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John Chen

Publications and source records attributed to John Chen.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2024

Quorum-sensing agr system of Staphylococcus aureus primes gene expression for protection from lethal oxidative stress.

The agr quorum-sensing system links Staphylococcus aureus metabolism to virulence, in part by increasing bacterial survival during exposure to lethal concentrations of H2O2, a crucial host defense against S. aureus. We now report that protection by agr surprisingly extends beyond post-exponential growth to the exit from stationary phase when the agr system is no longer turned on. Thus, agr can be considered a constitutive protective factor. Deletion of agr resulted in decreased ATP levels and growth, despite increased rates of respiration or fermentation at appropriate oxygen tensions, suggesting that Δagr cells undergo a shift towards a hyperactive metabolic state in response to diminished metabolic efficiency. As expected from increased respiratory gene expression, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulated more in the agr mutant than in wild-type cells, thereby explaining elevated susceptibility of Δagr strains to lethal H2O2 doses. Increased survival of wild-type agr cells during H2O2 exposure required sodA, which detoxifies superoxide. Additionally, pretreatment of S. aureus with respiration-reducing menadione protected Δagr cells from killing by H2O2. Thus, genetic deletion and pharmacologic experiments indicate that agr helps control endogenous ROS, thereby providing resilience against exogenous ROS. The long-lived 'memory' of agr-mediated protection, which is uncoupled from agr activation kinetics, increased hematogenous dissemination to certain tissues during sepsis in ROS-producing, wild-type mice but not ROS-deficient (Cybb-/-) mice. These results demonstrate the importance of protection that anticipates impending ROS-mediated immune attack. The ubiquity of quorum sensing suggests that it protects many bacterial species from oxidative damage.

Staphylococcus aureus↗
PubMed2024

Quorum-sensing agr system of Staphylococcus aureus primes gene expression for protection from lethal oxidative stress.

The agr quorum-sensing system links Staphylococcus aureus metabolism to virulence, in part by increasing bacterial survival during exposure to lethal concentrations of H2O2, a crucial host defense against S. aureus. We now report that protection by agr surprisingly extends beyond post-exponential growth to the exit from stationary phase when the agr system is no longer turned on. Thus, agr can be considered a constitutive protective factor. Deletion of agr increased both respiration and fermentation but decreased ATP levels and growth, suggesting that Δagr cells assume a hyperactive metabolic state in response to reduced metabolic efficiency. As expected from increased respiratory gene expression, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulated more in the agr mutant than in wild-type cells, thereby explaining elevated susceptibility of Δagr strains to lethal H2O2 doses. Increased survival of wild-type agr cells during H2O2 exposure required sodA, which detoxifies superoxide. Additionally, pretreatment of S. aureus with respiration-reducing menadione protected Δagr cells from killing by H2O2. Thus, genetic deletion and pharmacologic experiments indicate that agr helps control endogenous ROS, thereby providing resilience against exogenous ROS. The long-lived "memory" of agr-mediated protection, which is uncoupled from agr activation kinetics, increased hematogenous dissemination to certain tissues during sepsis in ROS-producing, wild-type mice but not ROS-deficient (Nox2-/-) mice. These results demonstrate the importance of protection that anticipates impending ROS-mediated immune attack. The ubiquity of quorum sensing suggests that it protects many bacterial species from oxidative damage.

Staphylococcus aureus↗
PubMed2006

Impact of donor age and year of transplantation on graft and patient survival following liver transplantation for hepatitis C virus.

BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has become the most common indication for liver transplantation (LT). Graft and patient survival are adversely affected by recurrent infection of the graft. Recent publications have described an inferior outcome for recently transplanted HCV patients and have highlighted the impact of advancing donor age on severity of recurrent HCV. The donor age at which a measurable impact on graft and patient outcome can be observed has not clearly been defined. In addition, the impact of donor age on graft and patient survival for non-HCV patients needs to be examined. METHODS: We have examined a large European liver transplant database to define the impact of transplantation date and donor age on graft and patient survival for HCV patients (n = 4,736) and the impact for a comparison group of transplanted alcoholic liver disease patients (ALD, n = 5,406). RESULTS: For the entire cohorts, graft and patient survival of HCV patients was inferior to ALD patients. Since 1987, there has been a steady and ongoing improvement in the outcome of transplanted ALD patients, an improvement not observed for HCV patients. Every year since 1989, there has been an increase in liver donor age. Graft and patient survival for both ALD and HCV cohorts was adversely affected by advancing donor age. Comparison of graft and patient survival for HCV and ALD cohorts was made according to donor age (donor age subgrouped <20, 20-30, 30-40, 40-50, 50-60 and >60 years of age). For donors younger than 40 years of age, HCV and ALD recipient graft and patient survival are not significantly different. For donors older than 40, HCV recipient graft survival is inferior to ALD graft survival, an inferiority that increases for each advancing decade of donor age. For donors older than 50 years, HCV recipient patient survival is inferior to ALD patient survival, an inferiority that increases when the donor age is greater than 60 years. CONCLUSION: The results of liver transplantation for European HCV patients is inferior to a comparison group of ALD patients, and have not improved during the past 15 years. Liver donor age has increased significantly during that period. Advancing donor age has an adverse influence on graft and patient survival for ALD and HCV patients, but a significantly greater impact is observed for HCV patients when the donor is older than 40 years.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

