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Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are multipotent tissue stem cells that can be induced in vitro to differentiate into a variety of cells such as osteoblasts, chondrocytes and adipocytes. MSCs are useful vehicles for both cell and gene therapy for a variety of diseases. Here, we injected human MSCs with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) into the striatum of Parkinson disease (PD) rat and examined their survival, migration, differentiation, and the behavior changes in PD rats, which will provide a theoretical foundation and technical method for clinic PD therapy by stem cells. The results showed that human bone marrow MSCs can survive in rat brain for a long time (exceeding 70 d). MSCs were found in multiple areas of the rat brain including the striatum, the corpus callosum, contralateral cortex and even the brain vascular wall. Immunocytochemical staining suggested that implanted cells expressed human neurofilament (NF), neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and glial fibrillary acid protein (GFAP). At the same time, remission in abnormal behavior of the PD rats appeared. Rotation scores decreased gradually from 8.86+/-2.09 r/min pre-transplantation to 4.87+/-2.06 r/min 90 d post-transplantation (statistic result showed P<0.05).

We found previously that ACh can significantly inhibit the proliferation of cultured human pituitary adenoma cells. In order to make a further investigation of the mechanism of the inhibitory effect of ACh on the proliferation of pituitary adenoma cells, we observed the levels of protein kinase C (PKC), [Ca(2+)](i) and cAMP/cGMP in cultured pituitary adenoma cells after treatment with ACh. The results demonstrate that (1) compared with control, PMA, a PKC activator, increased the activity of cytoplasm, membrane and total PKC in human pituitary adenoma cells. However, after a 15-min treatment with ACh (10 micromol/L), a significant reduction of the activity of cytoplasm, membrane and total PKC in human pituitary adenoma cells was observed, and the reduction effect could be blocked by atropine. (2) The level of [Ca(2+)](i) of single adenoma cells was found to decrease immediately on the addition of ACh (10 micromol/L), which could also be blocked by atropine. (3) ACh increased the amount of cAMP in the cytoplasm of human pituitary adenoma cells, but had no effect on that of cGMP. These data provide an important clue to explore the molecular mechanisms of the inhibitory effect of ACh on the proliferation of pituitary adenoma cells, and suggest that the modulating effect of ACh on the proliferation of pituitary adenoma cells results from the interactions of several cellular signaling pathways.

In the present study, confluent bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) were used to study the rapid nongenomic effects of 17beta-estradiol and the membrane impermeable conjugated 17beta-estradiol (E(2)BSA) on the activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK). eNOS activation was assessed in whole cells by measuring [(3)H]L-arginine conversion to [(3)H]L-citrulline. MAPK activity was determined by Western blotting. The results obtained show that the addition of various concentrations of E(2) (0.001-1 micromol/L) resulted in 122+/-29, 186+/-17, 83+/-20 and 157+/-29% increases in eNOS activity, respectively, in BAECs within 15 min of exposure to the hormone. E(2) (0.01 mol/L)-stimulated eNOS activity was detectable during 5-, 15- and 30- min incubation which yielded increases of 37+/-6, 56+/-9 and 38+/-8%, respectively. The increase reached a plateau from 15 through 30 min and rapidly declined thereafter. E(2)BSA 17.5 ng/ml also enhanced eNOS activity by an increase of 35+/-9% above the basal activity. The effect of E(2) and E(2)BSA on eNOS activation was unaffected by actinomycin D 25 microg/ml but was obviously inhibited by tamoxifen (0.1 micromol/L) and PD98059 (50 micromol/L). Compared with control E(2) and E(2)BSA stimulation of BAECs for 15 min caused an increase in MAPK activity by 428+/-17 and 360+/-14% respectively. This effect was blocked by tamoxifen. These results suggest that there might be the membrane estrogen receptor localized on BAECs, which mediates the rapid nongenomic effect of estrogen on eNOS activation through MAPK pathways.

Lime-stabilized biosolids produced from a wastewater treatment plant often emit odors, especially those described as "fishy" and "decaying". These odors can generate public opposition to biosolids land-application programs even though they represent an environmentally friendly recycling of organic material that is beneficial to the agricultural industry. Therefore, it is critical to examine the controlling factors involved in odor production during the lime stabilization process. Results from preliminary experiments examining added polymer and protein material to dewatered limed biosolids show increased trimethylamine (TMA) production with further increases in 1-hour and 4-hour storage times prior to liming. Further experiments with water-silica slurry reaction media reveal that enzymatically facilitated degradation of polymer and protein is the overriding factor in TMA and dimethyldisulfide (DMDS) production. It is hypothesized that macromolecules such as polymer and proteins in biosolids are first broken down enzymatically, upon which the addition of lime causes TMA and DMDS to be released.

Food hypersensitivities can be divided into toxic and nontoxic, and the latter can further be subdivided into immune and nonimmune hypersensitivities. Cow's milk allergy or intolerance occurs in 5-15% of infants, mostly during the first year of life, or occasionally later. The symptoms may involve different organ systems, especially the gastrointestinal system, skin, and respiratory system. For the diagnosis of cow's milk protein allergy/intolerance, double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge has been used as a gold standard. Since the test suffers from some drawbacks, many reports have pointed to the need for novel and simpler diagnostic procedures and criteria. In our study, clinical symptoms and laboratory findings of patients with cow's milk protein allergy were compared to assess the possible correlation between particular laboratory findings, clinical picture, and the organ system predominantly involved. There were no significant differences in the levels of IgE, cow's milk protein specific IgE, eosinophilia, prick test results, rectal mucosa biopsy histology, and atopy incidence in patient families among the children with gastrointestinal, cutaneous, and combined gastrointestinal and cutaneous symptoms. Improvement in the symptoms with dietary therapy irrespective of clinical presentation and type of hypersensitivity underlying the symptoms in all these patients strongly suggests that clinical response should be a basic criterion for the diagnosis of cow's milk protein allergy.

To investigate the mechanism of arsenic trioxide (As(2)O(3)) induced apoptosis in hepatic blastoma cells HepG2 and its effects on cell nuclear matrix related protein promyelocytic leukaemia (PML).

Over the past 20 years, the interest of the scientific community was increasingly placed in the field of genetic epidemiology and molecular genetics of blood pressure control. This paper explores references related to essential hypertension, gene and genetic epidemiology indexed in the MedLine health science database during the period 1980-2001. A systematic literature search was performed using selected keywords, such as 'genetic', 'genome' or a combination of words. We considered the study heading and evaluated the time profile of published articles. A total number of 3116 publications was collected and analyzed. Allelic distribution for the most studied polymorphisms of the renin-angiotensin system in different world populations was reviewed and reported together with a detection of their frequency in Italy: essential hypertensive patients (n = 90), healthy unrelated subjects (n = 300). Molecular variants at angiotensinogen (M and T), angiotensin II type 1 receptor (A and C) and angiotensin-converting enzyme (D and I) genes were analyzed by amplified fragment length polymorphism. A significant association was detected by chi2 analysis for angiotensinogen and angiotensin II-type I receptor allele distribution in hypertensive patients, in accordance with previous reports. Genetic data and methods are contributing more and more to epidemiological studies of complex diseases, and their application is influenced by information availability and Genome Project results.

Taiwan is a hyperendemic area of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection where chronic hepatitis B is the most important cause of liver cirrhosis and hepatoma. Since, diagnostic kit for detecting hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection has been developed, HCV was found to be another important etiology of chronic liver disease. In order to study the seroprevalence of HCV infection among preschool children after mass hepatitis B vaccination program in Taiwan, a community-based survey was carried out in 54 kindergartens in 10 urban areas, 10 rural areas, and two aboriginal areas randomly selected through stratified sampling. Serum specimens of 2538 preschool children were screened for the HCV antibodies (anti-HCV) by a commercially available third-generation microparticle enzyme immunoassay and for HBV markers by radioimmunoassay methods. The multivariate-adjusted odd ratios (ORm) with their 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated through the multiple logistic regression analysis. A total of 58 children were anti-HCV seropositive, giving a prevalence of 2.3%. The prevalence of anti-HCV was 1.0% (5 of 484) among aboriginal children, a significantly decreased seroprevalence compared with those among other ethnic groups after multivariate adjustment. Boys had a higher anti-HCV seroprevalence, but not statistically significantly different from girls (ORm: 1.6; 95% CI: 0.9-2.8; p = 0.08). The seroprevalence of the age group of 3-4 years was lower than that of the age group of 5-6 years (ORm: 2.2; 95% CI: 1.1-4.2; p = 0.02). After multivariate adjustment, preschool children with natural HBV infection had a higher anti-HCV seroprevalence, but not statistically significantly different from those without natural HBV-infection (ORm: 2.6; 95% CI: 0.9-7.4; p = 0.08 for HBV-infected vs. uninfected). HCV infection varies with gender, residential area, and natural HBV infection. HCV and HBV might share common transmission routes in Taiwan.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease is the 'common' name for a range of hereditary peripheral neuropathies. CMT1 is the most common form and is transmitted in an autosomal dominant manner. CMT1A maps to chromosome 17p11.2 and is caused, in the majority of cases, by a 1.5 Mb DNA duplication, that includes the peripheral myelin protein 22 (PMP) gene. This paper reports on preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) for CMT1A in five couples. The CMT1A duplication was detected by fluorescent PCR analysis using polymorphic (CA)n markers localized within the duplication. Single-cell PCR on blastomeres allowed genetic analysis of embryos obtained after ICSI. Only healthy unaffected embryos were transferred to the uterus. PCR experiments with single EBV-transformed lymphoblasts or with research blastomeres allowed the evaluation of amplification efficiencies, as well as contamination and allele drop-out (ADO) rates for each PCR protocol. Three simplex PCR protocols (using one primer pair) and two duplex PCR protocols (using two primer pairs) were developed for CMT1A. Additionally, a protocol using all three primer pairs in triplex was also established. Thirteen clinical ICSI-PGD cycles were performed for five couples (12 simplex PCR cycles and one duplex PCR cycle), resulting in seven embryo transfers. Three singleton pregnancies ensued in two couples and three healthy babies were delivered. This report describes different fluorescent PCR-based tests which allow efficient and accurate single-cell level detection of the CMT1A duplication. On the basis of the presence of the healthy allele of the affected parent-to-be (and/or absence of the affected one), healthy embryos can be selected for transfer. The assays are suitable for PGD for other couples who present with the same CMT1A duplication [depending on their informativity for the (CA)n markers available] as described here.

