Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:2.7.7.49 (reverse transcriptase)
31,746 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Throughout the last decade many laboratories have shown that mRNA levels in formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FPE) tissue specimens can be quantified by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) techniques despite the extensive RNA fragmentation that occurs in tissues so preserved. We have developed RT-PCR methods that are sensitive, precise, and that have multianalyte capability for potential wide use in clinical research and diagnostic assays. Here it is shown that the extent of fragmentation of extracted FPE tissue RNA significantly increases with archive storage time. Probe and primer sets for RT-PCR assays based on amplicons that are both short and homogeneous in length enable effective reference gene-based data normalization for cross comparison of specimens that differ substantially in age. A 48-gene assay used to compare gene expression profiles from the same breast cancer tissue that had been either frozen or FPE showed very similar profiles after reference gene-based normalization. A 92-gene assay, using RNA extracted from three 10- micro m FPE sections of archival breast cancer specimens (dating from 1985 to 2001) yielded analyzable data for these genes in all 62 tested specimens. The results were substantially concordant when estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, and HER2 receptor status determined by RT-PCR was compared with immunohistochemistry assays for these receptors. Furthermore, the results highlight the advantages of RT-PCR over immunohistochemistry with respect to quantitation and dynamic range. These findings support the development of RT-PCR analysis of FPE tissue RNA as a platform for multianalyte clinical diagnostic tests.
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PMID:Measurement of gene expression in archival paraffin-embedded tissues: development and performance of a 92-gene reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay. 1469 16

The effect of the dietary background of phytoestrogens on the outcome of rodent bioassays used to identify and assess the reproductive hazard of endocrine-disrupting chemicals is controversial. Phytoestrogens, including genistein, daidzein, and coumestrol, are fairly abundant in soybeans and alfalfa, common ingredients of laboratory animal diets. These compounds are weak agonists for the estrogen receptor (ER) and, when administered at sufficient doses, elicit an estrogenic response in vivo. In this study, we assessed the potential estrogenic effects of dietary phytoestrogens at the gene expression level, together with traditional biologic end points, using estrogen-responsive tissues of the immature female rat. We compared the gene expression profile of the uterus and ovaries, as a pool, obtained using a uterotrophic assay protocol, from intact prepubertal rats fed a casein-based diet (free from soy and alfalfa) or a regular rodent diet (Purina 5001) containing soy and alfalfa. Estrogenic potency of the phytoestrogen-containing diet was determined by analyzing uterine wet weight gain, luminal epithelial cell height, and gene expression profile in the uterus and ovaries. These were compared with the same parameters evaluated in animals exposed to a low dose of a potent ER agonist [0.1 microg/kg/day 17alpha-ethynyl estradiol (EE) for 4 days]. Exposure to dietary phytoestrogens or to a low dose of EE did not advance vaginal opening, increase uterine wet weight, or increase luminal epithelial cell height in animals fed either diet. Although there are genes whose expression differs in animals fed the soy/alfalfa-based diet versus the casein diet, those genes are not associated with estrogenic stimulation. The expression of genes well known to be estrogen regulated, such as progesterone receptor, intestinal calcium-binding protein, and complement component 3, is not affected by consumption of the soy/alfalfa-based diet when assessed by microarray or quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis. Our results indicate that although diet composition has an impact on gene expression in uterus and ovaries, it does not contribute to the effects of an ER agonist.
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PMID:Impact of the phytoestrogen content of laboratory animal feed on the gene expression profile of the reproductive system in the immature female rat. 1553 37

