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Biomedical subjects

J Peng

Publications and source records attributed to J Peng.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

Cytokine-induced alteration of platelet and hemostatic function.

A number of nonplatelet-specific cytokines that augment platelet recovery following chemo/radiotherapy have been described. The members of the interleukin 6 (IL-6) family have properties that influence the hematopoietic system beyond their modest thrombocytopoietic effects. Studies performed in a canine model with IL-6 have shown that this factor augments plasma fibrinogen and von Willebrand factor (vWf) concentrations and decreases the level of free protein S. IL-6 appears to decrease the bleeding time in thrombocytopenic dogs, although this effect does not seem to be due to a direct influence of the factor on endothelial vWf or tissue factor production. The factor does not directly alter platelet function in vitro, but when administered to dogs, it increases the sensitivity of the platelets to activation by thrombin. Normal platelets injected into IL-6-treated dogs, and platelets from IL-6-treated dogs injected into normal animals, survive normally. Following injection of either IL-6 or the more specific thrombocytopoietic cytokine thrombopoietin (TPO), IL-6 increases platelet responsiveness to thrombin-induced activation to a greater extent than does TPO. The data show that IL-6 has certain properties that might be construed as prohemostatic, and these properties may prove to be useful clinically.

Animals↗

Ascaris, people and pigs in a rural community of Jiangxi Province, China.

A longitudinal investigation on natural populations of Ascaris in humans and pigs and an investigation of soil contamination with Ascaris eggs were carried out from June 1993 to June 1994 in 2 villages, Manhu area, Xinjian County, Jiangxi Province, China. Results from these studies indicate that although human ascariasis is endemic there is significant fluctuation in both prevalence and the mean number of eggs/g faeces (epg) of the communities. Fluctuation of age-stratified prevalence and mean epg was detected in children but not in most adult groups. Most cases of human ascariasis were judged to involve low intensities of infection and a typical overdispersion distribution pattern was observed through the year. It was estimated that during the year, nearly half of the eggs discharged in the environment came from infections in children aged between 2 and 15 years which accounted for about 30% of the total population. Soil in and around houses and in vegetable gardens was found to be contaminated by Ascaris eggs and this situation remained relatively stable throughout the year. Monthly developmental rate of Ascaris eggs in soil was detected and the results suggest that the fluctuation in prevalence observed during the year should be directly attributed to the effect of seasonality of egg development. Features of Ascaris infection in pigs were found to be similar to those in humans except for a lower mean intensity of infection. The possibility of cross-infection of Ascaris between human and pig hosts is discussed.

Adolescent↗

New furostanol glycosides, chinenoside IV and V, from Allium chinense.

Further studies on water-soluble components in the bulbs of Allium chinense G. Don have led to the isolation of two new furostanol saponins, chinenoside IV (1) and V (2). On the basis of chemical evidence and spectral analyses [1H-, 13C-NMR (DEPT), 1H-1H COSY (COSY45 and p-type), 1H-1H relay-COSY, 1H-13C COSY, HMBC, and FAB-MS], the structure of 1 was established as 26-O-beta-glucopyranosyl-3 beta,26-dihydroxy-23-hydroxymethyl-25(R)- 5 alpha-furost-20(22)-en-6-one 3-O-beta-xylopyranosyl(1-->4)-[alpha- arabinopyranosyl(1-->6)]-beta-glucopyranoside and that of 2 to be 26-O-beta-glucopyranosyl-3 beta, 26-dihydroxy-23-hydroxymethyl-25-(R)-5 alpha-furost-20(22)-en-6-one 3-O-alpha-arabinopyranosyl (1-->6)-beta- glucopyranoside, respectively.

Allium↗

[A sample survey and multiple factor analysis on asthma in urban area of Shanghai].

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of asthma in urban residents of Shanghai in 1990 and evaluate the risk factors of asthma. METHODS: A cluster uneven random survey of asthma was conducted among 36,872 urban residents, 5/1000 of the population of the city. The asthmatics were suspected based upon case history, and then confirmed by home visit and further investigation. Single factor and unconditional logistic regression analysis were employed to evaluate the risk factors of asthma. RESULTS: The accumulative prevalence of asthma was 1.53% for age group 0-35 and it was higher in male (1.74%) than in female (1.31%). Sex, age and type of living house were possible risk factors. The prevalences were much higher among people with history of TB and pneumonia of which the values of relative risks were 2.53 and 4.95, respectively. Histories of food, drug and other kinds of hypersensitivity were significantly related to the history of asthma. CONCLUSION: Several risk factors possibly associated with asthma were identified in Shanghai area.

Adolescent↗

[The protective effects of dichloroacetate on cerebral ischemia after reperfusion of fed rats].

OBJECTIVE: To study the brain protective mechanisms of dichloroacetate (DCA) by observing the influence of DCA on the biochemical and pathological changes in ischemic brain tissues in different periods of reperfusion. METHODS: The FED-RAT cerebral ischemic model induced by 4-vessel occlusion was applied. 55 mature male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into the control group, normal saline and DCA-treated groups before ischemia, normal saline and DCA-treated groups after ischemia equally and randomly. RESULTS: DCA could significantly lower the brain lactic acid, water content, and the diameter of cortical neurons, and protect the pathological damage of the membranaceous structure, before or after ischemia at a dose of 25 mg/kg, compared with the normal saline treated groups. CONCLUSION: Lowering brain lactate, resisting brain edema and protecting the membranaceous structures are the main brain protective mechanisms of DCA in biochemistry and ultrastructure.

Animals↗

[Changes of histamine receptors in the liver of the rat during the development of experimental cirrhosis].

It remains unknown whether changes of histamine H1 and H2 recepters in the liver occur during the development of cirrhosis. 48 male Wistar rats were divided, equally and randomly, into experiment and control groups, and the rats in the experiment group were induced by CCl4 to form experimental cirrhosis models. Then, at different stages during the development of experimental cirrhosis, the maximal binding capacity (Bmax), dissociation constants (Kd), and binding ability (BA = Bmax/Kd) of histamine H1 and H2 receptors in the livers of the two groups were analysed by radioligand binding assay. At early stage of the development of experimental cirrhosis, the Bmax of H2 receptor in the rat liver was not statistically different from that of normal control; at middle and advanced stages of the course, the Bmax of H2 recepter were significantly lower than normal. The Bmax of H1 receptor was obviously lower than normal at each stage. At middle stage, the Kd of H1 receptor was significantly higher than normal, whereas the Kd of H1 receptor at the other two stages and the Kd of H2 receptor at each stage were not remarkably different from those of the controls. At each stage of the development of experimental cirrhosis, the BA of H1 and H2 receptor was all significantly lower than that of the normal controls. It was concluded that the "down-regulation" of the receptors may be an important factor for the reduction of Bmax and BA of the two histamine receptors, and these changes of the receptors may possibly led to metabolic disorder of carbohydrates and phospholipid in the liver and lower the liver's ability to inactivate histamine.

Animals↗

[Pathological changes in coal miner pneumoconiosis patients' larger airway mucosa].

OBJECTIVE: To study the pathological changes of the larger airway mucosa in coal miner pneumoconiosis patients. METHOD: The 23 pneumoconiosis patients' specimens were observed under fibrobronchoscope and examined by optical microscope and transmission electron microscope, with 19 chronic bronchitis patients (all complicated with emphysema) and 5 workers who had the history of dust inhalation but no lesions in the lungs as the controls. RESULTS: Scattered macular black areas, orifice stenoses and lumen abnormalities appeared in the larger airways of the pneumoconiosis patients and the controls who had the history of dust inhalation. Fibroplastic proliferation, smooth muscular distortion and lesions in various microstructures of columnar ciliated epithelial cells were also seen by microscopy among them. CONCLUSION: The results showed that the above pathological changes were caused by the direct injuries of coal dust granules to the larger airways.

Aged↗

[Co-regulative effect of PKA-RII and PKC-alpha kinase subspecies on expression of c-myc and c-H-ras in human gastric cancer cells (MGC 80-3)].

Based on preceding experiment, we further studied the co-regulative effects of PKA-R II and PKC-alpha on expression of oncogenes in human gastric cell line MGC 80-3. The c-myc and c-H-ras expression were suppressed in MGC 80-3 cells during HMBA-induced differentiation. At the same time, PKA-R II showed nuclear translocation from cytoplasm, whereas the expression of PKC-alpha shifted from nucleus to cytoplasm. PKA inhibitor (Sigma) was added to block cAMP-PKA pathway when cell differentiation were induced by HMBA. The PKA-R II was still located in cytoplasm but expression of PKC-alpha translocated again into nucleus. Meanwhile, the c-myc and c-H-ras again expressed. This suggested that the changing regulation of oncogene expression were closely related to signalling from nuclear translocation of kinase subspecies. It thus shows the co-regulation effects of two signal system on oncogenes expression.

Carrier Proteins↗

Multinuclear magnetic resonance studies of the interaction of inorganic cations with heparin.

