Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.21.7 (plasmin)
 9,023 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We studied plasmin receptors on 3 MCF-7 sublines: MCF7, MCF7R which was derived by transfection with v-Ha-ras oncogene, and MCF7MF which has been studied for the secretion of procathepsin D in the presence of estrogen. All 3 sublines bound plasmin (Pli) with a much higher affinity than plasminogen (Pg). The number of binding sites was increased about 4-fold by weak proteolytic pretreatment of tumor cells. Transfection by v-Ha-ras oncogene did not apparently change the affinity of Pli binding sites (KD 27-26 nM) and increased their number very slightly (3,800 against 3,200 fmoles/mg protein). However, this number was 5 times higher for MCF7MF (15,000 fmoles/mg protein) and the affinity was 4 times lower (106 nM). MCF7 and MCF7R sublines have previously been reported to be non-invasive in the in vitro invasion assay system (embryo chick heart muscle) but tumorigenic and metastatic in nude mice. In contrast, the MCF7MF subline has been shown to be invasive in both in vivo and in vitro invasion systems. Thus, the number of Pli binding sites at the MCF7 tumor-cell surface may be associated directly or indirectly with tumor-cell invasiveness.
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PMID:The presence of plasmin receptors on three mammary carcinoma MCF-7 sublines. 217 Feb 80

The expression of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator, which plays a crucial role in tissue remodeling by controlling the synthesis of the broadly acting plasmin serine protease, is regulated by several tyrosine kinases. Since the actions of these tyrosine kinases is dependent on the activation of ras proteins, we undertook a study to identify signaling events downstream of ras responsible for the stimulation of urokinase promoter activity. Transient expression of an activated c-Ha-ras in OVCAR-3 cells, which do not harbor the mutated oncogene, led to a dose-dependent trans-activation of the urokinase promoter. A sequence residing between -2109 and -1964 was critical for the stimulation of the urokinase promoter by c-Ha-ras. Mutation of an AP-1 and a PEA3 site at -1967 and -1973, respectively, or the co-expression of a transactivation domain-lacking c-jun substantially impaired the ability of c-Ha-ras to stimulate urokinase promoter activity. The induction of the urokinase promoter by ras was completely blocked by expression of a dominant negative c-raf expression vector and substantially reduced in cells made to co-express a catalytically inactive mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase. Further, the expression of an ERK1/ERK2-inactivating phosphatase (CL100) abrogated the stimulation of the urokinase promoter by c-Ha-ras. These data argue for a role of a mitogen-activated protein kinase-dependent signaling pathway in the regulation of urokinase promoter activity by ras.
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PMID:Involvement of a mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway in the regulation of urokinase promoter activity by c-Ha-ras. 755 39

Plasminogen activation is observed in the human epidermis during reepithelialization of epidermal defects and under certain pathological conditions. The activation reaction depends on keratinocyte-associated plasminogen activators (PAs), which convert the ubiquitous proenzyme plasminogen into the active trypsin-like serine proteinase plasmin. The PAs are controlled by PA inhibitors (PAIs), of which two major types are known: PAI-1 and PAI-2. In vitro and in vivo keratinocytes express both PAIs. In the current study, we have addressed the possible function of PAI-2 in regulating extracellular PA activity in cultured normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEK), the human keratinocyte cell line (HaCaT), and a Ha-ras transfected HaCaT variant (HaRas). PAI-2 was detected intracellularly in all three cell types. Whereas only the NHEK and the HaCaT cells secreted detectable levels of PAI-2 into the culture medium, all three cell types released urokinase-type PA (uPA) into the supernatants. When comparing HaCaT and HaRas cells, we found that the cell lines secreted comparable levels of uPA antigen, whereas the levels of uPA activity were low in the presence of PAI-2, indicating that PAI-2 serves to regulate uPA activity. This assumption was supported by the findings that PAI-2 formed complexes with secreted uPA and that uPA/PAI-2 complexes were present at the surface of the PAI-2-secreting HaCaT cells but not at the surface of PAI-2 nonsecreting HaRas cells. Finally, PAI-2 was found to counteract the uPA-dependent and plasmin-mediated detachment of cultured HaCaT cells. Taken together, our findings indicate that secreted PAI-2 serves to regulate the activity of extracellular uPA in keratinocytes.
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PMID:Plasminogen activator inhibitor type-2 (PAI-2) in human keratinocytes regulates pericellular urokinase-type plasminogen activator. 863

This study evaluated the inhibitory effects of thiazolidine derivatives on hepatitis C virus (HCV) protease and other human serine proteases. The inhibition efficacy was tested with a reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) assay system using a NS3-NS4A fusion protein as the HCV protease and a synthetic peptide substrate that mimics the NS5A-5B junction. Nine thiazolidine derivatives showed more than 50% inhibition at 50 microg/ml. The most potent derivative was RD4-6250, with 50% inhibition at a concentration of 2.3 microg/ml; this concentration was lower than those of other protease inhibitors reported previously. The most selective derivative was RD4-6205, with 50% inhibition at a concentration of 6.4 microg/ml, a lower concentration than those on other serine proteases (chymotrypsin, trypsin, plasmin, and elastase). These results suggest that the RD4-6205 skeleton is an important structure for inhibitory activity on the HCV protease NS3-NS4A.
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PMID:Novel hepatitis C virus protease inhibitors: thiazolidine derivatives. 929 67

