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Biomedical subjects

K Wu

Publications and source records attributed to K Wu.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

[Effect of HHV-6 on expression of M-CSF in patients with hematological disorders].

OBJECTIVE: To study the relationship between HHV-6 infection and abnormal expression of M-CSF in bone marrow mononucleated cells (MNC) from patients with hematological disorders. METHODS: M-CSF expression level were detected in 30 specimens of MNC from patients with hematological diseases by ABC immunocytochemical staining and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction methods. RESULTS: The percentage and score of M-CSF antigen positive cells, and percentage of M-CSF mRNA expressing samples derived from HHV-6 infected group were 36.9% +/- 24.9%, 45.9 +/- 31.4 and 83.3%, respectively, which were significantly higher than those of control (20.3% +/- 19.4%, 25.3 +/- 24.2 and 50.0%, respectively) (P < 0.001). HHV-6 could promote M-CSF production to a large extent in MNC from leukemic patients than that from patients with benign hematological disorders. M-CSF existed mainly on membrane or in cytosol of granulocytes and monocytes. CONCLUSION: HHV-6 infection in vitro could promote M-CSF production in MNC from patients with hematological diseases.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Clinical observation on nephrotic syndrome of lupus nephritis treated with integrated traditional Chinese and Western Medicine].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical effect of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine (TCM-WM) in treating nephrotic syndrome of lupus nephritis (NSLN). METHODS: One hundred and fifty-five patients of NSLN were randomly divided into the TCM-WM group and the control group (treated with western medicine alone). Changes of activity index (AI) of lupus nephritis, urinary protein (UP), plasma albumin (PA), blood lipid (BL) of the patients before and after treatment were observed and compared. And the difference on recurrence rate and adverse reaction rate between the two groups were assessed. RESULTS: The total effective rate of the TCM-WM group was 95%, significantly higher than that of the control group (79%, P < 0.05). The effect in improving AI, UP, PA and BL of the TCM-WM group was superior to that of the control group. The recurrence rate and adverse reaction rate of the former group were 8% and 34% respectively, which was much lower than those of the latter (38% and 68%, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: TCM-WM treatment is obviously superior to treatment with western medicine alone.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

[Chemical constituents of Phyllanthus urinaria L. and its antiviral activity against hepatitis B virus].

Studies on the chemical constituents of Phyllanthus urinaria and its antiviral activity against hepatitis B virus were completed. Eleven compounds have been isolated. Two of them are new compounds methyl ester dehydrochebulic acid and methyl brevifolin carboxylate. Antiviral experiments on HBsAg in vitro and liver damage caused by CCl4 have shown that. Phyllanthus urinaria possesses antiviral activities against HBV.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

[Synthesis and bioaction of 2-alkyl-4(1H)-quinolone].

Five quinolone alkaloids (IVa, Va, c, d, g) including two new compounds (IVa, Vc) from Evodia rutaecarpa and nine analogs are synthesized in good yield by using acid-catalyzed condensation of a series of 3-oxoalkkanoic acid esters with aniline and further methylized with methyl iodide. The other analogue Vh is prepared through the reaction of lithium enolate methyl ketone with N-methylisatoic anhydride. Eight compounds (IVa, d, f; Vb, c, d, f, h) were synthesized for the first time. Pharmacological studies showed that these compounds have vasoconstriction inhibiting and antiulcer effects. Compound IVb also has cytotoxic effect.

Alkaloids↗
PubMed1998

[Studies on synthesis and bioactivity of 2-alkenyl-4(1H)-quinolone].

Three 2-alkenyl-4(1H)-quinolone compounds(I-III) were synthesized by two methods. III is a new compound from Evodia rutaecarpa and was synthesized through the reaction of the aldehyde intermediate(5) with Wittig reagent. The other two compounds were synthesized for the first time. These compounds showed vasodilating and antibacteria effects in pharmacological tests.

Anti-Infective Agents↗
PubMed1998

Protective agents used as additives in University of Wisconsin solution to promote protection against ischaemia-reperfusion injury in rat lung.

