Microbiology and Immunology

Cannabinoids are known to have anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. Cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) is expressed mainly on leukocytes and is the receptor implicated in mediating many of the effects of cannabinoids on immune processes. The capacity of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (delta-9-THC) and of two CB2-selective agonists to inhibit the murine Mixed Lymphocyte Reaction (MLR), an in vitro correlate of graft rejection following skin and organ transplantation was tested. Both CB2-selective agonists and delta-9-THC significantly suppressed the MLR in a dose dependent fashion. The inhibition was via CB2, as suppression could be blocked by pretreatment with a CB2- selective antagonist, but not by a CB1 antagonist, and none of the compounds suppressed the MLR when splenocytes from CB2 deficient mice were used. The CB2 agonists were shown to act directly on T-cells, as exposure of CD3+ cells to these compounds completely inhibited their action in a reconstituted MLR and proliferation of purified T-cells by anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 antibodies was inhibited. Treatment of both CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells with a CB2-selective agonist inhibited the MLR, though significantly less than when both cell types were treated. T-cell function was decreased by CB2 agonists, as an ELISA of MLR culture supernatants revealed IL-2 release was significantly reduced in the cannabinoid treated cells. Further, treatment with O-1966 dose- dependently decreased levels of the active nuclear forms of the transcription factors NF- kappa-B and NFAT in wild-type T-cells, but not T-cells from CB2 knockout (CB2R k/o) mice. Additionally, a gene expression profile of purified T-cells from MLR cultures, generated using a PCR T-cell activation array, showed that O-1966 decreased mRNA expression of CD40 ligand and CyclinD3, and increased mRNA expression of Src-like-adaptor 2 (SLA2), Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 5 (SOCS5), and IL-10. The increase in IL-10 was confirmed by measuring IL-10 protein levels in MLR culture supernatants. An increase in the percentage of regulatory T-cells (Tregs) was observed in MLR cultures and pretreatment with anti-IL-10 resulted in a partial reversal of the inhibition of proliferation and blocked the increase of Tregs. Additionally, O-1966 treatment caused a dose-dependent decrease in the expression of CD4 in MLR cultures from wild-type, but not CB2R k/o, mice. The ability of O-1966 treatment to block rejection of skin grafts in vivo was also tested. Mice received skin grafts from a histoincompatible donor, and the time to graft rejection was analyzed. Compared to mice that received the vehicle, mice that received O-1966 treatment had significantly prolonged graft survival and increased Tregs in the spleen. The spleen cells from O-1966-treated mice had reduced proliferation in an MLR and an increased percentage of Tregs. Together, these data support the potential of this class of compounds as useful therapies to prolong graft survival in transplant patients and possibly as a new class of…

Anatomy

Chemokines, immune proteins that induce chemotaxis and adhesion, and their G-protein coupled receptors distribute throughout the central nervous system (CNS), regulate neuronal patterning, and mediate neuropathology. These chemo-attractant molecules may provide a neuro-immune "link" by regulating CNS systems. The purpose of this study was to investigate the interactions of specific chemokines, stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1a/CXCL12, and fractalkine/CX3CL1, and their receptors, CXCR4 and CX3CR1, with the serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) and opioid systems using anatomical and electrophysiological techniques in the rat brain. In the serotonin dense midbrain raphe nuclei (RN), SDF-1a, CXCR4, fractalkine and CX3CR1 co-localize over 70% with 5-HT neurons. CX3CR1 also localizes to microglia in the RN and hippocampus. Functionally, SDF-1a (10 nM) increases spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic current (sIPSC) frequency and evoked IPSC (eIPSC) amplitude, while decreasing paired-pulse ratio (PPR) selectively in 5-HT neurons, thus stimulating presynaptic GABA release at these neurons. Alternatively, fractalkine (10 nM) increases sIPSC and eIPSC amplitude without changing PPR selectively in 5-HT neurons, thereby elevating the postsynaptic GABA receptor number or sensitivity. These results are dose-dependent and receptor-mediated. Chemokine interactions with serotonin, a neurotransmitter regulating mood, may lead to therapies for depression comorbid with immune diseases. Additional immunohistochemical analysis in the brain shows CXCR4 and CX3CR1 neuronal co-localization with the mu-opioid receptor (MOR) in the hippocampus, cingulate cortex, periaqueductal grey (PAG), nucleus accumbens, ventral tegmental area, globus pallidus, but not in the striatum or habenular nuclei, suggesting region specific receptor interactions. Electrophysiological recordings following morphine, SDF-1?? or fractalkine in vitro treatment reveal morphine (10 ?M)-mediated hyperpolarization of the membrane potential and reduction of the input resistance of PAG neurons, however, SDF-1??and fractalkine at 10 nM do not impact either parameter. In combination, SDF-1? inhibits morphine's actions in all PAG neurons tested, and fractalkine blocks morphine-mediated changes in 60% of PAG neurons examined. Thus, CXCR4 as well as CX3CR1, although less consistently, both appear to desensitize MOR at the neuronal level. Chemokine-opioid receptor interactions may mediate novel mechanisms to treat neuro-inflammatory pain and opiate abuse. The combined anatomical and electrophysiological results support chemokines as neuromodulatory proteins that may provide communication between the nervous and immune systems.

