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Biomedical subjects

H H Hirsch

Publications and source records attributed to H H Hirsch.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Quantification of HIV-1 viral RNA and proviral DNA by isotopic competitive PCR.

A quantitative isotopic competitive PCR (icPCR) assay was established using 32P-labeled primers targeting the HIV-1 gag gene followed by quantification using a phosphoimager. The detection limit varied from 3 to 10 molecules of DNA and 10 to 100 molecules of RNA per reaction. The icPCR quantification of HIV-1 DNA copies correlated well with the cell number of 8E5/LAV cells bearing a single provirus (r2 = 0.95). Provirus quantification was applied to overnight infected donor PBMCs, thereby determining infectious virus titres in culture supernatants as a rapid alternative to limiting dilution culture. Parallel quantification of the HIV-1 RNA indicated the infectious virus fraction to be 0.3%. In 39 HIV-1-infected patients with clinical stages A (n = 17), B (n = 15), and C (n = 7), the HIV-1 RNA in the plasma was determined ranging from 100 to 90600 RNA copies/ml. The results of icPCR and a commercial assay (ROCHE Amplicor HIV-1 Monitor) correlated well (r = 0.97). In 13 additional patients, the plasma viral load per ml was compared with the proviral load per 10(6) PBMC showing a viral excess of 10-1000-fold (mean of 85, r = 0.7, P < 0.01). It is concluded that icPCR is suitable for the measurement of proviral and viral load in experimental and clinical settings.

DNA, Viral↗
PubMed1997

[In vitro evaluation of MR thermometry in the implementation of laser-induced thermotherapy].

PURPOSE: To optimize the MR sequences parameter for monitoring hyperthermic effects in the tissue during laser induced thermotherapy (LITT). MATERIAL AND METHODS: Experimental studies were performed for the evaluation of MR-thermometry using a contrast-agent-water solution and a pig-liver. A T1-weighted TurboFLASH sequence and a FLASH-2D sequence were used. The TurboFLASH sequence was used with various T1 settings (between 100 and 1250 ms). MR findings were correlated with temperature measurements using a fluoride optical temperature measuring system in a distance of 1, 2, and 5 cm from the laser applicator. RESULTS: Using the contrast-agent-water solution demonstrated the temperature sensitivity of both sequences. In vitro evaluations using pig liver demonstrated a near linear increase of signal versus increasing tissue temperatures in a distance of 1 cm to the tip of the laser applicator. Optimal visualization of the temperature effects was obtained using a T1 between 100 ms and 400 ms. Using the FLASH-2D sequence a signal loss was documented at a TR of 110 ms. CONCLUSION: MR-thermometry using sequentially TurboFLASH and FLASH-2D sequences allowed a non-invasive monitoring of the laser induced temperature changes.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Rapamycin destabilizes interleukin-3 mRNA in autocrine tumor cells by a mechanism requiring an intact 3' untranslated region.

We analyzed the effect of rapamycin on autocrine mast cell tumor lines with abnormally stable interleukin-3 (IL-3) transcripts due to a defect in mRNA degradation. Rapamycin inhibited IL-3 mRNA expression specifically, while transcripts of IL-4 and IL-6 were not affected. As indicated by the use of the transcriptional inhibitor actinomycin D or by reporter constructs, inhibition was posttranscriptional and resulted from destabilization of the mRNA. Transcripts from transgenes lacking the AU-rich 3' untranslated region were refractory to drug-induced degradation, suggesting that these 3' sequences contain the target of the rapamycin effect. Rapamycin did not promote IL-3 mRNA degradation in cells of a tumor variant lacking expression of FKBP12, the binding protein of rapamycin. Experiments with wortmannin indicated that rapamycin does not act via p70S6 kinase. FK-506, another ligand of FKBP12 affecting the phosphatase calcineurin, did not antagonize but shared the effect of rapamycin. Our data fit a model whereby both FKBP12 and calcineurin target an unknown regulator of IL-3 mRNA turnover.

Amino Acid Isomerases↗
PubMed1997

V-Ha-ras-dependent expression of interleukin-3 mRNA in premalignant PB-3c mast cells correlates with the formation of tumors without interleukin-3 gene rearrangements.

