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Biomedical subjects

W Luo

Publications and source records attributed to W Luo.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources

[Protective action of sophoridine on acute myocardial infarction in anesthetized dogs].

The effects of sophoridine on acute myocardial infarction induced by ligation of left anterior descending coronary artery in 16 anesthetized and open-chest dogs were studied. Treatment with sophoridine 20 mg.kg-1 iv reduced the size of myocardial infarct 6 h after ligation and lowered the elevated plasma levels of lactic acid and pyruvic acid 15, 30 and 60 min after ligation. Sophoridine also lowered the activity of serum CPK 60 and 120 min after ligation and reduced TXB2 and increased 6-keto-PGF1 alpha, hence the metabolites of PGI2/TXA2 ratio after ligation was increased. Electron microscopy showed that sophoridine protected mitochondria of ischemic cells. These results indicated that sophoridine showed protective effects on acute myocardial infarction. The beneficial effect on PGI2/TXA2 and mitochondria seems to contribute its protective action.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha↗

Regulated expression of a cell division control-related protein kinase during development.

Protein kinases are important signaling molecules that are known constituents of cellular pathways critical for normal cellular growth and development. We have recently identified a new protein kinase, p58, which contains a large domain that is highly homologous to the cell division control p34cdc2 protein kinase. This new cell division control-related protein kinase was originally identified as a component of semipurified galactosyltransferase; thus, it has been denoted galactosyltransferase-associated protein kinase. In vitro, this protein kinase has been shown to phosphorylate a number of substrates, including histone H1, casein, and galactosyltransferase. In vivo, we have found that this protein kinase affects galactosyltransferase enzyme activity and that it is apparently involved in some aspect of normal cell cycle regulation. In this report, we find that the p58 gene is evolutionarily well conserved and expressed ubiquitously, but to varying extents, in adult tissues. In developmentally staged embryos, p58 expression was elevated early in embryogenesis and then decreased dramatically. In the murine submandibular gland, p58 expression was elevated between day 14 and day 16 post coitus. Expression in the submandibular gland appeared to parallel the proliferation and differentiation of specific cell types as judged by in situ hybridization. These studies indicate that the p58 protein kinase may have a critical function during normal embryonic development and that this protein kinase continues to be expressed in differentiated adult tissues.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Co-localization of EGF transcripts and peptides by combined immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization.

There is increasing evidence that autocrine- and paracrine-acting growth factors participate in cell and tissue development, maintenance, and renewal. Recent advances in histochemical techniques have facilitated the localization of growth factor messenger RNAs or polypeptides in tissue sections. However, the spatial relationships between the sites of growth factor transcription, translation, and post-translational processing to functional bioactive peptides have been difficult to correlate because each method of detection requires separate tissue sections. We undertook the simultaneous detection of epidermal growth factor (EGF) transcripts and EGF epitopes by combining immunohistochemistry methods with in situ hybridization. Adult mouse submandibular gland was chosen as a representative model because it contains sites of EGF biosynthesis which may participate in mediating the development, maintenance, and renewal of the organ through autocrine or paracrine mechanism(s). Granular duct (GD) cells demonstrated the presence of both EGF transcripts and EGF peptides. In contrast, the interstitial cells lying adjacent to glandular epithelium also contained relatively high levels of EGF transcripts, although no mature EGF peptides were detected. The experimental approach of co-localization and the resulting data indicate previously unreported sites of EGF transcription in glandular interstitial cells, which may provide molecular information required for the morphogenesis and differentiation of adjacent glandular epithelium.

Animals↗

Cartilage, bone and tooth induction during early embryonic mouse mandibular morphogenesis using serumless, chemically-defined medium.

Studies were designed to test the hypothesis that plasma- and serum-deprived embryonic cells and tissues in vitro are capable of producing growth regulating factors which augment cartilage, bone and tooth induction during mouse mandibular process development. Embryonic mouse first branchial arch-derived mandibular processes (E11-E12, Theiler stages 18-19) or cap stage molar tooth (M1) organs (E15-E16, Theiler stage 23) expressed morphogenesis, histogenesis and cytodifferentiation (e.g., Meckel's cartilage and mandibular bone) when cultured as explants in permissive serumless and chemically-defined BGJB medium for periods up to 31 days in vitro. Organ cultures of early mandibular process explants in serumless conditions showed DNA synthesis comparable to the time- and position-restricted patterns characteristic for control in vivo development. As a paradigm for embryonic cell expression of putative growth factors, sense and antisense oligodeoxynucleotide probes corresponding to amino acids 1070-1081 for preproEGF, and antibodies directed against amino acids 348-691 of preproEGF, were used to identify and localize mRNA transcripts and translation products. Our preliminary evidence suggests that odontogenic epithelial and ectomesenchyme cells produce EGF-like products during instructive phases of tooth development. We suggest that plasma- and serum-deprived cells and tissues in vitro produce autocrine and/or paracrine growth factors which mediate embryonic mandibular morphogenesis, histogenesis and cytodifferentiation.

Animals↗

[Sampling survey of mentally deficient people in Sichuan].

