Both cell substratum regulation and hormonal regulation of milk protein gene expression are exerted primarily at the posttranscriptional level

An evolutionarily conserved non-coding element in casein locus acts as transcriptional repressor

In mammals, the casein locus consists of stretches of non-coding DNA, the functions of most of which are unknown. These regions are believed to harbour elements responsible for spatio-temporally regulated expression of genes in this locus and so far, only a few such elements have been identified. In this study, we report a novel regulatory element in the casein locus. Comparative analysis of genomic DNA sequences of casein loci from different mammals identified a 147bp long evolutionarily conserved region (ECR) upstream of Odam, a gene in this locus. The ECR was found in close proximity of Odam gene in all the mammals examined. In-silico analysis predicted the ECR as a potential regulatory element. Functional analysis in different cell lines identified it as a unidirectional repressor element. From our findings we speculate that the ECR may be involved in the repression of the Odam expression in the mammary gland during lactation.

Suppression of prolactin signaling by pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate is alleviated by N-acetylcysteine in mammary epithelial cells

Prolactin is the key hormone to stimulate milk synthesis in mammary epithelial cells. It signals through the Jak2-Stat5 pathway to induce the expression of β-casein, a milk protein which is often used as a marker for mammary differentiation. Here we examined the effect of pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) on prolactin signaling. Our results show that PDTC downregulates prolactin receptor levels, and inhibits prolactin-induced Stat5 tyrosine phosphorylation and β-casein expression. This is not due to its inhibitory action on NF-κB since application of another NF-κB inhibitor, BAY 11-7082, and overexpression of I-κBα super-repressor do not lead to the same results. Instead, the pro-oxidant activity of PDTC is involved as inclusion of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine restores prolactin signaling. PDTC triggers great extents of activation of ERK and JNK in mammary epithelial cells. These do not cause suppression of prolactin signaling but confer serine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1, thereby perturbing insulin signal propagation. As insulin facilitates optimal β-casein expression, blocking insulin signaling by PDTC might pose additional impediment to β-casein expression. Our results thus imply that lactation will be compromised when the cellular redox balance is dysregulated, such as during mastitis.

Role of amino acids in translational mechanisms governing milk protein synthesis in murine and ruminant mammary epithelial cells

The role of amino acids (AA) on translational regulation in mammary epithelial cells cultured under lactogenic conditions was studied. The rates of total protein synthesis and beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) synthesis in mouse CID-9 cells were 2.1- or 3.1-fold higher, respectively, than in their bovine L-1 counterparts. Total AA deprivation or selective deprivation of Leu had a negative protein-specific effect on BLG synthesis that was more pronounced in bovine cells than in murine cells. Dephosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1) and S6 kinase (S6K1) on Thr(389) but not on Ser(411) was also more prominent in bovine cells. Noteably, deprivation of Leu had a less marked effect on BLG synthesis and 4E-BP1 or S6K1 phosphorylation than deprivation of all AA. In AA-deprived CID-9 cells, Leu specifically restored BLG synthesis from pre-existing mRNA whereas AA also restored total protein synthesis. This restoration was associated with a more pronounced effect on 4E-BP1 and S6K1 phosphorylation in bovine versus murine cells. Rapamycin specifically reduced Leu- and AA-stimulated BLG translation initiation in a dose-dependent manner. A further reduction was observed for Leu-treated cells in the presence of LY294002, a PI3K (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase) inhibitor, which also reduced total protein synthesis. These findings suggest that direct signaling from AA to the translational machinery is involved in determining the rates of milk protein synthesis in mammary epithelial cells.

Accurate spatial and temporal transgene expression driven by a 3.8-kilobase promoter of the bovine beta-casein gene in the lactating mouse mammary gland

The spatial, temporal, and hormonal pattern of expression of the beta-casein gene is highly regulated and confined to the epithelial cells of the lactating mammary gland. Previous studies have shown that 1.7 kb of the bovine beta-casein promoter were able to drive cell-specific and hormone-dependent expression to a mouse mammary cell line but failed to induce accurate expression to the mammary gland of transgenic mice. We investigated here the ability of 3.8 kb of the bovine beta-casein gene promoter to drive the expression of the human growth hormone (hGH) gene in transgenic mice. A Northern blot analysis using total RNA obtained from different tissues of lactating and nonlactating females revealed the presence of hGH mRNA only in the mammary gland of lactating females. hGH mRNA was not detectable in the mammary gland of virgin females or males. A developmental analysis showed that hGH mRNA only peaked on parturition, resembling more closely the bovine beta-casein temporal expression pattern rather than the murine. In situ hibridization studies performed on mammary gland sections showed that the cellular pattern of hGH expression was homogeneous in all lobules from heterozygous and homozygous transgenic mice. Silver grain counts on the tissue sections highly correlated with the hGH contents in the milk determined by radioimmunoassay (r = 0.996). Thus 3.8 kb of the bovine beta-casein promoter direct a high-level expression of a reporter gene to the lactating mammary gland of transgenic mice in a tissue-specific and developmentally regulated manner.

Pretreatment with glucocorticoid is essential for lactogenic induction of the bovine beta-casein/CAT expression in HC11 cells

Hormonal regulation of the bovine beta-casein gene expression was studied in a murine mammary epithelial HC11 cells and compared with that of the rat beta-casein gene expression. CAT expression vectors driven by their promoter sequences were transfected into HC11 cells. Stable transfectents were treated with lactogenic hormones, dexamethasone and prolactin for 2 days in confluent cultures. While the lactogenic hormones synergistically induced a strong activation of the rat beta-casein/CAT expression, neither a single or combined treatment of dexamethasone and prolactin induced the bovine beta-casein/CAT expression. To test a sequential treatment effect of lactogenic hormones on the bovine beta-casein/CAT expression, cells were first treated with either dexamethasone or prolactin for various days and then subjected to the second treatment with both hormones for 2 days. Only dexamethasone-, but not prolactin-pretreated cells showed a strong lactogenic induction. Moreover, the fold induction of dexamethasone-pretreated cells increased gradually as a function of duration of dexamethasone pretreatment. A series of the bovine beta-casein/CAT constructs with different length of the bovine beta-casein 5' flanking region ranged from 0.3 kb to about 15 kb was analyzed in 12-days dexamethasone-pretreated cultures. CAT expression was increased even in 0.3 kb-containing construct, but prominent induction was seen in more than 1.8 kb-containing constructs. Therefore, it could be concluded that a long-term dexamethasone pretreatment is essential for lactogenic induction of the bovine beta-casein expression and the 0.3 kb proximal promoter region is important, but more distal promoter element(s) is necessary for mediating the coordinated action of lactogenic hormones to the bovine beta-casein expression.

Removal of milk by suckling acutely increases the prolactin receptor gene expression in the lactating mouse mammary gland

To determine the effect of suckling on the prolactin receptor (PRL-R) gene expression, we measured the quantity of PRL-R mRNA in the lactating mouse mammary gland. When the pups were separated from their mother on day 5 of lactation, the long form of PRL-R (PRL-R[L]) mRNA disappeared with a half-life of 12.5 h for the first 9 h and 3.0 h for the following 9-15 h. By supplying pups to mice which had been weaned for 24 h, PRL-R(L) mRNA increased 2.5-fold during the next 6 h-period. The increase in PRL-R(L) mRNA was found in the mammary glands from which the pups removed milk. The number of mammary PRL-R protein decreased or increased following weaning or following the removal of milk by suckling, respectively. From these observations. it was concluded that the removal of milk acutely increases the level of PRL-R(L) mRNA during lactation.

Regulation of interleukin (IL)-1alpha, IL-1beta, and IL-6 expression by growth hormone and prolactin in bovine thymic stromal cells

Growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL) have been implicated in T-cell development, but relatively little is known about the mechanism(s) of their actions on the multiple cell types in this complex tissue. Here, we investigated the effects of GH and PRL on the expression of interleukin (IL)-1alpha, IL-1beta and IL-6 in thymic stromal cells (TSC). These cytokine mRNAs were increased by GH, PRL and placental lactogen (PL) in primary cultures prepared from mid-gestational fetuses in a dose-dependent manner. IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) abolished the hormone-induced IL-6 expression, suggesting that the induction of IL-6 was secondary to IL-1 activity. To examine the effects of these hormones on an individual cell type and develop a system in which signalling mechanisms can be studied, we generated immortalized cell lines using a strategy of conditional transformation. In the cell line, TSC-936, which displayed vimentin-positive staining and morphological characteristics of mesenchymal cells, both GH and PRL increased levels of steady-state mRNAs for IL-1alpha and IL-1beta. Nuclear run-on analysis revealed that the transcription rate of the IL-1beta gene was significantly increased by GH and PRL at 30 and 60 min, respectively, but that for IL-1alpha was not significantly changed, suggesting the possibility of an alternative mechanism mediating this response. These data suggest that modulation of cytokine gene expression is one mechanism by which GH and PRL facilitate thymic development and T-cell maturation.

Expression of a bovine kappa-CN cDNA in the mammary gland of transgenic mice utilizing a genomic milk protein gene as an expression cassette

Transgenic mice were produced by microinjection of a DNA construct composed of the bovine kappa-casein (kappa-CN) cDNA under the control of the goat beta-CN 5' promoter elements and 3' flanking regions into pronuclear-stage embryos. The gene construct targeted the expression of bovine kappa-CN RNA to the mammary gland and secretion of bovine kappa-CN in the milk. In the three lines studied (BC-7, BC-31 and BC-67) the transgene was stably integrated and propagated as a Mendelian locus. Expression of the bovine protein in lactating mice from the three transgenic lines was demonstrated by northern and western blots. In ten different tissues analysed by northern blotting, expression was confined to the mammary gland of lactating transgenic mice from line BC-7, with low-level expression also observed in the salivary gland of lines BC-31 and BC-67. Transgene expression in the mammary gland paralleled normal casein gene expression during lactation and was not observed in virgin females. The level of bovine kappa-CN mRNA expression on day 10 of lactation in hemizygous transgenic females in relation to endogenous mRNA of whey acid protein (WAP) gene expression was 14%, 69%, and 127% in lines BC-7, BC-31 and BC-67, respectively. No association between transgene copy number and expression was observed. The bovine kappa-CN concentration in milk on day 10 of lactation ranged from 0.94 to 3.85 mg of protein per ml of milk. The bovine kappa-CN expressed in mouse milk had the same molecular mass and immunoactivity with polyclonal antibodies as did kappa-CN from bovine milk. A high degree of variation in the production of bovine kappa-CN within each of the transgenic lines was observed.

