Anti-CCL5 polyclonal antibody

Purpose The state of knowledge about the effect of sleep deprivation on the immune system is scarce and conflicting. It would therefore be useful to investigate the consequences of sleep deprivation on the immune system. We have studied the effect of sleep deprivation on the changes in neutrophil functions, and the ex vivo proliferative pattern of CD4(+) T lymphocytes in relationship with blood cytokine and chemokine levels due to the crucial role of these cells in mounting potent immune responses. Methods Healthy volunteers were followed for 3 weeks. They had normal sleep in weeks 1 and 3 and they were sleep-deprived on week 2, sleeping < 6 h per 24 h, a pattern similar to sleep behaviors of many chronically sleep-deprived individuals. We assessed the levels of Th1/Th2 and inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, CD4(+) T cells, and the NADPH oxidase activation and phagocytic functions in neutrophils. Results Our results suggest that sleep deprivation leads to a decreased neutrophil capacity to phagocytose bacteria and activate NADPH oxidase (p < 0.05). Sleep deprivation was associated with a potential increase in CXCL9 levels and decrease in CXCL10/CXCL9 and CCL5/CXCL9 ratios (p < 0.05). Furthermore, our results suggest that the decrease in CD4(+) T cell due to sleep deprivation was not associated with changes in their proliferation as observed by Ki67 levels, but rather, it correlated with changes in CXCL10/CXCL9 ratio (p < 0.05). Conclusions Sleep deprivation may lead to a decreased phagocytosis and NADPH oxidase activity in neutrophils and a decrease in the levels of CD4(+) T cells which is related to changes in the Th1-related chemokine balance.

Viruses are known to perturb host cellular metabolism to enable their replication and spread. However, little is known about the interactions between Zika virus (ZIKV) infection and host metabolism. Using primary human retinal vascular endothelial cells and an established human endothelial cell line, we investigated the role of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a master regulator of energy metabolism, in response to ZIKV challenge. ZIKV infection caused a time-dependent reduction in the active phosphorylated state of AMPK and of its downstream target acetyl-CoA carboxylase. Pharmacological activation of AMPK using 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide ribonucleotide (AICAR), metformin, and a specific AMPK alpha activator (GSK621) attenuated ZIKV replication. This activity was reversed by an AMPK inhibitor (compound C). Lentivirus-mediated knockdown of AMPK and the use of AMPK alpha(-/-) mouse embryonic fibroblasts provided further evidence that AMPK has an antiviral effect on ZIKV replication. Consistent with its antiviral effect, AMPK activation potentiated the expression of genes with antiviral properties (e.g., IFNs, OAS2, ISG15, and MX/) and inhibited inflammatory mediators (e.g., TNF-alpha and CCL5). Bioenergetic analysis showed that ZIKV infection evokes a glycolytic response, as evidenced by elevated extracellular acidification rate and increased expression of key glycolytic genes (GLUT1, HK2, TPI, and MCT4); activation of AMPK by AICAR treatment reduced this response. Consistent with this, 2-deoxyglucose, an inhibitor of glycolysis, augmented AMPK activity and attenuated ZIKV replication. Thus, our study demonstrates that the anti-ZIKV effect of AMPK signaling in endothelial cells is mediated by reduction of viral-induced glycolysis and enhanced innate antiviral responses.