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Results for “Fibroblast Activation Protein Alpha”

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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2026

Transcriptomic profiling across stages of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer identifies fibroblast activation protein-alpha as a stromal biomarker associated with progression.

BACKGROUND: T1 non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) represents a biologically aggressive subgroup with substantial heterogeneity in recurrence and progression risk. Current clinicopathological risk stratification tools lack sufficient precision to identify patients at the highest risk of progression to muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC). OBJECTIVE: To characterize transcriptomic differences between T1 and < T1 (Ta/Tis) NMIBC and to explore the association of fibroblast activation protein-α (FAP) gene expression with disease progression. METHODS: Transcriptomic profiling was performed on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tumor tissue from 66 patients with primary, treatment-naïve NMIBC and 5 patients with T2 disease (included for exploratory comparisons). Analyses included differential gene expression, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), molecular subtyping, immune cell deconvolution, and evaluation of FAP expression in relation to recurrence and progression. External validation of FAP was conducted in three independent NMIBC cohorts. RESULTS: T1 tumors demonstrated a distinct transcriptomic profile compared with < T1 tumors, characterized by enrichment of cell cycle-related and metabolic pathways and a higher prevalence of aggressive molecular subtypes. Despite these molecular differences, no statistically significant differences in recurrence-free, progression-free, cancer-specific, and overall survival were observed, likely reflecting limited event numbers. Among recurrent tumors, early recurrences (≤ 24 months) were associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition signatures. FAP expression increased with tumor stage (p = 0.0005) and was associated with progression (p = 0.002) and mortality (p = 0.01). Patients with tumors in the highest quartile of FAP expression had worse progression-free survival. This association was consistently observed in three external NMIBC cohorts. CONCLUSIONS: T1 NMIBC exhibits distinct transcriptomic features suggestive of increased biological aggressiveness. Elevated FAP expression is reproducibly associated with progression risk across multiple cohorts, supporting its potential role as a biomarker of aggressive disease. Given the limited number of progression events, these findings should be considered hypothesis-generating and warrant prospective validation before clinical implementation.

Humans↗

PubMed1978

Sodium-stimulated active transport of aminoisobutyric acid by reconstituted vesicles from partially purified plasma membranes of mouse fibroblasts transformed by simian virus 40.

Plasma membrane fractions isolated from mouse fibroblast BALB/c 3T3 cells transformed by simian virus 40 were partially purified by treatment with dimethylmaleic anhydride followed by extraction with 2% cholate. The extracted proteins were combined with exogenous phospholipids and eluted through a Sephadex G50 column. Reconstituted vesicles thus obtained were shown to possess the ability of Na+-stimulated transport of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid. The simultaneous addition of NaSCN and alpha-aminoisobutyric acid to these vesicles produced a transient accumulation above the equilibrium level (overshoot, active transport). The Na+-stimulated transport of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid was sensitive to the accompanying anion and to the temperature of incubation. The results demonstrate that partially purified membrane proteins of mouse fibroblast cells can be incorporated into the liposomes that have the characteristics of Na+-stimulated and electrochemically sensitive active transport of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid.

Aminoisobutyric Acids↗

PubMed1979

Optimal conditions for the assay of fibroblast neuraminidase with different natural substrates.

A method for the assay of neuraminidase in human cultured fibroblasts has been worked out. The substrates, all naturally occurring, were: sialyloligosaccharides (alpha(2 lead to 3)sialyllactose, alpha(2 leads to 6)sialyllactose, disialyllactose), sialylglycoplipids (disialogangliosides GD1a and GD1b), sialylglycoproteins and sialylglycopeptides (ovine submaxillary glycoprotein and its pronase-glycopeptides). The method was based on the determination of the enzymically liberated N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuAc) by a chromatographic-colorimetric microprocedure. The enzyme acted on sialyloligosaccharides and, in the presence of Triton X-100, on gangliosides, while it did not appreciably affect sialylglycoproteins and sialylglycopeptides. The optimum pH was 4.0 for all tested substrates; the Km values were higher for sialyloligosaccharides (about 10(-3) M), lower for gangliosides (about 10(-4) M); the apparent maximum velocity was higher with alpha(2 leads to 3)sialyllactose (400 mU/mg protein); the reaction rate was linear with time for up to 2 h, and with up to 0.6 mg of enzymic protein. The assay method proved to be sufficiently sensitive (3-4 nmol liberated NeuAc), simple, and reproducible (mean activity on pooled fibroblasts with alpha(2 leads to 3)sialyllactose: 400 mU +/- 6 S.E.).

Cells, Cultured↗

PubMed1975

Effect of proteases on activation of resting chick embryo fibroblasts and on cell surface proteins.

The relationship between activation of resting chick embryo fibroblasts by proteases and proteolytic alteration of the cell surface has been investigated. Five different proteases were examined: trypsin, collagenase, plasmin, alpha-chymotrypsin, and thrombin. All of these proteases, when added to the culture medium at concentrations of 0.08-2.2 mug/ml, stimulated deoxyglucose uptake and induced cell division. The absolute levels of stimulation depended on the specific protease. Activation ranged from a doubling in cell number in 24 hr for trypsin and thrombin down to a 47% increase in cell number for alpha-chymotrypsin. Except in the case of thrombin, the stimulatory effects of these proteases correlated with breakdown of Z, a protein which is the major chick surface protein as revealed by lactoperoxidase-catalyzed iodination and which disappears upon transformation. In the case of thrombin, stimulatory concentrations brought about no detectable loss of surface components. Thus loss of Z is not a necessary condition for activation of chick fibroblasts; it may be a sufficient condition for activation of part of the cell population.

Cell Division↗

PubMed1978

Alpha-L-fucosidase in cultured bone marrow fibroblasts from fucosidosis patients.

Bone marrow fibroblasts were cultured from two patients with fucosidosis type 2, six control subjects, and three patients with other lysosomal disorders. Optimal conditions for measuring alpha-L-fucosidase activity in lysates of these cells with the fluorogenic substrate 4-methylumbelliferyl-alpha-L-fucoside were established. The pH profile of normal bone marrow fibroblasts showed three peaks and a shoulder of enzymatic activity, with maximum activity at pH 4.75. In cells derived from fucosidosis patients two peaks of apparent alpha-L-fucosidase activity were obtained; the pH optimum was 4.5. alpha-L-Fucosidase activity (mean +/- SD) in the fucosidosis and control bone marrow fibroblasts was 2.5 and 312.4 +/- 10.9 nmoles 4-methylumbelliferone per milligram protein per hour, respectively. A reduction in the apparent specific enzymatic activity in the fucosidosis cells was observed by using increasing concentrations of cellular protein in the assay system. Mixing experiments between normal and fucosidosis cells gave the expected activities. These findings indicate that cultured bone marrow fibroblasts can be used for the diagnosis and study of fucosidosis.

Bone Marrow↗

PubMed1979

A fluorometric assay using 4-methylumbelliferyl alpha-L-iduronide for the estimation of alpha-L-iduronidase activity and the detection of Hurler and Scheie syndromes.

Incubation of 4-methylumbelliferyl alpha-L-iduronide with whole cell homogenates prepared from cultured skin fibroblasts and amniotic cells, and peripheral blood leukocytes gave 4-methylumbelliferone which was easily measured fluorometrically. This reaction, presumably due to the action of alpha-L-iduronidase, has a maximum hydrolytic activity at pH 3.25. The apparent KM value of alpha-L-iduronidase in leukocyte whole cell homogenates for this substrate was 179 mumol/l compared to 353, 41 and 166 mumol/l for other alpha-L-iduronidase substrates phenyl alpha-L-iduronide, iduronosyl anhydrol[1-3H]mannitol 6-sulfate and iduronosyl anhydro[1-3H]mannitol respectively; the corresponding Vmax values were 617, 394, 158 and 10 pmol/min/mg protein respectively. Incubation of the 4-methylumbelliferyl alpha-L-iduronide with whole cell homogenates prepared from cultured skin fibroblasts and leukocytes from a Hurler patient gave 4-methylumbelliferone at a rate more than 20 times less than found for control normal preparations. 4-Methylumbelliferyl alpha-L-iduronide is a sensitive, convenient and superior substrate to phenyl alpha-L-iduronide for the assay of alpha-L-iduronidase activity, but is not a suitable replacement for the radiolabelled substrate iduronosyl anhydro[1-3H]mannitol 6-sulfate.

