Ikaros has a crucial role in regulation of B cell receptor signaling

transcription factor Ikaros, a key regulator of hematopoiesis, has an essential role in lymphocyte development. In mice, fetal lymphoid differentiation is blocked in the absence of Ikaros, and whereas T cells develop postnatally, B cells are totally absent. The significance of Ikaros in the B cell development is evident, but how Ikaros regulates B cell function has neither been established nor previously been studied with B cells that lack Ikaros expression. Here we show that disruption of Ikaros in the chicken B cell line DT40 induces a B cell receptor (BCR) signaling defect with reduced phospholipase C gamma 2 phosphorylation and impaired intracellular calcium mobilization, which is restored by Ikaros reintroduction. Furthermore, we show that lack of Ikaros induces hyperphosphorylation of Casitas B lymphoma protein subsequent to BCR activation. These results indicate that the absolute need of Ikaros for development, cell fate decisions and maintenance of B cells is due to the enhancement of BCR signaling

Different responses of colorectal cancer cells to alternative sequences of cetuximab and oxaliplatin

Therapeutic protocols including EGFR antibodies in the context of oxaliplatin-based regimens have variable clinical effect in colorectal cancer. Here, we tested the effect of the EGFR antibody cetuximab in different sequential combinations with oxaliplatin on the growth of colorectal cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Cetuximab reduced the efficacy of oxaliplatin when administered before oxaliplatin but provided additive effect when administered after oxaliplatin regardless of the KRAS or BRAF mutation status of the cells. Systemic gene expression and protein phosphorylation screens revealed alternatively activated pathways regulating apoptosis, cell cycle and DNA damage response. Functional assays indicated that cetuximab-induced arrest of the cells into the G1 phase of the cell cycle was associated with reduced responsiveness of the cells to subsequent treatment with oxaliplatin. In contrast, oxaliplatin-enhanced responsiveness to subsequent treatment with cetuximab was associated with increased apoptosis, inhibition of STAT3 activity and increased EGFR down-regulation. This preclinical study indicates that optimizing the sequence of administration may enhance the antitumor effect of combination therapy with EGFR antibodies and oxaliplatin

Identification of fibroblast growth factor-8b target genes associated with early and late cell cycle events in breast cancer cells

Fibroblast growth factor-8 (FGF-8) is implicated in the development and progression of breast cancer and its levels are frequently elevated in breast tumors. The mechanisms driving FGF-8-mediated tumorigenesis are not well understood. Herein we aimed to identify target genes associated with FGF-8b-mediated breast cancer cell proliferation by carrying out a cDNA microarray analysis of genes expressed in estrogen receptor negative S115 breast cancer cells treated with FGF-8b for various time periods in comparison with those expressed in non-treated cells. Gene and protein expression was validated for selected genes by qPCR and western blotting respectively. Furthermore, using TRANSBIG data, the expression of human orthologs of FGF-8-regulated genes was correlated to the Nottingham prognostic index and estrogen receptor status. The analysis revealed a number of significantly up- and down-regulated genes in response to FGF-8b at all treatment times. The most differentially expressed genes were genes related to cell cycle regulation, mitosis, cancer, and cell death. Several key regulators of early cell cycle progression such as Btg2 and cyclin D1, as well as regulators of mitosis, including cyclin B, Plk1, survivin, and aurora kinase A, were identified as novel targets for FGF-8b, some of which were additionally shown to correlate with prognosis and ER status in human breast cancer. The results suggest that in stimulation of proliferation FGF-8b not only promotes cell cycle progression through the G1 restriction point but also regulates key proteins involved in chromosomal segregation during mitosis and cytokinesis of breast cancer cells

Loss of Pax5 promotes plasma cell differentiation.

SummaryPax5 is indispensable for the commitment of early lymphoid progenitors to the B cell lineage as well as for the development of B cells. To better understand the functional importance of Pax5 at the later stages of B cell differentiation, we established a Pax5-deficient DT40 B cell line. The Pax5−/− cells exhibited slower growth, decreased surface IgM expression, and total loss of B cell receptor signaling. Moreover, the expression of the plasma cell-characteristic transcription factors Blimp-1 and XBP-1 were significantly upregulated and the expression of Bcl-6 diminished in the Pax5−/− cells, and this alteration was normalized by restored Pax5 expression. The Pax5-deficient cells further manifested substantially elevated secretion of IgM into the supernatant, another characteristic of plasma cells. These results indicate that downregulation of Pax5 function promotes the plasma cell differentiation of B cells