Physical interaction of the retinoblastoma protein with human D cyclins

Inhibition of ras-induced proliferation and cellular transformation by p16INK4

The cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) regulates progression through the G1 phase of the cell cycle. The activity of CDK4 is controlled by the opposing effects of the D-type cyclin, an activating subunit, and p16INK4, an inhibitory subunit. Ectopic expression of p16INK4 blocked entry into S phase of the cell cycle induced by oncogenic Ha-Ras, and this block was relieved by coexpression of a catalytically inactive CDK4 mutant. Expression of p16INK4 suppressed cellular transformation of primary rat embryo fibroblasts by oncogenic Ha-Ras and Myc, but not by Ha-Ras and E1a. Together, these observations provide direct evidence that p16INK4 can inhibit cell growth.

Immunohistochemical Analysis of the Cell Cycle-Associated Antigens Ki-67 and Retinoblastoma Protein in Parathyroid Carcinomas and Adenomas

The morphologic distinction between parathyroid carcinoma and adenoma can be a difficult diagnostic problem. We analyzed nuclear immunoreactivity for the cell cycle-associated antigen Ki-67 with monoclonal antibody (MAb) MIB-1 and for retinoblastoma (RB) protein with two polyclonal antisera in 24 parathyroid carcinomas and 35 adenomas, which were formalin fixed and paraffin embedded to determine if these antibodies could assist in distinguishing between carcinomas and adenomas. In addition, 10 cases of parathyroid hyperplasia and 5 cases of normal parathyroids were examined as control tissues. The Ki-67 labeling index was significantly higher in parathyroid carcinomas compared to adenomas (7.1 +/- 1.0% vs 2.4 +/- 0.2%, p <0.001). No patient with a parathyroid adenoma, parathyroid hyperplasia, or normal parathyroid gland had a Ki-67 labeling index >5.3%. Analysis of the primary tumors from patients with recurrent carcinomas and from those with nonrecurrent carcinomas showed a higher mean Ki-67 labeling index (7.8 +/- 1.5% vs 5.2 +/- 1.1%) in the former group. Although these differences were not statistically significant, the RB protein immunoreactivity was not useful in distinguishing between parathyroid carcinomas and adenomas in paraffin-tissue sections. These results indicate that nuclear immunoreactivity for the cell cycle-associated antigen Ki-67 may be another useful method to assist in distinguishing parathyroid carcinomas from adenomas.

The 'LXCXE' hydropathic superfamily of ligands for retinoblastoma protein: a proposal

The present study reports structural similarities between viral oncoproteins, growth factors belonging to the insulin family, members of the steroid/thyroid receptor superfamily, a D-type cyclin, the Elf-1 transcription factor and Bcl oncoproteins in regions that have been shown or proposed to mediate complex formation of these proteins with the tumor suppressor retinoblastoma protein (RB). This relationship predicts a common intracellular pathway for mitogenic signals and molecules promoting cell survival. Conversely, the structural evidence described here suggests that RB may play a central role both at the boundary between negative and positive cell growth regulation as well as in developmental decisions between cell death and cell survival.

Molecular biological aspects of soft tissue tumors

In the preceding, the reader has hopefully developed an appreciation of the major malignant tumors to be encountered in somatic soft tissues in children, adolescents, and young adults. In aggregate, this group of tumors accounts for about 20% of cancer in this age group. Importantly, they are curable tumors when nonmetastatic at presentation, but therapy appropriate to prognosis and tumor responsiveness is highly dependent on precise diagnosis. The historical morphologic methods alone will not suffice for this purpose, but the anticipated rapid advent of molecular genetic diagnostic and prognostic methods should. Useful, practical, and rapid genetic tests, available in the same time frame as the routine histopathologic evaluation of these tumors, are likely to forever change the diagnosis and management of these tumors, individually and as a group.

Disruption of retinoblastoma protein function by coexpression of its C pocket fragment

The growth suppression function of the retinoblastoma protein (RB) is mediated by its interaction with a variety of cellular proteins. RB contains at least two protein-binding pockets: the large A/B pocket, which interacts with E2F and the D-type cyclins, and the C pocket, which interacts with the nuclear c-Abl tyrosine kinase. The large A/B pocket and the C pocket are shown here to be functionally distinct and can be occupied simultaneously. A complex containing E2F, RB, and c-Abl is detected in vivo and can be assembled in vitro. We propose that the biological activity of RB not only depends on the inhibition of its targets but also on its ability to properly assemble specific protein complexes. Consistent with this hypothesis, a fragment of RB, SE delta, containing only the C pocket is shown to act as a dominant-negative inhibitor of RB function. SE delta does not have growth inhibitory activity of its own. When coexpressed with full-length RB, SE delta does not disrupt the RB-E2F or RB-D2 complexes nor does it affect the expression, phosphorylation, or nuclear tethering of the full-length RB. SE delta does compete with RB for binding to c-Abl and is fully capable of inhibiting the c-Abl tyrosine kinase. Thus, SE delta can inactivate RB while maintaining the inhibition of E2F and c-Abl. These results suggest that the inhibition of RB-binding proteins is not sufficient to suppress cell growth and that the assembly of RB-mediated protein complexes is also important for the promotion of cell-cycle arrest.

Oncogenic capacity of the E2F1 gene

Previous experiments have identified the E2F transcription factor as a potential downstream target for the action of cellular regulatory activities, such as the Rb tumor suppressor protein, that control cell growth and that, when altered, contribute to the development of human tumors. In light of these findings, we have assayed the ability of the E2F1 and DP1 genes, which encode heterodimeric partners that together create E2F activity, to act in an oncogenic fashion. We find that E2F1, particularly in combination with the DP1 product, cooperates with an activated ras oncogene to induce the formation of morphologically transformed foci in primary rat embryo fibroblast cultures. In addition, an E2F1 chimeric protein, in which sequences involved in Rb binding have been replaced with the herpesvirus VP16 activation domain, exhibits increased transformation activity. Cells transfected with E2F1 and DP1 or the E2F1-VP16 chimera form colonies in soft agar and induce tumor formation in nude mice. We conclude that deregulated E2F1 expression and function can have oncogenic consequences.

