Search PubMed⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search PubMed

Results for “Fos”

Search indexed PubMed citations on genomics, clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health. Explore titles, authors and supplied subject terms, then open the PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 487 records · Page 27Linked to original sources
PubMed1991

Hormone-dependent transcriptional regulation and cellular transformation by Fos-steroid receptor fusion proteins.

The protooncogene c-fos has been implicated in the control of proliferation and transformation of fibroblasts, and its protein product is an essential component of transcription factor AP1. The important target genes and, hence, the molecular mechanism of Fos function are, however, still unknown, partly due to the lack of a tightly regulated Fos-induction system. Here we show that different activities of the Fos protein can be controlled hormonally by fusing the mouse c-Fos protein to the ligand-binding domain of either the rat glucocorticoid or the human estrogen receptor. These fusion proteins stimulate AP1-dependent transcription and repress endogenous fos mRNA synthesis in a strictly hormone-dependent manner. Expression of these chimeric proteins in rat fibroblasts results in fast, reversible, and tightly controlled transformation in response to hormone. A Fos-estrogen receptor expressing cell line was used to isolate Fos-responsive genes by subtractive cDNA cloning. Run-on analysis of one of these genes showed that its transcription is rapidly and directly regulated by the hormone-activated Fos-estrogen receptor protein, demonstrating the potential of this induction system for identifying Fos target genes.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Regulation of the transcriptional activity of c-Fos by ERK. A novel role for the prolyl isomerase PIN1.

The activation of the activating protein-1 (AP-1) family of transcription factors, including c-Fos and c-Jun family members, is one of the earliest nuclear events induced by growth factors that stimulate extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs). In the case of c-Fos, the activation of ERK leads to an increased expression of c-fos mRNA. In turn, we have recently shown that ERK phosphorylates multiple residues within the carboxylterminal transactivation domain (TAD) of c-Fos, thus resulting in its increased transcriptional activity. However, how ERK-dependent phosphorylation regulates c-Fos function is still poorly understood. In this regard, it has been recently observed that the prolyl isomerase Pin1 can interact with proteins phosphorylated on serine or threonine residues that precede prolines (pS/T-P), such as the transcription factors p53 and c-Jun, thereby controlling their activity by promoting the cis-trans isomerization of these pS/T-P bonds. Here, we found that Pin1 binds c-Fos through specific pS/T-P sites within the c-Fos TAD, and that this interaction results in an enhanced transcriptional response of c-Fos to polypeptide growth factors that stimulate ERK. Our findings suggest that c-Fos represents a novel target for the isomerizing activity of Pin1 and support a role for Pin1 in the mechanism by which c-Jun and c-Fos can cooperate to regulate AP-1-dependent gene transcription upon phosphorylation by mitogen-activated kinase (MAPK) family members.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Signaling pathways leading to transcription and translation cooperatively regulate the transient increase in expression of c-Fos protein.

The mechanisms by which growth factors trigger signal transduction pathways leading to the regulation of c-Fos expression are of great interest. In this study we investigated the effect of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF/SF) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) on the expression of c-fos and its product, c-Fos, in human epithelial cell line MKN74. The expression level of c-Fos protein in HGF/SF-stimulated cells was 5--10-fold higher than that in EGF-stimulated cells, whereas the level of c-fos mRNA induced by HGF/SF was similar to that by EGF. The hyperphosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1), indicative of an increased number of translation initiation complexes, was detected only in HGF/SF-induced MKN74 cells. Activation of phosphatidylinositol-3'-OH kinase and FKBP12-rapamycin associated mammalian target of rapamycin (FRAP/mTOR) was observed after the treatment with HGF/SF. Pretreatment with an inhibitor of either one, i.e. LY294002 for phosphatidylinositol-3'-OH kinase or rapamycin for FRAP/mTOR, completely inhibited 4E-BP1 phosphorylation and decreased the c-Fos synthesis induced by HGF/SF down to the level found in EGF-induced cells. These results suggest that the phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 is stimulated by HGF/SF in a manner requiring both phosphatidy-linositol-3'-OH kinase-dependent and FRAP/mTOR-dependent pathways, thereby stimulating c-fos mRNA translation. Regulation of the translation process of c-fos mRNA in addition to the immediate activation of c-fos transcription is necessary for the transient increase in the level of c-Fos protein to stimulate cell proliferation.

