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H C Ho

Publications and source records attributed to H C Ho.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Overexpression of dihydrodiol dehydrogenase as a prognostic marker of non-small cell lung cancer.

By using mRNA differential display to examine specimens of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), we have identified overexpression of dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (DDH) that was not detected in the corresponding normal lung tissue. Normally DDH is associated with catalysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the liver; in NSCLC cells, DDH expression would implicate an association with disease progression. In this study we investigated the prognostic significance of DDH expression in patients with NSCLC. By using immunohistochemistry, we measured DDH expression in 381 patients with NSCLC. The relationship between DDH expression and clinicopathological parameters (age, gender, smoking history, mitotic index, histological type, stage, cell differentiation, and lymphovascular invasion) was analyzed by chi2 analysis. Survival curves were plotted with the method of Kaplan-Meier, and statistical difference of survivals between different groups was compared by a log-rank test. Our results showed that DDH overexpression could be detected in 317 (83.2%) of 381 pathological sections and in 77.9% (60 of 77) of metastatic lymph nodes. Expression of DDH was confirmed by immunoblotting. Compared with patients with DDH overexpression in tumors, patients with low DDH expression had significantly lower incidence of early tumor recurrence and distant organ metastasis (46.7 versus 29.7%; P = 0.045). Interestingly, survival was also significantly better in patients with low DDH expression than in those with DDH overexpression (P = 0.0017). Using univariate analysis, we correlated three important factors, DDH overexpression, tumor stages, and gender, with poor prognosis for NSCLC patients. Nevertheless, biological function and involvement of DDH in the disease progression of NSCLC require additional studies.

Adult↗

Effects of ellagic acid by oral administration on N-acetylation and metabolism of 2-aminofluorene in rat brain tissues.

Numerous studies have demonstrated that the Acetyl Coenzyme A-dependent arylamine NAT enzyme exist in many tissues of experimental animals including humans, and that NAT has been shown to be exist in mouse brain tissue. Increased NAT activity levels are associated with increased sensitivity to the mutagenic effects of arylamine carcinogens. Attenuation of liver NAT activity is related to breast and bladder cancer processes. Therefore, the effects of ellagic acid (EA) on the in vitro and in vivo N-acetylation of 2-aminofluorene (AF) were investigated in cerebrum, cerebellum and pineal gland tissues from male Sprague-Dawley rats. For in vitro examination, cytosols with or without EA (0.5-500 microM) co-treatment decreased 7-72%, 15-63% and 10-78% of AF acetylation for cerebrum, cerebellum and pineal gland tissues, respectively. For in vivo examination, EA and AF at the same time treated groups with all 3 examined tissues did show significant differences (the changes of total amounts of AF and AF metabolites based on the Anova analysis) when compared to the ones without EA cotreatment rats. The pretreatment of male rats with EA (10 mg/kg) 24 hr prior to the administration of AF (50 mg/kg) (one day of EA administration suffice to induce large changes in phase II enzyme activity) resulted in a 76% decrease in total AF and metabolites in pineal gland but did not show significant differences in cerebrum and cerebellum tissues. This is the first demonstration to show that EA decreases the N-acetylation of carcinogens in rat brain tissues.

Acetylation↗

Effects of methamphetamine on trauma patients: a cause of severe metabolic acidosis?

OBJECTIVE: Presentation of a trauma patient with severe unexplained metabolic acidosis, possibly attributable to the vasoconstrictive properties of smokable "crystal" methamphetamine. In addition, a review of trauma registry data was undertaken to determine the effects of methamphetamine on trauma patients. DESIGN: Case report and retrospective case-control study. SETTING: Urban tertiary teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Two controls were obtained for each case controlling for age, Injury Severity Score, and mechanism of injury. Patients > or =16 yrs of age with a urine toxicology screen positive for methamphetamine were included. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Data were obtained from the trauma registry for the period of January 1994 to June 1995. Trauma patients using methamphetamine had a significantly lower blood alcohol level compared with the control group. Otherwise, there were no significant differences detected in vital signs, laboratory values, procedures, treatment, or outcome between the two groups. Details regarding one patient who presented with severe life-threatening acidosis are presented. CONCLUSIONS: Trauma patients with recent use of smokable methamphetamine may present with severe acidosis requiring urgent attention and treatment. This acidosis may exaggerate the severity of the actual injury. However, urine testing for methamphetamine does not identify patients who may harbor this acidosis.

