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Cellular immortalization provides a way for expansion and subsequent molecular characterization of rare cell types. Ideally, immortalization can be achieved by the reversible expression of immortalizing proteins. Here, we describe the use of conditional immortalization based on a modified tetracycline-regulated system for the expression of SV40 large T-antigen in embryonic stem (ES) cells and mice. The modified system relies on a codon improved reverse tetracycline transactivator (irtTA) fused to the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of the androgen receptor (irtTA-ABD) or of a mutated glucocorticoid receptor (irtTA-GBD*). Induction of T-antigen is conferred only after addition of two ligands, one to activate the LBD (mibolerone for irtTA-ABD or dexamethasone for irtTA-GBD*) and one to activate the tetracycline transactivator (doxycycline). In ES cells, changes in gene expression upon large T induction were limited and reversible upon deinduction. Similarly, expression of T-antigen was very tightly regulated in mice. We have isolated and expanded bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells that could be genetically manipulated and maintained their differentiation properties after several passages of expansion under conditions that induce the expression of large T-antigen., (2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Conditional proliferation of mouse embryo fibroblasts was achieved with a novel autoregulatory vector for Tet-dependent expression of the SV40 T-antigen. The majority of cell clones that were isolated under induced conditions showed strict regulation of cell growth. Status switches were found to be fully reversible and highly reproducible with respect to gene expression characteristics. A consequence of T-antigen expression is a significant deregulation of >400 genes. Deinduced cells turn to rest in G0/G1 phase and exhibit a senescent phenotype. The cells are not oncogenic and no evidence for transformation was found after several months of cultivation. Conditional immortalization allows diverse studies including those on cellular activities without the influence of the immortalizing gene(s), senescence as well as secondary effects from T-antigen expression.

Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIC is caused by a deficiency of acetyl-CoA: alpha-glucosaminidase-N-acetyltransferase activity. This enzyme is unique among enzymes involved in the lysosomal degradation of glycosaminoglycans in that it catalyses an anabolic reaction, the addition of an acetyl group to glucosamine at the non-reducing terminus of heparan sulphate. We have identified a mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIC skin fibroblast cell line with undetectable levels of residual acetyl-CoA: alpha-glucosaminidase-N-acetyltransferase activity and immortalised it via expression of simian virus 40 large T antigen. Enzymatic analysis of two immortalised cell lines demonstrated that they both retained the original mucopolysaccharidosis IIIC phenotype. Variable number tandem repeat analysis confirmed that both were derived from the parental cell line.

Immortalization of chondrocytes by SV40 T Ag has often been reported to trigger the loss of expression of type II collagen, one of the main differentiation markers, although some immortalized chondrocyte lines maintaining a differentiated phenotype have also been described. Here, we show using transient cotransfections in differentiated chondrocytes that, in contrast to c-src, neither SV40 T Ag, nor c-myc, decreases col2a1 transcriptional activity. Then, we report the possibility of immortalizing rabbit articular chondrocytes by expression of SV40 T Ag controlled by the col2a1 promoter and enhancer (pCol2SV). This strategy allows one to select within a population of differentiated chondrocytes those which are able to maintain functional regulation of the col2a1 gene through long-term culture. In precrisis pCol2SV-transfected chondrocytes, all-trans-retinoic acid, a down-regulator of col2a1 expression, induced apoptosis, strongly suggesting the strict control of T Ag expression by col2a1 regulatory sequences. Some pCol2SV-transfected chondrocytes were definitively immortalized, after a short crisis period. However, type II collagen synthesis was restricted to a small proportion of cells, which went on to decrease with subculture, while the proportion of cells expressing T Ag was not affected. In these postcrisis cells, T Ag remained at least partially under the control of functional col2a1 regulatory elements as assessed by all-trans-retinoic acid down-regulation., (Copyright 1999 Academic Press.)

Most erythroleukemic cell lines established in vitro coexpress erythrocytic and megakaryocytic markers that often are associated with expression of Spi-1 and/or Fli-1 transcription factors known as transactivators of megakaryocyte-specific promoters. In the present study, we examined the possibility of establishing new cell lines keeping strictly erythroid-specific properties in vitro through the targeted and conditional immortalization of erythrocytic progenitors. For that purpose, we established several lines of transgenic mice displaying erythroid-specific expression of a thermosensitive SV40 T antigen. As expected, these transgenic mice developed splenomegaly due to the massive amplification of Ter 119 positive erythroid nucleated cells expressing T antigen. Despite this drastic effect in vivo, the in vitro immortalization of erythropoietin-dependent erythroid progenitors unexpectedly occurred at low frequency, and all four cell lines established expressed both erythrocytic (globins) and megakaryocytic markers (glycoprotein IIb, platelet factor 4) as well as Spi-1 and Fli-1 transcripts at permissive temperature. Switching the cells to the nonpermissive temperature led to a marked increase in globin gene expression and concomitant decrease in expression of Spi-1, Fli-1, and megakaryocytic genes in an erythropoietin-dependent manner. Interestingly, enhanced expression of Spi-1 and Fli-1 genes already was detected in the Ter 119 positive cell population of transgenic mice spleen in vivo. However, like normal Ter 119 erythroid cells, these Ter 119 positive cells from transgenic mice still expressed high levels of beta-globin and very low or undetectable glycoprotein IIb and platelet factor 4 megakaryocytic transcripts. Taken together, these data indicate that the unexpected expression of megakaryocytic genes is a specific property of immortalized cells that cannot be explained only by enhanced expression of Spi-1 and/or Fli-1 genes.

