• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제16권9호
• /
• pp.3817-3825
• /
• 2015

Background: The human protein methyl-transferase DOT1L catalyzes the methylation of histone H3 on lysine 79 (H3K79) at homeobox genes and is also involved in a number of significant processes ranging from gene expression to DNA-damage response and cell cycle progression. Inhibition of DOT1L activity by shRNA or small-molecule inhibitors has been established to prevent proliferation of various MLL-rearranged leukemia cells in vitro, establishing DOT1L an attractive therapeutic target for mixed lineage leukemia (MLL). Most of the drugs currently in use for the MLL treatment are reported to have low efficacy, hence this study focused on various natural compounds which exhibit minimal toxic effects and high efficacy for the target receptor. Materials and Methods: Structures of human protein methyl-transferase DOT1L and natural compound databases were downloaded from various sources. Virtual screening, molecular docking, dynamics simulation and drug likeness studies were performed for those natural compounds to evaluate and analyze their anti-cancer activity. Results: The top five screened compounds possessing good binding affinity were identified as potential high affinity inhibitors against DOT1L's active site. The top ranking molecule amongst the screened ligands had a Glide g-score of -10.940 kcal/mol and Glide e-model score of -86.011 with 5 hydrogen bonds and 12 hydrophobic contacts. This ligand's behaviour also showed consistency during the simulation of protein-ligand complex for 20000 ps, which is indicative of its stability in the receptor pocket. Conclusions: The ligand obtained out of this screening study can be considered as a potential inhibitor for DOT1L and further can be treated as a lead for the drug designing pipeline.

• ETRI Journal
• /
• 제41권3호
• /
• pp.358-370
• /
• 2019

The main aim of this study is to select the optimal set of genes from microarray cancer datasets that contribute to the prediction of specific cancer types. This study proposes the enhancement of the feature selection filter algorithm based on Joe's normalized mutual information and its use for gene selection. The proposed algorithm is implemented and evaluated on seven benchmark microarray cancer datasets, namely, central nervous system, leukemia (binary), leukemia (3 class), leukemia (4 class), lymphoma, mixed lineage leukemia, and small round blue cell tumor, using five well-known classifiers, including the naive Bayes, radial basis function network, instance-based classifier, decision-based table, and decision tree. An average increase in the prediction accuracy of 5.1% is observed on all seven datasets averaged over all five classifiers. The average reduction in training time is 2.86 seconds. The performance of the proposed method is also compared with those of three other popular mutual information-based feature selection filters, namely, information gain, gain ratio, and symmetric uncertainty. The results are impressive when all five classifiers are used on all the datasets.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• 제14권2호
• /
• pp.359-369
• /
• 1997

저자들은 1993년 3월에서 1997년 9월까지 영남대학교 의과대학 부속병원 임상병리과에 면역학적 표지자 검사가 의뢰된 153명의 백혈병 환자의 결과를 분석하였다. 여기에는 AML 61례, ALL 46례, FAB 아형이 확정되지 않았던 12례 등이 포함되어 있었다. EDTA 항응고처리한 골수나 말초혈액에서 단핵세포층을 분리한후 일련의 단클론항체와 FITC 표지 이차항체를 이용하여 면역형광염색법을 실시한 후 형광현미경으로 관찰하였다. AML 61례에서의 비전형적인 표지자 표현 양상을 보면 CD7 32.8%, CD10 14.8%, CD5 13.1%, CD2 6.6%, CD4 4.9%, CD19 1.6%의 양성률을 보였고, TdT 양성은 3.9%였다. 혼성 백혈병으로 최종 진단을 내린 경우는 13.1%로 그 중 단구성 계열이 대부분(6/8)이었다. ALL 46례에서의 면역학적 검사에 따른 분류에 따르면 CALLA(+) B precursor형이 65.2%를 차지하였고, CALLA(-) B precursor형이 10.9%, T 세포형 8.7%, B 세포형 2.2%, 혼성림프구형(B&T) 4.3%, 미분화성 백혈병 2.2%였고, 혼성 백혈병으로 진단된 경우는 6.5%였다. 골수성 표지자 양성인 ALL은 CD13이나 CD33 양성인 례가 각각 2.2%였다. 급성 백혈병에서 골수형태와 세포화학검사로 FAB 아형을 확정하지 못한 12례에서 혼성 백혈병이 5례(41.7%)였고, 림프구 계열이 7례(58.3%)였으며 그 중 B 세포계열이 3례, T 세포계열이 3례, 혼성 림프구형(B&T)이 1례로 나타났다. 결론적으로는, 면역학적 표지지 검사로 더 정확하게 AML과 ALL을 감별할 수 있었으며, M0, M7 아형진단에도 도움이 되며, 형태학적, 세포화학적검사로 정확히 진단할 수 없었던 급성 백혈병의 분류에 도움이 되었다. 따라서 급성 백혈병의 진단을 위하여 FAB 분류 뿐 만 아니라 면역학적 표지자 검사를 함께 시행한다면 보다 정확한 진단에 도움을 줄 수 있을 것으로 생각된다.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제41권5호
• /
• pp.444-453
• /
• 2018

