PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Y Terui

Publications and source records attributed to Y Terui.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Apoptosis-gene expression in hematopoietic system: normal and pathological conditions (Review).

Gene expression involving apoptosis in the hematopoietic system is reviewed. In normal and hematological disorders, Fas-Fas ligand and tumor necrosis factor-alpha-receptor interaction play a major role in enhancing apoptosis. On the other hand, bcl-2 or certain novel proteins (including FADD, RIP, TRADD and sentrin) prevent apoptosis. Apoptosis is involved in myelodysplastic syndrome and pathogenesis of leukemia. Expression of Fas antigen plays a role in negative regulation of hematopoiesis in the bone marrow as does interferon-gamma.

Animals↗

Bcl-x is a regulatory factor of apoptosis and differentiation in megakaryocytic lineage cells.

Differentiation- and lineage-related differences in the expression of two anti-apoptotic molecules, bcl-x and bcl-2, were examined using various human hematopoietic cell lines. Bcl-x was strongly expressed in cell lines with erythroid and megakaryocytic properties (K562, HEL, CMK, and Mo7E), and was moderately expressed in immature myeloid cell lines (KG-1 and KCL-22). Bcl-2 expression was relatively weak in these cells. On the other hand, bcl-x was not expressed in more mature myeloid cell lines (HL-60 and PL-21), but bcl-2 was strongly expressed in these cells and in monocytoid cell lines (U937, THP-1, and JOSK-I). We investigated the biological significance of high levels of bcl-x expression in erythroid and megakaryocytic lineage cells. When K562 cells were specifically differentiated into megakaryocytic lineage by phorbol ester, the amounts of bcl-x increased by 10-fold. In contrast, bcl-x was gradually downregulated during erythroid differentiation induced by cytosine arabinoside. Apoptosis was observed following erythroid differentiation of K562 cells, but it was not associated with megakaryocytic differentiation in consistent with the increase in bcl-x. Moreover, phorbol ester-induced megakaryocytic differentiation was facilitated by the overexpression of bcl-x in K562 cells. Finally, in situ hybridization revealed that bcl-x mRNA expression was strongest in megakaryocytes among normal bone marrow cells. These results suggest that bcl-x is a regulatory factor in the apoptosis and differentiation of megakaryocytes.

Apoptosis↗

[Retrospective analysis of elderly patients > or = 60 years of age with acute leukemia].

A retrospective analysis was performed on 76 consecutive elderly patients with acute leukemia aged 60 years or more (48 men, 28 women). Forty patients were 60-69 years old, 28 were 70-79 years old and 8 were > or = 80 years old. There were 55 patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), 13 acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 8 AML from myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS/AML). Patients were treated with the JALSG protocol, CAG regimen, or low-dose Ara-C regimen for AML, and DVP/M-CHOP protocol for ALL. The complete remission (CR) rates were 52.7% (29 of 55) in AML, 61.5% (8 of 13) in ALL, and 0% in MDS/AML. The median CR durations were 226, 85, 0 days, and the median survivals were 204, 177, 99 days, respectively. CR rates were 65.3% for the JALSG protocol, 62.5% for the CAG regimen and 25.0% for low-dose Ara-C regimen. According to age, CR was obtained 62.5% in patients aged 60-69 years and 33.3% in patients over 70 years old. Our results indicated that patients aged 60-69 years should be treated with intensive chemotherapy.

Aclarubicin↗

Polyploidization and functional maturation are two distinct processes during megakaryocytic differentiation: involvement of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 in polyploidization.

