Biomedical subjects

S Saule

Publications and source records attributed to S Saule.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1995

Quail Pax-6 (Pax-QNR) mRNAs are expressed from two promoters used differentially during retina development and neuronal differentiation.

During investigations on the regulation of the Pax-6 gene, we characterized a cDNA from quail neuroretina showing a 5' untranslated region distinct from that previously described and initiated from an internal promoter. Using RNase protection and primer extension mapping, we localized this second quail Pax-6 promoter, termed P1. As reported for the already described P0 promoter, P1 was also transactivated in vitro by the p46Pax-QNR protein. RNase protection assays performed with quail neuroretina RNA showed that P1-initiated mRNAs were detected before the P0-initiated mRNAs, remained constant up to embryonic day 8, and decreased slowly thereafter whereas, P0-initiated mRNAs accumulated up to embryonic day 8. In contrast, quail retinal pigmented epithelium expressed only the P1-initiated mRNAs. Transformation of these cells by the v-myc oncogene induced neuronal traits in the culture, which thereafter, in addition to the P1-initiated mRNAs, expressed Pax-QNR from the P0 promoter. These results suggest that expression of the quail Pax-6 gene is under the control of different regulators through alternate promoters, P0 being activated at the onset of neuronal differentiation.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Nuclear localization signals, DNA binding, and transactivation properties of quail Pax-6 (Pax-QNR) isoforms.

We reported previously the characterization of Pax-QNR/Pax-6 products expressed in the avian neuroretina. Five proteins (48, 46, 43, 33, and 32 kDa) were characterized, among which the 33 and 32 kDa proteins are devoid of the paired domain. In contrast to the 48-kDa (containing an alternative paired exon 4a) and 46-kDa proteins exclusively located in the nucleus, the 43- (in which the paired exon 5 is spliced out), 33-, and 32-kDa proteins were also found in the cytoplasmic compartment. We report the identification of two nuclear targeting sequences: the basic LKRKLQR region (amino acids 206-212) located in the NH2 terminus of the homeodomain used by the p43 and 33/32 kDa proteins; and the paired exon 5 sequence. A case of human aniridia, where arginine 208 of LKRKLQR is mutated into a tryptophan, has been reported recently. We introduced this mutation into the Pax-QNR p46, p43, and p33/32 proteins. No effect on the nuclear localization or in transactivation potential of the proteins could be observed. Among the several Pax-QNR isoforms characterized, only p46 exhibited DNA-binding and transactivating properties on the Pax-QNR promoter. Deletions of parts of the protein showed that the Pax-6 transactivation domain is located in the carboxyl terminus of the protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1994

In vivo cooperation of two nuclear oncogenic proteins, P135gag-myb-ets and p61/63myc, leads to transformation and immortalization of chicken myelomonocytic cells.

To investigate a possible in vivo cooperation between the p61/63myc and P135gag-myb-ets proteins, we used a previously constructed retrovirus, named MHE226, which contains the fused v-myb and v-ets oncogenes of the E26 retrovirus and the v-myc oncogene of MH2. For that purpose, chicken neuroretina cells producing MHE226 and pseudotyped with the Rous associated virus-1 (RAV-1) helper virus were injected in 1-day-old chickens. In control experiments, we also injected chicken neuroretina cells producing E26 (RAV-1), RAV-1 alone, or constructs lacking one of the oncogenes of MHE226. The average life span of MHE226-infected chickens is half that of E26-infected chickens. MHE226-infected chickens harbor tumors scattered in many organs, but compared with E26, MHE226 induced a weak leukemia. Study of integration sites suggests that the majority of the tumors results from clonal or oligoclonal events. Cell cultures were derived from the tumors of MHE226-infected chickens and grown in standard medium without addition of exogenous chicken myelomonocytic growth factor. These cells still divide at high rate after more than 100 passages and can thus be considered immortalized. By using several criteria, these cells were characterized as precursors of the myelomonocytic lineages.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Pax-QNR/Pax-6, a paired box- and homeobox-containing gene expressed in neurons, is also expressed in pancreatic endocrine cells.

