Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are mitogenic peptides that play important roles in developmen... more Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are mitogenic peptides that play important roles in development, growth and differentiation in vertebrates. Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are initially translated as pre-pro-peptides that require further processing, removing the signal peptide and the E-domain peptide, to result in the mature peptide hormones. Multiple forms of pro-IGF-I, displaying developmental regulation and tissue specificity, have been identified in various species from fish to mammals with differences only in the carboxyl-terminal E-domains. However, the biological significance of the diversity of E-domain and its differential expression has been unclear. The primary goal of this thesis is to characterize the biological activities of pro IGF-I E-peptides using a human neuroblastom(SK-N-F1)a cell line (SK-N-F1) as a model system. In this study, we demonstrate that Ea-4-peptide of rainbow trout (rtEa-4) and hEb-peptide of human pro-IGF-I hEb-elicits unique biological activ...
E-peptides of pro-insulin-like growth factor-I (pro-IGF-I) are proteolytically cleaved from the p... more E-peptides of pro-insulin-like growth factor-I (pro-IGF-I) are proteolytically cleaved from the pro-hormone after translation, and have long been regarded as biologically inactive. Tian et al. (1999) recently demonstrated that recombinant rainbow trout pro-IGF-I E-peptides (rtEa-2-, rtEa-3- and rtEa-4-peptide), like hIGF-I, exhibited a dose-dependent mitogenic activity in several non- transformed mammalian cell lines. We showed recently that treatment of established human
The core-binding factor (CBF)-associated leukemia fusion protein CBFbeta-SMMHC impairs myeloid an... more The core-binding factor (CBF)-associated leukemia fusion protein CBFbeta-SMMHC impairs myeloid and lymphoid differentiation. By inhibiting RUNX function, the fusion oncoprotein predisposes specifically to acute myeloid leukemia in both patients and mouse models. We have shown that Cbfbeta-SMMHC expression leads to a sustained reduction of circulating B lymphocytes in the mouse. In this study, we demonstrate that the activation of Cbfbeta-SMMHC
The gene encoding for core-binding factor B (CBFB) is altered in acute myeloid leukemia samples w... more The gene encoding for core-binding factor B (CBFB) is altered in acute myeloid leukemia samples with an inversion in chromosome 16,expressing the fusion protein CBF B-SMMHC. Previous studies have shown that this oncoprotein interferes with hematopoietic differentiation and proliferation and participates in leukemia development. In this study,we provide evidence that CbfB modulates the oncogenic function of this fusion protein. We
Proper immunostimulation ("push") and immune checkpoint blockade ("release") ... more Proper immunostimulation ("push") and immune checkpoint blockade ("release") are both critical for the efficacy of anticancer immunotherapy. We have recently shown that activating Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) while specifically blocking signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in leukemic cells enhances their immunogenicity, allowing for CD8(+) T cell-mediated tumor eradication. These findings underscore the therapeutic potential of such a "Push & Release" strategy against hematological malignancies.
Human pro-IGF-I Eb-peptide (hEb) and rainbow trout pro-IGF-I Ea-4-peptide (rtEa-4) have recently ... more Human pro-IGF-I Eb-peptide (hEb) and rainbow trout pro-IGF-I Ea-4-peptide (rtEa-4) have recently been shown to share unique biological activities [Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 126 (2002) 342; Cell. Exp. Cell. Res. 280 (2002) 75]. To further understand the action mechanism of these proteins, we studied the binding properties of hEb-peptide and rtEa-4-peptide to intact human neuroblastoma cells (SK-N-F1) and membrane preparations. Human Eb-peptide and rtEa-4-peptide bind to a high-affinity binding site with an apparent dissociation constant of 3.2+/-1.9 x 10(-11) and 2.9+/-1.8 x 10(-11)M, respectively. Homologous displacement assay demonstrated the presence of a second binding site with an IC(50) of 4.8+/-2.6 x 10(-6)M for hEb-peptide and 2.1+/-0.6 x 10(-6)M for rtEa-4-peptide, respectively. Competition assays showed that hEb-peptide and rtEa-4-peptide shared common binding sites, distinct from those for IGF-I and insulin. In addition, chemical cross-linking studies revealed two specific binding complexes. Our findings support the notion that the initial step of pro-IGF-I E-peptide action is mediated through the interaction with conserved and specific putative membrane receptors on neuroblastoma cells.
