Impact of p53 Status on Radiosensitization of Tumor Cells by MET Inhibition-Associated Checkpoint Abrogation.

UNLABELLED: Signaling via the MET receptor tyrosine kinase has been implicated in crosstalk with cellular responses to DNA damage. Our group previously demonstrated that MET inhibition in tumor cells with deregulated MET activity results in radiosensitization via downregulation of the ATR-CHK1-CDC25 pathway, a major signaling cascade responsible for intra-S and G2-M cell-cycle arrest following DNA damage. Here we aimed at studying the potential therapeutic application of ionizing radiation in combination with a MET inhibitor, EMD-1214063, in p53-deficient cancer cells that harbor impaired G1-S checkpoint regulation upon DNA damage. We hypothesized that upon MET inhibition, p53-deficient cells would bypass both G1-S and G2-M checkpoints, promoting premature mitotic entry with substantial DNA lesions and cell death in a greater extent than p53-proficient cells. Our data suggest that p53-deficient cells are more susceptible to EMD-1214063 and combined treatment with irradiation than wild-type p53 lines as inferred from elevated γH2AX expression and increased cytotoxicity. Furthermore, cell-cycle distribution profiling indicates constantly lower G1 and higher G2-M population as well as higher expression of a mitotic marker p-histone H3 following the dual treatment in p53 knockdown isogenic variant, compared with the parental counterpart. IMPLICATIONS: The concept of MET inhibition-mediated radiosensitization enhanced by p53 deficiency is of high clinical relevance, as p53 is frequently mutated in numerous types of human cancer. The current data point for a therapeutic advantage for an approach combining MET targeting along with DNA-damaging agents for MET-positive/p53-negative tumors.

Actual biological diagnosis of acute myeloblastic leukemia in children.

Acute myeloblastic leukemia accounts for approximately 20% of acute leukemias in children. The days the microscope represented the main tool in the diagnosis and classification of Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia seem to be very far. This review summarizes the current diagnosis of this malignancy, where the morphological, cytochemical, immunophenotyping, cytogenetic and molecular characterization represents the basement of a risk group related therapy.

Medullary allotransplant in acute myeloblastic leukemia in a child.

Although acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) is more resistant to chemotherapy than acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), significant progresses have been achieved over the last 20 years with an improvement in the long-term survival up to 50-60%. This may be attributed to the intensification of chemotherapy, including the increased use of stem-cell transplantation (HSCT) in well-defined subgroups. Allo-HSCT represents an extremely effective alternative in pediatric AML treatment panel, but its efficiency is limited both by the toxic effects and by the difficulty of finding a matched HLA donor.

miR-125b controls apoptosis and temozolomide resistance by targeting TNFAIP3 and NKIRAS2 in glioblastomas.

Diffusely infiltrating gliomas are among the most prognostically discouraging neoplasia in human. Temozolomide (TMZ) in combination with radiotherapy is currently used for the treatment of glioblastoma (GBM) patients, but less than half of the patients respond to therapy and chemoresistance develops rapidly. Epigenetic silencing of the O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) has been associated with longer survival in GBM patients treated with TMZ, but nuclear factor κB (NF-κB)-mediated survival signaling and TP53 mutations contribute significantly to TMZ resistance. Enhanced NF-κB is in part owing to downregulation of negative regulators of NF-κB activity, including Tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced protein 3 (TNFAIP3) and NF-κB inhibitor interacting RAS-like 2 (NKIRAS2). Here we provide a novel mechanism independent of TP53 and MGMT by which oncogenic miR-125b confers TMZ resistance by targeting TNFAIP3 and NKIRAS2. GBM cells overexpressing miR-125b showed increased NF-κB activity and upregulation of anti-apoptotic and cell cycle genes. This was significantly associated with resistance of GBM cells to TNFα- and TNF-related inducing ligand-induced apoptosis as well as resistance to TMZ. Conversely, overexpression of anti-miR-125b resulted in cell cycle arrest, increased apoptosis and increased sensitivity to TMZ, indicating that endogenous miR-125b is sufficient to control these processes. GBM cells overexpressing TNFAIP3 and NKIRAS2 were refractory to miR-125b-induced apoptosis resistance as well as TMZ resistance, indicating that both genes are relevant targets of miR-125b. In GBM tissues, high miR-125b expression was significantly correlated with nuclear NF-κB confirming that miR-125b is implicated in NF-κB signaling. Most remarkably, miR-125b overexpression was clearly associated with shorter overall survival of patients treated with TMZ, suggesting that this microRNA is an important predictor of response to therapy.

