Biomedical subjects

K J Soprano

Publications and source records attributed to K J Soprano.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

PubMed1990

Induction of beta-retinoic acid receptor mRNA by teratogenic doses of retinoids in murine fetuses.

Retinoic acid is required for normal growth and development, however excessive doses are teratogenic. Recently several nuclear retinoic acid receptors (RAR) have been identified and postulated to mediate the response of retinoic acid at the gene level. We wished to determine if alpha-RAR mRNA or beta-RAR mRNA levels are modulated by teratogenic doses of retinoic acid in vivo. We have found that beta-RAR mRNA levels in 9-day-gestation mouse conceptuses are increased as early as 3 h after administration of a completely teratogenic dose of retinoic acid (100 mg/kg body weight; b.w.) and reach a maximum of approximately sixfold after 6 h of treatment. Maternal liver and maternal kidney demonstrated a similar pattern of increase in beta-RAR mRNA, however this was only approximately threefold. Retinoic acid dose-response experiments demonstrated a reduced increase of beta-RAR mRNA levels with 10 mg/kg b.w. (minimally teratogenic dose), and no increase with a more-physiological dose of 1 mg/kg b.w. in the conceptuses. beta-RAR mRNA levels were elevated in 18-day-gestation fetuses to a similar extent to that observed in the 9-day-gestation conceptuses. Therefore, the twofold difference in the extent to which beta-RAR mRNA levels increase does not occur because the fetuses are at a developmental stage that is sensitive to the teratogenic effects of retinoic acid. Finally, treatment with another teratogenic retinoid, etretinate, and a nonteratogenic retinoid, retinoyl beta-glucuronide, both resulted in increase in the level of beta-RAR mRNA in the conceptuses and the maternal tissues. Therefore, an increase in beta-RAR mRNA levels caused by treatment with retinoids does not necessarily commit a fetus to undergo an abnormal pattern of development characteristic of teratogenic retinoids.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗

PubMed1990

Retinol-binding protein mRNA is induced by estrogen in the kidney but not in the liver.

Vitamin A is mobilized from the liver and transported in plasma as retinol bound to retinol-binding protein (RBP). In addition to the liver, several extrahepatic tissues including the kidney have been shown to contain RBP mRNA. A study was conducted to explore the role of sex hormones in the regulation of RBP mRNA levels in the kidney compared to those in the liver. Treatment of female rats with a single dose of testosterone or chronic treatment with testosterone had only a slight effect on the steady-state level of RBP mRNA in the kidney and the liver. However, treatment of male rats with estrogen caused an increase in the steady-state level of RBP mRNA in the kidney but not in the liver. A single injection of 17 beta-estradiol, either 1.0 or 0.1 micrograms/g body weight, resulted in a rapid rise in the level of RBP mRNA in the kidney which was maximal at 3-6 h (fivefold induction) after treatment. In addition, treatment of ovariectomized female rats with estrogen also resulted in a rapid rise in the accumulated level of RBP mRNA in the kidney while having no influence in the liver. Finally, studies using the anti-estrogen drug, hydroxytamoxifen, resulted in blockage of the estrogen-related induction of RBP mRNA in the kidney, suggesting that the induction of RBP mRNA in the kidney by estrogen may be mediated by the nuclear estrogen receptor. Taken together these data suggest that the regulation of RBP mRNA, levels in the liver and kidney, at least with respect to estrogen, is different.

Animals↗

PubMed1989

Analysis of the growth factor requirements for stimulation of WI-38 cells after extended periods of density-dependent growth arrest.

