Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to J Xing.
Pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy in rats were developed 3 weeks after administration of monocrotaline 50 mg/kg i.p. Tetrandrine 10 mg/kg and 15 mg/kg bid p.o. could prevent the above-said effects produced by monocrotaline.
Inactivation of tumour-suppressor genes leads to deregulated cell proliferation and is a key factor in human tumorigenesis. Both p53 and retinoblastoma genes are frequently mutated in human cancers, and the simultaneous inactivation of RB and p53 is frequently observed in a variety of naturally occurring human tumours. Furthermore, three distinct DNA tumour virus groups--papovaviruses, adenoviruses and human papillomaviruses--transform cells by targeting and inactivating certain functions of both the p53 and retinoblastoma proteins. The cellular oncoprotein, Mdm2, binds to and downmodulates p53 function; its human homologue, MDM2, is amplified in certain human tumours, including sarcomas and gliomas. Overproduction of Mdm2 is both tumorigenic and capable of immortalizing primary rat embryo fibroblasts. Here we show that MDM2 interacts physically and functionally with pRB and, as with p53, inhibits pRB growth regulatory function. Therefore, both pRB and p53 can be subjected to negative regulation by the product of a single cellular protooncogene.
We have determined intersite distances from Cys374 of actin to Cys707 (SH1) and Cys697 (SH2) of myosin subfragment 1 (S1) in actosubfragment 1 (A.S1) by fluorescence resonance energy transfer for rigor complex A.S1 and complexes containing bound ADP and ADP plus orthovanadate (Vi), A.S1.ADP, and A.S1.ADP.Vi. A single energy acceptor (4-dimethylaminophenylazophenyl-4'-maleimide, DABMI) was attached to Cys374, and two different energy donors [(5-(iodoacetamideothyl)aminonaphthalene-1-sulfonic acid (IAEDANS) and 2-(4'-maleimidylanilino)naphthalene-6-sulfonic acid (MIANS)] were each attached to SH1 and SH2 for the distance determination. The two sites SH1 and SH2 of S1 were approximately equidistant (ca. 45 A) from actin Cys374 in rigor A.S1 when MIANS was the energy donor attached to the two thiols. The Cys374-SH1 distance decreased by 7-8 A in the presence of ADP plus Vi, but the distance Cys374-SH2 was essentially unaltered under identical conditions. Slightly different but similar distance results were obtained with AEDANS as energy donor. If the structure of actin monomer in A.S1 is assumed to be rigid [Miki, M. (1991) Biochemistry 30, 10878-10884], the present results indicate that MgADP plus Vi induced a movement of SH1 toward the actin site and that SH2 was insensitive to saturation of the active site pocket of S1 and relatively immobile. These results suggest that during the steady-state hydrolysis of ATP or in the weak-binding state of actomyosin, the short helical segment of S1 heavy chain containing SH1 moves closer to the COOH-terminal end of actin, while the adjacent helical segment containing SH2 remains stationary. The emission spectrum of MIANS attached to SH2 experienced a large red spectral shift (6-10 nm) in the presence of MgADP, MgADP + Vi, MgADP + beryllium fluoride, and ATP. A crude model of S1 based on the C alpha coordinates suggests that SH2 is located in a hydrophobic cage surrounded by three hydrophobic residues. Reorientation of one of these side chains could expose SH2 to the solvent. The observed red spectral shift of MIANS attached to SH2 could be explained by such a nucleotide-induced exposure, and this explanation would be consistent with the interpretation that SH2 is stationary.
Nerve growth factor (NGF) induces the synthesis and the phosphorylation of the orphan nuclear receptor NGFI-B in PC12 cells. Previous work has shown that phosphorylation, by protein kinase A, of a specific serine in the DNA-binding domain inhibits its binding to the NGFI-B response element. Also, cytoplasmic extracts from PC12 cells phosphorylate this serine, and phosphorylation is greater in extracts from cells treated with NGF. The present work describes the induction, identification, and partial purification of a kinase (termed NGFI-B kinase I) from PC12 cell extracts that catalyzes this phosphorylation. Phosphorylation of the DNA-binding domain with this purified preparation inhibits its binding to the NGFI-B response element. The kinase is rapidly activated by treatment of the cells with NGF, and the activation lasts for at least several hours. It also is activated by fibroblast growth factor and epidermal growth factor (EGF), but the activation by EGF is quite transient. The kinase requires Mg2+ but will use Mn2+. The molecular mass of the kinase is 95-100 kDa, and it is different from protein kinase A, Fos kinase, or pp90rsk. Comparison with a partially purified preparation of cyclic AMP response element-binding protein kinase, however, indicates that the two are either very similar or identical.
