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Biomedical subjects

S Li

Publications and source records attributed to S Li.

At least 667 records · Page 37Linked to original sources

Mutational analysis of Bacillus subtilis glutamine phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotransferase propeptide processing.

Glutamine phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotransferase from Bacillus subtilis is a member of an N-terminal nucleophile hydrolase enzyme superfamily, several of which undergo autocatalytic propeptide processing to generate the mature active enzyme. A series of mutations was analyzed to determine whether amino acid residues required for catalysis are also used for propeptide processing. Propeptide cleavage was strongly inhibited by replacement of the cysteine nucleophile and two residues of an oxyanion hole that are required for glutaminase function. However, significant propeptide processing was retained in a deletion mutant with multiple defects in catalysis that was devoid of enzyme activity. Intermolecular processing of noncleaved mutant enzyme subunits by active wild-type enzyme subunits was not detected in hetero-oligomers obtained from a coexpression experiment. While direct in vitro evidence for autocatalytic propeptide cleavage was not obtained, the results indicate that some but not all of the amino acid residues that have a role in catalysis are also needed for propeptide processing.

Amidophosphoribosyltransferase↗

Persistent CCR5 utilization and enhanced macrophage tropism by primary blood human immunodeficiency virus type 1 isolates from advanced stages of disease and comparison to tissue-derived isolates.

Viral phenotype, tropism, coreceptor usage, and envelope gene diversity were examined in blood isolates collected from 27 individuals at different stages of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) disease and tissue derived isolates from 10 individuals with AIDS. The majority (89%) of blood and all tissue HIV-1 isolates from all stages of infection were non-syncytium inducing and macrophage (M) tropic. Tropism and productive infection by HIV isolates in both monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) increased in advanced disease (HIV tropism for monocytes, 1 of 6 from categories I and II versus 11 of 21 [P = 0.05] from category IV and II [CD4 < 250]; and high-level replication in MDM, 1 of 6 from categories I and II versus 16 of 21 from categories IV and II [P = 0. 015]). There was a high level of replication of blood and tissue isolates in T lymphocytes without restriction at any stage. Overall, the level of replication in MDM was 5- to 10-fold greater than in monocytes, with restriction in the latter occurring mainly at entry and later stages of replication. Only three blood isolates were identified as syncytium inducing, and all had a dualtropic phenotype. There was a significant increase of HIV envelope gene diversity, as shown by a heteroduplex mobility assay, in advanced disease; this may partly underlie the increase of HIV replication in MDM. Unlike blood isolates (even those from patients with advanced disease), tissue isolates displayed greater similarities (90%) in productive infection between MDM and monocytes. The majority (87%) of all isolates, including those from patients with advanced disease, used CCR5, and only 5 of 37 isolates showed expanded coreceptor usage. These results indicate that in the late stage of disease with increasing viral load and diversity, CCR5 utilization and M-tropism persist in blood and tissue and the replicative ability in macrophages increases. This suggests that these characteristics are advantageous to HIV and are important to disease progression.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗

Definition of the stage of host cell genetic restriction of replication of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages by using twins.

Using identical (ID) twins, we have previously demonstrated that host cell genes exert a significant impact on productive human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection of monocytes and macrophages (J. Chang et al., J. Virol. 70:7792-7803, 1996). Therefore, the stage in the replication cycle at which these host genetic influences act was investigated in a study using 8 pairs of ID twins and 10 pairs of sex- and age-matched unrelated donors (URDs). In the first phase of the study, blood monocytes and monocyte-derived macrophages (MDM) of ID twins and URDs were infected with 15 HIV type 1 strains. Four well-characterized primary isolates and HIV-BaL were then examined in more detail. The host cell genetic effect in MDM was exerted predominantly prior to complete reverse transcription, as the HIV DNA level and p24 antigen levels were concordant (r = 0.91, P = 0.0001) and similar between the pairs of ID twin pairs (r = 0.96, P = 0.0001) but discordant between URD pairs (r = 0.11, P = 0.3) in both phases of the study. To further examine genetic influence on viral entry, we examined the proportion of CCR5 membrane expression on MDM. As expected, there was wide variability in proportion of MDM expressing CCR5 among URDs (r = 0. 58, P = 0.2); however, this variability was significantly reduced between ID twin pairs (r = 0.81, P = 0.01). Differences in viral entry did not necessarily correlate with CCR5 expression, and only very low levels of CCR5 expression restricted HIV entry and production. In summary, the host cell genetic effect on HIV replication in macrophages appears to be exerted predominantly pre-reverse transcription. Although CCR5 was necessary for infection, other unidentified host genes are likely to limit productive infection.

