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Biomedical subjects

Z Luo

Publications and source records attributed to Z Luo.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Fluorous Boc ((F)Boc) carbamates: new amine protecting groups for use in fluorous synthesis.

The first fluorous variants of the Boc (tert-butyloxycarbonyl) group have been prepared and tested for their suitability as nitrogen protecting groups. A group with two fluorous chains and an ethylene spacer, (RfCH2CH2)2(CH3)COC(O)-, was readily attached to a representative amine but was difficult to cleave. In contrast, groups with two fluorous chains and a propylene spacer, (RfCH2CH2CH2)2(CH3)COC(O)-, or one fluorous chain and an ethylene spacer, (RfCH2CH2)(CH3)2COC(O)-, were readily formed and cleaved. The fluorous alcohol component of the (F)Boc group can be removed by evaporation and can be recovered and reused. The utility of the new (F)Boc group (C8F17CH2CH2)(CH3)2COC(O)- was demonstrated in 16 and 96 compound library synthesis exercises. Separations can be achieved either by manual, parallel fluorous solid-phase extraction, or automated, serial fluorous chromatography. The results provide additional confirmation of the value of "light" fluorous synthesis techniques, and the new fluorous Boc groups expand the applicability of fluorous synthesis techniques to many classes of nitrogen-containing organic compounds.

Amines↗
PubMed2001

Fas ligand overexpression on allograft endothelium inhibits inflammatory cell infiltration and transplant-associated intimal hyperplasia.

Despite recent advances in immunosuppressive therapy, accelerated coronary atherosclerosis remains a major problem in the long-term survival of transplant recipients. Chronic graft vasculopathy is believed to result from recipient inflammatory responses, and it is characterized by early mononuclear cell infiltration of the transplanted vessel. Here we show that endothelial cells can be genetically modified to overexpress functional, cell-surface Fas ligand (FasL) by adenovirus-mediated gene transfer without undergoing self-destruction. In a rodent model of transplant graft vasculopathy, endothelial overexpression of FasL attenuated T cell and macrophage infiltration at 1 wk posttransplantation. These vessels also displayed reduced neointima formation at one and 2 mo posttransplantation. These results indicate that inhibition of the early inflammatory response to allografted vessels by endothelial cell-specific overexpression of FasL may have utility in the treatment of transplant arteriosclerosis.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Microtubule integrity regulates Pak leading to Ras-independent activation of Raf-1. insights into mechanisms of Raf-1 activation.

Growth factors activate Raf-1 by engaging a complex program, which requires Ras binding, membrane recruitment, and phosphorylation of Raf-1. The present study employs the microtubule-depolymerizing drug nocodazole as an alternative approach to explore the mechanisms of Raf activation. Incubation of cells with nocodazole leads to activation of Pak1/2, kinases downstream of small GTPases Rac/Cdc42, which have been previously indicated to phosphorylate Raf-1 Ser(338). Nocodazole-induced stimulation of Raf-1 is augmented by co-expression of small GTPases Rac/Cdc42 and Pak1/2. Dominant negative mutants of these proteins block activation of Raf-1 by nocodazole, but not by epidermal growth factor (EGF). Thus, our studies define Rac/Cdc42/Pak as a module upstream of Raf-1 during its activation by microtubule disruption. Although it is Ras-independent, nocodazole-induced activation of Raf-1 appears to involve the amino-terminal regulatory region in which the integrity of the Ras binding domain is required. Surprisingly, the Raf zinc finger mutation (C165S/C168S) causes a robust activation of Raf-1 by nocodazole, whereas it diminishes Ras-dependent activation of Raf-1. We also show that mutation of residues Ser(338) to Ala or Tyr(340)-Tyr(341) to Phe-Phe immediately amino-terminal to the catalytic domain abrogates activation of both the wild type and zinc finger mutant Raf by both EGF/4beta-12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate and nocodazole. Finally, an in vitro kinase assay demonstrates that the zinc finger mutant serves as a better substrate of Pak1 than the wild type Raf-1. Collectively, our results indicate that 1) the zinc finger exerts an inhibitory effect on Raf-1 activation, probably by preventing phosphorylation of (338)SSYY(341); 2) such inhibition is first overcome by an unknown factor binding in place of Ras-GTP to the amino-terminal regulatory region in response to nocodazole; and 3) EGF and nocodazole utilize different kinases to phosphorylate Ser(338), an event crucial for Raf activation.

Amino Acid Substitution↗
PubMed2001

Fluorous mixture synthesis: a fluorous-tagging strategy for the synthesis and separation of mixtures of organic compounds.

