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W C Greene

Publications and source records attributed to W C Greene.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1993

NF-kappa B controls expression of inhibitor I kappa B alpha: evidence for an inducible autoregulatory pathway.

The eukaryotic transcription factor nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) participates in many parts of the genetic program mediating T lymphocyte activation and growth. Nuclear expression of NF-kappa B occurs after its induced dissociation from its cytoplasmic inhibitor I kappa B alpha. Phorbol ester and tumor necrosis factor-alpha induction of nuclear NF-kappa B is associated with both the degradation of performed I kappa B alpha and the activation of I kappa B alpha gene expression. Transfection studies indicate that the I kappa B alpha gene is specifically induced by the 65-kilodalton transactivating subunit of NF-kappa B. Association of the newly synthesized I kappa B alpha with p65 restores intracellular inhibition of NF-kappa B DNA binding activity and prolongs the survival of this labile inhibitor. Together, these results show that NF-kappa B controls the expression of I kappa B alpha by means of an inducible autoregulatory pathway.

CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes↗
PubMed1993

The serine-rich cytoplasmic domain of the interleukin-2 receptor beta chain is essential for interleukin-2-dependent tyrosine protein kinase and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase activation.

The biological activity of interleukin-2 receptors (IL-2R) is dependent on the functional coupling of IL-2R beta molecules to intracellular enzymes such as protein tyrosine kinase. The serine-rich, S-domain within the cytosolic portion of IL-2R beta plays an essential role in transduction of the IL-2 proliferative signal. Cells bearing either wild type IL-2R beta (Baf alpha/beta) or deletions within the S-domain (Baf alpha/beta SD1) were used to evaluate the importance of the S-domain in linking ligand binding to protein tyrosine kinase induction. Multiparameter, side by side comparisons showed that only those cells that expressed wild type IL-2R beta responded to IL-2 by increased cellular proliferation, accumulation of the c-myc proto-oncogene, and activation of protein tyrosine kinase. Activation of protein tyrosine kinase was, in turn, linked to increased tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase. These findings indicate that the S-domain of the IL-2R beta chain is an essential component in the signal transduction cascade that links IL-2 binding to tyrosine kinase and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase activation.

1-Phosphatidylinositol 4-Kinase↗
PubMed1993

The c-rel protooncogene product represses NF-kappa B p65-mediated transcriptional activation of the long terminal repeat of type 1 human immunodeficiency virus.

The long terminal repeat (LTR) of the type 1 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) and the 5' regulatory region of the gene encoding the interleukin 2 receptor alpha subunit (IL-2R alpha) share functional kappa B enhancer elements involved in the regulation of these inducible transcription units during T-cell activation. These kappa B enhancer elements are recognized by a structurally related family of interactive proteins that includes p50, p65, and the product of the c-rel protooncogene (c-Rel). Recent biochemical studies have shown that p65 and p50 form the prototypical NF-kappa B complex, which is rapidly translocated from the cytoplasm to the nucleus during T-cell activation. This intracellular signaling complex potently stimulates kappa B-directed transcription from either the HIV-1 LTR or the IL-2R alpha promoter via the strong transactivation domain present in p65. We now demonstrate that nuclear expression of human c-Rel, which is induced by either phorbol ester or tumor necrosis factor alpha with delayed kinetics relative to p65, markedly represses p65-mediated activation of these transcription units. These inhibitory effects of c-Rel correlate with its DNA-binding activity but not with its ability to heterodimerize with p50, suggesting that c-Rel inhibition involves competition with p50/p65 for occupancy of the kappa B enhancer element. Together, these findings suggest that one function of c-Rel is as a physiologic repressor of the HIV-1 LTR and IL-2R alpha promoters, serving to efficiently counter the strong transcriptional activating effects of p65.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Cross-coupling of the NF-kappa B p65 and Fos/Jun transcription factors produces potentiated biological function.

