Molecular Biology Methods Flowcytometric and FISH Markers in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Dr Gihan EL Hussieny Gawish, MSc, PhD. 2 Acknowledgements First of all, I cannot give a word to fulfill my deeps love and thanks to (Allah) for lighting me the way not only throughout this piece of work but also throughout my whole life. This work is dedicated to: My husband; Dr Hussein Al Omer and my Family I am indebted to King Saud University for support and encouragement to finish this work. Also, I wish to express my deep thanks to: Prof. Dr./ Abdelfattah M. Attalah, Professor of Genetics & Immunology, George Washington University, USA (Former). Director of Biotechnology Research Center, New Damietta, Egypt, for continuous advice Prof. Dr./ Ahmed Abd Al Salam Settin, Professor of Pediatrics & Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University for his continuous help Finally, I am indebted to all the team of the honorable Genetics Unit, Mansoura University Children Hospital, for their continuous support and encouragement Gihan El Hussieny Gawish January 2009 3 Contents Title Introduction Review of Literature I- Acute lymphoblastic leukemia 1-Definition 2-Incidence of Leukemia 3-Types of leukemia 4-Biological Classification of ALL 5-Causing of Leukemia 6-The Signs of Leukemia 7-Stages of Childhood ALL 8-Treatment of Childhood ALL 9-Four Phases of Treatment II- Cell cycle and apoptosis 1-Cell cycle 1-1-Cell cycle and cancer 2-Apoptosis and its markers 2-1-The mechanism of apoptosis 2-2-Apoptosis-targeted therapies for hematologica malignancies 2-3-The apoptosis promoter (p53) 2-4-The inhibitor of apoptosis 2-4-1-Bcl2 proteins 2-4-2-C-myc oncogene III-Flow cytometry 1-Introduction 2-Principles of flow cytometric instrumentation 2-1-Fluidic system 2-2-Illumination system 2-3-Optical and electronics system 2-4-Data storage and computer control system 3-Data analysis IV- Applications of flow cytometry 1-Cell cycle analysis 1-1-Staining procedure Page 1 4 4 4 5 6 6 7 9 11 11 14 15 15 19 20 21 25 30 35 35 38 42 42 44 46 49 53 54 59 63 65 66 4 Page 1-2-Evaluation of DNA histogram 2-Immunophenotyping Applications 2-1-Erythrocyte analysis 2-2-HIV monitoring 2-3-Immunophenotyping of leukemias 2-4Quantification of stem cells 2-5-Platelet analysis 2-6-Testing for HLA-B27 3-Major applications of apoptosis analysis 3-1- Apoptosis light scatter 3-2-Apoptosis DNA analysis 3-3-Apoptosis cell membrane analysis 3-4-Apoptosis enzyme analysis 3-5-Apoptosis organelle analysis 4- Detection of apoptotic markers V- Flourescence in situ hybridization 1-Introduction 2-Three different types of FISH probes 2-1-Locus specific probes 2-2-Alphoid or centromeric repeat probes 2-3-Whole chromosome probes 3-Applications of FISH 3-1-ALL investigation by FISH 3-1-1-Philadelphia VI- References VII- Life Flowcytometric Figures VIII-Life FISH Pictures 67 71 72 73 73 75 75 76 76 77 78 80 82 83 83 86 86 91 91 91 92 92 96 97 106 144 147 5 List of Figure Review of Literature Page Figure (2-1) A schematic representation of the mammalian cell cycle 18 Figure (2-2) The intrinsic or mitochondrial pathway 22 Figure (2-3) The mechanism of apoptosis (Apoptosis triggered by external signals: the extrinsic or death receptor path way) 24 Figure (2-4) Diagram of the mitochondrial and death receptor pathways of cell death 26 Figure (3-1) Facscaliblur flow cytometry instrument 47 Figure (3-2) Flow cytometer system (Facscalibur) 48 Figure (3-3) Flow cytometers use the principle of hydrodynamics focusing for presenting cells to a laser 50 Figure (3-4) A simplified illustration of Flow Cytometry 52 Figure (3-5) Two parameter histogram and dot plot displaying FL1-FITC on the x axis and FL2-PE on the y axis 57 Figure (3-6) Figure (3-7) 58 60 Figure (3-8) FlowJo program Analysis pulse width versus pulse height or area we can eliminate the majority of G0 doublets that appear as G2 DNA histogram Figure (3-9) DNA histogram (aneuphliod population) 62 Figure (4-1) Coeffecient of Variation (C.V.) 69 Figure (4-2) Propidium iodide and TO-PRO-3 79 Figure (4-3) Figure (5-1) Sub G1 peak by propidium iodide staining Fluoresence in situ hypridization 81 88 61 6 List of Abbreviations AL ALL ALT AO AST BM CBC CD CML CV DAPI DI DMSO DNA EB EDTA FAB FACS FISH FITC G0/G1 G2/M HIV HLA HPV LC MMC MRD PBS PI PS S phase Acute leukemia Acut lymphoblastic leukemia Alanine amino transaminase Acridine orange Aspartate amino transaminase Bone marrow Complete blood picture Cluster of differentiation Chronic myeloid leukemia Coefficient of variation 4-6 diamino -2-2phenylindole DNA index Dimethylsulfoxide Deoxyribonucleic acid Ethedium bromide Ethyline diamine tetraacetic acid French American British Flow activated cell sorter Fluorescence in situ hybridization Flourecien isothiocyanate Phase represents the gap in of DNA replication time between mitosis and the start Phase represents the gap between the end of DNA replication onest of mitosis Human immunodeficiency virus Human leukocyte antigen Human papilloma virus Liver cirrhosis Mithramycin Minimal residual disease Phosphate buffer saline Propidium iodide Phosphatidylserine DNA syntheis 7 WBC White blood cells Introduction Childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a disease in which too many underdeveloped lymphocytes are found in a child's blood and bone marrow. Lymphocytes are infection-fighting white blood cells. ALL is the most common form of leukemia in children, and the most common kind of childhood cancer (Moorman et al., 2006). Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) represents nearly one third of all pediatric cancers. Annual incidence of ALL is about 30 cases per million populations, with a peak incidence in patients aged 2-5 years. Although a small percentage of cases are associated with inherited genetic syndromes, the cause of ALL remains largely unknown (Jeffrey, 2005). Flow cytometry can be applied in basic research and in the clinic to identify and measure apoptotic cells. The choice of a particular flow method depends on several variables (cell system, type of flow cytometer, type of apoptosis inducer, type of information required) (Bogh and Duling, 2005). The cell cycle was subdivided into four consecutive phases; G1 or pre-synthetic phase, S, G2 or post-synthetic phase, and M phase during which mitotic division into two daughter cells takes place. The G2 phase represents the gap in time between the end of DNA replication and onset of mitosis. It is possible to discrimination between G1 vs, S vs, G2 or M cells because of the difference in their DNA content (Rabinovitch, 1993). 8 The DNA content of the cell can provide a great deal of information about the cell cycle. The measurement of the DNA content of cells was one of the first major applications of flow cytometry (Albro et al., 1993). Apoptosis (programmed cell death) is a physiologic phenomenon where in the dying cell plays an active part in its own destruction (Schuler et al., 1994). Apoptosis plays a role in many diseases. There is a great potential for treatment of these diseases in developing agents that can alter the apoptotic process and change the natural disease progression. Molecules whose roles in apoptosis have been investigated include Bcl-2 and c-myc proteins, the p53 tumor suppressor gene and various tumor suppressor gene products (Menendez et al., 2004). P53 is a pro-apoptotic genes present in all cells, but has special significance to cancer cells. It is a tumor repressor gene, meaning that its presence reduces the occurrence of cancer tumors by promoting apoptosis in cancer cells (Polyak et al., 1997). BCL2 is an important regulator of apoptosis, The oncogenic activity of the Bcl2 gene is carried out via suppression of lymphocytic apoptosis or programmed cell death (Cory & Adams, 2002 and Roumier et al., 2002). C-Myc is widely known as a crucial regulator of cell proliferation in normal and neoplastic cells (Wechsler et al., 1997& Facchini and Penn, 1998). The technology of flow cytometry and the discovery of a method to produce monoclonal antibodies have made possible the clinical use of flow cytometry for the identification of cell populations. Monoclonal antibodies (tagged) with the fluorescent dye are commonly used for the identification of cell surface antigens and fluorescent dyes that directly and specifically bind 9 to certain components of the cell (i.e. DNA) are used for cell cycle analysis (Zhang et al., 2005). Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) allows identification of specific sequences in a structurally preserved cell, in metaphase or interphase (Chatzimeletiou et al., 2005). FISH is increasingly used for the identification of ALL. FISH plays an important role in detecting chromosome changes (Primo et al., 2003). Almost all the chromosome abnormalities in ALL are translocations. The most common one is Philadelphia chromosome. It is the main product of the t(9;22) translocation. This translocation causes a rearrangement between the proto-oncogene c-ABL and a gene called the breakpoint cluster region (BCR). The BCR/ABL fusion gene resulting from t(9;22) translocation. FISH is increasingly used for the identification of BCR/ABL gene rearrangements (Rudolph et al., 2005). 10 І- Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common form of childhood cancer. It is a type of cancer that starts from white blood cells in the bone marrow called lymphocytes. In most cases it quickly moves into the blood. It can then spread to other parts of the body including the lymph nodes, liver, spleen and central nervous system (Moorman et al., 2006). Leukemia is a cancer of the blood cells. There are several types of leukemia and these are classified by how quickly they progress and what cell they affect. Acute leukemia is fast-growing and can overrun the body within a few weeks or months. By contrast, chronic leukemia is slow-growing and progressively worsens over years (Carolyn et al., 2002). Normal blood cells contain white blood cells, red blood cells, platelets and fluid called plasma. All of these products are formed in the bone marrow, a spongy area located in the center of bones. It contains a small percentage of cells that are in development and are not yet mature. These cells are called blasts. Once the cell has matured, it moves out of the bone marrow and into the circulating blood. The body has mechanisms to know when more cells are needed and has the ability to produce them in an orderly fashion (Carroll et al., 2003). 11 1-Incidence of Leukemia: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the most common form of childhood leukemia where it accounts for about 75% of childhood leukemia and 25% of all pediatric cancer (Lanzkowsky, 2000). National Cancer Institue, Cairo University, ALL represents 23.3% of all pediatric malignancies and 75% of all pediatric leukemias. In a more recent research in the Pediatric Heamatology/Oncology Unit, Ain Shams University Hospital, ALL constitutes 82% of all leukemic cases (Khalifa et al., 1999). The global incidence of leukemias is about 8 to 9 per 100,000 people each year. Approximately 250,000 new cases occur annually worldwide. Leukemia accounts for 2.5% of overall cancer incidence. However, its incidence among children demonstrates its significance. Although childhood cases (through 14 years of age) account for about 12% of all leukemias, childhood cancer is the second biggest killer of children (after accidents) and leukemia is the most common form of childhood cancer. The incidence of childhood ALL in the United States has increased approximately 20% over the past two decades, mostly in the 0- to 4-year-old age group. Over the course of this century, leukemia rates have also generally increased (Sandler and Ross, 1997). Acute lymphoblastic leukemia affects slightly more boys than girls. It occurs predominantly in children, peaking at four years of age. It is seen more frequently in industrialized nations, and it is slightly more common among white children and boys. Studies have suggested that patients who are younger than thirty five years of age far better than older patients (Jeffrey, 2005). 12 2-Types of leukemia: By considering whether leukemias are acute or chronic, and whether they are myelogenous or lymphocytic, they can be divided into four main types. The first one is an acute myeloid leukemia which occurs in both children and adults. The second one is an acute lymphocytic leukemia which is the most common type seen in children, but also seen in adult's over65.The third one is a chronic myelogenous leukemia which occurs mostly in adults. Chronic lymphocytic is the fourth type which is the most often seen in people over age55, can affect younger adults, but almost never seen in children (Pui, 1995). In acute leukemia, the bone marrow cells are unable to properly mature. Immature leukemia cells, which are often called blasts, continue to reproduce and accumulate. In chronic leukemia, the cells can mature but not completely. They are not really normal. They generally do not fight infection as well as do normal white blood cells. Of course, they live longer, build up, and crowd out normal cells. The types of leukemia are also grouped by the type of white blood cell that is affected, leukemia that affects lymphoid cells is called lymphocytic leukemia, and leukemia that affects myeloid cells is called myeloid leukemia or myelogenous leukemia (Lichtman et al., 1995). 3-Biological Classification of ALL: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia blasts are derived from either B-cell or T-cell lineages, as determined by cell surface and other markers. A small percentage of the cells are either so primitive that they do not express enough markers to identify (Ross et al., 2003 and Pullen et al., 1999). 13 Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is categorized according to a system know as the French-American-British (FAB) Morphological Classification Scheme for ALL. ALL1 is mature-appearing lymphoblasts (T-cells or pre-Bcells); these cells are small with uniform genetic material, regular nuclear shape, nonvisible nucleoli, and little cytoplasm. ALL2 is immature and pleomorphic lymphoblasts (T-cells or pre-B-cells), these cells are large, variable in size, varaiable genetic material, irregular nuclear shape, one or more large nucleoli and variable cytoplasm. ALL3 is lymphoblast(Bcells),these are large, genetic material is finely stripped and uniform, nuclear shape is regular, there are one or more prominent nucleoli, and cytoplasm is moderately abundant (Schrappe et al., 2000). 4-Causing of Leukemia: The causes of the disease are not known, but experts believe that ALL develops from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. A number of genetic mutations associated with ALL have been identified. Missing or defective genes that suppress tumors are responsible for cases of ALL (Guo et al., 2005). Several things have been identified as risk factors-that is, exposure to them puts a person at a higher risk of developing leukemia, but it is not a certainly that this exposure will lead to leukemia. These factors include exposure to high-energy radiation, like that released from a nuclear accident or bomb. Some genetic syndrome put a person at higher risk. People who work with the chemical benzene over a long period of time also have a greater chance of getting leukemia. Some scientist feel that exposure to 14 electromagnetic fields, like those that come from power lines, may put a person to higher risk, but this has not been proven (Pui et al., 2001). Heredity, radiation, chemical exposures, and treatment with chemotherapeutic agents have been implicated in the development of leukemia. Viral infection by at least one known virus, human T-cell leukemia/lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-1), is a well-understood cause of adult T-cell leukemia (Franchini, 1995 and Greaves, 1997). Another group of risk factors includes occupational and environmental exposure to radiation or chemicals. The best established cause of leukemia among children is in utero exposure to diagnostic X-rays. Leukemia in adults is strongly associated with occupational exposure to ionizing radiation. There is little evidence, however, that nonionizing radiation such as electromagnetic fields (EMF) induces leukemia. Indeed, two recent studies have shown that EMF exposure is not a major risk factor for leukemia in children or in adults. Some studies have reported an association between cancer and high levels of electromagnetic radiation (EMR). Whether lower levels of radiation (eg, living near power lines, video screen emissions, small appliances, cell phones) play any major role is uncertain but probably unlikely (Linet et al., 1997 and Verkasalo, 1996). Because most people in the general population are not exposed to chemotherapeutic drugs or occupationally exposed to radiation or chemical solvents, exposure to these agents cannot explain the causes of the majority of leukemia cases diagnosed each year. We conservatively estimate that the causes of at least 20,000 (approximately 70%) of the 28,000 new leukemia cases that develop annually in the United States are unexplained. Thus, the 15 causes of leukemia remain largely unknown. Although some success has been achieved in treating leukemias, especially in children, mortality rates have remained relatively high (approximately 75% in the United States) (Kazak et al., 1997). Genetic predisposition may play a major role in both adult and childhood leukemia. Although the Leukemia Society of America emphasizes the fact that anyone may develop the disease, an increased risk exists among Eastern European Jews, and a decreased risk exists among Asians (differences in diet and lifestyle may play a role, however). Individuals with a family history of leukemia or lymphoma have a 5.6-fold increased risk for AML. Parents of children with Down syndrome also have an increased risk of leukemia (Greaves, 1997 and Shannon et al., 1992). Up to 65% of leukemias contain genetic rearrangements, called translocations, in which some of the genetic material (genes) on a chromosome may be altered, or shuffled, between a pair of chromosomes. For example the most common genetic injury in ALL is t(12;21), which means a translocation with a genetic shift between chromosome 12 and 21. It is also referred to as TEL-AML1 fusion and occurs in approximately 20% of ALL patients. Researchers believe that this translocation may occur during fetal development in some patients. About 20% of adults and about 5% of children with ALL have a genetic abnormality called the Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome t(9;22). Another important chromosome translocation is t(4;11) involving the MLL gene on chromosome II. Often occurring in children under one year old (Khandakar et al., 2005). 