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There is growing evidence that chemokines and their receptors regulate the movement and interaction of antigen-presenting cells such as dendritic cells (DCs) and T cells. We tested the hypothesis that the CC chemokine receptor (CCR)2 and CCR5 and the chemokine macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1alpha, a ligand for CCR5, influence DC migration and localization. We found that deficiency of CCR2 but not CCR5 or MIP-1alpha led to distinct defects in DC biology. Langerhans cell (skin DC) density in CCR2-null mice was normal, and their ability to migrate into the dermis was intact; however, their migration to the draining lymph nodes was markedly impaired. CCR2-null mice had lower numbers of DCs in the spleen, and this was primarily due to a reduction in the CD8alpha(1) T helper cell type 1 (Th1)-inducing subset of DCs. Additionally, there was a block in the Leishmania major infection-induced relocalization of splenic DCs from the marginal zone to the T cell areas. We propose that these DC defects, in conjunction with increased expression of B lymphocyte chemoattractant, a B cell-specific chemokine, may collectively contribute to the striking B cell outgrowth and Th2 cytokine-biased nonhealing phenotype that we observed in CCR2-deficient mice infected with L. major. This disease phenotype in mice with an L. major-resistant genetic background but lacking CCR2 is strikingly reminiscent of that observed typically in mice with an L. major-susceptible genetic background. Thus, CCR2 is an important determinant of not only DC migration and localization but also the development of protective cell-mediated immune responses to L. major.

Polymorphisms in CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5), the major coreceptor of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV), have a major influence on HIV-1 transmission and disease progression. The effects of these polymorphisms may, in part, account for the differential pathogenesis of HIV-1 (immunosuppression) and SIV (natural resistance) in humans and non-human primates, respectively. Thus, understanding the genetic basis underlying species-specific responses to HIV-1 and SIV could reveal new anti-HIV-1 therapeutic strategies for humans. To this end, we compared CCR5 structure/evolution and regulation among humans, apes, Old World Monkeys, and New World Monkeys. The evolution of the CCR5 cis-regulatory region versus the open reading frame as well as among different domains of the open reading frame differed from one another. CCR5 cis-regulatory region sequence variation in humans was substantially higher than anticipated. Based on this variation, CCR5 haplotypes could be organized into seven evolutionarily distinct human haplogroups (HH) that we designated HHA, -B, -C, -D, -E, -F, and -G. HHA haplotypes were defined as ancestral to all other haplotypes by comparison to the CCR5 haplotypes of non-human primates. Different human and non-human primate CCR5 haplotypes were associated with differential transcriptional regulation, and various polymorphisms resulted in modified DNA-nuclear protein interactions, including altered binding of members of the NF-kappaB family of transcription factors. We identified novel CCR5 untranslated mRNA sequences that were conserved in human and non-human primates. In some primates, mutations at exon-intron boundaries caused loss of expression of selected CCR5 mRNA isoforms or production of novel mRNA isoforms. Collectively, these findings suggest that the response to HIV-1 and SIV infection in primates may have been driven, in part, by evolution of the elements controlling CCR5 transcription and translation.

We investigated the immune responses in mice lacking CCR2, CCR5, or macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha (MIP-1 alpha), a ligand for CCR5, in two situations: following T cell stimulation or after challenge with Leishmania donovani, an intracellular microbe whose control is dependent on a Th1 immune response. Mice deficient in CCR5, MIP-1 alpha, or CCR2 had reduced IFN-gamma responses following ligation of the TCR. Reduced IFN-gamma responses following PMA and ionomycin were also observed in CD8+ T cells of CCR5-/- and CCR2-/- mice. During the early phases of infection, all three knockout mice had low Ag-specific IFN-gamma responses. However, this reduced IFN-gamma response was overcome during a state of persistent Ag stimulation (chronic infection), and was not associated with an adverse parasitologic outcome in any of the gene-targeted mouse strains. To the contrary, during the late phase of infection, an exaggerated Ag-specific IFN-gamma response was evident in CCR5-/- and MIP-1 alpha-/- mice, and this correlated with an enhanced control of parasite replication. Although granuloma formation was abnormal in each of the knockout mice, there was no correlation between the number or architecture of the granulomas and parasite burden. Collectively, these findings indicate an important role for CCR5, MIP-1 alpha, and CCR2 in granulomatous inflammation, and that CCR5 and MIP-1 alpha, possibly acting through CCR5, might play a deleterious role in the outcome of chronic L. donovani infection. Our data also suggest that there might be cross-talk between TCR and chemokine receptor signaling pathways.

Genetic variation in CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5), the major HIV-1 coreceptor, has been shown to influence HIV-1 transmission and disease progression. However, it is generally assumed that the same CCR5 genotype (or haplotype) has similar phenotypic effects in different populations. To test this assumption, we used an evolutionary-based classification of CCR5 haplotypes to determine their associated HIV-1 disease-modifying effects in a large well-characterized racially mixed cohort of HIV-1-seropositive individuals. We demonstrate that the spectrum of CCR5 haplotypes associated with disease acceleration or retardation differs between African Americans and Caucasians. Also, we show that there is a strong interactive effect between CCR5 haplotypes with different evolutionary histories. The striking population-specific phenotypic effects associated with CCR5 haplotypes emphasize the importance of understanding the evolutionary context in which disease susceptibility genes are expressed.

Infections with intracellular pathogens such as Leishmania donovani and Mycobacterium tuberculosis pose serious health problems worldwide. Effective vaccines for these pathogens are not available. Furthermore, despite optimal therapy, disease progression is often seen with several intracellular infections. For these reasons, we initiated studies to develop novel anti-infective vaccine and treatment strategies that couple the potent Ag-presenting capacity of dendritic cells (DC) with paracrine delivery of potent anti-infective cytokines such as IL-12 to local immune response sites. We tested this strategy in a murine model of visceral leishmaniasis. Adoptive transfer of DCs pulsed ex vivo with soluble L. donovani Ags (SLDA) to naive mice induced the Ag-specific production of IFN-gamma, and increased the percentage of activation markers on spleen lymphocytes. SLDA-pulsed DCs engineered by retroviral gene transfer techniques to secrete high levels of biologically active murine IL-12 augmented this immune response further. In several different vaccination and immunotherapy protocols, compared with sham-treated mice, animals receiving SLDA-pulsed DCs either before or following infection had 1-3 log lower parasite burdens, and this protection was associated with a pronounced enhancement in the parasite-specific IFN-gamma response. The augmentation of this protection by IL-12-engineered DCs was striking. First, live parasites were not detected in the liver of mice vaccinated with IL-12-transduced, SLDA-pulsed DCs. Second, this parasitological response was associated with a nearly normal liver histology. In contrast, parasites and granulomas were found in mice vaccinated with SLDA-pulsed, nontransduced DCs. Collectively, these studies provide the rationale for the development of potent DC-based immunotherapies.

An imbalance in the Th1- and Th2-type cytokine responses may allow certain microbes to modify the host response to favor their own persistence. We now show that infection/pulsing of human CD34+ peripheral blood hemopoietic progenitor cell-derived dendritic cells (DCs) with Leishmania donovani promastigotes, Histoplasma capsulatum, and Mycobacterium kansasii impairs the constitutive production of IL-12 from these cells. Thus, strategies aimed at modulating a dysregulated Th1/Th2 response to infection would be of great interest. To both augment the host immune response and deliver potent immunomodulatory cytokines such as IL-12 and IFN-gamma, our goal is to develop a therapeutic strategy using genetically modified, microbial Ag-pulsed DCs. Toward developing such immunotherapies, we used retrovirus-mediated somatic gene transfer techniques to engineer human DCs to secrete biologically active IL-12 and IFN-gamma. DCs pulsed with microbial antigens (e.g., leishmania and histoplasma Ags) were capable of inducing proliferative responses in autologous CD4+ lymphocytes. CD4+ lymphocytes cocultured with IL-12-transduced autologous DCs had enhanced Ag-specific proliferative responses compared with CD4+ lymphocytes cocultured with nontransduced or IFN-gamma- transduced DCs. In this cell culture model system we demonstrate that IL-12 has a negative effect on IL-4 secretion that is independent of its ability to induce IFN-gamma secretion. Taken together, these results indicate that IL-12-transduced DCs may be specifically suited in inducing or down-modulating Ag-specific Th1 or Th2 responses, respectively, and thus may be useful as adjunctive therapy in those intracellular infections in which a dominant Th1 response is critical for the resolution of infection.

