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)

We have cloned and characterized a putative protein serine/threonine kinase termed prk through a combination of polymerase chain reaction and conventional cDNA library screening approaches. There are apparently two distinct domains within prk protein deduced from its nucleotide sequences. The amino-terminal portion has the feature of the catalytic domain of a serine/threonine kinase and shows strong homology to mouse fnk and other polo family kinases including mouse snk, human and murine plk, Drosophila polo, and yeast Cdc5. The carboxyl-terminal portion, presumably the regulatory domain, shares extensive homology to mouse fnk. Northern blotting analyses reveal that prk expression is restricted to a very limited number of tissues with placenta, ovaries, and lung containing detectable amounts of prk mRNA. prk mRNA expression is also detected at a low level in the megakaryocytic cell line Dami, MO7e, and three brain glioma cell lines. In addition, refeeding of serum-deprived MO7e, Dami, and K562 cells of hematopoietic origin and GMOO637D of lung fibroblasts rapidly activates prk mRNA expression with its peak induction around 2 h after serum addition. prk gene activation by the serum requires no new protein synthesis. The recombinant cytokines such as interleukin-3 and thrombopoietin also activate prk mRNA expression in MO7e cells. Furthermore, a survey of RNAs isolated from the tumor and the uninvolved tissues from 18 lung cancer patients reveals that prk mRNA expression is significantly down-regulated in tumor tissues. Southern blotting analysis indicates that the prk gene is present in a single copy in the genome of tumors and normal cells. Taken together, these results suggest that prk expression may be restricted to proliferating cells and involved in the regulation of cell cycle progression. The molecular cloning of prk cDNA will facilitate the study of its biological role as well as its potential role in tumorigenesis.
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PMID:Prk, a cytokine-inducible human protein serine/threonine kinase whose expression appears to be down-regulated in lung carcinomas. 870 27

The effect of stress on the production of cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC) was examined in rat C6 glioma cells. We studied the production of CINC, an interleukin-8 (IL-8) family protein, with bacterial endotoxin, H2O2, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). Each stress induced CINC mRNA in a concentration-dependent manner. Since stress activates the protein kinases regulating nuclear transcription factors, we examined the effects of protein kinase inhibitors and the over-expression of dominant-negative Ras on CINC mRNA expression. Neither over-expression of dominant-negative Ras nor pretreatment with PD98059 (MEK-1 inhibitor), SB203580 (p38MAPK inhibitor), or GF109203X (protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor) altered stress-induced CINC mRNA expression. This suggests that the Ras-MAPK, p38MAPK, and PKC pathways are not involved in CINC mRNA expression in glial cells. On the other hand, pretreatment with herbimycin A, a potent tyrosine kinase inhibitor, or Ro31-8220, a non-selective serine/threonine kinase inhibitor, suppressed stress-induced CINC mRNA expression. This indicates that stress-induced CINC mRNA expression is mediated by herbimycin A-, or Ro31-8220-sensitive kinases in glial cells. Since stress activates NF-kappaB and NF-IL6, we examined that the effect of herbimycin A, which suppresses CINC mRNA expression, on NF-kappaB and NF-IL6 activation. Herbimycin A suppressed NF-kappaB but not NF-IL6. These results suggest that in rat glial cells, the factors that induce CINC mRNA expression are mediated by herbimycin A-sensitive NF-kappaB activation, but not through the PKC, Ras-MAPK or p38 MAPK pathways.
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PMID:Induction of cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant in response to various stresses in rat C6 glioma cells. 959 44

The MMAC/PTEN tumor suppressor gene encodes for a phosphatase that recently has been shown to have phosphotidylinositol phosphatase activity, implicating its possible involvement in phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase-mediated signaling. To investigate possible alterations in growth factor-mediated signal transduction, an adenovirus containing MMAC/PTEN, Ad-MMAC, previously shown to inhibit growth and tumorigenicity in glioma cells, was used to acutely express the transgene. Human glioma cells infected with Ad-MMAC but not with control adenoviruses exhibited an inhibition of phosphorylation of both activating residues of Akt, Ser-473, and Thr-308, along with Akt's serine/threonine kinase activity, without significantly altering Akt expression. The effects of functional MMAC/PTEN expression were relatively specific, because members of several other growth factor-mediated signaling pathways showed no altered responses. The presence of MMAC/PTEN also inhibited phosphorylation of BAD, although no evidence of apoptosis in the in situ treated cells was observed. However, U251 glioma cells infected with Ad-MMAC were induced to undergo anoikis at a significantly higher rate than U251 cels treated with control viruses or mock infected with media. These results demonstrate that the acute administration of MMAC/PTEN results in the inhibition of Akt-mediated signaling, growth inhibition, and anoikis, implying that loss of MMAC/PTEN increases cellular proliferation and significantly augments a cell's survival potential during cellular processes that are associated with malignancy.
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PMID:Adenoviral transgene expression of MMAC/PTEN in human glioma cells inhibits Akt activation and induces anoikis. 985 49

