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Biomedical subjects

Scott Williams

Publications and source records attributed to Scott Williams.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

Arterial puncture closure using a collagen plug, II. (VasoSeal).

Various vascular closure devices have come into common usage by most angio/interventional radiologists and cardiologists over the past 6 or 7 years. This has occurred despite the "real angiographers hold their own punctures" mindset that many of us learned in training. In our practice, we tried a number of different devices, but began using VasoSeal as our primary closure method in mid-1998. Since then, we have performed approximately 2400 procedures in which the VasoSeal device was deployed. The purpose of this article is to review the technique of VaseSeal closure of percutaneous arteriotomy sites.

Arteries↗

Tyrosine phosphorylation of VHR phosphatase by ZAP-70.

The ZAP-70 tyrosine kinase is a key component of the signaling machinery for the T cell antigen receptor (TCR). Whereas recruitment and activation of ZAP-70 are relatively well understood, the proteins phosphorylated by ZAP-70 are incompletely known. We report here that VHR, a Vaccinia virus VH1-related dual-specific protein phosphatase that inactivates the mitogen-activated kinases Erk2 and Jnk, is phosphorylated at Y138 by ZAP-70. Tyr138 phosphorylation was required for VHR to inhibit the Erk2-Elk-1 pathway and, conversely, the VHR(Y138F) mutant augmented TCR-induced Erk2 kinase and activation of the gene encoding interleukin 2. These results suggest that VHR is a target for ZAP-70 and tempers activation of the Erk2 pathway in a ZAP-70-controlled manner.

DNA-Binding Proteins↗

Negative feedback regulation of the tumor suppressor PTEN by phosphoinositide-induced serine phosphorylation.

The PTEN tumor suppressor phosphatase directly counteracts the multiple functions of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase by removing phosphate from the D3 position of inositol phospholipids. Like many lymphomas and leukemias, the Jurkat T cell line lacks PTEN protein due to frame-shift mutations in both PTEN alleles and therefore survives in long-term cell culture. We report that PTEN reintroduced into Jurkat was highly phosphorylated on serines 380 and 385 in its C terminus, particularly the former site. Phosphate was also detected at Ser(380) in PTEN in untransformed human T cells. Treatments that reduced the levels of D3-phospholipids in the cells resulted in reduced phosphorylation and accelerated degradation of PTEN. In contrast, expression of inactive PTEN-C124G or coexpression of a constitutively active protein kinase B led to increased phosphorylation and slower degradation of PTEN. These results suggest that PTEN normally is subjected to a feedback mechanism of regulation aimed at maintaining homeostatic levels of D3-phosphoinositides, which are crucial for T cell survival and activation.

Alanine↗

Activation of ZAP-70 through specific dephosphorylation at the inhibitory Tyr-292 by the low molecular weight phosphotyrosine phosphatase (LMPTP).

The ZAP-70 protein-tyrosine kinase plays a central role in signaling from the T cell antigen receptor. Recruitment and activation of ZAP-70 are transient and are terminated by phosphorylation of negative regulatory tyrosine residues and dephosphorylation of positively acting sites. We report that the low molecular weight protein-tyrosine phosphatase (LMPTP) specifically dephosphorylates the negative regulatory Tyr-292 of ZAP-70, thereby counteracting inactivation of ZAP-70. Expression of low levels of LMPTP resulted in increased ZAP-70 phosphorylation, presumably at the activating Tyr-493 and other sites, increased kinase activity, and augmented downstream signaling to the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. The ZAP-70 Y292F mutant was not affected by LMPTP. Our results indicate that LMPTP, like CD45, dephosphorylates a negative regulatory tyrosine site in a protein-tyrosine kinase and thereby strengthens T cell receptor signaling.

Amino Acid Substitution↗

Interface pattern formation in nonlinear dissipative systems.

