Acute infection of Sindbis virus induces phosphorylation and intracellular translocation of small heat shock protein HSP27 and activation of p38 MAP kinase signaling pathway.

In general, viral infection is supposed to induce stress responses in the host cell. However, very few detailed observations about virus-induced stress responses have been reported. Here we investigated specific stress responses in Vero cells infected with Sindbis virus (SV), a single-stranded RNA virus, acute infection with which is known to cause apoptotic cell death in the host cells.

Regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 and inhibition of tumor invasion by the membrane-anchored glycoprotein RECK.

A human fibroblast cDNA expression library was screened for cDNA clones giving rise to flat colonies when transfected into v-Ki-ras-transformed NIH 3T3 cells. One such gene, RECK, encodes a membrane-anchored glycoprotein of about 110 kDa with multiple epidermal growth factor-like repeats and serine-protease inhibitor-like domains. While RECK mRNA is expressed in various human tissues and untransformed cells, it is undetectable in tumor-derived cell lines and oncogenically transformed cells.

Evidence of hepatocyte apoptosis in rat liver after the administration of carbon tetrachloride.

In acute liver injury induced by the injection of CCl4, cell death has been attributed to the necrosis of hepatocytes in the centrilobular area. In the present study, we re-examined the hepatic injury evoked by CCl4 in rats and explored the possibility that apoptosis may also contribute to its pathogenesis. Apoptotic hepatocytes were identified and quantified by light and electron microscopy, the in situ immunohistochemical labeling of nuclear DNA fragmentation, flow cytometry, and DNA gel electrophoresis.

Complete bovine leukemia virus (BLV) provirus is conserved in BLV-infected cattle throughout the course of B-cell lymphosarcoma development.

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) and human T-cell leukemia virus types 1 and 2 (HTLV-1 and HTLV-2) belong to the same subfamily of oncoviruses. Defective HTLV-1 proviral genomes have been found in more than half of all patients with adult T-cell leukemia examined. We have characterized the genomic structure of integrated BLV proviruses in peripheral blood lymphocytes and tumor tissue taken from animals with lymphomas at various stages.

Cloning and functional analysis of human p51, which structurally and functionally resembles p53.

The p53 tumor suppressor gene, which is induced by DNA damage and/or stress stimuli, causes cells to undergo G1-arrest or apoptotic death; thus it plays an essential role in human carcinogenesis. We have searched for p53-related genes by using degenerate PCR, and have identified two cDNA fragments similar to but distinct from p53: one previously reported, p73, and the other new. We cloned two major splicing variants of the latter gene and named these p51A and p51B (a human homologue of rat Ket).

Trans-activation of the Tetrahymena ribozyme by its P2-2.1 domains.

The Tetrahymena group I self-splicing intron contains peripheral domains P2-2.1. Mutant introns lacking these domains are hardly active.

Function and conformation of wild-type p53 protein are influenced by mutations in bovine leukemia virus-induced B-cell lymphosarcoma.

The mutations of the p53 gene previously represented one of several genetic changes involved in the development of bovine leukemia virus (BLV)-induced lymphosarcoma, while the effects of these mutations on the function of p53 are unknown. We identified four mutations of p53 gene in BLV-infected cattle with lymphosarcoma and demonstrated clearly the existence of two functionally distinct groups of mutants: (i) the mutant forms with substitutions at codons 241 and 242, which were mapped within an evolutionally conserved region and corresponded to the human "hot-spot" mutations, had completely lost the capacities for transactivation and growth suppression and gained transdominant repression activity in p53-null SAOS-2 cells; and (ii) the mutations at codons 206 and 207 were located outside the evolutionally conserved regions. These mutants partially retained the capacity for transactivation and growth suppression and failed to inhibit the transactivation activity of coexpressed wild-type p53, instead showing an enhancement of this activity.

Function and Conformation of Wild-Type p53 Protein Are Influenced by Mutations in Bovine Leukemia Virus-Induced B-Cell Lymphosarcoma.

