Faouzi Baklouti

The Association of Hemoglobin Knossos and Hemoglobin Lepore in an Algerian Patient

We report on a 54 years-old male patient from North-Eastern Algeria who combines two hemoglobin variants that are associated with thalassemia-like disorders: Hb Lepore and Knossos (beta 27 Ala----Ser) (1, 2). A beta-thalassemia intermedia picture gradually developed and finally required splenectomy at the age of 53. Total absence of Hb A2 indicated that the beta Knossos gene is most probably flanked with a delta(0)-thalassemia gene. No DNA deletion additional to the Lepore deletion was found. Hb F was elevated (12.3%) with 24% G gamma Hb F. In whole cells, Hb Knossos, representing 70% of total hemoglobin, displayed a decreased affinity for oxygen (P50 = 35 mm Hg), a fact presumably accounting for the relatively good tolerance of the condition.

Downregulation of the Spi-1/PU.1 oncogene induces the expression of TRIM10/HERF1, a key factor required for terminal erythroid cell differentiation and survival

Sustained expression of the Spi-1/PU.1 and Fli-1 oncoproteins blocks globin gene activation in mouse erythroleukemia cells; however, only Spi-1/PU.1 expression inhibits the inclusion of exon 16 in the mature 4.1R mRNA. This splicing event is crucial for a functional 4.1R protein and, therefore, for red blood cell membrane integrity. This report demonstrates that Spi-1/PU.1 downregulation induces the activation of TRIM10/hematopoietic RING finger 1 (HERF1), a member of the tripartite motif (TRIM)/RBCC protein family needed for globin gene transcription. Additionally, we demonstrate that TRIM10/HERF1 is required for the regulated splicing of exon 16 during late erythroid differentiation. Using inducible overexpression and silencing approaches, we found that: (1) TRIM10/HERF1 knockdown inhibits hemoglobin production and exon splicing and triggers cell apoptosis in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)-induced cells; (2) TRIM10/HERF1 upregulation is required but is insufficient on its own to activate exon retention; (3) Fli-1 has no effect on TRIM10/HERF1 expression, whereas either DMSO-induced downregulation or shRNA-knockdown of Spi-1/PU.1 expression is sufficient to activate TRIM10/HERF1 expression; and (4) Spi-1/PU.1 knockdown triggers both the transcription and the splicing events independently of the chemical induction. Altogether, these data indicate that primary Spi-1/PU.1 downregulation acts on late erythroid differentiation through at least two pathways, one of which requires TRIM10/HERF1 upregulation and parallels the Spi-1/PU.1-induced Fli-1 shutoff regulatory cascade.

Occurrence of the αI 22 Arg→His (CGT→CAT) spectrin mutation in Tunisia: potential association with severe elliptopoikilocytosis

Summary A category of spectrin αI domain variants are manifested by the increase of the αI 74 kDa fragment at the expense of the parent 80 kDa fragment following partial tryptic digestion. We describe a particular case of αI/74 abnormality in a Tunisian family. The propositus was severely ill and had an elliptopoikilocytosis. To the contrary, his father, who carried the same αI/74 variant, displayed no clinical signs and a few elliptocytes. The increase of the αI 74 kDa fragment was more pronounced in the propositus than in his father. Unexpectedly, the spectrin content was reduced to similar (and limited) extents in both of them, and the father displayed nearly as pronounced an increase of the spectrin dimer percentage as the propositus following low ionic strength extraction. In vitro spectrin dimer reconstitution experiments indicated that the primary mutation was located in the α‐chain itself (not in the β‐chain as is the case in some αI/74 mutants). Following polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification, cloning and sequencing of exon 2 of spectrin α‐gene in the father, we found the G→A substitution at position 2 of codon 22 (CGT→CAT; Arg→His). This mutation has been recently discovered in a family of French descent. Dot blot hybridization confirmed that the substitution was transmitted with the αI/74 abnormality. As previously shown, the enhancement of its expression level in the propositus, with respect to the father, was accounted for by the presence of a factor carried by the α‐spectrin allele in trans and transmitted by the mother.

