技术资料

Phosphoinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) and Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) signaling are aberrantly activated in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) cells. Constitutively activated AKT and FLT3 regulate leukemia cell survival and resistance to chemotherapy. In this study,we investigated the effects of the novel multiple kinase inhibitor KP372-1 on the survival of AML cell lines and primary AML samples. KP372-1 directly inhibited the kinase activity of AKT,PDK1,and FLT3 in a concentration-dependent manner. Western blot analysis indicated that KP372-1 decreased the phosphorylation of AKT on both Ser(473) and Thr(308); abrogated the phosphorylation of p70S6 kinase,BAD,and Foxo3a via PI3K/AKT signaling; and down-regulated expression of PIM-1 through direct inhibition of FLT3. Treatment of AML cell lines with KP372-1 resulted in rapid generation of reactive oxygen species and stimulation of oxygen consumption,followed by mitochondrial depolarization,caspase activation,and phosphatidylserine externalization. KP372-1 induced pronounced apoptosis in AML cell lines and primary samples irrespective of their FLT3 status,but not in normal CD34(+) cells. Moreover,KP372-1 markedly decreased the colony-forming ability of primary AML samples (IC(50) textless 200 nmol/L) with minimal cytotoxic effects on normal progenitor cells. Taken together,our results show that the simultaneous inhibition of critical prosurvival kinases by KP372-1 leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis of AML but not normal hematopoietic progenitor cells. View Publication

BACKGROUND Hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) have traditionally been frozen using the cryoprotectant DMSO in dextran-40,saline or albumin. However,the process of freezing and thawing results in loss of HSC numbers and/or function. METHODS This study investigated the use of CryoStor for the freezing of HSC from cord blood (CB). CB donations (n = 30) were collected under an Institutional Ethics Committee-approved protocol,volume reduced and frozen using three different methods of cryoprotection. Aliquots were frozen with either 10% DMSO in dextran-40,10% DMSO in CryoStor or 5% DMSO in CryoStor. Prior to freezing samples were separated for nucleated cell (NC) and CD34+ counts and assessment of CD34+ viability. Aliquots were frozen and kept in vapor phase nitrogen for a minimum of 72 h. Vials were rapidly thawed at 37 degrees C and tested for NC and CD34+ counts and CD34+ viability and colony-forming unit (CFU) assay. RESULTS Cells frozen with CryoStor in 10% DMSO had significantly improved NC (P < 0.001),CD34+ recovery,viable CD34+ (P < 0.001) and CFU numbers (P < 0.001) compared with dextran in 10% DMSO. CryoStor in 5% DMSO resulted in significantly improved NC (P < 0.001) and CFU (P < 0.001). DISCUSSION These results suggest that improved HSC recovery,viability and functionality can be obtained using CryoStor with 10% DMSO and that similar if not better numbers can be obtained with 5% DMSO compared with dextran-40 with 10% DMSO. View Publication

Targeted cancer therapies exploit the continued dependence of cancer cells on oncogenic mutations. Such agents can have remarkable activity against some cancers,although antitumor responses are often heterogeneous,and resistance remains a clinical problem. To gain insight into factors that influence the action of a prototypical targeted drug,we studied the action of imatinib (STI-571,Gleevec) against murine cells and leukemias expressing BCR-ABL,an imatinib target and the initiating oncogene for human chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). We show that the tumor suppressor p53 is selectively activated by imatinib in BCR-ABL-expressing cells as a result of BCR-ABL kinase inhibition. Inactivation of p53,which can accompany disease progression in human CML,impedes the response to imatinib in vitro and in vivo without preventing BCR-ABL kinase inhibition. Concordantly,p53 mutations are associated with progression to imatinib resistance in some human CMLs. Our results identify p53 as a determinant of the response to oncogene inhibition and suggest one way in which resistance to targeted therapy can emerge during the course of tumor evolution. View Publication

