Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound   Target Concepts: 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)

A comparison of the genomic DNA sequence that encodes the Ascaris suum alpha 2(IV) collagen chain with the corresponding cDNA sequence led to the identification of a putative exon that was not expressed in the cDNA. The identification of this putative exon raised the possibility that transcripts of the alpha 2(IV) gene may undergo alternative splicing. We have used a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay to establish that such alternative splicing does indeed occur. Our results show that the A. suum alpha 2(IV) collagen gene produces at least two similar, but not identical, transcripts via the selection of two alternative exons. Furthermore, this alternative splicing appears to be developmentally regulated, suggesting that alternative splicing may be used in order to modify the properties of type IV collagen during nematode development.
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PMID:Developmentally regulated alternative splicing of a nematode type IV collagen gene. 829 75

We report that embryonic stem cells efficiently undergo differentiation in vitro to mesoderm and hematopoietic cells and that this in vitro system recapitulates days 6.5 to 7.5 of mouse hematopoietic development. Embryonic stem cells differentiated as embryoid bodies (EBs) develop erythroid precursors by day 4 of differentiation, and by day 6, more than 85% of EBs contain such cells. A comparative reverse transcriptase-mediated polymerase chain reaction profile of marker genes for primitive endoderm (collagen alpha IV) and mesoderm (Brachyury) indicates that both cell types are present in the developing EBs as well in normal embryos prior to the onset of hematopoiesis. GATA-1, GATA-3, and vav are expressed in both the EBs and embryos just prior to and/or during the early onset of hematopoiesis, indicating that they could play a role in the early stages of hematopoietic development both in vivo and in vitro. The initial stages of hematopoietic development within the EBs occur in the absence of added growth factors and are not significantly influenced by the addition of a broad spectrum of factors, including interleukin-3 (IL-3), IL-1, IL-6, IL-11, erythropoietin, and Kit ligand. At days 10 and 14 of differentiation, EB hematopoiesis is significantly enhanced by the addition of both Kit ligand and IL-11 to the cultures. Kinetic analysis indicates that hematopoietic precursors develop within the EBs in an ordered pattern. Precursors of the primitive erythroid lineage appear first, approximately 24 h before precursors of the macrophage and definitive erythroid lineages. Bipotential neutrophil/macrophage and multilineage precursors appear next, and precursors of the mast cell lineage develop last. The kinetics of precursor development, as well as the growth factor responsiveness of these early cells, is similar to that found in the yolk sac and early fetal liver, indicating that the onset of hematopoiesis within the EBs parallels that found in the embryo.
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PMID:Hematopoietic commitment during embryonic stem cell differentiation in culture. 841 45

The syndecans comprise a family of integral membrane proteoglycans that regulate cell behaviors by binding to extracellular matrix and binding growth factors. In mouse blood cells, syndecan expression is restricted to cells of the B-cell lineage where it is expressed by pre-B cells and plasma cells, but is absent from circulating B cells. In the present study, we examined the expression, structure, and function of syndecan on human myeloma cell lines and myeloma patient bone marrow cells. On myeloma cells, syndecan is a small (modal relative molecular mass [M(r)] = 120 Kd) heparan sulfate proteoglycan localized at the cell surface. Syndecan was detected by immunodot blotting on 7 of 10 human myeloma cell lines and by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction on 10 of 14 patient samples. Cell binding assays show that myeloma cells expressing syndecan bind to type I collagen via heparan sulfate chains, while those cell lines not expressing syndecan do not bind to collagen. Furthermore, the cell lines expressing syndecan were negative for CD19 and CD45 staining, indicating that syndecan expression is restricted to tumors having a well-differentiated phenotype. We conclude that syndecan acts as a matrix receptor on human myeloma cells but is not expressed by all tumors, suggesting that syndecan may participate in regulating myeloma cell adhesion to the bone marrow stromal matrix.
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PMID:Expression of syndecan regulates human myeloma plasma cell adhesion to type I collagen. 842 68

