Tina Vetter1, Andreas Borowski1, Andreas Wohlmann1, Nilabh Ranjan1, Michael Kuepper2, Susanne Badura3, Oliver G Ottmann3, Karlheinz Friedrich4. 1. Jena University Hospital, Institute of Biochemistry II, Jena, Germany. 2. University of Rostock, Department of Pneumology, Rostock, Germany. 3. Goethe University Frankfurt, Department of Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, Frankfurt, Germany. 4. Jena University Hospital, Institute of Biochemistry II, Jena, Germany. Electronic address: karlheinz.friedrich@med.uni-jena.de.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The cytokine thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) and its receptor TSLPR are involved in intercellular communication in the course of allergic inflammation and have recently been implicated in the development of various malignancies including B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL). We studied TSLPR expression, TSLP-induced signal transduction and its antibody-mediated inhibition in long-term cultures of primary cells derived from B-precursor ALL patients. METHODS: TSLPR expression was determined by flow cytometry and Western blot analysis, cell proliferation, signal transduction via the JAK/STAT pathway was analysed by Western blot detection of STAT tyrosine phosphorylation and by measuring TSLP-dependent activation of a STAT-specific reporter gene construct. For inhibition studies a recently introduced antagonistic antibody to the TSLPRα-subunit was used. RESULTS: TSLPR surface expression was observed in leukemic lymphoblasts from two out of ten patients with BCP-ALL. Upon TSLP stimulation, the cells with the highest TSLPR expression level showed enhanced proliferation and JAK/STAT-mediated gene regulation in a dose-dependent manner. By employment of an inhibitory antibody to the TSLPR, both TSLP-triggered cell proliferation and STAT transcription factor activation were specifically inhibited. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that blockade of the TSLPR might be a therapeutic option for a subset of BCP-ALL patients.
PURPOSE: The cytokine thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) and its receptor TSLPR are involved in intercellular communication in the course of allergic inflammation and have recently been implicated in the development of various malignancies including B cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP-ALL). We studied TSLPR expression, TSLP-induced signal transduction and its antibody-mediated inhibition in long-term cultures of primary cells derived from B-precursor ALL patients. METHODS:TSLPR expression was determined by flow cytometry and Western blot analysis, cell proliferation, signal transduction via the JAK/STAT pathway was analysed by Western blot detection of STAT tyrosine phosphorylation and by measuring TSLP-dependent activation of a STAT-specific reporter gene construct. For inhibition studies a recently introduced antagonistic antibody to the TSLPRα-subunit was used. RESULTS:TSLPR surface expression was observed in leukemic lymphoblasts from two out of ten patients with BCP-ALL. Upon TSLP stimulation, the cells with the highest TSLPR expression level showed enhanced proliferation and JAK/STAT-mediated gene regulation in a dose-dependent manner. By employment of an inhibitory antibody to the TSLPR, both TSLP-triggered cell proliferation and STAT transcription factor activation were specifically inhibited. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that blockade of the TSLPR might be a therapeutic option for a subset of BCP-ALL patients.
Authors: Jolanda Sarno; Angela M Savino; Chiara Buracchi; Chiara Palmi; Stefania Pinto; Cristina Bugarin; Astraea Jager; Silvia Bresolin; Ruth C Barber; Daniela Silvestri; Shai Israeli; Martin J S Dyer; Giovanni Cazzaniga; Garry P Nolan; Andrea Biondi; Kara L Davis; Giuseppe Gaipa Journal: Oncotarget Date: 2018-05-01