TNF signaling inactivation sensitizes AML cells to NF-kB inhibition but protects healthy hematopoietic stem progenitor cells from this treatment.

We have previously shown that immunodeficient mice exhibit significant facial motoneuron (FMN) loss compared to wild-type (WT) mice after a facial nerve axotomy. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is known as a regulatory cytokine that plays an important role in maintaining the anti-inflammatory environment within the central nervous system (CNS). IL-10 is produced by a number of different cells, including Th2 cells, and may exert an anti-apoptotic action on neurons directly. In the present study, the role of IL-10 in mediating neuroprotection following a facial nerve axotomy model in Rag2- and IL-10-deficient mice was investigated. Results indicate that IL-10 is neuroprotective, but only in the presence of CD4+ T cells that are not the requisite source of IL-10. In addition, using real-time PCR analysis of laser microdissected brainstem sections, results show that IL-10 mRNA is constitutively expressed in the facial nucleus and that a transient, significant reduction of IL-10 mRNA occurs following axotomy under immunodeficient conditions. Dual labeling immunofluorescence data show, unexpectedly, that the IL-10 receptor (IL-10R) is constitutively expressed by facial motoneurons, but is selectively induced in astrocytes within the facial nucleus after axotomy. Thus, a non-CD4+ T cell source of IL-10 is necessary for modulating both glial and neuronal events that mediate neuroprotection of injured motoneurons, but only with the cooperation of CD4+ T cells, providing an avenue of novel investigation into therapeutic approaches to prevent or reverse motoneuron diseases, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

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Polarized Th1 cells show a stable phenotype: they become insensitive to IL-4 stimulation and lose the potential to produce IL-4. Previously, we reported that IFN-γ played a critical role in stabilizing Th1 phenotype. However, the mechanism by which IFN-γ stabilizes Th1 phenotype is not clear. In this study, we compared STAT6 phosphorylation in wild-type (WT) and IFN-γ receptor knockout (IFNGR−/−) Th1 cells. We found a striking diminution of STAT6 phosphorylation in differentiated WT Th1 cells, but not in differentiated IFNGR−/− Th1 cells. The impairment of STAT6 phosphorylation in differentiated WT Th1 cells was not due to a lack of IL-4R expression or phosphorylation. Jak1 and Jak3 expression and phosphorylation were comparable in both cell types. No differential expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling 1 (SOCS1), SOCS3, or SOCS5 was observed in the two cell types. In addition, Src homology 2-containing phosphatase mutation did not affect IL-4-induced STAT6 phosphorylation in differentiated Th1 cells derived from viable motheaten (mev/mev) mice. These results led us to focus on a novel mechanism. By using a pulldown assay, we observed that STAT6 in WT Th1 cells bound less effectively to the phosphorylated IL-4R/GST fusion protein than that in IFNGR−/− Th1 cells. Our results suggest that IFN-γ may suppress phosphorylation of STAT6 by inhibiting its recruitment to the IL-4R.