Ras mediates Src but not epidermal growth factor-receptor tyrosine kinase signaling pathways in GH4 neuroendocrine cells

Synthesis and Evaluation of the Anticancer and Trypanocidal Activities of Boronic Tyrphostins

Molecules containing an (cyanovinyl)arene moiety are known as tyrphostins because of their ability to inhibit proteins from the tyrosine kinase family, an interesting target for the development of anticancer and trypanocidal drugs. In the present work, (E)-(cyanovinyl)benzeneboronic acids were synthesized by Knoevenagel condensations without the use of any catalysts in water through a simple protocol that completely avoided the use of organic solvents in the synthesis and workup process. The in vitro anticancer and trypanocidal activities of the synthesized boronic acids were also evaluated, and it was discovered that the introduction of the boronic acid functionality improved the activity of the boronic tyrphostins. In silico target fishing with the use of a chemogenomic approach suggested that tyrosine-phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1a (DYRK1A) was a potential target for some of the designed compounds.

Ras and Rap1 govern spatiotemporal dynamic of activated ERK in pituitary living cells

The Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK is a conserved signalling pathway involved in the control of fundamental cellular processes. Despite extensive research, how this pathway can process a myriad of diverse extracellular inputs into substrate specificity to determine biological outcomes is not fully understood. It has been established that the ERK1/2 pathway is an integrative point in the control of the pituitary function exerted by various extracellular signals. In addition we previously established that the GTPases Ras and Rap1 play a key role in the regulation of ERK1/2-dependent prolactin transcription by EGF or the cAMP-dependent neuropeptide VIP. In this report, using the FRET-based biosensor of ERK activity (EKAR) in the pituitary GH4C1 cell line, we show that both EGF and VIP tightly control the spatiotemporal dynamic of activated ERK with different magnitude and duration. Importantly, we provide the first evidence of a differential control of cytoplasmic and nuclear pools of activated ERK by the GTPases Ras and Rap1. Ras is required for nuclear magnitude and duration of EGF-dependent ERK activation, whereas it is required for both VIP-activated cytoplasmic and nuclear ERK pools. Rap1 is exclusively involved in VIP-activated ERK nuclear pool. Moreover, consistent with the control of the nuclear pool of activated ERK by the GTPases, we observe the same differential role of Ras and Rap1 on ERK nuclear translocation triggered by EGF or VIP. Together these findings identify Ras and Rap1 as determinant partners in shaping nuclear and cytoplasmic ERK kinetics in response to EGF and VIP, which in turn should control pituitary secretion.

Expression and function of ErbB receptors and ligands in the pituitary

The role of ErbB family in discreet pituitary functions is reviewed. Several ErbB receptor ligands, EGF, TGFα, and heregulin are differentially expressed in normal gonadotroph and lacto-somatotroph lineages, and other elements of the anterior pituitary. ErbB receptors, i.e. EGFR and ErbB2, are also localized to the anterior pituitary with preferential EGFR lactosomatotroph expression. EGF regulates CRH and ACTH secretion and corticotroph proliferation as well as exhibiting autocrine and paracrine effects on gonadotrophs and on lactosomatotroph proliferation, gene and protein expression, and hormonal secretion. EGF and EGFR are expressed in both functioning and non-functioning pituitary adenomas, with higher expression in more aggressive tumor subtypes. ErbB2 receptor is detected in all tumor subtypes, particularly in invasive tumors. ErbB tyrosine kinase inhibitors regulate hormonal secretion, cell morphology, and proliferation in lacto-somatotroph tumors, reflecting the emerging application of targeted pituitary therapeutics.

