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)

We have achieved efficient transduction of tumour metastases in vivo by the vascular delivery of retroviral producer cells. Experimental liver metastases in mice were created by intrasplenic injection of tumour cells into the portal venous circulation. Following the establishment of micrometastases, delivery of retroviral producer cells by the same route with a vector containing the Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase (lacZ) gene demonstrated selective in vivo gene transfer to tumour deposits. By this approach, two retroviral producer cell lines encoding cytokines (IL-4 and IL-2) directed tumoricidal inflammatory responses to established metastases. Cytokine gene targeting inhibited metastasis formation and caused significant overall reduction in tumour burden. These results suggest a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of disseminated cancer.
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PMID:Gene therapy of metastatic cancer by in vivo retroviral gene targeting. 767 Apr 93

Like interleukin 2 (IL-2), interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) is an early response gene in T cells and both are prototypical T helper cell type 1 (Th-1) lymphokines. Yet IL-2 and IFN-gamma production are independently regulated, as demonstrated by their differential expression in certain T cell subsets, suggesting that the regulatory elements in these two genes must differ. To explore this possibility, the 5' flank of the human IFN-gamma gene was analyzed. Expression of IFN-gamma promoter-driven beta-galactosidase reporter constructs containing 538 bp of 5' flank was similar to that by constructs driven by the IL-2 promoter in activated Jurkat T cells; expression nearly as great was observed with the construct containing only 108 bp of IFN-gamma 5' flank. These IFN-gamma promoter constructs faithfully mirrored expression of the endogenous gene, in that expression required activation both with ionomycin and PMA, was inhibited by cyclosporin A, and was not observed in U937 or THP-1 cells. The region between -108 and -40 bp in the IFN-gamma promoter was required for promoter function and contained two elements that are conserved across species. Deletion of 10 bp within either element reduced promoter function by 70%, whereas deletions in nonconserved portions of this region had little effect on promoter function. The distal conserved element (-96 to -80 bp) contained a consensus GATA motif and a potential regulatory motif found in the promoter regions of the GM-CSF and macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP) genes. Factors binding to this element, including GATA-3, were found in Jurkat nuclear extracts by electromobility shift assays and two of the three complexes observed were altered in response to activation. One or both of these motifs are present in the 5' flank of multiple, other lymphokine genes, including IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, and GM-CSF, but neither is present in the promoter of the IL-2 gene. The proximal conserved element (-73 to -48 bp) shares homology with the NFIL-2A element in the IL-2 promoter; these elements compete for binding of factors in Jurkat nuclear extracts, although the NFIL-2A element but not the IFN-gamma element binds Oct-1. Factors binding to this element in the IFN-gamma gene were present in extracts from resting and activated Jurkat T cells. However, by in vivo footprinting of intact cells, this element was protected from methylation only with activation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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PMID:Two essential regulatory elements in the human interferon gamma promoter confer activation specific expression in T cells. 822 2

We compared the antigen-specific antibody isotypes and lymphokine secretion by CD4+ T cells in BALB/c mice immunized intradermally with either Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase (beta-gal) or plasmid DNA (pDNA) encoding beta-gal in a cytomegalovirus-based expression vector (pCMV-LacZ). pCMV-LacZ induced mainly IgG2a, whereas beta-gal in saline or alum induced IgG1 and IgE beta-gal-specific antibodies. In addition, splenic CD4+ T helper (Th) cells isolated from pDNA-immunized mice secreted interferon-gamma but not interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5, whereas Th cells from beta-gal-injected mice secreted IL-4 and IL-5 but not interferon-gamma after in vitro stimulation with antigen. Together these data demonstrate that pDNA immunization induced a T helper type 1 (Th1) response, whereas protein immunization induced a T helper type 2 (Th2) response to the same antigen. Interestingly, priming of mice with pCMV-LacZ prevented IgE antibody formation to a subsequent i.p. beta-gal in alum injection. This effect was antigen-specific, because priming with pCMV-LacZ did not inhibit IgE anti-ovalbumin antibody formation. Most importantly, intradermal immunization with pCMV-LacZ (but not pCMV-OVA) of beta-gal in alum-primed mice caused a 66-75% reduction of the IgE anti-beta-gal titer in 6 weeks. Also, pCMV-LacZ induced specific IgG2a antibody titers and interferon-gamma secretion by Th cells in the beta-gal in alum-primed mice. The data demonstrate that gene immunization induces a Th1 response that dominates over an ongoing protein-induced Th2 response in an antigen-specific manner. This suggests that immunization with pDNA encoding for allergens may provide a novel type of immunotherapy for allergic diseases.
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PMID:Preferential induction of a Th1 immune response and inhibition of specific IgE antibody formation by plasmid DNA immunization. 864 42

Cloned high-metastatic Lewis lung carcinoma. A11 cells were retrovirally transduced with either granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or beta-galactosidase gene and examined for their tumorigenicity. GM-CSF-engineered A11 cells produced a much higher amount of GM-CSF than the parental and control cells. Unexpectedly, GM-CSF-engineered A11 cells grew more rapidly than the control cells, while in vitro growth rates of these cells were almost the same. The enhanced tumor growth seemed to be unique to GM-CSF among various cytokines, because interleukin 2 (IL-2), interleukin 4 (IL-4) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) producer cells exhibited suppressed tumor growth.
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PMID:Augmentation of in vivo growth of Lewis lung carcinoma cells transduced with granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor gene. 868 29

