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 previously reported that methoxyamine (an inhibitor of base excision repair) potentiates iododeoxyuridine (IUdR)-induced radiosensitization in human tumor cells. In this study, we investigated the potential mechanisms of this enhanced cell death. Human colorectal carcinoma RKO cells were exposed to IUdR (3 micromol/L) and/or methoxyamine (3 mmol/L) for 48 hours before ionizing radiation (5 Gy). We found that IUdR/methoxyamine altered cell cycle kinetics and led to an increased G1 population but a decreased S population before ionizing radiation. Immediately following ionizing radiation (up to 6 hours), IUdR/methoxyamine-pretreated cells showed a stringent G1-S checkpoint but an insufficient G2-M checkpoint, whereas a prolonged G1 arrest, containing 2CG1 and 4CG1 cells, was found at later times up to 72 hours. Levels of cell cycle-specific markers [p21, p27, cyclin A, cyclin B1, and pcdc2(Y15)] and DNA damage signaling proteins [gammaH2AX, pChk1(S317), and pChk2(T68)] supported these altered cell cycle kinetics. Interestingly, we found that IUdR/methoxyamine pretreatment reduced ionizing radiation-induced apoptosis. Additionally, the extent of cell death through necrosis or autophagy seemed similar in all (IUdR +/- methoxyamine + ionizing radiation) treatment groups. However, a larger population of senescence-activated beta-galactosidase-positive cells was seen in IUdR/methoxyamine/ionizing radiation-treated cells, which was correlated with the increased activation of the senescence factors p53 and pRb. These data indicate that IUdR/methoxyamine pretreatment enhanced the effects of ionizing radiation by causing a prolonged G1 cell cycle arrest and by promoting stress-induced premature senescence. Thus, senescence, a novel ionizing radiation-induced tumor suppression pathway, may be effectively targeted by IUdR/methoxyamine pretreatment, resulting in an improved therapeutic gain for ionizing radiation.
...
PMID:Methoxyamine potentiates iododeoxyuridine-induced radiosensitization by altering cell cycle kinetics and enhancing senescence. 1664 59

Although human atherosclerosis is associated with aging, direct evidence of cellular senescence and the mechanism of senescence in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) in atherosclerotic plaques is lacking. We examined normal vessels and plaques by histochemistry, Southern blotting, and fluorescence in situ hybridization for telomere signals. VSMCs in fibrous caps expressed markers of senescence (senescence-associated beta-galactosidase [SAbetaG] and the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors [cdkis] p16 and p21) not seen in normal vessels. In matched samples from the same individual, plaques demonstrated markedly shorter telomeres than normal vessels. Fibrous cap VSMCs exhibited markedly shorter telomeres compared with normal medial VSMCs. Telomere shortening was closely associated with increasing severity of atherosclerosis. In vitro, plaque VSMCs demonstrated morphological features of senescence, increased SAbetaG expression, reduced proliferation, and premature senescence. VSMC senescence was mediated by changes in cyclins D/E, p16, p21, and pRB, and plaque VSMCs could reenter the cell cycle by hyperphosphorylating pRB. Both plaque and normal VSMCs expressed low levels of telomerase. However, telomerase expression alone rescued plaque VSMC senescence despite short telomeres, normalizing the cdki/pRB changes. In vivo, plaque VSMCs exhibited oxidative DNA damage, suggesting that telomere damage may be induced by oxidant stress. Furthermore, oxidants induced premature senescence in vitro, with accelerated telomere shortening and reduced telomerase activity. We conclude that human atherosclerosis is characterized by senescence of VSMCs, accelerated by oxidative stress-induced DNA damage, inhibition of telomerase and marked telomere shortening. Prevention of cellular senescence may be a novel therapeutic target in atherosclerosis.
...
PMID:Vascular smooth muscle cells undergo telomere-based senescence in human atherosclerosis: effects of telomerase and oxidative stress. 1679 90

Activating mutations in BRAF and NRAS oncogenes in human melanomas are mutually exclusive. This finding has suggested an epistatic relationship but is consistent even with synthetic lethality. To evaluate the latter possibility, a mutated NRAS(Q61R) oncogene was expressed, under a constitutive or a doxycycline-regulated promoter, in a metastatic melanoma clone (clone 21) harboring an activated BRAF(V600E) oncogene. After the first 10 to 12 in vitro passages, the constitutive NRAS(Q61R) transfectant displayed progressive accumulation in G(0)-G(1) phase of the cell cycle and stained for the senescence-associated beta-galactosidase activity (SA-beta-Gal). Inducible expression of NRAS(Q61R), by the Tet-Off system, in clone 21 cells (21NRAS(61ON)) led to overactivation of the RAS/RAF/mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway and, after the 10th in vitro passage, led to promotion of senescence. This was documented by reduced proliferation, flattened cell morphology, reduced growth in Matrigel, positive staining for SA-beta-Gal, and expression of AMP-activated protein kinase and of the cell cycle inhibitor p21(waf1/Cip1). These effects were detected neither in 21 cells with silenced NRAS(Q61R) (21NRAS(61OFF)) nor in cells transfected with an inducible wild-type NRAS gene (21NRAS(WTON)). In addition, when compared with parental 21 cells, or with 21NRAS(61OFF), 21NRAS(61ON) and constitutive NRAS(Q61R) transfectants cells showed increased susceptibility to cytotoxicity by both HLA class I antigen-restricted and nonspecific T cells and up-regulation of several MHC class I antigen processing machinery components. These results suggest a relationship of synthetic lethality between NRAS and BRAF oncogenes, leading to selection against "double-mutant" cells.
...
PMID:Coexpression of NRASQ61R and BRAFV600E in human melanoma cells activates senescence and increases susceptibility to cell-mediated cytotoxicity. 1681 21

