bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
SF-1 (Steroidogenic Factor-1) and C/EBPβ (CCAAT/Enhancer Binding Protein-β) Cooperate to Regulate the Murine StAR (Steroidogenic Acute Regulatory) Promoter
Authors: Reinhart Adam J. , Williams Simon C. , Clark Barbara J. , Stocco Douglas M. 
Published: January 2014

AbstractThe steroidogenic acute regulatory (StAR) protein mediates the rate-limiting step of steroidogenesis, which is the transfer of cholesterol to the inner mitochondrial membrane. In steroidogenic tissues, StAR expression is acutely regulated by trophic hormones through a cAMP second messenger pathway, leading to increased StAR mRNA levels within 30 min, reaching maximal levels after 4–6 h of stimulation. The molecular mechanisms underlying such regulation remain unknown. We have examined the StAR promoter for putative transcription factor-binding sites that may regulate transcription in a developmental and/or hormone-induced context. Through sequence analysis, deoxyribonuclease I (DNAse I) footprinting and electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs), we have identified two putative CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) DNA elements at −113 (C1) and −87 (C2) in the mouse StAR promoter. Characterization of these sites by EMSA indicated that C/EBPβ bound with high affinity to C1 and C2 was a low-affinity C/EBP site. Functional analysis of these sites in the murine StAR promoter showed that mutation of one or both of these binding sites decreases both basal and (Bu)2cAMP-stimulated StAR promoter activity in MA-10 Leydig tumor cells, without affecting the fold activation[ (Bu)2cAMP-stimulated/basal] of the promoter. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that these two C/EBP binding sites are required for steroidogenic factor-1 (SF-1)-dependent transactivation of the StAR promoter in a nonsteroidogenic cell line. These data indicate that in addition to SF-1, C/EBPβ is involved in the transcriptional regulation of the StAR gene and may play an important role in developmental and hormone-responsive regulation of steroidogenesis.
Hormone-Dependent Interaction between the Amino- and Carboxyl-Terminal Domains of Progesterone Receptor in Vitro and in Vivo
Authors: Tetel Marc J. , Giangrande Paloma H. , Leonhardt Susan A. , McDonnell Donald P. , Edwards Dean P. 
Published: January 2014

AbstractFull transcriptional activation by steroid hormone receptors requires functional synergy between two transcriptional activation domains (AF) located in the amino (AF-1) and carboxyl (AF-2) terminal regions. One possible mechanism for achieving this functional synergy is a physical intramolecular association between amino (N-) and carboxyl (C-) domains of the receptor. Human progesterone receptor (PR) is expressed in two forms that have distinct functional activities: full-length PR-B and the amino-terminally truncated PR-A. PR-B is generally a stronger activator than PR-A, whereas under certain conditions PR-A can act as a repressor in trans of other steroid receptors. We have analyzed whether separately expressed N- (PR-A and PR-B) and C-domains [hinge plus ligand-binding domain (hLBD)] of PR can functionally interact within cells by mammalian two-hybrid assay and whether this involves direct protein contact as determined in vitro with purified expressed domains of PR. A hormone agonist-dependent interaction between N-domains and the hLBD was observed functionally by mammalian two-hybrid assay and by direct protein-protein interaction assay in vitro. With both experimental approaches, N-C domain interactions were not induced by the progestin antagonist RU486. However, in the presence of the progestin agonist R5020, the N-domain of PR-B interacted more efficiently with the hLBD than the N-domain of PR-A. Coexpression of steroid receptor coactivator-1 (SRC-1) and the CREB binding protein (CBP), enhanced functional interaction between N- and C-domains by mammalian two-hybrid assay. However, addition of SRC-1 and CBP in vitro had no influence on direct interaction between purified N- and C-domains. These results suggest that the interaction between N- and C-domains of PR is direct and requires a hormone agonist-induced conformational change in the LBD that is not allowed by antagonists. Additionally, coactivators are not required for physical association between the N- and C-domains but are capable of enhancing a functionally productive interaction. In addition, the more efficient interaction of the hLBD with the N-domain of PR-B, compared with that of PR-A, suggests that distinct interactions between N- and C-terminal regions contribute to functional differences between PR-A and PR-B.
Targeted Expression of Bcl-2 in Mouse Oocytes Inhibits Ovarian Follicle Atresia and Prevents Spontaneous and Chemotherapy-Induced Oocyte Apoptosis In Vitro
Authors: Morita Yutaka , Perez Gloria I. , Maravei Daniel V. , Tilly Kim I. , Tilly Jonathan L. 
Published: January 2014