A retrospective study on the prognosis of Graves disease was carried out. 224 cases, whose treatment has been stopped for 6 months to more than 10 years, were divided into 3 groups. 82 cases received long-term antithyroid drug therapy, 100 cases were treated with radioactive 131I and 42 cases had subtotal thyroidectomy. The prognosis was evaluated for 4 items according to clinical and laboratory investigations. The cured rate of long-term drug therapy in this study was higher than that reported by most of other authors, 131I therapy was the best among the 3 modalites of therapy. The incidence of permanent hypothyroidism was fairly low in the thyroidectomy group. 97.3% of the patients with exophthalmos showed improvement after treatment in all the 3 groups.
The long-term results of 68 cases of thyrotoxic heart disease (THD) treated with 131I were analysed. 17 of 68 patients have been followed for 2-4 years, 32 for 5-9 years, 7 for 10-14 years, 8 for 15-19 years and 4 for 20-33 years. The mean period of follow up was 9 years. Of the 68 patients, 47 did not respond to antithyroid drug (ATD) therapy. Before 131I therapy, all the patients suffered from one or more of cardiac abnormalities caused by hyperthyroidism such as paroxysmal or permanent atrial fibrillation, cardiac enlargement, cardiac failure, frequent atrial or ventricular extrasystoles, angina pectoris and so on. All patients were given individualized therapeutic 131I dose of 2.59-4.44 MBq per gram of thyroid weight. The total 131I dose for patients was 85.1 MBq to 462.2 MBq. The long-term results showed that 55 cases were cured and 11 cases achieved complete remission. The total effective rate was 97 percent. There was no relapse of hyperthyroidism. Except that 4 cases of early hypothyroidism and 5 of delayed hypothyroidism were diagnosed, there were no other complications. The incidence of postradioiodine hypothyroidism at 5-9 years was 7.4 percent and at 10-33 years 20 percent. Our results indicate that 131I is a simple, safe, economic and effective treatment for THD. Pre-treatment with ATD for hyperthyroidism with cardiac complications is not necessary. 131I should be considered as the treatment of first choice for hyperthyroidism with cardiac abnormalities.
The conformational transitions that smooth muscle myosin undergoes after nucleotide binding have been examined using fluorescently labeled nucleotides and regulatory light chain. The 10 S conformation of smooth muscle myosin could be induced by addition of 1-N6-ethenoadenosine or mant ADP plus beryllium fluoride, as well as by mant adenosine 5'-(beta,gamma-iminotriphosphate) (AMPPNP). Fluorescence lifetime studies using 1-N6-ethenoadenosine plus beryllium fluoride reveal two components for both (10 S)- and (6 S)-myosins, with little difference in the values of these lifetimes, their fractional amplitudes, or solute accessibilities. Anisotropy decay studies of myosin-mant nucleotide complexes demonstrate that the rotational correlation time for (10 S)-myosin is nearly 4-fold longer than that for (6 S)-myosin. Qualitatively similar results were obtained with a 5-[[[2(iodoacetyl)amino]ethyl]amino]naphthalene-1-sulfonic acid fluorescent probe attached to the regulatory light chain. Mant AMPPNP can be trapped in the active site by (10S)-myosin. Actin accelerates this release rate by 40-50-fold. These studies reveal: 1) reduction in nucleotide release rate by converting (6S) to (10S)-myosin is not due to a reduction in solute accessibility of the nucleotide 2) the heads in (10 S)-myosin are rigidly attached to the rest of the molecule, while in (6 S)-myosin, they have segmental flexibility, 3) regulatory light chain phosphorylation mimics the effect of high salt in enhancing segmental flexibility of the myosin heads, and 4) actin can induce the unfolding of (10 S)-myosin in the absence of regulatory light chain phosphorylation.
