Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) inhibits skeletal muscle cell differentiation: a role for the bHLH protein twist and the cdk inhibitor p27.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) plays a crucial role in regulating the differentiation of both fetal and adult skeletal myoblasts. This study aimed at defining the intracellular factors that mediate the effect of HGF on adult myoblast differentiation. HGF increased Twist expression while decreasing p27(kip1) protein levels and not affecting the induction of p21(Cip1/Waf1) in satellite cells. Like HGF, overexpression of Twist did not affect p21 expression while inhibiting muscle-specific proteins. Both ectopic Twist-antisense (Twist-AS) and p27 partially rescued the effects of HGF on bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation and myosin heavy chain (MHC) expression in muscle satellite cells; the two plasmids together effected full rescue, suggesting that HGF independently regulates these two factors to mediate its effects. Ectopic p27 promoted differentiation in the presence of HGF by blocking the induction of Twist. Using Twist-AS to lower Twist levels restored the HGF-dependent reduction of p27 and MHC. In the presence of ectopic HGF, satellite cells formed thin mononuclear myotubes. Neither ectopic p27, Twist-AS, or their combination reversed this change in cell morphology, suggesting that HGF acts through additional mediators to inhibit downstream events during myogenesis. Taken together, the results suggest that the effects of HGF on muscle cell proliferation and differentiation are mediated through changes in the expression levels of the myogenic-inhibitory basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) protein Twist and the cell-cycle inhibitor p27.

FGF and genes encoding transcription factors in early limb specification.

SnR, twist and Fgf10 are expressed in presumptive limb territories of early chick embryos. When FGF-2/FGF-8 beads are implanted in chick flank, an ectopic limb develops and SnR is irreversibly activated as early as 1 h. Ectopic Fgf10 and twist expression are activated much later at 17 and 20 h, respectively. FGF-10 can also induce SnR, but much later, and in this case activation occurs simultaneously with that of twist and Fgf10 via the Fgf8- expressing ridge. Tbx-4 and Tbx-5 are expressed in leg and wing forming regions, respectively, in a similar pattern to SnR and twist. FGF-2 leads to ectopic expression of Tbx-4 and Tbx-5 as rapidly as ectopic expression of SnR, but the patterns of ectopic transcripts suggest that induction of SnR and Tbx gene expression occur via different pathways.

pRb is required for MEF2-dependent gene expression as well as cell-cycle arrest during skeletal muscle differentiation.

BACKGROUND: The onset of differentiation-specific gene expression in skeletal muscle is coupled to permanent withdrawal from the cell cycle. The retinoblastoma tumor-suppressor protein (pRb) is a critical regulator of this process, required for both cell-cycle arrest in G0 phase and high-level expression of late muscle-differentiation markers. Although the cell-cycle defects that are seen in pRb-deficient myocytes can be explained by the well-described function of pRb as a negative regulator of the transition from G1 to S phase, it remains unclear how pRb positively affects late muscle-gene expression. RESULTS: Here, we show that the myogenic defect in Rb-/- cells corresponds to a deficiency in the activity of the transcription factor MEF2. Without pRb, MyoD induces the accumulation of nuclear-localized MEF2 that is competent to bind DNA yet transcriptionally inert. When pRb is present, MyoD stimulates the function of the MEF2C transcriptional activation domain and the activity of endogenous MEF2-type factors. Co-transfection of MyoD together with an activated form of MEF2C containing the Herpesvirus VP16 transcriptional activation domain partially bypasses the requirement for pRb and induces late muscle-gene expression in replicating cells. This ectopic myogenesis is nevertheless significantly augmented by co-expression of an E2F1-pRb chimeric protein that blocks the cell cycle. CONCLUSION: These findings indicate that pRb promotes the expression of late-stage muscle-differentiation markers by both inhibiting cell-cycle progression and cooperating with MyoD to promote the transcriptional activation activity of MEF2.

Inhibition of myogenic bHLH and MEF2 transcription factors by the bHLH protein Twist.

The myogenic basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) and MEF2 transcription factors are expressed in the myotome of developing somites and cooperatively activate skeletal muscle gene expression. The bHLH protein Twist is expressed throughout the epithelial somite and is subsequently excluded from the myotome. Ectopically expressed mouse Twist (Mtwist) was shown to inhibit myogenesis by blocking DNA binding by MyoD, by titrating E proteins, and by inhibiting trans-activation by MEF2. For inhibition of MEF2, Mtwist required heterodimerization with E proteins and an intact basic domain and carboxyl-terminus. Thus, Mtwist inhibits both families of myogenic regulators and may regulate myotome formation temporally or spatially.

Correlation of terminal cell cycle arrest of skeletal muscle with induction of p21 by MyoD.

Skeletal muscle differentiation entails the coordination of muscle-specific gene expression and terminal withdrawal from the cell cycle. This cell cycle arrest in the G0 phase requires the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor protein (Rb). The function of Rb is negatively regulated by cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks), which are controlled by Cdk inhibitors. Expression of MyoD, a skeletal muscle-specific transcriptional regulator, activated the expression of the Cdk inhibitor p21 during differentiation of murine myocytes and in nonmyogenic cells. MyoD-mediated induction of p21 did not require the tumor suppressor protein p53 and correlated with cell cycle withdrawal. Thus, MyoD may induce terminal cell cycle arrest during skeletal muscle differentiation by increasing the expression of p21.

