Proteomic analysis on multi-drug resistant cells HL-60/DOX of acute myeloblastic leukemia

Multi-drug resistance (MDR) is an important factor that causes treatment failure in acute leukemia. However, the full development mechanisms of MDR still await [corrected] investigation. The purpose of this study is to investigate differentially expressed proteins in the multi-drug resistant acute myeloblastic leukemia (AML) cell line HL-60/DOX and the drug sensitive cell line HL-60, and to identify new potential multi-drug resistant related molecules with the proteomic approach. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) maps of the proteins, extracted from two AML cell lines, HL-60/DOX and HL-60, were established respectively. The extracted proteins were digested by enzymes and identified with the matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS). The data of the peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF) was matched with databases of proteomics available on the Internet. Results showed that 16 proteins were identified to be differentially expressed between HL-60/DOX and HL-60 cells. They involved the protein disulfide isomerase precursor (PDI), the proteasomes alpha1 and other proteins which are related to drug resistance or cell metabolism, but their functional significances are required further investigation. Nevertheless, it is clear that this proteomic approach for studing the biology and development of MDR is a prerequisite in leukemia.     

Cytotoxic activities of Coriolus versicolor (Yunzhi) extract on human leukemia and lymphoma cells by induction of apoptosis

Coriolus versicolor (CV), also known as Yunzhi, is one of the commonly used Chinese medicinal herbs. Although recent studies have demonstrated its antitumour activities on cancer cells in vitro and in vivo, the exact mechanism is not fully elucidated. Hence, the objective of this study was to examine the in vitro cytotoxic activities of a standardized aqueous ethanol extract prepared from Coriolus versicolor on a B-cell lymphoma (Raji) and two human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60, NB-4) cell lines using a MTT cytotoxicity assay, and to test whether the mechanism involves induction of apoptosis. Cell death ELISA was employed to quantify the nucleosome production resulting from nuclear DNA fragmentation during apoptosis. The present results demonstrated that CV extract at 50 to 800 microg/ml dose-dependently suppressed the proliferation of Raji, NB-4, and HL-60 cells by more than 90% (p < 0.01), with ascending order of IC50 values: HL-60 (147.3 +/- 15.2 microg/ml), Raji (253.8 +/- 60.7 microg/ml) and NB-4 (269.3 +/- 12.4 microg/ml). The extract however did not exert any significant cytotoxic effect on normal liver cell line WRL (IC50 > 800 microg/ml) when compared with a chemotherapeutic anticancer drug, mitomycin C (MMC), confirming the tumour-selective cytotoxicity. Nucleosome productions in HL-60, NB-4 and Raji cells were significantly increased by 3.6-, 3.6- and 5.6-fold respectively upon the treatment of CV extract, while no significant nucleosome production was detected in extract-treated WRL cells. The CV extract was found to selectively and dose-dependently inhibit the proliferation of lymphoma and leukemic cells possibly via an apoptosis-dependent pathway.     

Induction of leukemia cell differentiation and apoptosis by recombinant P48, a modulin derived from Mycoplasma fermentans

P48 is a 48-kDa monocytic differentiation/activation factor which was originally identified in the conditioned medium of the Reh and other leukemia cell lines and has recently been shown to be a Mycoplasma fermentans gene product. Previously, conditioned medium P48 has been shown to induce differentiation of HL-60 (human promyelocytic leukemia) cells. Recently our laboratory isolated cDNA clones for P48 from Reh cells and genomic clones from Mycoplasma fermentans and expressed the recombinant protein as a maltose binding protein (MBP) fusion protein in E. coli. In this report we present the initial characterization of this recombinant P48 fusion protein (rP48-MBP). We show that rP48-MBP induces differentiation of HL-60, U937 (human histiocytic lymphoma), and M1 (mouse myeloid leukemia) cell lines. Interestingly, rP48-MBP also induces apoptosis of U937 and HL-60 cells as assessed by terminal transferase (TUNEL) assays. This is the first report of induction of apoptosis by a Mycoplasma gene product. P48 is a Mycoplasma-derived immunomodulatory molecule which has differentiation and apoptosis-inducing activities and may be important in the pathophysiology of Mycoplasma infections. The recombinant protein may be useful in studying the mechanisms of differentiation, cytokine production, and apoptosis in malignant and nonmalignant hematopoietic cells.     

