Differential regulation of transcription of p21 and cyclin D1 conferred by TAF(II)250

The TATA-binding protein-associated factor TAF(II)250, the largest subunit of TFIID, was first identified as the cell cycle regulatory protein CCG1. The ts13 Syrian hamster ovary fibroblast cell line, which contains a temperature-sensitive point mutation in TAF(II)250/CCG1, is arrested in G1 following a shift to the nonpermissive temperature. Here we demonstrate that the level of the D-type cyclins, in particular D1, was reduced, whereas the level of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 was stimulated in ts13 cells at the nonpermissive temperature. The levels of expression of cyclins A and E were not affected by temperature shift. We further show that at least part of the regulation of D1 and p21 levels in ts13 cells is mediated at the level of transcription initiation. These results suggest that the effect of the temperature-sensitive mutation TAF(II)250 on cell growth can be mediated through the differential regulation of transcription of specific cell growth regulatory genes, such as cyclin D1 and p21.

Cyclin E expression in benign and malignant epithelial neoplasms of the gallbladder

Cyclins are the regulatory subunits of cyclin-dependent kinase and play an important role in cell proliferation. Many tumors, such as colon, breast and gastric carcinomas are known to be involved in the deregulation or amplification of cyclins, especially cyclin E, which involves the restriction point of G1-S transition. We investigated the expression of cyclin E in benign and malignant epithelial tumors of the gallbladder and compared the results with the activity of cell proliferation by the Ki67 antigen using immunohistochemical staining. Cyclin E was expressed in the adenocarcinoma tissue in 33.3% of patients (4 out of 12 cases), whereas only one out of 8 cases of adenoma expressed cyclin E (12.5%). There was a correlation between cyclin E expression and the Ki67 labeling index. These results suggest that the high expression of cyclin E in adenocarcinoma of the gallbladder is related to a high rate of cell proliferation.

Correlation between G1 cyclins and HPV in the uterine cervix

G1 cyclin, as a candidate proto-oncogene, plays a key role as a cellular regulator through direct interaction with retinoblastoma gene product (pRB), p107, and cyclin-dependent kinase. Human papillomavirus (HPV) 16/18 E6/7 proteins may bind the unphosphorylated pRB and act as a down-regulator of cyclin D. However, this theory has not been proven and the relationship between cyclin E and HPV also remains unclear. Using formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded cervical tissues, we examined for HPV types 16 and 18 by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and for the accumulation of cyclin D1 and E by immunohistochemistry in 22 cases of normal cervix, 23 cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN), 39 cases of invasive squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), and 6 cases of adenocarcinoma. Cyclin index (CI) was defined as the percentage of positively labeled nuclei per 1000 cells. The accumulation of cyclin D1 was detected in the normal basal and parabasal epithelium and was markedly decreased in neoplastic epithelium (0.87% CI in CIN, 5.88% in SCC). However, cyclin E was absent in the normal cervix but increased in neoplastic epithelium (7.17% CI in CIN, 10.32% in SCC). Cyclin D1 expression was significantly low (p = 0.004), but cyclin E expression was significantly high (p = 0.026) in HPV-positive cases. Cyclin E plays a leading role in neoplastic transformation whereas cyclin D is down-regulated, especially when associated with HPV.

S-Phase entry upon ectopic expression of G1 cyclin-dependent kinases in the absence of retinoblastoma protein phosphorylation

