技术资料

Point mutations constitute a major mode of oncogenic activation of the Met receptor tyrosine kinase. Met is aberrantly activated in many types of human malignancies and its deregulated activity is correlated with aggressive tumor traits such as abnormal proliferation and survival,leading to tumor growth,local invasion and metastasis. Here we report that the Met kinase inhibitor SU11274 differentially affects the kinase activity and subsequent signaling of various mutant forms of Met. Two Met variants tested,M1268T and H1112Y,were potently inhibited by 2 microM SU11274,while two other variants,L1213V and Y1248H,remained resistant under similar experimental conditions. Inhibition of the kinase altered cell proliferation,morphology and motility,while cells containing resistant mutants appeared unaffected by the compound. The basis for the sensitivity or resistance to SU11274 is discussed in terms of the position of the mutations predicted from a homology model. View Publication

Commitment of stem cells to different lineages is regulated by many cues in the local tissue microenvironment. Here we demonstrate that cell shape regulates commitment of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) to adipocyte or osteoblast fate. hMSCs allowed to adhere,flatten,and spread underwent osteogenesis,while unspread,round cells became adipocytes. Cell shape regulated the switch in lineage commitment by modulating endogenous RhoA activity. Expressing dominant-negative RhoA committed hMSCs to become adipocytes,while constitutively active RhoA caused osteogenesis. However,the RhoA-mediated adipogenesis or osteogenesis was conditional on a round or spread shape,respectively,while constitutive activation of the RhoA effector,ROCK,induced osteogenesis independent of cell shape. This RhoA-ROCK commitment signal required actin-myosin-generated tension. These studies demonstrate that mechanical cues experienced in developmental and adult contexts,embodied by cell shape,cytoskeletal tension,and RhoA signaling,are integral to the commitment of stem cell fate. View Publication

Malignant pleural mesothelioma is an uncommon tumor largely confined to the thoracic cavity,which is resistant to conventional therapies,therefore prompting an intensive search for effective treatment alternatives. This study focuses on dendritic cell (DC) vaccination for malignant pleural mesothelioma and evaluates the in vitro efficacy of antigen-loaded DC-based vaccines for the induction of major histocompatibility complex Class I-restricted antimesothelioma cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses. The source of tumor-associated antigens for HLA-A2(+) DCs from healthy donors was apoptotic HLA-A2(-) mesothelioma cells either lacking or expressing heat shock protein 70 according to whether tumor cells were heat shocked or not before ultraviolet-mediated apoptosis. Our results show that both apoptotic preparations were equivalent regarding the responsiveness of DCs to combined treatment with tumor necrosis factor-alpha and poly(inosinic-cytidylic) acid,as determined by similar increased expression of costimulatory molecules and interleukin-12 production. However,only DCs loaded with apoptotic heat shock protein 70-expressing cells were found to be potent in vitro inducers of cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity against HLA-A2(+) mesothelioma cells. Such elicited cytotoxic T lymphocytes also exhibit cytotoxic activity against an HLA-A2(+) melanoma cell line,suggesting recognition of shared antigens. These findings therefore carry the potential of offering an alternative,promising approach for the therapy of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma. View Publication

The fate of pluripotent stem cells is tightly controlled during early embryonic development. Both the derivation and the maintenance of embryonic stem cells (ES cells) in vitro depend on feeder cell-derived growth factors that are largely unidentified. To dissect the mechanisms governing pluripotency,we conducted a screen to identify factors that are produced by mouse embryonic fibroblast STO cells and are required to maintain the pluripotency of ES cells. One of the factors is bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4). Unexpectedly,the major effect of BMP4 on the self-renewal of ES cells is accomplished by means of the inhibition of both extracellular receptor kinase (ERK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways,and inhibitors of ERK and p38 MAPKs mimic the effect of BMP4 on ES cells. Importantly,inhibition of the p38 MAPK pathway by SB203580 overcomes the block in deriving ES cells from blastocysts lacking a functional Alk3,the BMP type IA receptor. These results uncover a paradigm for BMP signaling in the biology of pluripotent stem cells. View Publication