Suppressor T cells activated by lymphoblastoid cell lines inhibit pokeweed mitogen-lnduced immunoglobulin synthesis

EBV-transformed B-cell lines of normal or malignant origin suppressed pokeweed mitogen-induced immunoglobulin synthesis of normal B cells, measured by the protein A plaque assay method. Autologous and allogeneic LCL were equally effective. Allogeneic irradiated B cells were ineffective or slightly enhancing. EBV-negative hematopoietic cell lines derived from myeloid leukemia (K562 and HL-60) were ineffective or slightly enhancing. The suppressive effect of the Burkitt lymphoma line Raji was partly due to released soluble suppressor factors, but to a larger extent to the generation of radiosensitive suppressor T cells in the responder population. Autologous and allogeneic LCL were equally effective in generating suppressor T cells. It is postulated that the suppressor circuit reflects the existence of regulatory mechanisms that govern the proliferation of B lymphocytes.     

Mechanisms of Action of Fludarabine Nucleoside Against Human Raji Lymphoma Cells

Fludarabine (2-FaraAMP) is a purine analog that is effective against chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and non-Hodgkins lymphoma (NHL). For some cases of CLL, 2-FaraAMP as a single agent can clear the blood of leukemia cells, but leukemia stem cells usually remain protected in sanctuary sites. It is clear that 2-FaraAMP has multiple mechanisms of action that may collectively result in strand breaks in DNA, accumulation of phosphorylated p53 and apoptosis. We have demonstrated using the human Burkitt's lymphoma B-cell line, Raji, that p53, p63 and p73 all accumulate in the nucleus, following treatment of cells with fludarabine nucleoside (2-FaraA). In addition, phosphorylated p53 accumulates in the cytosol and at mitochondria. Using sophisticated methods of proteomic analysis with mass spectrometry, proteins that become differentially abundant after treatment of cells with 2-FaraA have been identified, providing considerable additional information about the cellular responses of B-lymphoid cancers to this purine analog. The levels of proteins involved in the unfolded protein response increase, indicating that endoplasmic reticulum stress is likely to be one mechanism for induction of apoptosis. The levels of a number of proteins found on the outer plasma membrane change on cells treated with 2-FaraA, suggesting that signaling from the B-cell antigen receptor (BCR) is stimulated, resulting in induction of apoptosis through the intrinsic pathway. Increased levels of the cell surface proteins, CD50, CD100 and ECE-1, would promote survival of these cells; the balance between these survival and death responses would determine the fate of the cell.     

NK4拮抗HGF促进肿瘤细胞凋亡的生物学效应

观察NK4通过拮抗肝细胞生长因子（HGF）诱导不同肿瘤细胞凋亡,研究其生物学作用及分子机制.以足叶乙甙（VP-16）诱导凋亡,分别或经HGF蛋白、NK4蛋白处理5种肿瘤细胞（B细胞淋巴瘤细胞系Raji、人急性粒细胞白血病细胞系HL-60、宫颈癌细胞系HeLa、前列腺癌细胞系PC-3、非小细胞肺癌细胞系A549）,采用流式细胞术（FCM）、吖啶橙 (AO) 染色法、苏木素 伊红（HE）染色法定量观察5种肿瘤细胞的凋亡情况,并进行相关分析. FCM发现,经VP-16处理5种肿瘤细胞凋亡率均显著高于对照组(P<0.001),而HGF+VP-16组凋亡率明显下降(P<0.01),HGF+NK4+VP-16组细胞凋亡率均明显高于HGF+VP-16组(P<0.05). AO染色和HE染色结果也证实,5种肿瘤细胞经VP-16处理后凋亡率均显著增高 (P<0.001,P<0.001),而HGF+VP-16组细胞凋亡率均明显低于VP-16组(P<0.001,P<0.01), HGF+NK4+VP-16组细胞凋亡率均明显高于HGF+VP-16组(P<0.001,P<0.05).此外,发现NK4+VP-16组、HGF+ NK4+VP-16组、VP-16组等3组间凋亡率无统计学差异(P>0.05). 以上结果提示,HGF蛋白可抵抗凋亡诱导剂VP-16的作用, 明显降低细胞凋亡;NK4通过竞争性抑制HGF从而促进肿瘤细胞的凋亡,具有潜在的肿瘤治疗价值.     