Allelic variants for the HIV-1 co-receptors chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) and CCR2, as well as the ligand for the co-receptor CXCR4, stromal-derived factor (SDF-1), have been associated with a delay in disease progression. We began this study to test whether polymorphisms in the CCR5 regulatory regions influence the course of HIV-1 disease, as well as to examine the role of the previously identified allelic variants in 1,090 HIV-1 infected individuals. Here we describe the evolutionary relationships between the phenotypically important CCR5 alleles, define precisely the CCR5 regulatory sequences that are linked to the CCR5-delta32 and CCR2-641 polymorphisms, and identify genotypes associated with altered rates of HIV-1 disease progression. The disease-retarding effects of the CCR2-641 allele were found in African Americans but not in Caucasians, and the SDF1-3'A/3'A genotype was associated with an accelerated progression to death. In contrast, the CCR5-delta32 allele and a CCR5 promoter mutation with which it is tightly linked were associated with limited disease-retarding effects. Collectively, these findings draw attention to a complex array of genetic determinants in the HIV-host interplay.

Human CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5), mediates the activation of cells by the chemokines macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha, macrophage inflammatory protein-1beta, and RANTES, and serves as a fusion cofactor for macrophage-tropic strains of human immunodeficiency virus type 1. To understand the molecular mechanisms that regulate human CCR5 gene expression, we initiated studies to determine its genomic and mRNA organization. Previous studies have identified a single CCR5 mRNA isoform whose open reading frame is intronless. We now report the following novel findings. 1) Complex alternative splicing and multiple transcription start sites give rise to several distinct CCR5 transcripts that differ in their 5'-untranslated regions (UTR). 2) The gene is organized into four exons and two introns. Exons 2 and 3 are not interrupted by an intron. Exon 4 and portions of exon 3 are shared by all isoforms. Exon 4 contains the open reading frame, 11 nucleotides of the 5'-UTR and the complete 3'-UTR. 3) The transcripts appear to be initiated from two distinct promoters: an upstream promoter (PU), upstream of exon 1, and a downstream promoter (PD), that includes the "intronic" region between exons 1 and 3. 4) PU and PD lacked the canonical TATA or CAAT motifs, and are AT-rich. 5) PD demonstrated strong constitutive promoter activity, whereas PU was a weak promoter in all three leukocyte cell environments tested (THP-1, Jurkat, and K562). 6) We provide evidence for polymorphisms in the noncoding sequences, including the regulatory regions and 5'-UTRs. The structure of CCR5 was strikingly reminiscent of the overall structure of other chemokine/chemoattractant receptors, underscoring an important evolutionarily conserved function for a prototypical gene structure. This is the first description of functional promoters for any CC chemokine receptor gene, and we speculate that the complex pattern of splicing events and dual promoter usage may function as a versatile mechanism to create diversity and flexibility in the regulation of CCR5 expression.

There is a close correspondence between the ability of RANTES and macrophage inflammatory proteins 1alpha and 1beta to activate CC chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) and the ability to inhibit CCR5-dependent membrane fusion mediated by the envelope glycoprotein of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), type 1. This finding suggests that some of the structural determinants for CC chemokine/CCR5 interactions and CCR5 HIV-1 fusion co-receptor activity may be shared. Recent studies using human CCR5/CCR2B chimeras have suggested that the determinants of CCR5 co-receptor activity are complex and may involve multiple extracellular receptor domains and that viral co-receptor activity is dissociable from ligand-dependent signaling responses. However, conclusive evidence demonstrating an important role for the second and third extracellular regions of human CCR5 is lacking. Furthermore, to determine whether the determinants for CCR5 co-receptor activity overlap with those required for agonist activity, studies that compare the chemokine specificity for inhibition of envelope-mediated cell fusion and the agonist profile of chimeric receptors are necessary. In the present report, using a series of CCR5/CCR2B chimeras we ascribe an important role for the second and third extracellular loop of CCR5 in supporting the co-receptor activity of CCR5. We also provide evidence that the intracytoplasmic tail of CCR5 does not play an important role in supporting HIV-1 entry. The hypothesis that the structural determinants for CC chemokine/CCR5 interactions and CCR5 HIV-1 fusion co-receptor activity may be shared was confirmed by two novel observations: first, the fusion activity supported by two hybrid receptors could be inhibited by both RANTES and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, chemokines specific to CCR5 and CCR2B, respectively; and second, the chemokine specificity for inhibition of envelope-mediated cell fusion matched the agonist profile of these hybrid receptors. These data shed new light on the structural determinants involved in these distinct activities of CCR5 and may have important implications for the development of CCR5-targeted anti-viral compounds.

