Immunophenotypes in 207 pediatric patients with ALL and theirs correlation with cytogenetics and clinical features / 中国实验血液学杂志

The objective of this study was to investigate the immunophenotypic subtype profiles of 207 pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and its correlation with cytogenetics and clinical features. 207 children with ALL were immunophenotyped by four color flow cytometry using a panel of monoclonal antibodies. 207 patients were enrolled in this study, out of which 146 cases were subjected to karyotype analysis by R-banding technology. The results showed that 11.6% out of 207 children with ALL were identified as T-ALL, 88.4% as B-ALL. Myeloid antigen (MyAg) expression was documented in 42.5% out of 207 cases analyzed and CD13 was the most commonly expressed MyAg (31.4%). No difference was observed in the expression of MyAg between the groups of patients with T-ALL (41.7%) and B-ALL (42.6%). Abnormal karyotypes were detected in 84 out of 146 (57.5%) children. The clinical and biological characteristics of ALL patients between MyAg(+) and MyAg(-) groups showed that higher percentage of patients with high WBC count (> 50 × 10(9)/L) and higher CD34 positivity were found to be correlated with MyAg(+) ALL. It is concluded that immunophenotype analysis is useful for ALL diagnosis and classification, and the immunophenotypes are in relevance to the abnormal cytogenetic changes as well as clinical features in childhood ALL.

Role of caspase-8 in TRAIL-induced apoptosis of neuroblastoma cell lines / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>The aim of this study was to investigate whether the induction of caspase-8 by γ-interferon (IFNγ) renders neuroblastoma (NB) cells sensitive to tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis inducing ligand(TRAIL).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Caspase-8 mRNA expression was determined by RT-PCR. The effects of IFNγ, TRAIL, IFNγ +TRAIL and caspase-8 inhibitor+ TRAIL on the growth and apoptosis of NB cells were detected with the methods of reduction rate of Alamar Blue assay and flow cytometry. The relative caspase-8 activity was measured with colorimetric assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Caspase-8 expression was detectable in CHP212 cells which were sensitive to TRAIL, with an increased expression after treatment with IFNγ. Caspase-8 was undetectable in SH-SY5Y(SY5Y) cells which were resistant to TRAIL, but an increased expression of caspase-8 mRNA was found after treatment with IFNγ. Moreover, TRAIL combined with IFNγ induced apoptosis in SY5Y cells. The relative caspase-8 activity of CHP212 cells increased with the prolonged TRAIL action time. The relative caspase-8 activity of SY5Y cells in the IFNγ+TRAIL group was significantly higher than those of the control, IFNγ, TRAIL and inhibitor groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>NB cells expressing caspase-8 are sensitive to TRAIL. TRAIL induces apoptosis in NB cells with an increase of relative caspase-8 activity.</p>

Combination of gamma-interferon with TRAIL and cisplatin or etoposide induces apoptosis in human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the effect of gamma-interferon (IFNgamma), tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL), and cisplatin or etoposide induced apoptosis in human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y and its possible molecular mechanisms.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expressions of Caspase 8 mRNA and protein were detected with RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. The effects of IFN-gamma, TRAIL, IFNgamma + TRAIL, IFN-gamma + Caspase 8 inhibitor + TRAIL, IFNgamma + cisplatin + TRAIL, and IFNgamma + etoposide + TRAIL on the growth and apoptosis of SH-SY5Y cells were detected with the methods of MTT and flow cytometry. The relative Caspase 8 activity was measured with colorimetric assay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Caspase 8 was undetectable in SH-SY5Y cells but an increased expression of Caspase 8 mRNA and protein was found after treatment with IFNgamma. SH-SY5Y cells themselves were not sensitive to TRAIL, but those expressing Caspase 8 after treatment with IFNgamma were. The killing effect of TRAIL on SH-SY5Y cells expressing Caspase 8 was depressed by Caspase 8 inhibitor. Cisplatin and etoposide could enhance the sensitivity of TRAIL on SH-SY5Y cells. The relative Caspase 8 activity of SH-SY5Y cells in IFN-gamma + TRAIL group was significantly higher than those of control group, IFN-gamma group, TRAIL group, and inhibitor group (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference among IFN-gamma + TRAIL group, IFNgamma + cisplatin + TRAIL group, and IFNgamma + etoposide + TRAIL group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>IFNgamma could sensitize SH-SY5Y cells to TRAIL-induced apoptosis and this may be realized by the up-regulation of Caspase 8. Cisplatin and etoposide could enhance the killing effect of TRAIL on SH-SY5Y cells.</p>

Role of caspase-8 and DR5 in TRAIL-induced apoptosis of neuroblastoma cells / 中国当代儿科杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>Tumor necrosis factor related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) induces cell death in a variety of tumors but not in normal cells. TRAILdouble ended arrow-resistance of most neuroblastoma (NB) cell lines is related to the loss of caspase-8 expression and the expression and distribution of membrane TRAIL-receptors. This study investigated the role of caspase-8 and DR5 in TRAIL-induced apoptosis of NB cell line SKNDZ.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The expression of caspase-8 mRNA was detected by RT-PCR. The expression of DR5 protein was detected by Western Blot analysis. The effects of TRAIL, IFNgamma +TRAIL, chemotherapeutic agent (adriamycin or etoposide) + TRAIL, and chemotherapeutic agent +TRAIL+ IFNgamma on the growth and apoptosis of SKNDZ cells were detected by MTT assay and flow cytometry.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>caspase-8 was not expressed in SKNDZ cells but IFNgamma treatment resulted in an increase of caspase-8 expression. Expression of DR5 protein was not detected in SKNDZ cells but an increased DR5 protein expression was found after treatment with adriamycin or etoposide. The SKNDZ cells expressing caspase-8 were not sensitive to TRAIL but those SKNDZ cells expressing both caspase-8 and DR5 were sensitive. The early apoptosis rates of the adriamycin /etoposide + IFNgamma+TRAIL groups [(17.9 +/- 3.6)%, (14.8 +/- 3.3)%] were higher than that of the IFNgamma+TRAIL group [(3.9 +/- 1.2)% ](F=26.233, P < 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>SKNDZ cells expressing both caspase-8 and DR5 restored the TRAIL sensitivity. Caspase-8 and DR5 play a key role in TRAIL-induced apoptosis of NB cells.</p>