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T Hsu

Publications and source records attributed to T Hsu.

72 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Activation of c-myc by woodchuck hepatitis virus insertion in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Two hepatocellular carcinomas, induced in woodchucks chronically infected with woodchuck hepatitis virus, were characterized for viral integration near c-myc and alterations of c-myc expression. In one tumor, viral integration within the untranslated region of c-myc exon 3 resulted in overexpression of a long c-myc viral cotranscript. In the second tumor, a single insertion of highly rearranged viral sequences 600 bp upstream of c-myc exon 1 was associated with increased levels of normal c-myc mRNA. In both cases, viral enhancer insertion and disruption of normal c-myc transcriptional or posttranscriptional control appear to be involved in c-myc activation. These results demonstrate that integration of woodchuck hepatitis virus near a cellular proto-oncogene, as in several retroviral models, can contribute to the genesis of liver tumors.

Alleles↗

Effects of protein kinase inhibitors 1(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine dihydrochloride (H-7) and N-[2-guanidinoethyl]-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide hydrochloride (HA1004) on calcitriol-induced differentiation of HL-60 cells.

HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells were induced to differentiate by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (calcitriol) into mature monocytes. Differentiation was assessed by nitro blue tetrazolium dye reduction, nonspecific esterase activity, and DNA synthesis. Terminal differentiation of cultures induced by calcitriol (10 nM) was inhibited by 80% when cells were treated simultaneously with protein kinase inhibitors 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine dihydrochloride (H-7) (32 microM) and N-[2-guanidinoethyl]-5-isoquinolinesulfonamide hydrochloride (HA1004) (320 microM). The IC50 for inhibition of calcitriol-induced differentiation was approximately 15 microM for H-7 and 170 microM for HA1004. The IC50 values for H-7 and HA1004 antagonism of calcitriol-induced differentiation are quantitatively and relatively correlated to their known action to inhibit protein kinase C activity. Treatment of cells with concentrations of 0-32 microM H-7 or 0-320 microM HA1004 alone did not affect cell growth, differentiation, or trypan blue exclusion. However, higher concentrations of H7 (greater than 32 microM) and HA1004 (greater than 320 microM) were found to be cytotoxic. The data presented suggest that calcitriol-induced differentiation is antagonized by inhibitors of protein kinase and are consistent with the hypothesis that kinase C activity is required for HL-60 cell differentiation.

1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine↗

DNA polymerase of bacteriophage T4 is an autogenous translational repressor.

In bacteriophage T4 the protein product of gene 43 (gp43) is a multifunctional DNA polymerase that is essential for replication of the phage genome. The protein harbors DNA-binding, deoxyribonucleotide-binding, DNA-synthesizing (polymerase) and 3'-exonucleolytic (editing) activities as well as a capacity to interact with several other T4-induced replication enzymes. In addition, the T4 gp43 is a repressor of its own synthesis in vivo. We show here that this protein is an autogenous repressor of translation, and we have localized its RNA-binding sequence (translational operator) to the translation initiation domain of gene 43 mRNA. This mechanism for regulation of T4 DNA polymerase expression underscores the ubiquity of translational repression in the control of T4 DNA replication. Many T4 DNA polymerase accessory proteins and nucleotide biosynthesis enzymes are regulated by the phage-induced translational repressor regA, while the T4 single-stranded DNA-binding protein (T4 gp32) is, like gp43, autogenously regulated at the translational level.

Base Sequence↗

Autogenous regulation of the regA gene of bacteriophage T4: derepression of translation.

The regA gene of phage T4 encodes a translational repressor that inhibits utilization of its own mRNA as well as the translation of a number of other phage-induced mRNAs. In recombinant plasmids, autogenous translational repression limits production of the RegA protein when the cloned structural gene is expressed under control of a strong, plasmid-borne promoter (lambda PL). We have found that a genetic fusion which places the regA ribosome binding domain in proximity to active translation leads to partial derepression of wild-type RegA protein synthesis. The derepression is not due to increased synthesis of regA RNA, suggesting that it occurs at the translational level. Derepressed clones of the wild-type regA gene were used to overproduce and purify the repressor. In an in vitro assay the wild-type target was sensitive and a mutant target was resistant to inhibition by the added protein. The results suggest that the sensitivity of a regA-regulated cistron to translational repression may depend on the competition between ribosomes and RegA protein for overlapping recognition sequences in the translation initiation domain of the mRNA.

Cloning, Molecular↗

Transcriptional regulation of the c-myc protooncogene by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 in HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells.

Exposure of HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cells to calcitriol results in a decrease in steady-state levels of c-myc mRNA and induces cellular differentiation. We have asked whether calcitriol has a direct effect on the transcription of the c-myc gene. 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25-(OH)2D3) decreased RNA elongation in a nuclear run-off transcription assay by 4 h after treatment. In the continuous presence of 1,25-(OH)2D3, HL-60 cell transcription of c-myc was decreased by 38% at 4 h and was abolished by 48 h. In contrast, the transcription of beta-actin was not affected by 1,25-(OH)2D3 treatment. The rate of transcription of c-myc and beta-actin was proportional to the number of nuclei and to time. Furthermore, specific hybridization of c-myc and beta-actin RNA was a linear function of RNA input. After a 48-h treatment, the c-myc/beta-actin ratio was decreased by 80-100% at [32P]RNA inputs ranging from 2 to 20 X 10(6) cpm/ml. These data temporally correlate inhibition of c-myc transcription with decreases in the steady-state levels of c-myc mRNA as assessed by Northern blot analysis. We conclude that the effect of 1,25-(OH)2D3 on c-myc expression occurs at the transcriptional level.

