Chondrocytic and pharmacokinetic properties of Phlpp inhibitors.

Objective: The pleckstrin homology domain leucine-rich repeat protein phosphatases (Phlpp1/2) were recently identified as potential therapeutic targets for cartilage regeneration in osteoarthritic joints. Phlpp inhibitors NSC 117079 and NSC 45586 increase chondrocyte proliferation and matrix production, but the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of these compounds are not known. Design: Chondrocytic effects of Phlpp inhibitors, NSC 117079 and NSC 45586, were measured by western blotting of Phlpp substrates, glycosaminoglycan (GAG) assays, and transcriptomic assays. Liquid chromatography/mass spectroscopy assays were established to measure NSC 117079 and NSC 45586 in vitro and in vivo. The effects of NSC 117079 and NSC 45586 on articular cartilage structure in vivo after intra-articular injection were determined by histology. Results: The Phlpp inhibitors NSC 117079 and NSC 45586 were highly stable in vitro and stimulated GAG, Sox9, proteoglycan 4 and collagen 2 production in maturing but not more differentiated chondrocytes in vitro. Both molecules reduced Phlpp1/2 levels and suppressed matrix degradation to functionally extend their inhibitory effect on these phosphatases. In vivo, NSC 117079 was eliminated from the bloodstream within 4 â€‹h after intravenous injection, while NSC 45586 was eliminated in 8 â€‹h and had a higher volume distribution. Both molecules increased articular cartilage area on lateral and medial tibial plateaus and femoral condyles by 15% in C57Bl/6 mice between four and five weeks of age. Conclusion: These data advance our understanding of how Phlpp inhibitors promote and preserve cartilage formation and provide a basis for understanding their safety and activity in vivo.

Defining osteoblast and adipocyte lineages in the bone marrow.

Bone is a complex endocrine organ that facilitates structural support, protection to vital organs, sites for hematopoiesis, and calcium homeostasis. The bone marrow microenvironment is a heterogeneous niche consisting of multipotent musculoskeletal and hematopoietic progenitors and their derivative terminal cell types. Amongst these progenitors, bone marrow mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (BMSCs) may differentiate into osteogenic, adipogenic, myogenic, and chondrogenic lineages to support musculoskeletal development as well as tissue homeostasis, regeneration and repair during adulthood. With age, the commitment of BMSCs to osteogenesis slows, bone formation decreases, fracture risk rises, and marrow adiposity increases. An unresolved question is whether osteogenesis and adipogenesis are co-regulated in the bone marrow. Osteogenesis and adipogenesis are controlled by specific signaling mechanisms, circulating cytokines, and transcription factors such as Runx2 and Pparγ, respectively. One hypothesis is that adipogenesis is the default pathway if osteogenic stimuli are absent. However, recent work revealed that Runx2 and Osx1-expressing preosteoblasts form lipid droplets under pathological and aging conditions. Histone deacetylase 3 (Hdac3) and other epigenetic regulators suppress lipid storage in preosteoblasts and/or control marrow adiposity. Establishing a better understanding of fat storage in bone marrow cells, as well as the osteoblast-adipocyte relationship within the bone marrow niche is necessary to understand the mechanisms underlying disease- and aging-related marrow fat storage and may lead to the development of new therapeutic targets for "fatty bone" and osteoporosis.

Phlpp1 facilitates post-traumatic osteoarthritis and is induced by inflammation and promoter demethylation in human osteoarthritis.

