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Biomedical subjects

Y Feng

Publications and source records attributed to Y Feng.

At least 361 records · Page 20Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

[Changes in serum IL-2 and sIL-2R levels in patients with primary hepatic carcinoma before and after treatment and their clinical significance].

Serum IL-2 and sIL-2R levels were measured with sandwith ELISA assay before and after surgery or transarterial embolization in 19 cases of primary hepatic carcinoma. The results show that pretreatment IL-2 levels of patients were significantly lower and sIL-2R expression was higher than those of normal control. IL-2 levels of patient were increased and sIL-2R expression was decreased after treatment. The results suggest that the changes of IL-2 level and sIL-2R expression may be closely related to treatment, recurrence and prognosis of patients with primary hepatic carcinoma.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

[The study of relationship between c-erbB2 expression and cytoimmunology in ovarian carcinoma and its antisense regulation].

The relationship between c-erbB2 expression and cytoimmunology in ovarian carcinoma cell lines was studied; the synthesized and modified c-erbB2 antisense oligodeoxynucleotide was tested for its ability to reduce over-expression of c-erbB2. The results showed that over-expression of c-erbB2 in ovarian carcinoma could induce resistance to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells but had no effect on H2O2; c-erbB2 antisense oligodeoxynucleotide could specifically reduce the over-expression of c-erbB2 and increase the sensitivity of ovarian cancer targets to lysis by TNF and LAK cells.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1995

Quantitative comparison of FMR1 gene expression in normal and premutation alleles.

We report studies on FMR1 gene expression in cells derived from male premutation carriers. Transcription of FMR1 genes with CGG-repeat lengths within the premutation range was demonstrated to be normal. Repeat lengths are faithfully transcribed into FMR1 mRNAs, which have steady-state levels, as measured by RNase protection, similar to those of normal cells. Premutation transcripts also are shown to have normal turnover, with the FMR1 mRNA half-life estimated to be 12 h. Measurement of FMR1 protein was also found to be in similar abundance in normal and premutation cell lines. These data support the nonpenetrant status of premutation carriers of fragile X syndrome and suggest that the occasional case reports to the contrary may reflect either other causes, including low-level mosaicism for larger, methylated FMR1 alleles, or simply coincidence.

Alleles↗
PubMed1994

A protein kinase inhibitor, H-7, inhibits the development of tolerance to opioid antinociception.

To investigate the effect of a protein kinase inhibitor, 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H-7), on the development of tolerance to antinociception induced by morphine (mu-opioid receptor agonist) and butorphanol (mu/delta/kappa-mixed opioid receptor agonist), rats were infused i.c.v. with morphine, butorphanol and H-7 through osmotic minipumps for 3 days. Concomitant infusion of H-7 dose dependently inhibited the development of tolerance to i.c.v. morphine- and butorphanol-induced antinociception. These results suggest that protein kinases may play an important role in the development of opioid tolerance.

1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine↗
PubMed1994

Repeated administration of opioids alters characteristics of membrane-bound phorbol ester binding in rat brain.

Scatchard analysis of saturation binding data indicated that dissociation constant (KD) of [3H]phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDB) binding to the membrane-bound protein kinase C of rat cortex and midbrain was significantly decreased following systemic repeated administration of morphine (mu-opioid receptor agonist) and butorphanol (mu/delta/kappa-mixed opioid receptor agonist). No change in the receptor density (Bmax) of [3H]PDB binding was found following repeated treatment with morphine and butorphanol. On the other hand, neither the Bmax nor KD values in pons/medulla were altered in these rats. These results suggest that systemic repeated opioid treatment, such as morphine and butorphanol leads to an increased affinity for phorbol ester binding to the membrane-bound protein kinase C in rat cortex and midbrain.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Enhancement of the rate of GTP hydrolysis in rat brain by repeated kappa-opioid treatment.

To investigate the G protein and protein kinase C (PKC) systems during the initial state of kappa-opioid tolerance, the low Km GTPase and PKC activities were measured following repeated treatment of rat with the kappa-agonist, U-50,488. In behavioral studies, antinociceptive tolerance to U-50,488 was developed following 7-day treatment with U-50,488. Under these conditions, repeated administration of U-50,488 significantly enhanced the basal low Km GTPase activity in the pons/medulla but not in the cortex and midbrain regions. On the other hand, repeated U-50,488 treatment had no effect on PKC activity in cytosol and membrane fractions under the calcium-chelating conditions. These results indicate that repeated administration of kappa-agonist, U-50,488, increases in the basal hydrolysis of GTP to GDP in rat pons/medulla but not PKC activity which was observed in the case of repeated administration with morphine in rats.

