Cell cycle-related protein kinases and T cell death.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to V J Kidd.
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Minimal ectopic expression of a 58-kDa protein kinase (PITSLRE beta 1), distantly related to members of the cdc2 gene family, induces telophase delay, abnormal chromosome segregation, and decreased growth rates in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Here we show that this decrease in cell growth rate is due to apoptosis. Apoptosis is also induced by ectopic expression of an amino-terminal deletion mutant containing the catalytic and C-terminal domains of PITSLRE beta 1 but not by other mutants lacking histone H1 kinase activity or by other members of the cdc2 gene family. However, unlike the wild-type PITSLRE beta 1 over-expressors, ectopic expression of the N-terminal PITSLRE beta 1 mutant does not result in telophase delay or abnormal chromosome segregation. These results suggested that the function of this protein kinase could be linked to apoptotic signaling. To test this hypothesis, we examined levels of PITSLRE mRNA, steady-state protein, and enzyme activity in human T cells undergoing apoptosis after activation with the anti-Fas monoclonal antibody (MAb). All were substantially elevated shortly after Fas MAb treatment. In addition to new transcription and translation, proteolysis contributed to the increased steady-state levels of a novel 50-kDa PITSLRE protein, as suggested by the diminution of larger PITSLRE isoforms observed in the same cells. Indeed, treatment of the Fas-activated T cells with a serine protease inhibitor prevented apoptotic death and led to the accumulation of larger, less active PITSLRE kinase isoforms but not the enzymatically active 50-kDa PITSLRE isoform. Finally, induction of apoptosis by glucocorticoids in the same cell line, as well as by Fas MAb treatment of another T-cell line, led to a similar induction of 50-kDa PITSLRE protein levels over time. These findings suggest that (i) PITSLRE kinase(s) may lie within apoptotic signaling pathway(s), (ii) serine protease activation may be an early event in Fas-activated apoptosis of human T cells, and (iii) some PITSLRE kinase isoforms may be targets of apoptotic proteases.
The p58 (PITSLRE beta 1) protein kinase (PK) is a member of a large supergene family related to the master mitotic protein kinase, p34cdc2. This PK is also a member of a sub-family itself, with at least six additional related PITSLRE PK isoforms expressed by alternative splicing and promoter utilization from three duplicated genes. Minimal overproduction of the PITSLRE beta 1 PK in Chinese hamster ovary cells results in a late mitotic delay, suggesting that this PK's function may be related to the cell cycle [Bunnell et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87 (1990) 7467-7471]. Further studies using structural and functional mutants have shown that PITSLRE PKs are involved in signaling apoptosis. The gene encoding the PITSLRE beta 1 PK has previously been isolated and structurally characterized [Eipers et al., Genomics 13 (1992) 613-621]. Here we characterize the minimal essential promoter for this gene. Analysis of a 1.18-kb stretch of DNA located upstream from the PITSLRE beta 1 start codon demonstrates that significant cat gene expression can be driven by a construct containing this sequence. Deletion studies of this DNA fragment have defined a minimal promoter that extends 144 bp 5' of the previously mapped transcription start point (tsp), and 521 bp 5' of the start codon. This region of PITSLRE beta 1 DNA does not contain canonical TATA-box sequences or G + C-rich sequences associated with many promoters, yet it has approximately 20% of the promoting activity when compared to the SV40 early promoter. This suggests that this DNA sequence is a relatively strong basal promoter of a previously uncharacterized type.
Minimal ectopic expression of the p58GTA protein kinase results in a provocative phenotype involving cell cycle delay, mitotic catastrophe, and decreased cell viability. In addition, this kinase is well conserved evolutionarily, ubiquitously expressed, and its genes map to a position on human chromosome 1 frequently deleted in the late stages of tumorigenesis. Here we report that the p58GTA protein kinase is a member of a larger subfamily of proteins. The mRNAs encoding these proteins are generated by alternative splicing from multiple duplicated genes. These isoforms range in size from 50 to 110 kDa. Divergence between the alternatively spliced isoforms is localized to the amino-terminal region of the molecule. The entire p58GTA open reading frame is conserved in most of these p58GTA isoforms. The predicted sequences of the larger isoforms encode bipartite nuclear localization signal sequences and extensive polyglutamic acid domains. Antibodies to the p58GTA isoform were used to confirm the presence of the alternatively spliced isoforms in different cell types as well as identify two additional isoforms that appear to arise from a separate gene(s). Cellular fractionation studies indicate that one of the isoforms is found only in the nucleus, and the remainder are found in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Expression and localization of some p58GTA isoforms suggest that they may have specialized cellular functions. Because of the large number of isoforms generated from multiple genes we propose naming these kinases PITSLRE alpha 1, alpha 2-1, alpha 2-2, alpha 2-3 alpha 2-4, beta 1, beta 2-1, and beta 2-2 based on the conserved sequence of the PSTAIRE box unique to p34cdc2 kinases and the gene from which they are transcribed.
