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S Saule

Publications and source records attributed to S Saule.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

myc products induce the expression of catecholaminergic traits in quail neural crest-derived cells.

The avian myelocytomatosis virus strain MC29 v-myc oncogene transforms a wide panel of avian cells in vitro and either blocks or maintains differentiation, depending on the cell type. In the present work, we have investigated the effect of this oncogene on the differentiation of early embryonic cells, neural crest cells, grown in vitro. We report that the MC29 v-myc gene product induces a strong cellular proliferation of 2-day quail neural crest with the appearance of catecholaminergic traits. Other v-myc as well as the c-myc gene products also trigger this phenotype. Retroviruses carrying some other oncogenes do not elicit this phenotypic expression, although they activate cell multiplication. Thus, our results indicate that myc gene products induce (directly or indirectly) a differentiated phenotype in a subpopulation of neural crest cells.

Animals↗

Oncogenes and avian development.

In order to detect signs of oncogene activity and elucidate their possible role in avian ontogeny we implemented two different strategies. One was to detect either the protein product or messenger RNA in situ at various stages of development. The other was to try and disturb development with retroviruses carrying one or several oncogenes in their activated forms. Time- and tissue-specific expression of c-myc was apparently not related to particular phases of cell evolution, such as population amplification. Rather the presence of c-myc immunoreactive product at particular stages appeared to depend on cell types. c-myb and c-ets messenger RNAs were found expressed preferentially in the blood system, respectively in hemopoietic and differentiating endothelial cells. The developing embryo heart was found to be uniquely sensitive to the effect of retroviruses provided that two conditions were respected. The first was the injection of the virus or construct prior to E3.5. The second was the presence of the v-myc gene, whether alone or associated with one or several other v-onc. In such cases a large proportion (70%) of chick and all quail embryos developed multiple heart rhabdomyosarcomas within 10 days. In chickens the association of a second v-onc or of two others induced the formation of secondary tumors, whose type was determined by the nature of the other oncogene(s).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Two nuclear oncogenic proteins, P135gag-myb-ets and p61/63myc, cooperate to induce transformation of chicken neuroretina cells.

Several studies have shown that full transformation of primary rodent fibroblasts can be achieved in vitro through the cooperation of two oncogenes (usually one nuclear and one cytoplasmic) classified on the basis of different complementation groups. We have shown previously that cooperation between v-mil (cytoplasmic, serine-threonine kinase product), and v-myc (nuclear, DNA-binding product) is required to transform 7-day-old chicken neuroretina cells, which in usual culture medium do not rapidly proliferate. v-mil induces sustained growth of chicken neuroretina cells without transformation; v-myc fails to stimulate the proliferation of chicken neuroretina cells but is required to achieve transformation of the proliferating cells. Here, we present results indicating that the P135gag-myb-ets nuclear protein of avian erythroblastosis virus E26 is able to induce proliferation but not transformation of chicken neuroretina cells. v-myc is required in addition to P135gag-myb-ets to achieve chicken neuroretina cell transformation. In contrast, we found that the P135gag-myb-ets and P100gag-mil proteins are not able to cooperate in this system.

Animals↗

[Cell proliferation and cooperation of v-mil and v-myc oncogenes].

Retroviruses which possess the property to recombine with genetic material from the cell, have cloned and activated some oncogenes and hence are a privileged source for the study of these genes. Cellular oncogene activation can occur following two non mutually exclusive ways: (i) by over-expression of their products; (ii) by modifications of their products through mutations. Retroviruses can combine these two ways of activation leading to the over-expression of a modified product. In this paper, we present results obtained in the study of MH2, a retrovirus containing two oncogenes. We have shown that the two oncogenes of MH2 (v-mil and v-myc) cooperate in vitro to transform neuroretina cells from chicken embryos. These cells which normally do not grow in a defined medium, are induced to proliferate and become transformed upon infection by MH2. Our data enabled us to show that in MH2 v-mil was responsible for the induction of proliferation and v-myc for the transformation of the proliferating cells. Using in vitro constructs we located two regions in the protein encoded by v-mil which are important for its mitogenic property. We have also cloned the cellular counterpart of v-mil and the study of its biological activity on neuroretina cells enabled us to propose a mechanism of activation of the cellular gene by truncation of its 5' part.

Animals↗

Targets of v-myc tumorigenesis in the avian embryo depend on time and not on site of retroviral infection.

