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Li Z, Paulin D, Lacolley P, Coletti D, Agbulut O. Vimentin as a target for the treatment of COVID-19. BMJ Open Respir Res 2020; 7:7/1/e000623. [PMID: 32913008 PMCID: PMC7482103 DOI: 10.1136/bmjresp-2020-000623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 08/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We and others propose vimentin as a possible cellular target for the treatment of COVID-19. This innovative idea is so recent that it requires further attention and debate. The significant role played by vimentin in virus-induced infection however is well established: (1) vimentin has been reported as a co-receptor and/or attachment site for SARS-CoV; (2) vimentin is involved in viral replication in cells; (3) vimentin plays a fundamental role in both the viral infection and the consequent explosive immune-inflammatory response and (4) a lower vimentin expression is associated with the inhibition of epithelial to mesenchymal transition and fibrosis. Moreover, the absence of vimentin in mice makes them resistant to lung injury. Since vimentin has a twofold role in the disease, not only being involved in the viral infection but also in the associated life-threatening lung inflammation, the use of vimentin-targeted drugs may offer a synergistic advantage as compared with other treatments not targeting vimentin. Consequently, we speculate here that drugs which decrease the expression of vimentin can be used for the treatment of patients with COVID-19 and advise that several Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs be immediately tested in clinical trials against SARS-CoV-2, thus broadening therapeutic options for this type of viral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenlin Li
- Biological Adaptation and Ageing, CNRS UMR 8256, Inserm U1164, Sorbonne Université, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Paris, France
| | - Denise Paulin
- Biological Adaptation and Ageing, CNRS UMR 8256, Inserm U1164, Sorbonne Université, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Paris, France
| | - Patrick Lacolley
- Inserm, UMR_S 1116, DCAC, Université de Lorraine, Nancy, Lorraine, France
| | - Dario Coletti
- Biological Adaptation and Ageing, CNRS UMR 8256, Inserm U1164, Sorbonne Université, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Paris, France.,Department of Anatomy, Histology, Forensic Medicine & Orthopedics, Histology & Medical Embryology Section, Sapienza University of Rome, Roma, Lazio, Italy
| | - Onnik Agbulut
- Biological Adaptation and Ageing, CNRS UMR 8256, Inserm U1164, Sorbonne Université, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Paris, France
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2
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Sekimata M, Murakami-Sekimata A, Homma Y. CpG methylation prevents YY1-mediated transcriptional activation of the vimentin promoter. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2011; 414:767-72. [PMID: 22005459 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2011.09.155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2011] [Accepted: 09/30/2011] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Vimentin exhibits a complex pattern of tissue-specific and developmentally regulated expression, but the mechanisms underlying the complex transcriptional regulation remain poorly understood. Here we examined whether vimentin expression can be regulated by CpG methylation of the vimentin promoter. Two subclones of the rat C6 glioma cells were established with (C6vim+) and without (C6vim-) vimentin. Bisulfite genomic sequencing revealed that the vicinity of the transcription start site within the vimentin promoter is highly methylated in C6vim- cells but not in C6vim+ cells. Treatment of C6vim- cells with a demethylating agent, 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine, restored vimentin expression, indicating that hypermethylation of the promoter region correlates with transcriptional silencing of the vimentin gene. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and transient transfection experiments demonstrated that YY1 is a key transcriptional activator regulating vimentin expression and that CpG methylation is sufficient to prevent the binding of YY1 to the vimentin promoter. These data suggest that the inability of YY1 to access the hypermethylated promoter may be one of the mechanisms that mediate vimentin downregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masayuki Sekimata
- Division of Theoretical Nursing and Genetics, Yamagata University School of Medicine, 2-2-2 Iida-nishi, Yamagata 990-9585, Japan.