The immunogenic properties of a replication-defective herpes simplex virus HD-2, containing the Escherichia coli lacZ gene under control of the HSV ICP8 early gene promoter were studied in BALB/c mice. Experiments were designed to determine if the HD-2 virus preferentially stimulated either Th1- or Th2-associated immune responses to beta-galactosidase (beta gal). Sera from mice immunized i.p. or s.c. with virus HD-2, beta gal on aluminum phosphate adjuvant, or a control ICP8 deletion mutant, d301, were assayed for total and Ag-specific IgG1 and IgG2a Abs, beta gal-driven lymphocyte proliferation, and in vitro production of the cytokines IFN-gamma, IL-4, and IL-2. Viruses HD-2 and d301 preferentially stimulated the production of total serum IgG2a following two immunizations i.p. or a single immunization s.c., while only HD-2 virus stimulated in vivo production of beta gal-specific IgG2a serum Abs. In contrast, beta gal adsorbed on AIPO4 preferentially stimulated production of Ag-specific IgG1 serum Abs. The HD-2 virus also induced a potent cellular proliferative response to beta gal, which was still pronounced 5 wk after primary immunization. Cultured lymphocytes from HD-2-immunized mice produced IFN-gamma after 5 days in culture with soluble beta gal in an Ag- and dose-dependent fashion. These results demonstrate that replication-defective mutants of HSV can be used as vectors for eliciting Th1-associated immune responses to a heterologous Ag expressed from the viral genome.
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PMID:Th1-associated immune responses to beta-galactosidase expressed by a replication-defective herpes simplex virus. 875 44

Tumor cells genetically modified to coexpress certain cytokines (such as IL-7 or IL-4) and B7.1 have increased immunogenicity. Since tumor Ags can be presented either directly by tumor cells or indirectly by host APC (cross-priming), we asked whether B7.1 and IL-7 or IL-4 complemented each other by improving preferentially one or both pathways of Ag presentation. We used TS/A (H-2d) tumor cells and their IL-7, B7, and IL-7/B7 transfectants, and MCA205 (H-2b) tumor cells and their IL-4 and B7 transfectants. beta-galactosidase (beta-gal) was chosen as surrogate tumor Ag. beta-gal has different predominant MHC class I epitopes in H-2d and H-2b mice. Immunization of (H-2b x d)F1 mice with TS/A/beta-gal transfectants showed that both IL-7 and B7.1 and, as control, granulocyte-macrophage CSF augmented cross-priming and rejection of a challenge with MCA205/beta-gal (H-2b). Similarly, immunization with MCA205/beta-gal B7.1 or IL-4 transfectants enhanced cross-priming and rejection of a challenge with TS/A/beta-gal. beta-gal-specific rejection was confirmed by CTL assay. However, direct Ag presentation by tumor cells was enhanced only by B7.1, and not IL-7. For this study, H-2b nu/nu mice reconstituted with F1 lymphocytes were immunized with H-2d TS/A/beta-gal transfectants and challenged with TS/A/beta-gal. In conclusion, indirect Ag presentation was augmented by B7, IL-7, and IL-4, while direct Ag presentation was improved only by B7.
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PMID:Influence of gene-modified (IL-7, IL-4, and B7) tumor cell vaccines on tumor antigen presentation. 905 19

Replication-deficient adenovirus (Ad) vectors are effective to specifically target the respiratory epithelium for either corrective gene therapy such as cystic fibrosis or for mucosal immunization. As a consequence of transducing the lower respiratory tract with an E1/E3 deleted Ad5 vector, host responses have been characterized by the duration of transgene expression and by the induction of CTL responses. However, limited emphasis has been devoted to understanding the contribution of CD4+ T cell responses to the Ad vector. Both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells migrate into the lung following sequential intratracheal Ad5 transgene instillations. Isolated CD3+ T lymphocytes from the lungs were predominantly of the Th2 type, and after cell sorting, the IL-4-producing T cells were largely CD4+, while IFN-gamma expression was associated with both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. Ab responses to the Ad5 vector and to the expressed transgene beta-galactosidase (beta gal) revealed elevated bronchial and serum IgA and IgG Abs with low neutralization titers. Analysis of serum IgG subclass responses showed IgG1 and IgG2b with lower IgG2a Abs to Ad5 and IgG2a and IgG2b Ab responses to beta gal. Ad5-specifc CD4+ T cells produced both Th1 (IFN-gamma and IL-2)- and Th2 (IL-4, IL-5, IL-6)-type cytokines, while beta gal-specific CD4+ T cells secreted IFN-gamma and IL-6. This study provides direct evidence for the concomitant induction of Th2- with Th1-type responses in both the pulmonary systemic and mucosal immune compartments to the Ad5 vector as well as a Th1-dominant response to the transgene.
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PMID:Adenoviral gene delivery elicits distinct pulmonary-associated T helper cell responses to the vector and to its transgene. 921 83

