Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:2.7.7.48 (transcriptase)
9,479 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Gene rearrangements activating the RET proto-oncogene are frequently associated with human thyroid carcinomas belonging to the papillary subtype. These arrangements cause the fusion of the tyrosine-kinase domain of RET to the 5'-terminal region of different genes creating the RET/PTC chimeric oncogenes. Here we report the generation of transgenic mice lines expressing the RET/PTC1 oncogene under the control of the thyroid-specific rat thyroglobulin promoter. RET/PTC1-transgenic mice developed thyroid tumors displaying the histological aspect of papillary carcinomas. These tumors were slowly progressive and did not cause premature death of the animals. Two additional mice developed areas of thyroid hyperplasia. Immunohistochemical and reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analyses confirmed the thyroid-specific expression of the transgene. Given the frequency of activating rearrangements of RET in human papillary thyroid carcinomas we conclude that this animal system could be a good model for studying the neoplastic progression of thyroid carcinomas.
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PMID:Development of thyroid papillary carcinomas secondary to tissue-specific expression of the RET/PTC1 oncogene in transgenic mice. 862 3

We investigated the effects of Flt3/Flk-2 ligand (FL) and interleukin-7 (IL-7) on DNA synthesis and proliferation of blast cells from patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). After 7 days of serum-free suspension culture of 19 samples, FL induced maximal DNA synthesis in two cases, whereas the combination of FL and IL-7 did so in another eight samples with a stimulation index (SI) >2. However, the number of viable cells after 7 days of liquid culture decreased in all but one sample. In this case of a pre-pre-B-ALL with a translocation t(4;11), FL induced dose-dependent proliferation (maximal 100 ng/mL) and cells stimulated with FL could be cultured for up to 4 weeks. A homogeneous population with 98% CD19-positive cells was detected before and after culture, and there was no evidence of nonleukemic cell proliferation as determined by immunophenotyping. The flt3 gene was transcribed in all seven cases studied by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). In the ALL cells responsive to FL, the expression of functional Flt3 receptors was confirmed by demonstrating FL-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of Flt3. Furthermore, FL-dependent tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins of estimated molecular weights of 70, 115, and 140 kD was detectable in these cells. These data demonstrate the functional heterogeneity of ALL samples and show that functional Flt3 receptors capable of mediating FL-dependent mitogenic signaling are expressed in a subset of ALL.
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PMID:Effects of Flt3 ligand and interleukin-7 on in vitro growth of acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells. 864 68

Members of the Janus kinase (Jak) family of protein tyrosine kinases have recently been implicated in the proximal signal transduction events of cytokine receptors. Jak3, a newly discovered member of this family, is believed to be normally limited in its expression to cells of the lymphoid and myeloid lineages. Herein we show that Jak3 is expressed in primary human vascular cells, as well as other non-lymphoid and non-myeloid cell types. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Northern blot analysis revealed that Jak3 mRNA was expressed at low levels in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMC), A549 (human lung carcinoma), and DLD-1 (human colon adenocarcinoma) cells. Higher basal levels of Jak3 mRNA were detected in HMEC-1 (human microvascular cell line) and HepG2 (human hepatocellular carcinoma) cells. Jak3 mRNA expression was induced in HUVEC, HMEC-1, and HASMC by treatment with interleukin-1beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-gamma, and lipopolysaccharide. Jak3 protein was detectable at low levels in untreated HMEC-1, and these levels increased significantly with cytokine treatment. Furthermore, Jak3 protein was phosphorylated upon treatment of these cells with interleukin-4. This work shows that Jak3 is expressed or inducible in human vascular endothelial, vascular smooth muscle, and other non-lymphoid and non-myeloid cells, suggesting a broader role for Jak3 in the cytokine signal transduction of these cells.
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PMID:Expression of Janus kinase 3 in human endothelial and other non-lymphoid and non-myeloid cells. 866 78

