Bernard W Futscher

PMID: 14670180;PMCID: PMC1502613;Abstract:

The maspin gene is not expressed in normal human pancreas, but its expression is acquired during human pancreatic carcinogenesis. In other normal human cells and their malignant counterparts, maspin expression is controlled through the epigenetic state of its promoter. In studies presented herein, we used bisulfite genomic sequencing and chromatin immunoprecipitation studies to show that maspin-negative pancreas cells have a methylated maspin promoter, and that the associated H3 and H4 histones are hypoacetylated. In contrast to normal pancreas, four of six human pancreatic carcinoma cell lines investigated displayed activation of maspin expression. This activation of maspin expression in pancreatic carcinoma cells was linked to demethylated promoters and hyperacetylation of the associated H3 and H4 histones. In addition, 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine treatments activated maspin expression in the two maspin-negative pancreatic carcinoma cell lines, suggesting a causal role for cytosine methylation in the maintenance of a transcriptionally silent maspin gene. Thus, human pancreatic carcinoma cells acquire maspin expression through epigenetic derepression of the maspin locus, and in so doing appear to co-opt a normal cellular mechanism for the regulation of this gene.

PMID: 7513198;Abstract:

In contrast to its clearly defined role as a multidrug efflux pump in neoplastic cells, the physiologic function of P-glycoprotein (P-gly) in normal cells is unclear. Recent reports identifying P-gly in normal blood and bone marrow suggest that hematopoietic development or function may be dependent on P-gly. To understand the normal function of P-gly in the blood, its level of expression and function must first be quantitated relative to a known standard. In this study, P-gly, MDR1 gene expression, and P-gly function were quantitated in normal leukocytes. P-gly and MDR1 expression were analyzed in individual leukocyte lineages (T-helper, T-suppressor, monocyte, granulocyte, B-lymphocyte, NK cell) from normal volunteers. P-gly on the cell surface was detected by fluorescent double-labeling for lineage (CD4, CD8, CD14, CD15, CD19, CD56, respectively) and P-gly (MRK16) with analysis by flow cytometry and in some cases immunoblot analysis. MDR1 mRNA analysis on purified lineages was performed using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. P-gly function was determined for each lineage using dual-labeling for lineage and P-gly substrate (rhodamine 123). The P-gly expressing human myeloma cell line, 8226/Dox6, was used as a reference of comparison for levels of P-gly, MDR1 mRNA, and function. CD56⁺ cells expressed the highest levels of MDR1 mRNA followed by CD8⁺ > CD4⁺ ≃ CD15⁺ > CD19⁺ > CD14⁺, with percentage values relative to Dox6 of 49%, 17%, 8%, 8%, 4%, and 2%, respectively. The assays for P-gly immunofluorescence and function correlated well with mRNA analysis except for CD15⁺ cells (granulocytes), which showed a moderate MDR1 mRNA level with a lack of both function and surface P-gly staining. Granulocyte membranes did show P-gly on immunoblot analysis when probed with either C219 or JSB1. We conclude that (1) P-gly and the MDR1 mRNA are expressed in normal leukocytes, (2) this P-gly expression is lineage specific with relatively high levels among CD56⁺ cells, and (3) the expression of P-gly in granulocytes is not associated with transport of the P-gly substrate, rhodamine 123, out of the cell.

PMID: 11602652;Abstract:

Doxorubicin plays an important role in the treatment of leukemias, lymphomas, and a variety of carcinomas. Tumor cell resistance to doxorubicin is often associated with expression of the multidrug resistance gene MDR1, which codes for the drug efflux pump P-glycoprotein, and a multidrug-resistant phenotype. Evidence from multiple sources suggests, however, that additional genes besides MDR1 are involved in development of multidrug resistance. To identify genes involved in the multidrug resistance phenotype, we created a 5760-gene cDNA microarray to search for differentially expressed genes between the human multiple myeloma cell line RPMI 8226 and its doxorubicin-selected sublines 8226/Dox6 and 8226/Dox40, both of which express MDR1 and are multidrug-resistant. The cDNA microarray results identified a set of differentially expressed genes, which included MDR1 as expected. Thirty Northern analyses were used to confirm the results of the cDNA microarrays; comparison with the microarray results showed a 90% agreement between the two techniques. Within the set of differentially expressed genes identified by the cDNA microarrays, 29 were of particular interest as they can participate in apoptotic signaling, particularly as mediated by ceramide and the mitochondrial permeability transition. The functional importance of these changes in gene expression is supported by their explanation of the 8226/Dox cell lines' cross- resistance to substances that are not P-glycoprotein substrates, such as Fas/CD95 ligand and staurosporine. We conclude that doxorubicin selection led to changes in gene expression that reduce the apoptotic response to death-inducing stimuli and thus contribute to the multidrug resistance phenotype.