PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Z Gilman

Publications and source records attributed to M Z Gilman.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1993

Polypeptide signalling to the nucleus through tyrosine phosphorylation of Jak and Stat proteins.

Binding of interferons IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma to their cell surface receptors promptly induces tyrosine phosphorylation of latent cytoplasmic transcriptional activators (or Stat proteins, for signal transducers and activators of transcription). Interferon-alpha activates both Stat91 (M(r) 91,000; ref. 1) and Stat113 (M(r) 113,000; ref. 2) whereas IFN-gamma activates only Stat91 (refs 3, 4). The activated proteins then move into the nucleus and directly activate genes induced by IFN-alpha and IFN-gamma. Somatic cell genetics experiments have demonstrated a requirement for tyrosine kinase-2 (Tyk2) in the IFN-alpha response pathway and for Jak2 (ref. 6), a kinase with similar sequence, in the IFN-gamma response pathway. Here we investigate the tyrosine phosphorylation events on Stat and Jak proteins after treatment of cells with IFNs alpha and gamma and with epidermal growth factor (EGF). Stat91 is phosphorylated on Tyr701 after cells are treated with IFN-alpha and EGF, as it was after treatment with IFN-gamma (ref. 8). We find that Jak1 also becomes phosphorylated on tyrosine after cells are treated with these same three ligands, although each ligand is shown to activate at least one other different kinase. Jak1 may therefore be the enzyme that phosphorylates Tyr 701 in Stat91.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

A common nuclear signal transduction pathway activated by growth factor and cytokine receptors.

Growth factors and cytokines act through cell surface receptors with different biochemical properties. Yet each type of receptor can elicit similar as well as distinct biological responses in target cells, suggesting that distinct classes of receptors activate common gene sets. Epidermal growth factor, interferon-gamma, and interleukin-6 all activated, through direct tyrosine phosphorylation, latent cytoplasmic transcription factors that recognized similar DNA elements. However, different ligands activated different patterns of factors with distinct DNA-binding specificities in the same and different cells. Thus, unrelated receptors may activate a common nuclear signal transduction pathway that, through differential use of latent cytoplasmic proteins, permits these receptors to regulate both common and unique sets of genes.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Cell-free activation of a DNA-binding protein by epidermal growth factor.

Growth factors such as platelet-derived growth factor and epidermal growth factor (EGF) bind to and activate cell-surface receptors with intrinsic tyrosine kinase activities. Receptor activation elicits multiple physiological changes in target cells, including alterations in gene expression. Receptor tyrosine kinase signalling involves recruitment of proteins into a signalling complex through interactions between receptor autophosphorylation sites and the src-homology region-2 (SH2) domains on these signalling proteins. Diverse signals can subsequently be generated, depending on the specific receptor and cell type. How such signals are transmitted to the nucleus is poorly understood, but because the transcriptional activation of many genes by growth factors occurs in the absence of new protein synthesis, one or more signals emanating from growth factor receptors must directly affect transcription factors. We report here the activation by EGF of a DNA-binding protein in a cell-free system where activation of DNA binding requires ligand, receptor, ATP and phosphotyrosine-SH2 interactions.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1993

DNA bending and orientation-dependent function of YY1 in the c-fos promoter.

The assembly of multicomponent complexes at promoters, enhancers, and silencers likely entails perturbations in the path of the DNA helix. We present evidence that YY1, a ubiquitously expressed DNA-binding protein, regulates the activity of the c-fos promoter primarily through an effect on DNA structure. YY1 binds to and induces a phased DNA bend at three sites in this promoter. By use of a truncated c-fos promoter activity containing a single functional YY1 site, we show that YY1 represses promoter activity but that repression does not appear to be an intrinsic property of the protein in this context. Moreover, when the orientation of the YY1 site is reversed, YY1 activates the same promoter. Repression by YY1 is also alleviated by changing the relative phasing of factor-binding sites on either side of YY1. We conclude that the principal function of YY1 in this promoter is to bend DNA to regulate contact between other proteins. Thus, YY1 represents a new class of transcription factors that influences promoter function by affecting promoter structure rather than by directly contacting the transcriptional machinery. We provide evidence that the product of the male sex determination gene SRY may also belong to this class of structural factors.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Growth-regulated expression of D-type cyclin genes in human diploid fibroblasts.

