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PhosphoCREB and CREM/ICER: positive and negative regulation of proenkephalin gene expression in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus.

In the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN), the proenkephalin gene may be upregulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and downregulated by the GABA-A agonist muscimol. Candidate transcription factors regulating the proenkephalin gene in opposite directions are cAMP-response-element-binding protein (CREB) (when phosphorylated, a positive regulator) and cAMP-responsive modulatory inducible cAMP early repressor (CREM/ICER) (a negative regulator). Our results demonstrate that CREM alpha,beta,gamma transcripts and ICER are induced in the PVN by LPS and remain elevated for periods of up to 12 h. PhosphoCREB is elevated after LPS administration, peaking at 8 h, but remaining elevated over control levels at 12 h. Phospho-CREB induction by LPS is also seen in primary hypothalamic cultures. Cotransfection of ICER with ENK-CAT12 into primary hypothalamic cultures produced a decrease in chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) levels following cAMP or LPS stimulation. PhosphoCREB is downregulated and CREM/ICER is upregulated in the PVN by muscimol, suggesting that the regulation of these transcription factors may underlie the inhibitory effect of muscimol on target genes in the PVN.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗

Transcriptional regulation of the MHC class II trans-activator (CIITA) promoter III: identification of a novel regulatory region in the 5'-untranslated region and an important role for cAMP-responsive element binding protein 1 and activating transcription factor-1 in CIITA-promoter III transcriptional activation in B lymphocytes.

The class II trans-activator (CIITA), which acts as a master regulator for expression of MHC class II genes, is expressed constitutively in mature B cells. This constitutive expression of CIITA is driven by CIITA promoter III (CIITA-PIII). However, little is known about the factors that control the B cell-mediated trans-activation of CIITA-PIII. In this study using B cells we have identified several cAMP-responsive elements (CREs) in the proximal promoter and in the 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR) that are involved in the activation of CIITA-PIII. We show that activating transcription factor (ATF)/CRE binding protein (CREB) factors bind to the CREs in vitro and in vivo. Notably, our results also reveal that the 5'-UTR of CIITA-PIII functions as an important regulatory region in B lymphocytes. Furthermore, transient cotransfections of a CIITA-PIII luciferase reporter construct with either CREB-1 or ATF-1 boost CIITA-PIII trans-activation in a dose-dependent manner, which was further enhanced by addition of general coactivator CREB-binding protein. Transient transfections using mutant CIITA-PIII luciferase reporter constructs that either lack the (5'-UTR) or abolish binding of CREB-1 and ATF-1 to the CRE located in activation response element-2, displayed severely reduced promoter activity in B cells. A similar successive deletion of the CREs resulted in a subsequent reduction of CREB-1-induced activity of CIITA-PIII in B cells. Together our results argue for an important role of ATF/CREB factors and the 5'-UTR of CIITA-PIII in the trans-activation of CIITA-PIII in B cells.

5' Untranslated Regions↗

Cyclic adenosine 5'-monophosphate response element binding protein plays a central role in mediating proliferation and differentiation downstream of the pre-TCR complex in developing thymocytes.

The roles played by specific transcription factors during the regulation of early T cell development remain largely undefined. Several key genes induced during the primary checkpoint of T cell development, beta-selection, contain cAMP response element sites within their enhancer-promoter region that are regulated by CREB activation. In this study, we show that CREB is constitutively phosphorylated in the thymus, but not the spleen. We also show that CREB is activated downstream of the pre-TCR complex, and that the induction of CREB activity is regulated by protein kinase C alpha- and ERK-MAPK-mediated signals. We addressed the importance of this activation by expressing a naturally occurring inhibitor of CREB, inducible cAMP early repressor in wild-type fetal liver-derived lymphoid progenitor cells, and assessed their developmental potential. Fetal thymic organ cultures reconstituted with cells constitutively expressing inducible cAMP early repressor displayed a delay in generating CD4(+)CD8(+) thymocytes and a decrease in cellularity compared with control fetal thymic organ cultures. Taken together, our studies establish that CREB plays a central role in relaying proliferation and differentiation signals from the pre-TCR complex into the nucleus in developing thymocytes.

Animals↗

Transcription factors in neuroendocrine regulation: rhythmic changes in pCREB and ICER levels frame melatonin synthesis.

