'1-8 interferon inducible gene family': putative colon carcinoma-associated antigens.

D(b-/-)xbeta2 microglobulin (beta2m) null mice transgenic for a chimeric HLA-A2.1/D(b)-beta2m single chain (HHD mice) are an effective biological tool to evaluate the antitumour cytotoxic T-lymphocyte response of known major histocompatibility-restricted peptide tumour-associated antigens, and to screen for putative unknown novel peptides. We utilised HHD lymphocytes to identify immunodominant epitopes of colon carcinoma overexpressed genes. We screened with HHD-derived lymphocytes over 500 HLA-A2.1-restricted peptides derived from colon carcinoma overexpressed genes. This procedure culminated in the identification of seven immunogenic peptides, three of these were derived from the 'human 1-8D gene from interferon inducible gene' (1-8D). The 1-8D gene was shown to be overexpressed in fresh tumour samples. The three 1-8D peptides were both antigenic and immunogenic in the HHD mice. The peptides induce cytotoxic T lymphocytes that were able to kill a colon carcinoma cell line HCT/HHD, in vitro and retard its growth in vivo. One of the peptides shared by all the 1-8 gene family primed efficiently normal human cytotoxic T lymphocyte precursors. These results highlight the 1-8D gene and its homologues as putative immunodominant tumour-associated antigens of colon carcinoma.

Metallothionein gene expression in human adipose tissue from lean and obese subjects.

Expression of the gene encoding metallothionein, a low molecular-weight cysteine-rich, stress-response and metal-binding protein was examined in human adipose tissue. The mRNA for MT-2A, a major metallothionein isoform in humans, was detected in subcutaneous fat using a specific antisense oligonucleotide probe. The level of MT-2A mRNA was significantly higher in a group of obese subjects than in a lean group, paralleling a similar increase in ob mRNA. A two-week period on a diet of 800 calories/day did not lead to any significant change in MT-2 mRNA levels. Separation of mature adipocytes from the cells of the stromal vascular fraction indicated that in human adipose tissue the metallothionein (MT-2A) gene is expressed both in adipocytes and in other cells of the tissue.

cDNA cloning and sequence analysis of the lectin genes of the Korean mistletoe (Viscum album coloratum).

We previously isolated a lectin of the Korean mistletoe (Viscum album coloratum). The cDNA clones that encode the A- or the B-chain of the Korean mistletoe lectin were cloned by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The mRNAs that were extracted from the Korean mistletoe were amplified, ligated into the pGEM-T easy vector, and screened with a Korean mistletoe lectin-specific probe. The probe was prepared by PCR amplification of the Korean mistletoe DNA using a primer set designed on the basis of amino acid sequences of the Korean mistletoe lectin that we had purified and reported. Unlike a recent report, which states that the European mistletoe lectin gene has no isoforms, several different clones of the A- and B-chains of the Korean mistletoe lectin were cloned from the same primer set. Three clones of each were selected for sequencing. The sizes of the A-chains were 762, 762, and 768 bp, respectively. The B-chain sizes were 798, 789, and 789 bp, respectively. Each of the clones showed significant variation in the amino acids sequence, including the N-linked glycosylation sites of the lectin. The sequence analysis of each of the Korean lectin clones, in comparison with the European mistletoe lectin and the other type II ribosome binding proteins, is discussed in the text. In addition, Southern blot analysis of the Korean mistletoe genomic DNA, restricted by different enzymes and hybridized with the lectin DNA, showed multi-bands, supporting the existence of multicopy genes or a gene family. These data suggest that heterogeneity of the mistletoe lectin is not only introduced by post-translational modifications, but also by expression of isotypes of the lectin genes.

Induction of uncoupling protein-2 (UCP2) gene expression on the differentiation of rat preadipocytes to adipocytes in primary culture.