The gsp oncogene disrupts Ras/ERK-dependent prolactin gene regulation in gsp inducible somatotroph cell line

The MAPK ERK1/2 cascade regulates all the critical cellular functions, and in many pathological situations, these regulatory processes are perturbed. It has been clearly established that this cascade is an integrative point in the control of the pituitary functions exerted by various extracellular signals. In particular, ERK1/2 cross talk with the cAMP pathway is determinant in the control of somatolactotroph hormonal secretion exerted via neuropeptide receptors. GH-secreting adenomas are characterized by frequent cAMP pathway alterations, such as constitutive activation of the α-subunit of the heterotrimeric Gs protein (the gsp oncogene), overexpression of Gsα, and changes in the protein kinase A regulatory subunits. However, it has not yet been established exactly how these alterations result in GH-secreting adenomas or how the ERK1/2 cascade contributes to the process of GH-secreting adenoma tumorigenesis. In this study on the conditional gsp-oncogene-expressing GH4C1 cell line, expression of the gsp oncogene, which was observed in up to 40% of GH-secreting adenomas, was found to induce sustained ERK1/2 activation, which required activation of the protein kinase A and the GTPases Ras and Rap1. All these signaling components contribute to the chronic activation of the human prolactin promoter. The data obtained here show that Ras plays a crucial role in these processes: in a physiopathological context, i.e. in the presence of the gsp oncogene, it switched from being a repressor of the cAMP/ protein kinase A ERK-sensitive prolactin gene control exerted by neuropeptides to an activator of the prolactin promoter.

Signalling pathway alterations in pituitary adenomas: involvement of Gsalpha, cAMP and mitogen-activated protein kinases

Despite extensive research on sporadic pituitary adenomas, it is not yet possible to assign one protein alteration to one specific type of pituitary adenomas. Nevertheless, alterations of the cAMP pathway appear to be molecular hallmarks of most growth hormone (GH)-secreting adenomas. However, these alterations do not confer specific phenotypes to patients carrying these alterations. In this review, we summarise the literature regarding signalling alterations observed in GH-secreting adenomas. We focus on Gsalpha alterations and their possible cross-talk with the extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK)1/2 pathway. In the light of results obtained on human somatotroph adenoma cells in primary culture and on models of murine somatotroph cell lines, we postulate a crucial role for ERK1/2 in GH-secreting adenomas downstream of cAMP pathway alterations that might impact the tumoural phenotype.

The 26-amino acid beta-motif of the Pit-1beta transcription factor is a dominant and independent repressor domain

The POU-homeodomain transcription factor Pit-1 governs the pituitary cell-specific expression of Pit-1, GH, prolactin (PRL), and TSHbeta genes. Alternative splicing generates Pit-1beta, which contains a 26-amino acid beta-domain inserted at amino acid 48, in the middle of the Pit-1 transcription activation domain (TAD). Pit-1beta represses GH, PRL, and TSHbeta promoters in a pituitary-specific manner, because Pit-1beta activates these same promoters in HeLa nonpituitary cells. Here we comprehensively analyze the role of beta-domain sequence, position, and context, to elucidate the mechanism of beta-dependent repression. Repositioning the beta-motif to the Pit-1 amino terminus, hinge, linker, and carboxyl terminus did not affect its ability to repress basal rat (r) PRL promoter activity in GH4 pituitary cells, but all lost the ability to repress Ras-induced rPRL promoter activity. To determine whether beta-domain repression is independent of Pit-1 protein and DNA binding sites, we generated Gal4-Pit-1TAD, Gal4-Pit-1betaTAD, and Gal4-beta-domain fusions and demonstrated that the beta-motif is sufficient to actively repress VP16-mediated transcription of a heterologous promoter. Moreover, beta-domain point mutants had the same effect whether fused to Gal4 or within the context of intact Pit-1beta. Surprisingly, Gal4-beta repression lost histone deacetylase sensitivity and pituitary specificity. Taken together, these results reveal that the beta-motif is a context-independent, modular, transferable, and dominant repressor domain, yet the beta-domain repressor activity within Pit-1beta contains cell type, promoter, and Pit-1 protein context dependence.

Conditional overexpression of the wild-type Gs alpha as the gsp oncogene initiates chronic extracellularly regulated kinase 1/2 activation and hormone hypersecretion in pituitary cell lines

