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Biomedical subjects

Y He

Publications and source records attributed to Y He.

At least 181 records · Page 10Linked to original sources

[Effect of nutrition on the health improvement of preschool children in rural areas].

"Surveillance and Improvement of Children's Nutrition" is the largest project in connection with the nutrition of preschool children in China up to now. It focused on nutrition improvement of preschool children in rural areas. The results of the baseline survey and the project final evaluation surveys showed that the nutritional status of children was improved from 1990 to 1995. The prevalence of moderate and severe stunting and underweight at the national level decreased by 23.1% and 28.6% respectively. Anemia decreased by 48%. It was identified that the benefits of nutrition improvement were associated with nutrition education and other integrated nutrition interventions, e.g., improvement the dietary habit of the target children.

Child Development↗

Quantifying residual HIV-1 replication in patients receiving combination antiretroviral therapy.

BACKGROUND: In patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), combination antiretroviral therapy can result in sustained suppression of plasma levels of the virus. However, replication-competent virus can still be recovered from latently infected resting memory CD4 lymphocytes; this finding raises serious doubts about whether antiviral treatment can eradicate HIV-1. METHODS: We looked for evidence of residual HIV-1 replication in eight patients who began treatment soon after infection and in whom plasma levels of HIV-1 RNA were undetectable after two to three years of antiretroviral therapy. We examined whether there had been changes over time in HIV-1 proviral sequences in peripheral-blood mononuclear cells, which would indicate residual viral replication. We also performed in situ hybridization studies on tissues from one patient to identify cells actively expressing HIV-1 RNA. We estimated the rate of decrease of latent, replication-competent HIV-1 in resting CD4 lymphocytes on the basis of the decrease in the numbers of proviral sequences identified during primary infection and direct sequential measurements of the size of the latent reservoir. RESULTS: Six of the eight patients had no significant variations in proviral sequences during treatment. However, in two patients there was sequence evolution but no evidence of drug-resistant viral genotypes. In one patient, extensive in situ studies provided additional evidence of persistent viral replication in lymphoid tissues. Using two independent approaches, we estimated that the half-life of the latent, replication-competent virus in resting CD4 lymphocytes was approximately six months. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that combination antiretroviral regimens suppress HIV-1 replication in some but not all patients. Given the half-life of latently infected CD4 lymphocytes of about six months, it may require many years of effective antiretroviral treatment to eliminate this reservoir of HIV-1.

Adult↗

NS5A, a nonstructural protein of hepatitis C virus, binds growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 adaptor protein in a Src homology 3 domain/ligand-dependent manner and perturbs mitogenic signaling.

Although hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is an emerging global epidemic causing severe liver disorders, the molecular mechanisms of HCV pathogenesis remain elusive. The NS5A nonstructural protein of HCV contains several proline-rich sequences consistent with Src homology (SH) 3-binding sites found in cellular signaling molecules. Here, we demonstrate that NS5A specifically bound to growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (Grb2) adaptor protein. Immunoblot analysis of anti-Grb2 immune complexes derived from HeLa S3 cells infected with a recombinant vaccinia virus (VV) expressing NS5A revealed an interaction between NS5A and Grb2 in vivo. An inactivating point mutation in the N-terminal SH3 domain, but not in the C-terminal SH3 domain, of Grb2 displayed significant diminished binding to NS5A. However, the same mutation in both SH3 regions completely abrogated Grb2 binding to NS5A, implying that the two SH3 domains bind in cooperative fashion to NS5A. Further, mutational analysis of NS5A assigned the SH3-binding region to a proline-rich motif that is highly conserved among HCV genotypes. Importantly, phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) was inhibited in HeLa S3 cells infected with NS5A-expressing recombinant VV but not recombinant VV control. Additionally, HeLa cells stably expressing NS5A were refractory to ERK1/2 phosphorylation induced by exogenous epidermal growth factor. Moreover, the coupling of NS5A to Grb2 in these cells was induced by epidermal growth factor stimulation. Therefore, NS5A may function to perturb Grb2-mediated signaling pathways by selectively targeting the adaptor. These findings highlight a viral interceptor of cellular signaling with potential implications for HCV pathogenesis.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

Differential synaptic distribution of the AMPA-GluR2 subunit on GABAergic and non-GABAergic neurons in the basolateral amygdala.