A JAK2(V617F) mutation is frequently found in several BCR/ABL-negative myeloproliferative disorders. To address the contribution of this mutant to the pathogenesis of these different myeloproliferative disorders,we used an adoptive transfer of marrow cells transduced with a retrovirus expressing JAK2(V617F) in recipient irradiated mice. Hosts were analyzed during the 6 months after transplantation. For a period of 3 months,mice developed polycythemia,macrocytosis and usually peripheral blood granulocytosis. Transient thrombocytosis was only observed in a low-expresser group. All mice displayed trilineage hyperplasia in marrow and spleen along with an amplification of myeloid and erythroid progenitor cells and a formation of endogenous erythroid colonies. After 3 to 4 months,polycythemia regressed,abnormally shaped red blood cells and platelets were seen in circulation,and a deposition of reticulin fibers was observed in marrow and spleen. Development of fibrosis was associated with anemia,thrombocytopenia,high neutrophilia,and massive splenomegaly. These features mimic human polycythemia vera and its evolution toward myelofibrosis. This work demonstrates that JAK2(V617F) is sufficient for polycythemia and fibrosis development and offers an in vivo model to assess novel therapeutic approaches for JAK2(V617F)-positive pathologies. Questions remain regarding the exact contribution of JAK2(V617F) in other myeloproliferative disorders. View Publication

IL-17A is a T cell-derived proinflammatory cytokine required for microbial host defense. In vivo expression profoundly stimulates granulopoiesis. At baseline,the hemopoietic system of IL-17R knockout mice (IL-17Ra(-/-)) is,with the exception of increased splenic progenitor numbers,indistinguishable from normal control mice. However,when challenged with gamma irradiation,hemopoietic toxicity is significantly more pronounced in IL-17Ra(-/-) animals,with the gamma irradiation-associated LD(50) being reduced by 150 rad. In spleen-derived T cells,gamma irradiation induces significant murine IL-17A expression in vivo but not in vitro. After sublethal radiation injury (500 rad),the infusion of purified CD4(+) T cells enhances hemopoietic recovery. This recovery is significantly impaired in IL-17Ra(-/-) animals or after in vivo blockade of IL-17Ra in normal mice,resulting in a reduction of hemopoietic precursors by 50% and of neutrophils by 43%. Following sublethal radiation-induced myelosuppression,in vivo overexpression of murine IL-17A in normal mice substantially enhanced granulopoietic restoration in mice with a 4-fold increase in neutrophils and splenic precursors on day 8 (CFU-granulocyte-macrophage/granulocyte-erythrocyte-megakaryocyte-monocyte,CFU-high proliferative potential),as well as 2- and 3-fold increases of bone marrow precursors,respectively. This establishes IL-17A as a hemopoietic response cytokine to radiation injury in mice and an inducible mechanism that is required for recovery of granulopoiesis after radiation injury. View Publication

Most patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) express PML-RAR alpha,the fusion product of t(15;17)(q22;q11.2). Transgenic mice expressing PML-RAR alpha develop APL with long latency,low penetrance,and acquired cytogenetic abnormalities. Based on observations that 4% to 10% of APL patients harbor oncogenic ras mutations,we coexpressed oncogenic K-ras from its endogenous promoter with PML-RAR alpha to generate a short-latency,highly penetrant mouse model of APL. The APL disease was characterized by splenomegaly,leukocytosis,extramedullary hematopoiesis (EMH) in spleen and liver with an increased proportion of immature myeloperoxidase-expressing myeloid forms; transplantability to secondary recipients; and lack of cytogenetic abnormalities. Bone marrow cells showed enhanced self-renewal in vitro. This model establishes a role for oncogenic ras in leukemia pathogenesis and thus validates the oncogenic RAS signaling pathway as a potential target for therapeutic inhibition in leukemia patients. This mouse model should be useful for investigating signaling pathways that promote self-renewal in APL and for testing the in vivo efficacy of RAS signaling pathway inhibitors in conjunction with other targeted therapies such as ATRA (all trans retinoic acid) and arsenic trioxide. View Publication

