Myeloperoxidase mRNA Research Articles

Role of TNFα in regulation of myeloperoxidase expression in irradiated HL60 promyelocytic cells

Irradiation increases the generation of reactive oxygen intermediates, including hydrogen peroxide (H 2O 2). Myeloperoxidase (MPO), a heme-containing glycoprotein located in the primary granules of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and monocytes, reacts with H 2O 2 and halide ion and produces a more potent microbicidal oxidant, hypochlorous acid (HOCl). Human HL60 promyelocytes constitutively had high levels of MPO protein and mRNA. Irradiation decreased the levels of MPO transcripts; the decrease in MPO transcripts by irradiation occurred in an almost dose-dependent manner. HL60 cells produce tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), and irradiation markedly increased the TNFα production in these cells; in turn, TNFα decreased the levels of MPO transcripts in these cells. Furthermore, treatment of cells with anti-TNFα antibody blocked the reduction of MPO by irradiation. We also found that irradiation decreased the levels of the MPO mRNA with concomitant increased levels of TNFα mRNA in differentiation-induced HL60 cells and human THP-1 monocytic cells. Irradiation reduced the rate of MPO transcription but had only a slight effect on the half-life of MPO mRNA in HL60 cells. Our results suggest that irradiation reduces the steady-state levels of MPO mRNA mainly at transcriptional level and the endogenous production of TNFα is required for the reduction by irradiation in HL60 cells.

B-myb Alters the Response of Myeloid Precursor Cells to G-CSF

The human B-myb gene encodes a cell cycle-regulated DNA-binding phosphoprotein which functions as a transcription factor with an important role in cell cycle progression, survival, and differentiation. Recently, it has been demonstrated that ectopic murine B-myb expression blocked the ability of 32Dcl3 cells to proliferate in response to granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and accelerated the induction of terminal differentiation. In contrast, we report that while 32Dcl3 cells overexpressing human B-myb do display some markers of myeloid differentiation earlier than parental cells, including the expression of myeloperoxidase mRNA and the appearance of band myelocytes in G-CSF-induced cultures, the induction of late markers of differentiation is inhibited. The expression of lactoferrin mRNA is absent and the appearance of terminally differentiated polymorphonuclear cells is severely impaired in B-myb-expressing 32Dcl3 cells. Furthermore, continuous exposure to G-CSF results in the outgrowth of a culture which expresses increased levels of B-myb RNA and is dependent on G-CSF for proliferation while retaining responsiveness to interleukin-3. These data suggest that the B-myb gene is involved in early transcriptional events during myeloid differentiation, but that its expression prevents terminal differentiation.

Genetic, phenotypic and clinical features of acute lymphoblastic leukemias expressing myeloperoxidase mRNA detected by RT-PCR.

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is found in the azurophilic granules of normal myelocytic cells. Cytochemical staining for MPO activity is used clinically to distinguish myeloid from acute lymphoid leukemias (ALL). However, using a highly sensitive RT-PCR technique, it is possible to detect MPO mRNA in otherwise clear ALL. The significance of this finding remains poorly understood. We have extended our observations to a series of 57 patients with the primary diagnosis of ALL (46 patients tested at diagnosis and 11 cases at relapse). We identified 25 cases (43.8%) of MPO mRNA(+)/enzyme(-) ALL (17 B cell and eight T cell lineage). Expression of myeloid antigens (CD13 or CD33) were detected in nine of them, and remarkably, 18 cases (72%) displayed CD34. Of these 25 MPO mRNA(+) leukemias, 10 (40%) are Bcr-Abl positive (with P210 fusion transcript in five patients while the five remaining cases carried P190 transcript). Moreover, 11 of 16 myeloid negative cases were also negative for any type of Bcr-Abl and MLL rearrangement, indicating that MPO mRNA positivity is not either invariably related to that chromosomal abnormality or necessarily associated with the presence of other myeloid differentiation features. Interestingly, six of these 11 cases are T-ALL, suggesting the presence of some overlapping phase for T and myeloid lineage commitment. Taken together, these findings could suggest a separate biological disease with immature origin and bipotential differentiation capability, which involves B and T-ALL subtypes and should lead to new investigations regarding their prognostic impact.

Effects of endogenous and exogenous catecholamines on LPS-induced neutrophil trafficking and activation.