Decorin is a chondroitin/dermatan sulfate proteoglycan expressed by most vascular and avascular connective tissues and, because of its ability to interact with collagen and growth factors, has been implicated in the control of matrix assembly and cellular growth. To understand the molecular mechanisms involved in regulating its tissue expression, we have isolated a number of genomic clones encoding the complete decorin gene. The human decorin gene spans over 38 kb of continuous DNA sequence and contains eight exons and very large introns, two of which are 5.4 and > 13.2 kb. We have discovered two alternatively spliced leader exons, exons Ia and Ib, in the 5' untranslated region. These exons were identified by cloning and sequencing cDNAs obtained by polymerase chain reaction amplification of a fibroblast cDNA library. Using Northern blotting or reverse transcriptase PCR, we detected the two leader exons in a variety of mRNAs isolated from human cell lines and tissues. Interestingly, sequences highly (74-87%) homologous to exons Ia and Ib are found in the 5' untranslated region of avian and bovine decorin, respectively. This high degree of conservation among species suggests regulatory functions for these leader exons. In the 3' untranslated region there are several polyadenylation sites, and at least two of these sites could give rise to the transcripts of approximately 1.6 and approximately 1.9 kb, typically detected in a variety of tissues and cells. Using a genomic clone as the labeled probe and in situ hybridization of human metaphase chromosomes, we have mapped the decorin gene to the discrete region of human chromosome 12q23. This study provides the molecular basis for discerning the transcriptional control of the decorin gene and offers the opportunity to investigate genetic disorders linked to this important human gene.
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PMID:The human decorin gene: intron-exon organization, discovery of two alternatively spliced exons in the 5' untranslated region, and mapping of the gene to chromosome 12q23. 843 26

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a heritable connective tissue disorder characterized by bone fragility. Most cases of severe OI result from mutations in the coding region of the COL1A1 or COL1A2 genes yielding an abnormal collagen alpha chain. In contrast, many patients with mild OI show evidence of a null allele due to a premature stop mutation in the mutant RNA transcript. We have previously described a null allele arising from a splice donor mutation where the transcript containing the included intron was sequestered in the nucleus. Here we demonstrate that transcripts from null alleles arising from premature stop mutations are also present in the nucleus and absent in the cytoplasm. Using reverse transcriptase-PCR and single-strand conformational polymorphism of COL1A1 mRNA from patients with mild OI, we describe three patients with distinct null producing mutations identified from the mutant transcript within the nuclear compartment. A fourth patient with a Gly--->Arg expressed point mutation exhibits the mutant transcript in both compartments. Defining the distribution of allelic variants of COL1A1 mRNA in the nuclear and cytoplasmic compartments gives further insight into cell biology of OI and provides a strategy for investigating potential causes of a null allele.
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PMID:Nuclear retention of COL1A1 messenger RNA identifies null alleles causing mild osteogenesis imperfecta. 861 26

Choroidal and ciliary body melanomas disseminate exclusively by a hematogenous route because there are no lymphatics inside the eye. Although angiogenesis is an absolute precondition for metastasis in this tumor system, not all morphologic expressions of tumor angiogenesis are associated with metastasis from choroidal and ciliary body melanomas. Specifically, the remodeling of the microcirculation to form vascular networks is very strongly associated with metastasis. Type VI collagen is upregulated in tissue remodeling and the generation of tissue patterns and is either not present in the normal choroid or present at very low levels. This study was designed to investigate the possible expression of type VI collagen in the stroma of choroidal and ciliary body melanomas. Type VI collagen was detected in tissue sections from five primary choroidal melanomas and three melanomas involving the choroid and ciliary body in the subendothelial compartment of the microcirculation and in avascular areas by immunohistochemistry. Melanoma cell lines were established from each of these tumors. Cultured melanoma cells invaded into type I collagen gels and expressed type VI collagen by immunohistochemistry. Using specific primers for human type VI collagen, the expected band size (413 base pairs) was isolated from one of the cell lines by reverse transcriptase PCR. The presence of type VI collagen in the melanoma tumor stroma reflects active remodeling of the uveal extracellular matrix microenvironment by the melanoma cells themselves. Before the formation of the microvasculature, the expression of type VI collagen and of the other matrix components, such as hyaluronan, to which it binds, may erect a scaffold permitting the formation of higher order stromal patterns such as vascular networks. These stromal patterns, which are markers of tumor progression, may be detectable clinically by a specialized form of ultrasonography that detects backscatterers of the same dimension as tissue compartments encircled by vascular loops in networks.
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PMID:Expression of type VI collagen in uveal melanoma: its role in pattern formation and tumor progression. 868 40