Cell Line↗
PubMed2006

Transportin is a major nuclear import receptor for c-Fos: a novel mode of cargo interaction.

c-Fos, a component of the transcription factor AP-1, is rapidly imported into the nucleus after translation. We established an in vitro system using digitonin-permeabilized cells to analyze nuclear import of c-Fos in detail. Two import receptors of the importin beta superfamily, importin beta itself and transportin, promote import of c-Fos in vitro. Under conditions where importin beta-dependent transport was blocked, c-Fos still accumulated in the nucleus in the presence of cytosol. Inhibition of the transportin-dependent pathway, in contrast, abolished import of c-Fos. Furthermore, c-Fos mutants that interact with transportin but not with importin beta were efficiently imported in the presence of cytosol. Hence, transportin appears to be the predominant import receptor for c-Fos. A detailed biochemical characterization revealed that the interaction of transportin with c-Fos is distinct from the interaction with its established import cargoes, the M9 sequence of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 or the nuclear localization sequence of some basic proteins. Likewise, the binding sites on importin beta for its classic import cargo and for c-Fos can be separated. In summary, c-Fos employs a novel mode of receptor-cargo interaction. Hence, transportin may be as versatile as importin beta in recognizing different nuclear import cargoes.

Active Transport, Cell Nucleus↗
PubMed1993

Overexpression of c-fos increases recombination frequency in human osteosarcoma cells.

We have shown previously that overexpression of c-Ha-ras, v-mos or c-fos increases the spontaneous level of chromosomal aberrations and gene mutations in NIH 3T3 cells, and that reduction of the Fos protein level inhibits aberration induction by c-Ha-ras and v-mos and also by irradiation with ultraviolet light (van den Berg et al., Mol. Carcinogenesis, 4, 460-466). In order to examine whether fos is also involved in DNA recombination, thymidine kinase (tk) deficient human osteosarcoma cells containing two versions of the herpes simplex virus tk gene inactivated by base insertion were either transiently or stably transfected with various fos expression plasmids. The frequency of tk+ revertants was significantly enhanced both upon transient transfection with RSV-promoter-fos gene constructs and by stimulation of Fos synthesis in stably transfected cells harbouring an inducible metallothionein promoter-fos construct. No such increases were observed in cells transfected with plasmids containing a truncated version of c-fos. The data indicate that c-fos is involved in generating various types of genetic changes including homologous recombination; a role of c-fos in genetic instability may contribute to its action in tumor promotion and progression.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Induction of c-fos mRNA in rat medial prefrontal cortex by antipsychotic drugs: role of dopamine D2 and D3 receptors.

The present studies compared the effects of acute and chronic administration of haloperidol or clozapine on c-fos mRNA expression in the rat medial prefrontal cortex. Acute administration of clozapine, but not haloperidol robustly increased c-fos mRNA expression in the infralimbic and prelimbic cortex of the rat. Even though most c-fos mRNA-expressing neurons in the clozapine- treated animals were localized in deep cortical layers, labeled neurons were found organized into several cell bridges connecting the superficial and deep layers of the cortex. After chronic treatment with clozapine, c-fos mRNA was reduced by approximately 60% of that seen acutely; however, the columns of c-fos mRNA expressing neurons did not show the same magnitude of tolerance. Haloperidol had no significant effect even after chronic treatment. We examined further the role of dopamine D2 versus D3 receptors in c-fos gene induction in the infralimbic cortex by studying the acute effects of remoxipride and U-99194A. Remoxipride, a selective D2 antagonist in vitro, induced c-fos mRNA at very low doses and lost its ability to alter c-fos mRNA at higher doses. Interestingly, U-99194A, an antagonist with 20-fold selectivity for D3 over D2 receptors, also produced greater induction of c-fos mRNA at lower doses. We hypothesize that blockade of D3 receptors may enhance c-fos gene expression in the medial prefrontal cortex but that of D2 receptors may prevent the same.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Expression and purification of recombinant human c-Fos/c-Jun that is highly active in DNA binding and transcriptional activation in vitro.

c-Fos and c-Jun are members of the AP-1 family of transcriptional activators that regulate the expression of genes during cell proliferation. To facilitate in vitro studies of mechanisms of transcriptional activation by c-Jun and c-Fos we developed a method for obtaining recombinant c-Fos/c-Jun that is highly active in DNA binding and transcriptional activation in vitro. Full-length human c-Fos and c-Jun were expressed in Escherichia coli. The expression of c-Fos was dependent on a helper plasmid that encodes rare (Arg)tRNAs. Both over-expressed c-Fos and c-Jun were recovered from inclusion bodies. A c-Fos/c-Jun complex was generated by co-renaturation and purified via a His-tag on the full-length human c-Fos. The resulting c-Fos/c-Jun bound DNA with high affinity and specificity, and activated transcription in a reconstituted human RNA polymerase II transcription system. The availability of active recombinant human c-Fos/c-Jun will allow future biochemical studies of these important transcriptional activators.

