The efficacy of CGS 20267 in suppressing estrogen biosynthesis in patients with advanced stage breast cancer

The pharmacologic inhibition of aromatase activity has been the focus of clinical trials in patients with advanced stage breast cancer. Recent developments with imidazole compounds that inhibit aromatase activity suggest their clinical use as potent inhibitors of estrogen biosynthesis in postmenopausal breast cancer patients. In this Phase I, open-label, dose-range finding study, we examined the inhibitory potency of CGS 20267 on blood and urine levels of estradiol, estrone and estrone sulfate in 8 patients with metastatic breast cancer. Studies included evaluation of adrenal and thyroid function to look for evidence of general hydroxylase inhibition at dose levels effective for aromatase blockade. Patients were administered CGS 20267 at doses of 0.1 and 0.25 mg, once a day in ascending doses over a 12-week period. Preliminary data reveal that CGS 20267 elicits a striking suppression in plasma estradiol, estrone and estrone sulphate which was observed in some patients as quickly as within 24 h of the first dose. Estrogen suppression of over 90% was achieved within 2 weeks of therapy. No alterations in either baseline or ACTH (cortrosyn) stimulated cortisol and aldosterone levels were observed through the 12 weeks of therapy. In addition, 24 h urine sodium and potassium values were not appreciably altered during therapy. We conclude that CGS 20267 is a potent, specific inhibitor of estrogen biosynthesis in postmenopausal patients with metastatic breast cancer and effectively reduces blood and urine estrogens to undetectable levels.     

DISTRIBUTION AND SYSTEMATICS OF THE FRESHWATER GENUS TUOMEYA (RHODOPHYTA,BATRACHOSPERMACEAE)1

Twenty-seven populations of Tuomeya, including the types of Tuomeya fluviatilis Harvey and Baileya americana Kützing, were analyzed from the entire known range of the genus: northern Newfoundland to northern Florida and east of the Mississippi River. Key morphological features were examined in detail since it has been recently proposed that Tuomeya should be reduced to a section of the genus Batrachospermum. Our observations confirmed the presence of several characteristics unique to Tuomeya: gametophyte development from a basal mass of undifferentiated cells rather than a chantransia stage, pseudoparenchymatous growth, and carpogonia with obliquely to perpendicularly attached trichogynes. Based on these findings, we conclude that the genus Tuomeya should be retained. Using multivariate morphometrics, two groupings were found that differed significantly in plant length (X = 14.1 and 24.1 mm, respectively). However, since there was no other morphometric, environmental, or geographic basis for separation of the groupings, only one species is recognized, T. americana (Kützing) Papenfuss. Populations tend to occur in large streams (>2.8 m wide) with low ion content (≤ 100 μS · cm^?1).     

Analysis of developmental switching in transgenic mice with 5′ and 3′ deletions in the human β globin gene

Our interest in thecis-acting elements that promote the up-regulation of the globin gene has led to a systematic deletion analysis of portions of the globin gene in the context of the HS2 and globin gene using transgenic mice. In constructs that delete the 5 region to only 265 bp, high-level erythroid-specific expression was observed. Further deletion to 122 bp, however, results in significantly reduced expression levels A substitution of a minilocus control region for the single HS2 site was also produced, resulting in increased globin expression over that seen with the HS2 alone. These results are consistent with the presence of an enhancer-like element between –122 and –265. In addition, a construct in which the entire globin gene promoter was replaced by a thymidine kinase promoter was tested. Interestingly, no expression was detected in these transgenic mice. This may indicate the requirement for an erythroid-specific promoter to drive this gene. Finally, the 3 region of the globin gene was deleted in order to examine the effect of a previously defined 3 enhancer region. With deletion of this region, the expression of the human globin gene in transgenic mice is unchanged relative to the parental constructs.     

