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K C Robbins

Publications and source records attributed to K C Robbins.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1989

Tissue-specific expression and developmental regulation of the human fgr proto-oncogene.

In this study, we show that c-fgr proto-oncogene expression is limited to normal peripheral blood granulocytes, monocytes, and alveolar macrophages, all of which contain 50 to 100 copies of c-fgr mRNA per cell. The c-fgr RNA molecules in these cells consisted of partially spliced transcripts containing intron 7 and completely spliced molecules capable of encoding the predicted p55 c-fgr protein. The splicing of intron 7 appeared to occur after the splicing of most of the other introns; partially spliced molecules containing intron 7 did not appear to be transported into the cytoplasm. Very low levels of fgr transcripts were also present in U937 promonocytic cells and increased in abundance with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced differentiation. The level of fgr transcripts began to increase 2 to 4 h after TPA addition, peaked at 8 h, and subsequently declined. Since we found that the half-life of fgr mRNA was longer than 8 h, these changes are best explained by transient transcriptional activation of fgr during TPA-induced differentiation, although nuclear runoff experiments were not sensitive enough to detect this event. Cycloheximide also caused accumulation of c-fgr transcripts in U937 cells; no superinduction was observed when TPA and cycloheximide were added at the same time. Induction by either agent was blocked with actinomycin D. These results demonstrate that the c-fgr gene is expressed in a tissue- and development-specific fashion and suggest that constitutive expression of c-fgr in U937 cells is regulated by a labile transcriptional repressor.

Endonucleases↗
PubMed1989

Functional identification of regulatory elements within the promoter region of platelet-derived growth factor 2.

Human platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) is composed of two polypeptide chains, PDGF-1 and PDGF-2, the human homolog of the v-sis oncogene. Deregulation of PDGF-2 expression can confer a growth advantage to cells possessing the cognate receptor and, thus, may contribute to the malignant phenotype. We investigated the regulation of PDGF-2 mRNA expression during megakaryocytic differentiation of K562 cells. Induction by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) led to a greater than 200-fold increase in PDGF-2 transcript levels in these cells. Induction was dependent on protein synthesis and was not enhanced by cycloheximide exposure. In our initial investigation of the PDGF-2 promoter, a minimal promoter region, which included sequences extending only 42 base pairs upstream of the TATA signal, was found to be as efficient as 4 kilobase pairs upstream of the TATA signal in driving expression of a reporter gene in uninduced K562 cells. We also functionally identified different regulatory sequence elements of the PDGF-2 promoter in TPA-induced K562 cells. One region acted as a transcriptional silencer, while another region was necessary for maximal activity of the promoter in megakaryoblasts. This region was shown to bind nuclear factors and was the target for trans-activation in normal and tumor cells. In one tumor cell line, which expressed high PDGF-2 mRNA levels, the presence of the positive regulatory region resulted in a 30-fold increase in promoter activity. However, the ability of the minimal PDGF-2 promoter to drive reporter gene expression in uninduced K562 cells and normal fibroblasts, which contained no detectable PDGF-2 transcripts, implies the existence of other negative control mechanisms beyond the regulation of promoter activity.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1989

Immunochemical localization of the epitope for a monoclonal antibody that neutralizes human platelet-derived growth factor mitogenic activity.

A monoclonal antibody (mAb), sis 1, generated against human c-sis-encoded platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) BB, was shown by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and Western blot (immunoblot) analysis to recognize human PDGF BB and human platelet PDGF AB but not the human PDGF AA. This monoclonal antibody potently inhibited PDGF receptor-binding and mitogenic activities of both human PDGF BB and PDGF AB but had no effect on PDGF AA. Finally, we demonstrated that an immunoaffinity-purified anti-c-sis peptide antibody (anti-V4) which also blocked binding of PDGF BB to its cognate receptor and competed with mAb sis 1 for binding to PDGF BB. All of these results suggest that mAb sis 1 recognizes an epitope of the c-sis gene product, PDGF BB, that spatially overlaps the V4 surface domain of PDGF BB, immunochemically localizing a region of PDGF BB critical for PDGF receptor binding and activation.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1988

Kinetic analysis of covalent hybrid plasminogen activators: effect of CNBr-degraded fibrinogen on kinetic parameters of Glu1-plasminogen activation.

