Biomedical subjects

J Schneikert

Publications and source records attributed to J Schneikert.

13 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

Cytoplasmic localization and the choice of ligand determine aggregate formation by androgen receptor with amplified polyglutamine stretch.

Polyglutamine tract expansion in androgen receptor is a recognized cause of spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA), an X-linked motor neuronopathy. Similar mutations have been identified in proteins associated with other neurodegenerative diseases. Recent studies have shown that amplified polyglutamine repeat stretches form cellular aggregates that may be markers for these neurodegenerative diseases. Here we describe conditions that lead to aggregate formation by androgen receptor with polyglutamine stretch amplification. In transfection experiments, the mutant, compared with the wild-type receptor, was delayed in its cytoplasmic-nuclear translocation and formed large cytoplasmic aggregates in the presence of androgen. The cytoplasmic environment appears crucial for this aggregation, since retention of both the wild-type and mutant receptors in this cellular compartment by the deletion of their nuclear localization signals resulted in massive aggregation. Conversely, rapid nuclear transport of both receptors brought about by deletion of their ligand binding domains did not result in aggregate formation. However, androgen antagonists that altered the conformation of the ligand binding domain and promoted varying rates of cytoplasmic-nuclear translocation all inhibited aggregate formation. This demonstrates that in addition to the cytoplasmic localization, a distinct contribution of the ligand binding domain of the receptor is necessary for the aggregation. The finding that antiandrogens inhibit aggregate formation may provide the basis for in vivo determination of the role of these structures in SBMA.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

BAG-1M: a potential specificity determinant of corticosteroid receptor action.

BAG-1M is a eukaryotic cochaperone that associates with several proteins, including the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). It down-regulates GR-mediated transactivation by a mechanism that requires its prior recruitment by the liganded receptor from cytoplasm into the nucleus. In the nucleus, it uses a repeated sequence motif ([EEX4]8) at its NH2 terminus to inhibit DNA binding, as well as transactivation functions of the receptor. The mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), a structural and functional homologue of the GR, is unable to translocate BAG-1M into the nucleus, and its transactivation function is also not affected by this protein. This differential regulation of GR and MR activity could be relevant in classic mineralocorticoid tissues such as the kidney in which GR activity needs to be repressed to allow the MR to exert its action. In in situ hybridization studies, we show that BAG-1M is expressed in the kidney. Its expression pattern, especially in the developing kidney, correlated well with that of the GR. We therefore postulate that BAG-1M may be a specificity determinant in GR and MR action, and may feature prominently in the control of GR activity in kidney development.

Aging↗

PubMed1999

A nuclear action of the eukaryotic cochaperone RAP46 in downregulation of glucocorticoid receptor activity.

RAP46 is a eukaryotic cochaperone that associates with several proteins, including the heat shock protein hsp70/hsc70 and the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). Here we show a downregulation of GR-mediated transactivation by RAP46 via a mechanism independent of a cytoplasmic action of this cochaperone. We demonstrate a specific cytoplasmic-nuclear recruitment of RAP46 by the liganded GR that results in inhibition of the transactivation function of the receptor. A repeated sequence motif [EEX(4)](8) at the NH(2) terminus of RAP46 or BAG-1L, a larger isoform of RAP46, is responsible for this downregulation of GR activity. BAG-1, a shorter isoform with only a duplication of the [EEX(4)] sequence, does not inhibit GR activity. The [EEX(4)](8) motif, when linked to an otherwise unrelated protein, abrogated the inhibitory action of endogenous RAP46 on GR-mediated transactivation. The nuclear effects of RAP46 and BAG-1L are specific since GR-mediated inhibition of AP-1 activity was not affected. These studies identify the [EEX(4)](8) sequence as a signature motif for inhibition of GR-mediated transactivation and demonstrate a specific nuclear action of a eukaryotic cochaperone in the regulation of GR activity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1998

RAP46 is a negative regulator of glucocorticoid receptor action and hormone-induced apoptosis.

