Brown algae of the Laminariales (kelps) are the strongest accumulators of iodine among living organisms. They represent a major pump in the global biogeochemical cycle of iodine and, in particular, the major source of iodocarbons in the coastal atmosphere. Nevertheless, the chemical state and biological significance of accumulated iodine have remained unknown to this date. Using x-ray absorption spectroscopy, we show that the accumulated form is iodide, which readily scavenges a variety of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We propose here that its biological role is that of an inorganic antioxidant, the first to be described in a living system. Upon oxidative stress, iodide is effluxed. On the thallus surface and in the apoplast, iodide detoxifies both aqueous oxidants and ozone, the latter resulting in the release of high levels of molecular iodine and the consequent formation of hygroscopic iodine oxides leading to particles, which are precursors to cloud condensation nuclei. In a complementary set of experiments using a heterologous system, iodide was found to effectively scavenge ROS in human blood cells.algae ͉ Laminaria ͉ x-ray absorption spectroscopy ͉ cathodic stripping square wave voltammetry

Today it is generally accepted that B cells require cognate interactions with CD4 IntroductionThe most serious complication in replacement therapy with FVIII products is the development of neutralizing antibodies against FVIII (FVIII inhibitors), which is observed in approximately 25% to 30% of patients with severe hemophilia A. 1 Although several genetic 2 and nongenetic 3 factors that contribute to the risk for patients to develop these antibodies have been identified, why some patients develop antibodies while others do not remains largely unknown.Today it is generally accepted that B cells require cognate interactions with CD4 ϩ T cells to develop high-affinity antibodies against protein antigens. 4,5 In line with this perception, several lines of evidence have supported the involvement of CD4 ϩ T cells in the generation of antibody responses against FVIII in patients with hemophilia A and in murine hemophilia models. 6,7 CD4 ϩ T cells express T-cell receptors that recognize antigen-derived peptides (CD4 ϩ T-cell epitopes) presented by MHC class II molecules, which are expressed on specialized antigen-presenting cells. 8 Structural features of both the MHC class II molecule and the peptide determine the specificity of CD4 ϩ T cells that can bind to the MHC class II-peptide complex. 8,9 The conditions under which CD4 ϩ T cells interact with this complex determine whether the immune system reacts with nonresponsiveness, is activated to develop specific antibodies, or is tolerized to suppress antibody responses. 9,10 Therefore, it is crucial to understand which FVIII peptides are presented by MHC class II complexes under conditions of FVIII replacement therapy and how CD4 ϩ T cells interact with MHC class II-FVIII peptide complexes expressed by antigenpresenting cells. The available information on FVIII peptides presented in the context of specific human MHC class II molecules is limited. Several studies used peripheral blood cells of patients and healthy controls 11 to identify CD4 ϩ T-cell epitopes in the A2 domain, 12 A3 domain, 13 and C2 domain of FVIII. 14 However, these studies lack information on the specific MHC class II molecules associated with the FVIII peptides identified. Jacquemin et al identified T-cell epitopes of FVIII using CD4 ϩ T-cell clones isolated from a mild hemophilia A patient carrying an Arg2150His mutation in the C1 domain of FVIII. 15 All clones recognized FVIII peptides encompassing residue Arg2150. Peptides were presented by HLA-DRB1*0401/HLA-DRB4*01 or HLA-DRDRB1*1501/ HLA-DRB5*0101. One of the peptides identified was a promiscuous epitope that bound to several different HLA-DR proteins. James et al used MHC class II tetramers to analyze FVIII-specific CD4 ϩ T cells obtained from a mild hemophilia A patient carrying an Ala2201Pro mutation in the C2 domain of FVIII. 16 Responses of CD4 ϩ T cells to sequences containing Ala2201 (wild-type), Pro2201 (hemophilic), and other predicted T-cell epitopes were evaluated and resulted in the identification of an HLA-DRB1*0101 restricted T-ce...

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Two new prenylated stilbenes, artochamins F (1) and G (2), and their four novel derivatives, artochamins H-K (3-6), were isolated from the stems of Artocarpus chama. Their structures were elucidated mainly by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. The structure of 3 was confirmed by X-ray

Replacement of the missing factor VIII (FVIII) is the current standard of care for patients with hemophilia A. However, the short half-life of FVIII makes frequent treatment necessary. Current efforts focus on the development of longer-acting FVIII concentrates by introducing chemical and genetic modifications to the protein. Any modification of the FVIII protein, however, risks increasing its immunogenic potential to induce neutralizing antibodies (FVIII inhibitors), and this is one of the major complications in current therapy. It would be highly desirable to identify candidates with a high risk for increased immunogenicity before entering clinical development to minimize the risk of exposing patients to such altered FVIII proteins. In the present study, we describe a transgenic mouse line that expresses a human F8 cDNA. This mouse is immunologically tolerant to therapeutic doses of native human FVIII but is able to mount an antibody response when challenged with a modified FVIII protein that possesses altered immunogenic properties. In this situation, immunologic tolerance breaks down and antibodies develop that recognize both the modified and the native human FVIII. The applicability of this new model for preclinical immunogenicity assessment of new FVIII molecules and its potential use for basic research are discussed. (Blood. 2011; 118(13):3698-3707) IntroductionHemophilia A is an X-linked bleeding disorder that is caused by reduced function or lack of clotting factor VIII (FVIII). 1 Replacement of the missing protein is the current standard of care for patients. However, the short half-life of FVIII, ϳ 7-17 hours, 2 makes frequent treatment necessary. Current efforts focus on the development of longer-acting FVIII concentrates, which should decrease the required treatment frequency and therefore improve the quality of life for patients. Recently described approaches in the development of longer-acting concentrates are based on strategies that have been successfully applied to other therapeutic proteins: chemical modifications such as the addition of polyethylene glycol (PEG) polymers, polysialic acids, or hydroxyethyl starch 3,4 ; alternative formulations with PEG-modified liposomes 3 ; and fusion to the Fc part of human IgG. 5 In addition, molecular modifications of the FVIII protein aimed at increasing the duration of its cofactor activity or reducing its clearance in vivo have been reported. 3 Any chemical or molecular modification of the FVIII protein can potentially increase its immunogenic potential. Modifications could generate neo-epitopes for both B and T cells or may induce altered structures that could bind and trigger receptors expressed on cells of the innate immune system, thereby amplifying potential anti-FVIII antibody responses. 6 Finally, modifications could generate repetitive epitopes for B cells that might cause the activation and differentiation of B cells and the subsequent production of antibodies without the requirement for T-cell help. 7,8 Therefore, the potential impact that any...

