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R Kumar

Publications and source records attributed to R Kumar.

At least 505 records · Page 28Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

A novel immediate early response gene, IEX-1, is induced by ultraviolet radiation in human keratinocytes.

Skin cancer is the most common human malignancy and is strongly associated with exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR). Several mechanisms including an increase in immediate early gene activation have been postulated to be involved in UVR-mediated carcinogenesis. We show that in a dose-dependent manner, UVR induces the expression of messenger RNA of a novel immediate early response gene, IEX-1, in human keratinocytes. Human keratinocytes and mouse fibroblasts transfected with an expression plasmid for IEX-1 grow at a faster rate than keratinocytes transfected with a similar plasmid that does not contain the IEX-1 sequence. IEX-1 protein is localized predominantly in the nucleus of keratinocytes by fluorescent antibody methods and by examination of the location of a green fluorescence IEX-1 fusion protein. Epidermal growth factor (EGF), a major mitogen of keratinocytes, and a tumor-promoting phorbol ester increase IEX-1 mRNA expression. IEX-1 may play a role in keratinocyte proliferation especially following UVR.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1998

The interaction of the vitamin D receptor with nuclear receptor corepressors and coactivators.

The vitamin D receptor (VDR), thyroid hormone receptor (TR), and retinoic acid receptor (RAR) are ligand-dependent transcription factors that function via the formation of heterodimeric complexes with retinoid X receptor (RXR). Although TR and RAR are known to act as transcriptional repressors in the absence of cognate ligands, it is not clear whether VDR exhibits this property. Recently, transcriptional repression (basal silencing) by TR and RAR was shown to be mediated by nuclear receptor corepressors (CoRs), such as NCoR and SMRT. In this report, we examined the silencing ability of VDR and its interaction with NCoR and SMRT using mammalian two-hybrid assays. The Gal4-VDR fusion protein silenced the basal expression of a reporter that contains Gal4 binding sites, but the degree of silencing activity was weaker than that of Gal4-TR. In mammalian two-hybrid assays, the interaction of VP16-SMRT or VP16-NCoR was also stronger with Gal4-TR than with Gal4-VDR. Similar results were obtained when the assay was performed using the opposite configuration. Gal4-SMRT or Gal4-NCoR interacted better with VP16-TR than with VP16-VDR. These interactions were disrupted by the addition of cognate ligands. In contrast, VP16-VDR interacted better than VP16-TR when studied with a coactivator, Gal4-SRC1, or with the heterodimeric partner, Gal4-RXR. Consistent with these findings, relatively weak transcriptional silencing by the native VDR was observed using the osteopontin VDRE. Thus, in comparison to TR, VDR exhibits relatively weak ligand-independent transcriptional silencing, but it possesses strong dimerization with RXR and ligand-induced binding to transcriptional coactivators.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Regulation of a novel immediate early response gene, IEX-1, in keratinocytes by 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3.

1alpha,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1alpha,25(OH)2D3] regulates cellular growth and differentiation. We show that in keratinocytes, 1alpha, 25(OH)2D3 reduces concentrations of the messenger RNA of IEX-1, the product of which blocks Fas- or tumor necrosis factor type alpha-induced apoptosis in various cells. In sub-confluent keratinocyte cultures, the addition of 1alpha,25(OH)2D3, in amounts that induce growth arrest, reduces IEX-1 mRNA concentrations. In confluent cells, 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 initially reduces and then increases IEX-1 mRNA concentrations. IEX-1 protein is localized in the nucleus and perinuclear region of keratinocytes. In sub-confluent cells, 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 translocates IEX-1 protein from the nucleus to the perinuclear region and cytoplasm. Since IEX-1 has recently been shown to regulate cell survival and number, we suggest that IEX-1 may play a role in keratinocyte growth and differentiation and that 1alpha,25(OH)2D3 may reduce keratinocyte growth via a reduction in IEX-1 mRNA and a change in the intracellular distribution of IEX-1 protein.

Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins↗
PubMed1998

Heregulin regulates cytoskeletal reorganization and cell migration through the p21-activated kinase-1 via phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase.

