scholarly journals LIM Domain Protein 1 (Ldb1) Is Required for Lmo2 Oncogene-Induced Thymocyte Self-Renewal and T-Cell Leukemia in a Mouse Model of Human T-ALL

Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 2538-2538
Author(s):  
Liqi Li ◽  
Apratim Mitra ◽  
Bin Zhao ◽  
Seeyoung Choi ◽  
Jan Lee ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Mouse Model ◽  
Transgenic Mice ◽  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽  
Conditional Knockout ◽  
Lim Domain ◽  
Self Renewal ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem

LIM domain Only-2 (LMO2) is one of the most frequently deregulated oncogenes in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and is generally expressed in the clinically aggressive Early Thymocyte Precursor ALL. LMO2 encodes a small protein with 2 LIM domains that is part of a large multiprotein complex in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPC), where it is required for HSC specification and maintenance. Many of LMO2's protein partners in HSPCs are expressed in T-ALL implying that protein complexes like those scaffolded by LMO2 in HSPCs also play a role in leukemia. LDB1 is concordantly expressed with LMO2 in human T-ALL although its expression is more widespread than LMO2. In this study, we analyzed a critical component of the Lmo2 associated complex, LIM domain binding 1 (Ldb1), in the CD2-Lmo2 transgenic mouse model of human T-ALL. To further define Ldb1's role in leukemia, we induced its conditional knockout in CD2-Lmo2 transgenic mice with the use of Lck-Cre, Rag1-Cre, and Il7r-Cre transgenic mice. CD2-Lmo2 transgenic mice develop T-ALL with high penetrance and closely model the human disease. We discovered that the penetrance and latency of Lmo2-induced T-ALL were markedly attenuated in the Lck-Cre model and T-ALL onset was completely abrogated in the Rag1-Cre and Il7r-Cre models. The latter two models induced more efficient deletions of Ldb1, earlier in the T-cell differentiation program compared to Lck-Cre. Interestingly, Lck-Cre deletion was efficient in thymocytes without the Lmo2 transgene. In striking contrast, Ldb1 deletion could not be induced in CD2-Lmo2 transgenic T-cell progenitors. Consistent with this finding, T-ALLs that developed in CD2-Lmo2/floxed-Ldb1/Lck-Cre mice had incomplete deletion of Ldb1. These results imply that Ldb1 is a required factor for Lmo2 to induce T-ALL. To further probe the pathogenesis of Lmo2-induced T-ALL, we analyzed preleukemic phenotypes in the Rag1-Cre (or Il7r-Cre) conditional knockout models. Our results showed that Ldb1 is required for the induction of thymocyte self-renewal and radioresistance. Ldb1 was also required for the acquisition of the pre-leukemic ETP gene expression signature observed in immature CD2-Lmo2 transgenic thymocytes. Detailed biochemical experiments show that LMO2 protein is directly stabilized by LDB1 in leukemia cells perhaps on chromatin. In conclusion, these results support a model where Lmo2-induced T-ALL is caused by a failure to downregulate Ldb1/Lmo2 nucleated transcription complexes that normally function to enforce self-renewal in bone marrow hematopoietic progenitor cells. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals Lmo2's Oncogenic Function in T-Cell Leukemia Requires Ldb1

Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 3663-3663
Author(s):  
Liqi Li ◽  
Justin H. Layer ◽  
Claude Warzecha ◽  
Rati Tripathi ◽  
Paul Love ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Transgenic Mice ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Protein Complexes ◽  
Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽  
Conditional Knockout ◽  
Lim Domain ◽  
Double Positive ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
T Cell Progenitors

