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Biomedical subjects

R Biswas

Publications and source records attributed to R Biswas.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Role of serum in the prolactin responsiveness of MCF-7 human breast cancer cells in long-term tissue culture.

MCF-7 human breast cancer cells, grown in long-term tissue culture, were found to be highly responsive to prolactin in terms of growth even in the presence of serum. Human prolactin, placental lactogen, and growth hormone (50-250 ng/ml) stimulated MCF-7 cells to grow when added to culture medium of cells in the presence of charcoal-stripped serum. Within 3 days of the hormone addition, a 4.4-fold increase in cell number was achieved with human prolactin at 100 ng/ml in the presence of 10% charcoal-stripped serum. Under these same conditions, estradiol-17 beta at 10(-8) M achieved only a 2-fold increase. After 6 days of culture, both estradiol-17 beta and prolactin gave a total 5-fold increase in cell number. No prolactin effect was achieved in the presence of 10% fetal bovine serum. Stripping fetal bovine serum with dextran-coated charcoal removes as much as 85% of the endogenous lactogens. Removal of these hormones is essential for demonstration of subsequent prolactin-induced growth response in MCF-7 cells, since bovine prolactin binds effectively to lactogen receptors on the surface of the cells but does not transmit a growth signal. When added simultaneously with human prolactin, bovine prolactin blocks the growth response to the former hormone. These results clearly demonstrate that, under the proper conditions of culture, the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 is highly responsive to growth stimulation by homologous lactogenic hormones. This then affords us an excellent model for further studies on the possible role of prolactin in growth and maintenance of human breast cancer.

Blood↗
PubMed1985

Intrapeptide autophosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor: regulation of kinase catalytic function by receptor dimerization.

The epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor is a transmembrane polypeptide of 170 000 daltons (Da) with a cytoplasmically facing protein kinase domain. The regulation of the tyrosine kinase activity of the EGF receptor by added EGF and by receptor association state was studied in an in vitro system. The rate of autophosphorylation of the solubilized and purified EGF receptor was found to be independent of receptor concentration. To determine whether the zero-order kinetics observed point to intrapeptide phosphorylation, we measured the sedimentation characteristics of the undenatured solubilized receptor. The receptor was found to exist in two association-dissociation states-a monomeric 7.7S form and a dimeric 12S form. The 7.7S form is an active tyrosine kinase; it has high basal activity, and the activity is not further stimulated by EGF; it appears to be an EGF-independent form of the receptor kinase. The 12S form is devoid of catalytic activity, but in the presence of EGF it dissociates into the active monomeric form. Freshly purified receptor preparations contain mainly the monomeric receptor, have high basal kinase activity, and show low EGF stimulatability (less than 1.3-fold). Aging of the receptor results in progressive dimerization and decay of EGF-independent kinase activity (and increase in EGF stimulatability). All of these processes are reversed in the presence of EGF or dithiothreitol.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Receptor modulating properties of an antibody directed against the epidermal growth factor receptor.

A murine antiserum with specificity for the human epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor was used to investigate EGF receptor function. The IgG fraction of this antiserum displayed no EGF-like mitogenic activity, even when cross-linking was ensured by sequential treatment with rabbit anti-(mouse IgG). The interaction of antibody with solubilized purified EGF receptor was characterized in detail. The binding of 125I-antibody to the receptor was not blocked by EGF, but the binding of 125I-EGF to the receptor was blocked by the immune IgG. Scatchard analysis of this reaction revealed a reduction in maximal EGF binding but an enhanced EGF binding affinity. In addition, at low concentrations, the immune IgG was found to enhance receptor kinase activity in the absence of EGF. The enhancement of kinase activity, as measured by receptor phosphorylation, was due to a decreased Km for ATP, and an increased V. These results suggest that the antibody is capable of altering conformations at receptor active sites by binding to non-active species-specific epitopes.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Mitogenic activity of the epidermal growth factor receptor after transfer from A431 carcinoma cells to receptor-negative fibroblastic cells.

This paper demonstrates spontaneous transfer of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor mitogenicity from human A431 carcinoma cells to receptor negative mouse cells. The fact of transfer was documented by the demonstration in the recipient cell of normal EGF-binding affinity, covalent labeling of transferred receptor by 125I-EGF, and reactivity with specific anti-human receptor antibody. Phosphorylation experiments suggest that in the transferred receptor the protein kinase site tends to face the inside of the cell. The transferred receptor imposed upon the normally unresponsive cells a mitogenic responsiveness to EGF in the nM concentration range, as measured by stimulation of DNA replication. EGF-dependent mitogenesis in the recipient cells was abolished by both anti-EGF antibody and anti-human receptor antibody, indicating that the transferred mitogenicity is both EGF and receptor specific. For NR-6 cells without transplanted receptor, the same antibody had no effect on non-EGF-dependent mitogenesis. Interestingly, although the transferred receptor displayed normal behavior in several respects, it did not mediate rapid internalization and degradation of bound EGF.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Purification and properties of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase from rat epididymis.

Two protein kinases (I and II: EC 2.7.1.37) that show a high degree of substrate specificity for protamine rather than histones, phosvitin and casein were partly purified from rat epididymal tissue. The enzymes were present in the cytosol because greater than 80% of the enzymic activity was recovered in the soluble fraction. The kinases required Mg2+ for activity although Co2+ and Mn2+ were partial substitutes. Zn2+ (1 mM) inhibited nearly completely the activity of the enzymes. Both the kinases showed high affinity for activation with cyclic AMP compared to other cyclic nucleotides. Amino acid analysis of 32P-labelled protamine product revealed that the kinases transfer the terminal phosphate of ATP to serine residues of the protein. The isoenzymes I and II showed certain differences in relation to their hydroxyapatite-chromatography profiles, pH activation profiles, heat sensitivity and Km for ATP and cyclic AMP.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Effect of medroxyprogesterone acetate contraception on human serum enzymes.

Activities of five enzymes were determined biochemically in the serum of a woman taking the injectable contraceptive, depo-medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), 150 mg every 3 months for 2 years. The specific activities of SGOT, SGPT, and alkaline phosphatase (AP)-the enzymes commonly discerned in tests on the function of the liver-do not show any change with long-term treatment of this steroid contraceptive. Activities of serum acid phosphatase (ACP) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) in red cells show significant increase. DMPA contraception has no apparent harmful effect on liver function, although the rise in ACP and AChE activities may be related to some pathological condition.

Acetylcholinesterase↗