PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

A Bardelli

Publications and source records attributed to A Bardelli.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Regulation of the urokinase-type plasminogen activator gene by the oncogene Tpr-Met involves GRB2.

The oncogene Tpr-Met is a constitutively active form of the hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) receptor Met. It comprises the intracellular moiety of Met linked to the dimerization domain of the nuclear envelope protein Tpr, thus functioning as a constitutively activated Met. HGF/SF is responsible for various biological processes including angiogenesis and wound healing, in which secreted serine protease urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) is implicated. The action of HGF/SF on cells is mediated by the autophosphorylation of Met on two carboxyterminal tyrosine residues, Y1349VHVNATVY1356VNV. The two tyrosine residues provide docking sites for various effector molecules, suggesting that multiple signaling pathways are activated to exert biological effects of HGF/SF [Ponzetto et al., Cell (1994) 77: 261]. We found that Tpr-Met efficiently activates the uPA gene via a SOS/Ras/extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK)-dependent signaling pathway. Mutation of Y1356, which abrogates GRB2 binding, reduced the induction to half of the control level, while mutation of Y1349 showed little effect on uPA induction, suggesting an important but partly replaceable role for GRB2 in Met-dependent uPA gene induction. Mutation of both Y1349VHV and Y1356VNV into optimal PI 3-kinase sites resulted in a residual induction of about one quarter of the control level, suggesting a potential role for PI 3-kinase. Dose-response analysis of the Tpr-Met showed a biphasic curve. These results suggest that the interplay among different signaling molecules on the receptor is important for full induction of the pathway leading to the activation of the uPA gene.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1997

Scatter factor receptors are key players in a unique multistep program leading to invasive growth.

Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) is the prototype of a family of structurally related soluble molecules (scatter factors) which also includes the HGF-like/macrophage-stimulating protein (HGF1/MSP). HGF/SF and HGF1/MSP control a complex genetic program known as 'invasive growth' which leads to cell dissociation, proliferation, invasion of extracellular matrix, prevention of apoptosis, acquisition of polarity and tubule formation. The HGF/SF and HGF1/MSP receptors are the tyrosine kinases encoded by the homologous genes met and ron. During development coordinated control of invasive growth by HGF-Met is essential. Met and Ron receptor signalling occurs via a two-phosphotyrosine multifunctional docking site located in their C-terminal regions. Activation of Ras and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase through the multifunctional docking site is required for receptor-mediated invasive growth. In a number of malignant tumours met and ron are mutated, amplified or overexpressed. Oncogenically activated met and ron confer transforming, invasive and metastatic properties to normal cells. Point mutations of the multifunctional docking site dissociate the transforming potential from the invasive-metastatic phenotype showing that distinct signalling pathways are involved. This review summarizes the recent progress made in understanding the signalling mechanisms initiated by the scatter factor receptors leading to invasive growth.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

HGF receptor associates with the anti-apoptotic protein BAG-1 and prevents cell death.

The mechanisms by which apoptosis is prevented by survival factors are largely unknown. Using an interaction cloning approach, we identified a protein that binds to the intracellular domain of the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor. This protein was identified as BAG-1, a recently characterized Bcl-2 functional partner, which prolongs cell survival through unknown mechanisms. Overexpression of BAG-1 in liver progenitor cells enhances protection from apoptosis by HGF. Association of the receptor with BAG-1 occurs in intact cells, is mediated by the C-terminal region of BAG-1 and is independent from tyrosine phosphorylation of the receptor. Formation of the complex is increased rapidly following induction of apoptosis. BAG-1 also enhances platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-mediated protection from apoptosis and associates with the PDGF receptor. Microinjection or transient expression of BAG-1 deletion mutants shows that both the N- and the C-terminal domains are required for protection from apoptosis. The finding of a link between growth factor receptors and the anti-apoptotic machinery fills a gap in the understanding of the molecular events regulating programmed cell death.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Specific uncoupling of GRB2 from the Met receptor. Differential effects on transformation and motility.

The biological effects of hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor are mediated by autophosphorylation of its receptor, the Met tyrosine kinase, on two carboxyl-terminal tyrosines. These phosphotyrosines (Y1349VHVNATY1356VNV) are multifunctional docking sites for several effectors. Grb2, the adaptor for the Ras guanyl-nucleotide exchanger SOS, binds to Tyr1356 in the YVNV motif. By site-directed mutagenesis we either abrogated or duplicated the Grb2 consensus, without interfering with the other effectors. Loss of the link with Grb2 severely impaired transformation. The same mutation, however, had no effect on the "scattering" response, indicating that the level of signal which can be reached by Grb2-independent routes is permissive for motility. Duplication of the Grb2 binding site enhanced transformation and left motility unchanged. Thus, two Met-mediated biological responses, motility and growth, can be dissociated on the basis of their differential requirement for a direct link with Ras.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1996

The full oncogenic activity of Ret/ptc2 depends on tyrosine 539, a docking site for phospholipase Cgamma.

RET/PTC oncogenes, generated by chromosomal rearrangements in papillary thyroid carcinomas, are constitutively activated versions of proto-RET, a gene coding for a receptor-type tyrosine kinase (TK) whose ligand is still unknown. RET/PTCs encode fusion proteins in which proto-RET TK and C-terminal domains are fused to different donor genes. The respective Ret/ptc oncoproteins display constitutive TK activity and tyrosine phosphorylation. We found that Ret/ptcs associate with and phosphorylate the SH2-containing transducer phospholipase Cgamma (PLCgamma). Two putative PLCgamma docking sites, Tyr-505 and Tyr-539, have been identified on Ret/ptc2 by competition experiments using phosphorylated peptides modelled on Ret sequence. Transfection experiments and biochemical analysis using Tyr-->Phe mutants of Ret/ptc2 allowed us to rule out Tyr-505 and to identify Tyr-539 as a functional PLCgamma docking site in vivo. Moreover, kinetic measurements showed that Tyr-539 is able to mediate high-affinity interaction with PLCgamma. Mutation of Tyr-539 resulted in a drastically reduced oncogenic activity of Ret/ptc2 on NIH 3T3 cells (75 to 90% reduction) both in vitro and in vivo, which correlates with impaired ability of Ret/ptc2 to activate PLCgamma. In conclusion, this paper demonstrates that Tyr-539 of Ret/ptc2 (Tyr-761 on the proto-RET product) is an essential docking site for the full transforming potential of the oncogene. In addition, the present data identify PLCgamma as a downstream effector of Ret/ptcs and suggest that this transducing molecule could play a crucial role in neoplastic signalling triggered by Ret/ptc oncoproteins.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1995

The motogenic and mitogenic responses to HGF are amplified by the Shc adaptor protein.

The receptor of Hepatocyte Growth Factor-Scatter Factor (HGF) is a tyrosine kinase which regulates cell motility and growth. After ligand-induced tyrosine phosphorylation, the HGF receptor associates with the Shc adaptor, via the SH2 domain. Site-directed mutagenesis of the HGF receptor indicates that phosphotyrosines Y1349VHV and Y1356VNV can work as docking sites for Shc. The Kd of this interaction, measured in real time using synthetic phosphopeptides and recombinant Shc on a BIAcore biosensor, is 150 nm for both sites. After stimulation of the HGF receptor, Shc is phosphorylated on Y317VNV, generating an high affinity binding site for Grb2 (Kd = 15 nM). This duplicates the high affinity binding site for Grb2 present on the HGF receptor (Y1356VNV). Thus HGF stimulation can trigger the Ras pathway by recruiting Grb2 both directly through the receptor, and indirectly, through Shc. Overexpression of wild-type Shc, but not of the Y317-->F mutant, enhances cell migration and growth in response to HGF. These data show that Shc is a relevant substrate of the HGF receptor, and works as an 'amplifier' of the motogenic as well as of the mitogenic response.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1995

Biological activation of pro-HGF (hepatocyte growth factor) by urokinase is controlled by a stoichiometric reaction.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a paracrine inducer of morphogenesis and invasive growth in epithelial and endothelial cells. HGF is secreted by mesenchymal cells as an inactive precursor (pro-HGF). The crucial step for HGF activation is the extracellular hydrolysis of the Arg494-Val495 bond, which converts pro-HGF into alpha beta-HGF, the high-affinity ligand for the Met receptor. We previously reported that the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) activates pro-HGF in vitro. We now show that this is a stoichiometric reaction, and provide evidence for its occurrence in tissue culture. Activation involves the formation of a stable complex between pro-HGF and uPA. This complex was isolated from the in vitro reaction of pure uPA with recombinant pro-HGF, as well as from the membrane of target cells, after sequential addition of uPA and pro-HGF. On the cell membrane, the uPA-HGF complex was bound to the Met receptor. Monocytic cell lines, and primary monocytes after adhesion, activated efficiently pro-HGF both on their surface and in the culture medium. This activation was inhibited by anti-catalytic anti-uPA antibodies, and occurred by a stoichiometric reaction. The stoichiometry of the activation reaction suggests that the biological effects of HGF can be titrated in vivo by the level of uPA activity. Adequate amounts of uPA can be locally provided by the macrophages, which would condition the tissue microenvironment by rendering HGF bioavailable to its target cells.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1994

Identification of functional domains in the hepatocyte growth factor and its receptor by molecular engineering.

Hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) is a heparin-binding polypeptide which shares structural domains with enzymes of the blood clotting cascade. HGF/SF is secreted by cells of mesodermal origin and has powerful mitogenic, motogenic and morphogenic activity on epithelial and endothelial cells. HGF/SF is produced as a biologically inactive single-chain precursor (pro-HGF/SF) most of which is sequestered on the cell surface or bound to the extracellular matrix. Maturation into the active alpha beta heterodimer results from proteolytic cleavage by a urokinase-type protease, which acts as a pro-HGF/SF convertase. The primary determinant for receptor binding appears to be located within the alpha-chain. The interaction of the alpha-chain with the receptor is sufficient for the activation of the signal cascade involved in the motility response. However, the complete HGF/SF protein seems to be required to elicit a mitogenic response. HGF/SF binds with high affinity to a transmembrane receptor, p190MET, encoded by the MET proto-oncogene. p190MET is the prototype of a distinct subfamily of heterodimeric tyrosine kinases, including the putative receptors Ron and Sea. The mature form of p190MET is a heterodimer of two disulfide-linked subunits (alpha and beta). The alpha-subunit is extracellular and heavily glycosylated. The beta-subunit consists of an extracellular portion involved in ligand binding, a membrane spanning segment, and a cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase domain. Both subunits derive from glycosylation and proteolytic cleavage of a common precursor of 170 kDa. In polarized epithelial cells the HGF/SF receptor is selectively exposed in the basolateral plasmalemma, where it is associated with detergent-insoluble components. Two Met isoforms, carrying an intact ligand binding domain but lacking the kinase domain due to truncation of the beta-subunit, arise from alternative post-transcriptional processing of the mature form. One truncated form is soluble and released from the cells. HGF/SF binding triggers tyrosine autophosphorylation of the receptor beta-subunit. Autophosphorylation on the major phosphorylation site Y1235 upregulates the kinase activity of the receptor, increasing the Vmax of the phosphotransfer reaction. Negative regulation of the kinase activity occurs through phosphorylation of a unique serine residue (S985) located in the juxtamembrane domain of the receptor. This phosphorylation is triggered by two distinct pathways involving either protein kinase C activation or increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration. Upon ligand binding, the HGF/SF receptor recruits and activates several cytoplasmic effectors, including phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-K), phospholipase C-gamma (PLC-gamma), pp60c-Src, a tyrosine phosphatase, and a Ras-guanine nucleotide exchanger.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

A multifunctional docking site mediates signaling and transformation by the hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor receptor family.

Signaling by tyrosine kinase receptors is mediated by selective interactions between individual Src homology 2 (SH2) domains of cytoplasmic effectors and specific phosphotyrosine residues in the activated receptor. Here, we report the existence in the hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) receptor of a multifunctional docking site made of the tandemly arranged degenerate sequence YVH/NV. Phosphorylation of this site mediates intermediate- to high-affinity interactions with multiple SH2-containing signal transducers, including phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, phospholipase C gamma, pp60c-src, and the GRB-2-Sos complex. Mutation of the two tyrosines results in loss of biological function, as shown by abrogation of the transforming activity in the oncogenic counterpart of the receptor. The same bidentate motif is conserved in the evolutionarily related receptors Sea and Ron, suggesting that in all members of the HGF/SF receptor family, signal transduction is channeled through a multifunctional binding site.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1994

Hepatocyte growth factor and its receptor, the tyrosine kinase encoded by the c-MET proto-oncogene.

HGF is secreted by mesenchymal cells and regulates motogenesis, mitogenesis, and morphogenesis of epithelial and endothelial cells. HGF is a heterodimer of two glycosylated chains, alpha and beta, bound together by a disulfide bond. The molecule is synthesized as single chain precursor devoid of biological activity (pro-HGF). The critical step in pro-HGF activation is a proteolytic cleavage generating the two chain form. This step occurs in the extracellular environment, and is catalyzed by urokinase. Two alternative transcripts originate two HGF variants. One bears a deletion of five amino acids in the alpha chain, and has the same properties of the full-size protein. The other one contains only the first portion of the alpha chain (two kringle HGF). Two kringle HGF binds the HGF receptor, triggers its tyrosine kinase activity and behaves as a partial agonist, inducing motogenesis but not mitogenesis in target cells. The HGF receptor is the tyrosine kinase encoded by the c-MET pro-oncogene, a tyrosine kinase receptor. This molecule is an heterodimer of an extracellular alpha chain disulfide linked to a transmembrane beta chain. The cytoplasmic portion of the beta chain contains the catalytic domain and critical sites for the regulation of its kinase activity. In the C-terminal tail, a bidentate motif containing two tyrosines associates the transducers responsible for HGF signalling.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Tyrosines1234-1235 are critical for activation of the tyrosine kinase encoded by the MET proto-oncogene (HGF receptor).

The tyrosine kinase encoded by the MET proto-oncogene (p190MET) is the receptor for Hepatocyte Growth Factor/Scatter Factor (HGF/SF). Previous work has shown that autophosphorylation of p190MET enhances its enzymatic activity and that the major phosphorylation site is Tyr1235, located in the catalytic domain. This residue is part of a 'three tyrosine' motif, including Tyr1230, Tyr1234, and Tyr1235, conserved in several other receptor kinases. We studied the role of these tyrosines in the positive regulation of the p190MET kinase by site-directed mutagenesis. Substitution of either Tyr1235 or Tyr1234 with phenylalanine severely reduced the in vitro kinase activity toward exogenous substrates. Kinetic experiments showed that the residual activity of these mutants could still be enhanced by autophosphorylation. Phosphopeptide mapping indicated that, in the absence of Tyr1235, Tyr1234 is phosphorylated. Only the replacement of both Tyr1234 and Tyr1235 yielded a mutant which completely lost the ability to be activated by autophosphorylation. In stable transfectants expressing the HGF/SF receptor with single substitution of either Tyr1234 or Tyr1235 the response to HGF/SF was impaired. The ligand did not induce tyrosine phosphorylation of the receptor nor stimulated chemotaxis. These data show that Tyr1234 and Tyr1235 are critical for the activation of the HGF/SF receptor kinase both in vitro and in response to the ligand in intact cells.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1993

A novel recognition motif for phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase binding mediates its association with the hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor receptor.

