Developmental expression of the maternal protein XDCoH, the dimerization cofactor of the homeoprotein LFB1 (HNF1)

Development ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 121 (4) ◽  
pp. 1217-1226
Author(s):  
E. Pogge yon Strandmann ◽  
G.U. Ryffel

The tissue-specific transcription factors LFB1 (HNF1) and LFB3 (vHNF1) mainly expressed in liver, kidney and intestine are homeoproteins that interact with the regulatory element HP1. The HP1 sequence constitutes one of the most important cis-acting elements in liver-specifically expressed genes, while its function in other cell types containing LFB1 and LFB3 is not fully understood. In mammals, LFB1 activity is modulated by DCoH, a cofactor that stimulates the LFB1 transactivation significantly. Using the rat cDNA probe, we cloned the corresponding Xenopus sequence XDCoH, encoding a 104 amino acid protein, that is 85% identical to the rat protein. XDCoH enhances the LFB1-dependent transactivation potential in transfection experiments and interacts in vitro directly with LFB1 and its variant form LFB3. The protein is detectable in liver and kidney extracts of adult frogs and in small amounts also in lung and stomach, organs expressing LFB1 and/or LFB3 protein as well. To investigate the possible involvement of XDCoH in Xenopus development, we analyzed its temporal and spatial expression pattern during early embryogenesis. XDCoH is a maternal factor, although LFB1 is absent in the egg. In early cleavage stages, the protein is detectable in the cytoplasm of each blastomere and enters the nuclei of the cells as early as the zygotic transcription in the Xenopus embryo starts. The amount of XDCoH increases dramatically following neurulation, when the formation of liver, pronephros and other organs takes place. Whole-mount immunostaining demonstrates that, in the developing larvae, XDCoH is localized in the nuclei of the hepatocytes, the gut cells and the pronephric cells, tissues of mesodermal and endodermal origin known to contain LFB1 and LFB3. Surprisingly it is also present in the pigmented epithelium surrounding the eye of the embryo, which is derived from the anterior part of the ectodermal neural plates and lacks LFB1. The tissue distribution of XDCoH during embryogenesis suggests that XDCoH is involved in determination and differentiation of various unrelated cell types. It seems likely that XDCoH interaction is not only essential for the function of LFB1 and LFB3 but also for certain other transcription factors.

Genetics ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 156 (1) ◽  
pp. 183-194
Author(s):  
Douglas B Rusch ◽  
Thomas C Kaufman

Abstract The gene proboscipedia (pb) is a member of the Antennapedia complex in Drosophila and is required for the proper specification of the adult mouthparts. In the embryo, pb expression serves no known function despite having an accumulation pattern in the mouthpart anlagen that is conserved across several insect orders. We have identified several of the genes necessary to generate this embryonic pattern of expression. These genes can be roughly split into three categories based on their time of action during development. First, prior to the expression of pb, the gap genes are required to specify the domains where pb may be expressed. Second, the initial expression pattern of pb is controlled by the combined action of the genes Deformed (Dfd), Sex combs reduced (Scr), cap'n'collar (cnc), and teashirt (tsh). Lastly, maintenance of this expression pattern later in development is dependent on the action of a subset of the Polycomb group genes. These interactions are mediated in part through a 500-bp regulatory element in the second intron of pb. We further show that Dfd protein binds in vitro to sequences found in this fragment. This is the first clear demonstration of autonomous positive cross-regulation of one Hox gene by another in Drosophila melanogaster and the binding of Dfd to a cis-acting regulatory element indicates that this control might be direct.


