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Query: UMLS:C0033036 (APC)
 10,214 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Progress in development of a genetic model for colorectal tumorigenesis and human chemoprevention research may allow the mechanism-based identification of targets and chemopreventive agents that will protect against colorectal cancer. For example, numerous mutagenic events can occur throughout colorectal carcinogenesis, including loss of heterozygosity in tumor suppressor genes such as APC, MCC, DCC, and p53, as well as in oncogenes such as K-ras. Chemopreventive agents that inhibit mutagenic activity such as N-acetyl-l-cysteine, oltipraz, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs may protect against these mutations. Also, agents such as perillyl alcohol and lovastatin that interfere with protein isoprenylation and, hence, inhibit oncogene activation may protect against aberrant K-ras expression. Hyperproliferation in normal mucosa, leading to growth and progression of neoplasia, are also aspects of colorectal carcinogenesis that can be controlled by chemopreventive agents. Calcium is a chemopreventive agent for which there is both clinical and experimental evidence of inhibition of cell proliferation in colon mucosa. Other examples of antiproliferative agents with potential chemopreventive efficacy in colon are 2-difluoromethylornithine, dehydroepiandrosterone, and selenium. Differentiating agents such as retinoids and deltanoids also may slow proliferation and progression. Antioxidants have potential for interfering with both mutagenicity and proliferation (e.g., by preventing oxidative activation of carcinogens and scavenging activated oxygen species generated during inflammation). The same mechanistic principles apply to identification of dietary chemopreventive intervention for colorectal carcinogenesis. For example, lowering dietary fat and increasing dietary fiber lead to lower colorectal mucosal proliferation, and cruciferous vegetables contain agents such as indoles and dithiolthiones that have shown antimutagenic activity.
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PMID:Genetic and cellular changes in colorectal cancer: proposed targets of chemopreventive agents. 867 84

Cadherins comprise a family of calcium-dependent glycoproteins that function in mediating cell-cell adhesion in virtually all solid tissues of multicellular organisms. In epithelial cells, E-cadherin represents a key molecule in the establishment and stabilization of cellular junctions. On the cellular level, E-cadherin is concentrated at the adherens junction and interacts homophilically with E-cadherin molecules of adjacent cells. Significant progress has been made in understanding the extra- and intracellular interactions of E-cadherin. Recent success in solving the three-dimensional structure of an extracellular cadherin domain provides a structural basis for understanding the homophilic interaction mechanism and the calcium requirement of cadherins. According to the crystal structure, individual cadherin molecules cooperate to form a linear cell adhesion zipper. The intracellular anchorage of cadherins is regulated by the dynamic association with cytoplasmic proteins, termed catenins. The cytoplasmic domain of E-cadherin is complexed with either beta-catenin or plakoglobin (gamma-catenin). Beta-catenin and plakoglobin bind directly to alpha-catenin, giving rise to two distinct cadherin-catenin complexes (CCC). Alpha-catenin is thought to link both CCC's to actin filaments. The anchorage of cadherins to the cytoskeleton appears to be regulated by tyrosine phosphorylation. Phosphorylation-induced junctional disassembly targets the catenins, indicating that catenins are components of signal transduction pathways. The unexpected association of catenins with the product of the tumor suppressor gene APC has led to the discovery of a second, cadherin-independent catenin complex. Two separate catenin complexes are therefore involved in the cross-talk between cell adhesion and signal transduction. In this review we focus on protein interactions regulating the molecular architecture and function of the CCC. In the light of a fundamental role of the CCC during mammalian development and tissue morphogenesis, we also discuss the phenotypes of embryos lacking E-cadherin or beta-catenin.
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PMID:Cadherin-catenin complex: protein interactions and their implications for cadherin function. 880 74

