The location of v-src in a retrovirus vector determines whether the virus is toxic or transforming

Medulloblastoma-biology and microenvironment: a review

Medulloblastoma (MB) is a cancer of the cerebellum and the most common primary pediatric malignancy of the central nervous system. Classified as a primitive neural ectoderm tumor; it is thought to arise from granule cell precursors in the cerebellum. The standard of care consists of surgery, chemotherapy and age-dependent radiation therapy. Despite aggressive multimodality therapy; approximately 30% of MB patients remain incurable. Moreover, for long-term survivors, the treatment related sequelae are often debilitating. Side effects include cerebellar mutism, sterility, neurocognitive deficits, and a substantial risk of developing secondary cancers. In a quest for more effective and targeted therapies, scientists have begun to investigate the biological events that not only initiate but also sustain the malignant phenotype in MB. Of particular interest is, the role of the tumor microenvironment in tumor pathogenesis. This review seeks to highlight several key processes observed in cancer biology, particularly the involvement of the tumor microenvironment, with relevant examples from MB.

Extracellular domain dependence of PTPalpha transforming activity

Two isoforms of the transmembrane protein tyrosine phosphatase PTPalpha, which differ by nine amino acids in their extracellular regions, are expressed in a tissue-specific manner. Over-expression of the shorter isoform transforms rodent cells, and it has previously been reasonable to assume that this was a direct consequence of its dephosphorylation and activation of Src. Transformation by the longer wild-type isoform has not previously been studied. We tested the activities of both isoforms in NIH3T3 cells and found that, while both dephosphorylated and activated Src similarly, only the shorter isoform induced focus formation or anchorage-independent growth. Differences in phosphorylation of PTPalpha at its known regulatory sites, Grb2 binding to PTPalpha, phosphorylation level of focal adhesion kinase by PTPalpha, or overall localization were excluded as possible explanations for the differences in transforming activities. The results suggest that transformation by PTPalpha involves at least one function other than, or in addition to, its activation of Src and that this depends on PTPalpha's extracellular domain. Previous studies have suggested that PTPalpha might be a useful target in breast and colon cancer therapy, and the results presented here suggest that it may be advantageous to develop isoform-specific therapeutic reagents.

Aberrant protein phosphorylation at tyrosine is responsible for the growth-inhibitory action of pp60v-src expressed in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Expression of pp60v-src, the transforming protein of Rous sarcoma virus, arrests the growth of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. To determine the basis of this growth arrest, yeast strains were constructed that expressed either wild-type v-src or various mutant v-src genes under the control of the galactose-inducible, glucose repressible GAL1 promoter. When shifted to galactose medium, cells expressing wild-type v-src ceased growth immediately and lost viability, whereas cells expressing a catalytically inactive mutant (K295M) continued to grow normally, indicating that the kinase activity of pp60v-src is required for its growth inhibitory effect. Mutants of v-src altered in the SH2/SH3 domain (XD4, XD6, SPX1, and SHX13) and a mutant lacking a functional N-terminal myristoylation signal (MM4) caused only a partial inhibition of growth, indicating that complete growth inhibition requires either targeting of the active kinase or binding of the kinase to phosphorylated substrates, or both. Cells arrested by v-src expression displayed aberrant microtubule structures, alterations in DNA content and elevated p34CDC28 kinase activity. Immunoblotting with antiphosphotyrosine antibody showed that many yeast proteins, including the p34CDC28 kinase, became phosphorylated at tyrosine in cells expressing v-src. Both the growth inhibition and the tyrosine-specific protein phosphorylation observed following v-src expression were reversed by co-expression of a mammalian phosphotyrosine-specific phosphoprotein phosphatase (PTP1B). However a v-src mutant with a small insertion in the catalytic domain (SRX5) had the same lethal effect as wild-type v-src, yet induced only very low levels of protein-tyrosine phosphorylation. These results indicate that inappropriate phosphorylation at tyrosine is the primary cause of the lethal effect of pp60v-src expression but suggest that only a limited subset of the phosphorylated proteins are involved in this effect.

