Expression of a transfected human c-myc oncogene inhibits differentiation of a mouse erythroleukaemia cell line

The Friend-virus-derived mouse erythroleukaemia (MEL) cell lines represent transformed early erythroid precursors that can be induced to differentiate into more mature erythroid cells by a variety of agents including dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO). There is a latent period of 12 hours after inducer is added, when 80-90% of the cells become irreversibly committed to the differentiation programme, undergoing several rounds of cell division before permanently ceasing to replicate. After DMSO induction, a biphasic decline in steady-state levels of c-myc and c-myb messenger RNAs occurs. Following the initial decrease in c-myc mRNA expression, the subsequent increase occurs in, and is restricted to, the G1 phase of the cell cycle. We sought to determine whether the down-regulation is a necessary step in chemically induced differentiation. Experiments reported here indicate that expression in MEL cells of a transfected human c-myc gene inhibits the terminal differentiation process.     

Decreased expression of N-myc precedes retinoic acid-induced morphological differentiation of human neuroblastoma

Proto-oncogenes may be important in the cellular processes central for the growth and differentiation of normal cells. N-myc is a DNA sequence which shares limited homology to the proto-oncogene c-myc and has been found to be amplified in both primary tissue and cell lines from neuroblastoma, a childhood tumour of neuroectodermal origin. Differentiation of this embryonal tumour is of clinical importance, since occasional tumours have been noted to differentiate in vivo to benign ganglioneuroma. In vitro, many human neuroblastoma cell lines can be induced to differentiate morphologically and biochemically by a variety of agents. Retinoic acid (RA), an analogue of vitamin A, has been shown to inhibit neuroblastoma cell growth and clonability in soft agar, and to induce extensive neurite outgrowth. Therefore we examined the relationship of N-myc expression to the in vitro differentiation of these cells. We report here that in the case of RA-induced differentiation, a decreased level of expression is detected within 6 h of treatment and precedes both cell-cycle changes and morphological differentiation.     

Constitutive c-myc oncogene expression blocks mouse erythroleukaemia cell differentiation but not commitment

Mouse erythroleukaemia cells (also called Friend cells) can be isolated from the spleen of certain strains of mice that have been infected with the Friend virus complex. The cells resemble proerythroblasts and, when exposed to dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) or a variety of other chemicals, can be induced to undergo a programme of differentiation which closely resembles the final stages of normal erythropoiesis. This includes the cessation of proliferation and large increases in the production of messenger RNA for both alpha- and beta-globin. In addition, DMSO induces a rapid (less than 2 h) decrease in c-myc mRNA levels. The c-myc oncogene is expressed in the majority of proliferating normal cells and altered expression of the gene has been implicated in the genesis of a wide variety of tumours. To study the influence of oncogene activation on differentiation, we have transfected viral-promoter-driven c-myc genes into mouse erythroleukaemia cells. Constitutive c-myc expression was found to block DMSO-induced differentiation.     

Differential expression of myc family genes during murine development

The myc family of cellular oncogenes contains three known members. The N-myc and c-myc genes have 5'-noncoding exons, strikingly homologous coding regions, and display similar oncogenic potential in an in vitro transformation assay. The L-myc gene is less well characterized, but shows homology to N-myc and c-myc (ref. 6; also see below). c-myc is expressed in most dividing cells, and deregulated expression of this gene has been implicated in the development of many classes of tumours. In contrast, expression of N-myc has been found only in a restricted set of tumours, most of which show neural characteristics; these include human neuroblastoma, retinoblastoma and small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC). L-myc expression has so far been found only in SCLC. Activated N-myc and L-myc expression has been implicated in oncogenesis; for example, although N-myc expression has been found in all neuroblastomas tested, activated (greatly increased) N-myc expression, resulting from gene amplification, is correlated with progression of the tumour. We now report that high-level expression of N- and L-myc is very restricted with respect to tissue and stage in the developing mouse, while that of c-myc is more generalized. Furthermore, we demonstrate that N-myc is not simply a neuroectoderm-specific gene; both N- and L-myc seem to be involved in the early stages of multiple differentiation pathways. Our findings suggest that differential myc gene expression has a role in mammalian development and that the normal expression patterns of these genes generally predict the types of tumours in which they are expressed or activated.     

