title: Bcr/Abl activates transcription of the Bcl-X gene through STAT5.
abstract: Several tyrosine kinase oncogenes have been associated with myeloproliferative diseases, including Bcr/Abl, Tel/Abl, Tel/Jak2, and Tel/PDGFR. One target molecule shared by these oncogenes is known to be STAT5. We generated sublines of Ba/F3 cells in which either wild-type STAT5 or a constitutively active mutant of STAT5 (STAT5-1*6) were expressed under the control of a tetracycline-inducible promoter. These cell lines were compared with a Ba/F3 cell line in which the expression of p210(Bcr/Abl) was made inducible by a similar promoter. Before induction, all cells were dependent on interleukin 3 (IL-3) for growth and survival. Both STAT5-1*6 and Bcr/Abl enhanced viability and induced proliferation in the absence of IL-3. We found that the proviability protein Bcl-X(L), but not Bcl-2, was induced by both p210(Bcr/Abl) and STAT5-1*6. Using a Bcl-X gene promoter construct fused to a luciferase complementary DNA (cDNA), both p210(Bcr/Abl) and STAT5-1*6 were shown to induce transcription of Bcl-X. The increase in transcription of the Bcl-X promoter and the increase in Bcl-X protein, due to p210(Bcr/Abl), were blocked by expression of a dominant negative STAT5 mutant. Interestingly, however, STAT5-1*6 required the continued presence of IL-3 to cause a significant increase in Bcl-X(L) protein, whereas p210(Bcr/Abl) did not need IL-3. Studies with enzyme inhibitors suggest that the extra signal supplied by IL-3 may be supplied by the PI3K pathway. Overall, these data suggest that constitutively activated STAT5 can increase viability and proliferation of Ba/F3 cells. This may contribute to, but is not likely sufficient for, the enhanced viability associated with Bcr/Abl transformation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Adult Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Adult Oncology, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gesbert
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Griffin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / Q000235:genetics*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D016313:Genes, abl; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000235:genetics; D051379:Mice; D008894:Milk Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics*; D050799:STAT5 Transcription Factor; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics*; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D051020:bcl-X Protein
chemical_list: C494812:Bcl2l1 protein, mouse; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D008894:Milk Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D050799:STAT5 Transcription Factor; D015534:Trans-Activators; D051020:bcl-X Protein; D016044:Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl