Skip to main content
Molecular and Cellular Biology logoLink to Molecular and Cellular Biology
. 1990 Nov;10(11):5883–5893. doi: 10.1128/mcb.10.11.5883

Transcription factor Sp1 is important for retinoic acid-induced expression of the tissue plasminogen activator gene during F9 teratocarcinoma cell differentiation.

A L Darrow 1, R J Rickles 1, L T Pecorino 1, S Strickland 1
PMCID: PMC361379  PMID: 2172788

Abstract

The induced differentiation of F9 cells by retinoic acid (RA) and cyclic AMP (cAMP) activated transcription of the tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) gene. This differentiation-responsive regulation of the t-PA promoter was also observed in transient assays. Multiple sequence elements within 243 bp of t-PA DNA contributed to the high level of transcription in retinoic acid- and cyclic AMP-differentiated cells. To investigate the factors involved in controlling t-PA transcription upon differentiation, we used F9 cell extracts to examine proteins that bind two proximal promoter elements. These elements (boxes 4 and 5) are homologous to GC boxes that are known binding sites for transcription factor Sp1. Mobility shift assays in the presence and absence of anti-Sp1 antibodies demonstrated that the proteins which bound to this region were immunologically related to human Sp1. The proteins also had a DNA-binding specificity similar to that of a truncated form of Sp1. Mutations of the GC motif within boxes 4 and 5 that interfered with Sp1 binding reduced in parallel the binding of the F9 cellular factors and lowered transcription in vitro as well as in vivo. Although this proximal region of the t-PA promoter was active in vivo only in differentiated cells, the Sp1-like binding proteins were present in equal concentrations and had similar properties in extracts of both stem and differentiated cells. These data suggest that other cellular elements participate with this Sp1-like factor in controlling differentiation-specific expression.