Acidosis↗

Effects of berberine on arylamine N-acetyltransferase activity and 2-aminofluorene-DNA adduct formation in human leukemia cells.

Berberine is an alkaloid occurring in the plant genera Berberis and Coptis. Although berberine had been demonstrated to have antineoplastic function by inhibiting DNA-synthesis in activated lymphocytes, there is no available information to address berberine affects on human leukemia cell N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity and 2-aminofluorene (AF)-DNA adduct formation. Thus, berberine was tested for inhibition of arylamine NAT activity and AF-DNA adduct formation in human leukemia cells. The NAT activity was measured by a high performance liquid chromatography assaying for the amounts of N-acetyl-2-aminofluorene (AAF) and N-acetyl-p-aminobenzoic acid (N-Ac-PABA) and the remaining AF and p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA). The NAT activity and AF-DNA adduct formation in human leukemia cells were inhibited by berberine in a dose-dependent manner, i.e. the higher the concentration of berberine, the higher the inhibition of NAT activity and AF-DNA adduct. The data also indicate that berberine decreased the apparent values of Km and Vmax from human leukemia cells in both cytosol and intact cells.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

Three-dimensional structure of the Golgi apparatus in mouse spermatids: a scanning electron microscopic study.

In this study, the three-dimensional organization of the Golgi apparatus in mouse spermatids was elucidated by preparing testicular tissue with the osmium-DMSO-osmium method and examining it by stereo-scanning electron microscopy. The cis-most saccule was found to be a regular network of anastomotic membranous tubules covered by a single cisterna of ER. The trans-Golgi network was seen to be composed of irregular saccules perforated by pores at the edge. It appears that the anastomosing trans-Golgi network breaks down into strings of connected vesicles which arise from the edge of the saccules during the cap phase of spermiogenesis. Many apparently individual vesicles seen in thin sections through the trans-Golgi network are actually joined in continuous strings. This was the first time that these structures could be visualized directly without three-dimensional image reconstruction. By correlating the morphology of the Golgi apparatus with the stage of acrosome formation, the Golgi cisternae were found to change dynamically in a cis-trans direction from fenestrated saccules to continuous strings of vesicles, which finally dissipated as transport vesicles at the trans aspect. This suggests that the hypothetical model of cisternal maturation, which dictates that cargo moves through the Golgi apparatus without leaving the cisternal lumen and the secretion occurs by progressive maturation of the Golgi cisternae as they move in the cis-trans direction, may be applicable to acrosome formation.

Acrosome↗

Structure-reactivity relationships for the inhibition mechanism at the second alkyl-chain-binding site of cholesterol esterase and lipase.