Immunomodulatory cytokines have been used with success as adjunctive therapy in genetic disorders such as chronic granulomatous disease and infectious diseases such as leishmaniasis and leprosy. As the first step toward developing novel methods to deliver immunomodulatory cytokines, we used retrovirus-mediated somatic gene transfer techniques to produce IFN-gamma from human peripheral blood CD34+ hemopoietic progenitor (PBHP) cells. After transduction, the PBHP cells were made to differentiate toward myelo-monocytic lineages. Only the PBHP-derived myelo-monocytic cells that were transduced with the IFN-gamma cDNA produced IFN-gamma(4 +/- 1.3 ng of IFN-gamma/10(6) PBHP cells.) Despite a reduction in the proliferation of IFN-gamma-transduced PBHP cells as well as a decrease in erythroid colony formation, there was an enhancement of monocyte differentiation and activation. Monocytes differentiated from the IFN-gamma-transduced PBHP cells demonstrated 1) up-regulation of MHC class I and II Ag expression, 2) increased Fc(gamma)RI expression, and 3) enhanced superoxide production in response to both opsonized zymosan (25-fold) and phorbol ester (3-fold). Furthermore, a functional response to a monocyte-specific chemokine, monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (mobilization of intracellular Ca2+) was seen only in the IFN-gamma-transduced cells. Thus, PBHP cells transduced with IFN-gamma cDNA produce not only biologically active IFN-gamma, but also enhanced monocyte differentiation, resulting in an activated state that includes unique functions, such as responsiveness to monocyte chemotactic protein-1. These transduced activated monocytes may be specifically suited to cellular therapy requiring homing to sites of inflammation where their anti- microbicidal, cytotoxic and APC functions play an important role in host defense against foreign pathogens.

Scarring, fibrosis, and immunosuppression occurs with chronic cyclosporine (CsA) administration. We postulated that CsA may induce transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta 1 secretion from human T lymphocytes, a cytokine with immunoregulatory effects that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of wound healing and scarring. TGF-beta 1 was measured in serum-free supernatants harvested from T lymphocytes stimulated in the presence of CsA by a specific sandwich ELISA. CsA (10-1000 ng/ml) enhanced TGF-beta 1 secretion by approximately 40-80% in a dose-dependent manner. Increased TGF-beta 1 secretion in the presence of CsA was accompanied by a 2- to 4-fold increase in TGF-beta 1 mRNA levels due to both enhancement of its nuclear transcription as well as prolongation of TGF-beta 1 mRNA half-life. To determine whether the increase in TGF-beta 1 secretion was also accompanied by a concomitant change in its receptor, TGF-beta 1 receptor expression was analyzed by cross-linking of radioiodinated TGF-beta 1. Unactivated T lymphocytes expressed both a 105-kDa and a 65-kDa TGF-beta receptor. Upon stimulation, a transient increase in receptor density was seen at 12 hr, followed by a decline at later time points. Cells treated with CsA exhibited at least 2-fold higher levels of TGF-beta receptors in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, CsA enhances the production of TGF-beta 1 protein as well as the expression of its receptor in activated T lymphocytes. Enhanced TGF-beta 1 production and binding may contribute to the immunosuppressive and fibrosis-promoting effects of CsA therapy.

