Biomedical subjects

R Schlegel

Publications and source records attributed to R Schlegel.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1996

The serine protease inhibitors TLCK and TPCK inhibit the in vitro immortalization of primary human keratinocytes by HPV-18 DNA.

The human papillomaviruses (HPV) which are commonly found in anogenital malignancies express a viral E7 oncoprotein which possesses both immortalizing and transforming activities. The E7 protein forms a complex with the cellular tumor suppressor protein Rb and alters its interaction with transcription factor E2F, presumably interfering with cell cycle control and contributing to cellular transformation/immortalization. We demonstrated earlier that the serine protease inhibitors tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (TPCK) and tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK) modified the HPV type 18 E7 protein in cell extracts as well as in living cells and abrogated its ability to form a complex with Rb. In the present study we evaluated the effect of TLCK or TPCK treatment on the immortalization of primary keratinocytes by transfected HPV-18 DNA. Supplementing the medium of primary foreskin keratinocytes with TLCK or TPCK during their immortalization with HPV 18 DNA demonstrated that either TLCK (5--10 microM) or TPCK (0.25 microM) could inhibit cellular immortalization by 50-100% without altering keratinocyte proliferation, suggesting that the topical application of these reagents in vivo could significantly interfere with HPV-mediated cellular transformation.

Cell Division↗

PubMed1996

The E5 gene of HPV-16 enhances keratinocyte immortalization by full-length DNA.

Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) is the most common papillomavirus genome found in human cervical cancers and its DNA is capable of immortalizing primary keratinocytes in vitro. When expressed by their native promoter, two separate HPV-16 oncogenes, E6 and E7, cooperate to immortalize primary human keratinocytes. Early HPV cervical lesions express abundant amounts of E5-specific RNA, and using a quantitative keratinocyte immortalization assay, we demonstrate here that E5 can act in cis to increase (4-10 fold) the efficiency of cellular immortalization by E6/E7. These results suggest that the expression of the HPV-16 E5 gene may play a role in the pathogenesis of early HPV infections by potentiating the effects of E6/E7.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1996

Suppression of apoptosis by dominant negative mutants of cyclin-dependent protein kinases.

In many cell types, position in the cell cycle appears to play a role in determining susceptibility to apoptosis (programmed cell death), and expression of various cyclins and activation of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) have been shown to correlate with the onset of apoptosis in a number of experimental systems. To assess the role of CDK-mediated cell cycle events in apoptosis, we have expressed CDK dominant negative mutants in human HeLa cells. Dominant negative mutants of CDC2, CDK2, and CDK3 each suppressed apoptosis induced by both staurosporine and tumor necrosis factor alpha, whereas a dominant negative mutant of CDK5 was without effect. Like CDC2 and CDK2, CDK3 was shown to form a complex with cyclin A in vivo. CDK5 did not bind cyclin A to any detectable extent. Overexpression of wild type CDC2, CDK2, CDK3, or cyclin A (but not cyclin B) markedly elevated the incidence of apoptosis in BCL-2+ cells, which otherwise fail to respond to these agents. These results help identify cell cycle events that are also important for efficient apoptosis.

Alkaloids↗

PubMed1996

The serine protease inhibitors TLCK and TPCK react with the RB-binding core of HPV-18 E7 protein and abolish its RB-binding capability.

