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Extracellular signal-regulated kinase mediates granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor messenger RNA stabilization in tumor necrosis factor-alpha plus fibronectin-activated peripheral blood eosinophils.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is critical for promoting the long-term survival of lung- or airway-based eosinophils. Previously, we have shown that fibronectin and tumor necrosis factor alpha induced autocrine production of GM-CSF that markedly enhanced eosinophil survival. Cytokine release was preceded by and dependent on messenger RNA (mRNA) stabilization. Here, we show that mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation is responsible for GM-CSF mRNA stabilization in peripheral blood eosinophils (pbeos). Activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) but not p38 correlated with GM-CSF mRNA stability. Although ERK inhibition completely prevented GM-CSF mRNA stabilization, p38 inhibition had a partial effect. To establish which MAPK was crucial, we transduced pbeos with dominant-active TatMEK1(E) or TatMKK3b(E) proteins that selectively phosphorylate ERK or p38, respectively. These studies showed that ERK but not p38 was sufficient for GM-CSF mRNA stabilization. These data are in contradistinction to the c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase-mediated regulation of interleukin 2 and 3 mRNAs and suggest unique regulatory features for GM-CSF mRNA in eosinophils.

Asthma↗

The maturase encoded by a group I intron from Aspergillus nidulans stabilizes RNA tertiary structure and promotes rapid splicing.

The AnCOB group I intron from Aspergillus nidulans self-splices, providing the Mg2+ concentration is >/= 15 mM. The splicing reaction is greatly stimulated by a maturase protein encoded within the intron itself. An initial structural and biochemical analysis of the splicing reaction has now been performed. The maturase bound rapidly to the precursor RNA (kon approximately 3 x 10(9) M(-1) min(-1)) and remained tightly bound (koff </= 0.04 min(-1)). The catalytic step of 5' splice-site cleavage occurred at a rate of up to 11 min(-1) under single turnover conditions. The maturase-assisted reaction of heat-denatured RNA proceeded at a rate of about 1 min(-1), arguing that there are early steps of folding that cannot be readily facilitated by the protein. pH analysis revealed a biphasic profile with a pKa of 7.0. The rate of the maturase-assisted reaction was independent of the Mg2+ concentration down to 3 mM. Self-splicing in optimal Mg2+ (>/= 150 mM) was tenfold slower, in part because of the existence of an equilibrium between folded and partially folded RNA. In contrast, the maturase very effectively stabilized tertiary structure in 5 mM Mg2+, a noticeable example being an interaction between the P8 helix and a GNRA sequence that constitutes the L2 terminal loop of the P2 helix. Formation of the 5' splice-site recognition helix was assisted by either the maturase or high concentrations of Mg2+. The maturase was required during splicing so it is not a true chaperone. However, RNase protection assays and kinetic studies suggest that the maturase recognizes and facilitates folding of an intron with limited tertiary structure and even incomplete secondary structure.

Aspergillus nidulans↗

Inverse control of prolactin and growth hormone gene expression: effect of thyroliberin on transcription and RNA stabilization.

The hypothalamic tripeptide thyroliberin (TRH) regulates prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (GH) synthesis inversely by modulating the levels of their specific mRNA. Changes in mRNA levels could involve both transcriptional and posttranscriptional events. To examine further these possibilities, we have investigated the effect of TRH on the biosynthesis and degradation of PRL and GH RNA in a rat pituitary tumor cell line. Newly synthesized PRL and GH RNA sequences were quantified in nuclear and cytoplasmic fractions by hybridization of 3H-labelled RNA to immobilized plasmid DNA containing either PRL or GH cDNA sequences. Steady-state levels of specific RNA were estimated by RNA blot hybridization. The results indicate that TRH increases in a rapid but transient manner the transcription of the PRL gene, and suggest that it does not alter the processing and the transport to the cytoplasm. In contrast, after a lag-time, TRH seems to induce a long-lasting inhibition on GH, as well as on overall gene transcription. Furthermore, we observed an effect of TRH on mRNA stability. TRH significantly increases the half-life of PRL mRNA. Our results also support the hypothesis that TRH decreases the half-life of GH mRNA. Such post-transcriptional action of TRH amplifies and prolongs the regulations exerted at the transcriptional level.

Animals↗

Assessment of two methods for handling blood in collection tubes with RNA stabilizing agent for surveillance of gene expression profiles with high density microarrays.