We have employed a biological chemistry approach to dissect the mechanisms underpinning cellular responses to oxidant stress and to develop biologically relevant anti-oxidants. We have used telomere biology to define cellular stress responses and have observed telomere independent, p21- and p16-dependent stasis following oxidative insult in human fibroblasts. This was accompanied by a [corrected] reduction in XRCC5 expression and a reduction in [corrected] SIRT 1 expression. Using these markers in conjunction with senescence-associated beta-galactosidase expression, we have developed and screened novel nitrone based anti-oxidant compounds. We have identified functional compounds that are unsuitable for use in primary human cells. This has allowed subsequent identification of suitably structured compounds that act as superior biological anti-oxidants, which have potential for use in clinical interventions.
...
PMID:The use of telomere biology to identify and develop superior nitrone based anti-oxidants. 1682 9

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, and cigarette smoking is the major risk factor for COPD. Fibroblasts play an important role in repair and lung homeostasis. Recent studies have demonstrated a reduced growth rate for lung fibroblasts in patients with COPD. In this study we examined the effect of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on fibroblast proliferative capacity. We found that cigarette smoke stopped proliferation of lung fibroblasts and upregulated two pathways linked to cell senescence (a biological process associated with cell longevity and an inability to replicate), p53 and p16-retinoblastoma protein pathways. We compared a single exposure of CSE to multiple exposures over an extended time course. A single exposure to CSE led to cell growth inhibition at multiple phases of the cell cycle without killing the cells. The decrease in proliferation was accompanied by increased ATM, p53, and p21 activity. However, several important senescent markers were not present in the cells at an earlier time point. When we examined multiple exposures to CSE, we found that the cells had profound growth arrest, a flat and enlarged morphology, upregulated p16, and senescence-associated beta-galactosidase activity, which is consistent with a classic senescent phenotype. These observations suggest that while a single exposure to cigarette smoke inhibits normal fibroblast proliferation (required for lung repair), multiple exposures to cigarette smoke move cells into an irreversible state of senescence. This inability to repair lung injury may be an essential feature of emphysema.
...
PMID:Cigarette smoke induces cellular senescence. 1684 Jul 74

Agents that can modulate colonic environment and control dysregulated signaling are being evaluated for their chemopreventive potential in colon cancer. Ursodeoxycholate (UDCA) has shown chemopreventive potential in preclinical and animal models of colon cancer, but the mechanism behind it remains unknown. Here biological effects of UDCA were examined to understand mechanism behind its chemoprevention in colon cancer. Our data suggests that UDCA can suppress growth in a wide variety of cancer cell lines and can induce low level of apoptosis in colon cancer cells. We also found that UDCA treatment induces alteration in morphology, increased cell size, upregulation of cytokeratin 8, 18 and 19 and E-cadherin, cytokeratin remodeling and accumulation of lipid droplets, suggesting that UDCA induces differentiation in colon carcinoma cells. Our results also suggest significant differences in UDCA and sodium butyrate induced functional differentiation. We also report for the first time that UDCA can induce senescence in colon cancer cells as assessed by flattened, spread out and vacuolated morphology as well as by senescence marker beta-galactosidase staining. We also found that UDCA inhibits the telomerase activity. Surprisingly, we found that UDCA is not a histone deacytylase inhibitor but instead induces hypoacetylation of histones unlike hyperacetylation induced by sodium butyrate. Our results also suggest that, although UDCA induced senescence is p53, p21 and Rb independent, HDAC6 appears to be important in UDCA induced senescence. In summary, our data shows that UDCA modulates chromatin by inducing histone hypoacetylation and induces differentiation and senescence in colon cancer cells.
...
PMID:Ursodeoxycholic acid modulates histone acetylation and induces differentiation and senescence. 1701 13

