Lynch, David H.

Abstract Ligation of the Fc γ R on NK cells by Ab-coated target cells initiates a mode of killing referred to as antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC). There is clear evidence that the release from NK cells of granules containing pore-forming proteins and serine proteases can result in the rapid (within minutes) cell death of Ab-coated targets. However, little information is available as to whether NK cells can initiate subsequent killing through granule-independent mechanisms and as to the mechanisms that down-regulate NK cell-mediated responses. We demonstrate in this study that FcR stimulation of activated human NK cells not only induces granule exocytosis, but also subsequently results in the transcriptional up-regulation of Fas ligand. These FcR-stimulated NK cells can then kill targets that bear Fas (CD95/APO-1), as this cytotoxicity can be inhibited by blocking Abs to the Fas receptor. In addition, as resting NK cells become activated, their Fas receptors become competent to deliver autocrine suicide signals. We demonstrate in this work that the interaction of Fas ligand on the FcR-stimulated NK cells with their Fas receptors can result in apoptosis of the NK cells. These results suggest that the FcR-induced expression of Fas ligand on activated NK cells can critically influence the capacity of these cells to mediate paracrine and autocrine cell death.

Abstract Activation-induced cell death of peripheral T cells results from the interaction between Fas and Fas ligand. Resting peripheral T cells are resistant to Fas-induced apoptosis and become susceptible only after their activation. We have investigated the molecular mechanism mediating the sensitization of resting peripheral T cells to Fas-mediated apoptosis following TCR stimulation. TCR activation decreases the steady state protein levels of FLIP (FLICE-like inhibitory protein), an inhibitor of the Fas signaling pathway. Reconstitution of intracellular FLIP levels by the addition of a soluble HIV transactivator protein-FLIP chimera completely restores resistance to Fas-mediated apoptosis in TCR primary T cells. Inhibition of IL-2 production by cyclosporin A, or inhibition of IL-2 signaling by rapamycin or anti-IL-2 neutralizing Abs prevents the decrease in FLIP levels and confers resistance to Fas-mediated apoptosis following T cell activation. Using cell cycle-blocking agents, we demonstrate that activated T cells arrested in G1 phase contain high levels of FLIP protein, whereas activated T cells arrested in S phase have decreased FLIP protein levels. These findings link regulation of FLIP protein levels with cell cycle progression and provide an explanation for the increase in TCR-induced apoptosis observed during the S phase of the cell cycle.

Abstract Activation-induced cell death (AICD) is initiated by the TCR-dependent up-regulation of Fas ligand (FasL) mRNA. The subsequently generated soluble or cell-associated FasL gene products bind Fas, leading to apoptosis of the T cells. Although TCR stimulation is essential to initiate AICD, little is known about which TCR-initiated second messengers are required for FasL expression. We provide evidence in this work that T cells lacking the tyrosine kinase ZAP-70 are unable to up-regulate FasL and undergo AICD. Transfection of wild-type ZAP-70 into the ZAP-70-deficient T cells restores their sensitivity to TCR-induced apoptosis, whereas transfection of catalytically inactive ZAP-70 does not. These results provide clear evidence that ZAP-70 tyrosine kinase is essential in up-regulating FasL for TCR-induced apoptosis.

Abstract Mycoplasma arthritidis produces a soluble protein which is active for murine and human lymphocytes when presented by Ia-bearing accessory cells. By using fibroblasts transfected in vitro with various class II Ag, we demonstrated that presentation of the M. arthritidis mitogen (MAM) to T cells was mediated by E alpha-containing molecules. We also showed that splenocytes from transgenic mice expressing E alpha heterozygously (B10.TRG E alpha+) or homozygously (B10.E alpha TG +/+) underwent a similar proliferation in response to MAM as compared with the failure of control B10.TRG E alpha- splenocytes to respond to MAM. Although splenocytes from inbred C3H and CBA mice exhibited much higher proliferative responses to MAM than did those from B10.TRG.E alpha+ or B10.E alpha TG +/+ mice, flow cytometry showed similar levels of E alpha expression. Furthermore, gamma-irradiated splenocytes from B10.TRG E alpha + mice presented MAM to T hybridoma cells with a similar efficacy as did splenocytes from C3H mice. The lesser response to MAM of lymphocytes from the E alpha transgenic mice as compared with those from C3H and B10.K mice was likewise not due to differential expression of their V beta TCR. We conclude that presentation of MAM to T cells is accomplished by E alpha-containing molecules. The studies also suggest that the conserved, nonpolymorphic regions of class II molecules may play an important role in host immune response to microbial products.

