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D Eick

Publications and source records attributed to D Eick.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Absence of a paused transcription complex from the c-myc P2 promoter of the translocation chromosome in Burkitt's lymphoma cells: implication for the c-myc P1/P2 promoter shift.

We have shown recently that pausing of RNA polymerase II (pol II) at the transcription start site regulates expression from the P2 promoter of the proto-oncogene c-myc. RNAs initiated at the P2 promoter usually contribute > 80% to steady-state c-myc RNA levels in normal cells. In Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) cells c-myc is chromosomally translocated to an immunoglobulin (Ig) gene and preferentially transcribed from the upstream P1 promoter. We have studied the activity of c-myc promoters in two BL cell lines with high expression of P1 RNA. Kinetic nuclear run-on experiments show that the initiation rate at the c-myc P1 promoter in BL2 and BL60 cells is not increased compared with control BJAB cells, whereas the number of paused polymerases at the P2 promoter is greatly diminished. The translocation c-myc gene of BL60 cells was cloned and stably transfected into the BL cell line Raji. The transfected c-myc gene regained the ability to form a paused transcription complex at the c-myc P2 promoter. The data suggest that a paused polymerase at the c-myc P2 promoter impedes transcription from the upstream P1 promoter on a normal c-myc gene. The c-myc gene on the translocation chromosome in BL cells has lost the ability to retain pol II at the P2 promoter, probably by interaction with elements of the adjacent Ig gene locus.

Base Sequence↗

Hold back of RNA polymerase II at the transcription start site mediates down-regulation of c-myc in vivo.

Premature termination of transcription is assumed to be an important mechanism of c-myc regulation. Induction of terminal differentiation in the promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL60 by dimethyl-sulfoxide (DMSO) is accompanied by a block of RNA elongation within the first exon of the c-myc gene. We have studied the 3'-structure of incompletely elongated transcripts in (i) nuclear RNA of induced and uninduced HL60 cells, (ii) nuclear run-on RNA, and (iii) RNA of in vitro transcribed c-myc constructs. Elongation of c-myc RNA stopped in all three transcriptional systems at similar sites distributed 150-350 bases downstream of the P2 promoter. When HL60 cells were induced to terminal differentiation the short c-myc exon 1 specific RNAs disappeared in nuclear RNA. This implied that RNA polymerase II (pol II) does not continue to transcribe c-myc exon 1 in induced HL60 cells as suggested by earlier nuclear run-on experiments. Therefore, kinetic experiments with small oligonucleotides as probes were performed to determine the start position of pol II on c-myc exon 1 in nuclear run-ons. The results demonstrate that all RNA polymerases are localized at the c-myc P2 promoter in DMSO-treated HL60 cells. Preparation of nuclei for run-on experiments induces a release of pol II from the c-myc P2 promoter leading to the strong nuclear run-on signal on c-myc exon 1. Thus, down-regulation of c-myc in differentiating HL60 cells occurs by retention of pol II at the transcription start site.

Base Sequence↗

Transcriptional down-regulation of c-myc in human prostate carcinoma cells by the synthetic androgen mibolerone.

The mechanism of down-regulation of c-myc RNA associated with androgen-induced suppression of the transformed phenotype in the human prostate carcinoma cell line LNCaP was investigated. The synthetic androgen mibolerone (7 alpha-17 alpha-Dimethyl-19-nortestosterone) reversibly inhibits the proliferation of LNCaP cells and, from 12-72 h after hormone addition reduces the level of c-myc transcripts to a few per cent of controls. P1, P2, and P0 c-myc transcripts decline at the same rate, whereas P3 transcripts are much less hormone sensitive. Nuclear run-on analysis revealed that c-myc is down-regulated at the level of transcription initiation in LNCaP cells. The level of c-myc transcripts prevailing in untreated control cells can be restored in androgen-induced cells by excess antiandrogen, indicating the involvement of the androgen receptor in c-myc down-regulation.

Blotting, Northern↗

Expression of truncated transcripts of the proto-oncogene c-fps/fes in human lymphoma and lymphoid leukemia cell lines.

The human c-fps/fes proto-oncogene is expressed as a transcript of about 3.0 kb in both normal and leukemic myeloid cells. We have detected truncated c-fps/fes transcripts of about 0.9 kb in a panel of human lymphoma and lymphoid leukemia cell lines, but not in normal untransformed hematopoietic cells. Analysis of the chromatin structure of the c-fps/fes gene revealed DNAase I-hypersensitive sites in the 5' region of the gene and in exon 16. The presence and absence of these sites correlates with the expression of the 3.0 kb and 0.9 kb c-fps/fes RNAs respectively. The truncated transcripts initiate at two distinct sites within exon 16 of the c-fps/fes gene. The genomic region 5' to the transcription initiation sites is G+C rich but does not contain typical promoter consensus sequences. Sequence analysis of a cDNA clone of the truncated c-fps/fes transcripts did not reveal any point mutation and the truncated transcripts are normally spliced using the regular splice donor and acceptor sites. A putative open reading frame encompasses the phosphotransfer motif and the autophosphorylation site of the fps/fes kinase domain. In vitro transcription/translation of a cDNA clone corresponding to the truncated c-fps/fes transcripts revealed a protein of 17 kDa. There are no translocations or rearrangements in or around the c-fps/fes gene in cell lines which express the truncated c-fps/fes transcripts. This alternative transcription of c-fps/fes may indicate a novel activation process of this proto-oncogene.

Base Sequence↗

Two antisense promoters in the immunoglobulin mu-switch region drive expression of c-myc in the Burkitt's lymphoma cell line BL67.

In the Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) cell line BL67 the first exon of the c-myc gene is fused to the mu-switch region of the immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene (IgH). BL67 cells express IgH/c-myc hybrid RNAs which are initiated in the immunoglobulin locus, transcribed across the chromosomal breakpoint into the first exon of c-myc and spliced using the physiological splice donor and acceptor sites of the c-myc gene. We have isolated cDNAs of these hybrid RNAs and characterized the start points in the Ig heavy-chain gene. Two promoters were identified in the mu-switch region of BL67 cells which give rise to antisense transcription of the mu-gene. These promoters are also active in other BL cell lines, in B cells without Ig translocation and in a T-cell line. Both promoters co-localize with DNAase I-hypersensitive sites, HNF and HSW, in the mu-switch region. The structures of IgH/c-myc hybrid RNAs and of the corresponding promoters are described.

Base Sequence↗

Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 2 activates transcription of the terminal protein gene.

Transcription of the terminal protein (TP) gene of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in Burkitt's lymphoma cells, in EBV-negative Burkitt's lymphoma cells converted with transformation-defective (P3HR1) and transformation-competent (B95-8, AG876) EBV strains, and in EBV-immortalized cell lines was studied. A TP1 cDNA probe spanning the boundary between exons 1 and 2 and discriminating between TP1 and TP2 transcripts was used for S1 analysis. TP RNA expression varied widely in Burkitt's lymphoma cells. TP-specific transcripts were not detectable or only hardly detectable in Burkitt's lymphoma cells with the group I phenotype (CD10+ CD77+ CD21- CD23- CD30- CDw70-) as well as in P3HR1 virus-converted Burkitt's lymphoma lines. TP expression was high in Burkitt's lymphoma lines with the group II and group III phenotypes (CD21+ CD23+ CD30+ CDw70+), in B95-8 and AG876 virus-converted lines, and in EBV-immortalized cells. Detection of TP1 RNA correlated with EBNA2 expression. TP1 transcription was shown to be dependent on EBNA2 expression by stable transfection of an EBNA2 expression vector into P3HR1 virus-converted BL41 cells. EBNA2 is activating the TP1 as well as the TP2 promoter, as shown by the analysis of TP promoter-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase constructs transiently transfected into EBNA2-positive and EBNA2-negative Burkitt's lymphoma cells.

Antigens, Viral↗

The intron enhancer of the immunoglobulin kappa gene activates c-myc but does not induce the Burkitt-specific promoter shift.

In Burkitt's lymphoma cells the c-myc gene locus is consistently fused to the constant region of one of the immunoglobulin genes by chromosomal translocation. The translocated c-myc gene is transcriptionally activated and preferentially transcribed from the P1 promoter whenever the exon-intron structure of c-myc remains intact. In order to define elements involved in this promoter shift we have cloned the translocated c-myc allele from Burkitt's lymphoma cell line BL60, which is characterized by several point mutations. The mutated c-myc allele of BL60 was stably introduced into baby hamster kidney and Burkitt's lymphoma cells. S1 nuclease and RNAase protection mapping experiments demonstrated that the mutated c-myc allele was expressed at a low level and with a normal promoter usage (P2 greater than P1) in Burkitt's lymphoma and baby hamster kidney cells. Furthermore, we have studied the expression of a construct consisting of the mutated c-myc allele, part of the bvr1 (Burkitt's variant rearranging region 1) locus, the human immunoglobulin kappa constant region, and the kappa intron enhancer after stable transfection into Burkitt's lymphoma cells. Although c-myc expression was about fivefold increased, the transcripts still initiated predominantly at promoter P2. This indicates that 5 kb of the constant kappa light-chain locus including the kappa intron enhancer is not sufficient to induce the Burkitt's lymphoma-specific promoter shift.

Animals↗

Elongation and maturation of c-myc RNA is inhibited by differentiation inducing agents in HL60 cells.

Maturation of c-myc mRNA proceeds in a given order in HL60 cells. It starts with splicing of intron 2, continues with splicing of intron 1 and ends with 3' cleavage and polyadenylation of the primary transcript. This process is inhibited, when HL60 cells were induced to terminal differentiation by dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). DMSO interferes specifically with maturation of c-myc but not c-abl RNA in HL60 cells. Simultaneously, DMSO induces a block to RNA elongation at the boundary of c-myc exon 1 and intron 1 in HL60 cells. Participation of the same factor(s) in the regulation of c-myc RNA elongation and splicing is supposed.

Blotting, Northern↗

Expression of P0- and P3-RNA from the normal and translocated c-myc allele in Burkitt's lymphoma cells.

We have studied the allele specific expression of c-myc P0- and P3-RNA in Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) cells. The steady state levels of P0-RNA show considerable variations in BL cells. Expression of P0-RNA was found to be restricted to the translocated allele, but could be induced by TPA from the normal allele. P0-transcription was particularly sensitive to inhibitors of protein synthesis compared to expression of P1-, P2- and P3-RNA. Transcription of P3-RNA is initiated in the first intron of the c-myc gene and has previously been described to be specific for translocated c-myc alleles in BL cells broken within exon 1 or intron 1. Here we show that P3-RNA is also expressed from an unrearranged c-myc gene. In the BL cell line Raji, substantial amounts of c-myc RNA are derived from the P3-promoter of the normal allele. This indicates that repression of the normal allele in BL cells does not include the P3-promoter. The potential coding capacity of P3-RNA is discussed.

Alleles↗

Expression of normal and translocated c-myc alleles in Burkitt's lymphoma cells: evidence for different regulation.

In Burkitt's lymphoma (BL) cells the normal c-myc allele is usually silent or expressed at very low levels. Here we demonstrate that the normal c-myc allele can be induced in BL cells by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). TPA did activate the normal c-myc alleles in Raji(P207), BL36, P3HR1, Jijoye and LY91 cells, but not in Raji(DE88), BL41, BL67, LY47 and KK124 cells. C-myc RNA derived from the normal allele appeared 6 h after treatment with TPA and showed the characteristic preferential usage of the second promoter. This induction could not be inhibited by cycloheximide. Despite the differences in c-myc induction in Raji(P207) and Raji(DE88) cells, c-fos and the early Epstein-Barr virus gene DR were induced to a similar extent and with similar kinetics by TPA. Nuclear run-on experiments suggest that the normal c-myc allele in Raji cells is activated at least in part by releasing a block to RNA elongation at the end of c-myc exon 1. Expression of the translocated c-myc alleles was also affected by TPA; however, only if cycloheximide was simultaneously present. TPA plus cycloheximide induced a rapid decrease of c-myc RNA derived from the translocated allele within 6 h, whereas cycloheximide alone led to abolition of c-myc RNA after 16-24 h. This rapid decline of c-myc RNA was observed in Raji and BL41 cells, but not in three cell lines with variant t(2;8) and t(8;22) translocations.

Alleles↗

Comparative features of ductal carcinoma in situ and infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast on fine-needle aspiration biopsy.

To evaluate the usefulness of fine-needle aspiration biopsy of the breast in separating ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) from infiltrating ductal carcinoma, the authors reviewed 16 preoperative fine-needle aspiration biopsies from biopsy-proven exclusive DCIS and 39 fine-needle aspiration biopsies from infiltrating ductal carcinomas with or without an in situ component. Seven (44%) of the DCIS and eight (21%) of the infiltrating ductal carcinomas had inadequate material for diagnosis on the aspiration biopsy. Five (32%) of the DCIS and 29 (74%) of the infiltrating ductal carcinomas caused suspicion or had positive results for malignancy. Four (25%) of the DCIS and two (5%) of the infiltrating ductal carcinomas showed atypical cells. Morphologic features of the atypical or malignant cells in the adequate specimens from these two lesions were similar except that the cells from the infiltrating ductal carcinomas showed more irregular nuclear spacing (94% vs. 44%, P less than 0.01) and more pronounced nuclear overlapping (65% vs. 33%) than those from the DCIS. In addition, the fine-needle aspiration biopsies of the DCIS tended to be hypocellular (less than 10 cells/10X) (44% vs. 6.5%, P less than 0.05) and to contain benign epithelial cells (22% vs. 6.5%) and macrophages (33% vs. 13%). Although the suspicion of DCIS might be raised when hypocellularity, benign epithelial cells, and macrophages are noted in a fine-needle aspiration biopsy of the breast that has positive results or causes suspicion for malignancy, fine-needle aspiration biopsy cannot be relied upon to distinguish DCIS from infiltrating ductal carcinoma.

Biopsy, Needle↗

A stably transfected c-myc cat hybrid gene is not regulated by serum in NIH3T3 cells.

A plasmid containing the CAT (chloramphenicolacetyltransferase) gene fused to the 5' adjacent sequences and first exon of the human c-myc gene was stably transfected into NIH3T3 cells. Single cell clones were grown and CAT activity was measured after serum starvation and stimulation. CAT activity of the hybrid construct remained unchanged in serum-deprived and serum-stimulated cells. In contrast the steady-state RNA level of the endogenous mouse c-myc gene was strongly elevated upon serum stimulation. The bona fide usage of the human c-myc promoter P1/P2 in mouse cells carrying the hybrid gene was revealed by S1 analysis.

Animals↗

The block of elongation in c-myc exon 1 is abolished in Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines with variant translocation.

Dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) induces a block of c-myc RNA elongation in the human B cell line BJAB. In Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines with variant translocations, which are characterized by mutations in and around the first c-myc exon, DMSO is not capable of inducing the RNA elongation block. The action of DMSO is, however, not restricted to regulation at the level of RNA elongation. In the cell line BL2 with a t(8;22) translocation c-myc steady-state RNA decreased about 20 fold 1 and 2 h after DMSO treatment, followed by an increase to approximately initial levels after 4 h. During the time course of the experiment the usage of the dual promoter P1/P2 shifted from the ratio 3:1 in untreated cells to the ratio of 1:5 in BL2 cells treated with DMSO for 4 h. This promoter shift is presumably regulated at the transcriptional level. In BJAB cells an isolated intragenic transcription was detected at the boundary of intron 1 and exon 2. This transcription appeared 2 to 4 h after addition of DMSO when expression of the c-myc gene was downregulated by blocking RNA elongation at the end of exon 1.

