John J. P. Brevé

Bio: John J. P. Brevé is an academic researcher from VU University Medical Center. The author has contributed to research in topics: Tissue transglutaminase & Lymph. The author has an hindex of 19, co-authored 37 publications receiving 1086 citations. Previous affiliations of John J. P. Brevé include VU University Amsterdam.

The influence of afferent lymphatic vessel interruption on vascular addressin expression.

Abstract: Tissue-selective lymphocyte homing is directed in part by specialized vessels that define sites of lymphocyte exit from the blood. These vessels, the post capillary high endothelial venules (HEV), are found in organized lymphoid tissues, and at sites of chronic inflammation. Lymphocytes bearing specific receptors, called homing receptors, recognize and adhere to their putative ligands on high endothelial cells, the vascular addressins. After adhesion, lymphocytes enter organized lymphoid tissues by migrating through the endothelial cell wall. Cells and/or soluble factors arriving in lymph nodes by way of the afferent lymph supply have been implicated in the maintenance of HEV morphology and efficient lymphocyte homing. In the study reported here, we assessed the influence of afferent lymphatic vessel interruption on lymph node composition, organization of cellular elements; and on expression of vascular addressins. At 1 wk after occlusion of afferent lymphatic vessels, HEV became flat walled and expression of the peripheral lymph node addressin disappeared from the luminal aspect of most vessels, while being retained on the abluminal side. In addition, an HEV-specific differentiation marker, defined by mAb MECA-325, was undetectable at 7-d postocclusion. In vivo homing studies revealed that these modified vessels support minimal lymphocyte traffic from the blood. After occlusion, we observed dramatic changes in lymphocyte populations and at 7-d postsurgery, lymph nodes were populated predominantly by cells lacking the peripheral lymph node homing receptor LECAM-1. In addition, effects on nonlymphoid cells were observed: subcapsular sinus macrophages, defined by mAb MOMA-1, disappeared; and interdigitating dendritic cells, defined by mAb NLDC-145, were dramatically reduced. These data reveal that functioning afferent lymphatics are centrally involved in maintaining normal lymph node homeostasis.

Brain region-specific gene expression profiles in freshly isolated rat microglia

Abstract: Microglia are important cells in the brain that can acquire different morphological and functional phenotypes dependent on the local situation they encounter. Knowledge on the region-specific gene signature of microglia may hold valuable clues for microglial functioning in health and disease, e.g., Parkinson's disease (PD) in which microglial phenotypes differ between affected brain regions. Therefore, we here investigated whether regional differences exist in gene expression profiles of microglia that are isolated from healthy rat brain regions relevant for PD. We used an optimized isolation protocol based on a rapid isolation of microglia from discrete rat gray matter regions using density gradients and fluorescent-activated cell sorting. Application of the present protocol followed by gene expression analysis enabled us to identify subtle differences in region-specific microglial expression profiles and show that the genetic profile of microglia already differs between different brain regions when studied under control conditions. As such, these novel findings imply that brain region-specific microglial gene expression profiles exist that may contribute to the region-specific differences in microglia responsivity during disease conditions, such as seen in, e.g., PD.

Acute stress affects cytokines and nitric oxide production by alveolar macrophages differently.

Abstract: The production of cytokines by alveolar macrophages was studied after exposure of rats to an acute stress paradigm (mild inescapable footshocks). When alveolar macrophages from nonstressed animals were isolated and cultured, they readily produced interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) after stimulation with lipopolysaccharides (LPS). For these cytokines the dose response relationship for LPS was clearly biphasic. Nitric oxide (NO) production could only be detected upon LPS stimulation and seemed to be monophasic. However, when the animals were exposed to the acute stress paradigm, isolated alveolar macrophages (AM) showed a marked increase of IL-1 beta and TNF-alpha secretion upon LPS stimulation in vitro, but no changes in the production of IL-6 were detected. In contrast, exposure to the stress paradigm resulted in a strong decrease in NO production. The results indicate that emotional stress can rapidly induce altered behavior of AM, which is discussed in view...

Dendritic cells of the oral mucosa and the induction of oral tolerance. A local affair.

Abstract: The oral mucosa is an important site to induce immunological tolerance to protein antigens. Previously we have established that oral contacts to allergen can lead to systemic tolerance in both humans and experimental animals. Because of the importance of tolerance induction as a possible way to modulate allergic reactivity, we wished to study the mechanisms involved in efficient tolerance induction via the oral mucosa. Dendritic Langerhans' cells in both skin and oral epithelium are the first cells to encounter antigen. Therefore, possible functional differences between Langerhans' cells from skin and oral mucosa were studied by migration and transfer experiments. It was found that dendritic cells derived from the oral mucosa were not able to transfer tolerance, but that they acted as antigen-presenting cells in sensu stricto irrespective of the source and route of antigen administration.

Traffic signals on endothelium for lymphocyte recirculation and leukocyte emigration

Abstract: The circulatory and migratory properties of white blood cells have evolved to allow efficient surveillance of tissues for infectious pathogens and rapid accu­ mulation at sites of injury and infection. Lymphocytes continually patrol the body for foreign antigen by recirculating from blood, through tissue, into lymph, and back to blood. Lymphocytes acquire a predilection, based on the environment in which they first encounter foreign antigen, to home to or recirculate through that same environment (39, 40). Granulocytes and mono­ cytes cannot recirculate, but emigrate from the bloodstream in response to molecular changes on the surface of blood vessels that signal injury or infec­ tion. Lymphocytes can similarly accumulate in response to inflammatory stim­ uli. The nature of the inflammatory stimulus determines whether lymphocytes. monocytes, neutrophils, or eosinophils predominate, and thus exercises spec­ ificity in the molecular signals or "area codes" that are displayed on endothe­ lium and control traffic of particular leukocyte classes. Recent findings show that the "traffic signals" for lymphocyte recirculation and for neutrophil and monocyte localization in inflammation are strikingly similar at the molecular level. These traffic signal or area code molecules are

Homing and cellular traffic in lymph nodes

Abstract: Lymph nodes (LNs) are the organs where innate immune responses lead to acquired immunity, where some of our most devastating pathogens evade immunity, and where autoreactive lymphocytes first encounter tissue-specific self-antigens and are either tolerized or activated. The many roles of LNs depend on the coordinated migration of its cellular constituents. This article covers new insights into the organization and microvascular specialization of LNs, the guidance mechanisms that allow lymphocytes and antigen-presenting cells to find their correct place in the nodal parenchyma; and the role of afferent lymph flow in LN function.