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

In order to assess the activity of cellular proteasome, we developed a method to permeabilize keratinocyte monolayers and measure proteasome activities intracellularly, using fluorogenic peptide substrates. The observed K(m) did not differ significantly in situ and in soluble extracts, and the K(i) of proteasome inhibitor MG132 was slightly higher in situ (34nM instead of 4nM). Inhibition studies in permeabilized cells showed that MG132 followed competitive inhibition patterns, and clasto-lactacystin beta-lactone non-competitive patterns, as expected. The observed velocities in situ (500pmoles/min/mg protein) were comparable to the best values of proteasome activity in crude cellular extracts. These features altogether allowed to identify the in situ activity as that of proteasome. To characterize proteasome complexes present in human keratinocytes, we analyzed cellular lysates by ultracentrifugation and gel filtration: most proteasome activity was associated with PA700-bound, presumably 26S, particles. PA28 activator was detected only when cells were treated by gamma interferon. Proteasome activities were determined using the in situ method in keratinocytes at different stages of replicative senescence. Only a slight decrease of proteasome activity per cell was seen at intermediate passages, followed by a slight increase in senescent cells. In the same time, the amount of total proteins increased notably with cellular ageing. Thus, proteasome activity decreased relatively to total proteins, but not relatively to cell numbers. Flow cytometry confirmed that the size of aged keratinocytes increased with the ageing marker beta-galactosidase.
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PMID:Cellular senescence in human keratinocytes: unchanged proteolytic capacity and increased protein load. 1281 97

The present study was undertaken to verify whether induction of senescence could be sufficient to reverse drug resistance and, if so, to determine the underlying mechanism(s). Our findings indicated that cotreatment of drug-resistant neuroblastoma cells with doxorubicin, at sublethal concentrations, in combination with the pan-caspase inhibitor, Q-VD-OPH, elicited a strong reduction of cell viability that occurred in a caspase-independent manner. This was accompanied by the appearance of a senescence phenotype, as evidenced by increased p21/WAF1 expression and senescence-associated beta-galactosidase activity. Experiments using specific inhibitors of major cellular proteases other than caspases have shown that inhibition of cathepsin L, but not proteasome or cathepsin B, was responsible for the senescence-initiated reversal of drug resistance. This phenomenon appeared to be general because it was valid for other drugs and drug-resistant cell lines. A nonchemical approach, through cell transfection with cathepsin L small interfering RNA, also strongly reversed drug resistance. Further investigation of the underlying mechanism revealed that cathepsin L inhibition resulted in the alteration of intracellular drug distribution. In addition, in vitro experiments have demonstrated that p21/WAF1 is a substrate for cathepsin L, suggesting that inhibition of this enzyme may result in p21/WAF1 stabilization and its increased accumulation. All together, these findings suggest that cathepsin L inhibition in drug-resistant cells facilitates induction of senescence and reversal of drug resistance. This may represent the basis for a novel function of cathepsin L as a cell survival molecule responsible for initiation of resistance to chemotherapy.
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PMID:Senescence-initiated reversal of drug resistance: specific role of cathepsin L. 1499 39

Rpn7 is one of the lid subunits of the 26 S proteasome regulatory particle. The RPN7 gene is known to be essential, but its function remains to be elucidated. To explore the function of Rpn7, we isolated and characterized temperature-sensitive rpn7 mutants. All of the rpn7 mutants obtained accumulated poly-ubiquitinated proteins when grown at the restrictive temperature. The N-end rule substrate (Ub-Arg-beta-galactosidase), the UFD pathway substrate (Ub-Pro-beta-galactosidase), and cell cycle regulators (Pds1 and Clb2) were found to be stabilized in experiments using one of the rpn7 mutants termed rpn7-3 at the restrictive temperature, indicating its defect in the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Subsequent analysis of the structure of the 26 S proteasome in rpn7-3 cells suggested that the defect was in the assembly of the 26 S holoenzyme. The most striking characteristic of the proteasome of the rpn7-3 mutant was that a lid subcomplex affinity-purified from the rpn7-3 cells grown at the restrictive temperature contained only 5 of the 8 lid components, a phenomenon that has not been reported in the previously isolated lid mutants. From these results, we concluded that Rpn7 is required for the integrity of the 26 S complex by establishing a correct lid structure.
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PMID:Rpn7 Is required for the structural integrity of the 26 S proteasome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. 1510 31

