Histone deacetylases, transcriptional control, and cancer

Histone acetylation: lessons from the plant kingdom

Post-translational acetylation of core histones is an enigmatic process. The identification of histone acetyltransferases and deacetylases as co-regulators of transcription in yeast and vertebrates has advanced our understanding of the biological role of histone acetylation and also improved our general insight into the molecular network of gene regulation. Basic features of histone acetylation in plants resemble those of other eukaryotes but there are differences, which are reflected in novel classes of histone deacetylase. Investigating histone acetylation in higher plants might reveal regulatory pathways distinct from animals, yet of essential importance for gene expression in plants.

Characterization of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 regulation by Epstein-Barr virus-encoded latent membrane protein-1 identifies pathways that cooperate with nuclear factor kappa B to activate transcription

The latent membrane protein-1 (LMP1) of Epstein-Barr virus induces gene transcription, phenotypic changes, and oncogenic transformation. One cellular gene induced by LMP1 is that for intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), which participates in a wide range of inflammatory and immune responses. ICAM-1 may enhance the immune recognition of cells transformed by Epstein-Barr virus, and thus combat development of malignancy. Despite growing understanding of the various signaling functions of LMP1, the molecular mechanisms by which LMP1 induces ICAM-1 are not understood. Here, we demonstrate that transcriptional activation by LMP1 is absolutely dependent upon a variant NF-kappaB motif within the tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) response element of the ICAM-1 promoter. Although the TNFalpha response element is sufficient for TNFalpha induction of the ICAM-1 promoter, LMP1 also required the cooperation of additional upstream sequences for optimal induction. Inhibitor studies of known LMP1-induced signaling pathways ruled out the involvement of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase, and the Janus-activating tyrosine kinase 3 (JAK3), and confirmed NF-kappaB as a critical factor for induction of ICAM-1. However, although constitutive activation of NF-kappaB efficiently induced promoter activity, it was not sufficient to induce either ICAM-1 mRNA or ICAM-1 protein. Using signaling defective LMP1 mutants and deacetylation inhibitors, we showed that the C-terminal activator region 1 of LMP1 delivers a new cooperating signal to induce ICAM-1 mRNA.

Histone deacetylase 4 associates with extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2, and its cellular localization is regulated by oncogenic Ras

Histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) is a member of a family of enzymes that catalyze the removal of acetyl groups from core histones, resulting in a compact chromatin structure that is generally associated with repressed gene transcription. Protein phosphorylation has been implicated in the regulation of the corepressor activity of the deacetylase. Here we report that serine/threonine kinases are found in association with HDAC4 and phosphorylate HDAC4 in vitro, and HDAC4 is phosphorylated in cells. The extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), also known as p44(MAPK) and p42(MAPK), respectively, are two of the kinases associated with HDAC4. ERK1/2 are components of the Ras-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal transduction pathway. Activation of the Ras-MAPK pathway by expression of oncogenic Ras or constitutively active MAPK/ERK kinase 1 results in an increased percentage of cells (from approximately 10% to approximately 70%) that express HDAC4 in the nucleus in C2C12 myoblast cells. In cells transfected with oncogenic Ras, nuclear HDAC4 is associated with kinase activity. Our results provide evidence that protein kinase activity is present in a protein complex with HDAC4 and directly links the Ras-MAPK signal transduction pathway to a mechanism for chromatin remodeling (i.e., histone deacetylation).

Mouse scrapie responsive gene 1 (Scrg1): genomic organization, physical linkage to sap30, genetic mapping on chromosome 8, and expression in neuronal primary cell cultures

We have previously reported a transcript of a novel mouse gene (Scrg1) with increased expression in transmissible spongiform encephalopathies and the cloning of the human mRNA analogue. In this paper, we present the genomic organization of the mouse and human SCRG1 loci, which exhibit a high degree of conservation. The genes are composed of three exons; the two downstream exons contain the protein coding region. The mouse gene is expressed in brain tissue essentially as a 0.7-kb message but also as a minor 2.6-kb mRNA. We have sequenced 20 kb of DNA at the mouse Scrg1 locus and found that the longer transcript is the prolongation of the 0.7-kb mRNA to a polyadenylation site located about 2 kb further downstream. Sequencing revealed that the mouse Scrg1 gene is physically linked to Sap30, a gene that encodes a protein of the histone deacetylase complex, and genetic linkage mapping assigned the localization of Scrg1 to chromosome 8 between Ant1 and Hmg2. Northern blot analysis showed that Scrg1 is under strict developmental control in mouse embryo and is expressed by cells of neuronal origin in vitro. Comparison of the rat, mouse, and human SCRG1 proteins identified a box of 35 identical contiguous amino acids and a characteristic cysteine distribution pattern defining a new protein signature.

Histone deacetylase interacts directly with DNA topoisomerase II

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) modify nucleosomal histones, have a key role in the regulation of gene transcription, and may be involved in cell-cycle regulation, differentiation and human cancer. Purified recombinant human HDAC1 protein was used to screen a cDNA expression library, and one of the clones identified encoded DNA topoisomerase II (Topo II), an enzyme known to have a role in transcriptional regulation and chromatin organization. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments indicate that HDAC1 and HDAC2 are associated with Topo II in vivo under normal physiological conditions. Complexes containing Topo II possess HDAC activities, and complexes containing HDAC1 or HDAC2 possess Topo II activities. HDAC and Topo II modify each other's activity in vitro and in vivo. Our results indicate the existence of a functionally coupled complex between these two enzymes and offer insights into the potential mechanisms of action of both enzymes.