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Zhang S, Yao HF, Li H, Su T, Jiang SH, Wang H, Zhang ZG, Dong FY, Yang Q, Yang XM. Transglutaminases are oncogenic biomarkers in human cancers and therapeutic targeting of TGM2 blocks chemoresistance and macrophage infiltration in pancreatic cancer. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2023; 46:1473-1492. [PMID: 37246171 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-023-00824-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Transglutaminases (TGs) are multifunctional enzymes exhibiting transglutaminase crosslinking, as well as atypical GTPase/ATPase and kinase activities. Here, we used an integrated comprehensive analysis to assess the genomic, transcriptomic and immunological landscapes of TGs across cancers. METHODS Gene expression and immune cell infiltration patterns across cancers were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) datasets. Western blotting, immunofluorescence staining, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and orthotopic xenograft models were used to validate our database-derived results. RESULTS We found that the overall expression of TGs (designated as the TG score) is significantly upregulated in multiple cancers and related to a worse patient survival. The expression of TG family members can be regulated through multiple mechanisms at the genetic, epigenetic and transcriptional levels. The expression of transcription factors crucial for epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is commonly correlated with the TG score in many cancer types. Importantly, TGM2 expression displays a close connection with chemoresistance to a wide range of chemotherapeutic drugs. We found that TGM2 expression, F13A1 expression and the overall TG score were positively correlated with the infiltration of immune cells in all cancer types tested. Functional and clinical verification revealed that a higher TGM2 expression is linked with a worse patient survival, an increased IC50 value of gemcitabine, and a higher abundance of tumor-infiltrating macrophages in pancreatic cancer. Mechanistically, we found that increased C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) release mediated by TGM2 contributes to macrophage infiltration into the tumor microenvironment. CONCLUSIONS Our results reveal the relevance and molecular networks of TG genes in human cancers and highlight the importance of TGM2 in pancreatic cancer, which may provide promising directions for immunotherapy and for addressing chemoresistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong-Fei Yao
- Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200217, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, People's Republic of China
| | - Tong Su
- Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Shu-Heng Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, People's Republic of China
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Oncology, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, 1800 Yuntai Road, Pudong District, Shanghai, 200123, China
| | - Zhi-Gang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, People's Republic of China.
| | - Fang-Yuan Dong
- Department of Gastroenterology, Huadong Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 200040, People's Republic of China.
| | - Qin Yang
- Shanghai Institute of Precision Medicine, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
| | - Xiao-Mei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Ren Ji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, People's Republic of China.
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Immunological Evaluation of Patients Affected with Jacobsen Syndrome Reveals Profound Not Age-Related Lymphocyte Alterations. J Clin Immunol 2021; 42:365-374. [PMID: 34802108 DOI: 10.1007/s10875-021-01169-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Jacobsen syndrome (JS) is a rare form of genetic disorder that was recently classified as a syndromic immunodeficiency. Available detailed immunological data from JS patients are limited. METHODS Clinical and immunological presentation of twelve pediatric patients with JS by means of revision of clinical records, flow cytometry, real-time PCR, and lymphocyte functional testing were collected. RESULTS Recurrent infections were registered in 6/12 patients (50%), while bleeding episodes in 2/12 (16.7%). White blood cell and absolute lymphocyte counts were reduced in 8/12 (66.7%) and 7/12 (58.3%) patients, respectively. Absolute numbers of CD3+ and CD4+ T cells were reduced in 8/12 (66.7%) and 7/12 (58.3%), respectively. Of note, recent thymic emigrants (RTE) were reduced in all tested patients (9/9), with T-cell receptor excision circle analysis (TRECs) showing a similar trend in 8/9 patients; naïve CD4+ T cells were low only in 5/11 patients (45.4%). Interestingly, B-cell counts, IgM memory B cells, and IgM serum levels were reduced in 10/12 (83.3%) patients. Natural killer (NK) cell counts were mostly normal but the percentages of CD16+CD56low/- cells were expanded in 7/7 patients tested. The observed immunological alterations did not correlate with patients' age. Finally, responses to proliferative stimuli were normal at presentation for all patients, although they may deteriorate over time. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that patients affected with JS may display important numeric and maturational alterations in the T-, B-, and NK-cell compartments. These findings suggest that JS patients should be regularly monitored from an immunological point of view.
