REGULATION OF BALB/C 3T3 FIBROBLAST PROLIFERATION BY B-MYB IS ACCOMPANIED BY SELECTIVE ACTIVATION OF CDC2 AND CYCLIN-D1 EXPRESSION

The B-myb gene is expressed in many cell types at the G1/S transition of the cell cycle. Inhibition of B-myb expression in BALB/c 3T3 fibroblasts by introduction of a B-myb antisense construct greatly diminished cell proliferation, whereas constitutive expression of a human B-myb cDNA in these cells reduced their growth factor requirements and induced a transformed phenotype. Constitutive expression of B-myb cDNA was accompanied by activation of cyclin D1 and cdc2 expression but not of cyclin A and cyclin B. Transfection of BALB/B-myb cells (a cell line expressing high levels of exogenous human B-myb) with a cyclin D1 antisense construct drastically reduced cloning efficiency of these cells. These results suggest that the B-myb-encoded product regulates fibroblast proliferation by activating cdc2 and cyclin D1 gene expression and that abnormal expression of cyclin D1 might be a step in the process of transformation.