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Results for “variable methylation”

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PubMed1996

Butyrate inhibits seeding and growth of colorectal metastases to the liver in mice.

BACKGROUND: The short-chain fatty acid butyrate inhibits growth of colorectal carcinoma cells in vitro. Mevalonate, a short-chain fatty acid structurally and metabolically related to butyrate, is important in signal transduction and is essential for cell growth. We investigated butyrate's effects on seeding and growth of colorectal tumor cells metastatic to the liver in vivo and hypothesized that butyrate's antiproliferative effects are associated with inhibition of mevalonate-mediated cell growth. METHODS: Hepatic metastases were induced by injecting 1 x 10(5) MC-26 (N-methyl-N-nitrosourea-induced murine colorectal carcinoma) cells into the spleen of BALB/c mice. Mice were treated with a continuous intravenous infusion of butyrate (2 gm/kg/day) for 7 days starting 24 hours before tumor cells were injected. Study variables included liver weight and number of hepatic surface metastases. Proliferation studies on MC-26 cells were performed in vitro to examine the effects of butyrate alone or combined with mevalonate or mevastatin (an inhibitor of mevalonate synthesis). RESULTS: Butyrate reduced seeding and growth of colorectal tumor cells in vivo. Mevalonate diminished butyrate's antiproliferative action in vitro, whereas mevastatin potentiated this effect. CONCLUSIONS: These studies (1) show that butyrate inhibits seeding and growth of hepatic colorectal metastases in vivo, (2) associate butyrate's antiproliferative effects with inhibition of mevalonate-mediated cell growth, and (3) indicate that 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors may have synergistic antiproliferative effects when combined with butyrate.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

The urinary excretion of solvents and gases for the biological monitoring of occupational exposure: a review.

'In the field' application of the measurement of urinary excretion of unmodified solvent for the biological monitoring of exposed workers has been investigated in many recent papers. The results obtained for several solvents are reviewed. The values of correlation coefficients (r) and regression lines obtained for benzene, toluene, xylene, styrene, n-hexane, cyclohexane, 2- and 3-methylpentane, methyl chloride, tetrachloroethylene, carbon tetrachloride, methyl chloroform, p-dichlorobenzene, nitrous oxide, halothane, isoflurane, enflurane, acetone, methyl ethyl ketone and methyl isobutyl ketone are presented. The correlations observed were generally good: r values range from 0.50-0.97, and the majority are between 0.84 and 0.90. The regression lines reported for the same solvent in different studies present some variability: this is possibly due to an inadequate control of factors influencing the relationship between external dose and absorption, such as differences in body burden, work load, individual characteristics, etc. These factors are discussed. As a whole, results reported in the literature show that measuring of urinary excretion of unmodified solvents provides a highly sensitive and specific exposure index, and can also be applied for the biological monitoring of occupational exposure to low levels of solvents or to solvent mixtures. Nevertheless, for an adequate assessment of biological limit values, further studies evaluating the reproducibility of regression lines are needed, given that the aspects influencing the correlation between external dose and urinary excretion are fully controlled. Another crucial aspect is the correlation with early effects: even though this has yet to be evaluated for several solvents, for others such as styrene and perchloroethylene a good correlation was obtained, further supporting the usefulness of the measurement of urinary excretion of solvent for the biological monitoring of occupational exposure.

Absorption↗

PubMed2000

Artificial neural networks for the automated detection of trichloroethylene by passive Fourier transform infrared spectrometry

Artificial neural networks are applied to the automated classification of trichloroethylene (TCE) signatures from passive Fourier transform infrared remote sensing interferogram data. Through the use of three data collection methods, a combination of laboratory and field data is acquired that allows the methodology to be evaluated under a variety of infrared background conditions and in the presence of potentially interfering compounds such as sulfur hexafluoride, methyl ethyl ketone, acetone, carbon tetrachloride, and ammonia. To maximize the computational efficiency of the network optimization, experimental design techniques are employed to develop a training protocol for the network that takes into account the relationships among five variables that are related either to the network architecture or to the training process. This protocol is implemented for the case of a back-propagation neural network (BNN) and is used to develop an optimized network for the detection of TCE. The classification performance of the network is assessed by comparing both TCE detection capabilities and false detection rates to similar classification results obtained with the technique of piecewise linear discriminant analysis (PLDA). When applied to prediction data withheld from the optimization of both the BNN and PLDA algorithms, the BNN method is observed to outperform PLDA overall, with TCE detection rates in excess of 99% and false detection rates less than 0.5%.

