Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:2.7.10.2 (focal adhesion kinase)
44,029 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Cisplatin is one of the most potent antitumor agents known, displaying clinical activity against a wide variety of solid tumors. Its cytotoxic mode of action is mediated by its interaction with DNA to form DNA adducts, primarily intrastrand crosslink adducts, which activate several signal transduction pathways, including those involving ATR, p53, p73, and MAPK, and culminate in the activation of apoptosis. DNA damage-mediated apoptotic signals, however, can be attenuated, and the resistance that ensues is a major limitation of cisplatin-based chemotherapy. The mechanisms responsible for cisplatin resistance are several, and contribute to the multifactorial nature of the problem. Resistance mechanisms that limit the extent of DNA damage include reduced drug uptake, increased drug inactivation, and increased DNA adduct repair. Origins of these pharmacologic-based mechanisms, however, are at the molecular level. Mechanisms that inhibit propagation of the DNA damage signal to the apoptotic machinery include loss of damage recognition, overexpression of HER-2/neu, activation of the PI3-K/Akt (also known as PI3-K/PKB) pathway, loss of p53 function, overexpression of antiapoptotic bcl-2, and interference in caspase activation. The molecular signature defining the resistant phenotype varies between tumors, and the number of resistance mechanisms activated in response to selection pressures dictates the overall extent of cisplatin resistance.
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PMID:Cisplatin: mode of cytotoxic action and molecular basis of resistance. 1457 37

Chemokines are implicated in tumor pathogenesis, although it is unclear whether they affect human cancer progression positively or negatively. We found that activation of the chemokine receptor CCR5 regulates p53 transcriptional activity in breast cancer cells through pertussis toxin-, JAK2-, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent mechanisms. CCR5 blockade significantly enhanced proliferation of xenografts from tumor cells bearing wild-type p53, but did not affect proliferation of tumor xenografts bearing a p53 mutation. In parallel, data obtained in a primary breast cancer clinical series showed that disease-free survival was shorter in individuals bearing the CCR5Delta32 allele than in CCR5 wild-type patients, but only for those whose tumors expressed wild-type p53. These findings suggest that CCR5 activity influences human breast cancer progression in a p53-dependent manner.
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PMID:CCR5 expression influences the progression of human breast cancer in a p53-dependent manner. 1459 37

In glioma cells, the stimulatory input of extracellular matrix components and an increased sensitivity to growth factors result in a high proliferative and migratory behaviour. Cell surface receptor interactions play pivotal roles in converging information about conditions in the environment immediately outside the cell. The transduced signal, in turn induces a response within the cell that provokes a specific behaviour. Cellular migration and cell proliferation are interwoven processes that share several common intracellular pathways. The major cross-links are the phosphoinositol phosphate regulating enzymes, PI-3 kinase and PTEN, the focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and the tumour suppressor p53. An understanding of the interaction between the molecular participants involved in migration and proliferation will promote the design of new treatments. A full understanding of the basis of the invasiveness of tumour cells remains elusive. Gene and protein expression are being studied, using modern techniques such as microarray analysis, SAGE and 2-D protein gels. Transient and permanent protein-protein interactions and recruitment of proteins to specialised cellular domains are equally important in regulating cellular invasion and presumably will attract more attention in future.
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PMID:Molecular approaches to brain tumour invasion. 1466 59

Association between the p53 codon 72 polymorphism and cervical cancer remains unresolved. We determined the association between the polymorphism and risk of human papillomavirus (HPV) persistence. The polymorphism was detected by restriction enzyme digestion following p53 amplification and HPV detection by the PGMY 09/11 primer set followed by reverse line blot hybridization: 3371 samples were analysed. HPV persistence was assessed on a subset of samples collected at baseline, four and 10 months (n =442). Highly significant differences were observed between ethnic groups (P <0.005). No associations were found between P53 arginine and cytological grade in women infected with any HPV or any oncogenic HPV, despite adjustment for ethnicity. These results were sustained even when HPV-negative women were used as controls. Persistence for any or oncogenic HPV infection was not associated with the polymorphism, irrespective or ethnicity adjustment. Our findings do not support a role for this polymorphism conferring elevated risk for HPV-related disease.
Int J STD AIDS 2003 Dec
PMID:Ethnic variation of the P53 codon 72 polymorphism, HPV persistence, and cervical cancer risk. 1467 86

