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X Y Lu

Publications and source records attributed to X Y Lu.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Expression of D1 receptor mRNA in projections from the forebrain to the ventral tegmental area.

In situ hybridization was combined with Fluoro-Gold retrograde labeling to determine if cells projecting from the forebrain to the ventral tegmental area (VTA) express D1 receptor mRNA. Cell counts were made in the prefrontal cortex, shell of the nucleus accumbens, and ventral pallidum to estimate the percentage of neurons projecting to the VTA that express D1 receptor mRNA. Retrogradely labeled cells were observed in the infralimbic and prelimbic regions of the prefrontal cortex, and up to 37% of the retrogradely labeled cells expressed D1 receptor mRNA. Double-labeled cells constituted up to 89% of retrogradely labeled neurons in the rostral shell and up to 68% in the caudal shell of the nucleus accumbens. The number of retrogradely labeled cells in the ventral pallidum that were double-labeled ranged from 13% in the rostral to less than 10% in the caudal portions. These data provide anatomical support for a role of D1 receptors in the reciprocal innervation between the forebrain and VTA.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

[L-arginine transport in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells of spontaneously hypertensive rats and effect of liposome on the transport].

The characteristics of L-arginine (L-Arg) transport in cultured aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC) of spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) and control WKY rats were studied and the effect of liposome as L-Arg carrier on the transport was investigated. The results showed that the L-Arg transport of SMC in SHR was obviously lower than that in WKY rats. Maximum transport velocity (Vmax) of high and low affinity in SHR were respectively 48% (P < 0.01) and 49% (P < 0.01) of WKY rat, while the michaelis constant (K(m)) showed no significant difference (P > 0.05). Increase of L-Arg transport induced by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) in SMC of SHR was obviously lower than that in WKY rats (P < 0.01). The uptake of L-Arg increased 10 to 20 times in SMC when incubated with liposome encapsulated L-Arg (Liposome-L-Arg) than with free L-Arg. The transport velocity in SMC incubated with liposome-L-Arg showed no significant difference in SHR and WKY rats (P > 0.05). The transport of liposome-L-Arg in SMC was not affected by TNF alpha in both the types of rats. The above results indicate that there exists a functional disturbance in L-Arg transport in the SMC of SHR, but the L-Arg transport in SMC can be obviously enhanced when liposome is used as L-Arg carrier. Thus, it appears that liposome-L-Arg may have clinical perspective in the treatment of hypertension.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Substance P in the ventral pallidum: projection from the ventral striatum, and electrophysiological and behavioral consequences of pallidal substance P.

The ventral pallidum of the basal forebrain contains a high concentration of substance P and receives a massive projection from the nucleus accumbens. The present study was designed to determine whether the accumbens serves as a source for substance P-containing fibers in the ventral pallidum and characterize the function of this tachykinin peptide within the ventral pallidum. By combining in situ hybridization for messenger RNA of the substance P prohormone, beta-preprotachykinin, with Fluoro-Gold retrograde labeling from iontophoretic deposits in the ventral pallidum, a population of substance P-containing neurons was demonstrated in the shell and core components of the nucleus accumbens and the ventromedial striatum. The function of substance P within the ventral pallidum was characterized at the level of the single neuron, and the behaving animal. Electrophysiological assessment revealed that approximately 40% of the 97 ventral pallidal neurons tested were readily excited by microiontophoretic applications of substance P or a metabolically stable agonist analog, DiMeC7 [(pGlu5, MePhe8, MeGly9)-substance P5-11]. Response characteristics were distinguished from glutamate-induced excitations by a slower onset and longer duration of action. Recording sites of tachykinin-sensitive neurons were demonstrated to be located throughout the ventral pallidum and within high densities of fibers exhibiting substance P-like immunoreactivity. When behaving rats received microinjections of DiMeC7 into this same region, the animals displayed an increase in motor activity, with a response threshold of 0.1nmol per hemisphere. These results verify the existence of a substantial substance P-containing projection from the nucleus accumbens to the ventral pallidum. The projection likely serves to excite ventral pallidal neurons for these neurons readily increased firing following local exposure to tachykinins. Furthermore, an increase in motor behavior appears to be a consequence of this neuronal response.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Influence of tissue freezing on the binding of 125I-sarcosine1, isoleucine8 angiotensin II to angiotensin II receptor subtypes in the rat.