AbstractMembers of the Bcl-2 family serve as central checkpoints for cell death regulation, and overexpression of Bcl-2 is known to inhibit apoptosis in many cell types. To determine whether targeted expression of Bcl-2 could be used to protect female germ cells from apoptosis, we generated transgenic mice expressing fully functional human Bcl-2 protein only in oocytes. Transgenic mice were produced using a previously characterized 480-bp fragment of the mouse zona pellucida protein-3 (ZP3) gene 5′-flanking region to direct oocyte-specific expression of a human bcl-2 complementary DNA. Immunohistochemical analyses using a human Bcl-2-specific antibody showed that transgene expression was restricted to growing oocytes and was not observed in the surrounding ovarian somatic cells or in any other nonovarian tissues. Histomorphometric analyses revealed that ovaries collected from transgenic female mice possessed significantly fewer atretic small preantral follicles compared with wild-type sisters, resulting in a larger population of healthy maturing follicles per ovary. However, the number of oocytes ovulated in response to exogenous gonadotropin priming and the number of pups per litter were not significantly different among wild-type vs. transgenic female mice. Nonetheless, oocytes obtained from transgenic mice and cultured in vitro were found to be resistant to spontaneous and anticancer drug-induced apoptosis. We conclude that targeted expression of Bcl-2 only in oocytes can be achieved as a means to convey resistance of the female germ line to naturally occurring and chemotherapy-induced apoptosis.
Adenovirus-Mediated Delivery of a Dominant Negative Estrogen Receptor Gene Abrogates Estrogen-Stimulated Gene Expression and Breast Cancer Cell Proliferation
Authors: Lazennec Gwendal , Alcorn Joseph L. , Katzenellenbogen Benita S. 
Published: January 2014

AbstractDominant negative estrogen receptors are transcriptionally inactive, altered forms of the estrogen receptor (ER) that can dimerize with the ER and have the potential to inactivate the biological functions of this receptor. Here, we provide the first report that adenoviral delivery of a dominant negative ER to ER-positive breast cancer cells is able to effectively suppress estrogen-stimulated cell proliferation and the hormonal induction of endogenous genes. We constructed recombinant adenoviral vectors expressing a dominant negative ER (S554 fs, Ad-fs) or, for comparison, antisense ER (Ad-AS), or the sense wild-type ER (Ad-WT). Expression of the dominant negative ER or antisense ER, but not wild-type ER, blocked estradiol stimulation of the estrogen-responsive genes pS2 and c-myc. The dominant negative ER also fully abolished the estradiol-induced increase in proliferation of MCF-7 breast cancer cells, as did the antisense ER. The antiproliferative effects of the dominant negative and antisense ERs are explained by an increase in the number of cells in the G0/G1 stage of the cell cycle and decrease in the number of cells in G2/M as determined by flow cytometry, and also by a significant increase in the percentage of cells undergoing apoptosis. Our data strongly support the idea that targeting ER action using recombinant viral delivery of dominant negative ERs is an effective way to suppress ER-positive breast cancer cell proliferation and suggests the potential attractiveness of dominant negative gene therapy approaches targeted to the ER for the treatment of hormone-responsive breast cancer.
The Nuclear Receptor Corepressor N-CoR Regulates Differentiation: N-CoR Directly Interacts with MyoD
Authors: Bailey Peter , Downes Michael , Lau Patrick , Harris Jonathan , Chen Shen Liang , Hamamori Yasuo , Sartorelli Vittorio , Muscat George E. O. 
Published: January 2014

