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 serine proteinase inhibitor (serpin) plasminogen activator inhibitor type 2 (PAI-2) is well characterized as an inhibitor of extracellular urokinase-type plasminogen activator. Here we show that intracellular, but not extracellular, PAI-2 protected cells from the rapid cytopathic effects of alphavirus infection. This protection did not appear to be related to an effect on apoptosis but was associated with a PAI-2-mediated induction of constitutive low-level interferon (IFN)-alpha/beta production and IFN-stimulated gene factor 3 (ISGF3) activation, which primed the cells for rapid induction of antiviral genes. This primed phenotype was associated with a rapid development of resistance to infection by the PAI-2 transfected cells and the establishment of a persistent productive infection. PAI-2 was also induced in macrophages in response to viral RNA suggesting that PAI-2 is a virus response gene. These observations, together with the recently demonstrated PAI-2-mediated inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-alpha induced apoptosis, (a) illustrate that PAI-2 has an additional and distinct function as an intracellular regulator of signal transduction pathway(s) and (b) demonstrate a novel activity for a eukaryotic serpin.
 ...
PMID:The serine proteinase inhibitor (serpin) plasminogen activation inhibitor type 2 protects against viral cytopathic effects by constitutive interferon alpha/beta priming. 960 21

The urokinase receptor (uPAR) influences several biological functions relevant to lung injury and repair, including proteolysis, cell migration, and adhesion. In malignant mesothelioma cells, we recently found that a posttranscriptional mechanism involving a cis-trans interaction between a uPAR mRNA sequence and a cytoplasmic uPAR mRNA binding protein (mRNABP) regulates uPAR gene expression (S. Shetty, A. Kumar, and S. Idell. Mol. Cell Biol. 17: 1075-1083, 1997). In this study, we sought to determine if uPAR expression in lung and pleural cells involves a similar posttranscriptional pathway. We first identified and characterized the uPAR mRNABP in rabbit tissues using gel mobility shift, ultraviolet (UV) cross-linking, and RNase protection assays and detected it in liver, heart, brain, spleen, colon, and lung. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate, lipopolysaccharide, transforming growth factor-beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, or cycloheximide induced uPAR and uPAR mRNA expression in cultured rabbit pleural mesothelial cells and lung fibroblasts and concurrently reduced the uPAR mRNA-uPAR mRNABP interaction. Using conventional and affinity chromatography, we purified a 50-kDa uPAR mRNABP that selectively binds to a 51-nucleotide fragment of the uPAR coding region. This protein migrates as a monomer when analyzed by SDS-PAGE and UV cross-linking and does not possess intrinsic RNase activity in vitro. A uPAR mRNABP physicochemically and functionally similar to that of human malignant mesothelioma is constitutively expressed in the rabbit lung and other nonneoplastic tissues. In rabbit lung fibroblasts and mesothelial cells, expression of uPAR involves posttranscriptional regulation whereby the uPAR mRNABP appears to interact with a specific coding region cis-element to decrease the stability of uPAR mRNA.
 ...
PMID:A urokinase receptor mRNA binding protein from rabbit lung fibroblasts and mesothelial cells. 960 25

A stable immortalized venous endothelial cell (IVEC) line, obtained by transfection of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), retains many normal differentiated endothelial characteristics. We compared the fibrinolytic activities of IVEC and HUVEC, and observed that IVEC express a more profibrinolytic phenotype than HUVEC, since they bind and activate plasminogen more efficiently, produce more tissue plasminogen activator and urokinase-type plasminogen activator antigens, and secrete less plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 antigen both under basal conditions and after stimulation with lipopolysaccharide, phorbol ester and tumor necrosis factor. Moreover, immunostaining and Western blotting of IVEC for the plasminogen/tissue plasminogen activator receptor annexin II, as well as Northern blotting of annexin II mRNA, revealed similar patterns of surface expression in IVEC and HUVEC. Plasminogen activator inhibitor-2 is expressed similarly in both cell types. IVEC may be a useful human model for functional and pharmacological explorations and modulations of fibrinolytic system components.
 ...
PMID:Profibrinolytic properties characterize a stably transformed human endothelial cell line. 962 13