Full text

PDF

Images in this article

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Baeuerle P. A., Baltimore D. I kappa B: a specific inhibitor of the NF-kappa B transcription factor. Science. 1988 Oct 28;242(4878):540–546. doi: 10.1126/science.3140380. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Baldwin A. S., Jr, Sharp P. A. Binding of a nuclear factor to a regulatory sequence in the promoter of the mouse H-2Kb class I major histocompatibility gene. Mol Cell Biol. 1987 Jan;7(1):305–313. doi: 10.1128/mcb.7.1.305. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Berstine E. G., Hooper M. L., Grandchamp S., Ephrussi B. Alkaline phosphatase activity in mouse teratoma. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1973 Dec;70(12):3899–3903. doi: 10.1073/pnas.70.12.3899. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Bruder J. T., Hearing P. Nuclear factor EF-1A binds to the adenovirus E1A core enhancer element and to other transcriptional control regions. Mol Cell Biol. 1989 Nov;9(11):5143–5153. doi: 10.1128/mcb.9.11.5143. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Carthew R. W., Chodosh L. A., Sharp P. A. An RNA polymerase II transcription factor binds to an upstream element in the adenovirus major late promoter. Cell. 1985 Dec;43(2 Pt 1):439–448. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(85)90174-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Chen E. Y., Seeburg P. H. Supercoil sequencing: a fast and simple method for sequencing plasmid DNA. DNA. 1985 Apr;4(2):165–170. doi: 10.1089/dna.1985.4.165. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Christy B., Nathans D. DNA binding site of the growth factor-inducible protein Zif268. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1989 Nov;86(22):8737–8741. doi: 10.1073/pnas.86.22.8737. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Courey A. J., Tjian R. Analysis of Sp1 in vivo reveals multiple transcriptional domains, including a novel glutamine-rich activation motif. Cell. 1988 Dec 2;55(5):887–898. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(88)90144-4. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Crémisi C., Duprey P. A labile inhibitor blocks endo A gene transcription in murine undifferentiated embryonal carcinoma cells. Nucleic Acids Res. 1987 Aug 11;15(15):6105–6116. doi: 10.1093/nar/15.15.6105. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Dorn A., Bollekens J., Staub A., Benoist C., Mathis D. A multiplicity of CCAAT box-binding proteins. Cell. 1987 Sep 11;50(6):863–872. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(87)90513-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Fried M., Crothers D. M. Equilibria and kinetics of lac repressor-operator interactions by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Nucleic Acids Res. 1981 Dec 11;9(23):6505–6525. doi: 10.1093/nar/9.23.6505. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Galas D. J., Schmitz A. DNAse footprinting: a simple method for the detection of protein-DNA binding specificity. Nucleic Acids Res. 1978 Sep;5(9):3157–3170. doi: 10.1093/nar/5.9.3157. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Gardner R. L. Origin and differentiation of extraembryonic tissues in the mouse. Int Rev Exp Pathol. 1983;24:63–133. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Garner M. M., Revzin A. A gel electrophoresis method for quantifying the binding of proteins to specific DNA regions: application to components of the Escherichia coli lactose operon regulatory system. Nucleic Acids Res. 1981 Jul 10;9(13):3047–3060. doi: 10.1093/nar/9.13.3047. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Gidoni D., Dynan W. S., Tjian R. Multiple specific contacts between a mammalian transcription factor and its cognate promoters. 1984 Nov 29-Dec 5Nature. 312(5993):409–413. doi: 10.1038/312409a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Gidoni D., Kadonaga J. T., Barrera-Saldaña H., Takahashi K., Chambon P., Tjian R. Bidirectional SV40 transcription mediated by tandem Sp1 binding interactions. Science. 1985 Nov 1;230(4725):511–517. doi: 10.1126/science.2996137. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Giguere V., Ong E. S., Segui P., Evans R. M. Identification of a receptor for the morphogen retinoic acid. Nature. 1987 Dec 17;330(6149):624–629. doi: 10.1038/330624a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Gorman C. M., Rigby P. W., Lane D. P. Negative regulation of viral enhancers in undifferentiated embryonic stem cells. Cell. 1985 Sep;42(2):519–526. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(85)90109-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Hai T. W., Liu F., Coukos W. J., Green M. R. Transcription factor ATF cDNA clones: an extensive family of leucine zipper proteins able to selectively form DNA-binding heterodimers. Genes Dev. 1989 Dec;3(12B):2083–2090. doi: 10.1101/gad.3.12b.2083. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Hall C. V., Jacob P. E., Ringold G. M., Lee F. Expression and regulation of Escherichia coli lacZ gene fusions in mammalian cells. J Mol Appl Genet. 1983;2(1):101–109. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Heberlein U., England B., Tjian R. Characterization of Drosophila transcription factors that activate the tandem promoters of the alcohol dehydrogenase gene. Cell. 1985 Jul;41(3):965–977. doi: 10.1016/s0092-8674(85)80077-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Hen R., Borrelli E., Fromental C., Sassone-Corsi P., Chambon P. A mutated polyoma virus enhancer which is active in undifferentiated embryonal carcinoma cells is not repressed by adenovirus-2 E1A products. Nature. 1986 May 15;321(6067):249–251. doi: 10.1038/321249a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Herr W. Diethyl pyrocarbonate: a chemical probe for secondary structure in negatively supercoiled DNA. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1985 Dec;82(23):8009–8013. doi: 10.1073/pnas.82.23.8009. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Hogan B. L., Taylor A., Adamson E. Cell interactions modulate embryonal carcinoma cell differentiation into parietal or visceral endoderm. Nature. 1981 May 21;291(5812):235–237. doi: 10.1038/291235a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Huang H. C., Sundseth R., Hansen U. Transcription factor LSF binds two variant bipartite sites within the SV40 late promoter. Genes Dev. 1990 Feb;4(2):287–298. doi: 10.1101/gad.4.2.287. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Höller M., Westin G., Jiricny J., Schaffner W. Sp1 transcription factor binds DNA and activates transcription even when the binding site is CpG methylated. Genes Dev. 1988 Sep;2(9):1127–1135. doi: 10.1101/gad.2.9.1127. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Imagawa M., Chiu R., Karin M. Transcription factor AP-2 mediates induction by two different signal-transduction pathways: protein kinase C and cAMP. Cell. 1987 Oct 23;51(2):251–260. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(87)90152-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Jones K. A., Yamamoto K. R., Tjian R. Two distinct transcription factors bind to the HSV thymidine kinase promoter in vitro. Cell. 1985 Sep;42(2):559–572. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(85)90113-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Kadonaga J. T., Courey A. J., Ladika J., Tjian R. Distinct regions of Sp1 modulate DNA binding and transcriptional activation. Science. 1988 Dec 16;242(4885):1566–1570. doi: 10.1126/science.3059495. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Kageyama R., Merlino G. T., Pastan I. Nuclear factor ETF specifically stimulates transcription from promoters without a TATA box. J Biol Chem. 1989 Sep 15;264(26):15508–15514. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Kageyama R., Pastan I. Molecular cloning and characterization of a human DNA binding factor that represses transcription. Cell. 1989 Dec 1;59(5):815–825. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(89)90605-3. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  32. Kryszke M. H., Piette J., Yaniv M. Induction of a factor that binds to the polyoma virus A enhancer on differentiation of embryonal carcinoma cells. Nature. 1987 Jul 16;328(6127):254–256. doi: 10.1038/328254a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  33. Kunkel T. A. Rapid and efficient site-specific mutagenesis without phenotypic selection. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1985 Jan;82(2):488–492. doi: 10.1073/pnas.82.2.488. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  34. Kurkinen M., Barlow D. P., Helfman D. M., Williams J. G., Hogan B. L. Isolation of cDNA clones for basal lamina components: type IV procollagen. Nucleic Acids Res. 1983 Sep 24;11(18):6199–6209. doi: 10.1093/nar/11.18.6199. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  35. Lenardo M. J., Staudt L., Robbins P., Kuang A., Mulligan R. C., Baltimore D. Repression of the IgH enhancer in teratocarcinoma cells associated with a novel octamer factor. Science. 1989 Jan 27;243(4890):544–546. doi: 10.1126/science.2536195. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  36. Levy D. E., Kessler D. S., Pine R., Darnell J. E., Jr Cytoplasmic activation of ISGF3, the positive regulator of interferon-alpha-stimulated transcription, reconstituted in vitro. Genes Dev. 1989 Sep;3(9):1362–1371. doi: 10.1101/gad.3.9.1362. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  37. Manley J. L., Fire A., Cano A., Sharp P. A., Gefter M. L. DNA-dependent transcription of adenovirus genes in a soluble whole-cell extract. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1980 Jul;77(7):3855–3859. doi: 10.1073/pnas.77.7.3855. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  38. Marotti K. R., Belin D., Strickland S. The production of distinct forms of plasminogen activator by mouse embryonic cells. Dev Biol. 1982 Mar;90(1):154–159. doi: 10.1016/0012-1606(82)90220-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  39. Martin G. R. Teratocarcinomas and mammalian embryogenesis. Science. 1980 Aug 15;209(4458):768–776. doi: 10.1126/science.6250214. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  40. Mason I. J., Murphy D., Münke M., Francke U., Elliott R. W., Hogan B. L. Developmental and transformation-sensitive expression of the Sparc gene on mouse chromosome 11. EMBO J. 1986 Aug;5(8):1831–1837. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1986.tb04434.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  41. McKnight S. L., Kingsbury R. Transcriptional control signals of a eukaryotic protein-coding gene. Science. 1982 Jul 23;217(4557):316–324. doi: 10.1126/science.6283634. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  42. Mitchell P. J., Wang C., Tjian R. Positive and negative regulation of transcription in vitro: enhancer-binding protein AP-2 is inhibited by SV40 T antigen. Cell. 1987 Sep 11;50(6):847–861. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(87)90512-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  43. Miyazaki J., Appella E., Ozato K. Negative regulation of the major histocompatibility class I gene in undifferentiated embryonal carcinoma cells. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1986 Dec;83(24):9537–9541. doi: 10.1073/pnas.83.24.9537. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  44. Nakabeppu Y., Ryder K., Nathans D. DNA binding activities of three murine Jun proteins: stimulation by Fos. Cell. 1988 Dec 2;55(5):907–915. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(88)90146-8. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  45. Ondek B., Shepard A., Herr W. Discrete elements within the SV40 enhancer region display different cell-specific enhancer activities. EMBO J. 1987 Apr;6(4):1017–1025. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1987.tb04854.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  46. Ostapchuk P., Diffley J. F., Bruder J. T., Stillman B., Levine A. J., Hearing P. Interaction of a nuclear factor with the polyomavirus enhancer region. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1986 Nov;83(22):8550–8554. doi: 10.1073/pnas.83.22.8550. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  47. Petkovich M., Brand N. J., Krust A., Chambon P. A human retinoic acid receptor which belongs to the family of nuclear receptors. Nature. 1987 Dec 3;330(6147):444–450. doi: 10.1038/330444a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  48. Piette J., Kryszke M. H., Yaniv M. Specific interaction of cellular factors with the B enhancer of polyoma virus. EMBO J. 1985 Oct;4(10):2675–2685. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1985.tb03987.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  49. Pratt W. B. Transformation of glucocorticoid and progesterone receptors to the DNA-binding state. J Cell Biochem. 1987 Sep;35(1):51–68. doi: 10.1002/jcb.240350105. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  50. Rickles R. J., Darrow A. L., Strickland S. Differentiation-responsive elements in the 5' region of the mouse tissue plasminogen activator gene confer two-stage regulation by retinoic acid and cyclic AMP in teratocarcinoma cells. Mol Cell Biol. 1989 Apr;9(4):1691–1704. doi: 10.1128/mcb.9.4.1691. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  51. Rickles R. J., Darrow A. L., Strickland S. Molecular cloning of complementary DNA to mouse tissue plasminogen activator mRNA and its expression during F9 teratocarcinoma cell differentiation. J Biol Chem. 1988 Jan 25;263(3):1563–1569. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  52. Sanger F., Nicklen S., Coulson A. R. DNA sequencing with chain-terminating inhibitors. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1977 Dec;74(12):5463–5467. doi: 10.1073/pnas.74.12.5463. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  53. Santoro C., Mermod N., Andrews P. C., Tjian R. A family of human CCAAT-box-binding proteins active in transcription and DNA replication: cloning and expression of multiple cDNAs. Nature. 1988 Jul 21;334(6179):218–224. doi: 10.1038/334218a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  54. Schöler H. R., Hatzopoulos A. K., Balling R., Suzuki N., Gruss P. A family of octamer-specific proteins present during mouse embryogenesis: evidence for germline-specific expression of an Oct factor. EMBO J. 1989 Sep;8(9):2543–2550. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1989.tb08392.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  55. Siebenlist U., Gilbert W. Contacts between Escherichia coli RNA polymerase and an early promoter of phage T7. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1980 Jan;77(1):122–126. doi: 10.1073/pnas.77.1.122. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  56. Sleigh M. J. Differential regulation of viral and cellular genes in F9 mouse embryonal carcinoma cells. Nucleic Acids Res. 1987 Nov 25;15(22):9379–9395. doi: 10.1093/nar/15.22.9379. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  57. Solter D., Knowles B. B. Developmental stage-specific antigens during mouse embryogenesis. Curr Top Dev Biol. 1979;13(Pt 1):139–165. doi: 10.1016/s0070-2153(08)60693-6. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  58. Strickland S., Mahdavi V. The induction of differentiation in teratocarcinoma stem cells by retinoic acid. Cell. 1978 Oct;15(2):393–403. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(78)90008-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  59. Strickland S. Mouse teratocarcinoma cells: prospects for the study of embryogenesis and neoplasia. Cell. 1981 May;24(2):277–278. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(81)90313-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  60. Strickland S., Smith K. K., Marotti K. R. Hormonal induction of differentiation in teratocarcinoma stem cells: generation of parietal endoderm by retinoic acid and dibutyryl cAMP. Cell. 1980 Sep;21(2):347–355. doi: 10.1016/0092-8674(80)90471-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  61. Sturm R., Baumruker T., Franza B. R., Jr, Herr W. A 100-kD HeLa cell octamer binding protein (OBP100) interacts differently with two separate octamer-related sequences within the SV40 enhancer. Genes Dev. 1987 Dec;1(10):1147–1160. doi: 10.1101/gad.1.10.1147. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  62. Treisman R., Green M. R., Maniatis T. cis and trans activation of globin gene transcription in transient assays. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1983 Dec;80(24):7428–7432. doi: 10.1073/pnas.80.24.7428. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  63. Vasios G. W., Gold J. D., Petkovich M., Chambon P., Gudas L. J. A retinoic acid-responsive element is present in the 5' flanking region of the laminin B1 gene. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1989 Dec;86(23):9099–9103. doi: 10.1073/pnas.86.23.9099. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  64. Wang S. Y., LaRosa G. J., Gudas L. J. Molecular cloning of gene sequences transcriptionally regulated by retinoic acid and dibutyryl cyclic AMP in cultured mouse teratocarcinoma cells. Dev Biol. 1985 Jan;107(1):75–86. doi: 10.1016/0012-1606(85)90377-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  65. Westin G., Schaffner W. A zinc-responsive factor interacts with a metal-regulated enhancer element (MRE) of the mouse metallothionein-I gene. EMBO J. 1988 Dec 1;7(12):3763–3770. doi: 10.1002/j.1460-2075.1988.tb03260.x. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Molecular and Cellular Biology are provided here courtesy of Taylor & Francis

RESOURCES