Growth suppression by p18, a p16INK4/MTS1- and p14INK4B/MTS2-related CDK6 inhibitor, correlates with wild-type pRb function

The D-type cyclin-dependent kinases CDK4 and CDK6 are complexed with many small cellular proteins (p14, p15, p16, p18, and p20). We have isolated cDNA sequences corresponding to the MTS2 genomic fragment that encodes the CDK4- and CDK6-associated p14 protein. By use of a yeast interaction screen to search for CDK6-interacting proteins, we have also identified an 18-kD human protein, p18, that is a homolog of the cyclin D-CDK4 inhibitors p16 (INK4A/MTS1) and p14 (MTS2/INK4B). Both in vivo and in vitro, p18 interacts strongly with CDK6, weakly with CDK4, and exhibits no detectable interaction with the other known CDKs. Recombinant p18 inhibits the kinase activity of cyclin D-CDK6. Distinct from the p21/p27 family of CDK inhibitors that form ternary complexes with cyclin-CDKs, only binary complexes of p14, p16, and p18 were found in association with CDK4 and/or CDK6. Ectopic expression of p18 or p16 suppresses cell growth with a correlated dependence on endogenous wild-type pRb.

Altered gene expression in neurons during programmed cell death: identification of c-jun as necessary for neuronal apoptosis

We have examined the hypothesis that neuronal programmed cell death requires a genetic program; we used a model wherein rat sympathetic neurons maintained in vitro are deprived of NGF and subsequently undergo apoptosis. To evaluate gene expression potentially necessary for this process, we used a PCR-based technique and in situ hybridization; patterns of general gene repression and selective gene induction were identified in NGF-deprived neurons. A temporal cascade of induced genes included "immediate early genes," which were remarkable in that their induction occurred hours after the initial stimulus of NGF removal and the synthesis of some required ongoing protein synthesis. The cascade also included the cell cycle gene c-myb and the genes encoding the extracellular matrix proteases transin and collagenase. Concurrent in situ hybridization and nuclear staining revealed that while c-jun was induced in most neurons, c-fos induction was restricted to neurons undergoing chromatin condensation, a hallmark of apoptosis. To evaluate the functional role of the proteins encoded by these genes, neutralizing antibodies were injected into neurons. Antibodies specific for either c-Jun or the Fos family (c-Fos, Fos B, Fra-1, and Fra-2) protected NGF-deprived neurons from apoptosis, whereas antibodies specific for Jun B, Jun D, or three nonimmune antibody preparations had no protective effect. Because these induced genes encode proteins ranging from a transcription factor necessary for death to proteases likely involved in tissue remodeling concurrent with death, these data may outline a genetic program responsible for neuronal programmed cell death.

Mammalian G1 cyclins

D- and E-type cyclins regulate the progression of mammalian cells through the G1 phase of the cell cycle. The mechanisms responsible for the accumulation and activation of kinases dependent on cyclins D and E in both normal and cancerous cells have recently been uncovered. Overexpression of cyclin D1 protein as a consequence of genetic rearrangements, and deletions or mutations of the p16INK4 gene have been demonstrated in a large variety of human cancers, including breast and esophageal carcinomas, lymphomas, bladder carcinoma, pancreatic adenocarcinoma and familial melanoma.

The herpes simplex virus type 2 gene which encodes the large subunit of ribonucleotide reductase has unusual regulatory properties

Expression of herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) encoded ribonucleotide reductase (RR) is required for growth of the virus in non-dividing cells. The functional enzyme is composed of a large (RRA) and small (RRB) subunit and the enzyme is expressed as a delayed early activity. The promoter of RRA contains a cis-acting motif (TAATGARAT) which resembles those found in immediate early (IE) genes suggesting RRA is an IE gene. When primate cells were infected with HSV-2, low levels of RRA transcripts were expressed in the presence of cycloheximide indicating RRA is not a true IE gene. Conditions which allow for efficient RRA RNA expression in the presence of cycloheximide were identified in human cells. A phorbol ester, 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13- acetate (TPA), and hydroxyurea increased the level of RRA RNA expression in the presence of cycloheximide. Hydroxyurea and TPA also stimulated RRA promoter activity in transient assays suggesting these agents induced factors which transactivated the RRA promoter. Expression of an intact c-myc gene transactivated the RRA promoter more than 30-fold in transient assays. Although expression of an intact retinoblastoma gene (Rb) had a slight stimulatory effect on the RRA promoter, mutant Rb proteins also stimulated the RRA promoter. These studies demonstrated that inducible factors in permissive cells increase the steady state levels of RRA RNA in the presence of cycloheximide.

Differential specificity for binding of retinoblastoma binding protein 2 to RB, p107, and TATA-binding protein

The growth suppressor activities of the RB and p107 products are believed to be mediated by the reversible binding of a heterogeneous family of cellular proteins to a conserved T/E1A pocket domain that is present within both proteins. To study the functional role of these interactions, we examined the properties of cellular retinoblastoma binding protein 2 (RBP2) binding to RB, p107, and the related TATA-binding protein (TBP) product. We observed that although RBP2 bound exclusively to the T/E1A pocket of p107, it could interact with RB through independent T/E1A and non-T/E1A domains and with TBP only through the non-T/E1A domain. Consistent with this observation, we found that a mutation within the Leu-X-Cys-X-Glu motif of RBP2 resulted in loss of ability to precipitate p107, while RB- and TBP-binding activities were retained. We located the non-T/E1A binding site of RBP2 on a 15-kDa fragment that is independent from the Leu-X-Cys-X-Glu motif and encodes binding activity for RB and TBP but does not interact with p107. Despite the presence of a non-T/E1A binding site, however, recombinant RBP2 retained the ability to preferentially precipitate active hypophosphorylated RB from whole-cell lysates. In addition, we found that cotransfection of RBP2 can reverse in vivo RB-mediated suppression of E2F activity. These findings confirm the differential binding specificities of the related RB, p107, and TBP proteins and support the presence of multifunctional domains on the nuclear RBP2 product which may allow complex interactions with the cellular transcription machinery.

Virus-encoded cyclin

Herpesvirus saimiri contains an open reading frame called eclf2 with homology to the cellular type D cyclins. We now show that the eclf2 gene product is a novel virus-encoded cyclin (v-cyclin). The protein encoded by the v-cyclin gene of this oncogenic herpesvirus was found to have an apparent molecular size of 29 kDa in transformed cells. v-Cyclin protein was found to be associated with cdk6, a cellular cyclin-dependent kinase known to interact with cellular type D cyclins. cdk6/v-cyclin complexes strongly phosphorylated Rb fusion protein and histone H1 as substrates in vitro. Mutational analyses showed that highly conserved amino acids in the cyclin box of v-cyclin were important for association with cdk6 and for activation of cdk6 kinase activity. Thus, v-cyclin resembles cellular type D cyclins in primary sequence, in its association with cdk6, by its ability to activate protein kinase activity, and by the presence of functional cyclin box sequences. v-Cyclin exhibited a selective preference for association with cdk6 over other cyclin-dependent kinases and a high level of kinase activation. The properties of v-cyclin suggest a likely role in oncogenic transformation by this T-lymphotropic herpesvirus.

Suppression of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 during induced differentiation of erythroleukemia cells

Differentiation of murine erythroleukemia cells induced by hexamethylene bisacetamide (HMBA) is associated with accumulation of underphosphorylated retinoblastoma protein (pRB) and an increase in retinoblastoma (RB) gene expression. Here we show that HMBA causes a rapid decrease in the level of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (cdk4) protein. This decrease results from decreased stability of the protein, while the rate of synthesis of the protein is not affected by HMBA. The decrease in the level of cdk4 protein is followed by suppression of the pRB kinase activity associated with cdk4. Cyclin D3, which can bind and activated cdk4, is increased in HMBA-induced cells and is found in complex with pRB and the transcription factor E2F. In uninduced cells cyclin D3 complexes with pRB and E2F are barely detected. At the later stages of differentiation, MEL cells become arrested in G1 and cdk2 kinase activity is suppressed; this is accompanied by a decrease in the level of cyclin A and cdk2 proteins. Cells transfected with cdk4, which continue to overexpress cdk4 protein during culture with HMBA, are resistant to HMBA-induced differentiation. In contrast, overexpression of cdk2 protein does not inhibit induced differentiation. These findings suggest that suppression of cdk4 is a critical event in the pathway leading to terminal differentiation of erythroleukemia cells.

Mutations and altered expression of p16INK4 in human cancer

Cell cycle arrest at the G1 checkpoint allows completion of critical macromolecular events prior to S phase. Regulators of the G1 checkpoint include an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase, p16INK4; two tumor-suppressor proteins, p53 and RB (the product of the retinoblastoma-susceptibility gene); and cyclin D1. Neither p16INK4 nor the RB protein was detected in 28 of 29 tumor cell lines from human lung, esophagus, liver, colon, and pancreas. The presence of p16INK4 protein is inversely correlated with detectable RB or cyclin D1 proteins and is not correlated with p53 mutations. Homozygous deletions of p16INK4 were detected in several cell lines, but intragenic mutations of this gene were unusual in either cell lines or primary tumors. Transfection of the p16INK4 cDNA expression vector into carcinoma cells inhibits their colony-forming efficiency and the p16INK4 expressing cells are selected against with continued passage in vitro. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that p16INK4 is a tumor-suppressor protein and that genetic and epigenetic abnormalities in genes controlling the G1 checkpoint can lead to both escape from senescence and cancer formation.

Virus-encoded cyclin

Herpesvirus saimiri contains an open reading frame called eclf2 with homology to the cellular type D cyclins. We now show that the eclf2 gene product is a novel virus-encoded cyclin (v-cyclin). The protein encoded by the v-cyclin gene of this oncogenic herpesvirus was found to have an apparent molecular size of 29 kDa in transformed cells. v-Cyclin protein was found to be associated with cdk6, a cellular cyclin-dependent kinase known to interact with cellular type D cyclins. cdk6/v-cyclin complexes strongly phosphorylated Rb fusion protein and histone H1 as substrates in vitro. Mutational analyses showed that highly conserved amino acids in the cyclin box of v-cyclin were important for association with cdk6 and for activation of cdk6 kinase activity. Thus, v-cyclin resembles cellular type D cyclins in primary sequence, in its association with cdk6, by its ability to activate protein kinase activity, and by the presence of functional cyclin box sequences. v-Cyclin exhibited a selective preference for association with cdk6 over other cyclin-dependent kinases and a high level of kinase activation. The properties of v-cyclin suggest a likely role in oncogenic transformation by this T-lymphotropic herpesvirus.

Differential specificity for binding of retinoblastoma binding protein 2 to RB, p107, and TATA-binding protein

The growth suppressor activities of the RB and p107 products are believed to be mediated by the reversible binding of a heterogeneous family of cellular proteins to a conserved T/E1A pocket domain that is present within both proteins. To study the functional role of these interactions, we examined the properties of cellular retinoblastoma binding protein 2 (RBP2) binding to RB, p107, and the related TATA-binding protein (TBP) product. We observed that although RBP2 bound exclusively to the T/E1A pocket of p107, it could interact with RB through independent T/E1A and non-T/E1A domains and with TBP only through the non-T/E1A domain. Consistent with this observation, we found that a mutation within the Leu-X-Cys-X-Glu motif of RBP2 resulted in loss of ability to precipitate p107, while RB- and TBP-binding activities were retained. We located the non-T/E1A binding site of RBP2 on a 15-kDa fragment that is independent from the Leu-X-Cys-X-Glu motif and encodes binding activity for RB and TBP but does not interact with p107. Despite the presence of a non-T/E1A binding site, however, recombinant RBP2 retained the ability to preferentially precipitate active hypophosphorylated RB from whole-cell lysates. In addition, we found that cotransfection of RBP2 can reverse in vivo RB-mediated suppression of E2F activity. These findings confirm the differential binding specificities of the related RB, p107, and TBP proteins and support the presence of multifunctional domains on the nuclear RBP2 product which may allow complex interactions with the cellular transcription machinery.

Suppression of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 during induced differentiation of erythroleukemia cells

Differentiation of murine erythroleukemia cells induced by hexamethylene bisacetamide (HMBA) is associated with accumulation of underphosphorylated retinoblastoma protein (pRB) and an increase in retinoblastoma (RB) gene expression. Here we show that HMBA causes a rapid decrease in the level of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (cdk4) protein. This decrease results from decreased stability of the protein, while the rate of synthesis of the protein is not affected by HMBA. The decrease in the level of cdk4 protein is followed by suppression of the pRB kinase activity associated with cdk4. Cyclin D3, which can bind and activated cdk4, is increased in HMBA-induced cells and is found in complex with pRB and the transcription factor E2F. In uninduced cells cyclin D3 complexes with pRB and E2F are barely detected. At the later stages of differentiation, MEL cells become arrested in G1 and cdk2 kinase activity is suppressed; this is accompanied by a decrease in the level of cyclin A and cdk2 proteins. Cells transfected with cdk4, which continue to overexpress cdk4 protein during culture with HMBA, are resistant to HMBA-induced differentiation. In contrast, overexpression of cdk2 protein does not inhibit induced differentiation. These findings suggest that suppression of cdk4 is a critical event in the pathway leading to terminal differentiation of erythroleukemia cells.

