Two waves of nuclear factor kappaB recruitment to target promoters.

Proinflammatory stimuli induce the rapid and transient translocation of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB to the nucleus, where it activates transcription from several genes, including those encoding inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, adhesion molecules, and cytoprotective proteins. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation, we show that after an acute stimulation two distinct waves of NF-kappaB recruitment to target promoters occur: a fast recruitment to constitutively and immediately accessible (CIA) promoters and a late recruitment to promoters requiring stimulus-dependent modifications in chromatin structure to make NF-kappaB sites accessible (promoters with regulated and late accessibility [RLA]). Our results suggest that a mechanism of specificity in NF-kappaB-dependent transcriptional responses relies on the ability of individual stimuli to make RLA promoters accessible to NF-kappaB before its rapid extrusion from the nucleus.

The human toll signaling pathway: divergence of nuclear factor kappaB and JNK/SAPK activation upstream of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6).

The human homologue of Drosophila Toll (hToll) is a recently cloned receptor of the interleukin 1 receptor (IL-1R) superfamily, and has been implicated in the activation of adaptive immunity. Signaling by hToll is shown to occur through sequential recruitment of the adapter molecule MyD88 and the IL-1R-associated kinase. Tumor necrosis factor receptor-activated factor 6 (TRAF6) and the nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB)-inducing kinase (NIK) are both involved in subsequent steps of NF-kappaB activation. Conversely, a dominant negative version of TRAF6 failed to block hToll-induced activation of stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun NH2-terminal kinases, thus suggesting an early divergence of the two pathways.

Activation of SAPK/JNK by TNF receptor 1 through a noncytotoxic TRAF2-dependent pathway.

Interaction of the p55 tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNF-R1)-associated signal transducer TRADD with FADD signals apoptosis, whereas the TNF receptor-associated factor 2 protein (TRAF2) is required for activation of the nuclear transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B. TNF-induced activation of the stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK) was shown to occur through a noncytotoxic TRAF2-dependent pathway. TRAF2 was both sufficient and necessary for activation of SAPK by TNF-R1; conversely, expression of a dominant-negative FADD mutant, which blocks apoptosis, did not interfere with SAPK activation. Therefore, SAPK activation occurs through a pathway that is not required for TNF-R1-induced apoptosis.

Disability, and not diabetes, is a strong predictor of mortality in oldest old patients hospitalized with pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: Pneumonia causes more deaths than any other infectious disease, especially in older patients with multiple chronic diseases. Recent studies identified a low functional status as prognostic factor for mortality in elderly patients with pneumonia while contrasting data are available about the role of diabetes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the in-hospital, 3-month and 1-year mortality in elderly subjects affected by pneumonia enrolled in the RePoSi register. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data collected on hospitalized elderly patients in the frame of the REPOSI project. We analyzed the socio-demographic, laboratory and clinical characteristics of subjects with pneumonia. Multivariate logistic analysis was used to explore the relationship between variables and mortality. RESULTS: Among 4714 patients 284 had pneumonia. 52.8% were males and the mean age was 80 years old. 19.8% of these patients had a Barthel Index ≤40 (p ˂ 0.0001), as well as 43.2% had a short blessed test ≥10 (p ˂ 0.0117). In these subjects a significant CIRS for the evaluation of severity and comorbidity indexes (p ˂ 0.0001) were present. Although a higher fasting glucose level was identified in people with pneumonia, in the multivariate logistic analysis diabetes was not independently associated with in-hospital, 3-month and 1-year mortality, whereas patients with lower Barthel Index had a higher mortality risk (odds ratio being 9.45, 6.84, 19.55 in hospital, at 3 and 12 months). CONCLUSION: Elderly hospitalized patients affected by pneumonia with a clinically significant disability had a higher mortality risk while diabetes does not represent an important determinant of short and long-term outcome.

Transcriptional regulation via the NF-kappaB signaling module.

