Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:1.5.1.3 (dihydrofolate reductase)
 5,819 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The platelet-derived growth factor beta-receptor (PDGFr) is a 180-kDa transmembrane glycoprotein which binds BB-PDGF with high affinity. We have expressed the extracellular region of the receptor in Chinese hamster ovary cells using an expression vector that carries a dihydrofolate reductase gene as an amplifiable marker. Upon amplification of the receptor cDNA sequences by methotrexate a 110-kDa soluble form of the receptor extracellular region (XR) was secreted at 12 mg/liter. The soluble XR protein fully retained the high affinity specific binding of the intact PDGFr for BB-PDGF (apparent dissociation constant, 0.4 nM). In the presence of ligand the soluble XR protein formed complexes that migrated on sodium dodecyl sulfate gels at the size expected for dimers of the protein. When added to fibroblast cultures the soluble XR protein blocked the ability of BB-PDGF to stimulate DNA synthesis but did not alter the mitogenic effect of AA-PDGF. The XR fragment also inhibited the binding of BB-PDGF to PDGFr and the activation of PDGFr tyrosine kinase by BB-PDGF. Thus, the soluble extracellular region protein of the PDGFr binds BB-PDGF with high affinity and functions as a specific antagonist of BB-PDGF actions.
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PMID:A functional soluble extracellular region of the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) beta-receptor antagonizes PDGF-stimulated responses. 184 70

Expression vectors encoding cDNAs for the human platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) A-chain (pJKl) and murine dihydrofolate reductase (pTKDHFR) were cotransfected into dihydrofolate reductase-deficient Chinese hamster ovary cells. Methotrexate-induced coamplification of clones, expressing PDGF A-chain resulted in enhanced levels of A-chain-specific DNA, RNA and protein. A 30,500 Mr protein was immunoprecipitated with PDGF antisera from the conditioned media of metabolically labeled cells. Reducing conditions resolved the A-chain-specific protein into two polypeptides of 16,500 and 17,000 Mr, confirming the homodimeric nature of the recombinant A-chain protein. The recombinant PDGF A-chain produced constitutively by these amplified clones proved to be mitogenically active. The secretion of a recombinant PDGF A-chain into conditioned media may provide a continuous and abundant source of PDGF A.A dimers, normally produced by specific tissues in only minute quantities. Future purification of the recombinant homodimeric A-chain will allow the assessment of its ability to function in clinical applications such as wound healing.
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PMID:Expression of mitogenically active human recombinant platelet-derived growth factor A-chain. 248 5

The mechanism of growth control in estrogen-dependent and -independent human breast cancer is not completely understood. We have used both hormonally responsive and unresponsive breast cancer cells in culture to study the role of estrogens, oncogenes, and growth factors in their malignant transformation. MCF-7, an estrogen-receptor containing cell line, requires estradiol for tumor formation in vivo and is growth stimulated by estradiol and growth inhibited by antiestrogens in vitro. The growth regulation of MCF-7 cells by estrogens and antiestrogens may be linked to changes in several growth-related enzymes and polypeptide growth factors. Growth-acting polypeptides that are estradiol-inducible include IGF-I, TGF-alpha, and PDGF. Induction of at least two growth-related enzymes, thymidine kinase and dihydrofolate reductase is by transcriptional regulation of their mRNAs. To understand the natural progression of human breast cancer, we have experimentally constructed a hormone-independent fully tumorigenic cell line from the non-tumorigenic MCF-7 cells by introduction of an activated oncogene, v-rasH, into these cells by DNA-mediated gene transfer. Acquisition of the activated ras gene confers hormone autonomy on the previously hormone-dependent tumorigenicity and results in upregulation in secretion of some of the growth factors in amounts compared to estradiol stimulation. The transfected cells also become refractory to growth regulation by estradiol and antiestrogens in culture, although estrogen responses persist. Hormone-independent breast cancer cells in culture show high constitutive growth factor secretion. Direct infusion of some of the authentic growth factors and medium conditioned by estrogen-independent cells into athymic ovariectomized mice suggests a direct involvement of some of the polypeptides in the in vivo progression of tumors by these cells. Thus, aberrant production of growth factors, triggered either by activated oncogenes and estrogen stimulation in hormone-dependent cells, or by increased constitutive production in hormone-independent cells may in an autocrine, paracrine, or endocrine manner be associated with neoplastic growth of breast cancer.
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PMID:Estrogen and oncogene mediated growth regulation of human breast cancer cells. 350 Oct 40