A cryptopromoter is activated in the proliferating cell nuclear antigen gene of growth arrested cells.

We have examined the regulation of the proliferating cell nuclear antigen gene (PCNA) in a hamster fibroblast cell line (tk-ts13) which is temperature sensitive for growth. These tk-ts13 cells, at the restrictive temperature, are growth arrested in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. The cells were stably transfected with a full length human PCNA gene, and the resulting cell lines (K525 cells) were analyzed. We find that, in growth arrested K525 cells, a cryptopromoter is activated in the transfected human PCNA gene. The cryptopromoter resides in intron 4 which is necessary for proper regulation of the PCNA gene. Removal of this intron leads to increased expression of PCNA in cells which have entered the G0 state. An Alu sequence residing in intron 4 is implicated as the promoter element which is active during growth arrest.     

Transcriptionally regulated immortalization overcomes side effects of temperature-sensitive SV40 large T antigen

The temperature-sensitive mutant of the SV40 virus large T antigen (TAg) tsA58 is frequently employed for the conditional immortalization of primary cells. By increasing the temperature to 39 degrees C, the activity of the mutant TAg is reduced and the status of such cells may then resemble more closely that of primary cells. As an alternative, we used a novel immortalization vector with a tetracycline-regulated expression of the wild-type TAg. This enabled us to investigate the effects of the immortalizing gene expression and of temperature shifts independently of each other. Even for wild-type TAg-derived cell lines the elevated temperatures led to various clone-dependent phenotypes. This suggests that in freshly established cell lines temperature-sensitive growth phenotypes can arise spontaneously and independently of a temperature-sensitive immortalizing gene. Similar effects were observed with spontaneously immortalized cells. On the other hand, not all of the ts-TAg-derived cell lines were proliferation arrested at the non-permissive temperature. Therefore, the assumption that temperature-sensitive growth is solely due to the ts-TAg must be verified for each ts-TAg-derived cell line individually. This complexity could be avoided by using the autoregulatory immortalization vector expressing the wild-type TAg.     

Elevated level of gas3 gene expression is correlated with G0 growth arrest in human fibroblasts

The gas3/PMP22 gene product is a dual function protein, involved in both peripheral nerve myelination and cell proliferation. gas 3/PMP22 is highly expressed in myelinating Schwann cells and is required for normal PNS development. In addition, a more general function for gas3 is suggested by its expression in non-neural tissues and upregulation by growth arrest in cultured rodent fibroblasts. In the present work, the expression of the gas3 gene has been studied in human fibroblasts. We have confirmed that gas3 mRNA is upregulated when cells are serum starved or grown to high cell density (G0 arrest). When quiescent cells were stimulated by serum or platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB), gas3 mRNA was down regulated. In contrast, we found that the expression of gas3 mRNA was neither upregulated in senescent cells nor in cells arrested in G1 using Lovastatin. Thus, high expression of gas3 is not related to growth inhibition in general, but more probably to the G0 growth arrest state. Furthermore, we found that in two malignant fibrous histiocytoma cell lines, gas3 expression was lower than in normal fibroblasts, suggesting an altered regulation of the gas3 gene in transformed cells.     

Investigation of cell cycle arrest effects of actinomycin D at G1 phase using proteomic methods in B104-1-1 cells

Actinomycin D was previously reported as an inhibitor of Shc/Grb2 interaction in B104-1-1 cells. Actinomycin D arrested the cell cycle at the G1 phase at 1nM, which is about 10 times lower than the inhibition of Shc/Grb2 interactions in B104-1-1 cells. To evaluate other mechanisms of actinomycin D affected suppression of tumors and cell growth, except inhibition of Shc/Grb2 interactions, we examined the proteomic expression profile by proteomic technology. We found up-regulation of MEKK3 and down-regulation of Hsp70 expression from proteomic analysis, which is a very interesting observation because MEKK3 is strongly related with G1 arrest of cell cycle and Hsp70 is also involved in cell cycle regulation. These results indicate that the anti-tumor effects of actinomycin D is due to synergic effects of various proteins regulated by the compound including inhibition of the Shc/Grb2 interaction and other signaling pathways in the cytoplasm. Here we provide a mechanism-based explanation for growth inhibition by actinomycin D using proteomic technology. Thus, this approach may be a potentially useful method to reveal new mechanisms of active compounds or drugs with unknown cellular function.     