Stimulus-induced nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activity, the central mediator of inflammatory responses and immune function, comprises a family of dimeric transcription factors that regulate diverse gene expression programs consisting of hundreds of genes. A family of inhibitor of kappaB (IkappaB) proteins controls NF-kappaB DNA-binding activity and nuclear localization. IkappaB protein metabolism is intricately regulated through stimulus-induced degradation and feedback re-synthesis, which allows for dynamic control of NF-kappaB activity. This network of interactions has been termed the NF-kappaB signaling module. Here, we summarize the current understanding of the molecular structures and biochemical mechanisms that determine NF-kappaB dimer formation and the signal-processing characteristics of the signaling module. We identify NF-kappaB-kappaB site interaction specificities and dynamic control of NF-kappaB activity as mechanisms that generate specificity in transcriptional regulation. We discuss examples of gene regulation that illustrate how these mechanisms may interface with other transcription regulators and promoter-associated events, and how these mechanisms suggest regulatory principles for NF-kappaB-mediated gene activation.

Induction of the DNA-binding activity of c-jun/c-fos heterodimers by the hepatitis B virus transactivator pX.

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) X protein (pX) is capable of activating transcription regulated by viral and cellular promoters containing binding sites for different transcription factors, including AP1. In this study we have analyzed the mechanisms of AP1 induction by pX. The hepatitis B virus transactivator was able to activate TRE (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate response element)-directed transcription in different cell lines, including HepG2, HeLa, CV1, and PLC/PRF/5 cells. pX-induced AP1 activation in HepG2 cells was associated with an increase in the DNA-binding activity of c-Jun/c-Fos heterodimers, which was not dependent either on an increase in the overall amount of c-Fos and c-Jun proteins in the cells or on formation of dimers between pX and the two proteins, thus suggesting the involvement of posttranslational modifications of the transcription factor. The observation that the overexpression of c-Jun and c-Fos in the cells results in a strong augmentation of the effect of pX on TRE-directed transcription is additional evidence indicating the involvement of posttranscriptional modifications of c-Jun/c-Fos heterodimers. The increased AP1 binding observed in the presence of pX was unaffected by the protein kinase C inhibitors calphostin C and sphingosine and by the protein kinase A inhibitor HA1004, while it was almost completely blocked by staurosporine, a potent and nonspecific protein kinase inhibitor, suggesting that protein kinase C- and A-independent phosphorylation events might play a role in the phenomenon. The ability of pX also to increase TRE-directed transcription in cell lines in which AP1-binding activity is not increased (i.e., HeLa, CV1, and PLC/PRF/5 cells) suggests that pX can activate canonical TRE sites by different mechanisms as well.

Ras- and Raf-dependent activation of c-jun transcriptional activity by the hepatitis B virus transactivator pX.

The mechanisms by which pX, the transactivator of the Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), exerts its effects on transcription of viral and cellular genes have not yet been fully clarified. While previous reports suggested the possibility of a direct interaction of pX, which lacks intrinsic DNA-binding activity, with components of the cellular transcription machinery, more recent investigations support the hypothesis that pX might activate cellular kinases involved in transcriptional regulation and growth control. We analysed the mechanisms of c-Jun transcription factor activation by pX and in particular the role of cellular proteins involved in the transduction of mitogenic signals (namely Ha-Ras and Raf-1). In both HeLa and undifferentiated F9 cells pX was able to increase the activity of exogenous transfected c-Jun but not of c-Jun proteins bearing mutations in the serine residues located in the amino-terminal transcriptional activation domain. We show by use of Ha-Ras and Raf-1 dominant negative mutants that both Ha-Ras and Raf-1 are required for pX-induced activation of c-Jun transcriptional activity. In addition we show that pX is able to cooperate with Raf-1 in c-Jun activation. Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that at least one site of action of pX is peripheral and is located upstream of the Ras genes products.

Resistance to Fas-mediated apoptosis in human hepatoma cells.

CTLs- and lymphokine-induced apoptosis of infected hepatocytes during the course of chronic viral hepatitis is thought to be important for both disease termination and prevention of hepatocellular transformation. We therefore studied apoptosis induced by Fas (APO-1 or CD95)-a widely expressed cell surface receptor whose ligand is involved in lymphocyte cytotoxicity-in a set of human hepatoma cell lines. As normal hepatocytes, all of the human hepatoma cell lines tested do express detectable amounts of Fas on their surface. Nevertheless, only PLC/PRF/5 cells undergo apoptosis following treatment with anti-Fas. Systematic cloning and sequence analysis of the Fas cDNA did not show mutations in the Fas gene in any of the cells lines tested. However, due to alternative splicing, 5 to 10% of the Fas cDNAs are deleted of 63 internal nucleotides corresponding to the transmembrane domain, thus encoding for a soluble and secreted form of Fas (Fas delta TM), potentially able to neutralize anti-Fas or Fas-Ligand. Although we could not demonstrate a direct correlation between resistance of different hepatoma cell lines to Fas mediated death and endogenous expression of this transcript, we show that PLC/PRF 5 stable transfectants overexpressing Fas delta TM are less sensitive to anti-Fas than control cells. In three different cell lines, resistance to anti-Fas was overcome by treatment with the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide. Although this could suggest the existence of short-lived repressors of the Fas-activated apoptotic signalling pathway(s), we show that translational inhibition is not required for the synergistic effect of cycloheximide to take place, and that resistant hepatoma cells can be sensitized to anti-Fas by subinhibitory concentrations of this protein synthesis inhibitor. Since cycloheximide is able to activate intracellular signalling independently on its effects on protein synthesis, we suggest that it might provide a costimulatory signal that cooperates with Fas in the induction of cell death and that, at least in the cells we tested, resistance to Fas is not an active process involving gene transcription and translation but only the consequence of an inadequate apoptotic stimulation.

MyoD prevents cyclinA/cdk2 containing E2F complexes formation in terminally differentiated myocytes.

Withdrawal from the cell cycle of differentiating myocytes is regulated by the myogenic basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein MyoD and the pocket proteins pRb, p107 and pRb2/p130. Downstream effectors of 'pocket' proteins are the components of the E2F family of transcription factors, which regulate the G1/S-phase transition. We analysed by EMSA the composition of E2F complexes in cycling, quiescent undifferentiated and differentiated C2C12 skeletal muscle cells. An E2F complex containing mainly E2F4 and pRb2/p130 (E2F-G0/G1 complex) appears when DNA synthesis arrests, replacing the cyclinA/cdk2 containing E2F complex of proliferating myoblasts (E2F-G1/S complex). Serum stimulation reinduces DNA synthesis and the re-appearance of E2F-G1/S complexes in quiescent myoblasts but not in differentiated C2C12 myotubes. In differentiating C2C12 cells, E2F complexes switch and DNA synthesis in response to serum are prevented when MyoD DNA binding activity and the cdks inhibitor MyoD downstream effector p21 are induced. Thus, during myogenic differentiation, formation of E2F4 and pRb2/p130 containing complexes is an early event, but not enough on its own to prevent the reactivation of DNA synthesis. Using a subclone of C3H10T1/2 mouse fibroblasts stably expressing Estrogen Receptor-MyoD (ER-MyoD) chimerae, we found that estrogen directed MyoD activation prevents the reassociation of cyclinA/cdk2 to the E2F4 containing complex following serum stimulation and this correlates with suppression of E2F activity and the inability of cells to re-enter the cell cycle. Our data indicate that, in differentiating myocytes, one mechanism through which MyoD induces permanent cell cycle arrest involves p21 upregulation and suppression of the proliferation-associated cdks-containing E2F complexes formation.

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) pX transactivates the c-fos promoter through multiple cis-acting elements.

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) X protein (pX) stimulates transcription regulated by cis-acting elements that control many viral and cellular genes, including the c-myc and the c-fos proto-oncogenes. Using several c-fos promoter deletion mutants, we found the serum-responsive element (SRE) located at -315, the modified TPA-responsive element located at -296 (fos-AP-1 binding site, FAP) and the region spanning from nucleotide -220 to -120, which contains an NF1-like site and several stretches of sequence homologous to the AP-2 consensus binding sites, to be responsive to pX. pX does not modify the pattern of the retarded complexes bound to the SRE/FAP region which, in our system, appears to be occupied by SRE-binding factors. The activation of the SRE does not involve complex formation between SRE-binding factors and pX, it is not associated with an increase in serum response factor binding to the SRE and it does not determine changes in SRE mobility-shift pattern.

Defective and nondefective adenovirus vectors for expressing foreign genes in vitro and in vivo.

We have constructed recombinant adenoviruses (Ad), with functional or defective E1a genes, which harbor either the hepatitis B (HB) virus s gene encoding the HB surface antigen, as well as the pre-S2 epitopes, or the bacterial gene encoding chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) under control of the Ad major late promoter (MLP). The recombinant viruses defective for E1a (Ad.MLP.S2 and Ad.CAT), which can be efficiently propagated only on 293 cells that complement this defect, and the nondefective (Ad.MLP.S2.E1A) recombinant were used to infect a wide spectrum of cells of different origin. The yields of HBs and CAT proteins obtained with these different recombinant viruses demonstrate no real advantage to using nondefective vectors, whatever the cell type infected. The injection into chimpanzees of Ad.MLP.S2 does not elicit the production of antibodies, but can immunologically prime the animals, resulting in a partial protection against HBV challenge.

Apoptotic, non-apoptotic, and anti-apoptotic pathways of tumor necrosis factor signalling.

Early events in the signalling of tumor necrosis factor-receptor 1 (TNF-R1), which is the main TNF receptor on most cell types, have been clarified recently. A multimolecular signal transducing complex from which several pathways originate rapidly forms upon TNF-induced aggregation of the receptor. Although fully capable of transducing apoptotic signals, which depend on the adapter Fas-associated death domain protein (FADD) and on the subsequent recruitment/activation of the apoptotic proteases, TNF-R1 usually does not kill cells; this is due to the induction of a complex cytoprotective response that requires TNF-receptor associated factor 2 (TRAF2), a signal transducer that couples TNF-R1 to both nuclear factor kappaB (NFkappaB)-dependent and NFkappaB-independent transcriptional events implicated in induction of genes protecting from TNF cytotoxicity. Although absolutely required for cytoprotection, TNF-receptor associated factor 2 is not sufficient to protect cells from TNF, thus suggesting that it may act in concert with additional TNF-R1 complex components. In this commentary, we will discuss some critical aspects of TNF-R1 signal transduction that are not fully understood: Why do cells not die before the protective protein synthesis has occurred? What are the mechanisms implicated in the termination of each TNF-R1-elicited response? Are there regulatory mechanisms capable of influencing the composition of the TNF-R1 complex and, consequently, the propagation of specific signals?

A girl with G syndrome and agenesis of the corpus callosum.

We report on a female patient with G syndrome. The clinical expression is relatively severe and includes 2 manifestations not previously reported, ie, agenesis of the corpus callosum and umbilical hernia. These new findings support the notion that there is a developmental defect of the midline as the basis of the G syndrome.

Reactive oxygen intermediates (ROIs) are involved in the intracellular transduction of angiotensin II signal in C2C12 cells.

