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Biomedical subjects

W Wei

Publications and source records attributed to W Wei.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Desmoplastic variant of ameloblastoma in Chinese patients.

Desmoplastic ameloblastoma is a rare tumour, and we know of only 43 previously reported cases. We report seven Chinese patients (five men and two women) with the desmoplastic variant of ameloblastoma, which makes up 9% of all ameloblastomas diagnosed during the years 1981-1995. The age ranged from 18 to 68 years (mean 43). Five of the tumours were in the maxilla and two were in the mandible. Five of them were situated anteriorly, the remaining two cases involving both anterior and posterior maxilla. The features of the 42 cases previously reported were reviewed and were compared with those in the present study. Our results differ in that we found a male predominance, wider age range and more tumours in the maxilla. Histologically, this variant of ameloblastoma is characterized by abundant collagenous stroma. Because the epithelial clusters may show prominent squamous metaplasia or may be compressed into thin strands in most areas, the appearance may mimic a squamous odontogenic tumour or odontogenic fibroma. The behaviour of this variant of ameloblastoma is likely to be the same as that of the classic ameloblastoma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Telomerase activation in nasopharyngeal carcinomas.

Nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPC) are common in Hong Kong and southern China but rare in Western countries. Telomerase activation is common in human cancers but has not been reported previously in NPC. Telomerase activation in NPC was determined using the sensitive TRAP (telomerase rapid amplification protocol) assay in 45 nasopharyngeal biopsies (36 NPC, nine normal nasopharyngeal mucosae) in four xenografted NPC tumours established in nude mice and in five in vitro NPC cell lines. Telomerase activation is common in NPC and can be detected at high frequencies (85% in primary tumours and 100% in recurrent tumours). The frequency of telomerase activation was lowest in NPC biopsies without lymph node involvement (60%) compared with those with positive lymph node involvement (100%), and the difference is statistically significant (P < 0.05; Fisher exact test). All the xenografted NPC tumours and in vitro NPC cell lines were strongly positive for telomerase activity. Our results suggest that telomerase activation is common in NPC and it may be useful as a diagnostic marker in the detection of tumour cells in nasopharyngeal biopsies. The high frequency of telomerase activation in stage I NPC (80% positive) suggests that it is an early event in tumour progression.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Bcl-2 protects against apoptosis in neuronal cell line caused by thapsigargin-induced depletion of intracellular calcium stores.

The toxicity of thapsigargin, a selective inhibitor of endoplasmic reticular Ca2+-ATPase, was investigated in GT1-7 cells, a murine hypothalamic cell line. Treatment of these cells with 50 or 100 nM thapsigargin greatly reduced cell viability at 24 and 48 h. These doses of thapsigargin induced a rapid rise in free cytosolic Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i), followed by a sustained increase. Addition of EGTA to chelate extracellular Ca2+ diminished somewhat the size of the initial increase of [Ca2+]i caused by thapsigargin, and abolished the sustained increase. The sustained increase could also be abolished by addition of La3+ and by SKF 96365, a drug selective for receptor-mediated calcium entry, but not by verapamil or flunarizine. Pretreatment with 50 microM BAPTA/AM, a cytosolic Ca2+ chelator, inhibited the peak [Ca2+]i caused by thapsigargin but did not inhibit the sustained elevation of [Ca2+]i. Neither EGTA nor BAPTA/AM inhibited the cell death induced by thapsigargin. The cell death was characterized by DNA fragmentation ("laddering"), nuclear condensation and fragmentation, and was inhibited by protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide, all characteristic of apoptotic cell death. Overexpression of the protooncogene bcl-2 in GT1-7 cells inhibited significantly DNA fragmentation, nuclear condensation and fragmentation, and cell death induced by thapsigargin. However, Bcl-2 did not alter either basal [Ca2+]i or the elevation of [Ca2+]i induced by thapsigargin. Our results suggest that abnormal Ca2+ release from endoplasmic reticulum caused by thapsigargin induces GT1-7 death by apoptosis and that this effect does not depend on Ca2+ influx from the extracellular space. Bcl-2 inhibited apoptosis induced by thapsigargin, but the mechanism is unlikely to be inhibition of endoplasmic reticular Ca2+ release in GT1-7 neuronal cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

A rapid method for determination of in vitro susceptibility to antibiotics with a bulk acoustic wave bacterial growth biosensor.