MICA is a stress-regulated molecule recognized by the NK cell-activating receptor NKG2D. Previously,we demonstrated that MICA is induced on activated T cells but regulation by mitogenic cytokines and its biological consequences remain unexplored. Here,we show that IL-2,IL-4,and IL-15 but not TNF-alpha or IFN-alpha induced MICA expression in T lymphocytes present in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs),as assessed by Western blot. IL-2 effect involved Jak3/STAT5,p38 MAPK,p70(56) kinase,Lck/fyn kinases,and NF-kappaB. MICA expression was also observed in Th1 and Th2 cells. However,surface expression was not detected. T lymphocytes present in PBMCs and isolated CD4+ T lymphocytes stimulated with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate and ionomycin also induced MICA expression as assessed by Western blot,but only low levels were expressed at the cell surface. Activated but not resting CD4+ T lymphocytes were lysed by IL-15- or IL-2-stimulated NK cells,and susceptibility was increased when HLA class I molecules were blocked. Also,cytokine-stimulated NK cells produced more IFN-gamma after culture with activated CD4+ T lymphocytes. However,the participation of MICA in these responses,if any,was marginal. Confocal microscopy revealed that MICA is retained mostly inside activated CD4+ T cells. Our results suggest that low surface expression of MICA on activated CD4+ T lymphocytes might be a safeguard mechanism to protect them from NK cells in an inflammatory,virus-infected,or tumor microenvironment,where NK and activated CD4+ T cells are recruited. View Publication

Diamond-Blackfan anemia (DBA) is a broad developmental disease characterized by anemia,bone marrow (BM) erythroblastopenia,and an increased incidence of malignancy. Mutations in ribosomal protein gene S19 (RPS19) are found in approximately 25% of DBA patients; however,the role of RPS19 in the pathogenesis of DBA remains unknown. Using global gene expression analysis,we compared highly purified multipotential,erythroid,and myeloid BM progenitors from RPS19 mutated and control individuals. We found several ribosomal protein genes downregulated in all DBA progenitors. Apoptosis genes,such as TNFRSF10B and FAS,transcriptional control genes,including the erythropoietic transcription factor MYB (encoding c-myb),and translational genes were greatly dysregulated,mostly in diseased erythroid cells. Cancer-related genes,including RAS family oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes,were significantly dysregulated in all diseased progenitors. In addition,our results provide evidence that RPS19 mutations lead to codownregulation of multiple ribosomal protein genes,as well as downregulation of genes involved in translation in DBA cells. In conclusion,the altered expression of cancer-related genes suggests a molecular basis for malignancy in DBA. Downregulation of c-myb expression,which causes complete failure of fetal liver erythropoiesis in knockout mice,suggests a link between RPS19 mutations and reduced erythropoiesis in DBA. View Publication

We have previously described a novel series of low molecular weight protein tyrosine kinase inhibitors which we named tyrphostins. The characteristic active pharmacophore of these compounds was the hydroxy-cis-benzylidenemalononitrile moiety. In this article we describe three novel groups of tyrphostins: (i) one group has the phenolic moiety of the cis-benzylidenemalononitrile replaced either with other substituted benzenes or with heteroaromatic rings,(ii) another is a series of conformationally constrained derivatives of hydroxy-cis-benzylidenemalononitriles in which the malononitrile moiety is fixed relative to the aromatic ring,and (iii) two groups of compounds in which the position trans to the benzenemalononitrile has been substituted by ketones and amides. Among the novel tyrphostins examined we found inhibitors which discriminate between the highly homologous EGF receptor kinase (HER1) and ErbB2/neu kinase (HER2). These findings may lead to selective tyrosine kinase blockers for the treatment of diseases in which ErbB2/neu is involved. View Publication

