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J Y Chou

Publications and source records attributed to J Y Chou.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1988

Fetal and variant alpha-fetoproteins are encoded by mRNAs that differ in sequence at the 5' end.

The temperature-sensitive RLA209-15 fetal rat hepatocyte line grown at the nonpermissive temperature (40 degrees C, normal phenotype) produces authentic rat alpha-fetoproteins (AFPs) of 69K and 73K (fetal AFPs) which are encoded by a 2.2-kb mRNA. These cells also produce low levels of a 1.7-kb AFP mRNA and a 65K variant AFP when grown at the permissive temperature (33 degrees C, transformed phenotype). Hybrid-selected translation demonstrates that the 1.7-kb AFP mRNA encodes the 65K variant AFP. Northern blot hybridization and S1 nuclease analyses indicate that the 1.7-kb mRNA lacks sequences present in the first seven 5' exons of the 2.2-kb AFP mRNA. However, the 1.7- and 2.2-kb AFP mRNAs share common sequences extending from the beginning of the eighth exon (corresponding to nucleotide 873 of the fetal AFP mRNA) to the 3' end. Primer extension analysis suggests that the 1.7-kb RNA contains additional sequences 5' to the common regions shared by both AFP mRNAs. We have previously shown that adult rat liver produces a 1.7-kb AFP mRNA; we now report the isolation of a cDNA (ARFP5) encoding this variant AFP mRNA from an adult rat liver cDNA library. Restriction endonuclease mapping and sequence analysis of ARFP5 confirm that the 1.7- and 2.2-kb AFP mRNAs share similar sequences at the 3' region (approximately 1.1 kb). However, ARFP5 contains an additional 90 bp variant AFP mRNA-specific 5' sequence which is located in the seventh intron of the rat AFP gene.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Human pregnancy-specific beta 1-glycoprotein: a new member of the carcinoembryonic antigen gene family.

The amino acid sequence of human pregnancy-specific beta 1-glycoprotein (PS beta G) as deduced from the cDNA sequence contains two repeated protein domains (1a and 2a) of 93 amino acids each. PS beta G shows strong homology to human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) at both nucleotide and amino acid levels. CEA contains eight domains including a N-terminal domain, three repeated domains (I, II, and III), each containing two subdomains (A and B), and a hydrophobic carboxyl-terminal domain. PS beta G contains a CEA-like N-terminal domain, two repeated domains similar to the A subdomains of CEA which is followed by a domain (1b) similar to the B subdomains of CEA, but lacks a hydrophobic carboxyl-terminal domain. The positions of the cysteine residues in each domain also are conserved, indicating that PS beta G and CEA are two members of the same gene family.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1988

Reduction of diferric transferrin by SV40 transformed pineal cells stimulates Na+/H+ antiport activity.

Transplasmalemma electron transport by HeLa and pineal cells to reduce external ferricyanide is associated with proton release from the cells. Diferric transferrin also acts as an electron acceptor for the transmembrane oxidoreductase. We now show that reduction of external diferric transferrin by RPNA-209-1 SV40 transformed pineal cells is accompanied by proton release from the cells. The stoichiometry of proton release to electron transfer is much greater than would be expected from aniostropic electron flow across the membrane through protonated carriers. The proton release is not stimulated by apotransferrin and the diferric transferrin-stimulated activity is inhibited by apotransferrin. Apotransferrin also inhibits reduction of diferric transferrin by these cells. The proton release is dependent on external sodium ions and is inhibited by amiloride, which indicates that the proton release is mediated by the Na+/H+ antiport and that this antiport is activated by electron transport through the transmembrane dehydrogenase. Growth stimulation by diferric transferrin or other external oxidants can be based in part on activation of the Na+/H+ antiport.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Isolation and characterization of complementary DNAs encoding human pregnancy-specific beta 1-glycoprotein.