Neurotransmitter-driven activation of transcription factors is important for control of neuronal and neuroendocrine functions. We show with an in vivo approach that the norepinephrine cAMP-dependent rhythmic hormone production in rat pineal gland is accompanied by a temporally regulated switch in the ratio of a transcriptional activator, phosphorylated cAMP-responsive element-binding protein (pCREB), and a transcriptional inhibitor, inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER). pCREB accumulates endogenously at the beginning of the dark period and declines during the second half of the night. Concomitant with this decline, the amount of ICER rises. The changing ratio between pCREB and ICER shapes the in vivo dynamics in mRNA and, thus, protein levels of arylalkylamine-N-acetyltransferase, the rate-limiting enzyme of melatonin synthesis. Consequently, a silenced ICER expression in pinealocytes leads to a disinhibited arylalkylamine-N-acetyltransferase transcription and a primarily enhanced melatonin synthesis.

Animals↗

Mechanisms of transcriptional activation of cAMP-responsive element-binding protein CREB.

The CREB-CREM transcription factors are the main gene regulatory effectors of the cAMP signaling pathway. The investigations of this family of transcription factors had a profound impact on the understanding of signaling-induced gene transcription. Here we discuss some key aspects of the underlying biology, review transcriptional activation by CREB proteins through transcription cofactors and present novel insights into the context- and position-specific function of CREB on complex genes.

Activating Transcription Factor 1↗

Inducible cAMP early repressor, an endogenous antagonist of cAMP responsive element-binding protein, evokes neuronal apoptosis in vitro.

Active CREB (cAMP responsive element-binding protein) transcription factor is crucial for neuronal survival. Several members of the CREM/ICER (cAMP responsive element modulator/inducible cAMP early repressor) protein family may act as endogenous CREB antagonists. However, their involvement in a process of programmed cell death remains unexplored. Here we report that ICER may play such a role in neuronal apoptosis because it is upregulated in apoptotic neurons in vitro, and overexpression of ICER, delivered in adenoviral vector, evokes programmed cell death of three different kinds of cultured neurons, namely those derived from hippocampal dentate gyrus, cerebral cortex, and superior cervical ganglion. Reporter gene assay with a promoter containing a CREB-responsive sequence revealed a decrease in both basal and induced CRE-dependent gene expression in neurons overexpressing ICER. Finally, the level of expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2, a well known CREB target, was markedly diminished in ICER-treated neurons. We suggest that the naturally occurring CREB functional antagonist ICER may have a specific function in programmed cell death of neurons, probably by silencing the expression of anti-apoptotic genes.

Adenoviridae↗

Regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase gene expression during transdifferentiation of striatal neurons: changes in transcription factors binding the AP-1 site.

We have shown previously that the synergistic interaction of acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) and a coactivator (dopamine, protein kinase A, or protein kinase C activator) will induce the novel expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in neurons of the developing striatum. In this study we sought to determine whether, concomitant with TH expression, there were unique changes in transcription factors binding the AP-1 regulatory element on the TH gene. Indeed, we found a significant recruitment of proteins into TH-AP-1 complexes as well as a shift from low- to high-affinity binding. Supershift experiments further revealed dramatic changes in the proteins comprising the AP-1 complexes, including recruitment of the transcriptional activators c-Fos, a novel Fos protein, Fos-B, and Jun-D. Concomitantly, there was a decrease in repressor-type factors ATF-2 and CREM-1. aFGF appeared to play a central but insufficient role, requiring the further participation of at least one of the coactivating substances. Experiments examining the signal transduction pathway involved in mediating these nuclear events demonstrated that the presence of only an FGF (1, 2, 4, 9) competent to induce TH caused the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Moreover, the treatment of cells with MEK/ERK inhibitors (apigenin or PD98059) eliminated TH expression and the associated AP-1 changes, suggesting that MAPK was a critical mediator of these events. We conclude that, during transdifferentiation, signals may be transmitted via MAPK to the TH-AP-1 site to increase activators and reduce repressors, helping to shift the balance in favor of TH gene expression at this and possibly other important regulatory sites on the gene.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗

[Transcriptional regulation by CREB and proteins of CREB family].

CREB (cAMP-responsive element binding protein), which can be activated after phosphorylation by protein kinase A, plays an important role in cAMP-induced gene expression. Several recent studies have suggested that a co-activator designated as CREB binding protein (CBP) is crucial in mediating the transcriptional activity of CREB. In nervous system, in addition to playing a role in neurotransmitter-induced gene transcription, CREB may take part in mediating neurotrophin signals that ultimately lead to such cellular responses as proliferation, differentiation and survival.

Activating Transcription Factor 1↗

CREB expression in cardiac fibroblasts and CREM expression in ventricular myocytes.

Activation of gene expression by the cAMP-dependent signaling pathway is regulated by members of the cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) family consisting of CREB, CREM, and ATF-1. It is decisively for the understanding of the heart function as to which type of heart cells expresses CREB and/or CREM. Ventricular myocytes and fibroblasts of young (3 months) and old (24 months) rat hearts were separately investigated to analyse CREB, CREM, and phospho-CREB. Western blot showed CREB expression exclusively in fibroblasts but CREM was predominantly detected in ventricular myocytes. CREB-positive nuclei in heart sections were only revealed in fibroblasts. CREB was activated by forskolin (10 microM), PMA (500 nM), and cyclical mechanical strain (1 Hz, 5% elongation) in fibroblasts. The number of CREB-positive myocytes in old rats was larger than in young rats. But CREB could not be activated by forskolin (10 microM) in all myocytes. Our results suggest that the expression of CREB depends on the cell type and the age of the animal. We discuss that modulation of gene expression as it occurs with a age could be affected by the change within the CREB family members.

Aging↗

In vitro phosphorylation studies of a conserved region of the transcription factor ATF1.

A large family of mammalian transcription factors including multiple variants of CREB, CREM and ATF1 have been implicated in signal transduction by cAMP and other cellular pathways. Although the roles of some members of the family have been characterised the function of ATF1 is poorly understood. We have identified one or more key serine residues that are required for a phosphorylation-induced conformational change in ATF1. The critical serines map to a putative transcriptional activation domain of ATF1 and affect the stability of ATF1 DNA-binding. Intriguingly phosphorylation is modulated by ATF1 homodimerization and by ATF1 binding to DNA. One of the key serine residues required for ATF1 phosphorylation is not conserved in CREB and CREM suggesting that it is likely to determine some specialised function of ATF1.

Activating Transcription Factors↗

CREB1 encodes a nuclear activator, a repressor, and a cytoplasmic modulator that form a regulatory unit critical for long-term facilitation.

Although CREB seems to be important for memory formation, it is not known which of the isoforms of CREB, CREM, or ATF1 are expressed in the neurons that undergo long-term synaptic changes and what roles they have in memory formation. We have found a single Aplysia CREB1 gene homologous to both mammalian CREB and CREM and have characterized in the sensory neurons that mediate gill-withdrawal reflex the expression and function of the three proteins that it encodes: CREB1a, CREB1b, and CREB1c. CREB1a is a transcriptional activator that is both necessary and, upon phosphorylation, sufficient for long-term facilitation. CREB1b is a repressor of long-term facilitation. Cytoplasmic CREB1c modulates both the short- and long-term facilitation. Thus, in the sensory neurons, CREB1 encodes a critical regulatory unit converting short- to long-term synaptic changes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Cyclic AMP signalling and cellular proliferation: regulation of CREB and CREM.

In eukaryotes, transcriptional regulation upon stimulation of the adenylyl cyclase signalling pathway is mediated by a family of cAMP-responsive nuclear factors. This family consists of a large number of members which may act as activators or repressors. These factors contain the basic domain/leucine zipper motifs and bind as dimers to cAMP-response elements (CRE). The function of CRE-binding proteins (CREB) is modulated by phosphorylation by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The ICER (inducible cAMP early repressor) protein is the only inducible member of this family and is a product of the CREM gene. The induction of this powerful repressor is likely to be important for the transient nature of cAMP-induced gene expression. CREB proteins have been found to play an important role in the physiology of neuroendocrine functions. In addition, recent results indicate that CREB and CREM could be involved in the proliferation of hepatocytes which follows partial hepatectomy.

Cell Division↗

Cell cycle regulation of cyclin A gene expression by the cyclic AMP-responsive transcription factors CREB and CREM.

Cyclin A is a pivotal regulatory protein which, in mammalian cells, is involved in the S phase of the cell cycle. Transcription of the human cyclin A gene is cell cycle regulated. We have investigated the role of the cyclic AMP (cAMP)-dependent signalling pathway in this cell cycle-dependent control. In human diploid fibroblasts (Hs 27), induction of cyclin A gene expression at G1/S is stimulated by 8-bromo-cAMP and suppressed by the protein kinase A inhibitor H89, which was found to delay S phase entry. Transfection experiments showed that the cyclin A promoter is inducible by activation of the adenylyl cyclase signalling pathway. Stimulation is mediated predominantly via a cAMP response element (CRE) located at positions -80 to -73 with respect to the transcription initiation site and is able to bind CRE-binding proteins and CRE modulators. Moreover, activation by phosphorylation of the activators CRE-binding proteins and CRE modulator tau and levels of the inducible cAMP early repressor are cell cycle regulated, which is consistent with the pattern of cyclin A inducibility by cAMP during the cell cycle. These results suggest that the CRE is, at least partly, implicated in stimulation of cyclin A transcription at G1/S.