1. An intervention to reduce ischaemia-reperfusion lung injury will be an important advance in transplant medicine. Although the mechanisms associated with producing ischaemia-reperfusion endothelial injury have not been completely elucidated, many of the injury mediators have been studied in detail. While no single pharmacological therapy is likely to be totally effective in eliminating this complex injury, we have developed a mixture of agents that are known to block pathways involved in producing ischaemia-reperfusion-associated lung vascular injury.2. The present study modified University of Wisconsin solution (UW) by adding one of the protective agents prostaglandin E1 (PGE1), dexamethasone (Dex) or dibutyryl cAMP (Bt2-cAMP), or a combination of these, to the perfusate of rat lungs exposed to 4 h of cold ischaemia followed by 1 h of reperfusion. Nine modified UW solutions were studied: (1) UW+Dex, (2) UW+PGE1, (3) UW+Bt2-cAMP, (4) UW+Dexx3, (5) UW+PGE1x3, (6) UW+Bt2-cAMPx3, (7) UW+Dex+PGE1, (8) UW+Dex+Bt2-cAMP, (9) UW+PGE1+Bt2-cAMP. These solutions were utilized in individual experiments to assess haemodynamic changes, lung weight gain, the capillary filtration coefficient (Kfc) and pathology in all lungs.3. The results indicate that lung weight gain and Kfc values were significantly lower than with UW alone in groups 1, 2 and 3, which contained only one additional protective agent. In groups 4, 5 and 6, which contain three times the concentration of each protective agent, both Kfc and lung weight gain were similar to those measured in groups 1, 2 and 3, i.e. lungs were protected but the protection was not dose dependent. In groups 7, 8 and 9, which contained two protective agents, lung weight gain and Kfc were greatly reduced compared with UW alone. Histopathological studies showed similar decreases in the injury profiles of lungs.4. Although UW contains several antioxidant protective agents such as allopurinol and glutathione, it did not provide effective protection in our ischaemia-reperfusion lung injury model. UW modified with an additive of PGE1, Dex or Bt2-cAMP attenuated ischaemia-reperfusion injury. Furthermore, UW containing two of these protective agents augmented the protection. Among the modified solutions, it appears that UW+PGE1+Bt2-cAMP protects the lungs to a greater extent than all other solutions used in our study. We suggest that preservation solutions containing PGE1-Bt2-cAMP will provide additional protective effects to organs stored for transplantation.

Adenosine↗
PubMed1997

The synthesis of ATP by glycolytic enzymes in the postsynaptic density and the effect of endogenously generated nitric oxide.

The major contribution of this paper is the finding of a glycolytic source of ATP in the isolated postsynaptic density (PSD). The enzymes involved in the generation of ATP are glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PD) and phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK). Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) is available for the regeneration of NAD+, as well as aldolase for the regeneration of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate (G3P). The ATP was shown to be used by the PSD Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase and can probably be used by two other PSD kinases, protein kinase A and protein kinase C. We confirmed by immunocytochemistry the presence of G3PD in the PSD and its binding to actin. Also present in the PSD is NO synthase, the source of NO. NO increases the binding of NAD, a G3PD cofactor, to G3PD and inhibits its activity as also found by others. The increased NAD binding resulted in an increase in G3PD binding to actin. We confirmed the autophosphorylation of G3PD by ATP, and further found that this procedure also increased the binding of G3PD to actin. ATP and NO are connected in that the formation of NO from NOS at the PSD resulted, in the presence of NAD, in a decrease of ATP formation in the PSD. In the discussion, we raise the possible roles of G3PD and of ATP in protein synthesis at the PSD, the regulation by NO, as well as the overall regulatory role of the PSD complex in synaptic transmission.

Actins↗
PubMed1997

Catalytic properties of NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase-2 (NQO2), a dihydronicotinamide riboside dependent oxidoreductase.