Death from psoriasis: representative US data.

OBJECTIVES: Psoriasis can be associated with severe, life-threatening exacerbations. We sought to approximate the mortality associated with hospitalizations for psoriasis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We analyzed data from two sources to estimate a death rate associated with psoriasis. RESULTS: There were 471 hospital admissions for psoriasis from 1988 to 2001 with a corresponding mortality rate of 1.5%. Documented on nationwide death certificates, there were a total of 29, 33, and 25 deaths attributable to psoriasis in 2001, 2000, and 1999, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Though effective therapies for severe psoriasis are available, access to them is not guaranteed. It is disturbing to think that the deaths observed here could, at least in part, be prevented with the appropriate use of treatments.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Interpretation of dermatopathology specimens is within the standard of care of dermatology practice.

BACKGROUND: Laws have been passed in New York, California, New Jersey, Nevada, Louisiana, and Rhode Island and were recently tabled in South Carolina to prohibit providers from billing for pathology services provided by other physicians. The Ohio proposal included language stating that only board-certified pathologists be able to directly bill for anatomic pathology services. Dermatologists, however, have extensive training in dermatopathology and frequently bill anatomic pathology codes. OBJECTIVE: To determine if interpretation of cutaneous pathology falls within the standard of care of dermatology practice. DESIGN: We used Medicare part A and B claims data from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey, 1992 to 2000. We identified surgical pathology claims by Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code 88305 and those related to skin disease by the associated International Classification of Disease, 9th Revision (ICD-9), code. Weights were applied to obtain nationally representative estimates. The number of physicians in each specialty was obtained from American Medical Association estimates. RESULTS: Pathologists, independent laboratories and group practices, and dermatologists submitted 59%, 26%, and 13% of total claims, respectively. For skin-related diagnoses, pathologists, dermatologists, and independent laboratories and group practices performed 34.5%, 31.2%, and 32.8% of cases, respectively. Assuming that independent laboratory and group practice claims were performed entirely by pathologists, dermatologists and pathologists submitted 1,047 and 1,154 cases/physician, respectively. CONCLUSION: Dermatologists have extensive training in dermatopathology and interpret a large proportion of cutaneous specimens. Interpretation of anatomic pathology, in particular, skin and subcutaneous pathology specimens, falls within the scope of dermatology practice.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Legionella effectors that promote nonlytic release from protozoa.

Legionella pneumophila, the bacterial agent of legionnaires' disease, replicates intracellularly within a specialized vacuole of mammalian and protozoan host cells. Little is known about the specialized vacuole except that the Icm/Dot type IV secretion system is essential for its formation and maintenance. The Legionella genome database contains two open reading frames encoding polypeptides (LepA and LepB) with predicted coiled-coil regions and weak homology to SNAREs; these are delivered to host cells by an Icm/Dot-dependent mechanism. Analysis of mutant strains suggests that the Lep proteins may enable the Legionella to commandeer a protozoan exocytic pathway for dissemination of the pathogen.

Acanthamoeba↗
PubMed2004

A population pharmacokinetic-metabolism model for individualizing ciprofloxacin therapy in ophthalmology.

