Flavonoids may play an important role for adjunct nutritional therapy of chronic intestinal inflammation. In this study, we characterized the molecular mechanisms by which quercetin and its enteric bacterial metabolites, taxifolin, alphitonin, and 3, 4-dihydroxy-phenylacetic acid, inhibit tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF)-induced proinflammatory gene expression in the murine small intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) line Mode-K as well as in heterozygous TNFDeltaARE/WT mice, a murine model of experimental ileitis. Quercetin inhibited TNF-induced interferon-gamma-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) and macrophage inflammatory protein 2 (MIP-2) gene expression in Mode-K cells with effective inhibitory concentration of 40 and 44 micromol/L, respectively. Interestingly, taxifolin, alphitonin, and 3,4-dihydroxy-phenylacetic acid did not inhibit TNF responses in IEC, suggesting that microbial transformation of quercetin completely abolished its anti-inflammatory effect. At the molecular level, quercetin inhibited Akt phosphorylation but did not inhibit TNF-induced RelA/I-kappaB phosphorylation and IkappaB degradation or TNF-alpha-induced nuclear factor-kappaB transcriptional activity. Most important for understanding the mechanism involved, chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis revealed inhibitory effects of quercetin on phospho-RelA recruitment to the IP-10 and MIP-2 gene promoters. In addition, and consistent with the lack of cAMP response element binding protein (CBP)/p300 recruitment and phosphorylation/acetylation of histone 3 at the promoter binding site, quercetin inhibited histone acetyl transferase activity. The oral application of quercetin to heterozygous TNFDeltaARE/WT mice [10 mg/(d x kg body wt)] significantly inhibited IP-10 and MIP-2 gene expression in primary ileal epithelial cells but did not affect tissue pathology. These studies support an anti-inflammatory effect of quercetin in epithelial cells through mechanisms that inhibit cofactor recruitment at the chromatin of proinflammatory genes.

The function of the majority of genes in the mouse and human genomes remains unknown. The mouse ES cell knockout resource provides a basis for characterisation of relationships between gene and phenotype. The EUMODIC consortium developed and validated robust methodologies for broad-based phenotyping of knockouts through a pipeline comprising 20 disease-orientated platforms. We developed novel statistical methods for pipeline design and data analysis aimed at detecting reproducible phenotypes with high power. We acquired phenotype data from 449 mutant alleles, representing 320 unique genes, of which half had no prior functional annotation. We captured data from over 27,000 mice finding that 83% of the mutant lines are phenodeviant, with 65% demonstrating pleiotropy. Surprisingly, we found significant differences in phenotype annotation according to zygosity. Novel phenotypes were uncovered for many genes with unknown function providing a powerful basis for hypothesis generation and further investigation in diverse systems.

The basement membrane is important for proper tissue development, stability, and physiology. Major components of the basement membrane include laminins and type IV collagens. The type IV procollagens Col4a1 and Col4a2 form the heterotrimer [a1(IV)] 2 [a2(IV)], which is ubiquitously expressed in basement membranes during early developmental stages. We present the genetic, molecular, and phenotypic characterization of nine Col4a1 and three Col4a2 missense mutations recovered in random mutagenesis experiments in the mouse. Heterozygous carriers express defects in the eye, the brain, kidney function, vascular stability, and viability. Homozygotes do not survive beyond the second trimester. Ten mutations result in amino acid substitutions at nine conserved Gly sites within the collagenous domain, one mutation is in the carboxy-terminal noncollagenous domain, and one mutation is in the signal peptide sequence and is predicted to disrupt the signal peptide cleavage site. Patients with COL4A2 mutations have still not been identified. We suggest that the spontaneous intraorbital hemorrhages observed in the mouse are a clinically relevant phenotype with a relatively high predictive value to identify carriers of COL4A1 or COL4A2 mutations.

T-cell immunotherapies are promising options in relapsed/refractory B-precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). We investigated the effect of co-signaling molecules on T-cell attack against leukemia mediated by CD19/CD3-bispecific T-cell engager. Primary CD19+ ALL blasts (n≥10) and physiologic CD19+CD10+ bone marrow precursors were screened for 20 co-signaling molecules. PD-L1, PD-1, LAG-3, CD40, CD86, CD27, CD70 and HVEM revealed different stimulatory and inhibitory profiles of pediatric ALL compared to physiologic cells, with PD-L1 and CD86 as most prominent inhibitory and stimulatory markers. PD-L1 was increased in relapsed ALL patients (n=11) and in ALLs refractory to Blinatumomab (n=5). Exhaustion markers (PD-1, TIM-3) were significantly higher on patients' T cells compared to physiologic controls. T-cell proliferation and effector function was target-cell dependent and correlated to expression of co-signaling molecules. Blockade of inhibitory PD-1-PD-L and CTLA-4-CD80/86 pathways enhanced T-cell function whereas blockade of co-stimulatory CD28-CD80/86 interaction significantly reduced T-cell function. Combination of Blinatumomab and anti-PD-1 antibody was feasible and induced an anti-leukemic in vivo response in a 12-year-old patient with refractory ALL. In conclusion, ALL cells actively regulate T-cell function by expression of co-signaling molecules and modify efficacy of therapeutic T-cell attack against ALL. Inhibitory interactions of leukemia-induced checkpoint molecules can guide future T-cell therapies.

Expression of eight tumour-relevant genes was studied in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue from 54 invasive ductal breast carcinomas using quantitative reverse transcription PCR (Q-RT-PCR). Seven of the genes map to chromosome 20q and are potential candidates for gene amplification and over-expression. The Her2/neu oncogene, on chromosome 17q, was investigated in the same tumours. Increased expression was most frequent for PTK6, Her2/neu, and ADA. No other 20q candidate gene (AIB1, PTPN1, ZNF217, and PFDN4) was prominent. A significant correlation between the expression of the tyrosine kinases PTK6 and Her2/neu was detected. The frequent elevation of PTK6 expression (in 43/54 tumours), and its correlation with Her2/neu oncogene over-expression, suggests a clinically relevant link between these two over-expressed tyrosine kinases.