Retroviral transduction of v-Ha-ras into the interleukin-3 (IL-3) dependent PB-3c cells results in the generation of IL-3 autocrine tumors without (class-I tumors) or with (class-II tumors) insertion of endogenous retroviral elements into the IL-3 locus. In this study, we examined the frequency of both tumor classes arising from the IL-3-dependent PB-3c clone 15. This cell line was previously found to be unable to suppress IL-3 expression of class-I tumor cells after cell fusion and to be highly tumorigenic following ZIP-ras-neo transduction. To identify possible preexisting determinants of tumor progression, clone 15 cells were subcloned either before or after retroviral ZIP-ras-neo infection and tested for tumorigenicity. All 20 sublines with clonal cellular background, but with heterogeneous integration sites, were tumorigenic. In contrast, only 12 of 19 sublines with clonal integration sites formed tumors. None of the 42 tumor cell lines analyzed by Southern blotting showed evidence of IL-3 gene rearrangement. Only the tumorigenic sublines showed v-Ha-ras transcripts on Northern blots and low levels of IL-3 mRNA detectable by RT-PCR, as well as recovery of IL-3-independent cells after crisis in vitro. Expression of IL-3 mRNA and tumorigenicity were found in somatic cell hybrids of clone 15 with 15 v-Ha-ras, but not in cell hybrids with the class-I tumor suppressor-positive clone 20 v-Ha-ras. These data suggest that RT-PCR signals for IL-3 are a predictive marker in premalignant cells for the formation of tumors without IL-3 gene rearrangements, which depend on v-Ha-ras expression and a cooperating cellular function of recessive nature.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Impaired interleukin-3 mRNA decay in autocrine mast cell tumors after transient calcium ionophore stimulation.

Autocrine interleukin-3 (IL-3) expression of v-H-ras transformed mast cell tumors involves either IL-3 mRNA stabilization (class-I tumors) or enhanced IL-3 transcription (class-II tumors). Since calcium ionophores induce IL-3 expression in untransformed PB-3c cells by transcript stabilization, we asked whether class-I tumor could still respond to calcium ionophores. We found that ionomycin treatment further increased IL-3 mRNA expression of class-I tumor cells. Following ionomycin wash-out, IL-3 mRNA decay was slower in class-I tumor cells than in class-II tumor or precursor cell lines (t1/2 > 50 min versus < 20 min, respectively). Somatic cell fusion of the class-I tumor cells with the non-tumorigenic PB-3c cells resulted in reversion to rapid decay after ionomycin wash-out. The data indicate that a recessive defect of IL-3 mRNA degradation can be revealed in class-I tumor cells by transient calcium ionophore stimulation. However, IL-3 mRNA stabilization operating constitutively in class-I tumor cells appears to be distinct from the ionomycin induced process.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Interleukin-3 mRNA stabilization by a trans-acting mechanism in autocrine tumors lacking interleukin-3 gene rearrangements.

Tumors obtained from v-Ha-ras-transformed PB-3c cells are characterized by autocrine interleukin-3 (IL3) expression, which occurs either without (class I tumors) or with enhanced transcription (class II tumors). To address possible post-transcriptional mechanisms of IL3 expression, IL3 mRNA stability was examined in both tumor classes. Increased stability of IL3 mRNA was detected in class I tumor lines (t1/2 > 3 h), whereas rapid decay of IL3 transcripts (t1/2 < 0.5 h) was found in class II tumor lines. In both tumor classes, the c-myc and interleukin-6 transcripts were short-lived. Transcripts of a constitutively expressed IL3 reporter gene were stable in class I tumor cells but unstable in class II tumor cells, suggesting that IL3 mRNA stabilization involved a trans-acting mechanism. Rapid decay of IL3 reporter transcripts was observed in untransformed PB-3c as well as in v-Ha-ras expressing precursor cells linking transcript stabilization to the tumor stage. Reporter transcript stabilization in class I tumor cells correlated with increased IL3 production. Deletion of the AU-rich element from the IL3 reporter gene further augmented IL3 mRNA levels as well as IL3 production, suggesting that the stabilizing mechanism in class I tumor cells is not equivalent to AU-rich element deletion.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Cyclosporin A inhibits growth of autocrine tumour cell lines by destabilizing interleukin-3 mRNA.

In T cells, cyclosporin A (CsA) exerts its immunosuppressive effect by preventing transcriptional induction of the expression of interleukin(IL)-2. This is achieved by a mechanism that involves binding of a CsA-cyclophilin complex to calcineurin, which in turn inhibits the phosphatase-controlled translocation of transcription factor NFAT to the nucleus. We have previously identified IL-3 as an autocrine oncogenic regulator in tumour cell lines generated by introducing the v-H-ras oncogene into IL-3-dependent mast cells. Here we report that CsA specifically blocks autocrine tumour cell growth. The mechanism involves down-regulation of IL-3 expression by destabilization of the messenger RNA and requires ongoing transcription. Transcripts from exogenous IL-3 genes lacking the (A+U)-rich element (ARE) in the 3' untranslated terminal repeat could not be destabilized, suggesting that at least part of this sequence, which is known to mediate decay of short-lived mRNA, participates in a CsA-sensitive regulatory mechanism.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Suppressible and nonsuppressible autocrine mast cell tumors are distinguished by insertion of an endogenous retroviral element (IAP) into the interleukin 3 gene.

After v-H-ras expression, the interleukin 3 (IL-3)-dependent PB-3c mast cells progress in vivo to two different classes of IL-3 autocrine tumors. Class I tumors show a germline configuration of the IL-3 gene and represent more than 90% of tumors analyzed so far. Somatic cell fusion of class I tumor lines with the nontumorigenic parental PB-3c resulted in loss of oncogenic IL-3 expression by a posttranscriptional mechanism with concomitant tumor suppression. Class II tumors arise rarely and contain an insertion in one IL-3 allele. This alteration was linked to enhanced IL-3 gene transcription. For one tumor, the insertion was shown to be an endogenous retroviral element (intracisternal A-particle). Cell hybrids of class II tumors with PB-3c remained IL-3 independent, expressed IL-3, and formed tumors rapidly. These results suggest that the v-H-ras oncogene synergizes with a recessive and a dominant lesion in class I and II tumors, respectively, both of which lead to the autocrine production of IL-3.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Biogenesis of the yeast vacuole (lysosome). Proteinase yscB contributes molecularly and kinetically to vacuolar hydrolase-precursor maturation.

The vacuolar proteinase yscB (PrB) has been implicated in the final maturation of procarboxypeptidase yscY (pro-CpY) to the mature wild-type form CpYb of 61 kDa. In PrB-deficient mutants, only the proteinase yscA processed form CpYa of 62 kDa is found [Mechler, B., Müller, H. & Wolf, D. H. (1987) EMBO J. 6, 2157-2163]. We report now that, akin to CpY, two forms of mature proteinase yscA (PrA) can be distinguished. In PrB-deficient mutant cells, PrAa, migrating at about 43 kDa in SDS/PAGE, is found, whereas PrAb, found in wild-type cells, had the known molecular mass of 42 kDa. In the PrB-deficient strain, pro-PrA and pro-CpY matured only to the higher-molecular-mass forms, PrAa and CpYa, and the maturation of both precursors was slower than in the isogenic wild-type strain. Pulse-labeling experiments indicated that the mature forms, PrAb or CpYb, are generated directly in the PrB-containing wild-type strain in vivo. In vitro experiments showed that PrB is able to trigger maturation of its 42-kDa pro-PrB precursor to mature PrB in the absence of PrA. Mature PrB and its proteolytic activity, however, shows a higher stability in the presence of mature PrA. The data indicate a molecular and kinetic participation of proteinase yscB in vacuolar hydrolase precursor maturation.

Blotting, Western↗
PubMed1992

Biogenesis of the yeast vacuole (lysosome). Mutation in the active site of the vacuolar serine proteinase yscB abolishes proteolytic maturation of its 73-kDa precursor to the 41.5-kDa pro-enzyme and a newly detected 41-kDa peptide.

