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

Angiosarcoma of the skin is a rare malignant tumor which is slow-growing but highly aggressive and often recurs following surgery and/or radiation therapy, finally metastasizing to the regional lymph nodes. The ets-1 protooncogene is shown to be transcribed in endothelial cells during angiogenesis in granulation tissue and in malignant cells during tumor invasion. Furthermore, it can regulate the expression of metalloproteinase genes such as collagenase-1 (MMP-1), stromelysin (MMP-3) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA). In this study we investigated the ets-1 and MMP-1 expression in 7 angiosarcomas of the skin, compared with 7 hemangiomas and 7 granuloma pyogenicums of the skin, which are well known as benign vascular diseases. The ets-1 and MMP-1 mRNAs and their proteins were overexpressed in all angiosarcomas tested, and the localization of MMP-1 expression corresponded to that of ets-1. On the other hand, they were weakly or not at all expressed in hemangiomas and granuloma pyogenicums. These results suggest that the constitutive overexpression of ets-1 might be closely related with the malignant progression of angiosarcoma, possibly through the up-regulation of the transcription of MMP-1.
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PMID:Overexpression of Ets-1 transcription factor in angiosarcoma of the skin. 1070 67

The exact mechanisms of the angiostatic effect by tecogalan sodium (TS) remain unclear. We examined the effects of TS on in vitro angiogenic activity, proteolytic activity and proliferation of retinal vascular endothelial cells (RECs). TS markedly inhibited the in vitro angiogenic activity of RECs although the growth inhibition of RECs was small. TS apparently decreased the cell-associated urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) activity and matrix metalloprotease 1 (MMP-1) activity even in the presence of anti-bFGF IgG. Thus, the suppression of the periendothelial matrix-degrading activities related to uPA and MMP-1 is suggested to be another possible mechanism of the antiangiogenic effect of TS, besides its prevention of bFGF REC binding which has previously been reported.
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PMID:The suppressive effect of tecogalan sodium on in vitro angiogenesis via the periendothelial proteolytic activities. 1101 37

Specific fibronectin (Fn) fragments found in synovial fluid of arthritic joints potentially contribute to the loss of cartilage proteoglycans by inducing matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression. However, whether or not the Fn fragment-modulated changes in expression of MMPs result in a net increase in matrix-degradative activity through alterations in the balance between MMP activation and inhibition has not been established. To understand the mechanisms by which proteolytic Fn fragments may contribute to joint degeneration, conditioned medium from fibrocartilaginous cells exposed to Fn, its 30-kDa fragment containing the collagen/gelatin-binding domain, its 120-kDa fragment containing the central cell-binding domain, and the RGD peptide were assayed for MMPs, and MMP activators and inhibitors. We found that the 120-kDa fragment of Fn (but not intact Fn), the 30-kDa fragment, and the RGD peptide, dose-dependently induced procollagenase-1 and prostromelysin-1 and decreased levels of the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) -1 and -2. The alpha5beta1 integrin was implicated in the induction of collagenase by the 120-kDa Fn fragment, since collagenase induction was abrogated in the presence of blocking antibody to this integrin. Conditioned medium from cells exposed to the 120-kDa Fn fragment also demonstrated increased levels of the activated collagenase-1, which resulted in significantly elevated collagen degradative activity. That the urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) was involved in the activation of procollagenase-1 was suggested by findings that the 120-kDa Fn fragment induced uPA coordinately with procollagenase-1, and the activation of procollagenase-1 was dose-dependently inhibited in the presence of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. These data demonstrate that the 120-kDa cell-binding fragment of Fn induces a net increase in matrix-degradative activity in fibrocartilaginous cells by concomitantly inducing MMPs and their activator, uPA, while decreasing TIMPs.
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PMID:Coordinate induction of collagenase-1, stromelysin-1 and urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) by the 120-kDa cell-binding fibronectin fragment in fibrocartilaginous cells: uPA contributes to activation of procollagenase-1. 1110 55

