Biomedical subjects

Dongqing Zhang

Publications and source records attributed to Dongqing Zhang.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2024

Macrothrombocytopenia with leukocyte inclusions in a patient with Wilson disease: a case report and literature review.

BACKGROUND: Wilson disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by homozygous or compound heterozygous mutations in ATP7B. Clinical manifestations primarily involve liver and nervous system lesions, with rarely observed hematologic manifestations. CASE PRESENTATION: In the present case, a patient with WD presented with thrombocytopenia, giant platelets, and Döhle-like cytoplasmic inclusions in the leukocytes. Initially, the May-Hegglin anomaly was considered; however, whole-exome sequencing did not reveal any mutation in the MYH9 gene but a heterozygous mutation was found in (C.2804 C > T, p.T935M) in the ATP7B gene. After two years, the patient developed tremors in his hands, lower limb stiffness, and foreign body sensation in the eyes. Additionally, Kayser-Fleischer rings in the corneal limbus were detected by slit-lamp examination. Copper metabolism test indicated a slight decrease in serum ceruloplasmin. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the inclusion bodies of leukocytes were swollen mitochondria. Mass spectrometry analysis showed that the copper levels were almost 20-fold higher in the leukocytes of the patient than in those of the control group. Based on the Leipzig scoring system, a diagnosis of WD was confirmed. Zinc sulfate treatment ameliorated the patient's symptoms and enhanced platelet, serum ceruloplasmin, and albumin levels. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, this case represents the first documented instance of WD presenting as thrombocytopenia, giant platelets, and Döhle-like cytoplasmic inclusions in the leukocytes. Excessive cellular copper accumulation likely underlies these findings; however, understanding precise mechanisms warrants further investigation.

Humans↗

PubMed2006

Conditional QTL mapping of oil content in rapeseed with respect to protein content and traits related to plant development and grain yield.

Oil content in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is generally regarded as a character with high heritability that is negatively correlated with protein content and influenced by plant developmental and yield related traits. To evaluate possible genetic interrelationships between these traits and oil content, QTL for oil content were mapped using data on oil content and on oil content conditioned on the putatively interrelated traits. Phenotypic data were evaluated in a segregating doubled haploid population of 282 lines derived from the F(1) of a cross between the old German cultivar Sollux and the Chinese cultivar Gaoyou. The material was tested at four locations, two each in Germany and in China. QTLMapper version 1.0 was used for mapping unconditional and conditional QTL with additive (a) and locus pairs with additive x additive epistatic (aa) effects. Clear evidence was found for a strong genetic relationship between oil and protein content. Six QTL and nine epistatic locus pairs were found, which had pleiotropic effects on both traits. Nevertheless, two QTL were also identified, which control oil content independent from protein content and which could be used in practical breeding programs to increase oil content without affecting seed protein content. In addition, six additional QTL with small effects were only identified in the conditional mapping. Some evidence was apparent for a genetic interrelationship between oil content and the number of seeds per silique but no evidence was found for a genetic relationship between oil content and flowering time, grain filling period or single seed weight. The results indicate that for closely correlated traits conditional QTL mapping can be used to dissect the genetic interrelationship between two traits at the level of individual QTL. Furthermore, conditional QTL mapping can reveal additional QTL with small effects that are undetectable in unconditional mapping.

Brassica rapa↗

PubMed2006

Anti-P-selectin lectin-EGF domain monoclonal antibody inhibits the maturation of human immature dendritic cells.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are professional antigen-presenting cells with the ability to initiate primary T cell responses. While it is well known that inflammatory stimuli induce the functional maturation of immature DCs, whether adhesion molecule selectins regulate DC maturation is poorly understood. Using anti-P-selectin lectin-EGF domain monoclonal antibody (PsL-EGFmAb) that blocks the adhesion of P-, E-, and L-selectin, we demonstrate herein that selectins play important role in stimulating functional maturation of immature DCs. Immature DCs are generated from human cord blood CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells that were cultured in the presence of stem cell factor, Fms-like tyrosine-kinase-3 ligand, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor, and transform growth factor-beta1. When stimulated with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), immature DCs differentiated into mature DCs, producing increased levels of costimulatory molecules and interleukin (IL)-12 and obtaining the ability to potently activate naïve T cells. Interestingly, in contrast to mature DCs derived from TNF-alpha-induced immature DC cultures without PsL-EGFmAb, immature DCs treated with PsL-EGFmAb for 7 days were completely blocked their maturation, as evidenced by decreased expression of costimulatory molecules CD80, CD86, and CD83, inhibited production of IL-12, and inability to activate naïve T cells in vitro. Thus, blockade of selectins using PsL-EGFmAb will prove to be a valuable tool for the study of the molecular mechanisms of DC maturation, as well as for the prevention and treatment of DC-mediated autoimmunity.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

PubMed2006

Aberration measurement of projection optics in lithographic tools by use of an alternating phase-shifting mask.

