Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0006142 (breast cancer)
 160,383 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We have previously reported [(Ohno, T., Sweet, R.W., Hu, R., DeJak, D. & Spiegelman, S. (1977) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 74, 764-768)] on the purification and characterization of the DNA polymerase from human breast cancer particles. Its preference for certain synthetic templates and its ability to use a viral RNA to fashion a faithful DNA transcript identify it as a reverse transcriptase similar to that found in the mouse mammary tumor virus and in the Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (MPMV). We report here that the human breast cancer enzyme crossreacts immunologically with the reverse transcriptase of MPMV. The crossreactivity was shown both by inhibition of enzyme activity and by complex formation between purified enzyme and isolated IgG against MPMV polymerase. No such interactions were observed with other oncornavirus reverse transcriptases of avian, murine, feline, or simian origin. Further, the IgG failed to neutralize the reverse transcriptases from human mesenchymal neoplasias (leukemias and lymphomas) or the activities of normal cellular DNA polymerases (alpha, beta, gamma).
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PMID:Antigenic relatedness of the DNA polymerase of human breast cancer particles to the enzyme of the Mason-Pfizer monkey virus. 6 75

Previous studies have identified human breast tumor particles possessing many of the features characteristic of RNA tumor viruses. In addition to the expected size (600 S) and density (1.16 g/ml) these include possession of an outer membrane and an inner one surrounding a "core" containing a DNA polymerase and a large-molecular-weight (70S) RNA possessing detectable homology to the RNAs of the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) and of the Mason-Pfizer monkey virus (MPMV). We report here the purification and characterization of the DNA polymerase from the human breast cancer particles. Its key properties are very similar to those ofthe RNA-dependent DNA nucleotidyltransferase (reverse transcriptase) found in MMTV and MPMV. Thus like these viral enzymes, the purified human breast cancer DNA polymerase exhibits the following three features that together distinguish the known viral reverse transcriptases from normal cellular DNA polymerases: (i) a strong preference for oligo(dT)-poly(rA) over oligo(dT)-poly(dA) as a template for the synthesis of poly(dT); (ii) the acceptance of the highly specific oligo(dG)-poly(rCm) as a template for the formation of poly(dG); (iii) the ability to use a viral RNA (AMV) as a template to fashion a faithful DNA complementary copy; and (iv) its preference for Mg++ over Mn++. In summary, the data described here on the enzyme of the human breast cancer particles add further evidence of similarities to the viral agents associated with the corresponding malignancies in the mouse and monkey models. To date, an enzyme with these properties has not been detected in normal breast tissues or in benign tumors of the breast.
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PMID:Purification and characterization of the DNA polymerase of human breast cancer particles. 26 40

Although specific cancer targets are difficult to identify, the recent development of antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (aODNs) as inhibitors of gene expression has been shown to provide a new and useful tool in antiblastic management. aODNs are able to specifically interact with gene or mRNA sequences and inhibit the expression of relevant molecules for cancer pathogenesis and progression. Since alpha-DNA polymerase (pol-alpha) plays an essential role in cell proliferation, aODNs to pol-alpha have been synthesized in order to block mRNA translation and affect the growth of MDA-MB 231, human breast cancer cell line and SW626 ovarian cancer cells. A rapid colorimetric test (MTT assay) which measures cell growth and survival has been employed to evaluate the effects induced by ODN treatment. The present experimental results demonstrate that the aODNs to pol-alpha are able to significantly affect cell proliferation. This study provides an encouraging basis for the exploitation of ODNs as therapeutic agents in vitro and in future clinical application.
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PMID:The use of antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (aODNs) for the therapy of cancer. 184 Oct 51

