Biomedical subjects

Yan Li

Publications and source records attributed to Yan Li.

At least 667 records · Page 37Linked to original sources

PubMed2003

[Construction of GPI-CTLA4Ig chimeric molecule and its expression on CHO-dhfr(-) cells].

AIM: To develop a novel immunosuppressant GPI-CTLAIg modified by glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol(GPI). METHODS: GPI-modified CTLAIg was produced by linking-up of CTLA4Ig with GPI-modification signal sequences from decay-accelerating factor (DAF). Chimeric molecule GPI-CTLA4Ig gene was cloned into eukaryotic expression vector pCI-dhfr. Using lipofectine-mediated gene transfer technique, pCI-GPI-CTLA4Ig was transfected into CHO-dhfr(-) cells, and the transfectants were screened by methotrexate (MTX). Expression of the recombinant protein was assessed by RT-PCR, ELISA, cell immunofluorescence staining and Western blot, and the purification of expressed protein was performed by protein A affinity chromatography. RESULTS: The chimeric molecule GPI-CTLA4Ig has been constructed and stablely expressed on CHO-dhfr(-) cells. CONCLUSION: GPI-modified CTLAIg will may be used as novel immunosuppressant for suppressing reaction in graft rejection.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

[Development of an anti-rTNF-alpha chimeric antibody].

AIM: To develop an human-mouse chimeric antibody against rTNF-alpha. METHODS: Expression vector of human-mouse chimeric antibody CZ12 gene was constructed by using VL and VH genes of mAb Z12 with neutralizing activity, and then COS7 cells were transfected. Supernatant containing CZ12 was detected by RT-PCR, ELISA, Western blot and in-vitro neutralization assay, respectively. RESULTS: The RT-PCR analysis showed that there was the transcription of human-mouse chimeric antibody mRNA in the transfected COS7 cells. ELISA and Western blot detection showed that the CZ12 could recognize specifically TNF-alpha. The in-vitro neutralization assay proved that CZ12 could neutralize the cytoxicity of TNF-alpha to L929 cells. CONCLUSION: human-mouse chimeric antibody CZ12 with neutralizing activity was successfully expressed in eukaryotic cells.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Miniaturized membrane-based reversed-phase chromatography and enzyme reactor for protein digestion, peptide separation, and protein identification using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

A commonly used capillary fitting is employed for housing miniaturized membrane chromatography for performing reversed-phase peptide separations. By placing a hydrophobic and porous polyvinylidene fluoride membrane around the end of a polymer sleeve, the assembly of capillary fitting not only provides the stationary phase, but also establishes the necessary flow paths using capillary connections. The miniaturized membrane chromatography system is coupled with a micro-enzyme reactor containing immobilized trypsins for performing rapid protein digestion, peptide separation, and protein identification using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Separation performance of cytochrome c digest in miniaturized membrane chromatography is compared with the results obtained from micro-LC and capillary LC. The efficacy and the potentials of miniaturized membrane chromatography in tryptic mapping are reported. The use of miniaturized membrane chromatography allows significant reduction in sample consumption together with enhanced detection sensitivity. By minimizing the void volume in miniaturized membrane chromatography, the elution times of cytochrome c peptides are significantly shortened in this study in comparison with our previous results, and are comparable with those in micro-LC and capillary LC using considerably higher mobile phase flow-rates.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Determination of trace mercury in environmental and foods samples by online coupling of flow injection displacement sorption preconcentration to electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry.

