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Biomedical subjects

C Blatt

Publications and source records attributed to C Blatt.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli adherence to intestinal epithelial monolayers diminishes barrier function.

The mechanism by which enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) causes diarrhea remains elusive. Several alterations within the host cell have been demonstrated to occur following EPEC attachment including increases in intracellular Ca2+ concentration and rearrangement and phosphorylation of several cytoskeletal proteins. The consequences of these intracellular perturbations on host cell function, however, have not been determined. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of EPEC adherence on intestinal epithelial barrier function. T84 cell monolayers were infected with either wild-type EPEC or a nonadherent isogenic derivative. Transepithelial electrical resistance, a measure of barrier function, decreased 33.5 +/- 6.4% after a 6-h incubation with the wild-type strain. Electron microscopy revealed ultrastructurally normal cells, and lactate dehydrogenase release assays failed to demonstrate cytotoxicity. Dual 22Na+ and [3H]mannitol flux studies localized the permeability defect to tight junctions. In addition, cumulative flux of the paracellular marker mannitol was four- to fivefold greater across monolayers infected with wild-type EPEC. Sequestration of intracellular calcium stores by dantrolene completely abrogated the resistance drop associated with EPEC attachment. These data demonstrate that adherence of EPEC to intestinal epithelial cell monolayers disrupts tight junction barrier function via a calcium-requiring event.

Bacterial Adhesion

Inhibition of specific pathways of myeloid cell differentiation by an activated Hox-2.4 homeobox gene.

Abnormal expression of homeobox genes is one of the abnormalities associated with the development of murine and human leukemia. Myeloid leukemic cells that can be induced to differentiate to mature cells by interleukin 6 were stably transfected with an activated Hox-2.4 homeobox gene. Expression of the Hox-2.4 gene in the transfected clones inhibited specific pathways of the myeloid differentiation program induced by interleukin 6. The expression of some genes associated with differentiation was almost completely blocked, and the expression of other genes was either partially inhibited or not affected. The results support the hypothesis that abnormal expression of Hox-2.4 may contribute to the development of leukemia by interfering with the differentiation program.

Animals

A deletion and a rearrangement distinguish between the intracisternal A-particle of Hox-2.4 and that of interleukin-3 in the same leukemic cells.

Two intracisternal A-particle (IAP) insertions have been identified in WEHI-3B myeloid leukemic cells, one at the interleukin-3 (IL-3) gene and another at the homeobox gene Hox-2.4. In contrast to the 5-kb IL-3-IAP, the Hox-2.4-IAP is only 2.1 kb in size and contains a rearrangement. The homology throughout the remaining sequences suggests that both IAPs originated from a common progenitor molecule. Both proviral insertions have resulted in transcriptional activation of the adjacent genes, which appears to be a significant step in the leukemogenic process in these leukemic cells.

Amino Acid Sequence

The oncogenic potential of an activated Hox-2.4 homeobox gene in mouse fibroblasts.

The homeobox gene Hox-2.4 is transcriptionally activated in cells of the mouse myeloid leukemia WEHI-3B. The constitutive Hox-2.4 expression in WEHI-3B cells is due to insertion of a transposable element belonging to the family of intracisternal A particles. In this study, we demonstrated the oncogenic potential of this activated homeobox gene. NIH 3T3 fibroblast clones bearing the activated Hox-2.4 gene produced fibrosarcomas in nude mice.

Animals

The betrayal of homeo box genes in normal development: the link to cancer.

The homeo box genes encode proteins that function in a complex regulatory network that specifies the precise temporal and spatial expression of genes in the developing embryo. Recent work has shown that these proteins can act directly as transcription factors. I argue here that, when altered by somatic mutation, the products of homeo box genes are likely to acquire activities that contribute to the oncogenic process.

Animals

DNA rearrangement of a homeobox gene in myeloid leukaemic cells.

A homeobox gene rearrangement has been detected in WEHI-3B mouse myeloid leukaemic cells. The rearranged gene was identified as Hox-2.4 which is a member of the Hox-2 gene cluster on mouse chromosome 11. Both the normal and the rearranged genes were cloned and analysed, and the rearranged genomic Hox-2.4 gene was sequenced. The results indicate that the rearrangement is due to insertion of an intracisternal A particle 5' upstream to Hox-2.4 and that this resulted in constitutive expression of the homeobox gene. It is suggested that constitutive expression of the homeobox gene may interrupt the normal development program in these leukaemic cells.

Amino Acid Sequence

Deletion of a homeobox gene in myeloid leukemias with a deletion in chromosome 2.

