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Biomedical subjects

D H Pluznik

Publications and source records attributed to D H Pluznik.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Binding of sequence-specific proteins to the adenosine- plus uridine-rich sequences of the murine granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor mRNA.

Adenosine+uridine (AU)-rich sequences in the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of the mRNA of many cytokines and oncogenes play an important role in mediating RNA degradation. Among the cytokines containing such AU-rich sequences in their 3'UTR is the hematopoietic growth factor granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). GM-CSF gene expression in T cells is regulated by modulation of mRNA half-life. Transfection studies using murine EL-4 thymoma cells have demonstrated that degradation depends on the presence of specific elements in the 3'UTR, including the AU-rich sequences. A number of AU-binding factors have recently been discovered, suggesting that specific regulation may occur through specific protein-mRNA interaction(s). We present evidence from gel-shift analyses and label-transfer experiments that murine cells contain proteins that bind specifically to AU-rich sequences. Three major proteins of 33, 39.5, and 42 kDa are detected. Phorbol ester treatment of cells does not alter the abundance or apparent binding affinity of the proteins. The 33-kDa protein is present in the cytoplasm of murine and human cells, whereas the 39.5- and 42-kDa proteins are present in murine extracts only. Constitutively expressed AU-binding proteins of the type that we describe may function by directing mRNA degradation in the absence of a stimulus to the contrary.

3T3 Cells

Interleukin-4 inhibits interleukin-1 alpha-induced granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor gene expression in a murine B-lymphocyte cell line via downregulation of RNA precursor.

Interleukin-4 (IL-4) regulates the growth of B cells. When combined with colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) and selected cytokines, IL-4 has a synergistic effect on the clonal growth of bone marrow cells. Recently, we have shown that IL-1 alpha and lipopolysaccharide induce expression of the granulocyte-macrophage CSF (GM-CSF) gene in murine B-cell lines. In the present study, we show that IL-4 inhibits the production of GM-CSF in the IL-1 alpha-stimulated murine B-cell line M12.4.1. IL-4 did not change the transcription rate of the GM-CSF gene, and caused only a slight decrease in cytoplasmic GM-CSF messenger RNA (mRNA) half-life in cells treated with IL-1 alpha. PCR analysis of nuclear RNA with probes specific for GM-CSF intron sequences suggests that IL-1 alpha enhances accumulation of nuclear precursor RNA and that decreased GM-CSF expression after IL-4 treatment is mainly due to intranuclear destabilization of the primary transcript. Under the same experimental conditions, IL-4 did not affect expression of the IL-4 receptor mRNA and did increase the mRNA concentration of the low-affinity receptor for IgE (Fc epsilon RII). These data suggest that the suppressive effect of IL-4 is specific for GM-CSF mRNA expression, and thus provide evidence for an additional role of IL-4 in the regulation of GM-CSF expression in B cells.

Animals

Correlation in the expression of type IV collagenase and the invasive and chemotactic abilities of myelomonocytic cells during differentiation into macrophages.

Monomyelocytic phagocytes originate in the bone marrow and while differentiating into macrophages migrate to inflammatory foci and target tissues by egress from the capillary blood vessels. During such diapedesis, the cells must traverse tissue barriers such as basement membrane, which has type IV collagen as its principal structural element. We studied whether the expression of type IV collagenase activity, invasion through basement membrane, and the response to inflammatory chemoattractants are related to each other and to the process of differentiation of murine M1 myeloid leukemia cells into macrophages. M1 cells stimulated with mouse lung-conditioned medium (MLCM) or interleukin 6 (IL6) differentiate into macrophages by 72 h, as determined by expression of Fc receptors, induction of lysozyme, and morphological changes from blast cells to mature macrophages. During this process of differentiation the invasive ability of the cells and the amount of type IV collagenase in the supernatants from the invading cells continuously increased up to 72 h. Zymographic analysis of supernatants of the invading cells revealed a single 100-kd metalloproteinase with gelatinolytic activity. Chemotaxis towards arachidonic acid metabolites, which are present in inflamed tissues, was detected only in differentiated cells. Studies with thioglycolate (TG)-elicited peritoneal macrophages gave results similar to those obtained with differentiated M1 cells, showing that the ability to invade basement membrane, the expression of type IV collagenase, and the chemotactic response to inflammatory chemoattractants all increased with the differentiation of myeloid cells and reached their highest expression in fully differentiated cells.

