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Biomedical subjects

Q Huang

Publications and source records attributed to Q Huang.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

[The status of p53 gene in the primary retinoblastoma].

OBJECTIVE: This study was designed to investigate whether development or progression of retinoblastoma is related with p53 gene mutation. METHODS: A total of 52 cases with primary retinoblastoma were investigated for p53 gene point mutations. To do this, entire coding sequence, including exon 2 - 11, and their vicinity intron sequence were examined by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis followed by direct genomic DNA sequencing. RESULTS: Only did the polymorphisms, silent mutations and variants in intron have been shown in p53 gene, no real p53 gene mutation was found in retinoblastoma no matter the tumor carried Rb gene mutation or not. CONCLUSION: The evidence provided here indicates that the development or progression of retinoblastoma is not associated with p53 gene mutation.

Genes, Retinoblastoma↗
PubMed1999

Distribution of human lens crystallins and their sulphydryl contents of different age in two-dimension electrophoresis.

PURPOSE: To analyze water-soluble (WS) human lens proteins of fetus, adult and age-related cataract by two-dimensional IEF/SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. METHODS: DACM [N-(7-Dimethylamino-4-methyl-3-coumarinyl) maleimide] was used to determine the lens proteins sulphydryl (SH) content. RESULT: Protein SH contents in WS lens proteins have no significant difference among fetus, adult and age-related cataract lens. This is different from the relative published results obtained in lens proteins of animal cataract model using similar SH detecting methods. CONCLUSIONS: IEF/SDS-PAGE electrophoresis demonstrated that there were much more fragmentation of crystallins during lens development and cataractogenic process. It is suggested that this phenomenon is likely to be due to further conformational changes in the fragmented cyrstallins during aging and cataractogenic process.

Adult↗
PubMed1999

Membrane polarization induced in the myocardium by defibrillation fields: an idealized 3-D finite element bidomain/monodomain torso model.

This study develops a three-dimensional finite element torso model with bidomain myocardium to simulate the transmembrane potential (TMP) of the heart induced by defibrillation fields. The inhomogeneities of the torso are modeled as eccentric spherical volumes with both the curvature and the rotation features of cardiac fibers incorporated in the myocardial region. The numerical computation of the finite element bidomain myocardial model is validated by a semianalytic solution. The simulations show that rotation of fiber orientation through the depth of the myocardial wall changes the pattern of polarization and decreases the amount of cardiac tissue polarized compared to the idealized analytic model with no fiber rotation incorporated. The TMP induced by transthoracic and transvenous defibrillation fields are calculated and visualized. The TMP is quantified by a continuous measure of the percentage of myocardial mass above a potential gradient threshold. Using this measure, the root mean square differences in TMP distribution produced by reversing the electrode polarity for anterior-posterior and transvenous electrode configurations are 13.6 and 28.6%, respectively. These results support the claim that a bidomain model of the heart predicts a change of defibrillation threshold with reversed electrode polarity.

Computer Simulation↗
PubMed1998

BMCP1, a novel mitochondrial carrier with high expression in the central nervous system of humans and rodents, and respiration uncoupling activity in recombinant yeast.

We report here the cloning and functional analysis of a novel homologue of the mitochondrial carriers predominantly expressed in the central nervous system and referred to as BMCP1 (brain mitochondrial carrier protein-1). The predicted amino acid sequence of this novel mitochondrial carrier indicates a level of identity of 39, 31, or 30%, toward the mitochondrial oxoglutarate carrier, phosphate carrier, or adenine nucleotide translocator, respectively, and a level of identity of 34, 38, or 39% with the mitochondrial uncoupling proteins UCP1, UCP2, or UCP3, respectively. Northern analysis of mouse, rat, or human tissues demonstrated that mRNA of this novel gene is mainly expressed in brain, although it is 10-30-fold less expressed in other tissues. In situ hybridization analysis of brain showed it is particularly abundant in cortex, hippocampus, thalamus, amygdala, and hypothalamus. Chromosomal mapping indicates that BMCP1 is located on chromosome X of mice and at Xq24 in man. Expression of the protein in yeast strongly impaired growth rate. Analysis of respiration of total recombinant yeast or yeast spheroplasts and in particular of the relationship between respiratory rate and membrane potential of yeast spheroplasts revealed a marked uncoupling activity of respiration, suggesting that although BMCP1 sequence is more distant from the uncoupling proteins (UCPs), this protein could be a fourth member of the UCP family.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

X-ray studies on two forms of bovine beta-trypsin crystals in neat cyclohexane.

