Decreased growth inhibitory responses of squamous carcinoma cells to interferon-gamma involve failure to recruit cki proteins into cdk2 complexes.

Interferon-gamma induces an irreversible growth arrest and squamous differentiation in normal human epidermal keratinocytes. We present for the first time a careful biochemical analysis of the cell-cycle-related events that occur during interferon-gamma treatment of normal human epidermal keratinocytes. The interferon-gamma-induced irreversible growth arrest state is characterized by inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinases, prevention of Rb and p130 (Rb2) phosphorylation, and increases in p27(Kip1), p16(Ink4a), and p130 proteins, together with a transient increase in p21(Waf1/Cip1). Cells derived from squamous cell carcinomas are less responsive to interferon-gamma and do not terminally differentiate. We exploited these differences in response to interferon-gamma in order to identify the particular molecular defects in cell cycle control that promote carcinogenesis in squamous epithelia. In several squamous cell carcinoma cell lines as well as in interferon-gamma-insensitive HaCaT cells, interferon gamma was unable to significantly induce levels of p130 and/or p16 protein. In addition, p21 association with cdk2 complexes was undetectable in either the absence or the presence of interferon-gamma and, unlike normal human epidermal keratinocytes, p27 association with cdk2 did not increase with interferon-gamma treatment. These multiple defects appear to be intrinsic to the mechanisms of cell cycle regulation rather than due to defects in the interferon-gamma signaling pathway, as induction of several interferon-gamma-responsive genes including Stat 1, IRF-1, and p21 itself was normal. Interestingly, exogenous expression of p21 protein in the squamous cell carcinoma cell lines by adenovirus carrying wildtype p53 or p21 cDNA cooperated with interferon-gamma to produce a greater inhibition of growth than either agent alone, even though p21 protein could barely be detected in cdk2 complexes. We conclude that squamous cell carcinoma cells have intrinsic defects in their ability to regulate cdk-cki complexes in response to differentiation signals.

c-Jun enhancement of cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate response element-dependent transcription induced by transforming growth factor-beta is independent of c-Jun binding to DNA.

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGFbeta) enhances transcription from reporter genes regulated by a single consensus cAMP-response element (CRE) upon transfection into the immortalized human keratinocyte cell line, HaCaT. Whereas both CRE-binding protein (CREB) and c-Jun present in extracts of unstimulated cells can complex with a CRE in gel-shift experiments, TGFbeta treatment increases the amount of c-Jun found in the complex. Overexpression of c-Jun is sufficient to increase CRE and GAL4-CREB-dependent transcription and mimics the stimulatory effects of TGFbeta on transcription from either reporter gene. Surprisingly, although a portion of CREB in unstimulated cells is phosphorylated on the activating serine residue, Ser-133, this level of phospho-CREB is not altered by TGFbeta treatment. In fact, the CREB-dependent transcriptional effects of TGFbeta or c-Jun do not require phosphorylation of Ser-133, although CREB-binding protein (CBP) is required as evidenced by the observation that the adenoviral oncoprotein E1A can block the effects of both agents. c-Jun enhancement of CRE or GAL4-CREB-dependent transcription neither requires the DNA-binding nor N-terminal domains of c-Jun. Collectively, these results are consistent with a model in which signaling pathways initiated by TGFbeta can stimulate CREB-dependent transcription by increasing the cellular concentration of c-Jun, which participates in activation of the CBP-containing transcription complex.

Up-regulation of p27Kip1, p21WAF1/Cip1 and p16Ink4a is associated with, but not sufficient for, induction of squamous differentiation.

Irreversible growth arrest is an early and integral part of squamous cell differentiation in normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEKs) and is assumed to be linked to the control of expression of differentiation-specific genes. In this study, we examine the link between the molecular events associated with growth arrest and the expression of differentiation genes. NHEKs that have been induced to undergo growth arrest and differentiation by suspension culture contain populations in both G1 and G2/M of the cell cycle. The irreversible growth arrest state in NHEKs is characterized by an accumulation of the hypophosphorylated forms of Rb and p130, with subsequent down-regulation of levels of Rb, up-regulation of p130 and associated down-regulation of E2F-regulated genes such as cyclin A. These events correlate with an inhibition of G1 cdk activity, mediated in part by an increase in the cdk inhibitors p21(WAF1/Cip1), p27(Kip1) and p16(Ink4a). Flow cytometric and immunoblot analysis demonstrated that the timing of the up-regulation of p27, p16 and p130 corresponds closely with the induction of the squamous-specific genes cornifin alpha (SPRR-1) and transglutaminase type I, suggesting a close link between control of growth arrest and differentiation. However, growth arrest induced by over-expression of p27, p21 or p16 by recombinant adenovirus is not sufficient to induce expression of the differentiation genes, or to invoke the pattern of cell cycle regulatory protein expression characteristic of the differentiation-specific irreversible growth arrest. We conclude that growth arrest mediated by activation of the Rb pathway is not sufficient to trigger terminal squamous differentiation and additional signals which can be generated during suspension culture are required to promote the complete differentiation program.

The role of p27Kip1 in gamma interferon-mediated growth arrest of mammary epithelial cells and related defects in mammary carcinoma cells.

