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Biomedical subjects

T Tsao

Publications and source records attributed to T Tsao.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Regulation and targeting of antiapoptotic XIAP in acute myeloid leukemia.

XIAP is a member of the inhibitors-of-apoptosis family of proteins, which inhibit caspases and block cell death, with prognostic importance in AML. Here we demonstrate that cytokines regulate the expression of XIAP in leukemic cell lines and primary AML blasts. Inhibition of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) with LY294002 and of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade by PD98059 resulted in decreased XIAP levels (34+/-8.7 and 23+/-5.7%, respectively). We then generated OCI-AML3 cells with constitutively phosphorylated Akt (p473-Akt) by retroviral gene transfer. Neither these nor Akt inhibitor-treated OCI-AML3 cells showed changes in XIAP levels, suggesting that XIAP expression is regulated by PI3K downstream effectors other than Akt. The induction of XIAP expression by cytokines through PI3K/MAPK pathways is consistent with its role in cell survival. Exposure of leukemic cells to chemotherapeutic agents decreased XIAP protein levels by caspase-dependent XIAP cleavage. Targeting XIAP by XIAP antisense oligonucleotide resulted in downregulation of XIAP, activation of caspases and cell death, and sensitized HL-60 cells to Ara-C. Our results suggest that XIAP is regulated by cytokines through PI3K, and to a lesser degree through MAPK pathways. Selective downregulation of XIAP expression might be of therapeutic benefit to leukemic patients.

Base Sequence↗

Expression of insulin-like growth factor-I and transforming growth factor-beta in hypokalemic nephropathy in the rat.

BACKGROUND: Potassium deficiency (KD) in the rat retards body growth but stimulates renal enlargement caused by cellular hypertrophy and hyperplasia, which is most marked in the outer medulla. If hypokalemia persists, interstitial infiltrates appear and eventually fibrosis. Since early in KD insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels in the kidney are elevated, suggesting that it may be an early mediator of the exaggerated renal growth, and as transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) promotes cellular hypertrophy and fibrosis, we examined the renal expression of these growth factors in prolonged KD. METHODS: Rats were given a K-deficient diet or were pair fed or ad libitum fed a K-replete diet for 21 days. Growth factor mRNA levels were measured in whole kidney and protein expression localized by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: KD rats weighed less than pair-fed controls, while the kidneys were 49% larger. Their serum IGF-I and kidney IGF-I protein levels were depressed, as were their IGF-I mRNA levels in liver, kidney, and muscle. These changes can largely be attributed to decreased food intake. In contrast, kidney IGF binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) mRNA and TGF-beta mRNA levels were increased significantly. Histology of outer medulla revealed marked hypertrophy and adenomatous hyperplasia of the collecting ducts and hypertrophy of the thick ascending limbs of Henle with cellular infiltrates in the interstitium. Both nephron segments immunostained strongly for IGF-I and IGFBP-1, but only the nonhyperplastic enlarged thick ascending Henle limb cells immunostained for TGF-beta, which was strongly positive. Prominent interstitial infiltrates with ED1 immunostained monocytes/macrophages were present. CONCLUSIONS: These findings are consistent with a sustained role for IGF-I in promoting the exaggerated renal growth of KD and appear to be mediated through local trapping of IGF-I by the overexpressed IGFBP-1, which together with IGF-I can promote renal growth. The selective localization of TGF-beta to hypertrophied nonhyperplastic nephron segments containing IGF-I raises the possibility that TGF-beta may be serving to convert the mitogenic action of IGF-I into a hypertrophic response in these segments. It is also conceivable that TGF-beta may be a cause of the tubulointerstitial infiltrate. Finally, the low circulating IGF-I levels likely contribute to the impaired body growth.

Animals↗

Impaired JAK-STAT signal transduction contributes to growth hormone resistance in chronic uremia.

