Functional PU.1 in macrophages has a pivotal role in NF-κB activation and neutrophilic lung inflammation during endotoxemia.

Although the role of ETS family transcriptional factor PU.1 is well established in macrophage maturation, its role in mature macrophages with reference to sepsis- related animal model has not been elucidated. Here, we report the in vivo function of PU.

FoxM1 regulates re-annealing of endothelial adherens junctions through transcriptional control of beta-catenin expression.

Repair of the injured vascular intima requires a series of coordinated events that mediate both endothelial regeneration and reannealing of adherens junctions (AJs) to form a restrictive endothelial barrier. The forkhead transcription factor FoxM1 is essential for endothelial proliferation after vascular injury. However, little is known about mechanisms by which FoxM1 regulates endothelial barrier reannealing.

NADPH oxidase-dependent signaling in endothelial cells: role in physiology and pathophysiology.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) including superoxide (O(2)(.-)) and hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) are produced endogenously in response to cytokines, growth factors; G-protein coupled receptors, and shear stress in endothelial cells (ECs). ROS function as signaling molecules to mediate various biological responses such as gene expression, cell proliferation, migration, angiogenesis, apoptosis, and senescence in ECs.

E3 ubiquitin ligase Cblb regulates the acute inflammatory response underlying lung injury.

The E3 ubiquitin ligase Cblb has a crucial role in the prevention of chronic inflammation and autoimmunity. Here we show that Cblb also has an unexpected function in acute lung inflammation. Cblb attenuates the sequestration of inflammatory cells in the lungs after administration of lipopolysaccharide (LPS).

Blockade of class IA phosphoinositide 3-kinase in neutrophils prevents NADPH oxidase activation- and adhesion-dependent inflammation.

We examined the role of class IA phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) in the regulation of activation of NADPH oxidase in PMNs and the mechanism of PMN-dependent lung inflammation and microvessel injury induced by the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-alpha. TNF-alpha stimulation of PMNs resulted in superoxide production that was dependent on CD11b/CD18-mediated PMN adhesion. Additionally, TNF-alpha induced the association of CD11b/CD18 with the NADPH oxidase subunit Nox2 (gp91(phox)) and phosphorylation of p47(phox), indicating the CD11b/CD18 dependence of NADPH oxidase activation.

Endothelial cell-restricted disruption of FoxM1 impairs endothelial repair following LPS-induced vascular injury.

Recovery of endothelial integrity after vascular injury is vital for endothelial barrier function and vascular homeostasis. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of endothelial barrier repair following injury. To investigate the functional role of forkhead box M1 (FoxM1) in the mechanism of endothelial repair, we generated endothelial cell-restricted FoxM1-deficient mice (FoxM1 CKO mice).

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase gamma signaling through protein kinase Czeta induces NADPH oxidase-mediated oxidant generation and NF-kappaB activation in endothelial cells.

We addressed the role of class 1B phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) isoform PI3Kgamma in mediating NADPH oxidase activation and reactive oxidant species (ROS) generation in endothelial cells (ECs) and of PI3Kgamma-mediated oxidant signaling in the mechanism of NF-kappaB activation and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 expression. We used lung microvascular ECs isolated from mice with targeted deletion of the p110gamma catalytic subunit of PI3Kgamma. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) alpha challenge of wild type ECs caused p110gamma translocation to the plasma membrane and phosphatidylinositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate production coupled to ROS production; however, this response was blocked in p110gamma-/- ECs.

Inactivation of CD11b in a mouse transgenic model protects against sepsis-induced lung PMN infiltration and vascular injury.

To inactivate chronically the beta2-integrin CD11b (Mac-1), we made a transgenic model in mice in which we expressed the CD11b antagonist polypeptide neutrophil inhibitory factor (NIF). Using these mice, we determined the in vivo effects of CD11b inactivation on polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) function and acute lung injury (ALI) induced by Escherichia coli septicemia. In wild-type PMNs, CD11b expression was induced within 1 h after E.

LPS activation of Toll-like receptor 4 signals CD11b/CD18 expression in neutrophils.

