Cytoplasmic displacement of cyclin E-cdk2 inhibitors p21Cip1 and p27Kip1 in anchorage-independent cells

Loss of attachment to an extracellular matrix substrate arrests the growth of untransformed cells in the G1 phase. This anchorage-dependent cell cycle arrest is linked to increased expression of the p21Cip1 (p21) and p27Kip1 (p27) cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors. The result is a loss of cdk2-associated kinase activity, especially that of cyclin E-cdk2. The levels of p21 and p27 are also upregulated in unattached transformed cells, but cyclin E-cdk2 activity remains high, and the cells are able to grow in an anchorage-independent manner. Increased expression of cyclin E and cdk2 appears to be partially responsible for the maintenance of cyclin E-cdk2 activity in transformed cells. To explore further the regulation of cyclin E-cdk2 in transformed cells, we have analysed the subcellular distribution of cyclin-cdk complexes and their inhibitors in normal human fibroblasts, their transformed counterparts, and in various human tumor cell lines. In substrate-attached normal fibroblasts, cyclin E and cdk2 were exclusively in the nuclear fraction, associated with one another. When normal fibroblasts were detached and held in suspension, cyclin E-cdk2 complexes remained nuclear, but were now found associated with the p21 and p27 cdk inhibitors and lacked histone H1 phosphorylating activity. In contrast, the transformed fibroblasts and tumor cells, which are anchorage-independent, had more than half of their cyclin E, cdk2, p21 and p27 in the cytoplasmic fraction, both in attached and suspended cultures. The cytoplasmic p21 and p27 were bound to cyclin E-cdk2, as well as to complexes containing cyclin A and cyclin D. The nuclear cyclin E-cdk2 complexes from the transformed cells grown in suspension contained only low levels of p21 and p27 and had histone H1 kinase activity. Thus, at least three mechanisms contribute to keeping cyclin E-cdk2 complexes active in suspended anchorage-independent cells: cyclin E and cdk2 are upregulated, as reported previously, cdk inhibitors are sequestered away from the nucleus by cytoplasmic cyclin-cdk complexes, and the binding of the inhibitors to nuclear cyclin E-cdk2 complexes is impaired.     

Regulated ectopic expression of cyclin D1 induces transcriptional activation of the cdk inhibitor p21 gene without altering cell cycle progression

Cyclin D1 plays a key regulatory role during the G1 phase of the cell cycle and its gene is amplified and overexpressed in many cancers. To address the relationship between cyclin D1 and other cell cycle regulatory proteins, we established human glioma and rodent fibroblast cell lines in which cyclin D1 expression could be regulated ectopically with tetracycline. In both of these cell lines, we found that ectopic expression of cyclin D1 in asynchronously growing cells was accompanied by increased levels of the p53 tumor suppressor protein and the cyclin/cdk inhibitor p21. Despite the induction of these cell cycle inhibitory proteins, cyclin D1-associated cdk kinase remained activated and the cells grew essentially like that of the parent cells. Although growth parameters were unchanged in these cells, morphological changes were clearly identifiable and anchorage independent growth was observed in NIH3T3 cells. In a first step toward elaborating the mechanism for cyclin D1-mediated induction of p21 gene expression we show that co-expression of E2F-1 and DP-1 can specifically transactivate the p21 promoter. In support of these findings and a direct effect of E2F on induction of p21 gene expression a putative E2F binding site was identified within the p21 promoter. In summary, our results demonstrate that ectopic expression of cyclin D1 can induce gene expression of the cdk inhibitor p21 through an E2F mechanism the consequences of which are not to growth arrest cells but possibly to stabilize cyclin D1/cdk function.     