Amniotic Fluid↗

PubMed1979

Production of serum proteins in normal diploid fibroblast-hepatoma cell hybrids and in A9-normal liver cell hybrids.

Two series of interspecific hybrids have been generated between liver cells (which actively secrete several serum proteins) and fibroblasts (which do not). In each series, one of the parental cells was a normal diploid cell: mouse hepatoma cells were fused with normal diploid rat fibroblasts, and normal rat liver cells were fused with mouse fibroblasts of the permanent line A9. The production of albumin, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) transferrin and the third component of complement (C3) was analysed in these hybrids. Most hepatoma cell hybrids exhibit extinction of albumin, AFP and (to a lesser extent) transferrin; they retain the capacity to secrete C3. Normal liver cell hybrids are also characterized by the absence of albumin and transferrin production and by retention of C3 secretion. These results, when compared to previous results obtained with hybrids derived exclusively from different differentiated cells of permanent and transformed lines show that the phenotype of such hybrids is not determined by the abnormal character per se of the aneuploid parental cells. Amongst the rat fibroblast-mouse hepatoma cell hybrids, a few clones retain the capacity to actively secrete mouse albumin, AFP and transferrin, without the concomitant production of the rat serum proteins. These hybrids have lost more rat (fibroblast) chromosomes than the other clones and also have an increased number of mouse (hepatoma) chromosomes. Thus, their phenotype must result from either the complete loss of 'extinguisher' chromosomes, or gene dosage effects. The significance of the lack of rat serum protein production is also discussed, and it is suggested that retention, without concomitant activation, could be explained in terms of diffusible regulators and heritable differences in chromatin conformation.

Animals↗

PubMed1978

Induction of ornithine decarboxylase activity in a temperature-sensitive cell cycle mutant of Chinese hamster cells.

We have investigated the induction of ornithine decarboxylase (L-ornithine carboxy-lyase, EC 4.1.1.17) activity in a temperature-sensitive cell cycle mutant of Chinese hamster fibroblasts. This activity is not induced at the nonpermissive temperature, although the synthesis of the majority of proteins is normal. From a combination of studies with inhibitors of mRNA synthesis and maturation (alpha-amanitin, and cordycepin) and of proteins synthesis (cycloheximide, diphtheria toxin, and emetine), we conclude that the temperature-sensitive block is at the level of translation of one or more specific mRNAs.

Carboxy-Lyases↗

PubMed1979

Neuraminidase deficiency in the original patient with the Goldberg syndrome.

Homogenates of cultured skin fibroblasts from a non-ambulatory, 20-year-old male with cherry-red spots, corneal clouding, seizures, mental retardation, dysostosis multiplex, dwarfism, coarse facies and loss of vision, originally described by Goldberg et al. (1971), have diminished neuraminidase activity and an excess of neuraminic acid-rich compounds. Specifically, these cells have 2-17% normal neuraminidase when measured with 2-(3' methoxyphenyl)-N-acetyl-alpha-neuraminic acid, N-acetyl-neuramin-lactose and fetuin. Activities of 12 other lysosomal enzymes were either at or above the range of normal control fibroblasts. Total neuraminic acid concentration was 44.3 nmol/mg protein versus an average control value of 14.2. It is concluded that the Goldberg syndrome should be considered, along with mucolipidosis I and the cherry-red spot -- myoclonus syndrome, as resulting from a primary neuraminidase deficiency.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

PubMed1976

Acid maltase deficiency in non-identical adult twins. A morphological and biochemical study.

