Tyrosine phosphorylation of HoxA10 decreases DNA binding and transcriptional repression during interferon gamma -induced differentiation of myeloid leukemia cell lines

The DNA binding affinity of HoxA10 is increased by partnering with Pbx proteins. A consensus sequence for Pbx1-HoxA10 DNA binding has been derived, but genuine target genes have not been identified. We noted that the derived Pbx-HoxA10 DNA-binding consensus is similar to a repressor element in the CYBB promoter. The CYBB gene, which encodes the respiratory burst oxidase component gp91(phox), is expressed only in myeloid cells that have differentiated beyond the promyelocyte stage. In these studies, we demonstrate that interferon gamma (IFN-gamma)-induced differentiation of myeloid cell lines abolishes in vitro Pbx-HoxA10 binding to either the derived consensus or the similar CYBB sequence. We also demonstrate that HoxA10, overexpressed in myeloid cell lines, represses reporter gene expression from artificial promoter constructs with Pbx-HoxA10 binding sites. We determine that HoxA10 has endogenous repression domains that are not functionally altered by IFN-gamma treatment. However, IFN-gamma-induced differentiation of myeloid cell lines leads to HoxA10 tyrosine phosphorylation, which decreases in vitro DNA binding to Pbx-HoxA10 binding sites. Therefore, these investigations identify the CYBB gene as a potential target for HoxA10 and define repression of genes expressed in mature myeloid cells as a novel role for HoxA10 during myeloid differentiation.     

The X+ chronic granulomatous disease as a fabulous model to study the NADPH oxidase complex activation

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a rare inherited disorder in which phagocytes lack NADPH oxidase activity. Patients with CGD suffer from recurrent bacterial and fungal infections because of the absence of superoxide anions (O2- degrees ) generatingsystem. The NADPH oxidase complex is composed of a membranous cytochrome b558, cytosolic proteins p67phox, p47phox, p40phox and two small GTPases Rac2 and Rap1A. Cytochrome b558 consists of two sub-units gp91phox and p22phox. The most common form of CGD is due to mutations in CYBB gene encoding gp91phox. In some rare cases, the mutated gp91phox is normally expressed but is devoided of oxidase activity. These variants called X+ CGD, have provided interesting informations about oxidase activation mechanisms. However modelization of such variants is necessary to obtain enough biological material for studies at the molecular level. A cellular model (knock-out PLB-985 cells) has been developed for expressing recombinant mutated gp91phox for functional analysis of the oxidase complex. Recent works demonstrated that this cell line genetically deficient in gp91phox is a powerful tool for functional analysis of the NADPH oxidase complex activation.     

Genes for two autosomal recessive forms of chronic granulomatous disease assigned to 1q25 (NCF2) and 7q11.23 (NCF1).

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a heterogeneous group of inherited disorders of impaired superoxide production in phagocytes. The most common X-linked recessive form involves the CYBB locus in band Xp21.1 that encodes the membrane-bound beta subunit of the cytochrome b558 complex. Two autosomal recessive forms of CGD result from defects in cytosolic components of the phagocyte NADPH oxidase system, p47phox (NCF1) and p67phox (NCF2). By using human cDNA probes we have mapped the genes for these proteins to chromosomal sites. The combined data from Southern analysis of somatic cell hybrid lines and chromosomal in situ hybridization localize NCF1 to 7q11.23 and NCF2 to band 1q25. The NCF1 localization corrects an erroneous preliminary assignment to chromosome 10. In the mouse, the locus corresponding to NCF2 (Ncf-2) was mapped with somatic cell hybrid panels and recombinant inbred strains to mouse chromosome 1 near Xmv-21 within a region of conserved homology with human chromosome 1 region q21-q32. A second site, probably a processed pseudogene, was identified on mouse chromosome 13.     

Thapsigargin and flavin adenine dinucleotide ex vivo treatment rescues trafficking-defective gp91phox in chronic granulomatous disease leukocytes

Mutations in leukocyte NADPH oxidase genes lead to defective respiratory burst in leukocytes and cause chronic granulomatous diseases (CGD) in humans. The most common form of CGD is caused by mutations in the membrane-bound oxidase component gp91phox, which is encoded by the CYBB gene on the X chromosome. We previously reported on a patient with a CYBB mutation (H338Y) that prevents the intracellular trafficking and expression of gp91phox on leukocytes. The capacity of the leukocytes to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) was rescued by treatment with thapsigargin and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD). The increase in ROS production was not due to the increase in cytoplasmic calcium induced by thapsigargin because the treatment of calcium ionophore did not have the same effect. Protein and cellular analyses on leukocytes and cells transfected with GFP-tagged gp91phox mutant showed that treated cells expressed more Endo H-resistant gp91phox protein on the cell surface and are more effective in killing bacteria. Thapsigargin- and FAD-treated CGD leukocytes had enhanced activity in protecting mice from Staphylococcus-induced peritoneal abscess formation in a mouse model of CGD. These results indicate that thapsigargin–FAD ex vivo treatment is effective in rescuing the ROS-producing activity of leukocytes in selected CGD patients.