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Biomedical subjects

Yue Wang

Publications and source records attributed to Yue Wang.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Synthesis of substituted benzylamino- and heterocyclylmethylamino carbodithioate derivatives of 4-(3H)-quinazolinone and their cytotoxic activity.

A new series of substituted benzylamino- and heterocyclylmethylamino carbodithioate derivatives of 4-(3H)-quinazolinone were synthesized via four steps starting from 2-amino-5-methylbenzoic acid and initially screened against A-549 (human non-small cell lung cancer), HCT-8 (human colon cancer), and Bel-7402 (human liver cancer) cell lines at the single concentration of 5 microg/mL using the colorimetric MTT assay. The IC50 values were determined for the compounds reaching > or = 70% inhibition in primary screening by serial dilution. Among the newly synthesized compounds, 9n exhibited potent in vitro cytotoxicity against A-549, HCT-8, and Bel-7402 cell lines with the IC50 values of 1.65, 0.93, and 1.43 microM, respectively.

Antineoplastic Agents↗

The optimization and validation of the glycoprotein ELISA assay for quantitative varicella-zoster virus (VZV) antibody detection.

Varicella is a highly contagious viral disease found throughout the world. A live-attenuated Varicella-Zoster virus (VZV) vaccine (Oka/Merck strain), VARIVAXtrade mark, was licensed in the United States (US) in 1995 and was made a part of the US recommended childhood vaccination schedule in 1996. The immune response to VZV-containing vaccines has been measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to detect antibodies to glycoproteins from VZV. A correlate for protective immunity has been established between anti-VZV glycoprotein antibody levels and protection against breakthrough varicella in children, and this correlate is used as the primary immunogenicity endpoint in clinical trials with VZV-containing vaccines. The performance of the "first generation" validated version of the assay was recently reevaluated in order to identify areas for improvement. Specific format and reagent changes were implemented, with the goal of improving assay consistency by maintaining tighter control over assay processes and reagents. An extensive validation of the "second generation" gpELISA was undertaken in order to characterize the updated assay. In this article, we describe the gpELISA method, detail the procedures used to evaluate assay performance, and present the operating characteristics of the second generation gpELISA.

Adult↗

Serine protease inhibitor 6 protects cytotoxic T cells from self-inflicted injury by ensuring the integrity of cytotoxic granules.

How cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) kill intracellular pathogens without killing themselves has been a recurring question ever since their discovery. By using mice deficient in Serine Protease Inhibitor 6 (Spi6), we show that by inhibiting granzyme B (GrB), Spi6 protects CTLs from self-inflicted injury. Infection with either Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) or Listeria monocytogenes (LM) revealed increased apoptosis and diminished survival of Spi6 knockout (KO) CTLs, which was cell autonomous and could be corrected by GrB deficiency. Spi6 KO mice in turn were impaired in their ability to clear LCMV infection. Spi6 KO CTLs revealed a breakdown in the integrity of cytotoxic granules, increased cytoplasmic GrB, and ensuing apoptosis. We conclude that Spi6 protects CTLs from suicide caused by GrB-mediated breakdown of cytotoxic granules.

Animals↗

Effect of gonadotrophin stimulation on mouse oocyte quality and subsequent embryonic development in vitro.

In-vivo-matured oocytes were collected from naturally ovulated and superovulated [pregnant mare's serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) + human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG)] mice. Immature oocytes were retrieved from naturally cycling mice and from mice primed with PMSG. The percentages of cleavage and blastocyst formation were significantly different (P < 0.05) between in-vivo- and in-vitro-matured oocytes. Blastocyst formation rate was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in immature oocytes derived from PMSG-primed mice, and the percentages of oocytes with comet tails, and their length, were significantly higher and longer respectively in in-vitro-matured oocytes. Total cell numbers of blastocysts were also significantly different (P < 0.05) between in-vivo- and in-vitro-matured oocytes, but there were also no differences in ratio of trophectoderm (TE)/inner cell mass (ICM). In conclusion, in-vivo-matured mouse oocytes were more competent than those matured in-vitro, perhaps due to a lesser degree of DNA damage. Embryonic development capacity of in-vivo-matured oocytes is not promoted by ovarian stimulation. Gonadotrophin priming prior to immature mouse oocyte retrieval is beneficial to subsequent embryonic development.