The codon of the catalytic serine in the active site of the vacuolar serine proteinase yscB (PrB) was changed to alanine, yielding the mutant gene prb1-Ala519. Following replacement of the wild-type PRB1 allele with prb1-Ala519, only a 73-kDa molecule was detected by immunoprecipitation with PrB-specific antiserum. The size of the mutant molecule corresponds to the unprocessed cytoplasmic precursor (pre-super-pro-PrB), as detected in sec61 mutants, when translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum is blocked. However, the mutant molecule is completely translocated into the secretory pathway, as indicated by protection from proteinase K digestion in spheroplast lysates in the absence of detergent. When N-glycosylation was inhibited in prb1-Ala519 mutant cells by tunicamycin, a smaller molecule of about 71 kDa appeared consistent with single N-glycosylation and signal-sequence cleavage of the translocated mutant PrB molecule in the endoplasmic reticulum. Thus, the active-site mutation prevents the wild-type processing of the N-glycosylated 73-kDa precursor of PrB to the 41.5 kDa pro-PrB in the endoplasmic reticulum. In order to characterize the processing of wild-type super-pro-PrB in more detail, we generated antibodies against the non-enzymatic superpeptide domain of the 73-kDa precursor expressed in Escherichia coli. We find that, in addition to pro-PrB, a distinct protein (superpeptide) with a mobility of about 41 kDa in SDS/PAGE is generated in the endoplasmic reticulum. Pulse-chase experiments indicate rapid degradation of the 41-kDa superpeptide in wild-type cells. Correspondingly, the superpeptide was virtually undetectable by immunoblotting wild-type cell extracts. In contrast, no degradation of radioactively labeled 41-kDa superpeptide was observed within 60 min in mutant strains deficient in the vacuolar proteinase yscA (PrA), in which maturation of vacuolar pro-PrB to active PrB is blocked. Accordingly, superpeptide antigenic material was readily detected by immunoblotting cell extracts and enriched in vacuolar preparations of PrA deficient mutant cells. These results indicate that the superpeptide and pro-PrB travel to the vacuole, where the superpeptide is rapidly degraded upon pro-PrB activation to PrB. Using purified vacuoles, rapid degradation of the superpeptide was reconstituted in vitro by addition of either mature PrA or mature PrB. However, the PrA-triggered in vitro degradation of the superpeptide required PrB activity, as this process was inhibited in the presence of the PrB inhibitor chymostatin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1992

Mast cells sensitive to v-H-ras transformation are hyperinducible for interleukin 3 expression and have lost tumor-suppressor activity.

Subcloning of interleukin 3 (IL-3)-dependent PB-3c mastocyte cells revealed two populations, of which only one is sensitive to oncogenic transformation by v-H-ras. The corresponding tumors produce IL-3 and grow in vitro in the absence of exogenous IL-3 [Nair, A.P.K., Diamantis, I.D., Conscience, J.F., Kindler, V., Hofer, P. & Moroni, Ch. (1989). Mol. Cell. Biol., 9, 1183-1190]. In the present investigation, IL-3 gene regulation was compared in ras transformable (rT) and ras nontransformable (rNT) lines. We report that upon expression of v-H-ras rT clones but not rNT clones express low levels of IL-3 mRNA as detected by reverse polymerase chain reaction. Treatment with ionomycin, a calcium ionophore, induced high levels of IL-3 expression only in ras-expressing rT clones. Somatic cell fusion between the rNT clone 20 and the IL-3-expressing mastocytoma line V2D1 led to down-regulation of IL-3 expression and to the requirement for exogenous IL-3 for in vitro growth and tumor suppression. In contrast, rT clone 15 lacked tumor-suppressor activity and failed to down-regulate IL-3 expression in somatic hybrids which grew in vitro without added IL-3. Our results indicate that IL-3 gene expression is a critical determinant for the generation of v-H-ras-induced mast cell tumors and show that disturbances in IL-3 gene regulation can be detected already at the premalignant level in v-H-ras transformation-sensitive cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Biogenesis of the yeast vacuole (lysosome). Active site mutation in the vacuolar aspartate proteinase yscA blocks maturation of vacuolar proteinases.

The activation process of vacuolar (lysosomal) proteinases in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is initiated by the PRA1 (PEP4) gene product, proteinase yscA. To elucidate the activation process of proteinase yscA the catalytically active amino acid Asp294 of the enzyme was exchanged with Ala294 using site directed mutagenesis. The resulting proteinase yscA-Ala294 showed no proteolytic activity against the substrate hemoglobin. The mutant protein did not undergo processing in vivo. This phenomenon is in good agreement with the hypothesis that maturation of proteinase yscA is due to self-processing of pro-proteinase yscA. Furthermore, proteinase yscA-Ala294 is not able to convert the zymogens pro-proteinase yscB and pro-carboxypeptidase yscY to the mature enzymes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Tumor suppression involves down-regulation of interleukin 3 expression in hybrids between autocrine mastocytoma and interleukin 3-dependent parental mast cells.