Endotoxemia produces elevations in catecholamine levels in the pulmonary and systemic circulation as well as rapid increases in neutrophil number and proinflammatory cytokine expression in the lungs. In the present experiments, we examined the effects of endogenous and exogenous adrenergic stimulation on endotoxin-induced lung neutrophil accumulation and activation. Levels of interleukin (IL)-1beta, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-2 mRNAs were increased in lung neutrophils from endotoxemic mice compared with those present in lung neutrophils from control mice or in peripheral blood neutrophils from endotoxemic or control mice. Treatment with the beta-adrenergic antagonist propranolol before endotoxin administration did not affect trafficking of neutrophils to the lungs or the expression of IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, or MIP-2 by lung neutrophils. Administration of the alpha-adrenergic antagonist phentolamine before endotoxemia did not alter lung neutrophil accumulation as measured by myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels but did result in significant increases in IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, and MIP-2 mRNA expression by lung neutrophils compared with endotoxemia alone. Administration of the alpha1-adrenergic agonist phenylephrine before endotoxin did not affect trafficking of neutrophils to the lungs but was associated with significantly increased expression of TNF-alpha and MIP-2 mRNAs by lung neutrophils compared with that found after endotoxin alone. In contrast, treatment with the alpha2-adrenergic agonist UK-14304 prevented endotoxin-induced increases in lung MPO and lung neutrophil cytokine mRNA levels. The suppressive effects of UK-14304 on endotoxin-induced increases in lung MPO were not affected by administration of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester. These data demonstrate that the initial accumulation and activation of neutrophils in the lungs after endotoxemia can be significantly diminished by alpha2-adrenergic stimulation. Therapy with alpha2-adrenergic agents may have a role in modulating inflammatory pulmonary processes associated with sepsis-induced acute lung injury.

Myeloperoxidase Polymorphism Is Associated with Gender Specific Risk for Alzheimer's Disease

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a myeloid-specific enzyme that generates hypochlorous acid and other reactive oxygen species. MPO is present at high levels in circulating neutrophils and monocytes but is not detectable in microglia, brain-specific macrophages, in normal brain tissue. However, an earlier study indicated that MPO is present in macrophage-microglia at multiple sclerosis lesions, suggesting that reactivation of MPO gene expression may play a role in neurodegenerative diseases involving macrophage-microglia. In the present study, MPO is shown to colocalize with amyloid beta (Aβ) in senile plaques in cerebral cortex sections from Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain tissue. Microglia costaining for MPO and CD68 are closely associated with plaques, suggesting that plaque components induce MPO expression in microglia. In support of this interpretation, treatment of rodent microglia with aggregated Aβ(1–42) was shown to induce MPO mRNA expression. Also, the ApoE4 allele, the major AD risk factor associated with increased Aβ deposition, was shown to correlate with increased MPO deposition in plaques (P=0.01, ANOVA). Finally, a genetic polymorphism links MPO expression to Alzheimer's risk, in that a higher expressing SpSp MPO genotype was associated with increased incidence of AD in females, and decreased incidence in males (P=0.006). These findings suggest that the MPO polymorphism is a gender-specific risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.

Myeloperoxidase Gene Expression in Infant Leukemia: A Pediatric Oncology Group Study

A high incidence of co-expression of myeloid-associated antigens in infant B-precursor Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (B-ALL) has been reported, but the significance of this finding is uncertain. To further assess myeloid differentiation and its prognostic significance in this disease, we investigated the frequency of myeloperoxidase (MPO) gene expression in the blast cells from 43 infants with B-ALL registered in a Pediatric Oncology Group (POG) Pilot Study for Treatment of Infant ALL, utilizing a molecular probe for detection of MPO messenger RNA (mRNA) by Northern blot hybridization and a monoclonal antibody to detect MPO-protein by immunohistochemical staining. Sufficient RNA for Northern blot was extracted from 32 bone marrow or blood samples. In two cases, MPO mRNA was determined by a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay and was negative in both cases. MPO-specific transcripts (MPO+) were present in 19 of 34 (56%) samples analyzed. Immunoreactive MPO protein was positive in 13 of the 20 (65%) patients studied. No correlation was found between MPO gene expression and clinical or laboratory features, karyotypic patterns or clinical outcome. The high frequency of MPO gene expression demonstrated in this study suggests that leukemogenic events in many cases of infant B-ALL appear to involve a pluripotent stem cell not yet fully committed to lymphoid differentiation.