Journal Article↗

PubMedDate not supplied

QSAR based on multiple linear regression and PLS methods for the anti-HIV activity of a large group of HEPT derivatives.

Quantitative structure-activity relationships have been developed for a set of 107 inhibitors of the HIV-1 reverse transcriptase, derivatives of a recently reported HIV-1 specific lead: 1-[(2-hydroxyethoxy)methyl]-6-(phenylthio)thymine (HEPT). The activity of these compounds was investigated by means of multiple linear regression (MLR) and PLS regression techniques and topological indexes as well as several tabulated physicochemical substituent constants were used as predictor variables. The results obtained indicate that the anti-HIV activity of the HEPT derivatives is strongly dependent on hydrophobic factors as expressed by the Hansch constant (sigma pi (R1+R2)), and especially dependent on the geometric factors mainly accounted for by the 1 chi N (R2) and 4 chi pN molecular connectivity indexes and also for the molecular volume (Vx), the Taft steric constant (Es(2R1)), and the Verloop parameter for the smallest width value (B1(3R1)). Besides, for this data set, comparison of the quality of MLR and PLS models show that PLS is a better approach to MLR for improving the interpretability of the data and also to exhibit models with a better predictive quality.

Anti-HIV Agents↗

PubMed1981

The vascular and microvascular anatomy of the rat uterus during the oestrous cycle.

The vascular and microvascular anatomy of the rat uterus during the oestrous cycle was studied using the corrosion vascular casting/scanning electron microscopy method. Particular attention was paid to identifying each stage of the oestrous cycle prior to casting. The optimum viscosity range for the methyl methacrylate-based casting medium was between 2.3 and 4.0 centistokes; the perfusion pressure was adjusted to give an abdominal aortic pressure of 90 mm Hg. Casts show a complete replication of all uterine vessels. The longitudinal muscle capillaries of the myometrium appear thicker and more closely spaced than those of the circular muscle. Capillary networks surrounding the endometrial glands are continuous with the complex subepithelial capillary plexus. The uterus undergoes large variations in diameter during the oestrous cycle, and the corresponding changes in the spatial arrangement of its vasculature are demonstrated. No new vessel growth was detected during the cycle. The vaso-activity of methyl methacrylate makes vessel diameter measurements from the casts unreliable. This and other problems relating to the physiological interpretation of corrosion casts are discussed in detail. This work provides a thorough description of the morphology and unique structural variability of the rat uterine vasculature during the oestrous cycle.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Trends in alkyl substituent effects on nucleophilic reactions of carbonyl compounds: gas phase reactions between ammonia and R1R2COCH3+ oxonium ions.

The reactivity of carbonyl substituted methyl oxonium ions (R1R2COCH3+) towards ammonia has been investigated using an FT-ICR mass spectrometer and ab initio calculations. The monosubstituted ions (R1 = H; R2 = H, CH3, C2H5 and i-C3H7) show different reaction patterns with variable degree of: (1) nucleophilic substitution, (2) addition-elimination and (3) proton transfer, when reacted with ammonia. In all cases addition-elimination dominates over nucleophilic substitution, and the observed reactions are slow. The trends in reactivity are consistent with the alkyl group's electronic properties, as expressed by a single parameter linear or slightly non-linear model.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1988

Conductance and gating of epithelial Na channels from rat cortical collecting tubule. Effects of luminal Na and Li.

