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The interleukin-3 receptor (IL-3R) is composed of alpha and beta subunits, members of the class I cytokine receptor family. Here we describe isolation and characterization of the chromosomal gene for the mouse IL-3R alpha subunit (mIL-3R alpha). Whereas the human IL-3R alpha gene is tightly linked with the granulocyte-macrophage colony- stimulating factor receptor alpha subunit (GM-CSFR alpha) gene in the pseudoautosomal region of the X and Y chromosomes, the mIL-3R alpha gene (II3ra) is located in the proximal region of mouse chromosome 14, separated from the mouse GM-CSFR alpha gene, which is on chromosome 19. The mIL-3R alpha gene spans about 10 kb and is divided into 12 exons. All the exon-intron boundaries possess the splicing junction consensus sequences (52GT-AG352), and the whole genomic structure is similar to those of the previously reported class I cytokine receptor genes. There are two major transcription initiation sites that are located at 215 and 188 nucleotides upstream of the initiator codon. The promoter region is GC-rich and contains potential binding sites for GATA, Ets, c- myb,, Sp1, Ap-2, and G-C boxes, but not a typical TATA or CAAT sequence. A fusion gene containing 0.8 kb of the 52 noncoding sequence linked to the firefly luciferase gene directed the transcription in mouse mast cells but not in fibroblasts or T cells, suggesting that this promoter functions in a cell type-specific manner. Further sequential deletion of the 52 region suggests two potential regulatory regions for transcription of the mIL-3R alpha gene.

The interleukin 3 (IL-3), IL-5, and granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor receptors consist of a cytokine-specific alpha subunit and the common beta subunit. Whereas IL-3 stimulates various lineages of hematopoietic cells, including multipotential progenitors, IL-5 acts mainly as an eosinophil lineage-specific factor. To investigate whether the lineage specificity of IL-5 is due to restricted expression of the IL-5 receptor alpha subunit (IL-5R alpha), we generated transgenic mice that express the mouse IL-5R alpha constitutively by phosphoglycerate kinase promoter. The transgenic mouse expressed IL-5R alpha ubiquitously, and the bone marrow cells formed various types of colonies, including multi-lineage colonies, in response to IL-5. IL-5 also supported formation of both multi-lineage and blast cell colonies from dormant progenitors of the 5-fluorouracil-treated transgenic mice. The cells composing the blast cell colony gave rise to many colonies including multi-lineage colonies when they were replated in secondary culture containing either Il-5 or IL-3. There was no significant difference in replating efficiency or in types of secondary colonies between IL-5- and IL-3-stimulated cultures. Conversely, the cells from the IL-3-induced blast cell colonies of the transgenic mice proliferated in response to either IL-3 or IL-5. Thus, the development of the progenitors can be equally supported by either IL-5 or IL-3, suggesting that intracellular signals from the IL-3R can be replaced by those from IL-5. These results strongly suggest that the lineage specificity of IL-5 is mainly due to the restricted expression of IL-5R alpha.

Interleukin 3 (IL-3) and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) exert their biological functions through acting on a specific receptor which consists of a ligand-specific alpha subunit and the shared common beta subunit. Inhibition by genistein of a subset of IL-3/GM-CSF-mediated signals, including c-myc induction, resulted in the abrogation of DNA synthesis, however, IL-3 still protected cells from apoptotic cell death. Conversely, a C-terminal truncated form of the GM-CSF receptor, which is missing a critical cytoplasmic region required for activation of the Ras/Raf-1/MAP kinase pathway, induced DNA synthesis, but failed to prevent cell death in response to GM-CSF. Consequently, cells died by apoptosis in the presence of GM-CSF, despite displaying a transient mitogenic response. However, expression of activated Ras protein complemented defective signalling through the mutant receptor and supported long-term proliferation in concert with GM-CSF. These results indicate that IL-3 and GM-CSF prevent apoptosis of hematopoietic cells by activating a signalling pathway distinct from the induction of DNA synthesis and that long-term cell proliferation requires the activation of both pathways.

A member of leucine-rich repeat neuronal protein family, leucine-rich repeat neuronal protein 4 (Lrrn4), is a type I transmembrane protein. Previously, we have reported that Lrrn4 is expressed in various regions of the central nervous system (CNS) and involved in the memory retention. However, little is known about the role of Lrrn4 in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Northern blot analysis revealed that Lrrn4 mRNA was expressed predominantly in the dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) with low levels in some regions of the CNS. To identify Lrrn4-expressing cells in the DRGs, we performed in situ hybridization histochemistry and LacZ staining in Lrrn4-heterozygous (Lrrn4+/−) mice generated by the replacement of Lrrn4 gene with β-galactosidase gene. In the adult DRGs, 8% of total DRG neurons contained Lrrn4 mRNA, which was exclusively expressed in the small-sized neurons. LacZ staining combined with immunohistochemistry revealed that approximately 42% and 58% of Lrrn4-positive neurons contained receptor tyrosine kinase A (TrkA)- and Ret-immunoreactivity, respectively. After sciatic nerve axotomy, the expression of Lrrn4 mRNA was reduced in injured side of the DRGs. Thus, Lrrn4 is expressed in a subset of nociceptive neurons and might contribute to the maintenance of nociceptive circuits.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) has been implicated in the proliferation and metastasis of tumor cells. However, most previous studies were conducted on extracellular matrix or pericellular HA, and the role of circulating HA in vivo has not been studied. HA is rapidly cleared from the bloodstream. The scavenger receptor Stabilin-2 (Stab2) is considered a major clearance receptor for HA. Here we report a dramatic elevation in circulating HA levels in Stab2-deficient mice without any overt phenotype. Surprisingly, the metastasis of B16F10 melanoma cells to the lungs was markedly suppressed in the Stab2-deficient mice, whereas cell proliferation was not affected. Furthermore, administration of an anti-Stab2 antibody in Stab2 + mice elevated serum HA levels and prevented the metastasis of melanoma to the lung, and also suppressed spontaneous metastasis of mammary tumor and human breast tumor cells inoculated in the mammary gland. Administration of the antibody or high-dose HA in mice blocked the lodging of melanoma cells to the lungs. Furthermore, HA at high concentrations inhibited the rolling/tethering of B16 cells to lung endothelial cells. These results suggest that blocking Stab2 function prevents tumor metastasis by elevating circulating HA levels. Stab2 may be a potential target in antitumor therapy.