The toxic effects of mercury are well-known. To establish sources of mercury contamination and to evaluate levels of mercury pollution, sensitive, selective, and accurate analytical methods with excellent reproducibility are required. We have developed a novel methodology for the determination of trace mercury in environmental and foods samples by online coupling of flow injection (FI) displacement sorption preconcentration in a knotted reactor (KR) to electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAAS). The developed methodology involved the online formation of copper pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (Cu-PDC), presorption of the resulting Cu-PDC onto the inner walls of the KR, and selective retention of the analyte Hg(ll) onto the inner walls of the KR through online displacement reaction between Hg(ll) and the presorbed Cu-PDC. The retained analyte was subsequently eluted by 50 microL of ethanol and online detected by ETAAS. Interferences from coexisting heavy metal ions with lower stability of their APDC complexes relative to Cu- PDC were minimized without the need of any masking reagents. The tolerable concentrations of Cu(II), Cd(II), Fe(III), Ni(III), and Zn(II) were up to 12, 20, 16, 20, and 60 mg L(-1), respectively. No additional chemical modifiers for the stabilization of mercury were required in the present system owing to the stability of Hg-PDC at the drying stage, and no pyrolysis stage was necessary due to the effective removal of the matrices. With consumption of 2.5 mL of sample solution, an enhancement factor of 91 was obtained in comparison with direct injection of 50 microL of aqueous solution. The relative detection limit (3s) was 6.2 ng L(-1), corresponding to an absolute detection limit of 15.5 pg. The precision (RSD, n = 13) was 1.1% at the 2 microg L(-1) level. The method was successfully applied to the determination of mercury in several certified environmental and foods reference materials and locally collected water samples.

Automation↗

PubMed2002

Reappearance and global spread of variants of influenza B/Victoria/2/87 lineage viruses in the 2000-2001 and 2001-2002 seasons.

Two antigenically and genetically distinct lineages of influenza B viruses, represented by the reference strains B/Victoria/2/1987 and B/Yamagata/16/1988, have cocirculated in humans since at least 1983. Between 1992 and 2000, Victoria lineage viruses were detected only in eastern Asia. From March to September of 2001 and during the 2001-2002 influenza season, Victoria lineage viruses were detected for the first time in a decade in several countries including Canada, USA, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, India, and Oman. Phylogenetic analysis of the hemagglutinin (HA) gene of these viruses revealed that the viruses fell into two distinct clades: one group, represented by the reference strain B/Hong Kong/330/2001, contained viruses sharing three signature amino acids, Arg116, Asn121, and Glu164, while the other group of viruses, represented by B/Oman/16296/2001, shared Thr121 compared to the previous reference strain, B/Shandong/7/97. A number of the viruses in the latter group have been found to be reassortants having a Victoria lineage HA and a Yamagata lineage NA. In the current 2001-2002 season, Victoria-like viruses have now been associated with outbreaks in Asia, Europe, and North America. The reemergence of these Victoria lineage viruses worldwide, the fact that the majority of the B/Victoria-like isolates have poor cross-reactivity to B/Sichuan/379/99-like viruses in current vaccines, and the lack of exposure of young children in many areas of the world to these viruses has resulted in a World Health Organization Northern Hemisphere recommendation for the inclusion of a B/Victoria-like strain in vaccines for the 2002-2003 influenza season.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Remarkably stable iron porphyrins bearing nonheteroatom-stabilized carbene or (alkoxycarbonyl)carbenes: isolation, X-ray crystal structures, and carbon atom transfer reactions with hydrocarbons.

Reactions of [Fe(TPFPP)] (TPFPP = meso-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrinato dianion) with diazo compounds N(2)C(Ph)R (R = Ph, CO(2)Et, CO(2)CH(2)CH=CH(2)) afforded [Fe(TPFPP)(C(Ph)R)] (R = Ph (1), CO(2)Et (2), CO(2)CH(2)CH=CH(2) (3)) in 65-70% yields. Treatment of 1 with N-methylimidazole (MeIm) gave the adduct [Fe(TPFPP)(CPh(2))(MeIm)] (4) in 65% yield. These new iron porphyrin carbene complexes were characterized by NMR and UV-vis spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and elemental analyses. X-ray crystal structure determinations of 1.0.5C(6)H(6).0.5CH(2)Cl(2) and 4 reveal Fe=CPh(2) bond lengths of 1.767(3) (1) and 1.827(5) A (4), together with large ruffling distortions of the TPFPP macrocycle. Complexes 2 and 4 are reactive toward styrene, affording the corresponding cyclopropanes in 82 and 53% yields, respectively. Complex 1 is an active catalyst for both intermolecular cyclopropanation of styrenes with ethyl diazoacetate and intramolecular cyclopropanation of allylic diazoacetates. Reactions of 2 and 4 with cyclohexene or cumene produced allylic or benzylic C-H insertion products in up to 83% yield.