OBJECTIVE: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis and a leading cause of disability. OA is characterized by articular chondrocyte deterioration, subchondral bone changes and debilitating pain. One strategy to promote cartilage regeneration and repair is to accelerate proliferation and matrix production of articular chondrocytes. We previously reported that the protein phosphatase Phlpp1 controls chondrocyte differentiation by regulating the activities of anabolic kinases. Here we examined the role of Phlpp1 in OA progression in a murine model. We also assessed PHLPP1 expression and promoter methylation. DESIGN: Knee joints of WT and Phlpp1(-/-) mice were surgically destabilized by transection of the medial meniscal ligament (DMM). Mice were assessed for signs of OA progression via radiographic and histological analyses, and pain assessment for mechanical hypersensitivity using the von Frey assay. Methylation of the PHLPP1 promoter and PHLPP1 expression were evaluated in human articular cartilage and chondrocyte cell lines. RESULTS: Following DMM surgeries, Phlpp1 deficient mice showed fewer signs of OA and cartilage degeneration. Mechanical allodynia associated with DMM surgeries was also attenuated in Phlpp1(-/-) mice. PHLPP1 was highly expressed in human articular cartilage from OA patients, but was undetectable in cartilage specimens from femoral neck fractures (FNFxs). Higher PHLPP1 levels correlated with less PHLPP1 promoter CpG methylation in cartilage from OA patients. Blocking cytosine methylation or treatment with inflammatory mediators enhanced PHLPP1 expression in human chondrocyte cell lines. CONCLUSION: Phlpp1 deficiency protects against OA progression while CpG demethylation and inflammatory cytokines promote PHLPP1 expression.

The formin/diaphanous-related protein, FHOS, interacts with Rac1 and activates transcription from the serum response element.

FHOS is a member of the formin homology (FH) family of proteins and is expressed at high levels in splenic cells. FH proteins link cellular signaling pathways to the actin cytoskeleton and serum response factor-dependent transcription. In these studies, the role of FHOS in Rho family GTPase signaling pathways was analyzed. FHOS interacted with the polybasic domain in the Rac1 C terminus in a guanine nucleotide-independent manner but did not interact with RhoA, Cdc42Hs, Rac2, or Rac3. Intramolecular autoinhibitory interactions between the C terminus of FHOS and an N-terminal region partially overlapping the Rac1 interaction domain were also identified. FHOS truncation mutants lacking the N- or C-terminal autoregulatory domains stimulated transcription of a c-fos serum response element (SRE)-driven reporter. Overexpression of wild-type and mutant (N17 and V12) Rac1 proteins repressed SRE induction by the N-terminal FHOS deletion mutant but not by the C-terminal FHOS deletion mutant. Immunofluorescence studies indicated that the localization of the mutant FHOS proteins might contribute to their differential responses to Rac1. Wild-type FHOS and the N-terminal deletion mutant localized to the perinuclear region and membrane edges. In contrast, the C-terminal FHOS mutants were diffusely localized. These data suggest that FHOS induces transcription from SREs by multiple pathways and that Rac1 may influence the course of some FHOS-induced signaling events.

Expression of the AML-1 oncogene shortens the G(1) phase of the cell cycle.

The AML-1-encoded transcription factor, AML-1B, regulates numerous hematopoietic-specific genes. Inappropriate expression of AML-1-family proteins is oncogenic in cell culture systems and in mice. To understand the oncogenic functions of AML-1, we established cell lines expressing AML-1B to examine the role of AML-1 in the cell cycle. DNA content analysis and bromodeoxyuridine pulse-chase studies indicated that entry into the S phase of the cell cycle was accelerated by up to 4 h in AML-1B-expressing 32D.3 myeloid progenitor cells as compared with control cells or cells expressing E2F-1. However, AML-1B was not able to induce continued cell cycle progression in the absence of growth factors. The DNA binding and transactivation domains of AML-1B were required for altering the cell cycle. Thus, AML-1B is the first transcription factor that affects the timing of the mammalian cell cycle.

The ETO protein disrupted in t(8;21)-associated acute myeloid leukemia is a corepressor for the promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger protein.