Primary hamster tracheal surface epithelial (HTSE) cells carry mucin-like glycoproteins on the apical surface which are releasable by neutrophil elastase. In some cancer cells, mucins are localized on the cell surface and have been shown to be encoded by the MUC1 mucin gene. The objectives of the present experiments were: (I) to determine if HTSE cells express MUC1 mucin gene; (2) if they do, to isolate and characterize the hamster MUC1 complementary DNA (cDNA); and (3) to examine the pattern of MUC1 mRNA expression at different stages of culture. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction amplification of HTSE cell RNAs using degenerate primers based on homologous sequences between the human and mouse MUC1 genes revealed the presence of a cDNA (0.5 kb) which has an 88% similarity in sequence with the mouse MUC1 cDNA. Using this 0.5 kb cDNA as a probe, an HTSE cell cDNA library was screened to isolate a hamster MUC1 cDNA clone. Sequence analysis of the cDNA revealed that it encodes an integral membrane protein of 676 amino acids which consists of (1) an N-terminal signal sequence, (2) the tandem repeat domain encoding 12 repeats of 20 amino acids, and (3) the C-terminal region consisting of degenerate tandem repeats and a unique sequence containing both the transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains. The presence of seven tyrosine residues in the cytoplasmic domain suggests a potential role as a receptor. Finally, expression of MUC1 mucin gene in HTSE cells appears to be associated with differentiation of secretory cells.
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PMID:Expression of MUC1 mucin gene by hamster tracheal surface epithelial cells in primary culture. 870 80

To assess the relationship between melanin production by Cryptococcus neoformans and virulence on a molecular basis, we asked: (a) is CNLAC1, the laccase structural gene of C. neoformans, expressed in vivo?; (b) can mouse virulence be restored to cnlac1 (Mel-) mutants by complementation with CNLAC1?; and (c) will targeted gene deletion of CNLAC1 decrease virulence for mice? Melanin is produced when cryptococcal laccase catalyzes the oxidation of certain aromatic compounds, including L-dopa, to quinones, which then polymerize to melanin. To assess CNLAC1 transcription, RNA was extracted from C. neoformans in cerebrospinal fluid of infected rabbits. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction detected CNLAC1 transcript, indicating that laccase may be produced in the infected host. To assess the effect of CNLAC1 deletion on virulence, a Mel- mutant (10S) was obtained by disruption of the 5' end of the gene. After multiple backcrosses with a parental strain to remove unintended genetic defects introduced by the transformation process, a Mel- progeny was tested and found to be much less virulent for mice than a Mel+ progeny. Another Mel- strain (mel2), obtained from J.C. Edman (University of California at San Francisco, CA), produced CNLAC1 transcript but no detectable melanin. Characterization of this mutant revealed a base substitution in CNLAC1 that changed a histidine to tyrosine in a putative copper-binding site. When this base change was introduced into CNLAC1 by site-directed mutagenesis, it no longer transformed mel2 to Mel+, indicating the importance of this histidine in laccase activity. Complementation of a mel2-derived mutant with CNLAC1 restored the Mel+ phenotype and increased virulence. These results support the concept that the CNLAC1 gene product has a role in virulence.
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PMID:Effect of the laccase gene CNLAC1, on virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans. 876 Jul 91