The effects of local injection of genistein on femoral, renal, and mesenteric vascular beds were investigated respectively by constant flow perfusion method in 72 anaesthetized rats. The results are as follows: (1) genistein (0.4, 0.8, 1.2 mg/kg) decreased the perfusion pressure (PP) of femoral vascular bed in a dose-dependent manner. The effect of genistein (0.8 mg/kg) was partially inhibited by L-NAME, or by sodium orthovanadate (50 microg/kg), a potent inhibitor of protein tyrosine phosphatase; (2) genistein also decreased the PP of renal vascular bed in a dose-dependent manner and the effect of genistein was completely inhibited by pretreatment with sodium orthovanadate, but unaffected by L-NAME; and (3) genistein decreased the PP of mesenteric vascular bed in a dose-dependent manner, an effect which was partially inhibited by sodium orthovanadate, but unaffected by L-NAME. From the results obtained, it is concluded that genistein can decrease the vascular tone in the femoral, renal, and mesenteric vascular beds with the underlying mechanism that involves tyrosine kinase inhibition, while in femoral arterial beds, it also involves NO release.

Rat aorta media, adventitia and cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) were used in this study to identify the source of nitric oxide (NO) generation from various cell types of vascular tissues and to elucidate the mechanisms involved in NO formation. Treatment of vascular media and VSMCs with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or cytokines [tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta)] resulted in a dose-dependent increase of NO release. Inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the stimulated VSMCs was significantly upregulated as shown by Western blot analysis. Protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor 1-(5-isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H7) prevented LPS-, TNF-alpha- and IL-1beta-induced NO production, whereas N-(2-guanidinoethyl)-5-isoquinoline-sulfonamide (HA1004), an H7 analogue with little activity towards PKC, had no inhibition effect. The role of PKC in LPS- and cytokine-induced changes on NO formation was confirmed by using another structurally distinct PKC inhibitor chelerythrine. Treatment of VSMCs with protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitor genistein or tyrphostin AG18 also reduced the NO production evoked by LPS, TNF-alpha or IL-1beta, which was associated with inhibition of iNOS protein expression. In contrast, PKC inhibitor chelerythrine did not affect iNOS expression. These results suggest that PTK mediates LPS- and cytokine-induced NO formation by upregulation of iNOS expression. PKC may be involved in the post-translational modification of iNOS or the regulation of the availability of iNOS substrates and cofactors.

To explore the role of metabotropic glutamate receptor 2/3 mGluR 2/3 in the induction of brain ischemic tolerance (BIT), the influences of mGluR2/3 antagonist alpha-methyl-(4-tetrazolyl-phenyl) glycine (MTPG) on the induction of BIT and expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the hippocampus were observed using thionin staining and GFAP immunohistochemical staining in a rat brain ischemic model with four-vessel occlusion (4VO). Fifty-four rats, of which bilateral vertebral arteries were occluded permanently by electrocautery, were divided into 5 groups: (1) sham operated group (n=8): the bilateral carotid common arteries (BCCA) were separated, but the blood flow was not blocked; (2) ischemia group (n=8): the blood flow of BCCA was blocked for 8 min; (3) ischemic preconditioning (IP) group (n=8): the blood flow of BCCA was occluded for 3 min as a cerebral ischemic preconditioning (CIP), and then the rats were exposed to an 8-min brain ischemic insult 24 h after the CIP; (4) MTPG+IP group (n=22): MTPG was administered 20 min before the CIP, then the rats were exposed to an 8-min brain ischemia insult 24 h after the CIP. In order to examine dosage dependency in the effect of MTPG, 4 dosages of MTPG (0.4, 0.2, 0.04 and 0.008 mg) were administered; (5) MTPG+ischemia group (n=8): an ischemic insult for 8 min was given 24 h after the administration of MTPG (0.2 mg). MTPG was injected into the right lateral cerebral ventricle. The results obtained are as follows. (1) Ischemic insult for 8 min increased the histological grade (HG) and reduced the neuronal density (ND) significantly, and also increased the expression of GFAP significantly (P<0.05 vs sham-operated group). (2) In the IP group, the above changes were not observed, indicating that CIP could protect pyramidal neurons against the ischemic insult. (3) The protective effects of CIP were blocked by MTPG, as manifested by the significant increase in HG and decrease in ND in the MTPG+IP group (P<0.05 vs sham-operated group). The changes were dose-dependent. (4) No obvious difference in the HG, ND and expression of GFAP was detected between the groups of MTPG+ischemia and ischemia. The above results indicate that MTPG blocks the induction of BIT induced by CIP, suggesting that mGluR2/3 participates in the induction of BIT.

It has been demonstrated that signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) is activated after cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) in cortex and striatum. In this study, we investigated whether STAT3 was rapidly activated in hippocampus by cerebral ischemia without reperfusion in four-vessel occlusion (4-VO) model of Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. The results showed that tyrosine phosphorylation and DNA binding activity of STAT3 was rapidly increased by ischemia. The p-STAT3 level in cytoplasm increased 5 min after occlusion and reached a peak at 10 min following ischemia (1.7 folds vs sham) by means of immunoblotting (IB). P-STAT3 in nucleus was gradually enhanced with its peak activity occurring at 30 min of ischemia (2.3 folds vs sham). Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) with STAT3 probe demonstrated that DNA binding activity of STAT3 in nuclear extracts increased from 5 min and peaked at 30 min of ischemia (3.2 folds vs sham). These changes were prevented by genistein (a protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor) and antioxidant N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), but promoted by sodium orthovanadate (a protein phosphatase inhibitor), which were administered to the SD rats 20 min before ischemia. These results indicate that the activation of STAT3 following cerebral ischemia may be modulated by PTK/PTP, and that this pathway may be of benefit to the adaptation of the hippocampal neurons to oxidative stress.

The purpose of the present study was to observe the expression of Axin protein during cardiac remodeling in rats. Cardiac remodeling animal models were prepared with the methods of jugular venous norepinephrine (NE)-infusion or arterial-vein fistula (AVF). The ultrasonic parameters of rat hearts were recorded before sacrifice. The expressions of Axin protein were determined by Western blot in rat hearts from different remodeling models as well as cultured cardiac fibroblasts from adult rats. Cardiac concentric hypertrophy and fibrosis was induced by 3-day jugular vein infusion of NE in rats. The expression of Axin in the left ventricles increased significantly compared with that of the control group. Cardiac eccentric hypertrophy without fibrosis was induced by A-V fistula for one week in rats, and no change in Axin protein expression in the left ventricles was observed. In cultured adult rat cardiac fibroblasts, NE treatment for 24 h increased significantly the Axin protein level. It is therefore concluded that Axin protein was expressed in rat heart and increased significantly in left ventricles during NE-induced rat cardiac remodeling, which may be relevant to cardiac fibrosis.

To investigate the correlation of bcl-2 and Bax protein with nuclear matrix in glioblastoma cell line U87 as well as the effect of EGFR-cDNA transfection on the expression of bcl-2 and Bax in U87 cells.

To study the relation between cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) protein expression and biologic behavior of ovarian carcinoma.

To explore the change of extracellular-signal regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and their mitogen activated protein kinase kinases(MAPKKs) gene expression in normal skins versus hypertrophic scars underlying their biological significances.

To study the action of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in the course of secondary hepatic injury in rats in the early stage after multiple injury.

To investigate the protecting effect on proliferation of intestinal epithelial cells against hypoxia-reoxygenation through injury by transfection of recombinant adenovirus with whole long human heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) gene.

To observe the changes of lipid peroxidation and antioxidative enzyme activities of chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) and to explore their effects on the pathogenesis of CRI.

To observe the changes in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity and gene expression after coronary artery balloon injury in rat.

We conducted a systematic review for the diagnostic accuracy of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein assay for neonatal infection. In total, 558 relevant published reports were found in a search of MEDLINE and Igaku-Chuo-Shi. With our inclusion and exclusion criteria, we finally selected 30 primary studies for meta-analysis. We critically appraised the quality of selected clinical studies and then extracted sensitivity and specificity data from each article for meta-analysis. There was only one article that fulfilled our three major standards for quality assessment(rank A; high-quality), while 19 studies which fulfilled only one criterion were assigned to rank C(low-quality). Most studies neither took careful consideration of the blindness against the results of the index test nor described this methodological standard. Lack of qualified primary studies may have had substantial influence on the summary estimates. Insufficient number of primary studies for meta-analysis and their unsatisfactory quality would be improved by the addition of supplemental results retrieved from raw data, which the authors of clinical studies did not present in their articles.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of ERK on 17beta-estradiol (E(2)) inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation in rats after vascular injury. Common carotid artery balloon-injury (Inj) model was established in ovariectomized rats (OVX). Female SD rats were randomly divided into 4 groups: OVX, E(2)+OVX, OVX+Inj, and E(2)+OVX+Inj groups. The thickness of the vessels, the plasma content of NO, and the expression of ERK, phosphorylated ERK as well as eNOS protein were measured. The results showed that compared with OVX, the vessel wall was significantly thickened and the plasma content of NO was significantly decreased in OVX+Inj group. E(2) significantly decreased the vessel thickness but increased the plasma NO content after balloon injury. E(2) inhibited the expression of ERK, phosphorylated ERK and induced the eNOS expression. There is a positive correlation between plasma NO content and eNOS protein expression, while there is a negative correlation between plasma NO content and the thickness of vessel. The plasma NO content and the expression of ERK protein were negatively correlated. These results suggest that E(2) increases the vascular eNOS protein expression and NO release, leading to the inhibition of VSMC proliferation after balloon injury by inhibiting the ERK and phosphorylated ERK protein expression.

