Tumor necrosis factor alpha-induced activation of c-jun N-terminal kinase is mediated by TRAF2.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) a pro-inflammatory cytokine is an endogenous mediator of septic shock, inflammation, anti-viral responses and apoptotic cell death. TNF alpha elicits its complex biological responses through the individual or cooperative action of two TNF receptors of mol. wt 55 kDa (TNF-RI) and mol.

Genomic structure of the downstream part of the human FLT3 gene: exon/intron structure conservation among genes encoding receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) of subclass III.

The FLT3 gene encodes a subclass-III receptor tyrosine kinase (RTKIII). We have determined the structural organization of the downstream part of the human FLT3 gene (also designated dsp-FLT3) that corresponds to the intracellular region of the protein. The coding region is spread over twelve exons spanning 10 kb of genomic DNA.

Woodchuck hepatitis virus surface antigen produced in vitro fails to bind polymerized woodchuck serum albumin.

Using a plasmid (pSWS) similar to one that has been successfully used for large-scale production of hepatitis B virus (HBV) envelope protein particles (pSVS) but containing the corresponding woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) envelope gene sequences, we have stably transformed the rodent dihydrofolate reductase-deficient cell line CHO dhfr-. Although production of WHV envelope particles in CHO/pSWS cell lines was low, it was sufficient to test whether these particles could bind to polymerized serum albumin. Whereas binding of HBV particles produced in CHO/pSVS cells to polymerized human serum albumin could readily be detected, we found no evidence that the WHV envelope protein particles produced in vitro bind to either human or woodchuck polymerized serum albumin.

Liver-specific expression and high oncogenic efficiency of a c-myc transgene activated by woodchuck hepatitis virus insertion.

The high oncogenic efficiency of woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) has been correlated with the ability of this virus to provoke insertional activation of myc family genes. To assess the impact of viral integration on liver cell transformation, we have generated transgenic mice carrying the mutated c-myc gene and adjacent viral DNA from a woodchuck tumor, in original configuration. Virtually all mice from two different strains developed hepatocellular carcinoma with a mean latency period of 8-12 months.

Recognition of the N-terminal, C-terminal, and interior portions of HBx by sera from patients with hepatitis B.

We have cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli three different parts of the HBx open reading frame, the N- and C-termini and the interior or central portion, using two vector systems. The sera of 43 hepatitis B virus patients representing three clinical categories--asymptomatic carriers, chronic active hepatitis, and hepatitis B patients with cirrhosis--known to be anti-HBx positive, were tested for reactivity against these constructs by Western blotting. The great majority of sera, regardless of the clinical categories, clearly recognise all three parts of HBx, strongly suggesting that the normal mechanism of biosynthesis of the HBx gene product is a straight-forward translation of the open reading frame starting from the first ATG.