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The IgM antigen receptor of B lymphocytes is associated with prohibitin and a prohibitin-related protein.

The two major classes of antigen receptors on murine B lymphocytes, mIgM and mIgD, are both contained in a complex with two additional molecules, Ig-alpha and Ig-beta, which permit signal transduction. Accordingly, early biochemical events after antigen binding to either receptor are similar; biological effects, however, are different. Here, we describe three newly discovered intracellular proteins of 32, 37 and 41 kDa molecular mass, that are non-covalently associated with mIgM, but not with mIgD. These proteins coprecipitate with mIgM in Triton X-100 and Nonidet P-40, but not in digitonin lysates. In addition, mIgM is to some extent associated with 29 and 31 kDa proteins that are predominantly associated with mIgD (see accompanying paper). Amino acid sequencing of p32 and p37 identified p32 as mouse prohibitin; this was corroborated by Western blot analysis with antibodies specific for rat prohibitin. p37 is a newly discovered protein. cDNA clones for both proteins were isolated and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequence of p32 is identical to that of rat prohibitin. p37 is highly homologous to p32. Since prohibitin was identified as an inhibitor of cell proliferation, its association with mIgM, but not mIgD, could explain the different biological events elicited after engagement of each receptor.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Absence of prohibitin gene mutations in human epithelial ovarian tumors.

Multiple loss of heterozygosity (LOH) studies of ovarian cancers have found a high incidence of chromosome 17 loss in these tumors. Several authors have suggested that the region commonly deleted encompasses 17q12-21. In addition, this region has recently been reported to be linked to the familial breast/ovarian cancer syndrome. Recently the human prohibitin gene was mapped to region 17q12-22. Prohibitin causes arrest of DNA synthesis by fibroblast and HeLa cells and prohibitin shows significant homology to a gene (Cc) thought to be important for the regulation of development of Drosophila melanogaster. These findings have led many to consider the prohibitin gene a potential tumor suppressor gene. In addition, sequence analysis of exon 4 of human prohibitin gene revealed mutations in 4 of 23 sporadic breast carcinomas. Because of the proposed function for prohibitin, its alterations in breast cancers, and the fact that its location on 17q falls within a commonly deleted region in ovarian cancers, we have undertaken an analysis of the sequence of prohibitin in epithelial ovarian cancers. Using several polymorphic DNA probes, we identified 20 epithelial ovarian tumors which demonstrated LOH for the region that contains the prohibitin gene. To evaluate whether mutations of prohibitin may be important in ovarian carcinogenesis, we have sequenced exons 4 and 5 of this gene using the technique of genomic amplification with transcript sequencing. Only normal exon 4 and 5 sequence was observed among the 20 tumors screened. These results demonstrate that this region of the prohibitin gene is not mutated in epithelial ovarian cancers and suggest that the prohibitin gene does not play a role in ovarian carcinogenesis. Sequencing of further exons and introns are needed to confirm this latter hypothesis.

Base Sequence↗

Immunolocalization and expression of prohibitin, a mitochondrial associated protein within the rat ovaries.

This study was designed to determine the cellular distribution and pattern of expression for the mitochondria-associated protein, prohibitin, during the transitional stages of follicular differentiation within the rat ovary. Immunohistochemical staining techniques were used on frozen sections to examine the localization of prohibitin to preantral, antral, preovulatory, and atretic follicles. Prohibitin localization was also determined in corpus luteum from adult rats, in addition to those from infant and juvenile ovaries, before and after gonadotropin stimulation. Western and Northern blotting techniques were used for qualitative and quantitative assessment of prohibitin expression levels within the ovary. Prohibitin was localized within granulosa cells of infant and juvenile ovaries in a relatively heterogeneous staining pattern. The oocyte also exhibited robust prohibitin expression at all stages of follicular development. In addition, strong prohibitin expression was evident in the corpus luteum as well as in follicles undergoing atresia. Additional data derived from studies involving a GnRH-agonist indicate that increases in prohibitin protein expression correlate with the initial events of apoptosis. Collectively, these results support a growth regulatory role for prohibitin within the rat ovary. Therefore, we propose that prohibitin may serve as an important regulator of granulosa cell fate during follicular development.

Animals↗

Prohibitin requires Brg-1 and Brm for the repression of E2F and cell growth.