Alkyl-N-phenyl carbamates (2-8) (see Figure 1), alkyl-N-phenyl thiocarbamates (9-15), 2,2'-biphenyl-2-ol-2'-N-substituted carbamates (16-23), and 2, 2'-biphenyl-2-N-octadecylcarbamate-2'-N-substituted carbamates (24-31) are prepared and evaluated for their inhibition effects on porcine pancreatic cholesterol esterase and Pseudomona species lipase. All inhibitors are characterized as transient or pseudo substrate inhibitors for both enzymes. Both enzymes are not protected from inhibition and further inactivated by carbamates 2-8 and thiocarbamates 9-15 in the presence of trifluoroacetophenone. Therefore, carbamates 2-8 and thiocarbamates 9-15 are exceptions for active site binding inhibitors and are probably the second alkyl-chain binding-site-directed inhibitors for both enzymes. The inhibition data for carbamates 2-8 and thiocarbamates 9-15 are correlated with the steric constant, E(s), and the hydrophobicity constant, pi; however, the inhibition data are not correlated with the Taft substituent constant, sigma. A comparison of the inhibition data for carbamates 2-8 and thiocarbamates 9-15 toward both enzymes indicates that thiocarbamates 9-15 are more potent inhibitors than carbamates 2-8. A comparison of the inhibition data for cholesterol esterase and Pseudomona species lipase by carbamates 2-8 or thiocarbamates 9-15 indicates that cholesterol esterase is more sensitive to the E(s) and pi values than Pseudomona species lipase. The negative slope values for the logarithms of inhibition data for Pseudomona species lipase by carbamates 2-8 and thiocarbamates 9-15 versus E(s) and pi indicate that the second alkyl-chain-binding site of Pseudomona species lipase is huge, hydrophilic, compared to that of cholesterol esterase, and prefers to interact with a bulky, hydrophilic inhibitor rather than a small, hydrophobic one. On the contrary, the second alkyl-chain-binding site of cholesterol esterase prefers to bind to a small, hydrophobic inhibitor. Both enzymes are protected from inhibition by carbamates 16-23 in the presence of trifluoroacetophenone. Therefore, carbamates 16-23 are characterized as the alkyl chain binding site, esteratic site oxyanion active site directed pseudo substrate inhibitors for both enzymes. Both enzyme inhibition data for carbamates 16-22 are well-correlated with sigma alone. The negative rho values for these correlations indicate that the serine residue of both enzymes and carbamates 16-22 forms the tetrahedral species with more positive charges than inhibitors and the enzymes and follow the formation of the carbamyl enzymes with more positive charges than the tetrahedral species. Carbamates 24-31 are also exceptions for active site binding inhibitors and probably the second alkyl chain binding site-directed inhibitors for both enzymes. However, the enzyme inhibition constants for carbamates 24-31 are correlated with values of sigma, E(s), and pi. The negative rho values for these correlations indicate that both enzymes and carbamates 24-31 form the tetrahedral species with more positive charges than inhibitors and the enzymes and follow the formation of the carbamyl enzymes with more positive charges than those tetrahedral species. Therefore, carbamates 24-31 may bind to both the active sites and the second alkyl chain binding site and follow the evacuation of the active sites. A comparison of the rho values for cholesterol esterase and Pseudomona species lipase by carbamates 24-31 indicates that cholesterol esterase is much more sensitive to the sigma values than Pseudomona species lipase. The negative sensitivity values, delta, for the cholesterol esterase inhibitions by carbamates 24-31 indicate that the enzyme prefers to bind to a bulky carbamyl group rather than bind to a small one. The hydrophobicity of carbamates 24-31 does not play a major role in both enzyme inhibitions.

Animals↗

Protein structure and gene cloning of Syncephalastrum racemosum nuclease.

The complete amino acid sequence of the fungus Syncephalastrum racemosum (Sr-) nuclease has been delineated on the basis of protein sequencing of the intact protein and its protease-digested peptides. The resulting 250-residue sequence shows a carbohydrate side chain attached at Asn134 and two half-cystine residues (Cys242 and Cys247) cross-linked to form a small disulphide loop. On the basis of the sequence of Sr-nuclease, a computer search in the sequence database yielded 60% and 48% positional identities with the sequences of Cunninghamella echinulata nuclease C1 and yeast mitochondria nuclease respectively, and very little similarity to those of several known mammalian DNases I. Sequence alignment of the three similar nucleases reveals that the single small disulphide loop is unchanged but the carbohydrate attachment in Sr-nuclease is absent from the other two nucleases. Alignment also shows a highly conserved region harbouring Sr-nuclease His85, which is assigned as one of the essential residues in the active site. The cDNA encoding Sr-nuclease was amplified by using reverse transcriptase-mediated PCR with degenerate primers based on its amino acid sequence. Subsequently, specific primers were synthesized for use in the 3' and 5' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). Direct sequencing of the RACE products led to the deduction of a 1.1 kb cDNA sequence for Sr-nuclease. The cDNA contains an open reading frame of 320 amino acid residues including a 70-residue putative signal peptide and the 250-residue mature protein. Finally, the recombinant Sr-nuclease was expressed in Escherichia coli strain BL21(DE3) in which the recombinant protein, after solubilization with detergent and renaturation, showed both DNase and RNase activities. The assignment of His85 to the active site was further supported by evidence that the mutant protein Sr-nuclease (H85A), in which His85 was replaced by Ala, was not able to degrade DNA or RNA.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The expression of cytokeratin 18 in transitional cell carcinoma comparing with hepatoma.

