Dysfunction of the stress-responsive FOXC1 transcription factor contributes to the earlier-onset glaucoma observed in Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome patients.

Mutations in the Forkhead Box C1 (FOXC1) transcription factor gene are associated with Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS), a developmental disorder affecting structures in the anterior segment of the eye. Approximately 75% of ARS patients with FOXC1 mutations develop earlier-onset glaucoma. Constant exposure of the trabecular meshwork (TM), located in the anterior segment of the eye, to oxidative stress is predicted to be a risk factor for developing glaucoma. Stress-induced death of TM cells results in dysfunction of the TM, leading to elevated intraocular pressure, which is a major risk factor for developing glaucoma. FOXC1 is predicted to maintain homeostasis in TM cells by regulating genes that are important for stress response. In this study, we show that a member of the heat-shock 70 family of proteins, HSPA6, is a target gene of FOXC1. HSPA6 protein, which is only induced under severe oxidative stress conditions, has a protective function in human trabecular meshwork (HTM) cells. We also show that FOXC1 is anti-apoptotic as knocking down FOXC1 significantly decreases HTM cell viability. In addition, we show that FOXC1 itself responds to stress as exposure of cells to H2O2-induced oxidative stress reduces FOXC1 levels and activity. Conditions that decrease FOXC1 function, such as exposure of cells to oxidative stress and FOXC1 ARS mutations, compromise the ability of TM cells to effectively respond to environmental stresses. Dysfunction of FOXC1 contributes to the death of TM cells, an important step in the development of glaucoma.

The chemotherapeutic agent paclitaxel inhibits autophagy through two distinct mechanisms that regulate apoptosis.

Anti-mitotic agents such as paclitaxel and docetaxel are widely used for the treatment of breast, ovarian and lung cancers. Although paclitaxel induces apoptosis, this drug also modulates autophagy. How autophagy affects paclitaxel activity, is unclear. We discovered that paclitaxel inhibited autophagy through two distinct mechanisms dependent on cell cycle stage. In mitotic cells, paclitaxel blocked activation of the class III phosphatidyl inositol 3 kinase, Vps34, a critical initiator of autophagosome formation. In non-mitotic paclitaxel-treated cells, autophagosomes were generated but their movement and maturation was inhibited. Chemically or genetically blocking autophagosome formation diminished paclitaxel-induced cell death suggesting that autophagosome accumulation sensitized cells to paclitaxel toxicity. In line with these observations, we identified that primary breast tumors that expressed diminished levels of autophagy-initiating genes were resistant to taxane therapy, identifying possible mechanisms and prognostic markers of clinical chemotherapeutic resistance.

The BH3-only protein Bad confers breast cancer taxane sensitivity through a nonapoptotic mechanism.

Antimitotic agents such as taxanes (paclitaxel and docetaxel) have greatly advanced the treatment of breast cancer, although variable patient response and drug toxicity are major limitations. Lack of validated predictive markers for taxane responsiveness precludes a priori identification of patients who are most likely to respond to treatment; thus, a subset of patients endure toxic side effects with marginal benefit. Mechanistic insights into taxane therapeutic activity may lead to rational therapeutic improvements. In this paper we report that the proapoptotic BH3-only protein Bad has a major role in taxane-induced cell death in vitro, and clinically is a prognostic indicator for overall survival of breast cancer patients after adjuvant taxane chemotherapy. Unexpectedly, Bad did not induce the mitochondrial apoptotic machinery in response to taxane treatment. Instead, Bad indirectly facilitated cell death by stimulating cellular proliferation. As dividing cells are the targets of taxane therapy, Bad-stimulated proliferation may be a marker of taxane sensitivity. Our studies indicate that quantification of Bad protein levels may have value as a diagnostic tool. They also suggest that cells expressing Bad are more sensitive to taxanes because of their altered cell cycle dynamics and reveal a clinically relevant proliferative role of Bad in breast cancer.

