Identification of a novel transcriptional regulatory element common to the p53 and interferon regulatory factor 1 genes.

The promoter regions of both the interferon regulatory factor (IRF1) and p53 antioncogenes contain a previously unidentified sequence denoted IRF1 p53 common sequence (IPCS), which markedly increases the transcriptional activity of a reporter gene placed under the control of an heterologous promoter in transfected U937 cells. In contrast, transfection of U937 cells with reporter vectors containing p53 and IRF1 promoters with mutated IPCS sites resulted in a 4-fold reduction in the constitutive expression of those two genes. The transcriptional activity of IPCS is strictly correlated with the binding of a novel nuclear factor, IPCS-binding factor (IPCS-BF).

The effect of prolactin on casein kinase II, MAP kinase and PKC in rabbit mammary cells and Nb2 rat lymphoid cells.

Prolactin induces milk protein gene expression in rabbit primary mammary cells without any concomitant cell multiplication. Prolactin or other lactogenic hormones is the major inducer of cell division in the rat lymphoid Nb2 cells. In Nb2 cells, prolactin also rapidly induces the expression of the c-myc gene, and beta-actin and stathmin gene expression is induced more slowly.

The effects of various kinase and phosphatase inhibitors on the transmission of the prolactin and extracellular matrix signals to rabbit alpha S1-casein and transferrin genes.

In all species, milk protein genes are specifically expressed in the mammary gland under the control of lactogenic hormones and extracellular matrix. In rabbit, casein gene expression is induced by prolactin alone and this induction is amplified by extracellular matrix. Transferrin gene expression is induced by extracellular matrix in the absence of hormones.

Variation of transferrin mRNA concentration in the rabbit mammary gland during the pregnancy-lactation-weaning cycle and in cultured mammary cells. A comparison with the other major milk protein mRNAs.

The concentration of transferrin mRNA was evaluated during pregnancy and lactation in rabbit mammary gland and liver using northern blot and dot blot assays. Transferrin mRNA was present in the virgin rabbit mammary gland and its concentration increased as pregnancy proceeded, with a major enhancement after day 15. A high concentration was reached 3 days after parturition, with no additional increase during lactation and with a marked decline after weaning.

Effect of various protein kinase inhibitors on the induction of milk protein gene expression by prolactin.

Prolactin has many known functions and one of them is to induce the expression of milk protein gene expression in the mammary gland. Specific membrane receptors have been recently characterized but the transduction mechanism involved in the transfer of the prolactin signal to milk protein genes remains unknown. In the present work, it is shown that several protein kinase inhibitors block prolactin action on milk protein genes.