Biomedical subjects

Jie Yang

Publications and source records attributed to Jie Yang.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

PubMed2003

Tudor and nuclease-like domains containing protein p100 function as coactivators for signal transducer and activator of transcription 5.

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (Stat5) plays a critical role in prolactin (PRL)-induced transcription of several milk protein genes. Stat5-mediated gene regulation is modulated by cooperation of Stat5 with cell type- and promoter-specific transcription factors as well as by interaction with transcriptional coregulators. Recently, the expression of a tudor and staphylococcal nuclease-like domains containing protein p100 was found to be increased in mammary epithelial cells during lactation in response to lactogenic hormones. p100 was initially identified as a transcriptional coactivator of the Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 2. In this study we investigated the potential role of p100 in PRL-induced Stat5-mediated transcriptional activation. PRL stimulation increased the p100 protein levels in HC11 mouse mammary epithelial cells. p100 did not affect the early activation events of Stat5, but p100 enhanced the Stat5-dependent transcriptional activation in HC11 cells. p100 associated with Stat5 both in vivo and in vitro, and the interaction was mediated by both the tudor and staphylococcal nuclease-like domains of p100. Together these results suggest that p100 functions as a transcriptional coactivator for Stat5-dependent gene regulation and the existence of a positive regulatory loop in PRL-induced transcription, in which PRL stabilizes p100 protein, which in turn can cooperate with Stat5 in transcriptional activation.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Effects of oxygen-induced lung damage on megakaryocytopoiesis and platelet homeostasis in a rat model.

The association between lung injury and thrombocytopenia was investigated by comparing the megakaryocyte and platelet counts, and platelet activation using P-selectin as a marker, between the prepulmonary (right atrial) and postpulmonary (left atrial) blood in adult and neonatal (preterm and term) rats with and without hyperoxic lung injury. In the healthy controls, the postpulmonary blood had lower megakaryocyte count (prepulmonary versus postpulmonary: Preterm: 8.7[0.6] versus 3.9[0.3] per ml, p < 0.001; Term: 8.7[1.1] versus 2.6[0.4] per ml, p < 0.001; Adult: median [interquartile ranges]: 2.5[1.0, 5.0] versus 1.0[0, 3.0] per ml, p < 0.001), higher platelet count (prepulmonary versus postpulmonary: Preterm: 491.2[11.1] x 10(9)/L versus 595.1[10.2] x 10(9)/L, p < 0.001; Term: 472.5[19.9] x 10(9)/L versus 579.3[26.2] x 10(9)/L, p < 0.001; Adult: 513.9[31.5] x 10(9)/L versus 664.7[28.8] x 10(9)/L, p < 0.001), but similar P-selectin expression. In contrast, the lung-damaged animals did not show any such differences in either megakaryocyte or platelet count, but P-selectin expression was greater in the postpulmonary blood (prepulmonary versus postpulmonary: Preterm: 38.7[3.9] versus 56.4[4.9]% platelets, p = 0.02; Term: 40.9[2.0] versus 54.0[4.2]% platelets, p = 0.002; Adults: 30.0[3.6] versus 49.1[4.7]% platelets, p = 0.003). Peripheral platelet and intra-pulmonary megakaryocyte counts in the lung-damaged rats were significantly lower than those in their respective controls. Intra-pulmonary thrombi or platelet aggregation were detected in the lung-damaged rats but not in the controls. These findings showed that hyperoxic lung damage reduced circulating platelets through (1) failure of the lungs to retain and fragment megakaryocytes to release platelets, and (2) platelet activation leading to platelet aggregation, thrombi formation and platelet consumption. The magnitude of platelet reduction was physiologically significant, as demonstrated by higher counts of megakaryocyte colony forming units in the bone marrow culture of the animals in the hyperoxia group when compared with the controls.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

The binding potential between the cholera toxin B-oligomer and its receptor.

Employing atomic force microscopy as an in situ molecular force probe, we have measured the binding strength between cholera toxin B-pentamer (ctB) and its membrane receptor, ganglioside G(M1). By application of the basic principle of the reaction rate theory, key parameters of the ligand-receptor binding potential can be obtained from our data. The potential has a well with a spatial span of about 2.5 A and a depth of at least six times the thermal energy at room temperature. The very short range nature of the binding potential leads to the specificity of the ctB-G(M1) coupling.