Interferon gamma (IFNgamma) induces growth arrest in normal human mammary epithelial cells by establishing a block during mid-G1 corresponding to the time when the retinoblastoma protein (Rb) would normally be inactivated by hyperphosphorylation. IFNgamma inhibits the kinase activities of cdk2, cdk4 and cdk6 within 24 h of treatment. Protein levels of the cdks and G1 cyclins do not change within this time period, although cdk4 levels are significantly reduced by 48 h. IFNgamma treatment induces p27Kip1 protein levels, presumably by a post-transcriptional mechanism as no change was observed in the mRNA levels. In addition, IFNgamma-induced inhibition of cdk2 and cyclin E-associated kinase activities is accompanied by a 4.5-fold or greater increase of p27Kip1 in cdk2 complexes. p27 may also have a role in the inhibition of cdk4/6 kinase activities, as p27 protein associated with these complexes was increase by 55-70% after IFNgamma. In mammary carcinoma cell lines which are resistant to growth inhibition by IFNgamma, p27 levels are not induced by IFNgamma nor is cdk2 kinase activity inhibited, despite high baseline levels of p27 in cdk2 complexes. However, exogenous expression of p27 in these cells induces growth arrest. In addition, purified p27 protein added to cdk2 complexes immunoprecipitated from carcinoma cells is able to inhibit the kinase activity in a dose dependent manner. Our results suggest that p27Kip1 has a role in mediating IFNgamma-induced terminal growth arrest. Resistance of mammary carcinomas to growth inhibition by IFNgamma does not appear to involve resistance of cdk2 complexes to the action of p27, but rather an inability to appropriately regulate the balance of cdk2, cyclin E and p27 levels.

Epidermal differentiation and squamous metaplasia: from stem cell to cell death.

Epidermal differentiation is a multi-step process defined by a cascade of interrelated changes in the expression of growth-regulatory and differentiation-specific genes (Fig. 1). Irreversible growth arrest is an early event in epidermal differentiation which occurs when cells transit from the basal to the innermost suprabasal layer of the skin and begin to express squamous-specific genes. In culture, interferon gamma, phorbol esters, confluence and growth in suspension are effective signals to induce irreversible growth arrest and differentiation. The induction of differentiation-specific genes occurs either concomitantly with or following growth arrest and is believed to be linked to the molecular events that control irreversible growth arrest. Such a link has been demonstrated in other cell systems undergoing terminal differentiation, such as myogenesis and adipogenesis. Genes encoding proteins involved in the formation of the cross-linked envelope are one set of squamous-specific genes which are induced in the suprabasal layers and include transglutaminase I and III, involucrin, loricrin and cornifins/small proline-rich proteins. Squamous-specific genes exhibit not only different patterns of tissue-specific expression but are also induced at different stages during differentiation, suggesting that transcription of individual genes is regulated by distinct mechanisms. The latter is supported by the identification of different sets of regulatory elements controlling the transcription of these genes. The importance of understanding both the mechanisms that regulate growth arrest and the differentiation program is emphasized by the association found between specific skin diseases and genetic alterations in growth-regulatory genes as well as differentiation markers. In addition, studies into those mechanisms will provide insight into the control of squamous metaplasia and the development of squamous cell carcinomas.

Gamma-interferon induces an irreversible growth arrest in mid-G1 in mammary epithelial cells which correlates with a block in hyperphosphorylation of retinoblastoma.

In this study, we analyze effects of IFN-gamma on the proliferation of normal human mammary epithelial cells (MECs) and several mammary carcinoma cell lines. We demonstrate that IFN-gamma blocks the proliferation of MECs in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. This growth arrest is irreversible and occurs at a specific stage in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. IFN-gamma caused a rapid (within 12-24 h) down-regulation of cyclin A, c-myc, and cdc2 proteins, as well as a disappearance of hyperphosphorylated forms of the retinoblastoma family proteins, Rb and p130. The synthesis of several other growth control proteins, p53, p21/Waf1, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen, was down-regulated between 24 and 48 h. In MECs synchronized by epidermal growth factor deprivation and released for cell cycle traverse by re-addition of epidermal growth factor to the medium, IFN-gamma was able to block DNA synthesis only if added in the first 6 to 7 h after epidermal growth factor. The block in Rb phosphorylation and cyclin A expression was coordinately regulated during the same narrow window of G1. Several mammary carcinoma cell lines demonstrated resistance to the growth-inhibitory effects of IFN-gamma and did not exhibit down-regulation of cdc2 and cyclin A expression or a change in hyperphosphorylation of Rb when treated with IFN-gamma. Initial studies suggest, in some carcinoma cell lines, that resistance to IFN-gamma may be caused by defects in the IFN-gamma signal transduction pathway (measured by expression of the IFN-gamma-responsive gene GBP), while resistance in others may be due to defects in cell cycle regulatory proteins that are the targets of IFN-gamma action.

Serum response element and flanking sequences mediate the synergistic transcriptional activation of c-fos by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate and cholera toxin in AKR-2B cells.

12-O-Tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and cholera toxin have been shown previously to act synergistically to stimulate traverse of G0-G1 and entry into S phase in quiescent mouse fibroblasts. These agents also have a synergistic effect on the induction of the endogenous c-fos gene, as well as a transfected reporter construct containing the mouse fos promoter/enhancer region from -397 to +1 cloned upstream of luciferase. A detailed mutational analysis of the c-fos-regulatory region revealed that the synergy between TPA and cholera toxin requires multiple discrete elements, including the binding sites for the serum response factor (-308 to -299), p62/Elk-1 (-316 to -309), on the 5' side of the serum response element, and a CCAAT or E box-binding protein(s) on the 3'-flanking side of the serum response element (-303 to -295 or -297 to -292, respectively). The putative cyclic AMP response element (-65 to -58), shown to be activated in a number of cell types after increases in cyclic AMP levels, mediated an induction by TPA but not by cholera toxin in AKR-2B cells, and was not required for the synergistic transactivation induced by the combination of TPA and cholera toxin.