Snow carps as an emerging model for polyploid genome evolution.
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Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to Jing Luo.
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BACKGROUND: Covalent BTK inhibitors (cBTKis) are the cornerstone of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL)/small lymphocytic leukemia (SLL) therapy, yet real-world data on dose modifications and their differential impact on long-term outcomes remain incompletely defined. This study investigated the incidence, timing, and the effectiveness of drug switching in a real-world CLL cohort. METHODS: In this 7-year retrospective real-world study, 324 CLL/SLL patients treated at a specialized Shanghai outpatient clinic (April 2018-April 2025; median follow-up, 42 months) were analyzed. Dose modifications were classified as dose interruption (DI) or dose reduction (DR). Their prognostic impact on progression-free (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis and multivariate Cox regression. RESULTS: The 42-month PFS rate was 70.2%. Of 324 patients, 229 (70.7%) experienced dose reductions or interruptions; infections were the predominant cause (61.9%). The full-dose (FD) group (n = 90) demonstrated superior 4-year PFS (93% vs. 58%, p < .001) and OS (98% vs. 76%, p = .007). Early modifications (0-3 months) were independent predictors of inferior PFS (hazard ratio [HR], 3.93, p = .008) and OS (HR, 3.29, p = .014). Prolonged DI (>14 days) was associated with inferior PFS (HR, 2.64) and OS (HR, 2.15), whereas DR and short DI (≤14 days) had negligible impact. Early (0-3 months) prolonged DI was devastating (3-year PFS, 41.2%; HR, 3.84, p < .001). cBTKi switching (n = 82; 100% nonprogression-driven) shortened DI (median, 6 vs. 14 days) and was independently associated with superior OS (HR, 0.34, p = .018) and PFS (HR, 0.36, p = .022). CONCLUSIONS: Early prolonged DI is the dominant adverse prognostic factor in cBTKi-treated CLL/SLL. Proactive switching minimizes treatment gaps and improves survival, supporting a timing-aware, DI- versus DR-informed approach to dose management.
A tetraploidization event took place in the cyprinid lineage leading to goldfishes about 15 million years ago. A PCR survey for Hox genes in the goldfish Carassius auratus auratus (Actinopterygii: Cyprinidae) was performed to assess the consequences of this genome duplication. Not surprisingly, the genomic organization of the Hox gene clusters of goldfish is similar to that of the closely related zebrafish (Danio rerio). However, the goldfish exhibits a much larger number of recent pseudogenes, which are characterized by indels. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that dosage effects cause selection pressure to rapidly silence crucial developmental regulators after a tetraploidization event.
A goldfish (Carassius auratus auratus) bacterial artificial chromosome genomic library (BAC library) was constructed from one aquarium-bred male specimen (tetraploid, 4n=100, genome size=3.52 pg/cell). The library consists of 128,352 positive clones with an average insert size of 150.4 kb, covering the genome 11-fold. All clones were spotted onto nylon filters and thus are available for screening of genomic regions of interest, such as candidate genes, gene families, or large-sized syntenic DNA regions of cyprinid species. Preliminary screens with two genes were conducted with hybridizing probes to the genes RAG1 and lgi1. RAG1 is a single-copy gene in zebrafish and is duplicated in C. a. auratus. We found a very close correlation between the number of positive BAC clones and the expected library coverage. Two copies of lgi1 were found in zebrafish. We have detected four different copies in C. a. auratus, not in the expected abundance, which indicates some variation in the coverage of the BAC library. The preliminary screens indicate that many duplicated genes that resulted from the ancient fish-specific genome duplication persist in the tetraploid goldfish genome. Hence, the BAC library will provide a useful resource for the future work on comparative genomics, polyploidy, diploidization, and evolutionary genomics in fishes.