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He YS, Yang XK, Hu YQ, Xiang K, Pan HF. Emerging role of Fli1 in autoimmune diseases. Int Immunopharmacol 2020; 90:107127. [PMID: 33234418 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2020.107127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2020] [Revised: 09/21/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The Ets transcription factor family exerts crucial role in cell proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation and migration. Friend leukemia integration 1 (Fli1), a member of the Ets family, is expressed in fibroblasts, endothelial cells and immune cells. Fli1 gene is participated in the development, proliferation, activation, migration and other processes of immune cells. Fli1 can also affect the function of immune cells by regulating cytokines and chemokines. Emerging evidence has shown that Fli1 is implicated in the etiology of several autoimmune diseases, including systemic sclerosis (SSc) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this review, we mainly discuss the current evidence for the role of Fli1 in these diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Sheng He
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xiao-Ke Yang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yu-Qian Hu
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Kun Xiang
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Hai-Feng Pan
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, China.
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4
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Identification of diterpenoid compounds that interfere with Fli-1 DNA binding to suppress leukemogenesis. Cell Death Dis 2019; 10:117. [PMID: 30741932 PMCID: PMC6370842 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-019-1363-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2018] [Revised: 01/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The ETS transcription factor Fli-1 controls the expression of genes involved in hematopoiesis including cell proliferation, survival, and differentiation. Dysregulation of Fli-1 induces hematopoietic and solid tumors, rendering it an important target for therapeutic intervention. Through high content screens of a library of chemicals isolated from medicinal plants in China for inhibitors of a Fli-1 transcriptional reporter cells, we hereby report the identification of diterpenoid-like compounds that strongly inhibit Fli-1 transcriptional activity. These agents suppressed the growth of erythroleukemic cells by inducing apoptosis and differentiation. They also inhibited survival and proliferation of B-cell leukemic cell lines as well as primary B-cell lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) isolated from 7 patients. Moreover, these inhibitors blocked leukemogenesis in a mouse model of erythroleukemia, in which Fli-1 is the driver of tumor initiation. Computational docking analysis revealed that the diterpenoid-like compounds bind with high affinity to nucleotide residues in a pocket near the major groove within the DNA-binding sites of Fli-1. Functional inhibition of Fli-1 by these compounds triggered its further downregulation through miR-145, whose promoter is normally repressed by Fli-1. These results uncover the importance of Fli-1 in leukemogenesis, a Fli-1-miR145 autoregulatory loop and new anti-Fli-1 diterpenoid agents for the treatment of diverse hematological malignancies overexpressing this transcription factor.
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Saelao P, Wang Y, Chanthavixay G, Gallardo RA, Wolc A, Dekkers JCM, Lamont SJ, Kelly T, Zhou H. Genetics and Genomic Regions Affecting Response to Newcastle Disease Virus Infection under Heat Stress in Layer Chickens. Genes (Basel) 2019; 10:genes10010061. [PMID: 30669351 PMCID: PMC6356198 DOI: 10.3390/genes10010061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is a highly contagious avian pathogen that poses a tremendous threat to poultry producers in endemic zones due to its epidemic potential. To investigate host genetic resistance to NDV while under the effects of heat stress, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed on Hy-Line Brown layer chickens that were challenged with NDV while under high ambient temperature to identify regions associated with host viral titer, circulating anti-NDV antibody titer, and body weight change. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) on chromosome 1 was associated with viral titer at two days post-infection (dpi), while 30 SNPs spanning a quantitative trait loci (QTL) on chromosome 24 were associated with viral titer at 6 dpi. Immune related genes, such as CAMK1d and CCDC3 on chromosome 1, associated with viral titer at 2 dpi, and TIRAP, ETS1, and KIRREL3, associated with viral titer at 6 dpi, were located in two QTL regions for viral titer that were identified in this study. This study identified genomic regions and candidate genes that are associated with response to NDV during heat stress in Hy-Line Brown layer chickens. Regions identified for viral titer on chromosome 1 and 24, at 2 and 6 dpi, respectively, included several genes that have key roles in regulating the immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Perot Saelao
- Integrative Genetics and Genomics Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
- Genomics to Improve Poultry Innovation Lab, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - Ying Wang
- Genomics to Improve Poultry Innovation Lab, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - Ganrea Chanthavixay
- Integrative Genetics and Genomics Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
- Genomics to Improve Poultry Innovation Lab, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - Rodrigo A Gallardo
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - Anna Wolc
- Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
- Hy-Line International, Dallas Center, IA 50063, USA.
