A new epigenetic marker: the replication-coupled, cell cycle-dependent, dual modification of the histone H4 tail.

Recently, we described the cold-dependent detection of an epitope, epiC, that was selectively recognized by a monoclonal anti-actin antibody at 4 degrees C, but not at RT, in the early replicating chromatin domains of human fibroblast cell nuclei and chromosomes. EpiC was present in a distinct cell cycle window extending from S-phase throughout mitosis until early G1-phase of the next cell generation, indicating its possible involvement in the transfer/maintenance of epigenetic information on transcriptionally competent parts of the genome. However, the molecular nature of epiC remained unresolved. Here we identified epiC as a dual post-translational modification on the same histone H4 tail, which was immunodetected for the first time. We show that the antibody selectively recognized a synthetic peptide of the histone H4 region K12-L22 containing acetylated K16 and dimethylated K20 (H4K16ac-K20me2) at 4 degrees C, but not at RT. Moreover, we show that the peptide containing acetylated K16 and either unmodified or monomethylated K20 was recognized by this antibody at both temperatures. The present and previous results together indicate that, by acetylation of histone H4 K16 during S-phase, the early replicating chromatin domains acquire the H4K16ac-K20me2 epigenetic label that persists on the chromatin throughout mitosis and become deacetylated during early G1-phase of the next cell cycle.

Antibodies against M. Bovis 65 KDa Heat Shock Protein and Its P180-188 Epitope in Sera of Patients with Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis.

We screened the levels of antibodies to M. bovis hsp65 and the 180-188 epitope by using ELISA in a cohort of 72 juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients and 38 healthy controls. We analysed an association between antibody levels and rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibodies, human leukocyte antigen B27 and the severity and the duration of the disease. The majority of anti-hsp65 antibodies in a cohort of JIA patients were of the IgG isotype (54.2%) with IgM (13.9%) antibodies increased to a lesser degree. IgG antibodies to M. bovis hsp65 (P<0.001) and the 180-188 epitope (P<0.001) were significantly increased in all of three disease onset types when compared with healthy controls. The highest levels of IgG antibodies to M. bovis hsp65 and its P180-188 epitope were observed in oligoarthritis and in patients with no X-ray changes and functional limitation, while the lowest antibody levels were detected in patients with the most severe stage of articular damage. When antibody levels to M. bovis hsp65 and the 180-188 epitope were examined within patient and control populations, significantly higher levels of IgG and IgM antibodies to M. bovis hsp65 were observed in both JIA (P<0.001) and healthy control (P<0.001) cohorts. These findings may suggest that the high levels of IgG antibodies to M. bovis hsp65 and its P180-188 epitope would reflect the least serious cases of JIA. Since IgM antibodies to M. bovis hsp65 and P180-188 M. bovis hsp65 epitope exceeded the control level in a few patients with JIA we believe they are not of concern.

Sodium butyrate-mediated differentiation of colorectal cancer cells: regulation of PKCbetaII by PI 3-kinase.

The present study focuses on a putative regulation of PKCbetaII by phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI 3-kinase) in colorectal carcinoma cells; little is known about the role and activity of PKCbetaII in these cells. We examined the activity of PI 3-kinase in two adenocarcinoma cell lines, HT29 cells that differentiate only after stimulation with appropriate agents, and Caco-2 cells that can differentiate spontaneously. The activity of PI 3-kinase as well as the activity of PKCbetaII appeared to decrease only in HT29 cells in which differentiation was induced by sodium butyrate. In HT29 cells infected with recombinant adenovirus encoding constitutively active PI 3-kinase, the activity of alkaline phosphatase was almost completely blocked, and this PI 3-kinase significantly potentiated the activity of PKCbetaII in HT29 cells despite the presence of NaBT in the culture medium. On the contrary, in differentiating Caco-2 cells, the activity of PI 3-kinase was not butyrate-sensitive. In agreement with these findings, the alkaline phosphatase activity was not affected by constitutively active PI 3-kinase overexpressed in Caco-2 cells. These observations suggest that PKCbetaII is regulated by PI 3-kinase in HT29 cells and that the mechanisms of spontaneous differentiation versus butyrate-induced differentiation of adenocarcinoma cells may be different.

Peptides and multiple antigen peptides from Schistosoma mansoni glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase: preparation, immunogenicity and immunoprotective capacity in C57BL/6 mice.

Four monoepitopic MAPs (MAP A, B, C and E) and one bis-diepitopic MAP B-E derived fromthe primary sequence of Schistosoma mansoni glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, previously tested in BALB/c mice, were examined for their immunogenicity and protective capacity in C57BL/6 mice. Despite multimerization into MAPs, MAP Aand MAP C were poorly immunogenic. In contrast toBALB/c mice, MAP E was non-immunogenic in C57BL/6 mice. Peptide B in the form of MAP B orbis-diepitopic MAPB-E elicited immune responses in C57BL/6 mice that were associated with a significant decrease in worm burden. The MAPs were prepared by the stepwise solid-phase peptide synthesis using Boc/Bzl chemistry, successfully purified on the RP-HPLC column and characterized by RP-HPLC, HPCE and MALDI-TOF MS techniques. A general strategy for MAPs purification is discussed here and the purification of MAP Band MAP E is documented in detail.

The v-Src and c-Src tyrosine kinases immunoprecipitated from Rous sarcoma virus-transformed cells display different peptide substrate specificities.

In the cells transformed by Rous sarcoma virus (RSV), two Src proteins are expressed: the ubiquitous tyrosine kinase c-Src and the v-Src, the product of the transforming gene of the virus. Using three synthetic peptide substrates widely used for testing Src kinase activity, we show that they are phosphorylated with different efficiencies by the v-Src and c-Src tyrosine kinases immunoprecipitated from the tumor cell line H19. The v-Src displays higher efficiency (Vmax/Km ratio) toward all three peptides used, but the Vmax of v-Src is much lower than Vmax of c-Src with two peptides out of three. This difference in substrate specificity, if ignored, may cause misestimation of the amounts of active c-Src and v-Src in RSV-transformed cells. On the other hand, the different peptide substrate specificities may also reflect different protein substrate specificities of the v-Src and c-Src kinases in vivo.

Differences in immunogenicity and vaccine potential of peptides from Schistosoma mansoni glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase.

Six peptides, A, B1, B, C, D and E derived from the primary sequence of Schistosoma mansoni glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (SG3PDH) were selected based on lowest homology to human G3PDH and used for immunization of BALB/c mice. Peptides B1 and D induced immunoglobulin (Ig) G1, IgG2a and IgG2b antibodies that reacted with native and denatured SG3PDH, and were associated with significant (P<0.05) increase in fecundity and burden of challenge worms, respectively. Peptides A, B, C and E elicited a modest cellular immune response, IgG2a and/or IgG2b antibodies, and no effect on challenge worm burden. In contrast, tetrameric multiple antigen peptide (MAP) constructs A, B, C or E elicited strong cellular immune responses and production of IgG1 and/or IgG2a and IgG2b antibodies against the homologous MAP and peptide and SG3PDH. The immune responses were associated with significant (P<0.05) decrease in challenge worm burden for MAP B, and significant (P<0.05) reduction in egg count per worm couple for MAP C or E. The data together indicated the nature and effect of immune responses vary for each SG3PDH-derived peptide.