Genetic variation in radiation-induced cell death.

Radiation exposure through environmental, medical, and occupational settings is increasingly common. While radiation has harmful effects, it has utility in many applications such as radiotherapy for cancer. To increase the efficacy of radiation treatment and minimize its risks, a better understanding of the individual differences in radiosensitivity and the molecular basis of radiation response is needed. Here, we integrated human genetic and functional genomic approaches to study the response of human cells to radiation. We measured radiation-induced changes in gene expression and cell death in B cells from normal individuals. We found extensive individual variation in gene expression and cellular responses. To understand the genetic basis of this variation, we mapped the DNA sequence variants that influence expression response to radiation. We also identified radiation-responsive genes that regulate cell death; silencing of these genes by small interfering RNA led to an increase in radiation-induced cell death in human B cells, colorectal and prostate cancer cells. Together these results uncovered DNA variants that contribute to radiosensitivity and identified genes that can be targeted to increase the sensitivity of tumors to radiation.

Malignant transformation of CD4+ T lymphocytes mediated by oncogenic kinase NPM/ALK recapitulates IL-2-induced cell signaling and gene expression reprogramming.

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), physiologically expressed only by nervous system cells, displays a remarkable capacity to transform CD4(+) T lymphocytes and other types of nonneural cells. In this study, we report that activity of nucleophosmin (NPM)/ALK chimeric protein, the dominant form of ALK expressed in T cell lymphomas (TCLs), closely resembles cell activation induced by IL-2, the key cytokine supporting growth and survival of normal CD4(+) T lymphocytes. Direct comparison of gene expression by ALK(+) TCL cells treated with an ALK inhibitor and IL-2-dependent ALK(-) TCL cells stimulated with the cytokine revealed a very similar, albeit inverse, gene-regulation pattern. Depending on the analysis method, up to 67% of the affected genes were modulated in common by NPM/ALK and IL-2. Based on the gene expression patterns, Jak/STAT- and IL-2-signaling pathways topped the list of pathways identified as affected by both IL-2 and NPM/ALK. The expression dependence on NPM/ALK and IL-2 of the five selected genes-CD25 (IL-2Rα), Egr-1, Fosl-1, SOCS3, and Irf-4-was confirmed at the protein level. In both ALK(+) TCL and IL-2-stimulated ALK(-) TCL cells, CD25, SOCS3, and Irf-4 genes were activated predominantly by the STAT5 and STAT3 transcription factors, whereas transcription of Egr-1 and Fosl-1 was induced by the MEK-ERK pathway. Finally, we found that Egr-1, a protein not associated previously with either IL-2 or ALK, contributes to the cell proliferation. These findings indicate that NPM/ALK transforms the target CD4(+) T lymphocytes, at least in part, by using the pre-existing, IL-2-dependent signaling pathways.

[Primary testical lymphoma]. / Pierwotny chloniak jadra.

In our report we present a rare case of primary non Hopdgkin lymphoma of the testis in 70-years-old man, who was diagnosed and treated from syderopenic anemia. Here we demonstrate difficulties with differential diagnosis mentioned tumor.

Differential effects of interleukin-2 and interleukin-15 versus interleukin-21 on CD4+ cutaneous T-cell lymphoma cells.

In this study, we compared the effects of interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-15, and IL-21 on gene expression, activation of cell signaling pathways, and functional properties of cells derived from CD4+ cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL). Whereas both IL-2 and IL-15 modulated, in a CTCL cell line, the expression of >1,000 gene transcripts by at least 2-fold, IL-21 up-regulated <40 genes. All three cytokines induced tyrosine phosphorylation of Jak1 and Jak3 in CTCL cell lines and native leukemic (Sezary) cells. However, only IL-2 and IL-15 strongly activated signal transducers and activators of transcription 5, phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt, and mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) kinase/ERK signaling pathways in the cell lines and mitogen-primed native cells. In contrast, IL-21 selectively activated signal transducers and activators of transcription 3. Whereas all three cytokines protected CTCL cells from apoptosis, only IL-2 and IL-15 promoted their proliferation. The effects of the cytokine stimulation were Jak3 kinase- and Jak1 kinase- dependent. These findings document the vastly different effect of IL-2 and IL-15 versus IL-21 on CTCL cells. They also suggest two novel therapeutic approaches to CTCL and, possibly, other CD4+ T-cell lymphomas: inhibition of the Jak1/Jak3 kinase complex and, given the known strong immunostimulatory properties of IL-21 on CD8+ T, natural killer, and B cells, application of this cytokine to boost an immune response against malignant CD4+ T cells.