Evaluation of angiotensin II (AII) receptor binding often necessitates freezing of the tissue of interest prior to assay of radioligand binding. This study evaluated the effects of freezing of various rat tissues at different rates on 125I-sarcosine1, isoleucine8 angiotensin II (125I-SI AII) binding to AII receptor subtypes. Slow freezing in a -20 degrees C compartment significantly reduced 125I-SI AII binding to AT1 receptors in the adrenal (51%), epididymis (34%), and liver (22%). Binding of 12tI-SI AII to the AT1 receptor in the brain was not significantly reduced. In the adrenal, both the Bmax and affinity of AT1 receptors were decreased by freezing. But in the epididymis, only the affinity of AT1 receptors was decreased. Binding of 125I-SI AII to AT2 receptors in the adrenal, epididymis, and brain was also not significantly reduced by freezing. Further evaluation of the mechanism of the reduction in 125I-SI AII binding to AT1 receptors in the adrenal indicated that both the receptor density and affinity for 125I-SI AII were decreased by freezing. Rapid freezing in a dry-ice bath caused even greater reductions in 125I-SI AII binding to AT1 receptors in the adrenal. Snap freezing in liquid nitrogen decreased 125I-SI AII binding in adrenals to a similar extent as did slow freezing. These results suggest that studies of AII receptors subtypes that involve freezing of the tissues underestimate the density and affinity of the AT1 receptor subtype.

1-Sarcosine-8-Isoleucine Angiotensin II↗
PubMed1993

[Studies on diterpenoids from leaves of Tripterygium wilfordii].

Tripterygium wilfordii Hook f. has been used as a medicinal herb in traditional Chinese medicine and as an insecticide by the Chinese for hundreds of years. Recently, this plant has been used to treat cancer, rheumatic arthritis and various skin diseases in some Chinese clinics. It is of interest to note that Tripterygium also showed significant antifertility activities. The active principles of the anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive and antifertile actions in Tripterygium are diterpenoid containing triepoxides, but information on its chemistry is limited to the woody part of the root and the root bark. Recently, we have studies the leaves of Tripterygium (collected at Zhejiang province, China), and isolated two novel diterpenoids by chromatography named tripdioltonide (8) and 13,14-epoxide 9,11,12-trihydroxytriptolide (9), besides triptonide (1), triptolide (2), tripdiolide (3), triptolidenol (4), 16-hydroxyl-triptolide (5), tripchlorolide (6) and triptriolide (7). Their structures were established by chemical reactions, TLC, UV, MS, IR, 1H-1H COSY, 1H-13C COSY, DEPT spectrometric investigation. The structure of tripdioltonide was further confirmed by X-ray analysis.

Diterpenes↗
PubMed1992

Influences of cholecystokinin octapeptide on phosphoinositide turnover in neonatal-rat brain cells.

Cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) has been shown to be coupled to phosphoinositide turnover in pancreatic acini as well as in a kind of neuroblastoma cell and a human embryonic cell line. Little is known, however, about its link with phosphatidylinositol breakdown in the brain. The brains (minus cerebella) from 1-2-day-old neonatal rats were enzymically dissociated into single cells. The intact cells were prelabelled by incubation with myo-[3H]inositol for 3 h, and were then stimulated with agonists in the presence of 10 mM-LiCl. Carbachol at 1 mM induced an increase in InsP3 labelling in brain cells (peak at 30 min, and then a gradual decrease), and a static accumulation of InsP with time, whereas the labelling of InsP2 remained essentially unchanged. A very similar time-response curve was obtained for 10 nM-CCK-8 in stimulating phosphoinositide turnover. The dose-response curve for incubated brain cells revealed that the formation of InsP3 increased when the concentration of CCK-8 was increased from 0.1 to 10 nM. A further increase in CCK-8 concentration to 100-1000 nM resulted in a gradual decrease in InsP3 formation. InsP and InsP2 levels stayed relatively stable. The production of InsP3 stimulated by 10 nM-CCK-8 was dose-dependently suppressed by the CCK-A antagonist Devazepide in the concentration range 1-10 nM; the effect declined when the concentration was further increased to 100-1000 nM. In contrast, the CCK-B antagonist L365,260 showed a sustained suppression of InsP3 production at concentrations above 0.1 nM, i.e. in the range 1-1000 nM. The results provide evidence that CCK-8 stimulates the turnover of phosphoinositide and increases InsP3 labelling in dissociated neonatal-rat brain cells, in which both CCK-A and CCK-B receptors seem to be involved.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Nasopharyngeal and nasal malignant lymphoma: a clinicopathological study of 54 cases.

