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Crump NT, Hadjinicolaou AV, Xia M, Walsby-Tickle J, Gileadi U, Chen JL, Setshedi M, Olsen LR, Lau IJ, Godfrey L, Quek L, Yu Z, Ballabio E, Barnkob MB, Napolitani G, Salio M, Koohy H, Kessler BM, Taylor S, Vyas P, McCullagh JSO, Milne TA, Cerundolo V. Chromatin accessibility governs the differential response of cancer and T cells to arginine starvation. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109101. [PMID: 33979616 PMCID: PMC8131582 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Depleting the microenvironment of important nutrients such as arginine is a key strategy for immune evasion by cancer cells. Many tumors overexpress arginase, but it is unclear how these cancers, but not T cells, tolerate arginine depletion. In this study, we show that tumor cells synthesize arginine from citrulline by upregulating argininosuccinate synthetase 1 (ASS1). Under arginine starvation, ASS1 transcription is induced by ATF4 and CEBPβ binding to an enhancer within ASS1. T cells cannot induce ASS1, despite the presence of active ATF4 and CEBPβ, as the gene is repressed. Arginine starvation drives global chromatin compaction and repressive histone methylation, which disrupts ATF4/CEBPβ binding and target gene transcription. We find that T cell activation is impaired in arginine-depleted conditions, with significant metabolic perturbation linked to incomplete chromatin remodeling and misregulation of key genes. Our results highlight a T cell behavior mediated by nutritional stress, exploited by cancer cells to enable pathological immune evasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas T Crump
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Haematology Theme, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Andreas V Hadjinicolaou
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Meng Xia
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - John Walsby-Tickle
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK
| | - Uzi Gileadi
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Ji-Li Chen
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Mashiko Setshedi
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Lars R Olsen
- Section for Bioinformatics, DTU Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - I-Jun Lau
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Haematology Theme, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Laura Godfrey
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Haematology Theme, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Lynn Quek
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, King's College London, SGDP Centre, Memory Lane, London SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Zhanru Yu
- Target Discovery Institute, Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Erica Ballabio
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Haematology Theme, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Mike B Barnkob
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Giorgio Napolitani
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Mariolina Salio
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Hashem Koohy
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Benedikt M Kessler
- Target Discovery Institute, Centre for Medicines Discovery, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FZ, UK
| | - Stephen Taylor
- MRC WIMM Centre for Computational Biology, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Paresh Vyas
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Haematology Theme, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - James S O McCullagh
- Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TA, UK
| | - Thomas A Milne
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Haematology Theme, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK.
| | - Vincenzo Cerundolo
- MRC Human Immunology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
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Crump NT, Ballabio E, Godfrey L, Thorne R, Repapi E, Kerry J, Tapia M, Hua P, Lagerholm C, Filippakopoulos P, Davies JOJ, Milne TA. BET inhibition disrupts transcription but retains enhancer-promoter contact. Nat Commun 2021; 12:223. [PMID: 33431820 PMCID: PMC7801379 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-20400-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhancers are DNA sequences that enable complex temporal and tissue-specific regulation of genes in higher eukaryotes. Although it is not entirely clear how enhancer-promoter interactions can increase gene expression, this proximity has been observed in multiple systems at multiple loci and is thought to be essential for the maintenance of gene expression. Bromodomain and Extra-Terminal domain (BET) and Mediator proteins have been shown capable of forming phase condensates and are thought to be essential for super-enhancer function. Here, we show that targeting of cells with inhibitors of BET proteins or pharmacological degradation of BET protein Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) has a strong impact on transcription but very little impact on enhancer-promoter interactions. Dissolving phase condensates reduces BRD4 and Mediator binding at enhancers and can also strongly affect gene transcription, without disrupting enhancer-promoter interactions. These results suggest that activation of transcription and maintenance of enhancer-promoter interactions are separable events. Our findings further indicate that enhancer-promoter interactions are not dependent on high levels of BRD4 and Mediator, and are likely maintained by a complex set of factors including additional activator complexes and, at some sites, CTCF and cohesin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas T Crump
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Haematology Theme, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Erica Ballabio
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Haematology Theme, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Laura Godfrey
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Haematology Theme, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Ross Thorne
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Haematology Theme, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Emmanouela Repapi
- MRC WIMM Centre for Computational Biology, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Jon Kerry
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Haematology Theme, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Marta Tapia
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Haematology Theme, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
- The Finsen Laboratory, Rigshospitalet, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Peng Hua
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Christoffer Lagerholm
- Wolfson Imaging Centre Oxford, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Panagis Filippakopoulos
- Structural Genomics Consortium, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - James O J Davies
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Thomas A Milne
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Haematology Theme, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK.
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3
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Hurtz C, Chan LN, Geng H, Ballabio E, Xiao G, Deb G, Khoury H, Chen CW, Armstrong SA, Chen J, Ernst P, Melnick A, Milne T, Müschen M. Rationale for targeting BCL6 in MLL-rearranged acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Genes Dev 2019; 33:1265-1279. [PMID: 31395741 PMCID: PMC6719625 DOI: 10.1101/gad.327593.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Chromosomal rearrangements of the mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene occur in ∼10% of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) and define a group of patients with dismal outcomes. Immunohistochemical staining of bone marrow biopsies from most of these patients revealed aberrant expression of BCL6, a transcription factor that promotes oncogenic B-cell transformation and drug resistance in B-ALL. Our genetic and ChIP-seq (chromatin immunoprecipitation [ChIP] combined with high-throughput sequencing) analyses showed that MLL-AF4 and MLL-ENL fusions directly bound to the BCL6 promoter and up-regulated BCL6 expression. While oncogenic MLL fusions strongly induced aberrant BCL6 expression in B-ALL cells, germline MLL was required to up-regulate Bcl6 in response to physiological stimuli during normal B-cell development. Inducible expression of Bcl6 increased MLL mRNA levels, which was reversed by genetic deletion and pharmacological inhibition of Bcl6, suggesting a positive feedback loop between MLL and BCL6. Highlighting the central role of BCL6 in MLL-rearranged B-ALL, conditional deletion and pharmacological inhibition of BCL6 compromised leukemogenesis in transplant recipient mice and restored sensitivity to vincristine chemotherapy in MLL-rearranged B-ALL patient samples. Oncogenic MLL fusions strongly induced transcriptional activation of the proapoptotic BH3-only molecule BIM, while BCL6 was required to curb MLL-induced expression of BIM. Notably, peptide (RI-BPI) and small molecule (FX1) BCL6 inhibitors derepressed BIM and synergized with the BH3-mimetic ABT-199 in eradicating MLL-rearranged B-ALL cells. These findings uncover MLL-dependent transcriptional activation of BCL6 as a previously unrecognized requirement of malignant transformation by oncogenic MLL fusions and identified BCL6 as a novel target for the treatment of MLL-rearranged B-ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Hurtz
- Department of Systems Biology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Monrovia, California 91016, USA.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
| | - Lai N Chan
- Department of Systems Biology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Monrovia, California 91016, USA.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
| | - Huimin Geng
- Department of Systems Biology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Monrovia, California 91016, USA.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
| | - Erica Ballabio
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Molecular Haematology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, United Kingdom
| | - Gang Xiao
- Department of Systems Biology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Monrovia, California 91016, USA.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
| | - Gauri Deb
- Department of Systems Biology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Monrovia, California 91016, USA
| | - Haytham Khoury
- Department of Systems Biology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Monrovia, California 91016, USA
| | - Chun-Wei Chen
- Department of Systems Biology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Monrovia, California 91016, USA
| | - Scott A Armstrong
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | - Jianjun Chen
- Department of Systems Biology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Monrovia, California 91016, USA
| | - Patricia Ernst
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado 80045, USA
| | - Ari Melnick
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York 10065, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, New York 10065, USA
| | - Thomas Milne
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Molecular Haematology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, United Kingdom
| | - Markus Müschen
- Department of Systems Biology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Monrovia, California 91016, USA.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
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4
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Numata A, Kwok HS, Kawasaki A, Li J, Zhou QL, Kerry J, Benoukraf T, Bararia D, Li F, Ballabio E, Tapia M, Deshpande AJ, Welner RS, Delwel R, Yang H, Milne TA, Taneja R, Tenen DG. The basic helix-loop-helix transcription factor SHARP1 is an oncogenic driver in MLL-AF6 acute myelogenous leukemia. Nat Commun 2018; 9:1622. [PMID: 29692408 PMCID: PMC5915391 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-03854-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2017] [Accepted: 03/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) with MLL gene rearrangements demonstrate unique gene expression profiles driven by MLL-fusion proteins. Here, we identify the circadian clock transcription factor SHARP1 as a novel oncogenic target in MLL-AF6 AML, which has the worst prognosis among all subtypes of MLL-rearranged AMLs. SHARP1 is expressed solely in MLL-AF6 AML, and its expression is regulated directly by MLL-AF6/DOT1L. Suppression of SHARP1 induces robust apoptosis of human MLL-AF6 AML cells. Genetic deletion in mice delays the development of leukemia and attenuated leukemia-initiating potential, while sparing normal hematopoiesis. Mechanistically, SHARP1 binds to transcriptionally active chromatin across the genome and activates genes critical for cell survival as well as key oncogenic targets of MLL-AF6. Our findings demonstrate the unique oncogenic role for SHARP1 in MLL-AF6 AML. Gene fusions involving MLL and different partner genes define unique subgroups of acute myelogenous leukemia, but the mechanisms underlying specific subgroups are not fully clear. Here the authors elucidate the mechanisms of MLL-AF6 induced transformation, providing a distinct pathway that involves SHARP1 as a critical target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akihiko Numata
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Hui Si Kwok
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Akira Kawasaki
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Jia Li
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Qi-Ling Zhou
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Jon Kerry
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Programme, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Touati Benoukraf
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Deepak Bararia
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Feng Li
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Erica Ballabio
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Programme, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Marta Tapia
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Programme, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | | | - Robert S Welner
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Ruud Delwel
- Department of Hematology, Erasmus University Medical Center, 3015 GE, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Henry Yang
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Thomas A Milne
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Programme, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Reshma Taneja
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117593, Singapore.