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) undergo myofibroblastic activation in liver fibrosis and regeneration. This phenotypic switch is mechanistically similar to dedifferentiation of adipocytes as such the necdin-Wnt pathway causes epigenetic repression of the master adipogenic gene Pparγ, to activate HSCs. Now we report that delta-like 1 homolog (DLK1) is expressed selectively in HSCs in the adult rodent liver and induced in liver fibrosis and regeneration. Dlk1 knockdown in activated HSCs, causes suppression of necdin and Wnt, epigenetic derepression of Pparγ, and morphologic and functional reversal to quiescent cells. Hepatic Dlk1 expression is induced 40-fold at 24 h after partial hepatectomy (PH) in mice. HSCs and hepatocytes (HCs) isolated from the regenerating liver show Dlk1 induction in both cell types. In HC and HSC co-culture, increased proliferation and Dlk1 expression by HCs from PH are abrogated with anti-DLK1 antibody (Ab). Dlk1 and Wnt10b expression by Sham HCs are increased by co-culture with PH HSCs, and these effects are abolished with anti-DLK Ab. A tail vein injection of anti-DLK1 Ab at 6 h after PH reduces early HC proliferation and liver growth, accompanied by decreased Wnt10b, nonphosphorylated β-catenin, p-β-catenin (Ser-552), cyclins (cyclin D and cyclin A), cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK4, and CDK1/2), p-ERK1/2, and p-AKT. In the mouse developing liver, HSC precursors and HSCs express high levels of Dlk1, concomitant with Dlk1 expression by hepatoblasts. These results suggest novel roles of HSC-derived DLK1 in activating HSCs via epigenetic Pparγ repression and participating in liver regeneration and development in a manner involving the mesenchymal-epithelial interaction.

Organic anion transporting polypeptide 1B3 (OATP1B3) is a hepatocyte plasma membrane protein that transports various endogenous and xenobiotic compounds. Although it is exclusively expressed in the human liver under normal conditions, OATP1B3 can be also expressed in various human cancer tissues that have been associated with prognosis and clinical outcomes. However, despite the potential significance of the latter finding, no experimental evidence addressing the molecular entity of cancer-associated OATP1B3 has been provided to date. In this paper, we report the identification of a new OATP1B3 mRNA isoform expressed in human colon and lung cancer tissues, which we named cancer-type OATP1B3 (Ct-OATP1B3). Our results also make known a previously unidentified transcription start site and an alternative promoter region, localized at intron 2, from which Ct-OATP1B3 mRNA is generated. Isoform specific mRNA quantification showed that the Ct-OATP1B3 mRNA level was strikingly higher than that of Lt-OATP1B3 mRNA in human cancer tissues. In addition, the results showed that the translation occurred at three out of four open reading frames. To summarize, our results clearly demonstrate that the newly-identified Ct-OATP1B3 (but not Lt-OATP1B3) is the primary mRNA isoform, at least in the human cancerous samples we have examined. In line with the possibility that its translation products play important biological roles in cancer cells, we strongly believe that the existence of Ct-OATP1B3 should be taken into account during future studies of OATP1B3 associated with cancer prognosis and clinical outcomes.

Summary Background The size of organs and tissues is basically determined by the number and size of their cells. However, little attention has been paid to this fundamental concept. The liver has a remarkable ability to regenerate after surgical resection (partial hepatectomy [PHx]), and hepatocytes account for about 80% of liver weight, so we investigate how the number and size of hepatocytes contribute to liver regeneration in mice. It has been generally accepted that hepatocytes undergo one or two rounds of cell division after 70% PHx. However, ploidy of hepatocytes is known to increase during regeneration, suggesting an unconventional cell cycle. We therefore examine cell cycle of hepatocytes in detail. Results By developing a method for genetic fate mapping and a high-throughput imaging system of individual hepatocytes, we show that cellular hypertrophy makes the first contribution to liver regeneration; i.e., regeneration after 30% PHx is achieved solely by hypertrophy without cell division, and hypertrophy precedes proliferation after 70% PHx. Proliferation and hypertrophy almost equally contribute to regeneration after 70% PHx. Furthermore, although most hepatocytes enter cell cycle after 70% PHx, not all hepatocytes undergo cell division. In addition, binuclear hepatocytes undergo reductive divisions to generate two mononuclear daughter hepatocytes in some cases. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate the importance of hypertrophy and the unconventional cell division cycle of hepatocytes in regeneration, prompting a significant revision of the generally accepted model of liver regeneration.

Interleukin (IL)-3, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and IL-5 receptors (IL-3R, GMR, and IL-5R) are composed of the α chain specific to each and the common β chain, and both the α and β subunits are members of the cytokine receptor superfamily. We previously showed that the high-affinity human GMR reconstituted by cotransfecting the α and β chain cDNA clones transduces signals in response to hGM-CSF to activate transcription of c-fos, c-jun, and c-myc proto-oncogenes in mouse proB cell line BA/F3 or in mouse fibroblast NIH3T3 cells. These results indicated that molecules, such as tyrosine kinase, unique to hematopoietic cells are not essential to transduce signals. In this study, the function of the α subunit of GMR was compared with those of IL-3R and IL-5R by cotransfecting human cDNAs encoding the α subunit of IL-3R or IL-5R and the common β subunit into BA/F3 or NIH3T3 cells. We found that the reconstituted human IL-3R, in response to hIL-3, transduced signals to activate transcription of c-fos promoter and induced DNA synthesis in both types of cells in a manner similar to hGMR. Likewise, hIL-5 activates c-fos promoter in transfected NIH3T3 cells expressing hIL-5R. These results indicated that the α subunits of IL-3R and IL-5R have properties similar to those of the GMR α subunit. In contrast, transfected human IL-4 receptor (hIL-4R) cDNA, which weakly activated c-fos promoter and induced DNA synthesis in BA/F3 cells, failed to elicit these activities in NIH3T3 cells in response to hIL-4. It is likely that NIH3T3 cells lack some component or components required for signal transduction by hIL-4R. (J ALLERGY CLIN IMMUNOL 1994;94:605-11.)