Two orthorhombic forms (Vm values are 2.3 and 3.0 A3/Da) of bovine beta-trypsin crystals in neat cyclohexane were determined to 1.93 A resolution, by X-ray diffraction. Both structures in organic solvent are similar to those in aqueous solution. In the high packing density form, one cyclohexane molecule is found in a hydrophobic site near the active center. One sulfate locates at the active site with hydrogen or salt bond to the Ser-His catalytic diad, and five more sulfates bind on the molecular surface. The conformation of the side chains near the sulfates changed greatly. In the low packing density form, one cyclohexane and three sulfates are found. In both structures, one benzamidine molecule locates at the hydrophobic pocket of the active center. Most water molecules on the enzyme surface are retained except some with high temperature factors.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Predictive models for GABAA/benzodiazepine receptor subtypes: studies of quantitative structure-activity relationships for imidazobenzodiazepines at five recombinant GABAA/benzodiazepine receptor subtypes [alphaxbeta3gamma2 (x = 1-3, 5, and 6)] via comparative molecular field analysis.

Affinities of a series of substituted imidazobenzodiazepines at recombinant alpha1beta3gamma2, alpha2beta3gamma2, alpha3beta3gamma2, alpha5beta3gamma2, and alpha6beta3gamma2 GABAA/benzodiazepine receptor subtypes are reported. Many of these ligands displayed high affinities (low-nanomolar to subnanomolar scale) at all five receptor subtypes. Furthermore, a number of imidazobenzodiazepines exhibited relatively good selectivity at the alpha5-containing receptor isoform. For example, ligand 27 (RY-023) demonstrated a 55-fold higher selectivity at alpha5beta3gamma2 isoforms in comparison to other receptor subtypes. The affinity ratio of alpha1 (the most prevalent subtype in the brain) to alpha5 of this series of ligands ranged from 60- to 75-fold for the most selective ligands. Studies of quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) by means of comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) were carried out. As a result, examination of CoMFA models for all five receptor subtypes demonstrated their predictability for affinities of imidazobenzodiazepines at the five receptor subtypes. Regions of molecular fields which would favor or disfavor the binding affinity of a ligand at a specific receptor subtype were examined via CoMFA for alpha1, alpha2, alpha3, alpha5, and alpha6 subtypes. A CoMFA regression analysis was applied to predict the ratio of Ki alpha1/Ki alpha5, an index for the selectivity of a ligand at the alpha5 subtype. All of the CoMFA models offered good cross-validated correlations for the ligands in the test set as well as the ratios of Ki alpha1/Ki alpha5, which demonstrated their potential for prediction.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Conditional lineage ablation to model human diseases.

Cell loss contributes to the pathogenesis of many inherited and acquired human diseases. We have developed a system to conditionally ablate cells of any lineage and developmental stage in the mouse by regulated expression of the diphtheria toxin A (DTA) gene by using tetracycline-responsive promoters. As an example of this approach, we targeted expression of DTA to the hearts of adult mice to model structural abnormalities commonly observed in human cardiomyopathies. Induction of DTA expression resulted in cell loss, fibrosis, and chamber dilatation. As in many human cardiomyopathies, transgenic mice developed spontaneous arrhythmias in vivo, and programmed electrical stimulation of isolated-perfused transgenic hearts demonstrated a strikingly high incidence of spontaneous and inducible ventricular tachycardia. Affected mice showed marked perturbations of cardiac gap junction channel expression and localization, including a subset with disorganized epicardial activation patterns as revealed by optical action potential mapping. These studies provide important insights into mechanisms of arrhythmogenesis and suggest that conditional lineage ablation may have wide applicability for studies of disease pathogenesis.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1998

Distribution of the uncoupling protein 2 mRNA in the mouse brain.

