Integrins: versatility, modulation, and signaling in cell adhesion.

The selective degradation of many short-lived proteins in eukaryotic cells is carried out by the ubiquitin system. In this pathway, proteins are targeted for degradation by covalent ligation to ubiquitin, a highly conserved small protein. Ubiquitin-mediated degradation of regulatory proteins plays important roles in the control of numerous processes, including cell-cycle progression, signal transduction, transcriptional regulation, receptor down-regulation, and endocytosis. The ubiquitin system has been implicated in the immune response, development, and programmed cell death. Abnormalities in ubiquitin-mediated processes have been shown to cause pathological conditions, including malignant transformation. In this review we discuss recent information on functions and mechanisms of the ubiquitin system. Since the selectivity of protein degradation is determined mainly at the stage of ligation to ubiquitin, special attention is focused on what we know, and would like to know, about the mode of action of ubiquitin-protein ligation systems and about signals in proteins recognized by these systems.

The Ubiquitin System

For many years immunologists have been well served by the viewpoint that the immune system's primary goal is to discriminate between self and non-self. I believe that it is time to change viewpoints and, in this essay, I discuss the possibility that the immune system does not care about self and non-self, that its primary driving force is the need to detect and protect against danger, and that it does not do the job alone, but receives positive and negative communications from an extended network of other bodily tissues.

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Tolerance, danger, and the extended family.

Leukocytes respond to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at nanogram per milliliter concentrations with secretion of cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Excess secretion of TNF-alpha causes endotoxic shock, an often fatal complication of infection. LPS in the bloodstream rapidly binds to the serum protein, lipopolysaccharide binding protein (LBP), and cellular responses to physiological levels of LPS are dependent on LBP. CD14, a differentiation antigen of monocytes, was found to bind complexes of LPS and LBP, and blockade of CD14 with monoclonal antibodies prevented synthesis of TNF-alpha by whole blood incubated with LPS. Thus, LPS may induce responses by interacting with a soluble binding protein in serum that then binds the cell surface protein CD14.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/249/4975/1431.full.pdf

CD14, a receptor for complexes of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and LPS binding protein.

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is characterized by opportunistic infections and by 'opportunistic neoplasms' (for example, Kaposi's sarcoma). Persistent generalized lymphadenopathy (PGL) is epidemiologically associated with AIDS, especially in male homosexuals. A subset of T lymphocytes positive for the CD4 antigen (also termed T4 antigen), is depleted in AIDS and PGL patients. A retrovirus found in T-cell cultures from these patients is strongly implicated in the aetiology of AIDS because of the high frequency of isolation and the prevalence of specific antibodies in the patients. Here we have detected cell-surface receptors for the AIDS retrovirus (human T-cell leukaemia virus-III (HTLV-III) and lymphadenopathy-associated virus-1 (LAV-1) isolates) by testing the susceptibility of cells to infection with pseudotypes of vesicular stomatitis virus bearing retroviral envelope antigens, and by the formation of multinucleated syncytia on mixing virus-producing cells with receptor-bearing cells. Receptors were present only on cells expressing CD4 antigen; among 155 monoclonal antibodies tested, each of the 14 anti-CD4 antibodies inhibited formation of syncytia and blocked pseudotypes. Productive infection of CD4+ cells with HTLV-III or LAV-1 markedly reduced cell-surface expression of CD4. In contrast, receptors for HTLV-I and HTLV-II were not restricted to CD4+ cells, were not blocked by anti-CD4 antibodies; cells productively infected with HTLV-I and HTLV-II expressed surface CD4. Hence, we conclude that the CD4 antigen is an essential and specific component of the receptor for the causative agent of AIDS.

The CD4 (T4) antigen is an essential component of the receptor for the AIDS retrovirus

A series of monoclonal antibodies was used to define three discrete stages of human intrathymic T-cell differentiation The earliest stage was confined to <10% of thymocytes, which were·reactive with both OKT9 and OKT10 Subsequently, approximately 70% of human thymocytes acquired a thymocyte-restricted antigen, OKT6, lost OKT9 antigen, and expressed reactivity with OKT4 and OKT5 These last two monoclonal antibodies were previously shown to define inducer (helper) and cytotoxic/suppressor populations, respectively, in peripheral blood The OKT4+, OKT5+, OKT6+ “common” thymocyte population represents the majority of thymocytes and accounts for more than 70% of thymocytes With further maturation, thymocytes lose OKT6 reactivity, segregate into OKT4+ and OKT5+ subsets, and acquire reactivity with OKT3 (and OKT1) This latter stage corresponds to the more functionally mature subset The possible relationship of acute lymphoblastic leukemia of T-cell lineage to these proposed stages of intrathymic differentiation was determined Analysis of 25 tumor populations showed that 21 could be related to one or another differentiative stage The majority (15/21) were derived from an early thymocyte or prothymocyte subpopulation, 5/25 were derived from a common thymocyte subpopulation, and 1/25 was derived from a mature (OKT3+) subpopulation These data suggest that is it now possible to define stages of T-cell differentiation that can be related to T-cell malignancies in humans

https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/77/3/1588.full.pdf

Discrete stages of human intrathymic differentiation: Analysis of normal thymocytes and leukemic lymphoblasts of T-cell lineage

