Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0017638 (glioma)
 30,880 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Recent efforts have been directed at identifying and characterizing candidate tumor suppressor genes and the activities of oncogenes in primary brain tumors. The p53 gene mapping to region p13 of chromosome 17 has several characteristics as a tumor suppressor gene. The wild-type p53 protein, which is a transcriptional activator, may serve as a barrier to the progression of neoplastic processes, and alterations of p53 are involved in genesis of various cancers including astrocytomas. The NF1 gene, which is responsible for the susceptibility to neurofibromatosis type 1, has recently been isolated. This gene is assumed to play a role in the signal transduction pathway by interacting with the ras gene product. Recent observation revealed that the NF1 gene may regulate the neuronal differentiation, and the alteration in regulation of the NF1 transcript is potentially related to the progression of neuroectodermal tumors. Restriction fragment length polymorphism studies have also shown chromosomal losses associated with chromosome 9, 10 and 17. These losses of genetic material are suspected to involve loci near or at the p53 gene for chromosome 17, and neighboring the interferon genes on chromosome 9. Although no sublocalization of chromosome 10 deletions has been accomplished, all of these loci are thought to harbor tumor suppressor genes. Recent advances in oncogene research have focused on understanding the mechanisms of action of growth factors, growth factor receptors, and their substrates, particularly in glial oncogenesis. Fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, and their respective receptors are of particular interest. However, the ROS oncogene, which is expressed and rearranged in some glioma cell lines, may not be a critical factor in the development of gliomas.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Pathways of oncogenesis in primary brain tumors. 190

Calcium is one of the most universal signal-transduction elements in a large variety of cells ranging from bacteria to specialized neurons. Ca2+ acts as a second messenger controlling such processes as secretion, cell differentiation or signal transmission. In order to be able to execute their specific functions and to react in a coordinated way to stimuli, multicellular organs need a precise orchestration of cellular functions. For this purpose cells have developed different forms of intercellular communication (IC). In this study we investigated a number of mechanisms of intracellular propagation and IC using experiments with fluorescent Ca(2+)-indicators, confocal microscopy and digital imaging techniques. In ROS 17/2.8 osteoblasts, retinal pigment epithelial cells (RPE) and CPAE endothelial cells, a small mechanical deformation of the plasma membrane results in a transient increase of free cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). This Ca(2+)-rise starts at the site of stimulation and propagates concentrically to neighboring cell layers. The intracellular Ca(2+)-wave in RPE and ROS cells is caused by Ca(2+)-influx followed by Ca(2+)-release from the intracellular stores and by intercellular propagation of the Ca(2+)-wave. The [Ca2+]i-transient upon mechanical stimulation of LLC-PK1 epithelial cells, C6 glioma cells and MLO-Y4 osteocytes was limited and/or variable. In CPAE cells only the intracellular release is important for evoking the Ca(2+)-transient, and is followed by IC. IC can occur via gap junctions (GJ) consisting of membrane-spanning proteins, connexins (Cx). It was demonstrated that IC and GJ in RPE and ROS cells can be reversibly blocked by gap-junction inhibitors such as heptanol or halothane. We demonstrated important differences in modulation of gap junctional communication between these cell types. While in RPE cells stimulation of PKC activity was able to inhibit IC, this was not the case in ROS cells. We screened LE-RPE cDNA via PCR using specific primers for different connexins and found no effect of high glucose solutions, which cause decreased intercellular communication, on the Cx-isoforms expressed. Cx43 is the only Cx-isoform present at the protein level for which Western blot analysis revealed the presence of different forms corresponding to different phosphorylated states. Increased phosphorylation of Cx43 was only seen after direct PKC activation by PMA, but not by indirect PKC activation by high glucose levels. The decreased communication by high glucose concentrations was however associated by a decreased expression of cellular Cx43 to about 3/4 of the level in control conditions. High glucose concentrations therefore decrease Cx43 at the protein level via a PKC effect that appears to be independent of the direct activation of PKC by phorbolesters. Mechanical stimulation did not evoke intercellular Ca(2+)-waves in LLC-PK1 epithelial cells, C6 glioma cells and MLO-Y4 osteocytes. In CPAE-endothelial cells, the contribution of gap junctions to IC following mechanical stimulation is negligible, and modulation of gap junctions via phosphorylation or high glucose solutions is absent. Perfusion experiments and pharmacological studies demonstrated that IC following mechanical stimulation of these cells occurs via release of an extracellular mediator. Our experiments provide strong evidence in favor of purinergic agonists as mediators, such as ATP but mainly ADP. In conclusion we can say that cells contain a wide spectrum of mechanisms for intra- and intercellular communication, and that widely different mechanisms can evoke the same phenomenon of intra- and intercellular Ca(2+)-waves.
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PMID:[Intra- and intercellular Ca(2+)-signal transduction]. 1119 79