The behavior of individual Na channels in the apical membrane of the rat cortical collecting tubule (CCT) was studied at different concentrations of the permeant ions Na and Li. Tubules were opened to expose their luminal surfaces and bathed in K-gluconate medium to minimize tubule-to-tubule variation in cell membrane potential and intracellular Na concentration. The patch-clamp technique was used to resolve currents through individual channels. The patch-clamp pipette was filled with solutions containing variable concentrations of either NaCl or LiCl. In one series of experiments, the concentrations were changed without substitutions. In another series, the ionic strength and Cl concentration were maintained constant by partial substitution of Li with N-methyl-D-glucamine (NMDG). In cell-attached patches, both the single-channel conductance (g) and the single-channel current (i) saturated as functions of the Na or Li activity in the pipette. Without NMDG, the saturation of i was well described by Michaelis-Menten kinetics with an apparent Km of approximately 20 mM activity for Na and approximately 50 mM activity for Li. Km was independent of voltage for both ions. With substitution for Li by NMDG, the apparent Km value for Li transport through the channels increased. The values of the probability of a channel's being open (Po) varied from patch to patch, but no effect of pipette ion activity on Po could be demonstrated. A weak dependence of Po on membrane voltage was observed, with hyperpolarization increasing Po by an average of 2.3%/mV.

Animals↗

PubMed1977

DNA-polymerase inhibitors. Rifamycin derivatives.

Ten new derivatives of the antibiotic rifamycin with variable side chains at position 3 were synthesized. The inhibitory activity of these derivatives against DNA-polymerases isolated from avian myeloblastosis virus, E. coli and calf thymus were studied at various conditions. 3-(2,4,6-trinitrophenylhydrazone-(methyl) rifamycin SV is a strong inhibitor for all the polymerases tested and belongs to the C class inhibitors of reverse transcriptase. 3-(monoallylhydrazone-(methyl) rifamycin SV possesses a selective action on polymerases: at 0.1 mg/ml concentration it almost completely inhibits the reverse transcriptase and less than half of the bacterial and eukaryotic enzymes. A drug is found which strongly inhibits the DNA-polymerases from E. coli and calf thymus and weakly the viral enzyme. The inhibitory effect on reverse transcriptase is independent of the choice of template-primer; it could be overcome by the addition of excess enzyme but not of excess template-primer; the inhibition could be completely reversed by dilution of the drug-enzyme mixture. From Lineweaver-Burk analysis, the inhibition is noncompetitive with respect to the template-primer and, thus the drugs bind to the site different from the active site for the template-primer. From protective action of the template-primer and other data it might be suggested that the rifamycin derivatives act at an early step(s) in DNA synthesis catalyzed by reverse transcriptase. The obtained data are in agreement with the results for other derivatives of rifamycin SV described in literature.

Animals↗

PubMed1979

Role of plasmids in mercury transformation by bacteria isolated from the aquatic environment.

Eight mercury-resistant bacterial strains isolated from the Chesapeake Bay and one strain isolated from the Cayman Trench were examined for ability to volatilize mercury. Mercury volatilization was found to be variable in the strains tested. In addition, plasmids were detected in all strains. After curing, two of the bacterial strains lost mercury resistance, indicating that volatilization is plasmid mediated in these strains. Only two cultures demonstrated ability to methylate mercuric chloride under either aerobic or anaerobic conditions. Methylation of mercury, compared with volatilization, appears to be mediated by a separate genetic system in these bacteria. It is concluded that mercury volatilization in the estuarine environment can be mediated by genes carried on plasmids.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMed1978

Evidence for an adenovirus type 2-coded early glycoprotein.