Interleukin-10 (IL-10) has potent immunoregulatory effects on the maturation and the antigen-presenting cell (APC) function of dendritic cells (DCs). The molecular basis underlying these effects in DCs,however,is ill defined. It is well established that the transcription factor NF-kappaB is a key regulator of DC development,maturation,and APC function. This study was initiated to determine the effects of IL-10 on the NF-kappaB signaling pathway in immature DCs. IL-10 pretreatment of myeloid DCs cultured from bone marrow resulted in reduced DNA binding and nuclear translocation of NF-kappaB after anti-CD40 antibody or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. Furthermore,inhibited NF-kappaB activation was characterized by reduced degradation,phosphorylation,or both of IkappaBalpha and IkappaBepsilon but not IkappaBbeta and by reduced phosphorylation of Ser536,located in the trans-activation domain of p65. Notably,IL-10-mediated inhibition of NF-kappaB coincided with suppressed IkappaB kinase (IKK) activity in vitro. Furthermore,IL-10 blocked inducible Akt phosphorylation,and inhibitors of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) effectively suppressed the activation of Akt,IKK,and NF-kappaB. These findings demonstrate that IL-10 targets IKK activation in immature DCs and that suppressing the PI3K pathway in part mediates blockade of the pathway. View Publication

Histone acetylation is a diagnostic feature of transcriptionally active genes. The proper recruitment and function of histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and deacetylases (HDACs) are key regulatory steps for gene expression and cell cycle. Functional defects of either of these enzymes may lead to several diseases,including cancer. HATs and HDACs thus are potential therapeutic targets. Here we report that garcinol,a polyisoprenylated benzophenone derivative from Garcinia indica fruit rind,is a potent inhibitor of histone acetyltransferases p300 (IC50 approximately 7 microm) and PCAF (IC50 approximately 5 microm) both in vitro and in vivo. The kinetic analysis shows that it is a mixed type of inhibitor with an increased affinity for PCAF compared with p300. HAT activity-dependent chromatin transcription was strongly inhibited by garcinol,whereas transcription from DNA template was not affected. Furthermore,it was found to be a potent inducer of apoptosis,and it alters (predominantly down-regulates) the global gene expression in HeLa cells. View Publication

Blebbistatin was recently identified as a selective,cell-permeant inhibitor of myosin II. Because blebbistatin is likely to be used extensively with fluorescence imaging in studies of cytoskeletal dynamics,its compatibility with common excitation wavelengths was examined. Illumination of blebbistatin-treated bovine aortic endothelial cells at 365 and 450-490 nm,but not 510-560 or 590-650 nm,caused dose-dependent cell death. Illumination of blebbistatin alone at 365 and 450-490 nm changed its absorption and emission spectra,but the resultant compounds were not toxic. In addition,photoreacted blebbistatin no longer disrupted myosin distribution in cells,indicating loss of pharmacological activity. Fluorescence microscopy showed that upon illumination,blebbistatin became bound to cells and to protein-coated glass,suggesting that toxicity may arise from light-induced reaction of blebbistatin with cell proteins. Blebbistatin should be used only with careful consideration of these photochemical effects. View Publication

Using whole-cell patch-clamp,fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry,we demonstrate a switch in potassium channel expression during differentiation of human B cells from naive to memory cells. Naive and IgD(+)CD27(+) memory B cells express small numbers of the voltage-gated Kv1.3 and the Ca(2+)-activated intermediate-conductance IKCa1 channel when quiescent,and increase IKCa1 expression 45-fold upon activation with no change in Kv1.3 levels. In contrast,quiescent class-switched memory B cells express high levels of Kv1.3 ( approximately 2000 channels/cell) and maintain their Kv1.3(high) expression after activation. Consistent with their channel phenotypes,proliferation of naive and IgD(+)CD27(+) memory B cells is suppressed by the specific IKCa1 inhibitor TRAM-34 but not by the potent Kv1.3 blocker Stichodactyla helianthus toxin,whereas the proliferation of class-switched memory B cells is suppressed by Stichodactyla helianthus toxin but not TRAM-34. These changes parallel those reported for T cells. Therefore,specific Kv1.3 and IKCa1 inhibitors may have use in therapeutic manipulation of selective lymphocyte subsets in immunological disorders. View Publication