Animals

Interleukin 1 augments the expression of the interleukin 2 receptor alpha-chain in interleukin 6-stimulated myeloid cells by a transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanism.

We have recently shown that interleukin 6 (IL-6) induces transient expression of the alpha-chain of the interleukin 2 receptor (IL-2R alpha) in the murine leukemia myeloid M1 cell line. Others have reported that IL-6 and interleukin 1 (IL-1) synergistically enhance the expression of IL-2R alpha in T cells. Thus, in the present study, we investigated whether IL-1 affects the kinetics of IL-6-induced IL-2R alpha expression in M1 cells. By cytofluorometry, we find that surface expression of IL-2R alpha at 24 h after induction by IL-6 is strongly enhanced by IL-1. However, IL-1 does not change the transient kinetics of expression of IL-2R alpha. Binding data and Scatchard analysis support these results and show an increase from 3100 to 17,620 low-affinity IL-2 binding sites per cell without any change in affinity after induction of M1 cells by the combination of IL-6 and IL-1. By Northern analysis, we find that the increase in IL-2R alpha surface expression after treatment with IL-6 and IL-1 occurs in parallel with an increase in IL-2R alpha but not IL-2R beta mRNA expression. By nuclear run-on analysis and actinomycin-D chase experiments, we find that the increase in IL-2R alpha mRNA expression is due to both an increase in IL-2R alpha gene transcription and to an increase in IL-2R alpha mRNA stability. These data suggest that the IL-6-induced expression of IL-2R alpha can be specifically up-regulated by IL-1, however, without affecting the transient nature in expression of IL-2R alpha.

Acute Disease

Concanavalin A-induced granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor production in a murine T-cell line is posttranscriptionally controlled.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a hematopoietic growth factor (HGF) that regulates the proliferation and differentiation of cells of the myeloid lineage. It can be produced by a variety of cells. One of the major sources of GM-CSF is activated T cells, which transiently produce this HGF. We used the EL-4 thymoma cell line as a model system to address the molecular basis for GM-CSF regulation in T cells. Both concanavalin A (ConA) and the phorbol ester, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) induce GM-CSF expression in EL-4 cells. However, the biological activity of GM-CSF in the supernatants of the TPA-stimulated cells was higher than that of ConA-stimulated cells. To elucidate this difference in biological activity levels, we examined how ConA regulates GM-CSF gene expression in EL-4 cells and compared it to the better-characterized regulation by TPA. Peak mRNA levels of GM-CSF occur 6 h after stimulation with either of these two agents. GM-CSF mRNA levels after ConA treatment are lower and decrease significantly after 10 h compared to TPA treatment, which causes much higher levels that persist for at least 24 h. Neither agent alters GM-CSF gene transcription. Actinomycin D chase experiments show that ConA increases the GM-CSF mRNA half-life from less than 30 to 90 min, whereas TPA prolongs it to greater than 3 h. These results indicate that GM-CSF mRNA induction by ConA (in common with TPA) is regulated predominantly via RNA stabilization and that the difference in prolongation of the mRNA half-life provides the primary explanation for the lower levels of GM-CSF mRNA induced by ConA compared to TPA.

Animals

Transient expression of the IL-2 receptor alpha-chain in IL-6-induced myeloid cells is regulated by autocrine production of prostaglandin E2.