| | - Jack C M Dekkers
- Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
| | - Susan J Lamont
- Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011, USA.
| | - Terra Kelly
- Genomics to Improve Poultry Innovation Lab, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
| | - Huaijun Zhou
- Genomics to Improve Poultry Innovation Lab, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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6
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Carrillo-de-Santa-Pau E, Juan D, Pancaldi V, Were F, Martin-Subero I, Rico D, Valencia A. Automatic identification of informative regions with epigenomic changes associated to hematopoiesis. Nucleic Acids Res 2017; 45:9244-9259. [PMID: 28934481 PMCID: PMC5716146 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkx618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Hematopoiesis is one of the best characterized biological systems but the connection between chromatin changes and lineage differentiation is not yet well understood. We have developed a bioinformatic workflow to generate a chromatin space that allows to classify 42 human healthy blood epigenomes from the BLUEPRINT, NIH ROADMAP and ENCODE consortia by their cell type. This approach let us to distinguish different cells types based on their epigenomic profiles, thus recapitulating important aspects of human hematopoiesis. The analysis of the orthogonal dimension of the chromatin space identify 32,662 chromatin determinant regions (CDRs), genomic regions with different epigenetic characteristics between the cell types. Functional analysis revealed that these regions are linked with cell identities. The inclusion of leukemia epigenomes in the healthy hematological chromatin sample space gives us insights on the healthy cell types that are more epigenetically similar to the disease samples. Further analysis of tumoral epigenetic alterations in hematopoietic CDRs points to sets of genes that are tightly regulated in leukemic transformations and commonly mutated in other tumors. Our method provides an analytical approach to study the relationship between epigenomic changes and cell lineage differentiation. Method availability: https://github.com/david-juan/ChromDet.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David Juan
- Institut de Biologia Evolutiva, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Parc de Recerca Biomèdica de Barcelona, Barcelona, 08003, Spain
| | - Vera Pancaldi
- Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC), Barcelona, 08034, Spain
| | - Felipe Were
- Structural Biology and BioComputing Programme, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, 28029, Spain
| | - Ignacio Martin-Subero
- Institut d'Investigacions Biomédiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS), Department of Anatomic Pathology, Pharmacology and Microbiology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, 08036, Spain
| | - Daniel Rico
- Institute of Cellular Medicine, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE2 4HH, UK
| | - Alfonso Valencia
- Barcelona Supercomputing Centre (BSC), Barcelona, 08034, Spain.,ICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys 23, Barcelona, 08010, Spain
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Saelee P, Kearly A, Nutt SL, Garrett-Sinha LA. Genome-Wide Identification of Target Genes for the Key B Cell Transcription Factor Ets1. Front Immunol 2017; 8:383. [PMID: 28439269 PMCID: PMC5383717 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Accepted: 03/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The transcription factor Ets1 is highly expressed in B lymphocytes. Loss of Ets1 leads to premature B cell differentiation into antibody-secreting cells (ASCs), secretion of autoantibodies, and development of autoimmune disease. Despite the importance of Ets1 in B cell biology, few Ets1 target genes are known in these cells. Results To obtain a more complete picture of the function of Ets1 in regulating B cell differentiation, we performed Ets1 ChIP-seq in primary mouse B cells to identify >10,000-binding sites, many of which were localized near genes that play important roles in B cell activation and differentiation. Although Ets1 bound to many sites in the genome, it was required for regulation of less than 5% of them as evidenced by gene expression changes in B cells lacking Ets1. The cohort of genes whose expression was altered included numerous genes that have been associated with autoimmune disease susceptibility. We focused our attention on four such Ets1 target genes Ptpn22, Stat4, Egr1, and Prdm1 to assess how they might contribute to Ets1 function in limiting ASC formation. We found that dysregulation of these particular targets cannot explain altered ASC differentiation in the absence of Ets1. Conclusion We have identified genome-wide binding targets for Ets1 in B cells and determined that a relatively small number of these putative target genes require Ets1 for their normal expression. Interestingly, a cohort of genes associated with autoimmune disease susceptibility is among those that are regulated by Ets1. Identification of the target genes of Ets1 in B cells will help provide a clearer picture of how Ets1 regulates B cell responses and how its loss promotes autoantibody secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prontip Saelee
- Department of Biochemistry, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Alyssa Kearly
- Department of Biochemistry, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Stephen L Nutt
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Lee Ann Garrett-Sinha
- Department of Biochemistry, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA
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Lennard Richard ML, Brandon D, Lou N, Sato S, Caldwell T, Nowling TK, Gilkeson G, Zhang XK. Acetylation impacts Fli-1-driven regulation of granulocyte colony stimulating factor. Eur J Immunol 2016; 46:2322-2332. [PMID: 27431361 DOI: 10.1002/eji.201646315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2016] [Revised: 06/22/2016] [Accepted: 07/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Fli-1 has emerged as a critical regulator of inflammatory mediators, including MCP-1, CCL5, and IL-6. The cytokine, granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) regulates neutrophil precursor maturation and survival, and activates mature neutrophils. Previously, a significant decrease in neutrophil infiltration into the kidneys of Fli-1+/- lupus-prone mice was observed. In this study, a significant decrease in G-CSF protein expression was detected in stimulated murine and human endothelial cells when expression of Fli-1 was inhibited. The murine G-CSF promoter contains numerous putative Fli-1 binding sites and several regions within the proximal promoter are significantly enriched for Fli-1 binding. Transient transfection assays indicate that Fli-1 drives transcription from the G-CSF promoter and mutation of the Fli-1 DNA binding domain resulted in a 94% loss of transcriptional activation. Mutation of a known acetylation site, led to a significant increase in G-CSF promoter activation. The histone acetyltransferases p300/CBP and p300/CBP associated factor (PCAF) significantly decrease Fli-1 specific activation of the G-CSF promoter. Thus, acetylation appears to be an important mechanism behind Fli-1 driven activation of the G-CSF promoter. These results further support the theory that Fli-1 plays a major role in the regulation of several inflammatory mediators, ultimately affecting inflammatory disease pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara L Lennard Richard
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology & Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Danielle Brandon
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology & Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Ning Lou
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology & Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.,Jinan Central Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shangdong, China
| | - Shuzo Sato
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology & Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Tomika Caldwell
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology & Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Tamara K Nowling
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology & Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Gary Gilkeson
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology & Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.,Medical Research Service, Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Xian K Zhang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology & Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA. .,Medical Research Service, Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, SC, USA.
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10
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Lennard Richard ML, Nowling TK, Brandon D, Watson DK, Zhang XK. Fli-1 controls transcription from the MCP-1 gene promoter, which may provide a novel mechanism for chemokine and cytokine activation. Mol Immunol 2014; 63:566-73. [PMID: 25108845 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2014.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2014] [Revised: 05/29/2014] [Accepted: 07/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Regulation of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines is a primary role of the innate immune response. MCP-1 is a chemokine that recruits immune cells to sites of inflammation. Expression of MCP-1 is reduced in primary kidney endothelial cells from mice with a heterozygous knockout of the Fli-1 transcription factor. Fli-1 is a member of the Ets family of transcription factors, which are evolutionarily conserved across several organisms including Drosophilla, Xenopus, mouse and human. Ets family members bind DNA through a consensus sequence GGAA/T, or Ets binding site (EBS). Fli-1 binds to EBSs within the endogenous MCP-1 promoter by ChIP assay. In this study, transient transfection assays indicate that the Fli-1 gene actively promotes transcription from the MCP-1 gene promoter in a dose-dependent manner. Mutation of the DNA binding domain of Fli-1 demonstrated that Fli-1 activates transcription of MCP-1 both directly, by binding to the promoter, and indirectly, likely through interactions with other transcription factors. Another Ets transcription factor, Ets-1, was also tested, but failed to promote transcription. While Ets-1 failed to drive transcription independently, a weak synergistic activation of the MCP-1 promoter was observed between Ets-1 and Fli-1. In addition, Fli-1 and the NFκB family member p65 were found to interact synergistically to activate transcription from the MCP-1 promoter, while Sp1 and p50 inhibit this interaction. Deletion studies identified that EBSs in the distal and proximal MCP-1 promoter are critical for Fli-1 activation from the MCP-1 promoter. Together, these results demonstrate that Fli-1 is a novel regulator of the proinflammatory chemokine MCP-1, that interacts with other transcription factors to form a complex transcriptional mechanism for the activation of MCP-1 and mediation of the inflammatory response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara L Lennard Richard
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology & Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Tamara K Nowling
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology & Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Medical Research Service, Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, SC 29403, USA
| | - Danielle Brandon
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology & Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Dennis K Watson
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Xian K Zhang
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology & Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Medical Research Service, Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, SC 29403, USA.
