Identification of cis-acting regulatory elements in the promoter region of the rat brain creatine kinase gene

Creatine kinase in ischemic and inflammatory disorders

The creatine/phosphocreatine pathway plays a conserved and central role in energy metabolism. Compartmentalization of specific creatine kinase enzymes permits buffering of local high energy phosphates in a thermodynamically favorable manner, enabling both rapid energy storage and energy transfer within the cell. Augmentation of this metabolic pathway by nutritional creatine supplementation has been shown to elicit beneficial effects in a number of diverse pathologies, particularly those that incur tissue ischemia, hypoxia or oxidative stress. In these settings, creatine and phosphocreatine prevent depletion of intracellular ATP and internal acidification, enhance post-ischemic recovery of protein synthesis and promote free radical scavenging and stabilization of cellular membranes. The creatine kinase energy system is itself further regulated by hypoxic signaling, highlighting the existence of endogenous mechanisms in mammals that can enhance creatine metabolism during oxygen deprivation to promote tissue resolution and homeostasis. Here, we review recent insights into the creatine kinase pathway, and provide rationale for dietary creatine supplementation in human ischemic and inflammatory pathologies.

Towards resolving the transcription factor network controlling myelin gene expression

In the central nervous system (CNS), myelin is produced from spirally-wrapped oligodendrocyte plasma membrane and, as exemplified by the debilitating effects of inherited or acquired myelin abnormalities in diseases such as multiple sclerosis, it plays a critical role in nervous system function. Myelin sheath production coincides with rapid up-regulation of numerous genes. The complexity of their subsequent expression patterns, along with recently recognized heterogeneity within the oligodendrocyte lineage, suggest that the regulatory networks controlling such genes drive multiple context-specific transcriptional programs. Conferring this nuanced level of control likely involves a large repertoire of interacting transcription factors (TFs). Here, we combined novel strategies of computational sequence analyses with in vivo functional analysis to establish a TF network model of coordinate myelin-associated gene transcription. Notably, the network model captures regulatory DNA elements and TFs known to regulate oligodendrocyte myelin gene transcription and/or oligodendrocyte development, thereby validating our approach. Further, it links to numerous TFs with previously unsuspected roles in CNS myelination and suggests collaborative relationships amongst both known and novel TFs, thus providing deeper insight into the myelin gene transcriptional network.

Transcription of brain creatine kinase in U87-MG glioblastoma is modulated by factor AP2

Our previous studies established in U87-MG glioblastoma cells that elevated cAMP increased transcription of the endogenous as well as a transiently-transfected brain creatine kinase (CKB) gene, despite the absence of a cAMP response element (CRE) in the CKB proximal promoter. This report employed transfection to show that the transcription of CKB in U87 cells is induced by transcription factor AP2alpha, which is known to be activated by cAMP. Dominant-negative forms of AP2alpha not only prevented the AP2alpha-mediated activation of CKB but also blocked the cAMP-mediated increase in CKB transcription caused by forskolin treatment. The mutation of the four potential AP2 elements within the CKB proximal promoter showed that induction of CKB by AP2 was mediated principally through the AP2 element located at -50 bp in the promoter. Electromobility shift assays revealed a protein in U87 nuclear extracts that bound to a consensus AP2alpha element as well as to the (-50) AP2 element in CKB. Interestingly, the CKB (-50) AP2 element contains GCCAATGGG which also bound NF-Y, the CCAAT-binding protein, suggesting that interplay between AP2 and NF-Y may modulate CKB transcription. This is the first report of a role for AP2 in the regulation of CKB transcription and of an AP2 element within which an NF-Y site is located.

17 beta-estradiol- and 4-hydroxytamoxifen-induced transactivation in breast, endometrial and liver cancer cells is dependent on ER-subtype, cell and promoter context

The pattern of transcriptional activation by 17beta-estradiol (E2) and 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OHT) was determined in ZR-75 and MDA-MB-231 breast, ECC1 and HEC1A endometrial and HepG2 liver cancer cell lines cotransfected with E2-responsive constructs and wild-type estrogen receptor alpha (ER alpha) or ER beta (ER beta) or variant forms of ER alpha expressing activation function 1, AF1 (ER alpha-AF1) or activation function 2, AF2 (ER alpha-AF2). The E2-responsive constructs contained promoter inserts from the human complement C3 (pC3), human cathepsin D (pCD) and rat creatine kinase B (pCKB) genes. Minimal ER beta-dependent transactivation (<2.5-fold induction) was observed for E2 only in ECC1 and MDA-MB-231 cells transfected with pCKB or pC3, whereas 4-OHT was inactive as an ER beta agonist for all promoters in the four cell lines. The ER alpha agonist and/or antagonist activities for E2 and 4-OHT were highly variable and the transactivation was dependent on ER subtype, ER alpha variant expressed, gene promoter, and cell context. For example, E2 did not activate pCD in HepG2 cells transfected with wild-type or variant ER alpha, whereas E2 activated reporter gene activity in the four endometrial and breast cancer cell lines transfected with ER alpha and pCD, pCKB or pC3. Hormone activation of these constructs by ER alpha-AF1 or ER alpha-AF2 was highly variable among the different cell lines and even in the same cell line transfected with the three E2-responsive constructs. Similar variability was observed for 4-OHT. For example, 4-OHT activates pC3 in HepG2 cells transfected with ER alpha or ER alpha-AF1, and pCKB in HEC1A cells. However, AF1-dependent activation by 4-OHT is not observed for pCKB in ECC1 cells or for pC3 and pCD in HEC1A or ECC1 endometrial cancer cells. The results of this study suggest that transcriptional activation by E2 and 4-OHT induces recruitment of different transcription factor complexes that are dependent on the cell type and also the gene promoter.