NF-kappa B and AP-1 represent distinct mammalian transcription factors that target unique DNA enhancer elements. The heterodimeric NF-kappa B complex is typically composed of two DNA binding subunits, NF-kappa B p50 and NF-kappa B p65, which share structural homology with the c-rel proto-oncogene product. Similarly, the AP-1 transcription factor complex is comprised of dimers of the c-fos and c-jun proto-oncogene products or of closely related proteins. We now demonstrate that the bZIP regions of c-Fos and c-Jun are capable of physically interacting with NF-kappa B p65 through the Rel homology domain. This complex of NF-kappa B p65 and Jun or Fos exhibits enhanced DNA binding and biological function via both the kappa B and AP-1 response elements including synergistic activation of the 5' long terminal repeat of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1. These findings support a combinatorial mechanism of gene regulation involving the unexpected cross-coupling of two different classes of transcription factors to form novel protein complexes exhibiting potentiated biological activity.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1993

Multiple arginine residues within the basic domain of HTLV-I Rex are required for specific RNA binding and function.

The Rex protein of the type I human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV-I) is essential for viral replication, acting post-transcriptionally to enhance the expression of unspliced and singly spliced viral mRNAs that encode the Gag, Pol, and Env virion proteins. Rex function involves its direct interaction with a complex stem-loop structure termed the Rex RNA response element (RexRE), which is located within the 3' retroviral long terminal repeat. Binding of Rex to the RexRE involves a positively charged arginine-rich domain located near the N-terminus which also functions as a nuclear localization signal. Strikingly, substitution of all seven of the arginine residues present within this domain with positively charged lysine residues exerted no adverse effect on the nuclear targeting of Rex. However, these lysine substitutions completely abrogated both Rex binding to the RexRE and Rex function. Reversion of multiple substituted lysines to arginines at specific locations within this domain was required to restore both RexRE binding and biological function to the Rex protein. Thus, while the presence of positive charge alone in this domain appears sufficient for nuclear localization of Rex, multiple arginine residues at specific sites are essential for the full expression of RNA binding and functional activity of this retroviral trans-regulatory protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Dominant negative mutants of human T-cell leukemia virus type I Rex and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Rev fail to multimerize in vivo.

Human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) Rex and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Rev are essential gene products required for the replication of these two pathogenic human retroviruses. Both Rex and Rev act at a posttranscriptional level by binding to highly structured RNA-response elements, the Rex-response element in HTLV-I and the Rev-response element in HIV-1. Using a sensitive in vivo assay of protein-protein interaction, we now demonstrate that the HTLV-I Rex and HIV-1 Rev proteins readily form homomultimeric complexes in the absence of their cognate RNA-response elements yet fail to form heteromultimeric complexes with each other. Dominant negative mutations have been identified in both the rex and rev genes which presumably specify a critical activation or effector domain in each of these viral transactivators. Surprisingly, these dominant negative mutants of Rex and Rev fail to interact in vivo. These findings raise the possibility that the binding of nonfunctional monomers rather than functional multimers underlies the transdominant phenotype of these Rex and Rev mutants. Further, it seems likely that the assembly of functional and stable multimers of Rex and Rev in vivo may depend not only on the intrinsic multimerization domains of these proteins but also on the binding of a bridging cellular cofactor to the related activation domains present in each viral transactivator.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1993

A novel NF-kappa B complex containing p65 homodimers: implications for transcriptional control at the level of subunit dimerization.