Autotaxin protects MCF-7 breast cancer and MDA-MB-435 melanoma cells against Taxol-induced apoptosis.

Autotaxin (ATX) promotes cancer cell survival, growth, migration, invasion and metastasis. ATX converts extracellular lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) into lysophosphatidate (LPA). As these lipids have been reported to affect cell signaling through their own G-protein-coupled receptors, ATX could modify the balance of this signaling. Also, ATX affects cell adhesion independently of its catalytic activity. We investigated the interactions of ATX, LPC and LPA on the apoptotic effects of Taxol, which is commonly used in breast cancer treatment. LPC had no significant effect on Taxol-induced apoptosis in MCF-7 breast cancer cells, which do not secrete significant ATX. Addition of incubation medium from MDA-MB-435 melanoma cells, which secrete ATX, or recombinat ATX enabled LPC to inhibit Taxol-induced apoptosis of MCF-7 cells. Inhibiting ATX activity blocked this protection against apoptosis. We conclude that LPC has no significant effect in protecting MCF-7 cells against Taxol treatment unless it is converted to LPA by ATX. LPA strongly antagonized Taxol-induced apoptosis through stimulating phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and inhibiting ceramide formation. LPA also partially reversed the Taxol-induced arrest in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle. Our results support the hypothesis that therapeutic inhibition of ATX activity could improve the efficacy of Taxol as a chemotherapeutic agent for cancer treatment.

Granzyme B-mediated cytochrome c release is regulated by the Bcl-2 family members bid and Bax.

Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) destroy target cells through a mechanism involving the exocytosis of cytolytic granule components including granzyme B (grB) and perforin, which have been shown to induce apoptosis through caspase activation. However, grB has also been linked with caspase-independent disruption of mitochondrial function. We show here that cytochrome c release requires the direct proteolytic cleavage of Bid by grB to generate a 14-kD grB-truncated product (gtBid) that translocates to mitochondria. In turn, gtBid recruits Bax to mitochondria through a caspase-independent mechanism where it becomes integrated into the membrane and induces cytochrome c release. Our results provide evidence for a new pathway by which CTLs inflict damage and explain the caspase-independent mechanism of mitochondrial dysfunction.

Changes in endoplasmic reticulum luminal environment affect cell sensitivity to apoptosis.

To test the role of ER luminal environment in apoptosis, we generated HeLa cell lines inducible with respect to calreticulin and calnexin and investigated their sensitivity to drug-dependent apoptosis. Overexpression of calreticulin, an ER luminal protein, resulted in an increased sensitivity of the cells to both thapsigargin- and staurosporine-induced apoptosis. This correlated with an increased release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria. Overexpression of calnexin, an integral ER membrane protein, had no significant effect on drug-induced apoptosis. In contrast, calreticulin-deficient cells were significantly resistant to apoptosis and this resistance correlated with a decreased release of cytochrome c from mitochondria and low levels of caspase 3 activity. This work indicates that changes in the lumen of the ER amplify the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, and increase caspase activity, during drug-induced apoptosis. There may be communication between the ER and mitochondria, which may involve Ca(2+) and play an important role in conferring cell sensitivity to apoptosis. Apoptosis may depend on both the presence of external apoptosis-activating signals, and, as shown in this study, on an internal factor represented by the ER.

BID-dependent and BID-independent pathways for BAX insertion into mitochondria.

In the absence of an apoptotic signal, BAX adopts a conformation that constrains the protein from integrating into mitochondrial membranes. Here, we show that caspases, including caspase-8, can initiate BAX insertion into mitochondria in vivo and in vitro. The cleavage product of caspase-8, tBID, induced insertion of BAX into mitochondria in vivo, and reconstitution in vitro showed that tBID, either directly or indirectly, relieved inhibition of the BAX transmembrane signal-anchor by the NH2-terminal domain, resulting in integration of BAX into mitochondrial membrane. In contrast to these findings, however, Bid-null mouse embryo fibroblasts supported Bax insertion into mitochondria in response to death signaling by either TNFalpha or E1A, despite the fact that cytochrome c release from the organelle was inhibited. We conclude, therefore, that a parallel Bid-independent pathway exists in these cells for mitochondrial insertion of Bax and that, in the absence of Bid, cytochrome c release can be uncoupled from Bax membrane insertion.

