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Biomedical subjects

L Zou

Publications and source records attributed to L Zou.

106 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Identification of thyroid hormone response elements in rodent Pcp-2, a developmentally regulated gene of cerebellar Purkinje cells.

In a previous study, we have shown that in vivo expression of the cerebellar Purkinje cell-specific gene Pcp-2 is regulated by thyroid hormone (T3) during neonatal development. In addition, transient cotransfection studies using thyroid hormone receptors (TRs) and a Pcp-2-lacZ construct pointed to direct regulation of Pcp-2 gene expression by T3. Therefore, we have initiated the following series of studies to define more precisely the location of the thyroid hormone regulatory elements in the Pcp-2 gene. By transfection and in vitro receptor binding analyses, we have identified two thyroid hormone response elements, A1 (-295/-268) and B1 (+207/+227). A1 contains a central half-site flanked by two similar half-sites. B1 contains two pairs of alternate half-sites. When these elements were ligated to the modified mouse mammary tumor virus promoter (delta MMTV), both induced a 8-14-fold expression of the reporter gene, but only in the presence of T3. Gel mobility assays demonstrated that both A1 and B1 bind TRs in the presence of thyroid hormone receptor auxiliary proteins or the retinoid X beta receptor. Mutations of the G residues to T within the individual half-site sequences of A1 caused a variable decrease in the transactivation of the MMTV-CAT construct and a corresponding reduction in TR binding in vitro. Thus, mutational analysis of A1 pointed to the interaction of the flanking half-site motifs with the central AGGTCA half-site. Interestingly, lengthening of the A1 sequence at its 3'-end caused a progressive dampening of the T3 response. The results suggest that the neighboring sequence may function as a silencer of the A1 element. Since thyroid hormone regulation of Pcp-2 is manifest only during the first 2 weeks after birth, we hypothesize that A1 and B1 act as T3-dependent response elements operative only during early neonatal Purkinje cell development and that their function is suppressed by a neighboring silencer element operative when expression of Pcp-2 becomes hormone-independent.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Human osteoblast response to PTFE surfaces.

Recently, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE, Gortex) vascular grafts have been rolled and used for interpositional arthroplasties of the carpus in the wrist. Little data, however, are available on the response of human osteoblasts to ePTFE. In-vitro cell culture is a useful method to determine initial cell-biomaterial interactions. The present study explores the morphological and mitogenic response of human bone cells cultured on vascular grade ePTFE grafts. The present findings suggest that neither the inner nor the outer surface of ePTFE, in its present form, support osteoblast growth. PTFE may be a suitable material to act as a space filler for carpal bone interpositional arthroplasties.

Arthroplasty↗
PubMed1994

[Study on deglutition function following total laryngectomy, epiglottoplasty and reconstruction of vocal function].

Twenty-five cases of epiglottoplasty after total laryngectomy were summarized. Only 4 cases presented aspiration for a short period of time. The X-ray films were taken using a cinematograph X-ray unit and a telecontrol X-ray unit. The results demonstrated that in non aspirator cases and 1 healthy man, the tongue and the larynx (or reconstructive new larynx) coordinated closely and there was better glossolaryngeal close-knit degree, but in aspirator cases there was no coordination between them. The study proved that the deglutition a coordinative motion of hyoid muscles, laryngeal muscles and the nerves supplying them. So it is important that the hyoid bone, its superior muscles and pharyngeal constrictors should be preserved during the operation.

Cineradiography↗
PubMed1994

[A study of the distribution of PGM1 subtypes in fifteen nationalities in Yunnan Province China].

A study of the distribution of PGM1 subtypes in the fifteen nationalities in Yunnan province in China, including Han, Yi, Bai, Kucong, Hani, Dai, Yao, Jino, Blang, Wa, Lahu, Hui, Lisu Naxi and Pumi, was carried out, using ultrathin-layer polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing (ULPAGIEF). Gene frequencies and probabilities of discrimination (DP) of PGM1 subtypes in these nationalities were calculated. Statistical tests show: That there is a clear nationalistic discrepancy in the fifteen nationalities; but there is not an areal discrepancy in the Han nationality, living in different areas, on the distribution of PGM1 subtypes. The result of the study also shows, that there are high probabilities of discrimination for PGM1 subtypes in all fifteen nationalities.