We have identified an adenovirus type 2 (Ad2)-induced early glycopolypeptide with an apparent molecular weight of 20,000 to 21,000 (20/21K), as estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The 20/21K polypeptide could be labeled in vivo with [(3)H]glucosamine. [(35)S]methionine- and [(3)H]-glucosamine-labeled 20/21K polypeptides bound to concanavalin A-Sepharose columns and were eluted with 0.2 M methyl-alpha-d-mannoside. The pulse-labeled polypeptide appeared as a sharp band with an apparent molecular weight of 21K, but after a chase it converted to multiple bands with an average molecular weight of 20K. This variability in electrophoretic mobility is consistent with glycosylation or deglycosylation of the 20/21K polypeptide. Analysis of the pulse and pulse-chase-labeled forms by using partial proteolysis indicated that the polypeptides were highly related chemically, but not identical. Most of the 20/21K polypeptide is localized in the cytoplasm fraction of infected cells lysed by Nonidet P-40. The 20/21K polypeptide and a 44K polypeptide, labeled with [(35)S]methionine or [(3)H]glucosamine in Ad2-infected human cells, were precipitated by a rat antiserum against an Ad2-transformed rat cell line (T2C4), but not by antisera against three other Ad2-transformed rat cell lines, or by serum from nonimmune rats. The partial proteolysis patterns of the 20/21K and the 44K polypeptides were indistinguishable, indicating that the two polypeptides are highly related, and suggesting that the 44K polypeptide might be a dimer of the 20/21K polypeptide. The 20/21K polypeptide was also induced in Ad2-early infected monkey and hamster cells. These results imply that the 20/21K polypeptide is synthesized in Ad2-infected human, monkey, and hamster cells, and in one but not all Ad2-transformed rat cells. Thus, the 20/21K polypeptide is probably viral coded rather than cell coded and viral induced.

Adenoviruses, Human↗

PubMed1975

Deoxyribonucleic acid strandedness. Partial characterization of the antigenic regions binding antibodies in lupus erythematosus serum.

This study shows that tritiated thymidine labeled DNA prepared from mammalian cells by the Marmur technique is a pure preparation of nucleic acid that is composed essentially of two populations of molecules. One molecular population consists of primarily double-standed nucleic acid, while the other population is of double-stranded nucleic acid with significant single-stranded regions. The double-stranded DNA with single-stranded regions can, depending upon the length of the single strand, behave as "native" DNA or "denatured" DNA on methylated albumin kieselguhr (MAK) column chromatography, Using MAK chromatography we have separated the DNA into a saltelutable fraction composed of primarily double-stranded molecules and an alkaline-elutable fraction containing double-stranded nucleic acid with variable length, single-stranded regions. Endonuclease enzyme removal of the single-stranded regions from the alkaline fraction DNA yield nucleic acid that behaves identically to the salt elutable DNA. Exonuclease removal of the single-stranded regions suggests they are located primarily at the ends of the molecules. Our data show that the alkaline-elutable DNA differs from salt-elutable DNA only in that the former has significant single-stranded regions. Sera of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) selected for anti-DNA by hemagglutination bind significantly less to the alkaline fraction DNA than the sale fraction DNA. This difference in binding clearly does not represent simply an affinity for double-stranded vs. single-stranded nucleic acid since the alkaline fraction DNA contains predominately double-stranded nucleic acid. A model for antibody-DNA binding is suggested from the present data and information contained in the literature.

Animals↗

PubMed1993

Expression of aspartylglucosaminidase in human tissues from normal individuals and aspartylglucosaminuria patients.

Aspartylglucosaminidase (AGA: E.C. 3.5.1.26) is a lysosomal amidase that hydrolyzes the N-acetylglucosamine-asparagine linkage as one of the final steps in the breakdown of glycoproteins. Deficiency of this enzyme results in aspartylglucosaminuria (AGU), an inherited lysosomal storage disease. In an attempt to establish the tissue-specific expression of AGA in normal individuals and in AGU patients, we adapted biochemical and immunohistochemical techniques to analyze AGA polypeptides in human cells and tissues. The biochemical analysis revealed the existence of alpha- and beta-subunit structures of AGA in all tissues. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated a cell specificity in the distribution of AGA: immunoreactivity was strongest in hepatocytes, pyramidal cells in the cerebral cortex, and proximal tubule cells in the kidney. In tissues from AGU patients, AGA immunoreactivity could be detected in hepatocytes and in proximal tubule cells but not in the pyramidal cells. The regulation of the expression of AGA was approached by analyzing the transcript levels and the methylation of the AGA gene. Both heavy methylation of the AGA gene and the constant level of AGA mRNA were typical of a "house-hold" type of enzyme that can be found in small quantities in all tissues. This was in contrast to the variability of the amount of AGA polypeptides observed in different cells and tissues, suggesting that the expression of AGA is regulated not at the transcriptional but rather at the translational level.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Interpopulation congruence in Chinese Primula ovalifolia revealed by chemical and molecular markers using essential oils and ISSRs.

