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Biomedical subjects

C Wu

Publications and source records attributed to C Wu.

At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources

Characterization of D10S and K71E mutants of human cytosolic hsp70.

To determine the effect of mutations at the nucleotide-binding site of recombinant Hsp70 on its interaction with protein and peptide substrates, point mutations were made at D10 and K71, two residues at the active site. The D10S mutation weakened both ATP and ADP binding, while the K71E mutation weakened only ATP binding. In binding experiments using Hsp70 with no bound nucleotide, the mutated Hsp70s interacted with clathrin and peptide just like the wild-type Hsp70. However, the D10 mutation completely abolished the effects of both ATP and ADP on peptide and clathrin binding. The K71 mutation also abolished the effect of ATP on substrate binding, but ADP, which still bound tightly, had its normal effect on substrate binding. In addition, the D10S and K71E mutants had greatly reduced ability to uncoat clathrin-coated vesicles at pH 7.0, bind to clathrin baskets at pH 6.0, and undergo polymerization induced by YDJ1 in the presence of ATP. We conclude, first, that nucleotides must bind strongly to Hsp70 to affect substrate binding and, second, that interaction of Hsp70 with DnaJ homologues may also require a strongly bound ATP.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Formation of nitric oxide synthase-iron(II) nitrosoalkane complexes: severe restriction of access to the iron(II) site in the presence of tetrahydrobiopterin.

Nitric oxide synthases (NOS) are heme proteins, closely related to cytochromes P450, that catalyze oxidation of l-arginine (l-Arg) to nitric oxide (NO) and citrulline. To get further insight into their active site, we have studied the ability of recombinant mouse inducible NOS (iNOS) and rat brain neuronal NOS (nNOS), and of their oxygenase domains (iNOSoxy and nNOSoxy), to form Fe(II)-nitrosoalkane complexes. In the absence of BH4, iNOSoxy, nNOSoxy, and full-length iNOS readily form complexes characterized by Soret peaks around 448 nm, after reaction with various nitroalkanes and sodium dithionite. These complexes displayed physicochemical characteristics very similar to those of previously reported microsomal cytochrome P450-Fe(II)-nitrosoalkane complexes: (i) a Soret peak around 450 nm, (ii) a clear stability in the presence of CO, and (iii) a fast destruction upon oxidation of the iron by ferricyanide. Thus, in the absence of l-Arg and BH4, NOSs Fe(II) appear to be largely opened to even large R-NO ligands with R = cyclohexyl or p-Cl-C6H4-CH2CH(CH3) for instance, in a manner similar to microsomal P450s Fe(II). As expected, the presence of l-Arg inhibits the formation of NOSs Fe(II)-RNO complexes. More surprisingly, the presence of BH4 also strongly inhibits the formation of the NOSs Fe(II) complexes even with the smallest nitrosoalkane ligand, CH3NO (IC50 values of 0.5 and 4 microM for nNOSoxy and iNOSoxy, respectively). Accordingly, recombinant full-length nNOS containing BH4 and l-Arg is completely unable to form Fe(II)-nitrosoalkane complexes, even with CH3NO. These results suggest that, in the absence of l-Arg and BH4, the distal pocket of NOSs Fe(II) is largely opened even to bulky ligands, in a manner similar to that of microsomal cytochromes P450. On the contrary, the distal heme pocket of iNOS and nNOS seems to be closed after binding of l-Arg and BH4, particularly in the Fe(II) state. This results in a highly restricted access for Fe(II) ligands, except very small ones such as CO, NO, and O2. Such effects of BH4 in controlling the size of the distal heme pocket of NOS Fe(II) correspond to a new role of biopterins in biological systems.

Alkanes↗

Evaluation of five imidazopyrazinone-type chemiluminescent superoxide probes and their application to the measurement of superoxide anion generated by Listeria monocytogenes.