The mechanism of megakaryocytic differentiation was investigated using human megakaryocytic leukemia cell line UT-7. Polyploidization of UT-7 cells was induced by the microtubule-depolymerizing agent, nocodazole, and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA), but the effect was much more striking with nocodazole. By contrast, induction of cytoplasmic maturation, as judged by beta-thromboglobulin production and platelet factor 4 expression, was more prominent in TPA-treated cells than in nocodazole-treated cells. Nocodazole and TPA could act synergistically to increase ploidy and to enhance the expression of mature phenotypes. Human thrombopoietin induced functional maturation but not polyploidization in UT-7 cells and also acts synergistically with nocodazole. Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 was upregulated at the early stage of megakaryocytic differentiation, and overexpression of p21 resulted in an increase in ploidy of UT-7 cells. This suggests that p21 is implicated in polyploidization via suppression of CDC2 activity at mitosis. UT-7 but not HL-60 cells could incorporate [3H]thymidine in the presence of TPA, indicating the presence of megakaryocyte-specific licensing factor to allow DNA replication during differentiation. Taking these data together, we propose that megakaryocytic differentiation consists of two distinct processes, polyploidization and functional maturation, and that these two processes are independently regulated.

Carcinogens↗

Modulation of E2F activity is linked to interferon-induced growth suppression of hematopoietic cells.

E2F is a heterodimeric transcription factor that controls transcription of several growth-regulatory genes including cdc2. To investigate the mechanism of interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha)-mediated growth suppression of hematopoietic cells, we examined the effect of IFN-alpha on the expression and function of E2F using IFN-sensitive Daudi cells. Down-regulation of E2F-1, a subunit of E2F, was observed after 8 h of culture with IFN-alpha; expression of E2F-4, another subunit of E2F, and DP-1, a heterodimeric partner of E2F, was unaffected. Gel shift assays revealed that the DNA binding activity of free E2F, which is composed of E2F-1 and E2F-4, was inhibited by IFN-alpha. In contrast, IFN-alpha did not affect the DNA binding ability of E2F-1 and E2F-4 in a complex with retinoblastoma (RB) susceptibility gene family proteins including pRB, p107, and p130. IFN-alpha could induce dephosphorylation of pRB, thereby turning active E2F-pRB complexes into transcriptional repressors. Transient chloramphenicol acetyltransferase assays revealed that the activity of the E2F-dependent cdc2 promoter was suppressed by IFN-alpha. These results suggest that the antiproliferative action of IFN-alpha is mediated through the modulation of E2F activity in two different ways: down-regulation of transcriptionally active free E2F and conversion of E2F-pRB complexes into transcriptional repressors.

Antiviral Agents↗

Expression of Src-like adapter protein mRNA is induced by all-trans retinoic acid.

By using a differential display method, specific bands were selected from ladder PCR products derived from ATRA-dependent differentiated U937 cells, in comparison with those of untreated U937. By screening the cDNA library of ATRA-dependent differentiated U937 cells with one of the PCR products, we cloned the src-like adapter protein (SLAP). Northern blot analysis of U937 cells with or without ATRA treatment indicated that the SLAP mRNA was clearly induced by ATRA. The induction was inhibited by the addition of cycloheximide, indicating that ATRA acted indirectly through synthesis of other proteins. The SLAP mRNA was induced in HL60 and NB-4 but not in K562 or THP-1. Interestingly, these cells in which SLAP mRNA was induced by ATRA all showed ATRA-dependent cell differentiation. The relationship between SLAP and cell differentiation is unclear, but SLAP may transduce a signal for cell differentiation.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Transcriptional activation of the cdc2 gene is associated with Fas-induced apoptosis of human hematopoietic cells.

Apoptosis has recently been hypothesized to be the result of aberrant cell cycle control. In this study, we have investigated the role of cell cycle-regulatory elements in Fas-induced apoptosis of hematopoietic cells. When HL-60 cells were treated with anti-Fas antibody, rapid activation of growth-associated histone H1 kinase was observed without any change in cell cycle distribution. This was accompanied by the increase in cdc2 mRNA expression and Cdc2 kinase activity. Up-regulation of cdc2 mRNA was similarly induced in BCL-2-overexpressing HL-60 subline by anti-Fas treatment independently of the appearance of apoptotic phenotypes. Fas-induced apoptosis was completely inhibited by butyrolactone I, a specific inhibitor of Cdc2 kinase. Moreover, the same phenomenon was observed during Fas-induced but not spontaneous apoptosis of postmitotic granulocytes. Finally, we have found that "Fas-responsive element" was located between nucleotides -730 and -552 of the cdc2 promoter and was responsive for transcriptional activation of the cdc2 gene during Fas-induced apoptosis. These results indicate that aberrant activation of Cdc2 is associated with Fas-induced apoptosis of hematopoietic cells, and that the mechanism of cdc2 transcription during Fas-induced apoptosis is different from that in normal cell cycle control.