China↗
PubMed1994

[A new species of Pseudomonas].

A strain No. 9191 isolated from fruit juice mineral drink is gram-negative short-rod. It differs from reported species of Pseudomonas in morphological, physiological and biochemical characteristics. Main characteristics of No. 9191 are single polar flagelled, oxidase and catalase positive, no acid from glucose but producing alkali, nitrate reduced to nitrite, inability to hydrolize gelatin and starch, arginine dihydrolase absent, no growth in presence of 0.85% NaCl. The G+C mol% of DNA is 65.15. It is named Pseudomonas halosensibilis Zou & Cai nov. sp. by the sensibility property for salt.

Beverages↗
PubMed1992

Dissociation of collagenase-tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) complex--its application for the independent measurements of TIMP-1 and collagenase activity in crude culture media and body fluids.

Collagenase-tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) complex was prepared from activated collagenase and TIMP-1 purified from culture media of human skin fibroblasts. After having been confirmed to be a complex by zinc chelate chromatography, the complex was demonstrated to dissociate by passage through an anti-TIMP-1 monoclonal antibody-affinity column. On the basis of above evidence, a simple strategy was set up for the independent measurements of TIMP-1 concentration, and both active and total collagenase activities in crude culture media and body fluids.

Body Fluids↗
PubMed1992

Beta 1 isoform-specific regulation of a triiodothyronine-induced gene during cerebellar development.

Although tissue-specific expression of the alpha 1 and beta 1 thyroid hormone receptors (TR-alpha 1 and TR-beta 1) suggests isoform-specific function, transfection studies to date have failed to show consistent differences in their ability to regulate gene expression. We here provide evidence that TR-beta 1 but not TR-alpha 1 regulates the expression of the gene coding for PCP-2 in cerebellar Purkinje cells during neonatal rat development and that such regulation appears to be both T3 dependent and T3 independent. Examination of neonatal rats revealed that the levels of three mRNAs expressed in cerebellar Purkinje cells (myoinositol-1,4,5-triphosphate receptor, calbindin, and PCP-2) rise from neonatal day 1 to day 15. This rise is preceded by the previously documented surge in brain T3 and TR-beta 1. Methimazole-induced hypothyroidism sharply reduces, but does not abolish, the rise in these mRNAs. Concomitant T3 administration normalizes the process. In order to establish more directly the role of TR-beta 1 and T3, cotransfection experiments were performed in CHO cells with PCP-2-lacZ construct and TR isoforms. These studies showed that TR-beta 1, even in the absence of T3, regulated the expression of the transfected PCP-2 construct. T3 augments the response to TR-beta 1 alone by 40% (P < .01). TR-alpha 1 had no effect on PCP-2-lacZ expression either in the presence or absence of T3.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Age Factors↗
PubMed1989

Purification to homogeneity of human placental acid sphingomyelinase.

Acid sphingomyelinase was purified to homogeneity from human placenta in the presence of a dialyzable detergent, n-octyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside. The major steps in the procedure included column chromatographies with Con A-Sepharose, sphingosylphosphorylcholine-Sepharose 4B, hexyl-agarose, and Mono P. The purified enzyme with pI 7.4 had a specific activity of approx 170,000 units/mg protein with a yield of 3.6%. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed a single protein band of Mr 62,000. Gel filtration with a Superose 12 column gave a single peak, and the enzyme in the presence 50 mM n-octyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside was of Mr 123,000, indicating that the native enzyme occurs in a dimeric form. The optimal pH was 5.5 with both sphingomyelin and an artificial substrate, 2-N-hexadecanoylamino-4-nitrophenylphosphorylcholine. The Km values were 55 microM with sphingomyelin and 340 microM with the artificial substrate. The enzyme activity was not affected by Mg2+ (1-5 mM), confirming that the enzyme is acid sphingomyelinase. The enzyme was stable at -80 degrees C for more than 4 months. In addition to the enzyme with pI 7.4, the Mono P chromatofocusing gave two peaks (pI 7.0 and 6.7) possessing the enzymatic activity.

