scholarly journals Transcription Factor RUNX1 Regulates Pctp (Phosphatidylcholine Transfer Protein) in Platelets: A Potential Role in Regulating Platelet Function

Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 2247-2247
Author(s):  
Natthapol Songdej ◽  
Guangfen Mao ◽  
Lawrence E. Goldfinger ◽  
Angara Koneti Rao

Abstract Transcription factor (TF) mutations are increasingly recognized to play a major role in inherited platelet abnormalities. RUNX1, a critical hematopoietic TF, acts in a combinatorial manner with other TFs to regulate numerous megakaryocyte (MK)/platelet genes. Human RUNX1 haplodeficiency is associated with thrombocytopenia, numerous platelet function defects, and increased leukemia risk. We have previously described a patient with a heterozygous RUNX1 nonsense mutation in the conserved runt domain necessary for DNA binding (Sun et al Blood 2004;103;948-54). The patient's platelet abnormalities included impaired aggregation and secretion in response to multiple agonists, granule deficiency, and decreased phosphorylation of myosin light chain and pleckstrin, activation of GPIIb-IIIa, 12-HETE production, and platelet protein kinase C-θ. Transcript expression profiling of patient platelets (Sun et al, J Thromb Haemost 2007;5:146-54) showed numerous genes were significantly downregulated, including myosin light chain (MYL9), platelet factor 4 (PF4), protein kinase C-θ (PRCKQ), and 12-lipoxygenase (ALOX12); these have been shown by us to be regulated by RUNX1. The profiling data also showed 10-fold downregulation of phosphatidylcholine transfer protein (PCTP) gene (fold change ratio 0.09, p=0.02) in the patient compared with normal controls. PCTP is a member of the START (Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory Protein-Related Transfer) domain superfamily and is responsible for the intermembrane transfer of phosphatidylcholine (PC), a major plasma membrane phospholipid. Several findings indicate that PCTP is important for platelet function. PC is the main fraction of platelet phospholipids and source of arachidonic acid (AA) upon activation. Release of free AA from PC is the rate-limiting step in thromboxane production. PC is also a substrate for phospholipase D, which yields phosphatidic acid that can generate the second messenger diacylglycerol. Importantly, platelet PCTP has recently been demonstrated to have a major role in the racial differences in platelet responses - increased PCTP expression has been linked to the higher platelet aggregation and calcium mobilization induced by thrombin receptor protease-activated receptor 4 (PAR4) in blacks as compared to whites (Edelstein et al Nat Med 2013;19:1609-16). Little is known regarding the regulation of PCTP in MKs/platelets. Based on the decreased platelet PCTP expression in our patient, we pursued the hypothesis that PCTP is regulated by RUNX1. Corrected total cellular immunofluorescence with anti-PCTP antibody showed significantly reduced platelet PCTP expression by 58% in our patient compared to a normal control. In silico analysis revealed 5 RUNX1 consensus binding sites up to 995 bp of the PCTP 5' upstream region from ATG. To assess for interaction of RUNX1 with the PCTP promoter, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay with anti-RUNX1 antibody was performed using human erythroid leukemia (HEL) cells treated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) for 24 hours to induce megakaryocytic transformation. The ChIP studies showed RUNX1 binding to PCTP chromatin in the regions encompassing RUNX1 binding sites 1 (-232/-227) and 2 (-345/-340), at site 3 (-519/-514), and encompassing sites 4 and 5 (-861/-856, -884/-879). Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) using PMA-treated HEL cell nuclear extracts showed RUNX1 binding to DNA probes (28-37 bp) containing site 1 (-232/-227) and both sites 4 and 5 (-861/-856, -884/-879). To assess the effect of modulating RUNX1 expression on PCTP expression, PMA-treated HEL cells were transfected with RUNX1 overexpression plasmid or siRNA. PCTP mRNA and protein expression were increased with RUNX1 overexpression and reduced with RUNX1 knockdown, suggesting that PCTP is regulated by RUNX1. Conclusions: Our results provide evidence that PCTP is a direct transcriptional target of and regulated by RUNX1, and a cogent molecular mechanism for downregulation of platelet PCTP in our patient with RUNX1 haplodeficiency. Regulation of PCTP by RUNX1 may be relevant to the platelet dysfunction in RUNX1 haplodeficiency as well as to racial differences in platelet responses linked to the differential platelet expression of PCTP. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Blood ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 122 (21) ◽  
pp. 567-567
Author(s):  
Guangfen Mao ◽  
Chengxiang Fan ◽  
Gauthami Jalagadugula ◽  
Robert Freishtat ◽  
A. Koneti Rao