RAP46 was first identified by its ability to bind the glucocorticoid receptor. It has since been reported to bind several cellular proteins, including the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, but the biological significance of these interactions is unknown. Here we show that RAP46 binds the hinge region of the glucocorticoid receptor and inhibits DNA binding and transactivation by the receptor. We further show that overexpression of RAP46 in mouse thymoma S49.1 cells inhibits glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis. Conversely, glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis and transactivation were enhanced after treating S49.1 cells with the immunosuppressant rapamycin, which down-regulates cellular levels of BAG-1, the mouse homolog of RAP46. The effect of rapamycin can, however, be overcome by overexpression of RAP46. These results together identify RAP46 as a protein that controls glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis through its negative regulatory action on the transactivation property of the glucocorticoid receptor.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

N-terminal sequences of the human androgen receptor in DNA binding and transrepressing functions.

Androgen receptor is a ligand binding transcription factor that controls several physiological processes ranging from the development of the male sexual organs to the acquisition of secondary sex characteristics. It is composed of a carboxy-terminal ligand binding domain, a centrally located DNA binding domain and an amino terminal modulator region. Detailed study on the DNA and carboxy-terminal regions have been carried out, but only limited information is available on the activity of the N-terminus. With the use of truncated and chimeric receptor constructs we have demonstrated in transient transfection experiments that the N-terminus of the androgen receptor contributes to DNA binding, transactivation and transrepression functions of the receptor. We have shown that specific sequences at the N-terminus are needed for transactivation but we were unable to identify discrete sequences in this region for the DNA binding and transrepression functions. Sequences from the transcription factor NFI/X3 that bear no homology to the N-terminus of the androgen receptor nevertheless functionally replaced it in enhancing DNA binding, transrepression but not transactivation functions of the receptor. Thus, it appears that the structure rather than sequence specific elements determines the contribution of the N-terminus of the androgen receptor to DNA binding and transrepression functions.

Binding Sites↗

PubMed1996

Androgen receptor-Ets protein interaction is a novel mechanism for steroid hormone-mediated down-modulation of matrix metalloproteinase expression.

Matrix metalloproteinases belong to a family of structurally related enzymes that plays important role in tissue morphogenesis, differentiation, and wound healing. Their expression is negatively regulated by several members of the steroid hormone receptor family. This is thought to occur through interaction of the steroid receptors with the transcription factor AP-1 that is otherwise required for positive regulation. Here, we demonstrate that AP-1 is not always a target for down-regulation of expression of matrix metalloproteinases by steroid receptors. Androgen receptor negatively regulates matrix metalloproteinase-1 expression not through AP-1 but through a family of Ets-related transcription factors that are also required for positive regulation. This negative regulation is specific for the androgen receptor. It does not require the DNA binding activity but needs amino-terminal sequences of the receptor. These results identify a novel regulatory pathway for negative regulation utilized by a member of the steroid hormone receptor family for down-regulating the expression of matrix metalloproteinases.

Androgens↗

PubMed1996

CAG-repeat expansion in androgen receptor in Kennedy's disease is not a loss of function mutation.

Expansion of CAG trinucleotide repeats in androgen receptor gene is present in patients with a rare X-linked inherited form of motor neuron disorder termed Kennedy's disease or spinal and bulbar muscular atrophy (SBMA). This is a late onset progressive disease often associated with mild signs of androgen insensitivity. Defects in androgen receptor (AR) action have been linked to the expansion of the CAG trinucleotide repeats and postulated to be the cause of the disease. We have identified a trinucleotide repeat of 45 in the N-terminus of the AR in two brothers with SBMA and several members in their family (range in the general population is 11-35). Treatment of the patients with androgens failed to improve their clinical symptoms and provided no hint of an anomalous function of the AR. Consistently, functional analysis of the mutant receptor showed hormone binding, transactivation and transrepression potentials identical to that of the wild-type receptor. These results together argue against SBMA being a loss of function mutation of the AR.

