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Biomedical subjects

Hong Zhang

Publications and source records attributed to Hong Zhang.

At least 415 records · Page 23Linked to original sources
PubMed2003

Effects of fucoidan on chronic renal failure in rats.

The effects of fucoidan on chronic renal failure (CRF) were investigated in vivo in a subtotal nephrectomy CRF model and a cryoinjury induced CRF model in rats. Fucoidan showed renoprotective effects in both models. Fucoidan (100 or 200 mg/kg, orally) significantly decreased elevated serum creatinine and urea nitrogen levels. Histopathological changes of renal tubules and interstitium were markedly alleviated by fucoidan and the mesangial areas were also greatly reduced. The activities of fucoidan were dose-dependent.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2003

Pancreatic elastase is proven to be a mannose-binding protein--implications for the systemic response to pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: Mannose-binding proteins (MBPs) have been isolated from serum, liver, lung, and kidney and are believed to play an important role in first-line host defense during acute phase inflammatory response. Because of the inflammatory nature of pancreatitis, we postulate that the pancreas produces endogenous MBP. METHODS: Pancreatic juice, from both human and rat, was collected by pancreatic duct cannulation and subjected to mannose-Sepharose affinity chromatography to isolate pancreatic MBP (pMBP). Protein eluates from the mannose-Sepharose column were analyzed using reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography, sodium dodeclysulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and, subsequently, by N-terminal protein sequencing. Western blot analysis was used to identify the pMBP, and reverse transcriptionase-polymerase chain reaction was used to examine its mRNA expression. Complement lysis was measured using red blood cells coated with yeast mannan. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha mRNA expression in macrophages was measured using RNase protection assay. RESULTS: A 30-kd MBP was isolated from both human and rat pancreatic juice and a rat acinar cell line. Genetic analysis (using RT-PCR with known MBP primers) and protein analysis (using Western blot with a known anti-MBP antibody) suggest that the pMBP is different from any previously described MBP. Protein sequencing analysis of pMBP generated an N-terminus sequence of 12 residues, indicating that pMBP is human pancreatic elastase III. Western blot analysis using an anti-elastase antibody confirms that the pMBP is a pancreatic elastase. Exposure of macrophages to pancreatic elastase resulted in an increased mRNA level of TNF-alpha, a potent proinflammatory cytokine in acute-phase response. Addition of mannan to pancreatic elastase further upregulated the TNF-alpha response. CONCLUSION: We isolated an MBP from the pancreas and identified it as pancreatic elastase. We characterized it as having properties different from that of any previously known MBP. We showed that pMBP or pancreatic elastase is involved in the activation of macrophages, and that this activation is potentiated by mannan. We postulate that the mannose-binding properties of pancreatic elastase identify this enzyme as a candidate catalyst for both pancreatic and systemic inflammation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2003

Rhenium-188-HEDP therapy for the palliation of pain due to osseous metastases in lung cancer patients.

Rhenium-188-hydroxyethylidine diphosphonate (188Re-HEDP) is a novel and attractive radiopharmaceutical that localizes in areas of osseous metastases and emits beta particles with energy sufficient to be therapeutically useful. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of 188Re-HEDP in patients with lung cancer for the palliation of painful osseous metastases. Intravenous administration of activities ranging between 1.15 GBq (31 mCi) and 4.6 GBq (124 mCi) of 188Re-HEDP was given to each of 30 patients with painful osseous metastases from lung cancer. The patients were clinically followed at weekly intervals for the first 2 months, and monthly thereafter up to 1 year. Hematologic testing was performed before treatment and thereafter for 6 weeks. Pain response was scored by a four-point pain-rating scale as complete, marked, mild, and no response. Prompt and significant relief of bone pain occurred in 80% with no significant side-effects or hematopoietic toxicity. Forty-six percent (46%) of the patients discontinued analgesics after treatment. This clinical study indicated that 188Re-HEDP can offer significant pain palliation and is a useful radiopharmaceutical for treating painful osseous metastases from lung cancer.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

AngRem104, an angiotensin II-induced novel upregulated gene in human mesangial cells, is potentially involved in the regulation of fibronectin expression.

Accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) in the glomerular mesangium is a common feature of many progressive renal diseases. Angiotensin II (AngII) plays important roles in the proliferation of glomerular mesangial cells (MC) as well as the synthesis of ECM such as fibronectin (FN) and collagens. However, the precise molecular signals responsible for these effects are unknown. To explore possible molecule mechanism of ECM accumulation related to AngII, suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) was performed to screen and identify upregulated genes induced by AngII in cultured human MC. A novel gene, AngRem104 (GenBank accession number, AF367870), was isolated. The full-length cDNA of AngRem104 is 1690 bp, and it contains a 1041-bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding 347 amino acid residues with a predicted molecular mass of 37.2 kD. AngRem104 widely expressed in human heart, placenta, liver, muscle, kidney, and pancreas. Moreover, AngRem104 was found in human glomeruli and tubule by in situ hybridization. In human MC, the upregulation of AngRem104 induced by AngII was time-dependent, and it was dose-dependently blocked by AngII type 1 receptor antagonist (AT1RA), Losartan. The subcellular localization detected by AngRem104-pEGFP fusion protein revealed that AngRem104 was a nuclear protein. Interestingly, when AngRem104 was overexpressed by transfection of its sense construct, cDNA Microarray showed that two of the ECM-related genes, i.e., human mRNA for FN and integrin-beta-1 (FN receptor), dramatically upregulated their expressions. Furthermore, AngRem104 could regulate the expression of FN induced by AngII, which were detected by RT-PCR and quantitative real-time PCR, when AngRem104 was overexpressed. It is concluded that AngRem104 is a novel human gene potentially involved in the regulation of FN induced by AngII in human MC. These findings may provide new insights into mechanisms of glomerular sclerosis associated with AngII.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2003

Cdx2 protein expression in normal and malignant human tissues: an immunohistochemical survey using tissue microarrays.

Cdx2 has been identified as a marker of colon cancer in RNA-profiling experiments. We show here that the detection of Cdx2 protein by immunohistochemistry correlates well with RNA transcript levels as detected by oligonucleotide microarrays. Using tissue microarrays containing most normal tissue types and an antibody to the Cdx2 protein, strong diffuse Cdx2 staining was only seen in the nuclei of small and large intestinal epithelium and portions of the pancreatic duct system. In tissue microarrays containing 745 cancers from many anatomic sites, colonic adenocarcinomas showed strong extensive staining in 90% of cases, with adenocarcinomas of the stomach, esophagus, and ovary (endometrioid and mucinous types) showing extensive staining in only 20-30% of cases. Other types of carcinomas showed extensive staining in only </=1% of cases. Of 30 neuroendocrine tumors examined, carcinoids of the midgut and hindgut had the most cases with extensive staining (73% and 44%, respectively), thus paralleling the distribution of Cdx2 expression in adenocarcinomas. Cdx2 shows a limited range of expression in the spectrum of human tissues and neoplasia and thus may have utility in determining the site of origin of tumors in certain clinical situations.

CDX2 Transcription Factor↗
PubMed2003

Clinicopathological significance of Nup88 expression in patients with colorectal cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The nucleoporin Nup88 is overexpressed in a series of human malignancies, however, its clinicopathological significance has not been studied. Our aims were to analyze Nup88 expression in normal mucosa, primary tumors and metastases from colorectal cancer patients and further to identify relationships of Nup88 expression with clinicopathological and other factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using immunohistochemistry, we investigated Nup88 expression in 198 primary colorectal tumors, 96 normal mucosa samples and 35 lymph node metastases. RESULTS: The results showed that the intensity of Nup88 expression increased from the normal mucosa to the primary tumors (p < 0.0001) and tended to increase from the primary tumors to the metastases (p = 0.15). Both primary tumors and metastases presented stronger expression in the invasive margin and vascular-invaded areas. Nup88 expression was positively related to distal tumor location (p = 0.01), infiltrative growth pattern (p = 0.04) and higher proliferative activity (p = 0.04) and reversely to the grade of differentiation (p = 0.02) and apoptosis (p = 0.049). Strong expression of Nup88 predicted a worse outcome in the patients with distal tumors during the follow-up period of up to 3 years (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: It seems that overexpression of Nup88 was involved in the tumorigenesis and aggressiveness of colorectal cancers, and Nup88 may be used as a prognostic factor in patients with distal tumors.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Oxidosqualene cyclases from cell suspension cultures of Betula platyphylla var. japonica: molecular evolution of oxidosqualene cyclases in higher plants.

