Biomedical subjects

M Barbacid

Publications and source records attributed to M Barbacid.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1996

Isolation and characterization of murine vav2, a member of the vav family of proto-oncogenes.

We describe the isolation and characterization of a cDNA encoding murine vav2. vav2 shares 63% and 55% identity at the nucleic acid and amino acid levels, respectively, with vav, a proto-oncogene that plays an essential role in embryonic development and hematopoietic signal transduction. The 100 kDa Vav2 protein contains the characteristic array of structural motifs found in Vav. However, unlike vav, vav2 transcripts are widely distributed in both hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic tissues. In the adult, vav2 mRNA is found at high levels in the spleen, liver, testes and placenta. Northern blot analysis reveals two vav2 mRNA species (designated alpha and beta). The alpha species is expressed throughout development while the alpha and beta species are expressed tissue-specifically in adults. Transfection of NIH3T3 cells with expression vectors containing vav2 deletions demonstrate that elimination of 183 amino terminal residues of Vav2 is sufficient to activate its oncogenic potential. Vav2-induced transformation is characterized by the appearance of foci composed of cells in which cytokinesis and karyokinesis are uncoupled. This phenotype is comparable, but not identical, to morphological changes induced by Vav and other members of the DbI family of oncoproteins. Our results suggest that Vav family members mediate functions important in the regulation of cell architecture and proliferation in most, if not all, tissues.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1996

Renal agenesis and the absence of enteric neurons in mice lacking GDNF.

Glial-cell-line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a potent survival factor for dopaminergic neurons and motor neurons in culture. It also protects these neurons from degeneration in vitro, and improves symptoms like Parkinson's disease induced pharmacologically in rodents and monkeys. Thus GDNF might have beneficial effects in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. To examine the physiological role of GDNF in the development of the mammalian nervous system, we have generated mice defective in GDNF expression by using homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells to delete each of its two coding exons. GDNF-null mice, regardless of their targeted mutation, display complete renal agencies owing to lack of induction of the ureteric bud, an early step in kidney development. These mice also have no enteric neurons, which probably explains the observed pyloric stenosis and dilation of their duodenum. However, ablation of the GDNF gene does not affect the differentiation and survival of dopaminergic neurons, at least during embryonic development.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

The TC21 oncoprotein interacts with the Ral guanosine nucleotide dissociation factor.

TC21 is a highly oncogenic member of the Ras superfamily of small GTP binding proteins. We have used the yeast two hybrid system to identify proteins that interact with an oncogenic form of the TC21 protein. cDNA clones encoding the carboxy-terminal region of the RalGDS protein were isolated from human B-cell and HeLa cDNA libraries. RalGDS is an exchange factor that stimulates GDP dissociation from Ral, another member of the Ras superfamily of proteins. The interaction between RalGDS to TC21 is direct and appears to be mediated by the effector domain of TC21 and the carboxy-terminal region of RalGDS. Moreover, RalGDS only binds to TC21 in its active, GTP-loaded configuration. These results suggest that RalGDS might be an effector molecule for TC21 and may participate in cross-talking between Ral and TC21 signalling pathways.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1996

Development of highly potent inhibitors of Ras farnesyltransferase possessing cellular and in vivo activity.

Analogs of CVFM (a known nonsubstrate farnesyltransferase (FT) inhibitor derived from a CA1A2X sequence where C is cysteine, A is an aliphatic residue, and X is any residue) were prepared where phenylalanine was replaced by (Z)-dehydrophenylalanine, 2-aminoindan-2-carboxylate, 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylate (Tic), and indoline-2-carboxylate. The greatest improvement in FT inhibitory potency was observed for the Tic derivative (IC50 = 1 nM); however, this compound was ineffective in blocking oncogenic Ras-induced transformation of NIH-3T3 fibroblast cells. A compound was prepared in which both the Cys-Val methyleneamine isostere and the Tic replacement were incorporated. This derivative inhibited FT with an IC50 of 0.6 nM and inhibited anchorage-independent growth of stably transformed NIH-3T3 fibroblast cells by 50% at 5 microM. Replacing the A1 side chain of this derivative with a tert-butyl group and replacing the X position with glutamine led to a derivative with an IC50 of 2.8 nM and an EC50 of 0.19 microM, a 26-fold improvement over (S*,R*)-N-[[2-[N-(2-amino-3-mercaptopropyl)-L-valyl]-1,2,3,4- tetrahydro-3-isoquinolinyl]carbonyl]-L-methionine. This derivative, (S*,R*)-N-[[2-[N-(2-amino-3-mercaptopropyl)-L-tert-leucyl]-1,2,3,4 - tetrahydro-3-isoquinolinyl]-carbonyl]-L-glutamine, was evaluated in vivo along with (S*,R*)-N-[[2-[N-(2-amino-3- mercaptopropyl)-L-tert-leucyl]-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-3- isoquinolinyl]carbonyl]-L-methionine methyl ester for antitumor activity in an athymic mouse model implanted ip with H-ras-transformed rat-1 tumor cells. When administered by injection twice a day at 45 mg/kg for 11 consecutive days, both compounds showed prolonged survival time (T/C = 142-145%), thus demonstrating efficacy against ras oncogene-containing tumors in vivo.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1995

