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A Hakura

Publications and source records attributed to A Hakura.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Determination of the functional difference between human papillomavirus type 6 and 16 E7 proteins by their 30 N-terminal amino acid residues.

Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV 16) is often found in cervical carcinomas, while HPV 6 is frequently associated with benign genital lesions. We have compared the abilities of the E7 transforming proteins of HPV 6 and 16 to transform various established and primary rodent cells by using the same heterologous promoter system. HPV 16 E7 efficiently induced anchorage-independent growth of all the rodent cell lines tested and immortalized or cooperated with ras in transforming primary rat cells. On the other hand, the transforming activity of HPV 6 E7 was lower and was restricted. By construction of chimeras of HPV 6 and 16 E7, we found that the difference in transforming activity between the two E7 proteins was mainly determined by the difference in their 30 N-terminal amino acid residues, although some activities seem to be slightly affected by differences in their residual C-terminal portions.

3T3 Cells↗

Stability of p53 protein in rat cells transformed by various viral transforming genes.

To clarify the correlation between metabolic stabilization of p53 protein and cellular transformation, we transformed the normal rat cell line F2408 with various viral transforming genes and examined the expression and stability of p53 protein in these transformed cells by pulse-chase immunoprecipitation experiments. As expected, the level of p53 in the SV40-transformed rat cell line was higher than that in the normal cell line and its stability was also increased. In contrast, in cells transformed with the E7 and E6 genes of human papillomavirus type 16, the level and stability of p53 were similar to those in the normal cells. In cells transformed by the middle T or large T of polyomavirus, v-K-ras, and v-src, the levels and stabilities of p53 were also not elevated, although the level of p53 was increased in activated c-H-ras-transformed cells without an increase in its stability. These results show that increased stability and expression of the p53 protein are not common events in viral transformation of the rat cell line. In addition, we demonstrated with a monoclonal antibody specific for the mutant form of p53 that cellular transformation by viral transforming genes does not involve mutational activation of p53 to an oncogenic form.

Animals↗

Rat cellular mutants for expression of mRNA from the long terminal repeat of murine retrovirus.

Previously we isolated revertants from a rat cell line transformed by recombinant murine retrovirus containing the v-src gene. These mutant cell lines, R78 and R107, showed low src-kinase activity, but retained wild-type transforming retrovirus, suggesting that a cellular gene involved in viral gene expression was mutated. Southern and Northern hybridization analyses showed that the expression of viral mRNAs from the integrated proviral DNA was reduced in these mutant cells. DNA transfection experiments with various transforming genes and promoters revealed that the mutant cell lines were resistant to transformation by transforming genes expressed under the long terminal repeat (LTR) of Moloney murine leukemia virus (Mo-MuLV). In contrast, these cell lines could be efficiently transformed by the same transforming genes with human metallothionein promoter, polyomavirus promoter-enhancer, and c-H-ras promoter. Transient expression assays using plasmids containing the CAT gene under the LTR of Mo-MuLV also showed that CAT activity expressed under the LTR in these mutant cells was lower than that in the parental cell line, No. 7. These results suggest that cellular mutations of R78 and R107 cells affect specific transcription from the LTR of Mo-MuLV. Studies using various constructs of the LTR CAT indicated that the region responsible for the repression was located in a fragment (-328 to -150) of the LTR containing the 72-bp repeat enhancer. Somatic cell hybridization experiments showed that the mutant phenotype of these mutant cell lines is dominant to that of the parental cell line.

Animals↗

Similarity, in molecular structure and function, between the plant toxin purothionin and the mammalian pore-forming proteins.

Many proteins containing domains of a cysteine-rich repeated motif, such as epidermal growth factor (EGF), have been reported. Here we report strong similarity between the amino acid sequence of a plant toxin--i.e., purothionin and its homologues--and with those of a domain found in mammalian pore-forming cytoplasmic proteins: components of complement and perforin of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes or natural killer-like cytotoxic cells. These similar sequences were found to be identical to the so-called EGF-like cysteine-rich repeated motif itself. Electron-microscopic observations indicated that, like complement and perforin, purothionin forms pores in the cytoplasmic membrane of target cells, resulting in their death within a few hours. On the basis of these sequence comparisons and physiological functions, we propose a scheme for the evolution of proteins containing modules of the cysteine-rich repeat motif.

3T3 Cells↗

Identification of antibodies against human papillomavirus type 16 E6 and E7 proteins in sera of patients with cervical neoplasias.