Cholera Toxin↗

PubMed2003

The three-dimensional structures of antagonistic and agonistic forms of the glucocorticoid receptor ligand-binding domain: RU-486 induces a transconformation that leads to active antagonism.

Here we describe the three-dimensional crystal structures of human glucocorticoid receptor ligand-binding domain (GR-LBD) in complex with the antagonist RU-486 at 2.3 A resolution and with the agonist dexamethasone ligand together with a coactivator peptide at 2.8 A. The RU-486 structure was solved in several different crystal forms, two with helix 12 intact (GR1 and GR3) and one with a protease-digested C terminus (GR2). In GR1, part of helix 12 is in a position that covers the co-activator pocket, whereas in the GR3, domain swapping is seen between the crystallographically identical subunits in the GR dimer. An arm consisting of the end of helix 11 and beyond stretches out from one molecule, and helix 12 binds to the other LBD, partly blocking the coactivator pocket of that molecule. This type of GR-LBD dimer has not been described before but might be an artifact from crystallization. Furthermore, the subunits of the GR3 dimers are covalently connected via a disulfide bond between the Cys-736 residues in the two molecules. All three RU-486 GR-LBD structures show that GR has a very flexible region between the end of helix 11 and the end of helix 12.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Durable complete clinical responses in a phase I/II trial using an autologous melanoma cell/dendritic cell vaccine.

Advanced metastatic melanoma is incurable by standard treatments, but occasionally responds to immunotherapy. Recent trials using dendritic cells (DC) as a cellular adjuvant have concentrated on defined peptides as the source of antigens, and rely on foreign proteins as a source of help to generate a cell-mediated immune response. This approach limits patient accrual, because currently defined, non-mutated epitopes are restricted by a small number of human leucocyte antigens. It also fails to take advantage of mutated epitopes peculiar to the patient's own tumour, and of CD4+ T lymphocytes as potential effectors of anti-tumour immunity. We therefore sought to determine whether a fully autologous DC vaccine is feasible, and of therapeutic benefit. Patients with American Joint Cancer Committee stage IV melanoma were treated with a fully autologous immunotherapy consisting of monocyte-derived DC, matured after culture with irradiated tumour cells. Of 19 patients enrolled into the trial, sufficient tumour was available to make treatments for 17. Of these, 12 received a complete priming phase of six cycles of either 0.9x10(6) or 5x10(6) DC/intradermal injection, at 2-weekly intervals. Where possible, treatment continued with the lower dose at 6-weekly intervals. The remaining five patients could not complete priming, due to progressive disease. Three of the 12 patients who completed priming have durable complete responses (average duration 35 months+), three had partial responses, and the remaining six had progressive disease (WHO criteria). Disease regression was not correlated with dose or with the development of delayed type hypersensitivity responses to intradermal challenge with irradiated, autologous tumour. However, plasma S-100B levels prior to the commencement of treatment correlated with objective clinical response ( P=0.05) and survival (log rank P<0.001). The treatment had minimal side-effects and was well tolerated by all patients. Mature, monocyte-derived DC preparations exposed to appropriate tumour antigen sources can be reliably produced for patients with advanced metastatic melanoma, and in a subset of those patients with lower volume disease their repeated administration results in durable complete responses.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

A novel method for single cell detection of in situ telomerase or histone H3 in combination with clonal analysis by FISH.

A novel method for simultaneously detecting clonality by FISH, and presence of telomerase activity (telo+ cells) or histone H3 mRNA (H3+) in single cells from a mixed leukemic population is reported. The methods were validated using K562 cells mixed with peripheral blood granulocytes and bone marrow aspirate cells from newly diagnosed AML patients. Fifty patients with AML were analyzed for telo+ cells, while eight AML patients were analyzed for FISH-Telomerase and FISH-H3+ during remission induction therapy. Our results demonstrate that: (1). changes in the leukemic populations during therapy could be followed; (2). a favorable response to chemotherapy occurred when there was a reduction in both the cytogenetically abnormal cells along with reduction in telo+ cells within this abnormal population; (3). reduction of either telo+ cells or FISH+ cells alone did not correlate with good response. H3+ could be detected in only 4% of the leukemic population, most of which were cytogenetically abnormal. These newly established methods allow sub-populations of cells to be followed during disease progression and treatment and to elucidate factors that give a specific clone proliferative advantage.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2003

High-resolution Micro-CT evaluation of mid- to long-term effects of estrogen deficiency on rat trabecular bone.

