Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.2.1.23 (beta-galactosidase)
14,648 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

To better understand the events occurring during immunotherapy of liver metastases with effector cells, we have developed a clinically relevant animal model in which both effector-tumor cell interactions and survival can be evaluated. A cell line of human gastric carcinoma (HR) metastatic to the liver has been established from a patient's liver biopsy. HR cells (10 x 10(6)) injected intrasplenically metastasize into the liver of immunosuppressed nude mice, with micrometastases detectable histologically by day 4 and macrometastases by day 7. The animals subsequently develop ascites and die between days 30 and 40 after tumor injection. To investigate early metastatic events in the liver, HR cells were transduced with a plasmid containing both the lacZ gene under the control of the CMV promoter and NeoR gene. Transfectants selected for neomycin resistance were lacZ gene positive and stained blue in the presence of a beta-galactosidase substrate, 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-beta-D-galactopyranoside (X-Gal). These transfectants (HRLZ) remained lacZ gene positive for at least 25 passages in vitro. Injected intrasplenically, an HRLZ clone grew invasively in nude mice and formed liver metastases comparably to parental tumor cells. The number and localization of blue X-Gal-positive tumor cells were followed in liver tissues of animals sacrificed at various times, from 1 h to 28 days postinjection of HRLZ cells. HRLZ cells were seen in liver blood vessels and sinusoids within 1 h after injection, and the progressive growth of micrometastases and macrometastases could be followed with precision by X-Gal staining. On day 3 after injection of HRLZ cells, numerous micrometastases were established containing 12-16 tumor cells. When these 3-day established HRLZ micrometastases were treated by the intrasplenic infusion of interleukin 2 (IL2)-activated human natural killer (NK) cells selected by IL2-induced adherence to plastic (A-NK) and systemic IL2, nearly all liver micrometastases were eliminated within 24 h after a single transfer of A-NK cells (P < 0.001). This xenogeneic model was also used for adoptive immunotherapy of 7-day established liver macrometastases with human A-NK cells injected intrasplenically and exogenous IL2 given i.p. A significant decrease in the number of hepatic metastases and the weight of livers (P < 0.003) in comparison with those of control mice was observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Cancer Res 1994 Jul 15
PMID:Immunotherapy of liver metastases of human gastric carcinoma with interleukin 2-activated natural killer cells. 803

A functional screen for nonsense and frameshift mutations has been devised that allows genes of interest to be scanned in segments. This assay is based on the cloning of these segments in-frame with a colorimetric marker gene (lacZ) followed by screening for the level of functional activity from the marker polypeptide (beta-galactosidase). Individuals at risk for any one of a number of genetic diseases, in particular familial adenomatous polyposis coli (APC), can be quickly screened for chain-terminating mutations introduced by stops and frameshifts. At present, scanning of the APC gene for mutation requires significant effort because it is a large gene and most APC mutations are unique. Therefore, this assay offers a powerful option for the diagnosis of this and other genetic diseases, as well as great potential for the development of a similar rapid screen to detect APC mutations in colorectal adenomas and carcinomas.
Cancer Res 1993 Dec 01
PMID:A rapid screening method to detect nonsense and frameshift mutations: identification of disease-causing APC alleles. 824 5

Induction of an invasive phenotype by metastatic tumour cells results in part from inappropriate expression of extracellular matrix-degrading enzymes normally involved in embryonic morphogenesis, tissue remodelling, angiogenesis and wound healing. Such enzymes include endoglycosidases that degrade heparan sulfate (HS) in endothelial basement membrane, as well as better characterized proteases. Heparanase, an endo-beta-D-glucuronidase initially detected in B16 melanoma cells, has been described as a M(r) 96,000 glycoprotein with pI of 5.2, and has been immunolocalized to the cell surface and cytoplasm. We have utilized a polyacrylamide-gel-based HS degradation assay to demonstrate that KNRK, a rat kidney fibroblast cell line transformed by v-K-ras, exhibits HS-degrading activity similar to that of B16F10 mouse melanoma cells. To immunoselect heparanase-expressing clones from a KNRK-cell-specific lambda gt11 cDNA library, we have also prepared a rabbit anti-serum directed against a putative amino-terminal peptide of B16F10 cellular heparanase. Lysogens from one clone expressed a beta-galactosidase fusion protein whose staining with peptide anti-serum was inhibited by competition with excess peptide. Dideoxy-mediated sequencing of the insert termini of this recombinant revealed that it represents a rat homologue of M(r) 94,000 glucose-regulated protein (GRP94/endoplasmin), a molecular chaperone that contains the exact amino-terminal sequence previously attributed to heparanase. Our results call into question the specificity of this peptide sequence, as well as previous immunolocalization studies of heparanase carried out using such anti-sera.
Int J Cancer 1994 Jan 15
PMID:Immunoselection of GRP94/endoplasmin from a KNRK cell-specific lambda gt11 library using antibodies directed against a putative heparanase amino-terminal peptide. 831 13