Superoxide-triggered chemiluminescence of five new imidazopyrazinone derivatives was investigated using the hypoxanthine-xanthine oxidase system as the source of superoxide anion. The results showed that they are highly sensitive and have favorable properties in measuring superoxide anion. With those new probes, the generation of superoxide anion from the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes was examined. The results confirmed the previous report that L. monocytogenes is an unusual organism that extracellularly and continuously generates a high level of superoxide anion in the presence of acetaldehyde. The data indicated that two of the probes, 3,7-dihydro-2-methyl-6-phenylethynylimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3- one (4) and its methoxy derivative (5), are highly sensitive and useful in the measurements of superoxide anion and are clearly superior to 3,7-dihydro-2-methyl-6-(4-methoxyphenyl)imidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-on e (MCLA), which-has been generally considered the most sensitive superoxide probe in the past. When tested at a probe concentration of 3.3 microM, the luminescence response and the signal-background ratio of compound 4 were 1.5 and 2.5 times those of MCLA, respectively, and the signal-background ratio of compound 5 was almost 15 times that of MCLA, though the luminescence response of this compound was slightly lower than that of MCLA. The low probe concentration used enhances the usefulness of probes in the measurements of superoxide in functioning biological systems.

Evaluation Studies as Topic↗

[Distribution of three STR loci in Jingpo ethnic group in Yunnan province].

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed at the use of old blood stains for investigating the distribution of three STR loci in Jingpo ethnic group. METHODS: DNA extraction from old blood stains (106 in number) and multiplex amplification of CSF1PO, TPOX and TH 01 were carried out. Using denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and silver stain, the authors investigated the distribution of allele frequencies of CSF1PO, TPOX and TH01 loci in a Jingpo ethnic group in the southwestern part of Yunnan province. RESULTS: 7 alleles and 26 genotypes of CSF1PO locus,7 alleles and 19 genotypes of TPOX locus, and 6 alleles and 18 genotypes of TH01 locus were observed. CONCLUSION: The satisfactory results demonstrate that multiplex amplification of CSF1PO, TPOX and TH01 is sensitive and the old stain of a drop of blood is sufficient for such amplification.

Asian People↗

Generation of a 3-Mb PAC contig spanning the Miyoshi myopathy/limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (MM/LGMD2B) locus on chromosome 2p13.

Miyoshi myopathy (MM) and limb-girdle muscular dystrophy subtype 2B (LGMD2B) map to the same region on chromosome 2p13. To facilitate the cloning of the defective gene causing these two diseases, we used a combination of chromosome walking and expressed sequence tag (EST) screening and identified 864 P1-derived artificial chromosomes (PACs) whose inserts map to the MM/LGMD2B candidate region and surrounding areas. Among them, 139 are from a chromosome 2-specific PAC library and 725 are from a total genomic PAC library. A 3-Mb contig spanning the candidate region for MM/LGMD2B was assembled. This contig contains 200 PACs, 10 known genetic markers, 5 new polymorphic markers, 57 sequence tagged sites (STSs) generated from PAC end fragments, and 4 random STSs. In addition, we mapped 24 ESTs to this contig and excluded 37 ESTs from the contig, thus eliminating them as candidate MM/LGMD2B genes. The high-resolution, sequence-ready PAC contig for the MM/LGMD2B region provides a backbone for the identification of the disease gene(s) and for clarification of the relationship between the two diseases.

Chromosomes, Human, Pair 2↗

The effects of extracellular and intracellular pH on intracellular Ca2+ regulation in guinea-pig detrusor smooth muscle.

1. Intracellular pH (pHi) and intracellular [Ca2+] ([Ca2+]i) were measured during changes to superfusate PCO2 and/or [NaHCO3]. Changes to superfusate PCO2 produced sustained changes to pHi and [Ca2+]i, while changes to [NaHCO3] altered only extracellular pH (pHo). 2. Carbachol or caffeine induced a transient rise of [Ca2+]i due to Ca2+ release from an intracellular store. This Ca2+ transient was reduced by extracellular acidosis, but increased by intracellular acidosis. Alkalosis in either compartment produced opposite effects to acidosis. Changes to the Ca2+ transient mirrored those to phasic tension previously reported in this preparation. 3. A raised superfusate [K+] also induced a Ca2+ transient, due to transmembrane influx of Ca2+. This transient was depressed by extracellular acidosis, but unaffected by changes to pHi. The L-type Ca2+ current was similarly affected by changes to pHo, but not by alteration of pHi. 4. The results suggest that extracellular acidosis depresses the Ca2+ transient by reducing transmembrane influx through the L-type Ca2+ channel. The increase in the carbachol- and caffeine-induced Ca2+ transients by intracellular acidosis is due to enhancement of Ca2+ uptake into intracellular stores as a result of a raised resting [Ca2+]i.

Animals↗

Structure of nitric oxide synthase oxygenase dimer with pterin and substrate.

Crystal structures of the murine cytokine-inducible nitric oxide synthase oxygenase dimer with active-center water molecules, the substrate L-arginine (L-Arg), or product analog thiocitrulline reveal how dimerization, cofactor tetrahydrobiopterin, and L-Arg binding complete the catalytic center for synthesis of the essential biological signal and cytotoxin nitric oxide. Pterin binding refolds the central interface region, recruits new structural elements, creates a 30 angstrom deep active-center channel, and causes a 35 degrees helical tilt to expose a heme edge and the adjacent residue tryptophan-366 for likely reductase domain interactions and caveolin inhibition. Heme propionate interactions with pterin and L-Arg suggest that pterin has electronic influences on heme-bound oxygen. L-Arginine binds to glutamic acid-371 and stacks with heme in an otherwise hydrophobic pocket to aid activation of heme-bound oxygen by direct proton donation and thereby differentiate the two chemical steps of nitric oxide synthesis.

Animals↗

Mammalian DNA topoisomerase I activity and poisoning by camptothecin are inhibited by simian virus 40 large T antigen.

DNA topoisomerase I (top1) is a ubiquitous enzyme that forms reversible DNA single-strand breaks (cleavage complexes) and plays a role in transcription, DNA replication, and repair. Top1 is the target of camptothecins which selectively trap top1 cleavage complexes and represent a novel class of anticancer drugs active against human solid tumors. The present study demonstrates that recombinant large T antigen (T-Ag), a virus encoded helicase with strong affinity for tumor suppressors and cell cycle- and replication-related proteins, suppresses top1 cleavage complexes and top1 catalytic activity. This top1 suppressive activity is probably not due to T-Ag binding to DNA, as a T-Ag truncation mutant containing only the first 246 amino acids and deficient in DNA binding also inhibited top1, and the inhibition was independent of ATP. T-Ag also antagonized and reversed the trapping of top1 cleavage complexes by camptothecin. These results demonstrate a functional interaction between T-Ag and top1: they also suggest the importance of top1-protein interactions for the regulation of DNA replication and modulation of camptothecin activity.

Antigens, Polyomavirus Transforming↗

Stopped-flow analysis of CO and NO binding to inducible nitric oxide synthase.

The oxygenase domain (amino acids 1-498) of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOSox) is a hemeprotein that binds L-arginine (L-Arg) and tetrahydrobiopterin (H4B). During NO synthesis, the heme iron must bind and activate O2, but it also binds self-generated No to form an inactive complex. To better understand how L-Arg and H4B affect heme iron function in iNOSox, we utilized stopped-flow spectroscopy to study heme reactivity with CO and NO and the properties of the resulting CO and NO complexes. CO and NO binding to ferrous and ferric (NO only) iNOSox and subsequent complex stability was studied under four conditions: in the absence of L-Arg and H4B and in the presence of either or both molecules. Ferric iNOSox without L-Arg or H4B was dimeric and contained low-spin heme iron, while in H4B- or L-Arg-saturated iNOSox, the heme iron was partially or almost completely high-spin, respectively. In the presence of L-Arg or H4B, the rate of CO binding to ferrous iNOSox was slowed considerably, indicating that these molecules restrict CO access to the heme iron. In contrast, rates of NO binding were minimally affected. Under all conditions, the off rates for CO and NO were very high as compared to other hemeproteins. The six-coordinate FeII-CO and -NO complexes that initially formed were unstable and converted either slowly (CO) or quickly (NO) to their respective 5-coordinate complexes. However, this transition was largely prevented by either L-Arg or H4B and was reversed upon air oxidation of the complex in the presence of these molecules. Thus, H4B and L-Arg both promote a conformational change in the distal heme pocket of iNOSox that can greatly reduce ligand access to the heme iron. The ability of H4B and L-Arg to prevent formation of a five-coordinate heme Fe-NO complex, along with the high off rates observed for NO, help explain why iNOS can remain active despite forming a complex with NO during its normal catalysis.