The role played by serine proteinases with trypsin-like specificity in chondrocyte-mediated cartilage proteoglycan breakdown was investigated by use of a selective proteinase inactivator, 7-amino-4-chloro-3-(-3-isothiureidopropoxy)isocoumarin, in explant culture systems. This compound was a rapid inactivator of urokinase-type plasminogen activator. It potently inhibited interleukin 1- and tumor necrosis factor-stimulated proteoglycan release from both nasal and articular cartilage. Its less potent inhibition of basal and retinoic acid-stimulated release appeared to be due to cytotoxic effects. The functional half-life of the inactivator in culture medium was 95 min, and its concentration in cartilage was 2.5-fold higher than in the surrounding medium. Following spontaneous hydrolysis the breakdown products of the inactivator were unable to inhibit proteoglycan release. Trypsin-like activity was demonstrated by enzyme histochemistry to be chondrocyte-associated and inhibited by the serine proteinase inactivator. Cell-associated and secreted plasminogen activator activity was detected by zymography. These results suggest the involvement of a serine proteinase(s) with trypsin-like specificity, possibly urokinase-type plasminogen activator, in chondrocyte-mediated cartilage proteoglycan breakdown occurring as a result of stimulation with proinflammatory cytokines. Basal proteoglycan breakdown may occur via a different pathway. Our findings point to a pathological role for serine proteinase(s) in the development of cartilage diseases such as arthritis, possibly in a cascade which results in the activation of the enzyme(s) directly responsible for proteoglycan breakdown. It remains to be shown whether the target serine proteinase is urokinase-type plasminogen activator.
 ...
PMID:A serine proteinase inactivator inhibits chondrocyte-mediated cartilage proteoglycan breakdown occurring in response to proinflammatory cytokines. 964 62

Activation and inhibition of coagulation and fibrinolysis was analyzed in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluids obtained from endotoxin-challenged chimpanzees. The mediatory role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) on endotoxin-induced changes in bronchoalveolar coagulation and fibrinolysis was investigated in experiments in which the infusion of endotoxin was combined with the administration of monoclonal anti-TNF-alpha or anti-IL-6 antibodies. Endotoxin infusion elicited a marked increase in bronchoalveolar thrombin generation as measured by levels of prothrombin activation fragment F1+2 and thrombin-antithrombin complexes. Markers for intrinsic pathway activation were not detectable, suggesting that the thrombin generation was mediated by the tissue factor-dependent route. Levels of antithrombin were low before the injection of endotoxin and not detectable hereafter. The administration of anti-IL-6 antibody completely abolished the endotoxin-induced activation of bronchoalveolar coagulation, whereas treatment with anti-TNF-alpha antibody only partly inhibited this effect. Bronchoalveolar fibrinolytic activity, due to urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA), was significantly depressed after endotoxin injection, mainly due to a striking increase in plasminogen activator inhibitor-2 levels in BAL fluid. The endotoxin-induced effects on bronchoalveolar fibrinolysis could be blocked by the simultaneous administration of anti- TNF-alpha antibodies. We conclude that endotoxemia results in the activation of bronchoalveolar coagulation, which is apparently mediated by the tissue factor route of coagulation activation and which may be amplified by consumption of antithrombin III. Bronchoalveolar fibrinolytic activity is significantly abolished by increased levels of mainly PAI-2 after the injection of endotoxin. The endotoxin-induced effects on bronchoalveolar coagulation appears to be mediated by IL-6, whereas TNF-alpha seems to be the pivotal mediator of the endotoxin-induced depression of bronchoalveolar fibrinolysis.
 ...
PMID:Differential effects of anti-cytokine treatment on bronchoalveolar hemostasis in endotoxemic chimpanzees. 965 12

