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Biomedical subjects

M Kozlowski

Publications and source records attributed to M Kozlowski.

30 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Prognostic value of pretreatment CEA, SCC-Ag and CA 19-9 levels in sera of patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

The levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), squamous cell associated antigen (SCC-Ag) and carbohydrate antigenic determinant 19-9 (CA 19-9) were assessed in 70 patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and in 20 patients with non-malignant lung diseases. Increased levels of CEA and CA 19-9 were observed in 55.7 and 44.2%, respectively, mostly in patients with adenocarcinoma (adeno C; 69.5 and 56.5%). Increased levels of SCC-Ag were observed in 45.7%, first in patients with squamous cell carcinoma (68.6%). Serum CEA, CA 19-9 and SCC-Ag levels were correlated with the postoperative, pathological stage of disease. Positive CEA levels in patients with adeno C were present in 50% of stage 1, 66.6% of stage 2 and 88.8% of stage 3; positive CA 19-9 levels in patients with adeno C were present in 30% of stage 1, 66.6% of stage 2 and 80% of stage 3; positive SCC-Ag levels were present in patients with squamous LC in 50% of stage 1, 83.3% of stage 2 and 73.7% of stage 3. The study proved that preoperative CEA, SCC-Ag and CA 19-9 determination have been shown to be of prognostic value in patients with NSCLC. A high preoperative antigen value suggests a worse prognosis than a lower value.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Vectors permitting visual monitoring of simple transposition events.

The construction and use of two novel transposon(Tn)-delivery vectors is described. These vectors carry Inc.W or Inc.N broad-host-range transfer functions cloned next to the narrow-host-range replicon of pBR329. The host specificities of pSLX10 and pSLX23 both complement and extend the host specificities of existing Tn delivery vectors. Plasmids pSLX10 and pSLX23 were shown to transfer at high frequency in intergeneric matings. The lux genes which are present on each vector permit the visual monitoring of transconjugants which have retained a Tn element, but are devoid of plasmid molecules. pSLX10 and pLSX23 were efficiently used to generate a range of auxotrophic mutants in various strains of Pseudomonas as well as to clone genes from Serratia liquefaciens. These vectors may have general applicability to identify and clone genes in a wide range of Gram-negative bacteria.

Bacterial Proteins↗

A novel vector allowing the expression of genes in a wide range of gram-negative bacteria.

The construction and use of a novel vector allowing the expression of genes in a wide range of Gram-negative bacteria is described. The vector utilizes the regulatory region from IS50. The 70-bp promoter region was isolated from one of the terminal inverted repeats of Tn5 by creating EcoRI and Sa/I or PstI restriction sites by in vitro mutagenesis. This 70-bp region was shown to direct the expression of cat and lacZ genes in different bacterial genera including Alcaligenes, Enterobacter cloacae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas stutzeri, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Serratia marcescens. Different strains containing the cat gene behind the regulatory elements of IS50 were able to tolerate high concentrations (300 micrograms/ml) of chloramphenicol in the medium. The 70-bp promoter region was cloned into a broad-host-range plasmid behind multiple cloning sites to create pAV10, which has unique restriction sites for BamHI, KpnI, SstI, and XbaI. Genes cloned into pAV10 can be expressed in a variety of Gram-negative bacteria.

DNA Transposable Elements↗

Tn5-Mediated Cloning of a Genetic Region from Pseudomonas putida Involved in the Stimulation of Plant Root Elongation.

Transposon (Tn5) mutagenesis was applied to Pseudomonas putida GR12-2R3, which promotes root elongation (a phenotype designated Pre) of Brassica campestris under gnotobiotic conditions. Of 3,000 Tn5 transconjugants, only one mutant that lost Pre activity but remained prototrophic and capable of plant root colonization was detected. This mutant was complemented by plasmid pRE53, which contained a 15.0-kilobase DNA insert isolated from a parental strain. The complemented mutant regained full Pre activity comparable to that of the wild type.

Journal Article↗

Cloning of the genes of the chitin utilization regulon of Serratia liquefaciens.

The set of genes that determine the expression of the enzymes involved in chitin degradation by Serratia liquefaciens was cloned. The role of each gene was investigated, and for the first time regulatory genes were identified in this system. The chiA and chiB genes coded for separate chitinase activities. The chiC region coded for a chitobiase activity, but it was not formally separated from chiB. Transposon mutagenesis and deletion analysis identified a region, chiD, whose absence led to higher expression of chiA, chiB, and chiC. chiD may therefore be a gene that codes for a repressor. Loss of function of another adjacent region, chiE, prevented induction unless a chiE+ strain was a near neighbor, suggesting that this gene may code for a protein that is involved in the synthesis of the inducer. chiB, chiC, chiD, and chiE are closely linked, while chiA is in a separate location on the chromosome.