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3
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The transcriptional repressor ZBP-89 and the lack of Sp1/Sp3, c-Jun and Stat3 are important for the down-regulation of the vimentin gene during C2C12 myogenesis. Differentiation 2009; 77:492-504. [PMID: 19505630 DOI: 10.1016/j.diff.2008.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2008] [Revised: 12/08/2008] [Accepted: 12/23/2008] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Currently, considerable information is available about how muscle-specific genes are activated during myogenesis, yet little is known about how non-muscle genes are down-regulated. The intermediate filament protein vimentin is known to be "turned off" during myogenesis to be replaced by desmin, the muscle-specific intermediate filament protein. Here, we demonstrate that vimentin down-regulation is the result of the combined effect of several transcription factors. Levels of the positive activators, Sp1/Sp3, which are essential for vimentin expression, decrease during myogenesis. In addition, c-Jun and Stat3, two additional positive-acting transcription factors for vimentin gene expression, are also down-regulated. Over-expression via adenoviral approaches demonstrates that the up-regulation of the repressor ZBP-89 is critical to vimentin down-regulation. Elimination of ZBP-89 via siRNA blocks the down-regulation of vimentin and Sp1/Sp3 expression. From these studies we conclude that the combinatorial effect of the down-regulation of positive-acting transcription factors such as Sp1/Sp3, c-Jun and Stat3 versus the up-regulation of the repressor ZBP-89 contributes to the "turning off" of the vimentin gene during myogenesis.
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4
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Wu Y, Zhang X, Salmon M, Zehner ZE. The zinc finger repressor, ZBP-89, recruits histone deacetylase 1 to repress vimentin gene expression. Genes Cells 2007; 12:905-18. [PMID: 17663720 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2443.2007.01104.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Vimentin, a member of the intermediate filament (IF) protein family, exhibits a complex pattern of tissue- and developmental-specific expression. Although vimentin is widely expressed in the embryo, its expression becomes restricted during terminal differentiation. Moreover, it is often expressed in tissue culture cells despite their embryological origin and is a marker for the metastatic tumor cell. Previously, the vimentin promoter has been shown to contain several positive- and negative-acting cis-elements. The negative elements bind the transcription factor ZBP-89. Interestingly, ZBP-89 can be either an activator or a repressor of gene expression. For instance, ZBP-89 has been shown to activate p21(waf1/cip1) expression by recruiting p300 to the p21 promoter. Here, we have investigated the mechanism of ZBP-89 repression. The histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor TSA enhances vimentin gene expression requiring the proximal promoter region including GC-box 1, a known Sp1/Sp3 binding site. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays document an increase in the acetylation status of histone H3 on the endogenous vimentin gene concomitant with TSA treatment. However, EMSAs, DNA precipitation, co-immunoprecipitation and ChIP data show that it is not Sp1, but rather ZBP-89, which recruits HDAC1. From these studies we conclude that ZBP-89 functions as a repressor by recruiting HDAC1 to the vimentin promoter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongzhong Wu
- The Department of Biochemistry and the Massey Cancer Center, Medical College of Virginia Campus of Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298-0614, USA
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5
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Yates B, Zetterberg C, Rajeev V, Reiss M, Rittling SR. Promoter-independent regulation of vimentin expression in mammary epithelial cells by val(12)ras and TGFbeta. Exp Cell Res 2007; 313:3718-28. [PMID: 17719575 PMCID: PMC2097954 DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2007.07.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2007] [Revised: 06/20/2007] [Accepted: 07/16/2007] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The 1,029 series of mammary epithelial cell lines (D6, GP+E, r3 and r3T) are progressively more transformed: the latter two by val(12)ras. These cell lines respond to TGFbeta by undergoing early events of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), including morphological changes and redistribution of E-cadherin. Tumors formed by r3T cells in the choroid of the eye express vimentin, a late marker of EMT, possibly in response to TGFbeta. In vitro, vimentin expression is induced in all the cell lines by TGFbeta treatment, whereas cytokeratin expression is only slightly affected. Surprisingly, ras transformation results in a 10-fold suppression of vimentin expression. Neither suppression of vimentin by ras transformation nor induction by TGFbeta is mediated by the vimentin promoter in r3T cells. In transient transfection assays, several human vimentin promoter constructs are more active in the low-expressing r3T cell line than in the vimentin-expressing mesenchymal cell line NIH3T3. In the r3T cells, there is no effect of TGFbeta treatment for 9 days on the activity of either promoter. Azacytidine treatment does not affect vimentin expression in either NIH3T3 or r3T, suggesting that promoter methylation is not the mechanism of suppression by ras. Finally, the half-life of the vimentin mRNA is similar in both the r3T cells and NIH3T3 cells. We conclude that the suppression of vimentin expression by ras, and the relief of this suppression by TGFbeta, occurs in a promoter-independent fashion, possibly through sequences in the first or second intron.