Expression of the myosin gene in a hybrid cell derives from a rat myoblast and a mouse fibroblast

Expression of differentiated functions in heterokaryons between skeletal myocytes, adrenal cells, fibroblasts and glial cells

The regulation of both muscle and adrenal functions was examined in heterokaryons formed by fusing differentiated chick skeletal myocytes to Y1 mouse adrenal cells. Mouse fast skeletal myosin light chain one (LC1) synthesis was induced and acetylcholine receptor expression was maintained at muscle control levels. Steroid secretion, although reduced compared with Y1 X Y1 adrenal homokaryon control fusions, was nonetheless maintained at relatively high levels. Steroid secretion in the myocyte X adrenal heterokaryons was constitutively expressed and was not increased by exposure to either adrenocorticotrophic hormone or db-cAMP. The population of heterokaryons was thus simultaneously expressing both muscle and adrenal functions. The steroid secretion in these heterokaryons was compared to that in heterokaryons formed by fusing Y1 adrenal cells to either chick skin fibroblasts or rat C6 glial cells. Both of these sets of heterokaryons exhibited low baseline levels of steroid secretion that were inducible to control values by ACTH. These results extend previous observations showing that heterokaryons are functionally very different than cell hybrids, and exhibit a variety of phenotypic interactions. Although fibroblasts suppress muscle functions in heterokaryons, they are permissive for adrenal functions. C6 glial cells are permissive for both adrenal and muscle functions, and along with several other neurectodermal derivatives contain an inducible skeletal myosin light chain gene. Finally, myocytes and Y1 adrenal cells are mutually permissive for their differentiated functions, and Y1 adrenal cells contain an inducible myosin light chain gene.

Extinction of muscle-specific properties in somatic cell heterokaryons

In studies of gene regulation using somatic cell fusion techniques, the analysis of heterokaryons circumvents several problematic aspects of the more traditional approach utilizing proliferating hybrid cells. We have analyzed the expression of muscle specific properties in heterokaryons between muscle and nonmuscle cells in order to investigate whether differentiating cells contain regulatory factors that repress the expression of alternative developmental pathways. Heterokaryons and cybrids were derived from polyethylene glycol-mediated fusion of differentiated mononucleate chicken myocytes with mouse melanoma cells, mouse melanoma cytoplasts, chicken fibroblasts, or other chicken myocytes. Our results demonstrate that fusion of a myocyte with a nonmyogenic cell generally results in extinction of muscle-specific properties in the immediate fusion product. Myocyte X melanoma heterokaryons ceased to express the skeletal muscle forms of myosin, desmin and creatine kinase, reinitiated DNA synthesis, and showed a loss of spontaneous fusion competence within 96 hr after their formation. Although chicken myocyte X mouse melanoma heterokaryons showed extinction of muscle specific properties, they continued to synthesize protein and to incorporate [3H]hypoxanthine, presumably due to the continued production of constitutive chicken HPRT. That presence of the melanoma nucleus was required for extinction to be observed was demonstrated by the continued expression of muscle proteins in cybrids between chicken myocytes and melanoma cytoplasts. Significantly, heterokaryons between chicken myocytes and chicken fibroblasts also exhibited extinction of muscle proteins, demonstrating for the first time that extinction is not restricted to fusions in which at least one parental cell type was derived from an established cell line. Our results strongly support the notion that extinction reflects cell-type specific gene regulatory mechanisms operative during development.

Analysis of myogenesis by somatic cell hybridization: III. Myogenic competence of hybrids derived from rat L6 myoblasts and mouse primary fibroblasts and myoblasts

Hybrid cells derived from rat L6 myoblasts and mouse primary fibroblasts (M x F hybrids), as well as those derived from rat L6 myoblasts and mouse primary myoblasts (M x M hybrids), were examined for their ability to engage in myogenesis as judged by muscle fiber formation plus the expression of skeletal muscle myosin and creatine kinase (CK). Of 172 primary hybrid colonies scored, 59% were myogenic in the M x F fusion and 97% exhibited muscle fiber formation in the M x M fusion. Individual hybrid clones from each cross were isolated, expanded and analyzed for myogenic capabilities as well. All three M x M and all ten M x F isolated clones exhibited preferential elimination of mouse chromosomes. Nonetheless, all were capable of fusing spontaneously and of elaborating skeletal muscle myosin and CK. The three M x M hybrids expressed only MM-CK whereas nine out of ten M x F hybrids produced all three CK isoenzymes (MM, MB, BB). These results suggest that M X M hybrids express CK patterns reminiscent of the rat L6 parental cells while M X F hybrids apparently mimic mouse muscle fiber CK patterns. Various models are discussed which address these phenomena.

