Spi-1 and Spi-B control the expression of the Grap2 gene in B cells

The Ets family members Spi-1 and Spi-B have been implicated in the regulation of genes important for B cell antigen receptor (BCR) signaling. Mice deficient in Spi-B exhibit reduced B cell proliferation in response to BCR cross-linking and impaired T cell-dependent immune responses. This defect is exacerbated in the presence of Spi-1 haplo-insufficiency (Spi1+/- SpiB-/-). Tyrosine phosphorylation and calcium mobilization induced by BCR engagement is diminished in Spi1+/- SpiB-/- B lymphocytes, although many key BCR signaling proteins are expressed, suggesting that Spi-1 and Spi-B regulate expression of additional, unidentified signaling molecules. We now demonstrate that expression of the adaptor protein Grap2 is impaired in Spi1+/- SpiB+/- and Spi1+/- SpiB-/- B lymphocytes. Analysis of two alternate murine Grap2 promoters revealed a functionally important Spi-1 and Spi-B DNA binding element located in the downstream promoter. Ectopic expression of Grap2 in Grap2-deficient B cells reduced the recruitment of BLNK to Igalpha and the phosphorylation of specific substrates. Regulation of BLNK recruitment was dependent upon the Grap2 proline-rich domain, while modulation of phosphorylation was dependent upon both the proline-rich and SH2 domains. These data indicate that Spi-1 and Spi-B directly regulate the expression of Grap2 and that Grap2 functions to modulate BCR signaling, but that reduced Grap2 expression is unlikely to account for the BCR signaling defects observed in Spi1+/- SpiB-/- B cells.     

Spi-B can functionally replace PU.1 in myeloid but not lymphoid development

Mature macrophages, neutrophils and lymphoid cells do not develop in PU.1(-/-) mice. In contrast, mice lacking the highly related protein Spi-B generate all hematopoietic lineages but display a B-cell receptor signaling defect. These distinct phenotypes could result from functional differences between PU.1 and Spi-B or their unique temporal and tissue-specific expression (PU.1: myeloid and B cells; Spi-B: B cells only). To address this question, we introduced the Spi-B cDNA into the murine PU.1 locus by homologous recombination. In the absence of PU.1, Spi-B rescued macrophage and granulocyte development when assayed by in vitro differentiation of embryonic stem cells. Adherent, CD11b(+)/F4/80(+) cells capable of phagocytosis were detected in PU.1(Spi-B/Spi-B) embryoid bodies, and myeloid colonies were present in hematopoietic progenitor assays. Despite its ability to rescue myeloid differentiation, Spi-B did not rescue lymphoid development in a RAG-2(-/-) complementation assay. These results demonstrate an important difference between PU.1 and Spi-B. Careful comparison of these Ets factors will delineate important functional domains of PU.1 involved in lymphocyte lineage commitment and/or maturation.     

A new, lineage specific, autoup-regulation mechanism for human glucocorticoid receptor gene expression in 697 pre-B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells

Glucocorticoid (GC) steroid hormones induce apoptosis in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Autoup-regulation of human GC receptor (hGR) levels is associated with sensitivity to GC-mediated apoptosis. Among the major hGR promoters expressed in 697 pre-B-ALL cells (1A, 1B, 1C, and 1D), only promoters 1C and 1D are selectively activated by the hormone. Promoter 1B is unresponsive, and promoter 1A is down-regulated by dexamethasone (Dex) in 697 cells, whereas they are both up-regulated in CEM-C7 T-ALL cells. Autoup-regulation of promoter 1C and 1D in 697 cells requires sequences containing GC response units (GRUs) (1C GRU, -2915/-2956; 1D GRU, -4525/-4559) that were identified previously in CEM-C7 cells. These GRUs potentially bind GR, c-myeloblastosis (c-Myb), and E-twenty six (Ets) proteins; 697 cells express high levels of c-Myb protein, as well as the E-twenty six family protein members, PU.1 and Spi-B. Dex treatment in 697 cells elevates the expression of c-Myb and decreases levels of both Spi-B and PU.1. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed the specific recruitment of GR, c-Myb, and cAMP response element-binding protein binding protein to the 1C and 1D GRUs upon Dex treatment, correlating to observed autoup-regulated activity in these two promoters. These data suggest a hormone activated, lineage-specific mechanism to control the autoup-regulation of hGR gene expression in 697 pre-B-ALL cells via steroid-mediated changes in GR coregulator expression. These findings may be helpful in understanding the mechanism that determines the sensitivity of B-ALL leukemia cells to hormone-induced apoptosis.     

Identification of phosphorylation sites in the PKD1-encoded protein C-terminal domain.

The PKD1-encoded protein, "polycystin-1", has a large N-terminal extracellular portion, multiple transmembrane domains, and a short intracellular C-terminal tail with four tyrosine residues and two putative sites for serine phosphorylation. Its function in kidney development and autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is still unknown. We have subcloned the cDNA encoding the polycystin-1 C-terminal domain (PKD1-CTD) into a prokaryotic expression vector, and site-directed mutagenesis was performed to target the four tyrosine residues and four serine residues in two putative phosphorylation sites. In vitro phosphorylation assays were conducted on both wild type and mutant PKD1-CTD fusion proteins. It was found that the wild type PKD1-CTD and all mutant fusion proteins, except S4251G/S4252G, could be phosphorylated by lysates from cultured normal human renal collecting tubule (NHCT) cells, as well as by commercially purified cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). The phosphorylation of the PKD1-CTD fusion protein by NHCT lysates was greatly enhanced by cAMP and its analog 8-Br-cAMP, and inhibited by the specific PKA inhibitors PKI(6-22) and H-89. Activators and inhibitors of protein kinase C (PKC) had no effects on the phosphorylation of the PKD1-CTD fusion protein. Using commercially purified pp60(c-src) (c-src) it was also shown that the PKD1-CTD fusion protein could be phosphorylated by c-src in vitro, and that this phosphorylation could be abolished by a mutation Y4237F. By comparing the amino acid sequence at 4249-4253 (RRSSR) with the consensus sequence for PKA phosphorylation (RRXSX), we suggest that the serine residue at 4252 is the target of phosphorylation by a cAMP-dependent protein kinase in NHCT cell lysates. In addition, we suggest that Y4237 might be phosphorylated by c-src in living cells.