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bradley Yates
- The Forsyth Institute 140 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115
| | | | | | | | - Susan R Rittling
- The Forsyth Institute 140 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115
- To whom correspondence should be addressed:
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6
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Wu Y, Zhang X, Salmon M, Lin X, Zehner ZE. TGFbeta1 regulation of vimentin gene expression during differentiation of the C2C12 skeletal myogenic cell line requires Smads, AP-1 and Sp1 family members. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2006; 1773:427-39. [PMID: 17270292 PMCID: PMC1855268 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2006.11.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2006] [Revised: 11/22/2006] [Accepted: 11/27/2006] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Vimentin exhibits a complex pattern of developmental and tissue-specific expression regulated by such growth factors as TGFbeta1, PDGF, FGF, EGF and cytokines. Vimentin is expressed in the more migratory, mesenchymal cell and its expression is often down-regulated to make way for tissue-specific intermediate filaments proteins such as desmin in muscle. Here, we suggest a mechanism to explain how TGFbeta1 contributes to the up-regulation of vimentin expression while blocking myogenesis. TGFbeta1 binds to serine/threonine kinase receptors resulting in the phosphorylation of Smad2 and Smad3, followed by formation of a heteromeric complex with Smad4. The translocation of this complex to the nucleus modulates transcription of selected genes such as vimentin. However, the vimentin gene lacks a consensus TGFbeta1 response element. By transient transfection analysis of vimentin's various promoter elements fused to the CAT reporter gene, we have determined that tandem AP-1 sites surrounded by GC-boxes are required for TGFbeta1 induction. Mutations within this region eliminated the ability of Smad3 to induce reporter gene expression. DNA precipitation and ChIP assays suggest that c-Jun, c-Fos, Smad3 and Sp1/Sp3 interact over this region, but this interaction changes during myogenesis with TGFbeta1 induction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongzhong Wu
- Department of Biochemistry and the Massey Cancer Center, Medical College of Virginia Campus of Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA 23298-0614
| | - Xueping Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and the Massey Cancer Center, Medical College of Virginia Campus of Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA 23298-0614
| | - Morgan Salmon
- Department of Biochemistry and the Massey Cancer Center, Medical College of Virginia Campus of Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA 23298-0614
| | - Xia Lin
- Department of Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030
| | - Zendra E. Zehner
- Department of Biochemistry and the Massey Cancer Center, Medical College of Virginia Campus of Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond VA 23298-0614
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7
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Wu Y, Diab I, Zhang X, Izmailova ES, Zehner ZE. Stat3 enhances vimentin gene expression by binding to the antisilencer element and interacting with the repressor protein, ZBP-89. Oncogene 2004; 23:168-78. [PMID: 14712222 DOI: 10.1038/sj.onc.1207003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Vimentin exhibits a complex pattern of developmental- and tissue-specific expression and is aberrantly expressed in most metastatic tumors. The human vimentin promoter contains multiple DNA elements, some of which enhance gene expression and one that inhibits. A silencer element (at -319) binds the repressor ZBP-89. Further upstream (at -757) is an element, which acts positively in the presence of the silencer element and, thus, is referred to as an antisilencer (ASE). Previously, we showed that Stat1alpha binds to this element upon induction by IFN-gamma. However, substantial binding and reporter gene activity was still present in nontreated cells. Here, we have found that Stat3 binds to the ASE element in vitro. Transfection experiments in COS-1 cells with various vimentin promoter--reporter constructs show that gene activity is dependent upon the cotransfection and activation of Stat3. Moreover, activated Stat3 can overcome ZBP-89 repression. Coimmunoprecipitation studies demonstrate that Stat3 and ZBP-89 can interact and confocal microscopy detects these factors to be colocalized in the nucleus. Moreover, a correlation exists between the presence of activated Stat3 and vimentin expression in MDA-MB-231 cells, which is lacking in MCF7 cells where vimentin is not expressed. In the light of these results, we propose that the interaction of Stat3 and ZBP-89 may be crucial for overcoming the effects of the repressor ZBP-89, which suggests a novel mode for Stat3 gene activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongzhong Wu