The cytokines, interleukin-3 (IL-3) and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), share many similar activities on cells of the hemopoietic system. Cloning of the receptors for IL-3 and GM-CSF revealed that these two cytokines utilize receptors consisting of a ligand-specific alpha unit and a beta subunit which is shared. Neither subunit contains intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity, but deletion analysis of the beta subunit cytoplasmic domain has defined certain regions which are important for signal transduction.

The high-affinity receptor for granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) consists of a unique alpha chain and a beta c subunit that is shared with the receptors for interleukin-3 (IL-3) and IL-5. Two regions of the beta c chain have been defined; these include a membrane-proximal region of the cytoplasmic domain that is required for mitogenesis and a membrane-distal region that is required for activation of Ras, Raf-1, mitogen-activated protein kinase, and S6 kinase. Recent studies have implicated the cytoplasmic protein tyrosine kinase JAK2 in signalling through a number of the cytokine receptors, including the IL-3 and erythropoietin receptors. In the studies described here, we demonstrate that GM-CSF stimulation of cells induces the tyrosine phosphorylation of JAK2 and activates its in vitro kinase activity. Mutational analysis of the beta c chain demonstrates that only the membrane-proximal 62 amino acids of the cytosolic domain are required for JAK2 activation. Thus, JAK2 activation is correlated with induction of mitogenesis but does not, alone, activate the Ras pathway. Carboxyl truncations of the alpha chain, which inactivate the receptor for mitogenesis, are unable to mediate GM-CSF-induced JAK2 activation. Using baculovirus-expressed proteins, we further demonstrate that JAK2 physically associates with the beta c chain but not with the alpha chain. Together, the results further support the hypothesis that the JAK family of kinase are critical to coupling cytokine binding to tyrosine phosphorylation and ultimately mitogenesis.

To determine the effects of a cytokine on cognate receptor expression in normal and neoplastic cells, the interleukin-3 receptor (IL-3R) complex was examined in the parental IL-3-dependent line FL5.12, which was isolated from fetal liver, and in autocrine- and v-abl-transformed derivative lines. IL-3 decreased the amount of the IL-3R alpha and beta chains detected on the cell surface of the parental IL-3-dependent cells. In contrast, high levels of IL-3R beta were constitutively detected on the autocrine-transformed lines in the absence and presence of exogenous IL-3. Only low levels of IL-3R beta were observed in the two v-abl-transformed derivative cell lines examined, which no longer required IL-3 for growth. The levels of the IL-3R alpha chain detected were similar in these transformed cells and were not regulated by IL-3. These results were substantiated further by RNA analysis, because IL-3 decreased the levels of IL-3R transcripts in the parental factor- dependent FL5.12 line. The pattern of IL-3R gene expression was opposite to that of other receptors or proto-oncogenes, because RNA transcripts for all other genes examined were induced by IL-3. We conclude that IL-3 tightly controls IL-3R expression in the IL-3- dependent FL5.12 cells, whereas steady-state mRNA levels were not altered in the two v-abl-transformed derivative cell lines examined in this study.

The class I cytokine receptors consist of multiple subunits without any intrinsic enzymatic activities. Receptors for a subset of cytokines with overlapping biological activities often share a common receptor subunit with a signaling function. Each receptor regulates its specific signaling pathways, as well as common pathways depending on the target cell type.

Cytokines are pleiotropic regulators that control proliferation, differentiation, and other cellular functions. They play a pivotal role in the immune and hematopoietic systems, and subsets of cytokines often exhibit similar biologic activities in common target cells. Recent cloning of genes for the cytokine receptors has provided new insights into the understanding of how the cytokines control the immune and hematopoietic systems. Cytokine receptors usually consist of multiple subunits, most of which belong to a new gene family called the cytokine receptor superfamily, and receptors for a subset of cytokines with similar functions share a common subunit with a signaling function, providing a molecular basis for the functional redundancy of cytokines.

Cytokines are important regulators of hemopoiesis which exert their actions by binding to specific, high affinity, cell surface receptors. In the past several years, molecular cloning of these receptors has revealed a new superfamily referred to as the hemopoietic growth factor receptors. Members of this family are defined by a 200 amino acid conserved domain; however, it has become increasingly apparent that another characteristic of these receptors is the shared usage of a common signalling subunit among subgroups in this family. The shared signalling component explains the functional redundancy of many cytokines; however, the mechanism by which these receptors transduce a signal across the membrane is not yet clear. Studies into cytokine action have shown that many of the events that occur in response to ligand stimulation are similar to those observed for the better characterized intrinsic tyrosine kinase receptors. Thus, although the cytokine receptors do not possess intrinsic tyrosine kinase activity, these observations have led to a model of cytokine signal transduction adapted from the signalling mechanisms described for the tyrosine kinase receptors.