Pregnancy-specific beta 1-glycoprotein (PS beta G) isolated from human placenta consists of a set of at least three glycoproteins with apparent molecular masses of 72, 64, and 54 kDa, respectively. This heterogeneity is confirmed by the detection of three nonglycosylated polypeptides of 50, 48, and 36 kDa, which can be immunoprecipitated by antiserum to placental PS beta G obtained by in vitro translation of placental poly(A)+ RNA. To examine the structural relationships between these proteins, two cDNA clones of 1912 base pairs (PSG16) and 2131 base pairs (PSG93) encoding human PS beta Gs were isolated from a human placental lambda gt11 cDNA library. The sequenced portions of these two cDNAs are identical with the exception that clone PSG93 contains an additional 86 base pairs at the end of the common 3'-coding region. This insertion could result in the generation of a PS beta G species of 419 amino acid residues instead of the 417 amino acid residues predicted by the sequence of clone PSG16. The calculated molecular masses of the two polypeptides encoded by PSG16 and PSG93 are 46.9 and 47.2 kDa, close to the size of the major nonglycosylated PS beta G of 48 kDa. The identity of proteins coded for by these cDNA clones was confirmed by comparing the predicted amino acid sequences to sequences determined from endoproteinase Lys-C peptides obtained from human placental PS beta G. Two placental PS beta G mRNAs of 2200 bases (major) and 1700 bases (minor) have been detected by Northern hybridization analysis. Primer extension and S1 nuclease mapping experiments demonstrated that PS beta G mRNAs have heterogeneous 5' termini.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1988

Transformation with SV40 virus prevents retinoic acid inhibition of plasma membrane NADH diferric transferrin reductase in rat liver cells.

Retinoic acid inhibits the reduction of diferric transferrin through the transplasma membrane electron transport system on fetal rat liver cells infected with a temperature-sensitive SV40 virus when the cells are in the nontransformed state cultured at 40 degrees C. When the cells are in the transformed state (grown at the permissive 33 degrees C temperature), retinoic acid does not inhibit the diferric transferrin reduction. Inhibition of activity of nontransformed cells is specific for retinoic acid with only slight inhibition by retinol and retinyl acetate at higher concentrations. Isolated rat liver plasma membrane NADH diferric transferrin reductase is also inhibited by retinoic acid. The effect of transformation with SV40 virus to decrease susceptibility to retinoic acid inhibition stands in contrast to much greater adriamycin inhibition of diferric transferrin reduction in the transformed cells than in nontransformed cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Regulators of fetal liver differentiation in vitro.

Seventeen-day-old fetal rat hepatocytes were employed to examine factors required to promote differentiation in vitro. In the absence of effectors, primary fetal hepatocytes dedifferentiated, as characterized by the rapid decline in synthesis of fetal alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), albumin, and transferrin. On the other hand, cells maintained in the presence of glucocorticoid hormone produced high levels of albumin and transferrin. Glucocorticoid could not prevent the decline in fetal AFP synthesis, but induced synthesis of the 65K variant AFP--the major AFP species produced by adult rat liver. Fetal hepatocytes maintained in the presence of 8-bromo-cAMP (8-BrcAMP), or methyl isobutyl xanthine (MIX), an agent that increases intracellular cAMP levels, synthesized high levels of fetal AFP and albumin but reduced levels of transferrin. Both glucocorticoid and 8-BrcAMP or MIX induced expression of adult liver-specific genes such as tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), suggesting that these fetal hepatocytes have matured. Cells maintained in the presence of glucocorticoid hormone and MIX (or 8-BrcAMP) contained more albumin, TAT, and PEPCK mRNAs and synthesized increased amounts of the 65K variant AFP than those with either agent alone. However, the glucocorticoid/MIX cells produced intermediate levels of the fetal AFP and transferrin. Our data indicate that both glucocorticoid hormone and cAMP are necessary for optimal differentiation of fetal hepatocytes in vitro.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗
PubMed1988

Regulation of rat liver maturation in vitro by glucocorticoids.

