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P A Edwards

Publications and source records attributed to P A Edwards.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2000

Molecular cytogenetic analysis of breast cancer cell lines.

The extensive chromosome rearrangements of breast carcinomas must contribute to tumour development, but have been largely intractable to classical cytogenetic banding. We report here the analysis by 24-colour karyotyping and comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) of 19 breast carcinoma cell lines and one normal breast epithelial cell line, which provide model examples of karyotype patterns and translocations present in breast carcinomas. The CGH was compared with CGH of 106 primary breast cancers. The lines varied from perfectly diploid to highly aneuploid. Translocations were very varied and over 98% were unbalanced. The most frequent in the carcinomas were 8;11 in five lines; and 8;17, 1;4 and 1;10 in four lines. The most frequently involved chromosome was 8. Several lines showed complex multiply-translocated chromosomes. The very aneuploid karyotypes appeared to fall into two groups that evolved by different routes: one that steadily lost chromosomes and at one point doubled their entire karyotype; and another that steadily gained chromosomes, together with abnormalities. All karyotypes fell within the range seen in fresh material and CGH confirmed that the lines were broadly representative of fresh tumours. The karyotypes provide a resource for the cataloguing and analysis of translocations in these tumours, accessible at http://www.path.cam.ac.uk/ approximately pawefish.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Retroviral expression of Wnt-1 and Wnt-7b produces different effects in mouse mammary epithelium.

Several Wnt genes are expressed in the postnatal mouse mammary gland and are thought to be involved in mammary gland development. Ectopic expression of Wnt-1, which is not normally expressed in the mammary gland, drives the formation of a pre-neoplastic hyperplasia. Cell culture-based assays have shown that Wnt-1 and some mammary-expressed Wnts transform C57MG cells. This has led to the suggestion that Wnt-1 functions as an oncogene through the inappropriate activation of developmental events that are normally controlled by the 'transforming' class of Wnts. In this study, Wnt-7b was expressed in vivo using recombinant retroviruses. Wnt-7b did not alter normal mammary gland development despite having similar effects to Wnt-1 in cell culture. We conclude that the in vitro classification of Wnts as 'transforming' does not correlate with the transformation in vivo. To facilitate the analysis of Wnt-expression, a lacZ-containing, bicistronic recombinant retrovirus was developed. Immunohistochemistry and electron microscopy identified retrovirally transduced myoepithelial and luminal epithelial cells in normal and hyperplastic tissues. The distribution of transduced cells in mammary outgrowths was consistent with current models of mammary stem cell identity.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Integrin-linked kinase regulates phosphorylation of serine 473 of protein kinase B by an indirect mechanism.

The serine threonine kinase protein kinase B regulates cellular activities as diverse as glycogen metabolism and apoptosis. Full activation of protein kinase B requires 3-phosphoinositides and dual phosphorylation on threonine-308 and serine-473. CaM-K kinase and 3-phosphoinositide dependent-kinase-1 phosphorylate threonine-308. Integrin-linked kinase reportedly phophorylates serine-473. Consistent with this, in a model COS cell system we show that expression of wild-type integrin-linked kinase promotes the wortmannin sensitive phosphorylation of serine-473 of protein kinase B and its downstream substrates, and inhibits C2-ceramide induced apoptosis. In contrast, integrin-linked kinase mutated in a lysine residue critical for function in protein kinases is inactive in these experiments, and furthermore, acts dominantly to block serine-473 phosphorylation induced by ErbB4. However, alignment of analogous sequences from different species demonstrates that integrin-linked kinase is not a typical protein kinase and identifies a conserved serine residue which potentially regulates kinase activity in a phosphorylation dependent manner. Mutation of this serine to aspartate or glutamate, but not alanine, in combination with the inactivating lysine mutation restores integrin-linked kinase dependent phosphorylation of serine-473 of protein kinase B. These data strongly suggest that integrin-linked kinase does not possess serine-473 kinase activity but functions as an adaptor to recruit a serine-473 kinase or phosphatase.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1999

Impaired mammary gland development in Cyl-1(-/-) mice during pregnancy and lactation is epithelial cell autonomous.