1992 ◽  
Vol 286 (1) ◽  
pp. 179-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
C P Simkevich ◽  
J P Thompson ◽  
H Poppleton ◽  
R Raghow

The transcriptional activity of plasmid pCOL-KT, in which human pro alpha 1 (I) collagen gene upstream sequences up to -804 and most of the first intron (+474 to +1440) drive expression of the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene [Thompson, Simkevich, Holness, Kang & Raghow (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 2549-2556], was tested in a number of mesenchymal and non-mesenchymal cells. We observed that pCOL-KT was readily expressed in fibroblasts of human (IMR-90 and HFL-1), murine (NIH 3T3) and avian (SL-29) origin and in a human rhabdomyosarcoma cell line (A204), but failed to be expressed in human erythroleukaemia (K562) and rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells, indicating that the regulatory elements required for appropriate tissue-specific expression of the human pro alpha 1 (I) collagen gene were present in pCOL-KT. To delineate the nature of cis-acting sequences which determine the tissue specificity of pro alpha 1 (I) collagen gene expression, functional consequences of deletions in the promoter and first intron of pCOL-KT were tested in various cell types by transient expression assays. Cis elements in the promoter-proximal and intronic sequences displayed either a positive or a negative influence depending on the cell type. Thus deletion of fragments using EcoRV (nt -625 to -442 deleted), XbaI (-804 to -331) or SstII (+670 to +1440) resulted in 2-10-fold decreased expression in A204 and HFL-1 cells. The negative influences of deletions in the promoter-proximal sequences was apparently considerably relieved by deleting sequences in the first intron, and the constructs containing the EcoRV/SstII or XbaI/SstII double deletions were expressed to a much greater extent than either of the single deletion constructs. In contrast, the XbaI* deletion (nt -804 to -609), either alone or in combination with the intronic deletion, resulted in very high expression in all cells regardless of their collagen phenotype; the XbaI*/(-SstII) construct, which contained the intronic SstII fragment (+670 to +1440) in the reverse orientation, was not expressed in either mesenchymal or nonmesenchymal cells. Based on these results, we conclude that orientation-dependent interactions between negatively acting 5′-upstream sequences and the first intron determine the mesenchymal cell specificity of human pro alpha 1 (I) collagen gene transcription.


2018 ◽  
Vol 50 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucy Li ◽  
Lewis P. Rubin ◽  
Xiaoming Gong

Development of the human placenta and its trophoblast cell types is critical for a successful pregnancy. Defects in trophoblast invasion and differentiation are associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preeclampsia. The members of myocyte enhancer factor-2 (MEF2) family of transcription factors are key regulators of cellular proliferation, differentiation, and invasion in various cell types and tissues and might play a similarly important role in regulating trophoblast proliferation, invasion, and differentiation during human placental development. In the present study, using human cytotrophoblast cell lines (HTR8/SVneo and BeWo) and primary human cytotrophoblasts (CTBs), we show that members of the MEF2 family are differentially expressed in human placental CTBs, with MEF2B and MEF2D being highly expressed in first trimester extravillous CTBs. Overexpression of MEF2D results in cytotrophoblast proliferation and enhances the invasion and migration of extravillous-like HTR8/SVneo cells. This invasive property is blocked by overexpression of a dominant negative MEF2 (dnMEF2). In contrast, MEF2A is the principal MEF2 isoform expressed in term CTBs, MEF2C and MEF2D being expressed more weakly, and MEF2B expression being undetected. Overexpression of MEF2A induces cytotrophoblast differentiation and syncytium formation in BeWo cells. During in vitro differentiation of primary CTBs, MEF2A expression is associated with CTB differentiation into syncytiotrophoblast. Additionally, the course of p38 MAPK and ERK5 activities parallels the increase in MEF2A expression. These findings suggest individual members of MEF2 family distinctively regulate cytotrophoblast proliferation, invasion, and differentiation. Dysregulation of expression of MEF2 family or of their upstream signaling pathways may be associated with placenta-related pregnancy disorders.


2009 ◽  
Vol 30 (5) ◽  
pp. 1182-1198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Virginie Lecomte ◽  
Emmanuelle Meugnier ◽  
Vanessa Euthine ◽  
Christine Durand ◽  
Damien Freyssenet ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The role of the transcription factors sterol regulatory element binding protein 1a (SREBP-1a) and SREBP-1c in the regulation of cholesterol and fatty acid metabolism has been well studied; however, little is known about their specific function in muscle. In the present study, analysis of recent microarray data from muscle cells overexpressing SREBP1 suggested that they may play a role in the regulation of myogenesis. We then demonstrated that SREBP-1a and -1c inhibit myoblast-to-myotube differentiation and also induce in vivo and in vitro muscle atrophy. Furthermore, we have identified the transcriptional repressors BHLHB2 and BHLHB3 as mediators of these effects of SREBP-1a and -1c in muscle. Both repressors are SREBP-1 target genes, and they affect the expression of numerous genes involved in the myogenic program. Our findings identify a new role for SREBP-1 transcription factors in muscle, thus linking the control of muscle mass to metabolic pathways.


