PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

T Qian

Publications and source records attributed to T Qian.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Confocal microscopy of the mitochondrial permeability transition in necrotic cell killing, apoptosis and autophagy.

Onset of the cyclosporin-A-sensitive mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) in individual mitochondria within living cells can be visualized by laser scanning confocal microscopy. The MPT is a causative event in many types of necrotic and apoptotic cell death, including oxidative stress, ischemia/reperfusion injury, Ca2+ ionophore toxicity and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) induced apoptosis, and may contribute to Reye's-related drug toxicity. Pyridine nucleotide oxidation, mitochondrial generation of reactive oxygen species, and increased mitochondrial Ca2+ and pH can each promote onset of the MPT in situ. The MPT can also be directly visualized during TNF alpha-induced apoptosis to hepatocytes. Mitochondria spontaneously depolarize in situ after nutrient deprivation before entering an acidic lysosomal compartment, suggesting that the MPT precedes the normal process of mitochondrial autophagy. We propose a model in which onset of the MPT to increasing numbers of mitochondria leads progressively to autophagy, apoptosis and necrotic cell death.

Animals↗

The mitochondrial permeability transition is required for tumor necrosis factor alpha-mediated apoptosis and cytochrome c release.

This study assesses the controversial role of the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) in apoptosis. In primary rat hepatocytes expressing an IkappaB superrepressor, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) induced apoptosis as shown by nuclear morphology, DNA ladder formation, and caspase 3 activation. Confocal microscopy showed that TNFalpha induced onset of the MPT and mitochondrial depolarization beginning 9 h after TNFalpha treatment. Initially, depolarization and the MPT occurred in only a subset of mitochondria; however, by 12 h after TNFalpha treatment, virtually all mitochondria were affected. Cyclosporin A (CsA), an inhibitor of the MPT, blocked TNFalpha-mediated apoptosis and cytochrome c release. Caspase 3 activation, cytochrome c release, and apoptotic nuclear morphological changes were induced after onset of the MPT and were prevented by CsA. Depolarization and onset of the MPT were blocked in hepatocytes expressing DeltaFADD, a dominant negative mutant of Fas-associated protein with death domain (FADD), or crmA, a natural serpin inhibitor of caspases. In contrast, Asp-Glu-Val-Asp-cho, an inhibitor of caspase 3, did not block depolarization or onset of the MPT induced by TNFalpha, although it inhibited cell death completely. In conclusion, the MPT is an essential component in the signaling pathway for TNFalpha-induced apoptosis in hepatocytes which is required for both cytochrome c release and cell death and functions downstream of FADD and crmA but upstream of caspase 3.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

[Comparison of prognosis between inguinal cryptorchic seminoma and scrotal seminoma].

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the prognosis of patients with inguinal cryptorchic seminoma. METHODS: From 1985 through 1991, 43 patients with inguinal seminoma of undescended testis were treated and the therapeutic effect retrospectively reviewed. There were 33 patients in stage I, 8 in stage II, 1 in stage III, and 1 in stage IV. All patients had inguinal orchiectomy. Patients in stage I and II were primarily treated with radiotherapy, whereas one patient in stage III and another in stage IV were treated with radiotherapy or chemotherapy. RESULTS: The 5- and 10-year overall survival was 93.0% and 90.3%, respectively. The corresponding disease-free survival was 88.1% and 85.3%, respectively. The overall 5- and 10-year survival by stage was 100% and 100% for stage I, 75.0% and 60.0% for stage II, respectively. Two patients relapsed and were successfully treated with radiotherapy. CONCLUSION: Prognosis for inguinal cryptorchic seminoma is as good as that of scrotal testicular seminoma. Postorchiectomy radiotherapy encompassing para-aortic and ipsilateral iliac nodes is effective for stage I and early stage II inguinal crytorchic seminoma. The inguinal nodes should be included in the treatment ports only when they are involved or if there is obvious involvement of surrounding tissues by the primary tumor.

Adolescent↗

Reperfusion after liver transplantation in rats differentially activates the mitogen-activated protein kinases.

