Thromb Haemost 2013; 109(02): 263-271
DOI: 10.1160/TH12-07-0497
Platelets and Blood Cells
Schattauer GmbH

Ubiquitin/proteasome-rich particulate cytoplasmic structures (PaCSs) in the platelets and megakaryocytes of ANKRD26-related thrombocytopenia

Vittorio Necchi
1   Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
2   Centro GrandiStrumenti, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
,
Alessandra Balduini
1   Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
3   Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tufts University, Medford, Massachusetts, USA
,
Patrizia Noris
4   Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation and University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
,
Serena Barozzi
4   Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation and University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
,
Patrizia Sommi
1   Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
5   Department of Pathology, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation, Pavia, Italy
,
Christian di Buduo
1   Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
,
Carlo L. Balduini
4   Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation and University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
,
Enrico Solcia
1   Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
5   Department of Pathology, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation, Pavia, Italy
,
Alessandro Pecci
4   Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation and University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
› Author Affiliations

Financial support: This work was supported by a grant from the Telethon Foundation (n. GGP10089), and by the IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation, Pavia, Italy.
Further Information

Publication History

Received: 18 July 2012

Accepted after minor revision: 24 October 2012

Publication Date:
29 November 2017 (online)

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Summary

ANKRD26-related thrombocytopenia (ANKRD26-RT) is an autosomaldominant thrombocytopenia caused by mutations in the 5’UTR of the ANKRD26 gene. ANKRD26-RT is characterised by dysmegakaryopoiesis and an increased risk of leukaemia. PaCSs are novel particulate cytoplasmic structures with selective immunoreactivity for polyubiquitinated proteins and proteasome that have been detected in a number of solid cancers, in the epithelia of Helicobacter pylori gastritis and related preneoplastic lesions, and in the neutrophils of Schwachman- Diamond syndrome, a genetic disease with neutropenia and increased leukaemia risk. We searched for PaCSs in blood cells from 14 consecutive patients with ANKRD26-RT. Electron microscopy combined with immunogold staining for polyubiquitinated proteins, 20S and 19S proteasome showed PaCSs in most ANKRD26-RT platelets, as in a restricted minority of platelets from healthy controls and from subjects with other inherited or immune thrombocytopenias. In ANKRD26-RT platelets, the PaCS amount exceeded that of control platelets by a factor of 5 (p<0.0001). Immunoblotting showed that the higher PaCS number was associated with increased amounts of polyubiquitinated proteins and proteasome in ANKRD26-RT platelets. PaCSs were also extensively represented in ANKRD26-RT megakaryocytes, but not in healthy control megakaryocytes, and were absent in other ANKRD26-RT and control blood cells. Therefore, large amounts of PaCSs are a characteristic feature of ANKRD26-RT platelets and megakaryocytes, although these novel cell components are also present in a small subpopulation of normal platelets. The widespread presence of PaCSs in inherited diseases with increased leukaemia risk, as well as in solid neoplasms and their preneoplastic lesions, suggests a link of these structures with oncogenesis.