The effects of neuromedin-K (NMK) on the rat hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis were studied both in vivo and in vitro. A subcutaneous injection of 1 nmol/100 g NMK evoked a rise in plasma ACTH level at 30 min, increased plasma corticosterone (B) concentration (PBC) at 60 and 120 min, and did not alter plasma aldosterone (ALDO) concentration (PAC). The administration of 3 nmol/100 g NMK induced a rise in plasma ACTH level at 120 min and a drop of PBC at 30 min; it increased PBC and PAC at 60 and 120 min. NMK did not affect basal B secretion of dispersed zona fasciculata/reticularis (ZF/R) cells, but markedly enhanced basal ALDO production by dispersed zona glomerulosa (ZG) cells (minimal and maximal effective concentrations were 10(-9) M and 10(-7) M). Video-imaging analysis showed that NMK (10(-8) M) increased intracellular Ca2+ concentration in dispersed ZG cells, but not in ZF/R ones. These findings indicate that NMK exerts a complex modulatory action on the rat HPA axis: low doses of NMK appear to evoke a transient stimulation of ACTH release, while high doses seem to exert a short-term inhibition of glucocorticoid synthesis followed by the compensatory hypersecretion of ACTH; moreover, elevated doses of NMK also exert a strong ALDO secretagogue action by acting directly on the ZG cells.
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PMID:Effects of neuromedin-K on the rat hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal axis. 883 61

Protein C is a major regulatory protein critical to physiologic anticoagulation. When activated, it selectively degrades the activated forms of factors V and VIII, thereby, down-regulating blood coagulation. Using an activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) assay, Dahlback et al. recently reported that some individuals with thrombophilia show a poor in vitro anticoagulant response to activated protein C (APC-Resistance). Subsequent studies identified a point mutation in the gene for factor V as the underlying cause of APC-Resistance. The incidence of APC-Resistance in patients with recurrent thromboembolic events approaches 50%. The APC-Resistance phenotype is also present in approximately 5% of normal Caucasian subjects. In an attempt to develop a more sensitive and specific test system, we evaluated an assay based on Textarin(Pentapharm, Basel, Switzerland). Textarin, a protein fraction of Pseudonaja textilis venom (Australian Eastern Brown Snake) activates prothrombin in the presence of phospholipid (PL), factor V and calcium ions. Based on Textarin's requirement for factor V, we developed a Textarin time assay to test for APC-Resistance. We evaluated this test system in normal subjects and the following patient populations: stable orally anticoagulated, previously diagnosed factor V Leiden, and therapeutically heparinized samples. We found the Textarin assay to be a sensitive and specific test system to identify APC-Resistance. The phenotypic Textarin APC-Resistance test correlated more closely with the genotypic abnormality of factor VR506Q than the APTT-APC-Resistance test.
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PMID:APC-resistance as measured by a Textarin time assay: comparison to the APTT-based method. 887 45

Herein we review data relating to the molecular mechanism of T-cell receptor antagonists, their effect on thymic education, the occurrence of naturally occurring antigen analogs, and the therapeutic potential of the TCR antagonist approach. Our data suggest that MHC bound antigen analogs which antagonize the mature T-cell response, bind the T-cell receptor below a crucial affinity threshold required to stimulate the early biochemical events necessary for activation, such as phosphatidylinositol metabolism and the Ca2+ influx. The same peptides do not inhibit the formation of APC/T-cell complexes, suggesting interference with more complex equilibria such as receptor oligomerization and co-receptor interaction. Our laboratory and others have also begun to investigate how these antigen analogs may affect the processes involved in thymic education. Non-stimulatory antagonist peptides can elicit deletion of CD4+/CD8+ thymocytes suggesting a lower affinity requirement for negative selection than for activation. These data also demonstrate that these antigen analogs can, indeed, act upon immature T cells. We have also reviewed evidence that antagonists may, in fact, occur in nature. Recent data suggest that viral mutations resulting in altered immunodominant epitopes may produce antagonist determinants potentially involved in immunosuppression and viral persistence. Finally, we discuss the therapeutic potential of antigen analogs and TCR antagonism in autoimmune disease and allergy.
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PMID:Antigen analogs as tools to study T-cell activation function and activation. 892 Feb 44

