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R Kucherlapati

Publications and source records attributed to R Kucherlapati.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Lung cancer genetics and pharmacogenomics.

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted therapies have demonstrated remarkable success in a small subset of non-small cell lung cancer patients. The mechanism of response has been an area of active research, with somatic mutation in a number of genes in the EGFR signal transduction pathway and copy number alterations of genes of the EGFR family as candidates contributing towards response. Continuing studies should help determine an appropriate biomarker or combination of biomarkers that can be used to predict response to this class of therapy.

Antineoplastic Agents↗
PubMed2001

A new mouse model for evaluating the immunotherapy of human colorectal cancer.

A new murine model of human colorectal cancer was generated by crossing human carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) transgenic mice (H-2K(b)) with adenomatous polyposis coli (Apc1638N) knockout mice (H-2K(b)). The resulting hybrid mice developed gastrointestinal polyps in 6-8 months that progressed to invasive carcinomas with a similar pattern of dysplasia and CEA expression as observed in human colorectal cancer. These animals exhibited incomplete or partial tolerance to CEA as evidenced by delayed growth of CEA-expressing tumors and the inability to inhibit CEA-specific CTL responses. These results have important implications for understanding the role of CEA-specific immunity in human colon cancer patients and suggest that vaccine strategies targeting CEA may be feasible. This model provides a powerful system for evaluating antigen-specific tumor immunity against spontaneous tumors arising in an orthotopic location and permits evaluation of therapeutic vaccine strategies for human colorectal cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2001

The distinct spectra of tumor-associated Apc mutations in mismatch repair-deficient Apc1638N mice define the roles of MSH3 and MSH6 in DNA repair and intestinal tumorigenesis.

In mammalian cells, mismatch recognition has been attributed to two partially redundant heterodimeric protein complexes of MutS homologues, MSH2-MSH3 and MSH2-MSH6. We have conducted a comparative analysis of Msh3 and Msh6 deficiency in mouse intestinal tumorigenesis by generating Apc1638N mice deficient in Msh3, Msh6 or both. We have found that Apc1638N mice defective in Msh6 show reduced survival and a 6-7-fold increase in intestinal tumor multiplicity. In contrast, Msh3-deficient Apc1638N mice showed no difference in survival and intestinal tumor multiplicity as compared with Apc1638N mice. However, when Msh3 deficiency is combined with Msh6 deficiency (Msh3(-/-)Msh6(-/-)Apc1638N), the survival rate of the mice was further reduced compared to Msh6(-/-)Apc(1638N) mice because of a high multiplicity of intestinal tumors at a younger age. Almost 90% of the intestinal tumors from both Msh6(-/-)Apc1638N and Msh3(-/-)Msh6(-/-)Apc1638N mice contained truncation mutations in the wild-type Apc allele. Apc mutations in Msh6(-/-)Apc1638N mice consisted predominantly of base substitutions (93%) creating stop codons, consistent with a major role for Msh6 in the repair of base-base mismatches. However, in Msh3(-/-)Msh6(-/-)Apc1638N tumors, we observed a mixture of base substitutions (46%) and frameshifts (54%), indicating that in Msh6(-/-)Apc1638N mice frameshift mutations in the Apc gene were suppressed by Msh3. Interestingly, all except one of the Apc mutations detected in mismatch repair-deficient intestinal tumors were located upstream of the third 20-amino acid beta-catenin binding repeat and before all of the Ser-Ala-Met-Pro repeats, suggesting that there is selection for loss of multiple domains involved in beta-catenin regulation. Our analysis therefore has revealed distinct mutational spectra and clarified the roles of Msh3 and Msh6 in DNA repair and intestinal tumorigenesis.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

p21(WAF1/cip1) is an important determinant of intestinal cell response to sulindac in vitro and in vivo.

