Immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory properties of a major protein secreted from the epithelium of the rat seminal vesicles.
The nonspecies specific immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory properties of a major protein (SV-IV) secreted from the epithelium of rat seminal vesicles (SV) are described. To detect the immunosuppressive effect, peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) were pretreated for 2 hr at 37 degrees with SV-IV, and the protein was maintained in the incubation medium during the whole culture time. We obtained evidence that, during preincubation of PBL and SV-IV the protein was transformed by a transglutaminase (TGase) released from PBL into modified low and high molecular weight forms able to bind to PBL surfaces. It is suggested that T lymphocytes are the possible targets of the immunosuppressive effect. SV-IV seems to inhibit only the early phase of the proliferative response of T lymphocytes to mitogens without having any direct effect on the enzymatic system involved in DNA synthesis. Moreover, the protein SV-IV was also shown to possess an anti-inflammatory property due to a block of the arachidonic acid cascade at the level of the enzyme phospholipase A2 (PLA2). The physiological significance of the immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory properties of SV-IV are discussed in relation to different aspects of the mammalian reproduction.
Metafora
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CNR Institute of Protein Biochemistry and Enzymology, Arcofelice, Naples, Italy.
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Persico
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Ravagnan
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Esposito
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Porta
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D000818:Animals; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D004247:DNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015232:Dinoprostone / Q000378:metabolism; D004848:Epithelium / Q000378:metabolism; D006681:HLA-D Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D007959:Lymphocyte Culture Test, Mixed; D008297:Male; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D054467:Phospholipases A2; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2 / Q000032:analysis; D012669:Seminal Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism*; D014598:Uteroglobin / Q000494:pharmacology
D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D006681:HLA-D Antigens; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D011506:Proteins; D015375:Receptors, Interleukin-2; D003208:Concanavalin A; D004247:DNA; D014598:Uteroglobin; D010741:Phospholipases A; D054467:Phospholipases A2; D015232:Dinoprostone