Arylalkylidene rhodanines 2(a-d) inhibit HCV NS3 protease at moderate concentrations. They are better inhibitors of other serine proteases such as chymotrypsin and plasmin. However, the selectivity of arylmethyliden e rhodanines (8a, 9a) with bulkier and more hydrophobic functional groups increases by 13- and 25-fold towards HCV NS3 protease respectively.
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PMID:Arylalkylidene rhodanine with bulky and hydrophobic functional group as selective HCV NS3 protease inhibitor. 1120 78

The ras oncogenes are among those most frequently found in human cancers. Blocking Ras farnesylation is a promising strategy for arresting cancer growth. Ras activates several signaling pathways with key roles in cellular proliferation, invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis. Furthermore, proteolytic activities of matrix proteinases such as urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are regulated by Ras isoforms. Thus, we investigated the effects of SCH-66336, a farnesyltransferase inhibitor, on secretion of components of the plasminogen activation system as well as on the gelatinases MMP-2 and MMP-9, which play pivotal roles in matrix remodeling. SCH-66336 up to 5 microM did not significantly alter the viability of prostate (PC-3) and renal (Caki-1) cancer cells incubated in serum-depleted medium. SCH-66336 partly inhibited the processing of H-Ras, while levels of mature N-Ras and K-Ras remained unaffected. Under these noncytotoxic conditions, uPA and tPA levels were lowered in culture medium but raised in cell lysates, suggesting inhibition of trafficking pathways. In contrast, SCH-66336 had no effect on uPAR expression or on secreted PAI-1 levels. As expected, the reduction of uPA and tPA activities by SCH-66336 inhibited the conversion of plasminogen to plasmin by about 25% in PC-3 cells. SCH-66336 also inhibited the levels of secreted pro-MMP-2 and pro-MMP-9 as well as the release of their inhibitors TIMP-1 and TIMP-2. SCH-66336 decreased both the adhesion and even more so the migration of PC-3 cells on gelatin. Thus, SCH-66336 inhibited farnesylation in both cancer cell types, and H-Ras functions should be reduced by the drug. In addition, the lower levels of secreted proteinases in the presence of SCH-66336 suggest that reduced matrix remodeling and cell migration should occur in treated tumors.
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PMID:Farnesyltransferase inhibitor SCH-66336 downregulates secretion of matrix proteinases and inhibits carcinoma cell migration. 1560 18

The phenotypic switching called epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition is frequently associated with epithelial tumor cell progression from a comparatively benign to an aggressive, invasive malignancy. Coincident with the emergence of such cellular plasticity is an altered response to transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) as well as epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor amplification. TGF-beta in the tumor microenvironment promotes invasive traits largely through reprogramming gene expression, which paradoxically supports matrix-disruptive as well as stabilizing processes. ras-transformed HaCaT II-4 keratinocytes undergo phenotypic changes typical of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, acquire a collagenolytic phenotype, and effectively invade collagen type 1 gels as a consequence of TGF-beta1 + EGF stimulation in a three-dimensional physiologically relevant model system that monitors collagen remodeling. Enhanced collagen degradation was coupled to a significant increase in matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-10 expression and involved a proteolytic axis composed of plasmin, MMP-10, and MMP-1. Neutralization of any one component in this cascade inhibited collagen gel lysis. Similarly, addition of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (SERPINE1) blocked collagen degradation as well as the conversion of both proMMP-10 and proMMP-1 to their catalytically active forms. This study therefore identifies an important mechanism in TGF-beta1 + EGF-initiated collagen remodeling by transformed human keratinocytes and proposes a crucial upstream role for plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1-dependent regulation in this event.
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PMID:TGF-beta1 + EGF-initiated invasive potential in transformed human keratinocytes is coupled to a plasmin/MMP-10/MMP-1-dependent collagen remodeling axis: role for PAI-1. 1938 99

Cooperative interactions between growth factor signaling pathways are important elements in carcinoma progression. A model system combining transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) and EGF was developed to investigate mechanisms underlying induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in ras-transformed human (HaCaT II-4) keratinocytes. Dual stimulation with TGF-beta1+EGF resulted in keratinocyte "plasticity" and pronounced colony dispersal. The most highly expressed transcript, identified by mRNA profiling, encoded plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1; SERPINE1). PAI-1 negatively regulates plasmin-dependent matrix degradation, preserving a stromal scaffold permissive for keratinocyte motility. Mitogen-activated extracellular kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 signaling were required for maximal PAI-1 upregulation and TGF-beta1+EGF-stimulated cell locomotion, as pharmacologic disruption of MEK/p38 activity ablated both responses. Moreover, PAI-1 knockdown alone effectively inhibited TGF-beta1+EGF-dependent cell scattering, indicating a functional role for this SERPIN in the dual-growth factor model of induced motility. Moreover, EGFR signaling blockade or EGFR knockdown attenuated TGF-beta1-induced PAI-1 expression, implicating EGFR transactivation in TGF-beta1-stimulated PAI-1 expression, and reduced colony dispersal in TGF-beta1+EGF-treated cultures. Identification of such cooperative signaling networks and their effect on specific invasion-promoting target genes, such as PAI-1, may lead to the development of pathway-specific therapeutics that affect late-stage events in human tumor progression.
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PMID:PAI-1 mediates the TGF-beta1+EGF-induced "scatter" response in transformed human keratinocytes. 2042 85