PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

T Sugimura

Publications and source records attributed to T Sugimura.

At least 343 records · Page 19Linked to original sources

Establishment of a highly sensitive and specific exon-trapping system.

We have established a highly sensitive and specific exon-trapping system (SETS) with a specific plasmid vector in which an exon in a given DNA segment is identified by its ability to remain as a mature mRNA after splicing. The SETS provides us with the isolation of possible exons rapidly and easily from DNA fragments in chromosomal regions of more than 300 kilobase pairs. Genomic DNA fragments were partially digested and subsequently cloned into plasmid pMHC2, an exon-trapping vector we have constructed. These constructs were transfected into COS-7 cells, and consequent RNA transcripts were spliced in the cells. The resulting mature mRNA was harvested and amplified by using reverse transcription-PCR. Possible exons can be recognized by the sizes of PCR products and cloned into a plasmid vector. The SETS provides a direct means of cloning exons from genomic DNA of more than 300 kilobase pairs within a short period of time. Using this system, we have screened 300-kilobase-pair genomic DNA segments derived from human chromosome 11q13. Human chromosome 11q13 may contain genes responsible for human cancers, because DNA amplification is observed in several malignant tumors. We have successfully identified exon 2 of the HST1 gene and additional transcribed sequences.

Base Sequence↗

Polyclonal antibody against an inducible form of nitric oxide synthase purified from the liver of rats treated with Propionibacterium acnes and lipopolysaccharide.

A polyclonal antibody was raised in the rabbit against an inducible form of nitric oxide (NO) synthase (EC 1.14.23) purified from the liver of rats with acute liver necrosis induced by i.v. administration of Propionibacterium acnes and lipopolysaccharide. The antibody immunoprecipitated NO synthase activities in the soluble extract of the liver from treated rats. Western blot analysis showed that the cytosols of the liver, lung and spleen from the treated rats but not from non-treated rats, and that of murine macrophages cultured in the presence of lipopolysaccharide and interferon-gamma, contained immunoreactive protein with a molecular weight of 125 kDa. The antibody, however, does not cross-react with a 150 kDa constitutive form of NO synthase present in the brain of rats, indicating that the inducible and constitutive enzymes are immunologically distinguishable.

Amino Acid Oxidoreductases↗

K-sam-related gene, N-sam, encodes fibroblast growth factor receptor and is expressed in T-lymphocytic tumors.

We recently reported the isolation of the K-sam complementary DNA (cDNA), which was amplified preferentially in poorly differentiated types of stomach cancer and codes for one of the heparin-binding growth factor or fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor families. The K-sam-related gene, N-sam (NCC-IT-cell-derived sam), was isolated by screening of the cDNA libraries of human immature teratoma cells, NCC-IT. Sequence analysis of the N-sam cDNAs showed that N-sam encodes a human FGF receptor, the FLG protein. N-sam was expressed in lymphocytic leukemia/lymphoma cells, predominantly in the thymic T-cell phenotype. In a T-cell leukemia line, MOLT3, N-sam mRNA expression was markedly enhanced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate treatment and was also up-regulated by basic FGF exposure. These results indicate that N-sam expression is regulated during T-cell ontogeny and modulated by its putative ligand exposure. The results also suggested that interaction between immature T-cell and marrow or thymic interstitial cells might be mediated by N-sam and basic FGF stored in the extracellular matrix of stromal cells.

Base Sequence↗

Genes preferentially expressed in embryo stomach are predominantly expressed in gastric cancer.

Eight complementary DNA (cDNA) clones highly expressed in fetal rat stomach but not in normal adult rat stomach were isolated after screening 2 x 10(4) independent recombinants from a subtracted cDNA library. The cDNA library was first prepared from RNAs of total stomach at 16 days gestational period, and this cDNA library was subtracted by cDNAs prepared from adult rat total stomach RNA, using a novel PCR-based cDNA subtraction method. Northern blot analysis revealed that as many as six of eight clones thus isolated were overexpressed in at least some of the human or rat gastric cancers. From analysis of partial nucleotide sequence, four cDNA clones were identified as profilin, pro-alpha 1 (1) collagen, nucleolar protein B23.2, and elongation factor 1 alpha subunit. The remaining two clones were derived from novel genes. These novel genes, L-1 and L-2, are developmentally well regulated in the stomach. The present results clearly show that genes expressed preferentially in embryo stomach are most likely to be highly expressed in gastric cancer. The method described here provides us with a rapid method for identification of genes with significantly increased expression in cancer.