The predominant inducible form of the NF-kappa B transcription factor is a heteromeric complex containing two Rel-related DNA-binding subunits, termed p65 and p50. Prior transfection studies have shown that when these p65 and p50 subunits are expressed independently as stable homodimers, p65 stimulates kappa B-directed transcription, whereas p50 functions as a kappa B-specific repressor. While authentic p50 homodimers (previously termed KBF1) have been detected in nuclear extracts from nontransfected cells, experimental evidence supporting the existence of p65 homodimers in vivo was lacking. We now provide direct biochemical evidence for the presence of an endogenous pool of inducible p65 homodimers in intact human T cells. As with the prototypical NF-kappa B p50-p65 heterodimer, this novel p65 homodimeric form of NF-kappa B is functionally sequestered in the cytoplasm but rapidly appears in the nuclear compartment following cellular stimulation. Site-directed mutagenesis studies indicate that the homodimerization function of p65 is dependent upon the presence of cysteine 216 and a conserved recognition motif for protein kinase A (RRPS; amino acids 273 to 276), both of which reside within a 91-amino-acid segment of the Rel homology domain that mediates self-association. In contrast, mutations at these two sites do not affect heterodimerization of p65 with p50 or its functional interaction with I kappa B alpha. These later findings indicate that neither homo- nor heterodimer formation is an absolute prerequisite for I kappa B alpha recognition of p65. Taken together with prior in vivo transcription studies, these results suggest that the biological activities of p65 and p50 homodimers are independently regulated, thereby providing an integrated and flexible control mechanism for the rapid activation and repression of NF-kappa B/Rel-directed gene expression.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

IL-2-induced signal transduction involves the activation of nuclear NF-kappa B expression.

Using electrophoretic mobility shift assays and DNA-protein cross-linking techniques, we demonstrate that IL-2 binding to functional forms of the human IL-2R activates nuclear expression of the eukaryotic transcription factor NF-kappa B. These inductive effects of IL-2 were observed in three different cellular systems including human Jurkat T cells stably transfected with IL-2R beta cDNA, mouse pro-B BA/F3 cells stably expressing human IL-2R beta chains either alone or in combination with human or murine IL-2R alpha chains, and purified primary resting human T cells constitutively displaying small numbers of IL-2R beta molecules. IL-2 activation of nuclear NF-kappa B expression is regulated in part at a post-translational level, involving the rapid translocation of both the 50- and 65-kDa subunits of NF-kappa B from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. However, IL-2 induction also produced an increase in mRNA for NF-kappa B p105, indicating an additional pretranslational component of regulation. In contrast, IL-2 exerts only minor effects on NF-kappa B p65 mRNA expression. IL-2 induction of NF-kappa B through the IL-2R beta subunit was both correlated with activation of the endogenous IL-2R alpha gene and critically dependent upon the presence of a serine-rich cytoplasmic domain within IL-2R beta (amino acid residues 267-312). This domain has previously been shown to be essential for IL-2-induced cell growth and may correspond to a binding site for an IL-2R beta-associated tyrosine kinase. Together, these findings suggest that NF-kappa B may play an important role as one intracellular second messenger relaying signals from the plasma membrane to cell nucleus that leads to IL-2-induced activation and growth.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

The 65-kDa subunit of human NF-kappa B functions as a potent transcriptional activator and a target for v-Rel-mediated repression.

Molecular cloning of the polypeptide component of the Rel-related human p75 nucleoprotein complex has revealed its identity with the 65-kDa (p65) subunit of NF-kappa B. Functional analyses of chimeric proteins composed of NF-kappa B p65 C-terminal sequences linked to the DNA-binding domain of the yeast GAL4 polypeptide have indicated that the final 101 amino acids of NF-kappa B p65 comprise a potent transcriptional activation domain. Transient transfection of human T cells with an expression vector encoding NF-kappa B p65, but not NF-kappa B p50, produced marked transcriptional activation of a basal promoter containing duplicated kappa B enhancer motifs from the long terminal repeat of type 1 human immunodeficiency virus. These stimulatory effects of NF-kappa B p65 were synergistically enhanced by coexpression of NF-kappa B p50 but were completely inhibited by coexpression of the v-rel oncogene product. Together, these functional studies demonstrate that NF-kappa B p65 is a transactivating subunit of the heterodimeric NF-kappa B complex and serves as one cellular target for v-Rel-mediated transcriptional repression.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Characterization of a novel nuclear localization signal in the HTLV-I tax transactivator protein.