DNA Footprinting↗
PubMed1999

Activation of c-fos promoter by Gbetagamma-mediated signaling: involvement of Rho and c-Jun N-terminal kinase.

Several extracellular stimuli mediated by G protein-coupled receptors activate c-fos promoter. Recently, we and other groups have demonstrated that signals from G protein-coupled receptors stimulate mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 MAPK. The activation of these three MAPKs is mediated in part by the G protein betagamma subunit (Gbetagamma). In this study, we characterized the signals from Gbetagamma to c-fos promoter using transient transfection of c-fos luciferase into human embryonal kidney 293 cells. Activation of m2 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor and overexpression of Gbetagamma, but not constitutively active Galphai2, stimulated c-fos promoter activity. The c-fos promoter activation by m2 receptor and Gbetagamma was inhibited by beta-adrenergic receptor kinase C-terminal peptide (betaARKct), which functions as a Gbetagamma antagonist. MEK1 inhibitor PD98059 and kinase-deficient mutant of JNK kinase, but not p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580, attenuated the m2 receptor- and Gbetagamma-induced c-fos promoter activation. Activated mutants of Ras and Rho stimulated the c-fos promoter activity, and the dominant negative mutants of Ras and Rho inhibited the c-fos promoter activation by m2 receptor and Gbetagamma. Moreover, c-fos promoter activation by m2 receptor, Gbetagamma, and active Rho, but not active Ras, was inhibited by botulinum C3 toxin. These data indicated that both Ras- and Rho-dependent signaling pathways are essential for c-fos promoter activation mediated by Gbetagamma.

Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases↗
PubMed1996

Transcriptional regulation of sertoli cell differentiation by follicle-stimulating hormone at the level of the c-fos and transferrin promoters.

One of the primary endocrine hormones that influence the onset of Sertoli cell differentiation at puberty and help maintain differentiation in the adult testis is FSH. FSH can modulate the majority of Sertoli cell differentiated functions, including stimulation of the iron-binding protein transferrin. Previous studies have shown that FSH alters the levels of cAMP and the immediate early gene c-fos. The current study was designed to investigate the transcriptional regulation of Sertoli cell differentiation by examining the actions of FSH on the promoter of the immediate early gene c-fos and the promoter of the downstream differentiated function gene transferrin. The regulation of c-fos by FSH was investigated with various chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) constructs containing segments of the c-fos promoter, such as the serum response element (SRE), cAMP response element (CRE), and AP1/phorbol ester/TPA response element (TRE), that were transfected into cultured Sertoli cells. Observations indicate that FSH can stimulate all three response elements, as well as a whole c-fos promoter construct. Interestingly, FSH was found to have a more dramatic effect on the SRE-CAT than a cAMP analog, suggesting a difference in the actions of the two agents. Gel mobility shift assays were performed to confirm the reporter gene results. Nuclear extracts of FSH-stimulated Sertoli cells caused a labeled AP1 oligonucleotide to form a DNA/protein complex (i.e., gel shift), indicating activation of the c-fos gene and binding of the c-fos/jun complex. Nuclear extracts from both FSH- and cAMP-stimulated Sertoli cells promoted similar gel shifts with SRE and CRE oligonucleotides. This observation supports the reporter gene data in indicating that FSH can influence both the SRE and CRE. A gel mobility shift assay was also performed with an oligonucleotide containing the 5'-flanking ETS domain of the SRE (ETS-SRE) that allows the formation of a ternary complex. FSH-stimulated Sertoli cell nuclear extracts were found to promote a unique ETS-SRE gel shift not present in cAMP-stimulated cells. The observations imply that FSH actions on the SRE are in part distinct from the actions of cAMP. Transferrin gene expression was examined to study the downstream regulation of Sertoli cell differentiation. CAT constructs containing deletion mutants of a 3-kb mouse transferrin promoter were used. When transfected into Sertoli cells, the 581-bp transferrin minimal promoter, previously shown to contain a CRE, had a significant response to cAMP and FSH. The 1.6-, 2.6-, and 3-kg transferrin promoter constructs also responded to FSH and cAMP to the same extent as, or to a lesser extent than, the 581-bp minimal promoter. Interestingly, the actions of FSH on the 581-bp minimal transferrin promoter were more dramatic than those of cAMP. The importance of FSH-induced c-fos in the regulation of transferrin expression was demonstrated in the current study when a c-fos antisense oligonucleotide was found to partially inhibit (50%) the ability of FSH to induce the expression of a transferrin promoter (CAT) construct. Therefore, FSH appears to act through multiple transcriptional activation pathways. The first involves cAMP and the CRE at both early-event genes (e.g., c-fos) and downstream genes (e.g., transferrin). It is likely that other pathways involve alternate signal transduction events (e.g., calcium mobilization) and promoter response elements (e.g., SRE). These multiple pathways may act in a compensatory manner to assure the ability of FSH to influence Sertoli cell differentiation and/or in a synergistic manner to amplify FSH actions.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Mechanically induced c-fos expression is mediated by cAMP in MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts.