Regulation of cell cycle and productivity in NS0 cells by the over-expression of p21CIP1.

We have constructed NS0 myeloma cell lines that inducibly express the p21CIP1 cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor, using the Lacswitch system. Ectopic p21(CIP1) protein expression was rapidly induced within 12 h of addition of IPTG, causing G1-phase arrest and almost complete inhibition of cell proliferation. The production of a chimeric IgG4 antibody, expressed constitutively from an independent promoter, was found to be significantly increased by more than 4-fold in p21CIP1-arrested cells. This study demonstrates for the first time the successful construction of anchorage-independent and proliferation-controlled NS0 cell lines with enhanced secreted chimeric antibody production independent of the inducible promoter activity used to achieve cytostasis.     

Enhanced productivity during controlled proliferation of BHK cells in continuously perfused bioreactors

A perfused cell-culture process was developed to investigate the stability of IRF-1-mediated proliferation control in BHK cells and to evaluate the efficacy of a novel promoter in these cells. The cell density of proliferation-controlled producer cells was effectively regulated for over 7 weeks in a microcarrier-based continuously perfused bioreactor. An IRF-1-inducible promoter was employed to express a heterodimeric IgG antibody as a relevant model protein. Basal expression levels were equivalent to that of a highly active viral promoter, while productivity increased up to sixfold during growth arrest. However, no stably expressing clone was isolated in this study. Protein expression decreased gradually with time and could not be induced further in subsequent growth-repression cycles. The results demonstrate that the regulatory system is sufficiently stable to allow controlled growth in a continuous scalable reactor system and that productivity increases can be achieved in a proliferation controlled microcarrier culture.     

A lymphocyte blastogenesis inhibitory factor (LBIF) reversibly arrests a human melanoma cell line, A375, at G1 and G2 phases of cell cycle

A lymphocyte blastogenesis inhibitory factor, LBIF, has been found in the culture supernatant of a human macrophage-like cell line, U937. The factor has been purified by fast protein liquid chromatography. Partial amino acid sequencing analysis showed that LBIF was a novel immunoregulatory factor. Recent study has demonstrated that LBIF possesses a remarkable tumor growth inhibitory activity. In this study, the cell growth inhibitory activity of LBIF was characterized on the proliferation of a human melanoma cell line A375 in vitro. LBIF strongly inhibits the proliferation of A375 cells. The inhibitory activity was cytostatic and reversible by Day 5 although the lethal effect became apparent at Day 7. Cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry showed that LBIF arrested A375 cells at both G1 and G2/M phases. Mitotic index analysis indicated that A375 cells were arrested in G1 and G2 phases. LBIF function was not attributed to the elevation of intracytoplasmic cyclic-AMP levels. Thus, these results suggest that LBIF plays an important role in controlling cell cycle and there is a similarity between the mechanisms of G1 and G2 arrests in eukaryotic cell proliferation. LBIF-induced reversible cell-cycle arrest of A375 cells can be a useful system to analyze the signal transduction for cell proliferation and cell-cycle arrest.     

Overexpression of heme oxygenase-1 in microenvironment mediates vincristine resistance of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia by promoting vascular endothelial growth factor secretion

Chemoresistance often causes treatment failure of B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). However, the mechanism remains unclear at present. Herein, overexpression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) was found in the bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) from B-ALL patients developing resistance to vincristine (VCR), a chemotherapeutic agent. Two B-ALL cell lines Super B15 and CCRF-SB were cocultured with BMSCs transfected with lentivirus to regulate the expression of HO-1. Silencing HO-1 expression in BMSCs increased the apoptotic rates of B-ALL cell lines induced by VCR, whereas upregulating HO-1 expression reduced the rate. Cell cycle can be arrested in the G2/M phase by VCR. In contrast, B-ALL cells were arrested in the G0/G1 phase due to HO-1 overexpression in BMSCs, which avoided damage from the G2/M phase. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in BMSCs, as a key factor in the microenvironment-associated chemoresistance, was also positively coexpressed with HO-1. VEGF secretion was markedly increased in BMSCs with HO-1 upregulation but decreased in BMSCs with HO-1 silencing. B-ALL cell lines became resistant to VCR when cultured with VEGF recombinant protein, so VEGF secretion induced by HO-1 expression may promote the VCR resistance of B-ALL cells. As to the molecular mechanism, the PI3K/AKT pathway mediated regulation of VEGF by HO-1. In conclusion, this study clarifies a mechanism by which B-ALL is induced to resist VCR through HO-1 overexpression in BMSCs, and provides a novel strategy for overcoming VCR resistance in clinical practice.     

