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Alheraky A, Wierenga ATJ, Simpelaar A, Hesp LB, Minovic I, Bagheri N, Roozendaal C, Span LFR, Oude Elberink HNG, Kema IP, Mulder AB. Hereditary Alpha Tryptasemia: Validation of a Single-Well Multiplex Digital Droplet PCR Assay in a Cohort of Symptomatic Patients. Clin Chem 2024; 70:425-433. [PMID: 38073287 DOI: 10.1093/clinchem/hvad206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hereditary alpha tryptasemia (HαT) has significant prevalence and potential morbidity in the general population. However, it remains largely undiagnosed in routine clinical diagnostics due to low availability of efficient assessment methods. To address this issue, we developed a reliable and efficient single-well multiplex digital droplet PCR assay. METHODS The assay was based on the reconstruction of the TPSAB1 gene through quantification of the ratio of α- and β-tryptase copy number variants (CNV) in a single-well measurement. We performed analytical validation by determining CNV measurement clustering around the expected copy numbers in 281 cases and determined the diagnostic accuracy of basal serum tryptase (BST) to predict HαT and HαT subtypes in 141 symptomatic patients. RESULTS The assay determined α- and β-tryptase CNVs with an overall accuracy, expressed as a 99% prediction interval, of 0.03 ± 0.27 copy numbers. The optimal BST cutoff level to predict HαT in symptomatic patients, who had no other explanation for relatively high tryptase levels (i.e., no diagnosis of systemic mastocytosis, myeloid neoplasm, or end-stage renal failure), was 9.2 ng/mL (sensitivity: 98.1%; specificity: 96.6%). HαT showed a linear gene-dose effect, with an average gene-dose increase of 7.5 ng/mL per extra α-tryptase gene. CONCLUSION Our single-well multiplex digital droplet PCR assay accurately determined HαT and could be implemented as a state-of-the-art routine diagnostic test. The assay demonstrated a strong correlation with BST and the optimal threshold for identifying HαT in symptomatic patients with unexplained high tryptase concentrations was at a BST level of 9.2 ng/mL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdulrazzaq Alheraky
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Albertus T J Wierenga
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Arjan Simpelaar
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Lucy B Hesp
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Isidor Minovic
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Niusha Bagheri
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Caroline Roozendaal
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Lambert F R Span
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Hanneke N G Oude Elberink
- Department of Allergology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
- Groningen Research Institute for Asthma and COPD (GRIAC), University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Ido P Kema
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - André B Mulder
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
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2
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Cunningham A, Oudejans LL, Geugien M, Pereira-Martins DA, Wierenga ATJ, Erdem A, Sternadt D, Huls G, Schuringa JJ. The nonessential amino acid cysteine is required to prevent ferroptosis in acute myeloid leukemia. Blood Adv 2024; 8:56-69. [PMID: 37906522 PMCID: PMC10784682 DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2023010786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Cysteine is a nonessential amino acid required for protein synthesis, the generation of the antioxidant glutathione, and for synthesizing the nonproteinogenic amino acid taurine. Here, we highlight the broad sensitivity of leukemic stem and progenitor cells to cysteine depletion. By CRISPR/CRISPR-associated protein 9-mediated knockout of cystathionine-γ-lyase, the cystathionine-to-cysteine converting enzyme, and by metabolite supplementation studies upstream of cysteine, we functionally prove that cysteine is not synthesized from methionine in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. Therefore, although perhaps nutritionally nonessential, cysteine must be imported for survival of these specific cell types. Depletion of cyst(e)ine increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and cell death was induced predominantly as a consequence of glutathione deprivation. nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate hydrogen oxidase inhibition strongly rescued viability after cysteine depletion, highlighting this as an important source of ROS in AML. ROS-induced cell death was mediated via ferroptosis, and inhibition of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), which functions in reducing lipid peroxides, was also highly toxic. We therefore propose that GPX4 is likely key in mediating the antioxidant activity of glutathione. In line, inhibition of the ROS scavenger thioredoxin reductase with auranofin also impaired cell viability, whereby we find that oxidative phosphorylation-driven AML subtypes, in particular, are highly dependent on thioredoxin-mediated protection against ferroptosis. Although inhibition of the cystine-glutamine antiporter by sulfasalazine was ineffective as a monotherapy, its combination with L-buthionine-sulfoximine (BSO) further improved AML ferroptosis induction. We propose the combination of either sulfasalazine or antioxidant machinery inhibitors along with ROS inducers such as BSO or chemotherapy for further preclinical testing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Cunningham
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Lieve L. Oudejans
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marjan Geugien
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Diego Antonio Pereira-Martins
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Albertus T. J. Wierenga
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ayşegül Erdem
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Dominique Sternadt
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Gerwin Huls
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Jacob Schuringa
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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3
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Erdem A, Marin S, Pereira-Martins DA, Geugien M, Cunningham A, Pruis MG, Weinhäuser I, Gerding A, Bakker BM, Wierenga ATJ, Rego EM, Huls G, Cascante M, Schuringa JJ. Inhibition of the succinyl dehydrogenase complex in acute myeloid leukemia leads to a lactate-fuelled respiratory metabolic vulnerability. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2013. [PMID: 35440568 PMCID: PMC9018882 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-29639-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [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: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic programs can differ substantially across genetically distinct subtypes of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). These programs are not static entities but can change swiftly as a consequence of extracellular changes or in response to pathway-inhibiting drugs. Here, we uncover that AML patients with FLT3 internal tandem duplications (FLT3-ITD+) are characterized by a high expression of succinate-CoA ligases and high activity of mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) complex II, thereby driving high mitochondrial respiration activity linked to the Krebs cycle. While inhibition of ETC complex II enhances apoptosis in FLT3-ITD+ AML, cells also quickly adapt by importing lactate from the extracellular microenvironment. 13C3-labelled lactate metabolic flux analyses reveal that AML cells use lactate as a fuel for mitochondrial respiration. Inhibition of lactate transport by blocking Monocarboxylic Acid Transporter 1 (MCT1) strongly enhances sensitivity to ETC complex II inhibition in vitro as well as in vivo. Our study highlights a metabolic adaptability of cancer cells that can be exploited therapeutically. Inhibition of specific metabolic pathways often drives metabolic adaptation. Here, the authors show that FLT3-ITD + acute myeloid leukemia cells are OXPHOS-driven, and inhibition of complex II activity results in increased lactate influx to drive respiration, which creates a targetable vulnerability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayşegül Erdem
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Avda. Diagonal 643, Barcelona, 08028, Spain
| | - Silvia Marin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Avda. Diagonal 643, Barcelona, 08028, Spain.,CIBER of Hepatic and Digestive Diseases (CIBEREHD), Institute of Health Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain.,Institute of Biomedicine of University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Diego A Pereira-Martins
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Hematology Division, LIM31, Faculdade de Medicina, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Marjan Geugien
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Alan Cunningham
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Maurien G Pruis
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Isabel Weinhäuser
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Hematology Division, LIM31, Faculdade de Medicina, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Albert Gerding
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Laboratory of Pediatrics, Section Systems Medicine of Metabolism and Signaling, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Barbara M Bakker
- Laboratory of Pediatrics, Section Systems Medicine of Metabolism and Signaling, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Albertus T J Wierenga
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Eduardo M Rego
- Hematology Division, LIM31, Faculdade de Medicina, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Gerwin Huls
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Marta Cascante
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Avda. Diagonal 643, Barcelona, 08028, Spain.,CIBER of Hepatic and Digestive Diseases (CIBEREHD), Institute of Health Carlos III, 28029, Madrid, Spain.,Institute of Biomedicine of University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jan Jacob Schuringa
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9700 RB, Groningen, The Netherlands.
