Inhibitory effect of extracellular purine nucleotide and nucleoside concentrations on T cell proliferation

Exp Cell Res. 2016 Nov 15;349(1):1-14. doi: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2016.05.017. Epub 2016 May 24.

Abstract

The release of nucleic acids and derivatives after tissue-injury may affect cellular immune-response. We studied the impact of extracellular ribo-, desoxyribonucleotides and nucleosides on T-cell immunity. Peripheral-blood-mononuclear-cells (PBMCs) or isolated CD3+T-cells obtained from 6 healthy donors were stimulated via CD3/CD28 Dynabeads or dendritic cells (DCs) in the presence or absence of pyrimidine-, purine-nucleotides and -nucleosides (range 2-200µM). Addition of deoxy-, guanosine-triphosphate (dGTP, GTP) and guanosine resulted concentration dependent in a complete, adenosine-triphosphate (ATP) in a partial inhibition of the induced T-cell-proliferation. Deoxyadenosine-triphosphate (dATP), adenosine and the pyrimidine-ribo- and -deoxyribonucleotides displayed no inhibitory capacity. Inhibitory effects of dGTP and GTP, but not of guanosine and ATP were culture-media-dependent and could be almost abrogated by use of the serum-free lymphocyte-culture-media X-Vivo15 instead of RPMI1640 with standard-supplementation. In contrast to RPMI1640, X-Vivo15 resulted in a significant down-regulation of the cell-surface-located ectonucleotidases CD39 (Ecto-Apyrase) and CD73 (Ecto-5'-Nucleotidase), critical for the extracellular nucleotides-hydrolysis to nucleosides, explaining the loss of inhibition mediated by dGTP and GTP, but not Guanosine. In line with previous findings ATP was found to exert immunosuppressive effects on T-cell-proliferation. Purine-nucleotides, dGTP and GTP displayed a higher inhibitory capacity, but seem to be strictly dependent on the microenvironmental conditions modulating the responsiveness of the respective T-lymphocytes. Further evaluation of experimental and respective clinical settings should anticipate these findings.

Keywords: Extracellular milieu; Nucleosides; Nucleotides; T cell proliferation.

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphate / pharmacology
  • Antigens, CD / metabolism
  • Cell Count
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Dendritic Cells / cytology
  • Dendritic Cells / drug effects
  • Extracellular Space / chemistry*
  • Flow Cytometry
  • Guanosine Triphosphate / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / pharmacology
  • Jurkat Cells
  • Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed
  • Mycophenolic Acid / pharmacology
  • Nucleosides / pharmacology*
  • Purine Nucleotides / pharmacology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / cytology*
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Nucleosides
  • Purine Nucleotides
  • Guanosine Triphosphate
  • Adenosine Triphosphate
  • Mycophenolic Acid