RESUMEN
The signaling lymphocytic activation molecule SLAMF1 (CD150) is a co-stimulatory molecule that is expressed by most immune cells, including T regulatory (Treg) lymphocytes. Since different abnormalities have been reported regarding the number and function of Foxp3+ Treg cells in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), we decided to analyze the expression and function of CD150 in these regulatory lymphocytes in this condition. We isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 20 patients with SLE, and 20 healthy controls. The expression of SLAMF1 was determined by multi-parametric flow cytometry and the suppressive function of CD4+CD25+ lymphocytes, upon engagement or not of CD150 with an agonistic monoclonal antibody, was analyzed by an assay of inhibition of cell proliferation. We observed a significantly increased expression of SLAMF1 by CD3+CD4+ helper T cells and CD19+ B cells in patients with SLE and active disease. However, similar levels of SLAMF1 expression were detected in Foxp3+ Treg cells from patients and controls. In contrast, a higher proportion of SLE patients increased their suppressive function of Treg cells upon CD150 engagement compared to healthy controls. Our data suggest that SLAMF1 is another significant piece in the intricate defective immune-regulatory function of patients with SLE.
Asunto(s)
Antígenos CD/inmunología , Leucocitos Mononucleares/inmunología , Lupus Eritematoso Sistémico/inmunología , Receptores de Superficie Celular/inmunología , Linfocitos T Reguladores/inmunología , Adolescente , Adulto , Antígenos CD/biosíntesis , Autoinmunidad/inmunología , Procesos de Crecimiento Celular/inmunología , Femenino , Citometría de Flujo/métodos , Factores de Transcripción Forkhead/inmunología , Humanos , Lupus Eritematoso Sistémico/tratamiento farmacológico , Persona de Mediana Edad , Receptores de Superficie Celular/biosíntesis , Miembro 1 de la Familia de Moléculas Señalizadoras de la Activación Linfocitaria , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
P2X2 plays an important role in ATP signaling in guinea pig myenteric plexus. Here, we cloned and characterized three P2X2 isoforms expressed in myenteric neurons. RT/PCR was used to amplify the cDNA of P2X2 variants. These were expressed in Xenopus oocytes, and nucleotide-induced membrane currents were recorded with the two-electrode voltage clamp technique. Three P2X2 cDNAs were identified in myenteric single neurons, named P2X2-1, P2X2-2 and P2X2-4. Based on the analysis of the structural organization of these variants we predicted that P2X2-2 is the fully processed variant, which lead us to propose a new exon-intron arrangement of P2X2 receptor gene with 12 exons and 11 introns. In agreement with this new model, the intron 11 is retained in P2X2-1 and P2X2-4 variants by alternative splicing. Expression of P2X2-1, P2X2-2 and P2X2-4 were found in 92, 42 and 37%, respectively, out of 40 analyzed single neurons. P2X2-4 does not form functional channels, and homomeric channels formed by P2X2-1 and P2X2-2 have different pharmacological profile. Thus, the former receptor is more sensitive to ATP, BzATP, and PPADS, whereas, suramin inhibited both receptors in a biphasic- and monophasic-manner, respectively. α,ß-meATP has very low efficacy on either channel. Furthermore, ionic currents mediated by P2X2-1 have slower desensitization than P2X2-2. These results indicate that P2X2-1 was the most common P2X2 transcript in myenteric neurons and displays significant phenotypical changes implicating that retention of the intron 11 plays a major role in ATP signaling in the intestinal myenteric plexus.