A specific defect of mice lacking cyclin D1 (Cyl-1(-/-)) is impaired development of the mammary gland during pregnancy. Here we show that when tissue from Cyl-1(-/-) mammary gland was transplanted into empty mammary fat pad of wild-type mice, the abnormal phenotype was maintained, indicating that it is epithelial cell autonomous. Nevertheless, in pregnancy the early proliferative response, which is characterized by extensive side branching, still occurs in the absence of cyclin D1. However, the response is atypical due to a marked reduction in the formation of accompanying alveoli. This reduction and delay in alveolar development persists throughout pregnancy. Moreover, although prolactin synthesis and release appear to be normal, lactogenesis is severely compromised. Consistent with the appearance of numerous side branches, progesterone receptor expression was readily detected in the mammary tissue of pregnant Cyl-1(-/-) mice, although there was a significant change in the ratio of the two (A and B) receptor isoforms. In Cyl-1(-/-) mammary glands during late pregnancy there was a decrease in the abundance of total and phosphorylated Stat5a, as well as delayed onset and substantial diminution of milk protein expression. The biochemical analysis suggests that there is a cumulative delay in growth and differentiation of the mammary gland during pregnancy that results in a severely compromised gland when, at parturition, further development is curtailed by the abrupt change in hormonal milieu.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Identification of conserved cis-elements and transcription factors required for sterol-regulated transcription of stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 and 2.

We previously identified stearoyl-CoA desaturase 2 (SCD2) as a new member of the family of genes that are transcriptionally regulated in response to changing levels of nuclear sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs) or adipocyte determination and differentiation factor 1 (ADD1). A novel sterol regulatory element (SRE) (5'-AGCAGATTGTG-3') identified in the proximal promoter of the mouse SCD2 gene is required for induction of SCD2 promoter-reporter genes in response to cellular sterol depletion (Tabor, D. E., Kim, J. B., Spiegelman, B. M., and Edwards, P. A. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 22052-22058). In this report, we demonstrate that this novel SRE is both present in the promoter of the SCD1 gene and is critical for the sterol-dependent transcription of SCD1 promoter-reporter genes. Two conserved cis elements (5'-CCAAT-3') lie 5 and 48 base pairs 3' of the novel SREs in the promoters of both the SCD1 and SCD2 murine genes. Mutation of either of these putative NF-Y binding sites attenuates the transcriptional activation of SCD1 or SCD2 promoter-reporter genes in response to cellular sterol deprivation. Induction of both reporter genes is also attenuated when cells are cotransfected with dominant-negative forms of either NF-Y or SREBP. In addition, we demonstrate that the induction of SCD1 and SCD2 mRNAs that occurs during the differentiation of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes to adipocytes is paralleled by an increase in the levels of ADD1/SREBP-1c and that the SCD1 and SCD2 mRNAs are induced to even higher levels in response to ectopic expression of ADD1/SREBP-1c. We conclude that transcription of both SCD1 and SCD2 genes is responsive to cellular sterol levels and to the levels of nuclear SREBP/ADD1 and that transcriptional induction requires three spatially conserved cis elements, that bind SREBP and NF-Y. Additional studies demonstrate that maximal transcriptional repression of SCD2 reporter genes in response to an exogenous polyunsaturated fatty acid is dependent upon the SRE and the adjacent CCAAT motif.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1999

YY1 is a negative regulator of transcription of three sterol regulatory element-binding protein-responsive genes.