Regulated targeting of BAX to mitochondria.

The proapoptotic protein BAX contains a single predicted transmembrane domain at its COOH terminus. In unstimulated cells, BAX is located in the cytosol and in peripheral association with intracellular membranes including mitochondria, but inserts into mitochondrial membranes after a death signal. This failure to insert into mitochondrial membrane in the absence of a death signal correlates with repression of the transmembrane signal-anchor function of BAX by the NH2-terminal domain. Targeting can be instated by deleting the domain or by replacing the BAX transmembrane segment with that of BCL-2. In stimulated cells, the contribution of the NH2 terminus of BAX correlates with further exposure of this domain after membrane insertion of the protein. The peptidyl caspase inhibitor zVAD-fmk partly blocks the stimulated mitochondrial membrane insertion of BAX in vivo, which is consistent with the ability of apoptotic cell extracts to support mitochondrial targeting of BAX in vitro, dependent on activation of caspase(s). Taken together, our results suggest that regulated targeting of BAX to mitochondria in response to a death signal is mediated by discrete domains within the BAX polypeptide. The contribution of one or more caspases may reflect an initiation and/or amplification of this regulated targeting.

Interactions of the human mitochondrial protein import receptor, hTom20, with precursor proteins in vitro reveal pleiotropic specificities and different receptor domain requirements.

Tom20 is part of a multiple component, dynamic complex that functions to import specific cytosolic proteins into or through the outer membrane of the mitochondrion. To analyze the contribution of Tom20 to precursor protein recognition, the cytosolic domain of the human mitochondrial import receptor, hTom20, has been expressed as a fusion protein with glutathione S-transferase and conditions established to measure specific interactions of the receptor component with precursor proteins in vitro. Reconstitution of receptor binding from purified components revealed that a prototypic matrix-destined precursor protein, pODHFR, interacts with Tom20 by a mechanism that is dependent on an active matrix targeting signal but does not require cytosolic components or ATP. Binding was influenced by both salt concentration and detergent. The effect of salt or detergent, however, varied for different precursor proteins. In particular, detergent selectively enhanced binding of pODHFR to receptor, possibly because of induced changes in the structure of the signal sequence. Finally, mutations were introduced into hTom20 which had a dramatic effect on binding of some precursor proteins but not on others. Taken together, the results suggest that hTom20 recognizes and physically interacts with precursor proteins bearing a diverse array of topogenic sequences and that such pleiotropic specificity for these precursor proteins may involve different domains within the receptor molecule.

Human mitochondrial import receptor, Tom20p. Use of glutathione to reveal specific interactions between Tom20-glutathione S-transferase and mitochondrial precursor proteins.

The cytosolic domain of the human mitochondrial protein import receptor, hTom20, has been expressed as a fusion protein with glutathione S-transferase (GST) in bacteria and the purified protein immobilized on Sepharose beads. To discriminate between specific binding of precursor proteins with the receptor and non-specific binding, precursors were recovered as a complex with GST-hTom20 following competitive elution from the beads with reduced glutathione. Here, we describe the specificity of this assay and demonstrate that the cytosolic domain of hTom20 interacts directly with the transcription-translation product of precursor proteins that bear a diverse array of targeting signals. Such proteins include a matrix protein (pODHFR), a polytopic integral protein of the inner membrane (uncoupling protein), a beta-barrel protein of the outer membrane (VDAC/porin) as well as bitopic integral proteins which are inserted into the outer membrane by either an NH2-terminal or COOH-terminal signal anchor sequence (yTom70(1-29)DHFR and Bcl-2, respectively).

