Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound   Target Concepts: Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound

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Query: EC:4.2.3.23 (GAS)
957 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Site-directed mutagenesis of the three binding sites for the mammary factor MPBF in the beta-lactoglobulin (BLG) promoter demonstrates that MPBF is a transcriptional activator of the BLG gene in mammary cells. MPBF requires phosphorylation on tyrosine for maximum binding activity and binds to GAS (interferon gamma-activation site) elements which are similar to the MPBF binding sites. Prolactin induces MPBF binding activity in CHO cells and is not antigenically related to Stat1 (p91) and Stat2 (p113), suggesting that this transcription factor is likely to be another member of the STAT family of cytokine/growth factor-induced transcription factors.
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PMID:The mammary factor MPBF is a prolactin-induced transcriptional regulator which binds to STAT factor recognition sites. 752 Aug 71

IL-4 regulates transcription of the germ-line gamma 1 Ig gene in murine B cells and by doing so targets this isotype for switch recombination by an unknown mechanism. In this study, we have identified an IL-4-induced DNA-binding protein factor in murine B cells designated NF-IL-4-gamma 1. This factor binds specifically to a site within a 13-bp DNA sequence extending from -125 to -113 (5' CATTCACATGAAG 3') in the germ-line gamma 1 promoter and shown previously to be important for IL-4-responsive transcription. This sequence is highly homologous to the IFN-gamma activation site or GAS, and competitive binding studies demonstrate that NF-IL-4-gamma 1 can also bind to GAS elements in the promoters of two IFN-gamma-responsive genes and to an IL-4-responsive element in the germ-line epsilon Ig promoter. NF-IL-4-gamma 1 is rapidly induced in the absence of de novo protein synthesis and expression is sustained through day 4 of in vitro culture with IL-4 and LPS. Induction of NF-IL-4-gamma 1 is inhibited by the kinase inhibitor staurosporine and the factor itself requires phosphorylation for binding activity. The binding specificity and expression characteristics of NF-IL-4-gamma 1 suggest identity with other recently described IL-4-activated, GAS-binding factors that are members of the signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) family of cytokine-responsive transcription factors.
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PMID:IL-4 activates a latent DNA-binding factor that binds a shared IFN-gamma and IL-4 response element present in the germ-line gamma 1 Ig promoter. 772 6

Estrogen biosynthesis in adipose tissue increases with age and obesity, and has been implicated in the development of endometrial cancer and breast cancer. In normal human adipose tissue, expression of the CYP19 gene which encodes aromatase P450, the enzyme responsible for estrogen biosynthesis, is regulated by a distal promoter, namely promoter I.4. Stimulation of expression in adipose stromal cells by members of the type 1 cytokine family, i.e. interleukin (IL)-6, IL-11, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) and oncostatin M (OSM), is mediated via a Jak-STAT3 signaling pathway and a GAS element upstream of promoter I.4. In contrast, aromatase expression in breast adipose tissue proximal to tumor is increased three- to four-fold to the utilization of another promoter, namely promoter II, proximal to the translation initiation site. In the present report, we show that prostaglandin (PG) E2 is the most potent factor which stimulates aromatase expression via cyclic AMP and promoter II. PGE2 acts via EP1 and EP2 receptor subtypes to stimulate both the PKC and PKA pathways. The combined stimulation of both of these pathways results in the maximal expression of promoter II-specific CYP19 transcripts. Because PGE2 is a major secretory product both of breast tumor epithelial cells and fibroblasts, as well as of macrophages infiltrating the tumor site, then this could be the mechanism whereby estrogen biosynthesis is stimulated in breast sites adjacent to a tumor, leading in turn to increased growth and development of the tumor itself.
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PMID:Transcriptional regulation of CYP19 gene (aromatase) expression in adipose stromal cells in primary culture. 936 91

