Differential effects of monoclonal antibodies on activating transcription factor-1 and cAMP response element binding protein interactions with DNA.

Activating transcription factor-1 (ATF1) and cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) have been implicated in cAMP-, calcium-, and virus-induced transcriptional alterations. Although CREB and ATF1 share extensive homology, they appear to mediate distinct cellular functions. We investigated the effect on DNA binding and in vitro transcription of four monoclonal antibodies (mAb) that bound to domains in either the regulatory region (mAb 1 and 3) or unique regions near the DNA-binding domains (mAb 4 and 5) of ATF1.

Expression of MUC1, MUC2, MUC3 and MUC4 mucin mRNAs in human pancreatic and intestinal tumor cell lines.

We examined the steady-state expression levels of mRNA for the MUC1, MUC2, MUC3 and MUC4 gene products in 12 pancreatic tumor cell lines, 6 colon tumor cell lines, and one ileocecal tumor cell line. The results showed that 10 of 12 pancreatic tumor cell lines expressed MUC1 mRNA and that 7 of these 12 lines also expressed relatively high levels of MUC4 mRNA. In contrast, MUC2 mRNA was expressed at only low levels and MUC3 was not detected in the pancreatic tumor cell lines.

Phorbol esters modulate the phosphorylation of human T-cell leukemia virus type I Tax.

The Tax protein from human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) is a 40-kDa phosphoprotein capable of activating transcription from its own long terminal repeat (LTR), as well as increasing the transcription of cellular genes. Transcriptional activation of the HTLV-I LTR has been demonstrated via a cyclic-AMP-responsive element within the 21-bp Tax-responsive elements of the LTR. Phorbol esters also upregulate expression via the LTR.

Inhibition of mouse skin tumorigenesis by dexamethasone occurs through a Ha-ras-independent mechanism.

The Ha-ras oncogene has been shown to be point-mutated and overexpressed in papillomas induced by the two-stage skin tumorigenesis regimen of 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) and promotion with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Glucocorticoids inhibit mouse skin tumorigenesis when applied with the initiation agent or with the promoting agent. We have extended these studies to evaluate whether dexamethasone (Dex) treatment could inhibit development of already established tumors.

Binding of the 97 kDa glucocorticoid receptor to the 5' upstream flanking region of the mouse c-Ha-ras oncogene.

Glucocorticoids regulate transcription of specific genes through the interaction of glucocorticoid hormone receptor complexes with DNA binding sites called glucocorticoid response elements (GREs). The GRE consensus sequence has been defined to be the imperfect palindromic sequence 5'-GGTACANNNTGTTCT-3', the most highly conserved portion being the 5'-TGTTCT-3' hexamer. We have identified 5 potential GREs in the 5' upstream noncoding region of the mouse c-Ha-ras oncogene, two with the same hexanucleotide sequence and three with a similar sequence.