Transiently and stably introduced CCAAT/enhancer-binding-protein genes are constitutively expressed in cultured cells

CCAAT/enhancer binding protein and nuclear factor-Y regulate adiponectin gene expression in adipose tissue

Adiponectin is one of the adipokines secreted by adipocytes and regulates energy homeostasis associated with insulin sensitivity, suggesting a possibility of nutritional regulation of adiponectin gene expression. In this study, we showed that the transcription of adiponectin gene was induced 4-6 h after refeeding of mice. Also, differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes that were treated with high glucose expressed significantly increased adiponectin mRNA. Promoter analysis using nuclear extracts from white adipose tissue revealed that CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) and nuclear factor-Y (NF-Y) bound on the -117/-73 region of the adiponectin promoter. This region was critical for the activity of the adiponectin promoter as the deletion or mutation of this region markedly diminished the promoter activity to a basal level. Furthermore, the C/EBP binding increased in both refed animal and high glucose-treated 3T3-L1 adipocytes in an electrophoretic mobility shift assay, suggesting that C/EBP is responsible for the dietary response of the adiponectin gene expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation studies demonstrated the binding of C/EBP and NF-Y in both mouse and differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes and also that C/EBP binding increased in response to high glucose. These findings demonstrated that C/EBP and NF-Y are critical for the regulation of the adiponectin expression in response to nutrients and in the course of adipocyte differentiation.

Maturation-dependent gene expression in a conditionally transformed liver progenitor cell line

We have isolated a conditionally transformed liver progenitor cell line with phenotypic similarities to both hepatoblasts (bipotent embryonic liver cells that give rise to hepatocytes and intrahepatic biliary epithelial cells) and liver epithelial cells (primitive hepatic cells isolated from adult livers capable of generating both hepatocytic and biliary lineages). Cell line L2039 was derived from E14 fetal mouse liver after transformation with temperature-sensitive SV-40 large T antigen. At 33 degrees C, these cells have an epithelial morphology with a high nucleocytoplasmic ratio and express both hepatocytic and biliary genes, including albumin, alpha-fetoprotein, glutamine synthetase, insulinlike growth factor II receptor, fibronectin and laminin, and cytokeratins 8 and 19, a set of markers characteristic for hepatoblasts. The presence of cytokeratin 14, vimentin, and several oval-cell antigens link cell line L2039 to nonparenchymal liver epithelial cell populations thought to contain progenitor cells. Serum-free, hormonally defined media conditions and extracellular matrix requirements were determined for growth and differentiation of this cell line. During culture on type IV collagen at 39 degrees C, L2039 cells cease dividing and demonstrate hepatocytic differentiation with the assumption of a hepatocytelike morphology and glucocorticoid-dependent regulation of liver-specific genes, including albumin, alpha-fetoprotein, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, and liver-enriched transcription factors. The number of albumin-positive cells increases during culture at 39 degrees C, indicating that L2039 cells convert from a prehepatocytic to a hepatocytic phenotype. Under conditions specific for hepatocytic differentiation, C/EBPs were expressed and differentially regulated, with C/EBPbeta and C/EBPdelta upregulated early and C/EBPalpha only slightly expressed after 7 d, indicating that C/EBPalpha may not be a crucial factor in commitment to the hepatocytic phenotype.

Repression of transcription mediated by dual elements in the CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha gene

During adipocyte differentiation, the expression of C/EBPalpha is activated, which in turn serves to transcriptionally activate numerous adipocyte genes. A previous search for cis elements that regulate transcription of the C/EBPalpha gene led to the identification of a potential repressive element within the proximal 5' flanking region of the gene. Nuclear extracts from 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, but not adipocytes, were found to contain a factor, CUP (C/EBPalpha undifferentiated protein), that binds to this site (the CUP-1 site). In the present investigation, we show that C/EBPalpha promoter-luciferase constructs containing both the proximal 5' flanking and the entire 5' untranslated regions of the gene exhibit an expression pattern during adipocyte differentiation comparable to that of the endogenous C/EBPalpha gene. Mutation of the CUP-1 site in these constructs had little effect on reporter gene expression; however, when this mutation was combined with deletion of the 5' untranslated region, reporter gene expression by preadipocytes was dramatically up-regulated. Consistent with this finding, a second CUP binding site (the CUP-2 site) was identified in the 5' untranslated region. Although mutation of either CUP element in constructs containing both the 5' flanking and 5' untranslated region had little effect on reporter gene transcription, mutation of both CUP elements markedly activated transcription. Thus, it appears that dual CUP regulatory elements repress transcription of the C/EBPalpha gene prior to induction of the adipocyte differentiation program.

Increased hepatic cell proliferation and lung abnormalities in mice deficient in CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha

CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPalpha) is a transcription factor that has been implicated in the regulation of cell-specific gene expression mainly in hepatocytes and adipocytes but also in several other terminally differentiated cells. It has been previously demonstrated that the C/EBPalpha protein is functionally indispensable, as inactivation of the C/EBPalpha gene by homologous recombination in mice results in the death of animals homozygous for the mutation shortly after birth (Wang, N., Finegold, M. J., Bradley, A., Ou, C. N., Abdelsayed, S. V., Wilde, M. D., Taylor, L. R., Wilson, D. R., and Darlington, G. J. (1995) Science 269, 1108-1112). Here we show that C/EBPalpha -1-mice have defects in the control of hepatic growth and lung development. The liver architecture is disturbed, with acinar formation, in a pattern suggestive of either regenerating liver or pseudoglandular hepatocellular carcinoma. Pulmonary histology shows hyperproliferation of type II pneumocytes and disturbed alveolar architecture. At the molecular level, accumulation of glycogen and lipids in the liver and adipose tissues is impaired, and the mutant animals are severely hypoglycemic. Levels of c-myc and c-jun RNA are specifically induced by several fold in the livers of the C/EBPalpha -/- animals, indicating an active proliferative stage. Furthermore, immunohistologic detection with an antibody to proliferating cell nuclear antigen/cyclin shows a 5-10 times higher frequency of positively stained hepatocytes in C/EBPalpha -/- liver. These results suggest a critical role for C/EBPalpha in vivo for the acquisition of terminally differentiated functions in liver including the maintenance of physiologic energy homeostasis.

