PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Oren

Publications and source records attributed to M Oren.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

[Echinococcosis in pregnancy].

Hydatid disease affects sheep and cattle and is caused by the larval form of Echinococcus granulosus. Affected human beings are only chance intermediate hosts. We present a woman admitted in her 22nd week of pregnancy because of upper abdominal pain and persistent vomiting. The presumptive diagnosis of hydatid cyst of the liver was established by ultrasound, X-ray and CT examinations. At laparotomy a 10 x 7 cm hydatid cyst was removed from the liver. She recovered completely and delivered spontaneously at term. There was no evidence of hydatid disease in the newborn or in the placenta.

Echinococcosis, Hepatic↗
PubMed1992

Enhanced binding of a 95 kDa protein to p53 in cells undergoing p53-mediated growth arrest.

To explore the biochemical functions of p53, we have initiated a search for cellular p53-binding proteins. Coprecipitation of three polypeptides was observed when cell lines overexpressing a temperature-sensitive (ts) p53 mutant were maintained at 32.5 degrees C (wild-type p53 activity, leading to growth arrest) but not at 37.5 degrees C (mutant p53 activity). One of these three proteins, designated p95 on the basis of its apparent molecular mass, was highly abundant in p53 immune complexes. We demonstrate herein that p95 is a p53-binding protein, which exhibits poor p53-binding in cells overproducing several distinct mutant p53 proteins. Yet, p95 associates equally well with both the wild-type (wt) and the mutant conformations of the ts p53 in transformed cells growth-arrested at 32.5 degrees C. On the basis of our findings we suggest that wt p53 activity increases p53-p95 complex formation and that such interaction may play a central role in p53 mediated tumour suppression.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

p53: the ultimate tumor suppressor gene?

Alterations in the gene encoding the cellular p53 protein are perhaps the most frequent type of genetic lesions in human cancer. At the heart of these alterations is the abrogation of the tumor suppressor activity of the normal p53. In many cases this is achieved through point mutations in p53, which often result in pronounced conformational changes. Such mutant polypeptides, which tend to accumulate to high levels in cancer cells, are believed to exert a dominant negative effect over coexpressed normal p53. Extensive research on p53, especially in the course of the last 3 years, has already provided much insight into the biological and biochemical mechanisms that underlie its capacity to act as a potent tumor suppressor. There are now many indications that p53 may play a central role in the control of cell proliferation, cell survival, and differentiation. Nevertheless, despite the purported importance of p53 for such crucial processes, mice can develop apparently without any defect in the total absence of p53. This raises the possibility that p53 may become critically limiting only when normal growth control is lost.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Identification of a minimal transforming domain of p53: negative dominance through abrogation of sequence-specific DNA binding.

Mutations in the p53 gene are most frequent in cancer. Many p53 mutants possess transforming activity in vitro. In cells transformed by such mutants, the mutant protein is oligomerized with endogenous cell p53. To determine the relevance of oligomerization for transformation, miniproteins containing C-terminal portions of p53 were generated. These miniproteins, although carrying no point mutation, transformed at least as efficiently as full-length mutant p53. Transforming activity was coupled with the ability to oligomerize with wild-type p53, as well as with the ability to abrogate sequence-specific DNA binding by coexpressed wild-type p53. These findings suggest that p53-mediated transformation may operate through a dominant negative mechanism, involving the generation of DNA binding-incompetent oligomers.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

The gene for the rat heat-shock cognate, hsc70, can suppress oncogene-mediated transformation.

In cells transformed by mutant mouse p53 plus ras, the former protein is found to be complexed with the heat-shock protein cognate hsc70. To determine whether hsc70 can directly affect neoplastic transformation, nonestablished rat embryo fibroblasts (REF) were transfected with rat genomic hsc70 DNA in conjunction with various oncogenes. We report here that the hsc70 gene could efficiently suppress focus induction by mutant p53 plus ras, as well as by myc plus ras. No inhibitory effect of hsc70 was detectable in assays monitoring the ability of REF to be immortalized by mutant p53, arguing against a nonspecific deleterious effect of the hsc70 genomic clone on REF survival and proliferation. Lines generated in the presence of the hsc70 plasmid produced augmented levels of hsc70. Plasmids encoding only short NH2-terminal fragments of hsc70 could also, in some cases, partially reduce oncogene-mediated focus formation. However, a maximal inhibitory effect required the production of a functional hsc70 protein. The data presented here raise the possibility that hsc70 may be directly involved in the modulation of oncogene-mediated transformation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Reduced levels of alpha 1 (I) collagen mRNA in cells immortalized by mutant p53 or transformed by ras.