Previously, we have shown that galaptin, an endogenous beta-galactoside-binding lectin, is present in extracellular matrix where it may participate in the adhesion of A121 human ovarian carcinoma cells to extracellular matrix via interaction with specific cell surface carbohydrate receptors. We now report that A121 cells adhere to polystyrene plates coated with polymerized human splenic galaptin. The carbohydrate-mediated specificity of this adhesive interaction was demonstrated by inhibition with lactose. Additionally, treatment of A121 cells with neuraminidase increased cellular adherence by 30%, while beta-galactosidase treatment of cells decreased adherence by 65%. These findings prompted us to isolate and identify the cell surface galaptin receptor. In a Western blot of A121 cell extracts separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, 125I-labeled polymerized galaptin bound [corrected] to a unique cellular protein having a molecular mass of 110 kDa. This receptor was enriched by affinity chromatography using polymerized galaptin-Sepharose. Treatment of this material with N-glycanase ablated its galaptin-binding activity. In related studies, A121 cells metabolically labeled with [3H]glucosamine demonstrated a radiolabeled polymerized galaptin-binding protein with an identical molecular mass of 110 kDa. These studies confirmed the glycoprotein nature of this putative endogenous cellular galaptin receptor. Further studies with antibodies directed against two lysosomal associated membrane proteins, lamp-1 and lamp-2, demonstrated specific reactivity in Western blots with the 110-kDa glycoprotein. Additionally, 125I-polymerized galaptin recognized a 110-kDa protein in Western blots of material immunoprecipitated from A121 cell lysates by lamp-1 and lamp-2 antibodies. Finally, indirect immunofluorescence using antibodies directed against lamps detected cell surface antigenicity. Therefore, lamp-1 and/or lamp-2 appear to be the putative cell surface receptors involved in the adhesion of ovarian carcinoma cells to extracellular matrix mediated by galaptin.
Cancer Res 1993 Jun 01
PMID:Galaptin-mediated adhesion of human ovarian carcinoma A121 cells and detection of cellular galaptin-binding glycoproteins. 834 96

Gene transfer with vectors derived from murine retroviruses is restricted to cells which are proliferating and synthesizing DNA at the time of infection. This suggests that retroviral-mediated gene transfer might permit targeting of gene integration into malignant cells in organs composed mainly of quiescent nonproliferating cells, such as in the brain. Accordingly, selective introduction of genes encoding for susceptibility to otherwise nontoxic drugs ("suicide" genes) into proliferating brain tumors may be used to treat this cancer. We investigated the efficacy and dynamics of in vivo transduction of growing brain tumors with the herpes simplex-thymidine kinase gene followed by administration of the antiviral drug ganciclovir. Ganciclovir is phosphorylated by thymidine kinase to toxic triphosphates that interfere with DNA synthesis, resulting in the preferential death of the transduced tumor cells. Rats inoculated with 4 x 10(4) 9L gliosarcoma cells into the frontal lobe were treated 7 days later with an intratumoral stereotaxic injection of murine fibroblasts (NIH 3T3 cells) that were producing a retroviral vector containing the herpes simplex-thymidine kinase gene. Controls received vector producer and nonproducer NIH 3T3 cell lines containing the Escherichia coli lacZ (beta-galactosidase) gene as well as nonproducer NIH 3T3 cells containing the thymidine kinase gene. The animals were rested for 7 days to allow time for in situ transduction of the proliferating tumor cells with the herpes-thymidine kinase retroviral vector. The animals were then treated with ganciclovir, 15 mg/kg i.p. twice a day for 14 days. Gliomas receiving an injection of 3-5 x 10(6) thymidine kinase producer cells regressed completely in 23 of 30 rats given ganciclovir therapy, while 25 of 26 control rats developed large tumors. Intratumoral injection of a lower concentration of thymidine kinase vector producer cells (1.8 x 10(6)) resulted in a lower frequency of tumor regression (5 of 13 rats). To estimate the efficiency of in vivo gene transfer, 9L brain tumors were given injections of 5 x 10(6) beta-galactosidase vector producer cells. 5-Bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl-beta-D-galactopyranaside staining revealed maximal staining of beta-galactosidase within the tumor 7-14 days after injection of the vector producer cells. In vivo transduction rates in harvested tumors ranged from 10 to 70%. There was no evidence of transduction of the surrounding normal neural tissue. Occasional blood vessel endothelial cells within or adjacent to the tumor were observed to be 5-bromo-4- chloro-3-indolyl-beta-D-galactopyranaside positive.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Cancer Res 1993 Jan 01
PMID:In situ retroviral-mediated gene transfer for the treatment of brain tumors in rats. 803 19