The cellular and ultrastructural distribution patterns of the AMPA glutamate receptor subunit, GluR2, were determined in the rat basolateral amygdala. GluR2 immunoreactivity was widely and uniformly distributed in the basolateral nucleus, with both pyramidal and non-pyramidal neurons labelled. In fact, double label immunohistochemical analyses demonstrated that over 90% of the GABAergic interneurons were labelled for GluR2. Electron microscopic analyses further confirmed the presence of GluR2 in the soma and dendrites of GABAergic interneurons as well as in the soma, spines and dendritic shafts of pyramidal cells. As in our parallel study in the rat hippocampus, immunogold analyses revealed that GluR2 immunoreactivity was frequently preferentially located at asymmetric synapses on both pyramidal cell spines and shafts, as well as the dendritic processes and soma of GABAergic interneurons. However, the number of immunogold particles per labelled synapse on GABAergic neurons was significantly lower than at similar labelled asymmetric synapses on spines of presumed pyramidal cells. Given that the presence of GluR2 within the AMPA receptor complex decreases calcium flux, these data indicate that GABAergic local circuit neurons might possess AMPA receptors with higher calcium permeability on average than pyramidal cells, as has been suggested for hippocampus. Such cell class-specific differences in the subunit representation and resultant channel properties of AMPA receptors have implications for response properties as well as selective vulnerability of neurons within the basolateral nucleus of the amygdala.

Amygdala↗

Transcription activation by CooA, the CO-sensing factor from Rhodospirillum rubrum. The interaction between CooA and the C-terminal domain of the alpha subunit of RNA polymerase.

CooA, a member of the cAMP receptor protein (CRP) family, is a CO-sensing transcription activator from Rhodospirillum rubrum that binds specific DNA sequences in response to CO. The location of the CooA-binding sites relative to the start sites of transcription suggested that the CooA-dependent promoters are analogous to class II CRP-dependent promoters. In this study, we developed an in vivo CooA reporter system in Escherichia coli and an in vitro transcription assay using RNA polymerases (RNAP) from E. coli and from Rhodobacter sphaeroides to study the transcription properties of CooA and the protein-protein interaction between CooA and RNAP. The ability of CooA to activate CO-dependent transcription in vivo in heterologous backgrounds suggested that CooA is sufficient to direct RNAP to initiate transcription and that no other factors are required. This hypothesis was confirmed in vitro with purified CooA and purified RNAP. Use of a mutant form of E. coli RNAP with alpha subunits lacking their C-terminal domain (alpha-CTD) dramatically decreased CooA-dependent transcription of the CooA-regulated R. rubrum promoter PcooF in vitro, which indicates that alpha-CTD plays an important role in this activation. DNase I footprinting analysis showed that CooA facilitates binding of wild-type RNAP, but not alpha-CTD-truncated RNAP, to PcooF. This facilitated binding provides evidence for a direct contact between CooA and alpha-CTD of RNAP during activation of transcription. Mapping the CooA-contact site in alpha-CTD suggests that CooA is similar but not identical to CRP in terms of its contact sites to the alpha-CTD at class II promoters.

Bacterial Proteins↗

Genomic organization and regulation by dietary fat of the uncoupling protein 3 and 2 genes.

Uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) dissipates the transmitochondrial proton gradient as heat. UCP2 and UCP3 are two recently discovered homologues that also have uncoupling activity and thus presumably have a role in energy homeostasis. We now report the genomic structure of murine UCP3 (7 exons) and UCP2 (8 exons). UCP3 is approximately 8 kilobases upstream of UCP2. An UCP3 variant mRNA, UCP3S, was also found and characterized. The effect of a high fat diet (45% versus 10%) on UCP3 and UCP2 mRNA levels was measured. Eating the 45% fat diet for eight weeks caused greater weight gain in AKR and C57BL/6J mice than in the obesity-resistant A/J mice. The high fat diet increased muscle UCP3 expression twofold in C57BL/6J animals. UCP2 expression increased slightly on the 45% fat diet in white adipose of AKR mice, but not in A/J or C57BL/6J mice. In skeletal muscle, UCP2 expression showed little variation with diet. Thus, UCP2 and UCP3 expression levels change in response to diet-induced obesity, but the changes are modest and depend on the tissue and genotype. The data suggest that it is not a reduction in UCP2 or UCP3 expression that causes obesity in the susceptible mice.