Androgens↗

PubMed1995

Two naturally occurring mouse alpha-1,2-mannosidase IB cDNA clones differ in three point mutations. Mutation of Phe592 to Ser592 is sufficient to abolish enzyme activity.

In mammalian cells, alpha-1,2-mannosidases play an essential role in the early steps of N-linked oligosaccharide maturation. We previously reported (Herscovics, A., Schneikert, J., Athanassiadis, A., and Moremen, K. W. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 9864-9871) the isolation of mouse alpha-mannosidase IB cDNA clones from a Balb/c 3T3 cDNA library. Clone 4 encodes a type II membrane protein of 641 amino acids with a cytoplasmic tail of 35 amino acids, followed by a transmembrane domain and a large C-terminal catalytic domain, whereas clone 16 encodes only the last 471 amino acids. Their overlapping sequences (from amino acid 152) are identical, except for three point mutations that result in three amino acid differences in the catalytic domain of the enzyme (Thr411, Leu468, and Ser592 in clone 4 to Met411, Phe468, and Phe592 in clone 16, respectively). Both sequences could be amplified by polymerase chain reaction using templates of cDNAs derived from colon and brain of CD1 mice and from L cells derived from the C3H/An mouse, indicating that both are natural isoforms found in two inbred and one outbred mouse strains. When expressed in COS7 cells as a secreted protein A fusion protein, the catalytic domain of clone 16 displays alpha-1,2-mannosidase activity using [3H]mannose-labeled Man9GlcNAc as substrate, but the corresponding region of clone 4 is poorly secreted under identical conditions. The contribution of each point mutation to this differential secretion and enzyme activity of the two fusion proteins was assessed by testing the six recombinants corresponding to all the possible sequence permutations. Mutation of Phe592 to Ser592, as found in clone 4, is sufficient to abolish alpha-1,2-mannosidase activity, whereas mutation of Met411 to Thr411 or of Phe468 to Leu468 affects secretion with relatively little effect on enzyme activity. Phe592 is part of a highly conserved region that seems important for enzyme activity of class 1 alpha-1,2-mannosidases.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1994

Isolation of a mouse Golgi mannosidase cDNA, a member of a gene family conserved from yeast to mammals.

The amino acid sequence of the specific alpha-mannosidase involved in N-oligosaccharide processing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was found to have a high degree of similarity to the deduced amino acid sequence of a rabbit liver alpha-mannosidase partial cDNA, demonstrating that processing mannosidases have been conserved through eukaryotic evolution. Regions of sequence identity were chosen to design degenerate oligonucleotide primers that can be used to prepare probes using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for cloning processing mannosidases from other eukaryotes. Using these primers for PCR with mouse liver cDNA as template, two related but distinct PCR products were obtained. The amino acid sequences of PCR1 and PCR2 were 88 and 65% identical with the corresponding sequence of the rabbit enzyme, respectively. Southern blot analysis of mouse genomic DNA using PCR1 and PCR2 as probes revealed that they are derived from two different genes, indicating the existence of a mammalian mannosidase gene family with at least two members. Using PCR2 as a probe, a novel mouse cDNA was isolated from a 3T3 cDNA library. It contains an open reading frame which encodes a type II membrane protein of 73 kDa with a cytoplasmic region of about 35 amino acids, a Ca2+ binding consensus sequence, and a single N-glycosylation site. Northern blot analysis of mouse tissues and L cells revealed tissue-specific expression of multiple transcripts, ranging in size from 4.2 to 8.5 kilobases, that suggests a complex pattern of gene regulation. Transient expression of the influenza hemagglutinin epitope-tagged cDNA in COS cells followed by indirect immunofluorescence with monoclonal antibody 12CA5 showed that the cloned mannosidase is primarily localized in a juxtanuclear position corresponding to the Golgi. The C-terminal domain lacking the putative transmembrane region was shown to have alpha-mannosidase activity when expressed in COS cells as a secreted Protein A fusion product.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1994

Characterization of a novel mouse recombinant processing alpha-mannosidase.

