Maternal characteristics and causes associated with refractory postpartum haemorrhage after vaginal birth: a secondary analysis of the WHO CHAMPION trial data.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the maternal characteristics and causes associated with refractory postpartum haemorrhage (PPH). DESIGN: Secondary analysis of the WHO CHAMPION trial data. SETTING: Twenty-three hospitals in ten countries. POPULATION: Women from the CHAMPION trial who received uterotonics as first-line treatment of PPH. METHODS: We assessed the association between sociodemographic, pregnancy and childbirth factors and refractory PPH, and compared the causes of PPH between women with refractory PPH and women responsive to first-line PPH treatment. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Maternal characteristics; causes of PPH. RESULTS: Women with labour induced or augmented with uterotonics (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.35; 95% CI 1.07-1.72), with episiotomy or tears requiring suturing (aOR 1.82; 95% CI 1.34-2.48) and who had babies with birthweights ≥3500 g (aOR 1.33; 95% CI 1.04-1.69) showed significantly higher odds of refractory PPH compared with the reference categories in the multivariate analysis adjusted by centre and trial arm. While atony was the sole PPH cause in 53.2% (116/218) of the women in the responsive PPH group, it accounted for only 31.5% (45/143) of the causes in the refractory PPH group. Conversely, tears were the sole cause in 12.8% (28/218) and 28% (40/143) of the responsive PPH and refractory PPH groups, respectively. Placental problems were the sole cause in 11 and 5.6% in the responsive and refractory PPH groups, respectively. CONCLUSION: Women with refractory PPH showed a different pattern of maternal characteristics and PPH causes compared with those with first-line treatment responsive PPH. TWEETABLE ABSTRACT: Women with refractory postpartum haemorrhage are different from those with first-line treatment responsive PPH.

Unbiased next generation sequencing analysis confirms the existence of autosomal dominant Alport syndrome in a relevant fraction of cases.

The mode of inheritance of Alport syndrome (ATS) has long been controversial. In 1927, the disease was hypothesized as a dominant condition in which males were more severely affected than females. In 1990, it was considered an X-linked (XL) semidominant condition, due to COL4A5 mutations. Later on, a rare autosomal recessive (AR) form due to COL4A3/COL4A4 mutations was identified. An autosomal dominant (AD) form was testified more recently by the description of some large pedigrees but the real existence of this form is still questioned by many and its exact prevalence is unknown. The introduction of next generation sequencing (NGS) allowed us to perform an unbiased simultaneous COL4A3-COL4A4-COL4A5 analysis in 87 Italian families (273 individuals) with clinical suspicion of ATS. In 48 of them (55%), a mutation in one of the three genes was identified: the inheritance was XL semidominant in 65%, recessive in 4% and most interestingly AD in 31% (15 families). The AD form must therefore be seriously taken into account in all pedigrees with affected individuals in each generation. Furthermore, a high frequency of mutations (>50%) was shown in patients with only 1 or 2 clinical criteria, suggesting NGS as first-level analysis in cases with a clinical suspicion of ATS.