E-peptides of proinsulin-like growth factor-I (pro-IGF-I) are proteolytically cleaved from the pr... more E-peptides of proinsulin-like growth factor-I (pro-IGF-I) are proteolytically cleaved from the prohormone after translation and have long been regarded as biologically inactive. Tian et al. [Endocrinology 140 (1999) 3387-3390] recently demonstrated that recombinant rainbow trout pro-IGF-I E-peptides (rtEa-2-, rtEa-3-, and rtEa-4-peptides), like hIGF-I, exhibited a dose-dependent mitogenic activity in several nontransformed mammalian cell lines. We show in this report that treatment of established human and fish cancer cells (MCF-7, HT-29, HepG2, ZR-75-1, SK-N-F1, and HC) and retroviral transformed human embryonic kidney cells (293GP) with recombinant rtEa-2- or rtEa-4-, but not rtEa-3-peptide, resulted in a dose-dependent induction of morphological change and enhanced cell attachment. The E-peptide-induced morphological changes are sensitive to treatment with alpha-amanitin or cycloheximide, known inhibitors of RNA and protein synthesis. The in vitro colony formation activity of established human tumor cells (HT-29 and MDA-MB-231) is greatly reduced or diminished by treatment with the rtEa-4-peptide. Both morphological change and reduction of colony formation activity in MDA-MB-231 cells were also observed following transfection with an Ea-4 transgene construct. Furthermore, the invasive activity of HT1080 cells, known invasive cancer cells, is reduced three to fourfold by treatment with the rtEa-4-peptide. These results suggest that E-peptides of rainbow trout pro-IGF-I possess novel biological activities controlling malignant properties of cancer cells in vitro.
The core-binding factor (CBF)-associated leukemia fusion protein CBFbeta-SMMHC impairs myeloid an... more The core-binding factor (CBF)-associated leukemia fusion protein CBFbeta-SMMHC impairs myeloid and lymphoid differentiation. By inhibiting RUNX function, the fusion oncoprotein predisposes specifically to acute myeloid leukemia in both patients and mouse models. We have shown that Cbfbeta-SMMHC expression leads to a sustained reduction of circulating B lymphocytes in the mouse. In this study, we demonstrate that the activation of Cbfbeta-SMMHC reduces pre-pro-B cells approximately 3-fold and pre-B cells more than 10-fold and that this differentiation block is cell-autonomous. The reduction of pre-pro-B cells coincided with an increase in apoptosis in this population. The number of common lymphoid progenitors (CLPs) were not affected; however, the expression of critical early B-cell factors Ebf1, Tcfe2a, and Pax5 was significantly reduced. In addition, Cbfbeta-SMMHC reduced Rag1 and Rag2 expression and impaired V(D)J recombination in the CLPs. Furthermore, CLPs expressing Cbfbeta-SMMHC also show inhibition of B cell-specific genes Cd79a, Igll1, VpreB1, and Blk. These results demonstrate that CBF/RUNX function is essential for the function of CLPs, the survival of pre-pro-B cells, and the establishment of a B lineage-specific transcriptional program. This study also provides a mechanistic basis for the myeloid-lineage bias of CBFbeta-SMMHC-associated leukemia.