Transcriptional activation of rat creatine kinase B by 17beta-estradiol in MCF-7 cells involves an estrogen responsive element and GC-rich sites

The rat creatine kinase B (CKB) gene is induced by estrogen in the uterus, and constructs containing rat CKB gene promoter inserts are highly estrogen-responsive in cell culture. Analysis of the upstream -568 to -523 region of the promoter in HeLa cells has identified an imperfect palindromic estrogen response element (ERE) that is required for hormone inducibility. Analysis of the CKB gene promoter in MCF-7 breast cancer cells confirmed that pCKB7 (containing the -568 to -523 promoter insert) was estrogen-responsive in transient transfection studies. However, mutation and deletion analysis of this region of the promoter showed that two GC-rich sites and the concensus ERE were functional cis-elements that bound estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha)/Sp1 and ERalpha proteins, respectively. The role of these elements was confirmed in gel mobility shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays and transfection studies in MDA-MB-231 and Schneider Drosophila SL-2 cells. These results show that transcriptional activation of CKB by estrogen is dependent, in part, on ERalpha/Sp1 action which is cell context-dependent.

Involvement of two NF-kappa B binding elements in tumor necrosis factor alpha -, CD40-, and epstein-barr virus latent membrane protein 1-mediated induction of the cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein 2 gene

The antiapoptotic function of NF-kappaB is believed to be mediated through the induction of antiapoptotic genes. Among the antiapoptotic genes, cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein 2 (c-IAP2/HIAP-1/MIHC) is originally identified as a molecule recruited to the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor complex, and its expression is preferentially up-regulated by TNF and other stimuli activating NF-kappaB. However, direct evidence of transcriptional regulation of NF-kappaB on the c-IAP2 gene is still missing. Here, we have cloned and characterized the promoter region required for NF-kappaB-dependent transcription of the c-IAP2 gene. Sequencing of a 3.5-kilobase fragment of the 5'-flanking region of the c-IAP2 gene has identified a TATA-like sequence and potential binding sites for nuclear factor of activated T cells, interferon regulatory factor 1, activator protein 1, glucocorticoid response element, and three putative NF-kappaB binding elements. Deletion and mutational analysis of the 5'-flanking region linked to the luciferase gene revealed that transcriptional activation by TNF or interleukin 1 is mediated cooperatively by two NF-kappaB binding sites. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays characterized that the two NF-kappaB sites can be recognized and bound by the NF-kappaB p50/p65 heterodimer. In addition, the transcription of c-IAP2 promoter was strongly up-regulated when CD40 or Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein 1 was overexpressed.

Conditions providing enhanced transfection efficiency in rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells permit analysis of the activity of the far-upstream and proximal promoter of the brain creatine kinase gene

While brain creatine kinase (CKB) is expressed at highest levels in the brain, where it functions in regenerating ATP, the gene elements and protein factors regulating CKB transcription in neuronal and glial cells have not been identified. To investigate the regulation of CKB in neuronal cells, we examined the expression of the promoter proximal and 5' far-upstream regions of the rat CKB gene transiently transfected into rat PC12 pheochromocytoma cells. Initially, these experiments were hampered by the extremely low transfection efficiency of PC12 cells. We increased efficiency by greater than 200-fold by employing CaPO4-precipitated DNA transfection into PC12 cells which were optimized for transient transfection by: (i) culturing cells in polylysine-coated dishes to insure attachment throughout transfection; (ii) exposing cells to transfected DNA for an optimal time and employing a glycerol shock; and, most importantly, (iii) dissociating the characteristic self-adhesive clumps of PC12 into mostly single cells. Use of the plasmid expressing green fluorescent protein allowed identification of the transfected cells that averaged 10-20% of the total. Analyses of CKB promoter-CAT gene constructs showed that in PC12 cells expression of the proximal (0.2 kb) CKB promoter was low while expression of the 1.4 kb promoter was three fold higher and the 2.9 kb promoter was ten fold higher, suggesting the presence of at least two upstream cis-acting, positive regulatory elements. In agreement, the steady-state CKB mRNA level was higher in PC12 than in other neuronal cell lines examined, possibly reflecting the effects of positive upstream factors. The results are discussed in relation to how this economical and straightforward transfection procedure may be useful in identify factors regulating the transcription of CKB and other genes expressed in neuronal cells.