We identify herein a novel signaling function of the Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4), the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) receptor mediating the innate immune response, in inducing the expression of CD11b/CD18 integrin in polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs). Studies were made in PMNs isolated from TLR4-deficient (TLR4(-/-)) and C57BL/6 [wild-type (WT)] mice. We observed increased CD11b expression in WT PMNs within 3 h after LPS challenge, whereas CD11b was not expressed in TLR4(-/-) PMNs above basal levels.

SHIP2 is recruited to the cell membrane upon macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) stimulation and regulates M-CSF-induced signaling.

The Src homology 2-containing inositol phosphatase SHIP1 functions in hemopoietic cells to limit activation events mediated by PI3K products, including Akt activation and cell survival. In contrast to the limited cellular expression of SHIP1, the related isoform SHIP2, is widely expressed in both parenchymal and hemopoietic cells. The goal of this study was to determine how SHIP2 functions to regulate M-CSF signaling.

TLR4 signaling induces TLR2 expression in endothelial cells via neutrophil NADPH oxidase.

Interactions of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) with endothelial cells may contribute to the activation of endothelial cell responses involved in innate immunity. We explored a novel function of PMN NADPH oxidase in the mechanism of Toll-like receptor-2 (TLR2) upregulation induced by LPS-TLR4 signaling in endothelial cells. We showed that LPS induced TLR2 up-regulation through TLR4- and MyD88-dependent signaling.

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha induces early-onset endothelial adhesivity by protein kinase Czeta-dependent activation of intercellular adhesion molecule-1.

We tested the hypothesis that TNF-alpha induces early-onset endothelial adhesivity toward PMN by activating the constitutive endothelial cell surface ICAM-1, the beta2-integrin (CD11/CD18) counter-receptor. Stimulation of human pulmonary artery endothelial cells with TNF-alpha resulted in phosphorylation of ICAM-1 within 1 minute, a response that was sustained up to 15 minutes after TNF-alpha challenge. We observed that TNF-alpha induced 10-fold increase in PMN adhesion to endothelial cells in an ICAM-1-dependent manner and that this response paralleled the rapid time course of ICAM-1 phosphorylation.

Genistein activates p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, inactivates ERK1/ERK2 and decreases Cdc25C expression in immortalized human mammary epithelial cells.

Genistein (4',5,7-trihydroxyisoflavone) is an isoflavonoid present in soybeans that exhibits anticarcinogenic effects in breast, colon and prostate cancer cells. We recently reported that genistein treatment of the immortalized but nonmalignant human mammary epithelial cell line MCF-10F resulted in growth arrest of MCF-10F cells in the G2 phase of the cell cycle, a large induction of the Tyr15 phosphorylation of Cdc2 (along with decreased activity of Cdc2), increased expression of p21(waf/cip1) and decreased expression of the cell cycle phosphatase Cdc25C. In the present study of MCF-10F cells, genistein rapidly and significantly activated p38, inactivated ERK1/ERK2 and had no effect on SAPK/JNK activity.

PKCzeta regulates TNF-alpha-induced activation of NADPH oxidase in endothelial cells.

Although oxidant generation by NADPH oxidase is known to play an important role in signaling in endothelial cells, the basis of activation of NADPH oxidase is incompletely understood. The atypical isoform of protein kinase C, PKCzeta, has been implicated in the mechanism of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-induced oxidant generation in endothelial cells; thus, in the present study, we have addressed the role of PKCzeta in regulating NADPH oxidase function. We showed by immunoblotting and confocal microscopy the presence of the major cytosolic NADPH oxidase subunits, p47(phox) and membrane-bound gp91(phox) in human pulmonary artery endothelial (HPAE) cells.

Role of neutrophil NADPH oxidase in the mechanism of tumor necrosis factor-alpha -induced NF-kappa B activation and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression in endothelial cells.

In this study, we explored a novel function of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) NAD(P)H oxidase in the mechanism of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha)-induced NF-kappaB activation and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression in endothelial cells. Studies were made in mice lacking the p47(phox) subunit of NAD(P)H oxidase as well as in cultured mouse lung vascular endothelial cells (MLVEC) from these mice. In response to TNFalpha challenge, NF-kappaB activation and ICAM-1 expression were significantly attenuated in lungs of p47(phox)(-/-) mice as compared with wild-type (WT) mice.