Biochemical and Molecular Characterization of Hereditary Myeloperoxidase Deficiency

AbstractHereditary myeloperoxidase (MPO) deficiency is a neutrophil disorder characterized by the lack of peroxidase activity. Cytochemical, biochemical, spectroscopic, immunocytochemical, and genetic studies were carried out on a 5-year-old MPO-deficient subject and on her parents. The father was also MPO-deficient, whereas the mother had 24% of normal MPO activity. Although the typical absorption spectrum of MPO was absent in both the father and daughter, the father's neutrophils, and not those of the daughter, contained material antigenically related to MPO. In the MPO gene of the father, two mutations were found, each located in a different allele: a T → C transition, causing the nonconservative replacement M251T and a 14-base deletion within exon 9. The M251T substitution occurred in the carboxy-terminal region of the light chain that is included in the heme pocket. The daughter inherited the 14-base deletion from her father. The study of the MPO mRNAs present in liquid cultures of granulocyte precursors surprisingly showed that the same genetic defect, ie, the 14-base deletion, seemed to exhibit different mRNA phenotypes in the father and the daughter. In fact, mRNA derived from the 14-base–deleted allele was not found in the father and an aberrantly spliced MPO mRNA with a 77-base deletion of exon 9, which includes the 14-base deletion and leads to the generation of a premature stop codon, was found in the daughter. The possibility that Δ77 mRNA could derive from other mutations linked to the Δ14 allele was dismissed because no sequence differences were found in the region (exons and exon-intron junctions). Our data indicate that the alteration of the mRNA context caused by the 14-base deletion provide a basis for the 77-base deletion in the mRNA processing. Since the granulocyte precursors from the liquid cultures of the father were more differentiated than those from the daughter, the observed different behavior of the 14-base–deleted allele in the father and daughter may be the result of a differentiation-stage dependent control of altered spliced mRNA, which may be tolerated during the early stages of differentiation but degraded at later stages. In the liquid cultures of the daughter's cells, in addition to the mRNA with the 77-base deletion, a mRNA with the wild type sequence was also found. This mRNA was inherited from the mother, since no mutations were found in her MPO cDNA and MPO gene. The MPO defect might be caused by a regulatory mutation that induces the MPO gene switch off at an early stage of granulocyte differentiation.

An Allelic Association Implicates Myeloperoxidase in the Etiology of Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) catalyzes a reaction between chloride and hydrogen peroxide to generate hypochlorous acid and other reactive compounds that have been linked to DNA damage. The MPO gene is expressed at high levels in normal myeloid precursors and in acute myeloid leukemias (AMLs) which are clonal derivatives of myeloid precursors that have lost the ability to differentiate into mature blood cells. Two MPO alleles differ at -463 G/A within a cluster of nuclear receptor binding sites in an Alu element. The -463 G creates a stronger SP1 binding site and retinoic acid (RA) response element (RARE) in the allele termed Sp. In this study, we investigate potential links between MPO genotype, MPO expression level, and myeloid leukemia. The SpSp MPO genotype is shown to correlate with increased MPO mRNA levels in primary myeloid leukemia cells. This higher-expressing SpSp genotype is further shown to be overrepresented in acute promyelocytic leukemia-M3 (APL-M3) and AML-M4, suggesting that higher levels of MPO are associated with an increased risk for this subset of leukemias.

CBF beta-SMMHC, expressed in M4Eo AML, reduced CBF DNA-binding and inhibited the G1 to S cell cycle transition at the restriction point in myeloid and lymphoid cells.

