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In noradrenergic progenitors, Phox2a mediates cell cycle exit and neuronal differentiation by inducing p27Kip1 transcription in response to activation of the cyclic AMP (cAMP) pathway. The mechanism of cAMP-mediated activation of Phox2a is unknown. We identified a cluster of phosphoserine-proline sites in Phox2a by mass spectrometry. Ser206 appeared to be the most prominent phosphorylation site. A phospho-Ser206 Phox2a antibody detected dephosphorylation of Phox2a that was dependent on activation of the cAMP pathway, which occurred prior to neuronal differentiation of noradrenergic CAD cells. Employing serine-to-alanine and serine-to-aspartic acid Phox2a substitution mutants expressed in inducible CAD cell lines, we demonstrated that the transcriptional activity of Phox2a is regulated by two sequential cAMP-dependent events: first, cAMP signaling promotes dephosphorylation of Phox2a in at least one site, Ser206, thereby allowing Phox2a to bind DNA and initiate p27Kip1 transcription; second, following dephosphorylation of the phosphoserine cluster (Ser202 and Ser208), Phox2a becomes phosphorylated by protein kinase A (PKA) on Ser153, which prevents association of Phox2a with DNA and terminates p27Kip1 transcription. This represents a novel mechanism by which the same stimulus, cAMP signaling, first activates Phox2a by dephosphorylation of Ser206 and then, after a built-in delay, inactivates Phox2a via PKA-dependent phosphorylation of Ser153, thereby modulating onset and duration of p27Kip1 transcription. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intensity of cyclic AMP (cAMP) signaling is a differential instructive signal in neural crest (NC) cell specification. By an unknown mechanism, sympathoadrenal lineage specification is suppressed by high-level activation of cAMP signaling. In NC cultures, high-level activation of cAMP signaling mediates protein kinase A (PKA)-dependent Rap1-B-Raf-ERK1/2 activation, leading to cytoplasmic accumulation of phospho-Smad1, thus terminating bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2)-induced sympathoadrenal cell development. Concurrently, cAMP signaling induces transcription of the melanocyte-determining transcription factor Mitf and melanogenesis, dnACREB and E1A inhibit Mitf expression and melanogenesis, supporting the notion that CREB activation is necessary for melanogenesis. However, constitutively active CREBDIEDML without PKA activation is insufficient for Mitf expression and melanogenesis, indicating PKA regulates additional aspects of Mitf transcription. Thus, high-level activation of cAMP signaling plays a dual role in NC cell differentiation: attenuation of BMP2-induced sympathoadrenal cell development and induction of melanogenesis. We conclude the intensity of activation of signal transduction cascades determines cell lineage segregation mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activation of the cellular stress pathways (c-Jun N-terminal kinase [JNK] and p38 mitogen-activated protein [MAP] kinase) is linked to apoptosis. However, whether both pathways are required fur apoptosis remains unresolved. Hepatitis B virus X protein (pX) activates p38 MAP kinase and JNK pathways and, in response to weak apoptotic signals, sensitizes hepatocytes to apoptosis. Employing hepatocyte cell lines expressing pX, which was regulated by tetracycline, we investigated the mechanism of apoptosis by p38 MAP kinase and JNK pathway activation. Inhibition of the p38 MAP kinase pathway rescues by 80% the initiation of pX-mediated apoptosis, whereas subsequent apoptotic events involve both pathways. pX-mediated activation of p38 MAP kinase and JNK pathways is sustained, inducing the transcription of the death receptor family genes encoding Fas/FasL and tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1)/TNF-α and the p53-regulated Bax and Noxa genes. The pX-dependent expression of Fas/FasL and TNFR1/TNF-α mediates caspase 8 activation, resulting in Bid cleavage. In turn, activated Bid, acting with pX-induced Bax and Noxa, mediates the mitochondrial release of cytochrome c, resulting in the activation of caspase 9 and apoptosis. Combined antibody neutralization of FasL and TNE-α reduces by 70% the initiation of pX-mediated apoptosis. These results support the importance of the pX-dependent activation of both the p38 MAP kinase and JNK pathways in pX-mediated apoptosis and suggest that this mechanism of apoptosis occurs in vivo in response to weak apoptotic signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanisms coordinating neural progenitor cell cycle exit and differentiation are incompletely understood. The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27Kip1 is transcriptionally induced, switching specific neural progenitors from proliferation to differentiation. However, neuronal differentiation-specific transcription factors mediating p27Kip1 transcription have not been identified. We demonstrate the homeodomain transcription factor Phox2a, required for central nervous system (CNS)- and neural crest (NC)-derived noradrenergic neuron differentiation, coordinates cell cycle exit and differentiation by inducing p27Kip1 transcription. Phox2a transcription and activation in