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Biomedical subjects

M Obinata

Publications and source records attributed to M Obinata.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

A novel stromal cell-dependent B lymphoid stem-like cell line that induces immunoglobulin gene rearrangement.

A stroma-dependent B lymphoid cell line (B31-1) has been established by coculturing sorted stem cells on a novel bone marrow stromal cell line (TBR31-1). B31-1 cells express B220, but do not express other B lymphoid differentiation markers including CD43, heat stable antigen (HSA), or surface immunoglobulin (Ig) M (sIgM), and their Ig heavy chain (IgH) gene loci are germ-line in configuration. The addition of interleukin (IL)-7 or coculture with another stromal cell line, ST2, induces D-J rearrangement of the IgH gene and B lymphocyte differentiation markers. B31-1 cells restore an in vivo repopulation activity to lethally irradiated mice, and the repopulated cells differentiate to HSA+ pre-B cells.Continuous coculture results in two distinct populations, B220(-) c-Kit+ cells and B220(+) c-Kit+ cells; B220(-) c-Kit+ cells are self-renewed and differentiate to B220(+) c-Kit+ cells, while B220(+) c-Kit+ cells produce only B220(+) c-Kit+ cells. Both B220(-) and B220(+) cells similarly express the IgH germ-line transcript (Imu), mRNAs for recombinase (TdT, Rag-1, and Rag-2), and lymphoid-specific transcription factors (Pax-5, EBF, E12/E47, Oct-2, and Ikaros), but the DNA binding activity of Pax-5, EBF, Oct-2, and E2A are low in B220(-) cells and while high in B220(+) cells. These results suggest the existence of at least two active states in the IgH locus before the induction of IgH gene rearrangement during B lymphopoietic development.

Animals↗

Human p53-p51 (p53-related) fusion protein: a potent BAX transactivator.

We recently discovered human p51, a new gene structurally and functionally related to human p53. This gene encodes two major splicing variants, p51A and p51B, which differ in their carboxyl-terminal structure. However, p51A shows strong transactivation potential, while p51B has only weak potential. To clarify the reason for this difference, we made chimeric gene constructs expressing fusion proteins of p53-p51A and p53-p51B, having an N-terminus of p53 and a C-terminus of p51A or p51B, respectively. In a BAX promoter-luciferase assay using p53-deficient SAOS-2 cells, they exhibited up to 30-fold stronger transactivation potential than p53 and p51A themselves, suggesting that the C-terminus of p51B does not simply serve as a repressor. We obtained similar results with p21WAF1 promoter-reporter plasmids. These chimeras will be valuable tools for gene therapy.

Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21↗

Establishment of SV40-tsA58 transgenic rats as a source of conditionally immortalized cell lines.

To isolate a variety of rat cell lines with differentiated functions, we established transgenic rat lines expressing the temperature-sensitive large T-antigen of simian virus 40 (SV40) tsA58 mutant under the control of the SV40 large T-antigen itself. We microinjected the DNA into 564 eggs of Wistar rat and 23 independent transgenic candidates were obtained. Ten pups died before weaning and eight transgenic rats could not transmit the transgene to the progeny. Finally, five lines of the transgenic rat were established. Although one line (#1511-6) had low reproductivity, the other four lines reproduced normally. Three out of the four lines (#1507-2, #1509-7, #1519-8) appeared normal but the other line had tumors in the brain and subcutaneous tissue at 3 weeks of age (#1511-6), and in the kidneys and subcutaneous tissue at 18 to 19-weeks of age (#1507-5). Fibroblast cells prepared from transgenic fetuses of lines #1507-5 and #1519-8 expressed the transgene and exhibited temperature-dependent growth. Both of the lines (#1507-5 and #1519-8) were successfully generated to be homozygous by sibling mating of transgenic offspring. These transgenic rat lines have bred through many generations and have been established to be a ready source of novel conditionally immortalized cell lines.

Animals↗

Identification of Bach2 as a B-cell-specific partner for small maf proteins that negatively regulate the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene 3' enhancer.