| | - Daniel G Tenen
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117599, Singapore. .,Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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5
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Kerry J, Godfrey L, Repapi E, Tapia M, Blackledge NP, Ma H, Ballabio E, O'Byrne S, Ponthan F, Heidenreich O, Roy A, Roberts I, Konopleva M, Klose RJ, Geng H, Milne TA. MLL-AF4 Spreading Identifies Binding Sites that Are Distinct from Super-Enhancers and that Govern Sensitivity to DOT1L Inhibition in Leukemia. Cell Rep 2017; 18:482-495. [PMID: 28076791 PMCID: PMC5263239 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.12.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Revised: 10/31/2016] [Accepted: 12/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms of defined cancers is crucial for effective personalized therapies. Translocations of the mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL) gene produce fusion proteins such as MLL-AF4 that disrupt epigenetic pathways and cause poor-prognosis leukemias. Here, we find that at a subset of gene targets, MLL-AF4 binding spreads into the gene body and is associated with the spreading of Menin binding, increased transcription, increased H3K79 methylation (H3K79me2/3), a disruption of normal H3K36me3 patterns, and unmethylated CpG regions in the gene body. Compared to other H3K79me2/3 marked genes, MLL-AF4 spreading gene expression is downregulated by inhibitors of the H3K79 methyltransferase DOT1L. This sensitivity mediates synergistic interactions with additional targeted drug treatments. Therefore, epigenetic spreading and enhanced susceptibility to epidrugs provides a potential marker for better understanding combination therapies in humans. MLL-AF4 binding requires an unmethylated CpG (uCpG) island and Menin MLL-AF4 and Menin can spread into the gene body of some targets Spreading targets are highly transcribed and have an aberrant chromatin signature Spreading of MLL-AF4 is a predictor of sensitivity to DOT1L inhibitors
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon Kerry
- MRC, Molecular Haematology Unit, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Programme, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Laura Godfrey
- MRC, Molecular Haematology Unit, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Programme, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Emmanouela Repapi
- Computational Biology Research Group, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Marta Tapia
- MRC, Molecular Haematology Unit, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Programme, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Neil P Blackledge
- Laboratory of Chromatin Biology and Transcription, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Helen Ma
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Erica Ballabio
- MRC, Molecular Haematology Unit, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Programme, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Sorcha O'Byrne
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Children's Hospital, John Radcliffe, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Frida Ponthan
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Olaf Heidenreich
- Wolfson Childhood Cancer Research Centre, Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle University, Newcastle Upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Anindita Roy
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Children's Hospital, John Radcliffe, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Irene Roberts
- MRC, Molecular Haematology Unit, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Programme, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK; Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Children's Hospital, John Radcliffe, Oxford OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Marina Konopleva
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Robert J Klose
- Laboratory of Chromatin Biology and Transcription, Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Huimin Geng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Thomas A Milne
- MRC, Molecular Haematology Unit, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Programme, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK.
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6
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Godfrey L, Kerry J, Thorne R, Repapi E, Davies JOJ, Tapia M, Ballabio E, Hughes JR, Geng H, Konopleva M, Milne TA. MLL-AF4 binds directly to a BCL-2 specific enhancer and modulates H3K27 acetylation. Exp Hematol 2016; 47:64-75. [PMID: 27856324 PMCID: PMC5333536 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2016.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2016] [Revised: 10/21/2016] [Accepted: 11/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Survival rates for children and adults carrying mutations in the Mixed Lineage Leukemia (MLL) gene continue to have a very poor prognosis. The most common MLL mutation in acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the t(4;11)(q21;q23) chromosome translocation that fuses MLL in-frame with the AF4 gene producing MLL-AF4 and AF4-MLL fusion proteins. Previously, we found that MLL-AF4 binds to the BCL-2 gene and directly activates it through DOT1L recruitment and increased H3K79me2/3 levels. In the study described here, we performed a detailed analysis of MLL-AF4 regulation of the entire BCL-2 family. By measuring nascent RNA production in MLL-AF4 knockdowns, we found that of all the BCL-2 family genes, MLL-AF4 directly controls the active transcription of both BCL-2 and MCL-1 and also represses BIM via binding of the polycomb group repressor 1 (PRC1) complex component CBX8. We further analyzed MLL-AF4 activation of the BCL-2 gene using Capture-C and identified a BCL-2-specific enhancer, consisting of two clusters of H3K27Ac at the 3' end of the gene. Loss of MLL-AF4 activity results in a reduction of H3K79me3 levels in the gene body and H3K27Ac levels at the 3' BCL-2 enhancer, revealing a novel regulatory link between these two histone marks and MLL-AF4-mediated activation of BCL-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Godfrey
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, UK
| | - Jon Kerry
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, UK
| | - Ross Thorne
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, UK
| | - Emmanouela Repapi
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Computational Biology Research Group, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, UK
| | - James O J Davies
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, UK
| | - Marta Tapia
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, UK
| | - Erica Ballabio
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, UK
| | - Jim R Hughes
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, UK
| | - Huimin Geng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
| | - Marina Konopleva
- Department of Leukemia, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
| | - Thomas A Milne
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford, UK.
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7
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Benito JM, Godfrey L, Kojima K, Hogdal L, Wunderlich M, Geng H, Marzo I, Harutyunyan KG, Golfman L, North P, Kerry J, Ballabio E, Chonghaile TN, Gonzalo O, Qiu Y, Jeremias I, Debose L, O'Brien E, Ma H, Zhou P, Jacamo R, Park E, Coombes KR, Zhang N, Thomas DA, O'Brien S, Kantarjian HM, Leverson JD, Kornblau SM, Andreeff M, Müschen M, Zweidler-McKay PA, Mulloy JC, Letai A, Milne TA, Konopleva M. MLL-Rearranged Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemias Activate BCL-2 through H3K79 Methylation and Are Sensitive to the BCL-2-Specific Antagonist ABT-199. Cell Rep 2015; 13:2715-27. [PMID: 26711339 PMCID: PMC4700051 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 104] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2015] [Revised: 10/21/2015] [Accepted: 11/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted therapies designed to exploit specific molecular pathways in aggressive cancers are an exciting area of current research. Mixed Lineage Leukemia (MLL) mutations such as the t(4;11) translocation cause aggressive leukemias that are refractory to conventional treatment. The t(4;11) translocation produces an MLL/AF4 fusion protein that activates key target genes through both epigenetic and transcriptional elongation mechanisms. In this study, we show that t(4;11) patient cells express high levels of BCL-2 and are highly sensitive to treatment with the BCL-2-specific BH3 mimetic ABT-199. We demonstrate that MLL/AF4 specifically upregulates the BCL-2 gene but not other BCL-2 family members via DOT1L-mediated H3K79me2/3. We use this information to show that a t(4;11) cell line is sensitive to a combination of ABT-199 and DOT1L inhibitors. In addition, ABT-199 synergizes with standard induction-type therapy in a xenotransplant model, advocating for the introduction of ABT-199 into therapeutic regimens for MLL-rearranged leukemias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana M Benito
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Laura Godfrey
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Molecular Haematology Unit, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Programme, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Kensuke Kojima
- Division of Hematology, Respiratory Medicine and Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Saga 840-8502, Japan
| | - Leah Hogdal
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Mark Wunderlich
- Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Huimin Geng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Isabel Marzo
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Karine G Harutyunyan
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Leonard Golfman
- Division of Pediatrics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Phillip North
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Molecular Haematology Unit, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Programme, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Jon Kerry
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Molecular Haematology Unit, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Programme, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Erica Ballabio
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Molecular Haematology Unit, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Programme, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Triona Ní Chonghaile
- Department of Physiology and Medical Physics, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, York House, Dublin 2, Ireland
| | - Oscar Gonzalo
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Yihua Qiu
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Irmela Jeremias
- German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - LaKiesha Debose
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Eric O'Brien
- Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Helen Ma
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ping Zhou
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Rodrigo Jacamo
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Eugene Park
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Kevin R Coombes
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Nianxiang Zhang
- Department of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Deborah A Thomas
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Susan O'Brien
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hagop M Kantarjian
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Joel D Leverson
- Department of Oncology Development, AbbVie Inc., North Chicago, IL 60064, USA
| | - Steven M Kornblau
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Michael Andreeff
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Markus Müschen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Patrick A Zweidler-McKay
- Division of Pediatrics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - James C Mulloy
- Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH 45229, USA
| | - Anthony Letai
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Thomas A Milne
- Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Molecular Haematology Unit, NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre Programme, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK.
| | - Marina Konopleva
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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Geng H, Hurtz C, Lenz KB, Chen Z, Baumjohann D, Thompson S, Goloviznina NA, Chen WY, Huan J, LaTocha D, Ballabio E, Xiao G, Lee JW, Deucher A, Qi Z, Park E, Huang C, Nahar R, Kweon SM, Shojaee S, Chan LN, Yu J, Kornblau SM, Bijl JJ, Ye BH, Ansel KM, Paietta E, Melnick A, Hunger SP, Kurre P, Tyner JW, Loh ML, Roeder RG, Druker BJ, Burger JA, Milne TA, Chang BH, Müschen M. Self-enforcing feedback activation between BCL6 and pre-B cell receptor signaling defines a distinct subtype of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Cancer Cell 2015; 27:409-25. [PMID: 25759025 PMCID: PMC4618684 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2015.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2014] [Revised: 12/22/2014] [Accepted: 02/10/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Studying 830 pre-B ALL cases from four clinical trials, we found that human ALL can be divided into two fundamentally distinct subtypes based on pre-BCR function. While absent in the majority of ALL cases, tonic pre-BCR signaling was found in 112 cases (13.5%). In these cases, tonic pre-BCR signaling induced activation of BCL6, which in turn increased pre-BCR signaling output at the transcriptional level. Interestingly, inhibition of pre-BCR-related tyrosine kinases reduced constitutive BCL6 expression and selectively killed patient-derived pre-BCR(+) ALL cells. These findings identify a genetically and phenotypically distinct subset of human ALL that critically depends on tonic pre-BCR signaling. In vivo treatment studies suggested that pre-BCR tyrosine kinase inhibitors are useful for the treatment of patients with pre-BCR(+) ALL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huimin Geng
- Departments of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Christian Hurtz
- Departments of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Kyle B Lenz
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Zhengshan Chen
- Departments of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Dirk Baumjohann
- Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Sarah Thompson
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Natalya A Goloviznina
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Wei-Yi Chen
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA; Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan
| | - Jianya Huan
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Dorian LaTocha
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Erica Ballabio
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Gang Xiao
- Departments of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Jae-Woong Lee
- Departments of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Anne Deucher
- Departments of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Zhongxia Qi
- Departments of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Eugene Park
- Departments of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Chuanxin Huang
- Departments of Medicine and Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Rahul Nahar
- Departments of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Soo-Mi Kweon
- Departments of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Seyedmehdi Shojaee
- Departments of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Lai N Chan
- Departments of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Jingwei Yu
- Departments of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Steven M Kornblau
- Department of Leukemia, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Janetta J Bijl
- Hôpital Maisonneuve-Rosemont, Montreal, QC H1T 2M4, Canada
| | - B Hilda Ye
- Department of Cell Biology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - K Mark Ansel
- Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Elisabeth Paietta
- Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Ari Melnick
- Departments of Medicine and Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Stephen P Hunger
- Division of Pediatric Oncology and Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Peter Kurre
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; Papé Family Pediatric Research Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Jeffrey W Tyner
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; Department of Cell & Developmental Biology, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Mignon L Loh
- Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Robert G Roeder
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Brian J Druker
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Jan A Burger
- Department of Leukemia, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Thomas A Milne
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Bill H Chang
- Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA; Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Markus Müschen
- Departments of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.
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Ballabio E, Milne TA. Epigenetic control of gene expression in leukemogenesis: Cooperation between wild type MLL and MLL fusion proteins. Mol Cell Oncol 2014; 1:e955330. [PMID: 27308325 PMCID: PMC4905190 DOI: 10.1080/23723548.2014.955330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2014] [Revised: 07/14/2014] [Accepted: 07/17/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Although there has been great progress in the treatment of human cancers, especially leukemias, many remain resistant to treatment. A major current focus is the development of so-called epigenetic drugs. Epigenetic states are stable enough to persist through multiple cell divisions, but by their very nature are reversible and thus are amenable to therapeutic manipulation. Exciting work in this area has produced a new breed of highly specific small molecules designed to inhibit epigenetic proteins, some of which have entered clinical trials. The current and future development of epigenetic drugs is greatly aided by highly detailed information about normal and aberrant epigenetic changes at the molecular level. In this review we focus on a class of aggressive acute leukemias caused by mutations in the Mixed Lineage Leukemia (MLL) gene. We provide an overview of how detailed molecular analysis of MLL leukemias has provided several early-stage epigenetic drugs and propose that further study of MLL leukemogenesis may continue to provide molecular details that potentially have a wider range of applications in human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Ballabio
- MRC Molecular Hematology Unit; Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine; University of Oxford ; Oxford, UK
| | - Thomas A Milne
- MRC Molecular Hematology Unit; Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine; University of Oxford ; Oxford, UK
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10
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Wilkinson A, Ballabio E, Geng H, North P, Tapia M, Kerry J, Biswas D, Roeder R, Allis C, Melnick A, de Bruijn M, Milne T. RUNX1 is a key target in t(4;11) leukemias that contributes to gene activation through an AF4-MLL complex interaction. Cell Rep 2013; 3:116-27. [PMID: 23352661 PMCID: PMC3607232 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2012.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2012] [Revised: 11/08/2012] [Accepted: 12/26/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
The Mixed Lineage Leukemia (MLL) protein is an important epigenetic regulator required for the maintenance of gene activation during development. MLL chromosomal translocations produce novel fusion proteins that cause aggressive leukemias in humans. Individual MLL fusion proteins have distinct leukemic phenotypes even when expressed in the same cell type, but how this distinction is delineated on a molecular level is poorly understood. Here, we highlight a unique molecular mechanism whereby the RUNX1 gene is directly activated by MLL-AF4 and the RUNX1 protein interacts with the product of the reciprocal AF4-MLL translocation. These results support a mechanism of transformation whereby two oncogenic fusion proteins cooperate by activating a target gene and then modulating the function of its downstream product.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam C. Wilkinson
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Erica Ballabio
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Huimin Geng
- Departments of Medicine/Hematology and Oncology Division, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Institute for Computational Biomedicine, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA
| | - Phillip North
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Marta Tapia
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Jon Kerry
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Debabrata Biswas
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Robert G. Roeder
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - C. David Allis
- Laboratory of Chromatin Biology and Epigenetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY 10065, USA
| | - Ari Melnick
- Departments of Medicine/Hematology and Oncology Division, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, 10065, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Marella F.T.R. de Bruijn
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Thomas A. Milne
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK
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Benner MF, Ballabio E, van Kester MS, Saunders NJ, Vermeer MH, Willemze R, Lawrie CH, Tensen CP. Primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma shows a distinct miRNA expression profile and reveals differences from tumor-stage mycosis fungoides. Exp Dermatol 2012; 21:632-4. [PMID: 22776000 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0625.2012.01548.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The miRNA expression profiles of skin biopsies from 14 primary cutaneous anaplastic large cell lymphoma (C-ALCL) patients were analysed with miRNA microarrays using the same control group of 12 benign inflammatory dermatoses (BID) as previously used to study the miRNA expression profile of tumor-stage mycosis fungoides (MF). We identified 13 differentially expressed miRNAs between C-ALCL and BID. The up-regulation of miR-155, miR-27b, miR-30c and miR-29b in C-ALCL was validated by miRNA-Q-PCR on independent study groups. Additionally, the miRNA expression profiles of C-ALCL were compared with those of tumor-stage MF. Although miRNA microarray analysis did not identify statistically significant differentially expressed miRNAs, miRNA-Q-PCR demonstrated statistically significantly differential expression of miR-155, miR-27b, miR-93, miR-29b and miR-92a between tumor-stage MF and C-ALCL. This study, the first describing the miRNA expression profile of C-ALCL, reveals differences with tumor-stage MF, suggesting a different contribution to the pathogenesis of these lymphomas.
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12
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Ballabio E, Milne TA. Molecular and Epigenetic Mechanisms of MLL in Human Leukemogenesis. Cancers (Basel) 2012; 4:904-44. [PMID: 24213472 PMCID: PMC3712720 DOI: 10.3390/cancers4030904] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2012] [Revised: 08/31/2012] [Accepted: 09/04/2012] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetics is often defined as the study of heritable changes in gene expression or chromosome stability that don’t alter the underlying DNA sequence. Epigenetic changes are established through multiple mechanisms that include DNA methylation, non-coding RNAs and the covalent modification of specific residues on histone proteins. It is becoming clear not only that aberrant epigenetic changes are common in many human diseases such as leukemia, but that these changes by their very nature are malleable, and thus are amenable to treatment. Epigenetic based therapies have so far focused on the use of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors and DNA methyltransferase inhibitors, which tend to have more general and widespread effects on gene regulation in the cell. However, if a unique molecular pathway can be identified, diseases caused by epigenetic mechanisms are excellent candidates for the development of more targeted therapies that focus on specific gene targets, individual binding domains, or specific enzymatic activities. Designing effective targeted therapies depends on a clear understanding of the role of epigenetic mutations during disease progression. The Mixed Lineage Leukemia (MLL) protein is an example of a developmentally important protein that controls the epigenetic activation of gene targets in part by methylating histone 3 on lysine 4. MLL is required for normal development, but is also mutated in a subset of aggressive human leukemias and thus provides a useful model for studying the link between epigenetic cell memory and human disease. The most common MLL mutations are chromosome translocations that fuse the MLL gene in frame with partner genes creating novel fusion proteins. In this review, we summarize recent work that argues MLL fusion proteins could function through a single molecular pathway, but we also highlight important data that suggests instead that multiple independent mechanisms underlie MLL mediated leukemogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erica Ballabio
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, John Radcliffe Hospital Headington, Oxford OX3 9DS, UK.
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Lawrie CH, Ballabio E, Soilleux E, Sington J, Hatton CSR, Dirnhofer S, Tzankov A. Inter- and intra-observational variability in immunohistochemistry: a multicentre analysis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma staining. Histopathology 2012; 61:18-25. [PMID: 22372580 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2559.2012.04179.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
AIMS Although many immunohistochemical (IHC) cancer biomarkers have been identified, very few have translated into routine clinical practice, primarily because of technical and observational inconsistencies between studies. However, despite the obvious need to address such variability, very few studies have done so. METHODS AND RESULTS Using bcl-6, CD10, MUM1, GCET1 and FOXP1 antibody staining on diffuse large B-cell lymphoma cases (n = 138) as a model, we employed Cronbach α analysis to quantify interobserver and intraobserver variability between four independent observers (two per institution), scoring two tissue microarrays (TMAs) stained at both institutions using differing staining procedures. The overall concordance between all observations irrespective of staining procedure or TMA source was high (average α = 0.951), with the highest level being reached for CD10 staining (average α = 0.967) and the lowest for bcl-6 (average α = 0.924). Interslide and interinstitutional reproducibility were similarly high (average α = 0.952 and average α = 0.934, respectively). Interobserver/intrainstitutional and interobserver/interinstitutional comparisons showed lower levels of concordance (average α = 0.870 and average α = 0.877, respectively), and intraobserver/interinstitutional comparisons showed the lowest levels of concordance (average α = 0.810), particularly for bcl-6 staining (α = 0.658). CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that most variability in IHC studies between centres results from inherent limitations of the biomarkers investigated rather than procedural or observational differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles H Lawrie
- Biodonostia Research Institute, San Sebastián, and IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao, Spain.
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Chi J, Ballabio E, Chen XH, Kušec R, Taylor S, Hay D, Tramonti D, Saunders NJ, Littlewood T, Pezzella F, Boultwood J, Wainscoat JS, Hatton CSR, Lawrie CH. MicroRNA expression in multiple myeloma is associated with genetic subtype, isotype and survival. Biol Direct 2011; 6:23. [PMID: 21592325 PMCID: PMC3120802 DOI: 10.1186/1745-6150-6-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2011] [Accepted: 05/18/2011] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND MicroRNAs are small RNA species that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally and are aberrantly expressed in many cancers including hematological malignancies. However, the role of microRNAs in the pathogenesis of multiple myeloma (MM) is only poorly understood. We therefore used microarray analysis to elucidate the complete miRNome (miRBase version 13.0) of purified tumor (CD138+) cells from 33 patients with MM, 5 patients with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and 9 controls. RESULTS Unsupervised cluster analysis revealed that MM and MGUS samples have a distinct microRNA expression profile from control CD138+ cells. The majority of microRNAs aberrantly expressed in MM (109/129) were up-regulated. A comparison of these microRNAs with those aberrantly expressed in other B-cell and T-cell malignancies revealed a surprising degree of similarity (~40%) suggesting the existence of a common lymphoma microRNA signature. We identified 39 microRNAs associated with the pre-malignant condition MGUS. Twenty-three (59%) of these were also aberrantly expressed in MM suggesting common microRNA expression events in MM progression. MM is characterized by multiple chromosomal abnormalities of varying prognostic significance. We identified specific microRNA signatures associated with the most common IgH translocations (t(4;14) and t(11;14)) and del(13q). Expression levels of these microRNAs were distinct between the genetic subtypes (by cluster analysis) and correctly predicted these abnormalities in > 85% of cases using the support vector machine algorithm. Additionally, we identified microRNAs associated with light chain only myeloma, as well as IgG and IgA-type MM. Finally, we identified 32 microRNAs associated with event-free survival (EFS) in MM, ten of which were significant by univariate (logrank) survival analysis. CONCLUSIONS In summary, this work has identified aberrantly expressed microRNAs associated with the diagnosis, pathogenesis and prognosis of MM, data which will prove an invaluable resource for understanding the role of microRNAs in this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianxiang Chi
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
- The Center for the Study of Haematological Malignancies, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Erica Ballabio
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Xiao-He Chen
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Rajko Kušec
- Dubrava University hospital and Zagreb School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Steve Taylor
- Computational Biology Research Group, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Deborah Hay
- Department of Haematology, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Daniela Tramonti
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Nigel J Saunders
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Francesco Pezzella
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - Jacqueline Boultwood
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - James S Wainscoat
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Charles H Lawrie
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK
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15
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van Kester MS, Ballabio E, Benner MF, Chen XH, Saunders NJ, van der Fits L, van Doorn R, Vermeer MH, Willemze R, Tensen CP, Lawrie CH. miRNA expression profiling of mycosis fungoides. Mol Oncol 2011; 5:273-80. [PMID: 21406335 DOI: 10.1016/j.molonc.2011.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2011] [Accepted: 02/16/2011] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA species that regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally and are aberrantly expressed in many malignancies including lymphoma. However, the role of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of T-cell lymphoid malignancies is poorly understood. Previously we examined the miRNA profile of Sézary syndrome (Sz), a leukemia of skin-homing memory T cells. In this study we determined the complete miRNome of mycosis fungoides (MF), the most common type of cutaneous T cell lymphoma. The miRNA profile of skin biopsies from 19 patients with tumor stage MF and 12 patients with benign inflammatory dermatoses (eczema and lichen planus) were compared by microarray analysis. We identified 49 miRNAs that are differentially expressed in tumor stage MF compared to benign inflammatory dermatoses using ANOVA analysis (P < 0.05, Benjamini-Hochberg corrected). The majority of the differentially expressed miRNAs (30/49) were up-regulated in tumor stage MF. The most significant differentially expressed were miR-155 and miR-92a (both up-regulated in tumor stage MF), while miR-93 showed the highest up-regulation in tumor stage MF with a fold difference of 5.8. Differential expression of a selection of these miRNAs was validated by miRNA-Q-PCR on additional test groups (tumors and controls). None of the miRNAs up-regulated in tumor stage MF was previously shown to be up-regulated in Sz, and only 2 of the 19 miRNAs down-regulated in tumor stage MF were also down-regulated in Sz. Taken together this report is the first describing the miRNA signature of tumor stage MF.
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Arsava EM, Ballabio E, Benner T, Cole JW, Delgado-Martinez MP, Dichgans M, Fazekas F, Furie KL, Illoh K, Jood K, Kittner S, Lindgren AG, Majersik JJ, Macleod MJ, Meurer WJ, Montaner J, Olugbodi AA, Pasdar A, Redfors P, Schmidt R, Sharma P, Singhal AB, Sorensen AG, Sudlow C, Thijs V, Worrall BB, Rosand J, Ay H. The Causative Classification of Stroke system: an international reliability and optimization study. Neurology 2010; 75:1277-84. [PMID: 20921513 DOI: 10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181f612ce] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Valid and reliable ischemic stroke subtype determination is crucial for well-powered multicenter studies. The Causative Classification of Stroke System (CCS, available at http://ccs.mgh.harvard.edu) is a computerized, evidence-based algorithm that provides both causative and phenotypic stroke subtypes in a rule-based manner. We determined whether CCS demonstrates high interrater reliability in order to be useful for international multicenter studies. METHODS Twenty members of the International Stroke Genetics Consortium from 13 centers in 8 countries, who were not involved in the design and development of the CCS, independently assessed the same 50 consecutive patients with acute ischemic stroke through reviews of abstracted case summaries. Agreement among ratings was measured by kappa statistic. RESULTS The κ value for causative classification was 0.80 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.78-0.81) for the 5-subtype, 0.79 (95% CI 0.77-0.80) for the 8-subtype, and 0.70 (95% CI 0.69-0.71) for the 16-subtype CCS. Correction of a software-related factor that generated ambiguity improved agreement: κ = 0.81 (95% CI 0.79-0.82) for the 5-subtype, 0.79 (95% CI 0.77-0.80) for the 8-subtype, and 0.79 (95% CI 0.78-0.80) for the 16-subtype CCS. The κ value for phenotypic classification was 0.79 (95% CI 0.77-0.82) for supra-aortic large artery atherosclerosis, 0.95 (95% CI 0.93-0.98) for cardioembolism, 0.88 (95% CI 0.85-0.91) for small artery occlusion, and 0.79 (0.76-0.82) for other uncommon causes. CONCLUSIONS CCS allows classification of stroke subtypes by multiple investigators with high reliability, supporting its potential for improving stroke classification in multicenter studies and ensuring accurate means of communication among different researchers, institutions, and eras.
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Affiliation(s)
- E M Arsava
- A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02129, USA
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Ballabio E, Chi J, Roncador G, Banham AH, Hatton CS, Lawrie CH. Comparison of Choi and Hans' Algorithms by Immunohistochemistry and Quantitative Reverse Transcriptase-PCR – Letter: Fig. 1. Clin Cancer Res 2010; 16:3805-6. [DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-09-3216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Marafioti T, Paterson JC, Ballabio E, Chott A, Natkunam Y, Rodriguez-Justo M, Plonquet A, Rodriguez-Pinilla SM, Klapper W, Hansmann ML, Pileri SA, Isaacson PG, Stein H, Piris MA, Mason DY, Gaulard P. The inducible T-cell co-stimulator molecule is expressed on subsets of T cells and is a new marker of lymphomas of T follicular helper cell-derivation. Haematologica 2010; 95:432-9. [PMID: 20207847 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.2009.010991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND T follicular helper (T(FH)) cells reside in the light zone of germinal centers and are considered the cell of origin of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma. Recently, CXCL13, PD-1 and SAP were described as useful markers for T(FH) cells and angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma but also reported in some peripheral T-cell lymphomas, not otherwise specified. DESIGN AND METHODS In the present study the expression pattern of ICOS protein was investigated by immunohistochemistry-based techniques in routine sections of normal lymphoid tissues and 633 human lymphomas. RESULTS Cells strongly positive for ICOS were restricted to the light zone of germinal centers and co-expressed T(FH)-associated molecules. In addition, weak to moderate ICOS expression was observed in a small proportion of FOXP3-positive cells. In lymphomas, ICOS expression was confined to angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (85/86), peripheral T-cell lymphomas of follicular variant (18/18) and a proportion of peripheral T-cell lymphomas, not otherwise specified (24/56) that also expressed other T(FH)-associated molecules. CONCLUSIONS ICOS is a useful molecule for identifying T(FH) cells and its restricted expression to angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma and a proportion of peripheral T-cell lymphomas, not otherwise specified (showing a T(FH)-like profile) suggests its inclusion in the antibody panel for diagnosing T(FH)-derived lymphomas. Our findings provide further evidence that the histological spectrum of T(FH)-derived lymphomas is broader than previously assumed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa Marafioti
- Leukaemia Research Immunodiagnostics Unit, Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK.
