Biomedical subjects

Cindy Zhang

Publications and source records attributed to Cindy Zhang.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Carcinogen-induced DNA double strand break repair in sporadic breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Induction of DNA double strand breaks and alterations in the repair of these breaks is implicated in breast carcinogenesis. Prior studies have demonstrated that peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from breast cancer patients exhibit increased numbers of DNA strand breaks after exposure to ionizing radiation, but these studies did not specifically measure DNA double strand breaks and it is not known whether chemical carcinogens produce similar effects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PBMC from 32 women undergoing breast surgery were genotyped at nine loci of seven DNA repair genes. DNA double strand break repair was measured using the neutral comet assay after exposure to ionizing radiation (0.5 Gy) or bioactivated benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P, 5 microM. RESULTS: PBMC from breast cancer patients showed higher levels of residual DNA double strand breaks 30 min after exposure to radiation than PBMC from patients with benign breast disease (1.40 times baseline [95% confidence intervals [CI] 1.29-1.51] versus 1.24 times baseline [95% CI 1.15-1.33], respectively, P = 0.04). The response to B[a]P trended in the same direction, but did not reach statistical significance. The MGMT K178R variant genotype was associated with improved DNA double strand break repair in PBMC exposed to B[a]P. CONCLUSIONS: Reduced repair of radiation-induced DNA double strand breaks in PBMC is a robust biomarker of breast cancer risk. Reduced DNA repair capacity may have a genetic component even in sporadic breast cancer.

BRCA2 Protein↗

PubMed2006

An intronic polymorphism associated with increased XRCC1 expression, reduced apoptosis and familial breast cancer.

XRCC1 coordinates the activities of DNA polymerase-beta and DNA ligase for base excision repair of oxidative DNA damage. In addition, there is some evidence that XRCC1 is a negative regulator of apoptosis. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in XRCC1 have been inconsistently associated with breast cancer risk. We evaluated XRCC1 gene expression in breast cancer cell lines and carcinogen-induced apoptosis in benign breast epithelial cells in relation to XRCC1 genotypes. XRCC1 IVS10+141G>A was associated with increased expression of XRCC1 mRNA and protein, and reduced apoptosis in response to benzo-[a]-pyrene or ionizing radiation, but XRCC1 R399Q was not. These genotypes were also assessed in a clinic-based sample that included 190 breast cancer patients with a family history of breast cancer and 95 controls with no family history of breast cancer. Heterozygous XRCC1 IVS10+141G>A was associated with an increased breast cancer risk (O.R. = 1.7, 95% C.I. 1.016-2.827, P = 0.04) as was homozygous XRCC1 IVS10+141G>A (O.R. = 4.7, 95% C.I. 1.028-21.444, P = 0.03). XRCC1 R399Q was not associated with breast cancer (O.R. 1.00, 95% C.I. 0.61-1.64). The XRCC1 IVS10+141G>A locus is centered in a sequence that is nearly identical to the consensus binding site for the PLAG1 transcription factor. XRCC1 IVS10+141G>A is an intronic polymorphism that is associated with XRCC1 expression, apoptosis and familial breast cancer. It may occur within an intronic regulatory sequence.

Adenine↗

PubMed2006

Telomerase immortalization of human mammary epithelial cells derived from a BRCA2 mutation carrier.

A novel human mammary epithelial cell line, HME348, was established from benign breast tissue from a 44-year-old germ-line BRCA2 mutation carrier with a history of stage 1 breast cancer. Mutation analysis showed that the patient had a known 6872del4 BRCA2 heterozygous mutation. The human mammary epithelial cells passaged in culture exhibited cellular replicative aging as evidenced by telomere shortening, lack of telomerase activity, and senescence. Ectopic expression of telomerase (hTERT) reconstituted telomerase activity in these cells and led to the immortalization of the cells. When grown on glass, the majority of immortalized HME348 cells expressed ESA and p63 with a small population also expressing EMA. In three-dimensional Matrigel culture, HME348 cells formed complex branching acini structures that expressed luminal (EMA, CK18) and myoepithelial (p63, CALLA, CK14) markers. Three clones derived from this culture were also p63(+)/ESA(+)/EMA(+/-) on glass but formed similar acinar structures with both luminal and myoepithelial cell differentiation in Matrigel confirming the mammary progenitor nature of these cells. Additionally, the experimentally immortalized HME348 cells formed acini in cleared mammary fat pads in vivo. As this is the first report establishing and characterizing a benign human mammary epithelial cell line derived from a BRCA2 patient without the use of viral oncogenes, these cells may be useful for the study of BRCA2 function in breast morphogenesis and carcinogenesis.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Confounding effects of platelets on flow cytometric analysis and cell-sorting experiments using blood-derived cells.

BACKGROUND: Flow cytometric analysis and cell-sorting of peripheral blood leukocytes is commonplace; however, platelet contamination is typically ignored during immunophenotypic analysis and sorting of blood-derived cells. METHODS: Red blood cells, platelets, T & B lymphocytes, monocytes, and granulocytes were sorted from rat blood preparations. Presort enrichment was performed by differential centrifugation for all cell types. Additionally, leukocyte samples were prepared by ammonium chloride lysis of red blood cells. RESULTS: Unless proper precautions were taken, significant numbers of platelets were sorted along with (nonplatelet) cells of interest. The amount of platelet contamination varied greatly from experiment to experiment with the highest level of leukocyte-platelet association observed in the neutrophil/granulocyte population in samples prepared using ammonium chloride-based red blood cell-lysing solution. CONCLUSIONS: Addition of an immunophenotypic marker for platelet identification is a simple, yet prudent, measure to help evaluate the impact of platelets on immunophenotypic staining when performing flow cytometric analysis or sorting of blood-derived cells and should become a routine practice. Platelet presence in postsort fractions can be due to free platelets as well as target cell-associated platelets and both sources of contamination must be addressed.

