Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P10415 (Bcl-2)
 33,771 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Although myeloma shows responsiveness in intensive chemotherapy, overall survival remains less than 40% at 2 years. Since myeloma appears to be dependent on cytokines, such as IL-6, we hypothesized that targeting signal transduction molecules could effectively treat myeloma. Two myeloma cell lines U266 and RPMI-8226 and CD38+ myeloma cells were studied by immune complex kinase assay or anti-phosphotyrosine blot for evidence of constitutive activation of tyrosine kinases. Growth arrest and apoptosis were evaluated in these two cell lines following their treatment with specific kinase inhibitors. We found that a variety of Src and Janus kinases were present and constitutively active in U266 and RPMI-8226 cells. Inhibitors of both Src and Janus kinases were inferior to the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, flavopiridol, in inducing both growth arrest with GI50 of 100 nM and apoptosis in both cell lines and CD38+ myeloma cells. Although, flavopiridol did not affect cyclin D1 and cyclin A levels, it inhibited Mcl-1 and Bcl-2 protein levels and cyclin-dependent kinase 2 activity. Flavopiridol is a well-tolerated drug, currently in phase I-II trials for a variety of tumors. A clinical trial using flavopiridol should be performed in patients with myeloma. Its mechanism of action may involve targets other than the cyclin-dependent kinases.
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PMID:Growth inhibition and apoptosis of myeloma cells by the CDK inhibitor flavopiridol. 1179 16

Although Smad 3 is known to serve as a signaling intermediate for the transforming growth factor beta (TGFbeta) family in nonreproductive tissues, its role in the ovary is unknown. Thus, we used a recently generated Smad 3-deficient (Smad 3-/-) mouse model to test the hypothesis that Smad 3 alters female fertility and regulates the growth of ovarian follicles from the primordial stage to the antral stage. In addition, we tested whether Smad 3 affects the levels of proteins that control apoptosis, survival, and proliferation in the ovarian follicle. To test this hypothesis, breeding studies were conducted using Smad 3-/- and wild-type mice. In addition, ovaries were collected from Smad 3-/- and wild-type mice on Postnatal Days 2-90. One ovary from each animal was used to estimate the total number of primordial, primary, and antral follicles. The other ovary was used for immunohistochemical analysis of selected members of the B-cell lymphoma/leukemia-2 family of protooncogenes (Bax, Bcl-2, Bcl-x), proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (Cdk-2). The results indicate that Smad 3-/- mice have reduced fertility compared with wild type mice. The results also indicate that Smad 3 may not affect the size of the primordial follicle pool at birth, but it may regulate growth of primordial follicles to the antral stage. Further, the results indicate that Smad 3 may regulate the expression of Bax and Bcl-2, but not Bcl-x, Cdk-2, and PCNA. Collectively, these data suggest that Smad 3 may play an important role in the regulation of ovarian follicle growth and female fertility.
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PMID:Smad 3 may regulate follicular growth in the mouse ovary. 1190 9

Farnesyltransferase inhibitors (FTIs) block the growth of tumor cells in vitro and in vivo with minimal toxicity toward normal cells. In general, inhibition of protein farnesylation results in G0/G1 cell cycle block, G2/M cell cycle arrest, or has no effect on cell cycle progression. One aspect of FTI biology that is poorly understood is the ability of these drugs to induce cancer cell growth arrest at the G2/M phase of cell cycle. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the farnesyltransferase inhibitor FTI-277 on two human liver cancer cell lines, HepG2 and Huh7. Treatment of these cells with FTI-277 inhibited Ras farnesylation in a dose-dependent manner. Both HepG2 and Huh7 cell growth was inhibited by FTI-277 and cells accumulated at the G2/M phase of the cell cycle. In HepG2 and Huh7 cells, FTI-277 induced an up-regulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27(Kip1) without affecting the cellular levels of p53 and p21(Waf1). This event correlated with reduced activity of the cyclin-dependent kinase 2 and cyclin-dependent kinase 1. Moreover, increased expression of Bcl-2 protein was observed in HepG2 and Huh7 cells treated with FTI-277, and this was coincidental with reduced association between Raf-1 and Bcl-2. Finally, transient transfection of a dominant-negative Ras allele induced Bcl-2 expression and reduced Bcl-2/Raf-1 association demonstrating a requirement for Ras. Taken together, these findings show that increased expression of p27(Kip1) and Bcl-2 is concomitant with altered association between Ras, Raf-1 and Bcl-2 and suggest that this is responsible for the growth-inhibitory properties of FTI-277.
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PMID:Growth inhibition by the farnesyltransferase inhibitor FTI-277 involves Bcl-2 expression and defective association with Raf-1 in liver cancer cell lines. 1248 48