The present study extends our previous data, showing that the v-myc oncogene induces heart tumors and skin anomalies in young avian embryos [Saule et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 84, 7982-7986 (1987)]. We now report that the target cells which become transformed are the same, whether the MC29 retrovirus is injected at E3 in various sites of the embryo (coelom, heart, brain, lateral plate mesoderm) or deposited on the embryo. Furthermore we confirm, in the quail, the time-specific pattern previously observed in the chick. In the quail, the incidence of heart tumors falls from 100% to 28% when injection is delayed from E3 to E4. By contrast, the incidence of skin anomalies rises from 30% to 64% when injection is delayed from E3 to E4. The skin defect, which consists of the presence of bell-shaped cornified feathers, could be assigned to hyperkeratinization of the epidermis. Both the dermis and the epidermis displayed hyperproliferation, whereas skin muscle hypertrophy during the embryonic period could not be confirmed. The presence of myc gene products was investigated using an antibody that recognizes both the c- and v-myc proteins. In the skin of control embryos, nuclei were well stained at E12-E13. At E14 the signal had disappeared. In abnormal skin patches from infected embryos, the antibody still marked heavily epidermal and dermal nuclei at E18. Finally we injected MC29 through the chorioallantoic vein in E10 chickens. No tumors were found during embryonic life, but 81% of the chickens developed tumors of hemopoietic or endothelial origin from the 14th posthatching day onwards. Studies of MC29 integration sites demonstrated that these tumors were derived from only a few transformed cells. Thus, contrasting with in vitro experiments, in vivo this virus has a restricted number of targets varying with the time of injection.

Animals↗

Mapping by in vitro constructs of the P100gag-mil region, accounting for induction of chicken neuroretina cell proliferation.

The v-mil oncogene of the avian retrovirus MH2 is expressed as a fusion protein with viral gag determinants in infected cells. This P100gag-mil protein accounts for the proliferation of chicken embryo neuroretina cells (CNR) induced by MH2 in vitro. We constructed a series of mutants by in-frame deletions in different parts of the gag and mil domains and tested their ability to induce CNR growth. We show that gag sequences, as well as 200-base-pair 5' mil sequences, were not required to induce such a proliferation. However, gag sequences seem to contribute to a full proliferation of growing CNR. In contrast, deletions in the kinase domain abolish this induction. In particular, by deleting only 9 nucleotides localized around the unique SphI site of v-mil, we produced a totally inactive mutant (BalSp). This mutant directs the synthesis of a v-mil protein lacking the dipeptide Tyr-Leu, which is conserved in almost all the members of the large protein kinase family, and a histidine residue highly conserved in Ser-Thr protein kinase members.

Animals↗

Alternative splicing of RNAs transcribed from the chicken c-mil gene.

Two distinct c-mil-related cDNA clones have been isolated from a chicken embryo cDNA library. Results presented here show that the single chicken c-mil gene is coding for two c-mil mRNA species, different by at least 60 base pairs and generated by an alternative splicing mechanism. These mRNA molecules can be translated into two distinct proteins of 73 and 71 kilodaltons.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Clustered somatic mutations in and around first exon of non-rearranged c-myc in Burkitt lymphoma with t(8;22) translocation.

We have examined the restriction map of the c-myc gene in 15 BL cell lines carrying the variant t(8;22) translocation in which c-myc is known to remain on chromosome 8. Using 3 restriction enzymes cutting outside the c-myc domain (EcoRI, BamHI, HindIII), we found no evidence for a c-myc/Ig lambda rearrangement in 14 BL cell lines. In the last one, BL 37, the 3' flanking region was rearranged corresponding to the already identified breakpoint located 400 pb downstream from the c-myc gene (9). Using 4 restriction enzymes cutting inside the c-myc gene (PvuII, PstI, SacI, HincII) we looked for discrete abnormalities within the gene limits, and we found in 9 BL cell lines several abolished and created sites, compatible with multiple independent somatic mutations. They are significantly clustered in the 5' non coding region, with a striking prevalence at the end of exon 1. The role of mutations in the non-coding first exon region for the deregulation of c-myc expression is discussed.

Burkitt Lymphoma↗

Heart tumors specifically induced in young avian embryos by the v-myc oncogene.

To determine if expression of the v-myc oncogene had any effect during ontogeny, we injected avian myelocytomatosis virus strain MC29 into avian embryos at various stages of development. The injection of MC29 at embryonic day 2 (E2) or 3 (E3) caused, about 10 days later, rhabdomyosarcomas of the heart and, in some cases, skin muscle hypertrophy. When the injection was performed at E4 or E5, the number of heart tumors declined, whereas the number of skin muscle tumors increased significantly. The p110gag-myc protein was found in all tumors analyzed. When the virus was injected intravenously into E10 embryos, no tumors appeared during embryonic life, in striking contrast to the results obtained from injections at earlier stages. The monoclonal antibody 13F4, which is specific for the myogenic lineage, bound strongly to tumoral heart tissue, whereas it bound weakly to normal cardiac cells. Comparison of the peaks of tumor incidence in relationship to the timing of injection suggests that the v-myc product could interfere in vivo with an early step of the muscle lineage differentiation program. In addition, we show that the p58c-myc protein, which is supposed to play an important role in the control of cell proliferation, is only faintly detected in the heart of normal E3 embryos, in contrast to limb and tail buds, which readily express detectable levels of p58c-myc.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

The human c-myc exon 1 product: preparation of antisera and analysis of its expression.

