Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Angiogenesis is increased in hematologic malignancies, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Elevated serum levels of two important angiogenic factors, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), are associated with a poor prognosis. Immunohistochemistry was used to evaluate 27 patients with NHL and bone marrow involvement (17 with low-grade B-cell NHL, including 7 with higher grade transformation; 6 with intermediate-grade B-cell NHL; and 4 with T-cell lymphoma). Among the 17 patients with low-grade B-cell NHL, results for 7 were positive for VEGF stain (41.2%), and results were negative for all other stains for VEGF receptors, bFGF, and bFGF receptors. In the 10 patients with intermediate-grade B-cell NHL and T-cell lymphoma, all VEGF staining was positive (100%), but bFGF staining was only weakly positive in 2. Staining results for seven patients who had low-grade B-cell NHL with higher grade transformation showed that VEGF staining was positive in large lymphoid cells of 5 patients and in small lymphoid cells of one patient. Staining for the receptors VEGFR-1 and VEGFR-2 was positive in large lymphoid cells in four and two cases, respectively. Staining for bFGF was positive in two cases of large lymphoid cells. We concluded that VEGF, but not bFGF, was associated with higher tumor grading of NHL and high-grade transformation of low-grade lymphoma.
Appl Immunohistochem Mol Morphol 2002 Dec
PMID:Immunohistochemical expression of basic fibroblast growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor, and their receptors in stage IV non-Hodgkin lymphoma. 1260 99

The link between exposure to environmental mutagens and the development of cancer is well established. Yet there is a paucity of data on the relationship between gene-environment interactions and the mechanisms associated with the somatic mutational events involved with malignant transformation, especially in children. To gain insight into somatic mutational mechanisms in children who develop cancer, we determined the background mutant frequency (Mf) in the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyl transferase (HPRT) reporter gene of peripheral blood lymphocytes from pediatric cancer patients at the time of diagnosis and prior to therapeutic intervention. We studied 23 children with hematologic malignancies and 31 children with solid tumors prior to initial therapeutic intervention. Children with solid tumors, specifically sarcomas, and Hodgkin's disease were significantly older and had elevated HPRT Mfs (6.1 x 10(-6) and 3.7 x 10(-6), respectively) at the time of diagnosis, compared to normal controls (2.3 x 10(-6)) and other pediatric tumor groups including children with acute lymphocytic leukemia and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (ALL/NHL, 1.7 x 10(-6)), central nervous system tumors (CNS, 3.6 x 10(-6)), and neuroblastoma (1.9 x 10(-6)). Of importance is that the significant differences observed in HPRT Mfs between these groups no longer existed after correcting for the effects of age. These data demonstrate that in children who develop cancer there appears to be no significant increase in background HPRT Mf that would indicate significant exposure to genotoxic chemicals or an underlying DNA repair defect resulting in genomic instability. In addition, these data demonstrate the importance of correcting for the effect of age when comparing the frequency of somatic mutations in children and should provide baseline data for future longitudinal biomonitoring studies on the genetic effects of chemotherapy in children treated for cancer.
Environ Mol Mutagen 2003
PMID:Comparative analysis of HPRT mutant frequency in children with cancer. 1287 12

The antiapoptotic protein bcl-x(L) is upregulated in a variety of solid tumors and in primary hematologic malignancies such as multiple myeloma. Activated caspase-3 cleaves proteins essential for cell survival, including bcl-x(L). To explore the potential of caspase-3 as a cytotoxic and immunostimulatory molecule in the treatment of malignancy, an RU486-inducible caspase-3 retrovirus was constructed, validated, and used to transduce first 3T3 and subsequently murine myeloma B9BM1 cells (creating the cell line B9BM-C3). After induction, apoptotic cell death of 3T3 and B9BM-C3 cells began by 4 h and was complete by 48 h postinduction, while nontransduced cells remained viable. Annexin V staining demonstrated 43, 76, and 98% apoptotic cell death at 12, 18, and 24 h postinduction. Activation of caspase-3 was evident in induced cells and cell death could be inhibited by the addition of a caspase-3-specific inhibitor. Overexpression of the myeloma-associated oncogene FGFR3, which upregulates bcl-x(L), delayed but did not prevent caspase-3-mediated killing. B9BM-C3 cells formed tumors after subcutaneous injection in mice. Early treatment with RU486 eradicated tumors; however, rechallenge of treated mice failed to demonstrate evidence of immunoprotection. These results indicate that therapeutic attempts to induce caspase-3 in malignant cells may prove useful in the treatment of bcl-x(L)-expressing tumors.
Mol Ther 2003 Aug
PMID:RU486-inducible retrovirus-mediated caspase-3 overexpression is cytotoxic to bcl-xL-expressing myeloma cells in vitro and in vivo. 1290 45

Some success in overcoming retinoic acid (RA)-resistance has been reported for acute promyelocytic leukemia in cell lines and the clinic by combining histone deacetylase inhibitors, like sodium butyrate (NaB), with RA. This epigenetic therapy counteracts the effects of nuclear corepressors, causing a DNA conformation that facilitates RA-induced gene transcription and cell differentiation. In an effort to improve delivery of each drug, we have synthesized retinoyloxymethyl butyrate (RN1), a mutual prodrug of both RA and butyric acid. RN1 targets both drugs to the same cells or cellular compartments to achieve differentiation at lower concentrations than using RA and NaB alone. In an RA-resistant cell line, which is not responsive to RA and NaB given together at the same concentration, RN1 inhibited growth substantially. This growth inhibition is caused by an increase in apoptosis and a minimal induction of differentiation, rather than the more complete granulocytic differentiation as seen in the RA-sensitive cell line. The different phenotypes induced by RN1 in RA-sensitive versus RA-resistant cells are reflected by altered patterns of gene expression. In addition to acute promyelocytic leukemia cells, RN1 induces apoptosis of other RA-resistant leukemic cell lines with blocked transcriptional pathways, but not normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. RN1, therefore, is a novel retinoid that may be more widely active in hematologic malignancies than RA alone.
Mol Cancer Res 2003 Oct
PMID:A retinoid/butyric acid prodrug overcomes retinoic acid resistance in leukemias by induction of apoptosis. 1457 91

We have reviewed the world's literature that addresses familial leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. We have catalogued the phenotypic abnormalities associated with an increased risk of developing a hematological malignancy. These syndromes, such as Fanconi anemia or familial platelet syndrome, have been well characterized and in many cases the gene responsible for the predisposition has been defined. We have focused, however, on reports of a familial incidence of hematological malignancy in which no prior predisposing syndrome was reported. In this circumstance, so-called pure familial leukemia, lymphoma, or myeloma, the intergenerational incidence of disease occurred in ostensibly healthy persons. These families have been grouped into sets in which (a) anticipation, (b) immune abnormalities, (c) linkage to HLA phenotypes, (d) linkage to chromosome abnormalities, or (e) gene abnormalities have been reported. They have also been grouped by type of leukemia. Purely descriptive reports, not accompanied by some information on pathogenesis, have not been included. They are catalogued in some of the references cited in this paper. Anticipation is a prominent feature of familial leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma, supporting the concept of germline transmission of a susceptibility gene. Although linkage to an HLA phenotype occurs in some families, no consistent intrafamilial pattern has emerged. Deletion of chromosome 7 is associated with familial acute myelogenous leukemia, but no other recurring localization has been established. Although putative susceptibility genes have been identified in some families, the likelihood is that the mode of inheritance is different in different families and different genes are involved even within a specific Mendelian pattern. Although as yet not reported, the frequency of familial CLL and the intensity of its study indicates that the gene or genes involved in that familial disorder(s) should be identified conclusively soon if sufficient families for study can be assembled through international cooperation.
Blood Cells Mol Dis
PMID:Familial (inherited) leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma: an overview. 1475 42

PBK/TOPK is a recently identified 322 amino acid serine/threonine kinase that is phosphorylated during mitosis and may include p38 MAPK among its targets. Previous work has shown up-regulated expression of PBK/TOPK mRNA in a variety of tumor cell lines and fetal tissues, suggesting a role for this kinase in malignant cell proliferation. In this paper, PBK/TOPK protein expression was examined in a variety of primary hematologic neoplasms: PBK/TOPK was readily detected in 9 of 12 AML samples (75%), in 3 of 3 ALL samples, and in 1 sample each of a plasmacytoma and blastic type mantle cell lymphoma where it was strongly expressed. In contrast, PBK/TOPK was only weakly expressed in 2 samples of G-CSF-mobilized peripheral blood stem cells that were enriched in CD34+ progenitors by immunoselection. Furthermore, when HL-60 myeloid leukemic cells were differentiated with phorbol ester (TPA), PBK/TOPK protein expression was strongly down-regulated by 24 h. Under these same conditions, phosphorylated c-Myc was rapidly down-regulated (by 4 h), while the levels of cyclin D1 and phosphorylated p38 were constant. Notably, of 5 clinical samples that strongly expressed PBK/TOPK, 4 also strongly expressed phosphorylated c-Myc, while only 1 of 3 PBK/TOPK negative samples expressed phosphorylated c-Myc. These data show that PBK/TOPK protein is up-regulated in a variety of hematologic malignancies and may be involved in leukemic cell growth. Additional studies are warranted to determine if PBK/TOPK would be a valuable target for novel therapeutics. To this end, we also describe the derivation of clones of 293 (human embryonic kidney) cells, which carry an inducible kinase-defective mutant of PBK/TOPK. This model may be useful for studying the effects of down-regulated PBK/TOPK function.
Blood Cells Mol Dis
PMID:Protein expression of PDZ-binding kinase is up-regulated in hematologic malignancies and strongly down-regulated during terminal differentiation of HL-60 leukemic cells. 1475 41