The thrombospondin and collagen receptor CD36 was recently found to function, also, as a dominating scavenger receptor for oxidized low-density lipoproteins (oxLDL). Thus, CD36 might be a key factor in monocyte adhesion and foam cell formation. We, therefore, studied CD36 expression in monocytic cells under conditions of cholesterol depletion and overload. Human monocytic U937 cells were cultured under control conditions and in the presence of lovastatin, native, and oxLDL. The expression of lipoprotein receptors was measured by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). In sharp contrast to the feedback-controlled ApoB100 specific receptor for native low-density lipoprotein (LDL-R), CD36 expression was significantly reduced by lovastatin in a dose-dependent manner, both at the RNA and protein level, resulting in decreased cellular oxLDL binding. The addition of mevalonate completely reversed lovastatin effects, whereas excess LDL was only partially effective. Similarly to native LDL, oxLDL reduced LDL-R transcription, but did not affect CD36 transcription. CD36 protein surface expression fell, however, due to internalization of CD36 loaded with oxLDL. In summary, monocytic expression of CD36, in contrast to the native LDL-R, is reduced by cholesterol synthesis inhibition and not by feedback inhibition from substrate overexposure. CD36 suppression is a new pharmacological action of lovastatin that may contribute to its clinical benefit by attenuating monocyte adhesion and foam cell formation, key steps in atherosclerosis.
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PMID:Lovastatin reduces expression of the combined adhesion and scavenger receptor CD36 in human monocytic cells. 868 97

Two hundred and eleven surgically resected primary lung tumors were studied immunohistochemically. According to histologic type, they were 129 adenocarcinomas, 56 squamous cell carcinomas, 4 small cell carcinomas, 8 large cell carcinomas, 8 adenosquamous cell carcinomas, 5 so-called carcinosarcomas and 2 other tumors. Immunohistochemical expression of p53 and bcl-2 was studied in relation to the disease-free survival. Among the 211 patients with lung cancer, 109 were positive for p53 expression, and there was no significant relationship between p53 expression and sex, or clinicopathological stage and size of the tumor, although the patients with squamous cell carcinoma had a significantly higher frequency of p53 expression than those with adenocarcinomas. The frequency of p53 expression was significantly higher in the patients with poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas than in those with other histologic types. Seventy four of the 211 patients were positive for bcl-2 expression and bcl-2 expression was higher in the stage I patients and patients with small lung tumors 2cm or less in diameter than in the other patients. The patients with adenocarcinoma had a higher frequency of expression than those with squamous cell carcinoma but no difference was found in the histological differentiation of the tumor. The 5-year survival of patients positive for p53 expression was poorer than that of those with negative expression and the survival rate was higher in the patients positive for bcl-2 expression than in those with negative expression. These findings suggested that the expression of p53 and bcl-2 is a useful marker of follow-up and prognosis, but will require more data concerning the mechanism of carcinogenesis. Seven cases of primary lung cancer were examined for genetic abnormality of the p53 gene. cDNA was synthesized from total RNA of primary tissues of lung cancer using oligo (dT) primer and reverse transcriptase and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis were performed. Five patients gave a positive result upon PCR-SSCP analysis of the p53 gene. To confirm the results of PCR-SSCP analysis, their nucleotide sequences were further analyzed and four of them had point mutations at different codons (154, 176, 207, 236) and one had deletion of one nucleotide (245) in exon 5 and 8. Fifteen percent of 26 patients with small peripheral lung adenocarcinomas less than 2cm in diameter were already advanced in stage and various factors such as vascular invasion, pleural involvement and degree of scar grade were higher than in patients with clinicopathological stage I. In advanced cases, the frequencies of p53 expression was higher than in stage I cases. Concerning the relationship of the degree of scar grade to PDGF-B expression, we demonstrated the production of PDGF-B protein immunohistochemically and the expression of PDGF-B-mRNA by In situ hybridization in the adenocarcinoma cells and macrophages of the lung tumors. However, no significant correlation was observed between the degree of PDGF-B expression and collagen production in the fibrotic focus.
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PMID:[Clinicopathological study on primary lung cancer--immunohistochemical expression of p53 suppressor gene and bcl-2 oncogene in relation to prognosis]. 869 38