小干扰RNA抑制LRP16基因表达限制了MCF-7乳腺癌细胞增殖

雌激素雌二醇上调人乳腺癌细胞MCF 7中LRP16基因表达 ,该基因过表达促进MCF 7细胞增殖 .为进一步探讨LRP16基因不同表达水平对MCF 7细胞增殖的影响以及对雌激素的反应性增殖能力 ,采用针对LRP16基因特异的小干扰RNA策略 ,通过逆转录病毒介导及抗性筛选构建了LRP16基因被稳定抑制的 2个MCF 7细胞系 ,针对绿色荧光蛋白的干扰序列作为阴性对照 .Northern印迹实验检测了LRP16基因在各个细胞株中mNRA的水平 ,与对照组细胞比较 ,针对LRP16基因不同位置的 2个小干扰RNA可分别将该基因抑制 90 %和 6 0 % .细胞增殖试验结果显示 ,MCF 7细胞中LRP16基因表达抑制率越高 ,细胞增殖速率减慢越显著 (P <0 0 5 ) ;软琼脂集落形成试验结果显示 ,抑制LRP16基因在MCF 7细胞中表达 ,限制了细胞锚定非依赖性生长 ;细胞周期分析结果表明 ,LRP16基因抑表达使MCF 7细胞G1 S周期转换受抑 ;Western印迹结果表明 ,LRP16基因表达抑制的细胞中细胞周期蛋白E及细胞周期蛋白D1蛋白水平显著下调 ,但未检测到P5 3及Rb蛋白表达水平的影响 .雌二醇刺激的增殖实验结果显示 ,抑制LRP16基因表达没有消除MCF 7细胞的反应性增殖特征 .上述结果表明 ,LRP16基因表达量与MCF 7细胞增殖能力密切相关 ,抑制其表达可有效限制MCF 7细胞的增殖能力 ,提     

CDKs和CKIs在胃癌细胞周期调控中的相关性

研究 CDKs和 CKIs在调节胃癌细胞周期进程中的作用表明 ,全反式视黄酸 ( ATRA)通过诱导细胞滞留在 G1/G0 期而抑制胃癌细胞生长 .Western blot分析显示 ,ATRA可上调 p2 1 waf1/ cip1的表达 ,而抑制 p1 6ink4 的表达 .免疫沉淀及活性测定表明 ,CDK2 激酶活性可被 ATRA抑制 ,而CDK4 活性先被诱导上升 ,2 4 h后逐渐下降 .另外 ,ATRA可以调节 Rb蛋白的磷酸化和 c- myc蛋白的表达 .由此证实 ,ATRA诱导胃癌细胞滞留于 G1/G0 期与其上调 p2 1 waf1/ cip1的表达和抑制CDK2 和 CDK4 激酶活性 ,进而抑制 Rb蛋白的磷酸化和 c- myc的表达有关 . Rb蛋白是 ATRA抑制胃癌细胞生长的下游调节因子 .另外 ,p1 6ink4 的功能在胃癌细胞中可能丧失 .     

Role of RhoA, mDia, and ROCK in cell shape-dependent control of the Skp2-p27kip1 pathway and the G1/S transition

Cell shape-dependent control of cell-cycle progression underlies the spatial differentials of growth that drive tissue morphogenesis, yet little is known about how cell distortion impacts the biochemical signaling machinery that is responsible for growth control. Here we show that the Rho family GTPase, RhoA, conveys the "cell shape signal" to the cell-cycle machinery in human capillary endothelial cells. Cells accumulating p27(kip1) and arrested in mid G(1) phase when spreading were inhibited by restricted extracellular matrix adhesion, whereas constitutively active RhoA increased expression of the F-box protein Skp2 required for ubiquitination-dependent degradation of p27(kip1) and restored G(1) progression in these cells. Studies with dominant-negative and constitutively active forms of mDia1, a downstream effector of RhoA, and with a pharmacological inhibitor of ROCK, another RhoA target, revealed that RhoA promoted G(1) progression by altering the balance of activities between these two downstream effectors. These data indicate that signaling proteins such as mDia1 and ROCK, which are thought to be involved primarily in cytoskeletal remodeling, also mediate cell growth regulation by coupling cell shape to the cell-cycle machinery at the level of signal transduction.     