The epithelium in kidneys and urinary bladders contain CK18 as in liver cells. The modulation of cytokeratin 18 during tumor transformation in hepatoma had been previously recognized through a series of biochemical and immunological approaches. A 14 KD hepatoma related molecules was found in the previous studies. We would like to utilize the hepatoma transformation model to study the changes in CK18 in transitional cell carcinoma, using immunoblotting and western blotting techniques. The result is that transitional cell carcinoma retain their CK18 molecule. Furthermore, CK18 related molecules similar to those seen in hepatoma also present in transitional cell carcinoma. The conclusions are transitional cell carcinoma contains CK18 related proteins similar to those seen in hepatoma tissues. We suggest that this element would be responsible for the change during the malignant transformation processes.

Blotting, Western↗

Conformationally restricted carbamate inhibitors of horse serum butyrylcholinesterase.

Conformationally restricted carbamate inhibitors, exo-2-norbornyl-N-butylcarbamate (1), endo-2-norbornyl-N-butylcarbamate (2), l-adamantyl-N-butylcarbamate (3), and 2-adamantyl-N-butylcarbamate (4) as active site-directed irreversible inhibitors of horse serum butyrylcholinesterase are investigated for values of the dissociation constant (KI), the carbamylation constant (k2), and the bimolecular rate constant (ki). Compound 1 is the most potent inhibitor of the enzyme and the values of KI and ki are 20 nM and 1.1 x 10(5) M-1sec-1, respectively.

Animals↗

Purification, characterization and complete amino acid sequence of nuclease C1 from Cunninghamella echinulata var. echinulata.

It is known, from the zymogram method of nuclease activity assay, that the crude extracts of Cunninghamella echinulata var. echinulata contained at least three distinct extracellular nucleases. Among them, the major form was 30 kDa in molecular mass and termed nuclease C1. In this report, nuclease C1 was purified to apparent homogeneity by chromatography on Cibacron blue-3GA, phenyl-Sepharose 4B and HiTrap Heparin. Nuclease C1 acquired enzymatic activity in the presence of Mn2+ or Mg2+ and was inhibited by EDTA. The activity was maximal at pH 7-8.5. The primary structure of nuclease C1 was completely determined using enzymatic digestion and gene cloning. The N-terminal 49 residues of nuclease C1 were first elucidated from a tryptic digest. Two degenerate upstream primers were subsequently designed to amplify the cDNA encoding nuclease C1. The resulting protein sequence of nuclease C1 was shown to be composed of 252 residues. It was intriguing to find that the protein sequence of nuclease C1 showed significant similarities with the sequences of the mitochondrial nucleases of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (44% identity) and Schizosaccharomyces pombe (42% identity). Residue His87 of nuclease C1 was postulated to be located at the active site from sequence similarity with secreted nuclease from Serratia marcescens.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Single-column purification of syncephapepsin--an aspartic proteinase from Syncephalastrum racemosum.

