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Biomedical subjects

L W Wu

Publications and source records attributed to L W Wu.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Distinct regulation of genes by bFGF and VEGF-A in endothelial cells.

A finely tuned balance of angiogenic inhibitors and inducers controls the activity of angiogenesis characterized by proliferation, migration and differentiation of endothelial cells. Among many angiogenic factors, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was first identified to be angiogenic whereas vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) is an endothelial cell specific mitogen. In addition to being a specific mitogen, VEGF-A is also known as a vascular permeability factor. The majority of growth factors transduce their mitogenic signals from cell surface to nucleus where gene expression occurs. Whether these ligands utilize a distinct or a common molecular pathway to exert their biological effects on human endothelial cells remains elusive. We thus studied the expression profile of 884 human genes under the influence of either bFGF or VEGF-A alone in the context of human endothelial cells. A total of ninety-four genes were differentially regulated by more than two folds. The expression patterns of 32 genes are similar between the treatment of either factor alone whereas those of the remaining 62 genes are only regulated by one but not the other factor. Their function in the control of angiogenesis will be discussed and apoptotic signaling in the regulation of angiogenesis is also implicated.

Blotting, Northern↗
PubMed2000

Tumor necrosis factor employs a protein-tyrosine phosphatase to inhibit activation of KDR and vascular endothelial cell growth factor-induced endothelial cell proliferation.

Vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF) binds to and promotes the activation of one of its receptors, KDR. Once activated, KDR induces the tyrosine phosphorylation of cytoplasmic signaling proteins that are important to endothelial cell proliferation. In human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibits the phosphorylation and activation of KDR. The ability of TNF to diminish VEGF-stimulated KDR activity was impaired by sodium orthovanadate, suggesting that the inhibitory activity of TNF was mediated by a protein-tyrosine phosphatase. KDR-initiated responses specifically associated with endothelial cell proliferation, mitogen-activated protein kinase activation and DNA synthesis, were also inhibited by TNF, and this was reversed by sodium orthovanadate. Stimulation of HUVECs with TNF induced association of the SHP-1 protein-tyrosine phosphatase with KDR, identifying this phosphatase as a candidate negative regulator of VEGF signal transduction. Heterologous receptor inactivation mediated by a protein-tyrosine phosphatase provides insight into how TNF may inhibit endothelial cell proliferative responses and modulate angiogenesis in pathological settings.

Cell Division↗
PubMed2000

VRAP is an adaptor protein that binds KDR, a receptor for vascular endothelial cell growth factor.

A protein that binds the intracellular domain of KDR (KDR-IC), a receptor for vascular endothelial cell growth factor (VEGF), was identified by two-hybrid screening. Two-hybrid mapping showed that the VEGF receptor-associated protein (VRAP) interacted with tyrosine 951 in the kinase insert domain of KDR. Northern blot analysis identified multiple VRAP transcripts in peripheral leukocytes, spleen, thymus, heart, lung, and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). The predominant VRAP mRNA encodes a 389-amino acid protein that contains an SH2 domain and a C-terminal proline-rich motif. In HUVEC, VEGF promotes association of VRAP with KDR. Phospholipase C gamma and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, effector proteins that are downstream of KDR and important to VEGF-induced endothelial cell survival and proliferative responses, associate constitutively with VRAP. These observations identify VRAP as an adaptor that recruits cytoplasmic signaling proteins to KDR, which plays an important role in normal and pathological angiogenesis.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed2000

Utilization of distinct signaling pathways by receptors for vascular endothelial cell growth factor and other mitogens in the induction of endothelial cell proliferation.