Analysis of myogenesis by somatic cell hybridization. II. Retention of myogenic competence and suppression of transformed properties in hybrids between differentiation competent and incompetent rat L6 myoblasts

This study describes the characteristics of hybrids between two closely related rat myoblast lines, which differ both in the ability to express their program of differentiation and in the expression of neoplastic properties. Myogenic, nonneoplastic L6J1-S cells were hybridized with nonmyogenic, neoplastic L6J1-N1 cells. Six hybrid clones were isolated and expanded for analysis of myogenic competence, and four of these clones were also evaluated for parameters of transformation, including tumorigenicity, ability to clone in agar, and surface fibronectin. In addition to our analysis of isolated clones, we also assessed myogenic differentiation in colonies representing 226 early hybrid clones. Results of all these analyses demonstrate that the myogenic phenotype is retained and that the tumorigenic/transformed phenotype is suppressed in the hybrids. Furthermore, our results indicate that when the programs for myogenesis and neoplastic transformation are confronted within a single cell, they are expressed as mutually exclusive alternatives. In contrast to these results on myogenic X nonmyogenic L6 hybrids, it has been reported that isolated clones of A9 X L6 exhibited extinction of myogenic competence and retention of transformed properties. We have evaluated myotube formation in over 300 early hybrid clones between A9 and either diploid or subtetraploid L8 rat myoblasts. Our results demonstrate that all of these hybrid clones exhibit extinction regardless of the ploidy of the myoblast parent, and they further indicate that extinction is not a consequence of chromosome loss. These results support the conclusion that in A9 X L6 hybrids, the nonmyogenic, transformed phenotype is dominant.

Human--rat muscle somatic cell hybrids form myotubes and express human muscle gene products

Somatic cell hybrids have been prepared at high frequency between the rat muscle cell line L6 and human fetal muscle cells. The hybrid cells express several human gene products including an antigen, 12E7, controlled by the human X chromosome, Thy-1, and several human isoenzymes. In addition, one clone (37-11) expresses a human muscle-specific surface antigen (5.1 H11) and, under appropriate conditions, can be induced to form myotubes. Upon myotube formation, this clone switches on the production of the human muscle-specific creatine kinase (ATP:creatine N-phosphotransferase, EC 2.7.3.2) M subunit. This is an example of developmental regulation of human muscle-specific genes in somatic cell hybrids.

The noncoordinate expression of muscle-specific proteins in mutant rat skeletal myoblasts and reinitiation of differentiation in hybrids

In rat skeletal myoblasts which are resistant to 5-azacytidine and fusion-incompetent, the muscle-specific protein, creatine phosphokinase, is produced but muscle-specific myosin is not. In human diploid fibroblast X rat myoblast hybrids, myoblast-specific properties are extinguished. Clones can be selected from the hybrids after a number of doublings which reexpress fusion but do not produce creatine phosphokinase. The conclusion is drawn that the expression of muscle-specific phenotype is not coordinate and fusion of myoblasts is not an essential requirement for the appearance of myoblast-specific proteins.

Expression of differentiated functions in hepatoma cell hybrids: selection in glucose-free media of segregated hybrid cells which reexpress gluconeogenic enzymes

Selective glucose-free media have been used to study the reexpression of liver-specific gluconeogenic enzymes in rat hepatoma X mouse lymphoblastoma somatic hybrids. The utilization for gluconeogenesis of dihydroxyacetone or oxaloacetate requires two enzymes: fructose diphosphatase as well as either triokinase for the former or phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase for the latter. By sequential selection with these substrates, the reexpression of the three gluconeogenic enzymes has been dissociated. The reexpression of these enzymes is correlated with the loss of mouse chromosomes. In addition, the characterization of the parental forms of aldolase B, another liver-specific enzyme, shows that reexpression corresponds to the simultaneous production of the rat and mouse enzymes. These results demonstrate the chromosomal origin of extinction and suggest that activation of mouse silent genes which accompanies reexpression can occur without loss of the parental determinations. The hypothesis that determination involves regulatory rather than structural genes is discussed.