In atopic dermatitis (AD) patients, IgE molecules are demonstrated on the surface of Langerhans cells (LC). Fc epsilon RI molecules, which are present on the surface of LC in AD patients as well as normal individuals, are responsible for this binding. In this study, we have investigated phenotypic and functional characteristics of Fc epsilon RI on epidermal and dermal cell populations. Epidermal and dermal cell suspensions were prepared enzymatically with dispase followed by either trypsin or collagenase treatment, respectively. Peripheral blood basophils were negatively selected by excluding other leukocytes with surface marker staining. Consistent with previous reports, both peripheral blood basophils and epidermal LC were positively stained with anti Fc epsilon RI monoclonal antibody. In addition, an Fc epsilon RI positive population was demonstrated among dermal HLA-DR positive cells. These cells express significant amounts of HLA-DR molecules (DRHi) and co-express CD 1 a molecules, which identifies them as LC-like dendritic APC of the dermis. No other Fc epsilon RI positive population was found in the other dermal DRMid or DR- populations, except for a minor DRLo population, presumably mast cells. To analyze whether these Fc epsilon RI molecules are signal transducing for LC, intracellular calcium mobilization after crosslinking of Fc epsilon RI was measured with flow cytometry. Following crosslinking, peripheral blood basophils clearly increased intracellular calcium. On the other hand, neither normal epidermal LC nor dermal DRHiCD1a + cells changed their intracellular calcium level after Fc epsilon RI crosslinking. These data indicate that normal epidermal and dermal LC, but not basophils, are resistant to calcium flux following Fc epsilon RI engagement.
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PMID:Expression, but lack of calcium mobilization by high-affinity IgE Fc epsilon receptor I on human epidermal and dermal Langerhans cells. 898 Oct 26

A previously developed experimental system was applied to obtain qualitative and quantitative data on the contribution of TCR-, CD4- and CD28-mediated signalling in the activation of an antigen specific T-cell hybridoma. All the three signal transducing receptors were stimulated by their natural ligands, and intermediate and late responses of an I-Ed restricted, CD4 +, influenza HA specific murine T-hybridoma (IP-12-7) were monitored by measuring the concentration of intracellular calcium [Ca2+]i and secreted IL-2. This type of analysis of T-cell activation revealed: (i) calcium mobilization induced by peptide loaded APC requires rapid conjugate formation; (ii) a direct correlation between the magnitude of the intermediate and the late responses was observed as a consequence of differential TCR ligation modulated by peptide dose or by the presence CD4; (iii) considering the APC/peptide and T/APC ratios, the concentration dependence of the intermediate and late responses was similar in both assays but a substantial difference in the sensitivity of the two methods was observed; (iv) CD4 mediated signalling has a co-stimulatory effect predominantly at suboptimal in vitro conditions; and (v) sustained increase of [Ca2+]i as well as the production of high concentrations of IL-2 is highly dependent on the CD28-B7 interaction. These results demonstrate that distinct peptide doses and the presence or absence of CD4 result in quantitative changes in T-cell responses, while the degree of CD28 mediated signalling has a qualitative affect on the outcome of T-cell activation, revealed by complete or partial inhibition of IL-2 secretion as a result of limited CD28-B7 interaction as well as by alteration in the duration and time kinetics of the calcium response.
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PMID:Collaboration of TCR-, CD4- and CD28-mediated signalling in antigen-specific MHC class II-restricted T-cells. 905 68