Apoptosis↗

Up-regulation of VLA-5 expression during monocytic differentiation and its role in negative control of the survival of peripheral blood monocytes.

Interaction between fibronectin (FN) and very late activation Ag-5 (VLA-5) integrin was recently reported to be involved in apoptosis of hematopoietic cells. In an effort to clarify the physiologic role of FN in the regulation of biologic behavior of terminally differentiated hematopoietic cells, we have examined the change of VLA-5 expression during myeloid cell differentiation and its effects on monocytes and granulocytes. VLA-5 alpha mRNA was up-regulated during monocytic differentiation, but not during granulocytic differentiation of HL-60 cells. Flow cytometric and immunocytochemical analysis revealed that surface expression of VLA-5 was selectively increased upon monocytic differentiation and that it was strongly positive on peripheral blood monocytes. Susceptibility to FN-induced apoptosis was greatly increased upon monocytic differentiation, and it was almost completely abrogated by anti-VLA-5 Ab or RGD peptide. Similarly, FN could significantly enhance apoptosis of normal monocytes but not of granulocytes. Finally, we have shown that anti-FN Ab could suppress spontaneous apoptosis of normal monocytes in culture and prolong their survival. These results suggest that FN might play an important role in negative regulation of the survival of monocytes through its interaction with VLA-5, which is selectively up-regulated during monocytic differentiation.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Endothelin receptor antagonist triterpenoid, myriceric acid A, isolated from Myrica cerifera, and structure activity relationships of its derivatives.

As the first non-peptide endothelin receptor antagonist from a higher plant, a new triterpenoid, myriceric acid A (50-235) (1) was isolated from the bayberry, Myrica cerifera. Myriceric acid A (1) inhibited not only an endothelin-1-induced increase in cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration (IC50 = 11 +/- 2 nM) but [125I]endothelin-1 binding in rat aortic smooth muscle cells (Ki = 66 +/- 15 nM). Two new related triterpenoids, myriceric acid C (6), and myriceric acid D (8), were also isolated. Furthermore, the chemical modification of these natural products led to the synthesis of sulfated derivatives (13, 14, 15) which showed 1.5 to 20 times higher affinity for endothelin receptors. The structure activity relationships of myriceric acids and their derivatives are discussed.

Animals↗

Apoptosis during HL-60 cell differentiation is closely related to a G0/G1 cell cycle arrest.

The cell cycle-associated differences in the susceptibility to apoptosis were examined in HL-60 cells before and after differentiation with phorbol 12, 13-dibutyrate (PDBu). HL-60 cells in various phases of the cell cycle were separated by the counterflow centrifugal elutriation and the susceptibility to apoptosis was measured by the morphological examination and by DNA fragmentation assay. Undifferentiated HL-60 cells in S phase showed a significantly higher susceptibility to apoptosis than those in G0/G1 or G2/M phase either in the absence or presence of apoptosis-inducing reagents such as A23187, actinomycin D (Act D), and cycloheximide (CHX). In contrast, PDBu-treated HL-60 cells preferentially underwent apoptosis in G0/G1 phase. When untreated HL-60 cells enriched for G0/G1 phase were recultured in a complete medium, the percentage of apoptotic cells increased after 6-12 h in correlation with the increase in S-phase cells. When the same experiment was performed with PBDu-treated cells, spontaneous increase of apoptotic cells was observed while almost all cells remained in G0/G1 phase. Northern blot analysis revealed that undifferentiated cells expressed the same amounts of bcl-2 mRNA in each cell cycle phase, whereas G0/G1-predominant reduction of bcl-2 mRNA was noted in PDBu-treated cells. There was no difference in the amounts of CD11b mRNA between G0/G1 fraction and S+G2/M fraction of differentiated HL-60 cells. BCL-2 overexpression could almost completely abrogate the G0/G1-predominant induction of apoptosis in differentiated HL-60 cells. These results suggest that G0/G1 cell cycle arrest and down-regulation of bcl-2 mRNA in G0/G1 phase might be associated with apoptosis in differentiated HL-60 cells whereas the weakness of chromatin structure in S phase might be related to apoptosis in undifferentiated HL-60 cells.