Misoprostol dose and route after mifepristone for early medical abortion: a randomised controlled noninferiority trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare 400 and 800 microg sublingual or vaginal misoprostol 24 hours after 200 mg mifepristone for noninferiority regarding efficacy in achieving complete abortion for pregnancy termination up to 63 days of gestation. DESIGN: Placebo-controlled, randomised, noninferiority factorial trial, stratified by centre and length of gestation. Misoprostol 400 or 800 microg, administered either sublingually or vaginally, with follow up after 2 and 6 weeks. SETTING: Fifteen obstetrics/gynaecology departments in ten countries. POPULATION: Pregnant women (n = 3005) up to 63 days of gestation requesting medical abortion. METHODS: Two-sided 95% CI for differences in failure of complete abortion and continuing pregnancy, with a 3% noninferiority margin, were calculated. Proportions of women with adverse effects were recorded. OUTCOME MEASURES: Complete abortion without surgical intervention (main); continuing live pregnancies, induction-to-abortion interval, adverse effects, women's perceptions (secondary). RESULTS: Efficacy outcomes analysed for 2962 women (98.6%): 90.5% had complete abortion after 400 microg misoprostol, 94.2% after 800 microg. Noninferiority of 400 microg misoprostol was not demonstrated for failure of complete abortion (difference: 3.7%; 95% CI 1.8-5.6%). The 400-microg dose showed higher risk of incomplete abortion (P < 0.01) and continuing pregnancy (P < 0.01) than 800 microg. Vaginal and sublingual routes had similar risks of failure to achieve complete abortion (P = 0.47, difference in sublingual minus vaginal -0.7%, 95% CI -2.6-1.2%). A similar pattern was observed for continuing pregnancies (P = 0.21). Fewer women reported adverse effects with vaginal than sublingual administration and with the 400-microg dose than the 800-microg dose. Of the women, 94% were satisfied or highly satisfied with the regimens, 53% preferred the sublingual route and 47% preferred the vaginal route. CONCLUSIONS: A 400-microg dose of misoprostol should not replace the 800-microg dose when administered 24 hours after 200 mg mifepristone for inducing abortion in pregnancies up to 63 days. Sublingual and vaginal misoprostol have similar efficacy, but vaginal administration is associated with a lower frequency of adverse effects.

p53 regulates myogenesis by triggering the differentiation activity of pRb.

The p53 oncosuppressor protein regulates cell cycle checkpoints and apoptosis, but increasing evidence also indicates its involvement in differentiation and development. We had previously demonstrated that in the presence of differentiation-promoting stimuli, p53-defective myoblasts exit from the cell cycle but do not differentiate into myocytes and myotubes. To identify the pathways through which p53 contributes to skeletal muscle differentiation, we have analyzed the expression of a series of genes regulated during myogenesis in parental and dominant-negative p53 (dnp53)-expressing C2C12 myoblasts. We found that in dnp53-expressing C2C12 cells, as well as in p53(-/-) primary myoblasts, pRb is hypophosphorylated and proliferation stops. However, these cells do not upregulate pRb and have reduced MyoD activity. The transduction of exogenous TP53 or Rb genes in p53-defective myoblasts rescues MyoD activity and differentiation potential. Additionally, in vivo studies on the Rb promoter demonstrate that p53 regulates the Rb gene expression at transcriptional level through a p53-binding site. Therefore, here we show that p53 regulates myoblast differentiation by means of pRb without affecting its cell cycle-related functions.

Two mifepristone doses and two intervals of misoprostol administration for termination of early pregnancy: a randomised factorial controlled equivalence trial.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of 100 mg and 200 mg of mifepristone and 24- and 48-hour intervals to administration of 800 microg vaginal misoprostol for termination of early pregnancy. DESIGN: Placebo-controlled, randomized, equivalence trial, stratified by centre. SETTING: 13 departments of obstetrics and gynecology in nine countries. POPULATION: 2,181 women with 63 days or less gestation requesting medical abortion. METHODS: Two-sided 95% CI for the risk differences of failure to complete abortion were calculated and compared with 5% equivalence margin between two doses of mifepristone and two intervals to misoprostol administration. Proportions of women with adverse effects were compared between the regimens using standard testes for proportions. OUTCOME MEASURES: Rates of complete abortion without surgical intervention and adverse effects associated with the regimens. RESULTS: Efficacy outcome was analysed for 2,126 women (97.5%) excluding 55 lost to follow up. Both mifepristone doses were found to be similar in efficacy. The rate of complete abortion was 92.0% for women assigned 100 mg of mifepristone and 93.2% for women assigned 200 mg of mifepristone (difference 1.2%, 95% CI: -1.0 to 3.5). Equivalence was also evident for the two intervals of administration: the rate of complete abortion was 93.5% for 24-hour interval and 91.7% for the 48-hour interval (difference -1.8%, 95% CI: -4.0 to 0.5). Interaction between doses and interval to misoprostol administration was not significant (P = 0.92). Adverse effects related to treatments did not differ between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Both the 100 and 200 mg doses of mifepristone and the 24- and 48-hour intervals have a similar efficacy to achieve complete abortion in early pregnancy when mifepristone is followed by 800 micrograms of vaginally administered misoprostol.

