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Department of Hematology/Oncology, Charité/Virchow-Clinic, Humboldt-University, 13353 Berlin, Germany [U. R. P., K. A. K., G. B., U. L, C. A. S.], and Department of Clinical Research, University and Inselspital Berne, 3010 Berne, Switzerland [M. P. T., A. T., M. F. F.]
| ABSTRACT |
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| Introduction |
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CML3 is a clonal myeloproliferative disorder associated with the t(9;22)(q34;11) translocation generating the BCR-ABL fusion gene. AML is mostly caused by a variety of clonal chromosomal aberrations that either increase the proliferative capacity of the cells or keep the cells arrested in an immature proliferative state. Alterations of the p53 gene play a role during CML disease progression (3) and, albeit to a lower extent, may contribute to AML development (4) .
Recently, the first p53-related gene, p73, was identified on chromosome 1p36. It consists of 14 exons encoding a 2.2-kb mRNA and a Mr 73,000 protein and may be spliced into several isoforms, which are expressed in various tissues (5 , 6) . In addition, p73 seems to be predominantly expressed from the maternal allele, whereas the paternal allele remains silent, most probably due to genetic imprinting (5 , 7) . p73 is thought to be a candidate tumor suppressor based on: (a) the genomic localization in a region frequently altered in neuroblastoma and other human cancers (5) ; (b) its significant structural homology to core domains of the p53 protein; and (c) transcriptional functions, e.g., p21Waf1-induced growth arrest and apoptosis, which are remarkably similar to p53 (5 , 8 , 9) . Unlike p53, p73 does not appear to be induced by DNA damage (5) , and it shows disparate interactions with viral oncoproteins (10 , 11) .
Recent data on p73 expression suggest a possible role of the gene in the pathogenesis of several solid tumors including neuroblastoma, lung cancer, prostate cancer, and renal cell carcinoma (5 , 7 , 12 , 13) . However, data on p73 expression in normal and malignant hematopoietic cells are scarce (14, 15, 16) . We investigated the expression of the p73 gene in normal and malignant hematological tissue, including a panel of leukemia cell lines, as well as fresh samples from CML and AML patients. Healthy donor peripheral blood leukocytes, granulocytes, and lymphocytes, as well as CD34+ hematopoietic progenitor cells, served as normal controls. We assessed p73 mRNA transcript levels using a novel real-time quantitative RT-PCR and p73 protein expression by Western blot analysis.
| Materials and Methods |
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Real-Time Quantitative RT-PCR.
Real-time quantitative RT-PCR is based on fluorescence emission by a sequence-specific, nonextendable probe labeled with a 5'-reporter and 3'-quencher dye. During the extension phase, the probe is cleaved by the 5'-exonuclease activity of Taq DNA polymerase. Subsequent separation of quencher and reporter dye releases a fluorescence signal. Background fluorescence is calculated during the first 15 amplification cycles. TaqMan PCR becomes positive when the fluorescence signal exceeds the 10-fold SD of background fluorescence, which marks the threshold cycle (Ct). A 152-bp p73 cDNA standard was amplified from K562 cells using primers spanning exons 5 to 6 without amplification of genomic sequences (p73-715F 5'-ACTTCAACGAAGGACAGTCTGCT and p73-856R 5'-AATTCCGTCCCCACCTGTG). The amplicon was gel extracted, purified (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany), and cloned into a pCR2.1 vector (Invitrogen, Leek, the Netherlands). After digestion with HindIII and XbaI, the insert was reamplified, purified, and quantified spectrophotometrically. Molecule concentrations were calculated, and serial dilutions of standard DNA ranging from 107 to 10-2 molecules per 2-µl reaction volume were prepared. To correct for RNA quality differences, we measured ß-actin mRNA expression in parallel and calculated the ratio between the absolute number of p73 and ß-actin mRNA transcripts in a given sample (17)
. Our assay allowed the reproducible detection of 10 p73 mRNA transcripts and 10 ß-actin mRNA transcripts per reaction, respectively (Fig. 1)
