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Query: UMLS:C0025202 (melanoma)
 69,561 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

High constitutive expression of the c-myc oncogene in human melanoma leads to downregulation of expression of HLA Class I genes. The genes at the HLA-B locus are preferentially affected. To investigate the mechanism of downregulation, the activity of the main HLA Class I enhancer, enhancer A-region I, was compared in a panel of c-myc transfectants with increasing myc expression. Gel retardation experiments demonstrated in all tested cell lines binding of the transcription factors KBF1 and NF-kappa B to the enhancer. However, no correlation between the levels of HLA Class I expression and binding to the enhancer could be established. Strikingly, the cell line with the highest c-myc expression showed more binding of KBF1 and NF-kappa B than the parental cell line. By using CAT reporter plasmids in transient transfection assays we investigated the in vivo function of enhancer A-region I in the c-myc transfectant panel. Again, c-myc expression had no effect at all on the activity of enhancer A. This study shows that HLA Class I expression is regulated by the c-myc oncogene at the level of transcription, but that the main HLA Class I enhancer is not involved in this process.
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PMID:Downregulation of HLA class I expression by c-myc in human melanoma is independent of enhancer A. 846 2

Recent advances in the study of the molecular biology of mouse pigmentation have led to the discovery of a family of proteins involved in the control of melanin synthesis. It has been confirmed that the product of the mouse c (albino) locus is the key melanogenic enzyme tyrosinase, but study of its function and regulation have been hampered by the presence of closely related proteins within melanin-synthesising cells. To overcome these problems, we have established lines of mouse fibroblasts expressing the c locus mouse tyrosinase. Here we describe characterisation of the tyrosinase synthesised by these cells and demonstrate considerable similarity between the expressed tyrosinase and the native enzyme. The expressed tyrosinase is proteolytically cleaved to produce membrane-bound and soluble forms of the expected molecular mass and is rich in N-linked carbohydrate, suggesting that melanocytic differentiation is not a prerequisite for post-translational modification of the protein. The expressed enzyme has tyrosinase activity, but not catalase or dopachrome tautomerase activity, confirming that it is an authentic tyrosinase. Transfected fibroblasts expressing tyrosinase are shown to share several physiological characteristics with melanoma cell lines, including increased pigmentation and tyrosinase activity in response to increased cell density. Since tyrosinase is expressed under a heterologous promoter, these shared characteristics probably reflect translational or post-translational controls that operate in both non-melanocytic and melanocytic cell types. We demonstrate that pigmented fibroblasts contain the melanin synthesis intermediates 5-S-cysteinyldopa and 5-S-glutathionyl-dopa, and produce a phaeomelanin-like pigment, but do not contain detectable eumelanin. Expression of tyrosine is therefore sufficient for the synthesis of a form of melanin pigment in fibroblasts.
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PMID:Fibroblasts expressing mouse c locus tyrosinase produce an authentic enzyme and synthesize phaeomelanin. 850 73

The enhancing potency of the oxidized form of neopterin (NP) towards long-wavelength ultraviolet light (UV-A) induced cytotoxicity was examined in vitro using mouse melanoma (B-16) cells. A sufficient dose of UV-A irradiation was used to cause damage (measured in terms of reduced DNA synthesis) to about 30% of the irradiated cells. NP drastically enhanced the UV-A-induced cell damage, whereas the reduced form of neopterin (NPH4), which possesses a strong antioxidative activity, abolished the UV-A-induced cell damage in a dose-dependent manner. These data suggest that radical oxygen species (ROS) may be involved in UV-Ainduced B-16 cell damage. Among various radical scavengers examined, only catalase protected B-16 cells from UV-A-induced cell damage and also abolished the enhancing potency of NP, suggesting that hydrogen peroxide may mediate the cell damage. We obtained similar results in another experiment on B-16 cell damage induced by hydrogen peroxide instead of UV-A. In an in vitro analysis of the chemilumi-nescence induced by hydrogen peroxide, NP remarkedly enhanced the signal intensity at a high concentration, while NPH4 reduced the intensity in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that elevation of the hydrogen peroxide-mediated cytotoxicity by NP may be involved in its enhancing potency toward UVA-induced B-16 cell damage, and may also indicate the possible utility of the oxidized form of neopterin as an enhancer for UV-A-irradiation treatment of tumors.
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PMID:Enhancing potency of neopterin toward B-16 melanoma cell damage induced by UV-A irradiation and its possible application for skin tumor treatment. 857 87