The interaction of Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Zn2+ and La3+ with heparin, a highly negatively charged glycosaminoglycan, was studied by 1H and 23Na nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. 1H chemical shift and nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE) data indicate that the counter ions Na+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ interact with the low pH, carboxylic acid form of heparin by delocalized, long-range electrostatic interactions. At higher pH, 1H chemical shift and NOE data indicate that Na+ and Mg2+ continue to interact with heparin in the same manner, even upon deprotonation of the carboxylic acid group; however, there is a site-specific contribution to the binding of Ca2+, Zn2+ and La3+ under these conditions. Acid dissociation constants for heparin carboxylic acid groups and heparin-metal binding constants were determined from the pH dependence of 1H chemical shifts and 23Na spin-lattice (T1) relaxation times. Equilibrium constants for exchange of M2+ for heparin-bound Na+ were obtained from 23Na T1 data. The acid dissociation constants show a strong dependence on Na+ concentration due to the polyelectrolyte character of heparin.

Animals↗

Thrombocytopoietic properties of oncostatin M.

Oncostatin M (OM) is a 28-kD glycoprotein that exhibits a panoply of biologic effects. Based on histologic observations of increased splenic megakaryocytes in nude mice implanted with an OM-secreting cell line, the thrombocytopoietic properties of OM in mice were investigated in culture and in vivo. Alone, OM did not induce megakaryocytic colony formation, but in combination with murine interleukin-3 (IL-3), OM markedly enhanced colony formation. The effects of OM on colony formation were similar to those of IL-6. OM alone augmented acetylcholinesterase in short-term marrow cultures. In normal mice, the administration of OM augmented platelet counts without increasing other circulating blood cell counts. The increment in counts exceeded that observed with IL-6. The kinetics of the OM response suggested that maximal increases in platelets occurred 3 days after the cessation of OM administration, irrespective of the duration of administration. In irradiated mice, OM administration accelerated platelet recovery and prevented the decrease in red blood cells observed in irradiated control animals. The data show that OM behaves as a megakaryocytic maturation factor in vitro and augments platelet production in vivo. Based on these animal data, OM may have potential clinical utility as a thrombocytopoietic agent.

Anemia↗

The effect of the S14A mutation on the conformation and thermostability of Saccharomyces cerevisiae G-actin and its interaction with adenine nucleotides.

The actin Ser14 hydroxyl is one of a number of ligands that binds to the gamma-phosphate of ATP thereby stabilizing the actin.ATP complex. In yeast actin, conversion of Ser14 to Ala (S14A), causes a temperature-sensitive phenotype in vivo and temperature-sensitive polymerization defects in vitro (Chen, X., and Rubenstein, P. A. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 11406-11414). Here, using a new luciferase-based procedure, we show that the mutation results in a 40-60-fold decrease in actin's affinity for ATP. The mutation causes a decrease in the intrinsic ATPase activity of both Ca- and Mg-G-actin at 30 degrees C and alters the protease susceptibility of sites on subdomain 2. Ca-S14A-actin but not Mg-S14A-actin binds etheno-ATP at 37 degrees C. Intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence measurements show that at 37 degrees C, Mg-S14A-actin but not the calcium form unfolds. CD measurements show the mutation causes a decrease in the apparent denaturation temperature for Ca-actin from 57 to 45 degrees C and for the magnesium form a decrease from 52 to 40 degrees C. Based on a re-examination of actin's crystal structure coordinates, we propose that the Ser14 hydroxyl forms a polar bridge between the ATP gamma-phosphate and the amide nitrogen of Gly74, thus conferring additional stability on the actin small domain.

Actins↗

Inheritance of gusA and neo genes in transgenic rice.

Inheritance of foreign genes neo and gusA in rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. IR54 and Radon) has been investigated in three different primary (T0) transformants and their progeny plants. T0 plants were obtained by co-transforming protoplasts from two different rice suspension cultures with the neomycin phosphotransferase II gene [neo or aph (3') II] and the beta-glucuronidase gene (uidA or gusA) residing on separate chimeric plasmid constructs. The suspension cultures were derived from callus of immature embryos of indica variety IR54 and japonica variety Radon. One transgenic line of Radon (AR2) contained neo driven by the CaMV 35S promoter and gusA driven by the rice actin promoter. A second Radon line (R3) contained neo driven by the CaMV 35S promoter and gusA driven by a promoter of the rice tungro bacilliform virus. The third transgenic line, IR54-1, contained neo driven by the CaMV 35S promoter and gusA driven by the CaMV 35S. Inheritance of the transgenes in progeny of the transgenic rice was investigated by Southern blot analysis and enzyme assays. Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA showed that, regardless of copy numbers of the transgenes in the plant genome and the fact that the two transgenes resided on two different plasmids before transformation, the introduced gusA and neo genes were stably transmitted from one generation to another and co-inherited together in transgenic rice progeny plants derived from self-pollination. Analysis of GUS and NPT II activities in T1 to T2 plants provided evidence that inheritance of the gusA and neo genes was in a Mendelian fashion in one plant line (AR2), and in an irregular fashion in the two other plant lines (R3 and IR54-1). Homozygous progeny plants expressing the gusA and neo genes were obtained in the T2 generation of AR2, but the homozygous state was not found in the other two lines of transgenic rice.