We have developed a sensitive and specific ELISA method using the s10-fusion proteins of human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 E6 and E7, expressed in E. coli. Sera from 97 women (30 patients with invasive cervical cancers, 26 patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia III (CIN III) and 38 healthy women) were tested for the presence of antibodies to E6 and E7 proteins. Eight (27%) of the 30 cervical cancer sera, five (19%) of the 26 CIN sera and none of the 38 normal sera were reactive with E6 proteins (cut-off point: absorbance (A) = 0.59, x +3SD). Ten (33%) of the 30 cervical cancer sera, two (8%) of the 26 CIN III sera and none of the 38 normal sera were reactive with E7 proteins (cut-off point: A = 0.40, x +3SD). The mean absorbance for anti-E7 antibody in positive cases was higher in cancer patients than in CIN III patients, while that for E6 did not differ between these two groups. Interestingly, six (50%) of 12 cancer sera which reacted with either E6 or E7 proteins were reactive for both proteins, whereas none of the sera from the CIN III patients reacted with both proteins. The high prevalence rates and high absorbance values for HPV 16 E6 and E7 antibodies in association with malignant transformation suggest that detection of these antibodies may be a useful diagnostic aid for cervical cancer-associated HPV 16.

Adult↗

Immortalization of fetal mouse brain glial cells by human papillomavirus type 16 E7 genes.

Fetal mouse brain glial cells in primary cultures were immortalized by recombinant retroviruses containing human papillomavirus type 16 E7 genes, and named VR-2g cells. The presence and expression of E7 genes in VR-2g cells were demonstrated by the Southern and the Northern blot analyses. VR-2g cells did not form colonies in soft agar culture, indicating that VR-2g cells have no transforming phenotypes. By the karyotype analysis, VR-2g cells consisted of two cell populations, the pseudo-diploid and the pseudo-tetraploid. VR-2g cells were positive in immunostaining with mono- and polyclonal antibodies against glial fibrillary acidic proteins (glial-specific intermediate filaments). In addition, VR-2g cells secreted neurotrophic factors as assayed with primary cultures of fetal rat striatum neurons, although molecular characterization of the factor(s) was not yet determined. These results indicate that the present method for cell immortalization will be useful for establishing untransformed cell lines from primary cultures of fetal brain cells.

Animals↗

Cloning and characterization of human papillomavirus type 52 from cervical carcinoma in Indonesia.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 52 from a cervical carcinoma in Indonesia was molecularly cloned and characterized. By hybridization with cervical carcinoma DNAs from Indonesian patients, HPV 52 was detected in 3 of 52 cases (6%), whereas HPV 16 and 18 were detected in 8 and 7 cases, respectively (15% and 13%). Sequence analysis revealed that the E6-E7 ORFs contained several DNA binding motifs (Cys-X-X-Cys) like previously sequenced HPVs. The E6 ORF also contained splice donor and acceptor signals, which may allow the expression of E6* protein. The E7 ORF encoded an amino acid sequence that is conserved in some DNA tumor viruses and is involved in binding to Rb protein and in cellular transformation. Transfection of a subgenomic fragment of HPV 52 under the control of a heterologous promoter showed that the E7 ORF alone induced anchorage-independent growth of established rodent cells and immortalized primary rat embryo fibroblasts (REF), and that in cooperation with activated ras, it induced malignant transformation of REF. The E6 ORF also induced, less efficiently, anchorage-independent growth. These results strongly suggest that HPV 52, like HPV 16 and 18, has oncogenic potential.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Simple system for isolation of cellular and viral mutants for transformation by retrovirus.

To investigate the cellular mechanism of transformation by retroviruses, we established a system for isolation of cellular and viral mutants for transformation of a rat cell line. Mutagenized untransformed cells of this line were infected with recombinant murine retrovirus containing the src gene of Rous sarcoma virus and the selective marker gene, neo. After reaching confluence, cells transformed by the src gene tend to overgrow and die. Utilizing this property of src transformed rat cells and the selective marker gene, we could easily select untransformed cell clones containing the retrovirus genome. Expression of the src gene product in the flat clones selected was examined by in vitro assay of src kinase activity. To determine whether the mutations of these flat clones were viral or cellular, the susceptibilities of the clones to transformation were examined after superinfection with the wild-type virus and also characterized the retroviruses recovered from these clones. With this system, two novel clones were isolated. One had a defect in viral information affecting the transformed phenotype, but still retained src kinase activity like fully transformed cells. The other showed low src kinase activity but retained wild-type transforming virus, suggesting that a cellular gene involved in viral gene expression was mutated.

Animals↗

Progression of rat embryo fibroblast cells immortalized with transforming genes of human papillomavirus type 16.

To clarify the mechanism of cell transformation by human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16), we constructed recombinant murine retroviruses containing various subgenomic fragments of the HPV16 early region and examined their abilities to transform rat fibroblasts in primary culture. The E7 ORF, but not the E6 ORF, immortalized cells in primary culture, but the recombinant retrovirus containing both the E6 and E7 ORFs did not transform them. However, after long-term cultivation of cells immortalized by E6 and E7 ORFs, some cells became transformed. During this progression, the amounts of viral mRNA and E7 protein did not change and virus rescued from progressed cells could not transform cells in primary culture, suggesting that some changes in cellular genes, but not viral genes, cause malignant progression of immortalized cells. During this process, the expression of c-K-ras mRNA and its product increased but that of c-myc mRNA did not.

Animals↗

Isolation of cellular revertants from a rat cell line transformed by the E6 and E7 genes of human papillomavirus type 16.

Three revertants defective in the ability to form colonies in semisolid medium were isolated from a rat cell line transformed by the E6 and E7 genes of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16). These revertants appeared to be defective in a cellular factor(s) necessary for transformation by HPV16-E6E7 genes since they still expressed a comparable amount of HPV16-E6E7 mRNA and E7 protein to the parental cells, harbored rescuable transforming virus, and were resistant to retransformation by HPV16-E6E7 genes. All these reverted phenotypes of the three mutants were recessive on somatic cell hybridization with normal cells, because all the hybrids showed transformed phenotypes.

Animals↗

Detection of human papillomavirus type 16 in sexual partners of patients having cervical cancer by polymerase chain reaction.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was employed to detect human papillomavirus (HPV) 16 and 18 in cytological samples from the uterine cervix and in urine samples from the male consorts. HPV 16 was detected in 2 (25%) of 8 males whose wives were positive for HPV 16, while it was detected in only one (7%) of 14 consorts whose wives were negative for HPV 16 and 18. This is the first report of the detection of HPV 16 in urine. Viral detection in urine samples by the PCR method is a non-invasive, convenient and useful tool for large-scale epidemiologic studies and investigations of the mechanism of virus transmission.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Cloning and characterization of the Salmonella typhimurium ada gene, which encodes O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase.

The ada gene of Escherichia coli encodes O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase, which serves as a positive regulator of the adaptive response to alkylating agents and as a DNA repair enzyme. The gene which can make an ada-deficient strain of E. coli resistant to the cell-killing and mutagenic effects of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) has been cloned from Salmonella typhimurium TA1538. DNA sequence analysis indicated that the gene potentially encoded a protein with a calculated molecular weight of 39,217. Since the nucleotide sequence of the cloned gene shows 70% similarity to the ada gene of E. coli and there is an ada box-like sequence (5'-GAATTAAAACGCA-3') in the promoter region, we tentatively refer to this cloned DNA as the adaST gene. The gene encodes Cys-68 and Cys-320, which are potential acceptor sites for the methyl group from the damaged DNA. The multicopy plasmid carrying the adaST gene significantly reduced the frequency of mutation induced by MNNG both in E. coli and in S. typhimurium. The AdaST protein encoded by the plasmid increased expression of the ada'-lacZ chromosome fusion about 5-fold when an E. coli strain carrying both the fusion operon and the plasmid was exposed to a low concentration of MNNG, whereas the E. coli Ada protein encoded by a low-copy-number plasmid increased it about 40-fold under the same conditions. The low ability of AdaST to function as a positive regulator could account for the apparent lack of an adaptive response to alkylation damage in S. typhimurium.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Salmonella typhimurium has two homologous but different umuDC operons: cloning of a new umuDC-like operon (samAB) present in a 60-megadalton cryptic plasmid of S. typhimurium.

