Crystal structure of a thwarted mismatch glycosylase DNA repair complex.
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The bacterial mismatch-specific uracil-DNA glycosylase (MUG) and eukaryotic thymine-DNA glycosylase (TDG) enzymes form a homologous family of DNA glycosylases that initiate base-excision repair of G:U/T mismatches. Despite low sequence homology, the MUG/TDG enzymes are structurally related to the uracil-DNA glycosylase enzymes, but have a very different mechanism for substrate recognition. We have now determined the crystal structure of the Escherichia coli MUG enzyme complexed with an oligonucleotide containing a non-hydrolysable deoxyuridine analogue mismatched with guanine, providing the first structure of an intact substrate-nucleotide productively bound to a hydrolytic DNA glycosylase. The structure of this complex explains the preference for G:U over G:T mispairs, and reveals an essentially non-specific pyrimidine-binding pocket that allows MUG/TDG enzymes to excise the alkylated base, 3, N(4)-ethenocytosine. Together with structures for the free enzyme and for an abasic-DNA product complex, the MUG-substrate analogue complex reveals the conformational changes accompanying the catalytic cycle of substrate binding, base excision and product release. (+info)
C to U editing of the anticodon of imported mitochondrial tRNA(Trp) allows decoding of the UGA stop codon in Leishmania tarentolae.
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All mitochondrial tRNAs in kinetoplastid protists are encoded in the nucleus and imported into the organelle. The tRNA(Trp)(CCA) can decode the standard UGG tryptophan codon but can not decode the mitochondrial UGA tryptophan codon. We show that the mitochondrial tRNA(Trp) undergoes a specific C to U nucleotide modification in the first position of the anticodon, which allows decoding of mitochondrial UGA codons as tryptophan. Functional evidence for the absence of a UGA suppressor tRNA in the cytosol, using a reporter gene, was also obtained, which is consistent with a mitochondrial localization of this editing event. Leishmania cells have dealt with the problem of a lack of expression within the organelle of this non-universal tRNA by compartmentalizing an editing activity that modifies the anticodon of the imported tRNA. (+info)
Safety assessment, in vitro and in vivo, and pharmacokinetics of emivirine, a potent and selective nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus type 1.
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Emivirine (EMV), formerly known as MKC-442, is 6-benzyl-1-(ethoxymethyl)-5-isopropyl-uracil, a novel nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor that displays potent and selective anti-human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) activity in vivo. EMV showed little or no toxicity towards human mitochondria or human bone marrow progenitor cells. Pharmacokinetics were linear for both rats and monkeys, and oral absorption was 68% in rats. Whole-body autoradiography showed widespread distribution in tissue 30 min after rats were given an oral dose of [(14)C]EMV at 10 mg/kg of body weight. In rats given an oral dose of 250 mg/kg, there were equal levels of EMV in the plasma and the brain. In vitro experiments using liver microsomes demonstrated that the metabolism of EMV by human microsomes is approximately a third of that encountered with rat and monkey microsomes. In 1-month, 3-month, and chronic toxicology experiments (6 months with rats and 1 year with cynomolgus monkeys), toxicity was limited to readily reversible effects on the kidney consisting of vacuolation of kidney tubular epithelial cells and mild increases in blood urea nitrogen. Liver weights increased at the higher doses in rats and monkeys and were attributed to the induction of drug-metabolizing enzymes. EMV tested negative for genotoxic activity, and except for decreased feed consumption at the high dose (160 mg/kg/day), with resultant decreases in maternal and fetal body weights, EMV produced no adverse effects in a complete range of reproductive toxicology experiments performed on rats and rabbits. These results support the clinical development of EMV as a treatment for HIV-1 infection in adult and pediatric patient populations. (+info)
Aberrant expression of p27(Kip1) is associated with malignant transformation of the rat urinary bladder epithelium.
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Alteration in cell cycle regulators is considered to play an important role in carcinogenesis. In order to cast light on changes in reversible hyperplastic and irreversible tumorigenic lesions in the rat urinary bladder, expression of p27(Kip1), cyclin D1 and cyclin E proteins was sequentially compared. In the first study, 3% uracil was fed for 4 weeks to cause urinary calculi and consequent hyperplasia and papillomatosis, both regressing after withdrawal of the insult. Compared with normal bladder epithelium, in papillomatosis at week 4, the BrdU index and immunohistochemical positivities for cyclin D1 and cyclin E were significantly elevated, whereas values for p27(Kip1) tended to be reduced. One week after withdrawal of uracil, the BrdU index and positivities for cyclin D1 and cyclin E were decreased to below the control levels, while positivity for p27(Kip1) was dramatically increased, with a strong staining intensity. In a second study, rats were initiated with a bladder carcinogen, N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine for 4 weeks, then fed 3% uracil for 8 weeks. During this latter period, expression of cyclin D1, cyclin E and p27(Kip1) in hyperplastic urothelium were comparable with those in the first study. One week after withdrawal of uracil, most urothelial lesions regressed, showing high p27(Kip1) and low cyclin D1 and cyclin E staining. Two weeks after uracil withdrawal, transitional cell carcinomas, with a low p27(Kip1) and high cyclin D1 and cyclin E staining pattern, could be easily distinguished from surrounding regressing epithelium. These data indicate that during regression of papillomatosis after cessation of a proliferative stimulus, expression of p27(Kip1)is elevated, accompanied by a lowering of cyclin D1 and cyclin E. In irreversible tumorous bladder lesions, on the other hand, persistent low expression of p27(Kip1) and elevated cyclin D1 and cyclin E are characteristic. (+info)
A conserved AU-rich element in the 3' untranslated region of bcl-2 mRNA is endowed with a destabilizing function that is involved in bcl-2 down-regulation during apoptosis.
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The control of mRNA stability is becoming recognized as a crucial point of gene expression regulation. A common element responsible for mRNA decay modulation is the adenine- and uracil-rich element that is found in the 3' untranslated region of numerous mRNAs subjected to fast expression changes in response to various stimuli. Previously we identified a post-transcriptional regulation level for the antiapoptotic bcl-2 gene, which could be involved in t(14;18) lymphoma-associated bcl-2 overexpression. Here we demonstrate that bcl-2 mRNA is endowed with an adenine- and uracil-rich element (ARE) characterized by high evolutionary conservation not only among all chordates examined, but even between chordates and the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (ced-9 gene). As for other well-established destabilizing AREs, the insertion of the bcl-2 ARE downstream from stable beta-globin mRNA causes an enhanced decay of the beta-globin transcript, which proves its functional role. This possibility is corroborated by the fact that the pathway leading to the modulating activity of bcl-2 ARE is influenced by PKC, since the addition of DAG and TPA markedly attenuated the bcl-2 ARE destabilizing potential. Conversely, it is noteworthy that when C(2)-ceramide is added to the culture medium as the apoptotic agent, the beta-globin transcript harboring the bcl-2 ARE undergoes a dramatic increase in decay. This observation clearly indicates that the destabilizing function of bcl-2 ARE is enhanced by apoptotic stimuli and suggests that this element could be involved in a post-transcriptional mechanism of bcl-2 down-regulation during apoptosis. The half-life of the mRNA of bcl-2 in Jurkat cells is prolonged by PKC stimulation and shortened by C(2)-ceramide addition, strongly supporting the view that bcl-2 mRNA stability plays a physiological role in modulating bcl-2 expression, particularly in its down-regulation during apoptosis. Thus, this element becomes a new candidate for mediating those bcl-2 gene expression changes-from apoptosis-associated down-regulation to tumor-associated overexpression-observed thus far that profoundly influence single cell fate and tissue homeostasis. (+info)
The use of thymidylate synthase inhibitors in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer: current status.
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The combination of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and leucovorin has been the unofficial "standard" therapy for patients with colorectal cancer for over a decade. Recently, however, a number of new agents targeted against the enzyme thymidylate synthase have been synthesized and are in various stages of development. The currently available thymidylate synthase inhibitors are discussed. Enormous efforts have been made over the years to improve the efficacy of 5-FU, the most popular of these agents. Biochemical modulation by leucovorin has been the most successful so far. Continuous infusion schedules also appear to be advantageous over bolus administration. However, marked intra- and interpatient variability, combined with nonlinear elimination kinetics and erratic oral bioavailability are relative limitations to further development of 5-FU. New oral 5-FU prodrugs such as UFT, S-1, and Capecitabine may help to overcome some of these difficulties. Eniluracil, a potent inhibitor of the enzyme dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase, may also help by overcoming potential 5-FU resistance mechanisms, in addition to increasing its bioavailability. Of the antifolate-based inhibitors, Tomudex is in the most advanced stage of development. Similar efficacy with 5-FU and a convenient schedule may suggest a role in future combination regimens. It is quite likely that even the most optimal thymidylate synthase inhibition will have limitations in terms of clinical efficacy. Novel combinations of 5-FU or its analogs with agents that have different mechanisms of action (e.g., oxaliplatin, irinotecan) could provide important new opportunities for improving the outlook of patients with colorectal cancer. (+info)
Protection against methylation-induced cytotoxicity by DNA polymerase beta-dependent long patch base excision repair.
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Using a plasmid-based uracil-containing DNA substrate, we found that the long patch base excision repair (BER) activity of a wild-type mouse fibroblast extract was partially inhibited by an antibody to DNA polymerase beta (beta-pol). This suggests that beta-pol participates in long patch BER, in addition to single-nucleotide BER. In single-nucleotide BER, the deoxyribose phosphate (dRP) in the abasic site is removed by the lyase activity of beta-pol. Methoxyamine (MX) can react with the aldehyde of an abasic site, making it refractory to the beta-elimination step of the dRP lyase mechanism, thus blocking single-nucleotide BER. MX exposure sensitizes wild-type, but not beta-pol null mouse embryonic fibroblasts, to the cytotoxic effects of methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and methylnitrosourea. Expression of beta-pol in the null cells restores the ability of MX to modulate sensitivity to MMS. The beta-pol null cells are known to be hypersensitive to MMS and methylnitrosourea, and in the presence of MX (i.e. under conditions where single-nucleotide BER is blocked) the null cells are still considerably more sensitive than wild-type. The data are consistent with a role of beta-pol in long patch BER, which helps protect cells against methylation damage-induced cytotoxicity. (+info)
Prognosis after salvage chemotherapy for locally unresectable recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck.
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BACKGROUND: For locally unresectable recurrent squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, we investigated two salvage chemotherapy regimens as second-line chemotherapy. In our preliminary study, we observed that both regimens were active. In the present study we analyzed the prognosis of these patients. METHODS: Twenty-six patients with recurrent advanced head and neck cancer, were treated with one of two new regimens as second-line chemotherapy. The PEM regimen consisted of cisplatin 60 mg/m2 on day 1, etoposide 40 mg/m2 on days 1, 2 and 3 and mitomycin-C 7 mg/m2 on day 1. The long CF regimen consisted of cisplatin 8 mg/m2 on days 1-5, 8-12, 15-19 and 22-26 and 5-fluorouracil 300 mg/m2 as a 24 h infusion or oral administration of tegaful-uracil (UFT-E) 400 mg/m2 on days 1-28. Survival curves were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log rank test. RESULTS: Of 24 patients evaluable for response, three complete responses (CR) and seven partial responses (PR) were achieved, with an overall response rate of 42%. Myelosuppression was the major side effect. One year survival was 100% for CR, 0% for PR and 20% for minor response (MR). All patients who failed to achieve a CR died within 12 months, except one patient with MR. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that with these salvage regimens survival benefit was demonstrated only in CR patients. (+info)