Mouse myeloid leukemias are characterized by a frequent deletion in one chromosome number 2. We now show that there is a deletion of one copy of the Hox-4.1 homeobox gene in the myeloid leukemias with this deletion in chromosome 2. It is suggested that deletion of this homeobox gene plays a role in determining the abnormal developmental program in myeloid leukemia.

Animals

Mapping and gene order of U1 small nuclear RNA, endogenous viral env sequence, amylase, and alcohol dehydrogenase-3 on mouse chromosome 3.

Linkage was established between a number of genes that map on chromosome 3 by studying the distribution patterns of DNA polymorphisms and protein electrophoretic mobility polymorphisms in recombinant inbred (RI) strains of mice. This analysis resulted in the following suggested gene order between the newly assigned genes and previously mapped genes: gamma-fibrinogen (Fgg), Xmmv-22 of mink cell focus-inducing (MCF) virus, U1b small nuclear RNA gene cluster (Rnu-1b), amylase (Amy-1,2), cadmium resistance (cdm), alcohol dehydrogenase-3 (Adh-3), alcohol dehydrogenase-1 (Adh-1). In situ hybridization to chromosome spreads confirmed the assignment of the Ulb small nuclear RNA (snRNA) gene cluster and the gamma-fibrinogen gene to the center of chromosome 3.

Alcohol Dehydrogenase

Chromosomal localization of genes encoding guanine nucleotide-binding protein subunits in mouse and human.

A variety of genes have been identified that specify the synthesis of the components of guanine nucleotide-binding proteins (G proteins). Eight different guanine nucleotide-binding alpha-subunit proteins, two different beta subunits, and one gamma subunit have been described. Hybridization of cDNA clones with DNA from human-mouse somatic cell hybrids was used to assign many of these genes to human chromosomes. The retinal-specific transducin subunit genes GNAT1 and GNAT2 were on chromosomes 3 and 1; GNAI1, GNAI2, and GNAI3 were assigned to chromosomes 7, 3, and 1, respectively; GNAZ and GNAS were found on chromosomes 22 and 20. The beta subunits were also assigned--GNB1 to chromosome 1 and GNB2 to chromosome 7. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms were used to map the homologues of some of these genes in the mouse. GNAT1 and GNAI2 were found to map adjacent to each other on mouse chromosome 9 and GNAT2 was mapped on chromosome 17. The mouse GNB1 gene was assigned to chromosome 19. These mapping assignments will be useful in defining the extent of the G alpha gene family and may help in attempts to correlate specific genetic diseases with genes corresponding to G proteins.

Animals

Considerations of current methods for drug selection in treating malignant ventricular arrhythmias.

The current burgeoning interest in antiarrhythmic drugs derives in large measure from a growing concern with the enormous problem of sudden cardiac death. Until the latter half of the twentieth century, beyond a nodding acknowledgment of its massive prevalence, this syndrome received but scant attention from the medical profession. In the early 1960s a number of insights changed perceptions as well as practice. These related to 4 postulates: (1) sudden cardiac death, in the majority of victims, was due to ventricular tachyarrhythmias either initiated by or culminating rapidly in ventricular fibrillation; (2) the lethal arrhythmia was not the consequence of irreversible pathomorphologic impairment of the contractile apparatus, but rather the expression of an electrophysiologic derangement; (3) the triggering of ventricular fibrillation was the result of an electrical accident both reversible as well as preventable; (4) the potential victim was identifiable either by the presence of certain grades of ventricular ectopic activity or by exposure of repetitive ectopic activity or by exposure of repetitive ventricular arrhythmias by electrophysiologic techniques. The innovations that have led to these insights and their consequences have been numerous and continuous. Among these are direct current defibrillation, cardioversion, coronary care units, bystander-initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation, ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring and exercise stress testing for exposing ventricular arrhythmias, electrophysiologic provocative testing and mapping techniques, overdrive programmable pacemakers as well as implantable defibrillators and cardioverters, and surgical, electrical and laser techniques for ablating the nidus or interrupting the pathways of the arrhythmias.

Anti-Arrhythmia Agents

Assignment of the Ly-6--Ril-1--Sis--H-30--Pol-5/Xmmv-72--Ins-3--Krt-1--Int-1 --Gdc-1 region to mouse chromosome 15.

Previous work has demonstrated linkage between Ly-6, H-30, and a locus, Ril-1, that affects susceptibility to radiation-induced leukemia. Results or preliminary linkage analyses suggested further that the cluster might be linked to Ly-11 on the proximal portion of mouse chromosome 2. Using molecular probes to examine somatic cell lines and recombinant inbred and congenic strains of mice, we have re-evaluated these linkage relationships. A cloned genomic DNA fragment derived from a retroviral site has been used to define a novel locus, Pol-5, that is tightly linked to both H-30 and Ril-1 as shown by analysis of the B6.C-H-30c congenic mouse strain. Following the segregation of the Pol-5 mouse-specific DNA fragment in a series of somatic cell hybrids carrying various combinations of mouse chromosomes on a rat or Chinese hamster background mapped Pol-5 to mouse chromosome 15. During the course of these studies, restriction fragment length polymorphisms were defined associated with several loci, including Pol-5, Ly-6, Sis, Ins-3, Krt-1, Int-1, and Gdc-1. Three of these loci, Sis, Int-1, and Gdc-1, have been previously mapped to chromosome 15 by others using somatic cell hybrids or isoenzyme analyses. Following the inheritance of these eight loci in recombinant inbred strains of mice allowed the definition of a linkage group on the chromosome with the order Ly-6--Ril-1--Sis--H-30--Pol-5--Ins-3--Krt-1--Int-1--Gdc-1. Analyses of alleles inherited as passengers in B6.C-H-30c, C3H.B-Ly-6b, and C57BL/6By-Eh/+ congenic mouse strains and in situ hybridization experiments support the above gene order and indicate further that the cluster is located on distal chromosome 15, with Ly-6 and Sis near Eh.

Animals

New murine homeoboxes: structure, chromosomal assignment, and differential expression in adult erythropoiesis.

The nucleotide sequence, chromosomal assignment, and preliminary transcriptional analysis of four murine homeoboxes is presented. Three of these are linked to the Hox-2 gene complex on chromosome 11, whereas the fourth, Hox-4, was assigned to mouse chromosome 12. A comparative analysis of homeobox sequences reveals that two of our sequences represent the previously described Hox-2.3 loci, whereas a third, mh19, could represent the predicted Hox-2.6 locus. Homeoboxes Hox-2.2 and Hox-2.3 are the cognates of two previously reported human homeoboxes that belong to a similar gene cluster on a closely related human chromosome (Chr 17), suggesting that homeoboxes may have been preserved as clusters during evolution. Moreover Hox-4, mh19, and the previously described Hox-1.5 homeobox form a separate subgroup of mammalian homeoboxes (90-92% amino acid and nucleotide homology). All four homeoboxes are expressed in the mouse embryo. Of special interest is the expression of mh19, a 4.2-kb transcript of which appears to be connected to the induced differentiation of Friend erythroleukemia cells.

Amino Acid Sequence

Assignment of the human and mouse prion protein genes to homologous chromosomes.

Purified preparations of scrapie prions contain one major macromolecule, designated prion protein (PrP). Genes encoding PrP are found in normal animals and humans but not within the infectious particles. The PrP gene was assigned to human chromosome 20 and the corresponding mouse chromosome 2 using somatic cell hybrids. In situ hybridization studies mapped the human PrP gene to band 20p12----pter. Our results should lead to studies of genetic loci syntenic with the PrP gene, which may play a role in the pathogenesis of prion diseases or other degenerative neurologic disorders.

Animals

Chromosomal mapping of murine c-fes and c-src genes.

The murine homologs of two viral oncogenes associated with tyrosine-specific kinase activity have been assigned to different loci in the mouse genome. The segregation of restriction site polymorphisms, as detected by probes that are specific for endogenous c-fes and c-src sequences, was followed in the DNA of recombinant inbred strains. The c-fes gene was mapped to the proximal portion of chromosome 7, very close to the Gpi-1 locus, whereas c-src was linked to the Psp locus on the distal half of chromosome 2.

Alleles

Chromosomal mapping of the mink cell focus-inducing and xenotropic env gene family in the mouse.

Chromosomal locations of members of the xenotropic-related env gene family in the mouse genome have been determined. Endonuclease restriction site polymorphisms detected by molecular hybridization were used to study the inheritance of mink cell-focus inducing and xenotropic env gene-related sequences in recombinant inbred strains of mice. Some of the endogenous env sequences appear to be closely linked to genes determining leukemia virus induction and to genes involved in the immune response, such as the heavy and light chains of the immunoglobulin molecules or allotypic determinants on B and T lymphocytes. The use of probes that detect restriction fragment length polymorphisms in a small family of dispersed sequences promises to yield a large number of markers that can be used together with recombinant inbred strains for efficient mapping of the mouse genome.

Animals

The selective effect of tunicamycin on the secretion of IgM and IgG produced by the same cells.

Cells of the hybridoma cell line X63/38 C-13 secreting both IgM and IgG have been used in studies on the importance of the carbohydrate moieties of the Ig molecules for their secretion. It has been found that the secretion of the IgM produced in the presence of the glycosylation inhibitor tunicamycin was strongly inhibited, while the secretion of the IgG produced by the same cells was only slightly affected.

Animals