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Biomedical subjects

G David

Publications and source records attributed to G David.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Histone deacetylase associated with mSin3A mediates repression by the acute promyelocytic leukemia-associated PLZF protein.

The PLZF gene was identified first by its fusion with the retinoic acid receptor alpha gene in the t(11;17) translocation associated with a retinoic acid resistant form of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL). It encodes a krüppel-like zinc finger protein with a POZ domain shared with a subset of regulatory proteins including the BCL6 leukemogenic protein. PLZF, like BCL6, strongly represses transcription initiated from different promoters. Here we show that PLZF associates in vitro and in vivo with the Mad co-repressor mSin3A and the histone deacetylase HDAC1. Two domains in PLZF and the PAH1 structure of mSin3A mediate these interactions. Trichostatin A, a specific inhibitor of histone deacetylases, significantly reduces PLZF repression. These data strongly suggest that, like nuclear receptors and Mad, PLZF represses transcription by recruiting a histone deacetylase through the SMRT-mSin3-HDAC co-repressor complex. We also show that BCL6 associates with HDAC1 indicating that this type of regulation might be common to POZ/Zinc finger proteins involved in human leukemias. This work supports a role for deregulated histone deacetylation in the development of both lymphoid and myeloid neoplasia in human and suggests that targeted histone deacetylase inhibitors may be useful for treatment of certain types of malignancies.

Binding Sites↗

Heparan sulphate proteoglycan expression in human primary liver tumours.

Heparan sulphate proteoglycans (HSPGs) play important biological roles in cell-matrix adhesion processes and are essential regulators of growth factor actions (e.g., as co-receptor for hepatocyte growth factor). Since in liver carcinogenesis, interactions between cells, the matrix, and growth factors play a major role, the aim of this study was to investigate whether the distribution pattern of HSPGs is altered in human primary liver tumours. Twenty-two primary liver tumours and five normal liver biopsies were studied, using specific monoclonal antibodies against syndecans-1, -2, -3, and -4; glypican; perlecan; and heparan sulphate chains. Cholangiocarcinomas as well as hepatocellular carcinomas showed an altered immunoreactivity pattern of the different HSPGs in comparison with normal liver parenchyma, probably reflecting the growth regulatory roles of HSPGs. Intracellular positivity for integral membrane HSPGs syndecan-1 and especially syndecan-4 was a constant finding in most tumours, suggesting increased synthesis or internalization of these HSPGs. Syndecan-3 and perlecan expression in tumours was found in an expected distribution pattern. The strong reactivity for syndecan-3 and perlecan in tumoral stromal vessels might suggest a role for these HSPGs in tumoral angiogenesis. In addition, perlecan probably exerts its known growth factor reservoir function also in the stroma of primary liver tumours.

Bile Duct Neoplasms↗

A polymorphism in the major immediate-early gene delineates groups among cytomegalovirus clinical isolates.

Major immediate-early gene exon 4 sequences were determined at codons 161-241 and 254-397 in 25 cytomegalovirus clinical strains and compared with those of reference strains AD169 and Towne. The nucleotide sequences at codon 161-241 segregated into three groups which could be determined by restriction mapping of a 247-nucleotide amplified target. AD169 and Towne belonged to the same group. Clustered variations and group-specific amino-acid motifs found in the deduced peptide sequence of the two immediate-early (IE) exon 4 regions raised a question is to the effects of polymorphism on IE1 function and/or immunogenicity. On the basis of restriction analysis of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products, virus isolates were also classified into four glycoprotein B (gB) genotypes. Strain distribution in IE1 and gB genotypes showed a lack of concordance of the two grouping methods, and no preferential association was observed between the clinical context or kind of specimen and IE1 or gB groups. These data lead up to further prospective studies which could provide important information on the implication of the MIE gene region in virus pathogenesis and indicate whether linkage unbalance exists in particular clinical contexts between IE1 and gB loci.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

[Secondary cubital paralysis from prolonged thoracic drainage].