Chronic renal failure (CRF) is associated with resistance to the growth-promoting and anabolic actions of growth hormone (GH). In rats with CRF induced by partial renal ablation, 7 days of GH treatment had a diminished effect on weight gain and hepatic IGF-1 and IGFBP-1 mRNA levels, compared with sham-operated pair-fed controls. To assess whether GH resistance might be due to altered signal transduction, activation of the JAK-STAT pathway was studied 10 or 15 minutes after intravenous injection of 5 mg/kg GH or vehicle. Hepatic GH receptor (GHR) mRNA levels were significantly decreased in CRF, but GHR protein abundance and GH binding to microsomal and plasma membranes was unaltered. JAK2, STAT1, STAT3, and STAT5 protein abundance was also unchanged. However, GH-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of JAK2, STAT5, and STAT3 was 75% lower in the CRF animals. Phosphorylated STAT5 and STAT3 were also diminished in nuclear extracts. The expression of the suppressor of cytokine signaling-2 (SOCS-2) was increased twofold in GH-treated CRF animals, and SOCS-3 mRNA levels were elevated by 60% in CRF, independent of GH treatment. In conclusion, CRF causes a postreceptor defect in GH signal transduction characterized by impaired phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of GH-activated STAT proteins, which is possibly mediated, at least in part, by overexpression of SOCS proteins.

Animals↗

Effect of metabolic acidosis on the insulin-like growth factor-I system and cathepsins B and L gene expression in the kidney.

Prolonged acidemia causes growth retardation and muscle wasting, in part because of reduced food intake, depressed growth hormone secretion, and low serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) levels. Paradoxically, in the rat kidney, protein synthesis increases, cathepsin B and L activities decline, protein degradation falls, and the kidneys enlarge. Because IGF-I has been implicated as a cause of renal hypertrophy in a variety of conditions, we examined whether IGF-I could be playing a role in the renal hypertrophy of acidosis. Rats were gavaged with NH4Cl or water for 4 days. Water-gavaged rats either were pair-fed with the NH4Cl-loaded rats (pH 7.15) or were given free access to food and served as controls. After 2 days, kidney weight and IGF-I mRNA levels did not differ between the groups, but kidney IGF-I protein levels were significantly higher in the acidotic rats. After 4 days the kidneys of the acidotic rats were significantly larger than the kidneys in both control groups but the renal IGF-I levels did not differ between the groups. It is notable that renal cathepsin B and L mRNA levels were reduced by 30% to 50% at both times. Thus the transient increase in renal IGF-I protein levels in acidosis, before the onset of hypertrophy, suggests that IGF-I may play a role in initiating kidney growth. Furthermore, it appears that reduced cathepsin B and L gene expression is a cause of the low renal cathepsin activity seen in acidosis. This likely contributes to the depressed renal proteolysis caused by acidosis.

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗

Response to growth hormone therapy in experimental ischemic acute renal failure.

In acute renal failure (ARF), the gene and peptide expression of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) falls. Because IGF-I is regulated by growth hormone (GH) and because kidney GH receptor expression is also attenuated in ARF, the impaired IGF-I expression may partly reflect local GH resistance. Because IGF-I treatment accelerates recovery from ARF, we determined whether high-dose GH therapy could overcome this putative GH resistance, stimulate IGF-I production, and enhance recovery. Rats with ARF were given 2.5 mg GH or vehicle (V) over 2 days, beginning 24 hours before the onset of ARF. GH prevented weight loss but did not modify the course of ARF. Next we determined whether the failure of GH to modify kidney recovery could reflect a failure to stimulate renal IGF-I gene expression. Rats were treated with GH or V over an 18-hour period beginning 1 day after the induction of ARF. Hepatic IGF-I mRNA and serum IGF-I peptide levels rose significantly with GH treatment, but the low kidney IGF-I mRNA levels did not respond. We conclude that the failure of GH to enhance recovery from ARF is caused by impaired GH-stimulated renal IGF-I production, while the maintenance of body weight likely reflects the systemic effects of the increase in hepatic IGF-I production.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

Intrarenal insulin-like growth factor-1 axis after unilateral nephrectomy in rat.

