Phospholipase C‐gamma (PLC‐gamma) and GTPase activating protein (GAP) are substrates of EGF, PDGF and other growth factor receptors. Since either PLC‐gamma or GAP also bind to the activated receptors it was suggested that their SH2 domains are mediating this association. We attempted to delineate the specific region of the EGF receptor that is responsible for the binding, utilizing EGF receptor mutants, PLC‐gamma, and a bacterially expressed TRP E fusion protein containing the SH2 domains of GAP. As previously shown, tyrosine autophosphorylation of the wild‐type receptor wsa crucial in mediating the association and in agreement, a kinase negative EGF receptor could bind PLC‐gamma or TRP E GAP SH2, but only when cross tyrosine phosphorylated by an active EGF receptor kinase. The importance of autophosphorylation for association was confirmed by demonstrating that a carboxy‐terminal deletion of the EGFR missing four autophosphorylation sites bound these proteins poorly. To study the role of EGF receptor autophosphorylation further, a 203 amino acid EGF receptor fragment was generated with cyanogen bromide that contained all known tyrosine autophosphorylation sites. This fragment bound both TRP E GAP SH2 and PLC‐gamma but only when tyrosine phosphorylated. This data localizes a major binding site for SH2 domain containing proteins to the carboxy‐terminus of the EGF receptor and points to the importance of tyrosine phosphorylation in mediating this association.
We have tested one aspect of the allosteric dimerization model for the activation of EGF receptor (EGFR) by EGF: whether EGF binding favors dimerization of the receptor. For this to be true, EGF molecules must bind with higher affinity to dimeric receptors than to monomeric receptors. We have tested this directly in a defined system using the soluble, extracellular ligand binding domain of EGFR monomers (sEGFR) and sEGFR dimers stabilized by treatment with a covalent cross-linking agent. We describe real-time kinetic measurements of EGF binding to receptor monomers and dimers employing the method of total internal reflection (surface plasmon resonance). Our data show that sEGFR dimers bound EGF with 30-40-fold higher affinity [KD = (2-3) x 10(-8) M] than did sEGFR monomers. The enhanced binding affinity of sEGFR dimers resulted mainly from a reduced off-rate with k(off) = 0.001 s-1 for sEGFR dimers as compared to k(off) = 0.06 s-1 for sEGFR monomers. These measurements indicate that dimerization of sEGFR increases its affinity for EGF by prolonging the amount of time that EGF remains bound to the receptor. This provides evidence that EGF binding stabilizes receptor dimerization and provides further support for the allosteric dimerization model as a mechanism for ligand induced receptor activation.
The hormone gastrin stimulates acid secretion by releasing histamine from gastric enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells and induces ECL cell proliferation in vivo. This study uses a > 90% pure ECL cell preparation in culture to compare gastrin effects on histamine release, histidine decarboxylase (HDC) activity, and DNA synthesis. Gastrin and the cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8, nonsulfated) induced histamine release from ECL cells (24-96 h of primary culture) within 5 min of incubation [concentration eliciting 50% of maximal response (EC50), 4 and 2 x 10(-11) M, respectively]. The CCK-B antagonist L-365,260 inhibited this effect [concentration inhibiting 50% of maximal response (IC50), 2 x 10(-8) M], whereas the CCK-A antagonist L-364,718 (10(-8) M) and the tyrosine kinase inhibitor genistein (10(-4) M) had no effect. Histamine release was associated with a biphasic elevation of intracellular Ca2+. Gastrin stimulated HDC activity two- to threefold after 60 min of incubation (EC50, 10(-10) M). Gastrin also increased DNA synthesis in ECL cells, with an EC50 of 1.7 x 10(-12) M as measured by the incorporation of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU). Positive nuclear immunostaining increased two- to threefold in up to 20% of ECL cells after 48-96 h of incubation. This effect was inhibited by L-365,260 (IC50, 5 x 10(-9) M) and by genistein (10(-4) M) but was not altered by L-364,718 (10(-8) M). The antisecretory drugs omeprazole, lansoprazole, and pantoprazole did not affect BrdU incorporation in isolated ECL cells. In conclusion, acute and chronic gastrin effects on the ECL cell are mediated via CCK-B receptors but differ in apparent receptor affinity and signal transduction pathways.
Canine bone marrow stromal cells were expanded to numbers in excess of 10(9) cells from the initial 10-20 ml of marrow aspirates and transfected to express high levels of human growth hormone (hGH) in vitro. Ex vivo-modified marrow stromal cells were used in a gene therapy model system for the systemic delivery of transgene products in dogs. Adherent bone marrow stromal cell cultures, established and expanded from iliac crest marrow aspirates from each of 8 dogs, were transfected with a hGH gene plasmid expression vector and shown to express from 0.54-3.84 micrograms/10(6) cells per 24 hr hGH in vitro. The transfected plasmid vector does not possess a eukaryotic origin of replication nor does it possess sequences required for efficient integration into the host cell genome. As such, expression was expected to be transient. Transfected cells were autologously reintroduced into each dog by either infusion into a foreleg vein or directly into iliac crest marrow. In two cases, the stromal cells were cryopreserved following transfection, and subsequently thawed and infused. In one case, the expanded stromal cells were first cryopreserved, and then thawed, recultured, transfected, and infused. Reintroduced cell numbers ranged from 2.2 x 10(7) to 2.6 x 10(9), with total hGH expression capacities ranging from 62 to 1,400 micrograms/24 hr. Plasma of each of the dogs contained detectable hGH for a mean of 3.1 days (SD +/- 0.8 day) ranging from 2 to 5 days following reinfusion of cells. Peak plasma levels ranged from 0.10 to 1.76 ng/ml. Similar hGH expression values, based upon total expression capacity of the cells infused and dog body weight, were obtained for all dogs. Vector-modified stromal cells were detectable, by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis, in the peripheral circulation following reinfusion in all 4 dogs analyzed. In 3 of the dogs, modified stromal cells were detected for 8.5-15 weeks. In addition, modified stromal cells were detected in iliac crest marrow of 2 dogs for 9 and 13 weeks, respectively, following reinfusion. In another experiment, cultured bone marrow stromal cells were transfected with a human factor IX (hFIX) plasmid vector. Modified cells (5.57 x 10(8)), with a total hFIX expression capacity of 281 micrograms/24 hr, were reinfused, resulting in detectable hFIX in plasma continuously for 9 days with a peak level of 8 ng/ml on day 1. These results demonstrate that the ex vivo bone marrow stromal cell system is a potentially powerful method by which to deliver secreted transgene product to the systemic circulation of large animals.
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