Proximal promoter of the rat brain creatine kinase gene lacks a consensus CRE element but is essential for the cAMP-mediated increased transcription in glioblastoma cells

Our previous studies have shown that transcription of brain creatine kinase (CKB) mRNA in U87-MG glioblastoma cells is stimulated by a forskolin-mediated increase in cyclic AMP (cAMP) via a pathway involving protein kinase A (PKA) and the activation of Galphas proteins. In this report, we have employed transient transfection to investigate the rat CKB gene elements essential for the cAMP-mediated induction of rat CKB transcription in human U87 cells and have mapped the transcription start site of the induced CKB transcripts. We found that the level of induced transcription from the transfected genomic rat CKB gene was the same whether transcription was driven by 2.9 kb of CKB promoter plus 5' flanking sequence or the 0.2 kb CKB promoter, suggesting that the proximal CKB promoter was essential. Also, the level of induced transcription of the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) reporter gene driven by the 2.9 kb CKB promoter was the same as with the 0.2 kb CKB promoter. Analyses of a series of 5' deletions of the 0.2 kb proximal CKB promoter showed that the sequences between -80 bp and +1 bp were essential for the cAMP-mediated induction of CKB transcription, despite the absence of a consensus cAMP response element (CRE) sequence in that region. In agreement, gel mobility shift assays showed that nuclear extracts from U87 cells contained a protein(s) which bound specifically to a [32P]CKB DNA probe containing the -60 bp to +1 bp sequence. Mapping the 5' end of the CKB transcripts showed that the initiation of the cAMP-induced transcription occurred almost exclusively from the downstream transcription start site, apparently under the initiation direction of the nonconsensus (-28) TTAA element and not the consensus (-60) TATAAATA element. The results are discussed with regard to nuclear protein factors which may be involved, and the possible cAMP-mediated increase in CKB transcription during myelinogenesis, since the differentiation of oligodendrocytes has previously been shown to be accelerated by increased intracellular cAMP.

Estrogen and aryl hydrocarbon responsiveness of ECC-1 endometrial cancer cells

ECC-1 endometrial cancer cells express estrogen receptor alpha (ER(alpha)), and 17beta-estradiol (E2) induces cell proliferation, cathepsin D mRNA levels, and reporter gene activity in cells transiently transfected with constructs derived from the human cathepsin D and creatine kinase B (pCD and pCKB, respectively) gene promoters. The comparative antiestrogenic activity of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonists and ER(alpha) antagonists were also determined in these endometrial cancer cells. A functional AhR was expressed in ECC-1 cells and AhR agonists including 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) inhibited E2-induced cell proliferation and transactivation. This was comparable to inhibitory AhR-ER crosstalk in breast cancer cell lines. The pure ER antagonist ICI 182,780 also exhibited antiestrogenic activity in ECC-1 cells; however, the results obtained for 4'-hydroxytamoxifen were response-specific. 4'-Hydroxytamoxifen alone did not induce ECC-1 cell proliferation but completely inhibited E2-induced cell proliferation. 4'-Hydroxytamoxifen primarily exhibited ER antagonist activities in transactivation assays and this contrasted to the predominant ER agonist responses observed in other endometrial cancer cell lines. The unique cellular context of ECC-1 cells was confirmed using pCKB and constructs expressing wild-type ER or ER variants expressing activation function 1 (AF1) or AF2 (ER-AF1 and ER-AF2, respectively). 4'-Hydroxytamoxifen did not induce reporter gene activity in cells cotransfected with pCKB and ER-AF1 or ER-AF2; however, in cotreatment studies (4'-hydroxytamoxifen plus E2), 4'-hydroxytamoxifen inhibited E2-induced transcriptional activation by ER-AF1 or ER-AF2. Thus, the primarily antiestrogenic activity observed for 4'-hydroxytamoxifen in ECC-1 cells may be related to the inability to activate gene expression through AF1-dependent pathways.

Hepatocyte nuclear factor-4 controls transcription from a TATA-less human sex hormone-binding globulin gene promoter

Hepatocytes are the major source of sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), a glycoprotein that transports sex steroids in the blood and regulates their access to target tissues. The human SHBG proximal promoter was analyzed by DNase I footprinting, and the functional significance of 6 footprinted regions (FP1-FP6) within the proximal promoter was studied in human HepG2 hepatoblastoma cells. Two footprinted regions (FP1 and FP3) contain binding sites for the chicken ovalbumin upstream promoter-transcription factor (COUP-TF) and hepatocyte nuclear factor-4 (HNF-4). In experiments where SHBG promoter-luciferase reporter gene constructs were co-transfected into HepG2 cells with COUP-TF and/or HNF-4 expression vectors, HNF-4 markedly increased transcription, whereas COUP-TF suppressed this probably by displacing HNF-4 from their common FP1-binding site. This COUP-TF/HNF-4-binding site within FP1 includes a TTTAA sequence, located at nucleotides -30/-26 upstream of the transcription start site, which fails to interact with human TFIID, TATA-binding protein in vitro. When this sequence was replaced with an idealized HNF-4-binding site, the transcriptional activity of the promoter increased in HepG2 cells. Taken together, these data imply that an interplay between COUP-TF and HNF-4 at a site within FP1 regulates human SHBG expression and that HNF-4 controls transcription from this TATA-less promoter by somehow substituting for TATA-binding protein in the recruitment of a transcription preinitiation complex.

