Differential effect of Nonidet P40 on DNA binding of transcription factors

AN OPTIMIZED METHOD FOR THE ISOLATION OF NUCLEI FROM CHLAMYDOMONAS REINHARDTII (CHLOROPHYCEAE)(1)

The cell nucleus harbors a large number of proteins involved in transcription, RNA processing, chromatin remodeling, nuclear signaling, and ribosome assembly. The nuclear genome of the model alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii P. A. Dang. was recently sequenced, and many genes encoding nuclear proteins, including transcription factors and transcription regulators, have been identified through computational discovery tools. However, elucidating the specific biological roles of nuclear proteins will require support from biochemical and proteomics data. Cellular preparations with enriched nuclei are important to assist in such analyses. Here, we describe a simple protocol for the isolation of nuclei from Chlamydomonas, based on a commercially available kit. The modifications done in the original protocol mainly include alterations of the differential centrifugation parameters and detergent-based cell lysis. The nuclei-enriched fractions obtained with the optimized protocol show low contamination with mitochondrial and plastid proteins. The protocol can be concluded within only 3 h, and the proteins extracted can be used for gel-based and non-gel-based proteomic approaches.

Effect of the detergent Tween-20 on the DNA affinity chromatography of Gal4, C/EBPalpha, and lac repressor with observations on column regeneration

C/EBPalpha, Gal4, and lac repressor, representing three different transcription factor homology families, were expressed as fusion proteins and used to characterize the effects of column aging, Mg2+, the nonionic detergent Tween-20, column loading, and bovine serum albumin on DNA-affinity chromatography. When lac-repressor-beta-galactosidase fusion protein is loaded onto a new DNA-Sepharose column, less elutes from a new column than one that has been used two or more times. Higher amounts of lac repressor, the Green Fluorescent Protein fusions with CAAT enhancer binding protein (C/EBPalpha) and Gal4, elute from the columns when 0.1% Tween-20 is added to the mobile phase. The amount of improvement found depends upon the transcription factor studied and the amount of the protein loaded on the column; lac repressor and Gal4 are eluted in higher amounts over a large range of protein loads while C/EBP shows the greatest effect at low protein loads. This detergent effect is seen when either Sepharose or silica is used for the stationary phase. Including bovine serum albumin in the mobile phase gives a similar though lesser improvement to that observed with Tween-20. Mg2+ or EDTA in the mobile phase gave similar chromatography for C/EBP; since EDTA protects columns from DNases, its inclusion in the mobile phase is preferred. After extended use, the DNA affinity columns no longer bind transcription factors and this is not due to losses of DNA from the columns. Two simple methods (sodium dodecylsulfate and KSCN) were developed to regenerate such worn out columns.

The orphan receptor COUP-TFII regulates G2/M progression of breast cancer cells by modulating the expression/activity of p21(WAF1/CIP1), cyclin D1, and cdk2

The orphan receptors COUP-TFI and COUP-TFII play an important role in development and differentiation by activating specific genes and by modulating the activity of nuclear receptors including estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) and retinoic acid receptors (RARs). Previously, it was demonstrated that the expression and activity of ERalpha and RARs are lost or impaired in anti-estrogen-resistant breast cancers. Here we show that, similar to ERalpha and RARs, the expression of COUP-TFII but not COUP-TFI is reduced in approximately 30% of breast cancer cell lines. Introduction of COUP-TFII to MDA-MB-435 cells resulted in reduced growth and plating efficiency. Interestingly, COUP-TFII increased the expression of cyclin D1 and p21(WAF1/CIP1) in MDA-MB-435 cells. Although parental and COUP-TFII-transduced cells progressed through the G1-S phase at a similar rate, progression of COUP-TFII cells through the G2/M transition phase was delayed. The activity of cdk2 required for G2/M progression was reduced in COUP-TFII cells compared to parental cells. This property of COUP-TFII is distinct from that of ERalpha and RARs, which usually modulate the G1 phase of breast cancer cells. Furthermore, these results reveal an important physiological function of COUP-TFII, which correlates with its ability to induce gene expression rather than modulation of nuclear receptor activity.

Olf-1, a neuron-specific transcription factor, can activate the herpes simplex virus type 1-infected cell protein 0 promoter

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) establishes a life-long latent infection in sensory neurons of infected individuals. Infected cell protein 0 (ICP0) is important for productive infection and reactivation from latency. Thus, activation of ICP0 expression in neurons is likely to be important for reactivation from latency. In a mouse neuroblastoma cell line, ICP0 promoter activity is high compared with other strong viral promoters. In contrast, promoter activity is low in non-neuronal cells. DNase I footprinting assays indicated that three distinct motifs in the ICP0 promoter are bound by nuclear factors. One of these motifs contains a binding site for a novel helix-loop-helix olfactory neuron-specific transcription factor (Olf-1). Gel shift assays and supershift assays using an Olf-1-specific antibody demonstrated that mouse neuroblastoma cells express Olf-1, which is bound to the Olf-1-like site in the ICP0 promoter. Deletion of the putative Olf-1 motif reduced ICP0 promoter activity more than 5-fold in mouse neuroblastoma cells and prevented trans-activation by an Olf-1 expression vector. We hypothesize that the Olf-1-binding site activates ICP0 promoter activity in neurons during reactivation from latency.

