Project description:Background & aimsMutations in the trypsinogen gene (PRSS1) cause human hereditary pancreatitis. However, it is not clear how mutant forms of PRSS1 contribute to disease development. We studied the effects of expressing mutant forms of human PRSS1 in mice.MethodsWe expressed forms of PRSS1 with and without the mutation encoding R122H (PRSS1R122H) specifically in pancreatic acinar cells under control of a full-length pancreatic elastase gene promoter. Mice that did not express these transgenes were used as controls. Mice were given injections of caerulein to induce acute pancreatitis or injections of lipopolysaccharide to induce chronic pancreatitis. Other groups of mice were fed ethanol or placed on a high-fat diet to induce pancreatitis. Pancreata were collected and analyzed by histology, immunoblots, real-time polymerase chain reaction, and immunohistochemistry. Trypsin enzymatic activity and chymotrypsin enzymatic activity were measured in pancreatic homogenates. Blood was collected and serum amylase activity was measured.ResultsPancreata from mice expressing transgenes encoding PRSS1 or PRSS1R122H had focal areas of inflammation; these lesions were more prominent in mice that express PRSS1R122H. Pancreata from mice that express PRSS1 or PRSS1R122H had increased levels of heat shock protein 70 and nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2, and reduced levels of chymotrypsin C compared with control mice. Increased expression of PRSS1 or PRSS1R122H increased focal damage in pancreatic tissues and increased the severity of acute pancreatitis after caerulein injection. Administration of lipopolysaccharide exacerbated inflammation in mice that express PRSS1R122H compared to mice that express PRSS1 or control mice. Mice that express PRSS1R122H developed more severe pancreatitis after ethanol feeding or a high-fat diet than mice that express PRSS1 or control mice. Pancreata from mice that express PRSS1R122H had more DNA damage, apoptosis, and collagen deposition and increased trypsin activity and infiltration by inflammatory cells than mice that express PRSS1 or control mice.ConclusionsExpression of a transgene encoding PRSS1R122H in mice promoted inflammation and increased the severity of pancreatitis compared with mice that express PRSS1 or control mice. These mice might be used as a model for human hereditary pancreatitis and can be studied to determine mechanisms of induction of pancreatitis by lipopolysaccharide, ethanol, or a high-fat diet.
Project description:BackgroundThe role of immune cells in neurodegeneration remains incompletely understood. Accumulation of misfolded tau proteins is a hallmark of neurodegenerative diseases. Our recent study revealed the presence of mucosal-associated invariant T (MAIT) cells in the meninges, where they express antioxidant molecules to maintain meningeal barrier integrity. However, the role of MAIT cells in tau-related neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration remains unknown.MethodsFlow cytometry analysis was performed to examine MAIT cells in human Tau P301S transgenic mice. Tau pathology, hippocampus atrophy, meningeal integrity, and microglial gene expression were examined in Mr1-/- P301S mice that lacked MAIT cells and control P301S transgenic mice, as well as Mr1-/- P301S mice with adoptive transfer of MAIT cells.ResultsThe meninges of P301S mutant human tau transgenic mice had increased numbers of MAIT cells, which retained their expression of antioxidant molecules. Mr1-/-P301S mice that lacked MAIT cells exhibited increased tau pathology and hippocampus atrophy compared to control Mr1+/+P301S mice. Adoptive transfer of MAIT cells reduced tau pathology and hippocampus atrophy in Mr1-/- P301S mice. Meningeal barrier integrity was compromised in Mr1-/-P301S mice, but not in control Mr1+/+P301S mice. A distinctive microglia subset with a proinflammatory gene expression profile (M-inflammatory) was enriched in the hippocampus of Mr1-/-P301S mice. The transcriptomes of the remaining microglia in these mice also shifted towards a proinflammatory state, with increased expression of inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and genes related to ribosome biogenesis and immune responses to toxic substances. The transfer of MAIT cells restored meningeal barrier integrity and suppressed microglial inflammation in the Mr1-/- P301S mice.ConclusionsOur data indicate an important role for MAIT cells in regulating tau-pathology-related neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration.
Project description:Mutations in fukutin-related protein (FKRP) underlie a group of muscular dystrophies associated with the hypoglycosylation of α-dystroglycan (α-DG), a proportion of which show central nervous system involvement. Our original FKRP knock-down mouse (FKRP(KD)) replicated many of the characteristics seen in patients at the severe end of the dystroglycanopathy spectrum but died perinatally precluding its full phenotyping and use in testing potential therapies. We have now overcome this by crossing FKRP(KD) mice with those expressing Cre recombinase under the Sox1 promoter. Owing to our original targeting strategy, this has resulted in the restoration of Fkrp levels in the central nervous system but not the muscle, thereby generating a new model (FKRP(MD)) which develops a progressive muscular dystrophy resembling what is observed in limb girdle muscular dystrophy. Like-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (LARGE) is a bifunctional glycosyltransferase previously shown to hyperglycosylate α-DG. To investigate the therapeutic potential of LARGE up-regulation, we have now crossed the FKRP(MD) line with one overexpressing LARGE and show that, contrary to expectation, this results in a worsening of the muscle pathology implying that any future strategies based upon LARGE up-regulation require careful management.