E2F transcription factors play a major role in controlling mammalian cell cycle progression. We recently reported that a potential tumor suppressor, prohibitin, which interacts with retinoblastoma protein (Rb), regulates E2F function and this activity correlates with its growth-suppressive activity. We show here that prohibitin recruits Brg-1/Brm to E2F-responsive promoters, and that this recruitment is required for the repression of E2F-mediated transcription by prohibitin. Expression of a dominant-negative Brg-1 or Brm releases prohibitin-mediated repression of E2F and relieves prohibitin-mediated growth suppression. Although prohibitin associates with, and recruits, Brg-1 and Brm independently of Rb, prohibitin/Brg-1/Brm-mediated transcriptional repression requires Rb. A viral oncoprotein, SV40 large T antigen, can reverse prohibitin-mediated suppression of E2F-mediated gene transcription, and targets prohibitin through interruption of the association between prohibitin and Brg-1/Brm without affecting the prohibitin-E2F interaction.

Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming↗

Rb and prohibitin target distinct regions of E2F1 for repression and respond to different upstream signals.

E2F transcription factor is subject to stringent regulation by a variety of molecules. We recently observed that prohibitin, a potential tumor suppressor protein, binds to the retinoblastoma (Rb) protein and represses E2F transcriptional activity. Here we demonstrate that prohibitin requires the marked box region of E2F for repression; further, prohibitin can effectively inhibit colony formation induced by overexpression of E2F1 in T47D cells. Prohibitin was also found to interact with the signaling kinase c-Raf-1, and Raf-1 could effectively reverse prohibitin-mediated repression of E2F activity. Agents such as E1A, p38 kinase, and cyclins D and E had no effect on prohibitin-mediated repression of E2F1, but all of these molecules could reverse Rb function. Similarly, stimulation of the immunoglobulin M signaling pathway in Ramos cells could inactivate prohibitin, but this had no effect on Rb function. Serum stimulation of quiescent Ramos cells inactivated Rb and prohibitin with different kinetics; further, while the serum-dependent inactivation of Rb was dependent on cyclin-dependent kinase activity, the inactivation of prohibitin was not. We believe that prohibitin is a novel regulator of E2F function which channels specific signaling cascades to the cell cycle regulatory machinery.

Binding Sites↗

Prohibitin in breast cancer cell lines: loss of antiproliferative activity is linked to 3' untranslated region mutations.

The evolutionarily conserved prohibitin gene is located on human chromosome 17q21, and two alleles have been identified. Our previous studies characterizing prohibitin in immortalized cells, classified into four complementation groups (A-D) based on the ability of whole-cell hybrids to become senescent, have suggested that it has tumor suppressor activity in group B cells. Only the cell lines assigned to group B are sensitive to the antiproliferative activity of prohibitin, and all are homozygous for an allele designated B because of its exclusive association with this group. Prohibitin genotyping of 22 breast cancer cell lines identified 17 homozygous for the B allele, 5 homozygous for the non-B allele, and no heterozygotes. Four of these cell lines were chosen for further characterization of prohibitin. In cell proliferation assays, the homozygous B breast cancer cell lines (BT-20, SK-BR-3, and MCF7) are all inhibited from traversing the cell cycle following the introduction of wild-type prohibitin transcripts. The cell line homozygous for the alternative non-B allele (BT-549) is not inhibited by transcripts. All of the breast cancer cell lines overexpress the longer form of the prohibitin mRNA (1.9 kb) and the protein. Mutational analysis of the protein-coding region detected no mutations in any of the lines. However, BT-20, SK-BR-3, and MCF7 cells are all mutated in the final 200 bases of the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) exclusive to the 1.9-kb transcript, but BT-549 cells had no alterations in this region of the 3'UTR. Functional mapping experiments performed in the mutated SK-BR-3 line showed that the wild-type 3'UTR alone is sufficient to inhibit cell cycle progression, indicating that the antiproliferative activity of the prohibitin transcript is localized to this region. Overall, our results show that most (80%) of the cell lines derived from breast tumors have a common prohibitin genotype, suggesting that they belong to the same group of immortalized cells, group B. The results also show that the prohibitin 3'UTR exhibits the characteristics of a trans-acting regulatory RNA (riboregulator), the tumor suppressor activity of which is inactivated by mutation in group B immortalized cells.

Alleles↗

The 3' untranslated region of prohibitin and cellular immortalization.

