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Biomedical subjects

T H Liu

Publications and source records attributed to T H Liu.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Effect of aging on aortic morphology in populations with high and low prevalence of hypertension and atherosclerosis. Comparison between occidental and Chinese communities.

A comparative morphologic study of aortic changes with aging was conducted in different populations in an attempt to separate the effects of hypertension and atherosclerosis. Chinese and the occidental populations were chosen, as they are known to have a high prevalence of hypertension and atherosclerosis, respectively. Aortic tissue was collected from occidental (American and Australian) and Chinese populations from three geographic locations. Postmortem specimens were obtained from four fixed locations: ascending aorta (A), descending thoracic aorta (B), and abdominal aorta (suprarenal [C] and above the aortic bifurcation [D]). Histologic sections were used to measure aortic circumference, medial thickness, intimal thickness, and grade of atherosclerosis. Kidney sections were used to confirm the presence or absence of hypertension. A total of 302 cases (age range, 19 to 104 years; Male-to-female ration, 2:1) were studied: 112 Americans, 80 Australians, and 110 Chinese. Cases were divided into three age groups: 19 to 44; 45 to 64; and 65 years and older. The aortic circumference progressively decreased from sites A to D in all populations and age groups. The aortic circumference increased with age, and the increase was independent of the aortic location. When the populations were separated, however, the greater increase was at location A in the Chinese (P = .008) and locations D in the occidental (P = .13), a population contrast that was significant only in location A. Intimal thickness increased with advancing age and was maximal in the abdominal aorta. The population differences also were significant for intimal thickness and were significantly greater in the occidental population in B, C, and D locations, whereas for atherosclerosis significance was only seen in location D. Hypertension (as defined by the morphologic changes in the kidney) after adjusting for age, height, and weight resulted in no statistical significant effect on aortic circumference or on intimal thickness, but did show a significant increase in atherosclerosis score at locations B, C, and D. Also after adjusting for age, height, and weight, the Chinese had a significantly larger aortic circumference in location A compared with the occidental population, whereas in location D the occidentals with hypertension had a significantly larger circumference compared with Chinese, probably due to an interaction of atherosclerosis and hypertension. After similar adjustments, the medial thickness in locations A and C, the intimal thickness in B, C, and D, and atherosclerosis score in D were significantly greater in occidental than Chinese populations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adult↗

Epidermal growth factor and its receptors in human pancreatic carcinoma.

The role of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in oncogenesis and progression of malignant tumors is a subject of vast interest. In this study, radioimmunoassay and radioreceptor assay of EGF were established. EGF contents in malignant and benign pancreatic tumors, in normal pancreas tissue, and in culture media of a human pancreatic carcinoma cell line were determined. EGF receptor binding studies were performed. It was shown that EGF contents in pancreatic carcinomas were significantly higher than those in normal pancreas or benign pancreatic tumors. EGF was also detected in the culture medium of a pancreatic carcinoma cell line. The binding of 125I-EGF to the pancreatic carcinoma cells was time and temperature dependent, reversible, competitive, and specific. Scatchard analysis showed that the dissociation constant of EGF receptor was 2.1 X 10(-9) M, number of binding sites was 1.3 X 10(5) cell. These results indicate that there is an over-expression of EGF/EGF receptors in pancreatic carcinomas, and that an autocrine regulatory mechanism may exist in the growth-promoting effect of EGF on tumor cells.

Epidermal Growth Factor↗

Leukotriene B4 release and polymorphonuclear cell infiltration in spinal cord injury.

Activation of arachidonic acid occurs after spinal cord injury. Leukotriene B4 is a lipoxygenase metabolite of arachidonic acid. In a rat model of experimental spinal cord injury, we found that the leukotriene B4 content was less than the sensitivity of our assay (8 pg/mg of protein) in non-traumatized spinal cord. Leukotriene B4 was detectable in traumatized cord (mean +/- SE, 25 +/- 5 pg/mg of protein; n = 3). Release of leukotriene B4 from spinal cord slices into the incubation medium was also noted after trauma (9 +/- 1 pg/mg of protein; n = 12) and was enhanced by exposure of traumatized spinal cord slices to the calcium ionophore A23187 (375 +/- 43 pg/mg of protein; n = 12). The amount of leukotriene B4 released corresponded to the extent of post-traumatic polymorphonuclear cell infiltration determined by a myeloperoxidase assay. Results from this study suggest that the source of leukotriene B4 in spinal cord injury is infiltrating polymorphonuclear cells.

Animals↗

Two new human exocrine pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines in vitro and in vivo.

Two human pancreatic carcinoma cell lines, PC-1 and PC-2, were established from nude mice xenografts derived from metastatic pancreatic carcinomas of two patients. The two cell lines propagated continuously in vitro over 19 and 19.5 months. The cells grow in a monolayered sheet with doubling times of 47 hours for PC-1 and 58 hours for PC-2. The cells exhibited epithelial morphology and were confirmed to be malignant epithelial cell lines by morphological study, CEA and cytokeratin immunocytochemistry, flow cytometry and Con A test. The tumors caused by inoculation of cultured PC-1 and PC-2 into nude mice retained the histological and ultrastructural features of the original tumors. The findings proved that the two cell lines were human exocrine pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines. Chromosomal analysis together with flow cytometry data revealed that the two cell lines had the human aneuploid karyotypic features with model chromosome numbers of 48 and 66.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Polyethylene glycol-conjugated superoxide dismutase and catalase reduce ischemic brain injury.

