Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0024141 (systemic lupus erythematosus)
 44,322 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Using RNA hybridization techniques, we examined the expression of proto-oncogenes associated with lymphocyte activation in vitro in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and other autoimmune diseases. T and B lymphocytes from these patients were found to have significantly increased expression of c-myc, c-myb, and c-raf RNA when compared with those of normal individuals. Among the mononuclear cell subpopulations, B lymphocytes expressed higher levels of RNA for these proto-oncogenes compared with the T lymphocytes. Since prompt expression of these and other proto-oncogenes occurs in fibroblasts and lymphocytes following mitogenic stimulation, we propose that the present findings reflect the pathologically activated state of various lymphocytic subpopulations which is observed in systemic lupus erythematosus and in other autoimmune diseases. Endogenous and exogenous factors which lead to the expression of autoimmunity might share the induction of proto-oncogene expression as a common pathogenetic step.
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PMID:Increased proto-oncogene expression in peripheral blood lymphocytes from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and other autoimmune diseases. 242 62

The expression of c-myc proto-oncogene in spleen lymphocytes has been studied in lupus-prone mice (MRL/Mp-lpr/lpr), an animal model for the human autoimmune disease systemic lupus erythematosus, during the growing process, in comparison to control mice (MRL/Mp-+/+). By Northern blot assay and nuclear run on transcription assay, we demonstrated the enhancement of c-myc proto-oncogene expression in spleen lymphocytes from lupus-prone mice in comparison to control mice and the level of expression of c-myc proto-oncogene increased during the growing process and deterioration of lupus symptoms, such as production of autoantibodies and lymphoproliferation, in this study.
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PMID:Enhanced transcription of c-myc proto-oncogene in spleen lymphocytes from lupus-prone mice during the growing process. 268 25

Mice homozygous for the lpr gene spontaneously develop massive lymphoproliferation and an associated lupus-like autoimmune disease. In addition, the total lymphoid organs from these mice express high levels of mRNA for the c-myb proto-oncogene. Since enhanced c-myb mRNA is normally observed in immature thymic lymphocytes but not normal peripheral T cells, this may be indicative of the abnormal maturation state of lpr T lymphocytes. To determine whether the abnormal Lyt-2-, L3T4- (double negative) T lymphocytes in lpr mice express high c-myb, we purified this population by complement-mediated lysis with anti-L3T4 and Lyt-2 antibody from B6/lpr lymph nodes. We found that increased c-myb mRNA is expressed by this double-negative subset. To assess whether the high level of c-myb correlated with the aberrant undifferentiated state of these cells, we examined the effects of T cell differentiation inducers, phorbol ester and calcium ionophore, on c-myb expression. We found that c-myb levels were depressed after phorbol ester and calcium ionophore treatment. Concomitantly, transcriptional activation of the interleukin 2 receptor gene and progression of these cells through the cell cycle were observed. Thus, in B6/lpr double-negative T cells, the regulation of c-myb, interleukin 2 receptor, and cell proliferation may be interrelated. A combination of Northern hybridization and nuclear run-on transcription assays revealed two levels at which c-myb can be regulated in the double-negative T cell subset. The gene is transcriptionally regulated in untreated cells, but on induction with phorbol ester and calcium ionophore, the gene is negatively regulated via post-transcriptional mechanisms.
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PMID:The expression and regulation of c-myb transcription in B6/lpr Lyt-2-, L3T4-T lymphocytes. 311 95

The presence of the lpr/lpr genotype on a number of murine genetic backgrounds results in a systemic lupus erythematosus-like disease and lymphadenopathy. The T lymphocytes of these mice exhibit a variety of abnormalities; most pertinent to the present report is an abnormally high level of c-myb proto-oncogene mRNA. Since the c-myb protein is presumably the effector molecule that affects cellular functions, it is important to determine whether increased levels of this c-myb protein are produced. With the use of immunoprecipitation with an anti-v-myb reagent, we found high levels of c-myb protein in the lymph nodes of lpr mice. Detailed analysis showed that the c-myb protein is primarily expressed by an abnormal T lymphocyte population that does not express the mature T cell markers, L3T4 and Lyt-2. Analysis by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis showed that the c-myb proteins from normal thymocytes and from these L3T4-, Lyt-2-T cells are indistinguishable. DNA analysis with Southern hybridizations showed the lack of amplification, insertions, deletions, and rearrangements, which is in accord with results from the protein studies. Most interestingly, the c-myb gene in lpr L3T4-, Lyt-2- T cells is hypomethylated compared with normal controls. This suggests that a regulatory mechanism, rather than the structural alteration of the gene, is responsible for elevated expression of c-myb in these L3T4-, Lyt-2- cells.
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PMID:Molecular basis of elevated c-myb expression in the abnormal L3T4-, Lyt-2- T lymphocytes of autoimmune mice. 331 84