Abstract LIM domain Only-2 (LMO2) is one of the most frequently deregulated oncogenes in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). LMO2 encodes a small protein with 2 LIM domains that is part of a large multiprotein complex in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, where it is required for HSC specification and maintenance. Many of LMO2's protein partners in HSPCs are expressed in T-ALL implying that protein complexes similar to those nucleated by LMO2 in HSPCs also play a role in leukemia. In this study, we analyzed a critical component of the LMO2 associated complex, LIM domain binding1 (LDB1). LDB1 appears to be an obligate partner of LMO2 in HSPCs but it is not required for T-cell development from committed progenitors. LDB1 is concordantly expressed with LMO2 in human T-ALL although its expression is more widespread than LMO2. To further define Ldb1's role in leukemia, we induced its conditional knockout in CD2-Lmo2 transgenic mice. CD2-Lmo2 transgenic mice develop T-ALL with high penetrance and closely model the human disease. We discovered that Lmo2-induced T-ALL was markedly attenuated in penetrance and latency by Ldb1 deletion. Since Lmo2 induces a distinct differentiation arrest in T-cell progenitors prior to leukemic transformation, we analyzed the differentiation of T-cell progenitors in CD2-Lmo2 transgenic/floxed-Ldb1/Lck-Cre mice and in non-Lmo2 transgenics: floxed-Ldb1/Lck-Cre mice. Ldb1 deletion by Lck-Cre was efficient in double negative and double positive T-cell progenitors. In striking contrast, Ldb1 deletion could not be induced in CD2-Lmo2 transgenic T-cell progenitors. Consistent with this finding, T-ALLs that developed in CD2-Lmo2/floxed-Ldb1/Lck-Cre mice had incomplete deletion of Ldb1. These results imply that Ldb1 is a required factor for Lmo2 to induce T-ALL. Lastly, gene expression analysis of Lmo2-induced T-ALLs and ChIP-exonuclease analysis of Ldb1 occupancy in T-ALL suggested that the Lmo2/Ldb1 complex enforced a gene signature similar to that seen in HSPCs and in Early T-cell Precursor ALL. In conclusion, Ldb1 is a required partner for Lmo2 to induce T-ALL. Additionally, the HSPC function of Lmo2/Ldb1 complexes may be recapitulated in T-cell progenitors prior to T-ALL. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Hhex Is a Critical Gene In The Development Of Normal and Malignant Lymphoid Cells

Blood ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 122 (21) ◽  
pp. 3788-3788
Author(s):  
Charnise Goodings ◽  
Stephen B. Smith ◽  
Elizabeth Mathias ◽  
Elizabeth Smith ◽  
Rati Tripathi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bone Marrow ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Transgenic Mice ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Lymphoid Cells ◽  
Conditional Knockout ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
Direct Transcriptional Target ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Transcriptional Target

Abstract Hematopoietically expressed homeobox (Hhex) is a T-cell oncogene. It is frequently deregulated in murine retroviral insertional mutagenesis screens and its enforced expression induces T-cell leukemia in bone marrow transduction and transplantation experiments. We discovered that HHEX is a direct transcriptional target of an LIM domain Only-2 (LMO2)-associated protein complex. HHEX clusters with LMO2-overexpressing T-ALLs and is especially overexpressed in Early T-cell Precursor (ETP) – ALL where it is a direct transcriptional target of LMO2. To further understand Hhex's function, we induced a conditional knockout in floxed Hhex mice with the Vav-iCre transgene. Mice were viable and showed normal blood cell counts with highly efficient deletion of Hhex in all hematopoietic tissues. Thymocytes from conditional knockouts showed a normal pattern of development. Most impressively, Hhex conditional knockout markedly prolonged the latency of T-ALL onset in CD2-Lmo2 transgenic mice (figure 1). Hhex conditional knockouts (Hhex cKOs) also had a significant decrease in mature B cells in the spleen and bone marrow. Interestingly, hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells plated on OP9-GFP or OP9-DL1 stromal cells showed proliferative defects and incomplete differentiation towards both B and T lineage. Also under stress conditions such as sublethal irradiation and competitive bone marrow transplants, Hhex conditional knockouts show a marked defect in both B and T lineages but an increase in early progenitor populations. Our experiments show that Hhex is a critical transcription factor in lymphoid development and in LMO2-induced T-ALL.Figure 1Hhex conditional knockout markedly prolonged the latency of T-ALL onset in CD2-Lmo2 transgenic miceFigure 1. Hhex conditional knockout markedly prolonged the latency of T-ALL onset in CD2-Lmo2 transgenic mice Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals Stress Hematopoiesis Reveals Abnormal Control of Self-Renewal, Lineage-Bias and Myeloid Differentiation in Mll Partial Tandem Duplication (Mll-PTD) Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells

Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 120 (21) ◽  
pp. 3501-3501
Author(s):  
Yue Zhang ◽  
Xiaomei Yan ◽  
Goro Sashida ◽  
Xinghui Zhao ◽  
Yalan Rao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mouse Model ◽  
Tandem Duplication ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽  
Myelogenous Leukemia ◽  
Myeloid Differentiation ◽  
Self Renewal ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
Mll Gene ◽  
Partial Tandem Duplication

Abstract Abstract 3501 Rearrangements of the Mixed-Lineage Leukemia (MLL) gene occur in a variety of aggressive human leukemias. The most common ones are balanced translocations in which the genomic sequences encoding the N-terminal portion of MLL are fused to sequences encoding the C-terminus of another translocation partner in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Another mechanism for disrupting the MLL gene in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and AML, but rarely seen in ALL, is partial tandem duplication (MLL-PTD). The MLL–PTD was first identified in de novo AML with a normal karyotype or trisomy 11. Cloning of this region revealed partial duplications within the 5′ region of the MLL gene. These duplications consist of an in-frame repetition of MLL exons in a 5′–3′ direction and produce an elongated protein. The incidence of MLL–PTD was 8% in unselected adult and childhood AML and 5% in MDS. However, the mechanism by which MLL-PTD contributes to MDS and AML development and maintenance is currently unknown. Mll-PTD knock-in mouse model, its expression is regulated by endogenous promoter, has been generated to study the function of Mll-PTD in vitro and in vivo and to identify its downstream targets. This mouse model provides a powerful genetic tool to identify disruptions in normal cellular regulation as a result of this mutation, as well as a model to characterize the contribution of the Mll-PTD in leukemogenesis. Herein, we investigated hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell (HSPC) phenotypes of Mll-PTD knock-in mice. Although HSPCs (Lin−Sca1+Kit+ (LSK)/SLAM+ and LSK) in MllPTD/WT mice are reduced in absolute number in steady state due to increased apoptosis, they have a proliferative advantage in colony replating assays, CFU-spleen assays, and competitive transplantation assays over wild-type HSPCs. The MllPTD/WT–derived phenotypic short-term (ST)-HSCs/multipotent progenitors (MPPs) and granulocyte/macrophage progenitors (GMPs) have self-renewal capability, rescuing hematopoiesis by giving rise to long-term repopulating cells in recipient mice with an unexpected myeloid differentiation blockade and lymphoid-lineage bias. However, MllPTD/WT HSPCs never develop leukemia in primary or recipient mice, suggesting that additional genetic and/or epigenetic defects are necessary for full leukemogenic transformation. In conclusion, the MllPTD/WT mouse model provides unique genetic and biochemical tool to identify new targets and pathways responsible for the altered differentiation/repopulating properties, self-renewal activity, lineage bias and myeloid differentiation blockade relevant to MLL-PTD MDS and AML. This model should also help us to understand the underlying mechanism(s) for each of the phenotypes we found in this study and facilitate improved therapies and patient outcomes in the future. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

scholarly journals Mouse acute leukemia develops independent of self-renewal and differentiation potentials in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 419-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fang Dong ◽  
Haitao Bai ◽  
Xiaofang Wang ◽  
Shanshan Zhang ◽  
Zhao Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Acute Leukemia ◽  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽  
The Self ◽  
Myelogenous Leukemia ◽  
Mouse Bone Marrow ◽  
Self Renewal ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
Stem And Progenitor Cells

Abstract The cell of origin, defined as the normal cell in which the transformation event first occurs, is poorly identified in leukemia, despite its importance in understanding of leukemogenesis and improving leukemia therapy. Although hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) were used for leukemia models, whether their self-renewal and differentiation potentials influence the initiation and development of leukemia is largely unknown. In this study, the self-renewal and differentiation potentials in 2 distinct types of HSCs (HSC1 [CD150+CD41−CD34−Lineage−Sca-1+c-Kit+ cells] and HSC2 [CD150−CD41−CD34−Lineage−Sca-1+c-Kit+ cells]) and 3 distinct types of HPCs (HPC1 [CD150+CD41+CD34−Lineage−Sca-1+c-Kit+ cells], HPC2 [CD150+CD41+CD34+Lineage−Sca-1+c-Kit+ cells], and HPC3 [CD150−CD41−CD34+Lineage−Sca-1+c-Kit+ cells]) were isolated from adult mouse bone marrow, and examined by competitive repopulation assay. Then, cells from each population were retrovirally transduced to initiate MLL-AF9 acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and the intracellular domain of NOTCH-1 T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL). AML and T-ALL similarly developed from all HSC and HPC populations, suggesting multiple cellular origins of leukemia. New leukemic stem cells (LSCs) were also identified in these AML and T-ALL models. Notably, switching between immunophenotypical immature and mature LSCs was observed, suggesting that heterogeneous LSCs play a role in the expansion and maintenance of leukemia. Based on this mouse model study, we propose that acute leukemia arises from multiple cells of origin independent of the self-renewal and differentiation potentials in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells and is amplified by LSC switchover.

