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)

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a malignant disease of the head/neck region with a 5-year survival level of approximately 65%. To explore novel therapeutic strategies in the management of this disease, the potential of Ad5CMV-p53-mediated gene transfer to NPC cells was investigated in vitro. Two NPC cell lines, CNE-1 and CNE-2Z, were infected with either Ad5CMV-p53 or Ad5CMV-beta-galactosidase and evaluated for transduction efficiency and cytotoxicity. At a multiplicity of infection of 50 plaque-forming units (pfu)/cell, Ad5CMV-beta-galactosidase infection and beta-galactosidase expression were detected in almost 100% of treated NPC cells. High levels of recombinant p53 protein expression were also observed in the NPC cell lines when treated with Ad5CMV-p53 at 50 pfu/cell. Expression of recombinant p53 was dose and time dependent, with peak levels observed at 24 h. A marked increase in WAF1/CIP1 expression was also observed in NPC cells after Ad5CMV-p53 infection. Expression of bcl-2 and bax were minimally detectable at baseline; infection with Ad5CMV-p53 induced no changes in the protein levels in the NPC cells. Growth of NPC cells treated with Ad5CMV-p53 was observed to be significantly inhibited when determined by either the 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide or clonogenic assay. Infection with Ad5CMV-p53 at 25 pfu/cell resulted in survival levels of 0.35 and 11% in CNE-1 and CNE-2Z cells, respectively. Chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation were also observed, demonstrating that these cells were undergoing apoptosis. However, when GM38 (normal human fibroblasts) were subjected to identical treatments, they demonstrated significantly lower infection efficiency and transgene expression and were resistant to Ad5CMV-p53-mediated cytotoxicity. These data demonstrate the efficacy of Ad5CMV-p53-mediated gene therapy in human NPC, thus warranting additional investigations of this therapeutic strategy.
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PMID:Cytotoxic effects of Ad5CMV-p53 expression in two human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines. 981 13

Astrocytic tumors frequently exhibit defects in the expression or activity of proteins that control cell-cycle progression. Inhibition of kinase activity associated with cyclin/cyclin-dependent kinase co-complexes by cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors is an important mechanism by which the effects of growth signals are down-regulated. We undertook the present study to determine the role of p57(KIP2) (p57) in human astrocytomas. We demonstrate here that whereas p57 is expressed in fetal brain tissue, specimens of astrocytomas of varying grade and permanent astrocytoma cell lines do not express p57, and do not contain mutations of the p57 gene by multiplex-heteroduplex analysis. However, the inducible expression of p57 in three well-characterized human astrocytoma cell lines (U343 MG-A, U87 MG, and U373 MG) using the tetracycline repressor system leads to a potent proliferative block in G(1) as determined by growth curve and flow cytometric analyses. After the induction of p57, retinoblastoma protein, p107, and E2F-1 levels diminish, and retinoblastoma protein is shifted to a hypophosphorylated form. Morphologically, p57-induced astrocytoma cells became large and flat with an expanded cytoplasm. The inducible expression of p57 leads to the accumulation of senescence-associated beta-galactosidase marker within all astrocytoma cell lines such that approximately 75% of cells were positive at 1 week after induction. Induction of p57 in U373 astrocytoma cells generated a small population of cells ( approximately 15%) that were nonviable, contained discrete nuclear fragments on Hoechst 33258 staining, and demonstrated ultrastructural features characteristic of apoptosis. Examination of bax and poly-(ADP ribose) polymerase levels showed no change in bax, but decreased expression of poly-(ADP ribose) polymerase after p57 induction in all astrocytoma cell lines. These data demonstrate that the proliferative block imposed by p57 on human astrocytoma cells results in changes in the expression of a number of cell cycle regulatory factors, cell morphology, and a strong stimulus to cell senescence.
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PMID:Expression of p57(KIP2) potently blocks the growth of human astrocytomas and induces cell senescence. 1098 Jan 31

Heart failure is associated with abnormalities in betaAR cascade regulation, calcium cycling, expression of inflammatory mediators and apoptosis. Adenoviral mediated gene transfer of betaARKct has beneficial indirect effects on these pathologic processes upon the left ventricular myocardium. The concomitant biochemical changes that occur in the right ventricle have not been well characterized. Sprague-Dawley rats underwent aortic banding and were followed by echocardiography. After a decrease in fractional shortening of 25% from baseline, intracoronary injection of adenoviral-betaARKct (n=14) or adenoviral-beta-galactosidase (control, n=13) was performed. Rats were randomly euthanized on post-operative day 7, 14 or 21. Protein analysis including RV myocardial levels of betaARKct, betaARK1, SERCA(2a), inflammatory tissue mediators (IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-alpha), apoptotic markers (bax and bak), and MAP kinases (jnk, p38 and erk) was performed. ANOVA was employed for group comparison. Adenoviral-betaARKct treated animals showed increased expression of betaARKct and decreased levels of betaARK1 compared with controls. This treatment group also demonstrated normalization of SERCA(2a) expression and decreased levels of the inflammatory markers IL-1, IL-6 and TNF-alpha. The pro-apoptotic markers bax and bak were similarly improved. Ventricular levels of the MAP kinase jnk were increased. Differences were most significant 7 days after gene transfer, but the majority of these changes persisted at 21 days. These results suggest that attenuation of the pathologic mechanisms of beta adrenergic receptor desensitization, SERCA(2a) expression, inflammation and apoptosis, not only occur in the left ventricle but also in the right ventricular myocardium after intracoronary gene transfer of betaARKct during heart failure.
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PMID:Right ventricular beneficial effects of beta adrenergic receptor kinase inhibitor (betaARKct) gene transfer in a rat model of severe pressure overload. 1880 41

We have reported a possible involvement of apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1), one of the DNA repair pathways, in various nephropathy models and found that there is a close connection between APE1 and p53-dependent apoptosis. Therefore, we investigated the changes of APE in aging rat kidney since aging is the consequence of increased susceptibility to apoptosis and impaired repair. Characteristics of chronological aging were compared among 6-, 24- and 28-month-old male Sprague-Dawley rats. Serum blood urea nitrogen and creatinine were measured for renal function. Western blot assay was compared for p53, bax, cleaved caspase 3, rH2AX, and APE1. Immunohistochemical staining of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and APE1 was performed. Cellular senescence was checked by beta-galactosidase staining. Compared with young rats, aged rats showed significant increase in creatinine level with cellular senescence in the proximal convoluted tubules confirmed by beta-galactosidase staining. All the checked variables were significantly increased with aging: 1) increased p53, bax, and caspase 3 may activate the apoptotic pathway, 2) increased rH2AX and 8-OHdG immunolocalization in the proximal convoluted tubules might mean augmented DNA damage, and 3) increased APE1 might be caused by the immunoreactivity in the distal convoluted tubules while decreased in the proximal convoluted tubules. These results suggested that APE1 might have little protective effects on p53-dependent apoptosis irrespective of DNA repair activities in aged renal proximal tubules. Therefore, researchers should use older animals than 24-month-old rats in future studies for investigating the relationship between the apoptosis and DNA repair in the aging kidneys.
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PMID:Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 on aging-associated deteriorations in rat kidneys. 2536 96