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4
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Yi G, Wierenga ATJ, Petraglia F, Narang P, Janssen-Megens EM, Mandoli A, Merkel A, Berentsen K, Kim B, Matarese F, Singh AA, Habibi E, Prange KHM, Mulder AB, Jansen JH, Clarke L, Heath S, van der Reijden BA, Flicek P, Yaspo ML, Gut I, Bock C, Schuringa JJ, Altucci L, Vellenga E, Stunnenberg HG, Martens JHA. Chromatin-Based Classification of Genetically Heterogeneous AMLs into Two Distinct Subtypes with Diverse Stemness Phenotypes. Cell Rep 2020; 26:1059-1069.e6. [PMID: 30673601 PMCID: PMC6363099 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.12.098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [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: 06/27/2018] [Revised: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Global investigation of histone marks in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains limited. Analyses of 38 AML samples through integrated transcriptional and chromatin mark analysis exposes 2 major subtypes. One subtype is dominated by patients with NPM1 mutations or MLL-fusion genes, shows activation of the regulatory pathways involving HOX-family genes as targets, and displays high self-renewal capacity and stemness. The second subtype is enriched for RUNX1 or spliceosome mutations, suggesting potential interplay between the 2 aberrations, and mainly depends on IRF family regulators. Cellular consequences in prognosis predict a relatively worse outcome for the first subtype. Our integrated profiling establishes a rich resource to probe AML subtypes on the basis of expression and chromatin data.
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MESH Headings
- Chromatin/genetics
- Chromatin/metabolism
- Chromatin/pathology
- Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit/genetics
- Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit/metabolism
- Humans
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/classification
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/genetics
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/metabolism
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/pathology
- Mutation
- Nuclear Proteins/genetics
- Nuclear Proteins/metabolism
- Nucleophosmin
- Oncogene Proteins, Fusion/genetics
- Oncogene Proteins, Fusion/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoqiang Yi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Albertus T J Wierenga
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, the Netherlands; Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Francesca Petraglia
- Dipartimento di Biochimica, Biofisica e Patologia generale, Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli," Vico L. De Crecchio 7, 80138 Napoli, Italy
| | - Pankaj Narang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Eva M Janssen-Megens
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Amit Mandoli
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Angelika Merkel
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG), Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Kim Berentsen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Bowon Kim
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Filomena Matarese
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Abhishek A Singh
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Ehsan Habibi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Koen H M Prange
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - André B Mulder
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Joop H Jansen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Laboratory of Hematology, Radboud University, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Laura Clarke
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Simon Heath
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG), Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Bert A van der Reijden
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Laboratory of Hematology, Radboud University, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Paul Flicek
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridge CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Marie-Laure Yaspo
- Department of Vertebrate Genomics, Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ivo Gut
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (CNAG), Parc Científic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Christoph Bock
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Lazarettgasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria; Max Planck Institute for Informatics, Saarland Informatics Campus, 66123 Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Jan Jacob Schuringa
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Lucia Altucci
- Dipartimento di Biochimica, Biofisica e Patologia generale, Università degli Studi della Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli," Vico L. De Crecchio 7, 80138 Napoli, Italy
| | - Edo Vellenga
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 RB Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Hendrik G Stunnenberg
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Joost H A Martens
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Radboud University, 6525 GA Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
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5
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Wierenga ATJ, Cunningham A, Erdem A, Lopera NV, Brouwers-Vos AZ, Pruis M, Mulder AB, Günther UL, Martens JHA, Vellenga E, Schuringa JJ. HIF1/2-exerted control over glycolytic gene expression is not functionally relevant for glycolysis in human leukemic stem/progenitor cells. Cancer Metab 2019; 7:11. [PMID: 31890203 PMCID: PMC6935105 DOI: 10.1186/s40170-019-0206-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [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: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIF)1 and 2 are transcription factors that regulate the homeostatic response to low oxygen conditions. Since data related to the importance of HIF1 and 2 in hematopoietic stem and progenitors is conflicting, we investigated the chromatin binding profiles of HIF1 and HIF2 and linked that to transcriptional networks and the cellular metabolic state. Methods Genome-wide ChIPseq and ChIP-PCR experiments were performed to identify HIF1 and HIF2 binding sites in human acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells and healthy CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. Transcriptome studies were performed to identify gene expression changes induced by hypoxia or by overexpression of oxygen-insensitive HIF1 and HIF2 mutants. Metabolism studies were performed by 1D-NMR, and glucose consumption and lactate production levels were determined by spectrophotometric enzyme assays. CRISPR-CAS9-mediated HIF1, HIF2, and ARNT-/- lines were generated to study the functional consequences upon loss of HIF signaling, in vitro and in vivo upon transplantation of knockout lines in xenograft mice. Results Genome-wide ChIP-seq and transcriptome studies revealed that overlapping HIF1- and HIF2-controlled loci were highly enriched for various processes including metabolism, particularly glucose metabolism, but also for chromatin organization, cellular response to stress and G protein-coupled receptor signaling. ChIP-qPCR validation studies confirmed that glycolysis-related genes but not genes related to the TCA cycle or glutaminolysis were controlled by both HIF1 and HIF2 in leukemic cell lines and primary AMLs, while in healthy human CD34+ cells these loci were predominantly controlled by HIF1 and not HIF2. However, and in contrast to our initial hypotheses, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of HIF signaling did not affect growth, internal metabolite concentrations, glucose consumption or lactate production under hypoxia, not even in vivo upon transplantation of knockout cells into xenograft mice. Conclusion These data indicate that, while HIFs exert control over glycolysis but not OxPHOS gene expression in human leukemic cells, this is not critically important for their metabolic state. In contrast, inhibition of BCR-ABL did impact on glucose consumption and lactate production regardless of the presence of HIFs. These data indicate that oncogene-mediated control over glycolysis can occur independently of hypoxic signaling modules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albertus T J Wierenga
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, Groningen, 9700RB The Netherlands.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9700RB Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Alan Cunningham
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, Groningen, 9700RB The Netherlands
| | - Ayşegül Erdem
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, Groningen, 9700RB The Netherlands
| | | | - Annet Z Brouwers-Vos
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, Groningen, 9700RB The Netherlands
| | - Maurien Pruis
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, Groningen, 9700RB The Netherlands
| | - André B Mulder
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9700RB Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ulrich L Günther
- 3Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Joost H A Martens
- 4Department of Molecular Biology, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Edo Vellenga
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, Groningen, 9700RB The Netherlands
| | - Jan Jacob Schuringa
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, Groningen, 9700RB The Netherlands
