PubMed HealthSearch

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Enhancer mapping”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Species and regional differences in the expression of cell-type specific elements at the human and rat tyrosine hydroxylase gene loci.

The expression of the catecholamine biosynthetic enzyme, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), is confined to several different types of neuroendocrine cells. Using a transient assay system, we examined more than 10 kb of the human TH gene and 6.5 kb of 5' flanking sequences of the rat TH gene for DNA elements that confer cell-type specific expression. Surprisingly, these elements do not appear to be conserved in position or sequence across species. When plasmids containing DNA sequences - 749 bp from the transcription start site of the rat gene were introduced into PC12 cells, up to sixfold higher levels of expression were observed as compared to the same fragments introduced into HepG2 cells or LAN-1 cells. In contrast to the rat gene, analogous fragments of the human 5' promoter failed to confer cell-type specific expression. However, when plasmids containing a truncated thymidine kinase promoter and either orientation of a 760 by 3' human TH gene fragment were introduced into PC12 and LAN-1 cells, we observed a six- and 3.5-fold increase, respectively, over that observed for HepG2 cells. Subsequent deletion of this fragment led to significant activation of transcription in PC12 and HepG2 cell lines. These data indicate the presence of multiple elements contributing to the cell-type specific expression of tyrosine hydroxylase genes.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms

Nuclear factors that bind two regions important to transcriptional activity of the simian immunodeficiency virus long terminal repeat.

Previous studies identified two regions in the U3 region of a molecular clone of simian immunodeficiency virus, SIVmac142, that are important to transcriptional activity under conditions of induction as well as basal-level expression (B. Renjifo, N. A. Speck, S. Winandy, N. Hopkins, and Y. Li, J. Virol. 64:3130-3134, 1990). One region includes the NF-kappa B binding site, while the other lies just 5' of this site between nucleotides -162 and -114 (the -162 to -114 region). The fact that the NF-kappa B site mutation attenuated transcriptional activity in uninduced T cells and fibroblasts where activated NF-kappa B would not be present suggested that a factor(s) other than NF-kappa B could be acting through this site. In this study, we have identified a factor which binds to a cis element overlapping the NF-kappa B site. This factor, which we call simian factor 3 (SF3), would play a role in regulation under conditions of basal level expression, whereas under conditions of induction, NF-kappa B would act via this region. SF3 may also bind to an element in the -162 to -114 region. In addition, we have identified two other factors that bind the -162 to -114 region. One, which we designated SF1, is a ubiquitous basal factor, and the other, SF2, is a T-cell-predominant phorbol myristate acetate-inducible factor. Through identification of nuclear factors that interact with the U3 region of the SIVmac142 long terminal repeat, we can gain insight into how this virus is transcriptionally regulated under conditions of basal-level expression as well as conditions of T-cell activation.

Animals

Transcriptional activation of the human papillomavirus-16 P97 promoter by an 88-nucleotide enhancer containing distinct cell-dependent and AP-1-responsive modules.

The P97 promoter upstream of the oncogenic early genes of human papillomavirus (HPV)-16 is active in keratinocytes and in cervical carcinoma cells due to a 5' keratinocyte-dependent cis enhancer. In this study, we have mapped the main enhancer activity to an 88-nucleotide (nt) fragment composed of multiple cis elements. A 63-nt promoter-proximal enhancer core was sufficient for P97 activation in a human keratinocytic cell line, HaCaT, and in cervical carcinoma cells. Although the enhancer functioned poorly in hepatoma cells or in fibroblasts, nuclear extracts from different cells protected similar cis elements from DNase I digestion. Two protected half-palindromic NF-I/CTF sites within the 63-nt core were necessary for its function; one represents a "cytokeratin element" (CK), a previously described 8-nt sequence shared with cytokeratin gene promoters. Both sites formed complexes of the same apparent size and relative binding affinity with NF-I/CTF-like factor(s) present in all cells tested. Although cell-dependent P97 activation could be determined by similar, yet distinct NF-I/CTF-like proteins, adjacent cis elements in the enhancer core were also required for function, and may thus interact with additional transcription factors. A 25-nt distal module with two AP-1 sites increased enhancer activity and cooperated with cis elements of the proximal core. Each AP-1 site as well as a third AP-1 site near the promoter bound c-Jun and Jun/Fos in vitro, and was activated by c-Jun and c-Fos in transfections. In addition to cell type-dependent activation, HPV-16 P97 transcription may therefore respond to growth factors and oncogene products via the AP-1 pathway.