We have been studying the role of the evolutionarily conserved prohibitin gene in cellular immortalization and tumor suppression. Immortalized human cells are classified into four complementation groups (A, B, C, and D) based on the ability of fusion hybrids to become senescent. The present study expands our preliminary evidence showing that the antiproliferative activity of prohibitin is only effective in immortalized Group B cells and normal cells. Data presented here show that the expression of a prohibitin mRNA with a long 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) and prohibitin protein is elevated in immortalized cells from all complementation groups. However, all immortalized cells classified in complementation Group B, and no cell lines in any of the other groups, are sensitive to the antiproliferative activity of wild-type prohibitin transcripts. All Group B cells are also homozygous for one of two human prohibitin alleles that are distinguishable by two distinct intron polymorphism restriction sites. Interestingly, sequence analysis of the prohibitin gene from representatives of each of the complementation groups showed that the 3'UTR from Groups A, C, and D matched wild type; however, the sequence from all four Group B cell lines differed from wild type. Functional inhibition assays on truncated wild-type mRNA transcripts as well as 3'UTR specific wild-type and mutated transcripts show that the antiproliferative activity of prohibitin resides, at least in part, in the 3'UTR. These data suggest that the prohibitin 3'UTR may function as a trans-acting regulatory RNA (riboregulator) whose tumor suppressor activity has been inactivated by mutation in Group B cells.

Base Sequence↗

Characterization of prohibitin in a newly established rat ovarian granulosa cell line.

Prohibitin is an evolutionary conserved protein that is associated with cellular differentiation, atresia, and luteolysis in the rat ovary. However, the specific cellular location and function of prohibitin in ovarian cells has not been clearly elucidated. To characterize the expression of prohibitin during cell proliferation, differentiation, and cell death, we have successfully established a temperature-sensitive granulosa cell line, designated RGA-1. At a permissive temperature of 33 C, RGA-1 cells proliferate, but revert to a differentiated phenotype at a nonpermissive temperature of 39 C. Significant inductions of prohibitin mRNA and protein expression were observed in the differentiated phenotype when compared with proliferating cells. Differentiated RGA-1 cells were found to express inhibin alpha- and beta-transcripts, as well as steroidogenic acute regulatory protein and peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor proteins in a manner reminiscent of steroidogenic functional responses observed in primary differentiated granulosa cells. Prohibitin expression correlated well with the expression of these steroidogenic proteins. At 39 C, RGA-1 cells also displayed increases in p53 protein levels, indicative of growth arrest in the nonproliferating cells. Confocal and electron microscopic examinations revealed increased prohibitin localization to the mitochondria at 39 C, along with changes in mitochondrial size and shape. These changes were accompanied by marked reductions in cytochrome c oxidase subunit II levels and in unit mitochondrial transmembrane potential. In addition, cell fractionation studies demonstrated that the prohibitin protein was mainly localized to the mitochondrial membrane. Collectively, these findings suggest a role for prohibitin in mitochondrial structure and function during growth and differentiation in ovarian granulosa cells. Prohibitin expression may also be indicative of mitochondrial destabilization during apoptosis-related events.

Animals↗

Prohibitin, a putative negative control element present in Pneumocystis carinii.

Little is known about the molecules involved in the regulation of Pneumocystis carinii replication and development in vitro and in vivo. We describe in this report the identification of a P. carinii gene encoding the P. carinii prohibitin protein. In mammals, the prohibitin gene product has been shown to negatively regulate cell proliferation. A cDNA clone encoding the P. carinii prohibitin gene was isolated from a P. carinii cDNA library and identified on the basis of amino acid sequence homology with prohibitin from mammalian sources. Southern blot analysis confirmed that the prohibitin cDNA clone was of P. carinii origin. Western blot analysis of total P. carinii protein indicated that the prohibitin gene is transcribed and translated in vivo. The P. carinii prohibitin gene was expressed in vivo in human fibroblasts and shown to arrest the cell cycle in the G1 phase. The results obtained suggest a potential role for P. carinii prohibitin in the regulation of P. carinii proliferation and development.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Cell cycle activity and expression of prohibitin mRNA.

Prohibitin, a novel intracellular antiproliferative protein, blocks entry into the S phase of the cell division cycle when its mRNA is microinjected into normal fibroblasts or HeLa cells. To learn more about the interaction between prohibitin and the cell cycle, we studied the effect of microinjecting prohibitin mRNA at different points during the transition from G0 to S phase and analyzed prohibitin mRNA and protein levels in different parts of the cell cycle. The antiproliferative activity of microinjected prohibitin mRNA is high in G0/G1 and falls as cells approach S phase. Prohibitin mRNA and protein levels are high in G1, fall with S phase, rise again in G2, and fall in M. Together, these findings suggest that endogenous prohibitin contributes to the control of the G1 to S transition in cycling cells in a complex manner, which involves both a transcriptional and posttranslational mechanism.

