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The Q61R mutation of the NRAS gene is one of the most frequent driver mutations of thyroid cancer. Tumors with this mutation are characterized by invasion into blood vessels and formation of distant metastases. To study the role of this mutation in the growth of thyroid cancer, we developed a model system on the basis of thyroid epithelial cell line Nthy-ori 3-1 transduced by a lentiviral vector containing the NRAS gene with the Q61R mutation. It was found that the expression of NRAS(Q61R) in thyroid epithelial cells has a profound influence on groups of genes involved in the formation of intercellular contacts, as well as in processes of epithelial-mesenchymal transition and cell invasion. The alteration in the expression of these genes affects the phenotype of the model cells, which acquire traits of mesenchymal cells and demonstrate increased ability for survival and growth without attachment to the substrate. The key regulators of these processes are transcription factors belonging to families SNAIL, ZEB, and TWIST, and in different types of tumors the contribution of each individual factor can vary greatly. In our model system, phenotype change correlates with an increase in the expression of SNAIL2 and TWIST2 factors, which indicates their possible role in regulating invasive growth of thyroid cancer with the mutation of NRAS(Q61R).

CD40 receptor is expressed on B lymphocytes and other professional antigen-presenting cells. The binding of CD40 to its ligand CD154 on the surface of T helper cells plays an important role in the activation of B lymphocytes required for production of antibodies, in particular, against autoantigens. Association of several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in the non-coding areas of human CD40 locus with the elevated risk of autoimmune diseases has been demonstrated. The most studied of these SNPs is rs4810485 located in the first intron of the CD40 gene. Expression of the CD40 gene in B lymphocytes of donors homozygous for the common allelic variant of this polymorphism (G) is higher than in B cells from donors carrying the minor (T) variant. We investigated the enhancer activity of this fragment of the CD40 locus in human B cell lines and showed that it is independent on the rs4810485 alleles. However, the minor allelic variants of the rs4810485-linked SNPs rs548231435 and rs115662534 were associated with a significant decrease in the activity of the CD40 promoter due to the impairments in the binding of EBF1 and STAT1 transcription factors, respectively.

Pituitary tumor-transforming gene-1 (PTTG1) encodes securin, a multifunctional protein involved in development of various types of cancer. Securin participates in the regulation of sister chromatids separation and the expression of multiple genes involved in the control of the cell cycle, metabolism, and angiogenesis. In several human cell lines, we have found a novel short isoform of securin mRNA, which does not contain exons 3 and 4. After the translation of this new mRNA, a shortened protein is produced that, like the full-size form, is able to activate the transcription of cyclin D3 gene (CCND3), which controls the G1/S transition and angiogenesis factors VEGFA (vascular endothelial growth factor), and FGF2 (fibroblast growth factor 2) in HEK293 cells. However, unlike the full-size protein, the short isoform of PTTG1 does not affect the MYC gene expression because it lacks the DNA-binding domain, which is needed for its interactions with the MYC promoter. Furthermore, the short form of securin does not influence the expression of MYC transcriptional targets, such as TP53 and IL-8. Thus, we found a novel isoform of securin which is able to activate a more restricted repertoire of genes compared to the full-size protein.

The SLAMF1 gene encodes CD150, a transmembrane glycoprotein expressed on the surface of T and B-lymphocytes, NK-cells, dendritic cells, and subpopulations of macrophages and basophils. We investigated the functional regulatory polymorphisms of the SLAMF1 locus associated with autoimmune processes, using bioinformatics and a mutational analysis of the regulatory elements overlapping with polymorphic positions. In the reporter gene assay in MP-1 and Raji B-cell lines, the enhancer activity of the regulatory region of the locus containing the rs3753381 polymorphism demonstrated a twofold increase upon the introduction of the rs3753381 minor variant (G A) associated with myasthenia gravis. An analysis of the nucleotide context in the vicinity of rs3753381 revealed that the minor version of this polymorphism improves several binding sites for the transcription factors of FOX and NFAT, and RXR nuclear receptors. All mutations that disrupt any of these sites lead to a decrease in the enhancer activity both in МР-1 and in Raji cells, and each of the two B-cell lines expresses a specific set of these factors. Thus, the minor variant of the rs3753381 polymorphism may contribute to the development of myasthenia gravis by modulating SLAMF1 expression, presumably in pathogenic B-lymphocytes.