Maf family transcription factors are important regulators in various differentiation systems. Putative Maf recognition elements (MAREs) are found in the 3' enhancer region of the immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) gene. These elements are bound in B-cell extracts by a heterodimeric protein complex containing both Bach2 and a small Maf protein. Analysis of normal hematopoietic cells revealed that Bach2 is specifically expressed in B cells. Bach2 is abundantly expressed in the early stages of B-cell differentiation and turned off in terminally differentiated cells. Bach2 acts together with MafK as a negative effector of the IgH 3' enhancer and binds to the co-repressor SMRT (silencing mediator of retinoid and thyroid receptor). Hence the Bach2-small-Maf heterodimer may represent the first example of a B-cell lineage, and of a developmental stage-restricted negative effector of the MARE in the IgH 3' enhancer region.

B-Lymphocytes↗

Direct association of YY-1 with c-Myc and the E-box binding protein in regulation of glycophorin gene expression.

We previously reported that YY-1, a versatile transcription factor, regulates expression of glycophorin gene by binding to its locus control region-like region (Gp-LCR) in combination with E-box binding protein during murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cell differentiation. In the present work, we demonstrated that YY-1 and c-Myc, a nuclear oncoprotein, were physically associated in vivo and that down regulation of c-Myc liberated free YY-1 from its complex, resulting in the functional binding of YY-1 to the Gp-LCR. We also showed that the E-box binding protein (EBP) which bound to E-box was physically associated with YY-1, facilitated binding of YY-1 to the neighboring site and their combinatorial binding may stimulate the GpLCR mediated enhancement of erythroid-specific transcription of glycophorin gene in MEL cells.

Animals↗

Involvement of NK1+ T cells and their IFN-gamma production in the generalized Shwartzman reaction.

IL-12 (or LPS) priming and subsequent challenge by LPS produces the generalized Shwartzman reaction. IFN-gamma induced by IL-12 is a crucial cytokine in the priming phase. In vivo depletion of both NK cells and NK1+ alphabeta T cells of mice by anti-NK1.1 Ab greatly reduced the elevation of serum IFN-gamma induced by IL-12 and significantly reduced mortality after subsequent injection of LPS, whereas depletion of NK cells alone by anti-asialo GM1 Ab only partially decreased serum IFN-gamma, and lethality was not changed. Cell sorting and culture experiments confirmed that liver NK1+ alphabeta T cells of IL-12-injected mice produced greater amounts of IFN-gamma than did liver NK cells. MHC class I-deficient mice of C57BL/6 background, which lack a majority of NK1+ alphabeta T cells, produced low amounts of IFN-gamma by IL-12; no mortality was observed after the LPS challenge. However, production of TNF-alpha in the second phase (after LPS challenge) was not inhibited by depletion of NK cells alone or both subsets. IL-12 and subsequent LPS challenge activated NK1+ alphabeta T cells in the liver and induced strong cytotoxicity of these cells not only against tumor cells (including Fas-negative tumors) but also against a syngeneic hepatocyte cell line. Our findings show that IFN-gamma produced by NK1+ alphabeta T cells is essential for the IL-12 priming of the Shwartzman reaction, and the autoreactivity of NK1+ alphabeta T cells in the liver is involved in the hepatic disorders that are sometimes caused by IL-12, LPS, or the generalized Shwartzman reaction.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Cloning and functional analysis of human p51, which structurally and functionally resembles p53.

The p53 tumor suppressor gene, which is induced by DNA damage and/or stress stimuli, causes cells to undergo G1-arrest or apoptotic death; thus it plays an essential role in human carcinogenesis. We have searched for p53-related genes by using degenerate PCR, and have identified two cDNA fragments similar to but distinct from p53: one previously reported, p73, and the other new. We cloned two major splicing variants of the latter gene and named these p51A and p51B (a human homologue of rat Ket). The p51A gene encodes a 448-amino-acid protein with a molecular weight of 50.9 kDa; and p51B, a 641-amino-acid protein with a molecular weight of 71.9 kDa. In contrast with the ubiquitous expression of p53, expression of p51 mRNA was found in a limited number of tissues, including skeletal muscle, placenta, mammary gland, prostate, trachea, thymus, salivary gland, uterus, heart and lung. In p53-deficient cells, p51A induced growth-suppression and apoptosis, and upregulated p21waf-1 through p53 regulatory elements. Mutations in p51 were found in some human epidermal tumors.

Alternative Splicing↗

Integrin-associated protein (IAP, also termed CD47) is involved in stroma-supported erythropoiesis.

