EVOLUTION: Of Mice . . .

Mice with targeted deletion of fibrinogen-like protein 2 ( fgl2 ) spontaneously developed autoimmune glomerulonephritis with increasing age, as did wild-type recipients reconstituted with fgl2 −/− bone marrow. These data implicate FGL2 as an important immunoregulatory molecule and led us to identify the underlying mechanisms. Deficiency of FGL2, produced by CD4 + CD25 + regulatory T cells (Treg), resulted in increased T cell proliferation to lectins and alloantigens, Th 1 polarization, and increased numbers of Ab-producing B cells following immunization with T-independent Ags. Dendritic cells were more abundant in fgl2 −/− mice and had increased expression of CD80 and MHCII following LPS stimulation. Treg cells were also more abundant in fgl2 −/− mice, but their suppressive activity was significantly impaired. Ab to FGL2 completely inhibited Treg cell activity in vitro. FGL2 inhibited dendritic cell maturation and induced apoptosis of B cells through binding to the low-affinity FcγRIIB receptor. Collectively, these data suggest that FGL2 contributes to Treg cell activity and inhibits the development of autoimmune disease.

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Targeted Deletion of fgl2 Leads to Impaired Regulatory T Cell Activity and Development of Autoimmune Glomerulonephritis

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide. In this study, our objective was to identify differentially regulated proteins in HCC through a quantitative proteomic approach using iTRAQ. More than 600 proteins were quantitated of which 59 proteins were overexpressed and 92 proteins were underexpressed in HCC as compared to adjacent normal tissue. Several differentially expressed proteins were not implicated previously in HCC. A subset of these proteins (six each from upregulated and downregulated groups) was further validated using immunoblotting and immunohistochemical labeling. Some of the overexpressed proteins with no previous description in the context of HCC include fibroleukin, interferon induced 56 kDa protein, milk fat globule-EGF factor 8, and myeloidassociated differentiation marker. Interestingly, all the enzymes of urea metabolic pathway were dramatically downregulated. Immunohistochemical labeling confirmed differential expression of fibroleukin, myeloid associated differentiation marker and ornithine carbamoyl transferase in majority of HCC samples analyzed. Our results demonstrate quantitative proteomics as a robust discovery tool for the identification of differentially regulated proteins in cancers.

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A quantitative proteomic approach for identification of potential biomarkers in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Liver ischemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury is a multifactorial process that affects graft function after liver transplantation. Inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and IL-18, have been shown to play key roles in the pathophysiology of liver I/R injury. Studies have indicated that NALP3 (NACHT domain, leucine-rich repeat [LRR] domain, and pyrin domain [PYD]-containing protein-3) inflammasome is pivotal in the processing and releasing of IL-1β and IL-18. The aim of this study was to test whether NALP3 silencing has a protective effect in murine liver I/R injury. Using a partial lobar liver warm ischemia model, mice were hydrodynamically injected with pNALP3shRNA, pshRNANC, or saline 48 hr before ischemia. Those mice pretreated with pNALP3shRNA showed decreased serum alanine aminotransferase levels; inhibited production of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-18, TNF-α, and IL-6 by downregulation of caspase-1 activation and NF-κB activity; as...

Gene silencing of NALP3 protects against liver ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice.

Immunological analogy between allograft rejection, recurrent abortion and pre-eclampsia - the same basic mechanism?

Immune coagulation is a major contributor to the pathogenesis of xenograft rejection, viral-induced hepatocellular injury and cytokine-induced fetal loss syndrome. In this study, we investigated the contribution of the novel gene product, fibrinogen-like protein 2 (fgl2) prothrombinase, in mediating immune injury in experimental and human acute allograft rejection. Using a mouse heterotopic cardiac transplant model, mouse fgl2 (mfgl2)/fibroleukin mRNA transcripts and protein were highly expressed in macrophages, CD4- and CD8-positive T lymphocytes, and endothelial cells in rejecting cardiac allografts in association with deposits of fibrin. Although mfgl2-deficient mice rejected allografts at similar rates to littermate controls, survival of grafts from mfgl2-deficient mice were prolonged and deposition of intravascular fibrin was diminished. Treatment of wild-type mice with a neutralizing anti-fgl2 Ab ameliorated histological evidence for allorejection and intravascular fibrin deposition, and resulted in an increase in graft survival. To address further the relevance of fgl2 in acute allograft rejection, we examined kidney biopsies from patients who had undergone renal transplantation. Human fgl2 mRNA transcripts and protein were markedly expressed mainly in renal tubule cells, infiltrating lymphoid cells including macrophages, CD8 + T cells, mature B cells (plasma cells), and endothelial cells. Dual staining showed fibrin deposition was localized mainly to blood vessels, in the glomerulus and interstitium and the lumen of tubules, and occurred in association with human fgl2 expression. These data collectively suggest that fgl2 accounts for the fibrin deposition seen in both experimental and human allograft rejection and provide a rationale for targeting fgl2 as adjunctive therapy to treat allograft rejection.

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Role of fibrinogen-like protein 2 prothrombinase/fibroleukin in experimental and human allograft rejection.

Fibrinogen-like protein-2 (FGL2) prothrombinase and tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) play a major role in the development of fulminant viral hepatitis. Here, Gao and colleagues demonstrate that hydrodynamic delivery of dual-interference shRNA plasmids for FGL2 and TNFR can alter the course of fulminant viral hepatitis and increase survival in a mouse model of the disease.

Chuanglong Zhu

Papers

Role of fibrinogen-like protein 2 prothrombinase/fibroleukin in experimental and human allograft rejection.

Dual interference with novel genes mfgl2 and mTNFR1 ameliorates murine hepatitis virus type 3-induced fulminant hepatitis in BALB/cJ mice.