CBF beta-SMMHC is expressed from the inv(16) chromosome in M4Eo AML. Mice lacking CBF subunits or expressing the CBF beta-SMMHC or AML1-ETO oncoproteins failed to develop definitive hematopoiesis. To investigate these effects on hematopoiesis, we expressed CBF beta-SMMHC from the metallothionein promoter, in both 32D cl3 myeloid cells and Ba/F3 B-lymphoid cells. Addition of zinc increased CBF beta-SMMHC levels more than tenfold, with higher levels evident in Ba/F3 lines. Levels obtained in 32D cl3 cells were similar to those of endogenous CBF beta. Indirect immunofluorescence revealed zinc-inducible speckled, nuclear staining in Ba/F3 cells and diffuse nuclear staining in 32D cl3 cells. CBF beta-SMMHC reduced endogenous CBF DNA-binding fivefold in both cell types, increased cell generation time 1.9-fold, on average, in 32D cl3 cells and 1.5-fold in Ba/ F3 cells and decreased tritiated thymidine incorporation into DNA correspondingly. CBF beta-SMMHC increased the proportion of cells in G1 1.7-fold, on average, in 32D cl3 and Ba/F3 cells, and decreased the proportion of cells in S phase by a similar degree. CBF beta-SMMHC induced a marked increase in hypophosphorylated Rb, but did not alter IL-3 Receptor alpha or beta subunit levels. Neither apoptosis nor 32D differentiation was induced by zinc in IL-3 in these lines. Induction of CBF beta-SMMHC in 32D cl3 cells did not inhibit their differentiation to neutrophils or their expression of myeloperoxidase mRNA in G-CSF, and did not produce an eosinophilic phenotype. Additional, proliferative genetic changes in M4eo AMLs might potentiate inhibition of differentiation by CBF beta-SMMHC by allowing its increased expression.

Myeloperoxidase gene expression in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

The FAB classification of acute leukaemias is based on the light microscopic detection of myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in blast cells. Cases with MPO activity in > or = 3% of blasts are classified as acute myeloid leukaemia. We describe two cases of acute leukaemia in which the blast cells had lymphoid morphology, ultrastructure, immunophenotype and molecular rearrangements, but expressed significant levels of the MPO gene (MPO mRNA) by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), in the absence of translation to protein. Both cases presented a short remission duration. We discuss the incidence, features and outcome of MPO mRNA positive acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL).

Use of myeloperoxidase mrna in monitoring patients with acute myelogenous leukemia for early detection of circulating blasts

Background: Expression of the myeloperoxidase (MPO) gene is specific for myeloid precursors and their leukemic counterparts. Unlike the enzyme, MPO mRNA is found only in early myeloid precursors; this makes MPO mRNA a good marker for myeloid lineage of leukemic blasts. A reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) method for MPO mRNA detection was developed and used in the diagnosis of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). In this study, we investigated the use of MPO mRNA for early detection of circulating blasts in patients with AML during and after chemotherapy. Methods and Results: MPO mRNA detection by RT-PCR was performed on cellular material from archival smears of preipheral blood (PB) and bone marrow aspirate from 16 patients previously diagnosed with AML, types MO-M5. MPO mRNA findings were correlated with morphology and flow-cytometric data. A group of six patients diagnosed with adult de novo acute lymphoblastic leukemia served as a negative patient control group for this retrospective study. MPO mRNA findings in PB appear to follow two patterns in patients with complete remission: (1) sustained positivity throughout the clinical course, correlated with relapse; and (2) initial positivity followed by sustained negativity, correlated with long complete remissions. For the only patient in this study found in partial remission, MP mRNA positivity in PB was seen throughout the clinical course. No MPO mRNA positivity was detected in the PB of acute lymphoblastic leukemia cases. Conclusions: A highly sensitive method for detection of MPO mRNA, such as RT-PCR, is useful in monitoring patients with AML for confirming or ruling out complete remission at the molecular level. The pattern of MPO mRNA positivity over time appears to be important and to correlate with clinical course, with sustained positivity being associated wtih impending relapse, while a switch from initial positivity to sustained negativity appears to be associated with long complete remssion. Studies of larger patient groups are necessary to confirm these initial findings. (Mol Diagn 1996 Dec;1(4):313-319)

Myeloperoxidase mRNA analysis in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Expression of the myeloperoxidase (MPO) gene at the mRNA level is a better lineage marker than enzymatic activity in early myeloid precursors and their leukemic counterparts. Its diagnostic use depends on the specificity of expression for myeloblasts and its absence in blasts of lymphoid lineage. The present study investigates MPO mRNA expression in adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Of a total of 13 cases, six were found to have blasts positive for MPO mRNA; in all of these cases, the blasts were cytochemically negative for MPO. This unexpected finding of MPO mRNA positivity in six of 13 cases was further investigated at the molecular level. Bcr gene rearrangement analysis was positive in all six cases for the bcr breakpoint diagnostic of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Only three of these six cases were cytogenetically positive for a Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome. Based on molecular analysis, these cases are considered as CML presenting in blast crisis of lymphoid lineage, as opposed to de novo ALL. The remaining seven cases were Ph negative at the cytogenetic and molecular levels; the leukemic blasts were MPO mRNA negative, confirming the lack of MPO gene expression in de novo ALL.