Immortal human fibroblasts, SVts8 cells, which express a heat-labile SV40 large T antigen, induces a senescence-like phenomenon in response to upward shift in temperature. Cells with arrested division show strong induction of senescence-associated beta-galactosidase. We examined how p53 and pRB are involved in this phenomenon since they are major targets of the T antigen. Transfection of cells with plasmids encoding the wild-type T antigen or human papilloma virus type 16 E6/E7 proteins completely abolished the arrest in cell division, a plasmid encoding the E6 protein suppressed it markedly, while a plasmid encoding E7 had no effect. Plasmids encoding dominant-negative p53 mutants also suppressed the arrest in cell division to various degrees. Upon temperature shift, p21 mRNA was upregulated 10-fold in SVts8 cells, but only slightly in clones expressing the wild-type T antigen or dominant-negative p53 mutants. These data demonstrate that p53 plays a major role in this senescence-like phenomenon.

Little is known about the expression of cell cycle regulatory genes upon terminal differentiation of skeletal muscle cells. In this report, we demonstrate that the expressions of cyclin A, cyclin D1 and p34cdc2 are downregulated upon C2C12 myocytes differentiation and are not inducible in differentiated myotubes. SV40 large T antigen can induce cell cycle entry of myotubes through its induction of these genes' expressions and pRB phosphorylation as well as its suppression of Rb expression. These results provide the first direct evidence that the irreversible downregulation of cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases is one mechanism for the permanent cell cycle withdrawal of myotubes.

A transgenic mouse line (EGF/Tag) has been established in which expression of SV40 T-antigen is directed by a 5.5 kb fragment of the 5'-flanking region of the mouse epidermal growth factor (EGF) gene. Of the two principal sites of EGF expression in mice, submaxillary gland and kidney, T-antigen mRNA and protein were detected in the former but not in the latter tissue of the EGF/Tag animals. T-antigen expression in the submaxillary gland was restricted to the EGF-producing cells of the granular convoluted tubules, and the oncoprotein induced hyperplasia of these cells. T-antigen levels were markedly higher in the submaxillary glands of male compared with female transgenic mice, suggesting that expression of the transgene was androgen-regulated, like the endogenous EGF gene. These results indicate that the 5.5 kb fragment upstream of the mouse EGF gene contains the DNA enhancer elements required for hormonally regulated expression in the submaxillary gland. Since the hyperplastic submaxillary glands of the EGF/Tag mice continue to synthesize EGF, these glands provide a tissue source from which it may prove possible to establish EGF-secreting cell lines for further in vitro studies of the mechanisms regulating expression of the EGF gene.

Simian virus 40 (SV40) large T and small t antigens were synthesized in insect cells using the baculovirus Autographa californica as an expression vector. A recombinant virus containing a genomic copy of the SV40 early region expressed high levels of small t antigen but only low levels of large T antigen. However, very high levels of T antigen synthesis were observed when viruses were constructed with a cDNA copy of the large T antigen mRNA. Insect cells were capable of modifying T antigen by phosphorylation, palmitylation, glycosylation, and oligomerization. Functional assays demonstrated that the origin-specific DNA binding, ATPase, and helicase activities of insect cell-derived T antigen were comparable to T antigen synthesized in mammalian cells. Use of the baculovirus vector system to produce T antigen should facilitate future investigations requiring large quantities of T antigen.

Recombinant baculoviruses were constructed which express simian virus 40 large T antigen (SVT-Ag) or murine p53 to high levels in infected insect cells. Characterization of the expressed proteins revealed that they display many properties of the corresponding mammalian-derived proteins. Both proteins are of wild-type size, localize to the nucleus, are recognized by several SVT-Ag- or p53-specific monoclonal antibodies, and are phosphorylated in this system. Complexes are formed between baculovirus-derived SVT-Ag and p53 after coinfection of insect cells with both recombinant viruses. After infection of insect cells with either virus individually, each protein can self-associate to form a variety of oligomeric species. Pulse-chase experiments indicated that both SVT-Ag and p53 are highly stable in insect cells, even in the absence of complex formation.