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) is a family of serine/threonine kinase that appears to be a component common to signalling pathway initiated by a wide range of factors including hormones, differentiation factors and mitogens. Baicalein is a flavonoid derived from the root of Scutellaria baicaleins. From searching the inhibitors of prostaglandin synthesis in C6 rat glioma cells, we found that baicalein had a potent inhibitory activity of prostaglandin synthesis induced by either histamine or A23187, a Ca2+ ionophore. Baicalein inhibited histamine- and A23187-induced phosphorylation of MAPK in the cells, which was known to cause the phosphorylation of cytosolic phospholipase A2. Baicalein also inhibited the phosphorylation of MAPK kinase (MEK) induced by histamine or A23187 in the cells. In vitro kinase assay, baicalein inhibited the activities of raf but not MEK. These results imply that baicalein is a specific inhibitor of MAPK cascade, acting on phosphorylation of MEK by raf.
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PMID:[Inhibition of mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade by baicalein, a flavonoid of natural origin]. 1062 83

Searching for amplifications in low grade and high grade gliomas we observed an interesting correlation between the recurrence and progression of astrocytic low grade gliomas and the amplification of the STK15 gene located in the chromosomal region 20q13. Chromosome copy gains in this region have been reported previously in astrocytic gliomas and glioma cell lines and in many cancer types including breast, colorectal and ovarian cancers. The putative serine/threonine kinase STK15 has been reported to be amplified and overexpressed in breast cancer cell lines and colorectal cancer. Another candidate gene located in this region is PTPN1, a protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 1 that might play a role in cell cycle control. We used comparative PCR for quantitative DNA analysis to search for STK15 and PTPN1 amplification in gliomas previously characterized by CGH. Five out of 16 tumors (31%) of different WHO grade (1x grade II, 1x grade III, 3x grade IV) showed DNA amplification of STK15 whereas we did not detect amplification of PTPN1. We hypothesize that amplification of the STK15 gene may be a non-random genetic alteration in human gliomas playing a role in the genetic pathways of tumorigenesis.
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PMID:The putative serine/threonine kinase gene STK15 on chromosome 20q13.2 is amplified in human gliomas. 1288 93

The serine/threonine kinase Raf-1 is involved in the regulation of tumor cell survival, proliferation and metastasis formation, and has therefore emerged as a promising target for cancer therapy. In addition, Raf-1 activity mediates proliferation of endothelial cells thereby promoting angiogenesis and invasive growth of various tumors, including highly vascularized malignant glioblastoma. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of small inhibitory RNA (siRNA) directed against Raf-1 on viability, proliferation and motility in glioma cells and cerebral endothelial cells. Half-quantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting revealed efficient siRNA-mediated Raf-1 down regulation in glioma cells (U373, U251) and in human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (HCMEC). Surprisingly, Raf-1 gene silencing failed to affect cell survival, proliferation or migration activity in the glioblastoma cell lines. In HCMEC, however, pronounced decrease of cell survival and significant inhibition of tube formation was achieved by Raf-1 siRNA compared to non-functional siRNA or vehicle controls. In conclusion, Raf-1 silencing appears as a potential therapeutic strategy to inhibit brain tumor angiogenesis and thereby outgrowth of highly vascularized glioblastoma multiforme, whereas direct cytotoxic effects of Raf-1 knockdown in tumor cells may vary.
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PMID:Effects of Raf-1 siRNA on human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells: a potential therapeutic strategy for inhibition of tumor angiogenesis. 1711 83

The membrane-anchored metalloproteinase tumor necrosis factor-alpha-converting enzyme (TACE/a disintegrin and metalloproteinase [ADAM] 17) is key in proteolytic ectodomain shedding of several membrane-bound growth factors, cytokines and receptors. The expression and activity of ADAM17 increases under some pathological conditions including stroke, and promotes neural progenitor cell migration and contributes to stroke-induced neurogenesis. Hypoxia initiates cellular invasive processes that occur under both physiological and pathological conditions such as invasion and metastasis of some tumors. In the present study, we sought to elucidate whether ADAM17 contributes to brain tumor invasion. To this end, we examined the role of ADAM17 in the invasiveness of two different brain tumor cell lines, 9L rat gliosarcoma and U87 human glioma, under normoxic and hypoxic conditions. Additionally, we tested the effects of ADAM17 suppression on in vitro tumor cell invasion by means of ADAM17 proteolytic inhibitors and specific small interfering RNA. We found that tumor cells upregulated ADAM17 expression under hypoxia, and that ADAM17 activity correlated with increased tumor cell invasion. Conversely, suppression of ADAM17 proteolysis decreased invasiveness induced by hypoxia in 9L and U87 cells. Furthermore, the contribution of ADAM17 to tumor invasion was independent of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 activity. ADAM17 was also found to activate the epidermal growth factor/phosphoinositide-3 kinase/serine/threonine kinase signal transduction pathway. Our data suggest that hypoxia-induced ADAM17 contributes to glioma cell invasiveness through activation of the EGFR signal pathway.
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PMID:Inhibition of ADAM17 reduces hypoxia-induced brain tumor cell invasiveness. 1735 61

