Function of the c-Myc oncoprotein in chromatin remodeling and transcription.

Deregulated expression of the c-myc proto-oncogene contributes to malignant progression of a variety of tumors. The c-Myc protein (or Myc) is a transcription factor that positively or negatively regulates expression of distinct sets of target genes. Transcriptional activation by Myc is mediated through dimerization with Max and binding to the DNA consensus sequence CA(C/T)GTG (the E-box). Transcriptional inhibition is mediated through distinct DNA elements, and may be due to functional interference with factors that transactivate via these sequences. We review here our current knowledge on these transcriptional activities of Myc and their relationship to its biological function. The findings that Myc interacts with subunits of histone acetyl-transferase (HAT) complexes and of the ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complex, SWI/SNF, suggest that localized changes in chromatin structure may mediate Myc function. We present a working hypothesis for the concerted action of HAT and SWI/SNF complexes in Myc-activated transcription and argue that this model should prompt re-thinking of the experimental strategies and criteria used to identify Myc target genes.

Activation-induced cell death in B lymphocytes.

Upon encountering the antigen (Ag), the immune system can either develop a specific immune response or enter a specific state of unresponsiveness, tolerance. The response of B cells to their specific Ag can be activation and proliferation, leading to the immune response, or anergy and activation-induced cell death (AICD), leading to tolerance. AICD in B lymphocytes is a highly regulated event initiated by crosslinking of the B cell receptor (BCR). BCR engagement initiates several signaling events such as activation of PLCgamma, Ras, and PI3K, which generally speaking, lead to survival. However, in the absence of survival signals (CD40 or IL-4R engagement), BCR crosslinking can also promote apoptotic signal transduction pathways such as activation of effector caspases, expression of pro-apoptotic genes, and inhibition of pro-survival genes. The complex interplay between survival and death signals determines the B cell fate and, consequently, the immune response.

B-cell receptor and Fas-mediated signals for life and death.

A series of B-cell lymphoma lines with an immature phenotype has been used as a model system to study molecular events associated with receptor ligation induced death. B-cell receptor (BCR) cross-linking with antibodies to membrane IgM (but not with anti IgD) induces c-Myc downregulation via nuclear factor kappaB inactivation and p27(Kip1) accumulation in these B lymphomas. Anti-mu-treated cells then undergo G1 arrest and die by apoptosis independent of Fas. Steroids and retinoids similarly downregulate c-Myc and induce apoptosis in these B cells and synergize with anti-mu. Rescue from apoptosis induced by anti-mu or steroids occurs with T-cell signals, like CD40L, or a broad-range caspase inhibitor, but only CD40L prevents the loss of c-Myc, p27 accumulation and growth arrest. Both IgM and IgD signaling lead to modulation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) signals, including the activation of p70(S6K), but this pathway recovers under anti-IgD treatment. Blockade of the PI3K pathway augments anti-mu-induced death and converts anti-delta to an apoptotic signal. Resistance to Fas-mediated death may be an important factor in B-cell transformation in vivo. Many of our panel of lymphomas are insensitive to Fas-mediated death signals, although all can form a death-inducing signaling complex (DISC). Additional studies suggest that some lymphomas can be blocked at the DISC complex by anti-apoptotic proteins, whereas others are inhibited downstream of caspase 8 activation. Anti-Ig treatment of a Fas-sensitive line, A20.2J, activated a number of genes whose products may block apoptosis proximally (like FLICE-inhibitory protein (FLIP1)) or at late points, such as bcl-2-family members. Our data suggest that B lymphomas develop multiple pathways of resistance to Fas-mediated signals during lymphomagenesis, in part via signaling through the BCR.

Steroid- and retinoid-mediated growth arrest and apoptosis in WEHI-231 cells: role of NF-kappaB, c-Myc and CKI p27(Kip1).

IgM cross-linking induces NF-kappaB inactivation, c-Myc down-regulation, and cyclin kinase inhibitor p27(Kip1) accumulation in WEHI-231 murine B lymphoma cells. p27(Kip1) up-regulation leads to a decreased cyclin-dependent kinase 2 activity, retinoblastoma protein hypophosphorylation, G1 arrest and apoptosis. Similar to membrane (m) IgM cross-linking in B lymphoma cells, steroids and retinoids down-regulate c-Myc (via NF-kappaB inactivation) and induce apoptosis in T cell hybridomas and thymocytes. In this study, we determined if steroids and retinoids have similar effects in WEHI-231 cells. Our results show that steroids and retinoids induce NF-kappaB inactivation, c-Myc down-regulation, p27(Kip1) up-regulation, G1 arrest, and apoptosis. Importantly, these hormones enhance anti-IgM-induced apoptosis in WEHI-231 cells. Similar to mIgM signaling, all these effects are prevented by treatment with CD40 ligand. Caspase inhibition, on the other hand, rescues cells from steroid/retinoid-induced apoptosis, but has no effect on growth arrest, p27(Kip1), and c-Myc. Together, these findings suggest that steroids/retinoids and mIgM cross-linking share a common signal transduction pathway leading to G1 arrest and cell death.

Regulation of the G1 phase of the mammalian cell cycle.

In any multi-cellular organism, the balance between cell division and cell death maintains a constant cell number. Both cell division cycle and cell death are highly regulated events. Whether the cell will proceed through the cycle or not, depends upon whether the conditions required at the checkpoints during the cycle are fulfilled. In higher eucaryotic cells, such as mammalian cells, signals that arrest the cycle usually act at a G1 checkpoint. Cells that pass this restriction point are committed to complete the cycle. Regulation of the G1 phase of the cell cycle is extremely complex and involves many different families of proteins such as retinoblastoma family, cyclin dependent kinases, cyclins, and cyclin kinase inhibitors.

Life and death decisions in B1 lymphoma cells.

Crosslinking of surface immunoglobulin (Ig) receptors with anti-IgM (anti-mu) but not anti-IgD (anti-delta) antibodies causes growth arrest and apoptosis in several extensively characterized B1-like lymphoma cell lines. While anti-mu stimulates a transient increase in c-myc mRNA and protein expression, followed by a rapid decline below the baseline level, anti-delta only causes a moderate increase in the expression of this oncogene, which returns to baseline levels within 24-48 hours. However, signals downstream from anti-delta can be converted into an apoptotic pathway by modulating PI3K activity, suggesting that PI3K is a critical rheostat controlling survival signals in B1 cell lines. Anti-mu-induced down-regulation of c-Myc is followed in time with an increase in the cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor, p27Kip1, in all anti-mu sensitive lymphoma lines. This increase correlates with growth arrest and apoptosis. The anti-mu-mediated decrease in c-Myc, increase in p27Kip1, growth arrest and apoptosis, can all be prevented via CD40/CD40L signaling. Inhibition of caspase activation, on the other hand, prevents anti-mu-induced apoptosis, but has no effect on c-Myc, p27Kip1, and G1 arrest. Interestingly, we also found that steroids and retinoids can mimic anti-mu-mediated signaling and lead to a loss of c-Myc, an increase in p27Kip1, G1 arrest, and apoptosis. Together, these data suggest that modulation of c-Myc and p27Kip1 protein levels is crucial for the life versus death decisions in murine immature B1-like lymphoma cells lines.

Regulation of p27Kip1 accumulation in murine B-lymphoma cells: role of c-Myc and calcium.

IgM cross-linking induces G1 arrest and apoptosis in murine B-lymphoma cells. It prevents pRb phosphorylation by decreasing cyclin-dependent kinase 2 activity via the up-regulation of cyclin kinase inhibitor p27Kip1. Anti-IgM also causes an increase in cytosolic free calcium and a loss of c-myc mRNA and protein. This down-regulation of c-Myc is prevented by CD40L, which rescues cells from anti-IgM-induced apoptosis. In this study, we addressed the mechanism(s) of anti-IgM-induced p27Kip1 accumulation. We examined effects of early events in B-cell receptor-mediated signaling, c-Myc down-regulation, and an increase in free calcium on p27Kip1. Down-regulation of c-myc alone had no effect on p27Kip1; neither did an increase in free calcium alone. Together, these two events led to p27Kip1 induction, growth arrest, and apoptosis. CD40L, the calcium chelator 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid-acetoxymethyl ester, and cyclosporin A all prevented anti-IgM-induced p27Kip1 accumulation, suggesting that both the decrease in c-Myc expression and an increase in free calcium are necessary for p27Kip1 up-regulation.

Primary structure of ovine fibroblast growth factor-1 deduced by protein and cDNA analysis.

The amino acid sequence of full-length ovine fibroblast growth factor-1 (FGF-1) was determined by a combination of protein and cDNA sequencing. FGF-1 cDNA analysis indicated that ovine kidney cells express mRNAs encoding both full-length FGF-1 and a truncated FGF-1 variant. An overall comparison of the ovine FGF-1 primary sequence to the eight species studied to date revealed a high degree of conservation, with ovine FGF-1 sharing 90 and 95% sequence identity with human FGF-1 and bovine FGF-1, respectively. Additionally, the FGF-1 proteins from the various species have conserved cysteine residues at positions 30 and 97 and contain acetylated amino-terminal alanine residues. Mass spectrometry analysis confirmed that the blocking group of ovine FGF-1 is also consistent with that of an acetyl-moiety. In contrast to the other FGF-1 proteins, the 154 residue primary sequence of ovine FGF-1 contains three unique amino acid differences: Arg9, Arg44, and Ile123. Ovine FGF-1, unlike human FGF-1, is a potent mitogenic factor for NIH 3T3 fibroblasts in the absence of heparin. In the presence of exogenous heparin, the mitogenic activity of ovine FGF-1 is potentiated slightly.

Role of c-myc and p27 in anti-IgM induced B-lymphoma apoptosis.

Crosslinking membrane IgM receptors on a set of murine B cell lymphomas leads to a rapid increase in c-myc, followed by a decrease in its expression to undetectable levels by 8-24 hours. These cells die soon thereafter via apoptosis. IgD receptor crosslinking also leads to an increase in c-myc expression, but it remains above baseline levels for more than 24 hours; these cells continue to proliferate and do not die. We previously reported that antisense oligonucleotides for c-myc prevented growth arrest and cell death in these lymphomas, independent of the presence of mitogenic CpG motifs. Indeed, antisense for c-myc actually led to a stabilization of c-myc message and protein. Growth arrest in these cells is dependent on the increased synthesis of the p27 cyclin kinase inhibitor (Kip1) normally induced after anti-IgM crosslinking. Consistent with its biologic effects, anti-IgD does not cause an increase in p27. Since dexamethasone causes a loss of myc and synergizes with the anti-IgM signal, we suggest that accelerated cell death with this steroid in the presence of anti-IgM is due to a more rapid degradation of this oncogene product. Finally, we propose that c-myc drives the transcription or activation of an inhibitor of the p27 Kip (Kipi). Hence, loss of c-myc in response to anti-IgM signals in these B-cell lymphomas leads to upregulation of p27, growth arrest and apoptosis. It follows that maintenance of c-myc in these B-cell lymphomas should lead to survival and no increase in p27.