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Biomedical subjects

C S Lin

Publications and source records attributed to C S Lin.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources

Identification of Alu transposition in human lung carcinoma cells.

We have demonstrated genetic transposition in human cells. An experimental system was established in which the Ecogpt (gpt) gene was employed as a target for inactivation. The human lung carcinoma cell line A549 containing this target was fused to UV-irradiated A549 cells that did not contain the target. From the fusion products, sublines carrying an inactivated gpt gene were analyzed. UV irradiation increased the frequency of inactivated gpt genes in the fusion cells by 100-fold. One subline was found to contain a complete Alu sequence in the coding region of the gpt gene. The inserted element differed from the Blur8 sequence by only 7 out of the 270 nucleotides. The insertion of this Alu element created a 5 bp insertion site duplication.

Autoradiography↗

Dendritic morphology and axon collaterals of corticotectal, corticopontine, and callosal neurons in layer V of primary visual cortex of the hooded rat.

Recent evidence indicates that corticotectal neurons belong to only one of the three morphological classes of pyramidal cells in layer V. The present study compares the dendritic morphology and axon collaterals of corticotectal, corticopontine, and layer V callosal neurons by using techniques based on the retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase and fluorescent dyes as well as in vitro intracellular dye injections. Our results indicate that corticotectal and corticopontine neurons are located predominantly in the upper middle part of layer V. These neurons have medium to large somas with 5 or 6 primary basal dendrites and a single apical dendrite ascending to layer I. Approximately 60% of these cells send axon collaterals to both the superior colliculus and the pons. In contrast, callosal neurons form a heterogeneous group. In general, they have small pyramidal or ovoid cell bodies which give rise to 3 or 4 primary basal dendrites. Many cells have an apical dendrite that bifurcates and terminates in layer V or IV. We find that callosal neurons do not send an axon collateral to either the superior colliculus or the pons. We conclude that the corticotectal and corticopontine systems are similar in their intralaminar distribution, dendritic morphology, and pattern of axon collaterals, whereas the callosal system differs in these characteristics.

Animals↗

Remarkable response of lipoid proteinosis to oral dimethyl sulphoxide.

We report the successful treatment of lipoid proteinosis in a 41-year-old man using oral dimethyl sulphoxide. The initial dosage was 40 mg/kg/day, which was then increased progressively to 60 mg/kg/day. After 3 years of treatment, the patient's skin lesions, hoarseness of voice and abnormal oesophageal function improved remarkably. No side-effects were noted except for a garlic-like smell on the patient's breath.

Administration, Oral↗

Friction amyloidosis.

Three patients developed a peculiar pigmentation arising from prolonged mechanical friction with the skin due to the use of rough nylon towel or back scratcher for many years. Histochemical stains could not show the existence of amyloid in one of the cases, but amyloid deposition was identified in successive electron microscopic investigations in all three cases. Although "friction melanosis" was originally used by others to describe a close relationship between friction and skin pigmentation in a similar disorder, we consider the term "friction amyloidosis" more appropriate for specifying the important role of friction in causing the early stage of macular amyloidosis. Electron microscopic examination is of importance in establishing a firm diagnosis of this disorder.

Adult↗

Cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding transformation-sensitive tropomyosin isoform 3 from tumorigenic human fibroblasts.

We isolated a cDNA clone from the tumorigenic human fibroblast cell line HuT-14 that contains the entire protein coding region of tropomyosin isoform 3 (Tm3) and 781 base pairs of 5'- and 3'-untranslated sequences. Tm3, despite its apparent smaller molecular weight than Tm1 in two-dimensional gels, has the same peptide length as Tm1 (284 amino acids) and shares 83% homology with Tm1. Tm3 cDNA hybridized to an abundant mRNA of 1.3 kilobases in fetal muscle and cardiac muscle, suggesting that Tm3 is related to an alpha fast-tropomyosin. The first 188 amino acids of Tm3 are identical to those of rat or rabbit skeletal muscle alpha-tropomyosin, and the last 71 amino acids differ from those of rat smooth muscle alpha-tropomyosin by only 1 residue. Tm3 therefore appears to be encoded by the same gene that encodes the fast skeletal muscle alpha-tropomyosin and the smooth muscle alpha-tropomyosin via an alternative RNA-splicing mechanism. In contrast to Tm4 and Tm5, Tm3 has a small gene family, with, at best, only one pseudogene.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Molecular cloning and characterization of plastin, a human leukocyte protein expressed in transformed human fibroblasts.

