Binding of glucocorticoid receptors to mammary chromatin acceptor sites

We have recently characterized the interaction of mouse mammary estrogen receptors (ER) with mammary chromatin acceptor sites and demonstrated that ER from estrogen resistant lactating mammary glands do not bind to chromatin. In this study we have characterized the chromatin binding of the glucocorticoid receptor from mouse mammary glands isolated from nulliparous and lactating mice in order to better understand the relationship between receptor binding to chromatin and steroidogenic sensitivity of the tissue. Mammary chromatin was linked covalently to cellulose and deproteinized sequentially by 0-8 M Gdn-HCl. Binding to intact chromatin as well as to chromatin deproteinized by Gdn-HCl was determined using partially purified [3H]dexamethasone labelled glucocorticoid-receptor complexes (GR) obtained by fractionation on DEAE-cellulose columns. The binding of [3H]GR from mammary glands of nulliparous mice to chromatin fractions from the same tissue revealed maximal binding activity (acceptor sites) on chromatin previously extracted with 5-6 M Gdn-HCl. Binding of [3H]GR was of high affinity (Kd = 0.2 nM) and saturable. A simultaneous comparison of the chromatin binding patterns for [3H]ER and [3H]GR isolated from mammary glands of nulliparous mice revealed that the chromatin subfractions obtained with 4-6 M Gdn-HCl extraction contained acceptor sites for both [3H]ER and [3H]GR; however, while the [3H]ER bound to a 4.5 M and a 5.5 M site, the [3]GR bound a 5 M and a 6 M site. Competition experiments supported the steroid receptor specificity of the chromatin acceptor sites. Thus, the 4-6 M chromatin fractions contain distinct acceptor sites for the glucocorticoid receptor and for the estrogen receptor. In addition our studies reveal that the binding patterns of [3H]GR isolated from mammary glands of nulliparous and lactating mice to their homologous chromatin is essentially similar. Thus, in contrast to estrogen receptors, glucocorticoid receptors from lactating mammary glands are able to effectively bind to chromatin acceptor sites which supports our previous suggestion that the estrogenic insensitivity of lactating mouse mammary glands may at least be in part due to the impeded interaction of ER with chromatin acceptor sites.     

Prolactin regulation of cryptic prolactin receptors in cultured rat mammary tumor cells

Rat mammary tumors contain a unique class of cryptic cell-surface prolactin receptors that can be unmasked by depleting the cells of energy. These cryptic receptors, which are found in mammary tumors and nonlactating normal mammary cells but not in differentiated mammary tissue, are continuously inserted and rapidly removed from the cell surface. In this report we demonstrate that prolactin regulates the level of cryptic receptors. Treatment of primary cultures of rat mammary tumor cells with prolactin at concentrations between 0.1 and 0.5 ng/ml caused cryptic receptor levels to increase within 24 h, and this increase was maintained for up to 6 days. At prolactin concentrations of 10-50 ng/ml, receptor levels were the same as in cells incubated without hormone, while a decrease in the steady-state level of cryptic receptors was induced within 24 h by 100-500 ng prolactin/ml. Concentrations of 1,000-5,000 ng prolactin/ml caused a rapid, dose-dependent down regulation of cryptic receptor sites. Down regulation at 5,000 ng prolactin/ml was (1) complete (84 +/- 5% reduction) in 1 h; (2) specific for lactogenic hormones; (3) completely reversed within 10 h after prolactin removal; (4) energy dependent; and (5) not blocked by the cytoskeleton active agents cytochalasin B and colchicine or by NH4Cl, which inhibits hormone degradation. We conclude that rat mammary tumor cells have the capacity to auto-regulate cryptic prolactin receptors, a property that supports our notion that such receptors play a role in regulating prolactin responsiveness. The observed pattern of cryptic receptor autoregulation in response to prolactin concentration and time of exposure suggests that a pool of cryptic sites provides these cells with the capacity to respond to prolactin concentrations from pg to microgram/ml, a range well beyond the Kd for the receptor itself. Since prolactin receptors in mammary tumors are not down regulated unless prolactin concentrations are well beyond the saturation point, these cells may have a selective growth advantage over cells in normal mammary tissue.     