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Virginia Campus of Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298-0614, USA
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8
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Kryszke MH, Moura-Neto V, Lilienbaum A, Paulin D, Auclair C. Involvement of histone H4 gene transcription factor 1 in downregulation of vimentin gene expression during skeletal muscle differentiation. FEBS Lett 2001; 491:30-4. [PMID: 11226413 DOI: 10.1016/s0014-5793(01)02142-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Upon in vitro myogenesis, the intermediate filament protein vimentin is replaced by desmin, the switch in gene expression occurring essentially at the transcriptional level. Trying to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of this genetic control, we show here that the vimentin promoter is specifically recognized and activated by a protein most probably identical to H4TF-1, and that this factor is present in proliferating myoblasts but disappears upon fusion of these cells into multinucleated myotubes. Our results suggest that H4TF-1 is a differentiation stage-specific factor involved in the downregulation of vimentin gene expression during myogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- M H Kryszke
- CNRS UMR 8532, Institut Gustave Roussy, 39 rue Camille Desmoulins, 94800 Villejuif, France.
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9
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Rauscher A, Giese G, Nickel J, Traub P. Similar effects of electroporational stress and treatment with the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate on vimentin expression in mouse plasmacytoma cells. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA 2000; 1493:170-9. [PMID: 10978519 DOI: 10.1016/s0167-4781(00)00184-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
In mouse plasmacytoma cells (MPC-11), an activation of the normally repressed vimentin gene was observed as a response to transfectional stress. Effects of electroporation on vimentin gene expression were compared at the cellular and chromatin level to those caused by treatment with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). At the cellular level, similar changes in vimentin gene activity and cell-cycle distribution were observed by flow cytometry, whereas at the chromatin level similar changes in patterns of hypersensitive regions were detected by DNase I mapping. Additionally, a region located 700 bp upstream of the transcriptional start became hypersensitive to DNase I digestion upon electroporation and TPA treatment. This region overlaps two adjacent AP-1-like binding elements and generates specific DNA/AP-1 complexes in bandshift experiments. Therefore, the transcription factor AP-1 seems to play a central role in the activation of vimentin gene expression induced by these 2 different forms of stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Rauscher
- Max-Planck-Institut für Zellbiologie, Rosenhof, D-68526, Ladenburg, Germany
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10
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Wieczorek E, Lin Z, Perkins EB, Law DJ, Merchant JL, Zehner ZE. The zinc finger repressor, ZBP-89, binds to the silencer element of the human vimentin gene and complexes with the transcriptional activator, Sp1. J Biol Chem 2000; 275:12879-88. [PMID: 10777586 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.275.17.12879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Vimentin is a component of the eukaryotic cytoskeleton belonging to the family of intermediate filament proteins. It exhibits a complex pattern of tissue- and development-specific expression. It is also a marker of the metastatic potential of many tumor cells. Previously, the human vimentin promoter was shown to contain several regions for the binding of positive and negative acting regulatory factors. Until now, the silencer element, which shuts down vimentin synthesis in selected tissues during development, was not precisely localized; nor was its binding protein known. In vivo DMS footprinting by ligation-mediated PCR delineated the position of guanine residues important to vimentin expression. Transient transfection assays in HeLa cells of various vimentin 5'-end promoter sequences and mutants thereof precisely defined two regulatory elements, a negative element and an adjoining positive acting element. Band shift assays, UV cross-linking, and Southwestern blot analysis confirm that the silencer element specifically binds a protein. Several lines of evidence show that ZBP-89, a zinc finger, Kruppel-like repressor protein is vimentin's silencer element binding factor. Co-immunoprecipitation and DNA affinity chromatography prove that Sp1 heterodimerizes with ZBP-89 when bound to the silencer element to yield a DNA-protein complex whose mobility is indistinguishable from that displayed by HeLa nuclear extract in band shift assays.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Wieczorek