Project description:Chronic pancreatitis is a common inflammatory disease of the pancreas. Mutations in the genes encoding cationic trypsinogen (PRSS1) and the pancreatic secretory trypsin inhibitor (SPINK1) are associated with chronic pancreatitis. Because increased proteolytic activity owing to mutated PRSS1 enhances the risk for chronic pancreatitis, mutations in the gene encoding anionic trypsinogen (PRSS2) may also predispose to disease. Here we analyzed PRSS2 in individuals with chronic pancreatitis and controls and found, to our surprise, that a variant of codon 191 (G191R) is overrepresented in control subjects: G191R was present in 220/6,459 (3.4%) controls but in only 32/2,466 (1.3%) affected individuals (odds ratio 0.37; P = 1.1 x 10(-8)). Upon activation by enterokinase or trypsin, purified recombinant G191R protein showed a complete loss of trypsin activity owing to the introduction of a new tryptic cleavage site that renders the enzyme hypersensitive to autocatalytic proteolysis. In conclusion, the G191R variant of PRSS2 mitigates intrapancreatic trypsin activity and thereby protects against chronic pancreatitis.
Project description:Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot methods were developed to assess neonatal Fc-receptor (FcRn) mRNA and protein expression in human FcRn transgenic mice, Swiss Webster mice, and in select human tissues. Additionally, FcRn turnover was evaluated via pulse-chase. FcRn mRNA expression was significantly higher in transgenic mice when compared to mouse FcRn mRNA in Swiss Webster mice and it ranged from 184-fold higher in the kidney to 109,000-fold higher in the skin. FcRn protein expression was found to be 13-fold lower in kidney to 5.6-fold higher in lung obtained from transgenic mice compared to FcRn protein expression in lung samples obtained from Swiss Webster mice. FcRn protein expression in human liver and small intestine tissues matched more closely with FcRn expression in Swiss Webster mice but were significantly lower when compared to values found from Swiss Webster and transgenic mice. Although FcRn mRNA expression correlated significantly with protein expression (p < 0.0005), the correlation coefficient was only 0.113. As such, the measurement of FcRn protein may be preferred to FcRn mRNA for quantitative applications. Significant differences were found in FcRn expression in transgenic mice, Swiss Webster mice, and human tissues, which may have implications for the use of mouse models in the assessment of monoclonal antibody disposition, efficacy, and safety.
Project description:BackgroundPancreatitis-associated protein (PAP) is a secretory protein not normally expressed in healthy pancreas but highly induced during acute pancreatitis. While PAP has been shown to be anti-bacterial and anti-apoptotic in vitro, its definitive biological function in vivo is not clear.MethodsTo elucidate the function of PAP, antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotides (AS-PAP) targeting all three isoforms of PAP were administered via intrapancreatic injections (5 mg kg day, 2 days) to rats prior to induction of pancreatitis.ResultsSeverity of pancreatitis and cytokine gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were evaluated. Administration of AS-PAP, but not the scrambled oligodeoxyribonucleotide (SC-PAP) control, reduced pancreatitis-induced PAP expression by 55.2 +/- 6.4%, 44.0 +/- 8.9%, and 38.9 +/- 10.7% for PAP isoforms I, II, and III, respectively, compared to saline-treated controls (P < 0.05 for all). Inhibition of PAP expression significantly worsened pancreatitis: serum amylase activity, pancreas wet weight (reflecting edema), and serum C-reactive protein levels all increased in AS-PAP-treated animals compared to SC-PAP-treated controls (by 3.5-, 1.7-, and 1.7-fold, respectively; P < 0.05 for all). Histopathologic evaluation of pancreas revealed worsened edema, elevated leukocyte infiltration, and fat necrosis after AS-PAP treatment. Gene expressions of IL-1 microm and IL-4 were significantly higher in PBMC isolated from AS-PAP-treated rats compared to SC-PAP controls.ConclusionThis is the first in vivo evidence indicating that PAP mediates significant protection against pancreatic injury. Our data suggest that PAP may exert its protective function by suppressing local pancreatic as well as systemic inflammation during acute pancreatitis.
Project description:The nuclear receptor constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) is a key regulator for drug metabolism in liver. Human CAR (hCAR) transcripts are subjected to alternative splicing. Some hCAR splicing variants (SVs) have been shown to encode functional proteins by reporter assays. However, in vivo research on the activity of these hCAR SVs has been impeded by the absence of a valid model. This study engineered an hCAR-BAC-transgenic (hCAR-TG) mouse model by integrating the 8.5-kbp hCAR gene as well as 73-kbp upstream and 91-kbp downstream human genomic DNA into the genome of CAR-null mice. A series of experiments demonstrate that (1) the expression of major hCAR mRNA SVs, SV0-4, in livers of hCAR-TG mice is comparable to that in human livers; (2) the hCAR SVs are predominantly expressed in liver, which resembles the tissue distribution of CAR in humans, but diverges from that in mice; and (3) major hCAR mRNA SVs increase markedly in postnatal livers of hCAR-TG mice, which mimics the ontogeny of CAR mRNA in humans. Thus, the transgene likely contains all the functional regulatory elements controlling proper spatial and temporal expression of the hCAR gene. Moreover, hCAR-TG mice respond to the hCAR-specific agonist 6-(4-chlorophenyl)imidazo[2,1-b] [1,3]thiazole-5-carbaldehyde O-(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)oxime instead of the mouse CAR agonist 1,4-bis[2-(3,5-dichloropyridyloxy)]benzene, as well as the common CAR activator, phenobarbital, suggesting that hCAR is fully functional in livers of transgenic mice. In summary, the hCAR-TG mice developed by this study represent a valid model for studying in vivo function and regulation of hCAR and its splicing variants.