Identification of a zinc finger protein that inhibits IL-2 gene expression

A novel 7-nucleotide motif located in 3' untranslated sequences of the immediate-early gene set mediates platelet-derived growth factor induction of the JE gene

A cohort of the serum and growth factor regulated immediate-early gene set is induced with slower kinetics than c-fos. Two of the first immediate-early genes characterized as such, c-myc and JE, are contained within this subset. cis-acting genomic elements mediating induction of the slower responding subset of immediate-early genes have never been characterized. Herein we characterize two widely separated genomic elements which are together essential for induction of the murine JE gene by platelet-derived growth factor, serum, interleukin-1, and double-stranded RNA. One of these elements is novel in several regards. It is a 7-mer, TTTTGTA, found in the proximal 3' sequences downstream of the JE stop codon. The 3' element is position dependent and orientation independent. It does not function in polyadenylation, splicing, or destabilization of the JE transcript. Copies of the 7-mer or its inverse are found at comparable 3' sites in 25 immediate-early genes that encode transcription factors or cytokines. Given its general occurrence, the 7-mer may be a required cis-acting control element mediating induction of the immediate-early gene set.

Inhibition or activation of human T cell receptor transfectants is controlled by defined, soluble antigen arrays

We present evidence that direct T cell receptor (TCR) occupancy by antigen can either activate or inhibit T cells, depending upon whether or not a threshold number of local TCRs are crosslinked by multivalent arrays of the antigen. Variants of Jurkat cells were previously transfected with TCR alpha and beta chains that bind fluorescein, yielding FL-TCR+ human T cells. The transfectants are activated upon binding soluble multivalent antigen arrays at concentrations well below those required for monovalent interactions. This activation, measured by calcium fluxes and interleukin 2 (IL-2) production, indicates the superior binding avidity of multivalent ligands. Smaller, less multivalent arrays do not activate the cells, but antagonize larger arrays, demonstrating that antigen can bind TCR as either agonist or antagonist. The balance between activation and inhibition depends upon antigen array size, ligand valence, and concentration, indicating that a threshold extent of receptor crosslinking, and not individual perturbations of single TCR, is required for activation by antigen. Approximately 100 stimulatory arrays specifically bind per FL-TCR+ cell at concentrations where IL-2 production is half-maximal.

The TCF8 gene encoding a zinc finger protein (Nil-2-a) resides on human chromosome 10p11.2

The TCF8 gene encodes a zinc finger protein (Nil-2-a). Nil-2-a inhibits T-lymphocyte-specific interleukin 2 (IL2) gene expression by binding to a negative regulatory domain 100 nucleotides 5' of the IL2 transcription start site. Southern hybridization and somatic cell hybrids are used to demonstrate that the murine and human genomes contain related genes for Nil-2-a. TCF8 resides on human chromosome 10. Fluorescent in situ hybridization is employed to localize TCF8 to 10p11.2.

The weak, fine-tuned binding of ubiquitous transcription factors to the Il-2 enhancer contributes to its T cell-restricted activity

The T lymphocyte-specific enhancers of the murine and human Interleukin 2 (Il-2) genes harbour several binding sites for ubiquitous transcription factors. All these sites for the binding of AP-1, NF-kB or Oct-1 are non-canonical sites, i.e. they differ in one or a few base pairs from consensus sequences for the optimal binding of these factors. Although the factors bind weakly to these sites, the latter are functionally important because their mutation to non-binding sites results in a decrease of inducible activity of the Il-2 enhancer. Conversion of three sites to canonical binding sites of Octamer factors, AP-1 and NF-kB results in a drastic increase in enhancer activity and the induction of the Il-2 enhancer in non-T cells, such as B cell lines, murine L cells and human HeLa cells. The introduction of two or three canonical sites into the enhancer leads to a further increase of its activity. Il-2 enhancer induction is also observed in B cells when the concentration of AP-1 and Oct factors increases as a result of cotransfections with FosB and Octamer expression plasmids. When Il-2 enhancer constructs carrying canonical factor binding sites were injected into Xenopus oocytes the strong binding of ubiquitous factors substantially overcomes the silencing effect of negatively acting factors present in resting primary T lymphocytes. These results suggest a fine-tuned interplay between ubiquitous and lymphoid-specific factors binding to and transactivating the Il-2 enhancer and show that the binding affinity of ubiquitous factors to the enhancer contributes to its cell-type specific activity. Moreover, we believe that a dramatic increase of transcriptional activity brought about by single point mutations at strategic important factor binding sites may also have relevance to the activation of nuclear oncogenes.

Differential induction of transcription factors that regulate the interleukin 2 gene during anergy induction and restimulation

T cell activation requires two distinct signals. The first is delivered through the antigen-specific T cell receptor (TCR), and the second is provided by costimulatory molecule(s) present on the surface of the antigen-presenting cell (APC). Stimulation of T helper type 1 T cell clones through the TCR in the absence of the costimulatory activity results in a lack of interleukin 2 (IL-2) secretion and proliferation, and the induction of a long-lived state of nonresponsiveness, termed anergy. In this study, we have examined the transcription factors involved in IL-2 gene expression that are expressed after stimulation of normal T cell clones through the TCR with and without engagement of the necessary costimulatory molecule(s). Antigen-specific activation of the clones results in the induction of a similar pattern of transcription factors that have been previously shown to regulate IL-2 expression. In contrast, antigen presentation by chemically fixed APC, a condition that results in T cell anergy, induces neither NF-AT nor one of the two NF-kappa B binding factors. Thus, the failure to express IL-2 during the induction of T cell anergy may be attributed to the absence of these two transcription factors. When anergized T cells are restimulated with antigen and conventional APC, they induce the transcription factors associated with IL-2 expression, but they fail to synthesize measurable IL-2. Taken together, these data indicate that the control of IL-2 gene expression during anergy induction and during normal stimulation of anergized cells are distinct, and suggest the presence of additional regulatory elements in the IL-2 gene.