Heterogeneity of the bone marrow niche in patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms: ActivinA secretion by mesenchymal stromal cells correlates with the degree of marrow fibrosis

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) represent an essential component of the bone marrow (BM) niche and display disease-specific alterations in several myeloid malignancies. The aim of this work was to study possible MSC abnormalities in Philadelphia-negative myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) in relationship to the degree of BM fibrosis. MSCs were isolated from BM of 6 healthy donors (HD) and of 23 MPN patients, classified in 3 groups according to the diagnosis and the grade of BM fibrosis: polycythemia vera and essential thrombocythemia (PV/ET), low fibrosis myelofibrosis (LF-MF), and high fibrosis MF (HF-MF). MSC cultures were established from 21 of 23 MPN patients. MPN-derived MSCs did not exhibit any functional impairment in their adipogenic/osteogenic/chondrogenic differentiation potential and displayed a phenotype similar to HD-derived MSCs but with a decreased expression of CD146. All MPN-MSC lines were negative for the patient-specific hematopoietic clone mutations (JAK2, MPL, CALR). MSCs derived from HF-MF patients displayed a reduced clonogenic potential and a lower growth kinetic compared to MSCs from HD, LF-MF, and PV/ET patients. mRNA levels of hematopoiesis regulatory molecules were unaffected in MSCs from HF-MF compared to HD. Finally, in vitro ActivinA secretion by MSCs was increased in HF-MF compared to LF-MF patients, in association with a lower hemoglobin value. Increased ActivinA immunolabeling on stromal cells and erythroid precursors was also observed in HF-MF BM biopsies. In conclusion, higher grade of BM fibrosis is associated with functional impairment of MSCs and the increased secretion of ActivinA may represent a suitable target for anemia treatment in MF patients

Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome: spectrum of CREBBP mutations in Italian patients

BACKGROUND: Rubinstein-Taybi Syndrome (RSTS, MIM 180849) is a rare congenital disorder characterized by mental and growth retardation, broad and duplicated distal phalanges of thumbs and halluces, facial dysmorphisms and increased risk of tumors. RSTS is caused by chromosomal rearrangements and point mutations in one copy of the CREB-binding protein gene (CREBBP or CBP) in 16p13.3. To date mutations in CREBBP have been reported in 56.6% of RSTS patients and an average figure of 10% has ascribed to deletions. METHODS: Our study is based on the mutation analysis of CREBBP in 31 Italian RSTS patients using segregation analysis of intragenic microsatellites, BAC FISH and direct sequencing of PCR and RT-PCR fragments. RESULTS: We identified a total of five deletions, two of the entire gene and three, all in a mosaic condition, involving either the 5' or the 3' region. By direct sequencing a total of 14 de novo mutations were identified: 10 truncating (5 frameshift and 5 nonsense), one splice site, and three novel missense mutations. Two of the latter affect the HAT domain, while one maps within the conserved nuclear receptor binding of (aa 1–170) and will probably destroy a Nuclear Localization Signal. Identification of the p.Asn1978Ser in the healthy mother of a patient also carrying a de novo frameshift mutation, questions the pathogenetic significance of the missense change reported as recurrent mutation. Thirteen additional polymorphisms, three as of yet unreported, were also detected. CONCLUSION: A high detection rate (61.3%) of mutations is confirmed by this Italian study which also attests one of the highest microdeletion rate (16%) documented so far

1H- and 13C-NMR spectra of thiocolchicine and derivatives: A complete analysis

Complete and unambiguous assignments of the 1H- and 13C-nmr spectra of thiocolchicine [1], 3-demethylthiocolchicine [2], and the thiocolchicosides [3] and [4] were made through extensive nmr studies, inclusive of homonuclear COSY and COSYLR, BIRDREV, APT, HETCOR, nOe difference, INEPT, and JMODXH experiments

Isothiazoles. Part IV. Cycloaddition reactions of diaryl-oxazolones and munchnones to 3-diethylamino-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)-isothiazole 1,1-dioxide: A new synthesis of triarylpyrroles

3-Diethylamino-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)-isothiazole 1,1-dioxide (3) readily reacts with oxazolones 2 and munchnones 7 affording with satisfactory yield 3-diethylamino-4,6-diaryl-3a,4-dihydro-3a-(4-methoxyphenyl)-6aH-pyrrol o[3,4-d]isothiazole 1,1-dioxides 4 and 3-diethylamino-4,6-diaryl-5-alkyl-3a-(4-methoxyphenyl)-pyrrolo[3,4-d]i sothiazole 1,1-dioxides 8, respectively. The behaviour of the cycloadducts towards elevated temperatures and/or basic conditions was investigated. Under these conditions the primary products lost SO2 and diethylcyanamide affording 1-alkyl-2,3,5-triarylpyrroles 9 and 1H-2,3,5-triarylpyrroles 10. These latter were found to be better obtained through thermal decompression of N-protected cycloadducts 8 and subsequent deprotecting the final pyrroles

Susceptibility to entomopathogens and modulation of basal immunity in two insect models at different temperatures.

Abstract In this work, we analysed the efficacy of different commercial bio-insecticides (Steinernema feltiae, Steinernema carpocapsae, Heterorhabditis bacteriophora and Bacillus thuringiensis) by valuating the mortality induced on two insect models, Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera) and Sarcophaga africa (Diptera) after exposure to different temperatures (10, 20 and 30\u202f\ub0C). Moreover, we investigated the effects of temperature on the basal humoral immunity of the two target insects; particularly, phenoloxidase (PO) and lysozyme activity. Our results show that G. mellonella is susceptible to all bio-insecticides at all the examined temperatures, except when infected at 10\u202f\ub0C with S. carpocapsae and at 30\u202f\ub0C with S. feltiae and B. thuringiensis. S. africa is more susceptible at 30\u202f\ub0C to all bioinsecticides; whereas, when infected at 10 and 20\u202f\ub0C, H. bacteriophora is the most efficient. Temperature modulates PO activity of both G. mellonella and S. africa, otherwise variations in lysozyme activity is observed only in G. mellonella. Except for a possible correlation between the increased lysozyme activity and the delayed Bt efficacy recorded on G. mellonella at 30\u202f\ub0C, a different resistance to bio-insecticides at different temperatures does not seem to be associated to variations of the host basal immunity, probably due to immunoevasive and immunodepressive strategies of these entomopathogens

\u3b1-Pyrones. Part V. Structure effects on the intramolecular cyclization of functionalized 6-pyronylacetamides: synthesis of new 2,5,7-trioxo-pyrano[3,2-c]pyridines

Reaction of arylisocyanates 2 with methyl 2-oxo-2H-pyran-6-acetate 1 and with ylide 4 gave two classes of pyronylacetamides 3 and 5, respectively. Phosphoranes 5 were reduced to the corresponding acetamides 6 with zinc and acetic acid. Compounds 6 were alkylated under solid-liquid PTC conditions using anhydrous potassium carbonate as a base to give the C\u3b1-alkyl derivatives 7 in good yields. Intramolecular cyclization with different bases and solvents of acetamides 3,5-7 to give the new 2,5,7-trioxo-pyrano[3,2-c]pyridines has been studied

Differential cytogenomics and miRNA signature of the Acute Myeloid Leukaemia Kasumi-1 cell line CD34(+)38(-) compartment

The t(8;21) Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) Kasumi-1 cell line with N822K KIT mutation, is a model system for leukemogenesis. As AML initiating cells reside in the CD34(+)CD38(-) fraction, we addressed the refined cytogenomic characterization and miRNA expression of Kasumi-1 cell line and its FACS-sorted subpopulations focussing on this compartment. By conventional cytogenetics, Spectral-Karyotyping and array-CGH the cytogenomic profile of Kasumi-1 cells evidenced only subtle regions differentially represented in CD34(+)CD38(-) cells. Expression profiling by a miRNA platform showed a set of miRNA differentially expressed in paired subpopulations and the signature of miR-584 and miR-182 upregulation in the CD34(+)CD38(-) fraction

Differential cytogenomics and miRNA signature of the Acute Myeloid Leukaemia Kasumi-1 cell line CD34+38- compartment

The t(8;21) Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) Kasumi-1 cell line with N822K KIT mutation, is a model system for leukemogenesis. As AML initiating cells reside in the CD34(+)CD38(-) fraction, we addressed the refined cytogenomic characterization and miRNA expression of Kasumi-1 cell line and its FACS-sorted subpopulations focussing on this compartment. By conventional cytogenetics, Spectral-Karyotyping and array-CGH the cytogenomic profile of Kasumi-1 cells evidenced only subtle regions differentially represented in CD34(+)CD38(-) cells. Expression profiling by a miRNA platform showed a set of miRNA differentially expressed in paired subpopulations and the signature of miR-584 and miR-182 upregulation in the CD34(+)CD38(-) fraction