The phosphoprotein plastin was originally identified as an abundant transformation-induced polypeptide of chemically transformed neoplastic human fibroblasts. This abundant protein is normally expressed only in leukocytes, suggesting that it may play a role in hemopoietic cell differentiation. Protein microsequencing of plastin purified from leukemic T lymphocytes by high-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis produced eight internal oligopeptide sequences. An oligodeoxynucleotide probe corresponding to one of the oligopeptides was used to clone cDNAs from transformed human fibroblasts that encoded the seven other oligopeptides predicted for human plastin. Sequencing and characterization of two cloned cDNAs revealed the existence of two distinct, but closely related, isoforms of plastin--l-plastin, which is expressed in leukocytes and transformed fibroblasts, and t-plastin, which is expressed in normal cells of solid tissues and transformed fibroblasts. The leukocyte isoform l-plastin is expressed in a diverse variety of human tumor cell lines, suggesting that it may be involved in the neoplastic process of some solid human tumors.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Morphodynamic interpretation of acute coronary thrombosis, with special reference to volcano-like eruption of atheromatous plaque caused by coronary artery spasm.

Routine autopsy studies of hearts with coronary thrombosis, collected over a period of eleven years, showed unique morphologic features of rupture of soft atheromatous plaques. These features include: (1) irregular luminar outline: angulation, invagination, upheaval, and/or wrinkles, (2) wavy outline of atheromatous cavity, (3) volcano-like rupture with seepage or gushing of semiliquid atheromatous contents into lumen, (4) cholesterol crystals arranged in rheologic vector direction, (5) rupture of deeper intimal fibrous tissue, (6) one or multiple intimal upheavals, (7) focal thickening of contracted media, (8) vestige of volcano-like eruption with organized thrombus, and (9) old thrombotic occlusion with wavy appearance of thick intimal fibrous tissue. The authors present a dynamic model of vasoconstriction or artery spasm that accounts for these features and the rupture of soft atheromatous plaques.

Adult↗

A study of the correlation between cyclophilin binding and in vitro immunosuppressive activity of cyclosporine A and analogues.

In order to establish whether CyP is the pharmacologically relevant CsA receptor, the CyP binding v immunosuppressive activity was measured for an extensive, structurally varied group of CsA analogues. Overall, CyP binding was found to parallel immunosuppressive activity. Other than MeAla6-CsA, the few exceptions to the correlation could be ascribed to cellular metabolism. These results strongly implicate CyP or a related protein in the mechanism of action of cyclosporine.

Animals↗

Thalamic connections of two functional subdivisions of the somatosensory forepaw cerebral cortex of the raccoon.

The purpose of this study was to compare the thalamic interconnectivities of 2 functionally distinct subdivisions of the somatosensory (Sml) forepaw cortex of the raccoon--the somatotopic subdivision representing the glabrous skin of the digits and the more heterogeneous subdivision representing the hairy skin and claws. Injections of HRP were made into one or the other functional subdivision of a specific digit subgyrus of Sml cortex in 10 adult raccoons. The distribution of HRP-labeled neurons and axon terminals in the thalamus revealed that the 2 sectors have different patterns of thalamic projections. The glabrous skin region of each cortical digit zone was interconnected with a specific crescent-shaped lamella of neurons that extended rostrocaudally through the ventral posterior lateral (VPL) nucleus and typically was separated from adjacent lamellae by small bundles of myelinated fibers. The VPL lamellae constituted relatively distinct digit subnuclei that were connected somatotopically with the glabrous subdivisions of the corresponding cortical digit areas. The projections were dense, topographic, and reciprocal; labeled neurons and axon terminals within a particular lamella overlapped considerably and tended to be arranged in clusters. In contrast, the heterogeneous region of each cortical digit zone was reciprocally connected with the somatotopically appropriate VPL digit subnucleus and with adjoining subnuclei as well. The projections were comparatively sparse, less topographic, and more widely distributed than those of the glabrous skin sectors; groups of HRP-positive neurons and terminals in VPL tended to straddle the borders of the appropriate lamella and extended into adjacent lamellae. Furthermore, small clusters of labeling were found in the dorsal, presumed kinesthetic region of VPL and in portions of the ventral posterior inferior nucleus and the posterior nucleus. These results indicate that the glabrous cortical subdivisions have precise, somatotopically organized connections with specific VPL subnuclei, whereas the heterogeneous cortical subdivisions have more diffuse and scattered connections with several subregions of VPL and other thalamic nuclei as well. These 2 thalamocortical projection patterns may account for many of the differing functional properties of neurons residing within the 2 cortical sectors. Finally, the convergent thalamic projections to the heterogeneous cortical regions could contribute, at least indirectly, to the functional reactivation that occurs within Sml cortex of the raccoon following peripheral nerve transection (Kelahan and Doetsch, 1984).

