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Deletion or mutation of the SAP gene is associated with the X-linked lymphoproliferative disease (XLP) that is characterized by extreme sensitivity to Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). Primary infection of the affected individuals leads to serious, sometimes fatal infectious mononucleosis (IM) and proneness to lymphoma. Our present results revealed a proapoptotic function of SAP by which it contributes to the maintenance of T-cell homeostasis and to the elimination of potentially dangerous DNA-damaged cells. Therefore, the loss of this function could be responsible for the uncontrolled T-cell proliferation in fatal IM and for the generation of lymphomas. We show now the role of SAP in apoptosis in T and B lymphocyte-derived lines. Among the clones of T-ALL line, the ones with higher SAP levels succumbed more promptly to activation induced cell death (AICD). Importantly, introduction of SAP expression into lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL) established from XLP patients led to elevated apoptotic response to DNA damage. Similar results were obtained in the osteosarcoma line, Saos-2. We have shown that the anti-apoptotic protein VCP (valosin-containing protein) binds to SAP, suggesting that it could be instrumental in the enhanced apoptotic response modulated by SAP.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with a variety of human tumors. Although the EBV-infected normal B cells in vitro and the EBV-carrying B cell lymphomas in immunodeficient patients express the full set of latent proteins (type III latency), the majority of EBV-associated malignancies express the restricted type I (EBNA-1 only) or type II (EBNA-1 and LMPs) viral program. The mechanisms responsible for these different latent viral gene expression patterns are only partially known. IL-21 is a potent B cell activator and plasma cell differentiation-inducer cytokine produced by CD4⁺ T cells. We studied its effect on EBV-carrying B cells. In type I Burkitt lymphoma (BL) cell lines and in the conditional lymphoblastoid cell line (LCL) ER/EB2-5, IL-21 potently activated STAT3 and induced the expression of LMP-1, but not EBNA-2. The IL-21-treated type I Jijoye M13 BL line ceased to proliferate, and this was paralleled by the induction of IRF4 and the down-regulation of BCL6 expression. In the type III LCLs and BL lines, IL-21 repressed the C-promoter-derived and LMP-2A mRNAs, whereas it up-regulated the expression of LMP-1 mRNAs. The IL-21-treated type III cells underwent plasma cell differentiation with the induction of Blimp-1, and high levels of Ig and Oct-2. IL-21 might be involved in the EBNA-2-independent expression of LMP-1 in EBV-carrying type II cells. In light of the fact that IL-21 is already in clinical trials for the treatment of multiple malignancies, the in vivo modulation of EBV gene expression by IL-21 might have therapeutic benefits for the EBV-carrying malignancies.

Microsatellite instability (MSI) is present in 15–20% of primary colorectal cancers. MSI status is assessed to detect Lynch syndrome, guide adjuvant chemotherapy, determine prognosis, and use as a companion test for checkpoint blockade inhibitors. Traditionally, MSI status is determined by immunohistochemistry or molecular methods. The Idylla™ MSI Assay is a fully automated molecular method (including automated result interpretation), using seven novel MSI biomarkers (ACVR2A, BTBD7, DIDO1, MRE11, RYR3, SEC31A, SULF2) and not requiring matched normal tissue. In this real-world global study, 44 clinical centers performed Idylla™ testing on a total of 1301 archived colorectal cancer formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sections and compared Idylla™ results against available results from routine diagnostic testing in those sites. MSI mutations detected with the Idylla™ MSI Assay were equally distributed over the seven biomarkers, and 84.48% of the MSI-high samples had ≥ 5 mutated biomarkers, while 98.25% of the microsatellite-stable samples had zero mutated biomarkers. The concordance level between the Idylla™ MSI Assay and immunohistochemistry was 96.39% (988/1025); 17/37 discordant samples were found to be concordant when a third method was used. Compared with routine molecular methods, the concordance level was 98.01% (789/805); third-method analysis found concordance for 8/16 discordant samples. The failure rate of the Idylla™ MSI Assay (0.23%; 3/1301) was lower than that of referenced immunohistochemistry (4.37%; 47/1075) or molecular assays (0.86%; 7/812). In conclusion, lower failure rates and high concordance levels were found between the Idylla™ MSI Assay and routine tests.