Adipose Tissue↗

[Studies on the factors affecting the individual's animal protein intake by a multi-level model].

In this article, the influence of factors related to different levels (seg, provincial, county and household) on the proportion of protein intake from animal food was evaluated by using multi-level modeling. It was found that after being adjusted by individual factors, the factors related to the household, such as household income, dietary habit and knowledge of nutrition were the most important factors affecting the individual's showed animal protein intake. In addition, the results showed that the difference of animal protein intake in various places depended not only on the increase of household income, but also dietary behavior and agriculture crops in different areas. Comparison of different models indicates that in analyzing the data from large-scale health survey with hierchical structure, multi-level modeling is strongly recommended.

Adolescent↗

Calphostin C induces AP1 synthesis and AP1-dependent c-jun transactivation in normal human chondrocytes independent of protein kinase C-alpha inhibition: possible role for c-jun N-terminal kinase.

Activator protein-1 (AP1) regulates the promoter activity of a large number of genes associated with developmental, proliferative, inflammatory, and homeostatic processes in human connective tissue cells. Some of these genes (e.g., cyclooxygenase-2) are regulated by the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, calphostin C (CalC). We examined whether CalC could indeed induce AP1 and AP1 gene transactivation (c-jun) in human chondrocytes. Exploratory studies confirmed the anti-PKC effects of CalC, as equal molar concentrations of CalC blocked the PMA-induced translocation of PKC-alpha from the cytosolic to the membrane fraction. CalC induction of AP1, as judged by gel-shift analysis, using a consensus AP1 oligonucleotide, was biphasic with an initial increase (maximum 4 h), followed by a decline, reaching its nadir after 16 h, and finally a major upregulation phase at 24 h. Maximum induction of AP-1 was reached at a concentration of 250 nmol/L of CalC. CalC did not block PMA-induced AP1 synthesis. Gel-shift analysis in the presence of specific antibodies to c-Jun, JunB, JunD, c-Fos, and CREB/ATF showed that the AP1 complexes were probably c-Jun/c-Jun, c-Fos/c-Jun, c-Fos/JunB, or c-Jun/JunB dimers. Northern blot analysis confirmed that c-jun, junB, and c-Fos were the principal proto-oncogenes induced by CalC. To confirm that c-jun induction occurs at the transcriptional level and to examine the role of the AP1 site present in the c-jun promoter in the induction of c-jun by CalC, we performed transient transfections of c-jun promoter-CAT constructs harboring either wild-type (WT) AP1 regulatory element sites or mutant AP1 sites. CalC (250 nmol/L) induced a marked increase in CAT activity (i.e., promoter activation) with WT AP1 c-jun promoter-CAT plasmids, but the response was completely abrogated when using constructs where the AP1 site was mutated. PMA produced similar results, but the induction of the WT AP1 c-jun promoter-CAT plasmid was smaller. CalC (250 nmol/L) inhibited MAPK (p42/44) activity while stimulating c-Jun N-terminal kinase activity in a time-frame coincident with the activation of AP1. We conclude that CalC induces signaling pathways that activate AP1 and transactivate genes harboring AP1 enhancer sites independent of PKC-alpha.

Base Sequence↗

Selective agenesis of mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons in Nurr1-deficient mice.