Alterations of the three short open reading frames in the Rous sarcoma virus leader RNA modulate viral replication and gene expression

The Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) leader RNA has three short open reading frames (ORF1 to ORF3) which are conserved in all avian sarcoma-leukosis retroviruses. Effects on virus propagation were determined following three types of alterations in the ORFs: (i) replacement of AUG initiation codons in order to prohibit ORF translation, (ii) alterations of the codon context around the AUG initiation codon to enhance translation of the normally silent ORF3, and (iii) elongation of the ORF coding sequences. Mutagenesis of the AUG codons for ORF1 and ORF2 (AUG1 and AUG2) singly or together delayed the onset of viral replication and cell transformation. In contrast, mutagenesis of AUG3 almost completely suppressed these viral activities. Mutagenesis of ORF3 to enhance its translation inhibited viral propagation. When the mutant ORF3 included an additional frameshift mutation which extended the ORF beyond the initiation site for the gag, gag-pol, and env proteins, host cells were initially transformed but died soon thereafter. Elongation of ORF1 from 7 to 62 codons led to the accumulation of transformation-defective virus with a delayed onset of replication. In contrast, viruses with elongation of ORF1 from 7 to 30 codons, ORF2 from 16 to 48 codons, or ORF3 from 9 to 64 codons, without any alterations in the AUG context, exhibited wild-type phenotypes. These results are consistent with a model that translation of the ORFs is necessary to facilitate virus production.

Transactivation of gene expression by nuclear and cytoplasmic rel proteins

Transcriptional activation of gene expression by oncogenic proteins can lead to cellular transformation. It has recently been demonstrated that the protein encoded by the v-rel oncogene from reticuloendotheliosis virus strain T can transactivate gene expression from certain promoters in a cell-specific manner. We have examined the cytological location, transforming properties, and transactivation properties of proteins encoded by chimeric turkey v-rel/chicken c-rel genes. We found that whereas the v-rel protein was nuclear in both chicken embryo and rat fibroblasts, the presence of the C terminus of the c-rel protein inhibited nuclear localization of the rel protein in these fibroblasts. Cytoplasmic rel proteins containing C-terminal c-rel sequences transactivated gene expression from the polyomavirus late promoter as efficiently as did similar rel proteins located in the nucleus. These results indicate that the cellular location of rel proteins is not important for transactivation of gene expression and suggest that transactivation by rel proteins is indirect, perhaps by affecting an intracellular signal transduction pathway that eventually results in the alteration of gene expression. The transforming properties of the rel protein were unaltered by the presence of the c-rel C terminus, but, as previously reported for turkey c-rel sequences, substitution of chicken c-rel sequences for internal v-rel sequences reduced the transforming activity of the rel protein and eliminated the immortalization ability. However, all of the chimeric v/c-rel proteins were able to transactivate gene expression, indicating that transactivation does not correlate with transformation. These results suggest that transactivation may be necessary but is not sufficient for transformation by rel proteins.

Transactivation of gene expression by nuclear and cytoplasmic rel proteins

Transcriptional activation of gene expression by oncogenic proteins can lead to cellular transformation. It has recently been demonstrated that the protein encoded by the v-rel oncogene from reticuloendotheliosis virus strain T can transactivate gene expression from certain promoters in a cell-specific manner. We have examined the cytological location, transforming properties, and transactivation properties of proteins encoded by chimeric turkey v-rel/chicken c-rel genes. We found that whereas the v-rel protein was nuclear in both chicken embryo and rat fibroblasts, the presence of the C terminus of the c-rel protein inhibited nuclear localization of the rel protein in these fibroblasts. Cytoplasmic rel proteins containing C-terminal c-rel sequences transactivated gene expression from the polyomavirus late promoter as efficiently as did similar rel proteins located in the nucleus. These results indicate that the cellular location of rel proteins is not important for transactivation of gene expression and suggest that transactivation by rel proteins is indirect, perhaps by affecting an intracellular signal transduction pathway that eventually results in the alteration of gene expression. The transforming properties of the rel protein were unaltered by the presence of the c-rel C terminus, but, as previously reported for turkey c-rel sequences, substitution of chicken c-rel sequences for internal v-rel sequences reduced the transforming activity of the rel protein and eliminated the immortalization ability. However, all of the chimeric v/c-rel proteins were able to transactivate gene expression, indicating that transactivation does not correlate with transformation. These results suggest that transactivation may be necessary but is not sufficient for transformation by rel proteins.