The solution-phase synthesis of organic compounds as mixtures rather than in individual pure form offers efficiency advantages that are negated by the difficulty in separating and identifying the components of the final mixture. Here, a strategy for mixture synthesis that addresses these separation and identification problems is presented. A series of organic substrates was tagged with a series of fluorous tags of increasing fluorine content. The compounds were then mixed, and multistep reactions were conducted to make enantiomers or analogs of the natural product mappicine. The resulting tagged products were then demixed by fluorous chromatography (eluting in order of increasing fluorine content) to provide the individual pure components of the mixture, which were detagged to release the final products.

Alkaloids↗
PubMed2001

Microarray applications in neuroscience.

Advances in all facets of technology from molecular biology to imaging and computational biology offer unprecedented opportunities for improving our understanding of the brain in health and disease. Oligonucleotide and cDNA microarray analysis, using a variety of "DNA chips," is a recently developed high-throughput technique that allows for tour-de-force analysis of gene expression. We review this powerful technique, developed in genetics laboratories, with reference to applications in neurologic diseases in humans and the use of animal models. The typical microarray experiment is multistaged and includes preparation or purchase of arrays, preparation of target DNA and probe, target DNA hybridization, microarray scanning, and image analysis. The power and pitfalls of this technology are discussed in the context of neuroscience paradigms. Since unprecedented amounts of data are produced from microarray experiments, bioinformatics and modeling expertise are increasingly becoming critical components of this approach.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Effect of multiple mutations in the core promoter and pre-core/core region of hepatitis B virus genome on the response to interferon in e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) genomic mutations may be one of the factors that influence the efficacy of interferon (IFN) therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of mutations in different parts of the HBV genome on IFN therapy. METHODS: We studied the baseline clinical, biochemical, serologic and virologic parameters in 17 patients with e antigen-positive chronic hepatitis B. The DNA sequence of the X gene and pre-core/core gene in serum samples of these patients was analyzed before the initiation of IFN therapy. RESULTS: All five patients with the T1762-A1764 mutation were IFN responsive, while among the 12 remaining patients, only two responded to therapy. Among five patients with both a pre-core A1896 mutation and a mutation in the epitope aa 107-118 of the core region, four were non-responders whereas the fifth responded to therapy. In three other patients with A1896 mutations, one with simultaneous mutations in five lymphocytic epitopes did not respond to therapy; the two remaining patients with concomitant mutations in one or two epitopes were responsive. Serum HBV-DNA levels were lower and titers of antibody to hepatitis B virus core antigen-immunoglobin M (anti-HBc-IgM) were higher in the responders than in the non-responders. Hepatitis B virus genotypes B and C were found to be in all these Chinese patients. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that HBV genomic mutations, serum viral loads and titers of anti-HBc-IgM might be predictive of the efficacy of IFN therapy. These clinical findings should be further investigated by in vivo and in vitro experiments.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Spatio-temporal EEG power spectral patterns during a short daytime nap.

This is an approach to investigate topographic changes in electroencephalographic (EEG) spectral power during pre- and post-nap wakefulness as well as stages 1 (S1) and 2 (S2) NREM sleep in 12 subjects. Delta- and theta-band power significantly increased in the frontal and central regions during S1 and S2 with an increase in inter- and intra-hemispheric correlations. Beta-band power significantly increased in the frontal, central and parietal regions during S2 with an increase in interhemispheric correlation. In contrast, alpha-band power significantly decreased in the parietal-occipital regions during S1 and S2 with a decrease in interhemispheric correlation. Thus, daytime nap modulated spatio-temporal patterns of EEG power spectral patterns in wide scalp regions.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Extracellular ATP stimulates an inhibitory pathway towards growth factor-induced cRaf-1 and MEKK activation in astrocyte cultures.

ATP, acting via P2Y, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), is a mitogenic signal and also synergistically enhances fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2)-induced proliferation in astrocytes. Here, we have examined the effects of ATP and FGF-2 cotreatment on the main components of the extracellular-signal regulated protein kinase (ERK) cascade, cRaf-1, MAPK/ERK kinase (MEK) and ERK, key regulators of cellular proliferation. Surprisingly, ATP inhibited activation of cRaf-1 by FGF-2 in primary cultures of rat cortical astrocytes. The inhibitory effect did not diminish MEK and ERK activation; indeed, cotreatment resulted in a greater initial activation of ERK. ATP inhibition of cRaf-1 activation was not mediated by an increase in cyclic AMP levels or by protein kinase C activation. ATP also inhibited the activation of cRaf-1 by other growth factors, epidermal growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor, as well as other MEK1 activators stimulated by FGF-2, MEK kinase 1 (MEKK1) and MEKK2. Serotonin, an agonist of another GPCR coupled to ERK, did not inhibit FGF-2-induced cRaf-1 activation, thereby indicating specificity in the ATP-induced inhibitory cross-talk. These findings suggest that ATP stimulates an inhibitory activity that lays upstream of MEK activators and inhibits growth factor-induced activation of cRaf-1 and MEKKS: Such a mechanism might serve to integrate the actions of receptor tyrosine kinases and P2Y-GPCRS:

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed2001

Inhibition of insulin signaling and glycogen synthesis by phorbol dibutyrate in rat skeletal muscle.

Numerous studies have shown a correlation between changes in protein kinase C (PKC) distribution and/or activity and insulin resistance in skeletal muscle. To investigate which PKC isoforms might be involved and how they affect insulin action and signaling, studies were carried out in rat soleus muscle incubated with phorbol esters. Muscles preincubated for 1 h with 1 microM phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) showed an impaired ability of insulin to stimulate glucose incorporation into glycogen and a translocation of PKC-alpha, -betaI, -theta, and -epsilon, and probably -betaII, from the cytosol to membranes. Preincubation with 1 microM PDBu decreased activation of the insulin receptor tyrosine kinase by insulin and to an even greater extent the phosphorylation of Akt/protein kinase B and glycogen synthase kinase-3. However, it failed to diminish the activation of phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase by insulin. Despite these changes in signaling, the stimulation by insulin of glucose transport (2-deoxyglucose uptake) and glucose incorporation into lipid and oxidation to CO2 was unaffected. The results indicate that preincubation of skeletal muscle with phorbol ester leads to a translocation of multiple conventional and novel PKC isoforms and to an impairment of several, but not all, events in the insulin-signaling cascade. They also demonstrate that these changes are associated with an inhibition of insulin-stimulated glycogen synthesis but that, at the concentration of PDBu used here, glucose transport, its incorporation into lipid, and its oxidation to CO2 are unaffected.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Ras activation of the Raf kinase: tyrosine kinase recruitment of the MAP kinase cascade.

A continuing focus of our work has been an effort to understand the signal transduction pathways through which insulin achieves its cellular actions. In the mid-1970s, we and others observed that insulin promoted an increase in Ser/Thr phosphorylation of a subset of cellular proteins. This finding was unanticipated, inasmuch as nearly all of the actions of insulin then known appeared to result from protein dephosphorylation. In fact, nearly 15 years elapsed before any physiologic response to insulin attributable to stimulated (Ser/Thr) phosphorylation was established. Nevertheless, based on the hypothesis that insulin-stimulated Ser/Thr phosphorylation reflected the activation of protein (Ser/Thr) kinases downstream of the insulin receptor, we sought to detect and purify these putative, insulin-responsive protein (Ser/Thr) kinases. Our effort was based on the presumption that an understanding of the mechanism for their activation would provide an entry into the biochemical reactions through which the insulin receptor activated its downstream effectors. To a degree that, in retrospect, is surprising, this goal was accomplished, much in the way originally envisioned. It is now well known that receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) recruit a large network of protein (Ser/Thr) kinases to execute their cellular programs. The first of these insulin-activated protein kinase networks to be fully elucidated was the Ras-Raf-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade. This pathway is a central effector of cellular differentiation in development; moreover, its inappropriate and continuous activation provides a potent promitogenic force and is a very common occurrence in human cancers. Conversely, this pathway contributes minimally, if at all, to insulin's program of metabolic regulation. Nevertheless, the importance of the Ras-MAPK pathway in metazoan biology and human malignancies has impelled us to an ongoing analysis of the functions and regulation of Ras and Raf. This chapter will summarize briefly the way in which work from this and other laboratories on insulin signaling led to the discovery of the mammalian MAP kinase cascade and, in turn, to the identification of unique role of the Raf kinases in RTK activation of this protein (Ser/Thr) kinase cascade. We will then review in more detail current understanding of the biochemical mechanism through which the Ras proto-oncogene, in collaboration with the 14-3-3 protein and other protein kinases, initiates activation of the Raf kinase.

14-3-3 Proteins↗
PubMed2001

Molecular regulation of genes encoding xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes: mechanisms involving endogenous factors.

It is widely recognized that xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes play a fundamental role in the basic processes of carcinogenesis and toxicity on one hand, and chemoprevention and drug efficacy on the other. Realization that different factors can profoundly affect the expression of these enzymes at the genome level has resulted in an enhanced appreciation of the importance these genes play in our modern industrialized age. There continues to be rapid proliferation of studies addressing the molecular regulation of these genes. The discovery of common signal transduction pathways and transcription factors that dictate tissue and developmental-specific expression, as well as variation in expression within a given tissue, suggest that there may be significant interaction among these various regulatory systems. This report is a summary of a symposium that was part of the Structure, Function and Regulation of Cytochromes P450 and Xenobiotic Metabolizing Enzymes satellite meeting of the 2000 joint meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, the French Pharmacological Society, and the Pharmacological Society of Canada held in Boston, Massachusetts. This symposium brought together several speakers who addressed specific receptor-mediated signal transduction pathways involved in the regulation of xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes, as well as other molecular mechanisms whereby endogenous factors are involved in controlling tissue- and developmental-specific expression.

Enzymes↗
PubMed2001

[Significance of detection of transfusion transmitted virus in extrahepatic tissues].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the location and distribution of transfusion transmitted virus (TTV) in the liver and extrahepatic tissues. METHODS: TTV DNA was detected in paraffin-embedded autopsy liver and extrahepatic tissues, including liver, pancreas, kidney, spleen, testicle, and heart from 13 patients with non A-G hepatitis by nested-PCR and in situ hybridization (ISH) techniques. RESULTS: Positive hybridization signals of TTV nucleus acid were observed in 5 liver, 3 kidney, 2 pancreas and spleen tissues, respectively. TTV DNA was detected in one from each two samples of testicle and heart. Positive signal was mainly located in nucleoli of the liver and extrahepatic parenchymal cells. There was not obvious pathological damage in those extrahepatic tissues. The positive rate of PCR approximately corresponded to ISH. CONCLUSIONS: TTV can infect hepatic and extrahepatic tissues and its infection in extrahepatic tissues might be responsible for a state of reinfection and higher prevalence in different population.

Adult↗
PubMed2000

Separation of "light fluorous" reagents and catalysts by fluorous solid-phase extraction: synthesis and study of a family of triarylphosphines bearing linear and branched fluorous tags.

Practical syntheses of new triarylphosphines bearing both linear and branched fluorous tags (Rf) are reported. The phosphines have one, two, or all three aryl rings bearing fluorous tags: (Ph)(3)(-)(n)()P(C(6)H(4)(CH(2))(m)()Rf)(n)(). Fluorous-organic partition coefficients have been measured and the retention properties of both the phosphines and the derived phosphine oxides on fluorous reverse phase silica have been studied. While applications relying on liquid-liquid extractive separations of these phosphines may be limited to those bearing three fluorous chains, the technique of solid phase extraction should be broadly applicable to phosphines, phosphine oxides, and derived metal complexes. A parallel platinum-catalyzed allylation of aldehydes with fluorous allyl stannanes illustrates the usefulness of the new fluorous ligands in small-scale synthesis.

Catalysis↗
PubMed2000

Genetic diversity of hantaviruses isolated in china and characterization of novel hantaviruses isolated from Niviventer confucianus and Rattus rattus.

The antigenic and genetic properties of 46 hantaviruses from China, 13 from patients, 23 from rodents, and 10 from unknown hosts, were compared with those of other hantaviruses. The viruses were classified as either Hantaan (HTN) or Seoul (SEO) viruses. A phylogenetic analysis of the partial M (300 bp) and S (around 485 bp) genomes of HTN viruses identified nine distinct genetic subtypes, one consisting of isolates from Korea. The SEO viruses were divided into five genetic subtypes, although they had less variability than the HTN subtypes. There was a correlation between the subtype and province of origin for four subtypes of HTN viruses, confirming geographical clustering. Hantaan virus NC167 isolated from Niviventer confucianus and SEO virus Gou3 isolated from Rattus rattus were the basal clades in each virus. The phylogenetic trees constructed from the entire S and M segments suggested that NC167 was introduced to N. confucianus in a host-switching event. The reactivity of a panel of 35 monoclonal antibodies was almost exactly the same in NC167 and a representative HTN virus and in Gou3 and a representative SEO virus. However, there was a one-way cross-neutralization between them. These results confirm the varied nature of Murinae-associated hantaviruses in China.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Structure-function study and anti-HIV activity of synthetic peptide analogues derived from viral chemokine vMIP-II.