Internal tandem duplications (ITDs) of the FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) receptor tyrosine kinase are found in approximately 30% of patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and are associated with a poor prognosis. FLT3 ITD mutations result in constitutive kinase activation and are thought to be pathogenetically relevant,implicating FLT3 as a plausible therapeutic target. MLN518 (formerly CT53518) is a small molecule inhibitor of the FLT3,KIT,and platelet-derived growth-factor receptor (PDGFR) tyrosine kinases with significant activity in murine models of FLT3 ITD-positive leukemia. Given the importance of FLT3 and KIT for normal hematopoietic progenitor cells,we analyzed the effect of MLN518 on murine hematopoiesis under steady-state conditions,after chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression,and during bone marrow transplantation. In these assays,we show that MLN518 has mild toxicity toward normal hematopoiesis at concentrations that are effective in treating FLT3 ITD-positive leukemia in mice. We also demonstrate that MLN518 preferentially inhibits the growth of blast colonies from FLT3 ITD-positive compared with ITD-negative patients with AML,at concentrations that do not significantly affect colony formation by normal human progenitor cells. In analogy to imatinib mesylate in BCR-ABL-positive acute leukemia,MLN518-induced remissions may not be durable. Our studies provide the basis for integrating this compound into chemotherapy and transplantation protocols. View Publication

Gene therapy for a wide variety of disorders would be greatly enhanced by the development of vectors that could be targeted for gene delivery to specific populations of cells. We describe here high-efficiency targeted transduction based on a novel targeting strategy that exploits the ability of retroviruses to incorporate host cell proteins into the surface of the viral particle as they bud through the plasma membrane. Ecotropic retroviral particles produced in cells engineered to express the membrane-bound form of stem cell factor (mbSCF) transduce both human cell lines and primary cells with high efficiency in a strictly c-kit (SCF receptor)-dependent fashion. The availability of efficient targeted vectors provides a platform for the development of a new generation of therapies using in vivo gene delivery. View Publication

Tetraspanins are thought to facilitate the formation of multiprotein complexes at cell surfaces,but evidence illuminating the biologic importance of this role is sparse. Tetraspanin CD151 forms very stable laminin-binding complexes with integrins alpha3beta1 and alpha6beta1 in kidney and alpha3beta1 and alpha6beta4 in skin. It is encoded by a gene at the same position on chromosome 11p15.5 as the MER2 blood group gene. We show that CD151 expresses the MER2 blood group antigen and is located on erythrocytes. We examined CD151 in 3 MER2-negative patients (2 are sibs) of Indian Jewish origin with end-stage kidney disease. In addition to hereditary nephritis the sibs have sensorineural deafness,pretibial epidermolysis bullosa,and beta-thalassemia minor. The 3 patients are homozygous for a single nucleotide insertion (G383) in exon 5 of CD151,causing a frameshift and premature stop signal at codon 140. The resultant truncated protein would lack its integrin-binding domain. We conclude that CD151 is essential for the proper assembly of the glomerular and tubular basement membrane in kidney,has functional significance in the skin,is probably a component of the inner ear,and could play a role in erythropoiesis. View Publication

Thrombopoietin (Tpo) is the primary cytokine regulating megakaryocyte development and platelet production. Tpo signaling through its receptor,c-mpl,activates multiple pathways including signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)3,STAT5,phosphoinositide 3-kinase-Akt,and p42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). The adaptor protein Lnk is implicated in cytokine receptor and immunoreceptor signaling. Here,we show that Lnk overexpression negatively regulates Tpo-mediated cell proliferation and endomitosis in hematopoietic cell lines and primary hematopoietic cells. Lnk attenuates Tpo-induced S-phase progression in 32D cells expressing mpl,and Lnk decreases Tpo-dependent megakaryocyte growth in bone marrow (BM)-derived megakaryocyte culture. Consistent with this result,we found that in both BM and spleen,Lnk-deficient mice exhibited increased numbers of megakaryocytes with increased ploidy compared with wild-type mice. In addition,Lnk-deficient megakaryocytes derived from BM and spleen showed enhanced sensitivity to Tpo during culture. The absence of Lnk caused enhanced and prolonged Tpo induction of STAT3,STAT5,Akt,and MAPK signaling pathways in CD41+ megakaryocytes. Furthermore,the Src homology 2 domain of Lnk is essential for Lnk's inhibitory function. In contrast,the conserved tyrosine near the COOH terminus is dispensable and the pleckstrin homology domain of Lnk contributes to,but is not essential for,inhibiting Tpo-dependent 32D cell growth or megakaryocyte development. Thus,Lnk negatively modulates mpl signaling pathways and is important for Tpo-mediated megakaryocytopoiesis in vivo. View Publication