Apoptosis↗

Expression of differentiation-related phenotypes and apoptosis are independently regulated during myeloid cell differentiation.

When human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60 was treated with various differentiation-inducers, apoptosis always occurred after the full appearance of differentiation-related phenotypes. However, the two phenomena could be dissociated when HL-60 cells were treated with PDBu. When HL-60 cells were cultured with PDBu for more than 36 h, apoptosis was induced following differentiation. Apoptosis was not, however, observed when PDBu was removed within 24 h, even though induction of differentiation-related phenotypes, such as NBT-reducing ability and surface marker expression, was the same as that in the control. Northern blot analysis revealed that bcl-2 mRNA was rapidly down-regulated within 6 h of the treatment with PDBu. The amount of bcl-2 mRNA recovered to that of undifferentiated HL-60 cells when PDBu was washed out within 24 h. In contrast, the recovery of bcl-2 was incomplete when the cells were treated with PDBu for more than 36 h, suggesting that bcl-2 is also a critical regulator of the cell fate during myeloid differentiation. This hypothesis was confirmed by experiments using antisense oligonucleotides, i.e., blocking the recovery of bcl-2 mRNA by antisense oligonucleotides could result in the induction of apoptosis in HL-60 cells from which PDBu was removed within 24 h. Moreover, overexpression of BCL-2 in HL-60 cells could block apoptosis during differentiation without any significant effect on differentiation itself. These results strongly suggest that apoptosis is not a simple consequence of differentiation-induction, and that apoptosis and differentiation are regulated independently in myeloid cells.

Apoptosis↗

Preferential production of interleukin-1 beta over interleukin-1 receptor antagonist contributes to proliferation and suppression of apoptosis in leukemic cells.

Normal human monocytes were isolated in a nascent state by centrifugal elutriation and used for the study of interleukin-1 (IL-1) and interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) expression. Neither IL-1 beta nor IL-1ra mRNA was present in monocytes just after the isolation, but they were induced simultaneously in response to various stimulants. In contrast, only IL-1 beta mRNA was expressed in monocytic leukemia cell line JOSK-1, while little or no IL-1ra mRNA was detected even after stimulation. Dominant expression of IL-1 beta over IL-1ra was also observed in fresh leukemia cells including monocytic leukemias, i.e., IL-1 beta mRNA was constitutively expressed in 26 out of 36 cases (72.2%), whereas IL-1ra mRNA was present only in 8 cases (22.2%). The signal intensity of IL-1 beta mRNA was stronger than that of IL-1ra even in IL-1ra-positive cases. Apoptotic cell death of monocytes was significantly inhibited by IL-1 beta, and it was enhanced by IL-1ra. In fresh leukemia cells, 3H-thymidine uptake was generally higher in IL-1-producing cases than in IL-1ra-producing cases, and was increased by the addition of IL-1 beta in all cases tested. Cell proliferation was inhibited by either IL-1ra or anti-IL-1 beta antibody in IL-1-producing cases, while it was enhanced by anti-IL-1ra antibody in IL-1ra-producing cases. These results suggest that the balance between IL-1 and IL-1ra is necessary for homeostasis of the mononuclear phagocytosis system. The imbalance between these two counter-acting cytokines might contribute to the altered growth and accumulation of leukemic cells.

Apoptosis↗

Over-expression and amplification of the CDC2 gene in leukaemia cells.

