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Biomedical subjects

J Landers

Publications and source records attributed to J Landers.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

Functional characterization of ORCTL2--an organic cation transporter expressed in the renal proximal tubules.

Chromosome 11p15.5 harbors a gene or genes involved in Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome that confer(s) susceptibility to Wilms' tumor, rhabdomyosarcoma, and hepatoblastoma. We have previously identified a transcript at 11p15.5 which encodes a putative membrane transport protein, designated organic cation transporter-like 2 (ORCTL2), that shares homology with tetracycline resistance proteins and bacterial multidrug resistance proteins. In this report, we have investigated the transport properties of ORCTL2 and show that this protein can confer resistance to chloroquine and quinidine when overexpressed in bacteria. Immunohistochemistry analyses performed with anti-ORCTL2 polyclonal antibodies on human renal sections indicate that ORCTL2 is localized on the apical membrane surface of the proximal tubules. These results suggest that ORCTL2 may play a role in the transport of chloroquine and quinidine related compounds in the kidney.

Animals↗

Divergently transcribed overlapping genes expressed in liver and kidney and located in the 11p15.5 imprinted domain.

Human chromosomal band 11p15.5 has been shown to contain genes involved in the development of several pediatric and adult tumors and in Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS). Overlapping P1 artificial chromosome clones from this region have been used as templates for genomic sequencing in an effort to identify candidate genes for these disorders. PowerBLAST identified several matches with expressed sequence tags (ESTs) from fetal brain and liver cDNA libraries. Northern blot analysis indicated that two of the genes identified by these ESTs encode transcripts of 1-1.5 kb with predominant expression in fetal and adult liver and kidney. With RT-PCR and RACE, full-length transcripts were isolated for these two genes, with the largest open reading frames encoding putative proteins of 253 and 424 amino acids. Database comparison of the predicted amino acid sequence of the larger transcript indicated homology to integral membrane organic cation transporters; hence, we designate this gene ORCTL2 (organic cation transporter-like 2). An expressed sequence polymorphism provided evidence that the ORCTL2 gene exhibits "leaky" imprinting in both human fetal kidney and human fetal liver. The mouse orthologue (Orctl2) was identified, and a similar polymorphism was used to demonstrate maternal-specific expression of this gene in fetal liver from interspecific F1 mice. The predicted protein of the smaller gene showed no significant similarity in the database. Northern and RACE analyses suggest that this gene may have multiple transcription start sites. Determination of the genomic structure in humans indicated that the 5'-end of this transcript overlaps in divergent orientation with the first two exons of ORCTL2, suggesting a possible role for antisense regulation of one gene by the other. We, therefore, provisionally name this second transcript ORCTL2S (ORCTL2-antisense). The expression patterns of these genes and the imprinted expression of ORCTL2 are suggestive of a possible role in the development of Wilms tumor (WT) and hepatoblastoma. Although SSCP analysis of 62 WT samples and 10 BWS patients did not result in the identification of any mutations in ORCTL2 or ORCTL2S, it will be important to examine their expression pattern in tumors and BWS patients, since epigenetic alteration at these loci may play a role in the etiology of these diseases.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Expression patterns of the p53 tumor suppressor gene and the mdm2 proto-oncogene in human meningiomas.

Meningiomas represent a common class of tumors of the central nervous system. However, the molecular events underlying their formation are poorly understood. Because altered expression of the p53 tumor suppressor gene and the mdm2 proto-oncogene have been demonstrated in a wide variety of tumors, we carried out studies to assess the possible involvement of these two genes in meningioma tumorigenesis. We used Western blot analysis to examine the level of expression of the mdm2 and p53 proteins in a series of sixteen primary meningiomas and four meningioma cell lines. The data obtained from these studies suggest that elevated expression of the p53 or mdm2 protein products does not represent a common event in the development of human meningiomas.

Blotting, Western↗

Purification of a nuclear protein (receptor binding factor-1) associated with the chromatin acceptor sites for the avian oviduct progesterone receptor.

The specific high affinity binding of the avian oviduct progesterone receptor (PR) to target cell nuclei and chromatin has been shown to involve DNA complexed with specific chromatin acceptor proteins. One of these chromatin acceptor proteins has been partially purified and found to be a small hydrophobic protein with a broad pI of 5.0-6.0 [Goldberger and Spelsberg (1988), Biochem. 27, 2103-2109]. Using western immunoblots with anti-RBF-1 polyclonal antibodies to monitor the purification, a 10 kD candidate acceptor protein, termed the Receptor Binding Factor-1 (RBF-1), has been purified to apparent homogeneity. RBF-1 has an amino acid composition consistent with a hydrophobic protein having an acidic pI and a unique N-terminal sequence. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and high-performance capillary electrophoresis support the purity of a protein congruent to 10 kD in size, having an acidic pI, but with evidence of several differently charged isoforms. Phosphatase treatment provides evidence that charge heterogeneity may result from variable phosphorylation states. A role of this factor as a candidate "acceptor protein" in the chromatin acceptor sites for the avian oviduct PR is proposed.

Animals↗

Nonadditive interactive effects of polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in rats: role of the 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin receptor.

Administration of 3,3',4,4',5,5'-hexa-,3,3',4,4',5-penta-, and 2,3,3'4,4'5-hexa-chlorobiphenyl to immature male Wistar rats caused a thymic atrophy at high dose levels (1.25, 1.0, and 100 mumol/kg, respectively) and induced the hepatic cytochrome P-448 dependent monooxygenases (benzo[a]pyrene hydroxylase and ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase) at both high and low (0.25, 0.01, and 5 mumol/kg, respectively) doses. In contrast, 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (HCBP) (300 mumol/kg) did not elicit any of these effects but elevated hepatic 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) cytosolic receptor protein levels (threefold) as previously reported. The effects of hepatic receptor modulation by 2,2',4,4',5,5'-HCBP (300 mumol/kg) on the enzyme induction activities of 3,3'4,4',5-penta-, 3,3'4,4',5,5'-hexa-, and 2,3,3',4,4',5-hexa-chlorobiphenyl were dose-dependent; no interactive effects were observed at high (toxic) doses of these compounds, whereas apparent synergistically increased hepatic microsomal monooxygenase induction activities were noted at the lower submaximal induction doses. It was concluded that the increased responsiveness of the rats was due to elevated hepatic 2,3,7,8-TCDD receptor levels.

Animals↗