Minimal overexpression of the PITSLRE beta 1 protein kinase in CHO cells leads to a marked delay in late mitosis. We have previously shown that this delay is characterized by the presence of substantially increased numbers of tubulin midbodies, inhibition of cytokinesis, and numerous multinucleated and micronucleated cells. Others have shown that the protein kinase inhibitor 2-aminopurine (2-AP) is capable of overriding drug induced cell cycle blocks. In this study we demonstrate that the late mitotic delay and altered cellular morphology caused by ectopic expression of the PITSLRE beta 1 protein kinase can be overcome by 2-aminopurine treatment. Furthermore, 2-aminopurine inhibits PITSLRE beta 1 protein kinase activity in vivo, but does not effect p34cdc2 protein kinase activity in a similar manner.
p58cdc2L1, a protein kinase implicated in apoptotic signaling, is one of eight separate kinases encoded by three tandemly duplicated and linked genes, which we have termed PITSLRE A, B and C. One allele of this complex on chromosome 1 was either deleted or translocated in each of 18 neuroblastoma cell lines with cytogenetically apparent 1p alterations. A protein encoded by this locus, PITSLRE gamma 1, was absent in three of the lines and a smaller, apparently truncated, PITSLRE polypeptide was found in another line. These findings identify a novel gene complex on chromosome 1 that encodes a protein kinase subfamily. We suggest that the PITSLRE locus may harbour one or more tumour suppressor genes affected by chromosome 1p36 modifications in neuroblastoma.
MRL-lpr/lpr strain mice have defectively glycosylated IgG. This may be related to the rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-like disease that occurs in these mice, because a similar glycosylation defect is seen in human subjects with RA. Whilst it is known that this defect is associated with reduced activity of the beta-1,4-galactosyltransferase (beta-1,4-GalTase) enzyme, the cause of this reduced activity is at present unknown. We have therefore examined the molecular genetics of beta-1,4-GalTase in MRL-lpr/lpr mice. Using 10 different restriction endonucleases we found no evidence for a polymorphic variant of the gene in glycosylation-defective mice. However, the level of mRNA for beta-1,4-GalTase was lowest in the MRL-lpr/lpr mice, the strain with the most poorly galactosylated IgG of the four strains examined. Thus, the reduced level of IgG oligosaccharide galactosylation found in MRL-lpr/lpr strain mice appears to be related to either an altered transcriptional level of, or altered mRNA stability for, beta-1,4-GalTase in lymphocytes from these mice.
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Signal transduction in eukaryotic cells is a complex process mediated, normally, by the interaction of soluble extrinsic protein factors and their cognate receptors. One example of this phenomena is the inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 and the IL-6 receptor. However, the IL-6 receptor, once its ligand is bound, associates with another membrane glycoprotein, gp130, to potentiate the cytokine response. To further understand the basis of this interaction, and its possible implications in cellular transforming events, the corresponding gene(s) must be studied. Here we find that the human gp130 gene product is homologous to two distinct chromosomal loci on chromosomes 5 and 17. Furthermore, the presence of two distinct gp130 gene sequences is restricted to primates and is not found in other vertebrates.
We recently have identified a full-length cDNA (TB3-1) from a human adenocarcinoma cell line T84 cDNA library that encodes a 47.8-kDa protein. TB3-1 shares identity with the putative yeast translation termination factor omnipotent suppressor 45. Using human-mouse somatic cell panel analysis, a family of sequences with high homology to the TB3-1 cDNA clone were localized to human chromosomes 5, 6, 7, and X. Southern analysis of a panel of mammalian and chicken genomic DNA demonstrates that TB3-1 is well conserved in higher vertebrates.
