No abstract

The human protein C23 (nucleolin) is a major nucleolar protein. Its interactions with other proteins were studied with the two-hybrid system which identified nucleolar protein B23 (nucleoph'osmin) as being associated with C23. Both proteins were co-immunoprecipitated from HeLa cell nuclear extract by either monoclonal antLC23 or monoclonal anti-B23. Binding studies utilizing deletion mutants indicated that the binding of C23 and B23 involves specific motifs. In addition to an approximately 46-amino-acidbinding domain in B23 (amino acids 194-239), amino acids 540-628 of C23 were required for binding; this region of C23 is required for the nucleolar localization. In addition, nucleolar protein p120 was also found to be co-immunoprecipitated with B23. A fragment of p120 containing a functional nucleolar localization signal bound to the truncated binding domain of B23, as did C23. These results suggest that the interaction of C23 and B23 may represent a nucleolar-targeting mechanism in which B23 acts as a nucleolar-localization signal-binding protein.Keywords: C23 ; nucleolin; B23 ; nucleophosmin ; protein-protein interaction.The nucleolus is the site where preribosomes are formed. Recent studies showed that the nucleolus may also be important for poly(A)-rich RNA transport and processing [l]. Over the years, a number of nucleolar proteins have been discovered and characterized in our laboratory, including protein C23 (nucleolin) [2], protein B23 (nucleophosmin) [2], and protein p120 [3].Although a great deal of knowledge on the chemistry of these proteins has been accumulated, the role of these proteins in nucleolar structure and function is still unknown. In this regard, we consider that understanding the interactions between certain nucleolar proteins would be useful. Thus, the interaction of nucleolar protein C23 with other proteins was studied.C23 is a highly conserved major nucleolar protein found in multiple species including human, rodent, insect, frog and chicken cells Abbreviations. NOR, nucleolar organizer regions ; RRM, RNA recognition motif; GST, glutathione S-transferase; NoLS, nucleolar-localization signal.College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030 has also been confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation of the two proteins from HeLa cell nuclear extracts. Further studies utilizing deletion mutants of C23 or B23 revealed that the binding of the two proteins requires specific amino acid motifs and such binding may be important for the nucleolar localization of C23.

Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS) is characterized by defects in craniofacial development, which results from mutations in the TCOF1 gene. TCOF1 encodes the nucleolar phosphoprotein treacle, which interacts with upstream binding factor (UBF) and affects transcription of the ribosomal DNA gene. The present study shows participation of treacle in the 2'-O-methylation of pre-rRNA. Antisense-mediated down-regulation of treacle expression in Xenopus laevis oocytes reduced 2'-O-methylation of pre-rRNA. Analysis of RNA isolated from wild-type and Tcof1+/- heterozygous mice embryos from strains that exhibit a lethal phenotype showed significant reduction in 2'-O-methylation at nucleotide C463 of 18S rRNA. The level of pseudouridylation of U1642 of 18S rRNA from the same RNA samples was not affected suggesting specificity. There is no significant difference in rRNA methylation between wild-type and heterozygous embryos of DBA x BALB/c mice, which have no obvious craniofacial phenotype. The function of treacle in pre-rRNA methylation is most likely mediated by its direct physical interaction with NOP56, a component of the ribonucleoprotein methylation complex. Although treacle co-localizes with UBF throughout mitosis, it co-localizes with NOP56 and fibrillarin, a putative methyl transferase, only during telophase when rDNA gene transcription and pre-rRNA methylation are known to commence. These observations suggest that treacle might link RNA polymerase I-catalyzed transcription and post-transcriptional modification of pre-rRNA. We hypothesize that haploinsufficiency of treacle in TCS patients results in inhibition of production of properly modified mature rRNA in addition to inhibition of rDNA gene transcription, which consequently affects proliferation and proper differentiation of specific embryonic cells during development.

The intricate production of ribosomal RNA is well defined in yeast, but its complexity in higher organisms is barely understood. We recently showed that downregulation of nucleolar protein RNA helicase II/Gu␣ (RH-II/Gu␣ or DDX21) in Xenopus oocytes inhibited processing of 20 S rRNA to 18 S and contributed to degradation of 28 S rRNA

Tandem affinity purification (TAP) and mass spectrometric peptide sequencing showed that the DEAD-box RNA helicase RHII/Gu is a functional interaction partner of c-Jun in human cells. The N-terminal transcription activation region of, c-Jun interacts with a C-terminal domain of RHII/Gu. This interaction is stimulated by anisomycin treatment in a manner that is concurrent with, but independent of, c-Jun phosphorylation. A possible explanation for this effect is provided by the observation that RHII/Gu translocates from nucleolus to nucleoplasm upon anisomycin or UV treatment or when JNK signaling is activated by overexpression of a constitutively active form of MEKK1 kinase. Several experiments show that the RNA helicase activity of RHII/Gu supports c-Jun-mediated target gene activation: dominant-negative forms of RHII/Gu, as well as a neutralizing antibody against the enzyme, significantly interfered with c-Jun target gene activity but not with transcription in general. These findings clarify the mechanism of c-Jun-mediated transcriptional regulation, and provide evidence for an involvement of RHII/Gu in stress response and in RNA polymerase II-catalyzed transcription in mammalian cells.