Forty-one cases of nasopharyngeal and 13 cases of nasal malignant lymphoma have been examined histologically and immunohistochemically. All of the cases were non-Hodgkin's lymphoma; one case was of follicular type and the remaining 53 were of diffuse type. Large cell lymphoma comprised 48% of cases and most of the immunoblastic lymphomas showing pleomorphism occurred in the nose. Twenty-seven cases were of T-cell and 21 of B-cell phenotype. The predominance of T-cell lymphoma was due to an increased incidence of these in the nose, the T:B ratio of 3.33:1 contrasting with a 1:1.05 ratio in the nasopharynx. Nasopharyngeal lymphomas seem to show an intermediate incidence between the T-cell predominance in the nose and a B-cell predominance in the oropharynx. Since the large cell type of lymphoma was predominant, the differential diagnosis from undifferentiated carcinoma is important and is facilitated by the use of immunostaining methods.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[Effect of yiqi huoxue therapy on blood coagulation process in vivo].

YiQi HuoXue (YQHX) therapy is one of the most widely used treatments to deal with the coronary heart disease (CHD). This paper stressed on study the effects of YQHX therapy on blood coagulation process in vivo. The effects of several TCM preparations on CHD patients were observed by thromboelastography (TEG), prothrombin time, etc. After giving various preparations 20ml intravenously, the results of TEG showed that the values of r, k, c, 1 were decreased and ma increased by QiXue injection, the differences of k and ma were significant; while no significant change by Shen Qi injection and the k value was significantly reduced by DanShen injection. The results of prothrombin time with QiXue injection showed distinct dose-dependent effects, it shortened with 20ml and significantly lengthened with 40ml. This results suggested that there was complicated effects of different YQHX preparations as well as of different dosages.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Cardiac beta-adrenoceptor regulation and the effects of partial agonism.

The in vivo effects of xamoterol on the regulation of rat cardiac beta adrenoceptors were investigated. Rats were implanted subcutaneously with osmotic minipumps and exposed to the following treatment regimens: (1) subcutaneous infusion of saline (control), isoprenaline or xamoterol for 6 days, (2) subcutaneous infusion of isoprenaline with co-administration of xamoterol for various periods up to 96 hours, and (3) subcutaneous infusion of xamoterol for up to 96 hours after previous treatment with isoprenaline for 72 hours. Xamoterol did not induce beta-adrenoceptor down-regulation after short-term (72-hour) or long-term (6-day) infusions. When coadministered with isoprenaline xamoterol did not affect the rate or extent of down-regulation induced by isoprenaline alone. In addition, recovery of beta adrenoceptors down-regulated by isoprenaline treatment was not influenced by xamoterol treatment. In all studies, doses of xamoterol were equivalent to those producing full functional responses to the drug in vivo.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗
PubMed1991

[16-Hydroxytriptolide, a new active diterpene isolated from Tripterygium wilford II].

A new diterpene triepoxide, 16-hydroxytriptolide was isolated from the root and leaves of Tripterygium wilfordii Hook.f. 16-Hydroxytriptolide was obtained as white cluster crystal, mp 232-233.5 degrees C. Its molecular formula is C20H24O7. The structure and stereochemistry of 16-hydroxytriptolide was established as L2 on the basis of spectral data (IR, MS, UV, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, 2d-NMR, NOE) and X-ray crystallographic analysis. In the pharmacologic screening, 16-hydroxytriptolide showed definite antiinflammatory actions and strong immunosuppressive and antifertile activities. In antiinflammatory action, its half effective dose (ED50) was 0.12 mg/kg with the model of croton oil induced ear swelling of mice. In immunosuppressive action, its ED50 was 0.05 mg/kg with the model of the formation of haemolysinantibody of mice. Its lowest effective dose (po) was 0.027mg/kg x 33d in antifertile action.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Differential rates of down regulation and recovery of rat myocardial beta-adrenoceptor subtypes in vivo.