Hepatoblasts are considered to be liver stem/progenitor cells in the fetus because they propagate and differentiate into two types of liver epithelial cells, hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. In adults, oval cells that emerge in severely injured liver are considered facultative hepatic stem/progenitor cells. However, the nature of oval cells has remained unclear for long time due to the lack of a method to isolate them. It has also been unclear whether liver stem/progenitor cells exist in normal adult liver. Recently, we and others have successfully identified oval cells and adult liver stem/progenitor cells. Here, we describe the identification and isolation of mouse liver stem/progenitor cells by utilizing antibodies against specific cell surface marker molecules.

TROP2, a cell surface protein structurally related to EpCAM, is expressed in various carcinomas, though its function remains largely unknown. We examined the expression of TROP2 and EpCAM in fetal mouse tissues, and found distinct patterns in the ureteric bud of the fetal kidney, which forms a tree-like structure. The tip cells in the ureteric bud proliferate to form branches, whereas the trunk cells differentiate to form a polarized ductal structure. EpCAM was expressed throughout the ureteric bud, whereas TROP2 expression was strongest at the trunk but diminished towards the tips, indicating the distinct cell populations in the ureteric bud. The cells highly expressing TROP2 (TROP2(high)) were negative for Ki67, a proliferating cell marker, and TROP2 and collagen-I were co-localized to the basal membrane of the trunk cells. TROP2(high) cells isolated from the fetal kidney failed to attach and spread on collagen-coated plates. Using MDCK cells, a well-established model for studying the branching morphogenesis of the ureteric bud, TROP2 was shown to inhibit cell spreading and motility on collagen-coated plates, and also branching in collagen-gel cultures, which mimic the ureteric bud's microenvironment. These results together suggest that TROP2 modulates the interaction between the cells and matrix and regulates the formation of the ureteric duct by suppressing branching from the trunk during kidney development.

Hepatoblasts are considered to be liver stem/progenitor cells in the fetus because they propagate and differentiate into two types of liver epithelial cells, hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. In adults, oval cells that emerge in severely injured liver are considered facultative hepatic stem/progenitor cells. However, the nature of oval cells has remained unclear for long time due to the lack of a method to isolate them. It has also been unclear whether liver stem/progenitor cells exist in normal adult liver. Recently, we and others have successfully identified oval cells and adult liver stem/progenitor cells. Here, we describe the identification and isolation of mouse liver stem/progenitor cells by utilizing antibodies against specific cell surface marker molecules.

Cfr (cysteine-rich fibroblast growth factor receptor) is an Fgf (fibroblast growth factor)-binding protein without a tyrosine kinase. We have shown previously that Cfr is involved in Fgf18 signalling via Fgf receptor 3c. However, as Cfr is also known as Glg (Golgi apparatus protein)-1 or MG-160 and occurs in the Golgi apparatus, it remains unknown how the distribution of Cfr is regulated. In the present study, we performed a mutagenic analysis of Cfr to show that two distinct regions contribute to its distribution and stability. First, the C-terminal region retains Cfr in the Golgi apparatus. Secondly, the Cfr repeats in the extracellular juxtamembrane region destabilizes Cfr passed through the Golgi apparatus. This destabilization does not depend on the cleavage and secretion of the extracellular domain of Cfr. Furthermore, we found that Cfr with a GPI (glycosylphosphatidylinositol) anchor was predominantly expressed on the cell surface in Ba/F3 cells and affected Fgf18 signalling in a similar manner to the full-length Cfr, indicating that the interaction of Cfr with Fgfs on the cell surface is important for its function in Fgf signalling. These results suggest that the expression of Cfr in the Golgi apparatus and on the plasma membrane is finely tuned through two distinct mechanisms for exhibiting different functions.

Liver stem cells give rise to both hepatocytes and bile duct epithelial cells also known as cholangiocytes. During liver development hepatoblasts emerge from the foregut endoderm and give rise to both cell types. Colony-forming cells are present in the liver primordium and clonally expanded cells differentiate into either hepatocytes or cholangiocytes depending on culture conditions, showing stem cell characteristics. The growth and differentiation of hepatoblasts are regulated by various extrinsic signals. For example, periportal mesenchymal cells provide a cue for bipotential hepatoblasts to become cholangiocytes, and mesothelial cells covering the parenchyma support the expansion of foetal hepatocytes by producing growth factors. The adult liver has an extraordinary capacity to regenerate, and after 70% hepatectomy the liver recovers its original mass by replication of the remaining hepatocytes without the activation of liver stem cells. However, in certain types of liver injury models, liver stem/progenitor-like cells, known as oval cells in rodents, proliferate around the portal vein, while the roles of such cells in liver regeneration remain a matter of debate. Clonogenic and bipotential cells are also present in the normal adult liver. In this minireview we describe recent studies on liver stem/progenitor cells by focusing on extracellular signals.

Islets of Langerhans are a pancreatic endocrine compartment consisting of insulin-producing β cells together with several other hormone-producing cells. While some insulin-producing cells or immature pancreatic cells have been generated in vitro from ES and iPS cells, islets with proper functions and a three-dimensional (3D) structure have never been successfully produced. To test whether islets can be formed in vitro, we first examined the potential of mouse fetal pancreatic cells. We found that E16.5 pancreatic cells, just before forming islets, were able to develop cell aggregates consisting of β cells surrounded by glucagon-producing α cells, a structure similar to murine adult islets. Moreover, the transplantation of these cells improved blood glucose levels in hyperglycemic mice. These results indicate that functional islets are formed in vitro from fetal pancreatic cells at a specific developmental stage. By adopting these culture conditions to the differentiation of mouse iPS cells, we developed a two-step system to generate islets, i.e. immature pancreatic cells were first produced from iPS cells, and then transferred to culture conditions that allowed the formation of islets from fetal pancreatic cells. The islets exhibited distinct 3D structural features similar to adult pancreatic islets and secreted insulin in response to glucose concentrations. Transplantation of the islets improved blood glucose levels in hyperglycemic mice. In conclusion, the two-step culture system allows the generation of functional islets with a 3D structure from iPS cells.

