PI3K-AKT, JAK2-STAT3 pathways and cell-cell contact regulate maspin subcellular localization.

BACKGROUND: Maspin (SERPINB5) is a potential tumor suppressor gene with pleiotropic biological activities, including regulation of cell proliferation, death, adhesion, migration and gene expression. Several studies indicate that nuclear localization is essential for maspin tumor suppression activity. We have previously shown that the EGFR activation leads to maspin nuclear localization in MCF-10A cells. The present study investigated which EGFR downstream signaling molecules are involved in maspin nuclear localization and explored a possible role of cell-cell contact in this process. METHODS: MCF-10A cells were treated with pharmacological inhibitors against EGFR downstream pathways followed by EGF treatment. Maspin subcellular localization was determined by immunofluorescence. Proteomic and interactome analyses were conducted to identify maspin-binding proteins in EGF-treated cells only. To investigate the role of cell-cell contact these cells were either treated with chelating agents or plated on different cell densities. Maspin and E-cadherin subcellular localization was determined by immunofluorescence. RESULTS: We found that PI3K-Akt and JAK2-STAT3, but not MAP kinase pathway, regulate EGF-induced maspin nuclear accumulation in MCF-10A cells. We observed that maspin is predominantly nuclear in sparse cell culture, but it is redistributed to the cytoplasm in confluent cells even in the presence of EGF. Proteomic and interactome results suggest a role of maspin on post-transcriptional and translation regulation, protein folding and cell-cell adhesion. CONCLUSIONS: Maspin nuclear accumulation is determined by an interplay between EGFR (via PI3K-Akt and JAK2-STAT3 pathways) and cell-cell contact. Video Abstract.

PI3K-AKT, JAK2-STAT3 pathways and cell–cell contact regulate maspin subcellular localization

Background Maspin (SERPINB5) is a potential tumor suppressor gene with pleiotropic biological activities, including regulation of cell proliferation, death, adhesion, migration and gene expression. Several studies indicate that nuclear localization is essential for maspin tumor suppression activity. We have previously shown that the EGFR activation leads to maspin nuclear localization in MCF-10A cells. The present study investigated which EGFR downstream signaling molecules are involved in maspin nuclear localization and explored a possible role of cell–cell contact in this process. Methods MCF-10A cells were treated with pharmacological inhibitors against EGFR downstream pathways followed by EGF treatment. Maspin subcellular localization was determined by immunofluorescence. Proteomic and interactome analyses were conducted to identify maspin-binding proteins in EGF-treated cells only. To investigate the role of cell–cell contact these cells were either treated with chelating agents or plated on different cell densities. Maspin and E-cadherin subcellular localization was determined by immunofluorescence. Results We found that PI3K-Akt and JAK2-STAT3, but not MAP kinase pathway, regulate EGF-induced maspin nuclear accumulation in MCF-10A cells. We observed that maspin is predominantly nuclear in sparse cell culture, but it is redistributed to the cytoplasm in confluent cells even in the presence of EGF. Proteomic and interactome results suggest a role of maspin on post-transcriptional and translation regulation, protein folding and cell–cell adhesion. Conclusions Maspin nuclear accumulation is determined by an interplay between EGFR (via PI3K-Akt and JAK2-STAT3 pathways) and cell–cell contact.

Photoacoustic spectroscopy as a tool for determination of food dyes: comparison with first derivative spectrophotometry.

Photoacoustic spectroscopy (PAS) was applied as a method to quantify dyed food samples, and was compared with First Derivative Spectrophotometry (FDS). The dyes Brilliant Blue (B), Sunset Yellow (S) and Tartrazine (T), which are common food additives, were employed for the comparisons. Polyester-type Polyurethane (PU) foam was used for extraction of the dyes from a solution containing the food matrix. For the spectrophotometric determinations, the adsorbed dyes were recovered by using dimethylformamide. The PAS measurements were carried out directly on the PU foam. The PAS method showed greater sensitivity, with detection limits of 0.028 mg L(-1) and 0.086 mg L(-1) for S and T, respectively, in the S+T mixture, and of 0.012 mg L(-1) and 0.068 mg L(-1) for B and T, respectively, in the B+T mixture. The values of relative error obtained for all the dyes were small: approximately 0.3-3.6% for the spectrophotometer, and approximately 0.1-2.9% for the PAS method. The PAS technique can be applied to the determination of the selected dyes in commercial food products, with some advantages: it reduces the number of analysis steps, it is a "green" method with less chemical waste, a minimal sample amount is needed, and it is non-destructive.