The mechanisms through which heregulin (HRG) regulates the activities of breast cancer cells are currently unknown. We demonstrate that HRG stimulation of noninvasive breast cancer cells enhanced the conversion of globular to filamentous actin and the formation of membrane ruffles, stress fibers, filopodia, and lamellipodia and accompanied by increased cell migration. In addition, HRG triggered a rapid stimulation of p21-activated kinase1 (PAK1) activity and its redistribution into the leading edges of motile cells. The HRG-induced stimulation of PAK1 kinase activity followed phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI-3 kinase) activation. Inhibition of PI-3 kinase activity blocked the activation of PAK1 kinase and also blocked cell migration in response to HRG. Furthermore, direct inhibition of PAK1 functions by the dominant-negative mutant suppressed the capacity of HRG to reorganize actin cytoskeleon structures. We also demonstrated that HRG stimulation promoted physical interactions between PAK1, actin, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) receptors, and these interactions were dependent on the activation of PI-3 kinase. The blockade of HER2 receptor by an anti-HER2 monoclonal antibody resulted in the inhibition of HRG-mediated stimulation of PI-3 kinase/PAK pathway and also the formation of motile actin cytoskeleton structures but not extracellular signal-regulated kinases. These findings suggest a role of PI-3 kinase/PAK1-dependent reorganization of the cortical actin cytoskeleton in HRG-mediated increased cell migration, and these changes may have significant consequences leading to enhanced invasion by breast cancer cells.

Actins↗
PubMed1998

1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 receptors in the central nervous system of the rat embryo.

We have mapped areas within the central nervous system (CNS) of the developing fetal rat which immunostain for the 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 receptor (VDR). The VDR was detected from days 12 to 21 of gestation throughout the CNS; immunostaining was particularly intense in the neuroepithelium and within the differentiating fields of various areas of the brain. Cells within the spinal cord, dorsal root, and other ganglia exhibited positive staining for the VDR. The intensity of staining for the VDR diminished or disappeared in the neuroepithelium throughout the CNS during the later days of development, while in the differentiating fields single VDR immunoreactive cells were observed. The presence of the VDR in the CNS was confirmed by in situ hybridization and RNA-based polymerase chain reaction methods with di-deoxy sequencing of the resultant DNA product. These results support the hypothesis that 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3, through interactions with the VDR, may play a role in the development of the CNS.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Nuclear targeting of Bax during apoptosis in human colorectal cancer cells.

Homeostasis in colonic epithelial cells is regulated by the balance between proliferative activity and cell loss by apoptosis. Because epithelial cells at the apex of colonic crypts undergo apoptosis and proliferative activity is usually restricted to the base of the crypts, it has been proposed that the limited availability of growth factor-signals at the upper portions of the crypts may trigger apoptosis. In the present studies, we investigate the mechanism of apoptosis mediated by growth factor deprivation in colorectal carcinoma cells by delineating the possible involvement of Bax and its subcellular localization. We report that inhibition of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase activity and downregulation of EGFR by anti-EGFR mAb 225 induces apoptosis in human colorectal carcinoma DiFi and FET cells. Induction of apoptosis was preceded by enhanced expression of newly synthesized Bax protein, and required protein synthesis. In the mAb 225-treated cells, Bax was redistributed from the cytosol to the nucleus and subsequently, to the nuclear membranes. The observed induction of Bax expression by mAb 225 was not associated with p53 induction. However, mAb 225 treatment also triggered relocalization of p53 from the cytosol to a nuclear membrane-bound form. Induction of Bax and its redistribution to the nucleus of DiFi cells during apoptosis was also demonstrated in response to butyrate, a physiological relevant molecule in colonic epithelial cells as it is the principal short-chain fatty acid produced by bacterial fermentation of dietary fiber in colonic epithelium. Using immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy, we observed that Bax is predominantly localized in the cytosol, but during apoptosis it is localized both inside and along the nuclear membrane. Taken together, these findings suggest that apoptosis induced by growth factor-deprivation or butyrate may involve the subcellular redistribution of Bax in human colorectal carcinoma cells.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1998

The first analogues of LNA (locked nucleic acids): phosphorothioate-LNA and 2'-thio-LNA.

LNA (Locked Nucleic Acids, 1, X = O, Y = O) is a novel oligonucleotide analogue capable of recognizing complementary DNA and RNA with unprecedented thermal affinities. Synthesis of the first chemically modified LNA analogues is reported. A 9-mer phosphorothioate-LNA containing three LNA thymine monomers (1, X = O, Y = S, Base = thymin-1-yl) and 9-mer LNAs containing one, three or five 2'-thio-LNA monomers (1, X = S, Y = O, Base = uracil-1-yl) were able to recognize both complementary DNA and RNA with thermal affinities comparable to those of parent LNA.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Angiostatin-mediated suppression of cancer metastases by primary neoplasms engineered to produce granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor.