Ying Yang 1 (YY1) is shown to bind to the proximal promoters of the genes encoding 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) synthase, farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) synthase, and the low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor. To investigate the potential effect of YY1 on the expression of SREBP-responsive genes, HepG2 cells were transiently transfected with luciferase reporter constructs under the control of promoters derived from either HMG-CoA synthase, FPP synthase, or the LDL receptor genes. The luciferase activity of each construct increased when HepG2 cells were incubated in lipid-depleted media or when the cells were cotransfected with a plasmid encoding mature sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)-1a. In each case, the increase in luciferase activity was attenuated by coexpression of wild-type YY1 but not by coexpression of mutant YY1 proteins that are known to be defective in either DNA binding or in modulating transcription of other known YY1-responsive genes. In contrast, incubation of cells in lipid-depleted media resulted in induction of an HMG-CoA reductase promoter-luciferase construct by a process that was unaffected by coexpression of wild-type YY1. Electromobility shift assays were used to demonstrate that the proximal promoters of the HMG-CoA synthase, FPP synthase, and the LDL receptor contain YY1 binding sites and that YY1 displaced nuclear factor Y from the promoter of the HMG-CoA synthase gene. We conclude that YY1 inhibits the transcription of specific SREBP-dependent genes and that, in the case of the HMG-CoA synthase gene, this involves displacement of nuclear factor Y from the promoter. We hypothesize that YY1 plays a regulatory role in the transcriptional regulation of specific SREBP-responsive genes.

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases↗
PubMed1999

The impact of developmental biology on cancer research: an overview.

In recent years developmental biology has contributed a great deal to cancer research. This is in part because both fields address the question of how genes control the three-dimensional organisation of tissues, and how mutation of genes alters this. But also in recent years, the discovery that signalling pathways are conserved from worms to man, combined with the power of developmental biology's model organisms, principally Drosophila and C. elegans, to reveal signalling pathways that control tissue growth and organisation, has had a huge impact. Examples of this are the subject of the reviews in this issue, including the EGF-receptor, Wnt/APC/catenin, TGF-beta/Smad and hedgehog/patched/smoothened pathways, all of which were discovered and/or pieced together in model organisms, and all of which are disrupted by mutation in human cancer. Other topics considered are the control and execution of apoptosis; the search for tumour-suppressor-like genes in Drosophila; and genes of the Polycomb and Trithorax Groups that regulate the commitment of cells to patterns of differentiation, and that are among the targets for chromosome translocations. These stories illustrate how developmental biology has shown that there are many more signalling pathways relevant to neoplasia than the receptor tyrosine kinase pathways that first dominated the field; and that the signalling is more than just mitogenic or anti-mitogenic, and should be viewed as providing cells with information about their position and neighbours, that determines their role, differentiation and behaviour.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Sterols and isoprenoids: signaling molecules derived from the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway.

Compounds derived from the isoprenoid/cholesterol biosynthetic pathway have recently been shown to have novel biological activities. These compounds include certain sterols, oxysterols, farnesol, and geranylgeraniol, as well as the diphosphate derivatives of isopentenyl, geranyl, farnesyl, geranylgeranyl, and presqualene. They regulate transcriptional and post-transcriptional events that in turn affect lipid synthesis, meiosis, apoptosis, developmental patterning, protein cleavage, and protein degradation.

Cholesterol↗
PubMed1998

Transcriptional activation of the stearoyl-CoA desaturase 2 gene by sterol regulatory element-binding protein/adipocyte determination and differentiation factor 1.

To identify genes that are transcriptionally activated by sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBPs), we utilized mRNA differential display and mutant cells that express either high or low levels of transcriptionally active SREBP. This approach identified stearoyl-CoA desaturase 2 (SCD2) as a new SREBP-regulated gene. Cells were transiently transfected with reporter genes under the control of different fragments of the mouse SCD2 promoter. Constructs containing >199 base pairs of the SCD2 proximal promoter were activated following incubation of cells in sterol-depleted medium or as a result of co-expression of SREBP-1a, SREBP-2, or rat adipocyte determination and differentiation factor 1 (ADD1). Electromobility shift assays and DNase I footprint analysis demonstrated that recombinant SREBP-1a bound to a novel cis element (5'-AGCAGATTGTG-3') in the proximal promoter of the SCD2 gene. The finding that the endogenous SCD2 mRNA levels were induced when wild-type Chinese hamster ovary fibroblasts were incubated in sterol-deficient medium is consistent with a role for SREBP in regulating transcription of the gene. These studies identify SCD2 as a new member of the family of genes that are transcriptionally regulated in response to changing levels of nuclear SREBP/ADD1. In addition, the sterol regulatory element in the SCD2 promoter is distinct from all previously characterized motifs that confer SREBP- and ADD1-dependent transcriptional activation.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