In previous work (Herscovics et al., J. Biol. Chem., 269, 9864-9871), a novel mouse alpha-mannosidase cDNA was isolated by homology, taking advantage of identical regions between the amino acid sequences of the yeast and rabbit liver processing alpha 1,2-mannosidases of different specificities to design degenerate oligonucleotides for reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction. The cDNA isolated from a mouse 3T3 cDNA library encodes a 73 kDa type II membrane protein with a cytoplasmic region of approximately 35 amino acids and a large C-terminal region that contains a consensus Ca(2+)-binding sequence. To study the properties of this enzyme, the C-terminal part lacking the transmembrane region (beginning at either amino acid 106 or 171) was transiently expressed in COS cells as a secreted protein A fusion protein, and the enzymatic properties of the fusion protein bound to IgG-Sepharose were investigated. The enzyme is an alpha 1,2-mannosidase that trims Man9GlcNAc to Man5 GlcNAc (where Man is mannose and GlcNAc is N-acetyl glucosamine). The activity requires divalent cations since it is greatly inhibited by ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA). Although Ca2+ is the most effective, the enzyme may also use Mg2+, Mn2+ or Co2+, but not Zn2+, which is inhibitory. The enzyme is inhibited by 1-deoxymannojirimycin, but not by swainsonine. We propose that this novel alpha 1,2-mannosidase cDNA encodes mouse Golgi alpha-mannosidase IB.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Two independent activation domains in c-Ets-1 and c-Ets-2 located in non-conserved sequences of the ets gene family.

The c-Ets-1 oncoprotein is a transcription activator that specifically binds to DNA. We show, using fusion proteins with heterologous DNA-binding domains, that chicken c-Ets-1 (p68) contains two independent activation domains. The N-terminal activation domain is absent in c-Ets-1 (p54) that is generated from an alternatively spliced mRNA. A closely related member of the ets gene family, c-Ets-2, also contains two separate activation domains. They lie in the regions of the protein that are least conserved with c-Ets-1, suggesting that the activating function will determine the different physiological roles of these two proteins. The activation domains of c-Ets-1 (p68) and -2 are separated by a moderately conserved region that does not activate on its own. These sequences appear to affect stimulation by the domains, suggesting that they regulate transcription activation. Competition experiments show that c-Ets-1 and -2 interact with a common limiting coactivator. These studies provide important clues about the physiological roles of closely related members of the ets gene family.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

Repression by Jun of the Polyoma-virus enhancer overrides activation in a cell specific manner.

The activities of promoters and enhancers are generated by the combinatorial effects of the factors which interact with them. The Polyoma virus (Py) enhancer contains sequences that are positively regulated by the proto-oncogene Jun. Surprisingly, Jun has an additional and overriding repressing effect on enhancer activity, which is cell specific. Thus overall enhancer activity cannot be simply deduced from the properties of individual elements. We present evidence that repression is indirect.

Blotting, Western↗

PubMed1990

Oncogene v-jun modulates DNA replication.

Cell transformation leads to alterations in both transcription and DNA replication. Activation of transcription by the expression of a number of transforming oncogenes is mediated by the transcription factor AP1 (Herrlich & Ponta, 1989; Imler & Wasylyk, 1989). AP1 is a composite transcription factor, consisting of members of the jun and fos gene-families. c-jun and c-fos are progenitors of oncogenes, suggestion that an important transcriptional event in cell transformation is altered activity of AP1, which may arise either indirectly by oncogene expression or directly by structural modification of AP1. We report here that the v-jun oncogene and its progenitor c-jun, as fusion proteins with the lex-A-repressor DNA binding domain, can activate DNA replication from the Polyoma virus (Py) origin of replication, linked to the lex-A operator. The transcription-activation region of v-jun is required for activation of replication. When excess v-jun is expressed in the cell, replication is inhibited or 'squelched'. These results suggest that one consequence of deregulated jun activity could be altered DNA replication and that there are similarities in the way v-jun activates replication and transcription.

Base Sequence↗