The kinetic parameters of three activator species of Glu1-plasminogen (Glu1-Plg) were compared in their reaction at pH 7.4 and 37 degrees C, in the presence and absence of CNBr-digested fibrinogen (CNBr-Fg). The urokinase- (u-PA-) derived covalent hybrid activator PlnA-u-PAB had an apparent Michaelis constant (Kplg) of 7.44 microM, a catalytic rate constant (kplg) of 51.1 min-1, and a second-order rate constant (kplg/Kplg) of 6.87 microM-1 min-1. The tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) derived covalent hybrid activator PlnA-t-PAB was characterized by a Kplg of 3.33 microM, a kplg of 1.03 min-1, and a kplg/Kplg of 0.309 microM-1 min-1. The kplg/Kplg values for the parent u-PA and t-PA activators were 6- and 16-fold higher than the respective hybrids, mainly due to an approximately 10-fold increase in the apparent Kplg for the hybrids. In the presence of CNBr-Fg, the increase of the kplg/Kplg values for u-PA and its hybrid was 1.1-fold, but for t-PA and its hybrid, the increases were 7- and 12-fold, respectively. In both the absence and presence of CNBr-Fg, activator t-PAB had an apparent Kplg of 19.1 and 27.6 microM and a kplg of 2.9 and 5.0 min-1, respectively. The increase in the kplg/Kplg value with CNBr-Fg was 1.2-fold. The streptokinase- (SK-) derived activators Glu1-plasmin.SK (Glu1-Pln.SK), Val442-Pln.SK, and Val561-Pln.SK had apparent Kplg values of 0.458, 0.268, and 0.121 microM and kplg values of 20.0, 126.0, and 63.3 min-1, respectively. In the presence of CNBr-Fg, the first two activators showed an approximately 1.4-fold increase and the last showed a 1.4-fold decrease in their kplg/Kplg values. The catalytic efficiency (kplg/Kplg) of the various activator species fell in the decreasing order SK greater than u-PA greater than t-PA, in either the presence or absence of CNBr-Fg. CNBr-Fg enhanced significantly the activities of only two activators, t-PA and PlnA-t-PAB.

Amidohydrolases↗
PubMed1988

Comparison of biological properties and transforming potential of human PDGF-A and PDGF-B chains.

Human platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) consists of two distinct but related polypeptide chains designated PDGF-A and PDGF-B. The gene encoding PDGF-B has given rise to the v-sis oncogene. In the present study the transforming activities of PDGF-A and PDGF-B genes are compared. The PDGF-A chain gene is markedly less efficient in inducing transformation than the PDGF-B gene under the influence of the same promoter. There are significant differences in the secretory and growth stimulating properties of the two chains. These properties appear to account for the much more potent transforming ability of the PDGF-B gene. These findings provide insights into biologic properties of a growth factor responsible for potent autocrine stimulation of abnormal cell proliferation.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Acquisition of transforming properties by FYN, a normal SRC-related human gene.

The SRC gene is the prototype for a family of closely related genes whose products have protein-tyrosine kinase activity. We recently described another member of this family, designated FYN, whose cDNA was isolated from normal human fibroblasts. To examine the possible role of FYN as an oncogene, we investigated the effects of FYN overexpression on NIH 3T3 cells. Our findings demonstrate that normal FYN overexpression induces morphologic transformation and anchorage-independent growth. In addition, at relatively low frequency, FYN acquired properties of a dominant-acting oncogene capable of inducing the fully tumorigenic phenotype. Genetic changes associated with the conversion of normal FYN cDNA into a transforming gene with high focus-forming activity were localized to the carboxyl-terminal region of its translational product.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1988

Primary structure of the human fgr proto-oncogene product p55c-fgr.

Normal human c-fgr cDNA clones were constructed by using normal peripheral blood mononuclear cell mRNA as a template. Nucleotide sequence analysis of two such clones revealed a 1,587-base-pair-long open reading frame which predicted the primary amino acid sequence of the c-fgr translational product. Homology of this protein with the v-fgr translational product stretched from codons 128 to 516, where 32 differences among 388 codons were observed. Sequence similarity with human c-src, c-yes, and fyn translational products began at amino acid position 76 of the predicted c-fgr protein and extended nearly to its C-terminus. In contrast, the stretch of 75 amino acids at the N-terminus demonstrated a greatly reduced degree of relatedness to these same proteins. To verify the deduced amino acid sequence, antibodies were prepared against peptides representing amino- and carboxy-terminal regions of the predicted c-fgr translational product. Both antibodies specifically recognized a 55-kilodalton protein expressed in COS-1 cells transfected with a c-fgr cDNA expression plasmid. Moreover, the same protein was immunoprecipitated from an Epstein-Barr virus-infected Burkitt's lymphoma cell line which expressed c-fgr mRNA but not in its uninfected fgr mRNA-negative counterpart. These findings identified the 55-kilodalton protein as the product of the human fgr protooncogene.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1988

The 5' untranslated sequence of the c-sis/platelet-derived growth factor 2 transcript is a potent translational inhibitor.