We investigated the coding capacity of the previously reported open reading frame (ORF) of the human c-myc exon 1. By in vitro translation assay, we found that exon 1 ORF was translated into a 20-kd protein (p20 protein). In order to obtain antisera raised against the p20 protein, we constructed a plasmid vector which expressed most of the exon 1 ORF as a 25-kd (P25) protein in Escherichia coli. Polyclonal antisera raised against this P25 protein specifically precipitated a chimeric protein which contained exon 1-related amino acid sequences. We used these antisera to test for the existence of an exon 1 product in human cells. In the human cell lines tested, these antisera have failed so far to detect any exon 1-related proteins. However, exon 1-related proteins were detected with the anti-p20 antisera in quail embryonic cells (QEC) transfected by human c-myc recombinants constructed to express such proteins, but were expressed at low levels compared with the human c-myc protein also expressed in the transfected QEC. Our results suggest that secondary structure of the mRNA could be responsible for the low expression of the exon 1 product in QEC.

Animals↗

Transformation of quail embryo fibroblasts by a retrovirus carrying a normal human c-myc gene.

We have constructed avian retroviruses expressing the human c-myc oncogene. These viruses morphologically transformed primary quail embryo fibroblasts upon transfection and infection. Transformed cells produced viruses harboring a spliced c-myc gene and contained high levels of p64-67c-myc protein. One of these infectious viruses, vSX-AHM, was molecularly cloned and the nucleotide sequence of the spliced c-myc insert determined. No mutation was found within the c-myc coding sequence of this transforming clone when compared to the normal genomic progenitor. Thus, we concluded that no mutation within the human c-myc gene is required to induce primary avian embryo fibroblast transformation.

Animals↗

Characterization of a MH2 mutant lacking the v-myc oncogene.

We have previously reported that a virus, MH2-PA200, lacking the ability to transform quail embryo cells, could be isolated from wild type (wt) MH2 stocks passaged on chicken neuroretina cells. We report here the molecular cloning and extensive characterization of this MH2-PA200 provirus. Molecularly cloned MH2-PA200 DNA was found to stimulate the growth of neuroretina cells by transfection assays and our results indicate that this recombinant virus was derived from the RAV-1 helper virus, in which v-mil and a small part of v-myc of MH2 were acquired at the expense of helper (delta gag-pol-delta env) sequences. In order to assess the precise boundary between the myc and env genes we determined the nucleotide sequence of the junction fragment and showed that 11 of 13 nucleotides of the env gene were identical to the myc sequence at the recombination point. The nucleotide sequence of the myc-env junction fragment of another similar and independently generated MH2 mutant showed similarly 9 nucleotides of homology between the env and myc sequences at the recombination point that took place at another site, suggesting that a homologous recombination occurred between MH2 and RAV-1 viruses to generate MH2-PA200 and similar mutants.

Animals↗

Characterization of a myc-containing retrovirus generated by propagation of an MH2 viral subgenomic RNA.

We have previously isolated, from wild-type MH2 virus that contains the two oncogenes mil and myc, mutants defective in one or the other oncogene product. We report here the molecular cloning and extensive characterization of MH2 CL25 provirus lacking the v-mil oncogene. Our results indicate that this virus corresponds to the propagation of the 2.8-kilobase subgenomic RNA of MH21.

Base Sequence↗

[Preparation and characterization of specific antisera directed against different polypeptide domains encoded by the c-myc oncogene for studying the expression of this gene introduced into quail or rat cells].

By using bacterial expression vectors, we have prepared antisera directed against two polypeptidic domains encoded by exons 2 and 3 of the human c-myc oncogene. These antisera which detect specifically the human c-myc proteins allow us to analyse the expression of human c-myc gene activated by retroviral sequences and introduced in quail embryo cells (QEC) or in established rat embryo fibroblastic cell line (208 F). Although human myc mRNA are expressed in the two cell types, the p64/p67 human c-myc proteins are only detected in the QEC.

Animals↗

The four C-terminal amino acids of the v-erbA polypeptide are encoded by an intronic sequence of the v-erbB oncogene.

The genome of avian erythroblastosis virus (AEV), a defective acute leukemia retrovirus, carries two distinct cell-derived oncogenes in the structure 5' delta gag-erbA-erbB-delta env3'. The nucleotide sequence of the v-erbA gene was recently reported. In order to determine the boundary between the two adjacent oncogenes, the sequence of the v-erbA/v-erbB junction of AEV was compared to that of a recombinant lambda phage containing a chicken cellular sequence representing the 5' part of c-erbB. The four C-terminal amino acids of v-erbA are in fact encoded by a c-erbB intron-derived sequence thus demonstrating that the virus acquired a truncated c-erbA gene. Furthermore the 7 to 10 amino acid residues upstream from the 4 C-terminal amino acids mentioned above appeared to be derived from env-related sequences. The splice acceptor site at the beginning of the only open reading frame for v-erbB is also present and functional in c-erbB when expressed to generate a truncated EGF (epidermal growth factor) receptor. Thus AEV joins a truncated erbA gene to a truncated erbB gene through env-derived sequences and intronic sequences from c-erbB.

Alpharetrovirus↗

An EcoRI restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) in the human c-erb A locus.

An EcoRI restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was detected in the 3' end of the locus of the c-erb-A proto-oncogene. The frequency of the rarer allele was around 3.0% in a normal population of 107 unrelated individuals. This frequency did not significantly differ in DNA samples from patients with breast tumors or acute leukemias.

Alpharetrovirus↗