The innately programmed process of replicative senescence has been studied extensively with respect to cancer, but primarily from the perspective of tumor cells overcoming this stringent innate barrier and acquiring the capacity for unlimited proliferation. In this study, we focus on the potential role of replicative senescence affecting the non-transformed endothelial cells of the blood vessels within the tumor microenvironment. Based on the well-documented aberrant structural and functional features of blood vessels within solid tumors, we hypothesized that tumor-derived factors may lead to premature replicative senescence in tumor-associated brain endothelial cells (TuBEC). We show here that glioma tissue, but not normal brain tissue, contains cells that express the signature of replicative senescence, senescence-associated beta-galactosidase (SA-beta-gal), on CD31-positive endothelial cells. Primary cultures of human TuBEC stain for SA-beta-gal and exhibit characteristics of replicative senescence, including increased levels of the cell cycle inhibitors p21 and p27, increased resistance to cytotoxic drugs, increased growth factor production, and inability to proliferate. These data provide the first demonstration that tumor-derived brain endothelial cells may have reached an end-stage of differentiation known as replicative senescence and underscore the need for anti-angiogenic therapies to target this unique tumor-associated endothelial cell population.
...
PMID:Glioma-associated endothelial cells show evidence of replicative senescence. 1729 95

Cellular senescence can be activated in response to noxious environmental stimuli. A senescent-like phenotype has been detected in the peritoneal mesothelium of mice exposed to high intraperitoneal glucose. We have sought to examine whether high glucose (HG) can induce the senescence program in human peritoneal mesothelial cells (HPMC) in vitro. Senescence of omentum-derived HPMC was induced by serial passages. Cells were cultured in media containing either 5 mM glucose, 30 mM glucose, or 5 mM glucose and 25 mM mannitol (M) for osmotic control. Compared with HPMC cultured in low glucose, the growth rate of cells exposed to HG was significantly decreased so that the cells reached fewer population doublings before entering senescence. Exposure to HG led to increased expression of senescence-associated beta-galactosidase (SA-beta-Gal) and of the cell cycle inhibitors p21(Waf1) and p27(Kip1). Late-passage HPMC exposed to HG displayed marked hypertrophy and released increased amounts of fibronectin and TGF-beta1. These effects were absent from HPMC treated with equimolar M. Exposure of early-passage HPMC to exogenous recombinant TGF-beta1 induced a senescence marker SA-beta-Gal in a dose-dependent manner and mimicked other senescence-associated alterations induced by HG. The addition of anti-TGF-beta1 neutralizing antibody partially reduced the activation of HG-induced SA-beta-Gal. These results indicate that chronic exposure to elevated glucose may result in TGF-beta1-mediated accelerated senescence of HPMC in vitro, which may hypothetically contribute to the peritoneal membrane dysfunction during peritoneal dialysis in vivo.
...
PMID:Accelerated senescence of human peritoneal mesothelial cells exposed to high glucose: the role of TGF-beta1. 1737 21

After cells have completed a sufficient number of cell divisions, they exit the cell cycle and enter replicative senescence. Here, we report that beryllium causes proliferation arrest with premature expression of the principal markers of senescence. After young presenescent human fibroblasts were treated with 3 microM BeSO(4) for 24 h, p21 cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor mRNA increased by >200%. Longer periods of exposure caused mRNA and protein levels to increase for both p21 and p16(Ink4a), a senescence regulator that prevents pRb-mediated cell cycle progression. BeSO(4) also caused dose-dependent induction of senescence-associated beta-galactosidase activity (SA-beta-gal). Untreated cells had 48 relative fluorescence units (RFU)/microg/h of SA-beta-gal, whereas 3 microM BeSO(4) caused activity to increase to 84 RFU/microg/h. In chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments, BeSO(4) caused p53 protein to associate with its DNA binding site in the promoter region of the p21 gene, indicating that p53 transcriptional activity is responsible for the large increase in p21 mRNA elicited by beryllium. Forced expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) rendered HFL-1 cells incapable of normal replicative senescence. However, there was no difference in the responsiveness of normal HFL-1 fibroblasts (IC(50) = 1.9 microM) and hTERT-immortalized cells (IC(50) = 1.7 microM) to BeSO(4) in a 9-day proliferation assay. The effects of beryllium resemble those of histone deacetylase-inhibiting drugs, which also cause large increases in p21. However, beryllium produced no changes in histone acetylation, suggesting that Be(2+) acts as a novel and potent pharmacological inducer of premature senescence.
...
PMID:Beryllium induces premature senescence in human fibroblasts. 1739 67

Dysfunctional telomeres induce p53-dependent cellular senescence and apoptosis, but it is not known which function is more important for tumour suppression in vivo. We used the p53 ( R172P ) knock-in mouse, which is unable to induce apoptosis but retains intact cell-cycle arrest and cellular senescence pathways, to show that spontaneous tumorigenesis is potently repressed in Terc -/- p53 ( R172P ) mice. Tumour suppression is accompanied by global induction of p53, p21 and the senescence marker senescence-associated-beta-galactosidase. By contrast, cellular senescence was unable to suppress chemically induced skin carcinomas. These results indicate that suppression of spontaneous tumorigenesis by dysfunctional telomeres requires the activation of the p53-dependent cellular senescence pathway.
...
PMID:Telomere dysfunction suppresses spontaneous tumorigenesis in vivo by initiating p53-dependent cellular senescence. 1739 37


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>