Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0027819 (neuroblastoma)
 27,800 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Human polyomavirus JC virus (JCV) is the causative agent of the demyelinating disorder progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML). In vivo the cellular tropism of JCV has been shown to be very narrow, and replication appears to be essentially restricted to oligodendrocytes. To investigate the detail cellular tropism of JCV, we employed transfection, microinjection and CAT assays using JCV permissive cells, and several non-permissive cell lines. IMR-32 (human neuroblastoma cells) was permissive for IMR-32 adapted JC virus. A431 (human epidermoid carcinoma) and COS-7 (a SV40 transformed African green monkey kidney cell line) were used as non-permissive cells. Employing infection it could be confirmed that the virus proliferated in IMR-32, but not in A431 and COS-7 cells as measured by immunofluorescence methods. However, after microinjection of IMR-32 adapted JCV it could be shown that virus could replicate not only in IMR-32 but also in COS-7 cells. Virus could not be replicated in A431 cells. Using CAT assays the regulatory region of IMR-32 adapted JCV was shown to be active in IMR-32 and COS-7 cells, but inactive in A431 cells. The result suggests that nuclear transcription factors are also determinant of JCV cell tropism in vivo in addition to specific cellular receptors.
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PMID:[Analysis of the cellular tropism of human polyoma JC virus (JCV)]. 854 82

Human manganese-containing superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) is a nuclear encoded mitochondrial protein that scavenges potentially toxic superoxide radicals by dismuting O2- to O2 plus H2O2. To understand the molecular mechanism governing the transcriptional regulation of the human MnSOD gene, I have isolated and sequenced a genomic clone containing the 5' flanking region of the human MnSOD gene. One major transcription start site was mapped by primer extension to a guanine residue 67 base pairs upstream from the translation start site. Eight putative Sp1 binding elements and one AP1 consensus sequence, but no TATA or CAAT box, were found in the promoter region. Furthermore, a series of chimerical/CAT reporter gene constructs were used to transfect human hepatocellular carcinoma(HepG2) human neuroblastoma and human skin fibroblast cell lines to characterize the promoter and regulatory region of the human MnSOD gene. The results show that human MnSOD gene expression is governed by one promoter and that the basic promoter is located between nucleotides -34 and +38. The results also indicate that both positive and negative elements are involved in the regulation of the cell-type specific expression of the human MnSOD gene. The functional studies indicate that the Sp1 binding sites or G+C rich regions play an important role in regulation of expression of the human MnSOD gene in vivo.
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PMID:Characterization of the 5' flanking region of the human MnSOD gene. 860 39

We investigated the regulation of the rat neuron-specific enolase gene using a transient transfection approach. Recent transgenic mouse studies have shown that a 1.8-kb segment of the rat NSE gene 5' flanking region, including the first (noncoding) exon but not the first intron, is able to drive expression of a reporter gene in parallel with endogenous NSE. These data suggest that cis-acting elements responsible for the spatial and temporal pattern of NSE gene expression are located within the proximal 1.8 kb of the 5' flanking sequence. To further investigate this region, we joined the 1.8-kb regulatory cassette to the cat reporter gene and generated a number of constructs in which the flanking sequence was progressively deleted from the 5' end. These constructs were tested by transient transfection into neuronal and nonneuronal cells, followed by an assay for CAT activity. We found that as little as 255 bp of 5' flanking sequence was able to confer cell type-specificity on the reporter gene. Further truncation to 120 bp of 5' sequence resulted in a sharp downregulation of reporter activity in PC12 cells but a significant rise in both Neuro-2A neuroblastoma cells and nonneuronal Ltk- cells, indicating that cis-acting elements controlling the regulation of NSE in Ltk-, Neuro-2A, and PC12 cells may lie within the 135 bp region covered by this deletion. This region contains an AP-2 site and an element similar in sequence and position to a motif identified in the proximal promoter region of the neuron-specific peripherin gene. Reduction to 95 bp of 5' sequence resulted in a slight downregulation of CAT activity in all cell lines tested, and further truncation to 65 bp of 5' sequence caused a universal reduction to background levels of CAT activity, concomitant with the disruption of the basal NSE promoter. Our results show that the 5' flanking region of the NSE gene is capable of conferring cell type-specificity on a heterologous gene in transfected cells and that elements responsible for this are located within the proximal 255 bp.
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PMID:Sequences in the proximal 5' flanking region of the rat neuron-specific enolase (NSE) gene are sufficient for cell type-specific reporter gene expression. 906 16