In intensive therapy patients, thoracic drains are usually inserted in the lateral part of thorax with the extension tube crossing the posterior aspect of the upper limb. We report the cases of two sedated patients who experienced ulnar palsy from a thoracic drain located behind their elbow.

Accidents, Traffic↗

Molecular and clinical correlations in autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia with progressive macular dystrophy (SCA7).

Spinocerebellar ataxia 7 (SCA7) is caused by the expansion of an unstable CAG repeat in the first exon of the SCA7 gene. We have analyzed the SCA7 mutation in 19 families and one isolated case of various geographical origins, presenting with autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia with progressive macular dystrophy. The SCA7 CAG repeat was expanded in 77 patients and in 11 at-risk individuals, with alleles containing from 37 to 130 repeats, demonstrating that SCA7 is genetically homogeneous. Repeats on normal alleles contained from 7 to 35 CAGs. There was a strong negative correlation (r = -0.84) between the age at onset and the size of the CAG repeat expansion in SCA7 patients. Larger expansions were associated with earlier onset, a more severe and rapid clinical course, and a higher frequency of decreased vision, ophthalmoplegia, extensor plantar response and scoliosis. The frequency of other clinical signs such as dysphagia and sphincter disturbances increased with disease duration. The mutation was highly unstable during transmission, with a mean increase of 10 +/- 16 CAG repeats, which was significantly greater in paternal (15 +/- 20) than in maternal (5 +/- 5) transmissions. This correlated well with the marked anticipation (19 +/- 13 years) observed in the families. Gonadal mosaicism, observed in the sperm of a patient, was particularly important, with expanded alleles ranging from 42 to >155 CAG repeats. The degree of instability during transmission, resulting mostly in expansions, is greater than in the seven other neurodegenerative disorders caused by polyglutamine expansions.

Adolescent↗

[Medicine seized by the principle of precaution].

The principle of precaution first appeared about ten years ago as a new type of action and responsibility in the environmental domain. It prescribes taking immediate action to avoid serious environmental consequences, rather than waiting for scientifically established proof of the danger. Some lawyers are now recommending that this approach be extended to the medical field. By recommending decisive action based on a purely hypothetical risk it goes well beyond classic preventive measures, which are introduced only after identification and proof risk. This new approach is presented as an added safety precaution. Radical application of this concept could, however, lead to an irrational approach to health security and constitute an obstacle to technical progress. Although the legal world has already adopted this new concept it is important that the medical world contribute to evaluating this new standard.

France↗

Syntenin, a PDZ protein that binds syndecan cytoplasmic domains.

The syndecans are transmembrane proteoglycans that place structurally heterogeneous heparan sulfate chains at the cell surface and a highly conserved polypeptide in the cytoplasm. Their versatile heparan sulfate moieties support various processes of molecular recognition, signaling, and trafficking. Here we report the identification of a protein that binds to the cytoplasmic domains of the syndecans in yeast two-hybrid screens, surface plasmon resonance experiments, and ligand-overlay assays. This protein, syntenin, contains a tandem repeat of PDZ domains that reacts with the FYA C-terminal amino acid sequence of the syndecans. Recombinant enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP)-syntenin fusion proteins decorate the plasmamembrane and intracellular vesicles, where they colocalize and cosegregate with syndecans. Cells that overexpress eGFP-syntenin show numerous cell surface extensions, suggesting effects of syntenin on cytoskeleton-membrane organization. We propose that syntenin may function as an adaptor that couples syndecans to cytoskeletal proteins or cytosolic downstream signal-effectors.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Stimulation-induced changes in [Ca2+] in lizard motor nerve terminals.

