Search

Infection with viruses, such as the lactate dehydrogenase-elevating virus (LDV), is known to trigger the onset of autoimmune anemia through the enhancement of the phagocytosis of autoantibody-opsonized erythrocytes by activated macrophages. Type I interferon receptor-deficient mice show enhanced anemia, which suggests a protective effect of these cytokines, partly through the control of type II interferon production. The development of anemia requires the expression of Fc gamma receptors (Fc gamma R) I, III, and IV. Whereas LDV infection decreases Fc gamma R III expression, it enhances Fc gamma R I and IV expression in wild-type animals. The LDV-associated increase in the expression of Fc gamma R I and IV is largely reduced in type I interferon receptor-deficient mice, through both type II interferon-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Thus, the regulation of the expression of Fc gamma R I and IV, but not III, by interferons may partly explain the exacerbating effect of LDV infection on anemia that results from the enhanced phagocytosis of IgG autoantibody-opsonized erythrocytes.

The use of Trastuzumab (Herceptin), a monoclonal antibody (mAb) targeting HER2/neu, results in an increased median survival in Her2+ breast cancer patients. The tumour mutational burden and the presence of tumour infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) clearly correlate with response to trastuzumab. Here, we investigated if the immunogenicity of the transplantable rat-neu+ tumour cell line (TUBO) derived from a BALB/c-NeuT primary tumour is associated with the response to anti-neu mAb therapy. We compared the TUBO tumour outgrowth and tumour infiltrating T cells in isogenic (BALB/c-NeuT) and non-isogenic (WT BALB/c) recipient mice. Furthermore, therapeutic efficacy of anti-neu mAb and the contribution of T cells were examined in both mouse strains. The outgrowth of untreated tumours was significantly better in BALB/c-NeuT than WT BALB/c mice. Moreover, tumour infiltrating T cells were more abundantly present in WT BALB/c than BALB/c-NeuT mice, showing that the TUBO tumour was more immunogenic in WT BALB/c mice. In TUBO tumour bearing WT BALB/c mice, anti-neu mAb therapy resulted in an increase of tumour infiltrating T cells and long-term survival. When T cells were depleted, this strong anti-tumour effect was reduced to an outgrowth delay. In contrast, in TUBO tumour bearing BALB/c-NeuT mice, treatment with anti-neu mAb resulted only in tumour outgrowth delay, both in the presence and absence of T cells. We concluded that in immunogenic tumours the response to anti-neu mAb therapy is enhanced by additional T cell involvement compared to the response to anti-neu mAb in non-immunogenic tumours.

Early onset seizures are a hallmark of Dravet syndrome. Previous studies in rodent models have shown that the epileptic phenotype is caused by loss-of-function of voltage-gated Na(V)1.1 sodium channels, which are chiefly expressed in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neurons. Recently, a possibly critical role has been attributed to the hippocampus in the seizure phenotype, as local hippocampal ablation of Na(V)1.1 channels decreased the threshold for hyperthermia-induced seizures. However, the effect of ablation of Na(V)1.1 channels restricted to cortical sites has not been tested. Here we studied local field potential (LFP) and behavior in mice following local hippocampal and cortical ablation of Scn1a, a gene encoding the alpha 1 subunit of Na(V)1.1 channels, and we compared seizure characteristics with those of heterozygous global knockout Scn1(-/+) mice. We found a high incidence of spontaneous seizures following either local hippocampal or cortical ablation, notably during a transient time window, similar to Scn1a(-/+) mice. Nonconvulsive seizure activity in the injected area was common and preceded generalized seizures. Moreover, mice were susceptible to hyperthermia-induced seizures. In conclusion, local ablation of Na(V)1.1 channels in the hippocampus and cortex results in focal seizure activity that can generalize. These data indicate that spontaneous epileptic activity may initiate in multiple brain regions in Dravet syndrome.

Therapy with tumor-specific Abs is common in the clinic but has limited success against solid malignancies. We aimed at improving the efficacy of this therapy by combining a tumor-specific Ab with immune-activating compounds. In this study, we demonstrate in the aggressive B16F10 mouse melanoma model that concomitant application of the anti-TRP1 Ab (clone TA99) with TLR3-7/8 or -9 ligands, and IL-2 strongly enhanced tumor control in a therapeutic setting. Depletion of NK cells, macrophages, or CD8+ T cells all mitigated the therapeutic response, showing a coordinated immune rejection by innate and adaptive immune cells. FcγRs were essential for the therapeutic effect, with a dominant role for FcγRI and a minor role for FcγRIII and FcγRIV. FcγR expression on NK cells and granulocytes was dispensable, indicating that other tumoricidal functions of NK cells were involved and implicating that FcγRI, -III, and -IV exerted their activity on macrophages. Indeed, F4/80+Ly-6C+ inflammatory macrophages in the tumor microenvironment displayed high levels of these receptors. Whereas administration of the anti-TRP1 Ab alone reduced the frequency of these macrophages, the combination with a TLR agonist retained these cells in the tumor microenvironment. Thus, the addition of innate stimulatory compounds, such as TLR ligands, to tumor-specific Ab therapy could greatly enhance its efficacy in solid cancers via optimal exploitation of FcγRs.

