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Methyl-glyoxal bis guanyl hydrazone (methyl-GAG, MGBG) in lymphoma and Hodgkin's disease. A Phase II trial of the Southwest Oncology Group.

The Southwest Oncology Group has evaluated methyl-GAG on a weekly schedule among patients with lymphoma and Hodgkin's disease. Among 56 fully and partially evaluable patients responses were seen in 3 of 10 patients with Hodgkin's disease and 11 of 46 patients with lymphoma. Toxicity was acceptable. Methyl-GAG has significant antitumor activity among this group of heavily pretreated patients. Additional trials of methyl-GAG in combination with other agents are underway.

Adolescent↗

Sequential inhibition of polyamine synthesis. A phase I trial of DFMO (alpha-difluoromethylornithine) and methyl-GAG [methylglyoxal-bis(guanylhydrazone)].

Both DFMO and methyl-GAG inhibit sequential enzymatic reactions in the pathway of polyamine biosynthesis. Since polyamines may be important factors in proliferation of cancer cells, we initiated a phase-I study of these agents in patients with advanced cancer. DFMO was given by mouth at a constant daily dose of 4 g/m2 starting on day 1 of the treatment protocol. The dose of methyl-GAG ranged from 200 to 700 mg/m2 administered IV every 2 weeks beginning on day 4. Twenty-two patients were entered into the protocol. Toxic reactions to this therapy were dose-related and included nausea, fatigue, diarrhea, and myelosuppression. One patient with colon cancer experienced a greater than 50% decrease in measurable disease but developed severe myelotoxicity. While DFMO was well tolerated, the combination of drugs appeared to cause substantially more hematologic and gastrointestinal toxicity than encountered during our recent experience with methyl-GAG used alone. We suggest that future studies of this drug combination carefully evaluate levels of polyamines and inhibition of enzymatic activity to minimize toxicity.

Adult↗

Detection of the myristylated gag-raf transforming protein with raf-specific antipeptide sera.

The post-translational modifications of the gag-raf fusion proteins of the 3611 murine sarcoma virus (MSV) have been examined by inhibiting glycosylation with tunicamycin and by in vivo labeling with [3H]myristic acid. The results show that P75gag-raf is myristylated but not glycosylated and that P90gag-raf is glycosylated but not myristylated (and is now termed gP90gag-raf). gP90gag-raf expression appeared to become lost during passage of the transformed cells, and consequently does not appear to be necessary for the maintenance of transformation. raf-specific sera for detecting gag-raf fusion proteins have been obtained from synthetic peptides made from different regions of the predicted v-raf sequence. Immunoprecipitation of P75gag-raf with raf-specific sera directly confirmed the deduced v-raf sequence. The fact that P75gag-raf is both myristylated and precipitated by antiserum to a predicted carboxyl-terminal peptide of the v-raf gene established that the mature protein represents the entire coding region. The gP90gag-raf thus appears to be a glycosylated form of P75gag-raf specified by the gag sequences of the fusion protein, in analogy with Pr65gag and gPr80gag of murine leukemia viruses. Antiserum to the carboxyl-terminal P75gag-raf peptide was the most efficient in immunoprecipitation, and will be useful for detecting the product of the c-raf gene.

Animals↗

Expression of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gag antigens on the surface of a cell line persistently infected with HIV-1 that highly expresses HIV-1 antigens.

MT-4 cells persistently infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) (MT-4/HIV-1) were recently isolated (K. Ikuta, C. Morita, M. Nakai, N. Yamamoto, and S. Kato, Japan. J. Cancer Res. (Gann), 79, 418-423, 1988). Mouse hybridoma cell clones producing monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) to HIV-1 gag p24 and p18, and pol reverse transcriptase (RT) were isolated by using this MT-4/HIV-1 cell line for the screening of MoAb production by the immunofluorescence (IF) test. By indirect IF tests of acetone-fixed cells with these MoAbs, the IF intensities in MT-4/HIV-1 cells were found to be higher than those in the other HIV-1 infected cells, such as MOLT-4/HIV-1, HL-60/HIV-1, and U937/HIV-1 cells. Cell surface expression of the HIV-1 gag p24 and p18 antigens examined by IF and radioimmune techniques with these MoAbs revealed the p24 and p18 antigens to be expressed strongly on the cell surface of MT-4/HIV-1 cells and faintly on the cell surface of MOLT-4/HIV-1 cells, respectively. However, monoclonal antibody isolated in the present study failed to detect pol RT antigen on the surface of MT-4/HIV-1 cells. These results indicate that the gag p24 and p18 antigens are expressed, at least in part, on the surface of HIV-1-infected cells.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Evolutionary relationships between gag gene-coded proteins of murine and primate endogenous type C RNA viruses.