1. Motor axons were injected ionophoretically with one of five Ca(2+)-sensitive dyes (fluo-3, Calcium Green-2, Calcium Green-5N, fluo-3FF and Oregon Green BAPTA-5N). Changes in fluorescence (delta F/Frest) within motor terminal boutons following a single action potential and brief stimulus trains were monitored with high temporal resolution using a confocal microscope. 2. Stimulation-induced increases in delta F/Frest were confined primarily to boutons, with roughly uniform increases in all the boutons of a terminal. The increase in delta F/Frest began prior to, and decayed more slowly than, the endplate potential (EPP) recorded in the underlying muscle fibre. delta F/Frest was graded with bath [Ca2+]. Both delta F/Frest and the EPP were reduced, but not eliminated, by omega-conotoxin GVIA (5-10 microM). 3. For dyes with lower affinity for Ca2+ (e.g. Oregon Green BAPTA-5N, Kd approximately 60 microM) stimulation-induced increases in delta F/Frest were measured in the presence of the K+ channel blocker 3,4-diaminopyridine (3,4-DAP, 100 microM). During brief stimulus trains (4 at 50 Hz) in 3,4-DAP, the EPP exhibited profound depression, but the fluorescence increase associated with each stimulus showed little decrement, suggesting that depression was not mediated by a reduction in Ca2+ entry. 4. For dyes with a higher affinity for Ca2+ (e.g. fluo-3, Kd approximately 0.5-1 microM) stimulation-induced increases in delta F/Frest could also be measured in normal physiological saline. Increases in delta F/Frest were much greater with 3,4-DAP present, but the amplitude decreased with successive stimuli due to partial dye saturation. 5. Calculations suggested that following a single action potential the average [Ca2+] within a bouton increased by up to 150 nM in normal saline and 940 nM in 3,4-DAP. With low affinity dyes the delta F/Frest measured near the membrane had a higher peak amplitude and a faster early decay than that measured in the centre of the bouton, suggesting that substantial spatial [Ca2+] gradients exist within boutons for at least 15 ms following stimulation.

Action Potentials↗

SMRT corepressor interacts with PLZF and with the PML-retinoic acid receptor alpha (RARalpha) and PLZF-RARalpha oncoproteins associated with acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Retinoic acid receptors (RARs) are hormone-regulated transcription factors that control key aspects of normal differentiation. Aberrant RAR activity may be a causal factor in neoplasia. Human acute promyelocytic leukemia, for example, is tightly linked to chromosomal translocations that fuse novel amino acid sequences (denoted PML, PLZF, and NPM) to the DNA-binding and hormone-binding domains of RARalpha. The resulting chimeric receptors have unique transcriptional properties that may contribute to leukemogenesis. Normal RARs repress gene transcription by associating with ancillary factors denoted corepressors (also referred to as SMRT, N-CoR, TRAC, or RIP13). We report here that the PML-RARalpha and PLZF-RARalpha oncoproteins retain the ability of RARalpha to associate with corepressors, and that this corepressor association correlates with certain aspects of the leukemic phenotype. Unexpectedly, the PLZF moiety itself can interact with SMRT corepressor. This interaction with corepressor is mediated, in part, by a POZ motif within PLZF. Given the presence of POZ motifs in a number of known transcriptional repressors, similar interactions with SMRT may play a role in transcriptional silencing by a variety of both receptor and nonreceptor transcription factors.

DNA-Binding Proteins↗

Molecular cloning of a new interferon-induced PML nuclear body-associated protein.

Transcriptional induction of genes is an essential part of the cellular response to interferons. We have established a cDNA library from human lymphoblastoid Daudi cells treated for 16 h with human alpha/beta-interferon (IFN) and made use of differential screening to search for as yet unidentified IFN-regulated genes. In the course of this study, we have isolated a human cDNA that codes for a 20-kDa protein sharing striking homology with the product of the Xenopus laevis XPMC2 gene. This new gene is induced by both type I and II IFNs in various cell lines and will be referred to as ISG20 for interferon-stimulated gene product of 20 kDa. Confocal immunofluorescence analysis of the subcellular localization of ISG20 protein reveals that it is closely associated with PML and SP100 gene products within the large nuclear matrix-associated multiprotein complexes termed the PML nuclear bodies.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Heparan sulfate proteoglycan expression in human lung-cancer cells.

