The maintenance of murine embryonic stem (ES) cell self-renewal is regulated by leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF)-dependent activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) and LIF-independent mechanisms including Nanog, BMP2/4, and Wnt signaling. Here we demonstrate a previously undescribed role for phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) in regulation of murine ES cell self-renewal. Treatment with the reversible PI3K inhibitor, LY294002, or more specific inhibition of class I A PI3K via regulated expression of dominant negative ⌬p85, led to a reduction in the ability of LIF to maintain self-renewal, with cells concomitantly adopting a differentiated morphology. Inhibition of PI3Ks reduced basal and LIF-stimulated phosphorylation of PKB/Akt, GSK3␣/␤, and S6 proteins. Importantly, LY294002 and ⌬p85 expression had no effect on LIFinduced phosphorylation of STAT3 at Tyr 705 , but did augment LIF-induced phosphorylation of ERKs in both short and long term incubations. Subsequently, we demonstrate that inhibition of MAP-Erk kinases (MEKs) reverses the effects of PI3K inhibition on self-renewal in a time-and dose-dependent manner, suggesting that the elevated ERK activity observed upon PI3K inhibition contributes to the functional response we observe. Surprisingly, upon long term inhibition of PI3Ks we observed a reduction in phosphorylation of ␤-catenin, the target of GSK-3 action in the canonical Wnt pathway, although no consistent alterations in cytosolic levels of ␤-catenin were observed, indicating this pathway is not playing a major role downstream of PI3Ks. Our studies support a role for PI3Ks in regulation of self-renewal and increase our understanding of the molecular signaling components involved in regulation of stem cell fate.

SummaryBackgroundCells undergoing apoptosis are known to modulate their tissue microenvironments. By acting on phagocytes, notably macrophages, apoptotic cells inhibit immunological and inflammatory responses and promote trophic signaling pathways. Paradoxically, because of their potential to cause death of tumor cells and thereby militate against malignant disease progression, both apoptosis and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are often associated with poor prognosis in cancer. We hypothesized that, in progression of malignant disease, constitutive loss of a fraction of the tumor cell population through apoptosis could yield tumor-promoting effects.ResultsHere, we demonstrate that apoptotic tumor cells promote coordinated tumor growth, angiogenesis, and accumulation of TAMs in aggressive B cell lymphomas. Through unbiased “in situ transcriptomics” analysis—gene expression profiling of laser-captured TAMs to establish their activation signature in situ—we show that these cells are activated to signal via multiple tumor-promoting reparatory, trophic, angiogenic, tissue remodeling, and anti-inflammatory pathways. Our results also suggest that apoptotic lymphoma cells help drive this signature. Furthermore, we demonstrate that, upon induction of apoptosis, lymphoma cells not only activate expression of the tumor-promoting matrix metalloproteinases MMP2 and MMP12 in macrophages but also express and process these MMPs directly. Finally, using a model of malignant melanoma, we show that the oncogenic potential of apoptotic tumor cells extends beyond lymphoma.ConclusionsIn addition to its profound tumor-suppressive role, apoptosis can potentiate cancer progression. These results have important implications for understanding the fundamental biology of cell death, its roles in malignant disease, and the broader consequences of apoptosis-inducing anti-cancer therapy.

Key Points• The JAK2/STAT5 pathway is a relevant therapeutic target in CML SPCs. • Targeting the JAK2/STAT5pathway by nilotinib and RUX in combination leads to enhanced eradication of primitive CML stem cells.Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) stem cell survival is not dependent on BCR-ABL protein kinase and treatment with ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitors cures only a minority of CML patients, thus highlighting the need for novel therapeutic targets. The Janus kinase (JAK)2/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)5 pathway has recently been explored for providing putative survival signals to CML stem/progenitor cells (SPCs) with contradictory results. We investigated the role of this pathway using the JAK2 inhibitor, ruxolitinib (RUX). We demonstrated that the combination of RUX, at clinically achievable concentrations, with the specific and potent tyrosine kinase inhibitor nilotinib, reduced the activity of the JAK2/STAT5 pathway in vitro relative to either single agent alone. These effects correlated with increased apoptosis of CML SPCs in vitro and a reduction in primitive quiescent CML stem cells, including NOD.Cg-Prkdc

Clonal analysis using X-chromosome inactivation patterns of the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT) and phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) genes has been used in the assessment of haematological malignancies. In many analyses normal haemopoietic tissue or constitutive DNA from each individual has not been readily available and it has been assumed that when the ratio of the percentage of the two alleles remaining after differential methylation enzyme digestion is greater than 3/1 then an oligoclonal/monoclonal population of cells is present. We report here in a study of 65 haematologically normal females informative for HPRT or PGK that 15 (23%) had a skewed Lyonization pattern with clonal analysis ratios greater than 3/1. No correlation was observed between age and the X-chromosome inactivation pattern to suggest the detection of pre-malignant clonal states. The incidence was similar in 23 females who had received conventional combination chemotherapy, with six women (26%) having a ratio greater than 3/1. In the majority of individuals therefore, conventional chemotherapy does not appear to alter the patient's X-chromosome inactivation pattern. These results indicate that caution must be exercised in interpreting the results of clonal analysis of any given individual.