βig-h3, a Novel Regulator of Adhesion and Differentiation of Human Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells.

Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (22) ◽  
pp. 3640-3640
Author(s):  
Sofieke E Klamer ◽  
Paula B van Hennik ◽  
Daphne C Thijssen-Timmer ◽  
C. Ellen Van der Schoot ◽  
Carlijn Voermans
Keyword(s):  
Cell Surface ◽  
Mrna Expression ◽  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Cell Surface Expression ◽  
Type I ◽  
Self Renewal ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
Cd34 Cells

Abstract Abstract 3640 Poster Board III-576 Adult hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) reside in the bone marrow (BM) in so-called niches. Within this specialized microenvironment, the interactions of HSC with adhesion molecules on neighbouring cells and extracellular matrix (ECM) components are thought to be critical for the maintenance of the HSC population. Comparative gene-expression profiling of purified HSC in homeostatic and regenerative conditions allowed the identification of a set of differentially expressed ECM proteins. One of these proteins was the novel ECM protein βg-h3, which plays a role in cell-ECM interactions, by binding to type I, II and IV collagens and cellular integrins. We postulated that βig-h3 could have a role in HSC biology by being both a homeostatic and regenerative regulator of HSC self-renewal and differentiation. First we analyzed the mRNA expression in human CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPC) isolated from BM, mobilized peripheral blood (MPB) and umbilical cord blood (UCB). The expression of βig-h3 was found to be significantly higher in BM-CD34+ cells as compared to MPB-CD34+ cells, suggesting a role for this ECM protein in retaining HSC in the BM. To determine expression of βig-h3 on the various subsets within the heterogeneous CD34+ population, the expression was compared between sorted sub-populations of BM-CD34+ cells: megakaryocyte-erythrocyte-progenitors (MEP: CD38+/CD110+/CD45RA−), common myeloid progenitors (CMP: CD38+/CD110−/CD45RA−), granulocyte-monocyte-progenitors (GMP: CD38+/CD110−/CD45RA+) and more immature CD34+/CD38− HSC. The purity of the sub-populations was analyzed by colony forming assays. These data indicate that at least the mRNA expression of βig-h3 was highest in GMPs. Analysis of different human cell types revealed that the highest βig-h3 mRNA expression is measured in monocytes, dendritic cells and mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC), while its expression in megakaryocytes and HUVEC is comparable to that in HSPC. In addition, cell surface expression of the βig-h3 protein was determined by flowcytometry. βig-h3 was found to be expressed on the cell surface of only a subpopulation of BM derived CD34+ cells (0.5%), monocytes (5%), MSCs (11%) and megakaryocytes (30%). Intracellular flowcytometry staining revealed that βig-h3 is expressed inside CD34+ cells derived from all sources. Since there is evidence in several other cell types that βig-h3 plays a role in enhancing cell adhesion and migration, adhesion experiments using CD34+ cells were performed. These experiments show a significant (p<0.01) two-fold increased adhesion of MPB-CD34+ cells to βig-h3 compared to a BSA coating (mean 40% (SEM ± 9.8%) and 23% (SEM ± 5.0%), respectively, (n=3)). Further experiments showed that adhesion of CD34+ cells to βig-h3 is mediated by both β1- and β2- integrins. The functional relevance of the target proteins in HSC differentiation and self-renewal was studied by lentiviral mediated overexpression. We used a βig-h3-SIN-GFP vector or a control SIN-GFP vector to transduce CD34+ cells isolated from MPB or UCB and cultured them towards a megakaryocytic lineage using TPO, SCF, Flt3 and IL6. Overexpression of βig-h3 in MPB and UCB-CD34+ cells resulted in an acceleration of the megakaryopoiesis and in an increased percentage of mature megakaryocytic cells (i.e. CD41+) two weeks after transduction. In conclusion, βig-h3 is an adhesive protein for HSPCs and GMP's express significantly more βig-h3 as compared to other CD34+ subsets. Moreover, ectopic expression of βig-h3 in CD34+ cells accelerates differentiation towards megakaryocytes. These data suggest that upregulation of βig-h3 in HSCs may be a vital element driving lineage commitment of HSCs in homeostatic or regenerative conditions. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

C-Myc, but Not Akt, Can Substitute for Notch in Lymphomagenesis.

Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (22) ◽  
pp. 7-7
Author(s):  
Mark Y Chiang ◽  
M. Eden Childs ◽  
Candice Romany ◽  
Olga Shestova ◽  
Jon Aster ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Mouse Model ◽  
Selective Pressure ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽  
Gamma Secretase ◽  
Growth And Survival ◽  
Strong Selective Pressure ◽  
Human T Cell ◽  
Notch1 Mutations

Abstract Abstract 7 Notch signaling is activated in ∼70% of human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (T-ALL) samples and many human and mouse T-ALL cell lines require Notch signals for growth and survival. To gain insight into the role of Notch during induction of T-ALL, we used a fully penetrant, conditional, transgenic KrasG12D mouse model in which ∼80% of T-ALLs acquire activating Notch1 mutations in the endogenous locus. We crossed mice bearing this transgene with Rosa26-DNMAMLf/f mice, which conditionally express the pan-Notch inhibitor DNMAML. T-ALL developed in these mice despite the expression of DNMAML throughout T-cell development. ∼75% of T-ALL tumors acquired activating Notch1 mutations and suppressed expression of DNMAML, which is consistent with frequent “escape” of Notch from inhibition for efficient T-ALL development. We next compared T-ALL cells that lacked DNMAML expression with T-ALL cells that continued to express DNMAML. T-ALL cells lacking DNMAML expressed the direct Notch target c-Myc at higher levels, proliferated at a higher rate, and contained ∼10-fold higher levels of leukemia-initiating cells. Moreover, DNMAML-positive T-ALLs lost DNMAML after transfer into secondary recipients. These data underscore the strong selective pressure for Notch signals during generation and maintenance of T-ALL. We next sought a mechanistic answer for the strong selective pressure for Notch activation. c-Myc and Akt have both been posited to be critical targets of oncogenic Notch signals. To compare the relative contributions of c-Myc and Akt to lymphomagenesis, we overexpressed c-Myc and activated AKT in the KrasG12D-driven mouse model. T-ALLs induced by KrasG12D and Akt acquired activating Notch1 mutations in ∼70% of tumors, which were sensitive to Notch inhibitors (gamma-secretase inhibitors [GSI]). In contrast, T-ALLs induced by KrasG12D and c-Myc did not acquire Notch1 mutations and were resistant to GSI. We conclude that upregulation of c-Myc is sufficient to substitute for Notch in lymphomagenesis, whereas activation of Akt signaling is not. These data identify c-Myc not AKT as the driving force behind Notch-induced lymphomagenesis. These data emphasize the Notch/c-Myc axis as an attractive, rational, therapeutic target in T-ALL. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Sociology of Normal Stem and Progenitor Cells in CML Niche

Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 120 (21) ◽  
pp. 1234-1234
Author(s):  
Robert S Welner ◽  
Giovanni Amabile ◽  
Deepak Bararia ◽  
Philipp B. Staber ◽  
Akos G. Czibere ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Stem Cells ◽  
Bone Marrow ◽  
Mouse Model ◽  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells ◽  
Quiescent State ◽  
Hematopoietic Progenitor ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
Stem And Progenitor Cells