To shed light on cardiac effects of the potent vasoconstrictive peptide urotensin II (U II), Langendorff-perfused isolated rat hearts were consecutively perfused with 0.1, 1 and 10 nmol/L U II, for 5 min at each dose, followed by 5-min washout. Moreover, isolated hearts subjected to 20-min global no-flow ischemia were reperfused with U II (1 or 10 nmol/L) for 20 min. Heart function parameters including heart rate, left ventricular pressure and dP/dt were monitored; content of protein and myoglobin, and activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in coronary effluent were determined; malondialdehyde (MDA) in myocardium and [(125)I]-U II binding sites in plasma membrane were measured after the completion of perfusion. The results showed that: (1) In normal rat hearts, the coronary flow was decreased and the heart function was suppressed by U II dose-dependently, and these changes were not abolished by washout. The leakage of cardiac protein, myoglobin and LDH increased with the increment of U II, but it diminished rapidly after washout. In contrast, MDA content in U II -treated myocardium was not statistically different from that in normal myocardium. (2) Ischemia-reperfusion caused significant decreases in coronary flow, suppression of heart function, and leakage of protein and LDH. In U II -reperfused hearts, all these disorders were significantly aggravated and myocardial MDA content significantly increased (P<0.01), to a greater extent in the presence of higher dose of U II. (3) The maximal binding capacity (B(max)) of U II receptors in plasma membrane from ischemia-reperfusion myocardium increased significantly as compared with that of normal myocardium (20.53+/-1.98 vs 14.65+/-1.78 fmol/mg pr, P<0.01), while Kd remained unchanged. These results indicate that U II caused injury to the isolated rat hearts under normal perfusion, and worsened the injury of the hearts under ischemia-reperfusion, in which U II receptors were up-regulated.

This study was aimed to determine the in vivo signal transduction pathway responsible for isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiac hypertrophy or remodeling. Mice were treated with ISO (15 mg/kg body weight) or vehicle by intraperitoneal injection (i.p.). Activation of mitogen-activted protein kinase (MAPK), NF-kappaB and JAK/STAT pathway in the left ventricular myocardium was measured by Western blot analysis. ISO significantly activated MAPK (ERK1/2 and p38) at early phase (5 min); biphasic activation of NF-kappaB was observed in our in vivo study; and ISO caused a delayed STAT3 activation (at 60 to 240 min) in mouse myocardium. Taken together, these results indicate that ISO activates these signal transduction pathways in different time course.

Preconditioning (PC) exhibits earlier and delayed protection. But the mechanism of cellular signaling in delayed protection of PC remains unclear. We explored the roles of ERK(1/2) and p38 MAPK(alpha/beta) (p38(alpha/beta)) in delayed protection of anoxia preconditioning (APC). The anoxia/reoxygenation (A/R) injury and APC models were established in cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. An ERK(1/2) inhibitor (PD98059) and a p38(alpha/beta) blocker (SB203580) were applied and their effects on A/R and APC models were observed. The cellular contents of MDA, SOD, cell viability and LDH release was measured at the end of the study. ERK(1/2) and p38 MAPK total activity was measured by in-gel myelin basic protein phosphorylation assay at different points during sustained anoxia. The results obtained are as follows: (1) PD98059 (but not SB203580), administered in preconditioning anoxia phase in APC group, abolished completely the delayed protection of APC; (2) SB203580 administered in sustained anoxia phase in A/R group could relieve cell injury induced by anoxia, but not by PD98059; (3) the highest activity of ERK(1/2) and p38 MAPK induced by anoxia appeared at 4 h after the beginning of sustained anoxia. APC inhibited the over activation of both ERK(1/2) and p38 during the following sustained anoxia. These results suggest that ERK(1/2) activation during preconditioning may be an important link of cell signal transduction in the mechanism of APC delayed protection. p38(alpha/beta) activation at the preconditioning stage dose not participate in signaling of APC delayed protection. The excessive activation of p38(alpha/beta) is possibly a key factor in mediating cell injury induced by sustained anoxia. The inhibition of p38(alpha/beta) excessive activation during subsequent sustained anoxia might play a role in delayed protection mechanism of APC.

The presence of serum in a culture medium makes it impossible to identify whether changed cellular functions are directly caused by a manipulation itself or mediated by a component in serum. Madin Darby canine kidney cells can survive in a serum-free medium for about 48 h. We took this advantage to examine whether low K(+)-induced up-regulation of Na,K-ATPase requires serum. We found that serum was essential for low K(+) to induce an increase in Na,K-ATPase binding sites as quantified by ouabain factor binding assays. In an attempt to identify which component was critical, we screened EGF, IGF1, PGE1 and transferrin to identify which one can replace serum. We discovered that transferrin was the single most important factor that mimicked about 80% to 90% of the effect of serum. Transferrin potentiated the effect of low K(+) on the Na,K-ATPase binding sites in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, transferrin was also required for low K(+)-induced increase in alpha(1)-promoter activity, alpha(1)- and beta(1)-subunit protein abundance of the Na,K-ATPase. In the presence of transferrin, low K(+) enhanced cellular uptake of iron approximately by 70%. Inhibition of intracellular iron activity by deferoxamine (30 micromol/L) abrogated the effect of low K(+). We conclude that stimulation of the Na,K-ATPase by low K(+) is critically dependent on transferrin. The effect of transferrin is mediated by increased iron transport.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the biological mechanism for modulating granulocytopoiesis by Panax ginseng. The techniques of culture of hematopoietic progenitor cells and hematopoietic stromal cells in vitro, biological assay of hematopoietic growth factor (HGF), immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridization of nucleic acid, immunoprecipitation and Western blot were used to explore the effect of total saponins of Panax ginseng (TSPG) on the expression of human granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor receptor alpha (GM-CSFRalpha). The results indicated that (1) bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC), thymocyte (TC), splenocyte (SC), endothelial cells (EC), and monocyte (MO) conditioned media prepared with TSPG (50 microg/ml) could significantly enhance the proliferation of CFU-GM; (2) the expressions of GM-CSF in protein and mRNA level in BMSC, TC, SC, EC and MO induced by TSPG (50 microg/ml) were much higher than that of the control; (3) the expression of GM-CSFRalpha protein in hematopoietic cells induced by TSPG (50 microg/ml) was stronger than that of the control; (4) TSPG (50 microg/ml) could stimulate the transient tyrosine phosphorylation of GM-CSFR and Shc protein. We speculate that TSPG may directly and/or indirectly promote the stromal cells and lymphocytes to produce GM-CSF and other cytokine and induce bone marrow hematopoietic cells to express GM-CSF receptors (GM-CSFRalpha), leading to the regulation of the GM-CSFR-mediated signals transduction pathway and the proliferation of human CFU-GM.

Three diphtheria toxin (DT) mutants CRM-197, DT-del (148) and DT-E148S-K516A-F530A were cloned in B. Subtilis plasmid PSM604 under the subtilisin signal sequence. The expression was effective in both SMS300 and SMS118, but higher yield of 7.1 mg/L was observed in SMS300 compared with 2.1 mg/L in SMS118. Western blot showed that the recombinant protein could be effectively secreted into the culture medium as a 58 ku peptide, and could be degraded into two peptides of 37 ku and 21 ku.

The multidrug resistance P-glycoprotein (P-gp) expression and function in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells were studied to investigate whether the inhibition of hematopoietic cell P-gp function by multidrug resistance reversal agent increases the cytotoxicity of chemotherapy drugs on the hematopoietic cells. The expression of P-gp on the surface of CD34+ cells from healthy human marrow was examined by flow cytometry. The multidrug resistance reversal agent MS-209 was used to measure the effects of MS-209 on the Rhodamin-123 uptaking of CD34+ hematopoietic cells. By using methylcellulose semi-solid culture, normal human granulocyte-macrophage clonal formation unit (CFU-GM) was cultured. The changes in CFU-GM inhibitory rate caused by daunorubicin were determined in the presence or absence of MS-209. The results showed that the P-gp expression rate of bone marrow CD34+ cells was 13.3%. MS-209 obviously increased the Rhodamin-123 uptake of CD34+ positive cells. The mean inhibitory rate of daunorubicin for CFU-GM was 29.6%, but it was increased to 43.3% in the presence of MS-209 with the difference being significant (P < 0.05). It was concluded that hematopoietic cells expressed P-gp protein and possessed active function. MS-209 could inhibit the membrane efflux pump and increase the cytotoxicity of chemotherapy drugs to the clonal growth of hematopoetic stem cells, suggesting the side effects of these drugs on the hematopoietic system should be taken into consideration in the clinical use.

To understand the relationship between expression of P53 protein and HPV16/18 infection in laryngeal papillomas, PCR and immunohistochemical techniques were used to examine the paraffin-embedded tissue samples of laryngeal papillomas from 35 subjects. HPV 16/18-DNA was found in 24 cases of laryngeal papillomas (68.8%). Overexpression of P53 protein was detected in 19 cases (54.3%). Both HPV16/18-DNA and overexpression of P53 protein were demonstrated in 12 cases of laryngeal papillomas (34.3%). Our results suggest that HPV16/18 infection and P53 gene mutation are associated with pathogenesis of laryngeal papillomas. The relation between HPV infection and P53 mutation in tissues of laryngeal papillomas remains to be clarified.