Interaction of retinoblastoma protein and D cyclins during cell-growth inhibition by hexamethylenebisacetamide in TM2H mouse epithelial cells

To explore the regulation and function of D-type cyclins in breast cancer cells, the mouse mammary hyperplastic epithelial cell line TM2H was treated with 5 mM hexamethylenebisacetamide (HMBA), a polar differentiation factor. The resulting growth-inhibitory effect of HMBA was completely reversible and was analyzed in terms of percent cells in G1; association of D-type cyclins with cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk) 4 and cdk6; G1 kinase activity; association of retinoblastoma protein (pRb) and phosphorylated pRb with D-type cyclins; and association of p16INK4a, p15INK4b, and p27Kip1 with cdk4 and cdk6. Synchronized TM2H cells were examined at 0, 3, 5, 9, 12, and 24 h after exposure to 5 mM HMBA. Inhibition of DNA synthesis, as measured by thymidine uptake, was first observed at 5 h (40%) and peaked at 24 h (80%). Flow cytometry at 9 h showed treated cells to be in G1 arrest. Western blot analysis showed weakly detectable cyclin D1 but readily detectable cyclin D2 and D3 proteins at 0 h; thereafter, cyclin D2 and D3 protein levels remained higher while cyclin D1 levels declined significantly in treated versus untreated cells. By 5 h (early G1), HMBA had markedly inhibited cdk4 and cdk6 kinase activity (67% and 75%, respectively) in treated versus untreated cells. By 9 and 12 h, pRb levels had increased 3.4-fold in treated versus untreated cells. At 5 h, cyclin D-associated pRb was totally hypophosphorylated in treated cells and hyperphosphorylated in untreated cells. The levels of pRb associated with cyclin D2 and D3 increased 2.89-fold and 4.6-fold, respectively, in treated versus untreated cells. At 5 h, treated cells showed a fivefold increase in cdk4-associated p27Kip1 and, at 9 h, a fourfold increase in cdk6-associated p27Kip1 over control levels. In confirmation of these data, HMBA was found to inhibit the growth of Rb-positive Du/145Rb cells but not their Rb-negative parental Du/145 cells. The data suggest that HMBA-induced growth inhibition is due to multifactorial mechanisms involving decreases in total cyclin D1 and inhibition of cdk4 and cdk6 kinase activities through elevation of levels of cdk4- and cdk6-associated p27Kip1 and concomitant increases in hypophosphorylated pRb and stable cyclin D2/pRb and cyclin D3/pRb complexes that help maintain pRb in a functional state.     

The CDK inhibitor, p27Kip1, is required for IL-4 regulation of astrocyte proliferation

IL-4 is a pleiotrophic cytokine that has been shown to affect cells of the central nervous system. We have demonstrated that IL-4 inhibits DNA synthesis and proliferation in human astroglia expressing IL-4 receptors. In this study, we sought to identify mechanisms that could account for the antimitogenic effects of IL-4. Epidermal growth factor (EGF)-stimulated human astroglia were arrested in G1 phase by IL-4, even though IL-4 stimulated levels of the G1 cyclins, D1 and E. Histone H1 kinase activity of cdk2 immunoprecipitates, however, was sharply reduced by IL-4; impairment of kinase activity was also evident in cyclin E immunoprecipitates, which contained evidence of hypophosphorylated (inactive) cdk2 product. Reduced cyclin E-associated cdk2 activity was not due to impaired cyclin-dependent kinase-activating kinase (CAK) activity, which was unaffected by IL-4. Inactive cyclin E/cdk2 complexes from IL-4 + EGF-treated cells contained, however, strikingly elevated p27Kip1 cdk inhibitor. Elevated p27 was also detectable in whole cell lysates after 24 and 48 h of IL-4 treatment; by 72 h, p27 was no longer elevated. Pretreatment with antisense but not mismatch p27 oligonucleotides attenuated the inhibitory effects of IL-4 on DNA synthesis and histone kinase activity of cyclin E/cdk2 complexes. Antisense p27 also abrogated IL-4-mediated elevation of p27 in whole cell lysates and cyclin E/cdk2 complexes. These findings demonstrate that IL-4 regulates the cell cycle machinery of astroglial cells via a p27Kip1 braking mechanism.     