Comparative estrogenic activity of wine extracts and organochlorine pesticide residues in food

The human diet contains industrial-derived, endocrine-active chemicals and higher levels of naturally occurring compounds that modulate multiple endocrine pathways. Hazard and risk assessment of these mixtures is complicated by noadditive interactions between different endocrine-mediated responses. This study focused on estrogenic chemicals in the diet and compared the relative potencies or estrogen equivalents (EQs) of the daily consumption of xenoestrogenic organochlorine pesticides in food (2.44 micrograms/day) with the EQs in a single 200-ml glass of red cabernet wine. The reconstituted organochlorine mixture contained 1,1,1-trichloro-2-(p-chlorophenyl)-2-(o-chlorophenyl)ethane, 1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane, 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene, endosulfan-1, endosulfan-2, p,p'-methoxychlor, and toxaphene; the relative proportion of each chemical in the mixture resembled the composition reported in a recent U.S. Food and Drug Administration market basket survey. The following battery of in vitro 17 beta-estradiol (E2)-responsive bioassays were utilized in this study: competitive binding to mouse uterine estrogen receptor (ER); proliferation in T47D human breast cancer cells; luciferase (Luc) induction in human HepG2 cells transiently cotransfected with C3-Luc and the human ER, rat ER-alpha, or rat ER-beta; induction of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) activity in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells transfected with E2-responsive cathepsin D-CAT or creatine kinase B-CAT plasmids. For these seven in vitro assays, the calculated EQs in extracts from 200 ml of red cabernet wine varied from 0.15 to 3.68 micrograms/day. In contrast, EQs for consumption of organochlorine pesticides (2.44 micrograms/day) varied from nondetectable to 1.24 ng/day. Based on results of the in vitro bioassays, organochlorine pesticides in food contribute minimally to dietary EQ intake.

Estrogenic and antiestrogenic activities of 16alpha- and 2-hydroxy metabolites of 17beta-estradiol in MCF-7 and T47D human breast cancer cells

The comparative mitogenic activities of 17beta-estradiol (E2) and four metabolites, 2-hydroxyestradiol (2-OHE2), 2-hydroxyestrone (2-OHE1), 16alpha-hydroxyestradiol (16alpha-OHE2) and 16alpha-hydroxyestrone (16alpha-OHE1) were determined in estrogen receptor (ER)-positive MCF-7 and T47D human breast cancer cells. E2 (1 nM) induced a 7- to 13-fold increase in cell number in both cell lines compared to untreated cells and the mitogenic potencies of 16alpha-OHE1 or 16alpha-OHE2 were comparable to or greater than E2. In contrast, 2-OHE1 and 2-OHE2 were weak mitogens in both cell lines and in cells cotreated with 1 nM E2 and 100 or 1000 nM 2-OHE1 or 2-OHE2, there was a significant inhibition of hormone-induced cell proliferation. The comparative ER agonist/antagonist activities of E2 and the metabolites on transactivation were determined in T47D cells transiently transfected with constructs containing promoter inserts from the cathepsin D (pCD) and creatine kinase B (pCKB) genes. E2, 16alpha-OHE2 and 16alpha-OHE1 induced reporter gene activity in both MCF-7 or T47D cells transfected with pCKB or pCD. In contrast, 2-OHE1 and 2-OHE2 did not exhibit ER agonist activity for these transactivation assays, but in cells cotreated with E2 plus 2-OHE1 or 2-OHE2, there was a significant decrease in the hormone-induced response. These results demonstrate that 16alpha-OHE1/16alpha-OHE2 exhibit estrogenic activities similar to that observed for E2, whereas the 2-catecholestrogens are weak ER agonists (cell proliferation) or antagonists (cell proliferation and transactivation).

Molecular characterization of the creatine kinases and some historical perspectives

Over the last 15 years, molecular characterization of the creatine kinase (CK) gene family has paralleled the molecular revolution of understanding gene structure, function, and regulation. In this review, we present a summary of advances in molecular analysis of the CK gene family with a few vignettes of historical interest. We describe how the muscle CK gene provided an essential model system to examine myogenic regulatory mechanisms, leading to the discovery of the binding site for the MyoD family of basic helix-loop-helix transcription factors essential in skeletal myogenesis and the characterization of the MEF2 family of factors with an A/T rich consensus binding site essential in skeletal myogenesis and cardiogenesis. Cloning and characterization of the four mRNAs and nuclear genes encoding the cytosolic CKs, muscle and brain CKs, and the mitochondrial (Mt) CKs, sarcomeric MtCK and ubiquitous MtCK, has allowed intriguing study of tissue-specific and cell-specific expression of the different CKs and analysis of structural, functional, regulatory, and evolutionary relationships among both the four CK proteins and genes. Current and future studies focus on understanding both cellular energetics facilitated by the CK enzymes, especially energy channelling from the site of production, the mitochondrial matrix and inner membrane, to various cytosolic foci of utilization, and regulation of MtCK gene expression at the cell and tissue-specific level as models of regulation of energy producing genes.

Estrogen- and antiestrogen-responsiveness of HEC1A endometrial adenocarcinoma cells in culture

HEC1A endometrial cancer cells express the wild-type form of the estrogen receptor (ER) and 17beta-estradiol (E2) induces proliferation of these cells. In contrast, tamoxifen only causes a minimal increase (<20%) in cell proliferation. In HEC1A cells transiently transfected with the C3-Luc plasmid derived from the complement C3 gene, both E2 and tamoxifen exhibited ER agonist activity and tamoxifen was also a partial antagonist for this response. The relative ER agonist/antagonist activities of E2, tamoxifen and ICI 182,780 were also investigated in HEC1A1 cells transiently transfected with two E2-responsive plasmids, pCATHD-CAT and pCKB-CAT which contain 5'-promoter inserts from the cathepsin D and creatine kinase B genes, respectively. The results showed that E2 and tamoxifen induced reporter gene activity in cells transiently transfected with both constructs. ICI 182,780 exhibited partial ER agonist activity only in cells transiently transfected with pCKB-CAT and antagonized E2-induced reporter gene activity using both the CKB- and CATHD-derived constructs. These results demonstrate that HEC1A endometrial cancer cells are E2-responsive and represent a useful cell culture model for understanding hormone/antihormone-induced endometrial cell responses.

Additive estrogenic activities of a binary mixture of 2',4',6'-trichloro- and 2',3',4',5'-tetrachloro-4-biphenylol

The estrogenic activity of 2',4',6'-trichloro-4-biphenylol (HO-PCB3), 2',3',4',5'-tetrachloro-4-biphenylol (HO-PCB4), and an equimolar mixture of both compounds (HO-PCB3/HO-PCB4) was investigated in the 21-day-old B6C3F1 mouse uterus, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells, HepG2 cells, and in a yeast-based reporter gene assay. Treatment of the animals with 17beta-estradiol (E2) (0.02 microg/kg/day x3) resulted in increased uterine wet weight, peroxidase activity and progesterone receptor binding. Treatment with 18, 73, 183 or 366 micromol/kg (x3) doses of HO-PCB3, HO-PCB4, or HO-PCB3/HO-PCB4 (equimolar) caused a dose-dependent increase in estrogenic activity; a maximal-induced response was not observed at any dose and the activity of the mixture was additive. Binding of E2, HO-PCB3, HO-PCB4, and HO-PCB3/HO-PCB4 to the mouse uterine estrogen receptor (ER) was determined in a competitive binding assay using [3H]E2 as the radioligand. The IC50 values were 1.1 x 10(-8), 3.4 x 10(-6), 9.9 x 10(-7), and 4.25 x 10(-6) m, respectively. HO-PCB3 and HO-PCB4 maximally induced MCF-7 cell proliferation, rat creatine kinase, and human complement C3 (C3-LUC) reporter gene activity at concentrations of 10(-5) to 10(-6) m, and these compounds were 10(3) to 10(4) less potent than E2. The HO-PCB3/HO-PCB4 mixture was active at the high concentration (10(-5) m) and was additive for these responses. HO-PCB3 and HO-PCB4 also exhibited estrogenic activity in human HepG2 cells cotransfected with C3-LUC and an ER expression plasmid, and the estrogenic activity of the HO-PCB mixture was additive. Similar results were obtained in yeast transformed with the human ER and a double estrogen responsive element upstream of the beta-gal reporter gene. The effects of variable ER expression on the potential synergistic interactions of HO-PCB3/HO-PCB4 were investigated in HepG2 cells cotransfected with C3-LUC (405 ng/well) and variable amounts of ER expression plasmid (270, 27, 2.7, or 0.27 ng/well). The results show that as ER levels decreased, the magnitude of the induction response by E2, HO-PCB3, HO-PCB4, and HO-PCB3/HO-PCB4 also decreased. However, the activities of the HO-PCB mixture were additive at high and low levels of ER. Similar results were obtained in MDA-MB-231 cells cotransfected with C3-LUC and variable amounts of ER expression plasmid. The results of this study demonstrate that for several estrogen-responsive assays in the mouse uterus; MCF-7, HepG2, and MDA-MBA-231 human cancer cells; and a yeast based-reporter gene assay, both HO-PCB3 and HO-PCB4 exhibited estrogenic activity. The estrogenic activity of an equimolar mixture of these compounds was additive at high and low levels of ER expression.

bFGF induces BCK promoter-driven expression in muscle via increased binding of a nuclear protein

Changes in gene expression occurring during skeletal muscle differentiation are exemplified by downregulation of brain creatine kinase (BCK) and induction of muscle creatine kinase (MCK). Although both are transcriptionally regulated, there appears to be no transcription factor-element overlap, suggesting that their coordinate expression results from culture medium-related influences. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) prevents myogenesis and represses MCK expression by inhibiting transcriptional activation. It was hypothesized that bFGF similarly influenced BCK by inducing its expression. Accordingly, BCK promoter constructs were transiently transfected into C2C12 cells and, after a switch to differentiation medium, were treated with bFGF, bFGF plus herbimycin, adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP), or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA). Analyses demonstrated that bFGF responsiveness was contained within a 33-base pair element. Electromobility shift assays showed that bFGF induction increased the abundance of the nuclear factor binding the element. Both effects were prevented by herbimycin. Neither cAMP nor PMA specifically induced the construct containing the bFGF-responsive element. The induced factor required phosphorylation to bind, implying that bFGF-mediated increases in binding may be due to transcription factor phosphorylation.