Abstract Transcription factor RUNX1 plays a major role in hematopoiesis. Haplodeficiency of RUNX1 is associated with familial thrombocytopenia, impaired platelet function and megakaryopoiesis, and predisposition to acute myeloid leukemia. Platelet abnormalities include impaired aggregation, secretion, protein phosphorylation, and activation of GPIIb-IIIa on platelet activation. Dense granule deficiency, either alone or in combination with alpha granule deficiency, has been reported in patients with RUNX1 haplodeficiency, but the mechanisms involved are unknown. We have reported a patient with inherited thrombocytopenia and abnormal platelet function (Gabbeta et al, Blood 87:1368-76, 1996) associated with a heterozygous nonsense mutation in transcription factor RUNX1 (Sun et al, Blood 103: 948-54, 2004). The platelets showed impaired aggregation, dense granule secretion, phosphorylation of pleckstrin and myosin light chain, diminished GPIIb-IIIa activation and decreased platelet protein kinase C-θ. Platelet mRNA expression profiling showed downregulation of several genes, including myosin light chain 9 (MYL9), platelet factor 4 (PF4), protein kinase C-θ (PRKB), and 12-lipoxygenase (ALOX12) in the patient compared to 6 normal subjects (Sun et al, J. Thromb Haemost. 5: 146-54, 2007). (We have shown that these genes are direct transcriptional targets of RUNX1.) In addition, PLDN, which encodes for protein pallidin, was four-fold down-regulated in platelets (fold change 0.239, p=0.029). In mouse model pallid, knock out of pldn leads to dense granule deficiency. Recent reports document mutations in PLDN in human subjects with platelet dense granule deficiency and the Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome. Pallidin is one of 8 subnunits that constitute the BLOC-1 (biogenesis of lysosome-related organelles complex-1), which plays a major role in granule/vesicle biogenesis. PLDN has two known human transcripts; PLDN1 is expressed ubiquitously, with exception of brain, while PLDN2 is expressed in brain, testes and leukocytes. We have addressed that PLDN is a direct transcriptional target of RUNX1 and hypothesize that its decreased expression constitutes a mechanism for the platelet dense granule deficiency in patients with RUNX1 haplodeficiency. We validated the decreased expression of PLDN on platelet profiling by quantitative real-time PCR - PLDN1 mRNA expression was decreased by 16-fold in the patient relative to normal subjects. We studied the regulation of PLDN1 by RUNX1 in human erythroleukemia (HEL) cells treated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) for 24 h to induce megakaryocytic transformation. In silico analyses revealed the presence of 6 RUNX1 consensus binding sites in 2288bp of PLDN1 5’ upstream region from ATG. To determine endogenous interaction of RUNX1 with PLDN promoter, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay using anti-RUNX1 antibody. There was RUNX1 binding to PLDN chromatin at regions encompassing the putative RUNX1 binding site 1 (-184 to -179 bp) and site 3 (-1370/-1365 bp). We performed electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) using probes with RUNX1 motifs and PMA-treated HEL cell nuclear extracts. With 30–34 bp probes encompassing site 1 (-184 to -179 bp) and site 3 (-1370 to -1365 bp), protein binding was observed that was competed by excess unlabelled probe and inhibited by anti-RUNX1 antibody indicating RUNX1 as the protein involved. To study the functional effect of the binding sites, the wild type PLDN1 promoter construct –2288/-2 bp containing the putative RUNX1 sites or mutant constructs with each site individually mutated were cloned into firefly luciferase reporter gene vector and transfected into HEL cells. Mutation of RUNX1 sites 1 and 3 individually caused 60-70% reduction in promoter activity indicating that these sites were functional. Studies on the other RUNX1 consensus sites in PLDN promoter are underway. Conclusions Our results provide the first evidence that PLDN gene is transcriptionally regulated by and is a direct target of RUNX1. These studies provide a cogent mechanism for the PLDN transcript downregulation observed in the patient platelets. More importantly, they provide a mechanism for the dense granule deficiency and impaired vesicle formation associated with RUNX1 haplodeficiency. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Blood ◽  
2008 ◽  
Vol 112 (11) ◽  
pp. 1831-1831
Author(s):  
Gauthami S Jalagadugula ◽  
Gurpreet Kaur ◽  
Guangfen Mao ◽  
Danny Dhanasekaran ◽  
A. Koneti Rao