In serum-deprived MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts, mechanical stimulation caused by mild (287 x g) centrifugation induced a 10-fold increase in mRNA levels of the proto-oncogene, c-fos. Induction of c-fos was abolished by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase inhibitor H-89, suggesting that the transient c-fos mRNA increase is mediated by cAMP. Down-regulation of protein kinase C (PKC) activity by chronic TPA treatment failed to significantly reduce c-fos induction, suggesting that TPA-sensitive isoforms of PKC are not responsible for c-fos up-regulation. In addition, 287 x g centrifugation increased intracellular prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels 2.8-fold (P<0. 005). Since we have previously shown that prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) can induce c-fos expression via a cAMP-mediated mechanism, we asked whether the increase in c-fos mRNA was due to centrifugation-induced PGE2 release. Pretreatment with the cyclooxygenase inhibitors indomethacin and flurbiprofen did not hinder the early induction of c-fos by mechanical stimulation. We conclude that c-fos expression induced by mild mechanical loading is dependent primarily on cAMP, not PKC, and initial induction of c-fos is not necessarily dependent on the action of newly synthesized PGE2.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Comparison of the effects of treatment with intrathecal lidocaine given before and after formalin on both nociception and Fos expression in the spinal cord dorsal horn.

BACKGROUND: It has been proposed that the measure of noxious stimulus-induced Fos (the protein product of the immediate early gene c-fos) expression in the spinal cord dorsal horn of laboratory animals may provide an estimate of the potential of specific treatments to produce preemptive analgesia. The present study examined this hypothesis by comparing the effects of intrathecal lidocaine given before and after hindpaw formalin injection on persistent nociceptive responses and Fos expression in spinal cord dorsal horn of rats. METHODS: Formalin-induced nociception and Fos expression in the spinal cord, in response to a 50-microl injection of 2.5% formalin into the hind paw, were assessed in rats given an intrathecal injection of 50 microl 2% lidocaine by lumbar puncture between the L5 and L6 vertebrae, either 3 min before (pretreatment) or 5 min after (post-treatment) formalin injection. RESULTS: Pain behaviors (hindpaw licking, elevation, and favoring) in the second phase of the formalin test were significantly reduced by pretreatment, but were unaffected by post-treatment. The number of immunocytochemically stained Fos-positive cells and the immunoprecipitation of the Fos antibodies were reduced by pretreatment, and were also reduced, to a lesser extent, by post-treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The finding that persistent nociceptive behaviors and Fos expression were suppressed by intrathecal lidocaine pretreatment suggests that nociception in the second phase of the formalin test depends on increases in central hyperexcitability generated during the first phase. On the other hand, the finding that the intrathecal injection of lidocaine after formalin treatment reduced Fos expression but not nociceptive responses indicates an uncoupling of the behavioral and Fos protein responses to formalin and suggests that changes in Fos expression may not be a good predictor of the ability of agents to produce preemptive analgesia.

Anesthetics, Local↗
PubMed1989

The c-fos transcript is targeted for rapid decay by two distinct mRNA degradation pathways.