1993 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 841-851 ◽  
Author(s):  
K A Lord ◽  
A Abdollahi ◽  
B Hoffman-Liebermann ◽  
D A Liebermann

The proto-oncogenes c-jun, junB, junD, and c-fos recently have been shown to encode for transcription factors with a leucine zipper that mediates dimerization to constitute active transcription factors; juns were shown to dimerize with each other and with c-fos, whereas fos was shown to dimerize only with juns. After birth, hematopoietic cells of the myeloid lineage, and some other terminally differentiated cell types, express high levels of c-fos. Still, the role of fos/jun transcription factors in normal myelopoiesis or in leukemogenesis has not been established. Recently, c-jun, junB, and junD were identified as myeloid differentiation primary response genes stably expressed following induction of terminal differentiation of myeloblastic leukemia M1 cells. Intriguingly, c-fos, though induced during normal myelopoiesis, was not induced upon M1 differentiation. To gain further insights into the role of fos/jun in normal myelopoiesis and leukemogenicity, M1fos and M1junB cell lines, which constitutively express c-fos and junB, respectively, were established. It was shown that enforced expression of c-fos, and to a lesser extent junB, in M1 cells results in both an increased propensity to differentiate and a reduction in the aggressiveness of the M1 leukemic phenotype. M1fos cells constitutively expressed immediate-early and late genetic markers of differentiated M1 cells. The in vitro differentiation of normal myeloblasts into mature macrophages and granulocytes, as well as the increased propensity of M1fos leukemic myeloblasts to be induced for terminal differentiation, was dramatically impaired with use of c-fos antisense oligomers in the culture media. Taken together, these observations show that the proto-oncogenes which encode for fos/jun transcription factors play important roles in promoting myeloid differentiation. The ability of the M1 leukemic myeloblasts to be induced for terminal differentiation in the absence of apparent fos expression indicates that there is some redundancy among the fos/jun family of transcription factors in promoting myeloid differentiation; however, juns alone cannot completely compensate for the lack of fos. Thus, genetic lesions affecting fos/jun expression may play a role in the development of "preleukemic" myelodysplastic syndromes and their further progression to leukemias.


2007 ◽  
Vol 408 (3) ◽  
pp. 317-326 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thankam Paul ◽  
SiDe Li ◽  
Sanjeev Khurana ◽  
Neal S. Leleiko ◽  
Martin J. Walsh

The CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator) gene is a tightly regulated and differentially expressed transcript in many mucosal epithelial cell types. It appears that DNA sequence variations alone do not explain CFTR-related gastrointestinal disease patterns and that epigenetic modifiers influence CFTR expression. Our aim was to characterize the native chromatin environment in cultured cells for intestinal CFTR expression by determining the relationship between histone acetylation and occupation of CFTR by multiple transcription factors, through a common regulatory element. We used HDAC (histone deacetylase) inhibition and ChIP (chromatin immunoprecipitation) analyses to define regions associated with acute acetylation of histone at the CFTR locus. We identified a region within the first intron associated with acute acetylation of histone H4 as an epigenetic signature corresponding to an intestine-specific enhancer element for CFTR. DHS (DNase I-hypersensitivity) assays and ChIP were used to specify control elements and occupation by regulatory factors. Quantitative ChIP procedures indicate that HNF1α (hepatic nuclear factor 1α) and Cdx2 (caudal homeobox protein 2) occupy and regulate through a novel intronic enhancer element of CFTR and that Tcf4 (T-cell factor 4) overlaps the same DNA element. RNAi (RNA interference) of Tcf4 and HNF1α decreased intestinal cell CFTR expression, identifying these as positive regulatory factors and CFTR as a target for Wnt signalling. We have linked the acetylation signature of nucleosomal histones to active intestinal CFTR expression and occupation by transcription factors HNF1α, Cdx2 and Tcf4 which converge to modify chromatin architecture. These studies suggest the therapeutic potential of histone modification strategies, such as inhibition of HDAC activity, to treat CFTR-associated disease by selectively enhancing CFTR expression.


