Nuclear inositides: PI-PLC signaling in cell growth, differentiation and pathology

The existence of an inositide-dependent nuclear signaling has been clearly shown. In this review we focused on the nuclear PI-PLC signaling activity and its downstream effects. The main isoform present in the nucleus is PI-PLC β1 and this isoform resides in the nuclear domains called speckles and colocalizes with the splicing factor SC35. PI-PLC β1 is also involved in the physiological control of the cell cycle. Moreover, acting on the cyclin D3 promoter plays a crucial role in the process of C2C12 myoblast differentiation. Finally in hematological malignancies such as high-risk MDS, the deletion of PI-PLC β1 gene has been observed. There is the likelihood that the deletion is a prognostic marker in that 66.7% MDS patients bearing the PI-PLC β1 monoallelic deletion evolved into AML. In addition the expression of nuclear PI-PLC β1 in MDS patients is modulated by the demethylating drug azacytidine. Therefore the analysis of nuclear PI-PLC-β1 appears useful for both MDS prognosis and checking of the epigenetic effect of antileukemic drugs.     

Update of carcinogenicity studies in animals and humans of 535 marketed pharmaceuticals

This survey is a compendium of information retrieved on carcinogenicity in animals and humans of 535 marketed pharmaceuticals whose expected clinical use is continuous for at least 6 months or intermittent over an extended period of time. Of the 535 drugs, 530 have the result of at least one carcinogenicity assay in animals, and 279 (52.1%) of them gave a positive response in at least one assay. Only 186 drugs (34.8%) have retrievable information on carcinogenicity in humans, and 104 of them gave to a variable extent evidence of a potential carcinogenic activity. Concerning the correlation between results obtained in animals and epidemiological findings, 58 drugs gave at least one positive result in carcinogenicity assays performed in animals and to a variable extent displayed evidence of carcinogenicity in humans, but 97 drugs tested positive in animals and were noncarcinogenic in humans or vice versa. Our findings, which are in agreement with previous studies, indicate that the evaluation of the benefit/carcinogenic risk ratio should be always made in prescribing a drug.     

Molecular characterization of the human PLC β1 gene

Inositide-specific phospholipase C (PLC) signaling constitutes a central intermediate in a number of cellular functions among which the control of cell growth raises a particular interest. Indeed, we have previously shown that nuclear phospholipase C β1 (PLC β1) is central for the regulation of mitogen-induced cell growth. We have also assigned by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis the PLC β1 to human chromosome 20p12. In this study, we have carried out a detailed analysis of the human gene, showing the existence of alternative splicing, which gives rise, besides the two forms (1a and 1b) already shown in rodents, to a new 600 bp smaller form coding for a 110 kDa protein. We have also identified a new exon at the 5′, showing no homology with the rodent sequence. Here we provide the complete determination of the exon/intron structure of the gene spanning 250 kb of DNA. We found that the exons are quite small, ranging from 49 to 222 bp, while the introns vary between 108 bp and 34,400 bp. The availability of the understanding of the genome organization of this inositide-specific PLC, which represents a key step of the cell cycle related signaling, could actually pave the way for further genetic analysis of p12 region of human chromosome 20 in diseases involving alterations of the control of cell growth such as malignancies.     

CXCR4‐independent rescue of the myeloproliferative defect of the gata1low myelofibrosis mouse model by Aplidin®

The discovery of JAK2 mutations in Philadelphia‐negative myeloproliferative neoplasms has prompted investigators to evaluate mutation‐targeted treatments to restore hematopoietic cell functions in these diseases. However, the results of the first clinical trials with JAK2 inhibitors are not as promising as expected, prompting a search for additional drugable targets to treat these disorders. In this paper, we used the hypomorphic Gata1^low mouse model of primary myelofibrosis (PMF), the most severe of these neoplasms, to test the hypothesis that defective marrow hemopoiesis and development of extramedullary hematopoiesis in myelofibrosis is due to insufficient p27^Kip1 activity and is treatable by Aplidin®, a cyclic depsipeptide that activates p27^Kip1 in several cancer cells. Aplidin® restored expression of Gata1 and p27^Kip1 in Gata1^low hematopoietic cells, proliferation of marrow progenitor cells in vitro and maturation of megakaryocytes in vivo (reducing TGF‐β/VEGF levels released in the microenvironment by immature Gata1^low megakaryocytes). Microvessel density, fibrosis, bone growth, and marrow cellularity were normal in Aplidin®‐treated mice and extramedullary hematopoiesis did not develop in liver although CXCR4 expression in Gata1^low progenitor cells remained low. These results indicate that Aplidin® effectively alters the natural history of myelofibrosis in Gata1^low mice and suggest this drug as candidate for clinical evaluation in PMF. J. Cell. Physiol. 225: 490–499, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Probing the sulfhydryl groups of nuclear matrix proteins with 6-iodoacetamidofluorescein

Rat liver nuclear matrices were reacted with the fluorescent dye 6-iodoacetamidofluorescein and the matrix proteins were then separated by one and two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Upon transillumination with U.V. light it was possible to see that several proteins had reacted with the dy, thus indicating the presence of free -SH groups. This labelling technique allowed the detection of a large number of proteins, being several folds more sensitive than conventional Coomassie Blue staining, as demonstrated by two-dimensional electrophoretical separation. If nuclear matrices were treated with reducing agents before being reacted with 6-iodoacetamidofluorescein, the fluorescence increased with about the same intensity in all the protein bands. It is proposed that 6-iodoacetamidofluorescein can be used as a specific and very sensitive probe to study the -SH groups of nuclear matrix proteins.