Interventions for emergency contraception.

BACKGROUND: Emergency contraception is using a drug or copper intrauterine device (Cu-IUD) to prevent pregnancy shortly after unprotected intercourse. Several interventions are available for emergency contraception. Information on the comparative efficacy, safety and convenience of these methods is crucial for reproductive health care providers and the women they serve. OBJECTIVES: To determine which emergency contraceptive method following unprotected intercourse is the most effective, safe and convenient to prevent pregnancy. SEARCH STRATEGY: The search included the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, Popline, MEDLINE, PubMed, Biosis/Embase, Chinese biomedical databases and UNDP/UNFPA/WHO/World Bank Special Programme on Human Reproduction (HRP) emergency contraception database (December 2006). Content experts and pharmaceutical companies were contacted. SELECTION CRITERIA: Randomised controlled trials and controlled clinical trials including women attending services for emergency contraception following a single act of unprotected intercourse were eligible. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Data on outcomes and trial characteristics were extracted in duplicate and independently by two reviewers. Quality assessment was also done by two reviewers independently. Meta-analysis results are expressed as relative risk (RR) using a fixed-effects model with 95% confidence interval (CI). In the presence of statistically significant heterogeneity a random-effect model was applied. MAIN RESULTS: Eighty-one trials with 45,842 women were included. Most trials were conducted in China (70/81). There were more pregnancies with levonorgestrel compared to mid-dose (25-50 mg) (15 trials, RR: 2.01; 95% CI: 1.27 to 3.17) or low-dose mifepristone (<25 mg) (9 trials, RR: 1.43; 95% CI: 1.02 to 2.01). Low-dose mifepristone was less effective than mid-dose (20 trials, RR:0.67; 95% CI: 0.49 to 0.92), but this effect was no longer statistically significant when only high quality trials were considered (6 trials, RR: 0.75; 95% CI: 0.50 to 1.10). Single dose levonorgestrel (1.5 mg) administration seemed to have similar effectiveness as the standard 12 hours apart split-dose (0.75 mg twice) (2 trials, 3830 women; RR: 0.77, 95% CI: 0.45 to 1.30). Levonorgestrel was more effective than the Yuzpe regimen in preventing pregnancy (2 trials, RR: 0.51; 95% CI: 0.31 to 0.83). CDB-2914 (a second-generation progesterone receptor modulator) may be as effective as levonorgestrel (1 trial, 1549 women; RR:1.89; 95% CI: 0.75 to 4.64) but the confidence interval is wide and the result compatible with higher or lower effectiveness. Delay in the onset of subsequent menses was the main unwanted effect of mifepristone and seemed to be dose-related. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: Mifepristone middle dose (25-50 mg) was superior to other hormonal regimens. Mifepristone low dose (<25 mg) could be more effective than levonorgestrel 0.75 mg (two doses) but this was not conclusive. Levonorgestrel proved more effective than the Yuzpe regimen. The copper IUD was another effective emergency contraceptive that can provide ongoing contraception.

Hydronephrosis and crossing vessels in children: Optimization of diagnostic-therapeutic pathway and analysis of color Doppler ultrasound and magnetic resonance urography diagnostic accuracy.

