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

---

Query: EC:2.7.7.49 (reverse transcriptase)
31,746 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The genomes of both bacteria and eukaryotic organisms are known to encode selenoproteins, using the UGA codon for seleno-cysteine (SeC), and a complex cotranslational mechanism for SeC incorporation into polypeptide chains, involving RNA stem-loop structures. These common features and similar codon usage strongly suggest that this is an ancient evolutionary development. However, the possibility that some viruses might also encode selenoproteins remained unexplored until recently. Based on an analysis of the genomic structure of the human immunodeficiency virus HIV-1, we demonstrated that several regions overlapping known HIV genes have the potential to encode selenoproteins (Taylor et al. [31], J. Med. Chem. 37, 2637-2654 [1994]). This is provocative in the light of overwhelming evidence of a role for oxidative stress in AIDS pathogenesis, and the fact that a number of viral diseases have been linked to selenium (Se) deficiency, either in humans or by in vitro and animal studies. These include HIV-AIDS, hepatitis B linked to liver disease and cancer, Coxsackie virus B3, Keshan disease, and the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV), against which Se is a potent chemoprotective agent. There are also established biochemical mechanisms whereby extreme Se deficiency can induce a proclotting or hemorrhagic effect, suggesting that hemorrhagic fever viruses should also be examined for potential virally encoded selenoproteins. In addition to the RNA stem-loop structures required for SeC insertion at UGA codons, genomic structural features that may be required for selenoprotein synthesis can also include ribosomal frameshift sites and RNA pseudoknots if the potential selenoprotein module overlaps with another gene, which may prove to be the rule rather than the exception in viruses. One such pseudoknot that we predicted in HIV-1 has now been verified experimentally; a similar structure can be demonstrated in precisely the same location in the reverse transcriptase coding region of hepatitis B virus. Significant new findings reported here include the existence of highly distinctive glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px)-related sequences in Coxsackie B viruses, new theoretical data related to a previously proposed potential selenoprotein gene overlapping the HIV protease coding region, and further evidence in support of a novel frameshift site in the HIV nef gene associated with a well-conserved UGA codon in the 1-reading frame.
...
PMID:Genomic structures of viral agents in relation to the biosynthesis of selenoproteins. 915 12

The carcinogen ethylene dibromide (EDB) has been shown to cause glutathione (GSH)-dependent base-substitution mutations, especially GC to AT transitions, in a variety of bacterial and eukaryotic systems. The known DNA adducts S-[2-(N7-guanyl)ethyl]GSH, S-[2-(N2-guanyl)ethyl]GSH, and S-[2-(O6-guanyl)ethyl]GSH were individually placed at a site in a single oligonucleotide. Polymerase extension studies were carried out using Escherichia coli polymerase I exo- (Klenow fragment, Kf-) and polymerase II exo- (pol II-), bacteriophage T7 polymerase exo-, and human immunodeficiency virus-1 reverse transcriptase in order to characterize misincorporation events. Even though extension was not as efficient as with the nonadducted template, some fully extended primers were observed with the template containing S-[2-(N7-guanyl)ethyl]GSH using all of these polymerases. dCTP was the most preferred nucleotide incorporated opposite S-[2-(N7-guanyl)ethyl]GSH by most of polymerases examined; however, dTTP incorporation was observed opposite S-[2-(N7-guanyl)ethyl]GSH with pol II-. Both S-[2-(N2-guanyl)ethyl]GSH and S-[2-(O6-guanyl)ethyl]GSH strongly blocked replication by all polymerases. Only dATP and dGTP were incorporated opposite S-[2-(N2-guanyl)ethyl]GSH by both Kf- and pol II-. S-[2-(O6-Guanyl)ethyl]GSH was shown to strongly code for dATP incorporation by Kf-. With pol II-, dTTP was incorporated opposite S-[2-(O6-guanyl)ethyl]GSH. In conclusion, all three GSH-guanyl adducts derived from the carcinogen EDB blocked the polymerases and were capable of miscoding.
...
PMID:Polymerase blockage and misincorporation of dNTPs opposite the ethylene dibromide-derived DNA adducts S-[2-(N7-guanyl)ethyl]glutathione, S-[2-(N2-guanyl)ethyl]glutathione, and S-[2-(O6-guanyl)ethyl]glutathione. 954 1