We have examined uncoupling protein-2 (UCP2) gene expression in the adipose tissue of obese and normal rats and mice, and also in differentiated rat adipocytes in primary culture. Expression of the UCP2 gene was examined in rat and mouse adipose tissues using both RT-PCR and Northern blotting. Although the RT-PCR was not quantitative, the band corresponding to the UCP2 mRNA was stronger in white adipose tissue than in brown fat, regardless of the body weight of the rats. In agreement with the RT-PCR data, there was a higher level of UCP2 mRNA in the white adipocytes than in brown adipocytes, the level being greater in obese mice. Fibroblastic preadipocytes were obtained from the inguinal fat pad of suckling rats. Lipid droplets developed inside the cells upon differentiation and adipsin and UCP2 mRNAs were detected by Northern blotting. Both mRNAs were evident in the adipocytes at 4, 6, and 10 d after the induction of differentiation. There was no indication that the expression of UCP2 was markedly affected by the addition of leptin, dexamethasone or isoprenaline.

CD81 on B cells promotes interleukin 4 secretion and antibody production during T helper type 2 immune responses.

Mice lacking CD81 (TAPA-1), a widely expressed tetraspanin molecule, have impaired antibody responses to protein antigens. This defect is specific to antigens that preferentially stimulate a T helper 2 response (ovalbumin or keyhole limpet hemocyanin in alum) and is only seen with T cell-dependent antigens. Absence of CD81 on B cells is sufficient to cause the defect. Also, antigen-specific interleukin (IL) 4 production is greatly reduced in the spleen and lymph nodes of CD81-null mice compared with heterozygous littermates. Thus, expression of CD81 on B cells is critical for inducing optimal IL-4 and antibody production during T helper 2 responses. These findings suggest that CD81 may interact with a ligand on T cells to signal IL-4 production. By using a soluble form of CD81 as a probe, a putative ligand for CD81 was identified on a subset of B and T cells. Two possible models for the interaction of CD81 on B cells with a potential ligand on either B or T cells are proposed.

Modification of PDGFalpha receptor expression or function alters the metastatic phenotype of 3LL cells.

Functional PDGFalpha receptors are selectively expressed on highly lung-metastasizing clones of the 3LL Lewis lung carcinoma, but not on low-mestastatic clones. The highly metastatic clones are also growth induced in vitro by PDGF and lung conditioned medium. To investigate whether modification of PDGFalpha receptor expression or function can affect metastatic capability, we transfected cells of a low-metastatic 3LL clone with a full length PDGFalpha receptor gene and cells of a highly-metastatic clone with a truncated kinase domain PDGFalpha receptor gene. Introduction of the full length PDGFalpha receptor conferred upon low-metastatic cells the ability to grow in vitro in the presence of PDGF-AA and to colonize the lung in experimental and spontaneous metastases assays. Conversely, introduction of a truncated version of the PDGFalpha receptor into highly metastatic cells reduced their metastatic load to control levels. Accordingly, their responses to PDGF-AA, including growth stimulation and receptor autophosphorylation, were reduced. These results demonstrate that PDGFalpha receptor expression and function can control the capacity of tumor cells to generate metastases in the lung. The response of this receptor to lung-derived PDGF-like factors may define a paracrine mode of metastatic cell growth in the target organ.

Inhibitory effect of Korean mistletoe (Viscum album coloratum) extract on tumour angiogenesis and metastasis of haematogenous and non-haematogenous tumour cells in mice.

We examined the inhibitory effect of an aqueous extract (referred to as KM-110) from Viscum album coloratum, a Korean mistletoe, on tumour metastasis produced by highly metastatic murine tumour cells, B16-BL6 melanoma, colon 26-M3.1 carcinoma and L5178Y-ML25 lymphoma cells, using experimental and spontaneous metastasis models in syngeneic mice. In experimental metastasis of B16-BL6 and colon 26-M3.1 cells, intravenous (i.v.) administration of KM-110 (100 micrograms/mouse) 1 day after tumour inoculation significantly inhibited lung metastasis of both tumour cells. The administration of KM-110 also exhibited a therapeutic effect on liver and spleen metastasis of L5178Y-ML25 lymphoma cells. Furthermore, in spontaneous metastasis of B16-BL6 melanoma cells, multiple administration of KM-110 into tumour-bearing mice resulted in significant inhibition of lung metastasis by tumour cells, as well as the suppressive activity to the growth of primary tumour. In in vivo analysis for tumour-induced angiogenesis, the i.v. administration of KM-110 suppressed tumour growth and inhibited the number of blood vessels oriented towards the tumour mass. In a bioassay, the culture supernatant (KM-110-treated medium) of murine peritoneal macrophages that had been stimulated with KM-110 (1-10 micrograms/ml) for 30 min followed by 24 h incubation in fresh medium showed a strong tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) activity. In addition, KM-110-treated medium significantly inhibited the growth of in vitro cultures of rat lung endothelial (RLE) cells. These results suggested that the extract of Korean mistletoe inhibits tumour metastasis caused by haematogenous as well as non-haematogenous tumour cells, and that its antimetastatic effect results from the suppression of tumour growth and the inhibition of tumour-induced angiogenesis by inducing TNF-alpha.

