Biomedical subjects

E Braungart

Publications and source records attributed to E Braungart.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2001

Mapping the chromosome 16 cadherin gene cluster to a minimal deleted region in ductal breast cancer.

The cadherin family of cell adhesion molecules has been implicated in tumor metastasis and progression. Eight family members have been mapped to the long arm of chromosome 16. Using radiation hybrid mapping, we have located six of these genes within a cluster at 16q21-q22.1. In invasive lobular carcinoma of the breast frequent LOH and accompanying mutation affect the CDH1 gene, which is a member of this chromosome 16 gene cluster. CDH1 LOH also occurs in invasive ductal carcinoma, but in the absence of gene mutation. The proximity of other cadherin genes to 16q22.1 suggests that they may be affected by LOH in invasive ductal carcinomas. Using the mapping data, microsatellite markers were selected which span regions of chromosome 16 containing the cadherin genes. In breast cancer tissues, a high rate of allelic loss was found over the gene cluster region, with CDH1 being the most frequently lost marker. In invasive ductal carcinoma a minimal deleted region was identified within part of the chromosome 16 cadherin gene cluster. This provides strong evidence for the existence of a second 16q22 suppressor gene locus within the cadherin cluster.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed2001

Retinoic acid upregulates the plasminogen activator system in human epidermal keratinocytes.

The activation of the proteolytic plasminogen activator system is important for the re-epithelialization of skin wounds. Keratinocytes synthesize and secrete the urokinase-type plasminogen activator, which binds to its specific receptor on keratinocytes. Receptor-bound urokinase-type plasminogen activator efficiently activates cell surface bound plasminogen. This results in pericellular proteolysis, which facilitates keratinocyte migration. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator activity is specifically controlled by plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and -2. As retinoids have been reported to accelerate epithelialization of skin wounds in animal studies and clinical settings, we investigated the effects of all-trans retinoic acid on the plasminogen activator system in human epidermal keratinocytes. As tested in a chromogenic plasminogen activation assay, incubation with 10 microM all-trans retinoic acid caused a marked induction of cell-associated plasminogen activity after 24 h, and this induction was blocked by neutralizing anti-urokinase-type plasminogen activator antibodies, but not anti-tissue-type plasminogen activator antibodies. All-trans retinoic acid lead to a strong increase in urokinase-type plasminogen activator (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor cell surface expression (flow cytometry) after 24 h. At this time-point, tissue-type plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 and -2 proteins were not or only slightly increased. Northern blot analyses revealed that all-trans retinoic acid caused an early and short-lived increase of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, but a prolonged induction of urokinase-type plasminogen activator and urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor mRNA levels. Collectively, these data suggest that all-trans retinoic acid activates the plasminogen activator system in human epidermal keratinocytes by differentially regulating activating and inhibiting components. The activation of the plasminogen activator system may be one mechanism by which all-trans retinoic acid exerts beneficial effects in cutaneous wound healing.

Cells, Cultured↗

PubMed2001

The intracellular domain of cadherin-11 is not required for the induction of cell aggregation, adhesion or gap-junction formation.

The cadherin family of cell adhesion molecules demonstrates calcium-dependent homophilic binding, leading to cellular recognition and adhesion. The adhesion mediated by the classical type I cadherins is strengthened through catenin-mediated coupling of the cytoplasmic domain to the cytoskeleton. This cytoskeletal interaction may not be essential for the adhesion promoted by all cadherins, several of which lack cytosolic catenin-binding sequences. Cadherin-11, a classical cadherin, possesses a cytoplasmic domain that interacts with catenins, but may also occur as a variant form expressing a truncated cytoplasmic domain. To study the role of the cytoplasmic sequence in cadherin-11 mediated adhesion we have constructed and expressed a truncated cadherin-11 protein lacking the cytoplasmic domain and unable to bind beta-catenin. Expression of the truncated cadherin-11 in MDA-MB-435S human mammary carcinoma cells reduced their motility and promoted calcium-dependent cell aggregation, frequent cell contacts, and functional gap-junctions. We conclude that the intracellular catenin-binding domain of cadherin-11, and by inference cytoskeletal interaction, is not required for the initiation and formation of cell adhesion.

Blotting, Western↗

PubMed2000

Molecular analysis of E-cadherin and cadherin-11 in Wilms' tumours.

