Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:3.1.3.1 (alkaline phosphatase)
 47,916 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We describe the expression of the transcription factor GHF-1/PIT-1 in adult porcine adenohypophysis by a nonradioactive in situ hybridization (ISH) method using a digoxigenin-labeled cDNA probe corresponding to the entire coding region of rat GHF-1. GHF-1 transcripts were found in 71.7% of adenohypophyseal cells. We also report the simultaneous detection of GHF-1 mRNA and pituitary hormones by combined ISH and immunocytochemistry (IC) in dispersed adenohypophyseal cells, detected with an alkaline phosphatase-NBT/BCIP technique and with an immunoperoxidase-3-amino-9-ethylcarbazole (AEC) method, respectively. The combination of the two techniques neither abolished nor diminished their sensitivity or specificity. GHF-1 is expressed in all five of the cell types in the adult porcine adenohypophysis, showing that this method is suitable for simultaneous detection of transcripts and proteins at the single-cell level.
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PMID:Expression of the pituitary transcription factor GHF-1/PIT-1 in cell types of the adult porcine adenohypophysis. 866 47

Mineralization of growth plate cartilage is a critical event during endochondral bone formation, which allows replacement of cartilage by bone. Ankylosis protein (Ank), which transports intracellular inorganic pyrophosphate (PP(i)) to the extracellular milieu, is expressed by hypertrophic and, especially highly, by terminally differentiated mineralizing growth plate chondrocytes. Blocking Ank transport activity or ank expression in terminally differentiated mineralizing growth plate chondrocytes led to increases of intra- and extracellular PP(i) concentrations, decreases of alkaline phosphatase (APase) expression and activity, and inhibition of mineralization, whereas treatment of these cells with the APase inhibitor levamisole led to an increase of extracellular PP(i) concentration and inhibition of mineralization. Ank-overexpressing hypertrophic nonmineralizing growth plate chondrocytes showed decreased intra- and extracellular PP(i) levels; increased mineralization-related gene expression of APase, type I collagen, and osteocalcin; increased APase activity; and mineralization. Treatment of Ank-expressing growth plate chondrocytes with a phosphate transport blocker (phosphonoformic acid [PFA]) inhibited uptake of inorganic phosphate (P(i)) and gene expression of the type III Na(+)/P(i) cotransporters Pit-1 and Pit-2. Furthermore, PFA or levamisole treatment of Ank-overexpressing hypertrophic chondrocytes inhibited APase expression and activity and subsequent mineralization. In conclusion, increased Ank activity results in elevated intracellular PP(i) transport to the extracellular milieu, initial hydrolysis of PP(i) to P(i), P(i)-mediated upregulation of APase gene expression and activity, further hydrolysis and removal of the mineralization inhibitor PP(i), and subsequent mineralization.
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PMID:Role of the progressive ankylosis gene (ank) in cartilage mineralization. 1560 52

Recently, we have reported that a Prophet of Pit-1 homeodomain factor, Prop-1, is a novel transcription factor for the porcine follicle-stimulating hormone beta subunit (FSHbeta) gene. This study subsequently aimed to examine the role of Prop-1 in the gene expression of two other porcine gonadotropin subunits, pituitary glycoprotein hormone alpha subunit (alphaGSU), and luteinizing hormone beta subunit (LHbeta). A series of deletion mutants of the porcine alphaGSU (up to -1059 bp) and LHbeta (up to -1277 bp) promoters were constructed in the reporter vector, fused with the secreted alkaline phosphatase gene (pSEAP2-Basic). Transient transfection studies using GH3 cells were carried out to estimate the activation of the porcine alphaGSU and LHbeta promoters by Prop-1, which was found to activate the alphaGSU promoter of -1059/+12 bp up to 11.7-fold but not the LHbeta promoter. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay and DNase I footprinting analysis revealed that Prop-1 binds to six positions, -1038/-1026, -942/-928, -495/-479, -338/-326, -153/-146, and -131/-124 bp, that comprise the A/T cluster. Oligonucleotides of six Prop-1 binding sites were directly connected to the minimum promoter of alphaGSU, fused in the pSEAP2-Basic vector, followed by transfecting GH3 cells to determine the cis-acting activity. Finally, we concluded that at least five Prop-1 binding sites are the cis-acting elements for alphaGSU gene expression. The present results revealed a notable feature of the proximal region, where three Prop-1-binding sites are close to and/or overlap the pituitary glycoprotein hormone basal element, GATA-binding element, and junctional regulatory element. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of the role of Prop-1 in the regulation of alphaGSU gene expression. These results, taken together with our previous finding that Prop-1 is a transcription factor for FSHbeta gene, confirm that Prop-1 modulates the synthesis of FSH at the transcriptional level. On the other hand, the defects of Prop-1 are known to cause dwarfism and combined pituitary hormone deficiency accompanying hypogonadism. Accordingly, the present observations provide a novel view to understand the hypogonadism caused by Prop-1 defects at the molecular level through the regulatory mechanism of alphaGSU and FSHbeta gene expressions.
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PMID:Pituitary transcription factor Prop-1 stimulates porcine pituitary glycoprotein hormone alpha subunit gene expression. 1703 49

