Analysis of cyclin B1 and CDK activity during apoptosis induced by camptothecin treatment

We have studied the role of cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) activity in apoptosis induced by camptothecin (CPT). In this model, 22% of the cells stain for annexin-V at 24 h and then proceed to be 93% positive by 72 h. This time window permits the analysis of cyclins in cells that are committed to apoptosis but not yet dead. We provide evidence that cyclin protein levels and then associated kinase levels increase after CPT treatment. Strikingly, cyclin B1 and cyclin E1 proteins are present at the same time in CPT treated HT29 cells. Although cyclin B1 and E1 CDK complexes are activated in CPT treated cells, only the cyclin B1 complex is required for apoptosis since reduction of cyclin B1 by RNAi or roscovitine treatment reduces the number of annexin-V-stained cells. We have detected poorly organized chromosomes and phosphorylated histone H3 epitopes at the time of maximum cyclin B1/CDK kinase activity in CPT-treated cells, which suggests that these cells enter a mitotic catastrophe. Understanding which CDKs are required for apoptosis may allow us to better adapt CDK inhibitors for use as anti-cancer compounds.

Fluorescence in situ hybridization determination of 22q12-q13 deletion in two intracerebral ependymomas

The sole cytogenetic abnormalities encountered in two childhood anaplastic intracerebral ependymomas were an isodicentric chromosome 22 in one case and an unbalanced chromosome 22 translocation associated with a partial deletion in the other. Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis showed that the common 22q arm loss did not involve the rhabdoid region but included the EWS and NF2 loci. These results, in conjunction with data in the literature, suggest that the most frequently recurrent genomic loss in ependymomas does not involve the proximal 22q11.2 chromosome region but is localized distally to the hSNF5/INI1 locus. A tumor-suppressor gene, independent of the NF2 gene, which seems to be exclusively involved in intramedullary spinal cord ependymomas, might be implicated in the genesis of these intracranial tumors.

hSNF5/INI1 inactivation is mainly associated with homozygous deletions and mitotic recombinations in rhabdoid tumors

The chromatin-remodeling hSNF5/INI1 gene has recently been shown to act as a tumor suppressor gene in rhabdoid tumors (RTs). In an attempt to further characterize the main chromosomal mechanisms involved in hSNF5/INI1 inactivation in RTs, we report here the molecular cytogenetic data obtained in 12 cell lines harboring hSNF5/INI1 mutations and/or deletions in relation to the molecular genetic analysis using polymorphic markers extended to both extremities of chromosome 22q. On the whole, mitotic recombination occurring in the proximal part of chromosome 22q, as demonstrated in five cases, and nondisjunction/duplication, highly suspected in two cases (processes leading respectively to partial or complete isodisomy), appear to be major mechanisms associated with hSNF5/INI1 inactivation. Such isodisomy accompanies each of the RTs exhibiting two cytogenetically normal chromosomes 22. This results in homozygosity for the mutation at the hSNF5/INI1 locus. An alternate mechanism accounting for hSNF5/INI1 inactivation observed in these tumors is homozygous deletion in the rhabdoid consensus region. This was observed in each of the four tumors carrying a chromosome 22q abnormality and, in particular, in the three tumors with chromosomal translocations. Only one case of our series illustrates the mutation/deletion classical model proposed for the double-hit inactivation of a tumor suppressor gene.

Truncating mutations of hSNF5/INI1 in aggressive paediatric cancer

Malignant rhabdoid tumours (MRTs) are extremely aggressive cancers of early childhood. They can occur in various locations, mainly the kidney, brain and soft tissues. Cytogenetic and molecular analyses have shown that the deletion of region 11.2 of the long arm of chromosome 22 (22q11.2) is a recurrent genetic characteristic of MRTs, indicating that this locus may encode a tumour suppressor gene. Here we map the most frequently deleted part of chromosome 22q11.2 from a panel of 13 MRT cell lines. We observed six homozygous deletions that delineate the smallest region of overlap between the cell lines. This region is found in the hSNF5/INI1 gene, which encodes a member of the chromatin-remodelling SWI/SNF multiprotein complexes. We analysed the sequence of hSNF5/INI1 and found frameshift or nonsense mutations of this gene in six other cell lines. These truncating mutations of one allele were associated with the loss of the other allele. Identical alterations were observed in corresponding primary tumour DNAs but not in matched constitutional DNAs, indicating that they had been acquired somatically. The observation of bi-allelic alterations of hSNF5/INI1 in MRTs suggests that loss-of-function mutations of hSNF5/INI1 contribute to oncogenesis.