Aberrations in histone modifications are being studied in mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL)-AF9-driven acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In this study, we focused on the regulation of the differentiation of the MLL-AF9 type AML cell line THP-1. We observed that, upon phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) treatment, THP-1 cells differentiated into monocytes by down-regulating Aurora kinase A (AURKA), resulting in a reduction in H3S10 phosphorylation. We revealed that the AURKA inhibitor alisertib accelerates the expression of the H3K27 demethylase KDM6B, thereby dissociating AURKA and YY1 from the KDM6B promoter region. Using Flow cytometry, we found that alisertib induces THP-1 differentiation into monocytes. Furthermore, we found that treatment with the KDM6B inhibitor GSK-J4 perturbed the PMA-mediated differentiation of THP-1 cells. Thus, we discovered the mechanism of AURKA-KDM6B signaling that controls the differentiation of THP-1 cells, which has implications for biotherapy for leukemia.

• Toxicological Research
• /
• 제24권2호
• /
• pp.93-100
• /
• 2008

Targeting protein kinases has been active area in drug discovery. The c-Jun N-terminal kinases(JNKs) have also been target for development of novel therapy in various diseases, since the roles of JNK signaling in pathological conditions were revealed in studies using jnk-deficient mice. Small molecule inhibitors and peptide inhibitors are identified for therapeutic intervention of JNK signaling pathway. SP-600125, an anthrapyrazole small molecule inhibitor for JNK with high potency and selectivity has been widely used for dissecting JNK signaling pathway. CC-401 is the first JNK inhibitor that went into clinical trial for inflammation and leukemia. Inhibitor for mixed lineage kinase (MLK), CEP-1347 also negatively regulates JNK signaling, and tried for potential use in Parkinson's disease. Cell-permeable peptide inhibitor D-JNKI-1 is being developed for the treatment of hearing loss. The current status of these JNK inhibitors and safety issue is discussed in the minireview.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• 제27권2호
• /
• pp.201-209
• /
• 2019

Mixed lineage leukemia proteins (MLL) are the key histone lysine methyltransferases that regulate expression of diverse genes. Aberrant activation of MLL promotes leukemia as well as solid tumors in humans, highlighting the urgent need for the development of an MLL inhibitor. We screened and isolated MLL1-binding ssRNAs using SELEX (${\underline{S}}ystemic$ ${\underline{E}}volution$ of ${\underline{L}}igands$ by ${\underline{E}}xponential$ enrichment) technology. When sequences in sub-libraries were obtained using next-generation sequencing (NGS), the most enriched aptamers-APT1 and APT2-represented about 30% and 26% of sub-library populations, respectively. Motif analysis of the top 50 sequences provided a highly conserved sequence: 5'-A[A/C][C/G][G/U][U/A]ACAGAGGG[U/A]GG[A/C] GAGUGGGU-3'. APT1, APT2, and APT5 embracing this motif generated secondary structures with similar topological characteristics. We found that APT1 and APT2 have a good binding activity and the analysis using mutated aptamer variants showed that the site information in the central region was critical for binding. In vitro enzyme activity assay showed that APT1 and APT2 had MLL1 inhibitory activity. Three-dimensional structure prediction of APT1-MLL1 complex indicates multiple weak interactions formed between MLL1 SET domain and APT1. Our study confirmed that NGS-assisted SELEX is an efficient tool for aptamer screening and that aptamers could be useful in diagnosis and treatment of MLL1-mediated diseases.