Base Sequence

Modulation by physostigmine of head-up tilt- and bilateral carotid occlusion-induced baroreflexes in rats.

In anesthetized normotensive rats, 45 degrees head-up tilt induced a transient marked drop followed by a long-lasting slight drop in mean arterial pressure (MAP), and with cessation of tilt there is a transient pressor response. Heart rate (HR) did not change appreciably by tilting. Bilateral occlusion of common carotid arteries (BCO) induced pressor responses with tachycardia. Physostigmine (5 and 15 micrograms i.c.v.) attenuated the tilt-induced decreases in MAP. Neither the HR during tilt nor the restoration-related transient pressor response was altered by physostigmine. Acetylcholine (ACh, 5 micrograms i.c.v.) exhibited a similar attenuation of tilt-induced changes in MAP. Physostigmine enhanced BCO-induced pressor responses whereas not affecting BCO-induced HR responses. The time for onset of these changes in arterial pressure was slower than that of physostigmine-induced pressor response. Depletion of brain ACh with hemicholinium-3 (20 micrograms i.c.v.) or its derivative A-5 (20 micrograms i.c.v.) or blockade of muscarinic-receptors with atropine (1 microgram i.c.v.) blocked physostigmine-elicited modulation of both tilt- and BCO-induced reflexes. These results suggest involvement of central cholinergic systems for modulation not only of BCO-induced but also tilt-induced cardiovascular reflexes. In particular, ACh appears to enhance these reflexes by acting within the central nervous system.

Animals

Reduction of rat striatal thyrotropin-releasing hormone receptors produced by repeated methamphetamine administration.

It has been reported previously that repeated, but not continuous, administration of methamphetamine (MAP) to animals produces progressive and sustained enhancement of MAP-induced behavior (behavioral sensitization), which may be related to functional changes in central dopamine (DA) systems. To investigate the possible involvement of thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), a neuromodulator of DA, both immunoreactive TRH (IR-TRH) levels and specific TRH binding were examined in rat brain regions after MAP administration either repeatedly (4 mg/kg intraperitoneally once a day for 14 consecutive days) or continuously (about 4 mg/kg/day for 13 consecutive days). Although no significant changes were observed in IR-TRH levels in any regions of the brain following repeated MAP injections, specific TRH binding in the striatum significantly decreased. Scatchard analysis revealed that the decrease was due to a reduction in the maximum number of binding sites (Bmax). Pretreatment with haloperidol prior to each MAP injection prevented this decrease. Continuous MAP administration had no effect on regional specific TRH binding. These results suggest that repeated MAP administration caused lasting dysfunction in the brain TRH system, which may be implicated in the behavioral sensitization.

Animals

Cerebral blood flow determination within the first 8 hours of cerebral infarction using stable xenon-enhanced computed tomography.

Cerebral blood flow mapping with stable xenon-enhanced computed tomography (Xe/CT) was performed in conjunction with conventional computed tomography (CT) within the first 8 hours after the onset of symptoms in seven patients with cerebral infarction. Six patients had hemispheric infarctions, and one had a progressive brainstem infarction. Three patients with very low (less than 10 ml/100 g/min) blood flow in an anatomic area appropriate for the neurologic deficit had no clinical improvement by the time of discharge from the hospital; follow-up CT scans of these three patients confirmed infarction in the area of very low blood flow. Three patients with moderate blood flow reductions (15-45 ml/100 g/min) in the appropriate anatomic area had significant clinical improvement from their initial deficits and had normal follow-up CT scans. One patient studied 8 hours after stroke had increased blood flow (hyperemia) in the appropriate anatomic area and made no clinical recovery.

Aged

Recombinant human interleukin-9 induces protein tyrosine phosphorylation and synergizes with steel factor to stimulate proliferation of the human factor-dependent cell line, M07e.

