Regulation of 2'',5''-oligoadenylate synthetase gene expression by interferons and platelet-derived growth factor.

In murine BALB/c 3T3 cell cultures, either beta interferon or platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) enhanced expression of the 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase mRNA and protein. The time course of induction in response to beta interferon was similar to that in response to PDGF. Of several growth factors known to be present in clotted blood serum (i.e., epidermal growth factor, transforming growth factor beta, and PDGF), only PDGF enhanced expression of 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase. The linkage of an interferon response element-containing segment from the 5'-flanking region of a human or murine 2',-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase gene made a heterologous gene responsive to interferon. The expression of such a gene construct in transfected cells was also induced by PDGF. Induction by PDGF was inhibited by mono- or polyclonal antibodies to murine interferon, which suggested that induction by PDGF requires interferon. Both PDGF and interferon induced nuclear factors that bound to this interferon response element-containing segment in vitro.     

Herpes simplex virus gene expression in transformed cells. I. Regulation of the viral thymidine kinase gene in transformed L cells by products of superinfecting virus.

In this paper we show that the expression of the herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) gene for thymidine kinase (tk) in HSV-transformed cells is subject to regulation by two viral products synthesized during productive infection of these cells with a tk- mutant of HSV-1. The cell line used in this study is a derivative of tk-deficient mouse L cells that, after exposure to UV-inactivated HSV-1, had acquired the HSV-1 gene for tk (which we term a resident viral gene) and consequently expressed the tk+ phenotype (LVtk+ cells). Productive infection of these cells with HSV-1(tk-) at appropriate multiplicities caused significant enhancement of the viral tk activity. The results of several experiments allow us to conclude that this enhancement was due to increased synthesis of tk specified by the HSV-1 gene resident in the LVtk+ cells and that a specific protein made early after infection with HSV-1(tk-) mediated the enhancement, probably by increasing the production of mRNA from the viral tk gene resident in the LVtk+ cells. Our data also indicate that another HSV-1(tk-) product acted to turn off tk synthesis. The finding that tk activity continued to increase for a longer time after infection of the LVtk+ cells at 2 PFU/cell than after infection at higher multiplicities suggested the synthesis of a product which inhibited tk synthesis and whose concentration reached critical levels earlier at higher multiplicities of infection. Inhibition of DNA synthesis after infection, a treatment that depresses the synthesis of late viral proteins, prolonged the synthesis of tk in LVtk+ cells infected at either 2 or 5 PFU/cell. Infection of the LVtk+ cells with HSV-2(tk-) resulted in only small increases in tk activity, indicating some type specificity in recognition of viral products that can modify the expression of the HSV-1 tk gene resident in these cells.     

Regulation of complement factor H expression in L cells.

The luciferase system was used to assay basal promoter activity of the murine factor H gene in the fibroblast cell line L929 (L cells). Thirteen nested deletion constructs were tested, and a region between -811 and -344 was found to have enhancer activity in the context of a heterologous promoter. This fragment was subdivided further and each of the two resulting subfragments also had enhancer activity. These subfragments each were shifted in electrophoretic mobility shift assays and were able to cross-inhibit each other in binding to a nuclear factor. Sequence analysis of these subfragments revealed the presence of an octamer in each subfragment, and a synthetic oligomer containing this octamer sequence was able to block binding in the mobility shift assay. Thus, this octamer sequence appears to play a major role in the basal expression of the factor H gene in L cells.     

Carrier DNA affects the integration of HSV-1 TK gene in the genome of L929TK- cells.

L929TK- cells were cotransfected with DNA mixtures containing tk gene of HSV-1, plasmids carrying LTR of MoMLV or RSV and carrier DNA of salmon sperm or chromosomal DNA of recipient cells. Selection of TK+ transformants was conducted in DMEM supplemented with HAT. Plasmids carrying LTR sequences of MoMLV or RSV retroviruses showed enhancing effect on the frequency of TK+ transformation. Southern blot analysis of chromosomal DNA of TK+ transformants demonstrated in clones deriving from cotransfections of tk gene and carrier DNA of L929TK- cells multiple copies of tk gene integrated into several genomic sites of host. Single copies of tk gene integrated into different sites of host genome occurred in chromosomal DNA of TK+ clones deriving from cotransfections of tk gene and carrier DNA of salmon sperm. Cells cotransfected with tk gene and plasmids carrying LTR sequences of MoMLV or RSV formed three dimensional colonies in semisolid agar medium. No effect of carrier DNA on the morphology of TK+ transformant clones was noticed.     

Apoptosis of L929 cells induced by tumor necrosis factor

We investigated the mode of TNF-dependent death of L929 murine fibroblasts and the influence of overexpression of bcl-2 family genes on this process. Based on morphological and biochemical data it has been shown that L929 cells died after TNF treatment by apoptosis irrespective of TNF dose and protein synthesis inhibition. Analysis of bcl-2 family gene transfectants revealed a down-regulation of TNF-induced apoptosis by bcl-2 and bclX overexpression, and an up-regulation by bax gene.     

Glutamine is responsible for stimulating glycolysis by L929 cells

L929 cells synthesize relatively little lactate when using glucose as their primary energy source, and neither glucose oxidation nor lactate production is highly sensitive to stimulation by insulin. Addition of glutamine to the system containing glucose and insulin markedly stimulates lactate production from glucose without inhibiting glucose oxidation. A mechanism in which reducing equivalents derived from glutamine oxidation are used to drive lactate production is discussed.