. Copy numbers <10 were not quantified. Random-primed, first-strand cDNA was synthesized from total RNA (1 µg/20 µl reaction) using the 1st Strand cDNA Synthesis kit (Roche Diagnostics, Rotkreuz, Switzerland). The TaqMan probe (5'-CCTCATCCGCGTGGAAGGCAATAATCTC) was 5'-labeled with carboxy-fluorescein phosphoramidite as reporter dye, 3'-labeled with carboxy-tetramethyl-rhodamine for quenching, and 3'-phosphate groups prevented probe extension (TIB Molbiol, Berlin, Germany). PCR was carried out with 5 µl of 10x PCR buffer, 4.5 mM MgCl2, 0.8 mM deoxynucleotide triphosphate, 1 µM carboxy-X-rhodamine, 0.5 µM of each primer (p73-715F and p73-856R), 1 µM probe, 1.25 units of a temperature release Taq DNA polymerase (Platinum DNA polymerase; Life Technologies, Inc., Karlsruhe, Germany), and 100 ng of sample cDNA in a total volume of 50 µl. After an initial 5-min denaturation step at 94°C, we performed 45 cycles of denaturation at 94°C for 30 s and annealing/extension at 63°C (p73) or 67°C (ß-actin) for 60 s. Amplification and data analysis were carried out using the ABI PRISM 7700 Sequence Detection System and the Sequence Detector V 1.6.3 program (PE Applied Biosystems, Foster City, CA). Most samples were measured in duplicate.
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p73 Protein Analysis.
Whole-cell protein extracts were prepared by sonication for 5 min in 1% NP40 buffer and quantified spectrophotometrically (Bio-Rad, Glattbrugg, Switzerland). Total protein (130 µg) was size-fractionated on a 8% SDS-polyacrylamide gel and blotted to nitrocellulose (Bio-Rad). The membrane was blocked in 2% dry milk/TBS-T for 1 h, incubated over night at 4°C with a 1:500 dilution of the p73 polyclonal antiserum (kindly provided by Dr. D. Caput, Labege, France; Ref. 5
), and visualized using the ECL system (Amersham, Zürich, Switzerland).
Statistics.
Because of the sample size and nonnormal distribution, only nonparametric tests were applied (StatView 4.0; Abacus Concepts, Berkeley, CA). p73 mRNA expression was analyzed in seven independent groups using the KWT with a P for significance set at 0.05. For differences between particular groups, the conservative Bonferroni procedure was performed, and the P was set at 0.0063. The remaining statistical analyses were carried out using the KWT or MWU test (significance, P <0.05).
| Results and Discussion |
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To obtain more detailed information, we performed a real-time quantitative RT-PCR assay showing a higher sensitivity than our conventional RT-PCR assay. We discovered a distinct p73 mRNA expression pattern in patient samples, leukemia cell lines, and normal hematopoietic cells (KWT, P < 0.0001) depicted as the ratio of p73 and ß-actin transcripts (Fig. 2)
. In CML, we found the highest p73 mRNA expression levels in samples from CML-AP/BC patients compared with intermediate levels in CML-CP patients (MWU, P < 0.0004) and low levels in CML-BMT patients (P = 0.0003). The CML-CP group differed clearly from CML-BMT, albeit significance was not reached after the conservative Bonferroni procedure (MWU, P = 0.0075). Although some CML-CP samples expressed high p73 mRNA levels, this entity did not differ significantly from normal leukocytes and CD34+ hematopoietic progenitors. In three of four patients with material available before and after bone marrow transplantation, intermediate to high p73 mRNA transcript levels prior to BMT fell by the magnitude of 1 to 2 logarithmic steps after allografting (data not shown). One CML-AP/BC and one CML-BMT patient sample showed p73 mRNA copies below the quantification threshold of 10 p73 mRNA transcripts. In this respect, recent reports point to p73 promoter hypermethylation rather than genomic deletion as a possible mechanism for p73 gene silencing (14
, 16
, 19)
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In normal peripheral blood leukocytes, lymphocytes, and CD34+ progenitor cells, p73 mRNA was expressed at relatively low levels but was still detectable by conventional RT-PCR and real-time quantitative RT-PCR. Most granulocyte samples expressed ß-actin at significantly lower levels than any other cell type (MWU, P = 0.0001) but comparable p73 transcript numbers, thus yielding relatively high p73:ß-actin ratios, which probably overestimated the actual p73 mRNA expression. We therefore excluded granulocyte samples from p73 mRNA quantification. Our data on p73 mRNA expression in hematopoietic cells correspond to previous findings in solid tumors, where p73 expression assessed by qualitative PCR appeared to be stronger in malignant tissues compared with their normal counterparts (12 , 13) .
p73 Allele-specific Expression Analysis.
