Natalia de Souza Nunes

Desregulação da apoptose em neoplasias mieloproliferativas crônicas

ABSTRACT Philadelphia-chromosome negative chronic myeloproliferative neoplasms are clonal hematologic diseases characterized by hematopoietic progenitor independence from or hypersensitivity to cytokines. The cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in the pathophysiology of myeloproliferative neoplasms have not yet been fully clarified. Pathophysiologic findings relevant for myeloproliferative neoplasms are associated with genetic alterations, such as, somatic mutation in the gene that codifies JAK-2 (JAK V617F). Deregulation of the process of programmed cellular death, called apoptosis, seems to participate in the pathogenesis of these disorders. It is known that expression deregulation of pro- and anti-apoptotic genes promotes cell resistance to apoptosis, culminating with the accumulation of myeloid cells and establishing neoplasms. This review will focus on the alterations in apoptosis regulation in myeloproliferative neoplasms, and the importance of a better understanding of this mechanism for the development of new therapies for these diseases.

Apoptosis- and cell cycle-related genes methylation profile in myeloproliferative neoplasms

Raquel Tognon, Natália S. Nunes, Luciana Ambrosio, Elizabeth Xisto Souto, Leila Perobelli Belinda Pinto Simões, Mariana Cristina Lima Souza, Maria de Lourdes Chauffaille & Fabı́ola Attié de Castro Department of Clinical, Toxicological and Bromatological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil, Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Juiz de Fora, Governador Valadares Campus, Governador Valadares, MG, Brazil, Euryclides de Jesus Zerbini Transplant Hospital, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, Department of Internal Medicine, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil, Division of Hematology, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil, Researcher of the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), Brası́lia, DF, Brazil, and Fleury Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

Different expression patterns of LGALS1 and LGALS3 in polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia and primary myelofibrosis

Despite all the knowledge, the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) pathophysiology remain unclear. Authors have shown galectin-1 (Gal-1) and 3 playing roles in tumour angiogenesis and fibrosis, which were correlated with poor prognosis in patients with MPN. In the present study LGALS1 and LGALS3 were differently expressed between polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia (ET) and primary myelofibrosis (PMF) diseases. Increased LGALS3 expression was associated with a negative JAK2 V617F status mutation in leucocytes from PMF but not in patients with ET without this mutation. However, a positive Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) V617F cell line established from patients with ET (SET-2 cells) when treated with JAK inhibitor presented high levels of LGALS3. Additionally, high LGALS1 expression was found in CD34+ cells but not in leucocytes from patients with PMF, in absence of JAK2 V617F mutation, and also in SET-2 cells treated with JAK inhibitor. Thus, our findings indicate that differential expression of LGALS1 and/or LGALS3 in patients with MPN is linked with JAK2 V617F status mutation in these diseases and state of cell differentiation.

Differential expression of apoptomiRs in myeloproliferative neoplasms.

MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs that inhibit posttranscriptional gene expression through deadenylation and cleavage. Th ese molecules play crucial roles in regulating cell diff erentiation, proliferation and apoptosis [1]. MicroRNA expression levels are strongly associated with numerous human pathogenic diseases [2]. Th us, the discovery of microRNAs has opened up a wide range of possibilities regarding the understanding of disease pathophysiology and the development of new therapeutic agents. Recent studies show that microRNAs may participate in the regulation of apoptosis machinery (apoptomiRs). Apoptosis is a programmed cell death, orchestrated by the BCL-2 protein family, death receptors and inhibitor of apoptosis proteins (IAPs) [3]. Deregulated apoptosis is associated with tumorigenesis and autoimmunity [3] and seems to contribute to myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), which are clonal disorders characterized by myeloaccumulation and in most cases by the presence of a somatic mutation in Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) [4]. Our research group previously described abnormal apoptosis in patients with MPNs [5 – 7]. We found abnormal expression of death-receptor pathway-related genes such as FAIM and C-FLIP in leukocytes and CD34 � hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) [5], and deregulation of BCL-2 family members associated with JAK2 mutation [6,7]. Th ese fi ndings led us to investigate the molecular mechanisms associated with apoptosis deregulation in patients with MPNs. In this study, we sought to identify microRNAs whose targets are apoptosis-related genes, investigate their expression in patients with MPNs, and correlate this with the expression of apoptosis-related genes and JAK2 mutation allele burden using three algorithms (websites: http://www.diana.pcbi. upenn.edu/cgi-bin/miRGen/v3/Targets.cgi; Microcosm Targets: http://www.ebi.ac.uk/enright-srv/microcosm/cgi-bin/ targets/v5/hit_list.pl?genome_id � 2964; and Target Scan: http://www.targetscan.org). Th e microRNAs and their respective target genes (apoptosis-related genes) predicted by the bioinformatics tools are as follows: miR-15a: BIK and BCL-2; miR-16: BID, BIK, BCL-2 and BCL xl; miR-26a: C-FLIP, CIAP-2 and MCL-1; miR-130b: CIAP-2; miR-21: CIAP-2, FASL and BCL-2; miR-29c: CIAP-1 and MCL-1; and miR-let-7d: A1, BAX, FAS and FASL. In this study, we investigated apoptomiRs miR-26a, -130b, -21, -29c, -let-7d, -15a and -16. We quantifi ed their expression in bone marrow CD34 � HSCs and peripheral blood leukocytes in 27 patients with polycythemia vera (PV), 25 with essential thrombocythemia (ET) and 12 with primary myelofi brosis (PMF) (26 males and 38 females, mean age: 60.5 years). Th e bone marrow control group comprised 14 bone mar

Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms as disorders marked by cytokine modulation

Background Cytokines are key immune mediators in physiological and disease processes, whose increased levels have been associated with the physiopathology of hematopoietic malignancies, such as myeloproliferative neoplasms. Methods This study examined the plasma cytokine profiles of patients with essential thrombocythemia, primary myelofibrosis, polycythemia vera and of healthy subjects, and analyzed correlations with JAK2 V617F status and clinical-hematological parameters. Results The proinflammatory cytokine levels were increased in myeloproliferative neoplasm patients, and the presence of the JAK2 V617F mutation was associated with high IP-10 levels in primary myelofibrosis patients. Conclusions Essential thrombocythemia, primary myelofibrosis, and polycythemia vera patients exhibited different patterns of cytokine production, as revealed by cytokine network correlations. Together, these findings suggest that augmented cytokine levels are associated with the physiopathology of myeloproliferative neoplasms.

The expression of Death Inducer-Obliterator (DIDO) variants in Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), Polycythemia Vera (PV), Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) and Primary Myelofibrosis (PMF) are Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN) characterized by clonal myeloproliferation without cell maturation impairment. CML pathogenesis is associated with the Ph chromosome leading to BCR-ABL tyrosine-kinase constitutive expression. The Ph negative MPN (PV, ET and PMF) are characterized by the mutation JAK2(V617F) of the JAK2 protein in the auto-inhibitory JH2 domain, which is found in most PV patients and in approximately half of ET and PMF patients. Considerable effort is being made to understand the role of JAK2(V617F) at the MPN initiation and to clarify the pathogenesis and apoptosis resistance in CML, PV, ET and PMF patients. In the present investigation, we evaluated the Death Inducer-Obliterator (DIDO) (variants DIDO 1, 2 and 3) levels in CML, PV, ET and PMF patients. Our data reported the DIDO 1, 2 and 3 differential expressions in Myeloproliferative Neoplasms.

Crosstalk between BCR-ABL and protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1) suggests a novel target in chronic myeloid leukemia

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative neoplasm characterized by the presence of the Philadelphia chromosome, which generates the oncogene BCR-ABL1. Protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1) is involved in tumor progression and angiogenesis. We have previously reported that PAR1 expression is elevated in human leukemias that display a more aggressive clinical behavior, including the blast crisis of CML. In this study, we analyzed the crosstalk between the oncoprotein BCR-ABL and PAR1 in CML. Leukemic cell lines transfected with the BCR-ABL1 oncogene showed significantly higher expression levels of PAR1 compared with that of wild-type counterparts. This phenomenon was reversed by treatment with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). Conversely, treatment with the PAR1 antagonist SCH79797 inhibited BCR-ABL expression. The PAR1 antagonist induced apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Higher vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels were observed in cells transfected with BCR-ABL1 than in their wild-type counterparts. VEGF expression was strongly inhibited after treatment with either TKIs or the PAR1 antagonist. Finally, we evaluated PAR1 expression in CML patients who were either in the blast or chronic phases and had either received TKI treatment or no treatment. A significant decrease in PAR1 expression was observed in treatment-responsive patients, as opposed to a significant increase in PAR1 expression levels in treatment-resistant patients. Patients classified as high risk according to the Sokal index showed higher PAR1 expression levels. Our results demonstrate the crosstalk between BCR-ABL and PAR1. These data may offer important insight into the development of new therapeutic strategies for CML.