The transforming domain alone of the latent membrane protein of Epstein-Barr virus is toxic to cells when expressed at high levels

A previously unrecognized activity has been associated with the product of the BNLF-1 gene of Epstein-Barr virus. This gene encodes the latent membrane protein of Epstein-Barr virus. When the gene was expressed at high levels, it was toxic to all cell lines tested, which included six human B-lymphoid lines as well as BALB/3T3, 143/EBNA-1, and HEp-2 cells. The BNLF-1 gene was previously shown to induce anchorage-independent and tumorigenic growth in Rat-1 and BALB/3T3 cells. We demonstrate here that only those mutations in the BNLF-1 gene that score positively in the anchorage-independent growth assay were cytotoxic when expressed at high levels. It is therefore possible that the same activities of the latent membrane protein that are necessary to induce anchorage-independent growth of some rodent cell lines also confer toxicity to many cell lines when expressed at high levels.

Transformation-specific tyrosine phosphorylation of a novel cellular protein in chicken cells expressing oncogenic variants of the avian cellular src gene

We used myristylated and nonmyristylated c-src-based variants and phosphotyrosine-specific antibodies to reevaluate the role of tyrosine phosphorylation in cellular transformation by pp60src. Prior methods used to detect tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins failed to discriminate predicted differences in tyrosine phosphorylation which are clearly observed with phosphotyrosine-specific antibodies and Western blotting (immunoblotting). Here we report the observation of a 120,000-Mr protein whose phosphorylation on tyrosine correlates with the induction of morphological transformation. p120 was not observed in cells overexpressing the regulated, nononcogenic pp60c-src, whereas phosphorylation of p120 was greatly enhanced in cells expressing activated, oncogenic pp60527F. Furthermore, phosphorylation of p120 was not induced by expression of the activated but nonmyristylated src variant pp602A/527F, which is transformation defective. p120 partitioned preferentially with cellular membranes, consistent with the observation that transforming src proteins are membrane associated. Although a number of additional putative substrates were identified and partially characterized with respect to intracellular localization, tyrosine phosphorylation of these proteins was not tightly linked to transformation.

Transformation-specific tyrosine phosphorylation of a novel cellular protein in chicken cells expressing oncogenic variants of the avian cellular src gene

We used myristylated and nonmyristylated c-src-based variants and phosphotyrosine-specific antibodies to reevaluate the role of tyrosine phosphorylation in cellular transformation by pp60src. Prior methods used to detect tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins failed to discriminate predicted differences in tyrosine phosphorylation which are clearly observed with phosphotyrosine-specific antibodies and Western blotting (immunoblotting). Here we report the observation of a 120,000-Mr protein whose phosphorylation on tyrosine correlates with the induction of morphological transformation. p120 was not observed in cells overexpressing the regulated, nononcogenic pp60c-src, whereas phosphorylation of p120 was greatly enhanced in cells expressing activated, oncogenic pp60527F. Furthermore, phosphorylation of p120 was not induced by expression of the activated but nonmyristylated src variant pp602A/527F, which is transformation defective. p120 partitioned preferentially with cellular membranes, consistent with the observation that transforming src proteins are membrane associated. Although a number of additional putative substrates were identified and partially characterized with respect to intracellular localization, tyrosine phosphorylation of these proteins was not tightly linked to transformation.

v-src mutations outside the carboxyl-coding region are not sufficient to fully activate transformation by pp60c-src in NIH 3T3 cells

Previous studies have shown that carboxyl-terminal mutation of pp60c-src can activate its transforming ability. Conflicting results have been reported for the transforming ability of pp60c-src mutants having only mutations outside its carboxyl-terminal region. To clarify the effects of such mutations, we tested the activities of chimeric v(amino)- and c(carboxyl)-src (v/c-src) proteins at different dosages in NIH 3T3 cells. The focus-forming activity of Rous sarcoma virus long terminal repeat (LTR)-src expression plasmids was significantly reduced when the v-src 3' coding region was replaced with the corresponding c-src region. This difference was masked when the Rous sarcoma virus LTR was replaced with the Moloney murine leukemia virus LTR, which induced approximately 20-fold more protein expression, but even focus-selected lines expressing v/c-src proteins were unable to form large colonies in soft agarose or tumors in NFS mice. This suggests that pp60c-src is not equally sensitive to mutations in its different domains and that there are at least two distinguishable levels of regulation, the dominant one being associated with its carboxyl terminus. v/c-src chimeric proteins expressed with either LTR had high in vitro specific kinase activity equal to that of pp60v-src but, in contrast, were phosphorylated at both Tyr-527 and Tyr-416. Total cell protein phosphotyrosine was enhanced in cells incompletely transformed by v/c-src proteins to the same extent as in v-src-transformed cells, suggesting that the carboxyl-terminal region may affect substrate specificity in a manner that is important for transformation.

Rescue of cells from ras oncogene-induced growth arrest by a second, complementing, oncogene

Established REF52 cells (rat embryo fibroblasts) completely resist stable transformation by ras oncogenes, and simian virus 40 large tumor (T) antigen collaborates with ras to convert REF52 cells to tumorigenic state. A temperature-sensitive simian virus 40 large T antigen (encoded by tsA58) allowed the T24 Ha-ras oncogene to transform REF52 cells in a temperature-dependent manner. Two thirds of the clones transformed with tsA58 and ras became arrested in G2 or late S phase when shifted to a nonpermissive temperature for T antigen stability. Thus, ras induced growth arrest rather than stable transformation in the absence of a functional collaborating oncogene. These results indicate that collaborating oncogenes can regulate cellular responses to ras and have implications regarding therapeutic strategies to control tumor cells expressing activated ras oncogenes.

v-src mutations outside the carboxyl-coding region are not sufficient to fully activate transformation by pp60c-src in NIH 3T3 cells

Previous studies have shown that carboxyl-terminal mutation of pp60c-src can activate its transforming ability. Conflicting results have been reported for the transforming ability of pp60c-src mutants having only mutations outside its carboxyl-terminal region. To clarify the effects of such mutations, we tested the activities of chimeric v(amino)- and c(carboxyl)-src (v/c-src) proteins at different dosages in NIH 3T3 cells. The focus-forming activity of Rous sarcoma virus long terminal repeat (LTR)-src expression plasmids was significantly reduced when the v-src 3' coding region was replaced with the corresponding c-src region. This difference was masked when the Rous sarcoma virus LTR was replaced with the Moloney murine leukemia virus LTR, which induced approximately 20-fold more protein expression, but even focus-selected lines expressing v/c-src proteins were unable to form large colonies in soft agarose or tumors in NFS mice. This suggests that pp60c-src is not equally sensitive to mutations in its different domains and that there are at least two distinguishable levels of regulation, the dominant one being associated with its carboxyl terminus. v/c-src chimeric proteins expressed with either LTR had high in vitro specific kinase activity equal to that of pp60v-src but, in contrast, were phosphorylated at both Tyr-527 and Tyr-416. Total cell protein phosphotyrosine was enhanced in cells incompletely transformed by v/c-src proteins to the same extent as in v-src-transformed cells, suggesting that the carboxyl-terminal region may affect substrate specificity in a manner that is important for transformation.

Comparison of the trans-activation capabilities of the human T-cell leukemia virus type I and II chi proteins

The mechanism of cellular transformation by the human T-cell leukemia viruses (HTLVs) is thought to involve a novel retrovirus gene known as chi. The chi gene is essential for HTLV replication and acts by enhancing transcription from the viral long terminal repeat. By using the HTLV type I and II chi gene-coding regions inserted into a highly efficient expression vector, we directly compared the efficiencies of the two chi proteins to trans activate the HTLV type I and II long terminal repeats. We demonstrate that the two chi proteins have different patterns of trans activation. The patterns were highly reproducible in all mammalian cells tested. A different pattern of activation was observed in avian cells. These results suggest that the mechanism of trans activation involves specific cellular factors that are highly conserved throughout mammalian species but different in avian cells. Understanding the mechanism of trans activation by the chi gene product may provide insights into mechanisms of cellular transformation by HTLV.

