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F Alves

Publications and source records attributed to F Alves.

41 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Mitochondrial acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase in various organs from rat: form patterns and coenzyme-A-mediated modification.

The mitochondrial acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase (acetyl-CoA:acetyl-CoA C-acetyltransferase, EC 2.3.1.9), which is involved in the biosynthesis or degradation of ketone bodies, was directly demonstrated in organ extracts applying a two-step chromatography-immunoelectrophoresis method. In liver, the enzyme can be shown in at least three forms: in an unmodified state, designated as AAT, and in the CoASH-modified forms A1 and A2, in amounts of 51.5 +/- 5.0%, 39.4 +/- 4.8% and 9.1 +/- 2.7% (areas of immunoprecipitation), respectively. This pattern, which could not be altered by a treatment with glutathione, resembles that of mitochondrial acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase in extrahepatic tissues. However, the proportion of the unmodified enzyme (AAT) is lower as compared to those in other tissues such as brain (81.5 +/- 4.4%). CoASH-modification and transformation into modified forms, which equal naturally occurring forms, can be demonstrated in vitro with acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase from both liver and brain. Thus CoASH-modification of mitochondrial acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase seems to be a process of general importance.

Acetyl-CoA C-Acetyltransferase↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen immunoreaction in adrenal tumors.

AIMS AND BACKGROUND: We studied, retrospectively, 33 cases of adrenal tumors of children at the Pediatric Endocrinology Unit, Children's Institute, São Paulo State University Medical School, from 1975 to 1993. All patients had at least 2 years of follow-up with a few exceptions. METHODS: Clinical follow-up data were correlated with histopathologic review, laboratory data and cell kinetic evaluation (based on detection of proliferating cell nuclear antigens). RESULTS: With one exception, all the patients had presented signs of androgen production and had high levels of dehydro-epiandrosterone-sulfate. Tumor weight evaluation represented a good parameter of neoplasm evolution: of 19 cases weighing less than 250 g, 17 had no evidence of disease after surgery, and 2 had an unfavorable prognosis. Of 14 cases weighing more than 250 g, only 1 had no evidence of disease and 13 had an unfavorable evolution. CONCLUSIONS: Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was not helpful to evaluate adrenal neoplasm evolution: our study did not show any correlation between PCNA score and prognosis.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Transcriptional profiling of cell lines derived from an orthotopic pancreatic tumor model reveals metastasis-associated genes.

In order to identify genes associated with metastasis of ductal pancreatic adenocarcinoma we investigated pancreatic tumor cell lines derived from an orthotopic pancreatic tumor model in SCID mice. Transcriptional profiling (Affymetrix Gene Chip Technology) was performed with cell lines derived from the primary tumor and metastatic lesions such as mesentery, liver and lungs. We scored for genes commonly deregulated in the cell lines derived from the metastatic lesions. Of 7070 genes investigated, 59 (0.83%) were found to be deregulated in the cell lines derived from the metastatic lesions. We grouped these genes into different categories such as transcription, translation, cytoskeleton, cell adhesion, chromosome instability, tumor suppressor genes, enzymes and "others". The most remarkable features of the system are the up-regulation of high mobility group protein HMG-I (Y), twenty-one ribosomal proteins, GAPDH and the laminin receptor in the cell lines derived from the metastatic lesions, whereas tumor suppressor genes such as maspin and RB1 were down-regulated. Inhibition or reconstitution of the activity of these targets are an emerging strategy for inhibition of metastasis in this system.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Glucocorticoids have opposite effects on ornithine decarboxylase and cell growth in pancreatic acinar AR42J cells.

This paper reviews the relationships between the effects of glucocorticoids on rat pancreatic acinar AR42J cell polyamine levels and cellular growth and differentiation. Glucocorticoids inhibit the growth of AR42J cells. Glucocorticoids either stimulate or inhibit the formation of polyamines in a variety of cell types. Cells require polyamines for normal growth. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that polyamines mediate the effects of glucocorticoids on AR42J cells. First, to confirm that AR42J cells required polyamines for growth we examined the effects of inhibiting ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). ODC is the most important and generally rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of the polyamines. As expected, the ODC inhibitor difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) inhibited AR42J cell DNA synthesis, and the addition of exogenous putrescine reversed this effect. The levels of growth inhibition by glucocorticoids and DFMO treatment were similar. Second, we examined the effects of glucocorticoids on ODC. Surprisingly, glucocorticoids increased levels of AR42J cell ODC mRNA, ODC activity, and putrescine. Glucocorticoids increased these parameters over a similar time-course as they decreased DNA synthesis. Analog specificity studies indicated that a glucocorticoid receptor mediated both the growth inhibitory and ODC stimulatory effects. Dose-response studies indicated, however, that growth inhibition was more sensitive to dexamethasone (DEX) than were ODC levels. Therefore, polyamines do not account for the effects of glucocorticoids on AR42J cell growth. In these cells, glucocorticoids have opposite and independent effects on ODC and growth.

Animals↗