Functional roles of Fli-1, a member of the Ets family of transcription factors, in human breast malignancy.

The Ets family of transcription factors is implicated in malignant transformation and tumor progression, including invasion, metastasis and neo-angiogenesis. In the present study, we found that the Fli-1 gene, a member of the Ets family, was highly expressed in several breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB231, MDA-MB436, BT-549 and HCC1395). To investigate the functional roles of Fli-1 in breast cancer malignancy, we introduced an expression plasmid containing full-length Fli-1 cDNA into MCF7 breast cancer cells in which endogenous expression of Fli-1 was barely detectable.Overexpression of Fli-1 in MCF7 cells led to inhibition of apoptosis induced by serum depletion or ultraviolet irradiation, although it did not affect cell growth rate in liquid media, colony formation in soft agar or the in vitro invasion capacity of the cells. Expression of Fli-1 and antiapoptotic bcl-2 was coordinately upregulated by serum depletion in MCF7 cells, and the upregulation was inhibited by treatment of the cells with a c-Jun-NH(2)-terminal kinase-specific inhibitor. Furthermore, expression of the bcl-2 gene and protein was enhanced in Fli-1-overexpressing MCF7 cells compared with mock-transfected cells. In addition, human bcl-2 promoter activity was transactivated by Fli-1. These results suggest that Fli-1 contributes to the malignancy of human breast cancer by inhibiting apoptosis through upregulated expression of the bcl-2 gene.

Direct association between PU.1 and MeCP2 that recruits mSin3A-HDAC complex for PU.1-mediated transcriptional repression.

PU.1, a member of the Ets family of transcription factors, is implicated in hematopoietic cell differentiation through its interactions with other transcriptional factors and cofactors. To identify a novel protein(s) binding to PU.1, we carried out affinity purification using a column of Glutathione-Sepharose beads bound to GST-PU.1 fusion protein and isolated several individual proteins using murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cell extracts. Sequence analysis of these proteins revealed that one was MeCP2 a methyl CpG binding protein. GST-pull-down assay and immunoprecipitation assay showed that PU.1 bound directly to MeCP2 via its Ets domain and MeCP2 bound to PU.1 via either its amino terminal domain or trans-repression domain. MeCP2 repressed transcriptional activity of PU.1 on a reporter construct with trimerized PU.1 binding sites. This downregulation was recovered in the presence of histone deacetylase inhibitor, trichostatin A (TSA). MeCP2 was integrated in PU.1-mSin3A-HDAC complex but not in PU.1-CBP complex. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays showed that PU.1 and MeCP2 were collocated at the PU.1 binding site on the reporter construct and the PU.1 binding site of the intervening sequence 2 (IVS2) region in the intron of the beta-globin gene, which has been proposed to regulate expression of the gene, in undifferentiated MEL cells. The complex disappeared from the region during the course of erythroid differentiation of MEL cells. Our results suggest that MeCP2 acts as a corepressor of PU.1 probably due to facilitating complex formation with mSin3A and HDACs.

Classification of neural differentiation-associated genes in P19 embryonal carcinoma cells by their expression patterns induced after cell aggregation and/or retinoic acid treatment.

Expression of neural differentiation-associated genes was examined by RT-PCR and macroarray analyses during neural differentiation of P19 embryonal carcinoma cells induced by cell aggregation and/or retinoic acid (RA) treatment. Results revealed that the neural genes examined could be classified into 4 groups based on their expression patterns. The 1st group included the Wnt-1, Id-1, Id-3 and cdc42 genes, expression of which was altered by cell aggregation alone, but not by RA treatment alone. The 2nd group included the alphaN-catenin, Neuro D and GDNFRbeta genes, expression of which was altered by RA treatment alone, but not by cell aggregation. The 3rd group consisted of the Brn-2, TrkA, bcl-X, N-cadherin, E-cadherin and Otx-2 genes, expression of which was altered by either treatment. The 4th group included the ACTH, D4DR, NGC and Oct-3 genes, the expression of which changed only when both treatments were applied simultaneously. Expression of the Ets-1 and Fli-1 transcription factor genes was up-regulated by either treatment alone at initial stages of neural differentiation of P19 cells, although overexpression of these genes alone could not induce cell differentiation. Our results suggest that although both treatments are required for complete neural differentiation of P19 cells, cell aggregation or RA treatment alone drive differentiation to a certain extent at the gene expression level.

Molecular biology of the Ets family of transcription factors.

