We report the cloning and characterization of a novel member of the Transcriptional Intermediary Factor 1 (TIF1) gene family, human TIF1g. Similar to TIF1a and TIF1b, the structure of TIF1b is characterized by multiple domains: RING ®nger, B boxes, Coiled coil, PHD/TTC, and bromodomain. Although structurally related to TIF1a and TIF1b, TIF1g presents several functional dierences. In contrast to TIF1a, but like TIF1b, TIF1g does not interact with nuclear receptors in yeast two-hybrid or GST pull-down assays and does not interfere with retinoic acid response in transfected mammalian cells. Whereas TIF1a and TIF1b were previously found to interact with the KRAB silencing domain of KOX1 and with the HP1a, MOD1 (HP1b) and MOD2 (HP1g) heterochromatinic proteins, suggesting that they may participate in a complex involved in heterochromatin-induced gene repression, TIF1g does not interact with either the KRAB domain of KOX1 or the HP1 proteins. Nevertheless, TIF1g, like TIF1a and TIF1b, exhibits a strong silencing activity when tethered to a promoter. Since deletion of a novel motif unique to the three TIF1 proteins, called TIF1 signature sequence (TSS), abrogates transcriptional repression by TIF1g, this motif likely participates in TIF1 dependent repression.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a multifunctional cytokine thought to be a key factor in post-menopausal osteoporosis, given its ability to induce osteoclast maturation and its down regulation by estrogens. We have previously shown that the effects of TNFalphaand estradiol on the human IL-6 promoter were dependent on a region of the promoter containing a C/EBP site and a NF-kappaB site. To define the molecular mode of action of estrogens, we performed gel shift assays with this DNA fragment as a probe, and nuclear extracts from TNFalpha-induced HeLa, MCF7 and Saos2 cells. Several induced complexes specifically bound the probe. The use of various competitor DNA suggested that most of the complexes detected contained NF-kappaB factors, and that C/EBP site binding factors were important for the overall binding to the probe. Addition of in vitro translated human estrogen receptor (hER) impaired the binding of three complexes in HeLa cells and two complexes in MCF7 and Saos2 cells. Competition experiments suggested that the NF-kappaB site was necessary for the effect of hER. The use of antisera against NF-kappaB and C/EBP proteins showed that the target complexes of hER contained the c-rel proto-oncogene product and to a lesser extent, the RelA protein. Taken together, these data show that hER impairs TNFalphainduction of IL-6 by preventing c-rel and, to a lesser extent, RelA proteins binding to the NF-kappaB site of the IL-6 promoter.

Bone loss observed in postmenopausal women is clearly associated with a decrease in estrogen levels. Interleukin 6 (IL-6), a multifunctional cytokine involved in osteoclast differentiation, is secreted by osteoblasts and appears to be a key molecule in the osteoporotic process. As previous reports have shown that the human IL-6 promoter is inhibited by estradiol, we investigated the mechanism of estradiol (E2)-mediated IL-6 inhibition in human cells. Analysis of the IL-6 secretion as a function of time in osteoblastoma Saos-2 cells, using an IL-6 ELISA test, showed that a maximal E2 inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) induction could be monitored between 2 and 24 h of treatment. IL-6 inhibition was clearly estrogen agonist-specific in Saos-2 and MCF7 cells. Transient transfections of HeLa cells with a pIL-6/CAT plasmid and an estrogen receptor (human ER) expression vector, confirmed the role of the human ER in inhibition of the IL-6 promoter. Deletion and mutational analysis of the promoter highlighted the role of the -185/-60 region and showed that in both MCF7 and HeLa cells, the nuclear factor-IL 6 (NF-IL6) site cooperates with the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) motif to produce maximal induction by TNF alpha, whereas the CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) site displayed different cooperative effects toward NF-kappa B depending on the cell line used. In HeLa cells, but not in MCF7 cells, we defined an essential role for the C/EBP site by showing that the E2 sensitivity was clearly dependent on its integrity. In these cell lines, the NF-kappa B site mutation abrogated both the TNF alpha-and E2- sensitivity of the construct.

Bone loss observed in postmenopausal women is clearly associated with a decrease in estrogen levels. Interleukin 6 (IL-6), a multifunctional cytokine involved in osteoclast differentiation, is secreted by osteoblasts and appears to be a key molecule in the osteoporotic process. As previous reports have shown that the human IL-6 promoter is inhibited by estradiol, we investigated the mechanism of estradiol (E2)-mediated IL-6 inhibition in human cells. Analysis of the IL-6 secretion as a function of time in osteoblastoma Saos-2 cells, using an IL-6 ELISA test, showed that a maximal E2 inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) induction could be monitored between 2 and 24 h of treatment. IL-6 inhibition was clearly estrogen agonist-specific in Saos-2 and MCF7 cells. Transient transfections of HeLa cells with a pIL-6/CAT plasmid and an estrogen receptor (human ER) expression vector, confirmed the role of the human ER in inhibition of the IL-6 promoter. Deletion and mutational analysis of the promoter highlighted the role of the -185/-60 region and showed that in both MCF7 and HeLa cells, the nuclear factor-IL 6 (NF-IL6) site cooperates with the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) motif to produce maximal induction by TNF alpha, whereas the CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein (C/EBP) site displayed different cooperative effects toward NF-kappa B depending on the cell line used. In HeLa cells, but not in MCF7 cells, we defined an essential role for the C/EBP site by showing that the E2 sensitivity was clearly dependent on its integrity. In these cell lines, the NF-kappa B site mutation abrogated both the TNF alpha-and E2- sensitivity of the construct.

The use of estrogens and androgens to prevent bone loss is limited by their unwanted side effects, especially in reproductive organs and breast. Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) partially avoid such unwanted effects, but their efficacy on bone is only moderate compared with that of estradiol or androgens. Estrens have been suggested to not only prevent bone loss but also exert anabolic effects on bone while avoiding unwanted effects on reproductive organs. In this study, we compared the effects of a SERM (PSK3471) and 2 estrens (estren-α and estren-β) on bone and reproductive organs to determine whether estrens are safe and act via the estrogen receptors and/or the androgen receptor (AR). Estrens and PSK3471 prevented gonadectomy-induced bone loss in male and female mice, but none showed true anabolic effects. Unlike SERMs, the estrens induced reproductive organ hypertrophy in both male and female mice and enhanced MCF-7 cell proliferation in vitro. Estrens directly activated transcription in several cell lines, albeit at much higher concentrations than estradiol or the SERM, and acted for the most part through the AR. We conclude that the estrens act mostly through the AR and, in mice, do not fulfill the preclinical efficacy or safety criteria required for the treatment or prevention of osteoporosis.