Citations

Abstract MMSET, identified by its fusion to the IgH locus in t(4;14)-associated multiple myeloma, possesses domains found within chromatin regulators, including the SET domain. MMSET protein is overexpressed and highly associated with chromatin in myeloma cell lines carrying t(4;14). MMSET possesses methyltransferase activity for core histone H3 lysine 4 and histone 4 lysine 20, whereas MMSET made in cells only modified H4. Segments of MMSET fused to the Gal4 DNA binding domain repressed transcription of a chromatin-embedded Gal4 reporter gene. MMSET-mediated repression was associated with increased H4K20 methylation gene and loss of histone acetylation. Consistent with this repressive activity, MMSET could form a complex with HDAC1 and HDAC2, mSin3a, and the histone demethylase LSD1, suggesting that it is a component of corepressor complexes. Furthermore, MMSET coexpression enhances HDAC1- and HDAC2-mediated repression in transcriptional reporter assays. Finally, shRNA-mediated knockdown of MMSET compromised viability of a myeloma cell line, suggesting a biologic role for the protein in malignant cell growth. Collectively, these data suggest that, by acting directly as a modifier of chromatin as well as through binding of other chromatin-modifying enzymes, MMSET influences gene expression and potentially acts as a pathogenic agent in multiple myeloma.

Objective— The clinical use of venous stents is increasing dramatically. Although antiplatelet agents are required for arterial stent patency, optimal thrombo-prophylaxis after venous stenting remains undefined. To address this issue, PD0348292, a direct Factor Xa inhibitor, was compared with antiplatelet therapy in a porcine venous stent model. Methods and Results— Four hours before stent deployment, pigs (n=5 to 6 per group) received oral PD0348292 at 0.4, 0.9, 4.3 mg/kg, or 0.4 mg/kg plus aspirin (325 mg). Aspirin, clopidogrel (75 mg), aspirin plus clopidogrel, or vehicle (n=10) were administered daily for 2 days before the procedure. Two hours after stent placement, thrombi were quantified by autologous 111 In-platelet content and weights. Thrombus weight and platelet deposition were significantly reduced by PD0348292 at 0.4 (49±79 mg and 110±145×10 6 /cm 2 ), 0.9 (5±6 mg and 107±128×10 6 /cm 2 ), 4.3 mg/kg (0±0 mg and 87±125×10 6 /cm 2 ), and PD348292 plus aspirin (20±40 mg and 157±70×10 6 /cm 2 ) compared with vehicle (402±226 mg; 584±454×10 6 /cm 2 ). Despite prolonging bleeding times and inhibiting platelet aggregation, neither aspirin (567±683 mg and 533±622×10 6 /cm 2 ), clopidogrel (404±349 mg and 178±101×10 6 /cm 2 ), nor aspirin plus clopidogrel (247±261 mg and 231±266×10 6 /cm 2 ) significantly decreased stent thrombosis. Conclusions— PD0348292 completely inhibited thrombosis after venous stenting. Platelet accretion in these venous thrombi appear to involve pathways distinct from arachidonate metabolism or ADP P 2 Y 12 receptor activation.

In the 1970s, the suicide rate of patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) was calculated by conflating deaths from obvious clinical suicide attempts with deaths caused by lethal noncompliance and deaths preceded by dialysis discontinuation. Three decades later, although society's view about cessation of life-support treatment has markedly changed, relatively little is known about the psychiatric aspects of dialysis discontinuation. This paper reviews the literature and suggests a number of findings that warrant further research investigation.

ABSTRACT The avian sarcoma and leukosis virus (ASLV) family of retroviruses contains five highly related envelope subgroups (A to E) thought to have evolved from a common viral ancestor in the chicken population. Three genetic loci in chickens determine the susceptibility or resistance of cells to infection by the subgroup A to E ASLVs. Some inbred lines of chickens display phenotypes that are somewhere in between either efficiently susceptible or resistant to infection by specific subgroups of ASLV. The tvb gene encodes the receptor for subgroups B, D, and E ASLVs. The wild-type Tvb S1 receptor confers susceptibility to subgroups B, D, and E ASLVs. In this study, the genetic defect that accounts for the altered susceptibility of an inbred chicken line, line M, to infection by ASLV(B), ASLV(D), and ASLV(E) was identified. The tvb gene in line M, tvb r2 , encodes a mutant Tvb S1 receptor protein with a substitution of a serine for a cysteine at position 125 (C125S). Here, we show that the C125S substitution in Tvb S1 significantly reduces the susceptibility of line M cells to infection by ASLV(B) and ASLV(D) and virtually eliminates susceptibility to ASLV(E) infection both in cultured cells and in the incidence and growth of avian sarcoma virus-induced sarcomas in chickens. The C125S substitution significantly reduces the binding affinity of the Tvb S1 receptor for the subgroup B, D, and E ASLV envelope glycoproteins. These are the first results that demonstrate a possible role of the cysteine-rich domain 3 in the function of the Tvb receptors.