After differential screening of a cDNA library constructed from quail neuroretina cells infected with the v-myc containing avian retrovirus MC29, we have isolated a cDNA clone Pax-QNR, homologous to the murine Pax6 which is mutated in the autosomal dominant mutation small eye (Sey) of the mouse and aniridia in man. Here we report the characterization of Pax-QNR/Pax-6 expression in the chicken, quail, and mouse pancreas. In situ hybridization performed with E3 chick embryos demonstrated that, in addition to the documented expression of Pax-QNR/Pax-6 in the neural tube, this gene is also expressed in the pancreatic bud. This expression is later restricted to discrete parts of the organ. From bacterially expressed Pax-QNR peptides we obtained rabbit antisera (paired domain, serum 11; domain between paired and homeo, serum 12; homeodomain, serum 13; and carboxyl-terminal part, serum 14) capable of specifically recognizing Pax-QNR/Pax-6 proteins (48, 46 kilodaltons) in cell lines derived from alpha- and beta-pancreatic cells, but not from exocrine derived cell lines. We conclude that Pax-QNR/Pax-6 represents another gene expressed both in the endocrine pancreas and neuro-ectodermic tissues.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Pax-QNR/Pax-6, a paired- and homeobox-containing protein, recognizes Ets binding sites and can alter the transactivating properties of Ets transcription factors.

We have previously isolated a cDNA clone encoding a protein with a paired- and homeodomain from MC29-transformed quail neuroretina cells that we have termed Pax-QNR. Pax-QNR is homologous to the murine Pax-6, which is mutated in the autosomal dominant mutation small eye (Sey) of the mouse and aniridia in man. The 46 kDa Pax-QNR protein binds specifically to the e5 DNA recognition sequence present upstream of the Drosophila even-skipped gene. The Pax-QNR paired and homeobox domains expressed separately in bacteria are both able to recognize this sequence. The core sequence recognized by the paired domain of Pax genes is TTCC (GGAA), and this sequence is also present in the core recognition site bound specifically by Ets family-encoded proteins. Ets proteins are a family of transcription factors sharing a highly conserved 85 amino acid DNA binding domain. In this article we demonstrate that Pax-QNR/Pax-6 expressed in reticulocyte lysate is able to specifically recognize several Ets binding sites. In addition, we found that the transactivation mediated by the p68c-ets-1 pr p55erg through the Polyomavirus enhancer sequence is specifically inhibited by the p46kDaPax-QNR in transient transfection assay.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Avian myeloblastic cell lines transformed by two nuclear oncoproteins, P135gag-myb-ets and p61/63myc: a model of retinoic acid-induced differentiation not abrogated by v-erbA.

We previously demonstrated that the retroviral construct MHE226 transducing both the P135gag-myb-ets and p61/63myc nuclear proteins induces solid hemopoietic tumors in early chicken embryos. In the present paper, we report the characterization of two MHE226-transformed cell lines established from such hemopoietic tumors retrieved from the heart of a 13-day embryo. Cytological analysis indicated a myeloblastic phenotype. These MHE226 cell lines were positive for the MEP17 monoclonal antibody but were negative for the myeloblast-specific 51/2 monoclonal antibody. MHE226 cell lines displayed a doubling time of about 20-24 h and were maintained for at least 1 year. Contrary to E26 myeloblastic cell lines, MHE226 cell lines were independent of chicken myelomonocytic growth factor and could be maintained in serum-free medium. MHE226 cell lines could be induced to differentiate toward the monocytic lineage by retinoic acid. Retinoic acid inhibited proliferation of MHE226 cell lines as early as day 1. After 3 days, MHE226 cells displayed cytological, enzymatic (alpha-naphthyl acetate esterase and chloroacetate esterase), and functional (phagocytosis) characteristics of monocytic cells. The retinoic acid-induced differentiation of MHE226 cells could not be inhibited by v-erbA. Thus, MHE226-transformed cell lines represent a novel model of cell transformation by two nuclear oncoproteins. Furthermore, they provide a model to study molecular mechanisms implicated in the monocytic differentiation program.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

v-erbA cooperates with bFGF in neuroretina cell transformation.

We have studied the transforming ability of the oncogenes erbA and/or erbB in chicken neuroretina (CNR) cells and the effect of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) on the transformed phenotype. The erbA oncogene alone was only transforming in the presence of bFGF. In contrast, cells expressing erbB as well as erbA + erbB were transformed in a bFGF-independent manner and were unresponsive to the growth factor. We studied whether other oncogenes could also block the cooperation between erbA and bFGF. Cytoplasmic or membrane-bound oncogenes (src, ras, or mill raf) increased the transforming potential of erbA but rendered the cells unresponsive to bFGF. Conversely, the nuclear oncogenes tested (fos and myb-ets + myc) also cooperated with erbA in CNR cell transformation but the cells remained responsive to the growth factor. A likely explanation is that CNR cells carrying the cytoplasmic but not the nuclear oncogenes have already activated the bFGF signal transduction pathway.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Characterization of quail Pax-6 (Pax-QNR) proteins expressed in the neuroretina.