To elucidate the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) in carcinogenesis, the expression of collagenases of types I (MMP-I) and IV (MMP-2 and MMP-9) as well as the behaviour of urokinase-like plasminogen activator (uPA) and of tissue MMP inhibitors (TIMP) in immortalized (IF) and transformed (TF) fibroblasts were investigated. The study was carried out using embryo rat fibroblasts, sequentially immortalized with the LT gene of human papilloma virus and transformed with the E7 gene of human papilloma virus (HPV-16). As control was used the primary fibroblast (PF) culture of Fisher rats. In IF, the collagenase activity was at the same level as it was in PF. The activity of uPA in IF was increased by 2-2.5-fold; the titrated amount of free endogenous inhibitors in IF and PF was at essentially the same level while being markedly higher than in TF. At the stage of fibroblast transformation with the E7 gene of HPV-16, there was seen an increase of Type IV collagenases and a decrease of Type I collagenase, both these indices being most pronounced in the cells with most developed tumorigenic properties. In TF there occurred a decrease of free endogenous MMP inhibitors relative to the enzyme activity and, at the same time, a decrease in uAF activity, indicating the changes occurring in the enzyme/inhibitor/activator ratio and hence the enhancement of the destructive potential of the cells (in this case, at the cost of Type IV collagenase activity).
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PMID:[Type I and IV collagenases and their endogenous regulators in immortalized and transformed fibroblasts]. 1138

Circumstantial evidence has suggested an important role of the fibrinolytic (plasminogen/plasmin) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) systems in biological processes involving (extra)cellular proteolysis and/or matrix degradation, such as restenosis after vascular interventions in patients with atherothrombosis. The generation of mice with inactivation of main components of both systems and of suitable experimental models has allowed to study the interactions between both systems and their biological role in arterial neointima formation after vascular injury. During neointima formation after electric injury of the femoral artery, expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9 (gelatinase A and B) is strongly enhanced, independently of the presence or absence of plasminogen or of the physiological tissue-type (t-PA) or urokinase-type (u-PA) plasminogen activators. Activation of proMMP-2 occurs independently of plasmin, whereas proMMP-9 activation occurs via plasmin-dependent as well as plasmin-independent (MMP-3- or stromelysin-1-dependent) mechanisms. The temporal and topographic expression patterns of MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9, MMP-12 (metalloelastase) and MMP-13 (collagenase) after vascular injury are compatible with a role of MMPs in neointima formation. This is further substantiated by the finding that smooth muscle cell (SMC) migration and neointima formation after vascular injury is significantly enhanced in mice with deficiency of TIMP-1, the main physiological MMP inhibitor. In contrast, arterial neointima formation in mice is not affected by deficiency of alpha 2-antiplasmin, the main physiological plasmin inhibitor. Thus, SMC migration and neointima formation after vascular injury appear to be promoted by several MMP system components, that may be activated via plasmin-dependent or plasmin-independent mechanisms.
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PMID:Role of the fibrinolytic and matrix metalloproteinase systems in arterial neointima formation after vascular injury. 1181 12

The human placenta is an invasive structure in which highly proliferative, migratory, and invasive extravillous trophoblast (EVT) cells migrate and invade the uterus and its vasculature. Using in vitro propagated normal first-trimester EVT cells and immortalized EVT cells, which share all of the phenotypic and functional characteristics of the normal EVT cells, it has been shown that migration/invasion of human EVT cells is stringently regulated by many growth factors, their binding proteins, extracellular matrix (ECM) components, and some adhesion molecules in an autocrine/paracrine manner at the fetal-maternal interface in human pregnancy. Transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta), decorin (a proteoglycan in the ECM), and melanoma cell adhesion molecule (Mel-CAM) inhibit, and insulin-like growth factor II (IGF-II), IGF-binding protein 1 (IGFBP-1), and endothelin 1 (ET-1) stimulate EVT cell migration/invasion. Inhibition of EVT cell migration by TGF-beta has been suggested to be due to upregulation of integrins, which make the cells more adhesive to the ECM. Its antiinvasive action is due to an upregulation of tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloprotease 1 (TIMP-1) and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI-1) and a downregulation of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA). Molecular mechanisms of inhibition of migration/invasion of EVT cells by decorin and Mel-CAM remain to be identified. IGF-II action has been shown to be mediated by IGF type I receptors (IGF-RII) independently of IGF type I receptors (IGF-RI) and IGFBPs. This action of IGF-II appears to involve inhibitory G proteins and phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) (extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (ERK-1 and ERK-2)). IGFBP-1 stimulation of EVT cell migration appears to occur by binding its Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) domain to alpha5beta1 integrin, leading to phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and MAPK (ERK-1 and ERK-2). These studies may improve our understanding of diseases related to abnormal placentation, viz. hypoinvasiveness in preeclampsia and hyperinvasiveness in trophoblastic neoplasms.
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PMID:Regulation of human trophoblast migration and invasiveness. 1193 54