While a combination of IV busulfan (Bu) and fludarabine (Flu) is a safe, reduced-toxicity conditioning program for AML/MDS, recurrent leukemia post transplantation remains a problem. To enhance the conditioning regimen’s antileukemic effect we decided to supplant Flu with clofarabine (Clo), and assayed the interactions of these nucleoside analogs alone and in combination with Busulfan (Bu) in Bu-resistant human cell lines in vitro. We found pronounced synergy between each nucleoside and the alkylator but even more enhanced cytotoxic synergy when the nucleoside analogs were combined prior to exposing the cells to Bu. We then designed a 4-arm clinical trial in patients with myeloid leukemia undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT); Patients were adaptively randomized as follows: Arm I - Clo:Flu 10:30 mg/m2, Arm II - 20:20 mg/m2, Arm III - 30:10 mg/m2, and Arm IV - single-agent Clo at 40 mg/m2. The nucleoside analog(s) were/was infused over one hour once daily for 4 days, followed on each day by Bu, infused over 3 hours to a pharmacokinetically targeted daily AUC of 6,000 μMol-min +/− 10%. Fifty-one patients have been enrolled with a minimum follow-up exceeding 100 days. There were 32 males and 19 females with a median age of 45 years (range: 6-59). Nine patients had CML (BC: 2, second AP: 3, and tyrosine-kinase inhibitor refractory first CP: 4). Forty two patients had AML: 14 were induction failures, 8 in first chemotherapy-refractory relapse, 7 in untreated relapse, 3 in second or subsequent relapse, 4 were in second CR and 3 in second CR without platelet recovery (CRp), 2 were in high-risk CR1. Finally, 1 patient was in first CRp. Graft vs host disease- (GVHD) prophylaxis was tacrolimus and mini-MTX, and those who had an unrelated or one Ag-mismmatched donor received low-dose rabbit-ATG (Thymoglobulin™). RESULTS: All patients engrafted. Forty-one patients had active leukemia at the time of transplant, and 35 achieved CR (85%). Twenty of the 42 AML patients and 5 of 9 CML patients are alive with a projected median overall survival of 23 months. Marrow and blood (T-cell) chimerism studies at day +100 revealed that both in the lower dose Clo groups (groups 1+2) and the higher dose Clo groups (groups 3+4) the patients had a median of 100% donor (T-cell)-derived DNA. There has been no secondary graft failure. In the first 100 days one patient died of pneumonia, and one of liver GVHD. We conclude that 1) Clo±Flu with IV Bu as pretranslant conditioning is safe in high-risk myeloid leukemia patients, 2) Clofarabine is sufficiently immunosuppressive to support allo-SCT in myeloid leukemia, and 3) the median overall survival (OS) of 23 months in this high-risk patient population is encouraging. Additional studies to evaluate the antileukemic efficacy of Clo±Flu with IV Bu as pretransplant conditioning therapy are warranted.

We developed a new high-dose combination of infusional gemcitabine with busulfan/melphalan for lymphoid tumors. Gemcitabine dose was escalated by extending infusions at a fixed rate of 10 mg/m2/min in sequential cohorts, in daily, 3-dose or 2-dose schedules. Each dose immediately preceded busulfan (adjusted targeting AUC 4,000 μM.min−1/day × 4 days) or melphalan (60 mg/m2/day × 2 days). We enrolled 133 patients (80 Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL), 46 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), 7 myeloma), median 3 prior regimens; primary refractory disease in 63% HL/45% NHL and PET-positive tumors at transplant in 50% patients. Two patients died from early posttransplant infections. The major toxicity was mucositis. The daily and 3-dose schedules caused substantial cutaneous toxicity. In contrast, the 2-dose schedule was better tolerated, which allowed us to extend the infusions from 15 to 270 minutes. Pretransplant values of C-reactive protein, b-type natriuretic peptide, ferritin or haptoglobin did not correlate with toxicity. Overall response and complete response rates were 87%/62% (HL), 100%/69% (B-LCL), 66%/66% (T-NHL), and 71%/57% (myeloma). At median follow-up of 24 months (3–63), the event-free/overall survival rates are 54%/72% (HL), 60%/89% (B-LCL), 70%/70% (T-NHL) and 43%/43% (myeloma). In conclusion, gemcitabine/busulfan/melphalan is a feasible regimen with substantial activity against a range of lymphoid malignancies. This regimen merits further evaluation in phase II and III trials.

Watermelon stomach is characterized by prominent stripes of ectatic vascular tissue in the stomach similar to stripes on a watermelon; in patients with this disorder chronic gastrointestinal bleeding occurs and approximately half of these patients have associated autoimmune disorders. In the serum of one patient, an antinucleolar antibody titer of 1:25 600 was found; the antibodies specifically recognized an approximately 100 kDa nucleolar protein, which we referred to as the 'Gu' protein. Its cDNA was cloned and sequenced. The Gu protein is a member of a new subgroup of RNA helicases, the DEXD box family. Gu protein fused with glutathione S-transferase contains ATP-dependent RNA helicase activity which preferably translocates in the 5'-->3' direction. Its RNA folding activity, RNA-dependent ATPase and dATPase activities, and its translocation direction are similar to those of RNA helicase II [Flores-Rozas, H. and Hurwitz, J. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 21372-21383]. Sequencing of 209 amino acids of RNA helicase II peptides showed 96.7% identity with the cDNA-derived amino acid sequence of the Gu protein. The precise biological roles of this RNA helicase in the biogenesis of ribosomal RNA and the pathogenesis of watermelon disease and autoimmune disorder require further study.