Functional molecular aspects of the NADH dehydrogenases of plant mitochondria

There are multiple routes of NAD(P)H oxidation associated with the inner membrane of plant mitochondria. These are the phosphorylating NADH dehydrogenase, otherwise known as Complex I, and at least four other nonphosphorylating NAD(P)H dehydrogenases. Complex I has been isolated from beetroot, broad bean, and potato mitochondria. It has at least 32 polypeptides associated with it, contains FMN as its prosthetic group, and the purified enzyme is sensitive to inhibition by rotenone. In terms of subunit complexity it appears similar to the mammalian and fungal enzymes. Some polypeptides display antigenic similarity to subunits fromNeurospora crassa but little cross-reactivity to antisera raised against some beef heart complex I subunits. Plant complex I contains eight mitochondrial encoded subunits with the remainder being nuclear-encoded. Two of these mitochondrial-encoded subunits, nad7 and nad9, show homology to corresponding nuclear-encoded subunits inNeurospora crassa (49 and 30 kDa, respectively) and beef heart CI (49 and 31 kDa, respectively), suggesting a marked difference between the assembly of CI from plants and the fungal and mammalian enzymes. As well as complex I, plant mitochondria contain several type-II NAD(P)H dehydrogenases which mediate rotenone-insensitive oxidation of cytosolic and matrix NADH. We have isolated three of these dehydrogenases from beetroot mitochondria which are similar to enzymes isolated from potato mitochondria. Two of these enzymes are single polypeptides (32 and 55 kDa) and appear similar to those found in maize mitochondria, which have been localized to the outside of the inner membrane. The third enzyme appears to be a dimer comprised of two identical 43-kDa subunits. It is this enzyme that we believe contributes to rotenone-insensitive oxidation of matrix NADH. In addition to this type-II dehydrogenases, several observations suggest the presence of a smaller form of CI present in plant mitochondria which is insensitive to rotenone inhibition. We propose that this represents the peripheral arm of CI in plant mitochondria and may participate in nonphosphorylating matrix NADH oxidation.     

Genomic organization and evolution of the soybean SB92 satellite sequence

Repetitive DNA sequences comprise a large percentage of plant genomes, and their characterization provides information about both species and genome evolution. We have isolated a recombinant clone containing a highly repeated DNA element (SB92) that is homologous to ca. 0.9% of the soybean genome or about 10⁵ copies. This repeated sequence is tandemly arranged and is found in four or five major genomic locations. FISH analysis of metaphase chromosomes suggests that two of these locations are centromeric. We have determined the sequence of two cloned repeats and performed genomic sequencing to obtain a consensus sequence. The consensus repeat size was 92 bp and exhibited an average of 10% nucleotide substitution relative to the two cloned repeats. This high level of sequence diversity suggests an ancient origin but is inconsistent with the limited phylogenetic distribution of SB92, which is found an high copy number only in the annual soybeans. It therefore seems likely that this sequence is undergoing very rapid evolution.     

A role for cAMP in angiotensin II mediated inhibition of cell growth in AT1A receptor-transfected CHO-K1 cells

G-protein coupled Angiotensin II receptors (AT_1A), mediate cellular responses through multiple signal transduction pathways. In AT_1A receptor-transfected CHO-K1 cells (T3CHO/AT_1A), angiotensin II (AII) stimulated a dose-dependent (EC₅₀=3.3 nM) increase in cAMP accumulation, which was inhibited by the selective AT₁, nonpeptide receptor antagonist EXP3174. Activation of protein kinase C, or increasing intracellular Ca²⁺ with ATP, the calcium ionophore A23187 or ionomycin failed to stimulate cAMP accumulation. Thus, AII-induced cAMP accumulation was not secondary to activation of a protein kinase C- or Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent pathway. Since cAMP has an established role in cellular growth responses, we investigated the effect of the AII-mediated increase in cAMP on cell number and [³H]thymidine incorporation in T3CHOA/AT_1A cells. AII (1 M) significantly inhibited cell number (51% at 96 h) and [³H]thymidine incorporation (68% at 24 h) compared to vehicle controls. These effects were blocked by EXP3174, confirming that these responses were mediated through the AT₁ receptor. Forskolin (10 M) and the cAMP analog dibutyryl-cAMP (1 mM) also inhibited [³H]thymidine incorporation by 55 and 25% respectively. We extended our investigation on the effect of AII-stimulated increases in cAMP, to determine the role for established growth related signaling events, i.e., mitogen-activated protein kinase activity and tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins. AII-stimulated mitogen-activated protein kinase activity and phosphorylation of the 42 and 44 kD forms. These events were unaffected by forskolin stimulated increases in cAMP, thus the AII-stimulated mitogen-activated protein kinase activity was independent of cAMP in these cells. AII also stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation of a number of cellular proteins in T3CHO/AT_1A cells, in particular a 127 kD protein. The phosphorylation of the 127 kD protein was transient, reaching a maximum at 1 min, and returning to basal levels within 10 min. The dephosphorylation of this protein was blocked by a selective inhibitor of cAMP dependent protein kinase A, H89-dihydrochloride and preexposure to forskolin prevented the AII-induced transient tyrosine phosphorylation of the 127 kD protein. These data suggest that cAMP, and therefore protein kinase A can contribute to AII-mediated growth inhibition by stimulating the dephosphorylation of substrates that are tyrosine phosphorylated in response to AII.