The present study was conducted to investigate the brain distribution of the recently cloned uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2). Northern blot analyses were first carried out to confirm the presence of UCP2 in the brain. These analyses revealed the brain presence of UCP2 mRNA and the absence of the mRNAs encoding uncoupling protein 1 and uncoupling protein 3. They also demonstrate that UCP2 mRNA expression was abundant in the hypothalamus and not affected by cold acclimation. In situ hybridization histochemistry was used to determine the brain distribution of the mRNA encoding UCP2. A markedly intense hybridization signal was found in the hypothalamus, the ventral septal region, the caudal hindbrain (medulla), the ventricular region, and the cerebellum. A very highly intense hybridization signal was apparent in the suprachiasmatic nucleus, the medial parvicellular part of the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus, the arcuate nucleus, the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve, and the choroid plexus. The specifically localized expression of UCP2 mRNA suggests that this mRNA has a neuronal localization. Neuronal expression was particularly manifest in the nucleus of the horizontal limb of the diagonal band, the submedius thalamic nucleus and the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve, where agglomerations of the silver grains delineated individual cells. The role played by UCP2 in the brain has yet to be fully described, but the pattern of distribution of the transcript suggests that this mitochondrial protein is part of neuronal circuitries controlling neuroendocrine functions, autonomic responses, and the general arousal of the brain. Given the involvement of the proteins from the uncoupling protein's family in the uncoupling of cellular respiration, it can be argued that UCP2 contributes to the metabolic rate and thermoregulation of these circuitries. In addition, by promoting oxygen consumption in the brain, UCP2 could control the production of reactive oxygen species and thereby influence the process of neural degeneration.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Synthesis and evaluation of analogues of the partial agonist 6-(propyloxy)-4-(methoxymethyl)-beta-carboline-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (6-PBC) and the full agonist 6-(benzyloxy)-4-(methoxymethyl)-beta-carboline-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (Zk 93423) at wild type and recombinant GABAA receptors.

A pharmacophore and an alignment rule have previously been reported for BzR agonist ligands. The design and synthesis of 6-(propyloxy)-4-(methoxymethyl)-beta-carboline-3-carboxylic acid ethyl ester (6-PBC, 24, IC50 = 8.1 nM) was based on this pharmacophore. When evaluated in vivo this ligand exhibited anticonvulsant/anxiolytic activity but was devoid of the muscle relaxant/ataxic effects of "classical" 1,4-benzodiazepines (i.e., diazepam). Significantly, 6-PBC 24 also reversed diazepam-induced muscle relaxation in mice. The 3-substituted analogues 40-46 and 48 of 6-PBC 24 and Zk 93423 27(IC50 = 1 nM) were synthesized and evaluated in vitro to determine what affect these modifications would have on the binding affinity at recombinant BzR subtypes. With the exception of the 3-amino ligands 40 and 41, all the beta-carbolines were found to exhibit high binding affinity at BzR sites. The 3-propyl ether derivative 45 was also evaluated in vivo and found to be devoid of any proconvulsant or anticonvulsant activity at doses up to 40 mg/kg. The 6-(1-naphthylmethyloxy) and 6-octyloxy analogues 25, 26, 28, and 29 of 6-PBC 24 were synthesized to further evaluate the proposed alignment of agonists vs inverse agonists in the pharmacophore of the BzR. In addition, ligands 26 and 29 were designed to probe the dimensions of lipophilic pocket L3 at the agonist site. The activity of 29 was evaluated in vivo; however, this analogue elicited no pharmacological effects at doses up to 80 mg/kg. These and other related beta-carbolines were also examined in five recombinant GABAA receptor subtypes. Ligands 52-61 all exhibited moderate to high affinity at GABAA receptors containing alpha1 subunits. These ligands will be useful in further defining the pharmacophore at alpha1 beta3 gamma2 receptors.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

[Distinct Rb gene point mutations in families showing low penetrance of hereditary retinoblastoma].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible cause and molecular mechanism of low penetrance in hereditary retinoblastoma kindred. METHODS: The DNAs from tumor or blood of affected and unaffected individuals in hereditary retinoblastoma families showing low penetrance were screened by SSCP analysis and further characterized by direct DNA sequencing. RESULTS: Eight from fifteen families showing low penetrance retinoblastoma were identified to have distinct Rb gene point mutations including Arg661-Trp661 in five families, aberrant splicing in two families and a G-T mutation at ATF binding site of Rb gene promoter in one family. CONCLUSION: The distribution of cases with low penetrance of retinoblastoma is not completely random. The low penetrance in the families described here was associated with several distinct Rb gene point mutations which did not result in complete disruption of the gene product,and the reduced penetrance of retinoblastoma is probably the result of a residual function of these alleles in retinoblastoma precursor cells.