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11
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Lennard Richard ML, Sato S, Suzuki E, Williams S, Nowling TK, Zhang XK. The Fli-1 transcription factor regulates the expression of CCL5/RANTES. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2014; 193:2661-8. [PMID: 25098295 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1302779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The friend leukemia insertion site 1 (Fli-1) transcription factor, an Ets family member, is implicated in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus in human patients and murine models of lupus. Lupus-prone mice with reduced Fli-1 expression have significantly less nephritis, prolonged survival, and decreased infiltrating inflammatory cells into the kidney. Inflammatory chemokines, including CCL5, are critical for attracting inflammatory cells. In this study, decreased CCL5 mRNA expression was observed in kidneys of lupus-prone NZM2410 mice with reduced Fli-1 expression. CCL5 protein expression was significantly decreased in endothelial cells transfected with Fli-1-specific small interfering RNA compared with controls. Fli-1 binds to endogenous Ets binding sites in the distal region of the CCL5 promoter. Transient transfection assays demonstrate that Fli-1 drives transcription from the CCL5 promoter in a dose-dependent manner. Both Ets1, another Ets family member, and Fli-1 drive transcription from the CCL5 promoter, although Fli-1 transactivation was significantly stronger. Ets1 acts as a dominant-negative transcription factor for Fli-1, indicating that they may have at least one DNA binding site in common. Systematic deletion of DNA binding sites demonstrates the importance of the sites located within a 225-bp region of the promoter. Mutation of the Fli-1 DNA binding domain significantly reduces transactivation of the CCL5 promoter by Fli-1. We identified a novel regulator of transcription for CCL5. These results suggest that Fli-1 is a novel and critical regulator of proinflammatory chemokines and affects the pathogenesis of disease through the regulation of factors that recruit inflammatory cells to sites of inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara L Lennard Richard
- Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425; and
| | - Shuzo Sato
- Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425; and
| | - Eiji Suzuki
- Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425; and
| | - Sarah Williams
- Medical Research Service, Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, SC 29403
| | - Tamara K Nowling
- Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425; and Medical Research Service, Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, SC 29403
| | - Xian K Zhang
- Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425; and Medical Research Service, Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Charleston, SC 29403
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12
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Chiu YK, Lin IY, Su ST, Wang KH, Yang SY, Tsai DY, Hsieh YT, Lin KI. Transcription factor ABF-1 suppresses plasma cell differentiation but facilitates memory B cell formation. THE JOURNAL OF IMMUNOLOGY 2014; 193:2207-17. [PMID: 25070843 DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1400411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Ag-primed B cells that result from an immune response can form either memory B cells or Ab-secreting plasma cells; however, the molecular machinery that controls this cellular fate is poorly understood. In this study, we show that activated B cell factor-1 (ABF-1), which encodes a basic helix-loop-helix transcriptional repressor, participates in this regulation. ABF-1 was prevalently expressed in purified memory B cells and induced by T follicular helper cell-mediated signals. ABF-1 expression declined by the direct repression of B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein-1 during differentiation. Ectopic expression of ABF-1 reduced the formation of Ab-secreting cells in an in vitro differentiation system of human memory B cells. Accordingly, knockdown of ABF-1 potentiates the formation of Ab-secreting cells. A transgenic mouse that expresses inducible ABF-1 in a B cell-specific manner was generated to demonstrate that the formation of germinal center and memory B cells was augmented by induced ABF-1 in an immune response, whereas the Ag-specific plasma cell response was dampened. This effect was associated with the ability of ABF-1 to limit cell proliferation. Together, our results demonstrate that ABF-1 facilitates formation of memory B cells but prevents plasma cell differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Kai Chiu
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan; Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan
| | - I-Ying Lin
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan; Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan; and
| | - Shin-Tang Su
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Kuan-Hsiung Wang
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan; Institute of Immunology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
| | - Shii-Yi Yang
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Dong-Yan Tsai
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan; Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan; and
| | - Yi-Ting Hsieh
