Biomedical subjects

J M Scandura

Publications and source records attributed to J M Scandura.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2007

Tumor promoting properties of the ETS protein MEF in ovarian cancer.

We have previously shown that MEF (myeloid ELF1-like factor, also known as ELF4) functions as a transcriptional activator of the interleukin (IL)-8, perforin, granulocyte macrophage-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and IL-3 genes in hematopoietic cells. MEF is also expressed in non-hematopoietic tissues including certain ovarian cancer cells. To define the function of MEF in these cells, we examined primary human ovarian epithelial tumors and found that MEF is expressed in a significant proportion of ovarian carcinomas, and in the CAOV3 and SKOV3 ovarian cancer cell lines, but not in normal ovarian surface epithelium. Manipulating MEF levels in these cell lines altered their behavior; reducing MEF levels, using short hairpin RNA expressing vectors, significantly inhibited the proliferation of SKOV3 and CAOV3 cells in culture, and impaired the anchorage-independent growth of CAOV3 cells. Overexpression of MEF in SKOV3 cells (via retroviral transduction) significantly increased their growth rate, enhanced colony formation in soft agar and promoted tumor formation in nude mice. The oncogenic activity of MEF was further shown by the ability of MEF to transform NIH3T3 cells, and induce their tumor formation in nude mice. MEF is an important regulator of the tumorigenic properties of ovarian cancer cells and could be used a therapeutic target in ovarian cancer.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Structural and functional characterization of platelet receptor-mediated factor VIII binding.

Optimal rates of factor X (FX) activation require occupancy of receptors for factor IXa (FIXa), factor VIII (FVIII), and FX on the activated platelet surface. The presence of FVIII and FX increases 5-fold the affinity of FIXa for the surface of activated platelets, and the presence of FVIII or FVIIIa generates a high affinity, low capacity specific FX-binding site on activated platelets. We have now examined the effects of FX and active site-inhibited FIXa (EGR-FIXa) on the binding of both FVIII and FVIIIa to activated platelets and show the following: (a) von Willebrand factor inhibits FVIII binding (K(i) = 0.54 nM) but not FVIIIa binding; (b) thrombin and the thrombin receptor activation peptide (SFLLRN amide) are the most potent agonists required for FVIII-binding site expression, whereas ADP is inert; (c) FVa does not compete with FVIIIa or FVIII for functional platelet-binding sites; and (d) Annexin V is a potent inhibitor of FVIIIa binding (IC(50) = 10 nM) to activated platelets. The A2 domain of FVIII significantly increases the affinity and stoichiometry of FVIIIa binding to platelets and contributes to the stability of the FX-activating complex. Both FVIII and FVIIIa binding were specific, saturable, and reversible. FVIII binds to specific, high affinity receptors on activated platelets (n = 484 +/- 59; K(d) = 3.7 +/- 0.31 nM) and FVIIIa interacts with an additional 300-500 sites per platelet with enhanced affinity (K(d) = 1.5 +/- 0.11 nM). FVIIIa binding to activated platelets in the presence of FIXa and FX is closely coupled with rates of F-X activation. The presence of EGR-FIXa and FX increases both the number and the affinity of binding sites on activated platelets for both FVIII and FVIIIa, emphasizing the validity of a three-receptor model in the assembly of the F-X-activating complex on the platelet surface.

Annexin A5↗

PubMed1997

The mechanism by which heparin promotes the inhibition of coagulation factor XIa by protease nexin-2.

Previous kinetic studies have shown that protease nexin-2 is a potent, reversible, and competitive inhibitor of factor XIa. Here we show that high molecular weight heparin potentiates the ability of protease nexin-2 to inhibit factor XIa with a parabolic concentration dependence, predominantly because of an increase of the association rate constant with little perturbation of the dissociation rate constant. No effect on factor XIa inhibition by protease nexin-2 was observed with heparin preparations of 6-22 saccharide units (0.1 nM-10 microM), whereas heparin preparations with 32-64 saccharide units potentiated factor XIa inhibition by protease nexin-2 in a size- and concentration-dependent manner. We propose a model wherein heparin exerts this effect by providing a template for the assembly of factor XIa-protease nexin-2 complexes, and only heparin polymers consisting of greater than 32 saccharide units (Mr approximately 10,000) are sufficiently long to provide a template to which factor XIa and protease nexin-2 molecules can bind simultaneously. Heparin-mediated enhancement of factor XIa inhibition by protease nexin-2 was partially abrogated by high molecular weight kininogen, suggesting that high molecular weight kininogen may play a role in regulating factor XIa activity.

Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor↗

PubMed1997

Progress curve analysis of the kinetics with which blood coagulation factor XIa is inhibited by protease nexin-2.