The Tax trans-activator protein of the type I human T-cell leukemia virus is expressed predominantly in the nuclei of cells. However, this viral trans-activator is distinguished from most other nuclear proteins by the absence of a short highly basic nuclear localization signal. Previous mutational analyses of the tax gene revealed that many of the missense mutations involving the amino terminus of Tax resulted in a predominantly cytoplasmic pattern of expression. We now report that the amino terminal 48 residues of Tax comprise a functional nuclear localization signal as demonstrated by the ability of this region to retarget expression of a large cytoplasmic protein to the nucleus.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Molecular insights into human immunodeficiency virus type 1 pathogenesis.

Infection with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 leads to a persistent but progressive cytopathic process that culminates in the near complete destruction of the CD4+ subset of T cells. The levels of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 replication and virus burden increase throughout the clinical course of disease reflecting a balance between the viral and cellular regulatory influences as well as the ability of the host immune system to eliminate infected T cells. Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 replication is dependent on the state of cellular activation and involves both inducible host cell derived transcription factors and at least three virus-derived gene products. Further study of the mechanism of action of these factors, particularly those encoded by the virus, may facilitate the future development of highly specific and effective therapies for human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes↗
PubMed1992

I kappa B/MAD-3 masks the nuclear localization signal of NF-kappa B p65 and requires the transactivation domain to inhibit NF-kappa B p65 DNA binding.

The active nuclear form of the NF-kappa B transcription factor complex is composed of two DNA binding subunits, NF-kappa B p65 and NF-kappa B p50, both of which share extensive N-terminal sequence homology with the v-rel oncogene product. The NF-kappa B p65 subunit provides the transactivation activity in this complex and serves as an intracellular receptor for a cytoplasmic inhibitor of NF-kappa B, termed I kappa B. In contrast, NF-kappa B p50 alone fails to stimulate kappa B-directed transcription, and based on prior in vitro studies, is not directly regulated by I kappa B. To investigate the molecular basis for the critical regulatory interaction between NF-kappa B and I kappa B/MAD-3, a series of human NF-kappa B p65 mutants was identified that functionally segregated DNA binding, I kappa B-mediated inhibition, and I kappa B-induced nuclear exclusion of this transcription factor. Results from in vivo expression studies performed with these NF-kappa B p65 mutants revealed the following: 1) I kappa B/MAD-3 completely inhibits NF-kappa B p65-dependent transcriptional activation mediated through the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 kappa B enhancer in human T lymphocytes, 2) the binding of I kappa B/MAD-3 to NF-kappa B p65 is sufficient to retarget NF-kappa B p65 from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, 3) selective deletion of the functional nuclear localization signal present in the Rel homology domain of NF-kappa B p65 disrupts its ability to engage I kappa B/MAD-3, and 4) the unique C-terminus of NF-kappa B p65 attenuates its own nuclear localization and contains sequences that are required for I kappa B-mediated inhibition of NF-kappa B p65 DNA binding activity. Together, these findings suggest that the nuclear localization signal and transactivation domain of NF-kappa B p65 constitute a bipartite system that is critically involved in the inhibitory function of I kappa B/MAD-3. Unexpectedly, our in vivo studies also demonstrate that I kappa B/MAD-3 binds directly to NF-kappa B p50. This interaction is functional as it leads to retargeting of NF-kappa B p50 from the nucleus to the cytoplasm. However, no loss of DNA binding activity is observed, presumably reflecting the unique C-terminal domain that is distinct from that present in NF-kappa B p65.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Neither the LCK nor the FYN kinases are obligatory for IL-2-mediated signal transduction in HTLV-I-infected human T cells.