Immunomodulatory antibodies blocking interactions of coinhibitory receptors to their ligands such as CTLA-4, PD1 and PD-L1 on immune cells have shown impressive therapeutic efficacy in clinical studies. The therapeutic effect of these antibodies is mainly mediated by reactivating antitumor T cell immune responses. Detailed analysis of anti-CTLA4 antibody therapy revealed that an optimal therapeutic efficacy also requires binding to Fc receptors for IgG, FcγR, mediating depletion of intratumoral regulatory T cells. Here, we investigated the role of Fc binding in anti-PD-L1 antibody therapy in the MC38 C57BL/6 and CT26 BALB/c colon adenocarcinoma tumor models. In the MC38 tumor model, all IgG subclasses anti-PD-L1 showed similar therapeutic efficacy when compared to each other in either wild-type mice or in mice deficient for all FcγR. In contrast, in the CT26 tumor model, anti-PD-L1 mIgG2a, the IgG subclass with the highest affinity for activating FcγR, showed stronger therapeutic efficacy than other IgG subclasses. This was associated with a reduction of a myeloid cell subset with high expression of PD-L1 in the tumor microenvironment. This subclass preference for mIgG2a was lost in C57BL/6 × BALB/c F1 mice, indicating that the genetic background of the host may determine the additional clinical benefit of the high affinity antibody subclasses. Based on these data, we conclude that FcγR are not crucial for anti-PD-L1 antibody therapy but might play a role in some tumor models.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV)-based vaccine vectors are promising vaccine platforms because they induce strong and long-lasting immune responses. Recently it has been shown that vaccination with a mouse CMV (MCMV) vector expressing the melanoma-specific antigen TRP2 (MCMV-TRP2) protects mice against outgrowth of TRP2-positive B16 melanoma tumors, and this protection was dependent on the induction of IgG antibodies. Here we demonstrate that, although mice lacking all receptors for the Fc part of IgG (FcγRs) develop normal IgG responses after MCMV-TRP2 vaccination, the protection against B16 melanoma was completely abrogated, indicating that FcγRs are indispensable in the downstream effector pathway of the polyclonal anti-TRP2 antibody response. By investigating compound FcγR-deficient mouse strains and by using immune cell type-specific cell ablation we show that the IgG antibody-mediated tumor protection elicited by MCMV-TRP2 mainly depends on FcγRI expression on macrophages, whereas FcγRIV plays only a modest role. Thus, tumor-specific antibody therapy might benefit from combination therapy that recruits FcγRI-expressing pro-inflammatory macrophages to the tumor micro-environment.

Here we show, for the first time, spontaneous cortical spreading depolarization (CSD) events – the electrophysiological correlate of the migraine aura – in animals by using the first generated familial hemiplegic migraine type 3 (FHM3) transgenic mouse model. The mutant mice express L263V‐mutated α1 subunits in voltage‐gated NaV1.1 sodium channels (Scn1a L263V). CSDs consistently propagated from visual to motor cortex, recapitulating what has been shown in patients with migraine with aura. This model may be valuable for the preclinical study of migraine with aura and other diseases in which spreading depolarization is a prominent feature.

DNA methylation is a key epigenetic modification essential for normal development. How particular factors control DNA methylation patterns and activity of a given locus is incompletely understood. The zinc finger protein Zbtb24 has been implicated in transcriptional activation/repression and the DNA methylation maintenance pathway. Here, using whole genome bisulfite sequencing in mouse embryonic stem cells, we report that besides a general trend towards DNA hypomethylation, many genomic sites gain methylation in the absence of Zbtb24 and they include promoters of actively transcribed genes. DNA hypomethylation is not generally associated with gene expression changes, suggesting that additional epigenetic safeguards are in place that ensure silencing of the affected loci. Remarkably, we identify a set of genes that is particularly susceptible to Zbtb24 occupancy. At these sites, Zbtb24 binding is not only required for gene activity but also required for maintaining the unmethylated state of the promoter.

By their interaction with IgG immune complexes, FcγR and complement link innate and adaptive immunity, showing functional redundancy. In complement-deficient mice, IgG downstream effector functions are often impaired, as well as adaptive immunity. Based on a variety of model systems using FcγR-knockout mice, it has been concluded that FcγRs are also key regulators of innate and adaptive immunity; however, several of the model systems underpinning these conclusions suffer from flawed experimental design. To address this issue, we generated a novel mouse model deficient for all FcγRs (FcγRI/II/III/IV−/− mice). These mice displayed normal development and lymphoid and myeloid ontogeny. Although IgG effector pathways were impaired, adaptive immune responses to a variety of challenges, including bacterial infection and IgG immune complexes, were not. Like FcγRIIb-deficient mice, FcγRI/II/III/IV−/− mice developed higher Ab titers but no autoantibodies. These observations indicate a redundant role for activating FcγRs in the modulation of the adaptive immune response in vivo. We conclude that FcγRs are downstream IgG effector molecules with a restricted role in the ontogeny and maintenance of the immune system, as well as the regulation of adaptive immunity.

Immunomodulatory antibodies blocking interactions of coinhibitory receptors to their ligands such as CTLA-4, PD1 and PD-L1 on immune cells have shown impressive therapeutic efficacy in clinical studies. The therapeutic effect of these antibodies is mainly mediated by reactivating antitumor T cell immune responses. Detailed analysis of anti-CTLA4 antibody therapy revealed that an optimal therapeutic efficacy also requires binding to Fc receptors for IgG, FcγR, mediating depletion of intratumoral regulatory T cells. Here, we investigated the role of Fc binding in anti-PD-L1 antibody therapy in the MC38 C57BL/6 and CT26 BALB/c colon adenocarcinoma tumor models. In the MC38 tumor model, all IgG subclasses anti-PD-L1 showed similar therapeutic efficacy when compared to each other in either wild-type mice or in mice deficient for all FcγR. In contrast, in the CT26 tumor model, anti-PD-L1 mIgG2a, the IgG subclass with the highest affinity for activating FcγR, showed stronger therapeutic efficacy than other IgG subclasses. This was associated with a reduction of a myeloid cell subset with high expression of PD-L1 in the tumor microenvironment. This subclass preference for mIgG2a was lost in C57BL/6 × BALB/c F1 mice, indicating that the genetic background of the host may determine the additional clinical benefit of the high affinity antibody subclasses. Based on these data, we conclude that FcγR are not crucial for anti-PD-L1 antibody therapy but might play a role in some tumor models.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a severe muscle-wasting disease generally caused by reading frame disrupting mutations in the DMD gene resulting in loss of functional dystrophin protein. The reading frame can be restored by antisense oligonucleotide (AON)-mediated exon skipping, allowing production of internally deleted, but partially functional dystrophin proteins as found in the less severe Becker muscular dystrophy. Due to genetic variation between species, mouse models with mutations in the murine genes are of limited use to test and further optimize human specific AONs in vivo. To address this we have generated the del52hDMD/mdx mouse. This model carries both murine and human DMD genes. However, mouse dystrophin expression is abolished due to a stop mutation in exon 23, while the expression of human dystrophin is abolished due to a deletion of exon 52. The del52hDMD/mdx model, like mdx, shows signs of muscle dystrophy on a histological level and phenotypically mild functional impairment. Local administration of human specific vivo morpholinos induces exon skipping and dystrophin restoration in these mice. Depending on the number of mismatches, occasional skipping of the murine Dmd gene, albeit at low levels, could be observed. Unlike previous models, the del52hDMD/mdx model enables the in vivo analysis of human specific AONs targeting exon 51 or exon 53 on RNA and protein level and muscle quality and function. Therefore, it will be a valuable tool for optimizing human specific AONs and genome editing approaches for DMD.

The canonical Wnt signalling pathway has been implicated in organogenesis and self-renewal of essentially all stem cell systems. In vivo reporter systems are crucial to assess the role of Wnt signalling in the biology and pathology of stem cell systems. We set out to develop a Turquoise (TQ) fluorescent protein based Wnt reporter. We used a CRISPR-Cas9 approach to insert a TQ fluorescent protein encoding gene into the general Wnt target gene Axin2, thereby establishing a Wnt reporter mouse similar to previously generated Wnt reporter mice but with the mTurquoise2 gene instead of E. coli-β-galactosidase (LacZ). The use of mTurquoise2 is especially important in organ systems in which cells need to a be alive for further experimentation such as in vitro activation or transplantation studies. We here report successful generation of Axin2-TQ mice and show that cells from these mice faithfully respond to Wnt signals. High Wnt signals were detected in the intestinal crypts, a classical Wnt signalling site in vivo, and by flow cytometry in the thymus. These mice are an improved tool to further elucidate the role of Wnt signalling in vivo.

Extensive analysis of a variety of arthritis models in germline KO mice has revealed that all four receptors for the Fc part of IgG (FcγR) play a role in the disease process. However, their precise cell type–specific contribution is still unclear. In this study, we analyzed the specific role of the inhibiting FcγRIIb on B lymphocytes (using CD19Cre mice) and in the myeloid cell compartment (using C/EBPαCre mice) in the development of arthritis induced by immunization with either bovine or chicken collagen type II. Despite their comparable anti-mouse collagen autoantibody titers, full FcγRIIb knockout (KO), but not B cell–specific FcγRIIb KO, mice showed a significantly increased incidence and severity of disease compared with wild-type control mice when immunized with bovine collagen. When immunized with chicken collagen, disease incidence was significantly increased in pan-myeloid and full FcγRIIb KO mice, but not in B cell–specific KO mice, whereas disease severity was only significantly increased in full FcγRIIb KO mice compared with incidence and severity in wild-type control mice. We conclude that, although anti-mouse collagen autoantibodies are a prerequisite for the development of collagen-induced arthritis, their presence is insufficient for disease development. FcγRIIb on myeloid effector cells, as a modulator of the threshold for downstream Ab effector pathways, plays a dominant role in the susceptibility to collagen-induced arthritis, whereas FcγRIIb on B cells, as a regulator of Ab production, has a minor effect on disease susceptibility.

Mutations of the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene predispose individuals to familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), characterized by multiple tumours in the large intestine. Most mouse models heterozygous for truncating mutant Apc alleles mimic FAP, however, the intestinal tumours occur mainly in the small intestine. To model large intestinal tumours, we generated a new conditional Apc-mutant allele, Apc(15lox), with exon 15 flanked by loxP sites. Similar survival of Apc(1638N/15lox) and Apc(1638N/+) mice indicated that the normal function of Apc was not impaired by the loxP sites. Deletion of exon 15, encoding nearly all functional Apc domains and containing the polyadenylation signal, resulted in a mutant allele expressing low levels of a 74 kDa truncated Apc protein. Germ line Cre-mediated deletion of exon 15 resulted in Apc(delta 15/+) mice, showing a severe Apc(Min/+)-like phenotype characterized by multiple tumours in the small intestine and early lethality. In contrast, conditional Cre-mediated deletion of exon 15 specifically directed to the epithelia of distal small and large intestine of FabplCre;Apc(15lox/+) mice led to longer survival and to tumours that developed predominantly in the large intestine, mimicking human FAP-associated colorectal cancer and sporadic colorectal cancer. We conclude that the FabplCre;Apc(15lox/+) mouse should be an attractive model for studies on prevention and treatment of colorectal cancer.

Introduction CADASIL (Cerebral Autosomal Dominant Arteriopathy with Subcortical Infarcts and Leukoencephalopathy) is a hereditary small vessel disease caused by mutations in the NOTCH3 gene, leading to toxic NOTCH3 protein accumulation in the small- to medium sized arterioles. The accumulation is systemic but most pronounced in the brain vasculature where it leads to clinical symptoms of recurrent stroke and dementia. There is no therapy for CADASIL, and therapeutic development is hampered by a lack of feasible clinical outcome measures and biomarkers, both in mouse models and in CADASIL patients. To facilitate pre-clinical therapeutic interventions for CADASIL, we aimed to develop a novel, translational CADASIL mouse model. Results We generated transgenic mice in which we overexpressed the full length human NOTCH3 gene from a genomic construct with the archetypal c.544C > T, p.Arg182Cys mutation. The four mutant strains we generated have respective human NOTCH3 RNA expression levels of 100, 150, 200 and 350 % relative to endogenous mouse Notch3 RNA expression. Immunohistochemistry on brain sections shows characteristic vascular human NOTCH3 accumulation in all four mutant strains, with human NOTCH3 RNA expression levels correlating with age at onset and progression of NOTCH3 accumulation. This finding was the basis for developing the ‘NOTCH3 score’, a quantitative measure for the NOTCH3 accumulation load. This score proved to be a robust and sensitive method to assess the progression of NOTCH3 accumulation, and a feasible biomarker for pre-clinical therapeutic testing. Conclusions This novel, translational CADASIL mouse model is a suitable model for pre-clinical testing of therapeutic strategies aimed at delaying or reversing NOTCH3 accumulation, using the NOTCH3 score as a biomarker. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40478-015-0268-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

IgM anti-mouse platelet autoantibodies cause thrombocytopenia by mediating uptake of opsonized thrombocytes, whereas IgM anti-erythrocyte autoantibodies induce anemia through a phagocytosis-independent cell destruction. In this article, we show that infection with lactate dehydrogenase–elevating virus, a benign mouse arterivirus, exacerbates the pathogenicity of IgM anti-platelet, but not anti-erythrocyte autoantibodies. To define the role of Fcα/μ receptor (Fcα/μR) in IgM-mediated thrombocytopenia and anemia, we generated mice deficient for this receptor. These animals were resistant to IgM autoantibody-mediated thrombocytopenia, but not anemia. However, the lactate dehydrogenase–elevating virus–induced exacerbation of thrombocytopenia was not associated with enhanced Fcα/μR expression on macrophages. These results indicate that Fcα/μR is required for the pathogenicity of IgM anti-platelet autoantibodies but is not sufficient to explain the full extent of the disease in virally infected animals.

The Wnt signal-transduction pathway induces the nuclear translocation of membrane-bound beta-catenin (Catnb) and has a key role in cell-fate determination. Tight somatic regulation of this signal is essential, as uncontrolled nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin can cause developmental defects and tumorigenesis in the adult organism. The adenomatous polyposis coli gene (APC) is a major controller of the Wnt pathway and is essential to prevent tumorigenesis in a variety of tissues and organs. Here, we have investigated the effect of different mutations in Apc on the differentiation potential of mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. We provide genetic and molecular evidence that the ability and sensitivity of ES cells to differentiate into the three germ layers is inhibited by increased doses of beta-catenin by specific Apc mutations. These range from a severe differentiation blockade in Apc alleles completely deficient in beta-catenin regulation to more specific neuroectodermal, dorsal mesodermal and endodermal defects in more hypomorphic alleles. Accordingly, a targeted oncogenic mutation in Catnb also affects the differentiation potential of ES cells. Expression profiling of wildtype and Apc-mutated teratomas supports the differentiation defects at the molecular level and pinpoints a large number of downstream structural and regulating genes. Chimeric experiments showed that this effect is cell-autonomous. Our results imply that constitutive activation of the Apc/beta-catenin signaling pathway results in differentiation defects in tissue homeostasis, and possibly underlies tumorigenesis in the colon and other self-renewing tissues.

According to the classical interpretation of Knudson's 'two-hit' hypothesis for tumorigenesis, the two 'hits' are independent mutation events, the end result of which is loss of a tumor suppressing function. Recently, it has been shown that the APC (adenomatous polyposis coli) gene does not entirely follow this model. Both the position and type of the second hit in familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) polyps depend on the localization of the germline mutation. This non-random distribution of somatic hits has been interpreted as the result of selection for more advantageous mutations during tumor formation. However, the APC gene encodes for a multifunctional protein, and the exact cellular function upon which this selection is based is yet unknown. In this study, we have analyzed somatic APC point mutations and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in 133 colorectal adenomas from six FAP patients. We observed that when germline mutations result in truncated proteins without any of the seven beta-catenin downregulating 20-amino-acid repeats distributed in the central domain of APC, the majority of the corresponding somatic point mutations retain one or, less frequently, two of the same 20-amino-acid repeats. Conversely, when the germline mutation results in a truncated protein retaining one 20-amino-acid repeat, most second hits remove all 20-amino-acid repeats. The latter is frequently accomplished by allelic loss. Notably, and in contrast to previous observations, in a patient where the germline APC mutation retains two such repeats, the majority of the somatic hits are point mutations (and not LOH) located upstream and removing all of the 20-amino-acid repeats. These results indicate selection for APC genotypes that are likely to retain some activity in downregulating beta-catenin signaling. We propose that this selection process is aimed at a specific degree of beta-catenin signaling optimal for tumor formation, rather than at its constitutive activation by deletion of all of the beta-catenin downregulating motifs in APC.

A mouse model with a targeted mutation in the 3' end of the endogenous Brca1 gene, Brca1(1700T), was generated to compare the phenotypic consequences of truncated Brca1 proteins with other mutant Brca1 models reported in the literature to date. Mice heterozygous for the Brca1(1700T) mutation do not show any predisposition to tumorigenesis. Treatment of these mice with ionizing radiation or breeding with Apc, Msh-2 or Tp53 mutant mouse models did not show any change in the tumor phenotype. Like other Brca1 mouse models, the Brca1(1700T) mutation is embryonic lethal in homozygous state. However, homozygous Brca1(1700T) embryos reach the headfold stage but are delayed in their development and fail to turn. Thus, in contrast to Brca1(null) models, the mutant embryos do not undergo growth arrest leading to a developmental block at 6.5 dpc, but continue to proliferate and differentiate until 9.5 dpc. Homozygous embryos die between 9.5-10.5 dpc due to massive apoptosis throughout the embryo. These results indicate that a C-terminal truncating Brca1 mutation removing the last BRCT repeat has a different effect on normal cell function than does the complete absence of Brca1.

