Diminished megakaryocyte production represents a serious public health problem in cancer patients subjected to intensive chemotherapy. Understanding the mechanisms of megakaryocyte development will enable pharmacologic enhancement of post-therapy megakaryocyte recovery, preventing significant morbidity and mortality. Understanding the mechanisms of megakaryocyte development will also shed light on the pathogenesis of megakaryocytic leukemias, diverse entities that afflict both children and adults. A major positive influence on megakaryopoiesis consists of protein kinase C (PKC) signaling, and a major negative influence consists of signals resulting from contact with bone marrow stromal cells. We have recently published a novel signal transduction pathway involving PKC isozyme-selective induction of megakaryocytic differentiation: in particular, PKC-epsilon uniquely potentiates activation by the erythro-megakaryocytic transcriptional master regulator, GATA-1, at megakaryocytic promoter elements. Furthermore, we have recently discovered that the blockade of megakaryocytic differentiation by contact with bone marrow stromal cells correlates with the selective, dramatic downregulation of PKC- epsilon expression at the mRNA level. A known target of PKC-epsilon signaling consists of the AP-1 (Fos and Jun) family of transcription factors. In an effort to identify downstream effectors of PKC-epsilon that modulate GATA-1 function, we have discovered that c-Jun, but not other Jun factors, potently represses GATA-1 activation of a megakaryocytic promoter. Therefore, PKC-epsilon signaling, known to upregulate c-Fos, may act to reverse the inhibitory effects of c-Jun on GATA-1.
The aims of this project are: 1) Determination of the molecular mechanisms for c-Jun repression of GATA-1 function at a megakaryocytic promoter. 2) Understanding how stromal contact causes selective downregulation of PKC-epsilon and understanding the consequences of this downregulation on AP-1 and GATA-1 functions. Both cell line model systems and primary hematopoietic progenitor cells will be employed for these studies.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01CA093735-04
Application #
6836546
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-PTHC (01))
Program Officer
Mufson, R Allan
Project Start
2002-01-01
Project End
2006-12-31
Budget Start
2005-04-18
Budget End
2005-12-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2005
Total Cost
$263,440
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Virginia
Department
Pathology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
065391526
City
Charlottesville
State
VA
Country
United States
Zip Code
22904
Elagib, Kamaleldin E; Mihaylov, Ivailo S; Delehanty, Lorrie L et al. (2008) Cross-talk of GATA-1 and P-TEFb in megakaryocyte differentiation. Blood 112:4884-94
Goldfarb, A N (2007) Transcriptional control of megakaryocyte development. Oncogene 26:6795-802
Elagib, Kamaleldin E; Goldfarb, Adam N (2007) Oncogenic pathways of AML1-ETO in acute myeloid leukemia: multifaceted manipulation of marrow maturation. Cancer Lett 251:179-86
Elagib, Kamaleldin E; Goldfarb, Adam N (2007) Regulation of RUNX1 transcriptional function by GATA-1. Crit Rev Eukaryot Gene Expr 17:271-80
Choi, Youngjin; Elagib, Kamaleldin E; Delehanty, Lorrie L et al. (2006) Erythroid inhibition by the leukemic fusion AML1-ETO is associated with impaired acetylation of the major erythroid transcription factor GATA-1. Cancer Res 66:2990-6
Elagib, Kamaleldin E; Xiao, Mang; Hussaini, Isa M et al. (2004) Jun blockade of erythropoiesis: role for repression of GATA-1 by HERP2. Mol Cell Biol 24:7779-94
Delehanty, Lorrie L; Mogass, Michael; Gonias, Sara L et al. (2003) Stromal inhibition of megakaryocytic differentiation is associated with blockade of sustained Rap1 activation. Blood 101:1744-51
Elagib, Kamaleldin E; Racke, Frederick K; Mogass, Michael et al. (2003) RUNX1 and GATA-1 coexpression and cooperation in megakaryocytic differentiation. Blood 101:4333-41