Female↗
PubMed1998

X-ray studies on cross-linked lysozyme crystals in acetonitrile-water mixture.

Tetragonal crystals of hen egg white lysozyme were cross-linked and subjected to X-ray diffraction study in acetonitrile-water media with different acetonitrile concentrations. Crystals in neat acetonitrile did not scatter X-ray well. Structures of crystals in neat water, in 90% and 95% acetonitrile, and crystal back-soaked from acetonitrile to water, were determined to about 2 A resolution. For crystals in both 90% acetonitrile, and crystal back-soaked from acetonitrile to water, were determined to about 2 A resolution. For crystals in both 90% and 95% acetonitrile, only one protein-bond acetonitrile molecule is found in the active site cleft, and its location and binding-protein mode is similar to the C subunit of polysaccharide. The alteration in conformation and hydrogen-bond pattern involving water as solvent causes the reduction of the protein's flexibility in organic media. The back-soaked crystal regained its ordinary three-dimensional structure in water.

Acetonitriles↗
PubMed1998

[Gene diagnosis and genetic counselling of Rb gene mutations in retinoblastoma patients and their family members].

OBJECTIVE: To develop a diagnostic test for direct identification of disease-causing mutation in the patients with retinoblastoma and correct prediction of carrier- status in unaffected adults and newborns in the RB kindred. METHODS: Southern blot hybridized by Rb cDNA and other intragenic probes were used to detect big deletions or rearrangements at Rb gene locus. SSCP analysis and direct sequencing of primer-directed enzymatic amplification to identify point mutations as small as a single nucleotide change. RFLPs and VNTRs within the Rb gene were used as genetic markers for haplotype analysis. RESULTS: The probands from 79 RB kindreds were identified to have Rb gene mutation, including 25 somatic mutations and 54 germline mutations (36 new germline mutations, 15 inherited mutations and 3 mosaicisms). The WBC DNAs from their family members were also analyzed for determining origin and carrier of mutation. CONCLUSION: The direct identification of causing- cancer mutations by combining SSCP analysis and direct DNA sequencing showed many advantages than other indirect methods such as haplotype analysis. It can distinguish hereditary RB from nonhereditary RB and identify the unaffected carriers without family history and informes affected family member. This method is helpful in gene diagnosis and genetic counselling.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Relation of alleles of the collagen type Ialpha1 gene to bone density and the risk of osteoporotic fractures in postmenopausal women.

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis is a common disorder with a strong genetic component. One way in which the genetic component could be expressed is through polymorphism of COLIA1, the gene for collagen type Ialpha1, a bone-matrix protein. METHODS: We determined the COLIA1 genotypes SS, Ss, and ss in a population-based sample of 1778 postmenopausal women using a polymerase-chain-reaction-based assay. We then related the genotypes to bone mineral density and the occurrence of osteoporotic fractures in these women. RESULTS: As compared with the 1194 women with the SS genotype, the 526 women with the Ss genotype had 2 percent lower bone mineral density at the femoral neck (P=0.003) and the lumbar spine (P=0.02); the 58 women with the ss genotype had reductions of 4 percent at the femoral neck (P= 0.05) and 6 percent at the lumbar spine (P=0.005). These differences increased with age (P=0.01 for modification by age of the effect of COLIA1 on femoral-neck bone density, and P=0.004 for modification of the effect on lumbar-spine bone density). Women with the Ss and ss genotypes were overrepresented among the 111 women who had incident nonvertebral fractures (relative risk per copy of the s allele, 1.5; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.1 to 2.1). CONCLUSIONS: The COLIA1 polymorphism is associated with reduced bone density and predisposes women to osteoporotic fractures.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1998

Mirasorvone: a masked 20-ketopregnane from the defensive secretion of a diving beetle (Thermonectus marmoratus).