Nebulin is a family of giant myofibrillar proteins with molecular masses ranging over 700-900 kDa. Using a human nebulin cDNA probe, we isolated three nebulin cDNA clones from a mouse skeletal muscle cDNA library. These three clones, labeled 8c. 7a and 4b. carry inserts of 2.0, 3.0 and 3.5 kb, respectively. In Northern blots, each insert detected the same approximately = 25 kb message from skeletal muscle as the human nebulin probe, while detecting no messages from cardiac muscle. Sequence data in combination with reverse-transcriptase PCR indicates that clones 7a and 8c overlap to form 4076 bp contiguous sequence. Alignment with the published full-length human nebulin sequence indicates that clone 4b overlaps with clone 7a over 1596 bp. However, after the first 798-bp overlap, the sequence of these two mouse nebulin clones diverge, suggesting that they derive from distinct transcripts encoding isoforms of mouse nebulin. The mouse nebulin clones encode a series of = 245-residue super repeats, each of which can be subdivided into seven = 35-residue, weakly repeating modules centered around a conserved tyrosine residue, consistent with the human nebulin sequence. The mouse nebulin clones align along the central third of the full-length human sequence, corresponding to super repeats 8-16 of the 22 super repeats found in human nebulin. The translated sequence is greater than 90% identical to the human sequence, with the exception of a 200-amino-acid region at the C-terminus of clone 4b, which is less than 60% identical. In genomic Southern blots, a mouse nebulin probe detected a homologous sequence in a wide variety of vertebrate species under stringent conditions. However, no significant hybridization was observed to genomic DNA from invertebrates and microorganisms, even under very low stringency. The sequence and Southern-blot data suggest that the nebulin sequence is highly conserved among vertebrate species.
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PMID:cDNA cloning of mouse nebulin. Evidence that the nebulin-coding sequence is highly conserved among vertebrates. 877 33

Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is implicated in the process of normal lung development. We have previously shown the presence of PDGF-AA and BB homodimers in embryonic rat lung. Also, we reported that PDGF-AA is involved in embryonic lung branching, whereas PDGF-BB influences embryonic lung growth. PDGF isoforms bind with different affinities to two related receptors, denoted the PDGF alpha- and beta-receptors, respectively. The alpha-receptor binds both PDGF isoforms, whereas the beta-receptor binds only PDGF-BB. In the present study, we investigated the role of both receptors in early embryonic rat lung development. Reverse-transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis revealed that both PDGF alpha- and beta-receptor mRNAs are mainly expressed in the mesenchyme. Phosphorothioate antisense receptor oligonucleotides decreased PDGF receptor mRNA expression in early lung explants. PDGF-induced receptor tyrosine phosphorylation was also reduced by the antisense oligonucleotides. Incubation of embryonic lung explants with antisense beta-receptor oligonucleotides inhibited lung growth but not early lung branching. Neither growth nor branching were affected by sense beta-receptor oligonucleotides. The inhibitory effect of antisense beta-receptor oligonucleotides on embryonic lung growth was reversed by the addition of PDGF-BB or PDGF-AA, suggesting that the alpha-receptor can transduce similar mitogenic signals as the beta-receptor in early lung development. Antisense alpha-receptor oligonucleotides reduced both embryonic lung growth and branching. Sense alpha-receptor treatment had no effect on lung growth and branching. PDGF-BB but not PDGF-AA partially attenuated the inhibitory effect of antisense alpha-receptor oligonucleotides on lung growth. In contrast, PDGF-BB did not overcome the inhibitory effect on early lung branching, indicating that the beta-receptor cannot replace this biologic role of the alpha-receptor in early lung development. These data suggest that PDGF-BB stimulation of both receptors leads to lung growth, whereas PDGF-AA stimulation of the alpha-receptor induces transduction pathways that lead lung branching.
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PMID:Different roles for PDGF-alpha and -beta receptors in embryonic lung development. 887 89

Effects of uromodulin (URO) and Tamm-Horsfall protein (THP), the most abundant proteins in the urine of pregnant and normal women, respectively, on the induction of TNF-alpha secretion and tissue factor (TF) expression of human monocytes were studied. THP, URO, and its fragments stimulated human mononuclear cells to proliferate and secrete TNF-alpha. The release of URO and THP-induced TNF-alpha in monocytes was dependent upon protein tyrosine kinase activation that results in tyrosine phosphorylation. URO and THP also induced TF expression of human monocytes and monocytic cell line U937 in a dose-dependent manner. TF expression was transient, reached its peak at 6 h and declined toward basal levels by 24 h. Reverse transcriptase-PCR and dot-blot analysis confirmed the induction of TF mRNA synthesis. URO and THP-induced TF expression were inhibited by actinomycin D and pentoxifylline further supporting the requirement of de novo TF mRNA synthesis. The possibility of LPS contamination of URO and THP was excluded because: 1) URO and THP-induced TF expression were inhibited by specific Ab; 2) URO was less capable of inducing TF in HUVEC as compared with LPS; 3) polymyxin B blocked the induction of Limulus clotting by LPS but not by URO and THP; 4) both LPS-sensitive (C3H/HeN) and -resistant (C3H/HeJ) mice produced little or no TNF-alpha after URO challenge. Therefore, our findings suggest that URO and THP play a significant role in the innate immunity of the urinary system and that the immunostimulatory activity of URO is potentially useful for immunotherapy.
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PMID:Uromodulin and Tamm-Horsfall protein induce human monocytes to secrete TNF and express tissue factor. 912 Mar 6

Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) play an important role in the signal transduction of normal and malignant cells. There are different families of RTKs which are mainly characterized by differences in the ligang-binding extracellular domains. Axl (or UFO/Ark) is the first member of a new class of RTK with two fibronectin type III domains and two immunoglobulin-like domains present at the extracellular domain. The axl-gene has been isolated by means of gene transfection studies using DNA of patients with chronic myelogeneous leukemia. For a previous and the present study, we used a sensitive reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay to detect axl's mRNA in cells from normal and malignant hematopoietic tissue. Axl's mRNA expression was mainly detected in myelo-monocytic cells, whereas much weaker transcription was seen in lymphatic cells and in lymphatic leukemias. In normal bone marrow, axl was heavily transcribed in marrow stromal cells. Further, we analysed Axl protein expression using monoclonal antibody M50 in peripheral stem cell harvests; in most harvests, no co-expression of CD34 and Axl was detected. However, in one patient with AML in complete remission, Axl was co-expressed on 80% of the CD34-positive population. These data show that axl is preferentially expressed in monocytes and stromal cells. Furthermore, a fraction of CD34-positive progenitor cells may express Axl. The exact mechanism for transformation of myeloid progenitor cells through Axl, however, remains to be determined.
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PMID:Recent progress on the role of Axl, a receptor tyrosine kinase, in malignant transformation of myeloid leukemias. 913 Jun 17

Shp-1 and Shp-2 are cytoplasmic protein tyrosine phosphatases that contain two Src homology 2 (SH2) domains. A negative regulatory role of Shp-1 in hematopoiesis has been strongly implicated by the phenotype of motheaten mice with a mutation in the Shp-1 locus, which is characterized by leukocyte hypersensitivity, deregulated mast cell function, and excessive erythropoiesis. A targeted deletion of 65 amino acids in the N-terminal SH2 (SH2-N) domain of Shp-2 leads to an embryonic lethality at midgestation in homozygous mutant mice. To further dissect the Shp-2 function in hematopoietic development, we have isolated homozygous Shp-2 mutant embryonic stem (ES) cells. Significantly reduced hematopoietic activity was observed when the mutant ES cells were allowed to differentiate into embryoid bodies (EBs), compared to the wild-type and heterozygous ES cells. Further analysis of ES cell differentiation in vitro showed that mutation in the Shp-2 locus severely suppressed the development of primitive and definitive erythroid progenitors and completely blocked the production of progenitor cells for granulocytes-macrophages and mast cells. Reverse transcriptase PCR analysis of the mutant EBs revealed reduced expression of several specific marker genes that are induced during blood cell differentiation. Stem cell factor induction of mitogen-activated protein kinase activity was also blocked in Shp-2 mutant cells. Taken together, these results indicate that Shp-2 is an essential component and primarily plays a positive role in signaling pathways that mediate hematopoiesis in mammals. Furthermore, stimulation of its catalytic activity is not sufficient, while interaction via the SH2 domains with the targets or regulators is necessary for its biological functions in cells. The in vitro ES cell differentiation assay can be used as a biological tool in dissecting cytoplasmic signaling pathways.
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PMID:A deletion mutation in the SH2-N domain of Shp-2 severely suppresses hematopoietic cell development. 927 25


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