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics and the Massey Cancer Center, Medical College of Virginia Campus/Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23298, USA
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11
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Izmailova ES, Snyder SR, Zehner ZE. A Stat1alpha factor regulates the expression of the human vimentin gene by IFN-gamma. J Interferon Cytokine Res 2000; 20:13-20. [PMID: 10670648 DOI: 10.1089/107999000312694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Vimentin is an intermediate filament protein normally expressed in cells of mesenchymal origin. Here, we report an increase in vimentin gene transcription induced by the cytokine interferon-y (IFN-gamma). Northern blot analysis and reporter gene assays reveal that IFN-gamma induces vimentin gene transcription in HeLa cells. However, no increase in vimentin mRNA synthesis was observed de novo in MCF-7 cells, which do not already express vimentin. Band shift analysis shows that the Stat1alpha protein mediates vimentin induction by IFN-gamma. A human mutant fibroblast cell line (U3A), which lacks Stat1alpha but expresses vimentin mRNA, yields no increase in vimentin mRNA levels on the addition of IFN-gamma. These results suggest that the induction of vimentin gene expression might be an important part of a complex cellular response to IFN-gamma.
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Affiliation(s)
- E S Izmailova
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Massey Cancer Center, Medical College of Virginia Campus/Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond 23298, USA
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12
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Izmailova ES, Wieczorek E, Perkins EB, Zehner ZE. A GC-box is required for expression of the human vimentin gene. Gene 1999; 235:69-75. [PMID: 10415334 DOI: 10.1016/s0378-1119(99)00209-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Vimentin is an intermediate filament protein normally expressed in cells of mesenchymal origin. The promoter of the human vimentin gene (-1416 to +73) was shown to contain two positive-acting regions, separated by a negative region, and at least eight GC-boxes as determined by sequence homology (Rittling, S.R., Baserga, R., 1987. Mol. Cell. Biol. 7, 3908-3915). We have analyzed the region -900 to +41 for protein binding by in vivo footprinting experiments using ligation-mediated PCR. For the various GC-boxes, we detect protein binding only to that GC-box (at position -64 and -55) closest to the transcriptional start site. Transient transfection assays of various vimentin 5'-end fragments and mutations thereof fused to the reporter gene cat indicate that this sequence is indispensable for promoter function regardless of the inclusion of upstream DNA sequences. In vitro binding studies confirm that this region binds protein specifically. We suggest that this GC-box and its binding factor are required for regulated expression of the human vimentin gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- E S Izmailova
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics and the Massey Cancer Center, Medical College of Virginia Campus/ Virginia Commonwealth University, P.O. Box 980614, Richmond, VA 23298-0614, USA
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13
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Izmailova ES, Zehner ZE. An antisilencer element is involved in the transcriptional regulation of the human vimentin gene. Gene X 1999; 230:111-20. [PMID: 10196480 DOI: 10.1016/s0378-1119(99)00046-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Vimentin is an intermediate filament protein normally expressed in cells of mesenchymal origin. The promoter of the human vimentin gene was previously reported to contain two positive-acting regions, separated by a negative region (Rittling, S.R., Baserga, R., 1987. Functional analysis and growth factor regulation of the human vimentin promoter. Mol. Cell. Biol. 7, 3908-3915). Here, detailed studies reveal two additional regulatory elements, a new positive transcriptional element located between -717 and -757, and a new repressor element at -780 to -821. In transient transfections, the positive-acting element is able to completely override the effect of different silencer elements when fused to a heterologous promoter. However, this element does not enhance gene activity when the silencer element is absent and thus cannot be viewed as a true enhancer. Since it appears to overcome the effect of a silencer element, we refer to it as an antisilencer element. Gel mobility shift assays, UV-cross-linking experiments, and Southwestern blots reveal that a 105-kDa protein specifically binds to this region.
