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H van Dam

Publications and source records attributed to H van Dam.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Autocrine growth and anchorage independence: two complementing Jun-controlled genetic programs of cellular transformation.

Cellular transformation can be achieved by constitutive activation of growth-regulatory signaling pathways, which, in turn, activate nuclear transcription factors thought to execute a transformation-specific program of gene expression. Members of the dimeric transcription factor family AP-1 are at the receiving end of such growth-regulating pathways and the viral form of the AP-1 subunit Jun establishes one important aspect of transformation in chick embryo fibroblasts (CEFs): enhanced growth in agar and in low serum. Enhanced Jun activity is likely to target several different genetic programs as Jun forms heterodimers with one of several members of the Fos and ATF2 subfamilies, resulting in transcription factors with different sequence specificities. To identify the programs relevant for transformation, we have reduced the complexity of AP-1 factors by constructing Jun bZip mutants that can efficiently dimerize and transactivate with only a restricted set of partner subunits. Upon introduction into CEFs, a Jun mutant selective for the Fos family induced anchorage-independent growth but no growth factor-independence. In contrast, a c-Jun mutant with preference for ATF2-like proteins caused growth factor-independence, but no growth in agar. Coexpression of both mutants reestablished the combined transformation program as induced by wild-type Jun. These data show that Jun-dependent cell transformation can be resolved into at least two distinct and independent processes, anchorage and growth factor independence, obviously triggered by two classes of Jun heterodimers likely regulating different sets of target genes.

Activating Transcription Factor 2

Transcription factor ATF2 cooperates with v-Jun to promote growth factor-independent proliferation in vitro and tumor formation in vivo.

ATF2 belongs to the bZIP family of transcription factors and controls gene expression via 8-bp ATF/CREB motifs either as a homodimer or as a heterodimer-for instance, with Jun-but has never been shown to be directly involved in oncogenesis. Experiments were designed to evaluate a possible role of ATF2 in oncogenesis in chick embryo fibroblasts (CEFs) in the presence or absence of v-Jun. We found that (i) forced expression of ATF2 cannot alone cause transformation, (ii) overexpression of ATF2 plus v-Jun specifically stimulates v-Jun-induced growth in medium with a reduced amount of serum, and (iii) the efficiency of low-serum growth correlates with the activity of a Jun-ATF2-dependent model promoter in stably transformed CEFs. Analysis of ATF2 and Jun dimerization mutants showed that the growth-stimulatory effect of ATF2 is likely to be mediated by v-Jun-ATF2 heterodimers since (i) v-Jun-m1, a mutant with enhanced affinity for ATF2, induces growth in low-serum medium much more efficiently than v-Jun, when expressed alone or in combination with ATF2; and (ii) ATF2/fos, a mutant that efficiently binds to v-Jun but is unable to form stable homodimers, shows enhanced oncogenic cooperation with v-Jun. In addition, we examined the role of ATF2 in tumor formation by subcutaneous injection of CEFs into chickens. In contrast to v-Jun, v-Jun-m1 gave rise to numerous fibrosarcomas while coexpression of ATF2 and v-Jun-m1 led to a dramatic development of fibrosarcomas visible within 1 week. Together these data demonstrate that overexpressed ATF2 potentiates the ability of v-Jun-transformed CEFs to grow in low-serum medium in vitro and contributes to the formation of tumors in vivo.

Activating Transcription Factor 2

The CR1 and CR3 domains of the adenovirus type 5 E1A proteins can independently mediate activation of ATF-2.

The adenovirus 12S E1A protein can stimulate the activity of the c-jun promoter through a conserved region 1 (CR1)-dependent mechanism. The effect is mediated by two AP-1/ATF-like elements, jun1 and jun2, that preferentially bind c-Jun-ATF-2 heterodimers. In this study, we show that the ATF-2 component of the c-Jun-ATF-2 heterodimer is the primary target for 12S E1A: 12S E1A can enhance the transactivating activity of the N terminus of ATF-2 when fused to a heterologous DNA-binding domain, whereas the transactivating activity of the c-Jun N terminus is not significantly affected. Activation of the ATF-2 N terminus by 12S E1A is dependent on CR1. In the context of the 13S E1A protein, CR1 and CR3 can both contribute to activation of ATF-2, and their relative contributions are dependent on the cell type. In contrast to activation of ATF-2 by stress-inducing agents, CR1-dependent activation of ATF-2 was found not to depend strictly on the presence of threonines 69 and 71 in the N terminus of ATF-2, which are targets for phosphorylation by stress-activated protein kinases (SAPKs). In agreement with this observation, we did not observe phosphorylation of threonines 69 and 71 or constitutively enhanced SAPK activity in E1A- plus E1B-transformed cell lines. These data suggest that CR1-dependent activation of ATF-2 by 12S E1A does not require phosphorylation of threonines 69 and 71 by SAPK.

