Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: EC:3.4.21.73 (urokinase-type plasminogen activator)
 10,685 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

On the basis of cellular morphology, a subline of mouse sarcoma virus-infected 3T3 cells was selected which released a 48 000-dalton plasminogen activator at an approx. 40-fold higher rate than those of the parent line, and which continued to do so for several months when the cells were maintained in serum-free culture medium. Culture medium (3.5 l) containing 0.6 mg plasminogen activator per l was used to purify 620 micrograms of the enzyme 130-fold with a yield of 32% by affinity chromatography followed by anion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. Crucial for the yield was the use of a non-ionic detergent and of inhibitors of proteolysis to prevent adsorption and degradation, respectively. The purified enzyme was homogeneous as evaluated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and had an isoelectric point of pH 9.2. The purified enzyme showed characteristics of a trypsin-like serine protease (labeling with [3H]diisopropylphosphorofluoridate which was prevented by p-nitrophenyl-p'-guanidinobenzoate) and converted the single chain of human plasminogen into two chains of plasmin with electrophoretic mobilities identical to those of the chains formed by non-purified enzyme and by human urokinase. In the absence of inhibitors, solutions of purified enzyme were stable for 24 h at 4 degrees C at pH 3-9.
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PMID:Purification and characterization of a plasminogen activator from mouse cells transformed by an oncogenic virus. 625 3

In this paper, we summerized our experience with intraarterial high-dose adriamycin for thirteen patients with skeletal or soft tissue sarcoma. Eight patients had skeletal sarcoma and five had soft tissue sarcoma. Anticancer agents delivered intermittently an intra-arterial catheter (percutaneous placement by Sledinger technique) over 30 minutes. The compound of 1 mg of vincristine, 3 mg of Carboquone and 600 mg of dextran sulfate sodium was given weekly from the time of biopsy. Adriamycin was given at a dose of 0.8 mg/kg/day for 3 days after histological examination revealed sarcoma. Just prior to the adriamycin infusion, compound of 18,000 units of urokinase and 600 mg of dextran sulfate sodium was infused by bolous method. Course of therapy were repeated at every 3 to 4 weeks intervals. Surgical procedures were performed following completion of one to three courses of therapy. Total of 24 courses of therapy performed to 13 patients. Twelve patients had 20 courses preoperatively had three patients had 4 courses postoperatively. The overall objective clinical response rate (complete or partial response) by a combination of computed tomography and physical examination was 7/12 (58.3%). The overall histological response rate (greater than 75% tumor cell necrosis) was 4/9 (44.4%). During the period of follow up, with ranged from 2 to 60 months, none had local recurrence in the group performed radical operation (6 limb salvage procedures and 4 primary amputation). In this group one patient had lung metastases. The overall disease free survival rate was 8/10 (80.0%). In pharmacologic data from our series, adriamycin levels in venous blood adjacent to the arterially infused area were always higher than those from simultaneously sampled peripheral venous blood. Furthermore, peripheral blood levels of adriamycin following administration by the intraarterial route were not different from those obtained when the same dose is given intravenously. Our results of intraarterial high-dose adriamycin lend support and rationale to the use of regional intraarterial therapy even in patients with pulmonary metastasis. The latter will be exposed to a drug concentration expected from intravenous administration while the patient may also benefit from the augmented local effect.
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PMID:[Intraarterial high-dose adriamycin for patients with skeletal or soft tissue sarcoma]. 663 6

Monoclonal antibodies against a human plasminogen activator of M(r) approximately 52,000 (HPA52) were derived by immunization of mice with an impure preparation of the enzyme (urokinase), subsequent hybridization of spleen cells with NSI-Ag4/1 myeloma cells, and cloning of the hybridomas. Selection of mice for hybridization and screening of hybridomas were based solely on direct inhibition of an enzymatic assay of the plasminogen activator with the impure enzyme preparation. A cloned hybridoma produced IgG1 antibodies that bound to and inhibited the enzymatic activity of HPA52 irrespective of whether the HPA52 was derived from urokinase or from human glioblastoma cells, whereas there was no inhibition of or binding to a plasminogen activator of M(r) approximately 70,000 from human melanoma cells or a plasminogen activator of M(r) approximately 36,000 that is a degradation product of HPA52 and present in urokinase. Nor did the anti-HPA52 IgG1 inhibit a murine plasminogen activator of M(r) approximately 48,000 derived from sarcoma virus-transformed cells. By using affinity chromatography with columns of anti-HPA52 IgG1 bound to Sepharose, HPA52 was purified from urokinase to homogeneity as evaluated by NaDodSO(4)/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This study demonstrates that inhibitory monoclonal antibodies against enzymes can be derived with the sole use of impure enzyme preparations and shows how such antibodies subsequently can be used for enzyme purification.
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PMID:Monoclonal antibody that specifically inhibits a human Mr 52,000 plasminogen-activating enzyme. 680 14