Phenylacetate is a differentiation agent and has anticancer activity with relatively low toxicity. In the present study, we examined the anticancer effect of six synthetic phenylacetate derivatives in human lung cancer cells in our search for more effective phenylacetate analogous. Results showed that the antiproliferative effects of these synthetic compounds were stronger than those of phenylacetate, and that N-butyl-2-(2-fluorolphenyl)acetamide (SCK6) is the most potent compound. To address the mechanism of the antiproliferative effect of SCK6, cell cycle analysis was performed. Result showed that SCK6 (1 mM) induced G(1) arrest in CH27 cells. Western blot analysis of G(1) phase regulatory proteins demonstrated that the protein levels of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (Cdk2), Cdk4, Cyclin E and Cyclin D3 were decreased after treatment with SCK6 but not those of Cdk6, Cyclin D1 and D2. In contrast, SCK6 increased the protein levels of p53 and p21(CIP1/WAF1). Data from in situ terminal transferase-mediated dUTP-fluorescensin nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay and DNA fragmentation analysis demonstrated that SCK6 induced apoptotic cell death in CH27 cells. This SCK6-induced apoptosis was accompanied by a downregulation of Bcl-2 protein and activation of the caspase-9 cascade. Overexpression of Bcl-2 by adeno-Bcl-2 vector infection significantly inhibited SCK6-induced apoptosis. Moreover, treatment with caspase inhibitors also markedly reduced cell death induced by SCK6. Taken together, these results suggest that downregulation of G(1)-associated Cdks and cyclins and upregulation of p53 and p21(CIP1/WAF1) may contribute to SCK6-mediated G(1)-phase arrest. Furthermore, the decrease in Bcl-2 and the activation of caspase-9/caspase-3 may be the effector mechanism through which SCK6 induces apoptosis.
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PMID:A phenylacetate derivative, SCK6, inhibits cell proliferation via G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. 1270 52

Sodium butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid produced by fermentation in the gastrointestinal tract. It induces differentiation of several kinds of cancer by inhibiting histone deacetylase activity. We have reported that butyrate stimulates hepatocellular carcinoma cells into their normal phenotype. Since sodium butyrate affects both differentiation and apoptosis, we investigated expression of bcl-2-related genes in a human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HCC-T. The expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and Mcl-1/EAT was up-regulated 4 h after the treatment, while pro-apoptotic Bax expression did not change. Gene expressions in the early stage of butyrate-stimulation were investigated by the differential display assay and the cDNA expression array. Laminin and keratin 18 were increased 6 h after the stimulation with sodium butyrate. The results of cDNA expression array revealed up-regulation of cell cycle inhibitory genes such as cyclin-dependent kinase 4 inhibitor, and interferon-related genes such as STAT2 and 3, while down-regulation of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 and cyclin E. Up-regulated production of p21WAF-1 and Mcl-1/EAT was also confirmed by Western blotting. The cytoskeletal change indicated by up-regulation of laminin and keratin 18 may be an important factor in the decrease in malignant phenotype of cancer cells. Up-regulation of interferon-related genes indicated that butyrate-treatment might induce a similar phenotypic change to that induced by type 1 interferons. This study suggests several target genes for the future gene therapy of cancer or genes preventing cancer development from pre-malignant tissues.
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PMID:Gene expression associated with the decrease in malignant phenotype of human liver cancer cells following stimulation with a histone deacetylase inhibitor. 1558 45

This review synthesizes recent insights on the signaling pathways triggered by glucocorticoids during apoptosis of thymocytes. Thymocyte apoptosis is a complex process, which is involved in thymic selection. Even if the main partners are identified, there still remain dark zones on the whole pathway and notably on the crosstalk between each signaling cascade. Glucocorticoids trigger thymocyte apoptosis by enhancing cyclin-dependent kinase 2 activity, downregulating the expression of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins, and upregulating that of proapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins. These events result in mitochondrial alterations and subsequent caspase activation. Proteasome intervenes at various levels of the signaling cascades--for instance, degrading the glucocorticoid receptor or caspase inhibitory proteins. Changes in intracellular K+ and Ca2+ concentrations are involved in caspase and endonulease activation. All these effects are dependent on macromolecular synthesis. The only known non-genomic effect of glucocorticoids is an early production of sphingolipids (ceramide and sphingosine), which are involved in caspase activation independent of mitochondrial alterations. Externalization of phosphatidylserine, a process mediating phagocytosis of dying thymocytes, depends on pathways that diverge from those leading to nuclear apoptosis.
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PMID:Signaling pathways involved in glucocorticoid-induced apoptosis of thymocytes. 1616 81

Pancreatic cancer remains the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death in the United States. Notch signaling plays a critical role in maintaining the balance among cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis, and thereby may contribute to the development of pancreatic cancer. To characterize Notch pathway function in pancreatic cancer cells, we explored the consequences of down-regulation of Notch-1 in BxPC-3, HPAC, and PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells. Using multiple cellular and molecular approaches such as 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, apoptosis assay, flow cytometry, gene transfection, real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR), Western blotting, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay for measuring DNA binding activity of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB), we found that down-regulation of Notch-1 inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells. Notch-1 down-regulation also increased cell population in the G(0)-G(1) phase. Compared with control, small interfering RNA-transfected cells decreased expression of cyclin A, cyclin D1, and cyclin-dependent kinase 2. We found up-regulation of p21 and p27, which was correlated with the cell cycle changes. In addition, Notch-1 down-regulation also induced apoptosis, which could be due to decreased Bcl-2 and Bcl-X(L) protein expression in pancreatic cancer cells. Because Notch-1 is known to cross-talk with another major cell growth and apoptotic regulatory pathway (i.e., NF-kappaB), we found that NF-kappaB is a downstream target of Notch because down-regulation of Notch reduced NF-kappaB activity. We also found that genistein, a prominent isoflavone, could be an active agent for the down-regulation of the Notch pathway. These findings suggest that Notch-1 down-regulation, especially by genistein, could be a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.
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PMID:Down-regulation of Notch-1 contributes to cell growth inhibition and apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells. 3027 73