Heparan sulfate (HS) functions as a co-factor in several signal-transduction systems that affect cellular growth, differentiation, adhesion and motility. HS, therefore, may also play a role in the malignant transformation of cells, tumor growth, cell invasiveness and the formation of tumor metastases. To explore this hypothesis, we analyzed the expression of HS and heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) in histological sections of human lung-cancer tissues and assayed for the presence of HSPGs in extracts of human lung-cancer cell lines, using a panel of native HS-, delta-HS- and HSPG (syndecan, glypican, CD44 and perlecan) core protein-specific monoclonal antibodies. Compared to normal epithelia, non-small-cell lung carcinomas, particularly poorly differentiated tumors, often expressed reduced amounts of the major cell surface-associated HSPGs (most consistently of syndecan-1). CD44 or CD44-variant proteins, in contrast, were found on all tumor cells, irrespective of their differentiation. Perlecan, a matrix-associated HSPG found in the basement membrane of normal bronchial epithelium, was consistently undetectable in invasive bronchogenic carcinomas. Staining reactions for native HS were consistently reduced in squamous-cell lung carcinomas, in the cells in contact with the stroma and in the less differentiated areas of these tumors. Reactions for delta-HS, however, were not reduced, suggesting a structural change in the HS of these tumor cells. Poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas, in contrast, yielded strong HS and delta-HS reactions. Marked differences in HSPG expression also were observed among various non-small-cell lung carcinoma cell lines. Our results suggest that poorly differentiated lung tumors have markedly altered patterns of HSPG expression, which may contribute to their invasive phenotype.

Adenocarcinoma↗

The acute promyelocytic leukemia PML-RAR alpha protein induces hepatic preneoplastic and neoplastic lesions in transgenic mice.

The PML-RAR alpha hybrid protein generated by the t(15;17) translocation in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is thought to play a central role in the oncogenic process. However, analysis of the oncogenic activity of the fusion protein in tissue culture assays or in mice has been hampered by its apparent toxicity in multiple murine cells. To circumvent this problem, we generated an inducible line of transgenic mice, MT135, in which the expression of PML-RAR alpha is driven by the metallothionein promoter. After 5 days zinc stimulation, 27 out of 54 mice developed hepatic preneoplasia and neoplasia including foci of basophilic hepatocytes, dysplasia and carcinoma with a significantly higher incidence of lesions in females than in males. The rapid onset of liver pathologies was dependent on overexpression of the transgene since it was not detected in noninduced transgenic animals of the same age. The PML-RAR alpha protein was always present in altered tissues at much higher levels than in the surrounding normal liver tissues. In addition, overexpression of PML-RAR alpha resulted in a strong proliferative response in the hepatocytes. We conclude that overexpression of PML-RAR alpha deregulates cell proliferation and can induce tumorigenic changes in vivo.

Animals↗

Characterization of glypican-5 and chromosomal localization of human GPC5, a new member of the glypican gene family.

The four vertebrate glypican-related integral membrane proteoglycans identified so far constitute a discrete family of heparan sulfate proteoglycans that are linked to the cell surface via glycosyl phosphatidylinositol. In addition to the GPI anchor and substitution with heparan sulfate, the members of this family show significant sequence homology and share a unique and characteristic cysteine motif. Starting from an EST entry that showed significant sequence similarity to MXR7 and OCI-5 (coding, respectively, for human and rat glypican-3), we have isolated a human cDNA coding for glypican-5, a novel member of this proteoglycan family. The gene for this novel glypican (GPC5) maps to 13q32. In the adult, it is primarily expressed in brain tissue.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Regional distribution of neural cell adhesion molecule immunoreactivity in the adult rat telencephalon and diencephalon. Partial colocalization with heparan sulfate proteoglycan immunoreactivity.