The human mitochondrial import receptor, hTom20p, prevents a cryptic matrix targeting sequence from gaining access to the protein translocation machinery.

Yeast Mas70p and NADH cytochrome b5 reductase are bitopic integral proteins of the mitochondrial outer membrane and are inserted into the lipid-bilayer in an Nin-Ccyto orientation via an NH2-terminal signal-anchor sequence. The signal anchor of both proteins is comprised of a short, positively charged domain followed by the predicted transmembrane segment. The positively charged domain is capable of functioning independently as a matrix-targeting signal in yeast mitochondria in vitro but does not support import into mammalian mitochondria (rat or human). Rather, this domain represents a cryptic signal that can direct import into mammalian mitochondria only if proximal components of the outer membrane import machinery are removed. This can be accomplished either by treating the surface of the intact mitochondria with trypsin or by generating mitoplasts. The import receptor Tom20p (Mas20p/MOM19) is responsible for excluding the cryptic matrix-targeting signal from mammalian mitochondria since replacement of yeast Tom20p with the human receptor confers this property to the yeast organelle while at the same time maintaining import of other proteins. In addition to contributing to positive recognition of precursor proteins, therefore, the results suggest that hTom20p may also have the ability to screen potential matrix-targeting sequences and exclude certain proteins that would otherwise be recognized and imported by distal components of the outer and inner membrane protein-translocation machinery. These findings also indicate, however, that cryptic signals, if they exist within otherwise native precursor proteins, may remain topogenically silent until the precursor successfully clears hTom20p, at which time the activity of the cryptic signal is manifested and can contribute to subsequent translocation and sorting of the polypeptide.

Identification of the human mitochondrial protein import receptor, huMas20p. Complementation of delta mas20 in yeast.

The human homolog of the S. cerevisiaelN. crassa mitochondrial protein import receptor, Mas20p/MOM19, has been identified and characterized. Sequence similarities between these three proteins is most pronounced within the NH2-terminal third of the molecules. However, the mammalian protein exhibits only weak homology to the tetratricopeptide repeat B domain that is found in Mas20p/MOM19. huMas20p is targeted and inserted into the outer membrane of isolated rat heart mitochondria, in the Nin-Ccyto orientation. Antibodies directed against the soluble portion of huMas20p inhibited in vitro mitochondrial import of a diverse set of precursor proteins (including inner membrane uncoupling protein), but failed to block import of a fusion protein bearing the signal-anchor sequence of Mas20p itself. Finally, expression of huMAS20 complemented the respiratory defect of delta mas20 yeast cells. Together, these results demonstrate that huMAS20p is a component of the mammalian import apparatus.

A gene-type-specific enhancer regulates the carbamyl phosphate synthetase I promoter by cooperating with the proximal GAG activating element.

The rat carbamyl phosphate synthetase I gene is expressed in two cell types: hepatocytes and epithelial cells of the intestinal mucosa. The proximal promoter contains a single activating element, GAG, two repressor elements (sites I and III) and an anti-repressor element (site II). Although these elements together exhibit the potential for complex regulation, they are unable to confer tissue-specific promoter activity. Here we have identified a cell-type-specific enhancer that lies 10 kilobases upstream of the promoter. Unexpectedly, the enhancer also functioned in a gene-type-specific manner. The enhancer stimulated promoter activity exclusively through the proximal GAG element. Abrogation of GAG, either directly by mutation of GAG or indirectly by sites I and III repressors, abolished enhancer activation. Conversely, activation of the heterologous thymidine kinase promoter by the enhancer required the introduction of GAG. The requirement for GAG, therefore, functions to constrain the enhancer to a specific target promoter.

Interactions between repressor and anti-repressor elements in the carbamyl phosphate synthetase I promoter.