16 5-The Signs and diagnosis of Leukemia: The blast cells are unable to perform their normal function of fighting infection, so patients may develop fevers or infections that won't go away. As the number of immature cells (blasts) increases, the normal cells are crowded out. This leads to low red blood cell counts and platelets (Smith et al., 1996). Acute lymphoblastic leukemia tends to cause symptoms more rapidly than chronic leukemia. Some common symptoms include fever, chills, weakness and fatigue, swollen or tender lymph nodes, liver or spleen, easy bleeding or bruising, swollen or bleeding gums, night sweats, and bone pain. The abnormal cells can accumulate in the brain or spinal cord, causing headaches, vomiting, confusion, or seizures (Adachi et al., 2005). In acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the doctor asks about medical history and conducts a physical exam. During the exam, abnormalities such as enlarged spleen, liver or lymph nodes may be detected, prompting further investigation. Complete blood count would find blast cells present in the blood, thus suggestion a diagnosis of leukemia. This test can reveal that the patient has leukemia. A sample of bone marrow is determined the type of leukemia (Champlin et al. 1989 and Burger et al., 2003). A complete blood cell count is the first step in diagnosing ALL. This test will often show various findings, including the following: The presence of circulatory leukemic blast cells, the presence and severity of anemia and the count of a variety of blood cell types. (A high white blood cell count indicates a more severe disease.) These tests will not always show the 17 presence of leukemic cells. Blood tests do not always detect leukemia, and about 10% of patients with ALL have a normal blood cell count (Adachi et al., 2005). If the results of the blood tests are abnormal or the physician suspects leukemia despite normal cell counts, a bone marrow aspiration and biopsy are the next steps (Rezaei et al., 2003). If bone marrow examination confirms ALL, a spinal tap may be performed, which uses a needle inserted into the spinal canal. A sample of cerebrospinal fluid with leukemia cells is a sign that the disease has spread to the central nervous system. In most cases of childhood ALL, leukemic cells are not found in the cerebrospinal fluid (Vieira et al., 2005). 6-Treatment of Childhood ALL: The treatment depends on age, the results of laboratory tests, and whether or not the child has been previously treated for leukemia. Untreated ALL means that no treatment has been given except to reduce symptoms. There are too many white blood cells in the blood and bone marrow, and there may be other signs and symptoms of leukemia. Remission means that treatment has been given and the number of white blood cells and other blood cells in the blood and bone marrow is normal that there no signs or symptoms of leukemia. Recurrent disease means that the leukemia has come back after going into remission. Refractory disease means that the leukemia failed to go into remission following treatment (Bassan et al., 1997). There are treatments for all patients with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The primary treatment for ALL is chemotherapy. 18 Radiaion therapy may be used in certain cases. Bone marrow transplantation is being studied in clinical trials (Uckun et al., 1997). Acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients should receive chemotherapy drugs as soon as possible after diagnosis. Chemotherapy uses strong drugs to kill leukemia cells. The goal of chemotherapy is to achieve remission (no symptoms of ALL) and to restore normal blood cell production. Common chemotherapy drugs include doxorubicin, fludarabine and cyclophosphamide. The drugs used depend on factors such as the patient's age and the number and type of leukemia cells in the blood. Unfortunately, chemotherapy also kills normal cells, so ALL patients receiving chemotherapy may have side effects, including nausea, tiredness and a higher risk of infections (Balduzzi et al., 2005). For most patients, chemotherapy restores normal blood cell production within a few weeks, and microscopic examinations of their blood and marrow samples will show no signs of leukemia cells. When this happens, the disease is in remission. Although chemotherapy often brings long-lasting remissions in children, in adults, ALL frequently returns. If the ALL returns, patients and their doctors can consider more chemotherapy or a marrow or blood cell transplant. Chemotherapeutic agents kill cancer cells by activating apoptosis, or programmed cell death. Major apoptotic pathways and the specific role of key proteins in this response is described. The expression level of some of these proteins, such as Bcl2, BAX, and caspase 3, has been shown to be predictive of ultimate outcome in hematopoietic tumors. New therapeutic approaches that modulate the apoptotic pathway are now available and may be applicable to the treatment of childhood ALL (Donadieu & Hill, 2001 and Nakase et al., 2005). 19 Radiation therapy uses X-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation for ALL usually comes from a machine outside the body (external beam radiation therapy) (Durrant et al., 1997). Bone marrow transplantation is a newer type of treatment. First, high doses of chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy are given to destroy all of the bone marrow in the body. A bone marrow transplant using marrow from a relative or person not related to the patient is called an allogeneic bone marrow transplant (Ulrich et al., 2001). An even newer type of bone marrow transplant, called autologous bone marrow transplant, is being studied in clinical trials. During this procedure, bone marrow is taken from the patient and may be treated with drugs to kill any cancer cells. The marrow is frozen to save it. The patient is then given high-dose chemotherapy with or without radiation therapy to destroy all of the remaining marrow. The frozen marrow that was saved is thawed and given through a needle in a vein to replace the marrow that was destroyed (Sebban et el., 1994). Treatment outcome is dependent not only on the therapy applied, but importantly, also on the underlying biology of the tumor and the host. Each of these variables must be factored into initial treatment decisions, as well as later refinements based on initial response, and several biological features. It is recognized that with improvements in therapy, certain variables might lose their prognostic value; therefore, risk assignment plans should be routinely reassessed. Finally an optimal system should allow for comparison of the 20 outcomes of similar or identical patients, treated on different protocols (Choi et al., 2005). There are generally four phases of treatment for ALL. The first phase, remission induction therapy, uses chemotherapy to kill as many of the leukemia cells as possible to cause the cancer to go into remission. The second phase, called central nervous system (CNS) prophylaxis, is preventive therapy, it involves using intrathecal and/or high-dose systemic chemotherapy to the CNS to kill any leukemia cells present there. It is also used to prevent the spread of cancer cells to the brain and spinal cord even if no cancer has been detected there. Radiation therapy to the brain may also be given, in addition to chemotherapy, for this purpose. CNS prophylaxis is often given in conjunction with consolidation therapy. Once a child goes into remission and there no signs of leukemia, a third phase of treatment called consolidation or intensification therapy, is given. Consolidation therapy uses high-dose chemotherapy to attempt to kill any remaining leukemia cells. The fourth phase of treatment, called maintenance therapy, uses chemotherapy for several years to maintain the remission (Attal et al., 1995). 21 II- Cell cycle and Apoptosis 1-Cell cycle: The concept of the cycle in its current form is introduced by Howard and Plec, (1953). They observed that DNA synthesis (S- phase) in individual cells was discontinuous and occupied a discrete portion of the cell life and was constant in duration. Mitotic division (M-phase) was seen to occur after certain period of time following DNA replication. A distinct phase between DNA replication and mitosis was also apparent (Look et al., 1996). Cell cycle phase of G1 was historically considered to be a time cells had little observable activity. Since this time precedes DNA synthesis, the term Gap 1 (G1) was coined. They have diploid chromosome (2C=46 chromosome). At a certain point in the cell's life, the DNA synthetic machinery turns on. This phase of the cell's life is labeled "S" for synthesis. As the cell proceeds through this phase, its DNA content increases from 2C to 4C. At the end of S, the cell has duplicated its genome and it is in the tetraploid state. After the S phase, the cell again enters a phase that was historically thought to be quiescent. Since this phase is the second gap region, it is referred to as G2. In the G2 phase, the cell is producing the necessary proteins that will play a major role in cytokinase. After a highly variable amount of time, the cell enters mitosis (M). DNA content remains constant at 4C until the cell actually divides at the end telophase (Liblit, 1993). The process of replicating DNA and dividing a cell can be described as a series of coordinated events that compose a "cell division cycle," 22 illustrated for mammalian cells in Fig (2-1). In each cell division cycle, chromosomes are replicated once (DNA synthesis or S-phase) and segregated to create two genetically identical daughter cells (mitosis or M-phase). These events are spaced by intervals of growth and reorganization (gap phases G1 and G2). Cells can stop cycling after division, entering a state of quiescence (G0). Commitment to traverse an entire cycle is made in late G1. At least two types of cell cycle control mechanisms are recognized: a cascade of protein phosphorylations that relay a cell from one stage to the next and a set of checkpoints that monitor completion of critical events and delay progression to the next stage if necessary (Nasmyth, 1996). The first type of control involves a highly regulated kinase family. Kinase activation generally requires association with a second subunit that is transiently expressed at the appropriate period of the cell cycle; the periodic "cyclin" subunit associates with its partner "cyclin-dependent kinase" (CDK) to create an active complex with unique substrate specificity. Regulatory phosphorylation and dephosphorylation fine-tune the activity of CDK-cyclin complexes, ensuring well-delineated transitions between cell cycle stages (Elledge, 1996). A second type of cell cycle regulation, checkpoint control, is more supervisory. It is not an essential part of the cycle progression machinery. Cell cycle checkpoints sense flaws in critical events such as DNA replication and chromosome segregation. When checkpoints are activated, for example by underreplicated or damaged DNA, signals are relayed to the cell cycleprogression machinery. These signals cause a delay in cycle progression, until the danger of mutation has been averted. Because checkpoint function is not required in every cell cycle, the extent of checkpoint function is not as 23 obvious as that of components integral to the process, such as CDKs (Sherr, 1996). Figure (2-1): A schematic representation of the mammalian cell cycle (Nasmyth, 1996). 24 25 1-1-Cell cycle and cancer: Superficially, the connection between the cell cycle and cancer is obvious: cell cycle machinery controls cell proliferation, and cancer is a disease of inappropriate cell proliferation. Fundamentally, all cancers permit the existence of too many cells. However, this cell number excess is linked in a vicious cycle with a reduction in sensitivity to signals that normally tell a cell to adhere, differentiate, or die. This combination of altered properties increases the difficulty of deciphering which changes are primarily responsible for causing cancer (Jacks and Weinberg, 1996). The first genetic alterations shown to contribute to cancer development were gain-of-function mutations. These mutations define a set of "oncogenes" that are mutant versions of normal cellular "protooncogenes." The products of protooncogenes function in signal transduction pathways that promote cell proliferation. However, transformation by individual oncogenes can be redundant (mutation of one of several genes will lead to transformation) or can be cell type-specific (mutations will transform some cells but have no effect on others). This suggests that multiple, distinct pathways of genetic alteration lead to cancer, but that not all pathways have the same role in each cell type (White, 1996). More recently, the significance of loss-of-function mutations in carcinogenesis has become increasingly apparent. Mutations in these socalled "tumor suppressor" genes were initially recognized to have a major role in inherited cancer susceptibility. Because inactivation of both copies of a tumor suppressor gene is required for loss of function, individuals heterozygous for mutations at the locus are phenotypically normal. Thus, 26 unlike gain-of-function mutations, loss-of-function tumor suppressor mutations can be carried in the gene pool with no direct deleterious consequence. However, individuals heterozygous for tumor suppressor mutations are more likely to develop cancer, because only one mutational event is required to prevent synthesis of any functional gene product (Morgenbesser et al., 1994). It now appears that tumor suppressor gene mutations are highly likely to promote, and may even be required for, a large number of spontaneous as well as hereditary forms of cancer. Loss of function of the tumor suppressor gene product pRb, for example, would be predicted to liberate E2F transcriptional activators without requiring phosphorylation and thus bypass a normal negative regulation controlling entry into the cycle. Loss of the tumor suppressor gene product p16 would have a similar consequence, liberating E2Fs by increasing pRb phosphorylation . In addition, cell cycle progression can be halted at several points by the tumor suppressor gene product p53, activated in response to checkpoints sensing DNA and possibly also chromosome damage; loss of p53 would remove this brake to cycling (Symonds et al., 1994). 2-Apoptosis and its markers: Apoptosis and necrosis are too distinct, mutually exclusive, modes of cell death. Apoptosis, frequently referred to as programmed cell death is an active and physiological mode of cell death, in which the cell itself designs and executes the program of its own demise and subsequent body disposal. Different patterns of apoptosis (early and delayed apoptosis) many cell types, cells of hematopoietic origin in particular, undergo apoptosis 27 rapidly, to within few hours following exposure to relatively high concentration of cytotoxic agents (Majino and Joris, 1995). Apoptosis can be defined as 'gene-directed cellular self-destruction'' although this is really a phenomenon where cells are programmed to die at a particular point, e.g. during embryonic development, and even here cells may go through an apoptotic pathway. However, apoptosis is certainly a distinct process from other forms of oncosis leading to necrosis (Gerbaulet et al., 2005 and Wallach et al., 1999). Apoptosis affects individual cells, physiological induction e.g. lack of signals, phagocytosis by macrophages or other cells and there is no inflammatory response. Necrosis affects group of cells, non physiological induction e.g. virus and poison, phagocytosis of macrophages and there is inflammatory response (Wirth et al., 2005). There are three different mechanisms by which a cell commits suicide by apoptosis. In the intrinsic or mitochondarial pathway, the outer membranes of mitochondria in a healthy cell express the protein; Bcl2 on their surface. Bcl2 is bound to a molecule of the protein Apaf-1. Internal damage to the cell (e.g., from reactive oxygen species) causes Bcl2 to release Apaf-1; a related protein, Bax, to penetrate mitochondrial membranes causing cytochrome c to leak out. The released cytochrome c and Apaf-1 bind to molecules of caspase 9 Fig. (2-2). The resulting complex of cytochrome c, Apaf-1, caspase 9 and ATP is called the apoptosome. The apoptosome aggregate in the cytosol (Niu et al., 2005 and Lam et al., 2005 and Kroemer& Reed 2000). 