title: Overexpression of serum amyloid A-activating factor 1 inhibits cell proliferation by the induction of cyclin-dependent protein kinase inhibitor p21WAF-1/Cip-1/Sdi-1 expression.
abstract: Inflammation-responsive transcription factor, serum amyloid A-activating factor 1 (SAF-1), has been shown to regulate several genes, including serum amyloid A, gamma-fibrinogen, and matrix metalloproteinase 1, whose abnormal expression is associated with the pathogenesis of arthritis, atherosclerosis, and amyloidosis. Prolonged high level expression of SAF-1 in cultured cells failed to produce any stable cell line that overexpresses SAF-1. To test the fate of SAF-1-overexpressing cells, the cells were monitored for growth and morphological changes over time. The cells that were programmed to overproduce SAF-1 were found to undergo growth arrest and reduce DNA synthesis within 3 days after transfection. These cells undergo marked morphological changes from typical fibroblasts to round morphology and gradually cease to exist. Microarray analysis for cell cycle-specific genes in SAF1-transfected cells identified several candidate genes whose expression levels were altered during SAF-1 overexpression. Cdk inhibitor protein p21 was significantly affected by SAF-1; its expression level was highly induced by cellular conditions where SAF-1 is abundant. The increased level of p21 in the cell drives it to a growth arrest mode, a condition previously found to be controlled by p53. In this study we provide evidence that, similar to p53, SAF-1 is able to activate p21 gene expression by promoting transcription directly via its interaction with the p21 promoter. Together these data indicate that SAF-1 controls cell cycle progression via p21 induction, and pathophysiological conditions that favor overexpression of SAF-1, such as an acute inflammatory condition, can trigger cellular growth arrest.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA. rayal@missouri.edu
authors.forename: Alpana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ray
authors.forename: Arvind
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shakya
authors.forename: Deepak
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Bimal K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Ray
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002455:Cell Division / Q000235:genetics; D002460:Cell Line; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D016213:Cyclins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D018983:DNA Footprinting; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006131:Growth Inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D011817:Rabbits; D013583:Synovial Membrane / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D014157:Transcription Factors; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: C493956:CDKN1A protein, human; D050759:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p21; D016213:Cyclins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D006131:Growth Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; C076035:c-MYC-associated zinc finger protein; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases; D003850:Deoxyribonuclease I