The Ets family of transcription factors characterized by an evolutionarily-conserved DNA-binding domain regulates expression of a variety of viral and cellular genes by binding to a purine-rich GGAA/T core sequence in cooperation with other transcriptional factors and co-factors. Most Ets family proteins are nuclear targets for activation of Ras-MAP kinase signaling pathway and some of them affect proliferation of cells by regulating the immediate early response genes and other growth-related genes. Some of them also regulate apoptosis-related genes. Several Ets family proteins are preferentially expressed in specific cell lineages and are involved in their development and differentiation by increasing the enhancer or promoter activities of the genes encoding growth factor receptors and integrin families specific for the cell lineages. Many Ets family proteins also modulate gene expression through protein-protein interactions with other cellular partners. Deregulated expression or formation of chimeric fusion proteins of Ets family due to proviral insertion or chromosome translocation is associated with leukemias and specific types of solid tumors. Several Ets family proteins also participate in malignancy of tumor cells including invasion and metastasis by activating the transcription of several protease genes and angiogenesis-related genes.

Effects of overexpression of the Ets family transcription factor TEL on cell growth and differentiation of K562 cells.

Functional roles of several Ets transcription factors in megakaryocytic and erythroid differentiation of the human chronic myelogenous leukemia cell line K562 was investigated. When K562 cells were induced to differentiate into the megakaryocyte lineage by treatment with TPA, the expression of the c-ets-1, Fli-1 and TEL2 genes was increased, and that of the TEL gene was decreased at the onset of differentiation. When the cells were induced to differentiate into the erythroid lineage by treatment with Hemin, expression of the c-ets-1 gene was increased, and that of the Fli-1 and TEL genes was decreased. To investigate the role of TEL in the growth and differentiation of K562 cells, we introduced an expression plasmid containing the TEL gene into the cells. Overexpression of TEL in K562 cells leads to inhibition of the endogenous expression of megakaryocyte-specific GPIIb and GPIbalpha genes, and inhibition of cell growth. DNA array analysis revealed that expression of genes such as the RhoG and D4-GDI genes was down-regulated in TEL-overexpressing cells, while that of the representative growth-related genes such as the c-myc, c-fos and c-jun genes was not remarkably changed. These results suggest that several Ets family transcription factors are implicated in megakaryocytic and erythroid differentiation of K562 cells and TEL inhibits the expression of some megakaryocyte-specific genes and growth in K562 cells.

Prevention of PU.1-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis but not differentiation block in murine erythroleukemia cells by overexpression of CBP.

PU.1 is a member of Ets family of transcription factors, some of which play critical roles in cell growth and development of hematopoietic cells in cooperation with other transcription factors and cofactors. We previously reported that overexpression of PU.1 in murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells results in growth inhibition, differentiation block and apoptotic cell death in conjunction with DMSO or HMBA treatment. We also showed that PU.1 interacts with the transcriptional co-activator CREB binding protein (CBP). In this study, we have investigated whether CBP is involved in PU.1-induced growth inhibition, differentiation block and apoptosis in MEL cells. Overexpression of CBP rescued MEL cells from PU.1-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis, while it did not release the cells from PU.1-induced block of erythroid differentiation. These results suggest that sequestration of CBP is involved in PU.1-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis but not differentiation block in MEL cells. These results also suggest that the molecular mechanisms on PU.1-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis are different from the mechanism on PU.1-induced differentiation block in MEL cells.

Activation of anchorage-independent growth of HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cells by dexamethasone.

Anchorage independence is an important hallmark of the transformation that correlates with tumorigenicity. We have isolated a variant clone of HT1080 human fibrosarcoma cells (cl-2) that is specifically defective in anchorage-independent growth. Interestingly, 10(-7) M dexamethasone (DEX) substantially rescued the anchorage-independent growth of cl-2 cells in semisolid culture. DEX also promoted the anchorage-independent growth of parental HT1080 cells. However, the agent had no effect on the anchorage-dependent growth of cl-2 and parental cells in ordinary liquid culture. Cell cycle analysis demonstrated that the population of G0/G1 cells increased, whereas that of S and G2/M cells decreased in growth-arrested cl-2 cells in suspension culture. However, such an effect of anchorage loss on cell cycle progression was alleviated by adding 10(-7) M DEX. In cl-2 cells in semisolid culture, DEX suppressed the expression of P27Kip1, whereas it stimulated the expression of cyclin A and hyperphosphorylated retinoblastoma (Rb) proteins. On the other hand, DEX had no effect on cyclin D1 and P21Cap1 expression. These effects of DEX, except for the suppression of P27Kip1, were blocked by an antimicrofilament drug, cytochalasin D. Our results suggest that the stimulation of anchorage-independent growth by DEX involves at least two regulatory mechanisms, i.e., one that leads to the suppression of P27Kip1 protein without requiring cytoskeletal integrity, and another that requires cytoskeletal integrity, leading to stimulation of cyclin A and hyperphosphorylation of Rb protein.