Vascular calcification is associated with increased cardiovascular risk and occurs by osteochondrogenic differentiation of vascular cells. Many of the same regulatory factors that control skeletal mineralization, including the complex metabolic pathway controlling levels of the activator, inorganic phosphate, and the potent inhibitor, pyrophosphate, also govern vascular calcification. We previously found that the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway mediates in vitro vascular cell calcification induced by inflammatory factors including tumor necrosis factor-alpha 1 and oxidized phospholipids. In this report, we tested whether this signaling pathway modulates phosphate and pyrophosphate metabolism. Treatment of primary murine aortic cells with the PKA activator, forskolin, significantly induced osteoblastic differentiation markers, including alkaline phosphatase (ALP), osteopontin, and osteocalcin as well as the pyrophosphate generator, ectonucleotide-pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase-1 (Enpp1) and the pyrophosphate transporter, ankylosis protein, but not the sodium/phosphate cotransporter, Pit-1. In the presence of a substrate for ALP, beta-glycerophosphate, which generates inorganic phosphate, forskolin also enhanced matrix mineralization. Inhibitors of ALP or Pit-1 abrogated forskolin-induced osteopontin expression and mineralization but not forskolin-induced osteocalcin or ALP. These results suggest that phosphate is necessary for PKA-induced calcification of vascular cells and that the extent of PKA-induced calcification is controlled by feedback induction of the inhibitor, pyrophosphate.
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PMID:Phosphate and pyrophosphate mediate PKA-induced vascular cell calcification. 1865 72

We examined the effect of liver X receptor (LXR) agonists on vascular calcification, prevalent in atherosclerotic lesions. T0901317, an LXR agonist, augmented protein kinase A (PKA)-induced mineralization and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in aortic smooth muscle cells isolated from wild-type, but not from Lxrbeta(-/-)mice. A six-hour T0901317 treatment augmented the PKA-induced expression of the phosphate transporter Pit-1, a positive regulator of mineralization, suggesting a direct role. A ten-day T0901317 treatment attenuated PKA-induced expression of mineralization inhibitors, osteopontin and ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase-1, suggesting an indirect role. The effects of T0901317 were attenuated by inhibition of ALP, Pit-1 and Rho-associated kinase, but not by inhibition of PKA. These results suggest that T0901317-augmented mineralization occurs downstream of PKA, involving both direct and indirect LXR-mediated pathways.
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PMID:T0901317, an LXR agonist, augments PKA-induced vascular cell calcification. 1932 57

