Evidence for trans regulation of apoptosis in intertypic somatic cell hybrids.

The genetic components required for glucocorticoid induction of apoptosis were studied by using somatic cell hybridization. Intertypic whole-cell hybrids were generated by crossing the glucocorticoid-resistant rat liver cell line Fado-2 with the glucocorticoid-sensitive mouse thymoma cell line BW5147.3. Morphological and biochemical criteria were used to assess sensitivity or resistance to glucocorticoid-induced cell death. Both phenotypes were observed, and all of the hybrids retained a functional glucocorticoid receptor as judged by their abilities to induce the metallothionein gene in response to dexamethasone (Dex). Sensitivity to apoptosis did not correlate with morphological phenotype in that not all suspension cells were sensitive. The effect of glucocorticoids on the expression of apoptosis-linked genes was analyzed in a subset of Dex-sensitive and Dex-resistant hybrids. p53 and c-myc mRNAs were present in parental cells as well as sensitive and resistant hybrid cells, and their levels were not affected by glucocorticoid treatment. bcl-2 expression was restricted to the thymoma cell line and was also not affected by glucocorticoids. We did not detect any bcl-2 mRNA in the hepatoma cell line and the hybrids, suggesting that, as with most tissue-specific genes, bcl-2 is regulated in trans. Furthermore, while the majority of hybrids analyzed retained a full complement of mouse chromosomes, sensitive hybrids were missing some rat chromosomes (preferentially chromosomes 16 and 19), indicating that apoptosis is subject to trans repression. Resistant cells thus appear to repress the activity or synthesis of a nuclear factor that interacts with a glucocorticoid-dependent gene(s) to activate the cell death pathway.     

Chromosomal assignment and trans regulation of the tyrosine aminotransferase structural gene in hepatoma hybrid cells.

The structural gene encoding liver-specific tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT; EC 2.6.1.5) was assigned to mouse chromosome 8 by screening a series of hybrid cell lines for retention of murine Tat-1 gene sequences by genomic Southern blotting. This assignment demonstrated that the Tat-1 structural gene was not syntenic with Tse-1, a chromosome 11-linked locus that negatively regulates TAT expression in trans (A. M. Killary and R. E. K. Fournier, Cell 38:523-534, 1984). We also showed that the fibroblast Tat-1 gene was systematically activated in hepatoma X fibroblast hybrids retaining fibroblast chromosomes 8 in the absence of chromosome 11 but was extinguished in cells retaining both fibroblast chromosomes. Thus, the TAT structural genes of both parental cell types were coordinately regulated in the intertypic hybrids, and the TAT phenotype of the cells was determined by the presence or absence of fibroblast Tse-1.     

Autogenic regulation of the sensitivity of liver cells to glucocorticoids during prolonged hormonal stimulation

The mechanisms of reversible decrease of hormone-dependent induction of tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) by rat liver cells after prolonged administration of the glucocorticoid was studied. It was shown that the main links of the glucocorticoid action mechanism (i.e., the formation of a cytoplasmic hormone-receptor complex and the hormone accumulation in the nuclei) do not change under these conditions. It was found also that one of the necessary prerequisites for the decrease of the hormone-dependent induction of TAT is the constant production by liver cells of large amounts of TAT irrespective of whether this process is induced by the glucocorticoid or by a non-hormonal inducer, e.g., tryptophan. Using the dot-hybridization technique, it was demonstrated that the inhibition of hormone-dependent induction of TAT is correlated with the reduction of mRNA TAT. It was supposed that the main links in the mechanism of inhibition of the hormone-dependent induction are the formation of a large excess of the inducible protein--TAT--in the cells as well as the accumulation of end products of the TAT-catalyzed transamination reaction which cause a feed-back repression of the de novo synthesis of TAT. Studies with cell cultures of Morris hepatoma which is known to be sensitive to glucocorticoids revealed the ability of glucose, the end product of gluconeogenesis reactions, to provide for selective inhibition of the hormone-induced accumulation of mRNA TAT in hepatoma cells.     

A genetic analysis of extinction: trans-dominant loci regulate expression of liver-specific traits in hepatoma hybrid cells

Extinction is an operational term that refers to the lack of expression of tissue-specific traits that is generally observed in hybrid cells formed by fusing dissimilar cell types. To define the genetic basis of this phenomenon, a series of rat hepatoma x mouse fibroblast hybrids has been isolated and characterized. We report here that the extinction of hepatic marker traits in these clones was strictly correlated with the retention of five particular fibroblast chromosomes (autosomes 8, 9, 10, 11, and 13). In order to dissect this correlation into its component parts, hepatoma microcell hybrids containing single, specific fibroblast chromosomes were constructed. Hepatoma clones retaining only fibroblast chromosome 11 were specifically extinguished for liver-specific tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) expression, while expression of four other hepatic traits and of numerous constitutive markers was unaffected. Furthermore, removal of fibroblast chromosome 11 from the populations by back-selection resulted in reexpression of TAT activity to full parental levels. These data define and localize a genetic locus, tissue-specific extinguisher-1 (Tse-1), which regulates hepatic TAT expression in trans. We also provide evidence that human Tse-1 resides on the homologous chromosome (human chromosome 17), and that hybrids retaining active Tse-1 loci lack TAT-specific mRNA.     

Somatic cell hybrids between totipotent mouse teratocarcinoma and rat hepatoma cells.

We have produced somatic cell hybrids between totipotent mouse teratocarcinoma cells and rat hepatoma cells. These hybrids were tested for the expression of liver specific functions expressed in the hepatoma cell parent and for their ability to differentiate when injected into nude mice. The results of this study indicate that hybrid cell clones do not resemble either of the parental cells, since they do not produce albumin and tyrosine aminotransferase that are expressed in the rat hepatoma parent, and are incapable of forming either teratocarcinomas or hepatomas when injected in experimental animals.     

Phenotypic and molecular expression of albumin in rat hepatoma X L cell hybrids

A rat hepatoma cell line (H₄A_ZC₂) was characterized with respect to seven liver-specific phenotypes. Ten clones from the fusion of H₄A_ZC₂ and mouse L cell were analyzed for the expression of these phenotypes. The only hepatic function retained by the hybrid clones was rat albumin synthesis which continued at reduced levels relative to the hepatoma parent. Rat albumin cDNA analysis of RNA from parental and hybrid cells indicated that the reduction in albumin production observed in the hybrids was reflected in coordinate reduction of cytoplasmic rat albumin mRNA.     

Expression of human hepatic genes in somatic cell hybrids

Four diploid human cell types (lymphocytes, fibroblasts, amniotic fluid cells, and hepatocytes) were fused to mouse hepatoma cells, HH. HH synthesized and secreted several liver-specific gene products including albumin, transferrin, and alpha-fetoprotein. The resulting interspecific hybrids were compared to determine whether or not the pattern of human hepatic gene expression was similar when these various cells were fused with the mouse hepatoma line. The expression of six human hepatic genes was examined, including albumin, alpha-fetoprotein, ceruloplasmin, transferrin, alpha-1-antitrypsin, and haptoglobin. Albumin was most frequently expressed while alpha-fetoprotein was not detected in any of the hybrids studied. The patterns of expression of human serum proteins differed between the hybrid series. Hybrids derived from human fibroblasts produced primarily albumin, while those derived from lymphoblastoid cells and amniocytes had a higher frequency of clones secreting alpha-1-antitrypsin. The findings reported here suggest that the frequency of hybrid clones expressing human hepatic gene products and the array of proteins produced are influenced by the histogenetic state of the human parental cell type.     

Positive and negative regulation of a transfected chimeric tyrosine aminotransferase gene: effect of copy number

To define a selective system for the study of rat tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT; EC 2.6.1.5) gene expression, we have introduced into cultured cells the selectable bacterial gene gpt linked to TAT gene flanking sequences. After integration in host cell DNA, the chimeric gene exhibits the same pattern of regulation as the TAT gene. In hepatoma cells, its expression is induced after glucocorticoid hormone treatment and repressed after fusion with fibroblasts. In fibroblasts, the chimeric gene is not expressed. The correct pattern of regulation is lost when the number of integrated copies is high. At copy number above 10, the transfected gene responds poorly to glucocorticoids in hepatoma cells. At copy number above 50, the gene is expressed in fibroblasts. Another gene present in the same construction and controlled by the SV40 early promoter and enhancer is positively regulated by glucocorticoids in hepatoma cells but not after fusion with fibroblasts. These data indicate that in hybrid cells, both TAT promoter and glucocorticoid-responsive elements are negatively regulated.     

Tyrosine aminotransferase induced in cells genetically and epigenetically deficient for this enzyme

Mice homozygous for lethal deletions around the albino (c) locus are deficient for several liver-specific enzymes, including tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT). The structural gene coding for this enzyme appears to be intact in these mutants and can be “activated” in homozygous mutant mouse liver-rat hepatoma cell hybrids. The present study demonstrates that the mouse form of TAT can also be induced in both normal and mutant mouse skin-rat hepatoma cell hybrids. Thus, a liver-specific enzyme is expressed in skin cells, both normal and mutant, the normal differentiated state of which excludes TAT expression.     

Activation of a silent gene is accompanied by its demethylation

The phenomenon of gene activation by cell fusion makes it possible to study a gene when it passes from a silent to an active state. The relationship between methylation and activation of the mouse albumin gene has been investigated in two types of hybrid clones: mouse lymphoblastoma--rat hepatoma hybrids where activation is very frequent, and mouse L-cell--rat hepatoma hybrids where activation is a rare event. Analysis of the methylation pattern of seven MspI/HpaII sites that occur along the first 8000 bases of the mouse albumin gene has been performed. The entire 5' region is unmethylated only in albumin-producing cells (adult liver and hepatoma); in non-hepatic cells this region is heavily methylated. In hybrids between rat hepatoma cells and mouse cells of mesenchymal origin, the only regular change is the demethylation of the most 5' site (M1), which is systematically observed in clones where expression of the mouse albumin gene has been activated. Demethylation of this site, like activation of the mouse albumin gene, is gene dosage-dependent; it is systematic in the lymphoblastoma--hepatoma hybrids and rare in L-cell--hepatoma hybrids. We conclude that demethylation of this site is tightly coupled with activation of the gene and may well be a necessary prerequisite for activation.     

Activation of production of mouse liver enzymes in rat hepatoma-mouse lymphoid cell hybrids

The production of four liver-specific enzymes (tyrosine aminotransferase or TAT, alanine aminotransferase, aldolase B, and alcohol dehydrogenase) has been analyzed in rat hepatoma-mouse lymphoid cell hybrids containing a 1s or 2s complement of rat chromosomes. The hybrid clones which retain a nearly 2s complement of rat chromosomes show high activity of all four enzymes; those which contain a 1s rat complement show partial or complete extinction of these enzymes. The tyrosine aminotransferase produced by most of the hybrid clones is identifiable as being of both rat and mouse origin, based upon criteria of temperature sensitivity and electrophoretic mobility; antiserum to the rat liver enzyme was used to distinguish the pseudo-TAT produced by the lymphoid parent from liver-TAT produced by hepatoma and hybrid cells. By the criteron of electrophoretic mobility, the liver form (B) of aldolase, produced by only some of the hybrid clones, appears to be composed of both rat and mouse subunits. We conclude that when extinction of tissue-specific proteins does not occur or is only partial in hybrid cells (due to gene dosage effects), the genomes of both parents may be active in directing synthesis of these proteins.     

Glucocorticoid requirement for tyrosine aminotransferase induction by adenosine 3':5'-cyclic phosphate analogs in somatic cell hybrids.

The ability of adenosine 3′:5′-cyclic phosphate (cyclic AMP) analogs to induce l-tyrosine:2-oxoglutarate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.5; TAT) in a rat hepatoma (H35)-rat liver cell (BRL) hybrid (BF5) and a subclone which has lost 29 chromosomes (BF5-1-1) has been analyzed. Cyclic AMP analogs alone were unable to increase TAT activity in either hybrid cell line or in the “normal” liver cells despite three- to fivefold induction of this enzyme in the hepatoma parental cells. In contrast, dexamethasone by itself reproducibly increased TAT activity both in BF5-1-1 cells and in the parental H35 hepatoma cells. Pretreatment of the hybrid cells with dexamethasone revealed a synergistic increase in TAT activity when a cyclic AMP analog was added. From studies of the thermal stability and immunological inhibition of TAT activity, it is concluded that the low basal activity in BRL, BF5, and BF5-1-1 cells represents tyrosine transamination catalyzed by a different aminotransferase, whereas all the induced activity does represent bona fide TAT. The results suggest that functional TAT mRNA may not be present in significant quantities in the hybrid cells in the absence of adrenal steroids and that this could account for the inability of cyclic AMP analogs to exert their presumably translational effect on TAT synthesis.     

Unlinked regulation of the sensitivity of primary glucocorticoid-inducible responses in mouse mammary tumor virus infected Fu5-5 rat hepatoma cells

The enzyme tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) is induced by unusually low concentrations of glucocorticoids in Fu5-5 cells. We have isolated clones of Fu5-5 cells infected with mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) in order to simultaneously compare the glucocorticoid regulation of the host cell gene, TAT, with that of another primary inducible gene, MMTV. In the two clones that were examined in detail, MMTV RNA induction occurred at 4- to 11-fold higher concentrations of dexamethasone than those needed for induction of TAT mRNA. Furthermore, the amount of agonist activity displayed by the irreversible antiglucocorticoid dexamethasone 21-mesylate was greater for the induction of TAT mRNA than for MMTV RNA. These results extend our previous observations of unequal sensitivity of induction of TAT enzyme activity in two hepatoma cell lines and show that differential glucocorticoid regulation of gene induction within the same cell can occur at a pretranslational step. The present data also indicate that the unusual properties of TAT gene induction are not shared by all primary, glucocorticoid-inducible responses of the same cell and imply that additional factors mediating differential regulation of glucocorticoid-responsive genes are involved.     

Extinction, Retention and Induction of Serum Protein Secretion in Hepatoma-fibroblast Hybrids

The production of four serum proteins has been analysed in several hepatoma-fibroblast hybrids. Extinction of albumin and alpha-foetoprotein production occurs systematically in intra and interspecific (rat X mouse) hybrids derived from mouse hepatoma cells (BW). Similar hybrids derived from two related clones of rat hepatoma cells either do not produce albumin (Fa32-derived hybrids), as the BW-derived hybrids, or retain the capacity to produce it, but at a reduced rate (Fu5-derived hybrids); some differences in the control of albumin production thus seem to exist between clonal hepatoma cell lines. The mouse hepatoma cell hybrids retain the capacity to secrete transferrin at a reduced rate, and C3 (the third component of complement) at a high rate. Further analysis of C3 production in interspecific hybrids showed that both parental genomes actively contribute to C3 production: induction of C3 secretion is thus observed in these hybrids.     

Extinction of Albumin Gene Expression in a Panel of Human Chromosome 2 Microcell Hybrids

Expression of the serum albumin gene is extinguished in rat hepatoma microcell hybrids that retain mouse chromosome 1. These data define atrans-dominant extinguisher locus,Tse-2,on mouse chromosome 1. To localize the human TSE2 locus, we prepared and characterized rat/human microcell hybrids that contained either human chromosome 1 or chromosome 2, the genetic homologues of mouse chromosome 1. Rat hepatoma microcell hybrids retaining a derivative human chromosome 1 [der 1 t(1;17)(p34.3;q11.2)] expressed their serum albumin genes at levels similar to those of parental hepatoma cells. In contrast, microcell transfer of human chromosome 2 into rat hepatoma recipients produced karyotypically heterogeneous collections of hybrid clones, some of which displayed dramatic albumin extinction phenotypes. For example, albumin mRNA levels in several extinguished microcell hybrids were reduced at least 500-fold, similar to albumin mRNA levels in hepatoma × fibroblast whole-cell hybrids. Expression of several other liver genes, including α1-antitrypsin, aldolase B, alcohol dehydrogenase, and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase, was also affected in some of the microcell hybrids, but expression of these genes was not concordant with expression of albumin. Hybrid segregants were prepared from the albumin-extinguished hybrids, and reexpression of albumin mRNA and protein was observed in sublines that had lost or fragmented human chromosome 2. Finally, expression of mRNAs encoding the liver-enrichedtransactivators HNF-1, HNF-4, HNF-3α, and HNF-3β was not affected in any of the chromosome 2-containing hybrids. These data define and map a genetic locus on human chromosome 2 that extinguishes albumin gene expression intrans,and they suggest that TSE2-mediated extinction is independent of HNF-1, -4, -3α, and -3β expression.