The p73 gene is located in a chromosome region that seems to be regulated by genetic imprinting sustaining predominantly the maternal (GC) allele (5)
. Analysis of p73 allele expression revealed that the majority of our samples with p73 mRNA detectable exclusively expressed the GC allele (74 of 102; Table 1
). Some samples showed coexpression of GC and AT alleles (20 of 102) or, rarely, monoallelic expression of the AT allele (8 of 102). Interestingly, in more than half of the AML patients (19 of 33), the AT allele was expressed, in some cases, at considerable levels. In CML patients, we found expression of the AT allele only in cases with AP/BC (two of eight). At first sight, these data may support findings in solid tumors, where it was assumed that expression of the paternal (AT) allele might be tumor specific (5
, 7
, 12)
. However, in this study, the AT alleles were also expressed at various levels in healthy donor peripheral blood leukocyte samples (four of nine), CD34+ progenitor cells (two of four), and lymphocytes (one of five). In addition, the allelic expression status did not influence p73 mRNA transcript levels assessed by our quantitative RT-PCR analysis. Our data show that mono- or biallelic expression is not restricted to hematopoietic neoplasms, suggesting that p73 allele status may not be relevant for leukemogenesis. However, the functional significance of p73 allele expression still awaits to be elucidated, and considerable intertissue variation might exist (14
, 15
, 20)
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, which are not recognized by the antibody used. In CEM cells, we noted a protein band at Mr 57,000, which may indeed represent a p73 isoform cross-reactive against our p73
antibody. Posttranscriptional modifications of the p73 gene might be another explanation for disparate p73 mRNA and protein expression in NB4 and CEM cells. We here present the novel finding that p73 mRNA as well as p73 protein are clearly expressed in some samples from AML patients and most of the myeloid leukemia cell lines analyzed. In contrast, p73 protein is not expressed in all three lymphoid leukemia cell lines analyzed and, most interestingly, in mature myeloid cells as well as immature CD34+ progenitor cells tested.
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In conclusion, we found a wide range of p73 mRNA transcript levels in hematopoietic neoplasms with pronounced expression, particularly in advanced stages of CML, some AML patients, most myeloid, and some lymphoid leukemia cell lines. In contrast, normal hematopoietic cells showed a comparably narrow range with lower expression of p73 message. However, we noted a partial overlap of p73 transcript levels between AML and CD34+ progenitor cell samples. Our protein data confirmed the results of RNA quantitation. Given the fact that p73 mRNA expression parallels p73 protein expression and mutations of the p73 gene are rare, p73 mRNA quantification may provide at least some indirect information on the function of the gene in a given sample. We believe that the p73 gene plays a distinct yet undefined role in leukemogenesis, particularly in myeloid leukemias. Additional studies, in particular gene knock-out experiments, may clarify the position of p73 within the oncogene and tumor suppressor gene network.
| ACKNOWLEDGMENTS |
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| FOOTNOTES |
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1 This work was supported by Grant KI 9605 from the Bundesministerium Für Bildung und Forschung, a grant from the José Carreras Foundation, Grant 31-43458.95 from the Swiss National Foundation, and Grant KFS 156-9-1995 from the Swiss Cancer League. ![]()
2 To whom requests for reprints should be addressed, at Department of Hematology/Oncology, Charité/Virchow-Clinic, Humboldt-University, Augustenburger Platz 1, D-13353 Berlin, Germany. Phone: 49-30-450-53663; Fax: 49-30-450-53925; E-mail: christian.schmidt{at}charite.de ![]()
3 The abbreviations used are: CML, chronic myeloid leukemia; CP, chronic phase; AP, acceleration phase; AML, acute myeloid leukemia; BC, blast crisis; BMT, bone marrow transplantation; KWT, Kruskal-Wallis test; MWU, Mann-Whitney U test. ![]()
Received 6/ 7/99. Accepted 7/19/99.
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