Identification of novel protein tyrosine phosphatases of hematopoietic cells by polymerase chain reaction amplification

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) conditions were used to amplify cDNAs that encode putative protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) from a murine interleukin-3-dependent myeloid cell line. Primers for the reactions were based on conserved sequences of the catalytic domain that are shared among all known PTPs. Sequencing of 100 PCR-amplified cDNA clones identified seven different cDNA sequences. Two of these sequences were identical to the murine PTP genes Ly5/CD45/LCA and LRP/R-PTP-alpha. Two of the cDNA sequences were 95% identical to human PTP epsilon (HPTP epsilon) and rat brain PTP (PTP1B), respectively, and are likely to represent their murine homologs. Three of the cDNA sequences encoded novel potential PTPs. One of the putative PTPs was ubiquitously expressed while a second was predominantly expressed in brain, kidney, and liver and at much lower levels in a variety of other cell tkpes and tissues. The third novel putative phosphatase was expressed primarily in hematopoietic cells and tissues in a pattern that was comparable with Ly5/CD45/LCA. Further characterization of these novel PTPs will provide insights into the growth regulation of hematopoietic cells.     

Interleukin 6 enhancement of interleukin 3-dependent proliferation of multipotential hemopoietic progenitors.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6, also known as B-cell stimulatory factor 2/interferon beta 2) was previously shown to support the proliferation of granulocyte/macrophage progenitors and indirectly support the formation of multilineage and blast cell colonies in cultures of spleen cells from normal mice. We report here that IL-3 and IL-6 act synergistically in support of the proliferation of murine multipotential progenitors in culture. The time course of total colony formation by spleen cells isolated from mice 4 days after injection of 5-fluorouracil (150 mg/kg) was significantly shortened in cultures containing both lymphokines relative to cultures supported by either of the two factors. Serial observations (mapping) of individual blast cell colonies in culture revealed that blast cell colonies emerged after random time intervals in the presence of IL-3. The average time of appearance in IL-6 alone was somewhat delayed, and in cultures containing both factors the appearance of multilineage blast cell colonies was significantly hastened relative to cultures grown in the presence of the individual lymphokines. In cultures of day-2 post-5-fluorouracil bone marrow cells, IL-6 failed to support colony formation; IL-3 alone supported the formation of a few granulocyte/macrophage colonies, but the combination of factors acted synergistically to yield multilineage and a variety of other types of colonies. In this system, IL-1 alpha also acted synergistically with IL-3, but the effect was smaller, and no multilineage colonies were seen. Together these results indicate that IL-3 and IL-6 act synergistically to support the proliferation of hemopoietic progenitors and that at least part of the effect results from a decrease in the G0 period of the individual stem cells.     

Truncation of the c-myb gene by a retroviral integration in an interleukin 3-dependent myeloid leukemia cell line.

Among a series of myeloid leukemia cell lines, one (NFS-60) was found to have a rearrangement of the c-myb locus. The rearrangement involved the integration of a retrovirus into the region of the gene corresponding to the sixth exon of the avian c-myb locus. The insertion is associated with the production of a truncated RNA and the introduction of a terminator codon at the juncture of the long terminal repeat and the c-myb locus. The properties of the NSF-60 cells were compared with those of other myeloid cell lines, and the known sequence of differentiation induced by interleukin 3. Similar to other myeloid cell lines, the NFS-60 cells do not terminally differentiate in response to interleukin 3, granulocyte/macrophage, or granulocyte colony-stimulating factor suggesting that the cells are transformed with regard to their ability to differentiate. The NFS-60 cells are totally dependent on interleukin 3 for growth and maintenance of viability in vitro but also proliferate in response to granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. The properties of the cells support the concept that the c-myb protooncogene is involved in the control of normal differentiation of hematopoietic cells.     

Activation of EVI1 gene expression in human acute myelogenous leukemias by translocations spanning 300-400 kilobases on chromosome band 3q26.

Retroviral activation of Evi-1 gene expression is one of the most common transforming events in murine myeloid leukemias. To evaluate the role of the EVI1 gene in human acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), leukemic blasts or cell lines from 116 patients were examined. In eight patients the EVI1 gene was expressed and all but one had cytogenetically detectable translocations of chromosome 3q26 where the EVI1 gene has been localized. To identify breakpoints, a restriction map that spans 1700 kilobases (kb) of the EVI1 locus was developed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. In one case, t(3;3)(q21;q26), a rearrangement was localized to 170-330 kb 5' of the gene. In a second case, t(3;3)(q21;q26), there was a rearrangement 13 kb 5' of the gene. This rearrangement was cloned and shown to be due to the fusion of sequences from 3q21-22 with the EVI1 locus. In the third case, ins(3)-(q21q25q27), there was a rearrangement that mapped 150 kb downstream from the 5' end of the gene.