This study was initiated to identify signaling proteins used by the receptors for vascular endothelial cell growth factor KDR/Flk1, and Flt1. Two-hybrid cloning and immunoprecipitation from human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) showed that KDR binds to and promotes the tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase Cgamma (PLCgamma). Neither placental growth factor, which activates Flt1, epidermal growth factor (EGF), or fibroblast growth factor (FGF) induced tyrosine phosphorylation of PLCgamma, indicating that KDR is uniquely important to PLCgamma activation in HUVEC. By signaling through KDR, VEGF promoted the tyrosine phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase, induced activation of Akt, protein kinase Cepsilon (PKCepsilon), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and promoted thymidine incorporation into DNA. VEGF activates PLCgamma, PKCepsilon, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase independently of one another. MEK, PLCgamma, and to a lesser extent PKC, are in the pathway through which KDR activates MAPK. PLCgamma or PKC inhibitors did not affect FGF- or EGF-mediated MAPK activation. MAPK/ERK kinase inhibition diminished VEGF-, FGF-, and EGF-promoted thymidine incorporation into DNA. However, blockade of PKC diminished thymidine incorporation into DNA induced by VEGF but not FGF or EGF. Signaling through KDR/Flk1 activates signaling pathways not utilized by other mitogens to induce proliferation of HUVEC.

Cell Adhesion Molecules↗
PubMed2000

Rapid and reproducible deactivation of rhodopsin requires multiple phosphorylation sites.

Efficient single-photon detection by retinal rod photoreceptors requires timely and reproducible deactivation of rhodopsin. Like other G protein-coupled receptors, rhodopsin contains multiple sites for phosphorylation at its COOH-terminal domain. Transgenic and electrophysiological methods were used to functionally dissect the role of the multiple phosphorylation sites during deactivation of rhodopsin in intact mouse rods. Mutant rhodopsins bearing zero, one (S338), or two (S334/S338) phosphorylation sites generated single-photon responses with greatly prolonged, exponentially distributed durations. Responses from rods expressing mutant rhodopsins bearing more than two phosphorylation sites declined along smooth, reproducible time courses; the rate of recovery increased with increasing numbers of phosphorylation sites. We conclude that multiple phosphorylation of rhodopsin is necessary for rapid and reproducible deactivation.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

[Neurootologic study of acoustic neuroma].

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the outcome of neurootologic examination of acoustic neuroma and study of diagnostic significance of neurootologic examination on acoustic neuroma. METHOD: 13 patients were examined with pure tune test, acoustic immittance, electronystagmography, acoustic brainstem evoked response, electrocochleogram, otoacoustic emissions and facial electroneurography. RESULT: All patients had subjective hearing loss. One patient had normal pure tone audiogram, other 4 patients had normal pure tone test at the frequency < 2000 Hz. The outcome of acoustic immittance is various. 5 patients were normal in caloric test, but all were abnormal in visual-vestibular optokinetic response. ABR are positive in 90.9% of cases, but 2 patients had no response. 7 patients were abnormal in facial electroneurography, 3 (of 3) eletrocochleogram and 2 (of 2) otoacoustic emissions revealed retrocochlear pathology. CONCLUSION: Neurootologic examination played important role in filtering diagnosis of acoustic neuroma, results should be considered synthetically, acoustic neuroma should not be ruled out if any one test was negative.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

[Distribution of cholinergic efferent vestibular neurons].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect and distribution of cholinergic efferent vestibular neurons in normal wistar rat. METHOD: HPR retrograde tracer and Immunocytochemical techniques were used. RESULT: Results show that AchT immunoreactive neurons locate in dorsolateral and dorsomedial to genu of the facial. Few neurons scatter in the parvocellular nucleus. CONCLUSION: As a neural transmitter, acetylcholine distribute in efferent vestibular neurons and play an important role.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

The proteasome regulates caspase-dependent and caspase-independent protease cascades during apoptosis of MO7e hematopoietic progenitor cells.

