Survivin is expressed on CD40 stimulation and interfaces proliferation and apoptosis in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Blood ◽  
2001 ◽  
Vol 97 (9) ◽  
pp. 2777-2783 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luisa Granziero ◽  
Paolo Ghia ◽  
Paola Circosta ◽  
Daniela Gottardi ◽  
Giuliana Strola ◽  
...  

Abstract In B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL), defective apoptosis causes the accumulation of mature CD5+ B cells in lymphoid organs, bone marrow (BM), and peripheral blood (PB). These cells are the progeny of a proliferating pool that feeds the accumulating compartment. The authors sought to determine which molecular mechanisms govern the proliferating pool, how they relate to apoptosis, and what the role is of the microenvironment. To begin to resolve these problems, the expression and modulation of the family of inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) were investigated, with consideration given to the possibility that physiological stimuli, such as CD40 ligand (CD40L), available to B cells in the microenvironment, might modulate IAP expression. The in vitro data on mononuclear cells from PB or BM of 30 patients demonstrate that B-CLL cells on CD40 stimulation express Survivin and that Survivin is the only IAP whose expression is induced by CD40L. Through immunohistochemistry, in vivo Survivin expression in lymph node (LN) and BM biopsies was evaluated. In reactive LN, Survivin was detected only in highly proliferating germinal center cells. In LN from patients with B-CLL, Survivin was detected only in pseudofollicles. Pseudofollicle Survivin+ cells were actively proliferating and, in contrast to Survivin+ B cells found in normal GC, were Bcl-2+. In B-CLL BM biopsies, CD5+, Survivin+ cells were observed in clusters interspersed with T cells. These findings establish that Survivin controls the B-CLL proliferative pool interfacing apoptosis and that its expression may be modulated by microenvironmental stimuli.

Blood ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 1012-1020 ◽  
Author(s):  
JS Moore ◽  
MB Prystowsky ◽  
RG Hoover ◽  
EC Besa ◽  
PC Nowell

The consistent occurrence of T cell abnormalities in patients with B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) suggest that the non- neoplastic host T cells may be involved in the pathogenesis of this B cell neoplasm. Because potential defects of immunoglobulin regulation are evident in B-CLL patients, we investigated one aspect of this by studying the T cell-mediated immunoglobulin isotype-specific immunoregulatory circuit in B-CLL. The existence of class-specific immunoglobulin regulatory mechanisms mediated by Fc receptor-bearing T cells (FcR + T) through soluble immunoglobulin binding factors (IgBFs) has been well established in many experimental systems. IgBFs can both suppress and enhance B cell activity in an isotype-specific manner. We investigated the apparently abnormal IgA regulation in a B-CLL patient (CLL249) whose B cells secrete primarily IgA in vitro. Enumeration of FcR + T cells showed a disproportionate increase in IgA FcR + T cells in the peripheral blood of this patient. Our studies showed that the neoplastic B cells were not intrinsically unresponsive to the suppressing component of IgABF produced from normal T cells, but rather the IgABF produced by the CLL249 host T cells was defective. CLL249 IgABF was unable to suppress IgA secretion by host or normal B cells and enhanced the in vitro proliferation of the host B cells. Size fractionation of both normal and CLL249 IgABF by gel-filtration high- performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) demonstrated differences in the ultraviolet-absorbing components of IgABF obtained from normal T cells v that from our patient with defective IgA regulation. Such T cell dysfunction may not be restricted to IgA regulation, since we have found similar expansion of isotype-specific FcR + T cells associated with expansion of the corresponding B cell clone in other patients with B-CLL. These data suggest that this T cell-mediated regulatory circuit could be significantly involved in the pathogenesis of B-CLL.


Blood ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 101 (3) ◽  
pp. 1063-1070 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad-Reza Rezvany ◽  
Mahmood Jeddi-Tehrani ◽  
Hans Wigzell ◽  
Anders Österborg ◽  
Håkan Mellstedt

Abstract T-cell receptor–B-variable (TCR-BV) gene usage and the CDR3 size distribution pattern were analyzed by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) to assess the T-cell repertoire. The use of TCR-BV families in CD4 and CD8 T cells stimulated with autologous activated leukemic cells was compared with that of freshly obtained blood T cells. Overexpression of individual TCR-BV families was found in freshly isolated CD4 and CD8 T cells. Polyclonal, oligoclonal, and monoclonal TCR-CDR3 patterns were seen within such overexpressed native CD4 and CD8 TCR-BV families. In nonoverexpressed TCR-BV families, monoclonal and oligoclonal populations were noted only within the CD8 subset. After in vitro stimulation of T cells with autologous leukemic B cells, analyses of the CDR3 length patterns showed that in expanded TCR-BV populations, polyclonal patterns frequently shifted toward a monoclonal/oligoclonal profile, whereas largely monoclonal patterns in native overexpressed TCR-BV subsets remained monoclonal. Seventy-five percent of CD8 expansions found in freshly obtained CD8 T cells further expanded on in vitro stimulation with autologous leukemic B cells. This suggests a memory status of such cells. In contrast, the unusually high frequency of CD4 T-cell expansions found in freshly isolated peripheral blood cells did not correlate positively to in vitro stimulation as only 1 of 9 expansions continued to expand. Our data suggest that leukemia cell–specific memory CD4 and CD8 T cells are present in vivo of patients with CLL and that several leukemia cell–associated antigens/epitopes are recognized by the patients' immune system, indicating that whole leukemia cells might be of preference for vaccine development.


Blood ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 101 (11) ◽  
pp. 4547-4550 ◽  
Author(s):  
John C. Byrd ◽  
David M. Lucas ◽  
Andrew P. Mone ◽  
Joshua B. Kitner ◽  
Joseph J. Drabick ◽  
...  

Abstract Therapy of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is currently palliative, emphasizing the need for identification of new therapies for this disease. KRN5500 is a novel agent that has a unique sensitivity pattern in the National Cancer Institute cell line screening panel, suggesting a unique mechanism of action. To assess its in vitro activity in CLL, we exposed peripheral mononuclear cells from CLL patients (n = 11) to varying concentrations of this agent. Viability of the CLL cells was reduced by 50% (LC50) at 4 hours, 24 hours, and 4 days at KRN5500 concentrations of 2.50 μM, 0.276 μM, and 0.139 μM, respectively. KRN5500 induced cellular injury via caspase-dependent apoptosis involving the intrinsic mitochondrial (caspase-9) initiating caspase and caspase-3 effector caspase; however, expression of the antiapoptotic mitochondrial membrane protein Bcl-2 was unaffected. These data demonstrate KRN5500 has significant in vitro activity against human CLL cells, thus providing support for introduction of this agent into clinical trials for patients with CLL.


Blood ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 107 (9) ◽  
pp. 3584-3592 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah J. Richardson ◽  
Christine Matthews ◽  
Mark A. Catherwood ◽  
H. Denis Alexander ◽  
B. Sean Carey ◽  
...  

Molecular markers like IgVH mutational status, chromosomal abnormalities, and CD38 and ZAP-70 expression have prognostic value in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). These may be pathogenetic because of the coincidental expression of ZAP-70 and increased B-cell receptor (BCR) signaling and the signaling function of CD38 in CLL. This study shows that ZAP-70+ CLL B cells respond in vitro more readily than ZAP-70– CLL and normal B cells to chemokine migratory signals through enhanced surface CCR7 expression (P = .009; P < .001) and increased responsiveness to its ligands CCL19 and CCL21, demonstrated by F-actin polymerization (P < .05) and cellular migration (P < .01). In addition, ZAP-70+ CLL cells exhibit sustained ERK phosphorylation/activation following stimulation with CXCL12 (SDF1-α, a survival factor produced by stromal cells) compared with ZAP-70– cells (P = .004). Following coculture with nurse-like cells, the survival of ZAP-70+ but not ZAP-70– CLL cells is significantly enhanced by the addition of CXCL12 (P < .05), an effect that is partially blocked by the MEK inhibitor PD98059. These advantageous migratory and survival responses may promote easier access to and greater proliferation in pseudo-germinal centers and explain in part the more progressive nature of ZAP-70+ disease.