TP53 gene mutations and CCND1 gene amplification in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell lines

Mutations of the tumor-suppressor gene TP53 and amplification of CCND1 gene have been reported to occur frequently in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSQCC). In experimental systems, TP53 mutations have been shown to lead to genomic instability, including an increased propensity for gene amplification. We have examined 16 HNSQCC cell lines for the association between TP53 over-expression/mutation and CCND1 amplification. p53 over-expression was detected in 50% of the cell lines by immunohistochemistry using the monoclonal antibody (MAb) PAb1801. TP53 mutations were also detected in 50% of the cell lines by analysis of single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and DNA sequencing of exons 4 through 9. Six cell lines showed TP53 mutations and over-expression of the protein, 2 cell lines showed TP53 mutations but no p53 expression, and 2 cell lines showed over-expression of p53 protein but no TP53 gene mutations. CCND1 amplification was found in 38% of the cell lines by Southern blot analysis. Only 1 cell line showed both TP53 mutation and CCND1 amplification, whereas 7 of 8 cell lines with TP53 mutations had no CCND1 amplification. pRb expression was detected by Western blot analysis, and the level of pRb did not correlate with either CCND1 amplification or TP53 mutation. Our findings suggest that TP53 mutation and CCND1 amplification are common genetic alterations in HNSQCC and that the occurrence of either genetic event may be sufficient to abrogate normal cell cycle control.

The retinoblastoma protein and BRG1 form a complex and cooperate to induce cell cycle arrest

The retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein (RB) binds several cellular proteins involved in cell cycle progression. Using the yeast two-hybrid system, we found that RB bound specifically to the protein BRG1. BRG1 shares extensive sequence similarity to Drosophila brahma, an activator of homeotic gene expression, and the yeast transcriptional activator SNF2/SW12. BRG1 contains an RB-binding motif found in viral oncoproteins and bound to the A/B pocket and the hypophosphorylated form of RB. BRG1 did not bind RB in viral oncoprotein-transformed cells. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments suggested BRG1 associates with the RB family in vivo. In the human carcinoma cell line SW13, BRG1 exhibited tumor suppressor activity by inducing formation of flat, growth-arrested cells. This activity depended on the ability of BRG1 to cooperate and complex with RB, as both an RB-nonbinding mutant of BRG1 and the sequestration of RB by adenovirus E1A protein abolished flat cell formation.

Functional importance of complex formation between the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor family and adenovirus E1A proteins as determined by mutational analysis of E1A conserved region 2

Adenovirus early region 1A (E1A) products induce DNA synthesis, transform primary rodent cells, and activate transcription factor E2F through complex formation with an array of cellular proteins via the E1A amino terminus and conserved regions 1 and 2 (CR1 and CR2). Interactions with the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor, pRb, and related proteins p107 and p130 rely somewhat on CR1 but largely on CR2, which contains a core binding sequence Leu-122-X-Cys-X-Glu. We introduced point mutations in CR2 to define such interactions more precisely. In human cells, alteration of any of the conserved residues within the binding core eliminated complex formation with pRb. Conversion of nonconserved Thr-123 to Pro (but not to either Ala or Ser) disrupted binding of pRb, presumably because of conformational changes in the binding core. No single E1A point mutant was completely defective in binding p107, suggesting that molecular interactions between E1A proteins and p107 clearly differ from those with pRb and p130. In general, the patterns of complex formation by E1A mutants in rat, monkey, and human cells were quite similar. All mutants which failed to bind significant amounts of pRb also failed to transform primary rat cells. Several mutants demonstrated selective binding to pRb, p107, and p130, but transforming activity corresponded largely with complex formation with pRb, regardless of the levels of interactions with p107 and p130. Mutants defective for binding of both pRb and p107 failed to induce the activity of transcription factor E2F; however, quite high levels were activated by E1A mutants that interacted with p107 alone. These results suggested that both pRb and p107 are important regulators of E2F activity but that complex formation with and activation of E2F by p107 are insufficient for cell transformation.

Phosphorylation of E2F-1 modulates its interaction with the retinoblastoma gene product and the adenoviral E4 19 kDa protein

The transcription factor E2F is regulated through its cyclical interaction with a spectrum of cellular proteins. One such protein is the product of the retinoblastoma gene (Rb); association of E2F with Rb inhibits its transactivation potential. However, in adenovirus-infected cells, E2F is complexed to the 19 kDa product of the adenovirus E4 gene. We have studied the interaction of E2F-1 with the Rb and adenovirus E4 proteins and show that phosphorylation of E2F-1 on serine residues 332 and 337 prevented its interaction with Rb but was a prerequisite for interaction with E4. These residues were phosphorylated in vivo and by p34cdc2 kinase in vitro. Upon stimulation of serum-starved cells, phosphorylation was induced in the late G1 phase of the cell cycle. These observations suggest that phosphorylation of E2F-1 is important in the regulation of its activity during the cell cycle and during infection of cells by adenovirus.

The kinetics of simian virus 40-induced progression of quiescent cells into S phase depend on four independent functions of large T antigen

Microinjection of purified simian virus 40 large-T-antigen protein or DNA encoding T antigen into serum-starved cells stimulates them to re-enter the cell cycle and progress through G1 into the S phase. Genetic analysis of T antigen indicated that neither its Rb/p107-binding activity nor its p53-binding activity is essential to induce DNA synthesis in CV1P cells. However, T antigens bearing missense mutations that inactivate either activity induced slower progression of the cells into the S phase than did wild-type T antigen. Inactivation of both activities resulted in a T antigen essentially unable to induce DNA synthesis. Missense mutations in either the DNA-binding region of the N terminus also impaired the ability of full-length T antigen to stimulate DNA synthesis in CV1P cells. The wild-type kinetics of cell cycle progression were restored by genetic complementation after coinjection of plasmid DNAs encoding different mutant T antigens or coinjection of purified mutant T-antigen proteins, suggesting that the four mitogenic functions of T antigen are independent. The maximal rate of induction of DNA synthesis in secondary primate cells and established rodent cell lines required the same four functions of T antigen. A model to explain how four independent activities could cooperate to stimulate cell cycle progression is presented.