Craniospinal irradiation with concurrent temozolomide for primary metastatic pediatric high-grade or diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas. A first report from the GPOH-HIT-HGG Study Group.

BACKGROUND: High-grade (HGG) and diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPG) with primary metastatic spread are extremely rare and have a dismal prognosis. Analogous to simultaneous radiochemotherapy in non-metastatic HGG and DIPG, concurrent craniospinal irradiation (CSI) and metronomic temozolomide (metroTMZ) may represent a reasonable therapeutic approach. However, the antitumor efficacy and toxicity of this treatment still have to be investigated. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between March 2007 and December 2012, six children with primary metastatic HGG (n = 4) or DIPG (n = 2) received CSI and concurrent metroTMZ based on individual treatment recommendations and, in some cases, within the HIT-HGG 2007 multicenter trial. Outcome and treatment-related toxicities were evaluated. RESULTS: All patients received irradiation to the entire craniospinal axis (35.2 Gy, n = 5; 36 Gy, n = 1:) and 5 received a local boost to macroscopic tumor deposits. Simultaneously, metroTMZ (75 mg/m(2)/day, n = 5; 60 mg/m(2)/day, n = 1) was administered. Additionally, 1 patient received nimotuzumab once per week. Within a median follow-up of 10.0 months (range 6.5-18.7 months), all patients experienced disease progression and 5 patients died. Median progression-free survival was 4.0 ± 0.8 months (range 2.4-10.7 months) and median overall survival was 7.6 ± 3.5 months (range 4.0-17.6 months). Acute myelosuppression most severely limited application of this aggressive treatment strategy. Severe hematotoxicities (≥ grade 3) occurred in all patients and metroTMZ had to be interrupted or discontinued in 4 out of 6 cases. CONCLUSION: Concurrent CSI and metroTMZ might represent a feasible treatment approach for primary metastatic HGG and DIPG. On the basis of our experience, severe but manageable acute hematotoxicity has to be expected. An international effort is warranted to reassess the efficacy and toxicity of this approach within a prospective study.

Solving the IRAK-4 enigma: application of kinase-dead knock-in mice.

Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK-4) is an essential component of the signal transduction complex downstream of the interleukin (IL)-1- and Toll-like receptors. Though regarded as the first kinase in the signaling cascade, the role of IRAK-4 kinase activity versus its scaffold function has been controversial. In order to investigate the role of IRAK-4 kinase function in vivo, we generated "knock-in" mice where the wild-type IRAK-4 gene is replaced with a mutant gene encoding kinase-deficient IRAK-4 protein (IRAK-4 KD). IRAK-4 kinase is rendered inactive by mutating the conserved lysine residues in the ATP pocket essential for coordinating ATP. Analyses of embryonic fibroblasts and macrophages obtained from IRAK-4 KD mice demonstrated lack of cellular responsiveness to stimulation with IL-1beta or Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and TLR7 agonists. IRAK-4 KD cells were severely impaired in NF-kappaB, JNK, and p38 activation in response to IL-1beta or TLR7 ligand. In addition, activation of JNK and p38 was affected in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated IRAK-4 KD macrophages. As a consequence, IL-1 receptor/TLR4/TLR7-mediated production of cytokines and chemokines was largely absent in these cells. Additionally, microarray analysis identified IL-1beta response genes and revealed that the induction of IL-1beta-responsive mRNAs is largely ablated in IRAK-4 KD cells. In summary, our results suggest that IRAK-4 kinase activity plays a critical role in IL-1R-, TLR4-, and TLR7-mediated induction of inflammatory responses.

