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Query: UNIPROT:P05412 (c-Jun)
 11,453 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The proto-oncogene c-jun encodes the major component of the transcription factor AP-1 and is thought to have important functions in cell proliferation and differentiation as well as in the cellular response to a variety of external stimuli. To investigate directly the role of c-jun in growth, differentiation and tumorigenicity we generated mouse embryonic stem (ES) cell lines in which both copies of the c-jun gene have been inactivated by homologous recombination. The disruption of both copies of the c-jun gene had no apparent effect on ES cell viability, growth rate and in vitro differentiation potential. Transcriptional activation of the c-jun, junB and c-fos genes following TPA/serum induction was unaffected and efficient transactivation of AP-1 reporter constructs was demonstrated in these cells. Remarkably, subcutaneous injection of ES cells lacking c-Jun into syngeneic mice led to a drastic reduction in the formation of teratocarcinomas. We propose that whereas most of the functions of c-Jun in ES cells appear to be complemented by other Jun proteins in vitro, functional c-Jun protein is essential for efficient tumor growth in vivo.
Oncogene 1992 Dec
PMID:Embryonic stem (ES) cells lacking functional c-jun: consequences for growth and differentiation, AP-1 activity and tumorigenicity. 128 2

Cytokine modulation of elastin gene expression was examined by assay of elastin mRNA abundance and by transient transfections of cultured human skin fibroblasts and rat aortic smooth muscle cells with elastin promoter/reporter gene (chloramphenicol acetyltransferase, CAT) constructs. Incubation of cells with human recombinant tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) markedly suppressed the elastin mRNA levels in a time- and dose-dependent manner by up to 91%. TNF-alpha also suppressed the expression of the elastin promoter/CAT construct by up to 70% in transiently transfected cells, indicating regulation at the transcriptional level. This suppression was temporally preceded by rapid and transient up-regulation of c-jun and c-fos genes. The down-regulatory effect of TNF-alpha on elastin promoter activity was abolished by co-transfections with a synthetic double-stranded AP-1 oligomer. Furthermore, co-transfection of the elastin promoter construct with c-jun and c-fos expression plasmids resulted in a marked decrease in the promoter activity. Elucidation of the cis-regulatory elements in the elastin promoter by 5' deletion construct analysis implicated a region -290 to -198 containing one AP-1 binding site. The functional role of this AP-1 site was further tested by gel retardation assays which indicated formation of a DNA-protein complex specific for TNF-alpha treated cells. This complex could be partially dissociated by a competing oligomer containing the consensus AP-1 binding site. These observations suggest that the inhibitory effects of TNF-alpha on elastin gene expression involve the transcription factor AP-1. Interferon-gamma also suppressed the elastin gene expression at the mRNA level by approximately 52%, but it had no effect on the elastin promoter activity, suggesting post-transcriptional mechanisms. These results indicate that mediators released from inflammatory cells can modulate elastin gene expression, and such modulation may play a role in diseases characterized by altered accumulation of elastic fibers in tissues.
J Biol Chem 1992 Dec 25
PMID:Tumor necrosis factor-alpha down-regulates human elastin gene expression. Evidence for the role of AP-1 in the suppression of promoter activity. 128 83

