UMLS:C0019204 - FACTA Search

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Query: UMLS:C0019204 (hepatocellular carcinoma)
71,386 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The ubiquitous upstream stimulatory factor (USF) transcription factors encoded by two distinct genes (USF1 and USF2) exist under the form of various dimers able to bind E-boxes. We report the molecular cloning and functional characterization of USF2 isoforms, corresponding to a 44-kDa subunit, USF2a, and a new 38-kDa subunit, USF2b, generated by differential splicing. Using specific anti-USF antibodies, we define the different binding complexes in various nuclear extracts. In vivo, the USF1/USF2a heterodimer represents over 66% of the USF binding activity whereas the USF1 and USF2a homodimers represent less than 10%, which strongly suggests an in vivo preferential association in heterodimers. In particular, an USF1/USF2b heterodimer accounted for almost 15% of the USF species in some cells. The preferential heterodimerization of USF subunits was reproduced ex vivo, while the in vitro association of cotranslated subunits, or recombinant USF proteins, appeared to be random. In transiently transfected HeLa or hepatoma cells, USF2a and USF1 homodimers transactivated a minimal promoter with similar efficiency, whereas USF2b, which lacks an internal 67-amino acid domain, was a poor transactivator. Additionally, USF2b was an efficient as USF1 and USF2a homodimers in transactivating the liver-specific pyruvate kinase gene promoter.
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PMID:Immunochemical characterization and transacting properties of upstream stimulatory factor isoforms. 857 31

The hepatoma-derived hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA insert HU-a has recently been shown to contain two viral transactivator genes, X and preS2 /S. We report here that HU-a induces malignant transformation after stable transfection of the fetal mouse hepatocyte line FMH202, as indicated by soft agar growth and nude mouse tumorigenicity. Transfections with HU-a subclones, containing the X gene of the preS2 /S gene alone or sequences without transactivator gene, respectively, suggested that the X gene is essential for transformation. Sequential stages of transformation and tumor progression were analysed by injection of the stably transfected FMH202 lines into nude mice, explanation of the resulting tumors and re-establishment of cell lines from the tumors. Comparison of two HU-a-transformed cell lines by HBV mRNA hybridization, Southern analysis and chromosomal in situ hybridization revealed that integrated HBV DNAs were involved in major chromosomal rearrangements in both cases. Interestingly, recombination of the HBV Dna insert during the nude mouse passage had completely abolished HBV-specific transcription in one case, indicating that expression of integrated HBV genes, while presumably involved in early transformation, is dispensable at later stages of tumor progression. The sequential transformation observed in this experimental system suggests that expression of the X gene by integrated viral DNA and subsequent hepatocyte genome mutations might both contribute to HBV-associated liver carcinogenesis.
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PMID:Hepatoma-derived integrated HBV DNA causes multi-stage transformation in vitro. 862 79

Induction of PAI-2 by 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) has been studied in human primary hepatocytes, hepatoma HepG2 cells and monocytic U937 cells, extending recent findings in human keratinocytes. PAI-2 represents a serpine-type protease inhibitor with wide-ranging implications in fibrinolysis, extracellular matrix proteolysis, growth factor activation and carcinogenesis. PAI-2 was induced by >10(-9) M TCDD in hepatocytes and HepG2 cells and by >10(-10) M TCDD in U937 cells. In the latter cell line, PAI-2 induction by TCDD and by 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) has been compared. TCDD appeared to be less efficient than TPA as an inducer of PAI-2. In contrast to induction by TPA, PAI-2 induction by TCDD was found to be biphasic, with an early peak of mRNA at 1-3 h and a late peak at 12-24 h. A biphasic response was also seen at the protein level although production of PAI-2 protein lagged behind the corresponding mRNA. PAI-2 is known to contain AP-1 sites, i.e. Jun/Fos protein-binding sites, in its promotor region. Hence, PAI-2 induction by TCDD has originally been conceived to be due to an indirect response, secondary to the induction of Jun/Fos proteins. Therefore, expression of jun/fos genes and their AP-1 activity were studied at the early phase of PAI-2 induction by TCDD. TCDD did not increase mRNA of c-fos, c-jun, junB or junD (in contrast to TPA which markedly increased the expression of c-fos and junB), nor did TCDD increase AP-1 activity. In conclusion, the findings suggest that PAI-2 induction by TCDD is not restricted to human keratinocytes but includes liver cells and monocytic U937 cells. The induction mechanism is complex but the early phase does not appear to involve Jun/Fos proteins.
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PMID:TCDD-inducible plasminogen activator inhibitor type 2 (PAI-2) in human hepatocytes, HepG2 and monocytic U937 cells. 863 Nov 29

