Inhibition of IFN-stimulated gene expression and IFN induction of cytolytic resistance to natural killer cell lysis correlate with E1A-p300 binding.

Treatment of target cells with IFN induces resistance to NK cell lysis. This process is blocked by expression of E1A gene products in adenovirus (Ad)-infected and Ad-transformed cells. We compared the ability of adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) E1A exon 1 mutants to inhibit the induction of cytolytic resistance by IFN and block IFN-stimulated gene expression with their capacity to bind the cellular proteins p105 (retinoblastoma gene product), p107, and p300. E1A mutants that did not express conserved region 3 (CR3; residues 138-184) or contained deletions in the nonconserved regions between residues 26-35 or 86-120, bound p105, p107, and p300 and were not impaired in their capacity to block IFN-stimulated gene expression or IFN's induction of cytolytic resistance. E1A mutants with deletions in CR2 (residues 121-138) could not bind p105 or p107, but blocked IFN-stimulated gene expression and IFN's induction of cytolytic resistance. In contrast, mutants in CR1 or the N-terminal nonconserved region (residues 2, 4-25, and 48-60), which define E1A's binding site for p300, were unable to block either IFN-stimulated gene expression or IFN's induction of cytolytic resistance. We conclude that E1A's capacity to block both IFN-stimulated gene expression and IFN's induction of cytolytic resistance appears to be transduced through a pathway that involves E1A-p300 binding. The capacity of E1A to block IFN's induction of cytolytic resistance is probably secondary to E1A's more general ability to inhibit IFN-stimulated gene expression.

Transcriptional repression by human adenovirus E1A N terminus/conserved domain 1 polypeptides in vivo and in vitro in the absence of protein synthesis.

The human adenovirus E1A 243R protein (243 residues) transcriptionally represses a set of cellular genes that regulate cellular growth and differentiation. We describe two lines of evidence that E1A repression does not require cellular protein synthesis but instead involves direct interaction with a cellular protein(s). First, E1A 243R protein represses an E1A-repressible promoter in the presence of inhibitors of protein synthesis, as shown by cell microinjection-in situ hybridization. Second, E1A 243R protein strongly represses transcription in vitro from promoters of the E1A-repressible genes, human collagenase, and rat insulin type II. Repression in vitro is promoter-specific, and an E1A polypeptide containing only the N-terminal 80 residues is sufficient for strong repression both in vivo and in vitro. By use of a series of E1A 1-80 deletion proteins, the E1A repression function was found to require two E1A sequence elements, one within the nonconserved E1A N terminus, and the second within a portion of conserved region 1 (40-80). These domains have been reported to possess binding sites for several cellular transcription regulators, including p300, Dr1, YY1, and the TBP subunit of TFIID. The in vitro transcription-repression system described here provides a powerful tool for the further analysis of molecular mechanism and the possible role of these cellular factors.

Multiple pathways for activation of E2A expression in human KB cells by the 243R E1A protein of adenovirus type 5.

Adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) mutant dl520, which produces only the smaller 243 residue (243R) E1A protein, induced efficient production of the viral E2A 72-kDa DNA binding protein (DBP) in human KB cells, but not in human WI38, 143, or HeLa cells. In transient expression assays, the 243R E1A protein induced transcription from the E2 early promoter in KB but not in HeLa cells; there was no transcription from the E3 promoter in either cell line. In KB cells, truncation of the E2 promoter from -285 to -97 basepairs dramatically reduced transactivation by the 243R E1A product but not by wt E1A, suggesting that the 243R protein acts through factors binding in this region. Multiple deletions in both exon 1 and exon 2 of the 243R E1A protein failed to disrupt its ability to induce DBP expression. The possible redundant pathways for this induction are discussed. The multiplicity of these pathways and the fact that they are all inactivated in the WI38 and 143 lines are surprising.

Induction of apoptosis by adenovirus type 5 E1A in rat cells requires a proliferation block.

Infection with Ad5dl520EIB-, an adenovirus producing only the 243 residue E1A protein and lacking the E1B region, caused apoptosis in normal rat kidney (NRK) cells as judged by the production of nucleosomal DNA fragments. Apoptosis occurred only when the cells were growth-inhibited by cell-cell contacts in confluent cultures or by serum starvation and not when they were actively growing. In uninfected cultures, apoptosis also occurred at confluency, but more slowly than after infection. Studies with E1A deletion mutants of dl520E1B- showed that the regions of the E1A protein essential for induction of apoptosis were those in exon 1 required for binding to the cellular proteins p300 and pRb. Mutants defective at inducing apoptosis were previously found to be defective at inducing baby rat kidney cells to synthesize cellular DNA. In our experiments, cells underwent apoptosis when stimulated by E1A to proliferate under conditions where proliferation was blocked. It is possible that it was the proliferation block opposing the induction of proliferation that led directly to apoptosis. Circumstances leading to induction of apoptosis by c-myc (Evan et al., 1992) are similar and can be interpreted in a similar way.