28 Figure (2-2): The intrinsic or mitochondrial pathway (Lam et al., 2005). 29 Caspase 9 is one of a family of over a dozen caspases. They are all proteases. They get their name because they cleave proteins-mostly each other at aspiratic acid residues. Caspase 9 cleaves and, in so doing, activates other caspases. The sequential activation of one caspase by another creates an expanding cascade of proteolytic activity (rather like that in blood clotting and complement activation) which leads to digestion of structural proteins in the cytoplasm, degradation of chromosomal DNA and phagocytosis of the cell (Wada et al., 2005). In the extrinsic or death receptor pathway, Fas and the TNF receptor are integral membrane proteins with their receptor domains exposed at the surface of the cell. Binding of the complementary death activator (FasL and TNF respectively) transmits a signal to the cytoplasm that leads to activation of caspase 8. Caspase 8 (like caspase 9) initiates a cascade of caspase activation leading to phagocytosis of the cell Fig. (2-3). For example, cytotoxic T cells recognize (bind to) their target, they produce more FasL at their surface, this binds with the Fas on the surface of the target cell leading to its death by apoptosis. In some cases, final destruction of the cell is guaranted only withits engulfment by a phagocyte (Bijangi et al., 2005 and Vega et al., 2005). In the third way, neurons, and perhaps other cells, have another way to self-destruct that unlike the two paths described above, doesn't use caspase. Apoptosis- inducing factor (AIF) is a protein that is normally located in the inter membrane space of mitochondaria. When the cell receives a signal telling it that it is time to die, AIF is released from the mitochondrial, it is migrates into the nucleus and binds to DNA, Which triggers the destruction of the DNA and cell death (Urbano et al., 2005). 30 Figure (2-3): The mechanism of apoptosis (Apoptosis triggered by external signals: the extrinsic or death receptor path way) (Bijangi et al., 2005). 31 Defects in programmed cell death (apoptosis) mechanisms play important roles in the pathogenesis and progression of hematological malignancies, allowing neoplastic cells to survive beyond their normally intended life-spans and subverting the need for exogenous survival factors. Apoptosis defects also serve as an important complement to proto-oncogene activation, as many deregulated oncoproteins that drive cell division also trigger apoptosis (Evan and Littlewood, 1998). Similarly, errors in DNA repair and chromosome segregation normally trigger cell suicide as a defense mechanism for eradicating genetically unstable cells, and thus apoptosis defects permit survival of the genetically unstable cells, providing opportunities for selection of progressively aggressive clones (Ionov et al., 2000). Chemotherapy and irradiation trigger apoptosis in tumor cells and an understanding of the biochemical pathways involved in apoptosis provides an opportunity to classify tumors based on their response to common induction regimens. Multiple distinct signaling pathways regulate apoptosis, but two major cell death pathways have been implicated in hematological malignancies: the mitochondrial pathway and the death receptor pathway Fig. (2-4) (Evans et al., 2002). 32 Figure (2-4): Diagram of the mitochondrial and death receptor pathways of cell death (Evans et al., 2002). 33 Both of these pathways ultimately activate members of the caspase family of proteins that are responsible for executing the terminal phases of apoptosis. p53 protein levels rise in response to various cellular stresses including chemotherapy. p53 induces the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential with subsequent release of cytochrome c, which forms a complex, the "apoptosome," with the adapter molecule Apaf-1, ATP, and caspase-9. This complex, in turn, activates caspase-3 (Evans et al., 2002). Another proximal pathway of cell death involves death receptor signaling at the cell surface. Binding of CD95-L and other tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family ligands to their death inducing receptors, CD95/APO1/FAS or TNF- and TRAIL respectively, leads to receptor trimerization and the recruitment of adapter molecules. These molecules include FADD/MORT-1 that in turn lead to recruitment and activation of caspase-8. This initiator caspase also cleaves and activates downstream caspases, including caspase-3. Although generally described as being distinct, these two proximal pathways are interconnected. For example, caspase-8 cleaves the pro-apoptotic protein BID, which results in translocation to the mitochondria and release of cytochrome c (Kishi et al., 2003, Blom, 2000, de Franchis et al., 2000 and Goto et al., 2001). Several studies have examined the prognostic significance of apoptotic protein expression in leukemia. Defects in the p53 pathway are distinctly rare in childhood malignancies including ALL, where mutations are detected in < 5% of cases at the time of initial diagnosis. However, relapsed blasts may harbor mutations of p53 gene much more commonly. Further, ALL blasts at relapse have been noted to express high levels of the Mdm-2 34 protein, which abrogates p53 signaling (Dirven et al., 1995 and Pemble et al., 1994). Cancer-associated defects in apoptosis play a role in chemoresistance and radioresistance, increasing the threshold for cell death, and thereby requiring higher doses for tumor killing (Tschopp et al., 1999 and Makin et al., 2000). Melanoma (skin cancer) cells avoid apoptosis by inhibiting the expression of the gene encoding Apaf-1. Some cancer cells, especially lung and colon cancer cells, secrete elevated levels of a soluble (decoy) molecule that binds to FasL, plugging it up so it cannot bind Fas. Thus cytotoxic T cells (CTL) cannot kill the cancer cells by the mechanism of death receptor pathway. Other cancer cells express high levels of FasL, and can kill any cytotoxic T cells (CTL) that try to kill them because CTL also express Fas (but are protected from their own FasL) (Meijer et al., 2005). Apoptosis plays a role in many diseases, such as cancer, viral infections, and autoimmune and neurodegenerative disorders. There is a great potential for treatment of these diseases in developing agents that can alter the apoptotic process and change the natural disease progression. Molecules whose roles in apoptosis have been investigated include Bcl-2 and c-myc proteins, the p53 tumor suppressor gene and various tumor suppressor gene products, MAP kinases, and proteases (Menendez et al., 2004). 2-1-The apoptosis promoter (p53): p53 stimulates a wide network of signals that act through two major apoptotic pathways. The extrinsic, death receptor pathway triggers the 35 activation of a caspase cascade, and the intrinsic, mitochondrial pathway shifts the balance in the Bcl-2 family towards the pro-apoptotic members, promoting the formation of the apoptosome, and consequently caspasemediated apoptosis. The impact of these two apoptotic pathways may be enhanced when they converge through Bid, which is a p53 target. The majority of these apoptotic effects are mediated through the induction of specific apoptotic target genes. However, p53 can also promote apoptosis by a transcription-independent mechanism under certain conditions. Thus, a multitude of mechanisms are employed by p53 to ensure efficient induction of apoptosis in a stage-, tissue- and stress-signal-specific manner (Linda & Carol, 1996 and Susan et al., 2003). Some cancer causing viruses use tricks to prevent apoptosis of the cells they have transformed. Several human papilloma viruses (HPV) have been implicated in causing cervical cancer. One of them produces a protein (E6) that binds and inactivates the apoptosis promoter p53. Binding of Fas ligand or agonistic anti-Fas antibody to the death receptor Fas can activate a caspase-cascade resulting in apoptosis. Fas cell surface expression was determined by flow cytometry (Hougardy et al., 2005). Genes involved in apoptosis are either pro-apoptotic (promote apoptosis) or anti-apoptotic (inhibit apoptosis). P53 is a pro-apoptotic genes present in all cells, but has special significance to cancer cells. It is a tumor repressor gene, meaning that its presence reduces the occurrence of cancer tumors by promoting apoptosis in cancer cells. Normally it induces apoptosis by activating caspases 9, 8, 7, and 3. The loss of p53 decreases caspase activation and therefore the cell will not undergo apoptosis. Mutation in the p53 gene is the most common mutation in cancer; it is present in about half 36 of all cancer tumors, 80% in all colon cancer tumors, 50% of lung cancer tumors, and 40% of breast cancer tumors (Polyak et al., 1997). Under normal conditions p53 is a short-lived protein. The p53 inhibitor Mdm2 (Hdm2 in humans) is largely responsible for keeping p53 in this state. Mdm2 inhibits the transcriptional activity of p53 and, more importantly, promotes its degradation by the proteasome (Levine, 1997). p53 mutants in tumours have a reduced affinity for DNA and a reduced ability to induce apoptosis. We describe a mutant with the opposite phenotype, an increased affinity for some p53-binding sites and an increased ability to induce apoptosis. The apoptotic function requires transcription activation by p53 (Elisabeth et al., 1999). Early observations suggested that p53 may function as an oncogene, because overexpression of p53 appeared to cause oncogenic transformation of cells. In the late 1980s, however, several critical discoveries defined the normal function of p53 to be anti-oncogenic. Wild-type p53 genes, when introduced into cells, were found to be growth suppressive (Isabela et al., 2000). p53 plays multiple roles in cells. Expression of high levels of wildtype (but not mutant) p53 has two outcomes: cell cycle arrest or apoptosis. In response to genotoxic stress, p53 acts as an "emergency brake" inducing either arrest or apoptosis, protecting the genome from accumulating excess mutations. Consistent with this notion, cells lacking p53 were shown to be genetically unstable and thus more prone to tumors (Isabela et al., 2000). 37 p53 promotes cytochrome c release through the induction of target genes encoding BH3-only proteins. Importantly, p53 also induces APAF-1 expression through a response element within the APAF-1 promoter (Kannan et al., 2001) The tumor suppressor gene product p53 is clearly a central player in many biochemical pathways that are pivotal to human carcinogenesis. The sequence-specific DNA binding properties of this nuclear phosphoprotein regulate the transcription of a continually expanding number of genes, the protein products of which regulate cell cycle progression and apoptosis (Isabela et al., 2000). Loss of p53 function by mutation is common in cancer. However, most natural p53 mutations occur at a late stage in tumor development, and many clinically detectable cancers have reduced p53 expression but no p53 mutations. It remains to be fully determined what mechanisms disable p53 during malignant initiation and in cancers without mutations that directly affect p53. p53 mutants in tumours have a reduced affinity for DNA and a reduced ability to induce apoptosis (Niu et al., 2005). p53 expression has important clinical implications as an indicator of prognosis and response to chemotherapy or radiotherapy in different human tumor types. The common effect of p53 mutations found in tumours is to inactivate p53 as a transcription factor. Consequently, a great deal of effort has been expended in trying to identify transcriptional targets of p53. Particular attention has been paid to target genes which may mediate cellcycle arrest and apoptosis (Ko and Prives, 1996 ). 38 p53 dependent G1 and G2 arrest requires induction of the p21 cyclindependent kinase inhibitor. In contrast, no single gene can explain p53induced apoptosis. Many p53 target genes have been identified which function in known apoptotic pathways, regulate survival factor signalling, induce apoptosis when over expressed or are involved in biochemical events linked to apoptosis (Buckbinder et al., 1997 , Miyashita and Reed, 1995 , Owen-Schaub et al., 1995, Polyak et al., 1997, Varmeh-Ziaie et al., 1997, McCurrach et al., 1997 and Rampino et al., 1997). p53 can activate target genes through a non-canonical sequence. The first such example is in the p53-induced gene 3 (PIG3), which has been implicated in the accumulation of reactive oxygen species and apoptosis induction (Polyak et al., 1997). Another recently described example is the gene encoding the pro-apoptotic phosphatase PAC1, which is induced through binding of p53 to a novel palindromic binding site (Yin et al., 2003). A novel insight into the interplay between p53 and its family members, p63 and p73, in the induction of apoptosis has been recently revealed (Flores et al., 2002). The effect of p63 and p73 on p53 transcriptional activity, using a selection of knockout mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs), defined two distinct classes of target gene. Whereas p53 alone is sufficient for the induction of p21 and Mdm2, the induction of the apoptotic genes PERP, Bax and Noxa requires p53 together with p63 and p73. This finding demonstrates an essential role for both p63 and p73 in the efficient induction of apoptotic target genes by p53. The mechanism of this cooperation is currently unknown, but it may involve an enhanced binding to and/or stabilization of the transcription complex on the promoters of p53 39 apoptotic target genes by the cooperative action of all three members (Urist and Prives, 2002). In addition to the contribution of p63 and p73 to the apoptotic function of p53, they play an important role in the precise control of cell death during normal mouse development. p73 also plays a role in the induction of cell death in response to DNA damage, a process involving cooperation between the Abl tyrosine kinase and p73 (Shaul, 2000). Immunohistochemical (IHC) detection of p53 expression has been established as a relatively easy and straightforward method for fresh and archival tissues. Available monoclonal antibodies recognize both wild-type and mutant forms, but there may be a selective detection of the latter owing to the very short half-life of the former (Porter et al., 1992 and Soussi et al., 1994). p53 is a tumor suppressor that is rarely mutated in ALL patients but whose function is frequently altered by mutations to genes that code for proteins that regulate p53 function. Activation of p53 occurs in response to cells that have acquired DNA damage that may be engaged in aberrant cell proliferation. Mutations to proteins that regulate p53 function, like HDM2, p14, and p21, are frequent findings in ALL (Roman et al., 2002). Bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV-1)-transformed mouse fibroblast cell lines were analyzed via flow cytometry (FCM) for expression of p53 protein along with their DNA content. Significantly elevated levels of the p53 protein was present in some but not all of the transformed cell lines. Quantitation of p53 protein in cell lines containing BPV-1 DNA revealed that 40 the tumorigenic cell lines expressed higher levels of the p53 protein (Agrawal et al., 1994). The correlation between p53 abnormalities and DNA aneuploidy and that analysis of p53 protein is useful for prediction of clinical course in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (Goukon et al., 1994). Liu et al., (2004) evaluated changes in apoptotic proteins expression that occur in response to chemotherapy in pediatric cases with acute leukemia just prior to and 1, 6 and 24 hours following the administration of multiagent chemotherapy. They found great heterogeneity in the patterns of apoptotic protein expression in the initial response to chemotherapy among individual patient samples. Importantly, no increases in p53, p21 or Mdm-2 protein expression were seen in leukemic blasts from the standard risk patients whose initial treatment consisted of the non-p53-dependent drugs, vincristine and prednisone. In the subgroup of children who received at least one p53 dependent drug, patients could be segregated into two groups, one group that showed up-regulation of p53 protein and its target p21, and another group that showed no increase following therapy, thus identifying at least two distinct pathways leading to apoptosis (Chen et al., 1996). 