After differential screening of a cDNA library constructed from quail neuroretina cells (QNR) infected with the v-myc-containing avian retrovirus MC29, we have isolated a cDNA clone, Pax-QNR, homologous to the murine Pax-6, which is mutated in the autosomal dominant mutation small eye of mice and in the disorder aniridia in humans. Here we report the characterization of the Pax-QNR proteins expressed in the avian neuroretina. From bacterially expressed Pax-QNR peptides, we obtained rabbit antisera directed against different domains of the protein: paired domain (serum 11), domain between the paired domain and homeodomain (serum 12), homeodomain (serum 13), and carboxyl-terminal part (serum 14). Sera 12, 13, and 14 were able to specifically recognize five proteins (48, 46, 43, 33, and 32 kDa) in the neuroretina. In contrast to proteins of 48, 46, and 43 kDa, proteins of 33 and 32 kDa were not recognized by the paired antiserum (serum 11). Paired-less and paired-containing proteins exhibited the same half-life (6 h) and were phosphorylated mostly on serine residues. Immunoprecipitations performed with subcellular fractions of neuroretinas showed that the paired-containing proteins were located in the nucleus, whereas the 33- and 32-kDa proteins were found essentially in the cytoplasmic compartment. However, immunofluorescence experiments performed after transient transfections showed that p46 and p33/32 were also located in vivo into the nucleus. Thus, the Pax-QNR/Pax-6 gene can produce proteins with two DNA-binding domains as well as proteins containing only the DNA-binding homeodomain.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Transcriptional regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor gene expression in ovarian bovine granulosa cells.

The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in cultured bovine granulosa cells has been studied. As shown by northern blot analysis, granulosa cells express the VEGF gene. Analysis of the VEGF transcripts by the polymerase chain reaction technique shows that granulosa cells express predominantly the smallest VEGF coding forms (VEGF121 and VEGF164). Since in the promoter region of the VEGF gene there are four potential AP-1 sites and two potential AP-2 sites we have studied if TPA and forskolin could regulate VEGF gene expression. TPA induces VEGF transcription in a time- and dose-dependent fashion. Maximal VEGF mRNA levels are detected 6 h after TPA treatment. Induction apparently requires de novo protein synthesis since it does not occur when translation is inhibited by cycloheximide. Forskolin, a naturally occurring diterpene that activates adenylylcyclase, also increases VEGF mRNA content in a time-dependent manner. Induction does not require de novo protein synthesis and, in contrast to TPA, induction is strongly potentiated by cycloheximide. Luteotrophic hormone, a known activator of adenylylcyclase, also induces VEGF transcription. These results imply that granulosa cells may be a source of VEGF which could play a role in the angiogenic process associated with ovulation and corpus luteum formation.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Structure and DNA-binding properties of Pax-QNR, a paired box- and homeobox-containing gene.

After differential screening of a complementary DNA library constructed from quail neuroretina cells (QNR) infected with the v-myc-containing avian retrovirus MC29, we have isolated a complementary DNA clone which identifies a mRNA essentially expressed in the neuronal layer of the retina. This complementary DNA encodes a protein containing paired box and homeobox domains. This gene, called Pax-QNR, is homologous to the murine Pax-6 and human AN genes, which are mutated in the autosomal dominant mutation small eye (Sey) of the mouse and aniridia in humans. Here, we report the genomic exon-intron organization, as well as the existence of alternative splicing events taking place at both the 5' end and the middle part of the gene. A Pax-QNR clone translated in reticulocyte lysate directed the synthesis of a 46 kilodalton protein able to bind specifically to the e5 sequence present upstream of the Drosophila even-skipped gene and target of the Drosophila paired protein. The Pax-QNR paired and homeobox domains individually expressed in bacteria are both able to recognize the e5 sequence.

Alternative Splicing↗

PubMed1993

Quail Pax-6 (Pax-QNR) encodes a transcription factor able to bind and trans-activate its own promoter.

Proper growth and development of multicellular organisms requires precise regulation of developmental genes. One aspect of this regulation is at the level of transcription from the gene promoters. As an initial approach to understanding the regulation of the Pax-6 gene, which plays an important role in eye development and perhaps in other developmental processes, we characterized a promoter region of the quail Pax-6 (Pax-QNR) gene. Sequence analysis of the 5' flanking region revealed a TATA-like box and a CAAT box as well as several putative cis-regulatory elements. A 1.5-kilobase pair fragment, containing 1386 base pairs of 5' flanking sequence, the first exon, and a portion of the first intron, was able to efficiently promote expression of the bacterial CAT gene in quail neuroretina cells. Cotransfection of the Pax-QNR promoter with a vector expressing the 46 kilodalton Pax-QNR protein resulted in an increase in Pax-QNR promoter activity. By electrophoretic migration shift assay and immunoselection experiments, we showed that the Pax-QNR protein can interact directly with the Pax-QNR promoter. By footprinting experiments, we identified the binding sites for the Pax-QNR protein within the promoter region. These results show that Pax-QNR encodes a transcriptional activator and that it potentially trans-activates its own promoter.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Fos expression induces growth arrest in tumorigenic neuroretina cells.