Carbon↗

PubMed2002

Double blockade of cell cycle at g(1)-s transition and m phase by 3-iodoacetamido benzoyl ethyl ester, a new type of tubulin ligand.

3-Iodoacetamido benzoyl ethyl ester (3-IAABE) is a new compound synthesized in our laboratory. The primary action of 3-IAABE is to inhibit microtubule assembly by interacting with -SH groups on tubulin. In contrast to other known microtubule disrupters, 3-IAABE caused a double blockade in the cell cycle at G(1)-S transition and in M phase. The blockade was determined by cell cycle analysis and chromosome distribution. Kinase activities of cyclin E and cyclin-dependent kinase 2 responsible for the G(1)-S transition were increased, as were the activities of mitotic cyclin B and cdc2. 3-IAABE treatment also increased p53 expression and dephosphorylated (or activated) retinoblastoma protein. Investigation of the signal transduction pathway showed that 3-IAABE induced bcl-2 phosphorylation, followed by activation of caspase-9, -3, and -6, but not caspase-8. DNA fragmentation factor and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, the downstream substrates of caspase-3 and -6, were cleaved after 3 h of exposure to 3-IAABE, followed by DNA fragmentation. Pretreatment of the cells with inhibitors of caspase-9, -3, or -6, respectively, inhibited the cleavage of DNA fragmentation factor and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and thus inhibited the onset of apoptosis. 3-IAABE showed antitumor activities in the panel of 60 National Cancer Institute human tumor cell lines with total growth inhibition in the range of 0.22-4.3 micro M for solid tumor lines and 0.025-0.22 micro M for leukemia/lymphoma cell lines. The 3-IAABU total growth inhibition of phytohemagglutinin-stimulated healthy human lymphocytes was 450-fold greater than that of leukemic cells. 3-IAABE significantly inhibited the growth of human hepatocarcinoma (BEL-7402) in nude mice by 72% in tumor volume, more strongly than did vincristine (43 percent inhibition). Besides being a novel lead for the design of new anticancer tubulin ligands, the activity of 3-IAABE in the cell cycle may also help us to understand the molecular pharmacology of microtubule-active drugs.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Antioxidant effects of resveratrol and its analogues against the free-radical-induced peroxidation of linoleic acid in micelles.

The antioxidant effect of resveratrol (3,4',5-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene) and its analogues, that is, 4-hydroxy-trans-stilbene (4-HS), 3,5-dihydroxy-trans-stilbene (3,5-DHS), 4,4'-dihydroxy-trans-stilbene (4,4'-DHS), 3,4-dihydroxy-trans-stilbene (3,4-DHS), 3,4,5-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene (3,4,5-THS) and 3,4,4'-trihydroxy-trans-stilbene (3,4,4'-THS), against the peroxidation of linoleic acid has been studied in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) micelles. The peroxidation was initiated thermally by a water-soluble azo initiator 2,2'-azobis(2-methylpropionamidine) dihydrochloride (AAPH), and the reaction kinetics were studied by monitoring the formation of linoleic acid hydroperoxides. The synergistic antioxidant effect of these compounds with alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E) was also studied by following the decay kinetics of alpha-tocopherol and the reaction intermediate, the alpha-tocopheroxyl radical. Kinetic analysis of the antioxidant process demonstrates that these compounds are effective antioxidants in micelles used either alone or in combination with alpha-tocopherol. The antioxidative action involves trapping the propagating lipid peroxyl radical and reducing the alpha-tocopheroxyl radical to regenerate alpha-tocopherol. It was found that the antioxidant activity of resveratrol analogues depends significantly on the position of the hydroxyl groups, the oxidation potential of the molecule and the reaction medium. Molecules with ortho-dihydroxyl and/or para-hydroxyl functionalities possess high activity.

