Showing papers by "Olga Kifor published in 2001"

Regulation of MAP kinase by calcium-sensing receptor in bovine parathyroid and CaR-transfected HEK293 cells

Abstract: Regulation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) pathway by the extracellular calcium (Cao 2+)-sensing receptor (CaR) was investigated in bovine parathyroid and CaR-transfec...

Primary hyperparathyroidism caused by parathyroid-targeted overexpression of cyclin D1 in transgenic mice

Abstract: The relationship between abnormal cell proliferation and aberrant control of hormonal secretion is a fundamental and poorly understood issue in endocrine cell neoplasia. Transgenic mice with parathyroid-targeted overexpression of the cyclin D1 oncogene, modeling a gene rearrangement found in human tumors, were created to determine whether a primary defect in this cell-cycle regulator can cause an abnormal relationship between serum calcium and parathyroid hormone response, as is typical of human primary hyperparathyroidism. We also sought to develop an animal model of hyperparathyroidism and to examine directly cyclin D1’s role in parathyroid tumorigenesis. Parathyroid hormone gene regulatory region–cyclin D1 (PTH–cyclin D1) mice not only developed abnormal parathyroid cell proliferation, but also developed chronic biochemical hyperparathyroidism with characteristic abnormalities in bone and, notably, a shift in the relationship between serum calcium and PTH. Thus, this animal model of human primary hyperparathyroidism provides direct experimental evidence that overexpression of the cyclin D1 oncogene can drive excessive parathyroid cell proliferation and that this proliferative defect need not occur solely as a downstream consequence of a defect in parathyroid hormone secretory control by serum calcium, as had been hypothesized. Instead, primary deregulation of cell-growth pathways can cause both the hypercellularity and abnormal control of hormonal secretion that are almost inevitably linked together in this common disorder.

Ca2+-sensing receptor expression and PTHrP secretion in PC-3 human prostate cancer cells

Abstract: Prostate cancer metastasizes frequently to bone. Elevated extracellular calcium concentrations ([Ca2+]o) stimulate parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) secretion from normal and malignant ce...

Expression of extracellular calcium-sensing receptor in human osteoblastic MG-63 cell line.

Abstract: We have previously shown the expression of the extracellular calcium (Ca2+o)-sensing receptor (CaR) in osteoblast-like cell lines, and others have documented its expression in sections of murine, bovine, and rat bone. The existence of the CaR in osteoblasts remains controversial, however, since some studies have failed to document its expression in the same osteoblast-like cell lines. The goals of the present study were twofold. 1) We sought to determine whether the CaR is expressed in the human osteoblast-like cell line, MG-63, which has recently been reported by others not to express this receptor. 2) We investigated whether the CaR, if present in MG-63 cells, is functionally active, since most previous studies have not proven the role of the CaR in mediating known actions of Ca2+o on osteoblast-like cells. We used immunocytochemistry and Western blotting with the specific, affinity-purified anti-CaR antiserum 4637 as well as Northern blot analysis and RT-PCR using a riboprobe and PCR primers specific for the human CaR, respectively, to show readily detectable CaR protein and mRNA expression in MG-63 cells. Finally, we employed the patch-clamp technique to show that an elevation in Ca2+o as well as the specific, allosteric CaR activator NPS R-467 (0.5 microM), but not its less active stereoisomer NPS S-467 (0.5 microM), activate an outward K+ channel in MG-63 cells, strongly suggesting that the CaR in MG-63 cells is not only expressed but is functionally active.

Asymmetrical, agonist-induced fluctuations in local extracellular [Ca2+] in intact polarized epithelia

Abstract: We recently proposed that extracellular Ca2+ ions participate in a novel form of intercellular communication involving the extracellular Ca2+-sensing receptor (CaR). Here, using Ca2+-selective microelectrodes, we directly measured the profile of agonist-induced [Ca2+]ext changes in restricted domains near the basolateral or luminal membranes of polarized gastric acid-secreting cells. The Ca2+-mobilizing agonist carbachol elicited a transient, La3+-sensitive decrease in basolateral [Ca2+] (average ≈250 µM, but as large as 530 µM). Conversely, carbachol evoked an HgCl2-sensitive increase in [Ca2+] (average ≈400 µM, but as large as 520 µM) in the lumen of single gastric glands. Both responses were significantly reduced by pre-treatment with sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) pump inhibitors or with the intracellular Ca2+ chelator BAPTA-AM. Immunofluores cence experiments demonstrated an asymmetric localization of plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPase (PMCA), which appeared to be partially co-localized with CaR and the gastric H+/K+-ATPase in the apical membrane of the acid-secreting cells. Our data indicate that agonist stimulation results in local fluctuations in [Ca2+]ext that would be sufficient to modulate the activity of the CaR on neighboring cells.