Nurr1, a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily of transcription factors, has been found to be essential for the development of ventral midbrain dopamine (DA)ergic neurons. To study the regional selectivity and phenotypic specificity of regulation by Nurr1 of the genesis of DAergic neurons, we examined DAergic, serotonin (5-HT)ergic, norepinephrine (NE)ergic, cholinergic, glutamate (GLU)ergic, and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neurons in the brains of Nurr1-deficient mice by immunohistochemistry and biochemistry. We demonstrated that in homozygous Nurr1-deficient mice (Nurr1-/-), DAergic neurons were totally absent in substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area, but preserved in other regions including diencephalon and hypothalamus, olfactory bulb (OB). Levels of DA in Nurr1-/- mice were decreased by 98% in striatum (Str) and 65% in OB. NEergic neurons in locus ceruleus, 5-HTergic neurons in raphe nuclei, and cholinergic neurons in basal forebrain and other regions were not changed. A 30% reduction of NE was found in the Str of Nurr1-/- mice. The levels of GLU and GABA and the activity of choline acetyl transferase in the brains of Nurr1-/- mice were not significantly altered. Our results demonstrate a selective and specific deficit of DA and absence of DAergic neurons in the mesencephalic structures of Nurr1-deficient mice, which resembles the pattern similar to that seen in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). This model may contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms influencing DAergic cell survival in PD.

Animals↗

Factors affecting broadband ultrasound attenuation results of the calcaneus using a gel-coupled quantitative ultrasound scanning system.

This study aimed to assess the factors that may influence the distribution and description of broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA) and to identify specific criteria for diagnostic consideration when collecting BUA reference data. Two hundred Caucasian women (aged 20-79 years) without a history of atraumatic fractures or medicines known to affect bone metabolism were selected for this study. Medical and menstrual history, medication usage, family history of osteoporosis (FHO), physical activity, activities of daily living (ADL), dietary calcium intake, as well as smoking and alcohol consumption were obtained. Broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA, dB/MHz) was determined in the right foot using a new gel-coupled ultrasound system. BUA was significantly associated with age (p<0.001), body weight (p<0.001), level of physical activity (p = 0.024) and dietary calcium intake (p = 0.023). Smoking, alcohol and coffee consumption and ADL were not associated with BUA (p>0.05). There were no differences in BUA (p>0.05) between those women who reported taking medications or had diseases (known to not affect bone metabolism), were using contraceptives, taking vitamin/mineral supplements and/or had traumatic fractures and their counterparts who did not report these characteristics. Premenopausal women with a FHO had significantly lower BUA values compared with those without a FHO (p = 0.013). When those participants with a FHO were removed from the sample, the peak BUA value was 1.1-4.4% higher and the variability (SD) was reduced by about 3.3-9.3% depending on which age range was used to define the peak BUA value. Consequently, an additional 4.5% of the population were classified as having a T-score <-2. Our results suggest that the impact on BUA of risk factors such as a FHO, body weight, physical activity and dietary calcium intake is similar to that on bone mineral density obtained by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and thus provides further information on the comparability of quantitative ultrasound and DXA for assessment of risk of fracture. The criteria for calculating the T-score need further study to determine whether young adults with FHO should be included and what cutoff age range should be used in collecting peak values of quantitative ultrasound parameters.

Adult↗

Keratinocyte growth factor promotes the survival, growth, and differentiation of preantral ovarian follicles.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of treatment with keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) on the survival of cells in cultured preantral follicles and on the growth and differentiation of preantral follicles. DESIGN: Preantral follicles (140-150 microm) were dissected mechanically from the ovaries of 14-day-old rats and cultured for 24 hours with and without KGF. Genomic DNA was extracted, labeled with [32P]-dideoxyadenosine triphosphate, and fractionated through agarose gels. For growth studies, the follicles were cultured individually in 96-well dishes. After 72 hours, the follicles were collected and their protein or DNA content was evaluated and their inhibin-alpha content was determined. RESULT(S): Keratinocyte growth factor suppressed apoptosis in cultured preantral follicles by 60%. Treatment with KGF or FSH increased follicle diameter by 8% and 16%, respectively, and combined treatment with KGF and FSH increased follicle diameter by 26%. Western blot analysis demonstrated increased expression of inhibin-alpha content after treatment with KGF (2-fold), treatment with FSH (4-fold), and combined treatment with FSH and KGF (12-fold), demonstrating the effect of KGF on preantral follicle differentiation. CONCLUSION(S): Treatment with KGF promotes the survival, growth, and differentiation of cultured preantral follicles. Keratinocyte growth factor produced by theca cells may play a role in the progression of early follicle development.