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6
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Singh AA, Petraglia F, Nebbioso A, Yi G, Conte M, Valente S, Mandoli A, Scisciola L, Lindeboom R, Kerstens H, Janssen-Megens EM, Pourfarzad F, Habibi E, Berentsen K, Kim B, Logie C, Heath S, Wierenga ATJ, Clarke L, Flicek P, Jansen JH, Kuijpers T, Yaspo ML, Valle VD, Bernard O, Gut I, Vellenga E, Stunnenberg HG, Mai A, Altucci L, Martens JHA. Multi-omics profiling reveals a distinctive epigenome signature for high-risk acute promyelocytic leukemia. Oncotarget 2018; 9:25647-25660. [PMID: 29876014 PMCID: PMC5986653 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.25429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenomic alterations have been associated with both pathogenesis and progression of cancer. Here, we analyzed the epigenome of two high-risk APL (hrAPL) patients and compared it to non-high-risk APL cases. Despite the lack of common genetic signatures, we found that human hrAPL blasts from patients with extremely poor prognosis display specific patterns of histone H3 acetylation, specifically hyperacetylation at a common set of enhancer regions. In addition, unique profiles of the repressive marks H3K27me3 and DNA methylation were exposed in high-risk APLs. Epigenetic comparison with low/intermediate-risk APLs and AMLs revealed hrAPL-specific patterns of histone acetylation and DNA methylation, suggesting these could be further developed into markers for clinical identification. The epigenetic drug MC2884, a newly generated general HAT/EZH2 inhibitor, induces apoptosis of high-risk APL blasts and reshapes their epigenomes by targeting both active and repressive marks. Together, our analysis uncovers distinctive epigenome signatures of hrAPL patients, and provides proof of concept for use of epigenome profiling coupled to epigenetic drugs to ‘personalize’ precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek A Singh
- Department of Molecular Biology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Francesca Petraglia
- Dipartimento di Biochimica Biofisica e Patologia Generale, Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Napoli, Italy
| | - Angela Nebbioso
- Dipartimento di Biochimica Biofisica e Patologia Generale, Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Napoli, Italy
| | - Guoqiang Yi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | | | - Sergio Valente
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco 'Sapienza' Università, Roma, Italy
| | - Amit Mandoli
- Department of Molecular Biology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Lucia Scisciola
- Dipartimento di Biochimica Biofisica e Patologia Generale, Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Napoli, Italy
| | - Rik Lindeboom
- Department of Molecular Biology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Hinri Kerstens
- Department of Molecular Biology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | | | - Farzin Pourfarzad
- Department of Blood Cell Research, Sanquin Research and Landsteiner Laboratory, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ehsan Habibi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Kim Berentsen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Bowon Kim
- Department of Molecular Biology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Colin Logie
- Department of Molecular Biology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Simon Heath
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Albertus T J Wierenga
- Department of Hematology, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Laura Clarke
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Flicek
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Trust Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Joop H Jansen
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Radboud UMC, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Taco Kuijpers
- Department of Blood Cell Research, Sanquin Research and Landsteiner Laboratory, Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | - Veronique Della Valle
- INSERM U1170, Universtité Paris-Saclay, Institut Gustave Roussy, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer (LNCC), Paris, France
| | - Olivier Bernard
- INSERM U1170, Universtité Paris-Saclay, Institut Gustave Roussy, Equipe Labellisée Ligue Nationale Contre le Cancer (LNCC), Paris, France
| | - Ivo Gut
- Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Edo Vellenga
- Department of Hematology, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | | | - Antonello Mai
- Dipartimento di Chimica e Tecnologie del Farmaco 'Sapienza' Università, Roma, Italy.,Pasteur Institute, Cenci-Bolognetti Foundation, Sapienza University of Rome, Roma, Italy
| | - Lucia Altucci
- Dipartimento di Biochimica Biofisica e Patologia Generale, Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Napoli, Italy
| | - Joost H A Martens
- Department of Molecular Biology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands.,Dipartimento di Biochimica Biofisica e Patologia Generale, Università degli Studi della Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Napoli, Italy
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7
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Mandoli A, Singh AA, Prange KHM, Tijchon E, Oerlemans M, Dirks R, Ter Huurne M, Wierenga ATJ, Janssen-Megens EM, Berentsen K, Sharifi N, Kim B, Matarese F, Nguyen LN, Hubner NC, Rao NA, van den Akker E, Altucci L, Vellenga E, Stunnenberg HG, Martens JHA. The Hematopoietic Transcription Factors RUNX1 and ERG Prevent AML1-ETO Oncogene Overexpression and Onset of the Apoptosis Program in t(8;21) AMLs. Cell Rep 2017; 17:2087-2100. [PMID: 27851970 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.08.082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2016] [Revised: 05/06/2016] [Accepted: 08/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The t(8;21) acute myeloid leukemia (AML)-associated oncoprotein AML1-ETO disrupts normal hematopoietic differentiation. Here, we have investigated its effects on the transcriptome and epigenome in t(8,21) patient cells. AML1-ETO binding was found at promoter regions of active genes with high levels of histone acetylation but also at distal elements characterized by low acetylation levels and binding of the hematopoietic transcription factors LYL1 and LMO2. In contrast, ERG, FLI1, TAL1, and RUNX1 bind at all AML1-ETO-occupied regulatory regions, including those of the AML1-ETO gene itself, suggesting their involvement in regulating AML1-ETO expression levels. While expression of AML1-ETO in myeloid differentiated induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) induces leukemic characteristics, overexpression increases cell death. We find that expression of wild-type transcription factors RUNX1 and ERG in AML is required to prevent this oncogene overexpression. Together our results show that the interplay of the epigenome and transcription factors prevents apoptosis in t(8;21) AML cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amit Mandoli
- Radboud University, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Abhishek A Singh
- Radboud University, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Koen H M Prange
- Radboud University, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Esther Tijchon
- Radboud University, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Marjolein Oerlemans
- Radboud University, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Rene Dirks
- Radboud University, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Menno Ter Huurne
- Radboud University, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Albertus T J Wierenga
- Department of Hematology, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, P.O. Box 30001, 9700 RB Groningen, the Netherlands; Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, P.O. Box 30001, 9700 RB Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Eva M Janssen-Megens
- Radboud University, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Kim Berentsen
- Radboud University, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Nilofar Sharifi
- Radboud University, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Bowon Kim
- Radboud University, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Filomena Matarese
- Radboud University, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Luan N Nguyen
- Radboud University, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Nina C Hubner
- Radboud University, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Nagesha A Rao
- Radboud University, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Emile van den Akker
- Sanquin Research Department of Hematopoiesis, P.O. Box 9190, 1006 AD Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Lucia Altucci
- Dipartimento di Patologia Generale, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Vico Luigi de Crecchio 7, 80138 Napoli, Italy; Istituto di Genetica e Biofisica "Adriano Buzzati Traverso," Via P. Castellino 131, 80131 Napoli, Italy
| | - Edo Vellenga
- Department of Hematology, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, P.O. Box 30001, 9700 RB Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Hendrik G Stunnenberg
- Radboud University, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Joost H A Martens
- Radboud University, Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, 6500 HB Nijmegen, the Netherlands; Dipartimento di Patologia Generale, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Vico Luigi de Crecchio 7, 80138 Napoli, Italy.