The ETO protein was originally identified by its fusion to the AML-1 transcription factor in translocation (8;21) associated with the M2 form of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The resulting AML-1-ETO fusion is an aberrant transcriptional regulator due to the ability of ETO, which does not bind DNA itself, to recruit the transcriptional corepressors N-CoR, SMRT, and Sin3A and histone deacetylases. The promyelocytic leukemia zinc finger (PLZF) protein is a sequence-specific DNA-binding transcriptional factor fused to retinoic acid receptor alpha in acute promyelocytic leukemia associated with the (11;17)(q23;q21) translocation. PLZF also mediates transcriptional repression through the actions of corepressors and histone deacetylases. We found that ETO is one of the corepressors recruited by PLZF. The PLZF and ETO proteins associate in vivo and in vitro, and ETO can potentiate transcriptional repression by PLZF. The N-terminal portion of ETO forms complexes with PLZF, while the C-terminal region, which was shown to bind to N-CoR and SMRT, is required for the ability of ETO to augment transcriptional repression by PLZF. The second repression domain (RD2) of PLZF, not the POZ/BTB domain, is necessary to bind to ETO. Corepression by ETO was completely abrogated by histone deacetylase inhibitors. This identifies ETO as a cofactor for a sequence-specific transcription factor and indicates that, like other corepressors, it functions through the action of histone deactylase.

A mechanism of repression by acute myeloid leukemia-1, the target of multiple chromosomal translocations in acute leukemia.

AML1 is one of the most frequently translocated genes in human leukemia. Here we demonstrate that acute myeloid leukemia-1 (AML-1) (Runx-1) represses transcription from a native promoter, p21(Waf1/Cip1). Unexpectedly, this repression did not require interactions with the Groucho co-repressor. To define the mechanism of repression, we asked whether other co-repressors could interact with AML-1. We demonstrate that AML-1 interacts with the mSin3 co-repressors. Moreover, endogenous AML-1 associated with endogenous mSin3A in mammalian cells. A deletion mutant of AML-1 that did not interact with mSin3A failed to repress transcription. The AML-1/mSin3 association suggests a mechanism of repression for the chromosomal translocation fusion proteins that disrupt AML-1.

Both TEL and AML-1 contribute repression domains to the t(12;21) fusion protein.

t(12;21) is the most frequent translocation found in pediatric B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias. This translocation fuses a putative repressor domain from the TEL DNA-binding protein to nearly all of the AML-1B transcription factor. Here, we demonstrate that fusion of the TEL pointed domain to the GAL4 DNA-binding domain resulted in sequence-specific transcriptional repression, indicating that the pointed domain is a portable repression motif. The TEL pointed domain functioned equally well when the GAL4 DNA-binding sites were moved 600 bp from the promoter, suggesting an active mechanism of repression. This lead us to demonstrate that wild-type TEL and the t(12;21) fusion protein bind the mSin3A corepressor. In the fusion protein, both TEL and AML-1B contribute mSin3 interaction domains. Deletion mutagenesis indicated that both the TEL and AML-1B mSin3-binding domains contribute to repression by the fusion protein. While both TEL and AML-1B associate with mSin3A, TEL/AML-1B appears to bind this corepressor much more stably than either wild-type protein, suggesting a mode of action for the t(12;21) fusion protein.

Identification and characterization of a protein containing formin homology (FH1/FH2) domains.

A novel member of the Formin/Diaphanous family of proteins was cloned and characterized. A 4kB mRNA is ubiquitously expressed but is found in abundance in the spleen. FHOS (Formin Homologue Overexpressed in Spleen) contains a 3414bp open reading frame and encodes for an approximately 128kDa protein. FHOS has sequence homology to Diaphanous and Formin proteins within the Formin Homology (FH)1 and FH2 domains. FHOS also contains a coiled-coil, a collagen-like domain, two nuclear localization signals, and several potential PKC and PKA phosphorylation sites. FHOS-specific antiserum was generated and used to determine that FHOS is a predominantly cytoplasmic protein and is expressed in a variety of human cell lines. FHOS was mapped to chromosome 16q22 between framework markers WI-5594 and WI-9392.

Mammalian runt-domain proteins and their roles in hematopoiesis, osteogenesis, and leukemia.

