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Tiziana Bruno,
Francesca De Nicola,
Simona Iezzi,
Daniele Lecis,
Carmen D'Angelo,
Monica Di Padova,
Nicoletta Corbi,
Leopoldo Dimiziani,
Laura Zannini,
Christian Jekimovs, [......],
Alessandro Porrello, Alberto Chersi,
Marco Crescenzi,
Carlo Leonetti,
Kum Kum Khanna,
Silvia Soddu,
Aristide Floridi,
Claudio Passananti,
Domenico Delia,
Maurizio Fanciulli
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ABSTRACT: Che-1 is a RNA polymerase II-binding protein involved in the transcription of E2F target genes and induction of cell proliferation. Here we show that Che-1 contributes to DNA damage response and that its depletion sensitizes cells to anticancer agents. The checkpoint kinases ATM/ATR and Chk2 interact with Che-1 and promote its phosphorylation and accumulation in response to DNA damage. These Che-1 modifications induce a specific recruitment of Che-1 on the TP53 and p21 promoters. Interestingly, it has a profound effect on the basal expression of p53, which is preserved following DNA damage. Notably, Che-1 contributes to the maintenance of the G2/M checkpoint induced by DNA damage. These findings identify a mechanism by which checkpoint kinases regulate responses to DNA damage.
Cancer Cell 01/2007; 10(6):473-86. · 26.57 Impact Factor
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Tiziana Bruno,
Roberta De Angelis,
Francesca De Nicola,
Christian Barbato,
Monica Di Padova,
Nicoletta Corbi,
Valentina Libri,
Barbara Benassi,
Elisabetta Mattei, Alberto Chersi,
Silvia Soddu,
Aristide Floridi,
Claudio Passananti,
Maurizio Fanciulli
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ABSTRACT: DNA tumor virus oncoproteins bind and inactivate Rb by interfering with the Rb/HDAC1 interaction. Che-1 is a recently identified human Rb binding protein that inhibits the Rb growth suppressing function. Here we show that Che-1 contacts the Rb pocket region and competes with HDAC1 for Rb binding site, removing HDAC1 from the Rb/E2F complex in vitro and from the E2F target promoters in vivo. Che-1 overexpression activates DNA synthesis in quiescent NIH-3T3 cells through HDAC1 displacement. Consistently, Che-1-specific RNA interference affects E2F activity and cell proliferation in human fibroblasts but not in the pocket protein-defective 293 cells. These findings indicate the existence of a pathway of Rb regulation supporting Che-1 as the cellular counterpart of DNA tumor virus oncoproteins.
Cancer Cell 12/2002; 2(5):387-99. · 26.57 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The HER2 oncogene and its relative oncoprotein, gp185HER2, a transmembrane glycoprotein belonging to the epidermal growth factor receptor family, are overexpressed in a wide range of solid tumors including breast and ovarian cancer. In patients with breast cancer, both humoral and cell-mediated HER2 immune responses have been found as well as in some patients with gp185HER2 nonoverexpressing tumors. To establish whether peptide sequences identified as HLA-A2-restricted T-cell epitopes are expressed in breast tumor cell lines and tissues, we produced and characterized by different methodologic approaches polyclonal antibodies raised against four gp185HER2 peptides. Two of the antibodies recognized peptides eluted from the HLA-A2 groove of the mDAmB231 breast cancer cell line expressing a basal level of gp185HER2. Paraffin-embedded primary and metastatic breast tumors were specifically immunostained by all four reagents, thereby showing an overlapping reactivity. When this immunoreactivity was compared with that obtained using two different monoclonal antibodies, in 105 breast primary tumors and 36 corresponding lymph node metastases, we identified a subset of tumors that were negative with anti-gp185HER2 monoclonal antibodies and positive with the four antipeptide antibodies. Our novel observations provide in vivo evidence of the complexity involved in evaluating HER2 expression, and open a new path for understanding the biologic significance of HER2 status in breast tumors.
Journal of Immunotherapy 06/2001; 24(3):221-231.
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ABSTRACT: A new method is described for producing fluorescently-tagged peptides containing specific internal derivatives of lysyl residues. The technique employs the base-labile Boc-Lys(Fmoc)-COOH derivative with base-catalyzed removal of the Fmoc protecting group during peptide synthesis and subsequent fluorescent derivatization of the deprotected ϵ-amino group of lysine. By this technique, other lysine residues and the α-amino group of the fragment remain unmodified, which could have some value in studies where it might be required to tag a single individual lysine residue within the peptide, but not the amino terminus. In spite of the fact that poly-substituted peptides are badly soluble and might seldom find a practical application, this technique also allows the introduction of different fluorochromes at different lysyl residues within the peptide, thus obtaining double fluorescence.The method, fast and easy, requires a limited number of manual operations during the automatic synthesis of peptides. Although peptide synthesizers provided with an oscillating glass reactor are more suitable for the manual interventions described, this technique might be also adapted to the newer instruments utilizing continuous-flow columns.
Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - General Subjects.