The PRAD-1/cyclin D1 oncogene product accumulates aberrantly in a subset of colorectal carcinomas

The PRAD-1/cyclin D1 proto-oncogene is localized on chromosome 11q13 and it is overexpressed in several tumour types as a consequence of gene amplification or chromosomal rearrangements. In this study, the abundance and patterns of cyclin D1 protein expression in normal/non-involved colon (n = 44), primary (n = 48) and metastatic (n = 9) colorectal carcinomas, and in a series of 4 colon cancer cell lines were investigated by immunochemical methods using the DCS-6 monoclonal antibody specific for cyclin D1. While examination of all normal colorectal tissue samples and 56% of the primary tumours revealed only weak to undetectable immunostaining signals, 23% of the primary carcinomas showed moderate and 21% showed strong aberrant accumulation of this cell-cycle regulatory oncoprotein. The immunohistochemical patterns in the secondary lesions were concordant with the matched primary tumours in all cases. The staining was nuclear both in the clinical specimens and in the colon cancer cell lines, in which the antibody-mediated knock-out experiments demonstrated a positive regulatory role of the cyclin D1 protein whose function was required for progression through the G1 phase of the cell cycle. These results indicate that the PRAD-1/cyclin D1 protooncogene may be deregulated in a significant subset of colorectal tumours, and warrant further analyses of such aberrations of the cyclin D1/retinoblastoma protein pathway to elucidate its potential involvement in the multistep pathogenesis of human colorectal cancer.

Ectopic expression of cyclin D1 prevents activation of gene transcription by myogenic basic helix-loop-helix regulators

Activation of muscle gene transcription in differentiating skeletal myoblasts requires their withdrawal from the cell cycle. The effects of ectopic cyclin expression on activation of muscle gene transcription by myogenic basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) regulators were investigated. Ectopic expression of cyclin D1, but not cyclins A, B1, B2, C, D3, and E, inhibited transcriptional activation of muscle gene reporter constructs by myogenic bHLH regulators in a dose-dependent manner. Ectopic expression of cyclin D1 inhibited the activity of a myogenic bHLH regulator mutant lacking the basic region protein kinase C site, indicating that phosphorylation of this site is not relevant to the mechanism of inhibition. Analysis of cyclin D1 mutants revealed that the C-terminal acidic region was required for inhibition of myogenic bHLH regulator activity, whereas an intact N-terminal pRb binding motif was not essential. Together, these results implicate expression of cyclin D1 as a central determinant of a putatively novel mechanism that links positive control of cell cycle progression to negative regulation of genes expressed in differentiated myocytes.

Cyclin D1 overexpression vs. retinoblastoma inactivation: implications for growth control evasion in non-small cell and small cell lung cancer

The cyclin-dependent kinases and their associated regulatory cyclins control cell cycle progression and cell growth. Antibodies against these proteins were used to determine their levels in several lung tumor-derived cell lines and a "normal" immortalized bronchoepithelial cell line in order to investigate their potential roles in the etiology of lung cancer. All the cell lines expressed roughly equal levels of cdk-1; cdk-2; PSTAIRE-sequence containing kinases; proliferating cell nuclear antigen; and cyclins A, B1, and E. Cyclin D1, however, was present at 4- to 100-fold higher levels in 11 of 12 non-small cell lung cancer cell lines than in the bronchoepithelial line and all but one of the small cell lung cancer lines. Furthermore, immunoblots of the retinoblastoma gene product, pRB, revealed a perfect correlation between pRB levels and tumor type with normal levels of phosphorylation-competent pRB in all of the non-small cell lung cancer lines and undetectable levels of pRB in all of the small cell lung cancer lines. These data suggest the possibility that small cell and non-small cell lung cancer may evade normal growth controls by different mechanisms: loss of the proliferation inhibitor pRB in small cell lung cancer and overexpression of the growth promoting cyclin D1 in non-small cell lung cancer.

Collaboration of G1 cyclins in the functional inactivation of the retinoblastoma protein

The retinoblastoma gene product (pRB) constrains cell proliferation by preventing cell-cycle progression from the G1 to S phase. Its growth-inhibitory effects appear to be reversed by hyperphosphorylation occurring during G1. This process is thought to involve G1 cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks). Here we report that the cell cycle-dependent phosphorylation of mammalian pRB is faithfully reproduced when it is expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. As is the case in mammalian cells, this phosphorylation requires an intact oncoprotein-binding domain and is inhibited by a negative growth factor, in this case a mating pheromone. Expression of pRB in cln (-) mutants indicates that specific combinations of endogenous G1 cyclins, Cln3 and either Cln1 or Cln2 are required for pRB hyperphosphorylation in yeast. Moreover, expression of mammalian G1 cyclins in cln (-) yeast cells indicates that the functions of Cln2 and Cln3 in pRB hyperphosphorylation can be complemented by human cyclin E and cyclin D1, respectively. These observations suggest a functional heterogeneity among G1 cyclin-cdk complexes and indicate a need for the involvement of multiple G1 cyclins in promoting pRB hyperphosphorylation and resulting cell-cycle progression.

Ectopic expression of cyclin D1 prevents activation of gene transcription by myogenic basic helix-loop-helix regulators

Activation of muscle gene transcription in differentiating skeletal myoblasts requires their withdrawal from the cell cycle. The effects of ectopic cyclin expression on activation of muscle gene transcription by myogenic basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) regulators were investigated. Ectopic expression of cyclin D1, but not cyclins A, B1, B2, C, D3, and E, inhibited transcriptional activation of muscle gene reporter constructs by myogenic bHLH regulators in a dose-dependent manner. Ectopic expression of cyclin D1 inhibited the activity of a myogenic bHLH regulator mutant lacking the basic region protein kinase C site, indicating that phosphorylation of this site is not relevant to the mechanism of inhibition. Analysis of cyclin D1 mutants revealed that the C-terminal acidic region was required for inhibition of myogenic bHLH regulator activity, whereas an intact N-terminal pRb binding motif was not essential. Together, these results implicate expression of cyclin D1 as a central determinant of a putatively novel mechanism that links positive control of cell cycle progression to negative regulation of genes expressed in differentiated myocytes.

Differential regulation of E2F transactivation by cyclin/cdk2 complexes

The mammalian transcription factor E2F plays a critical role in the expression of genes required for cellular proliferation. To understand how E2F is regulated, we have developed a reconstituted in vitro transcription assay. Using this E2F-responsive assay, we can demonstrate that E2F-mediated transcription can be directly repressed by the tumor suppressor protein pRB. This inhibition is abolished by phosphorylation of pRB with either cyclin A/cdk2 or cyclin E/cdk2. However, these cyclin/kinase complexes exhibit differences in the ability to phosphorylate E2F. Only cyclin A/cdk2 can phosphorylate E2F effectively, and this phosphorylation abolishes its ability to bind DNA and mediate trans-activation. Thus, this in vitro transcriptional assay allows activation and inactivation of E2F transcription, and our findings demonstrate how transcriptional regulation of E2F can be linked to cell cycle-dependent activation of kinases.