Aneurysmal portosystemic venous shunt: a case report.

A case of an aneurysmal portosystemic venous shunt detected by colour Doppler ultrasound (CDUS) is presented. A young female patient complained of postprandial fatigue and had paroxysmal tachycardia. A direct vascular communication between right portal vein and right hepatic vein was found at CDUS and confirmed by direct portal angiogram. Using detachable coils a complete occlusion of the intrahepatic shunt was obtained. Reports from the literature regarding portovenous aneurysms are reviewed.

Dependence of depurination of oligoribonucleotides by ricin A-chain on divalent cations and chelating agents.

Ricin A-chain is a cytotoxic RNA N-glycosidase that inactivates eukaryotic ribosomes by depurinating the adenosine at position 4324 in 28S rRNA. The enzyme retains its specificity when a synthetic oligoribonucleotide (a 35-mer) that mimics the structure at the site of action is the substrate. However, covalent modification by ricin A-chain of the oligoribonucleotide but not of ribosomes, depends on the simultaneous presence of a divalent cation and a chelating agent.

Determination of the 28 S ribosomal RNA identity element (G4319) for alpha-sarcin and the relationship of recognition to the selection of the catalytic site.

Ricin A-chin and alpha-sarcin are ribotoxins that inactivate eukaryotic ribosomes by modifying 28 S rRNA; ricin A-chain is an RNA N-glycosidase that depurinates the adenosine at position 4324 and alpha-sarcin is a ribonuclease that cleaves the phosphodiester bond on the 3' side of the adjacent guanosine (at position 4325). In cartoons of the secondary structure these two residues are seen to be embedded in a 17 base single-stranded loop over a seven base-pair helix. However, NMR spectroscopy of an oligoribonucleotide, a 29-mer that mimics the sarcin/ricin domain, indicates that the RNA has a compact conformation in which the guanosine at the position analogous to 4319 in 28 S rRNA is bulged out of what otherwise is an extended A-form helix. Since similar structural irregularities are used by proteins to bind to RNA, we have tested the effect of mutations of the bulged guanosine on recognition and covalent modification of the RNA by ricin A-chain and by alpha-sacrin. For the test a synthetic oligoribonucletide, a 35-mer, was used; the mutations were the deletion, the transition to adenosine, and the transversion to cytidine and uridine of the guanosine that is the analog of G4319. Each of the four mutations abolished cleavage og the RNA by alpha-sacrin, where depurination by ricin A-chain was little affected. Thus G4319 is an identity element for alpha-sacrin recognition. Analysis of the effect of alpha-sacrin on variant oligoribonucleotides in which additional bases were inserted between the identity element guanosine and the site of catalysis suggest that on binding to the RNA the toxin uses the guanosine for orientation and then cleaves at a fixed distance and at a fixed position in space.

Structure and evolution of mammalian ribosomal proteins.

Mammalian (rat) ribosomes have 80 proteins; the sequence of amino acids in 75 have been determined. What has been learned of the structure of the rat ribosomal proteins is reviewed with particular attention to their evolution and to amino acid sequence motifs. The latter include: clusters of basic or acidic residues; sequence repeats or shared sequences; zinc finger domains; bZIP elements; and nuclear localization signals. The occurrence and the possible significance of phosphorylated residues and of ubiquitin extensions is noted. The characteristics of the mRNAs that encode the proteins are summarized. The relationship of the rat ribosomal proteins to the proteins in ribosomes from humans, yeast, archaebacteria, and Escherichia coli is collated.