Human NAD(P)H:quinone acceptor oxidoreductase-2 (NQO2) has been prepared using an Escherichia coli expression method. NQO2 is thought to be an isoform of DT-diaphorase (EC 1.6.99.2) [also referred to as NAD(P)H:quinone acceptor oxidoreductase] because there is a 49% identity between their amino acid sequences. The present investigation has revealed that like DT-diaphorase, NQO2 is a dimer enzyme with one FAD prosthetic group per subunit. Interestingly, NQO2 uses dihydronicotinamide riboside (NRH) rather than NAD(P)H as an electron donor. It catalyzes a two-electron reduction of quinones and oxidation-reduction dyes. One-electron acceptors, such as potassium ferricyanide, cannot be reduced by NQO2. This enzyme also catalyzes a four-electron reduction, using methyl red as the electron acceptor. The NRH-methyl red reductase activity of NQO2 is 11 times the NADH-methyl red reductase activity of DT-diaphorase. In addition, through a four-electron reduction reaction, NQO2 can catalyze nitroreduction of cytotoxic compound CB 1954 [5-(aziridin-1-yl)-2,4-dinitrobenzamide]. NQO2 is 3000 times more effective than DT-diaphorase in the reduction of CB 1954. Therefore, NQO2 is a NRH-dependent oxidoreductase which catalyzes two- and four-electron reduction reactions. NQO2 is resistant to typical inhibitors of DT-diaphorase, such as dicumarol, Cibacron blue, and phenindone. Flavones are inhibitors of NQO2. However, structural requirements of flavones for the inhibition of NQO2 are different from those for DT-diaphorase. The most potent flavone inhibitor tested so far is quercetin (3,5,7,3',4'-. 6pentahydroxyflavone). It has been found that quercetin is a competitive inhibitor with respect to NRH (Ki = 21 nM). NQO2 is 43 amino acids shorter than DT-diaphorase, and it has been suggested that the carboxyl terminus of DT-diaphorase plays a role in substrate binding (S. Chen et al., Protein Sci. 3, 51-57, 1994). In order to understand better the basis of catalytic differences between NQO2 and DT-diaphorase, a human NQO2 with 43 amino acids from the carboxyl terminus of human DT-diaphorase (i.e., hNQO2-hDT43) has been prepared. hNQO2-hDT43 still uses NRH as an electron donor. In addition, the chimeric enzyme is inhibited by quercetin but not dicumarol. These results suggest that additional region(s) in these enzymes is involved in differentiating NRH from NAD(P)H.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor rapidly enhances phosphorylation of the postsynaptic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 1.

Although neurotrophins have traditionally been regarded as neuronal survival factors, recent work has suggested a role for these factors in synaptic plasticity. In particular, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) rapidly enhances synaptic transmission in hippocampal neurons through trkB receptor stimulation and postsynaptic phosphorylation mechanisms. Activation of trkB also modulates hippocampal long-term potentiation, in which postsynaptic N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptors play a key role. However, the final common pathway through which BDNF increases postsynaptic responsiveness is unknown. We now report that BDNF, within 5 min of exposure, elicits a dose-dependent increase in phosphorylation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor subunit 1. This acute effect occurred in hippocampal synaptoneurosomes, which contain pre- and postsynaptic elements, and in isolated hippocampal postsynaptic densities. Nerve growth factor, in contrast, caused no enhancement of phosphorylation. These results suggest a potential mechanism for trophin-induced potentiation of synaptic transmission.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

A novel protein-tyrosine phosphatase related to the homotypically adhering kappa and mu receptors.

Here we describe a novel member of the receptor-like protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) termed PTP lambda, which is homologous to the homotypically adherent PTPs kappa and mu. Murine PTP lambda contains MAM, IgG, fibronectin type III, and dual phosphatase domains. As has been demonstrated for PTPs kappa and mu, PTP lambda mediates homotypic adhesion in vitro, and PTP lambda is associated with beta catenin in kidney epithelial cells. The extracellular domain of PTP lambda is proteolytically processed in cell culture as well as in vivo. Northern blot analysis reveals that PTP lambda is expressed throughout embryonic development and is predominately found in adult brain, lung, and kidney. In situ hybridization to 15.5-day old rat embryos reveals that PTP lambda is expressed in a variety of embryonic neuronal sites as well as in the esophagus, lung bronchiolar epithelium, kidney glomerular epithelium, olfactory epithelium, and various cartilagenous sites. Analysis of neonatal brain demonstrates expression in cells of the hippocampus, cortex, and the substantia nigra. Finally, immunohistochemical analysis reveals expression of this PTP on specific neurons of the spinal cord as well as on isolated cortical neurons.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

The heterologous interactions among plant 14-3-3 proteins and identification of regions that are important for dimerization.

The 14-3-3 proteins constitute a family of dimeric proteins that are involved in many cellular functions. At least two mammalian 14-3-3 proteins can form heterodimers and the approximate regions important for dimerization have been identified. In this study, we demonstrate that eight Arabidopsis and one maize 14-3-3 protein can dimerize with each other and with themselves. Native gel Western analysis of Arabidopsis cell extract also suggests the presence of 14-3-3 heterodimers in vivo. Finally, we identified the domains of one 14-3-3 protein that are sufficient for homodimerization and heterodimerization. These data support the hypothesis that evolutionarily divergent 14-3-3 proteins can interact with each other to form diverse molecular modulators or adapters in signaling pathways.