TGF-beta mediated G1 arrest in a human melanoma cell line lacking p15INK4B: evidence for cooperation between p21Cip1/WAF1 and p27Kip1

We have studied TGF-beta mediated G1 arrest in WM35, an early stage human melanoma cell line. These cells have lost p15INK4B expression through loss of one chromosome 9 and rearrangement of the other. In asynchronously growing WM35, TGF-beta caused reductions in cyclin D1, cyclin A and cdk4 proteins and their associated kinase activities and an increase in both p21Cip1/WAF1 and p27Kip1. These findings were confirmed in cells released from quiescence in the presence of TGF-beta, in which TGF-beta inhibited or delayed the reduction in the cdk inhibitors that normally occurs in late G1. In contrast to observations in other cell types, there was an increased association of both p21Cip1/WAF1 and p27Kip1 with cyclin D1/cdk4 and with cyclin E/cdk2 during TGF-beta mediated arrest of asynchronously growing cells. Upregulation of p21Cip1/WAF1 preceded that of p27Kip1. Furthermore, p21Cip1/WAF1 and p27Kip1 were not present in the same cdk complexes but bound distinct populations of target cdk molecules. Both p21Cip1/WAF1 and p27Kip1 immunoprecipitates from asynchronously growing cells contained active kinase complexes. These KIP-associated kinase activities were reduced in TGF-beta arrested cells. It has been proposed that in TGF-beta arrested epithelial cells, up-regulation of p15INK4B and of p15INK4B binding to cdk4 serves to destabilize the association of p27Kip1 with cyclin D1/cdk4, promoting p27Kip1 binding and inhibition of cyclin E/cdk2. Our findings demonstrate that this is not a universal mechanism of G1 arrest by TGF-beta. In TGF-beta arrested WM35, which lack p15INK4B, the increased p21Cip1/WAF1 may serve a similar function to that of p15INK4B: initiating kinase inhibition and providing an additional mechanism to supplement the effect of p27Kip1 on G1 cyclin/cdks.     

Changes in cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases induced by DNA damaging agents in a human ovarian cancer cell line expressing mutated or wild-type P53

The expression of cyclins, cyclin-dependent kinases (cdk), and cdk inhibitors was evaluated in clones from a human ovarian cancer cell line transfected with a temperature-sensitive mutant of p53, after treatment with the anticancer agents doxorubicin (DX) and AMSA. The two drugs were selected on the basis of their activity in these clones, since AMSA is equally active in cells expressing mutated or wild-type (wt) p53, while DX was much less cytotoxic in cells expressing wt p53. In untreated cells, the expression of wt p53 induced an accumulation of cells in the G2 and perhaps also the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Concomitantly cyclin B1 and cdc2 increased. Cyclin E and particularly D1 levels were also raised by wt p53 expression. Treatment of mutated p53-expressing cells (SK23a cells kept at 37 degrees C) with DX or, more so, with AMSA, resulted in a strong accumulation of cyclin B1 and cdc2, in accordance with their ability to block cells in G2 phase of the cell cycle. Wt p53-expressing cells (SK23a cells kept at 32 degrees C) treated with the drugs showed an increase in p21 expression and consequently decreased kinase activity after immunoprecipitation with p21 antibodies. Cdc2-associated kinase activity was also reduced in these conditions. We could also observe a decrease in the percentage of cells in G1 and G2 phases and an accumulation of cells in S phase after both DX and AMSA. Cdk2, retinoblastoma, and p27 levels did not change significantly. Treatment with DX or AMSA caused similar effects, suggesting that p53-induced changes in cyclin, cdk, and cdk inhibitors after DNA damage are not responsible for the marked reduction in the cytotoxicity of DX we observed in wt p53-expressing cells.     

Ginsenoside-Rh2 blocks the cell cycle of SK-HEP-1 cells at the G1/S boundary by selectively inducing the protein expression of p27kip1

The mechanism of action by which ginsenoside-Rh2 (G-Rh2) suppresses the proliferation of SK-HEP-1 cells is reported. The results from flow cytometric analyses show that G-Rh2 arrested the cell cycle at the G1/S transition phase. The cyclin E-dependent kinase activity which had been immunoprecipitated with cyclin E-specific antibody was down-regulated in the cells in response to G-Rh2. The IC50 value required to down-regulate the kinase activity by 50% was approximately 0.75 microM. Immunoblotting analyses show that G-Rh2 selectively induced the expression of p27kip1 in a dose-dependent manner whereas it had no effect on the levels of cyclin E, cdk2, and p21WAF1. In addition, our data show that G-Rh2 reduced the protein levels of cdc25A at doses higher than 10 microM. Collectively, these data suggest that ginsenoside-Rh2 arrests the cell cycle at the G1/S transition phase by selectively inducing protein expression of p27Kip1 and, as a consequence, down-regulating cyclin E-dependent kinase activity.     

