Aberrant Expression of ID2 protein and its correlation with EBV-LMP1 and P16(INK4A) in Classical Hodgkin Lymphoma in China

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The relationships between the expression of ID2, EBV-LMP1 and P16(INK4A) in Chinese classical Hodgkin lymphoma are unknown and need exploring.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Samples of classical Hodgkin lymphoma from 60 Chinese patients were analyzed for the expression of ID2, EBV-LMP1 and p16(INK4A) proteins by immunohistochemistry.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>ID2 protein was expressed in 83.3% of this group of classical Hodgkin lymphoma, staining strongly in both cytoplasm and nucleus of the Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells. EBV-LMP1 and P16(INK4A) were overexpressed in 85.0% and 71.7% of Hodgkin lymphoma, respectively. EBV-LMP1 was noted in the cytoplasm, membrane and nucleus of HRS cells; P16(INK4A) was in the nucleus and cytoplasm. Microscopically, ID2, EBV-LMP1 and P16(INK4A) staining distinguished the HRS cells from the complex background of lymphocytes. ID2 was positively correlated with EBV-LMP1(<it>P </it>< 0.01), but P16(INK4A) was inversely related to EBV-LMP1 (<it>P </it>< 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>It is suggested that ID2, EBV-LMP1 and P16(INK4A) could play an important role in the evolution of classical Hodgkin lymphoma, and be considered as potential adjunct markers to identify HRS cells in diagnosis.</p

Enforced Expression of the Transcriptional Coactivator OBF1 Impairs B Cell Differentiation at the Earliest Stage of Development

OBF1, also known as Bob.1 or OCA-B, is a B lymphocyte-specific transcription factor which coactivates Oct1 and Oct2 on B cell specific promoters. So far, the function of OBF1 has been mainly identified in late stage B cell populations. The central defect of OBF1 deficient mice is a severely reduced immune response to T cell-dependent antigens and a lack of germinal center formation in the spleen. Relatively little is known about a potential function of OBF1 in developing B cells. Here we have generated transgenic mice overexpressing OBF1 in B cells under the control of the immunoglobulin heavy chain promoter and enhancer. Surprisingly, these mice have greatly reduced numbers of follicular B cells in the periphery and have a compromised immune response. Furthermore, B cell differentiation is impaired at an early stage in the bone marrow: a first block is observed during B cell commitment and a second differentiation block is seen at the large preB2 cell stage. The cells that succeed to escape the block and to differentiate into mature B cells have post-translationally downregulated the expression of transgene, indicating that expression of OBF1 beyond the normal level early in B cell development is deleterious. Transcriptome analysis identified genes deregulated in these mice and Id2 and Id3, two known negative regulators of B cell differentiation, were found to be upregulated in the EPLM and preB cells of the transgenic mice. Furthermore, the Id2 and Id3 promoters contain octamer-like sites, to which OBF1 can bind. These results provide evidence that tight regulation of OBF1 expression in early B cells is essential to allow efficient B lymphocyte differentiation

The HECT-domain ubiquitin ligase Huwe1 controls neural differentiation and proliferation by destabilizing the N-Myc oncoprotein

Development of the nervous system requires that timely withdrawal from the cell cycle be coupled with initiation of differentiation. Ubiquitin-mediated degradation of the N-Myc oncoprotein in neural stem/progenitor cells is thought to trigger the arrest of proliferation and begin differentiation. Here we report that the HECT-domain ubiquitin ligase Huwe1 ubiquitinates the N-Myc oncoprotein through Lys 48-mediated linkages and targets it for destruction by the proteasome. This process is physiologically implemented by embryonic stem (ES) cells differentiating along the neuronal lineage and in the mouse brain during development. Genetic and RNA interference-mediated inactivation of the Huwe1 gene impedes N-Myc degradation, prevents exit from the cell cycle by opposing the expression of Cdk inhibitors and blocks differentiation through persistent inhibition of early and late markers of neuronal differentiation. Silencing of N-myc in cells lacking Huwe1 restores neural differentiation of ES cells and rescues cell-cycle exit and differentiation of the mouse cortex, demonstrating that Huwe1 restrains proliferation and enables neuronal differentiation by mediating the degradation of N-Myc. These findings indicate that Huwe1 links destruction of N-Myc to the quiescent state that complements differentiation in the neural tissue