Proapoptotic Gene (proapoptotic + gene)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Delayed treatment with a p53 inhibitor enhances recovery in stroke brain,

ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 5 2009
Yu Luo PhD
Objective Cerebral ischemia can activate endogenous reparative processes, such as proliferation of endogenous neural progenitor cells (NPCs) in the subventricular zone (SVZ). Most of these new cells die shortly after injury. The purpose of this study was to examine a novel strategy for treatment of stroke at 1 week after injury by enhancing the survival of ischemia-induced endogenous NPCs in SVZ. Methods Adult rats were subjected to a 90-minutes middle cerebral artery occlusion. A p53 inhibitor pifithrin-, (PFT-,) was administered to stroke rats from days 6 to 9 after middle cerebral artery occlusion. Locomotor behavior was measured using an activity chamber. Proliferation, survival, migration, and differentiation of endogenous NPCs were examined using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling, and immunohistochemistry. Results PFT-, enhanced functional recovery as assessed by a significant increase in multiple behavioral measurements. Delayed PFT-, treatment had no effect on the cell death processes in the lesioned cortical region. However, it enhanced the survival of SVZ progenitor cells, and promoted their proliferation and migration. PFT-, inhibited the expression of a p53-dependent proapoptotic gene, termed PUMA (p53-upregulated modulator of apoptosis), within the SVZ of stroke animals. The enhancement of survival/proliferation of NPCs was further found in SVZ neurospheres in tissue culture. PFT-, dose-dependently increased the number and size of new neurosphere formation. Interpretation Delayed treatment with a p53 inhibitor PFT-, is able to modify stroke-induced endogenous neurogenesis and improve the functional recovery in stroke animals. Ann Neurol 2009;65:520,530 [source]


Functional characterization of hypertrophy in chondrogenesis of human mesenchymal stem cells

ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATISM, Issue 5 2008
Michael B. Mueller
Objective Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are promising candidate cells for cartilage tissue engineering. Expression of cartilage hypertrophy markers (e.g., type X collagen) by MSCs undergoing chondrogenesis raises concern for a tissue engineering application for MSCs, because hypertrophy would result in apoptosis and ossification. To analyze the biologic basis of MSC hypertrophy, we examined the response of chondrifying MSCs to culture conditions known to influence chondrocyte hypertrophy, using an array of hypertrophy-associated markers. Methods Human MSC pellet cultures were predifferentiated for 2 weeks in a chondrogenic medium, and hypertrophy was induced by withdrawing transforming growth factor , (TGF,), reducing the concentration of dexamethasone, and adding thyroid hormone (T3). Cultures were characterized by histologic, immunohistochemical, and biochemical methods, and gene expression was assessed using quantitative reverse transcription,polymerase chain reaction. Results The combination of TGF, withdrawal, a reduction in the level of dexamethasone, and the addition of T3 was essential for hypertrophy induction. Cytomorphologic changes were accompanied by increased alkaline phosphatase activity, matrix mineralization, and changes in various markers of hypertrophy, including type X collagen, fibroblast growth factor receptors 1,3, parathyroid hormone,related protein receptor, retinoic acid receptor ,, matrix metalloproteinase 13, Indian hedgehog, osteocalcin, and the proapoptotic gene p53. However, hypertrophy was not induced uniformly throughout the pellet culture, and distinct regions of dedifferentiation were observed. Conclusion Chondrogenically differentiating MSCs behave in a manner functionally similar to that of growth plate chondrocytes, expressing a very similar hypertrophic phenotype. Under the in vitro culture conditions used here, MSC-derived chondrocytes underwent a differentiation program analogous to that observed during endochondral embryonic skeletal development, with the potential for terminal differentiation. This culture system is applicable for the screening of hypertrophy-inhibitory conditions and agents that may be useful to enhance MSC performance in cartilage tissue engineering. [source]


Gene expression demonstrates increased resilience toward harmful inflammatory stimuli in the proliferating epidermis of human skin wounds

EXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 8 2010
K. Markus Roupé
Please cite this paper as: Gene expression demonstrates increased resilience toward harmful inflammatory stimuli in the proliferating epidermis of human skin wounds. Experimental Dermatology 2010; 19: e329,e332. Abstract:, We examined the epidermal gene expression during the proliferative phase of wound healing. Matrix metalloproteases were the group of proteases most prominently up-regulated in skin wounds, whereas serine protease inhibitors were the most strongly up-regulated protease inhibitors. Furthermore, we found down-regulation of genes involved in the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis. This together with the up-regulation of inhibitors of leukocyte serine proteases likely represents a protective step to ensure survival of keratinocytes in the inflammatory wound environment. The down-regulation of proapoptotic genes in the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis was not accompanied by a down-regulation of receptors indicating that the keratinocytes in skin wounds did not become less responsive to external stimuli. Examining the transcription factor binding sites in the promoters of the most differentially expressed genes between normal skin and skin wounds a significant overrepresentation of binding sites were found for STAT-5, SRY and members of the FOXO-family of transcription factors. [source]


Analysis of gene expression profiles in human HL-60 cell exposed to cantharidin using cDNA microarray

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER, Issue 2 2004
Jun-Ping Zhang
Abstract Cantharidin is a natural toxin that has antitumor properties and causes leukocytosis as well as increasing sensitivity of tumor cells resistant to other chemotherapeutic agents. There is limited information, however, on the molecular pharmacological mechanisms of cantharidin on human cancer cells. We have used cDNA microarrays to identify gene expression changes in HL-60 promyeloid leukemia cells exposed to cantharidin. Cantharidin-treated cells not only decreased expression of genes coding for proteins involved in DNA replication (e.g., DNA polymerase delta), DNA repair (e.g., FANCG, ERCC), energy metabolism (e.g., isocitrate dehydrogenase alpha, ADP/ATP translocase), but also decreased expression of genes coding for proteins that have oncogenic activity (e.g., c-myc, GTPase) or show tumor-specific expression (e.g., phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase). In contrast, these treated cells overexpressed several genes that encode intracellular and secreted growth-inhibitory proteins (e.g., BTG2, MCP-3) as well as proapoptotic genes (e.g., ATL-derived PMA-responsive peptide). Our findings suggest that alterations in specific genes functionally related to cell proliferation or apoptosis may be responsible for cantharidin-mediated cytotoxicity. We also found that exposure of HL-60 cells to cantharidin resulted in the decreased expression of multidrug resistance-associated protein genes (e.g., ABCA3, MOAT-B), suggesting that cantharidin may be used as an oncotherapy sensitizer, and the increased expression of genes in modulating cytokine production and inflammatory response (e.g., NFIL-3, N-formylpeptide receptor), which may partly explain the stimulating effects on leukocytosis. Our data provide new insight into the molecular mechanisms of cantharidin. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]