Different studies of Wilms' tumours have demonstrated a loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of chromosome 16q ranging from 17 to 25%. In order to search for a potential tumour suppressor gene on 16q, we chose the calcium-dependent cell adhesion molecules E-cadherin and cadherin-11 as candidate genes, which are both located on the long arm of chromosome 16. E-cadherin is known to be expressed in epithelial structures, whereas cadherin-11 is supposed to be expressed in mesenchymal structures and developing epithelium, including renal tubules. For the present study, fresh frozen tissue from 30 Wilms' tumours and corresponding non-tumour tissues were analysed. Single nucleotide polymorphisms of the E-cadherin and cadherin-11 genes were chosen and analysed for allelic inactivation by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and sequence analysis. Loss of expression of one E-cadherin allele was seen in 10% (2/20) of the informative cases. Two out of 11 informative cases (18%) showed loss of expression of one cadherin-11 allele. No length alterations of either the E-cadherin or the cadherin-11 messenger RNAs were identified using reverse transcription PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis in tumour tissue. Sequencing of the entire E-cadherin coding region in seven cases showed the wild-type sequence. These data imply that E-cadherin and cadherin-11 are not likely to play typical tumour suppressor roles in Wilms' tumour. Interestingly, the E-cadherin immunohistochemistry showed a deviation from the normal reaction pattern in 50% of the cases, with 27% (8/30) showing an apical or cytoplasmic reaction and 23% (7/30) being completely negative. Northern blot analysis revealed that the overall expression of cadherin-11 is much stronger than that of E-cadherin. In several cases, the expression levels of the two genes were inversely correlated, suggesting the existence of a regulatory mechanism. Analysis of differential expression of the various cadherins and their subsequent signal transduction pathways might contribute to a better understanding of the complexity of Wilms' tumour formation.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Functional loss of E-cadherin and cadherin-11 alleles on chromosome 16q22 in colonic cancer.

Proteins of the cadherin family regulate cellular adhesion and motility and are believed to act as tumour suppressors. Previous studies have identified frequent mutation and allelic inactivation of the E-cadherin (cadherin-1) locus in diffuse gastric cancer. At least two other cadherin genes, P-cadherin (cadherin-3) and OB-cadherin (cadherin-11), have been mapped close to the E-cadherin gene on chromosome 16q22. As this region of the genome is frequently deleted in malignancy, multiple cadherin loci may be affected by losses of chromosome 16q22. The expression of mRNA transcripts from polymorphic alleles of the E-cadherin and cadherin-11 genes was examined in 30 cases of colonic, gastric, and renal carcinoma. In gastric cancer, loss of expression of one allele was restricted to the E-cadherin locus, whilst in renal carcinoma neither locus was affected. In colonic cancers, loss of expression of one E-cadherin allele was detected in 5 of 22 cases, whilst loss of a cadherin-11 allele was seen in 5 of 23 cases. This functional loss of cadherin gene expression may be due to gene deletion, inactivation or recombination. As no evidence of cadherin gene mutation was observed in the remaining transcripts, we can conclude that these two genes are only indirectly involved in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer.

Blotting, Northern↗

PubMed1999

UVB increases urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) expression.

Keratinocytes synthesize and secrete urokinase-type plasminogen activator, which binds to its specific receptor on keratinocytes. When bound to urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor, urokinase-type plasminogen activator proteolytically converts surface bound plasminogen to plasmin, which in turn cleaves many extracellular components leading to pericellular proteolysis. The activation of the urokinase system has been observed during re-epithelialization of skin wounds and in lesions of the autoimmune blistering skin disease pemphigus. As pemphigus is photoinducible, we investigated the effect of ultraviolet B on urokinase-type plasminogen activator and urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor expression in the epidermal keratinocyte cell line A431. Ultraviolet B increased cellular and secreted urokinase-type plasminogen activator protein (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor cell surface expression (flow cytometry) 24 h postirradiation. Northern blot analysis indicated that ultraviolet B increased urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor mRNA. Compared with a more rapid mRNA induction by epidermal growth factor (maximal after 4 h) the ultraviolet B response was maximal after 24 h and prolonged up to 36 h. The mRNA induction was not dependent on protein synthesis as judged by cycloheximide incubation. Ultraviolet B did not influence urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor mRNA stability (actinomycin D incubation). A transiently transfected chloramphenicol acetyltransferase-reporter construct containing a -398/+51 urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor promoter fragment was activated when cells were exposed to ultraviolet B. This induction was almost completely abolished by mutating a -182/-176 AP-1 binding sequence. Ultraviolet B increased the binding capacity at this AP-1 motif in electrophoretic mobility shift assays. These data identify a distinct transcriptional mechanism by which ultraviolet B induces urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor. The epidermal induction of components of the proteolytic urokinase system by ultraviolet B may help explain the photoinducibility of pemphigus lesions.

Binding Sites↗