The aim of using enzymes in vitreoretinal surgery is to facility PVD and create pharmacological vitrectomy. It can be achieved by liquefying the gel structure of the vitreous (synchisis) and weakening of adherence of the posterior vitreous cortex to retina (syneresis). The article reviews currently used enzymes in vitreoretinal surgery (plasmin, hyaluronidase, dispase, chondroitinase, collagenase, urokinase, TPA--tissue plasminogen activator) and presents potential profits and side-effects related to their use. Although the day when vitreous surgery is replaced by pharmacological vitreolisis remains still as a future, these enzymes hold great promise. Additionally it has been proved that enzymes can be used successfully as an intraoperative adjuvant in vitrectomy.
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PMID:[Use of enzyme in vitreoretinal surgery]. 1204 13

Changes in cellular morphology induced as a consequence of direct perturbation of cytoskeletal structure with network-specific targeting agents (i.e. microfilament- or microtubule-disrupting drugs) results in the stimulated expression of a specific subset of genes. Transcription of c-fos, collagenase, transforming growth factor-beta, actin, urokinase plasminogen activator and its type-1 inhibitor (PAI-1) appears to be particularly responsive to shape-activated signaling pathways. Cytochalasin D (CD) or colchicine treatment of contact-inhibited and serum-deprived vascular smooth muscle (R22) cells was used, therefore, as a model system to evaluate morphology-associated controls on PAI-1 gene regulation in the absence of added growth factors. PAI-1 transcript levels in quiescent R22 cells increased rapidly and in a CD-concentration-dependent fashion, with kinetics of expression paralleling the morphological changes. Colchicine concentrations that effectively disrupted microtubule structure and reduced the cellular 'footprint' area (to approximately that of CD treatment) also stimulated PAI-1 synthesis. Shape-related increases in PAI-1 mRNA synthesis were ablated by prior exposure to actinomycin D. Unlike the mechanism of induction in growth-factor-stimulated cells, CD- and colchicine-induced PAI-1 expression required on-going protein synthesis (i.e. it was a secondary response). Although PAI-1 is a TGF-beta-regulated gene and TGF-beta expression is also shape dependent, an autocrine TGF-beta loop was not a factor in CD-initiated PAI-1 transcription. Since CD exposure resulted in actin microfilament disruption and subsequent morphological changes, with uncertain effects on interactions between signaling intermediates or 'scaffold' structures, a pharmacological approach was selected to probe the pathways involved. Signaling events leading to PAI-1 induction were compared with colchicine-treated cells. CD- as well as colchicine-stimulated PAI-1 expression was effectively and dose dependently attenuated by the MEK inhibitor PD98059 (in the 10 to 25 microM concentration range), consistent with the known MAP kinase dependency of PAI-1 synthesis in growth-factor-stimulated cells. Reduced PAI-1 mRNA levels upon exposure to genistein prior to CD addition correlated with inhibition of ERK1/2 activity, implicating a tyrosine kinase in shape-dependent MEK activation. Src-family kinases, moreover, appeared to be specific upstream elements in the CD- and colchicine-dependent pathways of PAI-1 transcription since both agents effectively activated pp60(c-src) kinase activity in quiescent R22 cells. The restrictive (src-family) kinase inhibitor PP1 completely inhibited induced, as well as basal, ERK activity in a coupled immunoprecipitation myelin-basic-protein-phosphorylation assay and ablated shape-initiated PAI-1 mRNA expression. These data suggest that PP1-sensitive tyrosine kinases are upstream intermediates in cell-shape-associated signaling pathways resulting in ERK1/2 activation and subsequent PAI-1 transcription. In contrast to the rapid and transient kinetics of ERK activity typical of serum-stimulated cells, the ERK1/2 response to CD and colchicine is both delayed and relatively sustained. Collectively, these data support a model in which MEK is a focal point for the convergence of shape-initiated signaling events leading to induced PAI-1 transcription.
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PMID:MEK/ERK pathway mediates cell-shape-dependent plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 gene expression upon drug-induced disruption of the microfilament and microtubule networks. 1211 65