Blood ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 110 (11) ◽  
pp. 1117-1117
Author(s):  
Thomas Enzler ◽  
George F. Widhopf ◽  
Jason Lee ◽  
Weizhou Zhang ◽  
Carlo M. Croce ◽  
...  

Abstract The B cell- activating factor of the tumor necrosis factor family (BAFF) is a potent regulator of normal B cells. We recently showed that BAFF supports chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) B cell survival in vitro through activation of the canonical NF-kB pathway. To study the influence of BAFF on CLL development, we crossed BAFF transgenic (Tg) mice with mice that express human TCL1 under a B cell specific promoter/enhancer, and that are known to develop a lymphoproliferative disease resembling human B-CLL. BAFF/TCL1-Tg mice had a shorter mean survival than either TCL1-Tg or BAFF-Tg mice (12 mice each; BAFF/TCL1-Tg mice 9.6±3.4 months; TCL1-Tg 17.2±3.9; BAFF-Tg 17.9±3.6; B6 wildtype (wt) >19.2). To monitor for the development of CLL, mice were bled at 6-week intervals starting at 3 months of age, and blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were analyzed via flow cytometry using fluorochrome-conjugated antibodies for murine CD5, CD3, CD45R, and human TCL1. Whereas all BAFF/TCL1-Tg mice began to develop a pathological CD5+CD3−CD45Rlo cell population at 3 months of age, such a population was not observed in TCL1-Tg mice before 6 months of age. BAFF-Tg or wt mice did not develop CD5+CD3−CD45Rlo cells over the entire observation period (26 months). CD5+CD3−CD45Rlo B cells expressed the TCL1 transgene. Over time, the CD5+CD3−CD45Rlo population increased in BAFF/TCL1-Tg mice, coming to represent >99% of the total PBMC of 9-month-old animals. To examine the capacity of these cells to propagate, 1x106 CD5+CD3−CD45Rlo B cells were transferred i.v. into either BAFF-Tg or wt mice that previously were irradiated with 600 rad. Ten days after transfer, CD5+TCL1+ cells were detected in BAFF-Tg, but not in wt recipients. Most CLL cells were located in the liver and spleen, as assessed by bioluminescent-based imaging of mice that received luciferase expressing CLL cells. Subsequent examination upon autopsy at 6 months of age, however, revealed that the majority of CLL cells populated the spleens of the recipient mice, which were massively enlarged. At this age, CLL cells also were found in wt recipient mice, although tumor burden was less than 20% of that of BAFF-Tg recipients (n=3 per group). We found that BAFF did not promote CLL cell proliferation in vitro or in vivo using assays to measure BrdU incorporation and flow cytometry to evaluate for enhanced intracellular expression of Ki67. However, BAFF induced CLL cells to express high levels of several anti-apoptotic proteins (e.g. Bcl-XL, Bcl-2, Bim, and A1/Bfl1). Also, while death-associated protein kinase 1 was repressed in CLL cells of TCL1-Tg mice, CLL cells of BAFF/TCL1-Tg mice expressed high-levels. Because of this, we examined whether treatment with BAFF-neutralizing BR3-Fc could influence the survival of CLL cells that were adoptively transferred into BAFF-Tg mice. We found that i.p. injection of 200 ug BR3-Fc into the recipient animals reduced the numbers of circulating CLL cells by nearly 20% (18.2%±5.3%; n=3) within 6 days. These data indicate that BAFF can accelerate the development of CLL cells in TCL1-Tg mice by promoting their survival. Because BAFF can similarly promote survival of human CLL cells, BAFF, and the signaling pathways it activates in neoplastic B cells, could be targeted for the development of novel therapies for this disease.


Blood ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 94 (4) ◽  
pp. 1401-1408 ◽  
Author(s):  
John C. Byrd ◽  
Charlotte Shinn ◽  
Rajani Ravi ◽  
Carl R. Willis ◽  
Jamie K. Waselenko ◽  
...  