Ammonium Chloride↗

PubMed2005

The effect of superoxide anion on autoregulation of cerebral blood flow.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Recent studies have suggested that autoregulation of cerebral blood flow (CBF) is impaired after traumatic and ischemic brain injury. Given that the levels of superoxide anion (O2*-) are increased in these conditions, we postulate that O2*- contributes to the impairment of CBF autoregulation. METHODS: CBF was monitored with laser Doppler flowmetry during increases in blood pressure. RESULTS: During the control period, CBF was well autoregulated after the increase in mean arterial pressure (MAP) from 98+/-3 to 140+/-6 mm Hg. The autoregulation index (AI; DeltaCBF/DeltaMAP) averaged 0.25+/-0.02 (n=6). O2*- in the brain was then increased by subdural perfusion of xanthine/xanthine oxidase (different concentrations) and catalase. Low concentrations of O2*- decreased basal CBF by 10+/-1.6% but had no effect on autoregulation (AI, 0.19+/-0.02; n=6). Higher concentrations of O2*- (0.2 mmol/L xanthine and either 3 or 20 mU xanthine oxidase) increased basal CBF by 30+/-2% and 42+/-4%, respectively, and impaired autoregulation of CBF (AI, 0.55+/-0.03 and 0.76+/-0.02; n=6). Inclusion of superoxide dismutase in the O2*(-)-generating system restored autoregulation (AI, 0.28+/-0.05; n=6). Neither inhibition of NO synthase nor the addition of deferioxamine had any effect on the ability of higher concentrations of O2*- to impair autoregulation of CBF (AI, 0.65+/-0.07 and 0.72+/-0.05 respectively; n=6). O2*- also increased the activity of KCa channels in cerebral vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs; n=8). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that O2*- increases basal CBF and impairs autoregulation of CBF, likely through the activation of KCa channels in cerebral VSMCs.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

A saturation screen for cis-acting regulatory DNA in the Hox genes of Ciona intestinalis.

A screen for the systematic identification of cis-regulatory elements within large (>100 kb) genomic domains containing Hox genes was performed by using the basal chordate Ciona intestinalis. Randomly generated DNA fragments from bacterial artificial chromosomes containing two clusters of Hox genes were inserted into a vector upstream of a minimal promoter and lacZ reporter gene. A total of 222 resultant fusion genes were separately electroporated into fertilized eggs, and their regulatory activities were monitored in larvae. In sum, 21 separable cis-regulatory elements were found. These include eight Hox linked domains that drive expression in nested anterior-posterior domains of ectodermally derived tissues. In addition to vertebrate-like CNS regulation, the discovery of cis-regulatory domains that drive epidermal transcription suggests that C. intestinalis has arthropod-like Hox patterning in the epidermis.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Troglitazone-induced intracellular oxidative stress in rat hepatoma cells: a flow cytometric assessment.

BACKGROUND: Troglitazone (TRO), a thiazolidinedione (TZD) peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma agonist, was recently withdrawn from the market because of rare but serious hepatotoxicity. Previous studies investigating the cytotoxicity of TRO in cultured rat hepatocytes have conjectured about the role of oxidative stress in TRO-induced hepatotoxicity. Therefore, we investigated whether TRO induces oxidative stress and, if so, the portion of the TRO molecule responsible for the induction of oxidative stress. METHODS: Novikoff rat hepatoma (N1S1) cells were incubated with TRO, troglitazone quinone (TQ), thiazolidinedione-phenoxyacetic acid (TD-PAA) or rosiglitazone (RSG). Membrane peroxidation, intracellular glutathione (GSH) content, and cellular viability were monitored simultaneously by multiparameter flow cytometry. RESULTS: TRO and TQ increased membrane peroxidation, decreased intracellular GSH, and decreased cell viability in a concentration-dependent manner. In contrast, TD-PAA and RSG neither increased membrane peroxidation nor induced loss of cell viability. In addition, TRO caused a concentration-dependent increase in intracellular superoxide generation accompanied by a collapse in mitochondrial membrane potential. CONCLUSION: Multiparameter flow cytometric evaluation of N1S1 cells indicated that the chromane ring of TRO, rather than the TZD moiety, may be responsible for oxidative stress and suggested that a direct effect on mitochondrial physiology may play a role in TRO-mediated hepatotoxicity.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

The draft genome of Ciona intestinalis: insights into chordate and vertebrate origins.

The first chordates appear in the fossil record at the time of the Cambrian explosion, nearly 550 million years ago. The modern ascidian tadpole represents a plausible approximation to these ancestral chordates. To illuminate the origins of chordate and vertebrates, we generated a draft of the protein-coding portion of the genome of the most studied ascidian, Ciona intestinalis. The Ciona genome contains approximately 16,000 protein-coding genes, similar to the number in other invertebrates, but only half that found in vertebrates. Vertebrate gene families are typically found in simplified form in Ciona, suggesting that ascidians contain the basic ancestral complement of genes involved in cell signaling and development. The ascidian genome has also acquired a number of lineage-specific innovations, including a group of genes engaged in cellulose metabolism that are related to those in bacteria and fungi.

Alleles↗