Adult↗

Double-stranded-RNA-activated protein kinase PKR enhances transcriptional activation by tumor suppressor p53.

The tumor suppressor p53 plays a key role in inducing G1 arrest and apoptosis following DNA damage. The double-stranded-RNA-activated protein PKR is a serine/threonine interferon (IFN)-inducible kinase which plays an important role in regulation of gene expression at both transcriptional and translational levels. Since a cross talk between IFN-inducible proteins and p53 had already been established, we investigated whether and how p53 function was modulated by PKR. We analyzed p53 function in several cell lines derived from PKR+/+ and PKR-/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) after transfection with the temperature-sensitive (ts) mutant of mouse p53 [p53(Val135)]. Here we report that transactivation of transcription by p53 and G0/G1 arrest were impaired in PKR-/- cells upon conditions that ts p53 acquired a wild-type conformation. Phosphorylation of mouse p53 on Ser18 was defective in PKR-/- cells, consistent with an impaired transcriptional induction of the p53-inducible genes encoding p21(WAF/Cip1) and Mdm2. In addition, Ser18 phosphorylation and transcriptional activation by mouse p53 were diminished in PKR-/- cells after DNA damage induced by the anticancer drug adriamycin or gamma radiation but not by UV radiation. Furthermore, the specific phosphatidylinositol-3 (PI-3) kinase inhibitor LY294002 inhibited the induction of phosphorylation of Ser18 of p53 by adriamycin to a higher degree in PKR+/+ cells than in PKR-/- cells. These novel findings suggest that PKR enhances p53 transcriptional function and implicate PKR in cell signaling elicited by a specific type of DNA damage that leads to p53 phosphorylation, possibly through a PI-3 kinase pathway.

Animals↗

MRP3, a new ATP-binding cassette protein localized to the canalicular domain of the hepatocyte.

Bile secretion in liver is driven in large part by ATP-binding cassette (ABC)-type proteins that reside in the canalicular membrane and effect ATP-dependent transport of bile acids, phospholipids, and non-bile acid organic anions. Canalicular ABC-type proteins can be classified into two subfamilies based on membrane topology and sequence identity: MDR1, MDR3, and SPGP resemble the multidrug resistance (MDR) P-glycoprotein, whereas MRP2 is similar in structure and sequence to the multidrug resistance protein MRP1 and transports similar substrates. We now report the isolation of the rMRP3 gene from rat liver, which codes for a protein 1522 amino acids in length that exhibits extensive sequence similarity with MRP1 and MRP2. Northern blot analyses indicate that rMRP3 is expressed in lung and intestine of Sprague-Dawley rats as well as in liver of Eisai hyperbilirubinemic rats and TR- mutant rats, which are deficient in MRP2 expression. rMRP3 expression is also transiently induced in liver shortly after birth and during obstructive cholestasis. Antibodies raised against MRP3 recognize a polypeptide of 190-200 kDa, which is reduced in size to 155-165 kDa after treatment with endoglycosidases. Immunoblot analysis and immunoconfocal microscopy indicate that rMRP3 is present in the canalicular membrane, suggesting that it may play a role in bile formation.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗

Sodium/calcium exchange contributes to contraction and relaxation in failed human ventricular myocytes.

