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S Luria

Publications and source records attributed to S Luria.

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Estrogen-receptor expression and function in thymocytes in relation to gender and age.

The expression of estrogen receptor (ER) in thymocytes was studied in young, middle-aged, and old (2, 12, and 24 months, respectively) female and male C57BL/6J mice. Western immunoblots prepared from the thymocytes of females of all age groups showed the presence of a 67-kD protein band, which has been associated with the apparent MW of denatured ER. Flow cytometry analysis of cells stained with a monoclonal anti-ER antibody (clone 13H2) disclosed ER expression in both females and males of all age groups. In vivo treatment with estradiol (E2) led to an increase in the specific activity of thymic creatine kinase (CK) in the female mice, whereas the male thymocytes responded with an increase in CK activity only on treatment with dihydrotestosterone (DHT). The data show no differences in ER expression between male and females, but the receptor appears not to be functional in males. Interestingly, when estradiol was applied to co-cultures of lymphoid-depleted fetal thymus (FT) explants and bone-marrow cells, or thymocytes, from young and old females, it resulted in increased cellularity of cultures containing cells of the young, and not those of the old. The proportion of CD4/CD8 phenotypes of the developing cells in these cultures was not affected by E2 treatment. These observations provide a new insight into ER expression and function in T-cell development in relation to gender and age.

Age Factors

Regulation of human immunodeficiency virus Nef protein by phosphorylation.

Human immunodeficiency virus isolates express a Nef protein with either an alanine or a threonine at amino acid residue 15. The threonine residue is a site for phosphorylation by protein kinase C. Jurkat T cells constitutively expressing the alanine variant of Nef exhibit the ability to downregulate the induction of transcription factors NF-kB and AP-1. In contrast, Jurkat cells with the threonine variant of Nef are at least partially restored in their ability to recruit NF-kB and AP-1.

Binding Sites

HIV-1 Nef protein inhibits the recruitment of AP-1 DNA-binding activity in human T-cells.

The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 long terminal repeat, HIV-1-LTR, contains binding sites for several cellular transcription factors which contribute to HIV-1 gene expression. Our previous studies on the function of the HIV-1-encoded Nef protein suggested that Nef may be an inhibitor HIV-1 transcription. To determine whether Nef affects the binding of cellular factors implicated in HIV-1 regulation, 32P-labeled oligonucleotides corresponding to the binding sites were incubated with nuclear extracts prepared from Nef-expressing T-cell lines that were not stimulated or were stimulated with T-cell mitogens. We found that Nef inhibited the recruitment of AP-1 DNA-binding activity in mitogen-stimulated human T-cells. Additionally, Nef expressing cells were transiently transfected with a plasmid in which HIV-1 AP-1 DNA recognition sequences were cloned downstream of the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene. Mitogen-mediated transcriptional activation of the CAT gene in this construct was inhibited in Nef-expressing cells but not in control cells. These studies suggest that, by inhibiting AP-1 activation, Nef may play a role in regulating HIV-1 gene expression in infected T-cells.

Base Sequence

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 Nef protein inhibits NF-kappa B induction in human T cells.

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) can establish a persistent and latent infection in CD4+ T lymphocytes (W. C. Greene, N. Engl. J. Med. 324:308-317, 1991; S. M. Schnittman, M. C. Psallidopoulos, H. C. Lane, L. Thompson, M. Baseler, F. Massari, C. H. Fox, N. P. Salzman, and A. S. Fauci, Science 245:305-308, 1989). Production of HIV-1 from latently infected cells requires host cell activation by T-cell mitogens (T. Folks, D. M. Powell, M. M. Lightfoote, S. Benn, M. A. Martin, and A. S. Fauci, Science 231:600-602, 1986; D. Zagury, J. Bernard, R. Leonard, R. Cheynier, M. Feldman, P. S. Sarin, and R. C. Gallo, Science 231:850-853, 1986). This activation is mediated by the host transcription factor NF-kappa B [G. Nabel and D. Baltimore, Nature (London) 326:711-717, 1987]. We report here that the HIV-1-encoded Nef protein inhibits the induction of NF-kappa B DNA-binding activity by T-cell mitogens. However, Nef does not affect the DNA-binding activity of other transcription factors implicated in HIV-1 regulation, including SP-1, USF, URS, and NF-AT. Additionally, Nef inhibits the induction of HIV-1- and interleukin 2-directed gene expression, and the effect on HIV-1 transcription depends on an intact NF-kappa B-binding site. These results indicate that defective recruitment of NF-kappa B may underlie Nef's negative transcriptional effects on the HIV-1 and interleukin 2 promoters. Further evidence suggests that Nef inhibits NF-kappa B induction by interfering with a signal derived from the T-cell receptor complex.

Base Sequence

Expression of the type 1 human immunodeficiency virus Nef protein in T cells prevents antigen receptor-mediated induction of interleukin 2 mRNA.

Stable transformants of the Jurkat T-cell line have been obtained that express either of two distinct forms of the type 1 human immunodeficiency virus nef gene: the nef-1-encoded protein (Nef-1) contains alanine, glycine, and valine at positions 15, 29, and 33, respectively; the protein specified by nef-2 (Nef-2) has threonine, arginine, and alanine at the corresponding positions. When Jurkat cells or their Nef-2-expressing transformants are treated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) plus either phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or antibodies against CD3 epsilon, T-cell receptor beta chain, or CD2, there is a prompt increase in interleukin 2 (IL-2) mRNA and intracellular calcium and in the IL-2 receptor alpha chain on the cell surface. Although cells expressing Nef-1 also induce calcium mobilization and the production of IL-2 receptor alpha chain, the formation of IL-2 mRNA is blocked in response to these stimuli. Moreover, Nef-1-expressing cells transfected with a plasmid in which the IL-2 promoter is fused to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene fail to induce CAT following treatment with PMA and PHA. By contrast, the parental and Nef-2-containing cells induce CAT normally. Nef-1-expressing cells can produce IL-2 mRNA in response to a combination of PMA and ionomycin, although much less efficiently than the parental Jurkat cells or Nef-2-expressing cells. These findings, and others described herein, suggest that the virally encoded Nef protein interferes with a signal emanating from the T-cell receptor complex that induces IL-2 gene transcription.