No reports have examined the association between tamoxifen resistance and the methylation of the estrogen receptor (ER) alpha and beta genes. Therefore we investigated the methylation patterns of the ER genes in the tamoxifen-resistant tumors. We used bisulfite genomic sequencing and reverse transcriptase PCR to determine the methylation patterns and mRNA expression of the two ER genes from control (n = 68) and tamoxifen-resistant tissues (n = 34) chosen by an age-matched sampling method. Bisulfite genomic sequencing allowed us to reveal the methylation of the ER alpha gene in 15 of the control tumors (22.1%) and in 11 tumors of the resistant group (32.4%). The methylation of ER beta was observed in 40 control tumors (58.8%) and in 8 recurrent tumors (23.5%). The methylation rate of the ER beta but not the ER alpha in the control group was significantly higher than in its counterpart (ER alpha, P = 0.261; ER beta, P = 0.001). Among the methylated tumors mean methylation density of ER alpha and ER beta in the resistant cases was significantly elevated (ER alpha, P = 0.014; ER beta, P < 0.001). Furthermore, the expression rate of ER beta mRNA was higher among the tumor in the resistant group than in the control with marginal significance (77.8% vs. 38.1%, P = 0.109). Additionally, in the cancers from the resistant cases, the cells showed a higher percentage of positive staining for Ki67 than those from the control group (P = 0.001). Our study indicates that there is an inverse relationship between the methylation rate of the ER beta gene and tamoxifen resistance. The tamoxifen-resistant tumors showed more dense methylation of the ER beta gene than control tumors. Although the number of case samples was limited, our results support the hypothesis that hypermethylation of the ER beta gene negatively affects the development of tamoxifen resistance.
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PMID:Tamoxifen-resistant breast cancers show less frequent methylation of the estrogen receptor beta but not the estrogen receptor alpha gene. 1553 19

Estrogen has been postulated to be involved in inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation mainly via estrogen receptor (ER), but the detailed mechanism has remained primarily unknown. Therefore, in this study, microarray analysis was used in two types of cultured human VSMCs: one positive for ER alpha, and the other for ER beta, which were treated by estrogens to detect the estrogen-responsive genes. We also used quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to evaluate mRNA levels of selective target gene (TG) in these cells. We further studied whether the TG product was involved in inhibition of proliferation using small interfering RNA (siRNA) of the TG transfection. We subsequently used quantitative RT-PCR and in situ hybridization analysis to evaluate the expression of these gene products in human aorta. E4F1, a possible inducer of cell growth arrest, was markedly increased only in ER alpha-positive VSMCs by estrogens in both microarray and RT-PCR analyses. Blocking of E4F1 using siRNA suppressed estrogenic inhibition of ER alpha-positive VSMC proliferation. E4F1 mRNA was abundant in premenopausal female aorta with mild atherosclerotic changes. E4F1 is therefore considered one of the estrogen-responsive genes involving ER alpha-mediated inhibition of VSMC proliferation and may play an important role in estrogen-related atheroprotection of human aorta.
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PMID:E4F1, a novel estrogen-responsive gene in possible atheroprotection, revealed by microarray analysis. 1557 45

Rituximab (chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies) is currently being used in the treatment of B non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). We have recently reported that rituximab triggers and modifies various intracellular signaling pathways in NHL B-cell lines, resulting in reverting the chemoresistant phenotype to a sensitive phenotype. This study investigated whether rituximab also modifies intracellular signaling pathways resulting in the sensitization of NHL cells to Fas-induced apoptosis. Treatment of the Fas-resistant NHL cell lines (2F7, Ramos and Raji) with rituximab sensitized the cells to CH-11 (FasL agonist mAb)-induced apoptosis and synergy was achieved. Fas expression was upregulated by rituximab as early as 6 h post-treatment as determined by flow cytometry, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot. Rituximab inhibited both the expression and activity of the transcription repressor Yin-Yang 1 (YY1) that negatively regulates Fas transcription. Inhibition of YY1 resulted in the upregulation of Fas expression and sensitization of the tumor cells to CH-11-induced apoptosis. The downregulation of YY1 expression was the result of rituximab-induced inhibition of both the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway and constitutive nuclear factor kappa of B cells (NF-kappaB) activity. The involvement of NF-kappaB and YY1 in the regulation of Fas expression was corroborated by the use of Ramos cells with a dominant-active inhibitor of NF-kappaB (Ramos IkappaB-estrogen receptor (ER) mutant) and by silencing YY1 with YY1 siRNA, respectively. Further, the role of rituximab-mediated inhibition of the p38 MAPK/NF-kappaB/YY1 pathway in the regulation of Fas and sensitization to CH-11-induced apoptosis was validated by the use of specific chemical inhibitors of this pathway and which mimicked rituximab-mediated effects. These findings provide a novel mechanism of rituximab-mediated activity by sensitizing NHL cells to Fas-induced apoptosis.
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PMID:Rituximab (chimeric anti-CD20) sensitizes B-NHL cell lines to Fas-induced apoptosis. 1610 77