Abstract RUNX1 (also known as CBFA2 or AML1) is a transcription factor that plays a major role in hematopoiesis. Haplodeficiency of RUNX1 has been associated with familial thrombocytopenia, impaired megakaryopoiesis, impaired platelet function and predisposition to acute myeloid leukemia. We have reported a patient with inherited thrombocytopenia and abnormal platelet function (Gabbeta et al, Blood87:1368–76, 1996). The patient platelets showed impaired phosphorylation of pleckstrin and myosin light chain, diminished GPIIb-IIIa activation and decreased platelet protein kinase C-𝛉. This was associated with a heterozygous nonsense mutation in transcription factor RUNX1 (Sun et al, Blood103: 948–54, 2004). Platelet transcript profiling showed a striking downregulation of myosin light chain 9 (MYL9) by ~77-fold relative to normal platelets (Sun et al, J. Thromb Haemost.5: 146–54, 2007). Myosin light chains (MLCs) play an important role in platelet responses to activation, in platelet biogenesis, and are involved in cellular processes such as cytokinesis, cell adhesion, cell contraction, cell migration. We have addressed the hypothesis that MYL9 is a direct transcriptional target of RUNX1. Studies were performed in human erythroleukemia (HEL) cells treated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) for 24 h to induce megakaryocytic transformation. To determine endogenous interaction of RUNX1 with MYL9 promoter, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay using anti-RUNX1 antibody. These studies revealed RUNX1 binding to MYL9 chromatin at −742/−529 bp upstream of the ATG codon. TFSEARCH revealed four RUNX1 sites within this region. We performed electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) using probes containing each of the RUNX1 motifs and PMA-treated nuclear extracts from HEL cells. With each probe, protein binding was observed that was competed by excess unlabelled probe and inhibited by anti-RUNX1 antibody indicating RUNX1 as the protein involved. This protein binding was not competed by oligos containing mutations in the specific RUNX1 sites. No binding was noted directly to the mutant probes. To further corroborate our findings, we performed transient-ChIP analysis where wild type luciferase reporter construct −691/+4 and constructs with each of the RUNX1 sites individually mutated were transiently transfected into HEL cells. ChIP was performed using these cells and anti-RUNX1 antibody, and the expression analyzed by PCR amplification with a forward primer from MYL9 promoter sequence and reverse primer from luciferase vector sequence. Amplification was observed with immunoprecipitated wild type construct but not with any of the mutant constructs. Thus, RUNX1 interacts in vivo with MYL9 promoter, and the multiple RUNX1 sites interact with each other, as also shown for other genes. To test the functional relevance, the wild type construct −691/+4 containing all 4 RUNX1 sites or mutant constructs with each site individually deleted were cloned into firefly luciferase reporter gene vector and transfected into HEL cells. Deletion of RUNX1 site 1, 2, 3 or 4 caused ~60–90% reduction in the activity indicating that each site was functional. Lastly, siRNA mediated knock down of RUNX1 in HEL cells was associated with a decrease in both RUNX1 and MYL9 protein. Conclusions: Our results provide the first evidence that MYL9 gene is transcriptionally regulated by RUNX1. They provide evidence for the presence of multiple RUNX1 sites in MYL9 promoter, as also observed in other genes. Moreover, these studies provide a cogent mechanism for the MYL9 transcript downregulation and the impaired MLC-phosphorylation we have previously described in association with RUNX1 haplodeficiency.


1992 ◽  
Vol 267 (14) ◽  
pp. 10011-10017
Author(s):  
J Grabarek ◽  
M Raychowdhury ◽  
K Ravid ◽  
K.C. Kent ◽  
P.J. Newman ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 988-996
Author(s):  
Bryan F. Mitchell ◽  
Mei Chi ◽  
Elle Surgent ◽  
Bailey M. Sorochan ◽  
Curtis N. Tracey ◽  
...  