The injury resulting from cold ischemia and warm reperfusion during liver transplantation is a major clinical problem that limits graft success. Kupffer cell activation plays a pivotal role in reperfusion injury, and Kupffer cell products, including free radicals and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), are implicated as damaging agents. However, the second messengers and signaling pathways that are activated by the stress of hepatic ischemia/reperfusion remain unknown. The purpose of this study is to assess the activation of the three known vertebrate mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPKs) and the activating protein 1 (AP-1) transcription factor in response to ischemia and reperfusion in the transplanted rat liver. There was a potent, sustained induction of c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), but not of the related MAPKs extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) or p38, upon reperfusion after transplantation. TNF-alpha messenger RNA (mRNA) levels and transcription factors AP-1 and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) were induced in the liver after 60 minutes of reperfusion. Finally, there was an elevation of ceramide, but not diacylglycerol or sphingosine, in the transplanted liver. Ceramide is a second messenger generated by TNF-alpha treatment and is an activator of JNK. Because JNK activation preceded the elevations in ceramide and TNF-alpha mRNA, these results suggest that increased hepatic TNF-alpha and ceramide may perpetuate JNK induction, but that they are not the initiating signals of JNK activation during reperfusion injury in the transplanted liver.

Animals↗

Mitochondrial permeability transition in pH-dependent reperfusion injury to rat hepatocytes.

To simulate ischemia and reperfusion, cultured rat hepatocytes were incubated in anoxic buffer at pH 6.2 for 4 h and reoxygenated at pH 7.4. During anoxia, intracellular pH (pHi) decreased to 6.3, mitochondria depolarized, and ATP decreased to < 1% of basal values, but the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) did not occur as assessed by confocal microscopy from the redistribution of cytosolic calcein into mitochondria. Moreover, cell viability remained > 90%. After reperfusion at pH 7.4, pHi returned to pH 7.2, the MPT occurred, and most hepatocytes lost viability. In contrast, after reperfusion at pH 6.2 or with Na(+)-free buffer at pH 7.4, pHi did not rise and cell viability remained > 80%. After acidotic reperfusion, the MPT did not occur. When hepatocytes were reperfused with cyclosporin A (0.5-1 microM) at pH 7.4, the MPT was prevented and cell viability remained > 80%, although pHi increased to 7.2. Reperfusion with glycine (5 mM) also prevented cell killing but did not block recovery of pHi or the MPT. Retention of cell viability was associated with recovery of 30-40% of ATP. In conclusion, preventing the rise of pHi after reperfusion blocked the MPT, improved ATP recovery, and prevented cell death. Cyclosporin A also prevented cell killing by blocking the MPT without blocking recovery of pHi. Glycine prevented cell killing but did not inhibit recovery of pHi or the MPT.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

The mitochondrial permeability transition in toxic, hypoxic and reperfusion injury.

Opening of a non-specific, high conductance permeability transition pore or megachannel in the inner mitochondrial membrane causes onset of the mitochondrial permeability transition, which is characterized by mitochondrial swelling, depolarization and uncoupling. Inducers of the permeability transition include Ca2+, oxidant stress and a permissive pH greater than 7.0. Blockers include cyclosporin A, trifluoperazine and pH < 7. Using laser scanning confocal microscopy, we developed techniques to visualize onset of the mitochondrial permeability transition in situ in living cells. In untreated cells, the permeability transition pore is continuously closed and does not 'flicker' open. By contrast, the pore opens in liver and heart cells after exposure to oxidant chemicals, calcium ionophore, hypoxia and ischemia/reperfusion, causing mitochondrial uncoupling and aggravation of ATP depletion. In injury to hepatocytes from tert-butylhydroperoxide, an analog of lipid hydroperoxides generated during oxidative stress, onset of the mitochondrial permeability transition is preceded by oxidation of mitochondrial pyridine nucleotides, mitochondrial generation of oxygen radicals and an increase of mitochondrial Ca2+, all inducers of the mitochondrial permeability transition. In ischemia, the acidosis of anaerobic metabolism protects strongly against cell death. During reperfusion, recovery of pH to normal levels is a stress that actually precipitates cell killing. Onset of the mitochondrial permeability transition may be responsible, in part, for this pH-dependent injury, or pH paradox. The mitochondrial permeability transition may also be responsible for a variety of pathological phenomena. In particular, the mitochondrial permeability transition may underlie Reye's syndrome and Reye's-like drug toxicities. In conclusion, multiple mechanisms contribute to cell injury after hypoxia, ischemia/reperfusion and toxic chemicals, but a common final pathway leading to acute cellular necrosis may be ATP depletion after mitochondrial failure. One important mechanism causing mitochondrial failure is the mitochondrial permeability transition, which both uncouples oxidative phosphorylation and accelerates ATP hydrolysis. Interventions that block this pH-dependent phenomenon protect against onset of cell death.