Protease nexin-2 (PN-2), a soluble form of amyloid beta-protein precursor (APP) containing a Kunin protease inhibitor domain, has been shown to be a potent, reversible and competitive inhibitor of blood coagulation factor XIa (FXIa). We have analyzed progress curves of the hydrolysis of a sensitive fluorogenic substrate by FXIa in the presence of PN-2 to ascertain the kinetic rate constants governing the inhibition of FXIa by PN-2. The mechanism of this inhibition is best described as a slow equilibration between the free enzyme and inhibitor directly, without prior formation of a loosely-associated complex. The association rate constant (kon) and the dissociation rate constant (koff) were found to be 2.1 +/- 0.2 x 10(6) M-1 s-1 and 8.5 +/- 0.8 x 10(-4) s-1, respectively (n = 23). The inhibition constant calculated from these parameters (Ki) is 400 pM, in good agreement with previous reports. High molecular weight kininogen (HK) and Zn2+ ions exert opposite effects on the inhibition of FXIa by PN-2. HK protects FXIa from inactivation in a dose dependent and saturable manner (EC50 = 61 nM) whereas Zn2+ augments the ability of PN-2 to inhibit FXIa. When both Zn2+ ions and HK are present, only the accessory effect of Zn2+ is observed. PN-2 is known to be an abundant platelet alpha-granule protein (Van Nostrand et al., 1990a; Smith & Broze, 1992). We conducted sensitive measurements of FXIa activity in the presence of human platelets before and after their being activated with the thrombin receptor agonist peptide, SFLLRN-amide. We found that platelet activation, and ostensibly the release of PN-2, limits the lifetime of FXIa activity within the locus of activated platelets. As in the purified system, HK protects FXIa from inactivation and Zn2+ increases the inactivation of FXIa. However, when HK and Zn2+ are both present, it is the protective effect of HK which predominates and prolongs the lifetime of FXIa after platelet activation.

Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor↗

PubMed1996

A binding site expressed on the surface of activated human platelets is shared by factor X and prothrombin.

We have demonstrated the presence of a saturable, reversible, and Ca(2+)-dependent binding site for 125I-labeled factor X ([125I]factor X) on human platelets (16000 +/- 2000 sites per platelet, Kd = 320 +/- 40 nM, n = 12) activated with either thrombin or the thrombin receptor agonist peptide, SFLLRN-amide, but not with ADP. Bound [125I]factor X could be completely removed by the addition of a Ca2+ chelator or an excess of unlabeled factor X. Antibodies that inhibit binding of factor X to the MAC-1 integrin receptor of monocytes and those directed against human factor V, failed to disrupt [125I]factor X binding to platelets. Prothrombin, but neither factor VII, factor IX, protein C, nor protein S, was an effective competitor of [125I]factor X binding with a K1 approximately Kd. [125I]Prothrombin also binds to activated (but not unactivated) platelets in a saturable, reversible, and Ca(2+)-dependent manner (20500 +/- 1500 sites, Kd = 470 +/- 110 nM, n = 3). Annexin V potently inhibited the binding of both [125I]factor X and [125I]prothrombin (IC50 approximately 3 nM). Factor X, prothrombin, and prothrombin fragment 1 (residues 1-155) were equipotent inhibitors of [125I]prothrombin and [125I]factor X binding, whereas Gla-domain-less factor X was unable to compete with [125I]factor X for platelet binding sites. Thus, it is the Gla-domains of factor X and prothrombin that appear to contain the regions necessary for platelet binding. The results of studies utilizing artificial phospholipid surfaces have led to the hypothesis that the substrates (FX and prothrombin) for the intrinsic pathway FXase and prothrombinase complexes are bound to the phospholipid surface. The factor X/prothrombin binding site we have described on the surface of activated platelets permits the utilization of surface-bound substrates by these complexes when they are assembled on a physiologic surface.

1-Carboxyglutamic Acid↗

PubMed1996

Factor X bound to the surface of activated human platelets is preferentially activated by platelet-bound factor IXa.

Factor X is a zymogen in the blood coagulation system which is activated by the serine protease, factor IXa, in a reaction that is promoted by the presence of stimulated platelets. We have shown previously that platelets possess a binding site for factor IXa, the occupancy of which is correlated with the rate of factor X activation (Ahmad et al., 1989b,c). Similarly, we have described a different binding site on the surface of activated platelets to which the substrate for this reaction, factor X, can bind (see the accompanying paper). This "zymogen binding site" is of moderate affinity and is relatively nonspecific; apparently shared to some degree by factor X and other vitamin K-dependent proteins, most notably prothrombin. We have found that prothrombin fragment 1 not only is able to displace factor X from this platelet binding site but also possesses the ability to inhibit the platelet-dependent activation of factor X. We have developed two mathematical models for the activation of factor X by platelet-bound factor IXa. The first model assumes that factor X is activated in a manner that is totally unrelated to the presumptive zymogen binding site, whereas the second model requires factor X to first bind to this site before it may interact with platelet-bound factor IXa and become activated. Within the context of each of these models, we have evaluated three mechanisms by which prothrombin fragment 1 may inhibit factor X activation. The data presented herein are most consistent with the precept that platelet-bound factor X is activated by platelet-bound factor IXa (kcat approximately 0.0011 s-1) in an explicitly two-dimensional reaction (Km.2D approximately 230 molecules per platelet). Prothrombin fragment 1 is believed to disrupt this reaction by competing with factor X for the zymogen binding site (Ki approximately 470 nM) and, to a lesser degree, by displacing factor IXa from its binding site (Ki approximately 7 microM). These findings suggest that platelet-bound zymogen factor X represents a kinetically important pool of substrate that is preferentially activated on the surface of activated platelets.

Binding Sites↗

PubMed1968