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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

SNO is a probable target for gene amplification at 3q26 in squamous-cell carcinomas of the esophagus.

Amplification of the 3q26 region appears to occur frequently among esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCs). We examined ESC cell lines for amplification and expression levels of four genes in this region: SNO and EVI1, which encode proteins antagonizing transforming growth factor-beta signaling, and two other putative target genes, TERC and PIK3CA. Amplification of SNO was accompanied by significant increases in its expression level, suggesting that this gene is activated in an amplification-dependent manner. SNO was also amplified in 5 of 44 primary ESCs (11.4%). However, expression levels of EVI1, TERC, and PIK3CA did not correlate with their copy-numbers, even though EVI1 and TERC showed the same amplification pattern as SNO. Taken together, the data suggest that of the four candidates, SNO is the most probable target in the 3q26 amplicon for involvement in the progression of ESC.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

Cooperation of BCR-ABL and AML1/MDS1/EVI1 in blocking myeloid differentiation and rapid induction of an acute myelogenous leukemia.

The development of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), which is characterized by a block of myeloid differentiation, is a multi-step process that involves several genetic abnormalities, but the molecular mechanisms by which these genetic alterations cooperate in leukemogenesis are poorly understood. The human chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a model for multi-step leukemogenesis. BCR-ABL, a constitutively active tyrosine kinase, is a fusion protein generated by the t(9;22)(q34;q11) translocation found in the vast majority of CML patients. BCR-ABL efficiently induces a myeloproliferative disorder (MPD) in mice, but progression to CML blast phase requires additional mutations. The AML1/MDS1/EVI1 (AME) transcription factor fusion protein, is a product of the human t(3;21)(q26;q22) translocation found as a secondary mutation in some cases of CML during the blast phase. We have previously shown that AME can induce an AML in mice but with a greatly extended latency, suggesting a requirement for additional mutations. Here we demonstrate that AME alone does not block myeloid differentiation in vivo during the 4-month pre-leukemia stage, yet co-expression of BCR-ABL and AME in mice can block myeloid differentiation and rapidly induce an AML. Our results suggest that block of myeloid differentiation and induction of AML involves cooperation between mutations that dysregulate protein tyrosine kinase signaling and those that disrupt hematopoietic gene transcription.

Acute Disease↗

Four of the seven zinc fingers of the Evi-1 myeloid-transforming gene are required for sequence-specific binding to GA(C/T)AAGA(T/C)AAGATAA.

Expression of the Evi-1 gene is activated in murine myeloid leukemias by retroviral insertions and in human acute myelogenous leukemia by translocations and inversions involving chromosome band 3q26 where the gene resides. Aberrant expression of the Evi-1 gene has been shown to interfere with myeloid differentiation, which is proposed to be the basis for its role in leukemias. The Evi-1 gene encodes a 145-kDa DNA-binding protein containing two domains of seven and three Cys2-His2 zinc fingers. Previous studies identified a portion of the consensus DNA-binding sequence for the first domain of zinc fingers. The experiments presented here extend these studies and demonstrate that the first domain recognizes a consensus of 15 nucleotides consisting of GA(C/T)AAGA(T/C)AAGATAA. The first three fingers of the first domain do not detectably bind DNA but contribute to the binding by conferring a relative specificity for GACAA verses GATAA in the first position. The first three fingers also contribute to optimal binding of the 15-nucleotide consensus sequence.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Dysplastic definitive hematopoiesis in AML1/EVI1 knock-in embryos.

The AML1/EVI1 chimeric gene is created by the t(3;21)(q26;q22) chromosomal translocation seen in patients with leukemic transformation of myelodysplastic syndrome or blastic crisis of chronic myelogenous leukemia. We knocked-in the AML1/EVI1 chimeric gene into mouse Aml1 genomic locus to explore its effect in developmental hematopoiesis in vivo. AML1/EVI1/+ embryo showed defective hematopoiesis in the fetal liver and died around embryonic day 13.5 (E13.5) as a result of hemorrhage in the central nervous system. The peripheral blood had yolk-sac-derived nucleated erythroblasts but lacked erythrocytes of the definitive origin. Although E12.5 fetal liver contained progenitors for macrophage only, E13.5 fetal liver contained multilineage progenitors capable of differentiating into dysplastic myelocyte and megakaryocyte. No erythroid progenitor was detected in E12.5 or E13.5 fetal liver. Hematopoietic progenitors from E13.5 AML1/EVI1/+ fetal liver were highly capable of self-renewal compared with those from wild-type liver. Maintained expression of PU.1 gene and decreased expression of LMO2 and SCL genes may explain the aberrant hematopoiesis in AML1/EVI1/+ fetal liver.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Oncogenic mechanisms of Evi-1 protein.

Although Evi-1 is thought to promote growth or block differentiation in some cell types, its biological functions have not been elucidated. To explore the mechanisms underlying Evi-1-induced oncogenesis, we investigated whether Evi-1 affects the signaling of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), which inhibits proliferation of a wide range of cell types and is one of the most studied growth regulatory factors. We demonstrated that Evi-1 represses TGF-beta signaling and antagonizes its growth-inhibitory effects. Two separate regions of Evi-1 are responsible for this repression, one of which is the first zinc-finger domain. Through this domain, Evi-1 physically interacts with Smad3, an intracellular mediator of TGF-beta signaling, thereby suppressing the transcriptional activity of Smad3. These results define a novel function of Evi-1 as a repressor of signaling components of TGF-beta. We also demonstrated that Evi-1 represses Smad-induced transcriptional activation by recruiting CtBP as a corepressor. Evi-1 associates with CtBP1 through one of the CtBP-binding consensus motifs within the region from amino acid 544 to 607, and this association is required for the efficient inhibition of TGF-beta signaling. A specific histone deacetylase (HDAc) inhibitor, trichostatin A (TSA), alleviates Evi-1-mediated repression of TGF-beta signaling, suggesting that HDAc is involved in transcriptional repression by Evi-1. This identifies a novel function of Evi-1 as a member of corepressor complexes and suggests that aberrant recruitment of corepressors is one of the mechanisms involved in Evi-1-induced leukemogenesis. These results indicate that specific HDAc inhibitors may be useful in the treatment of Evi-1-induced neoplastic tumors, including myeloid leukemias.

Animals↗

Oligomerization of Evi-1 regulated by the PR domain contributes to recruitment of corepressor CtBP.

Evi-1 is a transcription factor that is implicated in leukemic transformation of hematopoietic cells. Two distinct alternative forms, Evi-1a and Evi-1c, are generated from the EVI-1 gene. Whereas Evi-1a is widely recognized as an oncoprotein, a role for Evi-1c, which has an additional PR domain in the amino-terminus of Evi-1a, in leukemogenesis, has not been elucidated thus far. Aberrant oligomerization of transcription factors has recently emerged as a prevalent mechanism for activating their oncogenic potential in hematopoietic malignancies. Here, to study the mechanisms that underlie Evi-1-mediated oncogenesis, we investigated formation of oligomeric complexes by the Evi-1 proteins. We show that Evi-1a forms homo-oligomers, whereas Evi-1c exclusively exists as a monomer in mammalian cells. Remarkably, Evi-1c has lost the ability to interact with CtBP, a transcriptional corepressor that associates with Evi-1a. As a consequence, the ability of Evi-1c to repress transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) signaling is significantly abrogated. These results identify a novel function of a PR domain to regulate oligomerization of transcription factors and suggest that homo-oligomerization may play a critical role in corepressor recruitment by the Evi-1 proteins. In addition, we found that the chimeric oncoprotein acute myelocytic leukemia (AML)1-Evi-1, generated in t(3;21) leukemia, also forms homo-oligomers and hetero-oligomers with Evi-1a, while it did not interact with Evi-1c. Consistent with the results, repression of TGF-beta by AML1-Evi-1 was significantly enhanced by Evi-1a, whereas it was hardly affected by the presence of Evi-1c. These results suggest that oligomerization may contribute to the oncogenic potential of Evi-1-containing proteins.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗

The evi-1 oncoprotein inhibits c-Jun N-terminal kinase and prevents stress-induced cell death.

Evi-1 encodes a nuclear protein involved in leukemic transformation of hematopoietic cells. Evi-1 possesses two sets of zinc finger motifs separated into two domains, and its characteristics as a transcriptional regulator have been described. Here we show that Evi-1 acts as an inhibitor of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), a class of mitogen-activated protein kinases implicated in stress responses of cells. Evi-1 physically interacts with JNK, although it does not affect its phosphorylation. This interaction is required for inhibition of JNK. Evi-1 protects cells from stress-induced cell death with dependence on the ability to inhibit JNK. These results reveal a novel function of Evi-1, which provides evidence for inhibition of JNK by a nuclear oncogene product. Evi-1 blocks cell death by selectively inhibiting JNK, thereby contributing to oncogenic transformation of cells.