Physical and functional interactions between hematopoietic cell-specific ETS transcription factors and homeodomain proteins.

To examine the possibility that ETS family transcription factors, PU.1, SPI-B, ELF-1, ERG-3, ETS-1 and TEL, and homeodomain proteins, HOXA10, HOXC13, MEIS1 and PBX1B, function cooperatively, we investigated their interactions. In luciferase assays, HOXA10 and HOXC13 augmented the activity of PU.1 and SPI-B while diminishing that of ELF-1 and ERG-3. MEIS1 diminished the activity of ETS-1. No clear effects were observed for other combinations. Immunoprecipitation assays showed protein-protein interactions among the combinations exhibiting functional interactions. A mutation of HOXC13, which abolished binding to ELF-1, also abolished the diminishing effect on ELF-1. The results suggest functional interaction through physical interactions.

Interaction between the homeodomain protein HOXC13 and ETS family transcription factor PU.1 and its implication in the differentiation of murine erythroleukemia cells.

Some of homeodomain proteins and the ETS family of transcription factors are involved in hematopoiesis. RT-PCR analysis revealed that the HOXC13 and PU.1 genes were expressed in murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cells and their levels decreased during DMSO-induced differentiation into erythroid cells. HOXC13 bound to the ETS domain of PU.1 through a region encompassing the C-terminal part of the homeodomain and the most C-terminal region and enhanced the transcriptional activity of PU.1. Enforced expression of HOXC13 in MEL cells resulted in the suppression of beta-globin gene expression. In MEL cells overexpressing HOXC13 and PU.1, which also inhibits the differentiation of MEL cells, no synergistic effect on the suppression of beta-globin gene expression was observed. However, in the presence of DMSO, the expression levels of the beta-globin gene in the cells overexpressing HOXC13 and PU.1 were, unexpectedly, higher than those in the cells overexpressing PU.1 alone. The levels of PU.1 protein were markedly decreased despite that the levels of mRNA were preserved in the cells overexpressing PU.1 and HOXC13. It was, thus, suggested that although HOXC13 negatively regulates the differentiation of MEL cells into erythroid cells, it antagonizes PU.1 possibly by down-regulation of PU.1 protein in the presence of a differentiation stimulus.

Involvement of mutation-based inhibition of beta-catenin phosphorylation at Ser33 in the malignant progression of lung (pre)neoplastic lesions induced by N-nitrosobis(2-hydroxypropyl)amine in male Fischer 344 rats.

In this study we investigated the Ser33 phosphorylation status of beta-catenin protein in relation to genomic mutations in lung (pre)neoplastic lesions induced by N-nitrosobis(2-hydroxypropyl)amine (BHP) in male Fischer 344 rats. Six-week-old animals received 2000 ppm of BHP in the drinking water for 8 weeks and were sacrificed 12 weeks thereafter. Histopathologically, 69 of 75 rats demonstrated multiple lung (pre)neoplastic lesions, classified into 27 slight and 33 advanced hyperplasias (preneoplasms) and 61 neoplasms, including adenomas, adenocarcinomas, and adenosquamous carcinomas. Nucleotide mutation analysis of the beta-catenin gene detected a total of 33 mutations in 12 assessed lung (pre)neoplastic lesions. The mutations tended to accumulate in positions near the phosphorylation region of the gene, between codons 33 and 45. Immunohistochemical analysis showed beta-catenin protein expression to be increased and its localization changed from the cell membrane to the cytoplasm and finally the nuclei with advancing malignancy of the lung lesions. In contrast, the expression of phosphorlyated beta-catenin protein at Ser33 was weakened in lung (pre)neoplastic lesions compared to normal lung tissues. These results suggest that BHP-induced mutation of the beta-catenin gene results in amino acid conversions in its product protein, which in turn lead to inhibition of phosphorylation of the protein and escape from protein degradation. These phenomena might contribute to the malignant progression of the lung (pre)neoplastic lesions, which start from the relatively early stage in lung carcinogenesis.