We determined whether tumor cells consistently generating granulocyte/macrophage colony- stimulating factor (GM-CSF) can recruit and activate macrophages to generate angiostatin and, hence, inhibit the growth of distant metastasis. Two murine melanoma lines, B16-F10 (syngeneic to C57BL/6 mice) and K-1735 (syngeneic to C3H/HeN mice), were engineered to produce GM-CSF. High GM-CSF (>1 ng/10(6) cells)- and low GM-CSF (<10 pg/10(6) cells)-producing clones were identified. Parental, low, and high GM-CSF-producing cells were injected subcutaneously into syngeneic and into nude mice. Parental and low-producing cells produced rapidly growing tumors, whereas the high-producing cells produced slow-growing tumors. Macrophage density inversely correlated with tumorigenicity and directly correlated with steady state levels of macrophage metalloelastase (MME) mRNA. B16 and K-1735 subcutaneous (s.c.) tumors producing high levels of GM-CSF significantly suppressed lung metastasis of 3LL, UV-2237 fibrosarcoma, K-1735 M2, and B16-F10 cells, but parental or low-producing tumors did not. The level of angiostatin in the serum directly correlated with the production of GM-CSF by the s.c. tumors. Macrophages incubated with medium conditioned by GM-CSF- producing B16 or K-1735 cells had higher MME activity and generated fourfold more angiostatin than control counterparts. These data provide direct evidence that GM-CSF released from a primary tumor can upregulate angiostatin production and suppress growth of metastases.

Angiostatins↗
PubMed1998

Site directed mutagenesis reduces the Na+ affinity of HKT1, an Na+ energized high affinity K+ transporter.

HKT1 encodes a high affinity Na+ coupled K+ transporter expressed in the cortical cells of Triticum aestivum roots. To identify regions of the protein involved in the binding and transport of Na+ and K+, mutations were introduced into a domain of HKT1 containing 16 amino acids that are highly conserved across a range of putative K+ transport proteins from different phyla. Two mutations had a significant effect on the functional characteristics of the transporter. A yeast growth assay showed that concentrations of NaCl between 2.5 to 50 mM stimulated the growth of yeast expressing HKT1 containing the E464Q substitution, but not the growth of yeast expressing HKT1. Kinetic analysis confirmed that the E464Q mutation lowered the affinity of HKT1 for Na+ but did not affect its affinity for K+. A second mutation in the same region F463L was created that also lowered the affinity of the transporter for Na+. The importance of these highly conserved amino acid residues is highlighted by the fact that they have remained conserved through evolution. The results of this mutational analysis suggest that this domain in HKT1 plays a role in the binding and transport of Na+.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Parenting and survival in anthropoid primates: caretakers live longer.

Most anthropoid primates are slow to develop, their offspring are mostly single births, and the interbirth intervals are long. To maintain a stable population, parents must live long enough to sustain the serial production of a sufficient number of young to replace themselves while allowing for the death of offspring before they can reproduce. However, in many species there is a large differential between the sexes in the care provided to offspring. Therefore, we hypothesize that in slowly developing species with single births, the sex that bears the greater burden in the care of offspring will tend to survive longer. Males are incapable of gestating infants and lactating, but in several species fathers carry their offspring for long periods. We predict that females tend to live longer than males in the species where the mother does most or all of the care of offspring, that there is no difference in survival between the sexes in species in which both parents participate about equally in infant care, and that in the species where the father does a greater amount of care than the mother, males tend to live longer. The hypothesis is supported by survival data for males and females in anthropoid primate species.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Hypertension and insulin resistance in a native unindustrialised rural population of India.

A cross-sectional survey of 2964 individuals aged 16-70 years from a rural area of North India was carried out to test the hypothesis that a rural unindustrialised hypertensive population of North India has central obesity and hyperinsulinemia. Oral glucose tolerance test was carried out on 68 newly detected hypertensives, 82 age- and sex-matched community controls and 58 genetically related members of hypertensives (family controls). Fasting blood samples were examined for plasma glucose, serum insulin and lipids. Postglucose-load blood samples were examined for plasma glucose and serum insulin. Three blood pressure readings were recorded using Random Zero Sphygmomanometer. Anthropometric measurements (waist-hip ratio, subscapular and triceps skinfold thickness) of all three groups of individuals (hypertensives, community controls and family controls) were also recorded. The hypertensives had significantly higher fasting and postglucose-load serum insulin levels (P<0.05), body mass index (21.3 vs. 19 kg/m2: P<0.05), waist-hip ratio (0.89 vs. 0.85: P<0.001), subscapular (18.5 mm vs. 12.7 mm: P<0.001) and triceps fold thickness (17.6 mm vs. 12.9 mm: P<0.05) than community controls. The family controls had significantly higher systolic blood pressure than community controls (P<0.05). The lipids were not significantly different in all the three groups. Multiple logistic regression showed that both fasting and postglucose-load serum insulin were significantly associated with hypertension independent of waist-hip ratio and body mass index. The results of the present study suggest that hyperinsulinemia is related to hypertension in a rural unindustrialised population of North India.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