A cDNA corresponding to a 58-kDa cell division control-related protein kinase, p58clk-1, has previously been isolated, sequenced, and assigned to human chromosome 1p36. Aberrant expression of this protein kinase negatively regulates normal cellular growth. The p58clk-1 protein contains a central domain of 299 amino acids that is 46% identical to human p34cdc2, the master mitotic protein kinase. Deletion of 1p36 has been correlated to numerous tumors, and this chromosome region has been suggested to harbor a putative tumor suppressor gene on the basis of the growth characteristics of these tumors. In this report we detail the complete structure of the p58clk-1 chromosomal gene, including its putative promoter region, transcriptional start sites, exonic sequences, and intron/exon boundary sequences. The gene is 10 kb in size and contains 12 exons and 11 introns. Interestingly, the rather large 2.0-kb 3' untranslated region is interrupted by an intron that separates a region containing numerous AUUUA destabilization motifs from the coding region. Furthermore, we detail the expression of this gene in normal human tissues as well as several human tumor cell samples and lines. The origin of multiple human transcripts from the same chromosomal gene, and the possible differential stability of these various transcripts, is discussed with regard to the transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of this gene. This is the first report of the chromosomal gene structure of a member of the p34cdc2 supergene family.
Murine T cells and T-cell lines express receptors for the Fc of IgA (Fc alpha R); however, their molecular properties remain to be elucidated. In the present study, we examined three candidate molecules for IgA-binding receptors including Fc alpha R, beta-galactosyltransferase (beta-GT) and anti-secretory component (SC) reactive proteins (ASCP) expressed on T cells which might participate in the binding of different molecular forms of IgA. T-cell lines derived from CD4+ T cells of mouse Peyer's patches (PP) (designated PPT 4-6 and PPT 4-16) and from cloned PP T helper (Th) cell lines (ThHA1 #9 and #10) bound both monomeric and dimeric IgA (mIgA and dIgA), while the fusion partners (BW 5147 and R1.1) did not. In contrast, both Fc alpha R+ and Fc alpha R- cell lines bound to high molecular weight polymeric or aggregated IgA (pIgA). All cell lines reacted with a monoclonal anti-beta-GT (MoAb) and beta-GT enzyme activity was associated with the cell lysates and membrane fractions of all cells tested. The anti-beta-GT MoAb stained a 47-kDa band on immunoblots which was identical to that seen with native enzyme. mRNA analysis with beta-GT cDNA showed that all cell lines constitutively produced enzyme-specific mRNA. Both Fc alpha R+ T cells and Fc alpha R- control cell lines showed cell surface specific beta-GT activity. This is the first study which shows that mouse T cells produce beta-GT. However, Fc alpha R and beta-GT appear to be separate receptors, because Fc alpha R+ T cells bound mIgA and dIgA, and this treatment did not affect staining with biotinylated anti-beta-GT MoAb. Further, preincubation of the Fc alpha R+ cells with anti-beta-GT MoAb did not block mIgA binding. However, the anti-beta-GT MoAb partially blocked binding of pIgA to both Fc alpha R+ and Fc alpha R- T cells, suggesting that beta-GT may be a receptor for pIgA. Others have shown that T cells may bind IgA through a receptor serologically related to SC. We found that antibodies both to human SC and to rat SC specifically bound to both Fc alpha R+ and Fc alpha R- T cells. Further, a 72-kDa band was detected when cell membrane fractions were analysed with these antisera (ASCP) by solid phase immunoisolation technique and immunoblot analysis. The ASCP is not an IgA-binding receptor, since anti-SC did not block either mIgA or pIgA binding.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
We describe the regulation of expression, activity and subcellular localization of a cell cycle control-related kinase, p58GTA, during the withdrawal from the cell cycle of U937 human leukemic cells induced by phorbol esters. Our studies indicate that steady-state mRNA, protein levels, transcription and subcellular localization of this kinase are affected in distinctly different manners by phorbol esters (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, PMA). Steady-state mRNA levels increase dramatically within 1 h of PMA treatment, while steady-state protein levels increase only slightly. However, within 24 h of PMA treatment both steady-state p58GTA mRNA and protein levels decrease markedly. Assays of p58GTA protein kinase activity show that, even though steady-state protein levels are relatively constant, protein kinase activity increases within 30 min of PMA treatment, and then peaks at 2 h and 12 h after PMA treatment. Once again, p58GTA protein kinase activity decreases by 48 h to levels similar to unstimulated cells. These results suggest that the expression of the p58GTA protein kinase gene and, quite possibly, its post-translational modification are affected by phorbol esters in a complex manner.