CBP is required for sterol-regulated and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-regulated transcription.

Cells were transfected with luciferase reporter genes, under the control of promoters derived from either the farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) synthase, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) synthase, HMG-CoA reductase, or low density lipoprotein receptor genes. The increase in luciferase activity that occurred when cells were either incubated in sterol-depleted medium or cotransfected with a cDNA encoding sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)-1a was prevented by coexpression of wild-type E1A or a Gal4-CBP (1-451) fusion protein. The inhibitory effect of E1A was overcome by coexpression of CBP. The increase in reporter gene activity noted above was not affected when the cells were cotransfected with cDNAs that encoded either a mutant E1A that is unable to interact with the transcriptional activator CBP or Gal4-CBP fusion proteins encoding separate fragments of CBP, which span the remainder of the CBP molecule. A preformed SREBP-1a:[32P]DNA complex bound specifically to membrane-immobilized GST-CBP fusion proteins that contained amino-terminal portions of CBP. In order to investigate the role of CBP in the regulation of endogenous genes, we isolated stable transformants that express Gal4-CBP(1-451) in response to added doxycycline. Induction of endogenous FPP synthase and HMG-CoA synthase mRNAs, in response to cellular cholesterol depletion, was prevented when cells expressed Gal4-CBP(1-451). We conclude that when cells are incubated in the absence of sterols, the transcriptional activation of the HMG-CoA synthase, HMG-CoA reductase, FPP synthase, and low density lipoprotein receptor genes is dependent on a specific interaction between SREBP, which is bound to the promoter DNA, and the amino-terminal domain (amino acids 1-451) of CBP.

Adenovirus E1A Proteins↗
PubMed1998

Signaling molecules derived from the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway: mechanisms of action and possible roles in human disease.

The association of high plasma cholesterol levels with the development of atherosclerosis is well known. The metabolic pathways that are regulated by cholesterol and the mechanisms involved are less well understood. Recent studies have identified not only cholesterol, but also oxysterols and isoprenoids, derived from the cholesterol biosynthetic pathway, as new signaling molecules. The transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of specific genes and metabolic pathways by these newly discovered signaling molecules may be important in the development of human disease and forms the topic of this review.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed1998

Control of the three-dimensional growth pattern of mammary epithelium: role of genes of the Wnt and erbB families studied using reconstituted epithelium.

The mammary gland is possibly the best system in which to study the three-dimensional organization of tissues and how that organization is disrupted in tumour development. The principal approach used has been to express genes such as oncogenes and growth factor genes in mammary epithelium in vivo, by using mammary-specific promoters in germ-line transgenic mice; by injecting virus vectors into the lumen of the mammary gland; or by transplanting genetically manipulated mammary epithelial cells into a mammary fat pad from which the natural epithelium has been removed. This chapter focuses on the last approach. The Wnt genes are short-range signalling molecules related to Wnt-1, which was discovered as an oncogene in mouse mammary tumours. Several Wnt proteins are expressed in the mammary gland; notably, Wnt-4 is normally expressed in early pregnancy. Introducing Wnt-4 into the mammary epithelium of virgin mice induces a growth pattern very similar to that of mid-pregnancy. Wnt-4 may therefore be a local signal driving epithelial branching in pregnancy. ErbB/epidermal growth factor receptor and ErbB-2 are receptors that may be important in breast tumour development and normal mammary growth control. Overactive mutants of them, i.e. the genes v-erbB and neu, disturb the growth pattern of the mammary epithelium in quite distinct ways. Overactive ErbB-2 causes local development of alveoli, suggesting that it may be involved in normal alveolus development. The varied effects of these gene products show the complexity of the control of the three-dimensional growth pattern, and encourage the idea that we may be able to relate oncogenic effects to normal growth controls.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Synergistic activation of transcription by nuclear factor Y and sterol regulatory element binding protein.