The human papillomaviruses associated with cervical cancer (e.g., HPV-16 and HPV-18) express an E7 oncoprotein which mediates the immortalization of primary genital keratinocytes and the transformation of rodent cells. The 105-amino-acid HPV-18 E7 protein contains two zinc fingers as well as a conserved amino-terminal motif (Rb-binding core) which binds and alters the interactions of the retinoblastoma susceptibility gene product (Rb). We report here that two serine protease inhibitors, tosyl-L-lysine chloromethyl ketone (TLCK) and tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (TPCK), reacted with and generated an altered form of the HPV-18 E7 protein. Chemical modification of the E7 protein was initially observed during its extraction and immunoprecipitation from mammalian cells but could also be detected using E7 protein expressed in vitro by reticulocyte lysates. More importantly, TLCK and TPCK were able to modify E7 protein in live keratinocytes following their addition to the culture medium. Site-specific mutagenesis demonstrated that the E7 Rb-binding core (Leu-X-Cys-X-Glu) contained a cysteine residue which was essential for this modification and that the TLCK/TPCK-dependent alteration of the E7 protein abolished its ability to bind Rb. These studies indicate that the E7 protein can be inactivated by a specific class of protease inhibitors and that such reagents may be useful for pharmacologically regulating E7 function in vivo. In addition, these results demonstrate that care must be taken when applying these commonly used protease inhibitors in experiments evaluating E7/cellular protein interactions.

Antibodies, Viral↗

PubMed1996

Induction of apoptosis by pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate and N-acetylcysteine in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate (PDTC) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC) have been used as antioxidants to prevent apoptosis in lymphocytes, neurons, and vascular endothelial cells. We report here that PDTC and NAC induce apoptosis in rat and human smooth muscle cells. In rat aortic smooth muscle cells, PDTC induced cell shrinkage, chromatin condensation, and DNA strand breaks consistent with apoptosis. In addition, overexpression of Bcl-2 suppressed vascular smooth muscle cell death caused by PDTC and NAC. The viability of rat aortic smooth muscle cells decreased within 3 h of treatment with PDTC and was reduced to 30% at 12 h. The effect of PDTC and NAC on smooth muscle cells was not species specific because PDTC and NAC both caused dose-dependent reductions in viability in rat and human aortic smooth muscle cells. In contrast, neither PDTC nor NAC reduced viability in human aortic endothelial cells. The use of antioxidants to induce apoptosis in vascular smooth muscle cells may help prevent their proliferation in arteriosclerotic lesions.

Acetylcysteine↗

PubMed1996

Induction of cyclin A gene expression by homocysteine in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Homocysteine is an important and independent risk factor for arteriosclerosis. We showed previously that homocysteine stimulates vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation, a hallmark of arteriosclerosis. We show here that homocysteine and serum increased DNA synthesis synergistically in both human and rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMCs). Treatment of quiescent RASMCs with 1 mM homocysteine or 2% calf serum for 36 h increased cyclin A mRNA levels by 8- and 14-fold, respectively, whereas homocysteine plus serum increased cyclin A mRNA levels by 40-fold, indicating a synergistic induction of cyclin A mRNA. Homocysteine did not increase the half-life of cyclin A mRNA (2.9 h), but it did increase the transcriptional rate of the cyclin A gene in nuclear run-on experiments. The positive effect of homocysteine on cyclin A gene transcription was confirmed by our finding that homocysteine increased cyclin A promoter activity and ATF-binding protein levels in RASMCs. Finally, 1 mM homocysteine increased cyclin A protein levels and cyclin A-associated kinase activity by threefold. This homocysteine-induced expression lesions by promoting proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells.

Activating Transcription Factors↗

PubMed1996

SV40 T antigen increases the expression and activities of p34cdc2, cyclin A, and cyclin B prior to immortalization of human diploid fibroblasts.

SV40 T antigen induces karyotype instability soon after it is expressed in human diploid fibroblasts and ultimately promotes cell immortalization and tumorigenesis. Protein levels and activities of mitotic cell cycle proteins have been shown to be elevated in several immortal cell lines relative to their normal parental cells, suggesting a possible role for the aberrant regulation of mitosis in karyotype instability. We show here that IMR-90 human diploid lung fibroblasts expressing the SV40 tumor antigens display increased protein levels and associated enzymatic activities of cyclin A, cyclin B, and p34cdc2 long before crisis and immortalization. These elevations cannot be explained by faster cell growth or altered cell cycle distributions. Increased protein levels were not totally accounted for by elevated levels of the corresponding mRNA, indicating that T antigen modulates expression at least partially by posttranscriptional mechanisms. These results indicate that perturbation of mitotic regulatory proteins precedes crisis, and imply that altered mitotic control is a direct consequence of T antigen expression rather than an outcome of secondary events associated with immortalization.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1996

Natural variants of the human papillomavirus type 16 E6 protein differ in their abilities to alter keratinocyte differentiation and to induce p53 degradation.