Animals↗

Neonatal antidepressant exposure has lasting effects on behavior and serotonin circuitry.

A significant fraction of infants born to mothers taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) during late pregnancy display clear signs of antidepressant withdrawal indicating that these drugs can penetrate fetal brain in utero at biologically significant levels. Previous studies in rodents have demonstrated that early exposure to some antidepressants can result in persistent abnormalities in adult behavior and indices of monoaminergic activity. Here, we show that chronic neonatal (postnatal days 8-21) exposure to citalopram (5 mg/kg, twice daily, s.c.), a potent and highly selective SSRI, results in profound reductions in both the rate-limiting serotonin synthetic enzyme (tryptophan hydroxylase) in dorsal raphe and in serotonin transporter expression in cortex that persist into adulthood. Furthermore, neonatal exposure to citalopram produces selective changes in behavior in adult rats including increased locomotor activity and decreased sexual behavior similar to that previously reported for antidepressants that are nonselective monoamine transport inhibitors. These data indicate that the previously reported neurobehavioral effects of antidepressants are a consequence of their effects on the serotonin transporter. Moreover, these data argue that exposure to SSRIs at an early age can disrupt the normal maturation of the serotonin system and alter serotonin-dependent neuronal processes. It is not known whether this effect of SSRIs is paralleled in humans; however, these data suggest that in utero, exposure to SSRIs may have unforeseen long-term neurobehavioral consequences.

Animals↗

Hepatitis C virus core protein is a potent inhibitor of RNA silencing-based antiviral response.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Persistent infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) leads to chronic hepatitis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). RNA interference (RNAi) may act as a host antiviral response against viral RNA. METHODS: The effects of RNAi on both the replicative intermediates and the internal ribosome entry site (IRES) of HCV were studied by using HCV-related short interfering RNA (siRNA) detection assay. The mechanism that permits HCV to escape RNAi was studied by using RNAi assay materials. RESULTS: These studies demonstrate that the Dicer, an RNase enzyme that generates short siRNA, can target and digest both the IRES and the replicative intermediate of HCV into siRNA of approximately 22 nucleotides. Further studies also show that Dicer can inhibit the replication of the HCV subgenomic replicon. However, the HCV core protein inhibits this RNAi and rescues the replication of the HCV subgenomic replicon through a direct interaction with Dicer. CONCLUSIONS: RNAi is a limiting factor for HCV infection, and the core protein suppresses the RNA silencing-based antiviral response. This ability of the core protein to counteract the host defense may lead to a persistent viral infection and may contribute to the pathogenesis of HCV.

Cell Line↗

RA domain-mediated interaction of Cdc35 with Ras1 is essential for increasing cellular cAMP level for Candida albicans hyphal development.

Many Ras GTPases activate their effectors through binding at a conserved Ras association (RA) domain. An example is the activation of the budding yeast adenylate cyclase Cyr1 by Ras1 and Ras2. Candida albicans Ras1 is speculated to similarly activate Cdc35, the orthologue of Cyr1, for hyphal development. Here, we have investigated whether the RA domain mediates Ras1-Cdc35 interaction and how this interaction regulates cAMP levels and morphogenesis. Yeast two-hybrid assays suggested that Ras1 interacts only with the RA but not any other identifiable domains of Cdc35. The Ras1-RA interaction was further confirmed by in vitro binding assays of purified RA domain and Ras1 and by co-immunoprecipitation of Ras1 and Cdc35 from cell lysates. Substituting Ala for the conserved residue K(338) or L(349) in the RA domain or deleting the RA domain abolished the Ras1-RA or Ras1-Cdc35 interactions. cdc35 mutants with the RA domain deleted or carrying K388A or L349A mutation exhibited rather normal yeast growth but were completely defective in hyphal morphogenesis. Further, the mutants contained nearly wild-type levels of cAMP during yeast growth but were unable to increase it upon hyphal induction. These results suggest an essential role for the RA-mediated Ras1-Cdc35 interaction in raising cellular cAMP levels for hyphal morphogenesis.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

The F-box protein Grr1 regulates the stability of Ccn1, Cln3 and Hof1 and cell morphogenesis in Candida albicans.