A leucine zipper-like motif and a basic region-leucine zipper-like element in rat ribosomal protein L13a. Identification of the tum- transplantation antigen P198.

The amino acid sequence of the rat 60 S ribosomal subunit protein L13a was deduced from the sequence of nucleotides in two recombinant cDNAs. Mature ribosomal protein L13a has 202 amino acids (the NH2-terminal methionine is removed after translation of the mRNA) and a M(r) of 23,330. Hybridization of the L13a cDNA to digests of nuclear DNA suggests that there are 9-11 copies of the L13a gene. The mRNA for the protein is approximately 800 nucleotides in length. Rat L13a is related to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae ribosomal proteins that have been provisionally designated rp22 and rp23 and to the eubacterial and archaebacterial family of L13 ribosomal proteins. The mouse tum- transplantation antigen P198 is a mutant of the mouse homolog of rat ribosomal protein L13a. Rat ribosomal protein L7 has, at its NH2 terminus, five tandem repeats of a similar sequence of 12 amino acids (Lin, A., Chan, Y. L., McNally, J., Peleg, D., Meyuhas, O., and Wool, I. G. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 12665-12671); L13a has, in its carboxyl-terminal region, amino acid sequences with significant identity to L7 repeats 1, 3, and 5. L13a also has a number of short amino acid sequences that are repeated, a leucine zipper-like motif at its NH2 terminus, and a potential basic region-leucine zipper element in its carboxyl-terminal region.

The ribosomal RNA identity elements for ricin and for alpha-sarcin: mutations in the putative CG pair that closes a GAGA tetraloop.

alpha-Sarcin is a ribonuclease that cleaves the phosphodiester bond on the 3' side of G4325 in 28S rRNA; ricin A-chain is a RNA N-glycosidase that depurinates the 5' adjacent A4324. These single covalent modifications inactivate the ribosome. An oligoribonucleotide that reproduces the structure of the sarcin/ricin domain in 28S rRNA was synthesized and mutations were constructed in the 5' C and the 3' G that surround a GAGA tetrad that has the sites of toxin action. Covalent modification of the RNA by ricin, but not by alpha-sarcin, requires a Watson-Crick pair to shut off a putative GAGA tetraloop. Either the recognition elements for the two toxins are different despite their catalyzing covalent modification of adjacent nucleotides in 28S rRNA or there are transitions in the conformation of the alpha-sarcin/ricin domain in 28S rRNA and one conformer is recognized by alpha-sarcin and the other by ricin A-chain.

Ribosomal RNA identity elements for recognition by ricin and by alpha-sarcin: mutation in the putative CG pair that closes a GAGA tetraloop.

Alpha sarcin is a ribonuclease that cleaves the phosphodiester bond on the 3' side of G4325 in 28S rRNA; ricin A-chain is a RNA N-glycosidase that depurinates the 5' adjacent A4324. These single covalent modifications inactivate the ribosomes. An oligoribonucleotide that reproduces the structure of the sarcin/ricin domain in 28S rRNA was synthesized and mutations were constructed in the 3'C and the 5'G that surround the GAGA tetrad that has the site of toxin action. Analysis indicates that catalysis by ricin requires a Watson-Crick pair to shut off a putative GAGA tetraloop, whereas, alpha sarcin does not. One interpretation is that there are alternate conformations of the sarcin/ricin domain in 28S rRNA and that one of the conformers is recognized by sarcin and the other by ricin A-chain. This switch in the structure could underlie the translocation of peptidyl-tRNA from the A to the P site and the vectoral displacement of mRNA one codon during elongation.

Ribotoxin recognition of ribosomal RNA and a proposal for the mechanism of translocation.

The ribotoxins alpha-sarcin and ricin catalyse covalent modifications in adjacent nucleotides in 28S rRNA, yet the elements of nucleic acid structure that they recognize are not only different but incompatible. This suggests that this ribosomal domain (which in two dimensions is a seven-base-pair helical stem and a 17-member single-stranded loop) has alternate conformers. Since the domain is involved in binding of aminoacyl-tRNA and GTP hydrolysis, we propose that the switch between the two configurations, perhaps initiated by the binding of elongation factors, plays a role in translocation.

