Aberrant expression of Fas ligand in mice deficient for the MHC class II transactivator

The MHC class II transactivator (CIITA) is a critical regulator of MHC class II genes and other genes involved in the Ag presentation pathway. CIITA-deficient mice lack MHC class II expression on almost all APCs. In this study, we show that these mice also have aberrant Fas ligand expression on both CD4 T cells and B cells. We found that Fas ligand expression was greatly increased on CIITA-deficient CD4 T cells during the Th1 differentiation process. However, both CIITA-deficient and control Th1 effector cells up-regulated Fas ligand to similar levels if cells were reactivated. The introduction of CIITA into primary CD4 T cells via retroviral infection resulted in a reduction in the level of Fas ligand and delay in apoptosis after activation. Interestingly, activated B cells from the CIITA-deficient mice also showed increased levels of Fas ligand that could be to some degree inhibited by the introduction of IL-4.     

Molecular and functional characterization of genes encoding horse MHC class I antigens

Sequence and functional analyses were undertaken on two cDNAs and a genomic clone encoding horse major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules. All of the clones were isolated from a single horse that is homozygous for all known horse MHC class I and class II antigens. The two cDNAs (clones 8-9 and 1-29) were isolated from a lymphocyte library and encode polymorphic MHC antigens from two loci. The genomic cosmid clone, isolated from a sperm library, contains the 8-9 gene. All three genes were expressed in mouse L-cells and were recognized by alloantisera and, for the cDNAs, by alloreactive cytotoxic T lymphocytes. A total of 3815 bp of the genomic clone were sequenced, extending from 429 bp upstream (5') of the leader peptide through the 3' untranslated region. Promoter region motifs and an intron-exon structure characteristic of MHC class I genes of other species were found. A subclone containing 407 bp of the promoter region was inserted into a chloramphenicol acetyl transferase reporter plasmid, tested in transient transfection assays, and found to have promoter activity in heterologous cells. This genomic clone will enable detailed studies of MHC class I gene regulation in horse trophoblasts, and in horse retroviral infections.     

Evolutionarily conserved promoter motifs and enhancer organization in the mouse gene encoding the IIB myosin heavy chain isoform expressed in adult fast skeletal muscle.

We have isolated the mouse gene for the MHC isoform expressed in adult type IIB (fast-contracting, glycolytic) skeletal muscle fibers, and determined the DNA sequence of the promoter region. This sequence represents the first example of a promoter for a gene encoding an adult-specific isoform of a mammalian skeletal MHC. The proximal 200 bp of the promoter contains several sequence motifs which are identical or very similar to homologous motifs found in the promoters of a family of chicken skeletal MHC genes. Of these, two novel AT-rich sequences may be important for regulation of the promoter. A second feature of the mouse IIB MHC promoter sequence concerns a number of sequence motifs located at ca. -1,000 bp which are organized in a similar fashion in the IIB MHC promoter and a homologous region of promoter of the mouse muscle creatine kinase gene.     

Identification and Characterization of a Bidirectional Promoter from the Intergenic Region between the Human DDX13 and RD Genes

The human DDX13 gene encodes a putative RNA helicase of the DExH-box family. In an earlier report we showed that the human DDX13 and RD genes were arranged head-to-head in the class III MHC complex and their ATG start codons were separated by 745 base pairs. We have now analyzed the common 745 bp intergenic region in detail and characterized their promoters. Northern blot analysis revealed that DDX13 and RD exhibit distinct patterns of steady-state expression among multiple human tissues. The promoter regions for DDX13 and RD genes were identified by deletion analysis from 740 bp to 176 bp of the intergenic region fused to a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter gene using transient transfection assays. Results indicated that a promoter sequence as small as 176 bp is sufficient for basal expression of both genes in HeLa and HepG2 cells. Functional analysis using a bidirectional reporter system demonstrates that the sequence 262 bp proximal to the DDX13 gene is sufficient for concurrent expression in both directions. However, the common 740 bp intergenic region showed promoter activity in DDX13 only, suggesting the presence of a negatively acting region for the RD gene within the region -267 to -744. It appears that RD expression is controlled by a complex system of positively and negatively acting elements present on distant portions of both genes.     

The androgen receptor directly targets the cellular Fas/FasL-associated death domain protein-like inhibitory protein gene to promote the androgen-independent growth of prostate cancer cells

Androgens provide survival signals to prostate epithelial cells, and androgen ablation induces apoptosis in the prostate gland. However, the molecular mechanisms of actions of the androgen-signaling pathway in these processes are not fully understood. Here, we report that androgens induced expression of the cellular Fas/FasL-associated death domain protein-like inhibitory protein (c-FLIP) gene, which is a potent inhibitor of Fas/FasL-mediated apoptosis. The androgen receptor was recruited to the promoter of the c-FLIP gene in the presence of androgens. We found that c-FLIP promoter contained multiple functional androgen response elements. In addition, we show that c-FLIP overexpression accelerated progression to androgen independence by inhibiting apoptosis in LNCaP prostate tumors implanted in nude mice. Our results suggest that the androgen receptor affects survival and apoptosis of prostate cells through regulation of the c-FLIP gene in response to androgens.     

