• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.10 no.5
• /
• pp.707-713
• /
• 2000

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is caused mainly by autoantibodies directed against acetylcholine receptors located in the postsynaptic muscle cell membrane. Using in vitro selection techniques, we isolated an RNA containing 2'-fluoro pyrimidines that can specifically and avidly ($K_d$ ~25 nM) bind rat monoclonal antibody called mAb198, which recognizes the main immunogenic region on the acetylcholine receptors. This RNA can act as a very effective decoy and block mAb198 binding to the receptors in vitro. Furthermore, this RNA decoy can prevent the antigenic modulation of the acetylcholine receptor caused by mAb198 in human muscle cell cultures with and $IC_{50} $of approximately $2.4{\mu}M$. These results indicate that the RNA selected in this study is a more potent decly inhibitor of myashthenic antibodies than the previously identified RNA with 2'-amino pyrimidines [11]. Moreover, this RNA cross-reacts with autoantibodies from patients with MG and can protect human cells from the effects of these antibodies. These observations have important implications for developing an antigen-specific treatment of autoimmune diseases including MG, which is based on decoy RNAs selected in vitro.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.27 no.12
• /
• pp.1258-1262
• /
• 2004

Phosphodiesterase (PDE) 4 is an enzyme that degrades intracellular cAMP. In the present study, the effect of rolipram, a specific phosphodiesterase (PDE) 4 inhibitor, on osteoclast formation was investigated. Rolipram induced osteoclast formation in cocultures of mouse bone marrow cells and calvarial osteoblasts. This activity was not observed in the absence of calvarial osteoblasts, suggesting that calvarial osteoblasts are likely target cells of rolipram. Osteoclast formation by rolipram was completely blocked by the addition of osteoprotegerin (OPG), a soluble decoy receptor for the osteoclast differentiation factor, TNF-related activation-induced cytokine (TRANCE, identical to RANKL, ODF, and OPGL). Northern blot analysis revealed the effect of rolipram to be associated with the increased expression of TRANCE mRNA in mouse calvarial osteoblasts. Collectively, these data indicate that PDE4 inhibitor up-regulates the TRANCE mRNA expression in osteoblasts, which in turn controls osteoclast formation.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.197-201
• /
• 2004

Phosphodiesterases (PDEs) are enzymes that degrade intracellular cAMP. In the present study, pentoxifylline, a PDE inhibitor, induced osteoclast formation in co-cultures of mouse bone marrow cells and calvarial osteoblasts. To address the involvement of the osteoclast differentiation factor TNF-related activation-induced cytokine (TRANCE, identical to RANKL, ODF, and OPGL), mouse bone marrow cells and calvarial osteoblasts were co-cultured with pentoxifylline in the presence of OPG, a decoy receptor for TRANCE. The osteoclastogenic effect of pentoxifylline was completely blocked by addition of OPG, suggesting that TRANCE is involved in the osteoclast formation induced by pentoxifylline, Northern blot analysis revealed that pentoxifylline significantly induced TRANCE mRNA expression in calvarial osteoblasts. These results suggests that pentoxifylline regulates TRANCE expression in osteoblasts, which in turn controls osteoclast formation.