The biochemistry of liver maturation was studied by using the RLA209-15 fetal rat hepatocyte line that is temperature sensitive for maintenance of the differentiated fetal liver phenotype. At 33 degrees C these cells were dedifferentiated; but at 40 degrees C they were phenotypically differentiated and, like normal fetal hepatocytes, synthesized moderate levels of albumin and transferrin, high levels of authentic (69,000 and 73,000 molecular weight) rat fetal alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), and low levels of a 65,000-molecular-weight variant AFP. Our results indicated that administration of glucocorticoid hormones to RLA209-15 cells at 40 degrees C induced a series of events associated with normal hepatocyte maturation; synthesis of fetal AFP was inhibited, whereas the synthesis of variant AFP, albumin, transferrin, tyrosine aminotransferase, and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein was induced. The variant AFP was produced by RLA209-15 cells at both temperatures and was encoded by an mRNA of 1.7 kilobases (kb). The fetal AFP was encoded by an mRNA of 2.2 kb. Normal adult rat liver contained three AFP mRNAs of 2.2 (minor), 1.7, and 1.5 kb. The 1.7-kb adult liver AFP mRNA comigrated with the RNA found in RLA209-15 cells, and both directed the synthesis of a 50,000-molecular-weight precursor polypeptide of the variant AFP. Administration of glucocorticoids to RLA209-15 cells grown at 33 degrees C stimulated synthesis of both the fetal and variant AFPs, but the levels of the 2.2-kb AFP mRNA were preferentially increased. RLA209-15 cells contained two glucocorticoid receptor mRNAs of 6.8 and 4.5 kb. The glucocorticoid-mediated maturation described above was blocked by the antiglucocorticoid RU486.

Albumins↗
PubMed1987

Tyrosine aminotransferase gene expression in a temperature-sensitive adult rat liver cell line.

Regulation of tyrosine aminotransferase gene expression was studied in an adult rat hepatocyte line (RALA255-10G) which is temperature sensitive for the maintenance of the differentiated liver phenotype. Glucocorticoid hormones such as cortisol were necessary for expression of the aminotransferase gene. In the absence of these steroids, enzyme synthesis, activity, and mRNA accumulation were virtually abolished. In the presence of cortisol at 33 degrees C, RALA255-10G cells showed characteristics of malignant transformation and contained little tyrosine aminotransferase activity, synthesized low levels of this enzyme, and produced low levels of enzyme mRNA. At 40 degrees C, cells maintained in the presence of cortisol regained the normal, differentiated phenotype, and tyrosine aminotransferase synthesis and mRNA accumulation were greatly increased. This increase in aminotransferase synthesis paralleled the increase in the enzyme mRNA. However, after a temperature shift-up, tyrosine aminotransferase activity was increased only for the first 2 days, probably due to thermal inactivation of this enzyme at 40 degrees C. Dibutyryl cAMP alone was not sufficient to induce expression of the tyrosine aminotransferase gene, but it enhanced the induction caused by cortisol. Immunocytochemical studies revealed that the enhanced expression of the tyrosine aminotransferase gene at 40 degrees C and in the presence of cortisol or cortisol plus dibutyryl cAMP resulted from an increase in both the number of cells producing this enzyme and the quantity of tyrosine aminotransferase synthesized per cell.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

Control of placental alkaline phosphatase gene expression in HeLa cells: induction of synthesis by prednisolone and sodium butyrate.

HeLa S3 cells produce an alkaline phosphatase indistinguishable from the enzyme from human term placenta. The phosphatase activity in these cells was induced by both prednisolone and sodium butyrate. Both agents stimulated de novo synthesis of the enzyme. The increase in phosphatase activity paralleled the increase in immunoactivity and biosynthesis of placental alkaline phosphatase. The fully processed phosphatase monomer in control, prednisolone-treated or butyrate-treated cells was a 64.5 K polypeptide, measured by both incorporation of L-[35S]methionine into enzyme protein and active-site labeling. The 64.5 K polypeptide was formed by the incorporation of additional N-acetylneuraminic acid moieties to a precursor polypeptide of 61.5 K. However, this biosynthetic pathway was identified only in butyrate-treated cells. In prednisolone-treated cells, the processing of 61.5 K to the 64.5 K monomer was accelerated, and the presence of the 61.5 K precursor could only be detected by either neuraminidase or monensin treatment. Phosphatase mRNA which comigrated with the term placental alkaline phosphatase mRNA of 2.7 kilobases was induced in the presence of either prednisolone or butyrate. Alkaline phosphatase mRNA in untreated HeLa S3 cells migrated slightly faster than the term placental alkaline phosphatase mRNA. Butyrate also induced a second still faster migrating alkaline phosphatase mRNA. Both prednisolone and butyrate increased the steady-state levels of placental alkaline phosphatase mRNA. Our data indicate that the increase in phosphatase mRNA by prednisolone and butyrate resulted in the induction of alkaline phosphatase activity and biosynthesis in HeLa S3 cells. Furthermore, both agents induced the expression of different alkaline phosphatase gene transcripts without altering its protein product.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed1986

Modification of transmembrane electron transport activity in plasma membranes of simian virus 40 transformed pineal cells.