Interferons (IFN) have cancer suppressor activities for many transformed cells; however, IFN does not suppress transformation by SV40 large T antigen. The studies described in this paper therefore evaluated the effect of IFN on SV40-promoted gene expression in 3T3T cells. The results show that SV40-promoted gene expression can be induced 200% or three-fold by Type I IFN treatment regardless of whether beta-galactosidase or chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) is used as the reporter gene. This IFN effect is dosage-dependent, requires 24-48 h of exposure for maximum induction of CAT activity, and is probably not due to a post-transcriptional effect of IFN on CAT because IFN has no effect on CAT expression driven by thymidine kinase promoter. The induction of SV40 early transcription by IFN does, however, require that the integration of plasmid within the cell's genome. Additional data specifically show that the SV40 promoter is required for IFN's effect because IFN will not induce CAT if the SV40 enhancer is inserted upstream of thymidine kinase promoter to control expression of CAT gene.
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PMID:Induction of SV40 early transcription by type I interferon. 838 14

Cell-surface sugar receptors may participate in interactions of lymphoid cells that influence their adhesive properties and proliferation. Their expression on cells of the pre-B line BLIN-I, the B-lymphoblastoid line Croco II, the myeloma line RPMI 8226 and the T-lymphoblastoid line CCRF-CEM was monitored with a panel of 14 types of chemically glycosylated E. coli beta-galactosidase at a non-saturating ligand concentration. Quantitative differences were determined for the capacity of the different cell types to bind constituents of the carbohydrate part of glycoconjugates. They were corroborated by analyses of binding for lactose-, beta-N-acetylgalactosamine-, beta-N-acetylglucosamine- and fucose-exposing neoglycoenzymes up to saturation levels. Values of dissociation constants of the tetrameric enzyme were in the range of 3-300 nM. Several types of sugar receptor led to carbohydrate-inhibitable adhesion of cells to 6 types of nitrocellulose-immobilized neoglycoprotein, their effectiveness being most obvious for the myeloma cells. Analyses of the carbohydrate-ligand-mediated adhesion of the other cell types revealed a comparatively decreased response. Only a few carbohydrates among the 7 types tested were effective in reducing cell adhesion to a far more complex ligand-bearing matrix than immobilized neoglycoproteins, namely bone-marrow stromal cell layers: sialic acid and N-acetylgalactosamine for B-lymphoblastoid cells and rhamnose for pre-B cells. These cellular interactions may encompass sugar receptors on the stromal cells and other types of molecular recognition in addition to the detected activities on the lymphoid cells.
Int J Cancer 1993 Jul 30
PMID:Adhesion of human lymphoid cell lines to immobilized carbohydrates and to bone-marrow stromal cell layers by surface sugar receptors. 839 77