Genome-wide expression studies of human blood samples in the context of epidemiologic surveillance are confronted by numerous challenges-one of the foremost being the capability to produce reliable detection of transcript levels. This led us to consider the Paxgene Blood RNA System, which consists of a stabilizing additive in an evacuated blood collection tube (PAX tube) and a sample processing kit (PAX kit). The PAX tube contains a solution that inhibits RNA degradation and gene induction as blood is drawn into the tube. The stability of RNA in PAX tubes under conditions for practical clinical applications has been determined by RT-PCR, but has not been assessed at the transcriptome level on Affymetrix microarrays. Here, we report a quality assured and controlled protocol that is capable of producing reliable gene expression profiles using the GeneChip system with RNA isolated from PAX tubes. Using this protocol, we compared quality metrics and gene-expression profiles of RNA, extracted from blood in PAX tubes that sat at room temperature for 2 h, with that of blood in PAX tubes incubated at room temperature for 9 h followed by storage at -20 degrees C for 6 days. Of numerous metrics, differences between the two handling methods were detected for the level of DNA contamination, RNA yield, and double stranded cDNA yield. Analysis of variance of gene-expression revealed small but significant differences between the handling methods. These results contribute to the determination of protocols for clinical studies and progress us towards the goal of using the transcriptome in diagnosis and surveillance.

Blood Specimen Collection↗

Up-regulation of thrombospondin-1 gene by epidermal growth factor and transforming growth factor beta in human cancer cells--transcriptional activation and messenger RNA stabilization.

Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), a multifunctional matrix protein, affects tumor growth through modulation of angiogenesis and other stromal biological functions. In several of nine human cancer cell lines derived from liver, brain, pancreas, and bone, expression of TSP-1 was up-regulated in response to the two most representative growth factors, epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFbeta1). Expression of TSP-1 was markedly enhanced in hepatic HuH-7 cells by EGF but not by TGFbeta1. In contrast, expression of TSP-1 was markedly enhanced by TGFbeta1, but not by EGF, in osteosarcoma MG63 cells. EGF induced activation of TSP-1 promoter-driven luciferase activity in HuH-7 cells, and the elements between -267 and -71 on the 5' region of TSP-1 gene containing two GC boxes to which Sp1 bound, were found to be responsible for the promoter activation by EGF. However, EGF did not alter TSP-1 mRNA stability in hepatic cells. On the other hand, no such enhancement of the TSP-1 promoter activity by TGFbeta1 appeared in MG63 cells. Enhanced expression of TSP-1 by TGFbeta1 in MG63 cells was partially blocked by exogenous addition of SB203580, an inhibitor of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase. TGFbeta was found to induce marked elongation of TSP-1 mRNA longevity in osteosarcoma cells when mRNA degradation was assayed in the presence of alpha-amanitin. The up-regulation of TSP-1 by EGF and TGFbeta might play a critical role in modulation of angiogenesis and formation of matrices in tumor stroma.

Bone Neoplasms↗

The role of transcription and messenger RNA stability in the regulation of epidermal growth factor receptor gene expression in regenerating mouse liver.

The influence of partial hepatectomy on epidermal growth factor receptor gene expression was studied in mouse liver. Epidermal growth factor receptor binding and epidermal growth factor receptor messenger RNA levels in the liver showed a rapid peak 8 hr after partial hepatectomy, whereas the sham operation had no effects on these levels. The peak epidermal growth factor receptor messenger RNA level was approximately threefold higher than preoperative values. The increase in epidermal growth factor receptor messenger RNA levels occurred primarily as a consequence of an increase in the rate of transcription. Partial hepatectomy slightly increased the half-life of epidermal growth factor receptor messenger RNA in the liver from 2.8 to 3.6 hr. Treatment of partially hepatectomized mice with cycloheximide increased hepatic epidermal growth factor receptor messenger RNA levels about fivefold by prolonging the half-life of the messenger RNA to 11.2 hr, although this treatment inhibited the increase in transcription induced by partial hepatectomy. Cycloheximide also increased epidermal growth factor receptor messenger RNA levels in the liver or kidney of sham-operated mice about threefold, primarily through stabilizing epidermal growth factor receptor messenger RNA. In contrast, cycloheximide had no effects on beta-actin messenger RNA levels in the liver and kidney. These results suggest that transcription induced by partial hepatectomy requires protein synthesis and that labile proteins are involved in the regulation of the stability of epidermal growth factor receptor messenger RNA.

Actins↗

Irradiation increases levels of GM-CSF through RNA stabilization which requires an AU-rich region in cancer cells.

Granulocyte/macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is a hematopoietic growth factor that stimulates a wide range of myeloid hematopoietic cells; RNAs coding for many oncogenes and cytokines including GM-CSF have a very short half-life. The motif of AUUUA is a highly conserved sequence in the 3'untranslated regions (3'UTR) of these transcripts and is repeated a number of times in these short-lived cytokines and oncogenes. These sequences play a major role in controlling stability of these transcripts. Human cancer cells were transfected with a chimeric rabbit beta-globin gene linked to either a 58 bp sequence of the AT-rich region from GM-CSF or a control sequence. We have found that irradiation stimulates accumulation of GM-CSF, interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-1 beta RNAs. In addition, this accumulation of GM-CSF was at least, in part, a result of increased stabilization of GM-CSF transcripts. Further experiments showed that irradiation increased levels of the chimeric beta-globin transcripts containing AUUUA sequences from GM-CSF, but not those containing the control sequences. Our results suggest that irradiation increases expression of GM-CSF RNA and that posttranscriptional stabilization requiring AUUUA sequences probably is in part one of the mechanisms producing the increased levels of GM-CSF RNA by irradiation.