Angiogenesis, the formation of new capillary blood vessels, is a feature of a variety of pathological processes. To study the effects of a specific group of hormones (all ligands of the steroid/retinoid/thyroid hormone receptor superfamily) on the angiogenic process in humans, we have used a model system in which human microvascular endothelial cells from foreskin (hMVEC) are cultured on top of a human fibrin matrix in the presence of basic fibroblast growth factor and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. This model mimics the in vivo situation where fibrin appears to be a common component of the matrix present at sites of chronic inflammation and tumor stroma. Our results show that testosterone and dexamethasone are strong inhibitors and all-trans retinoic acid (at-RA) and 9-cis retinoic acid (9-cis RA) are potent stimulators of the formation of capillary-like tubular structures. These effects are mediated by their respective nuclear hormone receptors as demonstrated by the use of specific synthetic receptor agonists and antagonists. 17beta-estradiol, progesterone, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 did not affect or only weakly affected in vitro angiogenesis, which may be related to the lack of significant nuclear receptor expression. Although hMVEC express both thyroid hormone receptors alpha and beta, no effect of thyroid hormone on tube formation was found. The effects of testosterone, dexamethasone, at-RA, and 9-cis RA on tube formation were accompanied by parallel changes in urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) expression, at both mRNA and antigen levels. Exogenous suppletion of the medium with single chain u-PA enhances tube formation in our in vitro model, whereas quenching of u-PA activity (but not of tissue-type plasminogen activator activity) or of u-PA binding to u-PA receptor by specific antibodies suppressed basal and retinoid-stimulated tube formation. Moreover, addition of scu-PA to testosterone- or dexamethasone-treated hMVEC restored the suppressed angiogenic activity for a substantial part. Aprotinin, an inhibitor of plasmin activity, completely inhibited tube formation, indicating that the proteolytic properties of the u-PA/u-PA receptor complex are crucial in this process. Our results show that steroid hormones (testosterone and dexamethasone) and retinoids have strong, but opposite effects on tube formation in a human in vitro model reflecting pathological angiogenesis in the presence of fibrin and inflammatory mediators. These effects can be explained by hormone-receptor-mediated changes in u-PA expression, resulting in enhanced local proteolytic capacity of the u-PA/u-PA receptor complex.
 ...
PMID:Effect of steroid hormones and retinoids on the formation of capillary-like tubular structures of human microvascular endothelial cells in fibrin matrices is related to urokinase expression. 968 Mar 61

Human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HLMECs) secreted 1.5-15 times more urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) antigen than human hepatic microvascular endothelial cells, human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), angioma endothelial cells, and lung fibroblasts. All of these cells also secreted a 100-fold greater amount of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 than of uPA antigen, and uPA activities were not detected in the culture medium. The expression of uPA mRNA in HLMECs was higher (100-fold) compared with HUVECs, angioma endothelial cells, and lung fibroblasts. HLMECs secreted uPA antigen on both the luminal and basal sides of the cells. On the other hand, HLMECs secreted a 10- to 15-fold lower amount of tissue-type plasminogen activator than HUVECs, mostly on the luminal side. After stimulation with interleukin (IL)-1beta, HLMECs secreted a six- to ninefold amount of uPA antigen. In contrast, no stimulatory effect was observed in HUVECs even under high IL-1beta concentrations. The secretion of uPA and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 from HLMECs was also enhanced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha and IL-2. These results suggest that HLMECs may contribute not only to the patency of lung vessels but also to the maintenance of alveolar functions through the production and secretion of uPA, especially in the presence of inflammatory cytokines.
 ...
PMID:Increased secretion of urokinase-type plasminogen activator by human lung microvascular endothelial cells. 968 34