High mutation rate of a spleen necrosis virus-based retrovirus vector

Spleen necrosis virus (SNV) is an avian retrovirus that efficiently infects some mammalian cells (e.g., dog and rat cells). We constructed an SNV-based vector, which contains less than 1 kilobase (kb) of the retrovirus sequence, and a number of derivatives containing selectable markers. We obtained high-titer virus stocks, over 10(6) transforming units per ml, with a vector whose genomic RNA consists of 1,850 bases (full-length SNV RNA is 7.7 kb). We also studied two vectors that both carry two genes which should be expressed from a single promoter, one gene from unspliced mRNA and the other gene from spliced mRNA. In one vector, both genes were efficiently expressed as expected. However, in the other vector, expression of the gene 3' to the splice acceptor was inhibited. When we selected for expression of the 3' gene is this latter case, we found that the resistant cells contained mutant proviruses in which the 3' gene could be expressed. Furthermore, we found that mutations were generated during a single round of virus replication (provirus to provirus) at a rate of approximately 0.5% mutations per cycle.

Activated v-myc and v-ras oncogenes do not transform normal human lymphocytes

Activated v-myc (pSV v-myc) and v-Ha-ras (GT10) oncogenes were introduced into normal human lymphocytes, NIH 3T3 fibroblasts, B-lymphoblastoid cells, and human epithelial cells, using a reconstituted Sendai virus envelope-mediated gene transfer technique. Efficient transfer of the plasmid in each cell type was demonstrable within 1.5 h of transfection by Southern blotting of extrachromosomal DNA extracts, which unexpectedly revealed that v-myc plasmid DNA was unstable in normal lymphocytes but not in the other cell types. The v-myc plasmid was stabilized when cotransfected into lymphocytes together with v-Ha-ras. The transfected v-Ha-ras plasmid was stable in all the cell types tested. v-myc plasmid expression was clearly detectable by 5 h in all cell types except human lymphocytes. Lymphocytes expressed v-myc when transfected together with v-Ha-ras. Transfected ras oncogene was efficiently expressed in all the cell types tested. Expression of the transfected genes increased at 24 and 48 h after transfection. Even though plasmid stability and expression were achieved in myc-ras-cotransfected lymphocytes, no effects on cellular DNA synthesis or immortalization were observed, in contrast to efficient transformation of NIH 3T3 fibroblasts by the same procedure. Our data suggest that efficient expression of transfected myc and ras oncogenes in normal quiescent human lymphocytes is not sufficient for the induction of cell growth and immortalization.

Perturbed hemopoiesis and the generation of multipotential stem cell clones in src-infected bone marrow cultures is an indirect or transient effect of the oncogene

Multipotential stem cell lines, derived specifically from long-term bone marrow cultures infected with a recombinant retrovirus carrying v-src, lack v-src. Stable consequences thus result from transient actions or indirect effects of v-src on other cells, with the latter possibility being favored by its mosaic expression in marrow cultures.

Nondefective spleen necrosis virus-derived vectors define the upper size limit for packaging reticuloendotheliosis viruses

We constructed a nondefective retrovirus vector based on spleen necrosis virus (SNV), a replication-competent reticuloendotheliosis virus. We introduced different DNA sequences into this vector and studied the ability of the resulting viruses to replicate in chicken embryo fibroblasts. The replication efficiency of SNV-derived viruses decreased with increasing virus size. Viruses larger than 9.4 kilobases (kb) were rapidly overgrown by replication-competent deletion mutants. The size restriction for the efficient replication of nondefective SNV-derived viruses prevented the production of viruses larger than 10.0 kb. Analysis of the kinetics of virus particle release indicated that the size restriction occurred during virus encapsidation.

