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Zhigang Wang

Publications and source records attributed to Zhigang Wang.

43 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

Direct interaction of soluble human recombinant tau protein with Abeta 1-42 results in tau aggregation and hyperphosphorylation by tau protein kinase II.

We report here that aggregated beta-amyloid (Abeta) 1-42 promotes tau aggregation in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. When Abeta-mediated aggregated tau was used as a substrate for tau protein kinase II (TPK II), an 8-fold increase in the rate of TPK II-mediated tau phosphorylation was observed. The extent of TPK II-dependent tau phosphorylation increased as a function of time and Abeta 1-42 concentration, and hyperphosphorylated tau was found to be decorated with an Alzheimer's disease-related phosphoepitope (P-Thr-231). In HEK 293 cells co-expressing CT-100 amyloid precursor protein and tau, the release of Abeta 1-42 from these cells was impaired. Taken together, these in vitro results suggest that Abeta 1-42 promotes both tau aggregation and hyperphosphorylation.

Alzheimer Disease↗
PubMed2002

8-(Hydroxymethyl)-3,N(4)-etheno-C, a potential carcinogenic glycidaldehyde product, miscodes in vitro using mammalian DNA polymerases.

8-(Hydroxymethyl)-3,N(4)-etheno-C (8-HM-epsilonC) is an exocyclic adduct resulting from the reaction of dC with glycidaldehyde, a mutagen and animal carcinogen. This compound has now been synthesized and its phosphoramidite incorporated site-specifically into a defined 25-mer oligonucleotide. In this study, the mutagenic potential of this adduct in the 25-mer oligonucleotide was investigated in an in vitro primer-template extension assay using four mammalian DNA polymerases. The miscoding potentials were also compared to those of an analogous derivative, 3,N(4)-etheno C (epsilonC), in the same sequence. Both adducts primarily blocked replication by calf thymus DNA polymerase alpha at the modified base, while human polymerase beta catalyzed measurable replication synthesis through both adducts. Nucleotide insertion experiments showed that dA and dC were incorporated by pol beta opposite either adduct, which would result in a C --> T transition or C --> G transversion. Human polymerase eta, a product of the xeroderma pigmentosum variant (XP-V) gene, catalyzed the most efficient bypass of the two lesions with 25% and 32% for 8-HM-epsilonC and epsilonC bypassed after 15 min. Varying amounts of all four bases opposite the modified bases resulted with pol eta. Human polymerase kappa primarily blocked synthesis at the base prior to the adduct. However, some specific misincorporation of dT resulted, forming an epsilonC.T or 8-HM-epsilonC.T pair. From these data, we conclude that the newly synthesized glycidaldehyde-derived adduct, 8-HM-epsilonC, is a miscoding lesion. The bypass efficiency and insertion specificity of 8-HM-epsilonC and epsilonC were similar for all four polymerases tested, which could be attributed to the similar planarity and sugar conformations for these two derivatives as demonstrated by molecular modeling studies.

Aldehydes↗
PubMed2002

Synthetic analogs of green tea polyphenols as proteasome inhibitors.

BACKGROUND: Animal, epidemiological and clinical studies have demonstrated the anti-tumor activity of pharmacological proteasome inhibitors and the cancer-preventive effects of green tea consumption. Previously, one of our laboratories reported that natural ester bond-containing green tea polyphenols (GTPs), such as (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate [(-)-EGCG] and (-)-gallocatechin-3-gallate [(-)-GCG], are potent and specific proteasome inhibitors. Another of our groups, for the first time, was able to enantioselectively synthesize (-)-EGCG as well as other analogs of this natural GTP. Our interest in designing and developing novel synthetic GTPs as proteasome inhibitors and potential cancer-preventive agents prompted our current study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: GTP analogs, (+)-EGCG, (+)-GCG, and a fully benzyl-protected (+)-EGCG [Bn-(+)-EGCG], were prepared by enantioselective synthesis. Inhibition of the proteasome or calpain (as a control) activities under cell-free conditions were measured by fluorogenic substrate assay. Inhibition of intact tumor cell proteasome activity was measured by accumulation of some proteasome target proteins (p27, I kappa B-alpha and Bax) using Western blot analysis. Inhibition of tumor cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis by synthetic GTPs were determined by G(1) arrest and caspase activation, respectively. Finally, inhibition of the transforming activity of human prostate cancer cells by synthetic GTPs was measured by a colony formation assay. RESULTS: (+)-EGCG and (+)-GCG potently and specifically inhibit the chymotrypsin-like activity of purified 20S proteasome and the 26S proteasome in tumor cell lysates, while Bn-(+)-EGCG does not. Treatment of leukemic Jurkat T or prostate cancer LNCaP cells with either (+)-EGCG or (+)-GCG accumulated p27 and IkappaB-alpha proteins, associated with an increased G(1) population. (+)-EGCG treatment also accumulated the pro-apoptotic Bax protein and induced apoptosis in LNCaP cells expressing high basal levels of Bax, but not prostate cancer DU-145 cells with low Bax expression. Finally, synthetic GTPs significantly inhibited colony formation by LNCaP cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS: Enantiomeric analogs of natural GTPs, (+)-EGCG and (+)-GCG, are able to potently and specifically inhibit the proteasome both, in vitro and in vivo, while protection of the hydroxyl groups on (+)-EGCG renders the compound completely inactive.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed2002

[Arthroscopy for the diagnosis and treatment of hip joint disease].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the value of arthroscopy for the diagnosis and treatment of hip joint disease. METHODS: Arthroscopy was performed in 54 patients (68 hips) from July 1998 to September 2001. Of the 54 patients, 36 were male and 18 female, aged from 17 to 64 years. The disease was located on the left side in 18 patients, the right side in 22, and both sides in 14. In this group, osteoarthritis was noted in 21 patients, avascular necrosis of the femoral head in 16, infection of the hip joint in 3, chondrosarcoma in 2, synovial-chondromatosis in 7, acetabular labral tears in 2, and spondylitis in 3. The procedures of arthroscopy consisted of removal of loose bodies, debridement, and biopsy. RESULTS: The operation made accurate diagnosis possible for chondrosarcoma, acetabular labral tears, and infection of the hip joint. After debridement of the hip joint for avascular necrosis of the femoral head, osteoarthritis and spondylitis, most patients in this group were free from pain, function and range of the motion were restored and the pathological process was delayed. The Harris hip scores increased by 27 on average. CONCLUSION: Arthroscopy plays an important role in accurate diagnosis and treatment of hip joint.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

AFM and STM study of beta-amyloid aggregation on graphite.

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) have been employed in situ and ex situ to directly study the aggregation of beta-amyloid(1-42) (Abeta42) peptide on hydrophobic graphite. From in situ AFM images, Abeta42 peptides were seen to aggregate into the sheets that preferred to three orientations with characteristic 3-fold symmetry (Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 96 (1999) 3688). The sheets were formed by parallel narrow lines with a height of 0.8-1.0nm and a width of 12-14nm. The narrow lines looked like beaded chains and have a right-handed axial periodicity. The high-resolution ex situ AFM and STM images showed that some fibrils of beta-amyloid had a characteristic domain texture, indicating they were formed through the association of protofibrils and monomers. The fibril containing lateral associated filaments that exhibited right-handed twist was clearly observed in the STM image. These results provide important clues to study the detailed structure of beta-amyloid aggregates and the mechanism of the Abeta fibrils formation on hydrophobic surface.

Alzheimer Disease↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Structure-activity relationships of synthetic analogs of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate as proteasome inhibitors.

BACKGROUND: Cancer-related molecular targets of green tea polyphenols, such as (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate [(-)-EGCG], remain unknown. We previously showed that (-)-EGCG is a potent and specific inhibitor of the proteasomal chymotrypsin-like activity in vitro and in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: EGCG amides and five simple analogs were prepared by enantioselective synthesis. Proteasome inhibition in vitro was measured by fluorogenic substrate assay and in vivo by accumulation of proteasome target proteins (p27, IkappaB-alpha and Bax). Inhibition of tumor cell proliferation was determined by G1 arrest, DNA fragmentation and colony formation inhibition. RESULTS: EGCG analogs with modifications in the A-ring, C-ring or ester bond inhibit the chymotrypsin-like activity of purified 20S proteasome with altered potencies. However, these compounds were able to potently inhibit the proteasome activity in vivo and also suppress colony formation of prostate cancer LNCaP cells. Some compounds caused G1 arrest and DNA fragmentation in leukemia Jurkat T cells. However, these EGCG analogs caused no or little proteasome inhibition in normal or nontransformed cells. CONCLUSION: The A-ring and gallate ester/amide bond are essential for the proteasome-inhibitory function of (-)-EGCG.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