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:3.1.26.9 (ribonuclease)
6,589 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

KDR/flk-1 is one of two receptors for vascular endothelial growth factor, a potent angiogenic peptide. KDR/flk-1 is an early marker for endothelial cell progenitors, and its expression is restricted to endothelial cells in vivo. To investigate the molecular mechanisms regulating expression of KDR/flk-1, we cloned and characterized the promoter of the human KDR/flk-1 gene. The transcription start site was localized by primer extension and ribonuclease protection to a nucleotide 303 base pairs (bp) 5' of the initiation methionine codon. The 5'-flanking sequence is rich in G and C residues and contains five Sp1 elements but no TATA consensus sequence. By reporter gene transfection experiments, we found that approximately 4 kilobases of KDR/flk-1 5'-flanking sequence directed high level luciferase activity in bovine aortic endothelial cells; further deletion analysis revealed positive regulatory elements between bp -225 to -164, -95 to -77, -77 to -60, and +105 to +127. Mutation of an atypical GATA sequence between bp +105 and +127 did not affect promoter activity, suggesting that GATA elements are not essential for the high level promoter activity of this gene. Consistent with endothelial cell-restricted expression of KDR/flk-1 mRNA, we found that the 4-kilobase flanking sequence directed high level promoter activity in endothelial cells but not in other cell types. To our knowledge this is the first report characterizing the KDR/flk-1 promoter. Understanding the KDR/flk-1 promoter will allow us to investigate endothelial cell-specific gene regulation and to uncover methods for targeting gene delivery specifically to endothelial cells.
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PMID:Cloning and functional analysis of the promoter for KDR/flk-1, a receptor for vascular endothelial growth factor. 755 54

We have found growth-promoting activity for vascular endothelial cells in the conditioned medium of a human lung cancer cell line, T3M-11. Purification and characterization of the growth-promoting activity have been carried out using ammonium sulfate precipitation and gel-exclusion chromatography. The activity migrated as a single peak just after ribonuclease. It did not bind to a heparin affinity column. These results suggest that the activity is not a heparin-binding growth factor (including fibroblast growth factors) or a vascular endothelial growth factor. To identify the molecule exhibiting the growth-promoting activity, a cDNA encoding the growth factor was isolated through functional expression cloning in COS-1 cells from a cDNA library prepared from T3M-11 cells. The nucleotide sequence encoded by the cDNA proved to be identical with that of insulin-like growth factor II.
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PMID:Isolation of a cDNA for a growth factor of vascular endothelial cells from human lung cancer cells: its identity with insulin-like growth factor II. 773 Jan 45

Angiogenins are proteins in the pancreatic ribonuclease superfamily that utilize their ribonuclease activity to induce formation of new blood vessels. Recently we identified a new member of the angiogenin gene family, mouse angiogenin-3, by virtue of its transcriptional activation in NIH3T3 fibroblasts coincident with transformation by the chimeric leukemia oncogene, E2a-Pbx1. Here we have isolated the cDNA encoding mouse angiogenin-3 and used it to produce the protein in E. coli. We demonstrate that mouse angiogenin-3 is a ribonuclease whose activity and specificity towards tRNA and dinucleotide substrates differ from those of mouse angiogenin or of mouse angiogenin-related protein, a non-angiogenic factor. Mouse angiogenin-3 induced angiogenesis in both the chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane assay and the rat cremaster muscle. Electron microscopy revealed that endothelial cells within vessels induced by both mouse angiogenin-3 and mouse angiogenin contain fenestrations similar to those observed in endothelial cells from neovasculature induced by vascular endothelial growth factor and basic fibroblast growth factor. Mouse angiogenin-3 also induced other molecular events typical of rapidly proliferating endothelial cells, such as increases in rough endoplasmic reticulum, polysomes, and mitochondria.
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PMID:mAngiogenin-3, a target gene of oncoprotein E2a-Pbx1, encodes a new angiogenic member of the angiogenin family. 1059 12

The presence of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the ovary has been reported in a number of species. The objective of the present study was to demonstrate the expression of VEGF, VEGF receptor (R)-1, and VEGFR-2 in detail by different methodological approaches in bovine corpora lutea (CL) obtained from different stages of the estrous cycle and during pregnancy. VEGF and VEGF receptor transcripts were analyzed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and ribonuclease protection assay. All components of the VEGF system were found in the bovine CL during the estrous cycle and pregnancy. Analysis of VEGF transcript by RT-PCR shows that CL tissues expressed predominantly the smallest isoforms (VEGF(121) and VEGF(165)). The highest mRNA expression for VEGF and VEGFR-2 mRNA was detected during the early luteal phase, followed by a significant decrease of expression during the mid and late luteal phase and a further decrease of VEGF mRNA after regression. During pregnancy, high levels of expression were always present. In contrast, no significant change in VEGFR-1 mRNA expression during the estrous cycle and pregnancy was found. The VEGF protein concentration in CL tissue was significantly higher (20.9-23.4 ng/g wet weight) during the early luteal phase (Days 1-7), followed by a decrease at the late luteal phase (14.3-18.7 ng/g wet weight) and, especially, after CL regression (2.8 ng/g wet weight). However, relatively high levels were found during pregnancy (10.1 ng/g wet weight). As achieved by immunohistochemistry, VEGF protein was localized predominantly in luteal cells. High VEGF protein and transcript concentrations and increased VEGFR-2 expression during the early luteal phase coincided with luteal vascularization. These results suggest an important role of VEGF in angiogenesis of the newly formed CL. The high VEGF mRNA expression and protein levels during matured vasculature in the mid-stage CL and pregnancy also suggest also a survival function for endothelial cells.
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PMID:Expression and tissue concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor, its receptors, and localization in the bovine corpus luteum during estrous cycle and pregnancy. 1099 33