Both G1 and mitotic cyclins have been implicated in regulating Candida albicans filamentous growth. We have investigated the functions of Grr1 whose orthologue in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is known to mediate ubiquitin-dependent degradation of the G1 cyclins Cln1 and Cln2. Here, we report that deleting C. albicans GRR1 causes significant stabilization of two G1 cyclins Ccn1 and Cln3 and pseudohyphal growth. grr1Delta cells are highly heterogeneous in length and many of them fail to separate after cytokinesis. Interestingly, some isolated rod-like G1 cells of similar sizes are present in the grr1Delta culture. Time-lapse microscopy revealed that the rod-shaped G1 cells first grew exclusively in width before budding and then the bud grew exclusively by apical extension until after cytokinesis, yielding rod-like daughter cells. Consistently, actin patches persistently localize to the bud tip until around the time of cytokinesis. Despite the pseudohyphal phenotype, grr1Delta cells respond normally to hyphal induction. Hyperphosphorylated Cln3 isoforms accumulate in grr1Delta cells, indicating that Grr1 selectively mediates their degradation in wild-type cells. grr1Delta pseudohyphal growth requires neither Hgc1 nor Swel, two important regulators of cell morphogenesis. Furthermore, the cellular level of Hof1, a protein having a role in cytokinesis, is also significantly increased in grr1Delta cells.

Actins↗

Impaired long-term depression in P2X3 deficient mice is not associated with a spatial learning deficit.

The hippocampus is a brain region critical for learning and memory processes believed to result from long-lasting changes in the function and structure of synapses. Recent findings suggest that ATP functions as a neurotransmitter or neuromodulator in the mammalian brain, where it activates several different types of ionotropic and G protein-coupled ATP receptors that transduce calcium signals. However, the roles of specific ATP receptors in synaptic plasticity have not been established. Here we show that mice lacking the P2X3 ATP receptor (P2X3KO mice) exhibit abnormalities in hippocampal synaptic plasticity that can be restored by pharmacological modification of calcium-sensitive kinase and phosphatase activities. Calcium imaging studies revealed an attenuated calcium response to ATP in hippocampal neurons from P2X3KO mice. Basal synaptic transmission, paired-pulse facilitation and long-term potentiation are normal at synapses in hippocampal slices from P2X3KO. However, long-term depression is severely impaired at CA1, CA3 and dentate gyrus synapses. Long-term depression can be partially rescued in slices treated with a protein phosphatase 1-2 A activator or by postsynaptic inhibition of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. Despite the deficit in hippocampal long-term depression, P2X3KO mice performed normally in water maze tests of spatial learning, suggesting that long-term depression is not critical for this type of hippocampus-dependent learning and memory.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Teaching cardiac examination skills. A controlled trial of two methods.

OBJECTIVE: To determine if structured teaching of bedside cardiac examination skills improves medical residents' examination technique and their identification of key clinical findings. DESIGN: Firm-based single-blinded controlled trial. SETTING: Inpatient service at a university-affiliated public teaching hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Eighty Internal Medicine residents. METHODS: The study assessed 2 intervention groups that received 3-hour bedside teaching sessions during their 4-week rotation using either: (1) a traditional teaching method, "demonstration and practice" (DP) (n=26) or (2) an innovative method, "collaborative discovery" (CD) (n=24). The control group received their usual ward teaching sessions (n=25). The main outcome measures were scores on examination technique and correct identification of key clinical findings on an objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). RESULTS: All 3 groups had similar scores for both their examination technique and identification of key findings in the preintervention OSCE. After teaching, both intervention groups significantly improved their technical examination skills compared with the control group. The increase was 10% (95% confidence interval [CI] 4% to 17%) for CD versus control and 12% (95% CI 6% to 19%) for DP versus control (both P<.005) equivalent to an additional 3 to 4 examination skills being correctly performed. Improvement in key findings was limited to a 5% (95% CI 2% to 9%) increase for the CD teaching method, CD versus control P=.046, equivalent to the identification of an additional 2 key clinical findings. CONCLUSIONS: Both programs of bedside teaching increase the technical examination skills of residents but improvements in the identification of key clinical findings were modest and only demonstrated with a new method of teaching.