It has been suggested that insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) may play a role in early compensatory renal growth. Since IGF-1 action is influenced by IGF binding proteins (IGFBP), this study was conducted to characterize the changes in gene expression not only of IGF-1 and its receptor, but also of IGFBP in the hypertrophying kidney of adult and weanling rats 1 wk after removal of the other kidney. At this time, there were distinct age-dependent changes in the renal IGF-1 axis. In the mature kidney, IGF-1 mRNA levels fell without a change in kidney IGF-1 peptide content. Likewise, although IGFBP-2, -3, and -5 mRNA levels fell, membrane-associated IGFBP did not change. IGF-1 receptor mRNA levels and IGF-1 receptor number both fell. In the weanling kidneys, IGF-1 mRNA and peptide levels and IGF-1 receptor binding were unaltered. However, IGFBP-3, -4, and -5 mRNA levels were increased, as were plasma membrane-associated IGFBP. Although these changes in the intrarenal IGF-1 axis were distinct, it is difficult to conceive how in either the mature or immature rat they could contribute to the ongoing compensatory renal growth that occurs 1 wk after loss of kidney mass unless IGF-1 were acting in a synergistic manner with other growth promoters.

Age Factors↗

The insulin-like growth factor-I axis in acute renal failure.

We have examined the response of the renal insulin-like growth factor (IGF-I) axis to acute ischemic injury in the rat Key findings included a decrease in IGF-I mRNA and peptide levels, a decrease in GH receptor gene plus protein expression and a decrease in the IGF binding proteins except for IGF binding protein I. Administration of GH to compensate for the reduced GH receptor binding corrected the IGF-I mRNA levels suggesting a relative GH deficiency. Interestingly, IGF-I receptor mRNA levels were unchanged while plasma membrane IGF-I receptor number increased two fold. This appeared to be due to a redistribution of receptors to a membrane location. IGF-I receptor autophosphorylation and tyrosine kinase activity were intact despite severe uremia for up to 6 days. We propose that this increase of functional IGF-I receptors following acute tubular necrosis will sensitize the kidney to the administration of exogenous IGF-I.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

Regional changes in the intrarenal insulin-like growth factor-I axis in diabetes.

Since insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) has been shown to promote renal growth and as kidney IGF-I content increases during the early days after the onset of diabetes, it is likely that this growth factor contributes to initial diabetic renal hypertrophy. However, it is unclear whether IGF-I contributes to the continued renal growth that occurs in diabetes. Since IGF-I action is mediated through its receptor and as its bioavailability is regulated by IGF binding proteins (IGFBP), we postulated that changes in IGF-I receptor binding or IGFBP production may favor a role for IGF-I in diabetic renal growth when kidney IGF-I levels have returned to normal. To test this thesis, we studied kidneys of rats after seven days of streptozotocin diabetes. In diabetic cortex and medulla, growth hormone receptor mRNA levels and IGF-I and IGF-I receptor mRNA and protein product levels were unchanged. In cortex IGFBP-1 mRNA levels were increased while IGFBP-2 and -4 mRNA levels decreased. In medulla the only change was a fall in IGFBP-1 mRNA levels. Using Western ligand blot we observed an increase in a 32 kDa plasma membrane-associated IGFBP. Insulin therapy reversed all changes except the elevated cortical IGFBP-1 mRNA levels, indicating the presence of regional heterogeneity in the IGFBP response to diabetes in the kidney. However, the lack of change in IGF-I, IGF-I receptor and growth hormone receptor gene expression and protein products after one week of diabetes argues against a role for IGF-I in sustaining diabetic renal growth beyond the initial growth phase.

Animals↗

The IGF-I axis in kidney and skeletal muscle of potassium deficient rats.

Potassium deficiency in the rat results in growth retardation, muscle wasting and renal hypertrophy. This study tests the thesis that K deficiency leads to tissue distinct changes in the local IGF-I system and cell sensitivity to IGF-I that favors renal enlargement on the one hand and impaired muscle growth on the other. In rats after eight days of K deficiency, compared to pair-fed control rats, food utilization and muscle and body wt gain were attenuated while the kidneys enlarged. In muscle GH receptor and IGF-I gene expression, IGF-I peptide and IGF binding protein-5 (IGFBP) levels were decreased. Together with reduced food utilization, these changes may contribute to the attenuated muscle growth. In the enlarged kidneys despite a fall in IGF-I mRNA level, IGF-I peptide concentration was increased more than twofold. This increase in IGF-I could be caused by the increase in kidney IGFBP-1 gene and protein expression and the decrease in kidney IGF-I degrading activity noted in K deficiency. Treatment with IGF-I failed to induce body or muscle growth, but induced a further increase in kidney size and enlargement of the spleen. Thus, in K deficiency the spontaneous increase in IGF-I levels in the kidney that is IGF-I sensitive may well be a cause of the renal hypertrophy.

