The goal of this application is to determine the mechanisms leading to the overexpression of the urokinase receptor (u-PAR) in invasive colon cancer.
In Specific Aim 1, the applicant proposes to identify the role of an upstream AP-1 motif in the regulation of u-PAR expression and also identify transcription factors bound by this sequence.
Aim 2 will ascertain the role of these promoter regions in regulating u-PAR expression by determining if deletion of either region impairs u-PAR promoter activity, by identifying the nucleotides contacted by nuclear proteins, and by determining the effect of mutation of the contacted nucleotides on u-PAR promoter activity.
Aim 3 will determine the role of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 (ERK1) and 2 or a constitutively activated MEK1 which lies upstream of the ERKs, to modulate u-PAR expression and in vitro invasion.
Aim 4 will investigate the ability of a synthetic inhibitor of MEK1 activation to downregulate u-PAR expression and in vitro invasion, and Aim 5 will determine the role of the c-Jun aminoterminal kinase 1 (JNK1) in regulating u-PAR expression. It is hoped that these studies will benefit colon cancer patients by decreasing u-PAR expression in colon cancer and thereby reduce the metastatic spread of the disease.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
2R01CA058311-04
Application #
2393435
Study Section
Metabolic Pathology Study Section (MEP)
Project Start
1994-07-01
Project End
2002-04-30
Budget Start
1997-07-15
Budget End
1998-04-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
1997
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center
Department
Biology
Type
Other Domestic Higher Education
DUNS #
001910777
City
Houston
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77030
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Yang, Lin; Avila, Hector; Wang, Heng et al. (2006) Plasticity in urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) display in colon cancer yields metastable subpopulations oscillating in cell surface uPAR density--implications in tumor progression. Cancer Res 66:7957-67
Yan, Chunhong; Boyd, Douglas D (2006) Histone H3 acetylation and H3 K4 methylation define distinct chromatin regions permissive for transgene expression. Mol Cell Biol 26:6357-71

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