The induction of vimentin gene expression by sodium butyrate in human promonocytic leukemia U937 cells

Journal Article · Tue May 01 00:00:00 EDT 1990 · Experimental Cell Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0014-4827(90)90287-K· OSTI ID:5377253

Rius, C; Aller, P ^[1]; Cabanas, C ^[2]

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1. Centro de Investigaciones Biologicas, Madrid (Spain)
2. Centro de Investigaciones Biologicas, Madrid (Spain) Universidad Complutense, Madrid (Spain)

The administration of 1 mM sodium butyrate induced the phenotypic differentiation of human promonocytic leukemia U937 cells, as judged by the expression of cD11b and cD11c antigens, two differentiation-specific surface markers. At the same time, butyrate greatly induced the expression at the mRNA level of the vimentin gene. The increase in the level of this RNA started at 6 hours of treatment and reached the maximum at Hour 24. Such an increase was caused at least in part by a stimulation in the rate of gene transcription, as suggested by transcription assays in isolated nuclei. Experiments in the presence of cycloheximide suggested that vimentin induction is probably a direct response to the action of butyrate, not mediated by the prior induction of other gene products. Unlike the case the vimentin, the levels of other RNAs, namely {beta}-actin ornithine decarboxylase, and c-myc, were not enhanced, but they decreased at different times of treatment with butyrate. Finally, the authors observed that butyrate induced also the differentiation of HL60 cells, another human myeloid cell type. Nevertheless, the drug failed to stimulate the expression of vimentin in this cell line.

• OSTI ID: 5377253
• Journal Information: Experimental Cell Research; (United States), Vol. 188:1; ISSN 0014-4827
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BUTYRIC ACID
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
PROTEINS
GENE REGULATION
TUMOR CELLS
CELL DIFFERENTIATION
ANTIGENS
DECARBOXYLASES
FILAMENTS
LEUKEMIA
MAN
PHENOTYPE
TRANSCRIPTION
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMALS
CARBON-CARBON LYASES
CARBOXY-LYASES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
DISEASES
ENZYMES
IMMUNE SYSTEM DISEASES
LYASES
MAMMALS
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
NEOPLASMS
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PRIMATES
VERTEBRATES
550300* - Cytology