Na(+)-K(+)-Cl(-) cotransporter isoform 1 (NKCC1) and reverse mode operation of the Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger (NCX) contribute to intracellular Na(+) and Ca(2+) overload in astrocytes following oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) and reoxygenation (REOX). Here, we further investigated whether NKCC1 and NCX play a role in mitochondrial Ca(2+) (Ca(m)(2+)) overload and dysfunction. OGD/REOX caused a doubling of mitochondrial-releasable Ca(2+) (P < 0.05). When NKCC1 was inhibited with bumetanide, the mitochondrial-releasable Ca(2+) was reduced by approximately 42% (P < 0.05). Genetic ablation of NKCC1 also reduced Ca(m)(2+) accumulation. Moreover, OGD/REOX in NKCC1(+/+) astrocytes caused dissipation of the mitochondrial membrane potential (Psi(m)) to 42 +/- 3% of controls. In contrast, when NKCC1 was inhibited with bumetanide, depolarization of Psi(m) was attenuated significantly (66 +/- 10% of controls, P < 0.05). Cells were also subjected to severe in vitro hypoxia by superfusion with a hypoxic, acidic, ion-shifted Ringer buffer (HAIR). HAIR/REOX triggered a secondary, sustained rise in intracellular Ca(2+) that was attenuated by reversal NCX inhibitor KB-R7943. The hypoxia-mediated increase in Ca(m)(2+) was accompanied by loss of Psi(m) and cytochrome c release in NKCC1(+/+) astrocytes. Bumetanide or genetic ablation of NKCC1 attenuated mitochondrial dysfunction and astrocyte death following ischemia. Our study suggests that NKCC1 acting in concert with NCX causes a perturbation of Ca(m)(2+) homeostasis and mitochondrial dysfunction and cell death following in vitro ischemia.
Chunk decomposition is the decomposing of familiar patterns into their component elements so that they can be regrouped in another meaningful manner. Such a regrouping is sometimes critically required in problem solving because during initial encoding the problem elements become automatically grouped into familiar chunks and this may prohibit finding a novel or efficient solution to problems [G. Knoblich, S. Ohlsson, H. Haider, D. Rhenius, Constraint relaxation and chunk decomposition in insight problem solving, J. Exp. Psychol. Learn. Mem. Cogn. 25 (1999) 1534-1556]. In order to elucidate the brain mechanisms underlying the process of chunk decomposition, we developed a task that uses Chinese character as materials. Chinese characters are ideal examples of perceptual chunks. They are composed of radicals, which in turn, are composed of strokes. Because radicals are meaningful chunks themselves but strokes are not meaningful in isolation, it is much easier to separate a character by its radicals than to separate a character by its strokes. By comparing the stroke-level decomposition and the radical-level decomposition, we observed activities in occipital, frontal, and parietal lobes. Most importantly, during the moment of chunk decomposition, we found the early visual cortex showed a tendency of negative activation whereas the higher visual cortex showed a tendency of positive activation. This suggests that in order to successfully decompose a chunk, the higher visual areas must at least partly be 'disconnected' from the input provided by early visual processing in order to allow simple features to be rearranged into a different perceptual chunk. We conclude that early perceptual processes can crucially affect thinking and problem solving.
Camptothecin (CPT) was conjugated to the N-terminal of a somatostatin analog (SSA) directly via a carbamate group and a basic N-terminal linking motif, D-Lys-D-Tyr-Lys-D-Tyr-D-Lys. This new CPT-SSA conjugate termed JF-10-81 was evaluated as a receptor-specific delivery system for its anti-invasive and anti-angiogenic activities. It was found that, in addition to blocking migration and invasion of highly invasive prostate cancer PC-3 cells, this conjugate also inhibited in vitro capillary-like tube formation of endothelial cells and in vivo angiogenesis in C57B1/6N female mice. JF-10-81 was found to block PC-3 cell attachment to various extracellular matrix components, mainly to vitronectin, the ligand of cell surface receptors integrin alphaVbeta3 and alphaVbeta5. Additionally, JF-10-81 reduced expression of integrins alphaVbeta3 and alphaVbeta5 on PC-3 cell surfaces, without effects on beta1 or any alphabeta1 heterodimers. This conjugate also inactivated phosphorylation of protein kinase B (PKB/Akt), down-regulated the expression of latent matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) -2 and MMP-9, but had little effect on MMP-3/-10. Meanwhile, membrane type-1 matrix metalloproteinase (MT1-MMP) and the tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) were not detectable in PC-3 cells. alphaVbeta3/alphaVbeta5 and MMP-2/-9 are known to be highly expressed in many tumor cells and play an important role in tumor progression. Our results support that this conjugate could possibly inhibit prostate cancer PC-3 cell invasion through a signaling pathway involving PI3K/Akt, alphaVbeta3/alphaVbeta5 and MMP-2/-9, and this SSA could be used as an efficient vector to deliver CPT or other cytotoxic agents to target sites for cancer therapy.