Changes of cell cycle-regulating genes in interferon-treated Daudi cells

Interferon (IFN) modulates the expression of several genes and some of them are considered to be responsible for the inhibition of cellular growth. However, the alterations of cell cycle-regulating genes produced by IFN still remain unclear. Accordingly, we studied the expression of cell cycle-regulating genes during IFN-induced growth arrest. Cell cycle synchronized and unsynchronized Daudi Burkitt lymphoma cells were treated with IFN. Both the cell cycle distribution and the expression of cell cycle-regulating genes (cdk2, cdc2, cyclins A, B, C, D3, cdc25, and wee 1) were studied by flow cytometry and by Northern blot hybridization or the reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Treated cells passed through the first G1 phase and gradually accumulated in the following G1 phase. Expression of cyclins A, B, and D3 oscillated along with the cell cycle progression in control cells, and the alterations of cyclin B expression were especially prominent. Both cdc2 and cdk2 also showed changes, but these were not so distinct as observed with cyclin B. Expression of cdc25 and wee1 was little affected by cell cycle progression. In IFN-treated cells, expression of cyclins A and B were down-regulated, while that of cyclin C was not. Cyclin D3 expression was also down-regulated at 48 h, followed by an increase at 72 h. Expression of both cdc2 and cdk2 was down-regulated, especially that of the later. Wee1 expression was down-regulated by IFN but, the expression of cdc25 remained stable. These findings suggest that the modulation of cell cycle-regulating genes, particular by cyclin A and cdk2, plays an important role in IFN-induced cellular growth arrest.

EBNA-2 and EBNA-LP cooperate to cause G0 to G1 transition during immortalization of resting human B lymphocytes by Epstein-Barr virus

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is unusual among DNA tumour viruses in that the virus particle is able to infect and immortalize resting cells with very high efficiency. Mutation of the viral genome has indicated that at least six viral genes (LMP-1 and EBNAs 1, 2, 3A, 3C and LP) are essential for immortalization. We demonstrate that the activation of a G1 cyclin, cyclin D2, is an early event following infection with EBV and that cyclin D2 activation is dependent on the expression of viral genes. The different levels of cyclin D2 transcripts in Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines expressing different subsets of EBV immortalizing genes suggest an involvement of EBNA-2 or EBNA-LP in cyclin D2 regulation. By exposing resting primary B cells to a purified preparation of the EBV surface glycoprotein gp340, we have been able to achieve efficient expression of plasmid DNAs introduced by electroporation. Vectors encoding two viral genes, EBNA-2 and EBNA-LP, are sufficient to activate the expression of cyclin D2 in this system. Thus, the progression of resting B lymphocytes into the G1 phase of the cell cycle can be reconstituted in the absence of virus by the cooperation of two of the six viral genes required for immortalization.

Autoregulatory control of E2F1 expression in response to positive and negative regulators of cell cycle progression

Both positive and negative signals govern the progression of cells from G1 into S phase, and a variety of data implicate the E2F transcription factor as a target for the action of one class of negative regulators, the Rb family of growth suppressors. We now find that the E2F1 gene, which encodes one of the components of E2F activity, is subject to autoregulatory control during progression from G0 to S phase and that this primarily reflects a negative control in G0 and early G1, a time when the majority of E2F activity exits as a complex with Rb family members. In addition, we find that deregulated expression of G1 cyclins in quiescent cells stimulates the E2F1 promoter and that this is augmented by coexpression of cyclin-dependent kinases in an E2F-dependent manner. We conclude that the E2F1 gene is a downstream target for G1 cyclin-dependent kinase activity, most likely as a consequence of phosphorylation of Rb family members, and that the autoregulation of E2F1 transcription may provide a sensitive switch for regulating the accumulation of E2F activity during the transition from G1 to S phase.

Cell cycle-regulated degradation of Xenopus cyclin B2 requires binding to p34cdc2

The protein kinase activity of the cell cycle regulator p34cdc2 is inactivated when the mitotic cyclin to which it is bound is degraded. The amino (N)-terminus of mitotic cyclins includes a conserved "destruction box" sequence that is essential for degradation. Although the N-terminus of sea urchin cyclin B confer cell cycle-regulated degradation to a fusion protein, a truncated protein containing only the N-terminus of Xenopus cyclin B2, including the destruction box, is stable under conditions where full length molecules are degraded. In an attempt to identify regions of cyclin B2, other than the destruction box, involved in degradation, the stability of proteins encoded by C-terminal deletion mutants of cyclin B2 was examined in Xenopus egg extracts. Truncated cyclin with only the first 90 amino acids was stable, but other C-terminal deletions lacking between 14 and 187 amino acids were unstable and were degraded by a mechanism that was neither cell cycle regulated nor dependent upon the destruction box. None of the C-terminal deletion mutants bound p34cdc2. To investigate whether the binding of p34cdc2 is required for cell cycle-regulated degradation, the behavior of proteins encoded by a series of full length Xenopus cyclin B2 cDNA with point mutations in conserved amino acids in the p34cdc2-binding domain was examined. All of the point mutants failed to form stable complexes with p34cdc, and their degradation was markedly reduced compared to wild-type cyclin. Similar results were obtained when the mutant cyclins were synthesized in reticulocyte lysates and when cyclin mRNA was translated directly in a Xenopus egg extract. These results indicate that mutations that interfere with p34cdc2 binding also interfere with cyclin destruction, suggesting that p34cdc2 binding is required for the cell cycle-regulated destruction of Xenopus cyclin B2.

Repression of cyclin D1: a novel function of MYC

Constitutive expression of human MYC represses mRNA levels of cyclin D1 in proliferating BALB/c-3T3 fibroblasts. We expressed a series of mutant alleles of MYC and found that downregulation of cyclin D1 is distinct from previously described properties of MYC. In particular, we found that association with Max is not required for repression of cyclin D1 by MYC in vivo. Conversely, the integrity of a small amino-terminal region (amino acids 92 to 106) of MYC is critical for repression of cyclin D1 but dispensable for transformation of established RAT1A cells. Runoff transcription assays showed that repression occurs at the level of transcription initiation. We cloned the promoter of the gene for human cyclin D1 and found that it lacks a canonical TATA element. Transcription starts at an initiator element similar to that of the adenovirus major late promoter; this element can be directly bound by USF in vitro. Expression of MYC represses the cyclin D1 promoter via core promoter elements and antagonizes USF-mediated transactivation. Taken together, our data define a new pathway for gene regulation by MYC and show that the cyclin D1 gene is a target gene for repression by MYC.