the CNS-derived CAD cell line and primary NC cells is mediated by combined cyclic AMP (cAMP) and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) signaling. In the CAD cellular model, cAMP and BMP2 signaling initially induces proliferation of the undifferentiated precursors, followed by p27Kip1 transcription, G1 arrest, and neuronal differentiation. Small interfering RNA silencing of either Phox2a or p27Kip1 suppresses p27Kip1 transcription and neuronal differentiation, suggesting a causal link between p27Kip1 expression and differentiation. Conversely, ectopic Phox2a expression via the Tet-off expression system promotes accelerated CAD cell neuronal differentiation and p27Kip1 transcription only in the presence of cAMP signaling. Importantly, endogenous or ectopically expressed Phox2a activated by cAMP signaling binds homeodomain cis-acting elements of the p27Kip1 promoter in vivo and mediates p27Kip1-luciferase expression in CAD and NC cells. We conclude that developmental cues of cAMP signaling causally link Phox2a activation with p27Kip1 transcription, thereby coordinating neural progenitor cell cycle exit and differentiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) X protein (pX) is implicated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) pathogenesis by an unknown mechanism. Deletions or mutations of genes involved in the p53 pathway are often associated with HBV-mediated HCC, indicating rescue from p53 apoptosis is a likely mechanism in HBV-HCC pathogenesis. Herein, we determined the mechanism by which pX sensitizes hepatocytes to p53-mediated apoptosis. Although it is well established that the Rb/E2F/ARF pathway stabilizes p53, and the DNA damage-activated ATM/ATR kinases activate p53, the mechanism that coordinates these two pathways has not been determined. We demonstrate that the p38MAPK pathway activated by pX serves this role in p53 apoptosis. Specifically, the activated p38MAPK pathway stabilizes p53 via E2F1-mediated ARF expression, and also activates the transcriptional function of p53 by activating ATR. Knockdown of p53, E2F1, ATR, or p38MAPKα abrogates pX-mediated apoptosis, demonstrating that E2F1, ATR, and p38MAPKα are all essential in p53 apoptosis in response to pX. Specifically, in response to pX expression, the p38MAPK pathway activates Cdk4 and Cdk2, leading to phosphorylation of Rb, release of E2F1, and transcription of ARF. The p38MAPK pathway also activates ATR, leading to phosphorylation of p53 on Ser-18 and Ser-23, transcription of pro-apoptotic genes Bax, Fas, and Noxa, and apoptosis. In conclusion, pX sensitizes hepatocytes to p53 apoptosis via activation of the p38MAPK pathway, which couples p53 stabilization and p53 activation, by E2F1 induction and ATR activation, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elucidating mechanisms of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-mediated hepatocarcinogenesis is needed to gain insights into the etiology and treatment of liver cancer. Cells where HBV is replicating exhibit increased expression of Plkl kinase and reduced levels of two transcription repression factors, SUZ12 and ZNF198. SUZ12 is an essential subunit of the transcription repressive complex PRC2. ZNF198 stabilizes the transcription repressive complex composed of LSD1, Co-REST, and HDAC1. These two transcription repressive complexes are held together by binding the long noncoding RNA HOTAIR. In this study, we linked these regulatory events mechanistically by showing that Plkl induces proleasomal degradation of SUZ12 and ZNF198 by site-specific phosphorylation. Plkl-dependent ubiquitination of SUZ12 and ZNF198 was enhanced by expression of HOTAIR, significantly reducing SUZ12 and ZNF198 stability. In cells expressing the HBVX protein (HBx), downregulation ofSUZ12 and ZNF198 mediated global changes in histone modifications. In turn, 1 IBx-expressing cells propagated an altered chromatin landscape after cell division, as exemplified by changes in histone modifications of the EpCAM promoter, a target of PRC2 and LSDl/Co-REST/HDACl complexes. Notably, liver tumors from X/c-myc bitransgenic mice exhibited downregulation of SUZ12 and ZNF198 along with elevated expression of Plkl, HOTAIR, and EpCAM. Clinically, similar effects were documented in a set of HBV-related liver tumors consistent with the likelihood that downregulation of SUZ12 and ZNF198 leads to epigenetic reprogramming of infected hepatocytes. Because both Plkl and HOTAIR are elevated in many human cancers, we propose that their combined effects are involved in epigenetic reprogramming associated broadly with oncogenic transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) overexpression is associated with tumorigenesis by an unknown mechanism. Likewise, Plk1 was suggested to act as a negative regulator of tumor suppressor p53, but the mechanism remains to be determined. Herein, we have identified topoisomerase I-binding protein (Topors), a p53-binding protein, as a Plkl target. We show that Piki phosphorylates Topors on Ser718 in vivo. Significantly, expression of a Plk1-unphosphorylatable Topors mutant (S718A) leads to a dramatic accumulation of p53 through inhibition of p53 degradation. Topors is an ubiquitin and small ubiquitin-like modifier ubiquitin-protein