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Class II major histocompatibility (class II) genes are regulated in a B-cell-specific and gamma interferon-inducible fashion. The master switch for the expression of these genes is the class II transactivator (CIITA). In this report, we demonstrate that one of the functions of CIITA is to recruit the CREB binding protein (CBP) to class II promoters. Not only functional but also specific binding interactions between CIITA and CBP were demonstrated. Moreover, a dominant negative form of CBP decreased the activity of class II promoters and levels of class II determinants on the surface of cells. Finally, the inhibition of class II gene expression by the glucocorticoid hormone could be attributed to the squelching of CBP by the glucocorticoid receptor. We conclude that CBP, a histone acetyltransferase, plays an important role in the transcription of class II genes.

Regulatory factors that bind to the X box 1 to 5 (RFX1 to RFX5) and p36 interact with the X box in major histocompatibility class II promoters. RFX1 and RFX5 bind to DNA as a homodimer (RFX1) and heterodimer with p36 (RFX5:p36, the RFX complex), respectively. In this study, we characterized the binding of RFX1 and the RFX complex to the X box in vivo, and evaluated contributions of other proteins that bind to flanking conserved upstream sequences (CUS: S, X, X2, and Y boxes) to these protein-DNA interactions. For this purpose, an intracellular DNA-binding assay was developed. Hybrid protein effectors between RFX1 and RFX5 and the activation domain of VP16 from the herpes simplex virus were co-expressed with plasmid targets, which contained the isolated X box, X box and selected flanking CUS, or the entire DRA promoter. Whereas RFX1 bound better to isolated X boxes, the Y box selected for the binding of the RFX complex and against the binding of RFX1 to the X box. With proper spacing, S and X boxes stabilized the binding of both RFX1 and the RFX complex. The X2 box did not contribute significantly to the binding of either RFX1 or the RFX complex to the X box. Thus, complex protein-protein and protein-DNA interactions dictate the binding of functionally relevant proteins to conserved upstream sequences which regulate class II transcription.

DNA dumbbells are stable, short segments of double-stranded DNA with closed nucleotide loops on each end, conferring resistance to exonucleases. Dumbbells may be designed to interact with transcription factors in a sequence-specific manner. The internal based paired sequence of DNA dumbbells in this study contains the X-box, a positive regulatory motif found in all MHC class II DRA promoters. In electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSAs), dumbbells and other oligonucleotides ('decoys') with the core X-box sequence were found to compete with the native strand for binding to X-box binding proteins (including RFX1). However, only the X-box dumbbell was capable of forming detectable complexes with such proteins using EMSA. In a model cell system, dumbbells were tested for their ability to block RFX1VP16 activation of a plasmid containing multiple repeats of the X-box linked to the CAT gene. While it appeared that dumbbells could block this activation, the effect was non-specific. This and further evidence suggests an inhibition of transcription, most likely via an interaction with the general transcriptional machinery.

Transgenic animal technology has been useful for the direct demonstration of the tumorigenic potential of oncogenes in vivo. Over the past eight years a wide variety of oncogenes and proto-oncogenes from viral and cellular sources have been inserted into the germline of mice with subsequent development of neoplasia. Many of the published reports describe similarities between morphologic features of the transgenic mice tumors and those occurring naturally in humans. We discuss the morphologic features of selected transgenic models carrying viral genes and review their applicability to investigations directed toward understanding cancer in general and specifically gastric cancer, neurofibromatosis and leukemia. Examples of the impact of nutrition, interaction with growth factors and initiation with chemical carcinogens are presented. In one of the models functional similarities to the mechanism of oncogenesis in human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1) lymphoma may exist with activation of cytokine production and subsequent autocrine stimulation. The transgenic model of proximal gastric cancer demonstrates features similar to those seen in carcinogen-induced neoplasia. These studies underscore the vast potential of transgenic models for inquiry into the genetic and epigenetic basis of human carcinogenesis. However, many features of transgenic cancer models differ from cancer in humans and the specific criteria for judging the value of transgenic models remain unclarified. For example, although the tumors arising in the HTLV-1 Tax transgenic mice show numerous similarities to human neurofibromatosis including development of lesions of the iris, the similarities do not necessarily extend to the molecular involvement of neurofibromatosis-1 (NF-1), a gene with structural and functional homology to GTPase activating proteins. Transgenic experiments of the future will ask questions beyond whether a particular gene is capable of initiating the neoplastic process. The ability to construct systems in vivo with a defined starting point that facilitate further controlled manipulation of events resulting in cancer provide great opportunities to dissect the various molecular pathways involved in such a process. Therefore, gene knockout experiments and disruption of gene function will further enhance our ability to understand the multi-factorial process of tumor development.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)