Human cancer genome and epigenome projects aim to identify new cancer genes and targets for therapy that have been overlooked by conventional approaches. Here we integrated large-scale genomics and epigenomics of 31 human infiltrative gliomas and identified low-frequency deletion and highly recurrent epigenetic silencing of WNK2, encoding a putative serine/threonine kinase. Prior cancer genome sequencing projects also identified point mutations in WNK1-4, suggesting that WNK family genes may have a role in cancers. We observed consistent gene silencing in tumors with dense aberrant methylation across 1.3 kb of the CpG island but more variable expression when the 5'-most region remained unmethylated. This primary tumor data fit well with WNK2 promoter analysis, which showed strong promoter activity in the 5'-most region, equivalent to the simian virus 40 promoter, but no activity in the 3' region. WT WNK2 exhibited autophosphorylation and protein kinase activity that was enhanced in cells exposed to hypertonic conditions, similar to WNK1. WNK2 inhibited up to 78% of colony formation by glioma cells but in an unexpectedly kinase-independent manner. The WNK2 silencing by epigenetic mechanisms was significantly associated (P < 0.01) with a known genetic signature of chemosensitive oligodendroglial tumors, 1p and 19q deletion, in two small but independent tumor sets. Taken together, the epigenetic silencing, occasional deletion and point mutation, and functional assessment suggest that aberrations of WNK2 may contribute to unregulated tumor cell growth. Thus, our integrated genetic and epigenetic approach might be useful to identify genes that are widely relevant to cancer, even when genetic alterations of the locus are infrequent.
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PMID:Epigenome scans and cancer genome sequencing converge on WNK2, a kinase-independent suppressor of cell growth. 1757 25

Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3), a serine/threonine kinase, is involved in diverse cellular processes ranging from nutrient and energy homeostasis to proliferation and apoptosis. Its role in glioblastoma multiforme has yet to be elucidated. We identified GSK3 as a regulator of glioblastoma multiforme cell survival using microarray analysis and small-molecule and genetic inhibitors of GSK3 activity. Various molecular and genetic approaches were then used to dissect out the molecular mechanisms responsible for GSK3 inhibition-induced cytotoxicity. We show that multiple small molecular inhibitors of GSK3 activity and genetic down-regulation of GSK3alpha/beta significantly inhibit glioma cell survival and clonogenicity. The potency of the cytotoxic effects is directly correlated with decreased enzyme activity-activating phosphorylation of GSK3alpha/beta Y276/Y216 and with increased enzyme activity inhibitory phosphorylation of GSK3alpha S21. Inhibition of GSK3 activity results in c-MYC activation, leading to the induction of Bax, Bim, DR4/DR5, and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand expression and subsequent cytotoxicity. Additionally, down-regulation of GSK3 activity results in alteration of intracellular glucose metabolism resulting in dissociation of hexokinase II from the outer mitochondrial membrane with subsequent mitochondrial destabilization. Finally, inhibition of GSK3 activity causes a dramatic decrease in intracellular nuclear factor-kappaB activity. Inhibition of GSK3 activity results in c-MYC-dependent glioma cell death through multiple mechanisms, all of which converge on the apoptotic pathways. GSK3 may therefore be an important therapeutic target for gliomas. Future studies will further define the optimal combinations of GSK3 inhibitors and cytotoxic agents for use in gliomas and other cancers.
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PMID:Glycogen synthase kinase-3 inhibition induces glioma cell death through c-MYC, nuclear factor-kappaB, and glucose regulation. 1870 88

Resistance to tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL/Apo2L) limits its potential as a drug for cancer therapy. Here, we report that kaempferol, a bioactive plant flavonoid, sensitizes U251 and U87 glioma cells to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis. In contrast, U373 cells are not affected by kaempferol treatment. Treatment of kaempferol alone for 24 h did not induce apoptosis in the cell lines. We provide evidence that TRAIL-induced apoptosis is partially driven by kaempferol-mediated reduction of survivin protein levels. On kaempferol treatment, proteasomal degradation of survivin was observed. Inhibition of proteasomal degradation with MG132 in kaempferol-treated cells restored survivin protein levels in both glial cell lines. Consequently, overexpression of survivin attenuated TRAIL-kaempferol-induced apoptosis. In addition, we show that kaempferol mediates down-regulation of phosphorylated Akt, thereby further reducing survivin protein level. Furthermore, the blockage of the serine/threonine kinase Akt activity by kaempferol is important for inhibition of survivin because active phosphorylated Akt enhances the stability of survivin. However, we also show that the combined treatment of TRAIL and kaempferol induces cleavage (activation) of caspase-8, thereby exerting a proapoptotic effect independent of survivin known not to inhibit caspase-8 activation. Other effects induced by kaempferol were suppression of X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis proteins as the antiapoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, and Mcl-1 in a concentration-dependent manner. In summary, we showed that suppression of survivin is an essential mechanism in TRAIL-kaempferol-mediated apoptosis.
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PMID:The flavonoid kaempferol sensitizes human glioma cells to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis by proteasomal degradation of survivin. 1900 39


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