Human interleukin-9 (IL-9) was originally identified and cloned based on its stimulatory effect on proliferation of human myeloid cell line, M07e. IL-9 synergized with Steel factor, the ligand for the c-kit product, to stimulate M07e cell proliferation. To investigate potential mechanisms for this, IL-9 was assessed for effects on protein tyrosine kinase activities in M07e cells by immunoblotting with anti-phosphotyrosine monoclonal antibody; results were compared with those of Steel factor alone and in combination with IL-9, and those of 12-0-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Recombinant human IL-9 (10 ng/mL) rapidly and transiently induced or enhanced at least four tyrosine phosphorylated protein bands with molecular weights of 105, 97, 85, and 81 Kd. This tyrosine phosphorylation pattern was different from that generated by recombinant murine Steel factor or TPA stimulation and the combination of IL-9 and Steel factor did not change the IL-9-induced pattern. IL-9-induced tyrosine phosphorylated bands were completely blocked by treatment of IL-9 with anti-IL-9 antibody under conditions that also neutralized the synergistic effect of IL-9 with Steel factor on M07e cell proliferation. Genistein, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, blocked phosphorylation of IL-9 and Steel factor-induced bands. Unlike Steel factor or TPA, IL-9 did not appear to stimulate phosphorylation of 42-Kd mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase or Raf-1, or enhance MAP kinase activity. MAP kinase and Raf-1 are serine/threonine kinases that are phosphorylated and activated by many growth factors and by agonists for protein kinase C. While the combination of IL-9 plus SLF did not appear to induce phosphorylation of new bands not already seen with either IL-9 or SLF alone, or enhance the phosphorylation of those bands seen with either cytokine alone, the results suggest that IL-9 activates specific and unique signal transduction pathways.

Calcium-Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinases

Simian virus 40 enhancer increases RNA polymerase density within the linked gene.

Enhancers are regulatory DNA elements, usually about 200 base pairs (bp) long, which are able to stimulate transcription of linked genes in eukaryotic cells. This activation can be exerted over large distances, and from a position 5' or 3' to the gene. Enhancers have been identified in viral genomes and cellular genes. Using a transient expression assay, we have analysed transcription of the rabbit beta-globin gene and the thymidine kinase gene from herpes simplex virus with and without a simian virus 40 (SV40) enhancer. S1 nuclease mapping shows a high level of specific transcripts when the genes are linked to the enhancer. To determine whether this increased number of transcripts is due to a higher transcription rate, or perhaps to a shift from nonspecific to specific initiation, we have performed run-on transcription assays with isolated nuclei. Our results, presented here, demonstrate that the SV40 enhancer increases the RNA polymerase density within the linked gene. Therefore, enhancers apparently increase the rate of transcription initiation without influencing the specificity of initiation.

Cell Nucleus

DNase I hypersensitivity is independent of endogenous topoisomerase II activity during chicken erythrocyte differentiation.

Endogenous topoisomerase II cleavage sites were mapped in the chicken beta A-globin gene of 12- to 14-day embryonic erythrocytes. A major topoisomerase II catalytic site was mapped to the 5' end of the globin gene which contained a nucleosome-free and DNase I-hypersensitive site and additional but minor sites were mapped to the second intron and 3' of the gene to a tissue-specific enhancer. Cleavage sites, mapped in situ by indirect end labeling, were aligned to single-base-pair resolution by comparison to a consensus sequence derived for vertebrate topoisomerase II catalytic sites. In contrast to embryonic erythrocytes, endogenous topoisomerase II cleavages were not detected in erythrocytes from peripheral blood of adult chickens; therefore, as the transcriptional activity of the beta A-globin gene declines during terminal differentiation of erythrocytes, the activity of topoisomerase II in situ declines as well, despite the fact that DNase I hypersensitivity persists. The results showed that DNase I-hypersensitive chromatin can be maintained in the absence of topoisomerase II activity and suggested that topoisomerase II acts at hypersensitive sites because of an inherent attraction to some preexisting combination of DNA sequence or chromatin structure associated with DNase I-hypersensitive regions.

Animals

Automatic enhancement, animation, and segmentation of flow in peripheral arteries from MR phase-shift velocity mapping.

The authors describe a technique for automatic enhancement, segmentation, and analysis of flow from MR phase shift velocity mapping. This method uses a specific flow related enhancement process to extract and localize the flow field within the image, followed by global flow analysis. By animation on low cost equipment (personal computers), this method can provide various ways of visualizing flow in vivo and its variation in different structures and lesions. Our preliminary results using this method for analyzing flow data in the aortic bifurcation of healthy volunteers are encouraging.

