There is no abstract available for this dissertation. / School of Physical Education

Labaditina é um decapeptídeo cíclico, hidrofóbico, extraído da Jatropha Multifida, uma planta da família Euphorbiaceae. É mais resistente à degradação proteolítica que seus respectivos isômeros lineares; e forma pontes de hidrogênio internamente, facilitando sua inserção em membrana biológica. Estudos tem mostrado que a restrição conformacional dos peptídeos cíclicos aumenta sua afinidade e especificidade à membrana. Devido à essas características físicas e às atividades biológicas apresentadas, tais como inibição da via clássica do sistema complemento humano in vitro e atividade antibacteriana para Streptococcus mutans, este peptídeo tem ganhado interesse biológico e farmacológico. Sobretudo, ainda não é conhecido seu mecanismo de ação. Devido à isso, os peptídeos Labaditina (Lo) e o análogo linear (L1), estruturalmente diferentes, foram estudados com o objetivo de obter informações quanto ao mecanismo de ação, interação e possíveis alterações estruturais frente a membranas biológicas. O comportamento do Lo e L1 foi avaliado na presença de diferentes composições de lipídios (DPPC, DPPC:Chol (9:1), DPPC:DPPS (8:2)) e de detergentes (SDS e LPC), utilizando sistemas miméticos de membrana: monocamada, micela e lipossomo. Em monocamada, sistema planar, foi observado um aumento da pressão superficial, provavelmente causado pela presença de peptídeo. Nos sistemas compostos por DPPC:Chol e DPPC:DPPS o efeito foi maior na presença do L1, sugerindo interação eletrostática entre o peptídeo e as monocamadas. Já o peptídeo Lo, por não possuir carga, apresentou maior interação com a monocamada de DPPC, por ser zwitteriônica. Resultados similares foram obtidos através do estudo com lipossomos constituídos por DPPC, DPPC:Chol (9:1) e DPPC:DPPS (8:2). Em todos os meios, através da espectrofotometria de fluorescência, foi observado um blue-shift, ou seja, migração do triptofano para um ambiente mais apolar. Para o Lo, isso foi maior na presença de DPPC; para o L1, na presença de DPPC:Chol e DPPC:DPPS. Através do DSC foi observado um aumento da entalpia e diminuição da cooperatividade (t1/2), causado pela presença de peptídeo na bicamada. Em DPPC:Chol (9:1) e DPPC:DPPS esse efeito foi maior na presença do L1; e em DPPC, na presença do Lo, confirmando os resultados anteriores. Essas interações peptídeo-mimético de membrana foram acompanhadas por mudanças conformacionais, observadas através do CD. O peptídeo Lo, tanto em meio aquoso, quanto na presença dos diferentes lipossomos está não-ordenado, entretanto, possui diferenças conformacionais em cada meio. O peptídeo L1 em meio aquoso apresenta estrutura ao acaso com interação entre os triptofanos, porém em DPPC e em DPPC:Chol (9:1) sofre alteração conformacional, distanciando os triptofanos; em DPPC:DPPS (8:2) sofreu alteração para -folha. Isso demonstra que a composição lipídica induz diferentes conformações nos peptídeos e pode afetar seu mecanismo de ação. No estudo com micelas também foi observado interação de ambos os peptídeos com SDS, e também com LPC. Em SDS os estudos sugerem que o L1 está mais inserido no meio apolar que o Lo; já em LPC, o Lo. Esses peptídeos também apresentaram alteração conformacional na presença das micelas. O peptídeo Lo, tanto em SDS, quanto em LPC, apresentou conformação não-ordenada, porém diferentes. Já o peptídeo L1 apresentou conformação -folha na presença de SDS e LPC, porém também com diferenças. Os resultados demonstram que o peptídeo com estrutura linear (L1) possui maior liberdade conformacional. Portanto, alguns fatores dirigem o processo de interação destes peptídeos: conformação e hidrofobicidade. Devido à diferença estrutural (cíclica e linear), esses peptídeos conferem diferentes hidrofobicidades, e isso interfere na conformação da molécula, além do meio lipídico. E finalizando o estudo, foi identificado através da DM que o resíduo de triptofano da posição 2 é o aminoácido mais inserido no meio apolar das micelas, após interação. Assim, um possível mecanismo de interação do peptídeo Lo é baseado, inicialmente, na adsorção do peptídeo na superfície lipídica. Em seguida ocorre a interação hidrofóbica membrana-peptídeo, acompanhada pela inserção do triptofano da posição 2 na região mais profunda da membrana, induzindo alterações conformacionais na molécula mediante a interação, dos outros