Repair of mismatches in mammalian cell DNA is mediated by a complex of proteins that constitute the so-called mismatch repair system (MMR), the main post-replicative pathway for the correction of replication errors. Loss of MMR (as exemplified by germline mutations in some MMR genes, leading to hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer) results in increased mutation rates at both coding sequences and in non-coding regions such as microsatellites. In order to evaluate possible functional alterations of this repair system during ageing that could affect immune system efficiency, we studied microsatellite instability at five different loci interspersed in the genome (CD4, VWA31, Tpox, Fes/FPS and p53) in total DNA from T lymphocyte clones derived from hematopoietic stem cells, or peripheral T cells of young or elderly subjects. In addition, these clones had been maintained for different periods in vitro to represent a culture model of ageing. We observed increasing instability accumulating with increasing passages in culture, particularly in CD34+cell-derived clones, but no clear donor age relationship.
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PMID:Microsatellite instability in in vitro ageing of T lymphocyte clones. 1505 Feb 83

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) gene encodes focal adhesion kinase that localizes at contact points of cells with extracellular matrix. It was shown that FAK expression is increased in a variety of malignancies, both at early and advanced stages of tumorigenesis. To understand mechanisms of FAK gene expression and regulation, we cloned and characterized the 5' promoter region of the FAK gene. The 1.2-kb fragment with FAK promoter was placed upstream of the luciferase reporter gene in a pGL3-Basic vector and transfected into different cell lines. Endogenous high-FAK-expressing cell lines showed high levels of luciferase activity in contrast to low-FAK-expressing cells, indicating on transcriptional level of FAK regulation. Serial deletion constructs revealed that a approximately 600 base pair region (-564 to +47) is required for the maximal FAK promoter activity. The 5'-flanking region of FAK is GC-rich and contains several potential transcription factor binding sites, including two NF-kappa B and p53 binding sites. Inhibition of NF-kappa B with NF-kappa B super-repressor decreased FAK luciferase activity. Induction with TNF-alpha increased luciferase activity confirming a role of NF-kappa B transcription factor in the FAK transcriptional activation. The binding of NF-kappa B and p53 transcription factors to the FAK promoter region was demonstrated by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). Cotransfection of NF-kappa B and p53 plasmids with FAK promoter luciferase constructs demonstrate induction and inhibition, respectively, of FAK luciferase activity. The results provide a molecular basis for analysis of FAK transcriptional regulation.
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PMID:Cloning and characterization of the promoter region of human focal adhesion kinase gene: nuclear factor kappa B and p53 binding sites. 1515 37

Controversy still exists over the response to therapy and prognosis of patients with primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma (PMBL). Recent data from the International Extranodal Lymphoma Study Group (IELSG) suggest that a MACOP-B (methotrexate, adriamycin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, prednisone, bleomycin) chemotherapy regimen followed by radiotherapy may be a better induction strategy than other previously used treatments. Although the pathobiology of PMBL has been widely studied, its precise histology, phenotype, and molecular characteristics are still not clear. To date, phenotypic analysis has revealed the following phenotype: positivity for CD45 and CD20, but negativity for CD3, CD10, CD21, Class I/II major histocompatibility antigens, and a variety of other immunohistochemical markers. CD79a is generally detected, despite an absence of surface immunoglobulins (Igs). CD30 staining is observed in most cases, but is weaker and less homogeneous than in classic Hodgkin's lymphoma or anaplastic large cell lymphoma. BCL-2 protein is usually expressed but there are few data describing the expression of MUM1/IRF4, PAX5/BSAP, BCL-6, or the B-cell transcription factors BOB.1, Oct-2, and PU.1. Cytogenetic studies reveal gains in segments of chromosome 9p, including amplification of the REL proto-oncogene and the tyrosine kinase gene JAK2. Other molecular findings include: C-myc mutations or rearrangements, p53 mutations, IgV(H), gene mutations, and bcl-2 and mal over-expression. bcl-6 mutations and bcl-2 gene rearrangements are generally absent, suggesting that PMBL is of pre-germinal center (GC) origin. However, two recent reports show isotype-switched Ig genes with a high frequency of somatic hypermutations as well as variants in the 5' noncoding region of the bcl-6 gene. The IELSG collected 137 PMBL cases for extensive pathologic review. Histologically, the lymphomatous growth was predominantly diffuse with sclerosis that induced compartmentalized cell aggregation. It consisted of large cells with varying degrees of nuclear polymorphism and clear to basophilic cytoplasm. Molecular analysis was performed on 40 cases and showed novel findings. More than half of the cases displayed bcl-6 gene mutations, which usually occurred together with functioning somatic IgV(H) gene mutations, and BCL-6 and/or MUM1/IRF4 expression. The present study supports the concept that PBML is derived from activated GC or post-germinal center cells. However, it differs from other aggressive B-cell lymphomas in that it shows defective Ig production despite the expression of Oct-2, BOB.1, and PU.1 transcription factors, and a lack of IgV(H) gene crippling mutations.
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PMID:Pathobiology of primary mediastinal B-cell lymphoma. 1520 21