Estrogenic activity of a dieldrin/toxaphene mixture in the mouse uterus, MCF-7 human breast cancer cells, and yeast-based estrogen receptor assays: no apparent synergism

The estrogenic activity of dieldrin, toxaphene, and an equimolar mixture of both compounds (dieldrin/toxaphene) was investigated in the 21-day-old B6C3F1 mouse uterus, MCF-7 human breast cancer cells, and in yeast-based reporter gene assays. Treatment of the animals with 17beta-estradiol (E2) (0.0053 kg/day x3) resulted in a 3.1-, 4.8-, and 7.8-fold increase in uterine wet weight, peroxidase activity, and progesterone receptor binding, respectively. In contrast, treatment with 2.5, 15 and 60 micromol/kg (x3) doses of toxaphene, dieldrin, or dieldrin/toxaphene (equimolar) did not significantly induce a dose-dependent increase in any of the E2-induced responses. The organochlorine pesticides alone and the binary mixture did not bind to the mouse uterine estrogen receptor (ER) in a competitive binding assay using [3H]E2 as the radioligand. In parallel studies, estrogenic activities were determined in MCF-7 cells by using a cell proliferation assay and by determining induction of chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) activity in MCF-7 cells transiently transfected with plasmids containing estrogen-responsive 5'-promoter regions from the rat creatine kinase B and human cathepsin D genes. E2 caused a 24-fold increase in CAT activity in MCF-7 cells transiently transfected with creatine kinase B and a 3.8-fold increase in cells transiently transfected with the human cathepsin D construct. Treatment of MCF-7 cells with dieldrin, toxaphene, or an equimolar mixture of dieldrin plus toxaphene (10(-8)-10(-5) M) did not significantly induce cell proliferation or CAT activity in the transient transfection experiment with both plasmids. The relative competitive binding of the organochlorine pesticides was determined by incubating MCF-7 cells with 10(-9) M [3H]E2 in the presence or absence of 2 x 10(-7) M unlabeled E2 (to determine nonspecific binding), toxaphene (10(-5) M), dieldrin (10(-5) M), and equimolar concentrations of the dieldrin plus toxaphene mixture (10(-5) M). The binding observed for [3H]E2 in the whole cell extracts was displaced by unlabeled E2, whereas the organochlorine pesticides and binary mixture exhibited minimal to nondetectable competitive binding activity. E2 caused a 5000-fold induction of beta-galactosidase (beta-gal) activity in yeast transformed with the human ER and a double estrogen responsive element upstream of the beta-gal reporter gene. Treatment with 10(-6)-10(-4) M chlordane, dieldrin, toxaphene, or an equimolar mixture of dieldrin/toxaphene did not induce activity, whereas 10(-4) M endosulfan caused a 2000-fold increase in beta-gal activity. Diethylstilbestrol caused a 20-fold increase in activity in yeast transformed with the mouse ER and a single estrogen responsive element upstream of the beta-gal reporter gene. Dieldrin, chlordane, toxaphene, and endosulfan induced a 1.5- to 4-fold increase in activity at a concentration of 2.5 x 10(-5) M. Synergistic transactivation was not observed for any equimolar binary mixture of the pesticides at concentrations of either 2.5 x 10(-5) M or 2.5 x 10(-4) M. The results of this study demonstrate that for several estrogen-responsive assays in the mouse uterus, MCF-7 human breast cancer cells, and yeast-based reporter gene assays, the activities of both dieldrin and toxaphene were minimal, and no synergistic interactions were observed with a binary mixture of the two compounds.

Gene structure and 5'-flanking regulatory region of the murine serotonin transporter

By modulating the magnitude and duration of postsynaptic responses, carrier-facilitated serotonin (5-HT) transport into and release from the presynaptic neuron is central to the fine tuning of serotonergic neurotransmission. The 5-HT transporter (5-HTT) is the prime target for widely used antidepressants, psychostimulants, drugs of abuse and neurotoxins. We have isolated the gene encoding the murine 5-HTT and determined the sequence of all exons including adjacent intronic regions and approximately 3.6 kb of the 5'-flanking regulatory region. The murine 5-HTT gene is composed of 14 exons spanning approximately 34 kb. The single gene transcript after splicing is 2744 bp in length and it contains 186 bp of 5' untranslated region (5'-UTR) and 668 bp of 3'-UTR. A TATA-like motif and several potential binding sites for transcription factors including AP1, AP2, AP4, SP1 as well as CRE- and GRE-like motifs are present in the GC-rich 5'-flanking region. The characterization of murine 5-HTT cDNA and genomic organization will facilitate studies of 5-HT uptake function with molecular pharmacologic and transgenic strategies as well as investigations of its role in quantitative traits and psychiatric disorders.

Characterization of a nuclear protein that interacts with regulatory elements in the human B creatine kinase gene

The B creatine kinase gene is regulated by an array of positive and negative cis-elements in the 5'-flanking DNA that function in both muscle and nonmuscle cells. In C2C12 myogenic cells M and B creatine kinase mRNAs are coordinately up-regulated in the early stages of myogenesis and then undergo distinct regulatory programs. The B creatine kinase gene is down-regulated in the late stages of myogenesis as M creatine kinase becomes the predominant species in mature myotubes. Sequences between -92 and +80 of the B creatine kinase gene confer a regulated pattern of expression to chimeric plasmids that closely resembles the time-course of expression of the endogenous B creatine kinase gene in C2C12 cells undergoing differentiation. We show that sequences within the first exon of the B creatine kinase gene are important for the development regulation of the gene in C2C12 cells and that these sequences bind a nuclear protein that shows a similar tissue-specific distribution and developmentally regulated expression to that of the endogenous B creatine kinase gene.

Protooncogene c-ski is expressed in both proliferating and postmitotic neuronal populations

The cellular protooncogene, c-ski, is expressed in all cells of the developing mouse at low but detectable levels. In situ hybridization and Northern blot analyses reveal that some cells and tissues express this gene at higher levels at certain stages of embryonic and postnatal development. RT-PCR results indicate that alternative splicing of exon 2, known to occur in chickens (Sutrave and Hughes [1989] Mol. Cell. Biol. 9:4046-4051; Grimes et al. [1993] Oncogene 8:2863-2868) does not occur in adult mouse tissues. In the embryo, neural crest cells express the c-ski gene during migration at 8.5 to 9.5 days post coitum (p.c.). Neural crest derivatives such as dorsal root ganglia and melanocytes stain positively with an antibody to the ski protein. At 9 days p.c., the entire neural tube has high levels of c-ski gene expression. By 12-13.5 days only the ependymal layer expresses c-ski above background levels. At 14-16 days p.c., c-ski mRNAs are detected at high levels in the cortical layers of the brain and in the olfactory bulb. In 2 week and 6 week postnatal brains, c-ski gene transcripts are also detected in the hippocampus and in the granule cell layer of the cerebellum. The allantois and placenta exhibit high levels of c-ski mRNAs. Neonatal lung tissue increases c-ski gene expression approximately two-fold compared to prenatal levels. These results suggest that ski plays a role in both the proliferation and differentiation of specific cell populations of the central and peripheral nervous systems and of other tissues.

Creatine kinase activity as an indicator of unopposed estrogen action in the mouse uterus associated with anti-progesterone treatment

The brain isozyme of creatine kinase (CKB) is a major component of the estrogen-induced proteins in the rat uterus. Hormonal specificity of this response was studied in cotransfection assays using the rat CKB promoter linked to the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene. Response was specific for estrogen as 17 beta-estradiol in the presence of estrogen receptor dramatically stimulated the CKB promoter. This induction was completely blocked by the estrogen antagonist ICI 164,384. Nuclear receptors for progesterone, androgen, glucocorticoid and vitamin D did not significantly activate the CKB promoter in the presence of their respective ligands. Creatine kinase (CK) activity was analyzed in decidualized mouse uterus to assess estrogenic activity in vivo. Upon oil stimulation, uterine horns of day 4 pseudopregnant mice underwent a dramatic outgrowth in response to endogenous progesterone. This response was accompanied by a significant decrease in CK activity from a control value of 1.44 +/- 0.25 to 0.38 +/- 0.08 IU/mg protein (P < 0.001), indicating that the action of estrogen was suppressed. Treatment of females one day prior to oil-stimulation with progesterone receptor antagonists, RU486 (Mifepristone) or ZK299 (Onapristone), or with a monoclonal antibody to progesterone (DB3), abolished decidualization, and also restored the CK activity to the control value. These results suggest that CK can be used as a specific cellular marker to detect unopposed estrogen action in the mouse uterus associated with progesterone withdrawal or receptor blockade.

Expression of the rat brain creatine kinase gene in C6 glioma cells

We have recently shown that while brain creatine kinase (CKB) mRNA was detectable in RNA from cultured primary rat brain neurons, CKB mRNA was about 15-fold higher in primary astrocytes and 17-fold higher in oligodendrocytes (Molloy et al., J Neurochem 59:1925-1932, 1992). To begin to understand the molecular mechanisms responsible for brain glial cells containing the highest levels of CKB mRNA in the body, we have examined the expression of rat CKB mRNA in established C6 glioma cells. RNase-protection analysis showed the endogenous CKB mRNA levels in exponentially growing C6 were high and measured 50% of that in total RNA from rat brain lysate and 60% of that in cultured primary astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. The 5' and 3' ends of CKB mRNA in C6 were mapped to the same nucleotides as CKB mRNA from rat brain, indicating that the sites of in vivo transcription initiation and termination/polyadenylation of CKB mRNA in C6 are the same as in total rat brain RNA. The level of CKB enzyme activity in C6 whole cell lysates was among the highest of the glial cell lines which we measured. All creatine kinase enzyme activity present in C6 was found in the dimeric CKB isoform (BB), which is characteristic of CKB expression in the brain. A 2.9 kb gene fragment containing the basal CKB promoter and far-upstream 5' sequences was cloned upstream of the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene and transfected into C6 cells. CAT activity was readily detectable in C6 and mapping of the 5' end of the CAT mRNA showed that transcription was directed from the correct initiation site. Since we found C6 cells were difficult to transfect, conditions were established which both maximized transfection efficiency and maintained normal C6 cell morphology. These results should permit the future identification of the nuclear trans-acting factors and the cognate cis-acting regulatory elements responsible for high CKB mRNA expression in brain glial cells.

