Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P00750 (PLA)
 16,800 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Bartonellosis, a biphasic disease caused by motile intracellular bacteria, produces in its tissue phase a characteristic dermal eruption (Verruga peruana) resulting from a pronounced endothelial cell proliferation. Bacteria are found in the interstitium and within the cytoplasm of endothelial cells (Rocha-Lima inclusion). The aim of this study was to determine if Bartonella bacilliformis produce a substance(s) that might be responsible for the vascular proliferation seen in the Verruga. This was assessed in an in vitro system using human endothelial cells and measuring proliferation as well as production of tissue type plasminogen activator after exposure to the endothelial cultures to B. bacilliformis extracts. Our results indicate that B. bacilliformis possess an activity that stimulates endothelial cell proliferation up to three times that of control. The factor(s) is specific for endothelial cells, heat sensitive, larger than 12 to 14 kd, not enhanced by heparin, has no affinity for heparin, and is precipitated by 45% ammonium sulfate. In addition, the B. bacilliformis extracts stimulate production of t-PA antigen in a concentration-dependent fashion. This activity is also heat sensitive and not lost after dialysis (12 to 14 kd). B. bacilliformis extracts, however, do not increase the production of plasminogen activator inhibitor. It was also determined that B. bacilliformis extracts stimulate the formation of new blood vessels in an in vivo model for angiogenesis. These results describe a bacterial factor(s) that stimulates two important steps in the development of new blood vessels in vitro, as well as the formation of new blood vessels in vivo. Determining the mechanism of action, combined with a complete characterization of this factor(s), may help in understanding the pathogenesis not only of the Verruga and angiogenesis in general but also the recently described Cat-Scratch-associated epithelioid hemangiomas in patients with AIDS and Kaposi sarcoma.
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PMID:Bartonella bacilliformis stimulates endothelial cells in vitro and is angiogenic in vivo. 169 72

Clinical trials of recombinant biologic agents have resulted in new treatment options for hematologic, oncologic, and cardiologic disorders. These agents include the interferons, recombinant human erythropoietin (r-HuEPO), colony-stimulating factors (CSFs), interleukins (ILs), and tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA). Interferon alfa has proven efficacious in treating certain hematologic malignancies and solid tumors and has recently been indicated for acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related Kaposi's sarcoma. Treatment with r-HuEPO has relieved the chronic anemia of hemodialysis patients. Recombinant human granulocyte CSF (G-CSF) or human granulocyte macrophage CSF (GM-CSF) has been used to treat patients after autologous bone marrow transplantation for lymphoid or solid malignancies, resulting in increased production of granulocytes and platelets. G-CSF and GM-CSF have been used to treat aplastic anemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, chemotherapy-induced neutropenia, and neutropenia associated with AIDS. In patients with evolving myocardial infarction, the recombinant agent t-PA has proved more efficacious than streptokinase in terms of average coronary artery patency rates and survival rates in patients with evolving myocardial infarction. While these agents all offer promising therapeutic advances, the expenses associated with developing and testing biotherapeutic substances have resulted in high treatment costs. Since in many instances investigational therapy is the best treatment option available, physicians, patients, the pharmaceutical industry, the government, and insurance carriers must work together to ensure that these therapies are financially available to those in need.
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PMID:New directions in hematologic biotherapy. 247 3

Glucocorticoid (GC) use is known to induce or enhance the growth of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) in many clinical settings including human immunodeficiency virus infection, collagen vascular disease, lymphoproliferative disorders, and renal transplantation. Because GCs may induce immune suppression and thus tumor growth, we determined whether GCs had a direct effect on KS growth. We found that GCs directly induce the growth of KS cell lines. In examining the mechanism of action of GCs, we did not observe induction of known autocrine growth factors for KS including interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, oncostatin-M, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). We thus examined factor(s) that inhibit KS growth. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is produced by KS cells and has pleiotropic effects, including inhibiting the growth of hematopoietic and endothelial cells. We show that TGF-beta is produced by KS cells in both the latent and active forms, and that TGF-beta is an autocrine growth inhibitory factor. We then studied the effects of GCs on the regulation of TGF-beta and found that GCs do not inhibit TGF-beta transcription, but significantly inhibit TGF-beta activation. This effect is mediated through regulation of the TGF-beta activation pathway. TGF-beta is activated by plasmin which is positively regulated by plasminogen activator (PA) and PA receptor (PAR), and negatively regulated by plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI). GCs downregulated PAR and upregulated PAI. Thus, glucocorticoids enhance KS cell growth through the regulation of TGF-beta activation.
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PMID:Glucocorticoids induce Kaposi's sarcoma cell proliferation through the regulation of transforming growth factor-beta. 905 28

Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) is a highly angiogenic lesion frequently associated with acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Histologically the lesions appear to contain proliferative 'spindle shaped' cells with a mixed smooth muscle-endothelial-fibroblastic histotype and a conspicuous neovascularization, derived from host cell recruitment. Media conditioned by cultured KS cells (KS-CM) have angiogenic properties. KS-CM is able to promote endothelial and smooth muscle cell migration and invasion. The mechanisms of this KS-CM activity are still unknown. We hypothesize that KS-CM contains numerous factors with different roles in inducing the neo angiogenic process. We show that AIDS-IST-KS cell supernatants induce gelatinase A production and plasminogen activator (PA) up-regulation in vascular cells. KS-CM activity in vivo is heparin dependent. Also bFGF alone, a heparin dependent factor, alone can induce endothelial and smooth muscle cell invasion, MMP-2 production and PA activity. However, antibodies to bFGF do not block KS-CM activity and do not reduce the effect on PA up-regulation. This evidence suggests that heparin-binding factors other than bFGF may be present. Chromatography of KS-CM on heparin-sepharose demonstrates the presence of two heparin-binding fractions with chemotactic and gelatinase A inducing activity. The flow through was also active. KS-CM absorption on heparin-sepharose beads did not modify its induction of PA activity, further evidence for the presence of non heparin-binding factors as well.
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PMID:Mechanisms of kaposis-sarcoma cell supernatant-induced vascular cell invasion. 2155 68