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The purpose of the present study was to characterize primitive epithelial progenitor populations present in adult normal human mammary tissue using a combination of flow cytometry and in vitro colony assay procedures. Three types of human breast epithelial cell (HBEC) progenitors were identified: luminal-restricted,myoepithelial-restricted and bipotent progenitors. The first type expressed epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM),alpha6 integrin and MUC1 and generated colonies composed exclusively of cells positive for the luminal-associated markers keratin 8/18,keratin 19,EpCAM and MUC1. Bipotent progenitors produced colonies containing a central core of cells expressing luminal markers surrounded by keratin 14+ myoepithelial-like cells. Single cell cultures confirmed the bipotentiality of these progenitors. Their high expression of alpha6 integrin and low expression of MUC1 suggests a basal position of these cells in the mammary epithelium in vivo. Serial passage in vitro of an enriched population of bipotent progenitors demonstrated that only myoepithelial-restricted progenitors could be readily generated under the culture conditions used. These results support a hierarchical branching model of HBEC progenitor differentiation from a primitive uncommitted cell to luminal- and myoepithelial-restricted progenitors. View Publication

The 26S proteasome is a 2.4 MDa multifunctional ATP-dependent proteolytic complex,which degrades the majority of cellular polypeptides by an unusual enzyme mechanism. Several groups of proteasome inhibitors have been developed and are now widely used as research tools to study the role of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in various cellular processes,and two inhibitors are now in clinical trials for treatment of multiple cancers and stroke. View Publication

Recent studies have indicated that the development of cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk)2 inhibitors that deregulate E2F are a plausible pharmacological strategy for novel antineoplastic agents. We show here that 3-[1-(3H-Imidazol-4-yl)-meth-(Z)-ylidene]-5-methoxy-1,3-dihydro-indol-2-one (SU9516),a novel 3-substituted indolinone compound,binds to and selectively inhibits the activity of cdk2. This inhibition results in a time-dependent decrease (4-64%) in the phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma protein pRb,an increase in caspase-3 activation (5-84%),and alterations in cell cycle resulting in either a G(0)-G(1) or a G(2)-M block. We also report here cell line differences in the cdk-dependent phosphorylation of pRb. These findings demonstrate that SU9516 is a selective cdk2 inhibitor and support the theory that compounds that inhibit cdk2 are viable resources in the development of new antineoplastic agents. View Publication

Brain subjected to acute ischemic attack caused by an arterial blockage needs immediate arterial recanalization. However,restoration of cerebral blood flow can cause tissue injury,which is termed reperfusion injury. It is important to inhibit reperfusion injury to achieve greater brain protection. Because oxidative stress has been shown to activate mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs),and because oxidative stress contributes to reperfusion injury,MAPK may be a potential target to inhibit reperfusion injury after brain ischemia. Here,we demonstrate that reperfusion after forebrain ischemia dramatically increases phosphorylation level of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) in the gerbil hippocampus. In addition,i.v. administration of U0126 (100-200 mg/kg),a specific inhibitor of MEK (MAPK/ERK kinase),protects the hippocampus against forebrain ischemia. Moreover,treatment with U0126 at 3 h after ischemia significantly reduces infarct volume after transient (3 h) focal cerebral ischemia in mice. This protection is accompanied by reduced phosphorylation level of ERK2,substrates for MEK,in the damaged brain areas. Furthermore,U0126 protects mouse primary cultured cortical neurons against oxygen deprivation for 9 h as well as nitric oxide toxicity. These results provide further evidence for the role of MEK/ERK activation in brain injury resulting from ischemia/reperfusion,and indicate that MEK inhibition may increase the resistance of tissue to ischemic injury. View Publication

The yeast transcriptional repressor Sir2p silences gene expression from the telomeric,rDNA,and silent mating-type loci and may play a role in higher order processes such as aging. Sir2p is the founding member of a large family of NAD-dependent deacetylase enzymes,named the sirtuins. These proteins are conserved from prokaryotes to eukaryotes,but most remain uncharacterized,including all seven human sirtuins. A reverse chemical genetic approach would be useful in identifying the biological function of sirtuins in a wide variety of experimental systems,but no cell-permeable small molecule inhibitors of sirtuins have been reported previously. Herein we describe a high throughput,phenotypic screen in cells that led to the discovery of a class of sirtuin inhibitors. All three compounds inhibited yeast Sir2p transcriptional silencing activity in vivo,and yeast Sir2p and human SIRT2 deacetylase activity in vitro. Such specific results demonstrate the utility and robustness of this screening methodology. Structure-activity relationship analysis of the compounds identified a key hydroxy-napthaldehyde moiety that is necessary and sufficient for inhibitory activity. Preliminary studies using one of these compounds suggest that inhibition of sirtuins interferes with body axis formation in Arabidopsis. View Publication

