title: SMAD2 and SMAD7 involvement in the post-translational regulation of Muc4 via the transforming growth factor-beta and interferon-gamma pathways in rat mammary epithelial cells.
abstract: Muc4/sialomucin complex (SMC) is a heterodimeric glycoprotein complex derived from a single gene that is post-translationally processed into mucin (ASGP-1) and transmembrane (ASGP-2) subunits. Muc4/SMC is tightly regulated in the rat mammary gland, low in the virgin, increased during pregnancy and lactation, and overexpressed in some aggressive mammary tumors. Investigations of primary rat mammary epithelial cells (MEC) have shown that Muc4/SMC expression is post-translationally regulated through inhibition of Muc4/SMC precursor processing by transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta). Localization studies suggest that TGF-beta inhibition of Muc4/SMC expression is mediated through SMAD2, a TGF-beta effector that, when activated, functions as a transcription factor. SMAD2 antisense oligonucleotide blocks the inhibition of Muc4/SMC expression by TGF-beta. The TGF-beta effect on Muc4/SMC expression is repressed by interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma). IFN-gamma treatment of MEC activates and relocalizes signal transducer and activator of transcription-1 (STAT-1) to induce an inhibitor SMAD, SMAD7. SMAD7 antisense oligonucleotide prevents IFN-gamma from blocking the TGF-beta inhibition of Muc4/SMC expression. These results suggest that TGF-beta regulates Muc4/SMC expression via the SMAD pathway by a transcriptional effect on a protein in the Muc4/SMC processing step, possibly the protease that cleaves the precursor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida 33101, USA.
authors.forename: Pedro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Soto
authors.forename: Shari A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Price-Schiavi
authors.forename: Kermit L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Carraway
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000378:metabolism*; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D055264:Mucin-4; D009077:Mucins / Q000502:physiology*; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011916:Rats, Inbred F344; D050794:STAT1 Transcription Factor; D051899:Smad2 Protein; D051906:Smad7 Protein; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C524660:Muc4 protein, rat; D055264:Mucin-4; D009077:Mucins; D050794:STAT1 Transcription Factor; D051899:Smad2 Protein; C497784:Smad2 protein, rat; D051906:Smad7 Protein; C497808:Smad7 protein, rat; C494081:Stat1 protein, rat; D015534:Trans-Activators; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D007371:Interferon-gamma