Betula platyphylla var. japonica is a rich source of triterpenoid as it contains dammarane type triterpenes in the leaves, and lupane type and oleanane type triterpenes in the bark. Four oxidosqualene cyclase cDNAs (BPX, BPX2, BPW and BPY) were cloned by homology based PCR methods from cell suspension cultures of B. platyphylla var. japonica. Open reading frames consisting of 2274, 2304, 2268 and 2340 bp were ligated into yeast expression plasmid pYES2 under the control of GAL1 promoter and introduced into lanosterol synthase deficient (erg7) Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain GIL77. Analyses of in vitro enzyme activities and/or accumulated products in the transformants demonstrated that they encode cycloartenol synthase (BPX and BPX2), lupeol synthase (BPW) and beta-amyrin synthase (BPY) proteins. Phylogenetic tree was constructed for all the known oxidosqualene cyclases (OSCs) including the clones obtained in this study, revealing that OSCs having the same enzyme function form respective branches in the tree even though they derive from different plant species. Intriguing correlation was found between reaction mechanism and molecular evolution of OSCs in higher plants.

Betula↗
PubMed2003

Screening and identification of the up-regulated genes in human mesangial cells exposed to angiotensin II.

Accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) in the glomerular mesangium is a common feature of many progressive renal diseases. Angiotensin II (Ang II) plays a major role in the progression of chronic kidney diseases in part by induction of ECM. However, the precise molecular signals responsible for this effect are unknown. To explore possible molecular mechanisms of ECM production related to Ang II, we screened and identified genes up-regulated by Ang II in cultured human mesangial cells (MC). Detection of up-regulated genes was determined by mRNA populations from human MC with and without Ang II stimulation (10(-6) mol/l, 24 h) by suppression subtractive hybridization. Reverse Northern blot analysis was performed to screen for differentially expressed genes. Full-length cDNAs of three novel genes were isolated by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE)-polymerase chain reaction (PCR). One of these novel genes, AngRem104, was further investigated by Northern blot, Western blot and reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. The bioinformatics analysis implied that AngRem104 coded for a nuclear protein that was widely expressed in various normal human tissues. Moreover, up-regulation of AngRem104 induced by Ang II was time-dependent and was dose-dependently blocked by the Ang II type 1 receptor antagonist, Losartan. Interestingly, we also demonstrated that AngReam104 was associated with increased fibronectin expression. We conclude that AngRem104 is a novel human gene that is related to the expression of fibronectin and that is up-regulated by Ang II in human MC. These findings may lead to new insights into the mechanisms of glomerular sclerosis associated with Ang II.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2003

Kinetworks protein kinase multiblot analysis.

The proteomics analysis of protein kinases and other cell-signaling proteins in tumor samples by traditional two-dimensional (2-D) gel electrophoresis is complicated by the low abundance of these regulatory proteins relative to metabolic enzymes and structural proteins. We present an antibody-based method called Kinetworks that relies on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-poly-acrylamide minigel electrophoresis and multilane immunoblotters to permit the specific and quantitative detection of 45 or more protein kinases or other signal transduction proteins at once. The technique can also permit the resolution of these proteins based on differences in their phosphorylation state and other forms of covalent modification. Kinetworks profiling of protein kinases in solid human tumors and cell lines can reveal profound differences in their expression and phosphorylation states, which can serve for the identification of cancer diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets for drug discovery.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗
PubMed2003

Experimental tibial plateau fractures augmented with calcium phosphate cement or autologous bone graft.