The purpose of this study was to construct a population pharmacokinetic (PK) metabolism (MB) model to describe ciprofloxacin (C) concentrations in plasma and vitreous and aqueous humors in 26 patients. Ciprofloxacin was given as a 3-day oral prophylactic treatment to 26 patients before vitrectomy. Plasma, vitreous, and aqueous humor samples were collected from patients at different times on the day of surgery. Patients were phenotyped for CYP 1A2 activity using caffeine. Ciprofloxacin and caffeine concentrations were determined using validated HPLC assays. All concentrations of ciprofloxacin were simultaneously modeled using a four-compartment PK-MB model. Creatinine clearance and CYP 1A2 activity were modeled as surrogate markers of renal and hepatic clearances, respectively. Population PK was performed with IT2S, and simulations were performed with ADAPT-II. No eye infections were observed in any of the patients enrolled in the study, and there were only minimal effects on vitreous and aqueous concentrations after ocular drops were added to the oral treatments. The model that best described the concentrations of ciprofloxacin in serum and in aqueous and vitreous humor was a four-compartment PK linear model. Simulated AUCs of ciprofloxacin mean concentrations in the aqueous and vitreous humors were 17 +/- 9 and 10 +/- 8% of the systemic AUC, respectively. The terminal elimination half-life of the compound was (mean +/- SD) 5.0 +/- 2.8 hours. The apparent volume of distribution (Vss/F) was calculated to be 122.1 +/- 39.7 L. This PK-MB model may be very useful in optimizing treatments of various eye infections with ciprofloxacin. The results of this study suggest that giving ciprofloxacin orally for 2 days preceding surgery may prevent endophthalmitis from occurring, consequently abrogating the need for administering antibiotics via intraocular injections.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2004

robo2 and robo3 interact with eagle to regulate serotonergic neuron differentiation.

The function of the central nervous system (CNS) depends crucially upon the correct differentiation of neurons and formation of axonal connections. Some aspects of neuronal differentiation are known to occur as axonal connections are forming. Although serotonin is a highly conserved neurotransmitter that is important for many CNS functions, little is known about the process of serotonergic neuron differentiation. We show that in Drosophila, expression of the serotonin transporter (SerT) is both temporally and physically related to midline crossing. Additionally, we show that the axon guidance molecules roundabout2 and roundabout3 (robo2/3) are necessary for serotonergic neuron differentiation and function independently of their ligand, slit. Loss of robo2 or robo3 causes a loss of SerT expression in about half of neurons, and resembles the phenotype seen in mutants for the transcription factor eagle (eg). Finally, we show a direct relationship between robo2/3 and eg: robo2/3 mutants lose Eg expression in serotonergic neurons, and robo2 and eg interact genetically to regulate SerT expression. We propose that post-midline expression of Robo2/3 is part of a signal that regulates serotonergic neuron differentiation and is transduced by the transcription factor Eg.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Biological alchemy: engineering bone and fat from fat-derived stem cells.

Adipose tissue contains a population of pluripotent stem cells capable of differentiating along multiple mesenchymal cell lineages. In this study the authors isolated these fat-derived stem cells successfully from Lewis rats and induced differentiation along adipogenic and osteogenic lineages in vitro and in vivo. Induction was stimulated by exposing stem cells to lineage-specific induction factors. Adipocyte-inducing media contained dexamethasone, insulin, and isobutyl-methylxanthine. Osteoblast inducing media contained dexamethasone, beta-glycerophosphate, and ascorbic acid. Undifferentiated stem cells were maintained in minimal essential media alpha and fetal bovine serum. At 10 days, cells cultured in adipogenic media differentiated into adipocytes in vitro, as evidenced by positive Oil red O staining of lipid vacuoles. At 21 days, cells cultured in osteogenic media differentiated into osteoblasts in vitro as demonstrated by Alizarin red staining of a calcified extracellular matrix and immunohistochemical staining for osteocalcin. Differentiated cells were seeded at a density of 5 x 106 cells onto 15 x 15-mm polyglycolic acid grafts and implanted subcutaneously into three groups of Lewis rats: Group I contained undifferentiated stem cell grafts, group II contained adipocyte grafts, and group III contained osteoblast grafts. At weeks 4 and 8, in vivo fat formation was demonstrated in group II rats, as confirmed by Oil red O staining. At 8 weeks, group III rats demonstrated in vivo bone formation, as confirmed by the presence of osteocalcin on immunohistochemistry and the characteristic morphology of bone on hematoxylin-eosin staining. Group I rats demonstrated no in vivo bone or fat formation at either time interval. These results demonstrate the ability to isolate pluripotent stem cells from adipose tissue, to induce their differentiation into osteoblasts and adipocytes in vitro, and to form bone and fat subsequently in vivo. This is the first published report of in vivo bone formation from fat-derived stem cells. These cells may eventually serve as a readily available source of autologous stem cells for the engineering of bone and fat.