The viral macrophage inflammatory protein II (vMIP-II) shows a broad spectrum interaction with both CC and CXC chemokine receptors including CCR5 and CXCR4, two principal coreceptors for the cellular entry of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Recently, we have shown that a synthetic peptide derived from the N-terminus of vMIP-II, designated as V1, is a potent antagonist of CXCR4 but not CCR5 [Zhou, N., et al. (2000) Biochemistry 39, 3782-3787]. In this study, we synthesized a series of new peptides derived from other regions of vMIP-II and characterized their binding activities with both CXCR4 and CCR5. The results provided further support for the notion that the N-terminus of vMIP-II is the major determinant for CXCR4 recognition and that vMIP-II probably interacts with other chemokine receptors such as CCR5 with different sequence and conformational determinants. To understand the structure-function relationship of V1 peptide, its solution conformation was studied using circular dichroism spectroscopy, which showed a random conformation similar to that of the corresponding N-terminus in native vMIP-II. In addition, we synthesized a series of mutant analogues of V1 containing alanine, glycine, or phenylalanine substitution at various positions. Residues Val-1, Arg-7, and Lys-9 of V1 peptide were found to be critical for receptor interaction, because single alanine replacement at these positions dramatically decreased peptide binding to CXCR4. In contrast, alanine or phenylalanine substitution at Cys-11 led to significant enhancement in peptide affinity for CXCR4. Finally, we showed that V1 peptide inhibits HIV-1 replication in CXCR4(+) T-cell lines. These studies provide new insights into the structure-function relationship of V1 peptide and demonstrate that this peptide may be a lead for the development of therapeutic agents.

Alanine↗
PubMed2000

Raf-1/MEK/MAPK pathway is necessary for the G2/M transition induced by nocodazole.

The dynamic balance between polymerization and depolymerization of microtubules is critical for cells to enter and exit mitosis, and drugs that disrupt this balance, such as taxol, colchicine, and nocodazole, arrest the cell cycle in mitosis. Although the Raf/MEK/MAPK pathway can be activated by these drugs, its role in mitosis has not been addressed. Here, we characterize activation of Raf/MEK/MAPK by nocodazole when mitosis is induced. We find that at early time points (up to 3 h) in nocodazole induction, Raf/MEK/MAPK is activated, and inhibition of MAPK activation by a MEK inhibitor, PD98059 or U0126, reduces the number of cells entering mitosis by creating a block at G(2). At later time points and in mitosis, activation of MEK/MAPK is severely inhibited, even though Raf-1 activity remains high and can be further increased by growth factor. This inhibition is reversed when cells are released from metaphase and enter G(0)/G(1) phase. In addition, we find that binding of Raf-1 to 14-3-3 is progressively induced by nocodazole, reaching a maximum in mitosis, and that this binding is necessary to maintain mitotic Raf-1 activity. Our present study indicates that activation of the Raf/MEK/MAPK pathway is necessary for the G(2)/M progression.

14-3-3 Proteins↗
PubMed2000

Expression of wild-type and noncleavable Fas ligand by tetracycline-regulated adenoviral vectors to limit intimal hyperplasia in vascular lesions.

Proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and the infiltration of T cells and macrophages into vessel wall are considered to be important for intimal lesion formation after balloon angioplasty. Previous studies have shown that Fas ligand (FasL) gene transfer to balloon-injured vessels inhibits lesion formation by killing both proliferating VSMCs and infiltrating inflammatory cells. Here, we describe the construction and utility of a binary, tetracycline-regulated adenovirus system that provides controlled transgene expression in vitro and in vivo. In this system, optimal transgene expression required cotransfection with an adenovirus encoding the tetracycline-dependent trans-activator (rtTA) and induction with doxycycline hydrochloride (DOX), an analog of tetracycline. Using this system, adenovirus constructs were designed that allow regulated expression of wild-type FasL and a noncleavable mutant of FasL (FasL-NC). Transduction of FasL and FasL-NC induced similar extents of apoptosis in proliferating VSMCs in vitro in a manner that was dependent on the doses of the rtTA adenovirus and the presence of DOX in the medium. Furthermore, inhibition of intimal hyperplasia in injured carotid arteries by FasL or FasL-NC transduction was also dependent on cotransfection with the rtTA adenovirus and administration of DOX by subcutaneous injection. In contrast to wild-type FasL, transduction of FasL-NC did not result in the production of soluble (cleaved) FasL in the medium of infected cells in vitro, or in the serum of rats after local gene transfer to carotid arteries. In conclusion, this binary tetracycline-inducible adenovirus system may allow for safer delivery of cytotoxic genes for therapeutic purposes.

Adenoviridae↗