Abrogation by c-myc of G1 phase arrest induced by RB protein but not by p53.

Inactivating mutations of the retinoblastoma gene (RB) are found in a wide variety of tumour cells. Replacement of wild-type RB can suppress the tumorigenicity of some of these cells, suggesting that the RB protein (Rb) may negatively regulate cell growth. As activation of c-myc expression promotes cell proliferation and blocks differentiation, it may positively regulate cell growth. The c-myc protein is localized in the nucleus and can physically associate with RB protein in vitro, hence c-myc may functionally antagonize RB function. Microinjection of Rb in G1 phase reversibly arrests cell-cycle progression. Here we co-inject RB protein with c-myc, EJ-ras, c-fos or c-jun protein. Co-injection of c-myc, but not EJ-ras, c-fos or c-jun, inhibits the ability of Rb to arrest the cell cycle. The c-myc does not inhibit the activity of another tumour supressor, p53 (ref. 12). Thus, c-myc and RB specifically antagonize one another in the cell.     

c-Myc regulates mammalian body size by controlling cell number but not cell size.

Overexpression of the proto-oncogene c-myc has been implicated in the genesis of diverse human tumours. c-Myc seems to regulate diverse biological processes, but its role in tumorigenesis and normal physiology remains enigmatic. Here we report the generation of an allelic series of mice in which c-myc expression is incrementally reduced to zero. Fibroblasts from these mice show reduced proliferation and after complete loss of c-Myc function they exit the cell cycle. We show that Myc activity is not needed for cellular growth but does determine the percentage of activated T cells that re-enter the cell cycle. In vivo, reduction of c-Myc levels results in reduced body mass owing to multiorgan hypoplasia, in contrast to Drosophila c-myc mutants, which are smaller as a result of hypotrophy. We find that c-myc substitutes for c-myc in fibroblasts, indicating they have similar biological activities. This suggests there may be fundamental differences in the mechanisms by which mammals and insects control body size. We propose that in mammals c-Myc controls the decision to divide or not to divide and thereby functions as a crucial mediator of signals that determine organ and body size.     

小鼠Friend细胞诱导分化过程中对纤粘蛋白亲和性的研究

实验中观察到外源性纤维粘连蛋白(FN)可明显增强小鼠Friend红白血病(MEL)细胞的贴壁和铺展,许多细胞的形态改变为梭形,成纤维细胞样及上皮细胞样等类型,外源性FN可诱导MEL细胞微丝的恢复,微丝的恢复与使细胞增强贴壁和铺展有密切联系.外源性FN诱导MEL细胞贴壁和铺展以及表型改变的机理在于其细胞表面的FN受体与外源性FN的结合反应.但MEL细胞经HMBA诱导分化后,则丧失对外源性FN在细胞贴壁、铺展、表型改变及恢复微丝组装等方面的能力.这种差别可以为鉴别细胞转化和分化提供一种依据,并为进一步研究细胞转化与外基质之间相互关系及其机理提供线索.     

HMBA对人成骨肉瘤MG-63细胞形态结构和终末分化指标表达的影响

应用环六亚甲基双乙酰胺处理人成骨肉瘤MG-63细胞,观察MG-63细胞处理前后形态与超微结构及其相关终末分化指标的表达变化.实验结果显示,经5 mmol/L HMBA处理后,MG-63细胞体积增大,趋于扁平铺展状态,细胞大小较为一致,排列较为规则,细胞核形态规则,核质比例减小,核仁减少,核内异染色质减少,常染色质增多,细胞核内的线粒体和高尔基体较为发达,内质网数量增多,细胞表面的微绒毛减少,在成熟细胞中可见钙化糖原颗粒,细胞表面出现钙化小泡沉积,并且形成典型的骨结节.常规细胞化学和免疫细胞化学检测显示,HMBA处理后的细胞中Ⅰ型胶原纤维、骨钙素、骨粘素的表达显著增加,实验结果表明HMBA能够有效诱导人成骨肉瘤细胞的分化,并促进其终末分化指标的表达.     