Although alterations in CD3-associated signal-transducing molecules in tumor-infiltrating T cells of patients with advanced cancer have been previously described, the mechanism behind these changes is not known. We demonstrate that macrophages isolated from metastatic lymph nodes of patients with malignant melanoma down-regulate levels of CD3 zeta in autologous peripheral blood T cells. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)- or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-stimulated monocytes derived from peripheral blood of healthy donors also induced decreased expression of CD3 and CD16-associated zeta chains similar to that observed in T cells and natural killer (NK) cells of patients with advanced cancer. Co-culture with activated monocytes impaired Ca2+ mobilization in peripheral blood derived-T cells when stimulated with monoclonal antibodies to CD3 and also strongly inhibited melanoma-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) activity and NK activity. The presence of catalase, a scavenger of H2O2, during co-culture almost totally abrogated the inhibitory effect of activated monocytes on melanoma-specific CTL lines and on NK cells. Pre-treatment of CTL or NK cells with nontoxic concentrations (1 x 10(-5) M) of H2O2 also severely reduced their cytotoxic activity which could be prevented by catalase. The decrease in CD3 zeta and in CD16 zeta expression, induced by macrophages isolated from metastatic lymph nodes or by LPS-stimulated monocytes, was also prevented by catalase when maintained throughout the co-culture period. The possibility that monocyte/macrophage-derived reactive oxygen metabolites contribute directly to alterations in signal transducing molecules of T cells and NK cells and to the mechanism of immunosuppression in individuals with cancer should be considered.
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PMID:Hydrogen peroxide secreted by tumor-derived macrophages down-modulates signal-transducing zeta molecules and inhibits tumor-specific T cell-and natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity. 864 10

We compared (i) the enhancer/promoter (mCMV promoter) from the murine cytomegalovirus (CMV) major immediate early gene,(ii) the enhancer/promoter from human CMV major immediate early gene, containing a short promoter (h1CMV) or a long stretch of 5' untranslated region (UTR) from the gene promoter (h2CMV) and (iii) the simian virus 40 (SV40) enhancer/early region promoter (SV2) for their ability to direct foreign gene expression in transiently transfected mammalian cell lines. Two series of recombinant plasmids containing the different viral promoters fused to the cat reporter gene and 3'-UTR for processing of transcripts from either the SV40 early region or the rabbit Beta 1-globin-encoding gene (Glb) were also analyzed for their effect on transient gene expression. The mCMV was the most active in dihydrofolate reductase-deficient Chinese hamster ovary (CHOdhfr-) cells and BALB/3T3 clone A31 mouse embryo cells. The h2CMV was more active than the other promoters in Bowes human melanoma cells and in Vero African green monkey kidney cells. In human hepatoma (Hep G2) cells, similar levels of CAT synthesis were observed with the h2CMV- and the mCMV-based vectors. In Hep G2 and Bowes cells, 3'-UTR from the SV40 early region resulted in consistently higher levels of cat expression, as compared to the rabbit beta 1-Glb gene, while the converse was true in BALB/3T3 clone A31 and Vero cells. SV40 early region and rabbit beta1-Glb gene 3'-UTR resulted in similar cat expression in CHOdhfr- cells.
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PMID:Efficiency of different viral promoters in directing gene expression in mammalian cells: effect of 3'-untranslated sequences. 865 43

u.v.-responsive element (URE)-binding proteins were found to include members of the AP1 and ATF transcription factor families. To elucidate the functional contribution of URE-bound proteins to the characteristics of human melanoma, we have used a dominant negative CREB cDNA which is mutated within the DNA-binding domain and cloned into a mammalian expression vector driven by the RSV promoter (KCREB). As such, KCREB is still capable of heterodimerizing with its associated proteins, yet, due to its poor binding affinity to DNA it out competes transcriptional activity mediated by those proteins. Human melanoma cells (MeWo) were transfected with KCREB and three clones, designated K1, K2, and K10 which express KCREB transcripts were then selected for further characterization. When tested for binding activities in gel shift assays, proteins prepared from the three clones exhibited a different set of complexes than the parent MeWo and control MeWo(neo) cells (transfected with empty expression vector) under normal growth conditions, and after u.v.-irradiation. Using CAT vector, driven by a tetramer URE construct, revealed a striking decrease in transcriptional activity in each of the three clones before as well as after u.v.-irradiation. When tested for radiation resistance MeWo cells were found to exhibit 42% survival to a u.v.-dose of 16 J/m2, whereas, K1, K2 and K10 exhibited only 10.2, 3.9 and 4.2% survival, respectively. Exposure to 2 Gy of X-radiation led to 62.1% survival of MeWo as compared with 18.5% of K1 and 7.7% and 6.5% of K2 and K10, respectively. While no significant differences were noticed in their growth rate, all three clones exhibited fewer, and smaller colonies in soft agar, when compared with parent cells. These findings indicate that through their transcriptional activities, CREB and its associated proteins play an important role in the acquisition of characteristic phenotypes of human melanoma cells including resistance to u.v.-irradiation.
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PMID:Expression of dominant negative CREB reduces resistance to radiation of human melanoma cells. 866 49