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8
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Folkerts H, Hilgendorf S, Wierenga ATJ, Jaques J, Mulder AB, Coffer PJ, Schuringa JJ, Vellenga E. Inhibition of autophagy as a treatment strategy for p53 wild-type acute myeloid leukemia. Cell Death Dis 2017; 8:e2927. [PMID: 28703806 PMCID: PMC5550863 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2017.317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [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: 03/17/2017] [Revised: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Here we have explored whether inhibition of autophagy can be used as a treatment strategy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Steady-state autophagy was measured in leukemic cell lines and primary human CD34+ AML cells with a large variability in basal autophagy between AMLs observed. The autophagy flux was higher in AMLs classified as poor risk, which are frequently associated with TP53 mutations (TP53mut), compared with favorable- and intermediate-risk AMLs. In addition, the higher flux was associated with a higher expression level of several autophagy genes, but was not affected by alterations in p53 expression by knocking down p53 or overexpression of wild-type p53 or p53R273H. AML CD34+ cells were more sensitive to the autophagy inhibitor hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) than normal bone marrow CD34+ cells. Similar, inhibition of autophagy by knockdown of ATG5 or ATG7 triggered apoptosis, which coincided with increased expression of p53. In contrast to wild-type p53 AML (TP53wt), HCQ treatment did not trigger a BAX and PUMA-dependent apoptotic response in AMLs harboring TP53mut. To further characterize autophagy in the leukemic stem cell-enriched cell fraction AML CD34+ cells were separated into ROSlow and ROShigh subfractions. The immature AML CD34+-enriched ROSlow cells maintained higher basal autophagy and showed reduced survival upon HCQ treatment compared with ROShigh cells. Finally, knockdown of ATG5 inhibits in vivo maintenance of AML CD34+ cells in NSG mice. These results indicate that targeting autophagy might provide new therapeutic options for treatment of AML since it affects the immature AML subfraction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hendrik Folkerts
- Department of Experimental Hematology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Susan Hilgendorf
- Department of Experimental Hematology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Albertus T J Wierenga
- Department of Experimental Hematology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jennifer Jaques
- Department of Experimental Hematology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - André B Mulder
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Paul J Coffer
- Regenerative Medicine Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Center of Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Jacob Schuringa
- Department of Experimental Hematology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Edo Vellenga
- Department of Experimental Hematology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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9
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Sontakke P, Koczula KM, Jaques J, Wierenga ATJ, Brouwers-Vos AZ, Pruis M, Günther UL, Vellenga E, Schuringa JJ. Hypoxia-Like Signatures Induced by BCR-ABL Potentially Alter the Glutamine Uptake for Maintaining Oxidative Phosphorylation. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153226. [PMID: 27055152 PMCID: PMC4824381 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [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: 12/09/2015] [Accepted: 03/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The Warburg effect is probably the most prominent metabolic feature of cancer cells, although little is known about the underlying mechanisms and consequences. Here, we set out to study these features in detail in a number of leukemia backgrounds. The transcriptomes of human CB CD34+ cells transduced with various oncogenes, including BCR-ABL, MLL-AF9, FLT3-ITD, NUP98-HOXA9, STAT5A and KRASG12V were analyzed in detail. Our data indicate that in particular BCR-ABL, KRASG12V and STAT5 could impose hypoxic signaling under normoxic conditions. This coincided with an upregulation of glucose importers SLC2A1/3, hexokinases and HIF1 and 2. NMR-based metabolic profiling was performed in CB CD34+ cells transduced with BCR-ABL versus controls, both cultured under normoxia and hypoxia. Lactate and pyruvate levels were increased in BCR-ABL-expressing cells even under normoxia, coinciding with enhanced glutaminolysis which occurred in an HIF1/2-dependent manner. Expression of the glutamine importer SLC1A5 was increased in BCR-ABL+ cells, coinciding with an increased susceptibility to the glutaminase inhibitor BPTES. Oxygen consumption rates also decreased upon BPTES treatment, indicating a glutamine dependency for oxidative phosphorylation. The current study suggests that BCR-ABL-positive cancer cells make use of enhanced glutamine metabolism to maintain TCA cell cycle activity in glycolytic cells.
