Chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription factor I represses the transcriptional activity of the human muscle glycogen phosphorylase promoter in C2C12 cells

CARM1/PRMT4 is necessary for the glycogen gene expression programme in skeletal muscle cells

CARM1 (co-activator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1)/PRMT4 (protein arginine methyltransferase 4), functions as a co-activator for transcription factors that are regulators of muscle fibre type and oxidative metabolism, including PGC (peroxisome-proliferator-activated receptor γ co-activator)-1α and MEF2 (myocyte enhancer factor 2). We observed significantly higher Prmt4 mRNA expression in comparison with Prmt1-Prmt6 mRNA expression in mouse muscle (in vitro and in vivo). Transfection of Prmt4 siRNA (small interfering RNA) into mouse skeletal muscle C2C12 cells attenuated PRMT4 mRNA and protein expression. We subsequently performed additional qPCR (quantitative PCR) analysis (in the context of metabolism) to examine the effect of Prmt4 siRNA expression on >200 critical genes that control (and are involved in) lipid, glucose and energy homoeostasis, and circadian rhythm. This analysis revealed a strikingly specific metabolic expression footprint, and revealed that PRMT4 is necessary for the expression of genes involved in glycogen metabolism in skeletal muscle cells. Prmt4 siRNA expression selectively suppressed the mRNAs encoding Gys1 (glycogen synthase 1), Pgam2 (muscle phosphoglycerate mutase 2) and Pygm (muscle glycogen phosphorylase). Significantly, PGAM, PYGM and GYS1 deficiency in humans causes glycogen storage diseases type X, type V/McArdle's disease and type 0 respectively. Attenuation of PRMT4 was also associated with decreased expression of the mRNAs encoding AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) α2/γ3 (Prkaa2 and Prkag3) and p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase), previously implicated in Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and Pompe Disease (glycogen storage disease type II). Furthermore, stable transfection of two PRMT4-site-specific (methyltransferase deficient) mutants (CARM1/PRMT4 VLD and CARM1E267Q) significantly repressed the expression of Gys1, Pgam2 and AMPKγ3. Finally, in concordance, we observed increased and decreased glycogen levels in PRMT4 (native)- and VLD (methylation deficient mutant)-transfected skeletal muscle cells respectively. This demonstrated that PRMT4 expression and the associated methyltransferase activity is necessary for the gene expression programme involved in glycogen metabolism and human glycogen storage diseases.

Computational identification of a p38SAPK-regulated transcription factor network required for tumor cell quiescence

The stress-activated kinase p38 plays key roles in tumor suppression and induction of tumor cell dormancy. However, the mechanisms behind these functions remain poorly understood. Using computational tools, we identified a transcription factor (TF) network regulated by p38alpha/beta and required for human squamous carcinoma cell quiescence in vivo. We found that p38 transcriptionally regulates a core network of 46 genes that includes 16 TFs. Activation of p38 induced the expression of the TFs p53 and BHLHB3, while inhibiting c-Jun and FoxM1 expression. Furthermore, induction of p53 by p38 was dependent on c-Jun down-regulation. Accordingly, RNAi down-regulation of BHLHB3 or p53 interrupted tumor cell quiescence, while down-regulation of c-Jun or FoxM1 or overexpression of BHLHB3 in malignant cells mimicked the onset of quiescence. Our results identify components of the regulatory mechanisms driving p38-induced cancer cell quiescence. These may regulate dormancy of residual disease that usually precedes the onset of metastasis in many cancers.

Seven-up facilitates insect counter-defense by suppressing cathepsin B expression

When challenged by the dietary soybean cysteine protease inhibitor scN, the cowpea bruchid (Callosobruchus maculatus) adapts to the inhibitory effects by readjusting the transcriptome of its digestive system, including the specific activation of a cathepsin B-like cysteine protease CmCatB. To understand the transcriptional regulation of CmCatB, we cloned a portion of its promoter and demonstrated its activity in Drosophila cells using a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter system. EMSAs detected differential DNA-binding activity between nuclear extracts of scN-adapted and -unadapted midguts. Two tandem chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter (COUP) elements were identified in the CmCatB promoter that specifically interacted with a protein factor unique to nuclear extracts of unadapted insect guts, where CmCatB expression was repressed. Seven-up (Svp) is a COUP-TF-related transcription factor that interacted with the COUP responsive element. Polyclonal anti-(mosquito Svp) serum abolished the specific DNA-binding activity in cowpea bruchid midgut extracts, suggesting that the protein factor is an Svp homolog. Subsequent cloning of a cowpea bruchid Svp (CmSvp) indicated that it shares a high degree of amino acid sequence similarity with COUP-TF/Svp orphan nuclear receptor family members from varied species. The protein was more abundant in scN-unadapted insect guts than scN-adapted guts, consistent with the observed DNA-binding activity. Furthermore, CmCatB expression was repressed when CmSvp was transiently expressed in Drosophila cells, most likely through COUP binding. These findings indicate that CmSvp may contribute to insect counter-defense, in part by inhibiting CmCatB expression under normal growth conditions, but releasing the inhibition when insects are challenged by dietary protease inhibitors.

The chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription factors modulate genes and pathways involved in skeletal muscle cell metabolism

The chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription factors (COUP-TFs) are "orphan" members of the nuclear hormone receptor (NR) superfamily. COUP-TFs are involved in organogenesis and neurogenesis. However, their role in skeletal muscle (and other major mass tissues) and metabolism remains obscure. Skeletal muscle accounts for approximately 40% of total body mass and energy expenditure. Moreover, this peripheral tissue is a primary site of glucose and fatty acid utilization. We utilize small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated attenuation of Coup-TfI and II (mRNA and protein) in a skeletal muscle cell culture model to understand the regulatory role of Coup-Tfs in this energy demanding tissue. This targeted NR repression resulted in the significant attenuation of genes that regulate lipid mobilization and utilization (including Pparalpha, Fabp3, and Cpt-1). This was coupled to reduced fatty acid beta-oxidation. Additionally we observed significant attenuation of Ucp1, a gene involved in energy expenditure. Concordantly, we observed a 5-fold increase in ATP levels in cells with siRNA-mediated repression of Coup-TfI and II. Furthermore, the expression of "classical" liver X receptor (LXR) target genes involved in reverse cholesterol transport (Abca1 and Abcg1) were both significantly repressed. Moreover, we observed that repression of the Coup-Tfs ablated the activation of Abca1, and Abcg1 mRNA expression by the selective LXR agonist, T0901317. In concordance, Coup-Tf-siRNA-transfected cells were refractory to Lxr-mediated reduction of total intracellular cholesterol levels in contrast to the negative control cells. In agreement Lxr-mediated activation of the Abca1 promoter in Coup-Tf-siRNA cells was attenuated. Collectively, these data suggest a pivotal role for Coup-Tfs in the regulation of lipid utilization/cholesterol homeostasis in skeletal muscle cells and the modulation of Lxr-dependent gene regulation.