In this study we determined the in vitro effects of polysulfated glycosaminoglycan (PSGAG) and the glucocorticoid triamcinolone acetonid (TA) on the IL-1 altered expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP-1, MMP-3), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1, the plasminogen activators tPA and uPA and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 by articular chondrocytes. Bovine chondrocytes were cultured in alginate gel beads. Cells were treated with interleukin-1alpha (IL-1alpha) in the presence of vehicle or drugs at various concentrations. After 48hr mRNA expression of MMP-1, MMP-3, TIMP-1, uPA, tPA and PAI-1 was analyzed by RT-PCR-ELISA. The protein synthesis of TIMP-1 and MMP-3 was determined by immunoprecipitation, PAI-1 protein was quantitated by ELISA. The activity of enzymes and inhibitors was measured by functional assays. Treating chondrocytes with IL-1 induced the expression of MMPs and downregulated TIMP-1 but stimulated both the expression of PAs and PAI-1. Both drugs significantly reduced collagenase and proteoglycanase activities which was accompanied by inhibition of the expression of MMP-1 and MMP-3. The IL-1 decreased expression of TIMP-1 was further reduced by TA, which resulted in a significant loss of TIMP activity. No effects on TIMP activity or TIMP-1 biosynthesis were observed after treatment of chondrocytes with PSGAG. Both drugs inhibited the IL-1-induced mRNA expression of tPA, whereas expression of uPA was only mildly reduced by PSGAG, which also induced PAI-1 above IL-1 stimulated levels. As inhibition of collagenase activities and tPA expression by PSGAG occurred at physiological concentrations it might be of clinical relevance, indicating that PSGAG could help reducing cartilage degradation and has a strong anti-fibrinolytic potential. Due to their co-regulation of MMPs and TIMP(s) glucocorticoids should be carefully studied for their overall effect on extracellular matrix proteolysis.
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PMID:Effects of polysulfated glycosaminoglycan and triamcinolone acetonid on the production of proteinases and their inhibitors by IL-1alpha treated articular chondrocytes. 1212 42

Matrix metalloproteinase-14 is required for degradation of fibrillar collagen by mesenchymal cells. Here we show that keratinocytes use an alternative plasminogen and matrix metalloproteinase-13-dependent pathway for dissolution of collagen fibrils. Primary keratinocytes displayed an absolute requirement for serum to dissolve collagen. Dissolution of collagen was abolished in plasminogen-depleted serum and could be restored by the exogenous addition of plasminogen. Both plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase blocked collagen dissolution, demonstrating the requirement of both plasminogen activation and matrix metalloproteinase activity for degradation. Cell surface plasmin activity was critical for the degradation process as aprotinin, but not alpha(2)-antiplasmin, prevented collagen dissolution. Keratinocytes with single deficiencies in either urokinase or tissue plasminogen activator retained the ability to dissolve collagen. However, collagen fibril dissolution was abolished in keratinocytes with a combined deficiency in both urokinase and tissue plasminogen activator. Combined, but not single, urokinase and tissue plasminogen activator deficiency also completely blocked the activation of the fibrillar collagenase, matrix metalloproteinase-13, by keratinocytes. The activation of matrix metalloproteinase-13 in normal keratinocytes was prevented by plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and aprotinin but not by tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 and -2, suggesting that plasmin activates matrix metalloproteinase-13 directly. We propose that plasminogen activation facilitates keratinocyte-mediated collagen breakdown via the direct activation of matrix metalloproteinase-13 and possibly other fibrillar collagenases.
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PMID:Collagen dissolution by keratinocytes requires cell surface plasminogen activation and matrix metalloproteinase activity. 1219 5


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