Takeshi Imai

Synergistic Transcriptional Activation by hGABP and Select Members of the Activation Transcription Factor/cAMP Response Element-binding Protein Family

The Ets-related DNA-binding protein human GA-binding protein (hGABP) α interacts with the four ankyrin-type repeats of hGABPβ to form an hGABP tetrameric complex that stimulates transcription through the adenovirus early 4 (E4) promoter. Using co-transfection assays, this study demonstrated that the hGABP complex mediated efficient activation of transcription from E4 promoter synergistically with activating transcription factor (ATF) 1 or cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), but not ATF2/CRE-BP1. This synergy also partially occurred when hGABPα was used alone in place of the combination of hGABPα and hGABPβ. hGABP activated an artificial promoter containing only ATF/CREB-binding sites under coexistence of ATF1 or CREB. Consistent with these results, physical interactions of hGABPα with ATF1 or CREB were observed in vitro. Functional domain analyses of the physical interactions revealed that the amino-terminal region of hGABPα bound to the DNA-binding domain of ATF1, which resulted in the formation of ternary complexes composed of ATF1, hGABPα, and hGABPβ. In contrast to hGABPα, hGABPβ did not significantly interact with ATF1 and CREB. Taken together, these results indicate that hGABP functionally interacts with selective members of the ATF/CREB family, and also suggest that synergy results from multiple interactions which mediate stabilization of large complexes within the regulatory elements of the promoter region, including DNA-binding and non-DNA-binding factors.

Vitamin K2 Covalently Binds to Bak and Induces Bak-Mediated Apoptosis

Vitamin K2 (VK2, menaquinone) is known to have anticancer activity in vitro and in vivo. Although its effect is thought to be mediated, at least in part, by the induction of apoptosis, the underlying molecular mechanism remains elusive. Here, we identified Bcl-2 antagonist killer 1 (Bak) as a molecular target of VK2-induced apoptosis. VK2 directly interacts with Bak and induces mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis. Although Bak and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), another member of the Bcl-2 family, are generally thought to be functionally redundant, only Bak is necessary and sufficient for VK2-induced cytochrome c (cyt c) release and cell death. Moreover, VK2-2,3 epoxide, an intracellular metabolite of VK2, was shown to covalently bind to the cysteine-166 residue of Bak. Several lines of evidence suggested that the covalent attachment of VK2 is critical for apoptosis induction. Thus this study reveals a specific role for Bak in mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. This study also provides insight into the anticancer effects of VK2 and suggests that Bak may be a potential target of cancer therapy.

High-performance affinity chromatography method for identification of L-arginine interacting factors using magnetic nanobeads.

L-Arginine exhibits a wide range of biological activities through a complex and highly regulated set of pathways that remain incompletely understood at both the whole-body and the cellular levels. The aim of this study is to develop and validate effective purification system for L-arginine interacting factors (AIFs). We have recently developed novel magnetic nanobeads (FG beads) composed of magnetite particles/glycidyl methacrylate (GMA)-styrene copolymer/covered GMA. These nanobeads have shown higher performance compared with commercially available magnetic beads in terms of purification efficiency. In this study, we have newly developed L-arginine methyl ester (L-AME)-immobilized beads by conjugating L-AME to the surface of these nanobeads. Firstly, we showed that inducible nitric oxide synthase, which binds and uses L-arginine as a substrate, specifically bound to L-AME-immobilized beads. Secondly, we newly identified phosphofructokinase, RuvB-like 1 and RuvB-like 2 as AIFs from crude extracts of HeLa cells using this affinity chromatographic system. The data presented here demonstrate that L-AME-immobilized beads are effective tool for purification of AIFs directly from crude cell extracts. We expect that the present method can be used to purify AIFs from various types of cells.

Possible Involvement of Bone Marrow Stromal Cells in Agranulocytosis Caused by Vesnarinone Treatment

Vesnarinone, an oral therapeutic agent for cardiac failure, causes agranulocytosis as a side effect. To elucidate the mechanism of occurrence of the agranulocytosis, we examined the effect of vesnarinone on granulopoiesis using an in vitro human long-term bone marrow culture system. Addition of vesnarinone to the culture decreased the total number of hematopoietic cells, mainly composed of mature granulocytes and macrophages, but increased the number of granulocyte-macrophage progenitor cells (CFU-GM) and CD33-CD34+ cells as compared with an untreated control. Differentiation of CFU-GM was induced by removing the agent from the culture medium, indicating that the effect of vesnarinone was reversible. The agent did not directly affect CFU-GM in the presence of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF). Furthermore, treatment of stromal cells with vesnarinone repressed the production of G, GM, M-CSF, suggesting that the agent may cause a hematopoietic disorder, agranulocytosis, through the impairment of stromal cell function.

High-performance affinity purification for identification of 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-PGJ2 interacting factors using magnetic nanobeads

Prostaglandin J₂ (PGJ₂) family have been reported to show various kinds of biological activities. Considerable progress has been made toward understanding the mechanism of adipogenesis, however, the mechanisms of other actions of PGJ₂ family remain controversial. The 15-deoxy-Δ(12,14) -PGJ₂ (15d-PGJ₂) is one of the members of PGJ₂ family, and is known as a ligand for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), which promotes the expression of the crucial genes for adipogenesis. In this study, we found that 15d-PGJ₂ did not stimulate PPARγ-mediated gene expression in HEK293 cells whereas 15d-PGJ₂ transactivated PPARγ-dependent transcription in other cell lines. Moreover, we confirmed that 15d-PGJ₂ suppressed the growth of HEK293 cells. These observations suggest that 15d-PGJ₂ shows another biological activity e.g. growth inhibition in HEK293 cells via unknown receptor for 15d-PGJ₂. The aim of this study is to develop and validate effective purification system for PGJ₂ interacting factors (PGJIFs). We have recently developed high performance magnetic nanobeads. In this study, we have newly developed 15d-PGJ₂-immobilized beads by conjugating 15d-PGJ₂ to the surface of these nanobeads. Firstly, we showed that PPARγ specifically bound to 15d-PGJ₂-immobilized beads. Secondly, we newly identified voltage dependent anionic channel 1 (VDAC1) as new PGJIF from crude extracts of HEK293 cells using this affinity purification system. These data presented here demonstrate that 15d-PGJ₂-immobilized beads are effective tool for purification of PGJIFs directly from crude cell extracts.

Immortalisation of human oesophageal epithelial cells by a recombinant SV40 adenovirus vector

We introduced the origin-defective SV40 early gene into cultured human oesophageal epithelial cells by infection of a recombinant SV40 adenovirus vector. The virus-infected cells formed colonies 3-4 weeks after infection in medium containing fetal calf serum. When the cells derived from serum-resistant colonies were then maintained in the serum-free medium with a low calcium ion concentration, some of them passed the cell crisis and kept growing for over 12 months. These cells, regarded as immortalised cells, resembled the primarily cultured oesophageal epithelial cells in morphology and had some of their original characteristics. Treatment of the cells with a high calcium concentration induced phenotypic changes. These cells still responded to transforming growth factor beta. When the immortalised cells were injected into severe combined immunodeficient mice, they transiently formed epithelial cysts, although the typical differentiation pattern of the oesophageal epithelium was not observed. These cysts regressed within 2 months without development into tumours. The results indicated that human oesophageal epithelial cells were reproducibly immortalised by infection with a recombinant SV40 adenovirus vector at relatively high efficiency. The immortalised cells should be useful in studies on oesophageal carcinogenesis and in assessing the cooperative effects with other oncogene products or carcinogens.