Three naturally occurring variant human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) E6 proteins, which contained amino acid substitutions predominantly near the N terminus, exhibited significant differences in their abilities to abrogate keratinocyte differentiation in response to serum and calcium and to induce the degradation of p53 in vitro. One variant surpassed the reference E6 protein in its ability to abrogate keratinocyte differentiation responses, whereas another showed a reduction in this activity. Interestingly, the biological activities of the HPV-16 E6 proteins and their abilities to induce p53 degradation in vitro were directly correlated. These results demonstrate that naturally occurring variants of HPV-16 differ in biological and biochemical properties which might result in differences in pathogenicity.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1996

E5 oncoprotein transmembrane mutants dissociate fibroblast transforming activity from 16-kilodalton protein binding and platelet-derived growth factor receptor binding and phosphorylation.

The E5 oncoprotein of bovine papillomavirus type 1 is a 44-amino-acid, hydrophobic polypeptide which localizes predominantly in Golgi membranes and appears to transform cells through the activation of tyrosine kinase growth factor receptors. In fibroblasts, E5 interacts with both the 16-kilodalton vacuolar ATPase subunit and the platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGF-R) via its hydrophobic transmembrane domain and induces autophosphorylation of the receptor. To further analyze the correlation between E5 biological activity and its ability to bind these cellular proteins, a series of nine E5 transmembrane mutants was evaluated. In 32D mouse hematopoietic cells, there was an incomplete correlation between the abilities of the E5 mutant proteins to associate the PDGF-R and to transform cells. However, all transforming E5 mutant proteins induced PDGF-R tyrosine phosphorylation. In NIH 3T3 and C127 mouse fibroblasts, both transforming and nontransforming E5 mutant proteins were defective for PDGF-R binding. In addition, while most of the transforming E5 proteins induced PDGF-R phosphorylation, one hypertransforming mutant (serine 17) neither bound nor induced receptor autophosphorylation. These findings support the hypothesis that the transformation of fibroblasts by E5 transmembrane mutants can involve alternative cellular targets or potentially independent activities of the E5 protein. In addition, these results underscore the critical role of the transmembrane domain in mediating E5 biological activities.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1996

Serum- and calcium-induced differentiation of human keratinocytes is inhibited by the E6 oncoprotein of human papillomavirus type 16.

Transfection of the E6 and E7 genes of the high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) into primary genital keratinocytes generates colonies of proliferating cells which are resistant to calcium- and serum-induced terminal differentiation. To genetically map the HPV gene(s) responsible for this cellular phenotype, we cloned cDNAs for full-length E6, full-length E7, four truncated E6 splice variants (E6I to E6IV), and a series of E6 C-terminal truncation mutants into a simian virus 40 expression vector. The E6 proteins were tagged with the AU1 epitope at the C terminus to verify their expression in COS cells by immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence. Transfection of the full-length E6 protein, either wild type or epitope tagged, induced calcium- and serum-resistant keratinocyte colonies, but the truncated E6 variants and full-length E7 protein did not. E6-induced colonies, while altered in response to serum and calcium, could not be established into cell lines without the combined presence of the E7 protein, further exemplifying the independent roles of E6 and E7 in cell differentiation and cell proliferation. The E6 C-terminal deletion mutants defined two distinct functional domains between amino acids 120 and 151. Amino acids 120 to 151 contained an apparent bipartite nuclear localization signal, whereas amino acids 132 to 141 were required for the induction of resistance to calcium- and serum-induced differentiation and for immortalization of human keratinocytes in conjunction with E7.