BACKGROUND: Depression fractures of the tibial plateau are often managed with use of internal fixation and autologous bone-grafting to maintain an anatomical reduction. Bone-grafting, however, provides only limited stability. As calcium phosphate cements have appropriate mechanical properties, they may provide a more suitable alternative. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of a calcium phosphate cement with that of impacted cancellous autograft for maintaining an anatomical reduction in an experimental model of a tibial plateau fracture. METHODS: Standardized cylindrical subchondral defects that were 8 mm in diameter and 10 mm deep were created bilaterally beneath the subchondral bone of the articular cartilage in the lateral tibial plateau of goats. An osteotome was used to fracture the overlying subchondral plate and articular cartilage. The plateau fracture fragment was completely depressed into the subchondral defect and then was anatomically reduced. The defects were randomly filled with either calcium phosphate cement or cancellous autograft. No internal fixation was used. The tibiae were harvested at varying time-periods that ranged from twenty-four hours to eighteen months. The stiffness of the healing augmented plateau fractures was determined. Histological specimens were assigned a score for degenerative changes. Loss of anatomic reduction was demonstrated in photomicrographs, and the amount of subsidence of the osteochondral fragment was measured in whole-mount histological sections. RESULTS: The prevalence and degree of fracture subsidence was significantly reduced at all time-points in the defects treated with calcium phosphate cement compared with those filled with autograft (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in fracture stiffness between the two treatment groups at any of the time-points examined. The calcium phosphate cement was rapidly resorbed, and the volume fraction of the calcium phosphate cement was decreased to 4% at six months. The trabecular bone volume in the defects was restored to that of the intact controls at six months in both treatment groups. CONCLUSIONS: Cancellous autograft did not maintain an anatomical reduction of the tibial plateau fractures in this model. In contrast, augmentation with calcium phosphate cement prevented subsidence of the fracture fragment and maintained articular congruency as the fracture healed. The improved articular congruency reduced the prevalence and severity of degenerative changes in the joint.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Relationship between the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase gene and cell cycle regulators in gastric cancer and its significance.

AIM: To investigate the expression of human telomerase reverse transcriptase gene (hTRT) in gastric cancer (GC) and its relevance with cell cycle regulators including P16INK4, cyclin and P53. METHODS: In situ hybridization (ISH) for hTRT mRNA was performed in 53 cases of gastric cancer and adjacent cancerous tissues. Immunohistochemical staining (S-P method) for hTRT protein, P16INK4, cyclinD1 and P53 was performed in 53 cases of GC and adjacent cancerous tissues. RESULTS: Of 53 cases of GC, the expression of hTRT mRNA and hTRT protein was significantly higher than the expression of hTRT mRNA and hTRT protein in adjacent canerous tissues (P<0.01), the positive rates of hTRTmRNA and hTRT protein were 79.2 % and 88.6 %. There was a stastical difference of the expression of hTRT protein among well differentiated adenocarcinoma, poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma and mucoid carcinoma. And there was a highly significant positive correlation between the expression of hTRT mRNA and hTRT protein (r=0.625, P<0.01). However, the expression of hTRT mRNA and its protein in GC were not related with other clinicopathological parameters including gender, age, location and size of neoplasm, invasion depth, lymph node metastasis and clinical stage. There was a significant positive correlation between the expression of hTRT mRNA and cyclinD1 protein (r=0.350, P<0.01). There was a significant positive correlation between the expression of cyclinD1 protein and hTRT protein (r=0.549, P<0.01), so was between P53 and hTRT protein (r=0.319, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The expression of hTRT gene is correlated significantly to the specific defects of cell cycle on G1/S check point; telomerase activity may depend on cell cycle in gastric cancer and it is available to clarify the molecular mechanism of telomerase activity regulation. The expression of hTRT mRNA and hTRT protein in GC is significantly different from the expression of hTRT mRNA and hTRT protein in adjacent cancerous tissue which indicates that these targets are correlated closely to the occurrence of GC and can provide important morphologic index for diagnosis of GC.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Combined deficiency of hMLH1, hMSH2, hMSH3 and hMSH6 is an independent prognostic factor in colorectal cancer.