2-2-Bcl2 proteins Members of the Bcl-2 protein family play pivotal roles in the decision and execution phases of apoptosis in the mitochondrial pathway. To date, 24 Bcl-2 family members have been identified as either pro- (e.g., Bax, 41 Bak, Bcl-XS, Bid, Bad, and Noxa) or anti- (e.g., Bcl-2 and Bcl-XL) apoptotic proteins. Bcl-2 proteins form homo- and heterodimeric complexes to regulate mitochondrial channel formation and subsequent release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria (Kishi et al., 2003, Blom, 2000, de Franchis et al., 2000, Goto et al., 2001 and Cryns et al., 1999). The Bcl2 family proteins are the central regulators of the mitochondrial pathway. Bcl2 is an inhibitor of apoptosis. Bcl2 and its human homolog introduce a new category of oncogenes that act by decreasing cell death. Over expression of Bcl2 promotes oncogensis by repressing cell death and extending cell life. However, overexpression can also lead to retardation of cell cycling via prolongation of the G1 phase of the cycle (Webb et al., 2005 and Green & Reed, 1998). The Bcl2 family of intracellular proteins is the central regulator of caspase activation, and its opposing factions of anti- and pro-apoptotic members arbitrate the life-or-death decision. The oncogenic activity of the Bcl2 gene is carried out via suppression of lymphocytic apoptosis or programmed cell death. (Cory & Adams, 2002 and Roumier et al., 2002). BCL2 is an important regulator of apoptosis, first identified from its involvement in follicular B cell lymphoma, where the common t(8:14) translocation causes the activation of the BCL2 oncogene. BCL2 is now recognised as a survival factor for many types of cell, notably neurons. Expression of BCL2 is widespread during embryogenesis but is restricted to long-lived cells in the adult. A critical mediator of BCL2 apoptosis is interleukin-1 beta-converting enzyme (ICE) a cysteine protease that processes IL-1 beta during the inflammatory response (Roumier et al., 2002). 42 BCL2 is a member of a multigene family (highly conserved evolutionarily with viral homologues). Other proteins in the family (BCLX, BAD, BAX, BAD etc) antagonise inhibition of apoptosis by binding to BCL2. Hence the balance of various members of the BCL family determines the extent to which cell death is promoted or prevented. This model is consistent with the findings of high levels of BCL2 in a variety of solid tumours (Jiang and Milner, 2003). Apoptosis can also be induced by a variety of cytokines e.g. TGF beta family, which inhibit the proliferation of a wide variety of cell types that may undergo concomitant cell death. TGF beta induced apoptosis is blocked in myeloblastic leukaemia cells by BCL2 expressed at a level that does not block but merely delays p53-induced apoptosis. This may reflect the fact that both TGF beta and p53 suppress BCL2 but only p53 has the ability to activate BAX, thus deflecting the expression pattern towards apoptosis (Seckin et al., 2002). Active cell suicide (apoptosis) is induced by events such as growth factor withdrawal and toxins. It is controlled by regulators, which have either an inhibitory effect on programmed cell death (anti-apoptotic) or block the protective effect of inhibitors (pro-apoptotic). Many viruses have found a way of countering defensive apoptosis by encoding their own anti-apoptosis genes preventing their target-cells from dying too soon. All proteins belonging to the Bcl-2 family contain either a BH1, BH2, BH3, or BH4 domain. All anti-apoptotic proteins contain BH1 and BH2 domains, some of them contain an additional N-terminal BH4 domain (Bcl-2, Bcl-x (L), Bclw), which is never seen in pro-apoptotic proteins, except for Bcl-x(S). On the other hand, all pro-apoptotic proteins contain a BH3 domain (except for Bad) 43 necessary for dimerization with other proteins of Bcl-2 family and crucial for their killing activity, some of them also contain BH1 and BH2 domains (Bax, Bak). The BH3 domain is also present in some anti-apoptotic protein, such as Bcl-2 or Bcl-x (L). Proteins that are known to contain these domains include vertebrate Bcl-2 (alpha and beta isoforms) and Bcl-x (isoforms (Bcl-x(L) and Bcl-x(S)) (Poliseno et al., 2002). Antiapoptotic B cell leukemia/lymphoma (BCL2) family proteins are expressed in many cancers, but the circumstances under which these proteins are necessary for tumor maintenance are poorly understood. A novel functional assay that uses Bcl2 homology domain (BH3) peptides to predict dependence on antiapoptotic proteins was exploiteded , a strategy, BH3 profiling. BH3 profiling accurately predicts sensitivity to Bcl2 antagonist ABT-737 in primary chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells. BH3 profiling also accurately distinguishes myeloid cell leukemia sequence 1 (MCL1) from Bcl2 dependence in myeloma cell lines. It was shown that the special sensitivity of CLL cells to Bcl2 antagonism arises from the requirement that Bcl2 tonically sequester proapoptotic BIM in CLL. ABT737 displaced BIM from Bcl2's BH3-binding pocket, allowing BIM to activate BAX, induce mitochondrial permeabilization, and rapidly commit the CLL cell to death. It was demonstrated that Bcl2 expression alone does not dictate sensitivity to ABT-737. Instead, Bcl2 complexed to BIM is the critical target for ABT-737 in CLL. An important implication is that in cancer, Bcl2 may not effectively buffer chemotherapy death signals if it is already sequestering proapoptotic BH3-only proteins. Indeed, activator BH3only occupation of Bcl2 may prime cancer cells for death, offering a potential explanation for the marked chemosensitivity of certain cancers that express 44 abundant Bcl2, such as CLL and follicular lymphoma (Del Gazio et al., 2007). The relationship between gene expression of Bcl 2 and Bax and the therapeutic effect in oral cancer patients had investigated. A significant correlation between Bcl-2/Bax gene expression ratio in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from the patients, and the therapeutic effect of radiation therapy These findings suggested that Bcl-2 and Bax gene expression in PBMCs may be useful as a prognostic factor in oral cancer patients (Oshikawa et al., 2006). Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the cause of mononucleosis and cause of Burkitt's lymphoma produces a protein similar to Bcl2 and produces another protein that causes the cell to increase its own production of Bcl2. Both these actions make the cell more resistant to apoptosis (thus enabling the cancer cell to continue to proliferate). Even cancer cells produced without the participation of viruses may have tricks to avoid apoptosis (Lu et al., 2005). Some B-cell leukemias and lymphomas express high levels of Bcl2, thus blocking apoptotic signals they may receive. The high levels result from a translocation of the Bcl2 gene into an inhancer region for antibody production (Menendez et al., 2004). Bcl2-L12 contributes to the classical tumor biological features of Glioblastoma (GBM) such as intense apoptosis resistance and florid necrosis, and may provide a target for enhanced therapeutic responsiveness of this lethal cancer (Stegh et al., 2007). 2-3C-myc oncogene: 45 The c-myc gene was discovered as the cellular homolog of the retro viral v-myc oncogene 20 years ago. The c-myc proto-oncogene was subsequently found to be activated in various animal and human tumors. It belongs to the family of myc genes that includes B-myc, L-myc, N-myc, and s-myc; however, only c-myc, L-myc, and N-myc have neoplastic potential (Wechsler et al., 1997 and Facchini & Penn, 1998). Targeted homozygous deletion of the murine c-myc gene results in embryonic lethality, suggesting that it is critical for development. Homozygous inactivation of c-myc in rat fibroblasts caused a marked prolongation of cell doubling time, further suggesting a central role for c-myc in regulating cell proliferation (Mateyak et al., 1997). Bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV-1)-transformed mouse fibroblast cell lines were analyzed via flow cytometry (FCM) for expression of c-myc protein along with their DNA content. Significantly elevated levels of the c-myc protein was present in some but not all of the transformed cell lines. Quantitation of c-myc protein in cell lines containing BPV-1 DNA revealed that the tumorigenic cell lines expressed higher levels of the c-myc protein (Agrawal et al., 1994). The role of c-Myc in the cell cycle has been a confusing area due to the collection of data from different experimental models, although it is well established that c-myc is an early serum response gene. It should be noted that models of serum or growth factor stimulation of starved cells primarily address the G0/G1 and G1/S transitions. Therefore, early studies implicated cMyc in the G0/G1 transition. In cycling cells, however, the participation of cMyc in the cell cycle may be different. Furthermore, in anchorage-dependent 46 cell growth, c-Myc may affect other components of the cell cycle (Amati et al., 1998). It is proposed that c-Myc induces apoptosis through separate 'death priming' and 'death triggering' mechanisms in which 'death priming' and mitogenic signals are coordinated. Investigation of the mechanisms that underlie the triggering steps may offer new therapeutic opportunities (Prendergast, 1999). The antiapoptotic effect of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) was associated with a higher level of Bcl-2 expression and an EBV-dependent decrease in steady-state levels of c-MYC protein. Although the EBV EBNA-1 protein is expressed in all EBV-associated tumors and is reported to have oncogenic potential, enforced expression of EBNA-1 alone in EBV-negative Akata cells failed to restore tumorigenicity or EBV-dependent down-regulation of cMYC. These data provide direct evidence that EBV contributes to the tumorigenic potential of Burkitt lymphoma and suggest a novel model whereby a restricted latency program of EBV promotes B-cell survival, and thus virus persistence within an immune host, by selectively targeting the expression of c-MYC (Ingrid et al., 1999). Much recent research on c-Myc has focused on how it drives apoptosis. c-Myc is widely known as a crucial regulator of cell proliferation in normal and neoplastic cells, but until relatively recently its apoptotic properties, which appear to be intrinsic, were not fully appreciated. Its deathdealing aspects have gained wide attention in part because of their potential therapeutic utility in advanced malignancy, where c-Myc is frequently deregulated and where novel modalities are badly needed. Although its exact 47 function remains obscure, c-Myc is a transcription factor and advances have been made in characterizing target genes which may mediate its apoptotic properties (Hermeking, 2003). Ectopic expression of c-Myc (Myc) in most primary cell types results in programmed cell death, and malignant transformation cannot occur without additional mutations that block apoptosis. The development of Mycinduced lymphoid tumors was studied. Myc can be upregulated in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but its exact role in myeloid leukemogenesis is unclear. To study its role in AML, a murine stem cell virus (MSCV) retroviral gene transfer/transplantation system was used to broadly express Myc in the bone marrow of mice either alone or in combination with antiapoptotic mutations. Myc expression in the context either of Arf/Ink4a loss or Bcl-2 coexpression induced a mixture of acute myeloid and acute lymphoid leukemias (AML+ALL). In the absence of antiapoptotic mutations however, all mice transplanted with MSCV-Myc developed AML exclusively. MSCV-Myc-induced AML was polyclonal, readily transplantable, possessed an intact Arf-p53 pathway, and did not display cytogenetic abnormalities by spectral karyotyping analysis. Lastly, it was found that Myc preferentially stimulated the growth of myeloid progenitor cells in methylcellulose. These data provided the first direct evidence that Myc is a critical downstream effector of myeloid leukemogenesis and suggested that myeloid progenitors are intrinsically resistant to Myc-induced (Hui et al., 2005). 48 III-Flow cytometry Flow cytometry is a laser-based technology that is used to measure characteristics of biological particles. This technology is used to perform measurements on whole cells as well as prepared cellular constituents such as nuclei and organelles (Melamed et al., 1990, Tileney et al., 1996 and McCoy, 2002). The flow cytometer is an instrument for measuring scattered and fluorescent light from single particles. The physics of the interaction of light with single particles provides the scientific foundation for the design and 49 operation of the flow cytometer and for the critical evaluation of flow cytometric data (Scornik et al., 1994). Flow cytometry uses the principles of light scattering, light excitation, and emission of fluorochrome molecules to generate specific multi-parameter data from particles and cells in the size range of 0.5um to 40um diameter. Cells are hydro-dynamically focused in a sheath of phosphate buffer saline (PBS) before intercepting an optimally focused light source. Lasers are most often used as a light source in flow cytometry (Talbot, 1993). The technology of flow cytometry and the discovery of a method to produce monoclonal antibodies have made possible the clinical use of flow cytometry for the identification of cell populations. Light scatter is utilized to identify the cell populations of interest, while the measurement of fluorescence intensity provides specific information about individual cells. Monoclonal antibodies (tagged) with the fluorescent dye are commonly used for the identification of cell surface antigens and fluorescent dyes that directly and specifically bind to certain components of the cell (i.e. DNA) are used for cell cycle analysis (Reckenwald, 1993 and Shapiro, 1995). Cells or particles are prepared as single-cell suspension for flow cytometric analysis. This allows them to flow single file in a liquid stream past a laser beam. As the laser strikes the individual cells. First light scattering occurs that is directly related to structural and morphological cell features. Second, fluorescence occurs if the cells are attached to a fluorescent probe. Fluoresent probes are typically monoclonal antibodies that have been conjucated to fluorochromes; they can also be fluorescent stains reagents that 50 are not conjugated to antibodies (Parks and Herzenberg, 1989 and Rechenwald et al, 1993). Fluorescent probes are reacted with the cells or particles of interest before analysis; therefore, the amount of fluorescence emitted as a particle passes the light source is proportional to the amount of fluorescent probe bound to the cell or cellular constituent (Radcliff and Jaroszeski, 1998). After acquisition of light scattering and fluorescence data for each particle, the resulting information can be analyzed utilizing a computer and specific software that are associated with the cytometer (Rose et al,. 1992 and Longobardi-Given, 1992). There are two distinct types of flow cytometers that can be used to acquire data from particles. One type can perform acquisition of light scattering and fluorescence only. The other type is capable of acquiring scattering and fluorescence data but also has the powerful ability to sort particles. Both types function in a similar manner during acquisition, for example FACScan (Becton Dickinson), this equipped with an air –cooled 15 mw argon ion laser emitting at 488 nm. Three fluorescence channels can be measured as well as two light scatter parameters. The FACScan is also equipped with a doublet discrimination module allowing the analysis of the cell cycle. The FACScan is user-operated (after instruction) and is available for use 24 hours per day (Kandathil et al., 2005). However, sorting instruments have the powerful ability to physically separate particles based on light scattering and/or fluorescent emission characteristics. Cytometers were originally designed to sort, for example FACS caliber 1, 2 (Becton Dickison), this used for analysis only. Unlike the 51 FACScan which is a dual laser system. The primary laser is an air-cooled 15 mw argon ion laser emitting at 488 nm thus allowing two light scatter parameters and three fluorescence channels to be measured. The second laser is ared diode laser emitting at 635nm. Thus allowing for the excitation of other dyes such as allophycocyanin or to-pro-3 with power Macintosh G4 running system 9.0 and cell Quest v 3.3. Thus, cytometers that perform acquisition without sorting are the most common of the two types (Rose et al., 1992). 