Incorporation of the serine protease active site reagent diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP) into a plasminogen activator with an Mr of approximately 52000 released from cultured human glioblastoma cells was strongly enhanced by incubation with plasmin. This observation led to the isolation of an inactive form of the enzyme from serum-free conditioned culture fluid by affinity chromatography on a column of a Sepharose-bound monoclonal antibody raised against urokinase. An 831-fold purification was obtained with a yield of 41%. The purified molecule was homogeneous as evaluated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with sodium dodecyl sulfate (NaDodSO4), having one stainable band under nonreducing as well as reducing conditions with an Mr of approximately 52000. It was unable to activate plasminogen, but catalytic amounts of plasmin converted it into active enzyme. After NaDodSO4-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the active enzyme showed one band under nonreducing conditions, but after reduction, two bands with Mr values of approximately 20000 and 32000 were observed. The active enzyme incorporated [3H]DFP into the approximately Mr 32000 band, while no incorporation was observed into the inactive form. These findings show that the Mr 52000 human plasminogen activator exists in a proenzyme form consisting of a single polypeptide chain that by proteolysis between half-cystine residues is converted into the active enzyme consisting of two chains with molecular weights of approximately 20000 and 32000, the active site being on the latter chain. The results are consistent with the active form of the enzyme being identical with the higher molecular weight form of urokinase, and together with recent observations that a murine plasminogen activator is released from sarcoma virus transformed cells as an inactive proenzyme, they suggest that zymogens to plasminogen activators are of more general occurrence.
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PMID:Purification of zymogen to plasminogen activator from human glioblastoma cells by affinity chromatography with monoclonal antibody. 689 Dec 64

Culture medium conditioned by human SK-Hep1 hepatoma cells or mouse S180 sarcoma cells rapidly up-regulates endothelial cell expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and induces formation of capillary-like structures by vascular endothelial cells grown on three-dimensional fibrin gels (in vitro angiogenesis). Incubation of endothelial cells with the tumor cell-conditioned media also results in increased expression of urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA), a key component of the proteolytic system required for cell invasion and capillary formation. Although the tumor cell-conditioned media contain no bFGF, addition of anti-recombinant bFGF IgG abolishes the up-regulation of uPA and blocks in vitro angiogenesis. This indicates that both the increase in uPA production and formation of capillary-like structures are mediated by endogenous bFGF expressed by the endothelial cells. Both the bFGF/uPA-inducing activity and the angiogenic activity of SK-Hep1 cell-conditioned medium copurify with a relatively acid-resistant peptide that has moderate affinity for heparin and M(r) < 18 kDa > 3.5 kDa. Known cytokines with similar biochemical features do not possess the same biological activity. These findings indicate that angiogenesis can be mediated by endothelial cell bFGF through an autocrine mechanism and that the bFGF-inducing peptide may represent a novel tumor-derived angiogenic factor that modulates in endothelial cells the concerted expression of cytokines and proteolytic enzymes required for capillary formation.
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PMID:Tumor cells secrete an angiogenic factor that stimulates basic fibroblast growth factor and urokinase expression in vascular endothelial cells. 752 24

Kaposi's sarcoma is a highly vascularized multifocal tumor which frequently appears as a complication of HIV infection. It has been suggested that a disorder in the cytokine network may contribute to the development of the disease. We examined the expression of several cytokines in human sporadic Kaposi's-sarcoma specimens, as well as in spindle cells cultured from human lesions, and consistently found high levels of expression of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). In addition, human lesion-derived spindle cells synthesize and secrete biologically active hepatocyte growth factor and express the hepatocyte-growth-factor receptor (c-MET). Moreover, elevated levels of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF beta 1) mRNA were found in lesions of human sporadic Kaposi's sarcoma and in lesion-derived spindle cells which also over-express urokinase. Since HGF, TGF beta 1 and urokinase are all involved in capillary-vessel organization, dysregulation of these interacting agents may play a role in the initiation and/or progression of Kaposi's sarcoma, stimulating the growth of spindle cells and recruiting endothelial cells into the lesion.
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PMID:Over-expression of hepatocyte growth factor in human Kaposi's sarcoma. 856 12

Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) is a pleiotropic effector of cells expressing the Met tyrosine kinase receptor. Although HGF/SF is synthesized by mesenchymal cells and acts predominantly on epithelial cells, we have recently demonstrated that human sarcoma cell lines often inappropriately express high levels of Met and respond mitogenically to HGF/SF. In the present report we show that HGF/SF-Met signalling in the human leiomyosarcoma cell line SK-LMS-1 enhances its in vivo tumorigenicity, an effect for which the mitogenicity of this signalling pathway is likely to play a role. In addition, we found that HGF/SF-Met signalling dramatically induces the in vitro invasiveness and in vivo metastatic potential of these cells. We have studied the molecular basis by which HGFSF-Met signalling mediates the invasive phenotype. A strong correlation has previously been demonstrated between the activation of the urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) proteolysis network and the acquisition of the invasive-metastatic phenotype, and we show here that HGF/SF-Met signalling significantly increases the protein levels of both uPA and its cellular receptor in SK-LMS-1 cells. This results in elevated levels of cell-associated uPA and enhanced plasmin-generating ability by these cells. These studies couple HGF/SF-Met signalling to the activation of proteases that mediate dissolution of the extracellular matrix-basement membrane, and important property for cellular invasion-metastasis.
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PMID:Enhanced tumorigenicity and invasion-metastasis by hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor-met signalling in human cells concomitant with induction of the urokinase proteolysis network. 862 56