Lactogenic hormones and tenascin-C regulate C/EBPalpha and beta in mammary epithelial cells.

Mammary epithelial cell differentiation depends on lactogenic hormones, growth factors, and cell-cell and cell-substrate interactions, all of which modulate transcription factors essential for milk protein gene expression. The CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) family and the signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (Stat5) have been implicated in mammary epithelial cell growth and differentiation. We have investigated the effects of extracellular matrix components and lactogenic hormones on C/EBP and Stat5 activity. In the mammary gland, tenascin is expressed mainly during embryogenesis and carcinogenesis and in cell culture tenascin downregulates beta-casein gene expression. In HC11 mammary cells, we found that tenascin, but not laminin or fibronectin, specifically downregulated C/EBPalpha levels but had no effect on Stat5 amount or DNA binding activity. Furthermore, we found that the lactogenic hormones, glucocorticoids, prolactin, and insulin, had no effect on C/EBPalpha and C/EBPbeta protein levels but downregulated the DNA binding activity of the transcriptional repressor C/EBPbetaLIP. Thus, C/EBPalpha and beta are regulated by tenascin and lactogenic hormones in mammary epithelial cells.

Characterization of Stat5a and Stat5b homodimers and heterodimers and their association with the glucocortiocoid receptor in mammary cells.

The lactogenic hormones, i.e., prolactin and glucocorticoids, act in concert to stimulate transcription factors responsible for hormone-dependent milk protein gene expression. In the mammary gland, prolactin activates Stat5a and Stat5b and glucocorticoids activate the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that in mammary cells, Stat5a, Stat5b, and the GR are physically associated in vivo. The association is not dependent on lactogenic hormone treatment and is evident at all stages of mammary gland development. Immunodepletion experiments indicated that a fraction of GR and Stat5 proteins are not associated, suggesting that there are different intracellular pools of these proteins. Lactogenic hormone treatment of HC11 mammary cells resulted in tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat5a and Stat5b, dimerization, and rapid nuclear translocation of both Stat5 proteins. Following hormone treatment, Stat5a-Stat5b heterodimers were detected by their coimmunoprecipitation. In addition, immunodepletion experiments followed by gel shift analyses revealed the presence of active Stat5a and Stat5b homodimers. In mammary cells, Stat5b homodimers are less abundant than Stat5a homodimers. Although the GR does not bind the Stat5 DNA binding site directly, it could be detected with the Stat5-DNA complex. These results suggest that glucocorticoids affect milk protein gene expression via association of the GR with Stat5. Thus, there is a functional coupling between Stat-dependent and nuclear hormone receptor-dependent gene transcription.

Apoptosis is accompanied by changes in Bcl-2 and Bax expression, induced by loss of attachment, and inhibited by specific extracellular matrix proteins in mammary epithelial cells.

Mammary epithelial cells (MEC) undergo programmed cell death (PCD) when deprived of serum and growth factors at high cell density but not at low density. The addition of epidermal growth factor and insulin to serum-free medium (SFM) completely restores cell survival. In this report, we examine the role of cell-cell and cell-matrix interaction. When cell attachment is prevented, PCD is markedly accelerated. This effect is observed in cells collected at low or high density and is unaffected by calcium depletion. Cells plated in SFM on purified laminin, tenascin C, or collagen IV-coated dishes, as well as on dishes coated with endogenous extracellular matrix deposited by HC11 mammary cells, show reduced PCD. The addition of soluble laminin or tenascin C to suspension cultures of MECs also partially inhibits PCD. In contrast, no effect is seen with fibronectin or collagen I. These results indicate that reduced contact with a solid substrate contributes to the induction of PCD, which might partially explain the fact that it is only observed in confluent cultures. Ectopic Bcl-2 expression in MCF-10-A and HC11 mammary cells results in a complete suppression of PCD. In MCF-10-A cells, the level of endogenous Bcl-2 increases when the survival factors epidermal growth factor and insulin are added to the SFM but is unaffected by cell density. On the contrary, Bax protein expression increases sharply with cell density but does not change upon addition of epidermal growth factor and insulin. When compared to lactating tissue, Bcl-2 protein levels decrease during mammary gland involution. Bax protein levels increase during lactation and remain high during involution. These data suggest that Bcl-2 and Bax might be intracellular mediators of signals that influence MEC apoptosis.

