The three deleted in liver cancer genes (DLC1-3) encode RhoGTPase-activating proteins (RhoGAPs) whose expression is frequently down-regulated or silenced in a variety of human malignancies. The RhoGAP activity is required for full DLC-dependent tumor suppressor activity. Here we report that DLC1 and DLC3 bind to human tensin1 and its chicken homolog. The binding has been mapped to the tensin Src homology 2 (SH2) and phosphotyrosine binding (PTB) domains at the C terminus of tensin proteins. Distinct DLC1 sequences are required for SH2 and PTB binding. DCL binding to both domains is constitutive under basal conditions. The SH2 binding depends on a tyrosine in DCL1 (Y442) but is phosphotyrosine-independent, a highly unusual feature for SH2 binding. DLC1 competed with the binding of other proteins to the tensin C terminus, including 3-integrin binding to the PTB domain. Point mutation of a critical tyrosine residue (Y442F) in DLC1 rendered the protein deficient for binding the tensin SH2 domain and binding full-length tensin. The Y442F protein was diffusely cytoplasmic, in contrast to the localization of wild-type DLC1 to focal adhesions, but it retained the ability to reduce the intracellular levels of Rho-GTP. The Y442F mutant displayed markedly reduced biological activity, as did a mutant that was RhoGAP-deficient. The results suggest that DLC1 is a multifunctional protein whose biological activity depends on cooperation between its tensin binding and RhoGAP activities, although neither activity depends on the other. DLC1 ͉ Src homology 2 and phosphotyrosine binding domains ͉ tumor suppressor gene
We report here that overexpression of the tuberous sclerosis-1 (TSC1) gene product hamartin results in the inhibition of growth, as well as changes in cell morphology. Growth inhibition was associated with an increase in the endogenous level of the product of the tuberous sclerosis-2 (TSC2) gene, tuberin. As overexpression of tuberin inhibits cell growth, and hamartin is known to bind tuberin, these results suggested that hamartin stabilizes tuberin and this contributes to the inhibition of cell growth. Indeed, transient transfection of TSC1 increased the endogenous level of tuberin, and transient co-transfection of TSC1 with TSC2 resulted in higher tuberin levels. The stabilization was explained by the ®nding that tuberin is highly ubiquitinated in cells, while the fraction of tuberin that is bound to hamartin is not ubiquitinated. Co-expression of tuberin stabilized hamartin, which is weakly ubiquitinated, in transiently transfected cells. The amino-terminal two-thirds of tuberin was responsible for its ubiquitination and for stabilization of hamartin. A mutant of tuberin from a patient missense mutation of TSC2 was also highly ubiquitinated, and was unable to stabilize hamartin. We conclude that hamartin is a growth inhibitory protein whose biological e ect is likely dependent on its interaction with tuberin. Oncogene (2000) 19, 6306 ± 6316.
The epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor gene EGFR has been placed in a retrovirus vector to examine the growth properties of cells that experimentally overproduce a full-length EGF receptor. NIH 3T3 cells transfected with the viral DNA or infected with the corresponding rescued retrovirus developed a fully transformed phenotype in vitro that required both functional EGFR expression and the presence of EGF in the growth medium. Cells expressing 4 x 10(5) EGF receptors formed tumors in nude mice, while control cells did not. Therefore, the EGFR retrovirus, which had a titer on NIH 3T3 cells that was greater than 10(7) focus-forming units per milliliter, can efficiently transfer and express this gene, and increased numbers of EGF receptors can contribute to the transformed phenotype.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.