RATIONALE AND OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have shown dramatic short-term bone loss following ovariectomy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate mid- to long-term effects of estrogen deficiency on microarchitecture of tibial trabecular bone using a high-resolution microcomputed tomography (Micro-CT). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-eight female rats were divided into two equal groups: ovariectomized (OVX, n = 14) and sham-operated (SOVX, n = 14), which in turn were divided into two equal subgroups (euthanized either 6 or 16 weeks after surgery). The left tibia of each animal was scanned with a high-resolution micro-CT (Skyscan 1072 micro-CT system; SkyScan, Aartselaar, Belgium). The Micro-CT system used an X-ray CCD-camera with a cooled 1024 x 1024-pixel 12-bit sensor. RESULTS: Ovariectomy significantly decreased the ratio of bone volume:tissue volume (-42% at 6 weeks and -69% at 16 weeks) and trabecular thickness (-13% at 6 weeks and -30% at 16 weeks), while significantly increasing trabecular separation (+73% at 6 weeks and +100% at 16 weeks) and structure model index (+15% at 6 weeks and +48% at 16 weeks), when compared with SOVX, from 6 to 16 weeks. CONCLUSION: Based on the experimental results, there are alterations of trabecular microarcihtecture in the tibia following mid- and long-term estrogen deficiency. More rod-shaped trabeculae are formed with increasing duration of estrogen deficiency. The high-resolution micro-CT imaging system is useful to evaluate the mid- to long-term trabecular changes seen with estrogen deficiency or osteoporosis.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

[Frequencies distribution of GSTT1 and GSTM1 null genotypes in 24 Yunnan populations].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the frequencies distribution of GSTT1 and GSTM1 null genotypes in 24 Yunnan populations. METHODS: GSTT1 and GSTM1 genotypes were analyzed by PCR procedure. RESULTS: The range of frequencies for GSTT1 and GSTM1 null genotypes in the populations were 0.188-0.633 and 0.400-0.745, respectively, and in the districts were 0.286-0.583, 0.433-0.745 respectively. There was significant relationship between GSTT1 frequencies and populations. CONCLUSION: The frequencies of GSTT1 and GSTM1 null genotypes in 24 Yunnan populations were different, but they were almost the same in different districts of Yunnan.

China↗

PubMed2003

[Clinical detection of polymerase gene of SARS-associated coronavirus].

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the heterogeneity of polymerase gene fragment of SARS-associated coronavirus from SARS patients, and establish a RT-PCR method for detecting SARS-associated coronavirus. METHODS: RT-PCR was performed using SARS coronavirus-specific primers to amplify the polymerase gene fragment of SARS-associated coronavirus from specimens of suspected and established SARS cases. The amplicons were cloned and sequenced. All the obtained sequences were compared with the sequence of published SARS-associated coronavirus, and alignment was proceeded with other coronavirus sequences. RESULTS: Specific amplicons can be amplified from the sputum samples, throat swab and plasma of most SARS patients, and 8 were random selected and sequenced. All of them possessed 100% homology with the published SARS-associated coronavirus sequence, while all the negative controls were RT-PCR negative. Nucleotide-sequence and amino acid-sequence alignment of the fragment BNI109 with other six known coronavirus show that the fragment BNI109 is more close to bovine coronavirus(BCV) and murine hepatitis virus(MHV). The BNI109 fragment showed 75% homology with BCV and MHV at amino acid level. CONCLUSION: The polymerase fragment BNI109 of SARS coronavirus is highly conservative and is suitable for detecting SARS-associated coronavirus using RT-PCR method.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2003

[The frequency distribution of flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 mutant alleles in 28 populations from Yunnan].

OBJECTIVE: To study the frequency distribution of flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 (FMO3) mutant alleles in 28 populations originating from 24 ethnic minorities in Yunnan of China. METHODS: FMO3 genotypes were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. RESULTS: The average frequencies of FMO3/Stop(148), FMO3/Lys(158) and FMO3/Gly(308) were 0.395(0.174-0.803), 0.208 (0.056-0.414), 0.046(0-0.217), respectively. The frequencies of FMO3/Gly(308) in Blang, Huayaodai, Shuidai, Zhuang, De'ang, Jingpo, Nu and Hui populations were null. CONCLUSION: It was found that the frequencies of FMO3 mutant alleles varied not only in different ethnic groups, but also in different populations that stemmed from the same ethnic group.

Alleles↗

PubMed2003

[Emodin sensitizes HeLa cell to arsenic trioxide induced apoptosis via the reactive oxygen species-mediated signaling pathways].

Since reactive oxygen species(ROS) has been known to play an important role in apoptosis induced by arsenic trioxide, we attempt to elevate the cellular ROS level on HeLa cell by an natural anthraquinone-emodin, then to study its effect on apoptotic sensitivity to arsenic, and finally to investigate the mechanisms of the involved signaling pathway. The results showed that emodin 10 micromol/L could enhance arsenic induced apoptosis via generation of ROS, whereas rendered no detectable effect on normal fibroblast. Increased ROS promoted mitochondrial transmembrane potential collapse; inhibited the activation of transcription factors NF-kappa B. The study elucidated that emodin sensitize HeLa cells via generation of ROS which result in enhancement of apoptosis signaling pathway and inhibition of survival signaling pathway.

Apoptosis↗

PubMed2003

[Dynamics of urease activity in a long-term fertilized black soil and its affecting factors].

The effect of long-term fertilization on the urease activity in a typical black soil in Northeastern China was examined in this paper. The soil has been fertilized since 1980, and the dynamics of its urease activity was monitored during crop growth season. The results showed that a significant difference in soil urease activity was found at each growth stage between soils treated by different fertilizations. In farmyard manure treated soil, the urease activity was > 160 mg.kg-1.h-1 and with a low seasonal fluctuations. The soil urease activity had a significant positive correlation with soil biological, physical and chemical properties, and the N, P and K contents in plants (P < 0.01), and with soil moisture content and grain crude protein (P < 0.05).

Fertilizers↗

PubMed2003

[Prokaryotic expression and bioactivity identification of Fab against human gamma-seminoprotein].

AIM: To construct the expression vector containing cDNA encoding Fab against human gamma-seminoprotein and express it in E. coli. METHODS: The genes encoding K chain and Fd against gamma-seminoprotein were acquired from pUC19-K and pBluescript KS( M13-)-Fd by restrictive enzyme digestion and then cloned into the expression vector pComb3 to construct recombinant expression vector pComb3-Fab. pComb3-Fab was transfected into and expressed in XLI-Blue. RESULTS: Fab against r-semino-protein was expressed in. XLI-Blue. Western blot analysis and immunocytochemical staining demonstrated that ex-pressed Fab could specifically bind to gamma-seminoprotein. CONCLUSION: Fab against gamma -seminoprotein has been expressed successfully with biological activity, which create favourable condition for further study on targeted therapy of prostate cancer.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Identification of p100 as a coactivator for STAT6 that bridges STAT6 with RNA polymerase II.

STAT6 is a central mediator of IL-4-induced gene responses. STAT6-mediated transcription is depend ent on the C-terminal transcription activation domain (TAD), but the mechanisms by which STAT6 activates transcription are poorly understood. Here, we have identified the staphylococcal nuclease (SN)-like domain and tudor domain containing protein p100 as a STAT6 TAD interacting protein. p100 was originally characterized as a transcriptional coactivator for Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen 2. STAT6 interacted with p100 in vitro and in vivo. The interaction was mediated by the TAD domain of STAT6 and the SN-like domain of p100. p100 did not affect the immediate activation events of STAT6, but enhanced STAT6-mediated transcriptional activation and the IL-4-induced Igepsilon gene transcription in human B-cell line. Finally, p100 associated with the large subunit of RNA polymerase II and was mediating interaction between STAT6 and RNA polymerase II. These findings identify p100 as a novel coactivator for STAT6 and suggest that p100 functions as a bridging factor between STAT6 and the basal transcription machinery.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Distinct functions for signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 and PU.1 in transcriptional activation of Fc gamma receptor I promoter.

The myeloid cell-specific expression and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) induction of Fc gamma receptor I (FcgammaRI) requires cooperation between PU.1 and signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (Stat1) by means of mechanisms that are unknown. We found that PU.1 and Stat1 mediated distinct functions in the activation of FcgammaRI promoter. The basal activity of the natural FcgammaRI promoter was strictly dependent on PU.1, and IFN-gamma induction required both PU.1 and Stat1. Recruitment of TATA-binding protein (TBP) to the FcgammaRI promoter did not replace PU.1 in promoter activation, suggesting that TBP is not sufficient for FcgammaRI activation and that PU.1 mediates additional contacts with basal transcription machinery. In contrast, Stat1 did not interact with basal transcription machinery, but the Stat1-mediated activation of FcgammaRI promoter critically required CREB-binding protein (CBP)/p300. These results define functional cooperativity between PU.1 and Stat1 in FcgammaRI promoter activation, in which PU.1 appears to serve as a bridging factor with the basal transcription machinery and IFN-gamma-mediated induction of transcription occurs through recruitment of CBP/p300 by Stat1.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

[Genetic features of EEG abnormality in children with Tourette syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the biogenetic significance of EEG abnormality in Children with Tourette syndrome (TS) and their parents. METHODS: EEG monitoring was carried out for 2 hours in 25 children with TS and their parents. RESULTS: The rate of EEG abnormality was significantly higher than the incidence of tic disorders in parents of TS children. The rate of abnormal EEG in parents of TS children with abnormal EEG was significantly higher than that in parents of TS children with normal EEG. EEG abnormality had no significant differences in parents of males and those of females. CONCLUSION: EEG examination further indicates that Tourette syndrome has an inherit able tendency.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Bradykinin antagonist dimer, CU201, inhibits the growth of human lung cancer cell lines by a "biased agonist" mechanism.

All small cell (SCLCs) and many non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) have neuroendocrine features including production of neuropeptides and cell surface receptors creating autocrine and paracrine growth loops. Neuropeptides bind to a family of 7-transmembrane receptors and activate heterotrimeric G proteins consisting of G(alphaq) and G(alpha12,13). Substance P derivatives (SPDs) induced apoptosis and inhibited growth of lung cancer cells by discoordinately inhibiting G(alphaq) and stimulating G(alpha12,13). However, these SPDs had low potency and short half-lives. In this report we show that a bradykinin antagonist dimer, CU201, inhibited the growth of SCLC and NSCLC cell lines with or without multidrug-resistant proteins and was 10-fold more potent with a longer plasma half-life than SPDs. Bradykinin agonists in either monomeric or dimeric form and monomeric bradykinin antagonist have no effect on lung cancer cell growth. The dimeric linking moiety of the two molecules was created, requiring a sufficient number of carbon chains to provide critical spacing between the two antagonists. CU201 inhibited intracellular Ca2+ release in response to bradykinin, indicating blockage of the G(alphaq) signal, and stimulated c-Jun kinases, indicating stimulation of the G(alpha12,13) pathway. CU201-induced apoptosis was preceded by unique changes in apparent nuclear DNA binding and by c-Jun kinase and caspase-3 activation. At the concentration at which CU201 inhibited the growth of the cancer cells, it had no effect on the growth of normal lung cells in vitro. CU201 and similar compounds offer hope of becoming a new form of targeted therapy for tumors with neuroendocrine properties.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

PubMed2002

1-Methyl-5,6-diphenylpyrazine-2(1H)-thione.

The title compound, C(17)H(14)N(2)S, crystallizes in a triclinic unit cell, with two crystallographically independent molecules in the asymmetric unit. The two independent molecules pack in the same sense and form segregated layers along the c axis. The crystal is light-stable and no dimers are formed under irradiation. The intermolecular distances between the potential reactive centers (the C-3 and C-5 ring positions) are 4.093 (4) and 5.643 (4) A for molecule A, and 4.081 (4) and 5.614 (4) A for molecule B.

Journal Article↗