An AP-1 site in the nerve growth factor promoter is essential for 1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-mediated nerve growth factor expression in osteoblasts.

1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3), the active metabolite of vitamin D, induces nerve growth factor (NGF) synthesis in a variety of different cell lines. The mechanism by which 1,25(OH)2D3 induces NGF, however, is poorly understood. We used a series of full-length and truncated NGF promoter-human growth hormone (hGH) reporter gene plasmids to investigate the mechanism of 1,25(OH)2D3-induced NGF expression in osteoblasts. Untransfected rat osteosarcoma cells (ROS 17/2.8) treated with 1,25(OH)2D3 showed a 2-fold increase in NGF expression compared to control cells. ROS 17/2.8 osteosarcoma cells were transfected with the NGF-hGH reporter plasmids and treated with 10(-)8 M 1,25(OH)2D3. The full-length NGF promoter (-1800 to +120)-hGH reporter construct showed an approximately 2-fold increase in hGH release. Plasmids with successive 5'-deletions showed enhanced hGH expression in treated cells and control cells. A similar series of NGF promoter-hGH reporter gene constructs, lacking the AP-1 site located within the first intron of the NGF gene, were also transiently transfected into ROS 17/2.8 cells. When these cells were treated with the same dose of 1,25(OH)2D3, no increase in hGH expression was seen compared to control cells, demonstrating that this AP-1 site is essential for 1,25(OH)2D3-mediated NGF up-regulation. Since 1,25(OH)2D3 is known to activate the transcription of several genes through its interaction with the vitamin D receptor (VDR), we performed a series of gel electrophoretic mobility shift assays to determine if the VDR binds directly to the AP-1 sequence. No evidence of VDR binding, either as a homodimer or as a heterodimer, to the AP-1 sequence was observed. Treatment of ROS 17/2.8 cells with 1,25(OH)2D3, however, resulted in an increase in AP-1 binding activity; however, no significant changes in c-jun and c-fos levels were observed. Our data show that in osteoblasts, 1,25(OH)2D3 induces NGF expression indirectly by increasing AP-1 binding activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Molecular cloning of human GDP-mannose 4,6-dehydratase and reconstitution of GDP-fucose biosynthesis in vitro.

We have cloned the cDNA encoding human GDP-mannose 4,6-dehydratase, the first enzyme in the pathway converting GDP-mannose to GDP-fucose. The message is expressed in all tissues and cell lines examined, and the cDNA complements Lec13, a Chinese Hamster Ovary cell line deficient in GDP-mannose 4,6-dehydratase activity. The human GDP-mannose 4,6-dehydratase polypeptide shares 61% identity with the enzyme from Escherichia coli, suggesting broad evolutionary conservation. Purified recombinant enzyme utilizes NADP+ as a cofactor and, like its E. coli counterpart, is inhibited by GDP-fucose, suggesting that this aspect of regulation is also conserved. We have isolated the product of the dehydratase reaction, GDP-4-keto-6-deoxymannose, and confirmed its structure by electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry and high field NMR. Using purified recombinant human GDP-mannose 4,6-dehydratase and FX protein (GDP-keto-6-deoxymannose 3,5-epimerase, 4-reductase), we show that the two proteins alone are sufficient to convert GDP-mannose to GDP-fucose in vitro. This unequivocally demonstrates that the epimerase and reductase activities are on a single polypeptide. Finally, we show that the two homologous enzymes from E. coli are sufficient to carry out the same enzymatic pathway in bacteria.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Mutations in the CDKN2A (p16INK4a) gene in microdissected sporadic primary melanomas.