Genes whose expression patterns are altered in a cell line immortalized by mutant p53 were isolated by differential screening of a cDNA library. Levels of alpha 1 (I) collagen mRNA were reduced in the majority of immortalized cell lines which greatly overproduced the transfected mutant p53. This may reflect a co-selection during the establishment of the cell lines, rather than a direct effect of p53 on alpha 1 (I) collagen gene expression. On the other hand, a more direct relationship could be demonstrated between the expression of activated ras and a reduction in alpha 1 (I) collagen mRNA. Such reduction could partially account for the effects of ras on cell shape and cell proliferation.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Wild-type p53 can down-modulate the activity of various promoters.

The wild-type (wt) p53 protein is the product of a tumor suppressor gene that is a frequent target for inactivation in many types of tumors. The nuclear localization of the protein, as well as additional features, suggest that it may be involved in the regulation of gene expression. To explore this possibility, the effects of overproduced wt p53 were investigated in a number of systems. Induction of growth arrest via the antiproliferative effect of wt p53 greatly impaired the ability of cells to exhibit an increase in c-fos mRNA upon serum stimulation. Experiments in which cells were cotransfected with p53 expression plasmids together with a reporter gene linked to various promoters revealed that wt p53 could effectively reduce transcription from a series of promoters derived from serum-inducible genes, but not from a major histocompatibility complex gene. The p53-mediated repression of c-fos gene expression occurred even in the presence of cycloheximide. Kinetic studies indicate that the effect of wt p53 is rapid, rather than representing a secondary consequence of growth arrest. These findings support a role for p53 in transcriptional regulation, perhaps by reducing the expression of genes that are needed for ongoing cell proliferation.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Wild-type p53 induces apoptosis of myeloid leukaemic cells that is inhibited by interleukin-6.

Wild-type p53 protein has many properties consistent with its being the product of a tumour suppressor gene. Although the normal roles of tumour suppressor genes are still largely unknown, it seems that they could be involved in promoting cell differentiation as well as in mediating growth arrest by growth-inhibitory cytokines. Hence, the abrogation of wild-type p53 expression, which is a common feature of many tumours, could eliminate these activities. We have now tested this notion by restoring the expression of p53 in a murine myeloid leukaemic cell line that normally lacks p53. The use of a temperature-sensitive p53 mutant allowed us to analyse cells in which the introduced p53 had either wild-type or mutant properties. Although there seemed to be no effect on differentiation, the introduction of wild-type p53 resulted in rapid loss of cell viability in a way characteristic of apoptosis (programmed cell death). The effect of wild-type p53 was counteracted by interleukin-6. Thus products of tumour suppressor genes could be involved in restricting precursor cell populations by mediating apoptosis.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

[Closure of postoperative anastomotic fistulas with a somatostatin analogue].

Postoperative gastrointestinal fistula formation is not rare, and is accompanied by considerable morbidity and mortality. Somatostatin, a potential, universal endocrine and exocrine inhibitor, is a peptide synthesized in the nervous system and the gastrointestinal tract. We describe 2 men, 58 and 53 years old, respectively, with postoperative fistulas, the first after pancreatic-jejunal and the second after jejunal anastomosis. 7 and 3 days, respectively, after starting a synthetic somatostatin analogue (SMS 201-995), discharge from the fistulas decreased and they closed completely.

Anastomosis, Surgical↗
PubMed1991

p53 mutations: gains or losses?

Although the case for p53 as a tumor suppressor gene appears very strong, one should still keep an open eye for the possibility that mutations in p53 do not necessarily imply a mere loss of "suppressor" activity. It is still possible that the presence of a p53 mutation in a tumor contributes, in a dominant positive manner, to tumorigenesis. In other words, certain p53 mutants may well be oncogenic in their own right, and carry distinct activities that promote growth deregulation and malignant progression. Elucidating this issue also has practical implications, since the nature of the resident mutations may greatly dictate the consequences of attempts to reintroduce wild-type (wt) p53 into particular types of tumor cells. There are two major obstacles along the road to meaningful answers: the limitations of the experimental systems used for evaluating the biological activities of wt and mutant p53 and a fundamental lack of knowledge about the relevant biochemistry of the p53 protein. These two aspects constitute primary experimental challenges for investigators in the field.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Simian virus 40 can overcome the antiproliferative effect of wild-type p53 in the absence of stable large T antigen-p53 binding.

In simian virus 40 (SV40)-transformed cells, a tight complex is formed between the viral large T antigen (large T) and p53. It has been proposed that this complex interferes with the antiproliferative activity of p53. This notion was tested in primary rat fibroblasts by assessing the ability of SV40-mediated transformation to be spared from the inhibitory effect of wild-type (wt) p53. The data indicate that relative to transformation induced by myc plus ras, SV40-plus-ras-mediated focus formation was indeed much less suppressed by p53 plasmids. A majority of the resultant cell lines made a p53 protein with properties characteristic of a wt conformation. Furthermore, cell lines expressing stably both SV40 large T and a temperature-sensitive p53 mutant continued to proliferate at a temperature at which this p53 assumes wt-like properties and normally causes a growth arrest. Surprisingly, at least partial resistance to the growth-inhibitory effect of wt p53 was also evident when transformation was mediated by an SV40 deletion mutant, encoding a large T which does not bind p53 detectably. In addition to supporting the idea that SV40 can overcome the growth-restrictive activity of wt p53, these findings strongly suggest that at least part of this effect does not require a stable association between p53 and large T.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Induction of growth arrest by a temperature-sensitive p53 mutant is correlated with increased nuclear localization and decreased stability of the protein.