Myc inhibits CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha-gene expression in HIB-1B hibernoma cells through interactions with the core promoter region

The product of the c-myc proto-oncogene, Myc, has been implicated in the transcriptional regulation of several genes, acting either as an activator or repressor of gene expression. To determine whether Myc is involved in the modulation of the expression of the CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBP alpha) gene, we used both stable cell lines overexpressing Myc and transient co-transfection assays. We show that the endogenous C/EBP alpha protein level is repressed in stable cell lines overexpressing Myc. We also show that enforced expression of Myc in mouse hibernoma HIB-1B cells dramatically repressed the expression of C/EBP alpha--promoter-reporter fusion genes. This effect of Myc was mediated through the core promoter region. Mutation of the initiator site could not abolish this affect, indicating that Myc may interact with some component(s) of the basal transcription machinery.

Expression of the liver-enriched transcription factors C/EBP alpha, C/EBP beta, HNF-1, and HNF-4 in preneoplastic nodules and hepatocellular carcinoma in rat liver

The expression patterns of the liver-enriched transcription factors CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) alpha and beta and hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF)-1 and HNF-4 were studied in liver nodules and hepatocellular carcinomas from male rats treated according to the resistant hepatocyte (RH) model. C/EBP alpha expression was lower at the transcriptional, mRNA, and protein levels in persistent nodules than in the respective surrounding livers. Expression was further decreased in the tumors. Transcriptional downregulation of C/EBP alpha gene expression was observed already in very early nodules, isolated 3 wk after partial hepatectomy in the RH model. However, no detectable changes were observed in preneoplastic nodules in the transcription or in steady-state mRNA levels of C/EBP beta, HNF-1, and HNF-4. A slight decrease in C/EBP beta protein and a more pronounced attenuation of HNF-1 and HNF-4 levels was observed in nodules, being 67%, 37%, and 46% of the levels in the corresponding surrounding livers, respectively. In conclusion, differential regulation of several transcription factors that are associated with the maintenance of the differentiated state of the hepatocytes was observed in preneoplastic and neoplastic liver lesions. This could have an impact on the regulation of a wide array of genes during liver carcinogenesis. Furthermore, the attenuation of C/EBP alpha expression, regarded as a negative growth regulator, could contribute to the proliferative advantage of nodules during liver carcinogenesis.

High level activity of the mouse CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP alpha) gene promoter involves autoregulation and several ubiquitous transcription factors

The promoter region of the mouse CCAAT-Enhancer Binding Protein (C/EBP alpha) gene is capable of directing high levels of expression of reporter constructs in various cell lines, albeit even in cells that do not express their endogenous C/EBP alpha gene. To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying this ubiquitous expression, we have characterized the promoter region of the mouse C/EBP alpha gene by a variety of in vitro and in vivo methods. We show that three sites related in sequence to USF, BTE and C/EBP binding sites and present in promoter region -350/+3, are recognized by proteins from rat liver nuclear extracts. The sequence of the C/EBP alpha promoter that includes the USF binding site is also capable of forming stable complexes with purified Myc+Max heterodimers and mutation of this site drastically reduces transcription of C/EBP alpha promoter luciferase constructs both in liver and non liver cell lines. In addition, we identify three novel protein-binding sites two of which display similarity to NF-1 and a NF kappa B binding sites. The region located between nucleotides -197 and -178 forms several heat-stable complexes with liver nuclear proteins in vitro which are recognized mainly by antibodies specific for C/EBP alpha. Furthermore, transient expression of C/EBP alpha and to a lesser extent C/EBP beta expression vectors, results in transactivation of a cotransfected C/EBP alpha promoter-luciferase reporter construct. These experiments support the notion that the C/EBP alpha gene is regulated by C/EBP alpha but other C/EBP-related proteins may also be involved.

Differential adrenergic regulation of C/EBP alpha and C/EBP beta in brown adipose tissue

We investigated the regulation of the expression of two members of the C/EBP family of transcriptional activators, C/EBP alpha and C/EBP beta, in brown adipose tissue in mice. Less than one hour of cold exposure led to dramatic changes in the expression of both genes. C/EBP alpha steady-state mRNA and protein levels were drastically and rapidly reduced whereas C/EBP beta mRNA and protein levels were induced severalfold. Also norepinephrine injection affected the expression of the transcription factors. Preconfluent cells in brown fat primary cultures responded to norepinephrine with a decrease in C/EBP alpha and an increase in C/EBP beta mRNA; in confluent cells the expression of both factors was increased. Thus, C/EBP alpha and C/EBP beta gene expression is under adrenergic control both in vivo and in vitro but the type of response is directed by the degree of differentiation of the cells.