More than 20 different heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins (hnRNPs) are associated with pre-mRNAs in the nucleus of mammalian cells and these proteins appear to influence pre-mRNA processing and other aspects of mRNA metabolism and transport. The arrangement of hnRNP proteins on pre-mRNAs is likely to be unique for each RNA and may be determined by the different RNA-binding preferences of each of these proteins. hnRNP F (M(r) = 53 kD, pI = 6.1) and hnRNP H (M(r) = 56 kD, pI = 6.7-7.1) are abundant components of immunopurified hnRNP complexes and they have distinct nucleic acid binding properties. Unlike other hnRNP proteins which display a varying range of affinities for different ribonucleotidehomopolymers and ssDNA, hnRNP F and hnRNP H bind only to poly(rG) in vitro. hnRNP F and hnRNP H were purified from HeLa cells by poly(rG) affinity chromatography and oligonucleotides derived from peptide sequences were used to isolate a cDNA encoding hnRNP F. The predicted amino acid sequence of hnRNP F revealed a novel protein with three repeated domains related to the RNP consensus sequence RNA-binding domain. Monoclonal antibodies produced against bacterially expressed hnRNP F were specific for both hnRNP F and hnRNP H and recognized related proteins in divergent organisms, including in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. hnRNP F and hnRNP H are thus highly related immunologically and they share identical peptides. Interestingly, immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that hnRNP F and hnRNP H are concentrated in discrete regions of the nucleoplasm, in contrast to the general nucleoplasmic distribution of previously characterized hnRNP proteins. The unique RNA-binding properties, amino acid sequence and distinct intranuclear localization of hnRNP F and hnRNP H make them novel hnRNP proteins that are likely to be important for the processing of RNAs containing guanosine-rich sequences.
The interaction between myosin subfragment-1 from bovine cardiac muscle (CS1) and 1,N6-ethenoadenosine diphosphate (epsilon ADP) was studied using steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence methods. The binding constant was found to be 1.52 x 10(6) M-1 at pH 7.5 and 5 degrees C. The intensity decay of epsilon ADP bound to CS1 was resolved into two components over a narrow range of temperatures. The long component was about 22 ns and the short component was between 5 and 7 ns, with fractional amplitudes of about 0.6-0.7 for the long component and 0.3-0.4 for the short component. These data suggest a two-state temperature-sensitive transition of the CS1.epsilon ADP complex. In the presence of orthovanadate (Vi) at 5 degrees C, the decay time of the long component was little affected, whereas the short decay time increased by over 3 ns and the fractional amplitude of the long component decreasing by a factor of 2 to about 0.3 and that of the short component increasing to 0.7. The anisotropy decay of bound epsilon ADP was monoexponential regardless of whether vanadate was present. The recovered single rotational correlation time was 110 ns in the absence of vanadate and 79 ns in the presence of vanadate. The decrease in correlation time suggests an increase in molecular symmetry of the CS1.epsilon ADP.Vi complex. The results are in agreement with previous results obtained from skeletal S1 and indicate that S1 from both isoforms of myosin experiences similar vanadate-induced changes in its hydrodynamic shape. Since the ternary vanadate complex is a stable analogue of the S1.ADP.Pi state, the ligand-induced change in hydrodynamic shape of S1 may be related to the conformational change which myosin head experiences during the ATPase cycle and this change in myosin could be a structural basis for force generation in striated muscle.
A model network of spiking neurons with lateral connections was used to simulate short-term receptive field (RF) changes by removal of afferent input in the primary visual system. Several possible mechanisms for the dynamic RFs were explored and the simulation results were compared with experimental results obtained by Pettet and Gilbert [(1992) Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, U.S.A., 89, 8366-8370]. We found that appropriate input stimuli could induce a shift in the balance between modeled cortical lateral excitation and inhibition and in doing so cause RF expansion. Synaptic plasticity was neither necessary nor appropriate for short-term RF changes. An inhibition dominant network with neural adaptation successfully simulated Pettet and Gilbert's experiment of RF expansion and its reversibility induced by an "artificial scotoma". RF expansions induced by lesions were also explored with the model.
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A model of texture discrimination in visual cortex was built using a feedforward network with lateral interactions among relatively realistic spiking neural elements. The elements have various membrane currents, equilibrium potentials and time constants, with action potentials and synapses. The model is derived from the modified programs of MacGregor (1987). Gabor-like filters are applied to overlapping regions in the original image; the neural network with lateral excitatory and inhibitory interactions then compares and adjusts the Gabor amplitudes in order to produce the actual texture discrimination. Finally, a combination layer selects and groups various representations in the output of the network to form the final transformed image material. We show that both texture segmentation and detection of texture boundaries can be represented in the firing activity of such a network for a wide variety of synthetic to natural images. Performance details depend most strongly on the global balance of strengths of the excitatory and inhibitory lateral interconnections. The spatial distribution of lateral connective strengths has relatively little effect. Detailed temporal firing activities of single elements in the lateral connected network were examined under various stimulus conditions. Results show (as in area 17 of cortex) that a single element's response to image features local to its receptive field can be altered by changes in the global context.
This paper presents results of Monte Carlo simulations of a full bilayer of 200 lipid chains and one gramicidin A dimer. Simulations are described for systems with lipid chains of 14, 16, and 18 carbons, respectively. Using accepted potential functions to calculate interactions between all non-hydrogen atoms a Monte Carlo configuration sampling is generated from which order parameter profiles are calculated and specific configurations are displayed. Results are compared with experimental data for lipid-gramicidin bilayers.
The effects of human neutrophil elastase (HNE), cathepsin-G, H2O2, xanthine oxidase-hypoxanthine derived superoxide anion and endotoxin on the PGI2 production by cultured bovine pulmonary endothelial cells were observed. The results showed that HNE, superoxide anion and H2O2 could decrease the PGI2 production by endothelial cells, and cathepsin-G had no effect on the production of PGI2. In our experiment, endotoxin could enhance PGI2 production. It was suggested that HNE, superoxide anion, and H2O2 may be involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary hypertension.
Corticomyographic motor evoked potentials (MEP) activated by transcranial magnetic stimulation of the motor cortex provide clinicians with an opportunity to evaluate corticospinal motor systems quantitatively and noninvasively. Threshold, amplitude, and latency of the corticomyographic MEP, however, are variable between subjects mainly because current directions and intensities induced by magnetic stimulation cannot be determined precisely due to anatomical variations of subjects. The variability of corticomyographic MEPs has limited the use of corticomyographic MEP for evaluating mild changes in corticospinal motor function. In the present study, we used an internal standard to assess hemiplegia, expressing relative amplitude, latency, and threshold of responses on the paretic side as a function of responses elicited from the intact side (%MEP). Neurological function of paretic muscles, as determined by a muscle maneuver test (MMT), clearly correlated to %MEP threshold, amplitude, and latency. Since corticomyographic MEP are similar when recorded from symmetrical sites on two extremities of normal subjects, %MEP provided a sensitive measure of mild hemiparesis. The %MEP approach revealed abnormal MMT scores of 3 or 4 more frequently than did standard MEP approaches. %MEP amplitude was more sensitive to mild hemiparesis than %MEP latency or %MEP threshold. Since magnetic stimulation with a safe intensity range cannot reliably produce corticomyographic MEP in severely paretic muscles with MMT scores of 2 or less, the MEP appears to be most useful for evaluating mild hemiparesis. This technique should expand significantly the clinical usefulness of corticomyographic MEP in neurosurgical practice.
The endothelial cells of pulmonary blood vessel play an significant role in lung vessel permeability, especially in acute lung damage and adult respiratory distress syndrome. In this study, bovine pulmonary endothelial cells were isolated, cultured and identified by means of reverse microscopic, scanning electromicroscopic, transmission electro- microscopic and immunofluorescence microscopic observation. Then they were labeled with 51Cr. Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), H2O2 with catalase, xanthine oxidase (XO) with hypoxanthine (HX), human neutrophil elastase (HNE), cathepsin-G (C-G) and endotoxin (ET) were incubated with the labeled cells for half hour in various experimental groups respectively. The amount of 51Cr in the suspension released from the damaged cells was counted with r-radiometer. The results show that HNE, ET, H2O2 and superoxide anion (the latter is produced from the reaction between XO and HX) could at some degree damage the membrane of endothelial cells, and the inflammatory mediators of human neutrophils might play an important role in the development of pulmonary edema.
The Monte Carlo method has been used to simulate the equilibrium properties of a planar array of 94 saturated lipid chains and one monomer of Gramicidin A. Chains are free to move laterally in the layer plane and to change conformation via gauche rotations and long axis rotations in a continuum. All non-hydrogen atoms on chains and on the Gramicidin A monomer interact via 6-12 potentials, and periodic boundary conditions are imposed. Calculated results consist of order parameter profiles for C-14 and C-16 chains. Profiles are calculated for chains which are neighbors to the Gramicidin A molecule and for chains which are not neighbors to the peptide. The main conclusion is that the average conformations of the chains neighboring the Gramicidin A monomer are very similar to those of the bulk chains.
Auditory brainstem response (ABR) had been measured in 56 patients with ototoxic deafness (OD) and 20 healthy children. It was found that the ABR change in the OD group was characterized by the disappearance of waves I, III, V and the prolongation of the latencies. The values of ABR in early diagnosis and evaluation of auditory damage in OD were discussed.