Abstract
Classical ligand-activated nuclear receptors (e.g. thyroid hormone receptor, retinoic acid receptor), orphan nuclear receptors (e.g. Rev-erbAα/β), Mad/Max bHLH (basic helix loop helix)-LZ proteins, and oncoproteins, PLZF and LAZ3/BCL6, bind DNA and silence transcription by recruiting a repressor complex that contains N-CoR (nuclear receptor corepressor)/SMRT (silencing mediator of retinoic acid and thyroid hormone receptor), Sin3A/B, and HDAc-1/-2 proteins. The function of the corepressor, N-CoR, in the process of cellular differentiation and coupled phenotypic acquisition, has not been investigated. We examined the functional role of N-CoR in myogenesis (muscle differentiation), an ideal paradigm for the analysis of the determinative events that govern the cell’s decision to divide or differentiate. We observed that the mRNA encoding N-CoR was suppressed as proliferating myoblasts exited the cell cycle, and formed morphologically and biochemically differentiated myotubes. Exogenous expression of N-CoR (but not RIP13) in myogenic cells ablated 1) myogenic differentiation, 2) the expression of the myoD gene family that encode the myogenic specific bHLH proteins, and 3) the crucial cell cycle regulator, p21Waf-1/Cip-1 mRNA. Furthermore, N-CoR expression efficiently inhibits the myoD-mediated myogenic conversion of pluripotential C3H10T1/2 cells. We demonstrate that MyoD-mediated transactivation and activity are repressed by N-CoR. The mechanism involves direct interactions between MyoD and N-CoR; moreover, the interaction was dependent on the amino-terminal repression domain (RD1) of N-CoR and the bHLH region of MyoD. Trichostatin A treatment significantly stimulated the activity of MyoD by approximately 10-fold and inhibited the ability of N-CoR to repress MyoD-mediated transactivation, consistent with the involvement of the corepressor and the recruitment of a histone deacteylase activity in the process. This work demonstrates that the corepressor N-CoR is a key regulator of MyoD activity and mammalian differentiation, and that N-CoR has a multifaceted role in myogenesis.
Functional Analysis of the Mouse ICER (Inducible cAMP Early Repressor) Promoter: Evidence for a Protein That Blocks Calcium Responsiveness of the CAREs (cAMP Autoregulatory Elements)
Authors: Krueger Darcy A. , Mao Dailing , Warner Elizabeth A. , Dowd Diane R. 
Published: January 2014

AbstractAlthough Ca2+ and cAMP mediate their effects through distinct pathways, both signals converge upon the phosphorylation of the cAMP response element (CRE) binding protein, CREB, thereby activating transcription of CRE-regulated genes. In WEHI7.2 thymocytes, cAMP increases the expression of the inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER) gene through CRE-like elements, known as cAMP autoregulatory elements (CAREs). Because Ca2+- and cAMP-mediated transcription converge in WEHI7.2 thymocytes, we examined the effect of Ca2+ fluxes on the expression of the ICER gene in these cells. Despite the presence of multiple CAREs within its promoter, ICER gene transcription was not activated by Ca2+. Moreover, Ca2+ attenuated the stimulatory effect of cAMP on ICER expression. Transient expression of reporter constructs demonstrated that when these CAREs were placed in a different DNA promoter context, the elements became responsive to Ca2+. Detailed studies using chimeric promoter constructs to map the region responsible for blocking the transcriptional response to Ca2+ indicated that a small portion of the ICER promoter was necessary for the effect. Southwestern blot analysis identified a 83-kDa nuclear protein that bound specifically to that region. The relative binding activity of the factor to the ICER promoter and mutant promoter sequences correlated with an inhibition of Ca2+-activated gene expression in WEHI7.2 cells. These data suggest that the factor functions as a putative Ca2+-activated repressor of CREB/CRE-mediated transcription. Thus, depending on the surrounding context in which the CRE is located, CREs of individual genes can be regulated separately by Ca2+ and cAMP despite the convergence of these two signaling pathways.
Synergistic Activation of the Prolactin Promoter by Vitamin D Receptor and GHF-1: Role of the Coactivators, CREB-Binding Protein and Steroid Hormone Receptor Coactivator-1 (SRC-1)
Authors: Castillo Ana I. , Jimenez-Lara Ana M. , Tolon Rosa M. , Aranda Ana 
Published: January 2014