From first April to 15th May 1987, 145,201 people were investigated by using the ways of layer, equal probability and mass sampling. Two thousand three hundred and forty two of them were confirmed to be mentally deficient. The incidence was 16.13%. It was estimated that 1,665,000 people have mental deficiency in Sichuan. The estimated range of reliability of 95% was 1,528,000-1,801,000. One million and three hundred ninety three thousand of them only had mental deficiency, while 272,000 had other organic deficiency. Male:female ratio was 101.4:100. The incidence of 6-14 year-old was 38.14%, which was 3 times higher than that of other age groups. Mild mental deficiency was 16.4 times more than severe mental deficiency. The most common causes were hereditary diseases, encephalitis, malnutrition, cerebral trauma, pregnant diseases, etc. All of the causes belonged to preventable diseases.

Adolescent↗

Localization of epidermal growth factor precursor in tooth and lung during embryonic mouse development.

The murine epidermal growth factor (EGF) precursor is a 1217 amino acid protein which contains mature EGF (amino acid residues 977-1029) as well as eight EGF-like repeats. Although the highest levels of EGF are found in the adult male mouse submandibular gland, the results of in situ hybridization studies and mRNA analyses suggest that EGF precursor mRNA is synthesized in several adult mouse tissues including the lung and the incisor. To determine if EGF precursor gene expression is intrinsic to the developmental program for either embryonic tooth or lung organogenesis, sense and antisense oligodeoxyribonucleotide probes corresponding to amino acids 1070-1081 of the precursor were used to localize cellular sites of synthesis of EGF precursor mRNA by in situ hybridization. Antibodies directed against amino acid residues 348-691 of the precursor were used in immunodetection techniques to identify either EGF precursor protein or processed derivatives. In contrast to earlier reports indicating that embryonic mouse tissues do not synthesize EGF precursor mRNA, we found that EGF precursor mRNA is present in clusters of ectoderm-, mesoderm-, and ectomesenchyme-derived cells associated with embryonic teeth and lung organs. Moreover, epitopes common to the EGF precursor were immunolocalized in both the epithelial and mesenchymal tissues of embryonic mouse tooth and lung organs. These results suggest that the EGF precursor and/or motifs contained within the precursor molecule, including mature EGF, may play an instructive or permissive role in epithelial-mesenchymal interactions pursuant to organogenesis.

Aging↗

Amelogenin gene expression in mouse incisor heterotopic recombinations.

Mouse incisor tooth organs express the genes responsible for enamel extracellular matrix formation exclusively on the labial surface of the organ. A previous investigation has suggested that lingual inner dental epithelium of mouse incisor did not contain potential ameloblasts. The present work extends our histological observations, by analyzing the presence of mouse amelogenin mRNA in heterotopic mouse incisor tissue recombinations using in situ hybridization to 35S-labelled asymmetric complementary RNA probes from a cDNA specific to the mouse Mr 26 x 10(3) amelogenin. Labial polarized ameloblasts located in front of the lingual predentin layer were associated with numberous hybridization signals indicating an increased density of amelogenin mRNA. In contrast, the lingual inner dental epithelium in contact with labial predentin never showed amelogenin hybridization signals, indicating the absence of amelogenin transcripts. These results confirm our observation that the lingual inner dental epithelium does not contain potential ameloblasts, since these cells do not transcribe nor accumulate mRNA amelogenin even when in contact with a favorable microenvironment provided by the labial predentin.

Amelogenin↗

[Comparison of immunoenzymatic staining technique (IEST), double gluing strip circumoval precipitin test (DGS-COPT) and conventional circumoval precipitin test (CV-COPT) for diagnosis of schistosomiasis japonica].

IEST, DGS-COPT and CV-COPT using lyophilized ova of schistosoma japonicum were performed on sera from 120 cases of schistosomiasis japonica, 120 cases of schistosomiasis japonica 3-8 years after being cured with praziquantel and 120 healthy individuals by single-blind method. The sensitivity and specificity of IEST was 91.7% and 95.8% respectively which were significantly higher than that of both DGS-COPT and CV-COPT. The negative conversion rate of cured patients was 70.8% with IEST, 80.8% with DGS-COPT and 81.7% with CV-COPT. The results showed that IEST has higher diagnostic value for schistosomiasis than both COPT. DGS-COPT has the same diagnostic value as CV-COPT, however, it was easy to perform and time-saving, thus it might be applied in the fields for practical purposes.

Animals↗

Inhibition of duck hepatitis B virus replication by purine 2',3'-dideoxynucleosides.

Primary hepatocyte cultures from duck hepatitis B virus (DHBV) infected ducklings were used to evaluate the antiviral activity of purine and pyrimidine 2',3'-dideoxynucleosides. The purine 2',3'-dideoxynucleosides were very effective inhibitors of hepadnavirus replication, whereas the pyrimidine dideoxynucleosides were not. 2',3'-Dideoxyguanosine and 2,6-diaminopurine 2',3'-dideoxyriboside (ddDAPR) were the most effective antiviral agents studied. ddDAPR given intramuscularly twice daily at 10 mg/kg rapidly cleared DHBV-DNA from the sera of persistently infected ducklings but this effect was not permanent.