Withdrawal of trophic support from growth factor-dependent MO7e human myeloid progenitor cells induces apoptosis characterized by DNA fragmentation and degradation of the catalytic subunit of DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PKcs). Inhibitors of caspase (ICE) protease family members did not inhibit apoptosis or DNA fragmentation induced by factor withdrawal, but blocked degradation of DNA-PKcs. Thus, caspase activity accounts for only a component of the apoptotic program in MO7e hematopoietic cells. The protease inhibitor TPCK, but not other protease inhibitors, blocked DNA fragmentation, but not degradation of DNA-PKcs during apoptosis of MO7e cells. Thus, caspase-independent and caspase-dependent protease cascades mediate distinct features of MO7e cell apoptosis. The proteasome inhibitors calpain inhibitor I and lactacystin promoted DNA fragmentation, degradation of DNA-PKcs and apoptosis of MO7e cells. The ability of lactacystin to promote DNA fragmentation was abrogated by TPCK, but not by caspase inhibitors, whereas the ability of lactacystin to promote degradation of DNA-PKcs was blocked by caspase inhibitors, but not by TPCK. Thus, caspase-dependent and caspase-independent protease cascades are downstream of and regulated by the proteasome, which plays a central role in regulating the multiple protease cascades that induce apoptosis.

Apoptosis↗
PubMed1997

Two-hybrid cloning of a gene encoding TNF receptor-associated protein 2, a protein that interacts with the intracellular domain of the type 1 TNF receptor: identity with subunit 2 of the 26S protease.

A protein that binds the intracellular domain of the type 1 TNFR (TNFR-1IC) has been identified by two-hybrid cloning. The 97-kDa TNFR-associated protein, TRAP2, shows sequence identity with internal amino acid sequences from subunit 2 of the 26S protease. TRAP2 antiserum recognizes subunit 2 of the 26S protease, which is consistent with the identity of these proteins. TRAP2 antiserum interacted with the 97-kDa protein in HeLa cell lysates and cytosol, the latter observation showing that TRAP2 resides in the same cellular compartment as TNFR-1IC. A fusion of glutathione-S-transferase and TNFR-1IC (GST-TNFR-1IC) precipitated TRAP2 from a HeLa cell lysate; conversely, GST-TRAP2 precipitated TNFR-1 from such a lysate. These observations show that the proteins interact in the cellular milieu. After in vitro transcription/translation and 35S labeling, TRAP2 was precipitated from a cellfree system by GST-TNFR-1IC, showing that TNFR-1IC and TRAP2 interact directly. TRAP2 was also precipitated from the cellfree translation system by a GST fusion containing the N-terminal half of TNFR-1IC, but not by a GST fusion containing the C-terminal half of TNFR-1IC that contains a "death domain" that plays an obligatory role in signaling cytotoxicity. The ability of deletion mutants of TNFR-1IC to interact with TRAP2 was tested using the two-hybrid system. This also showed that the amino acid sequences that mediate binding reside outside of the death domain in TNFR-1IC. The demonstration that a subunit of the 26S protease binds TNFR-1 may identify a novel TNF-signaling pathway.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Fluoride at mitogenic doses induces a sustained activation of p44mapk, but not p42mapk, in human TE85 osteosarcoma cells.

Fluoride, at micromolar concentrations, stimulates bone cell proliferation in vitro. In this study, we sought to test whether fluoride at mitogenic doses increases the tyrosyl phosphorylation level and specific activity of a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in human TE85 osteosarcoma cells. Analysis by immunoprecipitation with antiphosphotyrosine antibody followed by Western analysis using an anti-pan extracellular signal-regulated kinase antibody revealed that fluoride at the optimal mitogenic dose (i.e. 100 mumol/L) induced a time-dependent increase in the steady state tyrosyl phosphorylation level of p44mapk, but not p42mapk, with the maximal increase (4- to 13-fold) after 1-3 h fluoride treatment. The effect was sustained in that a 9-fold increase was seen after 12 h of the fluoride treatment. The sustained nature of the effect is consistent with an inhibition of dephosphorylation rather than a direct stimulation of phosphorylation. The fluoride effect on the tyrosyl phosphorylation level of p44mapk was dose dependent, with the optimal dose being 100 mumol/L fluoride. The mitogenic dose of fluoride also increased the specific activity and the in-gel kinase activity of p44mapk, but not that of p42mapk, in a time-dependent manner similar to the effect on the p44mapk tyrosyl phosphorylation level. Fluoride at the same micromolar doses did not increase cell proliferation, tyrosyl phosphorylation, or specific activity of any MAPK in human skin foreskin fibroblasts, which are fluoride-nonresponsive cells. Consistent with the interpretation that the effect of fluoride on the steady state tyrosyl phosphorylation level of p44mapk is a consequence of an inhibition of a phosphotyrosyl phosphatase (PTP), mitogenic doses of orthovanadate, a bone cell mitogen and a PTP inhibitor, also increased the steady state tyrosyl phosphorylation level of p44mapk, but not p42mapk, in a time-dependent sustained manner similar to that observed with fluoride. Together, these findings support the concept that inhibition of a PTP activity in bone cells could lead to an activation of MAPK activity.

Bone and Bones↗
PubMed1996

Inhibition of tumor necrosis factor signal transduction in endothelial cells by dimethylaminopurine.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) promotes diverse responses in endothelial cells that are important to the host response to infections and malignancies; however, less is known of the postreceptor events important to TNF action in endothelial cells than in many other cell types. Since phosphorylation cascades are implicated in cytokine signaling, the effects of the protein kinase inhibitor dimethylaminopurine (DMAP) on TNF action in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) were investigated. In BAEC, TNF promotes phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 4E (eIF-4E), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and ceramide-activated protein kinase activities, Jun-b expression, prostacyclin production, and, when protein synthesis is inhibited, cytotoxicity. DMAP abrogated or significantly attenuated each of these responses to TNF, without affecting the specific binding of TNF to its receptors. Histamine, another agent active in the endothelium, promotes phosphorylation of elongation factor-2 (EF-2) and prostacyclin production, but not phosphorylation of eIF-4E in BAEC. Histamine-stimulated EF-2 phosphorylation was not inhibited and prostacyclin production was unaffected by DMAP. These observations demonstrate that a distinct signal transduction cascade, which can be selectively inhibited by DMAP, promotes the response of BAEC to TNF. Thus, we have identified a reagent, DMAP, that may be useful for characterizing the TNF signal transduction pathway.

Adenine↗
PubMed1996

Molecular cloning and expression of a unique rabbit osteoclastic phosphotyrosyl phosphatase.

Tyrosyl phosphorylation plays an important regulatory role in osteoclast formation and activity. Phosphotyrosyl phosphatases (PTPs), in addition to tyrosyl kinases, are key determinants of intracellular tyrosyl phosphorylation levels. To identify the PTP that might play an important regulatory role in osteoclasts, we sought to clone an osteoclast-specific PTP. A putative full-length clone encoding a unique PTP (referred to as PTP-oc) was isolated from a 10-day-old rabbit osteoclastic cDNA library and sequenced. A single open reading frame predicts a protein with 405 amino acid residues containing a putative extracellular domain, a single transmembrane region, and an intracellular portion. PTP-oc is structurally unique in that, unlike most known transmembrane PTPs, it has a short extracellular region (eight residues), lacks a signal peptide proximal to the N-terminus, and contains only a single 'PTP catalytic domain'. The PTP catalytic domain shows 45-50% sequence identity with the catalytic domain of human HPTP beta and with the first catalytic domain of LCA. The PTP-oc gene exists as a single copy in the rabbit genome. The corresponding mRNA (3.8 kb) is expressed in osteoclasts but not in other bone-derived cells (e.g. osteoblasts and stromal cells). The 3.8 kb PTP-oc mRNA transcript was also expressed in the rabbit brain, kidney and spleen. However, the brain and kidney, but not osteoclasts or spleen, also expressed a larger transcript (6.5 kb). The PTP catalytic domain of PTP-oc was expressed as a GST-cPTP-oc fusion protein. In vitro phosphatase assays indicated that the purified fusion protein exhibited phosphatase activities at neutral pH values toward p-nitrophenyl phosphate, phosphotyrosyl Raytide, and phosphotyrosyl histone, whereas it had no appreciable activity toward phosphoseryl casein. In summary, we have: (a) cloned and sequenced the putative full-length cDNA of a unique PTP (PTP-oc) from rabbit osteoclasts; (b) shown that the mature 3.8 kb PTP-oc mRNA was expressed primarily in osteoclasts and the spleen; and (c) shown that the PTP-oc fusion protein exhibited a phosphotyrosine-specific phosphatase activity. In conclusion, PTP-oc represents a structurally unique subfamily of transmembrane PTPs.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Development of cellular resistance to pp60v-src kinase-induced cell death.