To form distant metastases, tumour cells must stabilize adhesive interactions that prevent detachment at secondary sites. Primary receptor-ligand interactions alone may not maintain prolonged adhesive contacts without secondary events that lead to adhesion stabilization. Computerized imaging methods enable us to examine various substrates for: (i) the wall shear adhesion threshold (WSAT), a measure of the dynamic adhesive potential of tumour cells; (ii) the number of tumour cells that adhered; and (iii) the adhesion stabilization lag time (ASLT) or length of time required for tumour cells to stabilize adhesive contacts capable of withstanding high wall shear force (up to 100 dynes/cm2). The relative WSAT ratios found were: wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) > laminin > fibronectin > vitronectin > collagen I > collagen IV > von Willebrand factor (vWF) (the greater the shear rate the higher the adhesive potential). The relative stabilization ratios found were as follows: laminin < fibronectin < vitronectin < collagen IV < collagen I < vWF < WGA (shorter times correlate with greater stabilization potential). Stabilization data using fibronectin as a substrate correlated the best with metastatic potential. Using three melanoma lines of different metastatic potential semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (PCR) showed a two- to four-fold increase in alpha1, alpha3, alpha4, alpha5, alpha6, and ICAM-1 in the highly metastatic 70W cells compared to the MeWo and non-metastatic 3S5 melanoma cells. There were no differences in alphav, beta1 and beta3 levels among the three melanoma lines, and PCR products for alphaIIb, alpha2, CD36, or ICAM-2 were not detected. The 70W cells also had higher levels of alphax and beta2 (CD11/CD18 and p150 leukocyte antigen) than either the MeWo or 3S5 cells. The data indicate that melanoma cells exhibit differences in the adhesion properties under fluid shear and differences in the expression of adhesion components that correlate with their metastatic potential.
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PMID:Human melanoma integrins contribute to arrest and stabilization potential while flowing over extracellular matrix. 871 81

It has been previously reported that minoxidil inhibits the activity of lysyl hydroxylase (LH), an enzyme which catalyzes the formation of hydroxylysine, which is necessary for proper maturation of collagen at the transcriptional and enzymatic levels. Using the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, we confirmed that this inhibition occurred at least at the transcriptional level. Furthermore, we took advantage of this sensitive and rapid method to perform a quantitative structure activity relation study using several compounds structurally related to minoxidil. We found that when the C6 of the pyrimidinyl moiety was substituted, it had to be by a tertiary nitrogen, i.e. an N-piperidin ring for the inhibition of LH mRNA synthesis to be observed. Surprisingly, however, we found that 2,4-diamino-pyrimidin-3-oxide, a new compound lacking an organic moiety para to the nitroxide oxygen, also retained a high inhibitory effect on LH mRNA expression, comparable to that of minoxidil. We thus conclude that the presence of a substituent para to the nitroxide oxygen is dispensable for inhibition of LH mRNA to be observed in vitro. This brings new insights into the design of therapeutic agents useful in any condition where an overproduction of mature collagen is unwanted, i.e. accelerated wound healing, keloids and localized scleroderma.
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PMID:A minoxidil-related compound lacking a C6 substitution still exhibits strong anti-lysyl hydroxylase activity in vitro. 873 14


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