Activation of cyclin-dependent kinases by Myc mediates induction of cyclin A, but not apoptosis

The activation of conditional alleles of Myc induces both cell proliferation and apoptosis in serum-deprived RAT1 fibroblasts. Entry into S phase and apoptosis are both preceded by increased levels of cyclin E- and cyclin D1-dependent kinase activities. To assess which, if any, cellular responses to Myc depend on active cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks), we have microinjected expression plasmids encoding the cdk inhibitors p16, p21 or p27, and have used a specific inhibitor of cdk2, roscovitine. Expression of cyclin A, which starts late in G1 phase, served as a marker for cell cycle progression. Our data show that active G1 cyclin/cdk complexes are both necessary and sufficient for induction of cyclin A by Myc. In contrast, neither microinjection of cdk inhibitors nor chemical inhibition of cdk2 affected the ability of Myc to induce apoptosis in serum-starved cells. Further, in isoleucine-deprived cells, Myc induces apoptosis without altering cdk activity. We conclude that Myc acts upstream of cdks in stimulating cell proliferation and also that activation of cdks and induction of apoptosis are largely independent events that occur in response to induction of Myc.     

Modulation of the p27kip1 cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor expression during IL-4-mediated human B cell activation

IL-4 activates resting B cells and, in conjunction with cosignals such as anti-IgM (anti-mu) Ab or CD40 ligand, modulates progression of B cells through the cell cycle, leading to proliferation. In this study, we show that the mitogenic combination of IL-4 and anti-mu Ab triggered induction of cyclin D3 and up-regulated cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk) 6 expression, whereas such regulation was not observed in B cells activated by IL-4 or anti-mu Ab alone. Furthermore, cyclin D3 immunoprecipitated fron as associated with cdk6, and the cyclin D3/cdk6 complex was able to phosphorylate recombinant retinoblastoma protein in vitro. In addition, B cells activated with either IL-4 or 1L-13 alone expressed a higher amount of p27kip1 (p27) cdk inhibitor than nonstimulated cells. In contrast, p27 expression was decreased when cells were activated with mitogenic combinations of IL-4 and anti-mu Ab or anti-CD40 mAb. We also observed that the IL-4-mediated inhibition of the proliferation of anti-mu/IL-2- or anti-mu/phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate-activated human leukemic B cells was associated with the maintenance of large amounts of p27 in these cells. These data suggest that IL-4 controls B cell proliferation by action during at least two steps of the regulation of the cell cycle, cyclin D3/cdk6 complex regulation and p27 inhibitor expression.     

Cyclin E2: a novel CDK2 partner in the late G1 and S phases of the mammalian cell cycle

We report here the cloning and characterization of human and mouse cyclin E2, which define a new subfamily within the vertebrate E-type cyclins, while all previously identified family-members belong to the cyclin El subfamily. Cyclin E2/CKD2 and cyclin E/CDK2 complexes phosphorylate histone H1 in vitro with similar specific activities and both are inhibited by p27Kip1. Cyclin E2 mRNA levels in human cells oscillate throughout the cell cycle and peak at the G1/S boundary, in parallel with the cyclin E mRNA. In cells, cyclin E2 is complexed with CDK2, p27 and p21. Like cyclin E, cyclin E2 is an unstable protein in vivo and is stabilized by proteasome inhibitors. Cyclin E2-associated kinase activity rises in late G1 and peaks very close to cyclin E activity. In two malignantly transformed cell lines, cyclin E2 activity is sustained throughout S phase, while cyclin E activity has already declined and cyclin A activity is only beginning to rise. We speculate that cyclin E2 is not simply redundant with cyclin E, but may regulate distinct rate-limiting pathway(s) in G1-S control.     