The role of the CDKN2A (p16INK4a) gene in sporadic primary melanomas has remained unclear due to the inadequate number of mutational studies. In the present study, we analyzed the entire coding region of the CDKN2A gene in microdissected sporadic primary melanomas, for the presence of mutations and polymorphisms, using 2 independent methods of mutation detection, SSCP and CMC. We found 11 intragenic mutations in 8 melanomas out of 31 (26%) and the majority of mutations were located in exon 1, with 2 cases harbouring multiple mutations. Of the mutations detected, 6 were C-to-T transitions, 4 involving CC sites; 2 melanomas showed a novel deletion of one of the two 24-bp repeat units located at the 5' end of exon 1. There was also a high frequency of C-to-G and C-to-T polymorphisms at the nucleotides 540 (frequency of G allele: 0.18) and 580 (frequency of T allele: 0.13) in the 3' untranslated region.

Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p16↗
PubMed1998

Physical interaction between epidermal growth factor receptor and DNA-dependent protein kinase in mammalian cells.

Binding of extracellular ligands to epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFR) activate signal transduction pathways associated with cell proliferation, and these events are inhibited by monoclonal antibodies against EGFR. Since efficient DNA repair in actively growing cells may require growth factor signaling, it was of interest to explore any linkage between EGFR-mediated signaling and DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK), an enzyme believed to be involved in repairing double strand breaks and V(D)J recombination. We report that anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), and not EGFR ligands, trigger a specific early physical interaction between EGFR and a 350-kDa catalytic subunit of DNA or its regulatory heterodimeric complex Ku70/80, in a variety of cell types, both in vivo and in vitro. Inhibition of EGFR signaling by anti-EGFR mAb was accompanied by a reduction in the levels of the DNA-PK and its activity in the nuclear fraction. Confocal imaging revealed that a substantial amount of DNA-PK was co-localized with EGFR in anti-EGFR mAb-treated cells. Anti-EGFR mAb-induced physical interaction between EGFR and DNA-PK or Ku70/80 was dependent on the presence of EGFR, but not on the levels of EGFR. The EGFR associated with DNA-PK or Ku70/80 retains its intrinsic kinase activity. Our findings demonstrate the existence of a novel cellular pathway in mammalian cells that involves physical interactions between EGFR and DNA-PK or Ku70/80 in response to inhibition of EGFR signaling. Our present observations suggest a possible role of EGFR signaling in maintenance of the nuclear levels of DNA-PK, and interference in EGFR signaling may possibly result in the impairment of DNA repair activity in the nuclei in anti-EGFR mAb-treated cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Interferon-induces expression of cyclin-dependent kinase-inhibitors p21WAF1 and p27Kip1 that prevent activation of cyclin-dependent kinase by CDK-activating kinase (CAK).

To understand the mechanism of interferon (IFN)-mediated suppression of cell cycle progression, we have earlier shown that IFN-alpha enhances the expression of underphosphorylated retinoblastoma protein by inhibiting the cyclin-dependent kinase-2 (CDK-2) activity (Kumar and Atlas, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 89, 6599-6603, 1992; Zhang and Kumar, Biochem. Biophysi. Res. Comm., 200, 522-528, 1994). In the studies presented here, we investigated the mechanism of inhibition of CDKs in IFN-treated cells by delineating the potential role(s) of CDK-inhibitors (CKIs) and CDK-activating kinase (CAK). We report that IFN-alpha inhibits the H-1 kinase activity associated with CDK-4 or CDK-2 due to induction of expression of CDK-inhibitor p21WAF1 (but not p27Kip1) as its immunodepletion from IFN-treated extracts restored the CDK-associated H-1 kinase activity. In addition, we also show that IFN-gamma induces expression of CDK-inhibitors p21WAF1 and p27Kip1 and inhibited the H-1 kinase activity associated with CDK-2 or CDK-4. The observed IFN-gamma-mediated inhibition of CDK-2 and CDK-4 kinase activity was due to enhanced interactions with p21WAF1 and p27Kip1, respectively. We also demonstrated that IFN-induced CKIs prevent CAK from activating the CDK-2 as immunodepletion of induced CKIs from the inhibitory extracts resulted in the restoration of CAK-mediated activation of CDK-2.

CDC2-CDC28 Kinases↗
PubMed1998

Childhood hemangiopericytoma.

BACKGROUND: Hemangiopericytoma (HPC) is an uncommon tumor of childhood. PROCEDURE AND RESULTS: This paper summarizes our experience with 5 children with histologically proven HPC treated in a single institution, including 2 cases of congenital HPC. This tumor has varying clinical presentations and biological behavior. Congenital tumors have a better prognosis. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy had little effect on outcome. CONCLUSION: Complete surgical excision is the treatment of choice.

Child↗