IL-2 is one of the principal growth factors regulating the proliferation of T lymphocytes. Although two independent IL-2-binding molecules have been molecularly cloned and shown to participate in the formation of a high affinity receptor complex, their primary structures do not suggest a specific mechanism for IL-2 growth signal transduction across the cell membrane. Neither IL-2 receptor subunit contains an intrinsic kinase domain; nevertheless, tyrosine phosphorylation of various intracellular substrates is one of the first biochemical changes observed following activation of the IL-2 receptor (IL-2R). Both serine/threonine and tyrosine kinases can be co-precipitated as part of the IL-2R complex suggesting that the IL-2 signalling may involve the activation of non-covalently associated intracellular kinases. However, controversy exists as to which kinases are involved in IL-2 signal transduction; in particular, which kinase(s) mediates the first or proximal event(s) in the signalling process. Activation of the IL-2R leads to serine and threonine phosphorylation of the SRC tyrosine kinase family member, LCK, and an increase in LCK tyrosine kinase activity. Furthermore, LCK can be co-immunoprecipitated with the beta chain of the IL-2R indicating its association with the receptor complex. IL-2 has also been reported to increase FYN kinase activity and to alter its association with the 85 kDa subunit of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase thus suggesting a role for FYN in IL-2 signal transduction. However, in this report, we now demonstrate that neither LCK nor FYN are obligatory for IL-2-induced growth of HTLV-I-infected human T cells. Lack of expression of LCK or FYN in the HTLV-I-infected T cell lines was demonstrated by a combination of Northern blotting, polymerase chain reaction, Western blotting, and in vitro kinase activity. Despite the absence of LCK or FYN, IL-2 induced similar patterns of rapid tyrosine phosphorylation. Similar results were observed in cell lines lacking expression of the LYN, FGR, HCK, and LTK tyrosine kinases. Thus, none of these tyrosine kinases alone appears to be required for growth signalling through the IL-2R in the HTLV-I-infected T cell lines analyzed. The findings raise the possibility that an, as yet, unidentified tyrosine kinase is involved. Alternatively, this biological signalling system may exhibit remarkable redundancy whereby several different tyrosine kinases may be capable of associating with the IL-2R complex and mediating intracellular signalling.

Cell Division↗
PubMed1992

Dominant-negative mutants are clustered in a domain of the human T-cell leukemia virus type I Rex protein: implications for trans dominance.

The 27-kDa Rex trans-acting protein appears to be essential for replication of human T-cell leukemia virus type I. Mutations introduced outside of the Rex RNA-binding domain-nucleolar localization signal display either wild-type activity or, conversely, yield dominant-negative proteins. We generated missense mutations in a particular domain of the Rex protein (amino acid residues 54 to 69) which is characterized by a cluster of dominant-negative mutants. Our results indicate that amino acids 57 to 67 are critically important for Rex function mediated through the RxRE cis-acting RNA sequence. Within this domain, only amino acids 61 to 63 could be mutated without loss of function. All other missense and deletion mutants yielded dominant-negative proteins. In vitro RNA-binding studies performed with glutathione S-transferase-Rex fusion proteins demonstrated that all of the mutant Rex proteins interacted specifically with RxRE RNA. Analysis of chimeric Rex-Rev proteins suggests that this Rex domain is important for oligomerization.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

The v-rel oncogene: insights into the mechanism of transcriptional activation, repression, and transformation.