Animals↗

Rat p53 gene mutations in primary Zymbal gland tumors induced by 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline, a food mutagen.

There are reports of p53 gene mutations in various human cancers but not in rat tumor cell lines or rat primary tumor tissue. We found a p53 gene mutation in a cell line of a spontaneous squamous cell carcinoma of the rat Zymbal gland, SCC131, at codon 171 by direct sequencing of cDNA fragments amplified by PCR. We tested for p53 gene mutations in 15 primary Zymbal gland tumors induced by 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline by single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis of the PCR-amplified cDNA products. Samples of four tumors showed mobility shifts. Direct sequencing revealed that all these tumors had mutations in conserved regions or in scattered conserved residues. Single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis of cDNA suggested that mRNA from the wild-type allele of the p53 gene was not present in tumor cells of three of four positive cases, although genomic DNA analysis indicated that the wild-type allele was retained in all the cases. All mutations were found at a guanine base: three mutations were guanine----pyrimidine transversions and one was a deletion of a guanine base within a G+C-rich sequence. These findings indicate that 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline may be directly involved in induction of these mutations by forming DNA adducts at various sites in the p53 gene.

Animals↗

Frequent loss of heterozygosity at the DCC locus in gastric cancer.

We examined 28 cases of surgically resected gastric cancer, excluding the diffuse type, for loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on 12 chromosomal arms using polymorphic DNA markers. LOH on chromosome 18q was detected in 61% (14 of 23) of the cases by the probes OLVIIA8, OLVIIE10, p15-65, SAM 1.1, and OS-4, and a putative common region showing LOH included the locus of the DCC tumor suppressor gene. LOH on chromosome 17p was also frequently found (8 of 19 or 42% of the cases) by the probes p10-3 and pHF12-1, and in 5 of these 6 cases the LOH on chromosome 17p was accompanied by LOH on chromosome 18q. On the other hand, the incidence of LOH was 30% or less using probes pHRnES, pHF12-65, p-c-mybE2.6, NJ3 3.2, pHF12-8, pHINS6.0, p9D11, hp2-alpha, pCMM6, and P1A5 on chromosomes 1q, 5, 6q, 7q, 9, 11p, 13q, 16q, 20, and 22q, respectively. LOH on chromosome 18q was frequent irrespective of the depth of tumor invasion, whereas the incidence of LOH on chromosome 17p was higher in the cases in which the tumor invaded beyond the muscularis propria than in those in which tumor invasion was limited to the submucosa and muscularis propria. These results suggest that LOH on chromosome 18q occurs at an earlier stage than LOH on chromosome 17p and that the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes located on chromosome 17p and 18q (e.g., the p53 and DCC genes) is critically involved in the development of the majority of gastric cancers. While alteration of the p53 gene is observed in various human cancers, that of the DCC gene is considered to occur more selectively in gastrointestinal cancers.