resíduos, com a membrana. / Labaditin is a cyclic decapeptide with high hydrophobic character, extracted from Jatropha Multifida, a plant from Euphorbiaceae family. It is more resistant to proteolytic degradation than its corresponding linear isomers. Studies have been showed that conformational restriction of cyclic peptide increases its affinity and specificity to the membrane. Due to these physical characteristics and to the biological activities shown, such as inhibition of the classical pathway of human complement system in vitro and antibacterial activity for Streptococcus mutans, this peptide has attracted biological and pharmacological interest. However, neither the target nor the action mechanism are known yet. For this reason, the Labaditin (Lo) and the linear analogue (L1) peptides, different structures, were studied in an attempt to get information regarding the mechanism of action, interaction and possible conformational changes due to the interaction with biological membranes. The behavior of Lo and L1 was studied in the presence of different lipid compositions (DPPC, DPPC:Chol (9:1), DPPC:DPPS (8:2)) and of detergents (SDS and LPC), using membrane mimetic systems: monolayer, micelle and liposome. In monolayer, planar system, it was observed an increase of surface pressure, probably caused by the presence of peptide. In the systems composed by DPPC:Chol and DPPC:DPPS the effect was greater in the presence of L1, implying electrostatic interaction between the peptide and the monolayers. Lo peptide, on the other hand, due to the fact that it does not have charges, presented greater interaction with the DPPC monolayer, a zwitterionic molecule. Similar results were obtained through studies with liposome composed by DPPC, DPPC:Chol (9:1) and DPPC:DPPS (8:2). In all environments, through fluorescence spectroscopy, a blue-shift was observed, which means, migration of the tryptophan to a more non-polar environment. For Lo, it was higher in the presence of DPPC; for L1, in the presence of DPPC:Chol and DPPC:DPPS. Using the DSC technique an increase of enthalpy and a decrease of cooperativity was observed (t1/2), due to the presence of peptide in the bilayers. In DPPC:Chol (9:1) and DPPC:DPPS this effect was greater in the presence of L1; while in DPPC, in the presence of Lo, confirming the previous results. These peptide-membrane mimetic interaction was followed by conformational changes, observed through the CD. The Lo peptide has a unordered conformation in aqueous environment, and in the presence of liposomes also is unordered, although with differences. L1 peptide in aqueous environment presents random coil structure with interaction between tryptophan, but in DPPC and in DPPC:Chol (9:1) it suffers conformational changes, distancing tryptophan; in DPPC:DPPS (8:2) it changes to -sheet. This demonstrates that the lipidic composition induces conformational changes in peptides and it may affect their mechanism of action. In the study with micelles it was also observed interaction between peptides-SDS, and also with peptides-LPC. In SDS, the studies suggest that L1 is more inserted in the non-polar environment than Lo; in LPC, Lo is more inserted. These peptides also presented conformational changes in the presence of micelles. Lo peptide, both in SDS, and in LPC, presented unordered conformation, but differently. L1 peptide presented -sheet conformation in the presence of SDS and LPC, but also with differences. The results show that the peptide with linear structure (L1) has greater conformational liberty. Therefore, some factors are responsible to the interaction process of these peptides: conformation and hydrophobicity. Due to the structural difference (cyclic and linear), these peptides present different hydrophobicity, and it interferes in the conformation of the molecule, as well as the lipidic environment. On the last study it was identified through DM that the tryptophan residue from position 2 is the amino acid most inserted in the micelles, after interaction. Thus, a possible Lo peptide interaction mechanism is based, initially, on the adsorption of the peptide on the lipidic surface. Next, there is a hydrophobic interaction peptide-membrane followed by the tryptophan insertion of the position 2 in the deepest region of the membrane, inducing conformational changes in the molecule, through the interaction of the other residues with the membrane.