14-3-3 Proteins↗
PubMed1997

Molecular basis of the catalytic differences among DT-diaphorase of human, rat, and mouse.

DT-diaphorase (EC 1.6.99.2), also referred to as NAD(P)H:(quinone-acceptor) oxidoreductase, is involved in the reductive activation process of several cytotoxic antitumor quinones and nitrobenzenes. It has been observed in our and other laboratories that the rat enzyme is significantly more effective in activating these drugs than the human and mouse enzymes. These results indicate that the available cytotoxic drugs are better substrates for the rat enzyme and are not the most ideal prodrugs for activation by DT-diaphorase in human tumors. In this study, using site-directed mutagenesis to replace residues in the rat enzyme with the human sequences and residues in the human enzyme with the rat sequences, we have found that residue 104 (Tyr in the rat enzyme and Gln in the human and mouse enzymes) is an important residue responsible for the catalytic differences between the rat and the human (and mouse) enzymes. With an exchange of a single amino acid, the rat mutant Y104Q behaved like the wild-type human enzyme, and the human mutant Q104Y behaved like the wild-type rat enzyme in their ability to reductively activate the cytotoxic drug CB 1954 (5-(aziridin-1-yl)-2,4-dinitrobenzamide). The study also confirms the conclusion of the x-ray structural analysis of rat enzyme that residue 130 (Thr in the rat enzyme and Ala in the human and mouse enzymes) is positioned near the binding region of the nicotinamide portion of NAD(P)H. This structural information is very important for designing suitable drugs and approaches for human cancer chemotherapy mediated by DT-diaphorase.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

The natural history of borderline hypertension in a Chinese population.

One hundred and thirty-one borderline hypertensive patients were followed up for 17 years. A cohort of normotensives strictly matched by age, sex, region and occupation served as controls (1:1). It was found that 64.6% of borderline hypertensive patients developed into established hypertensives after 17 years follow-up, 25.5% restored to normotensives and 13.8% remained unchanged. The total mortality rate of borderline hypertensives was higher than that of normotensives (27.9 vs 13.4/1000 person years), and the relative risk of total death in borderline hypertensives was 2.35. The main cause of death was stroke, accounting for 42.5% of the total death rate. The relative risk rates of occurrence and death associated with stroke were 8.3 and 11.6, respectively. It is concluded that the main complication of borderline hypertension was stroke rather than coronary heart disease, which was similar to that of established hypertension in this area. Part of the borderline hypertensives need to be treated to reduce the risk of cardiovascular complications.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Temporal and Quantitative Analysis of Chimerism in Liver and Kidney Transplant Patients: An Enhanced Fluorescence Detection System Allows for More Sensitive Quantitative Detection.

Background: Because spontaneous microchimerism has been reported in stable renal and hepatic allografts, the presence of donor-derived cells in recipient tissues was investigated in kidney and liver tranplant recipients. Methods and Results: Human lymphocyte antigen class II markers and Y-chromosome sequences in male donor-to-female recipient transplants were used for chimeric analysis. Human lymphocyte antigen typing was performed by group-specific polymerase chain reaction amplification and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis, X-chromosome- and Y-chromosome-specific primers were used in a multiplex polymerase chain reaction analysis. Quantitative Y-chromosome analysis was performed using energy-transfer fluorescence from a nested primer system. Patients who had rejected their grafts were also analyzed, as were a group who were analyzed for chimerism at the time of transplant (day 1) and sequentially at various intervals for up to 3 months. Of 23 long-term kidney patients analyzed, 16 were chimeric by human lymphocyte antigen or sex-determination analysis. In 2 patients whose graft had failed no chimerism was observed. Chimerism in liver patients was detectable on the day of transplant and was maintained for 30 to 120 days as measured at 5-day intervals (these patients continue to be monitored). Quantititative analysis suggested that the ratio of donor to recipient cells was variable in a patient and ranged from greater than 1 in 10(4) to less than 1 in 10(5). An enhanced fluorescence energy-transfer detection system was adopted to increase sensitivity of the polymerase chain reaction detection of chimerism and to quantitate the results. Conclusions: The results indicate that cells from the donor organ migrate into recipient tissues early after transplantation. These cells persist in a majority of patients for at least 3 to 4 years. It has been proposed that tolerance is related to the presence of these "passenger" leukocytes and that dendritic cells play the most important role. The data suggest that the establishment of chimerism plays an important role in graft acceptance in a majoritiy of the kidney and liver patients in this study. These findings also suggest that the levels of chimeric cells, "a quantitative chimerism," may be important in establishing tolerance but further studies are required to support this contention.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1997

The carcinogenicity of environmental tobacco smoke.