AbstractPRL gene expression is dependent on the presence of the pituitary-specific transcription factor GHF-1/Pit-1, which is transcribed in a highly restricted manner in cells of the anterior pituitary. In pituitary GH3 cells, vitamin D increases the levels of PRL transcripts and stimulates the PRL promoter. We have analyzed the role of GHF-1 and of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) to confer vitamin D responsiveness to the PRL promoter. For this purpose we have used nonpituitary HeLa cells, which do not express GHF-1. We found that VDR activates the PRL promoter both in a ligand-dependent and -independent manner through a sequence located between positions− 45/−27 in the proximal 5′-flanking region. This sequence also confers VDR and vitamin D responsiveness to a heterologous promoter. In the context of the PRL gene, VDR requires the presence of GHF-1 to activate the promoter. Truncation of the last 12 C-terminal amino acids of VDR, which contain the ligand-dependent activation function (AF2), abolishes regulation by vitamin D, suggesting that binding of coactivators to this region mediates ligand-dependent stimulation of the PRL promoter by the receptor. Indeed, expression of the coactivators, steroid hormone receptor coactivator-1 (SRC-1) and CREB-binding protein (CBP), significantly enhances the stimulatory effect of vitamin D mediated by the wild-type VDR but not by the AF2 mutant receptor. Furthermore, CBP also increases the activation of the PRL promoter by GHF-1 and the ligand-independent activation by both wild-type and mutant VDR.
Progesterone Induces Focal Adhesion in Breast Cancer Cells MDA-MB-231 Transfected with Progesterone Receptor Complementary DNA
Authors: Lin Valerie C.-L. , Ng Eng Hen , Aw Swee Eng , Tan Michelle G.-K. , Ng Esther H.-L. , Bay Boon Huat 
Published: January 2014

AbstractSince the effects of progesterone are mediated mainly via estrogen-dependent progesterone receptor (PR), the expression of the effects of progesterone may be masked or overridden by the influence of estrogen under conditions in which priming with estrogens is required. We have established a PR-positive but estrogen receptor-α (ER-α) negative breast cancer cell model by transfecting PR cDNA into ER-α- and PR-negative MDA-MB-231 cells in order that the functions of progesterone can be studied independently of estrogens. We have demonstrated using this model that progesterone markedly inhibited cell growth. We have also discovered that progesterone induced remarkable changes in cell morphology and specific adhesion structures. Progesterone-treated cells became considerably more flattened and well spread than vehicle-treated control cells. This was associated with a striking increase of stress fibers, both in number and diameter, and increased focal contacts as shown by the staining of focal adhesion proteins paxillin and talin. There were also distinct increases in tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion protein paxillin and focal adhesion kinase in association with increased focal adhesion. The staining of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins was concentrated at focal adhesions in progesterone-treated cells. More interestingly, monoclonal antibody (Ab) to β1 integrin was able to inhibit progesterone-induced cell spreading and formation of actin cytoskeleton. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing a direct effect of progesterone in inducing spreading and adhesion of breast cancer cells, and β1-integrin appeared to play an essential role in the effect. It is known that the initial step of tumor metastasis is the breakaway of tumor cells from primary tumor mass when they lose the ability to attach. Hence, progesterone-induced cell spreading and adhesion may have significant implications in tumor metastasis.
C/EBPβ (CCAAT/Enhancer Binding Protein) Controls Cell Fate Determination during Mammary Gland Development
Authors: Seagroves Tiffany N. , Lydon John P. , Hovey Russell C. , Vonderhaar Barbara K. , Rosen Jeffrey M. 
Published: January 2014

AbstractDeletion of the transcription factor CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP)β results in a severe inhibition of lobuloalveolar development in the mouse mammary gland. Because progesterone receptor (PR) is requisite for alveolar development, the expression of PR was investigated in C/EBPβ−/− mice. Unexpectedly, the number of PR-positive cells, as well as the levels of PR mRNA, were elevated 3-fold in the mammary glands of C/EBPβ−/− mice. Furthermore, in contrast to wild-type nulliparous mice, in which PR distribution shifted from a uniform to nonuniform pattern between 8–12 weeks of age, C/EBPβ−/− mice exhibited uniform PR distribution throughout all stages of mammary development analyzed. No change in C/EBPβ mRNA levels was observed in the mammary glands of PR−/− mice, suggesting that PR acts in a pathway either in parallel to or downstream of C/EBPβ. The overexpression and disrupted cellular distribution of PR in C/EBPβ−/− mice were coincident with a striking 10-fold decrease in cell proliferation after acute steroid hormone treatment, assayed by incorporation of bromodeoxyuridine. In wild-type mice, PR and bromodeoxyuridine-positive cells were adjacent to each other and rarely colocalized. No differences in the level or pattern of PR expression were observed in the uterus, suggesting that C/EBPβ influences PR in a mam-mary-specific fashion. Together, these data suggest that C/EBPβ may control cell fate decisions in the mammary gland through the appropriate temporal and spatial expression of molecular markers, such as PR, that induce the proliferation of alveolar progenitor cells via juxtacrine mechanisms.
5′-Heterogeneity of Glucocorticoid Receptor Messenger RNA Is Tissue Specific: Differential Regulation of Variant Transcripts by Early-Life Events
Authors: McCormick J. A. , Lyons V. , Jacobson M. D. , Noble J. , Diorio J. , Nyirenda M. , Weaver S. , Ester W. , Yau J. L. W. , Meaney M. J. , Seckl J. R. , Chapman K. E. 
Published: January 2014

AbstractGlucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene expression is regulated in a complex tissue-specific manner, notably by early-life environmental events that program tissue GR levels. We have identified and characterized several new rat GR mRNAs. All encode a common protein, but differ in their 5′-leader sequences as a consequence of alternate splicing of, potentially, 11 different exon 1 sequences. Most are located in a 3-kb CpG island, upstream of exon 2, that exhibits substantial promoter activity in transfected cells. Ribonuclease (RNase) protection analysis demonstrated significant levels of six alternate exons 1 in vivo in rat, with differences between liver, hippocampus, and thymus reflecting tissue-specific differences in promoter activity. Two of the alternate exons 1 (exons 16 and 110) were expressed in all tissues examined, together present in 77–87% of total GR mRNA. The remaining GR transcripts contained tissue-specific alternate first exons. Importantly, tissue-specific first exon usage was altered by perinatal environmental manipulations. Postnatal handling, which permanently increases GR in the hippocampus, causing attenuation of stress responses, selectively elevated GR mRNA containing the hippocampus-specific exon 17. Prenatal glucocorticoid exposure, which increases hepatic GR expression and produces adult hyperglycemia, decreased the proportion of hepatic GR mRNA containing the predomin-ant exon 110, suggesting an increase in a minor exon 1 variant. Such tissue specificity of promoter usage allows differential GR regulation and programming.
Bcl-w Forms Complexes with Bax and Bak, and Elevated Ratios of Bax/Bcl-w and Bak/Bcl-w Correspond to Spermatogonial and Spermatocyte Apoptosis in the Testis
Authors: Yan Wei , Samson Michel , Jégou Bernard , Toppari Jorma 
Published: January 2014

AbstractBcl-w, a prosurvival member of the Bcl-2 family, is essential for spermatogenesis. However, the mechanisms by which Bcl-w participates in the regulation of apoptosis in the testis are largely unknown. To explore the potential role of Bcl-w in the regulation of apoptosis in the testis, the expression of Bcl-w mRNA and protein during testicular development and spermatogenesis, the dimerization with the proapoptosis members of the Bcl-2 family, and the responses to hormonal stimulation in vitro and apoptosis-inducing signals in vivo were investigated. Both Bcl-w mRNA and protein were detected in Sertoli cells, spermatogonia, and spermatocytes, as well as in Leydig cells. The steady-state levels of Bcl-w mRNA and protein were much higher in Sertoli cells than in spermatogonia and spermatocytes. In the adult rat testis, both Bcl-w mRNA and protein in Sertoli cells displayed a stage-specific expression pattern. Bcl-w could form complexes with Bax and Bak but not with Bad. Bax and Bak were immunohistochemically localized to the same cell types as Bcl-w, but with higher expression levels in spermatocytes and spermatogonia than in Sertoli cells. FSH could up-regulate Bcl-w mRNA levels in the seminiferous tubules cultured in vitro, whereas no effect was observed when testosterone was applied. Three animal models that display spermatogonial apoptosis induced by blockade of stem cell factor/c-kit interaction by a function-blocking anti-c-kit antibody, spermatocyte apoptosis induced by methoxyacetic acid, and apoptosis of spermatogonia, spermatocytes, and spermatids induced by testosterone withdrawal after ethylene dimethane sulfonate treatment were employed to check the changes of Bcl-w, Bax, and Bak protein levels during apoptosis of specific germ cells. In all three models, the ratios of Bax/Bcl-w and Bak/Bcl-w were significantly elevated. The present study suggests that Bcl-w is an important prosurvival factor of Sertoli cells, spermatogonia, and spermatocytes and participates in the regulation of apoptosis by binding proapoptotic factors Bax and Bak. The ratios of Bax/Bcl-w and Bak/Bcl-w may be decisive for the survival of Sertoli cells, spermatogonia, and spermatocytes.