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Glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ), a recently identified protein induced by glucocorticoids (GCs), inhibits the nuclear factor κB pathway and the activation of monocytes/macrophages by lipopolysaccharides (LPS). This study aimed to elucidate the contribution of GILZ to the pathogenesis of alcoholic hepatitis (AH): we (1) assessed GILZ expression in the livers of patients with AH and (2) treated patients with severe AH with GCs (prednisolone 40 mg/day) and studied the effect of GILZ modulation on circulating monocyte function. We quantified GILZ expression in the livers of 42 consecutive alcoholic patients (21 with and 21 without AH). GILZ messenger RNA (mRNA) levels were lower in the livers of patients with AH versus those without AH (P < 0.05). We collected circulating monocytes from patients with severe AH before and 48 hours after GC treatment to quantify GILZ expression and cytokine secretion. GC treatment induced significantly higher levels of GILZ mRNA than that observed before treatment and impaired LPS-induced tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and regulated upon activation, normal T cell–expressed secretion (RANTES) by these monocytes. We transfected circulating monocytes with GILZ small interfering RNA (siRNA), specifically blocking GILZ expression, to demonstrate the role of GILZ in mediating GC effect. GILZ siRNA abrogated the effect of GC treatment on LPS-induced TNF-α and RANTES secretion. Conclusion: Low expression of GILZ may contribute to liver inflammation in AH. GCs enhance GILZ expression, abrogating macrophage sensitivity to LPS and proinflammatory cytokine secretion. These findings may explain the beneficial effect of GC treatment in patients with severe AH. (HEPATOLOGY 2007;46:1986–1992.)

IL-2 is currently used in HIV-infected patients to treat CD4+ T lymphopenia. In order to document a mechanism accounting for its capacity to restore immune function, we studied the effects of IL-2 administration in mice. IL-2 treatment of C57BL/6 mice for 4 days leads to a transient accumulation of CD4+ T lymphocytes. Whereas memory and activated CD4+ T lymphocytes accumulate after IL-2 treatment in both lymphoid and nonlymphoid organs, naive CD4+ T cells only accumulate in the former. IL-2 transiently increases CD4+ T lymphocyte numbers in lymphopenic IL-7(-/-) mice. Studies in T-cell-reconstituted Rag(-/-) gamma c(-/-) mice and in thymectomized mice demonstrated that IL-2 acts directly on peripheral CD4+ T lymphocytes. In vivo labeling of thymocytes showed that IL-2 also stimulates the release of CD4+ thymocytes from the thymus. Therefore, IL-2 treatment acts centrally and peripherally to increase the size of the naive CD4+ T lymphocyte compartment. This dual activity of IL-2 treatment may influence the quality of restoration of this compartment, especially regarding the ability to reconstitute a normal T lymphocyte repertoire.

Human immunodeficiency virus infection leads to a deregulated production of a number of cytokines. Some of them (IL-1, IL-6, TNF-alpha, interferon-gamma) are produced in increased amounts in vivo, whereas the production of IL-2 is decreased. This latter abnormality plays a pivotal role in the establishment of the immunodeficiency. Some cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, TNF-alpha) stimulate the in vitro replication of HIV, whereas others (mainly the interferons) inhibit it. The effect of cytokines in vivo in the spreading of HIV remains, however, largely unknown. Cytokines may also be involved in the development of many clinical manifestations associated with HIV infection. IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-alpha may play a role in tissue damages associated with opportunistic infections, in HIV-related encephalopathy and in cachexia. Cytokines, mainly IL-6, IL-10 and IL-13, may stimulate the growth of malignant cells during Kaposi sarcoma or lymphomas. Better knowledge of the role of cytokines during HIV infection should allow new therapeutic approaches based on the use of either recombinant cytokines or specific antagonists, with the aim of limiting both HIV spreading and the clinical manifestations of this infection.

Serine esterase B (SE B) is a protein contained in cytoplasmic granules of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells; SE B gene is transcribed upon activation of these cytotoxic cells. In order to show the in vivo interactions between HIV-infected cells and anti-HIV cytotoxic cells we analysed, by in situ hybridization, the expression of the SE B gene in eight hyperplastic lymph nodes from HIV-1-infected patients presenting with persistent generalized lymphadenopathy. We detected numerous cells expressing the SE B gene. The mean number of positive cells was 3.2 times higher in HIV lymph nodes than in six non-HIV hyperplastic lymph nodes studied in parallel (P less than 0.05). In control lymph nodes, the SE B gene was expressed only in interfollicular areas; virtually no cells expressed the SE B gene within follicles. In contrast, in HIV lymph nodes cells expressing the SE B gene were distributed either in interfollicular areas or within follicles. Expression of the SE B gene inside follicles was thus a specific feature of HIV lymph nodes (P less than 0.001) and was associated with the presence of HIV antigens and RNA at the same site. These results suggest that cytotoxic cells are activated in follicles of HIV lymph nodes and may be involved in the lysis of HIV-infected cells. Such a phenomenon may explain the development of follicle lysis, a specific feature of HIV lymph nodes. It may also inhibit the spreading of HIV infection.

Dendritic cells (DCs) determine whether antigen presentation leads to immune activation or to tolerance. Tolerance-inducing DCs (also called regulatory DCs) act partly by generating regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs). The mechanism used by DCs to switch toward regulatory DCs during their differentiation is unclear. We show here that human DCs treated in vitro with glucocorticoids produce the glucocorticoid-induced leucine zipper (GILZ). Antigen presentation by GILZ-expressing DCs generates CD25highFOXP3+CTLA-4/CD152+ and interleukin-10–producing Tregs inhibiting the response of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes. This inhibition is specific to the antigen presented, and only proliferating CD4+ T lymphocytes express the Treg markers. Interleukin-10 is required for Treg induction by GILZ-expressing DCs. It is also needed for the suppressive function of Tregs. Antigen-presenting cells from patients treated with glucocorticoids generate interleukin-10–secreting Tregs ex vivo. These antigen-presenting cells produce GILZ, which is needed for Treg induction. Therefore, GILZ is critical for commitment of DCs to differentiate into regulatory DCs and to the generation of antigen-specific Tregs. This mechanism may contribute to the therapeutic effects of glucocorticoids.

Interleukin (IL)-10 and glucocorticoids (GCs) inhibit the ability of antigen-presenting dendritic cells (DCs) to stimulate T lymphocytes. We show that induction of GILZ (GC-induced leucine zipper) is involved in this phenomenon. IL-10, dexamethasone (DEX), and transforming growth factor (TGF)β stimulate GILZ production in human immature DCs derived from monocytes and from CD34+ cells. GILZ is necessary and sufficient for DEX, IL-10, and TGFβ modulation of CD80, CD83, CD86, immunoglobulin-like transcript (ILT)-3, and B7-H1 expression by DCs, and alteration of DC functions. GILZ stimulates the production of IL-10 by immature DCs and prevents the production of inflammatory chemokines by CD40L-activated DCs. In contrast, GILZ does not prevent CD40 ligand-mediated inhibition of phagocytosis, indicating that it affects some but not all aspects of DC maturation. GILZ prevents DCs from activating antigen-specific T lymphocyte responses. Administration of GCs to patients stimulates GILZ expression in their circulating antigen-presenting cells, and this contributes to the weak lymphocyte responses of GC-treated patients. Thus, regulation of GILZ expression is an important factor determining the decision of DCs whether or not to stimulate T lymphocytes, and IL-10, GCs, and TGFβ share this mechanism for influencing DC functions and the balance between immune response and tolerance.

Competitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) is a new technique allowing quantification of cytokine gene expression from either experimental or clinical samples. In this assay, a time-consuming step is the quantification of amplified products. To improve this step, we set up a colorimetric assay in which the amplified product from either the cDNA or the competitor can be reliably quantified. Using this approach, which can be completely automatized, up to 320 PCR products can be quantified each day. In this report, we describe the quantification of IL-10 mRNA molecules as compared to that of beta-actin mRNA molecules. The sensitivity of the quantification was 7.7 x 10(7) molecules for the amplified beta-actin cDNA and the amplified IL-10 cDNA, corresponding to approximately 9.6 pg amplified beta-actin cDNA and 11 pg amplified IL-10 cDNA, respectively. The intra-assay variation coefficient was12%. This technique can be readily extended to all cytokines, and it thus allows routine monitoring of cytokine gene expression, either from experimental samples or from clinical trials.

Expression of the IL-13 gene in malignant tissues from 26 human B-cell lymphoid malignancies was analyzed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). A positive signal was detected in 16 cases, which included high grade B lymphomas, follicular lymphomas and B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemias. IL-13 mRNA was also detected in the 9 malignant B cell lines and in the 6 lymphoblastoid cell lines tested, as well as in freshly isolated malignant B cells from 2 patients with a Burkitt's lymphoma. Two of 8 T-cell lymphomas and 2 of 4 T-cell lines expressed the IL-13 gene. In contrast, IL-13 gene expression was not detected in any of the 5 non-lymphoid cell lines tested. No specific binding of radiolabeled IL-13 was detected on B cell lines, suggesting an absence of IL-13 receptors on such cells. This conclusion was also supported by the inability of IL-13 or anti-IL-13 antibodies to affect the growth of malignant B cells. Taken together, these results show that both malignant and EBV-transformed B lymphocytes, either freshly isolated or maintained as cell lines, express the IL-13 gene. This raises the question of the role of B lymphocyte-derived IL-13, a B lymphocyte stimulating cytokine, on the in vivo function of normal B lymphocytes as well as on the in vivo behaviour of B lymphoid malignancies.

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) production by B lymphocytes has previously been demonstrated for malignant cells and for in vitro activated normal B cells. Spontaneous in vivo production of IL-10 by normal B lymphocytes has only been demonstrated in mice, in which autoreactive Ly 1 + B cells are involved. In the present study, spontaneous expression of the IL-10 gene by peripheral blood mononuclear cells was investigated in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a human disease involving autoreactive B cells. Of the 47 SLE patients tested by coupled reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, 34 scored positive, contrasting with only 1 positive out of 34 normal subjects (p0.001). Spontaneous in vitro production of IL-10 by PBMC, determined using an ELISA assay, was 33 times higher in SLE than in controls (2623 +/- 728 pg/ml vs 79.3 +/- 34.5 pg/ml, respectively) (p0.001). The level of production of IL-10 in SLE was unrelated to either clinical or biological markers of disease activity. Among PBMC, monocytes and B lymphocytes both contributed to IL-10 production, whereas T cells did not. IL-10 overproduction in SLE suggests that this Th2-type interleukin plays a role in the production of autoantibodies through pathways involving both paracrine production by monocytes and autocrine IL-10 production by autoreactive B cells.

To document the in vivo interactions occurring between the immune system and HIV replicating cells, we analyzed using in situ hybridization the production of IL-1 beta, IL-6, IL-2, and INF-gamma in eight hyperplastic lymph nodes from HIV-1 infected patients. Numerous IL-1 beta- and IL-6-producing cells associated in clusters were detected in sinuses. Few individual IL-1 beta- and IL-6-producing cells were present in interfollicular and follicular areas. IL-2- and INF-gamma-producing cells were observed in all lymph node compartments, with a selective enrichment in germinal centers. The amount and distribution of IL-1 beta, IL-6-, and IL-2-producing cells in HIV lymph nodes were not different from those found in six HIV unrelated hyperplastic lymph nodes. In contrast, a higher level of INF-gamma production was observed in HIV-1 lymph nodes. The CD8+ cells that accumulate in germinal centers of HIV lymph nodes (and not in non-HIV germinal centers) were actively involved in this INF-gamma production. INF-gamma synthesizing cells were in direct contact with cells containing HIV core antigens and HIV RNA. Thus a high INF-gamma production may characterize anti-HIV T cell immune response, potentially contributing to control of viral spreading as well as to the development of follicle lysis.

Expression of the IL-2 receptor (Tac antigen/CD25) is documented in malignant lymphomas. Because IL-2 is a major lymphocyte growth factor, an IL-2-dependent growth could be involved in the proliferation of Tac-positive lymphomas. Indeed such a mechanism has been demonstrated experimentally for the growth of T-cell lines. To investigate this point in human lymphomas, we used in situ hybridization to analyze the expression of the IL-2 gene in 20 non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, among which 12 expressed the IL-2 receptor. Nine of these were anaplastic large cell lymphomas expressing the Ki-1-related antigen. We here show that IL-2-producing cells are present in all the lymphomas we analyzed. As a mean, there is no significant difference in the percentage of IL-2-producing cells between Tac-positive and -negative lymphomas. However, the level of IL-2 production is highly heterogeneous in both groups, and the highest density of IL-2-producing cells was observed in 2 Tac-positive lymphomas. Simultaneous detection of cellular antigens and of IL-2 mRNA demonstrates that IL-2 is produced by reactive T cells rather than by tumor cells. These results suggest that if IL-2 is involved in the growth of Tac-positive lymphomas, it acts as a paracrine, rather than an autocrine, factor.

We analysed the cellular and molecular signals involved in the induction of non-specific T suppressor (Ts) cells generated in mouse spleen cell suspensions after 3-4 days' culture in the absence of conventional antigen. Using an in vitro model of primary antibody response as a suppressor assay, we showed that purified T cells were unable to generate suppressive activity. This suppression was fully restored when T cells were cultured with macrophages. In this case, Ts-cell generation was markedly increased by the addition of indomethacin suggesting a negative effect of prostaglandins in this phenomenon. Macrophages could be replaced by semi-purified IL1 as well as by recombinant IL2. Thus, in conditions of severe macrophage depletion, IL1 and/or IL2 are fully capable of inducing Ts-cell generation.