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

Inactivation of the gene encoding the POU domain transcription factor BRN-3A results in the absence of specific neurons in knockout mice. Here we demonstrate for the first time a direct effect of BRN-3A on the survival of neuronal cells. Specifically, overexpression of BRN-3A in cultured trigeminal ganglion or dorsal root ganglion sensory neurons enhanced their survival following the withdrawal of nerve growth factor. Moreover, reduction of BRN-3A levels impaired the survival of these neurons. The survival of sympathetic neurons was not affected by either approach. Similarly, overexpression of BRN-3A activated the endogenous Bcl-2 gene in trigeminal neurons, but not in sympathetic neurons. The protective effect of BRN-3A on trigeminal neuron survival following nerve growth factor withdrawal significantly increased during embryonic development. In contrast, overexpression of the related factor BRN-3B enhanced survival of trigeminal neurons only at an early stage of embryonic development. Thus, BRN-3A (and in some circumstances, BRN-3B) can promote the survival of nerve growth factor-dependent sensory but not sympathetic neurons, allowing it to play a direct role in the survival of some (but not all) neuronal populations in the developing and adult nervous systems.
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PMID:The BRN-3A transcription factor protects sensory but not sympathetic neurons from programmed cell death/apoptosis. 1105 12

The cellular Brn-3a transcription factor is known to activate transcription of the genes encoding the human papilloma virus E6 and E7 proteins and is over-expressed in women with cervical neoplasia. We show that cervical cell lines with reduced Brn-3a expression show a greatly reduced ability to form tumours in nude mice compared to control cells and also show reduced expression of the HPV E6 and cellular Bcl-2 oncogenes. These effects are also observed in cervical cells over-expressing the related Brn-3b factor, which is known to antagonize activation of HPV gene expression by Brn-3a. These results demonstrate, for the first time, that inhibition of Brn-3a expression or enhanced Brn-3b expression can inhibit cervical cell-derived tumour growth in vivo as well as in vitro. Hence they establish Brn-3a as a key factor in cervical tumorigenesis and as a potential therapeutic target in human cervical neoplasia.
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PMID:The Brn-3a transcription factor plays a key role in regulating the growth of cervical cancer cells in vivo. 1152 Dec 2

The Brn-3 family of POU (Pit-Oct-Unc) homeodomain transcription factors regulate differentiation of neuronal cell types. The transcriptional activator Brn-3a is expressed in Ewing's sarcomas, which also express characteristic chimaeric proteins as a consequence of fusion of the TET family gene EWS to one of several ETS genes. We have previously demonstrated a physical interaction between Brn-3a and EWS proteins, and show here that the C-terminal POU domain but not N-terminal activation domain of Brn-3a can interact in vitro with the RNA-binding domain of EWS. Likely due to POU domain homology, the related factor Brn-3b can also interact with EWS, but to a lesser extent than Brn-3a. Importantly, Brn-3a but not Brn-3b interacts in vitro with chimaeric EWS/Fli-1, EWS/ATF-1 and EWS/ERG proteins. Furthermore, overexpression of EWS/Fli-1 but not EWS or Fli-1 inhibits Brn-3a-associated growth arrest and neurite outgrowth in neuronal cells, and specifically inhibits Brn-3a-dependent activation of p21 and SNAP-25 transcription. In contrast, upregulation of Bcl-2 expression and inhibition of apoptosis by Brn-3a is antagonized more by EWS than by EWS/Fli-1. These data demonstrate that oncogenic rearrangement of EWS to produce EWS/Fli-1 may enhance the antiapoptotic effect of Brn-3a and inhibit its ability to promote neuronal differentiation.
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PMID:The effects of Brn-3a on neuronal differentiation and apoptosis are differentially modulated by EWS and its oncogenic derivative EWS/Fli-1. 1502 3