In pituitary cells, activation of the cAMP pathway by specific G protein-coupled receptors controls differentiative functions and proliferation. Constitutively active forms of the alpha subunit of the heterotrimeric G(s) protein resulting from mutations at codon 201 or 227 (gsp oncogene) were first identified in 30-40% of human GH-secreting pituitary adenomas. This rate of occurrence suggests that the gsp oncogene is not responsible for initiating the majority of these tumors. Moreover, there is a large overlap between the clinical phenotypes observed in patients with tumors bearing the gsp oncogene and those devoid of this oncogene. To explore the role of G(s)alpha in GH-secreting adenomas, we obtained somatolactotroph GH4C1 cell lines by performing doxycycline-dependent conditional overexpression of the wild-type G(s)alpha protein and expression of the gsp oncogene. Although the resulting adenylyl cyclase and cAMP levels were 10-fold lower in the wild-type G(s)alpha-overexpressing cell line, a sustained MAPK ERK1/2 activation was observed in both cell lines. Overexpression of the wild-type G(s)alpha protein as the gsp oncogene initiated chronic activation of endogenous prolactin synthesis and release, as well as chronic activation of ERK1/2-sensitive human prolactin and GH promoters.

Integrin activates receptor-like protein tyrosine phosphatase alpha, Src, and Rho to increase prolactin gene expression through a final phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/cytoskeletal pathway that is additive with insulin

We previously showed that receptor-like protein tyrosine phosphatase (RPTP)-alpha inhibited insulin-increased prolactin gene transcription. Others suggested that RPTPalpha was a key intermediary between integrins and activation of Src. We present evidence that inhibition of insulin-increased prolactin gene transcription was secondary to RPTPalpha activation of Src, reflecting its role as mediator of integrin responses. Src kinase activity was increased in GH4 cells transiently or stably expressing RPTPalpha and cells plated on the integrin-alpha5beta1 ligand fibronectin. C-terminal Src kinase inactivated Src and blocked RPTPalpha inhibition of insulin-increased prolactin gene transcription. Expression of dominant-negative Src also prevented the RPTPalpha-mediated inhibition of insulin-increased prolactin gene expression. Low levels of a constitutively active Src mutant (SrcY/F) stimulated whereas higher expression levels of Src Y/F inhibited prolactin gene expression. Src-increased prolactin gene transcription was inhibited by expression of a blocking Rho-mutant (RhoN19), suggesting that Src acted through or required active Rho. Experiments with an activated Rho-mutant (RhoL63) demonstrated a biphasic activation/repression of prolactin gene transcription that was similar to the effect of Src. The effects of both Src and Rho were phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase dependent. Expression of SrcY/F or RhoL63 altered the actin cytoskeleton and morphology of GH4 cells. Taken together, these data suggest a physiological pathway from the cell matrix to increased prolactin gene transcription mediated by RPTPalpha/Src/Rho/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and cytoskeletal change that is additive with effects of insulin. Over activation of this pathway, however, caused extreme alteration of the cytoskeleton that blocked activation of the prolactin gene.

Differential involvement of the Ras and Rap1 small GTPases in vasoactive intestinal and pituitary adenylyl cyclase activating polypeptides control of the prolactin gene

In pituitary cells, transcriptional regulation of the prolactin (PRL) gene and prolactin secretion are controlled by multiple transduction pathways through the activation of G protein coupled receptors and receptor tyrosine kinases. In the somatolactotrope GH4C1 cell line, we have previously identified crosstalk between the MAPKinase cascade ERK1/2 and the cAMP/protein kinase A pathway after the activation of the VPAC2 receptor by vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) or pituitary adenylyl cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP38). In the present study, we focus on the involvement of the GTPases Ras and Rap1 as downstream components of signal transmission initiated by activation of the VPAC2 receptor. By using pull-down experiments, we show that VIP and PACAP38 preferentially activate Rap1, whereas thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) mainly activate Ras GTPase. Experiments involving the expression of the dominant-negative mutants of Ras and Rap1 signaling (RasN17 or Rap1N17) indicate that both GTPases Ras and Rap1 are recruited for the ERK activation by VIP and PACAP38, whereas Rap1 is poorly involved in TRH or EGF-induced ERK activation. The use of U0126, a selective inhibitor of MAPKinase kinase, provides evidence that MAPKinase contributes to the regulation of the PRL gene. Moreover, cotransfection of RasN17 or Rap1N17 with the PRL proximal promoter luciferase reporter construct indicates that Rap1 may be responsible for VIP/PACAP-induced activation of the PRL promoter. Interestingly, Ras would be involved as a negative regulator of VIP/PACAP-induced PRL gene activation, in contrast to its stimulatory role in the regulation of the PRL promoter by TRH and EGF.

Role of specific protein kinase C isozymes in mediating epidermal growth factor, thyrotropin-releasing hormone, and phorbol ester regulation of the rat prolactin promoter in GH4/GH4C1 pituitary cells

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and TRH both produce enhanced prolactin (PRL) gene transcription and PRL secretion in GH4 rat pituitary tumor cell lines. These agents also activate protein kinase C (PKC) in these cells. Previous studies have implicated the PKCepsilon isozyme in mediating TRH-induced PRL secretion. However, indirect studies using phorbol ester down-regulation to investigate the role of PKC in EGF- and TRH-induced PRL gene transcription have been inconclusive. In the present study, we examined the role of multiple PKC isozymes on EGF- and TRH-induced activation of the PRL promoter by utilizing general and selective PKC inhibitors and by expression of genes for wild-type and kinase-negative forms of the PKC isozymes. Multiple nonselective PKC inhibitors, including staurosporine, bisindolylmaleimide I, and Calphostin C, inhibited both EGF and TRH induced rat PRL promoter activity. TRH effects were more sensitive to Calphostin C, a competitive inhibitor of diacylglycerol, whereas Go 6976, a selective inhibitor of Ca(2+)-dependent PKCs, produced a modest inhibition of EGF but no inhibition of TRH effects. Rottlerin, a specific inhibitor of the novel nPKCdelta isozyme, significantly blocked both EGF and TRH effects. Overexpression of genes encoding PKCs alpha, betaI, betaII, delta, gamma, and lambda failed to enhance either EGF or TRH responses, whereas overexpression of nPKCeta enhanced the EGF response. Neither stable nor transient overexpression of nPKCepsilon produced enhancement of EGF- or TRH-induced PRL promoter activity, suggesting that different processes regulate PRL transcription and hormone secretion. Expression of a kinase inactive nPKCdelta construct produced modest inhibition of EGF-mediated rPRL promoter activity. Taken together, these data provide evidence for a role of multiple PKC isozymes in mediating both EGF and TRH stimulated PRL gene transcription. Both EGF and TRH responses appear to require the novel isozyme, nPKCdelta, whereas nPKCeta may also be able to transmit the EGF response. Inhibitor data suggest that the EGF response may also involve Ca(2+)-dependent isozymes, whereas the TRH response appears to be more dependent on diacylglycerol.

c-Src signaling induced by the adapters Sin and Cas is mediated by Rap1 GTPase

Oncogenic Src proteins have been extensively studied to gain insight into the signaling mechanisms of Src. To better understand signaling through wild-type Src, we used an approach that involves activation of Src signaling through the binding of physiologic ligands to the Src SH3 domain. To this end, we used full-length and truncated versions of the multiadapter molecules Cas and Sin to activate c-Src, and we examined the intracellular pathways that mediate Src signaling under these conditions. We show that although all proteins bind to and are phosphorylated by c-Src, quantitative differences exist in the ability of the different ligands to activate c-Src signaling. In addition, we show that Sin- and Cas-induced Src signaling, as assayed by transcriptional activation, is exclusively mediated through a pathway that involves the adapter Crk and the GTP-binding protein Rap1. These data are in contrast to previous observations showing Ras to mediate signaling downstream of transforming Src alleles. In our system, we found that signaling through the oncogenic SrcY527 mutant is indeed mediated by Ras. In addition, we found that Rap1 also mediates oncogenic Src signaling. Our results show for the first time that Rap1 mediates c-Src kinase signaling and reveal mechanistic differences in the signaling properties of wild-type and transforming Src proteins.

Prolactin-independent modulation of the beta-casein response element by Erk2 MAP kinase

The MAP kinases have been suggested to play a role in intracellular signalling by PRL. A reporter gene construct, PRE3-CAT, which manifests PRL responsiveness through a Stat5-binding site (PRE), was induced by PRL in CHO cells expressing the PRL-R. A fusion protein (Gal4-Stat5(695)), containing the C-terminal domain of Stat5a (amino acids 695-794) linked to the DNA-binding domain of Gal4 (Gal4 DBD), strongly activated transcription of a luciferase reporter gene. Therefore, the Stat5 C-terminus, which contains a potential MAP kinase phosphorylation site, exhibits a modular transactivating function. A kinase-defective mutant of Erk2 (iMAPK) caused a dose-dependent suppression of PRL-stimulated PRE3-CAT, and also inhibited the induction of PRE3-CAT by Jak2 over-expression. Correspondingly, over-expression of the MAP kinase activator v-Src increased the PRL-stimulated level of PRE3-CAT. Gal4-Stat5(695) activity was not modulated by PRL or Jak2, consistent with the absence of the relevant tyrosine phosphorylation site at residue 694. Gal4-Stat5(695) was not inhibited by iMAPK, indicating that the C-terminal transactivation region of Stat5a is not sensitive to direct modulation of a MAP kinase pathway. These results suggest that alteration of Erk2 activity by growth factors may modulate PRL-induced gene expression by a mechanism upstream of Stat5.

Prolactin and mammary gland development

Prolactin (PRL) regulates the development of the mammary gland at three stages in the reproductive life history of females. The first stage is mammary gland organogenesis, during which PRL contributes to the maturation of the mammary glands from a primary ductal system, which grows from terminal end buds, to the fully mature nonpregnant gland. The mature mammary gland is characterized by an absence of terminal end buds, and the development of a highly branched architecture, which is decorated by lobular buds. During pregnancy PRL, placental lactogens, and progesterone stimulate the expansion and physiological differentiation of the lobuloalveolar system from the lobular buds. After delivery PRL, in the context of falling progesterone, stimulates the final induction of milk protein gene expression and lactation. PRL acts directly on the mammary epithelium, and indirectly by stimulating luteal progesterone secretion in rodents. Disruption of the genes for PRL and the PRL receptor, as well as those for transcription factors important in mammary gland regulation (Stat proteins), have provided a new set of animal models with which to study normal mammary gland development and the relationships of PRL to breast carcinogenesis. Two major deficiencies in our current knowledge of PRL actions are our understanding of the role of epithelial-stromal interactions in PRL-induced mammary morphogenesis, and the identity of developmentally important genes that are regulated by PRL during normal mammary gland organogenesis.

Functional components of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signal transduction in pituitary cells. Identification of FGF response elements in the prolactin gene

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) have been implicated in pituitary lactotroph tumorigenesis; however, little is known about the molecular mechanisms of FGF signal transduction. We used a transient transfection approach, in GH4 cells, to identify components of the FGF signaling pathway leading to activation of the rat prolactin (rPRL) promoter. Using dominant-negative constructs of p21(Ras), Raf-1 kinase, and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, we show that FGF activation of the rPRL promoter is independent of Ras and Raf-1 but requires MAP kinase. Furthermore, MAP kinase but not Raf-1 kinase catalytic activity is stimulated by FGFs. The rPRL promoter FGF response maps to two Ets binding sites, centered at -212 (FRE1) and -96 (FRE2), and co-transfection of dominant-negative Ets inhibits FGF activation. FRE1 co-localizes with a composite, Ets/GHF-1, Ras response element. However, overexpression of Ets-1 and GHF-1, which potentiate the Ras response, inhibits FGF stimulation of the rPRL promoter, implying that Ras and FGF signaling pathways target distinct factors to elicit their effects. These data suggest that Ets factors serve to sort and integrate MAP kinase-dependent growth factor signals, allowing highly specific transcriptional responses to be mediated via the interaction of distinct Ets proteins and cofactors at common response elements.

Differential regulation of pituitary-specific gene expression by insulin-like growth factor 1 in rat pituitary GH4C1 and GH3 cells

