Wnt-1-inducing factor-1: a novel G/C box-binding transcription factor regulating the expression of Wnt-1 during neuroectodermal differentiation

Identification of a new class of WNT1 inhibitor: Cancer cells migration, G-quadruplex stabilization and target validation

Developing the Wnt pathway inhibitors has been considered as a therapeutic approach for cancers and other Wnt-related diseases. Previously we found that the G-rich sequence of WNT1 promoter is capable of forming G-quadruplex structure and stabilizing agents for Wnt1-mediated signaling pathway. Using a established cell-based drug screen system that enabled the evaluation of WNT1 expression activity in a G-quadruplex structure dependent manner, we evaluated a series of 6-substituted 9-chloro-11H-indeno[1,2-c]quinolin-11-one derivatives that potentially inhibit the Wnt1-mediated signaling pathway. The most potent compound SJ26 showed repression of WNT1 activity in a G-quadruplex structure-dependent manner. Moreover, compound SJ26 inhibited the WNT1-mediated downstream signaling pathway and suppressed migration activity of cancer cells. Thus, we have identified a tetracyclic azafluorenone, SJ26, that is capable of binding to G-quadruplex DNA structure, repressing WNT1 expression, and inhibiting cell migration.

Inhibition of cancer cell migration and invasion through suppressing the Wnt1-mediating signal pathway by G-quadruplex structure stabilizers

WNT1 encodes a multifunctional signaling glycoprotein that is highly expressed in several malignant tumors. Patients with Wnt1-positive cancer are usually related to advanced metastasis. Here, we found that a stretch of G-rich sequences located at the WNT1 promoter region is capable of forming G-quadruplex structures. The addition of G-quadruplex structure stabilizers, BMVC and BMVC4, raises the melting temperature of the oligonucleotide formed by the WNT1 promoter G-rich sequences. Significantly, the expression of WNT1 was repressed by BMVC or BMVC4 in a G-quadruplex-dependent manner, suggesting that they can be used to modulate WNT1 expression. The role of G-quadruplex stabilizers on Wnt1-mediated cancer migration and invasion was further analyzed. The protein levels of β-catenin, a mediator of the Wnt-mediated signaling pathway, and the downstream targets MMP7 and survivin were down-regulated upon BMVC or BMVC4 treatments. Moreover, the migration and invasion activities of cancer cells were inhibited by BMVC and BMVC4, and the inhibitory effects can be reversed by WNT1-overexpression. Thus the Wnt1 expression and its downstream signaling pathways can be regulated through the G-quadruplex sequences located at its promoter region. These findings provide a novel approach for future drug development to inhibit migration and invasion of cancer cells.

Csn3 gene is regulated by all-trans retinoic acid during neural differentiation in mouse P19 cells

κ-Casein (CSN3) is known to play an essential role in controlling the stability of the milk micelles. We found that the expression of Csn3 was induced by all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) during neural differentiation in P19 embryonal carcinoma cells from our study using DNA microarray. In this paper, we describe the detailed time course of Csn3 expression and the induction mechanism of Csn3 transcription activation in this process. The Csn3 expression was induced rapidly and transiently within 24 h of ATRA treatment. Retinoic acid receptor (RAR)-specific agonists were used in expression analysis to identify the RAR subtype involved upregulation of Csn3; a RARα-specific agonist mimicked the effects of ATRA on induction of Csn3 expression. Therefore, RARα may be the RAR subtype mediating the effects of ATRA on the induction of Csn3 gene transcription in this differentiation-promoting process of P19 cells. We found that the promoter region of Csn3 contained a typical consensus retinoic acid response element (RARE), and this RARE was necessary for ATRA-dependent transcriptional regulation. We confirmed that RARα bound to this RARE sequence in P19 cells. These findings indicated that the Csn3 expression is upregulated via ATRA-bound RARα and binding of this receptor to the RARE in the Csn3 promoter region. This will certainly serve as a first step forward unraveling the mysteries of induction of Csn3 in the process of neural differentiation.

The alpha chain of the nascent polypeptide-associated complex functions as a transcriptional coactivator

We report the characterization of clone 1.9.2, a gene expressed in mineralizing osteoblasts. Remarkably, clone 1.9.2 is the murine homolog of the alpha chain of the nascent polypeptide-associated complex (alpha-NAC). Based on sequence similarities between alpha-NAC/1.9.2 and transcriptional regulatory proteins and the fact that the heterodimerization partner of alpha-NAC was identified as the transcription factor BTF3b (B. Wiedmann, H. Sakai, T. A. Davis, and M. Wiedmann, Nature 370:434-440, 1994), we investigated a putative role for alpha-NAC/ 1.9.2 in transcriptional control. The alpha-NAC/1.9.2 protein potentiated by 10-fold the activity of the chimeric activator GAL4/VP-16 in vivo. The potentiation was shown to be mediated at the level of gene transcription, because alpha-NAC/1.9.2 increased GAL4/VP-16-mediated mRNA synthesis without affecting the half-life of the GAL4/VP-16 fusion protein. Moreover, the interaction of alpha-NAC/1.9.2 with a transcriptionally defective mutant of GAL4/VP-16 was severely compromised. Specific protein-protein interactions between alpha-NAC/1.9.2 and GAL4/VP-16 were demonstrated by gel retardation, affinity chromatography, and protein blotting assays, while interactions with TATA box-binding protein (TBP) were detected by immunoprecipitation, affinity chromatography, and protein blotting assays. Based on these interactions that define the coactivator class of proteins, we conclude that the alapha-NAC/1.9.2 gene product functions as a transcriptional coactivator.

Bone-specific expression of the alpha chain of the nascent polypeptide-associated complex, a coactivator potentiating c-Jun-mediated transcription

The alpha chain of the nascent polypeptide-associated complex (alpha-NAC) coactivator was shown to potentiate the activity of the homodimeric c-Jun activator, while transcription mediated by the c-Fos/c-Jun heterodimer was unaffected. The use of deletion mutants in pull-down assays revealed that alpha-NAC interacted with amino acids 1 to 89 of the c-Jun protein and that the coactivator could interact with both the unphosphorylated and the serine 73-phosphorylated form of c-Jun. N-terminal-deleted c-Jun protein failed to interact with alpha-NAC in mammalian two-hybrid assays, while mutant c-Jun proteins lacking the leucine zipper or the basic domain retained interaction with alpha-NAC in vivo. Kinetics studies with purified c-Jun homodimer and recombinant alpha-NAC proteins allowed determination of the mechanism of coactivation by alpha-NAC: the coactivator stabilized the AP-1 complex formed by the c-Jun homodimer on its DNA recognition sequence through an eightfold reduction in the dissociation constant (kd) of the complex. This effect of alpha-NAC was specific, because alpha-NAC could not stabilize the interactions of JunB or Sp1 with their cognate binding sites. Interestingly, the expression of alpha-NAC was first detected at 14.5 to 15 days postconception, concomitantly with the onset of ossification during embryogenesis. The alpha-NAC protein was specifically expressed in differentiated osteoblasts at the centers of ossification. Thus, the alpha-NAC gene product exhibits the properties of a developmentally regulated, bone-specific transcriptional coactivator.

A composite element binding the vitamin D receptor, retinoid X receptor alpha, and a member of the CTF/NF-1 family of transcription factors mediates the vitamin D responsiveness of the c-fos promoter

The hormonal form of vitamin D, 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25- (OH)2D3], transiently stimulates the transcription of the c-fos proto-oncogene in osteoblastic cells. We have identified and characterized a vitamin D response element (VDRE) in the promoter of c-fos. The 1,25-(OH)2D3-responsive region was delineated between residues -178 and -144 upstream of the c-fos transcription start site. A mutation that inhibited binding to the sequence concomitantly abolished 1,25-(OH)2D3-induced transcriptional responsiveness; similarly, cloning to the site upstream of a heterologous promoter conferred copy-number-dependent vitamin D responsiveness to a reporter gene, demonstrating that we have identified a functional response element. The structure of the c-fos VDRE was found to be unusual. Mutational analysis revealed that the c-fos VDRE does not conform to the direct repeat configuration in which hexameric core-binding sites are spaced by a few nucleotide residues. In contrast, the entire 36-bp sequence was essential for binding. We identified the vitamin D receptor and the retinoid X receptor alpha as components of the complex that bound the c-fos VDRE. However, our results also show that a putative CCAAT-binding transcription factor/nuclear factor 1 (CTF/NF-1) family member bound the response element in conjunction with the nuclear hormone receptors. The expression of this CTF/NF-1 family member appeared restricted to bone cells. These data hint at new molecular mechanisms of action for vitamin D.

Constitutive expression of calreticulin in osteoblasts inhibits mineralization

Recent studies have shown that the multifunctional protein calreticulin can localize to the cell nucleus and regulate gene transcription via its ability to bind a protein motif in the DNA-binding domain of nuclear hormone receptors. A number of known modulators of bone cell function, including vitamin D, act through this receptor family, suggesting that calreticulin may regulate their action in bone cells. We have used a gain-of-function strategy to examine this putative role of calreticulin in MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells. Purified calreticulin inhibited the binding of the vitamin D receptor to characterized vitamin D response elements in gel retardation assays. This inhibition was due to direct protein-protein interactions between the vitamin D receptor and calreticulin. Expression of calreticulin transcripts declined during MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic differentiation. MC3T3-E1 cells were transfected with calreticulin expression vectors; stably transfected cell lines overexpressing recombinant calreticulin were established and assayed for vitamin D-induced gene expression and the capacity to mineralize. Constitutive calreticulin expression inhibited basal and vitamin D-induced expression of the osteocalcin gene, whereas osteopontin gene expression was unaffected. This pattern mimicked the gene expression pattern observed in parental cells before down-regulation of endogenous calreticulin expression. In long-term cultures of parental or vector-transfected cells, 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25[OH]2D3) induced a two- to threefold stimulation of 45Ca accumulation into the matrix layer. Constitutive expression of calreticulin inhibited the 1,25(OH)2D3-induced 45Ca accumulation. This result correlated with the complete absence of mineralization nodules in long-term cultures of calreticulin-transfected cells. These data suggest that calreticulin can regulate bone cell function by interacting with specific nuclear hormone receptor-mediated pathways.

Structural and functional similarities between the promoters for mouse tenascin and chicken cytotactin

Cytotactin/tenascin is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein expressed in a restricted anteroposterior pattern during vertebrate development and is reexpressed in the adult during wound healing, tumorigenesis, and nerve regeneration. Previously, we have characterized the chicken cytotactin promoter and have shown its regulation by homeobox gene products in vitro. We have now isolated the promoter for the mouse tenascin gene in order to determine whether common or different DNA regulatory elements control the expression of this gene in these two species. Like the chicken cytotactin gene, the mouse tenascin gene has a single RNA start site that lies 27 bp downstream of a TATA box. A 4028-bp region of DNA upstream of the mouse tenascin gene was sequenced and examined for regulatory motifs in common with the upstream sequence from the chicken cytotactin promoter. Two hundred thirty base pairs of the proximal promoter regions from both genes had an extended sequence similarity and contained common regulatory motifs such as two tracts of homopolymeric dA.dT sequence, an octamer motif, an ATTA (TAAT) motif which is a common core sequence for binding of homeodomain transcription factors, and a TATA-box/cap-site region. Reporter gene constructs with various 5' deletions of the mouse tenascin upstream sequence were tested in transient transfections of mouse NIH 3T3 and chicken embryo fibroblasts. The conserved proximal promoter region of tenascin was responsible for most of the positive regulatory activity. In addition, an upstream region (-2478 to -247) repressed proximal promoter activity in mouse fibroblasts and also in chicken embryo fibroblasts. These data indicate that both the structure and function of the cytotactin/tenascin proximal promoters have remained conserved over 250 million years.

The promoter of the Xwnt-5C gene contains octamer and AP-2 motifs functional in Xenopus embryos

The Xwnt-5C gene is expressed in Xenopus embryos from the early gastrula stage onwards. The transcription of Xwnt-5C is regulated differentially with respect to transcript size, timing and localization. To gain insight into the generation of the Xwnt-5C expression pattern, we started to analyze the transcriptional regulation of this gene. We isolated Xwnt-5C genomic DNA sequences. By microinjection of chimaeric reporter constructs into Xenopus embryos we demonstrate that the upstream region contains a promoter functional in vivo. Of the several putative binding sites for trans-acting factors, present in a minimal promoter fragment, some have been studied in more detail. Mutations in an octamer motif and in an AP-2 consensus sequence interfere with the activity of the Xwnt-5C minimal promoter. In vitro binding assays with extracts from gastrula stage Xenopus embryos show that the octamer motif of the Xwnt-5C promoter can bind several Octamer binding factors, one of which is Oct1.