INTRODUCTION: Ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) is one of the most frequent urological diseases affecting the pediatric population. It can be due to both intrinsic stenosis of the junction and extrinsic causes such as the presence of crossing vessels (CVs), which can be detected by color Doppler ultrasound (CD-US). Magnetic resonance urography (MRU) is a good alternative, but sedation and infusion of a contrast agent are required. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the diagnostic accuracy of CD-US and MRU in visualizing CVs in pediatric hydronephrosis, in order to decide the correct diagnostic pathway in the pre-operative phase. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective review was performed of medical records for all patients who underwent surgical treatment for hydronephrosis from August 2006 to February 2016. Ultrasound and scintigraphy had been performed on all patients. Data about CD-US and MRU were collected. A high-level technology ultrasound scanner and a 1.5 T MR scanner were used. The presence of CVs at surgery was considered the gold standard. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values (NPV) were calculated and reported for both of the imaging techniques. RESULTS: A total of 220 clinical charts were reviewed. Seventy-three CVs were identified at surgery (33.2% of UPJO). The median age was statistically higher in the group with CVs compared to the group without CVs (P < 0.001). The sensitivity and NPV of CD-US in detecting CVs were higher than MRU (sensitivity 93.3% vs. 71.7%, NPV 95.7% vs. 77.6%, respectively). DISCUSSION: According to the data, CD-US had higher sensitivity and NPV than MRU, resulting in superior detection of CVs. It is important for a surgeon to know that a child has a CV, especially in older children in which the incidence of extrinsic UPJO is higher. The main limitation of this study was the presence of incomplete data, due to the retrospectivity. CONCLUSIONS: In the pre-operative phase, the CD-US should be considered as the investigation of choice to detect CVs in children with hydronephrosis (Summary Fig). Moreover, CD-US has lower costs than MRU, and sedation with infusion of contrast agent is unnecessary. For the future, it could be useful to lead a prospective comparison between the two imaging techniques.

Allogeneic hemopoietic stem cell transplants for patients with relapsed acute leukemia: long-term outcome.

We assessed the long-term outcome of patients with relapsed acute myeloid (n=86) or acute lymphoid leukemia (n=66), undergoing an allogeneic hemopoietic stem cell transplantation in our unit. The median blast count in the marrow was 30%. Conditioning regimen included total body irradiation (TBI) (10-12 Gy) in 115 patients. The donor was a matched donor (n=132) or a family mismatched donor (n=20). Twenty-two patients (15%) survive disease free, with a median follow-up of 14 years: 18 are off medications. The cumulative incidence of transplant related mortality is 40% and the cumulative incidence of relapse related death (RRD) is 45%. In multivariate analysis of survival, favorable predictors were chronic graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) (P=0.0003), donor other than family mismatched (P=0.02), donor age less than 34 years (P=0.02) and blast count less than 30% (P=0.07). Patients with all four favorable predictors had a 54% survival. In multivariate analysis of relapse, protective variables were the use of TBI (P=0.005) and cGvHD (P=0.01). This study confirms that a fraction of relapsed leukemias is cured with an allogeneic transplant: selection of patients with a blast count <30%, identification of young, human leukocyte antigen-matched donors and the use of total body radiation may significantly improve the outcome.

Transcription of the promoter of the rat NF-1 gene depends on the integrity of an Sp1 recognition site.

The transcription start site and promoter of the rat gene coding for the transcription factor NF-1 have been identified. The NF-1 promoter was fused to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase-coding sequence, and the resulting plasmid was transcriptionally active in the HepG2 cell line. Footprinting and gel retardation analysis indicated that the transcription factor Sp1 binds to the NF-1 promoter. Mutants in the Sp1-binding site displayed a strong reduction in transcriptional activity.

The transcriptional repressor ZEB regulates p73 expression at the crossroad between proliferation and differentiation.