Abstract Abstract 1234 Specialized bone marrow (BM) microenvironment niches are essential for hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell maintenance, and recent publications have focused on the leukemic stem cells interaction and placement within those sites. Surprisingly, little is known about how the integrity of this leukemic niche changes the normal stem and progenitor cells behavior and functionality. To address this issue, we started by studying the kinetics and differentiation of normal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in mice with Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML). CML accounts for ∼15% of all adult leukemias and is characterized by the BCR-ABL t(9;22) translocation. Therefore, we used a novel SCL-tTA BCR/ABL inducible mouse model of CML-chronic phase to investigate these issues. To this end, BM from leukemic and normal mice were mixed and co-transplanted into hosts. Although normal hematopoiesis was increasingly suppressed during the disease progression, the leukemic microenvironment imposed distinct effects on hematopoietic progenitor cells predisposing them toward the myeloid lineage. Indeed, normal hematopoietic progenitor cells from this leukemic environment demonstrated accelerated proliferation with a lack of lymphoid potential, similar to that of the companion leukemic population. Meanwhile, the leukemic-exposed normal hematopoietic stem cells were kept in a more quiescent state, but remained functional on transplantation with only modest changes in both engraftment and homing. Further analysis of the microenvironment identified several cytokines that were found to be dysregulated in the leukemia and potentially responsible for these bystander responses. We investigated a few of these cytokines and found IL-6 to play a crucial role in the perturbation of normal stem and progenitor cells observed in the leukemic environment. Interestingly, mice treated with anti-IL-6 monoclonal antibody reduced both the myeloid bias and proliferation defects of normal stem and progenitor cells. Results obtained with this mouse model were similarly validated using specimens obtained from CML patients. Co-culture of primary CML patient samples and GFP labeled human CD34+CD38- adult stem cells resulted in selective proliferation of the normal primitive progenitors compared to mixed cultures containing unlabeled normal bone marrow. Proliferation was blocked by adding anti-IL-6 neutralizing antibody to these co-cultures. Therefore, our current study provides definitive support and an underlying crucial mechanism for the hematopoietic perturbation of normal stem and progenitor cells during leukemogenesis. We believe our study to have important implications for cancer prevention and novel therapeutic approach for leukemia patients. We conclude that changes in cytokine levels and in particular those of IL-6 in the CML microenvironment are responsible for altered differentiation and functionality of normal stem cells. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Notch2 Signaling Inhibits Differentiation and Promotes Self Renewal of Hematopoietic Stem and Progenitor Cells During Marrow Regeneration.

Blood ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (22) ◽  
pp. 2544-2544
Author(s):  
Barbara Varnum-Finney ◽  
Irwin D. Bernstein
Keyword(s):  
Progenitor Cells ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Myeloid Differentiation ◽  
Primary Control ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Self Renewal ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem ◽  
Post Transplant

Abstract Abstract 2544 Poster Board II-521 Notch regulates numerous lineage choices during vertebrate development, and although ex vivo studies suggest that Notch regulates hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) and multipotential progenitor (MPP) differentiation, a functional role for Notch in HSC/MPP self renewal in vivo remains controversial. We previously reported a Notch2 signaling role during bone marrow (BM) recovery following injection with chemotherapeutic agent 5-fluorouracil (5FU), where Notch2 signaling impedes myeloid differentiation, allowing for generation of sufficient numbers of progenitor cells. Herein, we examine a Notch2 signaling role in HSC as well as progenitor cell self renewal by enumerating generation of HSC and short term repopulating cells in lethally irradiated recipients (Ly5.1+) transplanted with a limiting number (5 × 105) of BM cells from either control mice or from mice bearing Cre-LoxP-inducible Notch2 deletions (Ly5.2+). In recipient mice transplanted with control BM, recovery was evident from Day11 to Day13 post transplant when significantly more than the initial post-irradiation number of 9.0 × 106 BM cells was seen in the recovering marrow. In recovering mice, recipients receiving control cells generated more BM cells than did recipients receiving Notch2-deficient cells. Furthermore, mice receiving control cells generated significantly more donor Sca-1+c-kit+ (SK+) cells than recipients receiving Notch2-deficient BM cells [44.4×103 (s.e.m.+/− 14×103) vs 8.2×103 (s.e.m.+/−1.5×103), respectively, p=0.001]. To quantitate the generation of short term repopulating cells, secondary radioprotection assays were performed. Irradiated secondary recipient mice received 1×106 BM cells from the primary recipients previously transplanted with either control cells or Notch2-deficient cells. Secondary recipients receiving cells from primary control transplants survived significantly longer than those receiving cells from primary Notch2-deficient transplants or than irradiated mice receiving no cells (n=4, p=0.01), indicating Notch2 is required to generate sufficient numbers of cells to provide radioprotection. To quantitate long term HSC generated in the recovering marrow, competitive repopulating units (CRU) were enumerated by performing secondary transplants in which 4-doses of BM cells ranging from 4 × 104 to 5 × 106 cells from primary transplants were injected into secondary recipients along with 1 × 105 Ly5.1+ competing cells. Enumeration of CRU at 2 weeks post transplant confirmed the number of short term repopulating cells was significantly decreased in mice transplanted with Notch2-deficient cells compared to mice transplanted with control cells [(1.3 CRU vs 8.8 CRU / 1×106 BM cells, respectively), p=0.0004)]. Enumeration of CRU at 9 weeks post transplant indicated HSC numbers were also significantly decreased in mice transplanted with Notch2-deficient cells compared to mice transplanted with control cells [(0.1 CRU vs 0.7 CRU / 1×106 BM cells, respectively), p=0.02]. Taken together, our results demonstrate a role for Notch2 in enhancing generation of long term HSC as well as short term repopulating cells and suggests that Notch2 signaling regulates a hierarchy of events to assure the initial repopulation by HSC and MPP, while delaying myeloid differentiation during hematopoietic regeneration. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Notch Expression Expands the Pre-Malignant Pool of T-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Clones without Affecting Self-Renewal

