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Biomedical subjects

A Migliazza

Publications and source records attributed to A Migliazza.

24 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Heterogeneous chromosomal aberrations generate 3' truncations of the NFKB2/lyt-10 gene in lymphoid malignancies.

The NFKB2(lyt-10) gene codes for a protein that is a member of the NK-kappa B/rel family of transcription factors containing a DNA-binding rel domain and a carboxy-terminal ankyrin-like domain. The NFKB2 gene represents a candidate proto-oncogene, since it has been found to be involved in a chromosomal translocation t(10;14)(q24;q32) in one case of B-cell lymphoma and in gene rearrangements in various types of lymphoid malignancies. To elucidate the structural and functional consequences of NFKB2 rearrangements, we report the molecular characterization of three novel rearranged NFKB2 genes in lymphoid tumors. In one case of multiple myeloma (MM), cloning and sequencing analysis of reciprocal breakpoint sites showed that they occurred within intron 15 of the NFKB2 gene and led to the complete deletion of the 3' portion of the gene coding for the ankyrin domain. Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis showed that the novel regions involved in the NFKB2 rearrangement originated from chromosome 7q34, thus implying the occurrence of a t(7;10)(q34;q24) reciprocal chromosomal translocation. In one case of T-cell cutaneous lymphoma (CTCL) and in one of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL), NFKB2 rearrangements occurred, respectively, within exons 18 and 20 of the gene and involved recombinations with distinct regions of chromosome 10q24. Molecular analysis suggested that these rearrangements may occur as a consequence of small internal chromosomal deletions. In both of these cases, the rearrangements led to specific carboxy-terminal truncations of NFKB2 generating abnormal transcripts that coded for proteins lacking portions of the ankyrin domain. These proteins localize in the nucleus, suggesting their constitutive activation in vivo. Overall, our results indicate that NFKB2 rearrangements in lymphoid neoplasia may occur by heterogeneous mechanisms, including internal chromosomal deletion or chromosomal translocation. The common consequence of these rearrangements appears to be the deletion of 3' sequences of NFKB2 leading to the production of carboxy-truncated constitutively nuclear proteins that may be involved in tumorigenesis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

BCL-6 and the molecular pathogenesis of B-cell lymphoma.

The results presented identify the first genetic lesion associated with DLCL, the most clinically relevant form of NHL. Although no proof yet exists of a role for these lesions in DLCL pathogenesis, the feature of the BCL-6 gene product, its specific pattern of expression in B cells, and the clustering of lesions disrupting its regulatory domain strongly suggest that deregulation of BCL-6 expression may contribute to DLCL development. A more precise definition of the role of BCL-6 in normal and neoplastic B-cell development is the goal of ongoing study of transgenic mice engineered either to express BCL-6 under heterologous promoters or lacking BCL-6 function due to targeted deletions. In addition to contributing to the understanding of DLCL pathogenesis, the identification of BCL-6 lesions may have relevant clinical implications. DLCL represent a heterogeneous group of neoplasms which are treated homogeneously despite the fact that only 50% of patients experience long-term disease-free survival (Schneider et al. 1990). The fact that BCL-6 rearrangements identify biologically and clinically distinct subsets of DLCL suggests that these lesions may be useful as markers in selection of differential therapeutic strategies based on different risk groups. Furthermore, the BCL-6 rearrangements can be used to identify and monitor the malignant clone with sensitive PCR-based techniques. Since clinical remission has been observed in a significant fraction of DLCL cases, these markers may serve as critical tools for sensitive monitoring of minimal residual disease and early diagnosis of relapse (Gribben et al. 1993).

Animals↗

Structural alterations of the NF-kappa B transcription factor lyt-10 in lymphoid malignancies.

We have previously reported the identification of a novel putative proto-oncogene involved in the breakpoint of a t(10;14)(q24;q32) chromosomal translocation in a case of B-cell lymphoma. This gene, called lyt-10 (NFKB2/p52), is a member of the NF-kappa B family of transcription factors and displays a high degree of homology with the NFKB1/p50. Here we describe the genomic organization of the lyt-10 gene based on the restriction analysis of genomic phage clones and the sequence determination of exon-intron boundaries. The lyt-10 gene spans a genomic region of about 8 kb on 10q24, and contains 24 exons, ranging in size between 41 and 258 base pairs. To improve the understanding of the role of lyt-10 in lymphomagenesis, we performed Southern blot analysis to detect alterations of the lyt-10 gene in a large panel of cases representative of different types of lymphoid malignancies. We found rearrangements in 5 of 228 (approximately 2%) cases analysed: two cases of B-cell lymphoma, one case of multiple myeloma and two cases of T-cell lymphoma. The use of various probes specific for different regions of the lyt-10 locus revealed that rearrangements in positive cases lead to the partial or total deletion of the carboxy-terminal region containing the ankyrin domain. Taken together, our results indicate that lyt-10 gene rearrangements represent a recurrent lesion that may be involved in the pathogenesis of both B- and T-cell malignancies, and suggest that truncation of the ankyrin domain may be a common mechanism of lesion leading to abnormal lyt-10 activation in lymphoid neoplasia.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Efficient selection of phleomycin-resistant Saccharomyces cerevisiae transformants.

The recently described dominant yeast marker Tn5ble confers phleomycin resistance on the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Gatignol, Baron and Tiraby, 1987. Mol. Gen. Genet. 207, 342-348). Incubation in non-selective medium prior to selection is critical, however, for getting phleomycin-resistant transformants. A 6-h incubation period was found to give optimal transformation frequencies, up to 10(5) transformants/micrograms plasmid, comparable to selection for uracil prototrophy (Ura+).

Drug Resistance, Microbial↗

Identification of the product of two oncogenic rearranged forms of the RET proto-oncogene in papillary thyroid carcinomas.

In papillary thyroid carcinomas, we have identified two tumor-specific rearrangements of the RET proto-oncogene leading to the formation of different transforming fusion products sharing the tyrosine kinase (tk) domain of the proto-oncogene and designated ptc-1 and ptc-2. We have analysed ptc-1 and ptc-2 products by immunoprecipitation with specific anti-RET antibodies followed by immunoblotting with the same reagent or with antibodies specific for phosphotyrosine (P-tyr) residues. The anti-RET antibodies were reactive with 64-kDa (p64ptc-1) and 81-kDa (p81ptc-2) proteins from lysates of ptc-1 and ptc-2 transformed cells, respectively, and identified two proteins of 140 kDa and 160 kDa from extracts of SK-N-SH, a neuroblastoma cell line previously shown to express two differently glycosylated forms of the normal RET product. The anti P-tyr antibodies, while detecting the same p64ptc-1 and p81ptc-2 proteins from ptc-1 and ptc-2 extracts, did not show any specific band in the neuroblastoma lysates. An additional set of experiments led us to conclude that, whereas the normal product of the RET proto-oncogene is a membrane-associated receptor-like molecule not intrinsically phosphorylated on tyrosine, both oncogenic forms of RET, ptc-1 and ptc-2, are constitutively phosphorylated on tyrosine, display an 'in vitro' autophosphorylation activity, are translocated from the membrane to the cytoplasm and are apparently unaffected by protein kinase C modulation.

3T3 Cells↗