The adriamycin magnetic microspheres (ADM-MAMs) were prepared by the heat-stabilized protein methods. Their physico-chemical properties were examined; their cytotoxicities against tumor cells in vitro were assayed by a modified MTT method, and their effects were observed on the implanted gastric tumor in Wistar rats given ADM-MAMs via alimentary canal at the presence of the external magnetic fields. The results showed that the ADM-MAMs were successfully prepared and had cytotoxic effect on tumor cells in vitro similar to the free ADM (P > 0.05). The inhibitory effects of ADM-MAMs on the implanted gastric tumor in vivo were significantly increased as compared with the controls (P < 0.01). Our results suggested that ADM-MAMs were a new type of adriamycin (ADM) preparation and its form alteration did not affect its anticancer effects.

To identify and characterize the novel proteins encoded by a HCC-associated novel gene, LAPTM4B (lysosomeassociated protein transmembrane 4 beta).

To set up an effective and simple purification method to obtain highly purified prokaryotic protein of PDCD5 and study its stability.

To investigate the promoter methylation status of gene p16INK4a and RB and their expressions at protein level in gastric carcinomas, and their correlation with clinical and pathological parmeters.

We have conducted serial studies on the role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), especially MMP-9, in tumor invasion and metastasis. In 9 human carcinoma cell lines derived from lung, prostate and melanoma, we found, by zymography and Western blot, that the expression levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 correlated well with their invasive as well as metastatic abilities both in vitro and in nude mice. When anti-sense MMP-9 cDNA was introduced into WM451, a highly metastatic human melanoma cell line with high expression level of MMP-9, a significant down-regulation of MMP-9 protein expression was found. Meanwhile, the number of cells passing through Matrigel-coated membrane (in vitro invasion assay) and spontaneous metastases to lymph nodes and lungs were significantly reduced. Furthermore, when tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases-1, -2 or -3 (TIMP-1, TIMP-2 or TIMP-3) cDNAs were individually transtected into metastatic cancer cells, remarkable inhibition of invasion and metastasis were also noticed in each group. These results demonstrate that either up-regulation of TIMPs or down-regulation of MMPs could significantly inhibit the expression of malignant phenotypes, suggesting the important role MMP-9 plays in tumor invasion and metastasis.

Previously, we demonstrated that the number of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) is useful in distinguishing sarcoidosis patients with a favorable outcome from those having a more severe course of disease. Neutrophils contain the oxidant-generating enzyme myeloperoxidase (MPO). Cellular levels of MPO can be influenced by functional promotor polymorphisms, ?463G/A and ?129G/A, which may modify disease severity.

Chemokines displayed on the luminal surface of blood vessels play pivotal roles in inflammatory and homeostatic leukocyte trafficking in vivo. However, the mechanisms underlying the functional regulation of chemokines on the endothelial cell surface remain ill-defined. A promiscuous chemokine receptor, the Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC), has been implicated in the regulation of chemokine functions. Here we show that DARC is selectively expressed at the mRNA and protein levels in the high endothelial venules (HEV) of unstimulated lymph nodes (LN). To examine the biological significance of DARC expression in HEV, we performed competitive binding experiments with 20 different chemokines. The results showed that DARC selectively bound distinct members of the pro-inflammatory chemokines such as CXCL1, CXCL5, CCL2, CCL5 and CCL7, but not lymphoid chemokines such as CCL21, CCL19, CXCL12 and CXCL13 that are normally expressed in HEV. CCL2 bound to DARC failed to induce a significant cytosolic [Ca(2+)] elevation in CCR2B-expressing cells, whereas the free form of CCL2 induced a distinct [Ca(2+)] elevation, suggesting that DARC down-regulates activities of pro-inflammatory chemokines upon binding. Targeted disruption of the gene encoding DARC did not induce any obvious changes in the cell number or leukocyte subsets in the peripheral and mesenteric LN. Neither did DARC deficiency significantly affect lymphocyte migration into LN. These results suggest that DARC may be a scavenger for pro-inflammatory chemokines, but not a presenting molecule for lymphoid chemokines at HEV and that it is probably functionally dispensable for lymphocyte trafficking to HEV-bearing lymphoid tissues under physiological conditions.

Adherens junction formation is fundamental for compaction and trophectoderm differentiation during mammalian preimplantation development. We recently isolated an IQGAP-2 cDNA from a differential display-polymerase chain reaction screen of bovine preimplantation developmental stages. IQGAP-1 and -2 proteins mediate E-cadherin-based cell-to-cell adhesion through interactions with beta-catenin and the Rho GTPases, rac1 and cdc42. Our study demonstrates IQGAP-1,-2, rac-1 and cdc42 mRNAs are present throughout murine preimplantation development. IQGAP-1 and rac-1 protein distribution changes from predominantly plasma membrane associated to predominantly cytoplasmic as the embryo progresses through cleavage divisions and compaction to the blastocyst stage.

We have previously demonstrated that the retinoblastoma gene family, Rb, p107 and p130, is differentially expressed during mouse embryogenesis. Here we show that this gene family is coordinately regulated in the mammary luminal epithelium. Expression of Rb, p107 and p130 in the epithelial compartment is low in nulliparous female mice and early stages of pregnancy but is induced at mid-pregnancy and peaks at lactation. During involution p107 expression is lost whereas expression pRb and p130 persist. The induction of this gene family at mid-pregnancy accompanies the expression of beta-casein. However, whereas beta-casein transcripts are confined to the lobuloalveolar compartment, the Rb gene family is expressed both in lobuloalveoli and ducts. The co-expression of the Rb family in the mammary gland may allow functional compensation among these family members. This in turn may explain the recent observations that loss of Rb alone in the mammary gland is inconsequential, whereas overexpression of cyclin D1 or SV40 large T antigen, which can abrogate all members of the pRb protein family, induces mammary gland carcinogenesis.

Dystroglycan is a transmembrane receptor protein that provides a structural linkage between extracellular matrix components and cytoskeletal proteins. It was originally characterized as a member of dystrophin associated protein complex in muscle but, unlike other proteins of this complex, mutations in the dystroglycan gene have not been implicated as a cause of muscular dystrophies. Indeed, dystroglycan is an essential gene, expressed early in development that, if removed in knockout mice, provokes lethal defects before the onset of myogenesis. Dystroglycan is synthesized as a precursor propeptide that is post-translationally cleaved and glycosylated to yield alpha and beta subunits. We have cloned and characterized a cDNA clone, containing the complete coding region of the dystroglycan precursor, from a Xenopus laevis cDNA library. We have performed a spatial and temporal analysis of its expression in X. laevis embryos, using whole-mount in situ hybridization and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis. Early expression of dystroglycan in a variety of tissues of different embryological derivation suggests a crucial role in morphogenetic events, especially during central nervous system differentiation.

We report the initial characterization of mOb1 (Odd homeoBox 1), which encodes an atypical 73 amino acid K50-homeodomain protein localised in the cytoplasm and absent from nuclei during mouse development. Conserved orthologues were present in man, rat, cow, pig and chicken, but not in fish, amphibians or invertebrates. Temporo-spatial patterns of mOb1 transcript and mOb1 protein expression were coincident in developing mouse embryos. Cardiac expression was first observed at E8.25 in linear heart tube myocardium and briefly in both horns of the sinus venosus. Myocardial expression peaked at E13.5, where after it diminished and was not detectable above background by adulthood. At no stage was expression observed in endocardium, endocardial cushion tissue, the coronary arteries or great vessels. At E13.5 and E15.5, mOb1 expression broadened to include skeletal muscle, stratified epithelium (upper aerodigestive tract and skin), epithelium of developing airways, vibrissae, midbrain/hindbrain junction, meninges, mesenchymal cellular condensations that preceded cartilage formation and chondrocytes.

We report an isolation of a cDNA containing armadillo motif (XAMP: Xenopus armadillo motif protein) and its expression during Xenopus development. The open reading frame of Xamp encodes a predicted protein of 275 amino acids including an armadillo motif, and a bipartite nuclear localization signal. Xamp shares significant homology with a putative mouse protein (GeneBank AK009402) in the database. It is expressed both maternally and zygotically. Xamp is localized to the animal region of an egg and in the ectoderm of a gastrula stage embryo. At the neurula stages, Xamp is expressed in the dorsal region of neural tube from which presumptive sensory neurons arise. In addition to its neural tissue specific expression, Xamp transcripts are found to be localized in the developing gut tube. At the early tadpole stage, Xamp is expressed predominantly in the pharyngeal endoderm. As further development proceeds, its expression domain expands to include the entire foregut region but excludes the midgut and hindgut regions. This polarized pattern of expression persists until stage 46 after which, anterior specific expression of Xamp sharply decreases. These results suggest that Xamp may have a role in the neural tissue specification and gut endoderm patterning during the Xenopus development.

During the Drosophila oogenic processes, Fat facets (Faf), an ubiquitin-specific protease essential for normal development of oocyte and eye, becomes localized at the posterior pole and is incorporated into the pole cells. This is dependent on Oskar, a key factor for pole cell determination, and suggests a role for Faf in germ cell differentiation and development. Here we show that Usp9x, an X-linked ortholog of Faf, is predominantly expressed in both germ cell and supporting cell lineages during mouse gonadal development in stage- and sex-dependent manners. Usp9x was first detected in PGCs at 10.5 days post coitum (dpc), and thereafter its expression both at mRNA and protein levels was enhanced in PGCs of both sexes at 11.5-13.5 dpc. In testis, Usp9x expression rapidly decreased to an undetectable level by 15.5 dpc and after birth to adult, no expression was found in any spermatogenic cells, except for weak expression in Sertoli cells. In the ovary, Usp9x expression in embryonic oocytes was also reduced at the newborn stage, its expression reappeared in oocytes at secondary follicle stage, and its products were highly accumulated in the cytoplasm of Graaffian follicles in adults. Although follicular epithelial cells also expressed Usp9x at a moderate level during postnatal development, its expression was downregulated from early secondary follicle stage. Thus, the present study is not only the first to demonstrate a conserved expression of fat facets in PGCs between mouse and fly, but also sex- and stage-dependent changes of a specific component of the deubiquitylation system during mammalian gonadal development.

