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)

We studied the effect of HIV infection on the human monocytic cell line U937. The cell line was infected with cellfree HIV, strain HTLV-IIIB. After 3 wk, a high reverse transcriptase activity was continuously detected in the supernatant of the cell line. Neither cytopathic effects nor changes in cell growth were observed. After infection, accessory cell function on T cell proliferation induced by anti-CD3 mAb of both IgG1 and IgG2a subclasses and Con A was tested. Accessory cell function provided by U937 cells started to decline 3 wk after inoculation with HIV. This correlated with detectable reverse transcriptase activity. The remaining accessory cell capacity varied between 10 and 60% of accessory cell function mediated by noninfected U937 cells. It was excluded that decreased FcR expression on U937/HIV cells contributed to the accessory cell defect in the anti-CD3-driven system. IL-2R expression on T cells, cocultivated with U937/HIV and anti-CD3, was minimal. The accessory cell defect could only be partly overcome by addition of rIL-2 or IL-1. Addition of high titer (10(4) TCID50) HIV or U937/HIV cells did not affect T cell proliferation, which rules out that the observed inhibition is caused by HIV infection of T cells or suppressive effects of U937/HIV cells. These results suggest that infection of APC may contribute to the induction of immunologic abnormalities in early HIV infection. Thus, monocytes/macrophages may not only serve as a reservoir for the dissemination of HIV, but may be an important target cell through which the immune system is affected.
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PMID:Decreased accessory cell function by human monocytic cells after infection with HIV. 296 77

Several epidemiological studies have demonstrated an association between familial adenomatous polyposis coli (FAP) and thyroid neoplasms. Predisposition to FAP is conferred by mutations in the APC gene, located on chromosome 5q21. Somatic mutations of APC are also observed in about 60% of sporadic colorectal adenomas and carcinomas, suggesting that disruption of this putative tumor suppressor gene may play a role in both familial as well as acquired colorectal tumorigenesis. The APC gene is expressed in normal human thyroid, thyroid adenomas, and differentiated carcinoma tissues as well as in four clonal human thyroid carcinoma cell lines, as demonstrated by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction of a 388-base APC messenger ribonucleic acid fragment spanning exons 14 and 15, followed by hybridization to an exon 15-specific complementary DNA probe. Eighty human thyroid neoplasms were examined for loss of heterozygosity of the APC locus, using primers flanking a hypervariable dinucleotide (CA) repeat (CB26) immediately adjacent to the APC gene. Of 71% informative samples, 2 showed allelic loss: a follicular adenoma (FA) and a nodule from a multinodular goiter (MNG). The DNA of 83 benign and malignant thyroid neoplasms and 4 thyroid carcinoma cell lines was examined for mutations within a 1200-basepair stretch of exon 15 by single strand conformation polymorphism. Five sets of overlapping primers were used for PCR. The anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cell line (ARO) had 1 APC allele with an adenine insertion at codon 1556 (ACTA to AACTA), leading to a premature stop codon at 1558. An anaplastic carcinoma had a mutation of codon 1346 (TCA-CCA; Ser to Pro). In summary, the APC gene is expressed in normal and neoplastic human thyroid tissue and is a target for inactivating mutations in some thyroid tumors.
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PMID:Mutations of the adenomatous polyposis coli gene in sporadic thyroid neoplasms. 796 23

In murine contact photosensitivity, a cutaneous delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction, preirradiation of the photosensitization site with UVB induced Ag-specific, afferent limb-acting, CD4+CD8- suppressor T cells (Ts). The present study examined usage of TCR V beta and production of immunosuppressive cytokines in Ts propagated in vitro. Spleen cells from UVB-preirradiated, 3,3',4',5- tetracholorosalicylanilide (TCSA)-photosensitized mice were stimulated with 3000-rad-irradiated lymph node cells (LNC) from TCSA/UVA-sensitized mice (LNCTCSA) in the presence of rIL-t. After several rounds of antigenic stimulation, a T cell line (B+TCL) consisted exclusively of CD3+CD4+CD8- V beta 7+ and V beta 13+ populations. Transfer to naive recipients of B+TCL treated with anti-V beta mAb plus complement revealed that the V beta 7+ cells suppressed both the in vivo and the in vitro aspects of contact photosensitivity to TCSA in an Ag-specific manner. The in vitro suppressive activity of B+TCL was neutralized by anti-IL-10 mAb, but not by anti-IL-4 mAb, indicating a crucial role of IL-10 in UBV-induced suppression. Upon stimulation with 3000-rad-irradiated-LNCTCSA, B+TCL released IL-4 and IL-10 but not IL-2, and V beta 7+ cells produced IL-10. The reverse transcriptase-PCR detected mRNA for IL-4 and IL-10 but not that for IL-2, IFN-gamma, or TGF-beta in B+TCL stimulated with or without concanavalin A. In accordance with the findings in B+TCL, spleen cells from UVB preirradiation plus TCSA/UVA mice contained V beta 7+ T cells that suppressed contact photosensitivity to TCSA and produced substantial amounts of IL-4 that provided a microenvironment for Th2 cell generation. We conclude that UVB preirradiation and photosensitization result in the generation of V beta 7+ Th2 cells that suppress contact photosensitivity by releasing IL-10. The dysfunction of effector Th1 cells underlying UVB suppression of delayed-type hypersensitivity seems to be due not only to altered APC function but also to counteraction of Th2 cells by Th1 cells.
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PMID:TCRV beta 7+ Th2 cells mediate UVB-induced suppression of murine contact photosensitivity by releasing IL-10. 859 33

