Pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor, a novel cytokine of human fetal membranes

2002 ◽  
Vol 187 (4) ◽  
pp. 1051-1058 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simona Ognjanovic ◽  
Gillian D. Bryant-Greenwood
2001 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 107-117 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Ognjanovic ◽  
S Bao ◽  
SY Yamamoto ◽  
J Garibay-Tupas ◽  
B Samal ◽  
...  

Pre-B-cell colony enhancing factor (PBEF) was first isolated from an activated peripheral blood lymphocyte cDNA library and was found to be involved in the maturation of B-cell precursors. It was subsequently identified as one of the genes upregulated by distending the human fetal membranes in vitro. Here we report on the genomic organization of this gene, which is composed of 11 exons and 10 introns, spanning 34.7 kb of genomic DNA. Neither the gene nor the protein has any homology with other cytokines in any currently available database. The use of two promoters (proximal and distal) may result in differential, tissue specific expression of the PBEF transcripts. The 5'-flanking region lacks the classical sequence motif that would place it with the hematopoietic cytokines; however, it has several putative regulatory elements, suggesting that this gene may be chemically and mechanically responsive to inducers of transcription. The three PBEF mRNA transcripts were observed in both normal and infected human fetal membranes but were significantly upregulated (P<0.05) in severe infection. The PBEF protein was immunolocalized, in both normal and infected tissues, to both the normal fetal cells of the amnion and chorion and the maternal decidua of the membranes, and to the invading neutrophils. These stained strongly and were likely to contribute to the increased expression in infection. The amniotic epithelial cell line (WISH cells) has been used as a model to study PBEF gene modulation. Lipopolysaccharide, interleukin (IL)-1beta, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)alpha and IL-6 all significantly increased the expression of PBEF in 4 h of treatment. The addition of dexamethasone to IL-1beta and TNFalpha significantly reduced the response of PBEF to these cytokines. IL-8 treatment failed to alter PBEF gene expression. Thus PBEF is a cytokine expressed in the normal fetal membranes and upregulated when they are infected. It is likely to have a central role in the mechanism of infection-induced preterm birth.


1994 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 1431-1437 ◽  
Author(s):  
B Samal ◽  
Y Sun ◽  
G Stearns ◽  
C Xie ◽  
S Suggs ◽  
...  

A novel gene coding for the pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor (PBEF) has been isolated from a human peripheral blood lymphocyte cDNA library. The expression of this gene is induced by pokeweed mitogen and superinduced by cycloheximide. It is also induced in the T-lymphoblastoid cell line HUT 78 after phorbol ester (phorbol myristate acetate) treatment. The predominant mRNA for PBEF is approximately 2.4 kb long and codes for a 52-kDa secreted protein. The 3' untranslated region of the mRNA has multiple TATT motifs, usually found in cytokine and oncogene messages. The PBEF gene is mainly transcribed in human bone marrow, liver tissue, and muscle. We have expressed PBEF in COS 7 and PA317 cells and have tested the biological activities of the conditioned medium as well as the antibody-purified protein in different in vitro assays. PBEF itself had no activity but synergized the pre-B-cell colony formation activity of stem cell factor and interleukin 7. In the presence of PBEF, the number of pre-B-cell colonies was increased by at least 70% above the amount stimulated by stem cell factor plus interleukin 7. No effect of PBEF was found with cells of myeloid or erythroid lineages. These data define PBEF as a novel cytokine which acts on early B-lineage precursor cells.


2006 ◽  
Vol 91 (1) ◽  
pp. 295-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miao-Pei Chen ◽  
Fu-Mei Chung ◽  
Dao-Ming Chang ◽  
Jack C.-R. Tsai ◽  
Han-Fen Huang ◽  
...  

2008 ◽  
Vol 115 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Grit Sommer ◽  
Antje Garten ◽  
Stefanie Petzold ◽  
Annette G. Beck-Sickinger ◽  
Matthias Blüher ◽  
...  

Over the last few years, it has become obvious that obesity and insulin resistance are linked by a variety of proteins secreted by adipocytes. Visfatin/PBEF (pre-B-cell colony-enhancing factor) has recently been identified as a novel adipokine with insulin-mimetic effects. Furthermore, an enzymatic function has been reported that reveals visfatin/PBEF as Nampt (nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase; EC 2.4.2.12.). Moreover, reports on the structure and hormonal regulation of visfatin/PBEF/Nampt have given further insights into its potential physiological role. The present review summarizes studies on visfatin/PBEF/Nampt as a novel adipokine.


2005 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 142-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shui Q. Ye ◽  
Li Q. Zhang ◽  
Djanybek Adyshev ◽  
Peter V. Usatyuk ◽  
Alexander N. Garcia ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Alexander R. Moschen ◽  
Sabine Geiger ◽  
Romana Gerner ◽  
Herbert Tilg

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