Lanthanum, a rare earth element, has been used to decrease serum phosphorus level in patients with chronic renal disease and hyperphosphatemia. We aimed to observe the effect and mechanism of two doses of lanthanum acetate (375 and 750 mg/kg/day) on vascular calcification induced by vitamin D3 plus nicotine treatment in rats for 4 weeks. As compared with control rats, rats with calcification showed widespread calcified nodules and irregular elastic fibers in calcified aorta on von Kossa calcium staining and increased aortic calcium and phosphorus contents, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and bone-related protein expressions for osteopontin (OPN) and type III sodium dependent phosphate cotransporter Pit-1 (Pit-1). After treatment with either dose of lanthanum acetate, the calcified nodules and degree of irregular elastic fibers decreased in aortas. Lanthanum acetate at 750 mg/kg/day was more effective than 375 mg/kg/day in lessening vascular calcification by significantly reducing plasma phosphorus level, calcium x phosphorus product and ALP activity, by 30.3%, 28.6%, and 68.6%, respectively; reducing aortic phosphorus and calcium contents and ALP activity, by 48%, 53.1%, and 63.5% (all P < 0.01), respectively; reducing aortic mRNA level of OPN and Pit-1, by 55.8% (P < 0.01) and 38.8% (P < 0.05) and protein level of OPN and Pit-1, by 37.2% and 27.2% (both P < 0.01), respectively; and increasing carboxylated matrix Gla-protein (MGP) protein expression by 33.7% (P < 0.05), as compared with rats treated with vitamin D3 and nicotine alone. Lanthanum acetate could effectively inhibit the pathogenesis of vascular calcification.
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PMID:Lanthanum acetate inhibits vascular calcification induced by vitamin D3 plus nicotine in rats. 1954 57

Cortistatin (CST) is a newly discovered polypeptide with multiple biological activities that plays a regulatory role in the nervous, endocrine and immune systems. However, the role of CST in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases remains unclear. In this study, we investigated in rats whether CST inhibits vascular calcification induced by vitamin D3 and nicotine treatment in vivo and calcification of cultured rat vascular smooth muscular cells (VSMCs) induced by beta-glycerophosphate in vitro and the underlying mechanism. We measured rat hemodynamic variables, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, calcium deposition and pathological changes in aortic tissues and cultured VSMCs. CST treatment significantly improved hemodynamic values and arterial compliance in rats with vascular calcification, by decreasing systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, left ventricular end-systolic pressure and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. CST also significantly decreased ALP activity and calcium deposition, alleviated pathological injury and down-regulated the mRNA expression of type III sodium-dependent phosphate co-transporter-1 (Pit-1) in aortic tissues. It dose-independently inhibited the calcification of VSMCs by decreasing ALP activity and calcium deposition, alleviating pathologic injury and down-regulating Pit-1 mRNA expression. As with CST treatment, ALP activation and calcium deposition were decreased significantly on treatment with ghrelin, the endogenous agonist of growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a (GHSR1a), but not significantly with somatostatin-14 or proadrenomedullin N-terminal 20 peptide in VSMCs. Further, growth hormone-releasing peptide-6[D-lys], the endogenous antagonist of GHSR1a, markedly reversed the increased ALP activity and calcium deposition in VSMCs. CST could be a new target molecule for the prevention and therapy of vascular calcification, whose effects are mediated by GHSR1a rather than SSTRs or Mrg X2.
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PMID:Cortistatin attenuates vascular calcification in rats. 1976 50

The type III inorganic phosphate (Pi) transporter Pit-1 was previously found to be preferentially expressed in developing long bones. Several studies also described a regulation of its expression in cultured bone cells by osteotropic factors, suggesting a role of this transporter in bone metabolism. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the transgenic overexpression of Pit-1 in Wistar male rats on calcium phosphate and bone metabolism. A threefold increase and doubling of Pi transport activity were recorded in primary cultured osteoblastic cells derived from calvaria of two transgenic (Tg) lines compared with wild-type littermates (WT), respectively. Skeletal development was not affected by the transgene, and bone mass, analyzed by DXA, was slightly decreased in Tg compared with WT. Enhanced Pi uptake in calvaria-derived osteoblasts from Pit-1 Tg was associated with a significantly decreased expression of alkaline phosphatase activity and a normal deposition and calcification of the collagenous matrix. In 4-month-old adult Tg rats, serum Pi and renal Pi transport were increased compared with WT. The decrease of serum Ca concentration was associated with increased serum parathyroid hormone levels. Variations in serum Pi in Pit-1 Tg rats were negatively correlated with serum fibroblast growth factor-23, whereas 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) was not affected by Pit-1 overexpression. In conclusion, transgenic Pit-1 overexpression in rats affected bone and calcium phosphate metabolism. It also decreased alkaline phosphatase activity in osteoblasts without influencing bone matrix mineralization as well as skeletal development.
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PMID:Effects of transgenic Pit-1 overexpression on calcium phosphate and bone metabolism. 1979 94

