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)

The invasiveness of human gastric carcinoma cell lines (MKN45 and MKN28) in the subcutaneous tissue of nude mice and the degrading capacities of extracellular matrix (ECM) were studied. MKN45 cells were more invasive than were the MKN28 cells. Immunostaining revealed dense lamellar accumulation of fibronectin (FN) around the tumors. Along the front of the invasive MKN45 growth, however, the FN fibers were discontinuous and/or had completely vanished; the MKN28 tumor showed no FN fiber disconnection. ECM components other than FN never displayed such peritumoral massive accumulation. Cocultivation of human fibroblasts with MKN45 cells, more evidently than with MKN28 cells, revealed degradation of FN produced by fibroblasts in contact with each tumor. Both cell lines produced several FN-degrading enzymes in serum-free cultures. Proteases from the MKN45 medium were more active than were those of MKN28 in urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) and metal-dependent serine proteinase-like proteases of 75 and 68 kDa in molecular weight (MW). Type I collagen-degrading 48-kDa protease was also detected from MKN45 medium but not from the MKN28 medium. MKN28 cells secreted other kinds of FN-degrading enzymes, estimated at approximate MWs of 29 and 100-150 kDa. We found no distinct differences in capacity to produce ECM components or ability to adhere to purified ECM components between these two cell lines. From these results we conclude that the stromal invasion of these cells into the subcutaneous tissue of nude mice is profoundly related to their FN-degrading capability. This capability may be catalyzed by uPA and/or metal-dependent serine proteinase-like proteases of 75 and 68 kDa.
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PMID:Fibronectin degradation by human gastric carcinoma cell lines and its associated proteases in relation to stromal invasion in nude mice. 129 40

We have screened six human squamous carcinoma cell lines for their ability to invade connective tissue by using the experimentally modified chorioallantoic membrane of a chick embryo as an in vivo model of invasion. In confirmation of our earlier studies, all the invasive cell lines expressed high levels of surface-bound urokinase type plasminogen activator (uPA). However, some cell lines expressing this activity were not invasive, suggesting that surface uPA, although necessary, was not sufficient. Since in addition to fibronectin, that can be degraded by uPA or plasmin, chorioallantoic membrane connective tissue contains collagen, we examined the profile of collagenases secreted by the various cell lines in search for an activity that would coincide with the invasive phenotype. We found, using gelatin substrate gels, that type IV gelatinase was produced by all six cell types tested, three cell types produced the M(r) 92,000 gelatinase, and three a lower-molecular-weight activity, which we identified by immunoprecipitation with specific antibodies, and by a direct assay of activity, as interstitial collagenase. Only the latter cells were found to be highly invasive. We showed previously that continuous culture in vitro of one of the carcinoma cell lines, HEp3, led to a gradual extinction of their malignant phenotype. To confirm the correlation between invasion and the production of interstitial collagenase, we examined these two functions in cells freshly isolated from a HEp3 tumor and intermittently during passage in vitro. We found that, although the surface uPA activity was slightly diminished in the in vitro grown cultures, it was still within the range of values found in highly malignant cells, suggesting that it is not the reason for the decrease in invasiveness. In contrast, the reduction in interstitial collagenase closely followed the loss of the invasive phenotype; after 30 in vitro passages the cells were almost completely devoid of interstitial collagenase and unable to invade. The decrease in collagenase activity was not the result of an increased tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases production.
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PMID:Invasion of connective tissue by human carcinoma cell lines: requirement for urokinase, urokinase receptor, and interstitial collagenase. 133 82

We have studied the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alpha sm-1) by mesangial cells, and the expression of Thy-1 glycoprotein, antithrombin III (ATIII), and urokinase by tubular epithelial cells in normal kidneys and dysfunctional renal allografts. Kidney biopsies were studied immunocytochemically for changes in each of these markers and the findings were classified into two groups and compared with creatinine plasma levels at the time the biopsies were taken. In dysfunctional grafts, mesangial alpha sm-1 and tubular epithelial Thy-1 reactivities were greatly diminished, and urokinase and ATIII were missing from proximal renal tubular epithelial cells. Urokinase, which was absent from normal renal glomeruli, appeared in glomeruli of some dysfunctional allografts. The possible usefulness of these markers in patient evaluations was supported by our finding that the distribution of vinculin, fibronectin, myosin, actin B4, desmin, glomerular HLA-DR, and the tubular expression of CD15 remained unchanged. These data prompt us to suggest that the immunocytochemical localization and evaluation of alpha sm-1, Thy-1, ATIII, and urokinase in kidney allografts may be useful adjuncts in the assessment of function in renal allografts.
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PMID:Novel immunohistochemical markers of human renal allograft dysfunction--antithrombin III, Thy-1, urokinase, and alpha-smooth muscle actin. 136 Dec 52

The effect of extracellular matrix composition on the location, amount, and activity of cell-associated urokinase-type plasminogen activator was tested using HT-1080 cells adherent to either fibronectin or vitronectin. Specific immunoprecipitation of newly synthesized urokinase indicated that cells adherent to fibronectin synthesized 2-3-fold more urokinase than cells adherent to vitronectin. Complexes of urokinase and plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) were detected in cell layers of vitronectin-adherent but not fibronectin-adherent cells. Inhibition of PAI-1 using a neutralizing monoclonal antibody resulted in a 3-fold increase in urokinase enzymatic activity on vitronectin adherent cells. Urokinase activity on fibronectin adherent cells was only slightly increased following PAI-1 neutralization. Examination of both HT-1080 and normal human fibroblast cells by immunofluorescent microscopy localized urokinase-type plasminogen activator to discrete, focal areas underneath cells adherent to vitronectin. Urokinase was not detectable by immunofluorescence on cells adherent to fibronectin. The addition of exogenous prourokinase to locate urokinase receptors on adherent HT-1080 cells indicated that the focal localization of cell-surface urokinase resulted from the clustering of urokinase receptors following adhesion to vitronectin but not fibronectin-coated substrates. These results suggest that vitronectin can contribute to the control of cell-surface plasmin activity by regulating the synthesis of urokinase and directing the localization of urokinase receptors.
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PMID:Vitronectin regulates the synthesis and localization of urokinase-type plasminogen activator in HT-1080 cells. 137 87

Proteinase species secreted by 10 human gastric carcinoma cell lines were analyzed by gelatin zymography and immunoblotting. These cell lines were classified into the following three groups with respect to proteinase secretion: cell lines secreting mainly gelatinases A and/or B; those secreting multiple types of serine proteinases; and those scarcely secreting these enzymes. Two cell lines of the second group, STKM-1 and MKN28, hardly secreted metalloproteinases but secreted the following four types of serine proteinases: (a) two trypsin-like enzymes (M(r) 26,000 and 24,000 in proenzyme forms); (b) a tissue kallikrein-like enzyme (M(r) 150,000 in a complex form); (c) a plasmin-like enzyme (M(r) 70,000); and (d) a plasminogen activator (urokinase-type, M(r) 57,000, from STKM-1 and tissue-type, M(r) 70,000, from MKN28). The M(r) 70,000 plasmin-like enzyme was also detected at lower levels in the conditioned media of four other cell lines (MKN1, MKN45, NUGC-3, and KATO III). The M(r) 24,000 proenzyme of the trypsin-like enzyme was purified from the serum-free conditioned medium of STKM-1. The proenzyme was activated by enterokinase treatment or autolytically by incubation at neutral pH, decreasing its apparent molecular weight from 24,000 to 23,000 on nonreducing sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The activated enzyme extensively degraded fibronectin, laminin, and gelatins and to lesser extents type I, III, IV, and V collagens at 30 degrees C. These results suggest that the matrix serine proteinases may play a major role in the matrix degradation by some kinds of human cancer cells.
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PMID:Multiple secretion of matrix serine proteinases by human gastric carcinoma cell lines. 138 87

