Wild-Type p53 Enhances Efficiency of Simian Virus 40 Large-T-Antigen-Induced Cellular Transformation

ABSTRACT Abortive infection of BALB/c mouse embryo fibroblasts differing in p53 gene status (p53+/+ versus p53−/ −) with simian virus 40 (SV40) revealed a quantitatively and qualitatively decreased transformation efficiency in p53−/− cells compared to p53+/+ cells, suggesting a supportive effect of wild-type (wt) p53 in the SV40 transformation process. SV40 transformation efficiency also was low in immortalized p53−/− BALB/c 10-1 cells but could be restored to approximately the level in immortalized p53+/+ BALB/c 3T3 cells by reconstituting wt p53, but not mutant p53 (mutp53), expression. Stable expression of large T antigen (LT) in p53+/+ 3T3 cells resulted in full transformation, while LT expression in p53−/− 10-1 cells could not promote growth in suspension or in soft agar to a significant extent. The helper effect of wt p53 is mediated by its cooperation with LT and resides in the p53 N terminus, as an N-terminally truncated p53 (ΔNp53) could not rescue the p53-null phenotype. The p53 N terminus serves as a scaffold for recruiting transcriptional regulators like p300/CBP and Mdm2 into the LT-p53 complex. Consequently, LT affected global and specific gene expression in p53+/+ cells significantly more than in p53−/− cells. Our data suggest that recruitment of transcriptional regulators into the LT-p53 complex may help to modify cellular gene expression in response to the needs of cellular transformation.

Activation of RNA Polymerase III Transcription in Cells Transformed by Simian Virus 40

ABSTRACT RNA polymerase (Pol) III transcription is abnormally active in fibroblasts that have been transformed by simian virus 40 (SV40). This report presents evidence that two separate components of the general Pol III transcription apparatus, TFIIIB and TFIIIC2, are deregulated following SV40 transformation. TFIIIC2 subunits are expressed at abnormally high levels in SV40-transformed cells, an effect which is observed at both protein and mRNA levels. In untransformed fibroblasts, TFIIIB is subject to repression through association with the retinoblastoma protein RB. The interaction between RB and TFIIIB is compromised following SV40 transformation. Furthermore, the large T antigen of SV40 is shown to relieve repression by RB. The E7 oncoprotein of human papillomavirus can also activate Pol III transcription, an effect that is dependent on its ability to bind to RB. The data provide evidence that both TFIIIB and TFIIIC2 are targets for activation by DNA tumor viruses.