A mammary epithelial cell line is transiently stimulated towards milk lipid synthesis by lactogenic treatments

A subcloned mouse mammary epithelial cell line (COMMA-D/MME) was cultured on Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm (EHS) tumor cell matrix with lactogenic hormones (insulin, cortisol, prolactin) to stimulate differentiation and challenged with growth factors to interpret the relationship between the signals for growth and differentiation. After 21 days of pretreatment to promote differentiation, cells were capable of growth, but were always less responsive than cells that did not receive lactogenic pretreatment. Although the cells failed to express beta-casein mRNA, droplets of neutral lipids were present in the cell cytoplasm regardless of treatment. Lactogenic hormones induced the appearance of larger droplets that occurred in intracytoplasmic lumens and lipid synthesis rates were initially increased. However, the glycerol incorporation pattern of these lipids only reached 53% of the changes expected for lactating tissue. Furthermore, because secretion of the lipid was inhibited, the accumulation eventually inhibited synthetic capacity. The cellular expression of acetyl Co-A carboxylase message was increased by growth, but not by lactogenic treatments. It is concluded that the COMMA-D/MME are capable of partial and transient differentiation to synthesize milk lipids, but are inhibited by the accumulation of material due to inability to secrete.

Short- and long-term mechanisms of tau regulation in PC12 cells

Induction by nerve growth factor of neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells is transcription-dependent and is associated with the accumulation of tau protein. It was recently shown that short-term treatment with staurosporine, a protein kinase alkaloid inhibitor, induced an elevation of tau protein levels and outgrowth of stable neurites. In this study, we analyzed the mechanism(s) by which nerve growth factor and staurosporine exert their effects on tau levels. We demonstrate that nerve growth factor affects tau mRNA stability, thus contributing to the observed increase in tau mRNA levels. On the other hand, tau mRNA levels were not affected by the treatment with staurosporine. We also demonstrate that the phosphorylation of tau protein was reduced after treatment of PC12 cells with nerve growth factor or staurosporine, as shown by immunoblot analysis using specific antibodies and alkaline phosphatase treatment. Thus, regulation of tau levels by nerve growth factor appears to be mediated by transcriptional, post-transcriptional and posttranslational steps, whereas the effect of staurosporine on tau levels may be attributed to its effect on the state of phosphorylation of the protein.

The effects of various kinase and phosphatase inhibitors on the transmission of the prolactin and extracellular matrix signals to rabbit alpha S1-casein and transferrin genes

In all species, milk protein genes are specifically expressed in the mammary gland under the control of lactogenic hormones and extracellular matrix. In rabbit, casein gene expression is induced by prolactin alone and this induction is amplified by extracellular matrix. Transferrin gene expression is induced by extracellular matrix in the absence of hormones. The transduction mechanisms of prolactin and extracellular matrix to milk protein genes is only partly known. The present study has been undertaken to determine if protein kinases and phosphatases are involved in these mechanisms. Rabbit primary mammary cells were cultured in three different conditions (i) directly on floating collagen I, (ii) on plastic after a trypsinization to remove endogenous extracellular matrix, and (iii) on floating collagen I after a trypsinization to restore a functional extracellular matrix. In these culture conditions, prolactin and several protein kinase and phosphatase inhibitors were added to the medium. The expression of alpha S1-casein and transferrin genes was evaluated using Northern blotting analysis. In cells cultured directly on collagen I, staurosporine, quercetin and 6-dimethylaminopurine strongly inhibited prolactin action of alpha S1-casein gene whereas herbimycin A was only partly inhibitory. An erbstatin analogue, tyrosine phosphate, 1(5 isoquinolylsulphonyl) 2-methylpiperazine and GF 109 203 X did not alter prolactin action. The inhibitors which inhibited prolactin action when cells were directly cultured on collagen I were also those which prevented the induction of alpha S1-casein gene expression when cells were cultured on plastic in the absence of extracellular matrix. The induction of transferrin gene by the extracellular matrix was inhibited slightly by quercetin. Okadaic acid, phenylarsine oxide and sodium pervanadate which inhibit Ser/Thr and Tyr phosphatase inhibitors were unable to mimic prolactin action on alpha S1-casein gene expression. On the contrary, these inhibitors prevented prolactin action. These data suggest that a cascade including protein kinases and phosphatases for Ser/Thr and Tyr phosphate is involved in the transduction of the prolactin message from its receptor to casein genes. The signal delivered to the mammary cells by the extracellular matrix is quite different, possibly involving another cascade of protein kinases.

A nuclear post-transcriptional mechanism mediates the induction of fibronectin by glucocorticoids

Treatment of the human fibrosarcoma cell line HT-1080 with glucocorticoids results in the induction of fibronectin (FN) protein and mRNA synthesis. We tested the contribution of transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms in the regulation of FN by the synthetic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (DEX). Using nuclear run-on experiments, we found that the DEX-dependent induction of FN occurs primarily at the post-transcriptional level. The half-life of total FN mRNA was not affected by hormone treatment indicating that the induction of FN gene expression is not due to stabilization of the mature message. Interestingly, the induction by DEX was present at the level of nuclear FN RNA. We found that polyadenylation and alternative splicing of the ED-B domain of the FN transcript were not affected by glucocorticoid treatment. However, DEX was found to increase the steady-state level of unspliced FN transcript. Our data indicate that DEX exerts its effect on FN expression predominantly at the post-transcriptional level by a mechanism that, unlike most examples of post-transcriptional regulation by glucocorticoids, acts in the nucleus. Furthermore, they suggest that glucocorticoids activate a mechanism to stabilize the unspliced FN RNA. In an attempt to localize the FN RNA sequences mediating the DEX-dependent induction, we performed transfection analyses of FN minigene constructs. We suggest that the DEX-dependent regulatory elements are located in the introns since no such elements were found in the 8 kb FN mRNA.

Negative regulatory element in the mammary specific whey acidic protein promoter

Expression of the whey acidic protein (WAP) gene is tightly regulated in a tissue and developmental stage specific manner, in that the WAP gene is exclusively expressed in the mammary gland during pregnancy and lactation. Using both deletion and competition analyses, evidence is provided for the existence of a negative regulatory element (NRE) in the WAP promoter located between -413 and -93 with respect to the WAP transcriptional initiation site. This NRE dramatically decreases transcription from linked heterologous promoter-reporter gene constructs. The activity of NRE requires WAP promoter sequences that are 230 bp apart since subfragments of the NRE fail to inhibit transcription of adjoining reporter genes. Nuclear extracts from different cell types, in which the WAP gene is not active, contain a protein or complex that specifically interacts with the entire NRE but not with subfragments of it. The contact points between this protein (NRE binding factor [NBF]) and the NRE element have been partially determined. Mutation of the implicated nucleotides severely reduces the ability of NBF to bind, and such mutated promoter fragments fail to alleviate transcriptional repression in competition experiments. This suggests that NBF binding to the NRE is at least in part responsible for the negative regulation of the WAP promoter. Since NBF is not detectable in the lactating mammary gland, where the WAP gene is expressed, we speculate that it may be a determinant of the expression spectrum of the WAP gene.

Transgenic approaches for modifying the mammary gland to produce therapeutic proteins

Bioengineering of the mammary gland to produce proteins of therapeutic and industrial value is the result of extensive investigation of the physiology of the mammary gland and the ability to generate transgenic animals. Targeting the expression of heterologous proteins to mammary tissue requires a thorough understanding of the biochemical events that coordinate growth and differentiation of the mammary gland and of the hormonal and developmental regulation of expression of milk protein genes. The characterization of mammary-specific promoter regions in milk protein genes and knowledge of the mechanisms that confer integration site-independent expression of transgenes have significantly contributed to modifying the mammary gland to produce heterologous proteins of therapeutic interest. The generation of large transgenic farm animals provides the opportunity for large-scale production of proteins in milk that have a therapeutic value but are naturally present at low concentrations in biological fluids. Transgenic mammary epithelial cells offer a versatile research model in biomedical, environmental health, and neonatal toxicology research.

Mitochondrial biogenesis in striated muscle

Mitochondrial biogenesis (synthesis) has been observed to occur in skeletal muscle in response to chronic use. It also occurs in cardiac muscle during growth and hypertrophy, and it may be impaired during the aging process. This review summarizes the literature on the processes of mitochondrial biogenesis at the biochemical and molecular levels, with particular reference to striated muscles. Mitochondrial biogenesis involves the expression of nuclear and mitochondrial genes and the coordination of these two genomes, the synthesis of proteins and phospholipids and their import into the organelle, and the incorporation of these lipids and proteins into their appropriate locations within the matrix, inner or outer membranes. The emphasis is on the regulation of these events, with information derived in part from other cellular systems. Although descriptions of mitochondrial content changes in heart and skeletal muscle during altered physiological states are plentiful, much work is needed at the molecular level to investigate the regulatory processes involved. A knowledge of biochemical and molecular biology techniques is essential for continued progress in the field. This is a promising area, and potential new avenues for future research are suggested.

Structure and function of milk protein genes

Interspecies comparisons of cDNA and mosaic milk protein genes have confirmed their high rate of evolution, but the overall gene organization has been conserved. The three Ca-sensitive casein genes, which share common motifs in the promoter region and contain similar sequences that encode signal peptide and multiple phosphorylation sites, probably derived from a common ancestor. alpha s1- and alpha s2-casein genes, divided into many small exons, undergo complex splicing, and the deleted caseins arise from exon skipping. The four bovine casein genes are clustered on 200 kb of chromosome 6. alpha-Lactalbumin and beta-lactoglobulin pseudogenes occur in ruminants. Study of the expression of native and modified milk protein genes in mammary cell lines and transgenic animals and DNA footprinting have shown the occurrence of important regulatory motifs in the proximal 5' flanking region, including one recognized by a specific mammary nuclear factor. Good stage- and tissue-specific expression has been obtained in transgenic animals with milk protein genes having less than a 3-kb 5' flanking region. Better knowledge of both the structure and function of milk protein genes, which has already allowed the use of powerful techniques for the rapid identification of alleles, offers the potential for the genetic modification of milk composition.

Lactogenic hormones and extracellular matrix regulate expression of IGF-1 linked to MMTV-LTR in mammary epithelial cells