Base Sequence↗

Targeting of the CREB gene leads to up-regulation of a novel CREB mRNA isoform.

To define the role of cAMP signaling in gene control, we have generated mice with a mutation in the cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) gene. Mice carrying this mutation are viable but show an impairment in memory consolidation. In further analysis of these mice, we have found an up-regulation of a CREB isoform that has not been described previously . The new isoform, termed CREB beta, has nearly the same transactivation potential as the other CREB isoforms and is expressed ubiquitously. The up-regulation appears to be due to an increase in alternative splicing or mRNA stability, but not to an increase in transcriptional rate. Due to the relatively low levels of expression in all tissues, the role of this isoform is likely to be minor in the wild-type mouse. However, its dramatic up-regulation in the mutant mouse, together with the specific deficiencies recently observed in these mice, suggest that it has a very specific role in compensating for CREB alpha and delta in some, but not all, areas where CREB function has been implicated. Together with the up-regulation of the cAMP response element modulator protein (CREM) mRNA and protein levels demonstrated previously in CREB mutant mice, we suggest that the up-regulation of CREB beta may also contribute to compensation within the CREB/ATF family of transcription factors, when CREB delta and CREB alpha are absent.

Alternative Splicing↗

CAMP response element modulator a expression in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

T cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have high levels of cAMP response element modulator (CREM)-alpha which bind to the interleukin (IL-2) promoter and limit IL-2 production. In this case-controlled study, we show that CREM-alpha mRNA levels were higher in T cells from patients with SLE than controls while CREB mRNA levels did not differ between the two groups. CREM-alpha mRNA levels did not correlate with clinical characteristics, disease activity or treatment. Nevertheless, there was a trend for patients on high doses of corticosteroids to have low levels of CREM-alpha mRNA. The discovery of specific non-toxic medications that block the expression of CREM-alpha may prove useful in reversing the aberrant T cell function in SLE.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

Cyclic AMP-mediated upregulation of the expression of neuronal NO synthase in human A673 neuroepithelioma cells results in a decrease in the level of bioactive NO production: analysis of the signaling mechanisms that are involved.

The expression level of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) can vary depending on the (patho)physiological conditions. Here we document a marked induction of nNOS mRNA, protein, and total NO production in response to dibutyryl cyclic AMP (db-cAMP) in human A673 neuroepithelial cells. However, the upregulation of nNOS was associated with a decreased level of production of bioactive NO and by an increase in the level of generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS production could be prevented by the NOS inhibitor L-NAME, suggesting nNOS itself is involved in ROS generation. Sepiapterin supplementation of db-cAMP-treated A673 cells could restore full bioactive NO production, most likely by preventing the uncoupling of nNOS. nNOS was upregulated by other stable analogues of cAMP, by the activator of adenylyl cyclase forskolin, by isoproterenol or by dopamine through activation of D1 receptors, and by inhibitors of phosphodiesterase. cAMP did not change the half-life of the nNOS mRNA. Inhibitors of protein kinase A (PKA), H-89 and R(p)-cAMPS, produced a partial inhibition of basal and cAMP-induced nNOS expression. cAMP response element binding and modulator transcription factors (CREB and CREM), typical target proteins of PKA, were expressed in A673 cells, as was the coactivator CREB binding protein (CBP). cAMP-stimulated induction of nNOS was significantly enhanced in A673 cells stably transfected with wild-type CREB and almost abolished in cells transfected with KCREB (containing a mutation of the DNA binding domain). In A673 cells transfected with CREB(133) (containing a mutation of the phosphorylatable serine 133), the overall level of nNOS expression was reduced, but the expressional stimulation by cAMP remained. This suggests that CREB bypasses, in part, the classical requirement for phosphorylation and association with CBP. Three members of the recently described four-and-a-half-LIM-domain proteins (FHL1-FHL3) were found to be expressed in A673 cells; FHL-1 and FHL-3 were upregulated by cAMP. These proteins can provide direct activation function to both CREB and CREM, and may be responsible for the PKA-independent component of CREB and CREM activity.

Animals↗