p53 Interaction with JMJD3 Results in Its Nuclear Distribution during Mouse Neural Stem Cell Differentiation

Conserved elements of apoptosis are also integral components of cellular differentiation. In this regard, p53 is involved in neurogenesis, being required for neurite outgrowth in primary neurons and for axonal regeneration in mice. Interestingly, demethylases regulate p53 activity and its interaction with co-activators by acting on non-histone proteins. In addition, the histone H3 lysine 27-specific demethylase JMJD3 induces ARF expression, thereby stabilizing p53 in mouse embryonic fibroblasts. We hypothesized that p53 interacts with key regulators of neurogenesis to redirect stem cells to differentiation, as an alternative to cell death. Specifically, we investigated the potential cross-talk between p53 and JMJD3 during mouse neural stem cell (NSC) differentiation. Our results demonstrated that JMJD3 mRNA and protein levels were increased early in mouse NSC differentiation, when JMJD3 activity was readily detected. Importantly, modulation of JMJD3 in NSCs resulted in changes of total p53 protein, coincident with increased ARF mRNA and protein expression. ChIP analysis revealed that JMJD3 was present at the promoter and exon 1 regions of ARF during neural differentiation, although without changes in H3K27me3. Immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated a direct interaction between p53 and JMJD3, independent of the C-terminal region of JMJD3, and modulation of p53 methylation by JMJD3-demethylase activity. Finally, transfection of mutant JMJD3 showed that the demethylase activity of JMJD3 was crucial in regulating p53 cellular distribution and function. In conclusion, JMJD3 induces p53 stabilization in mouse NSCs through ARF-dependent mechanisms, directly interacts with p53 and, importantly, causes nuclear accumulation of p53. This suggests that JMJD3 and p53 act in a common pathway during neurogenesis

BPR1K653, a Novel Aurora Kinase Inhibitor, Exhibits Potent Anti-Proliferative Activity in MDR1 (P-gp170)-Mediated Multidrug-Resistant Cancer Cells

Over-expression of Aurora kinases promotes the tumorigenesis of cells. The aim of this study was to determine the preclinical profile of a novel pan-Aurora kinase inhibitor, BPR1K653, as a candidate for anti-cancer therapy. Since expression of the drug efflux pump, MDR1, reduces the effectiveness of various chemotherapeutic compounds in human cancers, this study also aimed to determine whether the potency of BPR1K653 could be affected by the expression of MDR1 in cancer cells.BPR1K653 specifically inhibited the activity of Aurora-A and Aurora-B kinase at low nano-molar concentrations in vitro. Anti-proliferative activity of BPR1K653 was evaluated in various human cancer cell lines. Results of the clonogenic assay showed that BPR1K653 was potent in targeting a variety of cancer cell lines regardless of the tissue origin, p53 status, or expression of MDR1. At the cellular level, BPR1K653 induced endo-replication and subsequent apoptosis in both MDR1-negative and MDR1-positive cancer cells. Importantly, it showed potent activity against the growth of xenograft tumors of the human cervical carcinoma KB and KB-derived MDR1-positive KB-VIN10 cells in nude mice. Finally, BPR1K653 also exhibited favorable pharmacokinetic properties in rats.BPR1K653 is a novel potent anti-cancer compound, and its potency is not affected by the expression of the multiple drug resistant protein, MDR1, in cancer cells. Therefore, BPR1K653 is a promising anti-cancer compound that has potential for the management of various malignancies, particularly for patients with MDR1-related drug resistance after prolonged chemotherapeutic treatments

Interaction of Pattern Recognition Receptors with Mycobacterium Tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) is considered a major worldwide health problem with 10 million new cases diagnosed each year. Our understanding of TB immunology has become greater and more refined since the identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) as an etiologic agent and the recognition of new signaling pathways modulating infection. Understanding the mechanisms through which the cells of the immune system recognize MTB can be an important step in designing novel therapeutic approaches, as well as improving the limited success of current vaccination strategies. A great challenge in chronic disease is to understand the complexities, mechanisms, and consequences of host interactions with pathogens. Innate immune responses along with the involvement of distinct inflammatory mediators and cells play an important role in the host defense against the MTB. Several classes of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) are involved in the recognition of MTB including Toll-Like Receptors (TLRs), C-type lectin receptors (CLRs) and Nod-like receptors (NLRs) linked to inflammasome activation. Among the TLR family, TLR1, TLR2, TLR4, and TLR9 and their down-stream signaling proteins play critical roles in the initiation of the immune response in the pathogenesis of TB. The inflammasome pathway is associated with the coordinated release of cytokines such as IL-1β and IL-18 which also play a role in the pathogenesis of TB. Understanding the cross-talk between these signaling pathways will impact on the design of novel therapeutic strategies and in the development of vaccines and immunotherapy regimes. Abnormalities in PRR signaling pathways regulated by TB will affect disease pathogenesis and need to be elucidated. In this review we provide an update on PRR signaling during M. tuberculosis infection and indicate how greater knowledge of these pathways may lead to new therapeutic opportunities

Regulatory T cells and their role in rheumatic diseases: a potential target for novel therapeutic development