The transcription factor GATA-6 is known to be a critical determinant of early vertebrate development. We have shown previously that mammalian GATA-6 genes have the potential to encode two protein isoforms, resulting from alternative, in-frame, initiator methionine codons. We have generated GATA-6 antibodies, including one specific to the longer form of GATA-6, and by immunohistochemical analysis we demonstrate here that the longer protein, which is the more potent transcriptional transactivator, is widely expressed in vivo. In accordance with previous RNA expression studies, GATA-6 protein was found to be abundant within regions of the gut and pulmonary systems, in addition to the heart myocardium. We also report novel GATA-6 expression within sites of chondrogenesis derived from cranial neural crest and sclerotomes. Surprisingly however, levels of GATA-6 protein were substantially reduced within the endocardial cushions and outflow tract of the heart. These are regions which express the highest levels of GATA-6 RNA within the heart.

We have identified a zebrafish homolog of the F3/F11/contactin (F3) recognition molecule. The gene shares 55% amino acid identity with F3 molecules in other vertebrates. Expression of F3 mRNA is first detectable at 16 h post-fertilization (hpf) in trigeminal and Rohon-Beard neurons. At 18-24 hpf, additional weaker expression is present in discrete cell clusters in the hindbrain, in the anterior lateral line/acoustic ganglion and in spinal motor neurons. Transcription factors of the LIM homeodomain class (LIM-HD) and their associated cofactors CLIM/NLI/Ldb (CLIM) have been implicated in the development of peripheral axons of trigeminal and Rohon-Beard neurons. We demonstrate that ectopic overexpression of a dominant-negative CLIM molecule early during zebrafish development strongly reduces expression of F3 mRNA in these neurons indicating regulation of F3 by the LIM-HD protein network. These results and the spatiotemporal correlation of F3 expression with axonal differentiation in a subset of primary neurons suggest an important role of F3 for axon growth.

Par-1 encodes a serine/threonine kinase that is involved in asymmetric segregation of cell fate determinants in Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila embryos. Recent biochemical studies indicate an association of PAR-1 with the Dishevelled protein and suggest a role in so-called canonical Wnt signaling (Nat. Cell Biol. 3 (2001) 628). Here we describe two Xenopus laevis cDNAs, which encode PAR-1 homologues designated XPar-1A and XPar-1B. Structurally, XPar-1A and XPar-1B are closely related to rat MARK proteins and human Par-1A and Par-1Balpha, respectively. XPar-1A and XPar-1B are expressed both maternally and zygotically in an indistinguishable pattern. In the egg and cleavage stage embryos their transcripts are enriched in the animal pole of the embryo. During blastula and gastrula stages, cells in the animal and marginal regions continue to express both genes uniformly. Expression progresses vegetally towards and then through the blastopore lip concomitantly with the movements of epiboly and gastrulation. With the onset of neurulation, XPar-1A and XPar-1B transcripts are restricted to the neurectoderm. At tailbud and tadpole stages they are detected in the head region, including brain, eyes, otic vesicles, cement gland, branchial arches as well as spinal cord and somites. Therefore, this analysis suggests that the Xenopus par-1 homologues XPar-1A and XPar-1B are expressed in frog embryos both maternally and zygotically in a restricted pattern and may play a role in establishing polarity in early embryos as well as in organogenesis during later stages of development.

We isolated a full-length cDNA clone for the zebrafish homologue of fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) 2. The deduced protein sequence is typical of vertebrate FGFRs in that it has three Ig-like domains in the extracellular region. The expression of fgfr2 is initiated during epiboly in the paraxial mesoderm. During early somitogenesis, fgfr2 expression was noted in the anterior neural plate as well as in newly formed somites. Whereas fgfr2 expression in somites is transient, it increases in the central nervous system (CNS), i.e. in the ventral telencephalon, anterior diencephalon, midbrain, and respective rhombomeres of the hindbrain, from the mid-somitogenesis stage. The dorsal telencephalon and the region around the midbrain-hindbrain boundary are devoid of fgfr2 expression. Essentially the same expression pattern is observed until 48 h post-fertilization in the CNS, although rhombomeric expression in the hindbrain is progressively confined to narrower stripes. After somitogenesis, fgfr2 expression was also observed in the lens, hypochord, endoderm, and fin mesenchyme. We compared the expression of the four fgfr genes (fgfr1-4) in the CNS of zebrafish embryos and show that fgfr1 is the only fgfr gene that is expressed in the dorsal telencephalon and isthmic region from which expression of fgfr2-4 is absent.

The Dpp/BMP signaling pathway is highly conserved between vertebrates and invertebrates. The recent molecular characterization of the Drosophila crossveinless-2 (cv-2) mutation by Conley and colleagues introduced a novel regulatory step in the Dpp/BMP pathway (Development 127 (2000) 3945). The CV-2 protein is secreted and contains five cysteine-rich (CR) domains similar to those observed in the BMP antagonist Short gastrulation (Sog) of Drosophila and Chordin (Chd) of vertebrates. The mutant phenotype in Drosophila suggests that CV-2 is required for the differentiation of crossvein structures in the wing which require high Dpp levels. Here we present the mouse and human homologs of the Drosophila cv-2 protein. The mouse gene is located on chromosome 9A3 while the human locus maps on chromosome 7p14. CV-2 is expressed dynamically during mouse development, in particular in regions of high BMP signaling such as the posterior primitive streak, ventral tail bud and prevertebral cartilages. We conclude that CV-2 is an evolutionarily conserved extracellular regulator of the Dpp/BMP signaling pathway.

In this study, we describe the isolation and characterization of Foxp4, a new member of the Foxp subfamily of winged-helix transcription factors. The full-length mouse Foxp4 cDNA encodes a 685-amino-acid protein that is similar to Foxp1 and Foxp2. Foxp4 gene expression is observed primarily in pulmonary, neural, and gut tissues during embryonic development. To compare the protein expression patterns of Foxp4 to Foxp1 and Foxp2, specific polyclonal antisera to each of these proteins was used in immunohistochemical analysis of mouse embryonic tissues. All three proteins are expressed in lung epithelium with Foxp1 and Foxp4 expressed in both proximal and distal airway epithelium while Foxp2 is expressed primarily in distal epithelium. Foxp1 protein expression is also observed in the mesenchyme and vascular endothelial cells of the lung. At embryonic day 12.5, Foxp1 and Foxp2 are expressed in both the mucosal and epithelial layers of the intestine. However, Foxp2 is expressed only in the outer mucosal layer of the intestine and stomach later in development. Finally, Foxp4 is expressed exclusively in the epithelial cells of the developing intestine, where, in late development, it is expressed in a gradient along the longitudinal axis of the villi.

The analysis of cell fate patterning during the vulval development of Caenorhabditis elegans has relied mostly on the direct observation of cell divisions and cell movements (cell lineage analysis). However, reconstruction of the developing vulva from EM serial sections has suggested seven different cell types (vulA, vulB1, vulB2, vulC, vulD, vulE, and vulF), many of which cannot be distinguished based on such observations. Here we report the vulval expression of seven genes, egl-17, cdh-3, ceh-2, zmp-1, B0034.1, T04B2.6 and F47B8.6 based on gfp, cfp and yfp (green fluorescent protein and color variants) reporter fusions. Each gene expresses in a specific subset of vulval cells, and is therefore useful as a marker for vulval cell fates. Together, expressions of markers distinguish six cell types, and reveal a strict temporal control of gene expression in the developing vulva.

The monoamine serotonin (5-HT) exerts key neuromodulatory activities in all animal phyla, but the development and function of the serotonergic system is still incompletely understood. The zebrafish Danio rerio is an excellent model to approach this question since it is amenable to a combination of genetic, molecular and embryological studies. In order to characterize the organization of serotonergic neurons in the zebrafish we cloned two cDNAs encoding distinct forms of tryptophan hydroxylase (Tph), the rate-limiting enzyme in serotonin synthesis. We report here the pattern of expression of these two genes in relation with immunoreactive TH and 5-HT nuclei in the developing zebrafish embryo and early larva. tphD1 expression starts at 22 h post-fertilization (hpf) in the epiphysis and in basal spinal cells. Expression persists in the epiphysis until at least 4 days (dpf). Between 48 hpf and 3 dpf, tphD1 expression is initiated in retinal amacrine cells and in restricted preoptic and posterior tubercular nuclei within the basal diencephalon. At 3 and 4 dpf, tphD1 expression is newly initiated in the caudal hypothalamus and in branchial arches-associated neurons. tphD2 mRNA is detected transiently (between 30 somites and 32 hpf) in a restricted preoptic nucleus. All sites of tphD1 or D2 expression within the anterior central nervous system are also immunoreactive for 5-HT, but are not positive for TH. However, neither tphD gene is expressed in raphe nuclei, suggesting that additional tph gene(s) exist in zebrafish to account for 5-HT synthesis in that location. The co-expression of tphD1, tphD2 and 5-HT in the zebrafish diencephalon appears in striking contrast to the situation in mammals, where diencephalic serotonin results from re-uptake rather than from local production.

PIWI regulates the proliferation and maintenance of germline stem cells in diverse organisms. The full-length 3.26 kb ziwi cDNA, the zebrafish homologue of piwi of Drosophila, encodes a putative protein of 858 amino acids. ZIWI is 65% homologous with the mouse and human PIWI, but only 38 and 33% with Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila PIWI, respectively. In adult zebrafish, ziwi is expressed exclusively in the gonads. In embryos and fry, its expression is detectable initially during segmentation and persisted for at least 4 weeks post hatching. During neurogenesis and organogenesis, its expression was detected in the CNS and fin buds. Starting from 24 hpf and later on, ziwi transcripts were found in the genital ridge.