Antioxidants↗

PubMed2002

p53 regulates apoptotic retinal ganglion cell death induced by N-methyl-D-aspartate.

PURPOSE: The tumor suppressor protein p53 plays a central role in regulating apoptosis in a variety of neuronal cell types. Previous studies have indicated that retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death induced by ischemia follows a p53-dependent pathway. Ischemia causes wide-spread damage to the retina, eliciting multiple different damaging pathways. We conducted experiments to specifically investigate the role of p53 in RGC death activated by overstimulation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, an ionotropic glutamate dependent calcium channel normally involved in glutamate neurotransduction. METHODS: RGC death was induced in both wild-type (CB6F1 or 129/Sv) and p53-deficient (129/Sv background) mice by a single intravitreal injection of either 40 or 160 nmol of NMDA into one eye leaving the other eye as an untreated control. Cell loss was quantified by comparing the number of surviving cells in the retinas from experimental eyes relative to the control eyes of the same animals. The accumulation of p53 mRNA in retinas was monitored by reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR) of retinal total RNA isolated from mice injected with 40 nmol of NMDA. The functional requirement for p53 was monitored in p53-deficient mice after intravitreal injection of 160 nmol of NMDA. Immunohistochemistry for cleaved poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) was performed on p53-deficient mice after intravitreal injection of 160 nmol of NMDA. RESULTS: In wild-type CB6F1 mice, p53 mRNA levels are elevated within 3 h after NMDA injection. This accumulation correlates with the onset of changes in RGC nuclear morphology that precedes pyknosis, which occurs by 6 h. Mice (129/Sv) deficient for one or both alleles of p53 show no developmental change in RGC number, compared to wild-type animals (Mann-Whitney test, p=0.824), suggesting that p53 is not required for developmental programmed cell death of RGCs. In adult mice, however, p53-dependent changes in the rate of RGC death after exposure to 160 nmol of NMDA were observed. Four days after injection, p53+/+ and p53-/- mice exhibit statistically equivalent amounts of cell loss (p>0.1), while p53+/- mice have significantly attenuated cell loss (p<0.002), relative to the other groups. RGCs from NMDA-treated p53+/+ and p53-/- mice were analyzed further using immunohistochemistry to identify the cleavage products of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), a known substrate for caspases. Cleaved PARP was found in p53+/+ and p53+/- eyes, but not in p53-/- mice. CONCLUSIONS: Developmental RGC programmed cell death does not require p53. Selective overstimulation of the glutamate-dependent NMDA-receptor in adult mice activates a p53-dependent pathway of death in RGCs. The requirement for p53 is not absolute, however, because mice lacking this gene are able to execute an alternative pathway of cell death. Examination of the cleavage of PARP, which is a substrate for caspases, suggests that the p53-dependent pathway utilizes these proteases, but the p53-independent pathway does not.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Protein kinase ERK contributes to differential responsiveness of human myeloma cell lines to IFNalpha.

BACKGROUND: Despite IFNalpha has been used extensively in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), there are also several reports suggesting that IFNalpha may aggravate isease in some MM patients. That means the effect of IFNalpha on the growth of myeloma cells in vivo may be different. In this study, we selected two human myeloma cell lines that vary remarkably in response to IFNalpha and focused on elucidating the mechanism of differential IFNalpha responsiveness. RESULTS: Sko-007 is a myeloma cell line whose growth is arrested by IFNalpha; however, IFNalpha promoted the proliferation of the other myeloma cell line U266. We observed that the growth-stimulation effect of IFNalpha on U266 cells did not result from up-regulation of the IL-6 receptors on cell surface; while IFNalpha treatment on Sko-007 cells significantly reduced gp130 expression. Moreover, the transcription factors STAT3 and STAT1, which are involved in the JAK/STAT signal transduction pathway, can be activated in both IFNalpha-stimulated and -inhibited myeloma cell lines; while the activation of the protein kinase ERK, which is involved in the Ras/MAPK signal transduction pathway, can be down-regulated in IFNalpha-arrested Sko-007 cells and up-regulated in IFNalpha-stimulated U266 cells. In addition, both IFNalpha-induced growth-stimulation effect and the up-regulated activation of ERK in U266 cells were efficiently inhibited by PD98059, the specific inhibitor of MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK). CONCLUSION: Myeloma cells responsiveness to IFNalpha is heterogeneous and the activation state of ERK in the Ras/MAPK signalling pathway mainly contributed to this difference.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2002