The objective of this work was to obtain preparations of recombinant squamous-cell carcinoma antigens (serpins B3 and B4) and to investigate their interactions with different monoclonal antibodies using hydrogel-based microarrays (biochips). Two genetic constructs encoding full-length serpin B3 and serpin B4 molecules were created to produce recombinant SPB3 and SPB4 proteins carrying a N-terminal His6-tag. Monoclonal antibodies against serpin B3 (H3, C5, H5, H81, and G9) were also obtained. An experimental gel-based biological microchip was designed to contain gel elements that carry immobilized antibodies against SPB3, immobilized commercial monoclonal SCC107 and SCC140 antibodies against squamous-cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA), and gel elements with immobilized SPB3 or SPB4. Judging by the specificity of recombinant SPB3 and SPB4, which bind to monoclonal antibodies against SCCA and, according to the manufacturer's data, can recognize conformational epitopes of both SPB3 and SPB4, it was concluded that the obtained recombinant serpins had the correct tertiary structure. A biochip-based direct immunoassay showed that SPB4 could bind effectively only to SCC107 and SCC140 antibodies, while SPB3 interacted specifically not only with these antibodies, but also with H3 and C5 monoclonal antibodies. Using biochip-based sandwich immunoassay, a pair of monoclonal antibodies SCC107/C5 that interacted specifically with serpin B3 but did not interact with serpin B4 was identified. Thus, it has been demonstrated that serpin B3 can be selectively determined in the presence of highly homologous serpin B4 using a biochip-based assay.

Pituitary tumor-transforming gene-1 (PTTG1) encodes securin, a multifunctional protein involved in development of various types of cancer. Securin participates in the regulation of sister chromatids separation and the expression of multiple genes involved in the control of the cell cycle, metabolism, and angiogenesis. In several human cell lines, we have found a novel short isoform of securin mRNA, which does not contain exons 3 and 4. After the translation of this new mRNA, a shortened protein is produced that, like the full-size form, is able to activate the transcription of cyclin D3 gene (CCND3), which controls the G1/S transition and angiogenesis factors VEGFA (vascular endothelial growth factor), and FGF2 (fibroblast growth factor 2) in HEK293 cells. However, unlike the full-size protein, the short isoform of PTTG1 does not affect the MYC gene expression because it lacks the DNA-binding domain, which is needed for its interactions with the MYC promoter. Furthermore, the short form of securin does not influence the expression of MYC transcriptional targets, such as TP53 and IL-8. Thus, we found a novel isoform of securin which is able to activate a more restricted repertoire of genes compared to the full-size protein.

IL2RA gene encodes the alpha subunit of a high-affinity receptor for interleukin-2 which is expressed by several distinct populations of lymphocytes involved in autoimmune processes. A large number of polymorphic alleles of the IL2RA locus are associated with the development of various autoimmune diseases. With bioinformatics analysis we the dissected the first intron of the IL2RA gene and selected several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that may influence the regulation of the IL2RA gene in cell types relevant to autoimmune pathology. We described five enhancers containing the selected SNPs that stimulated activity of the IL2RA promoter in a cell-type specific manner, and tested the effect of specific SNP alleles on activity of the respective enhancers (E1 to E5, labeled according to the distance to the promoter). The E4 enhancer with minor T variant of rs61839660 SNP demonstrated reduced activity due to disrupted binding of MEF2A/C transcription factors (TFs). Neither rs706778 nor rs706779 SNPs, both associated with a number of autoimmune diseases, had any effect on the activity of the enhancer E2. However, rare variants of several SNPs (rs139767239, rs115133228, rs12722502, rs12722635) genetically linked to either rs706778 and/or rs706779 significantly influenced the activity of E1, E3 and E5 enhancers, presumably by disrupting EBF1, GABPA and ELF1 binding sites.

Signaling lymphocytic activation molecule family member 1 (SLAMF1)/CD150 is a co-stimulatory receptor expressed on a variety of hematopoietic cells, in particular on mature lymphocytes activated by specific antigen, costimulation and cytokines. Changes in CD150 expression level have been reported in association with autoimmunity and with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia. We characterized the core promoter for SLAMF1 gene in human B-cell lines and explored binding sites for a number of transcription factors involved in B cell differentiation and activation. Mutations of SP1, STAT6, IRF4, NF-kB, ELF1, TCF3, and SPI1/PU.1 sites resulted in significantly decreased promoter activity of varying magnitude, depending on the cell line tested. The most profound effect on the promoter strength was observed upon mutation of the binding site for Early B-cell factor 1 (EBF1). This mutation produced a 10-20 fold drop in promoter activity and pinpointed EBF1 as the master regulator of human SLAMF1 gene in B cells. We also identified three potent transcriptional enhancers in human SLAMF1 locus, each containing functional EBF1 binding sites. Thus, EBF1 interacts with specific binding sites located both in the promoter and in the enhancer regions of the SLAMF1 gene and is critical for its expression in human B cells.