The core-binding factor (CBF) is a master regulator of developmental and differentiation programs... more The core-binding factor (CBF) is a master regulator of developmental and differentiation programs, and CBF alterations are frequently associated with acute leukemia. The role of the CBF member RUNX2 in hematopoiesis is poorly understood. Genetic evidence suggests that deregulation of Runx2 may cause myeloid leukemia in mice expressing the fusion oncogene Cbfb-MYH11. In this study, we show that sustained expression of Runx2 modulates Cbfbeta-smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SMMHC)-mediated myeloid leukemia development. Expression of Runx2 is high in the hematopoietic stem cell compartment and decreases during myeloid differentiation. Sustained Runx2 expression hinders myeloid progenitor differentiation capacity and represses expression of CBF targets Csf1R, Mpo, Cebpd, the cell cycle inhibitor Cdkn1a, and myeloid markers Cebpa and Gfi1. In addition, full-length Runx2 cooperates with Cbfbeta-SMMHC in leukemia development in transplantation assays. Furthermore, we show that the nuclear matrix-targeting signal and DNA-binding runt-homology domain of Runx2 are essential for its leukemogenic activity. Conversely, Runx2 haplo-insufficiency delays the onset and reduces the incidence of acute myeloid leukemia. Together, these results indicate that Runx2 is expressed in the stem cell compartment, interferes with differentiation and represses CBF targets in the myeloid compartment, and modulates the leukemogenic function of Cbfbeta-SMMHC in mouse leukemia.
The FLT3-ITD mutation is frequently observed in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and is associated wi... more The FLT3-ITD mutation is frequently observed in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and is associated with poor prognosis. In such patients, FLT3 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are only partially effective and do not eliminate the leukemia stem cells (LSCs) that are assumed to be the source of treatment failure. Here, we show that the NAD-dependent SIRT1 deacetylase is selectively overexpressed in primary human FLT3-ITD AML LSCs. This SIRT1 overexpression is related to enhanced expression of the USP22 deubiquitinase induced by c-MYC, leading to reduced SIRT1 ubiquitination and enhanced stability. Inhibition of SIRT1 expression or activity reduced the growth of FLT3-ITD AML LSCs and significantly enhanced TKI-mediated killing of the cells. Therefore, these results identify a c-MYC-related network that enhances SIRT1 protein expression in human FLT3-ITD AML LSCs and contributes to their maintenance. Inhibition of this oncogenic network could be an attractive approach for targeting FLT3-IT...
Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are mitogenic peptides that play important roles in developmen... more Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are mitogenic peptides that play important roles in development, growth and differentiation in vertebrates. Insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) are initially translated as pre-pro-peptides that require further processing, removing the signal peptide and the E-domain peptide, to result in the mature peptide hormones. Multiple forms of pro-IGF-I, displaying developmental regulation and tissue specificity, have been identified in various species from fish to mammals with differences only in the carboxyl-terminal E-domains. However, the biological significance of the diversity of E-domain and its differential expression has been unclear. The primary goal of this thesis is to characterize the biological activities of pro IGF-I E-peptides using a human neuroblastom(SK-N-F1)a cell line (SK-N-F1) as a model system. In this study, we demonstrate that Ea-4-peptide of rainbow trout (rtEa-4) and hEb-peptide of human pro-IGF-I hEb-elicits unique biological activ...
E-peptides of pro-insulin-like growth factor-I (pro-IGF-I) are proteolytically cleaved from the p... more E-peptides of pro-insulin-like growth factor-I (pro-IGF-I) are proteolytically cleaved from the pro-hormone after translation, and have long been regarded as biologically inactive. Tian et al. (1999) recently demonstrated that recombinant rainbow trout pro-IGF-I E-peptides (rtEa-2-, rtEa-3- and rtEa-4-peptide), like hIGF-I, exhibited a dose-dependent mitogenic activity in several non- transformed mammalian cell lines. We showed recently that treatment of established human
The core-binding factor (CBF)-associated leukemia fusion protein CBFbeta-SMMHC impairs myeloid an... more The core-binding factor (CBF)-associated leukemia fusion protein CBFbeta-SMMHC impairs myeloid and lymphoid differentiation. By inhibiting RUNX function, the fusion oncoprotein predisposes specifically to acute myeloid leukemia in both patients and mouse models. We have shown that Cbfbeta-SMMHC expression leads to a sustained reduction of circulating B lymphocytes in the mouse. In this study, we demonstrate that the activation of Cbfbeta-SMMHC
The gene encoding for core-binding factor B (CBFB) is altered in acute myeloid leukemia samples w... more The gene encoding for core-binding factor B (CBFB) is altered in acute myeloid leukemia samples with an inversion in chromosome 16,expressing the fusion protein CBF B-SMMHC. Previous studies have shown that this oncoprotein interferes with hematopoietic differentiation and proliferation and participates in leukemia development. In this study,we provide evidence that CbfB modulates the oncogenic function of this fusion protein. We
Proper immunostimulation ("push") and immune checkpoint blockade ("release") ... more Proper immunostimulation ("push") and immune checkpoint blockade ("release") are both critical for the efficacy of anticancer immunotherapy. We have recently shown that activating Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) while specifically blocking signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in leukemic cells enhances their immunogenicity, allowing for CD8(+) T cell-mediated tumor eradication. These findings underscore the therapeutic potential of such a "Push & Release" strategy against hematological malignancies.