Adipocytes↗
PubMed2002

Economic benefits of amlodipine treatment in patients with coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the potential savings in overall cardiovascular disease (CVD) treatment costs for the US population with coronary artery disease (CAD) resulting from the use of amlodipine. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Using patient-level data from a retrospective analysis of the Prospective Evaluation of the Vascular Effects of Norvasc Trial (PREVENT), a randomised, placebo-controlled clinical trial (n = 825), we constructed a Markov cohort simulation model to estimate the health economic outcomes of patients with CAD treated with either amlodipine or placebo. PERSPECTIVE: Healthcare payer perspective. RESULTS: The expected number of CVD events for amlodipine recipients was significantly lower than the number of CVD events in the placebo cohort (p < 0.01). The net present value of the cost per patient for CVD treatment was estimated to be $US14 117 for amlodipine recipients and $US16 683 (1999 values, assuming a 3% discount rate) for placebo recipients over 3 years of follow-up with cost savings realised in the amlodipine cohorts after 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: According to the model, amlodipine results in an expected per patient cost savings of $US2566 over a 3-year period, mainly due to a reduction in hospitalisations for cardiovascular-related events and procedures.

Amlodipine↗
PubMed1998

Stepwise Cluster Assembly Using VO(2)(acac) as a Precursor: cis-[VO(OCH(CH(3))(2))(acac)(2)], [V(2)O(2)(&mgr;-OCH(3))(2)(acac)(2)(OCH(3))(2)], [V(3)O(3){&mgr;,&mgr;-(OCH(2))(3)CCH(3)}(2)(acac)(2)(OC(2)H(5))], and [V(4)O(4)(&mgr;-O)(2)(&mgr;-OCH(3))(2)(&mgr;(3)-OCH(3))(2)(acac)(2)(OCH(3))(2)].2CH(3)CN(1).

The studies of an underexplored synthetic reagent, VO(2)(acac) (Hacac = acetylacetone) and semirational strategies for the formation of a complete series of simple vanadium(V) alkoxide clusters in alcohol-containing solvents. The neutral mono-, di-, tri-, and tetranuclear oxovanadium(V) complexes [V(2)O(2)(&mgr;-OCH(3))(2)(acac)(2)(OCH(3))(2)] (1), [V(4)O(4)(&mgr;-O)(2)(&mgr;-OCH(3))(2)(&mgr;(3)-OCH(3))(2)(acac)(2)(OCH(3))(2)].2CH(3)CN (2), [V(4)O(4)(&mgr;-O)(2)(&mgr;-OCH(3))(2)(&mgr;(3)-OCH(3))(2)(acac)(2)(OCH(3))(2)] (3), [V(3)O(3){&mgr;,&mgr;-(OCH(2))(3)CCH(3)}(2)(acac)(2)(OR)] (R = CH(3) (4), C(2)H(5) (5)), and cis-[VO(OCH(CH(3))(2))(acac)(2)] (6) with alkoxide and acac(-) ligands were obtained by reaction of VO(2)(acac) with a monoalcohol and/or a tridentate alcohol. The structures of complexes 1-3, 5, and 6 were determined by X-ray diffraction methods. Complex 1 crystallized in the monoclinic system, P2(1)/n, with a = 7.8668(5) Å, b = 15.1037(9) Å, c = 8.5879(5) Å, beta = 106.150(1) degrees, V = 980.1(1) Å(3), Z = 2, and R (wR2) = 0.040 (0.121). Complex 2 crystallized in the monoclinic system, P2(1)/n, with a = 8.531(2) Å, b = 14.703(3) Å, c = 12.574(2) Å, beta = 95.95(2) degrees, V = 1568.7(5) Å(3), Z = 2, and R (wR2) = 0.052 (0.127). Complex 3 crystallized in the triclinic system, P&onemacr;, with a = 8.5100(8) Å, b = 8.9714(8) Å, c = 10.3708(10) Å, alpha = 110.761(1) degrees, beta = 103.104(1) degrees, gamma = 100.155(1) degrees, V = 691.85(11) Å(3), Z = 1, and R (wR2) = 0.040 (0.105). Complex 5 crystallized in the monoclinic system, P2(1)/n, with a = 14.019(2) Å, b = 11.171(2) Å, c = 19.447(3) Å, beta = 109.18(1) degrees, V = 2876.5(8) Å(3), Z = 4, and R (wR2) = 0.062 (0.157). Complex 6 crystallized in the monoclinic system, P2(1)/n, with a = 15.0023(8) Å, b = 8.1368(1) Å, c = 26.5598(2) Å, beta = 95.744(1) degrees, V = 3225.89(8) Å(3), Z = 8, and R (wR2) = 0.060 (0.154). Complex 1 is a discrete, centrosymmetric dimer in which two vanadium atoms are bridged by two methoxide ligands. Compound 2 contains a V(4)O(4) eight-membered ring with both &mgr;-oxo and &mgr;-alkoxo bridging ligands; the ring is capped above and below by two triply bridging methoxo ligands. Compound 3 has the same structure as 2. The three vanadium atoms in complex 5 are linked by four bridging oxygen atoms from two tridentate thme(3)(-) ligands to form a V(3)O(4) chain in which V-O bonds alternate in length. The V-O(isopropoxo) bond in 6 is cis to V=O, and the V-O(acac) bond trans to the oxo group is relatively long. The V(2)O(2) rings of complex 1 and the mononuclear 1:2 complex can be considered to be the basic building block of the trinuclear complexes 4 and 5 and the tetranuclear complex 2, acting to extend the vanadium-oxide framework. (51)V and (1)H NMR spectroscopic studies of the solution state of complexes 1-6 revealed dramatic differences in structural and hydrolytic stability of these complexes. Compounds 1 and 3 only remained intact at low temperature in CDCl(3) solution, whereas the mononuclear compound 6 could remain at ambient temperature for approximately 10 h. Compound 4 only maintained its solid-state structure at low temperature in CDCl(3) solution, whereas compound 5 was significantly more stable. The structural integrity of oligomeric vanadium-oxygen frameworks increased significantly when the coordinating alkoxide group showed more resistance to exchange reactions than the methoxide group. The solid state and solution properties of this new group of complexes not only testify to the versatility of VO(2)(acac) as a vanadium(V) precursor but also raise questions relating to solution structure and properties of related vanadium complexes with insulin-mimetic properties and catalytic properties.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1997