Animals↗

Effect of insulin-like growth factor binding proteins on the response of proximal tubular cells to insulin-like growth factor-I.

The insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBP) are major modulators of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) action, but relatively little is known about their production by kidney tubular cells or about their modulating effects on the action of IGF-I on these cells. In this study we demonstrated that rabbit proximal tubular cells express the genes for IGFBP-2, -4 and -5 and secrete 24 and 32 kDa size binding proteins. The rate of IGFBP production by these cells was regulated by several growth factors including hydrocortisone, which was potently stimulatory, and EGF, which was inhibitory. The overall effect of these kidney cell-secreted IGFBPs was to inhibit the mitogenic activity of IGF-I. Similarly, recombinant IGFBP-3, the major circulating IGFBP that in kidney is produced close to the proximal tubules, also inhibited IGF-I stimulated DNA synthesis in cultured rabbit proximal tubular cells and in cultured opossum kidney (OK) cells. IGFBP-3 also inhibited basal DNA synthesis in OK cells in the absence of added IGF-I, suggesting that this IGFBP may have an IGF-I independent action. These findings highlight the important effect that IGFBPs have on the action of IGF-I on kidney cells and support the notion that the changes in IGFBPs observed in various renal diseases may contribute to the pathophysiology of these diseases.

Animals↗

IGF-I receptor binding, autophosphorylation, and kinase activity in kidney and muscle of acutely uremic rats.

Following acute tubular necrosis (ATN), kidney plasma membrane insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) receptor number increases markedly, although IGF-I receptor mRNA levels do not change. To determine whether this increase could represent a redistribution of intracellular receptors and whether receptor function is intact in acute uremia, rats with ATN of 2 days duration and pair-fed controls were studied. Skeletal muscle receptor binding was unchanged. In contrast, binding to receptors in solubilized cortex and isolated cortical plasma membranes increased significantly due to an increase in receptor number. However, the increase in membrane binding was threefold greater than the increase in solubilized cortex binding. This indicates that the increase in total cellular IGF-I receptors can only account for a minor portion of the increase in abundance of plasma membrane receptors number and is consistent with a redistribution of receptors from an intracellular to a membrane location as the major mechanism. Autophosphorylation and receptor kinase activity were unaffected by the uremia (blood urea nitrogen of approximately 198 mg/dl). Since these early steps of IGF-I receptor signaling are intact early in acute uremia, it is likely that at this time in the course of the disease the increase in receptor number will heighten the sensitivity to IGF-I and may thus favor its participation in renal repair.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

In vitro accommodation of immortalized porcine endothelial cells: resistance to complement mediated lysis and down-regulation of VCAM expression induced by low concentrations of polyclonal human IgG antipig antibodies.

The capacity of vascularized xenografts to survive in the face of normal levels of circulating antigraft antibodies and complement has been ascribed to a phenomenon referred to as "endothelial cell accommodation." The mechanisms whereby accommodation might occur have remained obscure. We have investigated this phenomenon in an in vitro system. A preparation of polyclonal immunoglobulin, human normal globulin (HNG), induced a change in the phenotype of immortalized porcine endothelial cells (IPEC) suggestive of accommodation; the cells became resistant to complement mediated lysis and displayed a reduced expression of surface VCAM and MHC class I. The accommodated phenotype only manifested after 72 hr incubation with HNG and was optimal after 120 hr. In an analysis of all the experiments performed, the development of resistance to complement mediated lysis appeared independent of the inducing dose of HNG. However, down-regulation of VCAM was only manifest when subsaturating doses were used. Our results suggest that IgG xenoreactive antibodies can mediate changes in porcine endothelial cell phenotype consistent with accommodation. The dependence on both time and dose of antibody applied might explain why accommodation has been difficult to achieve consistently in in vivo models of discordant xenotransplantation. By demonstrating a functional interaction between human VLA-4 and porcine VCAM, we speculate that the down-regulation in expression of VCAM on accommodated endothelium may have an important regulatory effect on traffic of inflammatory cells into xenografts. Our results have important implications for the development of strategies to promote accommodation of xenografts.

