Technological advances in the study of HLA-DRA promoter regulation: extending the functions of CIITA, Oct-1, Rb, and RFX.

Several advances were established in examining the interaction of transcriptional factors with the HLA-DRA promoter. First, hydrodynamic injection was used to demonstrate the activation of the promoter by class II transactivator in a live mouse. Second, the Oct-1 DNA-binding site in the HLA-DRA promoter is a negative element in many cells, but here we show that Oct-1 activates the promoter independently of the Oct-1-binding site.

Combined IL-8 and TGF-beta blockade efficiently prevents neutrophil infiltrates into an A549-cell tumor.

Neutrophil infiltrates into tumors have been reported in certain circumstances to reduce tumor growth and in other circumstances to augment tumor growth, particularly by facilitating metastasis. Neutrophil chemotaxis can be facilitated by both interleukin-8 (IL-8) and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta). However, the combined effects of these two cytokines on neutrophil tumor infiltrates is unknown, and we considered the possibility that studying the combined effects might resolve apparent contradictions with regard to neutrophil effects on tumor development.

Heme-oxygenase-1 expression correlates with severity of acute cellular rejection in lung transplantation.

Background: Heme-oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has been shown to play an important role in oxidative stress, and recent studies indicate that it is a graft survival protein in cardiac and liver transplant models. Our laboratory previously found HO-1 to be increased in human lung allografts with acute cellular rejection (ACR) and in active obliterative bronchiolitis. To better understand the role of HO-1 in ACR we studied the relationship between HO-1 expression and ACR in a rodent model of lung transplantation.

Rapamycin induces heme oxygenase-1 in human pulmonary vascular cells: implications in the antiproliferative response to rapamycin.

Background: Rapamycin is an immunosuppressive agent with antiproliferative properties against not only lymphocytes but also vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells, and it reduces the fibroproliferative response to vascular injury. Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) has also been shown to have graft protective effects and to inhibit vascular remodeling. In this study, we evaluated whether there is an interaction between rapamycin and HO-1.