There is increasing evidence for the importance of events that govern and influence the interaction between the transformed cell and its host being ultimately responsible for the establishment of the cancer phenotype. To derive an animal model that will allow us to define some of these phenomena at the molecular level, we have chosen to induce the expression of a viral oncogene in all tissue types, with the hope of identifying sites that are more susceptible to malignant transformation. When the gene for simian virus 40 large tumor antigen (T antigen) was placed under the control of a major histocompatibility complex class I gene enhancer, the resulting transgenic mice not only developed choroid plexus papillomas, as seen with wild-type simian virus 40, but also lymphoid hyperplasia and multiple endocrine neoplasias. The development of lymphoid hyperplasia was preceded by an elevated level of expression of T antigen in these tissues at an early age. Surprisingly, the striking thymic hyperplasia has not been observed to progress toward malignancy. The multiple endocrine neoplasias developed later in life and involved the pancreas, pituitary, thyroid, adrenals, and testes. While not preceded by an elevated level of expression of T antigen, once endocrine tumors appeared they quickly progressed toward malignant growth. Although other tissues also exhibited a basal level of expression of the viral oncogene similar to that detected in endocrine tissues, they rarely developed tumors. This transgenic mouse model seems particularly suitable for a molecular understanding of events responsible for certain tissue types being so much more susceptible to neoplastic conversion, with others being so refractory.

In the past, simian virus 40 (SV40) has been used as a cloning vehicle to clone foreign genes by substituting portions of the viral genome vital for viral replication. Propagation of these defective viruses required a helper virus and the recombinant viruses obtained could be grown only as a mixture. In this study, we describe a novel nondefective SV40 vector to clone small RNA polymerase III genes. Two small RNA polymerase III genes, an amber suppressor human serine tRNA gene and the adenovirus (Ad) VAI RNA gene, were cloned in the intron region of the large-T antigen gene of SV40 after deleting DNA sequences coding for the small-t polypeptide. The recombinant viruses grew to wild type levels and showed no growth defects. When CV-1p cells were infected with these viruses, the cloned RNA polymerase III genes were expressed at high levels at late times. Interestingly, large amounts VAI RNA in CV-1p cells infected with SV40-VA recombinant virus, did not enhance translation of viral mRNAs significantly but did lead to a 3 to 4 fold increase in the steady state levels of large-T mRNA suggesting a novel function for VAI RNA in SV40 infected monkey cells. Furthermore, VAI mutants which fail to function in Ad infected human cells also failed to enhance the levels of large-T mRNAs in monkey cells infected with SV40. The simple SV40 vector described here may be useful to study the structure and function of small RNA polymerase III genes in the context of a eucaryotic chromosome. In addition, the nondefective recombinant SV40 which expresses the suppressor tRNA gene at high levels may provide a useful helper system to propagate animal viruses with amber mutations in essential genes.

SV40 and polyoma virus induce a mitotic host reaction in confluent, Go-arrested primary mouse kidney cell cultures. To define the primary effects of infection we constructed a cDNA library corresponding to polyA+ mRNA isolated shortly after onset of polyoma T-antigen synthesis. By differential screening of the library we have isolated and then sequenced cDNA recombinant 24p3; determined by Northern blotting, 24p3 mRNA steady state levels increased in parallel with polyoma and SV40 T-antigen synthesis. Since this rapid and early increase was particularly striking (14-20 fold) in SV40-infected cells, we studied the molecular mechanism of induction in this virus-cell system. We show that wt SV40 large T-antigen is required for the increase in 24p3 mRNA levels. The results tend to exclude that this increase is due to an SV40-induced stabilization of the 24p3 mRNA, or to an SV40-induced stimulation of transcription of the 24p3 gene; they are compatible with the working hypothesis that SV40 large T-antigen increases the efficiency of processing, possibly splicing, of the 24p3 pre-mRNA. The biological implications of these results are discussed.

We studied the activation of polyoma middle T expression in revertant cells carrying transcriptionally inactive copies of the middle T (pmt) oncogene. Introduction of polyoma large T with neo into a rat cell line containing multiple copies of pmt stably integrated into the genome corrected the transformation defect in some of the transfected cells by activating the resident pmt gene. However, once the cells were transformed, continuous expression of the large T protein was not required for the maintenance of pmt expression and hence the maintenance of the transformed state. Transformants arising spontaneously as well as those induced by large T exhibited frequent rearrangements of the pmt inserts. Our results suggest that large T activated pmt expression by a hit-and-run mechanism involving recombination of sequences in the viral insert.