A temperature-sensitive mutant of p53, p53Val-135, was found to be able to arrest cell proliferation when overexpressed at 32.5 degrees C. While much of the protein was cytoplasmic in cells proliferating at 37.5 degrees C, it became predominantly nuclear at 32.5 degrees C. Concomitantly, p53Val-135 became destabilized, although not to the extent seen in primary fibroblasts.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Transfected mouse c-jun can inhibit transformation of primary rat embryo fibroblasts.

The c-jun gene, which encodes a transcriptional regulatory protein, is the cellular homologue of the transforming gene of avian sarcoma virus 17. In an attempt to assess the biological activities of mouse c-jun, we studied the consequences of its overproduction in an in vitro transformation assay. A c-jun expression plasmid failed to cooperate with either ras, myc or mutant p53 in this focus formation assay. On the other hand, it dramatically inhibited the ability of various oncogene combinations to elicit foci upon transfection into primary rat embryo fibroblasts. Deletion plasmids lacking either the transactivating domain or the leucine repeat of c-jun still displayed a pronounced inhibitory activity. On the contrary, a plasmid encoding only the first 187 amino acids of c-jun had no such activity. The data suggests that enhanced c-jun expression may interfere with the induction or proliferation of transformed cells in this system, and that the inhibitory activity resides in the C-terminal half of the molecule.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Frequent p53 mutations in chemically induced murine fibrosarcoma.

Patterns of p53 expression were investigated in chemically induced fibrosarcoma tumors and cell lines. Most, if not all, cell lines were found to carry alterations at the protein level, reflected in the overproduction of greatly stabilized p53 proteins. In many cases, this was accompanied by formation of complexes with hsc70. Hence, all of these lines may be expressing one sort or another of mutant p53. The mutant nature of the p53 gene was directly verified, in a number of cases, by PCR-amplified cDNA cloning. In one line, no p53 protein was made at all; this turned out to be because of a mutation in a splice donor site, resulting in the production of an aberrant mRNA. In all other cases, mRNAs carrying mis-sense mutations were present, and were sometimes expressed along with wt p53 mRNA. When tested in an in vitro transformation assay, all cloned mutants possessed a discrete oncogenic activity, while having lost the ability to interfere with oncogene-mediated transformation. The system described here could potentially be very helpful in elucidating the significance of p53 mutations.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Different tumor-derived p53 mutants exhibit distinct biological activities.

In its wild-type form, the protein p53 can interfere with neoplastic processes. Tumor-derived cells often express mutant p53. Full-length mutant forms of p53 isolated so far from transformed mouse cells exhibit three common properties in vitro: loss of transformation-suppressing activity, gain of pronounced transforming potential, and ability to bind the heat shock protein cognate hsc70. A tumor-derived mouse p53 variant is now described, whose site of mutation corresponds to a hot spot for p53 in human tumors. While absolutely nonsuppressing, it is only weakly transforming and exhibits no detectable hsc70 binding. The data suggest that the ability of a p53 mutant to bind endogenous p53 is not the sole determinant of its oncogenic potential. The data also support the existence of gain-of-function p53 mutants.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Conditional inhibition of transformation and of cell proliferation by a temperature-sensitive mutant of p53.

Mutant p53 can contribute to transformation, while wild-type (wt) p53 is not oncogenic and actually inhibits transformation. Furthermore, wt p53 may act as a suppressor gene in human carcinogenesis. We now describe the temperature-sensitive behavior of a particular mutant, p53val135. Like other p53 mutants, it can elicit transformation at 37.5 degrees C. However, at 32.5 degrees C it suppresses transformation, behaving like authentic wt p53. Moreover, the proliferation of transformed cells expressing p53val135 is dramatically inhibited at the permissive temperature. Significantly, the inhibition of both transformation and proliferation is reversible upon temperature upshift. These data demonstrate that the ability of wt p53 to suppress transformation is not due to a general lethal effect, but rather to a reversible growth arrest. p53val135 may prove instrumental for gaining insight into the cellular and molecular properties of wt p53.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Massive hepatic infarction in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Liver disease in systemic lupus erythematosus, as demonstrated by abnormal histopathology, is rare and usually mild; typically, this hepatic disease is of chronic nature and not related to a hypercoagulable state. A patient is described in whom life-threatening hypercoagulability in association with systemic lupus erythematosus resulted in extensive liver infarction. Follow-up radionuclide liver scintigraphy suggested that regenerative recovery in the infarcted areas of the liver may be delayed or absent, but there was no evident functional hepatic impairment.

Adult↗