Tolerance against superantigens (SAgs) encoded by endogenous mouse mammary tumor virus (Mtv) loci involves the intrathymic deletion of SAg-reactive T cells expressing a particular TCR V beta-chain, presumably upon presentation of the SAg by specialized APC. However, although the role of dendritic cells (DC) in the induction of tolerance against conventional Ags has been demonstrated, little is known about the role played by DC in tolerance induction against Mtv SAgs. Moreover, there is conflicting evidence concerning the capacity of DC to express and present Mtv SAgs. In this report we have analyzed the expression of Mtv SAgs in highly purified thymic and splenic DC and B cells by reverse transcriptase-PCR, using primers amplifying Mtv SAg-specific spliced mRNAs. DC express Mtv SAgs at levels comparable to B cells, but display a differential expression pattern of the various Mtv loci compared with B cells. Furthermore, our results show that DC are able to induce the deletion of SAg-reactive thymocytes in an in vitro assay, indicating that Mtv SAgs are functionally expressed on the DC surface. Collectively, our data are consistent with the hypothesis that DC play a role in the induction of intrathymic tolerance to Mtv SAgs.
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PMID:Expression and presentation of endogenous mouse mammary tumor virus superantigens by thymic and splenic dendritic cells and B cells. 881 81

Thrombin's potent effects on astrocytes are mediated by a specific receptor and inhibited by a serpin, protease nexin I (PNI). Thrombomodulin (TM), a membrane protein that forms complexes with thrombin, changing its enzymatic specificity, has not been studied in astrocytes. In primary astrocyte cultures, using Western blotting and immunocytochemistry, we found a 70 kDa TM band and TM localized to the surface with an anti-mouse TM monoclonal antibody. By reverse transcriptase coupled with polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), we found the correct sequence for mouse TM mRNA in astrocytes. Finally, we documented calcium-dependent activation of protein C by a thrombin:TM complex with thrombin added to the astrocytes. These results indicate the presence of functionally active TM at the astrocyte surface and add support to a role for thrombin signaling in the nervous system.
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PMID:Novel expression and localization of active thrombomodulin on the surface of mouse brain astrocytes. 906 32

beta-catenin has functions as both an adhesion and a signaling molecule. Disruption of these functions through mutations of the beta-catenin gene (CTNNB1) may be important in the development of colorectal tumors. We examined the entire coding sequence of beta-catenin by reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) and direct sequencing of 23 human colorectal cancer cell lines from 21 patients. In two cell lines, there was apparent instability of the beta-catenin mRNA. Five different mutations (26%) were found in the remaining 21cell lines (from 19 patients). A three-base deletion (codon 45) was identified in the cell line HCT 116, whereas cell lines SW 48, HCA 46, CACO 2, and Colo 201 each contained single-base missense mutations (codons 33, 183, 245, and 287, respectively). All 23 cell lines had full-length beta-catenin protein that was detectable by Western blotting and that coprecipitated with E-cadherin. In three of the cell lines with CTNNB1 mutations, complexes of beta-catenin with alpha-catenin and APC were detectable. In SW48 and HCA 46, however, we did not detect complexes of beta-catenin protein with alpha-catenin and APC, respectively. These results show that selection of CTNNB1 mutations occurs in up to 26% of colorectal cancers from which cell lines are derived. In these cases, mutation selection is probably for altered beta-catenin function, which may significantly alter intracellular signaling and intercellular adhesion and may serve as a complement to APC mutations in the early stages of tumorigenesis.
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PMID:Beta-catenin mutations in cell lines established from human colorectal cancers. 929 10

Thrombomodulin (TM), an endothelial integral membrane protein, is a potent activator of the protein C anticoagulant pathway. TM protein expression is limited and regionally distributed in the brain. Recent investigations have demonstrated low TM mRNA expression by brain endothelium, corresponding to its distribution at the protein level. To facilitate the study of TM expression at the transcriptional level, we measured TM mRNA by quantitative-competitive polymerase chain reaction (QC-PCR) and by standard densitometric analysis of reverse transcriptase-PCR products (RT-PCR) in different regions of bovine brain. QC-PCR demonstrated differential TM mRNA expression in the pons (100+/-9%), cerebellum (359+/-103%), and cortex (441+/-24%). We compared these results with those of RT-PCR and found similar differences in relative TM mRNA expression in the pons (100+/-44%), cerebellum (343+/-8%), and cortex (404+/-62%). Data derived by QC-PCR and RT-PCR were highly correlated (r=0.99, p<0.03). These findings indicate that either QC-PCR or RT-PCR can be used to accurately quantify TM mRNA.
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PMID:Measurement of thrombomodulin mRNA expression in brain capillaries by polymerase chain reaction. 973 22

