María Julieta González

Characterization of the Novel ST2/IL-33 System in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Background: ST2 has been proposed to be a regulator of inflammation and Th1/Th2 balance. ST2L is the IL‐33 membrane receptor and belongs to the IL‐1R family. The soluble variant, ST2s, is identical to the extracellular region of ST2L and competes for IL‐33 binding, inhibiting receptor signaling. Although ST2s has been associated with inflammatory processes in patients with sepsis, trauma, asthma, and autoimmunity, until now there are no reported studies showing the role of ST2/IL‐33 in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Methods: Expression of ST2 and IL‐33 was determined in serum and colonic biopsies from IBD patients. ST2 transcript and protein was determined by reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)/immunoblot, respectively, and IL‐33 protein by ELISA. Intestinal mucosa localization of ST2 and IL‐33 was conducted by immunofluorescence. Results: ST2s transcript in the colonic mucosa was mainly expressed in UC patients rather than Crohns disease or control; however, ST2L mRNA remained constant in all samples. Total ST2 protein was significantly higher in mucosa samples from patients with active UC, with a predominant induction of ST2s that strongly correlates with serum ST2 levels. Mucosa IL‐33 levels were higher in UC patients and serum levels were barely detected in all patient groups. ST2 and IL‐33 are both abundantly expressed in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells of control subjects; however, in ulcerative colitis patients ST2 decreases and IL‐33 showed cytoplasm‐nuclear redistribution. Conclusions: The novel association between the ST2/IL‐33 system and IBD seems to identify that variations in this axis might regulate the inflammatory process in these diseases. Inflamm Bowel Dis 2010

Basal lamina disorganisation of the acini and ducts of labial salivary glands from patients with Sjögren’s syndrome: association with mononuclear cell infiltration

Objective: To study the expression of laminin and type IV collagen as biomarkers of the organisation of the basal lamina of acini and ducts in labial salivary glands from patients with Sjögren’s syndrome, and to relate this organisation to inflammatory cell invasion of acini and ducts. Methods: Immunohistochemistry for laminin and type IV collagen was undertaken on sections of labial salivary glands from 30 patients with Sjögren’s syndrome, 10 control subjects, and 24 controls with chronic sialoadenitis. Immunohistochemistry reaction, alterations to cell morphology, and the presence of inflammatory cells in acini and ducts were evaluated and scored using a semiquantitative method. Results: Changes in the expression of laminin and type IV collagen in the basal lamina of acini and ducts of labial salivary glands from patients with Sjögren’s syndrome were more pronounced than in labial salivary glands from control groups. A remarkable characteristic was the disorganisation of the basal lamina in the labial salivary glands in Sjögren’s syndrome. The pattern of immunoreactivity of the basal lamina of other structures (for example, blood vessels) did not change. In Sjögren’s syndrome, invasion of cytotoxic T lymphocytes was only observed in acini and ducts which had a disorganised basal lamina. Conclusions: The high state of disorganisation of the basal lamina of acini and ducts could allow invasion of cytotoxic T lymphocytes in Sjögren’s syndrome, contributing to cell death and ductal hyperplasia.

Escherichia coli isolates from inflammatory bowel diseases patients survive in macrophages and activate NLRP3 inflammasome.

Crohns disease (CD) is a multifactorial pathology associated with the presence of adherent-invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) and NLRP3 polymorphic variants. The presence of intracellular E. coli in other intestinal pathologies (OIP) and the role of NLRP3-inflammasome in the immune response activated by these bacteria have not been investigated. In this study, we sought to characterize intracellular strains isolated from patients with CD, ulcerative colitis (UC) and OIP, and analyze NLRP3-inflammasome role in the immune response and bactericidal activity induced in macrophages exposed to invasive bacteria. For this, intracellular E. coli isolation from ileal biopsies, using gentamicin-protection assay, revealed a prevalence and CFU/biopsy of E. coli higher in biopsies from CD, UC and OIP patients than in controls. To characterize bacterial isolates, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns, virulence genes, serogroup and phylogenetic group were analyzed. We found out that bacteria isolated from a given patient were closely related and shared virulence factors; however, strains from different patients were genetically heterogeneous. AIEC characteristics in isolated strains, such as invasive and replicative properties, were assessed in epithelial cells and macrophages, respectively. Some strains from CD and UC demonstrated AIEC properties, but not strains from OIP. Furthermore, the role of NLRP3 in pro-inflammatory cytokines production and bacterial elimination was determined in macrophages. E. coli strains induced IL-1β through NLRP3-dependent mechanism; however, their elimination by macrophages was independent of NLRP3. Invasiveness of intracellular E. coli strains into the intestinal mucosa and IL-1β production may contribute to CD and UC pathogenesis.

Aberrant localization of fusion receptors involved in regulated exocytosis in salivary glands of Sjögren's syndrome patients is linked to ectopic mucin secretion.

Sjögrens syndrome (SS) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease that mainly affects tear and salivary glands, whereby SS-patients frequently complain of eye and mouth dryness. Salivary acinar cells of SS-patients display alterations in their cell polarity; which may affect the correct localization and function of proteins involved in regulated exocytosis. Here we determined whether the expression and localization of SNARE proteins (membrane fusion receptors) involved in regulated secretion, such as VAMP8, syntaxin 3 (STX3), STX4 and SNAP-23 were altered in salivary glands (SG) from SS-patients. Additionally, we investigated SNARE proteins function, by evaluating their ability to form SNARE complexes under basal conditions. In SG from SS-patients and control subjects mRNA and proteins levels of SNARE complex components were determined by real-time PCR and Western blotting, respectively. SNARE protein distribution and mucin exocytosis were determined by indirect immunofluorescence. In SS-patients, the expression levels of mRNA and protein for VAMP8, STX4 and STX3 were altered. STX4, STX3, SNAP-23 and VAMP8 relocated from the apical to the basal region of acinar cells. Increased formation of SNARE complexes in a manner independent of external stimuli for secretion was detected. Mucins were detected in the extracellular matrix (ECM). Presence of mucins in the ECM, together with the observed alterations in SNARE protein localization is indicative of ectopic exocytosis. In the context of SS, such aberrantly localized mucins are likely to favor a pro-inflammatory response, which may represent an important initial step in the pathogenesis of this disease.

Increased production of soluble TLR2 by lamina propria mononuclear cells from ulcerative colitis patients.

Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) is a type I pattern recognition receptor that has been shown to participate in intestinal homeostasis. Its increased expression in the lamina propria has been associated with the pathogenesis in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), such as ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohns disease (CD). Recently, soluble TLR2 (sTLR2) variants have been shown to counteract inflammatory responses driven by the cognate receptor. Despite the evident roles of TLR2 in intestinal immunity, no study has elucidated the production and cellular source of sTLR2 in IBD. Furthermore, an increase in the population of activated macrophages expressing TLR2 that infiltrates the intestine in IBD has been reported. We aimed first to assess the production of the sTLR2 by UC and CD organ culture biopsies and lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMCs) as well as the levels of sTLR2 in serum, and then characterize the cell population from lamina propria producing the soluble protein. Mucosa explants, LPMCs and serum were obtained from UC, CD patients and control subjects. The level of sTLR2 was higher in conditioned media from organ culture biopsies and LPMCs from UC patients in comparison to CD and controls. Moreover, an inverse correlation between the content of intestinal and serum sTLR2 levels was observed in UC patients. Additionally, when characterizing the cellular source of the increased sTLR2 by LPMCs from UC patients, an increase in TLR2(+)/CD33(+) cell population was found. Also, these cells expressed CX3CR1, which was related to the increased levels of intestinal FKN in UC patients, suggesting that a higher proportion of TLR2(+) mononuclear cells infiltrate the lamina propria. The increased production of sTLR2 suggests that a differential regulating factor of the innate immune system is present in the intestinal mucosa of UC patients.

A functional IL1RL1 variant regulates corticosteroid-induced sST2 expression in ulcerative colitis.

The ST2/IL33 signalling pathway has been associated with ulcerative colitis (UC). ST2, encoded by the IL1RL1 gene, is expressed as both a membrane-anchored receptor (ST2L) activated by IL33 and as a soluble receptor (sST2) with anti-inflammatory properties. In UC patients, sST2 is further increased by corticosteroid treatment; however, the glucocorticoid-mediated molecular regulation remains unknown. We therefore tested whether genetic variants in the IL1RL1 distal promoter are involved in UC and affect glucocorticoid-mediated ST2 expression. Serum ST2 levels and genetic variants in the IL1RL1 distal promoter were examined by ELISA and PCR sequencing in UC patients receiving corticosteroids. Glucocorticoid-mediated ST2 production was evaluated in intestinal mucosa cultures. Molecular regulation of glucocorticoid-mediated ST2 was assessed by RT-qPCR, ChIP assay and luciferase reporter assay. Dexamethasone effect on ST2 transcript expression was analyzed in leukocytes and related to IL1RL1 variants. Sequencing of a distal IL1RL1 promoter region demonstrated that SNPs rs6543115(C) and rs6543116(A) are associated with increased sST2 in UC patients on corticosteroids. Dexamethasone up-regulated sST2 transcription through interaction with the glucocorticoid-response element (GRE) carrying rs6543115(C) variant. Our data indicate that IL1RL1 SNPs rs6543115(C) confer susceptibility to UC and is contained in the GRE, which may modulate glucocorticoid-induced sST2 expression.