Spi-1/PU.1 but not Fli-1 inhibits erythroid-specific alternative splicing of 4.1R pre-mRNA in murine erythroleukemia cells

The inclusion of exon 16 in mature protein 4.1R mRNA arises from a stage-specific splicing event that occurs during late erythroid development. We have shown that mouse erythroleukemia (MEL) cells reproduce this erythroid-specific splicing event upon induction of differentiation. We here found that this splicing event is regulated specifically in erythroleukemic cells that have the potential to differentiate and produce hemoglobin, regardless of the nature of the differentiation inducer. Knowing that dysregulated expression of spi-1/pu.1 and fli-1 oncogenes is involved in MEL cell differentiation arrest, we looked at their effect on exon 16 erythroid splicing. We found that exon 16 inclusion requires Spi-1/PU.1 shutdown in MEL cells, and that enforced expression of Spi-1/PU.1 inhibits exon selection, regardless of the presence or absence of a chemical inducer. By contrast, endogenous overexpression or enforced expression of Fli-1 has no effect on exon selection. We further showed that Spi-1/PU.1 acts similarly on the endogenous and on a transfected exon 16, suggesting a promoter-independent effect of Spi-1/PU.1 on splicing regulation. This study provides the first evidence that Spi-1/PU.1 displays the unique property, not shared with Fli-1, to inhibit erythroid-specific pre-mRNA splicing in erythroleukemia cell context.

Subtle distinct regulations of late erythroid molecular events by PI3K/ AKT-mediated activation of Spi-1/PU.1 oncogene autoregulation loop

Spi-1/PU.1 oncogene is downregulated as proerythroblasts undergo terminal differentiation. Insertion of the Friend virus upstream of the Spi-1/PU.1 locus leads to the constitutive upregulation of Spi-1/PU.1, and a subsequent block in the differentiation of the affected erythroblasts. We have shown that sustained overexpression of Spi-1/PU.1 also inhibits the erythroid splicing of protein 4.1R exon 16, irrespective of chemical induction of differentiation. Here, we show a positive feedback loop that couples constitutive phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling to high expression of Spi-1/PU.1 in Friend erythroleukemia cells. Inhibition of PI3K/AKT results in Spi-1/PU.1 downregulation in a stepwise manner and induces cell differentiation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays further supported the positive autoregulatory effect of Spi-1/PU.1. Mutational analysis indicated that Ser41, but not Ser148, is necessary for Spi-1/PU.1-mediated repression of hemoglobin expression, whereas both Ser residues are required for Spi-1/PU.1 inhibition of the erythroid splicing event. We further show that inhibition of the erythroid transcriptional and splicing events are strictly dependent on distinct Spi-1/PU.1 phosphorylation modifications rather than Spi-1/PU.1 expression level per se. Our data further support the fact that Spi-1/PU.1 inhibits 4.1R erythroid splicing through two different pathways, and bring new insights into the extracellular signal impact triggered by erythropoietin on late erythroid regulatory program, including pre-mRNA splicing.

Chimeric probe-mediated ribonuclease protection assay for molecular diagnosis of mRNA deficiencies

Investigations throughout the last decade have established that cytoskeleton integrity ensures red cell deformability and mechanical stability, and that defects in one of the skeletal components usually result in more or less severe hemolytic anemias. Although a large number of molecular defects have been identified to date, many others still bypass fast and commonly used methods, such as SSCP and DGGE, mostly because of a subtle change in mRNA transcription level or a complex interaction leading to the loss of other components. We describe a ribonuclease protection assay based on a simultaneous quantification of two cytoskeletal transcripts, using a chimeric probe, emphasizing the value of a nonspecific bridging sequence, inserted between the two specific probe sequences. It is anticipated that this powerful and reliable procedure would be an additional tool in the methodology array used for screening cytoskeletal inherited abnormalities.

Hehemoglobin Pierre-Bénite [β90(F6)Glu→Asp], a new High Affinity Variant Found in a French Family

Hemoglobin Pierre-Benite [β90(F6)Glu→Asp] is a new high affinity variant (P50=21.5 mm Hg), with normal heme-heme interaction, found in a French family. It was difficult to detect by conventional electrophoretic methods. However, the high performance liquid chromatography profile of its tryptic peptides contained an additional peak. Amino acid analysis of the corresponding pep-tide and determination of its sequence allowed us to identify the mutation. No instability was found. Mutations previously recorded in position 90 of the β-chain display a positive charge shift and a reduced affinity for oxygen, whereas Hb Pierre-Benite shows no charge shift and increased affinity for oxygen.