Animals↗

Response of the intrarenal insulin-like growth factor-I axis to acute ischemic injury and treatment with growth hormone and epidermal growth factor.

We previously reported that following bilateral acute tubular necrosis (ATN) profound changes in the intrarenal insulin-like growth factor-I axis occurs which are unrelated to altered nutritional intake. In this current report we studied rats with unilateral ATN to assess whether these changes reflect a response to acute injury or the accompanying uremia. Compared to the contralateral kidney, the injured kidney showed an increase in IGF-I receptor number without a change in IGF-I receptor mRNA levels, a decrease in IGF-I mRNA and IGF-I protein levels, a decrease in growth hormone (GH) receptor mRNA abundance and receptor binding. There was also a decrease in IGF binding protein-2, -3 and -5 mRNA levels together with a fall in protein products. Since this unilateral ATN model excludes the influence of uremia and reduced nutritional intake, we surmised that these changes reflect a direct response to injury. Next, because of the reduced GH receptor binding noted above and the reported decrease in epidermal growth factor (EGF) expression in ATN, we tested the thesis that the low kidney IGF-I mRNA levels in ATN are partly due to a relative or absolute deficiency of these hormones. Administration of EGF or GH promptly increased ATN kidney IGF-I mRNA levels to control kidney values, lending support to the thesis. The response to EGF also suggests that the salutary effect of EGF treatment in ATN may partly be mediated by stimulating IGF-I production.

Animals↗

Renal growth hormone--insulin-like growth factor-I system in acute renal failure.

The renal growth hormone--insulin-like growth factor-I system in acute ischemic renal failure. Recovery from acute tubular necrosis (ATN) is accelerated by IGF-I therapy. Furthermore, the local renal growth hormone-IGF-I system may participate in the natural repair. We examined the IGF-I system in rat kidneys subjected to 60 minute ischemia compared to sham operated controls. Two days after injury, growth hormone receptor mRNA and IGF-I mRNA levels fell approximately 9 to 33% of control values. This was associated with a reduction in kidney immunoreactive IGF-I levels. In contrast, IGF-I receptor mRNA abundance was unchanged. However, plasma membrane IGF-I receptor binding on day 2 and day 7 was near double the control values (P < 0.01). Scatchard analysis revealed a near twofold increase in receptor number. Since receptor mRNA levels were unchanged, this implies receptor protein up-regulation. In contrast to unchanged IGF-I receptor mRNA levels, the abundance of mRNA levels of insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBP) -2, -3, -4 and -5 fell approximately 14 to 62% of control levels day 2 after injury (P < 0.05), suggesting reduced IGFBP production. Thus, the renal response to ischemic ATN, namely, low IGFBP mRNA levels and high IGF-I receptor number, may function to increase IGF-I bioavailability and thereby enhance the reparative actions of local and circulating IGF-I in ischemic ATN.

Acute Kidney Injury↗

Insulin uptake and processing by cultured mouse glomerular endothelial cells.