Mammalian Runt-domain-containing factors are structurally and functionally similar and have essential roles in hematopoiesis and osteogenesis. These factors can act as either positive or negative transcriptional regulators of tissue-specific genes whose promoters or enhancers contain the consensus Runt-domain binding element, TGT/CGGT. This sequence is necessary but not sufficient to regulate the transcription of a wide variety of genes. Runt-domain factors are promoter organizers that cooperate with neighboring factors and recruit transcriptional co-activators or co-repressors to regulate expression of tissue-specific genes. AML1 is required for hematopoiesis and is a frequent target of chromosomal translocations in acute leukemias. Fusion proteins generated by these translocations are dominant repressors of genes regulated by the Runt-domain factors. AML3 may also be involved in leukemogenesis. In addition, AML3 has an essential role in bone development, as it is required for osteoblast differentiation and is mutated in patients with cleidocranial dysplasia. J. Cell. Biochem. Suppls. 32/33:51-58, 1999.

ETO, a target of t(8;21) in acute leukemia, interacts with the N-CoR and mSin3 corepressors.

t(8;21) is one of the most frequent translocations associated with acute myeloid leukemia. It produces a chimeric protein, acute myeloid leukemia-1 (AML-1)-eight-twenty-one (ETO), that contains the amino-terminal DNA binding domain of the AML-1 transcriptional regulator fused to nearly all of ETO. Here we demonstrate that ETO interacts with the nuclear receptor corepressor N-CoR, the mSin3 corepressors, and histone deacetylases. Endogenous ETO also cosediments on sucrose gradients with mSin3A, N-CoR, and histone deacetylases, suggesting that it is a component of one or more corepressor complexes. Deletion mutagenesis indicates that ETO interacts with mSin3A independently of its association with N-CoR. Single amino acid mutations that impair the ability of ETO to interact with the central portion of N-CoR affect the ability of the t(8;21) fusion protein to repress transcription. Finally, AML-1/ETO associates with histone deacetylase activity and a histone deacetylase inhibitor impairs the ability of the fusion protein to repress transcription. Thus, t(8;21) fuses a component of a corepressor complex to AML-1 to repress transcription.

The t(8;21) fusion product, AML-1-ETO, associates with C/EBP-alpha, inhibits C/EBP-alpha-dependent transcription, and blocks granulocytic differentiation.

AML-1B is a hematopoietic transcription factor that is functionally inactivated by multiple chromosomal translocations in human acute myeloblastic and B-cell lymphocytic leukemias. The t(8;21)(q22;q22) translocation replaces the C terminus, including the transactivation domain of AML-1B, with ETO, a nuclear protein of unknown function. We previously showed that AML-1-ETO is a dominant inhibitor of AML-1B-dependent transcriptional activation. Here we demonstrate that AML-1-ETO also inhibits C/EBP-alpha-dependent activation of the myeloid cell-specific, rat defensin NP-3 promoter. AML-1B bound the core enhancer motifs present in the NP-3 promoter and activated transcription approximately sixfold. Similarly, C/EBP-alpha bound NP-3 promoter sequences and activated transcription approximately sixfold. Coexpression of C/EBP-alpha with AML-1B or its family members, AML-2 and murine AML-3, synergistically activated the NP-3 promoter up to 60-fold. The t(8;21) product, AML-1-ETO, repressed AML-1B-dependent activation of NP-3 and completely inhibited C/EBP-alpha-dependent activity as well as the synergistic activation. In contrast, the inv(16) product, which indirectly targets AML family members by fusing their heterodimeric DNA binding partner, CBF-beta, to the myosin heavy chain, inhibited AML-1B but not C/EBP-alpha activation or the synergistic activation. AML-1-ETO and C/EBP-alpha were coimmunoprecipitated and thus physically interact in vivo. Deletion mutants demonstrated that the C terminus of ETO was required for AML-1-ETO-mediated repression of the synergistic activation but not for association with C/EBP-alpha. Finally, overexpression of AML-1-ETO in myeloid progenitor cells prevented granulocyte colony-stimulating factor-induced differentiation. Thus, AML-1-ETO may contribute to leukemogenesis by specifically inhibiting C/EBP-alpha- and AML-1B-dependent activation of myeloid promoters and blocking differentiation.