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common form of pediatric cancer. Although exposure to environmental agents appears to predispose individuals to this disease, little attention has been paid to the role of genetic susceptibility to environmental exposures in the etiology of childhood ALL. The enzymes GSTM1, GSTT1, GSTP1, CYP1A1, and CYP2E1 are involved in the bioactivation and detoxification of a variety of xenobiotics present in food, organic solvents, tobacco smoke, drugs, alcoholic drinks, pesticides, and environmental pollutants. Polymorphisms in the genes coding for these enzymes have been associated with increased susceptibility to different cancers, including hematologic malignancies. To investigate whether these polymorphisms represent risk-modifying factors for childhood ALL, a study was conducted involving 113 Brazilian patients of childhood ALL and 221 controls with similar ethnic backgrounds. The data revealed that carriers of the rare GSTP1 Val allele were at higher risk of ALL (odds ratio [OR] = 2.7; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.1-6.8; P = 0.04). No difference was found in the prevalence of the GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes between ALL patients and the controls, and no association was found between CYP1A1*2 and CYP2E1*3 variants and ALL. However, when the mutant CYP1A1 and CYP2E1 alleles were considered together with the GSTM1 and GSTP1 risk-elevating genotypes, the risk of ALL was increased further (OR = 10.3; 95% CI = 1.0-111.8; P = 0.05), suggesting a combined effect. These results imply that genetic variants of xenobiotic metabolizing genes influence the risk of developing childhood ALL.
Environ Mol Mutagen 2004
PMID:Genetic polymorphisms and susceptibility to childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. 1499 50

Inhibitors of the proteasome have long been used in studies of protein turnover, but in a notable example of successful translational research they have made the leap from the laboratory into the clinical arena. The proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (VELCADE, formerly known as PS-341), has recently been approved in the United States for treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least two prior therapies, and have demonstrated disease progression on their last therapy. Furthermore, studies of this agent in other hematologic malignancies and solid tumors are underway, and other proteasome inhibitors for clinical use are under development as well. This chapter provides the reader with guidelines for the optimal clinical administration of VELCADE for its currently approved indication, as well as some suggestions for subsequent management of treatment-related events in these patients.
Methods Mol Biol 2005
PMID:Proteasome inhibitors in cancer therapy. 1591 44

In the past decade, an increased amount of clinically-oriented research involving immunotoxins has been published. Immunotoxins are a group of artificially-made cytotoxic molecules targeting cancer cells. These molecules composed of a targeting moiety, such as a ligand or an antibody, linked to toxin moiety, which is a toxin with either truncated or deleted cell-binding domain that prevents it from binding to normal cells. Immunotoxins can be divided into two categories: chemically conjugated immunotoxins and recombinant ones. The immunotoxins of the first category have shown limited efficacy in clinical trials in patients with hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. Within the last few years, single-chain immunotoxins provide enhanced therapeutic efficacy over conjugated forms and result in improved antitumor activity. In this review, we briefly illustrate the design of the immunotoxins and their applications in clinical trials.
Cell Mol Immunol 2005 Apr
PMID:Immunotoxins and cancer therapy. 1619 16

Natural killer (NK) cells have the ability to mediate both bone marrow rejection and promote engraftment, as well as the ability to elicit potent anti-tumor effects. However the clinical results for these processes are still elusive. Greater understanding of NK cell biology, from activating and inhibitory receptor functions to the role of NK cells in allogeneic transplantation, needs to be appreciated in order to draw out the clinical potential of NK cells. Mechanisms of bone marrow cell (BMC) rejection are known to be dependent on inhibitory receptors specific for major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules and on activating receptors that have many potential ligands. The modulation of activating and inhibitory receptors may hold the key to clinical success involving NK cells. Pre-clinical studies in mice have shown that different combinations of activating and inhibitory receptors on NK cells can reduce graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), promote engraftment, and provide superior graft-versus-tumor (GVT) responses. Recent clinical data have shown that the use of KIR-ligand incompatibility produces tremendous graft-versus-leukemia effect in patients with acute myeloid leukemia at high risk of relapse. This review will attempt to be a synthesis of current knowledge concerning NK cells, their involvement in BMT, and their use as an immunotherapy for cancer and other hematologic malignancies.
Cell Mol Immunol 2004 Feb
PMID:Natural killer cells: biology and clinical use in cancer therapy. 1621 16


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