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MESH Headings
- Antigens, CD34/metabolism
- Apoptosis
- Blotting, Western
- Cell Cycle
- Cell Proliferation
- Cells, Cultured
- Fetal Blood/cytology
- Fetal Blood/metabolism
- Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl/genetics
- Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl/metabolism
- Gene Expression Profiling
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Glutamine/metabolism
- Humans
- Hypoxia/physiopathology
- Immunoenzyme Techniques
- Infant, Newborn
- Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/genetics
- Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/metabolism
- Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/pathology
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/genetics
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/metabolism
- Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/pathology
- Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
- Metabolomics
- Neoplasm Proteins/genetics
- Neoplasm Proteins/metabolism
- Oxidative Phosphorylation
- RNA, Messenger/genetics
- Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
- Signal Transduction
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Affiliation(s)
- Pallavi Sontakke
- Department of Experimental Hematology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Katarzyna M. Koczula
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Jennifer Jaques
- Department of Experimental Hematology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Albertus T. J. Wierenga
- Department of Experimental Hematology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Annet Z. Brouwers-Vos
- Department of Experimental Hematology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Maurien Pruis
- Department of Experimental Hematology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ulrich L. Günther
- Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom
| | - Edo Vellenga
- Department of Experimental Hematology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Jacob Schuringa
- Department of Experimental Hematology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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10
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Gomez-Puerto MC, Folkerts H, Wierenga ATJ, Schepers K, Schuringa JJ, Coffer PJ, Vellenga E. Autophagy Proteins ATG5 and ATG7 Are Essential for the Maintenance of Human CD34(+) Hematopoietic Stem-Progenitor Cells. Stem Cells 2016; 34:1651-63. [PMID: 26930546 DOI: 10.1002/stem.2347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2015] [Accepted: 01/08/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy is a highly regulated catabolic process that involves sequestration and lysosomal degradation of cytosolic components such as damaged organelles and misfolded proteins. While autophagy can be considered to be a general cellular housekeeping process, it has become clear that it may also play cell type-dependent functional roles. In this study, we analyzed the functional importance of autophagy in human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs), and how this is regulated during differentiation. Western blot-based analysis of LC3-II and p62 levels, as well as flow cytometry-based autophagic vesicle quantification, demonstrated that umbilical cord blood-derived CD34(+) /CD38(-) immature hematopoietic progenitors show a higher autophagic flux than CD34(+) /CD38(+) progenitors and more differentiated myeloid and erythroid cells. This high autophagic flux was critical for maintaining stem and progenitor function since knockdown of autophagy genes ATG5 or ATG7 resulted in reduced HSPC frequencies in vitro as well as in vivo. The reduction in HSPCs was not due to impaired differentiation, but at least in part due to reduced cell cycle progression and increased apoptosis. This is accompanied by increased expression of p53, proapoptotic genes BAX and PUMA, and the cell cycle inhibitor p21, as well as increased levels of cleaved caspase-3 and reactive oxygen species. Taken together, our data demonstrate that autophagy is an important regulatory mechanism for human HSCs and their progeny, reducing cellular stress and promoting survival. Stem Cells 2016;34:1651-1663.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Catalina Gomez-Puerto
- Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Regenerative Medicine Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Hendrik Folkerts
- Department of Experimental Hematology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Albertus T J Wierenga
- Department of Experimental Hematology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Koen Schepers
- Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Jacob Schuringa
- Department of Experimental Hematology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Paul J Coffer
- Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Regenerative Medicine Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Edo Vellenga
- Department of Experimental Hematology, Cancer Research Center Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, University Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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11
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Schepers H, Wierenga ATJ, Vellenga E, Schuringa JJ. STAT5-mediated self-renewal of normal hematopoietic and leukemic stem cells. JAKSTAT 2014; 1:13-22. [PMID: 24058747 PMCID: PMC3670129 DOI: 10.4161/jkst.19316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [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: 11/29/2011] [Revised: 01/10/2012] [Accepted: 01/11/2012] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The level of transcription factor activity critically regulates cell fate decisions such as hematopoietic stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. The balance between hematopoietic stem cell self-renewal and differentiation needs to be tightly controlled, as a shift toward differentiation might exhaust the stem cell pool, while a shift toward self-renewal might mark the onset of leukemic transformation. A number of transcription factors have been proposed to be critically involved in governing stem cell fate and lineage commitment, such as Hox transcription factors, c-Myc, Notch1, β-catenin, C/ebpα, Pu.1 and STAT5. It is therefore no surprise that dysregulation of these transcription factors can also contribute to the development of leukemias. This review will discuss the role of STAT5 in both normal and leukemic hematopoietic stem cells as well as mechanisms by which STAT5 might contribute to the development of human leukemias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hein Schepers
- Department of Experimental Hematology; University Medical Center Groningen; Groningen, The Netherlands ; Department of Stem Cell Biology; University Medical Center Groningen; Groningen, The Netherlands
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12
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Wierenga ATJ, Vellenga E, Schuringa JJ. Convergence of hypoxia and TGFβ pathways on cell cycle regulation in human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells. PLoS One 2014; 9:e93494. [PMID: 24686421 PMCID: PMC3970968 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0093494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [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: 12/23/2013] [Accepted: 03/06/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Although it has been shown that HIF1 and 2 fulfill essential roles within the hematopoietic system and in the regulation of HSC fate, little is currently known about the specific mechanisms that are involved. We identified transcriptome changes induced by hypoxia, constitutively active HIF1(P402/564) and HIF2(P405/531) in human cord blood CD34+ cells. Thus, we were able to identify common hypoxia-HIF1-HIF2 gene signatures, but we also identified specific target genes that were exclusively regulated by HIF1, HIF2 or hypoxia. Geneset enrichment analysis (GSEA) revealed that, besides known pathways associated with "hypoxia-induced signaling", also significant enrichment for the Transforming Growth Factor beta (TGFβ) pathway was observed within the hypoxia/HIF1/HIF2 transcriptomes. One of the most significantly upregulated genes in both gene sets was the cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor CDKN1C (p57kip2). Combined hypoxia treatment or HIF overexpression together with TGFβ stimulation resulted in enhanced expression of CDKN1C and enhanced cell cycle arrest within the CD34+/CD38- stem cell compartment. Interestingly, we observed that CD34+ cells cultured under hypoxic conditions secreted high levels of latent TGFβ, suggesting an auto- or paracrine role of TGFβ in the regulation of quiescence of these cells. However, knockdown of SMAD4 could not rescue the hypoxia induced cell cycle arrest, arguing against direct effects of hypoxia-induced secreted TGFβ. Finally, the Gα-coupled receptor GTPase RGS1 was identified as a HIF-dependent hypoxia target that dampens SDF1-induced migration and signal transduction in human CD34+ stem/progenitor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albertus T. J. Wierenga
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Edo Vellenga
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Jacob Schuringa