This study addresses a mechanism by which lymphocytes may promote vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and angiogenesis in immune inflammation. Resting human umbilical endothelial cells (HUVECs) were found to express low levels of VEGF messenger RNA (mRNA) by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and ribonuclease protection assay with little or no change in expression following activation by cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin (IL)-1, interferon gamma, or IL-4. In contrast, treatment of HUVECs and monocytes with soluble CD40 ligand (sCD40L) resulted in a marked dose-dependent induction of VEGF mRNA (approximately 4-fold), which peaked between 1 and 5 hours post-stimulation. Transient transfection of HUVECs was performed with a luciferase reporter construct under the control of the human VEGF promoter. Treatment of transfected HUVECs with sCD40L was found to enhance luciferase activity (approximately 4-fold) compared with controls, similar to the relative fold induction in mRNA expression in parallel cultures. Thus, CD40-dependent VEGF expression was a result of transcriptional control mechanisms. Treatment of HUVECs with sCD40L was also found to function in vitro to promote growth and proliferation in a VEGF-dependent manner, and CD40-dependent HUVEC growth was comparable to that found following treatment with recombinant human VEGF. Furthermore, subcutaneous injection of sCD40L in severe combined immunodeficient and nude mice induced VEGF expression and marked angiogenesis in vivo. Taken together, these findings are consistent with a function for CD40L-CD40 interactions in VEGF-induced angiogenesis and define a mechanistic link between the immune response and angiogenesis. (Blood. 2000;96:3801-3808)
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PMID:Ligation of CD40 induces the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor by endothelial cells and monocytes and promotes angiogenesis in vivo. 1109 63

Angiogenesis is essential for tumour growth and metastasis. It is regulated by numerous angiogenic factors, one of the most important being vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Recently VEGF-B, a new VEGF family member that binds to the tyrosine kinase receptor flt-1, has been identified. Although the importance of VEGF has been shown in many human tumour types, the contribution of VEGF-B to tumour neovascularization is unknown in any tumour type. This study therefore measured the mRNA level of VEGF-B and its receptor flt-1 by ribonuclease protection assay and the pattern of VEGF-B expression by immunohistochemistry in 13 normal breast samples and 68 invasive breast cancers. Flt-1 expression was significantly higher in tumours than in normal breast (p=0.02) but no significant difference was seen in VEGF-B between normal and neoplastic breast (p=0.3). There was a significant association between VEGF-B and node status (p=0.02) and the number of involved nodes (p=0.01), but not with age (p=0.7), size (p=0.6), oestrogen receptor (ER) (p=0.2), grade (p=0.5) or vascular invasion (p=0.16). No significant relationship was present between VEGF-B and flt-1 (p=0.2) or tumour vascularity (p=0.4). VEGF-B was expressed mostly in the cytoplasm of tumour cells, although occasional stromal components including fibroblasts and endothelial cells were also positive. No difference in VEGF-B expression was observed adjacent to regions of necrosis, in keeping with this VEGF family member not being hypoxically regulated. These findings suggest that VEGF-B may contribute to tumour progression by a non-angiogenic mechanism, possibly by increasing plasminogen activators and hence metastasis, as has been described in vitro. Measurement of VEGF-B together with other angiogenic factors may identify a poor prognostic patient group, which may benefit from anti-VEGF receptor therapy targeted to flt-1 (VEGFR1) as well as kdr (VEGFR2).
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PMID:VEGF-B expression in human primary breast cancers is associated with lymph node metastasis but not angiogenesis. 1124 11

