Growth regulated expression of B-myb in fibroblasts and hematopoietic cells

The B-myb cDNA has extensive sequence similarities to the c-myb proto-oncogene, but, at variance with c-myb, it is expressed in cells other than hematopoietic cells. In this paper, we show that (1) B-myb is expressed in mouse, human, and hamster fibroblasts; (2) B-myb mRNA levels are growth-regulated in both fibroblasts and peripheral blood mononuclear cells; (3) by its mode of growth regulation (peak of expression, behavior in G1-specific temperature sensitive (ts) mutants and in the presence of cycloheximide), B-myb can be classified, like c-myb, thymidine kinase, PCNA, and others, as a late growth-regulated gene; (4) B-myb mRNA levels decrease when HL-60 cells are induced to differentiate; and (5) the increase in mRNA levels in serum-stimulated cells is only partially explained by an increase in rate of transcription. The possibility that the B-myb gene may be the equivalent in fibroblasts and epithelial cells of the c-myb proto-oncogene of hematopoietic cells is discussed.