Changes have been found in the plasma membrane enzyme system which carries out transmembrane electron transport and associated proton transport in Simian virus 40 (SV40) temperature-sensitive A (tsA) mutant-transformed rat pineal cell line, RPN209-1. This cell line was temperature-sensitive for the maintenance of transformation. RPN209-1 cells expressed the transformed phenotype (rapid growth, high cell density, and cloning in soft agar) at the permissive temperature (33 degrees C) and the nontransformed phenotype (slower growth, lower saturation density, and lower cloning efficiency in soft agar) at the nonpermissive temperature (40 degrees C). The reduction of external ferricyanide, hexaammine ruthenium and diferric transferrin was used to measure the transmembrane redox activity. The transformed RPN209-1 cells expressed a lower transmembrane redox activity, which is more sensitive to the antitumor drug adriamycin, when compared to the cells with a nontransformed phenotype. The lower transmembrane redox activity is associated with a decrease in the affinity for ferricyanide and a change in Vmax of the enzyme. Since the transformed cells have 25% lower concentration of NADH, the decrease in Vmax may be partly based on substrate limitation. Ionic strength variation in the assay media shows that the change in activity with transformation is not based on change in cell-surface change. Treatment with neuraminidase, however, indicates that sialic acid is important for enzyme activity, consistent with previous proposals that the transmembrane enzyme is a glycoprotein. The proton extrusion associated with transplasma membrane electron transport is increased in transformed cells relative to the rate of ferricyanide reduction. A relation between proton pumping transplasma membrane electron transport and growth stimulation by external oxidants is discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

alpha-Fetoprotein synthesis in transformed fetal rat liver cells.

We have reported that transformed fetal liver cells produced a variant alpha-fetoprotein of 65K that differed from the mature alpha-fetoprotein of 69K and 73K in the polypeptide backbone. In the present study, we demonstrated that the biosynthetic pathway of the variant alpha-fetoprotein differed from that of the mature alpha-fetoprotein. The 65K variant was synthesized first as a preprotein of 49.5K which was processed to a polypeptide of 59K in the presence of microsomal membranes. The latter was the precursor of the variant alpha-fetoprotein found in cells and medium of transformed fetal liver cells. The 65K alpha-fetoprotein was encoded by a mRNA of 16S while mature AFP was encoded by a mRNA of 20S.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Transplasmalemma electron transport is changed in simian virus 40 transformed liver cells.

Transplasma membrane electron transport activity by fetal rat liver cells (RLA209-15) infected with a temperature-sensitive strain of SV40 has been measured with cells grown at the restrictive temperature (40 degrees C) and permissive temperature (33 degrees C). The transformed cells grown at 33 degrees C had only one-half the rate of external ferricyanide reduction as the nontransformed cells held at 40 degrees C. Both the Km and Vmax for ferricyanide reduction were changed in the transformed state. The change in Vmax can be based on a decrease of NADH in the transformed cells. The change in rate with ferricyanide does not depend on change in surface charge. Reduction of external ferricyanide was accompanied by release of protons from the cells. The ratio of protons released to ferricyanide reduced was higher in the transformed cells than in the non-transformed cells. Since the transplasma membrane electron transport has been shown to stimulate cell growth under limiting serum, the changes in the plasma membrane electron transport and proton release in transformed cells may relate to modification of growth control.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Expression of different-sized placental alkaline phosphatase mRNAs in placenta and choriocarcinoma cells.

The expression of human placental-type alkaline phosphatase (ALPase) in the placenta and in three choriocarcinoma cell lines was examined by translation in vitro and RNA blot analysis using a cDNA for placental ALPase. Placental RNA directed the synthesis of two polypeptides that could be immunoprecipitated with antiserum to placental ALPase. Translation of RNA from the choriocarcinoma cell lines, with or without sodium butyrate treatment, yielded a single immunoprecipitable product of molecular weight intermediate between those of the products from the placenta mRNA. Two cDNA clones for placental ALPase were isolated by antibody screening of a placental cDNA library constructed in lambda gt11. The overlapping cDNAs include 462 nucleotides of coding sequence. RNA blot analysis has confirmed that induction of placental-type ALPase levels during placental development is accompanied by an increase in steady-state placental ALPase mRNA concentrations. Examination of the mRNAs revealed a placental ALPase mRNA of 3.0 kilobases (kb) and a distinct choriocarcinoma placental-type ALPase mRNA of 2.6 kb, implying that transformation of normal to malignant trophoblast is associated with the expression of a distinct placental-type ALPase gene transcript and its protein product.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed1984

Suppression of placental alkaline phosphatase biosynthesis by tunicamycin.