c-myc oncogene protein synthesis is independent of the cell cycle in human and avian cells

Several lines of evidence suggest a role for the myc oncogene in cell proliferation. Most recently, mitogenic stimulation of quiescent lymphoid, fibroblast and epithelial cells has been demonstrated to lead to a sharp increase in c-myc RNA levels. To determine how c-myc expression is linked to the cell proliferative cycle, we have used centrifugal elutriation to enrich for populations of avian and human cells at different stages of the cell cycle. Centrifugal elutriation is a counterflow centrifugation method that separates cells on the basis of volume, a parameter correlating well with progression through the cell cycle. Using myc-specific anti-peptide antibodies, we show here that the synthesis, half-life and modification of c-myc proteins are constant throughout the cell cycle of normal and transformed cells.     

银屑病TNF-α及c-myc表达的变化及意义

目的 探讨银屑病的免疫机制,为银屑病的临床诊治及新药研制提供实验依据.方法 利用细胞培养技术培养HaCaT细胞,采用ELISA法检测银屑病外周血TNF-α及c-myc的表达情况以及TNF-α刺激后c-myc在银屑病HaCaT细胞中的表达情况.结果 与正常对照组比较,银屑病组外周血血清中TNF-α及c-myc的水平明显升高(P<0.01);80 ng/mL的TNF-α可刺激HaCaT细胞高分泌c-myc蛋白,组间比较差异具有统计学意义(P<0.01).结论 TNF-α是通过影响c-myc的分泌在银屑病发生、发展过程中起重要作用的.     

Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein inhibits human epithelial cell differentiation

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), a human herpesvirus, is strongly linked with two relatively rare forms of B-cell lymphoma and with a much more prevalent epithelial malignancy, undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). The availability of suitable culture systems has allowed detailed analysis of EBV-induced growth transformation in B lymphocytes, but little is known about the virus--epithelial cell interaction or about the possible effector role of viral proteins in the pathogenesis of NPC. Here we describe an experimental system to monitor the effects of introduced viral or cellular genes upon human epithelial cell growth and differentiation. We transfected a human epithelial cell line, which retains several features of normal keratinocyte behaviour in vitro, with the EBV gene encoding latent membrane protein (LMP), one of only two viral proteins known to be expressed in NPC cells in vivo. LMP expression was accompanied by changes in the epithelial cell surface phenotype, mimicking surface changes observed in NPC cells, and by severe impairment of the cellular response to differentiation signals. The ability of LMP to inhibit terminal differentiation indicates a mechanism whereby EBV infection of squamous epithelium could contribute to the multi-step pathogenesis of NPC.     

Fibronectin inhibits the terminal differentiation of human keratinocytes

In the epidermis proliferation of keratinocytes is restricted to the basal layer, which is in contact with the basement membrane, and cells undergo terminal differentiation as they move upwards through the suprabasal layers. In stratified cultures of human keratinocytes, upward migration is a consequence, not a cause, of terminal differentiation and occurs because keratinocytes become less adhesive to their substratum and to one another. Most keratinocytes can be induced to differentiate to completion by placing them in suspension in methylcellulose: within 12 h DNA synthesis is irreversibly inhibited and by 24 h most cells express involucrin (ref 4; P. A. Hall, J.C.A. and F.M.W., unpublished observations). Here we report that when fibronectin is added to the methylcellulose, keratinocytes still withdraw from the cell cycle, but induction of involucrin expression is largely inhibited. The effect of fibronectin is concentration- and time-dependent and is mediated by a receptor of the integrin family. These results provide an explanation for why overt terminal differentiation is normally restricted to suprabasal cells, whereas cell-cycle withdrawal occurs within the basal layer; they also have important implications for the mechanism of epidermal wound healing. Furthermore, our data show that the binding of an extracellular matrix protein to its receptor can regulate differentiated gene expression in the absence of changes in cell shape.