The cell line MD-IGF-1, containing an ovine IGF-1 cDNA driven by the mouse mammary tumor virus-long terminal repeat (MMTV-LTR) promoter, was used to study expression of IGF-1 linked to the MMTV-LTR in bovine mammary epithelial cells in response to various hormonal and substratum stimuli. Acute sensitivity of the MMTV-LTR promoter to glucocorticoids and sex steroids was ascertained by transient transfection of parental MAC-T cells with an MMTV-CAT construct. Specifically, CAT activity was induced by glucocorticoids, but not by 17 beta-estradiol or progesterone. Induction of MD-IGF-1 cells with dexamethasone (DEX) alone triggered a 29.5-fold increase in secretion of recombinant IGF-1 (348.9 vs 11.8 pg/micrograms DNA), and stimulated a 1.7-fold increase in total DNA within 72 h. Growth of MD-IGF-1 cells was enhanced by exogenous IGF-1, insulin, and TGF-alpha. In contrast, TGF-beta inhibited cell proliferation, while epidermal growth factor, estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone had no effect. Extracellular matrix from the Engelbreth-Holm-Swarm (EHS) tumor, in the presence of DEX, prolactin (PRL), and insulin stimulated a 29.4-fold increase in secretion of IGF-1 (591.9 pg/microgram DNA), compared with cells in absence of hormones (20.1 pg/micrograms DNA). EHS and DEX plus PRL triggered a 63.2-fold increase in IGF-1 secretion (689.1 pg/micrograms DNA), compared with MD-IGF-1 cells cultured on plastic (10.9 pg/micrograms DNA), in the absence of hormones. These data indicate that the MMTV-LTR is regulated by both lactogenic hormones and extracellular matrix in MD-IGF-1 cells and that the MMTV-LTR may be a useful regulatory element for targeting expression of foreign proteins in bovine mammary epithelial cells.

Synthesis and secretion of human serum albumin by mammary gland explants of virgin and lactating transgenic mice

Transgenic mice were produced, carrying hybrid genes comprised of the ovine beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) milk protein gene promoter and human serum albumin (HSA) coding sequences. In situ hybridization revealed high levels of BLG/HSA hybrid mRNA, confined to the epithelial cells of the lactating mammary gland with a several hundred fold lower concentration in virgin mammary glands. During the first 24 h in culture, exceptionally high levels of HSA were secreted from explants of virgin mice, independent of hormonal control. HSA secretion was reduced considerably during subsequent days in culture and became dependent on the presence of insulin, hydrocortisone and prolactin. This temporal and hormonal pattern of regulation of HSA was different than that found for the secretion of caseins. In contrast to the vast difference in the mRNA content, the amount of HSA secreted from explants derived from lactating mice during the first 24 h in culture was only 2- to 5-fold higher than that found with explants from virgin transgenic mice, suggesting post-transcriptional control of HSA synthesis. The high-level synthesis and secretion of HSA in mammary explants of lactating mice was also dependent on the presence of insulin, hydrocortisone and prolactin. This study confirms previous suggestion that mammary explants from virgin transgenics may serve as a powerful tool for screening the potential of transgenic animals to secrete foreign proteins in their milk.

Cloning of the goat beta-casein-encoding gene and expression in transgenic mice

The goat beta-casein-encoding gene (CSN2), which encodes the most abundant protein of goat milk, has been cloned and sequenced. The intron/exon organization of the 9.0-kb goat CSN2 gene is similar to that of other CSN2 genes. Expression of the goat gene was principally restricted to the mammary gland of lactating transgenic animals. A low level of expression was also observed in skeletal muscle and skin. In contrast to a rat CSN2 transgene [Lee et al., Nucleic Acids Res. 16 (1988) 1027-1041], the goat gene was expressed to a high degree in the lactating mammary gland. Differences in the content or context of regulatory elements may account for the enhanced performance of the goat relative to the rat CSN2 gene in transgenic mice.

Differential stability of mRNAs coding for alpha and gonadotropin beta subunits in cultured rat pituitary cells

Luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) result from the assembly of a common subunit alpha and a unique subunit beta, expressed in the same cell by single, structurally-related genes. In order to compare the intrinsic stability of the alpha, LH beta and FSH beta mRNA transcripts, we used cultured rat pituitary cells incubated in presence of actinomycin D. Hybridization with 32P-labelled rat cDNA probes showed that the cell content of all three mRNAs decreased with time, but at different rates. Apparent half-lives, estimated as the time necessary to observe a 50% mRNA decay, were 1.0 +/- 0.13 h for FSH beta, 6.5 +/- 0.25 h for alpha and 44 +/- 0.5 h for LH beta, stability thus exhibiting an inverse relation to the sizes of the corresponding mRNAs (approximately 1700, 800 and 700 nucleotides, respectively). Northern analysis revealed that the decline in mRNA abundance was associated with a progressive decrease in the length of mRNAs, most clearly visible for alpha and LH beta. For the most stable LH beta mRNA, shortening was apparent as early as 2 h after exposure to actinomycin D thus preceding neatly the decrease in amount starting at about 10-12 h. In vitro RNase H digestion demonstrated that shortening resulted from a reduction of the length of the poly(A) tract. These data establish that the three mRNAs coding for gonadotropin subunits have different stabilities although they share substantial homology. Diversity in size and sequence essentially resides in untranslated regions in which, we suggest, specific motifs and protein factors may interact to determine mRNA stability.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Differential effects of the simian virus 40 early genes on mammary epithelial cell growth, morphology, and gene expression

To study the effect of SV40 T-antigen in mammary epithelial cells, a rat beta-casein promoter-driven SV40 early-region construct was stably introduced into the clonal mouse mammary epithelial cell line HC11. With the expression of the viral T-antigens under the control of a hormone-inducible promoter, it was possible to dissociate the effects of different levels of T-antigen expression on cell growth, morphology, and gene expression. Following hormonal induction, a rapid but transient induction of T-antigen was observed, followed by a delayed induction of H4 histone mRNA. In T-antigen-positive HC11 cells cultured in the absence of EGF, the expression of basal levels of T-antigen (in the absence of hormonal induction) led to a decreased doubling time and an increased cell density. In the presence of EGF, T-antigen expression resulted additionally in an altered cell morphology. Despite the effects of T-antigen on cell growth and gene expression, the cells were unable to form colonies in soft agar and were nontumorigenic when transplanted into cleared mammary fat pads. They were, however, weakly tumorigenic in nude mice. Relatively high levels of p53 protein synthesis were observed in both the transfected HC11 cells and the parental COMMA-D cells, as compared to 3T3E fibroblasts and another mammary epithelial cell line. The HC11 and COMMA-D cells synthesized approximately equal levels of wild-type and mutated p53 proteins as defined by their reactivities with monoclonal antibodies PAb246 and PAb240, respectively. Interactions between excess p53 and T-antigen may, in part, explain the failure of these cells to display a completely transformed phenotype.