Aorta, Abdominal

Brain ouabain and central effects of dietary sodium in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

High sodium intake (HNa) increases brain ouabainlike activity (OLA) in rats. In spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), HNa exaggerates development of hypertension and pressor and sympathoexcitatory responses to stress. To investigate whether dietary sodium-induced changes in brain OLA play a functional role, responses of mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) to intracerebroventricular ouabain and to mental stress and intracerebroventricular alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist guanabenz alone or preceded by intracerebroventricular ouabain were recorded in conscious SHR and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats maintained from 4 to 8 weeks of age on different sodium diets: 1) low sodium intake (LNa, 17 mumol), 2) normal sodium intake (NNa, 101 mumol), and 3) HNa (1,370 mumol). SHR on NNa showed significantly higher MAP and RSNA compared with WKY rats on NNa. HNa or LNa significantly increased or decreased MAP but had no effects on resting RSNA in SHR and had no effects on resting MAP and RSNA in WKY rats. Intracerebroventricular ouabain induced dose-dependent increases in MAP, RSNA, and HR. In both SHR and WKY rats, LNa significantly enhanced these responses. In contrast, HNa significantly attenuated these responses only in SHR. Air stress increased and intracerebroventricular guanabenz decreased MAP, HR, and RSNA. The magnitudes of increases and decreases were significantly larger in SHR than in WKY rats. In WKY rats, dietary sodium did not change these responses. In contrast, in SHR, HNa significantly enhanced MAP, HR, and RSNA responses to air stress or intracerebroventricular guanabenz.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals

Rapid attachment of a helper T cell epitope to branched peptides by fragment condensation to give enhanced immunogenicity.

We describe a rapid method of fragment condensation to couple a helper T cell epitope, active in BALB/c mice, to the amino terminus of branched peptides (or 'multiple antigenic peptides', MAPs). The helper T cell epitope-MAP conjugate considerably enhanced the immunogenicity in BALB/c mice of branched peptides. The method of fragment condensation, whereby the helper T cell epitope portion of the immunogen is added as a 'cassette' in a one step addition process, is both faster and more convenient than continuous step-by-step addition of individual amino acids and is likely to be generally applicable. The method should be advantageous in the development of peptide based vaccines.

Amino Acid Sequence

Tandem AP-1-binding sites within the human beta-globin dominant control region function as an inducible enhancer in erythroid cells.

A powerful enhancer has been mapped to an 18-bp DNA segment located 11 kb 5' to the human epsilon-globin gene within the dominant control or locus-activating region. This enhancer is inducible in K562 human erythroleukemia cells, increasing linked gamma-globin promoter/luciferase gene expression to 170-fold over an enhancerless construct. The enhancer consists of tandem AP-1-binding sites, phased 10 bp apart, which are both required for full activity. DNA-protein binding assays with nuclear extracts from induced cells demonstrate a high molecular weight complex on the enhancer. The formation of this complex also requires both AP-1 sites and correlates with maximal enhancer activity. Induction of the enhancer may have a role in the increase in globin gene transcription that characterizes erythroid maturation. Enhancer activity appears to be mediated by the binding of a complex of proteins from the jun and fos families to tandem AP-1 consensus sequences.

Base Sequence

Locations of nucleosomes on the regulatory region of simian virus 40 chromatin.

We have asked where the nucleosomes are located with respect to the replication origin and regulatory region of simian virus 40 DNA, what would be the possible functional consequences of the identified locations, and to what extent these locations correlate with the current views on mechanisms involved in establishing nucleosome-free regions in chromatin. To identify the precise location of nucleosomes, we have shot-gun cloned and sequenced nucleosomal DNA obtained from micrococcal nuclease digestion of wt776 chromatin prepared late in infection. Our results indicate that nucleosomes do not occupy unique positions over the replication origin or the elements involved in transcriptional control. However, it appears that the nucleosome distribution is not random, since several nucleosomes are represented by two or more independently generated clones. Two nearly identical cloned fragments map over the replication origin; five include 1.5 copies of the 72 base-pair enhancer sequences; and eight map to a region that spans a DNA bending locus and the major transcription initiation site of the late genes. The complex nucleosome distribution pattern observed in our direct analysis suggests that disparate nucleosome-free regions may be involved in controlling replication, and selective expression of the viral early or late genes.

Cell Line

Identification and functional characterization of the human T-cell receptor beta gene transcriptional enhancer: common nuclear proteins interact with the transcriptional regulatory elements of the T-cell receptor alpha and beta genes.

A transcriptional enhancer has been mapped to a region 5.5 kilobases 3' of the C beta 2 gene in the human T-cell receptor (TCR) beta-chain locus. Transient transfections allowed localization of enhancer activity to a 480-base-pair HincII-XbaI restriction enzyme fragment. The TCR beta enhancer was active on both the minimal simian virus 40 promoter and a TCR beta variable gene promoter in both TCR alpha/beta + and TCR gamma/delta + T cells. It displayed significantly less activity in Epstein-Barr virus-transformed B cells and K562 chronic myelogenous leukemia cells and no activity in HeLa fibroblasts. DNA sequence analysis revealed that the enhancer contains a consensus immunoglobulin kappa E2 motif, as well as an AP-1-binding site and a cyclic AMP response element. DNase I footprint analyses using Jurkat T-cell nuclear extracts allowed the identification of five nuclear protein-binding sites, T beta 1 to T beta 5, within the enhancer element. Deletion and in vitro mutagenesis studies demonstrated that the T beta 2- and T beta 3- and T beta 4-binding sites are each required for full transcriptional enhancer activity. In contrast, deletion of the T beta 1- and T beta 5-binding sites had essentially no effect on enhancer function. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that TCR alpha/beta + and TCR gamma/delta + T cells expressed T beta 2-, T beta 3-, and T beta 4-binding activities. In contrast, non-T-cell lines, in which the enhancer was inactive, each lacked expression of at least one of these binding activities. TCR alpha and beta gene expression may be regulated by a common set of T-cell nuclear proteins in that the T beta 2 element binding a set of cyclic AMP response element-binding proteins that are also bound by the T alpha 1 element of the human TCR alpha enhancer and the decamer element present in a large number of human and murine TCR beta promoters. Similarly, the T beta 5 TCR beta-enhancer element and the T alpha 2 TCR alpha-enhancer element bind at least one common T-cell nuclear protein. Taken together, these results suggest that TCR beta gene expression is regulated by the interaction of multiple T cell nuclear proteins with a transcriptional enhancer element located 3' of the C beta 2 gene and that some of these proteins may be involved in the coordinate regulation of TCR alpha and beta gene expression.

Base Sequence

A review on biomedical image processing and future trends.

The last two decades have witnessed a revolutionary development in the field of biomedical and diagnostic imaging. Imaging procedures and modalities which were only in the experimental research phase in the early part of the last two decades, have now become universally accepted clinical procedures. They include computerized tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasound imaging, nuclear medicine imaging, computerized hematological cell analysis, etc. In the past, the conventional and relatively simple image processing techniques such as image enhancement, gray-level mapping, spectral analysis, region extraction, etc. have been modified for biomedical images and successfully applied for processing and analysis. The role of image enhancement, gray-level mapping, and image reconstruction from projections algorithms in CT and other radiological imaging modalities is well evident. Recently, many advances in biomedical image processing, analysis, and understanding algorithms have shown a great potential for enhancing and interpreting useful diagnostic information from these images more accurately. This paper presents a review on the current state-of-the-art techniques in biomedical image processing and comments on future trends.

Algorithms

Two immunodominant domains of gp41 bind antibodies which enhance human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection in vitro.

Four of eight human monoclonal antibodies (huMAbs) to gp41 were identified which could enhance human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in vitro by complement-mediated antibody-dependent enhancement (C'-ADE). These enhancing huMAbs were mapped to two distinct domains on the HIV-1 gp41 transmembrane glycoprotein by using synthetic peptides. The first domain, amino acids 579 to 613 (peptide AA579-613), was recognized by three of the four enhancing huMAbs. The AA579-613 peptide blocked C'-ADE of HIV-1 infection in vitro whether it was mediated by these three huMAbs or by human polyclonal anti-HIV serum. The second domain, amino acids 644 to 663, bound the remaining enhancing huMAb. This peptide weakly blocked C'-ADE mediated by the huMAb and by an HIV immune globulin fraction but did not block C'-ADE mediated by a patient's serum. The patient's serum did react with the peptide in an enzyme immunoassay. The huMAbs to the two domains could interact in vitro to enhance HIV-1 infection in a synergistic manner. These two domains, which bind enhancing antibodies, are conserved between HIV-1 isolates as well as between HIV-2 and simian immunodeficiency virus isolates. These data demonstrate the existence of two conserved regions within the HIV-1 gp41 which bind enhancing antibodies; these two domains, amino acids 579 to 613 and 644 to 663, may prove important in HIV-1 vaccine development and in immunopathogenesis of HIV-1 infection.

Amino Acid Sequence