Background: Preterm birth is the most common cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality and a common precedent to lifelong disability. Current treatment has minimal efficacy. Objective: We assessed the role of isozymes of the protein kinase C (PKC) family in regulating the phosphorylation of myosin regulatory light chains (RLCs), which regulate uterine contractility. We also explored the mechanisms through which these isozymes function. Study Design: We used a previously characterized and validated quantitative in-cell Western (ICW) assay to measure site-specific phosphorylations on myosin RLC and CPI-17. Cultures of human uterine myocytes (hUM) were treated with the potent contractile stimulant oxytocin to induce uterine contractility or a pharmacological mimic of diacyl-glycerol to stimulate the conventional and novel isozymes of the PKC family. Combinations of isozyme-selective inhibitors were used to determine the effects of the conventional and novel classes of isozymes. Results: Stimulation of PKC using phospho-dibutyrate caused immediate, concentration-dependent inhibition of uterine activity ex vivo. Using the ICW assay with hUM, the oxytocin-stimulated increase in the pro-contractile phosphorylations of myosin RLCs at serine19 and threonine18 was completely inhibited by prior treatment with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate, which stimulates both convention and novel classes of isozymes. Our results suggest that the conventional class of isozymes cause a reduction in phosphorylations at serine19 and threonine18 by reducing activity of myosin light chain kinase. The novel class of isozymes has 2 mechanisms of action: the first is activation of CPI-17 through phosphorylation at threonine38, which results in reduced activity of myosin light chain phosphatase and increased levels of activated myosin RLC; the second is increased phosphorylation of the N-terminal region of myosin RLC. Conclusions: Specific agonists for the conventional isozymes or inhibitors of the novel isozymes of the PKC family could be useful pharmacological agents for regulation of uterine activity.


Blood ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 83 (12) ◽  
pp. 3562-3573 ◽  
Author(s):  
AD Michelson ◽  
SE Benoit ◽  
MH Kroll ◽  
JM Li ◽  
MJ Rohrer ◽  
...  

Abstract Thrombin decreases the platelet surface expression of the glycoprotein (GP) Ib-IX complex. To determine whether this effect is reversible, flow cytometric studies were performed with GPIb-IX-specific monoclonal antibodies. In both whole blood and washed platelet systems, incubation of platelets with thrombin or a combination of adenosine diphosphate and epinephrine resulted in a maximal decrease of the platelet surface expression of GPIb-IX within 5 minutes, after which there was a time- dependent return of the platelet surface GPIb-IX complex, which was maximal by 60 minutes. Exposure of the same platelets to additional exogenous thrombin resulted in a second decrease in platelet surface GPIb-IX, followed by a second reconstitution of platelet surface GPIb- IX. Throughout these experiments there was no measurable release from the platelets of glycocalicin (a proteolytic fragment of GPIb). Experiments in which platelets were preincubated with a biotinylated GPIb-specific MoAb showed that the GPIb molecules that returned to the platelet surface were the same molecules that had been translocated to the intraplatelet pool. The GPIb molecules that returned to the platelet surface were functionally competent to bind von Willebrand factor, as determined by ristocetin-induced platelet agglutination and ristocetin-induced binding of exogenous von Willebrand factor. Inhibitors of protein kinase C and myosin light-chain kinase enhanced the reexpression of platelet surface GPIb. In summary, the activation- induced decrease in the platelet surface expression of the GPIb-IX complex is reversible. Inactivation of protein kinase C and myosin light-chain kinase are important mechanisms in the reexpression of the platelet surface GPIb-IX complex.


1989 ◽  
Vol 108 (2) ◽  
pp. 553-567 ◽  
Author(s):  
V Papadopoulos ◽  
P F Hall

The cytoskeletons of Y-1 mouse adrenal tumor cells contain a calcium and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C) that is bound sufficiently tight to resist extraction by 0.5% Triton but not by 1.0% Triton. The enzyme has been purified to near homogeneity from cytoskeleton and cytosol. It shows features typical of this type of kinase, namely a requirement for Ca2+ and phospholipid, stimulation by tumor promoters but not by nontumor-promoting phorbol esters, and inhibition by trifluoperazine. The enzyme shows specificity for four substrates found in the cytoskeleton, namely 80, 33, 20, and 18 kD. The first three substrates are phosphorylated by the enzyme; the fourth is dephosphorylated and is therefore affected by the kinase indirectly. The 80-kD protein is the kinase enzyme itself which is autophosphorylated in vitro and in the cytoskeleton. The 20-kD protein is myosin light chain. The 33- and 18-kD proteins are unidentified. The same substrates were phosphorylated when Y-1 cells were permeabilized with digitonin and incubated with [gamma-32P]ATP and phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate. Partly purified protein kinase C changes the extent of phosphorylation of the same substrates when added to cytoskeletons previously extracted to remove endogenous protein kinase C. Addition of Ca2+, phosphatidylserine, and phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate to cytoskeletons, and addition of these three agents plus protein kinase C to extracted cytoskeletons, causes these structures to undergo a rapid and extensive rounding. A similar change is induced in intact cells by addition of phorbol ester. It is concluded that protein kinase C is capable of changing the shape of adrenal cells by an action that involves autophosphorylation and phosphorylation of myosin light chain. This response may in turn be related to the steroidogenic responses to ACTH and cyclic AMP.


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