Functional differentiation and primary metabolism of mouse mammary epithelial cells in extended-batch and hollow-fiber culture

Growth, expression of functional differentiation (as characterized by synthesis and secretion of milk proteins), and primary metabolism were studied for a mouse mammary epithelial cell line, COMMA-1D, in extended-batch and hollow-fiber reactor cultures. Batch cultures were performed on Costar polycarbonate membrane inserts, allowing basal and apical exposure to medium. Protein production was induced in both batch and hollow-fiber cultures in hormone-supplemented medium. In batch cultures, high levels of protein production and secretion were maintained for 18 days. Once differentiation was induced, the rate of deinduction was low, even in medium containing epidermal growth factor (EGF) and serum; cells continued to express and secrete proteins for at least 12 days after prolactin and hydrocortisone were removed. Cells in both batch and hollow-fiber cultures were highly glycolytic and exhibited low rates of glutaminolysis. In batch culture on membrane inserts, cells showed polarized metabolism between the apical and basal side, maintaining significant gradients of glucose and lactate. Medium hormonal composition and subsequent differentiation affected both glucose uptake and lactate yield for COMMA-1D in batch culture.

Posttranscriptional regulation of alpha-casein mRNA accumulation by laminin

We have utilized primary cultures of rat mammary epithelial cells to study mechanisms by which laminin regulates the prolactin-dependent accumulation of alpha-casein mRNA. Mammary cells accumulate approximately fivefold more alpha-casein mRNA when cultured on laminin than when cultured on tissue plastic and the accumulation of alpha-casein mRNA is prolactin dependent. On the basis of transcription assays there is approximately a twofold increase in the alpha-casein mRNA transcription rate in cells cultured on laminin over that of tissue culture plastic. Measurements on the turnover of alpha-casein mRNA show that this mRNA is stabilized fourfold more on laminin than on tissue culture plastic, while there was no significant difference in the turnover of poly(A) RNA on either substratum. These data indicate that laminin regulates the cytoplasmic levels of alpha-casein mRNA accumulation primarily at the post-transcriptional level by increasing the stabilization of this mRNA.

High expression of the caprine beta-casein gene in transgenic mice

An 18-kb caprine genomic DNA fragment, comprising the beta-casein transcription unit with about 3-kb 5' and 6-kb 3' flanking regions, was microinjected into fertilized one-cell murine eggs. All nine lines of transgenic mice obtained expressed the transgene in their mammary glands, as demonstrated by Northern blot analysis of mRNA in miscellaneous tissues, and qualitative and quantitative analysis of caprine beta-casein in milk, using SDS/PAGE, Western blotting and rocket immunoelectrophoresis. Two lines produced milk containing up to 21-24 mg of the exogenous protein/ml, a yield which is roughly twice that found in goat milk. The yield reached at least 40 mg/ml in some progeny of crossbred G1 transgenic mice. Thus, the investigated gene appears to be a good candidate for making hybrid constructs that might promote an efficient production of valuable foreign proteins in milk.

Extracellular matrix proteins regulate morphologic and biochemical properties of tracheal gland serous cells through integrins

The extracellular matrix has been shown to influence the differentiation of epithelial cells. To identify cues from the extracellular matrix controlling the differentiation of tracheal gland serous cells, we examined the effects of culturing these cells on various extracellular matrix proteins. Bovine tracheal gland (BTG) serous cells attached to Type IV collagen (COL IV), laminin (LM), and fibronectin (FN) in a concentration-dependent manner. Morphologic analysis showed that cells formed confluent monolayers on COL IV or LM, whereas on FN, cells formed birefringent spheres. Metabolic labeling experiments showed that [35S]methionine-labeled protein bands at 68, 105, and 120 kD were prominent when cells were grown on COL IV or LM, but were lost or reduced when the cells were grown on FN. COL IV also enhanced the expression of proteins at 14, 16.5, 18, and 21.5 kD. Attachment to all substrates was inhibited by an antibody directed against beta 1 integrins. This antibody precipitated several integrin heterodimers from a BTG cell membrane extract, caused partial retraction of cells from all substrates, and strongly suppressed the expression of COL IV- and LM-dependent proteins. Control experiments indicated that the latter did not require conspicuous changes in cell shape. These results show that some biochemical properties of serous cells are regulated by integrin-mediated effects of extracellular matrix proteins in vitro and suggest that similar regulation may occur during normal development and remodeling of the glands in vivo.