When cultures of WI-38 human diploid fibroblasts reach high cell densities, they cease to proliferate and enter a viable state of quiescence. WI-38 cells can remain in this quiescent state for long periods of time; however, the longer the cells remain growth arrested, the more time they require to leave G0, progress through G1, and enter S after stimulation with fresh serum. The experiments presented here compare the response of long-term quiescent WI-38 cells (stimulated 26 days after plating) and short-term quiescent WI-38 cells (stimulated 12 days after plating) to treatment with a variety of individual purified growth factors instead of whole serum. Our results show that the qualitative and quantitative growth factor requirements necessary to stimulate G1 progression and entry into S were the same for both short- and long-term quiescent WI-38 cells, in that the same defined medium (supplemented with epidermal growth factor [EGF], recombinant human insulin-like growth factor 1 [IGF-1], and dexamethasone [DEX]) stimulated both populations of cells to proliferate with the same kinetics and to the same extent as serum. However, the long-term quiescent WI-38 cells were found to exhibit a difference in the time during which either serum or these individual growth factors were required to be present during the prereplicative period. We believe that this difference may be the cause of the prolongation of the prereplicative phase after stimulation of long-term density-arrested WI-38 cells.

Blood↗

PubMed1989

Evidence that stimulation of growth following long term density arrest of WI-38 cells proceeds via a pathway independent of protein kinase C and of cAMP-dependent protein kinase.

When cultures of WI-38 human diploid fibroblasts reach high cell densities, they cease to proliferate and enter a viable state of quiescence in which they can remain for long periods of time. However, the longer the cells remain growth arrested, the more time they require to leave G-0, to progress through G-1, and to enter S following stimulation with fresh serum. Previous results from our laboratory showed that in this system the time of expression of c-fos and c-myc was related only to the time of stimulation and not to the time of DNA synthesis [Owen et al., (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 15111-15117]. It is possible that the initial response of both the short and long term quiescent WI-38 cells to growth factor stimulation was the same but that the subsequent secondary events which led to the progression of the stimulated cells through G-1 into S were different. Therefore, experiments were performed to compare the signal transduction pathway(s) utilized following serum stimulation of long term quiescent WI-38 cells to those utilized in WI-38 cells stimulated after short periods of time in quiescence. The only differences detected between the short and long term quiescent WI-38 cells involved their responses to epidermal growth factor (EGF). These results suggest that the response of quiescent WI-38 cells to fetal calf serum involves an EGF-dependent signal transduction pathway. Moreover, the EGF pathway which functions in long term quiescent WI-38 cells would appear to be defective compared to that employed by short term quiescent WI-38 cells.

Cell Division↗

PubMed1988

Induction of the expression of retinol-binding protein and transthyretin in F9 embryonal carcinoma cells differentiated to embryoid bodies.

Studies were conducted to determine if the expression of the gene for retinol-binding protein (RBP) and/or transthyretin (TTR) could be induced upon differentiation of F9 teratocarcinoma cells to either visceral endoderm or parietal endoderm. Both TTR mRNA and RBP mRNA were undetectable in the undifferentiated F9 stem cells and in F9 cells differentiated to parietal endoderm. However, TTR mRNA and RBP mRNA were both detected in F9 cell aggregates differentiated to embryoid bodies (which contain visceral endoderm-like cells) by treatment of the aggregates in suspension with retinoic acid. TTR mRNA was observed at 3 days, and RBP mRNA at 5 days, after treatment of the F9 cell aggregates with retinoic acid. Both TTR mRNA and RBP mRNA were found to be specifically localized by in situ hybridization in the outer layer of cells (the visceral endoderm-like cells) of the embryoid bodies. Finally, synthesis and secretion of both RBP and TTR by F9 cell embryoid bodies was demonstrated by specific immunoprecipitation of each newly synthesized protein from the culture medium. These data thus demonstrate the production and presence of RBP mRNA and TTR mRNA, and the synthesis and secretion of RBP and TTR, by F9 cell embryoid bodies (specifically by visceral endoderm-like cells). This finding suggests that these two proteins may be synthesized by rodent embryos extremely early in embryonic development.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Deletions in the SV40 late polyadenylation region downstream of the AATAAA mediate similar effects on expression in various mammalian cell lines.

A series of deletions in the SV40 late polyadenylation region was assayed by transient expression in a hamster fibroblast cell line. Because of differences in expression data between our results and the published results of another laboratory using a similar set of deletions introduced into a monkey kidney cell line, we studied our deletions in cells of different tissue-types and species (1). Deletion of the SV40 late polyadenylation region to 49 nucleotides downstream of the hexanucleotide AATAAA showed a small effect on gene expression, while further truncation of the region to 6 nucleotides downstream of the AATAAA showed an 85% drop in marker enzyme activity, protein levels and steady-state message levels. Another deletion in the same region, from base pair 10 to 15 past the AATAAA, which removes the wild-type site of RNA cleavage, showed a 50% drop in marker gene expression. The effects of these mutants on gene expression were similar in all of the cell lines tested and agree with other studies that DNA downstream of the AATAAA plays a role in efficient gene expression.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1988

Evidence that the time of entry into S is determined by events occurring in early G1.

The length of the prereplicative period after stimulation of quiescent WI-38 cells is prolonged in proportion to the length of time the cells are incubated prior to serum addition. Previous results from this laboratory have shown that this prolongation does not result from a delay in the induction of events which occur during the G0/G1 transition (i.e. c-fos or c-myc expression) (Owen, T., Cosenza, S., Soprano, D. R., and Soprano, K. J. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262 15111-15117). It was the goal of the present studies to examine the expression of other growth-associated genes known to be induced and maximally accumulate later in G1 to identify genes whose expression is coupled to entry into S rather than mitogenic stimulation. In order to do this, the temporal pattern of expression of a variety of growth-associated genes (thymidine kinase, p53, 2A9/calcyclin, ornithine decarboxylase, 4F1/vimentin, and c-Ha-ras) was studied in WI-38 cells stimulated either 12 days or 26 days after plating. We report that the time of induction and maximum accumulation of each of these transcripts, with the exception of c-Ha-ras, was delayed in the 26-day cell group for 10 h, a period of time approximately equal to the length of delay in entry of these cells into S. Thus the expression of these particular genes would appear to be closely coupled in time and sequence to the entry of cells into S. These results suggest that the prolongation of the prereplicative period in WI-38 cells is located in early G1, following the events leading to c-fos and c-myc induction but prior to the induction and maximum accumulation later in G1 of other growth-associated genes such as ornithine decarboxylase and 4F1/vimentin. In addition, these results provide molecular evidence for a definitive programmed order of gene expression during the progression of cells out of G0 through G1 to S.

Calcium-Binding Proteins↗

PubMed1988

Retinol-binding protein synthesis and secretion by the rat visceral yolk sac. Effect of retinol status.

Studies were conducted to explore in rats the role of retinol in the regulation of the synthesis and secretion of retinol-binding protein (RBP) by the visceral yolk sac compared to the liver. Previous studies have shown that in retinol deficiency, hepatic RBP secretion is specifically inhibited, whereas hepatic RBP synthesis rate is unchanged. Retinol-depleted, retinoic acid-supplemented female rats were mated, and maternal liver, fetal liver, and visceral yolk sac were obtained at 14 days of gestation (retinol-depleted group). A group of identically treated, retinol-depleted rats were repleted with retinol on the 14th day of gestation, and the same tissues were collected 6 h later (retinol-repleted group). Normal female rats were used as controls. RBP was assayed by radioimmunoassay and RBP mRNA levels by RNase protection assay using a rat RBP cDNA clone. RBP levels in the visceral yolk sac were elevated 10-fold in the retinol-depleted as compared to the control rats and had declined to near normal values in the retinol-repleted animals. The relative levels of RBP mRNA in the visceral yolk sac were very similar in all three groups of rats. Thus, as in the liver, in the visceral yolk sac retinol deficiency inhibits RBP secretion without altering RBP mRNA levels. In the visceral yolk sac, as in the liver, retinol status appears to regulate RBP secretion specifically, without affecting the rate of RBP biosynthesis.

Animals↗

PubMed1988

Expression of c-myc and induction of DNA synthesis by platelet-poor plasma in human diploid fibroblasts.

When WI-38 human diploid fibroblasts become confluent, they stop synthesizing DNA and dividing. Addition of serum causes the quiescent cell to reenter the cell cycle. Prolonged quiescence after confluence decreases and delays the response to serum. For a few days after reaching confluence, WI-38 cells also respond to platelet-poor plasma. During this period, although not cycling, WI-38 cells still express c-myc and other growth-regulated genes, as measured by steady-state RNA levels. If the quiescence is prolonged further, c-myc expression (and that of two other growth-regulated genes) is no longer detectable, and its disappearance coincides with a loss of response to platelet-poor plasma. These results suggest that, also under physiological conditions, the expression of c-myc and other growth-regulated genes can cooperate with platelet-poor plasma in inducing cellular DNA synthesis in human diploid fibroblasts.

Blood Platelets↗

PubMed1988

Molecular analysis of sodium butyrate-induced growth arrest.

Sodium butyrate has been shown to exert dramatic effects on the growth of cells in culture. It inhibits DNA synthesis, arrests actively proliferating cells in G1 and induces differentiation. The mechanism responsible for these various anti-proliferative effects is presently unknown. We wished to study the effects of sodium butyrate on cell growth at the molecular level, by analyzing the pattern of expression exhibited by several growth-associated genes (e.g., c-fos, c-myc, p53 and thymidine kinase) in Swiss 3T3 cells following treatment with sodium butyrate. Our results suggest that sodium butyrate-induced growth arrest of Swiss 3T3 cells (1) can be distinguished at a molecular level from the arrest brought about by other means of growth arrest; (2) does not result from a generalized mechanism which non-specifically shuts down the expression of growth-associated genes but rather occurs via a more specific mechanism which leads to the reduction in the expression of certain genes (e.g., c-myc, p53, thymidine kinase) while inducing the expression of others (e.g., c-fos, aP2); and (3) may involve one or more of the molecular events leading to adipocyte differentiation.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Time of c-fos and c-myc expression in human diploid fibroblasts stimulated to proliferate after prolonged periods in quiescence.

When human diploid fibroblasts such as WI-38 cells become crowded, they enter a viable state of quiescence (G0) in which they can remain for prolonged periods of time. These quiescent cells can be induced to re-enter the cell cycle by addition of fresh serum. However, cells held in G0 for long periods before stimulation require more time to enter DNA synthesis as compared to cells held in a quiescent state for short periods. We have used this model system to determine if a close temporal coupling exists between the time of expression of two proto-oncogenes associated with cell growth, c-fos and c-myc, and the time of entry into DNA synthesis. WI-38 cells were stimulated to enter DNA synthesis by the addition of fresh culture medium and serum at various lengths of time after plating, ranging from 7 to 34 days. At hourly intervals thereafter, cells were harvested and total RNA was isolated. These samples were then analyzed by RNase protection assay to determine the levels of c-fos and c-myc mRNA. Our results show that the time and pattern of c-fos and c-myc mRNA accumulation after stimulation is determined only by the time which the cells are treated with serum even when they exhibit a 19-h delay in the entry into DNA synthesis. In all of our experiments, c-fos could be detected 0.5 h after stimulation and remained detectable for approximately 2 h. Likewise, the peak of c-myc accumulation occurred at about 3 h after serum addition, regardless of how long it took to initiate DNA synthesis. These results suggest that the time of c-fos and c-myc induction clearly is not the only factor which determines the length of the prereplicative period and thus the ultimate time of initiation of DNA synthesis.

Cell Cycle↗

PubMed1987

Expression of growth-associated genes in various tissues of the fetal and adult rat.

4F1, 2A9 and 2F1 represent three of a number of cDNA sequences which have been identified because their cognate RNAs markedly increase when quiescent cells in culture are stimulated with serum. Studies using a variety of cell culture systems have shown that the expression of these genes is modulated by various growth factors and mitogens and thus such genes are considered to be 'growth-associated.' Thus far, little information has been obtained with these in vitro systems about the function of these genes. In an attempt to begin to elucidate the role of these genes (if any) in the physiology of the normal cell, we have analyzed the levels of 4F1, 2A9 and 2F1 transcripts in a variety of differentiated organs and tissues of adult and fetal rats. Our results show that each of these growth-associated genes exhibits its own unique pattern of expression, unrelated to the proliferative activity of the tissue. These data suggest that these genes most likely do have specific functions in normal tissue in addition to their role in the induction of DNA synthesis in quiescent cells in culture.