isopeptide ligase (SUMO E3) ligase. Plk1-mediated phosphorylation of Topors inhibits Topors-mediated sumoylation of p53, whereas p53 ubiquitination is enhanced, leading to p53 degradation. These results demonstrate that Plk1 modulates Topors activity in suppressing p53 function and identify a likely mechanism for the tumorigenic potential of Plk1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pluripotent neural crest (NC) cells differentiate to diverse lineages, including the neuronal, sympathoadrenal lineage. In primary NC cultures, bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) requires moderate activation of cAMP signaling for induction of the sympathoadrenal lineage. However, the mechanism by which cAMP signaling synergizes with BMP2 to induce the sympathodrenal lineage is unknown. Herein, we demonstrate that moderate activation of cAMP signaling induces both transcription and activity of proneural transcription factor Phox2a. In NC cultures inhibition of cAMP-response element-binding protein (CREB)-mediated transcription by expression of dominant-negative CREB suppresses Phox2a transcription and sympathoadrenal lineage development. Interestingly, the constitutively active CREBDIEDML, despite inducing Phox2a transcription, is insufficient for sympathoadrenal lineage development, requiring activation of the cAMP pathway. Because CREBDIEDML mediates cAMP-dependent transcription without requiring activation by the cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA), these results identify PKA activation as necessary in sympathoadrenal lineage development. Treatment of NC cultures with the PKA inhibitor H89 or 1–10 nM okadaic acid (OA), a serine/threonine PP2A-like phosphatase inhibitor, suppresses sympathoadrenal lineage development. Likewise, OA treatment of the CNS-derived catecholaminergic CAD cell line inhibits cAMP-mediated neuronal differentiation. Specifically, OA inhibits cAMP-mediated Phox2a dephosphorylation, cAMP-dependent Phox2a DNA binding in vitro, and cAMP- and Phox2a-dependent dopamine-β-hydroxylase-luciferase reporter expression. Together, these results support cAMP-dependent Phox2a dephosphorylation is required for its activation. We conclude that moderate activation of cAMP signaling has dual inputs in catecholaminergic, sympathoadrenal lineage development; that is, regulation of both Phox2a transcription and activity. These results provide the first mechanistic understanding of how moderate activation of the cAMP pathway in synergy with BMP2 promotes sympathoadrenal lineage development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hepatitis B virus (HBV) X protein (pX) is implicated in hepatocarcinogenesis by an unknown mechanism. pX variants encoded by HBV genomes found integrated in genomic DNA from liver tumors of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) generally lack amino acids 134 to 154. Since deregulation of mitogenic pathways is linked to oncogenic transformation, herein we define the pX region required for mitogenic pathway activation. A series of pX deletions was used to construct tetracycline-regulated pX-expressing cell lines. The activation of the mitogenic pathways by these pX deletions expressed in the constructed cell lines was measured by transient transreporter assays, effects on endogenous cyclin A expression, and apoptosis. Conditional expression of pX51-140 in AML12 clone 4 cell line activates the mitogenic pathways, induces endogenous cyclin A expression, and sensitizes cells to apoptosis, similar to wild-type (WT) pX. By contrast, pX1-115 is inactive, supporting the idea that amino acids 116 to 140 are required for mitogenic pathway activation. Moreover, this pX deletion analysis demonstrates that WT pX function is modulated by two regions spanning amino acids 1 to 78 and 141 to 154. The N-terminal X1-78, expressed via a retroviral vector in WT pX-expressing 4pX-1 cells, coimmunoprecipitates with WT pX, indicating this pX region participates in protein-protein interactions leading to pX oligomerization. Interestingly, pX1-78 interferes with WT pX in mediating mitogenic pathway activation, endogenous gene expression, and apoptosis. The C-terminal pX region spanning amino acids 141 to 154 decreases pX stability, determined by pulse-chase studies of WT pX and pX1-140, suggesting that increased stability of naturally occurring pX variants lacking amino acids 134 to 154 may play a role in HCC development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the predominant form of adult liver malignancies, is a global health concern. Its dismal prognosis has prompted recent significant advances in the understanding of its etiology and pathogenesis. The deregulation of epigenetic mechanisms, which maintain heritable gene expression changes and chromatin organization, is implicated in the development of multiple cancers, including HCC. This review summarizes the current knowledge of epigenetic mechanisms in the pathogenesis of HCC, with an emphasis on HCC mediated by chronic hepatitis B virus infection. This review also discusses the encouraging outcomes and lessons learnt from epigenetic therapies for hematological and other solid cancers, and highlights the future potential of similar therapies in the treatment of HCC.