Structural and functional properties of the TRK family of neurotrophin receptors.

The Trk family of tyrosine-protein kinases, TrkA, TrkB, and TrkC, are the signaling receptors that mediate the biological properties of the NGF family of neurotrophins. This family of growth factors includes in addition to NGF, BDNF, NT-3, and NT-4. TrkA is the NGF receptor. TrkB serves as a receptor for both BDNF and NT-4, and TrkC is the primary receptor for NT-3. NT-3 is a somewhat promiscuous ligand that can also activate TrkA and TrkB receptors at high concentrations. The trkB and trkC genes also encode noncatalytic receptor isoforms of an, as yet, unknown function. In addition to the Trk receptors, the NGF family of neurotrophins also binds with low affinity to an unrelated molecule, designated p75, a member of the TNF-receptor superfamily. Recently, we have generated strains of mice lacking each of these tyrosine-kinase receptors by gene targeting in embryonic stem cells. Characterization of these mutant mice is providing relevant information regarding the critical role that these receptors play in the ontogeny of the mammalian nervous system.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1995

Lack of evidence for the activation of the Ras/Raf mitogenic pathway by 14-3-3 proteins in mammalian cells.

We have isolated cDNA clones encoding the rodent 14-3-3 zeta and epsilon isoforms by screening bacteriophage expression libraries with a probe derived from the carboxy-terminus of the Vav oncoprotein. These isoforms, however, did not recognize the full length Vav protein under physiological conditions. In agreement with previous studies (see D Morrison, Science 266, 56-57, 1994), these 14-3-3 proteins bound very efficiently to Raf. The interaction between 14-3-3 zeta and Raf involves the central region of 14-3-3 zeta which includes a motif related to annexins. 14-3-3 zeta binds to Raf independently of Ras and forms stable ternary complexes with these two molecules. In contrast to published reports, we have observed that the catalytic activity of Raf was not activated in Raf/14-3-3 zeta immunocomplexes. Likewise, purified preparations of 14-3-3 zeta had no effect on the kinase activity of Raf immunoprecipitates. In addition, Ras activated Raf regardless of whether it was bound or not to 14-3-3 zeta. Finally, overexpression of 14-3-3 zeta cDNA clones in NIH3T3 cells did not result in detectable morphologic transformation even when co-transfected with plasmids encoding Raf and/or Ras proteins. These observations argue against a critical regulatory role of the 14-3-3 proteins in the Raf mitogenic pathway.

14-3-3 Proteins↗

PubMed1995

Differential response of the Ras exchange factor, Ras-GRF to tyrosine kinase and G protein mediated signals.

Ras-GRF, a guanine-nucleotide exchange factor that activates Ras p21, was tested for its ability to couple to either tyrosine kinase or heterotrimeric G protein signal transduction pathways. Ras-GRF failed to bind the SH2 and SH3 containing adaptor protein Grb2, either in vitro or in vivo. Furthermore, Ras-GRF did not form a stable complex with activated EGF receptor. However, as has been shown previously (Cen et al., 1994), the presence of Ras-GRF in NIH3T3 cells enhanced the activation of Ras induced by serum stimulation. A similar effect was not observed with PDGF stimulation. Moreover, serum stimulation lead to the hyperphosphorylation of Ras-GRF. Both the serum induced super-activation of Ras, and the hyperphosphorylation of Ras-GRF were blocked by pretreatment of cells with the Gi,o inhibitor pertussis toxin, but not by pretreatment with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein. These results suggest that Ras-GRF has the capacity to mediate Ras activation initiated by signals using heterotrimeric G proteins.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1995

Farnesyltransferase inhibitors are inhibitors of Ras but not R-Ras2/TC21, transformation.