Dendritic cells (DCs) are potent mediators of the immune response,and can be activated by exogenous pathogen components. Galectin-1 is a member of the conserved beta-galactoside-binding lectin family that binds galactoside residues on cell surface glycoconjugates. Galectin-1 is known to play a role in immune regulation via action on multiple immune cells. However,its effects on human DCs are unknown. In this study,we show that galectin-1 induces a phenotypic and functional maturation in human monocyte-derived DCs (MDDCs) similar to but distinct from the activity of the exogenous pathogen stimuli,LPS. Immature human MDDCs exposed to galectin-1 up-regulated cell surface markers characteristic of DC maturation (CD40,CD83,CD86,and HLA-DR),secreted high levels of IL-6 and TNF-alpha,stimulated T cell proliferation,and showed reduced endocytic capacity,similar to LPS-matured MDDCs. However,unlike LPS-matured DCs,galectin-1-treated MDDCs did not produce the Th1-polarizing cytokine IL-12. Microarray analysis revealed that in addition to modulating many of the same DC maturation genes as LPS,galectin-1 also uniquely up-regulated a significant subset of genes related to cell migration through the extracellular matrix (ECM). Indeed,compared with LPS,galectin-1-treated human MDDCs exhibited significantly better chemotactic migration through Matrigel,an in vitro ECM model. Our findings show that galectin-1 is a novel endogenous activator of human MDDCs that up-regulates a significant subset of genes distinct from those regulated by a model exogenous stimulus (LPS). One unique effect of galectin-1 is to increase DC migration through the ECM,suggesting that galectin-1 may be an important component in initiating an immune response. View Publication

Human complement receptor type 2 (CR2/CD21) is a B lymphocyte membrane glycoprotein that plays a central role in the immune responses to foreign Ags as well as the development of autoimmunity to nuclear Ags in systemic lupus erythematosus. In addition to these three well-characterized ligands,C3d/iC3b,EBV-gp350,and CD23,a previous study has identified CR2 as a potential receptor for IFN-alpha. IFN-alpha,a multifunctional cytokine important in the innate immune system,has recently been proposed to play a major pathogenic role in the development of systemic lupus erythematosus in humans and mice. In this study,we have shown using surface plasmon resonance and ELISA approaches that CR2 will bind IFN-alpha in the same affinity range as the other three well-characterized ligands studied in parallel. In addition,we show that IFN-alpha interacts with short consensus repeat domains 1 and 2 in a region that serves as the ligand binding site for C3d/iC3b,EBV-gp350,and CD23. Finally,we show that treatment of purified human peripheral blood B cells with the inhibitory anti-CR2 mAb 171 diminishes the induction of IFN-alpha-responsive genes. Thus,IFN-alpha represents a fourth class of extracellular ligands for CR2 and interacts with the same domain as the other three ligands. Defining the role of CR2 as compared with the well-characterized type 1 IFN-alpha receptor 1 and 2 in mediating innate immune and autoimmune roles of this cytokine should provide additional insights into the biologic roles of this interaction. View Publication

Demethylation of histone H3 lysine 4 is carried out by BHC110/LSD1,an enzyme with close homology to monoamine oxidases (MAO). Monoamine oxidase A or B are frequent targets of selective and nonselective small molecular inhibitors used for treatment of depression. Here we show that in contrast to selective monoamine oxidase inhibitors such as pargyline,nonselective monoamine oxidase inhibitors potently inhibit nucleosomal demethylation of histone H3 lysine 4. Tranylcypromine (brand name Parnate) displayed the best inhibitory activity with an IC50 of less than 2 microM. Treatment of P19 embryonal carcinoma cells with tranylcypromine resulted in global increase in H3K4 methylation as well as transcriptional derepression of two BHC110 target genes,Egr1 and the pluripotent stem cell marker Oct4. These results attest to the effectiveness of tranylcypromine as a small molecular inhibitor of histone demethylation. View Publication