The multifunctional signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) proteins relay signals from the cell membrane to the nucleus in response to cytokines and growth factors. STAT4 becomes activated when cells are treated with interleukin-12, a key cytokine regulator of cell-mediated immunity. Upon activation, dimers of STAT4 bind cooperatively to tandem interferon-gamma activation sequences (GAS elements) near the interferon-gamma gene and stimulate its transcription. The amino-terminal domain of STAT4 (STAT4(1-124)) is required for cooperative binding interactions between STAT4 dimers and activation of interferon-gamma transcription in response to interleukin-12. We have overproduced this domain of human STAT4 (hSTAT4(1-124)) in Escherichia coli and purified it to homogeneity for structural studies. The circular dichroism spectrum of hSTAT4(1-124) indicates that it has a well ordered conformation in solution. The translational diffusion constant of hSTAT4(1-124) was determined by nuclear magnetic resonance methods and found to be consistent with that of a dimer. The rotational correlation time (tauc) of hSTAT4(1-124) was estimated from 15N relaxation to be 16 ns; this value is consistent with a 29-kDa dimeric protein. These results, together with the number of signals observed in the two-dimensional 1H-15N heteronuclear single quantum coherence spectrum of uniformly 15N-labeled protein, indicate that hSTAT4(1-124) forms a stable, symmetric homodimer in solution. Cooperativity in native STAT4 probably results from a similar or identical interaction between the amino-terminal domains of adjacent dimers bound to DNA.
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PMID:The amino-terminal domain of human STAT4. Overproduction, purification, and biophysical characterization. 964 77

Cytokines, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-12, and IL-15 are key regulators of human peripheral blood T and NK cell activation and differentiation but the precise mechanisms that give rise to their differential activities within these cells are not clear. Recent studies reveal that a family of transcription factors, signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs) directly mediate many cytokine signals. We analyzed the activation of STATs in primary human T and NK cells by a variety of specific cytokines. We demonstrate that IL-12 induces STAT4 only in freshly isolated primary NK cells, but not in primary T cells, consistent with the lack of the IL-12 receptor in resting T cells. In contrast, IL-4 induces different C epsilon GAS DNA-protein binding complexes in both T and NK cells. Moreover, IL-4 costimulation with IL-2 or IL-12 does not alter their own preferential GAS-like DNA binding patterns when C epsilon-, Fc gamma RI-, and SIE GAS motif containing oligonucleotide probes are compared, suggesting that induction of GAS-like DNA-protein binding complexes by IL-2, IL-4, and IL-12 is highly selective and represents one important factor in determining specific gene activation. In addition, IL-6 and IL-2 synergistically induce homo- and heterodimerized STAT1 alpha and STAT3 in both NK and T cells, consistent with their reported synergism in modulating perforin gene expression. We further demonstrated that IL-2, -7, and -15 induce multiple STAT proteins, including STAT5a, STAT5b, STAT1 alpha, STAT3, and another unidentified Fc gamma RI GAS DNA-binding protein. Finally, we observed that activated STAT5a and STAT5b proteins form distinct Fc gamma RI GAS binding patterns in T and NK cells, suggesting that they might have different roles in gene regulation. Our data provide evidence that the differential responses in gene expression and cell activation seen in primary NK and T cells on direct stimulation with different cytokines may be a direct result of distinct activation of STAT transcription factors.
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PMID:Characterization of cytokine differential induction of STAT complexes in primary human T and NK cells. 971 65

Interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) is a pleiotropic cytokine that has antiviral, antiproliferative, and immunoregulatory functions. There is increasing evidence that IFN-alpha has an important role in T-cell biology. We have analyzed the expression of IL-2Ralpha, c-myc, and pim-1 genes in anti-CD3-activated human T lymphocytes. The induction of these genes is associated with interleukin-2 (IL-2)-induced T-cell proliferation. Treatment of T lymphocytes with IFN-alpha, IL-2, IL-12, and IL-15 upregulated IL-2Ralpha, c-myc, and pim-1 gene expression. IFN-alpha also sensitized T cells to IL-2-induced proliferation, further suggesting that IFN-alpha may be involved in the regulation of T-cell mitogenesis. When we analyzed the nature of STAT proteins capable of binding to IL-2Ralpha, pim-1, and IRF-1 GAS elements after cytokine stimulation, we observed IFN-alpha-induced binding of STAT1, STAT3, and STAT4, but not STAT5 to all of these elements. Yet, IFN-alpha was able to activate binding of STAT5 to the high-affinity IFP53 GAS site. IFN-alpha enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT1, STAT3, STAT4, STAT5a, and STAT5b. IL-12 induced STAT4 and IL-2 and IL-15 induced STAT5 binding to the GAS elements. Taken together, our results suggest that IFN-alpha, IL-2, IL-12, and IL-15 have overlapping activities on human T cells. These findings thus emphasize the importance of IFN-alpha as a T-cell regulatory cytokine.
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PMID:Interferon-alpha activates multiple STAT proteins and upregulates proliferation-associated IL-2Ralpha, c-myc, and pim-1 genes in human T cells. 1006 71