Animals↗

Factors influencing the expression of dental extracellular matrix biomineralization.

The forming tooth organ provides a number of opportunities to investigate the cellular and molecular biology of cell-mediated extracellular matrix (ECM) biomineralization. Regulatory processes associated with tooth formation are being investigated by identifying when and where cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), substrate adhesion molecules (SAMs), dentine phosphoprotein and enamel gene products are expressed during sequential developmental stages. In vitro organotypic culture studies in serumless, chemically-defined medium, have shown that instructive and permissive signalling are required for both morphogenesis and cytodifferentiation. Intrinsic developmental instructions (autocrine and paracrine factors) act independently of long-range hormonal or exogenous growth factors and mediate morphogenesis from the initiation of the dental lamina to the crown stages of tooth development. This review summarizes the results of studies using experimental embryology, recombinant DNA technology and immunocytology to elucidate mechanisms responsive to instructive epithelial-mesenchymal interactions associated with ameloblast differentiation, odontoblast differentiation, and dentine and enamel ECM biomineralization.

Animals↗

In situ hybridization analysis of keratin gene expression in human ameloblastomas.

Complementary DNA (cDNA) clones corresponding to the 55 kDa (K 14) and 59 kDa (K 10) keratins were used as probes for in situ hybridization analysis for the expression of keratin genes in human ameloblastomas and in oral mucosa. Transcripts for either the K 14 keratin or the K 10 keratin were restricted in their spatial distribution within stratified epithelia consistent with the stage of differentiation of the keratinocyte: the K 14 keratin gene transcript was restricted to the basal cell layers of the mucosa, while the K 10 keratin transcript was expressed predominantly in suprabasal cells, within the granular and prickle layers. In contrast, only the K 14 keratin transcript could be identified within the epithelial cells of human ameloblastomas. The differentiation-specific keratin transcript (K 10) was not present at detectable levels in this type of odontogenic tumors. In an atypical, infiltrating ameloblastoma, neither the K 10 nor the K 14 transcript could be identified. Granular cells within one ameloblastoma expressed the K 14 transcript. A detailed examination of the pattern of gene expression in these unique tumors may lead to a better understanding of their pathogenesis.

Ameloblastoma↗

Spatial- and temporal-restricted pattern for amelogenin gene expression during mouse molar tooth organogenesis.

Position- and time-restricted amelogenin gene transcription was analysed in developing tooth organs using in situ hybridization with asymmetric complementary RNA probes produced from a cDNA specific to the mouse 26 x 10(3) Mr amelogenin. In situ analysis was performed on developmentally staged fetal and neonatal mouse mandibular first (M1) and maxillary first (M1) molar tooth organs using serial sections and three-dimensional reconstruction. Amelogenin mRNA was first detected in a cluster of ameloblasts along one cusp of the M1 molar at the newborn stage of development. In subsequent developmental stages, amelogenin transcripts were detected within foci of ameloblasts lining each of the five cusps comprising the molar crown form. The number of amelogenin transcripts appeared to be position-dependent, being more abundant on one cusp surface while reduced along the opposite surface. Amelogenin gene transcription was found to be bilaterally symmetric between the developing right and left M1 molars, and complementary between the M1 and M1 developing molars; indicating position-restricted gene expression resulting in organ stereoisomerism. The application of in situ hybridization to forming tooth organ geometry provides a novel strategy to define epithelial-mesenchymal signal(s) which are believed to be responsible for organ morphogenesis, as well as for temporal- and spatial-restricted tissue-specific expression of enamel extracellular matrix.

Amelogenin↗

Tumor-suppressive activity of CD66a in prostate cancer.

CD66a (human homolog of rat cell-cell adhesion molecule, also known as biliary glycoprotein) is a cell surface protein of the immunoglobulin family. CD66a has been shown to mediate homotypic cell adhesion. Aside from this, no other functions of this molecule have been demonstrated. We have observed previously that CD66a protein expression is lost in most prostate tumors, suggesting that the down-regulation of CD66a is associated with the abnormal growth of prostate cells. CD66a is homologous (65% identity) to rat cell-cell adhesion molecule, which has been shown to have tumor-suppressive activity. This homology suggests the possibility that CD66a might also be a tumor suppressor. In this report, we show that restoring CD66a expression in DU145 human prostate cancer cells by adenovirus (Ad)-mediated gene transfer dramatically altered the malignant phenotype of these cells, as evidenced by their reduced ability to form tumors in a xenograft animal model. This result suggests that loss of CD66a protein plays an important role in the development of prostate cancer, and that restoring CD66a expression might provide an effective treatment for prostate cancer. We further explored the possibility of using Ad vectors to deliver CD66a as a potential therapeutic agent for prostate cancer. Direct injection of Ad-CD66a, an Ad vector carrying the CD66a gene, into DU145 tumors in mice significantly suppressed the growth of these tumors. This antitumor activity of CD66a was found to be dose-dependent. These results suggest that CD66a has tumor-suppressive activity and that Ad-CD66a is a potential therapeutic agent for prostate cancer treatment.

Adenoviridae↗