3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cycloh↗
PubMed1994

Activity and in vitro reassembly of the coated vesicle (H+)-ATPase requires the 50-kDa subunit of the clathrin assembly complex AP-2.

We have previously shown that the 50-kDa subunit of the clathrin assembly complex AP-2 (AP50) stoichiometrically binds to and is immunoprecipitated with the vacuolar (H+)-ATPase (V-ATPase) from clathrin-coated vesicles (Myers, M., and Forgac, M. (1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 9184-9186). We now report that treatment of stripped coated vesicles with cystine results in a purified V-ATPase complex lacking the AP50 polypeptide. Removal of AP50 can be reversed upon treatment of the vesicles with dithiothreitol. Removal of AP50 reduces the ATPase activity of the purified V-ATPase by 90% relative to the enzyme containing AP50. This inhibition is not reversed upon treatment of the AP50-depleted enzyme with dithiothreitol in the absence of AP50. The reconstituted V-ATPase depleted of AP50 is devoid of ATP-dependent proton transport activity. We observe further that the peripheral V1 subunits are unable to reassemble onto the integral V0 domain in the absence of AP50. The addition of purified AP-2 containing the AP50 polypeptide restores the ability of the V1 subunits to assemble with the V0 sector to give a V-ATPase complex that is functional in ATP-dependent proton transport. These results indicate that the AP50 polypeptide is necessary for both activity and in vitro reassembly of the V-ATPase complex.

Adaptor Protein Complex 2↗
PubMed1994

[Study on rhizome wheat starch diet therapy in chronic renal failure patients].

30 chronic renal failure patients who were in compensatory stage or early decompensatory stage were given dietetic therapy of chinese herb rhizome wheat starch. The result indicated that the mean of BUN, Scr, P-S was obviously depressed while Alb increased, Ccr remained stable. The treatment group has a significant difference from the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.001). The dietetics therapy can also improve the patients' activities of daily living. It is recommended that the dietetic therapy can be used for the patients of early stage of renal failure to delay the progress of chronic renal failure or even reverse the progression of CRF.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1994

Antiproliferative properties of polyamine analogues: a structure-activity study.

A basis set of polyamine analogues was designed and synthesized. These compounds were used to initiate a systematic investigation of the role of chain length, terminal nitrogen alkyl group size, and symmetry of the methylene backbone in the antineoplastic properties of polyamine analogues. New synthetic methods predicated on our earlier polyamine fragment synthesis are described for accessing the tetraamines of interest. An unsymmetrically substituted diamine reagent, N-(tert-butoxycarbonyl)-N,N'-bis(mesitylenesulfonyl)-1,4-diaminobu tane, was developed for entry into unsymmetrical tetraamines. All of the tetraamines synthesized were first evaluated in a murine leukemia L1210 cell IC50 assay at 48 and 96 h. In an attempt to correlate this behavior with some aspect of polyamine metabolism, each compound was tested for its ability to compete with spermidine for the polyamine uptake apparatus, its impact on the polyamine biosynthetic enzymes ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC), and its effect on the polyamine-catabolizing enzyme spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase (SSAT) and on polyamine pools. While there was no obvious correlation between the 48 and 96 h IC50's and the impact of the analogues on polyamine metabolism, there were other structure-activity relationships. Correlations were observed to exist between chain length and IC50's and between terminal alkyl substituents and impact on Ki, ODC, and AdoMetDC. Also, preliminary studies suggest a relationship may exist between the 48 and 96 h IC50 activities and the analogue's chronic toxicity in vivo. Finally, when the overall length of the polyamine backbone was held constant, the symmetry of the methylene chains of the polyamine fragments was shown to be unimportant to the compound's activity.

Acetyltransferases↗
PubMed1994

Probing of the retinal binding site of bacteriorhodopsin by affinity labeling.