Cell and species distribution of prolactin-inducible annexin I mRNA

The major prolactin-induced gene in the Columbid cropsac (cp35) is a unique member of the annexin (lipocortin/calpactin) gene family, most closely related to mammalian annexin I. Because no other annexins are known to be regulated by a specific hormonal signal, we have analyzed the distribution of annexin I mRNAs which hybridize to cp35 cDNA by comparing several tissue and cell systems. In addition we have used in situ hybridization to locate the expression of cp35 mRNA in the cropsac. Of nine separate organs extracted only cropsac, spleen, trachea, intestine, and lung expressed easily detectable levels of annexin I mRNA. Heart, liver, kidney, and skeletal muscle did not consistently express detectable annexin I. Prolactin (PRL) injection had no measurable effect on the mRNAs expressed in any of the tissues other than cropsac. Mammalian cell lines which respond to PRL (COMMA-D, HC11) were probed for expression of cp35-hybridizing mRNAs. These cell lines contained high levels of annexin I mRNA, but the mRNA level was not stimulated by PRL. Lactating mouse mammary gland did not contain measurable RNAs for either annexin I or II. In situ hybridization of cropsac sections showed that high-level expression of annexin I (cp35) mRNA was localized in the differentiating layer of the cropsac mucosal epithelium after PRL stimulation. It was not abundant in either the proliferating layer or the outermost desquamating layer of cells. These experiments argue that mRNAcp35 expression is a unique component of the PRL-induced differentiation response of cropsac and that closely related mRNAs are expressed in some, but not all, other tissues of the pigeon.

Differential and coordinate responses of the human genes encoding the heat stable alkaline phosphatases to cAMP and sodium butyrate in the choriocarcinoma line JEG-3

Human heat stable alkaline phosphatases are encoded by two closely related genes: the PLAP-1, which specifies the term placental enzyme, and the PLAP-2, which is expressed primarily in germ cells. In the choriocarcioma line JEG-3, 8-Br-cAMP induced the accumulation of the mRNA of both genes, while sodium butyrate induced the accumulation of PLAP-2 transcripts only. Each agent increased the transcription rate of one or both of the genes, as assayed by run-on transcription. In transfection of JEG-3 cells with PLAP promoters fused to the firefly luciferase gene, the activity of the PLAP-2 promoter (but not PLAP-1) was induced with sodium butyrate, while both promoters were induced by 8-Br-cAMP. Inducibility of the PLAP-2 promoter by 8-Br-cAMP was still observed when the promoter was shortened to -103, leaving intact a sequence resembling a cAMP response element. The extent of transcriptional activation by either agent was not sufficient to explain the accumulation of PLAP mRNA. These studies suggest that both transcriptional and posttranscriptional processes are involved in the induction of the PLAP-1 and PLAP-2 gene in JEG-3 cells.

Establishment of bovine mammary epithelial cells (MAC-T): an in vitro model for bovine lactation

The hallmark of differentiated mammary epithelial cells is a copious secretion of milk-specific components regulated by lactogenic hormones. We describe an established clonal cell line produced from primary bovine mammary alveolar cells (MAC-T) by stable transfection with SV-40 large T-antigen. MAC-T cells show a population doubling time of approximately 17 h and have been cultured more than 350 passages without showing any sign of senescence. They show the characteristic "cobblestone" morphology of epithelial cells when grown on plastic substratum. Differentiation was induced by augmenting cell-cell interaction on a floating collagen gel in the presence of prolactin. The differentiated phenotype was characterized to include (1) increased abundance in beta-casein mRNA, (2) increased number and size of indirect immunofluorescent casein secretory vesicles in each cell and (3) alpha s- and beta-casein protein secretion. The clonal nature of the cells, their immortality, and their ability to uniformly differentiate and secrete casein proteins make this cell line unique.

Targeting expression to the mammary gland: intronic sequences can enhance the efficiency of gene expression in transgenic mice

We are studying the tissue-specific expression of the sheep milk-whey protein gene, beta-lactoglobulin. We have used sequences derived from this gene to target the expression of biomedical proteins into milk with the intention to exploit this technology in transgenic sheep as a means of protein production. In the present study, a series of beta-lactoglobulin hybrid genes and beta-lactoglobulin minigenes were evaluated for expression in the mammary gland of transgenic mice. In particular, we have assessed whether there is a requirement for introns for efficient transgene expression in the mammary gland, since the coding sequences of many candidate proteins are available only as cDNAs. The results suggest that the inclusion of natural introns in constructs can enhance the efficiency of transgene expression. Thus, a hybrid construct comprising 4.3 kb of the immediate 5' flanking sequences of beta-lactoglobulin fused to a genomic minigene encoding human alpha-antitrypsin (alpha 1AT) was expressed much more efficiently than an alpha 1AT-cDNA construct containing the same beta-lactoglobulin segment. Similarly, the intact beta-lactoglobulin gene was expressed more efficiently than the corresponding intronless beta-lactoglobulin minigene. This effect was not seen in transient expression experiments in baby hamster kidney cells when beta-lactoglobulin-alpha 1AT constructs were driven by SV40 enhancer sequences. The effect cannot be explained by a simple requirement for splicing, since the inclusion of the first beta-lactoglobulin intron into cDNA constructs encoding human alpha 1AT or beta-lactoglobulin itself failed to enhance the efficiency of transgene expression. It is concluded that sequence elements within introns may interact with the upstream 5' flanking sequences of beta-lactoglobulin and enable the latter to function efficiently in the mammary gland of transgenic mice.

Hormone responsive elements within the upstream sequences of the rabbit whey acidic protein (WAP) gene direct chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) reporter gene expression in transfected rabbit mammary cells

Whey acidic protein gene transcription is induced in the mammary gland under the influence of lactogenic hormones: prolactin, insulin and cortisol. The rabbit WAP gene has already been isolated and sequenced in a previous work. In the present study, we have evaluated the role of the 5' flanking region of the rabbit WAP gene in the transcriptional regulation of the WAP gene by using a reporter CAT gene. Chimeric genes containing the upstream region of the WAP gene have been linked to the bacterial CAT gene and transfected into rabbit primary mammary cells. The results reported here show that two regions carrying important regulatory elements of the rabbit WAP gene are located between -6300 and -3000 bp, and between -3000 and -1800 bp upstream from the WAP transcription start point, respectively. The contribute to the high level of expression of the rabbit WAP gene in the mammary cell.