CXCL 11, encoded by the cDNA sequences designated beta-R1, H-174, or I-TAC, is a CXC chemokine ligand for CXCR3 and assumed to be involved in inflammatory diseases characterized by the presence of activated T-cells. We here describe the genomic organization (four exons interrupted by three introns of 585, 98 and 230 bp) and sequence including 960 bp from the immediate 5'-upstream region of the human CXCL 11 gene. Within the promoter region, consensus sequences for regulatory elements (ISRE, GAS, NF-kappaB) important for cytokine-induced gene transcription were identified. The effect of (pro)inflammatory cytokines on CXCL 11 mRNA expression in monocytic cell lines (THP-1, U937) and primary cultures of dermal fibroblasts and endothelial cells were examined using Northern blot analysis. For these cell types, IFN-gamma was a potent inducer of CXCL 11 transcription, which was synergistically enhanced by TNF-alpha.
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PMID:Genomic organization, sequence and transcriptional regulation of the human CXCL 11(1) gene. 1039 32

Angiotensin (Ang) II stimulates proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) via its specific receptor AT1 subtype, possibly leading to atherosclerosis in hypertension. On the other hand, a cytokine interferon (IFN)-gamma has been shown to have an anti-atherosclerotic effect. In the present study, we examined a possible role of IFN-gamma in AT1 receptor gene regulation in VSMC. A firefly luciferase expression vector driven by the rat AT1a receptor gene promoter ( approximately 3.2 kb) was transfected into the cultured rat VSMC, and luciferase expression was determined to estimate the transcription function of the AT1a receptor gene promoter. RT-PCR was also carried out to determine mRNA expression of AT1a receptor in VSMC. IFN-gamma treatment decreased AT1a receptor mRNA expression as well as luciferase expression in a dose-dependent manner. The analysis with deletion DNA fragments showed that the IFN-responsive element was located between -987 and -331 positions, where multiple GAS (gamma interferon activated site)-like elements were identified. The expression suppression was reversed by either a MAPKK inhibitor PD98059 or a Jak-2 inhibitor AG-490. These results suggest that IFN-gamma can inhibit AT1 receptor expression at gene transcription level, and that the transcription suppression is dependent on MAP kinase and Jak-2. Inhibition of AT1a receptor expression may possibly be implicated in the anti-atherosclerotic action of IFN-gamma in VSMC.
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PMID:Transcriptional suppression of rat angiotensin AT1a receptor gene expression by interferon-gamma in vascular smooth muscle cells. 1046 2