The local and systemic invasiveness of soft-tissue sarcomas may depend upon an interaction between the primary tumour and the extracellular matrix in which the proteolytic enzyme, urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA), may have an important role. We analyzed the expression of uPA in soft-tissue sarcoma using a luminescent immunoassay technique, and examined the relationships between different uPA levels and tumour characteristics and behaviour. We evaluated 69 adult patients with surgically treated soft-tissue sarcomas (MFH 43, leiomyosarcoma 8, liposarcoma 5, synovial sarcoma 4, others 9) of the extremities and trunk wall. Sixteen developed local recurrences, 26 developed metastases, and 5 had both. The median follow-up for survivors was 55 (30-80) months. The median uPA level was 1.4 (0.04-10.6) ng/mg protein. Increasing uPA levels correlated with increasing grade, malignant fibrous histiocytomas, leiomyosarcomas, DNA non-diploidy, tumour necrosis, local recurrence, and metastasis. Storiform-pleomorphic MFH had higher uPA levels than the myxoid variant. A cut-off value of 0.25 ng/mg protein was identified, above which local recurrence and metastasis occurred more frequently. High uPA levels appear to reflect the malignant phenotype in soft-tissue sarcoma, thus supporting the role of uPA as a prognostic indicator.
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PMID:Urokinase-plasminogen-activator levels and prognosis in 69 soft-tissue sarcomas. 879 66

We have previously reported that culture medium conditioned by human SK-Hep1 hepatoma cells or mouse S180 sarcoma cells induces in vitro angiogenesis and stimulates production of urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) in vascular endothelial cells. These activities are mediated by a 3.5-10 kDa, heparin-binding peptide that upregulates endothelial cell expression of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF; Peverali et al., 1994, J. Cell. Physiol. 161:1-14.) We now report that SK-Hep 1 or S180 cell-conditioned medium rapidly induces a 4- to 5-fold increase in cell-bound uPA activity and in the high-affinity binding of 125I-prouPA to vascular endothelial cells. Ligand blotting and purification experiments show an equivalent increase in the synthesis of a cell surface protein corresponding to the endothelial cell uPA receptor (uPAR) on the basis of M, (45-50 kDa) and sensitivity to phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC). The tumor cell-conditioned media also upregulate uPAR mRNA levels in endothelial cells. Thus, the increase in uPA binding capacity of endothelial cells is mediated by an increased expression of uPAR. The uPAR-inducing activity of SK-Hep 1 or S180 cell-conditioned medium is not neutralized by antibodies to bFGF, and is associated with a peptide that has a M, higher than 10 kDa and no affinity for heparin. Therefore, it appears to be distinct from the bFGF/uPA-inducing factor secreted by the same cells, and from other heparin-binding cytokines that upregulate uPAR expression in endothelial cells.
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PMID:Tumor cell-conditioned medium stimulates expression of the urokinase receptor in vascular endothelial cells. 890 97

The urokinase plasminogen activator system plays a central role in malignant tumour progression. Both tumour hypoxia and enhancement of urokinase plasminogen activator, urokinase plasminogen activator-receptor and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 have been identified as adverse prognostic factors. Upregulation of urokinase plasminogen activator or plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 could present means by which hypoxia influences malignant progression. Therefore, the impact of hypoxia on the expression pattern of the urokinase plasminogen activator system in rat DS-sarcoma in vivo and in vitro was examined. In the in vivo setting, tumour cells were implanted subcutaneously into rats, which were housed under either hypoxia, atmospheric air or hyperoxia. For in vitro studies, DS-sarcoma cells were incubated for 24 h under hypoxia. Urokinase plasminogen activator and urokinase plasminogen activator-receptor expression were analysed by flow cytometry. Urokinase plasminogen activator activity was measured using zymography. Plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 protein levels in vitro and in vivo were examined with ELISA. PAI-1 mRNA levels were determined by RT-PCR. DS-sarcoma cells express urokinase plasminogen activator, urokinase plasminogen activator-receptor, and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 in vitro and in vivo. The urokinase plasminogen activator activity is enhanced in DS-sarcomas compared to normal tissues and rises with increasing tumour volume. The oxygenation level has no impact on the urokinase plasminogen activator activity in cultured DS-sarcoma cells or in solid tumours, although in vitro an increase in plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 protein and mRNA expression after hypoxic challenge is detectable. The latter plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 changes were not detectable in vivo. Hypoxia has been demonstrated to contribute to the upregulation of some components of the system in vitro, although this effect was not reproducible in vivo. This may indicate that the serum level of plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 is not a reliable surrogate marker of tumour hypoxia.
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PMID:Expression pattern of the urokinase-plasminogen activator system in rat DS-sarcoma: role of oxygenation status and tumour size. 1195 98


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