Sulindac, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, inhibits intestinal tumorigenesis in humans and rodents. Sulindac induced complex alterations in gene expression, but only 0.1% of 8063 sequences assayed were altered similarly by the drug in rectal biopsies of patients treated for 1 month and during response of colonic cells in culture. Among these changes was induction of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor, p21(WAF1/cip1). In Apc1638(+/-) mice, targeted inactivation of p21 increased intestinal tumor formation in a gene-dose-dependent manner, but inactivation of p21 completely eliminated the ability of sulindac to both inhibit mitotic activity in the duodenal mucosa and to inhibit Apc-initiated tumor formation. Thus, p21 is essential for tumor inhibition by this drug. The array data can be accessed on the Internet at http://sequence.aecom.yu.edu/genome/.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Functional characterization of transforming growth factor beta signaling in Smad2- and Smad3-deficient fibroblasts.

A prominent pathway of transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta signaling involves receptor-dependent phosphorylation of Smad2 and Smad3, which then translocate to the nucleus to activate transcription of target genes. To investigate the relative importance of these two Smad proteins in TGF-beta1 signal transduction, we have utilized a loss of function approach, based on analysis of the effects of TGF-beta1 on fibroblasts derived from mouse embryos deficient in Smad2 (S2KO) or Smad3 (S3KO). TGF-beta1 caused 50% inhibition of cellular proliferation in wild-type fibroblasts as assessed by [(3)H]thymidine incorporation, whereas the growth of S2KO or S3KO cells was only weakly inhibited by TGF-beta1. Lack of Smad2 or Smad3 expression did not affect TGF-beta1-induced fibronectin synthesis but resulted in markedly suppressed induction of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 by TGF-beta1. Moreover, TGF-beta1-mediated induction of matrix metalloproteinase-2 was selectively dependent on Smad2, whereas induction of c-fos, Smad7, and TGF-beta1 autoinduction relied on expression of Smad3. Investigation of transcriptional activation of TGF-beta-sensitive reporter genes in the different fibroblasts showed that activation of the (Smad binding element)(4)-Lux reporter by TGF-beta1 was dependent on expression of Smad3, but not Smad2, whereas activation of the activin response element-Lux reporter was strongly suppressed in S2KO fibroblasts but, on the contrary, enhanced in S3KO cells. Our findings indicate specific roles for Smad2 and Smad3 in TGF-beta1 signaling.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

TBX1 is responsible for cardiovascular defects in velo-cardio-facial/DiGeorge syndrome.

Velo-cardio-facial syndrome (VCFS)/DiGeorge syndrome (DGS) is a human disorder characterized by a number of phenotypic features including cardiovascular defects. Most VCFS/DGS patients are hemizygous for a 1.5-3.0 Mb region of 22q11. To investigate the etiology of this disorder, we used a cre-loxP strategy to generate mice that are hemizygous for a 1.5 Mb deletion corresponding to that on 22q11. These mice exhibit significant perinatal lethality and have conotruncal and parathyroid defects. The conotruncal defects can be partially rescued by a human BAC containing the TBX1 gene. Mice heterozygous for a null mutation in Tbx1 develop conotruncal defects. These results together with the expression patterns of Tbx1 suggest a major role for this gene in the molecular etiology of VCFS/DGS.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

A high-resolution map of human chromosome 12.

Our sequence-tagged site-content map of chromosome 12 is now integrated with the whole-genome fingerprinting effort. It provides accurate and nearly complete bacterial clone coverage of chromosome 12. We propose that this integrated mapping protocol serves as a model for constructing physical maps for entire genomes.

Chromosomes, Artificial, Bacterial↗
PubMed2001

Targeted inactivation of the p21(WAF1/cip1) gene enhances Apc-initiated tumor formation and the tumor-promoting activity of a Western-style high-risk diet by altering cell maturation in the intestinal mucosal.

Elimination of both alleles of the gene that encodes the cyclin kinase inhibitor p21(WAF1/cip1) increases the frequency and size of intestinal tumors in Apc1638+/- mice that inherit a mutant allele of the Apc gene, and intermediate effects are seen if a single p21 allele is inactivated. The increased tumor formation is associated with altered cell maturation in the intestinal mucosa of the p21-deficient mice--increased cell proliferation, and decreased apoptosis, and goblet cell differentiation--that is also a function of p21 gene dosage. Moreover, a Western-style diet that mimics principal risk factors for colon cancer (high fat and phosphate, low calcium and vitamin D) accelerates tumor formation in Apc1638+/- mice, and the loss of a single or both p21 alleles is additive with the tumor-promoting effects of this diet, resulting in more and larger tumors, and a highly significant decrease in survival time. Thus, p21 normally suppresses Apc-initiated tumor formation and is haplo-insufficient in this regard. This is consistent with recent reports that Apc initiates tumor formation by up-regulating c-myc expression through altered beta-catenin-Tcf signaling and that c-myc then up-regulates cdk4, whose activity is inhibited by p21. Decreased expression of p21 is also a marker of poor prognosis in patients, and the data presented suggest that dietary alterations in patients undergoing treatment for colon cancer might be highly effective in improving outcome.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein↗
PubMed2001

Mouse models for human familial adenomatous polyposis.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most frequent type of cancer in the Western hemisphere. In the United States alone, it is estimated that 150 000 new cases are detected every year and more than 65 000 patients die from complications associated with this cancer. Identification of genes implicated in the initiation and progression of colorectal cancer in humans has prompted the generation of mouse models for this cancer. We will provide a brief overview of these mouse models for CRC and what they have contributed to our understanding of the events involved in the initiation and progression of this cancer.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli↗
PubMed2000

Tumor-associated Apc mutations in Mlh1-/- Apc1638N mice reveal a mutational signature of Mlh1 deficiency.

Apc1638N mice, which are heterozygous for a germline mutation in Apc, typically develop three to five spontaneous intestinal tumors per animal. In most cases this is associated with allelic loss of wildtype Apc. We have previously reported that the multiplicity of intestinal tumors is increased dramatically by crossing Apc1638N with an Mlh1-deficient mouse strain that represents an animal model of hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer (HNPCC). The increased tumor multiplicity in these mice was associated with somatic mutations in the Apc tumor suppressor gene. Here, we have examined the nature and distribution of 91 Apc mutations implicated in the development of intestinal tumors in Mlh1-/- Apc1638N animals. Protein truncation mutations were detected in a majority of tumor samples, indicating that the prevailing mechanism of Apc mutation in tumors is altered from allelic loss to intragenic mutation as a result of Mlh1 deficiency. The observed mutations were a mixture of base substitutions (27%) and frameshifts (73%). Most frameshifts were detected within dinucleotide repeats and there were prominent mutational hotspots within sequences of this sort at codons 927-929, 1209-1211 and 1461-1464. The observed Apc mutations caused protein truncation upstream of the third 20 amino acid beta-catenin binding domain and the first Axin-binding SAMP repeat, yielding Apc proteins that are predicted to be deficient in destabilizing beta-catenin. Our results reveal a characteristic mutational signature in Apc that is attributable to Mlh1 deficiency. This demonstrates a direct effect of Mlh1 deficiency in the mutation of Apc in these tumors, and provides data that clarify the role of Mlh1 in mammalian DNA mismatch repair.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed2000

Ultrastructural and ERG findings in mice with adenomatous polyposis coli gene disruption.

PURPOSE: In order to continue the previous morphological studies of eyes from mice with adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene mutation at codon 1638, we determined the ultrastructural and electrophysiologic characteristics of these eyes. METHODS: Thirty-eight eyes from 20 mice heterozygous for APC gene mutation and 22 eyes from 11 wild-type mice were examined by light microscopy. Six APC-modified eyes without light microscopic abnormalities, four APC-modified eyes with focal light microscopic abnormalities, and four wild-type eyes were examined by electron microscopy. Electroretinograms were recorded from four APC-modified and three wild-type mice. RESULTS: Four of 38 APC-modified eyes demonstrated ultrastructural evidence of focal RPE cells with increased melanosome production and atrophy. Other areas of the RPE in these four eyes demonstrated no ultrastructural abnormalities. Three APC-modified eyes demonstrated electron and light microscopic evidence of RPE hyperplasia. Electron microscopic examination of APC-modified eyes without light microscopic evidence of abnormalities demonstrated no ultrastructural differences from age-matched controls. Electroretinography demonstrated no differences in the b-wave or c-wave amplitudes between APC-modified and wild-type mice. CONCLUSIONS: While light microscopic RPE alterations are observed in these APC-modified mice, the absence of a generalized, ultrastructural murine RPE defect is in contradistinction to observations in electron microscopic investigations of humans with colonic polyposis, pigmented ocular fundus lesions, and APC gene mutations between codons 463 and 1444. Our results in mice with APC mutation at codon 1638, however, are consistent with a previously identified association between the expression of pigmented ocular fundus lesions and region-specific mutation in the human APC gene. The APC protein may possess a physiologic function for both retinal and RPE development.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli↗
PubMed2000

Normal cardiovascular development in mice deficient for 16 genes in 550 kb of the velocardiofacial/DiGeorge syndrome region.

Hemizygous interstitial deletions in human chromosome 22q11 are associated with velocardiofacial syndrome and DiGeorge syndrome and lead to multiple congenital abnormalities, including cardiovascular defects. The gene(s) responsible for these disorders is thought to reside in a 1.5-Mb region of 22q11 in which 27 genes have been identified. We have used Cre-mediated recombination of LoxP sites in embryonic stem cells and mice to generate a 550-kb deletion encompassing 16 of these genes in the corresponding region on mouse chromosome 16. Mice heterozygous for this deletion are normal and do not exhibit cardiovascular abnormalities. Because mice with a larger deletion on mouse chromosome 16 do have heart defects, the results allow us to exclude these 16 genes as being solely, or in combination among themselves, responsible for the cardiovascular abnormalities in velocardiofacial/DiGeorge syndrome. We also generated mice with a duplication of the 16 genes that may help dissect the genetic basis of "cat eye" and derivative 22 syndromes that are characterized by extra copies of portions of 22q11, including these 16 genes. We also describe a strategy for selecting cell lines with defined chromosomal rearrangements. The method is based on reconstitution of a dominant selection marker after Cre-mediated recombination of LoxP sites. Therefore it should be widely applicable to many cell lines.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗
PubMed2000

MutS homolog 4 localization to meiotic chromosomes is required for chromosome pairing during meiosis in male and female mice.

Msh4 (MutS homolog 4) is a member of the mammalian mismatch repair gene family whose members are involved in postreplicative DNA mismatch repair as well as in the control of meiotic recombination. In this report we show that MSH4 has an essential role in the control of male and female meiosis. We demonstrate that MSH4 is present in the nuclei of spermatocytes early in prophase I and that it forms discrete foci along meiotic chromosomes during the zygotene and pachytene stages of meiosis. Disruption of the Msh4 gene in mice results in male and female sterility due to meiotic failure. Although meiosis is initiated in Msh4 mutant male and female mice, as indicated by the chromosomal localization of RAD51 and COR1 during leptonema/zygonema, the chromosomes fail to undergo normal pairing. Our results show that MSH4 localization on chromosomes during the early stages of meiosis is essential for normal chromosome synapsis in prophase I and that it acts in the same pathway as MSH5.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

A sequence-ready physical map of the region containing the human natural killer gene complex on chromosome 12p12.3-p13.2.

We developed a sequence-ready physical map of a part of human chromosome 12p12.3-p13.2 where the natural killer gene complex (NKC) is located. The NKC includes a cluster of genes with structure similar to that of the Ca(2+)-dependent lectin superfamily of glycoproteins that are expressed on the surface of most natural killer (NK) cells and a subset of T cells. These killer cell lectin-like receptors (KLR) are involved in NK target cell recognition, leading to activation or inhibition of NK cell function. We used a number of sequence-tagged site (STS) markers from this region to screen two large insert bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) libraries and a bacteriophage P1-derived (PAC) chromosome library. The clones were assembled into contiguous sets by STS content analysis. The 72-BAC and 11-PAC contig covers nearly 2 Mb of DNA and provides an average marker resolution of 26 kb. We have precisely localized 17 genes, 5 expressed sequence tags, and 49 STSs within this contig. Of this total number of STS, 30 are newly developed by clone-end sequencing. We established the order of the genes as tel-M6PR-MAFAL (HGMW-approved symbol KLRG1)-A2M-PZP-A2MP-NKRP1A (HGMW-approved symbol KLRB1)-CD69-AICL (HGMW-approved symbol CLECSF2)-KLRF1-OLR1-CD94 (HGMW-approved symbol KLRD1)-NKG2D (HGMW-approved symbol D12S2489E)-PGFL-NKG2F (HGMW-approved symbol KLRC4)-NKG2E (HGMW-approved symbol KLRC3)-NKG2A (HGMW-approved symbol KLRC1)-LY49L (HGMW-approved symbol KLRA1)-cen. This map would facilitate the cloning of new KLR genes and the complete sequencing of this region.