The mutations of the p53 gene previously represented one of several genetic changes involved in the development of bovine leukemia virus (BLV)-induced lymphosarcoma, while the effects of these mutations on the function of p53 are unknown. We identified four mutations of p53 gene in BLV-infected cattle with lymphosarcoma and demonstrated clearly the existence of two functionally distinct groups of mutants: (i) the mutant forms with substitutions at codons 241 and 242, which were mapped within an evolutionally conserved region and corresponded to the human "hot-spot" mutations, had completely lost the capacities for transactivation and growth suppression and gained transdominant repression activity in p53-null SAOS-2 cells; and (ii) the mutations at codons 206 and 207 were located outside the evolutionally conserved regions. These mutants partially retained the capacity for transactivation and growth suppression and failed to inhibit the transactivation activity of coexpressed wild-type p53, instead showing an enhancement of this activity.

Erythropoietin and Friend virus gp55 activate different JAK/STAT pathways through the erythropoietin receptor in erythroid cells.

Abnormal erythropoietin (EPO)-independent cell growth is induced after infection of erythroid progenitor cells with a polycythemic strain of Friend virus (FVp). Binding of its Env-related glycoprotein (gp55) to the EPO receptor (EPOR) mimics the activation of the EPOR with EPO. We investigated the gp55-EPOR signaling in erythroblastoid cells from mice infected with FVp and in cells of FVp-induced or gp55-transgenic-mouse-derived erythroleukemia cell lines, comparing it with the EPO-EPOR signaling in EPO-responsive erythroblastoid cells.

Identification of the nucleotides in the A-rich bulge of the Tetrahymena ribozyme responsible for an efficient self-splicing reaction.

P5abc is a large extension of the P5 element characteristic of subclasses IC1 and IC2 of group I introns. It has a conserved region termed the A-rich bulge, that is responsible for activation of the Tetrahymena self-splicing intron. By employing a modified color-colony assay system, we identified four adenosines in the bulge that are responsible for an efficient splicing reaction.

Requirement of cell-cell contact in the induction of Jurkat T cell apoptosis: the membrane-anchored but not soluble form of FasL can trigger anti-CD3-induced apoptosis in Jurkat T cells.

Fas ligand (FasL) has been shown to be processed by the action of certain metalloproteinase and released from the cell surface. However, it is unclear whether death of Fas-sensitive target cells is mediated by a membrane-bound form of FasL (mFasL) or by a soluble form of FasL (sFasL). In the present study, we demonstrated that JCaM, a p56lck-deficient mutant of Jurkat, underwent Fas-dependent apoptosis only upon physical contact with anti-CD3-stimulated Jurkat cells or with human FasL- expressing transfectant (hFas/L5178Y).

Upregulation of the elongation factor-1alpha gene by p53 in association with death of an erythroleukemic cell line.

Genes upregulated by p53 were screened using an erythroleukemic cell line (1-2-3) that expresses only the temperature-sensitive p53 by the mRNA differential display method. One of the upregulated genes was identified as the elongation factor-1alpha (EF-1alpha) gene, an essential component of the eukaryotic translation apparatus. Three p53-responsive elements were found in the mouse EF-1alpha gene and in the corresponding human, rat, and frog genes.

Activity-dependent expression of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) in rat cerebellar granule neurons. Requirement of PTHrP for the activity-dependent survival of granule neurons.

To identify genes whose expression is neuronal activity-dependent, we used an mRNA differential display technique and discovered that parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) is expressed in an activity-dependent manner in primary cultures of rat cerebellar granule neurons. PTHrP mRNA was expressed as early as 1 h by the addition of KCl to a final concentration of 25 mM to the culture medium. This expression was induced by Ca2+ influx through voltage-dependent L-type Ca2+ channels and regulated at the transcriptional step.

Coincident induction of K rev-1/rap 1A, rap 1B and H-ras mRNAs in the rat spinal cord by noxious stimulation.

Two cDNA fragments, K rev-1/rap 1A and rap 1B, were amplified from total cellular RNA of the rat spinal cord by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction with a set of oligonucleotide primers specific for the human rap 1A cDNA. We report here using Northern blot analysis with these cDNA probes that noxious stimulation causes a marked and coincident increase in rap 1A, rap 1B and H-ras mRNAs in the rat spinal cord. This suggests that Rap 1 participates in sensory processing in spinal neurons in parallel with Ras.

Long-range interaction between the P2.1 and P9.1 peripheral domains of the Tetrahymena ribozyme.

The Tetrahymena ribozyme possesses peripheral domains, termed P9.1 and P9.2.

Activation of the JAK1-STAT5 pathway by binding of the Friend virus gp55 glycoprotein to the erythropoietin receptor.