Since 1983, a series of experimental and clinical studies have been carried out on the possibility of enhancing the chemotherapy effectiveness in breast cancer by expanding the fraction of cycling cells. Theoretically estrogens should recruit breast cancer cells and this fact should result in a higher killing efficiency of antiproliferative drugs. Actually it has been clearly shown, by means of the thymidine labeling index and primer-dependent alpha-DNA polymerase assay, that low doses of diethylstilbesterol are able to increase the tumor proliferative activity of human breast cancer in vivo (estrogenic recruitment). Three randomized trials have been carried out (one in locally advanced and two in metastatic breast cancer) comparing conventional polychemotherapy vs chemotherapy with estrogenic recruitment. Only limited advantages have been observed in these trials. Searching for new modalities of kinetic manipulation of tumors, recombinant human growth hormone has been employed in a pilot study: the preliminary results indicate that it largely enhances tumor proliferative activity, suggesting the possibility of employing a growth factor system to increase chemosensitivity.
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PMID:In vivo manipulation of human breast cancer growth by estrogens and growth hormone: kinetic and clinical results. 198 Oct 14

Proliferating cells, independent of their position in the cell cycle, contain a primer-dependent alpha-DNA polymerase (PDP); we have, therefore, tested the feasibility of the PDP assay in breast, ovarian, and head and neck tumors. Experimental results demonstrate that the PDP labeling index (PDP-LI) is constantly superior to the thymidine labeling index (TLI), which indicates the percentage of S phase cells. The PDP-LI/TLI ratios observed were 5.0 in breast cancer, 3.6 in ovarian cancer, and 2.5 in head and neck tumors. Higher PDP-LI scores have been obtained in metastatic breast tumor samples (PDP-LI = 8.8) compared to nonmetastatic tumors (PDP-LI = 4.9).
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PMID:Proliferative activity of human solid tumors evaluated by thymidine labeling index and primer-dependent alpha-DNA polymerase. 380 72

We have evaluated the feasibility of a cytokinetically oriented regimen based on the induction of cell recruitment by diethylstilbestrol (DES) in locally advanced human breast cancer. Tumor proliferative activity was evaluated by the thymidine labeling index and the primer-dependent alpha-DNA polymerase labeling index, which gives an in vitro estimation of the growth fraction. Sixteen previously untreated patients received DES (1 mg daily for 3 days) followed by FAC [5-fluorouracil (600 mg/m2): Adriamycin (50 mg/m2): Cytoxan (600 mg/m2)] i.v. on day 4 every 21 days. Radical surgery was delayed to allow for three DES-FAC regimens in responsive patients. Proliferative activity on tumor biopsies was evaluated immediately before and after treatment with DES, 24 h after chemotherapy and, in nine patients, at the time of radical surgery. DES was able to induce a significant increase in thymidine labeling index in 8 of 16 patients, while the primer-dependent alpha-DNA polymerase labeling index was significantly increased in 13 of 16 tumors, independently of their estrogen receptor content. Subsequently administered chemotherapy induced an early decrease in tumor proliferation. In the nine patients submitted to surgery after three DES plus FAC courses, the average thymidine labeling index and primer-dependent alpha-DNA polymerase labeling index were 27.8 and 73% of the pretreatment values. Our preliminary results provide the rationale for the design of new therapeutic schemes in which antitumor drugs are given at the time of estrogen-induced tumor cell recruitment. Further extended studies are required to establish whether induction of tumor cell recruitment will actually translate into appreciable improvement of the clinical response to chemotherapy.
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PMID:Chemotherapy following estrogen-induced expansion of the growth fraction of human breast cancer. 405 64

The feasibility of a cytokinetic chemotherapy based on estrogenic recruitment has been evaluated in 5 patients, affected by locally advanced breast cancer with low or absent receptor content. Tumor proliferative activity was evaluated by the thymidine labeling index (TLI) and the primer-dependent alpha DNA polymerase assay (PDP-LI) which gives an in vitro estimation of tumor growth fraction. The patients have been treated with diethylstilbestrol (DES) 1 mg/die. for 3 days, followed by FAC (5-Fluorouracil 600 mg/m2, Adriamycin 50 mg/m2, Cytoxan 600 mg/m2) i.v. on day 4 q. 21 days. Radical surgery was performed after 3 DES-FAC regimens. Tumor biopsies for evaluation of tumor proliferative activity were performed immediately before and after DES and 24 h after chemotherapy. Our results demonstrate that DES was able to induce an increase in TLI in 3/5 of the patients while the PDP-LI was significantly increased in 5/5 of the patients; subsequent chemotherapy induced a sharp decrease in tumor proliferation. These results provide the rationale for the design of cytokinetic regimens where chemotherapy is administered at the time of estrogen induced tumor cell recruitment.
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PMID:Estrogen induced expansion of the growth fraction in receptor negative human breast cancer. 409 31