Syncephapepsin is a fungal aspartic proteinase from Syncephalastrum racemosum. By using the property of syncephapepsin after having increased activity at higher temperature, two rapid purification protocols were developed. In the former case, a crude extract was initially diluted fivefold with an activity assay buffer and heated at 50 degrees C overnight. In this situation, syncephapepsin would digest most of the proteins that the crude extract contained. Subsequently, syncephapepsin of the crude extract was precipitated from 50 to 70% of ammonium sulfate and the preparation was then directly applied to the Superdex 200 HR FPLC column. In this manner, syncephapepsin was rapidly purified to apparent homogeneity within 24 h. In this report, an alternative method of purification is also provided. Compared with the procedure mentioned above, the heating step was proceeded after FPLC chromatography through which the same result was obtained. Using cytochrome c and RNase A as substrates, the cleavage sites of both substrates were identified by HPLC peptide mapping. The results showed that syncephapepsin had a broad specificity. Residues recognized to be cleaved were primarily those of trypsin and chymotrypsin and Lys was the most susceptible.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Purification and characterization of tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) deoxyribonuclease I--primary structure and cDNA sequence.

DNase I of tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) was purified to homogeneity. Tilapia DNase I is most active at pH 8.5 with Mg2+ as activator. The Ca2+/Mg2+ pair has a synergistic effect on activation. The enzyme is readily inactivated by heating above 55 degrees C, but is not inactivated by trypsin or 2-mercaptoethanol under alkaline conditions, with or without CaCl2. Its isoelectric point is 6.0. The 258-amino-acid sequence of tilapia DNase I was derived from overlapping sequences of tryptic, chymotryptic and CNBr peptides. The purified enzyme has two variants differing by a single Lys-->Arg mutation at position 125. The polypeptide chain has one disulfide bridge and one carbohydrate side chain. By mass spectrometry, the purified enzyme shows many molecular mass forms differing by Lys/Arg substitution and sugar-chain length. The major form has a molecular mass of 30,914 Da. A 1061-bp nucleotide sequence for the cDNA of tilapia DNase I, obtained by gene cloning and DNA sequencing, contains an ORF coding for a putative 26-residue transmembrane peptide and the mature DNase I polypeptide.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Identification of a fungal protein of Syncephalastrum racemosum as aspartic proteinase.

During purification of fungal deoxyribonuclease (DNase) from Syncephalastrum racemosum, a protein which was functionally unknown and persistently existed in the DNase-containing fractions through chromatography over DEAE-cellulose, hydroxylapatite, and phenyl-Sepharose was identified. The protein was finally separated from DNase after affinity chromatography on a cibacron blue-Sepharose column and purified to apparent homogeneity after gel chromatography on a Superdex 200 HR column. Ten tryptic peptides of this protein were isolated and sequenced. Searching in the sequence data bank with the aid of the computer program PC/Gene, we found that this protein was highly homologous to aspartic proteinases, such as pepsin and rhizopuspepsin. Because of its fungal origin and because the protein indeed showed catalytic cleavage on peptide bonds of bovine serum albumin, RNase, and carbonic anhydrase, we termed this protein syncephapepsin. The molecular weight of syncephapepsin is 38,000 daltons, based on gel filtration and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide electrophoresis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Prognostic factors of primary aldosteronism.

BACKGROUND: Primary aldosteronism (PA) is a rare but potentially curable cause of hypertension. Between October 1982 and November 1994, 30 patients of PA received unilateral adrenalectomy with a long-term follow up (mean:60.3 months). Nineteen (63.3%) cases were cured (Group 1); 11(36.7%) cases were improved (Group 2). The purpose of this study was to determine prognostic factors after surgery in patients with PA. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed regarding age and sex of the patients, duration of hypertension, family history of hypertension, preoperative blood pressure, plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC), plasma renin activity (PRA) and efficacy of spironolactone on blood pressure between both groups. End-organs (including kidney, heart, retina and brain) involvement was evaluated and compared. Adrenalectomy and renal biopsy specimen for pathology were similarly evaluated. RESULTS: The duration of hypertension was longer in Group 2 than in Group 1 (8.18 +/- 4.94 vs 5.21 +/- 4.24 years). The efficacy of spironolactone on blood pressure (BP) was positive in 81.8% of Group 1 and 16.7% of Group 2. Adrenal cortical adenoma in 24 cases with a cure rate of 70.8% (17/24) and adrenal cortical macronodular hyperplasia in 6 cases with a cure rate of 33.3% (2/6) were noted. Group 2 had more end-organs involvement than Group 1. The severity of histopathological change of the renal biopsy was similar. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that preoperative response of blood pressure to spironolactone administration predicts the postoperative prognosis of hypertension in patient with PA. Long duration of hypertension and involvement of two or more end-organs were poor prognostic factors. Excellent results can be achieved by unilateral adrenalectomy in adrenal cortical adenoma and fair results, in adrenal cortical macronodular hyperplasia.