Host cell-dependent regulation of growth transformation-associated Epstein-Barr virus antigens in somatic cell hybrids.

We have analyzed the expression of the three major known growth transformation-associated Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) proteins, EBNA-1, EBNA-2, and latent membrane protein (LMP), in a series of somatic cell hybrids derived from the fusion of EBV-carrying Burkitt lymphoma (BL) lines with EBV-positive or EBV-negative B-cell lines. Independently of the cell phenotype, EBNA-1 was invariably coexpressed in all EBV-carrying hybrids. In hybrids between EBV-carrying, LMP-positive and LMP-negative Burkitt lymphoma lines, LMP was expressed, indicating positive control. Two EBV-negative lymphoma lines, Ramos and BJAB, differed in their ability to express LMP after B95-8 virus-induced conversion and after hybridization with Raji cells. BJAB was permissive while Ramos was nonpermissive for LMP, although both expressed EBNA-2. The EBNA-2-deleted P3HR-1 virus gave the same pattern of LMP expression in these two cells. Our findings indicate that the expression of EBNA-1, EBNA-2, and LMP is regulated by independent mechanisms.     

Human cytosolic and mitochondrial folylpolyglutamate synthetase are electrophoretically distinct. Expression in antifolate-sensitive and -resistant human cell lines

Folylpolyglutamate synthetase (FPGS) activity in CCRF-CEM human leukemia cells was found in the cytosolic ( approximately 67% of total) and mitochondrial ( approximately 22%) fractions. A polyclonal antipeptide antibody (430Ab) to human FPGS specifically recognized distinct immunoreactive bands ( approximately 60 kDa) present in each subcellular fraction. Human cytosolic FPGS (hcFPGS) migrated more rapidly than mitochondrial FPGS (hmFPGS); their estimated difference in molecular mass was 1 kDa. The human K562 acute nonlymphocytic leukemia and the A253 and FaDu head and neck cancer cell lines also expressed the two FPGS isoforms, and the ratio of hcFPGS to hmFPGS protein in each cell line was similar. Since K562 and A253 cells are intrinsically resistant to pulse methotrexate (MTX) exposure relative to CCRF-CEM and FaDu cells, respectively, because of decreased MTX polyglutamate synthesis (despite having similar levels of total FPGS activity expression), these data suggest that the natural difference in drug sensitivity cannot be explained by compartmentalization of FPGS activity. Higher expression of hmFPGS relative to hcFPGS was observed in some sublines of CCRF-CEM with acquired MTX resistance suggesting that differential expression of the hmFPGS isoform may contribute to MTX resistance caused by decreased FPGS activity.     

Histone deacetylase inhibitors synergistically potentiate death receptor 4-mediated apoptotic cell death of human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells

Cell-death signaling through the pro-apoptotic tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) receptors, death receptor 4 (DR4) and DR5, has shown tumor-selective apoptotic activity. Here, we examine susceptibility of various leukemia cell lines (HL-60, U937, K562, CCRF-CEM, CEM-CM3, and THP-1) to an anti-DR4 agonistic monoclonal antibody (mAb), AY4, in comparison with TRAIL. While most of the leukemia cell lines were intrinsically resistant to AY4 or TRAIL alone, the two T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) lines, CEM-CM3 and CCRF-CEM cells, underwent synergistic caspase-dependent apoptotic cell death by combination of AY4 or TRAIL with a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACI), either suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) or valproic acid (VPA). All of the combined treatments synergistically downregulated several anti-apoptotic proteins (c-FLIP, Bcl-2, Bcl-X_L, XIAP, and survivin) without significant changing the expression levels of pro-apoptotic proteins (Bax and Bak) or the receptors (DR4 and DR5). Downregulation of c-FLIP to activate caspase-8 was a critical step for the synergistic apoptosis through both extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic pathways. Our results demonstrate that the HDACIs have synergistic effects on DR4-specific mAb AY4-mediated cell death in the T-ALL cells with comparable competence to those exerted by TRAIL, providing a new strategy for the targeted treatment of human T-ALL cells.     

