Hypoxia-induced irreversible S-phase arrest involves down-regulation of cyclin A

We have studied hypoxia-induced cell cycle arrest in human cells where the retinoblastoma tumour suppressor protein (pRB) is either functional (T-47D cells) or abrogated by expression of the HPV18 E7 oncoprotein (NHIK 3025 cells). All cells in S phase are immediately arrested upon exposure to extreme hypoxia. During an 18-h extreme hypoxia regime, the cyclin A protein level is down-regulated in cells of both types when in S-phase, and, as we have previously shown, pRB re-binds in the nuclei of all T-47D cells (Amellem et al. 1996). Hence, pRB is not necessary for the down-regulation of cyclin A during hypoxia. However, our findings indicate that re-oxygenation cannot release pRB from its nuclear binding following this prolonged exposure. The result is permanent S-phase arrest even after re-oxygenation, and this is correlated with a complete and permanent down-regulation of cyclin A in the pRB functional T-47D cells. In contrast, both cell cycle arrest and cyclin A down-regulation in S phase are reversed upon re-oxygenation in non-pRB-functional NHIK 3025 cells after prolonged exposure to extreme hypoxia. Our results indicate that pRB is involved in permanent S-phase arrest and down-regulation of cyclin A after extreme hypoxia.     

Human papillomavirus type 16 E7 protein inhibits DNA binding by the retinoblastoma gene product.

The human papillomavirus E7 gene can transform murine fibroblasts and cooperate with other viral oncogenes in transforming primary cell cultures. One biochemical property associated with the E7 protein is binding to the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor gene product (pRB). Biochemical properties associated with pRB include binding to viral transforming proteins (E1A, large T, and E7), binding to cellular proteins (E2F and Myc), and binding to DNA. The mechanism by which E7 stimulates cell growth is uncertain. However, E7 binding to pRB inhibits binding of cellular proteins to pRB and appears to block the growth-suppressive activity of pRB. We have found that E7 also inhibits binding of pRB to DNA. A 60-kDa version of pRB (pRB60) produced in reticulocyte translation reactions or in bacteria bound quantitatively to DNA-cellulose. Recombinant E7 protein used at a 1:1 or 10:1 molar ratio with pRB60 blocked 50 or greater than 95% of pRB60 DNA-binding activity, respectively. A mutant E7 protein (E7-Ala-24) with reduced pRB60-binding activity exhibited a parallel reduction in its blocking of pRB60 binding to DNA. An E7(20-29) peptide that blocks binding of E7 protein to pRB60 restored the DNA-binding activity of pRB60 in the presence of E7. Peptide E7(2-32) did not block pRB60 binding to DNA, while peptide E7(20-57) and an E7 fragment containing residues 1 to 60 partially blocked DNA binding. E7 species containing residues 3 to 75 were fully effective at blocking pRB60 binding to DNA. These studies indicate that E7 protein specifically blocks pRB60 binding to DNA and suggest that the E7 region responsible for this property lies between residues 32 and 75. The functional significance of these observations is unclear. However, we have found that a point mutation in pRB60 that impairs DNA-binding activity also blocks the ability of pRB60 to inhibit cell growth. This correlation suggests that the DNA-binding activity of retinoblastoma proteins contributes to their biological properties.