1-Principles of flow cytometric instrumentation: Flow cytometers are very complex instruments that are composed of four closely related systems. The fluidic system transports particles from a suspension through the cytometer for interrogation by an illumination system. The resulting light scattering and fluorescence is collected, filtered, and converted into electrical signals by the optical and electronics system. The data storage and computer control system saves acquired data and is also the user interface for controlling most instrument functions. These four systems provide a very unique and powerful analytical tool for researchers and clinicians. This is because they analyze the properties of individual particles, and thousands of particles can be analyzed in a matter of seconds. Thus, data for a flow cytometric sample are a collection of many measurements instead of a single bulk measurement (Radcliff and Jarosezeski, 1998).. Histograms are the simplest modes of data representation. Histograms allow visualization of a single acquired parameter. Mean fluorescence and distributional statistics can be obtained based on markers 52 that the user can graphically set on the plot. Multiple histograms can be overlaid on one another to depict qualitative and quantitative differences in two or more samples. Two-parameter data plots are somewhat more complicated than histograms; however, they can yield more information. Two-parameter dot plots of FSC vs SSC allow visualization of both lightscattering parameters that are important for identifying populations of interest. Bivariate fluorescent plots allow discrimination of dual-labeled populations that might remain hidden if histograms were used to display fluorescent data. Two-parameter plots that combine one light-scattering parameter and a fluorescent parameter are useful for analyzing control samples to elucidate the origin of nonspecific binding. Data analysis is very graphically oriented. Experience and pattern recognition become important when using two-parameter data plots for qualitative as well as quantitative analysis. The technique of gating or drawing regions on dual parameter lightscatter plots allows one to exclude information and examine the population of interest by disallowing particles that might confound or interfere with analysis. This is one of the fundamental uses for gating (Radcliff and Jarosezeski, 1998). Flow cytometers can be described as four interrelated systems which are shown in Fig. (3-1). these four basic systems are common to all cytometers regardless of the instrument manufacturer and whether or not the cytometer is designed for analysis or sorting (Melamed et al., 1990 and Longobardi-Given, 1992 Owens & Loken, 1995). 1-1-Fluidic system: The fluidic system is the heart of a flow cytometer and is responsible for transporting cells or particles from a prepared sample through the 53 instrument for data acquision Fig. (3-2). The primary component of this system is a flow chamber. The fluidic design of the instrument and the flow chamber determine how the light from the illumination source ultimately meets and interrogates particles. Typically, a diluent, such as phosphate buffered saline, is directed by air pressure into the flow chamber. This fluid is referred to as sheath fluid and passes through the flow chamber after which it is intersected by the illumination source. Then, the sample under analysis, in the form of a single particle suspension, is directed into the sheath fluid stream prior to sample interrogations. The sample then travels by laminar flow through the chamber (Ormerod, 1994). 54 Figure (3-1): Facscaliblur flow cytometry instrument. 55 Figure (3-2): Flow cytometer system (Facscalibur) (Ormerod, 1994). 56 The pressure of the sheath fluid against the suspended particles aligns the particles in a single file fashion. This process is called hydrodynamic focusing and allows each cell to be interrogated by the illumination source individually while traveling within the sheath fluid stream (Radcliff and Jaroszeski, 1998). The flow cell is the functional core of the fluidic system because it presents cells in a single file for interrogation by the cytometer illumination system. A typical flow cell Fig. (3-3) consists of a converging nozzle in which sample is introduced at low flow rates into a larger laminar flow of isotonic saline or sheath fluid. The cells in the sample follow the converging streamlines and are hydrodynamically focused into alignment. The sample is injected into the center of a sheath flow. The combined flow is reduced in diameter, forcing the cell into the center of the stream. This the laser one cell at a time. This schematic of the flow chamber in relation to the laser beam in the sensing area (Philip, 2002). 1-2-Illumination system: Flow cytometers use laser beams that intersect a cell or particle that has been hydro dynamically focused by the fluidic system. Light from the illumination source passes through a focusing apparatus before it intersects the sample stream. This apparatus is a lens assembly that focuses the laser emission into a beam with an elliptical cross-section that ensures a constant amount of particle illumination despite any minor positional variations of particles within the sample stream (Zimmermann and Truss, 1979). 57 Laser options Figure (3-3): Flow cytometers use the principle of hydrodynamics focusing for presenting cells to a laser (Philip, 2002). 58 Light and fluorescence are generated when the focused laser beam strikes a particle within the sample stream. These light signals are then quantitated by the optical and electronics system to yield data that is interprêt able by the user (Shapiro, 1995). Two systems are used in flow cytometry to focus the illuminating light to the point at which it intersects the cell stream. One type of system uses a spherical lens to give a focal spot size of 30- 60 µm. The second system uses a pair of crossed cylindrical lenses to focus the light to a sheet about 120 µm wide and 4-7 µm deep (Cledat et al., 2004). Most flow cytometers utilize a single laser, however, some systems support the simultaneous use of two or more different lasers. The most commonly used laser is an argon ion laser that has been configured to emit light in the visible range of the spectrum. A 488- nm. Laser emission is used for most standard applications. The majority of fluorochrom that are available on the market today can be excited using this wavelength. Thus, laser is excellent excitation sources because they provide a single wavelength beam that is also stable, bright, and narrow. Some type of lasers present in flow cytometers can be turned to U.V. or other wavelengths. If the exiting is not tunable, then another laser source that emits the desired wavelength is required. At the measuring point in a typical flow cytometer the stream of cells intersects a beam of light from a laser or arc lamp Fig. (3-4). When light interacts with biological particles some of the light is scattered out of the incident beam and this scattered light may be collected over a range of angles by detectors positioned around the measuring point (Gerstner et al., 2005). 59 Figure (3-4): A simplified illustration of Flow Cytometry (Gerstner et al., 2005). 60 1-3-Optical and electronics system: The excitation optics consists of the light source and the optical components that serve to interrogate or excite the hydrodynamically focused sample stream in the flow cell. The 488 nm line of the argon laser is used as a light source in many commercially available cytometers, but any light source that provides the requisite intensity, e.g. , the mercury vapor or the xenon are lamp can be used. Optical components are used to expand, shape and focus the light which then interacts with the sample in the flow cell. The flow cell is usually made of quartz and is designed to minimize diffraction and to maximize the collection of the optical signals. The light source is often a laser. Laser is used because they provide a very concentrated and intense beam of monochromatic character of the light is especially important in making fluorescence measurements (Telford, 2004). The amount of light that is scattered by a cell is a complex function of its size, shape and refractive index. The sensitivity of light scattering to each of these factors is dependent upon the range of angles over which the scattered light. The light scattered at small angles (i.e. forward light scatter) could be successfully used to determine relative volume distributions for populations of cells (Wang et al., 2004). Light scattered and emitted in all directions (360º) after the laser beam strikes an individual cell or particle that has been hydrodynamically focused. The optical and electronics system of a typical flow cytometer is responsible for collecting and quantitating at least five types of parameters from this scatter light and emitted fluorescence. Two of these parameters are light scattering properties. Light that is scattered in the forward direction (in the same direction as the laser beam) is analyzed as one parameter, and light 61 scattered at 90º relative to the incident beam is collected as a second parameter. Forward-scattered (FSC) light is a result of diffraction. Diffracted light provides basic morphological information such as relative cell size that is referred to as forward angle light scatter (FSC). Light that is scattered at 90º to the incident beam is the result of refracted and reflected light. This type of light scatters is referred to as side-angle light scatter (SSC). This parameter is an indicator of granularity within the cytoplasm of cell as well as surface membrane irregularities to topographies (Philip, 2002). Most current laboratory bench-top flow cytometers are capable of detecting fluorescence from three different regions of the visible spectrum. Cutometers are optically conquered to detect a narrow range of wave lengths in each region. Fluorescence emission is detected simultaneously along with FSC and SSC data; therefore, up to five parameters can be simultaneously measured for each analyzed sample (Longobardi- Given, 1992) Fluorescence is detected using networks of mirrors, optics, and beam splitters that direct the emitted fluorescent light toward highly specific optical filters. The filters collect light within the range of wave lengths associated with each of the three fluorescent channels. Filtered light is directed toward photo multiplier tubes or PMTs for conversation into electrical signals (Telford, 2004). 1-4-Data storage and computer control system: After light scattering and fluorescence is converted to electrical signals by the optical and electronics system, the information is converted into digital data that the computer can interpret. The signals generated from 62 cells or particles are referred to as events and are stored by the computer (Rose et al., 1992). After the different signals or pulses are amplified they are processed by an Analog to Digital Converter (ADC) which in turn allows for events to be plotted on a graphical scale (One Parameter, Two parameter Histograms). Flow cytometry data outputs are stored in the form of computer files (Radcliff and Jaroszeski, 1998). Histogram files can be in the form of one-parameter or twoparameter files. Histogram files consist of a list of the events corresponding to the graphical display specified in your acquisition protocol. A oneparameter histogram is a graph of cell count on the y-axis and the measurement parameter on x-axis. All one-parameter histograms have 1,024 channels. These channels correspond to the original voltage generated by a specific "light" event detected by the PMT detector. In other words, the ADC assigns a channel number based on the pulse height for individual events. Therefore, brighter specific fluorescence events will yield a higher pulse height and thus a higher channel number when displayed as a histogram. A graph representing two measurement parameters, on the x- and y-axes, and cell count height on a density gradient. This is similar to a topographical map. You can select 64 or 256 channels on each axis of two-parameter histograms. Particle counts are shown by dot density or by contour plot. Fig. (3-5) (Roederer et al., 2004). List-mode files consist of a complete listing of all events corresponding to all the parameters collected, as specified by your acquisition Protocol. This file follows a format specified by the FCS 3.0 standard. Raw 63 list-mode data files can be opened or replayed using any program designed for analysis of flow cytometry data. You should keep in mind that a Protocol serves as a template. It allows you to collect specified Parameters (i.e. FLS, FL1, FL2, etc.), and how these parameters are displayed. Protocols also serve to determine how the data is gated, and contains all the Regions from which your statistics will be generated. In addition, Protocols contain other specific information that serves as direct interface between the computer workstation and the cytometer. These pertain to high voltage settings for the PMT detectors, gains for amplification of linear parameters, sample flow rates, fluorescence compensation, discrimination settings, etc. Once your data has been collected and written into a list-mode file you can replay the file either using the specific Protocol used for collection or any other program specifically designed for analysis of flow cytometry data. However, you should keep in mind that you can only adjust Regions, Gating, and Parameters to be displayed. Settings such as amplification, fluorescence compensation, etc., can not be modified. Therefore, when collecting data make sure that your instrument settings are correct. Finally, if you open your listmode files using a programs such as FlowJo Fig. (3-6), WINMIDI, and/or ExPO you will have to specify parameter displays, and create Regions and Gating corresponding to the Protocol used for collecting the data (McCoy, 2002). 64 Figure (3-5): Two parameter histogram and dot plot displaying FL1FITC on the x axis and FL2-PE on the y axis (Roederer et al., 2004). 65 Figure (3-6): FlowJo program (McCoy, 2002). 66 The number of events acquired for each sample is always determined before analysis and is usually set using software designed to control cytometer operation. A conventional acquisition value is 100.000 events per sample. However this value may vary and range upward of events per sample depending on the experimental objective (Melamed et al., 1990). 2-Data analysis: Data analysis is a very critical part of any experiment that utilizes flow cytometry. Data is analyzed using a computer and software is usually specific to flow cytometric data and is often part of the same computer system that is used to control the instrument during acquision. The most common display is a histogram. A typical histogram data plot is shown in Fig. (3-7, 3-8) (Abu- Absi et al., 2003). It is also possible to display two parameters simultaneously such as FSC vs SSc or FL1 vs FL2. For two parameter plots, data from a population of individual particles can be displayed in the form of dots or as contours shown in Fig. (3-9) (Parks and Henzenberg, 1989). Contour density plots display the data from a population of cells as a series of concentric lines that correlate to different cell or particle densities within the axes. Dot-plots are probably the most common type of twoparameter plots, and they are also the easiest to understand (Robinson, 1993). 67 Figure (3-7): Analysis pulse width versus pulse height or area we can eliminate the majority of G0 doublets that appear as G2 (Abu- Absi et al., 2003). 68 Figure (3-8): DNA histogram (Abu- Absi et al., 2003). 69 Figure (3-9): DNA histogram (aneuphliod population) (Parks and Henzenberg, 1989). 70 IV- Applications of flow cytometry Flow cytometers are very complex instruments that are composed of four closely related systems. They provide a very unique and powerful analytical tool for researchers and clinicians. Therefore, the flow cytometer is widely used in research as well as in clinical immunology and hematology to perform rapid immunophenotyping, cell sorting, and DNA analysis (Longobardi-Given, 1992 and Bogh & Duling, 2005). Flow cytometry is used for immunophenotyping and DNA content of a variety of specimens including whole blood, bone marrow, serous cavity fluids, cerebrospinal fluid, urine and solid tissues. Characteristics that can be measured include cell size, cytoplasmic complexity, DNA or RNA content, and a wide range of membrane-bound and intracellular portents and sorting the cells (Rechtnwald, 1993, Ormerod, 1994 and Assuncao et al., 2005). The use of flow cytometry in the clinical laboratory has grown substantially in the past decade. This is attributed in part to the development of smaller user friendly, less expensive instruments and a continuous increase in the number of clinical applications as shown in Table (4-1) (Brown and Wittwer, 2000). 