E26-infected chicken neuroretina (CNR) cells expressing P135gag-myb-ets are non-transformed and growth can be stimulated by basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). In contrast, MHE226-infected CNR cells, which express p61/63myc in addition to the P135gag-myb-ets of E26, are transformed, tumorigenic cells and are growth inhibited by bFGF. We looked for differences in both cells types which could help to understand the molecular basis of the bFGF response. We found marked differences in c-fos expression. In MHE226-CNR cells c-fos mRNA was induced by 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol 13-acetate (TPA) and bFGF, both inhibitors of MHE226-infected cell growth. In contrast, serum, a strong growth inducer, did not stimulate c-fos expression. In E26-infected cells all of these factors induced cell growth and c-fos expression. MHE226-CNR cells superinfected with v-fosFBJ-expressing retrovirus were inhibited in their growth and unresponsive to bFGF. Introduction of v-fosFBJ in E26 CNR cells transformed them but they remained sensitive to bFGF. These results suggest that fos is involved in the induced growth arrest of MHE226-CNR cells.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Definition of functional domains in P135gag-myb-ets and p48v-myb proteins required to maintain the response of neuroretina cells to basic fibroblast growth factor.

The v-myb- and v-ets-containing E26 retrovirus induces the proliferation of chicken neuroretina (CNR) cells in minimal medium. Proliferation of E26 CNR cells is strongly stimulated by basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). The v-myb-containing avian myeloblastosis virus also induces the proliferation of infected CNR cells stimulated by bFGF. Both E26 CNR and avian myeloblastosis virus CNR cells are able to form colonies in soft agar in the presence of bFGF. This suggests that the v-myb product, a nuclear sequence-specific DNA-binding protein which activates gene expression in transient transfection assays, plays a role in the proliferative response of the infected CNR cells. To determine the structure-function relationships of P135gag-myb-ets and p48v-myb, we have used deletion mutants expressed in retroviral vectors and have analyzed their effect on CNR cell proliferation as well as their effect on the CNR cell response to bFGF. We show that v-ets is not required for bFGF stimulation but increases the proliferation of CNR cells in minimal medium. In the v-myb mutants, the gag sequences derived from the helper virus increase the potency of the myb gene. The carboxyl-terminal domain required for the growth and transformation of myeloid cells and needed for maximal trans-activation in transient DNA transfection assays in fibroblasts was not required for the growth and bFGF response of CNR cells. In contrast, the domain encompassing amino acids 240 to 301 (containing part of the transcriptional activation domain of v-myb) was absolutely required for the response of CNR cells to bFGF and could be functionally replaced by the carboxyl-terminal transcriptional activation domain of the VP16 protein of herpes simplex virus.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Protein truncation is not required for c-myb proto-oncogene activity in neuroretina cells.

The v-myb oncogene of avian myeloblastosis virus (AMV) differs from its normal cellular counterpart by a truncation at both its amino and carboxyl termini and by a substitution of 11 amino acid residues. We had previously shown that v-myb-containing AMV, in the presence of basic fibroblast growth factor, transformed chicken neuroretina (CNR) cells. To understand the mechanism of c-myb activation, we have tested whether avian retroviruses that express the full-length c-Myb are also active on CNR cells. We have found that c-Myb, like v-Myb, strongly increases the basic fibroblast growth factor response of CNR cells and that these c-myb-expressing cells are able to grow in soft agar in the presence of the growth factor. We have also found that, in contrast to normal or v-myb-expressing AMV-transformed CNR cells, c-Myb-transformed cells express mim-1, a granulocyte-specific gene. However, normal v-Myb- and c-Myb-expressing CNR cells all express the pax-QNR gene, a newly described paired and homeobox-containing gene specifically expressed in the neuroretina. We conclude that, in contrast to what has been described for hematopoietic cells, overexpression of c-Myb is sufficient to activate gene expression and to induce an abnormal behavior of CNR cells.