Animals↗

PubMed1987

Normalization of multiple RNA samples using an in vitro-synthesized external standard cRNA.

A method for the normalization of multiple RNA samples is described. This method exploits the recently developed technology which allows the synthesis of single-stranded, specific RNA molecules in vitro using either SP6 or T7 RNA polymerase to prepare an external standard cRNA. When this external standard cRNA is added to cell samples at the time of lysis, it becomes a stable, integral part of the RNA content of each sample, which can easily and reproducibly be detected and quantitated by either Northern blot or RNase protection. The feasibility of this approach to normalization has been tested in a mouse 3T3 cell model system. In multiple samples, the relative levels of this externally added standard transcript are shown to closely parallel the relative levels of an internal standard control transcript as well as the amount of RNA determined by spectrophotometric analysis. The data obtained demonstrate that an externally added, in vitro-synthesized transcript can serve as an accurate, universal means of normalizing multiple RNA samples, since it is not dependent on sample RNA concentration, species, cell or tissue type, or experimental manipulation.

Animals↗

PubMed1986

Retinol-binding protein and transthyretin mRNA levels in visceral yolk sac and liver during fetal development in the rat.

Studies were conducted to explore the synthesis of retinol-binding protein and transthyretin by embryonic and extraembryonic tissues during fetal development in the rat. The levels of retinol-binding protein mRNA and transthyretin mRNA were measured in fetal liver and in extraembryonic tissues by RNA gel blot analysis and hybridization with specific cDNA probes. Retinol-binding protein mRNA and transthyretin mRNA were both detected in the liver of fetuses at 14 days of gestation. The relative levels of these two transcripts increased during later fetal development; by the 20th day of gestation retinol-binding protein mRNA levels were comparable to those of the adult liver, while the levels of transthyretin mRNA were only 46% of those of the adult liver. Examination of the extraembryonic membranes for retinol-binding protein mRNA and transthyretin mRNA showed that these two transcripts were present specifically and only in the visceral yolk sac. The relative levels of retinol-binding protein mRNA and transthyretin mRNA in visceral yolk sac were constant from 14 to 20 days of gestation, averaging 58% and 51%, respectively, of the adult liver levels of these two transcripts. Both retinol-binding protein mRNA and transthyretin mRNA in the visceral yolk sac were found to be specifically localized in the endodermal layer. Finally, both immunoprecipitable retinol-binding protein and transthyretin were found to be synthesized and secreted by explant cultures of visceral yolk sac tissue. These data show that the visceral yolk sac is a major source of both retinol-binding protein and transthyretin in the developing fetus. Since the visceral yolk sac is a site of true placentation and nutrient transfer in the rodent, this raises the possibility that visceral yolk sac-derived retinol-binding protein and transthyretin may play important roles in the transport and delivery of retinol from the maternal blood to the developing fetus.

Animals↗

PubMed1986

Retinol-binding protein messenger RNA levels in the liver and in extrahepatic tissues of the rat.