Blotting, Southern↗

Truncation does not abrogate transcriptional downregulation of the c-myc gene by sodium butyrate in Burkitt's lymphoma cells.

We have examined the effect of sodium butyrate, a potent inducer of differentiation in various cell systems, on the steady state RNA level and transcriptional activity of the c-myc gene in Burkitt's lymphoma cells. Following sodium butyrate treatment a rapid decrease of c-myc RNA was observed in all Burkitt's lymphoma cell lines studied, irrespective of the type of translocation, the location of the breakpoint relative to c-myc or of the association with EBV. Since cellular genes induced by interferon are suspected to play a role in c-myc regulation we have studied transcription of the 2-5A synthetase gene in sodium butyrate-treated Burkitt's lymphoma cells. Transcriptional activity and steady state mRNA levels of the 2-5A synthetase gene were induced by sodium butyrate. The time course of induction excluded, however, that the decrease of c-myc RNA is caused by induction of the 2-5A synthetase/RNase L endonuclease system. The reduction of c-myc RNA is caused, at least in part, by a reduced transcription rate, as shown by nuclear run-on analysis. The fact that sodium butyrate is capable of downregulating a truncated c-myc gene indicates that an important target site of transcriptional regulation is located outside the region encompassing the upstream regulatory sequences, the dual promoters and the leader region.

2',5'-Oligoadenylate Synthetase↗

[Chromosome translocations and Epstein-Barr virus in Burkitt's lymphoma].

Burkitt's lymphoma is characterized by particular epidemiological features. It is a frequent childhood tumor in children in tropical Africa and occurs at a much lesser frequency all over the world. Chromosomal translocation affecting the long arm of chromosome 8 (band 8q24) and one of the chromosomes carrying the immunoglobulin loci (chromosomes 2, 14 or 22) are regularly observed in Burkitt's lymphoma, regardless of whether the tumor occurred in high or low incidence areas. The prevalence of Burkitt's lymphoma in Africa appears to be related to two factors: holo- or hyperendemic malaria and presence of Epstein-Barr virus genomes in the tumor cells. We present a model of pathogenesis, in which stimulation of B cells by malaria is the primary event in the development of the disease. The risk of the chromosomal translocation should be increased by increasing the number of new B cells generated per time. According to our model, the translocation leads to constitutive c-myc activation and makes the cells responsive to growth factors without inducing proliferation on its own. Infection of a translocation-carrying cell with EBV may provide an additional growth advantage and drive the cell further towards a fully malignant state.

Burkitt Lymphoma↗

Transcription of c-myc in human mononuclear cells is regulated by an elongation block.

Human mononuclear cells (MNC) isolated from tonsils express very low amounts of c-myc RNA. High expression of the c-myc gene is achieved by stimulation of MNC with pokeweed mitogen (PWM). Nuclear run-on transcription experiments revealed activation of the c-myc gene on the transcriptional level. In unstimulated cells a high transcriptional activity is observed on exon 1, but not on exon 2 and 3. After PWM stimulation, however, a high transcription rate is detected on the entire c-myc gene. Therefore, we conclude that c-myc gene expression in MNC is regulated by an RNA elongation block within the first exon. The analysis of the c-myc chromatin structure revealed that DNAaseI hypersensitive site II upstream of the gene is present in unstimulated as well as stimulated MNC, indicating that accessibility of this site is an essential but not sufficient requirement for c-myc gene expression.

Cell Nucleus↗