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Biomedical subjects

Zhi Zhang

Publications and source records attributed to Zhi Zhang.

50 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed2004

[The content of decorin and its mRNA expression in normal human skin and hyperplastic scars].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the content of decorin and its mRNA expression in normal human skin and hyperplastic scars at different stages, so as to explore the relationship between the change of decorin and its synthesis. METHODS: Scar tissue samples from 22 patients undergoing scar excision and 10 specimens of normal skin or prepuce were obtained. The content and distribution of decorin in the tissue samples were determined with immunohistochemistry and Western blot, and the expression of decorin mRNA was detected by in situ hybridization. RESULTS: The content of decorin was rich in the normal skin dermis with lower expression of the mRNA. In contrast, the decorin content was scarce in hyperplastic scars (HS) within 6 months, but increased gradually beginning from 7 to 12 months, and increased continuously for 13 to 36 months. There was no difference between the decorin content in normal skin and that in HS after 36 months (P > 0.05). Furthermore, the mRNA expression level in HS tissue was lower than that in normal skin within 6 months, but increased from 7 to 12 months. The mRNA expression continuously increased during 13 to 36 months and then returned to the level similar to that in normal skin thereafter. CONCLUSION: The decrease of decorin in hyperplastic scar was resulted primarily from reduced synthesis. The increase in decorin level coincided with the time of scar tissue stabilization, which implied that the delayed appearance was correlated with the formation of HS.

Blotting, Western↗
PubMed2004

[Effects of topical application of insulin on the wound healing in scalded rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of topical application of small dose of insulin on the wound healing of the scalded rats, so as to explore its mechanism. METHODS: The rats employed in the study were subjected to deep partial thickness burn and were divided into group A (with subcutaneous injection of isotonic saline into the rat wounds as control), B and C (with subcutaneous injection of 0.1 U and 1 U insulin in the rat wounds respectively) and D (with subcutaneous injection of 0.1 U insulin in the rat abdomen as control). The wound healing time and wound healing rate were assessed every other day after 3 postburn days (PBDs). The histological changes of the wounds after injection were examined, the changes in the cell cycle of epidermal cells in the wound were analyzed by flow-cytometry, and blood glucose concentration of each group was determined. RESULTS: The wound healing time in group B (18.36 +/- 4.12 d) was significantly shorter than that in other groups (A: 24.57 +/- 5.19 d, C: 21.46 +/- 2.97 d, D: 24.50 +/- 1.05 d, P < 0.01). The wound healing rate of the rats in group B in 5, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17 and 19 PBD was obviously higher than that in group A, and was markedly higher than that in group C on 17 PBD (P < 0.05 - 0.01). The epithelial layer was thinner with less epidermal nails but much more fibroblasts in epidermal layer in group A, while the epithelial layer was thicker with abundant epidermal nails in group B and C with many fibroblasts in the dermis. The amount of cells in S phase at 4 PBD in group B was dramatically higher than that in group A, and cells in G2M phase at 4 - 5 PBD in group B was also higher than that in group A and C (P < 0.05 - 0.01). The blood level of glucose in group A and B fluctuated between 3.42 to 4.62 mmol/L at 24 PBH, while that in group C and D decreased obviously 1 hour after injection (P < 0.01), but gradually returned to normal 4 hours after injection. CONCLUSION: Local injection of small dose of insulin may accelerate burn wound healing due to its role in promoting the proliferation and division of the repairing cells.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed2004

[Advances in the studies of molecular heredity of phenylketonuria].

Phenylketonuria (PKU) is one kinds of autosomal recessive disease caused by phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene mutation. This article reviews the recent molecular heredity progress on the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene's orientation, structure, and gene mutation and gene regulation. At same time, mutation gene in vitro expression and the character of 3D structure of PAH in PKU are involved. In this paper, also discussed the influence of vitro expression and 3D protein structure by gene mutations and the molecular mechanism of the relationship between genotype and phenotype in PKU patient.

Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic↗
PubMed2003

Tumor necrosis factor alpha is a key mediator of gut inflammation seen in amebic colitis in human intestine in the SCID mouse-human intestinal xenograft model of disease.