Senescent human fibroblasts exhibit several genetic and biochemical differences as compared to their young counterparts including abnormalities of the main proteolytic mechanism, namely the proteasome. Specifically, we and others have shown that there is an impaired function of the proteasome, as senescent cells have reduced proteolytic activities and less proteasome content. In a complementary work we have recently shown that inhibition of the proteasome by a specific inhibitor induces a senescence-like phenotype in young WI38 fibroblasts [Chondrogianni et al. (2003) J Biol Chem 278: 28026-28037]. In this study we tested whether the induction of a senescence-like phenotype following treatment with proteasome inhibitors is a common feature of primary human fibroblasts. A comparative biochemical analysis, after employing three different human fibroblasts cell lines (IMR90, MRC5 and WI38 cells), as well as two proteasome inhibitors (epoxomicin and MG132), has shown that proteasome inhibition results in the appearance of a senescence-like phenotype in all cell lines used. Proteasome inhibitors treated cells were irreversibly stopped dividing, exhibited positive staining to beta-galactosidase as well as reduced CT-L and PGPH activities. In summary, these data reveal the fundamental role of the proteasome in the progression of replicative senescence and open new dimensions towards a better understanding of protein degradation.
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PMID:Proteasome inhibition induces a senescence-like phenotype in primary human fibroblasts cultures. 1513 82

DNA replication is controlled by the stepwise assembly of the pre-replicative complex and the replication apparatus. Loading of the origin recognition complex (ORC) onto the chromatin is a prerequisite for the assembly of the pre-replicative complex. To define the physiological functions of the mammalian ORC, we cloned ORC subunit cDNAs from mouse NIH3T3 cells and found novel variant forms of Orc1, Orc2, and Orc3 each derived from alternative RNA splicing. The variant form of Orc1, Orc1B, lacks 35 amino acid residues in exon 5; the variant of Orc2, Orc2B, lacks 48 amino acid residues in exon 2. In the Orc3 variant, Orc3B, only 1 amino acid residue is deleted in exon 15. Reverse transcription-PCR analysis showed that the full-length Orc1-3 subunits, Orc1A, Orc2A, and Orc3A, as well as Orc2B and Orc3B, were widely expressed in various mouse cell lines and mouse tissues. In contrast, Orc1B was only expressed in the thymus and at an early embryonic stage. Overexpression of these Orc subunits in cultured cells revealed that Orc1A, Orc2A, Orc3A, Orc2B, and Orc3B are localized in the nucleus, whereas Orc1B remains exclusively in the cytoplasm. Moreover, fusion of the 35 amino acids spliced fragment from mOrc1A with beta-galactosidase resulted in its translocation into the nucleus. When Orc1B is expressed transiently, its degradation occurs in a proteasome-independent manner, whereas Orc1A is rapidly degraded by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Taken together, we conclude that mouse Orc1, Orc2, and Orc3 each exist in two alternative-splicing variants and that naturally occurring Orc1B lacks a functional domain that is essential for nuclear translocation and proteasome-dependent degradation.
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PMID:Novel splicing variant of mouse Orc1 is deficient in nuclear translocation and resistant for proteasome-mediated degradation. 1563 81

Although the structure of an enzyme is often depicted as static, it is dynamic. Hence, a population of chemically identical enzymes has not one, but a distribution of structures at any moment in time. Does this have an effect on the activity of the enzyme? This article reviews experiments designed to test the hypothesis that this distribution of structures results in a distribution of enzyme activities. The experiments reviewed here use different enzymes, falvin adenine dinucleotide, beta-galactosidase, alkaline phosphatase, exonuclease I, lactate dehydrogenase I, alpha-chymotrypsin, the 20S proteasome, and horseradish peroxidase. All experiments come to the same conclusion, when measured individually, apparently identical enzymes show a distribution in rates of activity.
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PMID:Diversity in the activity of individual enzymes. 1637 26

The proteasome constitutes the main non-lysosomal cellular protease activity, and plays a crucial role not only in the disposal of unwanted material, but also in the regulation of numerous cellular processes. Previously, we have reported that during the replicative senescence of WI-38 fibroblasts there is a significant impairment in proteasome activity, which probably has important implications in the control of MAPK signaling and cellular proliferation. In this study, we report the potential role of the proteasome in the generation of the senescent phenotype in WI-38 fibroblasts. Our results indicate that inhibition of proteasome activity leads to an impairment in cell proliferation, and a shortening of the life span. The results also indicate that inhibition of the proteasome in young cells induces a premature senescent-like phenotype, as indicated by the increase in senescence-associated beta-galactosidase (SA beta-gal) activity and the abundance of both p21 and collagenase mRNAs, as well as a decreased level of EPC-1 mRNA known markers of cellular senescence, not previously shown to depend on proteasome activity. Together, our results suggest a molecular mechanism for the lack of responsiveness of human cells to growth factors, and point towards a role for the proteasome in the control of the life span of both cells and organisms.
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PMID:Proteasome inhibitors shorten replicative life span and induce a senescent-like phenotype of human fibroblasts. 1652 93

