title: Improvement of rituximab efficiency in chronic lymphocytic leukemia by CpG-mediated upregulation of CD20 expression independently of PU.1.
abstract: Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), CpG-containing phosphothioate oligonucleotides (CpG) and various cytokines impact chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) B cells. For example, they influence cell cycle entry, expression of co-receptors, and CD20. Rituximab (RTX), for which CD20 molecule is the target, proved to be less efficient in CLL than in lymphoma. This is accounted for by a lower CD20 level in the former than in the latter B lymphocytes. CD20 transcription is mediated by four transcription factors, of which only purine-rich box-1 (PU.1) is reduced in CLL. We thus examined the effects of LPS, CpG, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-alpha, interleukin (IL)-3, IL-4, IL-21, granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (CSF), and granulocyte-CSF on the transcription of PU.1, and the subsequent expression of CD20. It appeared that CpG was unique in that it raised the membrane expression of CD20 on malignant B cells, owing to a PU.1 independent increase in its gene transcription. Moreover, RTX-induced complement-mediated lysis was also ameliorated. Thus, CpG accelerates the transcription of CD20 independently of PU.1, and thereby improves the efficacy of RTX in CLL.
authors.affiliation: EA2216 Immunology and Pathology IFR148, Université de Bretagne Occidentale and Université Européenne de Bretagne, Brest, France.
authors.forename: Amani
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mankaï
authors.forename: Virginie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Buhé
authors.forename: Mariam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hammadi
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Youinou
authors.forename: Ibtissem
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ghedira
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Berthou
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bordron
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000494:pharmacology*; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018951:Antigens, CD20 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015153:Blotting, Western; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D015973:Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D000069283:Rituximab; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D000099232:Proto-Oncogene Protein Spi-1
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D058846:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Murine-Derived; D018951:Antigens, CD20; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D009838:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D000069283:Rituximab; D015534:Trans-Activators; D000099232:Proto-Oncogene Protein Spi-1; C408982:CPG-oligonucleotide