Binding Sites↗

Inhibition of a naturally occurring EGFR oncoprotein by the p185neu ectodomain: implications for subdomain contributions to receptor assembly.

Mutant Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) oncoproteins lacking most of subdomains I and II of the extracellular region, a deletion which includes most of the first of two cysteine-rich sequences, have been observed in multiple human epithelial tumors, including malignant gliomas. These EGFR oncoproteins, designated deltaEGFR or EGFRvIII, confer increased tumorigenicity in vivo and are often coexpressed with full-length EGFR in human tumors. We have expressed an ectodomain-derived, carboxyl-terminal deletion mutant of the p185neu oncogene (T691stop) in human glioblastoma cells coexpressing endogenous EGFR and activated deltaEGFR oncoproteins. The p185neu ectodomain-derived mutant forms heterodimers with deltaEGFR proteins and reduces the phosphotyrosine content and kinase activity of deltaEGFR monomers. As a consequence of T691stop neu expression and surface localization, cell proliferation in conditions of full growth and reduced serum and anchorage-independent growth in soft agar was reduced in glioblastoma cells expressing either endogenous EGFR alone or coexpressing EGFR and elevated levels of deltaEGFRs. T691stop neu mutant receptors abrogate the dramatic growth advantage conferred by deltaEGFR in vivo, suggesting that physical associations primarily between subdomains III and IV of the p185neu and EGFR ectodomains are sufficient to modulate signaling from activated EGFR complexes. Receptor-based inhibitory strategies exploit the thermodynamic preference for erbB ectodomains to heterodimerize, thereby creating erbB receptor assemblies which are defective in signaling and do not internalize. Pharmaceuticals which mimic the p185neu ectodomain may therefore have important therapeutic applications in advanced human malignancies expressing erbB receptors.

Animals↗

Glycoprotein IIb Leu214Pro mutation produces glanzmann thrombasthenia with both quantitative and qualitative abnormalities in GPIIb/IIIa.

Glanzmann thrombasthenia is an inherited bleeding disorder due to a functional reduction or absence of platelet GPIIb/IIIa (alphaIIbbeta3) integrin receptors. Based on a prolonged bleeding time and absence of platelet aggregation in response to physiologic agonists, a 55-year-old white man was diagnosed as having Glanzmann thrombasthenia. The patient's platelet fibrinogen level was approximately 5% of normal. As judged by complex-dependent monoclonal antibody (MoAb) binding, surface expression of platelet GPIIb/IIIa receptors was less than 5.5% of normal, whereas the binding of an anti-GPIIIa specific MoAb (7H2) was approximately 12% of normal. Immunoblot analysis of the patient's platelet lysates showed approximately 35% of normal levels of GPIIIa, approximately 30% of normal levels of GPIIb, and an abnormally migrating fragment of GPIIb. Biotinylation of the surface proteins on the patient's platelets followed by immunoprecipitation and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis showed only GPIIb and GPIIIa subunits of normal size. Surface expression of platelet alphavbeta3 receptors was 192% of normal, suggesting that the patient's' defect was in GPIIb. Sequence analysis of the patient's GPIIb cDNA identified a T to C transition at nucleotide 643, predicting a Leu214Pro substitution. Direct sequencing of GPIIb exon 6 indicated that the patient is homozygous for the mutation. The nature of the Leu214Pro mutation was analyzed by expression in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. As judged by subunit-specific MoAb binding, surface expression of mutant receptors was approximately 60% of normal, but these receptors were not recognized by the complex-dependent monoclonal antibodies, 10E5 and 7E3. In addition, mutant receptors pretreated with the ligand-induced binding site MoAb AP5 were not recognized by the activation-dependent MoAb PAC-1 and mutant expressing CHO cells did not adhere to immobilized fibrinogen. These data suggest that the Leu214Pro mutation in GPIIb disrupts the structural conformation, and either directly or indirectly, the ligand binding properties of the heterodimeric complex. This is in accord with studies from other integrins that have implicated a beta-turn in a homologous region as important in ligand binding. Thus, the Leu214Pro mutation appears to produce the Glanzmann thrombasthenia phenotype by both qualitative and quantitative abnormalities. In addition, the mutation appears to confer susceptibility of the GPIIb subunit to proteolysis.