Recent results from several laboratories including ours strongly suggest that farnesyltransferase (FT) inhibitors belonging to distinct chemical classes block growth of oncogenic Ras transformed cells at concentrations that do not affect the growth and viability of normal cells. This is despite blocking the farnesylation and thus the membrane association of Ras in both cell types. This is a paradox given the requirement for Ras function in normal cell growth. Recent evidence that R-Ras2/TC21 utilizes components of Ras signal transduction pathways to trigger cellular transformation (Graham et al., MCB 14, 4108-4115, 1994) prompted us to consider the possibility that R-Ras2/TC21 is involved in some aspects of the growth regulation of normal cells. If so, R-Ras2/TC21 may be compensating for Ras function in untransformed cells treated with FT inhibitors. In this study, we demonstrated that a cell active bisubstrate analog FT inhibitor, BMS-186511, completely blocked the function of oncogenic Ras, but did not affect the function of oncogenic R-Ras2/TC21, as determined by several criteria including inhibition of anchorage dependent and independent growth, reversal of transformed morphology and restoration of actin cytoskeleton. While it is known that TC21 protein becomes prenylated, it is not known whether it is farnesylated or geranylgeranylated. Our in vitro prenylation experiments indicate that R-Ras2/TC21 protein serves as a good substrate for FT as well as geranylgeranyltransferase I (GGTI) and thus provide the apparent molecular basis for these differences. Overall, these results, coupled with the ubiquitous expression of R-Ras2/TC21 in many cells including untransformed NIH3T3 cells, are consistent with the possibility that R-Ras2/TC21 may be one of the factors that render normal cells insensitive to the growth inhibitory action of FT inhibitors.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1995

Defective T-cell receptor signalling and positive selection of Vav-deficient CD4+ CD8+ thymocytes.

During lymphocyte development, cellular proliferation and positive and negative selection events ensure the production of T and B lymphocytes bearing highly diverse, but self-tolerant, repertoires of antigen receptors. These processes are initiated when engagement of growth-factor receptors, or the T and B lymphocyte antigen receptors, induces tyrosine phosphorylation of specific SH2- and SH3-domain-containing cytoplasmic proteins, including Vav. Here we show that vav-/- embryonic stem cells generate only limited numbers of immature and mature T and B lymphocytes in the RAG-2 blastocyst complementation assay. Furthermore, Vav-deficient T lymphocytes showed severely impaired antigen receptor signalling. Finally, we demonstrate that Vav-dependent signalling pathways regulate maturation, but not CD4/CD8 lineage commitment, during T-cell-receptor-mediated positive selection of immature CD4+ CD8+ precursors into mature CD4+ CD8- or CD4- CD8+ T cells.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Phosphinyl acid-based bisubstrate analog inhibitors of Ras farnesyl protein transferase.

The rational design, synthesis, and biological activity of phosphonyl- and phosphinyl-linked bisubstrate analog inhibitors of the enzyme Ras farnesyl protein transferase (FPT) are described. The design strategy for these bisubstrate inhibitors involved connection of the critical binding components of the two substrates of FPT (ras protein and farnesyl pyrophosphate, FPP) through a phosphonyl- or phosphinyl-bearing linker. Compound 14, the first example in this series, was found to be a potent FPT inhibitor (I50 = 60 nM). A further 15-fold enhancement in activity was observed upon replacement of the VLS tripeptide sequence in 14 with VVM (15, I50 = 6 nM). The phosphinic acid analog 16 (I50 = 6 nM) was equiactive to phosphonic acid 15. Compounds 14-16 afforded 1000-fold selectivity for FPT against the closely related enzyme geranylgeranyl protein transferase type I, GGT-I [14, I50(GGT-I) = 59 microM; 15 I50(GGT-I) = 10 microM; 16 I50(GGT-I) = 21 microM]. Methyl and POM ester prodrugs 17-19 were prepared and evaluated in whole cell assays and appear to block ras-induced cell transformation, as well as colony formation in soft agar. A distinctive feature of this novel class of potent and selective bisubstrate FPT inhibitors is that they are non-sulfhydryl in nature.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed1995

The vav proto-oncogene is required early in embryogenesis but not for hematopoietic development in vitro.

