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RNA-binding proteins and microRNAs are potent post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression. Human transformer 2β (Tra2β) is a serine/arginine-rich-like protein splicing factor and is now implicated to have wide-ranging roles in gene expression as an RNA-binding protein. RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) with an anti-Tra2β antibody and microarray analysis identified a subset of Tra2β-associated mRNAs in HCT116 human colon cancer cells, many of which encoded cell death-related proteins including Bcl-2 (B-cell CLL/lymphoma 2). Tra2β knockdown in HCT116 cells decreased Bcl-2 expression and induced apoptosis. Tra2β knockdown accelerated the decay of BCL2α mRNA that encodes Bcl-2 and full-length 3′ UTR, while it did not affect the stability of BCL2β mRNA having a short, alternatively spliced 3′ UTR different from BCL2α 3′ UTR. RIP assays with anti-Tra2β and anti-Argonaute 2 antibodies, respectively, showed that Tra2β bound to BCL2α 3′ UTR, and that Tra2β knockdown facilitated association of miR-204 with BCL2α 3′ UTR. The consensus sequence (GAA) for Tra2β-binding lies within the miR-204-binding site of BCL2 3′ UTR. Mutation of the consensus sequence canceled the binding of Tra2β to BCL2 3′ UTR without disrupting miR-204-binding to BCL2 3′ UTR. Transfection of an anti-miR-204 or introduction of three-point mutations into the miR-204-binding site increased BCL2 mRNA and Bcl-2 protein levels. Inversely, transfection of precursor miR-204 reduced their levels. Experiments with Tra2β-silenced or overexpressed cells revealed that Tra2β antagonized the effects of miR-204 and upregulated Bcl-2 expression. Furthermore, TRA2β mRNA expression was significantly upregulated in 22 colon cancer tissues compared with paired normal tissues and positively correlated with BCL2 mRNA expression. Tra2β knockdown in human lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549) increased their sensitivity to anticancer drugs. Taken together, our findings suggest that Tra2β regulates apoptosis by modulating Bcl-2 expression through its competition with miR-204. This novel function may have a crucial role in tumor growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: NADPH oxidase 1 (Nox1) is preferentially expressed in the colon, but its functional role is not fully understood. This study was designed to elucidate a potential role of Nox1 in inflammation of the colon.Methods: Superoxide production by T84 cells was measured by the cytochrome c method. Protein and mRNA levels of Nox1 and Nox organizer 1 (NOXO1) in the cells were measured by real-time reverse transcriptase PCR and Western blotting, respectively. Expression of Nox1, Nox2, dual oxidase 2 (Duox2), NOXO1, interferon (IFN)-gamma, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha mRNAs was measured in proximal, middle, and distal portions of colonic mucosas from male wild-type C57BL/6J and interleukin (IL)-10 knockout mice at 6, 10, and 16 weeks of age. Grading of inflammation was done by scoring histological changes.Results: IL-10 significantly inhibited IFN-gamma- or TNF-alpha-induced up-regulation of superoxide-producing activity in T84 cells by suppressing expression of Nox1 mRNA and protein. IL-10 also inhibited TNF-alpha-stimulated induction of NOXO1 and p38 MAPK phosphorylation. Levels of Nox1, but not Nox2 or Duox2 mRNA, was age-dependently increased following a gradient with low levels in the proximal colon and high levels in the distal colon of the wild-type mice. The absence of IL-10 significantly facilitated Nox1 expression in association with increased IFN-gamma mRNA expression before the development of spontaneous colitis and age-dependently accelerated their mRNA expression.Conclusions: IL-10 may be a possible down-regulator of the Nox1-based oxidase in the colon, suggesting a potential role of reactive oxygen species (ROS) derived from Nox1-based oxidase in inflammation of the colon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the major side effects of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, such as indomethacin, is gastropathy. The purpose of this study was to search for a therapeutic drug to prevent this side effect in vitro. We found that geranylgeranylacetone, a unique antiulcer drug with a heat-shock protein-inducing ability, protected cultured guinea pig gastric mucosal cells from cell damage caused by indomethacin. This cytoprotective effect of geranylgeranylacetone required concentrations of more than 10(-6) M and incubation periods of longer than 2 hr. Pretreatment of cells with an inhibitor of protein synthesis completely abolished the cytoprotective effect of geranylgeranylacetone, suggesting that some proteins induced by the drug are responsible for the cytoprotection. Since pretreatment of cells with low concentrations of ethanol, which also induced the heat-shock proteins, made cells resistant to indomethacin, heat-shock proteins are candidates for the proteins that are involved in the cytoprotective effect of geranylgeranylacetone against indomethacin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the mechanism of spontaneous and rapid cell death of cultured gastric pit cells. Gastric pit cells have a rapid cell turnover rate in vivo. We here show that guinea pig gastric pit cells in culture undergo spontaneous and rapid apoptotic DNA fragmentation, which may represent the rapid cell turnover cycle of gastric pit cells in vivo. This spontaneous apoptotic DNA fragmentation required the presence of fetal calf serum in the culture media. Furthermore, the spontaneous apoptotic DNA fragmentation was prevented by protein synthesis and caspase inhibitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to elucidate the molecular mechanism of action of geranylgeranylacetone, an antiulcer drug. Treatment with ethanol for 8 hr at the optimum concentration (7.5%) caused apoptotic DNA fragmentation in cultured guinea pig gastric mucosal cells. Pretreatment of cells with geranylgeranylacetone suppressed the DNA fragmentation in a dose-dependent manner. The maximum effect was achieved at 10(-6) M, at which concentration the drug was previously shown to induce heat-shock proteins. The suppression required an incubation period longer than 1 hr. Pretreatment of cells with low concentrations of ethanol also prevented DNA fragmentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined whether vitamin A improved mucosal immune depression in mice with wasting protein deficiency. In male C3H/HeN mice fed a semi-purified 1% protein diet for 2 wk, plasma retinol and immunoglobulin A (IgA) concentrations in the small intestinal mucosa were 50 and 55%, respectively, of those in mice fed a semi-purified 20% protein diet, (P < 0.05). Daily supplementation of 0.3 mg of retinyl acetate to protein-deficient mice for 2 wk increased the plasma retinol level to the value in the protein-sufficient mice. However, 1 mg/d of retinyl acetate was required to prevent the decline of the IgA level caused by the protein deficiency. Mice fed the low-protein diet had lower concentrations of IL-4 and IL-5 in the small intestinal mucosa and fewer IL-4- and IL-5-containing cells in the lamina propria (P < 0. 