Telomerase, a ribonucleoprotein enzyme that functions as a reverse transcriptase, is detected exclusively in immortal cells such as germ cells, stem cells and cancer cells. Telomerase activity is present in almost all human cancers. Telomerase activation is considered to be essential to maintain the integrity of the replicating tumor cell and to establish immortality. Based on this concept antiestrogen should initially regulate estrogen-stimulated telomerase but the enzyme would be expected to be constitutive in tamoxifen-resistant tumor cells. We have studied the estrogen regulation of telomerase in T47D:A18 breast cancer cells with a TRAPEZE Telomerase detection kit. Estradiol significantly increased telomerase activity after a 2-day treatment. Telomerase activity induced by estradiol was up to 10-fold higher within 4 days. Antiestrogens 4-hydroxytamoxifen (4-OHT) and ICI 182,780 were inactive alone and significantly blocked estradiol-stimulated increase in telomerase. These effects were correlated with changes in cell replications and changes in the cell cycle. In contrast, 4-OHT resistant T47D:A18 cells (T47D:A18/4-OHT, cultured in 1 microM 4-OHT for 6 months) grew spontaneously and had no changes in the cell cycle with estrogen treatment. The estrogen receptor (ERalpha) was present and still regulated at an estrogen responsive luciferase reporter gene with estrogen despite the fact that progesterone receptor was not increased in response to estradiol in T47D:A18/4-OHT cells. However, telomerase activity was increased about 40-fold in T47D:A18/4-OHT cells and this was not regulated by ICI 182,780. We conclude that the differential regulation of telomerase gene might be an important transition for tamoxifen resistance in T47D:A18 breast cancer cells.
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PMID:Deregulation of estrogen induced telomerase activity in tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer cells. 1621 Dec 43

A common feature of human breast oncogenesis is cell cycle deregulation. The expression of cyclins D1 and D3 was examined during estradiol-17beta (E(2))-induced mammary tumorigenesis in female August Copenhagen Irish (ACI) rats. Low serum E(2) levels ( approximately 60-120 pg/ml) were sufficient to induce mammary gland tumors (MGTs) that remarkably resemble human ductal breast cancer (BC) at the histopathologic and molecular levels. Western blot analysis of the E(2)-induced MGTs revealed a marked rise in cyclins D1 (24-fold), D3 (9-fold) and cdk4 (3-fold) expression compared with age-matched untreated controls. Small focal dysplasias with large, pale staining nuclei were commonly seen at 3-3.6 months, large focal dysplasias, including atypical ductal hyperplasia at 3.6-4.3 months, ductal carcinoma in-situ (DCISs) at 4.3-5.0 months, and 100% incidence of invasive ductal BC/frank tumors at 5-6 months were detected after E(2) treatment. Immunohistochemical analysis of serial sections of focal dysplasias, DCISs and invasive ductal carcinomas showed overexpression of cyclins D1, D3, estrogen receptor-alpha (ERalpha) and progesterone receptor (PR). However, cyclin D3 expression, unlike D1, was confined essentially to early pre-malignant lesions (focal dysplasias and DCISs) and primary MGTs with <1-5% of resting and normal hyperplastic breast cells staining positive. The kinase activity for cyclins D1 and D3, using retinoblastoma (Rb) as a substrate, in E(2)-induced MGTs and their binding to cdk4 was significantly elevated. Semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR analysis of the E(2)-induced MGTs exhibited increased expression of cyclins D1 (2.9-fold) and D3 (1.4-fold) mRNA, indicating that their elevated protein expression was due in part to an increase in mRNA transcription. However, when analyzed by quantitative real-time Q-PCR, these genes were not amplified. These data indicate that in female ACI rat mammary glands, E(2)-induced pre-malignant lesions differentially and selectively express cyclins D1 and D3, thus contributing to a distinct growth advantage of these pre-neoplasias relative to E(2)-elicited normal hyperplasia.
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PMID:Overexpression of cyclins D1 and D3 during estrogen-induced breast oncogenesis in female ACI rats. 1631 Dec 45