Accurate identification of small-molecule compound substrates and effectors, within specific tissues, represents a highly relevant yet equally elusive objective. Accomplishing this goal would have major implications on the assessment of compound efficacy and potential toxicity with significant impact on drug discovery and development. Computationally, there are no methods to elucidate a compound mechanisms of action (MoA) in cell-context-specific and genome-wide fashions. Experimental approaches are equally limited in that they are effective in identifying only specific drug substrate classes (e.g., high-affinity substrates of kinase inhibitors) rather than the full repertoire of proteins that effect compound activity in a specific tissue, including those that may cause undesired toxicity. They are costly, laborious, and the relevant mechanistic assays can only be performed in vitro. Here I introduce DeMAND, a novel algorithm for the regulatory network-based elucidation of compound Mechanisms of Action. The algorithm interrogates a context-specific regulatory network using at least six gene-expression profiles representative of in vitro or in vivo compound perturbation to identify compound dysregulated sub-networks as well as substrates and effector proteins. In experimental tests, the algorithm correctly identified proteins in the established MoA of over 90% of the tested compounds, including protein such as SIK1, a private effector of doxorubicin responsible for its cardiac toxicity, which is however not affected by less toxic topoisomerase inhibitors, such as camptothecin. Using gene expression profiles following perturbation of diffuse large B cell lymphoma cells with 14 and 92 compounds, respectively, at different concentrations and time points, I identified and validated several novel effector proteins. These include RPS3A (ribosomal protein S3A), VHL (von Hippel-Lindau tumor suppressor, E3 ubiquitin protein ligase), and CCNB1 (cyclin B1) as effectors of the mitotic spindle inhibitor vincristine, all of which significantly affected microtubule architecture and/or modulated vincristine activity when silenced, as well as JAK2 (Janus kinase 2) as a novel effector/modulator of mitomycin C, which desensitizes cells to mitomycin C treatment when silenced. Finally, I used DeMAND to evaluate compound similarity by comparing the proteins in their MoA. I tested the similarity of altretamine, a compound with currently unknown substrates, and sulfasalazine, which were predicted to have similar MoA and in particular to be inhibitors of the GPX4 (glutathione peroxidase 4) protein. Experimental validation confirmed this prediction as well as increase in lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, a recently established downstream effector of sulfasalazine. Critically, DeMAND suggests that regulatory networks reverse engineered de novo form large molecular profile datasets can provide novel mechanistic insight into drug activity, thus providing a significant novel contribution to our search for highly specific and non-toxic small-molecule inhibitors.

Phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (PI(3,4,5)P3)-dependent RAC exchanger 2 (PREX2) is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) for the Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 (RAC1) GTPase. As a GEF, PREX2 facilitates the exchange of GDP for GTP on RAC1. GTP bound RAC1 then activates its downstream effectors, including p21-activated kinases (PAK). PREX2, RAC1, and PAK kinases all have key roles within the insulin signaling pathway. The insulin receptor is a tyrosine kinase that phosphorylates the insulin receptor substrate (IRS) family of adaptor proteins, leading to the activation of phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and the generation of PI(3,4,5)P3. PI(3,4,5)P3 then activates numerous downstream signaling proteins, including AKT and RAC1, to regulate several important cellular processes, such as glucose metabolism and cell proliferation. In addition to being a RAC1 GEF, PREX2 affects the insulin signaling pathway by inhibiting the lipid phosphatase activity of phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN), which dephosphorylates PI(3,4,5)P3 to antagonize PI3K. PREX2 is also important in cancer, which is likely a consequence of both its role as a RAC1 GEF and as a PTEN inhibitor. PREX2 GEF activity is activated by PI(3,4,5)P3 and by Gβγ, which is a heterodimer that is released after GPCR activation. However, PREX2 regulation within specific signaling pathways is poorly understood. This thesis aims to understand the regulation of PREX2 downstream of ligand binding to receptors on the cell surface, with a focus on insulin. This is achieved by studying the phosphorylation of PREX2 after insulin stimulation and by characterizing protein-protein interactions involving