We have investigated the differential rate and extent of down regulation and recovery of rat myocardial beta adrenoceptor subtypes during and after short term (up to 72 h) subcutaneous isoprenaline infusions (40 micrograms/kg per h) in vivo using osmotic minipumps. Maximum density (Bmax) of the receptors in ventricular membranes was assessed by radioligand binding, saturation analysis using 125I-pindolol. Groups of animals were sacrificed following various agonist infusion times and then during recovery after removal of minipumps following initial infusion of isoprenaline for 72 h. During agonist infusion, beta 2 adrenoceptors down regulated significantly more rapidly and to a greater extent than the beta 1 subtype (maximum change from control 66% beta 2, 34% beta 1 P less than 0.05). In the recovery phase of the experiments following initial maximum down regulation, beta 2 adrenoceptor density also returned to control values more rapidly (by 24 h) than the beta 1 subtype (greater than 72 h). These results are qualitatively different to those reported in other tissues from this species using selective and non selective catecholamine agonists and in human myocardium in end stage heart failure following chronic sympathetic nervous stimulation. This may be due to differences in tissue cellular composition, the nature/selectivity of the agonist or the length of time of agonist exposure.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Regulation of the expression of the regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase II beta in Friend erythroleukemic cells. Evidence for posttranscriptional control and a central role for the C subunit.

Friend erythroleukemic cells provide a system for studying the regulation of the expression of regulatory (R) and catalytic (C) subunit isoforms of cAMP-dependent protein kinases. Friend cells contain RI alpha, two RII subunits previously designated RII-52 and RII-54, and C alpha. When the cells are treated with 0.2 mM methylisobutylxanthine (MIX) and either 20 microM forskolin or 0.5 mM 8-Br-cAMP, RI alpha content declines 50-75% because of a large decrease in the t1/2 value for the dissociated RI alpha subunit; RII-54 expression is invariant, but the amount and rate of synthesis of RII-52 increases 10-15-fold (Schwartz, D. A., and Rubin, C. S. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 6296-6303). We now demonstrate that RII-52 and RII-54 correspond to RII beta and RII alpha, respectively. When cAMP levels are elevated in Friend cells the abundance of the 3.3-kilobase RII beta mRNA increases 25-30-fold in parallel with the rate of RII beta subunit synthesis indicating that pretranslational control is operative. Other R and C mRNAs are not markedly induced. Surprisingly, the rate of transcriptional initiation of the RII beta gene and the stability of RII beta mRNA are not altered during RII beta induction. Rather, the induction of RII beta mRNA is associated with the accumulation of major (3.4 kilobases) and minor (4 kilobases) RII beta pre-mRNAs in the nucleus. It appears that the cAMP signal-transduction system alters a nuclear protein(s) such that either the proportion of RII beta pre-mRNAs that are processed to mature mRNAs and are exported to the cytoplasm is greatly increased or the nuclear precursors are stabilized. Thus, regulation is exerted at a posttranscriptional level. In order to establish directly a causal role for C in RII beta induction and to rule out artifacts introduced by the use of drugs such as forskolin, MIX, and cAMP analogs we stably transfected Friend cells with a vector containing C alpha cDNA under the regulation of the zinc-activated metallothionein I promoter. The addition of 0.15 mM ZnSO4 caused the accumulation of dissociated C subunits and the selective induction of RII beta.

1-Methyl-3-isobutylxanthine↗
PubMed1990

Cloning, structure, and expression of the gene for a novel regulatory subunit of cAMP-dependent protein kinase in Caenorhabditis elegans.