Memory B cells are involved in long-term maintenance of antibody-dependent immunologic disorders. Therefore, it is essential to understand how the restimulation of FVIII-specific memory B cells in hemophilia A with FVIII inhibitors is regulated. We asked whether concurrent activation of the innate immune system by an agonist for toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 is able to facilitate the differentiation of FVIIIspecific memory B cells in the absence of T-cell help. TLR7 recognizes singlestranded RNA as contained in RNA viruses such as influenza, Sendai, and Coxsackie B viruses. Our results indicate that highly purified murine memory B cells do not differentiate into FVIII-specific antibody-secreting cells in the presence of FVIII and the TLR7 agonist when cultured in the absence of CD4 ؉ T cells. However, CD11c ؉ dendritic cells facilitate the T cell-independent differentiation of FVIII-specific memory B cells but only in the presence of FVIII and the TLR7 agonist. In contrast to T cell-dependent restimulation, the antibody response after T cell-independent restimulation of FVIIIspecific memory B cells is skewed toward IgG2a, an antibody subclass that is efficient in activating the complement system and in inducing Fc-receptormediated effector functions, both are required for effective immune responses against pathogens. (Blood. 2011;118(11): 3154-3162) IntroductionMemory B cells are essential to maintain antibody-dependent immunologic memory that is required for long-lasting protection against invading pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. After encounter with their specific antigen, memory B cells can rapidly proliferate and differentiate into antibody-secreting plasma cells (ASCs), thereby replenishing the pool of plasma cells. 1 Moreover, memory B cells act as efficient antigen-presenting cells for the restimulation of CD4 ϩ T cells because they express high-affinity antigen receptors, major histocompatibility complex class II molecules, and costimulatory molecules. 2 However, memory B cells are also involved in long-term maintenance of immunopathologic conditions such as chronic antibody-dependent immunologic disorders, 3 which would indicate that memory B cells have to be eradicated for successful treatment of such diseases.We and others have demonstrated the presence of FVIII-specific memory B cells in the circulation of patients with FVIII inhibitors. [4][5][6] Furthermore, several studies have suggested that FVIIIspecific memory B cells are down-regulated during successful immune tolerance induction therapy in patients with hemophilia A and FVIII inhibitors. 5,6 These results indicate that FVIII-specific memory B cells might be essential for maintaining immunologic memory for antibodies against FVIII in patients. Therefore, it is important to understand the regulation of FVIII-specific memory B cells and to find new approaches to specifically eradicate these cells.We used a murine model of hemophilia A to study the regulation of FVIII-specific memory B cells in vitro. We demonstrated previously that the rest...

5-Azacytidine (5-aza-CR) is a DNA-hypomethylating antineoplastic agent used because of its inhibitory activity on DNA methyltransferases. Today, it is approved as an epigenetically active drug therapy for treatment of myelodysplastic disorders, with a contraindication as to pre-existing liver diseases. Because the mechanism of its hepatotoxicity is still unknown, we investigated the pharmacodynamic properties of 5-aza-CR with regard to death receptor/ligand-induced apoptosis and the mode of execution of cell death. In a time-and concentration-dependent manner, primary murine, human hepatocytes and HepG2 cells exposed to 5-aza-CR became highly sensitive toward cell death induced by CD95L, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, or TNF. Cell death was characterized as apoptotic by membrane blebbing, chromatin condensation, and exposure of phosphatidylserine on the outer membrane. Neither 5-aza-2Ј-deoxycytidine nor the common DNA methyltransferase inhibitors S-(5Ј-adenosyl)-L-homocysteine or RG 108 showed any significant effects under these conditions. Despite the complete protection of HepG2 by high concentrations of the pan-caspase inhibitor N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-AlaAsp(O-Me) fluoromethyl ketone (z-VAD-fmk), effector caspase-3/7 activity was completely abolished at approximately a 20-fold lower concentration of z-VAD-fmk. Under these conditions, the serine protease inhibitors N,␣-tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone, N,p-tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone, and 4-(2-aminoethyl)-benzenesulfonyl fluoride, respectively, conferred protection against death receptor ligands. We conclude that this caspase-independent apoptosis is executed by a yetunidentified serine protease.

Western blot analysis showed that all HDIs studied downregulated the anti-apoptotic protein cFLIP, but only VPA additionally affected the expression level of XIAP. Furthermore, in models of the intrinsic apoptosis pathway, i.e. in HepG2 cells treated with Melphalan and in primary hepatocytes irradiated with UV light, only VPA exhibited significant sensitisation.These findings extend the biochemical, pharmacological and toxicological basis for HDI therapy and provide a caveat for clinical use in patients with an accompanying critical inflammatory state in which the CD95 system might be pre-activated.