The Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a common infectious agent. The HBV protein product, X, has shown to be essential for viral replication, and it is strongly implicated in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma in chronically infected HBV patients, yet its role in these events is not well-understood. Our previous work has comprehensively defined the mechanism for how X transactivated RNA polymerase I and III promoters. We made the interesting discovery that X induces the promoters by activating the Ras signal transduction pathway which then increases the cellular levels of the central transcription factor, TATA-binding protein (TBP). Increases in cellular TBP augment RNA pol I and III transcription and differentially regulate RNA pol II promoters. Our research plan will clearly delineate how X, an oncogenic Ras, increase cellular TBP levels. The proposed aims will rigorously investigate each event in the TBP gene expression process that gives rise to the final TBP product. By examining the individual contribution of each process, and how it differs when either X or oncegenic Ras is expressed in cells, we will obtain a good quantitative picture of how this X- and oncogenic Ras-mediated increase in TBP occurs. We have promising new data indicating that a key step leading to the increase in TBP is due to an increase in TBP promoter activity. Therefore, a major focus of the proposed studies will be to examine how the TBP promoter is regulated by X and by oncogenic Ras. We will comprehensively define the X-mediated signaling events downstream of Ras to the promoter that modulate TBP promoter activity. Since X has been shown to transform cells, and Ras is strongly oncegenic, we will also determine how alterations in the cellular levels of TBP can affect the transformation potential of cells. Focus formation, growth in soft agar, and mouse tumorigenesis assays will be used to assess whether directly overexpressing TBP can enhance transforming activity or whether down-regulating its production in cells can prevent Ras-induced transformation. Using mutant TBP proteins that are specifically defective in RNA pol II or pol III transcription, we will define specific changes in cellular gene expression occurring in TBP-overexpressing cells that contribute to transformation. These studies promise to make unique and important new contributions to our understanding of the function of the HBV X protein and oncegenic Ras, the regulation of TBP, and their consequences on cellular gene activity that leads to cellular transformation.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01CA074138-06
Application #
6628262
Study Section
Pathology B Study Section (PTHB)
Program Officer
Cole, John S
Project Start
1997-05-10
Project End
2005-01-31
Budget Start
2003-02-01
Budget End
2004-01-31
Support Year
6
Fiscal Year
2003
Total Cost
$255,938
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Southern California
Department
Pharmacology
Type
Schools of Pharmacy
DUNS #
072933393
City
Los Angeles
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
90089
Chen, Chun-Yuan; Lanz, Rainer B; Walkey, Christopher J et al. (2018) Maf1 and Repression of RNA Polymerase III-Mediated Transcription Drive Adipocyte Differentiation. Cell Rep 24:1852-1864
Johnson, Sandra A S; Lin, Justin J; Walkey, Christopher J et al. (2017) Elevated TATA-binding protein expression drives vascular endothelial growth factor expression in colon cancer. Oncotarget 8:48832-48845
Rohira, Aarti D; Chen, Chun-Yuan; Allen, Justin R et al. (2013) Covalent small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) modification of Maf1 protein controls RNA polymerase III-dependent transcription repression. J Biol Chem 288:19288-95
Lin, H Helen; Li, Xu; Chen, Jo-Lin et al. (2012) Identification of an AAA ATPase VPS4B-dependent pathway that modulates epidermal growth factor receptor abundance and signaling during hypoxia. Mol Cell Biol 32:1124-38
Zhong, Shuping; Machida, Keigo; Tsukamoto, Hide et al. (2011) Alcohol induces RNA polymerase III-dependent transcription through c-Jun by co-regulating TATA-binding protein (TBP) and Brf1 expression. J Biol Chem 286:2393-401
Zhong, Shuping; Johnson, Deborah L (2009) The JNKs differentially regulate RNA polymerase III transcription by coordinately modulating the expression of all TFIIIB subunits. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 106:12682-7
Johnson, Sandra A S; Dubeau, Louis; Johnson, Deborah L (2008) Enhanced RNA polymerase III-dependent transcription is required for oncogenic transformation. J Biol Chem 283:19184-91
Fromm, Jody A; Johnson, Sandra A S; Johnson, Deborah L (2008) Epidermal growth factor receptor 1 (EGFR1) and its variant EGFRvIII regulate TATA-binding protein expression through distinct pathways. Mol Cell Biol 28:6483-95
Johnson, Sandra S; Zhang, Cheng; Fromm, Jody et al. (2007) Mammalian Maf1 is a negative regulator of transcription by all three nuclear RNA polymerases. Mol Cell 26:367-79
Zhong, Shuping; Fromm, Jody; Johnson, Deborah L (2007) TBP is differentially regulated by c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1 (JNK1) and JNK2 through Elk-1, controlling c-Jun expression and cell proliferation. Mol Cell Biol 27:54-64

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