Lymphoid-specific expression of the Id3 gene in hematopoietic cells. Selective antagonism of E2A basic helix-loop-helix protein associated with Id3-induced differentiation of erythroleukemia cells.

Accumulating evidence implicates functions of the Id family of helix-loop-helix proteins in the regulation of cell growth and differentiation in metazoa. Within the mammalian hematopoietic organ, expression of the Id3 gene is restricted to the lymphoid cell compartment. We show here that in non-lymphoid hematopoietic cells, repression of transcription is correlated with hypermethylation of sequences in the vicinity of the upstream regulatory region of the Id3 gene, suggestive of a strict developmental control of expression of this gene in lymphoid versus non-lymphoid hematopoietic cells. Enforced ectopic expression of Id3 in K562 erythroid progenitor cells promotes erythroid differentiation and is correlated with a quantitative/qualitative shift in the profile of interacting TAL1 and E protein heterodimers that bind to a consensus E box sequence in in vitro band shift assays, consistent with selective targeting of E2A E protein(s) by Id3 and suggesting a possible mechanism involving TAL1-mediated differentiation. By using a Gal 4-VP16 two-hybrid competition assay and an E box-dependent reporter assay, we demonstrate directly that the E2A protein E47 preferentially associates with Id3 in vivo. These observations provide a paradigm for understanding how overlapping but distinct specificities of individual Id proteins may constitute a developmentally regulated program underlying cell determination in diverse lineages.

Attenuated function of a variant form of the helix-loop-helix protein, Id-3, generated by an alternative splicing mechanism.

The Id family of helix-loop-helix proteins function as negative regulators of DNA binding, basic helix-loop-helix proteins in the regulation of cell growth and differentiation. We report here on the identification of a 17 kDa variant of the 14 kDa Id-3 protein termed Id-3L (long version) which possesses a unique 60 amino acid carboxy-terminus generated by read through of a 'coding intron' and alternative splicing. Northern analysis revealed expression of a minor 1.1 kb Id-3L transcript together with the predominant 0.95 kb Id-3 transcript in the majority of adult human tissues analysed. The variant Id-3L protein is functionally distinguishable from conventional Id-3 since in in vitro DNA mobility shift assays, it was greatly impaired in its ability to abrogate binding of the basic helix-loop-helix protein, E47, to an E box recognition sequence.

A homology model of the Id-3 helix-loop-helix domain as a basis for structure-function predictions.

The function of the dominant negative Id (inhibitor of differentiation) helix-loop-helix (HLH) proteins is to dimerize with, and prevent the DNA binding of basic HLH (bHLH) transcription factors. A three-dimensional homology model was constructed for the HLH domain of human Id3 based on the X-ray crystal structures of the E47, MyoD, and Max bHLH proteins. The model showed that, in contrast to bHLH proteins, Id proteins appear able to dimerize without DNA stabilization because of better packing of the hydrophobic core, and the absence of destabilizing polar loop residues and of repulsive positive charges in the monomer interface at the base of the four alpha-helix bundle. This prediction was tested by in vitro protein-binding experiments, which showed that Id3 did indeed self-associate. It also showed that the inability of Id proteins to bind DNA arises from the non-basic, poorly defined, random coil structure of the region corresponding to that responsible for bHLH DNA-binding. A model of the Id1 protein was constructed and revealed a potential site of charge-charge repulsion in the hypothetical homodimer interface that may explain its observed inability to form homodimers.

Nucleotide sequence of the cDNA encoding human helix-loop-helix Id-1 protein: identification of functionally conserved residues common to Id proteins.

We have determined the cDNA sequence encoding a 154 amino acid human Id-1 helix-loop-helix protein. Comparison with the amino acid sequences of human and mouse Id-2 and Id-3 proteins, reveals conservation/divergence of several residues in the helix-loop-helix domain known to be important for heterodimerisation, together with a common casein kinase II phosphorylation site.

Effect of combined treatment with interleukin-3 and interleukin-6 on 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide-mediated reduction of glutathione levels and cytotoxicity in normal and leukemic bone marrow progenitor cells.