Optimization of the microenvironment for mammalian cell culture in flexible collagen microspheres in a fluidized-bed bioreactor

Flexible, three-dimensional, collagen Microspheres have been developed to actively promote a natural, optimal microenvironment for large-scale tissue culture of mammalian cells. The transport of nutrients into and cell products out of the Microspheres is enhanced by forced convective flow, which is the result of the tumbling of Microspheres and the dynamic properties of media flow in the fluidized-bed bioreactor. The collagen Microspheres have important characteristics of composition and morphology essential for optimal cell-matrix and cell-cell interactions. These interactions lead to high cell density and productivity through the dynamic modification of the microenvironment by cell-derived extracellular constituents. The collagen and Microsphere/fluidized-bed system provides the means to control and optimize the diffusive and contact components of the cells' microenvironment. Adaptation of cells to this microenvironment often results in dramatic increases in cell-specific productivity. Production of biotherapeutics in this process can be routinely performed in serum-free media, often leading to high productivity and product quality.

Regulation of expression of TL genes of the mouse Mhc

The expression of thymus leukemia (TL) antigens and genes in thymocytes and activated T cells was examined by immunoprecipitation, flow cytometric, northern, and nuclear run-off transcription analyses. Cell surface forms of TL were detectable by immunoprecipitation on activated peripheral T cells from Tla haplotypes except Tla(b), in agreement with expression observed on thymocytes. Approximately 40%-50% of concanavalin A (Con A) or anti-CD3-activated T cells were TL+, with expression detected on both the CD4 and CD8 subsets by dual-color analysis. Activated T cells expressed detectable levels of TL mRNA 48 h after stimulation, but no TL transcripts were detectable in unstimulated splenocytes. However, TL mRNA expression in mature activated T cells did not precisely mimic thymocyte expression: the level of expression was considerably lower in activated T cells, and in most haplotypes the transcripts produced in activated T cells appeared to represent a subset of the transcripts produced in thymocytes. By run-off transcription assays in isolated nuclei, TL gene expression was detected in activated but not resting T cells indicating that lack of expression of TL in resting T cells is not due to message instability. These data demonstrate that TL genes are inducible and transcriptionally regulated.

Prolactin stimulates transcription of growth-related genes in Nb2 T lymphoma cells

The pituitary peptide hormone prolactin exerts a profound effect on various physiological processes involving both cellular proliferation and differentiation. The rat Nb2 T lymphoma cell line has been used as a model system for studying prolactin regulation of cell proliferation. Several genes associated with cell growth (c-myc, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), heat shock protein 70 (hsp 70)-homologue, and beta-actin) are induced rapidly within 4 h after prolactin addition. Nuclear run-on transcription assays indicate that prolactin induction of these growth-related genes occurs primarily at the transcriptional level. According to the different kinetics of transcriptional response to prolactin, these growth-related genes can be divided into immediate-early (actin, c-myc), early (ODC) and mid-G1 (hsp 70-homologue) genes. Thus, prolactin may regulate Nb2 T cell-proliferative responses by modulating the transcriptional induction of various growth-related genes. These studies also represent a first report of a transcriptional cascade set off in rapid response to prolactin in cultured T cells.

Dexamethasone control of growth hormone mRNA levels in GH3 pituitary cells is cycloheximide-sensitive and primarily posttranscriptional

To clarify the mechanism of growth hormone (GH) gene activation by glucocorticoids in GH3 pituitary cells, GH mRNA accumulation in nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments was measured in the presence and absence of cycloheximide. In dexamethasone-treated cells, levels of GH mRNA were increased in the nucleus by 6 h and in the cytoplasm by 12 h. Dexamethasone treatment caused a 5- to 24-fold rise in total GH mRNA levels by 48-72 h. The differential elevation of nuclear levels of GH mRNA relative to the amount of cytoplasmic GH mRNA persisted for 48 h. A transient accumulation of GH mRNA in the nucleus was followed by a brief rise in cytoplasmic GH mRNA levels in GH3 cells treated simultaneously with dexamethasone and cycloheximide. In GH3 cells pretreated for 2 h with cycloheximide, the rise in nuclear and cytoplasmic GH mRNA levels mediated by dexamethasone was blocked completely. Levels of glucocorticoid receptor were unaffected by cycloheximide. These data suggest that the stimulation of GH mRNA levels by glucocorticoids is initiated within the nucleus and that cycloheximide-sensitive events are essential for this stimulation to occur. To assess the importance of GH gene transcriptional activation by glucocorticoids, nuclear transcription run-on reactions and assays of GH promoter activity in an aminoglycoside 3'-phosphotransferase (Neo) fusion gene within stably transformed GH3 cells were performed. Evidence for a weak, transient transcriptional activation of the GH gene by dexamethasone in nuclear run-on assays was obtained. Consistent with this idea, a 30-72 h exposure to dexamethasone raised levels of Neo mRNA in GH-Neo GH3 cell transformants by less than or equal to 2-fold. We conclude that glucocorticoid stimulation of GH mRNA in GH3 cells requires ongoing protein synthesis and can occur largely independently of GH gene transcriptional activation.