Previous studies have suggested that the vav protooncogene plays an important role in hematopoiesis. To study this further, we have ablated the vav protooncogene by homologous recombination in embryonic stem (ES) cells. Homozygous vav (-/-) ES clones differentiate normally in culture and generate cells of erythroid, myeloid and mast cell lineages. Mice heterozygous for the targeted vav allele do not display any obvious abnormalities. However, homozygous embryos die very early during development. Crosses of vav (+/-) heterozygous mice yield apparently normal vav (-/-) E3.5 embryos but not post-implantation embryos (> or = E7.5). Furthermore, homozygous vav (-/-) blastocysts do not hatch in vitro. These results indicate that vav is essential for an early developmental step(s) that precedes the onset of hematopoiesis. Consistent with the phenotypic analysis of vav (-/-) embryos, we have identified Vav immunoreactivity in the extra-embryonic trophoblastic cell layer but not in the inner embryonic cell mass of E3.5 preimplantation embryos or in the egg cylinder of E6.5 and E7.5 post-implantation embryos. These results suggest that the vav gene is essential for normal trophoblast development and for implantation of the developing embryo.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Neurotrophic factors and their receptors.

Several new members of the nerve growth factor family of neurotrophins, which comprises nerve growth factor itself, brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurotrophins-3, -4 (also known as neurotrophin-5) and -6, have been isolated in recent years. Their signaling receptors have been identified as the Trk family of tyrosine protein kinases, thus facilitating the dissection of the signaling pathways responsible for mediating their trophic properties. More recently, the advent of gene targeting has made it possible to generate strains of mice lacking neurotrophins and their receptors. Analysis of the phenotypes of these mutant animals has provided detailed information on the role that neurotrophins and their receptors play in the ontogeny of the mammalian nervous system.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Association of the vav proto-oncogene product with poly(rC)-specific RNA-binding proteins.

We have used the yeast two-hybrid system to isolate proteins that interact with the carboxy-terminal SH3-SH2-SH3 region of Vav. One of the clones encoded heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K (hnRNP K), a poly(rC)-specific RNA-binding protein. The interaction between Vav and hnRNP K involves the binding of the most carboxy-terminal SH3 domain of Vav to two proline-rich sequences present in the central region of hnRNP K. Overexpression of Vav in mouse fibroblasts leads to the formation of a stable complex with the endogenous hnRNP K and to the preferential redistribution of this protein to the cytoplasmic fraction. More importantly, Vav and hnRNP K proteins also interact in hematopoietic cells. In addition, Vav associates in vitro with a second 45-kDa poly(rC)-specific RNA-binding protein via its SH3-SH2-SH3 region. These results suggest that Vav plays a role in the regulation of the late steps of RNA biogenesis by modulating the function of poly(rC)-specific ribonucleoproteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1995

Non-TrkA-expressing small DRG neurons are lost in TrkA deficient mice.

Experiments over the past decade in which NGF/TrkA signaling has been abolished by antibodies or targeted gene mutations have shown that 70-85% of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons require NGF for survival during development. There is consensus that many of the NGF-dependent neurons are small-diameter, peptidergic neurons subserving nociception. These neurons express the signaling receptor for NGF, TrkA. There is a major discrepancy, however, between the percentage of DRG neurons which require NGF for survival (70-85%) and percentage of DRG neurons expressing TrkA receptors (40-50%). The identity of these non-TrkA expressing, NGF-dependent neurons has not been established. A candidate group is a population of small DRG neurons with unmyelinated axons which bind BSI isolectins from the plant, Bandeiraea simplicifolia. We show here that most of these BSI-binding DRG neurons do not express TrkA in adult mice. However, in mutant mice in which NGF/TrkA signaling has been abolished by inactivation of the trkA gene, BSI-staining in the DRG and dorsal horn is completely eliminated. BSI-binding DRG cells are thus the first identified neuronal population in which cells do not express TrkA in maturity, but require NGF/TrkA signaling for survival during embryonic development. These neurons must either depend on NGF via a novel, indirect mechanism or alternatively, downregulate TrkA expression during development.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Orientation of peptide fragments from Sos proteins bound to the N-terminal SH3 domain of Grb2 determined by NMR spectroscopy.

