Serpin B1 defect and increased apoptosis of neutrophils in Cohen syndrome neutropenia.

Cohen syndrome (CS) is a rare genetic disorder due to mutations in VPS13B gene. Among various clinical and biological features, CS patients suffer from inconsistent neutropenia, which is associated with recurrent but minor infections. We demonstrate here that this neutropenia results from an exaggerate rate of neutrophil apoptosis.

Serum Gp96 is a chaperone of complement-C3 during graft-versus-host disease.

Better identification of severe acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) may improve the outcome of this life-threatening complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. GvHD induces tissue damage and the release of damage-associated molecular pattern (DAMP) molecules. Here, we analyzed GvHD patients ( = 39) to show that serum heat shock protein glycoprotein 96 (Gp96) could be such a DAMP molecule.

Transfer of functional microRNAs between glioblastoma and microvascular endothelial cells through gap junctions.

Extensive invasion and angiogenesis are hallmark features of malignant glioblastomas. Here, we co-cultured U87 human glioblastoma cells and human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC) to demonstrate the exchange of microRNAs that initially involve the formation of gap junction communications between the two cell types. The functional inhibition of gap junctions by carbenoxolone blocks the transfer of the anti-tumor miR-145-5p from HMEC to U87, and the transfer of the pro-invasive miR-5096 from U87 to HMEC.

Extracellular HSP110 skews macrophage polarization in colorectal cancer.

HSP110 is induced by different stresses and, through its anti-apoptotic and chaperoning properties, helps the cells to survive these adverse situations. In colon cancers, HSP110 is abnormally abundant. We have recently showed that colorectal cancer (CRC) patients with microsatellite instability (MSI) had an improved response to chemotherapy because they harbor an HSP110 inactivating mutation (HSP110DE9).

CD45 phosphatase is crucial for human and murine acute myeloid leukemia maintenance through its localization in lipid rafts.

CD45 is a pan-leukocyte protein with tyrosine phosphatase activity involved in the regulation of signal transduction in hematopoiesis. Exploiting CD45 KO mice and lentiviral shRNA, we prove the crucial role that CD45 plays in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) development and maintenance. We discovered that CD45 does not colocalize with lipid rafts on murine and human non-transformed hematopoietic cells.

Trim33/Tif1γ is involved in late stages of granulomonopoiesis in mice.

Trim33/Tif1γ (Trim33) is a member of the tripartite motif family. Using a conditional hematopoietic-specific Trim33 knock-out (Trim33(Δ/Δ)) mouse, we showed previously that Trim33 deficiency in hematopoietic stem cells leads to severe defects in hematopoiesis, resembling the main features of human chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. We also demonstrated that Trim33 is involved in hematopoietic aging through TGFβ signaling.

Gap junction-mediated transfer of miR-145-5p from microvascular endothelial cells to colon cancer cells inhibits angiogenesis.

Gap junctional communication between cancer cells and blood capillary cells is crucial to tumor growth and invasion. Gap junctions may transfer microRNAs (miRs) among cells. Here, we explore the impact of such a transfer in co-culture assays, using the antitumor miR-145 as an example.

Restoring Anticancer Immune Response by Targeting Tumor-Derived Exosomes With a HSP70 Peptide Aptamer.

Background: Exosomes, via heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) expressed in their membrane, are able to interact with the toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) on myeloid-derived suppressive cells (MDSCs), thereby activating them.

Methods: We analyzed exosomes from mouse (C57Bl/6) and breast, lung, and ovarian cancer patient samples and cultured cancer cells with different approaches, including nanoparticle tracking analysis, biolayer interferometry, FACS, and electron microscopy. Data were analyzed with the Student's t and Mann-Whitney tests.

Plasma phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) modulates adaptive immune functions through alternation of T helper cell polarization.

Objective: Plasma phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) is a key determinant of lipoprotein metabolism, and both animal and human studies converge to indicate that PLTP promotes atherogenesis and its thromboembolic complications. Moreover, it has recently been reported that PLTP modulates inflammation and immune responses. Although earlier studies from our group demonstrated that PLTP can modify macrophage activation, the implication of PLTP in the modulation of T-cell-mediated immune responses has never been investigated and was therefore addressed in the present study.

Tif1γ regulates the TGF-β1 receptor and promotes physiological aging of hematopoietic stem cells.

The hematopoietic system declines with age. Myeloid-biased differentiation and increased incidence of myeloid malignancies feature aging of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs), but the mechanisms involved remain uncertain. Here, we report that 4-mo-old mice deleted for transcription intermediary factor 1γ (Tif1γ) in HSCs developed an accelerated aging phenotype.

Inhibition of HSP27 blocks fibrosis development and EMT features by promoting Snail degradation.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a devastating disease characterized by myofibroblast proliferation. Transition of epithelial/mesothelial cells into myofibroblasts [epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT)] occurs under the influence of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, with Snail being a major transcription factor. We study here the role of the heat-shock protein HSP27 in fibrogenesis and EMT.

Wip1 promotes RUNX2-dependent apoptosis in p53-negative tumors and protects normal tissues during treatment with anticancer agents.

The inactivation of the p53 tumor suppressor pathway in many cancers often increases their resistance to anticancer therapy. Here we show that a previously proposed strategy directed to Wip1 inhibition could be ineffective in tumors lacking p53. On the contrary, Wip1 overexpression sensitized these tumors to chemotherapeutic agents.

Cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein-1 (cIAP1) can regulate E2F1 transcription factor-mediated control of cyclin transcription.