Several low molecular weight proteins of endogenous type C viruses of the RD114/baboon group are compared with the gag gene translational products of endogenous type C viruses of murine origin. The p10 proteins of each virus group are shown to be immunologically and biochemically related, while the p12 proteins of RD114/baboon viruses are demonstrated to share antigenic determinants with murine viral p15. Moreover, highly type-specific phosphoproteins, p15 of RD114/baboon viruses and p12 of murine viruses, are shown to possess very similar biochemical properties. These findings, along with previous studies indicating immunologic cross-reactivity between their major internal antigens, p30, demonstrate that each of the gag gene-coded proteins of murine type C viruses has a analogue in viruses of the RD114/baboon group. The immunologic and biochemical relatedness of their gag gene translational products supports the concept of a common progenitor in the evolution of these endogenous viruses.

Animals↗

Life without GAG: the BARE-2 retrotransposon as a parasite's parasite.

A large proportion of the plant LTR (Long Terminal Repeat) retrotransposons are partly or completely unable to synthesize their own machinery for transposition. However, most of these inactive or non-autonomous elements are likely able to retrotranspose, based on their insertional polymorphism. Therefore, they must be parasitic on one or more active partners. Here, we describe the parasitism of the chimeric BARE-2 element on the active BARE-1 (Barley RetroElement-2 and -1 respectively). These two elements are present in the Triticeae and related species, and are together polymorphic among closely related accessions. BARE-2 elements are unable to synthesize their own GAG protein, and harbor a specific ATG deletion in the gag ORF. However, BARE-2 sequences are conserved with BARE-1 in the PBS (Primer Binding Site), PSI (Packaging SIgnal) and DIS (DImerization Signal) domains. As these motifs have been shown to allow parasitism among the lentiviruses, we conclude that BARE-2 is probably a partial parasite of the BARE-1 element because the machinery of the latter can complement the defective GAG of the former. This example emphasizes that we must characterize the parasitic network of LTR retrotransposons and its implication for integration of autonomous, inactive, and non-autonomous elements in order to understand current and past host genome evolution.

Base Sequence↗

Tendon cell contraction of collagen-GAG matrices in vitro: effect of cross-linking.

The contraction of connective tissue cells can play important roles in wound healing and pathological contractures. The effects of this contractile behavior on cell-seeded constructs for tissue engineering have not yet been investigated. The goal of this work was to investigate in vitro tendon cell-mediated contraction of collagen-glycosaminoglycan (GAG) matrices cross-linked using selected methods. Highly porous collagen-GAG sponges were seeded with calf tendon cells and the projected area and DNA content of the sponges measured at 3, 7, 14, and 21 days post-seeding. Immunohistochemistry was performed to determine if alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA) was associated with the cell contraction of the matrices. Dehydrothermal (DHT) treatment alone was not sufficient to resist contraction by the seeded tendon fibroblasts. Cross-linking of the collagen-GAG sponges to the extent that the modulus was three times that of sponges treated by DHT alone was necessary to resist contraction. SMA was seen in the cytoplasm of most cells in all sponges at all time periods. The results provide a rational basis for the determination of the mechanical properties of collagen matrices required for engineering certain connective tissues.

Animals↗

Normally sulphated and highly sulphated glycosaminoglycans (GAG) affecting fibrillogenesis of type I and type II collagen in vitro.

Proteoglycans (PG) and glycosaminoglycans (GAG) influence the aggregation of collagen molecules during fibrillogenesis and the ultimate fibril width. The current in vitro experiments suggest that collagen type II may interact more strongly with highly sulphated GAG than type I collagen. Electron microscopic investigations indicate that, after addition of highly sulphated GAG, the fibrils of type II collagen become significantly (p less than 0.001) thicker than fibrils of a control experiment.

Chondroitin Sulfates↗

Effect of sulfated GAGs on the expression and activation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 in corneal and dermal explant cultures.