The current studies define the role of three distinct cis-elements in the proximal promoter of the rat farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) synthase gene. The three cis-elements, a sterol regulatory element 3 (SRE-3) flanked by an ATTGG motif (inverted CCAAT box), and a CCAAT box, form a sterol regulatory unit that is necessary and sufficient for sterol-regulated expression of FPP synthase promoter-reporter genes. FPP synthase promoter-reporter genes, that contain promoters with either wild-type nucleotide sequences or mutations in one or more of the three cis-elements, were transiently transfected into CV-1 cells. The activity of the wild-type promoter-reporter gene increased when the cells were incubated in sterol-depleted media or when the cells were co-transfected with a plasmid encoding the mature form of SRE binding protein (SREBP-1a). The results with the mutant promoter-reporter genes demonstrated that all three cis-elements were necessary for normal expression/regulation of the reporter gene by either sterols or by co-expressed SREBP-1a. Gel mobility shift assays demonstrated that the synergistic binding of SREBP-1a to SRE-3 was dependent on the binding of recombinant nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) to the DNA, consistent with the in vivo regulation studies.

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases↗
PubMed1998

Human geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase: isolation of the cDNA, chromosomal mapping and tissue expression.

We report the nucleotide sequence of human geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) synthase cDNA isolated from a fetal heart library. The 2.5 kb cDNA encodes a protein of 34 kDa. The protein contains six domains that have been identified previously in many other prenyltransferases. Recombinant, purified histidine-tagged protein exhibited the enzymatic properties associated with GGPP synthase, namely the synthesis of GGPP from farnesyl diphosphate and isopentenyl diphosphate. Transient transfection of mammalian cells with a plasmid encoding the putative GGPP synthase resulted in a 55-fold increase in GGPP synthase activity. Taken together, these results establish that the cDNA encodes the mammalian GGPP synthase protein. The mRNA for GGPP synthase was expressed ubiquitously. Of the 16 human tissues examined, the highest expression of the mRNA was in testis. The mRNA levels in cultured HeLa cells were unaffected by alterations in cellular sterol levels and contrasted with the significant regulation of isopentenyl diphosphate synthase mRNA under these same conditions. Fluorescent in situ hybridization was used to map the single gene encoding human GGPP synthase to chromosome 1q43.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

A new retroviral vector, CA1, to identify and select for cells expressing an inserted gene in vitro and in vivo.

A new retroviral vector has been constructed that expresses genes encoding three different activities from a single transcript. This feature has been exploited to enable the efficient marking and selection of cells that express a gene of interest. The marker gene lacZ, encoding beta-galactosidase, and neo, encoding neomycin phosphotransferase, for selection by the antibiotic G418, are expressed as a fusion, beta Geo. The expression of beta Geo is coordinated with expression of a gene of interest at the mRNA level using an Internal Ribosome Entry Site (IRES) from the Encephalomyocarditis Virus (EMCV). The IRES promotes cap-independent initiation of translation therefore two reading frames can be translated from a single transcript. In vitro, the vector has been shown to confer beta-galactosidase activity, transformation by v-src and resistance to G418, following infection of cells. To show that the retrovirus was able to mark infected cells in vivo, cells infected with the retrovirus were transplanted into mouse mammary gland where they grew and were successfully located by staining for beta-galactosidase over 2 months after transplantation.

Animals↗