Regulation of the c-jun Gene in p210 BCR-ABL Transformed Cells Corresponds With Activity of JNK, the c-jun N-Terminal Kinase

Activity of the c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) has been shown in hematopoietic cells transformed by p210 BCR-ABL. However, analysis has not been reported for hematopoietic cells on the consequences of this activity for c-jun promoter regulation within its distinctive proximal 8-base consensus CRE-like element, an element linked to JNK-mediated increase in c-jun transcription. In the present study, regulation of the proximal c-jun promoter was studied in murine myeloid cells transformed by p210 BCR-ABL. Promoter regulation in p210 BCR-ABL transformed cells was compared with regulation of the promoter in nontransformed interleukin-3 (IL-3)–dependent parental cells. The composition of nuclear AP-1 proteins contained within cells with p210 BCR-ABL, and their binding to the c-jun promoter proximal CRE-like element, was compared with the composition and binding of AP-1 proteins in IL-3–treated parental cells without p210 BCR-ABL. The present analysis found fivefold increased c-jun transcription occurring in p210 BCR-ABL transformed murine myeloid cells possessing a corresponding magnitude of increased kinase activity of JNK, compared with IL-3–stimulated parental cells. Augmented JNK activity was accompanied by increased nuclear abundance of c-jun and c-fos proteins that bound specifically to the proximal c-jun promoter CRE element. Also, representative human leukemic cell lines expressing p210 BCR-ABL and possessing abundant kinase activity of JNK, when compared with parental cells that were deficient in JNK activity, had increased c-jun and c-fosproteins. Finally, to show the relevance of these observations in model systems, we studied blast cells from patients with Philadelphia chromosome–positive acute leukemic transformation, and observed comparable activities of JNK catalysis and c-jun/AP-1 protein relative to the cell lines that possessed p210 BCR-ABL and JNK activity. These studies provide a basis for investigating the set of downstream genes which augmented c-jun/AP-1 activity enlists in the process of transformation by p210 BCR-ABL.

Regulation of the c-jun Gene in p210 BCR-ABL Transformed Cells Corresponds With Activity of JNK, the c-jun N-Terminal Kinase

Activity of the c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) has been shown in hematopoietic cells transformed by p210 BCR-ABL. However, analysis has not been reported for hematopoietic cells on the consequences of this activity for c-jun promoter regulation within its distinctive proximal 8-base consensus CRE-like element, an element linked to JNK-mediated increase in c-jun transcription. In the present study, regulation of the proximal c-jun promoter was studied in murine myeloid cells transformed by p210 BCR-ABL. Promoter regulation in p210 BCR-ABL transformed cells was compared with regulation of the promoter in nontransformed interleukin-3 (IL-3)–dependent parental cells. The composition of nuclear AP-1 proteins contained within cells with p210 BCR-ABL, and their binding to the c-jun promoter proximal CRE-like element, was compared with the composition and binding of AP-1 proteins in IL-3–treated parental cells without p210 BCR-ABL. The present analysis found fivefold increased c-jun transcription occurring in p210 BCR-ABL transformed murine myeloid cells possessing a corresponding magnitude of increased kinase activity of JNK, compared with IL-3–stimulated parental cells. Augmented JNK activity was accompanied by increased nuclear abundance of c-jun and c-fos proteins that bound specifically to the proximal c-jun promoter CRE element. Also, representative human leukemic cell lines expressing p210 BCR-ABL and possessing abundant kinase activity of JNK, when compared with parental cells that were deficient in JNK activity, had increased c-jun and c-fosproteins. Finally, to show the relevance of these observations in model systems, we studied blast cells from patients with Philadelphia chromosome–positive acute leukemic transformation, and observed comparable activities of JNK catalysis and c-jun/AP-1 protein relative to the cell lines that possessed p210 BCR-ABL and JNK activity. These studies provide a basis for investigating the set of downstream genes which augmented c-jun/AP-1 activity enlists in the process of transformation by p210 BCR-ABL.

NF-kappaB activation and interleukin 6 production in fibroblasts by estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer cell-derived interleukin 1alpha

Several angiogenic factors and extracellular matrix-degrading enzymes that promote invasion and metastasis of cancer are produced by stromal fibroblasts that surround cancer cells. The expression of genes that code for some of these proteins is regulated by the transcription factor NF-kappaB. In this report, we demonstrate that conditioned medium (CM) from estrogen receptor (ER)-negative but not ER-positive breast cancer cells induces NF-kappaB in fibroblasts. In contrast, CM from both ER-positive and ER-negative breast cancer cells induces NF-kappaB in macrophages and endothelial cells. NF-kappaB activation in fibroblasts was accompanied by induction of interleukin 6 (IL-6) and urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA), both of which promote angiogenesis and metastasis. A survey of cytokines known for their ability to induce NF-kappaB identified IL-1alpha as the factor responsible for NF-kappaB activation in fibroblasts. Analysis of primary breast carcinomas revealed the presence of IL-1alpha transcripts in majority of lymph node-positive breast cancers. These results along with the known role of IL-1alpha and IL-6 in osteoclast formation provide insight into the mechanism of metastasis and hypercalcemia in advanced breast cancers.

Human Smad3 and Smad4 are sequence-specific transcription activators

Mounting evidence indicates that Smad proteins are required for TGF beta signaling, but the way(s) in which Smad proteins propagate this signal is unclear. We found that two human Smad proteins (Smad3 and Smad4) could specifically recognize an identical 8 bp palindromic sequences (GTCTAGAC). Tandem repeats of this palindrome conferred striking TGF beta responsiveness to a minimal promoter. This responsiveness was abrogated by targeted deletion of the cellular Smad4 gene. These results define a novel biochemical property of Smad proteins that is likely to play a direct role in the biologic responses to TGF beta and related ligands.