Alternative Splicing↗

PubMed1996

Staurosporine resistance accompanies DNA tumor virus-induced immortalization and is independent of the expression and activities of ERK1, ERK2, cyclin A, cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk) 2, and cdk4.

Staurosporine, a potent protein kinase inhibitor, has been shown to arrest the growth of a number of normal cell types in the G1 phase of the cell cycle, while having little effect on several transformed lines. We wished to determine whether increased resistance to staurosporine was a common feature of virus-immortalized human cells and whether this phenotype was an early event following the expression of SV40 tumor antigens. Human foreskin keratinocytes immortalized by the SV40 DNA tumor virus displayed an increased resistance to staurosporine-induced growth arrest when compared with normal parental cells, as has been seen in human diploid fibroblasts. Keratinocytes immortalized by human papillomaviruses, or by just the human papillomavirus E6 and E7 oncogenes were also staurosporine resistant, suggesting that this phenotype often accompanies the immortalization of human cells by DNA tumor viruses. Acquisition of staurosporine resistance was a late event during immortalization, because precrisis human diploid fibroblasts that expressed the SV40 large T and small t antigens were not resistant to staurosporine. The same parental cells that were fully immortalized by SV40 were resistant. Staurosporine resistance was not the result of increased activities and/or expression of cyclin A, cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk) 2, cdk4, or the mitogen-activated kinases ERK1 and ERK2. Although increased activities and/or expression of cyclin A and cdk2 and cdk4 proteins, but not ERK1 or ERK2, were associated with immortalization, similar increases were found in staurosporine-sensitive precrisis cells expressing SV40 tumor antigens.

Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming↗

PubMed1995

Systemic immunization with papillomavirus L1 protein completely prevents the development of viral mucosal papillomas.

Infection of mucosal epithelium by papillomaviruses is responsible for the induction of genital and oral warts and plays a critical role in the development of human cervical and oropharyngeal cancer. We have employed a canine model to develop a systemic vaccine that completely protects against experimentally induced oral mucosal papillomas. The major capsid protein, L1, of canine oral papillomavirus (COPV) was expressed in Sf9 insect cells in native conformation. L1 protein, which self-assembled into virus-like particles, was purified on CsCl gradients and injected intradermally into the foot pad of beagles. Vaccinated animals developed circulating antibodies against COPV and became completely resistant to experimental challenge with COPV. Successful immunization was strictly dependent upon native L1 protein conformation and L1 type. Partial protection was achieved with as little as 0.125 ng of L1 protein, and adjuvants appeared useful for prolonging the host immune response. Serum immunoglobulins passively transferred from COPV L1-immunized beagles to naive beagles conferred protection from experimental infection with COPV. Our results indicate the feasibility of developing a human vaccine to prevent mucosal papillomas, which can progress to malignancy.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Expression of cell cycle regulatory factors in differentiating osteoblasts: postproliferative up-regulation of cyclins B and E.

The representation of cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks) was analyzed during progressive development of the bone cell phenotype in cultures of normal diploid rat calvarial osteoblasts. Three developmental stages were examined: (a) proliferation; (b) monolayer confluency; and (c) mineralization of the bone extracellular matrix. We demonstrate that the presence of cyclins and cdks is not restricted to the proliferation period. Consistent with their role in cell cycle progression, cdc2 and cdk2 decrease postproliferatively. However, cdk4 and cyclins A, B, and D1 persist in confluent cells. Cyclin E is significantly up-regulated during the extracellular matrix mineralization developmental period. Examination of the cytoplasmic levels of these cell cycle regulatory proteins indicates a marked increase in cyclin B in the late differentiation stage. The elevation of nuclear cyclin E and cytoplasmic cyclin B is not observed in osteoblasts maintained under culture conditions that do not support differentiation. Furthermore, treatment with transforming growth factor beta for 48 h during the proliferation period renders the cells incompetent for differentiation and abrogates the postproliferative up-regulation of cyclins B and E. Density-induced growth inhibition of ROS 17/2.8 osteosarcoma cells is not accompanied by up-regulation of nuclear cyclin E and cytoplasmic cyclin B when compared to the proliferation period. This observation is consistent with abrogation of both growth control and differentiation regulatory mechanisms in tumor cells. These results suggest that cell cycle regulatory proteins function not only during proliferation but may also play a role in normal diploid osteoblast differentiation.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