Avian Myeloblastosis Virus↗

PubMed1992

Characterization of a paired box- and homeobox-containing quail gene (Pax-QNR) expressed in the neuroretina.

The retina is an integral part of the central nervous system, and consists of two layers, the outer pigmented layer and the inner sensory layer or neuroretina (NR). The NR layer contains several strata of cells (glial and neuronal) derived from proliferating neuroectodermal precursors that differentiate after terminal mitosis. In vitro, NR cells can differentiate not only into neuronal and glial types, but also into pigment and lens cells. Quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica) NR cells (QNR) infected with MC29 transforming retrovirus become pigmented after several passages in vitro. In order to characterize the genes expressed in these pigmented MC29 QNR, a cDNA library was prepared from these cells. After differential screening we have isolated a cDNA clone which identifies an RNA expressed in NR but not in the pigmented layer of the retina. This cDNA encodes a protein related to that of Drosophila, mouse and zebrafish paired box- and homeobox-containing segmentation genes and is called Pax-QNR. The expression of Pax-QNR in the NR is confined to the ganglionic cell layer and to the lower part of the inner nuclear layer containing the amacrine or correlation neurones.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1992

Tumorigenic effects mediated in the avian embryo by one or more oncogenes associated with v-myc.

We have previously shown that introduction of the v-myc oncogene in chick or quail embryos at E3 induces rapidly growing heart rhabdomyomas. We now report that a retrovirus containing one or two other oncogenes induces additional pathologies specified by the v-myc-associated oncogene. The v-mil/myc combination introduced at E3 induces, in addition to heart rhabdomyomas, tumors of proliferating cells aggregated onto the luminal aspect of vessels in both chick and quail embryos. In the quail these cells react positively with the quail-specific mAb QH1, which recognizes endothelial and most hemopoietic cells, while chick intravascular cells do not react with the chick-specific mAb VIA2 that recognizes hemopoietic cells. Thus the v-mil/myc tumors appear to be of endothelial origin. The v-myb-ets/myc combination injected at E3 induces cardiorhabdomyomas and aggressive VIA2-positive hemopoietic tumors in chick embryos, but only the v-myc-induced cardiorhabdomyomas in quail embryos. When injected into hatched animals, v-myc alone transforms hemopoietic and perhaps endothelial cells, but not cardiac cells. Thus the developmental stage at which a cell type can be transformed by v-myc and another associated oncogene depends on as yet undefined species-specific factors. More importantly, several examples of oncogene cooperation in vivo are adduced by these experiments. The type of cell transformed is specified by the viral oncogene combination.

Animals↗

PubMed1991

Genomic organization of the human thyroid hormone receptor alpha (c-erbA-1) gene.

The thyroid hormone receptor alpha (THRA or c-erbA-1) gene belongs to a family of genes which encode nuclear receptors for various hydrophobic ligands such as steroids, vitamin D, retinoic acid and thyroid hormones. These receptors are composed of several domains important for hormone-binding, DNA-binding, dimerization and activation of transcription. We show here that the human THRA gene is organized in 10 exons distributed along 27 kbp of genomic DNA on chromosome 17. The position of the introns in human THRA is highly conserved when compared to the chicken gene despite their differing lengths. The N-terminal A/B domain as well as the 5' untranslated region is encoded by two exons. Interestingly, each of the putative zinc fingers of the receptor DNA-binding domain is encoded by one exon and the hormone-binding domain is assembled from three exons. The two last exons of the gene are alternatively spliced to generate two different messenger RNAs. In addition, we confirm that another gene, belonging to the nuclear receptor superfamily, ear-1, overlaps with the 3' region of THRA in an opposite transcriptional orientation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1991

Cooperative effect of v-myc and v-erbA in the chick embryo.

We show that a construct designated as MAHEVA, which encodes oncogenes v-myc from MH2 virus and v-erbA from AEV under the control of the LTR of MH2, induces rapidly growing heart rhabdomyosarcomas, when it is injected in E3 but not E5 chick embryos. A similar pathology has previously been observed with MC29, within the same limited time frame. The tumors, which expressed P61-63myc, P75gag-erbA and Pr76gag proteins were detectable from E14 onwards. Compared with MC29, MAHEVA induced a secondary anomaly, not detectable prior to E17. This is the appearance of cartilage nodules within the heart rhabdomyosarcomas. The constant location of these nodules inside the rhabdomyosarcomas and their delayed appearance suggests that the chondrocytes originate from myoblasts prevented from differentiating by the expression of the v-myc product. This interpretation is supported by the appearance of chondrocytes in E3 heart muscle cells infected in vitro with MAHEVA.

Animals↗