Calcineurin is a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein phosphatase expressed at high levels in brain. The immunosuppressive drugs cyclosporin A and FK506, but not rapamycin are specific inhibitors of calcineurin, the inhibitory effects of which have been elucidated in the immune system. Here by using these compounds as inhibitors, we assayed the enzyme in mouse brain after injection of 12.5 nmol cyclosporin A, FK506, or rapamycin into the left lateral ventricle of mouse brain. Data from calcineurin activity assay suggest that infusion of cyclosporin A or FK506, rather than rapamycin inhibited calcineurin activity in brain and in a substrate noncompetitive manner, which is revealed by the in vitro enzyme kinetic analysis. Cyclosporin A or FK506 injected into brains also affected the inhibitory effects of cyclosporin A or FK506 added to brain extracts on calcineurin activity. The results may be ascribed to the decreased free immunophilin in brain after infusion of corresponding immunosuppressant, or the fact that two immunophilin-immunosuppressant complexes have not completely identical interaction sites on calcineurin.
Calcineurin is a Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent phosphatase that dephosphorylates numerous substrates in different neuronal compartments. Genetic and pharmacological studies have provided insight into its involvement in the brain. Cyclosporin A (CsA) is used as a specific calcineurin inhibitor in many pharmacological experiments. However, the calcineurin activity of CsA-treated brain has not been reported. To examine the relationship between calcineurin activity and brain function, we injected CsA into the left lateral ventricle of the mouse brain and assayed calcineurin activity. CsA reduced calcineurin activity in a dose-dependent manner, without affecting the amount of calcineurin protein. Assays of the effect of protein phosphatase inhibitors on CsA-injected mouse brain extracts and kinetic analysis revealed that CsA inhibited calcineurin activity in a non-competitive manner in vivo, in agreement with in vitro results. Injection of CsA led to enhanced phosphorylation of tau at Ser-262 (12E8 site), Ser-198, Ser-199, and/or Ser-202 (Tau-1 site) and Ser-396 and/or Ser-404 (PHF-1 site), as well as to impaired spatial memory, which are two characteristic features of Alzheimer's disease. We propose that inhibition of calcineurin may play an important role in Alzheimer's disease.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether simian virus 40 (SV40) was related to patients of malignant mesothelioma in China. METHODS: Paraffin-embeded samples of 17 patients with malignant mesothelioma were collected. After isolation of DNA from paraffin blocks, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analyses were performed using three different sets of primer for detection of SV40 large T antigen gene. These samples were also immunohistochemically evaluated for expression of SV40 TAg protein with two different anti-SV40 Tag (Pab101 and Ab-2). RESULTS: Only one of the three primer pairs successfully amplified SV40 genome in three malignant mesothelioma samples. No immunopositive staining for SV40 TAg was found in any of the samples. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that malignant mesothelioma in China may be independent of SV40 infection.
Na+/H+ exchanger isoform 1 (NHE1) is a major acid extrusion mechanism after intracellular acidosis. We hypothesized that stimulation of NHE1 after cerebral ischemia contributes to the disruption of Na+ homeostasis and neuronal death. In the present study, expression of NHE1 was detected in cultured mouse cortical neurons. Three hours of oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD) followed by 21 h of reoxygenation (REOX) led to 68 +/- 10% cell death. Inhibition of NHE1 with the potent inhibitor cariporide (HOE 642) or genetic ablation of NHE1 reduced OGD-induced cell death by approximately 40-50% (p < 0.05). In NHE1(+/+) neurons, OGD caused a twofold increase in [Na+]i, and 60 min REOX triggered a sevenfold increase. Genetic ablation of NHE1 or HOE 642 treatment had no effects on the OGD-mediated initial Na+(i) rise but reduced the second phase of Na+(i) rise by approximately 40-50%. In addition, 60 min REOX evoked a 1.5-fold increase in [Ca2+]i in NHE1(+/+) neurons, which was abolished by inhibition of either NHE1 or reverse-mode operation of Na+/Ca2+ exchange. OGD/REOX-mediated mitochondrial Ca2+ accumulation and cytochrome c release were attenuated by inhibition of NHE1 activity. In an in vivo focal ischemic model, 2 h of left middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by 24 h of reperfusion induced 84.8 +/- 8.0 mm3 infarction in NHE1(+/+) mice. NHE1(+/+) mice treated with HOE 642 or NHE1 heterozygous mice exhibited a approximately 33% decrease in infarct size (p < 0.05). These results imply that NHE1 activity disrupts Na+ and Ca2+ homeostasis and contributes to ischemic neuronal damage.