We have recently established four new human breast cancer cell lines that were characterized as being of human mammary origin. We examined these cell lines for particles morphologically resembling retroviruses by electron microscopy, for extracellular and intracellular particles containing high-molecular-weight RNA and RNA-directed DNA polymerase by biochemical assays, and for mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV)-related sequences in the cell genomes by molecular hybridization. An extensive search for budding particles by thin-section electron microscopy of cells did not provide evidence for retrovirus-like particles. Similarly, 1000- to 2000-fold concentrated samples of medium harvested from 10(8) cells did not contain particles of a density of 1.14 to 1.16 g/ml containing RNA-directed DNA polymerase. Compared with DNA polymerase activity of MMTV, and taking into account the particle weight and protein content of retroviruses, we estimate that, if these cells produce retrovirus-like particles, this production would be less than 1.6 particles/cell every 24 to 72 hr. The hybridization of cell DNA with MMTV complementary DNA also did not show detectable amounts of virus-related sequences in the cell genome. Analysis of the hybridization results suggested that, if the human breast cells contained MMTV-related sequences, they must be present in less than one copy per 100 cells. Thus, we have obtained no convincing evidence for the presence of retrovirus-like particles or subviral components in these cells. It is of course possible that these cells contain virus information but at levels below the sensitivity of our assay procedures.
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PMID:Search for retrovirus-like particles in human breast cancer cells in culture. 616 39

Two DNA polymerases with properties of viral RNA-directed DNA polymerase were found in the placenta of a patient with breast cancer. Both enzyme activities were purified by column-chromatographic procedures or by preparative isoelectric focusing. The most distinguishing feature of the two enzymes is their specificity to transcribe (rA)n . (dT)12 or (rC)n . (dG)18. The two enzymes differ with respect to their elution profiles from the phosphocellulose column, isoelectric point, molecular weight, bivalent-cation requirements and thermal stability. Serological analysis of the (rA)n . (dT)12-activated enzyme showed that this enzyme is immunologically not related to DNA polymerase-gamma, or to any of the reverse transcriptases purified from retroviruses of avian, murine and subprimate origin. However, the activity of this enzyme was neutralized by antibodies to reverse transcriptase purified from human spleen of a patient with myelofibrosis [Chandra & Steel (1977) Biochem. J. 167, 513-524]. Attempts to purify reverse transcriptase of normal human placenta were repeatedly unsuccessful. Once the crude homogenate of normal placenta was freed from endogenous nucleic acids, no (rC)n . (dG)18-dependent activity cold be detected.U
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PMID:Evidence for two forms of reverse transcriptase in human placenta of a patient with breast cancer. Purification and biochemical characterization of the enzymes. 617 35

Taking advantage of the fact that estrogens can stimulate proliferation of antiestrogen-inhibited MCF-7 cells has enabled us to study molecular events involved in steroid-mediated growth of tumor cells, using a breast cancer cell line which otherwise is affected very little in its growth by estrogens. Under these growth conditions, estradiol stimulates DNA polymerase activity in a manner analogous with reported estrogen effects on enzyme activity in normal target tissues. We also observed dissociation of estrogen effects on cell growth and PgR stimulation, indicating that PgR induction and estrogen-mediated cell division may involve separate control mechanisms. The relative rate of synthesis of the 24,000 molecular weight protein is also increased under these conditions of estrogen-stimulated cell growth. Since increased synthesis of the 24,000 molecular weigh protein was determined not to be a reflection of different stages of cell growth, we suggest that this protein is regulated specifically by estrogens and that it may be a marker of estrogen stimulated growth of human breast tumor cells.
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PMID:Estrogen regulation of growth and specific protein synthesis in human breast cancer cells in tissue culture. 734 12


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