CTCF, a conserved nuclear factor required for optimal transcriptional activity of the chicken c-myc gene, is an 11-Zn-finger protein differentially expressed in multiple forms

A novel sequence-specific DNA-binding protein, CTCF, which interacts with the chicken c-myc gene promoter, has been identified and partially characterized (V. V. Lobanenkov, R. H. Nicolas, V. V. Adler, H. Paterson, E. M. Klenova, A. V. Polotskaja, and G. H. Goodwin, Oncogene 5:1743-1753, 1990). In order to test directly whether binding of CTCF to one specific DNA region of the c-myc promoter is important for chicken c-myc transcription, we have determined which nucleotides within this GC-rich region are responsible for recognition of overlapping sites by CTCF and Sp1-like proteins. Using missing-contact analysis of all four nucleotides in both DNA strands and homogeneous CTCF protein purified by sequence-specific chromatography, we have identified three sets of nucleotides which contact either CTCF or two Sp1-like proteins binding within the same DNA region. Specific mutations of 3 of 15 purines required for CTCF binding were designed to eliminate binding of CTCF without altering the binding of other proteins. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay of nuclear extracts showed that the mutant DNA sequence did not bind CTCF but did bind two Sp1-like proteins. When introduced into a 3.3-kbp-long 5'-flanking noncoding c-myc sequence fused to a reporter CAT gene, the same mutation of the CTCF binding site resulted in 10- and 3-fold reductions, respectively, of transcription in two different (erythroid and myeloid) stably transfected chicken cell lines. Isolation and analysis of the CTCF cDNA encoding an 82-kDa form of CTCF protein shows that DNA-binding domain of CTCF is composed of 11 Zn fingers: 10 are of C2H2 class, and 1 is of C2HC class. CTCF was found to be abundant and conserved in cells of vertebrate species. We detected six major nuclear forms of CTCF protein differentially expressed in different chicken cell lines and tissues. We conclude that isoforms of 11-Zn-finger factor CTCF which are present in chicken hematopoietic HD3 and BM2 cells can act as a positive regulator of the chicken c-myc gene transcription. Possible functions of other CTCF forms are discussed.

CTCF, a conserved nuclear factor required for optimal transcriptional activity of the chicken c-myc gene, is an 11-Zn-finger protein differentially expressed in multiple forms

A novel sequence-specific DNA-binding protein, CTCF, which interacts with the chicken c-myc gene promoter, has been identified and partially characterized (V. V. Lobanenkov, R. H. Nicolas, V. V. Adler, H. Paterson, E. M. Klenova, A. V. Polotskaja, and G. H. Goodwin, Oncogene 5:1743-1753, 1990). In order to test directly whether binding of CTCF to one specific DNA region of the c-myc promoter is important for chicken c-myc transcription, we have determined which nucleotides within this GC-rich region are responsible for recognition of overlapping sites by CTCF and Sp1-like proteins. Using missing-contact analysis of all four nucleotides in both DNA strands and homogeneous CTCF protein purified by sequence-specific chromatography, we have identified three sets of nucleotides which contact either CTCF or two Sp1-like proteins binding within the same DNA region. Specific mutations of 3 of 15 purines required for CTCF binding were designed to eliminate binding of CTCF without altering the binding of other proteins. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay of nuclear extracts showed that the mutant DNA sequence did not bind CTCF but did bind two Sp1-like proteins. When introduced into a 3.3-kbp-long 5'-flanking noncoding c-myc sequence fused to a reporter CAT gene, the same mutation of the CTCF binding site resulted in 10- and 3-fold reductions, respectively, of transcription in two different (erythroid and myeloid) stably transfected chicken cell lines. Isolation and analysis of the CTCF cDNA encoding an 82-kDa form of CTCF protein shows that DNA-binding domain of CTCF is composed of 11 Zn fingers: 10 are of C2H2 class, and 1 is of C2HC class. CTCF was found to be abundant and conserved in cells of vertebrate species. We detected six major nuclear forms of CTCF protein differentially expressed in different chicken cell lines and tissues. We conclude that isoforms of 11-Zn-finger factor CTCF which are present in chicken hematopoietic HD3 and BM2 cells can act as a positive regulator of the chicken c-myc gene transcription. Possible functions of other CTCF forms are discussed.