We examined biological and clinicopathological significance of individual and combined hMLH1, hMSH2, hMSH3 and hMSH6 expression with immunohistochemistry in 301 unselected colorectal cancers. Weak hMLH1 expression was correlated to microsatellite instability (P=0.04), negative p53 expression (P=0.005) and mucinous carcinomas (P=0.02). Weak hMSH2 expression was related to negative ras (P<0.001) and p53 expression (P=0.005), and better survival (P=0.03). hMSH2, hMSH3 and hMSH6, as well as hMLH1, hMSH2, hMSH3 and hMSH6, were combined into a 'functional' and a 'less-functional' group, respectively. Both 'less-functional' groups were/tended to be associated with microsatellite instability, negative ras and p53 expression, and better survival. In summary, hMLH1 and hMSH2 were more important when investigated individually, and the combined groups were more related to the mutator pathway, suggesting that combined deficiencies of the proteins are more efficiently involved in the mutator pathway. Our result from weak versus strong staining may suggest that the intensity of staining should be considered in future studies on mismatch repair proteins.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed2003

[Application of nitrocellulose membrane in cell culture and pathological techniques].

OBJECTIVE: To provide a new supporting medium for carrying out cell culture and histological staining. METHOD: LoVo cell line was cultured using nitrocellulose membrane as the culture medium, in parallel with the same cell culture on the coverglass which served as control. RESULTS: The cells cultured on nitrocellulose membrane showed no visible difference from those cultured on coverglasses in terms of cell growth, morphology, and the structure displayed after staining. No toxic effect was observed due to the application of nitrocellulose membrane. CONCLUSIONS: Nitrocellulose membrane after treatment has such merit as good lucidity and stability without toxicity on the cells. Having also good affinity with the cells, nitrocellulose membrane can offer an promising alternative for glass as cell culture medium.

Cell Culture Techniques↗
PubMed2003

[Clinical application of Lishengsu for treatment of leukopenia induced by chemotherapy].

The efficacy and safety of Lishengsu (a rhG-CSF preparation) were evaluated for treatment of chemotherapy-induced leukopenia. 327 cases of leukopenia with grade I-IV induced by chemotherapy were subcutaneously administered at 2.5 - 5.0 micro g/(kg x d) of Lishengsu, and hemogram and the side effects were observed. The results showed that Lishengsu had satisfactory effect to cure leukopenia after chemtherapy, with an effective rate of 99.4% (325/327), the side effects were quite slight. It is concluded that Lishengsu is efficient and safe for patients with leukopenia, and can be used as an adjuvant drug for treatment of leukopenia after chemotherapy.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

[Study on the typing of immunocytes after xenogeneic or allogeneic acellular dermal matrix grafting].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the immunologic reaction difference between xenogeneic and allogeneic acellular dermal matrix (ADM) grafting. METHODS: Split thick skin samples harvested from healthy piglets and human volunteers who underwent losing-weight operation were processed to be xeno-ADM and allo-ADM. The ADMs overlapped with ultrathin auto-skin were employed to immediately cover the wound after escharectomy in deep burn patients. The patients were correspondingly set to be Xeno (26 cases) and Allo (10 cases) groups. Another 8 cases with deep burn wounds were grafted with only split thick autoskin (TTS) after escharectomy as control group. The tissue samples from grafted area were observed by immunohistochemistry after the grafting. The typing of immune cells in peripheral blood and grafted tissue was determined. RESULTS: (1) The CD4(+), CD45RO(+) and CD4(+)/CD8(+) cell ratios in peripheral blood in Xeno group increased slightly after the skin grafting when comparing to those in control group (P > 0.05). (2) There existed lasting inflammatory and immunological reaction in the local site of grafts in Xeno group. In addition, more than 80% of the inflammatory cells could be found to be CD3(+)/CD4(+), CD45RO(+). But CD8(+), Vs8C(+) plasmocytes and CD57(+) NK cells were found less. Furthermore, eosinophil and CD68(+)/CD4(+) foreign body megalocyte reactions could also be identified, especially in Xeno-ADM before rejection (P < 0.05 - 0.001). There was only mild inflammatory and immunological reaction during early grafting stage (within 8 post-operational weeks) in Allo-group. CONCLUSION: The specific immunologic reaction of human host to ADM might be participated by mononuclear cells and macrophages and presented mainly as cellular immune reaction induced by CD4(+) T lymphocytes. Furthermore, the foreign body megalocyte constructed by help T cell and macrophage might play important roles in the reaction.

Animals↗