Effects of myeloid cell growth factors on alkaline phosphatase, myeloperoxidase, defensin and granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor receptor mRNA expression in haemopoietic cells of normal individuals and myeloid disorders

The mRNA expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), myeloperoxidase (MPO), defensin and G-CSF receptor (G-CSFR) in bone marrow cells of normal individuals and myeloid disorders, with or without in vitro stimulation by myeloid cell growth factors, i.e. G-CSF, GM-CSF and IL-3, were examined as markers for myeloid cell differentiation in both mononuclear cell (MNC) and polymorphonuclear cell (PMN) fractions. Without any stimulation, ALP mRNA was expressed only in PMNs, G-CSFR mRNA in PMNs were expressed stronger than in MNCs; both MPO and defensin mRNA were expressed to the same degree in both fractions. With stimulation, the ALP mRNA expression in both fractions was strongly enhanced by G-CSF, but the expression was inhibited by GM-CSF and/or IL-3. MPO mRNA expression was stimulated by G-CSF and/or GM-CSF in MNCs. G-CSFR mRNA expression was enhanced by G-CSF in both fractions. Defensin mRNA expression was inhibited by G-CSF. In cases of myelodysplastic syndrome and chronic myelogenous leukaemia which display a suppressed maturation of myeloid cells, our results demonstrated an almost normal response to these growth factors. Our results suggest that studies on these myeloid marker mRNA expressions would provide more knowledge about the differentiation state and cytokine reactivity of myeloid cells in normal individuals as well as various disorders.

Detection of myeloperoxidase gene expression in minimally differentiated acute myelogenous leukemia (AML-M0) using in situ hybridization.

Acute leukemias containing > 3% myeloperoxidase (MPO)-positive blast cells, as detected cytochemically, are considered to be myelogenous in origin, regardless of the immunophenotypic markers expressed. Conversely, acute leukemias that express only myeloid antigens are also considered to be acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), even in the absence of MPO. These MPO-negative AMLs, designated AML-M0 in the FAB classification, currently require either immunophenotypic or electron microscopic studies for identification. To examine the association of MPO and myeloid antigen expression in AML, particularly at the early stages of myeloid cell differentiation, we have used in situ hybridization (ISH) to evaluate MPO gene expression in myeloid leukemia cell lines and a variety of well-characterized acute leukemias, including six cases of AML-M0. Strong positivity for MPO mRNA was detected in the myeloid leukemia cell line HL-60 and in 22 of 27 AMLs (three AML-M0, four AML-M1, eight AML-M2, five AML-M4, two AML-M5a). No MPO gene expression was detected in three AML-M0, one AML-M5a, one AML-M7, 5 acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the lymphoid cell lines Molt-4 and Namalwa, or in the early myeloid cell lines KG-1 and KG-1a. Ultrastructural studies for MPO activity were performed on four AML-M0; one leukemia showed both gene expression and cytochemical activity, whereas two others contained neither MPO transcripts nor enzyme. Weak MPO gene expression was evident in one AML-M0 that was negative for enzymatic activity by electron microscopy. These studies show MPO gene expression can be detected by ISH in about half of AML-M0, supporting their presumed myelocytic derivation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Identification of a Novel DNA Sequence Differentially Expressed Between Normal Human CD34+CD38hi and CD34+CD38lo Marrow Cells