The sunburst diving beetle, Thermonectus marmoratus, ejects a milky fluid from its prothoracic defensive glands when disturbed. Two major volatile components of this secretion are steroids; cybisterone (structure 7) constitutes about 20% of the volatiles, and a new steroid, mirasorvone, about 50%. Mirasorvone is assigned an 18-oxygenated pregnane structure (structure 9) on the basis of extensive spectroscopic data. Although no 18-oxygenated steroid has been described previously from an insect source, a closely related hormone with mineralocorticoid activity, 18-hydroxydeoxycorticosterone (structure 13), has been isolated from the adrenal glands of rats.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Population analysis of the collagen type IIalpha1 3' variable number of tandem repeat polymorphism by heteroduplex genotyping.

The AT-rich variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) marker at the 3' end of the collagen type IIalpha1 (COL2A1) gene has been shown to have a complex structure with extensive sequence variations among repeat units. We analyzed this VNTR polymorphism in a large population of 972 Caucasian individuals with a genotyping procedure involving heteroduplex analysis of PCR products using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Seven size alleles were identified, combining to 19 different homoduplex genotypes (heterozygosity = 0.64). These could be further dissected by analysis of heteroduplexes into 85 different heteroduplex genotypes (heterozygosity = 0.84). By systematically heteroduplexing homozygous and heterozygous individuals in vitro, characteristic heteroduplex doublet bands were generated of known allelic composition. A comparison of these doublets with heteroduplex patterns observed in the population allowed us to identify 29 alleles. The degree of correspondence with a different COL2A1 VNTR genotyping system, based on size separation of single-strand VNTR alleles [1], was investigated by the analysis of samples typed with both methods, including samples from reference CEPH pedigrees. This revealed improved genetic resolution by the heteroduplex method including discrimination of frequent alleles considered identical by the single-strand analysis. Our findings demonstrate heteroduplex analysis of the COL2A1 VNTR to be a robust and highly informative genetic marker system. The documented increased genetic variability has important implications in forensic and paternity testing, as well as in linkage and association studies relating genetic variation at this locus to disease endpoints.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

The impact of adjuvant radiotherapy on carcinosarcoma of the uterus.

BACKGROUND: The role of adjuvant radiotherapy in the setting of uterine carcinosarcoma has not been clearly established. METHODS: A retrospective review of 60 patients receiving definitive therapy for carcinosarcoma of the uterus was undertaken at a single institution. Twenty-nine of 60 patients were treated with adjuvant radiotherapy. RESULTS: The addition of radiotherapy significantly reduced the local recurrence rate from 55% (17 patients) to 3% (1 patient). Adjuvant radiotherapy reduced the risk of distant failure and death in patients with disease confined to the uterus but did not impact distant recurrence or survival in stage III patients. Increasing stage and depth of myometrial tumor invasion were negatively associated with overall survival and disease-free survival but had no impact on local recurrence rates. The nuclear grade of the epithelial component was predictive of local recurrence (P = 0.0592), but epithelial architectural grade, grade of stromal component, and stromal versus epithelial predominance did not provide prognostic information. The relative risk of local recurrence of unirradiated patients versus irradiated patients was 17.54 (P = 0.0055) after adjusting for nuclear grade of the epithelial component. CONCLUSIONS: Local failure represents a significant site of failure in the absence of adjuvant radiotherapy. The improvement in local failure rates with the addition of radiotherapy translates into an improvement in distant failure rates and survival only for patients with stage I/II disease. Epithelial nuclear grade, in addition to depth of myometrial invasion and stage, provides important prognostic information. Epithelial architectural grade, stromal grade, type of stromal component (homologous versus heterologous), and predominance of either stromal or epithelial component were not found to be significant prognostic factors.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Chilocorine C: a new "dimeric" alkaloid from a coccinellid beetle, Chilocorus cacti.

A new hexacyclic alkaloid, chilocorine C (4), has been isolated from Chilocorus cacti and characterized on the basis of its IR, UV, MS, and NMR data. Although its structure is closely related to that of exochomine (1) (isolated from Exochomus quadripustulatus) and to chilocorine A (2) and B (3) (obtained previously from C. cacti), the presence of a hydroxymethyl substituent on the saturated tricyclic moiety represents an unexpected structural variation on the dimeric alkaloid theme.

Animals↗