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan
| | - Kuo-I Lin
- Genomics Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan; Institute of Microbiology and Immunology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan; Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 112, Taiwan; and Institute of Immunology, National Taiwan University, Taipei 110, Taiwan
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13
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The ets transcription factor Fli-1 in development, cancer and disease. Oncogene 2014; 34:2022-31. [PMID: 24909161 PMCID: PMC5028196 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2014.162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2014] [Revised: 05/03/2014] [Accepted: 05/04/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Friend Leukemia Virus Induced erythroleukemia-1 (Fli-1), an ETS transcription factor, was isolated a quarter century ago through a retrovirus mutagenesis screen. Fli-1 has since been recognized to play critical roles in normal development and homeostasis. For example, it transcriptionally regulates genes that drive normal hematopoiesis and vasculogenesis. Indeed, Fli-1 is one of 10 key regulators of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell maintenance and differentiation. Aberrant expression of Fli-1 also underlies a number of virally induced leukemias, including Friend virus-induced erythroleukemia and various types of human cancers, and it is the target of chromosomal translocations in childhood Ewing’s sarcoma. Abnormal expression of Fli-1 is important in the aetiology of auto-immune diseases such as Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and Systemic Sclerosis (SSc). These studies establish Fli-1 as a strong candidate for drug development. Despite difficulties in targeting transcription factors, recent studies identified small molecule inhibitors for Fli-1. Here we review past and ongoing research on Fli-1 with emphasis on its mechanistic function in autoimmune disease and malignant transformation. The significance of identifying Fli-1 inhibitors and their clinical applications for treatment of disease and cancer with deregulated Fli-1 expression are discussed.
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14
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B cell transcription factors: Potential new therapeutic targets for SLE. Clin Immunol 2014; 152:140-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2014.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2014] [Revised: 03/14/2014] [Accepted: 03/18/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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15
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Suzuki E, Williams S, Sato S, Gilkeson G, Watson DK, Zhang XK. The transcription factor Fli-1 regulates monocyte, macrophage and dendritic cell development in mice. Immunology 2013; 139:318-27. [PMID: 23320737 DOI: 10.1111/imm.12070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2012] [Revised: 01/08/2013] [Accepted: 01/08/2013] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Fli-1 belongs to the Ets transcription factor family and is expressed in haematopoietic cells, including most of the cells that are active in immunity. The mononuclear phagocytes, i.e. monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells, originate in haematopoietic stem cells and play an important role in immunity. To assess the role of Fli-1 in mononuclear phagocyte development in vivo, we generated mice that express a truncated Fli-1 protein, lacking the C-terminal transcriptional activation domain (Fli-1(Δ) (CTA) ). Fli-1(Δ) (CTA) (/Δ) (CTA) mice had significantly increased populations of haematopoietic stem cells and common dendritic cell precursors in bone marrow compared with wild-type littermates. Significantly increased classical dendritic cells, plasmacytoid dendritic cells, and macrophage populations were found in spleens from Fli-1(∆) (CTA) (/∆) (CTA) mice compared with wild-type littermates. Fli-1(Δ) (CTA) (/Δ) (CTA) mice also had increased pre-classical dendritic cell and monocyte populations in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Furthermore, bone marrow reconstitution studies demonstrated that expression of Fli-1 in both haematopoietic cells and stromal cells affected mononuclear phagocyte development in mice. Expression of Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 ligand (Flt3L), a haematopoietic growth factor, in multipotent progenitors was statistically significantly increased from Fli-1(∆) (CTA) (/∆) (CTA) mice compared with wild-type littermates. Fli-1 protein binds directly to the promoter region of the Flt3L gene. Hence, Fli-1 plays an important role in the mononuclear phagocyte development, and the C-terminal transcriptional activation domain of Fli-1 negatively modulates mononuclear phagocyte development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eiji Suzuki
- Division of Rheumatology and Immunology, Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
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16