We used Entamoeba histolytica infection in human intestinal xenografts to study the roles interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in the pathogenesis of amebic colitis. We found that blockade of TNF-alpha reduced inflammation and intestinal damage in amebic infection, while inhibition of IL-1 reduced cytokine production but had less marked effects on inflammation and disease.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

[Digital body].

Explore the source record for details and available documents.

Anatomy↗
PubMed2003

[Expression of heme oxygenase-1 in rat prostate and effects of androgen and estrogen on it].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influences of androgen and estrogen on expression of HO-1 gene in rat ventral prostate. METHODS: To create the model of castrated male rats, the testes were removed via scrotal incision. HO-1 mRNA level was tested by RT-PCR. The use of immunohistochemical staining procedures with image analytic technical system allowed us to assess the effects of exogenous androgen and estrogen on expression and location of HO-1 protein in rat ventral prostate. RESULTS: The levels of HO-1 mRNA transcription and HO-1 protein expression in the castrated group were markedly decreased, compared with those in normal control group (P < 0.01); But both these levels in the groups of castration plus exogenous androgen and castration plus exogenous estrogen were much higher than those in the control group (P < 0.01). Furthermore, estrogen could increase the level of HO-1 protein expression in prostatic stroma. CONCLUSION: Carbon monoxide-heme oxygenase system might be involved in the pathologic processes of prostatic abnormal proliferation.

Androgens↗
PubMed2003

[Immunological effects of simultaneous injection of dexamethasone-induced apoptotic donor spleen cells in rats with liver transplantation].

OBJECTIVE: To study the immunological effects of simultaneous injection of apoptotic donor spleen cells induced by dexamethasone in rats with liver allotransplantation. METHODS: Four groups of rats were used in this study, each consisting of 10 SD rats and 10 Wistar rats with the former as the recipients and the latter as the donors for liver transplantation. In one of the groups, the recipient rats also received infusion of apoptotic spleen cells (5x10(7)) of the donors induced by an intraperitoneal injection of dexamethasone (at a daily dose of 3 mg/kg) for 3 days before liver transplantation, while in another, the recipient received untreated donor spleen cells. In the third group, the donor was treated with dexamethasone leaving the last group serving as the control group. The blood alanine transaminase (ALT), total bilirubin (TBil), pathological changes of the graft and survival time of the recipients were observed. RESULTS: The recipients with apoptotic donor spleen cell infusion had much higher ALT and TBil levels than those of the other 3 groups (P<0.05), exhibiting significantly shortened survival time and severer acute allograft rejection, as compared with the mild acute rejection in the control group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Simultaneous injection of apoptotic donor spleen cells induced by dexamethasone in rats with liver transplantation aggravates acute allograft rejection, one of the possible mechanisms of which may lie in the failure of timely removal of the apoptotic cells that release inflammatory factors.

Alanine Transaminase↗
PubMed2002

A critical assessment of the neurodestructive and neuroprotective effects of nitric oxide.

Whether nitric oxide is cytodestructive or cytoprotective is of obvious clinical importance. The debate on this subject in the past decade has generated much "heat and light". This paper focuses on the actions of NO on the nervous system and reexamines the controversial issue and the contribution of the authors and their colleagues in the light of recent findings. We also report new findings, critically assesses previous experimental data, and share perspectives on this important subject.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

A monoclonal antibody to the amebic lipophosphoglycan-proteophosphoglycan antigens can prevent disease in human intestinal xenografts infected with Entamoeba histolytica.

Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites are covered by lipophosphoglycan-peptidoglycan molecules which may be key virulence factors. We found that pretreatment of severe combined immunodeficient mice bearing human intestinal xenografts with a monoclonal antibody to the amebic lipophosphoglycan-peptidoglycan molecules can prevent or significantly reduce the human intestinal inflammation and tissue damage that are normally seen with E. histolytica colonic infection.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Dynamic changes of matrix metalloproteinases in rat liver during the development of diethylnitrosamine-induced hepatocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To study the dynamic changes of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the liver of rat during experimental hepatocarcinogenesis. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry, gelatin zymography, and reverse transcriptase-PCR were used for detection of latent and active forms and mRNA of MMPs in each phases of carcinogenic stages. RESULTS: MMPs expression was detected in normal and cirrhotic liver, which was most obvious in the cancer cells after the development of hepatic carcinoma. Normal tissue showed only low levels of MMPs expression, which kept increasing in the course of hepatocarcinogenesis, as was also the case with the corresponding mRNA. CONCLUSION: Transcription and expression of MMPs keep increasing throughout the the process of hepatocarcinogenesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Copper-chelating therapeutic effect in Wilson disease with different clinical phenotypes and polymorphisms of ATP7B gene.