Human pro-IGF-I Eb-peptide (hEb) and rainbow trout pro-IGF-I Ea-4-peptide (rtEa-4) have recently ... more Human pro-IGF-I Eb-peptide (hEb) and rainbow trout pro-IGF-I Ea-4-peptide (rtEa-4) have recently been shown to share unique biological activities [Gen. Comp. Endocrinol. 126 (2002) 342; Cell. Exp. Cell. Res. 280 (2002) 75]. To further understand the action mechanism of these proteins, we studied the binding properties of hEb-peptide and rtEa-4-peptide to intact human neuroblastoma cells (SK-N-F1) and membrane preparations. Human Eb-peptide and rtEa-4-peptide bind to a high-affinity binding site with an apparent dissociation constant of 3.2+/-1.9 x 10(-11) and 2.9+/-1.8 x 10(-11)M, respectively. Homologous displacement assay demonstrated the presence of a second binding site with an IC(50) of 4.8+/-2.6 x 10(-6)M for hEb-peptide and 2.1+/-0.6 x 10(-6)M for rtEa-4-peptide, respectively. Competition assays showed that hEb-peptide and rtEa-4-peptide shared common binding sites, distinct from those for IGF-I and insulin. In addition, chemical cross-linking studies revealed two specific binding complexes. Our findings support the notion that the initial step of pro-IGF-I E-peptide action is mediated through the interaction with conserved and specific putative membrane receptors on neuroblastoma cells.
E-peptides of proinsulin-like growth factor-I (pro-IGF-I) are proteolytically cleaved from the pr... more E-peptides of proinsulin-like growth factor-I (pro-IGF-I) are proteolytically cleaved from the prohormone after translation and have long been regarded as biologically inactive. Tian et al. [Endocrinology 140 (1999) 3387-3390] recently demonstrated that recombinant rainbow trout pro-IGF-I E-peptides (rtEa-2-, rtEa-3-, and rtEa-4-peptides), like hIGF-I, exhibited a dose-dependent mitogenic activity in several nontransformed mammalian cell lines. We show in this report that treatment of established human and fish cancer cells (MCF-7, HT-29, HepG2, ZR-75-1, SK-N-F1, and HC) and retroviral transformed human embryonic kidney cells (293GP) with recombinant rtEa-2- or rtEa-4-, but not rtEa-3-peptide, resulted in a dose-dependent induction of morphological change and enhanced cell attachment. The E-peptide-induced morphological changes are sensitive to treatment with alpha-amanitin or cycloheximide, known inhibitors of RNA and protein synthesis. The in vitro colony formation activity of established human tumor cells (HT-29 and MDA-MB-231) is greatly reduced or diminished by treatment with the rtEa-4-peptide. Both morphological change and reduction of colony formation activity in MDA-MB-231 cells were also observed following transfection with an Ea-4 transgene construct. Furthermore, the invasive activity of HT1080 cells, known invasive cancer cells, is reduced three to fourfold by treatment with the rtEa-4-peptide. These results suggest that E-peptides of rainbow trout pro-IGF-I possess novel biological activities controlling malignant properties of cancer cells in vitro.