The alpha-chain of the interleukin 2 receptor (IL-2R alpha) is expressed on monocytes and macrophages after activation by bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). In the present study, we investigated whether the expression of IL-2R alpha is associated with the process of differentiation of myeloid cells to mature macrophages and how this expression is regulated. The murine myeloid M1 cell line, which can be induced by leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) or interleukin 6 (IL-6) to differentiate from blast cells to mature macrophages, was used as a model system for myeloid differentiation. Bone marrow (BM)-derived macrophages were used as mature myeloid cells. Cytofluorometry revealed that IL-2R alpha is transiently expressed during M1 cell differentiation, with peak levels 24 h after induction by LIF or IL-6, whereas the high affinity receptor for monomeric IgG2a (FcR), a surface marker typical for macrophage differentiation, continues to rise up to 72 h. BM-derived macrophages already express FcR but not IL-2R alpha. IL-2R alpha expression is induced on these cells after treatment by IL-6 for up to 48 h. Treatment of IL-6-induced M1 cells with indomethacin permitted a sustained expression of IL-2R alpha beyond 24 h, and this effect was reversed by the addition of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2). Northern analysis showed that in M1 cells the expression of mRNA for IL-2R alpha, but not for IL-2R beta, is also transient, indicating that cell surface expression of IL-2R alpha is regulated at the mRNA level. These data show that inducers of macrophage differentiation such as LIF and IL-6 can induce a transient expression of the IL-2R alpha-chain in differentiating murine myeloid M1 cells and that autocrine production of PGE2 is involved in the control of the transient expression of this receptor. However, induction of expression of IL-2R alpha by IL-6 appears to be independent of differentiation because it can be induced on fully differentiated BM-derived macrophages as well.

Animals

Regulation of interleukin-4 receptors on murine myeloid progenitor cells by interleukin-6.

Interleukin-4 (IL-4) is a T-cell-derived cytokine that regulates induction of proliferation of resting B cells and acts on various other immunocompetent cells, such as monocytes/macrophages and mast cells, as well as hematopoietic progenitor cells. On hematopoietic progenitor cells, cooperation with another cytokine (such as granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor [GM-CSF], G-CSF, IL-3, or IL-6) is required to render the cells responsive to IL-4. The present study was undertaken to determine if such an interaction entails induction of IL-4 receptor (IL-4R) expression. Using the murine myeloid leukemia M1 cell line and mature, bone marrow (BM)-derived macrophages, we investigated whether IL-4R expression can be induced during differentiation. We detected no high-affinity IL-4R on the surface of either cell, but with exposure to IL-6 a significant induction of IL-4R was measured on both cell types by fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis. This increase in IL-4R was first noted 6 hours after exposure of the cells to IL-6 and continued to increase up to 48 hours. By RNase protection analysis we found that the expression of IL-4R mRNA also appeared within 6 hours, continuing to increase up to 48 hours. Nuclear run-on assays showed that this increase in steady-state level of IL-4R mRNA results from a transcriptional activation of the IL-4R gene. These data suggest that regulation of IL-4R expression by IL-6 is under transcriptional control.

Animals

Identification of sequences within the murine granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor mRNA 3'-untranslated region that mediate mRNA stabilization induced by mitogen treatment of EL-4 thymoma cells.

Phorbol esters (TPA) and concanavalin A (ConA) are known to induce granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) production in murine thymoma EL-4 cells by mRNA stabilization. The role of the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) in GM-CSF mRNA stabilization induced by TPA and ConA in EL-4 cells was examined by transfection studies using chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) constructions. The GM-CSF 3'-UTR contains a 63-nucleotide region at its 3' end with repeating ATTTA motifs which is responsible for mRNA degradation in a variety of cell types (Shaw, G., and Kamen, R. (1986) Cell 46, 659-666). We produced constructs containing most of the GM-CSF 3'-UTR (303 nucleotides, pRSV-CATgm) or the 3'-terminal AT-rich region (116 nucleotides, pRSV-CATau) and measured CAT enzyme activity and CAT mRNA after transient transfection into EL-4 and NIH 3T3 cells. Low levels of CAT activity were seen in both cells with either plasmid compared with levels of CAT activity obtained with pRSV-CAT. TPA treatment caused an approximately 10-fold increase in CAT activity and mRNA in EL-4 cells transfected with pRSV-CATgm. No increases were seen in EL-4 cells transfected with pRSV-CATau or pRSV-CAT. No response to TPA was detected in transfected NIH 3T3 cells, indicating that the response to TPA is relatively cell-specific. There was no increase in CAT activity after ConA treatment in EL-4 or NIH 3T3 cells transfected with any of the constructs suggesting that the GM-CSF 3'-UTR lacks elements that can respond alone to ConA. Nuclear run-on and actinomycin D chase experiments in EL-4 cells showed that TPA induces CAT activity via mRNA stabilization. By linker-substitution mutagenesis we show that TPA inducibility depends on a 60-nucleotide region of the 3'-UTR whose 5' end is located 160 nucleotides upstream of the 5' end of the AU-rich region.

Animals

IL-1 alpha induces granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor gene expression in murine B lymphocyte cell lines via mRNA stabilization.

IL-1 has been shown to induce granulocyte-macrophage (GM)-CSF production in several cell types including T lymphocytes, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells. We have previously demonstrated that bacterial LPS activates expression of the GM-CSF gene in murine B lymphocytes. Inasmuch as LPS is also an inducer of IL-1, we asked whether IL-1 could itself induce GM-CSF gene expression in B lymphocytes. The GM-CSF-dependent PT-18 cell line was used to detect GM-CSF biologic activity and a semi-quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay was developed to detect and measure GM-CSF mRNA. IL-1 alpha stimulated GM-CSF production by the murine B cell lines M12.4.1 and TH2.2 but not by the M12 line in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. GM-CSF mRNA expression in IL-1 alpha-treated M12.4.1 cells also increased in a dose- and time-dependent fashion. Nuclear run-on transcription assays revealed constitutive transcription of the GM-CSF gene in untreated M12.4.1 cells that did not change after IL-1 alpha treatment. Actinomycin D chase experiments indicated that IL-1 alpha increased GM-CSF mRNA stability in the M12.4.1 cells. These findings indicate that IL-1 alpha induces GM-CSF gene expression in murine B cell lines and that this event is posttranscriptionally controlled mainly at the level of mRNA stabilization.

Animals

Post-transcriptional regulation of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor synthesis in murine T cells.

The granulocyte-macrophage CSF (GM-CSF) gene is known to be controlled at a variety of levels in different cell types. We showed previously that GM-CSF production by lectin or phorbol ester (12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA]-treated T cells was unaffected by cyclosporin A whereas IL-2 and IL-3 expression were. Cyclosporin A is thought to inhibit transcription that suggests that IL-2 and IL-3 are regulated primarily at the transcriptional level while GM-CSF is not. The lack of coordinate gene expression is of particular interest because all three mRNA share the presence of adenosine uridine-rich sequences in the 3' untranslated region and these sequences are believed to act by modulating mRNA stability. We measured the level of GM-CSF mRNA in untreated cells and found it to be extremely low. GM-CSF mRNA levels increased approximately 60-fold within 6 h of TPA-treatment. Nuclear run-on transcription analysis of the same cells showed readily detectable GM-CSF transcription in unstimulated cells that increased less than twofold after TPA treatment. However, IL-2 transcription was insignificant before TPA addition. Actinomycin D chase experiments showed that GM-CSF transcripts in untreated cells have a very short half-life (approximately 45 min) although transcripts in TPA-treated cells have a half-life exceeding 3 h. These findings indicate that GM-CSF production in EL-4 cells treated with TPA is regulated predominantly by modulation of cytoplasmic mRNA half-life.

Animals

Induction of interferon-beta and 2',5'-oligoadenylate synthetase mRNAs by interleukin 6 during differentiation of murine myeloid cells.

Interleukin 6 (IL 6) induces differentiation of murine myelomonocytic leukemia (M1) cells into mature macrophages. This process is monitored by the sequential appearance of surface markers, induction of intracellular enzymes, and changes in morphology as the cells progress from blast cells to mature macrophages. Differentiation is also associated with growth arrest and accumulation of the differentiating cells in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle. Interferon-beta (IFN-beta) is known to be involved in the growth arrest of M1 cells by inducing 2'5'-oligoadenylate synthetase (2',5'-AS). We therefore analyzed whether IL 6 has the potential to trigger the full differentiation program directly or whether its effect on M1 cells is mediated through IFN-beta or through the activation of genes that are typically induced by IFN-beta. We first tested whether IL 6 could induce IFN-beta mRNA. Using a reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction procedure, we found that IFN-beta mRNA was induced by IL 6. By Northern analysis we determined that IL 6 also caused a significant increase in 2',5'-AS gene expression. IL 6, however, induced the expression of two mRNA species (1.7 and 2.4 kb), whereas IFN-beta mainly induced the expression of the 1.7-kb species. Enhancement of 2',5'-AS gene expression by IL 6 was observed even when protein synthesis was inhibited by cycloheximide. Furthermore, IL 6-induced growth arrest of M1 cells was not inhibited by anti-IFN-beta antibodies. Thus induction of 2',5'-AS gene expression is a primary response to IL-6 and not secondary to the induction of IFN-beta.

