SummaryAlthough the classical chemotactic receptor for complement anaphylatoxin C5a has been associated with polymorphonuclear and mononuclear phagocytes, several recent studies have indicated that this receptor is expressed on nonmyeloid cells including human endothelial cells, vascular smooth muscle cells, bronchial and alveolar epithelial cells, hepatocytes, and in the human hepatoma cell line HepG2. In this study, we examined the possibility that other members of the chemotactic receptor family are expressed in HepG2 cells and human liver, and the possibility that such receptors mediate changes in acute phase gene expression in HepG2 cells. Using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of HepG2 mRNA with primers based on highly conserved regions of the chemotactic subgroup of the G protein-coupled receptor family, we identified a PCR fragment from the formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (FMLP) receptor, as well as one from the C5a receptor. Immunostaining with antipeptide antisera to FMLPR confirmed the presence of this receptor in HepG2 cells. Receptor binding studies showed specific saturable binding of a radioiodinated FMLP analogue to HepG2 cells (Ka • 2.47 nM; R ~ 6 x 103 plasma membrane receptors per cell). In situ hybridization analysis showed the presence of FMLPIk mRNA in parenchymal cells of the human liver in vivo. Both C5a and FMLP mediated concentrationand time-dependent changes in synthesis of acute phase proteins in HepG2 cells induding increases in complement C3, factor B, and otl-antichymotrypsin, as well as concomitant decreases in albumin and transferrin synthesis. The effects of CSa and FMLP on the synthesis of these acute phase proteins was evident at concentrations as low as 1 nM, and they were specifically blocked by antipeptide antisera for the corresponding receptor. In contrast to the effect of other mediators of hepatic acute phase gene regulation, such as interleukin 6, the effects of C5a and FMLP were reversed by increased concentrations well above the saturation point of the respective receptor. These results suggest that acute phase gene regulation by CSa and FMLP is desensitized at high concentrations, a property that is unique among the several known mechanisms for hepatic acute phase gene regulation.
Using metabolic labeling techniques in human intestinal epithelial cell lines in tissue culture and in situ hybridization techniques in normal and inflamed (Crohn's) intestine, recent studies have shown that there is synthesis of acute phase proteins in enterocytes. Moreover, these studies have shown that acute phase protein biosynthesis in enterocytes is regulated by inflammatory cytokines in a manner characteristic of the physiologic acute phase response. In the course of these studies it was noticed that one inflammatory cytokine, interleukin-6 (IL-6), mediated selective down-regulation of the enterocyte-specific, differentiation-dependent integral membrane protein sucrase-isomaltase (SI) in the Caco2 intestinal epithelial cell line. In the current study we examined the effect of several other inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1 (IL-1), tumor necrosis factor ␣ (TNF␣), and interferon ␥ (IFN␥) on synthesis of SI in Caco2 cells, examined the possibility that inflammatory cytokines affect the synthesis of other enterocyte integral membrane proteins using lactase as a prototype, and examined the possibility that SI gene expression was down-regulated in villous enterocytes in vivo during the local inflammatory response of Crohn's disease. The results show that IL-6 and IFN␥ each mediate a decrease and TNF␣ mediates an increase in synthesis of SI in Caco2 cells. The magnitude of down-regulation by IL-6 and IFN␥ is significantly greater than the up-regulation by TNF␣. IL-1 has no effect on synthesis of SI. Synthesis of lactase is not affected by any of the cytokines. There is a marked specific decrease in SI gene expression in villous enterocytes in acutely inflamed Crohn's ileum as compared to adjacent uninflamed ileum and normal ileum. Taken together, these data show that inflammatory cytokines have specific and selective effects on the expression of the brush border hydrolase SI in tissue culture and in vivo and provide evidence for a previously unrecognized mechanism for disaccharidase deficiency in intestinal inflammation.
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