Animals↗

Time-course and localization of transferrin receptor expression in the substantia nigra of 6-hydroxydopamine-induced parkinsonian rats.

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by dopaminergic cell death in the substantia nigra. The cause of the cell death is, however, obscure. Recently, accumulation of iron in the parkinsonian substantia nigra and iron-catalysed free radical generation have been proposed as possible causes of nigral cell death. The transferrin receptor has been implicated as a possible mediator of this iron accumulation in the parkinsonian substantia nigra. The present study investigated the distribution of transferrin receptor-immunoreactive proteins and its co-localization with tyrosine hydroxylase in the normal rat substantia nigra and their expressions in the parkinsonian substantia nigra from three days to three months after 6-hydroxydopamine lesioning. Computer image analysis of the grey mean of transferrin receptor staining in the microvessels was also employed. The results showed that the transferrin receptor immunolabelling was localized in some neurons and glial cells in the normal substantia nigra pars compacta and pars reticulata, and that about 54% of tyrosine hydroxylase-positive cells were also stained with transferrin receptor. There was a decrease of tyrosine hydroxylase- and transferrin receptor-positive cells in the 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned substantia nigra. The grey mean of transferrin receptor staining in microvessels in the lesioned substantia nigra was, however, not different from that in the control. It was concluded that transferrin receptors in neurons, glial cells and microvessels might not be responsible for iron accumulation in the parkinsonian substantia nigra. The loss of transferrin receptor-immunopositive cells might, however, partly be accounted for by the death of transferrin receptor-positive dopaminergic cells induced by 6-hydroxydopamine lesioning.

Animals↗

Syntaxin 1A interacts with multiple exocytic proteins to regulate neurotransmitter release in vivo.

Biochemical studies suggest that syntaxin 1A participates in multiple protein-protein interactions in the synaptic terminal, but the in vivo significance of these interactions is poorly understood. We used a targeted mutagenesis approach to eliminate specific syntaxin binding interactions and demonstrate that Drosophila syntaxin 1A plays multiple regulatory roles in neurotransmission in vivo. Syntaxin mutations that eliminate ROP/Munc-18 binding display increased neurotransmitter release, suggesting that ROP inhibits neurosecretion through its interaction with syntaxin. Syntaxin mutations that block Ca2+ channel binding also cause an increase in neurotransmitter release, suggesting that syntaxin normally functions in inhibiting Ca2+ channel opening. Additionally, we identify and characterize a syntaxin Ca2+ effector domain, which may spatially organize the Ca2+ channel, cysteine string protein, and synaptotagmin for effective excitation-secretion coupling in the presynaptic terminal.

Animals↗

Total synthesis of epothilone E and related side-chain modified analogues via a Stille coupling based strategy.

A Stille coupling strategy has been utilized to complete a total synthesis of epothilone E from vinyl iodide 7 and thiazole-stannane 8h. The central core fragment 7 and its trans-isomer 11 were prepared from triene 15 using ring-closing metathesis (RCM), and were subsequently coupled to a variety of alternative stannanes to provide a library of epothilone analogues 18a-o and 19a-o. The Stille coupling approach was then used to prepare epothilone B analogues from the key macrolactone intermediate 24 which was itself synthesized by a macrolactonization based strategy.

Chromatography, Thin Layer↗

A novel T7 RNA polymerase autogene for efficient cytoplasmic expression of target genes.