4-Hydroperoxycyclophosphamide (4-HC) is widely used as an ex vivo bone marrow purging agent for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) blasts. We have determined the effect of a combined treatment with interleukin 3 (IL-3) plus IL-6 on 4-HC cytotoxicity against normal (CFU-GEMM) versus AML (L-CFU) bone marrow progenitor cells. Following an 18 h exposure to IL-3 plus IL-6, treatment with 4-HC in conjunction with IL-3 and IL-6 for one hour resulted in a significantly greater inhibition of L-CFU versus CFU-GEMM colony growth. In addition, treatment with IL-3 plus IL-6 reduced the inhibitory effects of higher concentrations of 4-HC on CFU-GEMM but not L-CFU growth. IL-3 and IL-6 did not protect the self-renewing, clonogenic, AML blast progenitor cells from the cytotoxic effects of 4-HC. While the total intracellular glutathione (GSH) levels were not significantly different between untreated normal bone marrow mononuclear cells (NBMMC) and AML blasts, greater intracellular GSH-S transferase activity was observed in the NBMMC. 4-HC produced a marked reduction in GSH levels in NBMMC as well as AML blasts. But treatment with IL-3 plus IL-6 in conjunction with 4-HC resulted in significantly higher GSH levels in NBMMC. These differences in intracellular GSH levels and GST activity may offer an explanation for the differential protective effects of IL-3 plus IL-6 treatment against the cytotoxic effects of 4-HC on CFU-GEMM colony growth.

Deoxycytidine protects normal bone marrow progenitors against Ara-C and gemcitabine cytotoxicity without compromising their activity against cisplatin-resistant human ovarian cancer cells.

The intracellular metabolism and cytotoxic effects of Ara-C and 2'-difluorodeoxycytidine (dFdC or Gemcitabine) administered with or without deoxycytidine (dCyd) were examined in cisplatin-resistant (2008/C13) and -sensitive (2008) human ovarian cystadenocarcinoma cells. Compared to 2008 cells, 2008/C13 cells possess 2.1-fold higher glutathione (GSH) levels, enhanced expressions of GSH S-transferase (GST)-pi mRNA and protein, and significantly greater activity of GST, GSH peroxidase, and GST reductase. Although 2008/C13 cells were slightly cross-resistant to 4-hydroperoxycyclophosphamide, the drug displayed a steep dose-response (colony growth inhibition) effect toward these cells. 2008/C13 cells expressed greater sensitivity toward Ara-C and Gemcitabine. This was associated with intracellular Ara-CTP and dFdCtriphosphate levels in 2008/C13 significantly higher than those in 2008 cells. Against bone marrow progenitor cells, the cytotoxic effects of submicromolar levels of Ara-C or dFdC, produced in plasma following intraperitoneal administration of the drugs, were significantly reversed by cotreatment with high levels of dCyd achieved in plasma following intravenous administration. In contrast, the metabolism and cytotoxic effects of Ara-C and dFdC in 2008 and 2008/C13 cells were not significantly altered by dCyd concentrations that are reached in the peritoneum following intravenous administration. These in vitro data suggest that systematically administered dCyd might protect bone marrow progenitor cells against Ara-C cytotoxicity without impairing antitumor activity of intraperitoneal Ara-C.

Treatment with interleukin-3 plus granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factors improves the selectivity of Ara-C in vitro against acute myeloid leukemia blasts.

Hematopoietic growth factors (HGFs) interleukin-3 (IL-3) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) individually have been shown to increase the percentage of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) blasts in S phase and enhance the cytotoxic effects of Ara-C against these blasts in culture. We compared in vitro the effects of a combined treatment with GM-CSF (10 ng/mL) plus IL-3 (10 ng/mL) on the metabolism and cytotoxicity of Ara-C in normal bone marrow mononuclear cells (NBMMC) and AML blasts. NBMMC from six healthy volunteers and AML blasts from 10 patients were incubated for 20 hours with or without IL-3 plus GM-CSF, followed by a concurrent treatment with Ara-C for 4 additional hours. Exposure to the HGFs and Ara-C produced significantly higher intracellular Ara-CTP levels as well as higher Ara-CTP/dCTP pool ratios in AML blasts as compared with NBMMC. Treatment with HGFs resulted in [3H] Ara-C DNA incorporation that was significantly higher in AML blasts versus NBMMC. This selective improvement of Ara-C metabolism in AML blasts was associated with an enhanced Ara-C-mediated leukemia colony-forming unit (CFU) growth inhibition. In contrast, exposure to HGFs resulted in an improved colony growth of normal CFU granulocyte-monocyte and CFU-granulocyte, erythroid, monocyte, megakaryocyte. These in vitro studies indicate that a combined treatment with IL-3 plus GM-CSF may improve the selectivity of Ara-C against AML blasts.