The human CCND1 cyclin D1/PRAD1 gene was previously identified by a genetic screen for G1 cyclin function in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and also was identified as the putative BCL1 oncogene. However, its role in human cell proliferation is not known. To determine if expression of human D-type cyclin genes correlates with the state of cell growth, we examined the level of mRNAs for CCND1 and a related gene, CCND3, in normal human diploid fibroblasts (HDF). The levels of both mRNAs decrease upon serum depletion or at high cell densities. Following stimulation of quiescent fibroblasts with serum, the mRNA levels increase gradually to a peak at about 12 hr, prior to the onset of S phase. Induction of cyclin gene expression by serum is reduced concomitantly with the decline in FOS induction in aging HDFs, suggesting a possible relationship to the decrease in the proliferative response to mitogens during cellular senescence. Cycloheximide partially blocks the induction of CCND1 and CCND3 gene expression by serum, suggesting that both de novo protein synthesis-dependent and -independent pathways contribute to induction. Treatment of HDFs with defined growth factors suggests a correlation between CCND mRNA induction and DNA synthesis. However, induction of these genes is not sufficient for the transition from quiescence through G1 into S phase.

Blood↗
PubMed1992

Human and Drosophila homeodomain proteins that enhance the DNA-binding activity of serum response factor.

Cells with distinct developmental histories can respond differentially to identical signals, suggesting that signals are interpreted in a fashion that reflects a cell's identity. How this might occur is suggested by the observation that proteins of the homeodomain family, including a newly identified human protein, enhance the DNA-binding activity of serum response factor, a protein required for the induction of genes by growth and differentiation factors. Interaction with proteins of the serum response factor family may allow homeodomain proteins to specify the transcriptional response to inductive signals. Moreover, because the ability to enhance the binding of serum response factor to DNA residues within the homeodomain but is independent of homeodomain DNA-binding activity, this additional activity of the homeodomain may account for some of specificity of action of homeodomain proteins in development.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Transcription factor AP-1 activity is required for initiation of DNA synthesis and is lost during cellular aging.

Activation of the AP-1 complex of transcription factors is one of the earliest nuclear responses to mitogenic stimuli. We demonstrate directly that AP-1 activity is required for human cells to proliferate in response to serum. We also find that activity of the AP-1 complex is selectively reduced in old human fibroblasts prior to their entering a fully senescent state. Levels of Fos protein induced through diverse signal transduction pathways, the amount of AP-1 DNA binding activity in vitro, and the activity of an AP-1-dependent reporter gene in vivo are substantially decreased as fibroblasts age. Moreover, the composition of the AP-1 complex changes, so that old cells produce predominantly Jun-Jun homodimers instead of Fos-Jun heterodimers. Changes in AP-1 activity may be due in part to changes in posttranslational modification of Fos protein that impair its ability to form active DNA-binding heterodimers with Jun. These data suggest that changes in AP-1 activity may contribute to the inability of senescent cells to proliferate in response to mitogens.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Expression cloning of a novel zinc finger protein that binds to the c-fos serum response element.

Induction of c-fos transcription by serum growth factors requires the serum response element (SRE). The SRE is a multifunctional element which responds to several positively and negatively acting signals. To identify cellular proteins that might mediate functions of the SRE, we screened a human cDNA expression library with an SRE probe. We report the isolation and characterization of SRE-ZBP, a previously unidentified SRE-binding protein. SRE-ZBP is a member of the C2H2 zinc finger family of proteins exemplified by TFIIIA and the Drosophila Krüppel protein. The seven tandemly repeated zinc finger motifs in SRE-ZBP are sufficient for high-affinity binding to the SRE. We show that SRE-ZBP is a nuclear protein and identify a candidate cellular protein encoded by the SRE-ZBP gene. Because we cannot detect any DNA-binding activity attributable to the endogenous protein, we propose that SRE-ZBP activity may be subject to posttranslational regulation. Like c-fos mRNA, SRE-ZBP mRNA is serum inducible in HeLa cells, but with slower kinetics. The role of SRE-ZBP in the regulation of c-fos transcription remains unestablished, but this protein binds to a region of the SRE where mutations lead to derepression.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Two distinct forms of active transcription factor CREB (cAMP response element binding protein).

Mammalian cells express two distinct forms of transcription factor CREB (cAMP response element binding protein) that are apparently the products of alternative splicing of the CREB gene transcript. The two proteins differ by a 14-amino acid serine-rich insertion present in one of the CREB isoforms. We show that both CREB isoforms are expressed in many cell types and mammalian species. Both encode proteins that bind specifically to a cAMP response element in vitro. As expected for proteins of this class, the CREB proteins bind DNA as dimers. Both proteins impart cAMP-regulated transcriptional activity to a heterologous DNA-binding domain, showing that cAMP directly modulates the transcriptional stimulatory activity of CREB. The presence of multiple CREB isoforms with identical DNA-binding specificities but differences in the presumed regulatory domain raises the possibility that CREB proteins may be able to integrate distinct regulatory signals at the level of gene transcription.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Two distinct cellular phosphoproteins bind to the c-fos serum response element.

Induction of c-fos transcription by serum growth factors requires a 20 bp DNA sequence termed the serum response element (SRE). The SRE is a binding site for a nuclear protein, serum response factor (SRF). There is as yet no direct evidence that links SRF activity to SRE function. We show here that cells contain a second specific SRE-binding protein. It is distinguished from SRF by its size, chromatographic properties, binding specificity and contacts with nucleotides in the SRE. The presence in cells of two distinct proteins that can bind independently to the SRE suggests that the multiple functions of the SRE may be mediated by distinct proteins.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Multiple sequence elements of a single functional class are required for cyclic AMP responsiveness of the mouse c-fos promoter.

Agents that elevate the intracellular concentration of cyclic AMP (cAMP) rapidly and transiently induce expression of the c-fos proto-oncogene in BALB/c 3T3 cells. We show that the mouse c-fos promoter-enhancer region contains multiple elements that contribute to cAMP responsiveness of the promoter in transient expression assays. The most potent element was found to correspond to a previously mapped basal promoter element and protein-binding site located 65 base pairs upstream of the transcriptional initiation site. This element and two less potent sites contained a match to the cAMP response element (CRE) core sequence defined in several mammalian genes. The relative potencies of these elements corresponded with their relative affinities for cellular factors that bound to the CRE in vitro. Mutation of all three elements failed to abolish completely cAMP responsiveness of the c-fos promoter in the transient expression assay. However, we present evidence that this residual responsiveness may have been due to sequences present in vector DNA. Finally, we show, by using a new microinjection competition assay, that a double-stranded oligonucleotide carrying the major c-fos CRE is sufficient to block induction of the endogenous c-fos gene by cAMP. Therefore, induction of the endogenous gene requires positively acting cellular factors that interact with a single functional class of regulatory sites in the c-fos gene. Unrelated regulatory elements, such as the serum response element and putative AP-2 sites, are not by themselves sufficient to mediate the cAMP response.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

The catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase induces expression of genes containing cAMP-responsive enhancer elements.

Transcriptional regulation of eukaryotic genes by cyclic AMP requires a cAMP-dependent protein kinase (A kinase). Two hypotheses have been proposed to explain how the holoenzyme of the A kinase induces transcription. The regulatory subunits of the A kinase, which bind cAMP and DNA, and have amino-acid homology with the Escherichia coli catabolite activator protein could directly stimulate gene expression. Alternatively, phosphorylation by the catalytic subunits could induce transcription by activating proteins involved in gene transcription. To distinguish between these models, we microinjected purified preparations of the catalytic and regulatory subunits of A kinase into tissue culture cells and monitored expression of a stably integrated fusion gene containing a cAMP-responsive human promoter fused to a bacterial reporter gene, or of the endogenous c-fos gene. The catalytic subunit stimulated expression of these genes, whereas the regulatory subunit did not. These results indicate that the catalytic subunit of A kinase is sufficient to induce expression of two cAMP-responsive genes, without increasing levels of cAMP.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Identification of c-fos sequences involved in induction by insulin and phorbol esters.

We evaluated the mechanism of insulin and phorbol ester induction of the proto-oncogene c-fos in Chinese hamster ovary fibroblasts stably transformed with high levels of genes expressing normal or truncated human insulin receptors. Both insulin and the tumor-promoting phorbol ester phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) induced c-fos mRNA accumulation in cells expressing high numbers of normal human insulin receptors; PMA but not insulin was effective in the cells expressing the mutant receptor. Transient expression studies with plasmid constructions containing c-fos 5'-flanking sequences ligated to the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene indicated that sequences corresponding to the serum response element were required for induction of c-fos transcription by both insulin and PMA. The insulin-sensitive cells contained a nuclear factor, presumably a protein, which bound specifically to this sequence of the c-fos gene; the apparent affinity of this factor to the normal serum response element was not affected by prior treatment of the cells with insulin or PMA. This c-fos binding factor may prove to be important in the regulation of c-fos expression by insulin and activators of protein kinase C.

Acetyltransferases↗
PubMed1988

The c-fos serum response element responds to protein kinase C-dependent and -independent signals but not to cyclic AMP.

Transcription of the c-fos proto-oncogene is rapidly induced by serum growth factors. A short c-fos DNA element, the serum response element (SRE), is required for this response to serum. However, serum activates a series of distinct intracellular signaling pathways, and it is not known to which of these pathways the SRE responds. To address this question, mutations have been introduced into the SRE of an otherwise intact c-fos promoter/enhancer. These mutations strongly reduce the binding of a nuclear factor to this site. Plasmids carrying either a wild-type or mutant c-fos SRE were transfected into fibroblasts and tested for their response to whole serum, purified recombinant c-sis protein, the protein kinase C activator phorbol myristate acetate, and activators of the cyclic AMP (cAMP) second messenger system. Assays were carried out under normal conditions and after chronic phorbol ester-treatment to deplete phorbol ester activatable protein kinase C activity from transfected cells. The results show that the SRE is necessary and sufficient for response to both protein kinase C-dependent and -independent intracellular signaling pathways but not for response to the cAMP pathway.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗
PubMed1986

c-myc and c-fos expression in differentiating mouse primary keratinocytes.

Expression of the myc and fos genes has been monitored in mouse primary keratinocytes after induction of terminal differentiation by calcium or tetradecanoylphorbol acetate (TPA). myc RNA levels in growing cells are very high and remain elevated even at late times after calcium-induced differentiation. Thus, keratinocytes provide the first example of normal primary cells with persistent c-myc expression irrespective of their proliferative or differentiated state. fos expression is also relatively unaffected by addition of calcium. In contrast to calcium, TPA-induced differentiation is accompanied by dramatic changes in proto-oncogene expression: marked c-fos induction and considerable although transient decrease in c-myc expression. These effects might be important for the keratinocyte response to TPA: TPA treatment of a keratinocyte cell line (RBK) resistant to this substance has no effect on c-myc expression and leads only to minimal c-fos induction. In these cells full fos induction can still be triggered by addition of fresh medium. Thus, the fos gene in normal keratinocytes is inducible through at least two independent mechanisms, only one of which has been lost during derivation of the TPA-resistant cell line.

Animals↗