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Biomedical subjects

E N Pugacheva

Publications and source records attributed to E N Pugacheva.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

HEF1 is a necessary and specific downstream effector of FAK that promotes the migration of glioblastoma cells.

The highly invasive behavior of glioblastoma cells contributes to the morbidity and mortality associated with these tumors. The integrin-mediated adhesion and migration of glioblastoma cells on brain matrix proteins is enhanced by stimulation with growth factors, including platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). As focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a nonreceptor cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase, has been shown to promote cell migration in various other cell types, we analysed its role in glioblastoma cell migration. Forced overexpression of FAK in serum-starved glioblastoma cells plated on recombinant (rec)-osteopontin resulted in a twofold enhancement of basal migration and a ninefold enhancement of PDGF-BB-stimulated migration. Both expression of mutant FAK(397F) and the downregulation of FAK with small interfering (si) RNA inhibited basal and PDGF-stimulated migration. FAK overexpression and PDGF stimulation was found to increase the phosphorylation of the Crk-associated substrate (CAS) family member human enhancer of filamentation 1 (HEF1), but not p130CAS or Src-interacting protein (Sin)/Efs, although the levels of expression of these proteins was similar. Moreover downregulation of HEF1 with siRNA, but not p130CAS, inhibited basal and PDGF-stimulated migration. The phosphorylated HEF1 colocalized with vinculin and was associated almost exclusively with 0.1% Triton X-100 insoluble material, consistent with its signaling at focal adhesions. FAK overexpression promoted invasion through normal brain homogenate and siHEF1 inhibited this invasion. Results presented here suggest that HEF1 acts as a necessary and specific downstream effector of FAK in the invasive behavior of glioblastoma cells and may be an effective target for treatment of these tumors.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Signal transduction driving technology driving signal transduction: factors in the design of targeted therapies.

A significant number of human diseases can be attributed to defects in cellular signal transduction pathways. Large-scale proteomics projects now in progress seek to better define critical components of signal transduction networks, to enable more intelligent design of therapeutic agents that can specifically correct disease-specific signaling alterations by targeting individual proteins. A complicating factor in this endeavor is the fact that intracellular signaling involves many diverse mechanisms that in sum finely modulate the activity of individual proteins in response to different biological inputs. Ability to develop reagents that selectively correct disease-associated signaling activities, while leaving intact benign or essential activities, encompassed within a single protein requires an intimate knowledge of pathway-specific control mechanisms. To illustrate these points, we provide examples of some of the complex control mechanisms regulating the Cas proteins, which contribute to integrin-dependent biological response. We then discuss issues involved in systematically incorporating information related to complex control mechanisms in proteomic databases. Finally, we describe some recent instances in which protein interaction technologies have been specifically adapted to identify small molecule agents that regulate protein response in physiologically desirable ways, and discuss issues relevant to future drug discovery efforts.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

[p53 with a mutation in codon 273 increases the probability of amplifying the dhfr gene in Rat-1 and LIM1215 cells].

The effect of the expression of the exogenous human mutant p53 (Arg-->His in codon 273) on the amplification rate of the gene dhfr in permissive Rat-1 and LIM1215 cells was studied. It was shown that injection of a retroviral construction with p53His273 resulted in the accumulation of methotrexate-resistant variants with an increased number of dhfr copies in populations of recipient cells. Luria-Delbruck fluctuation analysis revealed a four- to six-fold increase in the rate of appearance of new methotrexate-resistant cells. Chromosomal analysis demonstrated an extrachromosomal location of amplified DNA in cells containing p53His273, as was the case for control sublines. The data obtained indicate that modifications of p53 may induce gene amplification not only via removing the proliferation block of cells with amplified genes in selective medium, but also via some other mechanisms, that seem to increase the chromosomal recombination rate.

Animals↗

Influence of exogenous ras and p53 on P-glycoprotein function in immortalized rodent fibroblasts.

The ability of ras oncogenes and mutant p53 to activate reporter gene expression from human and rodent mdr1 gene promoters was described, although functional significance of this finding was unclear. We analyzed the influence of various forms of recombinant human ras and p53 on the mdr1 gene expression and P-glycoprotein (Pgp) function in rodent immortalized fibroblasts. The ras genes, in addition to activation of exogenous human mdr1 gene promoter, caused an increase in (i) expression of endogenous mdr1 mRNA, (ii) Pgp activity as determined by flow cytometry analysis of Rhodamine 123 exclusion, and (iii) resistance of cells to the cytotoxic action of colchicine and some other drugs. To elucidate whether the same signalling pathway is responsible for multidrug resistance induced by various oncogenes and protein kinase C (PKC), we tested the effects of v-mos and the PKC agonist 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate. Similarly to cells transformed by ras, a Rat1 subline transformed by the v-mos oncogene was characterized by decreased drug sensitivity. On the contrary, Rat1 cells treated with the protein kinase C agonist 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate showed neither increased mdr1 mRNA expression nor stimulation of Pgp function. Introduction by retrovirus-mediated gene transfer of wild-type p53 into Rat1 cells or into murine p53-deficient 10(1) and 10(3) cells did not change the Pgp function significantly, whereas in Rat1 cells transformed by activated N-ras or v-mos, expression of wild-type p53 caused partial reversion of oncogene-induced drug resistance.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