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Lanfranconi S, Bersano A, Branca V, Ballabio E, Isalberti M, Papa R, Candelise L. Stenting for the treatment of high-grade intracranial stenoses. J Neurol 2010; 257:1899-908. [PMID: 20602237 DOI: 10.1007/s00415-010-5633-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2010] [Revised: 05/21/2010] [Accepted: 06/11/2010] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
To date, evidence to recommend endovascular treatment in patients with intracranial stenoses is lacking. Recently, the introduction of self-expanding stents (Wingspan Stent System) aroused considerable expectations in their employ for stroke prevention. We report a single-center experience of percutaneous transluminal angioplasty and stenting in a series of consecutive patients with intracranial stenoses and compare the safety and performance of balloon-mounted stents versus self-expanding stent systems (Wingspan). Thirty-four patients with 39 severe (>70%) intracranial stenoses were treated during a 6-year period. An independent stroke neurologist collected data about intra and periprocedural complications and short-term outcome. We considered as endpoint measures (1) any 30-day stroke or death (2) any major 30-day complication and (3) procedure technical success. Technical success was achieved in all patients. No vessel dissection or ruptures were observed. The 30-day stroke/death rate was 17.9%. Five ischemic strokes in the territory of treated vessels and two intracranial hemorrhages occurred respectively within 24 h and 5 days after endovascular treatment. Three (17.6%) patients of Wingspan treated group and four (18.2%) of the patients treated with different stent systems had unfavorable outcome. Our study confirms that endovascular treatment can be performed with a high technical success rate, even though the safety of these devices has still to be demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Lanfranconi
- Centro Dino Ferrari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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20
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Ciccone A, Valvassori L, Ponzio M, Ballabio E, Gasparotti R, Sessa M, Scomazzoni F, Tiraboschi P, Sterzi R. Intra-arterial or intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke? The SYNTHESIS pilot trial. J Neurointerv Surg 2009; 2:74-9. [PMID: 21990564 DOI: 10.1136/jnis.2009.001388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To assess the feasibility, safety and preliminary efficacy of intra-arterial thrombolysis (IAT) compared with standard intravenous thrombolysis (IVT) for acute ischemic stroke. METHODS Eligible patients with ischemic stroke, who were devoid of contraindications, started IVT within 3 h or IAT as soon as possible within 6 h. Patients were randomized within 3 h of onset to receive either intravenous alteplase, in accordance with the current European labeling, or up to 0.9 mg/kg intra-arterial alteplase (maximum 90 mg), over 60 min into the thrombus, if necessary with mechanical clot disruption and/or retrieval. The purpose of the study was to determine the proportion of favorable outcome at 90 days. Safety endpoints included symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (SICH), death and other serious adverse events. RESULTS 54 patients (25 IAT) were enrolled. Median time from stroke onset to start to treatment was 3 h 15 min for IAT and 2 h 35 min for IVT (p<0.001). Almost twice as many patients on IAT as those on IVT survived without residual disability (12/25 vs 8/29; OR 3.2; 95% CI 0.9 to 11.4; p=0.067). SICH occurred in 2/25 patients on IAT and in 4/29 on IVT (OR 0.5; CI 0.1 to 3.3; p=0.675). Mortality at day 7 was 5/25 (IAT) compared with 4/29 (IVT) (OR 1.6; CI 0.4 to 6.7; p=0.718). There was no significant difference in the rate of other serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS Rapid initiation of IAT is a safe and feasible alternative to IVT in acute ischemic stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Ciccone
- Department of Neurology, Stroke Unit, 'Niguarda Ca' Granda' Hospital, Milan, Italy.
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Bersano A, Del Bo R, Ballabio E, Cinnante C, Lanfranconi S, Comi G, Baron P, Bresolin N, Candelise L. Transthyretin asn90 variant: Amyloidogenic or non-amyloidogenic role. J Neurol Sci 2009; 284:113-5. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jns.2009.04.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2008] [Revised: 04/08/2009] [Accepted: 04/08/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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22
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Lawrie CH, Ballabio E, Dyar OJ, Jones M, Ventura R, Chi J, Tramonti D, Gooding S, Boultwood J, Wainscoat JS, Hatton CSR, Schuh A. MicroRNA expression in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia. Br J Haematol 2009; 147:398-402. [PMID: 19681887 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2009.07857.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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23
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Lawrie CH, Chi J, Taylor S, Tramonti D, Ballabio E, Palazzo S, Saunders NJ, Pezzella F, Boultwood J, Wainscoat JS, Hatton CSR. Expression of microRNAs in diffuse large B cell lymphoma is associated with immunophenotype, survival and transformation from follicular lymphoma. J Cell Mol Med 2008; 13:1248-60. [PMID: 19413891 PMCID: PMC4496139 DOI: 10.1111/j.1582-4934.2008.00628.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs are naturally occurring small RNA species that regulate gene expression and are frequently abnormally expressed in cancers. However, the role of microRNAs in lymphoma is poorly understood. Therefore, we undertook a comprehensive study of microRNA expression in two of the most common lymphomas: diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) (n= 80) and follicular lymphoma (FCL) (n= 18) using microarrays containing probes for 464 human microRNAs. Unsupervised cluster analysis revealed distinct expression patterns between these two lymphomas and specific microRNA signatures (including members of the miR-17–92 cluster) were derived that correctly predicted lymphoma type in >95% of cases. Furthermore, we identified microRNAs in de novo DLBCL (n= 64) associated with germinal centre-like and non-germinal centre-like immunophenotypes, international prognostic index status and event-free survival in CHOP and rituximab (R)-CHOP treated patients. Despite the indolent nature of FCL a significant proportion of cases undergo high-grade transformation to more aggressive DLBCL. In order to see if transformation is associated with changes in microRNA expression we compared transformed DLBCL cases (n= 16) with de novo DLBCL, as well as FCL cases that underwent subsequent transformation (n= 7) with FCL cases that had not transformed at a median follow-up of 60 months (n= 11). Differential expression of 12 microRNAs correctly predicted >85% of transformed versus de novo DLBCL cases; six microRNAs (miR-223, 217, 222, 221 and let-7i and 7b) were found which could similarly predict or transformation in FCL (P< 0.05). These data suggest that microRNAs have potential as diagnostic and prognostic markers in these lymphomas and may be used to identify FCL patients at risk of high-grade transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles H Lawrie
- Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.
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Abstract
Pharmacological studies highlighted pleiotropic effects of statins, that seem to influence atherogenesis not only by increasing atherosclerotic plaque stability but also by modulating endothelial function and inflammation and acting on platelet aggregation and thrombosis. Despite a strong association between increased levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) has been well proven, it not yet established whether serum LDL-C levels are related to stroke incidence. The major aim of this paper is to perform a comprehensive up-to-date review of research papers, meta-analyses and randomized controlled clinical trials reporting the effects of statins in primary and secondary stroke prevention strategies. In addition, our work provides an overview on statin chemical structure, mechanism of action and pharmacological properties, investigating also most common adverse effects and relationship between statin therapy and haemorrhagic stroke risk, in order to assess drugs safety. Although studies are heterogeneous, our analysis shows that statins reduce the risk of stroke occurrence in high risk patients and seem also to reduce stroke recurrence. Moreover, the low incidence and reversibility of adverse effects, and the unclear association with hemorrhagic events, support the safe use of these drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Bersano
- IRCCS Foundation Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Mangiagalli and Regina Elena, Via F. Sforza 35, 20122 Milan, Italy.