Expression of the umuDC operon is required for UV and most chemical mutagenesis in Escherichia coli. The DNA which can restore UV mutability to a umuD44 strain and to a umuC122::Tn5 strain of E. coli has been cloned from Salmonella typhimurium TA1538. DNA sequence analysis indicated that the cloned DNA potentially encoded proteins with calculated molecular weights of 15,523 and 47,726 and was an analog of the E. coli umuDC operon. We have termed this cloned DNA the samAB (for Salmonella mutagenesis) operon and tentatively referred to the umuDC operon of S. typhimurium LT2 (C. M. Smith, W. H. Koch, S. B. Franklin, P. L. Foster, T. A. Cebula, and E. Eisenstadt, J. Bacteriol. 172:4964-4978, 1990; S. M. Thomas, H. M. Crowne, S. C. Pidsley, and S. G. Sedgwick, J. Bacteriol. 172:4979-4987, 1990) as the umuDCST operon. The samAB operon is 40% diverged from the umuDCST operon at the nucleotide level. Among five umuDC-like operons so far sequenced, i.e., the samAB, umuDCST, mucAB, impAB, and E. coli umuDC operons, the samAB operon shows the highest similarity to the impAB operon of TP110 plasmid while the umuDCST operon shows the highest similarity to the E. coli umuDC operon. Southern hybridization experiments indicated that (i) S. typhimurium LT2 and TA1538 had both the samAB and the umuDCST operons and (ii) the samAB operon was located in a 60-MDa cryptic plasmid. The umuDCST operon is present in the chromosome. The presence of the two homologous but different umuDC operons may be involved in the poor mutability of S. typhimurium by UV and chemical mutagens.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Rat primary embryo fibroblast cells suppress transformation by the E6 and E7 genes of human papillomavirus type 16 in somatic hybrid cells.

The E6 and E7 genes of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) transform established lines of rat cells but not rat cells in primary culture irrespective of the expression of the two genes. The reason for this difference between the susceptibilities of cell lines and primary cells was examined by using hybrid cells obtained by somatic cell fusion of rat cell lines transformed by the E6 and E7 genes of HPV-16 and freshly isolated rat embryo fibroblast cells. In these hybrid cells, transformed phenotypes, including colony formation in soft agar, saturation density, and tumorigenicity in nude mice, were suppressed, whereas hybrid cells between E6/E7-transformed cell lines and normal rat cell lines retained these transformed phenotypes. RNA analysis showed that the E6 and E7 genes were transcribed in both types of hybrid cells. These results suggest that primary rat cells possess intracellular functions that cause posttranscriptional suppression of induction of the transformed phenotypes by the E6 and E7 genes of HPV-16.

Animals↗

Very high incidence of germ cell tumorigenesis (seminomagenesis) in human papillomavirus type 16 transgenic mice.

Human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) is frequently found in carcinomas and precancerous lesions of the uterine cervix and is thought to be closely associated with carcinogenesis in these regions. However, the transforming activity of the E6 and E7 genes in vivo has not been characterized. To investigate this function, we produced transgenic mice carrying HPV16 E6 and E7 open reading frames. We obtained five transgenic founders and established three transgenic lineages. We observed testicular tumors of germ cell origin in mice of all three lineages. Morphological studies showed that these tumors were a type of seminoma. Both testes of all tumor-bearing mice were affected with this type of tumor. Strikingly, in one lineage, all of the male mice developed this tumor. On Northern (RNA) analysis, a high level of expression of HPV mRNA was detected in these tumors. These results suggest that transforming genes of HPV16 have transforming activity in vivo and preferential effects on germ cells in the testis.

Animals↗

Unlinked regulation of cell growth and differentiation in immature B cell lines.

We established many immunoglobulin-null immature B cell lines transformed by tsOS-59, a temperature-sensitive mutant of Abelson murine leukemia virus. In different cell lines cell growth was depressed and cell differentiation (generation of intracytoplasmic mu-positive cells from Ig- cells) was induced by the shift of culture temperature from low (35 degrees C) to high (39 degrees C). Cell lines were categorized into four groups: (i) temperature sensitive (ts) to both cell growth and differentiation, (ii) ts to cell growth but not to cell differentiation, (iii) ts to cell differentiation but not to cell growth, and (iv) ts to neither cell growth nor differentiation. These results indicated that the depression of cell growth did not necessarily induce cell differentiation, and that cell differentiation was induced regardless of whether cell growth was depressed or not. Furthermore, the results showed that the depression of cell growth and the induction of cell differentiation occurred without the reduction of tyrosine kinase activity of P120gag-abl at high, nonpermissive temperature. Our cell growth and differentiation system described here should provide us with the interesting findings of the relation between B cell growth and differentiation.

Animals↗

Characterization of flat revertants isolated from cells transformed by Abelson murine leukemia virus (Ab-MuLV).

Transformed Fisher rat fibroblast cell lines by Abelson murine leukemia virus frequently revert to the normal phenotype in usual culture conditions. Molecular biological analysis of three revertant clones isolated from the transformants showed that their morphological reversions were due to inactivation of the v-abl oncogene at multiple steps including transcription, translation or v-abl protein kinase activity itself without any change in structural gene expression of helper virus. These findings suggest the existence of a specific mechanism(s) for elimination of the v-abl oncogene by segregation, mutation, or gene rearrangement in these cells.

Abelson murine leukemia virus↗