CD40-mediated induction of p21 accumulation in resting and cycling B cells

The accumulation of G1 cell cycle-related proteins by resting or cycling B cells stimulated with B cell antigen receptor (BCR)- and T helper (Th) cell-derived signals is documented. Resting B cells constitutively express cyclin dependent kinase (cdk)4, cdk2 and the cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor (CKI), p27. The initiation of optimal proliferation with F(ab')2 anti-mu plus paraformaldehyde-fixed CD40 ligand-baculovirus-infected Sf9 cells (CD40L/Sf9 cells) increases accumulation of both cdk4 and cdk2 while decreasing p27 levels. B cells express cyclin D2 early during cycle progression, while cyclin D3 and E are not expressed until 18 h poststimulation and cyclin A by 24 h poststimulation. Cycling B cells express heightened levels of all these cyclins and cdks. Although neither BCR- nor CD40-mediated signals appreciably alter cycling B cell accumulation of cyclins D2, cdk4 and cdk2, the absence of BCR-derived signals results in a decreased accumulation of cyclins D3 and E. Finally, CD40-mediated signals induce resting B cells to accumulate the CKI, p21, while cycling B cells require both BCR- and CD40-mediated signals to maintain increased expression of p21. Thus, a Th cell-derived signal may impact upon both resting and cycling B cell cycle progression, at least in part, by regulating the accumulation of p21. The functional consequences of p21 accumulation as cells enter and move through the cell cycle are discussed.     

New functional activities for the p21 family of CDK inhibitors

The association of cdk4 with D-type cyclins to form functional kinase complexes is comparatively inefficient. This has led to the suggestion that assembly might be a regulated step. In this report we demonstrate that the CDK inhibitors p21(CIP), p27(KIP), and p57(KIP2) all promote the association of cdk4 with the D-type cyclins. This effect is specific and does not occur with other cdk inhibitors or cdk-binding proteins. Both in vivo and in vitro, the abundance of assembled cdk4/cyclin D complex increases directly with increasing inhibitor levels. The promotion of assembly is not attributable to a simple cell cycle block and requires the function of both the cdk and cyclin-binding domains. Kinetic studies demonstrate that p21 and p27 lead to a 35- and 80-fold increase in K(a), respectively, mostly because of a decrease in K(off). At low concentrations, p21 promotes the assembly of active kinase complexes, whereas at higher concentrations, it inhibits activity. Moreover, immunodepletion experiments demonstrate that most of the active cdk4-associated kinase activity also associates with p21. To confirm these results in a natural setting, we examine the assembly of endogenous complexes in mammary epithelial cells after release from a G(0) arrest. In agreement with our other data, cyclin D1 and p21 bind concomitantly to cdk4 during the in vivo assembly of cdk4/cyclin D1 complexes. This complex assembly occurs in parallel to an increase in cyclin D1-associated kinase activity. Immunodepletion experiments demonstrate that most of the cellular cyclin D1-associated kinase activity is also p21 associated. Finally, we find that all three CIP/KIP inhibitors target cdk4 and cyclin D1 to the nucleus. We suggest that in addition to their roles as inhibitors, the p21 family of proteins, originally identified as inhibitors, may also have roles as adaptor proteins that assemble and program kinase complexes for specific functions.     

"U" curve association of blood pressure and mortality in hemodialysis patients. Medical Directors of Dialysis Clinic, Inc

An immunosuppressant Rapamycin (Rap) has been reported to cause G1 arrest by inhibiting p70 S6 kinase and G1 cyclin/cdks kinase activities when added to quiescent cells with mitogens. However, antiproliferative effects of Rap on exponentially growing cells have been poorly investigated. We examined the intracellular events after the treatment of Rap in exponentially growing T cells and found that Rap upregulated a cdks inhibitor, p27Kip1 at both mRNA and protein levels in Rap-sensitive cells. Antiproliferative effect of Rap was mainly ascribed to the inhibition of cyclin E/cdk2 kinase activity through the formation of cyclin E/cdk2-p27Kip1 complex rather than inhibition of p70 S6 kinase activity. Furthermore, we showed that Rap-sensitive cells with elevated p27Kip1 expression lost sensitivity to Rap when antisense p27Kip1 was introduced, which indicates that the basal level of p27Kip1 is one of the limiting factors that determine the sensitivity to Rap in already cycling cells. These data suggest the presence of a putative threshold level of p27Kip1 at late G1 phase in already cycling cells. Rap may cause G1 arrest by upregulating the amount of p27Kip1 beyond the threshold in some Rap-sensitive cells that are exponentially growing.     

