Genomic organization of the channel catfish CD45 functional gene and CD45 pseudogenes

CD45 is a transmembrane protein tyrosine phosphatase, which in mammals plays an important role in T and B cell receptor and cytokine signaling. Recently, a catfish cDNA was shown to contain all characteristic CD45 features: an alternatively spliced amino-terminus, a cysteine-rich region, three fibronectin domains, a transmembrane region, and two phosphotyrosine phosphatase domains. However, analyses of CD45 cDNAs from various catfish lymphoid cell lines demonstrated that catfish CD45 is unique in that it contains a large number of alternatively spliced exons. Sequence analyses of cDNAs derived from the catfish clonal B cell line 3B11 indicated that this cell line expresses up to 13 alternatively spliced exons. Furthermore, sequence similarity among the alternatively spliced exons suggested duplication events. To establish the exact number and organization of alternatively spliced exons, a bacterial artificial chromosome library was screened, and the catfish functional CD45 gene plus six CD45 pseudogenes were sequenced. The catfish functional CD45 gene spans 37 kb and contains 49 exons. In comparison, the human and pufferfish CD45 genes consist of 34 and 30 exons, respectively. This difference in the otherwise structurally conserved catfish gene is due to the presence of 18 alternatively spliced exons that were likely derived through several duplication events. In addition, duplication events were also likely involved in generating the six pseudogenes, truncated at the 3 ends. A similarly 3 truncated CD45 pseudogene is also present in the pufferfish genome, suggesting that this specific CD45 gene duplication occurred before catfish and pufferfish diverged (400 million years ago).     

高分压氧下淋巴细胞SHP-1和CD45的功能状态

目的: 探讨高分压氧下淋巴细胞内酪氨酸磷酸酶SHP-1和CD45功能状态的变化.方法: 分别用能引起功能发生不同变化的高分压氧处理淋巴细胞,检测细胞内酪氨酸磷酸酶SHP-1和CD45的催化活性、蛋白量及蛋白磷酸化水平.结果: 经各压力-时程的高分压氧处理后,SHP-1的活性均降低;而CD45仅在具有抑制细胞功能的氧剂量处理后其活性才降低.两种酶的蛋白表达量及酪氨酸磷酸化水平没有发生显著变化.结论: 高分压氧下SHP-1和CD45活性降低可能是由于酶结构受增多的活性氧破坏引起;SHP-1和CD45可能是所选高分压氧方案引起淋巴细胞功能变化的作用位点.     

周期性机械应力对髓核细胞增殖和细胞外基质表达的影响

目的：探讨周期性机械应力对髓核细胞增殖和细胞外基质表达的影响。方法：对兔髓核细胞进行体外细胞培养,对细胞施加周期性机械应力（0.25Mpa,0.1Hz）。实验分为2组,不加压组和加压组,不加压组置于单纯旋转式生物反应器内,加压组每天置于周期性机械应力场内2小时。分别于3天,7天检测细胞数目以及聚集蛋白聚糖（aggrecan）和Ⅱ型胶原的基因表达。结果：髓核细胞的增殖和聚集蛋白聚糖、Ⅱ型胶原基因的表达水平与周期性压力密切相关,在周期性机械应力刺激下髓核细胞增殖明显,细胞外基质的分泌增加,组织工程髓核细胞的活性显著提高。结论：周期性机械应力能够显著促进髓核细胞增殖,同时上调聚集蛋白聚糖、Ⅱ型胶原的基因的表达。     

二甲双胍调控糖尿病大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞的增殖和分化

虽然二甲双胍广泛用于治疗2型糖尿病,但是其对骨骼的潜在影响知之甚少。因此,本研究评估了二甲双胍对培养的大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞(MSCs)和脂肪细胞两者的分化以及增殖的影响。首先随机组形成对照实验,其中对照组为在不经二甲双胍处理培养基中培养MSCs细胞21 d,而二甲双胍组则在用100μmol/L二甲双胍处理培养基中培养MSCs 21 d。结果表明,二甲双胍增强了大鼠MSCs的成骨细胞分化细胞中ALP的活性,抑制了培养中MSCs脂肪形成分化的过程,但是增强了MSCs细胞的增殖能力。     

Inhibition of ERK and JNK Decreases Both Osmosensitive Taurine Release and Cell Proliferation in Glioma Cells

Cell swelling is associated with the activation of an increase in the osmosensitive taurine release (OTR) rate, which serves to decrease cell volume as part of a process known as regulatory volume decrease. OTR, which is sensitive to many pharmacological agents including anion channel blockers and signalling pathway modulators, has also been suggested to play a role in cell cycle progression. At non-cytotoxic concentrations, the anion channel blocker NPPB (25 μM), the extra-cellular signal-regulated kinase inhibitor PD98059 (50 μM), and the c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase inhibitor SP 600125 (5 μM) each decreased the OTR rate by ≥50%, decreased cell proliferation, and increased G0/G1 cell cycle arrest.     

Myelin Gene Expression in Immortalized Schwann Cells: Relationship to Cell Density and Proliferation

Abstract: Myelin gene expression was investigated in the immortalized S16 Schwann cell line grown in the presence and absence of serum and at different densities. Protein expression was monitored by western blotting, and message levels were determined by RNase protection assays. To study cell proliferation rates at different cell densities and serum conditions. [³H]thymidine uptake assays and cell counts were performed. Although serum deprivation decreased cell proliferation as expected, the proliferation of S16 cells was unchanged or slightly increased at high density under the conditions of our experiments in either serum-containing or serum-free medium. This increased cell division at high density appeared to be due to greater release of an autocrine growth factor to the medium by dense cell populations. For both sparse and dense cells, substantially more P₀ glycoprotein (P₀) and myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG) per milligram of total cellular protein were expressed when the cells were proliferating slowly in defined medium in comparison with more rapidly proliferating cells in serum-containing medium. Furthermore, in both serum-containing and defined media, dense cell populations expressed more MAG and P₀ than sparse ones. P₀ mRNA and MAG mRNA levels generally paralleled protein levels. The level of mRNA for peripheral myelin protein-22 (PMP-22) was also increased at high cell density but did not change much when proliferation was decreased by serum deprivation. PMP-22 protein was not detected under any of the growth conditions. The changes in expression of these genes with growth conditions may be specific for myelin proteins, because the expression of a nonmyelin glycoprotein, L1, remained constant. The level of cyclic AMP in the cells did not change with the different growth conditions tested. The results indicate that the S16 Schwann cell line mimics primary or secondary Schwann cells by down-regulating myelin gene expression when it proliferates more rapidly in the presence of serum. Furthermore, in both the presence and absence of serum, there was greater expression of myelin genes at high cell density that was not associated with a decreased proliferative rate. Because evidence for a role of secretory factors in affecting myelin gene expression was not obtained by treating sparse S16 cells with medium conditioned by dense S16 cells, the results suggest that the higher expression of myelin genes at high density may be mediated by cell-to-cell contact.     

Mitotic activity of the pars intermedia in the female mouse: age-associated variations in proliferation rate and circadian periodicity

We previously reported daily variations in the mitotic activity of the endocrine cells in the pars intermedia of 21- and 28-day-old male mice. Since cellular proliferation might be affected by factors such as sex and age, we undertook the present experiments to study the mitotic activity of the pars intermedia from 14-, 28-, and 150-day-old female mice. Inbred C3H/S mice, grouped according to age, were housed under standard conditions (12h each of light and dark [LD 12:12]) for periodicity analysis and were killed in lots of 5-11 animals every 4h over a single 24h cycle, with each mouse receiving 2 μg/g of colchicine 4h before decapitation. Pituitaries were excised, extracted, fixed in buffered formaldehyde, embedded in celloidin-paraffin, sectioned at 5 μm, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin. We counted the total number of nuclei to estimate the total number of cells monitored and then calculated the mitotic index (metaphases/1000 nuclei). Differences were analyzed for statistical significance by the Student t test. While the 14-day-old animals manifested no significant changes in mitotic activity during the 24h cycle, the 28- and 150-day-old mice showed higher mitotic indices during the period of darkness. The average mitotic activity over the entire cycle, however, was higher in the two groups of younger animals than in the 150-day-old mice. Moreover, the averages for the 28-day-old females were higher than the corresponding values previously reported by us for male mice of the same age. (Chronobiology International, 17(6), 751-756, 2000)     

Geographical distribution and disease associations of the CD45 exon 6 138G variant

CD45 is crucial for normal lymphocyte signalling, and altered CD45 expression has major effects on immune function. Both mice and humans lacking CD45 expression are severely immunodeficient, and single-nucleotide polymorphisms in the CD45 gene that cause altered splicing have been associated with autoimmune and infectious diseases. Recently, we identified an exon 6 A138G polymorphism resulting in an increased proportion of activated CD45RO T cells and altered immune function. Here we report a significantly reduced frequency of the 138G allele in hepatitis C Japanese patients and a possibly reduced frequency in type I diabetes. The allele is widely distributed in the Far East and India, indicating that it may have a significant effect on disease burden in a large part of the human population.     

Let-7a下调k-Ras和c-Myc癌基因的表达抑制肾癌细胞增殖

目的：MicroRNA 是近年发现的一类单链小分子RNA,对它的研究已成为一个新的热点。最近的研究发现,1et-7a 在细胞内影响着基因的表达调控,在疾病发生中起着及极重要的作用,尤其是在肿瘤的发展过程中,let-7a扮演着不可替代的角色。本文主要研究let-7a 在肾癌细胞株中的表达情况及其调控的靶基因、抑制细胞增殖的机制,对探索肾癌的致病基因,寻求肾癌新的治疗途径有重要意义。方法：应用化学合成的let-7a 模拟物（mimics）用脂质体Lipofectamine 2000 在体外瞬时转染786-O 和Caki-1肾癌细胞株,转染48 小时后采用荧光定量RT-PCR的方法检测let-7a 及c-Myc、k-Ras mRNA的表达情况,Western blot 检测这两株肾癌细胞转染了let-7a mimics 后c-Myc 及k-Ras 蛋白的表达变化;转染let-7a mimics 后分别在24、48、72 小时三个时间点用CCK-8 试剂盒检测对肾癌细胞株增殖的影响。结果：786-O 和Caki-1 肾癌细胞株中let-7a 的表达量明显低于正常肾小管上皮细胞株HK-2（P〈0.05）; 转染了let-7amimics的786-O 和Caki-1 肾癌细胞株,RT-PCR 及Western blot 结果显示c-Myc、k-Ras 在基因及蛋白的表达水平明显下调（P〈0.05）;CCK-8 检测结果显示转染了let-7a mimics的肾癌细胞株细胞增殖能力明显明显受到抑制,与阴性对照组比较差异有统计学意义（P〈0.05）。结论：Let-7a 在在肿瘤细胞与正常细胞中存在明显差异,let-7a 通过调控c-Myc、k-Ras的表达能抑制肾癌细胞增殖。Let-7a mimics 可以抑制肾癌细胞的增殖,因此上调Let-7a 的表达有可能成为肾癌基因治疗的一种有效治疗手段。     

Bmi1在肝癌组织中的表达及其与细胞增殖和凋亡的关系

目的：探讨Bmi1在肝细胞肝癌（HCC）中的表达及与增殖和凋亡的关系。方法：收集HCC标本54例及相应的癌旁组织,10例正常肝组织标本,采用免疫组织化学EnVision二步法显示Bmi1的表达并结合增殖与凋亡特征进行分析。结果：在肝癌组织、癌旁组织细胞中Bmi1表达定位于胞核中,阳性表达率分别为79.6%（43/54）,31.2%（17/54）,10例正常肝组织未见表达,3组差异有统计学意义（P〈0.005）。HCC中Bmi1的高表达与年龄、性别、肿瘤大小、肿瘤数目、临床TNM分期、是否有肝硬化及是否有HBsAg感染无显著相关（P〉0.05）,但与组织学分级有关,高、中分化组Bmi1表达率显著高于低分化组（P〈0.05）。肝癌Bmi1阳性组增殖指数（PI）（50.3±21.4）%显著高于阴性表达组（17.3±7.1）%（P〈0.05）,凋亡指数（AI）无明显差异（P〉0.05）。结论：Bmi1在HCC中高表达,其表达增高可能与HCC的进展相关。     

A Mathematical Model for the Effects of HER2 Overexpression on Cell Proliferation in Breast Cancer

We present a mathematical model to study the effects of HER2 over-expression on cell proliferation in breast cancer. The model illustrates the proliferative behavior of cells as a function of HER2 and EGFR receptors numbers, and the growth factor EGF. This mathematical model comprises kinetic equations describing the cell surface binding of EGF growth factor to EGFR and HER2 receptors, coupled to a model for the dependence of cell proliferation rate on growth factor receptors binding. The simulation results from this model predict: (1) a growth advantage associated with excess HER2 receptors; (2) that HER2-over-expression is an insufficient parameter to predict the proliferation response of cancer cells to epidermal growth factors; and (3) the EGFR receptor expression level in HER2-over-expressing cells plays a key role in mediating the proliferation response to receptor-ligand signaling. This mathematical model also elucidates the interaction and roles of other model parameters in determining cell proliferation rate of HER2-over-expressing cells.     

Effects of Chloroplast DNA Content on the Cell Proliferation and Aging in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Chlamydomonas is an unicellular green alga that contains one cup-shaped chloroplast with about 60 copies of cpDNA. Chloroplasts (cp) multiply in the cytoplasm of the plant cell by binary division, with multiple copies of cpDNA transmitted and maintained in successive generations. The effect of cpDNA copy number on cell proliferation and aging was investigated using a C. reinhardtii moc mutant, which has an undispersed cp-nucleoid and unequal segregation of cpDNA during cell division. When the mother cell divided into four daughters, one moc daughter cell chloroplast contained about 60 copies of cpDNA, and the chloroplasts in the three other daughter cells contained the 4–7 copies of cpDNA. In liquid medium, the number of moc cells at the period of stationary phase was about one-third that of the wild type. To observe the process of proliferation and aging in the mother cell, we used solid medium. Three out of four moc cell spores were preferentially degenerated 60 days after cell transfer. To confirm this, wild-type and moc mother cells containing four daughter cells were treated with novobiocin to inhibit cpDNA replication. Cell degeneration increased only in the moc strain following novobiocin introduction. In total, our results suggest that cells possessing smaller amounts of cpDNA degenerate and age more rapidly. Received 7 September 2000/ Accepted in revised form 14 February 2001     

Geranylgeraniol Overcomes the Block of Cell Proliferation by Lovastatin in C6 Glioma Cells

Abstract: It is well documented that 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors prevent cultured mammalian cells from progressing through the cell cycle, suggesting a critical role for a mevalonate-derived product. Recently, it has been shown that free geranylgeraniol (GG-OH) and farnesol (F-OH) can be utilized by C6 glioma cells for protein isoprenylation. The ability of GG-OH and F-OH to restore protein geranylgeranylation or farnesylation selectively has enabled us to examine the possibility that mevalonate is essential for cell proliferation because it is a precursor of farnesyl pyrophosphate or geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate, the isoprenyl donors involved in the post-translational modification of key regulatory proteins. In this study we report that GG-OH, as well as mevalonate, overcomes the arrest of cell proliferation of C6 glioma cells treated with lovastatin, as assessed by increased cell numbers and a stimulation in [³H]thymidine incorporation. The increase in cell number and [³H]thymidine incorporation were significantly lower when F-OH was added. Under these conditions [³H]mevalonate and [³H]GG-OH are actively incorporated into a set of isoprenylated proteins in the size range of small, GTP-binding proteins (19–27 kDa) and a polypeptide with the molecular size (46 kDa) of the smaller isoform of 2′,3′-cyclic nucleotide 3′-phosphodiesterase. Analysis of the proteins metabolically labeled by [³H]mevalonate and [³H]GG-OH reveals the presence of labeled proteins containing geranylgeranylated cysteinyl residues. Consistent with geranylgeranylated proteins playing a critical role in the entry of C6 cells into the cell cycle, a (phosphonoacetamido)oxy derivative of GG-OH, a drug previously shown to interfere with protein geranylgeranylation, prevented the increase in cell number when mevalonate or GG-OH was added to lovastatin-treated cells. These results strongly suggest that geranylgeranylated proteins are essential for progression of C6 cells into the S phase of the cell cycle and provide the first evidence that the “salvage” pathway for the utilization of the free isoprenols is physiologically significant in the CNS.     

Transforming Growth Factor β1-Regulated Cell Proliferation and Expression of Neural Cell Adhesion Molecule in B104 Neuroblastoma Cells

The expression and activity of factors influencing early neuronal development are altered by ethanol. Such factors include growth factors, for example, platelet-derived growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor (for cell proliferation), and cell adhesion molecules (for neuronal migration). One agent, transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFbeta1), may affect both events. We tested the hypothesis that ethanol alters myriad TGFbeta1-mediated activities [i.e., cell proliferation and neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM) expression] using B104 neuroblastoma cells. TGFbeta1 inhibited the proliferation of B104 cells as evidenced by decreases in cell number and [3H]thymidine ([3H]dT) incorporation. TGFbeta1 induced sustained activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), which are part of the family of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Treatment with PD98059 (a MAPK kinase blocker) abolished TGFbeta1-regulated inhibition of [3H]dT incorporation. TGFbeta1-mediated growth inhibition was potentiated by ethanol exposure. Ethanol also produced prolonged activation of ERK, an effect that was partially eliminated by treatment with PD98059. On the other hand, TGFbeta1 up-regulated N-CAM expression, and this up-regulation was not affected by treatment with PD98059. Ethanol inhibited the TGFbeta1-induced up-regulation of N-CAM expression in a concentration-dependent manner. Thus, TGFbeta1 affects ERK-dependent cell proliferation and ERK-independent N-CAM expression in B104 cells. Both activities are sensitive to ethanol and may underlie the ethanol-induced alterations in the proliferation and migration of CNS neurons.     

FOX03a过表达对内皮祖细胞周期相关蛋白的调控

目的：观察FOXO3a（forkhead box O3a）的活性改变对内皮祖细胞（endothelial progenitor cells,EPCs）增殖和细胞周期相关蛋白表达的影响。方法：将携带突变激活FOXO3a基因的腺病毒载体Ad-TM（triple mutant）-FOXO3a和阴性对照腺病毒载体Ad-GFP体外感染人脐血来源的EPCs。观察EPCs形态学改变,CCK-8分析转染后EPCs增殖情况,Western blot检测FOXO3a蛋白、细胞周期相关蛋白p27^kip1以及CDK2的表达水平。结果：构建了的2种腺病毒相关载体被成功转染。形态学改变方面,Ad-TM—FOXO3a组EPCs细胞生长缓慢,集落不明显;Westem blot和CCK-8结果显示,Ad-TM—FOXO3a转染组与阴性对照组相比,EPCs增殖被抑制,FOXO3a与p27^kip1蛋白过表达,CDK2表达下调。结论：FOXO3a可能通过上调p27kip1蛋白表达,下调CDK2表达,以抑制EPCs增殖。     

IscU2对非小细胞肺癌增殖、迁移、侵袭能力的影响及其作用机制的研究

该文通过shRNA干扰技术敲低IscU2干扰细胞IscU2的表达,研究了干扰IscU2对非小细胞肺癌(NSCLC)细胞NCI-H520增殖、迁移及侵袭能力的影响。构建了稳定低表达IscU2的非小细胞肺癌细胞系NCI-H520;采用CCK-8和平板克隆实验检测细胞的增殖能力;流式细胞仪检测细胞周期、凋亡、ROS、线粒体膜电位变化情况;Transwell实验检测细胞迁移及侵袭能力;Western blot检测相关蛋白的表达。结果表明,干扰IscU2后,非小细胞肺癌细胞的增殖及克隆形成能力降低;细胞周期停滞在G1/G0期,同时伴随有p-AKT和Cyclin D1蛋白含量的下降;细胞晚期凋亡率明显增加,凋亡蛋白Cleaved-caspase3和Cleaved-PARP表达上调;细胞迁移和侵袭能力降低,上皮标志物E-Cadherin表达上调,间质标志物N-Cadherin和Snail表达下调;细胞ROS积累和线粒体膜电位下降。该研究结果表明,干扰IscU2显著抑制非小细胞肺癌的增殖、迁移、侵袭能力和上皮–间质转化,这为非小细胞肺癌的诊断和治疗提供了新的潜在靶点和视角。     

CDADC1在人视网膜色素上皮细胞中功能研究

目的：研究细胞增殖相关基因CDADC1在人视网膜色素上皮细胞ARPE19中的表达及对ARPE19细胞增殖的影响。方法：采用基因重组技术构建荧光表达载体pEGFP－C1－CDADC1和真核表达载体pcDNA3．1-myc-CDADC1,用脂质体转染法转染ARPE19细胞,观察GFP—CDADC1融合蛋白在ARPE19细胞的表达定位,流式细胞仪测定CDADC1转染后对ARPE19细胞生长周期、凋亡的影响。结果：FP—CDADC1融合蛋白亚细胞定位显示,CDADC1低表达于ARPE19细胞胞浆,高表达于细胞核;pcD—NA3．1-myc-CDADC1瞬时转染ARPE19细胞显示24小时细胞无明显改变,48小时后重组质粒转染组S期细胞占细胞总数的19．37％,pcDNA3．1-myc空载质粒转染组S期细胞占10．87％,而空白对照组S期细胞占3．33％,重组质粒转染组与两对照组之间的差异有统计学意义（P〈0．01）。结论：CDADC1在增生性玻璃体视网膜病变（PVR）发生和发展过程中可促进DNA的合成,引起细胞增生。     

Use of cyclic peptide phage display library for the identification of a CD45RC epitope expressed on murine B cells and their precursors

The alternative splicing and variable expression of the exons near to the N-terminus of the leukocyte common antigen (L-CA, CD45) result in distinct extracellular isoforms expressed by cells with different functional and developmental properties. Here we report the tissue reactivity pattern and epitope specificity of a novel rat monoclonal antibody (IBL-8) against a restricted epitope of mouse CD45. We found that this mAb reacts with an epitope displayed by B cells and their precursors (both in newborn spleen and adult bone marrow). Moreover, peripheral CD8-positive T cells were also recognised at an intermediate intensity, whereas the CD4 T cell subset was weakly reactive. The epitope of this mAb was determined with M13 filamentous phages that display cysteine constrained nonapeptides on their coat proteins. The isolated bacteriophages expressing the putative epitope showed an isoform-specific inhibition of the binding of exon-specific mAbs. Deduced amino acid sequence data of these phages indicate that the epitope recognised by the IBL-8 mAb lies at the 136-144 region of the mouse CD45 molecule within its C exon, with a TAFP consensus sequence at its centre.     

Cyclic AMP Inhibits Activation of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase and Cell Proliferation in Response to Growth Factors in Cultured Rat Cortical Astrocytes

Abstract: The cyclic AMP (cAMP)-induced inhibitory effect on cell proliferation was examined through inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP kinase) activation in cultured rat cortical astrocytes. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) at 10 ng/ml maximally stimulated MAP kinase activity, which peaks during 10 min and prolonged for 24 h. Likewise, DNA synthesis was maximally potentiated with 10 ng/ml bFGF and correlated with MAP kinase activity in a dose-dependent manner. Dibutyryl cAMP (dbcAMP) at 1 m M and isoproterenol at 10 µ M inhibited MAP kinase activation and DNA synthesis potentiation with bFGF and platelet-derived growth factor to the control level in cultured astrocytes and C6 glioma cells. The stimulation with bFGF caused a prominent translocation of MAP kinase from the cytosol to the nucleus after 1 h in astrocytes. Treatment of the cells with dbcAMP and isoproterenol completely prevented the translocation of MAP kinase. In experiments with ³²P-labeled cultured astrocytes, phosphorylation of Raf-1 was apparently stimulated with bFGF. Treatment with dbcAMP or isoproterenol had a greatly inhibitory effect on the stimulation of Raf-1 phosphorylation with bFGF. Consistent with the effect on Raf-1 phosphorylation, dbcAMP and isoproterenol completely prevented bFGF-induced phosphorylation of MAP kinase kinases, target proteins of Raf-1. Our observations suggest that cAMP-induced suppression of cell growth in astrocytes is due to the inhibitory effect on activation of MAP kinase and its translocation to the nucleus and that the site of the cAMP action is located at Raf-1 or the upstream site of Raf-1.     

Fibroblast Growth Factor Receptor 3 (FGFR3) Associated with the CD20 Antigen Regulates the Rituximab-induced Proliferation Inhibition in B-cell Lymphoma Cells

Rituximab is reported to inhibit the proliferation of lymphoma cells through an unknown CD20-mediated signal transduction pathway. Herein, we investigated cell surface molecules involved in the CD20-mediated signal transduction pathway by using a recently developed technique named enzyme-mediated activation of radical sources. Using this method, we found that under stimulation with rituximab and another anti-CD20 antibody B-Ly1, CD20 was physically associated with fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) as well as some other receptor tyrosine kinases in Raji cells. However, under stimulation with a noncytotoxic anti-CD20 antibody 2H7, CD20 was not associated with FGFR3 but with the PDGF receptor β. When the tyrosine kinase activity of FGFR3 was inhibited by the chemical inhibitor PD173074 or an siRNA knockdown strategy, the proliferation inhibition by rituximab was attenuated, indicating that FGFR3 participates in the rituximab-dependent signal transduction pathway leading to proliferation inhibition. These observations raise the possibility that concomitant targeted therapy toward FGFR3 might improve the efficacy and safety of the rituximab therapy.