Urokinase (u-PA) proteolytically cleaves both human plasma (pFn) and cellular (cFn) dimeric fibronectin (M(r) 440,000) into four major polypeptides of approximately M(r) 210,000, 200,000, 25,000, and 6,000. Amino acid sequence analysis of the polypeptide fragments indicated that the enzymatic cleavage of Fn occurs at two sites: 1) between an arginine/alanine peptide bond located C-terminal to residue 259; this cleavage liberates the N-terminal M(r) 25,000 fragment and the M(r) 210,000 and M(r) 200,000 polypeptides derived from the A and B chains of Fn, respectively; and 2) between an arginine/threonine peptide bond located C-terminal to residue 2,299, thereby yielding an M(r) 6,000 dimeric fragment containing the C-terminal interchain disulfide bonds. Predigestion of Fn with u-PA increased the molecule's vulnerability to further attack by the enzymes plasmin and cathepsin D. These data provide further biochemical evidence for the proteolytic cleavage of fibronectin by plasminogen activators and substantiate that u-PA digestion of Fn may be an initial event in the local degradation of the extracellular matrix by malignant cells, possessing elevated levels of these enzymes.
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PMID:Localization of the cleavage sites on fibronectin following digestion by urokinase. 146 74

Recently we have shown that heparin and related sulfated polyanions are low-affinity ligands of the kringle domain in the amino-terminal region (ATF) of human urokinase (u-PA), and proposed that this may facilitate loading of u-PA onto its receptor at the focal contacts between adherent cells and their matrix. We have now tested other components of the cell matrix (fibronectin, vitronectin, thrombospondin and laminin-nidogen) for u-PA binding, and found that laminin-nidogen is also a ligand of the u-PA ATF. Direct binding assays and competition binding assays with defined fragments of laminin-nidogen showed that there are u-PA binding sites in fragment E4 of laminin as well as in nidogen. The long-arm terminal domain of laminin (fragment E3), which contains a heparin-binding site, competed for binding of u-PA to immobilised heparin. However nidogen, which does not bind to heparin, also inhibited binding of u-PA to heparin, and this effect was also observed with recombinant nidogen and with a fragment of nidogen lacking the carboxy-terminal domain. Direct binding assays confirmed that u-PA binds to nidogen through a site in the u-PA ATF. We conclude that u-PA binds to laminin-nidogen by interactions involving the ATF region of u-PA, the E4 domain of laminin and the rod or amino-terminal regions of nidogen. Since nidogen is suggested to be an important bridging molecule in the maintenance of the supramolecular organization in basement membranes, the presence of a binding site for u-PA in nidogen indicates a role for plasminogen activation in basement membrane remodelling.
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PMID:Urokinase binding to laminin-nidogen. Structural requirements and interactions with heparin. 149 67

Evidence has accumulated that invasion and metastasis in solid tumors require the action of tumor-associated proteases, which promote the dissolution of the surrounding tumor matrix and the basement membranes. Receptor-bound urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) appears to play a key role in these events. uPA converts plasminogen into plasmin and thus mediates pericellular proteolysis during cell migration and tissue remodeling under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. uPA is secreted as an enzymatically inactive proenzyme (pro-uPA) by tumor cells and stroma cells. uPA exerts its proteolytic function on normal cells and tumor cells as an ectoenzyme after having bound to a high-affinity cell surface receptor. After binding, pro-uPA is activated by serine proteases (e.g. plasmin, trypsin or plasma kallikrein) and by the cysteine proteases cathepsin B or L, resp. Receptor-bound enzymatically active uPA converts plasminogen to plasmin which is bound to a different low-affinity receptor on tumor cells. Plasmin then degrades components of the tumor stroma (e.g. fibrin, fibronectin, proteoglycans, laminin) and may activate procollagenase type IV which degrades collagen type IV, a major part of the basement membrane. Hence receptor-bound uPA will promote plasminogen activation and thus the dissolution of the tumor matrix and the basement membrane which is a prerequisite for invasion and metastasis. Tissues of primary cancer and/or metastases of the breast, ovary, prostate, cervix uteri, bladder, lung and of the gastrointestinal tract contain elevated levels of uPA compared to benign tissues. In breast cancer uPA and PAI-1 antigen in tumor tissue extracts are independent prognostic factors for relapse-free and overall survival.
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PMID:Tumor-associated urokinase-type plasminogen activator: biological and clinical significance. 151 91