Animals↗

The influence of donor specific vertebral body derived bone marrow cell infusion on canine islet allograft survival without irradiation conditioning of the recipient.

In recent studies in rodents, it was shown, that donor specific tolerance towards islet allografts without irradiation therapy of the recipient is induced by bone marrow cell infusion in combination with temporary immunosuppression. In the present study, the effect of donor specific bone marrow cell (DBMC) infusion at the time of intrahepatic islet allotransplantation without irradiation conditioning of the recipient was investigated in the canine model, paralleling ongoing clinical trials. It was observed, that unfractionated bone marrow cells given simultaneous to islet allografts led to higher frequencies of rejection periods and decreased islet allograft survival, when administered to recipients immunosuppressed with Cyclosporine A only. In contrast, an additional short inductive treatment of the recipient with an anti-dog-T-lymphocyte monoclonal antibody (5G2) abrogated the enhanced immunogenicity of the unfractionated bone marrow preparation, prolonging islet allograft survival with no rejection episodes observed during the immunosuppressive treatment with Cyclosporine. The composition of bone marrow cells might have contributed to the higher immunogenicity, since the percentage of MHC-class II antigen bearing cells is similar to man, but significantly higher than compared to rodents. It is therefore suggested, that further studies should encompass both timing of bone marrow cell infusion, appropriate immunosuppression and strategies to functionally inactivate mature MHC-class-II positive cells prior to DBMC infusion.

Animals↗

[Treatment and prognosis of stage II testicular seminoma].

Sixty-five patients with stage II testicular seminoma treated from 1960 through 1990 were reviewed. According to Royal Marsden Hospital staging, there were 11 stage IIA, 13 stage IIB, and 41 stage IIC. Thirty Patients were treated with combination of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, 11 chemotherapy alone, 24 rediotherapy alone. The overall 5-year survival rate was 75.6%, with 100% for stage IIA, 92.3% for stage IIB and 62.9% for stage IIC. The differences were statistically significant. In stage IIC patients, there was no significant difference between those tumors > 10cm and < 10cm in diameter. Of the 41 IIC cases, 4 were treated with chemotherapy, 15 were treated with whole abdominal rediation, 22 with paraaortic and ipsilateral pelvic radiation. The 5-year survival rate was 91.7% and 51.2%, respectively. These differences was statistically significant. We recommand that stage IIC disease should be treated primarily with whole abdominal radiation. Regardless of the stage of the disease, prophylactic mediastinal irradiation did not influence the survival nor the relapse rate and may therefore be omitted.

Adult↗

Progression of subcellular changes during chemical hypoxia to cultured rat hepatocytes: a laser scanning confocal microscopic study.

The aim of this study was to evaluate changes in the subcellular organelles of cultured hepatocytes by laser scanning confocal microscopy during chemical hypoxia with cyanide and iodoacetate, inhibitors of mitochondrial respiration and glycolysis, respectively. Parameter-specific fluorophores used were calcein for cell topography and membrane permeability, rhodamine-dextran for lysosomes, rhodamine 123 and tetramethylrhodamine methylester (TMRM) for mitochondrial membrane potential (delta psi) and propidium iodide for loss of cell viability. During the first 30 to 40 minutes of chemical hypoxia to cultured hepatocytes, numerous surface blebs formed and cell volume increased, but delta psi decreased relatively little. Subsequently, the nonspecific permeability of mitochondrial membranes increased, and mitochondria depolarized. These events were followed a few minutes later by disintegration of individual lysosomes. After a few more minutes, viability was lost as indicated by bleb rupture, gross plasma membrane permeability to calcein, and nuclear labeling with propidium iodide. Thus, the following sequence of intracellular events occurred during chemical hypoxia: adenosine triphosphate (ATP) depletion, bleb formation with cellular swelling, onset of a mitochondrial permeability transition, disintegration of lysosomes, plasma membrane failure from bleb rupture, and cell death. Any explanation of the pathophysiology of hypoxic injury must take into account this unique sequence of events.

Animals↗