c-sis/platelet-derived growth factor 2 (PDGF-2) is a prototype growth factor with transforming potential. The c-sis/PDGF-2 transcript contains a long 5' untranslated sequence (UTS) that is highly G.C rich. To examine the influence of this sequence on sis/PDGF-2 expression, we localized the c-sis/PDGF-2 promoter and used this promoter or the simian virus 40 early promoter to drive expression of the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase or sis/PDGF-2 gene. The 5' UTS of c-sis/PDGF-2 mRNA had no effect on RNA expression but was shown to exert a potent inhibitory effect on translation. By deletion analysis, we demonstrated that the 5' UTS inhibited protein expression by as much as 40-fold. The inhibitory effect was independent of reporter gene, cell type, or promoter used. A highly G.C-rich 140-base-pair sequence immediately preceding the c-sis/PDGF-2 initiation codon was shown to be nearly as effective as the entire 5' UTS in translational inhibition. Transfection analysis demonstrated that the 5' UTS significantly reduced the transforming efficiency of the sis/PDGF-2 gene as well. Thus, our findings raise the possibility that changes in regulation at the level of sis/PDGF-2 translation may play a role in development of the neoplastic phenotype.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1988

Congenital abnormal plasminogen, Frankfurt I, a cause for recurrent venous thrombosis.

A new abnormal plasminogen, Frankfurt I, has been identified in the plasma of a 42 year-old male patients who had recurring thromboses, thrombophlebitis and pulmonary embolism since his age of 29. Reduced functional and also slightly reduced antigen plasminogen concentrations were found in both the proposituts and his mother. Plasmin generation rates carried out by Streptokinase and Urokinase were also abnormal. The plasmin generated was very unstable in the absence of stabilizing ligands and/or substrates. Crossed immunoelectrophoresis of the purified Frankfurt I revealed a peak with normal size and shape, but displaced with respect to normal Glu-plasminogen toward the anode. Isoelectric focusing followed by zymography on an agarose-fibrin plate proved this observation but did not indicate a separation of the normal from the abnormal plasminogen molecular species, also, fewer bands were found in the abnormal plasminogen isozyme pattern. Kinetic studies of Frankfurt I Glu-plasminogen and plasmin showed that most of the functional abnormality is related to absence of active sites in half of the molecules.

Adult↗
PubMed1988

Dysplasminogenemias.

This review on dysplasminogenemias describes a growing relationship between genetic polymorphisms of plasminogen and dysplasminogenemias. Plasminogen variants found in eight families in America, Japan and Europe are discussed. Methods used to identify abnormal plasminogens are described in detail. These methods include (a) plasminogen functional to antigen ratios, (b) plasmin generation rates with several plasminogen activators, e.g. urokinase, streptokinase, and the plasmin light (B) chain.streptokinase complex, and (c) plasma and purified plasminogen isoelectric forms. The functional defect including plasminogen kinetics of activation parameters are reviewed, including the formation of plasmin. The molecular defect found in one family, Tochigi I, is described, a single amino acid substitution was found. Finally, the lack of relationships between the abnormal plasminogen variants is reviewed. The variants fall into two classes: one class with a complete absence of a functioning active center, and the second class with different plasminogen kinetics of activation parameters.

Humans↗
PubMed1987

Comparison of production of transforming growth factor-beta and platelet-derived growth factor by normal human mesothelial cells and mesothelioma cell lines.

Steady state mRNA levels for transforming growth factor beta, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) A-chain, and PDGF B-chain were measured in normal human mesothelial cells, SV40 large T-antigen expressing human mesothelial cells, and human mesothelioma cell lines. The mRNA expression level for transforming growth factor beta was similar in all three types of culture while normal human mesothelial cells secrete more transforming growth factor beta than do mesothelioma cell lines or T-antigen expressing mesothelial cells. In contrast, both PDGF A- and B-chain mRNAs are expressed at higher levels in mesothelioma cell lines than in normal human mesothelial cells. PDGF-like mitogenic activity was readily detectable in medium conditioned by a mesothelioma cell line and was undetectable in conditioned medium from normal cells. These results suggest the hypothesis that PDGF may be an autocrine growth factor in mesothelioma.

Cell Line↗
PubMed1987

The isolation and characterization of a ternary human plasmin B-chain-streptokinase-plasminogen complex.