Immunological recognition of the prolactin receptor: identification of a single binding unit of molecular weight approximately 42,000

Different polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies against the rabbit mammary prolactin (PRL) receptor were previously obtained that totally inhibited PRL binding in the rabbit mammary gland. Only polyclonal antibodies were shown to immunoprecipitate preformed PRL--receptor complexes in solubilized mammary membranes suggesting that they also recognized domains outside of the PRL binding site of the receptor. When partially purified PRL receptor preparations from both rabbit and pig mammary tissues were iodinated, immunoprecipitated and subsequently analyzed by SDS--PAGE, a single component of molecular weight approximately 42,000 was specifically recognized by all the anti-PRL receptor antibodies. This unit was the only component immunoprecipitated by the monoclonal antibody M 110. Its identification was not impaired by using reducing or non-reducing conditions. Moreover, a further purification of the [125I]-labeled receptor preparations from both species by a second PRL affinity chromatography selected a single binding unit of the same molecular weight. In contrast, polyclonal antibodies immunoprecipitated additional components apart from the 42,000 unit, especially one unit of molecular weight 70,000-80,000 in both species. We conclude that rabbit and pig mammary PRL receptors exhibit striking immunological similarities. Both contain a single binding unit of molecular weight approximately 42,000 that is not linked to other units via disulfide bridges. This binding unit could be associated with a larger component of MW 70,000-80,000 in the holo receptor.     

The hormone regulatory element of mouse mammary tumour virus mediates progesterone induction.

Sequences within the long terminal repeat region (LTR) of mouse mammary tumour virus (MMTV) confer progestin inducibility to either the tk-promoter or the MMTV-promoter in T47D cells, a human mammary tumour cell line which possesses high constitutive levels of progesterone receptor. In a clone of MCF7 cells, another human mammary tumour cell line with a low level of progesterone receptor, as well as in rat fibroblasts, glucocorticoid but not progestin induction is observed. The effect of the progesterone analogue R5020 is much more pronounced than the effect of dexamethasone, and at the concentrations required for maximal induction, R5020 does not significantly compete with binding of dexamethasone to the glucocorticoid receptor. In conjunction with previous results on the DNA binding of the glucocorticoid and progesterone receptors, these data show that two different steroid hormones, acting through their respective receptors, can mediate the induction of gene expression by interacting with the same DNA sequences. Our results suggest that the hormone regulatory element of MMTV may primarily be a progesterone-responsive element in mammary cells.     

A cytosol protease from the estrogen-resistant C3H mammary carcinoma increases the affinity of the estrogen receptor for DNA in vitro

We have previously shown, in the estrogen-unresponsive C3H mouse mammary tumor that the affinity of the estrogen receptor (ER) for calf thymus DNA in vitro is four-times higher than that of uterine ER [Baskevitch, P. P., Vignon, F., Bousquet, C. and Rochefort, H. (1983) Cancer Res. 43, 2290]. By mixing cytosols from this tumor and uterus, we describe a tumor factor capable of increasing ER affinity for DNA, as assayed by DNA-cellulose chromatography and saturation studies. The activity of this factor was inhibited by alpha-chymotrypsin-inhibitors such as N-tosylphenylalanylchloromethane and chymostatin. Using the fluorogenic substrate glutarylglycylglycylphenylalanyl-N-naphthylamide, we assayed such a protease in the C3H mammary tumor cytosol. This protease and the factor altering ER-DNA binding were eluted together from chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, AcA 44, and carboline-agarose and were sensitive to the same inhibitors. The partially purified factor decreases the molecular mass of the estrogen receptor as seen by denaturing electrophoresis after covalent labelling of the ER with [3H]tamoxifen aziridine. We suggest that the increase of ER affinity for DNA and the decrease of ER molecular size are due to the same protease with an alpha-chymotrypsin-like specificity.     

The competition between transferrins labeled with59Fe,65Zn, and54Mn for the binding sites on lactating mouse mammary gland cells

Using a homologous competition of⁵⁴Mn-transferrin with Mntransferrin and⁶⁵Zn-transferrin with Zn-transferrin, it was found that on the plasma membrane of lactating mouse mammary gland cells there are receptor binding Mn-transferrin and Zn-transferrin. The heterologous competition between labeled and nonlabeled Fe-transferrin, Mn-transferrin and Zn-transferrin, as well as almost equal affinity constants of cellular receptors toward the three metals by competition of Fe-transferrin suggests that one and the same receptor accepts all three metals from the transferrin molecule. The cell receptors therefore possess a polymetal binding function. A model and a mechanism for regulation of the transport metal flow toward the mammary gland cell acting like “automated switching over” are proposed.     

