Rb may act as a transcriptional co-activator in undifferentiated F9 cells

The reversible interaction of the retinoblastoma susceptibility gene product (Rb) with the cellular transcription factor E2F has recently been demonstrated. Activation of the adenovirus E2a promoter by the products of the viral E1a gene correlates with the ability of both early E1a proteins to sequester Rb, thereby releasing E2F from inactive complexes with this protein. The E2a promoter is also efficiently stimulated by a product (17.5 kDa) of the viral E4 gene. The specific interaction of this E4 protein with E2F results in the formation of complexes that bind cooperatively to the two neighboring E2F binding sites in the E2a promoter. We have previously shown that in undifferentiated F9 cells (F9EC) the E2a promoter is refractory to E2F-mediated activation by E1a, but not by E4. Using both band-shift and transfection experiments, we now demonstrate (i) that in F9EC cells the E4 product, in combination with E2F, recruits Rb into a stable multiprotein complex and (ii) that in these undifferentiated cells, as opposed to their differentiated counterpart, Rb is actively involved in the transcriptional stimulation of the E2a promoter by E4. Our results suggest that, depending on the cell state, Rb may behave either as a transcriptional activator (F9EC cells) or as a transcriptional inhibitor (differentiated F9 cells).