We have compared the influence of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) on pituitary gene expression in the rat cell lines GH4C1 and GH3. Incubation with IGF-1 increased PRL messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in GH4C1 cells by 4- to 5-fold but decreased the levels of PRL transcripts in GH3 cells. In addition, the levels of GH-mRNA that were not affected by IGF-1 in GH4C1 cells were significantly inhibited by the growth factor in GH3 cells. IGF-1 also decreased PRL and GH-mRNA response to T3, retinoic acid, and Fk in GH3 cells. Stability of PRL or GH transcripts was not altered by IGF-1 in GH3 cells, suggesting that the inhibitory effect is exerted at a transcriptional level. The pituitary-specific transcription factor GHF-1/Pit-1 activates both the GH and PRL promoters. As analyzed by Western blot, IGF-1 did not alter GHF-1/Pit-1 protein levels in GH4C1 cells but reduced the levels of the transcription factor in GH3 cells. This decrease is secondary to a reduction of GHF-1/Pit-1 transcripts in IGF-1-treated GH3 cells. Thus, a different effect of IGF-1 on the expression of GHF-1/Pit-1 in GH3 and GH4C1 cells is likely involved in the different regulation of GH and PRL gene in both cell types. IGF-1 increases the activity of the PRL promoter in transient transfection assays in GH4C1 cells by a Ras-dependent mechanism. Expression of oncogenic Ras(Val12) mimics the effect of IGF-1, and the dominant negative Ras(Asn17) blocks IGF-1-mediated stimulation of the PRL promoter in GH4C1 cells. Although IGF-1 did not stimulate the PRL promoter in GH3 cells, Ras(Val12) strongly activated the promoter in these cells. Hence, the machinery to activate Ras-dependent signaling is intact in GH3 cells. Moreover, IGF-1 stimulates the mitogen-activated protein kinase in GH3 cells, showing that the components linking the IGF-1 receptor to Ras are also active. These results suggest that, in addition to the Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, IGF-1 could activate a different pathway and that the combination of both is required to elicit PRL gene expression by the growth factor. This second pathway may be defective in GH3 cells that respond to Ras but not to IGF-1.

Interaction of Ets-1 and the POU-homeodomain protein GHF-1/Pit-1 reconstitutes pituitary-specific gene expression

The pituitary-specific, POU-homeodomain factor GHF-1/Pit-1 is necessary, but not sufficient, for cell-specific expression of prolactin (PRL), growth hormone (GH), and thyrotropin. Combinatorial interactions of GHF-1 with other factors are likely to be required; however, such factors and their mechanisms of action remain to be elucidated. Here we identify Ets-1 as a factor that functionally and physically interacts with GHF-1 to fully reconstitute proximal PRL promoter activity. In contrast, Ets-2 has no effect, and the alternatively spliced GHF-2/Pit-1beta variant fails to synergize with Ets-1. The Ets-1-GHF-1 synergy requires a composite Ets-1-GHF-1 cis element and is dependent on an Ets-1-specific protein domain. Furthermore, the ancestrally related and GHF-1-dependent GH promoter, which lacks this composite element, does not exhibit this response. Finally, Ets-1, but not Ets-2, binds directly to GHF-1 and GHF-2. These data show that a functional interaction of GHF-1 and Ets-1, acting via a composite DNA element, is required to establish lactotroph-specific PRL gene expression, thus providing a molecular mechanism by which GHF-1 can discriminate between the GH and PRL genes. These results underscore the importance of transcription factors that are distinct from, but interact with, homeobox proteins to establish lineage-specific gene expression.

Syndecan-1 alterations during the tumorigenic progression of human colonic Caco-2 cells induced by human Ha-ras or polyoma middle T oncogenes

The products of ras and src proto-oncogenes are frequently activated in a constitutive state in human colorectal cancer. In this study we attempted to establish whether the tumorigenic progression induced by oncogenic activation of p21ras and pp60c-src in human colonic Caco-2 cells is associated with specific alterations of syndecan-1, a membrane-anchored proteoglycan playing a role in cell-matrix interaction and neoplastic growth control. To this end, we used Caco-2 cells made highly tumorigenic by transfection with an activated (Val 12) human Ha-ras gene or with the polyoma middle T (Py-MT) oncogene, a constitutive activator of pp60c-src tyrosine kinase activity. Compared with control vector-transfected Caco-2 cells, both oncogene-transfected cell lines (1) contained smaller amounts of membrane-anchored PGs; (2) exhibited decreased syndecan-1 expression at the protein but not the mRNA level; (3) synthesized 35S-labelled syndecan-1 with decreased specific activity; (4) produced a syndecan-1 ectodomain with a lower molecular mass and reduced GAG chain size and sulphation; and (5) expressed heparanase degradative activity. These results show that the dramatic activation of the tumorigenic potential induced by oncogenic p21ras or Py-MT/pp60c-src in Caco-2 cells is associated with marked alterations of syndecan-1 expression at the translational and post-translational levels.

