Tubedown Expression Correlates with the Differentiation Status and Aggressiveness of Neuroblastic Tumors

PURPOSE

The discovery and validation of new prognostic factors and further refinement of risk group stratification are needed to improve clinical interpretation of neuroblastoma. Our laboratory isolated and characterized a developmentally regulated gene named TUBEDOWN against which we have raised a monoclonal antibody (OE5). Tubedown becomes down-regulated postnatally yet remains strongly expressed in some neuroblastomas. The purpose of this study is to define the utility of Tubedown expression as a new measure of the differentiation status and aggressiveness of neuroblastic tumors.

EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Tubedown protein expression was quantitatively assessed in neuroblastic tumors (neuroblastomas, ganglioneuroblastomas, and ganglioneuromas) and normal adrenal tissues using Western blot and OE5 immunohistochemistry. Regulation of Tubedown expression during retinoic acid-induced neuronal differentiation in neuroblastoma cell lines was assessed by Western blotting.

RESULTS

High levels of Tubedown expression are observed in tumors with significant neuroblastic component, unfavorable histopathology, advanced stage, high-risk group, and poor outcome. In contrast, more differentiated subsets of neuroblastic tumors, ganglioneuroblastomas with favorable histopathology and ganglioneuromas, express low levels of Tubedown. In vitro, marked retinoic acid-induced neuronal differentiation responses of neuroblastoma cells are associated with a significant decrease in Tubedown expression, whereas limited neuronal differentiation responses to retinoic acid were associated with little or no decrease in Tubedown expression.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that the levels of Tubedown expression are linked to the differentiation status and aggressiveness of neuroblastic tumors and represent an independent prognostic factor for neuroblastoma. Tubedown expression may be useful to more accurately define different neuroblastic tumor subsets and ultimately provide more adequate assessment and treatment for neuroblastoma patients.

Tubedown-1 (Tbdn-1) suppression in oxygen-induced retinopathy and in retinopathy of prematurity

PURPOSE

Identification of unique proteins involved in retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) may facilitate new and more effective diagnostic tools and molecular-based treatments for ROP. Tubedown-1 (Tbdn-1), a novel homeostatic protein which copurifies with an acetyltransferase activity, is expressed in normal retinal endothelium and is specifically suppressed in retinal endothelial cells from patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Furthermore, recent in vivo knockdown studies in mice have revealed that Tbdn-1 is important for retinal blood vessel homeostasis and for preventing retinal neovascularization in adults. The purpose of the present study was to determine if the expression pattern of Tbdn-1 is altered during oxygen-induced retinal neovascularization in mice and in a specimen of stage 3 human ROP.

METHODS

Specimens of oxygen-induced retinal neovascularization in mice, and a single specimen of active stage 3 ROP were studied by immunohistochemistry and digital image analysis using antibodies raised against Tbdn-1 and other blood vessel markers.

RESULTS

The pattern of Tbdn-1 expression during the course of oxygen-induced retinal neovascularization in mice suggests a regulating role in neonatal retinopathy. Retinal lesions from oxygen-induced retinal neovascularization in mice display suppression of retinal endothelial Tbdn-1 protein expression in conjunction with an increase in expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (a marker of proliferation) and alpha smooth muscle actin (a marker of myofibroblastic cells). Abnormal blood vessels within vitreoretinal neovascular lesions in a human specimen of active stage 3 ROP did not show Tbdn-1 protein expression.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that the loss of retinal endothelial Tbdn-1 expression may be a contributing factor in retinal blood vessel proliferation in ROP.

Conditional Knockdown of Tubedown-1 in Endothelial Cells Leads to Neovascular Retinopathy

PURPOSE

Identification of novel proteins involved in retinal neovascularization may facilitate new and more effective molecular-based treatments for proliferative retinopathy. Tubedown-1 (Tbdn-1) is a novel protein that shows homology to the yeast acetyltransferase subunit NAT1 and copurifies with an acetyltransferase activity. Tbdn-1 is expressed in normal retinal endothelium but is specifically suppressed in retinal endothelial cells from patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the importance of Tbdn-1 expression in retinal blood vessels in vivo.