Base Sequence↗

Novel conserved domains in proteins with predicted roles in eukaryotic cell-cycle regulation, decapping and RNA stability.

BACKGROUND: The emergence of eukaryotes was characterized by the expansion and diversification of several ancient RNA-binding domains and the apparent de novo innovation of new RNA-binding domains. The identification of these RNA-binding domains may throw light on the emergence of eukaryote-specific systems of RNA metabolism. RESULTS: Using sensitive sequence profile searches, homology-based fold recognition and sequence-structure superpositions, we identified novel, divergent versions of the Sm domain in the Scd6p family of proteins. This family of Sm-related domains shares certain features of conventional Sm domains, which are required for binding RNA, in addition to possessing some unique conserved features. We also show that these proteins contain a second previously uncharacterized C-terminal domain, termed the FDF domain (after a conserved sequence motif in this domain). The FDF domain is also found in the fungal Dcp3p-like and the animal FLJ22128-like proteins, where it fused to a C-terminal domain of the YjeF-N domain family. In addition to the FDF domains, the FLJ22128-like proteins contain yet another divergent version of the Sm domain at their extreme N-terminus. We show that the YjeF-N domains represent a novel version of the Rossmann fold that has acquired a set of catalytic residues and structural features that distinguish them from the conventional dehydrogenases. CONCLUSIONS: Several lines of contextual information suggest that the Scd6p family and the Dcp3p-like proteins are conserved components of the eukaryotic RNA metabolism system. We propose that the novel domains reported here, namely the divergent versions of the Sm domain and the FDF domain may mediate specific RNA-protein and protein-protein interactions in cytoplasmic ribonucleoprotein complexes. More specifically, the protein complexes containing Sm-like domains of the Scd6p family are predicted to regulate the stability of mRNA encoding proteins involved in cell cycle progression and vesicular assembly. The Dcp3p and FLJ22128 proteins may localize to the cytoplasmic processing bodies and possibly catalyze a specific processing step in the decapping pathway. The explosive diversification of Sm domains appears to have played a role in the emergence of several uniquely eukaryotic ribonucleoprotein complexes, including those involved in decapping and mRNA stability.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Newly synthesized RNA: simultaneous measurement in intact cells of transcription rates and RNA stability of insulin-like growth factor I, actin, and albumin in growth hormone-stimulated hepatocytes.

The levels of several RNA transcripts in cultured hepatocytes are regulated by transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms and are affected by growth hormone and insulin. We assessed the effects of these hormones on transcription rates and the stability of insulin-like growth factor I, actin, and albumin transcripts in intact cells of primary cultures of rat hepatocytes by analyzing thiol-labeled, newly synthesized RNA isolated by mercurated agarose affinity chromatography. The application of this concept to the measurement of transcript stability is presented in detail. The data indicate that growth hormone stimulates the transcription rates of insulin-like growth factor I, actin, and albumin genes. The stability of all three transcripts, particularly albumin, appears to be lower in growth hormone-containing medium than it is in insulin-containing medium. The experiments indicate that the rates of transcription and/or degradation of albumin mRNA are influenced by hormonal treatment. However, the cells maintain roughly constant albumin transcript levels independent of hormone treatment by compensatory changes in the rates of transcription and degradation.

Actins↗

Control of messenger RNA stability in higher eukaryotes.

The mRNA decay rate (half-life) is a major determinant of mRNA abundance in organisms from bacteria to mammals. mRNA levels can fluctuate many-fold following a change in mRNA half-life, without any change in transcription, and these fluctuations affect how a cell grows, differentiates and responds to its environment. The half-lives of many mRNAs vary tenfold or more in response to cytokines, hormones, starvation, hypoxia, or viral infection. Three major questions regarding mRNA stability are currently being addressed. What sequences in mRNAs determine half-lives? What enzymes degrade mRNAs? What (trans-acting) factors regulate mRNA stability and how do they function? This review focuses on RNA-binding or regulatory proteins and on candidate messenger ribonucleases (mRNases).

Animals↗

A brome mosaic virus intergenic RNA3 replication signal functions with viral replication protein 1a to dramatically stabilize RNA in vivo.