The serine proteinase inhibitor (serpin), plasminogen activator inhibitor type 2 (PAI-2), has been reported to inhibit tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) induced apoptosis. In order to begin to understand the molecular basis for this protection, we have investigated the importance of a structural domain within the PAI-2 molecule, the C-D interhelical region, in mediating the protective effect. The C-D interhelical region is a 33 amino acid insertion which is unique among serpins and has been implicated in transglutaminase catalyzed cross-linking of PAI-2 to cell membranes. We have constructed a mutant of PAI-2 wherein 23 amino acids are deleted from the C-D interhelical region generating a structure predicted to be homologous to the closely related, but non-inhibitory serpin, chicken ovalbumin. The PAI-2Delta65/87 deletion mutant retained inhibitory activity against its known serine proteinase target, urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA); however expression of this mutant in HeLa cells failed to protect from TNF-induced apoptosis. Analyses of the cellular distribution of PAI-2 showed that intracellular PAI-2, and not secreted or cell-surface PAI-2, was likely responsible for the observed protection from TNF-induced apoptosis. No evidence was found for specific cross-linking of PAI-2 to the plasma membrane in either control or TNF/cycloheximide treated cells. The data demonstrate that the PAI-2 C-D interhelical domain is functionally important in PAI-2 protection from TNF induced apoptosis and suggest a novel function for the C-D interhelical domain in the protective mechanism.
 ...
PMID:The C-D interhelical domain of the serpin plasminogen activator inhibitor-type 2 is required for protection from TNF-alpha induced apoptosis. 1020 Apr 61

Chromium(VI) regulation of gene expression has been attributed to the generation of reactive chromium and oxygen species, DNA damage, and alterations in mRNA stability. However, the effects of Cr(VI) on signal transduction leading to gene expression are not resolved. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of Cr(VI) on basal and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha)-induced transcriptional competence of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) in A549 human lung carcinoma cells. Pretreatment of A549 cells with nontoxic levels of Cr(VI) inhibited TNF-alpha-stimulated expression of the endogenous gene for interleukin-8 and of an NF-kappaB-driven luciferase gene construct, but not expression of urokinase, a gene with a more complex promoter. Chromium did not inhibit TNF-alpha-stimulated IkappaBalpha degradation or translocation of NF-kappaB-binding proteins to the nucleus. However, Cr(VI) pretreatments prevented TNF-alpha-stimulated interactions between the p65 subunit of NF-kappaB and the transcriptional cofactor cAMP-responsive element-binding protein-binding protein (CBP). This inhibition was not the result of an effect of chromium on the protein kinase A catalytic activity required for p65/CBP interactions. In contrast, Cr(VI) caused concentration-dependent increases in c-Jun/CBP interactions. These data indicate that nontoxic levels of hexavalent chromium selectively inhibit NF-kappaB transcriptional competence by inhibiting interactions with coactivators of transcription rather than DNA binding.
 ...
PMID:Chromium(VI) inhibits the transcriptional activity of nuclear factor-kappaB by decreasing the interaction of p65 with cAMP-responsive element-binding protein-binding protein. 1059 7

BACKGROUND: Antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) have been proposed as a new therapy for patients with cancer, including malignant brain tumors. Antisense ODNs are taken up by tumor cells and selectively block gene expression. Use of ODNs for brain tumors is attractive due to their theoretical specificity, relative ease of production and, to date, paucity of reported adverse effects. This article presents current information regarding antisense ODNs and their possible future use for the treatment of brain tumors. METHODS: The available published experimental and clinical information regarding antisense ODN treatment of glioblastoma cells and administration into the central nervous system (CNS) was reviewed. Other clinically relevant information pertaining to the molecular biology of antisense ODNs was also collected and summarized. RESULTS: Targets for antisense ODN therapy in malignant glioma cells have included c-myc, c-myb, c-sis, c-erb B, CD44, p34cdc2, bFGF, PDGF, TGF-beta, IGF-1, PKC-alpha tumor necrosis factor, urokinase, and S100beta protein. Few in vivo studies of ODN treatment of brain tumors have yet been reported. Systemically administered ODNs enter the brain only in extremely small quantities; therefore, microinfusion into the brain has been recommended. CONCLUSIONS: Antisense ODNs have been used successfully to block glioblastoma gene expression in vitro and expression of multiple genes within the CNS of experimental animals. Upcoming clinical trials will address the safety of antisense ODN use against malignant brain tumors.
 ...
PMID:Antisense Oligodeoxynucleotide Technology: Potential Use for the Treatment of Malignant Brain Tumors. 1076 Oct 27


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>