METHODS

A bitransgenic mouse model that enables conditional knockdown of Tbdn-1 specifically in endothelial cells was produced and studied using molecular, histologic, and immunohistochemical techniques and morphometric analysis.

RESULTS

Tbdn-1-suppressed mice exhibited retinal and choroidal neovascularization with intra- and preretinal fibrovascular lesions similar to human proliferative retinopathies. Retinal lesions observed in Tbdn-1-suppressed mice increased in severity with prolonged suppression of Tbdn-1. In comparison to normal retina, the retinal lesions displayed alterations in the basement membrane of blood vessels and in the distribution of glial and myofibroblastic cells. Moreover, the pathologic consequences of Tbdn-1 knockdown in endothelium were restricted to the retina and the choroid.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate that the maintenance of Tbdn-1 expression is important for retinal blood vessel homeostasis and for controlling retinal neovascularization in adults. Restoration of Tbdn-1 protein expression and/or activity may provide a novel approach for treating proliferative retinopathies.

Stoichiometry of the photosynthetic apparatus and phycobilisome structure of the cyanobacterium Plectonema boryanum UTEX 485 are regulated by both light and temperature

The role of growth temperature and growth irradiance on the regulation of the stoichiometry and function of the photosynthetic apparatus was examined in the cyanobacterium Plectonema boryanum UTEX 485 by comparing mid-log phase cultures grown at either 29 degrees C/150 micromol m(-2) s(-1), 29 degrees C/750 micromol m(-2) s(-1), 15 degrees C/150 micromol m(-2) s(-1), or 15 degrees C/10 micromol m(-2) s(-1). Cultures grown at 29 degrees C/750 micromol m(-2) s(-1) were structurally and functionally similar to those grown at 15 degrees C/150 micromol m(-2) s(-1), whereas cultures grown at 29 degrees C/150 micromol m(-2) s(-1) were structurally and functionally similar to those grown at 15 degrees C/10 micromol m(-2) s(-1). The stoichiometry of specific components of the photosynthetic apparatus, such as the ratio of photosystem (PS) I to PSII, phycobilisome size and the relative abundance of the cytochrome b(6)/f complex, the plastoquinone pool size, and the NAD(P)H dehydrogenase complex were regulated by both growth temperature and growth irradiance in a similar manner. This indicates that temperature and irradiance may share a common sensing/signaling pathway to regulate the stoichiometry and function of the photosynthetic apparatus in P. boryanum. In contrast, the accumulation of neither the D1 polypeptide of PSII, the large subunit of Rubisco, nor the CF(1) alpha-subunit appeared to be regulated by the same mechanism. Measurements of P700 photooxidation in vivo in the presence and absence of inhibitors of photosynthetic electron transport coupled with immunoblots of the NAD(P)H dehydrogenase complex in cells grown at either 29 degrees C/750 micromol m(-2) s(-1) or 15 degrees C/150 micromol m(-2) s(-1) are consistent with an increased flow of respiratory electrons into the photosynthetic intersystem electron transport chain maintaining P700 in a reduced state relative to cells grown at either 29 degrees C/150 micromol m(-2) s(-1) or 15 degrees C/10 micromol m(-2) s(-1). These results are discussed in terms of acclimation to excitation pressure imposed by either low growth temperature or high growth irradiance.

Novel form of ClpB/HSP100 protein in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus

Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942 has a second clpB gene that encodes a 97-kDa protein with novel features. ClpBII is the first ClpB not induced by heat shock or other stresses; it is instead an essential, constitutive protein. ClpBII is unable to complement ClpBI function for acquired thermotolerance. No truncated ClpBII version is normally produced, unlike other bacterial forms, while ectopic synthesis of a putative truncated ClpBII dramatically decreased cell viability.