Hepatocytes entrapped in collagen gel and cultured in serum-free conditions survived longer than cells cultured on plastic (5 days vs. 3 weeks), showed fewer signs of early cell senescence (no increase in c-fos oncoprotein expression), and maintained the expression of differentiated hepatic metabolic functions over a longer period of time. Cells cultured in collagen gels retained their ability to respond to hormones. The insulin-stimulated glycogen synthesis rate remained fairly constant during 18 days in culture (between 5.4 +/- 0.37 and 9 +/- 2.7 nmol glucose/h/microg DNA). Collagen-cultured hepatocytes recovered glycogen stores to levels similar to those found in liver, or in hepatocytes isolated from fed rats. Urea synthesis from ammonia remained stable for more than 2 weeks (average value, 23 +/- 4 nmol urea/h/microg DNA). The rate of albumin synthesis in collagen-entrapped cells was maintained above the day-1 level during 18 days in culture. Cells showed high levels of glutathione (GSH) (1,278 +/- 152 pmol/microg DNA). Biotransformation activities CYP4501A1, CYP4502A2, CYP4502B1, and CYP4503A1 remained fairly stable in collagen-cultured hepatocytes. CYP4502E1 and CYP4502C11 decreased but were still measurable after 18 days. After 4 days in culture, GST activity returned to levels observed in isolated hepatocytes. In contrast with plastic cultures, cells responded to CYP450 inducers (methylcholanthrene for CYP4501A1, CYP4501A2, and glutathione-transferase, and ethanol for CYP4502E1) for more than 2 weeks. CYP4501A1, CYP4501A2, and glutathione-transferase A2 (GST A2) induction was preceded by an increase in specific mRNA, while the effects on CYP4502E1 seemed to be at a posttranslational level. Analysis of the expression of relevant hepatic genes by reverse Northern and semiquantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) revealed that culturing hepatocytes in collagen gels results in a sustained higher expression of key liver transcription factor genes DBP, C/EBP-alpha and -beta, and HNF-1 and -4, as well as specific liver enzyme genes (phosphoenol pyryvate carboxykinase, and carbamoylphosphate-synthetase I).
...
PMID:Long-term expression of differentiated functions in hepatocytes cultured in three-dimensional collagen matrix. 1009 8

Alzheimer's disease (AD) has been hypothesized to be associated with oxidative stress. In this study, the expression of key oxidative stress-handling genes was studied in hippocampus, inferior parietal lobule, and cerebellum of 10 AD subjects and 10 control subjects using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The content of Mn-, Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutases (Mn- and Cu,Zn-SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and glutathione reductase (GSSG-R) mRNAs, and the "marker genes" (beta-actin and cyclophilin) mRNAs was determined. This study suggests that gene responses to oxidative stress can be significantly modulated by the general decrease of transcription in the AD brain. To determine if the particular oxidative stress handling gene transcription was induced or suppressed in AD, the "oxidative stress-handling gene/beta-actin" ratios were quantified and compared with control values in all brain regions studied. The Mn-SOD mRNA/beta-actin mRNA ratio was unchanged in all regions of the AD brain studied, but an increase of the Cu,Zn-SOD mRNA/beta-actin mRNA ratio was observed in the AD inferior parietal lobule. The levels of peroxidation handling (CAT, GSHPx, and GSSG-R) mRNAs normalized to beta-actin mRNA level were elevated in hippocampus and inferior parietal lobule, but not in cerebellum of AD patients, which may reflect the protective gene response to the increased peroxidation in the brain regions showing severe AD pathology. The results of this study suggest that region-specific differences of the magnitude of ROS-mediated injury rather than primary deficits of oxidative stress handling gene transcription are likely to contribute to the variable intensity of neurodegeneration in different areas of AD brain.
...
PMID:The expression of key oxidative stress-handling genes in different brain regions in Alzheimer's disease. 1009 42