A ternary equimolar human plasmin B-chain-streptokinase-plasminogen complex was isolated from a mixture of the plasmin B-chain-streptokinase complex and human plasminogen at 0 degrees C and 37 degrees C. A ternary complex which was shown to be species specific, was identified and characterized by ultracentrifugal, acrylamide gel electrophoretic, and agarose double diffusion analyses. When mixed at a 1:1 molar ratio at 0 degrees C, 39.9% of the preparation existed as a plasmin B-chain-streptokinase-plasminogen complex; when mixed at 37 degrees C, 86.4% existed as a complex, which was identified by electrophoretic analyses to be a plasmin B-chain-streptokinase-plasmin complex. Sedimentation velocity analyses gave s degrees 20,w values of 3.79 for the plasmin B-chain-streptokinase complex, 4.10 for Lys-plasmin, and 6.23 for the plasmin B-chain-streptokinase-plasmin complex. Sedimentation equilibrium analyses gave molecular weights of 73,900 for the plasmin B-chain-streptokinase complex, 82,900 for Lys-plasmin, and 153,100 for the plasmin B-chain-streptokinase-plasmin complex. The diisopropylphosphorofluoridate (DFP)-inhibited and the p-nitrophenyl-p-guanidino-benzoate (NPGB)-inhibited plasmin B-chain-streptokinase complexes both retained their ability to form a ternary complex with human plasminogen, but this complex did not convert to a plasmin B-chain-streptokinase-plasmin complex. Thus, the active site serine residue is essential for the activator activity of the plasmin B-chain-streptokinase complex, but it is not necessary for the binding of the plasmin B-chain-streptokinase complex to plasminogen to form a ternary complex.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1987

A covalent molecular weight approximately 92,000 hybrid plasminogen activator derived from human plasmin fibrin-binding and tissue plasminogen activator catalytic domains.

A covalent hybrid plasminogen activator was prepared from the sulfhydryl forms of the NH2-terminal heavy (A) chain of human plasmin (PlnA) containing the fibrin-binding domain and the COOH-terminal B chain of tissue plasminogen activator (t-PAB) containing the catalytic domain. The sulfhydryl form of PlnA [PlnA(SH)2] was isolated from reduced Lys-2-plasmin on an L-lysine-substituted Sepharose column, and the sulfhydryl form of t-PAB [t-PAB(SH)] was prepared from reduced two-chain tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) by removing the tissue plasminogen activator NH2-terminal A chain (t-PAA) on an L-lysine-substituted Sepharose column from the chain mixture. The specific plasminogen activator activity, with soluble fibrin, of the isolated t-PAB(SH) chain was determined to be 62,700 international units (IU)/mg of protein, about 13% of the specific plasminogen activator activity of the parent t-PA. The PlnA(SH)2 and the t-PAB(SH) chains were mixed in a 1:1 molar ratio, and hybridization (reoxidation) was allowed to proceed by first dialyzing out the reducing agent at 4 degrees C and then concentrating the mixture. The time for maximum hybridization, or formation of the covalent hybrid activator, was 6 days, as determined by both specific plasminogen activator activity, with soluble fibrin, and specific amidolytic activity; sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed the continual formation of an Mr approximately 92,000 hybrid. The covalent PlnA-t-PAB hybrid activator was isolated from the 6-day hybridization mixture by a two-step affinity chromatography method.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1987

The role of individual cysteine residues in the structure and function of the v-sis gene product.

The v-sis oncogene encodes a platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-related product whose transforming activity is mediated by its functional interaction with the PDGF receptor. PDGF, as well as processed forms of the v-sis gene product, is a disulfide-linked dimer with eight conserved cysteine residues in the minimum region necessary for biologic activity. Site-directed mutagenesis of the v-sis gene revealed that each conserved cysteine residue was required directly or indirectly for disulfide-linked dimer formation. However, substitution of serine for cysteine codons at any of four positions had no detrimental effect on transforming activity of the encoded v-sis protein. These results establish that interchain disulfide bonds are not essential in order for this protein to act as a functional ligand for the PDGF receptor. The remaining four substitutions of serine for cysteine each inactivated transforming function of the molecule. In each case this was associated with loss of a conformation shown to involve intramolecular disulfide bonds. These studies provide insight into the role of individual cysteine residues in determining the structure of the sis/PDGF molecule critical for biological activity.

Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming↗
PubMed1987

Detection of PDGF-2 homodimers in human tumor cells.

The v-sis oncogene encodes a protein structurally and functionally related to human platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). In the present studies, we show that the primary translational product of the human sis proto-oncogene is a 26-kd protein, p26c-sis. This product is processed to yield a disulfide-linked homodimer, p56c-sis, which is further processed to a 35,000-dalton dimer, p35c-sis. Like the v-sis gene product, the PDGF-2 precursor undergoes N-linked glycosylation, implying its processing through the endoplasmic reticulum. The PDGF-2 product was shown to possess functional properties of PDGF. Whereas lysates of control COS-1 cells lacked mitogenic activity, lysates of COS-1 cells transfected with a c-sis/PDGF-2 expression vector specifically stimulated DNA synthesis of quiescent fibroblasts. Moreover, this activity was completely inhibitable by PDGF antibody. Identical forms of the sis/PDGF-2 product were identified in human tumor cells that expressed c-sis/PDGF-2 transcripts. These proteins were shown to be specifically associated with the membrane component of the tumor cells and were not detectably secreted into the culture medium. These findings support the concept that expression of the sis/PDGF-2 product in human cells responsive to its proliferative actions can be an important step in the processes leading to malignancy.

Cell Division↗