In order to evaluate the free radical defense systems of melanocytes and their possible correlation with melanoma, we have studied in cultured normal human melanocytes (20), normal melanocytes from melanoma patients (15), and melanoma cells (40) the fatty acid pattern of membrane phospholipids as a target of peroxidative damage and the superoxide dismutase and catalase activities, vitamin E, and ubiquinone levels as intracellular antioxidants. Cells were cultured in the same medium and analyzed at III or IV passage. Compared to the values obtained in normal human melanocytes, melanoma cells showed on average: a) higher levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, b) increased superoxide dismutase and decreased catalase activities, higher vitamin E, and lower ubiquinone levels. Among the normal melanocytes from melanoma patients studied, two groups were differentiated: a) cultures (7) with enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants level similar to those of normal human melanocytes; b) cultures (8) with antioxidant patterns similar to those observed in melanoma cells. Polyunsaturated fatty acids were also increased in the latter group. The results indicate that in melanoma cells and in a percentage of normal melanocytes from melanoma patients, an imbalance in the antioxidant system can be detected that can lead to endogenous generation of reactive oxygen species and to cellular incapability of coping with exogenous peroxidative attacks. These alterations could be correlated with the malignant transformation of cells and with the progression of the disease.
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PMID:Imbalance in the antioxidant pool in melanoma cells and normal melanocytes from patients with melanoma. 875 64

The CD9 antigen, initially discovered on B lineage leukemic cells, belongs to the tetraspan superfamily of surface molecules. If no precise function has been assigned to any of these molecules, there are some indications that they could be involved in cell adhesion and cell migration, as well as malignant progression. The CD9 antigen is associated with surface proteins such as VLA integrins or HB-EGF precursor. Transfection of CD9 in melanoma cells reduces tumor growth and metastasis. The heterogenous distribution of the CD9 antigen suggests a complex regulation of its expression. We have previously characterized the CD9 gene and shown that transcription could be initiated at several sites in the TATA-less 5'-flanking region. We show here, using as a model two human leukemic cell lines with erythromegakaryocytic potential, HEL and K562, that the [-205, -154] region supports a promoter activity when cloned ahead of a CAT reporter gene. Mutagenesis analysis suggested the presence of a positive element located within the [-170, -154] region. Gel shift experiments using HEL extracts were compatible with the binding of the transcriptional factor Sp1 to the [-237, -205] region and indicated that a non-identified protein binds to the 3' end of the [-205, -154] region.
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PMID:Transcriptional regulation of the human CD9 gene: characterization of the 5'-flanking region. 876 Feb 89

Photodynamic-induced cytotoxicity by hypericin (HYP) was studied on three human melanoma cell lines: one pigmented cell line (G361) and two amelanotic cell lines (M18 and M6). No significant variation in the rate of uptake and in the maximum level of HYP incorporation for the different cells was observed. In the dark, no cytotoxicity was observed in the range 0-10-6 M HYP for the three cell lines. Amelanotic cells were found to be more sensitive than pigmented cells to irradiation of HYP with visible light (lambda > 590 nm). In addition, for the three cell lines HYP-induced photocytotoxicity was found to be drug-dose and light-dose dependent. Under the conditions used, thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances (TBARs) were significantly increased in amelanotic cells after irradiation (P < 0.0001). By contrast, the amount of TBARS remained unchanged in pigmented cells. Antioxidant defenses including enzymes and glutathione (GSH) were assayed before and after HYP photosensitization. Significantly increased total SOD activity was observed after photosensitizaton for amelanotic cells (P < 0.05), while glutathione peroxidase (GSHPx) and catalase (Cat) activities but also GSH levels were significantly decreased (P < 0.01). In pigmented cells a significantly increased Cat activity was found (P < 0.05), whereas GSHPx was unaffected after irradiation. It can be inferred that (a) HYP may be an effective PDT agent for melanoma and (b) there is a relationship between melanin content and sensitivity to HYP phototoxicity in human melanoma cells.
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PMID:Photodynamic effects of hypericin on lipid peroxidation and antioxidant status in melanoma cells. 876 May 77

Tyrosinase isolated from cultured human melanoma cells was studied for tyrosine oxygenation activity. L-Tyrosine and D-tyrosine were used as substrates and dopa was measured with HPLC and electrochemical detection as the product of oxygenation. Incubations were performed in the presence or absence of dopamine as co-substrate. Oxygenation of L-tyrosine occurred only in the presence of dopamine as co-substrate. No oxygenation of D-tyrosine was found, and we conclude that human tyrosinase is characterised by exclusive specificity for the L-isomer of tyrosine in its oxygenase function. It has recently been suggested that superoxide anion is a preferential oxygen substrate for human tyrosinase. Incubations were therefore performed with L- and D-tyrosine, human tyrosine, and xanthine/xanthine oxidase in the system, generating superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide. Considerable formation of dopa was observed, but the quantity was the same irrespective of whether D-tyrosine or L-tyrosine was used as the substrate. Furthermore, formation of dopa occurred in a xanthine/xanthine oxidase system when bovine serum albumin (BSA) was substituted for tyrosinase. Our results provide no evidence that superoxide anion is an oxygen substrate for human tyrosinase. In the incubate containing xanthine/xanthine oxidase, catalase completely inhibited dopa formation, and superoxide dismutase and mannitol each strongly inhibited dopa formation. The results are compatible with hydroxyl radicals being responsible for the formation of dopa, since such radicals may be secondarily formed in the presence of superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide.
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PMID:Enzymatic and non-enzymatic oxygenation of tyrosine. 885 72


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