The proximal promoter of the rat carbamyl phosphate synthetase I gene contains four cis-acting regulatory regions, designated sites GAG, I, II, and III. The GAG site, which is located adjacent to the predicted TATA region, contains a direct repeat of the nonamer, GAGGAGGGG, and binds a factor which is unrelated to the other upstream binding site factors. Sites I-III, on the other hand, bind the same or similar factors, but with different affinities (site II > site III > site I). High affinity binding to site II requires the core octamer, GTTGCAAC. Sequential 5'-deletion of the promoter revealed that GAG is the predominant activating element in transient transfection analyses and, on its own, can sustain activity of a -67 promoter fragment. However, in the context of a -157 promoter in which the GTTGCAAC core of site II had been mutated, promoter activity was completely repressed, and this repression was due to sites I and III. Repression by sites I and III in the presence of mutated site II was relieved either by mutating sites I and III or by introducing a 76-bp random DNA fragment between GAG and site I. Our results suggest a model in which the carbamyl phosphate synthetase I promoter is controlled by a single activating element, GAG, and by two repressor elements, sites I and III. We conclude that the high affinity site II element binds an anti-repressor. Footprint analyses of the -157 promoter with and without a mutation of the GTTGCAAC element in site II suggest that the anti-repressor may interfere with the site I and site III repressors by quenching.

The carbamyl phosphate synthetase promoter contains multiple binding sites for C/EBP-related proteins.

The promoter of the gene (CPS) encoding rat carbamyl phosphate synthetase I has been mapped 5' to a segment of about 525 nucleotides upstream from the transcription start point and, when analyzed in liver nuclear extracts, contained six well-defined protein-recognition elements, designated CPS sites I-VI. All six elements were recognized, with varying affinities, by CAAT and enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP alpha) produced in bacteria. Oligodeoxyribonucleotides corresponding to CPS site II or to the C/EBP alpha-recognition element of the ALB promoter, site D, competed with the six CPS-promoter elements in footprinting assays. However, mutagenesis of the C/EBP alpha-recognition element, 5'-GTTGCAAC, at the core of site II was sufficient to abolish transactivation of the CPS promoter by C/EBP alpha in co-transfected HepG2 cells. These findings indicate that the CPS promoter contains multiple recognition elements for factors with DNA-binding specificities similar to C/EBP proteins. Activation by C/EBP alpha, however, requires promoter site II.

Factors interacting with the rat carbamyl phosphate synthetase promoter in expressing and nonexpressing tissues.

The proximal promoter of the rat carbamyl phosphate synthetase-encoding gene (CPS) contains at least six potential cis-acting regulatory elements (sites I-VI), as judged by DNase I footprint analysis using rat liver nuclear extracts; all six regions bind proteins with DNA recognition properties similar to those of CAAT and enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBP alpha) [Lagacé et al., Gene 118 (1992) 231-238]. In contrast, nuclear extracts from kidney, brain and spleen contain proteins that recognize CPS promoter sites II, V and VI, but not sites I, III and IV. Mutation of the octameric sequence (5'-GTTGCAAC) within site II, which is a recognition element for C/EBP alpha, abolished binding of nuclear proteins to site II oligodeoxyribonucleotides (oligos) in all tissues. As well, the site II mutation reduced the level of in vitro transcription from the CPS promoter by about 50% in liver and spleen nuclear extracts, but had a negligible effect in brain and kidney extracts. The fact that promoter activity was observed in extracts of tissues that do not express the endogenous CPS gene (i.e., brain, kidney and spleen) indicates that these tissues, nevertheless, contain factors with the potential to activate transcription through a limited number of CPS promoter elements. Tissue-specific regulation, therefore, must involve steps to prevent these factors from acting on the endogenous CPS promoter in situ.

Sequence, identification and characterization of cDNAs encoding two different members of the 18 kDa heat shock family of Zea mays L.