Chromosome Deletion↗

Detection of novel germ-line p53 mutations in diverse-cancer-prone families identified by selecting patients with childhood adrenocortical carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Germ-line p53 mutations appear to be inherited among the members of families diagnosed with Li-Fraumeni syndrome (LFS). The mutations detected in those families to date have been clustered in exon 7 of the p53 gene and, typically, have been single-base substitutions resulting in amino acid changes. PURPOSE: Our aim was to define the spectrum of p53 mutations associated with LFS. METHODS: From seven cancer-prone families identified by selecting members with childhood adrenocortical carcinoma as probands, we chose two families, each of which had two members from whom specimens could be obtained for genetic analysis. To detect germ-line p53 gene mutations in these individuals, we performed polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis with Taq polymerase and oligonucleotide primers specific for p53 gene sequences. Genomic DNA extracted from fresh tissue samples and paraffin-embedded tumor samples was amplified, denatured, and electrophoresed on neutral polyacrylamide gels. PCR amplification was also carried out using total RNA from adrenocortical carcinoma samples of the proband in family 1. PCR products were purified, subcloned, and sequenced. RESULTS: We detected novel germ-line p53 mutations in affected members of both cancer-prone families. In the proband of family 1, a single-base deletion was detected at the first nucleotide of codon 307 in exon 8 of the p53 gene, resulting in a premature stop codon in exon 10. In family 2, we detected an A to C transversion at the second nucleotide of codon 286 in exon 8, both in DNA isolated from the adrenocortical tumor of the proband and in DNA isolated from the astrocytoma of the proband's father. This single-base substitution resulted in an amino acid substitution of alanine for glutamic acid. Both of these mutations are located outside the highly conserved region of the p53 gene where mutations in patients with LFS have been reported previously. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that a wide range of germ-line p53 mutations is inherited in members of diverse-cancer-prone families.

Adrenal Cortex Neoplasms↗

K-sam gene encodes secreted as well as transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase.

K-sam was first identified as a gene amplified in the stomach cancer cell line KATO-III. The size of the major transcript of the K-sam gene was 3.5 kilobases in KATO-III cells, and we have previously shown that K-sam encodes a receptor tyrosine kinase that belongs to the heparin-binding growth factor receptor, or fibroblast growth factor receptor, gene family. The K-sam gene expresses multiple sizes of mRNAs in brain tissue, the immature teratoma cell line NCC-IT, and KATO-III. RNA blot analyses with a variety of K-sam probes indicate that there are at least four classes of K-sam mRNAs. Three types of K-sam cDNAs in addition to the previously reported type of K-sam cDNA were isolated, and their nucleotide sequences encode a full-length transmembrane receptor, a secreted receptor with a tyrosine kinase domain, and a secreted receptor without a tyrosine kinase domain.

Base Sequence↗

Food-derived mutagens and carcinogens.

Cooked food contains a variety of mutagenic heterocyclic amines. All the mutagenic heterocyclic amines tested were carcinogenic in rodents when given in the diet at 0.01-0.08%. Most of them induced cancer in the liver and in other organs. It is noteworthy that the most abundant heterocyclic amine in cooked food, 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine, produced colon and mammary carcinomas in rats and lymphomas in mice but no hepatomas in either. 2-Amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline induced liver cancer in monkeys. Formation of adducts with guanine by heterocyclic amines is presumably involved in their carcinogenesis. Quantification of heterocyclic amines in cooked foods and in human urine indicated that humans are continuously exposed to low levels of them in the diet. These low levels of heterocyclic amines are probably insufficient to produce human cancers by themselves. However, a linear relationship between DNA adduct levels and a wide range of doses of a heterocyclic amine was demonstrated in animals. It suggests that even very low doses of heterocyclic amines form DNA adducts and may be implicated in the development of human cancer under conditions in which many other mutagens-carcinogens, tumor promoters, and factors stimulating cancer progression exist.

Amines↗

Frequent association of p53 gene mutation in invasive bladder cancer.