The HBx protein is a small polypeptide encoded by mammalian hepadnaviruses that is essential for viral infectivity and is thought to play a role in development of hepatocellular carcinoma during chronic hepatitis B virus infection. HBx is a transactivator that stimulates Ras signal transduction pathways in the cytoplasm and certain transcription elements in the nucleus. To better understand the activities of HBx protein and its mechanism of action, we have explored the manner by which HBx activates the transcription factor NF-kappaB during transient expression. We show that HBx induces prolonged formation, in a Ras-dependent manner, of transcriptionally active NF-kappaB DNA-binding complexes, which make up the family of Rel-related proteins, p50, p52, RelA, and c-Rel. HBx was found to activate NF-kappaB through two distinct cytoplasmic pathways by acting on both the 37-kDa IkappaBalpha inhibitor and the 105-kappaDa NF-kappaB1 precursor inhibitor protein, known as p105. HBx induces phosphorylation of IkappaBalpha, a three- to fourfold reduction in IKBalpha stability, and concomitant nuclear accumulation of NF-kappaB DNA-binding complexes, similar to that reported for human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 Tax protein. In addition, HBx mediates a striking reduction in cytoplasmic p105 NF-kappaB1 inhibitor and p50 protein levels and release of RelA protein that was sequestered by the p105 inhibitor, concomitant with nuclear accumulation of NF-kappaB complexes. HBx mediated only a slight reduction in the cytoplasmic levels of NF-kappaB2 p100 protein, an additional precursor inhibitor of NF-kappaB, which is thought to be less efficiently processed or less responsive to release of NF-kappaB. No evidence was found for HBx activation of NF-kappaB by targeting acidic sphingomyelinase- controlled pathways. Studies also suggest that stimulation of NF-kappaB by HBx does not involve activation of Ras via the neutral sphingomyelin-ceramide pathway. Thus, HBx protein is shown to activate the NF-kappaB family of Rel-related proteins by acting on two distinct NF-kappaB cytoplasmic inhibitors.
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PMID:Hepatitis B virus HBx protein activates transcription factor NF-kappaB by acting on multiple cytoplasmic inhibitors of rel-related proteins. 867 82

Halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons, such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD; dioxin), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, such as benzo[a]pyrene, are environmental contaminants that cause many apparently unrelated toxic effects. In a previous study, we have shown that treatment of mouse hepatoma cells with TCDD or B(a)P results in an increase in mRNA levels of the immediate-early protooncogenes c-fos, c-jun, junB, and junD, and the concomitant increase of the DNA-binding activity of the transcription factor AP-1, a dimer of FOS and JUN proteins. To analyze the mechanism of fos/jun activation by TCDD we have used electrophoretic mobility shift and transient expression assays of reporter gene constructs containing response elements for 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TRE), serum (SRE), cAMP (CRE), and aromatic hydrocarbons (AhRE) from the fos and jun genes fused to the firefly luciferase gene under the control of the SV40 minimal promoter. In mouse hepatoma Hepa-1 cells, which have Ah receptor (AHR) and Ah receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT) proteins, inclusion of TRE, SRE, and the AhRE motifs from c-jun and junD, but not CRE or the AhREs from c-fos, fosB, and junB, causes a large TCDD-dependent increase in luciferase expression. In agreement with these results, c-jun and junD, but not c-fos, fosB, and junB AhREs, competed with a canonical Cyp1A1 AhRE for binding to the AHR ARNT heterodimeric complex. In African Green Monkey CV-1 cells, which lack AHR, expression plasmids with AhRE motifs require coexpression of AHR and ARNT for TCDD to stimulate luciferase expression. In contrast, SRE-containing expression plasmids respond equally well to TCDD whether or not AHR and ARNT are coexpressed. These results suggest that TCDD induces expression of the immediate-early response genes fos and jun by activation of possibly three separate signal transduction pathways, at least one of which does not require a functional Ah receptor complex.
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PMID:Dioxin induces transcription of fos and jun genes by Ah receptor-dependent and -independent pathways. 891 96