The human papilloma virus 16E6 gene sensitizes human mammary epithelial cells to apoptosis induced by DNA damage.

Programmed cell death (apoptosis) is a normal physiological process, which could in principle be manipulated to play an important role in cancer therapy. The key importance of p53 expression in the apoptotic response to DNA-damaging agents has been stressed because mutant or deleted p53 is so common in most kinds of cancer. An important strategy, therefore, is to find ways to induce apoptosis in the absence of wild-type p53. In this paper, we compare apoptosis in normal human mammary epithelial cells, in cells immortalized with human papilloma virus (HPV), and in mammary carcinoma cell lines expressing wild-type p53, mutant p53, or no p53 protein. Apoptosis was induced with mitomycin C (MMC), a DNA cross-linking and damaging agent, or with staurosporine (SSP), a protein kinase inhibitor. The normal and HPV-transfected cells responded more strongly to SSP than did the tumor cells. After exposure to MMC, cells expressing wild-type p53 underwent extensive apoptosis, whereas cells carrying mutated p53 responded weakly. Primary breast cancer cell lines null for p53 protein were resistant to MMC. In contrast, two HPV immortalized cell lines in which p53 protein was destroyed by E6-modulated ubiquitinylation were highly sensitive to apoptosis induced by MMC. Neither p53 mRNA nor protein was induced in the HPV immortalized cells after MMC treatment, although p53 protein was elevated by MMC in cells with wild-type p53. Importantly, MMC induced p21 mRNA but not p21 protein expression in the HPV immortalized cells. Thus, HPV 16E6 can sensitize mammary epithelial cells to MMC-induced apoptosis via a p53- and p21-independent pathway. We propose that the HPV 16E6 protein modulates ubiquitin-mediated degradation not only of p53 but also of p21 and perhaps other proteins involved in apoptosis.

Alkaloids↗

PubMed1995

Formation of membrane channels by chrysospermins, new peptaibol antibiotics.

The four homologous chrysospermins (Ia-d) are new 19 amino acid peptaibols which form cation selective ion channels in artificial lipid bilayer membranes. Conductance of channels formed by chrysospermins B (Ib) and D (Id) was twice as high (640 pS in 100 mM KCl) as found with chrysospermins A (Ia) and C (Ic). Single channel current traces were recorded for each of the four peptides even at very low (even zero) membrane voltages suggesting that non-gated channels are formed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1995

E5 oncoprotein retained in the endoplasmic reticulum/cis Golgi still induces PDGF receptor autophosphorylation but does not transform cells.

