Parallel High‐Throughput Automated Assays to Measure Cell Growth and Beta‐Galactosidase Reporter Gene Expression in the YeastSaccharomyces cerevisiae

Rationale: The EF-hand Ca2+ sensor S100A1 is essential for proper endothelial nitric oxide (NO) synthase (eNOS) activation. S100A1 levels are greatly reduced in endothelial cells (ECs) subjected to hypoxia, rendering them dysfunctional. Objective: To determine if the 3’UTR mediates the rapid hypoxia-induced downregulation of S100A1 in ECs. Methods and Results: ECs transfected with a S100A1 - 3’ untranslated region (UTR) luciferase reporter construct displayed significantly reduced gene expression when subjected to gas or chemical hypoxia. Bioinformatic analysis suggested that microRNA -138 (miR-138) could target the 3’UTR of S100A1. Hypoxia greatly increased miR-138 levels in ECs, but not in skeletal muscle C2C12 myotubes. Consistent with this finding, patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) or mice subjected to femoral artery resection (FAR) displayed increased miR-138 levels. Transfection of a miR-138 mimic into ECs reduced S100A1 - 3 ‘UTR reporter gene expression, while transfection of an anti miR-138 (antagomir) prevented the hypoxia-induced downregulation of the reporter gene. The increased levels of miR-138 are dependent on Hif1-α activation as treatment with siRNA against Hif1-α prevented S100A1 reporter gene downregulation after hypoxia. Conversely, specific activation of Hif1-α by a selective prolyl-hydroxylase inhibitor (IOX2) reduced reporter gene expression. Finally, ECs transfected with miR-138 mimic displayed reduced tube formation when plated onto Matrigel matrix and expressed less NO when stimulated with VEGF. These effects were reversed by gene transfer of S100A1 using recombinant adenovirus. Conclusions: Our study shows that miR-138 is an essential mediator of EC dysfunction via its ability to target the 3’UTR of S100A1 in a hypoxia-induced manner. MiR-138 might thus be an attractive target for the treatment of pathologies that are linked to endothelial dysfunction.

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Protein phosphatase 2A potentiates activity of promoters containing AP-1-binding elements

Molecular and Cellular Biology ◽

10.1128/mcb.13.4.2104-2112.1993 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 2104-2112

Author(s):

A S Alberts ◽

T Deng ◽

A Lin ◽

J L Meinkoth ◽

A Schönthal ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Reporter Gene ◽

Protein Phosphatase ◽

Signal Transduction Pathways ◽

Marker Genes ◽

Direct Mechanism ◽

Phosphatase 2A ◽

Beta Galactosidase ◽

Regulatory Sites

The involvement of serine/threonine protein phosphatases in signaling pathways which modulate the activity of the transcription factor AP-1 was examined. Purified protein phosphatase types 1 (PP1) and 2A (PP2A) were microinjected into cell lines containing stably transfected lacZ marker genes under the control of an enhancer recognized by AP-1. Microinjection of PP2A potentiated serum-stimulated beta-galactosidase expression from the AP-1-regulated promoter. Similarly, transient expression of the PP2A catalytic subunit with c-Jun resulted in a synergistic transactivation of an AP-1-regulated reporter gene. PP2A, but not PP1, potentiated serum-induced c-Jun expression, which has been previously shown to be autoregulated by AP-1 itself. Consistent with these results, PP2A dephosphorylated c-Jun on negative regulatory sites in vitro, suggesting one possible direct mechanism for the effects of PP2A on AP-1 activity. Microinjection of PP2A had no effect on cyclic AMP (cAMP)-induced expression of a reporter gene containing a cAMP-regulated promoter, while PP1 injection abolished cAMP-induced gene expression. Taken together, these results suggest a specific role for PP2A in signal transduction pathways that regulate AP-1 activity and c-Jun expression.

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