Chromatography, Gel↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The clinical significance of thymidine kinase 1 measurement in serum of breast cancer patients using anti-TK1 antibody.

The activity of total thymidine kinase in serum (S-TK) has been used as a tumor maker for decades. To date such activity has been determined using [125]I-iodo-deoxyuridine as a substrate. The aim of this study was to develop a new, antibody-based technique for the measurement of cytoplasmic thymidine kinase (TK1) in serum. Both mono- and polyclonal antibodies against S-TK1 were used in dot blot assay. S-TK1 was characterized by SDS and IEF techniques. Sixty-five breast cancer patients were studied, including 17 preoperative and 38 postoperative tumor-free patients and 10 patients with metastases to the lymph nodes (N1-2). They were compared to patients with benign tumors (n=21) and healthy volunteers (n=11). S-TK1 was low (0-1.0 pM) in healthy volunteers, while in preoperative patients the level was increased 6-110-fold. Significant differences were observed between preoperative patients and healthy volunteers (p=0.005), preoperative patients and patients with benign tumors (p<0.001), and preoperative patients and postoperative patients without metastases (p<0.001). No significant difference was observed between preoperative patients and postoperative patients with metastases (p=0.191). The S-TK activity in preoperative patients was also high in serum, but no decrease was observed following surgery. In conclusion, the anti-TK1 antibody could be a good marker for monitoring the response of breast cancer patients to therapy.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The half-life of thymidine kinase 1 in serum measured by ECL dot blot: a potential marker for monitoring the response to surgery of patients with gastric cancer.

Thymidine kinase 1 in serum (STK1) of patients with gastric cancer was determined by two methods: ECL dot blot and radioactivity assay. Both measurements showed significantly different values for preoperative STK1 and healthy STK1 (p=0.012 for ECL dot blot and p=0.003 for the radioactivity assay). The preliminary results of ECL dot blot STK1 measurement showed that in tumor-free subjects the level of the enzyme was significantly reduced to 52.7% 35 days after surgery (n=8, p=0.0106). The decrease in STK1 levels in the tumor-free subjects paralleled the decline of the half-life of the STK1 enzyme. In patients with distant metastases (n=6) the enzyme level had increased to 173% 35 days postoperatively. By contrast, with the radioactivity assay no significant differences in thymidine kinase activity for 0-day-postoperative patients and 35-day-postoperative tumor-free patients was found (p=0.329). The activity decreased to 80% in 35-day-postoperative patients with metastatic disease. We suggest that the value of the half-life of STK1 measured by ECL dot blot can be used as a potential marker for monitoring the response to surgery in patients with gastric or other cancers one month after surgery.

Biomarkers, Tumor↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Low extracellular magnesium results in cardiac failure in isolated perfused rat hearts.

Previous studies on isolated blood vessels indicate that acute withdrawal of extracellular magnesium ions ([Mg2+]o) induces calcium-dependent contractile responses, including coronary blood vessels. The present study, using isolated perfused rat hearts, was designed to assess whether low [Mg2+]o could result in cardiac failure and to gain some insight into the mechanism of action. The results show that both the myocardial oxygen consumption (by 29-38%) and oxygen tension in the coronary effluent decreased (by 18-26%) as the [Mg2+]o was decreased stepwise from 1.2 to 0.6, 0.3 and 0.0 mM. Linear-regression analysis of a plot of coronary flow versus the rate of oxygen consumption shows that there is a tendency for a rightward shift of this relationship in low [Mg2+]o and a leftward shift of the curve in elevated [Mg2+]o (4.8 mM). The experiments also show that with low [Mg2+]o, coronary flow declines 20-37%, and cardiac output and stroke volume fall 24-50% accompanied by 3- to 4-fold elevations in lactate production and eventual, irreversible cardiac failure. An interesting finding, of this study, is that the alpha-adrenoceptor constrictor agonist, phenylephrine (1-5 microM), was found to have effects very similar to low [Mg2+]o. This latter finding is consonant with our hypothesis that progressive lowering of extracellular, ionized magnesium initiates progressive coronary vasoconstriction, decreased tissue oxygenation and myocardial ischemia, which given time, in situ, in the intact host can lead to cardiac failure.

Animals↗