2',5'-Oligoadenylate Synthetase

Alterations in T cell-derived colony-stimulating factors associated with GVH-induced immune deficiency.

Injection of parental C57BL/10 spleen cells into unirradiated immune-competent (B10 x B10.BR)F1 hosts has been demonstrated to produce a graft-vs.-host-induced immune deficiency in T cell-mediated functions, including mitogen or alloantigen stimulated proliferation or cytotoxic T cell generation. The production of T cell-derived lymphokines affecting hematopoiesis was also altered during GVH. During the first two weeks of GVH, IL-3 and particularly GM-CSF were produced spontaneously; in subsequent weeks, the spontaneous production dropped to normal or subnormal levels. CSF content in concanavalin A-stimulated splenic supernatants was reduced at weeks 1-2, and declined to less than 5% of normal levels by 3-4 weeks of GVH. This decline in CSF content was correlated with a decrease in immune function as assessed by concanavalin A-stimulated IL-2 production and by generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Concurrent with the recovery of immune function during GVH weeks 8-15, mitogen-stimulated production of CSF returned to normal levels. In addition to the decrease in CSF production identified in acute suppressive GVH, CSF content in concanavalin A-stimulated splenic supernatants was also decreased in chronic stimulatory GVH, generated in the strain combination (B6 x B6bm1)F1----(B6bm1 x B6bm12)F1. This decrease in CSF production correlated with a decrease in self-restricted T helper cell function. Finally, a decrease in both immune function and CSF production capacity was observed in the acute GVH following allogeneic (minor histocompatibility loci) bone marrow transplantation into irradiated hosts.

Animals

Factors contributing to the decrease in concanavalin A-induced colony-stimulating factors in acute suppressive graft-versus-host disorder.

We have recently demonstrated that IL-3 and GM-CSF content in concanavalin A--stimulated splenic cultures was severely depressed for several weeks in mice undergoing an acute graft-vs.-host reaction (GVHR). Several factors contributed to this decrease in CSF levels at different points in the first 10 weeks of GVH. Myeloid lineage cells, both GM-CFU and Mac-1+ cells, increased in the spleen during GVH weeks 3-6, and (125I)-GM-CSF binding by spleen cells increased 10 fold--hence CSF content in supernatants was probably reduced by local consumption during these weeks. During GVH weeks 3-12, levels of all T cells--and of L3T4+ T cells, in particular--were reduced, limiting production of T cell derived lymphokines. Finally, during the first six weeks of GVH, immune suppression was found in cocultures of normal F1 and GVH spleens. Furthermore, during weeks 3-5, nonspecific suppression was found, affecting CSF production not only by normal host spleens but also by parental donor or unrelated spleen cells as well.

Animals

Effects of in vivo administration of anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody on T cell function in mice. II. In vivo activation of T cells.

Anti-CD3 mAb are known to be both immunosuppressive and mitogenic to T cells in vitro. However, only immunosuppression has been observed after in vivo administration of these mAb. The present study demonstrates that T cell activation does occur after in vivo administration of anti-CD3 mAb to mice, evidenced by increased IL-2R expression on T cells, CSF secretion, and extra-medullary hematopoiesis in the spleen. These effects required multivalent cross-linking of the mAb, since F(ab')2 fragments failed to induce them. However, the F(ab')2 fragments did induce modulation of CD3/TCR from the surface of T cells, demonstrating that TCR modulation is not sufficient to induce activation. In addition, interaction of the TCR with either intact or F(ab')2 fragments of the mAb led to increased expression of CD8 in vivo, suggesting that the F(ab')2 fragments of anti-CD3 mAb might be capable of inducing a T cell to undergo some, but not all, of the changes involved in reaching a fully activated state. Further study of the activating effects of anti-CD3 mAb might increase the understanding of the mechanisms of in vivo T cell activation and might also be exploited clinically to stimulate T cell function in immunocompromised states and to enhance hematopoiesis in myelodysplastic disorders.