ErbBs in mammary development

Members of the ErbB (epidermal growth factor receptor) family of receptor tyrosine kinases are important in etiology of human mammary carcinoma, and are rational targets for cancer therapy. The frequent selection of ErbB2/HER2/Neu, and, less often, the epidermal growth factor receptor, and ErbB3 for overexpression in breast cancer implies that these receptors have important functions in normal mammary development. Better understanding of ErbBs in mammary development may yield important dividends for development and deployment of cancer therapies. The roles of these receptors and their ligands in mammary development are discussed, with an emphasis on new insights from genetic analysis of the receptors in mice.     

Integrin-interacting protein Kindlin-2 induces mammary tumors in transgenic mice

Kindlin-2, an integrin-interacting protein, regulates breast cancer progression. However, currently, no animal model to study the role of Kindlin-2 in the carcinogenesis of mammary gland is available. We established a Kindlin-2 transgenic mouse model using a mammary gland-specific promoter, mammary tumor virus (MMTV) long terminal repeat (LTR). Kindlin-2 was overexpressed in the epithelial cells of the transgenic mice. The mammary gland ductal trees were found to grow faster in MMTV-Kindlin-2 transgenic mice than in control mice during puberty. Kindlin-2 promoted mammary gland growth as indicated by more numerous duct branches and larger lumens, and more alveoli were formed in the mammary glands during pregnancy under Kindlin-2 overexpression. Importantly, mammary gland-specific expression of Kindlin-2 induced tumor formation at the age of 55 weeks on average. Additionally, the levels of estrogen receptor and progesterone receptor were decreased, whereas human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 and β-catenin were upregulated in the Kindlin-2-induced mammary tumors. These findings demonstrated that Kindlin-2 induces mammary tumor formation via activation of the Wnt signaling pathway.

     

Localization of peripheral benzodiazepine binding sites and diazepam-binding inhibitor (DBI) mRNA in mammary glands and dimethylbenz(a)antracene (DMBA)-induced mammary tumors in the rat.

An association of diazepam-binding inhibitor (DBI), an endogenous ligand at the benzodiazepine (BZD) receptor, with the peripheral type BDZ receptor (PBR) has been reported in the brain and a few peripheral tissues. In order to verify whether or not DBI and PBR are present in the mammary tissue, we have proceeded to the localization of DBI mRNA and PBR in rat mammary glands and DMBA-induced mammary tumors. DBI mRNA was detected by in situ hybridization using a 35S-labelled single-stranded RNA probe complementary to DBI mRNA and PBR by in vitro autoradiography using [3H]PK11195 as the ligand. In mammary glands from virgin and lactating animals, both DBI mRNA and PBR were detected in acinar cells. In dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced tumors, hybridization signal was not detected in all the cells whereas PBR appeared to be present in all the tumoral cells, although non uniformly distributed. These data indicating that mammary DMBA-induced tumoral cells contain both DBI and PBR suggest that BZD receptors might be involved in the regulation of mammary glands as well as mammary tumoral cells.     

Acute involution in the tammar wallaby: identification of genes and putative novel milk proteins implicated in mammary gland function

Marsupials provide a suitable alternative model to studying mammary gland involution. They have evolved a different reproductive strategy from eutherians, giving birth to an altricial young and secreting milk that changes in composition during lactation. In this study, we used a marsupial-specific EST microarray to identify 47 up-regulated genes during mammary gland involution in the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii). These include the pro-apoptotic tumour necrosis factor receptor superfamily 21 (TNFRSF21) gene, whose expression in the mammary gland has not previously been reported. Genes encoding putative novel milk proteins which may protect the mammary gland from infection were also found to be up-regulated, such as amiloride binding protein 1 (ABP1), complement component 1QB (C1QB), complement component 4A (C4A) and colony stimulating factor 2 receptor β (CSF2Rβ). Our results show that the marsupial reproductive strategy was successfully exploited to identify genes and putative novel milk proteins implicated in mammary gland involution.     