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) can be considered as a condition of the whole body as extracolonic features derived from all the three embryonic lineages are recorded with varying frequency in addition to the presence of multiple adenomas in the large intestine. Here, we describe two unrelated cases of FAP with unusual extracolonic phenotypes, namely several abnormalities of mesodermal origin strongly resembling Marfan syndrome (MFS) or a Marfan-like habitus. Conventional cytogenetic and FISH analysis did not reveal any gross chromosomal rearrangement on the long arm of chromosome 5 where the APC and FBN2 genes were located. However, in case 2 the FAP-causing mutation in the APC gene was found in the donor splice site of exon 4 and was shown to result in a frameshift and a premature termination codon. We propose that such connective tissue abnormalities may result from germline APC mutations in combination with specific genetic and/or environmental modifying factors.

The adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene is considered as the true gatekeeper of colonic epithelial proliferation: It is mutated in the majority of colorectal tumors, and mutations occur at early stages of tumor development in mouse and man. These mutant proteins lack most of the seven 20-amino-acid repeats and all SAMP motifs that have been associated with down-regulation of intracellular beta-catenin levels. In addition, they lack the carboxy-terminal domains that bind to DLG, EB1, and microtubulin. APC also appears to be essential in development because homozygosity for mouse Apc mutations invariably results in early embryonic lethality. Here, we describe the generation of a mouse model carrying a targeted mutation at codon 1638 of the mouse Apc gene, Apc1638T, resulting in a truncated Apc protein encompassing three of the seven 20 amino acid repeats and one SAMP motif, but missing all of the carboxy-terminal domains thought to be associated with tumorigenesis. Surprisingly, homozygosity for the Apc1638T mutation is compatible with postnatal life. However, homozygous mutant animals are characterized by growth retardation, a reduced postnatal viability on the B6 genetic background, the absence of preputial glands, and the formation of nipple-associated cysts. Most importantly, Apc1638T/1638T animals that survive to adulthood are tumor free. Although the full complement of Apc1638T is sufficient for proper beta-catenin signaling, dosage reductions of the truncated protein result in increasingly severe defects in beta-catenin regulation. The SAMP motif retained in Apc1638T also appears to be important for this function as shown by analysis of the Apc1572T protein in which its targeted deletion results in a further reduction in the ability of properly controlling beta-catenin/Tcf signaling. These results indicate that the association with DLG, EB1, and microtubulin is less critical for the maintenance of homeostasis by APC than has been suggested previously, and that proper beta-catenin regulation by APC appears to be required for normal embryonic development and tumor suppression.

The Apc1638N mouse carries a targeted mutant allele at the endogenous adenomatous polyposis coli (Apc) gene and represents a unique in vivo model to study intestinal tumor formation and progression. Heterozygous Apc+/Apc1638N mice progressively develop 5-6 adenomas and adenocarcinomas of the small intestine within the first 6 months of life following a histologic sequence similar to that observed in human intestinal tumors. Here, we present the somatic mutation analysis of a total of 57 tumors. The results indicate that in ≤ 75% of the lesions tested the wild type copy of the Apc gene is lost and that this LOH event extends to the entire mouse chromosome 18. Unexpectedly, mutations at the K-, N- and H-ras genes have not been found in these tumors. Immunohistochemical analysis of the Apc1638N tumors failed to detect accumulation of the Tp53 protein. Also, no mutations have been found in exons 7 and 8 of the Tp53 gene. These results indicate that, although the genetic inactivation of Apc is involved in the initiating event of the human as well as murine intestinal tumorigenesis, tumor growth and progression follow different mutational pathways in these two species.

The cytokine interleukin 1(IL-1) initiates a wide range of proinflammatory cascades and its inhibition has been shown to decrease inflammation in a variety of diseases. IL-1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1RAcP) is an indispensible part of the IL-1R complex that stabilizes IL-1/IL-1R interaction and plays an important role in the signal transduction of the receptor complex. The soluble form of IL-1RAcP (sIL-1RAcP) contains only the extracellular domain and serves as a natural inhibitor of IL-1 signaling. Therefore, increasing sIL-1RAcP levels might be an attractive therapeutic strategy to inhibit IL-1-driven inflammation. To achieve this we designed specific antisense oligonucleotides (AON), to redirect pre-mRNA IL-1RAcP splicing by skipping of the transmembrane domain encoding exon 9. This would give rise to a novel Δ9IL-1RAcP mRNA encoding a soluble, secreted form of IL-1RAcP, which might have similar activity as natural sIL-1RAcP. AON treatment resulted in exon 9 skipping both in vitro and in vivo. A single dose injection of 10 mg AON/kg body weight induced 90% skipping in mouse liver during at least 5 days. The truncated mRNA encoded for a secreted, soluble Δ9IL-1RAcP protein. IL-1RAcP skipping resulted in a substantial inhibition of IL-1 signaling in vitro. These results indicate that skipping of the transmembrane encoding exon 9 of IL-1RAcP using specific AONs might be a promising therapeutic strategy in a variety of chronic inflammatory diseases.Molecular Therapy - Nucleic Acids (2013) 2, e66; doi:10.1038/mtna.2012.58; published online 22 January 2013.

