Contributions of transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms to the regulation of c-myc expression in mouse erythroleukemia cells.

A. Nepveu, K. B. Marcu, A. I. Skoultchi, H. M. Lachman

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

50 Scopus citations

Abstract

Chemically induced differentiation of mouse erythroleukemia (MEL) cells leads to complex changes in c-myc mRNA levels. Within 1-2 hr after the addition of the inducer hexamethylene bisacetamide (HMBA), c-myc mRNA levels decrease 10- to 20-fold and remain low until 12-24 hr, at which time the mRNA reaccumulates to its original level. Thereafter as the cells undergo terminal differentiation, c-myc mRNA again declines to a low level. We have investigated the regulation of these changes by measuring c-myc gene transcription and mRNA turnover. We find that the early rapid decline in c-myc mRNA is due to an increase in the block to elongation of transcription within the c-myc first exon. Effective c-myc transcription is then restored after 2 hr of HMBA treatment to the level present in uninduced cells and is maintained throughout the remainder of the differentiation program. These results demonstrate that, except for the rapid decline in c-myc mRNA immediately following inducer treatment, all subsequent regulation of message levels occurs through post-transcriptional mechanisms. Studies of c-myc mRNA turnover suggest that some post-transcriptional regulation is nuclear.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)938-945
Number of pages8
JournalGenes & development
Volume1
Issue number9
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 1987
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Genetics
  • Developmental Biology

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