Male strain A/J mice were exposed for 6 h a day, 5 days a week to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) generated from Kentucky 1R4F reference cigarettes. Chamber concentrations were 87 mg/m3 of total suspended particulate matter (TSP), 246 p.p.m. of CO and 16 mg/m3 of nicotine. After 5 months, 33% of the ETS exposed and 11% of the control animals had one or several lung tumors; the difference was statistically not significant. A second group of animals exposed for 5 months to ETS was allowed to recover for another 4 months in filtered air. When they were killed, 85% of the ETS animals had lung tumors (average number per lung: 1.4 +/- 0.2), whereas in the control group 38% had lung tumors (average number of lung tumors in all animals 0.5 +/- 0.2). The differences in tumor incidence and multiplicity were statistically significant. More than 80% of all tumors were adenomas, the rest adenocarcinomas. When animals were pretreated with a carcinogen, lung tumor multiplicity was lower in the ETS exposed animals after 5 months compared with controls injected with a carcinogen and kept in air. However, after an additional 4 month recovery period in air, lung tumor multiplicities were the same in ETS plus carcinogen exposed mice as in carcinogen-treated air-exposed controls. Histopathologic and morphometric analysis of the lung tissue failed to reveal any differences between ETS exposed and control animals. However, immediately after ETS exposure, immunohistochemistry revealed increased staining for CYP1A1 in airway epithelia and lung parenchyma; following recovery in air, the staining disappeared again. Analysis of cell kinetics showed an initial burst of increased DNA synthesis in the epithelial cells of the airways and a smaller early positive response in the parenchyma. Feeding of butylated hydroxytoluene during ETS exposure did not modulate lung tumor development. It was concluded that ETS is a pulmonary carcinogen in strain A/J mice.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1997

The Arabidopsis 14-3-3 multigene family.

The 14-3-3 proteins are ubiquitous eukaryotic proteins and are encoded by a gene family in many species. We examined the 14-3-3 gene family in Arabidopsis thaliana and found that it contains 10 members. Four new cDNAs, GF14 epsilon, GF14 kappa, GF14 mu, and GF14 nu, and two new genomic clones of GF14 phi and GF14 nu were isolated and characterized. Together with the six previously described 14-3-3 isoforms in Arabidopsis, they constitute a complete family of 10 distinct 14-3-3 proteins of 248 to 268 amino acids. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the presence of two ancient, distinct 14-3-3 gene classes in Arabidopsis and other plants. The epsilon forms diverged early from the other plant isoforms, and plant 14-3-3 genes displayed a different evolutionary course from that of mammals.

14-3-3 Proteins↗
PubMed1997

Combining the hok/sok, parDE, and pnd postsegregational killer loci to enhance plasmid stability.

To enhance plasmid segregational stability in bacterial cells, two pairs of independent postsegregational killing loci (genes which induce host killing upon plasmid loss) isolated from plasmids R1, R483, or RP4 (hok+/sok+ pnd+ or hok+/sok+ parDE+) were cloned into a common site of the beta-galactosidase expression vector pMJR1750 (ptac::lacZ+) to form a series of plasmids in which the effect of one or two stability loci on segregational plasmid stability could be discerned. Adding two antisense killer loci (hok+/sok+ pnd+) decreased the specific growth rate by 50% though they were more effective at reducing segregational instability than hok+/sok+ alone. With the ptac promoter induced fully (2.0 mM isopropyl-beta-D-thiogalactopyranoside) and no antibiotic selection pressure, the combination of a proteic killer locus (parDE+) with antisense killer loci (hok+/sok+) had a negligible impact on specific growth rate, maintained high beta-galactosidase expression, and led to a 30 and 190% increase in segregational stability (based on stable generations) as compared to plasmids containing either hok+/sok+ or parDE+ alone, respectively. Use of hok+/sok+ or parDE+ alone with high cloned-gene expression led to ninefold and fourfold increases in the number of stable generations, respectively. Two convenient cloning cassettes have been constructed to facilitate cloning the dual hok+/sok+ parDE+ and hok+/sok+ pnd+ killer systems.

Antisense Elements (Genetics)↗