Abstract Therapy of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) has been limited by both the nonselectivity of therapeutic agents toward normal residual immune cells and inherent drug resistance. Identification of agents that spare normal immune effector cells, thus facilitating addition of immune-based therapies, and that modulate factors associated with drug resistance in CLL might represent a major therapeutic advance. Depsipeptide (FR901228) is a novel agent entering clinical trials that has selective in vitro activity against resistant leukemia cell lines. To assess its in vitro activity in CLL, we exposed peripheral mononuclear cells from CLL patients (n = 10) to varying concentrations of this agent. Viability of the CLL cells was reduced by 50% (LC50) at 4 hours, 24 hours, and 4 days at depsipeptide concentrations of 0.038, 0.024, and 0.015 μmol/L, respectively. Depsipeptide had marked selective cytotoxicity when compared with normal blood mononuclear cells, in which the LC50 was 3.44 μmol/L at 4 hours (P = .03), 0.965 μmol/L at 24 hours (P = .01), and 0.0318 μmol/L at 96 hours (P = .04). Inhibition of bone marrow progenitor cell growth was also minimal after incubation with 0.015 μmol/L (19% inhibition of colony forming unit-granulocyte-macrophage [CFU-GM]; 17% inhibition burst forming unit-erythroid [BFU-E]) and 3.44 μmol/L (24% inhibition of CFU-GM; 57% inhibition BFU-E) of depsipeptide for 4 hours, followed by a 14-day incubation period. Expression of apoptotic proteins after depsipeptide exposure (0.015 μmol/L) included no change in bcl-2, elevation of bax, and decreased expression of p27. These data demonstrate that depsipeptide has significant selective in vitro activity against human CLL cells concurrent with favorable alterations of the bcl-2:bax protein ratio and decrease in p27 expression. Such findings strongly support the early introduction of depsipeptide into clinical trials for patients with CLL.


Blood ◽  
1988 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 1012-1020 ◽  
Author(s):  
JS Moore ◽  
MB Prystowsky ◽  
RG Hoover ◽  
EC Besa ◽  
PC Nowell

Abstract The consistent occurrence of T cell abnormalities in patients with B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) suggest that the non- neoplastic host T cells may be involved in the pathogenesis of this B cell neoplasm. Because potential defects of immunoglobulin regulation are evident in B-CLL patients, we investigated one aspect of this by studying the T cell-mediated immunoglobulin isotype-specific immunoregulatory circuit in B-CLL. The existence of class-specific immunoglobulin regulatory mechanisms mediated by Fc receptor-bearing T cells (FcR + T) through soluble immunoglobulin binding factors (IgBFs) has been well established in many experimental systems. IgBFs can both suppress and enhance B cell activity in an isotype-specific manner. We investigated the apparently abnormal IgA regulation in a B-CLL patient (CLL249) whose B cells secrete primarily IgA in vitro. Enumeration of FcR + T cells showed a disproportionate increase in IgA FcR + T cells in the peripheral blood of this patient. Our studies showed that the neoplastic B cells were not intrinsically unresponsive to the suppressing component of IgABF produced from normal T cells, but rather the IgABF produced by the CLL249 host T cells was defective. CLL249 IgABF was unable to suppress IgA secretion by host or normal B cells and enhanced the in vitro proliferation of the host B cells. Size fractionation of both normal and CLL249 IgABF by gel-filtration high- performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) demonstrated differences in the ultraviolet-absorbing components of IgABF obtained from normal T cells v that from our patient with defective IgA regulation. Such T cell dysfunction may not be restricted to IgA regulation, since we have found similar expansion of isotype-specific FcR + T cells associated with expansion of the corresponding B cell clone in other patients with B-CLL. These data suggest that this T cell-mediated regulatory circuit could be significantly involved in the pathogenesis of B-CLL.


Blood ◽  
1987 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 418-427
Author(s):  
AS Freedman ◽  
AW Boyd ◽  
FR Bieber ◽  
J Daley ◽  
K Rosen ◽  
...  

