Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0027627 (metastases)
 103,950 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

The extracellular matrix (ECM) acts as both a structural scaffold and an informational medium. Its dynamic status is determined by cells that secrete its constituent molecules and, in most cases, also secrete enzymes that catalyze degradation of these molecules. A stasis between ECM degrading enzymes and their inhibitors maintains the integrity of the matrix. While controlled ECM remodelling is fundamental to several normal processes, uncontrolled disruption underlies diverse pathological conditions. Transgenic mice with specific modulations or a total lack of expression of certain metalloproteinases, serine proteinases or their inhibitors have been generated to elucidate endogenous expression patterns, identify regulatory elements of these genes, and study the physiological consequences of their deregulated expression. With these models we enhance our understanding of the role of proteinases and their inhibitors in diverse normal processes and pathologies including mammary gland development, hemostasis, emphysema and cancer.
Cancer Metastasis Rev 1995 Jun
PMID:Utilization of transgenic mice in the study of matrix degrading proteinases and their inhibitors. 755 34

The molecular events underlying progression of human papillomavirus (HPV) 16-associated intraepithelial neoplasia to invasive cancer have not been studied in detail. Penetration of the basement membrane is an early, but poorly understood step in this process and probably involves the action of one or more metallo- and serine proteinases. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) is a serine proteinase that has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several epithelial tumors, but its role in HPV-associated tumors is not known. To examine uPA expression by HPV 16-transformed keratinocytes in vitro, primary foreskin keratinocyte cultures were transfected by HPV 16 DNA. The primary parental cells and the HPV 16-transformed keratinocytes were studied using substrate gel zymography, Western blot analysis and an in vitro assay measuring penetration of a Matrigel artificial basement membrane. Both uPA and its inhibitor, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), were overexpressed in the HPV 16-transformed cells relative to the parental cell line. The transformed cells, but not the parental cells, were able to degrade and penetrate the Matrigel membrane and penetration was blocked by both PAI-1 and by antibodies to uPA. Our data suggest that HPV 16-induced transformation of keratinocytes is associated with upregulation of uPA expression. In conjunction with other proteinases, uPA plays an important role in the ability of HPV 16-transformed keratinocytes to penetrate artificial basement membranes.
Clin Exp Metastasis 1995 Jul
PMID:Urokinase plasminogen activator expression by primary and HPV 16-transformed keratinocytes. 760 88

Phosphorylation/dephosphorylation reactions are one of the dynamic mechanisms through which cells modulate protein activity in response to environmental stimuli. The eukaryotic molecules which are responsible for the phosphorylation of serine, threonine and tyrosine residues appear to have co-ordinately evolved from simple prokaryotic enzymes which primarily respond to nutritional cues. In multicellular eukaryotes the complexity of data transfer greatly exceeds that of simple bacteria. The eukaryotic cell needs to exchange information with neighbouring and distant sister cells. Positional, nutritional and hormonal data are transmitted from the extracellular milieu across the plasma membrane and into the cytoplasm. In certain cases the signal must pass into the nucleus or other subcellular organelles where it is decoded and the proper cellular response initiated. All of these events have been shown to have a protein kinase component and it seems likely that in mammalian cells over 1,000 different kinase molecules have evolved to form the requisite signal transducing networks. In this review we describe a previously unappreciated family of protein kinases, the dual specificity or DSK kinases, which play important roles in the regulation of normal cellular growth and differentiation.
Cancer Metastasis Rev 1994 Mar
PMID:Dual specificity kinases--a new family of signal transducers. 814 41

Considerable progress has been made over the past year in elucidating the mechanisms by which extracellular signals are transduced via cell surface receptors to trigger changes in gene expression which determine the growth and differentiated state of a cell. In particular, Ras proteins have been implicated as key intermediates that mediate the signal from upstream tyrosine kinases to a downstream cascade of serine/threonine kinases, which then activate nuclear factors that control gene expression and protein synthesis. How Ras proteins function is regulated in this role as a molecular switch, and how the signal is transmitted between the various components of the pathway, are now being determined. Finally, the Rho family of Ras-related proteins, which regulate the actin cytoskeleton, have also been implicated as mediators of oncogenic Ras transformation. The brisk pace at which the key components of Ras-mediated signal transduction pathways are being identified hold great promise that new targets for therapeutic intervention in cancer may now be identified.
Cancer Metastasis Rev 1994 Mar
PMID:The Ras signal transduction pathway. 814 46

