Estrogen receptor, growth factor receptor and protooncogene protein activities and possible signal transduction crosstalk in estrogen dependent and independent breast cancer cell lines.

Binding of estrogen to its receptor (ER) activates early genes that drive responsive cells through the proliferative phase. Earlier studies to evaluate the expression of protooncogenes, growth factors, growth factor receptor and steroid hormone receptor gene activities in the rat uterine system indicated complex pathways that involve significant 'crosstalk' between ER-systems and signal transduction pathways (Bhattacharyya et al., 1994). To analyze the interactions between these factors, we examined two well characterized estrogen dependent (MCF-7) and estrogen independent (MDA-MB-231) human breast cancer cell lines. Antibodies to estrogen receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor, c-Fos, c-Jun, and Ras proteins, protein kinases involved in receptor tyrosine kinase signal transduction pathway, MEK1 and phosphotyrosine were utilized in immunocytochemical localization experiments to evaluate temporal expression of these factors in response to estrogen treatment. ER, which was diminished in MCF-7 cells grown in estrogen-stripped medium, increased 9-fold in estrogen-reconstituted medium by 120 min. Fos and Jun appeared at nuclear and perinuclear cytoplasmic sites within 60 min after estrogen treatment in MCF-7 cells. Fos/Jun proteins were prominent in MDA-MB-231 cells, especially in association with actin filaments. Immunolabeling studies revealed no EGF-r in MCF-7 cells, while MDA-MB-231 cells contained intense EGF-r labeling in the plasma membrane. Ras protein was prominent in the cytoplasm and at the cell surface within 60 min after treatment of MCF-7 cells with estrogen. Ras was intense in MDA cells. Similarly, MCF-7 and MDA cells contained high concentrations of MEK1 and phosphotyrosine (pTyr) containing proteins in their cytoplasm and immunolabeling remained high as long as MCF-7 cells were grown in medium containing estrogen. It is speculated that MEK1 (cytoplasmic) functioning through Fos/Jun or Myc/Max (nuclear) may regulate the activity of AP-1 transcription factor. In all cases however, MEK1 and pTyr protein labeling was more intense in the highly metastatic and hormone independent MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. Results revealed signal transduction pathway proteins in ER+ estrogen dependent cells suggesting possible crosstalk between both receptor pathways during the proliferative phase of MCF-7 cells.

Application of a Synthetic Listeriolysin O Gene Probe to the Identification of ß-Hemolytic Listeria monocytogenes in Retail Ground Beef.

The synthetic gene probe is a 20 mer oligonucleotide, derived from listeriolysin O gene sequence of Listeria monocytogenes and shown to be specific for strains of this organism. This probe was used in a DNA-colony hybridization assay to evaluate its suitability in detecting (ß-hemolytic L. monocytogenes in ground beef. Thirty-six ground beef samples were plated onto three media: Trypticase soy agar with 0.6% yeast extract, lithium chloride-phenylethanol-moxalactam agar and Martin's agar, both directly and after selective enrichment in Food and Drug Administration broth. Of the 118 gram-positive and catalase-positive isolates selected from the plates, only 24 gave detectable hybridization signal with the probe. CAMP-test and standard biochemical tests also revealed that only these 24 probe positive isolates were (ß-hemolytic L. monocytogenes . Of the 36 samples of ground beef, 6 were positive for Listeria spp., out of which 4 were L. monocytogenes .