Syntheses, X-ray Structures, and Solution Properties of [V(4)O(4){(OCH(2))(3)CCH(3)}(3)(OC(2)H(5))(3)] and [V(4)O(4){(OCH(2))(3)CCH(3)}(2)(OCH(3))(6)]: Examples of New Ligand Coordination Modes.

Tetranuclear vanadium complexes with alkoxy ligands, [V(4)O(4){&mgr;,&mgr;,&mgr;(3)-(OCH(2))(3)CCH(3)}(2)(OCH(3))(6)] (1) and [V(4)O(4){&mgr;-(OCH(2))(3)CCH(3)}{&mgr;,&mgr;(3)-(OCH(2))(3)CCH(3)}{&mgr;,&mgr;,&mgr;(3)-(OCH(2))(3)CCH(3)}(OR)(3)] (R = C(2)H(5) (2), R = CH(CH(3))(2) (3), R = CH(3) (4)), were synthesized by reacting VO(OR)(3) and H(3)thme (H(3)thme = 1,1,1-tris(hydroxymethyl)ethane) in alcohol. Complex 1 crystallized in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n with a = 9.646(4) Å, b = 11.502(3) Å, c = 11.960(3) Å, beta = 90.20(3) degrees, V = 1326.9 (7) Å(3), Z = 2 and R (wR(2)) = 0.045 (0.143). Complex 2 also crystallized in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n with a = 8.290(8) Å, b = 12.237(2) Å, c = 29.118(4) Å, beta = 89.455(9) degrees, V = 2954(3) Å(3), Z = 4, and R(wR(2)) = 0.049 (0.126). Both 1 and 2 are neutral, discrete complexes possessing a common [V(4)O(16)](12)(-) core, which consists of four vanadium(V) atoms chelated by two (1) or three (2) tridentate thme(3)(-) ligands and by six (1) or three (2) RO(-) groups. Compound 1 exhibits a crystallographically required inversion center; in contrast, complex 2 exhibits no crystallographically imposed symmetry, and its three trialkoxy ligands each coordinate differently (one thme(3)(-) is coordinated in a new coordination mode with the oxygens in a terminal, doubly-bridging and triply-bridging mode). Both compounds 1 and 2 maintain their structures in solution, although compound 1 also forms a second minor species upon dissolution. Sequential exchanges of the RO(-) groups in complexes 2 and 3 were investigated by (51)V and (1)H NMR spectroscopy. For example, [V(4)O(4)(thme)(3)(OC(2)H(5))(3)] will react with CH(3)OH to generate [V(4)O(4)(thme)(3)(OCH(3))(3)] (4). These reactions were found to be reversible. The time scale of the alcohol exchange reactions were found to vary depending on the vanadium center that is undergoing the exchange.

Journal Article↗