Heat-shocked maize seedlings (cv. Oh43) synthesize a characteristic set of heat-shock proteins (hsps) which include an 18 kDa family containing at least six major isoelectric variants. A cDNA library was constructed from poly(A)+ RNAs isolated from the radicles of heat-shocked maize seedlings and screened with a DNA fragment from the theoretical open reading frame of a putative Black Mexican Sweet maize hsp18 genomic clone. Two clones, cMHSP18-3 and cMHSP18-9, were isolated, and the RNA transcripts generated from them were translated into proteins which immunoreact with antibodies directed against the maize 18 kDa hsps and exhibit the same electrophoretic characteristics as two different members of the 18 kDa hsp family. Nucleotide sequence analyses of the cDNAs in these clones reveal that their 5' and 3' untranslated regions exhibit 33-34% identity and that their protein encoding regions share 93% identity. The deduced amino acid sequences of these clones show 90% identity, and the apparent molecular masses and isoelectric points of these proteins agree with those established for two different 18 kDa hsps, numbered 3 and 6. This report substantiates that at least two of the 18 kDa hsps in maize are products of different but related genes. Moreover, it establishes that transcripts for these proteins accumulate during heat shock and that both their nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences share extensive similarities with the class VI small hsps in soybean and with transcripts expressed during meiosis in Lilium.

Primary structure of human corticosteroid binding globulin, deduced from hepatic and pulmonary cDNAs, exhibits homology with serine protease inhibitors.

We have isolated and sequenced cDNAs for corticosteroid binding globulin (CBG) prepared from human liver and lung mRNAs. Our results indicate that CBG mRNA is relatively abundant in the liver but is also present in the lung, testis, and kidney. The liver CBG cDNA contains an open reading frame for a 405-amino acid (Mr 45,149) polypeptide. This includes a predominantly hydrophobic, leader sequence of 22 residues that precedes the known NH2-terminal sequence of human CBG. We, therefore, predict that the mature protein is composed of 383 amino acids and is a polypeptide of Mr 42,646. A second, in-frame, 72-base-pair cistron of unknown significance exists between the TAA termination codon for CBG and a possible polyadenylylation signal (AATAAA) located 16 nucleotides before the polyadenylylation site. The deduced amino acid sequence of mature CBG contains two cysteine residues and consensus sequences for the attachment of six possible N-linked oligosaccharide chains. The sequences of the human lung and liver CBG cDNAs differ by only one nucleotide within the proposed leader sequence, and we attribute this to a point mutation. No sequence homology was found between CBG and other steroid binding proteins, but there is a remarkable similarity between the amino acid sequences of CBG and of alpha 1-antitrypsin, and this extends to other members of the serpin (serine protease inhibitor) superfamily.

The cDNA-deduced primary structure of human sex hormone-binding globulin and location of its steroid-binding domain.

We have sequenced a cDNA for sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) isolated from a phage lambda gt11 human liver cDNA library. The library was screened with a radiolabeled rat androgen-binding protein (ABP) cDNA, and the abundance of SHBG cDNAs was 1 in 750,000 plaques examined. The largest human SHBG cDNA (1194 base-pairs) contained a reading frame for 381 amino acids. This comprised 8 amino acids of a signal peptide followed by 373 residues starting with the known NH2-terminal sequence of human SHBG, and ending with a termination codon. The predicted polypeptide Mr of SHBG is 40,509, and sites of attachment of one O-linked (residue 7) and two N-linked oligosaccharide (residues 351 and 367) chains were identified. Purified SHBG was photoaffinity-labeled with delta 6-[3H]testosterone and cleaved with trypsin. The labeled tryptic fragment was isolated by reverse-phase HPLC, and its NH2-terminal sequence was determined. The results suggest that a portion of the steroid-binding domain of SHBG is located between residue 296 and the 35 predominantly hydrophilic residues at the C-terminus of the protein.