Polyclonal antibodies against plasminogen activator inhibitor type-I (PAI-1) caused rapid retraction and rounding of substrate-attached HT-1080 cells. The kinetics and extent of antibody-mediated cell rounding were not dependent on either urokinase or plasmin activity. Cells adherent to vitronectin-coated substrates detached within 2 h of antibody addition. Cells adherent to fibronectin were unaffected by the antibodies. Immunoblotting of substrate-attached material indicated that HT-1080 cells deposited PAI-1 into vitronectin, but not fibronectin, dependent contacts. These data suggest that the antibody-mediated cell rounding resulted from a steric disruption of vitronectin-dependent adhesions, indicating that the binding site on vitronectin for PAI-1 is near, but does not overlap, the binding site for vitronectin receptor. The accumulation of PAI-1 into vitronectin-dependent adhesion sites correlated temporally with the preferential degradation of fibronectin from the substrate. HT-1080 cells adherent to either fibronectin or vitronectin were able to activate exogenous plasminogen to plasmin. Plasmin levels were increased 200% on cells adherent to fibronectin and 100% on cells adherent to vitronectin. In the presence of a neutralizing antibody against PAI-1, vitronectin adherent cells activated plasminogen to the same extent as fibronectin adherent cells. Plasmin levels of 200% above baseline were associated with retraction of cells from the substrate. The ability of vitronectin adherent cells to activate exogenous plasmin was completely blocked in the presence of neutralizing antibodies against urokinase. These data represent the first demonstration that vitronectin-associated PAI-1 regulates urokinase in focal contact areas.
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PMID:Plasminogen activator inhibitor type I stabilizes vitronectin-dependent adhesions in HT-1080 cells. 169 54

Extravascular coagulation and fibrinolysis are intimately involved in and modulate cancer cell growth, invasion and metastasis. Samples from resection specimens of patients with primary lung cancer (adenocarcinomas) were tested with monoclonal (MAb) and polyclonal (PAb) antibodies against various factors of the coagulation or fibrinolysis systems, or against antigens of inflammatory or proliferating cells. MAb Ki-67 specific to nuclear antigens of proliferating cells showed a distinct but variable staining of cell nuclei throughout the tumor tissue. Nests of tumor tissue stained with cytokeratin-specific antibodies (PKK1), whereas other parts were negative. Fibrin(ogen) and fibronectin were found throughout the tumor tissue stroma and in the alveolar lining, and the most densely stained areas were at the transition zone between normal and tumor tissue. Fibrinolytic system components like tissue plasminogen activators (t-PA), and urokinase (u-PA), and their inhibitors PAI-1 and PAI-2 were all studied. All specimens were negative for t-PA (except endothelial linings), whereas urokinase-specific antibodies stained loosely packed tumor cells and macrophages within the tumor stromal tissue and alveolar septa. Both PAI-1 and PAI-2 were most prominently expressed within interstitial and alveolar macrophages. A weaker staining of tumor tissue cells was demonstrated. Inflammatory cells like macrophages and T lymphocytes were located in aggregates or diffusely spread within tumor stromal tissue. The inflammatory reaction was most intense at the border between normal lung and tumor tissue.
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PMID:Immunohistochemical localization of coagulation, fibrinolytic and antifibrinolytic markers in adenocarcinoma of the lung. 172 Mar 19


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