A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs) recruit signaling molecules and present them to downstream targets to achieve efficient spatial and temporal control of their phosphorylation state. In the heart, sympathetic nervous system (SNS) regulation of cardiac action potential duration (APD), mediated by β-adrenergic receptor (βAR) activation, requires assembly of AKAP9 (Yotiao) with the I Ks potassium channel α subunit (KCNQ1). KCNQ1 mutations that disrupt this complex cause type 1 long-QT syndrome (LQT1), one of the potentially lethal heritable arrhythmia syndromes. Here, we report identification of ( i ) regions on Yotiao critical to its binding to KCNQ1 and ( ii ) a single putative LQTS-causing mutation (S1570L) in AKAP9 (Yotiao) localized to the KCNQ1 binding domain in 1/50 (2%) subjects with a clinically robust phenotype for LQTS but absent in 1,320 reference alleles. The inherited S1570L mutation reduces the interaction between KCNQ1 and Yotiao, reduces the cAMP-induced phosphorylation of the channel, eliminates the functional response of the I Ks channel to cAMP, and prolongs the action potential in a computational model of the ventricular cardiocyte. These reconstituted cellular consequences of the inherited S1570L-Yotiao mutation are consistent with delayed repolarization of the ventricular action potential observed in the affected siblings. Thus, we have demonstrated a link between genetic perturbations in AKAP and human disease in general and AKAP9 and LQTS in particular.

Abstract Contractility of airway smooth muscle requires elevation of intracellular calcium concentration. Under resting conditions, airway smooth muscle cells maintain a relatively low intracellular calcium concentration, and activation of the surface receptors by contractile agonists results in an elevation of intracellular calcium, culminating in contraction of the cell. The pattern of elevation of intracellular calcium brought about by agonists is a dynamic process and involves the coordinated activities of ion channels located in the plasma membrane and the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Among the signaling molecules involved in this dynamic calcium regulation in airway smooth muscle cells are inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and cyclic ADP-ribose, which mobilize calcium from the sarcoplasmic reticulum by acting via the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and ryanodine receptors, respectively. In addition, calcium influx from the extracellular space is critical for the repletion of the intracellular calcium stores during activation of the cells by agonists. Calcium influx can occur via voltage- and receptor-gated channels in the plasma membrane, as well as by influx that is triggered by depletion of the intracellular stores (i.e., store-operated calcium entry mechanism). Transient receptor potential proteins appear to mediate the calcium influx via receptor- and store-operated channels. Recent studies have shown that proinflammatory cytokines regulate the expression and activity of the pathways involved in intracellular calcium regulation, thereby contributing to airway smooth muscle cell hyperresponsiveness. In this review, we will discuss the specific roles of cyclic ADP-ribose/ryanodine receptor channels and transient receptor potential channels in the regulation of intracellular calcium in airway smooth muscle cells.

AbstractA close connectivity between autoimmune and tumor rejection responses is known to exist in the case of melanoma immunotherapy. However, relatively little is known about self-antigens on other types of normal cells, their relation to the development of autoimmune disease, and their possible coexistence as potential tumor rejection antigens on associated tumors. In the current study, we induced inflammatory killing of normal prostate tissue in situ using a fusogenic membrane glycoprotein along with the immune adjuvant hsp70. We show here that, in the prostate, hsp70 induces interleukin (IL)-6, which triggers a CD4- and CD8-dependent progressive autoimmune reactivity, associated with IL-17 expression. This autoimmune response was also able to induce the rejection of established prostate tumors, but not other histologic types of tumors, growing elsewhere in the animal. These data show that the intimate connectivity between autoimmune and tumor rejection responses extends beyond the classic melanoma paradigm and may be clinically valuable for the treatment of established metastatic disease of the prostate. [Cancer Res 2007;67(24):11970–9]

Abstract Constitutively active RAS small GTPases promote the genesis of human cancers. An important goal in cancer biology is to identify means of countervailing activated RAS signaling to reverse malignant transformation. Oncogenic K-RAS mutations are found in virtually all pancreatic adenocarcinomas, making the RAS pathway an ideal target for therapeutic intervention. How to best contravene hyperactivated RAS signaling has remained elusive in human pancreatic cancers. Guided by the Drosophila studies, we reasoned that a downstream mediator of RAS signals might be a suitable anti-RAS target. The E3 ubiquitin ligase seven in absentia (SINA) is an essential downstream component of the Drosophila RAS signal transduction pathway. Thus, we determined the roles of the conserved human homologues of SINA, SIAHs, in mammalian RAS signaling and RAS-mediated tumorigenesis. We report that similar to its Drosophila counterpart, human SIAH is also required for oncogenic RAS signaling in pancreatic cancer. Inhibiting SIAH-dependent proteolysis blocked RAS-mediated focus formation in fibroblasts and abolished the tumor growth of human pancreatic cancer cells in soft agar as well as in athymic nude mice. Given the high level of conservation of RAS and SIAH function, our study provides useful insights into altered proteolysis in the RAS pathway in tumor initiation, progression, and oncogenesis. By targeting SIAH, we have found a novel means to contravene oncogenic RAS signaling and block RAS-mediated transformation/tumorigenesis. Thus, SIAH may offer a novel therapeutic target to halt tumor growth and ameliorate RAS-mediated pancreatic cancer. [Cancer Res 2007;67(24):11798–810]