Transcriptional regulation during myelopoiesis.

The coordinated production of all blood cells from a common stem cell is a highly regulated process involving successive stages of commitment and differentiation. From analyses of mice deficient in transcription factor genes and from the characterizations of chromosome breakpoints in human leukemias, it has become evident that transcription factors are important regulators of hematopoiesis. During myelopoiesis, which includes the development of granulocytic and monocytic lineages, transcription factors from several families are active, including AML1/CBF beta, C/EBP, Ets, c-Myb, HOX, and MZF-1. Few of these factors are expressed exclusively in myeloid cells; instead it appears that they cooperatively regulate transcription of myeloid-specific genes. Here we discuss recent advances in transcriptional regulation during myelopoiesis.

Differential human multiple myeloma cell line responsiveness to interferon-alpha. Analysis of transcription factor activation and interleukin 6 receptor expression.

Although IFN-alpha is commonly used as maintenance treatment for multiple myeloma patients, its effectiveness is varied. In this study, we have used a panel of IL-6 responsive myeloma cell lines that vary remarkably in responsiveness to IFN-alpha. Three cell lines were growth arrested by IFN-alpha; however, IFN-alpha significantly stimulated growth of the fourth cell line, KAS-6/1. Our studies have focused on elucidating the mechanism of differential IFN-alpha responsiveness. First, we have shown that IFN-alpha-stimulated growth of the KAS-6/1 cells did not result from induction of autocrine IL-6 expression. Second, analysis of Stats 1, 2, and 3 and IFN regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1) and IRF-2 activation failed to reveal differences between the IFN-alpha growth-arrested or growth-stimulated cells. Third, although IFN-alpha treatment of the IFN-alpha growth-inhibited cell lines reduced IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) expression, IFN-alpha also reduced KAS-6/1 IL-6R expression. Finally, although IFN-alpha treatment reduced IL-6R numbers on each cell line, analysis of Stat protein activation revealed that the receptors were still functional. We conclude that myeloma cell responsiveness to IFN-alpha is heterogeneous and that mechanisms of IFN-alpha-mediated growth inhibition other than IL-6R downregulation must exist in myeloma. Identification of these mechanisms may allow development of agents that are more universally effective than IFN-alpha.

Growth regulatory pathways in myeloma. Evidence for autocrine oncostatin M expression.

Expression of autocrine growth factors by myeloma cells is an important mechanism that may contribute to tumor expansion. IL-6 is one of several cytokines that uses the signal transducer gp130 as a receptor component. Of these cytokines, those that have been shown to be paracrine growth factors for some myeloma cells include IL-6, IL-11, ciliary neurotrophic factor, leukemia inhibitory factor, and oncostatin M (OSM). Only IL-6, however, has been identified as an autocrine growth factor for myeloma cells. In this study we used a panel of three IL-6-responsive myeloma cell lines to investigate the expression of other autocrine growth factor loops. Initial studies employing neutralizing mAbs to IL-6 or gp130 revealed that the growth of the DP-6 and KP-6 cell lines was inhibited by both mAbs, whereas the growth of the KAS-6/1 cell line was inhibited only by the anti-gp130 mAb. Anti-OSM neutralizing mAb also inhibited KAS-6/1 cell growth. Autocrine OSM production by the KAS-6/1 cells was confirmed using a sensitive ELISA. Although the anti-OSM mAb had no significant effects on KP-6 and DP-6 cell growth, OSM was detected in DP-6 supernatants. These results suggest that OSM production and responsiveness by myeloma cells are distinct phenotypes and not necessarily related in all myeloma cells. Finally, we analyzed the significance of OSM-mediated myeloma cell growth by assessing the effects of OSM on normal, in vitro-generated plasmablasts. OSM markedly enhanced plasmablast Ig secretion but did not affect growth. Thus, the nature of the response elicited by OSM in myeloma cells is distinct from its effects on normal B lineage cells. Moreover, because gp130-mediated signaling results in myeloma cell growth, autocrine expression of any gp130-utilizing cytokine has the potential to significantly augment tumor expansion.

