Disease relevance of COPA

• A 4333-bp novel human cDNA sequence designated HEP-COP was isolated from the Hep3B hepatocellular carcinoma cell line by the RACE technique [1].
• We describe the use of a novel bioinformatics approach to discover candidate oncogenic chromosomal aberrations on the basis of outlier gene expression called COPA (cancer outlier profile analysis) [2].
• Sixty-three eligible patients with Ann Arbor clinical Stage II or IIE aggressive histologic type non-Hodgkin's lymphomas received combination chemotherapy (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone [COPA]) as the primary treatment technique [3].

High impact information on COPA

• All patients were randomized to receive a four-drug cytotoxic chemotherapy regimen including cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone in 4-week cycles with or without IFN-alpha2a in addition (COPA vs I-COPA) [4].
• Both COPA isomers incorporate readily into vesicles and membranes (K(p) approximately 10(6)) and align parallel to the lipids. t-COPA distributes homogeneously between gel and fluid lipid domains and the changes in polarization accurately reflect the lipid T(m) values [5].
• RT-PCR analysis revealed no differential expression of HEP-COP in 14 human cancer cell lines, as compared with normal control cells [1].
• Northern blot hybridization demonstrated that HEP-COP was expressed in a wide range of human adult and fetal tissues [1].
• We previously sequenced the 4333-nucleotide cDNA of the COPA (HEP-COP) gene which encodes the human homologue of the alpha-subunit of the coatomer protein complex, involved in intracellular protein transport [6].

Biological context of COPA

• Here we report the genomic organization of COPA, which contains 33 exons ranging in size from 67 to 611 bp [7].
• Mapped by PCR and cycle sequencing, all the exon-intron junctions conformed with the GT-AG rule, the 32 introns ranging from about 80 bp to 4 kbp, with the genomic DNA of COPA estimated to span approximately 37 kb [7].
• COPA was mapped by fluorescence in situ hybridization to chromosome region 1q23-->q25 [7].
• From the Hep3B human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, we have previously isolated and sequenced the cDNA of a novel gene, HEP-COP, whose predicted amino acid sequence, calculated relative molecular mass, and hydrophilicity are strikingly similar to the 160-kD alpha-subunit of the coatomer complex in yeast [8].
• This observation, and the demonstrated activity of IFN-alpha-2a plus COPA (I-COPA) in low and intermediate grade histology nonHodgkin's lymphomas, provides the basis for the randomized Phase III trial comparing COPA to I-COPA in these neoplasms, which is currently being conducted in the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group [9].

Associations of COPA with chemical compounds

• Each treatment included cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisone (COP) plus Adriamycin (COPA), BCNU (BCVP) or bleomycin (COPB and CPOB) [10].
• Coping with COPA (Control of Pollution Act) in hospitals [11].
• The disease responded well to chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide, vincristine, procarbazine, and doxorubicin (COPA) [12].
• Aqueous, methanol and dichloromethane extracts from Artemisia copa, Baccharis grisebachii, Baccharis incarum, Baccharis latifolia, Mutisia kurtzii and Pluchea sagittalis, plants used in the Traditional Medicine of South America, are studied for activity on the respiratory burst and the inducible heat shock protein of 72 kD (hsp72) synthesis [13].

Other interactions of COPA

• Myelotoxicity was greater with CPOB than COPB, but comparable to COPA [10].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of COPA

• Six of the 12 patients were treated with the combination chemotherapy regimen COPA and received CNS prophylaxis; their survival was slightly longer than that of the other patients, who were treated with a variety of treatment regimens [14].
• These alternatives include the laryngeal mask airway (LMA; LMA North America, San Diego, CA), cuffed oropharyngeal airway (COPA; Mallinckrodt, St. Louis, MO), and Combitube (Kendall-Sheridan, Mansfield, MA), that have been designed to act as bridges to establish an airway [15].
• Future developments may include more widespread evaluation of the COPA in resuscitation and direct comparisons with other devices [16].
• However, most inexperienced hospital basic life support providers can use the COPA effectively with minimal instruction [16].
• Blood gas analysis: its correlation with patent airway using COPA/LMA [17].

References