DAN gene has been isolated by means of differential screening method between rat fibroblast 3Y1 and Rous sarcoma virus-transformed 3Y1 (SR-Y1) cells. DAN expression was suppressed in some of the transformed cells and its re-expression reverted the various transformed phenotypes such as colony formation in soft agar and tumor formation in mice. When DAN was overexpressed in 3Y1 cells, these cell showed the retardation of the entry into the S phase. DAN cDNA encodes a 27-kD protein which consists of 178 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence has no homology with known proteins. The amino terminal of DAN is highly hydrophobic and DAN is indeed secreted into the culture medium. This secreted DAN, when added to the culture of SR-3Y1 cells, suppressed DNA synthesis. Human DAN is mapped to 1p36.11-p36.13, a region known to have highly significant linkage with the genesis and/or progression of human neuroblastoma. Aberrant bands on Southern blot were detected in some of the neuroblastoma cases. Rat and human genomic DANs were isolated. CAT and the electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed the presence of possible positive and negative regulatory elements at -57 approximately +118 and -1,232 approximately -987 of rat genome, respectively.
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PMID:[DAN gene]. 930 43

Sodium phenylacetate (NaPA) has been shown to synergize with retinoic acid (RA) in inducing the differentiation of human neuroblastoma cells. Our studies indicated that NaPA can impact on the RA differentiation program by upregulating nuclear retinoic acid receptor-beta (RAR beta) expression. We have found that NaPA does not alter the half-life of RAR beta mRNA; thus, increased stability of mRNA levels does not contribute to NaPA induction. In contrast, NaPA was able to specifically activate a reporter gene construct (delta SV beta RE-CAT) which contains a retinoic acid response element (RARE beta) that is located in the RAR beta promoter. Activation of delta SV beta RE-CAT by NaPA also occurred in neuroblastoma cells cotransfected with a nuclear retinoic acid receptor expression vector, demonstrating the independence of this activation on cellular RAR levels. Taken together, our findings suggest that induction of RAR beta by NaPA is regulated at the level of transcription and mediated through the retinoic acid response element, RARE beta. This effect may account, at least in part, for the strong synergy between NaPA and RA in promoting neuroblastoma differentiation.
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PMID:Transcriptional upregulation of retinoic acid receptor beta (RAR beta) expression by phenylacetate in human neuroblastoma cells. 951 35

The N-myc oncogene plays a key role in the biology of neuroblastoma and the differentiation process. N-myc expression is associated with metastatic disease, as well as the undifferentiated state of normal neuroblasts migrating from the neural crest during embryogenesis. Its down-regulation is a pivotal event in the differentiation of neuroblastoma cells by retinoic acid (RA). Our previous work has shown that RA works synergistically with other agents, such as interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), to down-regulate N-myc expression and induce differentiation. The present study demonstrates that IFN-gamma, like RA, decreases N-myc transcription. However, functional analysis of N-myc upstream regulatory sequences using 5' deletion mutants of a promoter-CAT construct containing germ line sequences from nucleotide position -887 to +151 showed that IFN-gamma and RA act through different sites on the N-myc promoter. In addition to its transcriptional effect, IFN-gamma was also found to shorten the half-life of N-myc mRNA. Taken together, these findings provide a mechanistic basis for the synergistic action of IFN-gamma and RA in inducing neuroblastoma differentiation and a rationale for the possible development of combination differentiation therapy for clinical use.
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PMID:Interferon-gamma and retinoic acid down-regulate N-myc in neuroblastoma through complementary mechanisms of action. 957 Mar 57

Estrogen exerts complex physiologic effects on brain functions which could partly be mediated through modulation of the dopaminergic system. Transcription control of the human D1A dopamine receptor gene by estrogenic stimulation was studied in the D1A expressing neuroblastoma cell line SK-N-MC. Transient co-transfection of D1A gene promoter-CAT constructs along with expression vectors for steroid hormone receptors indicated that estrogen, but not progesterone or glucocorticoid, receptors up-regulate transcription of this gene by about 1.7-fold. Serial 5' deletion mutants of the D1A gene upstream region localized the estrogen responsive segment between nucleotides -1472 and -1342 relative to the initiator methionine. This region contains a half palindrome (TGACC) for the consensus estrogen responsive element (ERE). Additional co-transfection experiments revealed that estrogen receptors specifically activate the upstream D1A promoter but not the downstream promoter located in the intron of this gene. Consistent with transient co-transfection experiments, 17beta-estradiol treatment of SK-N-MC cells transfected with an estrogen receptor expression vector resulted in an approximately 20% increase in steady-state levels of long D1A transcripts derived from the upstream promoter but not of short transcripts originating from the intron promoter. These observations demonstrate a molecular basis for estrogen induced up-regulation of D1A gene transcription and provide a mechanism for modulation of central dopaminergic functions by this hormone.
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PMID:Up-regulation of D1A dopamine receptor gene transcription by estrogen. 1061 33