Friend spleen focus forming-virus (F-SFFV) induces acute erythroleukemia in susceptible mice. Initiation of the erythroleukemia is due to binding of the env-related glycoprotein gp55 encoded by F-SFFV to the erythropoietin receptor (EPOR). The gp55/EPOR interaction induces prolonged and growth factor independent proliferation in a factor-dependent cell line.

Up-regulation of cell cycle-associated genes by p53 in apoptosis of an erythroleukemic cell line.

A murine erythroleukemic cell line (1-2-3) which expresses only the temperature-sensitive mutant p53 gene (Ala-to-Val substitution at codon 135) was established. When these cells were cultured at 32 degrees C, the growth rate was reduced significantly and DNA fragmentation, a typical character of apoptosis, was observed. In this process, p53 migrated from cytoplasm to nucleus and protein complexes binding to the p53-responsive element were detected in nuclear extracts of the cells cultured at 32 degrees C by gel-shift assay and transactivation from the p53-responsive element was detected.

Point mutation of p53 tumor suppressor gene in bovine leukemia virus-induced lymphosarcoma.

To elucidate the mechanism of leukemogenesis induced by bovine leukemia virus (BLV), the abnormality of p53 tumor suppressor gene was examined using the sequencing method of polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified DNA from peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) and tumors from BLV-infected cattle that showed evidence of different stages during the progression of enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL). Mutations of the p53 gene were found in tumor cells from cattle with EBL, but not in PBL from BLV-free normal cattle or BLV-infected cattle without any evidence of tumor, suggesting mutation of p53 gene occurred specifically at the lymphoma stage of the disease. Twelve of eighteen cattle with EBL had seven missense and five silent mutations.

The role of tumor-associated antigen in bovine leukemia virus-induced lymphosarcoma.

Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) is associated with enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL), which is the most common neoplastic disease of cattle. To clarify the way in which BLV-infected cattle progress from the asymptomatic stage to the lymphoma stage, we produced a monoclonal antibody (MAb) c143 which recognized a tumor-associated antigen (TAA) that is phosphorylated in the transformed state of BLV-infected B-lymphoid cells. Since the nature of c143 TAA was likely to be that of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II antigens, we isolated cDNAs for bovine MHC (BoLA) class II a-chains and b-chains, produced transfectants that expressed a single type of BoLA class II molecules and analyzed them by flow cytometry with c143 MAb.

Mutational analysis of the structure-function relationship of the leukemogenic membrane glycoprotein (GP55) of Friend spleen focus-forming virus (F-SFFV).

Friend spleen focus-forming virus (F-SFFV) causes acute erythroleukemia in adult mice. F-SFFV encodes an envelope protein-like membrane glycoprotein called gp55 in its defective env gene. Gp55 is responsible for the early stage of leukemogenesis by F-SFFV by specifically binding to and activating the murine erythropoietin receptor (EPO-R).

Pathogenesis of Friend leukemia virus.

Friend leukemia virus complex (FLV) consists of replication-defective, Friend spleen focus-forming virus (F-SFFV) and replication-competent, Friend murine leukemia virus (F-MuLV). We produced transgenic mice possessing F-SFFV gp55 gene and clarified that the gp55 glycoprotein encoded by F-SFFV env-related gene is, by itself, responsible for the initiation of erythroleukemia. The occurrence of erythroleukemia, however, is sporadic in these mice.

The 72nd codon change of p53 in primary renal cell carcinoma was confirmed as a polymorphism among Japanese.

Objective: The role of p53 mutation in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is not fully understood particularly among Japanese, although frequent loss of heterozygosity (LOH) has been demonstrated at polymorphic exon 4.

Methods: We examined the p53 gene in 43 primary RCC samples by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis for exons 4-9 and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis.

Results: In PCR-SSCP analysis, no apparent mobility shift was observed regardless of the clinical stage of the disease, histological subtype or malignancy grade of the tumor.

Genomic imprinting of the human serotonin-receptor (HTR2) gene involved in development of retinoblastoma.

Epidemiological and genetic studies of retinoblastoma (RB) suggested that imprinted genes might be genetically linked to the RB gene. In this study, we found that the human serotonin-receptor, HTR2, gene, which had been mapped nearby the RB gene on chromosome 13, was expressed only in human fibroblasts with a maternal allele and not in cells without a maternal allele. The 5' genomic region of the human HTR2 gene was cloned by PCR-mediated method.