71 Flow cytometry provides rapid analysis of multiple characteristics of single cells. The information obtained is both qualitative and quantitative. Where as in the past flow cytometers were found only in larger academic centers, advances in technology now make it possible for community hospitals to use this methodology (Orfao et al., 1995 and McCoy, 2002). Table (4-1): Common clinical uses of flow cytometry (Brown and Wittwer, 2000). Field Immunology Oncology Hematology Clinical application Common characteristic measures Histocompitability crossmatching IgM, IgG Transplantation rejection CD3, CIRCULATING OKT3 HLA-B27 detection HLA-B27 Immunodeficiency studies CD4, CD8 DNA content and S phase of tumors DNA Measurements of profilation markers Ki-67, PCNA Leukemia and Lymphoma phenotyping Leukocyte surface antigens Identification of prognostically important Tdt, MPO subgroups Hematopiotic progenit or cell enumeration CD34 Diagnosis of systematic mastocytosis CD25,CD69 Reticylocyte enumeration RNA Autoimmuneand alloimmune disorders Antiplatelats disorders IgG, IgM Anti-neutrophils antibodies IgG Immune complexes Complement, IgG Feto-maternal hemorrge quantification Hemoglobin F, rhesus D Immunohematology Erthrocyte surface antigens Assessment of leukocyte contamination of blood Forward AND Side scatter products Genetic disorders PNH CD55,CD59 72 Functions of cells can be defined through the application of fluorochrome dyes that have an affinity for cellular components. Traditionally, common clinical applications are immunophenotyping of cells of the hematopoietic system with fluorescent-labeled antibodies raised against specific cell surface proteins (Davis et al., 2002). Other approaches have been used to elucidate changes in cell function and DNA content. Examples of clinical applications in equine patients include immune-mediated hemolytic anemia, immune-mediated thrombocytopenia (IMT), chronic inflammatory disease, and neoplasia (Davis et al., 2002). The great advantage of flow cytometry is that its applications are highly amenable to standardization. The efforts that have been made for flow cytometric applications in four major fields of clinical cell analysis: CD4+ Tcell enumeration, CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell enumeration, screening for the HLA-B27 antigen and leukemia/lymphoma immunophenotyping (Keeney et al., 2004). The diagnosis of many primary immunodeficiency diseases requires the use of several laboratory tests. Flow cytometry is applicable in the initial 73 workup and subsequent management of several primary immunodeficiency diseases (Illoh, 2004). 1- Cell cycle analysis: The measurement of the DNA content of cells was one of the first major applications of flow cytometry and is still one of the biggest applications in this laboratory today (Albro et al., 1993). Flow cytometry offers the possibility to study several parameters simultaneously, e.g. cell cycle modulation, mode of cell death, activity of mitochondria. The phases of the cell cycle were determined and the induction of apoptosis and necrosis was demonstrated by annexin binding, analysis of mitochondrial membrane potential and DNA strand breaks (Tusch and Schwab, 2005). DNA ploidy and proliferative activity (S-phase fraction) are the two biological parameters commonly measured by DNA flow cytometric analysis. The prime purpose of most studies is the investigation of the prognostic value of DNA flow cytometry in addition to the information provided by conventional clinicopathological factors known to affect disease prognosis. The general statement, for tumors in the same histopathological stage of the disease, is that diploid and/or low proliferative tumors have a more favourable prognosis than aneuploid and/or high proliferative tumors, suggesting an important role of DNA flow cytometry in the assessment of tumor behaviour and in the outcome evaluation of the disease. (Pinto et al., 2002). 74 1-1-Staining procedure: The preparation and staining of cell suspension are the major factors determining the validity and reproducibility of flow cytometric analysis. There is no flow cytometric staining procedures which is universally accepted and a number of different protocols have been advocated. All of the DNA specific stains and the phenanthridinium dyes have been used for total DNA staining of chromosomes. The former group has the potential disadvantage that UV excitation is required but this constitutes no problem for mercury arc lamp based system or those with a laser tunable to UV lines (Hartwell, 1998). The DNA fluorochromes in current use were classified into groups. Stains that intercalate with double stranded nucleic acid and include (PI), (EB) and (AO);and DNA specific stains that have a particular specificity for moieties in DNA and include mithramiycin (MMC), ethedium bromide/mithramicin (EB/MMC), a bisbenzimidazole derivative and 4-6 diamino-2- phenylindole (DAPI) (Taylor and Mithorpe, 1980). Propidium iodide is bound to polynucleotide both by means of intercalation. This is only affected to a limited extent by high ionic strengths and electrostatically to secondary binding sites. The binding contents of these later sites are greatly depending on the ionic strength of the medium and can be eliminated by using sufficiently high ionic strengths. And also have optimal excitation at a 488 nm laser and produce good results with RNAse treatment (Hartwell, 1998). 1-2-Evaluation of DNA histogram: 75 The DNA histogram is a very simple data set which characteristically contains two peaks separated by a trough Fig. (4-1). The first peak, which is usually the larger, corresponds to cells with G0/G1 DNA content and the second, which should be at double the fluorescence intensity of the first, corresponds to cells with G2+M DNA content. Any cell scored in the trough has a DNA content intermediate between G1 and G2+M and these usually represent cells in S-phase. In a perfect data set, which doesn't exist, all G1 and G2+M cells would be scored in single channels and any cells between or immediately adjacent to these would be in S- phase (Henderson, 1998). Since the cell material always contained normal diploid cells such as leukocytes or normal kidney cells, these were used as an internal standard and regarded as diploid (2C) (Tribukati, 1984). When in doubt, lymphocytes should be added to establish the diploid DNA value. Human Ficol-prepared lymphocytes, fixed in ethanol, were used as external standard. The magnitude of the signal was adjusted so as to have the standard diploid peak in a certain channel. In necessary the illumination was adjusted so that the coefficient of variation (CV) of the resulting lymphocyte diploid peak was less than 3% Fig. (4-1). All cell population with G1 maximum deviating less than 10% form the standard value were regarded as diploid (Gustafson, 1982). Only G0/G1 peak is observed in DNA diploid. A broad peak described by a large coefficient of variation may obscure a second peak. The coefficient of variation of the G0/G1 peak must be less than 5% for single cell suspensions prepared from fresh/ frozen tissues, and less than 8% for 76 nuclear suspension prepared from fixed, paraffin embedded specimens. Where a diploid peak only is observed, one should ensure that tumor cells are present in the clinical sample analyzed (Weinberg, 1996). 77 Full width at half maximum(c-a) C.V. = × ــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ42.5% Peak (or mean) channel(b) Figure (4-1): Coeffecient of Variation (C.V.) (Gustafson, 1982). An aneuploid cell population was considered to be present when a distinct peak was found constituting at least 2.5% of the total cell material and deviating more than 10% from the diploid standard. DNA aneuploid is reported when at least two separate G0/G1 peaks are demonstrated. For some samples the diploid normal peak might be almost non existent; hence care should be taken to assign peaks (Ormerod, 1994). The degree of ploidy of this cell line was calculated by relating the G1 maximum of these cells to DNA of the diploid G1 cells which are always present. These diploid cells can be leukocytes, fibroblasts, normal urothelial cells. 2 channel of aneuploid peak Degree of ploidy= ———————————— Channel number of diploid peak The degree of aneuploid was determined also by the DNA index which represents the ratio of fluorescence intensity of aneuploid cells to the diploid cells. The DNA index of a diploid tumor is 1.0, whereas, aneuploid 78 tumors are designated by progressively higher indices (Götte, 2001 and Gorden et al., 2003). Estimation of the proportion of G1, S and G2+M cells made by automatic integration of the cells in corresponding channels in the multi channel analyzer. The values are corrected for background noise. To estimate the proportions of cells in the S-phase of aneuploid tumor cell lines where cells from the cell line coincide, the normal cell lines are subtracted. Calculation of the phase distribution requires a minimum of about 1000 cells combined with a low background noise resulting from cell fragments. These calculations may also be rendered more difficult when the peaks for the deploid or aneuploid cell population, partially or completely overlap. On the other hand, there is no ambiguity in any of these cases to establish an aneuploid cell line. An additional proof of the existence of an aneuploid hyperdiploid cell line is the existence of a G2 peak occurs to the extreme right of the histogram without interfering with the normal cell population (Brown and Wittwer, 2000). An aneuploid cell population with a tetraploid amount of DNA was considered to exist when a peak exceeded the G2+ M peak found in normal cells by three standard deviations or more. To quantitate the number of nuclei normally found in the 4C or G2/ M peak, a number of control tissues were studied. The mean percentage of nuclei in the 4C peak were 2.74+ 1.41 (standard deviation) for nuclei extracted from fresh normal lymphocyte. These control data provide a firm basis for using greater than 10% of nuclei in the 4C peak as a criterion for DNA polyploidy in the specimens (Rabinovitch, 1994). 79 2- Immunophenotyping Applications: The most common applications of flow cytometry are measurement of DNA content in tumors and immunophenotyping of haematopoietic malignancies. Flow cytometry has shown to be a suitable method for immunophenotyping of canine lymphomas (Culmsee and Nalte, 2002). Immunophenotyping of abnormal cells is now considered a fundamental tool to establish the cell lineage assignment and to obtain a more precise identification of hematopathology depends immunophenotyping and the on various the cell applications immunohistochemical subtypes. of flow Diagnostic cytometric immunophenotyping combined with the cytomorphology and histologic features of cases. The availability of monoclonal antibodies directed against the surface proteins permits flow cytometric analysis of erythrocytes, leukocytes and platelets (Brown & Wittwer, 2000, Chianese, 2002 and Dunphy, 2004). Multiparameter flow cytometry with optimally selected antibody combinations has expanded the use of this technique beyond traditional applications in hematopathology. By analyzing qualitative patterns of antigen expression on discrete populations or "clusters," one can detect immunophenotypic aberrancy in specific cell populations relative to normal and reactive populations. Evaluation of patterns of antigen expression can also be used to supplement conventional methodologies in the diagnosis and subclassification of certain types of hematologic neoplasia. Finally, the diagnosis of some congenital disorders affecting the hematolymphoid system can be facilitated by the detection of characteristic immunophenotypic changes (Kroft, 2004). 80 2-1-Erythrocyte analysis: Tests that appear to have the greatest potential for routine application of flow cytometry include reticulocyte and reticulated platelet enumeration, detection of erythrocyte-bound immunoglobulin, immunophenotyping of leukemias and lymphomas, and bone marrow differential cell counting (Brown and Wittwer, 2000 , Weiss, 2002). Flow cytometric methods were first applied to laboratory hematology with the improvement in reticulocyte counting and the creation of the immature reticulocyte fraction for better anemia evaluation and therapeutic monitoring (Davis, 2001). 81 2-2-HIV monitoring: More than 35 million people in developing countries are living with HIV infection. While drug prices have dropped considerably, the cost and technical complexity of laboratory tests essential for the management of HIV disease, such as CD4 cell counts, remain prohibitive. New, simple, and affordable methods for measuring CD4 cells that can be implemented in resource-scarce settings are urgently needed (Dieye et al., 2005, Walker et al., 2005 and Pattanapanyasat & Thakar, 2005). 2-3-Immunophenotyping of leukemias: Immunophenotyping has become common in the diagnosis and classification of acute leukemias and is particularly important in the proper identification of cases of minimally differentiated acute myeloid leukemia. To evaluate the immunophenotype of adult AML, cases were studied by cytochemical analysis and by flow cytometry with a panel of antibodies (Khalidi et al., 1998). Characterization of leukemias by immunotyping is particularly helpful when the morphology is difficult to interpret. The major advantage of using immune markers by flow cytometry is the identification of particular leukemia subtype, not recognized by morphologic criteria, which may have prognostic significance (Rezaei et al., 2003). Flow cytometric immunophenotypic analysis allowed to establish diagnosis in cytomorphologically unclassified cases, identify acute mixedlineage leukemias (AMLL) with a frequency similar to that reported in other series, and confirm the heterogeneity of acute leukemia (AL) (Piedras et al., 1997 and Götte, 2001). 82 Flow cytometry may be used to detect minimal residual disease (MRD) in acute lymphoblastic leukemia because leukemic cells often display aberrant phenotypes when compared to normal cells. Flow cytometry is a sensitive and specific method for detecting MRD of childhood ALL, and could predict the coming relapse (Zhang et al., 2005). With the advent of monoclonal antibodies and a uniform nomenclature system defining antibody reactivity in terms of clusters of differentiation (CD), an independent means of characterizing acute leukemias using cellular antigen expression has evolved. Immunophenotyping is usually performed using immunofluoresence technique and is complementary to the light microscopic based morphologic classification. This is especially true of the lymphoid leukemias where morphology and cytochemistry cannot distinguish among different lineage of lymphoid cells, such as B versus T cells. With Immunophenotyping lineage is assigned using a panel of monoclonal antibodies that identify the expression of cell surface antigens. The panel of monoclonal reagents must include antibodies reactive with both myeloid and lymphoid cells to distinguish between the two most important groups. The reactivity pattern of the leukemia cells for all reagents is then examined for the final assignment of lineage: B- lymphoid, T- lymphoid, myeloid or undifferentiated (Maslak et al., 1994). Comparative studies of cell surface antigen expression between normal and leukemic cells indicate that most if not all leukemias express phenotypes that are not observed in most normal maturing cells. This aberrant expression of cellular antigens suggests that leukemias are not proliferations of cells arrested at one state of normal maturation; rather leukemic cells maintain a genetic program that can produce expression of 83 antigens of any lineage. Nearly all laboratories performing immunofluoresence analysis use different reagents (Terstappen et al., 1991). 2-4-Quantification of stem cells: 100 years ago, hematopoietic stem cells were postulated as blood lymphocyte-like cells. Within the last 20 years, the frequency of autologous and allogeneic transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells has increased. Hematopoietic growth factors allow the stem cells' mobilization from the bone marrow into the peripheral blood. Quantification of these hematopoietic stem cells by means of flow cytometry can be achieved within hours (Goldschmidt et al., 2003). Flow cytometry has become the major technique for the quality control of stem cell-containing products such as apheresis concentrates, bone marrow or cord blood (Grieson et al., 1995). Stem cells can be easily identified with flow cytometry due to their unique characteristics. They demonstrate a medium level of CD34 expression, a low level of CD45 expression and a low forward side scattered (Jennings & Foon, 1997 and Maslak et al., 1994). 2-5-Platelet analysis: The analysis of platelets by flow cytometry is becoming more common in both research and clinical laboratories. Platelet-associated immunoglobulin assays by flow cytometry can be direct or indirect assays, similar to other platelet-associated immunoglobulin immunoassays. In autoimmune thrombocytopenic purpura, free serum antibodies are not found as frequently as platelet-bound antibodies (Ashman et al., 2003). 84 Immunofluorescent flow cytometry was used to measure the percentage of activated platelet populations (CD62P, CD63), the percentage of plt-monocyte aggregates (pma) (CD41/CD45), and activated monocytes (CD11b, CD14, CD16) in the blood (Panasuik et al., 2005). 2-6-Testing for HLA-B27: Human leukocyte antigen B27 (HLA-B27) is a major histocompatibility complex class 1 molecule that is strongly associated with the disease ankylosing spondylitis. The performance of the two flow cytometric antigen assays depends on the antibody used and the positive cutoff values assigned (Seipp et al., 2005). A flow cytometric HLA-B27 test is much faster than the classical microcytoxicity test (Jennings and Foon, 1997 and Götte, 2001). A biannual external quality assurance scheme for flow cytometric typing of the HLA-B27 antigen is operational in The Netherlands and Belgium since 1995. For flow cytometry, the most widely monoclonal antibody used was FD705, followed by GS145.2 and ABC-m3. The majority of laboratories used more than 1 anti-HLA-B27 monoclonal antibody for typing (Seipp et al., 2005). 