• BMB Reports
• /
• 제53권12호
• /
• pp.634-639
• /
• 2020

In prostate cancer, the androgen receptor (AR) transcription factor is a major regulator of cell proliferation and metastasis. To identify new AR regulators, we focused on Mixed lineage leukemia 5 (MLL5), a histone-regulating enzyme, because significantly higher MLL5 expression was detected in prostate cancer tissues than in matching normal tissues. When we expressed shRNAs targeting MLL5 gene in prostate cancer cell line, the growth rate and AR activity were reduced compared to those in control cells, and migration ability of the knockdown cells was reduced significantly. To determine the molecular mechanisms of MLL5 on AR activity, we proved that AR physically interacted with MLL5 and other co-factors, including SET-1 and HCF-1, using an immunoprecipitation method. The chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis showed reduced binding of MLL5, co-factors, and AR enzymes to AR target gene promoters in MLL5 shRNA-expressing cells. Histone H3K4 methylation on the AR target gene promoters was reduced, and H3K9 methylation at the same site was increased in MLL5 knockdown cells. Finally, xenograft tumor formation revealed that reduction of MLL5 in prostate cancer cells retarded tumor growth. Our results thus demonstrate the important role of MLL5 as a new epigenetic regulator of AR in prostate cancer.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• 제45권4호
• /
• pp.202-215
• /
• 2022

The androgen receptor (AR) is an important therapeutic target for treating prostate cancer (PCa). Moreover, there is an increasing need for understanding the AR-independent progression of tumor cells such as neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC). Menin, which is encoded by multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1), serves as a direct link between AR and the mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL) complex in PCa development by activating AR target genes through histone H3 lysine 4 methylation. Although menin is a critical component of AR signaling, its tumorigenic role in AR-independent PCa cells remains unknown. Here, we compared the role of menin in AR-positive and AR-negative PCa cells via RNAi-mediated or pharmacological inhibition of menin. We demonstrated that menin was involved in tumor cell growth and metastasis in PCa cells with low or deficient levels of AR. The inhibition of menin significantly diminished the growth of PCa cells and induced apoptosis, regardless of the presence of AR. Additionally, transcriptome analysis showed that the expression of many metastasis-associated genes was perturbed by menin inhibition in AR-negative DU145 cells. Furthermore, wound-healing assay results showed that menin promoted cell migration in AR-independent cellular contexts. Overall, these findings suggest a critical function of menin in tumorigenesis and provide a rationale for drug development against menin toward targeting high-risk metastatic PCa, especially those independent of AR.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제30권8호
• /
• pp.713-721
• /
• 2020

Adipogenesis의 연구는 인간의 지방생물학의 기초적인 분자기전을 이해하고, 비만, 당뇨 및 대사성 증후군의 발병기전을 밝히는데 필요하다. Adipogenesis의 많은 연구가 adipocytes 특이적인 핵심 전사인자인 PPARγ와 C/EBPα를 중심으로 하는 유전자 발현조절 및 세포 내 신호전달에 초점이 맞추어 활발하게 연구가 진행되었다. 그러나, 에피지놈 변형효소나 히스톤 돌연변이에 의한 에피지놈 관점에서 adipogenesis 연구는 미흡한 실정이다. 포유동물에서 히스톤 methylation은 유전자 발현에 대한 주요 후성유전적(epigenome) 변형 중 하나이며, 특히 히스톤 H3 lysine methylation은 다양한 조직 및 기관 발생과정과 세포 분화에 매우 중요한 히스톤 변형이다. 세포 특이적 enhancer는 adipogenesis에서 active enhancer 표지자인 H3K27ac와 함께 H3K4me1로 변형된다. MLL4는 Pparg 및 Cebpa 유전자 ehancers에서 중요한 adipogenic H3K4 mono-methyltransferase이다. 따라서 MLL4는 adipogenesis에 중요한 에피지놈 변형효소라고 할 수 있다. 유전자 발현 억제를 유발하는 대표적인 히스톤 변형인 H3K27me3은 Polycomb repressive complex 2의 효소활성 subunit인 Ezh2에 의해 매개된다. Wnt 유전자에서 Ezh2에 의한 H3K27me3 히스톤 methylation 변형은 adipogenesis를 증가시키는데, 이는 WNT 신호 전달이 adipogenesis의 억제 조절자로 알려져 있기 때문이다. 본 논문은 유전자 발현을 근본적으로 조절하는 히스톤 H3 methylation에 의한 후성 유전학적인 조절이 어떻게 adipogenesis를 조절하는지에 대해 요약한다.