Temple University – Theses

Microbiology and Immunology

Opioids have been shown to modulate immune function in a variety of assays and animal models. In a more limited number of studies, opioids have been shown to sensitize to infection. Heroin, the prototypical opioid drug of abuse, is rapidly metabolized to morphine in the body. Morphine has been used as an analgesic for hundreds of years, and continues to be a drug of choice for treating pain in ICU and trauma patients. The continued use of these opioid compounds in humans warrants further investigation of their effect on immune responses against, and progression of, common bacterial infections. Two infections were investigated in this thesis using murine models, Acinetobacter baumannii and Salmonella typhimurium. A recent increase in the prevalence of A. baumannii infections among healthy, but wounded, military personnel, lead to the hypothesis that analgesic morphine might sensitize to infection with this multiply-drug resistant bacterium. A systemic, intraperitoneal A. baumannii infection model was established in mice that resulted in rapid, disseminated disease where animals became septic as organisms replicated in the blood, lungs, and other organs. This model was used to investigate the role of various parameters of innate immune defenses to Acinetobacter. Neutralization of neutrophils by antibody depletion greatly sensitized to this infection. Infection resulted in a rapid, biphasic induction of both IL-17 and the chemokine, KC/CXCL1, a major chemotactic factor for neutrophils, that continued to rise through 18h after bacterial inoculation. However, depletion of either IL-17 or KC/CXCL1 using monoclonal antibodies failed to sensitize to Acinetobacter infection. Further, IL-17 receptor KO mice were not sensitized to this infection. Collectively, these results suggest that there must be other chemotactic factors for neutrophils that can compensate for the absence of IL-17 and KC. Morphine, delivered by extended release pellet, sensitized two strains of mice to two strains of Acinetobacter, as measured by mortality to a sublethal challenge dose, and this effect was blocked by administration of the opioid-receptor antagonist, naltrexone. . Morphine increased Acinetobacter burdens in the organs and blood of infected mice, and increased the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Evidence for an effect of morphine on neutrophil infiltration was obtained. Morphine decreased the total numbers of cells, as well as the total numbers of neutrophils and macrophages infiltrating into the peritoneal cavity. This inhibition of neutrophil accumulation correlated with suppression of levels of both IL-17 and KC/CXCL1. The evidence supports the conclusion that morphine sensitizes to Acinetobacter infection by suppressing the response of neutrophils, potentially via depression of neutrophil chemotactic factors IL-17 and KC. However, taken together with the data above there are probably additional factors in addition to IL-17 and KC that are sensitizing the animals to infection in…

Pharmacology

The role of chemokines in immune function is clearly established. Recent evidence suggests that these molecules also play an important role in the CNS as modulators of neuronal activity. The chemokine CXCL12 has been identified in several regions of the adult rat brain including the substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area and caudate putamen. CXCR4, a receptor activated by CXCL12, is expressed by dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. The research presented herein explored the behavioral modulation of CXCL12, expression of the CXCR4 receptor in the forebrain of the adult rat and the effect of CXCL12 administration on extracellular dopamine and glutamate release in the medial shell of the nucleus accumbens. This research furthered our understanding of how CXCL12 can affect behavior and suggested that the modulation of cocaine-induced behavior by CXCL12 is due to an interaction with CXCR4 receptors in the mesolimbic and nigrostriatal dopamine pathways. The data presented tested the effects of intracranial injections of CXCL12 on cocaineinduced locomotion and stereotypic activity in adult male Sprague Dawley rats. Results demonstrate that intracerebroventricular administration of CXCL12 (25 ng/4 μl) 15 minutes prior to cocaine (20 mg/kg IP) produced a significant potentiation of both ambulatory and stereotypic activity as compared to cocaine alone. The effects of CXCL12 were blocked by administration of the selective CXCR4 antagonist, AMD 3100. Administration of CXCL12 into specific brain regions was performed to further understand the site of action of CXCL12. Bilateral administration of CXCL12 (25 ng/0.5 μl) into the ventral tegmental area 15 minutes prior to cocaine (20 mg/kg IP) significantly potentiated cocaine-induced ambulatory activity, whereas microinjections of CXCL12 into the caudate putamen selectively increased stereotypy. Conversely, administration of CXCL12 into the lateral shell of the nucleus accumbens resulted in an inhibition of cocaine-stimulated ambulatory activity. No alterations in ambulatory or stereotypic activity were observed following CXCL12 administration into the core of the nucleus accumbens. Immunohistochemistry results showed evidence of CXCR4 within the caudate putamen and lateral shell of the nucleus accumbens. Dual labeling immunofluorescence demonstrated that CXCR4 is co-expressed on cholinergic and GABAergic neurons, including co-localization with the D1 dopamine receptor in both the caudate putamen and lateral shell of the nucleus accumbens. Results demonstrated that CXCR4 is co-expressed with choline acetyl transferase, a marker for cholinergic neurons, with GAD C38, a marker for GABAergic neurons, and with the D1 dopamine receptor, also a marker for GABAergic medium spiny neurons. High pressure liquid chromatography studies were conducted using brain dialysate collected from microdialysis probes surgically implanted in the medial shell of the nucleus accumbens. Results demonstrated no significant change in extracellular dopamine or glutamate following an…