Acid maltase deficiency is described in non-identical adult twins. The onset of the disease can be traced into late infancy; the clinical picture is one of severe muscular dystrophy; respiratory insuficiency was the cause of death in one case. The autopsy showed the central nervous system, heart and liver to be spared. Glycogen filled vacuoles are found in skin, mesenchymal cells, small nerves and skeletal muscles. The light microscopic study of 9 different muscles showed extremely variable involvement ranging from normal appearance to overt vacuolization. A 6--20% residual acid alpha-glucosidase activity was found in visceral organs, cultured fibroblasts and in some skeletal muscles. No satisfactory explanation can be given why this generalized acid alpha-glucosidase deficiency produces a selective involvement of skeletal muscles. If compared with infantile AMD (Pompe's disease) our cases have a much higher residual acid alpha-glucosidase activity and show the presence of an antigenically detectable protein. From our study and from a similar report in the literature (de Barsy et al., 1975), it appears that a combined approach of light microscopy, electron microscopy and biochemical analysis (determination of acid alpha-glucosidase) is necessary to make a diagnosis of AMD in adults.

Adult↗

PubMed1979

Biochemical discrimination of Hurler and Scheie syndromes.

1. Homogenates of cultured skin fibroblasts derived from patients with alpha-L-iduronidase-deficiency disorders (Hurler and Scheie syndromes) were capable of hydrolysing iduronosyl anhydro-[1-3H]mannitol 6-sulphate although at considerably reduced rates compared with normal controls. 2. The Vmax. values of alpha-L-iduronidase from patients with Hurler or Scheie syndromes and from normal controls were 11, 12 and 833 pmol min-1 mg-1 of protein respectively; the corresponding apparent Km values were 656, 50 and 53 mumol/l respectively. The alpha-L-iduronidases from normal and Scheie fibroblast homogenates were shown to exhibit pH optima at 3.6 and 4.1 and were competitively inhibited by both chloride and sulphate ions: Hurler alpha-L-iduronidase activity exhibited the pH optimum at 3.8 and was also inhibited by chloride and to a lesser extent by sulphate ions. 3. The thermal stability of Hurler, Scheie and normal alpha-L-iduronidase activities at 55 degrees C gave half-lives of approximately 1.0, 2.5 and 1.0 h respectively. 4. These biochemical findings clearly demonstrate enzyme differences for these two clinically distinct phenotypes and provide biochemical evidence that the Hurler and Scheie syndromes result from different allelic mutations.

Child↗

PubMed1978

Explant culture of human peripheral lung. I. Metabolism of benzo[alpha]pyrene.

Human lung explants have been maintained in vitro for a period of 25 days. Autoradiographic studies indicated that the broncholar epithelial cells, type 2 alveolar epithelial cells, and stromal fibroblasts incorporated 3H-thymidine during the culture. After 7 to 10 days, type 2 cells were the predominant alveolar epithelial cell type. Lamellar inclusion bodies were released from the type 2 cells and accumulated in the alveolar spaces. The metabolism of benzo[alpha]pyrene (BP) in human lung explants cultured for up to 7 days was investigated. Human lung explants had measurable aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity and could metabolize BP into forms that were bound to cellular DNA and protein. Peripheral lung had significantly lower aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase activity than cultured bronchus but both tissues had similar binding levels of BP to DNA. Radioautographic studies indicated that all cell types in the peripheral lung can metabolize BP. The major ethylacetate extractable metabolites of BP formed by peripheral lung were tetrols and trans-7,8-diol. The primary water-soluble metabolite released with arylsulfatase and beta-glucuronidase was 3-hydroxybenzo[alpha]pyrene.

Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylases↗

PubMed1979

Fibronectin alters the phenotypic properties of cultured chick embryo chondroblasts.

