Isoforms of the promyelocytic leukemia protein differ in their effects on ND10 organization

The PML protein is a defining constituent of subnuclear structures known as ND10. PML is expressed as a series of primary sequence isoforms through alternative RNA processing. Expression of each of six distinct PML isoforms that differed in their C-terminal domains caused reproducible differences in the number, size, and shape of ND10 in both transformed cell lines and diploid fibroblasts. In each case, PML from the endogenous genes was reorganized to participate with the exogenously expressed PML in the new configuration of ND10. Variation in ND10 number is known to occur during the cell cycle; however, the cell cycle distribution of the transfected cells that displayed these altered ND10 was similar for all six PML isoforms. Given our findings, the precise level of expression of the different PML isoforms under particular physiological conditions will be an important determinant of ND10 organization and function and is a potential point of regulation of PML/ND10 function.