Meclizine (MEC), a histamine H1 antagonist, is used for the treatment of motion sickness and vertigo. In this study, we demonstrate that MEC dose-dependently induced apoptosis in human colon cancer cell lines (COLO 205 and HT 29 cells). Results of a DNA ladder assay revealed that DNA ladders appeared with MEC treatment in COLO 205 cells at dosage of >50 microM. In addition, the total cell number decreased dose-dependently after treatment with MEC in COLO 205 and HT 29 cells. Using flow cytometry, the percentage of COLO 205 cells arrested at G0/G1 phase increased dose-dependently. Analysis of changes in cell-cycle arrest-associated proteins with Western blotting showed that p53 and p21 were upregulated after treatment with MEC. The kinase activities of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) and CDK4 were suppressed in MEC-treated cells. As for apoptosis, MEC may induce upregulation of p53 and downregulation of Bcl-2, thus causing the release of cytochrome C from mitochondria and the translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF) to the nucleus. This resulted in the activation of caspase 3, 8, and 9. Our results provide the molecular basis of MEC-induced apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest in human colon cancer cells.
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PMID:Induction of apoptosis and cell-cycle arrest in human colon cancer cells by meclizine. 1722 94

It has been clearly established that receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL) is a key cytokine involved in the differentiation of osteoclastic precursors of the monocytic/macrophagic lineage. However, relatively little information is available on the ability of RANKL to modulate the expression of genes controlling cell survival/apoptosis and proliferation in human osteoclastic cells in comparison to macrophages. For this purpose, CD14+ human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, which express the cognate high affinity receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B (RANK), were differentiated along the macrophagic or osteoclastic lineage by adding macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) or M-CSF plus RANKL in culture for 12 days. RANKL up-regulated the expression of the chemokine MIP1alpha, which potentiates osteoclastic differentiation and simultaneously activated both anti-apoptotic (Bcl-2) and pro-apoptotic (CIDEB, PYCARD, and BAK-1) genes. Moreover, RANKL markedly up-regulated cylin D2, while it significantly decreased the levels of cyclin A, cyclin-dependent kinase 2, and other cyclin-dependent kinases, in keeping with the notion that end-stage osteoclasts are nondividing cells. Finally, a long-term exposure of RANKL up-regulated the adaptor protein TRAF3 but not TRAF6.
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PMID:Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (RANKL) modulates the expression of genes involved in apoptosis and cell cycle in human osteoclasts. 1750 59

Understanding factors subserving pituitary cell proliferation enables understanding mechanisms underlying uniquely benign pituitary tumors. Pituitary tumor-transforming gene (Pttg) deletion results in pituitary hypoplasia, low pituitary cell proliferation rates, and rescue of pituitary tumor development in Rb(+/-) mice. Pttg(-/-) pituitary glands exhibit ARF/p53/p21-dependent senescence pathway activation evidenced by up-regulated p19, cyclin D1, and Bcl-2 protein levels and p53 stabilization. High pituitary p21 levels in the absence of PTTG were associated with suppressed cyclin-dependent kinase 2 activity, Rb phosphorylation, and cyclin A expression, all required for cell cycle progression. Although senescence-associated beta-galactosidase was enhanced in Pttg-deficient pituitary glands, telomere lengths were increased. DNA damage signaling pathways were activated and aneuploidy was evident in the Pttg-deficient pituitary, triggering senescence-associated genes. To confirm the p21 dependency of decreased proliferation and senescence in the Pttg-null pituitary, mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF) colony formation was tested in wild-type, Pttg(-/-), Rb(+/-), Rb(+/-)Pttg(-/-), and Rb(+/-)Pttg(-/-)p21(-/-) cells. Rb(+/-)Pttg(-/-) MEFs, unlike Rb(+/-) cells, failed to produce colonies and exhibited high levels of senescence. p21 deletion from Rb(+/-)Pttg(-/-) MEFs enhanced anchorage-independent cell growth, accompanied by a marked decrease in senescence. As cell proliferation assessed by bromodeoxyuridine incorporation was higher in Rb(+/-)Pttg(-/-)p21(-/-) relative to Rb(+/-)Pttg(-/-) pituitary glands, p21-dependent senescence provoked by Pttg deletion may underlie pituitary hypoplasia and decreased tumor development in Rb(+/-)Pttg(-/-) mice.
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PMID:Senescence mediates pituitary hypoplasia and restrains pituitary tumor growth. 1797 1


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