PREX2 and key proteins in the insulin signaling pathway. Herein, we identified PI(3,4,5)P3-dependent phosphorylation events on PREX2 that occur downstream of insulin stimulation. Phosphorylation of PREX2 also occurred downstream of Gβγ, suggesting that phosphorylation was associated with the activation of PREX2 GEF activity. Interestingly, phosphorylation of PREX2 reduced GEF activity towards RAC1 and a phospho-mimicking mutation of PREX2 at an insulin-mediated phosphorylation site reduced cancer cell invasion. Phosphorylation of PREX2 also decreased PREX2 binding to the cellular membrane, PI(3,4,5)P3, and Gβγ, providing a mechanism for reduced GEF activity. These data suggested that phosphorylation was part of a negative feedback circuit to decrease the RAC1 signal, which led to the identification of the PAK kinases as mediators of PREX2 phosphorylation. Importantly, insulin-induced phosphorylation of PREX2 was delayed compared to AKT, which is consistent with a model where PREX2 phosphorylation by PAK occurs after activation of PREX2 to attenuate its function. Altogether, we propose that second messengers activate the PREX2-RAC1 signal, which sets in motion a cascade whereby PAK kinases phosphorylate and negatively regulate PREX2 to decrease RAC1 activation. This type of regulation would allow for transient activation of the PREX2-RAC1 signal. We then asked whether PAK phosphorylation of PREX2 was altered in cancer. To do this, we analyzed four recurrent somatic PREX2 tumor mutations, R155W, R297C, R299Q, and R363Q. Interestingly, all four mutants had reduced insulin and PAK1 dependent phosphorylation, and R297C had lower levels of phosphorylation induced by PI3K activating tumor mutants. This suggests that tumors might be mutating PREX2 in order to avoid PAK mediated negative regulation of RAC1. Lastly, we characterized PREX2 interactions with proteins that are critical for insulin signaling, with a focus on the interaction between the PREX2 pleckstrin homology (PH) domain and PTEN. PREX2 inhibition of PTEN is mediated by the PH domain, and we discovered that the β3β4 loop of the PH domain was required for binding of the isolated PH domain to PTEN. We also found that PREX2 co-immunoprecipitates with other insulin related proteins, including the p85 regulatory subunit of PI3K, IRS4, and the insulin receptor. Taken together, the studies in this thesis solidify the role of PREX2 in insulin signaling by showing that PREX2 GEF activity is tightly regulated by insulin and PAK-induced phosphorylation and also by characterizing PREX2 interactions with critical insulin related proteins. Further, this PAK dependent negative regulatory circuit downstream of both PI(3,4,5)P3 and Gβγ activation of PREX2 could have impacts in many aspects of biology given the roles that PREX2 and RAC1 have in critical cellular functions such as cell motility and glucose metabolism, and in diseases such as cancer and diabetes.

Aim: Subunit vaccines have received increasing attention due to their good safety profile. However, subunit vaccines feature low immunogenicity, and soluble antigen is largely ignored by the immune system due to its lack of danger signals. To stimulate an appropriate immune response, subunit antigen vaccines require the addition of an adjuvant and multiple administrations. This study aimed to formulate biodegradable lipid implants, containing a suitable adjuvant, which delivers antigen in a sustained manner. The physico-chemical characteristics of the implants and their ability to stimulate immune responses towards a model antigen in vivo were investigated. Methods: Lipid implants were prepared from phospholipid and cholesterol. Different adjuvants were added, and their potential to induce an immune response to the model antigen ovalbumin (OVA) was investigated. The adjuvants and immunomodulators assessed were Quil-A (QA), imiquimod, and an α-Galactosylceramide (α-GalCer) analogue. Liposomal dispersions were prepared using the lipid film hydration method. These were freeze-dried, and the powder compressed into matrices (diameter of 2 mm). Physico-chemical characterisation was undertaken by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to investigate the release of colloidal structures (liposomes, immunostimulating complexes [ISCOMs]) upon hydration with release media. Surface changes of the implant matrices were analysed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The release of the fluorescently-labelled antigen ovalbumin (FITC-OVA) and its entrapment into the colloidal particles was investigated using spectrofluorophotometry. Additionally, incorporation of the cationic cholesterol derivative DC-cholesterol (DCCHOL) into implants to allow for charge-charge interactions with the negatively-charged OVA, and replacement of the phospholipid with a phospholipid having a higher transition