It has been shown previously that hyaluronan (HA) added to fibroblast and keratocyte cell cultures or corneal explant cultures produces an up-regulation of MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression and activation. Here, we examine the effect of sulfated GAG-s, chondroitin 4 and 6 sulfate (CS4, CS6), dermatan sulfate (DS), keratan sulfate (KS) and heparan sulfate (HS) on MMP-2 and 9 expression and activation under the same culture conditions. It appears that CS4 has only minor effects, KS inhibits MMP-2 activation and CS6, DS and HS increase MMP-2 activation in corneal explant cultures. For skin explant cultures, DS, KS and HS strongly increase MMP-9 activation, whereas KS inhibits and DS increases MMP-2 activation. All these effects can be strongly inhibited by the addition of an antibody to CD44, except CS6 and DS. Activation by these two GAGs was only slightly affected, supporting the contention that the effects of HA, CS4, KS and HS are mediated by one of the isoforms of this CD44 receptor. The physio-pathological significance of these results is discussed for cornea and skin ageing, because of the divergent evolution with in vitro ageing of the relative proportions of GAGs synthesised by these two cell types.

Cells, Cultured↗

Design of a Gag pentapeptide analogue that binds human cyclophilin A more efficiently than the entire capsid protein: new insights for the development of novel anti-HIV-1 drugs.

Cyclophilin A (hCyp-18), a ubiquitous cytoplasmic peptidyl-prolyl cis/trans isomerase (PPIase), orchestrates HIV-1 core packaging. hCyp-18, incorporated into the virion, enables core uncoating and RNA release and consequently plays a critical role in the viral replication process. hCyp-18 specifically interacts with a single exposed loop of the Gag polyprotein capsid domain via a network of nine hydrogen bonds which mainly implicates a 7-mer fragment of the loop. As previously reported, the corresponding linear heptapeptide Ac-Val-His-Ala-Gly-Pro-Ile-Ala-NH(2) (2) binds to hCyp-18 with a low affinity (IC(50) = 850 +/- 220 microM) but a potentially useful selectivity for hCyp-18 relative to hFKBP-12, another abundant PPIase. On the basis of X-ray structures of Gag fragments:hCyp-18 complexes, we generated a series of modified peptides in order to probe the determinants of the interaction and hence to select a peptidic ligand displaying a higher affinity than the capsid domain of Gag. We synthesized a series of heptapeptides to test the energetic contribution of amino acids besides the Gly-Pro moiety. In particular the importance of the histidine residue for the interaction was underscored. We also investigated the influence of N- and C-terminal modifications. Hexapeptides containing either deaminovaline (Dav) in place of the N-terminal valine or substitution of the C-terminal alanine amide with a benzylamide group displayed increased affinities. Combination of both modifications gave the most potent competitor Dav-His-Ala-Gly-Pro-Ile-NHBn (28) which has a higher affinity for hCyp-18 (K(d) = 3 +/- 0.5 microM) than the entire capsid protein (K(d) = 16 +/- 4 microM) and a very low affinity for hFKBP-12. Some of our results strongly suggest that the title compound is not a substrate of hCyp-18 and interacts preferentially in the trans conformation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Mutants of avian myelocytomatosis virus with smaller gag gene-related proteins have an altered transforming ability.

Avian myelocytomatosis virus strain MC29 is a replication-defective avian oncovirus which in newborn chickens causes myelocytomatosis and liver and kidney tumours. In vitro infection of bone marrow cells gives rise to colonies of transformed macrophage-like cells, and cloned viruses is also capable of transforming fibroblasts. The genome of MC29 contains cellular sequences which are closely related to those in other defective leukaemia viruses with similar transforming spectra. Consequently, these cellular sequences have been postulated to represent a new oncogene which has been designated mac, for macrophage transformation. MC29-transformed cells contain a gag gene-related protein of a 110,000 molecular weight (MW) (p110), which by tryptic peptide analysis has been shown to be a fusion product comprised of a gag gene-derived sequences and sequences which are presumed to be coded by the adjacent mac gene. These findings suggest that this protein may be implicated in transformation by MC29. We now describe three mutants of MC29 and synthesize smaller gag gene-related proteins. These mutants have an altered ability to transform bone marrow cells but not fibroblasts. This demonstrates for the first time a direct involvement of the p110 protein of MC29 in transformation.