This study investigates the incorporation of three intravenously administered radiolabeled fatty acids, [9,10-3H]palmitate (3H-PAM), [1-14C]arachidonate (14C-ACH) and [1-14C]docosahexaenoate (14C-DHA), into lipids of intracerebrally implanted tumor and contralateral brain cortex in awake rats. A suspension of Walker 256 carcinosarcoma cells (1 x 10(6) cells) was implanted into the right cerebral hemisphere of an 8- to 9-week-old Fischer-344 rat. Seven days later, the awake rat was infused intravenously for 5 min with 3H-PAM (6.4 mCi/kg), 14C-ACH (170 microCi/kg) or 14C-DHA (100 microCi/kg). Twenty min after the start of infusion, the rat was killed and intracranial tumor mass and brain cortex were removed for lipids analysis. Each radiolabel was incorporated more into tumor than into brain cortex. Ratios of net incorporation rate coefficients (k*) into tumor as compared with brain were 4.5, 3.4 and 1.7 for 3H-PAM, 14C-ACH and 14C-DHA, respectively. Lipid radioactivity comprised more than 80% of total tumor or brain radioactivity for each probe. Phospholipids contained 58%, 89% and 68% of tumor lipid radioactivity, and 58%, 82% and 74% of brain lipid radioactivity, for 3H-PAM, 14C-ACH and 14C-DHA, respectively. Incorporation coefficients (k*i) for a phospholipid class (i)--choline phosphoglycerides (PC), inositol monophosphoglycerides (PI), ethanolamine phosphoglycerides (PE), serine phosphoglycerides (PS), and sphingomyelin (SM)--were greater in tumor than in brain for each fatty acid probe, except that values for k*PE and k*PS using 14C-DHA were equivalent. Differences in k*i between tumor and brain were largest for SM and PC and the change in k*PC accounted for 65-90% of the increase in the net phospholipid incorporation rate for each probe. Differences in k*PI, k*PE and k*PS were smaller than those in were smaller than those in k*PC and k*SM, and varied with the probe. Differences in k*i were related to differences in tumor and brain phospholipid composition and metabolism. The results indicate that suitably radiolabeled fatty acids may be used to image and characterize metabolism of lipid compartments of a brain tumor in vivo using positron emission tomography.
Clin Exp Metastasis 1994 May
PMID:Differences in rates of incorporation of intravenously injected radiolabeled fatty acids into phospholipids of intracerebrally implanted tumor and brain in awake rats. 819 96

Basement membrane has a variety of effects on tumor cells and promotes malignant behavior. Tumor cell growth is enhanced both in vitro and in vivo in mice in the presence of basement membrane. This has led to the ability to grow various tumors including human biopsy specimens in nude mice. Furthermore, low cell numbers can be used when coinjected with Matrigel, a basement membrane extract. The basement membrane glycoprotein laminin is important in promoting invasive behavior and the level of a 32/67 kDa laminin receptor has been shown to correlate with malignancy. A sequence of five amino acids, tyrosine-isoleucine-glycine-serine-arginine (YIGSR) has been shown to recognize this receptor and to reduce experimental metastases (tail vein injection resulting in colonization of the lung) and subcutaneous tumor growth. This peptide is active in both models either when coinjected or when daily intraperitoneal injections are given after tumor growth has initiated. YIGSR does not effect cell arrest but does inhibit angiogenesis which is necessary for tumor growth. YIGSR also appears to have an additional antitumor effect via its interaction with a specific receptor. YIGSR-adherent cells established after 30 successive selections on YIGSR-coated dishes in vitro formed more lung colonies after intravenous injection and larger tumors after subcutaneous injection than the parent B16F10 melanoma cells. The YIGSR-non-adherent cells formed fewer lung colonies and smaller subcutaneous tumors. These data demonstrate the importance of laminin-tumor cell interactions in malignancies and suggest that a short sequence from laminin has multiple effects in reducing tumor growth and spread.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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PMID:Effect of Matrigel and laminin peptide YIGSR on tumor growth and metastasis. 840 Jan 43

Epithelial ovarian carcinoma, the leading cause of gynecologic cancer death, is characterized by widespread intra-abdominal metastases mediated primarily by surface shedding of tumor cells and peritoneal implantation. Whereas hematogenous metastasis is known to involve cellular adhesion, extracellular matrix proteolysis and cell migration, the role of these processes in the intraperitoneal dissemination of ovarian cancer remains unclear. To analyze further the role of adhesion and proteolysis in ovarian carcinoma dissemination, we have characterized the adhesive profiles of 4 primary cultures of ovarian carcinoma cells and 5 ovarian carcinoma cell lines. Our data demonstrate preferential adhesion of ovarian carcinoma cells to interstitial type I collagen. Analysis of adhesion molecule expression demonstrated the presence of the alpha2 and beta1 integrin subunits by cell surface ELISA, immunoprecipitation and immunohistochemistry. Furthermore, antibodies directed against the alpha2 and beta1 subunits inhibited adhesion of ovarian carcinoma cells to type I collagen by 56% and 95%, respectively. Plasminogen activator and matrix metalloproteinase production by adherent cells was not altered as a consequence of adhesion to individual extracellular matrix proteins; however, adhesion to an extracellular matrix comprised primarily of interstitial collagen increased plasminogen activator activity in 5 of 5 cell lines. Since the ovarian carcinoma micro-environment is rich in type I collagen, our data suggest that preferential adhesion to type I collagen followed by secretion of serine and metalloproteinases may represent a biochemical mechanism by which the intraperitoneal dissemination of ovarian carcinoma is mediated.
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PMID:Evidence for preferential adhesion of ovarian epithelial carcinoma cells to type I collagen mediated by the alpha2beta1 integrin. 878 61

