Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UMLS:C0017636 (glioblastoma)
 18,345 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

We have used molecular genetic methods to examine the status of cell cycle-inhibitory genes in human brain tumors. We found that p16 and a neighboring gene, p15, were often homozygously deleted in glioblastoma multiformes but not in medulloblastomas or ependymomas. The deletions occurred in both primary tumors and their derived xenografts, but no intragenic mutations in either of the two genes were found. The p15 gene was expressed in a more widespread pattern in normal tissues than p16, but the products of both genes had similar capacities to bind to cyclin D-dependent kinases 4 and 6. These data suggest that the target of deletion in glioblastoma multiforme includes both p15 and p16 genes. The reason that homozygous deletions, rather than intragenic mutations, are so common in these tumors may be that deletion is a more efficient mechanism for simultaneous inactivation of both genes.
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PMID:Deletion of p16 and p15 genes in brain tumors. 798 28

The p16INK4a gene product acts as a negative regulator of the cell cycle by binding to cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) 4 and 6, thereby inhibiting the formation of an active CDK/cyclin D complex. Deletion of the p16 locus has been observed in tumor cell lines and, less frequently, in primary human neoplasms. We analyzed 31 glioblastomas and identified 6 cases with hemizygous and 6 with homozygous deletions of the p16 locus. Eight of these cases showed a concurrent amplification of the EGFR gene (epidermal growth factor receptor) while the overall frequency was 35%. This close correlation suggests that deletion of the p16 chromosomal region constitutes another genetic hallmark of the primary glioblastoma, which rapidly develops de novo, without a less malignant precursor lesion and for which EGFR amplification is a characteristic genetic change. The p16 protein was not detectable in 15 of 22 glioblastomas but only 4 of these showed homozygous deletion of the gene. The alternative transcript p16 beta, for which a growth-suppressing function has been suggested, was co-expressed with p16 alpha mRNA in most cases. Hypermethylation of CpG islands in the 5' region of the p16 gene was identified in only 1 case, suggesting that this alternative mechanism of gene silencing is rarely responsible for loss of p16 expression in glioblastomas. Likewise, only 1 glioblastoma carried a p16 mutation and in addition, unexpectedly, a homozygous deletion of p16 in approximately 80% of tumor cells. This mutation, Arg24Pro, has previously been identified in a melanoma kindred.
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PMID:Hemizygous or homozygous deletion of the chromosomal region containing the p16INK4a gene is associated with amplification of the EGF receptor gene in glioblastomas. 933 10

The tumour suppressor gene p16/INK4a encodes a specific inhibitor of the cyclin D-dependent kinases CDK4 and CDK6. p16/INK4a prevents the association of CDK4 with cyclin D1, and subsequently inhibits phosphorylation of retinoblastoma tumour suppressor protein (pRb), thus preventing exit from the G1 phase. In human cancers, the estimated frequency of genetic alteration involving the p16/INK4a locus is believed to be second only to alteration of p53. A high frequency (greater than 50%) of homozygous p16/INK4a gene deletion has been demonstrated in glioblastoma tissues and p16/INK4a is altered in 80% of glioma cell lines. Therefore, restoration of p16/INK4a would suppress cell proliferation and induce cell growth arrest. We showed here that restoration of p16/INK4a expression in p16 negative U87MG, U251MG and partially deleted U373MG by Ad-CMV-p16/INK4a induced growth suppression in vitro and in vivo. Expression of p16 transferred by Ad-CMV-p16/INK4a in glioma cells was highly efficient and maintained for more than seven days. In addition, we found that the endogenous status of p16 and Rb might affect the expression of exogenous p16/INK4a gene and inhibitory effect of cell proliferation. Even though, there were several factors affecting the efficiency of Ad-CMV-p16/INK4 gene transfer, our results suggest that Ad-CMV-p16 gene therapy strategy is potentially useful and warrants further clinical investigation for the treatment of gliomas.
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PMID:Growth inhibitory effect on glioma cells of adenovirus-mediated p16/INK4a gene transfer in vitro and in vivo. 1102 24

Loss of function of the p53 tumor suppressor gene due to mutation occurs early in astrocytoma tumorigenesis in about 30-40% of cases. This is believed to confer a growth advantage to the cells, allowing them to clonally expand due to loss of the p53-controlled G1 checkpoint and apoptosis. Genetic instability due to the impaired ability of p53 to mediate DNA damage repair further facilitates the acquisition of new genetic abnormalities, leading to malignant progression of an astrocytoma into anaplastic astrocytoma. This is reflected by a high rate of p53 mutation (60-70%) in anaplastic astrocytomas. The cell cycle control gets further compromised in astrocytoma by alterations in one of the G1/S transition control genes, either loss of the p16/CDKN2 or RB genes or amplification of the cyclin D gene. The final progression process leading to glioblastoma multiforme seems to need additional genetic abnormalities in the long arm of chromosome 10; one of which is deletion and/or functional loss of the PTEN/MMAC1 gene. Glioblastomas also occur as primary (de novo) lesions in patients of older age, without p53 gene loss but with amplification of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) genes. In contrast to the secondary glioblastomas that evolve from astrocytoma cells with p53 mutations in younger patients, primary glioblastomas seem to be resistant to radiation therapy and thus show a poorer prognosis. The evaluation and design of therapeutic modalities aimed at preventing malignant progression of astrocytomas and glioblastomas should now be based on stratifying patients with astrocytic tumors according to their genetic diagnosis.
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PMID:Roles of the functional loss of p53 and other genes in astrocytoma tumorigenesis and progression. 1155 Mar 8

Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) has been shown to activate sphingosine kinase (SphK) in a variety of cell types. The extent to which SphK signaling mediates the pleiotropic effects of TNF-alpha is not entirely clear. The current study examined the role of SphK activity in TNF-alpha-stimulated cell proliferation in 1321N1 glioblastoma cells. We first demonstrated that pharmacological inhibitors of SphK markedly decrease TNF-alpha-stimulated DNA synthesis. Signaling mechanisms through which SphK mediated the effect of TNF-alpha on DNA synthesis were then examined. Inhibition of Rho proteins with C3 exoenzyme or of Rho kinase with Y27632 attenuated TNF-alpha-stimulated DNA synthesis. However, RhoA activation by TNF-alpha was not blocked by SphK inhibition. ERK activation was also required for TNF-alpha-stimulated DNA synthesis but likewise TNF-alpha-induced ERK activation was not blocked by inhibition of SphK. Thus, neither RhoA nor ERK activation are the SphK-dependent transducers of TNF-alpha-induced proliferation. In contrast, TNF-alpha-stimulated Akt phosphorylation, which was also required for DNA synthesis, was attenuated by SphK inhibition or SphK1 knockdown by small interfering RNA. Furthermore, cyclin D expression was increased by TNF-alpha in a SphK- and Akt-dependent manner. Additional studies demonstrated that TNF-alpha effects on DNA synthesis, ERK, and Akt phosphorylation are not mediated through cell surface Gi -coupled S1P receptors, because none of these responses were inhibited by pertussis toxin. We conclude that SphK-dependent Akt activation plays a significant role in TNF-alpha-induced cyclin D expression and cell proliferation.
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PMID:Tumor necrosis factor-alpha-stimulated cell proliferation is mediated through sphingosine kinase-dependent Akt activation and cyclin D expression. 1711 9

Berberine is an isoquinoline plant alkaloid with a long history of being used for the treatment of many diseases in Chinese herbal medicine. Berberine has a wide range of biochemical and pharmacological effects, including antitumor activities, but its mechanism of action is not clearly understood. In this study, we investigated that the relationship between the antiproliferative activities of berberine and the apoptotic pathway associated with its molecular mechanism of action in human glioblastoma T98G cells. Berberine treatment of T98G cell lines inhibited cell proliferation and induced cell death in a dose (50-200 microg/ml) dependent manner with an IC50 value of 134 microg/ml, which was associated with an increase in G1 arrest. Western blot analysis showed that the berberine-induced G1 arrest was mediated through the increased expression of P27 and the decreased expression of cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 2, CDK4, cyclin D, and cyclin E proteins. Berberine treatment also markedly enhanced apoptosis in T98G cells through the induction of a higher ratio of the Bax/Bcl-2 proteins, the disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential, and the activation of procaspase-9, caspase-9, caspase-3, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). Berberine can inhibit T98G cell proliferation by inducing G1 arrest and apoptosis. These results demonstrate that the berberine-induced apoptosis of T98G cells is primarily mediated through the mitochondrial/caspases-dependent pathway.
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PMID:Berberine induces G1 arrest and apoptosis in human glioblastoma T98G cells through mitochondrial/caspases pathway. 1837 40

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of endogenous small noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression after transcription. Aberrant expression of miRNAs has been shown to be involved in tumorigenesis. We showed that miR-21 was one of the most frequently overexpressed miRNA in human glioblastoma (GBM) cell lines. To explore whether miR-21 can serve as a therapeutic target for glioblastoma, we downregulated miR-21 with a specific antisense oligonucleotide and found that apoptosis was induced and cell-cycle progression was inhibited in vitro in U251 (PTEN mutant) and LN229 (PTEN wild-type) GBM cells; xenograft tumors from antisense-treated U251 cells were suppressed in vivo. Antisense-miR-21-treated cells showed a decreased expression of EGFR, activated Akt, cyclin D, and Bcl-2. Although miR-21 is known to regulate PTEN and downregulation of miR-21 led to increased PTEN expression both endogenously and in a reporter gene assay, the GBM suppressor effect of antisense-miR-21 is most likely independent of PTEN regulation because U251 has mutant PTEN. Microarray analysis showed that the knockdown of miR-21 significantly altered expression of 169 genes involved in nine cell-cycle and signaling pathways. Taken together, our studies provide evidence that miR-21 may serve as a novel therapeutic target for malignant gliomas independent of PTEN status.
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PMID:Downregulation of miR-21 inhibits EGFR pathway and suppresses the growth of human glioblastoma cells independent of PTEN status. 2004 43