Adolescent↗

Colon perforation, bilateral pneumothoraces, pneumopericardium, pneumomediastinum, and subcutaneous emphysema complicating endoscopic polypectomy: anatomic and management considerations.

A case of colonoscopic polypectomy complicated by perforation, pneumoperitoneum, bilateral pneumothoraces, pneumopericardium, pneumomediastinum, and subcutaneous emphysema is presented. The anatomic basis for the various clinical presentations of extraluminal air following colonoscopy as well as the option of conservative therapy of select cases of perforation is discussed.

Aged↗

Electronic and local anesthesia: a clinical comparison for operative procedures.

The comfort on administration and effectiveness of electronic and local anesthesia for operative procedures, as perceived by clinicians and patients, were compared based on a 5-point Lickert scale, and a survey to solicit patient's feedback on the use of electronic anesthesia was conducted. Thirty patients, who required restorations on similar teeth bilaterally, and 10 clinicians were involved in the study. The two teeth in each patient were randomly restored under either electronic or local anesthesia. Administration of electronic anesthesia was perceived to be significantly more comfortable than that of local anesthesia, by both clinicians and patients. Local anesthesia was perceived to be significantly more effective by both evaluator groups, but 93.3% of the patients still preferred electronic anesthesia and would use it again. Minor after effects in some patients included redness of skin and briefly lingering sensation. All patients found electronic anesthesia easy to use, and most of the patients (93.3%) thought that the system was good to excellent.

Adult↗

[Community-based cervical cancer screening in seven townships in Taiwan].

Cervical cancer is the leading malignant neoplasm in women in Taiwan. In order to compare the validity of various cervical neoplasia screening methods, estimate the prevalence of low- and high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL and HSIL), and identify risk factors for LSIL and HSIL, a community-based cervical neoplasia screening program was implemented in Sanchi, Chutung, Potzu, Kaohsu, Makung, Huhsi, and Paihsa townships, Taiwan. Both cervical smears and cervicograms were used for the screening of cervical neoplasia. Subjects who had positive cervical smears, cervicogram, or both, were further confirmed by colposcopy-guided biopsy. A total of 10,628 married women aged 30 to 64 years were recruited from seven study townships which gave a response rate of 25.2%. Among 667 subjects who screened positive, 555 (82%) underwent colposcopy-guided biopsy. The age-adjusted prevalence was 3.4% for LSIL and 1.7% for HSIL. The biopsy-confirmed rates for cervical smear-detected LSIL and HSIL were 62.8% and 80.6%, respectively; while 56.6% of minor lesions and 22.2% of major lesions identified by cervicogram were biopsy-confirmed as LSIL and HSIL, respectively. The sensitivity of detecting LSIL was higher for cervicograms (79.3%) than for cervical smears (16.7%), and cervicograms had a lower sensitivity in detecting HSIL (48.4%) than cervical smears (90.0%). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed a striking geographical variation in prevalence of LSIL and HSIL. The prevalence of LSIL decreased with the increase in age, and increased with the duration of taking oral contraceptives. The prevalence of HSIL increased with the parity and the duration of taking oral contraceptives and was also significantly associated with the history of cervical cancer among mother and sisters. It is suggested that improvements in the participation rate of cervical neoplasia screening would promote women's health in Taiwan.

Adult↗