Because programmed cell death (PCD) is an important mode of pericyte dropout in human diabetic retinopathy, whether increased oxidative stress in cells with diminished antioxidant defenses plays a causative role in the PCD process in diabetic pericytes has been studied. Ten diabetic and eight non-diabetic eye-bank eyes from 5 diabetic and 4 non-diabetic patients were included in this study. From individual neural retinas pericytes were isolated by a newly developed immunomagnetic technique. Total mRNA of the purified pericytes was isolated for quantitative reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR assay. mRNA levels of a death protease (CPP32), the major enzyme that initiates the proteolytic cascade leading to cell death, were determined in association with the expression of antioxidative enzymes including glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), glutathione reductase, CuZn superoxide dismutase (SOD), MnSOD and catalase genes in pericytes. In comparison with pericytes from non-diabetic retinas, pericytes from diabetic retinas highly expressed CPP32 genes (4 +/- 0.6 fold increase, p < 0.01, n = 9). In diabetic pericytes, up-regulation of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) (8.2 +/- 0.9 fold increase, p < 0.01, n = 9) and down-regulation of glutathione reductase (Gr) (4.1 +/- 0.4 fold decrease, p < 0.05, n = 9) and CuZnSOD (2.1 +/- 0.7 fold decrease, p < 0.05, n = 9) were observed. mRNA levels of MnSOD and catalase of diabetic pericytes did not differ significantly from those of non-diabetic pericytes. Overexpression of a member of interleukin-1 beta-converting enzyme (ICE) family, CPP32, indicated that the pericytes from diabetic retinas are in a "pre-PCD" state. This is the first evidence that the ICE family of death proteases is involved in pericyte dropout in diabetes. In these pre-PCD cells, the expression of antioxidant enzyme genes also was changed. Up-regulation of GSH-Px indicates a compensation mechanism to meet the demand of excessive glutathione in reduced form. Decreased levels of both glutathione reductase and CuZnSOD, despite the oxidative stress in the diabetic condition, suggest the breakdown of the antioxidant defense in pericytes. Most importantly, the altered gene profile of scavenging enzymes under diabetic conditions, correlating with overexpression of the cell death protease gene, together suggest increased oxidative stress as an etiological agent of pericyte dropout in diabetic retinopathy.
...
PMID:Altered mRNA levels of antioxidant enzymes in pre-apoptotic pericytes from human diabetic retinas. 1009 40

Efavirenz (Sustiva, Fig. 1) is a potent and specific inhibitor of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase approved for the treatment of HIV infection. To examine the potential differences in the metabolism among species, liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry profiles of efavirenz metabolites in urine of rats, guinea pigs, hamsters, cynomolgus monkeys, and humans were obtained and compared. The metabolites of efavirenz were isolated, and structures were determined unequivocally by mass spectral and NMR analyses. Efavirenz was metabolized extensively by all the species as evidenced by the excretion of none or trace quantities of parent compound in urine. Significant species differences in the metabolism of efavirenz were observed. The major metabolite excreted in the urine of all species was the O-glucuronide conjugate (M1) of the 8-hydroxylated metabolite. Efavirenz was also metabolized by direct conjugation with glucuronic acid, forming the N-glucuronide (M2) in all five species. The sulfate conjugate of 8-OH efavirenz (M3) was found in the urine of rats and cynomolgus monkeys but not in humans. In addition to the aromatic ring-hydroxylated products, metabolites with a hydroxylated cyclopropane ring (at C14) were also isolated. GSH-related products of efavirenz were identified in rats and guinea pigs. The cysteinylglycine adduct (M10), formed from the GSH adduct (M9), was found in significant quantities in only rat and guinea pig urine and was not detected in other species. In vitro metabolism studies were conducted to show that the GSH adduct was produced from the cyclopropanol intermediate (M11) in the presence of only rat liver and kidney subcellular fractions and was not formed by similar preparations from humans or cynomolgus monkeys. These studies indicated the existence of a specific glutathione-S-transferase in rats capable of metabolizing the cyclopropanol metabolite (M11) to the GSH adduct, M9. The biotransformation pathways of efavirenz in different species were proposed based on some of the in vitro results.
...
PMID:Identification and characterization of efavirenz metabolites by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry and high field NMR: species differences in the metabolism of efavirenz. 1053 18

gamma-Glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), a major enzyme of glutathione (GSH) homeostasis, is often used as a biliary marker to follow the differentiation of hepatic precursor cells. The expression of the GGT gene is driven by different promoters and yields multiple mRNAs, depending on the cell type or the stage of differentiation. In the present study, we analyzed the GGT mRNA expression pattern by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction or by in situ hybridization i) in the liver, in vivo, at early stages of development; ii) in oval cells, which proliferate and differentiate into hepatocytes in response to galactosamine injury in vivo; and finally, iii) during hepatoblast differentiation, in vitro. We show that GGT gene transcription originates from promoters P3, P4, and P5 in rat hepatic precursor cells. Differentiation of these cells induces profound alterations in GGT gene expression, leading to extinction of promoters P4 and P5, when they differentiate into the hepatocytic pathway, and to extinction of promoters P3 and P5 when they differentiate into the biliary pathway. This diversity in GGT mRNA expression provides unique molecular probes to follow hepatic precursor cell differentiation. Furthermore, the identification of factors governing GGT P5 and P4 promoter expression should provide further insight into the molecular events that occur as the liver precursor cell differentiates into the hepatic lineages.
...
PMID:Differential expression of the rat gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase gene promoters along with differentiation of hepatoblasts into biliary or hepatocytic lineage. 1093 56