Regulatory T cells have an important role in limiting immune reactions and are essential regulators of self-tolerance. Among them, CD4+CD25high regulatory T cells are the best-described subset. In this article, we summarize current knowledge on the phenotype, function, and development of CD4+CD25high regulatory T cells. We also review the literature on the role of these T cells in rheumatic diseases and discuss the potential for their use in immunotherapy

Why Functional Pre-Erythrocytic and Bloodstage Malaria Vaccines Fail: A Meta-Analysis of Fully Protective Immunizations and Novel Immunological Model

Background: Clinically protective malaria vaccines consistently fail to protect adults and children in endemic settings, and at best only partially protect infants. Methodology/Principal Findings: We identify and evaluate 1916 immunization studies between 1965-February 2010, and exclude partially or nonprotective results to find 177 completely protective immunization experiments. Detailed reexamination reveals an unexpectedly mundane basis for selective vaccine failure: live malaria parasites in the skin inhibit vaccine function. We next show published molecular and cellular data support a testable, novel model where parasite-host interactions in the skin induce malaria-specific regulatory T cells, and subvert early antigen-specific immunity to parasite-specific immunotolerance. This ensures infection and tolerance to reinfection. Exposure to Plasmodium-infected mosquito bites therefore systematically triggers immunosuppression of endemic vaccine-elicited responses. The extensive vaccine trial data solidly substantiate this model experimentally. Conclusions/Significance: We conclude skinstage-initiated immunosuppression, unassociated with bloodstage parasites, systematically blocks vaccine function in the field. Our model exposes novel molecular and procedural strategies to significantly and quickly increase protective efficacy in both pipeline and currently ineffective malaria vaccines, and forces fundamental reassessment of central precepts determining vaccine development. This has major implications fo

Deficiency of lymphocyte function-associated antigen 3 (LFA-3) in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. Functional correlates and evidence for a phosphatidylinositol membrane anchor.

Lymphocyte function-associated antigen 3 (LFA-3) is a widely distributed cell surface glycoprotein that binds to the T lymphocyte CD2 surface glycoprotein. This interaction mediates CTL-target cell conjugate formation and adhesion of thymocytes to thymic epithelial cells. CD2 is also the E rosette receptor of T lymphocytes and mediates rosetting with autologous E by binding to LFA-3. We describe deficient expression of LFA-3 on E from paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) patients. PNH is an acquired defect affecting phosphatidylinositol-anchored membrane proteins, of which decay-accelerating factor (DAF) is most important in the clinical symptoms of PNH. LFA-3-negative, weakly positive, and positive populations were found among PNH E. There was a good correlation with DAF deficiency. PNH E exhibited decreased binding of 125I-CD2 and rosetting with a human T lymphoma cell line. PNH E readily incorporated purified LFA-3, restoring LFA-3 expression and the CD2 binding and rosetting activity to normal levels. The expression of DAF was not restored after the incorporation of purified LFA-3 into PNH E, showing that LFA-3 and DAF are different molecules. Phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PIPLC) treatment of a B lymphoma cell line released 35% of the cell surface LFA-3 and 62% of DAF. LFA-3 on E was resistant to PIPLC. However, when LFA-3 purified from human E was reconstituted in sheep E or human E and subjected to PIPLC treatment, 40-50% of LFA-3 was released from the cell membrane. The results show that LFA-3 is attached to the cell membrane by a phosphatidylinositol glycolipid moiety, and confirm previous findings (37-41) that LFA-3 is a cell adhesion molecule that mediates adhesion by interacting with CD2 antigen

Deficiency of lymphocyte function-associated antigen 3 (LFA-3) in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria. Functional correlates and evidence for a phosphatidylinositol membrane anchor.

Lymphocyte function-associated antigen 3 (LFA-3) is a widely distributed cell surface glycoprotein that binds to the T lymphocyte CD2 surface glycoprotein. This interaction mediates CTL-target cell conjugate formation and adhesion of thymocytes to thymic epithelial cells. CD2 is also the E rosette receptor of T lymphocytes and mediates rosetting with autologous E by binding to LFA-3. We describe deficient expression of LFA-3 on E from paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) patients. PNH is an acquired defect affecting phosphatidylinositol-anchored membrane proteins, of which decay-accelerating factor (DAF) is most important in the clinical symptoms of PNH. LFA-3-negative, weakly positive, and positive populations were found among PNH E. There was a good correlation with DAF deficiency. PNH E exhibited decreased binding of 125I-CD2 and rosetting with a human T lymphoma cell line. PNH E readily incorporated purified LFA-3, restoring LFA-3 expression and the CD2 binding and rosetting activity to normal levels. The expression of DAF was not restored after the incorporation of purified LFA-3 into PNH E, showing that LFA-3 and DAF are different molecules. Phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PIPLC) treatment of a B lymphoma cell line released 35% of the cell surface LFA-3 and 62% of DAF. LFA-3 on E was resistant to PIPLC. However, when LFA-3 purified from human E was reconstituted in sheep E or human E and subjected to PIPLC treatment, 40-50% of LFA-3 was released from the cell membrane. The results show that LFA-3 is attached to the cell membrane by a phosphatidylinositol glycolipid moiety, and confirm previous findings (37-41) that LFA-3 is a cell adhesion molecule that mediates adhesion by interacting with CD2 antigen