Positional cloning of the murine flavivirus resistance gene.

Inbred mouse strains exhibit significant differences in their susceptibility to viruses in the genus Flavivirus, which includes human pathogens such as yellow fever, Dengue, and West Nile virus. A single gene, designated Flv, confers this differential susceptibility and was mapped previously to a region of mouse chromosome 5. A positional cloning strategy was used to identify 22 genes from the Flv gene interval including 10 members of the 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase gene family. One 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase gene, Oas1b, was identified as Flv by correlation between genotype and phenotype in nine mouse strains. Susceptible mouse strains produce a protein lacking 30% of the C-terminal sequence as compared with the resistant counterpart because of the presence of a premature stop codon. The Oas1b gene differs from all the other murine Oas genes by a unique four-amino acid deletion in the P-loop located within the conserved RNA binding domain. Expression of the resistant allele of Oas1b in susceptible embryo fibroblasts resulted in partial inhibition of the replication of a flavivirus but not of an alpha togavirus.

2',5'-Oligoadenylate Synthetase↗

PubMed2002

Determination of flavonoids in Semen Cuscutae by RP-HPLC.

Flavonoids contents in 40 samples of Semen Cuscutae collected from areas all around China were investigated. Five principal flavonoids, quercetin 3-O-beta-D-galactoside-7-O-beta-D-glucoside, quercetin 3-O-beta-D-apiofuranosyl-(1-->2)-beta-D-galactoside, hyperoside, quercetin and kaempferol were analyzed simultaneously by using a reversed phase liquid chromatograph system with 0.025 M phosphoric acid-methanol as mobile phase. The recovery of the method was 97.0-102.9%, and all the flavonoids showed good linearity (r > or = 0.9990) in a relatively wide concentration range. The results indicated that contents of flavonoids in S. Cuscutae varied significantly from species to species, locality to locality, and parasiting host to host. Cuscuta australis contained a much higher content of kaempferol than C. chinensis, and few flavonoids were detected in C. japonica. The quality of S. Cuscutae can be evaluated according to the contents of flavonoids.

China↗

PubMed2002

[Establishment of human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line with spontaneous pulmonary metastasis through in vivo selection].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell line from lung metastatic lesions of human HCC in nude mice so as to provide suitable model for the study of lung-metastasis-related molecular mechanisms. METHODS: HCC clone cells MHCC97-H were inoculated subcutaneously into nude mice. The pulmonary metastatic lesions were harvested from the moribund animals and then re-implanted into the nude mice for the second round of selection. The same procedure was repeated twice. New cell line from the third round of lung metastasis was thus established and the following parameters were studied: morphology, in vitro growth curve, plate efficiency, migration, karyotype, flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry for AFP, albumin and cytokeratin 8 (CK8), flourescent PCR for HBV DNA, tumorigenicity and spontaneous metastasis via subcutaneous injection and orthotopic implantation of tumor tissue. RESULTS: The cell line established from nude mouse lung metastasis was designated as HCCLM3, consisting of polygonal epithelial cells with hypotriploid karyotype, its main range of chromosome being 55 - 58. The cell population doubling time was 34.9 hours, plate efficiency 32.4 +/- 3.2%, and cell migration rate 20 +/- 2 microm/h. The cells were positive for AFP, albumin, CK8, and P16 and negative for P53, nm23 and HBsAg. Fluorescent PCR showed HBV DNA integration into cellular genome. When 5 x 10(6) cells were injected subcutaneously into nude mice, the tumorigenicity was 100% with a latency period of 11 +/- 1 d. Five weeks after subcutaneous injection, the pulmonary metastatic rate was 100%, the median number of lung metastases being 121 per mouse. After orthotopic implantation of tumor tissue into nude mouse liver for 35 d, wide spread regional and distant metastases occurred, the metastatic rate was 100% for abdominal wall, 80% for organs in abdominal cavity, 100% for liver, 70% for diaphragm, and 100% for lung. The median number of lung metastatic lesions was 268 per mouse. CONCLUSION: A new HCC cell line has been established, which is characterized by high pulmonary metastasis via both subcutaneous and orthotopic inoculation. It provides a new model for the study of liver cancer metastasis.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Characterization of human metapneumoviruses isolated from patients in North America.

