Human LBP-32/MGR is a repressor of the P450scc in human choriocarcinoma cell line JEG-3.

Steroid hormones regulate a wide range of physiologic functions in humans. The cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme P450scc regulates the initial step of biosynthesis of all steroid hormones. We investigated the expression of P450scc by studying a potential regulator of P450scc, LBP-32/MGR. Using a Northern blot, we found that LBP-32/MGR mRNA was expressed mainly in the human placenta. Using radiation hybrid mapping, we identified LBP-32/MGR on human chromosome 2p25. Recombinant LBP-32/MGR protein bound preferentially to a DNA fragment from the promoter of P450scc in vitro and exhibited clear nuclear localization in transfected cells. Luciferase reporter gene assays showed that LBP-32/MGR specifically repressed transcriptional activation of the human P450scc promoter. Because placental P450scc expression is essential for pregnancy and steroid biosynthesis, the placental expression and transcriptional repressor activity of LBP-32/MGR in JEG-3 cells suggest it has a role as a transcriptional modulator of steroid biosynthesis.

Adenovirus-mediated p53 gene transfer in patients with advanced recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

PURPOSE: Standard therapies of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) often cause profound morbidity and have not significantly improved survival over the last 30 years. Preclinical studies showed that adenoviral vector delivery of the wild-type p53 gene reduced tumor growth in mouse xenograft models. Our purpose was to ascertain the safety and therapeutic potential of adenoviral (Ad)-p53 in advanced HNSCC. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with incurable recurrent local or regionally metastatic HNSCC received multiple intratumoral injections of Ad-p53, either with or without tumor resection. Patients were monitored for adverse events and antiadenoviral antibodies, tumors were monitored for response and p53 expression, and body fluids were analyzed for Ad-p53. RESULTS: Tumors of 33 patients were injected with doses of up to 1 x 10(11) plaque-forming units (pfu). No dose-limiting toxicity or serious adverse events were noted. p53 expression was detected in tumor biopsies despite antibody responses after Ad-p53 injections. Clinical efficacy could be evaluated in 17 patients with nonresectable tumors: two patients showed objective tumor regressions of greater than 50%, six patients showed stable disease for up to 3.5 months, and nine patients showed progressive disease. One resectable patient was considered a complete pathologic response. Ad-p53 was detected in blood and urine in a dose-dependent fashion, and in sputum. CONCLUSION: Patients were safely injected intratumorally with Ad-p53. Objective antitumor activity was detected in several patients. The infectious Ad-p53 in body fluids was asymptomatic, and suggests that systemic or regional treatment may be tolerable. These results suggest the further investigation of Ad-p53 as a therapeutic agent for patients with HNSCC.

Potential role of bcr-abl in the activation of JAK1 kinase.

To study the oncogenic role of the p210(bcr-abl) fusion protein in chronic myelogenous leukemia cells, we generated a mouse cell line that was stably transfected with and overexpressed the human p210(bcr-abl) fusion protein. We then looked for phosphorylation activation of the Janus-activated kinase (JAK) family of tyrosine-specific protein kinases by the p210(bcr-abl) fusion protein. We found that JAK1, which has been shown by others to be associated with the IFN-alpha and -gamma plasma membrane receptors, was phosphorylated to a much greater degree in cells containing the p210(bcr-abl) fusion protein than was the case in the original, untransfected cell line. In contrast, no phosphorylation of the JAK2 kinase, which is associated with the IFN-gamma but not IFN-alpha receptor, was observed either with or without p210(bcr-abl) protein. A substrate of JAK1, STAT1 (signal transducers and activators of transcription 1), was found to be phosphorylated in cells containing overexpressed p210(bcr-abl) fusion protein. These results indicate that the presence of the p210(bcr-abl) protein kinase within a cell is associated with phosphorylation of the JAK1 kinase and its substrate STAT1.

A simple and sensitive method for detecting adenovirus in serum and urine.