The problem of interface pattern selection in nonlinear dissipative systems is critical in many fields of science, occurring in physical, chemical and biological systems. One of the simplest pattern formations is the Saffman-Taylor finger pattern that forms when a viscous fluid is displaced by a less viscous fluid. Such finger-shaped patterns have been observed in distinctly different fields of science (hydrodynamics, combustion and crystal growth) and this has led to a search for a unified concept of pattern formation, as first proposed by the classic work of D'arcy Thomson. Two-dimensional finger-shaped patterns, observed in flame fronts and the ensembled average shape of the diffusion-limited aggregation pattern, have been shown to be similar to Saffman-Taylor finger shapes. Here we present experimental studies that establish that the cell shapes formed during directional solidification of alloys can be described by the form of the Saffman-Taylor finger shape equation when a second phase is present in the intercellular region.

Alloys↗

Inhibition of T cell antigen receptor signaling by VHR-related MKPX (VHX), a new dual specificity phosphatase related to VH1 related (VHR).

A cDNA encoding a novel, human, dual-specific protein phosphatase was identified in the Incyte data base. The open reading frame predicted a protein of 184 amino acids related to the Vaccinia virus VH1 and human VH1-related (VHR) phosphatases. Expression VHR-related MKPX (VHX) was highest in thymus, but also detectable in monocytes and lymphocytes. A VHX-specific antiserum detected a protein with an apparent molecular mass of 19 kDa in many cells, including T lymphocytes and monocytes. VHX expression was not induced by T cell activation, but decreased somewhat at later time points. In vitro, VHX dephosphorylated the Erk2 mitogen-activated protein kinase with faster kinetics than did VHR, which is thought to be specific for Erk1 and 2. When expressed in Jurkat T cells, VHX had the capacity to suppress T cell antigen receptor-induced activation of Erk2 and of an NFAT/AP-1 luciferase reporter, but not an NF-kappaB reporter. Thus, VHX is a new member of the VH1/VHR group of small dual-specific phosphatases that act in mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Molecular genetic analysis of the region containing the essential Pseudomonas aeruginosa asd gene encoding aspartate-beta-semialdehyde dehydrogenase.

asd mutants of Gram-negative and some Gram-positive bacteria have an obligate requirement for diaminopimelic acid (DAP), an essential constituent of the cell wall of these organisms. In environments deprived of DAP, for example mammalian tissues, they will undergo lysis. This was previously exploited to develop vaccine strains of Salmonella typhimurium and cloning vectors containing asd as an in vivo selectable marker. As a first step for development of such systems for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the asd gene from wild-type strain PAO1 was cloned by a combined approach of PCR amplification from chromosomal DNA, construction of mini-libraries and by complementation of an Escherichia coli delta asd mutant. The nucleotide sequence of a 2433 bp Smal-Nsil fragment was determined. This fragment contained the C-terminal 47 nucleotides of leuB, encoding 3-isopropylmalate dehydrogenase; asd, encoding aspartate-beta-semialdehyde dehydrogenase (Asd); and orfA, whose product showed similarity to the Asd proteins from Vibrio spp. By subcloning, asd was localized to a 1.24 kb DNA fragment which in an E. coli T7 expression system strongly expressed a 40,000 Da protein. The amino acid sequence was deduced from the DNA sequence. A comparison of the Asd proteins from P. aeruginosa, E. coli and Haemophilus influenzae revealed greater than 63% identity, demonstrating the conserved nature of Asd in Gram-negative bacteria, and defined the active-site-containing consensus sequence GGNCTVXMLMXXXLGLF as a possible signature motif. Chromosomal delta asd mutants were isolated. They were auxotrophic for DAP, lysine, methionine and threonine, and lysed in the absence of DAP. Genetic analyses indicated that orfA probably is naturally frame-shifted and does not contribute to the Asd phenotype. By PFGE, the asd gene was mapped to between coordinates 1.89 and 2.15 Mbp, or 37-40 min, on the 5.9 Mbp P. aeruginosa chromosome.

Amino Acid Sequence↗