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Affiliation(s)
- E S Izmailova
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics and the Massey Cancer Center, Medical College of Virginia Campus/ Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
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14
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Gao J, Li Z, Paulin D. A novel site, Mt, in the human desmin enhancer is necessary for maximal expression in skeletal muscle. J Biol Chem 1998; 273:6402-9. [PMID: 9497371 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.273.11.6402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous investigations have shown that expression of the muscle-specific intermediate filament desmin gene in skeletal muscle is controlled in part by a 5' muscle-specific enhancer. This enhancer activity can be divided into myoblast-specific and myotube-specific activation domains. The myotube-specific region contains a MyoD and MEF2 sites, whereas the myoblast-specific region contains Sp1, Krox, and Mb sites. In the present study, we designed mutations in the conserved portion of the myotube-specific region; transfection analysis of these mutations showed that a novel site located between the MyoD and MEF2 sites, named Mt (GGTATTT), is required for full transcriptional activity of the desmin enhancer in skeletal muscle. Although gel mobility shift assays demonstrate that myotube, myoblast, fibroblast, and HeLa nuclear extracts contain a nuclear factor that binds specifically to Mt, four copies of the Mt site function as the native enhancer only in myotubes. Functional synergism among the MyoD, MEF2, and Mt sites in myotubes has been demonstrated. These results show that the novel Mt site cooperates with MyoD and MEF2 to give maximal expression of the desmin gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Gao
- Laboratoire de Biologie Mol culaire de la Différentiation Cellulaire, Université Paris VII, 25 rue du Dr. Roux, Paris cedex 15, France
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15
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Chuang SE, Doong SL, Lin MT, Cheng AL. Tax of the human T-lymphotropic virus type I transactivates promoter of the MDR-1 gene. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 1997; 238:482-6. [PMID: 9299536 DOI: 10.1006/bbrc.1997.7326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The mdr-1 gene has been shown to confer resistance to chemotherapy of multiple drugs which share no obvious structural similarities. We and others have previously reported that some virus-associated malignant cells express high levels of MDR-1 (1,2), probably regulated by some viral proteins. In this study we have examined the role of Tax, the key protein of HTLV-1. An excellent correlation was found between the existence of HTLV-1 and the expression of MDR-1 among seven human T-cell lines. In the second part of the study, a 1. 76-kb DNA fragment representing the upstream regulatory elements of human mdr-1 gene was cloned into the CAT reporter plasmid. When the Tax expression plasmid was co-transfected with the MDR-1 reporter plasmid, a significant induction of CAT activity was observed. We conclude that Tax protein may up-regulate the expression of the mdr-1 gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- S E Chuang
- Cancer Research Center, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
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16
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Liu B, Maul RS, Kaetzel DM. Repression of platelet-derived growth factor A-chain gene transcription by an upstream silencer element. Participation by sequence-specific single-stranded DNA-binding proteins. J Biol Chem 1996; 271:26281-90. [PMID: 8824279 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.271.42.26281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Platelet-derived growth factor A-chain is a potent mitogen expressed in a restricted number of normal and transformed cells. Transient transfection and deletion analysis in BSC-1 (African green monkey, renal epithelial) cells revealed that the -1680 to -1374 region of the A-chain gene repressed homologous and heterologous promoter activities by 60-80%. An S1 nuclease-hypersensitive region (5'SHS) was identified within this region (-1418 to -1388) that exhibited transcriptional silencer activity in BSC-1 and a variety of human tumor cell lines (U87, HepG2, and HeLa). Electrophoretic mobility shift assays conducted with 5'SHS oligodeoxynucleotide probes revealed several binding protein complexes that displayed unique preferences for binding to sense, antisense, and double-stranded forms of the element. Southwestern blot analysis revealed that the antisense strand of 5'SHS binds to nuclear proteins of molecular mass 97, 87, 44, and 17 kDa, whereas the double-stranded form of 5'SHS is recognized by a 70-kDa factor. Mutations within 5'SHS element indicated the necessity of a central 5'-GGGGAGGGGG-3' motif for protein binding and silencer function, while nucleotides flanking both sides of the motif were also critical for repression. These results support a model in which silencer function of 5'SHS is mediated by antisense strand binding proteins, possibly by stabilizing single-stranded DNA conformations required for interaction with enhancer sequences in the proximal promoter region of the A-chain gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Kentucky Medical Center, Lexington, Kentucky 40536, USA