We have applied the recently developed differential display method to extend the molecular characterization of the less mature CD34+CD38lo bone marrow progenitors in comparison with the CD34+CD38hi cells to better understand their functional differences. Immunomagnetic enrichment of CD34+ cells followed by flow cytometry was used to isolate CD34+CD38lo and CD34+CD38hi cells from human organ donor bone marrow. A limited set of the poly A+ RNA sequences present in these two cell populations was amplified by a combination of reverse transcription with an anchored oligo dT-based primer and polymerase chain reaction with the same oligo dT primer and arbitrary decamers. A radioactive tracer allowed these sequences to be displayed as a series of bands on a denaturing polyacrylamide gel. Eight bands were chosen that appeared in multiple displays to represent gene sequences differentially expressed between CD34+CD38hi and CD34+CD38lo cells. Comparison of the sequences with public DNA sequence databases available identified one sequence as myeloperoxidase. Two other clones matched sequence fragments of unknown function, whereas the remaining five are novel sequences not present in existing databases. The relative level of expression of all of the sequences was tested by an independent reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific oligonucleotide primers. The lower level of myeloperoxidase mRNA in CD34+CD38lo cells was confirmed, as was the higher expression of the novel sequence 345. Sequence 345 expression is highest in CD34+CD38- cells and decreases with increased CD38 expression. It is expressed in negligible amounts in hematopoietic cell lines and other sources of human tissue, suggesting it may have a functional role in normal hematopoiesis.

Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor Induction of Normal Human Bone Marrow Progenitors Results in Neutrophil-Specific Gene Expression

We have used a combination of hematopoietic growth factors to induce in vitro granulocytic maturation. A fraction of marrow cells enriched for hematopoietic progenitor cells (CD34+, HLA-DR+) was isolated from normal human bone marrow by monoclonal antibody staining and fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Cells were cultured in a suspension system for 3 days in the presence of stem cell factor and interleukin-3 (IL-3), after which granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) was added. Cells were harvested daily and analyzed for phenotypic maturation by morphologic criteria, and total RNA was obtained for analysis of myeloid gene expression. Maturation was observed to progress to the late metamyelocyte and band stage over a period of 10 to 12 days. Neutrophil-specific gene expression was assayed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Induction with G-CSF resulted in sequential expression of primary and secondary granule proteins, with asynchronous expression of primary granule proteins starting from days 1 to 5, and synchronous expression of lactoferrin and transcobalamin I (secondary granule proteins) from days 7 to 8. Interestingly, myeloperoxidase (MPO) mRNA expression was easily detected in both the freshly isolated CD34+, HLA-DR+ cells and cells at all subsequent stages of induction. This suggests that MPO mRNA is expressed very early during neutrophil development, perhaps before the development of significant numbers of phenotypically recognizable granules. This recapitulation of a program of sequential expression of primary and secondary granule protein genes suggests that in vitro marrow culture suspensions to which appropriate growth factors are added can mimic normal granulocytic maturation. This system should provide an important model for the study of neutrophil-specific gene expression.

The Post-translational Processing of Myeloperoxidase Is Regulated by the Availability of Heme

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is a hemoprotein that is synthesized in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) as a single-chain precursor and undergoes a complex series of post-translational modifications prior to packaging into azurophilic granules. We and others have previously observed that treatment of human myeloid leukemic cells with succinylacetone (SA), a potent inhibitor of 5-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALA-D), and hence of heme biosynthesis, resulted in loss of MPO enzyme activity, inhibition of the appearance of mature MPO, and accumicrolation of enzymatically unreactive, but immicronoreactive, MPO in the ER. The present study using HL-60 cells was undertaken to establish the nature and specificity of the inhibition by SA and to identify and quantify the biochemical changes in the post-translational pathway of MPO processing. Dose-response studies showed that SA (250 μ M) did not affect cell viability or growth up to 72 h, but resulted in inhibition of ALA-D activity (>93%) and decreased cellular levels of both heme and MPO (∼25% of control). There were no effects on the level of total cellular protein or on the activities of lactate dehydrogenase or several other nonheme enzymes colocalized with MPO in azurophilic granules. Northern blot analyses confirmed the nontoxic nature of the conditions and indicated there was no effect on transcription of MPO mRNA. The kinetics of processing in the presence and absence of 250 μM SA were determined using pulse-chase and Percoll density gradient centrifugation methods, followed by identification and quantification of MPO species by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and fluorography. The initial rate of disappearance of precursor MPO was identical for control and SA-treated cells and, after a lag of 2-3 h, there was a fourfold decrease in the rate of appearance of mature MPO in SA-treated cells. In the presence of SA, precursor apoMPO remained in the ER, did not undergo proteolytic processing and, compared to control cells, about 50% was degraded. The disruption in MPO processing was reversible by the addition of exogenous heme. We conclude that the availability of heme is important in the complex maturation of MPO that occurs in the ER, events which precede exit from this compartment and subsequent proteolytic processing and transport to the azurophilic granule.