Adaptation, Biological↗

Induction of two alternatively spliced evi-1 proto-oncogene transcripts by cAMP in kidney cells.

The evi-1 proto-oncogene is normally predominantly expressed in the kidney. We report here that evi-1 transcripts are also abundant in foetal kidney and expression is retained in primary kidney cell cultures. However available kidney cell lines express low or no evi-1 mRNA. In the human renal cell carcinoma cell line, A704, evi-1 is inducible approximately 16-fold by elevating intra-cellular cAMP levels with either forskolin or dibutyryl cAMP. TPA down-regulates evi-1 mRNA production and blocks forskolin mediated induction. Similar effects are seen in NIH3T3 cells and primary kidney cell cultures. Induction of evi-1 gene expression by forskolin does not alter the ratio of full length and an alternatively spliced transcript which encodes a protein lacking two repeats of the zinc finger motif. Potential regulation of evi-1 expression in kidney by hormones which modulate intra-cellular cAMP levels suggest that it can respond to environmental cues which might be important to the normal physiological role of this protein in kidney differentiation, development and function.

3T3 Cells↗

Leukemogenesis by CBF oncoproteins.

The AML1 and CBFbeta subunits of core binding factor (CBF) are involved in several chromosomal abnormalities frequently associated with acute leukemias. As a result, the CBFbeta-SMMHC, AML1-ETO and AML1-MDS1/EVI1 fusion proteins are expressed in subsets of acute myeloid leukemia, and TEL-AML1 is expressed in B-lineage acute lymphocytic leukemia. These CBF oncoproteins likely contribute to leukemogenesis in part by inhibiting endogenous CBF. As a result they are expected to inhibit differentiation and perhaps apoptosis. In addition, the domains unique to each fusion protein may also contribute to leukemogenesis via unique mechanisms.

Apoptosis↗

Evi-1 ZF1 DNA binding activity and a second distinct transcriptional repressor region are both required for optimal transformation of Rat1 fibroblasts.

The Evi-1 gene encodes a zinc finger transcriptional repressor protein that normally plays a role in development and is frequently activated in myeloid leukaemias. Evi-1 has two distinct DNA binding domains, ZF1 and ZF2, and a defined repressor domain but the function of the remainder of the molecule is unknown. The ZF2 and repressor domains have been shown to be required for transformation and we show here that ZF1 is also required. An alternative splice variant of Evi-1, designated delta324, encodes a protein which lacks a portion of the ZF1 DNA binding domain and the intervening amino acids 239-514 (designated IR) located between ZF1 and the repressor domain. We show that delta324 can neither bind ZF1, repress transcription through this site nor transform Rat1 fibroblasts. Reconstitution studies demonstrate that the defect in delta324 is partially complemented by recreating the ZF1 DNA binding activity. However, full function also requires the IR region which has transcriptional repressor activity. This study shows therefore, that ZF1, ZF2 and repressor domains and the IR region all contribute to the transformation efficiency of the Evi-1 protein.

Alternative Splicing↗

Molecular mechanisms of leukemogenesis by AML1/EVI-1.

The AML1/EVI-1 chimeric gene is generated by the t(3;21)(q26;q22) translocation and plays a pivotal role in progression of hematopoietic stem cell malignancies such as chronic myelocytic leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome. In AML1/EVI-1, an N-terminal half of AML1 including a runt homology domain is fused to the entire zinc-finger EVI-1 protein. AML1 is essential for hematopoietic cell development in fetal liver and its lineage-specific differentiation in adult. In contrast, EVI-1 is barely expressed in normal hematopoietic cells, but it is overexpressed in chronic myelocytic leukemia in blastic crisis and myelodysplastic syndrome-derived leukemia. There are at least four mechanisms identified in AML1/EVI-1 fusion protein that possibly lead into malignant transformation of hematopoietic stem cells. Firstly, AML1/EVI-1 exerts dominant-negative effects over AML1-induced transcriptional activation. Although target genes repressed by AML1/EVI-1 are still not known, binding competition to a specific DNA sequence and histone deacetylase recruitment through a co-repressor CtBP in EVI-1 part are conceivable underlying mechanisms for the dominant-negative effects. Secondly, AML1/EVI-1 interferes with TGF beta signaling and antagonizes the growth-inhibitory effects of TGF beta. The first zinc-finger domain of EVI-1 associates with Smad3, a TGF beta signal transducer, and represses its transcriptional activity by recruiting histone deacetylase through CtBP that interacts with EVI-1. Thirdly, AML1/EVI-1 blocks JNK activity and prevents stress-induced apoptosis. AML1/EVI-1 associates with JNK through the first zinc-finger domain of EVI-1 and disturbs the association between JNK and its substrates. Lastly, AML1/EVI-1 enhances AP-1 activity by activating the c-Fos promoter depending on the second zinc-finger domain of EVI-1, and promotes cell proliferation. All these functions cooperatively contribute to the malignant transformation of the hematopoietic stem cells by AML1/EVI-1.