3- Major applications of apoptosis analysis: There are many ways of detecting apoptosis by flow cytometry. Apoptotic cells can be recognized by a characteristic pattern of morphological (cell shrinkage, cell shape change, condensation of cytoplasm, nuclear envelope changes, nuclear fragmentation, loss of cell surface 85 structures, apoptotic bodies, cell detachment and phagoctosis of remains), biochemical and molecular changes (free calcium ion rise, bcl2/Bax interaction, cell dehydration, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, proteolysis, phosphatidylserine externalization, lamin B proteolysis, DNA denaturatuin, 50-300kb cleavage, intranucleosomal cleavage and protein cross-linking (Hubank et al., 2004 and Liu et al., 2004). The methods of detecting apoptosis by flow cytometry are based on the measurement of light scatter, the detection of changes in the plasma membrane, the analysis of cell organelles or the sensitivity of DNA to denaturation (Sedlak et al., 1999). 3-1-Apoptosis light scatter: As cells die or become apoptotic the refractive index of the internal cytoplasm becomes more similar to that of the extracellular medium this manifests itself as a reduction in forward scatter signal. At the same time, intracellular changes and invagination of the cytoplasmic membrane lead to an increase in side (or orthogonal or 90º) scatter. If a dead cell discriminatory dye is added, cells that have become permeable can be identifying. In this way low level resolution of dead and apoptotic cells can be get. A number of dead cell dyes are available for use and the one used will depend on any other fluorochromes that are being measured. Some examples are; Sytox Green (488nm excitation; green fluorescence emission), Propidium Iodide (488nm excitation; orange/red fluorescence emission), 7-Aminoactinomycin-D (7AAD) (488nm excitation; red fluorescence emission) and TO-PRO-3 (633nm excitation; red fluorescence emission) (Cohen and Al-Rubeai, 1995). 86 3-2-Apoptosis DNA analysis: During apoptosis, calcium and magnesium dependent nucleases are activated which degrade DNA. This means that within the DNA there are nicks and fragmentation. We can detect these in three ways using DNA analysis to look at the sub G1 peak, using strand break labeling (TUNEL) to detect broken DNA or using Hoechst binding to detect DNA conformational changes (Majino and Joris, 1995). The sub-G1 Fig. (4-2) method relies on the fact that after DNA fragmentation, there are small fragments of DNA that are able to be eluted following washing in either PBS or a specific phosphate-citrate buffer. This means that after staining with a quantitative DNA –binding dye, cells that have lost DNA will take up less stain and will appear to the left of the G1 peak. The advantage of this method is that it is very rapid and will detect cumulative apoptosis and is applicable to all cell types (Darzynkiewicz, 1997). However in order to be seen in the sub G1 area, a cell must have lost enough DNA to appear there, so if cells enter apoptosis from the S or G2/M phase of the cell cycle or if there is an aneuploid population undergoing apoptosis, they may not appear in the sub G1 peak (Schwartz and Osborne, 1993). 87 Figure (4-2): Sub G1 peak by propidium iodide staining (Darzynkiewic, 1997). 88 Also cells that have lost DNA for any other reason e.g. death by some other form of oncosis, will appear in the sub G1 region so we have to be careful about how we define the sub G1 peak (Nicoletti et al., 2001). 3-3-Apoptosis cell membrane analysis: In normal cells, phosphatidylserine (PS) residues are found in the inner membrane of the cytoplasmic membrane. During apoptosis, the PS residues are translocated in the membrane and are externalized. In general though not always, this is an early event in apoptosis and is though to be a signal to neighboring cells that a cell is ready to be phagocytosed (Robinson, 1993). Annexin-V is a specific PS-binding protein that can be used to detect apoptotic cells. Annexin V- is available conjugated to a number of different fluorochromes. Early apoptotic cells are annexin positive but PI negative. Because the cells aren't fixed we can exclude dead cells and it is possible to add further markers if the cytometer set up are appropriate. As with all live cell assays, we have to remember that we are only looking at a snapshot of the cells as they are at time of analysis and generally all apoptotic experiments should be performed over a time course; Fig. (4-3) (Telford et al., 2004, Homburg et al., 1995 and Vermes at al., 1995). 89 Figure (4-3): Early apoptotic cells are annexin positive but (in this case) PI (negative) (Telford et al., 2004). 90 Hoechst 33342 is a DNA-binding dye that is able to quantitatively stain the DNA of live cells. However it has also been found that if the concentration of Hoechst is low, the apoptotic cells take up the Hoechst more rapidly. If we also add PI or TO-PRO-3 we can specifically identify the dead cells. This is a rapid and quantitative method but requires the use of a UV laser. The advantage of using TO-PRO-3 is that cell phenotyping using FITC- and PE-labelled antibodies is also possible. Thymocytes labelled with CD4-PE and CD8-FITC can be assessed for apoptosis using Hoechst and TO-PRO-3 (Koopman et al., 1994). A third way of assessing the membrane changes in apoptosis is to use YO-PRO-1 (Molecular Probes). As this fluorochrome emits in the green, it can be combined with propidium iodide to identify dead cells. The rationale here is that cells in early apoptosis are unable to pump out YO-PRO-1 but are still not permeable to other dead cells discriminatory dyes (Koopman et al., 1994). 3-4-Apoptosis enzyme analysis: Two genes (ced-3 and ced-4) were crucial to the process of apoptosis. The ced-4 gene product has homologues in mammalian cells, especially a family of cysteine proteases that are now known as caspases. There are a number of caspases in mammalian cells that have been shown to be involved in the early stages of apoptosis e.g. (caspase2, caspase3, caspase 6, caspase 9 and caspase 10). The functions of these enzymes are not yet entirely clear but it appears that after an initial signal to the cell to undergo apoptosis, they may be responsible for the activation, amplification and execution of the apoptotic cascade (Cohen and Al- Rubeai, 1995). 91 Because of the central importance of the caspases in apoptosis, their detection by flow cytometry has become widespread. We can detect the activity of enzymes implicated in apoptosis in three ways; by detecting the active form of the enzyme using a specific antibody (Smolewski et al., 2002), by using a fluorochrome labelled peptide that binds to the active site of the enzyme (Pozarowski et al., 2003) and by using a non-fluorescent substrate for the enzyme which yields a fluorescent product if the enzyme is active (Telford et al., 2004). 3-5-Apoptosis organelle analysis: During apoptosis there is often a collapse of the mitochondrial membrane potential. This can be detected in a number of ways by flow cytometry. Two dyes in particular are useful- CMXRos (also known as Mito tracker Red from Molecular probes) and LDs-751 (from Exction). CMXRos has a chloromethyl group which allows accumulation in active mitochondria. Live cells that have active mitchondria are able to take up CMXRos but in cells that are undergoing apoptosis, the mitochondrial membrane potential decreases which means less dye accumulates in the mitchondria leading to a decrease in fluorescenc (Chapman et al., 1995). 4- Detection of apoptotic markers: Determination of p53 expression by immunohistochemistry (IHC) has been incorporated into routine practice and its reliability has been consolidated. However, flow cytometric (FCM) analysis might represent an important objective and rapid approach. FCM may provide important information about p53 protein expression in the different subpopulations and 92 cell cycle phases. In most breast, lung, and colon aneuploid tumors (77%), p53-positive cells were detected only in the subpopulations with abnormal DNA content (Elvira et al., 1998). Bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV-1)-transformed mouse fibroblast cell lines were analyzed via flow cytometry (FCM) for expression of p53 and c-myc proteins along with their DNA content. At least 9,000-10,000 p53 or c-myc protein molecules per cell were detected in the transformed tumorigenic cell lines. These results show that quantitative FCM can be reliably used to detect very low levels (3,000 molecules per cell) of specific protein, and FCM is a useful tool to study the virus-induced changes in the levels of nuclear proteins within a cell population and in tumorigenesis (Agrawal et al., 1994). In human follicular lymphoma, Analysis of transgenic Bcl2 expression used biotinylated Bcl2-100 monoclonal antibody for the surface phenotyping of hematopoietic cells by flow cytometry. Cells (106 per analysis) were stained with relevant antibodies labeled with fluorochromes (fluorescein isothiocyanate [FITC], phycoerythrin [PE], or cyanin 5 [Cy5]) or biotin using 1% normal rat serum to block Fc receptors. Streptavidin conjugated to FITC or PE was used as a secondary reagent for biotinylated antibodies. Analyses were performed on a Life Sciences Research (LSR) or a FACStar II flow cytometer (Becton Dickinson, San Jose, CA) (Alexander et al., 2004). The expression of bcl-2 was examined by multicolor flow cytometry in samples including lymph node or other tissue biopsy specimens 93 containing follicular lymphoma (FL), reactive hyperplasia (RH), or other malignant lymphomas, as well as bone marrow aspirates. For all of the aforementioned reasons, a reliable flow cytometric assay for expression of bcl-2 would be a useful additional technique for establishing a diagnosis of FL. However, the measurement of bcl-2 by flow cytometric techniques has received only scant attention. It was described a 2-color flow cytometric assay using antibodies against bcl-2 that demonstrated promise in the recognition of FL. (James et al., 2003). 94 V-Flourescence in situ hybridization 1-Introduction: FISH provides researchers with a way to visualize and map the genetic material in an individual's cells, including specific genes or portions of genes. This is important for understanding a variety of chromosomal abnormalities and other genetic mutations. Unlike most other techniques used to study chromosomes, FISH does not have to be performed on cells that are actively dividing. This makes it a very versatile procedure. The first step is to prepare short sequences of single-stranded DNA that match a portion of the gene the researcher is looking for. These are called probes. The next step is to label these probes by attaching one of a number of colors of fluorescent dye (Schröck et al., 1996 and Fox et al., 1996). DNA is composed of two strands of complementary molecules that bind to each other like chemical magnets. Since the researchers' probes are single-stranded, they are able to bind to the complementary strand of DNA, wherever it may reside on a person's chromosomes. When a probe binds to a chromosome, its fluorescent tag provides a way for researchers to see its location (White et al., 1995 and Bloom, 2005). Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) represents a modem molecular pathology technique, alternative to conventional cytogenetics (karyotyping). Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) allows identification 95 of specific sequences in a structurally preserved cell, in metaphase or interphase (Kontogeorgos, 2004 and Celedaet al., 1994). The probe, bound to the target, will be developed into a fluorescent signal. The fact that the signal can be detected clearly, even when fixed in interphase, improves the accuracy of the results, since in some cases it is extremely difficult to obtain mitotic samples Fig. (5-1) (Muhlmann, 2002). The power of in situ hybridization can be greatly extended by the simultaneous use of multiple fluorescent colors. Multicolor fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), in its simplest form, can be used to identify as many labeled features as there are different fluorophores used in the hybridization. By using not only single colors, but also combinations of colors, many more labeled features can be simultaneously detected in individual cells using digital imaging microscopy (Raap et al., 1995). Fluorescence, a phenomenon whereby a chemical excited at one light wavelength emits light at a different and usually longer wavelength, is used throughout the life sciences to study a wide variety of structures and intracellular activities. Advances in probe and microscope technology have led to the rapid development of techniques for fluorescence over the past decade (Trask, 1991). The accuracy of cytogenetic diagnosis in the management of hematological malignancies has improved significantly over the past 10 years. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), a technique of molecular cytogenetics, has played a pivotal role in the detection of unique submicroscopic chromosomal rearrangements that helped in the identification of 96 chromosomal loci, which contain genes involved in leukemogenesis (Amare et al., 2001). Figure (5-1): Fluoresence in situ hypridization (Muhlmann, 2002). 97 98 The use of FISH is growing rapidly in genomics, cytogenetics, prenatal research, tumor biology, radiation labels, gene mapping, gene amplification, and basic biomedical research. In principle, the technique is quite straightforward (Attarbaschi et al., 2004). The hybridization reaction identifies, or labels, target genomic sequences so their location and size can be studied. DNA or RNA sequences from appropriate, chromosome-specific probes are first labeled with reporter molecules, which are later identified through fluorescence microscopy. The labeled DNA or RNA probe is then hybridized to the metaphase chromosomes or interphase nuclei on a slide. After washing and signal amplification, the specimen is screened for the reporter molecules by fluorescence microscopy (Hohman and Gundlach, 1994). FISH probes are commonly used to detect the presence of specific DNA sequences either when DNA is condensed into metaphase chromosomes or dispersed in non dividing interphase cells. The fact that hybridization of probes to metaphase chromosomes is visualized in two dimensions while interphase targets are three dimensional has implications for both validations of assays and the development of baseline reference ranges (Pauletti et al., 1996). Metaphase applications generally yield clear yes/no answers while interphase applications commonly require reportable reference ranges before interpreting of results. In addition to determining the presence or absence of particular sequences in the genome, FISH is useful in assessing gene copy number in some disorders (Massod et al., 1998). 99 Analytical uncertainty over DNA probe assays also may stem from issues related to inherent population variation. The use of some repeat sequence probes has been discontinued because of inability to detect targeted sequences in individuals who possess very few repeats, leading to insufficient probe label in the targeted region which precludes visualized of the signal. Such probes have been eliminated (Myrata et al., 1997 and Bossuyt et al., 1995). FISH allows very precise spatial resolution of morphological and genomic structures. The technique is rapid, simple to implement, and offers great probe stability. The genome of a particular species, entire chromosomes, chromosomal-specific regions, or single-copy unique sequences can be identified, depending on the probes used (Attarbaschi et al., 2004). Until recently, FISH was limited by the hardware, software, reagents, probe technology, and cost involved in implementing the technique. Commercially available microscope hardware optimized for multicolor FISH was not available until the mid-1990s. Prior to that, microscopes had to be customized for FISH applications. Most microscope optics was not designed to detect the low light levels inherent in FISH signals. As the genomic resolution of the technique has increased dramatically, the requirements on microscope optics have further increased. Chromatic aberrations among multiple wavelengths have been a problem. For multicolor analysis in particular, all lenses, including the collector lens, had to be chromatically corrected. In addition, epi-fluorescence light sources were difficult to align for uniform illumination (Amare et al., 2001). 100 Analysis of multicolor FISH images requires isolation of the various signals either with individual filter cubes; or utilization of an excitation filter wheel with multipass dichroic and barrier filters. Recent developments in filter technology corrected some of the previous problems encountered through optical misalignments caused by mechanical switching of individual filter cubes. Excitation filter wheels used with multi-pass dichroic and barrier filters can be used effectively for up to three colors by employing separate excitation filters for each color with no registration shift. But, for more than three colors, single-pass filters still had to be used (Racevskis, 2005, Iarovaia et al., 2005 and Iourov et al., 2005). 2-Three different types of FISH probes: 2-1-Locus specific probes They bind to a particular region of a chromosome. This type of probe is useful when scientists have isolated a small portion of a gene and want to determine on which chromosome the gene is located (Hjalmar, 2005 and Wang et al., 2005). 