The position of the chromophore within bacteriorhodopsin has been identified by cross-linking a cysteine group, introduced by site-specific mutagenesis, with a chromophore suitably derivatized with an active leaving group. Since bacteriorhodopsin has no cysteines, a site-specific cysteine mutant will contain only one free sulfhydryl group capable of reacting with the retinal analog. Met118, Thr121, and Ser141 were selected to be mutated to cysteine. No pigment absorbing in the visible region was obtained for the Ser141Cys mutant. The Met118Cys and Thr121Cys mutants have similar absorption maxima, proton pumping efficiencies and photocycles to those of the wild-type pigment. 4-Bromoretinal, in which the reactive allylic halide readily undergoes nucleophilic displacement, was used as the reactive chromophore. Pigments were obtained on reaction of all-trans-4-bromoretinal with the apoproteins of Met118Cys, Thr121Cys, and wild-type bacteriorhodopsin (lambda max = 464-470 nm). Analysis of the denatured pigments on SDS-polyacrylamide gels showed incorporation of tritiated chromophore into the Met118Cys mutant but not into the wild-type or Th4121Cys pigments. Met118Cys apoprotein which was preincubated with the cysteine-specific reagent N-ethylmaleimide formed a pigment with 4-bromoretinal but no cross-linking was observed, providing evidence that the cross-linking of the chromophore is to the cysteine at 118. We conclude that Met118 is positioned in the chromophore binding pocket, proximal to the C-4 position of cyclohexyl ring of retinal.

Affinity Labels↗
PubMed1994

Proton conduction and bafilomycin binding by the V0 domain of the coated vesicle V-ATPase.

We have previously demonstrated that the V0 domain of the coated vesicle V-ATPase, a 250-kDa integral complex, does not form a functional proton channel (Zhang, J., Myers, M., and Forgac, M. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 9773-9778). In the present study we describe dissociation of the V0 complex and separation of the V0 subunits by gel filtration. Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide-inhibitable passive proton conductance of reconstituted vesicles containing reassembled V0 subunits was measured in response to a K+/valinomycin-generated membrane potential. We observed that reconstituted vesicles containing the 17/19-kDa subunits carried out passive proton transport, with the addition of the 38- and 100-kDa subunits increasing proton conductance. Reconstituted vesicles containing the 38- and/or 100-kDa subunits showed no proton transport. Partial separation of the 17- and 19-kDa subunits revealed that the 17-kDa subunit alone carried out proton transport, with increased conductance on the addition of the 19-kDa subunit. These results indicate that the V0 domain possesses the information necessary to form a dicyclohexylcarbodiimide-inhibitable passive proton channel. Bafilomycin binding by native and reassembled V0 complexes was also measured by their ability to protect V-ATPase activity against bafilomycin inhibition. The native V0 domain, the isolated 100-kDa subunit and the 100/38-kDa subunits were able to protect against inhibition by bafilomycin, suggesting that the binding site for bafilomycin resides on the 100-kDa subunit.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Comparison of the coated-vesicle and synaptic-vesicle vacuolar (H+)-ATPases.

The V-ATPases are a novel class of ATP-dependent proton pumps responsible for acidification of intracellular compartments in eukaryotic cells. They play an important role in receptor-mediated endocytosis, intracellular membrane traffic, macromolecular processing and degradation and coupled transport, as well as functioning in the plasma membrane of certain specialized cell types. The V-ATPases are multisubunit complexes that are organized into a peripheral V1 complex responsible for ATP hydrolysis and an integral V0 domain responsible for proton translocation. Regulation of vacuolar acidification is critical to its role in membrane traffic and other cellular processes. We are currently investigating several mechanisms of regulation of vacuolar acidification, including disulfide bond formation between cysteine residues located at the catalytic site, control of assembly of the peripheral and integral domains, and differential targeting of V-ATPases to different intracellular destinations using their interaction with organelle-specific adaptin complexes.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Influence of chronic morphine treatment on protein kinase C activity: comparison with butorphanol and implication for opioid tolerance.

The aim of this study was to determine whether chronic opioid treatment could influence the protein kinase C (PKC) activity in the rat brain. Chronic morphine (microns agonist) but not butorphanol (mu/delta/kappa mixed agonist) treatment enhanced cytosolic PKC activity in the pons/medulla, but not in the cytosolic fractions of cortex and midbrain regions. Concomitant administration of the opioid receptor antagonist, naloxone, blocked the PKC upregulation by chronic morphine. Chronic administration of morphine and butorphanol produced no change in the membrane PKC activity. Antinociceptive tolerance to morphine but not to butorphanol was developed under these conditions. These results suggest that chronic morphine administration leads to an upregulation of the cytosolic PKC activity in the pons/medulla through repeated activation of mu opioid receptors and that the PKC upregulation in this specific area may contribute to the morphine tolerance.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Changes in the endplate accumulation of acetylcholinesterase during synapse elimination in the mouse.