Detection of Leukemic Blasts in Peripheral Blood Specimens by Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay for Myeloperoxidase mRNA

Detection of Leukemic Blasts in Peripheral Blood Specimens by Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay for Myeloperoxidase mRNA

Myeloperoxidase: expression and modulation in a large panel of human leukemia-lymphoma cell lines

Myeloperoxidase (MPO) is found exclusively in the azurophilic granules (primary lysosomes) of normal myelomonocytic cells. Cytochemical staining for MPO activity is used clinically to distinguish myeloid from lymphoid leukemias. We studied the expression of MPO at the RNA and protein level in 140 continuous human leukemia-lymphoma cell lines using classical cytochemistry, immunofluorescent staining with a specific monoclonal antibody, Northern blot analysis, and a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) amplification assay. Seventy-eight lymphoid leukemia, myeloma, and lymphoma cell lines were negative; only 3 pre-B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cell lines were MPO-positive. Two of these MPO-positive pre-B-ALL cell lines showed a trace expression after RT-PCR and Southern blotting corresponding to 4% to 6% of the transcripts found in other positive myeloid cell lines. The third pre-B-ALL cell line was positive in Northern blots and cytochemical/immunofluorescent staining; however, only few cells were weakly positive in the latter assay. Although 15 of 59 cell lines assigned to the myeloid, monocytic, megakaryocytic, or erythroid lineages were MPO-positive in Northern blots, those 15 and 13 additional cell lines showed bands of mRNA after RT-PCR. MPO protein was detected in all 16 Northern-positive cell lines; on the other hand, there were 4 cell lines that were protein-positive, but Northern- negative. Differentiation induced by protein kinase C activators 12-O- tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate and Bryostatin 1 or by all-trans retinoic acid was associated with a decrease in MPO mRNA in all 7 initially positive cell lines studied, even leading to the complete absence of transcripts, but the enzymatic activity of the differentiated cells was only slightly less than that of unstimulated cells. MPO expression could not be induced in 10 initially negative cell lines. The half-life of MPO mRNA was found to be about 6 hours and was not shortened by prior exposure of the cells to the differentiation- inducing agents. These results confirm that MPO expression is mainly associated with myelomonocytic cells, but also underline the notion that MPO cannot be used as an absolutely lineage-specific marker for the distinction of leukemic cells. MPO can be used as an excellent parameter to characterize the various stages of normal and induced differentiation.

Constitutive Overexpression of the c-fos Gene in Radiation-Induced Granulocytic Leukemia in Mice

Among various myeloid leukemias which were induced by X rays in C3H/He mice (Seki et al., Radiat. Res. 127, 146-149, 1991), the three most frequent types were analyzed for myeloperoxidase, c-myc, c-myb, and c-fos mRNAs. It was shown by in situ hybridization that all the component cells were positive for myeloperoxidase mRNA in granulocytic leukemia, whereas only half the cells were positive in myelomonocytic leukemia and none in monocytic leukemia. Granulocytic leukemia was also characterized by a persistently heightened expression of c-fos, while the other two types of leukemia showed negligibly low expression of the c-fos message. By contrast, both c-myc and c-myb were expressed to a similar extent in all three types of leukemia. When fresh granulocytic leukemia cells were transferred to culture in a medium containing 0.5% fetal calf serum, c-fos mRNA was decreased rapidly during incubation. The decay of c-fos mRNA was inhibited by cycloheximide markedly but was not changed significantly by actinomycin D. In the culture containing 10% fetal calf serum, the rate of decay of c-fos mRNA was slowed down significantly. Addition of dibutyryl cyclic AMP rapidly restored the c-fos expression and kept it elevated for at least 2 h in the cultured granulocytic leukemia cells. Phorbol ester (TPA) and calcium ionophore A23187 also caused a rapid but transient c-fos expression. A transient c-fos expression was inducible by TPA in the other two types of leukemia cells and in the granulocytic leukemia cells. The results suggest that the persistent expression of c-fos is distinguished from its transient expression and is characteristic for granulocytic leukemia cells as it is for normal mature granulocytes.