Animals↗

Prohibitin expression is increased in phorbol ester-treated chronic leukemic B-lymphocytes.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is characterized by the gradual accumulation of immature B-lymphocytes. CLL B-lymphocytes mature to a plasmacytoid phenotype when treated in vitro with phorbol esters. CLL B-cell apparent maturation is associated with altered expression of specific plasma membrane and mitochondrial proteins including heightened expression of a 30-kDa heat shock protein 60 (hsp60) analog. During our efforts to further characterize this hsp60 analog by mass spectrometry, we detected the mitochondrial protein prohibitin in phorbol-ester-matured CLL B-lymphocytes. Prohibitin modulates cell proliferation and inhibits cell cycle traverse in several systems, although few data are available for lymphocytes. A twofold increase in prohibitin concentration was observed in phorbol-ester-matured compared to resting CLL B-cells as determined by quantitative Western immunoblot analysis. A similar increase in prohibitin was observed in phorbol-ester-treated normal human B-lymphocyte populations. An antisense oligonucleotide complementary to the 5' coding region of the prohibitin gene blunted the increase in prohibitin protein in phorbol-ester-treated CLL B-cells by 42%. These data suggest that increased prohibitin expression is associated with and may facilitate B-cell maturation.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Prohibitin gene is overexpressed but not mutated in rat bladder carcinomas and cell lines.

Prohibitin was isolated as a candidate antiproliferating gene in rat liver cells, and it has been suggested as a tumor suppressor gene in human breast cancer. We investigated the steady state level of prohibitin mRNA in rat bladder cell lines and in rat bladder carcinoma induced by N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]formamide (FANFT) and sodium saccharin, as well as the protein level in rat bladder epithelial cells. We also examined the prohibitin gene for mutations using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and direct sequencing methods. All rat bladder tumors investigated and several cell lines had unexpectedly increased steady state levels of prohibitin mRNA compared with that of normal rat bladder or liver. The prohibitin protein was easily detected by Western blotting in all cell lines regardless of their malignant status or growth rate. However, PCR-SSCP and direct sequencing analysis showed no mutations in the prohibitin gene. These results These results indicate that prohibitin overexpression, but not mutations, may be involved in the early stage of rat bladder carcinogenesis.

Animals↗

Loss of prohibitins, though it shortens the replicative life span of yeast cells undergoing division, does not shorten the chronological life span of G0-arrested cells.

Prohibitin proteins have been implicated in cell proliferation, ageing and the maintenance of mitochondrial integrity. The yeast prohibitins, Phb1p and Phb2p, are close in sequence to their two human counterparts, prohibitin and BAP37. Mutants of Saccharomyces cerevisiae that lack these prohibitins have a shortened replicative (budding) life span. Nevertheless, their chronological life span, measured as the survival of stationary phase (G0) cells over time, is essentially normal. Loss of prohibitins does not hypersensitise cells to their endogenous free radical production, though it does slightly increase their sensitivity to ethanol. It is unlikely, therefore, that the influences of prohibitins over replicative senescence involve free radicals, despite the evidence from many systems linking ageing to the long-term effects of oxidative stress. Yeast phb1 and phb2 mutants and also the phb1, phb2 double mutant, tend to lose respiration competence when in G0-arrest, indicating that nondividing cells lacking prohibitins have problems maintaining a functional mitochondrial electron transport chain. This may reflect an imbalance in the turnover of components of the respiratory chain in G0 cells, since the Phb1/2p complex is known to help stabilise these components. Such losses of respiratory function in G0-arrested cells are greater with the loss of Phb1p than with the loss of Phb2p, revealing the Phb1p null and Phb2p null phenotypes to be nonidentical.

Cell Division↗

Prohibitin, an antiproliferative protein, is localized to mitochondria.

Prohibitin is a ubiquitously expressed protein with antiproliferative properties. When rat prohibitin tagged with a carboxy-terminal c-Myc epitope was expressed in baby hamster kidney cells the protein was targeted to mitochondria. In immunofluorescence microscopy prohibitin colocalized with a mitochondrial marker E3. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that prohibitin was associated with the periphery of mitochondria. The amino-terminus of prohibitin shares characteristics of the known mitochondrial import signals, and positioning of the tag at the N-terminus causes accumulation of the protein in the cytoplasm. These findings help to direct functional studies on prohibitin and suggest that a mitochondrial protein may act as a tumor suppressor.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Characterization of the plant homologue of prohibitin, a gene associated with antiproliferative activity in mammalian cells.