Retrovirus-mediated gene transfer is commonly used in gene therapy protocols and has the potential to provide long-term expression of the transgene. Although expression of a retrovirus-delivered transgene is satisfactory in cultured cells, it has been difficult to achieve consistent and high-level expression in vivo. In this investigation, we explored the possibility of modulating transgene expression by host-derived cytokines. Normal human keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts were transduced with recombinant retroviruses expressing a reporter gene (lacZ). Treatment of transduced cells with a proinflammatory cytokine, gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), significantly reduced lacZ expression to less than 25% of that of nontreated cells. The inhibition was concentration dependent (peak at 5 ng/ml) and time dependent (maximal at 16 h for transcript and 24 h for protein); expression remained repressed in the continued presence of IFN-gamma but returned to normal levels 24 h after IFN-gamma withdrawal. The decrease in beta-galactosidase activity appeared to result from decrease in steady-state lacZ mRNA levels. Inhibitors of transcription and translation blocked IFN-gamma-induced repression, suggesting involvement of newly synthesized protein intermediates. Similar results were obtained by treatment of transduced cells with IFN-alpha but not with other proinflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin-2 (IL-1), IL-4, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. Although the level of lacZ mRNA was reduced by >70% following IFN treatment, the rate of lacZ transcription was not significantly different from that for nontreated cells. These results suggest that IFN-mediated regulation of transgene expression is at a posttranscriptional level. Interestingly, IFN-gamma also suppressed transgene expression driven by a cellular promoter (involucrin) inserted in an internal position in the retroviral vector. The presence of the overlapping 3' untranslated regions in transcripts initiated from the internal promoter and the long terminal repeat is suggestive of a posttranscriptional regulation, likely at the level of RNA stabilization. These results provide direct evidence for modulatory effects of IFNs on retrovirus-mediated transgene expression and suggest that gene therapy results may be altered by host inflammatory responses.
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PMID:Repression of retrovirus-mediated transgene expression by interferons: implications for gene therapy. 937 74

TNF-alpha is one of the major proinflammatory cytokines involved in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory joint disease, in human rheumatoid arthritis as well as in murine models of this disease. It was previously described that a highly destructive chronic spontaneous inflammatory arthritis develops in mice expressing a human TNF-alpha transgene modified with the 3' untranslated region of beta-globin. The present study investigates in this mouse model the effects of the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4, IL-10 and IL-13 administered in vivo on proinflammatory cytokine expression. Groups of TNF-alpha-transgenic mice were engrafted with xenogeneic transfected Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) fibroblasts secreting murine IL-4, IL-10 or IL-13. In vivo treatments consisted of 3 or 4 weekly engraftments, starting when the mice were 4weeks old. Control groups of transgenic mice were engrafted with beta-galactosidase gene-transfected CHO cells or injected with medium. A significant decreased expression of TNF-alpha transgene, endogenous mouse TNF-alpha and IL-1 mRNA was observed in splenocytes of mice treated for 3 or 4 weeks with CHO/IL-4 and CHO/IL-13, and, to a lesser extent, with CHO/IL-10, compared with controls. Finally, attenuation of histological scores of arthritides was statistically significant only in the group of CHO/IL-4-treated mice after 3weeks of treatment (P<0.05), and was not significant in any other group. These results show that IL-4, IL-10 or IL-13, administered by gene therapy, can decrease the mRNA steady state levels of both endogenous and transgenic cytokines in human TNF-alpha transgenic mice. In addition, IL-4 can slightly attenuate the development of arthritides in this model.
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PMID:Modulation of proinflammatory cytokine production in tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-transgenic mice by treatment with cells engineered to secrete IL-4, IL-10 or IL-13. 948 9

Immune cells within the granulomas of murine schistosomiasis mansoni make the neuropeptide substance P (SP) and express neurokine 1 receptor, which is the specific receptor for substance P (SPr). It was determined if mice with deletion of the SPr (SPr-/-) would develop a normal granulomatous response to schistosome ova during the course of natural infection. Mean liver granuloma size was smaller in SPr-/- mice compared with that of wild-type control animals. Although flow analysis revealed little difference in the cellular composition of the granulomas, both splenocytes and granuloma cells from SPr-/- mice produced much less IFN-gamma and IgG2a and less IgE. The expression of Th2 cytokines (IL-4/IL-5) and IgG1 was comparable to the wild-type control. The mouse with targeted disruption of its SPr had the nonmammalian gene encoding the enzyme beta-galactosidase inserted in exon 1 of the SPr gene. There was beta-galactosidase activity in many mononuclear cells scattered throughout the schistosome granulomas of SPr-/- mice. Also, a granuloma T cell line derived from this transgenic mouse produced beta-galactosidase. These results provide further evidence that in murine schistosomiasis SPr is displayed commonly on granuloma inflammatory cells and is important for granuloma development and expression of IFN-gamma circuitry in this natural infection.
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PMID:The substance P receptor is necessary for a normal granulomatous response in murine schistosomiasis mansoni. 1022 49


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