Establishment and characterization of three myeloma cell lines that demonstrate variable cytokine responses and abilities to produce autocrine interleukin-6.

A consensus regarding myeloma cell growth factor responsiveness and ability to produce autocrine interleukin (IL)-6 has not yet been obtained. In this study, we have established three new human myeloma cell lines (DP-6, KAS-6/1 and KP-6) from patients with aggressive disease. Extensive characterization of these cell lines revealed considerable heterogeneity at several levels. Growth factor responsiveness was initially addressed. Although the potent myeloma cell growth factor, IL-6, induced the proliferation and allowed for the expansion of all three cell lines, a panel of other cytokines elicited heterogeneous responses in each cell line. IL-3, IL-10, IL-11, insulin-like growth factor-I and tumor necrosis factor-alpha also stimulated DNA synthesis in all three cell lines; however, the magnitude of the response was generally lower than that observed in cultures containing IL-6. Transforming growth factor-beta, by contrast, uniformly inhibited the growth of all three cell lines. IL-1alpha and IL-1beta induced the proliferation of the DP-6 cells, but had minimal effects on the KAS-6/1 and KP-6 cells. Interferon (IFN)-alpha stimulated DNA synthesis in the KAS-6/1 cells, but inhibited the proliferation of the DP-6 and KP-6 cells. By comparison, IFN-gamma induced the growth of the KAS-6/1 and DP-6 cells, but inhibited the KP-6 cells. The gp130-associated cytokines, IL-11, leukemia inhibitory factor and oncostatin M, stimulated the growth of the KAS-6/1 cells, but had minimal effects on the DP-6 and KP-6 cells. The cell lines were also analyzed for IL-6 expression. RT-PCR analysis demonstrated that all three cell lines expressed IL-6 mRNA. However, when culture supernatants were tested using a sensitive IL-6 ELISA or IL-6 bioassay only the DP-6 and KP-6 cells were shown to be secreting biologically active IL-6. In summary, although all three of these cell lines were established from myeloma patients, the heterogeneity observed between these cell lines was considerable and may reflect, as well as provide tools to study, the heterogeneity observed in clinical disease.

Expression and function of Fas (APO-1/CD95) in patient myeloma cells and myeloma cell lines.

Cross-linkage of the Fas antigen induces programmed cell death in many normal and malignant lymphoid cells by a process known as apoptosis. In this study, we examined the sensitivity of myeloma cell lines and patient plasma cells to a cytolytic anti-Fas monoclonal antibody (MoAb). Eight of 10 myeloma cell lines were induced to undergo programmed cell death by anti-Fas MoAb as determined by DNA fragmentation and morphologic changes. Of the two myeloma cell lines that were resistant to anti-Fas treatment, one did not express the Fas antigen. Only the U266 cell line expressed Fas, but was not killed by the anti0Fas MoAb. To extend these studies, we have examined the expression and function of Fas in freshly isolated CD38hiCD45neg-int plasma cells from patients with multiple myeloma (MM), monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), and primary amyloidosis (AL). By three-color flow cytometry, we found Fas expression in CD38hiCD45neg-int plasma cells from all patient groups to be variable, as Fas was expressed in 15 of 28 MM, 3 of 6 MGUS, and 2 of 7 AL patients. In morphologic studies of apoptosis, Fas-positive myeloma cells in patient bone marrow mononuclear cell (MNC) cultures appeared to be resistant to anti-Fas-mediated apoptosis. By contrast, purified myeloma cells from the same patient were sensitive to anti-Fas treatment, suggesting the presence of a protective factor(s) in unseparated MNC cultures that may inhibit Fas-induced apoptosis of plasma cells. Of interest, serum from normal individuals and myeloma patients also protected myeloma cell lines from undergoing Fas-mediated apoptosis. These studies show that Fas expression in myeloma cell lines and CD38hiCD45neg-int patient plasma cells is variable and may reflect a variance in the maturation status of the various plasma cell populations. Moreover, Fas-mediated killing of patient cells and myeloma cell lines was also variable, which may be influenced, in part, by the presence of a soluble protective factor.