Chloramphenicol O-Acetyltransferase

Promoter and enhancer elements in the rearranged alpha chain gene of the human T cell receptor.

We cloned and compared the sequence of a rearranged human T cell receptor (TCR) V alpha J alpha gene and its germline counterparts. The only difference in the coding region sequence was confined to the joining region where three nucleotides, TTG, unaccountable by either V alpha or J alpha sequence, were present. By nuclease S1 mapping we identified the mRNA start of the alpha chain 70 nucleotides upstream from the initiator ATG. A 600 bp fragment containing the sequences upstream to the ATG drives the expression of the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene. This promoter activity is T cell specific since it can be demonstrated in human T cells but not in B cells or HeLa cells. A 1.1 kb BamHI- HindIII fragment located 5' to the first exon of the C alpha gene was found to enhance transcription from either the heterologous SV40 promoter or the homologous TCR alpha chain promoter. This enhancement activity was independent of the location of the fragment with respect to CAT and was specific to lymphoid cells (either T or B cells) but cannot be demonstrated in HeLa cells.

Amino Acid Sequence

[The Chernobyl accident. Evaluation of the doses absorbed by the thyroid gland in children of a mountain community from the measurement of I131 retained activity].

I131 thyroid uptake after the Chernobyl's accident was sampled in a Val Pellice school. Children were grouped according to sex, age and area of residence. The procedure used in collecting data and calculating the transformation coefficients from activity counts by computer simulation is analysed, as are the errors and sensitivity of the method. The activities were then converted into doses using an intake model. The dose levels identified are lower than the estimates based on the measurement of environmental matrices. Statistical analysis revealed certain subgroups with significantly different levels of absorption: particularly groups accustomed to a different diet or living in particular areas.

Accidents

Staphylococcus epidermidis in diabetic urological patient.

We present 6 patients in whom prosthetic failure occurred because of sepsis owing to Staphylococcus epidermidis. Such failure occurs in grafts in other areas and is caused by the high resistance of the organism to conventional antibacterial measures. Therapy with appropriate antibiotics, that is aminoglycosides, vancomycin and rifampin, and the need for an early operation are stressed.

Adult

The long terminal repeat of the intracisternal A particle as a target for transactivation by oncogene products.

It has been shown recently that the c-mos oncogene becomes activated in myeloma XRPC-24 via insertion of an intracisternal A particle (IAP) long terminal repeat (LTR). The inserted LTR serves as a promoter from which transcription of the 3' rearranged c-mos initiates. The insertion is in a head-to-head orientation such that the transcriptional orientations of the IAP and the 3' rearranged c-mos are opposite. It has already been shown that this IAP LTR has two promoters, one transcribing the IAP genome and the other transcribing the rearranged c-mos. Since the IAP genomes are actively transcribed in mouse myelomas but not in normal cells, it was interesting to test whether transcriptional activation of the IAP occurs in the presence of active oncogene products, especially nuclear ones. The 5' LTR of the IAP inserted in myeloma XRPC-24 was chosen as a convenient model to test the effect of viral and cellular oncogene products. These included simian virus 40 (SV40) large-T antigen, the adenovirus early 1A (E1A) gene product, the myc gene product, and p53. The LTR was coupled to the bacterial gene coding for chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) in two orientations, and the levels of CAT directed by the LTR promoters were assayed in either the presence or the absence of the oncogene products. The levels of CAT directed by the 5' LTR promoter transcribing the IAP were significantly elevated in the presence of SV40 large-T antigen, the adenovirus E1A and myc gene products, and p53. The promoter transcribing the rearranged c-mos was transactivated by SV40 large-T antigen and the adenovirus E1A gene product. The results indicate that oncogene products may have an important role in turning on promoters of other genes. The IAP LTR may serve as a useful model for studying the effect of various gene products on promoters which are known to be activated in the malignant state.

Acetyltransferases

Mechanism of activation of the mouse c-mos oncogene by the LTR of an intracisternal A-particle gene.

In the mouse myeloma XRPC-24 the DNA of an intracisternal A-particle (IAP) is inserted within the coding region of c-mos. This insertion splits the c-mos into a 3' rc-mos and a 5' rc-mos separated by approximately 4.7 kb of IAP DNA. The insertion is in a head-to-head orientation and brings the 5' LTR of the IAP in juxtaposition to the 3' rc-mos such that the IAP and the 3' rc-mos are transcribed in opposite directions. The intact c-mos gene is usually dormant, whereas the 3' rc-mos is actively transcribed and is capable of transforming NIH3T3 cells. In an effort to understand the nature of this activation we mapped the 5' ends of the 3' rc-mos mRNA present in XPRC-24. We found two main mRNA start sites, one mapping to the junction of the 3' rc-mos and the 5' LTR, and the other located 10 nucleotides upstream to this junction, within the 5' LTR. This result indicates that the 3' rc-mos in XRPC-24 was activated by insertion of a promoter provided by the LTR of an IAP genome. Furthermore, the 5' LTR appears to possess promoter activities in two directions. This conclusion was confirmed by the fact that this 5' LTR, in both orientations, was able to activate the bacterial gene coding for chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) in the modular vector pSVOCAT.

Acetyltransferases

AIDS agreement.

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