High mutation rate of a spleen necrosis virus-based retrovirus vector

Spleen necrosis virus (SNV) is an avian retrovirus that efficiently infects some mammalian cells (e.g., dog and rat cells). We constructed an SNV-based vector, which contains less than 1 kilobase (kb) of the retrovirus sequence, and a number of derivatives containing selectable markers. We obtained high-titer virus stocks, over 10(6) transforming units per ml, with a vector whose genomic RNA consists of 1,850 bases (full-length SNV RNA is 7.7 kb). We also studied two vectors that both carry two genes which should be expressed from a single promoter, one gene from unspliced mRNA and the other gene from spliced mRNA. In one vector, both genes were efficiently expressed as expected. However, in the other vector, expression of the gene 3' to the splice acceptor was inhibited. When we selected for expression of the 3' gene is this latter case, we found that the resistant cells contained mutant proviruses in which the 3' gene could be expressed. Furthermore, we found that mutations were generated during a single round of virus replication (provirus to provirus) at a rate of approximately 0.5% mutations per cycle.

Comparison of the trans-activation capabilities of the human T-cell leukemia virus type I and II chi proteins

The mechanism of cellular transformation by the human T-cell leukemia viruses (HTLVs) is thought to involve a novel retrovirus gene known as chi. The chi gene is essential for HTLV replication and acts by enhancing transcription from the viral long terminal repeat. By using the HTLV type I and II chi gene-coding regions inserted into a highly efficient expression vector, we directly compared the efficiencies of the two chi proteins to trans activate the HTLV type I and II long terminal repeats. We demonstrate that the two chi proteins have different patterns of trans activation. The patterns were highly reproducible in all mammalian cells tested. A different pattern of activation was observed in avian cells. These results suggest that the mechanism of trans activation involves specific cellular factors that are highly conserved throughout mammalian species but different in avian cells. Understanding the mechanism of trans activation by the chi gene product may provide insights into mechanisms of cellular transformation by HTLV.

Activated v-myc and v-ras oncogenes do not transform normal human lymphocytes

Activated v-myc (pSV v-myc) and v-Ha-ras (GT10) oncogenes were introduced into normal human lymphocytes, NIH 3T3 fibroblasts, B-lymphoblastoid cells, and human epithelial cells, using a reconstituted Sendai virus envelope-mediated gene transfer technique. Efficient transfer of the plasmid in each cell type was demonstrable within 1.5 h of transfection by Southern blotting of extrachromosomal DNA extracts, which unexpectedly revealed that v-myc plasmid DNA was unstable in normal lymphocytes but not in the other cell types. The v-myc plasmid was stabilized when cotransfected into lymphocytes together with v-Ha-ras. The transfected v-Ha-ras plasmid was stable in all the cell types tested. v-myc plasmid expression was clearly detectable by 5 h in all cell types except human lymphocytes. Lymphocytes expressed v-myc when transfected together with v-Ha-ras. Transfected ras oncogene was efficiently expressed in all the cell types tested. Expression of the transfected genes increased at 24 and 48 h after transfection. Even though plasmid stability and expression were achieved in myc-ras-cotransfected lymphocytes, no effects on cellular DNA synthesis or immortalization were observed, in contrast to efficient transformation of NIH 3T3 fibroblasts by the same procedure. Our data suggest that efficient expression of transfected myc and ras oncogenes in normal quiescent human lymphocytes is not sufficient for the induction of cell growth and immortalization.

Perturbed hemopoiesis and the generation of multipotential stem cell clones in src-infected bone marrow cultures is an indirect or transient effect of the oncogene

Multipotential stem cell lines, derived specifically from long-term bone marrow cultures infected with a recombinant retrovirus carrying v-src, lack v-src. Stable consequences thus result from transient actions or indirect effects of v-src on other cells, with the latter possibility being favored by its mosaic expression in marrow cultures.

Regulation of protein synthesis in virus-infected animal cells

This chapter summarizes the structural features that govern the translation of viral mRNAs: where the synthesis of a protein starts and ends, how many proteins can be produced from one mRNA, and how efficiently. It focuses on the interplay between viral and cellular mRNAs and the translational machinery. That interplay, together with the intrinsic structure of viral mRNAs, determines the patterns of translation in infected cells. It also points out some possibilities for translational regulation that can only be glimpsed at present, but are likely to come into focus in the future. The mechanism of selecting the initiation site for protein synthesis appears to follow a single formula. The translational machinery displays a certain flexibility that is exploited more frequently by viral than by cellular mRNAs. Although some of the parameters that determine efficiency have been identified, how efficiently a given mRNA will be translated cannot be predicted by summing the known parameters.