Cell Division↗

Identification of binding sites of EVI1 in mammalian cells.

The leukemia-associated protein EVI1 possesses seven zinc fingers within an N-terminal domain (amino acids 1-250) that binds to GACAAGATA. Single amino acid missense mutants of EVI1 were developed that failed to bind DNA either in vitro, as assessed by gel shift assay, or in vivo, as shown by transactivation studies. Specifically, mutation R205N lacks high affinity binding to the GACAAGATA motif. Putative EVI1 target genes were identified by using an EVI1-(1-250)-VP16 fusion protein that acts as a transcriptional activator with the binding specificity of EVI1. Sixteen genes induced in NIH 3T3 cells by wild type EVI1-VP16 but not by mutant forms were identified. Sequence analysis revealed evolutionarily conserved GACAAGATA-like motifs within 10 kb of their transcription start sites, and by chromatin immunoprecipitation in fibroblasts, we showed occupancy of many of these sites by EVI1-VP16. To assess whether native EVI1 binds to these sites in EVI1-transformed myeloid cells, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation in 32Dcl3 and NFS58 cells, using anti-EVI1 antisera, and we showed that the majority of these sites is bound by wild type EVI1. These putative target genes include Gadd45g, Gata2, Zfpm2/Fog2, Skil (SnoN), Klf5 (BTEB2), Dcn, and Map3k14 (Nik). In this study we demonstrated for the first time that the N-terminal DNA binding domain of EVI1 has the capacity to bind to endogenous genes. We hypothesized that these genes play a critical role in EVI1-induced transformation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Evi-1, a murine zinc finger proto-oncogene, encodes a sequence-specific DNA-binding protein.

Evi-1 was originally identified as a common site of viral integration in murine myeloid tumors. Evi-1 encodes a 120-kDa polypeptide containing 10 zinc finger motifs located in two domains 380 amino acids apart and an acidic domain located carboxy terminal to the second set of zinc fingers. These features suggest that Evi-1 is a site-specific DNA-binding protein involved in the regulation of RNA transcription. We have purified Evi-1 protein from E. coli and have employed a gel shift-polymerase chain reaction method using random oligonucleotides to identify a high-affinity binding site for Evi-1. The consensus sequence for this binding site is TGACAAGATAA. Evi-1 protein specifically protects this motif from DNase I digestion. By searching the nucleotide sequence data bases, we have found this binding site both in sequences 5' to genes in putative or known regulatory regions and within intron sequences.

Animals↗

Dual functions of the AML1/Evi-1 chimeric protein in the mechanism of leukemogenesis in t(3;21) leukemias.

The chromosomal translocation t(3;21)(q26;q22), which is found in blastic crisis in chronic myelogenous leukemias and myelodysplastic syndrome-derived leukemias, produces AML1/Evi-1 chimeric transcription factor and is thought to play important roles in acute leukemic transformation of hemopoietic stem cells. We report here the functional analyses of AML1/Evi-1. It was revealed that AML1/Evi-1 itself does not alter the transactivation level through mouse polyomavirus enhancer-binding protein 2 (PEBP2; PEA2) sites (binding site of AML1) but dominantly suppresses the transactivation by intact AML1, which is assumed to be a stimulator of myeloid cell differentiation. DNA-binding competition is a putative mechanism of such dominant negative effects of AML1/Evi-1 because it binds to PEBP2 sites with higher affinity than AML1 does. Furthermore, AML1/Evi-1 stimulated c-fos promoter transactivation and increased AP-1 activity, as Evi-1 (which is not normally expressed in hemopoietic cells) did. Experiments using deletion mutants of AML1/Evi-1 showed that these two functions are mutually independent because the dominant negative effects on intact AML1 and the stimulation of AP-1 activity are dependent on the runt domain (DNA-binding domain of AML1) and the zinc finger domain near the C terminus, respectively. Furthermore, we showed that AML1/Evi-1 blocks granulocytic differentiation, otherwise induced by granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, of 32Dcl3 myeloid cells. It was also suggested that both AML1-derived and Evi-1-derived portions of the fusion protein play crucial roles in this differentiation block. We conclude that the leukemic cell transformation in t(3;21) leukemias is probably caused by these dual functions of AML1/Evi-1 chimeric protein.