Interaction of IL-2 with its high affinity membrane receptor complex (IL-2R) present on activated T lymphocytes induces cell proliferation and mediates effector functions. Glucocorticoids inhibit IL-2 production by inhibiting TCR-mediated signal transduction. We asked whether they also inhibit the action of IL-2 by inhibiting signal transduction through IL-2R. Human peripheral blood T cells, stimulated with PMA for 48 h (PMA blasts), were incubated with IL-2 in the presence of incremental dosages of dexamethasone (Dex; 10(-5)-10(-9) M). Dex inhibited the IL-2-dependent proliferation of PMA blasts in a dose-dependent fashion (IC50, 5 x 10(-8) M). Cell surface expression of IL-2R alpha- and beta-chains as determined by immunofluorescence analysis was not affected by Dex. In addition, Scatchard plot analysis of 125I-labeled IL-2 showed that Dex did not affect the binding of IL-2, thus suggesting that inhibition is due to a postreceptor effect. Inhibition of T cell proliferation by Dex was associated with decreased IL-2-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of several intracellular proteins and decreased phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma gene product Rb, a protein essential for controlling the progression of cells through the cell cycle. IL-2-dependent IL-2R alpha expression in PMA blasts and NF-kB induction in resting human T cells were also inhibited by Dex. These results demonstrate that glucocorticoids inhibit preactivated T cells by down-regulating signal transduction through IL-2R.

Transforming growth factors-beta (TGF-beta) modulate immune responses by inhibiting the proliferation of normal T lymphocytes. To examine the mechanism(s) of this inhibition, we studied the effect of TGF-beta 1 on selected events associated with the initiation and progression of the T lymphocyte cell cycle. Human peripheral blood T cells were stimulated with anti-CD3 mAb, PHA, PMA, or ionomycin, alone or in combination. TGF-beta 1 (0.5 to 10 ng/ml) partially inhibited the tyrosine phosphorylation of a 100-kDa protein, but not the calcium influx when cells were stimulated via TCR. Nuclear transcription of early activation genes (c-fos, c-jun, and c-myc) as determined by nuclear run-off assays, and steady state mRNA levels and/or protein products of intermediate activation genes (IL-2, IL-2R alpha, IL-2R beta, and transferrin receptor) were not affected by TGF-beta 1. Total cellular RNA synthesis and cell size after T cell stimulation were also not affected by TGF-beta 1. However, TGF-beta 1 inhibited the IL-2-dependent proliferation of Con A lymphoblasts by -50%. This inhibition was associated with the down-regulation of IL-2-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of proteins of 120, 100, 85, 75, and 50 kDa. TGF-beta 1 also inhibited the IL-2-dependent phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma susceptibility gene product, which plays an important role in cell cycle progression. These results suggest that TGF-beta 1 inhibits T cell proliferation by down-regulating predominantly IL-2-mediated proliferative signals.

IL-2 gene transcription is affected by several nuclear proteins. We asked whether dexamethasone (Dex) and cyclosporin A (CsA) inhibit IL-2 gene transcription by interfering with the activity of nuclear proteins that bind to the IL-2 promoter. Nuclear extracts from primary human T lymphocytes were analyzed by electrophoretic DNA mobility shift assays. Both Dex and CsA inhibited the binding of transcription factors AP-1 and NF-AT, but not of NF-kB and OCT-1/OAF, to their corresponding sites on the IL-2 gene promoter. To correlate changes in nuclear factor binding in vitro with transcriptional activity in vivo and define the structural requirements for IL-2 promoter repression, we used transient DNA transfections. Jurkat cells were transfected with plasmids containing either the intact IL-2 promoter or its AP-1, NF-AT, and NF-kB motifs. Dex inhibited the IL-2 promoter and the AP-1, but not the NF-AT and NF-kB plasmids. In contrast, CsA inhibited the IL-2 promoter and the NF-AT, but not the AP-1 and NF-kB plasmids. These results suggest that in human T lymphocytes both Dex and CsA inhibited IL-2 gene transcription through interference with transcription factors AP-1 and NF-AT. We propose that, while maximum inhibition may involve interaction with both transcription factors, AP-1 is the primary target of Dex.

Extraneural manifestations of toxoplasmosis often are not recognized antemortem in patients with AIDS. We describe a patient who was seropositive for human immunodeficiency virus and presented with lethargy, abdominal tenderness, rapidly progressive ventilatory failure, rhabdomyolysis, myoglobinuria, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. Although the diagnosis of pancreatitis was not considered while the patient was alive, an autopsy demonstrated pancreatic necrosis associated with toxoplasmal cysts. No other infection was evident. This case suggests that Toxoplasma gondii can cause severe pancreatitis in patients with AIDS.