Animals↗

Detailed haplotype analysis in Ashkenazi Jewish and non-Jewish British dystonic patients carrying the GAG deletion in the DYT1 gene: evidence for a limited number of founder mutations.

The DYT1 gene on human chromosome 9q34 appears to be responsible for most cases of early onset primary torsion dystonia (PTD) both in Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) and in non-Jewish patients. Previous haplotype analysis in a 2 cM region surrounding the DYT1 gene showed that a single founder mutation (DYT1AJ) was responsible for most cases of early onset PTD in the North American AJ population and refined the most likely location of the gene to a 150 kb interval between the marker loci D9S2161 and D9S63. Recently, the majority of cases of early onset PTD in both AJ and non-Jewish patients were found to carry a unique 3-bp (GAG) deletion in the coding region of the DYT1 gene. This deletion appears to have arisen more than once, suggesting independent mutational events. In this study, we analysed the haplotypes surrounding DYT1 in 9 AJ and 15 non-Jewish British patients carrying the GAG deletion in the DYT1 gene. We found that all AJ British patients carried the same haplotype as the North American Jews, sustaining the theory that the current British AJ community descends from the same small group of individuals as the North American Jewry. Furthermore, in the non-Jewish British patients, only a limited number of distinct founder mutations was observed. This supports the hypothesis that the GAG deletion in the DYT1 gene is not a very frequent mutation, and that it has arisen only a limited number of times throughout the centuries.

Alleles↗

Amino- and carboxyl-terminal amino acid sequences of proteins coded by gag gene of murine leukemia virus.

The amino- and carboxyl-terminal amino acid sequences of proteins (p10, p12, p15, and p30) coded by the gag gene of Rauscher and AKR murine leukemia viruses were determined. Among these proteins, p15 from both viruses appears to have a blocked amino end. Proline was found to be the common NH(2) terminus of both p30s and both p12s, and alanine of both p10s. The amino-terminal sequences of p30s are identical, as are those of p10s, while the p12 sequences are clearly distinctive but also show substantial homology. The carboxyl-terminal amino acids of both viral p30s and p12s are leucine and phenylalanine, respectively. Rauscher leukemia virus p15 has tyrosine as the carboxyl terminus while AKR virus p15 has phenylalanine in this position. The compositional and sequence data provide definite chemical criteria for the identification of analogous gag gene products and for the comparison of viral proteins isolated in different laboratories. On the basis of amino acid sequences and the previously proposed H-p15-p12-p30-p10-COOH peptide sequence in the precursor polyprotein, a model for cleavage sites involved in the post-translational processing of the precursor coded for by the gag gene is proposed.

AKR murine leukemia virus↗

Murine leukemia virus protease is encoded by the gag-pol gene and is synthesized through suppression of an amber termination codon.

We have purified from Moloney murine leukemia virus (Mo-MuLV) a protease that has the capacity of accurately cleaving the polyprotein precursor Pr65gag into the mature viral structural proteins. Both the NH2- and COOH-terminal amino acid sequences have been determined and aligned with the amino acid sequence deduced from the DNA sequence of Mo-MuLV by other workers. The results show that: (i) the protease is located at the 5' end of the pol gene, and the first four amino acids are overlapped with the 3' end of the gag gene; (ii) the fifth amino acid residue is glutamine, which is inserted by suppression of the UAG termination codon at the gag-pol junction; and (iii) the protease is composed of 125 amino acids with calculated Mr = 13,315, and the COOH terminus of the protease is adjacent to the NH2 terminus of reverse transcriptase. The map order of the gag-pol gene is proposed to be 5'-p15-p12-p30-p10-protease-reverse transcriptase-endonuclease-3'.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Clustered mutations in HIV-1 gag are consistently required for escape from HLA-B27-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses.

