miR-17-92 cluster (Oncomir1) encodes seven microRNAs (miRNA, miR) regulating many biological processes including proliferation, differentiation or apoptosis. Overexpression of microRNAs encoded by miR-17-92 cluster is found in a number of tumors including acute and chronic myeloid leukemias (Dixon-McIver et al., 2008; Li et al., 2008; Venturini et al., 2007). Myeloid progenitors express miR-17-92 cluster at a high level, while macrophage differentiation associates with its downregulation. Our laboratory found, that miR-17-92 cluster is repressed by transcription factor Early growth response 2 (Egr2) upon differentiation of primary myeloid PUER progenitors, induced with transcription factor PU.1. Aim of this thesis is to further test the abovementioned data by preparing a reporter vectors set, carrying various fragments of miR-17-92 putative promoter, which enables us to study regulation of transcription of miR-17-92 cluster. This task complicated by presence of increased GC content of the miR-17-92 promoter was successfully accomplished resulting in amplification of eight fragments containing the various parts of miR-17-92 promoter including region -3.3 to 0 kb relative to the start of miR-17-5p sequence, that were inserted into pGL3 reporter vector. Transfection of pGL3 reporter vector carrying...

Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) / The immune system protects the body from foreign organisms. T cells and B cells are integral components of the ability of the immune system to generate focused immune responses. The development of specialized subsets of T helper cells is governed by transcription factors. Previous work demonstrated a requirement for the transcription factor PU.1 in the development of IL-9-secreting Th9 cells. Work in this dissertation demonstrates that the Th9 subset is not stable in vitro, and that PU.1 expression decreases during long-term culture. To examine a role for PU.1 in Th9-independent immunity we examined a model of multiple sclerosis termed experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Mice that lack PU.1 expression in T cells (Sfpi1lck-/- mice) demonstrated more severe disease with attenuated recovery compared to control mice, and this was accompanied by an increase of T cells in the central nervous system. We also observed that following multiple routes of immunization Sfpi1lck-/- mice had increased numbers of T follicular helper (Tfh) cells and increased germinal center responses. This correlated with increased expression of the cytokine IL-21 and the surface protein CD40L in T cells that lacked PU.1 expression and resulted in increased numbers of germinal center B cells and antigen-specific antibody titers compared to control mice. The increased germinal center B cells and antibody titers were attenuated with blocking CD40L antibody but not with neutralizing IL-21 antibody. These results suggest that PU.1 limits the expression of CD40L on Tfh cells to regulate the humoral immune response. Together, the data in this dissertation demonstrate Th9-independent functions of PU.1. Moreover, this work shows that transcription factors promoting the development of one subset of T helper cells can simultaneously have negative effects on distinct T cell lineages.

Hematopoiesis is a highly orchestrated process, in which a single hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) gives a rise to all blood cellular components. For myeloid and lymphoid development precise controlled expression of the PU.1 transcription factor is needed. Deletion of PU.1 gene in mouse is lethal and its dysregulation during hematopoietic differentiation is associated with blood malignancies including acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). MDS and AML are serious blood disorders characterized by expansion of immature blood cells and lack of differentiated functional cells. Not only genetic but also epigenetic aberrations represent a very important field for studying pathophysiology of leukemia genesis and dysregulation of the PU.1 gene represents intensively studied candidate mechanism. Modern therapy of selected MDS and subset of AML patients is based on treatment with DNA hypomethylating agent Azacytidine (AZA) interfering in PU.1 gene regulatory mechanism. However, poor response or resistance to this therapy often occurs. In this thesis we present data obtained from AZA-resistant clones of MDS/AML cell line OCI-M2. We analysed DNA methylation and DNA hydroxymethylation at the key regulatory element of the PU.1 gene (URE). We found that these epigenetic modifications at URE...