Superoxide dismutase and catalase enzymatically scavenge superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, respectively. Conjugation of polyethylene glycol to superoxide dismutase (PEG-SOD) or catalase (PEG-CAT) prolongs the circulatory half-life of the native enzymes and enhances their intracellular access. We studied the protective effect of these free radical scavengers on ischemic brain injury using a rat model of focal cerebral ischemia, which is suitable for therapeutic trials. Intravenous administration of PEG-SOD (10,000 U/kg) and PEG-CAT (10,000 U/kg) before ischemia reduced the infarct volume (treatment, 139 +/- 9 mm3, means +/- SE, N = 38; placebo, 182 +/- 8 mm3, n = 37, P less than 0.002). This finding supports the concept that superoxide and hydrogen peroxide contribute to brain injury following focal cerebral ischemia.

Animals↗

Gastric gastrinoma.

Two patients with Zollinger-Ellison Syndrome were diagnosed and treated in PUMC Hospital, the primary tumors were found in the stomach. On sectioning of the gastrectomized specimens, 85 tumors ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 cm in diameter were disclosed in Case 1, and a large ulcero-infiltrative carcinoma-like tumor in Case 2. Both tumors had already metastasized to regional lymph nodes and/or liver. Tumor cells in both cases exhibited gastrin, NSE, GH and hCG alpha immunoreactivity immunocytochemically, and abundant neurosecretory granules of 100-250 nm in diameter under electron microscope. The clinicopathological, immunocytochemical and ultrastructural findings of tumors from these two cases met the criteria of primary malignant gastrinoma of the stomach.

Adult↗

Carbamyl phosphate synthetase I. A novel marker for gastric carcinoma.

Carbamyl phosphate synthetase I (CPS1) is an initial enzyme of urea synthetase system. It exists exclusively in liver cells and epithelial cells of the small intestine. By immunocytochemistry, 70.5% of 88 surgically resected gastric carcinomas (42 advanced and 46 early gastric carcinomas) was found to be CPS1 immunoreaction positive, whereas all other carcinomas (of the esophagus, colon, pancreas, lung, breast, ovary, kidney, prostate and urinary bladder) tested were negative. CPS1 expression in gastric carcinoma was closely related to the types of mucin secreted by the carcinoma cells. Most carcinomas secreting sialomucin were CPS1 positive, yet those secreting sulfomucin or neutral mucin did not express CPS1. The types of intestinal metaplasia adjacent to the carcinoma correlated neither with CPS1 expression nor with the histological types of carcinoma. Owing to the fact that gastric carcinomas with CPS1 expression possess the characteristics of small intestinal epithelium, it is very likely that CPS1 can be used as a novel marker for gastric carcinoma originating from complete type intestinal metaplasia.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Meigs' syndrome--a case report.

Bilateral ovarian fibromas combined with as and hydrothorax is a rare disorder. A case of bilateral ovarian fibromas combined with ascites and hyrothorax is presented. The ascites and hydrothorax disappeared spontaneously after removal of the ovarian tumors.

Aged↗

[Quantitative estimation of pancreatic islet cells in diabetes mellitus].

Pancreatic tissues from 40 autopsies of diabetes mellitus and 10 surgically resected non-diabetic pancreatic specimens were studied morphologically and immunocytochemically. Slides were stained for insulin(B), glucagon(A), somatostatin(D), and pancreatic polypeptide (PP) producing cells using immunocytochemistry. Morphometric study disclosed a significant decrease in the number of B-cells and a relative increase in the number of A cells, the A/B ratio shifted from 1:2.3 in controls to 1:0.9 in diabetics. No significant change was found in the number of D and PP cells in diabetics as compared with those in controls. The results of this study have further proved the presence of B cell reduction in diabetic patients.

Adult↗

Selective cortical infarction reduces [3H]sulpiride binding in rat caudate-putamen: autoradiographic evidence for presynaptic D2 receptors on corticostriate terminals.

Although the existence of presynaptic D2 dopamine receptors on corticostriate terminals has been supported by numerous receptor-binding studies, recent autoradiographic data has failed to demonstrate loss of striatal D2 receptors following cortical lesions. In the present study, Long-Evans rats were subjected to unilateral middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarction in order to produce reproducible lesions of the neocortex without damaging subcortical structures. Animals were sacrificed 2 and 4 wk following lesion and brains were prepared for receptor autoradiography. D2 receptors were studied using the selective ligand [3H]sulpiride, while D1 dopamine receptors were examined using [3H]SCH 23390. Sodium-dependent, high-affinity choline uptake sites were labeled with [3H]hemicholinium-3, thereby providing a quantitative measure of cholinergic neuronal integrity. Unilateral cortical infarction resulted in approximately a 20% reduction in [3H]sulpiride binding in several discrete regions of the ipsilateral caudate-putamen (CPu), but not in the nucleus accumbens. D2 receptor binding was also reduced significantly in some areas of the contralateral CPu when compared with [3H]sulpiride binding in sham-operated, control animals. In contrast, D1 receptors (as identified by [3H]SCH 23390 and high-affinity choline uptake sites (labeled with [3H]-HC-3) were not affected by the cortical lesion. The results provide autoradiographic confirmation of the existence of presynaptic D2 receptors on corticostriate terminals.

Animals↗