+ lymphocytes cells was observed in COPD patients. Using linear regression analysis, a negative correlation was observed between STIC and CD4+ lymphocytes and CD8+ lymphocytes (r = −0·40, P < 0·04; r = −0·42, P < 0·03, respectively) in COPD patients. An alteration in α1AT and T lymphocyte subsets in COPD patients suggested that interplay of these factors may be responsible for the progression of COPD.

AS03-Adjuvanted, Very-Low-Dose Influenza Vaccines Induce Distinctive Immune Responses Compared to Unadjuvanted High-Dose Vaccines in BALB/c Mice

During the 2009–2010 influenza pandemic, an adjuvanted, dose-sparing vaccine was recommended for most Canadians. We hypothesize that differences exist in the responses to AS03-adjuvanted, low antigen (Ag) dose versus unadjuvanted, full-dose vaccines. We investigated the relationship between Ag dose and the oil-in-water emulsion Adjuvant System AS03. BALB/c mice received two IM doses of AS03A or AS03B with exaggerated dilutions of A/Uruguay/716/2007 H3N2 split virion vaccine Ag. Immune responses were assessed 3 weeks after the booster. Unadjuvanted “high” (3 μg) and low-dose (0.03–0.003 μg) vaccines generated similar serum antibody titers and cytokine secretion patterns in restimulated splenocytes. Compared to unadjuvanted “high-dose” vaccination, both AS03A and AS03B-adjuvanted low-dose vaccines tended to elicit higher serum antibody titers, broader induction of cytokine secretion and generated more influenza-specific antibody secreting cells and cytokine-secreting CD4 and CD8 T cells in splenocytes. We show that varying Ag and/or AS03 dose in this influenza vaccination mouse model can strongly influence both the magnitude and pattern of the immune response elicited. These findings are highly relevant given the likelihood of expanded use of adjuvanted, dose-sparing vaccines and raise questions about the use of “standard” doses of vaccines in pre-clinical vaccine studies.

Unusual Patterns of IgG Avidity in Some Young Children following Two Doses of the Adjuvanted Pandemic H1N1 (2009) Influenza Virus Vaccine

ABSTRACT During the 2009-2010 H1N1 influenza pandemic, an adjuvanted monovalent vaccine containing ∼25% of the normal antigen dose and AS03 adjuvant was widely used in Canada. This vaccine was found to be well-tolerated and immunogenic in young children (D. W. Scheifele et al., Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. 30:402–407, 2011). We report here additional analyses to further characterize the humoral response to this vaccine. We measured standard hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) and microneutralization (MN) titers, as well as influenza virus-specific IgG avidity and subclass distribution by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 73 subjects. Sera were collected before (day 0) and 3 weeks after each dose of vaccine (days 21 and 42). Most children (55/73) had undetectable HAI and MN titers at day 0 (presumed to be antigen naive) and mounted good responses at days 21 and 42. The majority of these children (43/55) had the expected pattern of an increasing IgG avidity index (AI) after each dose of vaccine (not detected [ND], 0.30, and 2.97 at days 0, 21, and 42, respectively). The avidity responses in the remaining children (12/55) were quite different, with AIs increasing abruptly after the first dose and then declining after the second dose of vaccine (ND, 8.83, and 7.15, respectively). These children also had higher concentrations of influenza virus-specific IgG1 and IgG3 antibodies at day 21. Although the antibody titers were similar, some antigen-naive children demonstrated an unusual pattern of avidity maturation after two immunizations with AS03-adjuvanted, low-dose influenza virus vaccine. These data suggest the presence of subtle differences in the quality of the antibodies produced by some subjects in response to this vaccine.

Combinatorial effect of TIMP-1 and α1AT gene polymorphisms on development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

OBJECTIVE To study the role of α(1)AT and TIMP-1 gene polymorphisms in development of COPD. DESIGN AND METHODS Blood samples from total 408 subjects (217 COPD patients and 191 controls) were used for genotyping and estimating biolevels of α(1)AT, TIMP-1 and inflammatory cytokines. Data was analyzed to determine the role of interaction of TIMP-1 and α(1)AT genes; and interplay between various genotypes and biolevels of α(1)AT, TIMP-1 and inflammatory cytokines in development of COPD. RESULTS Significantly low levels of α(1)AT and TIMP-1 were observed in COPD patients as compared to controls (P = 0.001), where as the inflammatory cytokines were found to be increased in patients. PIM3 allele of α(1)AT gene in COPD patients was found to be associated with low levels of α(1)AT (P = 0.001), the effect being more pronounced when PIM3 combined with rs6609533 of TIMP-1 gene (P = 0.0001). Combination of genotypes rs6609533 of TIMP-1 and PIM3 of α(1)AT containing the risk alleles was over-represented in patients (P = 0.005). CONCLUSION The SNP rs6609533 of TIMP-1 gene interacted with PIM3 of α(1)AT to make a possible risk combination for development of COPD.