Eph receptor tyrosine kinases and their ephrin ligands are involved in some of the most important steps during the development of the central nervous system, including cell migration, axon guidance, topographic mapping and synapse formation. Moreover, in the adult, they have been implicated in plasticity and regulation of neural stem cell function. One member of the Eph family, EphA4, can bind to both classes of ephrins and may have multiple functions in nervous system development. In order to look for potential sites of EphA4 action during central nervous system development, we conducted a spatio-temporal analysis of EphA4 protein expression. We used immunohistochemistry in preference to in situ hybridization because of the high likelihood that EphA4 protein is expressed on axon tracts, long distances from EphA4 mRNA. In the telencephalon, EphA4 was expressed in the developing cortex from embryonic day 11 (E11) and, later, on major cortical tracts including the corpus callosum and cortico-spinal tract. Robust EphA4 expression was also found in the hippocampus and fornix, and cells and tracts in the striatum. In the diencephalon, the thalamus, the hypothalamus and thalamo-cortical projection were strongly positive. In the mesencephalon, a number of different nuclei were weakly positive, most prominently the red nucleus. In the rhombencephalon, many nuclei were strongly positive including the cerebellum and one of its afferent paths, the inferior cerebellar peduncle, as well as the olivary region. In the spinal cord, there was a dynamic pattern of expression through development, with persistent expression in the dorsal funiculus and ventral grey matter.

PLU-1 is a novel breast cancer associated nuclear protein containing highly conserved domains including the PLU domain, putative DNA/chromatin binding motifs, and PHD/LAP domains. Here we report the cloning of the mouse homologue (Plu-1), and document its expression in adult tissues, mammary tumours and the embryo. The overall homology with human PLU-1 is 94% at the protein level, with almost 100% identity in the conserved domains, suggesting functional conservation. As with human PLU-1 the expression of Plu-1 in adult tissues is restricted, with high expression being seen only in testis, while expression in mammary tumours from c-neu transgenic mice is high. Plu-1 is also differentially expressed in the adult mammary gland. In the developing embryo Plu-1 is expressed in a temporally restricted fashion with tissue specific expression being limited to parts of the developing brain, whisker follicle, mammary bud, thymus, limbs, intervertebral disc, olfactory epithelium, teeth, eye, and stomach. The temporal and spatial expression patterns of the transcription factors Bf-1 and Pax9, recently found to bind to PLU-1 through the PLU domain overlap with Plu-1 expression during development. Thus Plu-1 appears to play an important role in mouse embryonic development which may involve interaction with Pax9 and Bf-1.

We report the identification of Ima, a novel Drosophila MAGUK-like protein, which contains two WW and four PDZ protein interaction domains and interacts with the small GTPase dRal in the yeast two-hybrid system and pull-down assays. The gene is expressed in distinct spatiotemporal patterns throughout embryonic development. Overexpression of Ima interferes with normal Drosophila development, indicating that the gene functions in a tissue specific manner.

In all multicellular organisms, germ cells originating from a fertilized egg have the highly specialized role of transmitting genetic information to the next generation. In many animal species, the establishment of the germ cell lineage is regulated by the maternally inherited germplasm. In mammals, however, germline determination is not based on the unequal distribution of maternal determinants. In the processes of mammalian germ cell formation and subsequent differentiation, the molecular basis of the acquisition of germ cell status is not well understood. Since migrating primordial germ cells (PGCs) are lineage-restricted to the germline, they have already acquired a germ cell specific fate distinct from that of pluri/multi-potent stem cells. However, there have been no molecules known to be expressed in migrating PGCs but not in the inner cell mass of blastocysts. Such molecules should be involved in early germ cell development, and they should make good markers for following the process of PGC formation. To identify such molecules, we performed a subtracted cDNA screening with migrating PGCs and blastocysts in mice, and isolated 11 clones preferentially expressed in PGCs. Here, we report the identification of two genes with similarity to human interferon-induced transmembrane protein (Ifitm) genes, and expression patterns of these genes in forming and in differentiating PGCs. During germ cell formation, mouse Ifitm like (mil)-1 was expressed in putative PGC ancestors in embryos at 6.5-7.5 days post coitum. In migrating PGCs, mil-1 expression was continuously observed and mil-2 expression was first detected during germ cell differentiation.

In order to identify novel genes expressed in skeletal muscle we performed a subtractive hybridization for genes expressed in human skeletal muscle but not in other tissues. We identified a novel scalloped interaction domain (SID) containing protein in humans and in the mouse, which we named VITO-1. Highest homology of VITO-1 was found with the Drosophila vestigial and the human TONDU proteins in the SID (54 and 40%, respectively). Using whole-mount hybridzation and Northern blot analysis, we showed that VITO-1 is expressed in the somitic myotome from E8.75 mouse embryos onwards and later on in skeletal muscle but not in the heart. Additional expression domains during development were detected in the pharyngeal pouches and clefts starting at E8.0 as well as in the cranial pharynx and in Rathkes pouch. By Northern blot analysis, we found VITO-1 to be up-regulated in C2C12 myotubes although some expression can be detected in proliferating C2C12 myoblasts. No expression was spotted in other adult mouse tissues. Likewise, expression of human Vito-1 during fetal and adult human development was found exclusively in skeletal muscle preferentially in fast skeletal muscles. These data suggest a role of VITO-1 for the development of skeletal muscles and of pharyngeal clefts/Rathkes' pouch derived structures.

We cloned and characterized the Drosophila gene, tincar (tinc), which encodes a novel protein with eight putative transmembrane domains. The tinc mRNA was expressed specifically in four of the six pairs of cardioblasts in each segment, in a pattern identical to that of tinman (tin), a homeobox gene required for the specification of the dorsal vessel. In the non-Tin-expressing pairs of cardioblasts, tinc transcription seemed to be repressed by Seven-up.

The zebrafish zisp gene encodes a putative transmembrane protein with a DHHC zinc finger motif. At the segmentation period zisp is expressed in the adaxial cells and the somites in a striping pattern. The zisp transcripts are localized to the posterior parts within the individual somites. In fused somites mutants, zisp is expressed throughout the somitic mesoderm. These expression patterns are similar to those of myoD. In addition to the somitic expression, the zisp expression was observed in lens cells at the late segmentation period and the early pharyngula period.

P27 protein and cyclin E were negative cell cycle regulators. Until the present, the influence of P27 protein and cyclin E on progression of colon cancer was unclear. The aim of this study was to observe the expression features of P27 protein and cyclin E in the tissues of colon neoplasms, and to investigate the relationship between colon neoplasms and tumor special growth factor (TSGF).

Zeta protein was encoded by BZLF1 gene which is one of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) immediate early (IE) genes. The protein is a member of activator protein 1 (AP-1) super family that can bind to cellular AP-1 response element. Zeta protein is associated with lots of human diseases, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). So detection of Zeta protein or its antibody can be used in disease diagnosis and prognosis assessment. Zeta protein can repress human immune system, interfere with cellular signal transduction, affect cell cycle progress, and induce cell apoptosis. At the same time, its expression can be affected by some cellular components. Here we review the new advances on BZLF1 gene structure, expression and relationship to cells, together with association with EBV associated diseases.

Modeling in animals is an invaluable tool in exploring the pathophysiology of human diseases and developing better therapies. Models can be generated using a variety of pharmacological, behavioral, and genetic approaches, but they all require extensive subsequent validation. Ideally, validation should be based on the following 3 axes: face validity (commonalties between the behavioral features of the model and of the human disorder being modeled), predictive validity (the specificity and degree to which drugs that are effective in humans have a corresponding effect in the model), and construct validity (a possible common mechanistic theory that can explain both the model and the human disorder being modeled). Most existing models for psychiatric disorders were developed from a face validity starting point, wherein a researcher noticed the appearance of a rodent behavior that was similar to a human pathological behavior and subsequently undertook investigations of predictive and construct validity. Some representative models developed in this manner include the hyperactivity (spontaneous or pharmacologically induced), sensitization, and sleep-deprivation models. In this review, we critically appraise the existing animal models for bipolar disorder, emphasizing their strengths and limitations. Furthermore, we discuss the technological advances that have led to an increased awareness of the roles of signal transduction pathways and neurotrophic cascades in the pathophysiology and treatment of bipolar disorder. New construct validity-driven models focusing on signaling pathways include models based on perturbations of G proteins, phosphoinositide signaling, and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascades. These new models hold much promise in delineating the underlying pathophysiology of bipolar disorder and for the development of novel, improved therapeutics. Psychopharmacology Bulletin.

Tumor cells are elusive targets for standard anticancer chemotherapy due to their heterogeneity and genetic instability. On the other hand, proliferating host endothelial cells (ECs) are genetically stable and have a low mutational rate. Thus, antiangiogenic therapy directed against tumor's ECs should, in principle, improve the efficacy of antitumor therapy by inducing little or no drug resistance. Here we present a gene-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (GDEPT) strategy for targeting the tumor vasculature, using the Escherichia coli nitroreductase (ntr) gene delivery associated with the treatment with the prodrug CB1954. In a first time we demonstrated the ability of the ntr/CB1954 system to induce an apoptotic-mediated cell death on monolayer cultures of human umbilical vein ECs (HUV-EC-C). Then, when ntr-transfected HUV-EC-C cells (HUV-EC-C/ntr(+)) were associated in a three-dimensional (3-D) multicellular nodule model with untransfected B16-F10 murine melanoma cell line, we observed a CB1954-mediated bystander cell killing effect from endothelial to neighboring melanoma cells. To our knowledge, this is the first report indicating that GDEPT-based antiangiogenic targeting may be an effective approach for cancer treatment relied on the spreading of the bystander effect from endothelial to tumor cells.

Glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) was initially discovered as a neurotrophic factor that enhances survival of midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Findings in 1994 and 1995 extended the spectrum of biological activities of GDNF to different populations of neurons (motor and sensory). Recent findings revealed that GDNF, Neurturin (NTN), Persephin (PSP), and Artemin (ARTN) are members of the GDNF protein family and are structurally related to transforming growth factor protein family. They are survival factors for peripheral and central neurons, for oligodendrocytes and can promote morphogenesis of kidney in vitro.