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an inherited predisposition to colorectal cancer caused by germline mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene located on chromosome segment 5q21-q22. We detected a germline rearrangement of the APC gene in a Dutch FAP family by screening genomic DNA samples with APC cDNA probes. Subsequent molecular and cytogenetic studies revealed a constitutional reciprocal translocation t(5; 10) (q22; q25) that resulted in the disruption of the APC gene. Southern blot and polymorphic marker analysis indicated that part of the APC gene had been deleted. Analysis of the APC protein product indicated that the translocation breakpoint did not lead t o the formation of a detectable truncated APC protein but apparently resulted in a null allele. Evaluation of the clinical phenotypes in the patients suggested that they exhibited features of an unusual form of FAP characterized by a slightly delayed age of onset of colorectal cancer and a reduced number of colorectal polyps. The latter were mainly sessile and were located predominantly in the proximal colon. To our knowledge, this is the first description of FAP caused by a reciprocal translocation disrupting the APC gene. © 1995 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Fc gamma RIIB-deficient mice generated in 129 background (Fc gamma RIIB(129)(-/-)) if back-crossed into C57BL/6 background exhibit a hyperactive phenotype and develop lethal lupus. Both in mice and humans, the Fc gamma r2b gene is located within a genomic interval on chromosome 1 associated with lupus susceptibility. In mice, the 129-derived haplotype of this interval, named Sle16, causes loss of self-tolerance in the context of the B6 genome, hampering the analysis of the specific contribution of Fc gamma RIIB deficiency to the development of lupus in Fc gamma RIIB(129)(-/-) mice. Moreover, in humans genetic linkage studies revealed contradictory results regarding the association of "loss of function" mutations in the Fc gamma r2b gene and susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosis. In this study, we demonstrate that Fc gamma RIIB(-/-) mice generated by gene targeting in B6-derived ES cells (Fc gamma RIIB(B6)(-/-)), lacking the 129-derived flanking Sle16 region, exhibit a hyperactive phenotype but fail to develop lupus indicating that in Fc gamma RIIB(129)(-/-) mice, not Fc gamma RIIB deficiency but epistatic interactions between the C57BL/6 genome and the 129-derived Fc gamma r2b flanking region cause loss of tolerance. The contribution to the development of autoimmune disease by the resulting autoreactive B cells is amplified by the absence of Fc gamma RIIB, culminating in lethal lupus. In the presence of the Yaa lupus-susceptibility locus, Fc gamma RIIB(B6)(-/-) mice do develop lethal lupus, confirming that FcgRIIB deficiency only amplifies spontaneous autoimmunity determined by other loci. The Journal of Immunology, 2011, 187: 1304-1313.

Turcot syndrome (TS) is a rare genetic disease in which brain tumors occur in association with colonic polyposis. Since Turcot's original description in 1959, there have been disagreements about the mode of inheritance as well as the clinical expression of this condition. Some investigators maintain that TS is a phenotypic variant of the autosomal dominant familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), while others observe that there are clinical differences between TS and FAP, and that the pattern of inheritance of TS is autosomal recessive. The distribution of persons with colonic lesions in a family with a patient of colonic polyposis and a brain tumor, described in this report, favored the recessive hypothesis. In this family, the involvement of the FAP gene on chromosome 5q21–q22 could be excluded by a linkage study using a panel of FAP-linked DNA markers. This finding, which indicates the occurrence of another polyposis gene elsewhere in the genome, will have consequences for the presymptomatic diagnosis of FAP by linked DNA markers. We conclude that TS is a distinct clinical-genetical entity with the triad of atypical polyposis coli, CNS tumors, and a recessive mode of inheritance. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Germline mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene are responsible for familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), an autosomal dominant hereditary predisposition to the development of multiple colorectal adenomas and of a broad spectrum of extra-intestinal tumors. Moreover, somatic APC mutations play a rate-limiting and initiating role in the majority of sporadic colorectal cancers. Notwithstanding its multifunctional nature, the main tumor suppressing activity of the APC gene resides in its ability to regulate Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Notably, genotype–phenotype correlations have been established at the APC gene between the length and stability of the truncated proteins encoded by different mutant alleles, the corresponding levels of Wnt/β-catenin signaling activity they encode for, and the incidence and distribution of intestinal and extra-intestinal tumors. Here, we report a novel mouse model, Apc1572T, obtained by targeting a truncated mutation at codon 1572 in the endogenous Apc gene. This hypomorphic mutant allele results in intermediate levels of Wnt/β-catenin signaling activation when compared with other Apc mutations associated with multifocal intestinal tumors. Notwithstanding the constitutive nature of the mutation, Apc +/1572T mice have no predisposition to intestinal cancer but develop multifocal mammary adenocarcinomas and subsequent pulmonary metastases in both genders. The histology of the Apc1572T primary mammary tumours is highly heterogeneous with luminal, myoepithelial, and squamous lineages and is reminiscent of metaplastic carcinoma of the breast in humans. The striking phenotype of Apc +/1572T mice suggests that specific dosages of Wnt/β-catenin signaling activity differentially affect tissue homeostasis and initiate tumorigenesis in an organ-specific fashion., Author Summary Although signal transduction pathways are often described as “on–off” systems, the more quantitative aspects of signalling are likely to represent a very important means of regulation of the downstream biological outcomes. Mutations in members of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway represent among the most common defects in human cancers. However, it is yet unclear which factors determine tissue and organ specificity of the tumours arising upon Wnt constitutive activation. Previously, we have generated a series of hypomorphic alleles at the Apc tumor suppressor gene and showed that the differentiation potential of embryonic stem cells is dependent on the dosage of Wnt/β-catenin signalling these mutants encode for. Likewise, analysis of the two mutational hits occurring at the Apc gene in human and mouse intestinal tumors showed that these are selected to retain specific residual dosages of β-catenin downregulation. Here, we provide further support for this “just-right” signalling model by targeting a germline Apc mutation encoding for very low levels of Wnt signalling activation when compared with other mutants known to trigger intestinal tumorigenesis. Notwithstanding the constitutive nature of this mutation, heterozygous mice show a remarkable and highly penetrant predisposition to multifocal and metastatic mammary cancers without the GI tract tumor phenotype characteristic of the majority of Apc mouse models.