NMR spectroscopy has been used to characterize the protein-protein interactions between the mouse Grb2 (mGrb2) N-terminal SH3 domain complexed with a 15-residue peptide (SPLLPKLPP-KTYKRE) corresponding to residues 1264-1278 of the mouse Sos-2 (mSos-2) protein. Intermolecular interactions between the peptide and 13C-15N-labeled SH3 domain were identified in half-reverse-filtered 2D and 3D NOESY experiments. Assignments for the protons involved in interactions between the peptide and the SH3 domain were confirmed in a series of NOESY experiments using a set of peptides in which different leucine positions were fully deuterated. The peptide ligand-binding site of the mGrb2 N-terminal SH3 domain is defined by the side chains of specific aromatic residues (Tyr7, Phe9, Trp36, Tyr52) that form two hydrophobic subsites contacting the side chains of the peptide Leu4 and Leu7 residues. An adjacent negatively charged subsite on the SH3 surface is likely to interact with the side chain of a basic residue at peptide position 10 that we show to be involved in binding. The peptide-binding site of the SH3 is characterized by large perturbations of amide chemical shifts when the peptide is added to the SH3 domain. The mGrb2 N-terminal SH3 domain structure in the complex is well-defined (backbone RMSD of 0.56 +/- 0.21 calculated over the backbone N, C alpha, and C atoms of residues 1-54). The structure of the peptide in the complex is less well-defined but displays a distinct orientation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

PubMed1994

Zinc finger domains and phorbol ester pharmacophore. Analysis of binding to mutated form of protein kinase C zeta and the vav and c-raf proto-oncogene products.

The phorbol ester binding domain consists of a cysteine-rich region with a postulated consensus sequence for binding that includes 15 amino acids (Ahmed, S., Kozma, R., Lee, J., Monfries, C., Harden, N., and Lim, L. (1991) Biochem. J. 280, 233-241). In PKC zeta, the only PKC isoform lacking phorbol ester binding, this region differs in a single residue from the consensus (proline in position 11 of the motif). Restoration of this proline by site-directed mutagenesis of PKC zeta does not restore binding of either [3H]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate or of the ultrapotent ligand [3H]bryostatin 1, suggesting that even a low affinity ligand interaction is absent. In addition, the vav and c-raf proto-oncogene products, proteins that possess cysteine-rich regions with high homology to PKC isozymes and other phorbol ester receptors, are unable to bind any of these ligands. Instead, all of these cysteine-rich regions bind zinc. Our results suggest that other amino acids besides those postulated for the consensus must be necessary for ligand binding and argue against direct modulation of PKC zeta, Vav, and c-Raf by phorbol esters.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1994

Severe sensory and sympathetic neuropathies in mice carrying a disrupted Trk/NGF receptor gene.

Nerve growth factor (NGF) induces neurite outgrowth and promotes survival of embryonic sensory and sympathetic neurons in culture. In vivo, NGF decreases the extent of naturally occurring cell death in developing sympathetic ganglia and protects cholinergic neurons of the basal forebrain and caudatoputamen. NGF interacts with the low-affinity p75 receptor and with Trk, a receptor tyrosine kinase encoded by the trk proto-oncogene. To study the role of Trk in vivo, we have ablated the gene in embryonic stem cells by homologous recombination. Mice lacking Trk have severe sensory and sympathetic neuropathies and most die within one month of birth. They have extensive neuronal cell loss in trigeminal, sympathetic and dorsal root ganglia, as well as a decrease in the cholinergic basal forebrain projections to the hippocampus and cortex. These findings demonstrate that Trk is the primary mediator of the trophic actions of NGF in vivo and that this signalling pathway plays a crucial role in the development of both the peripheral and the central nervous systems.

Acetylcholinesterase↗

PubMed1994

Disruption of the neurotrophin-3 receptor gene trkC eliminates la muscle afferents and results in abnormal movements.

The trkC gene is expressed throughout the mammalian nervous system and encodes a series of tyrosine protein kinase isoforms that serve as receptors for neurotrophin-3 (NT3), a member of the nerve growth factor (NGF) family of neurotrophic factors. One of these isoforms, gp145trkC/TrkC K1, mediates the trophic properties of NT3 in cultured cells. Here we show that homozygous mice defective for TrkC tyrosine protein kinase receptors lack Ia muscle afferent projections to spinal motor neurons and have fewer large myelinated axons in the dorsal root and posterior columns of the spinal cord. These mice display abnormal movements and postures, indicating that NT3/TrkC-dependent sensor; neurons may play a primary role in proprioception, the sense of position and movement of the limbs.

Amino Acid Sequence↗