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Retinoid signaling plays an important role in many differentiation pathways. Retinoid signaling has been implicated in the induction of differentiation by pancreatic ductal cancer cell lines and in patients with pancreatic cancer. The authors wished to better understand the role of retinoid signaling in pancreatic development. METHODS: Embryonic pancreas was harvested from mice at serial gestational ages and immunohistochemical analysis was performed for retinoic acid receptors (RAR-alpha,RAR-beta,RAR-gamma),and retinoid X receptors (RXR-alpha,RXR-beta,and RXR-gamma). Also,early embryonic pancreases were cultured for 7 days with exogenous 9-cis retinoic acid (9cRA) or all-trans retinoic acid (atRA) and analyzed histologically and immunohistochemically. RESULTS: Retinoid receptors were expressed in a lineage-specific distribution,with stronger expression for many in the exocrine compartment. The receptors were not often expressed until late gestation. Exogenous 9cRA induced predominantly ducts instead of acini,plus more mature endocrine (islet) architecture. Exogenous atRA induced predominantly acini instead of ducts,with no apparent endocrine effect. CONCLUSIONS: Retinoids may have an important role in pancreatic differentiation,with a particular effect on secondary lineage selection between ductal and acinar phenotype. Because the control of ductal versus acinar differentiation has been implicated strongly in the pathogenesis of pancreatic ductal carcinoma,these results may lay the groundwork for studies in the mechanism of induced differentiation of pancreatic ductal cancer by retinoids. View Publication

Valproic acid is widely used to treat epilepsy and bipolar disorder and is also a potent teratogen,but its mechanisms of action in any of these settings are unknown. We report that valproic acid activates Wntdependent gene expression,similar to lithium,the mainstay of therapy for bipolar disorder. Valproic acid,however,acts through a distinct pathway that involves direct inhibition of histone deacetylase (IC(50) for HDAC1 = 0.4 mm). At therapeutic levels,valproic acid mimics the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A,causing hyperacetylation of histones in cultured cells. Valproic acid,like trichostatin A,also activates transcription from diverse exogenous and endogenous promoters. Furthermore,valproic acid and trichostatin A have remarkably similar teratogenic effects in vertebrate embryos,while non-teratogenic analogues of valproic acid do not inhibit histone deacetylase and do not activate transcription. Based on these observations,we propose that inhibition of histone deacetylase provides a mechanism for valproic acid-induced birth defects and could also explain the efficacy of valproic acid in the treatment of bipolar disorder. View Publication

A method employing Percoll gradient centrifugation was developed to purify Kudoa thyrsites spores from somatic muscle tissue of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar. Highly purified spores were then used to immunize inbred BALB/c mice for derivation of hybridomas secreting Kudoa-specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Analysis of mAbs by immunofluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry showed that several were specific for antigens on the surface of K. thyrsites spores whereas other mAbs reacted with polar capsules or with polar filaments of spores of K. thyrsites,K. paniformis and K. crumena. Immunoblots on spore lysates using the surface-binding mAbs showed a broad band of 46 to textgreater 220 kDa,whereas mAbs specific for antigens of polar capsules and polar filaments detected sharper bands of various molecular masses,depending on the Kudoa species. The dominant epitope of the K. thyrsites spore surface antigen was shown to be carbohydrate as determined by its sensitivity to treatment with anhydrous trifluoromethane sulfonic acid and by its resistance to treatment with Proteinase K. Immunofluorescence microscopy using the K. thyrsites-specific mAbs on isolated,intact,permeabilized plasmodia and on thin sections of somatic muscle tissue containing plasmodia revealed intense labeling of spores both within the spore-producing plasmodia and in the flesh of infected Atlantic salmon. As few as 100 spores were detected by immunoblotting,indicating that these mAbs have potential for use in developing a field-based diagnostic test. View Publication

This paper describes the development of the epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor ZD1839 from a lead series of 4-anilinoquinazoline compounds. ZD1839 has suitable properties for use as a clinically effective drug and shows activity against human tumours. In particular,the use of pharmacokinetic data in the development of ZD1839 is discussed. View Publication

Many receptor-linked agents that prime or activate the NADPH oxidase in polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) elicit changes in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration and activate mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases. To investigate the role of Ca2+ in the activation of p38 and p42/44 MAP kinases,we examined the effects of the Ca2+-selective ionophore ionomycin on priming and activation of the PMN oxidase. Ionomycin caused a rapid rise in cytosolic Ca2+ that was due to both a release of cytosolic Ca2+ stores and Ca2+ influx. Ionomycin also activated (2 microM) and primed (20-200 nM) the PMN oxidase. Dual phosphorylation of p38 MAP kinase and phosphorylation of its substrate activating transcription factor-2 were detected at ionomycin concentrations that prime or activate the PMN oxidase,while dual phosphorylation of p42/44 MAP kinase and phosphorylation of its substrate Elk-1 were elicited at 0.2-2 microM. SB-203580,a p38 MAP kinase antagonist,inhibited ionomycin-induced activation of the oxidase (68 +/- 8%,P textless 0.05) and tyrosine phosphorylation of 105- and 72-kDa proteins; conversely,PD-98059,an inhibitor of MAP/extracellular signal-related kinase 1,had no effect. Treatment of PMNs with thapsigargin resulted in priming of the oxidase and activation of p38 MAP kinase. Chelation of cytosolic but not extracellular Ca2+ completely inhibited ionomycin activation of p38 MAP kinase,whereas chelation of extracellular Ca2+ abrogated activation of p42/44 MAP kinase. These results demonstrate the importance of changes in cytosolic Ca2+ for MAP kinase activation in PMNs. View Publication