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Abstract
Single-gene disorders explain only a minority of stroke cases. Stroke represents a complex trait, which is usually assumed to be polygenic. On this topic, the role of a wide number of candidate genes has been investigated in stroke through association studies, with controversial results. Therefore, it is difficult for the clinician to establish the validity and the level of clinical applicability of the previously reported associations between genetic factors and stroke. This review is an update and an extensive analysis of the more recent association studies conducted in stroke. We evaluated a number of studies on several candidate genes (including F5, F2, FGA/FGB/FGG, F7, F13A1, vWF, F12, SERPINE1, ITGB3/PLA1/PLA2/ITGA2B, ITGA2, GP1BA, ACE, AGT, NOS3, APOE, LPL, PON1, PDE4D, ALOX5AP, MTHFR, MTR, and CBS), providing a final panel of genes and molecular variants. We categorized this panel in relation to the degree of association with stroke, supported by the results of meta-analyses and case-control studies. Our findings could represent a useful tool to address further molecular investigations and to realize more detailed meta-analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Bersano
- Dipartimento di Scienze Neurologiche, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, Istituto di Ricerca e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
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Bersano A, Aghemo A, Rumi MG, Ballabio E, Candelise L, Colombo M. Recovery after L-DOPA treatment in peginterferon and ribavirin induced parkinsonism. Eur J Intern Med 2008; 19:370-1. [PMID: 18549943 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejim.2007.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2007] [Revised: 08/26/2007] [Accepted: 10/08/2007] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatitis C virus (HCV) chronically infects approximately 2% of the European population. Antiviral therapy with pegInterferon-alpha (PegIFN) and ribavirin (Rbv) is the standard of care, leading to HCV eradication in roughly 50% of patients. IFN-based therapy has been associated with high rates (20%) of central nervous system side effects, but only a few case reports exist on extrapyramidal side effects. RESULTS We report a 64-year-old man developing parkinsonism during PegIFN alfa-2a and ribavirin therapy for chronic hepatitis C. No improvement was observed after treatment discontinuation. Therefore, on the basis of previous clinical and experimental reports, levodopa-benserazide treatment was started. After substantial improvement, symptoms relapsed following drug tapering. CONCLUSIONS This is the first case of parkinsonism in a Caucasian patient receiving PegIFN/Rbv therapy. The rapid and significant improvement of symptoms obtained in our patient with levodopa-benserazide, suggests that this therapy could be considered as first line symptomatic treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Bersano
- Department of Neurological Sciences Fondazione Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, 7 IRCCS, Via F. Sforza 35, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy.
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Lawrie CH, Cooper CDO, Ballabio E, Chi J, Tramonti D, Hatton CSR. Aberrant expression of microRNA biosynthetic pathway components is a common feature of haematological malignancy. Br J Haematol 2008; 145:545-8. [PMID: 19298586 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2141.2009.07642.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Charles H Lawrie
- Lymphoid Malignancy Research Group, Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
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Abstract
The identification of stroke cases caused by monogenic disorders is important both for therapeutic decisions and genetic counselling, although they represent less than 1% of all stroke patients. The purpose of this review is to summarize genetic, pathological, and clinical features of single-gene disorders related to ischemic stroke. The following monogenic disorders are considered: cerebral autosomal-dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy, cerebral autosomal-recessive arteriosclerosis with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy, hereditary endotheliopathy with retinopathy, nephropathy, and stroke, Fabry disease, pseudoxanthoma elasticum, Neurofibromatosis type 1, familial MoyaMoya disease, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome type IV, Marfan syndrome. For each monogenic disorder, mode of inheritance, pathophysiological aspects, clinical phenotype, and diagnostic tools are carefully described. Furthermore, the classification of monogenetic disorders is presented according to stroke mechanisms, which include small vessel diseases, large artery diseases, and arterial dissections. This review could be useful to identify specific diagnostic pathways for patients with a suspicion of monogenic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Ballabio
- Dipartimento di Scienze Neurologiche, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Mangiagalli e Regina Elena, IRCCS,Via F.Sforza 35 Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy.
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Tonelli A, Gallanti A, Bersano A, Cardin V, Ballabio E, Airoldi G, Redaelli F, Candelise L, Bresolin N, Bassi MT. Amino acid changes in the amino terminus of the Na,K-adenosine triphosphatase alpha-2 subunit associated to familial and sporadic hemiplegic migraine. Clin Genet 2007; 72:517-23. [PMID: 17877748 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399-0004.2007.00892.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Familial hemiplegic migraine (FHM) is a rare subtype of migraine with aura inherited with an autosomal dominant pattern. Here, we report the genetic analysis of four families and one sporadic case with hemiplegic migraine (HM) in whom we searched for mutations in the three genes associated with the disease CACNA1A, ATP1A2 and SCN1A. Two novel amino acid changes p.Arg65Trp and p.Tyr9Asn, in the Na,K-adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) alpha-2 subunit encoded by the ATP1A2 gene, were found in one FHM family and in the sporadic case, respectively. These mutations are peculiar for their location in the extreme N-terminus, an uncommon mutation target in this protein. Low frequency of migraine attacks in all our mutant patients with low complexity of the associated aura symptoms in the sporadic case is also observed. Besides the two novel mutations, the data here reported confirm the involvement of ATP1A2 gene in the sporadic form of HM, while the negative results on the other families tested for all genes known in HM strengthen the hypothesis of the existence of at least another locus involved in FHM.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Tonelli
- IRCCS E. Medea, Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Bosisio Parini Lecco, Italy
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Roncador G, García Verdes-Montenegro JF, Tedoldi S, Paterson JC, Klapper W, Ballabio E, Maestre L, Pileri S, Hansmann ML, Piris MA, Mason DY, Marafioti T. Expression of two markers of germinal center T cells (SAP and PD-1) in angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma. Haematologica 2007; 92:1059-66. [PMID: 17640856 DOI: 10.3324/haematol.10864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2006] [Accepted: 05/25/2007] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES In the present paper we report that SAP, an intracytoplasmic molecule that is involved in cell signaling, is an immunohistologic marker for germinal center T cells in paraffin-embedded tissue. We document its expression, and also that of PD-1 (another recently described marker of germinal center T cells to which a new antibody has been raised), in normal and neoplastic lymphoid tissue to evaluate the suggestion that helper T cells within the germinal centers of human lymphoid tissue are the cell of origin of angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AITL), and to assess the diagnostic value of these two markers. DESIGN AND METHODS Expression of SAP and PD-1 was investigated by immunohistochemistry in paraffin-embedded tissue sections and in cell lines. Western blotting was performed on cell lines, and antibody specificity was confirmed by immunostaining of transfected cells. RESULTS Screening on more than 500 lymphoma biopsies showed that 95% (40/42) of cases of AITL expressed at least one of these markers. SAP was also expressed on many cases (15/21) of acute T lymphoblastic leukemia, in keeping with its presence in cortical thymocytes. However, PD-1 and SAP were also found in a minority of cases of peripheral T-cell lymphoma other than AITL, in contrast to a report that the former marker is specific for AITL. This observation raises the possibility that such non-angioimmunoblastic cases may be related to germinal center helper T cells. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS These two markers provide additional evidence that AITL arises from germinal center T cells. They may also prove of value in the diagnosis of this disease since a negative reaction was rarely observed in this disorder.
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MESH Headings
- Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/analysis
- Antigens, CD/analysis
- Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte/analysis
- Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins/analysis
- Germinal Center/pathology
- Hodgkin Disease/metabolism
- Hodgkin Disease/pathology
- Humans
- Immunoblastic Lymphadenopathy/metabolism
- Immunoblastic Lymphadenopathy/pathology
- Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/analysis
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/chemistry
- Lymphocytes, Tumor-Infiltrating/pathology
- Lymphoma, B-Cell/chemistry
- Lymphoma, B-Cell/pathology
- Lymphoma, T-Cell/metabolism
- Lymphoma, T-Cell/pathology
- Neoplasm Proteins/analysis
- Palatine Tonsil/pathology
- Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor
- Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule Associated Protein
- Spleen/pathology
- T-Lymphocytes/chemistry
- T-Lymphocytes/pathology
- Thymus Gland/pathology
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Affiliation(s)
- Giovanna Roncador
- Monoclonal Antibodies Unit, Biotechnology Program,Spanish National Cancer Centre, Madrid, Spain.