The inhibitor of apoptosis protein cIAP1 (cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein-1) is a potent regulator of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor family and NF-κB signaling pathways in the cytoplasm. However, in some primary cells and tumor cell lines, cIAP1 is expressed in the nucleus, and its nuclear function remains poorly understood. Here, we show that the N-terminal part of cIAP1 directly interacts with the DNA binding domain of the E2F1 transcription factor.

Transcription intermediary factor 1γ is a tumor suppressor in mouse and human chronic myelomonocytic leukemia.

Transcription intermediary factor 1γ (TIF1γ) was suggested to play a role in erythropoiesis. However, how TIF1γ regulates the development of different blood cell lineages and whether TIF1γ is involved in human hematological malignancies remain to be determined. Here we have shown that TIF1γ was a tumor suppressor in mouse and human chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML).

Peptides and aptamers targeting HSP70: a novel approach for anticancer chemotherapy.

The inhibition of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) is an emerging strategy in cancer therapy. Unfortunately, no specific inhibitors are clinically available. By yeast two-hybrid screening, we have identified multiple peptide aptamers that bind HSP70.

Transactivation of the epidermal growth factor receptor by heat shock protein 90 via Toll-like receptor 4 contributes to the migration of glioblastoma cells.

Extracellular heat shock protein HSP90α was reported to participate in tumor cell growth, invasion, and metastasis formation through poorly understood signaling pathways. Herein, we show that extracellular HSP90α favors cell migration of glioblastoma U87 cells. More specifically, externally applied HSP90α rapidly induced endocytosis of EGFR.

Innate immune response triggered by triacyl lipid A is dependent on phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) gene expression.

Hexaacyl lipopolysaccharide (LPS) aggregates in aqueous media, but its partially deacylated lipid A moiety forms monomers with weaker toxicity. Because plasma phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) transfers hexaacyl LPS, its impact on metabolism and biological activity of triacyl lipid A in mice was addressed. Triacyl lipid A bound readily to plasma high-density lipoproteins (HDLs) when active PLTP was expressed [HDL-associated lipid A after 4.

HSP27 controls GATA-1 protein level during erythroid cell differentiation.

Heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) is a chaperone whose cellular expression increases in response to various stresses and protects the cell either by inhibiting apoptotic cell death or by promoting the ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of specific proteins. Here, we show that globin transcription factor 1 (GATA-1) is a client protein of HSP27. In 2 models of erythroid differentiation; that is, in the human erythroleukemia cell line, K562 induced to differentiate into erythroid cells on hemin exposure and CD34(+) human cells ex vivo driven to erythroid differentiation in liquid culture, depletion of HSP27 provokes an accumulation of GATA-1 and impairs terminal maturation.

MOZ/TIF2-induced acute myeloid leukaemia in transgenic fish.

The inv(8)(p11q13) chromosomal abnormality, described in acute myeloid leukaemias (AML), fuses the histone acetyl-transferase (HAT) MYST3 (MOZ) gene with another HAT gene, NCOA2 (TIF2). We generated a transgenic zebrafish in which the MYST3/NCOA2 fusion gene was expressed under control of the spi1 promoter. An AML developed in 2 of 180 MYST3/NCOA2-EGFP-expressing embryos, 14 and 26 months after injection of the fusion gene in a one-cell embryo, respectively.

Alpha-tocopherol modulates phosphatidylserine externalization in erythrocytes: relevance in phospholipid transfer protein-deficient mice.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of alpha-tocopherol, the main vitamin E isomer on phosphatidylserine (PS) exposure at the surface of circulating erythrocytes, and to determine consequences on erythrocyte properties.

Methods And Results: In vitro alpha-tocopherol enrichment of isolated erythrocytes significantly decreased PS externalization as assessed by lower Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate labeling. Plasma phospholipid transfer protein (PLTP) transfers vitamin E, and both alpha- and gamma-tocopherol accumulated in circulating erythrocytes from PLTP-deficient homozygous (PLTP-/-) mice as compared with wild-type mice.

HSP27 favors ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of p27Kip1 and helps S-phase re-entry in stressed cells.

Stress-inducible HSP27 protects cells from death through various mechanisms. We have recently demonstrated that HSP27 can also enhance the degradation of some proteins through the proteasomal pathway. Here, we show that one of these proteins is the cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitor p27Kip1.

Heat shock protein 70 neutralization exerts potent antitumor effects in animal models of colon cancer and melanoma.

When overexpressed, the stress protein heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) increases the oncogenic potential of cancer cells in rodent models. HSP70 also prevents apoptosis, thereby increasing the survival of cells exposed to a wide range of otherwise lethal stimuli. These protective functions of HSP70 involve its interaction with and neutralization of the adaptor molecule apoptotic protease activation factor-1, implicated in caspase activation, and the flavoprotein apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), involved in caspase-independent cell death.

Analysis of CD36 expression on human monocytic cells and atherosclerotic tissue sections with quantum dots: investigation by flow cytometry and spectral imaging microscopy.

Objective: To demonstrate CD36 expression with quantum dots (QDs) 525 and/or 605 on human monocytic U937 cells and atherosclerotic tissue sections by means of flow cytometry (FCM) and/or confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM).

Study Design: U937 cells and tissue sections were analyzed by means of FCM and/or CLSM. FCM was performed, using different ultraviolet (UV) and visible (488/532 nm) excitation modes.

Small heat shock proteins HSP27 and alphaB-crystallin: cytoprotective and oncogenic functions.

Heat shock protein-27 (HSP27) and alphaB-crystallin are ubiquitous small heat shock proteins whose expression is induced in response to a wide variety of physiological and environmental insults. They allow the cells to survive in otherwise lethal conditions. Various mechanisms have been proposed to account for the cytoprotective functions of these small heat shock proteins.