We have constructed YAC, PAC, and cosmid contigs in the ataxia-telangiectasia gene region and used the assembled clones to isolate expressed sequences by exon trapping and hybridization selection. In the interval between D11S1819 and D11S2029, exons and cDNAs for potentially 13 different genes were identified. Three of these genes, F37, K28, and 6.82, are large novel genes expressed in a variety of different tissues. K28 shows sequence homology to the Rab GTP binding protein family and gene 6.82 homology to the rabbit vasopressin activated calcium mobilizing receptor, while gene F37 has no homology to any known sequence in the database. Three further clones, exon 6.41 and cDNAs K22 and E74, from the interval between D11S1819 and D11S2029, appear to be expressed endogenous retrovirus sequences. The fourth large novel genes, E14, together with two further possible novel genes, E13 and E3, was identified from exons and cDNAs in the more telomeric 300-kb interval between markers D11S2029 and D11S2179. These are in addition to the genes for mitochondrial acetoacetyl-CoA-acetyltransferase (ACAT) and the ATM gene in the same region. Genes E3, E13, and E14 do not show homology to any known genes. K28, 6.82, ACAT, and ATM all appear to have the same transcriptional orientation toward the telomere.
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PMID:Construction of a transcription map around the gene for ataxia telangiectasia: identification of at least four novel genes. 911 94

Induction of anergy and deletion due to apoptosis are two of the mechanisms involved in peripheral tolerance. To clarify the relationship between these two phenomena we have used an in vitro system of T cell Ag presentation. The recognition of Ag displayed by MHC class II-expressing T cells (T-APC) induces partial signals in Ag-specific T cell clones. This leads to a blunted intracellular calcium flux, and the T cells become unable to proliferate in response to further challenge with professional APC. These T cells are unable to produce IL-2, but retain the ability to release IL-4. In the present study, we report that for some T cell clones, the predominant outcome of Ag recognition on T cells is cell death. For susceptible T cell clones, the number of cells that die is proportional to the peptide concentration. This cell death resulted from Fas/Apo-1 (CD95)/Fas-ligand interactions between the T cells, in that Fas ligand expression was detected following overnight culture of T cells with T-APC and neutralizing anti-CD95 Ab protected from death. Most notably, following anti-CD95-mediated protection from apoptosis, the rescued T cells remained unable to respond to rechallenge with Ag-pulsed, professional APC. These data suggest that anergy and apoptosis can be separated as consequences of partial T cell signaling.
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PMID:Dissociation of T cell anergy from apoptosis by blockade of Fas/Apo-1 (CD95) signaling. 912 Feb 62

Considerable controversy surrounds the role of the c-myb proto-oncogene in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Previous investigations using antisense approaches have suggested a relationship between c-myb expression, cell cycle progression, and cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]cyt). However, the ability of certain antisense oligonucleotides to bind and inactivate growth factors allows alternative explanations. To define more specifically the role of c-Myb in cultured VSMCs (SVE and A10 cell lines), we have generated stable cell clones expressing a dominant-negative c-Myb lacking critical elements of the DNA binding domain (delta5-SVE) and transiently transfected cell populations (GRE-MEn-SVE and GRE-MEn-A10) expressing a glucocorticoid-inducible chimeric protein that targets the Drosophila Engrailed repressor domain to c-Myb-responsive promoters. The delta5-SVE clones and GRE-MEn cell populations exhibit a 60% reduction in mean intracellular c-Myb activity, as measured by cotransfection assays with a c-Myb-responsive reporter, a 42% decrease in the mean S phase entry of growth-arrested (G[0]) cells after serum stimulation, and a 36% inhibition of mean cell proliferation over 4 days. These cells also display 28% (34-nmol/L) and 30% (42-nmol/L) reductions in mean [Ca2+]cyt at G(0) and at the G1/S interface, respectively, as well as significant reductions in the peak [Ca2+]cyt responses to thapsigargin (5 micromol/L) and caffeine (10 mmol/L). These latter reductions in operationally defined Ca2+ pools were observed both at different stages of the cell cycle and after transient induction of the dominant-interfering construct, suggesting that c-Myb regulates these releasable Ca2+ stores independent of its effects on cell cycle progression.
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PMID:c-Myb-dependent cell cycle progression and Ca2+ storage in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells. 913 Apr 42


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