The aim of this study was to examine, using semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) the changes in mRNA expression of the two estrogen receptor (ER) subtypes, ERalpha and ERbeta, prolactin receptor long and short form, and progesterone (Pg) receptor (PgR), in liver and mammary gland during gestation, early lactation, and weaning in both hyperthyroid (HT) and normal rats. Pregnancy increased long prolactin receptors (PRL-R(L)) and ERalpha mRNAs in liver and PRL-R(I) in mammary gland. Lactation decreased PRL-R(L) in liver and ERbeta and PgR in mammary gland. HT decreased PRL-R(L), at the end of pregnancy (G21), ERalpha (in G21 and L1) in liver and PRL-R(L) in L1 as well as short prolactin receptors (PRL-R(S)) (G7, L1) and ERbeta (G7, G14, L4) in mammary gland. In conclusion, our data indicated that (1) PRL-R1 and ERalpha expression levels are differentially regulated in the liver, and PgR and ERbeta in mammary gland during pregnancy and lactation (2) ERbeta is variably expressed depending on the state of thyroid hormones, however the ERalpha gene expression remained constant in mammary gland. (3) PRL-R1 mRNA expression is highly induced in the mammary gland during late pregnancy and abruptly declines on the first day of lactation for the HT rats.
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PMID:The expression of estrogen, prolactin, and progesterone receptors in mammary gland and liver of female rats during pregnancy and early postpartum: regulation by thyroid hormones. 1643 54

Genistein (4,5,7-trihydroxyisoflavone), a phytoestrogen with selective estrogen receptor modulator properties, has received a great deal of attention over the last few years because of its potentially preventive roles against cardiovascular diseases. However, the precise molecular mechanisms for this modulation are not fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated (both in vivo and in vitro) the relationship between genistein and the changes of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) in rat aortic endothelial cells (RAECs), serum and tissue (aorta). ACE expression was assessed by the immunofluorescence and the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay. Serum and tissue ACE activity was detected with a commercial kit. Genistein exhibited a concentration-dependent inhibitory effect on the expression of ACE, particularly at higher concentrations (24.70+/-1.20 at 100microM, P<0.01, and 18.22+/-0.92 at 200microM, P<0.01 compared with the control group 50.49+/-5.19). The estrogen receptor blocker tamoxifen at 100microM attenuated this effect of genistein. The extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) blocker PD98059 also markedly inhibited this effect. The observations in vivo were highly consistent with the data in RAECs. These results indicate that genistein inhibits the expression of ACE via estrogen receptor and subsequently ERK1/2 signaling pathway in RAECs. Our results suggest that the down-regulation of ACE with a consequent change in the circulating levels of angiotensin II (Ang II), vasorelaxant angiotensin-(1-7) [Ang-(1-7)] and bradykinin plays an important role in cardiovascular effects of genistein through the ERK1/2 pathway.
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PMID:Effects of genistein on angiotensin-converting enzyme in rats. 1662 61

The main purpose of this retrospective study was to compare Ki-67 expression in operable breast cancer examined by immunostaining and real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Relations between Ki-67 and classic prognostic factors were also investigated, and the prognostic relevance of Ki-67 expression was examined. Expression of Ki-67 was analyzed in specimens of invasive ductal breast cancer tissue obtained from 131 women during radical mastectomy. There was a significant, but weakly positive, correlation between Ki-67 expression assessed by immunostaining and real-time RT-PCR (tau=0.154, p=0.005). Higher Ki-67 expression in immunostaining and RT-PCR was more often seen in grade 3 tumors (p<0.001 and p=0.026, respectively). No significant relationship with age, disease stage, nodal involvement, estrogen receptor or HER2 status was found. In a univariate and multivariate analysis of cancer-specific survival with a median follow-up of 56 months, Ki-67 expression determined by immunostaining or real-time RT-PCR was no prognostic factor. We demonstrated that Ki-67 expression levels measured by immunostaining and real-time RT-PCR were weakly concordant, and both were related to higher tumor grade. Ki-67 expression did not influence survival.
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PMID:Ki-67 expression in operable breast cancer: a comparative study of immunostaining and a real-time RT-PCR assay. 1667 80


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