title: Retinoblastoma protein positively regulates terminal adipocyte differentiation through direct interaction with C/EBPs.
abstract: To define a mechanism by which retinoblastoma protein (Rb) functions in cellular differentiation, we studied primary fibroblasts from the lung buds of wild-type (RB+/+) and null-mutant (RB-/-) mouse embryos. In culture, the RB+/+ fibroblasts differentiated into fat-storing cells, either spontaneously or in response to hormonal induction; otherwise syngenic RB-/- fibroblasts cultured in identical conditions did not. Ectopic expression of normal Rb, but not Rb with a single point mutation, enabled RB-/- fibroblasts to differentiate into adipocytes. Rb appears in murine fibroblasts to activate CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBPs), a family of transcription factors crucial for adipocyte differentiation. Physical interaction between Rb and C/EBPs was demonstrated by reciprocal coimmunoprecipitation, but occurred only in differentiating cells. Wild-type Rb also enhanced the binding of C/EBP to cognate DNA sequences in vitro and the transactivation of a C/EBPbeta-responsive promoter in cells. Taken together, these observations establish a direct and positive role for Rb in terminal differentiation. Such a role contrasts with the function of Rb in arresting cell cycle progression in G1 by negative regulation of other transcription factors like E2F-1.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio 78245, USA.
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Riley
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D017667:Adipocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D000818:Animals; D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D017354:Point Mutation; D011485:Protein Binding; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
chemical_list: D022762:CCAAT-Enhancer-Binding Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein