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Role of metallothionein in differentiation of leukemia cells

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Abstract

Metallothioneins (MTs), a group of small, cystein-rich proteins, possess various functions, including metal detoxification and homeostasis. We here report new findings on the participation of MT in cellular differentiation processes. MT isogene transcription was significantly increased in phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA) incubated leukemic DAMI cells, which supports its role in cellular differentiation. To further address this possibility, we constructed one stable MT-2A overexpressing DAMI cell line. Increase of cell size, intracellular granulation and megakaryocytic specific antigen expression such as CD41 and CD42, and arresting cell proliferation have validated the role of MT in differentiation in this cell line.

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Abbreviations

DMSO:

Dimethyl sulfoxide

FCS:

Fetal calf serum

FITC:

Fluorescein isothiocyanate

FSC:

Forward light scatter

GAPDH:

Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase

IHC:

Immunohistochemical staining

MGG:

May-Grünwald–Giemsa staining

MT:

Metallothionein

PMA:

Phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate

SSC:

Side scatter channel

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Acknowledgments

We would like to thank Dr. Dominique Schols and Eric Fonteyn for their help with the flow cytometric experiments. We are grateful to K.U. Leuven for a research fellowship (P.M.B).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Celestijnenlaan 200G, mailbox 2413, 3001, Leuven (Heverlee), Belgium

    Pegah Maghdooni Bagheri, Iris Govaerts & Marc De Ley

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  1. Pegah Maghdooni Bagheri
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  2. Iris Govaerts
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  3. Marc De Ley
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Correspondence to Marc De Ley.

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Maghdooni Bagheri, P., Govaerts, I. & De Ley, M. Role of metallothionein in differentiation of leukemia cells. Mol Biol Rep 38, 3017–3022 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-010-9967-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11033-010-9967-7

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