05). Retinyl acetate (1 mg) significantly restored the IL-5 level and the number of IL-4- and IL-5-containing cells. After immunization with 20 microg of cholera toxin (CT), the intestinal mucosa of protein-deficient mice contained significantly less CT-specific IgA than control mice. Treatment with 1 mg of retinyl acetate prevented the decline of anti-CT IgA level in the protein-deficient mice, improving their survival rate after an exposure to 0.1 mg of CT. These results suggest that large oral supplements of vitamin A may preserve mucosal IgA level during protein malnutrition, possibly by stimulating Th2 cytokine production and thereby, inducing resistance against infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to reveal oxidant-sensitive components in gastric epithelial cells, which may regulate inflammatory processes in gastric mucosa. Gel mobility shift assay showed that treatment of cultured guinea pig gastric epithelial cells with hydrogen peroxide or diamide produced a KB oligonucleotide-protein complex within 5 min. The binding proteins consisted of a p50/p65 heterodimer, which was identified by immunosupershift, UV cross-linking, and immunoprecipitation analyses. Immunocytochemical study demonstrated that surface epithelial cells and parietal cells expressed p500 and p65 mainly in the cytosol, and the oxidants rapidly initiated the nuclear translocation of the components. The oxidants caused the up-regulation of p105 (a p50 precursor) synthesis and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase mRNA. These results suggest that the oxidant-sensitive p50/p65 heterodimer in gastric epithelial cells may play an important role in transcriptional activation of genes involved in inflammatory responses of the stomach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin A is a potent inducer for liver/bone/kidney alkaline phosphatase (L/B/K ALP) in a variety of tissues. However, the evidence for induction of L/B/K ALP by vitamin A in small intestine is limited. In this study, we investigated the influence of vitamin A on L/B/K ALP expression in rat small intestinal crypt IEC-6 cells and fetal rat small intestine. Treatment of IEC-6 cells with all-trans retinoic acid (RA) increased the levels of activity, protein and mRNA of L/B/K ALP, whereas enterocyte-specific proteins, including intestinal ALP, sucrase-isomaltase and glucose transporter-2, were not induced. The reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction technique revealed that this L/B/K ALP transcript had the bone-type but not the liver-type leader exon. IEC-6 cells constitutively expressed mRNAs of all subtypes of retinoic acid receptor (RAR) and retinoid X receptor (RXR) at varied concentrations. Among these receptor mRNAs, RARbeta mRNA quickly responded to RA treatment, and the level was doubled within 4 h. Gel mobility shift assay showed that RA induced an RXRE-binding activity in IEC-6 cells. The L/B/K ALP transcript, expressed in fetal rat small intestine, also contained the bone-type leader exon. Intragastric administration of 10 mg retinyl acetate to pregnant rats from gestational d 7 to 15 increased the levels of this transcript and enzyme in 15-d fetal rat small intestine. Our results suggest that vitamin A may be an important regulator for L/B/K ALP expression in fetal rat small intestine as well as in IEC-6 cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to reveal the role of intracellular glutathione in the oxidative stress responses of gastric epithelial cells. Metabolic radiolabeling with L-[35S]methionine and analysis of synthesized proteins by gel electrophoresis and fluorography showed that upon exposure to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or diamide, primary cultures of guinea-pig gastric epithelial cells rapidly induced several undefined proteins, as well as heat shock proteins. When intracellular glutathione was depleted to less than 10% of the control value by treatment with buthionine-[S,R]-sulfoximine, these inductions were completely inhibited. Gel mobility shift assay demonstrated that H2O2 and diamide rapidly activated nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB), and diamide activated activator protein (AP)-1, and c-Jun/activating transcription factor (ATF)-2, suggesting that the response may be coupled to these reduction-oxidation (redox)-sensitive transcription factors, as well as heat shock transcription factor 1. The activations of NF-kappaB, AP-1, and c-Jun/ATF-2 by the oxidants did not occur in glutathione-depleted cells. Northern blot analysis showed that glutathione depletion markedly or completely suppressed the diamide-induced expression of c-fos and c-jun mRNAs. These results suggest that intracellular glutathione redox may participate in the initiation of oxidative stress responses; thereby, it plays an important role in gastric mucosal defense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Pathophysiology of peptic ulcer disease is based on heterogenous abnormalities of gastric epithelial cell function. Based on clinical observations, we proposed the hypothesis that duodenal ulcer can occur with normal acid secretion, but that recurrence of duodenal ulcer may be caused by genetic and environmental factors that promote altered kinetics in gastric cells; i.e., the formation of new cells, the migration of cells, and changes in their life span of cells. The factors controlling these processes include feeding, the action of endocrine and gut hormones, the action of the autonomic nervous system, the microcirculation, and growth factors. In this review, to prove our hypothesis, we have summarized the clinical and experimental approaches to reveal the environmental factors that control the proliferation and differentiation of gastric epithelial cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]