Transcriptional activation of the granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptor gene in cell mutants.
Retroviral insertional mutagenesis has proven to be a powerful in vivo approach for identifying genetic mutations involved in tumorigenesis or developmental abnormalities. Applying this approach to an in vitro system, where experimental design can be readily manipulated, would greatly increase its efficacy. In this study, we sought to determine whether retroviral insertional mutagenesis could be used to isolate cell mutants, in which the transcriptional activation of a receptor gene has occurred. Cells of the myeloid progenitor cell line FDC-P1(M), which do not express the alpha receptor subunit (GMRalpha) for granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), were infected and selected for growth in GM-CSF. Over 100 mutants were isolated at a frequency up to ninefold higher than that of uninfected controls. Expression of GMRalpha in these mutants was confirmed by blocking proliferation with GM-CSF antibodies, detection of high-affinity receptors, and Northern blot analysis. Significantly, in 7/18 mutants analyzed, gross DNA rearrangements had occurred in the GMRalpha locus. These rearrangements were demonstrated to be due to intergenic rearrangements, juxtaposing an active enhancer/promoter upstream of the GMRalpha gene. In one mutant it could be demonstrated that the wild-type allele was also expressed, providing evidence that secondary mutations had occurred. The implications of these results for retroviral insertional mutagenesis are discussed.
Laker
C
C
Department of Cell and Virus Genetics, Heinrich-Pette-Institut für Experimentelle Virologie und Immunologie an der Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, D-20251, Germany.
Friel
J
J
Franz
M J
MJ
Hara
T
T
Papadopoulos
P
P
Ostertag
W
W
Stocking
C
C
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000494:pharmacology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000502:physiology; D002460:Cell Line; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000502:physiology; D015321:Gene Rearrangement / Q000502:physiology; D005822:Genetic Vectors; D006412:Hematopoietic Stem Cells / Q000166:cytology; D007438:Introns / Q000235:genetics; D016254:Mutagenesis, Insertional / Q000502:physiology*; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D016187:Receptors, Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D012190:Retroviridae / Q000235:genetics*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000502:physiology*
D000906:Antibodies; D016187:Receptors, Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins