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K Pryor

Publications and source records attributed to K Pryor.

11 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

MIC-1, a novel macrophage inhibitory cytokine, is a divergent member of the TGF-beta superfamily.

Macrophages play a key role in both normal and pathological processes involving immune and inflammatory responses, to a large extent through their capacity to secrete a wide range of biologically active molecules. To identify some of these as yet not characterized molecules, we have used a subtraction cloning approach designed to identify genes expressed in association with macrophage activation. One of these genes, designated macrophage inhibitory cytokine 1 (MIC-1), encodes a protein that bears the structural characteristics of a transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) superfamily cytokine. Although it belongs to this superfamily, it has no strong homology to existing families, indicating that it is a divergent member that may represent the first of a new family within this grouping. Expression of MIC-1 mRNA in monocytoid cells is up-regulated by a variety of stimuli associated with activation, including interleukin 1beta, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin 2, and macrophage colony-stimulating factor but not interferon gamma, or lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Its expression is also increased by TGF-beta. Expression of MIC-1 in CHO cells results in the proteolytic cleavage of the propeptide and secretion of a cysteine-rich dimeric protein of Mr 25 kDa. Purified recombinant MIC-1 is able to inhibit lipopolysaccharide -induced macrophage TNF-alpha production, suggesting that MIC-1 acts in macrophages as an autocrine regulatory molecule. Its production in response to secreted proinflammatory cytokines and TGF-beta may serve to limit the later phases of macrophage activation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

The three-dimensional solution structure of the SH2 domain from p55blk kinase.

Signal transduction in B cells is mediated, in part, by the interaction of the cytoplasmic components of the antigen receptor complex and various members of the src family tyrosine kinases. Key to this process appears to be the interaction of the tyrosine kinase SH2 domains with the tyrosine-phosphorylated cytoplasmic domain of Ig-alpha, a disulfide-bonded heterodimeric (with Ig-beta or Ig-gamma) transmembrane protein that noncovalently associates with the antigen receptor immunoglobin chains. In addition to binding to the phosphorylated cytoplasmic domains of Ig-alpha and Ig-beta, blk and fyn(T), two members of the src family kinases, have been shown to bind overlapping but distinct sets of phosphoproteins [Malek & Desiderio (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268. 22557-22565]. A comparison of their three-dimensional structures may elucidate the apparently subtle differences required for phosphoprotein discrimination. To begin characterizing the blk/fyn/phosphosphoprotein interactions, we have determined the three-dimensional solution structure of the SH2 domain of blk kinase by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. 1H, 13C, and 15N resonances of the SH2 domain of blk kinase were assigned by analysis of multidimensional, double- and triple-resonance NMR experiments. Twenty structures of the blk SH2 domain were refined with the program X-PLOR using a total of 2080 experimentally derived conformational restraints. The structures converged to a root-mean-squared (rms) distance deviation of 0.51 and 0.95 A for the backbone atoms and for the non-hydrogen atoms, respectively. The blk SH2 domain adopts the prototypical SH2 fold. Structurally, blk SH2 is most similar to the crystal structure of the v-src SH2 domain [Waksman et al. (1993) Nature 358.646-653] and superimposes on the crystal structure with an rmsd of 1.52 A for the backbone atoms. The largest deviations occur in the four loops interconnecting beta-strands A-E, which are the least well-defined regions in the NMR structure. Exclusion of these loops lowers this rmsd to 0.82 A. The conformation of the BC loop in the blk SH2 domain is similar to the open conformation in the apo lck SH2 domain, suggesting that, like the lck SH2 domain, the blk SH2 domain may have a gated phosphopeptide binding site. Finally, it is proposed that the amino acid substitution of Lys 88 (blk) for Glu [fyn(T)] is important for the observed differences in specificity between blk and fyn(T) SH2 domains.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Bacillus Calmette-Guérin plus intravesical interferon alpha-2b in patients with superficial bladder cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and interferon alpha-2b (IFN alpha 2b) have been used individually for the treatment of bladder cancer. We used a low dose of BCG combined with IFN alpha 2b to determine the safety and to assess the efficacy of this combination therapy. METHODS: A study of 12 patients with superficial bladder cancer evaluated the safety and efficacy of a combination of low-dose BCG and IFN alpha 2b, given weekly for 6 weeks. Three patients were assigned to each of four groups in which 60 mg of BCG was combined with 10, 30, 60, or 100 x 10(6) IU of IFN alpha 2b. RESULTS: The combination BCG/IFN alpha 2b therapy was well tolerated, with adverse effects being mild to moderate and resolved at the end of treatment. At 12 months post-treatment there has been no tumor progression. Two patients with previous multifocal transitional cell carcinoma have had solitary recurrences. One patient has had recurrent carcinoma in situ. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study found combination BCG/IFN alpha 2b induction therapy to be safe and well tolerated. These early results show a high response rate, but efficacy can only be determined with Phase II and III studies.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1996

Thrombin receptor activation by thrombin and receptor-derived peptides in platelet and CHRF-288 cell membranes: receptor-stimulated GTPase and evaluation of agonists and partial agonists.