The expression of ANK, a key player in biomineralization, is stimulated by treatment with TGFbeta. The purpose of this study was to determine whether TGFbeta stimulation of ANK expression during chondrogenesis was dependent upon the influx of calcium and phosphate into cells. Treatment of ATDC5 cells with TGFbeta increased ANK expression during all phases of chondrogenic differentiation, particularly at day 14 (proliferation) and day 32 (mineralizing hypertrophy) of culture. Phosphate uptake studies in the presence and absence of phosphonoformic acid (PFA), a competitive inhibitor of the type III Na(+)/Pi channels Pit-1 and Pit-2, indicated that the stimulation of ANK expression by TGFbeta required the influx of phosphate, specifically by the Pit-1 transporter, at all phases of differentiation. At hypertrophy, when alkaline phosphatase is highly expressed, inhibition of its activity with levamisole also abrogated the stimulatory effect of TGFbeta on ANK expression, further illustrating that Pi availability and uptake by the cells is necessary for stimulation of ANK expression in response to TGFbeta. Since previous studies of endochondral ossification in the growth plate have shown that L-type calcium channels are essential for chondrogenesis, we investigated their role in the TGFbeta-stimulated ANK response in ATDC5 cells. Treatment with nifedipine to inhibit calcium influx via the L-type channel Cav1.2 (alpha(1C)) inhibited the TGFbeta stimulated increase in ANK expression at all phases of chondrogenesis. Our findings indicate that TGFbeta stimulation of ANK expression is dependent upon the influx of phosphate and calcium into ATDC5 cells at all stages of differentiation.
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PMID:Phosphate and calcium are required for TGFbeta-mediated stimulation of ANK expression and function during chondrogenesis. 2043 54

Extracellular inorganic phosphate (P(i)) concentrations are the highest in the growth plate just before the onset of mineralization. The study reported here demonstrates that P(i) not only is required for hydroxyapatite mineral formation but also modulates terminal differentiation and apoptosis of growth plate chondrocytes. Extracellular P(i) stimulated terminal differentiation marker gene expression, including the progressive ankylosis gene (ank), alkaline phosphatase (APase), matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13), osteocalcin, and runx2, mineralization, and apoptosis of growth plate chondrocytes. The stimulatory effect of extracellular P(i) on terminal differentiation and apoptosis events of growth plate chondrocytes was dependent on the concentration, the expression levels of type III Na(+)/P(i) cotransporters, and ultimately P(i) uptake. A high extracellular P(i) concentration was required for the stimulation of apoptosis, whereas lower P(i) concentrations were required for the most effective stimulation of terminal differentiation events, including terminal differentiation marker gene expression and mineralization. Suppression of Pit-1 was sufficient to inhibit the stimulatory effects of extracellular P(i) on terminal differentiation events. On the other hand, increasing the local extracellular P(i) concentration by overexpressing ANK, a protein transporting intracellular PP(i) to the extracellular milieu where it is hydrolyzed to P(i) in the presence of APase, resulted in marked increases of hypertrophic and early terminal differentiation marker mRNA levels, including APase, runx2 and type X collagen, and slight increase of MMP-13 mRNA levels, but decreased osteocalcin mRNA level, a late terminal differentiation markers. In the presence of levamisole, a specific APase inhibitor to prevent hydrolysis of extracellular PP(i) to P(i), ANK overexpression of growth plate chondrocytes resulted in decreased mRNA levels of hypertrophic and terminal differentiation markers but increased MMP-13 mRNA levels. In conclusion, with extracellular PP(i) inhibiting and extracellular P(i) stimulating hypertrophic and terminal differentiation events, a precise regulation of PP(i)/P(i) homeostasis is required for the spatial and temporal control of terminal differentiation events of growth plate chondrocytes.
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PMID:The role of pyrophosphate/phosphate homeostasis in terminal differentiation and apoptosis of growth plate chondrocytes. 2060 Dec 83


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