Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0023418 (leukemia)
 93,477 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The use of tumor cells as vaccines in cancer immunotherapy is critically dependent on their capacity to initiate and amplify tumor-specific immunity. Optimal responses may require the modification of the tumor cells not only to increase their immunogenicity but also to improve their ability to recruit effector cells to the tumor sites or sites of tumor antigen exposure. It has been reported that CD40 cross-linking of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells significantly increases their immunogenicity and allows the generation and expansion of autologous antileukemia cytotoxic T lymphocytes. This study demonstrates that the CD40 ligation of these tumor cells also induces the secretion of the CC-chemokines MDC and TARC. Supernatants from malignant cells cultured in the presence of sCD40L promote the migration of activated T cells that express CCR4, the common specific receptor for MDC and TARC. More importantly, the supernatants from CD40-stimulated tumor cells also support the transendothelial migration of autologous CCR4(+) antileukemia T cells. Therefore, the results demonstrate that the delivery to leukemia cells of a single physiologic signal, that is, CD40 cross-linking, simultaneously improves tumor cell immunogenicity and induces potent chemoattraction for T cells. (Blood. 2001;98:533-540)
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PMID:Chemoattractants MDC and TARC are secreted by malignant B-cell precursors following CD40 ligation and support the migration of leukemia-specific T cells. 1146 46

Chemokines and chemokine receptors play important roles in migration and tissue localization of various lymphocyte subsets. Here, we report the highly frequent expression of CCR4 in adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-immortalized T cells. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that ATL and HTLV-1-immortalized T-cell lines consistently expressed CCR4. Inducible expression of HTLV-1 transcriptional activator tax in a human T-cell line Jurkat did not, however, up-regulate CCR4 mRNA. In vitro immortalization of peripheral blood T cells led to preferential outgrowth of CD4(+) T cells expressing CCR4. We further demonstrated highly frequent expression of CCR4 in fresh ATL cells by (1) reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of CCR4 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with ATL and healthy controls; (2) flow cytometric analysis of CCR4-expressing cells in PBMCs from patients with ATL and healthy controls; (3) CCR4 staining of routine blood smears from patients with ATL; and (4) an efficient migration of fresh ATL cells to the CCR4 ligands, TARC/CCL17 and MDC/CCL22, in chemotaxis assays. Furthermore, we detected strong signals for CCR4, TARC, and MDC in ATL skin lesions by RT-PCR. Collectively, most ATL cases have apparently derived from CD4(+) T cells expressing CCR4. It is now known that circulating CCR4(+) T cells are mostly polarized to Th2 and also contain essentially all skin-seeking memory T cells. Thus, HTLV-1-infected CCR4(+) T cells may have growth advantages by deviating host immune responses to Th2. CCR4 expression may also account for frequent infiltration of ATL into tissues such as skin and lymph nodes.
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PMID:Frequent expression of CCR4 in adult T-cell leukemia and human T-cell leukemia virus type 1-transformed T cells. 1186 Dec 61

Hematopoietic cells extend multiple podia of yet unknown function. Our morphological studies using scanning electron microscopy and functional studies using time-lapse video microscopy suggest that podia formed by CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) on the bone marrow stroma component fibronectin are characteristic of lamellipodia at the leading edge and uropodia at the trailing edge, cytoskeletal structures that have previously been shown to be responsible for cell locomotion of lymphocytes. In the leukemic cells studied here, stroma-derived factor-1alpha (SDF-1alpha) led to a significant eightfold increase in transmigration (BCR-ABL-positive BV173 leukemia cell line; P<0.05) and podia formation in all BCR-ABL-positive leukemic cell lines studied (BV173, K562, 32Dp210) and in two of three BCR-ABL-negative lines (HL60, 32D, not KG1a). We could show that SDF-1alpha exposure led to a down-regulation of the gene expression of the chemokine receptors CCR4, CXCR4, and CXCR5, which are associated with cell motility and podia formation, indicating a negative feedback control. In BCR-ABL-positive leukemic cells, the effects of SDF-1alpha on podia formation and cell migration were independent of BCR-ABL-tyrosine kinase activity. Our data are compatible with the hypothesis that formation of specific podia by hematopoietic cells is associated with egression of these cells from the bone marrow.
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PMID:Functional characterization of podia formation in normal and malignant hematopoietic cells. 1186 80