Blood ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 126 (23) ◽  
pp. 5220-5220
Author(s):  
Pavel Burda ◽  
Jarmila Vargova ◽  
Nikola Curik ◽  
John Strouboulis ◽  
Giorgio Lucio Papadopoulos ◽  
...  

Abstract Introduction: GATA-1 and PU.1 are two important hematopoietic transcription factors that mutually inhibit each other in progenitor cells to guide entrance into the erythroid or myeloid lineage, respectively. Expression of PU.1 is controlled by several transcription factors including PU.1 itself by binding to the distal URE enhancer (upstream regulatory element) whose deletion leads to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) (Rosenbauer F et al. 2004). Co-expression of PU.1 and GATA-1 in AML-erythroleukemia (EL) blasts prevents efficient differentiation regulated by these transcription factors. Inhibition of transcriptional activity of PU.1 protein by GATA-1 has been reported (Nerlov C et al. 2000), however it is not known whether GATA-1 can inhibit PU.1 gene in human early erythroblasts directly. We have recently found that MDS/AML erythroblasts display repressive histone modifications and DNA methylation status of PU.1 gene that respond to 5-azacitidine (AZA) leading to inhibited blast cell proliferation and stimulated myeloid differentiation (Curik N et al. 2012). We hypothesize that l eukemia blockade during early erythroid differentiation includes direct GATA-1-mediated inhibition of the PU.1 gene. Results: We herein document the GATA-1 mediated repression of the PU.1 gene in human EL cell lines (OCI-M2 and K562) together with the recruitment of DNA methyl transferase I (DNMT1) to the URE known to guide most of the PU.1 gene transcription. Repression of the PU.1 gene involves both DNA methylation at the URE and methylation/deacetylation of the histone H3 lysine-K9 residue and methylation of H3K27 at additional DNA elements and the PU.1 promoter. Inhibition of GATA-1 by siRNA as well as the AZA treatment in AML-EL led to the significant DNA-demethylation of the URE thorough the mechanism of DNMT1 depletion leading to upregulation of the PU.1 expression. Conclusions: Our data indicate that GATA-1 binds to the PU.1 gene at the URE and initiate events leading to the PU.1 gene repression in human ELs. The mechanism includes repressive epigenetic remodeling of the URE that is important for the PU.1 downregulation and leukemogenesis and that is also simultaneously sensitive to the DNA demethylation treatment with AZA. The GATA-1-mediated inhibition likely contributes to the PU.1 downregulation during progenitor cell differentiation that could be employed during leukemogenesis. Importantly, we also observed important differences between murine and human ELs and found that repression of the PU.1 gene in human ELs can become reverted by the epigenetic therapy with AZA. Our work also suggests that hypomethylating therapy using DNA methylation inhibitors in MDS/AML may become potentially effective in MDS/EL patients. We think that during early erythroid differentiation the GATA-1 binds and represses the PU.1 gene, however this is not fully completed in EL and therefore the erythroid as well as myeloid differentiation are blocked. Grants: GACR P305/12/1033, UNCE 204021, PRVOUK-P24/LF1/1. Disclosures Off Label Use: Azacitidine, DNA demethylation agens tested in vitro in AML/MDS treatment. Stopka:Celgene: Research Funding.