- Department of Experimental Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
- * E-mail:
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13
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Mandoli A, Singh AA, Jansen PWTC, Wierenga ATJ, Riahi H, Franci G, Prange K, Saeed S, Vellenga E, Vermeulen M, Stunnenberg HG, Martens JHA. CBFB-MYH11/RUNX1 together with a compendium of hematopoietic regulators, chromatin modifiers and basal transcription factors occupies self-renewal genes in inv(16) acute myeloid leukemia. Leukemia 2013; 28:770-8. [PMID: 24002588 DOI: 10.1038/leu.2013.257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2013] [Revised: 08/19/2013] [Accepted: 08/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Different mechanisms for CBFβ-MYH11 function in acute myeloid leukemia with inv(16) have been proposed such as tethering of RUNX1 outside the nucleus, interference with transcription factor complex assembly and recruitment of histone deacetylases, all resulting in transcriptional repression of RUNX1 target genes. Here, through genome-wide CBFβ-MYH11-binding site analysis and quantitative interaction proteomics, we found that CBFβ-MYH11 localizes to RUNX1 occupied promoters, where it interacts with TAL1, FLI1 and TBP-associated factors (TAFs) in the context of the hematopoietic transcription factors ERG, GATA2 and PU.1/SPI1 and the coregulators EP300 and HDAC1. Transcriptional analysis revealed that upon fusion protein knockdown, a small subset of the CBFβ-MYH11 target genes show increased expression, confirming a role in transcriptional repression. However, the majority of CBFβ-MYH11 target genes, including genes implicated in hematopoietic stem cell self-renewal such as ID1, LMO1 and JAG1, are actively transcribed and repressed upon fusion protein knockdown. Together these results suggest an essential role for CBFβ-MYH11 in regulating the expression of genes involved in maintaining a stem cell phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Mandoli
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - A A Singh
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - P W T C Jansen
- Department of Molecular Cancer Research, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - A T J Wierenga
- 1] Department of Hematology, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands [2] Department of Laboratory Medicine University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - H Riahi
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - G Franci
- Dipartimento di Biochimica, Biofisica e Patologia Generale, Seconda Università degli Studi di Napoli, Napoli, Italy
| | - K Prange
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - S Saeed
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - E Vellenga
- Department of Hematology, University of Groningen and University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - M Vermeulen
- Department of Molecular Cancer Research, UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - H G Stunnenberg
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - J H A Martens
- Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Nijmegen Centre for Molecular Life Sciences, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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14
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van de Laar L, van den Bosch A, Wierenga ATJ, Janssen HLA, Coffer PJ, Woltman AM. Tight Control of STAT5 Activity Determines Human CD34-Derived Interstitial Dendritic Cell and Langerhans Cell Development. J I 2011; 186:7016-24. [DOI: 10.4049/jimmunol.1003977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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15
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Ter Elst A, Ma B, Scherpen FJG, de Jonge HJM, Douwes J, Wierenga ATJ, Schuringa JJ, Kamps WA, de Bont ESJM. Repression of vascular endothelial growth factor expression by the runt-related transcription factor 1 in acute myeloid leukemia. Cancer Res 2011; 71:2761-71. [PMID: 21447743 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-10-0402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
VEGFA is considered one of the most important regulators of tumor-associated angiogenesis in cancer. In acute myeloid leukemia (AML) VEGFA is an independent prognostic factor for reduced overall and relapse-free survival. Transcriptional activation of the VEGFA promoter, a core mechanism for VEGFA regulation, has not been fully elucidated. We found a significant (P < 0.0001) inverse correlation between expression of VEGFA and AML1/RUNX1 in a large set of gene expression array data. Strikingly, highest VEGFA levels were demonstrated in AML blasts containing a t(8;21) translocation, which involves the AML1/RUNX1 protein (AML1/ETO). Overexpression of AML1/RUNX1 led to downregulation of VEGFA expression, whereas blocking of AML1/RUNX1 with siRNAs resulted in increased VEGFA expression. Cotransfection of AML1/RUNX1 and VEGFA promoter luciferase promoter constructs resulted in a decrease in VEGFA promoter activity. ChIP analysis shows a direct binding of AML1/RUNX1 to the promoter of VEGFA on three AML1/RUNX1 binding sites. Silencing of AML1/ETO caused a decrease in VEGFA mRNA expression and a decrease in secreted VEGFA protein levels in AML1/ETO-positive Kasumi-1 cells. Taken together, these data pinpoint to a model whereby in normal cells AML1/RUNX1 acts as a repressor for VEGFA, while in AML cells VEGFA expression is upregulated due to AML1/RUNX1 aberrations, for example, AML1/ETO. In conclusion, these observations give insight in the regulation of VEGFA at the mRNA level in AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arja Ter Elst
- Division of Pediatric Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Schepers H, van Gosliga D, Wierenga ATJ, Eggen BJL, Schuringa JJ, Vellenga E. STAT5 is required for long-term maintenance of normal and leukemic human stem/progenitor cells. Blood 2007; 110:2880-8. [PMID: 17630355 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2006-08-039073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The transcription factor STAT5 fulfills a distinct role in the hematopoietic system, but its precise role in primitive human hematopoietic cells remains to be elucidated. Therefore, we performed STAT5 RNAi in sorted cord blood (CB) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) CD34+ cells by lentiviral transduction and investigated effects of STAT5 downmodulation on the normal stem/progenitor cell compartment and the leukemic counterpart. STAT5 RNAi cells displayed growth impairment, without affecting their differentiation in CB and AML cultures on MS5 stroma. In CB, limiting-dilution assays demonstrated a 3.9-fold reduction in progenitor numbers. Stem cells were enumerated in long-term culture-initiating cell (LTC-IC) assays, and the average LTC-IC frequency was 3.25-fold reduced from 0.13% to 0.04% by STAT5 down-regulation. Single-cell sorting experiments of CB CD34+/CD38− cells demonstrated a 2-fold reduced cytokine-driven expansion, with a subsequent 2.3-fold reduction of progenitors. In sorted CD34+ AML cells with constitutive STAT5 phosphorylation (5/8), STAT5 RNAi demonstrated a reduction in cell number (72% ± 17%) and a decreased expansion (17 ± 15 vs 80 ± 58 in control cultures) at week 6 on MS5 stroma. Together, our data indicate that STAT5 expression is required for the maintenance and expansion of primitive hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, both in normal as well as leukemic hematopoiesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hein Schepers
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
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Schepers H, Wierenga ATJ, van Gosliga D, Eggen BJL, Vellenga E, Schuringa JJ. Reintroduction of C/EBPalpha in leukemic CD34+ stem/progenitor cells impairs self-renewal and partially restores myelopoiesis. Blood 2007; 110:1317-25. [PMID: 17475913 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2006-10-052175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [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: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) alpha transcription factor is indispensable for myeloid differentiation. In various myeloid leukemias, C/EBPalpha is mutated or functionally impaired due to decreased C/EBPalpha expression or phosphorylation. In order to investigate the functional consequences of decreased C/EBPalpha function in AML, we reintroduced C/EBPalpha in primary CD34(+) sorted acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells using a lentiviral approach. Self-renewal and differentiation of primary AML stem cells were studied on long-term MS5 cocultures. Activation of C/EBPalpha immediately led to a growth arrest in all AML cultures (N = 7), resulting in severely reduced expansion compared with control cultures. This growth arrest corresponded with enhanced myeloid differentiation as assessed by fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) analysis for CD14, CD15, and CD11b. Myeloid differentiation was further confirmed by the up-regulation of neutrophil elastase and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) receptor in C/EBPalpha transduced cells. C/EBPalpha-expressing AML CD34(+) cells failed to generate second and third leukemic cobblestone areas (L-CAs) in serial replating experiments, while control cultures could be sequentially passaged for more than 4 times, indicating that reintroduction of C/EBPalpha impaired the self-renewal capacity of the leukemic CD34(+) compartment. Together, our data indicate that low C/EBPalpha levels are necessary to maintain self-renewal and the immature character of AML stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hein Schepers