temperature to facilitate the manufacturing process, were attempted and assessed. The immune response stimulated towards OVA released from the implants was analysed in vivo using a C57Bl/6 mouse model. Expansion of CD8⁺ T cells and CD8 T cells specific for the CD8 epitope of OVA (SIINFEKL), as well as expansion of CD4⁺ T cells, were assessed. The ability of implants to stimulate T cell proliferation and interferon-γ production after in vitro restimulation with OVA was analysed. Serum samples were analysed for OVA-specific IgG antibodies. Results: Lipid implants containing Quil-A released colloidal structures upon hydration with buffer. The type of colloids observed by TEM depended on the ratio of QA:cholesterol:phospholipid. Release of OVA was sustained over ten days in implants prepared with egg yolk PC. However, the release kinetics depended strongly on the choice of phospholipid. In vivo, lipid implants containing Quil-A evoked expansion of CD8⁺ T cells. The immune response to one implant was comparable to that obtained by two equivalent injection immunisations. Therefore, the implants obviated the need for multiple immunisations in the vaccination regime tested here. Expansion of CD8⁺ T cells towards the Quil-A-containing implant was greater than that achieved by the immunomodulators imiquimod and the α-GalCer analogue. Quil-A-containing implants produced OVA-specific IgG antibodies to a greater extent than the implants containing imiquimod or α-GalCer. Incorporation of the cationic DCCHOL did not increase the entrapment efficiency of OVA into liposomes. However, the in vivo investigation of DCCHOL-containirig implants showed an adjuvant effect of DCCHOL on antibody responses, but not on cell-mediated immunity. Conclusion: Lipid implants offer great potential as sustained release vaccine delivery systems. The lipid components in the implant formulation were well-tolerated and biodegradable. Lipid implants combine the advantages of sustained release of antigen and particulate delivery by the formation of colloidal particles.

Two novel and highly related C₂H₂ zinc finger proteins (CTIP1/BCL11A/EVI9 and CTIP2/BCL11B/Rit1) have been implicated in COUP-TF signaling, etiology of myeloid and lymphoid malignancies, and hematopoietic cell development. However, the precise cellular function(s) and the contribution of these proteins to neoplastic processes and hematopoietic cell development remain unknown. The goal of the studies described herein was to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the transcriptional repression mediated by these proteins to understand their biological properties, and ultimately, their cellular function(s). CTIP proteins repressed transcription of a reporter gene in a TSA-insensitive manner, suggesting that this repression mechanism(s) may not involve TSA-sensitive histone deacetylation catalyzed by member(s) of class I and II HDACs. One possible mechanism is that CTIP proteins may exert ISA-insensitive histone deacetylation catalyzed by TSA-insensitive HDAC(s), such as SIRT1, to repress transcription. In deed, SIRT1 was found to interact with CTIP proteins both in vitro and in mammalian cells, and was recruited to the promoter template in a CTIP-dependent manner. The proline-rich regions of CTIP proteins and the sirtuin homology domain of SIRT1 were found to be essential for mediating CTIPs•SIRT1 interactions. Moreover, column chromatography revealed that SIRT1 and CTIP2 were components of a large complex in Jurkat cell nuclear extracts. Based on the findings that SIRT1 associates with CTIP proteins in mammalian cells, SIRT1 may underlie the transcriptional repression activity of CTIP proteins. The following results support the hypothesis that SIRT1 may underlie the mechanism(s) of CTIP-mediated transcriptional repression. First, CTIP-mediated transcriptional repression was inhibited, at least partially, by nicotinamide, an inhibitor of the NAD⁺-dependent, TSA-insensitive HDACs. Second, the decrease in levels of acetylated histones H3 and/or H4 at the promoter region of a reporter gene was observed upon overexpression of CTIP proteins, and this effect was inhibited, at least partially, by nicotinamide. Third, endogenous SIRT1 was recruited to the promoter template of a reporter gene in mammalian cells upon overexpression of CTIP proteins. Fourth, SIRT1 enhanced the transcriptional repression mediated by CTIP proteins and this enhancement required the catalytic activity of SIRT1. Finally, SIRT1 enhanced the deacetylation of template-associated histones H3 and/or H4 in CTIP-transfected cells. In summary, results described herein strongly suggest that CTIP-mediated transcriptional repression involves the recruitment of SIRT1 to the template, at which the TSA-insensitive, but nicotinamide-sensitive histone deacetylase catalyzes deacetylation of promoter-associated histones H3 and/or H4. These results contribute additional understanding to the molecular mechanisms underlying transcriptional activity of CTIP proteins, which might be helpful for identification and characterization of the target genes under the control of CTIP proteins in cells of hematopoietic system and/or the central nervous system. / Graduation date: 2004