Mammalian glycosyltransferases have been implicated in a wide variety of functions besides N-linked glycosylation, including developmental processes. For this reason, we studied the effects of cell cycle and entry into the cell cycle on beta 1-4-galactosyltransferase gene expression. In this study we report that beta 1-4-galactosyltransferase (GalTase) gene expression is, indeed, regulated during the normal cell cycle, peaking during late G1-, S, and early G2 phase of the cell cycle. In addition, GalTase gene expression is regulated in a manner that resembles other "early response" genes such as jun and fos upon reentry into the cell cycle from quiescence. Finally, we show that the GalTase gene is differentially expressed during murine embryogenesis and in terminally differentiated adult tissues. It is most abundant in testis, followed by skeletal muscle and spleen. The reasons for this pattern of differential expression in adult tissues are unknown. These studies should provide important new information regarding GalTase gene expression, its regulation, and its potential link to other developmental functions.
The gene for the human p58 protein kinase, a cell division control-related gene, has been mapped by somatic cell hybrid analyses, in situ localization with the chromosomal gene, and nested polymerase chain reaction amplification of microdissected chromosomes. These studies indicate that the expressed p58 chromosomal gene maps to 1p36, while a highly related p58 sequence of unknown nature maps to chromosome 15. Assignment of a p34cdc2-related gene to 1p36 may have implications for numerous tumors that involve deletion of this region, including neuroblastoma, ductal carcinoma of the breast, malignant melanoma, Merkel cell carcinoma, and endocrine neoplasia.
Protein kinases are important signaling molecules that are known constituents of cellular pathways critical for normal cellular growth and development. We have recently identified a new protein kinase, p58, which contains a large domain that is highly homologous to the cell division control p34cdc2 protein kinase. This new cell division control-related protein kinase was originally identified as a component of semipurified galactosyltransferase; thus, it has been denoted galactosyltransferase-associated protein kinase. In vitro, this protein kinase has been shown to phosphorylate a number of substrates, including histone H1, casein, and galactosyltransferase. In vivo, we have found that this protein kinase affects galactosyltransferase enzyme activity and that it is apparently involved in some aspect of normal cell cycle regulation. In this report, we find that the p58 gene is evolutionarily well conserved and expressed ubiquitously, but to varying extents, in adult tissues. In developmentally staged embryos, p58 expression was elevated early in embryogenesis and then decreased dramatically. In the murine submandibular gland, p58 expression was elevated between day 14 and day 16 post coitus. Expression in the submandibular gland appeared to parallel the proliferation and differentiation of specific cell types as judged by in situ hybridization. These studies indicate that the p58 protein kinase may have a critical function during normal embryonic development and that this protein kinase continues to be expressed in differentiated adult tissues.
The effect of expression of a p58 protein kinase on mammalian beta-1,4 galactosyltransferase enzyme activity was examined in vitro and in vivo. We found that p58 protein kinase expression enhanced galactosyltransferase enzyme activity approximately three-fold in vivo when compared to reporter gene activity. Galactosyltransferase enzyme activity was also substantially reduced in vitro when dephosphorylated, or when p58 specific antibodies were used to inhibit kinase activity. These results suggest that galactosyltransferase activity is influenced by phosphorylation, and that the p58 protein kinase may mediate this effect.
A recently isolated cDNA for human complement protein C2, C2HL5-3, has an unusually long 5'-untranslated region (UTR) containing four open reading frames upstream of the authentic initiation codon. Here we report that deletion of the 5'-UTR of C2HL5-3 resulted in a 10-fold enhancement in the translational efficiency of C2 in transient eukaryotic cellular assays. Elimination of the open reading frames in the 5'-UTR by site-directed mutagenesis of the initiation codons did not affect C2 synthesis in this assay system, indicating that other structural elements in this region are responsible for translational control. We also show that several C2 mRNAs of varying length in the 5'-UTR, including an alternative C2 mRNA expressing a considerably shorter 5'-UTR, are present in the liver and that the shorter C2 mRNA is the only C2 message found in U937 cells. These results suggest that tissue-specific utilization of alternative transcriptional start sites results in differential translational efficiencies of C2 and may provide insights into the tissue- and stimulus-specific regulation of eukaryotic gene expression.