Phenylacetate (PA) is a member of a class of aromatic fatty acids that has demonstrated antitumor activity in experimental models and in humans. Previous reports have shown that PA and its analogues can act as ligands for the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) and thereby regulate certain gene expression through peroxisome proliferator response elements. The role of this activity in the antitumor activity of PA has not been determined. To address this question, we have used the human neuroblastoma cell line LA-N-5, which expresses PPARgamma and can be induced to differentiate with PA and with classical PPARgamma ligands. Our results indicated that the PPARgamma ligands 15-deoxy- prostaglandin J2 and GW1929 as well as PA induced LA-N-5 cells to differentiate to a similar phenotype as evidenced by inhibition of cell proliferation, neurite outgrowth, increased acetylcholinesterase activity, and decreased N-myc gene expression. Furthermore, induction with all of the compounds was accompanied by up-regulation of mRNA levels of the nuclear retinoic acid receptor beta (RARbeta) and specific activation of a reporter gene construct (SVbetaRE-CAT) that contains the canonical RA response element located in the RARbeta promoter. All of the assessed functional and molecular effects of PA on LA-N-5 cells, as well as those of the classical PPARgamma ligands, were inhibited by cotreatment with specific PPARgamma antagonists (GW9662 and/or GW0072). Taken together, these studies have confirmed a role for PPARgamma in neuroblastoma cell biology and indicated that the PPARgamma signaling pathway plays a direct role in the PA-induced differentiation response of this cell type.
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PMID:Differentiation of human neuroblastoma by phenylacetate is mediated by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma. 1135 17

Neuroblastomas can acquire a sustained high-level drug resistance during chemotherapy and especially myeloablative chemoradiotherapy. p53 mutations are rare in primary neuroblastomas, but a loss of p53 function could play a role in multidrug resistance. We determined p53 function by measuring induction of p21 and/or MDM2 proteins in response to melphalan (L-PAM) in seven L-PAM-sensitive and 11 L-PAM-resistant neuroblastoma cell lines. p53 was functional in seven/seven drug-sensitive but in only 4/11 drug-resistant cell lines (P = 0.01). In four of the seven cell lines lacking p53 function, mutations of p53 were detected by the microarray GeneChip p53 Assay and automated sequencing, whereas six cell lines with functional p53 had no evidence of p53 mutations. All of the cell lines with wild-type (wt) p53 showed a strong transactivation of the p53-HBS/CAT reporter gene, whereas the four cell lines with mutant p53 failed to transactivate p53 HBS/CAT. Overexpression of MDM2 protein (relative to p53 functional lines) was seen in two p53-nonfunctional cell lines with wt p53; one showed genomic amplification of MDM2. Nonfunctional and mutated p53 was detected in a resistant cell line, whereas a sensitive cell line derived from the same patient before treatment had functional and wt p53. Loss of p53 function was selectively achieved by transduction of human papillomavirus 16 E6 (which degrades p53) into two drug-sensitive neuroblastoma cell lines with intact p53, causing high-level drug resistance to L-PAM, carboplatin, and etoposide. These data obtained with neuroblastoma cell lines suggest that the high-level drug resistance observed in some recurrent neuroblastomas is attributable to p53 mutations and/or a loss of p53 function acquired during chemotherapy. If confirmed in patient tumor samples, these data support development of p53-independent therapies for consolidation and/or salvage of recurrent neuroblastomas.
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PMID:Loss of p53 function confers high-level multidrug resistance in neuroblastoma cell lines. 1150 71

We investigated the effect of Spirulina platensis protean extract and the biliprotein phycocyanin isolated from this microalga, on the activities of the antioxidant enzymes SOD, CAT, GPx, and GR, lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity and glutathione levels after the iron induced oxidative stress in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. Iron is one of the most important agents that produce oxidative stress and decline of neuronal functions. S. platensis protean extract and phycocyanin exert the antioxidant activity by protecting the activity of the cellular antioxidant enzymes total GPx, GPx-Se and GR and by increasing reduced glutathione in cells against oxidative stress induced by iron. These results suggested that S. platensis protean extract is a powerful antioxidant through a mechanism related to antioxidant activity, capable of interfering with radical-mediated cell death. S. platensis may be useful in diseases known to be aggravated by reactive oxygen species and in the development of novel treatments for neurodegenerative disorders as long as iron has been implicated in the neuropathology of several neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson diseases.
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PMID:Neuroprotection by Spirulina platensis protean extract and phycocyanin against iron-induced toxicity in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. 1857 79


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