In the present paper immunocytochemical analysis at the fluorescence microscopical level has been performed of neural cell adhesion. molecule (NCAM) immunoreactivity in the adult rat tel- and diencephalon in order to further substantiate the highly selective neuronal localization of NCAM immunoreactivity, using an affinity purified rabbit antiserum recognizing homologous NCAM proteins from rat brain. Also, double immunolabelling experiments were performed with monoclonal antibodies specific for heparan sulfate related epitopes or gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) to establish in which cell populations a colocalization existed with immunoreactive heparan sulfate proteoglycans of GABA. Within the neocortex NCAM immunoreactivity was exclusively localized to the area of the cell membrane of soma and proximal dendrites of subsets of large pyramidal nerve cells of the layer 5 of the frontoparietal cortex. Within the dorsal hippocampus, the NCAM immunoreactivity was exclusively located to the cell surface area of the pyramidal cell bodies of area CA2. Two colour immunofluorescence procedures demonstrated a colocalization of NCAM and 3G10 but not 10E4 immunoreactivities in the cell surface area of many of the NCAM-positive nerve cell bodies of these two regions. Within the thalamus, strong NCAM immunoreactivity was exclusively demonstrated at all rostrocaudal levels of the reticular thalamic nucleus. The horizontal band of NCAM immunoreactivity was not continuous, but split up into patches of NCAM immunoreactivity within groups of nerve cell bodies. When analysing the number of cells per unitary square in the rostrocaudal direction, a significant increase of positive cells was found in the rostral and middle thirds versus the caudal third of the reticular thalamic nucleus. Many of the cell bodies with NCAM immunoreactivity in their cell surface are showed cytoplasmic GABA immunoreactivity. In the three regions shown to contain NCAM immunoreactivity, proteins of the NCAM type may play a special role for the maintenance of the synaptic structure. The findings also suggest that the sulfated proteoglycans and NCAM can interact in the regulation of cell-cell interaction via adhesion. In the reticular thalamic nucleus NCAM molecules may be part of a set of cell-adhesion molecules involved in a structural organization of the nucleus, which allows it to play a key role in relating cortical maps to thalamic maps.

Animals↗

Spatiotemporal gradients of intra-axonal [Na+] after transection and resealing in lizard peripheral myelinated axons.

1. Post-transection changes in intracellular Na+ ([Na+]i) were measured in lizard peripheral axons ionophoretically injected with the Na(+)-sensitive ratiometric dye, sodium-binding benzofuran isophthalate (SBFI). 2. Following axonal transection in physiological saline [Na+]i increased to more than 100 mM in a region that quickly extended hundreds of micrometers from the transection site. This post-transection increase in [Na+]i was similar when the bath contained 5 microM tetrodotoxin, but was absent in Na(+)-free solution. Depolarization of uncut axons in 50 mM K+ produced little or no elevation of [Na+]i until veratridine was added. These results suggest that the post-transection increase in [Na+]i was due mainly to Na+ entry via the cut end, rather than via depolarization-activated Na+ channels. 3. The spatiotemporal profile of the post-transection increase in [Na+]i could be accounted for by movement of Na+ from the cut end with an apparent diffusion coefficient of 1.3 x 10(-5) cm2 s-1. 4. [Na+]i began to decline toward resting levels by 20 +/- 15 min (mean +/- S.D.) post-transection, except in regions of the axon within 160 +/- 85 microns of the transection site, where [Na+]i remained high. The boundary between axonal regions in which [Na+]i did or did not recover probably defines a locus of resealing of the axonal membrane. 5. [Na+]i returned to resting values within about 1 h after resealing, even in axonal regions where the normal transmembrane [Na+] gradient had completely dissipated. The recovery of [Na+]i was faster and reached lower levels than expected by diffusional redistribution of Na+ along the axon. Partial recovery occurred even in an isolated internode, indicating that the internodal axolemma can actively extrude Na+.

Animals↗