In the fungus Pneumocystis carinii, at least three gene families (PRT1, MSR, and MSG) have the potential to generate high-frequency antigenic variation, which is likely to be a strategy by which this parasitic fungus is able to prolong its survival in the rat lung. Members of these gene families are clustered at chromosome termini, a location that fosters recombination, which has been implicated in selective expression of MSG genes. To gain insight into the architecture, evolution, and regulation of these gene clusters, six telomeric segments of the genome were sequenced. Each of the segments began with one or more unique genes, after which were members of different gene families, arranged in a head-to-tail array. The three-gene repeat PRT1-MSR-MSG was common, suggesting that duplications of these repeats have contributed to expansion of all three families. However, members of a gene family in an array were no more similar to one another than to members in other arrays, indicating rapid divergence after duplication. The intergenic spacers were more conserved than the genes and contained sequence motifs also present in subtelomeres, which in other species have been implicated in gene expression and recombination. Long mononucleotide tracts were present in some MSR genes. These unstable sequences can be expected to suffer frequent frameshift mutations, providing P. carinii with another mechanism to generate antigen variation.
Interleukin-8 (IL-8), a neutrophil chemoattractant and activating cytokine, has been implicated as a proinflammatory mediator in gram-negative sepsis. In vitro data support the notion of IL-8 as an endothelial adherence inhibitor. To evaluate this issue, we infused six volunteers with reference endotoxin and measured plasma levels of IL-8, neutrophil tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) receptors, TNF-alpha-induced adherence to fibronectin, and neutrophil chemotaxis to IL-8 and other attractants. We found that, at 3 h postinfusion, IL-8 but not TNF-alpha plasma levels were elevated. Neutrophils had shed L-selectin (mean channel fluorescence decrease, 79 +/- 9 to 49 +/- 7; P = 0.0625) and TNF-alpha receptors (decrease in number of receptors per cell, 1,596 +/- 340 to 574 +/- 93; P = 0.004). Cells were chemotactically desensitized to IL-8. TNF-alpha-induced adherence to fibronectin was suppressed from 69% +/- 5% of the phorbol myristate acetate response to 38% +/- 7% (P = 0.0154). These findings support the notion that release of IL-8 into the vascular space may be an in vivo mechanism for suppression of neutrophil accumulation at extravascular sites. L-Selectin loss would reduce the ability of neutrophils to adhere to activated endothelial cells. The specific loss of migratory response to IL-8 would impair neutrophil delivery to areas where IL-8 was the predominant chemoattractant. Loss of TNF-alpha-induced adherence to fibronectin would blunt those responses, including production of oxidants, capacitated by adherence.
Bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein is rapidly internalized by mononuclear cells in a nonspecific fashion not saturable at very high doses, which is consistent with pinocytosis. This process may represent a disposal mechanism for lipopolysaccharide in closed-space infections and may be partially responsible for the rapid clearance of BPI from the peripheral circulation.
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