Functional interactions within adenovirus E1A protein complexes.

The transforming potential of adenovirus E1A oncogene products derives largely from the formation of complexes with cellular proteins, including the p105Rb tumor suppressor and a related p107 species, p130 and p300 proteins, and cyclin A (p60cycA). Extensive quantitative analyses using E1A deletion mutants identified unique binding patterns for each of these polypeptides within the amino terminus and conserved regions 1 and 2 (CR1 and CR2) of E1A proteins. A novel protein, termed p400, was found by peptide mapping to be related to p300, and, like p300, to require the E1A amino terminus and a portion of CR1 for binding. p130 was shown to be related to p107, and like p107, to associate with p60cycA. p107, p130 and p105Rb all interacted primarily with CR2, however, sequences within CR1 and the amino terminus were capable of weak interactions and appeared to function cooperatively with CR2 to bind these proteins. Protein kinase activity present in E1A complexes probably derives at least in part from p60cycA-linked p33cdk2 associated with p107 and p130. In vitro phosphorylation of complexes purified by immunoprecipitation resulted in labeling of several proteins. p60cycA was phosphorylated to about the same extent in cyclin A complexes prepared from either AD5- or mock-infected KB cells, however, that of p130 and p107 was dramatically higher in p60cycA complexes from infected cells. p300 was also phosphorylated in complexes prepared using E1A-specific antibodies. Thus one role of E1A proteins in signal transduction and regulation of the cell cycle may be to control the biological activity of p107, p130 and p300 by enhancing their phosphorylation through complex formation.

Adenovirus e1a proteins and transformation (review).

The E1A gene region of human adenovirus can cooperate with a second gene such as adenovirus E1B or activated ras to transform rodent cells oncogenically. On its own, E1A induces quiescent cells to divide, represses cellular differentiation, induces programmed cell death and affects gene expression. E1A acts through its products, two similar nuclear proteins of 289 and 243 residues, which bind to cellular proteins, particularly p300 and a group of interrelated proteins, p130, p107 and pRb. This review describes what is known of the ways E1A interferes with growth regulation by these and other cellular proteins, such as cyclins and transcription factors, so as to bring about oncogenic transformation.

Induction of gene expression by exon 2 of the major E1A proteins of adenovirus type 5.

We have constructed an adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) E1A mutant, dl1119/520, that produces essentially only exon 2 of the major E1A proteins. In infected primary baby rat kidney cells, this mutant induced expression of the E1B 55-kDa protein, and in infected human KB cells, it induced expression of this protein, the E2A 72-kDa protein, and hexon. In KB cells, this mutant grew substantially better than Ad5 dl312, which lacks E1A, and as well as Ad5 dl520, an E1A mutant producing only the 243-residue protein. These results suggest that exon 2 of E1A proteins on its own was able to activate gene expression. We also constructed mutants of dl1119/520, containing small deletions in regions of exon 2 that others found to be associated with effects on the properties of E1A transformants. None of these deletions destroyed gene activation completely, indicating that there may be some redundancy among sequences in exon 2 for inducing gene expression. The two deletions that decreased induction the most, residues 224 to 238 and 255 to 270, were in regions reported to be associated with the expression of a metalloprotease and with enhanced transformation, suggesting that exon 2 may regulate expression of genes governing cell growth. It is remarkable that all sections of E1A proteins, exon 1, the unique region, and exon 2, have now been found to affect gene expression.

Multiple pathways for gene activation in rodent cells by the smaller adenovirus 5 E1A protein and their relevance to growth and transformation.

By immunoprecipitating protein products from virus-infected baby rat kidney (BRK) cells with specific antibodies, we found that the smaller, 243 residue (243R) E1A protein of human adenovirus 5 (Ad5) activated expression of the virus genes for E1B 55K, E2A 72K, E3 19K, hexon, fibre and penton base and the cellular gene for PCNA. The 243R protein also activated the E2A 72K gene in several rodent cell lines. In transient expression assays, this protein trans-activated the E2 early and major late promoters, suggesting that its effect was at least partially transcriptional. Similar assays with mutants of the E2 early promoter suggested that the ATF- and distal E2F-binding sites were required for this activation. Using mutant viruses with deletions in E1A, we found evidence for three separate pathways by which the 243R protein activated gene expression: one depended on sequences in exon 1 required for this protein to bind to p300, a second depended on sequences in exon 1 required for the protein to bind to pRb and the third appeared to be independent of exon 1 altogether and to depend on exon 2. The relative importance of these pathways for activation varied with the gene and cell. We conclude that a major role of E1A in the transformation of BRK cells by Ad5 is to activate specific genes by at least the first two pathways.