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) was recently identified in The Netherlands and was linked to acute respiratory tract illness. In this study, 11 isolates from 10 patients with respiratory disease from Quebec, Canada, were tested by a reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction based on the fusion protein gene. Identified sequences were consistent with HMPV. The patients were 2 months to 87 years of age (median age, 58 years) and presented with acute respiratory tract illness during the winter season. Sequence studies of the nucleocapsid, fusion, and polymerase genes identified 2 main lineages of HMPV and cocirculation of both lineages during the same year. These findings support a previous finding that HMPV is a human respiratory pathogen that merits further study.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

A flow injection on-line multiplexed sorption preconcentration procedure coupled with flame atomic absorption spectrometry for determination of trace lead in water, tea, and herb medicines.

One of the limitations in previous flow injection (FI) sorption preconcentration procedures in a knotted reactor (KR), which have been carried out exclusively with a single continuous sample injection over a certain period, is the relatively low retention efficiency (typically 40-50%). Although the sensitivity of such systems could be improved by properly increasing sample preconcentration time, sample loading flow rate, or both, further improvement of the sensitivity has been limited by the narrow linearity of the relationship between signal intensity and preconcentration time or sample loading time. In this work, a novel on-line FI multiplexed sorption preconcentration procedure with repetitive sample injections was developed to overcome the above problems in the previous systems. In contrast to previous FI preconcentration systems, the proposed multiplexed preconcentration procedure evenly divides a single longer sample injection step into several shorter substeps while the total preconcentration time is still kept constant. To demonstrate its merits, the proposed FI on-line KR multiplexed sorption preconcentration system was combined with flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS) for determination of trace lead in water, tea, and herb medicines. The lead in the sample solution on-line reacted with ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate, and the resultant analyte complex was sorbed on the inner walls of the KR. The residual sample solution was then removed from the KR with an air flow. The above two steps were repeated eight times with a total preconcentration time of 120 s. The sorbed analyte was eluted from the KR with 4.5 mol L(-1) HCl for on-line FAAS detection. The present multiplexed preconcentration procedure with eight repetitive sample injections for a total preconcentration time of 120 s gave a retention efficiency of 92%, twice that obtained by one single sample injection preconcentration (47%). In addition, the linear ranges of the diagrams of absorbance against sample loading flow rate and sample loading time were extended, offering more potential for achieving high sensitivity by increasing sample loading rates or sample loading time compared to the previous one single continuous sample injection preconcentration procedure. At a sample loading flow rate of 3.6 mL min(-1) for a total preconcentration period of 120 s, an enhancement factor of 57 and a detection limit (3sigma) of 8 microg L(-1) were obtained. The precision was 1.4% (RSD, n = 11) at the 200 microg L(-1) level. The developed method was successfully applied to the determination of trace lead in various water samples, herb medicines, and a certified tea reference material.

Flow Injection Analysis↗

PubMed2002

Down-regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor and up-regulation of pigment epithelium-derived factor: a possible mechanism for the anti-angiogenic activity of plasminogen kringle 5.