WHO classification for malignant lymphoma was recently proposed. However, PTCL is heterogeneous. Chemokines and its receptors are closely associated with the T-cell subtypes. To clarify the T-cell subtype in PTCL, we conducted DNA chips of chemokine, its receptor (R) and cytokines. Angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AILD, n=4), anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL, n=4), adult T-cell leukemia lymphoma (ATLL, n=7), NK-cell lymphoma (NKL, n=2) and PTCL, unspecified (PTCL-U, n=6) were analyzed using DNA chips. In addition, immunological stainings were performed in 280 cases. In DNA chip, AILD, ALCL, NKL and ATLL showed a tendency for respective clusters, otherwise, PTCL-U clustered with AILD, ALCL and ATLL. From the gene expression profiling, CCR4, CCR3, MIG, CXCR3 and BLC were selected for immunohistochemistry. ATLL (n=48) expressed CCR4. ALCL (n=26) expressed CCR3, NKL (n=20) expressed MIG, and AILD (n=29) expressed CXCR3 and/or BLC. From the expression patterns, PTCL-U (n=134) were classified into three groups; CCR4 type (CCR4(+), n=42), CCR3 type (CCR3(+), n=31) and CXCR3 type (CXCR3(+) BLC(+/-), n=54). The prognosis was poor for ATLL, intermediate for AILD and favorable for ALCL (P=0.0014). Among PTCL-U, CCR4 type, CXCR3 type and CCR3 type had prognoses equivalent to ATLL, AILD and ALCL, respectively (P<0.0001).
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PMID:Classification of distinct subtypes of peripheral T-cell lymphoma unspecified, identified by chemokine and chemokine receptor expression: Analysis of prognosis. 1528 61

Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) is a malignancy of mature T cells that is etiologically associated with human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1). The frequent manifestation of ATL is infiltration of leukemic cells into various organs. Besides certain cell adhesion molecules and matrix metalloproteineses, chemokine receptors may play important roles in tissue infiltration of ATL. Identification of a unique set of chemokine receptors expressed by ATL would thus provide valuable information about the molecular mechanism of tissue infiltration of ATL. This may also reveal that ATL frequently develops from a certain subset of T cells that express a particular set of chemokine receptors. Since HTLV-1 encodes a potent viral transcriptional activator Tax, which is known to induce various cellular genes, expression of some chemokine receptors may be affected by Tax. This, however, may relate more to HTLV-1-infected T cells, since ATL cells usually do not express Tax. Finally, identification of a unique set of chemokine receptors expressed by ATL may also provide a new therapeutic target. These considerations prompted us to examine the chemokine receptor expression in ATL. We found that in the majority of ATL cases, leukemic cells consistently express CCR4. Since CCR4 is known to be involved in T cell migration into skin, this may in part explain the frequent skin infiltration in ATL. Furthermore, CCR4 is known to be selectively expressed by Th2 and regulatory T cells. Thus, the majority of ATL may predominantly originate from either Th2 or regulatory T cells.
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PMID:Expression of CCR4 in adult T-cell leukemia. 1562

A 78-year-old Japanese woman with adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma (ATL) presented with an unusual purpuric and erythematous eruption on the face and trunk. Immunohistochemical and flow cytometric analyses showed that the tumour cells were CD4/CD8 double-negative, and expressed CCR4 T-helper (Th) 2 chemokine receptors. Despite these features, the cells aberrantly produced granzyme B, which is a cytotoxic molecule usually produced by CD8(+) cytotoxic T cells, natural killer cells, or occasionally by Th1 cells. In a purpuric lesion, extravasation of erythrocytes was associated with an infiltrate of these cytotoxic tumour cells. Our case suggests phenotypical and functional heterogeneity of tumour cells in ATL, which may be closely related to the clinical appearance of the skin eruption.
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PMID:Purpuric adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma: expansion of unusual CD4/CD8 double-negative malignant T cells expressing CCR4 but bearing the cytotoxic molecule granzyme B. 1572 51