Defects in myocyte contraction and relaxation are key features of human heart failure. Sodium/calcium exchanger-mediated contribution to contraction and relaxation were separated from other mechanisms [L-type calcium current, sarco(endo)plasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+)-ATPase] based on voltage, temperature, and selective blockers. Rod-shaped left ventricular myocytes were isolated from failed human explants (n = 29) via perfusion with collagenase-containing Krebs solution. Action potentials using perforated patch and contractions using an edge detector were recorded at 0.5-1.5 Hz in Tyrode solution at 25 degrees C and 37 degrees C. Contraction duration was dependent on action potential (AP) duration at 37 degrees C but not at 25 degrees C, suggesting the role of the exchanger in relaxation and linking myocyte relaxation to the repolarization phase of the AP. Voltage-clamp experiments from -50 to +10 mV for 1,500 ms in Tyrode or Na(+)- and K(+)-free solutions after conditioning pulses triggered biphasic contractions that included a rapid SR-mediated component and a slower voltage-dependent exchanger-mediated component. We used thapsigargin to block the SR, which eliminated the rapid component, and we used an exchanger blocker, Kanebo 7943, which eliminated the slow component. The exchanger was shown to contribute to contraction through reverse-mode exchange, as well as to play a key role in relaxation of human ventricular myocytes.

Action Potentials↗

Sustained JNK activation induces endothelial apoptosis: studies with colchicine and shear stress.

The disruption of microtubules by treating bovine aortic endothelial cells with 10(-7)-10(-5) M colchicine caused apoptosis, as evidenced by DNA laddering and TdT-mediated dUTP nick end labeling fluorescence staining. Colchicine treatment also induced a sustained activation of c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK) that lasted for >/=12 h. The blockade of JNK activity by using the negative interfering mutant JNK(K-R) markedly decreased the apoptosis induced by colchicine. Exposure of bovine aortic endothelial cells to laminar shear stress (12 dyn/cm(2)) caused a transient (<2 h) activation of JNK, and there was no induction of apoptosis. The sustained activation of JNK may play a significant role in the apoptosis induced by colchicine.

Animals↗

Effect of immune response on gene transfer to the lung via systemic administration of cationic lipidic vectors.

Cationic lipid-mediated intravenous gene delivery shows promise in treating pulmonary diseases including lung tumor metastases, pulmonary hypertension, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Nevertheless, clinical applications of cationic lipidic vectors via intravenous administration are limited by their transient gene expression. In addition, repeated dosing is not effective at frequent intervals. In an effort to elucidate the mechanism of gene inactivation, we report in this study that cationic lipid-protamine-DNA (LPD) complexes, but not each component alone, can induce a high level of cytokine production, including interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha. Furthermore, we demonstrate that LPD administration triggers apoptosis in the lung, a phenomenon that may be mediated in part by the two cytokines. Treatment of mice with antibodies against the two cytokines prolongs the duration of gene expression and also improves lung transfection on a second administration of LPD. Although the mechanism underlying LPD-induced cytokine production is unclear, methylation of the DNA significantly decreased the level of both interferon-gamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, suggesting that unmethylated CpG sequences in plasmid DNA play an important role. These data suggest that decreasing the CpG-mediated immune response while not affecting gene expression may be a useful therapeutic strategy to improve cationic lipid-mediated intravenous gene delivery to the lung.

Animals↗

Relation between complement and the febrile response of guinea pigs to systemic endotoxin.

We reported recently that the complement (C) system may play a role in the febrile response of guinea pigs to intravenous lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration because C depletion abolished the LPS-induced rise in core temperature (T(c)). The present study was designed to investigate further the relation between C reduction [induced by cobra venom factor (CVF); 20, 50, 100, and 200 U/animal iv] and the fever of adult, conscious guinea pigs produced by LPS injected intravenously (2 microg/kg) or intraperitoneally (8, 16, 32 microg/kg) 18 h after CVF; control animals received pyrogen-free saline. Serum C levels were measured as total hemolytic C activity before and 18 h after CVF injection and expressed as CH(100) units. In other experiments, serum C levels were determined at various intervals after the intravenous and intraperitoneal injections at different doses of LPS alone. LPS produced fevers generally of similar heights but of different onset latencies and durations, depending on the dose and route of administration. CVF caused dose-related reductions in serum C, from approximately 1,136 U to below detection. These reductions proportionately attenuated the fevers induced by intraperitoneal LPS, but not by intravenous LPS. Intravenous and intraperitoneal LPS per se caused reductions in serum C of 25 and 40%, respectively, indicating activation of the C cascade. These decreases were transient, however, occurring early during the febrile rise approximately 30 min after LPS injection. These data thus support the notion that the C system may be critically involved in the febrile response of guinea pigs to systemic, particularly intraperitoneal, LPS.

