Caudal-related homeobox 2 (Cdx2) has been suggested as an early marker of Barrett's esophagus (BE), which is the premalignant lesion of esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). However, the mechanism of ectopic Cdx2 expression in the esophageal epithelial cells and its role in the development of BE remained unclear. RT-PCR, pyrosequencing and methylation-specific PCR were used to determine expression and promoter methylation of Cdx2 in human esophageal epithelial cells (HET1A and SEG1) after treatment with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (DAC), acid, bile acids and their combination. HET1A cells with stable transfection of Cdx2 were characterized for morphology and gene expression profiles with Affymetrix array. We found Cdx2 was expressed in most human EAC cell lines, but not in squamous epithelial cell lines. DAC-induced demethylation and expression of Cdx2 in HET1A and SEG1 cells, and treatment with a DNA methylating agent counteracted the effect of DAC. Treatment of HET1A and SEG1 cells with acid, bile acids or both also resulted in promoter demethylation and expression of Cdx2. HET1A cells with stable transfection of human Cdx2 formed crypt-like structures in vitro. Microarray analysis and quantitative real-time PCR showed that stable transfection of Cdx2 up-regulated differentiation markers of intestinal columnar epithelial cells and goblet cells in HET1A cells. This may be partially due to modulation of Notch signaling pathway, as western blotting confirmed down-regulation of Hes1 and up-regulation of Atoh1 and Muc2. Our data suggest that exposure to acid and/or bile acids may activate Cdx2 expression in human esophageal epithelial cells through promoter demethylation, and ectopic Cdx2 expression in esophageal squamous epithelial cells may contribute to intestinal metaplasia of the esophagus.
The emergence of drug-resistant variants has posed a significant setback against effective antiviral treatment for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infections. The choice of a nonmutable region of the viral genome such as the conserved transactivation response element (TAR element) in the 5′ long terminal repeat (LTR) may potentially be an effective target for drug development. We have earlier demonstrated that a polyamide nucleotide analog (PNA) targeted to the TAR hairpin element, when transfected into cells, can effectively inhibit Tat-mediated transactivation of HIV type 1 (HIV-1) LTR (T. Mayhood et al., Biochemistry 39:11532-11539, 2000). Here we show that this anti-TAR PNA (PNATAR), upon conjugation with a membrane-permeating peptide vector (transportan) retained its affinity for TAR in vitro similar to the unconjugated analog. The conjugate was efficiently internalized into the cells when added to the culture medium. Examination of the functional efficacy of the PNATAR-transportan conjugate in cell culture using luciferase reporter gene constructs resulted in a significant inhibition of Tat-mediated transactivation of HIV-1 LTR. Furthermore, PNATAR-transportan conjugate substantially inhibited HIV-1 production in chronically HIV-1-infected H9 cells. The mechanism of this inhibition appeared to be regulated at the level of transcription. These results demonstrate the efficacy of PNATAR-transportan as a potential anti-HIV agent
Expression of alternatively spliced human FGF-1 (or aFGF) transcripts is regulated in a tissue-specific manner via multiple promoters. To identify the cis-regulatory elements in the brain-specific FGF-1.B promoter, we constructed a series of promoter deletions fused to the luciferase reporter gene and transfected into an FGF-1.B positive glioblastoma cell line, U1240MG, and a 1.B negative cell line, U1242MG. Results of transient transfections indicate three elements that are involved in the positive regulation of FGF-1.B expression. The core promoter is located in a 40-base pair region (between -92 and -49), and two regulatory regions (RR-1 and RR-2) are located within the 540-base pair region 5' to the major transcription start site (defined as +1). Electrophoretic mobility shift assays and footprinting analysis have identified sequence-specific binding sites in RR-1 and RR-2. Mutants of RR-2 abolished binding to nuclear proteins and showed diminished luciferase reporter activity. The effects seen are specific for the U1240MG cell line, supporting a role for RR-2 in the tissue-specific regulation of FGF-1.B. Southwestern analysis using an oligonucleotide probe derived from RR-2 (nucleotides -489 to -467) further identified a 37-kDa protein that is present in nuclear extracts from U1240MG and brain but not from U1242MG.
We have previously isolated two different aFGF cDNA clones from kidney and brain. The two corresponding mRNA, designated aFGF 1.A and 1.B, are the predominant species in kidney and brain, respectively. During the characterization of aFGF mRNA in glioblastoma cells, we demonstrated that aFGF mRNA in U1242MG and D65MG glioblastoma cells contain 5'-untranslated sequences different from those of 1.A and 1.B. Through a strategy combining chromosome walking, identification and sequencing of evolutionarily conserved DNA regions, and a reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)-based assay for RNA expression, we have isolated two novel aFGF cDNA clones. The cDNA clone representing aFGF mRNA 1.C was isolated from U1242MG cells; another aFGF cDNA, designated 1.D, was isolated from D65MG cells. Promoter 1C has extensive sequence homology to the hamster aFGF gene promoter that was shown to respond to testosterone stimulation by chloramphenicol acetyltransferase reporter gene assays. Using RT-PCR, we showed that normal, benign and cancerous prostate tissues do not express aFGF 1.C mRNA. In contrast, a prostate carcinoma cell line (PC-3) expresses 1.C mRNA. RT-PCR using 1.D-specific primers showed that kidney, brain and prostate do not express 1.D mRNA even though kidney and brain are the most abundant source for aFGF protein. RNase protection analysis further showed that 1.D mRNA is the predominant aFGF transcript in D65MG glioblastoma cells and in NFF-6 neonatal foreskin fibroblast cells. The genomic DNA corresponding to these two cDNA clones and the 5'-flanking regions were also isolated and their sequences determined. These DNA clones will provide important reagents for studying the regulatory elements of aFGF gene expression.
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