The high-affinity receptors for granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin 3 (IL-3) and IL-5 consist of two subunits, alpha and beta. The alpha subunits are specific to each cytokine and the same beta subunit (beta c) is shared by these three receptors. Although none of these receptor subunits has intrinsic kinase activity, these cytokines induce protein tyrosine phosphorylation, activation of Ras, Raf-1 and MAP kinase, and transcriptional activation of nuclear proto-oncogenes such as c-myc, c-fos and c-jun. In this paper, we describe a detailed analysis of the signaling potential of the beta c subunit by using a series of cytoplasmic deletion mutants. The human beta c consists of 881 amino acid residues. A C-terminal deletion mutant of beta c at amino acid 763 (beta 763) induced phosphorylation of Shc and activation of Ras, Raf-1, MAP kinase and p70 S6 kinase, whereas a deletion at amino acid 626 (beta 626) induced none of these effects. The beta 763 mutant, as well as the full-length beta c, induced transcription of c-myc, c-fos and c-jun. Deletions at amino acid 517 (beta 517) and 626 (beta 626) induced c-myc and pim-1, but no induction of c-fos and c-jun was observed. GM-CSF increased phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3-K) activity in anti-phosphotyrosine immunoprecipitates from cells expressing beta 763 as well as beta c, whereas it was only marginally increased from cells expressing beta 517 or beta 626. Thus, there are at least two distinct regions within the cytoplasmic domain of beta c that are responsible for different signals, i.e. a membrane proximal region of approximately 60 amino acid residues upstream of Glu517 is essential for induction of c-myc and pim-1, and a distal region of approximately 140 amino acid residues (between Leu626 and Ser763) is required for activation of Ras, Raf-1, MAP kinase and p70 S6 kinase, as well as induction of c-fos and c-jun.

Granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) binds to the high-affinity GM-CSF receptor (GMR) consisting of alpha and beta subunits and induces rapid tyrosine phosphorylation, activation of early response genes, and proliferation of hematopoietic cells. The alpha subunit is the primary cytokine binding component and the beta subunit is required for high-affinity binding as well as for signal transduction. Using tyrosine kinase inhibitors and cytoplasmic deletion mutants of the beta subunit, we obtained evidence that there are at least two distinct pathways downstream of the GMR in BA/F3 cell, one which is essential for proliferation, leads to the c-myc gene activation, and is sensitive to herbimycin and genistein. Activation of this pathway depends on the cytoplasmic region between amino acid positions 455 and 517 of the beta subunit. The second pathway, which leads to activation of c-fos and c-jun genes, is only partially sensitive to herbimycin, is resistant to genistein and depends on the region between amino acid positions 626 and 763 of the beta subunit. Unexpectedly, the c-fos mRNA induction was augmented by genistein. The enhanced expression of c-fos mRNA by genistein also occurred with stimulation with cAMP, PMA, or EGF in NIH3T3 cells. It thus seems likely that genistein affects a common pathway downstream of these signals.

Interleukin-3 (IL-3) regulates growth and differentiation of multipotential as well as lineage-committed progenitor cells. The human IL-3 receptor (IL-3R) consists of the alpha and common beta (beta c) subunits. The alpha subunit (IL-3R alpha) is specific for IL-3 and binds IL-3 with low affinity. In contrast, the beta c subunit does not bind any cytokine by itself, but forms a high-affinity receptor with IL- 3R alpha. As the same beta c subunit also forms high-affinity receptors for IL-5 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) with the respective cytokine-specific alpha subunit, the expression of the alpha subunits is responsible for specificity of cytokines. To examine the expression of IL-3R alpha, we have developed a monoclonal antibody (MoAb), N3A. N3A specifically bound to cells expressing IL-3R alpha and immunoprecipitated a 75 Kd glycoprotein, which became 43 Kd on N-glycosidase digestion. N3A and an anti-beta c antibody, CRS1, were used in double color fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS) staining with several lineage markers to see the IL-3R expression pattern in peripheral blood (PB), cord blood (CB), and bone marrow (BM) cells. Both IL-3R subunits were expressed on myeloid cell lineages (CD13+, CD14+, CD15Lo, or CD33+). To further study the IL-3R expression on hematopoietic progenitor cells, the CD34+ populations were isolated from both BM and CB cells. Those populations showed positive staining profiles with the N3A MoAb and were weakly stained with the CRS1 MoAb. Furthermore, anti c-kit antibody staining of the CD34+ fraction from CB, but not from BM, showed two intensities and the IL-3R alpha expression seemed to be higher in a fraction of low c-kit expression. Because IL-1, IL-6, G-CSF, stem cell factor (SCF), interferon (IFN)- gamma, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha are known to enhance IL-3- dependent colony formation, we have examined whether this enhancement could be correlated with upregulation of the IL-3R expression. Incubation of CD34+ cells with TNF-alpha for 2 days significantly increased the level of beta c and G-CSF increased the number of cells with high level expression of alpha, while other factors did not affect the IL-3R expression. Thus, different cytokines appear to have different mechanisms for enhancement of IL-3-dependent proliferation.

beta IL3 (formerly known as AIC2A), a beta subunit of the murine interleukin-3 receptor (IL-3R), is not only required for formation of the high affinity receptor but is also important for signal transduction. To examine the function of beta IL3 in signal transduction, we constructed several chimeric receptors consisting of the intracellular portion of beta IL3 and the extracellular portion of other members of the cytokine receptor superfamily, i.e. the human interleukin-2 receptor beta chain (hIL-2R beta), the human interleukin-4 receptor (hIL-4R), and the murine erythropoietin receptor (mEpoR). These chimeric receptors and normal cytokine receptors were expressed in an IL-3-dependent murine pro-B cell line, Ba/F3, and an IL-2-dependent murine T cell line, CTLL2. Regardless of the origin of the extracellular domain, these chimeric receptors were functional in Ba/F3 cells; they stimulated proliferation and induced tyrosine phosphorylation in response to the cytokine corresponding to the extracellular domain. However, the response of transfectants expressing chimeric receptors was similar to, but not identical with, the response of Ba/F3 cells to mIL-3. We present evidence that the IL-4R and EpoR probably have an additional component which is involved in signal transduction.

Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin-3 (IL-3) are hematopoietic growth factors which stimulate the proliferation and differentiation of myeloid progenitor cells. There is a considerable degree of overlap in target cell specificity and the functional effects of GM-CSF and IL-3. GM-CSF and IL-3 induce a nearly identical pattern of protein-tyrosine phosphorylation in certain cell lines, although their receptors have no kinase domains. Furthermore, their receptor complexes share one subunit (designated as beta). These observations raise the possibility that GM-CSF and IL-3 have a common signaling pathway. Here we show that both GM-CSF and IL-3 induce tyrosine phosphorylation and kinase activity of the c-fps/fes proto-oncogene product (p92c-fes), a non-receptor protein-tyrosine kinase, in a human erythro-leukemia cell line, TF-1, which requires GM-CSF or IL-3 for growth. In addition, GM-CSF induces physical association between p92c-fes and the beta chain of the GM-CSF receptor. p92c-fes is therefore a possible signal transducer of several hematopoietic growth factors including GM-CSF and IL-3 through the common beta chain.

Retroviral insertion mutagenesis has been used extensively in vivo but not in vitro to induce and identify critical mutations during oncogenic progression and differentiation. We have developed a tissue culture system using the human, growth factor-dependent, hematopoietic precursor cell line TF-1 that permits the use of retroviral vectors to induce a large (up to 28-fold) increase in the mutation frequency to growth factor independence and thus the isolation of many mutants. The mutation frequency, as expected, is directly proportional to the number of retroviral insertions (2.2 x 10(-7) mutants per insertion). The mutant phenotypes can be subdivided into mutants that release growth factors and those that do not ("autonomous" mutants). The majority of growth factor-producing mutants release an unidentified ligand. A subset of the autonomous mutants shows alterations in expression of the alpha subunit of either the GM-CSF or the IL-3 receptor. One mutant expresses neither GM-CSF nor IL-3 alpha receptor chains, thus showing coordinate regulation of the alpha receptor subunits.

The liver is an essential organ for life, serving as the center for metabolism and playing various critical functions in controlling systemic homeostasis. Among multiple types of cells comprising the liver, hepatocytes and cholangiocytes are the two epithelial cell lineages in the organ, and commonly originate from hepatoblasts during organogenesis in developing embryos. Thus, hepatoblasts possess bi-lineage differentiation potential into hepatocytes and cholangiocytes, a phenotypic feature that can best distinguish and define liver stem cells. While the liver is considered not to rely on any resident stem cell population for their homeostatic maintenance, facultative stem/progenitor cells with bi-lineage differentiation potential, referred to as oval cells in rodents, may emerge under severe damage conditions and play critical roles in promoting the regenerative processes. However, the extent to which these putative stem/progenitor cells contribute to regeneration has been debated, as recent studies have shown that most regenerative responses are hepatocyte-derived, particularly in mice. Evidence for both scenarios will be discussed in later sections. Nevertheless, identification of specific markers has enabled researchers to isolate and characterize these fetal and adult stem/progenitor cell populations. In vitro culture systems as well as in vivo studies using animal models have allowed elucidation of detailed molecular mechanisms, including intercellular signaling webs and intracellular transcriptional regulatory networks, which coordinately regulate development, differentiation and behavior of these cells. Understanding the cellular and molecular basis of liver development and regeneration from the perspective of the embryonic and adult stem/progenitor cells should make invaluable contributions to future development of technologies to produce fully functional hepatocytes in vitro that are applicable for cell therapy and pharmaceutical screening.

NF-kappaB is a key mediator for inducible transcription of various proinflammatory genes in innate immune responses, and its activity is strictly regulated by several IkappaB proteins. Although signaling pathways leading from pattern recognition receptors to NF-kappaB's activation in the cytoplasm have been studied extensively, the detail regulatory mechanisms of NF-kappaB-mediated transcriptional activity in the nucleus still remain unclear. Here we describe a unique member of the nuclear IkappaB protein family, IkappaBeta. In a gene expression analysis of dendritic cells, we found a unique gene encoding an uncharacterized protein with ankyrin repeats. As it was structurally related to the IkappaB family, the protein was named "IkappaBeta" and further characterized in the innate immune response. IkappaBeta was widely expressed in various tissues and predominantly located in the nucleus. Moreover, biochemical analysis showed that IkappaBeta associated with the p50 subunit of NF-kappaB. Knockdown of IkappaBeta by siRNA suppressed the transcription of a subset of NF-kappaB-mediated proinflammatory cytokines in LPS-stimulated and poly (I:C)-transfected macrophages. These results indicate that IkappaBeta regulates the NF-kappaB-mediated transcription of a wide variety of proinflammatory genes, playing a crucial role in the regulation of innate immune responses.

Concentrative nucleoside transporter 2 (CNT2) (encoded by the SLC28A2 gene) transports various antiviral or antitumor purine nucleoside analogs to be involved in their pharmacokinetics and pharmacological actions. The results of our study showed that mouse hepatocytes hardly expressed CNT2 mRNA and no CNT2-dependent nucleoside uptake was observed, while rat hepatocytes exhibited high CNT2-dependent nucleoside uptake activity levels with abundant CNT2 mRNA expression. We concluded that CNT2 contributes considerably to nucleoside uptake in rat hepatocytes but not in mouse hepatocytes.

