title: Characterization and changes of a chromosomal-scaffolding protein in human epithelia.
abstract: Chromosomal-scaffolding proteins exert DNA structural functions during mitosis, and gene regulatory functions such as RNA splicing/polymerization and DNA replication in interphase, allowing the progression of the cell cycle. Recently, it has been reported that topoisomerases play a key role in DNA repair, suggesting an additional regulatory mechanism of the chromosome structure on DNA metabolism and cell cycle checkpoints. Despite the progress made toward the understanding of the genome organization and expression, few changes have been reported in the chromosome scaffold of malignant cells associated with the cancer phenotype. In a previous work, we reported LFM-1 protein (Licensing Factor Model-1) as a chromosomal-scaffold component transiently associated with mitotic chromosomes in MDCK (Madin Darby canine kidney) epithelial cells (Vega-Salas and Salas 1996). In this work, we explore LFM-1 expression in human epithelia with contrasting tumorigenicity during the progression of the cell cycle. Although cell metabolic labeling shows synthesis of a common 87-kDa LFM-1 precursor during G(2)-phase in both non-tumorigenic and cancer cells, surprisingly, the post-translational LFM-1 chromosome-bound polypeptide displays a different apparent molecular weight and binding to chromosomes in the cancer phenotype. The finding of a highly phosphorylated LFM-1 60-kDa form with abnormal binding to chromosomes in human carcinoma cells suggests a structural/regulatory role(s) of the chromosome-scaffold/matrix in DNA metabolism in cancer-related events of cell proliferation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, 1600 NW 10th Ave. (R-124), University of Miami, School of Medicine, PO Box 016960, Miami, FL 33101, USA. dsalas@med.miami.edu
authors.forename: Dora E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Vega-Salas
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: Keyvan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nouri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002455:Cell Division; D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D002877:Chromosomes, Human; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D019084:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Indirect; D006801:Humans; D006825:Hybridomas; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D034521:Nuclear Matrix-Associated Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010641:Phenotype; D010766:Phosphorylation; D011485:Protein Binding; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D002868:Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C470938:LFM-1 protein, human; D034521:Nuclear Matrix-Associated Proteins