Requirement for efficient interactions between CD4 and MHC class II molecules for survival of resting CD4+ T lymphocytes in vivo and for activation-induced cell death

Regulation of homeostasis in the immune system includes mechanisms that promote survival of resting T lymphocytes, and others that control activation-induced cell death (AICD). In this study, we report on the use of a transgenic mouse model to test the role of CD4-MHC class II interactions for the susceptibility of CD4+ T lymphocytes to AICD, and for the survival of resting CD4+ T cells in peripheral lymphoid organs. The only I-Abeta gene expressed in these mice is an Abetak transgene with a mutation that prevents MHC class II molecules from interacting with CD4. We show increased apoptosis in CD4+ T lymphocytes derived from wild-type, but not from mutant Abetak transgenic mice following stimulation with staphylococcal enterotoxin A. Therefore, AICD may be impaired in CD4+ T cells derived from mutant Abetak transgenic mice. Importantly, we observed much higher apoptosis in resting CD4+ T cells from mutant Abetak transgenic mice than from wild-type mice. Furthermore, resting CD4+ T cells from mutant Abetak transgenic mice expressed higher levels of cell surface CD95 (Fas, APO-1). Ab-mediated cross-linking of CD95 further increased apoptosis in CD4+ T cells from mutant Abetak transgenic mice, but not from wild-type mice, suggesting apoptosis involved CD95 signaling. When cocultured with APC-expressing wild-type MHC class II molecules, apoptosis in resting CD4+ T lymphocytes from mutant Abetak transgenic mice was reduced. Our results show for the first time that interactions between CD4 and MHC class II molecules are required for the survival of resting CD4+ T cells in peripheral lymphoid organs.     

Sequences, annotation and single nucleotide polymorphism of the major histocompatibility complex in the domestic cat

Two sequences of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) regions in the domestic cat, 2.976 and 0.362 Mbps, which were separated by an ancient chromosome break (55-80 MYA) and followed by a chromosomal inversion were annotated in detail. Gene annotation of this MHC was completed and identified 183 possible coding regions, 147 human homologues, possible functional genes and 36 pseudo/unidentified genes) by GENSCAN and BLASTN, BLASTP RepeatMasker programs. The first region spans 2.976 Mbp sequence, which encodes six classical class II antigens (three DRA and three DRB antigens) lacking the functional DP, DQ regions, nine antigen processing molecules (DOA/DOB, DMA/DMB, TAPASIN, and LMP2/LMP7,TAP1/TAP2), 52 class III genes, nineteen class I genes/gene fragments (FLAI-A to FLAI-S). Three class I genes (FLAI-H, I-K, I-E) may encode functional classical class I antigens based on deduced amino acid sequence and promoter structure. The second region spans 0.362 Mbp sequence encoding no class I genes and 18 cross-species conserved genes, excluding class I, II and their functionally related/associated genes, namely framework genes, including three olfactory receptor genes. One previously identified feline endogenous retrovirus, a baboon retrovirus derived sequence (ECE1) and two new endogenous retrovirus sequences, similar to brown bat endogenous retrovirus (FERVmlu1, FERVmlu2) were found within a 140 Kbp interval in the middle of class I region. MHC SNPs were examined based on comparisons of this BAC sequence and MHC homozygous 1.9x WGS sequences and found that 11,654 SNPs in 2.84 Mbp (0.00411 SNP per bp), which is 2.4 times higher rate than average heterozygous region in the WGS (0.0017 SNP per bp genome), and slightly higher than the SNP rate observed in human MHC (0.00337 SNP per bp).     

Differential expression of MHC class II molecules in highly metastatic breast cancer cells is mediated by the regulation of the CIITA transcription Implication of CIITA in tumor and metastasis development

We analyzed the differential gene expression between variants of MDA-MB-435 human breast cancer cell line that share an identical genetic background but have different metastatic ability. The major histocompatibility complex class II was found down-regulated in highly metastatic cells and correlated with MHC transactivator (CIITA) expression. Constitutive CIITA expression observed in poorly metastatic is driven by promoters III and IV of CIITA gene. Conversely, both promoters were ineffective in highly metastatic cells. The MHC class II and CIITA expression was restored in these cells upon stimulation with IFNgamma or by the treatment with a hypomethylating agent. Both treatments induced USF-1 and IRF binding complexes to promoter IV but only IFNgamma induced the binding of 435-Lung2 nuclear proteins to an ARE-1 site at the promoter III. Neither Southern blot nor bisulfite sequencing of promoter IV demonstrated strong hypermethylation of this promoter at the IFNgamma-responsive elements such as GAS, E-box or IRF-1. We suggest that partial or hemimethylation of promoter IV is sufficient to silence the CIITA expression in highly metastatic cells and that this epigenetic mechanism is responsible for the lack of MHC-II expression. Forced CIITA expression restored the MHC-II antigen expression in 435-Lung2 cells and abrogates spontaneous lung metastasis in both SCID and nude mice but also affected the tumorigenicity in nude mice. The increase in NK cell infiltration in nude mice bearing CIITA-tumors correlated with sign of tumor cell apoptosis and the increase in the number of NK cells in the spleens, suggesting that NK cells might be responsible for the observed antitumor activity.