The proliferative response of B lymphocytes to stimulation with anti-IgM antibodies and B-cell growth factors was studied in 27 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and 17 normal donors. In addition, the expression of messenger RNA of the proto-oncogene c-myc was also studied in B cells from SLE patients and normal donors. The proliferative response of lupus B cells to anti-IgM and B-cell growth factors as compared to normal B cells demonstrated a wide range of responses, 10 were lower than normal and 8 were either normal or supernormal. As compared to normals, expression of B-cell c-myc RNA from SLE patients was either normal or depressed. In general in patients with SLE there was a positive correlation between levels of c-myc expression and the degree of proliferation in B-cells after stimulation with anti-IgM and B-cell growth factors.
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PMID:Induction of c-myc expression early in the course of B-cell activation: studies in normal humans and patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. 348 78

This review covers significant developments in the understanding of the biochemistry and clinical pharmacology of Interleukin-2 (IL-2) that were achieved from 1984 through September 1986. These include developments in the molecular biology of IL-2 and its receptors. Human IL-2 was cloned and sequenced by Taniguchi et al. in 1983. The gene for human IL-2 is located on the long arm of chromosome 4. The secondary structure of the gene is predominantly alpha helix. The mature gene product is a 133 amino acid glycoprotein with a molecular weight of 15,420 Daltons. The IL-2 receptor was revealed to be a glycoprotein of 272 amino acids. The mature receptor has a molecular weight of 55,000 Daltons. A more precise understanding of the mechanism of action IL-2, in particular its role in the induction of the IL-2 receptor, and aspects of the control of IL-2 production was also achieved. Metabolic and morphologic studies have revealed that activation of the T-cell antigen receptor renders the cells responsive to IL-2, but does not move them through the cell cycle. Rather, it appears that IL-2 stimulates G1 progression to S phase ie. blastic transformation. During this progression the cellular proto-oncogene c-myb is induced transiently to 6 to 7 times basal levels. The role of IL-2 as a growth factor for several subsets of T cells has been confirmed, and a new role as a growth factor for B cells was defined. Most importantly, IL-2 was shown to be directly mitogenic for and to expand subpopulations of peripheral blood cells, termed lymphokine-activated killer (LAK) cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL). A number of pathologies of IL-2 production or activity have been defined, including Hodgkin's disease, graft versus host disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, lepromatous leprosy, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, and adult T cell leukemia. Murine and human in vivo studies reviewed here have revealed significant parameters of the therapeutic potential as well as the toxicity of this growth factor. Finally, the modulation of IL-2 receptors on human PBL's by thymosin fraction 5 and thymosin alpha 1 suggests that it might be possible to up-regulate IL-2 receptor expression in certain disease states and thus increase the efficacy of IL-2.
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PMID:Recent advances in the understanding of the biochemistry and clinical pharmacology of interleukin-2. 354 63

Systemic autoimmune disease states are known to be associated with abnormal cell growth or differentiation. In the murine models of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), specific genotypes result in dysregulated growth of certain lymphocyte subpopulations. Although genes underlying autoimmune syndromes have been characterized by mendelian genetics, it has not yet been possible to characterize them at the molecular level. Recently, it has become clear that cellular proto-oncogenes can regulate cell growth and differentiation. Therefore, we have studied the expression of five different proto-oncogenes; myc, myb, abl, bas, and raf, in organs and cells of various autoimmune strains. These genes were selected because each has previously been associated with abnormal hemopoietic cell growth, and because each has been at least partially characterized at the molecular and functional level. We have found selective abnormal proto-oncogene expression associated with the characteristic abnormal cell growth or differentiation of lymphocytes of autoimmune mice. The lymph nodes of MRL-lpr/lpr mice are packed with unusual T cells. These had a marked increase in myb expression. There was a 20-40-fold increase in myb RNA in lymph nodes of lpr/lpr mice on several different genetic backgrounds. The gld/gld mouse has a very similar unusual T cell in the lymph nodes: it also had a comparable increase in myb RNA in the nodes. In contrast, myb expression was not elevated in the other autoimmune mouse strains lacking these abnormal T cells. Whereas such lpr/lpr mice had increased myb expression in the lymph nodes and splenic T cells, they had markedly subnormal myb expression in the thymus, an organ with high myb in normal and in the other autoimmune strains. These results suggest that one phase of intrathymic differentiation in other mice occurs in the periphery of lpr/lpr mice. The spleens of NZB and male BXSB mice had increased myc expression which was found to be associated with B cells upon cell separation. Similarly, increased bas and abl expression was associated with autoimmune B cells. The xid gene, which retards or prevents the expression of murine lupus by retarding B cell maturation, was associated in BXSB.xid, NZB.xid, and MRL-lpr/lpr.xid congenic mice with marked reduction in expression of myc, bas, and abl in the spleens containing B cells, but not of myb in the lpr/lpr.xid nodes containing primarily the unusual T cells. Raf expression was found to be associated in lpr/lpr and gld/gld mice with both the unusual T cells and splenic B cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
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PMID:Oncogene expression in autoimmune mice. 391 23