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17
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Moura-Neto V, Kryszke MH, Li Z, Vicart P, Lilienbaum A, Paulin D. A 28-bp negative element with multiple factor-binding activity controls expression of the vimentin-encoding gene. Gene X 1996; 168:261-6. [PMID: 8654956 DOI: 10.1016/0378-1119(95)00789-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The promoter of the human vimentin-encoding gene (VIM) contains two enhancers separated by a negative region. The distal and proximal enhancers bind the transcription factors, AP-1 and NK-kappaB, respectively, which contribute to serum induction of Vim synthesis. We were interested in looking for particular regulatory elements that might be responsible for tissue-specific extinction and culture-dependent activation of human VIM. We have identified a 48-bp sequence in the distal enhancer which had not been reported before. This sequence includes a negative element, NE2, which confers transcriptional repression in transfection experiments and binds at least two factors in vitro. NE2 may participate in the differentiation-stage-specific control of VIM expression which involves multiple regulatory sequences and several positive and negative trans-acting factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Moura-Neto
- Laboratoire de Biologie Moléculaire de la Différenciation, Université Paris, France
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18
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Nakamura N, Shida M, Hirayoshi K, Nagata K. Transcriptional regulation of the vimentin-encoding gene in mouse myeloid leukemia M1 cells. Gene 1995; 166:281-6. [PMID: 8543176 DOI: 10.1016/0378-1119(95)00600-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
To investigate the regulatory mechanisms controlling expression of the vimentin-encoding gene (Vim) during mouse myeloid leukemia M1 cell differentiation, mouse Vim was cloned and the transcriptional activity of its 5' promoter region was analysed by chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) assay. Analyses of various deletion mutants revealed that a 188-bp fragment of the proximal Vim promoter (pVim) was sufficient for effective transcription in M1 cells. This 188-bp sequence is highly conserved between mouse, hamster and human. Further deletion analyses revealed that a minimum promoter element (-44 to +26) is essential for basic promoter function and could respond to cell differentiation. Detailed analyses of mutant and chimeric pVim constructs defined a CCAAT box at -89 to -84 to be an essential positive regulatory element. A G+C-rich element between the CCAAT and TATA boxes was found to act as a strong negative regulatory element in Vim transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Nakamura
- Department of Cell Biology, Kyoto University, Japan
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19
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Perkins EB, Cunningham JG, Bracete AM, Zehner ZE. Two homologous enhancer elements in the chicken vimentin gene may bind a nuclear factor in common with a nearby silencer element. J Biol Chem 1995; 270:25785-91. [PMID: 7592761 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.270.43.25785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Vimentin, a cytoskeletal protein belonging to the intermediate filament protein family, exhibits a complex pattern of expression. In the case of the chicken vimentin gene, several regulatory elements within the 5' region of the gene have been characterized, including an enhancer activity between -160 and -320, which may contribute to the down-regulation of vimentin expression during myogenesis. In this study, sequences within this region were examined via transient transfections of various deletion constructs, and two distinct enhancer elements were found, one on either side of a previously described silencer element. These two enhancer elements also enhanced transcription when fused separately to the basal promoter region of the chicken vimentin gene. Gel mobility shift assays, UV cross-linking experiments, and DNase I protection studies indicate that these two enhancer elements and the silencer element all contain a common binding site for the previously described 95-kDa silencer element binding protein, suggesting that this regulatory protein can act as both an activator and a repressor.