Mouse platelet-derived growth factor alpha receptor: sequence, tissue-specific expression and correlation with metastatic phenotype.

High- and low-metastatic cells derived from metastatic murine tumors were screened for the differential expression of proto-oncogenes which may code for cell-surface receptors to growth factors. We found that metastatic clones of 3LL carcinoma and T10 sarcoma but not non-metastatic clones of these tumors express a 6.5-kb mRNA that is recognized by a v-fms probe containing a tyrosine kinase domain. The cloning and sequence analysis of a full-length cDNA clone corresponding to the v-fms-related 6.5-kb transcript showed that this transcript is the murine homolog of platelet-derived growth factor alpha (PDGF-alpha) receptor. The cDNA contains an open reading frame that predicts a 1089 amino acid protein. Comparison with the human and rat PDGF-alpha receptor reveals an overall amino acid sequence identity of 91% and 94% respectively. Northern blot analysis shows that this gene is preferentially expressed in the high-metastatic clones and is also selectively expressed in normal mouse tissues. Immunoprecipitation using anti-PDGF-alpha receptor serum shows that 185-kDa and 170-kDa proteins were specifically precipitated from cells of the high-metastatic D122 but not from the low-metastatic A9 cells. The possibility that overexpression of PDGF-alpha receptor in high-metastatic clones may contribute to an increase in the capacity of tumor cells to generate metastases in the lung is discussed.

Developmental expression of the alpha receptor for platelet-derived growth factor, which is deleted in the embryonic lethal Patch mutation.

The alpha receptor of PDGF (Pdgfra) is expressed in primitive endoderm and mesoderm derivatives throughout embryogenesis. In the early primitive streak stage the gene is transcribed in the visceral and parietal endoderm. Later it is expressed in the presomitic mesoderm, yolk sac and amnion. During somitogenesis its transcription localizes to the heart and the somites. Subsequently, it is transcribed in the dermatome, the sclerotome, the developing limb and in various mesenchymal tissues of visceral organs. Its wild-type expression pattern correlates well with the phenotype of homozygous mutant Patch (Ph) embryos, where the Pdgfra gene is deleted. The Ph phenotype is first detectable at the primitive streak stage with convoluted and hypertrophic visceral yolk sac, deformed neural plate and disorganized or missing mesoderm. Most Ph/Ph embryos die before the 11th day of gestation. Those that survive till early organogenesis are very small, have hypertrophic yolk sacs, small and undifferentiated somites, convoluted neural tubes, large heart and pericardium, rudimentary limb buds and branchial arches. Our observations together suggest that the alpha PDGF receptor may be required for the normal development of visceral endoderm and mesoderm derivatives.

Gene organization of murine homeobox-containing gene clusters.

A chromosomal walk which links a previously described and a new homeobox to the Hox-2 murine homeobox gene cluster is described, and the nucleotide sequence of the new homeobox is presented. With these new data the Hox-2 gene cluster contains seven loci on an approximately 100-kb-long physical map. Homology comparisons reveal that a significant number of vertebrate homeoboxes are in fact analogous. We also find that the linear order of homologous homeoboxes is similar in the two murine gene complexes, Hox-1 and Hox-2, and among the human homeobox loci on chromosome 17. Conservation of the homeo-domain and the linear gene order of homeobox-containing genes in vertebrates is discussed in light of the interactions and the anteroposterior linear order of homeotic loci in insects.