Neurotrophins (NTs), including nerve growth factor (NGF), are multifunctional: in addition to their well-characterized neurotrophic functions they are known to regulate and to be regulated by cytokines, components of the immune system. In line with this we have found expression of a functional trk proto-oncogene, constituting the signal transducing-receptor for NGF, on monocytes/macrophages, lymphocytes and basophils. Moreover, NGF synthesis is regulated by a cytokine cascade including inflammatory mediators such as interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. The fact that NGF levels are markedly elevated in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with multiple sclerosis and in serum of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus strongly indicates a role for NGF in immunopathology as well as in normal immune function.
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PMID:Neurotrophins and cytokines--intermediaries between the immune and nervous systems. 757 71

The proto-oncogene Fli-1 is a member of the ets family of transcription factor genes. Its high expression in the thymus and spleen and the presence of DNA binding sites for Fli-1 in a number of lymphoid cell-specific gene suggest that Fli-1 is involved in the regulation of lymphopoiesis. Activation of the Fli-1 gene by either chromosomal translocation or viral insertion leads to Ewing's sarcoma in humans and erythroleukemia in mice, respectively. Thus, Fli-1 is normally involved in pathways involved in the regulation of cell growth and differentiation. We have generated H-2Kk-Fli-1 transgenic mice that overexpress Fli-1 in various mouse tissues, with the highest levels of Fli-1 protein in the thymus and spleen. These Fli-1 transgenic mice developed a high incidence of a progressive immunological renal disease and ultimately died of renal failure caused by tubulointerstitial nephritis and immune-complex glomerulonephritis. The incidences of renal disease correlated with the levels of Fli-1 protein in lymphoid tissues of transgenic lines. The hypergammaglobulinemia, splenomegaly, B-cell hyperplasia, accumulation of abnormal CD3+ B220+ T lymphoid cells and CD5+ B220+ B cells in peripheral lymphoid tissues, and detection of various autoantibodies in the sera of diseased Fli-1 transgenic mice suggested the involvement of an immune dysfunction in the pathogenesis of the renal disease. In addition, splenic B cells from transgenic mice exhibited increased proliferation and prolonged survival in vitro in response to mitogens. Taken together, these data suggest that overexpression or ectopic expression of Fli-1 perturbs normal lymphoid cell function and programmed cell death. Thus, H-2Kk-Fli-1 transgenic mice may serve as a murine model for autoimmune disease in humans, such as systemic lupus erythematosus.
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PMID:An immunological renal disease in transgenic mice that overexpress Fli-1, a member of the ets family of transcription factor genes. 852 63

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterised by the production of a large number of autoantibodies. It has been postulated that this may be the result of prolonged longevity of auto-reactive B cells due to defective regulation of programmed cell death (apoptosis). The proto-oncogene bcl-2 is involved in the control of apoptosis in immunocompetent cells, and its over-expression is noted in T and B cells from SLE patients. This study examined the genetic linkage between the bcl-2 gene locus and SLE susceptibility using the affected sib-pair method in SLE families. Seventeen caucasian multiplex families were evaluated. A polymorphic microsatellite marker closely linked to the bcl-2 gene on 18q21.3 was used to determine the bcl-2 genotype. We demonstrated that haplotype sharing among the affected sibling pairs was not statistically different from random (P > 0.5). This suggests that the bcl-2 gene locus does not confer a genetic susceptibility to SLE expression.
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PMID:Evaluation of the BCL-2 gene locus as a susceptibility locus linked to the clinical expression of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). 889 77


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