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)

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common soft-tissue sarcoma in childhood. Histologically, it is subdivided histologically into two main subtypes: alveolar (ARMS) and embryonal (ERMS). ARMS is characterized by t(2;13)(q35;q14) or its variant t(1;13)(p36;q14), which fuse PAX3 and PAX7, respectively, with FKHR to produce chimeric genes. ERMS is frequently associated with loss of heterozygosity of 11p15.5. We investigated seven RMS (three ARMS and four ERMS) by means of cytogenetic, fluorescence in situ hybridization, and molecular analyses, including the study of the main genes implicated in the G1- to S-phase cell cycle transition, and correlated these studies with pathologic findings and clinical outcome. All tumors showed clonal, numerical, and structural chromosomal abnormalities. Two ARMS had the t(2;13)(q35;q14) and the third a PAX7/FKHR fusion, a cryptic t(1;13)(p36;q14), undetected by cytogenetic techniques, but revealed by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. One ERMS showed a der(11)t(3;11)(p21;p15) as a sole structural anomaly. Gene amplification was seen in four tumors, as double minutes or in the form of homogeneously staining regions. Overexpression of MYCN oncogene was found in two ARMS; N-myc DNA probe detected oncogene amplification located on the double minutes of these cases. Analysis of the regulatory genes responsible for G1- to S-phase transition showed a homozygous deletion of the 9p21 locus genes in a spindle-cell ERMS.
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PMID:Cytogenetic and molecular findings related to rhabdomyosarcoma. An analysis of seven cases. 1285 Mar 75

In sarcoid granulomas, apoptotic events are reduced, which explains their characteristic long-lasting inflammation. We have described that interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) inhibits apoptosis in macrophages through the expression of p21(Waf1). Here, we explore the molecular mechanisms involved in the inhibition of apoptosis in sarcoid granulomas. We analyzed skin biopsies from 19 sarcoidosis patients and 16 controls. Total RNA was subjected to semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis. There was no difference found in the expression of proapoptotic (Bax and Bcl-X(s)) or antiapoptotic (Bcl-2 and Bcl-X(L)) genes nor in the expression of the tumor suppressor gene p53. Furthermore, the expression of IFN-gamma and the cdk inhibitors p21(Waf1) and p27(Kip1) were analyzed. IFN-gamma was detected in 37% of the sarcoidosis patients, and controls were negative (P<0.02). In addition, a higher proportion of patients expressing p21(Waf1) (58%) versus controls (12%) was found (P<0.005). There was a significant correlation between the expression of IFN-gamma and p21(Waf1) (r=0.69) and between p21(Waf1) and fibronectin (r=0.65). Finally, using immunohistochemistry, high p21(Waf1) reactivity was observed inside the granuloma. We conclude that the high levels of p21(Waf1) in sarcoidosis may explain the absence of apoptosis in the granuloma and the persistence of inflammation.
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PMID:High expression of p21 Waf1 in sarcoid granulomas: a putative role for long-lasting inflammation. 1288 47

Emergence of additional cytogenetic clones in chronic myelocytic leukemia (CML) patients who become Philadelphia chromosome-negative (Ph-) after alpha-interferon therapy (or more recently with imatinib mesylate) have been described. We report here a case of a novel t(6;7)(p21;q23) that developed in a CML patient in complete cytogenetic remission during imatinib therapy. In this case, fluorescence in situ hybridization and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction showed a normal pattern for BCR and ABL genes, suggesting that a different and unrelated clone developed after the disappearance of the Ph chromosome.
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PMID:A novel t(6;7)(p24;q21) in a chronic myelocytic leukemia in complete cytogenetic remission after therapy with imatinib mesylate. 1473 29

The orphan hepatic nuclear factor (HNF) HNF4alpha is of pivotal importance for liver development and hepatocellular differentiation and plays an essential role in a regulatory circuitry to control a wide range of metabolic processes. It also targets genes in other organs, including pancreas, kidney, intestine, and colon; promotes expression of an epithelial phenotype; triggers de novo formation of functional tight junctions; and contributes to epithelial cell polarity. In particular, HNF4alpha dysfunction leads to metabolic disorders, including diabetes. We used the chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) cloning procedure and a bioinformatic approach to search for candidate genes associated with impaired liver, pancreas, and kidney function. We identified two novel targets regulated by HNF4alpha, which participate in the control, at least in part, in cell-cycle regulation and are members of the mitogen-activated kinase pathway. In multiple ChIP assays, ribosomal S6 kinase 4 (RSK4) and p21-activated kinase 5 (PAK5) were confirmed, and in vitro binding of HNF4alpha was evidenced by electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) using oligonucleotides, which harbor novel binding sites. We also used EMSA to probe for binding sites in promoters of HNF1alpha, apolipoprotein B, alpha1-antitrypsin, and angiotensinogen. We further studied RSK4 and PAK5 kinase expression in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat kidney and brain and observed significant repression of HNF4alpha, RSK4, and PAK5 as determined by quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. RSK4 and PAK5 may provide a molecular rationale for late-stage complications in disease, and further studies are warranted to explore these targets for the treatment of diabetic nephro- and neuropathy, frequently seen in patients with HNF4alpha dysfunction.
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PMID:RSK4 and PAK5 are novel candidate genes in diabetic rat kidney and brain. 1561 95