Impaired repressor activity and biological functions of PU.1 in MEL cells induced by mutations in the acetylation motifs within the ETS domain.

PU.1, a hematopoietic Ets transcription factor, is required for development of the lymphoid and myeloid lineages. We have previously shown that PU.1 functions as both a transcriptional activator and repressor through complex formation with CBP/p300 and HDAC1/mSin3A/MeCP2, respectively. To determine whether modification of PU.1 is responsible for switching its association between co-activators and co-repressors, we examined whether acetylation regulates the physical and functional activities of PU.1. PU.1 was acetylated in vivo and its repressor activity was reduced when the putative acetylation motifs in the Ets domain were mutated. The mutant cooperated with CBP similar to wild type PU.1, but insufficiently with GATA-1 and mSin3A. Whereas overexpression of wild type PU.1 induced differentiation block, growth inhibition, and apoptotic cell death in MEL erythroleukemia cells as we reported previously, overexpression of the mutant-acetylation motif PU.1 did not. Taken together, our data suggest that acetylation might regulate the biological functions of PU.1 in erythroid cells.

ETS transcription factors: possible targets for cancer therapy.

Ets family (ETS) transcription factors, characterized by an evolutionally conserved Ets domain, play important roles in cell development, cell differentiation, cell proliferation, apoptosis and tissue remodeling. Most of them are downstream nuclear targets of Ras-MAP kinase signaling, and the deregulation of ETS genes results in the malignant transformation of cells. Several ETS genes are rearranged in human leukemia and Ewing tumors to produce chimeric oncoproteins. Furthermore, the aberrant expression of several ETS genes is often observed in various types of human malignant tumors. Considering that some ETS transcription factors are involved in malignant transformation and tumor progression, including invasion, metastasis and neo-angiogenesis through the activation of cancer-related genes, they could be potential molecular targets for selective cancer therapy.

Effects of PU.1-induced mouse calcium-calmodulin-dependent kinase I-like kinase (CKLiK) on apoptosis of murine erythroleukemia cells.

PU.1, a hematopoietic cell-specific Ets family transcription factor, is involved in the generation of murine erythroleukemia (MEL). To identify the target gene(s) of PU.1 in MEL cells, we carried out differential display (DD) analysis and isolated a novel gene whose expression was up-regulated after overexpression of PU.1 in MEL cells. Because the gene exhibited about 90% homology with the human calcium-calmodulin-dependent kinase I-like kinase (CKLiK) gene, it was identified as a mouse homologue of human CKLiK. The mCKLiK gene was mapped to the mouse chromosome 2A1-A3 region and shown to be expressed predominantly in T cells lymphoma and embryonal carcinoma cell lines and primary thymus and brain. Two types of transcripts were present showing a difference in the 3' portion of the coding region and CREB-activating ability. Overexpression of each isoform of mCKLiK in MEL cells revealed that one of them induces, while the other inhibits apoptosis under low serum condition. Differentiation inhibition and lineage switch to myelomonocytes, which were previously observed in MEL cells overexpressing PU.1, were not provoked in the cells overexpressing mCKLiK. These results suggest that mCKLiK is up-regulated by PU.1 in MEL cells and involved in apoptosis of the cells.

Interaction between the hematopoietic Ets transcription factor Spi-B and the coactivator CREB-binding protein associated with negative cross-talk with c-Myb.

We have previously shown that the hematopoietic Ets transcription factor PU.1 interacts with the transcriptional coactivator CREB-binding protein (CBP). In this study, we further investigated whether Spi-B, another hematopoietic Ets transcription factor, also interacts with CBP. Direct physical interaction of Spi-B with CBP was demonstrated by glutathione S-transferase binding assay. Analysis using several deletion mutants of Spi-B and CBP revealed that the NH2-terminal region including the activation domain of Spi-B interacted with the region spanning amino acid residues 1283-1915 of CBP in vitro. The interaction of Spi-B with CBP was also observed in vivo. CBP potentiated Spi-B-mediated transcription of the reporter gene driven by the multimerized PU.1/Spi-B binding sites. This transcriptional activation by Spi-B and CBP was inhibited by expression of c-Myb, and the transcriptional activation by c-Myb and CBP was inhibited by expression of Spi-B, suggesting competition for CBP between these two transcription factors. Our results suggest that CBP acts as a transcriptional coactivator of Spi-B and mediates synergistic or antagonistic interactions between other transcription factors.