急性白血病细胞中抗凋亡蛋白bcl－2及其mRNA的表达

采用免疫组织化学与原位杂交方法检测了２５例急性髓系或淋巴系白血病骨髓活检组织及６种白血病细胞株中ｂｃｌ－２蛋白及其ｍＲＮＡ水平。结果２１例白血病标本中存在ｂｃｌ－２蛋白及其ｍＲＮＡ的一致性高表达;５种白血病细胞株（ＣＥＭ、Ｒａｊｉ、ＨＬ－６０、Ｕ９３７及Ｋ５６２）均能表达一定水平的ｂｃｌ－２蛋白及其ｍＲＮＡ（Ｍｏｌｔ－４例外）。提示ｂｃｌ－２基因的功能状态与淋巴造血系统肿瘤密切相关。     

Fludarabine nucleoside modulates nuclear "survival and death" proteins in resistant chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells

The nuclear mechanisms by which fludarabine nucleoside (F-ara-A) induces apoptosis have been investigated in human MEC1 cells derived from B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Upon treatment of cells with F-ara-A (100 μM, 72 hours), 15 nuclear proteins changed in abundance by more than 2-fold. Nuclear proteins up-regulated included calmodulin (4.3-fold), prohibitin (3.9-fold), β-actin variant (3.7-fold), and structure-specific recognition protein 1 (3.7-fold); those down-regulated included 60S ribosomal protein P2B (0.12-fold), fumarate hydratase (0.19-fold), splicing factor arginine/serine-rich 3 (0.35-fold), and replication protein A2 (0.42-fold). These changes in the levels of specific proteins promote survival or apoptosis; because the end result is apoptosis of MEC1 cells, apoptotic effects predominate.     

Identification of platinum-resistance associated proteins through proteomic analysis of human ovarian cancer cells and their platinum-resistant sublines

Chemoresistance is a major therapeutic obstacle in cancer patients, and the mechanisms of drug resistance are not fully understood. In the present study, we established platinum-resistant human ovarian cancer cell lines and identified differentially expressed proteins related to platinum resistance. The total proteins of two sensitive (SKOV3 and A2780) and four resistant (SKOV3/CDDP, SKOV3/CBP, A2780/CDDP, and A2780/CBP) human ovarian cancer cell lines were isolated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE). The differentially expressed proteins were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). In total, 57 differential protein spots were identified, and five proteins, including annexin A3, destrin, cofilin 1, Glutathione-S-transferase omega 1 (GSTO1-1), and cytosolic NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDHc), were found to be co-instantaneous significance compared with their parental cells. The expression of the five proteins was validated by quantitative PCR and western blot, and the western blot results showed complete consistency with proteomic techniques. The five proteins are hopeful to become candidates for platinum resistance. These may be useful for further study of resistance mechanisms and screening of resistant biomarkers.     

Phorbol diester-induced alterations in the expression of protein kinase C isozymes and their mRNAs. Analysis in wild-type and phorbol diester-resistant HL-60 cell clones.