Cell cycle regulation of human diploid fibroblasts: possible mechanisms of platelet-derived growth factor

Cell-cycle regulation of human diploid fibroblasts (HDF) is located in the proximal half of G1, designated G1-pm (G1-postmitosis). In order to traverse this subphase, cells require serum factors or PDGF. However, when cells have traversed into the distal half of G1, designated G1-ps (G1-pre-DNA synthesis), they become independent of serum or PDGF and progress through the remainder of the cell cycle at an invariable rate. From this, it follows that a specific G1-pm block can be induced by serum depletion. A similar G1-pm block could also be induced by a moderate inhibition of overall protein synthesis following treatment with CHM. Even this block could be prevented by the addition of PDGF, suggesting that a high level of protein synthesis in itself is not necessary for sustaining cell-cycle traverse. Nevertheless, a critical accumulation of some specific proteins might be required for the G1-pm/G1-ps-transition. However, the underlying mechanisms of modulation of the accumulation of such proteins by PDGF must involve alternative regulatory events (e.g., gene expression, protein stabilization) rather than protein synthesis. Among the possible cell cycle-regulatory proteins, the present study focused on 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG CoA) reductase. This enzyme is regulated by various kinds of control mechanisms and regulates the biosynthesis of sterols and nonsterol isoprenes, some of which are proposed to be necessary for mammalian cell growth (Brown and Goldstein, 1980). The present results suggest that regulation of HMG CoA reductase may be involved in the control of the G1-pm/G1-ps-progression in HDF.     

Cell cycle regulation of histone H1O in CHO cells: a flow cytofluorimetric study after double staining of the cells

The regulation of histone H1O content throughout the cell cycle of non-synchronized Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells has been studied using double fluorescent staining and flow cytofluorometry. In exponentially growing cells, the amount of H1O was found to be proportional to the DNA content of the cells, indicating that the protein is synthesized throughout the cell cycle. However, when cells were arrested in G1 at saturation density the amount of H1O was greater than that found in G1 cells of the exponentially growing population. In contrast, the levels of H1-1 were the same for G1 cells of both populations. These results show that the regulation of H1O accumulation differs from that of other histones.     

Two roles for transforming growth factor beta 1 in colon enterocytic cell differentiation.

The role of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) in enterocytic differentiation was examined by treating two undifferentiated HT29 colon carcinoma sublines, U4 and U9, with hexamethylene bisacetamide to up-regulate their level of TGF-beta 1 mRNA expression. Although both lines after treatment secreted approximately equal levels of biologically active TGF-beta 1, only U4H cells were found to undergo enterocytic differentiation when cultured postconfluence on collagen I-coated transwells, forming polarized monolayer cells with an apical brush border, whereas U9H cells remained multilayered and undifferentiated. Enterocytic U4H cells exhibited four times as much cell surface expression of the collagen I-binding protein alpha 2-integrin, twice as much of the accessory collagen-binding protein carcinoembryonic antigen, and almost twice as much binding to collagen I films as undifferentiated U9H cells. TGF-beta 1 treatment doubled U4 cell collagen I binding, increased expression of alpha 2-integrin 4-fold, but increased carcinoembryonic antigen expression only marginally. U4H cells displayed cell cycle regulation by arresting reversibly at a restriction point in G1 when placed in the postconfluent culture conditions which initiated enterocytic differentiation. In contrast, undifferentiated U9H cells exhibited no restriction point but arrested throughout G1. TGF-beta 1 blocked synchronized U4H cells in G1, whereas it stimulated the growth of U9H cells. Thus, TGF-beta 1 has two roles in enterocytic differentiation: to increase levels of collagen I adhesion proteins and to block enterocytic cells in G1 so that they can differentiate.