Protection of photosystem II against UV-A and UV-B radiation in the cyanobacterium Plectonema boryanum: the role of growth temperature and growth irradiance

Plectonema boryanum UTEX 485 cells were grown at 29 degrees C and 150 mumol m-2 s-1 photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and exposed to PAR combined with ultraviolet-A radiation (UV-A) at 15 degrees C. This induced a time-dependent inhibition of photosystem II (PSII) photochemistry measured as a decrease of the chlorophyll a fluorescence ratio, Fv/Fm, to 50% after 2 h of UV-A treatment compared to nontreated control cells. Exposure of the same cells to PAR combined with UV-A + ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B) caused only a 30% inhibition of PSII photochemistry relative to nontreated cells. In contrast, UV-A and UV-A + UV-B irradiation of cells cultured at 15 degrees C and 150 mumol m-2 s-1 had minimal effects on the Fv/Fm values. However, cells grown at 15 degrees C and lower PAR irradiance (6 mumol m-2 s-1) exhibited similar inhibition patterns of PSII photochemistry as control cells. The decreased sensitivity of PSII photochemistry of P. boryanum grown at 15 degrees C and 150 mumol m-2 s-1 to subsequent exposure to UV radiation relative to either control cells or cells grown at low temperature but low irradiance was correlated with the following: (1) a reduced efficiency of energy transfer to PSII reaction centers; (2) higher levels of a carotenoid tentatively identified as myxoxanthophyll; (3) the accumulation of scytonemin and mycosporine amino acids; and (4) the accumulation of ATP-dependent caseinolytic proteases. Thus, acclimation of P. boryanum at low temperature and moderate irradiance appears to confer significant resistance to UV-induced photoinhibition of PSII. The role of excitation pressure in the induction of this resistance to UV radiation is discussed.

Iron stress restricts photosynthetic intersystem electron transport in Synechococcus sp. PCC 7942

Although exposure of Synechococcus sp. PCC 7942 to iron stress induced the accumulation of the isiA gene product (CP43') compared with non-stressed controls, immunodetection of the N-terminus of cytochrome (Cyt) f indicated that iron stress not only reduced the content of the 40 kDa, heme-binding, Cyt f polypeptide by 32% but it also specifically induced the accumulation of a new, 23 kDa, non-heme-binding, putative Cyt f polypeptide. Concomitantly, iron stress restricted intersystem electron transport based on the in vivo reduction of P700(+), monitored as delta A(820)/A(820) in the presence and absence of electron transport inhibitors, as well as the inhibition of the Emerson enhancement effect on O(2) evolution. However, iron stress appeared to be associated with enhanced rates of PS I cyclic electron transport, low rates of PS I-driven photoreduction of NADP(+) but comparable rates for PS II+PS I photoreduction of NADP(+) relative to controls. We hypothesize that Synechococcus sp. PCC 7942 exhibits a dynamic capacity to uncouple PS II and PS I electron transport, which may allow for the higher than expected growth rates observed during iron stress.

ClpB in a cyanobacterium: predicted structure, phylogenetic relationships, and regulation by light and temperature

The sequence of a genomic clone encoding a 100-kDa stress protein of Plectonema boryanum (p-ClpB) was determined. The predicted polypeptide contains two putative ATPase regions located within two highly conserved domains (N1 and N2), a spacer region that likely forms a coiled-coil domain, and a highly conserved consensus CK2 phosphorylation domain. The coiled-coil region and the putative site of phosphorylation are not unique to p-ClpB; they are present in all ClpB sequences examined and are absent from the ClpB paralogs ClpA, ClpC, ClpX, and ClpY. Small quantities of a 4.5-kb p-clpB transcript and 110-kDa cytosolic p-ClpB protein were detected in cells grown under optimal conditions; however, increases in the quantities of the transcript and protein were observed in cells grown under excess light and low temperature conditions. Finally, we analyzed ClpA, ClpB, and ClpC sequences from 27 organisms in order to predict phylogenetic relationships among the homologs. We have used this information, along with an identity alignment, to redefine the Clp subfamilies.