Structural alterations of the p53 gene were investigated to elucidate the molecular biological difference between superficial and invasive bladder cancer by polymerase chain reaction single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis. In 25 bladder cancers obtained from 23 patients, p53 gene mutations were investigated in exon regions 4 to 11. Twenty-four were transitional cell carcinomas, and the remaining one was a squamous cell carcinoma. Only one of 13 superficial bladder cancers, including pTis, pTa, and pT1, was found to have p53 gene mutation. However, of 12 invasive bladder cancers with pT2, pT3, and pT4, six primary carcinomas, including a squamous cell carcinoma and one metastatic carcinoma, were found to have p53 gene mutations. The number of cancers examined in Grades 1, 2, and 3 was three, seven, and 15, respectively. p53 gene mutation was not found in any of the ten cancers with Grades 1 and 2, while eight of 15 bladder cancers with Grade 3 were found to have p53 gene mutation. The results indicated that the incidence of p53 gene mutations appeared to be much higher in invasive-type and high-grade bladder cancers than in superficial and low-grade ones. Our results are compatible with the recently published results by Sidransky et al. [Science (Washington DC), 252: 706-709, 1991] showing that p53 gene mutations were frequently found in invasive bladder cancers by sequence analysis on polymerase chain reaction amplified products corresponding to exons 5 to 9. Our results are also compatible with previously reported results by Olumi et al. (Cancer Res., 50: 7081-7083, 1990) showing that the loss of chromosome 17p, revealed by analysis with restriction fragment length polymorphism, was frequent in high-grade bladder cancers. In this study, p53 gene mutations were often found in exon 4 as well as in other exons. Therefore, this region should also be examined for screening of mutations of this gene in bladder cancer. There appeared to be no consistent mutation sites in exons 4 to 11 of the p53 gene and no specific patterns of the mutation in bladder cancer.

Base Sequence↗

Detection of a Ha-ras point mutation by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism analysis in 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline-induced mouse forestomach tumors.

Ha-ras activation in forestomach squamous cell carcinomas of CDF1 mice induced by 2-amino-3,4-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline (MeIQ), one of the heterocyclic amines isolated from broiled sardine was analyzed. Mutations were detected in two of three primary original carcinomas and two of four cell lines derived from other independent carcinomas by the polymerase chain reaction followed by analysis of single strand conformation polymorphism and direct sequencing. All the mutations detected were G----T transversions at the second letter of codon 13 resulting in an amino acid change from Gly to Val. This finding together with the previous reports on squamous cell carcinomas of the rat Zymbal gland suggest that MeIQ induces a specific type of mutation at a specific site of the Ha-ras gene during squamous cell carcinogenesis, in a species-independent manner.

Animals↗

Expression of the heparin-binding growth factor receptor genes in human megakaryocytic leukemia cells.

K-sam/bek, N-sam/flg and FGFR3/sam3 establish gene family of the receptors for heparin-binding growth factors (HBGFs) or FGFs. These mRNAs were detected in human leukemia cells, CMK, K562 and HEL, which have megakaryocytic phenotype or the potency to differentiate into megakaryocytic lineage. In CMK cells N-sam/flg transcript level was enhanced by the culture with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). cDNA-polymerase chain reaction identified K-sam/bek mRNA in human platelets, suggesting the involvement of HBGFs in megakaryocytopoiesis and functions of platelets.

Base Sequence↗

Purification of nitric oxide synthase from bovine brain: immunological characterization and tissue distribution.

Nitric oxide (NO) synthase (EC 1.14.23) was purified to homogeneity from bovine cerebrum. The molecular weight of NO synthase was estimated to be 150 kDa by both SDS/PAGE and gel filtration at high salt concentration. For activity, the enzyme required NADPH, Ca2+, calmodulin and tetrahydrobiopterin as cofactors. Rabbit polyclonal antibody to bovine brain NO synthase reacted with 150 kDa NO synthase in various bovine and rat organs, including the brain, pituitary and adrenal glands, but not with that in stimulated macrophages, indicating that there are at least two immunologically distinct NO synthases.

Amino Acid Oxidoreductases↗

Genetic linkage between copper accumulation and hepatitis/hepatoma development in LEC rats.