Erythropoiesis is regulated by the hematopoietic microenvironment of the spleen, fetal liver, and bone marrow in mice. We previously showed that established stromal cells from these organs selectively support erythropoiesis in vitro. To identify the cell surface molecule(s) on the stromal cells involved in erythropoiesis, we raised monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to MSS62 stromal cells derived from newborn spleen and obtained MAb100.1, which partially inhibited the stroma-supported erythropoiesis in vitro. Using an expression cDNA library of MSS62 cells, we cloned a gene encoding the protein recognized by MAb100.1 and identified it as integrin-associated protein (IAP, also termed CD47), which may play a general role in integrin-mediated signal transduction. IAP/CD47 is expressed in the stromal cells of spleen, fetal liver, and bone marrow, and in a variety of hematopoietic cells including erythroblasts. Thus, IAP may be partly involved in the erythropoietic supporting ability of the stromal cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Involvement of stromal membrane-associated protein (SMAP-1) in erythropoietic microenvironment.

Erythropoiesis is regulated by the hematopoietic microenvironment of the spleen and fetal liver in mice. We showed that established stromal cells of these organs selectively support erythropoiesis in vitro. To identify the cell surface molecule(s) on the stromal cells involved in erythropoiesis, we raised monoclonal antibodies against the stromal cells. Using one of these antibodies (11D), we cloned a new gene named smap-1 (stroma membrane-associated protein-1). The SMAP-1 protein deduced from the nucleotide sequence of the cDNA was a newly identified membrane protein with direct repeats of the KKD/E units found in MAP1A and MAP1B, which is involved in the association with microtubules. By transfection of the anti-sense smap-1 cDNA into the stromal cells, we showed that SMAP-1 may have a stimulatory effect on stroma-supported erythropoiesis. Its expression was detected in the yolk sac, fetal liver, spleen, and bone marrow, and was correlated with their erythropoietic activity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Establishment and characterization of tracheal epithelial cell lines, TM01 and TM02-3, from transgenic mice bearing temperature-sensitive simian virus 40 large T-antigen gene.

Murine tracheal epithelial cell lines, TM01 and TM02-3, were established from a primary culture of tracheal cells of adult transgenic mice bearing a temperature-sensitive simian virus (SV40) large T-antigen gene. Both TM01 and TM02-3 cells, which grew until confluent monolayers were formed, maintained tight contact with neighboring cells, and retained the characteristics of epithelial cells with microvilli on the surface. These cells grew at a permissive temperature (33 degrees C), but did not at a nonpermissive temperature (39 degrees C), indicating that TM01 and TM02-3 cells undergo temperature-sensitive growth. Large T-antigen was expressed only in the nuclei at 33 degrees C. Sepharose CL-4B column chromatography using a 14C-glucosamine hydrochloride, indicating that both cells produced high molecular weight glycoconjugates, and suggesting that these cells may originate from mucus-producing cells. TM01 cells expressed intercellular adhesion molecular-1 (ICAM-1) in both unstimulated and stimulated (1,000 U/ml tumor necrosis factor-alpha and 500 U/ml interferon-gamma) conditions, whereas TM02-3 cells expressed ICAM-1 only under stimulated conditions. We conclude that these cell lines may serve as a useful model to study the tracheal cell functions under defined in vitro conditions.

Animals↗

Regulation of myeloid and lymphoid development of hematopoietic stem cells by bone marrow stromal cells.

Development of hematopoietic stem cells is regulated by stromal cells of the bone marrow. Many stromal cell lines have been established from temperature-sensitive SV40 large T-antigen gene transgenic mice and used to examine regulation of the purified stem cells. When the sorted stem cells were cocultured on the stromal cell layers, cobblestone formation was induced by the stromal cells. The cobblestones were formed by finite cell division (8 divisions on average) of sorted Lin- c-Kit+ Sca1+ stem cells committed to myeloid or lymphoid lineages. These stromal cell lines showed variable activities supporting the stem cell development. In one stromal cell line, TBR59, two waves of cobblestone formation committed to either myeloid lineage or lymphoid lineage were induced. TBR31-1, another bone marrow stromal cell line, induced only the cobblestone formation committed to lymphoid lineage. These results indicate that the bone marrow stromal cells selectively induce lineage-specific commitment of the stem cells. Both cobblestone formations require c-Kit function as well as adhesive interaction through VLA4 and VCAM1.