Rat selenoprotein W (SeW) promoter activity was investigated using different concentrations of cadmium, copper, and zinc. Two fragments (404bp and 1265bp) of the SeW promoter, containing a single metal response element (MRE), were ligated into the multiple cloning site of a pGL3-Basic reporter plasmid. The constructs were transfected into cultured rat C6 (glial) and L8 (myoblast) cells and promoter activity measured by means of luciferase reporter gene fused to the SeW promoter fragments in the reporter plasmid. With post-transfection exposure of these cell lines to these metals, copper and zinc, but not cadmium, significantly increased promoter activity of the unmutated 1265bp (not 404bp) construct (p<0.05) only in the C6 cells. Mutation of the MRE sequence abolished promoter response to metal exposure but did not eliminate promoter activity. The results suggest that SeW expression in glial cells can be increased on exposure to copper and zinc and that this response is dependent on the MRE sequence present in the SeW promoter. To understand transcriptional regulation of the SeW gene, we used in vitro binding assays to identify transcription factors that may be involved in the transcriptional regulation of the SeW gene. Using protein from rat C6 (glial) cell nuclear extracts, oligonucleotides containing putative regulatory elements in the SeW promoter, and antibodies, we were able to show that the specificity protein 1(Sp1) transcription factor binds to the Sp1 consensus sequence in the SeW promoter as well as the MRE. However, the MRE, GRE, AP-1 and LF-A1 did not yield any specific binding. Although, competition analysis showed specific binding at the TFII-1 site, super-shift analysis using anti-TFII-1 antibody did not yield any super-shifted band. Therefore the SeW gene may be a target for Sp1 whose interaction with the SeW promoter may activate or repress the transcription of SeW. / Graduation date: 2003

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 165-172). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2002. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 165-172). Also available on the Internet.

Cancer incidence is increasing and novel anticancer drugs with new mechanisms of action are essential for future chemotherapeutic treatment. Natural products have historically played an important role in the development of anti-cancer drugs and have potential to do so also in the future. In this thesis two classes of natural products are identified as possible drug lead candidates, and the mechanisms of their action are elucidated. Initially, in a screening of a compound library for cytotoxic effects in colon cancer cells, natural products with potent activity were identified. Based on their potency, and on previously reported activities in cancer cells, two main groups of compounds, cardiac glycosides (CGs) and gambogic acid (GA) analogues, were selected for further in-depth studies. The concentration-dependent cytotoxicity was confirmed in cell lines of different origin. Cardiac glycosides were mainly evaluated for their activity in colon cancer cells and in leukemic cells, whereas the GA analogues were studied using a resistance-based panel of ten human cancer cell lines. Using activity profiles and the ChemGPS-NP model, the compounds were compared, structurally and mechanistically, to standard chemotherapeutic drugs. The results from these analyses suggested that the CGs and the GA analogues act by mechanisms different from those of antimetabolites, alkylating agents, topoisomerase I and II inhibitors, or tubulin-active agents. By analysis of drug-induced gene expression, one GA analogue, dihydro GA, was identified as a possible inhibitor of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), and the CGs showed similarities to protein synthesis inhibitors. Starting from these hypotheses, we further investigated the mechanisms of actions on a molecular level. The results showed that GA and dihydro GA act as inhibitors of the 20S proteasome chymotrypsin activity, leading to accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins. The CGs were confirmed to inhibit protein synthesis in colon cancer cell lines. However, interestingly, in leukemia cell lines, it seemed that the CGs act through a different, yet unexplored, mechanism of action. The leukemic cells (pre-B and T-ALL) were particularly susceptible to the cytotoxic effects of CGs, including at concentrations that may be achievable in the clinic.