A novel bulk acoustic wave (BAW) bacterial growth biosensor was developed to study in vitro susceptibility by continuous monitoring of disturbances of bacterial growth at low antibiotic concentrations, followed by the accurate and rapid estimation of growth kinetic parameters and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). The susceptibilities of bacteria, e.g. Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus vulgaris, Pr. morganii and Pr. mirabilis, to various antibiotics, e.g. penicillin, streptomycin, gentamicin and cefotaxime, were investigated, respectively, and the MICs were rapidly determined with a higher reproducibility than the conventional broth micro-dilution technique (BMDT). The effects of cell constant of conductivity electrode, pH and temperature on bacterial growth and biosensor signals were discussed in detail. The proposed method offers an effective alternative to the conventional methods.

Acoustics↗
PubMed1998

RMP, a novel RNA polymerase II subunit 5-interacting protein, counteracts transactivation by hepatitis B virus X protein.

To modulate transcription, regulatory factors communicate with basal transcription factors and/or RNA polymerases in a variety of ways. Previously, it has been reported that RNA polymerase II subunit 5 (RPB5) is one of the targets of hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) and that both HBx and RPB5 specifically interact with general transcription factor IIB (TFIIB), implying that RPB5 is one of the communicating subunits of RNA polymerase II involved in transcriptional regulation. In this context, we screened for a host protein(s) that interacts with RPB5. By far-Western blot screening, we cloned a novel gene encoding a 508-amino-acid-residue RPB5-binding protein from a HepG2 cDNA library and designated it RPB5-mediating protein (RMP). Expression of RMP mRNA was detected ubiquitously in various tissues. Bacterially expressed recombinant RMP strongly bound RPB5 but neither HBx nor TATA-binding protein in vitro. Endogenous RMP was immunologically detected interacting with assembled RPB5 in RNA polymerase in mammalian cells. The central part of RMP is responsible for RPB5 binding, and the RMP-binding region covers both the TFIIB- and HBx-binding sites of RPB5. Overexpression of RMP, but not mutant RMP lacking the RPB5-binding region, inhibited HBx transactivation of reporters with different HBx-responsive cis elements in transiently transfected cells. The repression by RMP was counteracted by HBx in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, RMP has an inhibitory effect on transcriptional activation by VP16 in the absence of HBx. These results suggest that RMP negatively modulates RNA polymerase II function by binding to RPB5 and that HBx counteracts the negative role of RMP on transcription indirectly by interacting with RPB5.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Identification of genes differentially expressed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma by messenger RNA differential display.

We have applied the mRNA differential display method to compare and analyze mRNAs prepared from five normal nasopharyngeal epithelial cell cultures and five nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines. A total of 24 differential display experiments was performed using different combinations of PCR primers. Sixty-nine cDNA fragments differentially expressed in either normal or malignant nasopharyngeal epithelial cells were identified. Subsequent cloning and sequencing of these differentially expressed cDNA fragments resulted in the identification of seventeen distinct sequences. Seven of these sequences were shown to be novel cDNA sequences not previously reported. Ten of the remaining cDNA fragments showed sequence homology to previously reported genes. Differential expression of four of these seventeen cDNA fragments in normal nasopharyngeal epithelial cells was confirmed by reverse Northern hybridization. One of these cloned cDNA fragments is a novel cDNA sequence while the other three matched to previously reported cDNA sequences involved in cell growth and migration. Homologous sequences identified to be differentially expressed in normal nasopharyngeal epithelial cells in this study are: human 26 kDa cell surface protein (TAPA-1) mRNA, NF-E2 like basic leucine zipper transcriptional activator and the human bullous pemphigoid antigen. The mRNA differential display is a useful tool to identify candidate genes involved in the pathogenesis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Dissecting embryonic and seedling morphogenesis in Arabidopsis by promoter trap insertional mutagenesis.

Development can be considered to comprise the co-ordinated regulation of patterning at different levels: patterning of cells to form tissues, patterning of tissues to form organs, and patterning of organs to generate the characteristic architecture of the organism. These processes are expected, in turn, to be mediated by the precise spatial and temporal regulation of patterns of gene expression during development, which depend on appropriate signalling mechanisms. In order to investigate molecular events of morphogenesis in plants, we have utilized a system of promoter trap insertional mutagenesis in Arabidopsis, to generate both phenotypic mutants and gene fusions that represent markers useful in studying the regulation of patterning. A screen of transgenic seedlings containing a T-DNA promoter trap has led to the identification of mutants defective in seedling shape and embryonic development, and of GUS fusion genes that are expressed in spatially restricted patterns. Mutants have been crossed with marker lines expressing cell type-specific GUS activities, to investigate their cellular organization. For example, the POLARIS marker gene is expressed in the embryonic and seedling root tip. When crossed with hydra, which lacks an embryonic root, and with emb30, which lacks both embryonic and seedling roots, it is nevertheless expressed in the correct relative position, and we hypothesize that it represents a novel marker of root positional information, independent of root morphogenesis.

Arabidopsis↗
PubMed1998

Activity of platelet in patients with high level of LDL and the effect of LDL on platelet glycoproteins.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the activity of platelet in patients with high level of low density lipoproteins (LDL) and the effect of LDL on platelet glycoproteins (GP). METHODS: Platelet glycoproteins, whose platelet were activated or unactivated, were measured by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The amount of the platelet membrane GP II b/III a in patients was not significantly different from that of the control when platelet was unactivated (P > 0.05); when platelet was activated by adenosine diphosphate (ADP), the amount of patients' platelet GP II b/III a was increased markedly in comparison with that in the control (P < 0.01). Having been preincubated with LDL, the platelets were activated by ADP and the amounts of GP II b/III a of patients group and the control were all increased obviously as compared with those in the platelets which were not incubated with LDL (P < 0.01; P < 0.01). There was no significant difference of the amount of granule membrane protein-140 (GMP-140) between patients and the control when platelet was activated by thrombin (P > 0.05). Having been preincubated with LDL, platelet was activated by thrombin, the amounts of GMP-140 on patients' and control platelet were all increased markedly (P < 0.01, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The activity of platelet in patients with high level of LDL is increased significantly. LDL can increase the expression of platelet glycoproteins.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[Study of activated protein C resistance(APC-R) and FV Leiden in healthy blood donors and patients with thrombosis].

OBJECTIVE: To study activated protein C resistance (APC-R) and FV Leiden in Chinese and their role in the pathogenesis of thrombophilia. METHODS: APC-R was detected by activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) in the presence and absence of APC. FV Leiden mutation was detected by PCR amplification with sequence-specific primers and restriction enzyme digestion. The subjects included 32 healthy blood donors (control), 38 patients with thrombosis in Wuhan, China, 106 patients with thrombosis in Homburg, Germany. FV Leiden mutation was screened in 12 patients in Wuhan and 106 in Homburg. RESULTS: There was no significant difference for APC-R between healthy controls and the patients in Wuhan. No FV Leiden mutation was found in 12 patients in Wuhan. The APC-R frequency of the patients in Homburg was significantly higher than those in Wuhan (22.6% and 7.9%, respectively). Eleven patients in Hombery had FV Leiden mutation. CONCLUSION: APC-R and FV Leiden mutation varied in different regions and races. FV Leiden may not be the main cause of thrombophilia in Chinese.

Activated Protein C Resistance↗
PubMed1998

[The clinical features of retinal detachment with congenital choroidal coloboma].

OBJECTIVE: To approach the clinical features of retinal detachment with congenital choroidal coloboma and seek better surgical methods to improve the effect of treatment. METHODS: Vitreoretinal surgery was performed on eight patients of retinal detachment with choroidal coloboma. During surgery by using an operating microscope with high magnification and endoillumination, we searched for retinal break(s) located in the colobomatous area, looked into the condition of posterior hyaloid area, status of coloboma, treatment was given accordingly, and finally silicone oil tamponade was performed. RESULTS: Retina was reattached anatomically after operation in all cases, and their visual acuities improved. CONCLUSIONS: The type of retinal detachment is caused by the retinal break inside the coloboma. The breaks located at the edge of the detachment within the coloboma, ectatic sclera at the colobomatous region, without posterior vitreous detachment are the features of the retinal detachment with congenital choroidal coloboma. Complete vitrectomy with method to create chorioretinal adhesion around the coloboma and silicone oil tamponade provide an effective treatment for this complicated type of retinal detachment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