Animals↗

Interaction of a G-protein beta-subunit with a conserved sequence in Ste20/PAK family protein kinases.

Serine/threonine protein kinases of the Ste20/PAK family have been implicated in the signalling from heterotrimeric G proteins to mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascades. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Ste20 is involved in transmitting the mating-pheromone signal from the betagamma-subunits (encoded by the STE4 and STE18 genes, respectively) of a heterotrimeric G protein to a downstream MAP kinase cascade. We have identified a binding site for the G-protein beta-subunit (Gbeta) in the non-catalytic carboxy-terminal regions of Ste20 and its mammalian homologues, the p21-activated protein kinases (PAKs). Association of Gbeta with this site in Ste20 was regulated by binding of pheromone to the receptor. Mutations in Gbeta and Ste20 that prevented this association blocked activation of the MAP kinase cascade. Considering the high degree of structural and functional conservation of Ste20/PAK family members and G-protein subunits, our results provide a possible model for a role of these kinases in Gbetagamma-mediated signal transduction in organisms ranging from yeast to mammals.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Comparative functioning of dihydro- and tetrahydropterins in supporting electron transfer, catalysis, and subunit dimerization in inducible nitric oxide synthase.

The nitric oxide synthases (NOS) are the only heme-containing enzymes that require tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) as a cofactor. Previous studies indicate that only the fully reduced (i.e., tetrahydro) form of BH4 can support NO synthesis. Here, we characterize pterin-free inducible NOS (iNOS) and iNOS reconstituted with eight different tetrahydro- or dihydropterins to elucidate how changes in pterin side-chain structure and ring oxidation state regulate iNOS. Seven different enzyme properties that are important for catalysis and are thought to involve pterin were studied. Only two properties were found to depend on pterin oxidation state (i.e., they required fully reduced tetrahydropterins) and were independent of side chain structure: NO synthesis and the ability to increase heme-dependent NADPH oxidation in response to substrates. In contrast, five properties were exclusively dependent on pterin side-chain structure or stereochemistry and were independent of pterin oxidation state: pterin binding affinity, and its ability to shift the heme iron to its high-spin state, stabilize the ferrous heme iron coordination structure, support heme iron reduction, and promote iNOS subunit assembly into a dimer. These results clarify how structural versus redox properties of the pterin impact on its multifaceted role in iNOS function. In addition, the data reveal that during NO synthesis all pterin-dependent steps up to and including heme iron reduction can take place independent of the pterin ring oxidation state, indicating that the requirement for fully reduced pterin occurs at a point in catalysis beyond heme iron reduction.

Animals↗

Drosophila NURF-55, a WD repeat protein involved in histone metabolism.

The Drosophila nucleosome remodeling factor (NURF) is a protein complex of four distinct subunits that assists transcription factor-mediated chromatin remodeling. One NURF subunit, ISWI, is related to the transcriptional regulators Drosophila brahma and yeast SWI2/SNF2. We have determined peptide sequences and isolated cDNA clones for a second NURF component (the 55-kDa subunit). Immunological studies show that p55 is an integral subunit of NURF and is generally associated with polytene chromosomes. The predicted sequence of p55 reveals a WD repeat protein that is identical with the 55-kDa subunit of the Drosophila chromatin assembly factor (CAF-1). Given that WD repeat proteins related to p55 are associated with histone deacetylase and histone acetyltransferase, our findings suggest that p55 and its homologs may function as a common platform for the assembly of protein complexes involved in chromatin metabolism.

Acetyltransferases↗

Integrin-linked protein kinase regulates fibronectin matrix assembly, E-cadherin expression, and tumorigenicity.