Inhibition of myogenic differentiation in proliferating myoblasts by cyclin D1-dependent kinase.

Although the myogenic regulator MyoD is expressed in proliferating myoblasts, differentiation of these cells is limited to the G0 phase of the cell cycle. Forced expression of cyclin D1, but not cyclins A, B, or E, inhibited the ability of MyoD to transactivate muscle-specific genes and correlated with phosphorylation of MyoD. Transfection of myoblasts with cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitors p21 and p16 augmented muscle-specific gene expression in cells maintained in high concentrations of serum, suggesting that an active cyclin-Cdk complex suppresses MyoD function in proliferating cells.

A novel NF-kappa B element within exon 1 of the murine c-myc gene.

We have mapped a site within exon 1 of the murine c-myc gene that forms a variety of complexes with nuclear proteins derived from the murine WEHI 231 B-lymphoma cell line in exponential growth that are altered following treatment with phorbol ester, when transcription of this gene is reduced [Levine, R.A., McCormack, J.E., Buckler, A.J. & Sonenshein, G.E. (1986). Mol. Cell Biol., 6, 4112-4116]. This site, located at +440 to +459 bp relative to the P1 promoter, contains an NK-kappa B-like binding element. The sequence of this element, AGGGAATTTTT, is unusual in that the stretch of pyrimidines is entirely T residues. Binding of NF-kappa B protein was demonstrated by oligonucleotide competition, induction of binding upon 70Z/3 pre-B- to B-cell differentiation, response to GTP in the binding reaction, reduction of binding upon addition of I kappa B protein and uv cross-linking analysis. Functional activity of this internal regulatory element (IRE) was demonstrated in transfection assays using chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) reporter constructs containing multimerized copies of the IRE driving a heterologous promoter. Mutation of the IRE within the context of the c-myc promoter prevented NF-kappa B-mediated induction of transcription of this oncogene. Thus additional NF-kappa B elements may be defined by this new sequence.

NF-kappa B-like factors mediate interleukin 1 induction of c-myc gene transcription in fibroblasts.

Interleukin 1 (IL-1) is a pluripotent cytokine involved in mediating a variety of physiological processes, including induction of cell proliferation upon wound healing. Treatment of quiescent FS-4 human dermal fibroblast cells with IL-1 activates c-myc gene transcription, and nuclear localization of NF-kappa B. Previously, we have noted that the murine c-myc gene contains two functional NF-kappa B sites located at -1101 to -1081 bp (upstream regulatory element [URE]) and +440 to +459 bp (internal regulatory element [IRE]) relative to the P1 promoter. Here we have demonstrated that IL-1 treatment induced binding of NF-kappa B-like proteins (p50/p65) to these c-myc elements. Heterologous promoter-CAT constructs driven by multiple copies of either the URE or IRE were IL-1 inducible when transfected into FS-4 cells. In contrast, constructs harboring elements with two G to C residue conversions, such that they were no longer able to bind NF-kappa B, were not responsive to IL-1. Mutation of these two base pairs at both NF-kappa B sites within a c-myc promoter/exon I-CAT construct, resulted in loss of inducibility with IL-1 upon transfection into quiescent FS-4 cells. Thus, IL-1 significantly induces c-myc expression through positive regulation by NF-kappa B, suggesting a role for this family of factors in activation of proliferation associated with wound healing.

Transactivation of the c-myc promoter by human T cell leukemia virus type 1 tax is mediated by NF kappa B.

Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 is the causative agent of adult T cell leukemia. The virus encodes a 40-kDa protein, tax, that is important for the immortalization of T cells. Expression of tax activates several cellular transcription factors, including NF kappa B. We have previously identified two functional NF kappa B binding sites within the murine c-myc gene: upstream regulatory element (URE) and internal regulatory element (IRE). Using transient cotransfection analysis of Jurkat or HeLa cells, we report that tax can transactivate chimeric TK-CAT constructs containing multiple copies of wild-type URE or IRE, but not constructs with mutated versions of these elements. Furthermore, tax induced transcriptional activity of murine and human c-myc promoter-CAT hybrid genes in Jurkat and HeLa cells. A mutated tax expression vector, which fails to activate NF kappa B, was unable to induce either murine or human c-myc-CAT or URE/IRE-TK-CAT constructs. Mutant c-myc gene-CAT constructs, in which the URE and IRE were mutated either singly or in combination by site directed mutagenesis, displayed significantly reduced CAT activation upon cotransfection with a tax expression vector. These results suggest that tax can transactivate the c-myc gene through NF kappa B. The tax-induced stimulation of this oncogene may play a role in T cell immortalization.

An antisense promoter of the murine c-myc gene is localized within intron 2.

Previously we have demonstrated the existence of stable transcripts from the noncoding strand of a rearranged c-myc gene in murine plasmacytomas in which the oncogene has translocated to an immunoglobulin constant-region gene element (M. Dean, R. B. Kent, and G. E. Sonenshein, Nature [London] 305:443-446, 1983). The resulting RNAs are chimeric, containing c-myc antisense and immunoglobulin sense sequences. A normal unrearranged murine c-myc gene is transcribed in the antisense orientation throughout much of the gene; however, stable transcripts have not been detected. In this study, using Northern (RNA) blot, S1 nuclease, and primer extension analyses, we have mapped the 5' end of the stable chimeric transcripts to a site 175 bp from the start of exon 3, within intron 2 of the c-myc gene. In vitro transcription assays with constructs containing this site and 400 bp upstream, in the antisense orientation, and nuclear extracts from plasmacytoma cells, as well as a number of cell lines with normal unrearranged c-myc genes, indicated that this promoter was functional. This finding was confirmed in transient transfection assays using the antisense promoter linked to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene. These results suggest that a normal promoter of antisense transcription is used following c-myc gene translocation.

Effects of IL-3 on promoter usage, attenuation and antisense transcription of the c-myc oncogene in the IL-3-dependent Ba/F3 early pre-B cell line.

The c-myc gene uses two major promoters, P1 and P2, for production of mRNA. In most proliferating normal cells, transcripts initiated from P2 predominate over the ones from P1. Furthermore, transcription of normal and translocated c-myc genes is bidirectional and overlapping. In this study, we have measured the effects of interleukin 3 (IL-3) deprivation and restimulation on c-myc promoter usage in the IL-3-dependent pre-B cell line Ba/F3. The rapid drop in c-myc mRNA expression observed in Ba/F3 cells upon IL-3 deprivation is reversible upon restimulation with interleukin. The use of P1 and P2 promoters, as judged by P1/P2 ratio, shifted from 0.2 in cells in exponential growth or in quiescence to 1.3 following IL-3 stimulation. This change was not due to selective instability of one of the two myc transcripts. In vitro nuclear run-on experiments indicated that IL-3 addition resulted in a large release of transcriptional attenuation, as well as a significant increase in transcriptional initiation. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that P1/P2 promoter usage is involved in the control of transcriptional elongation. Furthermore, deprivation of IL-3 resulted in a dramatic increase in antisense transcription, whereas little change was observed in the rate of initiation of elongation of c-myc mRNA precursors. This correlation suggests a negative role for antisense transcription in expression of c-myc mRNA levels in IL-3-deprived Ba/F3 cells.

Surface membrane expression by human blood leukocytes and platelets of decay-accelerating factor, a regulatory protein of the complement system.

The decay-accelerating factor (DAF), an integral membrane protein of approximately 75,000 mol wt that regulates the stability of the C3 convertases of the classical and alternative complement pathways, was initially isolated from normal erythrocyte stroma and used to prepare a polyclonal antiserum. Previously, anti-DAF antiserum has been used to immunoprecipitate DAF from surface-labeled normal erythrocytes and to document the deficiency of DAF on the surface of erythrocytes from patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, a condition in which erythrocytes express abnormal sensitivity to complement-mediated lysis. DAF has now been demonstrated by cytofluorography with anti-DAF F(ab')2 and fluoresceinated second antibody to be present on the surface of resting polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN), monocytes, lymphocytes, and platelets. Populations of PMN, monocytes, and platelets each exhibited a unimodal distribution of fluorescent staining, reflecting uniform cellular expression of DAF antigen, while the lymphocyte population had a skewed pattern of staining, indicating the heterogeneous expression of DAF antigen. For platelets, the shift in mean fluorescence channel observed with cytofluorographic analysis was minimal, but the presence of surface DAF on platelets was demonstrated by specific and saturable anti-DAF F(ab')2 binding. The DAF antigen, analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) of dithiothreitol-reduced anti-DAF immunoprecipitates prepared from surface-labeled, isolated populations of cells, presented a single polypeptide chain of approximately 84,000 mol wt for PMN and 75,000 to 80,000 mol wt for monocytes, T and B lymphocytes, and platelets. Thus, the complement regulatory protein, DAF, is expressed on the surface of all major types of circulating blood cells from normal donors.

Deficiency of the complement regulatory protein, "decay-accelerating factor," on membranes of granulocytes, monocytes, and platelets in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria.

Erythrocytes from patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria are deficient in decay-accelerating factor, a membrane protein that inhibits the complement C3 convertases. We studied the expression of this protein on leukocytes and platelets from four patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, using cytofluorographic analysis and antibody to decay-accelerating factor. The granulocytes and monocytes had a bimodal distribution of fluorescence, indicating antigen-deficient and antigen-positive subpopulations of cells. In contrast, granulocytes and monocytes from normal donors and patients with other diseases had no antigen-deficient cells. Platelets from the four patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria had less fluorescence than normal platelets. Furthermore, surface-radiolabeled granulocytes and platelets from one of the four patients, which were maximally deficient in decay-accelerating factor, also lacked antigen that was immunoprecipitable by specific antibody to this protein. Thus, paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria is a clonal disorder characterized by deficient membrane expression of decay-accelerating factor on granulocytes, monocytes, and platelets, as well as on erythrocytes.