Increasing evidence suggests that angiotensin II may act as a growth factor for several muscle cell types. Angiotensin II stimulation activates many immediate early response genes like c-Fos, c-Jun, c-Myc and Egr-1 in both vascular smooth muscle cells and cardiomyocytes, independently of whether a hyperplastic or hypertrophic response is taking place. In this study we report that angiotensin II significantly stimulates AP1-driven transcription in mouse skeletal muscle cells C2C12 stably transfected with a TRE-tk-CAT plasmid in a dose-dependent manner (peak stimulation at 10(-5) M of angiotensin II). Moreover, angiotensin II increases the binding of the AP1 complex to its DNA target in both quiescent C2C12 myoblasts and in differentiated C2C12 myotubes. Most of the TRE-bound complexes in both unstimulated and angiotensin II-treated cells consist of c-jun/c-fos heterodimers. Using a set of different protein kinase inhibitors, including HA1004, H7, tyrphostin, genistein and staurosporine, we could demonstrate that the angiotensin II-induced AP1 binding increase is not mediated by the cAMP-dependent pathway and that protein kinase C and tyrosine kinases are involved. Treatment of C2C12 cells with H2O2 induces a dose-dependent increase in c-jun/c-fos heterodimer binding, specifically reverted by the cysteine derivative and glutathione precursor N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC). The observation that the induction by angiotensin II of both the AP1 DNA binding activity and DNA synthesis in quiescent C2C12 myoblasts is abolished by NAC strongly suggests a role for reactive oxygen intermediates (ROIs) in the intracellular transduction of angiotensin II signals for immediate early gene induction and for cell proliferation.

The hepatitis B virus X protein transactivation of c-fos and c-myc proto-oncogenes is mediated by multiple transcription factors.

We have constructed two expression vectors in order to study the action of the HBV 17 Kd X protein on the c-fos and c-myc promoters. The results show that the promoters contain multiple elements that respond to X protein, suggesting involvement of multiple transcription factors. The exact mechanism of the interaction remains elusive, but our data allow speculation about the factors that may be influenced.

Accumulation of a cellular protein bearing c-myc-like antigenicity in hepatic and non-hepatic delta antigen expressing cells.

Patients with chronic but not acute hepatitis delta virus infection undergo a strong accumulation of a protein of cellular origin which specifically reacts with a panel of anti-c-myc antibodies and which is expressed in the same nuclei that express the delta antigen. In this paper we report on the in vitro characterization of this phenomenon. The delta antigen induced c-myc antigen accumulation can occur in vitro upon transfection of HBsAg positive and negative cell lines with HDAg expression vectors. Using recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing only p24 or p27 we demonstrate that structures common to the two isoforms of HDAg are responsible for the phenomenon, which is not restricted to cells of hepatic origin.

Truncated pre-S/S proteins transactivate multiple target sequences.

In order to investigate the transactivational function of HBV truncated preS/S proteins we have constructed two sets of plasmids and have tested their transactivational potential on the c-myc regulatory sequences and the TPA-responsive element. We found that preS/S proteins only become transactivationally active when truncated at the carboxy terminal end. Furthermore, using immunofluorescence microscopy we determined that the proteins are located exclusively in the cytoplasm, apparently ruling out DNA binding and activation of factors in the nucleus.

Detection of replicative intermediates of viral RNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from chronic hepatitis C virus carriers.

Clinical and experimental evidence suggests the possible existence of one or more extrahepatic sites of HCV infection. In order to demonstrate the "in vivo" infection of lymphoid cells by HCV, we applied a nested PCR to total cytoplasmic RNA extracted from fresh or cultured peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of HCV chronically infected patients, using primers derived from the highly conserved 5' untranslated region of the HCV genome. The presence of virions in PBMCs occurs frequently, if not always, and is often accompanied by active viral replication. Moreover, the appearance of replicative intermediates after stimulation of cellular growth with mitogens suggests that latent genomes could undergo replication upon cellular activation and/or proliferation.

The hepatitis B virus X gene product transactivates the HIV-LTR in vivo.

It has previously been shown that the hepatitis B virus (HBV) X gene product, HBx, transactivates homologous and heterologous transcriptional regulatory sequences of viruses, including the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV1) long terminal repeat (LTR), and various cellular genes in vitro. To evaluate the transactivating function of HBx in vivo, we generated transgenic mice carrying the X open reading frame under the control of the human antithrombin III (ATIII) gene regulatory sequences. These mice express the 16 Kd HBx protein in the liver, as demonstrated by immunoprecipitation studies. Crossbreeding of HBx mice with transgenics carrying either the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) bacterial or the lacZ reporter gene driven by the HIV1-LTR allowed us to demonstrate, for the first time, the in vivo transactivating function of HBx protein.