CD40 expression in malignant plasma cells. Role in stimulation of autocrine IL-6 secretion by a human myeloma cell line.

Myeloma is a neoplasia characterized by the accumulation of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow. In these studies, we have demonstrated that CD40 is expressed in human myeloma cells and have used a recently established IL-6-dependent myeloma cell line, ANBL-6, to examine the potential function of CD40 expression in myeloma cells. In addition to its expression on the ANBL-6 cells, we show that CD40 is expressed on freshly isolated myeloma cells from seven of seven patients tested. To address the role of CD40 expression in myeloma cells, we have examined the responsiveness of the ANBL-6 cell line to a CD40-specific mAb, G28-5. This cell line has previously been shown to proliferate only in response to IL-6. Of interest in this study, G28-5 also induced proliferation of the ANBL-6 cells. This proliferation was substantially inhibited by an IL-6-neutralizing mAb. Analysis of ANBL-6 cell culture supernatants by ELISA demonstrated that G28-5-stimulated cells secreted significant levels of IL-6, whereas unstimulated cell culture supernatants contained undetectable levels of IL-6. Furthermore, CV-1/EBNA cells expressing the human CD40 ligand also induced the proliferation of the ANBL-6 cell line, an effect that was inhibited by the anti-IL-6 mAb. Lastly, RNA blot analysis demonstrated an increase in IL-6 message in G28-5-stimulated ANBL-6 cells over unstimulated cells. These results indicate that the primary mechanism of anti-CD40-stimulated proliferation of the ANBL-6 cells is the induction of autocrine IL-6 production. Moreover, these data suggest that the expression of CD40 in malignant plasma cells may play a role in tumor cell expansion, possibly by stimulating the induction of autocrine IL-6 secretion.

Coexistence of aneuploid subclones within a myeloma cell line that exhibits clonal immunoglobulin gene rearrangement: clinical implications.

A new human myeloma cell line, ANBL-6, was established and characterized at the genotypic and phenotypic levels. The cells exhibit a clonally rearranged immunoglobulin gene locus and resemble plasma cells morphologically. The ANBL-6 cells also exhibited an absolute dependence on exogenous interleukin 6 for growth. Of interest, DNA ploidy analysis suggested the existence of a near-diploid as well as a near-tetraploid population in this cell line. Cytogenetic studies confirmed the existence of two aneuploid karyotypes and further revealed a clonal relationship between the two karyotypes, as evidenced by numerous shared structural abnormalities. To determine whether the near-diploid cells functioned as stem cells for the near-tetraploid population, the near-diploid population was separated via flow cytometry and recultured prior to ploidy analysis. This population was observed to remain predominantly near-diploid over time, suggesting that these cells did not function as stem cells for the near-tetraploid population. However, the near-tetraploid cells did exhibit a growth advantage in vitro. Moreover, sequential ploidy analysis performed retrospectively on fresh bone marrow cells from the patient also suggested that there was an expansion of the near-tetraploid population during clinical relapse. These results suggest that both populations are self-regenerating and reflect the consequences of clonal evolution in the myeloma tumor. The coexistence of clonally related subclones with shared chromosomal abnormalities, however, suggests that the near-tetraploid subclone was derived from the near-diploid subclone at an unknown time during tumorigenesis.