Activating Transcription Factor 2

ATF-2 is preferentially activated by stress-activated protein kinases to mediate c-jun induction in response to genotoxic agents.

The major regulators of the c-jun promoter are ATF-2 and c-Jun. They act as pre-bound heterodimers on two 'AP-1-like' sites, and are preferentially addressed by different types of extracellular signals. The transactivating potential of ATF-2 is stimulated to a higher extent than that of c-Jun by a broad group of agents causing DNA damage and other types of cellular stress, such as short-wavelength UV, or the alkylating compounds N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitroso-guanidine (MNNG) or methylmethanesulphonate (MMS). In contrast, treatment with the phorbol ester TPA preferentially enhances c-Jun-dependent transactivation but does not affect ATF-2. Accordingly, UV and MMS but not TPA induce c-jun transcription in F9 cells, which express ATF-2, but not c-Jun. Stimulation of ATF-2-dependent transactivation by genotoxic agents requires the presence of threonines 69 and 71 located in the N-terminal transactivation domain. These sites are the target of p54 and p46 stress-activated protein kinases (SAPKs) which bind to, and phosphorylate ATF-2 in vitro. However, p46 and p54 kinase activity is not increased by phorbol ester, which strongly suggests that the protein kinase phosphorylating c-Jun in response to TPA is distinct from SAPKs and does not act on ATF-2. Our data demonstrate that distinct signal transduction pathways converge at c-Jun/ATF-2, whereby each subunit is individually addressed by a specific class of protein kinases. This allows fine tuned modulation of c-jun expression by a large spectrum of extracellular signals.

Activating Transcription Factor 2

Modulation of AP-1/ATF transcription factor activity by the adenovirus-E1A oncogene products.

The proteins encoded by early region 1 A (E1A) of human adenoviruses (Ad) modulate the expression of both adenovirus genes and various host cell genes. With these transcription-regulating properties the E1A proteins redirect the cell's metabolism, which enables them to induce oncogenic transformation in rodent cells. The E1A proteins modulate transcription by interacting both with gene-specific and general cellular transcription factors. Various members of the AP-1 and ATF/CREB families of transcription factors are targets for E1A-dependent regulation, including cJun, the protein product of the c-jun proto-oncogene. The E1A proteins modulate cJun-dependent transcription both positively and negatively, and affect the activity as well as the expression levels of cJun. By increasing the phosphorylation status of cJun, E1A can stimulate transcription regulated by cJun/ATF2 heterodimers. In contrast, E1A inhibits the expression of various metalloproteases by interfering with the DNA-binding capacity of cJun/cJun and cJun/cFos dimers, which might involve the association of E1A with the putative transcriptional coactivator p300. Since the ability of E1A to alter cJun-dependent transcription correlates with its transforming capacity, interference with cJun-dependent transcription may be an essential step in E1A-induced transformation.

Adenoviridae

Binding of promoter-associated AP-1 is not altered during induction and subsequent repression of the c-jun promoter by TPA and UV irradiation.

Rapid transient induction of the human c-jun proto-oncogene by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and UV irradiation requires the presence of two cis-acting elements, Jun1 and Jun2. Using dimethyl sulfate (DMS) genomic footprinting, in vivo, all protein binding sites in the c-jun promoter, including Jun1 and Jun2, are already fully occupied before induction and the protein--DNA contacts are unchanged during gene activation by TPA and UV and subsequent repression. In vitro binding studies suggest that both sites are recognized with high affinity by protein complexes containing cJun and ATF-2. Jun1 is also recognized by complexes containing Fos and Jun in vitro, but with only a very low affinity. The binding of Jun/ATF-2-containing complexes to Jun1 or Jun2 is not affected during early and late time points after induction. Transcriptional shut-off is caused by neither a loss of binding of an activating protein nor by additional binding of a putative repressor. The lack of detectable changes in DNA binding and factor composition strongly suggests that transcriptional activation and subsequent inactivation of c-jun promoter activity by TPA or UV is mediated by post-translational modifications of prebound cJun and possibly ATF-2. Such pre-formed structures on the promoter could be a general requirement for the rapid and transient transcriptional responses of immediate-early genes to extracellular signals.

Base Sequence

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Absenteeism

Heterodimer formation of cJun and ATF-2 is responsible for induction of c-jun by the 243 amino acid adenovirus E1A protein.

The adenovirus E1A proteins differentially regulate AP-1-responsive genes. Collagenase and stromelysin are repressed by E1A, whereas the expression of c-jun is elevated. Inhibition of collagenase has been found to be exerted through the consensus AP-1 binding site TGAGTCA. Here we show that the distal AP-1 binding site in the c-jun promoter, the jun2TRE (TTACCTCA), is the decisive element of this promoter in mediating the positive response to the 243 amino acid E1A product. In vitro binding studies revealed that, in contrast to the consensus AP-1 site which is preferentially targeted by dimers composed of the Jun and Fos families, the jun2TRE binds heterodimers composed of cJun and ATF-2(-like) proteins. Since stimulation of c-jun transcription is a function of the transforming domain of E1A encoded by conserved region 1, cJun--ATF-2 may be one of the effector factors involved in transformation. The data further suggest that E1A can distinguish between cJun--cJun and cJun--ATF-2 in imposing opposite states of activity.

3T3 Cells

Increased cyclin A and decreased cyclin D levels in adenovirus 5 E1A-transformed rodent cell lines.

Adenovirus-(Ad)- E1A proteins carry two conserved domains (CR1 and CR2) required for transformation of primary rodent cells and essential for association with cellular proteins, including p105RB, p58cyclin A and p33cdk2. We show that in normal rat kidney 49F (NRK) cell lines expressing various mutant Ad5-E1A genes, CR2-, but not CR-1-, deletion mutants induce a typical transformed phenotype as characterized by morphology, absence of density arrest and loss of serum requirement. This indicates that induction of these transformed properties is a function of CR1. The fact that E1A proteins with deletions in CR2 show a greatly reduced association with RB, cyclin A and p33cdk2 suggests that these associations are dispensable for E1A-mediated transformation of NRK cells. Induction of the transformed properties is accompanied by a CR1-dependent increase in Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen and cyclin A gene expression. Elevated mRNA and protein levels of cyclin A were also found in Ad12-E1-transformed NRK cells but not in ras-transformed NRK cells. On the other hand, cyclin D expression is decreased in a CR1-dependent manner. Although Ad5-E1A proteins are sufficient to transform NRK cells, further deregulation of growth is obtained when Ad5-E1B proteins are co-expressed. One of the Ad5-E1B effects is the sequestration of the p53 protein into a cytoplasmic body containing the p53/Ad5-E1B-55 kD complex. Interestingly, in NRK cell lines expressing Ad5-E1B-55 kD, cyclin A could be detected not only in the nucleus but also in the cytoplasmic bodies. These results indicate that the deregulation of cell cycle control by the Adenovirus-E1 region may be due to a CR1-dependent alteration of the expression of cyclins A and D.

Adenovirus E1A Proteins

Ultraviolet-radiation induced c-jun gene transcription: two AP-1 like binding sites mediate the response.

In HeLa cells transcription of the c-jun gene is activated strongly and rapidly by ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and, to a somewhat lesser extent, by treatment with phorbol ester tumor promoters. In the same cells UV and phorbol esters only marginally enhance the abundance of RNA transcribed from the jun D gene and from the gene coding for the serum response factor (which in turn acts on the UV and phorbol ester response element of the c-fos gene). In contrast to c-jun, jun B transcription is induced more efficiently by phorbol ester than by UV irradiation, suggesting that the members of the jun family are differently regulated. The promoter of c-jun carries two enhancer elements resembling AP-1 binding sites: the jun1 UV response element (URE-71 TGACATCA -64) and the jun2 URE (-190 TTACCTCA-183). These elements act independently in the UV induced expression of c-jun. In the context of the complete c-jun promoter they seem not to be required for c-jun induction by phorbol esters. When fused to the Herpes simplex thymidine kinase promoter, however, the isolated elements mediate induction by both UV and phorbol esters. UV and phorbol ester treatment of cells increases the binding of transcription factors to both elements. Both elements bind factors different in modification or/and constitution from AP-1, the heterodimeric transcription factor composed of c-Fos and c-Jun that controls the activity of the UV and phorbol ester response element (-72 TGAGTCA-66) of the human collagenase gene.

Base Sequence

Co-regulated expression of junB and MHC class I genes in adenovirus-transformed cells.