Cardiology↗

MNN5 encodes an iron-regulated alpha-1,2-mannosyltransferase important for protein glycosylation, cell wall integrity, morphogenesis, and virulence in Candida albicans.

The cell walls of microbial pathogens mediate physical interactions with host cells and hence play a key role in infection. Mannosyltransferases have been shown to determine the cell wall properties and virulence of the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans. We previously identified a C. albicans alpha-1,2-mannosyltransferase, Mnn5, for its novel ability to enhance iron usage in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Here we have studied the enzymatic properties of purified Mnn5 and characterized its function in its natural host. Mnn5 catalyzes the transfer of mannose to both alpha-1,2- and alpha-1,6-mannobiose, and this activity requires Mn2+ as a cofactor and is regulated by the Fe2+ concentration. An mnn5Delta mutant showed a lowered ability to extend O-linked, and possibly also N-linked, mannans, hypersensitivity to cell wall-damaging agents, and a reduction of cell wall mannosylphosphate content, phenotypes typical of many fungal mannosyltransferase mutants. The mnn5Delta mutant also exhibited some unique defects, such as impaired hyphal growth on solid media and attenuated virulence in mice. An unanticipated phenotype was the mnn5Delta mutant's resistance to killing by the iron-chelating protein lactoferrin, rendering it the first protein found that mediates lactoferrin killing of C. albicans. In summary, MNN5 deletion impairs a wide range of cellular events, most likely due to its broad substrate specificity. Of particular interest was the observed role of iron in regulating the enzymatic activity, suggesting an underlying relationship between Mnn5 activity and cellular iron homeostasis.

Alcian Blue↗

The PTEN phosphatase is essential for long-term depression of hippocampal synapses.

Activity-induced long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) of synaptic transmission are two types of enduring changes in neuronal connections that are believed to underlie learning and memory functions. Here we show that CA1 synapses in hippocampal slices from PTEN-deficient mice exhibit LTP, but are resistant to LTD. PTEN reduces phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3-K) activity, and pharmacological inhibition of PI3-K restores LTD in PTEN-deficient mice, suggesting that inhibition of PI3-K by PTEN is necessary for LTD induction. These findings demonstrate a pivotal role for PTEN in LTD, and suggest that alterations in PTEN could have an impact on learning and memory processes.

Animals↗

[Protective effect of bombesin receptor subtype-3 on human brochial epithelial cells against injury].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role and mechanism of bombesin receptor subtype 3 (BRS-3) in the proliferation and protection against injury of human brochial epithelial cells (HBECs). METHODS: Effect of P3513 (a specific agonist of BRS-3) on the proliferation of HBECs was observed by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) method; the release rate of 3H-Udr, and LDH activity, catalase activity, and the expression of cadherin and integrin beta1 were also analyzed under O3 stress with or without P3513 treatment. RESULTS: The proliferation of HBECs was accelerated by P3513 in a concentration-dependent manner (10(-9) approximately 10(-7) mol/L). Ozone stress could promote the release rate of 3H-Udr, and LDH activity, which could be inhibited by P3513. P3513 could promote the activity of catalase. The effect of proliferation and protection against injury caused by P3513 could be inhibited by W7 (calmodulin inhibitor), PD98059 (tyrosin kinase inhibitor) and H89 (PKA inhibitor). P3513 could stimulate the expression of caderin and integrinbeta1 of ozone-stressed HBECs. CONCLUSION: Activation of BRS-3 caused by P3513 may play an important role in protecting HBECs from oxidant injury, and the signal pathway is possibly relevant to Ca2+, MEK and PKA.