Blood ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 116 (21) ◽  
pp. 3161-3161
Author(s):  
Jessica S Blackburn ◽  
Sali Liu ◽  
David M. Langenau
Keyword(s):  
T Cell ◽  
Notch Signaling ◽  
Primary Tumor ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽  
Notch Pathway ◽  
Leukemic Cells ◽  
Distinct Advantage ◽  
Rodent Models ◽  
Self Renewal

Abstract Abstract 3161 60% of human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias (T-ALL) harbor NOTCH1 activating mutations, making it the most commonly mutated oncogene in T-ALL. Notch signaling is critical for T cell development, and activating Notch mutations are found in all subtypes of T-ALL, suggesting that Notch deregulation may be a dominant initiating event in human disease. In human and rodent models of T-ALL, Notch directly induces cMyc expression. However, cMyc over expression cannot completely rescue Notch inhibition, suggesting that Notch may have other important roles in T-ALL progression. Classic viral insertion screens in mice have indentified that insertional activation of Notch1 is common in Myc induced T-cell malignancies, suggesting that Notch imparts a distinct advantage to leukemic clones independent of cMyc. Notch-induced transgenic zebrafish models of T-ALLs are unique in that Notch signaling does not induce cMyc expression, allowing new opportunities to determine the function of Notch which are independent of cMyc. As with rodent models, the co-expression of Notch and cMyc in zebrafish T cells significantly enhanced T-ALL progression compared to cMyc or Notch alone (p<0.001). However, Notch co-expression with Myc did not enhance proliferation, alter cell cycle kinetics, or modify apoptosis in leukemic cells when compared to Myc alone expressing T-ALLs. Moreover, clonality assays using RT-PCR analyses for T-cell receptor-beta rearrangements indicate that Notch collaborates with Myc to increase the number of T-ALL clones contained within the primary tumor by 2–4 fold when compared to single transgenic animals that express only cMyc. Following serial transplantation, a large portion of T-ALL clones present in primary Notch/Myc leukemias are not found in transplanted animals. This starkly contrasts to results seen in Myc-alone expressing T-ALLs where all primary clones are capable of engraftment and reinitiation of leukemia. Paradoxically, transplant animals developing T-ALL from leukemias that coexpress Notch and Myc have similar numbers of clones as found in primary Myc-induced leukemias. Primary Myc-induced T-ALLs express high levels of endogenous scl and lmo2, recapitulating the most common and treatment resistant subtype in human T-ALL. By contrast, T-ALLs that co-express Notch and Myc fail to upregulate any of the T-ALL oncogenes; however, following transplantation into recipient animals, double transgenic Notch/Myc leukemias now express high levels of scl and lmo2. Finally, large scale limiting dilution cell transplantation analyses using syngeneic zebrafish demonstrated that Notch does not collaborate with Myc to increase self-renewal of leukemia initiating cells (LICs). Primary T-ALLs expressing both Notch and Myc have 10-fold less leukemia-initiating frequency when compared to T-ALLs that express only cMyc; however, following serial passaging, these Notch/Myc leukemias exhibit similar leukemia-initiating frequency as Myc-induced T-ALLs. Taken together, our data supports a model where Notch expands a pool of pre-malignant T-ALL clones within the primary tumor, a subset of which acquire additional mutations to confer a fully transformed phenotype. By contrast, Myc alone is insufficient to increase the overall pool of pre-malignant clones but confers a fully-transformed phenotype to leukemic cells accounting for the longer latency likely reflecting acquisition of additional genetic changes in clones. Our data may explain why a subset of relapse human T-ALLs develop disease from an underrepresented clone found in the primary leukemia. Primary human T-ALLs likely have a large pool of premalignant clones resulting from NOTCH-pathway activation that are unable to self-renew and thus, cannot give rise to relapsed T-ALL. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