Prolactin mediated intracellular signaling in mammary epithelial cells.

Prolactin binds to a member of the cytokine receptor superfamily. The cytoplasmic domain of the prolactin receptor (PrlR) displays no enzymatic activity yet prolactin treatment leads to the induction of protein tyrosine phosphorylation. PrlR is associated with JAK2, a protein tyrosine kinase whose activity is stimulated following receptor dimerization. JAK2 subsequently phosphorylates PrlR and other cellular proteins which are recruited to the activated receptor complex. Among the JAK2 substrates is the transcription factor Stat5 whose phosphorylation mediates the transcriptional activation of beta-casein gene expression. In this review we discuss the prolactin induced signaling pathways which mediate differentiation of the mammary gland.

The lysosomal-associated membrane protein LAMP-1 is a novel differentiation marker for HC11 mouse mammary epithelial cells.

HC11 cells are a model for mammary epithelial cell differentiation. Following treatment with the lactogenic hormones glucocorticoids, insulin and prolactin the HC11 cells synthesize milk proteins. Stereological analysis at the ultrastructural level suggested that lysosomal biogenesis was activated following lactogenic hormone treatment of HC11 cells. Differentiation was also accompanied by an increase in the cellular content of tri- and tetra-antennary oligosaccharides, which were reactive with isolectin L4 from Phaseolus vulgaris (L-PHA). The lysosomal-associated membrane glycoproteins LAMP-1 and LAMP-2 are the major carriers of this glycosylation pattern. An analysis of LAMP-1 and LAMP-2 expression levels showed that there was a dramatic increase in LAMP-1 following lactogenic hormone treatment of HC11 cells. The control of LAMP-1 expression is mainly post-transcriptional since the level of LAMP-1 RNA is not affected by lactogenic hormones. Stereological analysis also showed an increase in intermediate filament control of differentiated cells. Analysis of the cytokeratins expressed in differentiated cells suggests that HC11 cells have characteristics of a mammary-specific stem cell. Increase in lysosomal vesicles and their contents might play a role in intra- and extra-cellular remodeling, which is characteristic of cell differentiation.

Lactogenic hormone activation of Stat5 and transcription of the beta-casein gene in mammary epithelial cells is independent of p42 ERK2 mitogen-activated protein kinase activity.

HC11 mammary epithelial cells have been used to characterize molecular events involved in the regulation of milk protein gene expression. Treatment of HC11 cells with the lactogenic hormones prolactin, insulin, and glucocorticoids results in transcription of the beta-casein gene. Prolactin induces a signaling event which involves tyrosine phosphorylation of the mammary gland factor, Stat5, a member of the family of signal transducers and activators of transcription (Stat). Here we show that HC11 cells express two Stat5 proteins, Stat5a and Stat5b. Phosphopeptide and phosphoamino acid analysis of Stat5a and Stat5b immunoprecipitated from phosphate-labeled HC11 cells revealed that both proteins were constitutively phosphorylated on serine. Lactogenic hormone treatment resulted in the appearance of a tyrosine-phosphorylated peptide in both Stat5 proteins. Consistent with this observation, a Western blot analysis of Stat5a and Stat5b showed that lactogenic hormones induced a rapid, transient increase in phosphotyrosine which paralleled the binding of Stat5 to its cognate recognition sequence in the beta-casein gene promoter. Lactogenic hormone treatment of the HC11 cells also led to a rapid activation of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway. We examined the role of this pathway in beta-casein transcription using a specific MAP kinase kinase inhibitor, PD98059. Concentrations of PD98059 which completely abrogated lactogen-induced MAP kinase activation did not affect the phosphorylation state of Stat5, its DNA binding activity, or transcriptional activation of a beta-casein reporter construct. This indicates that the MAP kinase pathway does not contribute to lactogenic hormone induction of the beta-casein gene.

Growth, differentiation and survival of HC11 mammary epithelial cells: diverse effects of receptor tyrosine kinase-activating peptide growth factors.