Actins↗

Bacteriophage T4 regA protein binds to mRNAs and prevents translation initiation.

The bacteriophage T4 regA protein is a translational repressor of a subset of phage mRNAs. We show here that purified regA protein binds specifically to target mRNAs near the initiating AUG and occludes binding of ribosomes. Translational repression by regA protein diminishes expression of many genes whose mRNA sequences around the initiating AUG codons are different. A comparison of nucleotide sequences from several regA-repressed mRNAs suggests that the initiating AUG is an important, but not sufficient, sequence for regA binding.

Base Sequence↗

Identification of two new bacteriophage T4 genes that may have roles in transcription and DNA replication.

We have identified two bacteriophage T4 genes, 45.1 and 45.2, that map in the intergenic space between phage replication genes 46 (which encodes a recombination initiation protein) and 45 (which encodes a bifunctional protein required in replication and transcription). The existence of genes 45.1 and 45.2 had not been previously recognized by mutation analysis of the T4 genome. We cloned the T4 gene 45.1/45.2 segment, determined its nucleotide sequence, and expressed its two reading frames at high levels in bacterial plasmids. The results predicted molecular weights of 11,400 (100 amino acids) for gp45.1 and 7,500 (62 amino acids) for gp45.2. We also determined that in T4-infected Escherichia coli, genes 45.1 and 45.2 are cotranscribed with their distal neighbor, gene 45, by at least one mode of transcription. In an accompanying report (K. P. Williams, G. A. Kassavetis, F. S. Esch, and E. P. Geiduschek, J. Virol. 61:600-603, 1987), it is shown that the product of gene 45.1 is the so-called T4-induced 15K protein, an RNA polymerase-binding protein of unknown role in phage development. Possibly, T4 genes 45.2, 45.1, and 45 constitute an operon for host RNA polymerase-binding phage proteins. Jointly with Williams et al., we propose the term rpb (RNA polymerase-binding) to refer to T4 genes whose products bind to the host RNA polymerase and have adopted the name rpbA for T4 gene 45.1.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Clinical and histologic findings in Degos' syndrome (malignant atrophic papulosis).

Records of nine patients (aged ten to sixty-four years) seen at the Mayo Clinic with the typical cutaneous lesions of Degos' syndrome were reviewed. The three patients who died all had central nervous system involvement. The six patients now alive have been evaluated for two to fourteen years and have had their disease for four to fourteen years. Histopathologic examination was performed in all nine cases (total of 27 skin biopsy specimens). Wedge-shaped infarction in the dermis and subcutaneous tissue was observed only in one biopsy specimen from each of three patients, and the infarction occurred in older, well-formed skin lesions. Thrombosis of the arterioles was found in two patients. Hyperkeratosis and dermal acid mucopolysaccharide deposits were common. The most consistent histopathologic finding was lymphocytic infiltrate around and in the walls of venules and arterioles. Various degrees of lymphocyte-mediated necrotizing vasculitis were present in all patients.

Adolescent↗

Lipolytic response and adenyl cyclase activity of rat adipocytes as related to cell size.

The number of fat cells contained in the rat epididymal fat pad was found to increase rapidly as the rats grew to a weight of about 300 g. Additional increases in cell number above this weight were minimal. By contrast, cell size, as measured by the amount of triglyceride per cell, increased linearly until the rats reached about 600 g. Glycerol release per 10(6) cells in response to norepinephrine in vitro was observed to be independent of cell size. Basal release expressed in this manner showed a slight but significant positive correlation with increasing cell size. When the rate of lipolysis was based either on the amount of triglyceride in the incubation medium, as is the usual custom, or on the cell surface area, lipolysis was inversely related to cell size. In addition to these observations on lipolysis, it was also demonstrated that norepinephrine-activated adenyl cyclase activity expressed per 10(6) cells was unaffected by cell size. This leads to the suggestion that the number of adrenergic receptors in the fat cell is fixed and is independent of the size of the cell; as the cell enlarges, these receptors are merely distributed over a greater surface area.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Absorption, metabolism, and excretion of 14C-tosifen in the dog and rat.

14C-tosifen [N-2-(1-phenylpropyl)-N'-p-tolyl sulfonylurea] was readily absorbed in both rats and dogs. The rates of absorption, metabolism, and urinary excretion were higher in the rat than in the dog. More of the drug was excreted via the feces than in the urine of the rat, whereas in the dog, the drug was primarily excreted into the urine. The parent drug was the major radioactive component in the plasma of both species. In the urine, however, only a negligible amount of tosifen was found. The major urinary metabolite was a hydroxymethyl derivative which accounted for about 60% and 40% of the total radioactivity in the urine of the dog and rat, respectively.

Absorption↗