High-affinity receptors for human granulocyte macrophage colony- stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin-3 (IL-3), and IL-5 are composed of two distinct subunits, alpha and beta. Each receptor has its own ligand-specific alpha subunit, and the three receptors share the common beta subunit, beta c. Using a transfectant of NIH3T3 cells expressing the high-affinity human GM-CSF receptor, monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) against beta c were generated. These MoAbs specifically bound to cells bearing beta c and immunoprecipitated the beta c protein of 120 Kd. Using these MoAbs, expression of beta c was examined. It is known that IL-1 augments the proliferative response of a human factor-dependent hematopoietic cell line TF-1 to either GM-CSF, IL-3, or IL-5, and that it upregulates the high-affinity receptors for GM-CSF, IL-3, and IL-5. Antibody binding and immunoprecipitation demonstrated that IL-1 increased cell surface expression of beta c. This enhancement by IL-1 was accompanied by an increased level of beta c mRNA. In addition, we found that tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF- alpha) also increased the expression of beta c, although it did not augment the proliferative response of TF-1 to GM-CSF, IL-3, and IL-5.

Several distinct cytokines often exhibit similar biological activities. The findings that high-affinity receptors for a group of cytokines with similar function share a common subunit with a critical role in signal transduction have provided a molecular basis for the functional redundancy of cytokines. Since the common subunit, together with distinct cytokine-specific receptor subunits, form high-affinity receptors, binding of one cytokine to its high-affinity receptor can be competed for by other cytokines in the same group.

Chromosomal genes for two mouse homologous beta subunits (AIC2A and AIC2B) of the interleukin-3, granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor, and interleukin-5 receptors were characterized. Both AIC2A and AIC2B genes were present on a 250-kilobase MluI restriction fragment and were mapped on murine chromosome 15 (these loci were provisionally designated as Il3rb-1 (AIC2A) and Il3rb-2 (AIC2B)), closely linked to the c-sis locus. Both genes consist of 14 exons and span about 28 kb each. The major transcription initiation sites of both genes were mapped at 194 bp from the initiation codon. These genes are 95% identical up to 700 bp from the transcription initiation sites. Potential recognition sequences for hemopoietic transcription factors including GATA-1 and PU.1 in addition to a TATA-like sequence are present in the 5'-flanking region. A stretch of 20 bp including the initiation site is homologous to the corresponding region of the erythropoietin receptor and the interleukin-7 receptor genes and to the initiator sequence of the adeno-associated virus P5 promoter, suggesting a possible role in transcription initiation. Comparison of the exon/intron boundaries of AIC2A and AIC2B genes with those of other members of the cytokine receptor superfamily reveals a conserved evolutionary structure. Isolation of various forms of AIC2 cDNAs reveals differential splicing of the transcripts.

Mouse interleukin-3 (IL-3) binds to its receptor with high and low affinities. Using anti-Aic2 antibody, two distinct cDNAs (AIC2A and AIC2B) were isolated. The AIC2A gene encodes a protein of 120 Kd that binds IL-3 with low affinity, whereas the AIC2B gene encodes a protein that is 91% identical to AIC2A at the amino acid level, but which does not bind IL-3. To study the structure of the functional high-affinity IL-3 receptor (IL-3R), we generated specific monoclonal antibodies against the AIC2A protein. We produced a soluble AIC2A protein by inserting a termination codon at the beginning of the transmembrane domain of the AIC2A cDNA. Soluble AIC2A protein expressed in COS7 cells was purified to homogeneity and three anti-AIC2A monoclonal antibody- producing hybridomas (3D1, 3D4, and 9D3) were obtained from a rat immunized with the purified soluble AIC2A protein. The antibodies were specific for the AIC2A protein and did not bind to the AIC2B protein. Using chimeric receptors between AIC2A and AIC2B, recognition sites of the antibodies were mapped. The antibodies immunoprecipitated a 120-Kd protein from IL-3-dependent PT18 cells. The N-terminal sequence of the 120-Kd protein was consistent with the predicted processing site of the signal sequence of the AIC2A protein. Staining of IL-3-dependent and IL- 3-independent cell lines with the 9D3 antibody were consistent with the IL-3 binding. The 9D3 antibody inhibited both the high-affinity IL-3 binding and the low-affinity binding, as well as IL-3-dependent proliferation. These results indicate that the AIC2A protein is a binding component of a high-affinity IL-3R.

The structure of the murine interleukin-4 receptor (mIL-4R) gene has been determined. The gene spans approximately 25 kilobases (kb) of DNA and is composed of 12 exons interrupted by 11 introns. The gene contains sequences accounting for all the sequences present in the functional mIL-4R cDNAs, including several exons which can encode DNA inserts found in recently cloned IL-4R cDNA variants. Thus expression of the gene may be regulated, at least in part, by alternative splicing. A combination of S1 nuclease protection and primer extension assays was used to localize the 5' end of the gene and demonstrated the use of multiple transcription initiation sites within this region. We have found that the overall intron-exon organization of the murine IL-4R gene is markedly similar to that of the murine erythropoietin receptor (m-epoR) and the human interleukin-2 receptor beta chain (hIL-2R beta), as well as the human growth hormone receptor (hGhR). This is consistent with the recent grouping of these receptors, on the basis of protein sequence homology, into the hematopoietin receptor gene superfamily. Such homology at the levels of both protein and gene structure suggest a divergent evolution of the receptors from a single primordial gene.

Despite the high degree of sequence homology between two mouse proteins AIC2A and AIC2B (91% at the amino acid level), only the AIC2A protein binds interleukin 3 (IL-3). Soluble AIC2A protein bound IL-3 with affinity similar to the membrane-bound AIC2A protein, indicating that binding of IL-3 to AIC2A was mediated by the external domain alone. The extracellular domain of the AIC2A protein has two repeats of the common motif shared by members of the cytokine receptor family. Neither one of these repeats alone bound IL-3. Hybrids of AIC2A and AIC2B revealed that the first domain of the cytokine receptor motif could be replaced with the AIC2B sequence without an affinity change, suggesting the importance of the second domain. By changing individual amino acid residues of AIC2A in the second domain which differ from those of AIC2B, we identified several amino acid residues critical for IL-3 binding. All these residues are located at the putative hinge region within the second domain.