Study of GSK-3 had an inauspicious beginning rooted in intermediary metabolism. However, owing to the fortuitous convergence of several disparate areas of biology, the enzyme now offers unique opportunities for study of the control of a variety cellular processes. While at first sight a role in transcriptional regulation appears unlikely for a protein first identified as acting on glycogen synthase, it is even more surprising that the same protein should be functionally interchangeable with a fruit fly homeotic gene. Such understandable scepticism, however, is based on teleological bias. Glycogen synthase is a critical enzyme regulating glucose storage. The c-Jun oncoprotein may have the potential to transform cells but this does not excuse it from similar mechanisms of control to glycogen synthase. Likewise, homeotic genes play a crucial role in setting up the body plan of an embryo but must also be subject to control. The main difference is that when such control is lost, the result is rather graphic. It is, therefore, only to be expected that regulatory protein kinases will surface in superficially quite unrelated areas and that many of their targets will be 'housekeeping' proteins. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of protein phosphorylation research is the linking of physiological substrates with particular protein kinases, hence reconstructing pathways. No matter how compelling in vitro data appear, there must be demonstration that the protein is targeted by the specific protein kinase in cells, an extremely difficult process. Most progress in this respect has been made using genetic analysis in lower organisms, especially yeast. Here another problem arises: demonstration of biochemical linkages underlying genetic interactions which requires function to be ascribed to genes identified by a gross effect. The challenge is to co-ordinate these two approaches, a strategy currently being employed to further unravel the biological role of GSK-3.
Biochim Biophys Acta 1992 Dec 16
PMID:Glycogen synthase kinase-3: functions in oncogenesis and development. 133 7

Calpain, an inactive proenzyme, translocates from the cytosol to the membrane upon binding calcium, and is activated at the membrane in the presence of calcium and PIP2. Activated calpain is very unstable and presumably used only once. Thus the primary targets of calpain are considered to be membrane or membrane-associated proteins. Activation of protein kinase C (PKC) occurs concomitantly with calpain at the membrane. Calpain hydrolyzes only the active PKC species leading to downregulation. Calpain participates in the transcriptional regulation by controlling the levels of transcription factors, c-Jun and c-Fos. The calpain gene is a TPA-responsive gene and its expression is stimulated by activation of PKC. Modulation of cellular signal transduction by controlling the levels of the component proteins, such as PKC, c-Jun and c-Fos is one of the important physiological roles of calpain.
Ann N Y Acad Sci 1992 Dec 31
PMID:Modulation of cellular signals by calpain. 133 90

The ability of the c-Jun protein, the main component of the transcription factor AP1, to interact directly or indirectly with the RNA polymerase II-initiation complex to activate transcription was investigated by in vivo transcription interference ("squelching") experiments. Coexpression of a Jun mutant lacking its DNA binding domain strongly represses the activity of wild-type c-Jun. Repression depends on the presence of the transactivation domains (TADs), suggesting that a limiting factor interacting with the TADs is essential to link Jun and the components of the transcriptional machinery. The activity of this intermediary factor(s) is restricted to TADs characterized by an abundance of negatively charged amino acids, as demonstrated by the abilities of the TADs of JunB, GAL4, and VP16 to repress c-Jun activity. Depending on the presence of the TADs of Jun, we found physical interaction between Jun and a cluster of three proteins with molecular masses of 52, 53, and 54 kDa (p52/54). Association between Jun and p52/54 is strongly reduced in the presence of VP16, suggesting that the two proteins compete for binding to p52/54. Transcription factors containing a different type of TAD (e.g., GHF1, estrogen receptor, or serum response factor) fail to inhibit Jun activity, suggesting that these proteins act through a different mechanism. We consider the requirement of Jun to interact with p52/54 utilized by other transcription factors a new mechanism in the regulation of transcription of Jun-dependent target genes.
Mol Cell Biol 1992 Dec
PMID:A common intermediary factor (p52/54) recognizing "acidic blob"-type domains is required for transcriptional activation by the Jun proteins. 144 82

The DNA-binding activity of c-Jun expressed in eukaryotic cells was found to be markedly enhanced if the intracellular concentration of binding sites for this transcription factor was increased by cotransfection of specific plasmid DNA. Dephosphorylation experiments, phosphate mapping studies, and mutational analysis indicate that phosphorylation of a cluster of serine and threonine residues situated in close proximity to the DNA-binding domain is responsible for the observed adaptation of c-Jun activity to the intracellular concentration of accessible target sites.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 1992 Dec 01
PMID:Phosphorylation state and DNA-binding activity of c-Jun depend on the intracellular concentration of binding sites. 145 48