3T3 Cells↗

EVI1 induces myelodysplastic syndrome in mice.

Myelodysplasia is a hematological disease in which genomic abnormalities accumulate in a hematopoietic stem cell leading to severe pancytopenia, multilineage differentiation impairment, and bone marrow (BM) apoptosis. Mortality in the disease results from pancytopenia or transformation to acute myeloid leukemia. There are frequent cytogenetic abnormalities, including deletions of chromosomes 5, 7, or both. Recurring chromosomal translocations in myelodysplasia are rare, but the most frequent are the t(3;3)(q21;q26) and the inv(3)(q21q26), which lead to the inappropriate activation of the EVI1 gene located at 3q26. To better understand the role of EVI1 in this disease, we have generated a murine model of EVI1-positive myelodysplasia by BM infection and transplantation. We find that EVI1 induces a fatal disease of several stages that is characterized by severe pancytopenia. The disease does not progress to acute myeloid leukemia. Comparison of in vitro and in vivo results suggests that EVI1 acts at two levels. The immediate effects of EVI1 are hyperproliferation of BM cells and downregulation of EpoR and c-Mpl, which are important for terminal erythroid differentiation and platelet formation. These defects are not fatal, and the mice survive for about 10 months with compensated hematopoiesis. Over this time, compensation fails, and the mice succumb to fatal peripheral cytopenia.

Animals↗

Sox4 cooperates with Evi1 in AKXD-23 myeloid tumors via transactivation of proviral LTR.

Myeloid leukemias in AKXD23 mice contain proviral insertions at Evi1, resulting in transcriptional activation. Although Evi1 is clearly involved in leukemia, gene transfer studies in mice with Evi1 fail to cause leukemia, arguing that cooperating events are necessary. We reanalyzed AKXD-23 tumors for cooperating proviral insertion and found that each tumor had a proviral insertion in Sox4, which encodes an HMG-box transcription factor. RNA analysis revealed these insertions cause increased Sox4 expression. Overexpression of Sox4 in 32Dcl3 cells markedly inhibited cytokine-induced granulocyte maturation, as documented by morphologic and mRNA analysis. Sox4-expressing cells had higher levels of transcripts associated with proliferation, including Evi1. Conversely, in leukemic cells that express Sox4 and bear provirally activated Evi1, suppression of Sox4 with short hairpin RNAs resulted in down-regulation of both Sox4 and Evi1. By cotransfection studies, Sox4 is able to transactivate the AKV long terminal repeat, which likely explains how Sox4 transcriptionally up-regulates provirally activated Evi1; however, Sox4 does not appear to regulate the native Evi1 promoter. We propose that Sox4 proviral activation is selected for in the setting of prior proviral activation of Evi1, because it transactivates the relatively weak LTR of AKV leading to higher Evi1 expression and consequent block to differentiation.

Animals↗

Trib1 and Evi1 cooperate with Hoxa and Meis1 in myeloid leukemogenesis.

Cooperative activation of Meis1 and Hoxa9 perturbs myeloid differentiation and eventually leads myeloid progenitors to leukemia, yet it remains to be clarified what kinds of subsequent molecular processes are required for development of overt leukemia. To understand the molecular pathway in Hoxa9/Meis1-induced leukemogenesis, retroviral insertional mutagenesis was applied using retrovirus-mediated gene transfer. The mice that received Hoxa9/Meis1-transduced bone marrow cells developed acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and Trib1, Evi1, Ahi1, Raralpha, Pitpnb, and AK039950 were identified as candidate cooperative genes located near common retroviral integration sites. Trib1 and Evi1 were up-regulated due to retroviral insertions, and coexpression of these genes significantly accelerated the onset of Hoxa9/Meis1-induced AML, suggesting that Trib1 and Evi1 are the key collaborators. Furthermore, Trib1 by itself is a novel myeloid oncogene, enhancing phosphorylation of ERK, resulting in inhibition of apoptosis. These results demonstrate the importance of specific oncogene interaction in myeloid leukemogenesis.

Animals↗