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Kayali S, Giraud G, Morlé F, Guyot B. Spi-1, Fli-1 and Fli-3 (miR-17-92) oncogenes contribute to a single oncogenic network controlling cell proliferation in friend erythroleukemia. PLoS One 2012; 7:e46799. [PMID: 23056458 PMCID: PMC3466182 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0046799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2012] [Accepted: 09/07/2012] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Clonal erythroleukemia developing in susceptible mice infected by Friend virus complex are associated with highly recurrent proviral insertions at one of three loci called Spi-1, Fli-1 or Fli-3, leading to deregulated expression of oncogenic Spi-1 or Fli-1 transcription factors or miR-17-92 miRNA cluster, respectively. Deregulated expression of each of these three oncogenes has been independently shown to contribute to cell proliferation of erythroleukemic clones. Previous studies showed a close relationship between Spi-1 and Fli-1, which belong to the same ETS family, Spi-1 activating fli-1 gene, and both Spi-1 and Fli-1 activating multiple common target genes involved in ribosome biogenesis. In this study, we demonstrated that Spi-1 and Fli-1 are also involved in direct miR-17-92 transcriptional activation through their binding to a conserved ETS binding site in its promoter. Moreover, we demonstrated that physiological re-expression of exogenous miR-17 and miR-20a are able to partially rescue the proliferation loss induced by Fli-1 knock-down and identified HBP1 as a target of these miRNA in erythroleukemic cells. These results establish that three of the most recurrently activated oncogenes in Friend erythroleukemia are actually involved in a same oncogenic network controlling cell proliferation. The putative contribution of a similar ETS-miR-17-92 network module in other normal or pathological proliferative contexts is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samer Kayali
- CGPhiMC, CNRS UMR5534, Université Claude Bernard Lyon1, Lyon, France
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17
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Oldham AL, Miner CA, Wang HC, Webb CF. The transcription factor Bright plays a role in marginal zone B lymphocyte development and autoantibody production. Mol Immunol 2011; 49:367-79. [PMID: 21963220 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2011.09.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2011] [Revised: 09/07/2011] [Accepted: 09/12/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Previous data suggested that constitutive expression of the transcription factor Bright (B cell regulator of immunoglobulin heavy chain transcription), normally tightly regulated during B cell differentiation, was associated with autoantibody production. Here we show that constitutive Bright expression results in skewing of mature B lineage subpopulations toward marginal zone cells at the expense of the follicular subpopulation. C57Bl/6 transgenic mice constitutively expressing Bright in B lineage cells generated autoantibodies that were not the result of global increases in immunoglobulin or of breaches in key tolerance checkpoints typically defective in other autoimmune mouse models. Rather, autoimmunity correlated with increased numbers of marginal zone B cells and alterations in the phenotype and gene expression profiles of lymphocytes within the follicular B cell compartment. These data suggest a novel role for Bright in the normal development of mature B cell subsets and in autoantibody production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Athenia L Oldham
- Immunobiology and Cancer Research Program, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
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18
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Mathenia J, Reyes-Cortes E, Williams S, Molano I, Ruiz P, Watson DK, Gilkeson GS, Zhang XK. Impact of Fli-1 transcription factor on autoantibody and lupus nephritis in NZM2410 mice. Clin Exp Immunol 2010; 162:362-71. [PMID: 20731671 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.2010.04245.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor Fli-1 is implicated in the pathogenesis of both murine and human lupus. Increased levels of Fli-1 mRNA were present in the peripheral blood lymphocytes from lupus patients; furthermore, transgenic overexpression of Fli-1 in normal mice resulted in the development of a lupus-like disease. Lupus nephritis is a major cause of death in both lupus patients as well as in animal models. In this study, we generated Fli-1 heterozygous knockout (Fli-1(+/)⁻ ) NZM2410 mice (of which the wild-type is a widely used lupus murine model) that expressed decreased levels of Fli-1 and investigated the impact of Fli-1 expression on lupus nephritis development and survival. Ninety-three per cent of the Fli-1(+/)⁻ NZM2410 mice survived to the age of 52 weeks compared to only 35% of wild-type NZM2410 mice. Autoantibodies, including anti-dsDNA and anti-glomerular basement antigen, in Fli-1(+/)⁻ NZM2410 mice were statistically significantly lower when compared to wild-type NZM2410 mice at the ages of 30 and 34 weeks. Total B cell and activated B cell populations in the spleens from Fli-1(+/)⁻ NZM2410 mice were decreased significantly compared to wild-type NZM2410 mice. Fli-1(+/)⁻ NZM2410 mice also had remarkably diminished proteinuria and decreased renal pathological scores when compared with wild-type NZM2410 mice. Expression of early growth response 1 (Egr-1) was decreased significantly in the kidneys from Fli-1(+/)⁻ NZM2410 mice when compared to wild-type littermates. Our data indicate that expression of Fli-1 plays an important role in lupus disease development in NZM2410 mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Mathenia