The helix-loop-helix protein Id-2 enhances cell proliferation and binds to the retinoblastoma protein

Cell growth and differentiation are usually antagonistic. Proteins of the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) family bind DNA and play important roles in the differentiation of specific cell types. Id proteins heterodimerize with bHLH transcription factors, blocking their activation of lineage-specific gene expression and thereby inhibiting cellular differentiation. To examine the effect of Id-2 on cell proliferation, we overexpressed Id-2 in the human osteosarcoma cell line U2OS. Id-2 expression in U2OS reduced the serum requirement for growth and stimulated cellular proliferation by shortening the doubling time and increasing the percentage of cells in S phase. We demonstrated that Id-2 expression was able to reverse the inhibition of cellular proliferation and the block in cell cycle progression mediated by the product of the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor gene pRB. This effect was not associated with changes in the state of pRb phosphorylation in transfected cells. In vitro, unphosphorylated pRb from cell lysates specifically bound Id-2 but was not able to bind a mutated form of Id-2 lacking the HLH domain that also did not antagonize the growth arrest by pRb. In vitro-synthesized pRb containing mutations within the E1A/large T-binding pocket did not bind Id-2. However, wild-type pRb was able to bind to a region of Id-2 corresponding to only the HLH domain. In vivo, a physical association between Id-2 and pRb was seen in cross-linked extracts from SAOS-2 cells transfected with Id-2 and pRb. Our data identify a role for Id-2 in the regulation of cellular proliferation and suggest that the interaction between Id-2 and pRB is a molecular pathway over which synchronous changes in growth and differentiation are mediated in vivo.

Repression of cyclin D1: a novel function of MYC

Constitutive expression of human MYC represses mRNA levels of cyclin D1 in proliferating BALB/c-3T3 fibroblasts. We expressed a series of mutant alleles of MYC and found that downregulation of cyclin D1 is distinct from previously described properties of MYC. In particular, we found that association with Max is not required for repression of cyclin D1 by MYC in vivo. Conversely, the integrity of a small amino-terminal region (amino acids 92 to 106) of MYC is critical for repression of cyclin D1 but dispensable for transformation of established RAT1A cells. Runoff transcription assays showed that repression occurs at the level of transcription initiation. We cloned the promoter of the gene for human cyclin D1 and found that it lacks a canonical TATA element. Transcription starts at an initiator element similar to that of the adenovirus major late promoter; this element can be directly bound by USF in vitro. Expression of MYC represses the cyclin D1 promoter via core promoter elements and antagonizes USF-mediated transactivation. Taken together, our data define a new pathway for gene regulation by MYC and show that the cyclin D1 gene is a target gene for repression by MYC.

Dissociation of retinoblastoma gene protein hyperphosphorylation and commitment to enter S phase

Mitogenic activities of simian virus 40 large T and small t antigens were studied in serum-deprived human diploid fibroblasts. Wild-type large T and small t cooperated in stimulating DNA synthesis and in inducing hyperphosphorylation of the Rb gene product (pRb). In contrast, a T antigen mutant defective for pRb binding (Rb- T) possessed no detectable mitogenic activity alone and failed to complement small t in stimulating DNA synthesis. Surprisingly, Rb- T and small t cooperated as strongly as wild-type T and small t with respect to pRb hyperphosphorylation. As a consequence, in two closely related conditions (i.e., stimulation by small t plus wild-type T versus small t plus Rb- T), the fraction of pRb in hyperphosphorylated forms dissociated from the fraction of cells in the S phase. These results indicate that pRb hyperphosphorylation is not always tightly coupled with a commitment to initiate DNA replication.

A novel mammalian protein, p55CDC, present in dividing cells is associated with protein kinase activity and has homology to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell division cycle proteins Cdc20 and Cdc4

A novel protein, p55CDC, has been identified in cycling mammalian cells. This transcript is readily detectable in all exponentially growing cell lines but disappears when cells are chemically induced to fall out of the cell cycle and differentiate. The p55CDC protein appears to be essential for cell division, since transfection of antisense p55CDC cDNA into CHO cells resulted in isolation of only those cells which exhibited a compensatory increase in p55CDC transcripts in the sense orientation. Immunoprecipitation of p55CDC yielded protein complexes with kinase activity which fluctuated during the cell cycle. Since p55CDC does not have the conserved protein kinase domains, this activity must be due to one or more of the associated proteins in the immune complex. The highest levels of protein kinase activity were seen with alpha-casein and myelin basic protein as substrates and demonstrated a pattern of activity distinct from that described for the known cyclin-dependent cell division kinases. The p55CDC protein was also phosphorylated in dividing cells. The amino acid sequence of p55CDC contains seven repeats homologous to the beta subunit of G proteins, and the highest degree of homology in these repeats was found with the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cdc20 and Cdc4 proteins, which have been proposed to be involved in the formation of a functional bipolar mitotic spindle in yeast cells. The G beta repeat has been postulated to mediate protein-protein interactions and, in p55CDC, may modulate its association with a unique cell cycle protein kinase. These findings suggest that p55CDC is a component of the mammalian cell cycle mechanism.

Cyclin D1 protein expression and function in human breast cancer

Cyclin D1 is a cell-cycle regulator essential for G1 phase progression and a candidate proto-oncogene implicated in pathogenesis of several human tumour types, including breast carcinomas. In spite of the accumulating genetic evidence, however, there are no data regarding abundance and properties of the cyclin D1 protein in breast cancer. We now report aberrant nuclear overexpression/accumulation of the cyclin D1 protein in about half of the 170 primary breast carcinoma specimens analyzed by monoclonal antibody immunohistochemistry, indicating that the frequency of cyclin D1 abnormalities may be considerably higher than previously deduced from DNA amplification studies. A comparison of the expression patterns in matched lesions at different stages of tumour progression revealed that the cyclin D1 protein aberration appears to reflect a relatively early event and that, when acquired by a tumour, it is maintained throughout breast cancer progression including metastatic spread. In both tumour tissues and breast cancer cell lines, the abundance of this protein shows characteristic variations consistent with a cell-cycle oscillation and the peak levels expressed in G1. In all 7 cell lines whose retinoblastoma (Rb) protein is mutant or complexed to SV40 T antigen, exceptionally low levels of cyclin D1 protein and mRNA were found. Antibody-mediated and anti-sense oligonucleotide knockout experiments demonstrate the requirement for the cell-cycle regulatory function of cyclin D1 in breast cancer lines with single or multiple copies of the gene and reveal the absence of such a requirement in the cell lines with Rb defects. Our data are consistent with the notion that the emerging "Rb-cyclin D1 pathway" represents a frequent target of oncogenic abnormalities in breast cancer.