Blotting, Southern↗

Isolation and preliminary characterization of gas1-1, a mutation causing partial suppression of the phenotype conferred by the gibberellin-insensitive (gai) mutation in Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heyhn.

The semi-dominant gai mutation of arabidopsis confers a dark-green dwarf phenotype resembling that of gibberellin (GA)-deficient mutants. In contrast to GA-deficient mutants, gai mutants do not respond to GA treatments and accumulate higher levels of bioactive GAs than are found in wild-type controls. The gai mutation thus alters the responses of plant cells to GA, indicating that the GAI (wild-type) gene product is involved in GA reception and/or signal transduction. Here we describe the isolation and preliminary characterization of a mutation, gas1-1, which is not linked to gai and which partially suppresses the effect of the gai mutation. Double mutant, gai gas1-1, homozygotes are less severely dwarfed and lighter green than gai GAS1 controls. However, comparisons of the effects of treatments with exogenous GA demonstrate that gas1-1 does not increase the GA responsiveness of the gai mutant. Thus the gas1-1 mutation appears to reduce the GA-dependency of plant growth, and identifies a gene (GAS1) whose product is a candidate GA signal-transduction component.

Arabidopsis↗

Novel furostanol glycosides from Allium macrostemon.

Further studies by means of preparative HPLC led to the isolation of two new furostanol saponins, macrostemonosides G (1) and I (3), along with an artifact, macrostemonoside H (2) from the bulbs of Allium macrostemon Bunge. On the basis of chemical evidence and spectral analyses (1H-,13C-NMR,1H-1H COSY,1H-13C COSY, HMBC and FAB-MS), the structure of 1 was established as 26-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-22-hydroxy-5 beta-furost-25(27)-ene-3 beta,12 beta,26 triol 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D-galactopyranoside and 2 as the 22-methoxy derivative of 1; 3 was deduced to be 26-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-22-hydroxy-5 beta-furost-25(27)-ene-12-one-3 beta,26- diol 3-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl(1-->2)-beta-D-galactopyranoside. Preliminary pharmacological tests showed that macrostemonoside G (1) could inhibit ADP-induced human platelet aggregation in vitro (IC50 = 0.871 mM).

Adult↗

Alteration of platelet function in dogs mediated by interleukin-6.

To determine if interleukin-6 (IL-6) administration influences platelet function, platelet activation was analyzed sequentially in IL-6-treated (80 micrograms/kg/d) and control dogs. Platelet activation was determined in whole blood by flow cytometry by quantitating the binding of a monoclonal antibody to platelet surface P-selectin after stimulation with graded doses of thrombin. Administration of IL-6 resulted in a twofold decrease in the thrombin concentration required for induction of half-maximal P-selectin expression (ED50) compared with control animals. The ED50 returned to normal after cessation of IL-6 administration. As measured by P-selectin expression, enhanced responsiveness to the strong agonist platelet activating factor (PAF) was also observed in the IL-6-treated dogs. IL-6 had no effect on the susceptibility of platelets to thrombin activation when incubated with anticoagulated dog blood. The data show that, in addition to augmenting the platelet count in normal dogs, IL-6 enhances the sensitivity of platelets to activation in response to thrombin and PAF.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Aged platelets have an impaired response to thrombin as quantitated by P-selectin expression.

After the intravenous infusion of N-hydroxysuccinimido biotin into dogs, 80.6% +/- 9.7% (n = 5) of platelets were covalently labeled with biotin. The in vivo survival of the biotinylated platelets was monitored by flow cytometry and was normal as compared with previous reports for dog platelets. The ability of the biotinylated platelets to be activated was analyzed by measuring the expression of cell-surface P-selectin after incubation with graded concentrations of thrombin. When P-selectin expression was examined 3 hours after labeling, biotinylated platelets were indistinguishable from the nonlabeled population of platelets, indicating that biotinylation did not adversely affect the cells. On consecutive days after biotinylation, the thrombin dose-response curves for biotinylated and nonbiotinylated platelets were repeated, and as the biotinylated-platelets aged, they became less responsive to thrombin. On days 3, 4, and 5, the thrombin EC50 for the aged, biotinylated platelets as compared with the total population of platelets was 136%, 150%, and 178%, respectively. Increasing age clearly impairs the reactivity of platelets towards thrombin as quantitated by the expression of cell-surface P-selectin.

Animals↗