[Secondary surgical management of massive suprachoroidal hemorrhage].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the surgical techniques and the efficacy for massive suprachoroidal hemorrhage (MSH). METHODS: Secondary surgery performed on 11 cases of MSH occurring during or after intraocular surgery was delayed for 11 to 28 days (mean, 15.4 days). All eyes underwent posterior drainage sclerotomies under constantly maintained limbal fluid line pressure, followed by pars plana infusion and vitreoretinal surgery. The perfluorocarbon liquid was used intraoperatively in 6 cases. RESULTS: The drainage of the choroidal hemorrhage was successful in all cases. The blood drained from suprachoroidal space was completely liquified and chocolate in color. Tractional retinal detachment occurred in 2 eyes; 9 eyes had retinas normal in position. The mean follow-up was 7.8 months. Visual acuities were improved, >or=0.1 in 6 eyes. CONCLUSION: Immediate management of MSH includes watertight wound closure and medical treatment for elevated intraocular pressure, and secondary surgery was performed timely, including external drainage by creating sclerotomies and vitreoretinal surgery. The above methods of treatment have certain advantages and are promising for the management of MSH.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

[A preliminary investigation on causes of failure of vitreoretinal surgery for complicated rhegmatogenic retinal detachments].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the failure causes of vitreoretinal surgery for complicated rhegmatogenic retinal detachment. METHODS: Vitreoretinal (VR) surgery was performed on 477 cases (479 eyes) with complicated rhegmatogenic retinal detachment, the operative procedures including vitrectomy, peeling of pre-retinal membrane, fluid-air exchange, inert gas (SF(6) or C(3)F(8)) or silicone tamponade. RESULTS: On discharge, the operation was effective in 349 eyes (72.87%) and failed in 130 (27.13%) eyes. CONCLUSION: The multiple stepwise multivariate regression shows that the factors significantly influencing VR surgery are silicone tamponade, giant retinal tears, SF(6) tamponade, iatrogenic tear, anterior proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR), subretinal proliferation, PVR, C(3)F(8) tamponade, operative frequency and choroidal detachments.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

[The diversity of human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells: IX. Cell-cycles kinetics related macromolecules DNA, RNA and protein contents in CD34+ hematopoietic cells of human bone marrow].

DNA, RNA and PRO comprise the bulk of macromolecules in cells, which have been proven to play an important role in regulating cell cycle transverse capacity, cell division, growth, and size. Simultaneous analysis of these moieties could provide more comprehensive and accurate information on cell cycle kinetics. In this study, DNA, RNA and PRO contents related to cell cycle kinetics in CD34+ hematopoietic cells of human bone marrow were measured to understanding the cell cycle kinetic features in CD34+ hematopoietic cells. For this reason, CIMS-100 immunomagnetic isolator, a novel isolation system, was used to enrich efficiently CD34+ hematopoietic cells from human bone marrow. The purity of enriched CD34+ hematopoietic cells determined by both FACS and APAAP staining is ranging from 90%-95%. Cellular DNA, RNA and PRO were stained with fluorochromes propidium iodide, pyronin Y and fluorescein isothiocyante respectively The fluorescence intensities reflecting the DNA, RNA and PRO content of individual cell were analyzed in FACS can by different excitation wavelengthes. DNA, RNA and PRO contents in CD34+ hematopoietic cells were far lower than these of bone marrow mononuclear cells, only being 34 +/- 3% (DNA), 48 +/- 21% (RNA) and 62 +/- 14% (PRO) of BMMNCs respectively. Collectively, these data combined with previous results from both ours and others indicated that CD34+ hematopoietic cells are indeed an unique cell population, not only in reconstitute of hematopoietic and immunological functions, but also in cell cycle kinetics. This is, to our knowledge, the first detailed report on the analysis of DNA, RNA and PRO contents related to cell cycle kinetics in CD34+ hematopoietic cells. And the results provide more direct evidence that the majority of CD34+ hematopoietic cells are in resting state.

Antigens, CD34↗
PubMed1998

[Studies on optimal conditions for inulinase production by Kluyveromyces sp. Y-85].

The application of response surface method to optimal medium-screeing for inulinase production by Kluyveromyces sp. Y-85 has been investigated. The experiments of condition control for the enzyme production was carried out in a 15 L fermenter. A large scale fermentation (1000 L fermenter) was performed five batches, and average inulinase activity of 68.9 u/ml achieved.

Culture Media↗