Ribosomal RNA identity elements for ricin A-chain recognition and catalysis. Analysis with tetraloop mutants.

Ricin is a cytotoxic protein that inactivates ribosomes by hydrolyzing the N-glycosidic bond between the base and the ribose of the adenosine at position 4324 in eukaryotic 28 S rRNA. Ricin A-chain will also catalyze depurination in naked prokaryotic 16 S rRNA; the adenosine is at position 1014 in a GAGA tetraloop. The rRNA identity elements for recognition by ricin A-chain and for the catalysis of cleavage were examined using synthetic GAGA tetraloop oligoribonucleotides. The RNA designated wild-type, an oligoribonucleotide (19-mer) that approximates the structure of the ricin-sensitive site in 16 S rRNA, and a number of mutants were transcribed in vitro from synthetic DNA templates with phage T7 RNA polymerase. With the wild-type tetraloop oligoribonucleotide the ricin A-chain-catalyzed reaction has a Km of 5.7 microM and a Kcat of 0.01 min-1. The toxin alpha-sarcin, which cleaves the phosphodiester bond on the 3' side of G4325 in 28 S rRNA, does not recognize the tetraloop RNA, although alpha-sarcin does affect a larger synthetic oligoribonucleotide that has a 17-nucleotide loop with a GAGA sequence; thus, there is a clear divergence in the identity elements for the two toxins. Mutants were constructed with all of the possible transitions and transversions of each nucleotide in the GAGA tetraloop; none was recognized by ricin A-chain. Thus, there is an absolute requirement for the integrity of the GAGA sequence in the tetraloop. The helical stem of the tetraloop oligoribonucleotide can be reduced to three base-pairs, indeed, to two base-pairs if the temperature is decreased, without affecting recognition; the nature of these base-pairs does not influence recognition or catalysis by ricin A-chain. If the tetraloop is opened so as to form a GAGA-containing hexaloop, recognition by ricin A-chain is lost. This suggests that during the elongation cycle, a GAGA tetraloop either exists or is formed in the putative 17-member single-stranded region of the ricin domain in 28 S rRNA and this bears on the mechanism of protein synthesis.

A cluster of cases of Escherichia coli O157 infection in a day-care center in a communal settlement (Kibbutz) in Israel.

This is the first report in Israel of a cluster of cases of diarrhea associated with the isolation of Escherichia coli O157 in stool samples. E. coli O157:NM (nonmotile), producing verotoxins 1 and 2 was isolated from the stool samples of three infants less than 1 year of age with diarrhea and from a fourth asymptomatic infant staying in the same day-care class in a communal settlement (kibbutz). The clinical presentation included nonbloody diarrhea without other symptoms. Surveillance efforts should be enacted in order to define the relative importance of E. coli O157 infections in Israel.

Ribosomal RNA identity elements for ricin A-chain recognition and catalysis.