Background & Aims: Synchronous activation of the Wnt signaling pathway, mostly because of loss of function of the APC tumor suppressor, and of the oncogenic KRAS-signaling pathway is very frequent in colorectal cancer and is associated with poor prognosis. Methods: We have generated a compound transgenic mouse model, KRASV12G/Apc+/1638N, to recapitulate the human disease and compared it with single transgenic littermates. Results: Compound mutant mice are characterized by a 10-fold increase in tumor multiplicity and by accelerated tumor progression, resulting in strongly enhanced morbidity and mortality. Tumors from compound mutant mice proliferate faster and show decreased levels of apoptosis. Several lines of evidence indicate that the observed increase in tumor multiplicity and malignant transformation is caused by the synergistic activation of Wnt signaling in cells with oncogenic KRAS and loss-of-function Apc mutations. Activated KRAS is known to induce tyrosine phosphorylation of β-catenin, leading to its release from E-cadherin at the adherens junction. This results in an increased β-catenin pool in the cytoplasma, its subsequent translocation to the nucleus, and the transcriptional activation of Wnt downstream target genes. Accordingly, intestinal tumors from KRASV12G/Apc+/1638N mice show a significant increase in cells with nuclear accumulation of β-catenin when compared with Apc+/1638N animals. Moreover, Apc/KRAS-mutant embryonic stem cells show a significantly enhanced β-catenin/T-cell factor–mediated transcriptional activation, accompanied by increased β-catenin nuclear localization. Conclusions: This KRAS-induced increase in Wnt/β-catenin signaling may enhance the plasticity and self-renewal capacity of the tumor, thus resulting in the drastically augmented tumor multiplicity and malignant behavior in compound mutant animals.

Genomic deletions of the MSH2 gene are a frequent cause of hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC), a common hereditary predisposition to the development of tumors in several organs including the gastrointestinal and urinary tracts and endometrium. The mutation spectrum at the MSH2 gene is extremely heterogeneous because it includes nonsense and missense point mutations, small insertions and deletions leading to frameshifts, and larger genomic deletions, the latter representing approximately 25% of the total mutation burden. Here, we report the identification and molecular characterization of the first paracentric inversion of the MSH2 locus known to cause HNPCC. Southern blot analysis and inverse PCR showed that the centromeric and telomeric breakpoints of the paracentric inversion map within intron 7 and to a contig 10 Mb 3' of MSH2, respectively. Pathogenicity of the paracentric inversion was demonstrated by conversion analysis. The patient's lymphocytes were employed to generate somatic cell hybrids to analyze the expression of the inverted MSH2 allele in an Msh2-deficient rodent cellular background. The inversion was shown to abolish MSH2 expression by both northern and western analysis. This study confirms that Southern blot analysis still represents a useful and informative tool to screen for and identify complex genomic rearrangements in HNPCC. Moreover, monoallelic expression analysis represents an attractive approach to demonstrate pathogenicity of unusual mutations in autosomal dominant hereditary conditions.

The APC gene, originally identified as the gene for familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), is now considered as the true "gatekeeper" of colonic epithelial proliferation. Its main tumor suppressing activity seems to reside in the capacity to properly regulate intracellular beta-catenin signaling. Most somatic APC mutations are detected between codons 1286 and 1513, the mutation cluster region (MCR). This clustering can be explained either by the presence of mutation-prone sequences within the MCR, or by the selective advantage provided by the resulting truncated polypeptides. Here, a Msh2-deficient mouse model (Msh2(delta 7N) ) was generated and bred with Apc(1638N) and Apc(Min) that allowed the comparison of the somatic mutation spectra along the Apc gene in the different allelic combinations. Mutations identified in Msh2(delta 7N/delta 7N) tumors are predominantly dinucleotide deletions at simple sequence repeats leading to truncated Apc polypeptides that partially retain the 20 a.a. beta-catenin downregulating motifs. In contrast, the somatic mutations identified in the wild type Apc allele of Msh2(delta 7N/delta 7N) /Apc(+/1638N) and Msh2(delta 7N/delta 7N) /Apc(+/Min) tumors are clustered more to the 5' end, thereby completely inactivating the beta-catenin downregulating activity of APC. These results indicate that somatic Apc mutations are selected during intestinal tumorigenesis and that inactivation of the beta-catenin downregulating function of APC is likely to represent the main selective factor.

Background & Aims: Inactivation of the adenomatous polyposis coli ( APC ) gene is observed at early stages of intestinal tumor formation, whereas loss of E-cadherin is usually associated with tumor progression. Because both proteins compete for the binding to β-catenin, an essential component of the Wnt signaling pathway, reduction of E-cadherin levels in an Apc mouse model could influence both tumor initiation and progression. In addition, loss or haploinsufficiency of E-cadherin may affect tumorigenesis by altering its cell-adhesive and associated functions. Methods: Apc1638N mice were bred with animals carrying a targeted E-cadherin knockout mutation. Results: Double heterozygous animals showed a significant 9-fold and 5-fold increase of intestinal and gastric tumor numbers, respectively, compared with Apc 1638N animals. The intestinal tumors of both groups showed no significant differences in grading and staging. Loss of heterozygosity analysis at the Apc and E-cadherin loci in both intestinal and gastric Apc +/1638N / E-cad +/− tumors revealed loss of the wild-type Apc allele in most cases, whereas the wild-type E-cadherin allele was always retained. This was supported by a positive, although reduced, staining for E-cadherin of intestinal tumor sections. Conclusions: Introduction of the E-cadherin mutation in Apc 1638N animals enhances Apc -driven tumor initiation without clearly affecting tumor progression. GASTROENTEROLOGY 2000;119:1045-1053