The HC11 mouse mammary epithelial cells are a useful in vitro model of mammary cell differentiation. When treated with the lactogenic hormones mix dexamethasone, insulin and prolactin (DIP) these cells synthesize the milk protein beta-casein. HC11 cells express receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) of various subclasses. Here we present an analysis of the effect of their stimulation on growth, differentiation and survival. Growth conditions are an important part in the HC11 cell differentiation program. In order to respond optimally to DIP, cells must be grown to confluency in medium containing epidermal growth factor (EGF) plus insulin, at which stage the cells are defined as competent. During the growth phase all the peptide factors rested in this study: EGF, fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2, insulin, IGF-I, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and stem cell factor (SCF), stimulated MAP kinase (ERK2) activity and-DNA synthesis. However, not all factors were equivalent in promoting competency. Only FGF-2 replaced EGF during growth, while IGF-1 or SCF were able to substitute for insulin. PDGF replaced neither EGF nor insulin and was ineffective as a competence factor. The only peptide which could substitute for insulin in the lactogenic DIP mix and induce beta-casein synthesis was IGF-1, albeit at a high concentration. Competent cultures of HC11 cells maintained in serum-free medium in the presence of only dexamethasone and prolactin undergo apoptosis, which is prevented by the addition of either insulin, IGF-1, FGF-2, or EGF, but not PDGF or SCF. We conclude that in HC11 cells all peptide factors induce DNA synthesis but have distinct effects on differentiation and survival in HC11 cells.

Glycosylation of beta-1 integrins in B16-F10 mouse melanoma cells as determinant of differential binding and acquisition of biological activity.

Studying B16-F10 cells we could identify beta-1 integrins as laminin, fibronectin and collagen receptors. Gradient ionic strength elution analysis of affinity chromatography showed differential interactions between laminin-binding beta-1 integrins (two beta-1 polypeptides of 105 and 120 kDa) and fibronectin and collagen-binding beta-1 integrins (elution of one major beta-1 polypeptide of 120 kDa) and their respective ligands. To evaluate this diversity we submitted B16-F10 extracts to IEF and SDS-PAGE and found that one beta-1 integrin formed acidic and larger isoforms, while another formed basic and smaller isoforms. To study this difference we also submitted material eluted from WGA-Sepharose columns to IEF but now only the acidic beta-1 isoform was found. Extracts of B16-F10 treated with neuraminidase showed only the basic beta-1 isoform, suggesting that terminal sialic acid residues may be responsible for this acidic pattern, an interpretation supported by the fact that MAA (Maackia ammurensis agglutinin) reacts only with the acidic isoform. Differential glycosylation of beta-1 integrin isoforms in B16-F10 was also demonstrated since the smaller laminin-binding beta-1 integrin isoform reacted only with GNA (Galanthus nivalis agglutinin), whereas the mature larger form reacted with DSA (Datura stramonium agglutinin) and MAA; thus this heterogeneity of beta-1 chains is essentially due to variable glycosylation. Autoradiography and immunoblotting analysis of material separated by 2-dimensional electrophoresis show that only the processed forms of beta-1 integrins are expressed at the cell surface.

Laminin and tenascin assembly and expression regulate HC11 mouse mammary cell differentiation.

HC11 is a normal mouse mammary epithelial cell line that requires certain growth factors, such as EGF or bFGF, to respond optimally to lactogenic hormones and produce the differentiation marker beta-casein. Growth in insulin (Ins) or PDGF does not produce cells competent to respond to lactogenic hormones. Here we show that competency for differentiation is due at least in part to the modulation of extracellular matrix components. In particular we have studied laminin and tenascin. EGF alters endogenous laminin assembly. In addition, promotion of competency can be partially mimicked by plating HC11 cells on the E8 laminin fragment, which is able to induce lactogenic responsiveness in cells grown in the absence of EGF or bFGF. The production and assembly of tenascin is also dependent upon the growth conditions of the HC11 cells. EGF- or bFGF-grown competent cells produce tenascin but do not assemble it at the extracellular matrix as efficiently as Ins- or PDGF-grown, non-competent cells. This alteration apparently leads to a change in the cellular microenvironment that supports beta-casein production. In addition, when competent cells are plated on dishes coated with tenascin, lactogenic hormone induction of beta-casein is inhibited. The data suggest that tenascin assembly and beta-casein production are opposing features of a coordinated differentiation program of HC11 cells.