Tobacco is a known cause of oral disease but the mechanism remains elusive. Nicotine (Nic) is a likely culprit of pathobiological effects because it displaces the local cytotransmitter acetylcholine from the nicotinic receptors (nAChRs) expressed by oral keratinocytes (KCs). To gain a mechanistic insight into tobacco-induced morbidity in the oral cavity, we studied effects of exposures to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) versus equivalent concentration of pure Nic on human and murine KCs. Both ETS and Nic up-regulated expression of cell cycle and apoptosis regulators, differentiation marker filaggrin, and signal transduction factors at both the mRNA and protein levels. These changes could be abolished in cultured human oral KCs transfected with anti-alpha3 small interfering RNA or treated with the alpha3beta2-preferring antagonist alpha-conotoxin MII. Functional inactivation of alpha3-mediated signaling in alpha3-/- mutant KCs prevented most of the ETS/Nic-dependent changes in gene expression. To determine relevance of the in vitro findings to the in vivo situation, we studied gene expression in oral mucosa of neonatal alpha3+/+ and alpha3-/- littermates delivered by heterozygous mice soon after their exposures to ETS or equivalent concentration of pure Nic in drinking water. In addition to reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, the ETS/Nic-dependent alterations in gene expression were also detected by semiquantitative immunofluorescence assay directly in KCs comprising murine oral mucosa. Only wild-type mice consistently developed significant (P < 0.05) changes in the gene expression. These results identified alpha3beta2 nAChR as a major receptor mediating effects of tobacco products on KC gene expression. Real-time polymerase chain reaction demonstrated that in all three model systems the common genes targeted by alpha3beta2-mediated ETS/Nic toxicity were p21, Bcl-2, NF-kappaB, and STAT-1. The expression of the nAChR subunits alpha5 and beta2 and the muscarinic receptor subtypes M(2) and M(3) was also altered. This novel mechanism offers innovative solutions to ameliorate the tobacco-related cell damage and intercede in disease pathways, and may shed light on general mechanisms regulating and driving tobacco-related morbidity in human cells.
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PMID:Receptor-mediated tobacco toxicity: regulation of gene expression through alpha3beta2 nicotinic receptor in oral epithelial cells. 1568 42

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) has oncogenic potential. The biological effects of STAT3 have not been studied extensively in the pathogenesis of colon cancer, nor has the role of Janus kinase 3 (JAK3), the physiological activator of STAT3, been evaluated. Here, we demonstrate that activated STAT3 (pSTAT3) and activated JAK3 (pJAK3) are expressed constitutively in two colon cancer cell lines, SW480 and HT29. To evaluate the significance of JAK3/STAT3 signaling, we inhibited JAK3 with AG490 and STAT3 with a dominant-negative construct. Inhibition of JAK3 down-regulated pSTAT3. The blockade of JAK3/STAT3 signaling significantly decreased viability of colon cancer cells due to apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest through down-regulation of Bcl-2, Bcl-X(L), Mcl-1, and cyclin D2 and up-regulation of p21(waf1/cip1) and p27(kip1). We also examined histological sections from 22 tumors from patients with stage II or stage IV colon cancer and found STAT3, JAK3, and their activated forms to be frequently expressed. Furthermore, quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction identified JAK3 mRNA in colon cancer cell lines and primary tumors. Our findings illustrate the biological importance of JAK3/STAT3 activation in the oncogenesis of colon cancer and provide novel evidence that JAK3 is expressed and contributes to STAT3 activation in this malignant neoplasm.
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PMID:Constitutive activation of JAK3/STAT3 in colon carcinoma tumors and cell lines: inhibition of JAK3/STAT3 signaling induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest of colon carcinoma cells. 1619 33

To evaluate the frequency of clonal abnormalities in patients with unexplained persisting eosinophilia we analyzed 40 patients (27 males, 13 females) using cytomorphology, cytogenetic analysis, interphase fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Cytogenetic analysis revealed clonal abnormalities in five patients (four of whom were males) including t(8;9)(p21;p24), ins(9;4)(q34;q12q31), del(6)(q24), and trisomy 8 (n=2). RT-PCR confirmed a PCM1-JAK2 fusion underlying the t(8;9). FISH analysis suggested a rearrangement involving PDGFRA in the ins(9;4). A FIP1L1-PDGFRA fusion gene was identified in four male patients by interphase FISH and RT-PCR. These methods in combination demonstrated clonality in 8/40 patients (20%) with a male predominance (6/8; 75%).
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PMID:A combination of cytomorphology, cytogenetic analysis, fluorescence in situ hybridization and reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction for establishing clonality in cases of persisting hypereosinophilia. 1676 84

