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PubMed1986

Control of erythroid differentiation: asynchronous expression of the anion transporter and the peripheral components of the membrane skeleton in AEV- and S13-transformed cells.

Chicken erythroblasts transformed with avian erythroblastosis virus or S13 virus provide suitable model systems with which to analyze the maturation of immature erythroblasts into erythrocytes. The transformed cells are blocked in differentiation at around the colony-forming unit-erythroid stage of development but can be induced to differentiate in vitro. Analysis of the expression and assembly of components of the membrane skeleton indicates that these cells simultaneously synthesize alpha-spectrin, beta-spectrin, ankyrin, and protein 4.1 at levels that are comparable to those of mature erythroblasts. However, they do not express any detectable amounts of anion transporter. The peripheral membrane skeleton components assemble transiently and are subsequently rapidly catabolized, resulting in 20-40-fold lower steady-state levels than are found in maturing erythrocytes. Upon spontaneous or chemically induced terminal differentiation of these cells expression of the anion transporter is initiated with a concommitant increase in the steady-state levels of the peripheral membrane-skeletal components. These results suggest that during erythropoiesis, expression of the peripheral components of the membrane skeleton is initiated earlier than that of the anion transporter. Furthermore, they point a key role for the anion transporter in conferring long-term stability to the assembled erythroid membrane skeleton during terminal differentiation.

Alpharetrovirus↗
PubMed1987

Gelsolin is expressed in early erythroid progenitor cells and negatively regulated during erythropoiesis.

We have identified an approximately 85-kD protein in chicken erythrocytes which is immunologically, structurally, and functionally related to the gelsolin found in many muscle and nonmuscle cell types. Cell fractionation reveals a Ca2+-dependent partitioning of gelsolin into the soluble cytoplasm and the membrane-associated cytoskeleton of differentiating or mature erythrocytes. Depending on either the presence of Ca2+ during cell lysis or on the preincubation of the intact cells with the Ca2+-ionophore A23187, up to 40% of the total cellular gelsolin is found associated with the membrane skeleton. Expression of gelsolin shows a strong negative regulation during erythroid differentiation. From quantitations of its steady-state molar ratio to actin, gelsolin is abundant in early progenitor cells as revealed from avian erythroblastosis virus- and S13 virus-transformed cells which are arrested at the colony forming unit erythroid (CFU-e) stage of erythroid development. In these cells, which have a rudimentary and unstable membrane skeleton, gelsolin remains quantitatively cytoplasmic, irrespective of the Ca2+ concentration. During chicken embryo development and maturation, the expression of gelsolin decreases by a factor of approximately 10(3) in erythroid cells. This down regulation is independent from that of actin, which is considerably less, and is observed also when S13-transformed erythroid progenitor cells are induced to differentiate under conditions where the actin content of these cells does not change. In mature erythrocytes of the adult the amount of gelsolin is low, and significantly less than required for potentially capping of all membrane-associated actin filaments. We suggest that the gelsolin in erythroid cells is involved in the assembly of the actin filaments present in the membrane skeleton, and that it may provide for a mechanism, by means of its severing action on actin filaments, to extend the meshwork of the spectrin-actin-based membrane skeleton in erythroid cells during erythropoiesis.

Actins↗
PubMed1974

Mechanisms of genetic resistance to friend virus leukemia in mice.

