title: E1A + cHa-ras transformed rat embryo fibroblast cells are characterized by high and constitutive DNA binding activities of AP-1 dimers with significantly altered composition.
abstract: Transcription factors of the AP-1/ATF family, including c-Fos, c-Jun, and ATF-2, play an important role in the regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation, and changes in their levels and/or activities may contribute to oncogenesis. We analyzed the alterations of AP-1/ATF transcription factors upon immortalization and transformation in a panel of cell lines derived from rat embryo fibroblast (REF) cells. The tumorigenic E1A + cHa-ras cells are characterized by high and constitutive DNA binding activities of AP-1, in contrast to nontransformed cells and the E1A cells. The expression of c-fos and c-jun genes was affected differently by the oncogenic transformation. By using antibodies to c-Jun and c-Fos proteins in electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA), we showed that E1A + cHa-ras transformants did not contain c-Fos under any condition of cell cultivation and growth factor stimulation, whereas c-Jun was constitutively upregulated. In the absence of c-fos gene expression, c-Fos protein appears to be replaced by proteins of Fos family (Fra-1) and ATF family (ATF-2 and ATFa). To determine the possible mechanisms of c-fos downregulation in E1A + cHa-ras transformants we have obtained populations of geneticin-resistant clones containing integrated reporter construct -711fos-CAT and its mutants in serum-responsive element (SRE) and cAMP-responsive element (CRE). Data obtained show that the mutations within the SRE lead to a manifold activation of fos-CAT expression. This allows to suggest that c-fos downregulation in E1A + cHa-ras transformants is provided by a negative control mediated through the SRE regulatory region. The profound differences in regulation and composition of transcription factors of the AP-1 family probably play a pivotal role in the transformation of REF cells by E1A and cHa-ras oncogenes.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cytology, Russian Academy of Sciences, St-Petersburg.
authors.forename: T V
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Pospelova
authors.forename: A V
authors.initials: AV
authors.lastname: Medvedev
authors.forename: A N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Kukushkin
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Svetlikova
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: van der Eb
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Dorsman
authors.forename: V A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Pospelov
mesh_terms: D017500:Adenovirus E1A Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D002460:Cell Line; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005347:Fibroblasts; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D011905:Genes, ras; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D020218:Response Elements; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017500:Adenovirus E1A Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D016760:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D018808:Transcription Factor AP-1; D015500:Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase