Identification and molecular characterization of csrA, a pleiotropic gene from Escherichia coli that affects glycogen biosynthesis, gluconeogenesis, cell size, and surface properties

Current evidence suggests that a few global regulatory factors mediate many of the extensive changes in gene expression that occur as Escherichia coli enters the stationary phase. One of the metabolic pathways that is transcriptionally activated in the stationary phase is the pathway for biosynthesis of glycogen. To identify factors that regulate glycogen biosynthesis in trans, a collection of transposon mutants was generated and screened for mutations which independently increase or decrease glycogen levels and the expression of a plasmid-encoded glgC'-lacZ fusion. The glycogen excess mutation TR1-5 was found to be pleiotropic. It led to increased expression of the genes glgC (ADPglucose pyrophosphorylase) and glgB (glycogen branching enzyme), which are representative of two glycogen synthesis operons, and the gluconeogenic gene pckA (phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase), and it exhibited effects on cell size and surface (adherence) properties. The mutated gene was designated csrA for carbon storage regulator. Its effect on glycogen biosynthesis was mediated independently of cyclic AMP (cAMP), the cAMP receptor protein, and guanosine 3'-bisphosphate 5'-bisphosphate (ppGpp), which are positive regulators of glgC expression. A plasmid clone of the native csrA gene strongly inhibited glycogen accumulation and affected the ability of cells to utilize certain carbon sources for growth. Nucleotide sequence analysis, complementation experiments, and in vitro expression studies indicated that csrA encodes a 61-amino-acid polypeptide that inhibits glycogen biosynthesis. Computer-assisted data base searches failed to identify genes or proteins that are homologous with csrA or its gene product.

Impact of education for physicians on patient outcomes

OBJECTIVES

This study was conducted to assess the impact of an interactive seminar based on self-regulation theory on 1) the treatment practices and communications and education behavior of physicians, 2) the health status and medical care utilization of their pediatric patients with asthma, and 3) the satisfaction with care of the subjects' parents.

METHODS

A total of 74 general practice pediatricians were assigned to either a program or a control group in a randomized controlled study. Data were collected from physicians at baseline, and 69 (93%) provided follow-up data 5 months after the program. Data were also collected from 637 of their patients at baseline, and in a 22-month window after the intervention, 472 (74%) of this number provided follow-up data.

RESULTS

After the seminar, physicians in the program group were more likely than were control group physicians to address patients' fears about medicines, review written instructions, provide a sequence of educational messages, write down how to adjust the medicines at home when symptoms change, and report that they spent less time with their patients. Parents of the children treated by program physicians were significantly more likely than were control group parents to report that the physician had been reassuring, described as a goal that the child be fully active, and gave information to relieve specific worries. After a visit with the physician, these parents were also more likely to report that they knew how to make management decisions at home. After the intervention compared to controls, patients of physicians in the program group were more likely to have received a prescription for inhaled antiinflammatory medicine and to have been asked by the physician to demonstrate how to use a metered-dose inhaler. After the intervention, children seen by program physicians made significantly fewer nonemergency office visits and visits for follow-up of an episode of symptoms; however, there were no differences in emergency department visits and hospitalizations. Among children who were placed on inhaled corticosteroids during this study, however, children treated by physicians who had received education had significantly fewer symptoms and fewer follow-up office visits, nonemergency physician office visits, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations.

CONCLUSIONS

The interactive seminar based on theories of self-regulation led to patient-physician encounters that were of shorter duration, had significant impact on the prescribing and communications behavior of physicians, led to more favorable patient responses to physicians' actions, and led to reductions in health care utilization.

Long-term effects of asthma education for physicians on patient satisfaction and use of health services

This randomized clinical trial evaluated the long-term impact of an interactive seminar for physicians based on principles of self-regulation on clinician behaviour, children's use of health services for asthma, and parent's views of physician performance. Seventy-four general practice paediatricians, and 637 of their asthma patients aged 1-12 yrs, were randomized to treatment or control. Children and parents were blind to physicians' participation. Data were collected at baseline and follow-up through self-administered surveys (paediatricians), telephone interviews (parents) and medical records. The seminar focused on development of communication and teaching skills and use of therapeutic medical regimens for asthma as outlined in the National Asthma Education and Prevention Program guidelines. Approximately 2 yrs postintervention, treatment group physicians were more likely than control physicians to: use protocols for delivering asthma education (odds ratio (OR) 4.9, p=0.2), write down for patients how to adjust medicines when symptoms change (OR 5.7, p=0.05), and provide more guidelines for modifying therapy (OR 3.8, p=0.06). Parents scored treatment group physicians higher than control physicians on five specific positive communication behaviours. Children seen by treatment group physicians had fewer hospitalizations (p=0.03) and those with higher levels of emergency department (ED) use at baseline had fewer subsequent ED visits (p=0.03). No differences regarding the number of office visits were noted. There were no significant differences found between treatment and control group physicians in the amount of time spent with patients during office visits (26 versus 29 min) or in the number of patients treated with anti-inflammatory medicine. It is concluded that interactive asthma seminars for paediatricians had significant long-term benefits for their asthma care.

A model of self-regulation for control of chronic disease

Chronic disease poses increasing threat to individual and community health. The day-to-day manager of disease is the patient who undertakes actions with the guidance of a clinician. The ability of the patient to control the illness through an effective therapeutic plan is significantly influenced by social and behavioral factors. This article presents a model of patient management of chronic disease that accounts for intrapersonal and extemal influences on management and emphasizes the central role of self-regulatory processes in disease control. Asthma serves as a case for exploration of the model. Findings from a 5-year study of 637 children with asthma and their care-taking parents supported that the self-regulation elements of the model were reasonably stable over time and baseline values were predictive of important disease management outcomes.

Intracellular trafficking of two major Epstein-Barr virus glycoproteins, gp350/220 and gp110

The processing and intracellular localization of the two predominant Epstein-Barr virus glycoproteins expressed in late lytic infection were investigated. Immune light or electron microscopy of frozen fixed sections revealed that gp110 colocalized to the endoplasmic reticulum and to the nuclear membrane with the endoplasmic reticulum-resident protein, heavy-chain-binding protein (BiP), while gp350/220 accumulated in low abundance in the endoplasmic reticulum and was present in higher abundance in cytoplasmic structures presumed to be Golgi and in plasma membranes. Consistent with endoplasmic reticulum and nuclear membrane localization, the bulk of gp110 was sensitive to endoglycosidase H, indicating high-mannose, pre-Golgi, N-linked glycosylation; while consistent with Golgi and plasma membrane localization, gp350/220 was mostly resistant to endoglycosidase H because of complex N- and O-linked glycosylation. gp350/220 was as abundant in extracellular enveloped virus as in the plasma membrane but was much less abundant or undetected in internal cytoplasmic or nuclear membranes. In contrast, gp110-specific antibodies did not label extracellular or intracellular virus. These data indicate that the major antigenic components of gp110 are not incorporated into or are occluded in virions and that gp350/220 is added to virus in cytoplasmic transit through a process of de-envelopment and re-envelopment at the plasma membrane or at post-Golgi vesicles. Consistent with cytoplasmic de-envelopment and re-envelopment at the plasma membrane was the finding of some free nucleocapsids in the cytoplasm of cells with intact nuclear membranes and nucleocapsids which appeared to bud through the plasma membrane.

Epstein-Barr virus glycoprotein homologous to herpes simplex virus gB

The Epstein-Barr virus DNA open reading frame BALF4 (R. Baer, A.T. Bankier, M.D. Biggin, P.L. Deininger, P.J. Farrell, T.J. Gibson, G. Hatfull, G.S. Hudson, S.C. Stachwell, C. Sequin, P.S. Tuffnell, and B.G. Barrell, Nature [London] 310:207-211, 1984), which by nucleotide sequence comparison could encode a protein similar to herpes simplex virus gB (P.E. Pellett, M.D. Biggin, B. Barrell, and B. Roizman, J. Virol. 56:807-813, 1985), has now been shown to encode a 110-kilodalton glycoprotein. Late infectious cycle RNAs of 3.0 and 1.8 kilobases are transcribed from BALF4. Translation of these RNAs in vitro, transcription and translation of BALF4 in vitro, or metabolic labeling of cells in the presence of tunicamycin and immunoprecipitation with BALF4-specific sera results in identification of a 93-kilodalton precursor to gp110. Since N-glycosidase F only reduces the size of gp110 to 105 kilodaltons, gp110 probably has both N- and O-linked glycosylation, gp110 is an abundant glycoprotein in Epstein-Barr virus-infected cells. In infected lymphocytes and in 3T3 cells, in which the gene is expressed from a recombinant expression vector, most of the protein is cytoplasmic and perinuclear. In contrast to gB, gp110 was not detected in the infected-cell plasma membrane. In cells replicating Epstein-Barr virus, gp110 localized to the inner and outer nuclear membrane lamellae and to endoplasmic reticulum structures which sometimes contained enveloped virus. gp110 may play an important role in modifying infected intracellular membranes.

Helical structure of P pili from Escherichia coli

The structure of the P pili from Escherichia coli has been studied using X-ray fiber diffraction and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). Analysis of the fiber diffraction data indicates that the pili are constituted largely of structural subunits arranged helically with approximately 33 subunits in 10 turns in an axial repeat of 244.5 +/- 1.8 A. Radial electron density distributions calculated from equatorial diffraction data and STEM data indicate that the pili are about 65 A in diameter with a small central cavity roughly 15 A across. The principal protein component of the pili is PapA, which has a molecular weight of 16.5 kDa. Assuming that each subunit consists of a single PapA molecule, the mass-per-unit-length of the pili predicted from the X-ray data is 2.23 kDa/A. Measurements of mass-per-unit-length were also made through the analysis of STEM images. These measurements indicate a value of 2.13 +/- 0.14 kDa/A. STEM images demonstrated the presence of thin, thread-like structures emerging from the ends of pili and spanning breaks in the pili structure. These structures, which have been observed under other conditions, have been termed fibrillae. In the STEM images the fibrillae appear about 20 A in diameter. The mass-per-unit-length of the fibrillae was estimated using the STEM data to be 0.4 kDa/A. These data are consistent with the fibrillae representing an unwound or unraveled form of the pili proteins overstretched to about five times the length they would have in the intact pili.

Effect of head positioning in panoramic radiography on vertical measurements: an in vitro study

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether it is possible to make accurate vertical measurements of the jaws from panoramic radiographs.

METHODS

Five dry skulls were shifted 5 mm forwards and backwards and tilted 5 degrees up and down in the sagittal plane. Panoramic radiographs of each skull were obtained in nine different positions. In the maxilla, three reference lines were used and vertical measurements were made at the distal surfaces of the first premolar and first molar and in the midline. In the mandible, measurements were made at the distal surfaces of the first premolar and first molar, and at the mental foramen on both sides, and in the midline. The points and lines were marked manually and the radiographs were digitized, magnified and measured.

RESULTS

Sagittal shifting and tilting had only a slight effect on measurements in the mandible. Sagittal tilting of the head had the greatest effect on all the measurements made from the line between the articular eminences to the alveolar crest, as well as measurements in the maxillary midline.

CONCLUSIONS

The line between the articular eminences is unsuitable as a reference line for measurements of the tooth-bearing areas. A slight misalignment of the head does not significantly affect the vertical measurements in the mandible or of the posterior maxilla if the reference lines are in the same vertical plane as the teeth.

Identification of the Epstein-Barr virus gp85 gene

The Epstein-Barr virus glycoprotein gp85 has been mapped to the Epstein-Barr virus DNA open reading frame BXLF2 (R. Baer, A. Bankier, M. Biggin, P. Deininger, P. Farrell, T. Gibson, G. Hatfull, G. Hudson, S. Stachwell, C. Sequin, P. Tufnell, and B. Barrell, Nature [London] 310:207-211, 1984). A gp85-specific monoclonal antibody reacts with the BXLF2 in vitro transcription-translation product. The monoclonal antibody also precipitates an 85-kilodalton protein from rodent cells transfected with the BXLF2 open reading frame DNA. In these cells, gp85 localizes to the cytoplasm and nuclear rim rather than to the plasma membrane as in lymphocytes. Northern (RNA) blot hybridization and analysis of a cDNA clone containing BXLF2 indicate that gp85 is translated from an unspliced, late, 2.5-kilobase transcript. Similarities between the predicted amino acid sequences of gp85 and herpes simplex virus gH (D. McGeoch and A. Davison, Nucleic Acids Res. 14:4281-4292, 1986) are noted.

Predicting dermal absorption of gas-phase chemicals: transient model development, evaluation, and application

A transient model is developed to predict dermal absorption of gas-phase chemicals via direct air-to-skin-to-blood transport under non-steady-state conditions. It differs from published models in that it considers convective mass-transfer resistance in the boundary layer of air adjacent to the skin. Results calculated with this transient model are in good agreement with the limited experimental results that are available for comparison. The sensitivity of the modeled estimates to key parameters is examined. The model is then used to estimate air-to-skin-to-blood absorption of six phthalate esters for scenarios in which (A) a previously unexposed occupant encounters gas-phase phthalates in three different environments over a single 24-h period; (B) the same as 'A', but the pattern is repeated for seven consecutive days. In the 24-h scenario, the transient model predicts more phthalate absorbed into skin and less absorbed into blood than would a steady-state model. In the 7-day scenario, results calculated by the transient and steady-state models converge over a time period that varies between 3 and 4 days for all but the largest phthalate (DEHP). Dermal intake is comparable to or larger than inhalation intake for DEP, DiBP, DnBP, and BBzP in Scenario 'A' and for all six phthalates in Scenario 'B'.

PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS

Dermal absorption from air has often been overlooked in exposure assessments. However, our transient model suggests that dermal intake of certain gas-phase phthalate esters is comparable to, or larger than, inhalation intake under commonly occurring indoor conditions. This may also be the case for other organic chemicals that have physicochemical properties that favor dermal absorption directly from air. Consequently, this pathway should be included in aggregate exposure and risk assessments. Furthermore, under conditions where the exposure concentrations are changing or there is insufficient time to achieve steady-state, the transient model presented in this study is more appropriate for estimating dermal absorption than is a steady-state model.

An IDH1 mutation inhibits growth of glioma cells via GSH depletion and ROS generation

The isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) gene mutation occurs frequently in glioma. While some studies have demonstrated that IDH1 mutations are associated with prolonged survival, the mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we found that growth was significantly inhibited in glioma cells overexpressing the mutated IDH1 gene. Furthermore, these cells were characterized by decreased intracellular NADPH levels accompanied by glutathione (GSH) depletion and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Moreover, the increased apoptosis and the decreased proliferation were found in the glioma cells overexpressing the mutant IDH1 gene. Accordingly, our study demonstrates that using H2O2-regulated mutant IDH1 glioma cells could obviously increase the inhibition of cell growth; nevertheless, GSH had the opposite result. Our study provides direct evidence that mutation of IDH1 profoundly inhibits the growth of glioma cells, and we speculate that this is the major factor behind its association with prolonged survival in glioma. Finally, our study indicates that depletion of GSH and generation of ROS are the primary cellular events associated with this mutation.

Characterizing the boundary lateral to the shear direction of deformation twins in magnesium

The three-dimensional nature of twins, especially the atomic structures and motion mechanisms of the boundary lateral to the shear direction of the twin, has never been characterized at the atomic level, because such boundary is, in principle, crystallographically unobservable. We thus refer to it here as the dark side of the twin. Here, using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and atomistic simulations, we characterize the dark side of deformation twins in magnesium. It is found that the dark side is serrated and comprised of coherent twin boundaries and semi-coherent twist prismatic–prismatic boundaries that control twin growth. The conclusions of this work apply to the same twin mode in other hexagonal close-packed materials, and the conceptual ideas discussed here should hold for all twin modes in crystalline materials.

Twin propagation involves three-dimensional normal, forward and lateral motion of twin interfaces with respect to the twinning shear direction. Here, the authors combine electron microscopy and atomistic simulations to study the until now unknown lateral structure of tensile deformation twins in magnesium.

Association of the ADIPOQ rs17360539 and rs266729 polymorphisms with type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis

Published data on the association between ADIPOQ polymorphisms and type 2 diabetes are inconsistent. The present meta-analysis was performed to clarify the role of polymorphisms in proximal promoter region of ADIPOQ (rs17360539 and rs266729) in type 2 diabetes. The MEDLINE, EMBASE and Science Citation Index Expanded database were searched for eligible studies. Odd ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to assess the strength of association. The pooled ORs were performed for per-allele model (A/a) and others genetic models. A total of 10267 T2DM patients and 12837 controls was included in the meta-analysis. Overall the -11377G allele had an 8% elevated risk of T2DM compared to -11377C allele in all subjects (P=0.034, OR=1.08, 95% CI 1.01-1.15). The -11391A allele showed no significant effect on T2DM risk in all subjects (P=0.240, OR=1.10, 95% CI 0.94-1.29) compared to -11391G allele. In the subgroup analyses by ethnicity, -11391A allele increased T2DM risk in European population (P=0.046, OR=1.09, 95% CI 1.00-1.09). In conclusion, the accumulated evidence suggested that the ADIPOQ -11377G allele is a low-penetrant risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes, but -11391A is a risk factor only in European Caucasians.

Tunable spin-orbit coupling via strong driving in ultracold-atom systems

Spin-orbit coupling is an essential ingredient in topological materials, conventional and quantum-gas-based alike. Engineered spin-orbit coupling in ultracold-atom systems-unique in their experimental control and measurement opportunities-provides a major opportunity to investigate and understand topological phenomena. Here we experimentally demonstrate and theoretically analyze a technique for controlling spin-orbit coupling in a two-component Bose-Einstein condensate using amplitude-modulated Raman coupling.

Review of the role of leptin in the regulation of male reproductive function

Since discovered in 1994, leptin has been thought to be a pleiotropic hormone that regulates food intake, controls energy balance in the body and influences multiple tissues in the body. Leptin plays an important mediating role in the regulation of neuroendocrine and can transmit the nutritional status signals to the reproductive-related central nervous system. Many studies have shown that leptin may play an important role in the control of reproductive function. Leptin can act on all levels of the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis and may have local effects on the function of testis and spermatogenesis. Leptin is critical for puberty initiation and can also modulate testosterone synthesis by downregulating cAMP-dependent activation of steroidogenic genes expressions. Leptin is found to be higher in infertile men than in normal subjects. Yet, the exact role of leptin in the regulation of male reproductive function remains incomplete. The purpose of this review was to summarise the recent research about the biological effects of leptin on male reproductive system. In-depth study of leptin in reproductive system will help to reveal the pathogenesis of infertility and provide new treatment ideas for human assisted reproductive technology.

Isolation and characterization of genomic sequences involved in the regulation of the human reduced folate carrier gene (RFC1)

Decreased reduced folate carrier (RFC) activity has been associated with MTX resistance in experimental models of transport-mediated MTX resistance, and has been attributed to changes in the expression of RFC1, the gene that encodes a protein with this activity. RNA transcripts of RFC1 may contain any one of four distinct 5' untranslated regions (UTRs). We cloned a human genomic DNA fragment upstream from the RFC1 translation start site and determined the nucleotide sequence of a 4.8kb region that contained the exons corresponding to each of the reported UTRs. To identify regulatory elements that may be involved in RFC1 transcription, we first developed a semi-quantitative RT-PCR assay using primers specific for each of the 5' UTRs to amplify RNA transcripts containing each of the RFC1 5' exons, and found evidence for differential transcription of RFC1 non-coding exons in tissues, during development, and in MTX-resistant, transport-deficient cells. We also found that RFC1 RNA levels are cell cycle regulated and peak at the G1 to S transition. Then, using a series of RFC1 promoter-reporter fusion constructs, we identified genomic sequences that may be involved in the regulation of expression of exons 1b and 1c of the RFC1 gene. These studies therefore identify regulatory regions of RFC1 promoters and potential models of regulation in which these regions may exert control.

Marek's disease virus type 1-specific phosphorylated proteins pp38 and pp24 with common amino acid termini are encoded from the opposite junction regions between the long unique and inverted repeat sequences of viral genome

The nucleotide sequence of the junction region between the long unique (UL) and terminal inverted repeat (TRL) sequences of Marek's disease (MD) virus type 1 (MDV1) DNA revealed the presence of a rightward open reading frame of 155 amino acids. The ORF inserted into an eukaryotic expression vector transiently expressed an antigen in the cytoplasm of COS7 cells which reacted with the monoclonal antibody M21 against an MDV1-specific phosphorylated protein complex consisting of at least the proteins pp38 and pp24. In addition, RNA synthesized in vitro from the ORF under the control of the T7 promoter was translated in vitro using rabbit reticulocyte lysates. A polypeptide of about 24 kDa was immunoprecipitated with M21 antibody. Thus, the MDV1-specific phosphorylated proteins pp38 and pp24 with common amino termini are encoded in the opposite junction regions between the UL and IRL and between the UL and TRL, respectively, of the MDV1 genome. The pp38 gene is transcribed leftward from the viral genome, while the pp24 gene was shown here to be transcribed rightward in a MD tumor cell line as well as in cells productively infected with MDV1.

Enhanced vascular contractility and diminished coronary artery flow in rats made hypertensive from diet-induced obesity

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether obesity-induced hypertension was associated with alterations in vascular contractility and/or cardiac function.

DESIGN

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed either a low fat (LF; 11% kcal as fat) or a moderately high fat (MHF; 32% kcal as fat) diet for 11 weeks.

MEASUREMENTS

Body weight; mean arterial pressure; angiotensin peptides; mesenteric contractile response to phenylephrine (PE), potassium chloride (KCl), serotonin, angiotensin II (AngII), calcium chloride; baseline and isoproterenol-induced cardiac contractility; baseline and isoproterenol-induced coronary artery blood flow.

RESULTS

Rats fed the MHF diet segregated into obesity-prone (OP) and obesity-resistant (OR) groups. OP rats exhibited elevations in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and elevations in systemic concentrations of angiotensin peptides. Mesenteric arteries from OP rats exhibited a greater contractile response to PE, KCl and serotonin (5-HT). Heightened responses to PE persisted in arteries from OP rats even after normalization of the response to KCl. In contrast, the response of permeabilized mesenteric arteries to a maximal concentration of calcium was similar in rats from each group. Isolated perfused hearts exhibited similar baseline and isoproterenol-induced contractility in rats from each group. However, isoproterenol was unable to increase coronary artery blood flow in hearts from OP rats.

CONCLUSION

Enhanced vascular reactivity may contribute to obesity-induced hypertension, while reductions in coronary artery relaxation would impair the ability of the heart to respond to increased myocardial demand.

A scale for Assessing Health Care Providers' Teaching and Communication Behavior regarding asthma

Partnership between health care providers and patients is important for controlling illness. A limited number of studies show how to assess health professionals' communication and partnering behavior. The relationship between these aspects of professional behavior and enhanced management of disease by patients has received little empirical study. The research reported here developed a Health Care Providers' Teaching and Communication Behavior (TCB) scale for assessing the teaching and communication behavior of clinicians treating patients with asthma. Such a tool is needed for research related to provider-patient relationships and for evaluation of professionals' performance.

PAX3 is overexpressed in human glioblastomas and critically regulates the tumorigenicity of glioma cells

Paired box 3 (PAX3) is overexpressed in glioma tissues compared to normal brain tissues, however, the pathogenic role of PAX3 in human glioma cells remains to be elucidated. In this study, we selected the human glioma cell lines U251, U87, SHG-44, and the normal human astrocytes, 1800, which have differential PAX3 expression depending upon the person. SiRNA targeting PAX3 and PAX3 overexpression vectors were transfected into U87 and SHG-44 glioma cell lines, and cell proliferation, invasion, apoptosis, and differentiation were examined by CCK-8 assays, transwell chamber assays, tunnel staining, Annexin V/PI analysis, and Western blotting, respectively. In addition, we used subcutaneous tumor models to study the effect of PAX3 on the growth of glioma cells in vivo. We found that PAX3 was upregulated in the three glioma cell lines. PAX3 knockdown inhibited cell proliferation and invasion, and induced apoptosis in the U87MG glioblastoma cell line, whereas PAX3 upregulation promoted proliferation, inhibited apoptosis, and increased invasion in the SHG-44 glioma cell line. Moreover, we found that targeting PAX3 expression in glioma cell lines together with chemotherapeutic treatment could increase glioma cell susceptibility to the drug. In subcutaneous tumor models in nude mice using glioma cell lines U-87MG and SHG-44, inhibition of PAX3 expression in glioblastoma U-87MG cells suppressed tumorigenicity, and upregulation of PAX3 expression in glioma SHG-44 cells promoted tumor formation in vivo. These results indicate that PAX3 in glioma is essential for gliomagenesis; thus, targeting PAX3 or its downstream targets may lead to novel therapies for this disease.

Expression of the 39k promoter of Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus is increased by the apoptotic suppressor P35

The 39k promoter of the baculovirus Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) is transactivated by the viral protein IE1 and further stimulated by viral enhancer elements and the viral coactivator IE2. To identify additional viral proteins that regulate expression from the 39k promoter, we performed cotransfection experiments with clones of viral DNA and a plasmid containing the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene under the control of the 39k promoter. Our results indicated that cotransfection of a 39cat construct with plasmids containing IE1 and the EcoRI-S fragment of viral DNA stimulated CAT activity 2.5-fold as compared to cells transfected in the absence of EcoRI-S. EcoRI-S encodes P35, a protein that suppresses apoptosis in AcNPV-infected cells. Primer extension analysis showed that the increase in CAT activity was due to a corresponding increase in mRNA, indicating that P35 may increase transcription from the 39k promoter. To determine whether P35 could activate the 39k promoter in the absence of IE1, the p35 open reading frame was cloned under the control of the ie1 promoter. Cotransfections of 39cat and IE-P35 in the presence and absence of pIE1 indicated that activation of 39k by P35 required the IE1 protein. Cotransfection of plasmids encoding P35 and IE1 did not lead to an increase in the expression of IE1. This suggests that the mechanism of P35 is different than that of IE2 which activates 39k indirectly by increasing the expression of IE1. Cotransfection experiments indicated that IE2 and P35 act in a synergistic fashion.