Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UNIPROT:P06889 (Mol)
 630,302 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Ion channels are important in controlling cell cycle progression and proliferation in a variety of cell types. Using the whole-cell recording mode of the patch-clamp technique, functional ion channels were electrophysiologically characterized in PANC-1 (K-ras G12D (+/-), p53 R273C, Deltap16), BxPC-3 (smad4-, p53 Y220C, Deltap16), and MiaPaCa-2 [transforming growth factor-beta receptor type II defect, K-ras G12C(-/-), p53 R248W, Deltap16] human pancreatic cancer cell lines. In BxPC-3 and the MiaPaCa-2 cells, we could identify approximately 600 or approximately 1200 functional Ca2+-activated K+ channels (IK) per cell, respectively, whereas PANC-1 cells expressed approximately 200 functional IK channels per cell. These channels were observed by using pipette solutions buffering [Ca2+]i to 1 microM. The channels were voltage-independent, blocked by charybdotoxin, clotrimazole, 1-[(2-chlorophenyl) diphenylmethyl]-1H-pyrazole (TRAM-34), and blocked by Ba2+ in a voltage-dependent manner. In the presence of 10 microM clotrimazole or TRAM-34, proliferation of the BxPC-3 as well as the MiaPaCa-2 cells was completely stopped. In contrast, proliferation of PANC-1 cells was hardly affected by clotrimazole or TRAM-34. Proliferation in all three cell lines could be inhibited in the presence of the Ca2+ channel antagonists verapamil, diltiazem, and nifedipine. By quantitative RT-PCR, we could show that MiaPaCa-2 cells exhibit a 2.8-fold and BxPC3 cells a more than 8-fold elevated level of IK mRNA level compared with PANC-1 cells. Interestingly, in primary pancreatic tumors we found a tremendous up-regulation of IK mRNA. In eight of nine (or 89%) primary pancreatic tumor tissues, we found a 6- to 66-fold increase in IK mRNA. Our findings suggest that a certain amount of functional IK channels is crucial for the proliferation of some pancreatic cancer types. The blockade of IK channels may ultimately prove useful as a therapeutic option for some patients with ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas with an up-regulated IK channel expression.
Mol Pharmacol 2004 Mar
PMID:Blockage of intermediate-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels inhibit human pancreatic cancer cell growth in vitro. 1497 41

Aurora-2 is a serine threonine kinase that associates with the centrosome. Overexpression or ectopic expression of Aurora-2 appears to alter centrosome number and function and has been implicated in a variety of human cancers. In this work, we demonstrate that Aurora-2 is both amplified and overexpressed in human pancreatic cancer cell lines, with a 2-5-fold increase in gene copy number and a 3-4-fold increase in protein levels compared with controls. Aurora-2 is also amplified and overexpressed in pancreatic cancers taken directly from patients. An immunohistochemistry of tissues taken directly from patients demonstrated an overexpression of Aurora-2 in 26 of 28 pancreatic cancers compared with 18 normal pancreas samples. Antisense nucleotides specifically targeted at Aurora-2 arrest the cell cycle in pancreatic cancer cells, indicating the potential of Aurora-2 as a therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer.
Mol Cancer Ther 2004 Apr
PMID:The mitotic serine threonine kinase, Aurora-2, is a potential target for drug development in human pancreatic cancer. 2207 99

Pancreas cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in adults in the United States. New molecular targets for diagnosis and therapy of this disease are desperately needed. In this study, we report on the mitotic serine-threonine kinase polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) in pancreatic cancer. Plk1 mRNA was found to be overexpressed in 9 of 10 tested pancreatic cancer cell lines and in 4 of 4 tested human tumors. Immunohistochemical staining of a pancreatic tissue microarray showed that 26 of the 35 tumors taken directly from patients overexpressed Plk1. We also examined the effects of depleting Plk1 in pancreatic cancer cells by the use of antisense oligonucleotides. Antisense-treated pancreatic cancer cells showed cell cycle arrest in G(2)-M as well as a drastic reduction in proliferation rates. These data suggest that Plk1 is a potential therapeutic target in devising a treatment for patients with pancreatic cancer.
Mol Cancer Ther 2004 May
PMID:Identification of human polo-like kinase 1 as a potential therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer. 1514 Oct 22

The small leucine-rich proteoglycan biglycan (BGN) is abundantly expressed in mesenchymal tissues. Its expression level is related to the phenotypic differentiation of cells. A dysregulation in BGN expression occurs under several pathological conditions, including glomerulonephritis, mesothelioma, pancreatic cancer and a mouse model of osteoporosis. Since the extracellular concentration of BGN is regulated both by secretion and endocytosis, we performed mechanistic studies on BGN endocytosis in human skin fibroblasts in vitro, using inhibitors of different endocytic routes. Chlorpromazine, an inhibitor of the clathrin-coated pit-pathway reduced endocytosis of BGN in human skin fibroblasts by 40%, and decreased degradation of BGN by 66% Filipin, an inhibitor of the caveolae pathway, and Tyrphostin AG 1478, a specific inhibitor of EGF-receptor phosphorylation that partially inhibits endocytosis of the structurally related proteoglycan decorin, had no influence on BGN internalization and degradation. Our data indicates that the classical clathrin-mediated endocytic pathway is a major route for the internalization of BGN. Based on the differential susceptibility to pharmacological inhibition, it appears that BGN endocytosis seems to be at least in part mechanistically different from decorin uptake.
Cell Mol Biol Lett 2004
PMID:Biglycan is internalized via a chlorpromazine-sensitive route. 1533 24

CD24 is a molecule that recently has raised considerable attention in tumour biology. It is involved in cell adhesion and metastatic tumour spread. It has also been described as a new diagnostic marker of tumours, of neuroendocrine differentiation and, possibly most intriguing of all, of patient prognosis. High rates of CD24 expression detected by immunohistochemistry have been found in epithelial ovarian cancer (83%), breast cancer (85%), non-small cell lung cancer (45%), prostate cancer (48%) and pancreatic cancer (72%). With the exception of pancreatic cancer, high rates of CD24 are significantly associated with a more aggressive course of the disease, a finding that remains significant in a multivariate analysis. The aim of this review is to summarize relevant work covering these aspects of CD24.
J Mol Histol 2004 Mar
PMID:Tumour biological aspects of CD24, a mucin-like adhesion molecule. 1533 45

Until now, no specific therapies are available to inhibit pancreatic fibrosis, a constant pathological feature of chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. One major reason is the incomplete knowledge of the molecular principles underlying fibrogenesis in the pancreas. In the past few years, evidence has been accumulated that activated pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) are the predominant source of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins in the diseased organ. PSCs are vitamin A-storing, fibroblast-like cells with close morphological and biochemical similarities to hepatic stellate cells (also known as Ito-cells). In response to profibrogenic mediators such as various cytokines, PSCs undergo an activation process that involves proliferation, exhibition of a myofibroblastic phenotype and enhanced production of ECM proteins. The intracellular mediators of activation signals, and their antagonists, are only partially known so far. Recent data suggest an important role of enzymes of the mitogen-activated protein kinase family in PSC activation. On the other hand, ligands of the nuclear receptor PPARgamma (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma) stimulate maintenance of a quiescent PSC phenotype. In the future, targeting regulators of the PSC activation process might become a promising approach for the treatment of pancreatic fibrosis.
Mol Cancer 2004 Oct 06
PMID:Molecular regulation of pancreatic stellate cell function. 1546 5

Anticancer effects of the dietary isothiocyanate sulforaphane were investigated in the human pancreatic cancer cell lines MIA PaCa-2 and PANC-1. Sulforaphane-treated cells accumulated in metaphase as determined by flow cytometry [4C DNA content, cyclin A(-), cyclin B1(+), and phospho-histone H3 (Ser(10))(+)]. In addition, treated cells showed nuclear apoptotic morphology that coincided with an activation of caspase-8, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and loss of plasma membrane integrity. The initial detection of caspase-3 cleavage occurring in G(2)-M arrest was independent of a change in phospho-cdc2 (Tyr(15)) protein; consequently, sulforaphane treatment combined with UCN-01 had no significant impact on cellular toxicity. Incubations at higher sulforaphane doses (>10 micromol/L) resulted in cleavage of caspase-3 in the G(1) subpopulation, suggesting that the induction of apoptosis and the sulforaphane-induced mitosis delay at the lower dose are independently regulated. Cellular toxicity in MIA PaCa-2, and to a greater extent in PANC-1, was positively correlated with a decrease in cellular glutathione levels, whereas sustained increases in glutathione observed in MIA PaCa-2 cells or the simultaneous incubation with N-acetyl-L-cysteine in PANC-1 cells were associated with resistance to sulforaphane-induced apoptosis. Daily sulforaphane i.p. injections (375 micromol/kg/d for 3 weeks) in severe combined immunodeficient mice with PANC-1 s.c. tumors resulted in a decrease of mean tumor volume by 40% compared with vehicle-treated controls. Our findings suggest that, in addition to the known effects on cancer prevention, sulforaphane may have activity in established pancreatic cancer.
Mol Cancer Ther 2004 Oct
PMID:The dietary isothiocyanate sulforaphane targets pathways of apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and oxidative stress in human pancreatic cancer cells and inhibits tumor growth in severe combined immunodeficient mice. 1548 91