In adult T-cell lymphoma/leukemia (ATLL), the neoplastic lymphoid cells are usually medium-sized to large, often with pronounced nuclear pleomorphism compatible with the diagnosis of diffuse pleomorphic peripheral T-cell lymphoma. We describe here 11 patients with the rare morphologic variant of ATLL, angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma (AILT)-like type. The examined lymph nodes showed proliferation of high endothelial venules and presence of various infiltrating inflammatory cells including plasma cells and eosinophils. The lymphoma cells were medium-to-large size with clear cytoplasm. These findings were suggestive of AILT. However, immunohistochemical features of AILT, namely, CD10 and CXCL13 expression in lymphoma cells and proliferation of CD21-positive follicular dendritic cells, were not detected. Two cases were CXCR3-positive, whereas 9 expressed CCR4, which are usually positive in ATLL. All patients were positive for antiadult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma-associated antigen, which is a specific antibody for human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-I. Southern blot analysis revealed proviral DNA integration in lymphoma cells in 9 patients. The latter was not evident in the first biopsy of 2 patients but in the second biopsy obtained within several months after the first biopsy revealed definite proviral integration. Almost all patients showed aggressive clinical course and poor survival (median survival: 5 mo). This is the first report of ATLL with AILT-like morphologic features.
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PMID:Adult T-cell lymphoma/leukemia with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphomalike features: Report of 11 cases. 1725 66

Expression of chemokine receptors by tumors, specifically CCR4 on cutaneous T cell lymphomas, is often associated with a poor disease outcome. To test the hypothesis that chemokine receptor-expressing tumors can be successfully controlled by delivering toxins through their chemokine receptors, we have generated fusion proteins designated chemotoxins: chemokines fused with toxic moieties that are nontoxic unless delivered into the cell cytosol. We demonstrate that chemokines fused with human RNase eosinophil-derived neurotoxin or with a truncated fragment of Pseudomonas exotoxin 38 are able to specifically kill tumors in vitro upon internalization through their respective chemokine receptors. Moreover, treatment with the thymus and activation-regulated chemokine (CCL17)-expressing chemotoxin efficiently eradicated CCR4-expressing cutaneous T cell lymphoma/leukemia established in NOD-SCID mice. Taken together, this work represents a novel concept that may allow control of growth and dissemination of tumors that use chemokine receptors to metastasize and circumvent immunosurveillance.
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PMID:CCR4-expressing T cell tumors can be specifically controlled via delivery of toxins to chemokine receptors. 1764 Oct 67

Almost 30 years have passed since adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) was identified as a new disease entity in Japan. During this period, its causative agent, human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV-1), was discovered, and a crucial role of the viral product Tax in ATL leukemogenesis was demonstrated. Recently, another HTLV-1 product, HBZ, which is encoded on the negative strand, was found, and it has now become a subject of intensive research because of its possible activity in cell proliferation. It is, however, impossible to elucidate the whole process of ATL leukemogenesis by studying only HTLV-1, and aberrations of cellular genes such as tumor suppressor genes are also profoundly involved in the later stages of ATL development. In contrast with the progress in the understanding of ATL pathogenesis, more progress in developing therapy for ATL is needed, and there has been only slight improvement in the prognosis. Recently, unique therapeutic approaches targeting molecules and/or mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis have been explored, and some of them produced encouraging results that might lead to breakthrough therapies. One of these approaches, the use of monoclonal antibody against chemokine receptor CCR4, is now ongoing as a multicenter clinical trial in Japan. Here we review the state of the art regarding our understanding of ATL leukemogenesis and new potential molecular targets in ATL therapy.
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PMID:The state of the art in the pathogenesis of ATL and new potential targets associated with HTLV-1 and ATL. 1802

Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) is a mature CD4+ T-cell malignancy etiologically associated with human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1). Primary ATL cells frequently express CCR4 at high levels. Since HTLV-1 Tax does not induce CCR4 expression, transcription factor(s) constitutively active in ATL may be responsible for its strong expression. We identified an activator protein-1 (AP-1) site in the CCR4 promoter as the major positive regulatory element in ATL cells. Among the AP-1 family members, Fra-2, JunB and JunD are highly expressed in fresh primary ATL cells. Consistently, the Fra-2/JunB and Fra-2/JunD heterodimers strongly activated the CCR4 promoter in Jurkat cells. Furthermore, Fra-2 small interfering RNA (siRNA) or JunD siRNA, but not JunB siRNA, effectively reduced CCR4 expression and cell growth in ATL cells. Conversely, Fra-2 or JunD overexpression promoted cell growth in Jurkat cells. We identified 49 genes, including c-Myb, BCL-6 and MDM2, which were downregulated by Fra-2 siRNA in ATL cells. c-Myb, BCL-6 and MDM2 were also downregulated by JunD siRNA. As Fra-2, these proto-oncogenes were highly expressed in primary ATL cells but not in normal CD4+ T cells. Collectively, aberrantly expressed Fra-2 in association with JunD may play a major role in CCR4 expression and oncogenesis in ATL.
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PMID:Aberrant expression of Fra-2 promotes CCR4 expression and cell proliferation in adult T-cell leukemia. 1807 6


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