Overexpression of a kinase-deficient transforming growth factor-beta type II receptor in mouse mammary stroma results in increased epithelial branching

Members of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) superfamily signal through heteromeric type I and type II serine/threonine kinase receptors. Transgenic mice that overexpress a dominant-negative mutation of the TGF-beta type II receptor (DNIIR) under the control of a metallothionein-derived promoter (MT-DNIIR) were used to determine the role of endogenous TGF-betas in the developing mammary gland. The expression of the dominant-negative receptor was induced with zinc and was primarily localized to the stroma underlying the ductal epithelium in the mammary glands of virgin transgenic mice from two separate mouse lines. In MT-DNIIR virgin females treated with zinc, there was an increase in lateral branching of the ductal epithelium. We tested the hypothesis that expression of the dominant-negative receptor may alter expression of genes that are expressed in the stroma and regulated by TGF-betas, potentially resulting in the increased lateral branching seen in the MT-DNIIR mammary glands. The expression of hepatocyte growth factor mRNA was increased in mammary glands from transgenic animals relative to the wild-type controls, suggesting that this factor may play a role in TGF-beta-mediated regulation of lateral branching. Loss of responsiveness to TGF-betas in the mammary stroma resulted in increased branching in mammary epithelium, suggesting that TGF-betas play an important role in the stromal-epithelial interactions required for branching morphogenesis.     

Inhibition of mammary epithelial apoptosis and sustained phosphorylation of Akt/PKB in MMTV-IGF-II transgenic mice

IGF-II is a growth factor implicated in human cancers and animal tumor models. While the mitogenic properties of IGF-II are well documented, its ability to suppress apoptosis in vivo has never been proven. We generated independent MMTV-IGF-II transgenic mice to examine the control of epithelial apoptosis at the morphological, cellular and molecular levels during the physiological event of postlactation mammary involution. Transgenic IGF-II expression was achieved in mammary epithelium and increased IGF-II bioactivity was confirmed by phosphorylation of the insulin receptor substrate-1, a signaling molecule downstream of the type I IGF receptor. IGF-II overexpression induced a delay in mammary involution, as evident by increased mammary gland to body weight ratios and persistence of both functionally intact lobulo-alveoli and mammary epithelial cellularity. The delayed mammary involution resulted from a significant reduction in mammary epithelial apoptosis, and not from increased epithelial proliferation. Recombinant IGF-II pellets implanted into involuting mammary glands of wild-type mice provided further evidence that IGF-II protein inhibited local epithelial apoptosis. At the molecular level, phosphorylated Akt/PKB, but not Erk1 or Erk2, persisted in IGF-II overexpressors and temporally correlated with reduced epithelial apoptosis. Levels of the phosphatase PTEN were unaltered in the transgenic tissue suggesting that the maintenance of Akt/PKB phosphorylation resulted from sustained phosphorylation rather than altered dephosphorylation of PIP-3. Together, this data reveal that IGF-II inhibits apoptosis in vivo and this effect correlates with prolonged phosphorylation of Akt/PKB     

Prolactin receptor: identification of the binding unit by affinity labelling and characterization of poly- and monoclonal antibodies

The prolactin receptor localized in rabbit mammary gland membranes has been identified by affinity labelling using covalent cross-linking agents such as a unique protein chain of approximately 32,000 daltons. After partial purification (5,000-fold) of these receptors from mammary gland homogenate, polyclonal antibodies, which specifically and completely inhibit prolactin binding in all organs and in all species studied, were raised. These antibodies possessed prolactin-like biological activity (casein synthesis) on rabbit mammary gland explants. Monoclonal antibodies specifically directed against the binding domain of the receptor were also obtained. These antibodies were more species-specific than the polyclonal antibodies. The most potent (M110) possessed higher affinity than prolactin for the receptor and could be a very effective tool to elucidate the structure of the receptor and its immunological detection.     

High level expression in Escherichia coli of the DNA-binding domain of the glucocorticoid receptor in a functional form utilizing domain-specific cleavage of a fusion protein

A fragment comprising the DNA-binding domain of the human glucocorticoid receptor has been expressed in a functional form in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein with protein A from Staphylococcus aureus. The DNA-binding domain was purified to apparent homogeneity by affinity chromatography on IgG-Sepharose and DNA-cellulose, a purification scheme which does not involve denaturation of the protein at any step. The DNA-binding domain was separated from the protein A part of the fusion protein by domain-specific enzymatic cleavage with chymotrypsin while immobilized on IgG-Sepharose. The recombinant protein has been characterized by amino acid analysis, NH2- and COOH-terminal sequence analysis, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and reactivity to iodoacetate and was found to correspond to the primary structure derived from the cDNA sequence. DNase I footprinting showed that the purified recombinant protein bound to the same DNA sequences on the mouse mammary tumor virus long terminal repeat as glucocorticoid receptor purified from rat liver does. About 10 times more recombinant protein, on a molar basis, was needed to obtain the same level of protection. However, the protection of the three different footprints (1.3, 1.4, and 1.5') by the recombinant protein differed greatly from that of the natural receptor, with virtually no protection of footprint 1.4. This indicates cooperative binding of the natural receptor to adjacent footprints, dependent on other regions of the receptor than the DNA-binding domain.     