ARHGAP1, ARHGAP2, ARHGAP3, ARHGAP4, ARHGAP5, ARHGAP6, ARHGAP7 (DLC1), ARHGAP8, ARHGAP9, ARHGAP10, ARHGAP12, ARHGAP13 (SRGAP1), ARHGAP14 (SRGAP2), ARHGAP15, ARHGAP17 (RICH1), ARHGAP18, ARHGAP19, ARHGAP20, ARHGAP21, ARHGAP22, ARHGAP23, ARHGAP24, ARHGAP25, ARHGAP26, STARD13 (DLC2), HA-1, GMIP, PARG1, RACGAP1, PIK3R1, PIK3R2, and FNBP2 genes encode Rho/Rac/Cdc42-like GTPase activating (RhoGAP) proteins. Here, we characterized human ARHGAP27 gene by using bioinformatics. Complete coding sequence of ARHGAP27 isoform 1, encoding a full-length 889-aa protein, was determined by assembling exon 1 (nucleotide position 143440-144096 of AC091132.16) and most part of FLJ43547 cDNA (nucleotide position 69-3628 of AK125535.1). Complete coding sequence of ARHGAP27 isoform 2, encoding an N-terminally truncated 548-aa protein, was derived from FLJ43547 cDNA. ARHGAP27 isoform 1 consists of exons 1-17, while ARHGAP27 isoform 2 consists of exons 1B, and 2-17. ARHGAP27 gene encoded two isoforms due to alternative splicing of alternative promoter type. ARHGAP27 mRNA was expressed in germinal center B cell, spleen, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, pancreatic cancer, and lung cancer. LOC303583 (NM_ 198759.1) was the representative rat Arhgap27 cDNA. Human ARHGAP27 showed 84.3% total-amino-acid identity with rat Arhgap27, and 39.0% total-amino-acid identity with human ARHGAP12. ARHGAP27 and ARHGAP12 shared the common-domain structure, consisting of SH3, WW, PH, and RhoGAP domains. ARHGAP27 gene was located at human chromosome 17q21, while ARHGAP12 gene was located at human chromosome 10p11. ARHGAP family genes are cancer-associated genes, because their genetic alterations lead to carcinogenesis through the dysregulation of Rho/Rac/ Cdc42-like GTPases. This is the first report on identification and characterization of the ARHGAP27 gene.
Int J Mol Med 2004 Nov
PMID:Identification and characterization of ARHGAP27 gene in silico. 1549 70

Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) is involved in inhibition of apoptosis, potentiation of cell growth, and angiogenesis and as such is a target for drug development. The COX-2 enzyme is frequently overexpressed in pancreatic cancer. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of celecoxib on the growth inhibition and induction of apoptosis by gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer cell lines. Baseline expression of COX-2 enzyme was determined by Western blot analysis in five human pancreatic cancer cell lines. Cells were treated with gemcitabine (100 nmol/L), celecoxib (1, 10, and 50 micromol/L), and the combination. No potentiation in growth inhibition was observed in MIAPaCa cells (low COX-2 expression). However, growth inhibition and apoptosis were significantly increased with celecoxib in the BxPC-3 cells that have a high COX-2 expression. Significant down-regulation of nuclear factor-kappaB activation was observed in BxPC-3 cells treated with celecoxib and gemcitabine. Moreover, down-regulation of COX-2 mRNA and protein expression was also observed in the BxPC-3 cells treated with the combination as compared with the untreated and the celecoxib-treated and gemcitabine-treated cell lines. We conclude that celecoxib potentiates gemcitabine-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis in pancreatic cell lines. In addition to inhibition of the COX-2 enzyme, the celecoxib and gemcitabine combination down-regulated nuclear factor-kappaB activation, which in turn may have contributed to the induction of apoptosis and the down-regulation of transcription of the COX-2 enzyme.
Mol Cancer Ther 2004 Nov
PMID:Cyclooxygenase-2-dependent and -independent effects of celecoxib in pancreatic cancer cell lines. 1554 81

Successful gene profiling studies involve careful experimental design, use of sensitive and accurate technologies, and statistically valid analysis of experimental results. In this chapter we describe our approach to the profiling of pancreatic adenocarcinoma to illustrate the various steps and methods involved in this type of study. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is a particularly challenging subject for gene profiling, as these tumors have a profound desmoplastic response such that neoplastic epithelium makes up only a small proportion of the tissue mass. We have utilized statistical comparisons of gene expression between adenocarcinoma, normal pancreas, samples of chronic pancreatitis, and pancreatic cancer cell lines that provides a means to deduct the influence of the stromal elements. We utilized oligonucleotide-directed gene chips (Affymetrix), as they allow the simultaneous interrogation of thousands of genes in an efficient, reproducible, sensitive, and highly quantitative manner. The details of the approach we utilized are reported here, including information on experimental design, sample collection, expression level measurements, and data analysis for gene profiling.
Methods Mol Med 2005
PMID:Oligonucleotide-directed microarray gene profiling of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. 1554 6


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