Angiogenesis plays a central role in wound healing. Among many known growth factors, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is believed to be the most prevalent, efficacious, and long-term signal that is known to stimulate angiogenesis in wounds. The wound site is rich in oxidants such as hydrogen peroxide mostly contributed by neutrophils and macrophages. Proanthocyanidins or condensed tannins are a group of biologically active polyphenolic bioflavonoids that are synthesized by many plants. This study provides first evidence showing that natural extracts such as grape seed proanthocyanidin extract containing 5000 ppm resveratrol (GSPE) facilitates oxidant-induced VEGF expression in keratinocytes. Using a ribonuclease protection assay (RPA), the ability of GSPE to regulate oxidant-induced changes in several angiogenesis-related genes were studied. While mRNA responses were studied using RPA, VEGF protein release from cells to the culture medium was studied using ELISA. Pretreatment of HaCaT keratinocytes with GSPE upregulated both hydrogen peroxide as well as TNF-alpha-induced VEGF expression and release. The current results suggest that GSPE may have beneficial therapeutic effects in promoting dermal wound healing and other related skin disorders.
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PMID:Upregulation of oxidant-induced VEGF expression in cultured keratinocytes by a grape seed proanthocyanidin extract. 1142 88

Antioxidants have been proposed as a promising treatment for restenosis after percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA), but their mechanism of action remains unclear. Here, we investigated the effect of antioxidants on gene expression in the artery after balloon denudation. We developed a sensitive ribonuclease (RNase) protection assay for the messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of immediate early (IE) genes (c-jun, c-fos and c-myc), as well as platelet-derived growth factor-A (PDGF-A), platelet-derived growth factor-beta receptor, transforming growth factor-beta 1, and vascular endothelial growth factor. New Zealand White rabbits were fed a 0.17% cholesterol diet containing vehicle, BO-653 or probucol, and balloon denudation for iliac arteries was performed. The iliac arteries were then removed at 4 h after the denudation, for IE genes, and 10 days after for growth factors and receptors. Both BO-653 and probucol significantly reduced neointimal thickening, compared with the control. In terms of gene expression, BO-653, but not probucol, significantly inhibited c-myc induction. On the other hand, probucol, but not BO-653, significantly inhibited PDGF-A expression. Neither treatment had any effect on the expression of other genes. These results suggest that antioxidants affect the gene expression of the neointimal response and that both BO-653 and probucol inhibit gene expression in specific manners.
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PMID:Effect of BO-653 and probucol on c-MYC and PDGF-A messenger RNA of the iliac artery after balloon denudation in cholesterol-fed rabbits. 1188 18

Initial work has shown that clonal B cells from B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) are able to synthesize pro-angiogenic molecules. In this study, our goal was to study the spectrum of angiogenic factors and receptors expressed in the CLL B cell. We used ELISA assays to determine the levels of basic fibroblast growth factors (bFGF), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), endostatin, interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) and thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) secreted into culture medium by purified CLL B cells. These data demonstrated that CLL B cells spontaneously secrete a variety of pro- and anti-angiogenic factors, including bFGF (23.9 pg/ml +/- 7.9; mean +/- s.e.m.), VEGF (12.5 pg/ml +/- 2.3) and TSP-1 (1.9 ng/ml +/- 0.3). Out of these three factors, CLL B cells consistently secreted bFGF and TSP-1, while VEGF was expressed in approximately two-thirds of CLL patients. Of interest, hypoxic conditions dramatically upregulated VEGF expression at both the mRNA and protein levels. We also employed ribonuclease protection assays to assay CLL B cell expression of a variety of other angiogenesis-related molecules. These analyses revealed that CLL B cells consistently express mRNA for VEGF receptor 1 (VEGFR1), thrombin receptor, endoglin, and angiopoietin. Further analysis of VEGFR expression by RT-PCR revealed that CLL B cells expressed both VEGFR1 mRNA and VEGFR2 mRNA. In summary, these data collectively indicate that CLL B cells express both pro- and anti-angiogenic molecules and several vascular factor receptors. Because of the co-expression of angiogenic molecules and receptors for some of these molecules, these data suggest that the biology of the leukemic cells may also be directly impacted by angiogenic factors as a result of autocrine pathways of stimulation.
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PMID:B-CLL cells are capable of synthesis and secretion of both pro- and anti-angiogenic molecules. 1198 54

Angiogenesis is a prominent feature of glioblastomas but the mechanisms involved in the control of this process are poorly understood. We have investigated the potential role of a recently described transcription factor, hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1), which initiates the transcription of a number of hypoxia-inducible genes, including those encoding vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptors. HIF-1 protein expression was assessed by immunocytochemistry, using a monoclonal antibody to the alpha subunit (HIF-1alpha). HIF-1 mRNA expression was assessed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and the ribonuclease protection assay (RPA). Strong nuclear expression of HIF-1alpha protein was seen in the majority of glioblastomas and anaplastic astrocytomas, particularly surrounding areas of necrosis in glioblastomas. In the majority of these tumours upregulation of HIF-1alpha mRNA was also demonstrated, with a significant increase in glioblastomas compared to lower grade tumours. No correlation was found between the presence of HIF-1alpha protein and immunohistochemical expression of p53 protein. These findings are in keeping with an important role of HIF-1alpha in the vascularization of glioblastomas and suggest that upregulation is at least partly at a transcriptional level.
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PMID:Expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1alpha in tumours of patients with glioblastoma. 1206 Mar 45


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