Animals↗

Intracortical connections of two functional subdivisions of the somatosensory forepaw cerebral cortex of the raccoon.

The aim of this study was to compare the intrinsic intracortical connectivities of 2 functionally distinct subdivisions of the somatosensory (Sml) forepaw cortex of the raccoon--the somatotopic glabrous skin representation and the more heterogeneous, hairy skin and claw representation of the digits. HRP was injected into one or the other functional subdivision of a particular digit subgyrus of Sml cortex in 10 adult raccoons. The distribution of HRP-labeled neurons and axon terminals in the cortex showed that intrinsic "horizontal" connections exist within and between individual cortical digit zones; the labeling tended to have an oval-shaped configuration that was longer in the mediolateral than in the anteroposterior curvilinear plane. The 2 cortical sectors were found to have different patterns of intracortical projections. The connections of the glabrous skin region of each cortical digit zone were primarily local and confined to that same digit representation. HRP-filled neurons were concentrated near the injection site and decreased in density within the banks and fundi demarcating the injected digit subgyrus; few labeled cells were found in adjoining digit zones. Longer projections to the glabrous subdivision of a particular digit area typically originated from neurons in the heterogeneous subdivision of that same digit area. In contrast, the connections of the heterogeneous region of each digit zone were much more extensive and usually included projections from nonadjacent, as well as neighboring digit zones. The density of HRP-positive neurons declined more gradually with distance from the injection site, and considerable labeling was present in the heterogeneous sectors of adjacent digit zones. The intracortical projections of both functional subdivisions were often, but not always, reciprocal, and the cells of origin tended to be distributed in clusters. The laminar distributions of labeled neurons were similar for both sectors; HRP-filled cells were concentrated more in the supragranular layers, especially in layer III; fewer were found in the infragranular layers, mainly in layer VI and rarely in layer V. These results show that the intrinsic connections of the glabrous cortical subdivisions are fairly localized, whereas those of the heterogeneous cortical subdivisions are more diffuse and highly convergent. The differing intracortical connectional patterns of the 2 sectors are consistent with their contrasting thalamocortical projection patterns and may contribute to the unique functional properties of neurons located within each sector.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

Morphology of corticotectal cells in the primary visual cortex of hooded rats.

In primary visual cortex of hooded rats, pyramidal cells in layer V may be classified as long, medium, or short, on the basis of the layer in which the apical dendrite terminates. The present study determines which of these types of pyramidal cells project to the superior colliculus. Two different strategies were used to label corticotectal cells with horseradish peroxidase (HRP). In the first set of experiments, a large number of corticotectal cells were labeled by retrograde transport following injection of HRP into the superior colliculus. In the second set of experiments, single unit recording was used to identify corticotectal cells physiologically by antidromic activation from the superior colliculus. These cells were then impaled and labeled by intracellular iontophoresis of HRP. The results from both techniques suggest that only long pyramidal cells send an axon to the superior colliculus. These cells are distinguished by an apical dendrite that extends into layer I. We conclude that in hooded rats corticotectal cells in primary visual cortex are the long pyramids in layer V.

Action Potentials↗

The nigrotectal projection in the cat: an electron microscope autoradiographic study.

Recent evidence indicates that the nigrotectal tract plays an important role in regulating the premotor responses of cells in the in the intermediate gray layer of the superior colliculus. The purpose of the present study was to characterize the ultrastructure of nigrotectal terminals and of their postsynaptic targets in the intermediate gray layer. Nigrotectal terminals were identified in the electron microscope by labeling them autoradiographically, following injections of tritiated proline into the substantia nigra pars reticulata. The majority of nigrotectal terminals contain a high proportion of pleomorphic vesicles and form symmetrical synaptic contacts. Most of these terminals synapse with small dendritic profiles (2.00 micron +/- 0.83 SD), which may be the distal dendrites of neurons in the intermediate gray layer. Less than 10% of the labeled contacts are made with cell bodies or initial axonal segments.

Animals↗