The newly discovered p73 gene encodes a nuclear protein that has high homology with p53. Furthermore, ectopic expression of p73 in p53(+/+) and p53(-/-) cancer cells recapitulates some of the biological activities of p53 such as growth arrest, apoptosis, and differentiation. p73(-/-)-deficient mice exhibit severe defects in proper development of the central nervous system and pheromone sensory pathway. They also suffer from inflammation and infections. Here we studied the transcriptional regulation of p73 at the crossroad between proliferation and differentiation. p73 mRNA is undetectable in proliferating C2C12 cells and is expressed at very low levels in undifferentiated P19 and HL60 cells. Conversely, it is upregulated during muscle and neuronal differentiation as well as in response to tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate-induced monocytic differentiation of HL60 cells. We identified a 1-kb regulatory fragment located within the first intron of p73, which is positioned immediately upstream to the ATG codon of the second exon. This fragment exerts silencer activity on p73 as well as on heterologous promoters. The p73 intronic fragment contains six consensus binding sites for transcriptional repressor ZEB, which binds these sites in vitro and in vivo. Ectopic expression of dominant-negative ZEB (ZEB-DB) restores p73 expression in proliferating C2C12 and P19 cells. Thus, transcriptional repression of p73 expression by ZEB binding may contribute to the modulation of p73 expression during differentiation.

Induction of hTERT expression and telomerase activity by estrogens in human ovary epithelium cells.

In mammals, molecular mechanisms and factors involved in the tight regulation of telomerase expression and activity are still largely undefined. In this study, we provide evidence for a role of estrogens and their receptors in the transcriptional regulation of hTERT, the catalytic subunit of human telomerase and, consequently, in the activation of the enzyme. Through a computer analysis of the hTERT 5'-flanking sequences, we identified a putative estrogen response element (ERE) which was capable of binding in vitro human estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha). In vivo DNA footprinting revealed specific modifications of the ERE region in ERalpha-positive but not ERalpha-negative cells upon treatment with 17beta-estradiol (E2), indicative of estrogen-dependent chromatin remodelling. In the presence of E2, transient expression of ERalpha but not ERbeta remarkably increased hTERT promoter activity, and mutation of the ERE significantly reduced this effect. No telomerase activity was detected in human ovary epithelial cells grown in the absence of E2, but the addition of the hormone induced the enzyme within 3 h of treatment. The expression of hTERT mRNA and protein was induced in parallel with enzymatic activity. This prompt estrogen modulation of telomerase activity substantiates estrogen-dependent transcriptional regulation of the hTERT gene. The identification of hTERT as a target of estrogens represents a novel finding which advances the understanding of telomerase regulation in hormone-dependent cells and has implications for a potential role of hormones in their senescence and malignant conversion.

Progenitor cells trapped in marrow filters can reduce GvHD and transplant mortality.

A bone marrow harvest is filtered either in the operating room, in the laboratory or during infusion to the patient. Filters are usually discarded. Little is known of haemopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) trapped in the filters. The aim of the study was to evaluate HPC content in the filters and to assess the outcome of transplants with filter-discarded or filter-recovered cells. Haemopoietic progenitors were grown from filters of 19 marrow transplants. We then compared the outcome of 39 filter-recovered transplants from HLA-identical siblings (years 2001-2004) with a matched cohort of 43 filter-discarded marrow grafts (years 1997-2000). Filters contained on average 21% long-term culture-initiating cells (LTC-IC) and 15% fibroblasts colony-forming units (CFU-F) of the total progenitor cell content. Filter-discarded transplants had significantly more grade II-IV graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) (42 vs 15%, P=0.008) as compared to filter-recovered transplants, and more transplant-related mortality (TRM) (20 vs 3%, P=0.04). The actuarial survival at 5 years is 69 vs 87%, respectively (P=0.15). This study suggests that a significant proportion of LTC-IC is lost in the filters together with CFU-F. Recovery and add back of progenitors trapped in the filters may reduce GvHD and TRM.

Ligand-induced phosphorylation of a murine tumor surface protein (TSP-180) associated with metastatic phenotype.