In this study, we aimed at analysing the expression of the PRY (PTPN-13 like on the Y chromosome) gene, located on the Y chromosome, in order to define the function of this gene. Active copies of the PRY gene (PRY1 and PRY2) are located in the AZFb region. PCR amplification of PRY cDNA indicated that the PRY gene is expressed in testicular tissue and ejaculated sperm, but not in Percoll-treated sperm. Furthermore, immunocytochemistry on testicular tissue showed the expression of the PRY gene in a small number of spermatozoa and spermatids. In the ejaculate of the male partner of 18 infertile couples, the PRY protein was found in 1.5-51.2% of spermatozoa and in most of the sperm precursor cells. The percentage of spermatozoa showing DNA fragmentation was also determined in 13 of these samples, by using the TdT (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase)-mediated dUDP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) reaction. These data correlated with the percentage of PRY-positive cells. When double labelling for PRY and DNA fragmentation was performed to assess whether PRY-positive cells also show DNA fragmentation, we saw that 27-48% of the PRY-positive spermatozoa were also positive for the TUNEL reaction. The overall data of RNA analysis, immunocytochemistry and the TUNEL reaction indicate that the role of the PRY gene in spermatogenesis can be questioned, but suggest its involvement in apoptosis of spermatids and spermatozoa.

GnRH agonist therapy is known to reduce uterine leiomyoma volume, although the molecular mechanisms responsible for this effect remain poorly understood. In this study, we have investigated the molecular mechanisms involved in the anti-proliferative effect of a GnRH agonist, leuprolide acetate (LA), in uterine leiomyomas obtained from six patients treated with LA for 3 months before surgery (group B), compared with tumours from six untreated patients (group A). To this end, we have evaluated the expression and the activity of molecules involved in the regulation of cell survival and proliferation. In group B, the total activity of PI3K was reduced by 60% compared with control samples. Furthermore, LA caused a reduction of PKB activation of approximately 50%, measured as serine 473 phosphorylation. In parallel with PKB reduction in LA samples, we observed a 60% reduction in the phosphorylation of its substrate BAD. While Bcl-xL/BAD association was not significantly modified in LA-treated leiomyomas, BAD/14.3.3 interaction was reduced, due to a 50% decreased 14.3.3 expression. In addition, LA was able to reduce the expression of the antiapoptotic proteins FLIP and PED/PEA15 by 70 and 50% respectively, compared with control samples. We next evaluated the activation of MAP kinases in leiomyomas. Activation of p42 and p44 MAP kinase isoforms was increased by 30% in group B. However, the phosphorylation of the transcription factor Elk1 was not increased in a similar fashion in LA-treated leiomyomas compared with group A. Thus, these data suggest that LA reduction of leiomyoma volume is mediated at least in part by a decreased activation of the PI3K/PKB survival pathway and by the suppression of antiapoptotic factors.

Intrauterine fetal growth restriction is a multifactorial disorder, and its aetiology includes both environmental and genetic components. We aimed to investigate whether maternal genetic polymorphisms of metabolic enzymes affects fetal growth and pregnancy duration. Genomic DNA was obtained from 134 women who experienced singleton deliveries beyond 24 weeks of gestation. Maternal age, birth weight, gestational age at birth and frequencies of fetal growth restriction, prematurity and pregnancy-induced hypertension were compared among genotypic subgroups of cytochrome p450 (CYP) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) genes. The polymorphisms of CYP1A1 (MspI), CYP17 (MspAI) and GSTP1 (BsmAI) genotypes, and the presence or absence of GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes were analysed by PCR-based methods. The frequency of fetal growth restriction (<10th percentile/<-1.5 SD; 22.7%/11.4%) in 44 women who were homozygous for the A1 allele (A1A1) of CYP17 was significantly higher than that (7.8%/2.2%) in 90 women who carried the A2 allele (A1A2/A2A2) of CYP17 (P < 0.05), with an odds ratio =3.41 (95% confidence interval = 1.18-9.84). The gestational age at birth (mean +/- SD, 37.5 +/- 3.1 weeks) in 67 women with GSTM1 null genotype was significantly lower than that (38.5 +/- 2.4 weeks) in 67 women who carried GSTM1 (P < 0.05). The polymorphism of CYP17 that encodes the cytochrome p450c17alpha enzyme might be associated with the pathophysiology underlying fetal growth restriction.

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a malignant tumor of plasma cells in the bone marrow. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is an indispensable growth factor for myeloma cells. The heterogeneity of myeloma cells are the characteristics of MM, categorized into five sub-populations, two immature cells, MPC-1<PRE>-</PRE> CD49e<PRE>-</PRE> CD45<PRE>+/-</PRE>, intermediate cells, MPC-1<PRE>+</PRE> CD49e<PRE>-</PRE> CD45<PRE>+/-</PRE>, and mature cells, MPC-1<PRE>+</PRE> CD49e<PRE>+</PRE> CD45<PRE>+</PRE>. Only MPC-1<PRE>-</PRE> CD49e<PRE>-</PRE> CD45<PRE>+</PRE> immature cells (∼2% of total myeloma cells) respond to IL-6 to proliferate. CD45 protein tyrosine phosphatase is the determinant of IL-6 dependent cell growth of myeloma cells, although well studied IL-6 signal transducing factors, such as, IL-6Ra, gp130, Jak2, STAT3, and MAPK, are activated and involved in the process. Immature CD45<PRE>-</PRE> cells converted to CD45<PRE>+</PRE> cells after IL-6 stimulation both in U266 cells and sorted myeloma cells from the bone marrow aspirates of MM patients. CD45<PRE>-</PRE> cells are relatively resistant to serum starvation compared to CD45<PRE>+</PRE> cells. Because IL-6 level in the bone marrow is low even in MM patients, the CD45<PRE>-</PRE> phenotype of myeloma cells may protect the cells from apoptosis. These findings of a tuning effect of CD45 on myeloma cell proliferation may aid the study of IL-6 dependent proliferation of myeloma cells and lead to the development of new therapies for MM patients.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors are, at present, the cornerstone of therapy for congestive heart failure. Nevertheless, international literature and regional data have reported their underutilisation in the practice of cardiology. Despite the abundance of consensus conferences, none deal specifically with a therapeutic strategy using ACE inhibitors. In this context, clinical practice guidelines on the management of systolic heart failure with ACE inhibitors have been drafted in Lorraine by hospital cardiologists. The guidelines were formulated using a standardised procedure, combining a literature analysis and the opinions of experts. Seventeen guidelines were finally adopted, under four headings: indications and contraindications for ACE inhibitors; dosages and approaches to treatment monitoring; the management of adverse effects; and contraindications for concomitant therapy. The drafting of the clinical practice guidelines is the first step in a quality improvement programme, initiated in 1999 in the cardiology wards of the region.

To investigate the effect of +Gz exposure on the expression and distribution of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) in rat brain.

We have investigated the effects of altered gravity on the kinetic parameters of glutamate transport activity. We observed no differences in Km values for cerebellum and cerebral hemisphere nerve terminals (synaptosomes) between control rats- 18,2 +/- 7,6 micromoles (cerebellum), 10,7 +/- 2,5 micromoles (cerebral hemispheres) and animals exposed to hypergravity- 23,3 +/- 6,9 micromoles (cerebellum), 6,7 +/- 1,5 micromoles (cerebral hemispheres). The similarity of this parameter for the two studied groups of animals showed that affinity of glutamate transporter to substrate in cerebellum and cerebral hemispheres was not sensitive to hypergravity stress. The maximal velocity of L-[14C]-glutamate uptake (Vmax) reduced for cerebellum synaptosomes from 9,6 +/- 3,9 nmol/min/mg of protein in control group to 7,4 +/- 2,0 nmol/min/mg of protein in animals, exposed to hypergravity stress. For cerebral hemisphere synaptosomes the maximal velocity significantly decreased from 12,5 +/- 3,2 nmol/min/mg of protein to 5,6 +/- 0,9 nmol/min/mg of protein, respectively.

On the base of electron- and light microscopical, immunocytochemical and morphometrical studies it was found that repeated 5-days' 2 G influence on the rats induced in the cells of the brain, pituitary and thyroid the alteration of structure, enzyme and hormone content which differed in quantity or quality from the changes arisen under the primary 5-days' 2 G and directed to increase in effectiveness of neuronal circuit, facilitation of synaptic transmission and elevation of hormone production. These structural and metabolic changes point out the animal capability for memorizing the change of gravity level and can be considered as an evidence of arise, hypergravity induced postponed potentiation that characterized the functional state of studied systems and presumably the functional state of whole organism which repeatedly was in the state of increased weightness.

Syntheses of (2S,4S)- and (2S,4R)-5-fluoroleucine, and, and of (2S,4S)-[5,5-(2)H(2)]-5-fluoroleucine, have been completed. The methodology allows these compounds to be prepared in sufficient quantities for incorporation by solid-state protein synthesis into strategic sites in proteins for folding studies. X-ray structures of the epimers and have been obtained and show the presence of conformational isomerism. The torsion angles between the F-C bond and the main chain are compared with values found in a mutant of the protein ubiquitin in which (2S,4S)-5-fluoroleucine replaces leucine residues 50 and 67 in the native protein.