Association of signaling proteins with a nonmitogenic heterodimeric complex composed of epidermal growth factor receptor and kinase-inactive p185c-neu

The functional consequences of heterodimer formation between the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr) and the p185c-neu receptor tyrosine kinase include increased mitogenic and transformation potencies. To determine the possible alteration of signal transduction pathways resulting from this heteromeric complex, the capacity of several signaling proteins to associate with the heterodimeric receptors has been assayed. The in vivo interaction with the EGFr/p185c-neu heterodimer of several signal transduction proteins, including phospholipase C-gamma 1 (PLC-gamma 1), the p85 subunit of phosphotidylinositol 3-kinase, the ras GTPase activating protein, SHC, NCK, p72RAF, and the tyrosine phosphatase SHPTP2, was measured by coimmunoprecipitation. The binding of these signaling proteins to a complex composed of EGFr and a kinase-inactive form of p185 (p185K757M) was not impaired, even though the mitogenic and transformation activity of this complex had been abrogated. In addition, the EGF-induced phosphorylation of GAP, p85, and PLC-gamma 1 did not correlate with the dominant-negative action of p185K757M on EGFr function. Thus, substrate association and phosphorylation do not correlate stringently with the mitogenic and transforming activity of this receptor complex, suggesting additional pathways or mechanisms vital to EGFr/p185c-neu heterodimeric signaling.

Epidermal growth factor and Ras regulate gene expression in GH4 pituitary cells by separate, antagonistic signal transduction pathways

We have previously demonstrated that epidermal growth factor (EGF) produces activation of the rat prolactin (rPRL) promoter in GH4 neuroendocrine cells via a Ras-independent mechanism. This Ras independence of the EGF response appears to be cell rather than promoter specific. Oncogenic Ras also produces activation of the rPRL promoter when transfected into GH4 cells and requires the sequential activation of Raf kinase, mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase, and c-Ets-1/GHF-1 to mediate this response. In these studies, we have investigated the interaction between EGF and Ras in stimulating rPRL promoter activity and the role of Raf and MAP kinases in mediating the EGF response. We have also examined the role of several transcription factors and used various promoter mutants of the rPRL gene in order to better define the trans- and cis-acting components of the EGF response. EGF treatment of GH4 cells inhibits activation of the rPRL promoter produced by transfection of V12Ras from 24- to 4-fold in an EGF dose-dependent manner. This antagonistic effect of EGF and Ras is mutual in that transfection of V12Ras also blocks EGF-induced activation of the rPRL promoter in a Ras dose-dependent manner, from 5.5- to 1.6-fold. Transfection of a plasmid encoding the dominant-negative Raf C4 blocks Ras-induced activation by 66% but fails to inhibit EGF-mediated activation of the rPRL promoter. Similarly, transfection of a construct encoding an inhibitory form of MAP kinase decreases the Ras response by 50% but does not inhibit the EGF response. Previous studies have demonstrated that c-Ets-1 is necessary and that GHF-1 acts synergistically with c-Ets-1 in the Ras response of the rPRL promoter. In contrast, overexpression of neither c-Ets-1 nor GHF-1 enhanced EGF-mediated activation of the rPRL promoter, and dominant-negative forms of these transcription factors failed to inhibit the EGF response. Using 5' deletion and site-specific mutations, we have mapped the EGF response to two regions on the proximal rPRL promoter. One region maps between -255 and -212, near the Ras response element, and a second maps between -125 and -54. The latter region appears to involve footprint 2, a previously identified repressor site on the rPRL promoter. Neither footprint 1 nor 3, known GHF-1 binding sites, appears to be crucial to RGF-mediated rPRL promoter activation. The results of these studies indicate that in GH4 neuroendocrine cells, rPRL gene regulation by EGF is mediated by a signal transduction pathway that is separate and antagonistic to the Ras pathway. Hence, the functional role of the Ras/Raf/MAP kinase pathway in mediating transcriptional responses to EGF and other receptor tyrosine kinase may differ in highly specialized cell types.