The T-cell costimulatory receptors, CD28 and the inducible costimulator (ICOS), are required for the generation of follicular B helper T cells (T FH) and germinal center (GC) reaction. A common signal transducer used by CD28 and ICOS is the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). Although it is known that CD28-mediated PI3K activation is dispensable for GC reaction, the role of ICOS-driven PI3K signaling has not been defined. We show here that knock-in mice that selectively lost the ability to activate PI3K through ICOS had severe defects in T FH generation, GC reaction, antibody class switch, and antibody affinity maturation. In preactivated CD4 ؉ T cells, ICOS delivered a potent PI3K signal that was critical for the induction of the key T FH cytokines, IL-21 and IL-4. Under the same settings, CD28 was unable to activate PI3K but supported a robust secondary expansion of T cells. Thus, our results demonstrate a nonredundant function of ICOS-PI3K pathway in the generation of T FH and suggest that CD28 and ICOS play differential roles during a multistep process of T FH differentiation.CD28 ͉ follicular B helper T-cell ͉ germinal center ͉ ICOS ͉ PI3K

Bisphenol A (BPA) leaches from plastics to contaminate foodstuffs. Analogs, such as bisphenol S (BPS), are now used increasingly in manufacturing. Greater BPA exposure has been correlated with exacerbation of cardiovascular disease, including myocardial infarction (MI). To test the hypothesis that bisphenol exposure impairs cardiac healing, we exposed C57bl/6n mice to water containing 25ng/ml BPA or BPS from conception and surgically induced an MI in adult male progeny. Increased early death and cardiac dilation, and reduced cardiac function were found post-MI in BPA- and BPS-exposed mice. Flow cytometry revealed increased monocyte and macrophage infiltration that correlated with increased chemokine C-C motif ligand-2 expression in the infarct. In vitro BPA and BPS addition increased matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP) protein and secreted activity in RAW264.7 macrophage cells suggesting that invivo increases in MMP2 and MMP9 in exposed infarcts were myeloid-derived. Bone marrow-derived monocytes isolated from exposed mice had greater expression of pro-inflammatory polarization markers when chemokine stimulated indicating an enhanced susceptibility to develop a pro-inflammatory monocyte population. Chronic BPA exposure of estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) deficient mice did not worsen early death, cardiac structure/function, or expression of myeloid markers after an MI. In contrast, BPS exposure of ERβ-deficient mice resulted in greater death and expression of myeloid markers. We conclude that lifelong exposure to BPA or BPS augmented the monocyte/macrophage inflammatory response and adverse remodeling from an MI thereby reducing the ability to survive and successfully recover, and that the adverse effect of BPA, but not BPS, is downstream of ERβ signaling.

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Post-synaptic dendritic spines are structurally composed of actin cytoskeleton, which undergoes dynamic morphological changes to accommodate incoming synaptic activity. Drebrin is an actin-binding protein highly expressed in dendritic spines that serves an important role in regulating spine morphology. Functionally, loss of drebrin directly correlates with deficits in learning and memory, as is the case observed in Alzheimer's disease. Despite these findings, the regulatory factor responsible for drebrin loss remains unclear. Here, we show that early growth response-1 (Egr-1), an inducible zinc finger transcription factor, down-regulates drebrin expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses identified Egr-1 binding sites upstream of the drebrin start site in neuronal cells. Over-expression of Egr-1 in vitro in primary hippocampal neurons or in vivo in homogenates prepared from the hippocampi of an inducible mouse model of Egr-1 show reduced drebrin mRNA and protein levels. Conversely, increased drebrin was detected in hippocampal samples isolated from Egr-1-deficient brain. These data demonstrate that Egr-1 interacts with the drebrin promoter and negatively regulates drebrin expression. Furthermore, immunocytochemical and Golgi staining analyses revealed reduced drebrin protein and dendritic spine density as well as reduced expression of synaptic markers in in vitro hippocampal neurons over-expressing Egr-1 and in vivo inducible mouse model of Egr-1. In contrast, increased drebrin expression correlated with increased dendritic spine density was detected in samples from Egr-1-deficient mice. These data provide evidence that Egr-1 is a novel regulator of drebrin expression, which is linked to changes in dendritic spine density.

Synaptic transmission requires intricate coordination of the components involved in processing of incoming signals, formation and stabilization of synaptic machinery, neurotransmission and in all related signaling pathways. Changes to any of these components cause synaptic imbalance and disruption of neuronal circuitry. Extensive studies at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) have greatly aided in the current understanding of synapses and served to elucidate the underlying physiology as well as associated adaptive and homeostatic processes. The heparan sulfate proteoglycan agrin is a vital component of the NMJ, mediating synaptic formation and maintenance in both brain and muscle, but very little is known about direct control of its expression. Here, we investigated the relationship between agrin and transcription factor early growth response-1 (Egr-1), as Egr-1 regulates the expression of many genes involved in synaptic homeostasis and plasticity. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), cell culture with cell lines derived from brain and muscle, and animal models, we show that Egr-1 binds to the AGRN gene locus and suppresses its expression. When compared with wild type (WT), mice deficient in Egr-1 (Egr-1−/−) display a marked increase in AGRN mRNA and agrin full-length and cleavage fragment protein levels, including the 22 kDa, C-terminal fragment in brain and muscle tissue homogenate. Because agrin is a crucial component of the NMJ, we explored possible physiological implications of the Egr-1-agrin relationship. In the diaphragm, Egr-1−/− mice display increased NMJ motor endplate density, individual area and area of innervation. In addition to increased density, soleus NMJs also display an increase in fragmented and faint endplates in Egr-1−/− vs. WT mice. Moreover, the soleus NMJ electrophysiology of Egr-1−/− mice revealed increased quantal content and motor testing showed decreased movement and limb muscle strength compared with WT. This study provides evidence for the potential involvement of a novel Egr-1-agrin pathway in synaptic homeostatic and compensatory mechanisms at the NMJ. Synaptic homeostasis is greatly affected by the process of aging. These and other data suggest that changes in Egr-1 expression may directly or indirectly promote age-related pathologies.