In noradrenergic progenitors, Phox2a mediates cell cycle exit and neuronal differentiation by inducing p27(Kip1) transcription in response to activation of the cyclic AMP (cAMP) pathway. The mechanism of cAMP-mediated activation of Phox2a is unknown. We identified a cluster of phosphoserine-proline sites in Phox2a by mass spectrometry. Ser206 appeared to be the most prominent phosphorylation site. A phospho-Ser206 Phox2a antibody detected dephosphorylation of Phox2a that was dependent on activation of the cAMP pathway, which occurred prior to neuronal differentiation of noradrenergic CAD cells. Employing serine-to-alanine and serine-to-aspartic acid Phox2a substitution mutants expressed in inducible CAD cell lines, we demonstrated that the transcriptional activity of Phox2a is regulated by two sequential cAMP-dependent events: first, cAMP signaling promotes dephosphorylation of Phox2a in at least one site, Ser206, thereby allowing Phox2a to bind DNA and initiate p27(Kip1) transcription; second, following dephosphorylation of the phosphoserine cluster (Ser202 and Ser208), Phox2a becomes phosphorylated by protein kinase A (PKA) on Ser153, which prevents association of Phox2a with DNA and terminates p27(Kip1) transcription. This represents a novel mechanism by which the same stimulus, cAMP signaling, first activates Phox2a by dephosphorylation of Ser206 and then, after a built-in delay, inactivates Phox2a via PKA-dependent phosphorylation of Ser153, thereby modulating onset and duration of p27(Kip1) transcription.

Mechanisms coordinating neural progenitor cell cycle exit and differentiation are incompletely understood. The cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27(Kip1) is transcriptionally induced, switching specific neural progenitors from proliferation to differentiation. However, neuronal differentiation-specific transcription factors mediating p27(Kip1) transcription have not been identified. We demonstrate the homeodomain transcription factor Phox2a, required for central nervous system (CNS)- and neural crest (NC)-derived noradrenergic neuron differentiation, coordinates cell cycle exit and differentiation by inducing p27(Kip1) transcription. Phox2a transcription and activation in the CNS-derived CAD cell line and primary NC cells is mediated by combined cyclic AMP (cAMP) and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP2) signaling. In the CAD cellular model, cAMP and BMP2 signaling initially induces proliferation of the undifferentiated precursors, followed by p27(Kip1) transcription, G(1) arrest, and neuronal differentiation. Small interfering RNA silencing of either Phox2a or p27(Kip1) suppresses p27(Kip1) transcription and neuronal differentiation, suggesting a causal link between p27(Kip1) expression and differentiation. Conversely, ectopic Phox2a expression via the Tet-off expression system promotes accelerated CAD cell neuronal differentiation and p27(Kip1) transcription only in the presence of cAMP signaling. Importantly, endogenous or ectopically expressed Phox2a activated by cAMP signaling binds homeodomain cis-acting elements of the p27(Kip1) promoter in vivo and mediates p27(Kip1)-luciferase expression in CAD and NC cells. We conclude that developmental cues of cAMP signaling causally link Phox2a activation with p27(Kip1) transcription, thereby coordinating neural progenitor cell cycle exit and differentiation.

Activation of the cellular stress pathways (c-Jun N-terminal kinase [JNK] and p38 mitogen-activated protein [MAP] kinase) is linked to apoptosis. However, whether both pathways are required for apoptosis remains unresolved. Hepatitis B virus X protein (pX) activates p38 MAP kinase and JNK pathways and, in response to weak apoptotic signals, sensitizes hepatocytes to apoptosis. Employing hepatocyte cell lines expressing pX, which was regulated by tetracycline, we investigated the mechanism of apoptosis by p38 MAP kinase and JNK pathway activation. Inhibition of the p38 MAP kinase pathway rescues by 80% the initiation of pX-mediated apoptosis, whereas subsequent apoptotic events involve both pathways. pX-mediated activation of p38 MAP kinase and JNK pathways is sustained, inducing the transcription of the death receptor family genes encoding Fas/FasL and tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1)/TNF-alpha and the p53-regulated Bax and Noxa genes. The pX-dependent expression of Fas/FasL and TNFR1/TNF-alpha mediates caspase 8 activation, resulting in Bid cleavage. In turn, activated Bid, acting with pX-induced Bax and Noxa, mediates the mitochondrial release of cytochrome c, resulting in the activation of caspase 9 and apoptosis. Combined antibody neutralization of FasL and TNF-alpha reduces by 70% the initiation of pX-mediated apoptosis. These results support the importance of the pX-dependent activation of both the p38 MAP kinase and JNK pathways in pX-mediated apoptosis and suggest that this mechanism of apoptosis occurs in vivo in response to weak apoptotic signals.