Analysis of the promoter sequence and the transcription initiation site of the mouse 5-HT1C serotonin receptor gene

The serotonin 1c (5-HT1C) receptor is found in many brain regions, but is particularly enriched on the epithelial cells of the choroid plexus. A major challenge in neurobiology is to delineate the molecular processes that regulate the specific pattern of neuronal gene expression in the brain. As an initial step towards identifying cis-acting DNA sequences that control the expression of the 5-HT1C receptor, we have isolated the promoter sequence of its gene. Sequence analysis of a 1.8 kb fragment indicated that the 3' end of this fragment overlaps with the 5' untranslated region of the 5-HT1C receptor mRNA, and primer extension using mouse brain poly(A)+ RNA mapped the transcription initiation site within this fragment. There are a number of sequence elements upstream from the transcription initiation site that are homologous to regulatory elements found in other eucaryotic genes. To determine the promoter activity, a plasmid was constructed that contains this fragment as promoter region and the cDNA for the 5-HT1C receptor as the reporter. When injected into the nucleus of Xenopus oocytes, this construct resulted in functional expression of the reporter gene. Primer extension using the RNA extracted from the injected oocytes indicated a single transcription initiation site of the reporter mRNA. These results suggest that the 5-HT1C receptor was functionally expressed under the promoter activity of the 1.8 kb 5' sequence of its gene. This system will be useful for further analysis of the cis-acting elements in the promoter region of the 5-HT1C receptor gene and the trans-acting factors that regulate tissue-specific expression of the receptor.

Isolation and characterization of the rat gene encoding glutamate dehydrogenase

The concentration of glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) varies strongly between different organs and between different regions within organs. To permit further studies on the regulation of GDH expression, we isolated and characterized the rat gene encoding the GDH protein. This gene contains 13 exons and spans approximately 34 kbp. The GDH gene is present as a single, autosomally located copy in the Wistar rat genome, but shows an extensive restriction-fragment-length polymorphism for several enzymes. Promoter activity of the 5'-flanking sequence is shown by transient transfection experiments. The 5'-flanking sequence contains a TTAAAA sequence at position -29, instead of a consensus TATA box and, like many other TATA-less promoters, is characterized by a very high G + C content. In addition, consensus sequences for the binding sites of the transcription factors Sp1 and Zif268 are present in the G + C-rich upstream region.

Rat brain creatine kinase messenger RNA levels are high in primary cultures of brain astrocytes and oligodendrocytes and low in neurons

Rat brain creatine kinase (CKB) gene expression is highest in the brain but is also detectable at lower levels in some other tissues. In the brain, the CKB enzyme is thought to be involved in the regeneration of ATP necessary for transport of ions and neurotransmitters. To understand the molecular events that lead to high CKB expression in the brain, we have determined the steady-state levels of CKB mRNA in homogeneous cultures of primary rat brain astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and neurons. Northern blot analysis showed that whereas the 1.4-kb CKB mRNA was detectable in neurons, the level was about 17-fold higher in oligodendrocytes and 15-fold higher in astrocytes. The blots were hybridized with a CKB-specific 32P-antisense RNA probe, complementary to the 3' untranslated sequence of CKB, which hybridizes to CKB mRNA but not CKM mRNA. Also, the 5' and 3' ends of CKB mRNA from the glial cells were mapped, using exon-specific antisense probes in the RNase-protection assay, and were found to be the same in astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. This indicated that (a) the site of in vivo transcription initiation in astrocytes and oligodendrocytes was directed exclusively by the downstream, nonconcensus TTAA sequence at -25 bp in the CKB promoter that is also utilized by all other cell types that express CKB and (b) the 3' end of mature CKB mRNA was the same in astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. In addition, there was no detectable alternate splicing in exon 1, 2, or 8 of CKB mRNA in rat astrocytes and oligodendrocytes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Responsiveness of the 5'-flanking region of the brain type isozyme of creatine kinase to estrogens and antiestrogen

The brain type isozyme of creatine kinase (CKB) has proven to be a useful early marker for the action of steroid and other hormones. An increase in the steady state level of mRNA for CKB was found within 30 min after estrogen stimulation of immature rat uteri. Cycloheximide treatment did not inhibit CKB induction. In order to study the molecular mechanism of this induction, 2.9 kb of the 5'-flanking region of CKB fused with the CAT reporter gene was cotransfected into ROS 17/2.8 and HeLa cells along with an expression plasmid for the human estrogen receptor. 17 beta-Estradiol at 10(-8) M or greater concentrations and the antiestrogen tamoxifen at 10(-6) M stimulated CAT activity. When given simultaneously with 17 beta-estradiol, tamoxifen showed a synergistic effect.