Alterations in estrogen receptor isoforms in the mammary gland and uterus of the rat during differentiation

1. Estrogen receptors in lactating mammary glands and uteri of rats which were 10 and 19 days postpartum exhibited molecular heterogeneity based on their surface charge properties. 2. The polymorphism of estrogen receptors detected by high-performance ion exchange chromatography may be monitored in-line with a radioisotope detector. 3. Estrogen receptors from the mammary gland and uterus of rats at 10 days of lactation exhibited primarily two receptor isoforms eluting at 200-250 mM and 250-300 mM phosphate, whereas three ionic isoforms (eluting at 50-150, 200-250 and 325-375 mM phosphate) were found in the mammary glands of rats at 19 days of lactation. Similar changes in the profiles of estrogen receptor isoforms were observed in uterine cytosol preparations at each stage of postpartum differentiation. 4. The elution pattern of receptor-associated radioactivity was not altered by the addition of diisopropylphosphate, a potent inhibitor of trypsin-like proteases, either before, during or immediately after homogenization. This indicates that the differences observed in the receptor elution profile of 10 and 19 day postpartum lactating mammary glands were not due to artifactual proteolysis. 5. In summary, our data indicate that the differentiation stage of lactating mammary glands may dictate the final profile of receptor isoforms detected.     

In vivo characterization of estrogen receptor modulators with reduced genomic versus nongenomic activity in vitro

Estrogen receptor (ER) ligands that are able to prevent postmenopausal bone loss, but have reduced activity in the uterus and the mammary gland might be of great value for hormone therapy. It is well established that the classical ER can activate genomic as well as nongenomic signal transduction pathways. In this study, we analyse the in vivo behaviour of ER ligands that stimulate nongenomic ER effects to the same extent as estradiol, but show clearly reduced activation of genomic ER effects in vitro. Using different readout parameters such as morphological changes, cellular proliferation, and target gene induction, we are able to demonstrate that ER ligands with reduced genomic activity in vitro show a better dissociation of bone versus uterine and mammary gland effects than estradiol that stimulates genomic and nongenomic effects to the same extent. We conclude that pathway-selective ER ligands may represent an interesting option for hormone therapy.     

Prolactin and progesterone receptors in pregnancy-dependent mammary tumors in GR/A mice

In this study, cellular prolactin receptors and cytosolic progesterone receptors were examined and compared in pregnancy-dependent mammary tumors (PDMT) and in normal mammary glands of pregnant GR/A mice. PDMT and normal mammary glands were examined in the same animal, thus assuring an identical hormonal environment. The PDMT cells had a larger capacity to bind prolactin or the synthetic progesterone, R5020, than did the normal mammary gland. While the dissociation constant (Kd) value for prolactin binding to normal mammary epithelial cells was similar to that of PDMT cells, PDMT cells had 2.2 times more prolactin receptors than the normal cells. Progesterone binding activity was detected only in PDMT, but not in the normal mammary cells. The receptor concentration and the Kd value for progesterone binding of PDMT were 606 fmol/mg protein and 3.53 nM, respectively. It appears, therefore, that normal regulation of these receptors may be altered within the PDMT cells. The increased growth responsiveness of PDMT to the hormones of pregnancy, especially prolactin, progesterone, and placental lactogen, may be a function of a sharp increase in the level of cellular receptors for these mammotropic hormones.     

Enzymes of mercapturic acid production in rat mammary gland.

1. The enzymes glutathione S-transferase, gamma-glutamyl peptidyltransferase and dipeptidase, which participate in the detoxification pathway through mercapturic acid production, were measured in rat mammary gland during pregnancy and lactation. 2. Mammary-gland concentration of reduced glutathione showed, concomitantly with the enzyme activities, a significant increase during lactation. 3. The mammary-gland glutathione S-transferase exhibits characteristics quite similar to those described for the liver and kidney enzymes with respect to substrates, isoenzymes, molecular weight and probenecid and bilirubin inhibition. 4. In view of these similarities, mammary-gland glutathione S-transferase may play the same role as a cytoplasmic organic-anion receptor proposed for the hepatic enzyme. It may also represent a detoxification pathway for protecting the mammary tissue during the lactogenic cycle.