The expression of the junB gene parallels the expression of the MHC class I genes in Adenovirus (Ad) transformed cells. In Ad12E1-transformed primary BRK cells both genes are transcriptionally repressed only when the 13S product of Ad12E1A is present. This indicates that repression of MHC class I and junB genes is a function of conserved region 3 (CR3) of the Ad12E1A protein. In Ad5-transformed BRK cells expression of these genes is unchanged. In established NRK cells, however, introduction of Ad12E1A does not cause repression of the MHC class I and junB genes, but in these cells Ad5E1A increases the expression of both MHC class I and junB. Using mutant Ad5E1A genes, it is shown that this activation is mediated by CR1. Introduction of a functional junB gene under the control of a heterologous promoter in Ad12E1-transformed BRK cells causes no increase in MHC class I expression. This demonstrates that the down-regulation of junB is not directly responsible for class I repression, but rather that both genes are coregulated by the Ad12E1 region.

Adenoviruses, Human

A novel function of the transforming domain of E1a: repression of AP-1 activity.

Adenovirus E1a represses transcription of the collagenase gene via the phorbol ester-responsive element (collTRE). The mechanism involves inhibition of the trans-activating function of the transcription factor AP-1 without reduction of its synthesis and without any apparent change in DNA binding or composition. The ability of E1a to downmodulate AP-1 is a unique property among dominant oncogenes. This repression depends on conserved region 1, one of the transforming domains of E1a, indicating that it is an integral feature of adenovirus transformation.

Adenovirus Early Proteins

Differential effects of the adenovirus E1A oncogene on members of the AP-1 transcription factor family.

The adenovirus early region 1A (E1A) oncogene interferes with the expression level and activity of the AP-1 transcription factor family. E1A abolished the transactivating function of AP-1 (Jun/Fos), which binds to the 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-responsive element of the collagenase gene (collTRE). In contrast, the activity of another member of the AP-1 family that binds to the c-junTRE was not repressed. The mRNA expression of the c-jun gene was, in fact, strongly elevated in various cell types expressing the E1A gene of either adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) or Ad12. The regulation of the junB gene by adenovirus E1A, on the other hand, depended both on the cell type and on the transforming adenovirus serotype. The fact that E1A-induced alterations in the repertoire of AP-1 transcription factors depend on its transforming domain in conserved region 1 suggests that the effects are relevant for the transformation process.

Adenovirus Early Proteins

Adenovirus E1A represses transcription of the cellular JE gene.

The expression of the growth factor-inducible JE gene was severely reduced in cells expressing region E1A of human adenoviruses. This reduction was not caused by a decreased stability of JE mRNA but by a reduced transcription rate as determined by run-on transcription experiments. Nevertheless, JE mRNA could still be induced by growth factors, suggesting that intracellular signaling is not blocked but rather that the basal level of JE transcription is repressed by E1A.

Adenovirus Early Proteins

DNA-binding domain of human c-Myc produced in Escherichia coli.

We have identified the domain of the human c-myc protein (c-Myc) produced in Escherichia coli that is responsible for the ability of the protein to bind sequence-nonspecific DNA. Using analysis of binding of DNA by proteins transferred to nitrocellulose, DNA-cellulose chromatography, and a nitrocellulose filter binding assay, we examined the binding properties of c-Myc peptides generated by cyanogen bromide cleavage, of mutant c-Myc, and of proteins that fuse portions of c-Myc to staphylococcal protein A. The results of these analyses indicated that c-Myc amino acids 265 to 318 were responsible for DNA binding and that other regions of the protein (including a highly conserved basic region and a region containing the leucine zipper motif) were not required. Some mutant c-Mycs that did not bind DNA maintained rat embryo cell-cotransforming activity, which indicated that the c-Myc property of in vitro DNA binding was not essential for this activity. These mutants, however, were unable to transform established rat fibroblasts (Rat-1a cells) that were susceptible to transformation by wild-type c-Myc, although this lack of activity may not have been due to their inability to bind DNA.

Amino Acid Sequence

The repression of the growth factor-inducible genes JE, c-myc and stromelysin by adenovirus E1A is mediated by conserved region 1.

The growth factor-inducible cellular genes JE, c-myc and stromelysin (sml) are strongly repressed upon transformation by adenovirus E1A. As E1A proteins are multifunctional and apparently contain distinct domains (conserved regions 1, 2 and 3), each with a specific effect on gene regulation and cell-transformation, we have investigated which of the three conserved regions are responsible for the reduced expression of these genes. To this end, we monitored the expression of the JE, sml and c-myc genes in a panel of normal rat kidney (NRK) cells expressing different mutant E1A genes. Only CR1, and not CR2 or CR3 were found to be essential for the repression of the genes, indicating that CR1, one of the regions essential for cell transformation, represents an autonomous gene regulatory function that can operate in the absence of CR2. We also show that the association of E1A proteins to a 300 kD cellular protein in NRK cells coincides with the ability to repress these genes.

Adenovirus Early Proteins