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Wierenga ATJ, Schepers H, Moore MAS, Vellenga E, Schuringa JJ. STAT5-induced self-renewal and impaired myelopoiesis of human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells involves down-modulation of C/EBPα. Blood 2006; 107:4326-33. [PMID: 16455947 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2005-11-4608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [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: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractPreviously, we demonstrated that enforced activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5A) in human cord blood (CB)–derived stem/progenitor cells results in enhanced self-renewal and impaired myelopoiesis. The present study identifies C/EBPα as a critical component that is down-regulated by STAT5. Microarray and reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis on STAT5A1*6-transduced CD34+ cells identified C/EBPα as the most prominently down-regulated gene. To determine the cell-biological relevance of these observations, a 4-OHT-inducible C/EBPα-ER protein was co-expressed with the STAT5A1*6 mutant in CB CD34+ cells using a retroviral approach. Re-expression of C/EBPα in STAT5A1*6 cells resulted in a marked restoration of myelopoiesis. The proliferative advantage imposed on CD34+ cells by STAT5A1*6 depended on the down-modulation of C/EBPα, as reintroduction of C/EBPα induced a quick cell-cycle arrest and the onset of myeloid differentiation. Long-term culture–initiating cell (LTC-IC) frequencies were elevated from 0.8% ± 0.6% to 7.8% ± 1.9% by STAT5A1*6 as compared with controls, but these elevated LTC-IC frequencies were strongly reduced upon re-introduction of C/EBPα in STAT5A1*6 cells, and no second cobble-stone area–forming cells (CAFCs) could be generated from double-transduced cells. Enumeration of progenitors revealed that the number of colony-forming cells (CFCs) was reduced more than 20-fold when C/EBPα was co-expressed in STAT5A1*6 cells. Our data indicate that down-modulation of C/EBPα is a prerequisite for STAT5-induced effects on self-renewal and myelopoiesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albertus T J Wierenga
- Department of Hematology, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
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Schepers H, Wierenga ATJ, Eggen BJL, Vellenga E. Oncogenic Ras blocks transforming growth factor-beta-induced cell-cycle arrest by degradation of p27 through a MEK/Erk/SKP2-dependent pathway. Exp Hematol 2005; 33:747-57. [PMID: 15963850 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2005.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [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: 01/11/2005] [Revised: 04/08/2005] [Accepted: 04/14/2005] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine whether oncogenic Ras affects transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta-mediated cell-cycle arrest in hematopoietic cells and the downstream signal transduction pathway involved in the interference with TGF-beta-induced cell-cycle arrest. MATERIALS AND METHODS Two leukemic cell lines bearing N-Ras(L61) mutations; HL-60 and TF-1, and the M1 cell line with wt Ras were investigated for their response to TGF-beta. Signal transduction inhibitors, overexpression and RNA interference studies were performed to investigate the involvement of the various proteins. RESULTS Although TGF-beta signal transduction was not affected, G0-G1 arrest was absent in HL-60 and TF-1 cells due to the absence of p27. Overexpression of p27 restored TGF-beta-induced cell-cycle arrest, as well as interfering in Ras-mediated signaling. The farnesyl transferase inhibitor L744832 and the MEK inhibitor U0126 both restored p27 levels and cell-cycle arrest in response to TGF-beta. The absence of p27 protein is due to elevated levels of the ubiquitin ligase SKP2, which complexes with and targets p27 for degradation. RNA interference for SKP2 and treatment of these cells with the proteasome inhibitor MG132 restored p27 levels, corresponding with decreasing SKP2 levels after interfering in N-Ras signal transduction. P27, phosphorylated at threonine 187, is nuclear localized in N-Ras-containing cells. Mutation of this residue to alanine rendered p27 insensitive to degradation. CONCLUSION N-Ras(L61) transformed cells lack a G0-G1 arrest upon TGF-beta treatment due to absence of p27. p27 is degraded through a MapK-, and SKP2-dependent pathway. Overexpression of p27 results in restoration of cell-cycle arrest upon TGF-beta treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hein Schepers
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
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Benus GFJD, Wierenga ATJ, de Gorter DJJ, Schuringa JJ, van Bennekum AM, Drenth-Diephuis L, Vellenga E, Eggen BJL. Inhibition of the transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) pathway by interleukin-1beta is mediated through TGFbeta-activated kinase 1 phosphorylation of SMAD3. Mol Biol Cell 2005; 16:3501-10. [PMID: 15917296 PMCID: PMC1182292 DOI: 10.1091/mbc.e04-11-1033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor beta is the prototype of a large family of secreted factors that regulate multiple biological processes. In the immune system, TGFbeta acts as an anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive molecule, whereas the cytokine interleukin (IL)-1beta is a crucial mediator of inflammatory responses and induces proinflammatory genes and acute phase proteins. Here, we present evidence for the existence of a direct inhibitory interaction between the IL-1beta and TGFbeta signaling cascades that is not dependent on IL-1beta-induced SMAD7 expression. IL-1beta and its downstream mediator TAK1 inhibit SMAD3-mediated TGFbeta target gene activation, whereas SMAD3 nuclear translocation and DNA binding in response to TGFbeta are not affected. IL-1beta transiently induces association between TAK1 and the MAD homology 2 domain of SMAD3, resulting in SMAD3 phosphorylation. Furthermore, IL-1beta alleviates the inhibitory effect of TGFbeta on in vitro hematopoietic myeloid colony formation. In conclusion, our data provide evidence for the existence of a direct inhibitory effect of the IL-1beta-TAK1 pathway on SMAD3-mediated TGFbeta signaling, resulting in reduced TGFbeta target gene activation and restored proliferation of hematopoietic progenitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Germaine F J D Benus
- Developmental Genetics, Groningen Biomolecular Sciences and Biotechnology Institute, University of Groningen, 9751 NN Haren, The Netherlands
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Wierenga ATJ, Vogelzang I, Eggen BJL, Vellenga E. Erythropoietin-induced serine 727 phosphorylation of STAT3 in erythroid cells is mediated by a MEK-, ERK-, and MSK1-dependent pathway. Exp Hematol 2003; 31:398-405. [PMID: 12763138 DOI: 10.1016/s0301-472x(03)00045-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [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: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Erythropoietin (EPO) is a key regulator of erythropoiesis, playing a role in both the proliferation and differentiation of erythroid cells. One of the signal transduction molecules activated upon EPO stimulation is signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3. Besides tyrosine 705 phosphorylation of STAT3, serine 727 phosphorylation has been described upon EPO stimulation. In the present study, we investigated which molecular pathways mediate the STAT3 serine 727 phosphorylation and the functional implications of this phosphorylation. METHODS The EPO-dependent erythroid cell line ASE2 was used to investigate which signaling routes were involved in the STAT3 serine 727 phosphorylation. Western blotting using phosphospecific antibodies was used to assess the phosphorylation status of STAT3 molecules. Transfection analysis was performed to investigate the transactivational potential of STAT3, and quantitative RT-PCR was used to study the in vivo gene expression of STAT3-responsive genes. RESULTS Western blotting of extracts of cells exposed to various chemical inhibitors revealed that the MEK inhibitors PD98059 and U0126 abrogated the EPO-mediated STAT3 serine 727 phosphorylation without an effect on tyrosine phosphorylation. Further analysis showed that MSK1 is activated downstream of ERK, and retroviral transductions with kinase-inactive MSK1 revealed that MSK1 is necessary for STAT3 serine phosphorylation. Furthermore, the STAT3-mediated transactivation was reduced by blocking the STAT3 serine phosphorylation with the MEK inhibitor U0126 or by expression of kinase-inactive MSK1. CONCLUSIONS The EPO-induced STAT3 serine 727 phosphorylation is mediated by a pathway involving MEK, ERK, and MSK1. Furthermore, serine phosphorylation of STAT3 augments the transactivational potential of STAT3.