A Mouse Model of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Failure Associated with p53-Loss and Defective Fbw7-Dependent Cyclin E Regulation.

Blood ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 120 (21) ◽  
pp. 2297-2297
Author(s):  
Ka Tat Siu ◽  
Yanfei Xu ◽  
Mitra Bhattacharyya ◽  
Alexander C. Minella
Keyword(s):  
Cell Cycle ◽  
Mouse Model ◽  
Conflicts Of Interest ◽  
Cyclin E ◽  
Cell Cycle Control ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Wild Type ◽  
Self Renewal ◽  
Hematopoietic Stem

Abstract Abstract 2297 Recent findings have challenged the notion that increased proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) necessarily restricts their self-renewal capacity. We have studied the physiologic consequences to HSCs of ablating a key cell cycle regulatory mechanism, Fbw7-dependent cyclin E ubiquitination, using germline knock-in of a cyclin ET74A T393A allele. Fbw7 is a tumor suppressor that regulates the abundance of several oncoprotein substrates by ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, including cyclin E, Notch, and c-Myc. Cyclin E overexpression in vivo is associated with increased proliferation in some cellular contexts as well as a variety of deleterious consequences, including genomic instability, senescence, or apoptosis. In HSCs, Fbw7-loss has been shown to induce self-renewal and multi-lineage reconstitution defects, and the effect of Fbw7-loss in HSCs has been ascribed to dysregulated Myc and Notch expression. Using the cyclin ET74A T393A mouse model, we tested the hypothesis that impaired Fbw7-mediated regulation of cyclin E, specifically, promotes HSC exhaustion due to loss of self-renewal capacity. We first examined bone marrow HSC counts and their cell cycle kinetics in cyclin E knock-in and wild-type control mice at steady state and following hematologic injury induced by 5-fluorouracil treatment. We found that cyclin E dysregulation reduces numbers of quiescent HSCs and increases cells in S/G2/M-phases, while decreasing total numbers of HSCs, phenotypes made more severe after recovery from hematologic stress. Using bromodeoxyuridine labeling studies, we found that excess cyclin E activity causes DNA hyper-replication in cyclin ET74A T393A HSCs in a cell autonomous manner. By enumerating multi-potent progenitors (MPPs), we ruled out increased rate of transit from HSC-to-MPP as a cause of the apparent exhaustion of cyclin E knock-in HSCs. Thus, dysregulated cyclin E in HSCs promotes both increased proliferation and depletion of the HSC pool. Serial transplantation further revealed peripheral blood reconstitution defects associated with cyclin ET74A T393A HSCs. Recently, we have found that p53 is activated by dysregulated cyclin E in hematopoietic cells in vivo, in association with phosphorylation of both p53 and Chk1 proteins, resembling a DNA damage-type response. Interestingly, p53-loss has been found to be associated with a gain of HSC self-renewal activity. We therefore hypothesized that p53-loss would rescue the self-renewal defect of cyclin E knock-in HSCs. Surprisingly, we discovered that cyclin ET74A T393A; p53-null HSCs showed evidence of significantly worse self-renewal and peripheral reconstitution, compared to p53-null HSCs, defects that are more severe than those associated with impaired Fbw7-mediated cyclin E control in the setting of wild-type p53 (Chi-squared test, p<0.0001). Thus, our data are consistent with the concept that intact p53 function, in the setting of oncogenic insult, can preserve partial HSC self-renewal capacity, and its loss in vivo is detrimental to HSC viability when accompanied by defects in cell cycle control mechanisms. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

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