Thrombin receptor activation, by thrombin or SFLLR-containing peptides, stimulates GTPase activity in platelet and CHRF-288 membranes. Polyclonal antibodies to peptides derived from the thrombin receptor (anti-TR52-69 and anti-TR36-49), which block many of thrombin's actions on platelets and endothelial cells, also block thrombin activation of membrane GTPase (as does thrombin active site and anion-binding exosite inhibitors). Most of the receptor-activated GTPase, stimulated by both thrombin and SFLLRNP in platelet membranes, was inhibited by prior treatment with pertussis toxin or N-ethylmaleimide, suggesting that under these conditions much of the thrombin receptor-stimulated GTPase in platelet membranes is a member of the pertussis toxin-sensitive G alpha i family. In platelet membrane preparations, the peptide agonists stimulated approximately twice as much GTPase activity as stimulated by alpha-thrombin. In contrast, the membranes prepared from CHRF-288 cells showed similar maximal SFLLRNP- and alpha-thrombin-stimulated GTPase activity. Stimulation of the platelet membrane GTPase by a variety of different peptide agonists correlated with their ability to stimulate platelet aggregation. Several peptide-based agonists were more potent than the wild-type sequence. The most potent was Ser-(p-fluoro-Phe)-(2-Napthyl-Ala)-Leu-Arg-NH2, which stimulated platelet aggregation (EC50 = 80 nM) and GTPase activity (EC50 = 110 nM). The peptide YFLLRN stimulated GTPase activity but only to approximately 40% of the activity observed with optimal concentrations of other receptor agonists. YFLLRN also limited the stimulation observed with SFLLRNP in a competitive fashion, indicating that YFLLRN is a competitive partial agonist at the thrombin receptor. These studies show that the tethered-ligand receptor mediates the GTPase activation by thrombin in platelet and CHRF-288 cell membranes, and this provides a specific, reliable, and convenient cell-free assay system with which one can evaluate agonists and partial agonists.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Antiproliferative effects of bacillus Calmette-Guerin and interferon alpha 2b on human bladder cancer cells in vitro.

Direct inhibitory effects of bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) and interferon alpha 2b (IFN alpha 2b) on six human bladder carcinoma cell lines, UCRU-BL-13, UCRU-BL-17, UCRU-BL-28, 5637, T24 and J82, were studied using an in vitro proliferation assay. Effects on proliferation following exposure to BCG or IFN alpha 2b were analysed by [3H]thymidine incorporation over 7 days. BCG had an antiproliferative effect on all bladder lines, while sensitivity to IFN alpha 2b varied greatly, being as remarkably low as 1 U/ml for some lines. The antiproliferative effect was greatest when cells were exposed continuously to either agent, but was still evident with a limited exposure. When clinical concentrations were simulated in vitro, BCG+IFN alpha 2b was more effective than BCG alone and as effective as a double BCG concentration. We conclude that, in addition to their immunomodulatory effects, BCG and IFN alpha 2b directly inhibit the proliferation of human bladder cancer cells, and often at extremely low concentrations.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed1995

Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) enhances monocyte- and lymphocyte-mediated bladder tumour cell killing.

A cytotoxicity assay was used to study the action of bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) and cytokines on four human bladder cancer cell lines. Monocytes and lymphocytes from peripheral blood were incubated with or without BCG or cytokines for 24 h, after which [3H]thymidine-labelled target cells were added and the 72 h percentage specific release determined. BCG had a direct cytotoxic effect against tumour cells and significantly enhanced monocyte/macrophage and enhanced lymphocyte cytotoxicity against one cell line (UCRU-BL-17). Supernatants (SNs) from BCG-activated monocytes/macrophages and lymphocytes increased the percentage specific release of [3H]thymidine from UCRU-BL-17 cells. Interferon alpha (IFN-alpha) and interleukin 2 (IL-2) were cytotoxic towards UCRU-BL-17. No synergy occurred between BCG and cytokines at the concentrations tested. The results suggest that BCG is superior to IFN-alpha, interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) and IL-2 in enhancing cell-mediated cytotoxicity.

Carcinoma, Transitional Cell↗
PubMed1966

[Hydrodynamic performance of porpoises (Stenella attenuata)].

Two specimens of Stenella attenuata, trained to chase a winchtowed lure, reached a top speed of 11.03 meters per second (21.4 knots) in 2.0 seconds. The maximum power output, occurring 1.5 seconds after the start, was calculated from measured values of acceleration and drag coefficient. The maximum power output per unit body weight was 50 percent greater than for human athletes. The measured drag coefficient, obtained from periods of coasting, was approximately the same as that of an equivalent rigid body with a near-turbulent boundary layer.

Animals↗