A method to detect shed virus in patients' serum and urine was developed following Ad5CMV-p53 gene transfer via direct tumor injections. The procedure differs from those reported previously in that it first uses polyethylene glycol to precipitate adenoviral particles from patient serum or urine. Adenoviral DNA is then extracted following proteinase K digestion. Finally, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification followed by Southern blot transfer are employed to enhance the limit of detection to less than ten viral particles. The detection limit in a 0.25-ml sample is five viral particles in serum and one viral particle in urine. This procedure is sensitive, reproducible, and can be completed in less than 2 days.

Genotypic analysis of tumor suppressor genes PTEN/MMAC1 and p53 in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

OBJECTIVES: Tumor suppressor gene mutations in both p53 and PTEN/MMAC1 genomic DNA have been detected in many types of cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence and importance of PTEN/MMAC1 mutations in squamous cell carcinomas. METHODS: Exons of each gene were amplified after polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using genomic DNA derived from cell lines of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) and snap-frozen biopsy specimens from primary established head and neck tumors. The amplified and purified DNA was then sequenced directly. RESULT: As anticipated, point mutations of the p53 gene were found in 80% of cell lines examined. A single base mutation in codon 151 was found in six of 10 cell lines studied. PTEN/MMAC1 gene mutations were found in neither the cell lines tested nor the tumor biopsy samples. CONCLUSION: This study, as well as a large volume of data, confirms that mutations of the p53 gene are frequent events in head and neck cancer cell lines. Although PTEN/MMAC1 gene mutations have been found in a variety of carcinomas, this gene was not found to be mutated in SCCHN cell lines or in primary squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck. This information is useful for further studies of mutations in these cell lines.

Interferon regulatory factor 1 induces the expression of the interferon-stimulated genes.

The interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) is a positive transcriptional regulatory protein which acts in the interferon signal transduction pathway to activate the transcription of the type I interferon genes by binding to the PRDI response element. The aim of this study was to explore the role of IRF-1 in regulating the expression of other interferon-stimulated genes in the interferon signal transduction pathway. A transient transfection assay was used to show that IRF-1 induced the expression of interferon-stimulated genes. The induction was a direct result of IRF-1 binding to the promoters of the interferon-stimulated response element (ISRE). The levels of endogenous mRNA of two interferon-stimulated genes, 6-16 and 9-27, were increased in cells containing increased levels of IRF-1. In addition, IRF-1 activates the expression of IRF-2, a negative regulator of the type I interferon genes themselves. Two sequences were found in the IRF-2 promoter which were the binding sites for IRF-1. Mutations in the oligonucleotide sequences of these sites could abolish the binding of the IRF-1. These data suggested that IRF-1 not only plays an important role in the induction of type I interferon genes, but also in the activation of interferon-stimulated genes.

Telomerase activity in head and neck tumors after introduction of wild-type p53, p21, p16, and E2F-1 genes by means of recombinant adenovirus.

BACKGROUND: Telomerase (reverse transcriptase) has been shown to play a role in the process of cellular immortalization. METHODS: Telomerase activity was determined in 11 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (SCCHN) cell lines. The effects of wild-type p16, p21, E2F-1, and p53 genes on telomerase activity were examined by introducing the wild-type genes into two SCCHN cell lines by means of a recombinant adenovirus. RESULTS: We found elevated telomerase activity in 10 of the 11 SCCHN cell lines tested. When we infected Tu-138 and Tu-167 cell lines with wild-type p16, p21, E2F-1, and p53 genes, we found that p16 had little effect on telomerase activity. Both E2F-1 and p53 were known to induce apoptosis in SCCHN cell lines. Significantly reduced telomerase activity by p53 in both cell lines and E2F-1 in Tu-167 cells was in agreement with suppression of cell growth. Overexpression of p21 also exhibited reduction in telomerase activity. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude from this study that overexpression of E2F-1 and p53 can reverse telomerase activity in SCCHN cell lines and that telomerase activity may be involved in cancer cell immortalization.