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is a phenolic antioxidant derived from the propolis of honeybee hives. CAPE was shown to inhibit the formation of intracellular hydrogen peroxide and oxidized bases in DNA of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-treated HeLa cells and was also found to induce a redox change that correlated with differential growth effects in transformed cells but not the nontumorigenic parental ones. Mediated via the electrophile or human antioxidant response element (hARE), induction of the expression of NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) and glutathione S-transferase Ya subunit genes by certain phenolic antioxidants has been correlated with the chemopreventive properties of these agents. Here, we determined by Northern analysis that CAPE treatment of hepatoma cells stimulates NQO1 gene expression in cultured human hepatoma cells (HepG2), and we characterized the effects of CAPE treatment on the expression of a reporter gene either containing or lacking the hARE or carrying a mutant version of this element in rodent hepatoma (Hepa-1) transfectants. A dose-dependent transactivation of human hARE-mediated chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (cat) gene expression was observed upon treatments of the Hepa-1 transfectants with TPA, a known inducer, as well as with CAPE. The combined treatments resulted in an apparent additive stimulation of the reporter expression. To learn whether this activation of cat gene expression was effected by protein kinase C in CAPE-treated cells, a comparison was made of cat gene activity after addition of calphostin, a protein kinase C inhibitor. Calphostin reduced the cat gene induction by TPA but not by CAPE, suggesting that stimulation of gene expression in this system by these agents proceeds via distinct mechanisms. Band-shift experiments to examine binding of transactivator proteins from nuclear extracts of treated and untreated cells to a hARE DNA probe showed that TPA exposure increased the binding level. In contrast, binding of factors to this probe was inhibited after either in vivo treatment of cells with CAPE or in vitro addition of this compound to the nuclear extract. In view of the clear stimulation by CAPE of gene expression mediated by hARE, possible explanations of this result are discussed.
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PMID:Caffeic acid phenethyl ester stimulates human antioxidant response element-mediated expression of the NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) gene. 901 71

Activation of the N-myc2 oncogene by integration of woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) DNA is a central event in woodchuck liver oncogenesis. In this study, we have evaluated the influence of several cellular and viral trans-acting factors and mediators of inflammation on N-myc2 promoter activity in hepatoma cell lines. Ets oncoproteins, including Ets1, Ets2 and PEA3 efficiently activated a chimeric N-myc2 promoter/luciferase reporter gene. By electrophoretic mobility shift assays, we show that Etsl and Ets2 proteins can efficiently bind two consensus Ets sites located within a 59 bp sequence upstream of the N-myc2 transcription start site. Site-directed mutagenesis of these Ets-binding motifs abolished transactivation of the N-myc2 promoter by Ets proteins. Addition of interleukin-6 (IL-6) induced a weak but reproducible activation of the N-myc2 promoter, while IL-1 was ineffective. We further show that the N-myc2 promoter can be transactivated by the hepadna-virus X protein, and that distal promoter sequences are required for both IL-6 and X responsiveness. Similar effects of these factors were observed in the context of the N-myc2 promoter activated by WHV cis-regulatory elements. In view of the high-level expression of the N-myc2 oncogene in most woodchuck liver tumors, the Ets oncoproteins, inflammation-associated cytokine IL-6 and the viral X transactivator might play important roles in hepadnavirus-associated tumorigenesis.
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PMID:Cellular and viral trans-acting factors modulate N-myc2 promoter activity in woodchuck liver tumors. 928 65