Induction of the cell cycle in baby rat kidney cells by adenovirus type 5 E1A in the absence of E1B and a possible influence of p53.

From previous studies on the induction of DNA synthesis in quiescent primary baby rat kidney cells by adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) E1A deletion mutants, we concluded that induction is prevented only when cellular proteins p300 and pRb are both uncomplexed with E1A (J.A. Howe, J.S. Mymryk, C. Egan, P.E. Branton, and S.T. Bayley, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 87:5883-5887, 1990). We have now examined induction by these same mutants in virus lacking the E1B region, so that cellular p53 was no longer complexed to the E1B 55-kDa protein. E1A mutants that fail to bind pRb induced DNA synthesis at a significantly lower level in Ad5 lacking E1B than in Ad5 containing E1B. Apparently, therefore, uncomplexed p53 can partially replace p300 in cooperating with pRb to suppress DNA synthesis in baby rat kidney cells.

Role of phosphorylation near the amino terminus of adenovirus type 5 early region 1A proteins.

Human adenovirus early region 1A (E1A) proteins act as transcriptional regulators and function in the control of DNA synthesis and cell transformation. Little is known about how these viral products are functionally regulated. E1A proteins of adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) are phosphorylated at several serine residues and previous studies had indicated that both Ser-89 and Ser-219 are substrates for one or more of the cdc2 family of cell cycle kinases. A second residue near the amino terminus, Ser-96, may also be a site. Although phosphorylation of Ser-89 causes a major shift in gel mobility, the effect on E1A biological activity is unclear. In the present studies we have shown by mutational analysis that phosphorylation at Ser-89 also regulates phosphorylation at Ser-96, suggesting that the gel mobility shift is the result of multiple phosphorylation events. Phosphorylation at Ser-89 did not seem to affect E1A-mediated repression of the simian virus 40 enhancer or trans-activation of the E3 promoter significantly, but it did appear to have a modest but significant effect on transformation of primary baby rat kidney cells.

Quantitative analysis of regions of adenovirus E1A products involved in interactions with cellular proteins.

Human adenovirus E1A proteins and oncogene products of several other DNA tumour viruses derive much of their oncogenic potential from interactions with cellular polypeptides. E1A proteins form complexes with p105Rb and a related p107 polypeptide, and with at least three other proteins (p60cycA, p130, and p300); all may be required for cell transformation. Using a series of E1A deletion mutants, we have carried out a quantitative analysis of the binding patterns of cellular proteins to E1A products. Binding of most of the proteins was affected at least partially by mutations within the amino terminal 25 residues, amino acids 36-69 within conserved region 1 (CR1), and residues 121-138 in conserved region 2 (CR2). However, the specific binding characteristics of each protein varied considerably. p300 was the only species for which binding was totally eliminated by deletions at the amino terminus. Removal of regions within CR1 eliminated binding of all species except p107 and p60cycA. Deletion of portions of CR2 reduced or eliminated binding of all proteins except p300. Thus, whereas cellular polypeptides generally were found to interact with the same three regions of E1A proteins, specific interactions varied considerably.

Ability of adenovirus 5 E1A proteins to suppress differentiation of BC3H1 myoblasts correlates with their binding to a 300 kDa cellular protein.

We have used deletion mutants to define the regions in Ad5 E1A proteins necessary to suppress differentiation of mouse BC3H1 myoblasts. We examined the differentiation of cells infected at a low multiplicity with viruses containing the E1A deletions and constructed so as to produce only the smaller of the two major E1A proteins. Only four of the mutant viruses containing deletions within the N-terminal 69 residues failed to suppress differentiation as judged by changes in morphology and in levels of muscle-specific alpha-actin mRNA and creatine kinase activity. The results were confirmed by analyses of lines of cells stably transfected with representative E1A mutants. The mouse cellular proteins to which mutant E1A proteins bound were identified by immunoprecipitating E1A proteins specifically from infected BC3H1 cells and by analyzing the precipitates on denaturing gels. Bands of proteins of 300, 130, 107, 105 (the retinoblastoma product), and 60 kDa (cyclin A) were distinguished. Failure to suppress differentiation correlated with loss of binding to the 300-kDa protein but not to any of the others. The regions of E1A defined in this way have been shown to be required for several other activities, including enhancer repression and transformation. One function of the 300-kDa protein appears to be to facilitate the action of transcriptional enhancers of differentiation-specific genes.

Induction of AP-1 DNA-binding activity and c-fos mRNA by the adenovirus 243R E1A protein and cyclic AMP requires domains necessary for transformation.

The 243R E1A protein can act in synergy with cyclic AMP to induce AP-1 DNA-binding activity and c-fos mRNA in mouse S49 cells. A series of deletion mutants was used to identify two domains of the 243R protein that were required for these effects. Interestingly, these domains correlated precisely with regions known to be necessary for E1A-mediated transformation. One domain was located at the N terminus of E1A. The other domain spanned residues 36 to 81, corresponding to conserved region 1 of E1A. S49 cellular proteins that associate with E1A were coimmunoprecipitated with anti-E1A antibody. These included the previously identified proteins p300, p130, p107, p105Rb, and cyclin A. In addition, proteins of 90 kDa and a series of proteins in the 120- to 170-kDa range were identified. Binding of p300, p90, and the 120- to 170-kDa proteins was abolished in cells expressing mutants of E1A that were unable to induce AP-1 DNA-binding activity and c-fos mRNA. These data strongly suggest that specific cellular E1A-binding proteins are involved in the induction of AP-1 DNA-binding activity and c-fos mRNA by the synergistic action of the 243R E1A protein and cyclic AMP and that these transcriptional events are related to the transformation process.

Disruption of the coordinate expression of muscle genes in a transfected BC3H1 myoblast cell line producing a low level of the adenovirus E1A transforming protein.

Mouse BC3H1 myoblasts were stably transfected with the adenovirus 5 E1A gene. One clonal line, BC3E7, was found to differ in some important respects from those previously reported for E1A-transformed myoblasts. In contrast to BC3H1 cells which differentiate when confluent in medium containing 0.5% fetal calf serum (FCS), BC3E7 cells failed to elongate and align, to express acetylcholine receptor and creatine kinase, and to down-regulate expression of beta- and gamma-actins and tropomyosin isoform (TM) 1. However, increased synthesis of TMs 2, 3, and 4, and myosin light chain 1 associated with differentiation in BC3H1 still occurred in BC3E7 cells, and most surprisingly, alpha-actin was produced at a significant level in both proliferating and confluent BC3E7 cells. Interestingly, myogenin was expressed in confluent BC3E7 cells in 0.5% FCS, but not in 20%. The level of E1A expression in BC3E7 cells was found to be very low by analysis of mRNA, by immunoprecipitation of E1A protein, and by the ability of BC3E7 cells to complement the E1A-deficient adenovirus mutant dl312. These results suggest that different levels of E1A may be needed to repress different promoters and that E1A does not block myogenic differentiation by repressing myogenin expression, but represses each muscle gene independently.

Effects of Ad5 E1A mutant viruses on the cell cycle in relation to the binding of cellular proteins including the retinoblastoma protein and cyclin A.

We have examined the ability of Ad5 E1A 12S viruses with deletions in E1A exon 1 to induce quiescent baby rat kidney cells to progress through the cell cycle and to undergo mitosis. Measurements of mitotic index and analyses by fluorescence activated cell sorting were correlated with the abilities of the mutant E1A proteins to bind to cellular proteins. All the mutants induced cells to leave G0/G1 and enter S phase, but two groups were defective at inducing mitosis, and cells infected with them appeared to be blocked between the S and M phases. The first group of mutants, with deletions in the regions of residues 4-25 and 30-60, bound p300 poorly or not at all and gave reduced numbers of mitoses. The second group, with deletions between residues 111 and 138 in CR2, failed to bind pRb and were completely defective at inducing mitosis. In this group, mutants lacking residues between 124 and 138 bound p107 and cyclin A at much reduced levels and induced cells to overreplicate their DNA. The site in E1A required to bind cyclin A extends from residue 124 to at least 127. Cyclin A binds to a 107-kDa cellular protein, which by peptide analysis appears identical to p107.

Retinoblastoma growth suppressor and a 300-kDa protein appear to regulate cellular DNA synthesis.