- Department of Medicine, Medical University of South Carolina, USA
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19
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Asano Y, Bujor AM, Trojanowska M. The impact of Fli1 deficiency on the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis. J Dermatol Sci 2010; 59:153-62. [PMID: 20663647 DOI: 10.1016/j.jdermsci.2010.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2010] [Revised: 06/03/2010] [Accepted: 06/14/2010] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease with unknown etiology characterized by microvascular injury and fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. A growing body of evidence suggests that deficiency of the transcription factor Fli1 (Friend leukemia integration-1) has a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of SSc. Fli1 is expressed in fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and immune cells, and has important roles in the activation, differentiation, development, and survival of these cells. Previous studies demonstrated that Fli1 is downregulated in SSc fibroblasts by an epigenetic mechanism and a series of experiments with Fli1-deficient animal models revealed that Fli1 deficiency in fibroblasts and endothelial cells reproduces the histopathologic features of fibrosis and vasculopathy in SSc, respectively. In this article, we review the impact of Fli1 deficiency on the pathogenesis of SSc and discuss a new therapeutic strategy for SSc by targeting the transcription factor Fli1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshihide Asano
- Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8655, Japan.
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20
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Kim JR, Mathew SO, Patel RK, Pertusi RM, Mathew PA. Altered expression of signalling lymphocyte activation molecule (SLAM) family receptors CS1 (CD319) and 2B4 (CD244) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Clin Exp Immunol 2010; 160:348-58. [PMID: 20345977 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.2010.04116.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
CS1 (CRACC, CD319) and 2B4 (CD244), members of the signalling lymphocyte activation molecule (SLAM) family receptors, regulate various immune functions. Genes encoding SLAM family receptors are located at 1q23, implicated in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). In this study, we have investigated the expression and alternative splicing of CS1 and 2B4 in immune cells from SLE patients. The surface expression of CS1 and 2B4 on total peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), T, B, natural killer (NK) cells and monocytes in 45 patients with SLE and 30 healthy individuals was analysed by flow cytometry. CS1-positive B cell population was increased significantly in SLE patients. Because CS1 is a self-ligand and homophilic interaction of CS1 induces B cell proliferation and autocrine cytokine secretion, this could account for autoreactive B cell proliferation in SLE. The proportion of NK cells and monocytes expressing 2B4 on their surface was significantly lower in patients with SLE compared to healthy controls. Our study demonstrated altered expression of splice variants of CS1 and 2B4 that mediate differential signalling in PBMC from patients with SLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- J R Kim
- Department of Molecular Biology and Immunology and Institute for Cancer Research, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX 76107-2699, USA
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21
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Molano I, Mathenia J, Ruiz P, Gilkeson GS, Zhang XK. Decreased expression of Fli-1 in bone marrow-derived haematopoietic cells significantly affects disease development in Murphy Roths Large/lymphoproliferation (MRL/lpr) mice. Clin Exp Immunol 2009; 160:275-82. [PMID: 20015093 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2249.2009.04080.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor Fli-1 is implicated in the pathogenesis of both murine and human lupus. Decreased expression of Fli-1 in heterozygous (Fli-1(+/-)) Murphy Roths Large (MRL)/lpr mice resulted in significantly lower kidney pathological scores and markedly increased survival. In this study, bone marrow (BM) transplantation was used to investigate the role of decreased expression of Fli-1 in haematopoietic versus non-haematopoietic cell lineages in autoimmune disease development. Wild-type (WT) MRL/lpr that received BM from Fli-1(+/-) MRL/lpr mice had statistically significantly lower autoantibodies, less proteinuria, reduced renal disease and prolonged survival compared to WT MRL/lpr mice that received BM from WT MRL/lpr mice. Although not statistically significant, Fli-1(+/-) MRL/lpr mice that received BM from WT MRL/lpr mice also had lower autoantibodies and improved survival compared to WT MRL/lpr mice that received BM from WT MRL/lpr mice. Our data indicate that expression of Fli-1 in haematopoietic cell lineages has a significant effect on disease development in MRL/lpr mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Molano
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology & Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425-6370, USA
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