We identified that microRNA expression changed dynamically during liver development and found that miR-500 is an oncofetal miRNA in liver cancer. miR-500 was abundantly expressed in several human liver cancer cell lines and 45% of human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissue. Most importantly, an increased amount of miR-500 was found in the sera of the HCC patients. In fact, miR-500 levels in sera of the HCC patients returned to normal after the surgical treatment in three HCC patients. Our findings reveal that diverse changes of miRNAs occur during liver development and, one of these, miR-500 is an oncofetal miRNA relevant to the diagnosis of human HCC.

Although there is a putative GC box in the cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) promoter, its function has remained undetermined. To understand the molecular mechanisms controlling CYP1A2 gene expression in the liver, we studied the roles of the GC box in promoter activity and the effects of its CpG methylation on CYP1A2 gene expression. The results of luciferase assays showed that promoter activity was significantly dependent on the presence of the intact GC box. The results of bisulfate sequencing showed that the CpG methylation status of the GC box was strongly associated with CYP1A2 mRNA expression in human cell lines and tissues, suggesting that CpG methylation is involved in the tissue-specific regulation of CYP1A2 gene expression. However, effects of in vitro CpG methylation of the GC box on the promoter activity were not so dramatic in the luciferase assay, suggesting that the major function of the methylated-CpG is not to inhibit transcription factors in binding to the GC box. Taken together, our results show that the GC box is a critical element for the CYP1A2 promoter and its epigenetic regulation mediated by CpG methylation may play important roles in the tissue-specific CYP1A2 gene expression. Genome-based approaches may be necessary for understanding this tissue-specific epigenetic mechanism.

Background & Aims At the onset of liver development, cardiac mesoderm, septum transversum mesenchyme, and endothelial cells are involved in the specification and/or proliferation of hepatoblasts. After this initial stage, however, it is unclear which cells support the proliferation and differentiation of hepatocytes. Here we characterized the nature of mouse hepatic mesothelial cells (MCs) and investigated their role in organogenesis. Methods Using anti–podocalyxin-like protein 1 (PCLP1) and anti-mesothelin antibodies, we characterized MCs during liver development by immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, and gene expression analysis. The possible role of MCs in hepatogenesis was investigated by in vitro culture and analysis of Wilms' tumor 1 homologue (WT1) knockout mice. Results PCLP1 was highly expressed in immature MCs, covering the surface of lobes. PCLP1 expression in MCs was down-regulated along with development, whereas mesothelin expression was up-regulated, indicating that these molecules distinguished developmental stages of MCs. The proliferation potential of MCs was high in the fetus and declined after birth. Fetal MCs expressed various growth factors and strongly enhanced the expansion of fetal hepatocytes in vitro, whereas differentiated MCs exhibited less growth factor expression, and differentiated MCs failed to enhance hepatocyte proliferation in vitro. In WT1-deficient embryos, hepatocyte proliferation was impaired due to defective MCs. Conclusions The mesothelium is not only an inert protective sheet covering the parenchyma but also changes its characteristics dynamically during development and plays an active role in organogenesis by promoting expansion of parenchymal cells.

Bile ducts are hepatic tubular structures that are lined by cholangiocytes, a type of liver epithelial cell. Cholangiocytes first form a single layer of cells, termed the ductal plate, surrounding the portal vein, which eventually remodels into the branching tubular network of bile ducts. The process of bile duct morphogenesis is not yet clear: a conventional model where cholangiocytes proliferate to duplicate a single layer of the ductal plate before lumen formation seems inconsistent with the observation that proliferation is dramatically reduced when hepatoblasts, liver progenitor cells, differentiate into cholangiocytes. Here, we developed a new culture system in which a liver progenitor cell line, HPPL, reorganizes from a monolayer to tubular structures in response to being overlaid with a gel containing type I collagen and Matrigel. We found that some of the HPPL in the monolayer depolarized and migrated to fold up the monolayer into a double-cell layer. These morphogenetic processes occurred without cell proliferation and required phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase and Akt activity. Later in morphogenesis, luminal space was generated between the two cell layers. This process, in particular enlargement of the apical lumen, involved transcriptional activity of HNF1β. Thus, using this sandwich culture system, we could segregate tubulogenesis of bile ducts into distinct steps and found that the PI3K/Akt pathway and HNF1β regulated different steps of the morphogenesis. Although the process of tubulogenesis in culture specifically resembled early bile duct formation, involvement of these two key players suggests that the sandwich culture might help us to find common principles of tubulogenesis in general.

Oncostatin M (OSM) has been implicated in immune regulation, though its precise role remains elusive. Here we show that OSM plays a crucial role in the prevention of autoimmune diseases. OSM-deficient mice showed normal development of T cells, B cells and DC; however, their thymus showed hypoplasia and altered medullary structure. Autoantibodies against dsDNA accumulated and glomerulonephritis developed in aged OSM-deficient mice. Apoptotic cells accumulated in the thymus of OSM-deficient mice, and the administration of dexamethasone in young OSM-deficient mice resulted in the massive accumulation of apoptotic thymocytes and production of autoantibodies. These results suggest that OSM plays a key role in the prevention of autoimmune disease by regulating the clearance of apoptotic thymocytes.

Cytokines play a vital role in coordinating immune and inflammatory responses. As many cytokine gene hunters have begun to focus their efforts on receptors, novel aspects of hemopoietic growth factor receptors have emerged. Two types of growth factor receptors have been classified--the cytokine receptor family and growth factor receptor family with tyrosine kinase activity. The two types of receptors may have unique roles in 'inducible' and 'constitutive' hemopoiesis which are controlled by immunological stimuli and by interaction with stromal cells, respectively.