The state of chick embryo chondroblasts in culture was found to be sensitive to both fibronectin and another substance(s) (activity A) which could be extracted from chick embryo fibroblasts with 1 M urea or from conditioned medium. In the presence of either of these activities at concentrations of 25-150 micrograms/ml, chondroblasts, which normally grow as mixed cultures of floating and adherent cells, all immediately became attached to the tissue culture dish and spread. After several days, the morphology of these typically epithelioid cells became fibroblastic. This did not involve a selection process, since the effect was reversible. The synthetic program of these cells was also dramatically modified: the cultures no longer synthesized the chondroblast-unique type IV sulfated proteoglycan and began synthesizing alpha 2 collagen chains typical of fibroblastic or early limb bud cells. Fibronectin was resolved from activity A by gelatin affinity chromatography or gel filtration. Both activities were trypsin-sensitive. The two activities differed, however, on the basis of how the protein fractions in which they were found migrated in SDS-polyacrylamide gels, their specific activities and their effects on cell morphology and cell growth.

Animals↗

PubMed1977

A serum factor capable of stimulating hyaluronic acid synthesis in cultured rat fibroblasts.

Calf serum as well as rat and mouse sera has a factor that stimulates hyaluronic acid synthesis in cultured rat fibroblasts. Such a factor was partially purified from calf serum and characterized. It has a molecular weight of approximately 150,000. The activity of the factor is lost by treatment with pronase and by periodate oxidation. It is suggested, therefore, that the factor is a glycoprotein. Its susceptibility to alpha-mannosidase and affinity for Con A-Sepharose may suggest that the factor contains a mannose residue(s) which is essential for the activity to induce hyaluronic acid synthesis.

Animals↗

PubMed1979

Evidence for role of glycoprotein carbohydrates in membrane transport: specific inhibition by tunicamycin.

Using tunicamycin, we have investigated the role of glycoproteins in membrane transport. Tunicamycin is a glucosamine-containing antibiotic that specifically inhibits dolichol pyrophosphate-mediated glycosylation of asparaginyl residues of glycoproteins. Inhibition of protein glycosylation in chick embryo fibroblasts by tunicamycin or other inhibitors of glycosylation resulted in defective transport of glucose, uridine, and amino acid analogs (alpha-aminoisobutyrate and cycloleucine). The defect in glucose transport is accompanied by decreased glucose metabolism, as determined by rates of CO2 and lactate production. In contrast, tunicamycin treatment did not affect other membrane-associated processes, such as secretion of fibronectin and procollagen, uptake of glucose by passive diffusion, Na+/K+ ATPase and adenylate cyclase activities, or stimulation of adenylate cyclase by prostaglandin and cholera toxin. Two glucose/glycosylation-regulated membrane proteins with apparent subunit molecular weights of 95,000 and 75,000 were induced by tunicamycin treatment. Our results indicate that glycoprotein glycosylation is required for membrane transport.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed2002

Distinct involvement of the Jun-N-terminal kinase and NF-kappaB pathways in the repression of the human COL1A2 gene by TNF-alpha.

We used a gene knockout approach to elucidate the specific roles played by the Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK) and NF-kappaB pathways downstream of TNF-alpha in the context of alpha(2) type I collagen gene (COL1A2) expression. In JNK1-/--JNK2-/- (JNK-/-) fibroblasts, TNF-alpha inhibited basal COL1A2 expression but had no effect on TGF-beta-driven gene transactivation unless jnk1 was introduced ectopically. Conversely, in NF-kappaB essential modulator-/- (NEMO-/-) fibroblasts, lack of NF-kappaB activation did not influence the antagonism exerted by TNF-alpha against TGF-beta but prevented repression of basal COL1A2 gene expression. Similar regulatory mechanisms take place in dermal fibroblasts, as evidenced using transfected dominant-negative forms of MKK4 and IKK-alpha, critical kinases upstream of the JNK and NF-kappaB pathways, respectively. These results represent the first demonstration of an alternate usage of distinct signaling pathways by TNF-alpha to inhibit the expression of a given gene, COL1A2, depending on its activation state.