Interleukin 3 (IL-3)-dependent PB-3c mouse mastocytes can be transformed by the v-Ha-ras oncogene to generate autocrine IL-3-producing mastocytomas. Hybrid cell lines were constructed by fusing an IL-3-producing mastocytoma cell line with its IL-3-dependent normal parental cell. Unlike the mastocytoma parent cell line, hybrid cell lines required growth factor for in vitro proliferation, indicating that the IL-3-dependent phenotype is dominant. IL-3 mRNA, expressed at high levels in the tumor cells, appeared down-regulated in the cell hybrids. In contrast, p21v-Ha-ras levels were not reduced in the hybrids. The hybrid lines generated tumors in vivo with drastically prolonged latency times when compared to the tumor parent (10 versus 2 weeks). We propose that down-regulation of IL-3 mRNA production after cell fusion is responsible for the loss of growth autonomy in the hybrids and is likely to play a role in the partial suppression of tumor formation in vivo. Our data are consistent with the hypothesis that a tumor suppressor, present in PB-3c cells, acts as a negative regulator of IL-3 expression.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Aminopeptidase yscII of yeast. Isolation of mutants and their biochemical and genetic analysis.

Mutant strains of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae defective in aminopeptidase yscII were isolated by screening for reduced external activity against the chromogenic substrate lysine beta-naphthylamide. One of the selected mutant strains analyzed in detail showed wild-type staining activity when tested at 23 degrees C but mutant activity after exposure to 37 degrees C, suggesting a temperature-sensitive mutation. Electrophoretic separation of mutant crude extracts on non-denaturing polyacrylamide gels and subsequent activity staining using lysine and leucine beta-naphthylamides as substrates revealed that in all strains isolated the same distinct activity band was affected, which corresponded to the aminopeptidase activity identified previously as aminopeptidase yscII [Achstetter, T., Ehmann, C. & Wolf, D. H. (1983) Arch. Biochem. Biophys. 226, 292-305]. All mutants strains isolated fell into the same complementation group. Tetrad dissection of sporulated diploids heterozygous for the wild-type and mutant allele resulted in a 2:2 segregation of mutant and wild-type phenotype indicating a single gene mutation. The characteristics of the mutations analyzed point to the gene which we called APE2 as the structural gene of aminopeptidase yscII. No vital consequences of aminopeptidase yscII deficiency on cell life and differentiation could be detected. However, the enzyme seems to be involved in the cellular supply of leucine from externally offered leucine-containing dipeptide substrates.

Aminopeptidases↗
PubMed1988

Biogenesis of the yeast lysosome (vacuole): biosynthesis and maturation of proteinase yscB.

The biosynthesis and processing of the vacuolar (lysosomal) proteinase yscB was followed in vivo and in vitro. In vitro transcription--translation of the cloned proteinase yscB gene results in a high mol. wt precursor protein (HMr-precursor) of Mr = 73,000. In vivo a precursor of identical mol. wt is found in sec6l mutant cells deficient in translocation of secretory protein precursors into the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In contrast to N-glycosylated intermediate mol. wt forms of proteinase yscB, the HMr-precursor of the enzyme is not N-glycosylated, indicating its appearance outside the ER. sec18 Mutant cells, wild type for translocation of proteins into the ER but blocked in the delivery step of secretory proteins to the Golgi apparatus, accumulate a lower mol. wt precursor (LMr-precursor) of proteinase yscB of Mr = 41,500. Processing of the HMr-precursor of proteinase yscB to the LMr-precursor requires proteolytic cleavage which is independent of the proteinase yscA gene product, a protein known to be involved in the processing event of the LMr-precursor of proteinase yscB to the mature enzyme of Mr = 33,000. A LMr-precursor of proteinase yscB of Mr = 42,000 accumulates in proteinase yscA-deficient mutant cells (allele pep4-3). This form is enzymatically active. Incubation in vitro of the LMr-precursor of proteinase yscB with mature proteinase yscA leads to further activation and to processing of the enzyme yielding the mature 33,000 Mr protein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Fungal Proteins↗