Dengue virus infections are still increasing at an alarming rate in tropical and subtropical countries, underlying the need for a dengue vaccine. Although it is relatively easy to generate Ab responses to dengue virus, low avidity or low concentrations of Ab may enhance infection of FcR-bearing cells with clinical impact, posing a challenge to vaccine production. In this article, we report the characterization of a mAb, 2H12, which is cross-reactive to all four serotypes in the dengue virus group. Crystal structures of 2H12-Fab in complex with domain III of the envelope protein from three dengue serotypes have been determined. 2H12 binds to the highly conserved AB loop of domain III of the envelope protein that is poorly accessible in the mature virion. 2H12 neutralization varied between dengue serotypes and strains; in particular, dengue serotype 2 was not neutralized. Because the 2H12-binding epitope was conserved, this variation in neutralization highlights differences between dengue serotypes and suggests that significant conformational changes in the virus must take place for Ab binding. Surprisingly, 2H12 facilitated little or no enhancement of infection. These data provide a structural basis for understanding Ab neutralization and enhancement of infection, which is crucial for the development of future dengue vaccines.

Objective: To determine whether La and/or Ro epitopes on apoptotic cells in fetal organs that are targeted in neonatal lupus syndrome (NLS) are accessible for binding by autoantibodies in vivo, we traced the fate of transplacental autoantibodies in a murine passive transfer model.Methods: Pregnant mice at day 15 of gestation (E15) were injected intraperitoneally with human anti‐Ro/La–positive sera or control sera, and transplacental transfer of human autoantibodies was tested by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay with recombinant antigens. Multiple cryostat sections at the level of the heart of E17 fetuses were visualized simultaneously for human IgG binding and apoptosis (TUNEL) under confocal microscopy. Serial paraffin sections of E17 and E19 fetuses were examined for histologic evidence of inflammation.Results: Human IgG anti–52‐kd Ro, anti–60‐kd Ro, and anti‐La autoantibodies were transported efficiently into the fetal circulation. Human IgG–apoptotic cell complexes were detected in the heart (atrial trabeculae and atrioventricular node), skin, liver, and newly forming bone of fetuses from mothers injected with anti‐Ro/La sera but not control sera. The IgG binding was fetal‐specific and organ‐specific; transplacental autoantibodies did not bind to apoptotic cells in the fetal thymus, lung, brain, or gut. The complexes were not associated with an inflammatory reaction. Injection of mothers with affinity‐purified anti‐La autoantibodies (but not anti‐Ro/La Ig depleted of anti‐La) revealed an identical location of IgG binding to apoptotic cells in the fetuses.Conclusion: This is the first study to demonstrate that transplacental anti‐La autoantibodies bind specifically to apoptotic cells in selected fetal organs in vivo, similar to the organ involvement in NLS. We hypothesize that additional factors are required to promote proinflammatory clearance of IgG–apoptotic cell complexes and subsequent tissue damage.

The class III NAD-dependent histone deacetylase (HDAC) sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) is an important regulator of senescence, aging, and inflammation. SIRT1de-acetylates chromatin histones, thereby silencing inflammatory gene transcription. We have reported increased steroid-resistant senescent pro-inflammatory CD28nullCD8+ T cells in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We hypothesized that SIRT1 is reduced in these cells in COPD, and that treatment with SIRT1 activators (resveratrol, curcumin) and agents preventing NAD depletion (theophylline) would upregulate SIRT1 and reduce pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in these steroid-resistant cells. Blood was collected from n = 10 COPD and n = 10 aged-matched controls. Expression of CD28, SIRT1, and pro-inflammatory cytokines was determined in CD8+ and CD8– T and natural killer T (NKT)-like cells cultured in the presence of ±1 µM prednisolone, ±5 mg/L theophylline, ±1 µM curcumin, ±25 µM resveratrol, using flow cytometry and immunofluorescence. There was an increase in the percentage of CD28nullCD8+ T and NKT-like cells in COPD patients compared with controls. Decreased SIRT1 expression was identified in CD28nullCD8+T and NKT-like cells compared with CD28+ counterparts from both patients and controls (e.g. CD28null 11 ± 3% versus CD28+ 57 ± 9%). Loss of SIRT1 was associated with increased production of IFNγ and TNFα, steroid resistance, and disease severity. SIRT1 expression was upregulated in the presence of all drugs and was associated with a decrease in steroid resistance and IFNγ and TNFα production by CD28nullCD8+T and NKT-like cells. The presence of the SIRT1 inhibitor, EX-527 negated [by 92 ± 12% (median ± SEM)] the effect of the SIRT1 activator SRT720 on the percentage of CD8+ T cells producing IFNγ and TNFα. Steroid resistance in pro-inflammatory CD28nullCD8+ T and NKT-like cells is associated with decreased SIRT1 expression. Treatment with prednisolone, in combination with theophylline, curcumin or resveratrol increases SIRT1 expression, restores steroid sensitivity, and inhibits pro-inflammatory cytokine production from these cells and may reduce systemic inflammation in COPD. The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.

We have previously established a link between impaired phagocytic capacity and deregulated S1P signaling in alveolar macrophages from COPD subjects. We hypothesize that this defect may include a disruption of epithelial-macrophage crosstalk via Spns2-mediated intercellular S1P signaling. Primary alveolar macrophages and bronchial epithelial cells from COPD subjects and controls, cell lines, and a mouse model of chronic cigarette smoke exposure were studied. Cells were exposed to 10% cigarette smoke extract, or vehicle control. Spns2 expression and subcellular localization was studied by immunofluorescence, confocal microscopy and RT-PCR. Phagocytosis was assessed by flow-cytometry. Levels of intra- and extracellular S1P were measured by S1P [3H]-labeling. Spns2 expression was significantly increased (p<0.05) in alveolar macrophages from current-smokers/COPD patients (n = 5) compared to healthy nonsmokers (n = 8) and non-smoker lung transplant patients (n = 4). Consistent with this finding, cigarette smoke induced a significant increase in Spns2 expression in both human alveolar and THP-1 macrophages. In contrast, a remarkable Spns2 down-regulation was noted in response to cigarette smoke in 16HBE14o- cell line (p<0.001 in 3 experiments), primary nasal epithelial cells (p<0.01 in 2 experiments), and in smoke-exposed mice (p<0.001, n = 6 animals per group). Spns2 was localized to cilia in primary bronchial epithelial cells. In both macrophage and epithelial cell types, Spns2 was also found localized to cytoplasm and the nucleus, in line with a predicted bipartile Nuclear Localization Signal at the position aa282 of the human Spns2 sequence. In smoke-exposed mice, alveolar macrophage phagocytic function positively correlated with Spns2 protein expression in bronchial epithelial cells. Our data suggest that the epithelium may be the major source for extracellular S1P in the airway and that there is a possible disruption of epithelial/macrophage cross talk via Spns2-mediated S1P signaling in COPD and in response to cigarette smoke exposure.

Objective Opsonization of apoptotic cells by autoantibodies bound to surface membrane–translocated La/SSB antigens may initiate tissue damage in the setting of congenital heart block. By injecting pregnant mice with human anti-La antibodies, we previously demonstrated the formation of IgG–apoptotic cell complexes in the developing mouse fetus; however, the binding of anti-La antibodies to human-specific epitopes could not be addressed. Accordingly, the objective of the current study was to delineate the epitope specificity of human La antibodies that are exposed on the surface of apoptotic cells. Methods We used fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry to assess the binding of human anti-La antibodies affinity purified against immunodominant epitopes of La to human cells undergoing spontaneous apoptosis, in a murine xenograft model in vivo and in cultured human fetal cardiocytes rendered apoptotic in vitro, respectively. Results Anti-La antibodies bound to immunodominant epitopes of La within the NH₂-terminus and the RNA recognition motif (RRM) region of apoptotic human cells, in both xenografts and fetal cardiocytes. In contrast, human antibodies affinity purified against the COOH-terminal La epitope did not bind apoptotic cells in either model. This defines the topology of redistributed La during apoptosis, with surface exposure of the NH₂-terminus and RRM regions. The potential importance of anti-La NH₂-terminal and anti-La RRM specificity was confirmed by detection of this reactivity in mothers of children with congenital heart block. Conclusion These findings provide insight into both the molecular modification of the La autoantigen during apoptosis and the specificity of antibodies capable of binding to surface-exposed La. Subsequent formation of surface immune complexes may lead to tissue injury in patients with autoimmune diseases such as congenital heart block.