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Biomedical subjects

K Lum

Publications and source records attributed to K Lum.

9 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Herbal medicine on the rise: the case of 'awa.

There has been increasing interest in 'awa on several levels (e.g., cultural, medicinal, economic). The present article explores the issues surrounding 'awa use, highlights existing literature, places the discussion in its proper indigenous context, and sheds light on the tensions fueled by culturally inappropriate practice. In concluding the article, recommendations within a native context are put forth in four domains: (a) education, (b) research, (c) analysis and implementation of legal protections, and (d) economic development.

Culture↗
PubMed1993

Amplification potential in preneoplastic and neoplastic Syrian hamster embryo fibroblasts transformed by various carcinogens.

Using a well-defined in vitro model system for neoplastic progression, we have examined two basic characteristics in the acquisition of amplification potential. Since Syrian hamster embryo fibroblasts can be transformed by a variety of methods (spontaneously, chemically, virally, or by transfection with oncogenes), we determined whether the method of transformation affects the capability of a cell to amplify. In addition, since variants can be isolated from cell populations as they progress toward tumorigenicity, we can monitor changes in amplification potential during this multistep process. We find that the capability to amplify is independent of the method of transformation and that the acquisition of this ability occurs in a defined step in the transformation process. In this model system, acquisition of amplification ability occurred concomitantly with the loss of tumor suppression function.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Genetics of mouse hepatitis virus transcription: identification of cistrons which may function in positive and negative strand RNA synthesis.

A panel of 26 temperature-sensitive mutants of MHV-A59 were selected by mutagenesis with either 5-fluorouracil or 5-azacytidine. Complementation analysis revealed the presence of one RNA+ and five RNA- complementation groups. None of the RNA- complementation groups transcribed detectable levels of positive- or negative-stranded RNA at the restrictive temperature. Temperature shift experiments after the onset of mRNA synthesis revealed at least two classes of RNA- mutants. RNA- complementation groups A, B, D, and E were blocked in the ability to release infectious virus and transcribe mRNA and genome, while group C mutants continued to release infectious virus and transcribe both mRNA and genome. Temperature shift experiments at different times postinfection suggest that the group C mutants encode a function required early in viral transcription which affects the overall rate of positive strand synthesis. Analysis of steady state levels of negative strand RNA after the shift indicate that the group C mutants were probably blocked in the ability to synthesize additional minus strand RNA under conditions in which the group E mutants continued low levels of minus strand synthesis. These data suggest that at least four cistrons may be required for positive strand synthesis while the group C cistron functions during minus strand synthesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Differences in the rates of gene amplification in nontumorigenic and tumorigenic cell lines as measured by Luria-Delbrück fluctuation analysis.

It has been hypothesized that genomic fluidity is an important component of tumorigenesis. Previous studies described the relationship between tumorigenicity and one marker for genomic fluidity, gene amplification. In this report, these studies are extended with the rat liver epithelial cell lines to show that: (i) the amplification in these cells arises in a spontaneous fashion in the population (i.e., the variants detected are not preexisting in the population), and (ii) the rate of spontaneous amplification (mutation), as measured by Luria-Delbrück fluctuation analysis, is significantly lower in the nontumorigenic cells than in the tumorigenic cells. The rate was estimated by using the Po method and the method of means. The rate of spontaneous amplification of the gene encoding the multifunctional protein CAD (containing the enzymatic activities carbamoyl-phosphate synthase, aspartate transcarbamylase, and dihydroorotase) in the highly tumorigenic cells was significantly greater than that for the nontumorigenic cells, reaching almost 1 x 10(-4) events per cell per generation. The rate of this mutagenic event is high compared to the rate of point mutations usually reported in mammalian cells, and its potential contribution to the tumorigenic process will be discussed.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Female gene expression in the seminal vesicle of mice after prenatal exposure to diethylstilbestrol.

Previous studies from our laboratory on the feminization of the male mouse reproductive tract after prenatal exposure to diethylstilbestrol (DES) showed that the mRNA for the major estrogen-inducible uterine secretory protein, lactoferrin (LF), was constitutively expressed in the seminal vesicle of male mice exposed prenatally to DES, but not in the seminal vesicle of control mice. After castration, treatment with 17 beta-estradiol (20 micrograms/kg.day) for 3 days induced the LF mRNA in the seminal vesicle of both control and prenatally DES-exposed mice; however, the levels in DES-treated tissues were approximately 6-fold higher than those in control tissue. This report describes the presence of LF in seminal vesicle tissues and secretions of prenatally DES-exposed mice, as determined by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. Further, these data are correlated with immunolocalization of the estrogen receptor in the seminal vesicle tissue. We conclude that the seminal vesicle of prenatally DES-exposed male mice has acquired two key characteristics of female tissues, namely LF production/regulation and estrogen receptor localization/distribution similar to that in uterine tissues.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Detection of inapparent nodule-transformed cells in the mammary gland tissues of virgin female BALB/cfC3H mice.

Inapparent nodule-transformed cells were recovered from morphologically normal mammary tissue from virgin female BALB/cfC3H/Crgl (mouse mammary tumor-positive) mice before the appearance of hyperplastic alveolar nodules (HAN) or tumors, by means of the cell dissociation technique. Mammary tissues were dissociated by means of collagenase (0.1%), hyaluronidase (0.1%), and pronase (1.25%). Aliquots of 10(5) viable cells in 0.01 ml medium were injected into the gland-free mammary fat pads of 3-week-old female syngeneic mice. After 10 weeks the outgrowths were examined and classified as ductal, HAN, tumor, or combinations of these types. The presence of HAN outgrowths indicated the presence of nodule-transformed cells in the donor mammary tissues. Nodule-transformed cells were recovered from 2-month-old donors, and the number of HAN outgrowths increased with donor age. Overt HAN and tumors did not appear in virgin female BALB/cfC3H/Crgl mice younger than 8 to 9 months of age. The data suggest that inapparent nodule-transformed cells occurred long before the appearance of HAN of tumors and that the numbers of transformed cells increased with donor age.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1978

Effect of parity on recovery of inapparent nodule-transformed mammary gland cells in vivo.

Inapparent nodule-transformed cells were recovered from five late-pregnant, first-pregnancy BALB/cfC3H females 4 months of age and from five late-pregnant multiparous females 6 to 7 months of age. Mammary tissues were removed from each donor and dissociated by means of the enzyme collagenase (0.1%), hyaluronidase (0.1%), and pronase (1.25%). Aliquots of 100,000 viable cells in 0.01 ml of media were injected into the gland-free mammary fat pads of 3-week-old syngeneic host mice. Ten weeks after the injection the outgrowths were classified as ductal, nodule, tumor, or combinations of these types of outgrowths. The recovery of nodule outgrowths indicated the presence of nodule-transformed cells in the cell suspension that was injected. All donors yielded nodule outgrowths, and the percentage of outgrowths was significantly greater than was the percentage recovered from virgin BALB/cfC3H females of the same age groups. The latent period for the emergence of nodules and tumors was reduced from 8 to 9 months in virgin females to 4 months in parous females. The incidence of both nodules and tumors was greatly increased. The data suggest that parity significantly increases the numbers of nodule-transformed cells in donor tissue, decreases the time required for the emergence of nodules and tumors, and increases the number of overt nodules and tumors.

Age Factors↗