Investigations on anti-Aspergillus properties of bacterial products.

Aims:  To investigate the anti‐Aspergillus properties of bacterial products.

Comparison of AS03 and Alum on immune responses elicited by A/H3N2 split influenza vaccine in young, mature and aged BALB/c mice.

INTRODUCTION There is great interest in developing more effective influenza vaccines for the elderly. Oil-in-water adjuvants can boost humoral responses to seasonal vaccines in elderly subjects but relatively little is known about their mechanism of action. METHODS We compared humoral and cellular immune profiles in young adult (2 months), mature (11-12 months) or aged (16-17 month) female BALB/c mice following two doses of Alum or AS03-adjuvanted A/H3N2 split-virus antigen (A/Uruguay/716/2007) at 0.75 or 3 μg hemagglutinin (HA) per dose intramuscularly versus 3 μg HA without adjuvant. RESULTS Overall, hemagglutination inhibition (HAI), microneutralization (MN) and end-point ELISA titres were higher in the young mice and when an adjuvant was used. Both adjuvants increased humoral responses in older animals but the highest titres across all groups were observed in the AS03-adjuvanted groups. Neither IgG avidity nor A/H3N2-specific splenocyte proliferation was influenced by age, antigen dose or adjuvant. In contrast, cytokine production by ex vivo-stimulated splenocytes differed widely between groups. Most cytokine levels in older mice vaccinated with antigen alone (3 μg HA/dose) were ≤ 50% of those in young animals. In young mice, cytokine levels increased modestly with Alum and significantly with AS03. Increases tended to be greatest at the lower antigen dose (0.75 μg versus 3 μg HA). In the older animals, Alum had little impact on cytokine production but responses in the AS03 groups paralleled those of the young mice (broad activation of Th1, Th2, and Th17-type cytokines) and the greatest increases were seen with the higher antigen dose (3 μg HA). CONCLUSIONS In both young and aged mice, Alum and AS03 increased the magnitude of humoral and cellular responses to split influenza virus vaccination. Overall, these effects were most pronounced in the younger animals and the groups receiving AS03. These data support the use of oil-in-water adjuvants in influenza vaccines targeting the elderly.

NADPH Oxidase-Mediated Superoxide Production by Intermediary Bacterial Metabolites of Dibenzofuran: A Potential Cause for Trans-Mitochondrial Membrane Potential (ΔΨm) Collapse in Human Hepatoma Cells

Dibenzofuran is a direct precursor of extremely toxic compounds such as dioxins. It is widely distributed persistent organic pollutant in environment that potentiate oxidative stress, apoptosis, and necrosis through bioactivation in HepG2 cells. An alkalotolerent Pseudomonas strain ISTDF1 can metabolize dibenzofuran as a sole source of carbon and energy through diverse dioxygenation. However, there is a paucity of information about the potential toxic effects of the intermediary metabolites that are formed during treatment with dibenzofuran. We have assessed and discovered the potential mechanism of toxicity induced by metabolites of dibenzofuran that were formed at 18 and 36 h. Cell viability, CYP1A2 induction, ROS activity, Superoxide production, mitochondrial NADPH oxidase activity, and mitochondrial trans-membrane potential were studied using different assays such as 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT), confocal laser scanning microscopy, and flow cytometry. Analysis revealed formation of 2-(1-carbonyl methylidine)-2,3-dihydrobenzofuranlidene after 18 h of bacterial treatment due to oxygenation at carbon (C3-C4). This compound induces higher mitochondrial NADPH oxidase-dependent superoxide production that makes it more toxic than the parent compound. It was evident that after 36 h of bacterial treatment, toxicity induced by dibenzofuran and its metabolites was completely removed. This study highlights the fact that despite of efficient biodegradation of toxicants, bioactive toxic intermediates can be formed. Therefore, it is necessary to assess the toxicity of each intermediary for complete mitigation of associated risk.