It is widely accepted that a prolonged ouabain blockade of the Na(+),K(+)-ATPase makes cells detach from each other and from the substrate, leading to their death and that cellular resistance to ouabain is due to the presence of isoforms of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase with low affinity to this glycoside. In the present work the effect of reduced glutathione in the response of two types of renal cells to ouabain: MDCK, a ouabain-sensitive cell line and Ma104, a ouabain-resistant one, was studied. Glutathione protected MDCK cells from ouabain toxicity and inhibition of glutathione synthesis by L-buthionine-S,R-sulfoximine sensitized Ma104 cells to ouabain. As glutathione is involved with multidrug resistance (MDR) in cells expressing the multidrug resistance-related protein MRP1 and as Ma104 cells have a MDR phenotype, it was investigated whether Ma104 cells express this protein. The expression of the MRP1-mRNA in Ma104 cells was detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and ribonuclease protection assay, and the protein was detected by Western blotting and immunofluorescence. Treatment of Ma104 cells with ouabain increased MRP1-mRNA expression and altered the localization of MRP1 in these cells. Our results suggest that some cells may have mechanisms to protect themselves from ouabain toxicity and that MRP1 may have a role in controlling the toxic effects of ouabain.
...
PMID:Reduced glutathione protect cells from ouabain toxicity. 1141 Mar 39

(S)-5, 6-Difluoro-4-cyclopropylethynyl-4-trifluoromethyl-3, 4-dihydro- 2-(1H)-quinazolinone (DPC 963), a specific non-nucleoside inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus-1 reverse transcriptase, is primarily metabolized in humans to the glucuronide conjugate of 8-OH DPC 963 (M8). Electrospray ionization-liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry analyses of urine from subjects dosed with DPC 963 also revealed the presence of other minor metabolites including glucuronide conjugate of 6-OH DPC 963 (M7). An oxidative defluorination pathway involving a putative p-benzoquinone imine capable of being reduced to the hydroquinone (M7) is postulated. The formation of the benzoquinone imine [detected as a glutathione (GSH) adduct, M5] was primarily carried out by CYP3A4, whereas M8 was formed mainly by the polymorphic CYP2B6. The kinetic studies with human liver microsomes showed that the apparent K(m) and V(max) values for the formation of M5 were 65.8 microM and 25.6 pmol/min/mg of protein, respectively. The formation of M8 showed K(m) and V(max) values of 15.1 microM and 22.9 pmol/min/mg of protein, respectively. The microsomal studies also revealed the occurrence of a possible oxirene intermediate that was trapped as GSH adducts M3 and M4. It was demonstrated, for the first time, that CYP3A4 was capable of directly oxidizing the triple bond of the cyclopropyl ethynyl group to an unstable oxirene. The apparent K(m) and V(max) values for the formation of an oxirene (detected as the GSH adduct M3) were 1.9 mM and 10.2 pmol/min/mg of protein, respectively. These results suggest that CYP2B6 has a higher affinity than CYP3A4 toward DPC 963. This consequently leads to greater levels of CYP2B6-catalyzed product, M8, than CYP3A4-mediated bioactivation of DPC 963 to benzoquinone imine or oxirene intermediates.
...
PMID:Metabolism of (S)-5,6-difluoro-4-cyclopropylethynyl-4-trifluoromethyl-3, 4-dihydro-2(1H)-quinazolinone, a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, in human liver microsomes. Metabolic activation and enzyme kinetics. 1248 61

Oxaliplatin (L-OHP) is a new platinum analogue that has shown antitumour activity against colon cancer both in vitro and in vivo and is now used in the chemotherapeutic treatment of metastatic colon and rectal cancer. L-OHP like cisplatin (CDDP), is detoxified by glutathione (GSH)-related enzymes and forms platinum (Pt)-DNA adducts lesions that are repaired by the nucleotide excision repair system (NER). We investigated the cytotoxicity and the pharmacology of L-OHP and CDDP on a panel of six colon cell lines in vitro. We showed that GSH and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity were not correlated to oxaliplatin cytotoxicity. Pt-DNA adducts formation and repair were correlated with CDDP, but not with L-OHP cytotoxicity. The determination of ERCC1 and XPA expression, two enzymes of the NER pathway, by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), demonstrated that ERCC1 expression was predictive of L-OHP sensitivity (r(2)=0.67, P=0.02) and XPA level after oxaliplatin exposure was also correlated to L-OHP IC(50) (r(2)=0.5; P=0.04). The knowledge of such correlations could help predict the sensitivity of patients with colon cancer to L-OHP.
...
PMID:Cellular determinants of oxaliplatin sensitivity in colon cancer cell lines. 1250 67


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 Next >>

---