Focal accumulations of acetylcholinesterase (AChE; EC 3.1.1.7), cholinesterase (ChE, EC 3.1.1.8) and total cholinesterase (TChE; AChE+ChE) were examined in developing mouse diaphragm by using a modified Karnovsky/Roots staining method. The lengths of TChE and AChE reaction product accumulations reached significant peaks on postnatal day (PD) 1 (P < 0.05), decreased to a minimum on PD 9 and then increased in proportion to muscle fiber diameter (PD 9 to adult). The normalized area of accumulation (area of accumulation/fiber diameter) for AChE and TChE also decreased by 19% (P < 0.05) between PD 3 and PD 7. In contrast, ChE focal accumulation did not decrease during the period of synapse elimination, but rather increased in proportion to the postnatal growth of the muscle fiber. These results suggest that AChE is more sensitive to neurotrophic influences than ChE; particularly during late embryonic and early postnatal periods of synapse elimination.

Acetylcholinesterase↗
PubMed1994

Inhibition of vacuolar H(+)-ATPase by disulfide bond formation between cysteine 254 and cysteine 532 in subunit A.

We have previously demonstrated that the coated vesicle vacuolar H(+)-ATPase (V-ATPase) can be inactivated by formation of intramolecular disulfide bonds (Feng, Y., and Forgac, M. (1992) J. Biol. Chem. 267, 19769-19772). The disulfide bond responsible for inactivation can be distinguished from other disulfide bonds that form by the fact that formation of the inactivating disulfide bond is blocked by ATP or high ionic strength. By taking advantage of these properties, we selectively labeled the ATPase at the relevant cysteine residues with fluorescein maleimide. After analyzing the proteolytic fragments that contain the labeled cysteine residues, we found that cysteine 254 and cysteine 532 in subunit A of the bovine V-ATPase are the residues that form the disulfide bond resulting in inactivation of the enzyme. Cysteine 254 and cysteine 532 correspond to 2 of the 3 cysteine residues that are conserved in all available V-ATPase A subunit sequences. Cysteine 254 is located in the consensus motif, G(X)4GKT, corresponding to residues 250-257, which is conserved in many nucleotide binding proteins. Cysteine 532 is located in a region not previously shown to be in proximity to the nucleotide binding site. Modification of cysteine 254 by disulfide bond formation with cysteine 532 or thio-disulfide exchange with cystine does not impair binding of 2-azido-[32P]ATP to the A subunit. The inhibition is therefore likely caused by disruption of the catalytic function of the ATPase on formation of the disulfide bond. A possible role in regulating intracellular acidification by reversible sulfhydryl oxidation and reduction is discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Glutathione stimulates A549 cell proliferation in glutamine-deficient culture: the effect of glutamate supplementation.

Extracellular glutathione (GSH) is degraded by an external cell-surface enzyme, gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase (gamma-GT). The products are transported into cells to participate in important cellular processes. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that extracellular GSH is a source of glutamic acid for cells that express gamma-GT. Under a glutamine-deficient culture condition, the extracellular GSH-supplemented glutamic acid would enhance intracellular glutamine synthesis, thereby stimulating cell proliferation. Human lung carcinoma A549 cells were cultured in glutamine-deficient Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium, and they did not proliferate unless glutamine was supplemented. Extracellular GSH, however, provoked a partial proliferation. The GSH effect correlated with a high level of gamma-GT activity and an increased intracellular level of glutamic acid. A constituent amino acid of GSH, glutamic acid but not cysteine, produced the same growth-stimulatory effect as GSH. Furthermore, neither oxothiazolidine-4-carboxylate (OTC), a cellular cysteine-delivery compound, nor cysteinylglycine, a dipeptide released from the gamma-GT reaction, stimulated cell proliferation. Moreover, buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), a selective inhibitor of gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase, enhanced the GSH growth stimulatory effect, suggesting that increased cellular GSH synthesis does not correlate with cell growth stimulation. The results obtained demonstrated that glutamine is required for A549 cell proliferation and exogenous GSH partially substitutes for the growth stimulatory action of glutamine. It also suggests that the glutamic acid rather than the cysteine released from the GSH is responsible for the cell proliferation.

Buthionine Sulfoximine↗