Showing papers by "Masatoshi Hagiwara published in 1996"

Gene therapy against an experimental glioma using adeno-associated virus vectors

Abstract: The efficacy of gene therapy for glioma was examined using adeno-associated virus (AAV)-based vectors to deliver genes to experimental tumors in mice. Stereotactic injection of 2 x 10(5) U-251SP human glioma cells into the brains of nude mice produced tumors of 19.06 +/- 1.79 mm2 17 days after injection. Employing a high titer preparation of AAV vector containing the gene for beta-galactosidase (AAV-lacZ), dose-dependent transduction of U-251SP cells was seen in vitro. When 1.6 x 10(10) AAV-lacZ particles were directly injected into tumors in vivo, 30-40% of the cells along the needle track expressed beta-galactosidase. Transduction of U-251SP cells in vitro with an AAV vector containing a bicistronic gene encoding both herpes simplex thymidine kinase and human interleukin-2 (AAV-tk-IRES-IL2) rendered them sensitive to the cytocidal effects of ganciclovir (GCV) and IL-2 was produced in a dose-dependent manner. Cocultures of AAV-tk-IRES-IL2 transduced cells and nontransduced cells proved highly sensitive to GCV indicating the contribution of the bystander effect. Stereotactic delivery of 6 x 10(10) AAV-tk-IRES-IL2 particles into day 7 tumors in nude mice followed by administration of GCV for 6 days, resulted in a 35-fold reduction in the mean volume of tumors compared with controls. Normal brains did not suffer from any toxic effect of the administration of AAV-tk-IRES-IL2 and GCV. These results indicate that high titer AAV vector treatment may be safe and effective for in vivo gene therapy of human brain tumors.

Suppression of CD44 expression decreases migration and invasion of human glioma cells

Abstract: We have reported high expression of CD44H in human glioma cells. To investigate the role of CD44H in the invasion of human glioma, we established a CD44-anti-sense-gene-expression glioma cell line named U-251A1. The expression of CD44H in the G-418-selected U-251A1 cells was reduced to 20% of that in the parental U-251SP cells, as determined by flow-cytometry analysis. We first examined the migratory responses of U-251A1 cells in vitro by time-lapse video-microscopic sparse cell-migration assay on hyaluronic acid or on chondroitin 6 sulfate. U-251A1 cells did not show significant differences in motility on any substrate, while U-251SP and other CD44H-positive cells showed dose-dependent increase of migration specifically on hyaluronic acid. To examine the physiologic function of CD44H in gliomas in vivo, U-251A1 and its control cells, U-251S1, which retain CD44-sense-expression vector, were injected stereotactically into the brains of nude mice. U-251A1 cells were localised in the region of the injection site, with relatively well demarcated borders between tumour and brain tissue, while the control cells demonstrated a cell-infiltration pattern. Our data suggest that CD44H may be required for infiltration of glioma cells through its interaction with hyaluronic acid, a major component of the brain extracellular matrix.

Transcriptional regulation by cAMP and calcium

Abstract: Transcription of a number of eukaryotic genes is activated in response to an increase in the intracellular cAMP concentration. These genes stimulated by cAMP have a common promoter element, cAMP response element (CRE). The CRE is recognized by a CRE binding protein, CREB. The binding of CREB to CRE does not induce transcription. Activation of transcription requires the phosphorylation or CREB at Ser-133. In the case of the cAMP pathway, the activated catalytic subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) translocates to the nucleus and phosphorylates Ser-133 of CREB. In the nervous system, signals transmitted across synapses are known to regulate gene expression in the post-synaptic cell. This process often involves membrane depolarization and subsequent amplification of intracellular Ca2+. The transcriptional activation induced by membrane depolarization and Ca2+ influx is mediated by a promoter element, called the Ca(2+)-responsive element (CaRE). Recent studies of c-fos and proenkephalin gene expression have shown that the CaRE is indistinguishable from a CRE. In this paper, we focus on the possible interactions between Ca2+ and the cAMP signaling pathways into the nucleus.

Differential distribution of CaM kinases and induction of c-fos expression by flashing and sustained light in rat retinal cells.

Abstract: Purpose. To examine the expression of c-fos proto-oncogene and phosphorylation of cAMP responsive element binding (CREB) protein in the rat retina after changes in the light-dark condition. Methods. Rats were exposed to both steady light and flashing light and were killed at the end of light exposure. The retinas were analyzed by in situ hybridization using single-stranded RNA probes for c-fos transcripts and by immunocytochemistry using phosphoSer-133 specific CREB antiserum, anti-calcium calmodulin dependent protein (CaM) kinase II, and anti-CaM kinase IV. Results. c-fos mRNA was expressed in the outer half of the inner nuclear layer (INL) and in the ganglion cell layer (GCL) after 30 minutes of sustained light. After 30 minutes of flashing light, c-fos expression also was detected in the inner border of the INL. Phosphorylated CREB immunoreactive nuclei had similar distribution after steady and flashing light. Both CaM kinase II and CaM kinase IV, which phosphorylate CREB at Ser 133 in vitro, were expressed in the GCL and in the INL. CaM kinase II, however, was localized in the inner border of the INL, whereas CaM kinase IV was distributed in the outer half of the INL. Conclusions. These results suggest that the differential expression of c-fos mRNA induced by flashing and sustained light may reflect the CREB phosphorylation by CaM kinases in a different subpopulation of retinal cells.

Gene expression and CREB phosphorylation induced by cAMP and Ca2+ in neuronal cells.

Abstract: Publisher Summary The stimulated genes have a common promoter element, the CAMP response element (CRE), which is recognized by a specific binding protein, CREB The binding of CREB to CRE does not itself induce transcription, because this requires phosphorylation of CREB at Ser133 In the nervous system, signals transmitted across synapses are known to regulate gene expression in the postsynaptic cell This process often involves membrane depolarization and subsequent elevation of intracellular Ca 2+ Phosphorylation of Ser133 stimulates the ability of CREB to activate gene transcription, suggesting that CREB may mediate transcriptional induction by Ca 2+ as well as by CAMP Two types of Ca 2+ /calmodium-dependent protein kinases, CaM kinase II and CaM kinase N, are able to phosphorylate CREB at Ser133 Immunocytochemical studies with antisera to CaM kinase II and CaM kinase IV revealed that both are expressed in the GCL and in the inner nuclear layer (INL) CaM kinase II, however, is localized in the inner border of the INL, whereas CaM kinase IV is distributed in the outer half of the INL There is no clue as to whether Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent (type I) adenylyl cyclase is involved in Ca 2+ induction of CREB pathway The nuclear localization of CaM kinase IV and an isoform (δb) of CaM kinase II provide support for the idea that Ca 2+ /calmodulin-dependent protein kinases directly phosphorylate Ser133 of CREB and thus activate transcription