Animals↗

PubMed1977

alpha-L-fucosidase in cultured skin fibroblasts from normal subjects and fucosidosis patients.

alpha-L-Fucosidase (EC 3.2.1.51) activity was studied in cultured skin fibroblasts obtained from 23 members of a family in which two cases of fucosidosis type 2 had occurred and in the fibroblasts of a patient with fucosidosis type 1. Both the 4-methylumbelliferyl glycoside and the p-nitrophenyl derivative were used as substrates. pH activity profiles showed two major peaks of activity. With the fluorogenic substrate pH optimum was at 4.5, whereas with the colorigenic substrate maximum activity was at pH 5.7. No activity was found in the fibroblasts of the three patients with the colorimetric assay. With the fluorometric assay the mean activity in the two patients with fucosidosis type 2 was 4.1 and 2.8 (range 1.3-9.9); activity in the patient with fucosidosis type 1 was 4.6 nmol 4-methylumbelliferone/mg protein/hr (range 1.0-8.6). The specific activity in the lysates of the patients' fibroblasts decreased as the amount of cellular protein used per assay increased. Fucosidosis fibroblasts cultured for 3 and 5 days in medium without fetal calf serum showed almost the same levels of apparent residual activity as fibroblasts cultured in medium containing fetal calf serum. Maximum activity in the deficient fibroblasts was at pH 4.5-4.75. Mixing experiments between lysates of both of fucosidosis and a normal fibroblast strain showed the expected enzymatic activities. The mean alpha-fucosidase activity in four heterozygotes for fucosidosis was 37.6 (range 24.1-48.7) and 30.3 (range 19.0-44.1) nmol final product split/mg protein/hr with the fluorogenic and the colorigenic substrate, respectively. In 12 normal fibroblast strains the mean activity +/- SD was 85.3 +/- 24.4 (range 50.8-129.3) and 67.6 +/- 21.1 (range 31.1-118.3). However, in four family members in which the alpha-L-fucosidase phenotype (by isoelectric focusing) was type 2-1, and who should therefore be carrying two normal alleles, the activity was within the heterozygote range. This indicates that occasional overlap between normal subjects and carriers may be present in cultured skin fibroblasts. Increased specific activity of alpha-L-fucosidase at pH 3.2-4.0 was observed after incubation of cell lysates with neuraminidase. The alpha-L-fucosidase activity did not show any increase after fusion between fucosidosis fibroblasts type 1 and 2.

Biopsy↗

PubMed1978

Human placenta alpha-N-acetylglucosaminidase: purification, characterization and demonstration of multiple recognition forms.

alpha-N-Acetylglucosaminidase (EC 3.2.1.50) was purified from human placenta by a four-step procedure including ammonium sulfate precipitation, affinity chromatography with immobilized antibodies against urinary alpha-N-acetylglucosaminidase, gel chromatography and discontinuous gel electrophoresis with a 30% recovery and 26 300-fold purification. Immunological methods revealed the contamination with about 10% non-alpha-N-acetylglucosaminidase protein. Isoelectric focusing led to a distribution of activity between 4.3 and 6.5 with maxima at pH 5.1 and pH 5.7. After treatment with neuraminidase, alpha-N-acetylglucosaminidase activity assembled at pH 5.7. The multiple isoelectric forms were endocytosed with different rates by cultured human skin fibroblasts. Placenta alpha-N-acetylglucosaminidase has an apparent molecular weight of 304 000 and contains 23.4% carbohydrate consisting of glucose, galactose, mannose, hexosamines and neuraminic acid. Gel electrophoresis in the presence of 0.1% sodium dodecylsulfate separated placenta alpha-N-acetylglucosaminidase into subunits with molecular weights of 86 500 and 81 000. The activity towards various substrates, the kinetics of hydrolysis, the pH optimum and the stability of the catalytic activity were assayed.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