Antigens, CD↗
PubMed2000

The DNA mismatch repair genes Msh3 and Msh6 cooperate in intestinal tumor suppression.

Repair of mismatches in DNA in mammalian cells is mediated by a complex of proteins that are members of two highly conserved families of genes referred to as MutS and MutL homologues. Germline mutations in several members of these families, MSH2, MSH6, MLH1, and PMS2, but not MSH3, are responsible for hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer. To examine the role of MSH3, we generated a mouse with a null mutation in this gene. Cells from Msh3-/- mice are defective in repair of insertion/ deletion mismatches but can repair base-base mismatches. Msh3-/- mice develop tumors at a late age. When the Msh3-/- and Msh6-/- mutations are combined, the tumor predisposition phenotype is indistinguishable from Msh2-/- or Mlh1-/- mice. These results suggest that MSH3 cooperates with MSH6 in tumor suppression.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Somatic Apc mutations are selected upon their capacity to inactivate the beta-catenin downregulating activity.

The APC gene, originally identified as the gene for familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), is now considered as the true "gatekeeper" of colonic epithelial proliferation. Its main tumor suppressing activity seems to reside in the capacity to properly regulate intracellular beta-catenin signaling. Most somatic APC mutations are detected between codons 1286 and 1513, the mutation cluster region (MCR). This clustering can be explained either by the presence of mutation-prone sequences within the MCR, or by the selective advantage provided by the resulting truncated polypeptides. Here, a Msh2-deficient mouse model (Msh2(delta 7N) ) was generated and bred with Apc(1638N) and Apc(Min) that allowed the comparison of the somatic mutation spectra along the Apc gene in the different allelic combinations. Mutations identified in Msh2(delta 7N/delta 7N) tumors are predominantly dinucleotide deletions at simple sequence repeats leading to truncated Apc polypeptides that partially retain the 20 a.a. beta-catenin downregulating motifs. In contrast, the somatic mutations identified in the wild type Apc allele of Msh2(delta 7N/delta 7N) /Apc(+/1638N) and Msh2(delta 7N/delta 7N) /Apc(+/Min) tumors are clustered more to the 5' end, thereby completely inactivating the beta-catenin downregulating activity of APC. These results indicate that somatic Apc mutations are selected during intestinal tumorigenesis and that inactivation of the beta-catenin downregulating function of APC is likely to represent the main selective factor.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli↗
PubMed2000

Genetic analysis of the APAF1 gene in male germ cell tumors.

Cytogenetic and molecular analyses have shown that the chromosome band 12q22 is recurrently deleted in male germ cell tumors (GCTs), indicating the presence of a candidate tumor suppressor gene (TSG) in this region. To identify the TSG, we mapped the APAF1 gene, a proapoptotic mammalian homologue of ced-4, to chromosomal band 12q22, that suggested that this might be the candidate deleted gene in GCTs. We further localized the gene between the polymorphic markers D12S1671 and D12S1082 at 12q22 to determine the role of APAF1 in the pathogenesis of GCT, and we characterized its normal genomic structure and analyzed its alterations in GCTs. The APAF1 gene comprises 27 exons, with the coding region spanning 26. The region containing APAF1 was found to be deleted in GCT by fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis, but without evidence of coding sequence alterations. RT-PCR and Western blot analysis showed APAF1 gene expression at detectable levels in all GCT cell lines analyzed. An aberrant-sized APAF1 protein was seen in one cell line. This and 2 other cell lines carrying APAF1 deletions also exhibited defects in dATP-mediated caspase-3 activation. Caspase-3 activity was effectively restored by addition of recombinant caspase-9 and APAF1 proteins, and to a lesser extent by caspase-9 alone, but not by APAF1 alone. These data do not support a TSG role for APAF1, but defects in other components of the apoptotic pathway that may be related to 12q22 deletion cannot be ruled out. Genes Chromosomes Cancer 28:258-268, 2000.

Apoptosis↗