技术资料

BACKGROUND Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a serine/threonine protein kinase,the activity of which is inhibited by a variety of extracellular stimuli including insulin,growth factors,cell specification factors and cell adhesion. Consequently,inhibition of GSK-3 activity has been proposed to play a role in the regulation of numerous signalling pathways that elicit pleiotropic cellular responses. This report describes the identification and characterisation of potent and selective small molecule inhibitors of GSK-3. RESULTS SB-216763 and SB-415286 are structurally distinct maleimides that inhibit GSK-3alpha in vitro,with K(i)s of 9 nM and 31 nM respectively,in an ATP competitive manner. These compounds inhibited GSK-3beta with similar potency. However,neither compound significantly inhibited any member of a panel of 24 other protein kinases. Furthermore,treatment of cells with either compound stimulated responses characteristic of extracellular stimuli that are known to inhibit GSK-3 activity. Thus,SB-216763 and SB-415286 stimulated glycogen synthesis in human liver cells and induced expression of a beta-catenin-LEF/TCF regulated reporter gene in HEK293 cells. In both cases,compound treatment was demonstrated to inhibit cellular GSK-3 activity as assessed by activation of glycogen synthase,which is a direct target of this kinase. CONCLUSIONS SB-216763 and SB-415286 are novel,potent and selective cell permeable inhibitors of GSK-3. Therefore,these compounds represent valuable pharmacological tools with which the role of GSK-3 in cellular signalling can be further elucidated. Furthermore,development of similar compounds may be of use therapeutically in disease states associated with elevated GSK-3 activity such as non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and neurodegenerative disease. View Publication

The imidazoquinoline R-848,originally identified as a highly effective antiviral agent,has recently been shown to be capable of potent B lymphocyte activation. The B cell-activating properties of R-848 are strikingly similar to the effects of the CD40 ligand CD154. The present study demonstrates that this similarity extends to the intracellular signaling pathways triggered by the compound,although both overlapping and distinct mechanisms of signaling were seen. Like CD40 ligation,R-848 stimulated activation of the stress-activated protein kinases c-Jun kinase and p38 and activated the NF-kappaB family of transcription factors. Both R-848- and CD40-mediated B cell differentiation were dependent upon NF-kappaB activation,although the relative importance of individual NF-kappaB family members appeared to differ between R-848- and CD40-mediated signals. Both signals were partially dependent upon induction of TNF-alpha and IL-6,and the cytoplasmic adaptor molecule TNF receptor-associated factor 2 is involved in both R-848- and CD40-mediated differentiation. View Publication

This study analyzes the gene repertoire coding for antibodies to an evolutionary novel immunogenic carbohydrate antigen in mice. The alpha-gal epitope (Gal alpha 1-3Gal beta 1-4GlcNAc-R) is an autoantigen,abundantly expressed in wild type mice,but absent in alpha 1,3galactosyltransferase knock-out (KO) mice,where it can induce the production of the anti-Gal antibody. Hybridoma clones secreting anti-Gal were isolated from different mice and their immunoglobulin genes were analyzed. All anti-Gal clones were found to be encoded by the heavy chain gene VH22.1 and light chain gene VK5.1. Moreover,one 'forbidden' anti-Gal clone,produced in a wild type mouse,was also encoded by VH 22.1 and VK 5.1. The genes coding for the different anti-Gal clones were found to contain somatic mutations and different CDR3 domains. These data imply that a highly restricted gene usage combined with junctional diversity and somatic mutations can generate new antibodies that have not been produced in the course of the evolution of a species. View Publication

It has long been known that small changes to the structure of the R(2) side chain of nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates can dramatically affect their potency for inhibiting bone resorption in vitro and in vivo,although the reason for these differences in antiresorptive potency have not been explained at the level of a pharmacological target. Recently,several nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates were found to inhibit osteoclast-mediated bone resorption in vitro by inhibiting farnesyl diphosphate synthase,thereby preventing protein prenylation in osteoclasts. In this study,we examined the potency of a wider range of nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates,including the highly potent,heterocycle-containing zoledronic acid and minodronate (YM-529). We found a clear correlation between the ability to inhibit farnesyl diphosphate synthase in vitro,to inhibit protein prenylation in cell-free extracts and in purified osteoclasts in vitro,and to inhibit bone resorption in vivo. The activity of recombinant human farnesyl diphosphate synthase was inhibited at concentrations textgreater or = 1 nM zoledronic acid or minodronate,the order of potency (zoledronic acid approximately equal to minodronate textgreater risedronate textgreater ibandronate textgreater incadronate textgreater alendronate textgreater pamidronate) closely matching the order of antiresorptive potency. Furthermore,minor changes to the structure of the R(2) side chain of heterocycle-containing bisphosphonates,giving rise to less potent inhibitors of bone resorption in vivo,also caused a reduction in potency up to approximately 300-fold for inhibition of farnesyl diphosphate synthase in vitro. These data indicate that farnesyl diphosphate synthase is the major pharmacological target of these drugs in vivo,and that small changes to the structure of the R(2) side chain alter antiresorptive potency by affecting the ability to inhibit farnesyl diphosphate synthase. View Publication