Rapid degradation of c-fos proto-oncogene mRNA is crucial for transient c-fos gene expression. Experiments were performed to investigate the cellular mechanisms responsible for the extremely short half-life of human c-fos mRNA in growth-factor-stimulated fibroblasts. These experiments demonstrate the existence of two distinct cellular pathways for rapid c-fos mRNA degradation. Each of these pathways recognizes a different, functionally independent instability determinant within the c-fos transcript. One instability determinant, which is located within the c-fos 3'-untranslated region, is a 75-nucleotide AU-rich segment. Insertion of this element into beta-globin mRNA markedly reduces the half-life of that normally long-lived message. Nevertheless, specific deletion of the AU-rich element from c-fos mRNA has little effect on the transcript's cytoplasmic half-life due to the presence of the other c-fos instability determinant, which is located in the protein-coding segment of the c-fos message. Examination of mRNA decay in cells treated with transcription inhibitors indicates that one c-fos mRNA degradation pathway is dependent on RNA synthesis, whereas the other is not.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

7-OH-DPAT differentially reverses clozapine- and haloperidol-induced increases in Fos-like immunoreactivity in the rodent forebrain.

The pattern of neurons which display haloperidol-induced Fos-like immunoreactivity closely matches the distribution of striatal D2 dopamine receptors, whereas clozapine-induced Fos-like immunoreactivity occurs primarily in regions that contain high levels of the D3 dopamine receptor. These neuroanatomical correlations suggest that haloperidol and clozapine may elevate Fos-like immunoreactivity by blocking D2 and D3 receptors respectively. In order to test this hypothesis, the abilities of prior administration of the D3 receptor-preferring agonist 7-hydroxy-N,N'-di-n-propyl-2-aminotetraline (7-OH-DPAT) to competitively reverse haloperidol- and clozapine-induced increases in Fos-like immunoreactivity were compared. Administration of 7-OH-DPAT (0.05 mg/kg, s.c.) 30 min before clozapine (20 mg/kg, s.c.) produced a 60% reduction in the number of neurons that displayed clozapine-induced Fos-like immunoreactivity in the major island of Calleja, nucleus accumbens and medial aspect of the striatum, while prior administration of 0.5 mg/kg (s.c.) of 7-OH-DPAT completely reversed these increases in Fos-like immunoreactivity. In contrast, the increases in Fos-like immunoreactivity in the major island of Calleja, nucleus accumbens and striatum (medial and dorsal aspects) induced by haloperidol (0.1 mg/kg, s.c.) were only reduced by the high dose of 7-OH-DPAT (0.5 mg/kg, s.c.). Hence, clozapine-induced increases in Fos-like immunoreactivity were more readily reversed by 7-OH-DPAT than elevations in Fos-like immunoreactivity produced by haloperidol. These results suggest that D3 receptor blockade plays a larger role in mediating clozapine- than haloperidol-induced increases in Fos-like immunoreactivity.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Chronic electroconvulsive seizures down-regulate expression of the immediate-early genes c-fos and c-jun in rat cerebral cortex.

Acute seizures and other stimuli that increase neuronal activity cause a rapid induction of the immediate-early genes c-fos and c-jun, also referred to as nuclear proto-oncogenes, in the nervous system. In the present study, rats were administered one or more electroconvulsive seizures (ECS) and the responsiveness of c-fos and c-jun to an acute, "test" seizure was examined. Four hours after a single ECS, the induction of c-fos mRNA by a test seizure was blocked, in agreement with earlier findings, but by 18 h the levels of c-fos mRNA could be reinduced by the test seizure, suggesting that 1 day is sufficient to "reset" the responsiveness of this system. However, it was found that chronic, daily ECS treatments resulted in a time-dependent decrease in the expression of c-fos mRNA in response to a test seizure administered 18 h after the last daily ECS; this effect was maximal after 8-10 days of treatment, at which time the induction of c-fos mRNA by the test seizure was blocked dramatically. Chronic ECS also blocked the induction of c-jun in response to an acute, test seizure. The effect of chronic ECS on levels of Fos protein was also investigated. It was found that basal levels of Fos protein were reduced after chronic (10 days) ECS and were not induced by a test seizure. Because levels of Fos protein remain elevated 4 h after a single seizure this finding suggests that the mechanisms by which acute (4 h) and chronic (8-10 days) ECS block the induction of c-fos may differ.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Proto-oncogene fos: factors affecting expression and covalent modification of the gene product.

