BACKGROUND: The CCAAT/enhancer binding protein epsilon (C/EBPepsilon), one of the transcription factors, plays an important role in granulopoiesis. We examined an essential site of C/EBP epsilon for granulopoiesis. METHODS: 32Dcl3 cells and #1111 cells were transduced with retroviral constructs of C/EBP epsilon and C/EBP epsilon(R211A) (DNA binding mutant form). We examined growth rate, checked the neutrophil markers of Gr-1 and Mac-1, and counted differentiated cells in the transduced 32Dcl3 cells. The transduced #1111 cells were injected into five mice and survival times were analyzed. RESULTS: The mean number of green fluorescent protein (GFP) (+) 32Dcl3 cells transduced with C/EBP was 244, 045 at day 2, 582, 938 at day 4, and 873, 963 at day 6; mean expression of Gr-1 was 31.3% and Mac-1 32.6%; mean count of immature form was 41.0%, intermediate form 48.3%, and mature form 10.7%. In case of C/EBP epsilon (R211A) transduced 32Dcl3 cells, the respective figures were 707, 226, 1, 106, 736, and 2, 133, 819; 0.1% and 0.1%; and 91.7%, 4.3%, and 4.0%. The mean survival time of #1111 cells transduced with C/EBP epsilon was 26.0 days in placebo group and 34.0 days in 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4HT; C/EBP epsilon group); in case of C/EBP epsilon(R211A) transduced #1111 cells, the respective figures were 36.4 and 37.4 days. CONCLUSIONS: The growth of 32Dcl3 and #1111 cells was inhibited by C/EBP epsilon, but not by C/EBP epsilon(R211A). Also C/EBP epsilon was involved in the differentiation of 32Dcl3 cells, but C/EBP epsilon(R211A) was not. The DNA binding domain of C/EBP epsilon is a very important site for differentiating and inhibiting early myeloid cells.
Animals ; Carrier Proteins ; DNA* ; Mice ; Myeloid Cells ; Neutrophils ; Survival Rate ; Transcription Factors ; Zidovudine

BACKGROUND: The pathogenesis of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is complicated by DNA damage, balanced or unbalanced translocation, deletion, inversion, abnormal transcription factors, receptors, and others. The CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPalpha) and C/EBP epsilon (C/EBPepsilon), one of transcription factors, play important roles in normal granulopoiesis. We wished to assess whether increasing the activity of either C/EBPalpha or C/EBPepsilon could suppress the leukemic myeloblasts. METHODS: To make retrovirus, BOSC23 cells were transfected with retroviral constructs; mouse stem cell retrovirus-internal ribosomal entry site-green fluorescent protein (MIG), MIG-C/EBP alpha-estrogen receptor (ER) and MIG-C/EBP epsilon-ER. 32Dcl3 murine myeloblastic (32Dcl3) cells or #1111 acute promyelocytic leukemic (#1111 APL, #1111) cells were transduced with each retrovirus. Growth rate and differential cell count were examined, and granulocytic surface markers of Gr-1 and Mac-1 were checked. Transduced #1111 cells were injected into 20 sublethally irradiated (4.5 Gy) mice; at day 14, 4 groups of 5 mice each were input into subcutaneous tissue with placebo, 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4HT), all trans retinoic acid (ATRA), or 4HT & ATRA pellets; survival times were analysed when they died. RESULTS: The number of GFP (+) transduced 32Dcl3 cells with MIG (control group) at days 2, 4, and 6 were 684976, 1975965, and 2808244; 32Dcl3 cells with MIG-C/EBP alpha-ER were 77354, 53180, and 39460; and 32Dcl3 cell with MIG-C/EBP epsilon-ER were 328384, 698424, and 974850, respectively. The control group didn't express both Gr-1 and Mac-1, but C/EBP alpha expressed 56.1%, 55.6% and C/EBPepsilon expressed 31.3% and 32.6%, respectively. The differential counts of immature, intermediate, and mature forms in control group were 90.0%, 6.0%, and 4.0%; C/EBP 4.3%, 33.7%, and 62.0%; C/EBPepsilon 41.0%, 48.3%, and 10.7%, respectively. The mean survival time of transduced #1111 cells with MIG-C/EBP alpha-ER injected mice was 30.5 days in placebo group, 41.8 days in 4HT (C/EBP ) group, 69.0 days in ATRA group, and 97.8 days in 4HT (C/EBP ) & ATRA group. In case of MIG-C/EBP epsilon-ER, the survival time was 26.4 days in placebo group, 33.0 days in 4HT (C/EBP ) group, 49.6 days in ATRA group, and 52.5 days in 4HT (C/EBP ) & ATRA group. CONCLUSIONS: Both C/EBP and C/EBP suppressed cell growth and differentiation of 32Dcl3 cells, and they also suppressed cell growth of #1111 cells. The ATRA was more effective than C/EBP in APL, and C/EBP and ATRA had synergistic effects in APL. The growth arrest and differentiated action of C/EBPalpha was more powerful than that of C/EBPepsilon.
Animals ; Carrier Proteins ; Cell Count ; DNA Damage ; Granulocyte Precursor Cells* ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute ; Mice ; Retroviridae ; Stem Cells ; Subcutaneous Tissue ; Survival Rate ; Transcription Factors ; Tretinoin ; Zidovudine

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