2012 ◽  
Vol 194 (23) ◽  
pp. 6431-6440 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Sieira ◽  
Gastón M. Arocena ◽  
Angeles Zorreguieta ◽  
Diego J. Comerci ◽  
Rodolfo A. Ugalde

ABSTRACTType IV secretion systems (T4SS) are multiprotein structures that direct the translocation of specific molecules across the bacterial cell envelope. As in other bacteria, pathogenicity of the genusBrucellaessentially depends on the integrity of the T4SS-encodingvirBoperon, whose expression is regulated by multiple transcription factors belonging to different families. Previously, we identified IHF and HutC, two direct regulators of thevirBgenes that were isolated from total protein extracts ofBrucella. Here, we report the identification of MdrA, a third regulatory element that was isolated using the same screening procedure. This transcription factor, which belongs to the MarR-family of transcriptional regulators, binds at two different sites of thevirBpromoter and regulates expression in a growth phase-dependent manner. Like other members of the MarR family, specific ligands were able to dissociate MdrA from DNAin vitro. Determination of the MdrA-binding sites by DNase I footprinting and analyses of protein-DNA complexes by electrophoresis mobility shift assays (EMSAs) showed that MdrA competes with IHF and HutC for the binding to the promoter because their target DNA sequences overlap. Unlike IHF, both MdrA and HutC bound to the promoter without inducing bending of DNA. Moreover, the two latter transcription factors activatedvirBexpression to similar extents, and in doing so, they are functionally redundant. Taken together, our results show that MdrA is a regulatory element that directly modulates the activity of thevirBpromoter and is probably involved in coordinating gene expression in response to specific environmental signals.


2004 ◽  
Vol 385 (1) ◽  
pp. 207-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lauren M. CAGEN ◽  
Xiong DENG ◽  
Henry G. WILCOX ◽  
Edwards A. PARK ◽  
Rajendra RAGHOW ◽  
...  

The enhanced synthesis of fatty acids in the liver and adipose tissue in response to insulin is critically dependent on the transcription factor SREBP-1c (sterol-regulatory-element-binding protein 1c). Insulin increases the expression of the SREBP-1c gene in intact liver and in hepatocytes cultured in vitro. To learn the mechanism of this stimulation, we analysed the activation of the rat SREBP-1c promoter and its truncated or mutated congeners driving a luciferase reporter gene in transiently transfected rat hepatocytes. The rat SREBP-1c promoter contains binding sites for LXR (liver X receptor), Sp1, NF-Y (nuclear factor-Y) and SREBP itself. We have found that each of these sites is required for the full stimulatory response of the SREBP-1c promoter to insulin. Mutation of either the putative LXREs (LXR response elements) or the SRE (sterol response element) in the proximal SREBP-1c promoter reduced the stimulatory effect of insulin by about 50%. Insulin and the LXR agonist TO901317 increased the association of SREBP-1 with the SREBP-1c promoter. Ectopic expression of LXRα or SREBP-1c increased activity of the SREBP-1c promoter, and this effect is further enhanced by insulin. The Sp1 and NF-Y sites adjacent to the SRE are also required for full activation of the SREBP-1c promoter by insulin. We propose that the combined actions of the SRE, LXREs, Sp1 and NF-Y elements constitute an insulin-responsive cis-acting unit of the SREBP-1c gene in the liver.


2008 ◽  
Vol 200 (3) ◽  
pp. 245-258 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyriaki S Alatzoglou ◽  
Daniel Kelberman ◽  
Mehul T Dattani

Pituitary development is a complex process that depends on the co-ordinated spatial and temporal expression of transcription factors and signalling molecules that culminates in the formation of a complex organ that secretes six hormones from five different cell types. Given the fact that all distinct hormone producing cells arise from a common ectodermal primordium, the patterning, architecture and plasticity of the gland is impressive. Among the transcription factors involved in the early steps of pituitary organogenesis are SOX2 and SOX3, members of the SOX family that are emerging as key players in many developmental processes. Studies in vitro and in vivo in transgenic animal models have helped to elucidate their expression patterns and roles in the developing hypothalamo–pituitary region. It has been demonstrated that they may be involved in pituitary development either directly, through shaping of Rathke's pouch, or indirectly affecting signalling from the diencephalon. Their role has been further underlined by the pleiotropic effects of their mutations in humans that range from isolated hormone deficiencies to panhypopituitarism and developmental abnormalities affecting many organ systems. However, the exact mechanism of action of SOX proteins, their downstream targets and their interplay within the extensive network that regulates pituitary development is still the subject of a growing number of studies. The elucidation of their role is crucial for the understanding of a number of processes that range from developmental mechanisms to disease phenotypes and tumorigenesis.


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