We used partial DNA sequences of cytochrome b and 16S mitochondrial genes to determine the phylogenetic placement of salangid fishes and the generic relationships within the salangids. Our molecular data strongly support the monophyly of salangid fishes, the inclusion of salangids in the Osmeridae, and the sister group relationship between salangids and osmerids. Our analyses suggest that Plecoglossus can be separated from all the other salangids and osmerids. Mallotus and Hypomesus are clustered within Osmerinae, rather than allied with Salanginae. As regards the relationships within the salangids, our analyses are incongruent with all previous classification hypotheses. Our phylogenetic analyses support the sister group relationships between Protosalanx and Neosalanx, and between Salanx and Hemisalanx. More evidences show that Leucosoma is more closely related to the Salanx-Hemisalanx clade, while Salangichthys forms part of an unresolved basal polytomy.
To examine the hypothesis that the hippocampus is necessary to overcome temporal or spatial "discontiguity" (Wallenstein et al., Trends Neurosci 1998; 21:317-323), subjects were imaged by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) when they were making judgments as to whether two words were semantically related. Two words were presented, either at the same time (the Simultaneous Presentation Condition) or one after the other with a short unfilled rest period (the Delayed Presentation Condition). The latter condition, relative to the former, was proposed to involve the process of "discontiguity association." Event-related fMRI results of eight subjects showed that, relative to the binding of simultaneously presented words, the binding of delay presented words was associated with left hippocampus activity. This result provided direct neuroimaging evidence for the role of the hippocampus in "discontiguity association."
We previously demonstrated that pharmacological inhibition of Na(+)-K(+)-Cl- cotransporter isoform 1 (NKCC1) is neuroprotective in in vivo and in vitro ischemic models. In this study, we investigated whether genetic ablation of NKCC1 provides neuroprotection after ischemia. Focal ischemia was induced by 2 hours occlusion of the left middle cerebral artery (MCAO) followed by 10 or 24 hours reperfusion. Two hours MCAO and ten or twenty-four hours reperfusion caused infarction (approximately 85 mm3) in NKCC1 wild-type (NKCC1(+/+)) mice. Infarction volume in NKCC1(-/-) mice was reduced by approximately 30% to 46%. Heterozygous mutant (NKCC1(+/-)) mice showed approximately 28% reduction in infarction (P>0.05). Two hours MCAO and twenty-four hours reperfusion led to a significant increase in brain edema in NKCC1(+/+) mice. In contrast, NKCC1(+/-) and NKCC1(-/-) mice exhibited approximately 50% less edema (P<0.05). Moreover, white matter damage was assessed by immunostaining of amyloid precursor protein (APP). An increase in APP was detected in NKCC1(+/+) mice after 2 hours MCAO and 10 hours reperfusion. However, NKCC1(-/-) mice exhibited significantly less APP accumulation (P<0.05). Oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) induced approximately 67% cell death and a fourfold increase in Na+ accumulation in cultured NKCC1(+/+) cortical neurons. OGD-mediated cell death and Na+ influx were significantly reduced in NKCC1(-/-) neurons (P<0.05). In addition, inhibition of NKCC1 by bumetanide resulted in similar protection in NKCC1(+/+) neurons and astrocytes (P<0.05). These results imply that stimulation of NKCC1 activity is important in ischemic neuronal damage.
OBJECTIVE: On the basis that pinacidil can produce an "all or none" repolarization in right ventricular wall of canine, to observe the effects of quinidine on the marked transmural dispersion of repolarization. Recent studies have shown that ventricular myocardium is composed of at least 3 electrophysiological distinct cell types: epicardial, endocardial, and midcardial cells. Differences in the response of the 3 cell types to pharmacologic agents and/or pathophysiological states often result in amplification of intrinsic electrical heterogeneities, thus providing a substrate as well as a trigger for the development of arrhythmias. The study was designed to observe the right ventricular transmural heterogeneity in vitro canine heart tissue preparation level. METHODS: The strips were isolated from the anterior wall of the right ventricular of canine. The preparations perfused with oxygenated (95%O(2)/5%CO(2)) Tyrode's solution. The tissues were stimulated at basic cycle lengths of 1000 ms. Standard microelectrode techniques were used. Transmembrane action potentials were recorded from epicardial, midcardial and endocardial cells respectively from right ventricular free wall of canine on different conditions [perusing with Tyrode's solution (Control), pinacidil (2.5 micromol/L), and quinidine (5 micromol/L) in turn]. RESULTS: Compared with that of endocardial cells, the action potentials of canine ventricular epicardial and midcardial cells had more obvious spike and dome morphology. Pinacidil (2.5 micromol/L) caused a loss of the dome of transmembrane action potentials and a marked abbreviation of the action potential duration (APD) in right ventricular epicardial and midcardial cells, especially in epicardial cells, but not in endocardial cells (n = 10). With pinacidil (2.5 