Animals↗

Effects of intravitreal injection of botulinum toxin on the electroretinogram of rats.

The retinal toxicity of botulinum toxin A (BTA) was electroretinographically studied in rats. Sixteen rats were injected intravitreally with 10 ng of BTA. A response-amplitude series was recorded before and 1, 6, 13 and 21 days after the injection of BTA. BTA did not alter the amplitude and the peak latency of the a-wave. The amplitude of the b-wave was not changed except for 2 rats, in which the b-wave was diminished. The peak latency of the b-wave was significantly prolonged after injection of 10 ng BTA (p < 0.05). Except for these latter 2 rats, the results indicated that the dosage used therapeutically appears to have no deleterious effect on retinal integrity or function at least in the short term, but multiple injections or higher doses of BTA could alter retinal function.

Animals↗

Angiotensin II stimulates collagen synthesis in human vascular smooth muscle cells. Involvement of the AT(1) receptor, transforming growth factor-beta, and tyrosine phosphorylation.

Angiotensin II is an established regulator of vascular tone and smooth muscle cell (SMC) growth. However, there are little data about its effect on collagen synthesis by SMCs and none regarding the mechanism of such an effect. We studied the effect of angiotensin II on collagen production by human arterial SMCs, using uptake of [(3)H]proline into collagenase-digestible proteins, and by ribonuclease protection assay for mRNA encoding the proalpha1 chain of type I collagen, the major collagen in arteries. This revealed a dose-dependent increase in relative collagen synthesis rate and a dose-dependent increase in proalpha1(I) collagen mRNA abundance, with the half-maximal effect at 1.7 nmol/L. Angiotensin II-stimulated collagen expression was associated with a 6-fold increase in transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) production and was inhibited by a neutralizing antibody to TGF-beta. Both collagen production and TGF-beta release were inhibited by the AT(1)-specific antagonist, losartan, but not by the AT(2) receptor antagonist, PD123319. To determined if tyrosine phosphorylation was functionally linked to collagen synthesis, we studied the effect of 2 mechanistically distinct inhibitors of tyrosine kinase, genistein, and tyrphostin A25. These inhibitors abrogated angiotensin II-mediated procollagen mRNA expression and angiotensin II-mediated TGF-beta production, whereas the inactive homolog tyrphostin A1 had no effect. We conclude that angiotensin II stimulates collagen production in human arterial SMCs via the AT(1) receptor and an autocrine loop of TGF-beta, induction of which requires tyrosine phosphorylation.

Angiotensin II↗

Mixed hematopoietic chimerism induces donor-specific tolerance for lung allografts in rodents.

Mixed hematopoietic chimerism is a state in which bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells from two genetically different animals coexist. We investigated whether mixed hematopoietic chimerism, resulting from the transplantation of host and donor bone marrow into a lethally irradiated rat, would confer donor-specific tolerance to lung allografts. Recipient rats (Fisher or or Wistar Furth [WF]) were irradiated (1,100 cGy) and reconstituted with a mixture of T-cell-depleted syngeneic plus allogeneic bone marrow. After mixed chimerism was documented by the presence of donor- and host-derived cells in the peripheral blood 4 wk after bone marrow reconstitution, mixed chimeras underwent orthotopic left lung transplantation with donor-specific and third-party lung allografts. No immunosuppressive agents were administered after lung transplantation. All donor-specific lung allografts were accepted by mixed chimeras (n = 40), while all third-party grafts (n = 7) were rejected within 10 d, a time course similar to that for grafts transplanted into naive recipients (n = 14). Radiation control recipients (n = 7) who did not develop mixed chimerism because the donor bone marrow had failed to engraft, also rejected donor-specific grafts within 10 d. We conclude that mixed hematopoietic chimerism induces donor-specific transplantation tolerance to lung allografts.