In an attempt to compare B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) with its normal cellular counterpart, the cell surface phenotype of 100 cases of B-CLL was determined by using a panel of monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) directed against B cell-restricted and -associated antigens. The majority of B-CLL cells expressed Ia, B4 (CD19), B1 (CD20), B2 (CD21), surface immunoglobulin (sIg), and T1 (CD5) but lacked C3b (CD35) receptors. In contrast, the overwhelming majority of small unstimulated B cells expressed Ia, B4, B1, B2, sIg, and C3b receptors but lacked detectable T1. Small numbers of weakly sIg+ cells could be identified in peripheral blood and tonsil that coexpressed the B1 and T1 antigens. Approximately 16% of fetal splenocytes coexpressed B1, T1, weak sIg, B2, and Ia but lacked C3b receptors and therefore closely resembled most B-CLL cells. With the phenotypic differences between the majority of small unstimulated B cells and B-CLL cells, we examined normal in vitro activated B cells and B-CLL cells for the expression of B cell-restricted and -associated activation antigens. Of 20 cases examined, virtually all expressed B5, and approximately 50% of the cases expressed interleukin-2 receptors (IL-2R) and Blast-1. Normal B cells were activated with either anti-Ig or 12–0-tetradecanoylphorbol- beta-acetate (TPA) and then were examined for coexpression of B1, T1, and the B cell activation antigens B5 and IL-2R. Only cells activated with TPA coexpressed B1 and T1 as well as B5 and IL-2R. B cells activated with either anti-Ig or TPA proliferated in the presence of IL- 2, whereas B-CLL cells did not, although they all expressed the identical 60-kilodalton proteins by immunoprecipitation. These studies are consistent with the notion that B-CLL resembles several minor subpopulations of normal B cells including a population of B cells that are activated in vitro directly through the protein kinase C pathway.


Blood ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 118 (21) ◽  
pp. 927-927
Author(s):  
Suping Zhang ◽  
Christina C.N. Wu ◽  
Jessie-Farah Fecteau ◽  
Bing Cui ◽  
Rongrong Wu ◽  
...  

Abstract Abstract 927 B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) with a highly variable clinical course is characterized by the clonal expansion of CD5+ B cells in blood, secondary lymphoid tissues, and marrow. Survival of CLL cells are supported by cells within the tissue microenvironment and by signals from the extracellular matrix, which in part are mediated via interactions with CD44, a surface glycoprotein that is expressed at high levels by CLL B cells. While monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy targeting CD20 has improved the survival of patients with CLL, a large number of CLL patients do not achieve durable responses or become refractory altogether to therapy with anti-CD20 mAb. In this study we evaluated the cytotoxic activity against CLL cells of a newly developed, humanized anti-CD44 mAb (RO5429083, Roche). We found that sub-microgram concentrations of this anti-CD44 mAb were directly cytotoxic for CLL cells of different patients (n = 32), but had little or no effect on the viability of lymphocytes isolated from the blood of healthy donors (n = 4). The levels of cytotoxicity induced by this anti-CD44 mAb were significantly associated with the levels of CD44 expressed by each of the CLL samples (Spearman R-0.5785, p<0.001). Furthermore, survival and downstream signaling events of CLL cells induced by hyaluronic acid (HA), the principal ligand of CD44, were inhibited by this CD44 mAb. Of note, this CD44 mAb also was equally cytotoxic for CLL cells co-cultured with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC), which otherwise can support CLL-cell survival in vitro. We also examined whether this anti-CD44 mAb could induce clearance of human CLL cells engrafted into immune deficient RAG-2−/−/γc−/− mice. Treatment of such xenografted animals with as little as 1 mg/kg of this mAb resulted in the complete clearance of engrafted CLL cells, an effect not observed in control treated animals. Based on these pre-clinical studies, we consider this anti-CD44 mAb has high potential for providing effective treatment for patients with this disease. Disclosures: Weigland: Roche Diagnostics GmbH: Employment. Carson:Wintherix: Equity Ownership. Kipps:Gilead Sciences: Consultancy, Research Funding; GSK: Research Funding; Genentech: Research Funding; Abbott Industries: Research Funding; Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Igenica: Equity Ownership, Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Amgen: Research Funding.


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