Background & Aims: Germline mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli ( APC ) gene are responsible for familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), an autosomal dominant predisposition to the formation of multiple colorectal adenomas. Moreover, patients with FAP are at high risk of developing several extracolonic manifestations, including desmoids, cutaneous cysts, and tumors of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Although by definition desmoids are nonmalignant, because of their aggressive invasion of local structures, they represent one of the major causes of morbidity and mortality among patients with FAP. Methods: This study describes the histopathologic and molecular characterization of Apc 1638N, a mouse model for the broad spectrum of extracolonic manifestations characteristic of FAP. Results: Heterozygous Apc + /Apc 1638N animals develop fully penetrant and multifocal cutaneous follicular cysts and desmoid tumors in addition to attenuated polyposis of the upper gastrointestinal tract. Moreover, breeding of Apc + /Apc 1638N mice in a p53 -deficient background results in a dramatic sevenfold increase of the desmoid multiplicity. Conclusions: Because of the attenuated nature of their intestinal phenotype, these mice survive longer than other murine models for Apc -driven tumorigenesis. Therefore, Apc 1638N represents an ideal laboratory tool to test various therapeutic intervention strategies for the management of intestinal as well as extraintestinal tumors. GASTROENTEROLOGY 1998;114:275-283

Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an inherited predisposition to colorectal cancer characterized by the development of numerous adenomatous polyps predominantly in the colorectal region. Germline mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene are responsible for most cases of FAP. Mutations at the 5' end of APC are known to be associated with a relatively mild form of the disease, called attenuated adenomatous polyposis coli (AAPC). We identified a frameshift mutation in the 3' part of exon 15, resulting in a stop codon at 1862, in a large Dutch kindred with AAPC. Western blot analysis of lymphoblastoid cell lines derived from affected family members from this kindred, as well as from a previously reported Swiss family carrying a frameshift mutation at codon 1987 and displaying a similar attenuated phenotype, showed only the wild-type APC protein. Our study indicates that chain-terminating mutations located in the 3' part of APC do not result in detectable truncated polypeptides and we hypothesize that this is likely to be the basis for the observed AAPC phenotype.

Germ-line mutations in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene are responsible for familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). Genotype-phenotype correlation studies in patients with FAP have demonstrated associations of certain variants of the disease with mutations at specific sites within the APC gene. In a large FAP family, we identified a frameshift mutation located in the alternatively spliced region of exon 9. Phenotypic studies of affected family members showed that the clinical course of FAP was delayed, with gastrointestinal symptoms and death from colorectal carcinoma occurring on average 25 and 20 years later than usual, respectively. The numbers of colorectal adenomas differed markedly among affected individuals and the location of colorectal cancer lay frequently in the proximal colon. Our findings suggest that the exon 9 mutation identified in the pedigree is associated with late onset of FAP. The atypical phenotype may be explained by the site of the mutation in the APC gene. Analysis of the APC protein product indicated that the exon 9 mutation did not result in a detectable truncated APC protein. Given the location of the mutation within an alternatively spliced exon of APC, it is conceivable that normal APC proteins are produced from the mutant allele by alternative splicing.

Germ-line mutations in the human adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene result in familial adenomatous polyposis, an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by the early onset of multiple adenomatous polyps in the large bowel with a high likelihood of developing colorectal carcinomas. To understand the role of APC in intestinal tumor formation, we have introduced a chain-termination mutation in the 15th exon of the mouse Apc gene and employed it to modify the endogenous gene by homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells. Mice which are heterozygous for the Apc gene modification progressively develop intestinal tumors in a manner that is similar to that observed in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis and in mice which carry a mutation called multiple intestinal neoplasia (Min). Our results indicate that the Apc gene modification is a critical event in the initiation of intestinal tumor formation and results in an autosomal dominant predisposition toward development of spontaneous colonic and intestinal tumors in mice.

Two independent study-groups, one in Britain and the other in the United States, were the first to report linkage between APC and a TaqI restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) at D5S71 (probe C11p11) on chromosome 5q. They found no recombinants in about 50 informative meioses. The same TaqI RFLP was found to be uninformative for linkage in 15 Dutch polyposis families. The recently reported four base-pair deletion polymorphism (DEL1) at D5S71 has raised the polymorphism information content of this marker from 0.17 to 0.40 in the Dutch population. Seven of 20 polyposis families screened for the DEL1 as well as the TaqI polymorphism gave a combined peak lod score of 5.68 with no recombinants in 37 informative meioses. These data, together with those so far reported in the literature, raise the peak lod score to 17.09 at a recombination fraction of 0.05, the 95% upper confidence limit being 0.09. In combination with the use of another informative marker, D5S81 (probe YN5.48) closely mapping on the other side of APC, the presymptomatic diagnosis of the disease can be made with more than 99.9% certainty. It has to be stressed, however, that the the possible existence of more than one polyposis locus cannot, as yet, be excluded.

A number of polymorphic DNA markers on the long arm of chromosome 5, including C11p11, Pi227 and YN5.48, are known to be closely linked to the gene for familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP). C11p11 and Pi227 are localized centromeric to FAP. A critical Dutch pedigree revealed that YN5.48 is located on the other, telomeric, side of the FAP locus. This finding raises the reliability of presymptomatic diagnosis of FAP by linkage analysis to more than 99.9%. Genetic heterogeneity was considered to explain a small family in which the condition failed to segregate with C11p11.