In a comprehensive human ecological study, primary liver cancer has been shown to be highly significantly associated with 1) the prevalence of persistent infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) and 2) plasma cholesterol concentrations that are, in turn, associated with the consumption of animal based foods. In rat studies, aflatoxin-induced hepatocellular carcinoma is substantially prevented by decreasing the intake of animal based protein (casein), a hypercholesterolemic nutrient. Thus the development of primary liver cancer associated with persistent HBV infection or with aflatoxin exposure may be controlled by reduced intake of animal-based proteins. Transgenic mice transfected with an HBV gene fragment containing the viral transactivator of hepatis B virus, HBx, which induces the formation of hepatocellular carcinoma, were used to examine the ability of dietary casein to modify tumor formation. Reducing the concentration of dietary casein to 6% from the traditional level of 22% markedly inhibited (by 75%) hepatic tumor formation in these transgenic mice. Tumor development also was substantially altered by interchanging dietary casein concentration well after tumor development had begun (at 8 months), increasing by 173% from the expected yield when casein intake was increased and decreasing by 99% when casein was reduced. These findings suggest that the development of liver tumor formation among individuals persistently infected with HBV may be controlled by minimizing or eliminating the intake of animal protein-based foods.
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PMID:Inhibition of hepatocellular carcinoma development in hepatitis B virus transfected mice by low dietary casein. 936 83

There are two ways of connecting Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) with the uncontrolled growth of EBV infected B lymphocytes: in case of evident immunosuppression when the control by cellular immunity is missing or in the case of pathological growth of malignant clone as a result of genetic translocations. Today, EBV is linked with the development of lymphomas in immunosuppressed patients, Hodgkin's and Burkitt's lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The presence of EBV genome in these patients can be confirmed in malignant cells, in lower or higher percent, as well as the high titers of antibodies against specific virus antigens. Hepatitis B viral infection (HBVI) of specific chronic course and associated with intensified inflammation and mitotic activity is of one of the most important factors in the appearance of hepatocellular carcinoma. Although the integration of viral DNA in DNA of hepatocytes has been one of the possible preconditions for carcinogenesis, recently a great attention has been paid to the inactivation of p53 suppressor gene, being a transcriptive transactivator. Other possible cofactors of carcinogenesis imply long-lasting viral replication, coinfection with HVB, HCV or HDV, interaction with other chemical carcinogens (hormones, aflatoxin, alcohol and similar). In distinction from other human DNA viruses, Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a RNA virus which is not integrated in genome of hepatocyte and active replication of virus is maintained even when hepatocellular carcinoma is detected. It has been assumed that HCV inactivate or mutate the gene of tumor suppression p53 in an early stage of hepatocellular carcinoma development.
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PMID:[Epstein-Barr, hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infections and their oncogenic potentials]. 947 11

The hepatitis B virus and the mammalian hepadnavirus genomes encode for a short open reading frame called x. Expression of the protein product (HBx) appears necessary for establishment of natural infection. However, in vitro studies have suggested a multifunctional role for HBx as an indirect transcriptional transactivator of a variety of different viral and cellular promoters. Indeed, HBx has no known direct DNA binding properties but may interact with transcription factors as well as activate intracellular signaling pathways associated with cell growth. To further address the possible functional role of HBx in the life cycle of hepatitis B virus, we performed an analysis using the yeast two-hybrid system to screen a cDNA library derived from a hepatocellular carcinoma cell line with a HBx fusion bait in an attempt to identify cellular partners that may bind to and alter the biologic properties of HBx. A HBx-interacting protein that specifically complexes with the carboxy terminus of wild-type HBx was identified and designated XIP. This 9.6-kDa protein is capable of binding to HBx in vitro, and transient and stable expression in hepatocellular carcinoma cells abolishes the transactivation properties of HBx on luciferase constructs driven by AP-1 and endogenous hepatitis B virus enhancer/promoter elements. Investigation of the role of XIP in hepatitis B virus replication in differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma cells revealed that XIP expression reduces wild-type hepatitis B virus replication to levels observed following transfection with an HBx-minus virus. In contrast, the replication levels of the duck hepatitis B virus, a hepadnavirus that lacks the x open reading frame, were unchanged in the context of XIP expression. We propose that one of the physiologic functions of the cellular protein XIP is to negatively regulate HBx activity and thus to alter the replication life cycle of the virus.
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PMID:Cloning and characterization of a novel hepatitis B virus x binding protein that inhibits viral replication. 949 22

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