Expression of sperm-specific protamines impairs bacterial and eukaryotic cell proliferation.
Histochem Cell Biol
; 143(6): 599-609, 2015 Jun.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-25649960
Protamines are the predominant nuclear proteins in testicular spermatids and ejaculated spermatozoa. During spermiogenesis, protamine-DNA interaction induces a higher-order chromatin packaging which finally results in a complete transcriptional stop in elongating spermatids. Although numerous studies investigated the role of protamines in male fertility, to date, no study is available that investigates protamine function, particularly transcriptional silencing, in non-germ cells. Transcriptional stop due to the high binding affinity of arginine-rich protamines to the negatively charged DNA backbone, however, may be induced in somatic cells and may result in suppressing cell division in tumor cells. In the present study, we therefore analyzed whether a protamine-mediated chromatin condensation in somatic cancer cell lines can stop gene expression and arrest cancer cell proliferation. In contrast to terminally differentiated sperm, cancer cells represent immortalized cells that have modulated natural mechanisms for the regulation of apoptosis and cell proliferation. We expressed human protamines in two fast-growing cell systems, E. coli and HeLa cells. In both cases, protamine expression significantly attenuated cell proliferation when compared with control cells. To our knowledge, this is the first study that demonstrates a stop of cell proliferation in both E. coli and HeLa cells by protamine expression. Follow-up studies on the molecular effect of protamines on proliferative cells may, in the future, open new avenues to investigate effective and specific treatments of cancer cells.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Protaminas
/
Escherichia coli
/
Células Eucariotas
Tipo de estudio:
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
Límite:
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Histochem Cell Biol
Asunto de la revista:
CITOLOGIA
/
HISTOCITOQUIMICA
Año:
2015
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Alemania
Pais de publicación:
Alemania