Interference with mitogenic signal transduction by polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxin in vascular smooth muscle cells : a focus on protein phosphorylation, c-Ha-ras, and cell proliferation /

Studies were conducted to test the hypothesis that the

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Weber, Thomas Joseph, 1964-
Format: Thesis Book
Language:English
Published: [Place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified] ; 1994.
Subjects:
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Description
Summary:Studies were conducted to test the hypothesis that the
effects of BaP on PKC activity in rat aortic SMCs were partly
mediated through an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR)-related
mechanism and assess the cell cycle-dependence of these
responses. Enhanced PKC activity was observed in rat aortic
SMCs isolated from rats treated with TCDD in vivo as well as
in naive cultured randomly cycling SMCs in vitro. Sucrose
density gradient and gel mobility shift analysis of SMCs
treated with TCDD suggested this cell type contains an intact
AhR signal transduction system. Structure-activity
relationships conducted in growth-arrested SMCs treated with
TCDD suggested both AhR-related and -independent components.
PKC activity was differentially effected by TCDD during
individual phases of the cell cycle where reduced C-kinase
activity during the GO/GI transition and increased activity
during the Gi/S transition were observed. Enhanced PKC
activity during the GI/S transition was cycloheximide
insensitive suggesting that modulation of PKC activity during
this phase of the cell cycle was not related to de novo
protein synthesis. Western blot analysis showed the presence
of 5 PKC subspecies in cultured rat aortic SMCS, namely the
PKC (X, PKC 011, PKC8, PKCF-, and PKCC, isoforms. Treatment
of synchronized cycling SMCs with TCDD during the GO/GI
transition decreased expression of all PKC isoforms. PKCPH
and PKC8 were increased in SMCs treated with TCDD during the
Gi/S transition, PKCC expression was slightly reduced, and
PKC(X and F were unaffected. Reduced DNA synthetic rates
were observed in SMCs treated with TCDD during the early GO/G
1 phase. Flow cytometry confirmed reductions of DNA
synthesis and suggested that TCDD impeded cell cycle
progression. Modulation of PKC activity and DNA synthesis
during the early Go/G i phase were associated with reductions
of inducible AP- I:TRE binding activity in nuclear extracts
from quiescent SMCs treated with serum and TCDD. Measurement
of DNA synthetic rates in naive and c-Ha-rasEJ transfected
SMCs in the presence of staurosporine and in PKC-depleted
cells suggested that PKC was a critical component of growth-
related signal transduction in vascular SMCS.
Item Description:Vita.
"Major Subject: Toxicology".
In title, symbols are used.
Physical Description:xii, 167 leaves : illustrations ; 28 cm.
Issued also on microfiche from University Microfilms Inc.
Bibliography:Includes bibliographical references.