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Bernardini D, Ballabio E, Mariotti M, Maier JAM. Differential expression of EDF-1 and endothelial nitric oxide synthase by proliferating, quiescent and senescent microvascular endothelial cells. Biochim Biophys Acta 2005; 1745:265-72. [PMID: 16055206 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2005.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2005] [Revised: 06/16/2005] [Accepted: 06/24/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Endothelial Differentiation-related Factor (EDF)-1 is a low molecular weight polypeptide downregulated in endothelial cells exposed to HIV-1-Tat or the phorbol ester TPA. EDF-1 acts in the cytosol as a calmodulin binding protein, and in the nucleus as a transcriptional coactivator. Here, we show that EDF-1 is downregulated in non-proliferating microvascular endothelial cells. Indeed, both quiescence and senescence reduce the levels of EDF-1 and this is due to protein degradation through the proteasome. We also describe a different subcellular localization of EDF-1 which is mainly nuclear in senescent 1G11 cells. Since (i) endothelial nitric oxide (NO) seems to play a role in endothelial proliferation and (ii) NO is an important mediator involved in the control of vascular tone, inflammatory responses and angiogenesis, it is noteworthy that senescence downregulates the expression and the activity of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in microvascular endothelial cells. On the contrary, quiescence does not affect NOS expression and activity. The modulation of EDF-1 in microvascular endothelial cells might offer new insights into the molecular events involved in angiogenesis and in microvascular dysfunctions in the elderly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Bernardini
- University of Milan, Department of Preclinical Sciences LITA Vialba, Via GB Grassi, 74 20157 Milan, Italy
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Tosi S, Ballabio E, Teigler-Schlegel A, Boultwood J, Bruch J, Harbott J. Characterization of 6q abnormalities in childhood acute myeloid leukemia and identification of a novel t(6;11)(q24.1;p15.5) resulting in aNUP98-C6orf80 fusion in a case of acute megakaryoblastic leukemia. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 2005; 44:225-32. [PMID: 16028218 DOI: 10.1002/gcc.20233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromosome abnormalities of 6q are not frequently observed in myeloid disorders. In this article, we report the incidence of these chromosome changes in childhood myeloid leukemia as 2%-4% based on the cytogenetic database of a single institution. We applied fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to characterize precisely the types of 6q abnormalities in seven patients (six with acute myeloid leukemia and one with myelodysplastic syndrome). They carried various translocations involving different breakpoints in 6q, as confirmed by FISH using a whole-chromosome-6 paint. Four cases were reported as t(6;11), although the breakpoints varied. Among these, we identified a novel translocation, t(6;11)(q24.1;p15.5), in a patient with acute megakaryoblastic leukemia. Molecular cytogenetic studies using the PAC clone RP5-1173K1 localized the genomic breakpoint on chromosome 11 to within the NUP98 gene. The breakpoint on chromosome 6 was narrowed down to a 500-kb region between BAC clones RP11-721P14 and RP11-39H10. Reverse-transcription PCR was performed using a forward primer specific for NUP98 and a reverse primer for the candidate gene in the 500-kb interval in 6q. This experiment resulted in the identification of a new fusion between NUP98 and C6orf80. Further studies will aim to fully characterize C6orf80 and will elucidate the role of this new NUP98 fusion in myeloid leukemia.
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MESH Headings
- Acute Disease
- Adolescent
- Amino Acid Sequence
- Base Sequence
- Child
- Child, Preschool
- Chromosome Breakage
- Chromosomes, Artificial, Bacterial
- Chromosomes, Human, Pair 11/genetics
- Chromosomes, Human, Pair 6/genetics
- Cytogenetic Analysis
- DNA, Neoplasm/analysis
- Humans
- In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
- Infant
- Leukemia, Myeloid/genetics
- Molecular Sequence Data
- Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins/genetics
- Oncogene Proteins, Fusion/genetics
- RNA, Neoplasm/analysis
- Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Translocation, Genetic
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Tosi
- Leukaemia Research Fund Molecular Haematology Unit, Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom.
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Ballabio E, Mariotti M, De Benedictis L, Maier JAM. The dual role of endothelial differentiation-related factor-1 in the cytosol and nucleus: modulation by protein kinase A. Cell Mol Life Sci 2004; 61:1069-74. [PMID: 15112053 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-004-4016-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Endothelial differentiation-related factor (EDF)-1 is involved in the repression of endothelial cell differentiation and is the first studied calmodulin (CaM)-binding protein in endothelial cells. Here we report that (i) EDF-1 is in vitro and in vivo phosphorylated by protein kinase A (PKA); (ii) EDF-1/CaM interaction is modulated by the phosphorylation of EDF-1 by PKA; (iii) forskolin stimulates nuclear accumulation of EDF-1, and (iv) PKA phosphorylation enhances EDF-1 interaction with the TATA-binding protein. CaM modulates the activity of several enzymes, among which is nitric oxide synthase (NOS). EDF-1, but not phosphorylated EDF-1, inhibits the activity of NOS. Accordingly, we detected an increase in NOS activity in cells that express low amounts of EDF-1. Our results indicate that EDF-1 serves two main functions in endothelial cells: (i) it regulates CaM availability in the cytosol, and (ii) it acts in the nucleus as a transcriptional coactivator.
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Carlsson SIM, Bertilaccio MTS, Ballabio E, Maier JAM. Endothelial stress by gravitational unloading: effects on cell growth and cytoskeletal organization. Biochim Biophys Acta 2003; 1642:173-9. [PMID: 14572900 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2003.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
All organisms on Earth have evolved to survive within the pull of gravity. Orbital space flights have clearly demonstrated that the absence or the reduction of gravity profoundly affects eukaryotic organisms, including man. Because (i). endothelial cells are crucial in the maintenance of the functional integrity of the vascular wall, and (ii). cardiovascular deconditioning has been described in astronauts, we evaluated whether microgravity affected endothelial functions. We show that microgravity reversibly stimulated endothelial cell growth. This effect correlated with an overexpression of heat shock protein 70 (hsp70) and a down-regulation of interleukin 1 alpha (IL-1alpha), a potent inhibitor of endothelial cell growth, also implicated in promoting senescence. In addition, gravitationally unloaded endothelial cells rapidly remodelled their cytoskeleton and, after a few days, markedly down-regulated actin through a transcriptional mechanism. We hypothesize that the reduction in the amounts of actin in response to microgravity represents an adaptative mechanism to avoid the accumulation of redundant actin fibers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia I M Carlsson
- Department of Preclinical Sciences, LITA Vialba, Università di Milano, Via GB Grassi 74, Milan, Italy
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Brambillasca F, Mosna G, Ballabio E, Biondi A, Boulukos KE, Privitera E. Promoter analysis of TFPT (FB1), a molecular partner of TCF3 (E2A) in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2001; 288:1250-7. [PMID: 11700047 DOI: 10.1006/bbrc.2001.5906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
We previously identified the TFPT (FB1) gene as a molecular partner of TCF3 (E2A) in childhood pre-B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). TFPT (FB1) alignment in man, mouse and rat displays a very high degree of identity, indicating that it may play a basic role in mammalian cells. To get insights into this role, we have identified and studied the TFPT (FB1) promoter and its responsiveness to hematopoietic transcriptional factors. We found that the TFPT (FB1) 5' flanking sequence displays the features of a TATA-less promoter with weak homology to Inr (Initiator) elements. Starvation experiments suggested that TFPT (FB1) expression might be constitutive. Nevertheless, the TFPT (FB1) promoter, tested by transactivation assays, was found to be responsive to Ikaros 2 and, mainly, to PU.1, a transcription factor belonging to the Ets family. Thus, these hematopoietic factors, known to play critical roles during the early stages of B cell differentiation and to be involved in leukemia, might modulate TFPT (FB1) expression during hematopoiesis and/or leukemia development.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Brambillasca
- Dipartimento di Genetica e di Biologia dei Microrganismi, Università di Milano, Via Celoria 26, 20133 Milan, Italy
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