Hydrolysis of extracellular matrix is a necessary step for malignant cells to invade, and metastasize. Three groups of proteinases, mainly serine, thiol and metalloproteinases, have been found to be secreted by cancer cells and responsible for the proteolytic cascade triggered during invasion. Previous studies from our group and others have shown that the thiol proteinase cathepsin B1 is a constant indicator of tumor invasion in carcinoma of the cervix, although others point to plasminogen activators and collagenases. So far, there are no systematic studies to correlate cathepsin B and plasminogen activator activity with advancing malignant disease and thus estimate its capability as a marker of progression. The purpose of this study was to determine the activity of cathepsin B like proteinase and plasminogen activators in invasive carcinoma of the breast at various clinical stages and with different estrogen receptor status. One hundred patients with carcinoma of the breast at different clinical stages were studied. Cathepsin B and plasminogen activators activity was assessed in tumor cytosols using different synthetic oligopeptides as substrates following the method of Smith. Estrogen receptor concentration was determined with monoclonal antibodies. A statistical analysis and correlation with different clinical stages was performed. Cathepsin B-like activity had a consistent and progressive elevation in direct correlation with clinical stage (stage I, 1.97 SE +/- 0.46; stage II, 6.67 SE +/- 1.12; stage III, 28.19 SE +/- 3.48; nmol/mg/30 min), while plasminogen activators, although constantly elevated, had no correlation with tumor progression. No relation could be found with estrogen receptor status. It is concluded that cathepsin B, but not plasminogen activator, is a good indicator of tumor progression in invasive carcinoma of the breast.
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PMID:Proteinase activity in invasive cancer of the breast. Correlation with tumor progression. 884 43

Tumor cells degrade extracellular matrix components (ECM) to invade surrounding tissues. Cancer cells are known to produce various ECM-degrading enzymes including matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), serine proteinases and cathepsins. Type IV collagen is one of the major components of the basement membrane, and it composes the structural scaffold of these specialized sheets of the ECM. The enzymatic degradation of type IV collagen is initiated by MMPs, in particular MMP-2 (a 72 kDa type IV collagenase) and MMP-9 (a 92 kDa type IV collagenase) which play a key role in cancer invasion and metastasis. In this study, we investigated MMP-2 concentrations and the activity of type IV collagenase in cancer tissue homogenate in 21 cases with head and neck carcinomas and 6 cases with normal mucosa. MMP-2 concentrations did not differ between normal mucosa and tumor tissue without lymphnode metastases. Type IV collagenase activity in normal mucosa was below the detection limit. MMP-2 concentrations had no relation to tumor size, however MMP-2 concentrations in tumor tissue with lymphnode metastases were higher than that in cases without lymphnode metastasis (35.8 +/- 20.5, 20.0 +/- 9.7 ng/mg protein, respectively). However, there was no correlation between MMP-2 concentrations and type IV activity in tumor tissues. These results suggest that MMP-2 plays an important role in tumor invasion and metastasis, so MMP-2 could be a useful biological tumor marker for metastasis and prognosis.
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PMID:[Matrix metalloproteinase-2 concentrations in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck and its clinical significance]. 885 35

The proteolytic processes are thought to be the critical point in tumor invasion and metastasis, mainly by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and serine proteases. We measured the activity of MMP-2 from 28 normal, 12 benign and 126 breast cancer tissues using gelatin zymography. Inactive MMP-2 (72 kD) was expressed in 53.6% of the normal and 66.6% of the cancer tissues, respectively (P = 0.77), while active MMP-2 (62 kD) was expressed in 28.6% and 73.0%, respectively (P = 0.003). The enzymatic activity of active MMP-2 (62 kD) measured in the gel band area was 4.0 +/- 7.2 mm2 in normal breasts, 7.7 +/- 9.8 mm2 in benign breast diseases, 9.5 +/- 8.5 mm2 in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), and 12.0 +/- 13.7 mm2 in invasive cancers. The MMP-2 activation ratio (62 kD/62 kD + 72 kD) was 0.12 +/- 0.18 in normal tissues, 0.10 +/- 0.20 in benign diseases, 0.61 +/- 0.22 in DCIS, and 0.50 +/- 0.28 in invasive cancers. In conclusion, MMP-2 activation was the main cause of the increased 62 kD MMP-2 activity during the early phase of breast cancer, while production of MMP-2 supplemented the increased 62 kD activity in the late phase. We suggest, therefore, that these differential expressions of MMP-2 activation and production during the different stages of breast cancer progression are potential therapeutic targets for biological or gene therapy under the concept of stage-oriented cancer treatment.
Clin Exp Metastasis 1996 Nov
PMID:Sequential activation and production of matrix metalloproteinase-2 during breast cancer progression. 897 May 81


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