Expression of proto-oncogene fos is induced in response to a variety of growth factors and differentiation-specific agents. However, the induction of fos gene expression is not influenced by inhibition of protein synthesis. We, therefore, entertained the notion that expression of the fos gene may be governed by posttranslational modification of cellular transcriptional factors. We report here that transcription of the human c-fos gene is modulated by negatively and positively acting cellular factors. The nuclear protein products of the resident oncogene of the FBJ-murine osteosarcoma virus (v-fos) and its corresponding cellular proto-oncogene (c-fos) are stoichiometrically phosphorylated on serine and threonine residues. The c-fos protein is more highly phosphorylated than the v-fos protein due to the phosphorylation of unique sites tentatively localized to the c-terminal 20 amino acid residues. The protein kinase C agonist, TPA, stimulates phosphorylation of the c-fos, but not the v-fos protein.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Interactions among LRF-1, JunB, c-Jun, and c-Fos define a regulatory program in the G1 phase of liver regeneration.

In regenerating liver, a physiologically normal model of cell growth, LRF-1, JunB, c-Jun, and c-Fos among Jun/Fos/LRF-1 family members are induced posthepatectomy. In liver cells, high levels of c-Fos/c-Jun, c-Fos/JunB, LRF-1/c-Jun, and LRF-1/JunB complexes are present for several hours after the G0/G1 transition, and the relative level of LRF-1/JunB complexes increases during G1. We provide evidence for dramatic differences in promoter-specific activation by LRF-1- and c-Fos-containing complexes. LRF-1 in combination with either Jun protein strongly activates a cyclic AMP response element-containing promoter which c-Fos/Jun does not activate. LRF-1/c-Jun, c-Fos/c-Jun, and c-Fos/JunB activate specific AP-1 and ATF site-containing promoters, and in contrast, LRF-1/JunB potently represses c-Fos- and c-Jun-mediated activation of these promoters. Repression is dependent on a region in LRF-1 that includes amino acids 40 to 84 (domain R) and the basic/leucine zipper domain. As the relative level of LRF-1/JunB complexes increases posthepatectomy, c-Fos/Jun-mediated ATF and AP-1 site activation is likely to decrease with simultaneous transcriptional activation of the many liver-specific genes whose promoters contain cyclic AMP response element sites. Thus, through complex interactions among LRF-1, JunB, c-Jun, and c-Fos, control of delayed gene expression may be established for extended times during the G1 phase of hepatic growth.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1988

fra-1: a serum-inducible, cellular immediate-early gene that encodes a fos-related antigen.

A set of proteins antigenically related to the c-fos protein (Fos) are induced by serum in fibroblasts. To isolate cDNA clones of genes encoding such proteins, a lambda gt11 expression cDNA library constructed from serum-stimulated rat fibroblasts was screened with antibodies raised against a hydrophilic region (amino acids 127 to 152) of Fos. One of the positive clones identified, termed fra-1 (Fos-related antigen) was characterized. It encoded a protein that shared several regions of extensive amino acid homology with Fos (including the region that showed similarity to both the yeast GCN4 regulatory protein and the protein encoded by the jun oncogene), although its nucleotide sequence was considerably diverged from that of the c-fos gene. Only a subset of the agents and conditions that activated c-fos also induced fra-1. Induction of fra-1 expression following serum stimulation was delayed compared with that of c-fos. However, like c-fos, fra-1 was induced rapidly by serum in the presence of protein synthesis inhibitors. Thus, a family of Fos-related, inducible genes are involved in the cellular immediate-early transcriptional response to extracellular stimuli.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Nuclear Fos immunoreactivity in guinea pig myenteric neurons following activation of motor activity.

To identify enteric neurons activated during intestinal motor activity, we examined myenteric plexus of guinea pig small intestinal segments for expression of the immediate early gene product, Fos. Fos immunoreactivity was detected immunohistochemically following in vitro manipulations, which included distension, electrical stimulation, exposure to forskolin, and peristalsis. All of these manipulations induced neuronal Fos expression, which was prevented by tetrodotoxin, indicating that expression depended on nerve activity. Distension-induced Fos expression was blocked by omega-conotoxin and significantly reduced by hexamethonium, indicating that neurons expressing Fos immunoreactivity were activated synaptically. Blocking smooth muscle contraction with nicardipine reduced expression of neuronal Fos, suggesting that muscle tone influences neuronal activity. Calbindin-immunoreactive putative sensory neurons did not express Fos during distension, peristalsis, or exposure to forskolin and expressed Fos only weakly after strong electrical stimulation. Conversely, calretinin-immunoreactive ascending excitatory interneurons and longitudinal muscle motoneurons exhibited Fos immunoreactivity after all experimental manipulations. These results indicate that Fos expression can, with some caution, be used to identify classes of enteric neurons activated by different stimuli under various experimental conditions.

Animals↗