The chemical composition of the essential oils of five natural populations of P. ovalifolia from central and southwest China and their interpopulation variability were first analyzed by using GC-MS. Twenty-two essential oil compounds were obtained, in which eighteen ones were identified and characterized representing 95%-96% of the oil composition. Three main chemotypes, i.e., the methyl-acetyl-hydroquinone-rich, hydroquinone-rich, and acetyl-hydroquinone-rich chemotypes, were then differentiated, corresponding to the three groups obtained from the cluster analysis based on the essential oil composition percentages. Genetic variations among the five populations were also investigated using the Inter-Simple Sequence Repeats (ISSR) markers. Finally, the Mantel test showed that there was a significant correlation between two distance matrices based on the chemical compounds of essential oils and ISSR markers, confirming the congruence of interpopulation relationships in the P. ovalifolia revealed by the chemical and molecular markers

China↗

PubMed1985

Autoradiographic characterization of N-methyl-D-aspartate-, quisqualate- and kainate-sensitive glutamate binding sites.

Quantitative autoradiography was used to characterize the pharmacological specificity and anatomical distributions of subtypes of L-[3H]glutamate binding sites in rat brain. One population of sites was sensitive to N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and other compounds thought to be specific for the NMDA receptor. This site was enriched in stratum radiatum of hippocampus (CA1) where it constituted about 80% of glutamate binding sites and it represented a variable portion of glutamate binding sites throughout the brain. A second population of sites had a high affinity for quisqualate. Approximately 80% of glutamate binding sites in cerebellar molecular layer were of the high affinity quisqualate type. The number of these sites was greatly increased in the presence of Cl- and Ca++ ions. A subset of the high affinity quisqualate sites was sensitive to competition by kainate, particularly in stratum lucidum of hippocampus; the density of these high affinity kainate-sensitive sites was decreased in the presence of Ca++ but not Cl- ions. At high concentrations quisqualate competes for all glutamate binding sites, as reported previously. There was a good correspondence between the density and distribution of low affinity quisqualate sites and NMDA-sensitive sites. Pharmacological analysis suggested that the low affinity quisqualate site and the NMDA site are equivalent. Anatomical and pharmacological evidence suggests that the NMDA-, (high affinity) quisqualate- and kainate-sensitive glutamate binding sites may correspond to the physiologically defined NMDA, quisqualate and kainate receptors.

Animals↗

PubMed2026

Epigenetic and Transcriptional Regulatory Networks Underlying Psoriasis Pathogenesis.

Psoriasis is a chronic, immune-mediated dermatologic disorder characterized by the hyperproliferation of keratinocytes and dysregulated immune signaling. Although genome-wide association studies have identified susceptibility loci, the multifactorial nature of the disease underlines the importance of nongenetic regulatory mechanisms. Among these epigenetic modifications are those that critically link genetic predisposition with environmental stimuli. This review offers an in-depth overview of the current insights into the role of epigenetic regulation in the pathophysiology of psoriasis. Key mechanisms, including aberrant DNA methylation, histone post-translational modifications (eg, H3K27ac, H3K4me3), and dysregulated noncoding RNAs, are discussed in the context of inflammatory signaling and immune cell function. This review also explores how environmental factors such as UV radiation and air pollution induce the epigenetic reprogramming that perpetuates the proinflammatory state. Furthermore, it highlights the translational potential of targeting epigenetic regulators and epigenome-editing technologies, including clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) fusion systems, as precision therapeutic strategies. In parallel, advances in single-cell epigenomics, spatial transcriptomics, and the profiling of circulating biomarkers offer novel diagnostic tools. Despite advances, challenges persist, including the limited predictive value of preclinical models and variable epigenetic profiles. Positioning epigenetics as the bridge between genetic risk, environmental triggers, and therapeutic advances, this review presents a framework for precision medicine in psoriasis.