Vif forms a complex with Elongin B/C, Cullin-5 and Rbx-1 to induce the polyubiquitination and proteasome-mediated degradation of human APOBEC3G (hA3G). These interactions serve as potential targets for anti-HIV-1 drug development. We have developed a cell culture-based assay to measure Vif-induced hA3G degradation. The assay is based on alpha-complementation, the ability of beta-galactosidase fragments to complement in trans. hA3G expressed with a fused alpha-peptide was enzymatically active, complemented a coexpressed omega-fragment and could be targeted for degradation by Vif. Vif reduced beta-galactosidase activity in the cell by 10-30-fold. The assay was validated by testing various hA3G and Vif point mutants. The assay accurately detected the effects of D128 in hA3G, and the BC box, Cul5 box and HCCH motifs of Vif. The results showed a strict association of Vif biological function with hA3G degradation. These findings support hA3G degradation as a requirement for Vif function. The Vif alpha-complementation assay may be a useful tool for the identification of Vif inhibitors.
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PMID:Analysis of Vif-induced APOBEC3G degradation using an alpha-complementation assay. 1704 78

Inactivation of tumor suppressor p53 accompanies the majority of malignant diseases in humans. Restoration of p53 functions in tumor results in death of cancer cells, which can be used in cancer therapy. In cervical cancer a product of E6 gene of the human papilloma virus promotes accelerated degradation of p53 in proteasome system. Therefore, one of the approaches to reactivation of p53 in cervical carcinoma cells could be the use of small molecules that inhibit functions of viral proteins. By using as a test system human cervical carcinoma cells (HeLa cell line bearing human papilloma virus type 18, HPV-18) with introduced reporter construct that expresses beta-galactosidase under control of a p53-dependent promoter we carried out screening of a library of small molecules to select small molecules capable of reactivating transcriptional activity of p53. We then characterized the effects of two most active compounds in cell lines that differ in the status of p53-dependent signaling pathway. Both of the compounds caused specific activation of p53 in the cell lines expressing HPV-18, to a lesser extent--HPV-16, and do not cause any effect in control p53 negative cells, or in the cells with undisrupted p53 pathway. Activation of p53 in cervical carcinoma cells was accompanied by the induction of the p53-dependent gene CDKN1 (p21), by inhibition of proliferation, and by the induction of apoptosis. Both of the compounds were capable of deep inhibition of transcription from the HPV genome, which apparently was the cause for p53 reactivation in response to decreased expression of the E6 protein. The observed low toxicity for normal cells allows considering these chemical compounds as prototypes for future anticancer drugs.
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PMID:[Transcriptional inhibition of human papilloma virus in cervical carcinoma cells reactivates functions of the tumor suppressor p53]. 1768 29

The aging process and its characterization in keratinocytes have not been studied in depth until now. We have assessed the cellular and molecular characteristics of aged epidermal keratinocytes in monolayer cultures and in skin by measuring their morphological, fluorometric and biochemical properties. Light and electron microscopy, as well as flow cytometry, revealed increase in cell size, changes in cell shape, alterations in mitochondrial structure and cytoplasmic content with aging. We showed that the expression of 16 biochemical markers was altered in aged cultured cells and in tissues, including caspases 1 and 3 and beta-galactosidase activities, immunoreactivities of p16, Ki67, 20S proteasome and effectors of the Fas-dependent apoptotic pathway. Aged cells diversity, and individual variability of aging markers, call for a multifunctional assessment of the aging phenomenon, and of its modulation by drugs. As a test case, we have measured the effects of Dead Sea minerals on keratinocyte cultures and human skin, and found that they stimulate proliferation and mitochondrial activity, decrease the expression of some aging markers, and limit apoptotic damage after UVB irradiation.
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PMID:Aged keratinocyte phenotyping: morphology, biochemical markers and effects of Dead Sea minerals. 1876 Oct 79


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