Copper zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) is an essential primary antioxidant enzyme that converts superoxide radical to hydrogen peroxide and molecular oxygen in the cytoplasm. Cytosolic glutathione peroxidase (GPx) converts hydrogen peroxide into water. The overall goal of the present study was to explore the possible role of the antioxidant enzyme CuZnSOD in expression of the malignant phenotype. We hypothesized that overexpression of CuZnSOD would lead to the suppression of at least part of the human malignant phenotype. To test this hypothesis, human CuZnSOD cDNA was transfected into U118-9 human malignant glioma cells. CuZnSOD activity levels increased 1.5-, 2.0-, 2.6-, and 3.5-fold, respectively, in four table transfected cell lines compared with wild type and vector controls. Overexpression of CuZnSOD altered cellular antioxidant enzyme profiles, including those of manganese superoxide dismutase, catalase, and GPx. The transfected clone with the highest CuZnSOD:GPx ratio (3.5) showed a 42% inhibition of tumor cell growth in vitro. The decreased rate of tumor cell growth in vitro was strongly correlated with the enzyme activity ratio of CuZnSOD:GPx. Glioma cells that stably overexpressed CuZnSOD demonstrated additional suppressive effects on the malignant phenotype when compared with the parental cells and vector controls. These cells showed decreased plating efficiency, elongated cell population doubling time, lower clonogenic fraction in soft agar, and, more significantly, inhibition of tumor formation in nude mice. This work suggested that CuZnSOD is a new tumor suppressor gene. Increased intracellular ROS levels were found in cells with high activity ratios of CuZnSOD:GPx. Change in the cellular redox status, especially change attributable to the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide or other hydroperoxides, is a possible reason to explain the suppression of tumor growth observed in CuZnSOD-overexpressing cells.
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PMID:Overexpression of copper zinc superoxide dismutase suppresses human glioma cell growth. 1186 5

Large doses of acetaminophen (APAP) could cause oxidative stress and tissue damage through production of reactive oxygen/nitrogen (ROS/RNS) species and quinone metabolites of APAP. Although ROS/RNS are known to modify DNA, the effect of APAP on DNA modifications has not been studied systematically. In this study, we investigate whether large doses of APAP can modify the nuclear DNA in C6 glioma cells used as a model system, because these cells contain cytochrome p450-related enzymes responsible for APAP metabolism and subsequent toxicity (Geng and Strobel, 1995). Our results revealed that APAP produced ROS and significantly elevated the 8-oxo- deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) levels in the nucleus of C6 glioma cells in a time and concentration dependent manner. APAP significantly reduced the 8- oxodG incision activity in the nucleus by decreasing the activity and content of a DNA repair enzyme, Ogg1. These results indicate that APAP in large doses can increase the 8-oxodG level partly through significant reduction of Ogg1 DNA repair enzyme.
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PMID:Acetoaminophen-induced accumulation of 8-oxodeoxyguanosine through reduction of Ogg1 DNA repair enzyme in C6 glioma cells. 1503 74

We examined the impact of purified bacterially synthesized GST-MDA-7 (IL-24) and ionizing radiation on the proliferation and survival of nonestablished human glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cells. Glioma cell types expressing mutated PTEN and p53 molecules, activated ERBB1VIII, overexpressing wild type ERBB1 or without receptor overexpression were selected. In MTT assays, GST-MDA-7 caused a dose-dependent reduction in the proliferation of nonestablished glioma cells; however only at higher concentrations did GST-MDA-7 reduce cell viability. The anti-proliferative and cytotoxic effects of GST-MDA-7 were enhanced by radiation in a greater than additive fashion that correlated with JNK1/2/3 activation. The reduction in cell growth and enhancement in cell killing by the combination of GST-MDA-7 and radiation were blocked by an ROS scavenger, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), a JNK1/2/3 inhibitor SP600125, a pan-caspase inhibitor (zVAD) and by an inhibitor of caspase 9 (LEHD), but not by an inhibitor of caspase 8 (IETD). Low concentrations of either GST-MDA-7 or radiation reduced clonogenic survival, however colony formation ability was significantly further decreased when the two treatments were combined, which was also blocked by inhibition of caspase 9 function. In general agreement with activation of the intrinsic caspase pathway, cell death correlated with reduced BCL-XL expression and with increased levels of the pro-apoptotic proteins BAD and BAX. Inhibition of caspase 9 after combination treatment blunted neither JNK1/2/3 activation nor the enhanced expression of BAD and BAX, but did block caspase 3 cleavage, reduced expression of BCL-XL and inhibition of ERK1/2 activity. In contrast, incubation with NAC blocked JNK1/2/3 activation and cell killing, but not the increases in BAD and BAX expression. These findings argue that after combination treatment JNK1/2/3 activation is a primary pro-apoptotic event and loss of BCL-XL expression and ERK1/2 activity are secondary caspase-dependent processes. This data also argues that GST- MDA-7 induces two parallel pro-apoptotic pathways via ROS-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Infection of primary human astrocytes with a recombinant adenovirus to express MDA-7, Ad.mda-7, but not infection with either Ad.cmv or Ad.mda-7SP- lacking MDA-7 secretion, resulted in the suppression of GBM cell colony formation in soft agar overlay assays, an effect that was enhanced in a greater than additive fashion by radiation. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that MDA-7 reduces proliferation and enhances the radiosensitivity of nonestablished human GBM cells in vitro, and when grown in 3 dimensions, and that sensitization occurs independently of basal EGFR/ERK1/2/AKT activity or the functions of PTEN and p53.
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PMID:MDA-7 regulates cell growth and radiosensitivity in vitro of primary (non-established) human glioma cells. 1532 89