Communication through gap junction channels provides a major signaling mechanism during early brain histogenesis, a developmental time during which neural progenitor cells are inexcitable and do not express ligand-gated channel responses to the major CNS neurotransmitters. Expression of different gap junction types during neurogenesis may therefore define intercellular pathways for transmission of developmentally relevant molecules. To better understand the molecular mechanism(s) by which growth and differentiation of neurons are modulated by gap junction channels, we have been examining the developmental effects of a specific set of cytokines on differentiation and gap junction expression in a conditionally immortalized mouse embryonic hippocampal neuronal progenitor cell line (MK31). When multipotent MK31 cells are in an uncommitted state, they uniformly express the neuroepithelial intermediate filament class VI marker, nestin, are strongly coupled by gap junctions composed of connexin43 (Cx43) and express connexin45 (Cx45) at the mRNA level. As these cells undergo neuronal lineage commitment and exit from cell cycle, they begin to express the early neurofilament marker, NF66, and coupling strength and expression of Cx43 begin to decline with concurrent expression of other connexin proteins, including Cx26, Cx33, Cx36, Cx40 and Cx45. Terminal neuronal differentiation is heralded by the expression of more advanced neurofilament proteins, increased morphologic maturation, the elaboration of inward currents and action potentials that possess mature physiological properties, and changing profiles of expression of connexin subtypes, including upregulation of Cx36 expression. These important developmental transitions are regulated by a complex network of cell cycle checkpoints. To begin to examine the precise roles of gap junction proteins in traversing these developmental checkpoints and in thus regulating neurogenesis, we have focused on individual members of two classes of genes involved in these seminal events: ID (inhibitor of differentiation)-1 and GAS (growth arrest-specific gene)5. When MK31 cells were maintained in an uncommitted state, levels of ID-1 mRNA were high and GAS5 transcripts were essentially undetectable. Application of cytokines that promote neuronal lineage commitment and cell cycle exit resulted in down-regulation of ID-1 and upregulation of GAS5 transcripts, whereas additional cytokine paradigms that promoted terminal neuronal differentiation resulted in the delayed down-regulation of GAS5 mRNA. Stable MK31 transfectants were generated for ID-1 and GAS5. In basal conditions, cellular proliferation was enhanced in the ID-1 transfectants and inhibited in the GAS5 transfectants when compared with control MK31 cells. When cytokine-mediated neurogenesis was examined in these transfected cell lines, constitutive expression of ID-1 inhibited and constitutive expression of GAS5 enhanced initial and terminal stages of neuronal differentiation, with evidence that terminal neuronal maturation in both transfectant lines was associated with decreased cellular viability, possibly due to the presence of conflicting cell cycle-associated developmental signals. These experimental reagents will prove to be valuable experimental tools to help define the functional interrelationships between changing profiles of connexin protein expression and cell cycle regulation during neuronal ontogeny in the mammalian brain. The present review summarizes the current state of research involving the temporal expression of such connexin types in differentiating hippocampal neurons and speculates on the possible role of these intercellular channels in the development and plasticity of the nervous system. In addition, we describe the functional properties and expression pattern of the newly discovered neuronal-specific gap junctional protein, Cx36, in the developing mouse fetal hippocampus and in the rat retina and brain.
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PMID:Temporal expression of neuronal connexins during hippocampal ontogeny. 1075 57

The present study was carried out to gain insight into the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of streptococcal toxic shock syndrome (TSS) and other acute invasive diseases caused by Streptococcus pyogenes (GAS). Specifically, since both whole bacteria and their soluble products are often present in the blood in these conditions, we sought to detect possible synergic activities of somatic and extracellular products in inducing mediators release. For this purpose, whole blood cultures from healthy donors were incubated with different concentrations of streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A (SpeA), which is considered a major molecular effector of TSS, heat-killed GAS and cell-wall components such as lipoteichoic acid (LTA) and soluble peptidoglican (sPGN). Significant levels of TNF-alpha, IL-1 alpha and IFN-gamma were found in supernatants from cultures incubated with each of the four inducers alone. Whole GAS and both cell-wall components were more effective (p < 0.05) than SpeA in inducing cytokine release. Whole GAS, at weight basis, was a more potent inducer than LTA and sPGN and LTA, at weight basis, was a more potent inducer than sPGN. In order to verify possible additive or synergic effects of exotoxic and parietal compounds in inducing cytokine release, whole blood cells were incubated with mixtures of SpeA and LTA at different molecular ratio. TNF-alpha, IL-1 alpha and IFN-gamma levels in supernatants were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in supernatants of cultures stimulated simultaneously with the two components than those of cultures stimulated with a single agent. Moreover, these levels were significantly higher than the sum of cytokine levels induced by single components. This study shows that parietal compounds can act in synergy with exotoxins in inducing the release of cytokines, which appear to be the major mediators of TSS.
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PMID:Synergic activities of streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin A and lipoteichoic acid in cytokine induction. 1094 4


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