Ricin is a cytotoxic protein that inactivates ribosomes by hydrolyzing the N-glycosidic bond between the base and the ribose at position A4324 in eukaryotic 28 S rRNA. The requirements for the recognition by ricin A-chain of this nucleotide and for the catalysis of cleavage were examined using a synthetic oligoribonucleotide that reproduces the sequence and the secondary structure of the RNA domain (a helical stem, a bulged nucleotide, and a 17-member single-stranded loop). The wild-type RNA (35mer) and a number of mutants were transcribed in vitro from synthetic DNA templates with phage T7 RNA polymerase. With the wild-type oligoribonucleotide the ricin A-chain catalyzed reaction has a Km of 13.55 microM and a Kcat of 0.023 min-1. Recognition and catalysis by ricin A-chain has an absolute requirement for A at the position that corresponds to 4324. The helical stem is also essential; however, the number of base-pairs can be reduced from the seven found in 28 S rRNA to three without loss of identity. The nature of these base-pairs can affect catalysis. A change of the second set from one canonical (G.C) to another (U.A) reduces sensitivity to ricin A-chain; whereas, a change of the third pair (U.A----G.C) produces supersensitivity. The bulged nucleotide does not contribute to identification. Hydrolysis is affected by altering the nucleotides in the universal sequence surrounding A4324 or by changing the position in the loop of the tetranucleotide GA(ricin)GA: all of these mutants have a null phenotype. If ribosomes are treated first with alpha-sarcin to cleave the phosphodiester bond at G4325 ricin can still catalyze depurination at A4324. This implies that cleavage by alpha-sarcin at the center of what has been presumed to be a 17 nucleotide single-stranded loop in 28 S rRNA produces ends that are constrained in some way. On the other hand, hydrolysis by alpha-sarcin of the corresponding position in the synthetic oligoribonucleotide prevents recognition by ricin A-chain. The results suggest that the loop has a complex structure, affected by ribosomal proteins, and this bears on the function in protein synthesis of the alpha-sarcin/ricin rRNA domain.

The primary structure of rat ribosomal proteins P0, P1, and P2 and a proposal for a uniform nomenclature for mammalian and yeast ribosomal proteins.

The covalent structures of rat ribosomal proteins P0, P1, and P2 were deduced from the sequences of nucleotides in recombinant cDNAs. P0 contains 316 amino acids and has a molecular weight of 34,178; P1 has 114 residues and a molecular weight of 11,490: and P2 has 115 amino acids and a molecular weight of 11,684. The rat P-proteins have a near identical (16 of 17 residues) sequence of amino acids at their carboxyl termini and are related to analogous proteins in other eukaryotic species. A proposal is made for a uniform nomenclature for rat and yeast ribosomal proteins.

RNA-protein interaction. An analysis with RNA oligonucleotides of the recognition by alpha-sarcin of a ribosomal domain critical for function.

alpha-Sarcin is a cytotoxic protein that inactivates ribosomes by hydrolyzing a single phosphodiester bond on the 3' side of G-4325 in eukaryotic 28 S rRNA. We have examined the requirements for the recognition by alpha-sarcin of this domain using a synthetic oligoribonucleotide (35-mer) that reproduces the sequence and, we presume, the secondary structure (a stem, a bulged nucleotide, and a loop) at the site of modification. The wild type structure and a large number of variants were transcribed in vitro from synthetic DNA templates with phage T7 RNA polymerase. Recognition of the substrate is strongly favored by a G at the position that corresponds to 4325. There is an absolute requirement for a helical stem; however, it can be reduced from the 7 base pairs in the natural structure to 3 without loss of specificity. The nature of the base pairs in the stem modifies but does not abolish recognition; whereas, the bulged nucleotide does not contribute to identification. Cleavage is materially affected by altering the nucleotides in the universal sequence surrounding G-4325 and changing the position in the loop of the tetranucleotide GAG(sarcin)A leads to loss of recognition by the toxin. We propose that the alpha-sarcin domain RNA participates in elongation factor catalyzed binding of aminoacyl-tRNA and of translocation; that translocation is driven by transitions in the structure of the alpha-sarcin domain RNA initiated by the binding of the factors, or the hydrolysis of GTP, or both; and that to toxin inactivates the ribosomes by preventing this transition.

A new assay to measure RNA N-glycosidase activity.

We have developed a convenient procedure to measure the activity of Ricin A-chain and other enzymes with RNA N-glycosidase activity. The method is based on the use of a tritiated oligoribonucleotide as a substrate. The enzymatic activity is directly determined by measuring the release of adenine from the substrate. This method should prove useful in the study of the molecular mechanism of action of Ricin A and other RNA N-glycosidases.