Three novel nonoclonal antibodies (designed OKT1, OKT3, and OKT4) were generated against surface determinants of human peripheral T cells. Both OKT1 and OKT3 reacted with all human peripheral T cells and 5 to 10 percent of thymocytes but differed in their reactivities with T cel- lines. By contrast, OKT4 reacted with 55 percent of human peripheral T cells and 80 percent of thymocyted in that they did not react with normal B cells, null cells, monocytes, or granulocytes.

https://science.sciencemag.org/content/sci/206/4416/347.full.pdf

Monoclonal antibodies defining distinctive human T cell surface antigens

A monoclonal antibody was produced to human peripheral blood T cells. This hybridoma antibody, termed OKT4, was reactive by indirect immunofluorescence with only 55-60% of the peripheral blood T cell population (OKT4+) and unreactive with normal B cells, null cells, and macrophages. The OKT4- T cell population contained the previously described TH2+ subset that has been shown to contain cytotoxic/suppressor cells. With cell-sorter separation of OKT4+ and OKT4- cells, it was shown that these T cell subsets were functionally discrete. Both gave proliferative responses with concanavalin A, alloantigens, and phytohemagglutinin although OKT4+ cells were much more responsive to the latter. OKT4+ cells alone responded to soluble antigens whereas OKT4- cells alone were cytotoxic after alloantigenic sensitization of unfractionated T cells. However, both OKT4+ and OKT4- cells were required during sensitization for optimal development of cytotoxicity. These data suggest that the OKT4+ subset represents a helper population and that the OKT4- subset contains the cytotoxic effector population. OKT4 could be a valuable reagent for determining alterations of these functional subsets in human diseases.

https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/76/8/4061.full.pdf

Separation of functional subsets of human T cells by a monoclonal antibody.

A polypeptide of 8500 molecular weight is described that induces the differentiation of T (thymus-derived) cell and B (bone-marrow-derived) cell immunocytes in vitro, apparently via beta-adrenergic receptors and adenylate cyclase activation. This polypeptide shows a high degree of evolutionary conservation, exhibiting close structural, functional, and immunological similarity when isolated from such diverse origins as cells of mammals and higher plants. This polypeptide was detected in animal cells, yeast, bacteria, and higher plants, and so may well be a universal constituent of living cells.

http://www.pnas.org/content/72/1/11.full.pdf

Isolation of a polypeptide that has lymphocyte-differentiating properties and is probably represented universally in living cells

We have obtained four monoclonal antibodies, IB4, OKM1, OKM9, and OKM10, all directed against the C3bi receptor of human monocytes and macrophages (M phi). Two criteria were used to determine the specificity of these antibodies. First, culture surfaces coated with the antireceptor antibodies caused specific down modulation of C3bi receptor activity on M phi adherent to these substrates. Second, receptor protein purified by using IB4 or OKM1 retained the ability to bind selectively to C3bi-coated erythrocytes. Each of the antibodies recognizes a distinct epitope on the C3bi receptor; they do not compete with one another for binding to monocytes. Further, when immobilized on a solid support, each of the antibodies binds a molecule from M phi lysates that can simultaneously bind one of the other monoclonal anti-C3bi receptor antibodies. OKM10 binds and masks the ligand-binding site of the C3bi receptor, while IB4, OKM1, and OKM9 bind to sites remote from the C3bi binding site. All four antibodies immunoprecipitated polypeptides of Mr 185,000 and 105,000 from 125I-surface-labeled M phi. IB4 also precipitates polypeptides of Mr 185,000, 153,000, and 105,000. We conclude that the C3bi receptor of human M phi is a complex composed of two polypeptides, Mr 185,000 and 105,000. We have identified monoclonal antibodies reacting with four distinct antigenic determinants of this complex. The determinant recognized by antibody OKM10 is at or near the ligand-binding site of the receptor. The determinant recognized by antibody IB4 is shared by at least two other leukocyte surface proteins.

Gideon Goldstein

Papers

Discrete stages of human intrathymic differentiation: Analysis of normal thymocytes and leukemic lymphoblasts of T-cell lineage

Monoclonal antibodies defining distinctive human T cell surface antigens

Separation of functional subsets of human T cells by a monoclonal antibody.

Isolation of a polypeptide that has lymphocyte-differentiating properties and is probably represented universally in living cells

Identification of the C3bi receptor of human monocytes and macrophages by using monoclonal antibodies.