Endothelial cells isolated from a variety of vascular beds bind and transport insulin but exhibit relatively low insulin degrading activity. Because endothelial cells exhibit heterogeneity and since kidney is a major site of insulin degradation, we studied the processing of insulin by glomerular endothelial cells (GEC). When exposed to 2 x 10(-10) M 125I-labeled insulin, GEC associated with the hormone in a specific manner. This interaction was inhibited by insulin but not by a number of unrelated peptide hormones. Over a 90-min period, GEC degraded 42 +/- 3% of the 125I-insulin, as measured by solubility in trichloroacetic acid (TCA). Degradation was inhibited 90% by an excess of insulin or adrenocorticotropic hormone (10(-6) M) and 57% by glucagon, whereas growth hormone and calcitonin were without effect. Separation of plasma membrane bound from internalized insulin was achieved by decreasing extracellular pH. In the steady state, 43% of cell-associated insulin was membrane bound and 57% internalized. The fate of the internalized 125I-insulin was examined by incubating acid-washed cells at 37 degrees C for 60 min. Over this time 18% of the radioactivity was released as TCA insoluble- and 72% as TCA-soluble radioactivity. Release was increased by insulin (10(-6) M) but not by unrelated peptide hormones. In the presence of chloroquine, 125I-insulin release increased by one third while degradation fell. High-performance liquid chromatography revealed that GEC released both intact insulin and large intermediates and that chloroquine inhibited intermediate formation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Ammonium chloride alters renal tubular cell growth and protein turnover.

BACKGROUND: Since renal hypertrophy occurs in conditions associated with increased renal ammonia genesis it has been suggested that ammonia may stimulate renal growth. Indeed, quiescent cultured tubular epithelial cells exposed to NH4Cl undergo hypertrophy. However, ammonia inhibits liver regeneration in vivo and proliferation of cultured fibroblasts. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of ammonia (NH3/NH4+) as a regulator of kidney cell hypertrophy and also kidney cell proliferation. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Cultured opossum kidney cells and primary rabbit proximal tubular epithelial cells were grown with or without (controls) NH4Cl present. RESULTS: After 3 days exposure to 5-20 mM NH4Cl, there was a dose-dependent depression of cell replication that ranged between 8 and 63% compared with controls (p < 0.017). In contrast, cell volume and protein content were significantly greater in the NH4Cl-treated cells. At 20 mM NH4Cl the protein content of treated cells exceeded that of controls by as much of 75%. This difference in protein content could, in part, be related to the disparity in cell density. However, experiments performed with cells at similar density revealed that NH4Cl also has a direct effect on cell protein content that increased by 25%; this appeared to be a consequence of depressed protein breakdown and was not due to altered protein synthesis. Experiments with rabbit kidney cells revealed that inhibition of replication was associated with a decrease in DNA [3H]thymidine incorporation. Cell cycle analysis revealed a fall in the proportion of cells in the S + G2 + M phase compared with controls (22 versus 30%, respectively; p < 0.01). NH4Cl also inhibited the burst of replication that followed chemically induced hypoxic injury of quiescent opossum kidney cells. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that in addition to inducing hypertrophy, NH4Cl can inhibit tubular cell proliferation. Thus, while heightened ammoniagenesis in vivo may favor hypertrophy, this in vitro study raises the question whether an elevated intrarenal ammonia content might be harmful when cell replication is required. Acute tubular necrosis is a condition in which elevated ammonia levels and a requirement for cell replication coexist and could serve as an important model to study this question.

Ammonium Chloride↗

Ammonium chloride increases kidney cell protein content.

Augmented renal ammoniagenesis and renal hypertrophy often occur together. Ammonia may increase cell protein content by modulating protein synthesis, protein degradation, or both. We conducted experiments to examine the effect of ammonium chloride on the synthesis and degradation of protein in cultured kidney cells. Quiescent opossum kidney cells were exposed to 20 mM NH4Cl for two days. Monolayers were then analyzed for cell number, protein content, protein synthesis ([14C]valine incorporation), protein degradation ([14C]valine release) and DNA synthesis ([3H]thymidine incorporation). Cell protein content was increased by 18% in NH4Cl-treated cells (190 +/- 6 pg/cell control vs. 225 +/- 7 pg/cell NH4Cl, p < 0.001). NH4Cl suppressed protein degradation (1.36 +/- 0.02%/h control vs. 1.12 +/- 0.04%/h NH4Cl, p < 0.001) but did not change protein synthesis, DNA synthesis, or cell number. Thus, reduced protein degradation accounts entirely for enhanced protein accumulation at 2 days in this in vitro model of kidney cell hypertrophy.

Ammonium Chloride↗