micromol/L), in epicardial cells, phase 2 amplitude of action potentials decreased from (117.7 +/- 9.3) mV to (71.3 +/- 6.4) mV (P < 0.01), and 90% of the APD(90) decreased from (198.2 +/- 20.8) ms to (103.9 +/- 13.5) ms (P < 0.01). The transmural dispersion of action potential duration increased from (48.5 +/- 9.2) ms to (128.7 +/- 13.5) ms (P < 0.01). Quinidine (5 micromol/L) effectively prolonged the APD abbreviated by pinacidil, restored or partly restored the dome of transmembrane action potentials of epicardial and midcardial cells but not of endocardial cells (n = 10). In epicardial cells phase 2 amplitude increased from (71.3 +/- 6.4) mV to (106.6 +/- 7.7) mV (P < 0.01), and 90% of the APD(90) increased from (103.9 +/- 13.5) ms to (185.9 +/- 15.7) ms (P < 0.01). The transmural dispersion of action potential duration significantly decreased from (128.7 +/- 13.5) ms to (54.3 +/- 10.8) ms (P < 0.01). Quinidine reduced pinacidil-induced transmural dispersion of phase 2 amplitude and the APD in right ventricular wall of canine. CONCLUSION: By restoring the dome and the APD of the epicardial and midcardial cells action potentials, quinidine (5 micromol/L) could reduce the marked transmural dispersion of repolarization caused by pinacidil.
An 'Aha! reaction' is a brief moment of exceptional thinking where an unexpected change in one's mental perspective reveals the solution to an otherwise intractable problem. In this event-related fMRI study, subjects read incomprehensible sentences followed by solution cues that were used to evoke such a reaction by triggering an alternative interpretation of the critical concepts. For 73% of the trials, subjects attributed their failure in the initial stage of sentence presentation to "having thought about it in another direction". This behavior implies that the breaking of mental impasse is a critical component of the Aha! reaction phenomenon. During the Aha! reaction we observed anterior cingulate and left lateral prefrontal cortical activation, which are two areas known to mediate cognitive conflict.
Insight problem solving has been the topic of much investigation. It is believed widely that insight critically contains the process of breaking one's mental set. Recent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) research on puzzle solving showed that insight was associated with activities in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and other areas (Luo and Niki [2003]: Hippocampus 13:274-281). We proposed ACC might mediate processes of breaking one's mental set, given its well-known role in cognitive conflict. In the present research, high-density event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded to examine the electrophysiologic correlates of insight problem solving. One hundred twenty interesting Chinese riddles (half difficult and half easy) were adopted as materials. For each trial, subjects were either given an easy puzzle followed by a keyword that was consistent with the subject's initial thinking ("No-aha answer"), or a difficult puzzle followed by a keyword that was consistent with an unusual interpretation, so that it broke the subject's initial mental set ("Aha answer"). Results from 14 subjects showed that Aha answers elicited a more negative ERP deflection than did No-aha answers in the time window from 250-500 msec after onset of the answer. The ERP difference wave (Aha minus No-aha answer) showed the maximum amplitude over the central site (Cz) with a peak latency of 380 msec (N380). Voltage and current density maps of the difference wave showed strong activity and current density in the frontocentral region. Dipole analysis localized the generator of the N380 in the ACC. N380 therefore probably reflects an "Aha!" effect, and the ACC generator may be involved in the breaking of mental set.
Oriental voles of the genus Eothenomys are predominantly distributed along the Southeastern shoulder of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Based on phylogenetic analyses of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (1143 bp) obtained from 23 specimens (eight species) of Oriental voles collected from this area, together with nucleotide sequences from six specimens (two species) of Japanese red-backed voles (Eothenomys andersoni and Eothenomys smithii) and five species of the closely related genus Clethrionomys, we revised the systematic status of Eothenomys. We also tested if vicariance could explain the observed high species diversity in this area by correlating estimated divergence times to species distribution patterns and corresponding paleo-geographic events. Our results suggest that: (1) the eight species of Oriental voles form a monophyletic group with two distinct clades, and that these two clades should be considered as valid subgenera--Eothenomys and Anteliomys; (2) Eothenomys eleusis and Eothenomys miletus are not independent species; (3) Japanese red-backed voles are more closely related to the genus Clethrionomys than to continental Asian Eothenomys taxa; and (4) the genus Clethrionomys, as presently defined, is paraphyletic. In addition, the process of speciation of Oriental voles appears to be related to the Trans-Himalayan formation via three recent uplift events of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau within the last 3.6 million years, as well as to the effects of the mid-Quaternary ice age.