AIM:To investigate the copper-chelating therapeutic effect in Wilson disease (WD) with different clinical phenotypes and polymorphisms of ATP7B gene.METHODS:One hundred and twenty-two WD patients with different clinicalphenotypes were given DMPS intravenously and Gandou copper-chelating tablet orally for one month. The therapeutic effect was judged by modified Goldstein mothod. Exon 18 of ATP7B gene extracted from the DNA of patients and 20 healthy volunteers was amplified with PCR mutation and polymorphism were screened with SSCP technique.RESULTS:Four kinds of abnormal migration bands in PCR-SSCP were observed in 37 WD patients, mutation frequencies of three different disease phenotypes, and curative effect between mutation group and non-mutation group showed no statistically significant difference (P > 0.05), but the total effectiveness rates in patients with Wilson type or pseudosclerosis type were significantly higher than those of patients with hepatic type (X(2) = 6.17, P < 0.05).CONCLUSION:Most WD patients are compound heterozygotes, the patients with different clinical phenotypes have different response to copper-chelating therapy. Specific mutation, at least in part, plays a role in influencing the disease phenotypes and therapeutic effect.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Comparison of long lasting therapeutic effects between succimer and penicillamine on hepatolenticular degeneration.

AIM:To compare the long-term effect of succimer (Suc) with that of penicillamine (Pen) in treating hepatolenticular degeneration (HLD).METHODS:One hundred and twenty patients with HLD were divided into 2 groups. Group A (n =60) received Suc 750mg,po.bid.Group B (n =60) received Pen 250mg, po. qid. The period of maintenance treatment varied from 6 months to 3 years, averaging 1.5 years. Symptoms and therapeutic effects were evaluated by modified Goldstein scale.RESULTS:The total effectiveness of group A in two different periods of treatment were 80% and 85% respectively, higher than those of group B (58% and 59% respectively)(P < 0.05). Suc also had obvious curative effects for the patients who failed in the use of Pen. There were fewer side effect in group A than in group B (P < 0.05). Suc and Pen could increase urinary copper excretion effectively and continually.CONCLUSION:Suc is more effective and safer than Pen. Clinically, it can replace Pen as first-choice drug for long-term maintenance therapy of HLD.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Comparison of Chinese field strains of avian leukosis subgroup J viruses with prototype strain HPRS-103 and United States strains.

Eight Chinese field strains of subgroup J avian leukosis viruses (ALV-J) were isolated from broilers or parent stocks during January 1999 to April 2001. One strain, SD9902, was an acute transforming virus, able to induce typical myelocytomatosis in 22-38 days after inoculation of 1-day-old meat-type chicks. The envelope protein and 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of the eight field strains were compared with the U.K. prototype HPRS-103 and several U.S. field strains isolated in 1993-97. All Chinese strains shared an almost identical deletion with the U.S. strain 4817 in the E element region of 3'-UTR when compared with the prototype HPRS-103, indicating that they have a very close phylogenic relationship. Every year, China has to import grandparent stocks of meat-type chickens, mainly from the United States. Chinese isolates should represent a part in the phylogenic tree of U.S. ALV-J evolution. Envelope protein gp85 amino acid sequence analysis demonstrated that, interestingly, all recent Chinese isolates were more closely related to HPRS-103 and the earliest U.S. isolates but not to the late U.S. isolates. The result implies that envelope gp85 may not have diverged from prototype and older strains. It is also possible that some recently imported birds could have been infected by the older viruses that were introduced in the late 1990s.

Abattoirs↗