A retinol-binding protein (RBP) cDNA clone was used to examine the effect of retinol status on the level of RBP mRNA in the liver, and to explore whether extrahepatic tissues contain RBP mRNA. In the first series of experiments, poly(A+) RNA was isolated from the livers of normal, retinol-depleted, and retinol-repleted rats and the levels of RBP mRNA in these samples were determined by both Northern blot and RNA Dot blot analyses. The levels of RBP mRNA in liver were similar in all three groups of rats. These findings confirm and extend previous studies which showed that retinol did not alter the in vivo rate of RBP synthesis or the translatable levels of RBP mRNA. In a second series of experiments, the RBP cDNA clone was used to survey poly (A+) RNA isolated from 12 different rat tissues for RBP mRNA by Northern blot analysis. We found that, along with the liver, many extrahepatic tissues contained RBP mRNA. Kidney contained RBP mRNA at a level of 5-10% of that of the liver, and the lungs, spleen, brain, stomach, heart, and skeletal muscle contained 1-3% of that of the liver. Translation of kidney poly (A+) RNA in rabbit reticulocyte lysates and immunoprecipitation of the translation products with anti-RBP antiserum resulted in a protein band of the same size as liver preRBP. These data suggest that RBP is synthesized in many extrahepatic tissues. It is possible that this extra-hepatically synthesized RBP may function in the recycling of retinol from these tissues back to the liver or to other target organs.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

Demonstration of transthyretin mRNA in the brain and other extrahepatic tissues in the rat.

Studies were conducted to ascertain if transthyretin mRNA was present in extrahepatic tissues of the rat. A trnasthyretin cDNA clone was isolated from a lambda gt11 human liver cDNA library by antibody screening and its identity was confirmed by nucleotide sequence analysis. This transthyretin cDNA clone was used to survey poly(A+) RNA isolated from 12 different rat tissues for transthyretin mRNA by Northern blot analysis. The liver contained the highest level of transthyretin mRNA and this level was not altered by the vitamin A status of the rat. A significant amount of transthyretin mRNA was found in the brain (30% of the level of the liver) which was localized in specific regions of the brain. In addition, detectable levels of transthyretin mRNA (1% to 2% of that of the liver) were observed in the stomach, heart, skeletal muscle, and spleen. Translation of brain poly(A+) RNA in rabbit reticulocyte lysates and immunoprecipitation of the translation products with anti-transthyretin antiserum resulted in a protein band of the same size as liver pre-transthyretin. Liver pre-transthyretin was processed by the cotranslational addition of dog pancreas microsomal membranes to a protein that migrated coincidentally with monomeric serum transthyretin. These data suggest that transthyretin in the brain and the cerebrospinal fluid results from de novo synthesis and that transthyretin may play a significant physiological function, as yet unknown, within the nervous system.

Animals↗

PubMed1985

Hypersensitivity and reduced inhibition of DNA synthesis in ataxia telangiectasia lymphoblasts treated with low levels of neocarzinostatin.

The effects of neocarzinostatin (NCS) on lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) established from ataxia telangiectasia (A-T) were determined. A-T lymphoblasts were found to be hypersensitive to low levels of NCS as measured by cell growth and cell survival. On the other hand, A-T lymphoblasts failed to postpone DNA synthesis to the same degree as normal lymphoblasts following treatment with NCS. LCLs established from Nijmegen breakage syndrome (NBS) could be distinguished from ataxia and normal cell lines by their intermediate level of survival following exposure to NCS.

Antibiotics, Antineoplastic↗

PubMed1983

Mutational analysis of simian virus 40 T antigen: stimulation of cellular DNA synthesis and activation of rRNA genes by mutants with deletions in the T-antigen gene.

The biological activity of several deletion mutants of simian virus 40, cloned in pBR322, was determined. Three functions of the simian virus 40 A gene were studied: (i) the ability to express T antigen; (ii) the ability to induce cell DNA replication; and (iii) the ability to reactivate silent rRNA genes in hybrid cells. Recombinant plasmid DNA was introduced into cells by manual microinjection or by transfection. The results (together with previous reports) indicate that the critical sequences for these three functions are located separately on the simian virus 40 A gene, as follows: (i) the sequences necessary for the detection of the common antigenic determinant of T antigen extend from nucleotide 4147 to nucleotide 4001 (map units 0.45 to 0.42); (ii) the sequences critical for the stimulation of cell DNA synthesis extend from nucleotide 4327 to nucleotide 4001 (map units 0.49 to 0.42); and (iii) those critical for the reactivation of rRNA genes extend approximately from nucleotide 3827 to nucleotide 3526 (map units 0.39 to 0.33).

Animals↗