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Affiliation(s)
- E B Perkins
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond 23298, USA
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20
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Ahmad M, Marui N, Alexander RW, Medford RM. Cell type-specific transactivation of the VCAM-1 promoter through an NF-kappa B enhancer motif. J Biol Chem 1995; 270:8976-83. [PMID: 7536741 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.270.15.8976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Cytokine activation of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) gene expression by endothelial cells is an important feature in a variety of vascular inflammatory responses. Cytokines transcriptionally activate the VCAM-1 promoter in endothelial cells at least in part through two closely linked NF-kappa B enhancer motifs, kappa L-kappa R (positions -77 and -63). However, cytokine activation of the dimeric NF-kappa B transcriptional factor (p50+p65 subunits) occurs in almost all cell types, whereas VCAM-1 gene expression exhibits a cell type-specific pattern of expression. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha markedly transactivated a transiently transfected minimal kappa L-kappa R motif-driven VCAM-1 promoter, p85VCAMCAT, in passaged human vascular endothelial cells but not in the human epithelial cell line, HeLa suggesting that cell type-specific factors may function through the kappa L-kappa R motif. Both cell types exhibited similar inductions of NF-kappa DNA binding activity and transcriptional activity. However, co-transfection of HeLa cells with p65 and p50 expression vectors demonstrated that the minimal VCAM-1 promoter was effectively transactivated by p65 alone but that additional co-expression of p50 blocked this activity. Furthermore, cytokine activation of the minimal VCAM-1 promoter in HeLa cells was recovered by inhibition of p50 expression using antisense oligonucleotide. These studies suggest that the NF-kappa B(p50+p65 heterodimer) does not support transactivation of the VCAM-1 promoter with the p50 subunit potentially playing a significant inhibitory role in suppressing cytokine activation of VCAM-1. In addition, p65 associated transcriptional factors other than NF-kappa B may serve as positive, cytokine-inducible, cell type-specific regulators of VCAM-1 gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Ahmad
- Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA
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21
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Li Z, Colucci E, Babinet C, Paulin D. The human desmin gene: a specific regulatory programme in skeletal muscle both in vitro and in transgenic mice. Neuromuscul Disord 1993; 3:423-7. [PMID: 8186686 DOI: 10.1016/0960-8966(93)90089-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Desmin synthesis is restricted to cardiac, skeletal and smooth muscles. In several familial myopathies involving fibre disorganization, filamentous aggregation of desmin has been characterized. During the development of the mouse embryo, desmin is one of the first muscle proteins detected in both the heart and the somites. To identify the DNA sequences involved in the regulation of desmin gene expression a 4.5 kb 5'-flanking region of the human desmin gene has been isolated. Different mutants were used to characterize specific enhancers in vitro and in vivo. The results obtained with transgenic mice provide evidence that the 1 kb cis-regulatory sequences, functional in skeletal muscle cells in vitro, confer specific developmental control for skeletal muscles. Furthermore, distinct programmes for cardiac and skeletal muscle-specific expression of the desmin gene are revealed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Z Li
- Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
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22
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Sax CM, Stover DM, Ilagan JG, Zehner ZE, Piatigorsky J. Functional analysis of chicken vimentin distal promoter regions in cultured lens cells. Gene 1993; 130:277-81. [PMID: 8359695 DOI: 10.1016/0378-1119(93)90431-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Synthesis of the cytoskeletal intermediate filament protein vimentin (Vim) in the lens is unexpected due to the mesenchymal preference of Vim-encoding gene (Vim) expression and the epithelial origin of the lens. Previous studies indicated that chicken Vim gene expression in cultured lens cells is regulated by both positive- and negative-acting sequence elements within the first -767 nucleotides (nt) of its promoter. Here, we demonstrate the existence of additional upstream chicken Vim promoter elements which function in transfected lens cells. Sequences within the nt -1360/-1156 region repressed promoter activity in transfected lens cells to levels lower than that observed for the previously defined more proximal repressor elements. The -1612/-1360 region activated promoter activity to levels similar to those observed for the strongest previously defined proximal promoter. The nt sequence analysis of the upstream promoter region revealed the presence of multiple consensus repressor and activator transcription-factor-binding sites. Several of these sites have been implicated for lens expression of enzyme-crystallin-encoding genes (cry), suggesting that Vim expression may share features with the cry genes for recruitment and high-level expression in the lens.
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Affiliation(s)
- C M Sax
- Laboratory of Molecular and Developmental Biology, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892
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