The human EB1 gene product was recently found, by a yeast two-hybrid screening, to be associated with the carboxy terminus of the APC (adenomatous polyposis coli) protein, the product of a tumour-suppressor gene thought to act as a gatekeeper in colorectal carcinogenesis. Because virtually all of the APC mutations result in the synthesis of carboxy-terminal truncated proteins, mutant APC proteins are expected to lose their ability to interact with EB1 gene product. Thus, the interaction between APC and EB1 proteins may be important for the tumour-suppressor activity of APC protein, and raises the hypothesis that EB1 is also involved in sporadic colorectal tumorigenesis. To investigate this hypothesis, somatic mutations in the entire coding sequence of EB1 cDNA were searched by reverse transcriptase single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis in 21 sporadic colorectal cancers and seven adenomas. None of these tumours contained somatic mutation, whereas a silent cDNA variant was identified in 14% of alleles. Furthermore, to investigate whether EB1 locus was included within a region subjected to losses of heterozygosity, four polymorphism markers surrounding EB1 locus were surveyed. Only one out of 28 colorectal tumours contained a loss of heterozygosity at the D20S107 marker. In conclusion, the present findings strongly suggest that EB1 gene is not involved in somatic colorectal carcinogenesis.
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PMID:Absence of somatic alterations of the EB1 gene adenomatous polyposis coli-associated protein in human sporadic colorectal cancers. 982 79

Activation of protein C by thrombin bound to thrombomodulin is enhanced by endothelial protein C receptor. This pathway may inhibit inflammation. We investigated effects of protein C and activated protein C on neutrophils as well as whether an endothelial protein C receptor is involved in mediating protein C effects. Neutrophils were from venous blood of healthy donors. Cell migration, respiratory burst, phagocytic activity, and apoptosis were studied by micropore filter assays and fluorometry. Receptor expression was investigated by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for mRNA, sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and autoradiography of immunoprecipitated receptor protein, and fluorescence-activated cell-sorter scanner (FACS) analysis using the anti-endothelial protein C receptor antibody RCR-252. Neither protein C nor activated protein C induced migration, yet both of them inhibited neutrophil chemotaxis triggered by interleukin-8, formyl-Met-Leu-Phe, antithrombin, or C5a. A protein C activation-blocking antibody against endothelial protein C receptor diminished inhibitory effects of protein C or activated protein C on migration. No effect of either protein C preparation was seen in neutrophil's respiratory burst, bacterial phagocytosis, or apoptosis assays. Endothelial protein C receptor immunoreactivity was confirmed on neutrophils by FACS. De novo synthesis is suggested by endothelial protein C receptor mRNA expression as demonstrated by reverse transcriptase PCR and immunoprecipitation SDS-PAGE analyses. Data suggest that an endothelial protein C receptor is expressed by human neutrophils whose active site ligation with either protein C or activated protein C arrests directed cell migration. Inhibitory effects of these components of the protein C pathway on neutrophil function may play a role in the protein C-based treatment of severe sepsis.
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PMID:Expression and function of the endothelial protein C receptor in human neutrophils. 1271 92

Cyclin D1 is a target molecule transcriptionally activated by aberrant beta-catenin in Wnt signalling, while prolyl isomerase Pin1 promotes cyclin D1 overexpression directly or through accumulation of beta-catenin in cancer cells. This study aimed to elucidate whether Pin1 was involved in cyclin D1 overexpression and aberrant beta-catenin in thyroid tumourigenesis by examining 14 follicular adenomas (FAa) and 14 papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTCs). All PTCs displayed cyclin D1 overexpression and strong cytoplasmic beta-catenin and/or decreased membrane beta-catenin expression by immunohistochemistry. Overexpression of cyclin D1 mRNA was observed in 45.5% of FAs and 54.5% of PTCs by TaqMan real-time PCR. Pin1 expression was observed in PTC by immunostaining and was confirmed by reverse transcriptase-PCR. There was a strong correlation between cyclin D1 and Pin1/cytoplasmic/membrane beta-catenin expression (p < 0.001), and between Pin1 and cytoplasmic (p < 0.001)/membrane (p = 0.002) beta-catenin expression in thyroid tumours. Mutation of the beta-catenin gene could not be detected in PTC. Western blot analysis demonstrated high levels of cyclin D1 and beta-catenin as well as Pin1 expression in a human PTC cell line possessing wild-type beta-catenin and APC genes. This study suggests that both cyclin D1 overexpression and aberrant beta-catenin expression are of significance in thyroid tumours. Pin1 expression appears to correlate closely with the level of cyclin D1 and aberrant beta-catenin expression in thyroid tumours such as FA and PTC. Pin1 may be an important factor in regulating cyclin D1 and beta-catenin expression during thyroid carcinogenesis.
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PMID:Cyclin D1 overexpression in thyroid tumours from a radio-contaminated area and its correlation with Pin1 and aberrant beta-catenin expression. 1509 72


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