As a critical dimension shrinks, the degradation in image quality caused by wavefront aberrations of projection optics in lithographic tools becomes a serious problem. It is necessary to establish a technique for a fast and accurate in situ aberration measurement. We introduce what we believe to be a novel technique for characterizing the aberrations of projection optics by using an alternating phase-shifting mask. The even aberrations, such as spherical aberration and astigmatism, and the odd aberrations, such as coma, are extracted from focus shifts and image displacements of the phase-shifted pattern, respectively. The focus shifts and the image displacements are measured by a transmission image sensor. The simulation results show that, compared with the accuracy of the previous straightforward measurement technique, the accuracy of the coma measurement increases by more than 30% and the accuracy of the spherical-aberration measurement increases by approximately 20%.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2006

Effects of a novel tylophorine analog on collagen-induced arthritis through inhibition of the innate immune response.

OBJECTIVE: To test the effects of a novel tylophorine analog, DCB 3503, on the prevention and treatment of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) and to elucidate its underlying mechanisms. METHODS: DBA/1J mice were immunized with type II collagen, and in some cases, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) was used to boost the development of arthritis. DCB 3503 was injected intraperitoneally before or after the onset of CIA. Mice were monitored to assess the effects of DCB 3503 on the clinical severity of the disease, and pathologic changes in the joints were examined histologically. Levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) and interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) in serum and joint tissues were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and by cytometric bead array analysis. The effect of DCB 3503 on LPS-induced proinflammatory cytokines from bone marrow-derived dendritic cells was determined by flow cytometry. RESULTS: DCB 3503 significantly suppressed the development and progression of CIA. Moreover, DCB 3503 completely blocked the LPS-triggered acceleration of joint inflammation and destruction. Consistent with its effects in vivo, DCB 3503 significantly suppressed the synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines in inflamed joints as well as cytokine synthesis by macrophages examined ex vivo. Treatment also reduced the levels of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-12, TNFalpha, and monocyte chemotactic protein 1) produced by bone marrow-derived dendritic cells in vitro. However, DCB 3503 showed no direct effects on T cell proliferation and B cell antibody response. CONCLUSION: Because of its ability to specifically suppress innate immune responses, DCB 3503 may be a novel therapeutic agent for inflammatory arthritis in humans.

Alkaloids↗

PubMed2005

Active hexose correlated compound enhances tumor surveillance through regulating both innate and adaptive immune responses.

Active hexose correlated compound (AHCC) is a mixture of polysaccharides, amino acids, lipids and minerals derived from cocultured mycelia of several species of Basidiomycete mushrooms. AHCC has been implicated to modulate immune functions and plays a protective role against infection. However, the potential role of AHCC in tumor immune surveillance is unknown. In this study, C57BL/6 mice were orally administered AHCC or water, followed by tumor cell inoculation. We showed that compared to pure water-treated mice, AHCC treatment significantly delayed tumor development after inoculation of either melanoma cell line B16F0 or lymphoma cell line EL4. Treatment with AHCC enhanced both Ag-specific activation and proliferation of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, increased the number of tumor Ag-specific CD8(+) T cells, and more importantly, increased the frequency of tumor Ag-specific IFN-gamma producing CD8(+) T cells. Interestingly, AHCC treatment also showed increased cell number of NK and gammadelta T cells, indicating the role of AHCC in activating these innate-like lymphocytes. In summary, our results demonstrate that AHCC can enhance tumor immune surveillance through regulating both innate and adaptive immune responses.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

JNK1 is essential for CD8+ T cell-mediated tumor immune surveillance.