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Abstract
Loss of transforming growth factor (TGF) beta signaling has been implicated in malignant transformation of various tissues. To investigate a potential role of Smad4 in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the expression of Smad4 was determined in blast cells from AML patients. Western analysis of nuclear extracts of nine AML samples indicated the absence of Smad4 protein in two cases. Smad4 RT-PCR analysis of these cases indicated normal Smad4 mRNA expression, and sequencing of one of these cases revealed no mutations as compared to wild type Smad4. Next, it was investigated whether Smad4 protein from these AML cases was subject to proteolytic degradation by incubating cell extracts of these Smad4-negative AML cells with extracts from COS-7 cells in which a tagged Smad4 was overexpressed. Inhibitor studies indicated that the extracts of AML blasts lacking Smad4 possessed a serine-dependent proteolytic activity, capable of degrading Smad4. Transfection studies using an SBE containing reporter construct as well as RT-PCR analysis of endogenous TGFbeta1 responsive genes indicated that the AML blasts were still able to respond to TGFbeta1, despite the observed degradation of Smad4. It was, therefore, concluded that the degradation of Smad4 was possibly AML subtype-dependent, in vitro phenomenon, occurring during the preparation of nuclear and cellular extracts despite the addition of a protease inhibitor cocktail. The results indicate that care should be taken when interpreting data obtained from protein expression studies using AML blast cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albertus T J Wierenga
- Department of Hematology, University Hospital Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, The Netherlands
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Wierenga ATJ, Schuringa JJ, Eggen BJL, Kruijer W, Vellenga E. Downregulation of IL-6-induced STAT3 tyrosine phosphorylation by TGF-beta1 is mediated by caspase-dependent and -independent processes. Leukemia 2002; 16:675-82. [PMID: 11960349 DOI: 10.1038/sj.leu.2402425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [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] [Received: 07/05/2001] [Accepted: 12/14/2001] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
To explore the possible cross-talk between the IL-6 and TGF-beta1 pathways in AML blast cells, the effect of TGF-beta1 pretreatment on IL-6-induced STAT3 tyrosine phosphorylation was studied. A reduction of STAT3 tyrosine phosphorylation after TGF-beta1 pretreatment was observed in four out of 40 AML cases (10%), although all of the AML cases responded to TGF-beta1 by means of SMAD3 translocation. The reduced IL-6-mediated STAT3 tyrosine phosphorylation after pre-treatment with TGF-beta1 was associated with apoptosis and coincided with the degradation of certain cellular proteins, including JAK1 and -2 and Tyk2, without affecting the ERK expression and phosphorylation. Furthermore, treatment of AML blasts with the cytostatic agent VP16, as an alternative way to induce apoptosis, resulted in a similar degree of degradation of JAK kinases and concomitant reduction of IL-6-mediated STAT3 tyrosine phosphorylation. Although degradation of JAK kinases could be rescued by incubating the cells with the pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-fmk, the attenuating effect of TGF-beta1 treatment on the STAT3 tyrosine phosphorylation was still partly present. It was shown that in AML cells cultured in the presence of Z-VAD-fmk, TGF-beta1 pretreatment resulted in a reduction of JAK1 phosphorylation upon IL-6 stimulation. Expression of SOCS1 and -3 could be ruled out as a possible cause of reduced JAK1 phosphorylation levels in the investigated AML case.
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Affiliation(s)
- A T J Wierenga
- University Hospital Groningen, Dept of Hematology, Groningen, The Netherlands
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Birkenkamp KU, Tuyt LML, Lummen C, Wierenga ATJ, Kruijer W, Vellenga E. The p38 MAP kinase inhibitor SB203580 enhances nuclear factor-kappa B transcriptional activity by a non-specific effect upon the ERK pathway. Br J Pharmacol 2000; 131:99-107. [PMID: 10960075 PMCID: PMC1572293 DOI: 10.1038/sj.bjp.0703534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In the present study we investigated a possible role for the p38 mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway in mediating nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) transcriptional activity in the erythroleukaemic cell line TF-1. TF-1 cells stimulated with the phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid (OA) demonstrated enhanced NF-kappaB and GAL4p65-regulated transcriptional activity which was associated with elevated p38 phosphorylation. However, pretreatment with the p38 MAPK specific inhibitor SB203580 (1 microM) or overexpression of kinase-deficient mutants of MKK3 or MKK6 did not affect OA-enhanced NF-kappaB transcriptional potency, as determined in transient transfection assays. In fact, 5 and 10 microM SB203580 enhanced rather than inhibited NF-kappaB-mediated promoter activity by 2 fold, which was independent of phosphorylation of the p65 subunit. The SB203580-mediated increase in NF-kappaB transcriptional activity was associated with enhanced phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), but not p38 kinase. Overexpression of kinase-deficient mutants belonging to the ERK1/2, JNK, and p38 pathways showed that only dominant-negative Raf-1 abrogated SB203580-enhanced NF-kappaB activity. This would implicate the involvement of the ERK1/2 pathway in the enhancing effects of SB203580 on NF-kappaB-mediated gene transcription. This study demonstrates that the p38 MAP kinase pathway is not involved in the OA-induced activation of NF-kappaB. SB203580 at higher concentrations activates the ERK pathway, which subsequently enhances NF-kappaB transcriptional activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim U Birkenkamp
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, University of Groningen, PO Box 30 001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
- Division of Developmental Genetics, Department of Biology, University of Groningen, PO Box 30 001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Leonore M L Tuyt
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, University of Groningen, PO Box 30 001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Chantal Lummen
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, University of Groningen, PO Box 30 001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Albertus T J Wierenga
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, University of Groningen, PO Box 30 001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Wiebe Kruijer
- Division of Developmental Genetics, Department of Biology, University of Groningen, PO Box 30 001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Edo Vellenga
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, University of Groningen, PO Box 30 001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands
- Author for correspondence:
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