Acetylglucosaminidase↗

Protein synthesis in mitochondria from yeast strains carrying nam and mim suppressor genes.

Yeast mitochondria isolated from two different wild type strains (gal+ and gal-), whether grown on galactose or glucose, synthesize all mitochondrial polypeptides with similar efficiencies and in proportions approximating those detected in vivo. Mitochondria isolated from mit- mutants synthesize in vitro a mutant pattern of mitochondrial proteins, indistinguishable from the in vivo products. The mutant pattern is restored to the wild type one in mitochondria isolated from pseudorevertant strains carrying an additional nuclear (nam3-1 and R705) or mitochondrial (mim3-1) informational suppressor gene. Suppression is expressed in isolated mitochondria without the obligatory presence of cytosol at the level of both respiratory control and specific polypeptide synthesis. Translation in isolated mitochondria is sensitive to paromomycin. The antibiotic differentiates between translation in mitochondria from wild type strains and that in nam-type gene carrying strains. This strongly suggests that nam-type mutations affect the mitoribosome, enhancing ambiguity of translation, thus allowing for the pseudoreversion of mit- phenotypes.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

Isolation and structure of the replicon of the promiscuous plasmid pCU1.

Evidence is presented to indicate that a PvuII fragment of approx. 2 kb isolated from the 39-kb IncN-group plasmid pCU-1 contains all plasmid-borne determinants for stable maintenance as an extrachromosomal element in Escherichia coli K-12. The fragment was sequenced. The features of this sequence include a group of 13 direct tandem repeats of 37 bp and a second group of two other direct repeats of 30 bp flanking a third partial member of this group. In addition, for a 19-bp sequence that overlaps a member of this second group, there are inverted repeats that straddle the members of the first group. There are three open reading frames within the fragment. We compare features of this sequence with that of other plasmid replicons and draw attention to similar and to dissimilar features.

Base Composition↗

Monoclonal antibody identification of subpopulations of cerebral cortical neurons affected in Alzheimer disease.

Neuronal degeneration is one of the hallmarks of Alzheimer disease (AD). Given the paucity of molecular markers available for the identification of neuronal subtypes, the specificity of neuronal loss within the cerebral cortex has been difficult to evaluate. With a panel of four monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) applied to central nervous system tissues from AD patients, we have immunocytochemically identified a population of vulnerable cortical neurons; a subpopulation of pyramidal neurons is recognized by mABs 3F12 and 44.1 in the hippocampus and neocortex, and clusters of multipolar neurons in the entorhinal cortex reactive with mAb 44.1 show selective degeneration. Closely adjacent stellate-like neurons in these regions, identified by mAB 6A2, show striking preservation in AD. The neurons recognized by mAbs 3F12 and 44.1, to the best of our knowledge, do not comprise a single known neurotransmitter system. mAb 3A4 identifies a phosphorylated antigen that is undetectable in normal brain but accumulates early in the course of AD in somas of vulnerable neurons. Antigen 3A4 is distinct from material reactive with thioflavin S or antibody generated against paired helical filaments. Initially, antigen 3A4 is localized to neurons in the entorhinal cortex and subiculum, later in the association neocortex, and, ultimately in cases of long duration, in primary sensory cortical regions. mAb 3F12 recognizes multiple bands on immunoblots of homogenates of normal and AD cortical tissues, whereas mAb 3A4 does not bind to immunoblots containing neurofilament proteins or brain homogenates from AD patients. Ultrastructurally, antigen 3A4 is localized to paired helical filaments. Using these mAbs, further molecular characterization of the affected cortical neurons is now possible.

Alzheimer Disease↗

Admixture of heparin with urokinase to decrease thrombolysis time and urokinase dose in polytetrafluoroethylene dialysis graft recanalization.

PURPOSE: To determine whether the addition of heparin to urokinase during dialysis graft thrombolysis can lower urokinase dose and shorten procedure time. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients who underwent dialysis graft thrombolysis during an 18-month period were studied retrospectively. Twenty patients were treated with urokinase alone, and 19 patients were treated with urokinase and heparin. Thrombolysis was performed in the angiography suite by using a crossed-catheter technique. Urokinase was administered directly into the thrombus. In patients receiving heparin, 5,000 IU was added directly to the initial urokinase solution. RESULTS: In patients who received urokinase alone, an average of 750,000 U of urokinase was used, and the average procedure time was 2 hours 42 minutes. When heparin was added, an average of 435,000 U of urokinase was used, and the average procedure time was 2 hours. CONCLUSION: The addition of heparin to urokinase can decrease both urokinase dose and thrombolysis time in the recanalization of dialysis grafts.

Arteriovenous Shunt, Surgical↗