We have previously shown that intravitreal injection of plasminogen kringle 5 (K5), a potent angiogenic inhibitor, inhibits ischemia-induced retinal neovascularization in a rat model. Here we report that K5 down-regulates an endogenous angiogenic stimulator, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and up-regulates an angiogenic inhibitor, pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) in a dose-dependent manner in vascular cells and in the retina. The regulation of VEGF and PEDF by K5 in the retina correlates with its anti-angiogenic effect in a rat model of ischemia-induced retinopathy. Retinal RNA levels of VEGF and PEDF are also changed by K5. K5 inhibits the p42/p44 MAP kinase activation and nuclear translocation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha, which may be responsible for the down-regulation of VEGF. Down-regulation of endogenous angiogenic stimulators and up-regulation of endogenous angiogenic inhibitors, thus leading toward restoration of the balance in angiogenic control, may represent a mechanism for the anti-angiogenic activity of K5.

Active Transport, Cell Nucleus↗

PubMed2002

Nanoscale modifications of PET polymer surfaces via oxygen-plasma discharge yield minimal changes in attachment and growth of mammalian epithelial and mesenchymal cells in vitro.

Surface topography is believed to be a factor affecting cellular morphology, proliferation, and differentiation. The effect of surface roughness in the micron to supramicron range has been investigated previously. In the current study, the influence of nanoscale surface roughness was examined in terms of its effects on morphology, cytoskeleton expression, proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of three model cell types. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) disks were etched using oxygen plasma to produce uniform and decidedly nanoscale levels of surface roughness. Three distinct types of cell lines-mouse 3T3-L1 preadipocytes, human JEG-3 choriocarcinoma cells, and human MCF-7 breast adenocarcinoma cells-were cultured on the plasma-treated disks. Untreated PET disks were used as a control. Cytoskeletal proteins (F-actin and cytokeratin) exhibited similar patterns of expression. Cell morphology also was similar on both surfaces. Cell growth kinetics for the three types of cells and hormone secretion from the JEG-3 cells were not significantly different from that of the controls (p > 0.05). However, the differentiation of preadipocyte 3T3-L1 cells into lipid-laden fat cells was modestly affected by nanoscale surface topography. In addition, 15-deoxy-Delta(12,14)-prostaglandin J(2) (15dPGJ(2))-induced apoptosis of the JEG-3 and MCF-7 cells revealed differences between the two surfaces. Plasma-treated surfaces showed more differentiated and apoptotic cells, respectively, compared to the controls. These results indicate that nanoscale roughness contributes in only moderate ways to cellular adhesion, proliferation, and differentiation in the cell lines tested.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMed2002

Divergent evolution of hemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes in recent influenza A:H3N2 viruses isolated in Canada.

Limited information is available concerning the molecular drift of the influenza neuraminidase (NA) genes. We report on the genetic variability of the NA gene from 31 influenza A:H3N2 viruses isolated in the Province of Québec (Canada) during the last three flu seasons (1997-2000). Amino acid substitutions within the NA protein were observed at rates of 1.01% and 0.45% between strains of the 1997-1998 and 1998-1999 seasons and between those of the 1998-1999 and 1999-2000 seasons, respectively. In most strains (28/31), amino acid changes occurred within at least one of four codons (197, 339, 370, and 401) previously implicated as antigenic sites. The 8 functional and 10 framework residues that compose the catalytic site of the NA enzyme were completely conserved over the study period. All isolates contained the seven conserved asparagine-linked glycosylation sites found in the NA of the progenitor A/Hong Kong/8/68 strain. In addition, most strains (30/31) had an eighth potential glycosylation site at position 329, whereas a ninth one was found at position 93 in 16 strains. The NA of all strains in this study was related to that of the vaccine strain A/Beijing/353/89, whereas the HA genes of these strains were related to the A/Beijing/32/92 vaccine strain. Thus, it appears that recent influenza strains continue to evolve from a reassortant produced during the cocirculation of the two above variants. Interestingly, some strains whose HA genes were closely related showed significant differences in their NA genes and conversely. This study confirms the importance of analyzing both the NA and the HA genes to assess the evolution of recent influenza epidemic strains.

Canada↗