Glucocorticoids are widely used in the treatment of human glomerular diseases, but their mode of action is poorly understood particularly in steroid-sensitive nephrotic syndrome, which is most common in childhood and is characterized by a lack of inflammation in the kidney. The podocyte is a key cell in the glomerulus in health and disease: until recently, human podocytes have been difficult to study in vitro. We have developed a conditionally immortalized human podocyte cell line transfected with a temperature-sensitive simian virus 40 transgene: when the transgene is inactivated in vitro, these cells adopt the phenotype of differentiated podocytes. We have used these cells to evaluate, using immunocytochemistry, reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, and Western blotting, direct effects of the glucocorticoid dexamethasone at concentrations designed to mimic in vivo therapeutic corticosteroid levels. Dexamethasone upregulated expression of nephrin and tubulin-alpha, and downregulated vascular endothelial growth factor. Effects on cell cycle were complex with downregulation of cyclin kinase inhibitor p21 and augmentation of podocyte survival, without any effect on apoptosis. We report cytokine production by human podocytes, especially interleukin (IL)-6 and -8; IL-6 expression was suppressed by dexamethasone. These potent direct effects on podocytes illustrate a novel mode of action of glucocorticoids and suggest potential new therapeutic strategies for glomerular disease.
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PMID:Direct effects of dexamethasone on human podocytes. 1683 24

Neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease and various experimental lesion paradigms are associated with an unscheduled upregulation of cell cycle-related proteins, indicating a link between cell cycle reactivation and neuronal death. Recent evidence, however, suggests that at least some of the canonical cell cycle regulators are constitutively expressed in differentiated neurons of the adult brain. Systematic investigations on the constitutive expression of cell cycle regulators in differentiated neurons in vivo, providing the basis for further insights into their potential role under pathological conditions, however, have not been carried out. Here, we demonstrate a constitutive neuronal expression of Cdks 1, 2, and 4; their activators cyclins D, A, B, and E; and their inhibitors p15(Ink4b), p16(Ink4a), p18(Ink4c), p19(Ink4d), p21(Waf1/Cip1), p27(Kip1), and p57(Kip2) within the neocortex of adult mice by western blot and immunocytochemistry. Expression was verified by single-cell reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction applied to individual microscopically identified neurons captured with laser dissection. Immunoprecipitation and in vitro kinase assays revealed that Cdks 1, 2, and 4 are properly complexed to cyclins and exhibit kinase activity. This physiological expression of positive cell cycle regulators in adult neurons is clearly not related to neuronal proliferation. Taken together, our findings demonstrate a constitutive expression of functionally active cyclin-dependent kinases and their regulators in differentiated neurons suggesting a noncanonical role of cell cycle regulators potentially linked to neuronal plasticity and/or stability.
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PMID:Constitutive expression of functionally active cyclin-dependent kinases and their binding partners suggests noncanonical functions of cell cycle regulators in differentiated neurons. 1705 Jun 46

Nonrandom cytogenetic abnormalities of chromosomes 6, 7, and 17 have been reported within low-grade endometrial stromal sarcomas (LGESSs), and among these abnormalities, the t(7;17)(p15;q21) is the most common aberration described. Previously we had shown that this translocation joins 2 genes, JAZF1 and JJAZ1, located on chromosomes 7 and 17, respectively. To determine the frequency of the t(7;17), we analyzed 4 stromal nodules and 24 LGESS by both reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). In addition, we examined 4 cases of highly cellular leiomyoma, a benign morphologic mimic of LGESS. Overall, evidence for the JAZF1-JJAZ1 fusion was found in 60% of endometrial stromal neoplasms analyzed (8/16 ESS and 4/4 stromal nodules). One LGESS demonstrated only rearrangement of 7p15 by FISH analysis and karyotypic analysis of this case showed t(6;7)(p21;p15). The fusion was not detected in any highly cellular leiomyomas. Our data suggest that the JAZF1-JJAZ1 fusion is a frequent, although nonuniform, feature of endometrial stromal neoplasia, irrespective of benign versus malignant classification and smooth muscle differentiation. In addition, the detection of the fusion by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction or FISH for JJAZ1 at 7p15 may be diagnostically useful.
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PMID:Molecular analysis of the JAZF1-JJAZ1 gene fusion by RT-PCR and fluorescence in situ hybridization in endometrial stromal neoplasms. 1719 20


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