The expression and structure of the cdc2 gene, one of the master regulators of the eukaryotic cell cycle, were investigated in fresh leukaemic cells from 51 cases of various types of leukaemia. Cdc2 mRNA transcripts were detectable in approximately 40% (21/51) of cases by Northern blotting. Over-expression of cdc2 mRNA as compared to normal bone marrow cells was noted in 10/21 cases with detectable cdc2 mRNA transcripts. Amplification of the cdc2 gene was found in three cases. Cdc2 mRNA was over-expressed in these three cases, suggesting that gene amplification is a direct cause of mRNA over-expression in a subset of cases. Cell proliferative capacity was well correlated with the amount of cdc2 mRNA transcripts, i.e. 3H-thymidine incorporation was highest in cases with cdc2 mRNA over-expression and was significantly higher in cdc2-positive cases than in cdc2-negative cases. These results suggest that over-expression of CDC2, which is due to the gene amplification in some cases, might play a role in altered growth of leukaemic cells.

Blotting, Northern↗

Salfredins, new aldose reductase inhibitors produced by Crucibulum sp. RF-3817. I. Fermentation, isolation and structures of salfredins.

New inhibitors of aldose reductase, designated salfredins A3, A4, A7, C1, C2, C3 and B11, were isolated from the fermentation broth of Crucibulum sp. RF-3817 by successive purification procedures of solvent extraction, silica gel column chromatographies and reverse-phase HPLC. Their structures were established by spectroscopic methods, including UV, SI-MS and NMR. The structures of salfredins A4 and B11 were confirmed by X-ray crystallographic analysis.

Aldehyde Reductase↗

The role of cellular transcription factor E2F in the regulation of cdc2 mRNA expression and cell cycle control of human hematopoietic cells.

cdc2 mRNA transcripts were detected in immature bone marrow cells and became undetectable along with differentiation. Peripheral blood resting cells did not express cdc2 mRNA, but it was induced in T-lymphocytes when the cells reentered the cell cycle in response to specific mitogens. In contrast, cdc2 mRNA could not be induced in granulocytes and monocytes even after the culture with the appropriate stimulants. In order to investigate the mechanism of the regulation of cdc2 mRNA expression in hematopoietic cells, we isolated the 5'-flanking sequence of the cdc2 gene and found the putative E2F binding site at the position of nucleotides -124 to -117. The binding of E2F at this region was detected by a gel-retardation assay and DNaseI footprinting in phytohemagglutinin-stimulated T-lymphocytes, which was coincident with the expression of cdc2 mRNA. E2F binding was not observed in both granulocytes and monocytes. Transient chloramphenicol acetyltransferase assay revealed that the region containing E2F binding site had a strong promoter activity, and introduction of the mutation at the E2F binding site resulted in a significant loss of the activity. E2F-1 and DP-1 mRNAs were not detectable in granulocytes, monocytes and resting T-lymphocytes but were induced after the mitogenic stimulation of T-lymphocytes. The induction of E2F activity preceded the appearance of cdc2 mRNA, which is consistent with the role of E2F in the regulation of cdc2 mRNA expression. These results suggest that cdc2 mRNA expression is related to the cell cycling of normal human hematopoietic cells and that E2F plays some roles in the regulation of its expression.

Base Sequence↗

Cloning and characterization of the cDNA encoding rice elongation factor 1 beta.

We have cloned and sequenced a cDNA coding for rice elongation factor 1 beta (EF-1 beta). The clone was 1420 bp long and contained an open reading frame coding for 229 amino acids. The overall identity between rice EF-1 beta and rice EF-1 beta' [Matsumoto, S., Oizumi, N., Taira, H. and Ejiri, S. (1992) FEBS Lett. 311, 46-48] is 60% at the amino acid sequence level; a higher percent identical residues (81%) were especially observed in the C-terminal region. Rice EF-1 beta has no conserved phosphorylation site for casein kinase II and no leucine zipper motif, although these motifs are well conserved in EF-1 delta (= beta in plants) subunits of animal EF-1.

Amino Acid Sequence↗