2-2-Alphoid or centromeric repeat probes They are generated from repetitive sequences found in the middle of each chromosome. Researchers use these probes to determine whether an individual has the correct number of chromosomes. These probes can also be used in combination with "locus specific probes" to determine whether an individual is missing genetic material from a particular chromosome (Edward et al., 2005). 101 2-3-Whole chromosome probes They are actually collections of smaller probes, each of which binds to a different sequence along the length of a given chromosome. Using multiple probes labeled with a mixture of different fluorescent dyes, scientists are able to label each chromosome in its own unique color. The resulting full-color map of the chromosome is known as a spectral karyotype. Whole chromosome probes are particularly useful for examining chromosomal abnormalities, for example, when a piece of one chromosome is attached to the end of another chromosome (Dugan et al., 2005). 3-Applications of FISH: The clinical uses of FISH were considered in three main areas; diagnosis of individuals with birth defects and mental retardation, prenatal diagnosis and screening, and identification and monitoring of acquired chromosome abnormalities in leukemia/ cancer. In each area the critical consideration remains a clear understanding of the capabilities and limitations of a test to provide useful information (Bossuyt et al., 1995 and Pauletti et al., 1996). Traditional cytogenetic analysis, detecting deletions, duplications, rearrangement and the identifications of unknown material of marker or derivative chromosomes, in individuals with birth defects and/or mental retardation has led to an understanding of the etiology of a number of syndromes. The clinical utility and limitations of these tests are both general and disease specific (Ledbeteer et al., 1987, Callen et al., 1992, Ribeiro et al., 1997 and Cassidy et al., 1998). 102 Prenatal applications of FISH testing include both screening tests and diagnostic tests. Technical issues are few, and clinical utility raises questions as to the intended use of FISH in testing. The application of FISH to prenatal screening for common autosomal trisomies and sex chromosome anomalies is becoming increasingly common. The primary considerations involve differing clinical sensitivity between the abnormalities detected by classical cytogenetic versus these detected by FISH based assays (Evans et al., 1991 and Klinger et al., 1992). Among cases ascertained via ultrasonographically identified fetal anomalies, some may be conclusive for a syndromes diagnosis and may be approached by a (diagnostic) FISH test. Families in which subtle or submicroscopic chromosomal abnormalities, detectable by FISH, are known to segregate will benefit greatly from prenatal FISH studies (Kontogeorgos et al., 2000 and Lewin et al., 2000). Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) has become one of the major techniques in environmental microbiology. The original version of this technique often suffered from limited sensitivity due to low target copy number or target inaccessibility (Zwirglmaier, 2005). The reagents and probes themselves were not sufficient for all applications. For instance, the efficiency of hybridization site detection decreased with decreasing probe size, creating significant limits to what could be observed via fluorescence microscopy. The number of differently colored fluorescent dyes was limited, and the photostability of the dyes was poor. But new developments in fluorescent dye technology and spin-off technology from the federally funded Human Genome Project are now 103 having an impact. There are probes for all the human chromosomes and a growing number of new gene-specific probes are available. In situ hybridization kits and fluorescently labeled probes are commercially available from several companies (Sarrate et al., 2005). The ability of FISH to rapidly test interphase and metaphase chromosome defects makes it especially useful in the study of cancer. In solid tumors, conventional cytogenetics is rarely used because obtaining metaphases is difficult and those cells that do proceed to mitosis may not be representative of the tumor. Other molecular techniques, such as PCR and Southern, Northern, and Western analysis, require extraction of the tissue. Extraction procedures net both normal and abnormal cells, so sensitivity is lower and quantitation less reliable than with FISH probes (Bosch et al., 2005). FISH allows cell-by-cell analysis and thus provides for a more sensitive and reliable assessment of chromosomal aneuploidy, gene amplifications and deletions, and chromosome translocations. A reliable determination of whether a gene is amplified in a specimen is often possible with evaluation of only 20 to 50 cells (Ogilvie et al., 2005). The accuracy of cytogenetic diagnosis in the management of hematological malignancies has improved significantly over the past 10 years. FISH has played a pivotal role in the detection of unique submicroscopic chromosomal rearrangements that helped in the identification of chromosomal loci, which contain genes involved in leukemogenesis (Amare et al., 2001). 104 FISH was performed with specific probes to make the rapid prenatal diagnosis of Down syndrome. FISH was performed respectively with locusspecific probe (LSI) and centromeric probe (CEP) X/Y on the uncultured amniotic fluid. FISH is a rapid and reliable method to detect Down syndrome in uncultured amniotic fluid (Wang et al., 2005) Fluorescence in situ hybridization assay and to correlate the genetic findings with the pathologic grade and stage were used to investigate the chromosomal abnormalities present in bladder carcinoma (Placer et al., 2005). A novel application of FISH to isolated nuclei is described. The method detects gene amplification and chromosome aneuploidy in extracted nuclei from paraffin-embedded tissue of human cancer with greater sensitivity and specificity than existing FISH methods. The method is applied to signal detection of the HER-2/neu (c-erbB-2) gene, whose amplification is one of the most common genetic alterations associated with human breast cancer (Rossi et al., 2005). Tumor-specific chromosomal abnormalities are attracting a large interest owing to the diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic importance. The development of FISH has improved the detection of specific chromosomal abnormalities in chronic lymphocytic leukemic (CLL). By using FISH, the problem with tumor cells with low mitotic rate is avoided since this method readily detects clonal aberrations also in nondividing, interphase cells. Three different types of probes are used centromeric probes for numerical chromosome abnormalities, whole chromosome paints, and locus-specific 105 probes for numerical chromosome abnormalities, whole chromosome paints, and locus-specific probes. (Hjalmar, 2005) FISH of DNA-DNA or DNA-RNA using post-mortem brain samples is one approach to study low-level chromosomal aneuploidy and selective expression of specific genes in the brain of patients with neuropsychiatric diseases. FISH could be applied to extended studies of chromosomal aneuploidy, abnormal patterns of chromosomal organization and functional gene expression in situ in the neurons of the brain in different psychiatric and neurodevelopmental diseases (Yurov et al, 2001). 3-1-ALL investigation by FISH: To investigate patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) for TEL/AML1 fusion, BCR/ABL fusion, MLL gene rearrangements, and numerical changes of chromosomes 4, 10, 17 and 21 by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and to determine the relationship and the significance of those findings (Zhang et al., 2003). Interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (iFISH) is increasingly used for the identification of BCR/ABL gene rearrangements in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). FISH plays an important role in detecting chromosome changes, especially in some cryptic chromosome translocations and patients with culture failures (Primo et al., 2003 and Zhang et al., 2003). ALL blasts routinely contain somatically acquired genetic abnormalities that provide insight into pathogenesis and strongly influence prognosis. Approximately one third of cases of ALL show an increase in the 106 modal chromosome number (e.g., hyperdiploid, > 47 chromosomes, and "high" hyperdiploid, > 50 chromosomes) blasts make up a unique biologic subset associated with increased in vitro apoptosis and sensitivity to a variety of chemotherapeutic agents (Heerema et al., 2000 and Trueworthy et al., 1992). Almost one third of ALL blasts show chromosomal translocations in the absence of changes in chromosome number. Four major translocations have been observed, and each defines a unique biological subset of patients. The t(1;19)(q23;q13) is a hallmark of some pre-B (cytoplasmic µ+) ALL, and is characterized by fusion of the E2A and PBX genes (Uckun et al., 1998). Despite the adverse prognostic impact of this translocation in older studies, recent intensification of therapy has resulted in an improved survival for these children. Translocations between the mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene at 11q23 and over 30 different partner chromosomes characterize 6% of ALL cases. MLL translocations, most commonly t(4;11)(q21;q23), are seen in the vast majority of infant patients with ALL. A recent, large series demonstrates that any rearrangement of 11q23 is associated with a worse prognosis (e.g., 20% to 25%) (Pui et al., 2002). 3-1-1-Philadelphia The presence of the t(9;22)(q34;q11) translocation, commonly known as Philadelphia chromosome (Ph), in about 3% to 5% of all children with ALL is considered as one of the molecular markers associated with a particularly high risk for treatment failure (Ribeiro et al., 1987, Crist et al.,1990, Pui et al., 1990, Fletcher et al., 1991, Reiter et al., 1994, and Chessells et al., 1995) . 107 This translocation causes a rearrangement between the protooncogene c-ABL and a gene called the breakpoint cluster region (BCR). Whereas the breaks in c-ABL occur mainly in the same region (between the exons a1 and a2) on chromosome 9, two different ones affect the breakpoint cluster region on chromosome 22: the more frequent one (approximately in 2 of 3 of all cases) shows a break in the minor breakpoint cluster region (mBCR) between the exons e1 and e2. This is predominant in ALL. In 1 of 3 of all Ph+ ALL cases, the major (M-) BCR found between exons b2 and b3 or exons b3 and b4 is affected. M-BCR is also found in nearly all patients with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). Chimeric proteins of 210 kD (p210) and 190 kD (p190) result from the M-BCR/ABL and m-BCR/ABL rearrangements, respectively (Kantarjian et al., 1991). These fusion proteins cause a deregulation of protein tyrosine kinase activity. Both forms of the chimeric gene (BCR/ABL) can be detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and fluorescent in situ hybridization. (Maurer et al., 1991, Dewald et al., 1993, Schlieben et al., 1996). Most patients with Philadelphia (Ph)-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) show evidence of secondary chromosome aberrations that may influence the course of disease and response to treatment. To better understand how these secondary chromosomal aberrations occur and to investigate whether the p185/p190 BCR-ABL fusion protein may directly induce an increased chromosomal instability and subsequently the appearance of clonal chromosome aberrations, three BRC-ABL (p185/ p190)-transduced mouse pre-B cell lines were analyzed by spectral karyotyping and fluorescence in situ hybridization. The human wild-type 108 BCR-ABL gene was expressed at a level comparable with that in human Phpositive leukemias at diagnosis. All BCR-ABL-transduced cell lines acquired similar clonal chromosomal aberrations. Trisomy 5 was always present, followed by loss of the Y chromosome, trisomy of chromosomes 12 and 18, and an unbalanced translocation between chromosomes X and 12. Thus, ectopic p185/p190 BCR-ABL expression, such as p210 BCR-ABL, PMLRARA, or C-MYC transduction, may induce an increased chromosomal instability leading to clonal karyotypic evolution, which may mimic secondary chromosome aberrations in human Ph-positive ALL (Rudolph et al., 2005). The Philadelphia (Ph) chromosome, the main product of the (9;22)(q34;q11) translocation, is the cytogenetic hallmark of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), a clonal myeloproliferative disorder of the hematopoietic stem cell; the Ph chromosome is also found in a sizeable portion of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients and in a small number of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cases. Three different breakpoint cluster regions are discerned within the BCR gene on chromosome 22: M-bcr, m-bcr, and mu-bcr (Drexler et al., 1999). Nearly all Ph + ALL cell lines have the m-bcr e1-a2 fusion gene (only two ALL cell lines have a b3-a2 fusion) whereas all CML cell lines, but one carry the M-bcr b2-a2, b3-a2 or both hybrids. The mu-bcr e19-a2 has been detected in one CML cell line. Four cell lines display a three-way translocation involving chromosomes 9, 22 and a third chromosome. Additional Ph chromosomes (up to five) have been found in four Ph + ALL cell lines and in 18 CML cell lines; though in some cell lines the extra Ph chromosome(s) might be caused by the polyploidy (tri- and tetraploidy) of 109 the cells. Another modus to acquire additional copies of the BCR-ABL fusion gene is the formation of tandem repeats of the BCR-ABL hybrid as seen in CML cell line K-562. Both mechanisms, selective multiplication of the der(22) chromosome and tandem replication of the fusion gene BCR-ABL, presumably lead to enhanced levels of the fusion protein and its tyrosine kinase activity (genetic dosage effect). The availability of a panel of Ph + cell lines as highly informative leukemia models offers the unique opportunity to analyze the pathobiology of these malignancies and the role of the Ph chromosome in leukemogenesis (Drexler et al., 1999). Treated children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia were analysed for chromosomal abnormalities with conventional G-banding, spectral karyotyping (SKY) and interphase fluorescent in situ hybridisation (FISH) using probes to detect MLL, BCR/ABL, TEL/AML1 rearrangements and INK4 locus deletions. Three novel TEL partner breakpoints on 1q41, 8q24 and 21p12 were identified, and a recurrent translocation t(1;12)(p32;p13) was found. In addition, two cases displayed amplification (7-15 copies) of AML1. Results were demonstrated the usefulness of SKY and interphase FISH for the identification of novel chromosome aberrations and cytogenetic abnormalities that provide prognostically important information in childhood ALL (Nordgren et al., 2002). 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FEMS Microbiol Lett., 246(2):151-8. 150 VII- LIFE FLOWCYTOMETRIC FIGURES (A) Figure (1): Flow (B) cytometric analysis of c-myc expression on M2 M1 mononuclear cells showing diagram (A) and dot plot (B) of positively stained cells in relation to negative ones. (A) (B) R2 M2 M1 R1 Figure (2): Flowcytometric analysis of p53 expression on mononuclear cells showing histogram (A) and dot plot (B) of positively stained cells in relation to negative ones. 151 Diploid: 100.00% Dip G0-G1: 93.93 % at 33.49 Dip G2-M: 4.57 % at 61.69 Dip S: 1.50 % G2/G1: 1.84 Dip %CV: 2.84 Diploid: 100.00% Dip G0-G1: 90.43 % at 35.31 Dip G2-M: 7.84 % at 65.30 Dip S: 1.73 % G2/G1: 1.85 Dip %CV: 3.17 Figure (3): Histogram showing cell cycle parameters (diploid) using flow cytometer FACS caliber program modfit. 152 Diploid: 85.25 % Dip G0-G1: 100.00 % at 38.52 Dip G2-M: 0.00 % at 77.05 Dip S: 0.00 % G2/G1: 2.00 Dip %CV: 3.42 Aneuploid 1: 14.75 % Aneup G0-G1: 65.14 % at 69.75 Aneup G2-M: 28.72 % at 104.73 Aneup S: 6.13 % G2/G1: 1.50 Aneup %CV: 3.31 Aneup DI: 1.81 Diploid: 62.08 % Dip G0-G1: 100.00 at33.10 Dip G2-M: 0.00 % at 66.21 Dip S: 0.00 % G2/G1:2.00 Dip %CV: 3.16 Aneuploid 1: 37.92 % Aneup G0-G1: 95.37 % at45.19 Aneup G2-M: 1.76 % at 73.95 Aneup S: 2.88 % G2/G1: 1.64 Aneup %CV: 3.43 Aneup DI: 1.37 Figure (4): Histogram showing cell cycle parameters diploid and aneuploid using flow cytometer FACS caliber program modfit. 153 VIII- LIFE FISH PICTURES Figure A Figure B Figure C Figure D Figure (A,B,C and D): Each childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia case shows red signal which is ABL on chromosome 9 and green signal which is the breakpoint cluster region (BCR) on chromosome 22 for children with Philadelphia negative acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph‾ ALL). 154 Figure E Figure F Figure (E and F): Each childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia case shows red signal which is ABL on chromosome 9, green signal which is the breakpoint cluster region (BCR) on chromosome 22 and pale orange signal which is the fusion (BCR/ABL) for children with Philadelphia positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ ALL).