We extend use of the lacZ reporter gene for tumor biology. Intracerebral growth of 9L/lacZ, a gliosarcoma cell line that stably expresses lacZ, was evaluated in syngeneic rats. The reporter gene product, Escherichia coli-derived beta-galactosidase (beta-gal), was detected histochemically on tissue sections. This permits visualization of disseminated tumor and, as shown here, facilitates image analysis. We show that the beta-gal marker protein itself can serve as a tumor antigen in appropriate contexts. Quantitative image analysis of tumor areas is used to show that immunization with beta-gal protects against tumor growth. Abnormal beta-gal- areas are easily detected, facilitating study of antigenic modulation. The tumor studied did not escape through this mechanism. All abnormal beta-gal- areas examined were shown to reflect accumulation of inflammatory or reactive cells, not tumor. Taken together, these findings show several ways in which the lacZ reporter gene can be exploited to facilitate quantitative analysis of disseminated tumor growth within the brain. They draw attention to the growing appreciation that tumor antigens need not be cell surface molecules.
Cancer Res 1993 Jan 01
PMID:Exploiting the lacZ reporter gene for quantitative analysis of disseminated tumor growth within the brain: use of the lacZ gene product as a tumor antigen, for evaluation of antigenic modulation, and to facilitate image analysis of tumor growth in situ. 841 43

Gene therapy protocols for cancer usually involve removal of tumor cells, culture in vitro to allow gene transfer, and subsequent reintroduction in vivo. Targeting therapeutic genes to tumor cells in situ requires an accuracy of gene delivery that currently is not possible with the use of existing techniques. To overcome these limitations we have used two promoters, which are preferentially active in melanocytic cells, to direct gene expression specifically to melanoma cells both in vitro and in vivo. Here we describe experiments showing that as little as 769 base pairs of the 5'-flanking regions of the tyrosinase, and 1.4 kilobase pair of the tyrosinase-related protein 1, genes are sufficient to direct expression of the beta-galactosidase gene to both human and murine melanoma cells and melanocytes, while not permitting expression in a range of other cell types in vitro. These promoters showed high levels of activity in 12 of 14 murine and human melanoma cell lines tested but showed only basal levels of activity, similar to that of a promoterless construct, in a range of 12 other cell types. Cell type specificity is maintained when the construct is delivered to cells either by physical means or by inclusion of the cell type-specific expression cassette into a retroviral vector. Direct injection of DNA, encoding the beta-galactosidase gene expressed from either promoter, into established B16 melanomas or Colo 26 tumors in syngeneic mice resulted in extensive transduction of tumor cells in the B16 melanomas (approximately 10% of tumor cells expressing 10 days after DNA injection), whereas no blue-staining cells were seen in the Colo 26 tumors. The reporter gene was expressed in melanoma cells and in some normal melanocytes but not in other surrounding normal tissue. We propose that the combination of a tissue-specific promoter driving a therapeutic gene, with delivery of such a construct directly to sites of tumor growth in vivo, either by direct DNA injection or by retroviral infection, may provide significantly enhanced safety for gene therapy for solid tumors.
Cancer Res 1993 Mar 01
PMID:In vitro and in vivo targeting of gene expression to melanoma cells. 843 71

Successful antiestrogen treatment in patients with tamoxifen-responsive breast tumors is often followed by an outgrowth of tumors cells that are antiestrogen resistant, implying that estrogen-dependent tumors can become estrogen-independent. In an effect to mimic this progression, we have transfected fibroblast growth factor 4 into MCF-7 cells, a human breast carcinoma cell line that is estrogen-dependent for growth in nude mice. This transfection results in cell lines that form progressively growing, metastatic tumors when injected s.c. into untreated or tamoxifen-treated ovariectomized nude mice. In contrast to the parental cell line, growth of transfected cells in ovariectomized nude mice is stimulated by tamoxifen treatment and inhibited by estrogen treatment of the mice. Parental MCF-7 cells were transfected with an expression vector for beta-galactosidase, conferring the ability to convert the chromogenic substrate, 5-bromo-4-chloro-3-indoyl-beta-galactoside, to a blue color and allowing the detection of their presence within tumors developing after coinoculation with fibroblast growth factor 4-transfected cells. The fibroblast growth factor 4-transfected cells could support growth and metastasis of the beta-galactosidase-expressing parental cell line when both lines were coinjected into the same site in untreated or tamoxifen-treated, ovariectomized mice. These data suggest a possible role for fibroblast growth factors in the progression of breast tumors to an estrogen-independent, antiestrogen-resistant, metastatic phenotype. They also support a role for paracrine factors in mixed populations of tumor cells of differing states of malignant progression.
Cancer Res 1993 May 01
PMID:Fibroblast growth factor 4 transfection of MCF-7 cells produces cell lines that are tumorigenic and metastatic in ovariectomized or tamoxifen-treated athymic nude mice. 848 20


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