A tumor surface protein (TSP-180) has been identified on murine lung carcinomas using two monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) (135-13C and 346-11A). Quantitative analysis of TSP-180 on 3LL variants maintained either in vitro or in vivo indicates that TSP-180 is highly expressed in highly malignant metastatic cells. In reducing conditions, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis banding patterns of TSP-180 obtained with MoAb 135-13C from cell lysates of 3LL metastatic cells show three proteins migrating to Mr 204,000, 134,000, and 116,000. In the same experimental conditions MoAb 135-13C precipitates from low metastasizing ones only one band, corresponding to the lower molecular weight (Mr 116,000). All bands of TSP-180 observed in 3LL variants are labeled by lactoperoxidase-catalyzed radioiodination of viable cells, incorporate 32PO4, and contain carbohydrates, as judged by binding to wheat germ agglutinin. These results indicate that all proteins have external exposure on the cell surface and that at least some of TSP-180 proteins could be differentially regulated in different tumor cells (highly metastatic versus low metastatic). Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis banding patterns and immunoblots obtained from cell lysates of 3LL variants by using a monoclonal antibody to phosphotyrosine (IG-2) indicate that this MoAb recognizes proteins migrating with molecular weights identical to those reported for TSP-180. Moreover, the immunoblots of solubilized immunocomplex, obtained from cell lysates of 3LL variants by using MoAb 135-13C, demonstrate that MoAb IG-2 specifically reacts with TSP-180 proteins. Experiments undertaken in order to assess if some or all of TSP-180 proteins have tyrosine kinase activity demonstrate that MoAb 135-13C binding to the cell surface induces specific phosphorylation of the Mr 204,000 protein of TSP-180. Phosphoaminoacid analysis of the ligand-induced phosphorylated protein (pp204) demonstrates that this protein is phosphorylated at serine and tyrosine. Results reported lead us to hypothesize that TSP-180 is involved in growth-regulation mechanisms and that its high expression on cells with more malignant phenotype could be responsible for a proliferative advantage of such tumor clones.

HMGI(Y) and HMGI-C genes are expressed in neuroblastoma cell lines and tumors and affect retinoic acid responsiveness.

HMGI-C and HMGI(Y) are architectural DNA-binding proteins that participate in the conformational regulation of active chromatin. Their pattern of expression in embryonal and adult tissues, the analysis of the "pygmy" phenotype induced by the inactivation of the HMGI-C gene, and their frequent qualitative or quantitative alteration in experimental and human tumors indicate their pivotal role in the control of cell growth, differentiation, and tumorigenesis in several tissues representative of the epithelial, mesenchymal, and hematopoietic lineages. In contrast, very little information is available on their expression and function in neural cells. Here, we investigated the expression of the HMGI(Y) and HMGI-C genes in neuroblastoma (NB), a tumor arising from an alteration of the normal differentiation of neural crest-derived cells and in embryonal and adult adrenal tissue. Although HMGI(Y) is constitutively expressed in the embryonal and adult adrenal gland and in all of the NB cell lines and ex vivo tumors examined, its regulation appears to be associated to growth inhibition and differentiation because we observed that HMGI(Y) expression is reduced by retinoic acid (RA) in several NB cell lines that are induced to differentiate into postmitotic neurons, whereas it is up-regulated by RA in cells that fail to differentiate. Furthermore, the decrease of HMGI(Y) expression observed in RA-induced growth arrest and differentiation is abrogated in cells that have been made insensitive to this drug by NMYC overexpression. In contrast, HMGI-C expression is down-regulated during the development of the adrenal gland, completely absent in the adult individual, and only detectable in a subset of ex vivo NB tumors and in RA-resistant NB cell lines. We provide evidence of a causal link between HMGI-C expression and resistance to the growth arrest induced by RA in NB cell lines because exogenous HMGI-C expression in HMGI-C-negative and RA-sensitive cells is sufficient to convert them into RA-resistant cells. Therefore, we suggest that HMGI-C and HMGI(Y) may participate in growth- and differentiation-related tumor progression events of neuroectodermal derivatives.

Mutant p53 inhibits miRNA biogenesis by interfering with the microprocessor complex.

Downregulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) is commonly observed in cancers and promotes tumorigenesis suggesting that miRNAs may function as tumor suppressors. However, the mechanism through which miRNAs are regulated in cancer, and the connection between oncogenes and miRNA biogenesis remain poorly understood. The TP53 tumor-suppressor gene is mutated in half of human cancers resulting in an oncogene with gain-of-function activities. Here we demonstrate that mutant p53 (mutp53) oncoproteins modulate the biogenesis of a subset of miRNAs in cancer cells inhibiting their post-transcriptional maturation. Interestingly, among these miRNAs several are also downregulated in human tumors. By confocal, co-immunoprecipitation and RNA-chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments, we show that endogenous mutp53 binds and sequesters RNA helicases p72/82 from the microprocessor complex, interfering with Drosha-pri-miRNAs association. In agreement with this, the overexpression of p72 leads to an increase of mature miRNAs levels. Moreover, functional experiments demonstrate the oncosuppressive role of mutp53-dependent miRNAs (miR-517a, -519a, -218, -105). Our study highlights a previously undescribed mechanism by which mutp53 interferes with Drosha-p72/82 association leading, at least in part, to miRNA deregulation observed in cancer.

The inhibition of cyclin B1 gene transcription in quiescent NIH3T3 cells is mediated by an E-box.

Cyclin Bl plays an important role in cell proliferation. Its expression is tightly regulated at the mRNA and protein levels during the cell cycle and is found to be deregulated in various malignancies. To enlighten the signalling pathways which lead to the cell cycle dependent expression of the cyclin B1 gene, we studied its transcriptional regulation in quiescent and proliferating NIH3T3 cells. We previously showed that the transcriptional activity of the cyclin B1 promoter decreases in quiescent cells. Here, we map a quiescence-responsive element of the human cyclin B1 promoter to an E-box sequence, CACGTG, which spans positions -124/-119. Nuclear proteins protect this sequence in a DNase I digestion assay and bind, in electromobility shift assays, an oligonucleotide spanning positions -133/-110. Max-specific antibodies block the DNA-binding activity of protein complexes to this probe. A mutation in the E-box core sequence abolishes the decrease in transcription that occurs during quiescence. Finally, we find that over-expression of Max protein in proliferating cells specifically inhibits cyclin B1 promoter activity through this E-box. Moreover, Max over-expression in proliferating NIH3T3 cells leads to down-regulation of the endogenous cyclin B1 protein. In conclusion, these data support a model whereby E-box-binding proteins mediate the decrease in the transcriptional activity of the cyclin B1 promoter observed in quiescent cells and suggest that Max contributes to this response.

The cyclin B2 promoter depends on NF-Y, a trimer whose CCAAT-binding activity is cell-cycle regulated.

Cyclin B2 is a regulator of p34cdc2 kinase, involved in G2/M progression of the cell cycle, whose gene is strictly regulated at the transcriptional level in cycling cells. The mouse promoter was cloned and three conserved CCAAT boxes were found. In this study, we analysed the mechanisms leading to activation of the cyclin B2 CCAAT boxes: a combination of (i) genomic footprinting, (ii) transfections with single, double and triple mutants, (iii) EMSAs with nuclear extracts, antibodies and NF-Y recombinant proteins and (iv) transfections with an NF-YA dominant negative mutant established the positive role of the three CCAAT sequences and proved that NF-Y plays a crucial role in their activation. NF-Y, an ubiquitous trimer containing histone fold subunits, activates several other promoters regulated during the cell cycle. To analyse the levels of NF-Y subunits in the different phases of the cycle, we separated MEL cells by elutriation, obtaining fractions >80% pure. The mRNA and protein levels of the histone-fold containing NF-YB and NF-YC were invariant, whereas the NF-YA protein, but not its mRNA, was maximal in mid-S and decreased in G2/M. EMSA confirmed that the CCAAT-binding activity followed the amount of NF-YA, indicating that this subunit is limiting within the NF-Y complex, and suggesting that post-transcriptional mechanisms regulate NF-YA levels. Our results support a model whereby fine tuning of this activator is important for phase-specific transcription of CCAAT-containing promoters.