Fibronectin (Fn) matrix plays important roles in many biological processes including morphogenesis and tumorigenesis. Recent studies have demonstrated a critical role of integrin cytoplasmic domains in regulating Fn matrix assembly, implying that intracellular integrin-binding proteins may be involved in controlling extracellular Fn matrix assembly. We report here that overexpression of integrin-linked kinase (ILK), a newly identified serine/threonine kinase that binds to the integrin beta1 cytoplasmic domain, dramatically stimulated Fn matrix assembly in epithelial cells. The integrin-linked kinase activity is involved in transducing signals leading to the up-regulation of Fn matrix assembly, as overexpression of a kinase-inactive ILK mutant failed to enhance the matrix assembly. Moreover, the increase in Fn matrix assembly induced by ILK overexpression was accompanied by a substantial reduction in the cellular E-cadherin. Finally, we show that ILK-overexpressing epithelial cells readily formed tumors in nude mice, despite forming an extensive Fn matrix. These results identify ILK as an important regulator of pericellular Fn matrix assembly, and suggest a novel critical role of this integrin-linked kinase in cell growth, cell survival, and tumorigenesis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Viscosity-adjustable block copolymer for DNA separation by capillary electrophoresis.

The viscosity-adjustable property of F127 block copolymer PEO99PPO69PEO99, PEO and PPO being poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(propylene oxide), respectively, was found to be useful for the development of automated capillary electrophoresis (CE). The polymer solution can form a gel-like structure with sieving ability and can also serve as a dynamic coating material, thereby effectively suppressing the electroosmotic flow induced by the ionization of the silanol group on the quartz capillary inner wall. When applied to CE as a separation medium, F127 block copolymer can provide the advantages of high separation resolution, easy injection and replacement of the triblock copolymer solution and convenient capillary column treatment. High reproducibility of DNA electrophoretic migration time in CE by replenishing F127 solution in acid-washed capillary tubings can be achieved. The relative standard deviation of the DNA migration time is less than 2%. In the investigation of F127 concentration and temperature effects on the performance of DNA separation in CE, we have found that the DNA electrophoretic migration behavior in the F127 gel-like solution cannot be described by any one of the existing models.

DNA↗

Electrophysiological properties of the bladder.

The electrophysiological properties of detrusor smooth muscle are described, in particular with regard to their influence on the contractile properties of the tissue. The Ca2+ and K+ channel activities are most important in generating action potentials, but the role of several other ionic currents is described, including Cl-, Ca2+-activated, stretch-activated and ligand-gated channels. The variable appearance and functions of different ionic currents in disease states is discussed, as well as the question of whether electrical activity can transmit between adjacent smooth muscle cells. In addition, the precise role that electrophysiological phenomena play in the regulation of the contractile state of the smooth muscle cells, as well as the generation of bladder electromyograms, is discussed.

Action Potentials↗

Effects of perindopril on vascular wall and left ventricular hypertrophy in rats with experimental hypertension.

The model of hypertensive rat was established by using the method of abdominal aortic constriction, 33 male SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: group A (sham-operated rats serving as controls), group B (hypertensive rats serving as controls), group C (hypertensive rats subjected to low-dose perindopril treatment, 0.1 mg.kg-1/d) and group D (hypertensive rats receiving high-dose perindopril treatment, 1.5 mg.kg-1/d). The drug was administered by gavage for 4 weeks. At the end of the treatment, mean arterious pressure (MAP) was measured via catheter in the carotid artery. The heart was taken and weighed to calculate the ratio of left ventricular weight to body weight (LVW/BW). The ratio of medial mean thickness to mean diameter of lumen of aorta and superior mesenteric artery was calculated by morphometry. Concentration of angiotensin II (A II) in plasma and in aortic wall were determined by radioimmunoassay (PA II, AA II). Our results showed that both high-dose and low-dose perindopril may prevent hypertrophy of left ventricle and hypertrophy of the tunica media of superior mesenteric artery. In addition, high-dose perindopril may significantly inhibit hypertrophy of aortic media. The above effects of perindopril may be explained by inhibition on tissue renin-angiotensin system of both vascular wall and heart, but is not related to circulating A II (PA II).

Angiotensin II↗