The autoimmune process leading to the destruction of pancreatic beta-cells is mediated by T lymphocytes. Peripheral T cells from subjects with preclinical and clinical type I diabetes respond weakly in vitro to lectin stimulation. We, therefore, investigated in a group of newly diagnosed diabetic patients the presence of a defect in the signal transduction pathway of the T cell receptor (TcR)/CD3 complex. Following stimulation with anti-CD3-coupled beads, the proliferative response in diabetic T cells was significantly decreased in comparison with that from normal T cells. Interestingly, addition of either recombinant interleukin (IL)-2 or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate to the cell culture was able to completely restore impaired anti-CD3-induced proliferation in diabetic T cells, suggesting the presence of a defect through the TcR/CD3 pathway, located upstream of protein kinase C (PKC) activation and resulting in low IL-2 production and proliferation. Intracellular Ca2+ measurements by Fluo-3 labeling and flow cytometry analysis on diabetic and control T cells after anti-CD3 stimulation gave comparable results, indicating that this defect does not involve events leading to intracellular Ca2+ mobilization. In contrast, anti-CD3 stimulation of diabetic T cells resulted in a marked impairment of PKC translocation and CD69 antigen expression, as assessed by peptide substrate phosphorylation and by flow cytometry analysis, respectively. Taken together, our data clearly show the presence in individuals at the onset of the disease of an in vitro defect in the signal transduction pathway of the TcR/CD3 complex, resulting in ineffective PKC activation which is not able to induce normal IL-2 production and proliferation of diabetic T cells.
Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) are a natural aluminosilicate clay with a chemical formula of Al 2 Si 2 O 5 (OH) 4 ×nH 2 O and a hollow tubular structure. Due to their peculiar structure, HNTs can play an important role as a drug carrier system. Currently, the mechanism by which HNTs are internalized into living cells, and what is the transport pathway, is still unclear. Therefore, this study aimed at establishing the in vitro mechanism by which halloysite nanotubes could be internalized, using phagocytic and non-phagocytic cell lines as models. Methods: The HNT/CURBO hybrid system, where a fluorescent probe (CURBO) is confined in the HNT lumen, has been used as a model to study the transport pathway mechanisms of HNTs. The cytocompatibility of HNT/CURBO on cell lines model was investigated by MTS assay. In order to identify the internalization pathway involved in the cellular uptake, we performed various endocytosis-inhibiting studies, and we used fluorescence microscopy to verify the nanomaterial internalization by cells. We evaluated the haemolytic effect of HNT/CURBO placed in contact with human red blood cells (HRBCs), by reading the absorbance value of the supernatant at 570 nm. Results: The HNT/CURBO is highly biocompatible and does not have an appreciable haemolytic effect. The results of the inhibition tests have shown that the internalization process of nanotubes occurs in an energy-dependent manner in both the investigated cell lines, although they have different characteristics. In particular, in non-phagocytic cells, clathrin-dependent and independent endocytosis are involved. In phagocytic cells, in addition to phagocytosis and clathrin-dependent endocytosis, microtubules also participate in the halloysite cellular trafficking. Upon internalization by cells, HNT/CURBO is localized in the cytoplasmic area, particularly in the perinuclear region. Conclusion: Understanding the cellular transport pathways of HNTs can help in the rational design of novel drug delivery systems and can be of great value for their applications in biotechnology.
Diverse stimuli can feed into the MAPK/ERK cascade; this includes receptor tyrosine kinases, G protein-coupled receptors, integrins, and scavenger receptors (LDL receptor-related protein (LRP)). Here, we investigated the consequence of concomitant occupancy of the receptor tyrosine kinases (by EGF, basic FGF, VEGF, etc.) and of LRP family members (by LDL or lactoferrin). The simultaneous stimulation of a receptor tyrosine kinase by its cognate ligand and of LRP-1 (by lactoferrin or LDL) resulted in sustained activation of ERK, which was redirected to the cytoplasm. Accordingly, elevated levels of active cytosolic ERK were translated into accelerated adhesion to vitronectin. The sustained ERK response was seen in several cell types, but it was absent in cells deficient in LRP-1 (but not in cells lacking the LDL receptor). This response was also contingent on the presence of urokinase (uPA) and its receptor (uPAR), because it was absent in uPA−/− and uPAR−/− fibroblasts. Combined stimulation of the EGF receptor and of LRP-1 delayed nuclear accumulation of phosphorylated ERK. This shift in favor of cytosolic accumulation of phospho-ERK was accounted for by enhanced proteasomal degradation of dual specificity phosphatases DUSP1 and DUSP6, which precluded dephosphorylation of cytosolic ERK. These observations demonstrate that the ERK cascade can act as a coincidence detector to decode the simultaneous engagement of a receptor tyrosine kinase and of LRP-1 and as a signal integrator that encodes this information in a spatially and temporally distinct biological signal. In addition, the findings provide an explanation of why chronic elevation of LRP-1 ligands (e.g. PAI-1) can predispose to cancer.
The use of synthetic materials and the attention towards environmental hazards and toxicity impose the development of green composites with natural origins. Clay is one of the candidates for this approach. Halloysite is a natural clay mineral, a member of the Kaolin group, with characteristic tubular morphology, usually named halloysite nanotubes (HNTs). The different surface chemistry of halloysite allows the selective modification of both the external surface and the inner lumen by supramolecular or covalent interactions. An interesting aspect of HNTs is related to the possibility of introducing different species that can be released more slowly compared to the pristine compound. Due to their unique hollow morphology and large cavity, HNTs can be employed as an optimal natural nanocarrier. This review discusses the structure, properties, and application of HNTs in the biological field, highlighting their high biocompatibility, and analyse the opportunity to use new HNT hybrids as drug carriers and delivery systems.
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