Inefficient nuclear transport of plasmid DNA continues to be a problem in nonviral vector-mediated gene transfer. This has made the cytoplasmic expression system an increasingly attractive idea. We have developed a new T7 RNA polymerase autogene for cytoplasmic expression containing both a CMV and a T7 promoter. The pCMV/T7-T7pol autogene does not encounter the problems associated with previously used autogenes. For instance, pCMV/T7-T7pol is easily amplified and purified from bacteria. Furthermore, the CMV promoter is used to drive the first round of synthesis of T7 RNA polymerase, thus negating the use of purified enzyme in the transfection complex. The endogenous T7 RNA polymerase produced from the CMV promoter could then act on the T7 promoter of pCMV/T7-T7pol in an autoregulatory mechanism. pCMV/T7-T7pol induces higher, more sustained levels (> 7 days) of reporter gene expression than that observed with the previously used autogene pT7 AUTO 2C- or with the nuclear expression system pCMV-CAT. This seems to be due to the high levels of T7 RNA polymerase protein that are detected in cells transfected with pCMV/T7-T7pol. This vector also functions as an efficient autogene since at least 50 times more mRNA is transcribed from the cytoplasmic T7 promoter as compared with the nuclear CMV promoter in pCMV/T7-T7pol. Therefore, pCMV/T7-T7pol could replace existing autogenes for regeneration of T7 RNA polymerase and efficient target gene expression.

Bacteriophage T7↗

Thyroid hormone and other regulators of uncoupling proteins.

The role of the thyroid gland in the regulation of metabolic rate has been known since the last century. The knowledge that thyroid hormones increase energy expenditure, in part by lowering metabolic efficiency, dates from the 1950s. Presumably thyroid hormones regulate energy expenditure and efficiency by controlling the rate of transcription of specific genes. However, the number, identity, and relative contributions of these genes are not known. The uncoupling proteins (UCPs) are obvious candidates to mediate thyroid thermogenesis. UCP1 is not a major contributor, since thyrotoxicosis decreases UCP1 expression and inactivates brown fat. Discovery of UCP3 and its regulation by T3 in muscle is an exciting observation, consistent with a role for UCP3 in thyroid thermogenesis. Since free fatty acids appear to regulate UCP3 expression and T3 stimulates lipolysis, further experiments are required to determine if T3 regulation of UCP3 expression is direct or not.

Animals↗

Time course of dopaminergic cell death and changes in iron, ferritin and transferrin levels in the rat substantia nigra after 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesioning.

Parkinson's disease is characterized by dopaminergic cell death in the substantia nigra. The underlying mechanism is, however, unknown. Though there are increasing lines of evidence showing iron accumulation in the Parkinsonian substantia nigra, it still remains obscure whether increased iron is the primary cause of dopaminergic cell death, or just a consequence of the pathological process. It is also unclear how iron gains access to the Parkinsonian SN. To gain more understanding in these areas, the present study investigated the time course of dopaminergic cell death and of changes in the level of iron, ferritin and transferrin. The results showed that iron was increased after the significant nigral dopaminergic cell death induced by 6-hydroxydopamine injection into the rat substantia nigra. On the other hand, the expression of transferrin was decreased. However, there was a temporal increase in the number of ferritin positive microglia. The results indicated that iron increase was not the primary cause of dopaminergic cell death in the Parkinsonian rat. It was most likely the result of an accumulation of iron-laden microglia.

Animals↗

Detection of the most common G6PD gene mutations in Chinese using amplification refractory mutation system.

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) is the most common human enzymopathy. To date more than 122 mutations in the G6PD gene have been discovered, among which 12 point mutations are found in the Chinese. The 2 most common mutations, G1388A and G1376T, account for more than 50% of mutations representing various regions and ethnic groups in China. Setting up a simple and accurate method for detecting these mutations is not only useful for studying the frequency of the G6PD genotypes, but also for finding new mutations. The purpose of this study was to find a simple, inexpensive and accurate method for detecting these common mutations. The amplification refractory mutation system (ARMS) method was used in this study. Samples from 28 G6PD-deficient males were investigated. The natural and mismatched amplification and restriction enzyme digestion method was used as a standard method to evaluate the nature of the point mutations. Sixteen cases were found carrying the G1388A mutation and 12 the G1376T mutation. Fourteen cases of G1388A and 10 cases of G1376T were confirmed by ARMS. Four cases were not in concordance with the results obtained by the mismatched amplification-restriction enzyme digestion. These 4 cases were then judged by direct PCR sequencing at exon 12. The DNA sequencing data supported the results obtained by ARMS. Thus we concluded that the ARMS is a rapid, simple, inexpensive and accurate method for detecting the most common G6PD gene mutations among the Chinese.

Asian People↗