The v-erb A oncogene potentiates erythroid transformation and alters the growth properties of fibroblasts. V-erb A is a virus transduced, aberrant copy of a gene for a thyroid hormone receptor. Thyroid hormone receptors (TRs) are ligand-regulated transcription factors, and belong to a larger family of nuclear receptors that play crucial roles in metazoan homeostasis, differentiation, and neoplasia. The v-Erb A protein acts as a transcriptional repressor, inhibiting expression of genes normally activated by TRs and by the closely related retinoic acid receptors (RARs). Therefore, v-erb A has been proposed as a prototype of a novel class of oncogene, acting in cancer as a dominant-negative allele. Similar dominant-negative mutants of nuclear receptors, such as PML-RAR, play important roles in human endocrine disease and cancers. We wish to understand the mechanism of action of the v-erb A oncogene, to relate its role in viral neoplasia to events in normal differentiation, and to use v-erb A as a model to provide new insights into human diseases. A. We will identify v-Erb A and PML-RAR target genes. B. We will determine how v-Erb A represses target gene expression once bound to a target DNA. C. We will determine how v-Erb A function is altered by other signal transduction pathways operative in the erythroleukemic cell. D. V-Erb A will be used as a model to improve our understanding of the actions of the aberrant nuclear receptors involved in human disease. Due to its derivation from a nuclear hormone receptor, v-erb A is one of the most experimentally accessible oncogenes, and holds unusual potential for understanding both neoplasia and the actions of nuclear hormone receptors in the normal organism.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Award (R37)
Project #
5R37CA053394-13
Application #
6703741
Study Section
Virology Study Section (VR)
Program Officer
Read-Connole, Elizabeth Lee
Project Start
1994-02-07
Project End
2008-04-30
Budget Start
2004-05-01
Budget End
2005-04-30
Support Year
13
Fiscal Year
2004
Total Cost
$275,220
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California Davis
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
047120084
City
Davis
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
95618
Rosen, Meghan D; Chan, Ivan H; Privalsky, Martin L (2011) Mutant thyroid hormone receptors (TRs) isolated from distinct cancer types display distinct target gene specificities: a unique regulatory repertoire associated with two renal clear cell carcinomas. Mol Endocrinol 25:1311-25
Chan, Ivan H; Privalsky, Martin L (2010) A conserved lysine in the thyroid hormone receptor-alpha1 DNA-binding domain, mutated in hepatocellular carcinoma, serves as a sensor for transcriptional regulation. Mol Cancer Res 8:15-23
Rosen, Meghan D; Privalsky, Martin L (2009) Thyroid hormone receptor mutations found in renal clear cell carcinomas alter corepressor release and reveal helix 12 as key determinant of corepressor specificity. Mol Endocrinol 23:1183-92
Chan, Ivan H; Privalsky, Martin L (2009) Isoform-specific transcriptional activity of overlapping target genes that respond to thyroid hormone receptors alpha1 and beta1. Mol Endocrinol 23:1758-75
Chan, I H; Privalsky, M L (2009) Thyroid hormone receptor mutants implicated in human hepatocellular carcinoma display an altered target gene repertoire. Oncogene 28:4162-74
Chan, I H; Privalsky, M L (2006) Thyroid hormone receptors mutated in liver cancer function as distorted antimorphs. Oncogene 25:3576-88
Lee, Sangho; Privalsky, Martin L (2005) Heterodimers of retinoic acid receptors and thyroid hormone receptors display unique combinatorial regulatory properties. Mol Endocrinol 19:863-78
Lee, Sangho; Privalsky, Martin L (2005) Multiple mutations contribute to repression by the v-Erb A oncoprotein. Oncogene 24:6737-52
Hayakawa, Fumihiko; Privalsky, Martin L (2004) Phosphorylation of PML by mitogen-activated protein kinases plays a key role in arsenic trioxide-mediated apoptosis. Cancer Cell 5:389-401
Yang, Z; Privalsky, M L (2001) Isoform-specific transcriptional regulation by thyroid hormone receptors: hormone-independent activation operates through a steroid receptor mode of co-activator interaction. Mol Endocrinol 15:1170-85

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