The concentration of copper in the livers of Long-Evans rats with cinnamon-like coat color (LEC), in which hepatitis and then hepatomas develop spontaneously, was recently found to be abnormally high. Therefore, we examined the copper concentrations in the livers of LEC F1 backcrosses (LEC F1 x LEC) to determine the linkage of copper accumulation with development of hepatitis. Consistent with a previously reported ratio of rats with hepatitis to rats without hepatitis of about 1:1, hepatitis developed in 14 of 30 F1 backcrosses. The copper concentrations in the livers of all LEC F1 backcrosses with hepatitis were abnormally high and comparable to those of LEC rats. In contrast, the concentrations in all backcrosses without hepatitis were similar to those in normal Long-Evans with agouti coat color or Brown-Norway rats. Copper accumulation was shown to be closely linked with the development of hepatitis in LEC rats and appeared to be a possible cause of hepatitis. The concentrations of copper in the livers of Fischer 344 rats after carbon tetrachloride treatment were in the range for normal liver, indicating that a high copper concentration in the liver is specific to LEC rats and not a specific characteristic of hepatitis. Furthermore, we found that the size and level of ceruloplasmin mRNA in the livers of LEC rats were the same as those in LEA rats and that the size and level of ceruloplasmin polypeptide in their livers and plasma were almost the same as those in LEA rats. Therefore, these results suggest that the copper accumulation is not due to alteration of expression or to gross alteration of the ceruloplasmin gene.

Animals↗

Cholangiocarcinomas in Japanese and Thai patients: difference in etiology and incidence of point mutation of the c-Ki-ras proto-oncogene.

Point-mutational activation of the c-Ki-ras proto-oncogene has been shown to be rare in human hepatocellular carcinoma, the most common primary liver cancer and one usually associated with chronic viral infection. To reveal the association of c-Ki-ras activation with cholangiocarcinogenesis under different etiological backgrounds, the incidence of point mutation at codons 12 and 13 of the c-Ki-ras proto-oncogene was examined in three groups of human liver cancers with differentiation to biliary epithelial cells: Group 1, cholangiocellular carcinoma in Japanese with normal livers; Group 2, cholangiocellular carcinoma in Thais who had lived in an area where the liver fluke Opisthorchis viverrini is endemic; and Group 3, combined hepatocellular-cholangiocellular carcinoma, a rare type showing features of both hepatocellular and biliary epithelial differentiation, in Japanese with chronic viral hepatitis with or without cirrhosis. The polymerase chain reaction and direct sequencing of its product were used to detect the mutation. Point mutation at codon 12 of the c-Ki-ras gene was detected in five (56%) of nine cases in Group 1. In contrast, the mutation was not detected in any of the cases in Groups 2 and 3. Therefore, point-mutational activation of c-Ki-ras did not seem to be involved in the development of primary liver cancers associated with apparent chronic irritation of liver cells or biliary epithelial cells caused by exogenous liver-fluke or viral infection. On the other hand, point-mutational activation of the c-Ki-ras proto-oncogene may be involved in cholangiocarcinogenesis in liver without preexisting liver-fluke or viral infection.

Adenoma, Bile Duct↗

Detection of a common mutation of the catalase gene in Japanese acatalasemic patients.

Acatalasemia was one of the earliest described genetic enzyme defects. In 1990, a causal point mutation (a splicing mutation) was first reported in a Japanese patient with acatalasemia. In the present study, the polymerase chain reaction and single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis were used to determine whether the same point mutation was present in unrelated Japanese patients. The subjects studied were the previously examined acatalasemic female, her brother, who is hypocatalasemic, and two other unrelated acatalasemic patients. A single G to A point mutation at the fifth position of intron 4, identical to that previously found, was present in all the studied patients. This finding strongly suggests that only a single mutated allele has spread in the Japanese population.

Acatalasia↗

Induction of protective immunity and neutralizing antibodies to pseudorabies virus by immunization of anti-idiotypic antibodies.

Xenogenic anti-idiotypic antibodies (anti-Id) were prepared in rabbits against three murine neutralizing monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) directed to pseudorabies virus glycoproteins. These anti-Id were highly specific to idiotopes on the corresponding MAb molecules. Because the binding of MAb to the corresponding anti-Id was inhibited by the addition of viral envelope protein, these anti-Id seemed to contain a subpopulation of antibodies against the antigen-combining site (paratope) or the region related to the paratope of the MAb molecules. One of the anti-Id to a MAb directed against glycoprotein gp50 induced neutralizing antibodies to PrV. Mice immunized with the anti-Id were protected from lethal infection of PrV.

Animals↗