Previous work has suggested that oncogenic transformation by the E1A gene products of adenovirus type 5 may be mediated through interactions with at least two cellular proteins, the 105-kDa product of the retinoblastoma growth suppressor gene (p105-Rb) and a 300-kDa protein (p300). By using viral mutants, we now show that the induction of cellular DNA synthesis in quiescent cells by E1A differs from transformation in that E1A products induce synthesis if they are able to bind to either p105-Rb or p300, and only mutant products that bind to neither are extremely defective. These results suggest that p105-Rb and p300 (or cellular proteins with similar E1A-binding properties) provide parallel means by which DNA synthesis can be regulated.

Sequences in E1A proteins of human adenovirus 5 required for cell transformation, repression of a transcriptional enhancer, and induction of proliferating cell nuclear antigen.

A range of deletion and other mutants in the coding region of the E1A gene of Ad5 has been assayed for transformation of baby rat kidney (BRK) cells in cooperation with ras, repression of the SV40 enhancer, and induction of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Transformation efficiency was drastically reduced by deletion of residues 4-25, 36-60, or 111-138 in exon 1 of the 289 residue (289R) and 243R E1A proteins. Deletion of other residues in exon 1 had little effect. With mutants in the region unique to the 289R protein, and in exon 2, the only effect on transformation seemed to be an increased tendency of mutant transformants, compared to wt, to migrate to form secondary foci. Repression assays, performed with E1A plasmids producing only the 243R protein, showed that deletion of residues 4-25 or 36-60 inhibited repression completely. Deletion of residues 128-138 reduced repression, but deletions elsewhere in exon 1 had little effect. Deletion of residues 188-204 in exon 2 reduced repression slightly, and deletion of all of exon 2 reduced it to about one-half. It is concluded that for transformation, there are two functional domains in E1A proteins, both in exon 1, both involved in binding different cellular proteins, and both probably concerned with different transforming functions. One of these domains, involving residues 4-25 and 36-60, also functions in repression, but the role of the second in repression is much less critical. All of the deletion mutants in exon 1 induced PCNA synthesis in BRK cells. This result, together with previously published work, suggests that the active site for PCNA induction either involves residues 61-69 or 82-85 in exon 1, which have not been deleted, or it does not depend on any single limited region of the E1A proteins.

Binding of the Rb1 protein to E1A products is required for adenovirus transformation.

Several cellular proteins, including polypeptides of 300, 107 and 105kDa, associate with the products of the E1A gene of adenovirus type 5. Here we show that the 105kDa species is the product of the recessive oncogene Rb1 which is absent or altered in retinoblastomas and other human cancers. About 75% of the total Rb1 protein in infected human KB cells was found to be complexed with E1A products and these data support the hypothesis that E1A-mediated transformation results from the elimination of functional Rb1 protein within the cell. However, while the interaction of E1A products with this cellular protein is necessary, transformation appears also to require binding of the 300 and 107kDa polypeptides. We also found that both the Rb1 protein and the 107kDa E1A-binding species were undetectable in a retinoblastoma cell line lacking both alleles of the Rb1 gene. These data suggest that the absence of both the 107kDa and 105kDa/Rb1 proteins may be involved in the development of the oncogenic phenotype of retinoblastoma cells.

Mapping of cellular protein-binding sites on the products of early-region 1A of human adenovirus type 5.

The binding sites for the 300-, 107-, and 105-kilodalton cellular proteins which associate with human adenovirus type 5 E1A products were studied with E1A deletion mutants. All appeared to bind to the amino-terminal half of E1A products in regions necessary for oncogenic transformation. These results suggest that these cellular species may be important for the biological activity of E1A products.

Use of deletion and point mutants spanning the coding region of the adenovirus 5 E1A gene to define a domain that is essential for transcriptional activation.

To help in identifying functional domains within Ad5 E1A proteins, we have constructed a series of mutants that create deletions throughout these products. We have also produced several mis-sense point mutations in the unique 13 S mRNA region. These mutated E1A regions have been tested in plasmid form for their ability to activate transcription of an E3-promoted CAT gene. From the results, a major domain for transactivation has been identified. This begins between residues 138 and 147, ends between residues 188 and 204, and encompasses the unique 13 S region. This domain is sensitive to mis-sense mutations. Transactivation was unaffected by small deletions in the N-terminal half of E1A proteins between residues 4 and 138, but was destroyed when this whole region was deleted. The C-terminal 71 residues may affect transactivation, but the results with the mutant in which this region was deleted were variable. The results obtained with these mutants are discussed in relation to the transactivation obtained by J. W. Lillie et al. [(1987). Cell 50, 1091-1100] with a synthetic peptide similar to the domain described here.