Animals↗

Distinct roles for the small GTPases Cdc42 and Rho in endothelial responses to shear stress.

Shear stress, the tangential component of hemodynamic forces, plays an important role in endothelial remodeling. In this study, we investigated the role of Rho family GTPases Cdc42 and Rho in shear stress-induced signal transduction and cytoskeleton reorganization. Our results showed that shear stress induced the translocation of Cdc42 and Rho from cytosol to membrane. Although both Cdc42 and Rho were involved in the shear stress-induced transcription factor AP-1 acting on the 12-O-tetradecanoyl-13-phorbol-acetate-responsive element (TRE), only Cdc42 was sufficient to activate AP-1/TRE. Dominant-negative mutants of Cdc42 and Rho, as well as recombinant C3 exoenzyme, attenuated the shear stress activation of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinases (JNKs), suggesting that Cdc42 and Rho regulate the shear stress induction of AP-1/TRE activity through JNKs. Shear stress-induced cell alignment and stress fiber formation were inhibited by the dominant-negative mutants of Rho and p160ROCK, but not by the dominant-negative mutant of Cdc42, indicating that the Rho-p160ROCK pathway regulates the cytoskeletal reorganization in response to shear stress.

Animals↗

Mitotic chromosomal bcl-2. I. Stable expression throughout the cell cycle and association with isolated chromosomes.

Bcl-2 is present in a cytoplasmic distribution in cells that express high levels of this oncoprotein. In contrast, using immunocytochemistry in cells expressing low levels of bcl-2, such as KB human carcinoma cells, we and others have shown that bcl-2 is present on the surface of mitotic chromosomes. However, monoclonal antibodies reactive with an epitope representing amino acids 41-54 of the bcl-2 sequence did not detect bcl-2 in other phases of the cell cycle. This study extended those earlier findings to determine if bcl-2 was expressed as a cyclin or if this pattern was an artifact of immunocytochemistry. Immunofluorescence studies in several other human cell lines showed the same mitotic distribution of bcl-2. Other studies using flow cytometry also showed selective mitotic phase detection of bcl-2. A comparison of available commercial antibodies showed that, in spite of reactivity with denatured bcl-2 on Western blots, clear reactivity with bcl-2 in fixed cells was found only with those reactive with the (a.a. 41-54) epitope. With RNase protection and Western blot analyses, cells synchronized at various stages of the cell cycle showed constant levels of bcl-2 mRNA and protein. Analysis of bcl-2 using Western blots showed a band with the same apparent molecular weight as that seen in comparison with authentic bcl-2 overexpressed in the cytoplasm. The retention of bcl-2 on chromosomes in unfixed, permeabilized preparations was influenced by protease treatment, phosphate, and pH. Studies using isolated chromosomes showed that much of the bcl-2 in these cells was attached to chromosomes in mitosis, had the expected molecular weight, and was phosphorylated in the same manner as that seen in whole-cell extracts. These results show that bcl-2 is not a cyclin and that the bcl-2 localized on chromosomes is the same molecule seen by immunoblotting. These results suggest that the reactive (a.a. 41-54) epitope present in bcl-2 is somehow modified or masked in interphase.

Animals↗

Mitotic chromosomal bcl-2. II. Localization to interphase nuclei.

We have previously shown, by immunofluorescence of fixed cells, that bcl-2 is found only in mitotic chromosomes in KB cultured human tumor cells expressing low levels of this oncoprotein. However, other studies showed that bcl-2 did not change its levels during the cell cycle when analyzed using Western blots. In this study we analyzed the distribution of bcl-2 during interphase, the point at which it is undetectable by immunofluorescence, using biochemical extraction, immunoprecipitation, and cell fractionation with Western blots. Interestingly, when carefully examined by immunofluorescence in fixed cells, the earliest point in the cell cycle showing bcl-2 localization was early G2, in which bcl-2 could be found within the intact nucleus. In spite of showing no immunofluorescence reaction in fixed interphase cells, immunoprecipitation of gentle detergent extracts showed that bcl-2 from interphase cells reacted readily with the antibody used (#124) after extraction. However, immunoprecipitation using anti-bcl-2 followed by Western blots using anti-Bax showed that, unlike overexpressing cells, this bcl-2 was not complexed with Bax. Classical cell fractionation methods were used to separate nuclei from cytosol and cell membranes. Surprisingly, these experiments clearly showed that essentially all of the bcl-2 in interphase KB cells was present in the nucleus. Therefore, the lack of reaction in fixed cells with anti-bcl-2 antibody reflects either a masking or a conformational change of the reactive epitope in bcl-2 present within the nucleus. By correlation, this change may be related to the phosphorylation of bcl-2 that occurs just before mitosis. The nature of this novel yet highly conserved nuclear form of bcl-2 and the understanding of its function will require further study.