Reinfusion of ex vivo-expanded autologous megakaryocytes together with a stem cell transplantation may be useful to prevent or reduce the period of chemotherapy-induced thrombocytopenia. In this study,we analyzed several serum-containing and serum-free media to identify the most suitable medium for megakaryocyte expansion. Moreover,two thrombopoietin (Tpo)-mimetic peptides were tested to evaluate whether they could replace Tpo in an expansion protocol. To analyze the effects of different media on megakaryocyte expansion,we used an in vitro liquid culture system. For this purpose,CD34(+) cells were isolated from peripheral blood and cultured for 8 days in the presence of Tpo and interleukin-3 (IL-3). The presence of megakaryocytes was analyzed by flow cytometric analysis after staining for CD41 expression. For our standard culture procedure,megakaryocyte medium (MK medium) supplemented with 10% AB plasma was used. Addition of 5% or 2.5% AB plasma yielded higher numbers of megakaryocytes,implying the presence of inhibitory factors in plasma. However,some plasma components are required for optimal megakaryocyte expansion because addition of less than 1% AB plasma or addition of human serum albumin instead of AB plasma resulted in the formation of lower numbers of megakaryocytes. Two commercially available serum-free media were also tested: Cellgro and Stemspan. If CD34(+) cells were cultured in Cellgro medium similar numbers of megakaryocytes were obtained as when CD34(+) cells were cultured in MK medium supplemented with 10% AB plasma. In MK medium with 2.5% AB plasma,higher numbers of megakaryocytes were cultured than in MK medium supplemented with 10% AB plasma. Therefore,Cellgro medium is not the best alternative medium. In cultures with Stemspan medium,higher numbers of megakaryocytes were obtained compared to MK medium with 10% AB plasma. Stemspan is thus a good alternative for MK medium. Two Tpo-mimetic peptides,AF13948 and PK1M,were tested for their ability to replace Tpo. In cultures with AF13948,comparable numbers of megakaryocytes were obtained as in the presence of Tpo,but in cultures with PK1M the number of megakaryocytes was lower. This study shows that high concentrations of plasma in medium inhibits megakaryocyte formation,but some plasma components are required for optimal megakaryocyte expansion. For an ex vivo expansion protocol,it is worthwhile to test several media,because the number of megakaryocytes differs widely with the medium used. View Publication

Little is known about how neural stem cells are formed initially during development. We investigated whether a default mechanism of neural specification could regulate acquisition of neural stem cell identity directly from embryonic stem (ES) cells. ES cells cultured in defined,low-density conditions readily acquire a neural identity. We characterize a novel primitive neural stem cell as a component of neural lineage specification that is negatively regulated by TGFbeta-related signaling. Primitive neural stem cells have distinct growth factor requirements,express neural precursor markers,generate neurons and glia in vitro,and have neural and non-neural lineage potential in vivo. These results are consistent with a default mechanism for neural fate specification and support a model whereby definitive neural stem cell formation is preceded by a primitive neural stem cell stage during neural lineage commitment. View Publication

The 26S proteasome is a 2.4 MDa multifunctional ATP-dependent proteolytic complex,which degrades the majority of cellular polypeptides by an unusual enzyme mechanism. Several groups of proteasome inhibitors have been developed and are now widely used as research tools to study the role of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in various cellular processes,and two inhibitors are now in clinical trials for treatment of multiple cancers and stroke. View Publication

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway regulates growth and survival of many cell types,and its constitutive activation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of malignancies. In this study we demonstrate that small-molecule MEK inhibitors (PD98059 and PD184352) profoundly impair cell growth and survival of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines and primary samples with constitutive MAPK activation. These agents abrogate the clonogenicity of leukemic cells but have minimal effects on normal hematopoietic progenitors. MEK blockade also results in sensitization to spontaneous and drug-induced apoptosis. At a molecular level,these effects correlate with modulation of the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (p27(Kip1) and p21(Waf1/CIP1)) and antiapoptotic proteins of the inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAP) and Bcl-2 families. Interruption of constitutive MEK/MAPK signaling therefore represents a promising therapeutic strategy in AML. View Publication