B cell type chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (B-CLL) cells carry the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) receptor CD21 and can be infected in vitro with the virus. The infected cells exhibit an unusual EBV program, they express the nuclear proteins but not latent membrane protein 1 (LMP-1). Similar cells were encountered in lymphoid tissues of infectious mononucleosis (IM) patients and in lymphoproliferations of immunosuppressed patients. EBV infected B-CLL cells can be regarded as model for this viral program. In B cells the regulation of LMP-1 is executed mainly by EBV encoded nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA-2), interacting with several cellular proteins and these complexes bind to specific sequences in the LMP-1 promoter. ATF2 and c-Jun were shown to be among the interacting partners of EBNA-2. These molecules can be detected in experimentally infected B lymphocytes. We found c-Jun and/or phosphorylated ATF-2 (p-ATF-2) expression in some B-CLL ex vivo samples. They disappeared or their expression declined promptly in explanted cells, even if they were infected with EBV in vitro. Activation of the infected B-CLL cells by exposure to CD40L was accompanied by p-ATF-2 and c-Jun but not by LMP-1 expression. In one of three clones tested, subsequent treatment with histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi), TSA or n-butyrate, could induce LMP-1. Treatment with phorbol-12, 13-dibutyrate (PDB) induced LMP-1 expression in three of four clones. Neither the HDACi nor the PDB treated cells survived.

Background Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a rare KSHV/HHV8-associated high-grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) of B-cell origin, characterized by serous effusions in body cavities. Most patients are HIV-infected men with severe immunosuppression and other HHV8-associated diseases such as Kaposi's sarcoma (KS). The prognosis for those infected is poor, with a median survival of less than 6 months in most cohorts. Sustained complete remission is rare. High-dose chemotherapy regimens are used to improve remission rate and survival. The aim of the present study was to compare the drug sensitivity pattern of the available primary effusion (body cavity based) lymphoma-derived cell lines in order to find additional, potentially effective drugs that are not included in current chemotherapy treatment protocols. Methods We have analyzed 11 cell lines against 27 frequently used cytostatic drugs in short term (3 days) survival assays using automated high throughput confocal microscopy. Results All cell lines showed a distinct, individual drug sensitivity pattern. Considering the in vitro used and clinically achieved drug concentration, Vinorelbine, Paclitaxel, Epirubicin and Daunorubicin were the most effective drugs. Conclusions We suggest that inclusion of the above drugs into PEL chemotherapy protocols may be justified. The heterogeneity in the drug response pattern however indicated that assay-guided individualized therapy might be required to optimize therapeutic response.

In about 60% of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) carrying nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC) LMP1 expressing cells can be detected. The frequency of LMP1 positive cells and the expression level varies from cell to cell in the different tumors. Cell lines derived from EBV positive NPCs loose the virus during in vitro culture. The in vitro infected NPC cell line TWO3-EBV used in our study carries the neomycin-resistance gene containing EBV and expresses low level of LMP1. With this cell line it was thus possible to study the regulation of LMP1 expression by modification of chromatin acetylation state. The TWO-EBV cell line was treated with n -butyrate (NB) or trichostatin A (TSA). Shown by immunoblotting, the LMP1 level was elevated in the treated samples. Already 2 h after TSA exposure LMP1 expression was higher and it increased up to 24 h. Immunofluorescence staining showed that nearly all cells were LMP1 positive. Neither EBNA2 nor BZLF1 were induced. Tested first 2 h after the treatment, acetylated histone H3 and H4 were already detectable, and their level increased up to 8 h. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) verified that the LMP1-promoter (LMP1p) (ED-L1) was acetylated after TSA treatment. EBV carrying epithelial cells do not express EBNA-2. We showed that LMP1 expression was upregulated by histone deacetylase inhibitors in an in vitro infected, EBV carrier NPC cell line.

SAP is an adaptor molecule with one SH2 domain and it is expressed in activated T and NK cells, where it is required for the appropriate signaling from the SLAM family of surface receptors. Deleted or mutated SAP genes that encode functionally defective protein are associated with the X-linked lymphoproliferative disease (XLP). This primary immunodeficiency is characterized by extreme sensitivity to Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) infection, dysgammaglobulinemia and a high rate of lymphoma development. The vigorous T- and B-cell proliferation that follows EBV infection and the high incidence of lymphomas (30%) in XLP patients might reflect functional defects in cell cycle and/ or apoptosis control. Our experiments show that SAP is a target of p53. In Burkitt lymphoma (BL) lines transfected with a temperatur-sensitive (ts) p53, SAP mRNA and protein expression was dependent on wild-type (wt) p53. Activation of endogenous wt p53 in BLs and lymphoblastoid cell lines led to the induction of SAP and this was inhibited by the specific p53 inhibitor pifithrin- α . Cell lines that carried mutant p53 did not express SAP under similar conditions. Moreover, we have shown binding of wt p53 to the promoter region of SAP by ChIP assay. Our results suggest that SAP contributes to the execution of some p53 functions.