The core-binding factor (CBF)-associated leukemia fusion protein CBFbeta-SMMHC impairs myeloid an... more The core-binding factor (CBF)-associated leukemia fusion protein CBFbeta-SMMHC impairs myeloid and lymphoid differentiation. By inhibiting RUNX function, the fusion oncoprotein predisposes specifically to acute myeloid leukemia in both patients and mouse models. We have shown that Cbfbeta-SMMHC expression leads to a sustained reduction of circulating B lymphocytes in the mouse. In this study, we demonstrate that the activation of Cbfbeta-SMMHC reduces pre-pro-B cells approximately 3-fold and pre-B cells more than 10-fold and that this differentiation block is cell-autonomous. The reduction of pre-pro-B cells coincided with an increase in apoptosis in this population. The number of common lymphoid progenitors (CLPs) were not affected; however, the expression of critical early B-cell factors Ebf1, Tcfe2a, and Pax5 was significantly reduced. In addition, Cbfbeta-SMMHC reduced Rag1 and Rag2 expression and impaired V(D)J recombination in the CLPs. Furthermore, CLPs expressing Cbfbeta-SMMHC also show inhibition of B cell-specific genes Cd79a, Igll1, VpreB1, and Blk. These results demonstrate that CBF/RUNX function is essential for the function of CLPs, the survival of pre-pro-B cells, and the establishment of a B lineage-specific transcriptional program. This study also provides a mechanistic basis for the myeloid-lineage bias of CBFbeta-SMMHC-associated leukemia.
The core-binding factor (CBF) is a master regulator of developmental and differentiation programs... more The core-binding factor (CBF) is a master regulator of developmental and differentiation programs, and CBF alterations are frequently associated with acute leukemia. The role of the CBF member RUNX2 in hematopoiesis is poorly understood. Genetic evidence suggests that deregulation of Runx2 may cause myeloid leukemia in mice expressing the fusion oncogene Cbfb-MYH11. In this study, we show that sustained expression of Runx2 modulates Cbfbeta-smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SMMHC)-mediated myeloid leukemia development. Expression of Runx2 is high in the hematopoietic stem cell compartment and decreases during myeloid differentiation. Sustained Runx2 expression hinders myeloid progenitor differentiation capacity and represses expression of CBF targets Csf1R, Mpo, Cebpd, the cell cycle inhibitor Cdkn1a, and myeloid markers Cebpa and Gfi1. In addition, full-length Runx2 cooperates with Cbfbeta-SMMHC in leukemia development in transplantation assays. Furthermore, we show that the nuclear matrix-targeting signal and DNA-binding runt-homology domain of Runx2 are essential for its leukemogenic activity. Conversely, Runx2 haplo-insufficiency delays the onset and reduces the incidence of acute myeloid leukemia. Together, these results indicate that Runx2 is expressed in the stem cell compartment, interferes with differentiation and represses CBF targets in the myeloid compartment, and modulates the leukemogenic function of Cbfbeta-SMMHC in mouse leukemia.
The FLT3-ITD mutation is frequently observed in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and is associated wi... more The FLT3-ITD mutation is frequently observed in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and is associated with poor prognosis. In such patients, FLT3 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are only partially effective and do not eliminate the leukemia stem cells (LSCs) that are assumed to be the source of treatment failure. Here, we show that the NAD-dependent SIRT1 deacetylase is selectively overexpressed in primary human FLT3-ITD AML LSCs. This SIRT1 overexpression is related to enhanced expression of the USP22 deubiquitinase induced by c-MYC, leading to reduced SIRT1 ubiquitination and enhanced stability. Inhibition of SIRT1 expression or activity reduced the growth of FLT3-ITD AML LSCs and significantly enhanced TKI-mediated killing of the cells. Therefore, these results identify a c-MYC-related network that enhances SIRT1 protein expression in human FLT3-ITD AML LSCs and contributes to their maintenance. Inhibition of this oncogenic network could be an attractive approach for targeting FLT3-IT...
Uploads
Papers by Ya-huei Kuo