Brome mosaic virus (BMV), a positive-strand RNA virus in the alphavirus-like superfamily, encodes two RNA replication proteins. The 1a protein has putative helicase and RNA-capping domains, whereas 2a contains a polymerase-like domain. Saccharomyces cerevisiae expressing 1a and 2a is capable of replicating a BMV RNA3 template produced by in vivo transcription of a DNA copy of RNA3. Although insufficient for RNA3 replication, the expression of 1a protein alone results in a dramatic and specific stabilization of the RNA3 template in yeast. As one step toward understanding 1a-induced stabilization of RNA3, the interactions involved, and its possible relation to RNA replication, we have identified the cis-acting sequences required for this effect. We find that 1a-induced stabilization is mediated by a 150- to 190-base segment of the RNA3 intergenic region corresponding to a previously identified enhancer of RNA3 replication. Moreover, this segment is sufficient to confer 1a-induced stability on a heterologous beta-globin RNA. Within this intergenic segment, partial deletions that inhibited 1a-induced stabilization in yeast expressing 1a alone resulted in parallel decreases in the levels of negative- and positive-strand RNA3 replication products in yeast expressing 1a and 2a. In particular, a small deletion encompassing a motif corresponding to the box B element of RNA polymerase III promoters dramatically reduced the ability of RNAs to respond to 1a or 1a and 2a. These and other findings suggest that 1a-induced stabilization likely reflects an early template selection step in BMV RNA replication.

Bromovirus↗

Modulation of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 production by hyperoxia: importance of RNA stability in control of cytokine production.

Pulmonary oxygen toxicity occurs after prolonged administration of increased fractions of inspired oxygen. Lung damage in this setting manifests as diffuse alveolar damage. In animals exposed to hyperoxia, increased numbers of alveolar macrophages are noted 72 h after initiation of high concentrations of oxygen. Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) is a cytokine released by a number of cell types that has potent chemotactic activity for monocytes, precursor cells for alveolar macrophages. In the current study, we examined whether MCP-1 production was increased in response to hyperoxia. We used the monocyte/ histiocytic U937 cell line and exposed these cells to hyperoxia for variable amounts of time, then determined MCP-1 concentrations by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and MCP-1 mRNA levels by Northern blot analysis. We also examined the effects of dexamethasone on the response of U937 cells to hyperoxia. Finally, as a potential mechanism for regulation of U937 MCP-1 production, we examined effects of hyperoxia on MCP-1 mRNA stability. The results demonstrate that hyperoxia stimulates MCP-1 production after 6 and 24 h of exposure. MCP-1 mRNA levels are also increased after initiation of hyperoxia in part through effects on MCP-1 transcript stability. Dexamethasone significantly reduces MCP-1 production and mRNA levels also in part through effects on transcript stability. These studies suggest monocytes may be attracted to hyperoxia-exposed lungs through enhanced MCP-1 production. MCP-1 production appears to be upregulated in part through post-transcriptional processes in this setting.

Chemokine CCL2↗

Mitogen-responsive expression of RhoB is regulated by RNA stability.

The small GTPase-encoding gene RhoB is strongly induced as part of the immediate early response of serum-stimulated fibroblasts. In this report, we have characterized the mechanism for growth factor responsiveness of RhoB in Rat-2 fibroblasts. By Northern blotting and ribonuclease protection, we observed low or barely detectable levels of RhoB mRNA in quiescent cells, but expression was transiently induced in response to serum stimulation, such that the mRNA peaked within 30 min and then declined over the next hour. Analysis of the rat promoter revealed cis-elements conserved with the mouse and human genes, including a pair of CEBP sites near the transcriptional start site. However, in contrast to the analysis of RNA, RhoB promoter fusions were constitutively expressed in quiescent cells in transient transfections, and were unaffected by serum. Similarly, stable RhoB promoter integrants were highly expressed in quiescent cells, and growth factor caused a slight decrease in activity. This indicates that growth factor-inducible RhoB expression cannot be mediated by transcriptional activation. We then examined decay of the RhoB mRNA and found that serum caused significant stabilization. Additionally, fusion of the 3' RhoB untranslated region (UTR) to a constitutively expressed reporter gene caused serum and growth factor as well as DNA damage-inducible expression. These observations are consistent with the view that RhoB mRNA is produced constitutively but its abundance is controlled in response to growth factors, and other signals including DNA damage, by stabilization through elements within the 3' UTR.

3T3 Cells↗

Interference of nonsense mutations with eukaryotic messenger RNA stability.

The fine structure map of the yeast URA 3 gene was established by meiotic recombination, and amber nonsense mutations were located at different points on the map. The effect of the length of the labeling time on the specific radioactivity of ura 3 messenger RNA and on its repartition between poly(A)-RNA and RNA not containing poly(A) has been followed in nonsense mutants. Nonsense mutations reduce the messenger level without lowering its instantaneous rate of synthesis. The strength of the reduction depends on the position of the nonsense codon within the locus and concerns essentially the accumulation of polyadenylylated ura 3 mRNA.

Drug Stability↗