Animals

Interleukin 6 (interferon beta 2) and interferon alpha/beta present in postendotoxin serum induce differentiation of murine M1 myeloid leukemia cells.

Serum from lipopolysaccharide-treated mice (postendotoxin serum, PES) induces the differentiation of M1 myeloid leukemia cells into mature macrophages, as well as supporting the proliferation of the interleukin 6 (IL6)-dependent B9 hybridoma cells. The kinetics of appearance of these two activities in PES were identical. To determine whether these two activities are due to the presence of the same substance, we tested whether anti-IL6 antibodies could neutralize the differentiation-inducing activity of PES. We found that anti-IL6 antibodies completely neutralized the proliferation of B9 cells and resulted in a 60% neutralization of the differentiation-inducing activity of PES. Anti-interferon alpha/beta (INF alpha/beta) antibodies neutralized 70% of the differentiation-inducing activity of PES. These data suggest that the differentiation-inducing activity of PES is not limited to IL6, and that PES contains additional factors such as INF alpha/beta that are capable of inducing differentiation of M1 cells.

Animals

Natural cytotoxic activity in a cloned natural killer cell line is mediated by tumor necrosis factor.

The interleukin-2-dependent mouse natural killer (NK) cell line NKB61A2 concomitantly exhibits NK and natural cytotoxic (NC) activities. This was determined by the cells' ability to lyse both the NK-sensitive YAC-1 lymphoma and the NC-sensitive WEHI-164 fibrosarcoma cell lines in a 4- and 18-hour 51Cr release assay, respectively. Cell-free supernatant from NKB61A2 cells grown in culture for 48 h had substantial lytic activity against WEHI-164. The mouse mast cell line PT18-A17 and the rat basophilic leukemia cell line RBL-2H3, which both express NC activity, also produced a soluble factor during culture which lysed WEHI-164 cells. This activity was increased in the basophilic/mast cells by crossbridging the surface IgE receptors. Similar results were obtained by triggering the basophilic NC cells with the calcium ionophore ionomycin and the tumor promoter phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA). Such triggering of NKB61A2 cells, however, did not significantly increase their NC activity. Interestingly, both ionomycin and PMA had an inhibitory effect on the NK activity of NKB61A2. Recently it has been found that tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is a major mediator of NC activity. To determine if the soluble factor responsible for the NC activity of the NK clone was related to TNF, a rabbit polyclonal antiserum to mouse TNF was tested against the cell-free culture medium of NKB61A2, PT18-A17, RBL-2H3 and murine recombinant TNF (Mu-rTNF). The lytic activity of the culture medium from all these cells and the Mu-rTNF control was abrogated by this antibody. These data suggest that the murine cell line NKB61A2 has both NK and NC activities and that the NC activity is due to a factor immunologically similar to TNF. In addition, the enhancement of NC activity in the NK cell line is apparently under control by a separate pathway, different from that in the basophilic cells.

Antibodies, Monoclonal

Differential expression of c-myc and the transferrin receptor in G1 synchronized M1 myeloid leukemia cells.

We have studied the transcriptional activity, steady-state mRNA levels, and steady-state protein levels of the c-myc and transferrin receptor (TfR) genes in murine M1 myeloid leukemia cells arrested in G1 phase of the cell cycle by different methods. When cells are growth-arrested by density inhibition, a technique that places the majority of cells in early G1, c-myc protein, as detected by Western analysis, is expressed at 80% of the level seen in proliferating cells. Steady-state mRNA levels and, to a lesser extent, transcriptional activity of the c-myc gene, parallel the protein findings. Under these conditions, TfR gene expression is much lower than in normally cycling cells. We have previously demonstrated that density-inhibited M1 cells, released from density inhibition and treated with the DNA polymerase alpha inhibitor aphidicolin, remain in G1, but at a point temporally closer to S phase. Cells treated in this manner demonstrate reduced transcriptional activity and expression of the c-myc gene, but TfR gene expression approximates the level found in proliferating cells. These data suggest that neither c-myc nor TfR gene expression is constant throughout the G1 phase of the cell cycle in M1 cells. c-myc gene expression is highest in early G1 and falls to low levels by late G1, while the reverse is true for TfR gene expression.

Animals