Animals↗

Selective proliferation of lymphoid cells from lineage-c-Kit+ Sca-1+ cells by a clonal bone marrow stromal cell line.

To understand the regulatory mechanisms involved in the development of hematopoietic stem cells, we cultured lineage-negative, c-Kit+ Sca-1+ stem cells sorted from bone marrow cells by a fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) on layers of bone marrow stromal cell lines established from SV40 T-antigen gene transgenic mice. We previously reported that the TBR59 stromal cell line induced two sequential cobblestone formations: the first formation committed to the myeloid and the second to the lymphoid lineage. After examination of many other bone marrow stromal cell lines, we found that TBR31-1 stromal cells supported only lymphoid development of the sorted stem cells. The sorted stem cells proliferated by forming cobblestones and the cells were released from the cobblestones. Most released cell populations were B220-positive lymphoid cells; cell production continued for 2 months. Addition of G-CSF or M-CSF produced only a slight effect on myeloid development. FACS analysis of the released cells showed that the B-lymphoid-committed progenitors developed into mature B-cells by expressing surface immunoglobulin M. These results indicate that TBR31-1 bone marrow stromal cells selectively support B-lymphoid development, whereas TBR59 cells support both myeloid and lymphoid development of stem cells.

Animals↗

Novel smooth muscle cell lines from transgenic mice harboring temperature-sensitive SV40 large T-antigen gene. Temperature-dependent expression of smooth muscle myosin heavy chain-1 and calponin genes.

We have established novel vascular smooth muscle cell lines (SVS30 and SVS24 cells) which retain the expression of specific markers for smooth muscle cells, such as alpha-actin, smooth muscle myosin heavy chain-1, and calponin, from transgenic mice harboring the temperature-sensitive SV40 large T-antigen gene. SVS cell lines showed temperature-dependent growth and the expression of SV40 large T-antigen. Interestingly, protein and mRNA levels of smooth muscle myosin heavy chain-1 and calponin seen in culture at the non-permissive temperature (39 degrees C) were higher than those at the permissive temperature (33 degrees C). These results suggest that SV40 large T-antigen affects the expression of smooth muscle-specific markers in SVS cell lines, and that some of the characters in SVS cell lines can be controlled by culture temperature. SVS cell lines should be quite valuable tools with which to study the regulation of phenotypic modulation of smooth muscle cells, and to identify smooth muscle specific transcription factors which involve the expression of smooth muscle myosin heavy chain-1 and calponin genes.

Animals↗

Conditionally immortalized cell lines with differentiated functions established from temperature-sensitive T-antigen transgenic mice.

A variety of cell lines with differentiated functions are required to study tissue functions at cellular and molecular levels. Using transgenic mice harbouring ubiquitously expressing the temperature-sensitive T-antigen (ts T-antigen) gene of simian virus 40 (SV40), many cell lines were generated. The properties of these established lines suggested that their growth was dependent on T-antigen, and that they retained some of the differentiated functions of each particular tissue. A possible use of these cell lines for tissue functions in vitro is discussed.

Animals↗

Selective stimulation of granulopoiesis in vitro by established bone marrow stromal cells.

Bone marrow is a major granulopoietic organ whose hematopoietic microenvironment is comprised of stromal cells. In the present work, we examined the regulation of in vitro granulopoiesis with an established line of bone marrow stromal cells. In coculture of the progenitor cells on the particular stromal cell lines from bone marrow, large granulocyte (G) colonies consisting of over 200 cells were formed without G-CSF for 5 days. Stromal cells supported development of Gr-1 (granulocyte specific surface marker)-negative progenitors into Gr-1 and myeloperoxidase positive granulocytes. Seventy percent of the large G-colonies were formed on the stromal layers even in the presence of anti-G-CSF antibody, which indicates the G-CSF independent pathway of granulopoiesis. Inhibition of the large G-colony formation by the addition of anti-adhesion molecules, such as very late activation antigen-4 (VLA-4) and CD31 (PECAM-1), suggested the role of cell-to-cell adhesion in stroma-supported granulopoiesis.

Animals↗