Bronchi↗

[Duration of tau hyperphosphorylation and spatial memory deficit induced by single injection of Forskolin into lateral ventricle of rat].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the duration of tau hyperphosphorylation and spatial memory retentive deficit induced by single injecting with Forskolin, a protein kinase A activator, into lateral ventricle of rats, and the correlation between the two pathological alterations. METHODS: Forskolin (80 micromol/L, 40 microl) was injected into the lateral ventricle by stereotaxic injection. Tau phosphorylation and spatial memory retention were measured by Western blot/immunocytochemistry and Morris-Water-Maze test, respectively. RESULTS: The phosphorylation levels of tau at Tau-1, PHF-1, and pS214 epitopes were significantly elevated at 24, 48 and 72 h after single administration of Forskolin (P < 0.05). The most significant elevation was seen at 48 h (P < 0.01) and it tended to recover at 72 h (P < 0.05) after injection. The correlation between the two pathological alterations was positive at PHF-1 site (r = 0.97, P < 0.05), negative at Tau-1 site (r = -0.963, P < 0.05), and not significant at pS214 site (r = 0.705, P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Forskolin can induce tau hyperphosphorylation and spatial memory retentive deficit within a certain period of time. The level of tau phosphorylation in hippocampus is somehow correlated with the spatial memory deficit in rats.

Animals↗

[Influence of bifidobacterial whole peptidoglycan on cellular immune response induced by recombinant HBsAg].

AIM: To explore the effect of bifidobacterial whole peptidoglycan (BWPG) on cellular immune response to recombinant hepatitis B surface antigen (rHBsAg). METHODS: BWPG was used as an adjuvant of rHBsAg to immunize BALB/c mice. The growth state and development of central lymphoid organ of immunized mice were observed. Then the killing activities of NK cells and CTLs, the proliferation and cytokine production of splenic lymphocytes were examined. RESULTS: After immunization with BWPG, no visible side effect was observed in immunized mice. The thymus and spleen tissues assumed hyperplasia appearance. The killing activities of NK cells and CTLs in spleen were enhanced. The proliferation of splenic lymphocytes was active and cytokine production was increased. CONCLUSION: BWPG can promote hyperplasia of central lymphoid organ and enhance the cellular immune response to rHBsAg.

Animals↗

Estrogen receptor alpha positive breast tumors and breast cancer cell lines share similarities in their transcriptome data structures.

Established human breast cancer cell lines are widely used as experimental models in breast cancer research. While these cell lines and their variants share many phenotypic characteristics with human breast tumors, the extent to which they reflect the underlying molecular biology of breast cancer remains controversial. We explored this issue using a probabilistic rather than heuristic approach. Data from gene expression microarrays were used to compare the global structures of the transcriptomes of three estrogen receptor alpha positive (ER+) human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, T47D, ZR-75-1) and 13 human breast tumors (11 ER+; 2 ER-). Linear representations of the respective data structures were obtained by deriving those top principal components (PCs) required to capture > or =80% of the cumulative variance for each data set (M PCs). We then identified those genes most highly correlated with the M PCs (Pearson's correlation coefficient r > or =0.800) and identified a group of 36 genes commonly correlated with both the cell line (M = 5 PCs) and tumor (M = 6 PCs) data structures. All 36 common genes were correlated with PC1 from the breast tumor data: 21/36 genes were correlated with PC1, 14/36 genes correlated with PC2, and 1/36 genes correlated with PC3 from the cell line data. Genes important in defining the data structures include NFkappaB p65, IGFBP-6, ornithine decarboxylase-1, and paxillin. When data from MDA-MB-435 xenografts (ER-) were included in the analysis, we were unable to find any common genes between these xenografts and the breast tumors. These data clearly imply that MCF-7, T47D, and ZR-75-1 cells and ER+ breast tumors share substantial global similarities in the structures of their respective transcriptomes, and that these cell lines are good models in which to identify molecular events that are likely to be important in some ER+ human breast cancers.

Animals↗