Resistance to malignant erythropoiesis induced by Friend spleen focus-forming virus and resistance to marrow stem cell allografts are under genetic control. Strains of mice, e.g., C57BL/6 and B10.D2, which are homozygous for resistance at the Fv-2 locus, are also good rejectors of most bone marrow allografts. (89)Sr, a bone-seeking isotope, irradiates marrow but not other lymphoid organs and abrogates resistance to marrow allografts without suppressing T- or B-cell functions. Thus, marrow-dependent effector cells (M cells) seem to resist allogeneic stem cells. To test if the genetic resistance to Friend virus (FV) is also mediated by M cells, B6 mice were treated with (89)Sr using a dosage schedule known to abrogate resistance to allogeneic marrow cells. 9 days after FV infection of such mice, the spleens showed malignant erythroblastosis which could not be suppressed by prior hypertransfusion, a procedure which suppresses physiologic erythropoiesis. Such (89)Sr-treated B6 mice also supported extensive virus replication, while control mice did not. FV markedly suppressed the ability of (89)Sr-treated B6 mice to produce antisheep red blood cell (SRBC) antibodies, a feature seen normally only in genetically susceptible mice. Thus, (89)Sr-treated B6 mice behaved in these respects as if they were susceptible to FV. When increasing doses of (89)Sr were administered to B6 mice, a dose-related loss of resistance to FV was seen. Therefore, it appears that (89)Sr-sensitive M cells mediate the genetic resistance to FV. The results of experiments with (89)Sr indicated that genetically resistant mice would be expected to possess target cells which are susceptible to transformation by FV. To verify this corollary, bone marrow cells from B10.D2 (Fv-2(rr)) mice were transplanted into previously infected and lethally irradiated DBA/2 (Fv-2(ss)) recipients which share the same H-2(d) alleles. 5-15 days later, the spleens of DBA/2 primary recipients yielded transformed cells which were capable of producing splenic tumor colonies upon transplantation into adult, unirradiated B10.D2 secondary recipients. Various control experiments clearly indicated that the tumor colonies so induced were of B10.D2 marrow origin. This indicated that B10.D2 stem cells could be transformed when allowed to interact with FV in the spleens of susceptible DBA/2 mice. However, 30 days after transplantation of B10.D2 bone marrow cells into DBA/2 recipients, no transformed cells were detected. Apparently, in the 30-day interval precursors in the B10.D2 marrow gave rise to mature M cells which resisted the leukemic process. Since M cells recognize hybrid or hemopoietic histocompatability antigens expressed on primitive normal and transformed hematopoietic cells, we suggest that M cells may exert surveillance by rejecting leukemic cells. Thus, marrow transplantation from genetically resistant donors may provide a new mode of treatment for leukemia, by providing precursors of M cells and other immunocompetent cell types.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Type-I interferon receptor deficiency reduces lupus-like disease in NZB mice.

Indirect evidence suggests that type-I interferons (IFN-alpha/beta) play a significant role in the pathogenesis of lupus. To directly examine the contribution of these pleiotropic molecules, we created congenic NZB mice lacking the alpha-chain of IFN-alpha/betaR, the common receptor for the multiple IFN-alpha/beta species. Compared with littermate controls, homozygous IFN-alpha/betaR-deleted NZB mice had significantly reduced anti-erythrocyte autoantibodies, erythroblastosis, hemolytic anemia, anti-DNA autoantibodies, kidney disease, and mortality. These reductions were intermediate in the heterozygous-deleted mice. The disease-ameliorating effects were accompanied by reductions in splenomegaly and in several immune cell subsets, including B-1 cells, the major producers of anti-erythrocyte autoantibodies. Decreases of B and T cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo, and of dendritic cell maturation and T cell stimulatory activity in vitro were also detected. Absence of signaling through the IFN-alpha/betaR, however, did not affect increased basal levels of the IFN-responsive p202 phosphoprotein, encoded by a polymorphic variant of the Ifi202 gene associated with the Nba2 predisposing locus in NZB mice. The data indicate that type-I IFNs are important mediators in the pathogenesis of murine lupus, and that reducing their activity in the human counterpart may be beneficial.

Animals↗
PubMed1951

The half-life of passively acquired antibody globulin molecules in infants.

By following the titer of passively acquired Rh antibodies in newborn infants, it is calculated that the half-life of the placenta-passing Rh antibody molecule is approximately 30 days. Evidence is offered that this estimate applies not only to placenta-passing Rh antibodies, but also to other placenta-passing antibodies, and not improbably to serum gamma globulin molecules in general. Studies on the fate of free Rh antibodies in erythroblastotic babies show that these antibodies often are eliminated no more rapidly in Rh-positive babies than in Rh-negative babies. On the other hand, incompatible alpha and beta antibodies, as a rule, are quickly neutralized and eliminated from the body of newborn infants. These observations provide one explanation for the lower incidence of erythroblastosis due to A-B sensitization in comparison with cases resulting from Rh sensitization.

Antibodies↗
PubMed1986

Immunocytochemical localization of RasHa p21 in normal and neoplastic cells in fixed tissue sections from Harvey sarcoma virus-infected mice.

An affinity purified sheep IgG antibody to a 20 amino acid peptide from the carboxyterminal end of RasHa p21 was used to localize RasHa p21 on fixed tissue sections of Harvey sarcoma (HaSV) virus-infected mice by the avidin-biotin-peroxidase immunocytochemical technique. Control sera included immune sheep sera absorbed with the peptide, preimmune sheep sera and a goat polyclonal antibody to Rauscher leukemia virus p30. Neonatal BALB/c mice were injected with HaSV/Moloney leukemia virus (MoLV), MoLV alone or buffer. Short-term fixation in Bouin's fixative was found to be the most effective method for demonstrating p21 in fixed tissue sections. RasHa p21 was found in 5-80% of the induced sarcoma cells, depending on the tissue fixative and antibody dilution. The antigen was localized to the cell membrane and in the cytoplasm. Tumors induced by NIH 3T3 cells transformed with cellular Ha-ras oncogenes had less than 1% immunoreactive tumor cells. Splenic erythroblasts in HaSV-induced erythroblastosis contained membrane antigen as did some reticular cells in lymph nodes draining the sarcomas. Normal tissues of virus-inoculated mice, uninoculated controls or fetuses and selected naturally occurring or induced liver tumors of mice, chemically induced skin tumors of mice, N-nitrosomethylurea-induced mammary tumors of rats, and naturally occurring tumors of F344/NCr rats did not contain immunoreactive p21. Thus, with the use of affinity purified IgG sheep polyclonal antibody to a peptide in RasHa p21, we were able to demonstrate RasHa p21 in tumors and other cells. The degree of immunoreactivity was related to the expected level of p21 expression.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

The thyroid hormone receptor functions as a ligand-operated developmental switch between proliferation and differentiation of erythroid progenitors.

The avian erythroblastosis virus (AEV) oncoprotein v-ErbA represents a mutated, oncogenic thyroid hormone receptor alpha (c-ErbA/ TRalpha). v-ErbA cooperates with the stem cell factor-activated, endogenous receptor tyrosine kinase c-Kit to induce self-renewal and to arrest differentiation of primary avian erythroblasts, the AEV transformation target cells. In this cooperation, v-ErbA substitutes for endogenous steroid hormone receptor function required for sustained proliferation of non-transformed erythroid progenitors. In this paper, we propose a novel concept of how v-ErbA transforms erythroblasts. Using culture media strictly depleted from thyroid hormone (T3) and retinoids, the ligands for c-ErbA/TRalpha and its co-receptor RXR, we show that overexpressed, unliganded c-ErbA/ TRalpha closely resembles v-ErbA in its activity on primary erythroblasts. In cooperation with ligand-activated c-Kit, c-ErbA/ TRalpha causes steroid-independent, long-term proliferation and tightly blocks differentiation. Activation of c-ErbA/ TRalpha by physiological T3 levels causes the loss of self-renewal capacity and induces synchronous, terminal differentiation under otherwise identical conditions. This T3-induced switch in erythroid progenitor development is correlated with a decrease of c-ErbA-associated histone deacetylase activity. Our results suggest that the crucial role of the mutations activating v-erbA as an oncogene is to 'freeze' c-ErbA/ TRalpha in its non-liganded, repressive conformation and to facilitate its overexpression.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Leukemic transformation by the v-ErbA oncoprotein entails constitutive binding to and repression of an erythroid enhancer in vivo.

v-ErbA, a mutated thyroid hormone receptor alpha (TRalpha), is thought to contribute to avian erythroblastosis virus (AEV)-induced leukemic transformation by constitutively repressing transcription of target genes. However, the binding of v-ErbA or any unliganded nuclear receptor to a chromatin-embedded response element as well as the role of the N-CoR-SMRT-HDAC co-repressor complex in mediating repression remain hypothetical. Here we identify a v-ErbA-response element, VRE, in an intronic DNase I hypersensitive site (HS2) of the chicken erythroid carbonic anhydrase II (CAII) gene. In vivo footprinting shows that v-ErbA is constitutively bound to this HS2-VRE in transformed, undifferentiated erythroblasts along with other transcription factors like GATA-1. Transfection assays show that the repressed HS2 region can be turned into a potent enhancer in v-ErbA-expressing cells by mutation of the VRE. Differentiation of transformed cells alleviates v-ErbA binding concomitant with activation of CAII transcription. Co-expression of a gag-TRalpha fusion protein in AEV-transformed cells and addition of ligand derepresses CAII transcription. Treatment of transformed cells with the histone deacetylase inhibitor, trichostatin A, derepresses the endogenous, chromatin-embedded CAII gene, while a transfected HS2-enhancer construct remains repressed. Taken together, our data suggest that v-ErbA prevents CAII activation by 'neutralizing' in cis the activity of erythroid transcription factors.

Alpharetrovirus↗
PubMed1990

Cytotoxic T lymphocyte recognition of the H-2-erbB hybrid gene product lacking the complete H-2 domain structure.