In mammalian cells, the retinoblastoma protein (Rb) is thought to negatively regulate progression through the G1 phase of the cell cycle by its association with the transcription factor E2F [1-3]. Rb-E2F complexes suppress transcription of genes required for DNA synthesis ([4], reviewed in [3,5]), and the prevailing view is that phosphorylation of Rb by complexes of cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) and their regulatory cyclin subunits, and the subsequent release of active E2F, is required for S-phase entry [1-3]. This view is based, in part, on the fact that ectopic expression of cyclin-Cdks leads to Rb phosphorylation and that this modification correlates with S-phase entry [6-8]. In Drosophila, however, cyclin E expression can bypass a requirement for E2F, suggesting that cyclins may activate replication independently of the Rb/E2F pathway [9]. We sought to examine whether Rb phosphorylation is a prerequisite for S-phase entry in Rb-deficient SAOS-2 osteosarcoma cells, using a commonly used cotransfection assay [6-8,10]. We find that a G1 arrest in SAOS-2 cells mediated by an Rb mutant lacking all 14 consensus Cdk phosphorylation sites is bypassed by coexpressing G1-specific E-type or D-type cyclin-Cdk complexes, and that injection of purified cyclin-Cdks during G1 accelerates S-phase entry. Our results indicate that Rb phosphorylation is not essential for S-phase entry when G1 cyclin-Cdks are overexpressed, and that other substrates of these kinases can be rate-limiting for the G1 to S-phase transition. These data also reveal that the SAOS-2 cotransfection assay is complicated by Rb-independent effects of the coexpressed Cdks.

Cyclin E and c-Myc promote cell proliferation in the presence of p16INK4a and of hypophosphorylated retinoblastoma family proteins

Retroviral expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor p16(INK4a) in rodent fibroblasts induces dephosphorylation of pRb, p107 and p130 and leads to G1 arrest. Prior expression of cyclin E allows S-phase entry and long-term proliferation in the presence of p16. Cyclin E prevents neither the dephosphorylation of pRb family proteins, nor their association with E2F proteins in response to p16. Thus, cyclin E can bypass the p16/pRb growth-inhibitory pathway downstream of pRb activation. Retroviruses expressing E2F-1, -2 or -3 also prevent p16-induced growth arrest but are ineffective against the cyclin E-CDK2 inhibitor p27(Kip1), suggesting that E2F cannot substitute for cyclin E activity. Thus, cyclin E possesses an E2F-independent function required to enter S-phase. However, cyclin E may not simply bypass E2F function in the presence of p16, since it restores expression of E2F-regulated genes such as cyclin A or CDC2. Finally, c-Myc bypasses the p16/pRb pathway with effects indistinguishable from those of cyclin E. We suggest that this effect of Myc is mediated by its action upstream of cyclin E-CDK2, and occurs via the neutralization of p27(Kip1) family proteins, rather than induction of Cdc25A. Our data imply that oncogenic activation of c-Myc, and possibly also of cyclin E, mimics loss of the p16/pRb pathway during oncogenesis.

Phosphorylation-dependent degradation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27

The p27(Kip1) protein associates with G1-specific cyclin-CDK complexes and inhibits their catalytic activity. p27(Kip1) is regulated at various levels, including translation, degradation by the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway and non-covalent sequestration. Here, we describe point mutants of p27 deficient in their interaction with either cyclins (p27(c-)), CDKs (p27(k-)) or both (p27(ck-)), and demonstrate that each contact is critical for kinase inhibition and induction of G1 arrest. Through its intact cyclin contact, p27(k-) associated with active cyclin E-CDK2 and, unlike wild type p27, p27(c-) or p27(ck-), was efficiently phosphorylated by CDK2 on a conserved C-terminal CDK target site (TPKK). Retrovirally expressed p27(k-) was rapidly degraded through the proteasome in Rat1 cells, but was stabilized by secondary mutation of the TPKK site to VPKK. In this experimental setting, exogenous wild-type p27 formed inactive ternary complexes with cellular cyclin E-CDK2, was not degraded through the proteasome, and was not further stabilized by the VPKK mutation. p27(ck-), which was not recruited to cyclin E-CDK2, also remained stable in vivo. Thus, selective degradation of p27(k-) depended upon association with active cyclin E-CDK2 and subsequent phosphorylation. Altogether, these data show that p27 must be phosphorylated by CDK2 on the TPKK site in order to be degraded by the proteasome. We propose that cellular p27 must also exist transiently in a cyclin-bound non-inhibitory conformation in vivo.

Repression of c-Myc responsive genes in cycling cells causes G1 arrest through reduction of cyclin E/CDK2 kinase activity

The c-myc gene encodes a sequence-specific DNA binding protein involved in proliferation and oncogenesis. Activation of c-myc expression in quiescent cells is sufficient to mediate cell cycle entry, whereas inhibition of c-myc expression causes cycling cells to withdraw from the cell cycle. To search for components of the cell cycle machinery that are targets of c-Myc, we have made a mutant c-Myc protein, named MadMyc, that actively represses c-myc target genes. Expression of MadMyc in cycling NIH3T3 cells causes a significant accumulation of cells in G1. The MadMyc-induced G1 arrest is rescued by ectopic expression of cyclin E/CDK2 and cyclin D1/ CDK4, but not by Cdc25A, a known cell cycle target of c-Myc. The MadMyc G1 arrest does not require the presence of a functional retinoblastoma protein and is associated with a strong reduction in cyclin E/CDK2 kinase activity in arrested cells. MadMyc does not cause alterations in the expression levels of cyclin E, CDK2, p27kip1, cyclin D1 or CDK4 in G1-arrested cells. These data indicate that inhibition of c-Myc activity in exponentially growing cells leads to G1 arrest through loss of cyclin E-associated kinase activity.

Characterisation of the G1/S cell cycle checkpoint defect in lung carcinoma cells with different intrinsic radiosensitivities

Cell cycle perturbations in three lung carcinoma cell lines (U-1285,U1906 and U-1810) with different intrinsic radiosensitivities (SF2 U-1285 = 0.25, SF2 U-1906 = 0.45, SF2 U-1810 = 0.88) were investigated following x-irradiation. Cell cycle flow calculations showed that the G1-->S-phase transit was accelerated in irradiated compared with untreated U-1285 cells, up to 24 hours postirradiation. In U-1810 cells and U-1906 cells the postirradiation G1-->S transit decreased compared with controls. All three cell lines showed no postirradiation induction of p53 and p21CIP1 proteins. Cyclin E was overexpressed and cyclin E-dependent kinase activity was substantially induced by irradiation in U-1285 cells compared with U-1906 and U1810 cells while p27KIP1 was detected at the highest intensity in U-1810 cells and lowest in U-1285 cells. We hypothesise that the accelerated postirradiation G1-->S transit in U-1285 cells is associated with induction of cyclin E-dependent kinase activity and may account for increased radiosensitivity in these cells.

Immunolocalization of cyclins D and E and cyclin dependent kinase (cdk) 2 and 4 in human breast carcinoma

We studied the immunolocalization of cyclins D1 and E and their corresponding partner cyclin dependent kinases (cdk), cdk4 and cdk2 in 41 cases of human breast malignancy (21 invasive ductal carcinomas and 19 invasive lobular carcinomas) and examined the correlation of the labeling indexes among these cyclins, cdks, Ki67, estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR). Cyclin D1 immunoreactivity was observed exclusively in the nuclei of tumor cells in 27/41 (65%) of the cases examined. Immunoreactivity for cyclin E and cdk2 was detected in all the cases and observed in the nuclei of both carcinoma and non-carcinoma cells. cdk4 immunoreactivity was detected in 39/41 (95%) cases and found in carcinoma and non-carcinoma cells. In all carcinomas examined, a significant correlation was observed only between Ki67 and cyclin D1 (p = 0.0037). However, when examining only invasive ductal carcinomas, a significant correlation was detected between Ki67 and cyclin D1 (p = 0.0069), Ki67 and cdk2 (p = 0.0043) and cyclin D1 and cdk4 (P = 0.0024). Only cyclin D1 correlated with the pathologic stages of the disease and histological grades of invasive ductal carcinoma. Among these cyclins and cdk, overexpression of cyclin D1 is considered to play an important role in the development of human breast malignancy through abnormal proliferation. No significant correlation was observed between steroid receptor status and any of cyclins and cdks examined. Cyclin D1 and cdk2 expression correlated with cell proliferation (Ki67) and cyclin D1 expression with expression of cdk4 in invasive ductal carcinoma but not invasive lobular carcinoma. Cyclin E expression did not correlate with cell proliferation, cyclin D1 or cdks possibly due to deregulation of its expression. These results also indicate different patterns of cyclin D1, cyclin E, cdk2 and cdk4 expression between invasive ductal and lobular carcinoma of human breast.