Humans↗

PubMed2026

Differences between mitotically old and young endometrial tumors.

Human tumors likely differ in their mitotic ages, reflecting how many divisions elapse between the final tumor progenitor cell and surgical removal. We used a rapidly fluctuating CpG (fCpG) methylation clock to infer relative endometrial adenocarcinomas (EAC) mitotic ages. Experimentally, young tumors initiated from single cells show low-diversity, high-variance fCpG distributions with trimodal peaks near 0%, 50%, and 100%, reflecting inherited progenitor methylation states. fCpG methylation becomes polymorphic with divisions, and older tumors exhibit higher diversity, lower variance, and unimodal distributions centered around 50%. Mitotic ages varied across EAC samples. Synchronous hyperplasia and invasive regions generally shared similar ages, and primary-metastatic EAC pairs showed both synchronous and stepwise progression. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) EACs also showed variable mitotic ages: younger tumors were enriched for proliferation pathways, whereas older tumors showed more immune infiltration, immune-pathway activation, and evidence of T-cell exhaustion. These results show that human tumors can be ranked by mitotic age and suggest that the growth of older cancers is restrained by immune surveillance. © 2026 The Author(s). The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.

Humans↗

PubMed1976

Red blood cell catechol O-methyl transferase and response to imipramine in unipolar depressive women.

When baseline red blood cell catechol O-methyltransferase (COMT) was measured in 15 unipolar depressive women, the authors found a linear correlation between COMT and response to imipramine (best outcome occurring at low COMT). The results of this study were not related to such variables as intensity of depression, family history, or psychiatric history. The authors suggest that this assay may be useful either as a predictor of response to the drug or as a guide in choosing the optimum dose.

Adult↗

PubMed2001

NMDA receptor-dependent periodic oscillations in cultured spinal cord networks.

Cultured spinal cord networks grown on microelectrode arrays display complex patterns of spontaneous burst and spike activity. During disinhibition with bicuculline and strychnine, synchronized burst patterns routinely emerge. However, the variability of both intra- and interculture burst periods and durations are typically large under these conditions. As a further step in simplification of synaptic interactions, we blocked excitatory AMPA synapses with 2,3-dioxo-6-nitro-1,2,3,4-tetrahydrobenzoquinoxaline-7-sulphonamide (NBQX), resulting in network activity mediated through the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor (NMDA(ONLY)). This activity was APV sensitive. The oscillation under NMDA(ONLY) conditions at 37 degrees C was characterized by a period of 2.9 +/- 0.3 s (16 separate cultures). More than 98% of all neurons recorded participated in this highly rhythmic activity. The temporal coefficients of variation, reflecting the rhythmic nature of the oscillation, were 3.7, 4.7, and 4.9% for burst rate, burst duration, and interburst interval, respectively [mean coefficients of variation (CVs) for 16 cultures]. The oscillation persisted for at least 12 h without change (maximum observation time). Once established, it was not perturbed by agents that block mGlu receptors, GABA(B) receptors, cholinergic receptors, purinergic receptors, tachykinin receptors, serotonin (5-HT) receptors, dopamine receptors, electrical synapses, burst afterhyperpolarization, NMDA receptor desensitization, or the hyperpolarization-activated current. However, the oscillation was destroyed by bath application of NMDA (20-50 microM). These results suggest a presynaptic mechanism underlying this periodic rhythm that is solely dependent on the NMDA synapse. When the AMPA/kainate synapse was the sole driving force (n = 6), the resulting burst patterns showed much higher variability and did not develop the highly periodic, synchronized nature of the NMDA(ONLY) activity. Network size or age did not appear to influence the reliability of expression of the NMDA(ONLY) activity pattern. For this reason, we suggest that the NMDA(ONLY) condition unmasks a fundamental rhythmogenic mechanism of possible functional importance during periods of NMDA receptor-dominated activity, such as embryonic and early postnatal development.

Animals↗