In an HL-60 cell subline (PR-17) which was greater than 100-fold resistant to the differentiating and cytostatic activities of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), the protein kinase C phenotype was found to be nearly identical to that of wild-type HL-60 cells. A measurable decrease (30%) in the specific activities of crude preparations of PR-17 cell protein kinase C was observed when the enzyme was measured with histone as the phosphate acceptor substrate, but other aspects of the protein kinase C phenotype (intracellular concentrations and binding affinities of phorbol diester receptors, translocation of activated enzyme from cytosolic to particulate subcellular fractions, relative expression of the alpha and beta isozyme proteins) were equivalent in both PMA-resistant PR-17 cells and in wild-type HL-60 cells. Direct analysis of the behavior of the alpha and beta isozymes after the exposure of each cell type to 100 nM PMA for 12 h revealed that the activities and intracellular concentrations of both isozymes were downregulated to an equivalent extent in both wild-type and PMA-resistant cells. These results suggest that the cellular basis for the resistance to the effects of PMA was present "down-stream" from the activation and down-regulation of protein kinase C and was perhaps a nuclear component. Among the genes which were likely to be differentially regulated when each of the two cell lines were treated with PMA were those for the protein kinase C isozymes themselves. In wild-type HL-60 cells, the intracellular concentrations of type HL-60 cells, the intracellular concentrations of mRNA for each of the beta isozymes were increased (up to 5-fold) 48 h after the initiation of PMA treatment; further studies indicate that an activator of protein kinase C could influence the expression of HL-60 cell protein kinase C genes in an isozyme-specific manner. Comparable PMA-induced alterations in mRNA levels were not observed in PMA-resistant cells, even under conditions of significant activation and subsequent down-regulation of protein kinase C protein. Taken together, these data suggest that activation and down-regulation of the isozymes of protein kinase C may not represent absolute determinants of the PMA-induced differentiation of HL-60 cells, but that specific alterations in the levels of the mRNA for the beta isozymes of protein kinase C, or of other genes which may be regulated by the activated kinase isozymes, are important to the induction of leukemia cell differentiation by PMA.     

Induction of apoptosis in human leukemia cells by the CDK1 inhibitor CGP74514A

We have examined the effects of the CDK1 inhibitor CGP74514A on cell cycle- and apoptosis-related events in human leukemia cells. An 18-hr exposure to 5 microM CGP74514A induced mitochondrial damage (i.e., loss of Delta psi(m)) and apoptosis in multiple human leukemia cell lines (e.g., U937, HL-60, KG-1, CCRF-CEM, Raji, and THP; range 30-95%). In U937 cells, CGP74514A- induced apoptosis (5 microM) became apparent within 4 hr and approached 100% by 24 hr. The pan- caspase inhibitor Boc-fmk and the caspase-8 inhibitor lETD-fmk opposed CGP74514A-induced caspase-9 activation and PARP degradation, but not cytochrome c or Smac/DIABLO release. CGP74514A-mediated apoptosis was substantially blocked by ectopic expression of full-length Bel- 2, a loop-deleted mutant Bcl-2, and Bcl-x(L). CGP74514A treatment (5 microM; 18 hr) resulted in increased p21(CIP1) expression, p27(KIP1) degradation, diminished E2F1 expression, and dephosphorylation of p34(CDC2). It also induced early (i.e., within 2 hr) inhibition of CDK1 activity and dephosphorylation of pRb, followed by pRb degradation, but did not block pRb phosphorylation at CDK2- and CDK4- specific sites. These findings indicate that the selective CDK1 inhibitor, CGP74514A, induces complex changes in cell cycle-related proteins in human leukemia cells accompanied by extensive mitochondrial damage, caspase activation, and apoptosis.     

Retinoic acid-induced blr1 expression promotes ERK2 activation and cell differentiation in HL-60 cells

Retinoids are known to induce the differentiation and cell cycle arrest of human myeloid leukemia cells in vitro. Differential display was used to identify putative early regulatory genes that are differentially expressed in HL-60 human promyelocytic leukemia cells treated with retinoic acid. One of the cDNAs cloned encodes sequences identifying Burkitt's lymphoma receptor 1 (BLR1), a recently described chemokine receptor. Northern blot analysis demonstrates that blr1 mRNA expression increases within 9 h of retinoic acid treatment, well before functional differentiation or G(1)/G(0) growth arrest at 48 h or onset of morphological changes, suggesting a possible regulatory function. The expression of blr1 mRNA is transient, peaking at 72 h when cells are differentiated. blr1 mRNA also is induced by other differentiation-inducing agents, 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) and DMSO. Induction of blr1 mRNA by retinoic acid is not blocked by the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide. In HL-60 cells stably transfected with blr1 cDNA, ectopic expression of blr1 causes an increase in ERK2 MAPK activation and promotes retinoic acid-induced G(1)/G(0) growth arrest and cell differentiation. The early expression of blr1 mRNA during differentiation, its ability to increase ERK2 activation, and its enhancement of retinoic acid-induced differentiation suggest that blr1 expression may be involved in retinoic acid-induced HL-60 differentiation.     