We investigated the antioxidant and radical scavenging activity of polyphenolic isochromans. To assess the relation between structure and scavenging properties the natural occurring 1-(3'-methoxy-4'-hydroxy)phenyl-6,7-dihydroxy-isochroman (ISO-3, three OH groups) was compared with three newly synthesized derivatives that differ in their degree of hydroxylation by substitution with methoxy-groups (ISO-4: four OH groups; ISO-2: two OH groups and ISO-0: fully methoxylated). We found that ISO-4 is a 2-fold better scavenger for the artificial radical 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH, 100 microM) with an EC50=10.3 microM compared to the natural ISO-3 (EC50=22.4 microM) and to ISO-2 (EC50=25.1 microM), while ISO-0 did not react with DPPH. The scavenging capacity for superoxide enzymatically generated in a hypoxanthin-xanthinoxidase reaction was the highest for ISO-4 (EC50=34.3 microM) compared to those of ISO-3 (EC50=84.0 microM) and ISO-2 (EC50=91.8 microM), while ISO-0 was inactive. In analogy, ISO-4 scavenged peroxynitrite (ONOO-, EC25=23.0 microM) more effective than ISO-3, ISO-2 and ISO-0. When C6 rat glioma cells loaded with the reactive oxygen/nitrogen (ROS/RNS)-sensitive fluorochrome 2,7-dichlorodihydrofluorescein, were exposed to hydrogen peroxide, the lowest stress level as indicated by the fluorescence signal was detected when the cells were pretreated with ISO-4 or ISO-2 but to a much lesser extent with ISO-3, while ISO-0 did not show any effect. All tested hydroxyisochromans superceded the scavenging effect of trolox.The excellent radical and ROS/RNS scavenging features of the hydroxy-1-aryl isochromans and their simple synthesis let these compounds appear to be interesting candidates for pharmaceutical interventions that protect against the deleterious action of ROS/RNS.
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PMID:Natural and newly synthesized hydroxy-1-aryl-isochromans: a class of potential antioxidants and radical scavengers. 1603 30

Salicylate and jasmonates are two different types of plant hormone that play critical roles in plant defense responses against insect herbivores and microbial pathogens, through activating defense genes. These two natural products have been shown to have similar activities in animal cells: the compounds are able to induce cell cycle arrest or apoptosis in a variety of human cancer cells including those of colon, prostate, breast, and leukemia, suggesting the chemicals may potentially be a novel class of anti-cancer drugs. Since sodium salicylate can induce the heat shock response in animals, we examined the effects of jasmonates on the heat shock response in C6 glioma cells. Here, we show that brief exposure to methyl jasmonate (MeJA), but not to jasmonic acid, induces heat shock protein 72 (HSP72), but not HSP73 and HSP90, via heat shock factor I (HSF1) activation in C6 glioma cells without affecting cell viability. Intracellular H2O2 and O2-, and mitochondrial ROS were prominently increased in response to 5 mM MeJA in C6 cells. MeJA-induced HSP72 expression, HSF1 DNA binding, and human HSP70 promoter-driven CAT activity were prevented by N-acetyl-L-cysteine (a general antioxidant), catalase (a specific antioxidant for H2O2), and sodium formate (an inhibitor of OH.), but not by Rac1 dominant negative mutant Rac1N17 and diphenyleneiodonium (a NADPH oxidase inhibitor), indicating that MeJA induces HSP72 expression though HSF1 that is activated via Rac1-NADPH oxidase-independent ROS production pathway. These results suggest that the plant stress hormones share the ability to induce heat shock response in animal cells.
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PMID:Induction of heat shock protein 72 in C6 glioma cells by methyl jasmonate through ROS-dependent heat shock factor 1 activation. 1621 Dec 52

In the present study, we examined the protective mechanism of baicalein (BE) and its glycoside, baicalin (BI), on hydrogen-peroxide (H(2)O(2))-induced cell death in rat glioma C6 cells. Results of the MTT assay, LDH release assay, and morphological observation showed that H(2)O(2) addition reduced the viability of C6 cells, and this was prevented by the addition of BE but not BI. Incubation of C6 cells with BE significantly decreased the intracellular peroxide level induced by H(2)O(2) according to flow cytometric analysis using DCHF-DA as a fluorescent substrate. Suppression of H(2)O(2)-induced apoptotic events including DNA ladders, hypodiploid cells, and activation of caspases 3, 8, and, 9 by BE but not BI was identified in C6 cells. The cytotoxicity and phosphorylation of ERK proteins induced by H(2)O(2) were blocked by the ERK inhibitor PD98059. Catalase addition prevented H(2)O(2)-induced ROS production, ERKs protein phosphorylation, and cell death, and BE dose-dependently inhibited H(2)O(2)-induced ERK protein phosphorylation in C6 cells. These data suggest that ROS-scavenging activity is involved in BE prevention of H(2)O(2)-induced cell death via blocking ERKs activation. Additionally, BE but not BI induced heat shock protein 32 (HSP32; HO-1) protein expression in both time- and dose-dependent manners, but not heme oxygenase 2 (HO-2), heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), or heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) protein expression. In the absence of H(2)O(2), BE induces ERKs protein phosphorylation, and HO-1 protein expression induced by BE was blocked by the addition of cycloheximide, actinomycin D, and the ERK inhibitor PD98059. The addition of the HO inhibitor ZnPP inhibited the protective effect of BE against H(2)O(2)-induced cytotoxicity in C6 cells according to the MTT assay and apoptotic morphology under microscopic observation, accompanied by blocking the ROS-scavenging activity of BE in C6 cells. However, BE treatment was unable to protect C6 cells from C2-ceramide-induced cell death. These data indicate that BE possesses abilities to inhibit ROS-mediated cytotoxic effects through modulation of ERKs activation and induction of HO-1 protein expression. The role of HO-1 in ROS-scavenging activity of BE is proposed.
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PMID:Baicalein inhibition of oxidative-stress-induced apoptosis via modulation of ERKs activation and induction of HO-1 gene expression in rat glioma cells C6. 1681 38

Glioblastoma multiforme is the most common and lethal form of primary brain cancer. Diagnosis of this advanced glioma has a poor prognosis due to the ineffectiveness of current therapies. Aberrant expression of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) in glioblastoma multiformes is suggestive of their role in initiation and maintenance of these tumors of the central nervous system. In fact, ectopic expression of the orphan RTK ROS is a frequent event in human brain cancers, yet the pathologic significance of this expression remains undetermined. Here, we show that a glioblastoma-associated, ligand-independent rearrangement product of ROS (FIG-ROS) cooperates with loss of the tumor suppressor gene locus Ink4a;Arf to produce glioblastomas in the mouse. We show that this FIG-ROS-mediated tumor formation in vivo parallels the activation of the tyrosine phosphatase SH2 domain-containing phosphatase-2 (SHP-2) and a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin signaling axis in tumors and tumor-derived cell lines. We have established a fully penetrant preclinical model for adult onset of glioblastoma multiforme in keeping with major genetic events observed in the human disease. These findings provide novel and important insights into the role of ROS and SHP-2 function in solid tumor biology and set the stage for preclinical testing of targeted therapeutic approaches.
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PMID:ROS fusion tyrosine kinase activates a SH2 domain-containing phosphatase-2/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin signaling axis to form glioblastoma in mice. 1688 44

Protein kinase C (PKC) agonists including phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) not only induce the redistribution of cytosolic PKC to various subcellular compartments but also activate the kinase domain of the protein. In the present study we have investigated the nature of mitochondrial PKC pool and its effects on mitochondrial function in cells treated with PMA. Treatment of C2C12 myoblasts, C6 glioma and COS7 cells with PMA resulted in a dramatic redistribution of intracellular PKCalpha pool, with large fraction of the protein pool sequestered in the mitochondrial compartment. We also observed mitochondrial PKCdelta accumulation in a cell restricted manner. The intramitochondrial localization was ascertained by using a combination of protection against protease treatment of isolated mitochondria and immunofluorescence microscopy. PMA-induced mitochondrial localization of PKCalpha was accompanied by increased mitochondrial PKC activity, altered cell morphology, disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential, decreased complex I and pyruvate dehydrogenase activities, and increased mitochondrial ROS production. All of these changes could be retarded by treatment with PKC inhibitors. These results show a direct role for PMA-mediated PKCalpha translocation to mitochondria in inducing mitochondrial toxicity.
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PMID:Modulation of mitochondrial metabolic function by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate through increased mitochondrial translocation of protein kinase Calpha in C2C12 myocytes. 1689 28


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