The v-src gene of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) encodes pp60v-src, a tyrosine kinase that can initiate cellular transformation. High levels of v-src gene expression can either be cytotoxic or the cause of altered expression of cellular genes. Examination of cytotoxic thresholds is difficult because cells expressing high levels of a cytotoxic oncogene will die. To evaluate quantitatively the cytotoxicity of pp60v-src on growth, we amplified two different v-src genes, under the control of the human hsp70B heat shock promoter to establish cell clones with varying copy numbers of the heat-inducible v-src gene. The viability of cell lines over a prolonged period of time depended on the particular src gene, the expression of v-src mRNA, synthesis of the pp60v-src protein and, most importantly, the tyrosine kinase activity of the pp60v-src protein. We found a relatively sharp threshold in v-src-encoded tyrosine kinase activity above which cell viability rapidly declines. However, over time, tyrosine kinase activity was exponentially suppressed at about a 10-fold higher rate than pp60v-src protein during passage. Our results indicate that homeostasis of tyrosine phosphorylation is important for cell viability, that perturbation of this balance results in cell mortality, and that cells can evolve to accommodate overexpression of oncogene by downregulating the level of tyrosine kinase activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

[An preliminary study on hepato-protective action of seed oil of Hippophae rhamnoides L. (HR) and mechanism of the action].

The seed oil of Hippophae rhamnoides markedly inhibits the rise of MDA in liver of mice and rats induced by CCl4, AAP and ethyl alcohol, decreases significantly the activity of SGPT and SGOT, and markedly checks the depletion of GSH in liver of mice induced by AAP. The microscopic and electron-microscopic examination has shown that the seed oil can lighten liver injury.

Acetaminophen↗
PubMed1989

Current knowledge regarding the genetics of human hypertension.

Observations over 11 years from the University of Utah Cardiovascular Genetics Research Clinic and published data from other studies are reviewed to illustrate research approaches, developing results and prospects for future studies. Strong associations with hypertension have been found for several biochemical tests that show substantial genetic determination. Suggestions of recessive major gene effects and significant polygenic background determinations have been found for several variables, including urinary kallikrein excretion, intracellular sodium concentration, sodium-lithium countertransport and sodium-potassium cotransport. Each of these variables is related in some way to sodium or potassium metabolism, or both, and may help to improve the understanding of a possibly inherited susceptibility to hypertension that is related to dietary electrolyte intake. A second major group of factors involving familial predisposition to hypertension include lipid abnormalities (increased very-low- and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and decreased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol); increased fasting insulin levels or insulin resistance, or both; obesity (especially central or upper body obesity); and multiple environmental factors influencing these metabolic systems, including dietary fat, carbohydrate and calorie intake; physical exercise; and certain antihypertensive medications that adversely affect lipid metabolism and glucose tolerance. Some studies even suggest a possible link between these two large groups of factors (electrolyte metabolism and lipid-insulin metabolism). Hypertriglyceridaemia and hyperinsulinaemia are both significantly correlated with increased levels of several cation-flux tests. It is recommended that studies of human hypertension apply these biochemical profiles to study sibships with two or more hypertensive siblings as a cost-effective initial approach.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Diabetes Mellitus↗
PubMed1989

[Clinical significance of EEG foci in partial epilepsy of children].

This paper reports 7 cases of epileptic children with characteristic EEG foci. The features are as follows: 1) the spikes or sharp waves almost always appear in sleep recordings with a repetitive and stereotypical pattern; 2) EEG foci are often in the central-temporal area; and 3) foci disappear after awakening. Clinical seizures of a partial nature often occurred during sleep, sometimes with secondary generation. The outcome is relatively benign. Multiple and especially large doses of antiepileptic drugs should be avoided.

Adolescent↗