The pleiotropic effects (mitogenesis, motogenesis, and morphogenesis) elicited by hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF) are mediated by the activation of the tyrosine kinase receptor encoded by the MET proto-oncogene. Following autophosphorylation, the receptor associates with the p85/110 phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase complex in vivo and in vitro. By a combination of two complementary approaches, competition with synthetic phosphopeptides and association with Tyr-Phe receptor mutants, we have identified Y-1349 and Y-1356 in the HGF/SF receptor as the binding sites for PI 3-kinase. Y-1349VHV and Y-1356VNV do not conform to the canonical consensus sequence YXXM for PI 3-kinase binding and thus define YVXV as a novel recognition motif. Y-1349 and Y-1356 are located within the C-terminal portion of the HGF/SF receptor and are phosphorylation sites. The affinity of the N- and C-terminal src homology region 2 (SH2) domains of p85 for the phosphopeptides including Y-1349 and Y-1356 is 2 orders of magnitude lower than that measured for Y-751 in the platelet-derived growth factor receptor binding site. However, the closely spaced duplication of the novel recognition motif in the native HGF/SF receptor may allow binding with both SH2 domains of p85, thus generating an efficient docking site for PI 3-kinase. In agreement with this model, we have observed that a phosphopeptide including both Y-1349 and Y-1356 activates PI 3-kinase in vitro.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Autophosphorylation promotes complex formation of recombinant hepatocyte growth factor receptor with cytoplasmic effectors containing SH2 domains.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), also known as scatter factor (SF), is a polypeptide which induces motility and/or mitogenesis in epithelial cells. The receptor for HGF/SF, p190MET, is a two-chain transmembrane tyrosine kinase encoded by the MET proto-oncogene. To identify the cytoplasmic effectors involved in signal transduction we have produced the human HGF/SF receptor in insect cells (Sf9) by means of a recombinant baculovirus. Two 170-kDa forms of the receptor were synthesized in Sf9 cells: the uncleaved single-chain precursor (which is by far the more abundant) and the proteolytically processed two-chain molecule. Both receptor species are phosphorylated on tyrosine in vivo and are active kinases in vitro. The recombinant receptor binds and phosphorylates in vitro four known cytoplasmic transducers containing src homology region 2 (SH2) domains: the 85-kDa subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (Pl 3-kinase), rasGAP, phospholipase-C gamma (PLC-gamma), and p59Fyn, a tyrosine kinase of the src family. In all cases the association is strictly dependent on tyrosine phosphorylation of the receptor, indicating that it occurs via specific interaction with the SH2 domains. These results show that the HGF/SF receptor has the sequence requirements for binding a spectrum of cytoplasmic transducers whose different combinations in target cells may result in the observed pleiotropic biological response.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Scatter factor and hepatocyte growth factor are indistinguishable ligands for the MET receptor.

Scatter Factor (SF) is a fibroblast-secreted protein which promotes motility and matrix invasion of epithelial cells. Hepatocyte Growth Factor (HGF) is a powerful mitogen for hepatocytes and other epithelial tissues. SF and HGF, purified according to their respective biological activities, were interchangeable and equally effective in assays for cell growth, motility and invasion. Both bound with identical affinities to the same sites in target cells. The receptor for SF and HGF was identified as the product of the MET oncogene by: (i) ligand binding and coprecipitation in immunocomplexes; (ii) chemical crosslinking to the Met beta subunit; (iii) transfer of binding activity in insect cells by a baculovirus carrying the MET cDNA; (iv) ligand-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the Met beta subunit. SF and HGF cDNA clones from human fibroblasts, placenta and liver had virtually identical sequences. We conclude that the same molecule (SF/HGF) acts as a growth or motility factor through a single receptor in different target cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1987

[Computerized tomography in the diagnosis of abscesses of the posterior pararenal space secondary to surgical interventions on the abdomen].

The authors analyse the possibilities offered by CT in the diagnosis of the abscesses of the posterior pararenal space (secondary to surgical operation) relating 10 cases observed. The features described by many authors in the latest literature are compared with those observed in the cases reported, showing the real diagnostic sensibility of CT in these situations of relative urgency. The panoramic image offered by CT is particularly useful in the "blind " examinations and in exactly directing the surgical approach or, in alternative, the echo-guided percutaneous puncture of the abscess.

Abdomen↗