Evidence for platelet-activating factor receptors in several B lymphoblastoid cell lines.

Previous studies have shown that Raji, an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-immortalized Burkitt lymphoma B cell line, contains functional platelet-activating factor (PAF) receptors. Twelve other lymphoid cell lines, including Burkitt and non-Burkitt B cell lines, T cell lines, and a non B, non T cell line were tested for the presence of PAF receptors. Radioligand binding studies conducted at 4 degrees C revealed that six lymphoid cell lines of B cell origin (Raji, P3HR-1, BJAB, BJA/HR-1, Dakiki and PB-1) could specifically bind [3H]PAF. Treatment of four (Raji, P3HR-1, Dakiki and PB-1) of the above lymphoid cell lines with PAF resulted in an increase in free intracellular calcium, indicating that these specific PAF binding sites were functional PAF receptors. Other B cell lines (Daudi, B95-8, sfBT, CB-1), T cell lines (MOLT-4, CCRF-CEM) and a non B, non T cell line (NALM-6) had no PAF binding sites and showed no PAF-induced increase in intracellular calcium levels. These studies demonstrate evidence for the presence of PAF receptors on several B lymphocyte cell lines.     

A proteomic investigation into adriamycin chemo-resistance of human leukemia K562 cells

This study aimed to explore the mechanism of adriamycin resistance in human chronic myelogenous leukemia cells. Proteomic approach was utilized to compare and identify differentially expressed proteins between human chronic myelogenous leukemia K562 cells and their adriamycin-resistant counterparts. The differentially expressed proteins were analyzed by 2-DE (two-dimensional gel electrophoresis), and protein identification were performed on ESI-Q-TOF MS/MS instrument. Out of the 35 differentially expressed proteins between the two cell lines, 29 were identified and grouped into 10 functional classes. Most of identified proteins were related to the categories of metabolism (24%), proteolysis (13%), signal transduction (21%) and calcium ion binding (6%), suggesting that alterations of those biological processes might be involved in adriamycin resistance of K562 cells. We believe this study may provide some clues to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying adriamycin resistance.     

The Hodgkin-associated Ki-1 antigen exists in an intracellular and a membrane-bound form

The Hodgkin-associated Ki-1 antigen occurs in two different molecular forms. The 120-kDa membrane-associated form is a phosphorylated glycoprotein, which is derived from a non-phosphorylated intracellular 84-kDa apoprotein that is co-translationally N-glycosylated with a carbohydrate portion of 6 kDa. The other form of the Ki-1 antigen is a non-glycosylated phosphoprotein of 57 kDa which only occurs intracellularly. Both forms of the antigen are phosphorylated at serine residues. Enzymatic cleavage with sialidase reduced the 120-kDa membrane antigen by about 15 kDa, while its 90-kDa precursor and the 57-kDa intracellular form of the Ki-1 antigen remained unaltered. Pulse-chase experiments revealed that the 57-kDa and 90/120-kDa molecules are synthesized independently of each other. Four to eight hours after synthesis, the degradation of the 120-kDa molecule to a 105-kDa membrane-associated intermediate begins. This is further processed and appears in the cell supernate as a 90-kDa molecule. Hodgkin's disease-derived, Epstein-Barr virus-transformed cell lines and the acute T cell leukemia line MOLT-4 contain both forms of the Ki-1 antigen, whereas only the 57-kDa intracellular antigen is expressed in U266/B1 myeloma cells, in the Burkitt lymphoma cell lines Raji and Daudi and in acute promyelocytic HL-60 leukemia cells.