The immune response to HIV-1 in patients who carry human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B27 is characterized by an immunodominant response to an epitope in p24 gag (amino acids 263-272, KRWIILGLNK). Substitution of lysine (K) or glycine (G) for arginine (R) at HIV-1 gag residue 264 (R264K and R264G) results in epitopes that bind to HLA-B27 poorly. We have detected a R264K mutation in four patients carrying HLA-B27. In three of these patients the mutation occurred late, coinciding with disease progression. In another it occurred within 1 yr of infection and was associated with a virus of syncytium-inducing phenotype. In each case, R264K was tightly associated with a leucine to methionine change at residue 268. After the loss of the cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response to this epitope and in the presence of high viral load, reversion to wild-type sequence was observed. In a fifth patient, a R264G mutation was detected when HIV-1 disease progressed. Its occurrence was associated with a glutamic acid to aspartic acid mutation at residue 260. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that these substitutions emerged under natural selection rather than by genetic drift or linkage. Outgrowth of CTL escape viruses required high viral loads and additional, possibly compensatory, mutations in the gag protein.

Arginine↗

A cocktail of Mycobacterium bovis BCG recombinants expressing the SIV Nef, Env, and Gag antigens induces antibody and cytotoxic responses in mice vaccinated by different mucosal routes.

Recombinant live Mycobacterium bovis BCG strains (rBCG) expressing different human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or simian immunodeficiency (SIV) antigens could be good candidates for the development of vaccines against AIDS. To develop effective HIV/SIV vaccines, humoral and cellular immune responses directed against multiple antigens may be essential for the control of the infection. In this study we immunized BALB/c mice via different mucosal routes (oral, aerogenic, nasal, and rectal) with a mixture of three rBCG strains expressing, respectively, the entire SIVmac251 Nef protein, and large fragments of the Env and Gag proteins. All routes of immunization studied induced immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibodies against mycobacterial PPD, SIV Env, and SIV Gag antigens in feces and bronchial lavages as well as specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) in serum. Strong, specific cytotoxic responses of splenocytes against Nef, Env, and Gag was observed whatever the mucosal route of immunization. Therefore, mucosal vaccination with a cocktail of rBCG strains induces local, specific IgA, systemic IgG, and systemic CTLs against the three SIV antigens expressed. Rectal and oral routes seemed the most appropriate route of vaccination to be used to protect against SIV infection.

Animals↗

Induction of broad-based immune response against HIV-1 subtype C gag DNA vaccine in mice.

Prevention of HIV infection through an effective vaccine is need of the hour as per the AIDS pandemic scene, particularly in the developing world. Here we report the work done with gag gene construct pJWgagprotease49587 from HIV-1subtype C Indian strain. The construct pJWgagprotease49587 was tested positive for expression in COS-7 cells by p24 antigen capture ELISA, immunoblotting and by transmission electron microscopy that revealed virus like particle formation. Immunogenicity studies showed induction of good lymphoproliferative and cytotoxic (CTL) responses in Balb/c mice. The cytokine repertoire elicited showed a TH1 type of immune response. In an epitope mapping study, IFNgamma secretion by spleen cells from immunized mice was observed to seven peptides from different regions of gag. Recognition of multiple epitopes demonstrates elicitation of a broad based immune response against gag following immunization with the construct. In view of the high propensity of escape mutant induction during the course of HIV infection, it is encouraging to use immunogens eliciting viable immune responses to a broad spectrum of epitopes. Hence the construct pJWgagprotease49587 is a good candidate for immunogenecity testing in nonhuman primates as a probable vaccine candidate.

AIDS Vaccines↗

De novo mutations (GAG deletion) in the DYT1 gene in two non-Jewish patients with early-onset dystonia.

The DYT1 gene recently has been cloned and shown to contain a three nucleotide (GAG) deletion responsible for most cases of autosomal dominant early-onset torsion dystonia. This deletion results in the loss of one of a pair of glutamic acids in a conserved region of a novel ATP-binding protein (torsinA). Previous haplotype analysis revealed that this same deletion had arisen at least two different times in history, suggesting independent mutational events. This deletion is the only sequence change found thus far to be associated uniquely with the disease status, regardless of ethnic origin. Here we describe two patients with typical early-onset torsion dystonia of Swiss-Mennonite and non-Jewish Russian origin, respectively, that both carry this same mutation as a de novo GAG deletion. This finding proves that this 3 bp deletion in the DYT1 gene is indeed a mutation that causes early-onset torsion dystonia. The DYT1 mutation is one of the rare examples of the same recurrent mutation causing a dominantly inherited condition. The sequence surrounding the GAG deletion contains an imperfect 24 bp tandem repeat, suggesting a possible mechanism for the high frequency of this mutation.

Adult↗