Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:2.7.1.21 (thymidine kinase)
 7,561 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The interferon sensitivity of the expression of an influenza-virus hemagglutinin (HA) gene cloned into the thymidine kinase (TK) gene of vaccinia virus was studied in chick embryo fibroblasts (CEF) and Madin-Darby bovine kidney (MDBK) cells. In CEF, the expression of the HA gene is inhibited by pretreatment of cells with homologous interferon. In MDBK cells, on the other hand, expression of the HA is not impaired by pretreatment with human interferon-alpha, and the synthesis of early vaccinia virus enzymes was also unaffected. These results indicate that the interferon sensitivity of HA gene expression is at least in part controlled by flanking regions of vaccinia virus DNA. In this report, we also address the question whether the expression of an influenza virus HA gene and the human histone H1 zero gene under control of a vaccinia virus immediate early promoter is affected in interferon-treated CEF by a post-transcriptional mechanism in the same way as the expression of the viral TK gene. In interferon-treated cells mRNA synthesis specific for all these genes was enhanced. Steady state mRNA levels 6 hr p.i. were, however, lower than the amounts expected from the rate of mRNA synthesis during the first 6 hr p.i., suggesting that part of the viral RNA was degraded. Degradation resistant mRNA accumulated in the interferon-treated cells in an amount comparable to that found in infected CEF. This RNA could be translated into viral protein in a cell-free system. Therefore the degradation of viral mRNA cannot solely be responsible for the inhibition of viral protein synthesis in interferon-treated cells.
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PMID:Expression of authentic vaccinia virus-specific and inserted viral and cellular genes under control of an early vaccinia virus promoter is regulated post-transcriptionally in interferon-treated chick embryo fibroblasts. 137 50

To elucidate the structural basis responsible for the reduced IFN sensitivity of expression of the histone H1(0) and H5 gene, integrated into the vaccinia virus genome, vaccinia virus thymidine kinase (VV-TK)-histone H1(0)/H5 fusion genes were constructed and translocated into the TK locus of the VV genome. The chimeric genes, consisting of parts of either of the two histone genes and the 5' or 3' half of the TK gene, respectively, were expressed as histone-TK fusion proteins under the control of either the VV-TK promoter or the early sequences of the VV 7.5K promoter. IFN sensitivity of the expression of histone-TK fusion genes was shown to be influenced by the relative length of the histone sequence. Expression of fusion genes containing more than 45% cellular sequence either from the 5' or the 3' part of one of the two histone genes showed clearly reduced IFN sensitivity compared to the expression of VV-TK. On the other hand, by further reducing the relative amount of histone H5 or H1(0) sequence to 32%, the IFN sensitivity of expression of the corresponding fusion gene was drastically enhanced to levels indistinguishable from those of VV-TK.
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PMID:Interferon sensitivity of expression of histone H5/H1(0)-vaccinia thymidine kinase fusion genes expressed by recombinant vaccinia viruses is enhanced by shortening the histone sequence. 769 Apr 99

The hallmark of cellular aging is the failure of senescent diploid cells to enter or to complete the S phase of the cell cycle. The cause for such failure may hold the key for our understanding of the molecular basis of cellular aging. We have previously shown that aging of IMR-90 human diploid fibroblasts in culture is accompanied by a five to sevenfold decrease in both thymidine kinase activity and thymidine kinase mRNA level (Chang and Chen, 1988, J. Biol. Chem., 263:11431-11435). To examine whether attenuation of gene expression at G1/S boundary is unique for thymidine kinase or it may involve most, if not all, of other G1/S genes, we compared the expressions of two classes of G1/S genes in young and in old IMR-90 cells following serum stimulation. We found that the expression of all these genes, including thymidylate synthase (TS), dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), ribonucleotide reductase (PNR), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), histone H1, histone H2A + 2B, histone H3, and histone H4, was induced to high levels in young IMR-90 cells but not in old IMR-90 cells. The mRNA levels of all G1/S genes in young cells were more than tenfold higher than that in old cells 12 hr after serum stimulation. The enzymes encoded by TS and DHFR genes and dUTPase also exhibited similar age-dependent attenuation in activities. In contrast, expression of growth-related genes such as eIF-5A, c-Ha-ras, and beta-actin did not show significant differences between young and old cells after serum stimulation. Computer analysis of the promoter region of these G1/S genes revealed an Sp-1 binding site as the most common cis-element. Taken together, our results suggest that the suppression of G1/S gene expressions during senescence may be a global phenomenon and that G1/S genes may be coordinately controlled.
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PMID:Global change of gene expression at late G1/S boundary may occur in human IMR-90 diploid fibroblasts during senescence. 807 91

Nonviral DNA delivery strategies for gene therapy have generally been limited by a lack of specificity and efficacy. However, ligand-mediated endocytosis can specifically deliver DNA in vitro to cells bearing the appropriate cognate receptors. Similarly, in order to circumvent problems related to efficacy, DNA must encode proteins with high intrinsic activities. We show here that the ligand basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) can target FGF receptor-bearing cells with DNA encoding therapeutic proteins. Delivery of genes encoding saporin, a highly potent ribosomal inactivating protein, or the conditionally cytotoxic herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase, a protein that can kill cells by activating the prodrug ganciclovir, is demonstrated. The saporin gene was codon optimized for mammalian expression and demonstrated to express functional protein in a cell-free assay. FGF2-mediated delivery of saporin DNA or thymidine kinase DNA followed by ganciclovir treatment resulted in a 60 and 75% decrease in cell number, respectively. Specificity of gene delivery was demonstrated in competition assays with free FGF2 or with recombinant soluble FGF receptor. Alternatively, when histone H1, a ligand that binds to cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans ("low-affinity" FGF receptors), was used to deliver DNA encoding thymidine kinase, no ganciclovir sensitivity was observed. These findings establish the feasibility of using ligands such as FGF2 to specifically deliver genes encoding molecular chemotherapeutic agents to cells.
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PMID:Targeted delivery of DNA encoding cytotoxic proteins through high-affinity fibroblast growth factor receptors. 985 23