More than 40% of human genes contain upstream open reading frames (uORF) in their 5'-untranslated regions (5'-UTRs) and at the same time express at least one truncated mRNA isoform containing no uORF. We studied translational regulation by four uORFs found in the 5'-UTR of full-length mRNA for SLAMF1, the gene encoding CD150 membrane protein. CD150 is a member of the CD2 superfamily, a costimulatory lymphocyte receptor, a receptor for measles virus, and a microbial sensor on macrophages. The SLAMF1 gene produces at least two mRNA isoforms that differ in their 5'-UTRs. In the long isoform of the SLAMF1 mRNA that harbors four uORFs in the 5'-UTR, the stop codon of uORF4 overlaps with the AUG codon of the main ORF forming a potential termination-reinitiation site UGAUG, while uORF2 and uORF3 start codons flank a sequence identical to Motif 1 from the TURBS regulatory element. TURBS was shown to be required for a coupled termination-reinitiation event during translation of polycistronic RNAs of some viruses. In a model cell system, reporter mRNA based on the 5'-UTR of SLAMF1 short isoform, which lacks any uORF, is translated 5-6 times more efficiently than the mRNA with 5'-UTR from the long isoform. Nucleotide substitutions disrupting start codons in either uORF2-4 result in significant increase in translation efficiency, while substitution of two nucleotides in TURBS Motif 1 leads to a 2-fold decrease in activity. These data suggest that TURBS-like elements can serve for translation control of certain cellular mRNAs containing uORFs.

The objective of this work was to obtain preparations of recombinant squamous-cell carcinoma antigens (serpins B3 and B4) and to investigate their interactions with different monoclonal antibodies using hydrogel-based microarrays (biochips). Two genetic constructs encoding full-length serpin B3 and serpin B4 molecules were created to produce recombinant SPB3 and SPB4 proteins carrying a N-terminal His6-tag. Monoclonal antibodies against serpin B3 (H3, C5, H5, H81, and G9) were also obtained. An experimental gel-based biological microchip was designed to contain gel elements that carry immobilized antibodies against SPB3, immobilized commercial monoclonal SCC107 and SCC140 antibodies against squamous-cell carcinoma antigen (SCCA), and gel elements with immobilized SPB3 or SPB4. Judging by the specificity of recombinant SPB3 and SPB4, which bind to monoclonal antibodies against SCCA and, according to the manufacturer's data, can recognize conformational epitopes of both SPB3 and SPB4, it was concluded that the obtained recombinant serpins had the correct tertiary structure. A biochip-based direct immunoassay showed that SPB4 could bind effectively only to SCC107 and SCC140 antibodies, while SPB3 interacted specifically not only with these antibodies, but also with H3 and C5 monoclonal antibodies. Using biochip-based sandwich immunoassay, a pair of monoclonal antibodies SCC107/C5 that interacted specifically with serpin B3 but did not interact with serpin B4 was identified. Thus, it has been demonstrated that serpin B3 can be selectively determined in the presence of highly homologous serpin B4 using a biochip-based assay.

We studied functional effect of rs12722489 single nucleotide polymorphism located in the first intron of human IL2RA gene on transcriptional regulation. This polymorphism is associated with multiple autoimmune conditions (rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis). Analysis in silico suggested significant difference in the affinity of estrogen receptor (ER) binding site between alternative allelic variants, with stronger predicted affinity for the risk (G) allele. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that purified human ERα bound only G variant of a 32-bp genomic sequence containing rs12722489. Chromatin immunoprecipitation demonstrated that endogenous human ERα interacted with rs12722489 genomic region in vivo and DNA pull-down assay confirmed differential allelic binding of amplified 189-bp genomic fragments containing rs12722489 with endogenous human ERα. In a luciferase reporter assay, a kilobase-long genomic segment containing G but not A allele of rs12722489 demonstrated enhancer properties in MT-2 cell line, an HTLV-1 transformed human cell line with a regulatory T cell phenotype.

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