Tumor cells are characterized by their high rate of glycolysis and clotrimazole has been shown to disrupt the glycolysis pathway thereby arresting the cells in the G1 cell cycle phase. Herein, we present data to support our hypothesis that clotrimazole arrests tumor cells in a radiosensitizing, late G1 phase. The effects of clotrimazole were studied using the glioblastoma cell line, U-87 MG. Flow cytometry was used to analyze cell cycle redistribution and induction of apoptosis. Immunoblots were probed to characterize a late G1 cell cycle arrest. Nuclear and cytoplasmic fractions were collected to follow the clotrimazole-induced translocation of hexokinase II. Clonogenic assays were designed to determine the radiosensitizing effect by clotrimazole. Our studies have shown a dose-dependent and time-dependent clotrimazole arrest in a late G1 cell cycle phase. Concurrent with the late G1 arrest, we observed an overexpression of p27 along with a decreased expression of p21, cyclin-dependent kinase 1, cyclin-dependent kinase 4, and cyclin D. Clotrimazole induced the translocation of mitochondrial-bound hexokinase II to the cytoplasm and the release of cytochrome c into the cytoplasm. Clotrimazole-induced apoptosis was enhanced when combined with radiation. Clotrimazole was shown to sensitize tumor cells to radiation when the cells were irradiated for 18 h post-clotrimazole treatment. The disruption of the glycolysis pathway by clotrimazole leads to cell cycle arrest of U-87 MG cells in the radiosensitizing late G1 phase. The use of clotrimazole as a radiosensitizing agent for cancer treatment is novel and may have broad therapeutic applications.
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PMID:Clotrimazole induces a late G1 cell cycle arrest and sensitizes glioblastoma cells to radiation in vitro. 2072 15

Glioblastoma is the most common type of malignant brain tumor with a poor prognosis. The Notch signaling pathway is often aberrantly activated in glioma cells. In order to determine the expression of Notch 2 and to evaluate its possible prognostic value in malignant glioblastoma, specimens from 32 patients and 20 controls were analyzed using immunohistochemical staining and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The expression of Notch 2 in the glioma tissues was significantly higher compared with that in the normal brain tissues (P<0.01). Subsequently, endogenous Notch 2 interference was effectively performed by specific small hairpin (sh)RNA in the glioma cancer cell line U251. The results from an MTT assay and from Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide staining indicated that interference of Notch 2 significantly inhibited the proliferation and induced the apoptosis of U251 cells. In addition, the cell cycle was analyzed using flow cytometry and the results revealed that Notch 2 shRNA induced cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase in U251 cells. Additionally, proteins associated with the cell cycle and cell proliferation were detected using western blot analysis. The data demonstrated that the expression of P21, cyclin D and phosphorylated retinoblastoma was significantly inhibited in the Notch 2 shRNA-transfected U251 cells. The results of the present study provide further insights into the effects of Notch 2 and a molecular reference for brain tumor therapy.
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PMID:Interference of Notch 2 inhibits the progression of gliomas and induces cell apoptosis by induction of the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase. 2533 27

Glioblastomas are incurable primary brain tumors that affect patients of all ages. The aggressiveness of this cancer has been attributed in part to the persistence of treatment-resistant glioblastoma stem-like cells. We have previously discovered the tumor-suppressor properties of the microRNA cluster miR-302-367, representing a potential treatment for glioblastoma. Here, we attempted to develop a cell-based therapy by taking advantage of the capability of glioma cells to secrete exosomes that enclose small RNA molecules. We engineered primary glioma cells to stably express the miR-302-367. Remarkably, these cells altered, in a paracrine-dependent manner, the expression of stemness markers, the proliferation and the tumorigenicity of neighboring glioblastoma cells. Further characterization of the secretome derived from miR-302-367 expressing cells showed that a large amount of miR-302-367 was enclosed in exosomes, which were internalized by the neighboring glioblastoma cells. This miR-302-367 cell-to-cell transfer resulted in the inhibition of its targets such as CXCR4/SDF1, SHH, cyclin D, cyclin A and E2F1. Orthotopic xenograft of miR-302-367-expressing cells together with glioblastoma stem-like cells efficiently altered the tumor development in mice brain.
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PMID:Cell-based therapy using miR-302-367 expressing cells represses glioblastoma growth. 2835 71


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