Transient induction of c-fos and c-myc in an immediate consequence of growth factor stimulation

Treatment of serum-deprived fibroblasts with serum or growth factors results in an immediate induction of the c-fos and c-myc proto-oncogenes. Maximal levels of c-fos mRNA are detected 30 minutes after treatment and maximal levels of c-myc mRNA are detected 60 minutes after treatment. The c-fos protein is expressed at high levels for about two hours following induction, yet the cell morphology remains normal. Thus, either an extended period of c-fos expression is required for cellular transformation, or the highly modified form of the fos protein, present in stimulated cells, is biochemically different from the transforming protein and is therefore not capable of inducing transformation. In this system, growth factor treatment results in mitogenesis. However, c-fos and c-myc are also induced in A431 cells, and in subclones derived from A431 cells, treated with epidermal growth factor (EGF). No correlation was found between the effects of EGF on A431 cell proliferation and the induction of c-fos and c-myc. Interestingly, the strongest inducer of c-fos in A431 cells was the calcium ionophore A23187. Induction occurred in almost 100% of the treated cells without prior serum deprivation or growth arrest. Treatment of HL60 cells with 12-0 tetra decanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), which promotes macrophage-like differentiation, also induced c-fos with a time course similar to that observed in mitogen-treated fibroblasts. Thus, in HL60 cells, c-fos induction is associated with differentiation. In normal macrophages c-fos and c-myc can also be induced by CSF-1. However, the kinetics of induction are entirely different from those in growth factor-stimulated fibroblasts. Taken together, the data suggest a more general role for c-fos and c-myc in the transduction of growth factor signals received at the cell membrane, within the nucleus.     

c-fos transfection of 3LL tumor cells turns on MHC gene expression and consequently reduces their metastatic competence

Transfection with c-fos genes of cells of a highly metastatic (H-2K- H-2D+) clone, DI22, of the 3LL carcinoma, causes activation of H-2K gene expression. Experiments were carried out to test whether these transfectants exhibit reduced metastatic competence. Studying II mouse c-fos, 6 mouse c-fos and 2 v-fos transfected clones, we observed that clones expressing high steady-state levels of the fos mRNA also expressed elevated levels of H-2K and H-2D mRNA, and high levels of cell-surface H-2K and H-2D glycoproteins. The transfectants were tested for generation of spontaneous metastasis following intra-footpad inoculation of the tumor cells. Clones expressing high levels of fos and of H-2 antigens, particularly those expressing high levels of cell-surface H-2Kb molecules, showed a reduction of their metastatic competence. Statistical analysis revealed that c-fos transfectants are significantly less metastatic than the parental cells. The molecular mechanisms of c-fos activation of H-2 genes is briefly discussed.     

Correlation of myc expression with the growth-arrested and transformed phenotypes in hybrids between a T lymphoma and an antigen-responsive T-cell line.

Fusion of the YACUT lymphoma cell line with the Mls-1a-antigen-specific non-tumorigenic T-cell line G4 produced growth-arrested hybrids that could be induced to proliferate in the presence of Mls-1a antigen. Prolonged growth of such hybrids by repeated antigenic stimulation resulted in the appearance of autonomously growing hybrid lines. Of the 4 antigen-independent hybrid clones, I was weakly tumorigenic (25% incidence) while the other 3 were highly tumorigenic (100% incidence). In the growth-arrested hybrids the de-regulated c-myc expression characteristic of the YACUT cells was suppressed. In the autonomously growing clones, however, c-myc expression had reverted to the levels of the lymphoma parent and 1 to 2 extra copies of chromosome 15 were consistently present. These results indicate that repeated antigenic stimulation somehow abrogated the down-regulation of c-myc in the growth-arrested hybrid lines. The increase in the number of copies of chromosome 15, however, suggests that genes located on this chromosome may abolish the effect of the negative regulatory functions of the non-malignant parent in a gene-dosage-dependent manner.     

珠子参体外诱导人肝癌细胞凋亡效应及机制研究

目的观察珠子参体外诱导人肝癌细胞凋亡效应并初探其分子机制。方法体外细胞培养采用人肝癌细胞株SMMC-7721,分为对照(BL)组、珠子参(PJ)组、二甲基亚砜(DMSO)组及5-FU组,采用电镜观察作用后肝癌细胞超微结构改变;流式细胞仪检测肝癌细胞周期和凋亡率;RT-PCR法检测癌基因c-myc、c-fos和抑癌基因p53、p21表达的变化。结果与对照组比较,电镜下珠子参组SMMC-7721细胞染色质浓缩,分解成大小不一有膜包绕团块,内含有新月形DNA物质及细胞器,形成凋亡小体;周期分析可见G0/G1期细胞阻滞,阻止了细胞向S期的转换,并引起细胞凋亡,凋亡率达38.34%;RT-PCR半定量分析珠子参能降低癌基因c-myc表达(P<0.05),增高抑癌基因p53和p21表达(P<0.05)。结论珠子参能诱导人肝癌细胞SMMC-7721凋亡,部分作用机制可能与阻滞细胞停留在G0/G1,降低癌基因c-myc和c-fos表达,增高抑癌基因p53和p21表达有关。     

Early protooncogene expression during hemin-induced differentiation of human erythroleukemic cells

In situ hybridization was used to study the effects of hemin on the expression of the oncogenes c-myc, c-fos, and myb, and on the mRNA level of erythroid porphobilinogen deaminase (PBG-D) and alpha-globin in HEL cells during differentiation. The technique was effective in detecting changes in mRNA levels in small numbers of HEL cells. Hemin stimulation of HEL cells results in an early increase in myb and c-myc expression and a decrease in c-fos mRNA, while increased PBG-D and alpha-globin expression is not seen until 8 h after hemin treatment. Blast-like cells display expression of c-myc, alpha-globin and PBG-D, while the more differentiated cells give a positive response to both c-fos and myb. During HEL cell differentiation, the mechanism of hemin stimulation appears to be through the up regulation of myb and c-myc mRNA and down regulation of c-fos. The subsequent expression of PBG-D and alpha-globin may indicate that early increases in protooncogene expression are first required for the normal progression of erythropoiesis to occur.