Blotting, Western↗

A mouse model to study the effects of hormone replacement therapy on normal mammary gland during menopause: enhanced proliferative response to estrogen in late postmenopausal mice.

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) with estrogen alleviates menopausal symptoms and is effective in reducing osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease when taken in early postmenopause. Older, late postmenopausal women who never previously received HRT are also believed to benefit from estrogen treatment. On the other hand, increased lifetime exposure of the mammary gland to estrogen may increase the risk of breast cancer. The development of suitable experimental animal model systems can advance our understanding of the effects of estrogen and the timing of HRT on the postmenopausal breast. Toward this end, early and late postmenopausal states were induced in mice by short vs. long term ovariectomy (1 vs. 5 weeks), and the effects of 17beta-estradiol (E) on mammary gland morphology, cell proliferation, and progesterone receptor (PR) levels were investigated. We report that in late postmenopausal mice, E caused a pronounced enlargement of duct ends and 6.5- and 4-fold greater mitogenic responses in the duct end epithelium and adjacent stromal cells, respectively, compared with the response in early postmenopausal mice. Furthermore, after long term, daily treatment with E, steady state levels of proliferation remained 2-fold higher than those of similarly treated, early postmenopausal mice. E failed to increase mammary PR levels in late postmenopausal, but not in early postmenopausal mice. Stimulation of duct ends by E and lack of PR inducibility are characteristics of the immature pubertal mammary gland and indicate that the late postmenopausal mammary gland resembled the immature state. In contrast, minimal E-induced proliferation and increased PR inducibility, characteristics of the adult, sexually mature mammary gland, were retained in early postmenopausal mice. The lack of difference in the numbers of estrogen receptor-positive epithelial or stromal cells or in estrogen receptor cellular concentration after short vs. long term ovariectomy indicates that the observed greater efficacy of E is mediated at a step beyond receptor-ligand binding. This mouse model of experimentally induced early vs. late postmenopausal states should prove useful in better understanding alterations in hormone responsiveness and their implications for timing of HRT on the human breast.

Age Factors↗

Role of the rate of internalization of the agonist-receptor complex on the agonist-induced down-regulation of the lutropin/choriogonadotropin receptor.

The extent of agonist-induced down-regulation of the LH/CG receptor (LHR) in human kidney 293 cells transfected with the rat LHR (rLHR) is much lower than in two Leydig tumor cell lines (MA-10 and R2C) that express the rodent LHR endogenously. This difference can not be attributed to differences in the recycling of internalized receptors, or in the replenishment of new receptors at the cell surface. It can be correlated, however, with the half-life of internalization of the bound agonist, which is approximately 60 min in Leydig tumor cells and about 100 min in transfected 293 cells. To determine whether the rate of internalization of the bound agonist affects down-regulation, we compared these two parameters in 293 cells expressing four rLHR mutants that enhance internalization and three mutants that impair internalization. We show that all four mutations of the rLHR that enhanced internalization enhanced down-regulation, while only one of the three mutations that impaired internalization impaired down-regulation. In addition, cotransfections of 293 cells with the rLHR-wt and three constructs that enhanced internalization (G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2, beta-arrestin, and arrestin-3) increased down-regulation, while a related construct (visual arrestin) that had no effect on internalization also had no effect on down-regulation. We conclude that the rate of internalization of the agonist-LHR complex is the main determinant of the extent of down-regulation of the LHR.

Animals↗