Photodynamic therapy results in induction of WAF1/CIP1/P21 leading to cell cycle arrest and apoptosis

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a promising new modality that utilizes a combination of a photosensitizing chemical and visible light for the management of a variety of solid malignancies. The mechanism of PDT-mediated cell killing is not well defined. We investigated the involvement of cell cycle regulatory events during silicon phthalocyanine (Pc4)-PDT-mediated apoptosis in human epidermoid carcinoma cells A431. PDT resulted in apoptosis, inhibition of cell growth, and G0-G1 phase arrest of the cell cycle, in a time-dependent fashion. Western blot analysis revealed that PDT results in an induction of the cyclin kinase inhibitor WAF1/CIP1/p21, and a down-regulation of cyclin D1 and cyclin E, and their catalytic subunits cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk) 2 and cdk6. The treatment also resulted in a decrease in kinase activities associated with all the cdks and cyclins examined. PDT also resulted in (i) an increase in the binding of cyclin D1 and cdk6 toward WAF1/CIP1/p21, and (ii) a decrease in the binding of cyclin D1 toward cdk2 and cdk6. The binding of cyclin E and cdk2 toward WAF1/CIP1/p21, and of cyclin E toward cdk2 did not change by the treatment. These data suggest that PDT-mediated induction of WAF1/CIP1/p21 results in an imposition of artificial checkpoint at G1 --> S transition thereby resulting in an arrest of cells in G0-G1 phase of the cell cycle through inhibition in the cdk2, cdk6, cyclin D1, and cyclin E. We suggest that this arrest is an irreversible process and the cells, unable to repair the damages, ultimately undergo apoptosis.     

Inhibition of G1 cyclin-dependent kinase activity during growth arrest of human breast carcinoma cells by prostaglandin A2

Prostaglandin A2 (PGA2) potently inhibits cell proliferation and suppresses tumor growth in vivo, but little is known regarding the molecular mechanisms mediating these effects. Here we demonstrate that treatment of breast carcinoma MCF-7 cells with PGA2 leads to G1 arrest associated with a dramatic decrease in the levels of cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (cdk4) and accompanied by an increase in the expression of p21. We further show that these effects occur independent of cellular p53 status. The decline in cyclin D and cdk4 protein levels is correlated with loss in cdk4 kinase activity, cdk2 activity is also significantly inhibited in PGA2-treated cells, an effect closely associated with the upregulation of p21. Immunoprecipitation experiments verified that p21 was indeed complexed with cdk2 in PGA2-treated cells. Additional experiments with synchronized MCF-7 cultures stimulated with serum revealed that treatment with PGA2 prevents the progression of cells from G1 to S. Accordingly, the kinase activity associated with cdk4, cyclin E, and cdk2 immunocomplexes, which normally increases following serum addition, was unchanged in PGA2-treated cells. Furthermore, the retinoblastoma protein (Rb), a substrate of cdk4 and cdk2 whose phosphorylation is necessary for cell cycle progression, remains underphosphorylated in PGA2-treated serum-stimulated cells. These findings indicate that PGA2 exerts its growth-inhibitory effects through modulation of the expression and/or activity of several key G1 regulatory proteins. Our results highlight the chemotherapeutic potential of PGA2, particularly for suppressing growth of tumors lacking p53 function.     