Placental alkaline phosphatase activity and immunoreactivity were inhibited in a parallel fashion in choriocarcinoma cells by tunicamycin, a protein glycosylation inhibitor. Tunicamycin suppressed placental alkaline phosphatase biosynthesis in addition to inhibiting protein glycosylation in general. An anti-placental alkaline phosphatase-precipitable polypeptide of 58,000 daltons was formed in the presence of this antibiotic. The 58,000-dalton polypeptide had a degradation rate similar to that of the glycosylated phosphatase monomer from control cultures. Tunicamycin suppressed placental alkaline phosphatase mRNA activity leading to the observed decrease in biosynthesis.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed1984

Induction of placental alkaline phosphatase biosynthesis by sodium butyrate.

Placental alkaline phosphatase activity was induced in choriocarcinoma cells by sodium butyrate. Butyrate stimulated de novo synthesis of the enzyme and the increase in phosphatase activity could be completely accounted for by the increase in phosphatase protein: the increases in placental alkaline phosphatase immunoactivity and placental alkaline phosphatase biosynthesis as measured by incorporation of the radioactive precursors, L-[35S]methionine, [3H]mannose, and [3H] glucosamine were similar to the increase in phosphatase activity. Sodium butyrate increased the rates of placental alkaline phosphatase biosynthesis but had no effect on the rate of placental alkaline phosphatase degradation or processing. Both control and butyrate-induced cells contained polypeptides of 61,500 and 64,500 apparent molecular weights that were identified as the precursor and fully processed forms of the placental alkaline phosphatase monomer, respectively. Further, processing of the 61,500-dalton polypeptide to the 64,500-dalton polypeptide involved the incorporation of additional glucosamine and N-acetylneuraminic acid moieties. Gel electrophoresis of anti-placental alkaline phosphatase-precipitable polypeptides from an in vitro protein-synthesizing system directed by RNA isolated from control or butyrate-induced cells demonstrated that sodium butyrate induced the synthesis of placental alkaline phosphatase mRNA. Our data indicate that sodium butyrate induces the specific transcription of the placental alkaline phosphatase gene.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed1984

Role of retinoic acid in maturation of fetal liver cells in vitro.

Regulation of the biosynthesis of alpha-fetoprotein and albumin was studied in a temperature-sensitive fetal rat hepatocyte line (RLA209-15) which exhibits a differentiated phenotype when grown at 40 degrees C. Retinoic acid inhibited alpha-fetoprotein production but increased albumin production. This retinoid also changed the proportion of three forms of alpha-fetoprotein; the biosynthesis of the 73,000- and 69,000-dalton variants, which are indistinguishable from authentic rat alpha-fetoprotein, was inhibited and an additional 65,000-dalton variant was induced. It has previously been shown that alpha-fetoprotein production decreases during maturation whereas albumin production increases. Our data suggest that retinoic acid induces maturation of fetal liver cells in vitro. Further, the 65,000-dalton alpha-fetoprotein variant may be characteristic of liver maturation.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

5-Bromo-2'-deoxyuridine induces placental alkaline phosphatase biosynthesis in cultured choriocarcinoma cells.

5-Bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdUrd) stimulated the biosynthesis and hence increased the activity of placental alkaline phosphatase in choriocarcinoma cells. While BrdUrd had no effect on the rate of degradation or processing of placental alkaline phosphatase, it increased the rate of phosphatase synthesis. The stimulation of enzyme activity could be completely accounted for by the increase in alkaline phosphatase protein. Both control and BrdUrd-induced cells contained polypeptides of 61,500 and 64,500 Da, identified as the precursor and fully processed forms of placental alkaline phosphatase monomer. The half-life of this enzyme monomer in both control and BrdUrd-treated cells was estimated to be 36 h. BrdUrd induced a specific increase in the placental alkaline phosphatase mRNA leading to the observed enhancement of biosynthesis. The continued rise in alkaline phosphatase biosynthesis in BrdUrd-induced cells following BrdUrd removal indicated that this analog acted by incorporation into DNA.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