DNA tumor virus oncoproteins and retinoblastoma gene mutations share the ability to relieve the cell's requirement for cyclin D1 function in G1

The retinoblastoma gene product (pRB) participates in the regulation of the cell division cycle through complex formation with numerous cellular regulatory proteins including the potentially oncogenic cyclin D1. Extending the current view of the emerging functional interplay between pRB and D-type cyclins, we now report that cyclin D1 expression is positively regulated by pRB. Cyclin D1 mRNA and protein is specifically downregulated in cells expressing SV40 large T antigen, adenovirus E1A, and papillomavirus E7/E6 oncogene products and this effect requires intact RB-binding, CR2 domain of E1A. Exceptionally low expression of cyclin D1 is also seen in genetically RB-deficient cell lines, in which ectopically expressed wild-type pRB results in specific induction of this G1 cyclin. At the functional level, antibody-mediated cyclin D1 knockout experiments demonstrate that the cyclin D1 protein, normally required for G1 progression, is dispensable for passage through the cell cycle in cell lines whose pRB is inactivated through complex formation with T antigen, E1A, or E7 oncoproteins as well as in cells which have suffered loss-of-function mutations of the RB gene. The requirement for cyclin D1 function is not regained upon experimental elevation of cyclin D1 expression in cells with mutant RB, while reintroduction of wild-type RB into RB-deficient cells leads to restoration of the cyclin D1 checkpoint. These results strongly suggest that pRB serves as a major target of cyclin D1 whose cell cycle regulatory function becomes dispensable in cells lacking functional RB. Based on available data including this study, we propose a model for an autoregulatory feedback loop mechanism that regulates both the expression of the cyclin D1 gene and the activity of pRB, thereby contributing to a G1 phase checkpoint control in cycling mammalian cells.

A novel mammalian protein, p55CDC, present in dividing cells is associated with protein kinase activity and has homology to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell division cycle proteins Cdc20 and Cdc4

A novel protein, p55CDC, has been identified in cycling mammalian cells. This transcript is readily detectable in all exponentially growing cell lines but disappears when cells are chemically induced to fall out of the cell cycle and differentiate. The p55CDC protein appears to be essential for cell division, since transfection of antisense p55CDC cDNA into CHO cells resulted in isolation of only those cells which exhibited a compensatory increase in p55CDC transcripts in the sense orientation. Immunoprecipitation of p55CDC yielded protein complexes with kinase activity which fluctuated during the cell cycle. Since p55CDC does not have the conserved protein kinase domains, this activity must be due to one or more of the associated proteins in the immune complex. The highest levels of protein kinase activity were seen with alpha-casein and myelin basic protein as substrates and demonstrated a pattern of activity distinct from that described for the known cyclin-dependent cell division kinases. The p55CDC protein was also phosphorylated in dividing cells. The amino acid sequence of p55CDC contains seven repeats homologous to the beta subunit of G proteins, and the highest degree of homology in these repeats was found with the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Cdc20 and Cdc4 proteins, which have been proposed to be involved in the formation of a functional bipolar mitotic spindle in yeast cells. The G beta repeat has been postulated to mediate protein-protein interactions and, in p55CDC, may modulate its association with a unique cell cycle protein kinase. These findings suggest that p55CDC is a component of the mammalian cell cycle mechanism.

Induction versus progression of brain tumor development: differential functions for the pRB- and p53-targeting domains of simian virus 40 T antigen

The ability of simian virus 40-encoded large T antigen to disrupt the growth control of a variety of cell types is related to its ability to interfere with certain cellular proteins, such as p53 and the retinoblastoma susceptibility gene product (pRB). We have used wild-type and mutant forms of T antigen in transgenic mice to dissect the roles of pRB, p53, and other cellular proteins in tumorigenesis of different cell types. In this study, using a cell-specific promoter to target expression specifically to brain epithelium (the choroid plexus) and to B and T lymphoid cells, we characterize the tumorigenic capacity of a T-antigen fragment that comprises only the amino-terminal 121 residues. This fragment (dl1137) retains the ability to interact with pRB and p107 but lacks the p53-binding domain. While loss of the p53-binding region results in loss of the capacity to induce lymphoid abnormalities, dl1137 retains the ability to induce choroid plexus tumors that are histologically indistinguishable from those induced by wild-type T antigen. Tumors induced by dl1137 develop much more slowly, however, reaching an end point at around 8 months of age rather than at 1 to 2 months. Analysis of tumor progression indicates that tumor induction by dl1137 does not require secondary genetic or epigenetic events. Rather, the tumor growth rate is significantly slowed, indicating that the T-antigen C-terminal region contributes to tumor progression in this cell type. In contrast, the pRB-binding region appears essential for tumorigenesis as mutation of residue 107, known to disrupt pRB and p107 binding to wild-type T antigen, abolishes the ability of the dl1137 protein to induce growth abnormalities in the brain.

Cyclin D1 expression is regulated by the retinoblastoma protein

The product of the retinoblastoma susceptibility gene, pRb, acts as a tumor suppressor and loss of its function is involved in the development of various types of cancer. DNA tumor viruses are supposed to disturb the normal regulation of the cell cycle by inactivating pRb. However, a direct function of pRb in regulation of the cell cycle has hitherto not been shown. We demonstrate here that the cell cycle-dependent expression of one of the G1-phase cyclins, cyclin D1, is dependent on the presence of a functional Rb protein. Rb-deficient tumor cell lines as well as cells expressing viral oncoproteins (large tumor antigen of simian virus 40, early region 1A of adenovirus, early region 7 of papillomavirus) have low or barely detectable levels of cyclin D1. Expression of cyclin D1, but not of cyclins A and E, is induced by transfection of the Rb gene into Rb-deficient tumor cells. Cotransfection of a reporter gene under the control of the D1 promoter, together with the Rb gene, into Rb-deficient cell lines demonstrates stimulation of the D1 promoter by Rb, which parallels the stimulation of endogenous cyclin D1 gene expression. Our finding that pRb stimulates expression of a key component of cell cycle control, cyclin D1, suggests the existence of a regulatory loop between pRb and cyclin D1 and extends existing models of tumor suppressor function.