Repression of p27kip1 synthesis by platelet-derived growth factor in BALB/c 3T3 cells

We have investigated the regulation of p27kip1, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, in BALB/c 3T3 cells during growth factor-stimulated transition from quiescence (G0) to a proliferative (G1) state. The level of p27kip1 protein falls dramatically after mitogenic stimulation and is accompanied by a decrease in cyclin E associated p27kip1, as well as a transient increase in cyclin D1-associated p27kip1 that later declines concomitantly with the loss of total p27kip1. Analysis of metabolically labelled cells revealed that cyclin D2, cyclin D3, and cdk4 were also partnered with p27kip1 in quiescent BALB/c 3T3 cells and that this association decreased after platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) treatment. Furthermore, the decline in p27kip1 and reduced association with cyclin D3, initiated by the addition of PDGF but not plasma-derived factors, suggested that these changes are involved in competence, the first step in the exit from G0. Synthesis of p27kip1 as determined by incorporation of [35S]methionine was repressed upon mitogenic stimulation, and PDGF was sufficient to elicit this repression within 2 to 3 h. Pulse-chase experiments demonstrated the reduced rate of synthesis was not the result of an increased rate of degradation. Full repression of p27kip1 synthesis required the continued presence of PDGF and failed to occur in the presence of the RNA polymerase inhibitor 5,6-dichlorobenzimidazole riboside. These characteristics demonstrate that repression was a late effect of PDGF and was consistent with our finding that conditional expression of activated H-ras did not affect synthesis of p27kip1. Northern (RNA) analysis of p27kip1 mRNA revealed that the repression was not accompanied by a corresponding decrease in p27kip1 mRNA, suggesting that the PDGF-regulated decrease in p27kip1 expression occurred through a translational mechanism.     

Involvement of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27Kip1 in growth inhibition of endometrium in the secretory phase and of hyperplastic endometrium treated with progesterone

A cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk) inhibitor, p27Kip1 (p27), binds to the cyclin E-cdk2 complex and functions as a suppressor of cell cycle promotion. Here, the involvement of p27 in the growth of normal human endometrium was immunohistochemically studied, and the findings were compared with those of Ki-67, cyclin E and cdk2. In addition, to elucidate the effect of progesterone on the expression of p27, tissues from patients with endometrial hyperplasia were examined before and after the administration of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) for the treatment of this disease. In the glandular cells of the normal endometrium, p27 was negligible during the proliferative phase, whereas it was markedly increased in the secretory phase. The staining pattern of Ki-67 was the reverse. Cyclin E/cdk2-positive cells were observed throughout the menstrual cycle. In the secretory phase, the cyclin E/cdk2-positive cells were also positive for p27, suggesting an interaction between these molecules. Stromal cells, especially in the basalis, showed a consistent expression of p27 throughout the menstrual cycle. The expression of p27 in hyperplastic epithelia before the MPA treatment was negligible, whereas it was greatly increased after the treatment. The Ki-67 positivity decreased after the treatment. These findings suggest that p27 is involved in the progesterone-induced growth suppression of normal and hyperplastic endometria.     

Requirement of cyclin E-Cdk2 inhibition in p16(INK4a)-mediated growth suppression

Loss-of-function mutations of p16(INK4a) have been identified in a large number of human tumors. An established biochemical function of p16 is its ability to specifically inhibit cyclin D-dependent kinases in vitro, and this inhibition is believed to be the cause of the p16-mediated G1 cell cycle arrest after reintroduction of p16 into p16-deficient tumor cells. However, a mutant of Cdk4, Cdk4(N158), designed to specifically inhibit cyclin D-dependent kinases through dominant negative interference, was unable to arrest the cell cycle of the same cells (S. van den Heuvel and E. Harlow, Science 262:2050-2054, 1993). In this study, we determined functional differences between p16 and Cdk4(N158). We show that p16 and Cdk4(N158) inhibit the kinase activity of cellular cyclin D1 complexes through different mechanisms. p16 dissociated cyclin D1-Cdk4 complexes with the release of bound p27(KIP1), while Cdk4(N158) formed complexes with cyclin D1 and p27. In cells induced to overexpress p16, a higher portion of cellular p27 formed complexes with cyclin E-Cdk2, and Cdk2-associated kinase activities were correspondingly inhibited. Cells engineered to express moderately elevated levels of cyclin E became resistant to p16-mediated growth suppression. These results demonstrate that inhibition of cyclin D-dependent kinase activity may not be sufficient to cause G1 arrest in actively proliferating tumor cells. Inhibition of cyclin E-dependent kinases is required in p16-mediated growth suppression.