48 This presumably reflects the different levels of residual NF-κB activity in each experimental system. In conclusion, the present study exploited the potency and selectivity

of two IKK inhibitors to show that IKK controls, in an IL-2-independent manner, the expression of several regulatory proteins crucial in enabling activated T cells to enter the cell cycle. Although further study is needed to thoroughly understand the mechanisms by which IKK regulates the expression of these proteins, our results signaling pathway provide new information about the molecular basis of the immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory effects of IKK inhibition. Thus, these findings may prove helpful for developing new and more selective pharmacologically active molecules. This work was supported by a grant from Regione Piemonte, Italy; ‘Ricerca scientifica applicata’ project A189. None. “
“HAX1 was originally described as HS1-associated protein with a suggested function in receptor-mediated apoptotic and proliferative responses of lymphoid cells. Recent publications refer to a complex and multifunctional role of this protein. To investigate

the in vivo function of HAX1 (HS1-associated protein X1) in B cells, we generated a Hax1-deficient mouse strain. Targeted deletion of Hax1 resulted in premature death around the age of 12 wk accompanied by a severe reduction of lymphocytes in spleen, thymus cAMP and bone marrow. In the bone marrow, LBH589 research buy all B-cell populations were lost comparably. In the spleen, B220+ cells were reduced by almost 70%. However, as investigated by adoptive transfer experiments, this impairment is not exclusively

B-cell intrinsic and we hypothesize that a HAX1-deficient environment cannot sufficiently provide the essential factors for proper lymphocyte development, trafficking and survival. Hax1−/− B cells show a significantly reduced expression of CXCR4, which might have an influence on the observed defects in B-cell development. HS1-associated protein X1 (HAX1) was first described in human tissues as interaction partner of HS1 1. The 75-kDa molecule HS1 is a substrate of the Src family of tyrosine kinases with known functions in B-cell proliferation and receptor-mediated apoptosis 2. HAX1 protein (35 kDa) is ubiquitously expressed in murine and human tissues, but the subcellular localization varies among cell types. It is closely associated with cellular membranes and appears to be mainly localized to mitochondria, and to a lesser extent to the nuclear membrane, the endoplasmic reticulum and the plasma membrane 1, 3, 4. As reported by Suzuki et al. 1, HAX1 shares similarity to BNIP3 in a region of about 100 aa and to the BCL2 protein family within the BH1 and BH2 domains. Yet, the functional significance of these homologies is not well documented.