This report describes the cloning and characterization of a plant cDNA coding for a protein which shows high amino acid sequence similarity with prohibitin, whose gene is associated with antiproliferative activity in mammalian cells. Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana tabacum prohibitin complete cDNAs were isolated, and the expression pattern of prohibitin was examined using polyclonal antibodies raised against the Arabidopsis recombinant prohibitin expressed in Escherichia coli. A single immunoreactive protein was detected in various plant species and in all Arabidopsis organs examined. Subcellular fractionation using tobacco leaves revealed prohibitin in a mitochondrial-enriched fraction. Phylogenetic conservation of prohibitin's amino acid sequence and subcellular localization suggests a similar function in plants, yeast and mammals.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Prohibitin, a potential tumor suppressor, interacts with RB and regulates E2F function.

The retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein and its family members, p107 and p130, are major regulators of the mammalian cell cycle. They exert their growth suppressive effects at least in part by binding the E2F family of transcription factors and inhibiting their transcriptional activity. Agents that disrupt the interaction between Rb family proteins and E2F promote cell proliferation. Here we describe the characterization of a novel interaction between Rb family proteins and a potential tumor suppressor protein, prohibitin. Prohibitin physically interacts with all three Rb family proteins in vitro and in vivo, and was very effective in repressing E2F-mediated transcription. Prohibitin could inhibit the activity of E2Fs 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5, but could not affect the activity of promoters lacking an E2F site. Surprisingly, prohibitin-mediated repression of E2F could not be reversed by adenovirus E1A protein. A prohibitin mutant that could not bind to Rb was impaired in its ability to repress E2F activity and inhibit cell proliferation. We believe that prohibitin is a novel regulator of E2F activity that responds to specific signaling cascades.

Animals↗

Expression of prohibitin in rat seminiferous epithelium.

Subtractive hybridization was used to isolate cDNAs highly expressed in stages IX-XI of the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium in the rat. One of the cloned cDNAs was sequenced and shown to be homologous to a previously described cDNA encoding rat prohibitin. Northern blot analyses showed that 1.9- and 1.2-kb transcripts were present in Sertoli cells whereas 1.5-, 1.2-, and 0.7-kb transcripts were expressed in germ cells. Western blot analyses with anti-peptide antibody to prohibitin revealed only a single 30-kDa protein in testis. Immunocytochemistry demonstrated that prohibitin protein was expressed constitutively in adult Leydig cells and Sertoli cells at all stages. Immunoreactivity of prohibition was very low in preleptotene spermatocytes, very high in leptotene spermatocytes, and very low in zygotene spermatocytes. In pachytene spermatocytes, immunoreactivity was very high in stages VII-XI and was minimal during stages XII and XIV. No protein was detected in spermatogonia and spermatocytes undergoing mitotic and meiotic divisions, respectively. These studies show that the prohibitin gene is expressed differentially in testis. The expression pattern of the prohibitin gene in rat testis appears to correlate with a proposed antiproliferative role of prohibitin.

Aging↗

Steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein (p25) and prohibitin (p28) from cultured rat ovarian granulosa cells.

This study has identified and characterized two intracellular proteins (25 and 28 kDa) during ongoing differentiation of rat granulosa cells isolated from preantral and early antral follicles. The identity of p25 was confirmed as the mitochondria associated StAR protein by western blotting analysis. In the culture conditions used, this protein was expressed only when granulosa cells were stimulated with FSH to produce progesterone. It is apparent that the steroidogenic differentiation of granulosa cells affects StAR expression. Amino acid sequence analysis of p28 identified it as prohibitin and was corroborated by western blot analysis with antibodies specific for rat prohibitin. During the ongoing differentiation of granulosa cells there were changes in the expression of p28/prohibitin. Although prohibitin is constitutively expressed in granulosa cells, there is an increase in the more acidic isoform of prohibitin when oestrogen concentrations are raised by increased production or exogenous addition. This increase in this acidic isoform of prohibitin is due to phosphorylation. It is possible that oestrogen induces phosphorylation of prohibitin and, thus, may be involved in the regulation of granulosa cell proliferation and the ontogeny of the ovarian follicle.

Androstenedione↗