NOTCH1 is involved in the pathogenesis of T-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) carrying the very rare translocation t(7;9)(q34;q34.3). We analyzed the expression of genes belonging to NOTCH pathway, in acute leukemia primary samples and lymphoblastoid cell lines. NOTCH1 pathway activation represents a common feature of T-ALL when compared to acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) and B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The contemporary expression of NOTCH1 and its ligands on cell surface contributes to high levels of pathway activity. AML primary samples show high levels of JAGGED1 expression despite the low NOTCH1 pathway activation, consistent with an autonomous JAGGED1 signaling in myeloid leukemogenesis.
Tumour cells often express deregulated profiles of chemokine receptors that regulate cancer cell migration and proliferation. Notch1 pathway activation is seen in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL) due to the high frequency of Notch1 mutations affecting approximately 60% of patients, causing ligand-independent signalling and/or prolonging Notch1 half-life. We have investigated the possible regulative role of Notch1 on the expression and function of chemokine receptors CCR5, CCR9 and CXCR4 that play a role in determining blast malignant properties and localization of extramedullary infiltrations in leukaemia. We inhibited the pathway through γ-Secretase inhibitor and Notch1 RNA interference and analysed the effect on the expression and function of chemokine receptors. Our results indicate that γ-Secretase inhibitor negatively regulates the transcription level of the CC chemokine receptors 5 and 9 in T-ALL cell lines and patients' primary leukaemia cells, leaving CXCR4 expression unaltered. The Notch pathway also controls CCR5- and CCR9-mediated biological effects, ie chemotaxis and proliferation. Furthermore, engaging CCR9 through CCL25 administration rescues proliferation inhibition associated with abrogation of Notch activity. Finally, through RNA interference we demonstrated that the oncogenic isoform in T-ALL, Notch1, plays a role in controlling CCR5 and CCR9 expression and functions. These findings suggest that Notch1, acting in concert with chemokine receptors pathways, may provide leukaemia cells with proliferative advantage and specific chemotactic abilities, therefore influencing tumour cell progression and localization.
The synthesis of embryonic (;, e), fetal (a, y), and adult (fi) globin was evaluated in human yolk sacs (YS) and livers at different ontogenic stages (i.e., from 6 through 10-12 wk of age) by means of analytical isoelectric focusing. Globin production was comparatively evaluated in vivo (i.e., in directly labeled erythroblasts from YS and liver) and in vitro [i.e., in erythroid bursts generated in culture by erythroid burst-forming units (BFU-E) from the same erythropoietic tissues]. Erythroid bursts generated in vitro by BFU-E from 6-wk livers and YS show essentially a "fetal" globin synthetic pattern: this is in sharp contrast to the "embryonic" pattern in corresponding liver and YS erythroblasts directly labeled in vivo. The in vitro phenomenon suggests that (i) 6-wk BFU-E constitute a new generation of progenitors, which have already switched from an embryonic to a fetal program, and/or (ii) expression of their fetal program is induced by unknown in vitro factor(s), which may underlie the in vivo switch at later ontogenic stages. It is emphasized that 6-to 7-wk BFU-E are endowed with the potential for in vitro synthesis of not only eand y-chains but also some j3-globin. In general, we observed an inverse correlation between the levels of E-and a8-chain synthesis. These results, together with previous studies on fetal, perinatal, and adult BFU-E, are compatible with models suggesting that in ontogeny the chromatin configuration is gradually modified at the level of the non-a gene cluster, thus leading to a 5' -* 3' activation of globin genes in a balanced fashion.
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