The v-rel oncogene product from the avian reticuloendotheliosis virus strain T corresponds to a member of the Rel-related family of enhancer-binding proteins that includes both the mammalian 50- and 65-kDa subunits of the NF-kappa B transcription factor complex. However, in contrast to NF-kappa B, v-Rel has been shown to function as a dominant-negative repressor of kappa B-dependent transcription in many mature cell types. We now demonstrate that a highly conserved motif within the Rel homology domain of v-Rel containing a consensus protein kinase A phosphorylation site is required for DNA binding, transcriptional repression, and cellular transformation mediated by this oncoprotein. However, replacement of the serine phosphate acceptor within the protein kinase A site with an alanine did not alter any of these functions of v-Rel, suggesting that phosphorylation at this site is not central to the regulation of this oncogene product. Rather, the inactive mutations appear to identify a functional domain within v-Rel required for these various biological activities. It is notable that these same mutations do not impair the ability of v-Rel to heterodimerize with the 50-kDa subunit of NF-kappa B, suggesting that v-Rel-mediated transcriptional repression likely involves direct nuclear blockade of the kappa B enhancer rather than indirect alterations in the composition of preformed cytoplasmic NF-kappa B complexes. Paradoxically, when introduced into undifferentiated F9 cells, v-Rel functions as a kappa B-specific transcriptional activator rather than as a dominant-negative repressor. These stimulatory effects of v-Rel require both the conserved protein kinase A phosphorylation site and additional unique C-terminal sequences not needed for v-Rel-mediated repression in mature cells. Retinoic acid-induced differentiation of these F9 cells restores the repressor function of v-Rel. These opposing biological actions of v-Rel occurring in cells at distinct stages of differentiation may have important implications for the mechanism of v-Rel-mediated transformation occurring in avian splenocytes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Nuclear expression of the 50- and 65-kD Rel-related subunits of nuclear factor-kappa B is differentially regulated in human monocytic cells.

The nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B transcription factor system is composed of at least four inducible nucleoprotein adducts termed p50, p55 (NF-kappa B p50), p75 (NF-kappa B p65), and p85 (c-Rel). These proteins are expressed in the nuclei of activated T cells in a distinctly biphasic fashion, with p55 and p75 induction occurring within minutes whereas the induction of p50 and p85 occurs after several hours. In contrast, p50 and p55 are constitutively expressed in the nuclei of U937 and THP-1 monocytic cells. However, cellular activation is required for the nuclear expression of p75 in these cells. Additionally, activation of monocytic cells does not result in a significant induction of p85. Tumor necrosis factor alpha induces the nuclear expression of p55 and p75 in these monocytic cells within 20 min, presumably reflecting the liberation of these proteins from I kappa B. In contrast, phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) induces the expression of these proteins with delayed kinetics, raising the possibility that PMA is incapable of mediating the efficient release of p55 and p75 from I kappa B in these cells. These findings highlight important differences in the regulation of these proteins in monocytic cells versus T cells and suggest that the induced expression of NF-kappa B p65 in monocytes may play a central role in the activation of HIV-1 gene expression.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1991

The type I human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV-I) Rex trans-activator binds directly to the HTLV-I Rex and the type 1 human immunodeficiency virus Rev RNA response elements.

The Rex protein of the type I human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV-I) is essential for the replication of this pathogenic retrovirus and, surprisingly, can also replace the function of the structurally distinct Rev protein of the type 1 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1). Rex action requires a 255-nucleotide viral RNA stem-loop structure termed the Rex RNA response element (RexRE) located in the 3' retroviral long terminal repeat. Rex function leads to the induced cytoplasmic expression of the incompletely spliced family of viral mRNAs that uniquely encode the HTLV-I structural and enzymatic proteins (Gag, Pol, and Env). Our studies now demonstrate that Rex acts by binding directly to the RexRE in a sequence-specific manner. These effects of Rex require the presence of a 10-nucleotide subregion of the RexRE that is essential for Rex function in vivo. Dominant-negative mutants of Rex also bind to the RexRE with high affinity, while a recessive-negative Rex mutant altered within its arginine-rich, positively charged domain fails to engage the RexRE. Analogously, both the wild-type and dominant-negative Rex proteins specifically bind to the structurally distinct HIV-1 Rev response element, a finding that likely underlies the respective stimulatory and inhibitory effects of these HTLV-I proteins in the heterologous HIV-1 system. However, consistent with their lack of amino acid homology, the binding sites for Rex and Rev within the HIV-1 Rev response element are distinct.

Binding Sites↗