JNK1 has divergent roles in regulating the effector functions of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. However, the function of JNK1 in tumor immune surveillance is unknown. In this study, we show that similar to IFN-gamma-/- mice, JNK1-/- mice are highly susceptible to tumor development after inoculation of both melanoma cell line B16 and lymphoma cell line EL-4. Using T cell depletion and reconstitution approaches, we show that CD8+ T cells, but not CD4+ T cells, from JNK1-/- mice are responsible for tumor susceptibility. JNK1-/- CD8+ T cells have an intrinsic defect in early IFN-gamma gene transcription and production after activation by either anti-CD3/anti-CD28 Abs or dendritic cells loaded with specific Ag in vitro. The impaired IFN-gamma production in JNK1-/- CD8+ T cells is associated with reduced expression of both T-bet and Eomesodermin, indicating that JNK1 regulates the transcription program of CD8+ T cells. Finally, JNK1-/- CD8+ T cells showed reduced perforin expression and impaired CTL function. Taken together, our results demonstrate that JNK1 plays an important role in tumor immune surveillance through regulating the effector functions of CD8+ T cells.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Role of osteopontin in amplification and perpetuation of rheumatoid synovitis.

Osteopontin (OPN) is an extracellular matrix protein of pleiotropic properties and has been recently recognized as a potential inflammatory cytokine. In this study, we demonstrate, for the first time to our knowledge, that overexpression of OPN in synovial T cells is associated with local inflammatory milieu and that OPN acts as an important mediator in amplification and perpetuation of rheumatoid synovitis. The study revealed that mRNA expression of OPN was highly elevated in CD4(+) synovial T cells derived from patients with RA, which correlated with increased OPN concentrations in synovial fluid (SF). The pattern of OPN overexpression was confined to rheumatoid synovium and correlated with coexpression of selected OPN receptors in synovial T cells, including integrins alphav and beta1 and CD44. RA-derived SF stimulated the expression of OPN in T cells, which was attributable to IL-10 present in SF and abrogated by anti-IL-10 antibody. Among the more than 300 autoimmune and inflammatory response genes examined, OPN selectively induced the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines known to promote migration and recruitment of inflammatory cells. Furthermore, it was evident that OPN activated transcription factor NF-kappaB in mononuclear cells. The study has important implications for understanding the role of OPN in rheumatoid synovitis and other inflammatory conditions.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Overexpression of osteopontin in rheumatoid synovial mononuclear cells is associated with joint inflammation, not with genetic polymorphism.

OBJECTIVE: Osteopontin (OPN) is thought to play an important role in rheumatoid synovitis. We investigated the expression of OPN in rheumatoid synovial fluid mononuclear cells (SFMC) and its potential association with genetic polymorphism of the OPN gene and joint inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: 1. The expression of OPN mRNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and SFMC of patients with RA was analyzed quantitatively by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results were analyzed in paired PBMC and SFMC and control PBMC. 2. Six single nuclear acid polymorphisms of the OPN gene were genotyped in a cohort of 192 Chinese patients with RA and controls (n = 288) by restriction fragment length polymorphism PCR or direct DNA sequencing. 3. SF derived from RA patients was examined for the stimulating effect on mRNA expression of the OPN gene in PBMC. RESULTS: The expression of OPN gene was significantly increased in SFMC and, to a lesser degree, in PBMC of patients with RA compared to control PBMC (p < 0.01). However, the prevalence of OPN genotype and allele frequencies at the selected positions did not differ significantly between RA patients and the control group (p > 0.05). Further characterization indicated that SF known to contain a variety of proinflammatory factors significantly stimulated mRNA expression of OPN in PBMC obtained from RA patients or healthy controls. CONCLUSION: Overexpression of OPN mRNA in SFMC is associated with proinflammatory factors produced in inflamed joints, but not with OPN genetic polymorphisms. OPN gene polymorphisms do not correlate with susceptibility to RA.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

[Determination of polysaccharides of Dendrobium candidum in test-tube culture].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the diversities of polysaccharides content of Dendrobium candidum and its test-tube culture. METHODS: The content of polysaccharides was determined by colorimentry. RESULTS: The content of polysaccharides extracted from Dendrobium candidum was higher than that of test-tube culture. CONCLUSION: The content of polysaccharides in protocorm is higher than that in test-tube plantlet.

Culture Techniques↗

PubMed2004

[Female prostatitis].

Female urethral syndrome is very common, but its etiology is not yet known completely and its management is somehow difficult. Up to now, there have been quite a number of reports about the female prostate, whose inflammation is possibly the major cause of female urethral syndrome.

Exocrine Glands↗