BACKGROUND: Ex vivo expansion of cord blood (CB) hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells increases cell dose and may reduce the severity and duration of neutropenia and thrombocytopenia after transplantation. This study's purpose was to establish a clinically applicable culture system by investigating the use of cytokines,serum-free media,and autologous plasma for the expansion of CB cells and the engraftment of expanded product in nonobese diabetic/severe combined immunodeficient (NOD/SCID) mice. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Enriched CB CD34+ cells were cultured in four media (Iscove's modified Dulbecco's medium with FCS,Gibco; X-Vivo-10,BioWhittaker; QBSF-60,Quality Biological; and StemSpan SFEM,Stem Cell Technologies) with four cytokine combinations (thrombopoietin [TPO],SCF,Flt-3 ligand [FL] with and without G-CSF,and/or IL-6). The effect of autologous CB plasma was also investigated. The read-out measures were evaluated on Days 8 and 12. After expansion at the optimized condition,cultured cells were transplanted into sublethally irradiated NOD/SCID mice. The engraftment of human CD45+ cells and subsets in the bone marrow,spleen,and peripheral blood was determined. RESULTS: QBSF-60 or StemSpan SFEM supported high yields of early progenitors (CD34+ cells,textlessor= 64.8-fold; CD34+CD38- cells,330-fold; CFU-granulocyte erythroid macrophage megakaryocyte [GEMM],248-fold) and CFUs of the myeloid (CFU-GM,407-fold) and erythroid (BFU/CFU-E,144-fold) lineages. The expansion of the megakaryocytic lineage was consistently higher in X-Vivo-10 (CFU-megakaryocyte,684-fold). Autologous plasma promoted colony formation but reduced CD34+ cells and CFU-GEMM. The addition of G-CSF or IL-6 improved cell yields; G-CSF was more effective for committed progenitors. Expansion products from cultures in QBSF-60 with the cytokines engrafted and differentiated into the myeloid and lymphoid lineages in NOD/SCID mice. CONCLUSION: The data supported the strategy of expansion. The optimized condition may be applicable to clinical expansion for the abrogation or reduction of posttransplant cytopenia. View Publication

Characterization of molecules with tightly controlled expression patterns during differentiation represents an approach to understanding regulation of hematopoietic stem cell commitment. The multidrug resistance-1 (MDR1) gene product,P-glycoprotein,and the breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) are expressed differentially during hematopoiesis,with the highest levels in primitive bone marrow stem cell populations that are CD34(low) and CD34(-),respectively. Roles for ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter superfamily members in conferring drug resistance have been extensively described. However,recent hematopoietic overexpression studies have begun to reveal previously unknown roles for ABC transporter function in normal and malignant hematopoiesis. Expression of MDR1 and BCRP transporters in the myeloid lineage has been reported in blasts from acute myeloid leukemia,but very low to undetectable in normal myelomonocytic cells. Retroviral-mediated dysregulated expression of the MDR1 transporter resulted in increased hematopoietic repopulating activity and myeloproliferative disease in mice. A distinct functional role for the BCRP transporter as a negative regulator of hematopoietic repopulating activity has recently been demonstrated using the same approach. Additionally,the presence of BCRP expression specifically on hematopoietic side-population stem cells and neural stem/progenitors,makes BCRP an attractive candidate marker for isolation of stem cells with the ability to respond to diverse environmental cues. Regulation of stem cell biology by ABC transporters has emerged as an important new field of investigation. In light of these findings,it will be critical to further characterize this family of proteins in hematopoietic lineage-restricted stem cells and in pluripotent stem cells capable of crossing lineage barriers. View Publication

We have investigated the effects of thermal injury upon myelopoiesis. IL-3,GM-CSF,and IL-5 were used to stimulate myeloid colony formation. IL-3 induces early myeloid progenitors and a more developed myeloid progenitor,the granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming unit (GM-CFU),to multiply and develop into mature myeloid cells. GM-CSF induces GM-CFU to become mature myeloid cells,while IL-5 induces eosinophil progenitors to become mature eosinophils. Stem Cell Factor (SCF) + IL-6 and FLT3 ligand,which have no effect on colony formation by themselves,were used to enhance the effects of IL-3 and GM-CSF,respectively. We found that thermal injury increased the number of early myeloid progenitors and GM-CFU in the spleen with either IL-3 or GM-CSF as a stimulant. Thermal injury increased the number of early myeloid progenitors in the bone marrow when GM-CSF,but not IL-3,was used to stimulate colony growth. Also,thermal injury increased the numbers of eosinophil progenitors in rat spleen and bone marrow and increased splenic levels of IL-5 mRNA. View Publication

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid (AA)) is very popular for its antioxidant properties. Consequently,many other important aspects of this multifaceted molecule are often underestimated or even ignored. In the present paper,we have tried to bring to the foreground some of these aspects,including the peculiarities of the AA biosynthetic pathway in different organisms,the remarkable function of AA as a co-substrate of many important dioxygenases,the role of AA-regenerating enzymes and the known pathways of AA catabolism,as well as the intriguing function of AA in gene expression. View Publication