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) expresses the regulatory subunit (R) of cAMP-dependent protein kinase at a level similar to the levels determined for R subunits in mammalian tissues. Approximately 60% of the C. elegans cAMP-binding protein is tightly associated with particulate structures by noncovalent interactions. Ionic detergents or 7 M urea solubilize particulate R. Solubilized and cytosolic R subunits have apparent Mr values of 52,000 and pI values of 5.5. cDNA and genomic DNA encoding a unique C. elegans R subunit were cloned and sequenced. The derived amino acid sequence contains 375 residues; carboxyl-terminal residues 145-375 are 69% identical with mammalian RI. However, residues 44-145 are markedly divergent from the corresponding regions of all other R sequences. This region might provide sufficient structural diversity to adapt a single R subunit for multiple functional roles in C. elegans. Antibodies directed against two epitopes in the deduced amino acid sequence of C. elegans R avidly bound nematode cytosolic and particulate R subunits on Western blots and precipitated dissociated R subunits and R2C2 complexes from solution. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed that the tip of the head, which contains chemosensory and mechanosensory neurons, and the pharyngeal nerve ring were enriched in R. The R subunit concentration is low during early embryogenesis in C. elegans. A sharp increase (approximately 6-fold) in R content begins several hours before the nematodes hatch and peaks during the first larval stage. Developmental regulation of R expression occurs at translational and/or post-translational levels. The 8-kilobase pair C. elegans R gene is divided into 8 exons by introns ranging from 46 to 4300 base pairs. The 5'-flanking region has no TATA box and contains preferred and minor transcription start sites.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Interaction between hepatitis B surface proteins and monomeric human serum albumin.

HBsAg is known to bind to human serum albumin polymerized by glutaraldehyde, human serum albumin has been found in preparations of HBsAg by several investigators. However, it is not yet known whether natural human serum albumin binds to hepatitis B virus under physiological conditions. We studied the binding between natural or recombinant HBsAg and monomeric human serum albumin by immunological, biochemical and biophysical methods. The binding capacity of 20-nm HBs spheres was variable but ranged up to six molecules HSA/sphere. A reversible binding site for human serum albumin was exclusively localized in the preS2 domain, whereas the S domain was inactive in vitro. Human serum albumin copurified with HBsAg of human origin during gel chromatography or sucrose-gradient centrifugation. This human serum albumin was monomeric in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The preS2-bound part of the human serum albumin could be removed from HBsAg by high-salt, such as CsCl centrifugation, but another part could only be removed by treatment with a disulfide cleaving reagent. Most of this covalently bound human serum albumin was retained at the HBsAg particle after complete cleavage of medium-sized HBs protein with trypsin. This indicates a second way in which albumin binds irreversible to cysteine(s) of the small HBs protein (SHBs, P24 and GP27).

Chemical Fractionation↗
PubMed1990

Protective potential of hepatitis B virus antigens other than the S gene protein.

The current recombinant hepatitis B vaccines are safe and effective. However, the occurrence of non-responders and difficulties in immunizing immunodeficient persons suggest the need for further improvements. Recent data suggest that the pre-S2 and pre-S1 domains of hepatitis B virus induce protective antibodies. The good T-helper cell response against pre-S1 epitopes would also improve the antibody response against the small surface antigen protein. An even better T-cell priming could be achieved by including hepatitis B core (HBc) proteins or peptides. An optimal immunogen would contain all three proteins comprising hepatitis B surface antigen in their natural conformation and glycosylation as well as the major T-cell epitopes of HBc.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Expression and secretion of preS containing hepatitis B surface antigen in vaccinia virus system.

The expression and secretion of preS containing hepatitis B surface antigen in vaccinia virus system was investigated. The human TK- 143 cells were infected with the recombinant vaccinia viruses vTMS-1 or vTLS-1. Cells infected with vTMS-1, which contains the preS2 + S gene, produced preS2 containing middle HBsAg proteins. Similarly, cells produced preS1 containing large HBsAg proteins upon infection with vTLS-1, which carries the preS1 + preS2 + S gene. The expression products could be secreted and form 22 nm particles. They reacted specifically with anti-preS1 and/or anti-preS2 monoclonal antibodies, and exhibited pHSA-receptor (for polymerized human serum albumin) activity. In addition, the major S components of hepatitis B surface antigen were also present in the products expressed by vTMS-1 and vTLS-1.

Cells, Cultured↗