The chimeric mouse MHC class I gene derived from a recombinant H-2Kb gene, in which the coding region for a large part of alpha 1 and alpha 2 extracellular domains was replaced with a partial avian erythroblastosis virus erbB gene segment encoding the kinase domain, was successfully introduced into a mouse mastocytoma line P1.HTR (H-2d) and transcribed to mRNA. The transfectant cells expressed the chimeric gene product, which was reactive to a phosphotyrosine-specific antibody. When the chimeric gene transfectant was inoculated into CDF1(H-2d) or BDF1(H-2d/b) mice, it grew at an early time but regressed thereafter. Transfectant-specific as well as parental P1.HTR-specific antibody activities were demonstrated in the sera of these mice. Transfectant-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) were generated in the antigen-sensitized culture of spleen cells from the transfectant-immune mice. The CTL-mediated lysis of target chimeric gene transfectant cells was poorly inhibited by anti-H-2d antiserum, which blocked the lysis of parental P1.HTR cells by anti-tumor CTL developed in parallel. The former was, however, inhibited by either anti-transfectant antiserum or anti-phosphotyrosine antibody, which was ineffective for blocking the latter. Target cell lysis by either anti-transfectant or anti-tumor CTL was blocked by anti-CD8 monoclonal antibody but not by anti-CD4 antibody. It was suggested from these results that the H-2K-erbB hybrid gene product, which lacks complete three-domain class I structure, was recognized by CTL in a manner that was endogenous H-2 class I-independent but CD8-dependent.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Hormone-independent in vitro erythroid colony formation by bone marrow cells from Rauscher virus-infected mice.

Bone marrow cells from BALB/c mice infected with Rauscher erythroblastosis virus produced five to twenty-five times more erythroid colonies in vitro in the absence of erythropoietin (EP) as compared to normal cells. A good correlation existed between the state of the disease and the number of hormone-independent erythroid colony-forming cells (CFU-E). A significant number of hormone-independent CFU-E was found as early as 3 days after infection. A linear relationship existed between the number of cells plated and the number of erythroid colonies formed in vitro. Addition of EP did not enhance colony formation, even at low cell concentrations. Feeder layer experiments demonstrated that EP-independent colony formation was not due to the production of endogenous EP. Repeated injections of phenylhydrazine into normal mice did not lead to the loss of EP responsiveness in vitro; this indicated that the hormone independency induced by the virus was not due to continuous erythropoietic stimulation in vivo. Besides hormone independency, the CFU-E from infected mice required less serum in the culture medium. Normal erythroid colonies regressed after 4 days of culture, but EP-independent colonies from infected mice persisted for more than 2 weeks. These three phenomena may be regarded as indicative for a physiologic transformation.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Granulopoiesis in "preleukemic" mice with anemia induced by Rauscher leukemia virus, variant a.

To understand further the hematopoietic dyscrasias induced by a variant (a) of Rauscher leukemia virus (RLV), we used Escherichia coli endotoxin to stress the hematopoietic system of control and RLV/a-infected BALB/c mice. During the preleukemic stages of virus infection, there was slight splenomegaly without peripheral blood erythroblastosis. Granulocyte release and tissue mobilization mechanisms appeared unaffected by the RLV/a infection. Both RLV/a-infected and control mice reacted to endotoxin with peripheral granulocytosis and peritoneal granulocyte mobilization, though the circulating granulocyte levels in RLV/a-treated mice initially were lower than those in controls. Spleen of RLV/a-infected animals were larger than those of controls, but both responded to endotoxin with elevated numbers of granulocytes and erythroblasts. Since numbers of bone marrow erythroblasts in both groups of mice were decreased after endotoxin, stem cell competition and/or shunting of stem cells from marrow to spleen may have been involved. Endotoxin also induced rapid falls in hematocrit levels in both groups. These studies suggested that RLV/a-infected mice can be a model to study 1) erythropoietic dysfunction uncomplicated by defective granulopoietic release and tissue mobilization control mechanisms, and 2) progression of evolving granulocytic leukemia.

Anemia↗
PubMed1986

Genetic study of lymphoma induction by Friend murine leukemia virus in crosses involving AKR mice.

The AKR mouse strain is uniquely susceptible to thymic lymphoma. Friend murine leukemia virus (F-MuLV) induced thymic lymphoma in this strain after a median latency of 3-4 months, whereas in several other mouse strains F-MuLV caused erythroblastosis. In the investigation of genetic determinants of the AKR predisposition to thymic lymphoma, series of congenic mouse strains and progeny of crosses involving AKR mice were inoculated with F-MuLV; these mice were followed for the development of lymphoma. The results suggested that AKR genes on chromosomes 7 and 15, other than inherited ecotropic virus, are involved in the predisposition to rapid onset of thymic lymphoma after inoculation with F-MuLV.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Identification of nucleotide preferences in DNA sequences recognised specifically by c-Ets-1 protein.

The protooncogene Ets-1 is a member of the c-Ets family of genes originally identified through their sequence homology to the v-ets gene of the avian erythroblastosis virus E26. Ets-like factors are characterised by a conserved 85 amino acid domain which appears to be essential for binding to purine rich DNA sequences. Sequences binding to Ets-1 were selected from a random oligonucleotide pool by immunoprecipitation and amplified using the Polymerase Chain Reaction. Oligonucleotides enriched by this procedure were cloned in plasmids and sequenced. Alignment of DNA sequences revealed GGAA and GGAT cores at about a 1.4:1 ratio. Preferred sequences were identified both 5' and 3' of the GGAW core, extending the binding site to ACMGGAWRTT. Analysis of the flanking sequences associated with GGAA and GGAT cores revealed differences which may have compensated for the generally lower affinity of binding sites containing a GGAT core. Lastly mutational analysis of one particular Ets-1 binding site was used to establish the relative importance for binding of some nucleotides within the core and to show that Ets-1 and the closely related Ets-2 proteins bind to similar sequences.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Characterization of different B-F (MHC class I) molecules in the chicken.

B-F alloantisera recognized distinct 45-Kd molecules on peripheral red blood cells (RBC) from embryonic chickens and heterogeneous molecules of approximately 40 to 44 Kd on peripheral RBC from adult chickens, provisionally referred to as type 1 and type 2, respectively. Type 2 molecules migrated to the basic end of isoelectric focusing gels, exhibited multiple isomorphic variants, and were associated with a smaller polypeptide of approximately 11 to 12 Kd assumed to be beta-2-microglobulin. Type 1 molecules migrated to the acidic end of isoelectric focusing gels, exhibited limited heterogeneity, and were not associated with a smaller polypeptide. Type 1 and type 2 molecules were also shown to be distinct by peptide mapping and serological analyses. In addition, two distinct molecular-weight forms of the type 2 molecules were distinguished, provisionally referred to as 2A (45 Kd) and 2B (42 Kd). In vivo-derived avian erythroblastosis virus (AEV)-transformed erythroleukemia cells expressed type 2A molecules. In vitro-derived AEV-transformed erythroleukemia cells expressed very low levels of B-F molecules; however, they expressed type 2B molecules when induced to differentiate. Normal bursa-derived lymphoid cells expressed type 2A molecules, whereas normal thymus-derived lymphoid cells expressed type 2B molecules. Cloned reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV)-transformed immature lymphoid cells expressed either type 2A or type 2B molecules.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Characterization of two distinct disulfide-linked B-G molecules in the chicken.

Alloantisera specific for B-G antigens recognized a complex of molecules of apparent molecular weights of 90 and 98 Kd under nonreducing conditions and molecules of 40, 44, and 48 Kd under reducing conditions on both embryo- and adult-derived peripheral red blood cells (RBC). The chicken B-G molecules produced a unique two-dimensional "diagonal" pattern. Two antisera permitted the characterization of the complex B-G molecular profile as a homodimer composed of 48-Kd subunits and as a heterodimer composed of 40- and 44-Kd subunits. A rabbit antiserum produced against B-G molecules preferentially recognized the 48-Kd reduced molecules, suggesting that the 90-Kd molecule was a homodimer composed of two 48-Kd molecules. One B-G reagent was capable of recognizing only the 98-Kd nonreduced B-G molecule that gave rise to 40- and 44-Kd molecules under reducing conditions, suggesting that the 98-Kd molecule was a heterodimer composed of 44- and 40-Kd subunits. Adult chicken B-G2 molecules produced a variety of two-dimensional isoelectric focusing/sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (IEF/SDS-PAGE) patterns depending on the characteristics of the reagent employed in the immunoprecipitation. B-G molecules were immunoprecipitated from primitive and definitive chicken RBCs but not from any nonerythroid cells tested. B-G molecules were not expressed by avian erythroblastosis virus (AEV)-transformed erythroleukemia cells, nor were they induced to appear with butyric acid-induced erythroid differentiation.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Mitogenic signal transduction caused by monomethylarsonous acid in human bladder cells: role in arsenic-induced carcinogenesis.

Previous studies have shown that human bladder cells (UROtsa), a target of arsenic-induced cancer, can biotransform arsenite to monomethylarsonous acid (MMA(III)), which is more cytotoxic and capable of transforming the UROtsa cells following long-term, low-level exposure. Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) causes hyperplasia in bladder cells and is considered a key biomarker in bladder cancer. To investigate the role of mitogenic pathway stimulation in MMA(III)-induced transformation, UROtsa cells were treated with 50nM MMA(III) for 12, 24, or 52 weeks and analyzed by Western blot for COX-2 expression. Elevations in COX-2 expression were noted following chronic MMA(III) exposure, and this induction increased with duration of exposure, suggesting that COX-2 or the signal transduction pathways responsible for COX-2 protein expression may play a role in MMA(III)-induced transformation. Acute exposure studies found MMA(III) treatment (10, 50, and 100nM, 4 h) induced COX-2 in UROtsa cells with the lowest doses (10 and 50nM) causing the strongest induction. Using pharmacological inhibitors of various pathways, it was shown that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK-1/-2), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), and src were important in the induction of COX-2 by MMA(III). ERK-2 phosphorylation was verified by Western blot analysis with a peak at 15 min, and c-jun was translocated to the nucleus following 50nM MMA(III) treatment. To determine MMA(III) targets, receptors of the erythroblastosis oncogene family (ErbB) family were further investigated. Chronic MMA(III) exposure led to upregulation of the EGFR or ErbB1. Short-term MMA(III) treatment caused the phosphorylation of ErbB2 in its autophosphorylation site. To verify the importance of these signaling pathways to the growth of the MMA(III)-transformed UROtsa cells in soft agar, various inhibitors were used to block pathways and monitor cells growth. Pathways of importance in anchorage-independent growth of UROtsa cells chronically exposed to MMA(III) are src, PI3K, and COX-1 and -2. As COX-2 is an important mediator that contributes to carcinogenesis via promotion of cell proliferation, inhibition of cell death, induction of angiogenesis, and facilitation of invasion, and it is highly upregulated both acutely and chronically in the MMA(III)-transformed cells, it is likely that activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway and increased COX-2 expression is a plausible mechanism for MMA(III) bladder carcinogenesis.

Cell Line↗
PubMed1993

ErbA: tumor suppressor turned oncogene?

Cancer has been commonly linked to aberrant proliferation and a failure of the transformed cells to differentiate. Activated proto-oncogenes are thought to provide continuous proliferation signals that enhance the growth of these cells. Conversely, cellular transformation may also be achieved by the inactivation of genes whose normal function is to constrain cell growth by either suppressing proliferation or inducing differentiation. Such an inactivation could result from dominant-negative mutations, leading to the expression of abnormal proteins that inhibit the function of their normal counterparts. A prototype example is the v-erbA oncogene of the avian erythroblastosis virus (AEV), which antagonizes the transcriptional regulatory function of the chicken c-ErbA/thyroid hormone receptors (c-ErbA/TR) and the structurally related retinoic acid receptors (RARs). The result of this inhibition is a loss of hormone responsiveness and hormone-induced differentiation. Here we have a parallel to the tumor suppressor gene where it is also a loss of function that induces the transformation process. In this way, the normal, hormone-activated c-ErbA/TRs and RARs act as growth suppressors because the resulting differentiated cells irreversibly lose proliferative potential. In this article, the properties of v-ErbA will be discussed in the context of c-ErbA/thyroid hormone and retinoic acid receptor function.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1987

Other causes of fetal death.

Although perinatal mortality rates have fallen considerably in the past several decades, the fetal component of this statistic has not decreased as rapidly as the neonatal portion. Syphilis, a significant cause of fetal death at the beginning of this century, has been eliminated and other conditions such as erythroblastosis fetalis and diabetes mellitus have been markedly reduced. It is clear, however, that minimum fetal mortality has not been achieved. Potentially salvagable fetuses still die from the effects of maternal hypertension, intrauterine growth retardation, and post-maturity. Widespread application of current knowledge and techniques would save some of these fetuses; others will only be saved with an increased understanding of pathological processes and their treatment. In the meantime, it is imperative that those involved in obstetrical care follow the sound principles of accurate determination of gestation age, identification of patients at risk for fetal death, meticulous care of associated medical conditions, and careful attention to the progress of pregnancy.

Female↗