The E5 oncoprotein encoded by bovine papillomavirus type 1 is a homodimeric, hydrophobic polypeptide which is localized predominantly in Golgi membranes and which transforms several cell types apparently by inducing tyrosine phosphorylation of the platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGF-R). While the precise mechanism of receptor activation is unknown, E5 associates with several cellular proteins, including PDGF-R and the 16K V-ATPase protein, and induces the preferential phosphorylation of immature, Endo H-sensitive forms of the receptor. To evaluate whether E5 accumulation in the Golgi was requisite for receptor phosphorylation and cell transformation, we sequestered the E5 protein in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER)/cis Golgi by appending the ER retention KDEL sequence to its C-terminus. In transient assays and in cell lines, E5/KDEL protein and E5/KDEL* protein (a defective variant of KDEL), were stable and formed homodimers normally. E5/KDEL*, similar to wt E5, localized to the Golgi and was transformation-proficient. In contrast, E5/KDEL failed to concentrate in the Golgi and was transformation-incompetent. Despite these critical defects, however, E5/KDEL formed stable complexes with immature PDGF-R and 16K and, even more unexpectedly, induced the phosphorylation of both mature and immature PDGF-R on tyrosine residues to the same level as wt E5. These data demonstrate that E5 can bind and induce PDGF-R phosphorylation in the ER/cis Golgi, but that successful mitogenic signalling (and consequent cell transformation) requires the translocation of E5/receptor complexes to distal Golgi compartments.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1995

Vacuolar H(+)-ATPase mutants transform cells and define a binding site for the papillomavirus E5 oncoprotein.

The 16K subunit of the vacuolar H(+)-ATPase binds specifically to the bovine (BPV) and human (HPV) papillomavirus E5 oncoproteins, and it has been suggested that this interaction may contribute to cell transformation (Goldstein, D. J., and Schlegel, R. (1990) EMBO J. 9, 137-146; Goldstein, D. J., Finbow, M. E., Andresson, T., McLean, P., Smith, K., Bubb, V. J., and Schlegel, R. (1991) Nature 352, 347-349; Conrad, M., Bubb, V. J., and Schlegel, R. (1993) J. Virol. 67, 6170-6178; Goldstein, D. J., Toyama, R., Schlegel, R., and Dhar, R. (1992) Virology 190, 889-893). We generated mutations within the 16K protein to define binding domains for BPV-1 E5 as well as to characterize the role of 16K in cell transformation. 16K consists predominantly of 4 transmembrane (TM) domains. We showed that mutations within the TM4 domain severely inhibited E5 binding. More specifically, conversion of glutamic acid 143 to arginine within TM4 severely reduced 16K/E5 binding, suggesting that charged interactions facilitated efficient binding. This hypothesis was confirmed by demonstrating that binding to the defective 16K arginine mutant could be restored by complementary charge mutations in E5; conversion of E5 glutamine 17 to glutamic acid or aspartic acid enhanced interactions with the 16K arginine mutant. Surprisingly, mutants in TM4 not only bound poorly to wild-type E5 but were converted into an oncoprotein and induced anchorage-independent growth of NIH 3T3 cells. These data define glutamic acid 143 in the 16K TM4 domain and glutamine 17 within E5 as important contributors to E5/16K binding and suggest a role for the 16K protein in the regulation of cell proliferation.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1995

Tyrosine phosphorylations specific to mitosis in human and hamster cells.

Changes in protein tyrosine phosphorylation are known to be important for regulating cell cycle progression. With the aim of identifying new proteins involved in the regulation of mitosis, we used an antibody against phosphotyrosine to analyze proteins from synchronized human and hamster cells. At least seven proteins were found that displayed mitosis-specific tyrosine phosphorylation in HeLa cells (pp165, 205, 240, 250, 270, 290, and approximately 400) and one such protein in hamster BHK cells (pp155). In synchronized HeLa and BHK cells, all proteins except HeLa pp165, pp205, and pp250 were readily detectable only in mitosis. Tyrosine phosphorylation of pp165, pp205, and pp250 was apparent during arrest in S phase, suggesting that cell cycle perturbations can affect the phosphorylation state of some of these proteins. In a related finding in BHK cells, pp155 underwent tyrosine phosphorylation when cells were forced into premature mitosis by caffeine treatment. Only one protein (pp135 in HeLa cells) was found to be dephosphorylated on tyrosine during mitosis. The above findings may prove helpful for isolating new cell cycle proteins that are important for both the normal regulation of mitosis and the mitotic aberrations associated with cell cycle perturbations and chemical treatments.

Animals↗