Down-regulation of cyclin B1 gene transcription in terminally differentiated skeletal muscle cells is associated with loss of functional CCAAT-binding NF-Y complex.

The observation that cyclin B1 protein and mRNAs are down-regulated in terminally differentiated (TD) C2C12 cells, suggested us to investigate the transcriptional regulation of the cyclin B1 gene in these cells. Transfections of cyclin B1 promoter constructs indicate that two CCAAT boxes support cyclin B1 promoter activity in proliferating cells. EMSAs demonstrate that both CCAAT boxes are recognized by the trimeric NF-Y complex in proliferating but not in TD cells. Transfecting a dominant-negative mutant of NF-YA we provide evidence that NF-Y is required for maximal promoter activity. Addition of recombinant NF-YA to TD C2C12 nuclear extracts restores binding activity in vitro, thus indicating that the loss of NF-YA in TD cells is responsible for the lack of the NF-Y binding to the CCAAT boxes. Consistent with this, we found that the NF-YA protein is absent in TD C2C12 cells. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that NF-Y is required for cyclin B1 promoter activity. We also demonstrate that cyclin B1 expression is regulated at the transcriptional level in TD C2C12 cells and that the switch-off of cyclin B1 promoter activity in differentiated cells depends upon the loss of a functional NF-Y complex. In particular the loss of NF-YA protein is most likely responsible for its inactivation.

Quantitative competitive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction for BCR-ABL on Philadelphia-negative leukaphereses allows the selection of low-contaminated peripheral blood progenitor cells for autografting in chronic myelogenous leukemia.

The Philadelphia (Ph) translocation t(9;22) results in the creation of the BCR-ABL gene, which is now regarded as central to the mechanism that underlies the chronic phase of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). From a clinical point of view, BCR-ABL mRNA detection has become the basis for the study of minimal residual disease in CML, particularly when a complete cytogenetic remission is achieved after interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) therapy or allogeneic stem cell transplantation. We have recently demonstrated that it is possible to mobilize normal peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPC) in higher rates if this procedure is performed during the early chronic phase. In an attempt to monitor the leukemic cell content of PBPC collections, we used quantitative-competitive RT-PCR (QC-RT-PCR). Thirty consecutive Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome positive patients were enrolled in this study. After chemotherapy and G-CSF, 14 patients achieved 100% Ph-negative metaphases, nine patients had < or =34% and seven patients >34% leukemic metaphases. A total of 116 collection samples were studied. For each sample, BCR-ABL transcript numbers and BCR-ABL/ABL ratio were evaluated. A highly significant correlation between Ph-positive metaphases and BCR-ABL transcript numbers (r = 0.84, P < 0.0001) or BCR-ABL/ABL ratio (r = 0.86, P < 0.0001) was found. For patients that underwent the procedure in early chronic phase, Ph-negative collections showed different levels of BCR-ABL expression. BCR-ABL transcript numbers varied from a median of 100/microg RNA in the first and second leukaphereses, to 500/microg RNA in the third and fourth leukaphereses, and 1500/microg RNA in the fifth leukapheresis (P = 0.002). BCR-ABL/ABL ratio values showed similar kinetics. We have also demonstrated that there is a correlation between low values in BCR-ABL/ABL ratio (< or =0.01) in the reinfused PBPC and the achievement of cytogenetic remission after autografting (chi2 test, P = 0.01). In conclusion, this study demonstrates that QC-RT-PCR for BCR-ABL is a reliable and helpful method for monitoring residual leukemic load in mobilized PBPC, particularly in Ph-negative collections. Moreover, QC-RT-PCR allows selection of the best available collections for reinfusion into patients after myeloablative therapy.