The proto-oncogene products c-Fos and c-Jun heterodimerize through their leucine zippers to form the AP-1 transcription factor. The transcriptional activity of the heterodimer is regulated by signal-dependent phosphorylation and dephosphorylation events. The stability of c-Fos was found to also be controlled by intracellular signal transduction. In transient expression and in vitro degradation experiments, the stability of c-Fos was decreased when the protein was dimerized with phosphorylated c-Jun. c-Jun protein isolated from phorbol ester-induced cells did not target c-Fos for degradation, which suggests that c-Fos is transiently stabilized after stimulation of cell growth. v-Fos protein, the retroviral counterpart of c-Fos, was not susceptible to degradation targeted by c-Jun.
Science 1992 Dec 18
PMID:Targeted degradation of c-Fos, but not v-Fos, by a phosphorylation-dependent signal on c-Jun. 147 Sep 18

c-Jun belongs to a family of proteins that require dimerization for activity. Dimerization occurs through a leucine-rich region near the carboxy terminus called the leucine zipper. Jun can form dimeric complexes with other Jun family as well as Fos family members. The relative proportion of these different dimeric complexes is determined by the relative abundance of each family member at a particular time. Overexpression of v-Jun or c-Jun alone will lead to cell transformation of chicken embryo fibroblasts, albeit with varying efficiencies. Upon overexpression, v-Jun or c-Jun presumably becomes the predominant AP-1 component in the cell. Theoretically, this should lead to a larger proportion of homodimers than heterodimers. It is not clear what role, if any, the other Jun and Fos family proteins play during cell transformation. We have examined the ability of Jun to induce cell transformation in chicken embryo fibroblasts in the absence of interaction with other Jun or Fos family proteins. To this end, we have constructed a chicken v-Jun mutant that is incapable of heterodimerization. This was accomplished by replacing the leucine zipper region of Jun with that of the yeast transcription factor GCN4. This chimeric protein, VJ-GLZ, retains all of the DNA binding and transcriptional activation domains of v-Jun. As expected, in vitro translated VJ-GLZ was found to be incapable of forming heterodimers with c-Fos, FosB, and JunD.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Cell Growth Differ 1992 Dec
PMID:Heterodimerization with c-Fos is not required for cell transformation of chicken embryo fibroblasts by Jun. 147 69

Exposure of mammalian cells to DNA-damaging agents induces the ultraviolet (UV) response, involving transcription factor AP-1, composed of Jun and Fos proteins. We investigated the mechanism by which UV irradiation induces the c-jun gene. The earliest detectable step was activation of Src tyrosine kinases, followed by activation of Ha-Ras and Raf-1. The response to UV was blocked by tyrosine kinase inhibitors and dominant negative mutants of v-src, Ha-ras, and raf-1. This signaling cascade leads to increased phosphorylation of c-Jun on two serine residues that potentiate its activity. These results strongly suggest that the UV response is initiated at or near the plasma membrane rather than the nucleus. The response may be elicited by oxidative stress, because it is inhibited by elevation of intracellular glutathione. Using tyrosine kinase inhibitors, we demonstrate that the UV response has a protective function.
Cell 1992 Dec 24
PMID:The mammalian ultraviolet response is triggered by activation of Src tyrosine kinases. 147 46

Stimulation of mesangial cells with insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) resulted in the rapid tyrosyl phosphorylation of nuclear proteins as indicated by fluorescence microscopy of cells stained with anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies. Immunoprecipitation of nuclear extracts with anti-phosphotyrosine antibodies revealed that IGF-1 induced a transient increase in immunoreactive phosphotyrosine in nuclear proteins of 43, 95, and 160 kDa. Using a double immunoprecipitation protocol, the transcription factor c-Jun was also found to increase in immunoreactive phosphotyrosine in response to IGF-1. A similar pattern of tyrosyl phosphorylation of nuclear proteins was observed in the epidermoid carcinoma cell line CaSki. These data suggest that tyrosyl phosphorylation of nuclear proteins may be a step in the transduction of mitogenic signals.
J Biol Chem 1991 Dec 25
PMID:Insulin-like growth factor-1 induces tyrosyl phosphorylation of nuclear proteins. 166 5


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