Apoptosis has been proposed to mediate CD4+ T-cell depletion in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals. Interaction of Fas ligand (FasL) with Fas (CD95) results in lymphocyte apoptosis, and increased susceptibility to Fas-mediated apoptosis has been demonstrated in lymphocytes from HIV-infected individuals. Cells undergoing apoptosis in lymph nodes from HIV-infected individuals do not harbor virus, and therefore a bystander effect has been postulated to mediate apoptosis of uninfected cells. These data raise the possibility that antigen-presenting cells are a source of FasL and that HIV infection of cells such as macrophages may induce or increase FasL expression. In this report, we demonstrate that HIV infection of monocytic cells not only increases the surface expression of Fas but also results in the de novo expression of FasL. Interference with the FasL-Fas interaction by anti-Fas blocking antibodies abrogates HIV-induced apoptosis of monocytic cells. Human monocyte-derived macrophages from healthy donors contain detectable FasL mRNA, which is further upregulated following HIV infection with monocytotropic strains. HIV-infected human macrophages result in the apoptotic death of Jurkat T cells and peripheral blood T lymphocytes. Interruption of the FasL-Fas interaction abrogates the HIV-infected macrophage-dependent death of T lymphocytes. These results provide evidence that human macrophages can provide a source of FasL, especially following HIV infection, and can thus participate in lymphocyte depletion in HIV-infected individuals.

ABSTRACTThe ability of interleukin-7 (IL-7) and IL-15 to expand and/or augment effector cell functions may be of therapeutic benefit to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. The functional effects of these cytokines on innate HIV-specific immunity and their impact on cells harboring HIV are unknown. We demonstrate that both IL-7 and IL-15 augment natural killer (NK) function by using cells (CD3−CD16+CD56+) from both HIV-positive and -negative donors. Whereas IL-7 enhances NK function through upregulation of Fas ligand, the effect of IL-15 is mediated through upregulation of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand. The difference in these effector mechanisms is reflected by the ability of IL-15-treated but not IL-7-treated NK cells to reduce the burden of replication-competent HIV in autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) (infectious units per million for control NK cells, 6.79; for IL-7-treated NK cells, 236.17; for IL-15-treated cells, 1.01;P= 0.01 versus control). In addition, the treatment of PBMC with IL-15-treated but not IL-7-treated NK cells causes undetectable HIV p24 (five of five cases), HIV RNA (five of five cases), or HIV DNA (three of five cases). These results support the concept of adjuvant immunotherapy of HIV infection with either IL-7 or IL-15 but suggest that the NK-mediated antiviral effect of IL-15 may be superior.

The current knowledge of CD4 function is limited to its role as a necessary coreceptor in TCR-initiated signaling. We have investigated whether CD4 regulates additional T cell functions. Using human primary resting CD4+ T cells, we demonstrate that CD4 activation is sufficient to induce lymphocyte death. Immediately after CD4 cross-linking, CD4+ T cells are rendered susceptible to apoptosis mediated by TNF or FasL. This, together with the concomitant induction of FasL within the same population, results in significant CD4+ T cell death in vitro. The CD4-dependent induction of susceptibility to apoptosis that is mediated by TNF or FasL is protein synthesis independent but phosphorylation dependent. After CD4 activation, PKC regulates susceptibility to apoptosis mediated by FasL but not the induction of susceptibility to TNF-dependent apoptosis. Moreover, significant differences between CD3 and CD4 activation were observed with regards to the kinetics of induction of CD4+ T cell susceptibility to FasL- and TNF-mediated apoptosis. Altogether, these results provide a model with which to study the molecular mechanisms regulating lymphocyte survival after CD4 activation, and highlight the potential role of CD4 in controlling lymphocyte apoptosis under physiological conditions or in disease states such as HIV infection.

Apoptosis of bystander uninfected CD4+ T lymphocytes by neighboring HIV-infected cells is observed in cell culture and in lymphoid tissue of HIV-infected individuals. This study addresses whether antigen-presenting cells such as human macrophages mediate apoptosis of CD4+ T cells from HIV-infected individuals. Uninfected human macrophages, and to a larger degree, HIV-infected macrophages mediate apoptosis of T cells from HIV-infected, but not from uninfected control individuals. This macrophage-dependent killing targets CD4+, but not CD8+ T lymphocytes from HIV-infected individuals, and direct contact between macrophages and lymphocytes is required. Additional analyses indicated that the apoptosis-inducing ligands, FasL and tumor necrosis factor (TNF), mediate this macrophage-induced apoptosis of CD4+ T cells. These results support a role for macrophage-associated FasL and TNF in the selective depletion of CD4+ T cells in HIV-infected individuals.