1,491 research outputs found
CONSTITUTIVE CYTOKINE PRODUCTION BY PRIMARY EFFUSION (BODY CAVITY-BASED) LYMPHOMA-DERIVED CELL LINES
Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a new lymphoma entity occurring predominantly, but not exclusively in HIV+ patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). PEL grows exclusively in body cavities as serous lymphomatous effusion without evidence of mass disease or dissemination. The cells are infected with the newly discovered human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8), often accompanied by co-infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Several lymphoma cell lines have been established from patients with AIDS- and non-AIDS-associated PEL. Given their phenotypical relationship to plasma cells, several cytokines may be important for growth and survival of PEL cells. We investigated the spectrum of cytokines produced by nine HHV-8+ PEL cell lines, in comparison with five Burkitt lymphoma, seven other B non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (B-NHL) and seven multiple myeloma-derived cell lines. In addition, we tested the response of the PEL cells to selected cytokines and the effects of neutralizing anti-cytokine and anti-cytokine receptor antibodies. Using specific ELISAs, PEL cell lines were found to produce large amounts of interleukin-6 (IL-6; 10-5000 pg/ml), IL-6 soluble receptor (IL-6sR; 30-600 pg/ml), IL-10 (600-80,000 pg/ml) and oncostatin M (OSM; 50-80 pg/ml) which in most cases were significantly higher than the levels produced by the Burkitt, B-NHL or myeloma cell lines; on the contrary, PEL cell lines did not elaborate significant levels of macrophage inhibitory protein (MIP-1alpha) and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). However, the levels of MIP-1alpha were increased 10- to 100-fold by treatment with phorbol ester TPA. PEL cell lines did not respond proliferatively to IL-6, IL-10, IL-11, LIF, MIP-1alpha, or OSM. Incubation with IL-6sR and IL-6 inhibited cell growth. Anti-IL6 neutralizing antibodies had no effect on PEL cell line proliferation; conversely, whereas anti-IL6R alone inhibited only weakly, anti-gp130 and anti-gp130 plus anti-IL6R showed strong inhibitory effects (>20% inhibition in 5/9 lines and >60% inhibition in 3/9 lines). In summary, PEL cell lines produce high amounts of cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, OSM); proliferation could be inhibited by blocking the receptors of the IL-6 signaling pathway
HHV-8 INFECTION IS SPECIFIC FOR CELL LINES DERIVED FROM PRIMARY EFFUSION (BODY CAVITY-BASED) LYMPHOMAS
Human herpes virus 8 (HHV-8; or KSHV, Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpes virus) is a gamma herpes virus with sequence homology to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). It was first isolated from Kaposi's sarcoma tumor cells and subsequently from tumor cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells from patients with primary effusion lymphomas (PEL; or body cavity-based lymphomas). PEL has been recognized as an individual nosologic entity based on its distinctive biological-pathological features and its consistent infection with HHV-8 (commonly, but not always co-infected with EBV), occurring predominantly in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients but occasionally also in HIV-negative cases. Whether HHV-8 sequences can be found also in non-hematopoietic tumor cells other than Kaposi's sarcoma and in malignant hematopoietic malignancies other than PEL, has been the focus of the present studies. We examined the presence of HHV-8 sequences by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using (1) a panel of 133 human cell lines established from a large variety of solid tumors; (2) a spectrum of 114 hematopoietic cell lines derived from the different cell lineages including 50 B cell leukemia/lymphoma-derived cell lines and seven cell lines established from patients with PEL. Besides the seven PEL cell lines, 46 cell lines that were derived from malignant pleural effusion or ascitic fluid material (25 non-hematopoietic and 21 hematopoietic cell lines) were examined. Except for the seven PEL cell lines that were strongly HHV-8+ in the PCR, all solid tumor cell lines and all hematopoietic cell lines scored consistently negative for the presence of HHV-8 sequences. These results confirm the absolute specificity of HHV-8 infection (within the hematopoietic malignancies) for PEL. PEL cell lines represent useful tools for the analysis of the biology of this neoplasm and of the pathogenetic role of the virus in the disease development
LYMPHOMA CELL LINES: IN VITRO MODELS FOR THE STUDY OF HHV-8+ PRIMARY EFFUSION LYMPHOMA (BODY CAVITY-BASED LYMPHOMAS)
Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL; also known as body cavity-based lymphoma) is recognized as a new and unique lymphoma entity occurring predominantly, but not exclusively in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-seropositive patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). PEL grows exclusively in body cavities as serous lymphomatous effusion without evidence of mass disease or dissemination. Their most unique feature is infection with the newly discovered human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8; also known as Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus), often accompanied by co-infection with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). A number of continuous lymphoma cell lines have been established from the malignant pleural effusion, ascitic fluid and peripheral blood of patients with AIDS- and non-AIDS-associated PEL. While all cell lines are HHV-8+, about half of them also contain EBV sequences. Stimulation of the cell lines causes switch from latent to lytic HHV-8 infection. The cells are generally negative for T and B cell immunomarkers (except for CD138 suggesting a pre- or terminal plasma cell stage) and positive for some activation and adhesion markers; they are genotypically B cells with their immunoglobulin genes rearranged. Complex, hyperdiploid karyotypes with multiple structural abnormalities are seen in the cell lines examined. No alterations of known proto-oncogenes are detected in PEL, with the exception of BCL-6 mutations occurring in a large percentage of cases. Heterotransplantation of the cell lines into immunodeficient mice leads to the development of lymphomatous effusion and marked angiogenesis. As HHV-8 contains DNA sequences of several protein homologues, the cell lines express various cytokines, cytokine receptors, chemokines, cell cycle and anti-apoptosis modulators which are upregulated upon stimulation. Indeed, some cell lines produce high levels of (human) interleukin-6 and interleukin-10. Taken together, these cell lines represent very important model systems for the elucidation of the pathobiology of PEL; furthermore, the cell lines are extremely useful scientific tools providing a resource to pursue studies of HHV-8-mediated pathogenic mechanisms
Hypomethylation and expression of BEX2, IGSF4 and TIMP3 indicative of MLL translocations in Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Background Translocations of the Mixed Lineage Leukemia (MLL) gene occur in a subset (5%) of acute myeloid leukemias (AML), and in mixed phenotype acute leukemias in infancy - a disease with extremely poor prognosis. Animal model systems show that MLL gain of function mutations may contribute to leukemogenesis. Wild-type (wt) MLL possesses histone methyltransferase activity and functions at the level of chromatin organization by affecting the expression of specific target genes. While numerous MLL fusion proteins exert a diverse array of functions, they ultimately serve to induce transcription of specific genes. Hence, acute lymphoblastic leukemias (ALL) with MLL mutations (MLLmu) exhibit characteristic gene expression profiles including high-level expression of HOXA cluster genes. Here, we aimed to relate MLL mutational status and tumor suppressor gene (TSG) methylation/expression in acute leukemia cell lines. Results Using MS-MLPA (methylation-specific multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification assay), methylation of 24 different TSG was analyzed in 28 MLLmu and MLLwt acute leukemia cell lines. On average, 1.8/24 TSG were methylated in MLLmu AML cells, while 6.2/24 TSG were methylated in MLLwt AML cells. Hypomethylation and expression of the TSG BEX2, IGSF4 and TIMP3 turned out to be characteristic of MLLmu AML cell lines. MLLwt AML cell lines displayed hypermethylated TSG promoters resulting in transcriptional silencing. Demethylating agents and inhibitors of histone deacetylases restored expression of BEX2, IGSF4 and TIMP3, confirming epigenetic silencing of these genes in MLLwt cells. The positive correlation between MLL translocation, TSG hypomethylation and expression suggested that MLL fusion proteins were responsible for dysregulation of TSG expression in MLLmu cells. This concept was supported by our observation that Bex2 mRNA levels in MLL-ENL transgenic mouse cell lines required expression of the MLL fusion gene. Conclusion These results suggest that the conspicuous expression of the TSG BEX2, IGSF4 and TIMP3 in MLLmu AML cell lines is the consequence of altered epigenetic properties of MLL fusion proteins
The NPM1 wild-type OCI-AML2 and the NPM1-mutated OCI-AML3 cell lines carry DNMT3A mutations.
Absence of BRAF-V600E in the human cell lines BONNA-12, ESKOL, HAIR-M, and HC-1 questions their origin from hairy cell leukemia.
EXPRESSION STATUS OF BCL-6 AND SYNDECAN-1 IDENTIFIES DISTINCT HISTOGENETIC SUBSETS OF HODGKIN'S DISEASE
The tumor cells in most cases of Hodgkin's disease (HD) have been recently recognized to originate from the B-cell lineage, but their precise differentiation stage is not fully clarified. Recently, we have reported that the histogenesis of B-cell lymphomas may be assessed by monitoring the expression pattern of BCL-6, a transcription factor expressed in germinal center (GC) B cells, and CD138/syndecan-1 (syn-1), a proteoglycan associated with post-GC, terminal B-cell differentiation. In this study, we have applied these two markers to the study of HD histogenesis. We have found that in nodular lymphocyte predominance HD (NLPHD) tumor cells consistently display the BCL-6(+)/syn-1(-) phenotype, indicating their derivation from GC B cells. Conversely, classic HD (CHD) is heterogeneous because the tumor cells of a fraction of CHD display the BCL-6(-)/syn-1(+) phenotype of post-GC B-cells, whereas another fraction of CHD is constituted by a mixture of tumor cells reflecting the GC (BCL-6(+)/syn-1(-)) or post-GC (BCL-6(-)/syn-1(+)) phenotypes. BCL-6(-)/syn-1(+) tumor cells of CHD are mostly found surrounded by T cells expressing CD40L, consistent with the observation that CD40 signaling downregulates BCL-6 expression. These data indicate that tumor cells of NLPHD uniformly display a GC B-cell phenotype, whereas the phenotype of tumor cells of CHD appears to be modulated by the surrounding cellular background, particularly CD40L+ reactive T cells
Experimental studies of Hg(II)-Hg(0) transformations and their effects on Hg isotope fractionation
Understanding the redox transformations of inorganic forms of mercury (Hg) is necessary for understanding the fate of mercury in environmental systems. In this study, the interactions of Hg(0) and Hg(II) with organic and inorganic substances were characterized using mercury stable isotopes. Interactions of a mixed Hg(0)-Hg(II) solution with thiol and humic substances were observed, with no net changes to redox speciation. In the presence of mercaptoacetic acid (MCA), an equilibrium isotope enrichment factor (ε202Hg = δ202HgHg(II) - δ202HgHg(0)) of 1.34‰ between the Hg(II) and Hg(0) fractions was observed, similar with previously published values for Hg(0) oxidation by thiols. The equilibrium ε202Hg values similarly determined for 2-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA) and Suwannee River humic acids were 2.03‰ and 1.50‰, respectively. Reduction of mercury by siderite (FeCO3) was also characterized with respect to isotope fractionation over the course of the reaction. This reaction resulted in an 87% reduction of Hg(II) over 30 minutes, with change in mercury isotope ratios of the reactant. Kinetic ε202Hg values for the reduction of Hg(II) by siderite (ε202Hg = δ202HgHg(0) - δ202HgHg(II)) were determined by closed-system model (-1.59‰) and Rayleigh distillation model (-1.07‰; product enrichment in light isotopes). The final equilibrium state exhibited an equilibrium ε202Hg of -0.67‰. The results from the experiments conducted suggest that there is equilibrium isotope exchange between thiol-bound Hg(II) and dissolved Hg(0), and that the reduction by siderite is rapid and may involve multiple processes through the reaction.M.S.Includes bibliographical reference
Liquid structure of Rb-Hg alloys studied by neutron diffraction
The structures of liquid Rb–Hg alloys were studied as a function of composition by neutron diffraction. In the intermediate Rb concentration range, the obtained structure factors show a small prepeak, which may be an evidence of the formation of Hg polyanion units in liquids. The Reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) analysis was applied to separate the total radial distribution function into the corresponding partial radial distribution functions. Up to 10 at.% Rb, no obvious changes are found for the first peak position of the partial radial distribution functions of the Hg–Hg pair and that of the Hg–Rb pair. The first peak position between the Hg–Rb pairs increases above 20 at.% Rb. In addition to the first peak, a subpeak between Hg–Hg pairs can be seen in the large distance. At 60 at.% Rb, the nearest neighbor distance between Hg atoms shows the closest value in the concentration range studied. These results indicate that with the progress of charge transfer the solvation structure in the dilute Rb concentration range changes into the structure containing polyanions composed of Hg species
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