Multiple pathways are involved in maintaining the genetic integrity of a cell after its exposure to ionizing radiation. Although repair mechanisms such as homologous recombination and nonhomologous end-joining are important mammalian responses to double-strand DNA damage, cell cycle regulation is perhaps the most important determinant of ionizing radiation sensitivity. A common cellular response to DNA-damaging agents is the activation of cell cycle checkpoints. The DNA damage induced by ionizing radiation initiates signals that can ultimately activate either temporary checkpoints that permit time for genetic repair or irreversible growth arrest that results in cell death (necrosis or apoptosis). Such checkpoint activation constitutes an integrated response that involves sensor (RAD, BRCA, NBS1), transducer (ATM, CHK), and effector (p53, p21, CDK) genes. One of the key proteins in the checkpoint pathways is the tumor suppressor gene p53, which coordinates DNA repair with cell cycle progression and apoptosis. Specifically, in addition to other mediators of the checkpoint response (CHK kinases, p21), p53 mediates the two major DNA damage-dependent cellular checkpoints, one at the G(1)-S transition and the other at the G(2)-M transition, although the influence on the former process is more direct and significant. The cell cycle phase also determines a cell's relative radiosensitivity, with cells being most radiosensitive in the G(2)-M phase, less sensitive in the G(1) phase, and least sensitive during the latter part of the S phase. This understanding has, therefore, led to the realization that one way in which chemotherapy and fractionated radiotherapy may work better is by partial synchronization of cells in the most radiosensitive phase of the cell cycle. We describe how cell cycle and DNA damage checkpoint control relates to exposure to ionizing radiation.
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PMID:Role of cell cycle in mediating sensitivity to radiotherapy. 1523 26

Although it is known that high levels of cigarette smoke lead to cell death, little is known about the effects of low-to-moderate levels of smoke components that are found in vivo, such as those experienced by cells in tissues. Clinical studies and experimental data show that smokers heal poorly and are more prone to develop fibrotic diseases. Here we show the effects of first-hand cigarette smoke on fibroblasts, cells that are critically involved in these processes. Using doses of smoke found in the tissues of smokers and a variety of cell and molecular approaches, we show that these doses of cigarette smoke do not cause cell death but rather stimulate fibroblasts to produce stress response and survival proteins such as interleukin-8, PKB/Akt, p53, and p21 that in turn contribute to an increase in cell survival. In addition, smoke-treated cells show a decrease in cell migration, which can be explained by the increased cell adhesion and alterations in cytoskeletal elements. We also show that these levels of smoke cause changes in mitochondrial morphology with a minimum loss of function and these changes are the result of exposure to reactive oxygen species. We conclude that the increase in cell survival may lead to a build-up of connective tissue in the area of a wound, potentially leading to delayed healing and/or fibrosis and that the alterations in the cytoskeleton and in cell adhesion result in inhibition of cell migration, a process that could lead to nonclosure of the wound for lack of proper fibroblast migration to form the healing tissue.
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PMID:Firsthand cigarette smoke alters fibroblast migration and survival: implications for impaired healing. 1526 Aug 13

In March 2003, a novel coronavirus was isolated from patients exhibiting atypical pneumonia, and was subsequently proven to be the causative agent of the disease now referred to as SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome). The complete genome of the SARS-CoV (SARS coronavirus) has since been sequenced. The SARS-CoV nucleocapsid (SARS-CoV N) protein shares little homology with other members of the coronavirus family. In the present paper, we show that SARS-CoV N is capable of inducing apoptosis of COS-1 monkey kidney cells in the absence of growth factors by down-regulating ERK (extracellular-signal-regulated kinase), up-regulating JNK (c-Jun N-terminal kinase) and p38 MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) pathways, and affecting their downstream effectors. SARS-CoV N expression also down-regulated phospho-Akt and Bcl-2 levels, and activated caspases 3 and 7. However, apoptosis was independent of the p53 and Fas signalling pathways. Furthermore, activation of the p38 MAPK pathway was found to induce actin reorganization in cells devoid of growth factors. At the cytoskeletal level, SARS-CoV N down-regulated FAK (focal adhesion kinase) activity and also down-regulated fibronectin expression. This is the first report showing the ability of the N protein of SARS-CoV to induce apoptosis and actin reorganization in mammalian cells under stressed conditions.
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PMID:The SARS coronavirus nucleocapsid protein induces actin reorganization and apoptosis in COS-1 cells in the absence of growth factors. 1529 14


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