Five novel Gd(iii) complexes based on the structure of the heptadentate macrocyclic 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7-triacetic acid (DO3A) ligand have been synthesized and their (1)H and (17)O NMR relaxometric properties investigated in detail. The complexes have been functionalised on the secondary nitrogen atom of the macrocyclic ring with different pendant groups for promoting their ability to interact non-covalently with human serum albumin (HSA). The analysis of the proton relaxivity, measured as a function of pH and magnetic field strength, have revealed that the three complexes bearing a poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG) chain possess a single coordinated water molecule, whereas the complexes functionalised with 1-[3-(2-hydroxyphenyl)]-propyl and 1-[3-(2-carboxyphenyloxy)]-propyl pendant groups have two inner sphere water molecules. The water exchange rates, measured by variable temperature (17)O NMR, cover a broad range of values (from 18 to 770 ns) as a function of their charge, the chemical nature of the substituent and its ability to organize a second sphere of hydration near the water(s) binding site. All the complexes have shown some degree of interaction with HSA, with a stronger binding affinity measured for those bearing an aromatic moiety on the pendant group. However, upon binding the expected relaxation enhancement has not been observed and this has been explained with the displacement of the coordinated water molecules by the protein and formation of ternary adducts.

Using the Density Functional Theory method, the effect of hydrogen bonding between imidazole (IM) and ten benzyl alcohol derivatives (BA) on the ionization potentials of the latter is calculated. IM is used as a model for histidine, which is found in the reaction sites of laccases and lignin peroxidases, and the BA-derivatives serve as lignin model compounds. A marked decrease ([similar]15 kcal mol(-1)) is found for the IP's of the BA-derivatives when paired with IM. This should facilitate the one-electron oxidation of BA in the reaction site of the enzyme. The same effect is found for the known redox mediators violuric acid, 1-hydroxybenzotriazole and N-hydroxyacetanilide which are assumed to enter the reaction site of the enzymes. Furthermore, upon one-electron oxidation the strength of the H-bond from BA to IM is considerably increased and in the case of the mediators this effect is so pronounced that the relevant proton shifts from them to IM. If this occurs in the active site of the enzyme then the oxidized redox mediators are released into the aqueous phase in their neutral form rather than as radical cations (deprotonation of the radical cations). The oxidation power of the neutral radical mediators, however, is too low to initialize oxidation of lignin. A more likely reaction pathway is oxidation of the substrates via hydrogen abstraction. The pertinent bond dissociation energies are similar for the BA-derivatives and the redox mediators, which in principle allows the reaction to occur.

Tributylgermanium hydride (Bu(3)GeH) can be used as an alternative to tributyltin hydride (Bu(3)SnH) as a radical generating reagent with a wide range of radical substrates. Tributylgermanium hydride has several practical advantages over tributyltin hydride, e.g. low toxicity, good stability and much easier work-up of reactions. The reagent can be easily prepared in good yield and stored indefinitely. Suitable substrates include iodides, bromides, activated chlorides, phenyl selenides, tert-nitroalkanes, thiocarbonylimidazolides and Barton esters. Alkyl, vinyl and aryl radicals can be generated in radical reactions including reduction and cyclisation processes. Common radical initiators such as ACCN and triethylborane can be used. The slower rate of hydrogen abstraction by carbon-centred radicals from Bu(3)GeH as compared to Bu(3)SnH facilitates improved cyclisation yields. Polarity reversal catalysis (PRC) with phenylthiol can be used in reactions which generate stable radical intermediates which will not abstract hydrogen from Bu(3)GeH.

We report on a spectrophotometric kinetic study of the effect of Li(+) and K(+) cations on the ethanolysis of 4-nitrophenyl dimethylphosphinate () in ethanol at 25 [degree]C. The nucleophilic displacement reaction of with LiOEt and KOEt in the absence and presence of 18-crown-6 ether (18-C-6) furnished observed first-order rate constants which increase in the order EtO(-) < KOEt < LiOEt. The kinetic data are analyzed in terms of a scheme which assigns concurrent kinetic activity to free ethoxide and metal alkoxide, to obtain the second-order rate coefficients for reaction of the metal ion-ethoxide pairs, k(MOEt). Derived [small delta]G(ip), [small delta]G(ts) and [capital Delta]G(cat) values quantify ground state and transition state stabilization by the metal ions to give [small delta]G(ts) > [small delta]G(ip) for Li(+) and [small delta]G(ts)[similar][small delta]G(ip) for K(+). These results indicate moderate catalysis by Li(+), with manifesting lesser susceptibility to catalysis than other substrates previously studied. Second-order rate constants for the reaction of the aryl dimethylphosphinates with free EtO(-) were obtained from plots of log k(obs)vs. [KOEt], measured in the presence of excess 18-C-6. Hammett plots with [sigma] and [sigma][degree] substituent constants give significantly better correlation of rates than [sigma](-) and yield a moderately large [small rho]([small rho][degree]) value; this is interpreted in terms of a stepwise mechanism involving rate-limiting formation of a pentacoordinate intermediate. Comparison of the present results with those of Williams on the aqueous alkaline hydrolysis of Me(2)P(O)-OPhX and Ph(2)P(O)-OPhX esters, establishes the rationale for a change in mechanism in the more basic EtO(-)/EtOH nucleophile/solvent system by a stepwise mechanism instead of a concerted one in aqueous base. Structure-reactivity correlations following Jencks show that the change in mechanism is accounted for by cross interactions between the nucleophile and the leaving group in the transition state. The observed duality of mechanism is rationalized on the basis of the More O'Ferrall-Jencks diagram, as a spectrum of transition states covering a wide range of nucleophile and leaving group basicities.

In some parts of the CNS, depletion of a particular class of neuron might induce changes in the microenvironment that influence the differentiation of newly grafted neural precursor cells. This hypothesis was tested in the retina by inducing apoptotic retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death in neonatal and adult female mice and examining whether intravitreally grafted male neural precursor cells (C17.2), a neural stem cell (NSC)-like clonal line, become incorporated into these selectively depleted retinae. In neonates, rapid RGC death was induced by removal of the contralateral superior colliculus (SC), in adults, delayed RGC death was induced by unilateral optic nerve (ON) transection. Cells were injected intravitreally 6-48 h after SC ablation (neonates) or 0-7 days after ON injury (adults). Cells were also injected into non-RGC depleted neonatal and adult retinae. At 4 or 8 weeks, transplanted cells were identified using a Y-chromosome marker and in situ hybridisation or by their expression of the lacZ reporter gene product Escherichia coli beta-galactosidase (beta-gal). No C17.2 cells were identified in axotomised adult-injected eyes undergoing delayed RGC apoptosis (n = 16). Donor cells were however stably integrated within the retina in 29% (15/55) of mice that received C17.2 cell injections 24 h after neonatal SC ablation; 6-31% of surviving cells were found in the RGC layer (GCL). These NSC-like cells were also present in intact retinae, but on average, there were fewer cells in GCL. In SC-ablated mice, most grafted cells did not express retinal-specific markers, although occasional donor cells in the GCL were immunopositive for beta-III tubulin, a protein highly expressed by, but not specific to, developing RGCs. Targeted rapid RGC depletion thus increased cell incorporation into the GCL, but grafted C17.2 cells did not appear to differentiate into an RGC phenotype.

Pregnancy sickness, a suite of "symptoms" that frequently co-occur during pregnancy, may be an adaptation providing behavioral prophylaxis against infection. Maternal immunosupression, necessary for tolerance of the fetus, results in gestational vulnerability to pathogens. Throughout the period of maximal vulnerability, dietary behavior is significantly altered via changes in nausea susceptibility and olfaction and the development of marked aversions and cravings. Of food types, meat is both the most likely to carry pathogens and the principal target of gestational aversions and pregnancy taboos. Because meat was prominent in ancestral human diets but hygienic procedures that effectively eliminate the risk of meat-borne infection are recent, such pathogens likely constituted a source of selective pressure on pregnant females throughout human history. Both the relatively low protein and energy demands of the first trimester and the existense of nonmeat alternatives would have allowed for the evolution of time-limited gestational meat-avoidance mechanisms.Complementing these mechanisms, gestational cravings target substances that may influence immune functioning and affect the availability of iron in the gastro-intestinal tract, thereby limiting the proliferation of iron-dependent pathogens. Clinical and ethnographic findings are examined in light of these proposals, and directions for future research are outlined.

Previous findings from our laboratory have demonstrated that simulated microgravity may result in atrophic changes with depressed vasoconstrictor responsiveness in hindquarter vessels, and hypertrophic changes with enhanced vasoconstrictor responsiveness in cerebral arteries of rats. However, the mechanisms of this differential adaptation are still not well understood. Local renin-angiotensin system (L-RAS) has been found to be actively involved in the remodeling of arteries. We hypothesized that L-RAS may function as a local regulatory mechanism in the microgravity-induced differential changes of arterial vessles. Angiotensinogen (AGT) is the only and indispensable substrate of local renin-angiotensin system (L-RAS). In the present work, the expression changes of AGT mRNA and protein level as well as its time course characteristics were examined.

This study was undertaken to identify combinations ('neutral points', NP) of orthostatic (tilt: head-down = HDT, head-up = HUT) and pseudo-orthostatic (lower body pressure: positive = LBPP, negative = LBNP) stimuli able to compensate one another in their effect on hemodynamic variables, electrical thoracic impedance (TI), hematocrit and plasma mass density (PD), and blood hormone concentrations. We asked if NP's exist for tested variables (hypothesis 1), if NP's differ with variables (hypothesis 2), and if NP's change as a function of time (hypothesis 3). For the blood volume sensitive variables (PD, plasma total protein concentration, and hematocrit) we found a NP at > or = 30 degrees HDT at LBNP-35 and -15 degrees HUT with LBPP+35. There was no clear PD / total plasma protein concentration effect with various degrees of LBNP-15 / HDT. NP's could be derived for some hemodynamic variables: With LBNP-35, a NP for heart rate was derived at -25 degrees HDT and for MAP at -30 degrees HDT. Heart rate intersected at > or = 30 degrees HDT with LBNP-15 (extrapolated), stroke volume index (SVI) at -20 degrees HDT. With LBPP+35, SVI had its NP at 11 degrees HUT. The hormonal responses displayed a pattern where plasma renin activity (PRA) NP's were logically scattered with LBNP intensity, whereas aldosterone displayed similar NP's with both LBNP intensities.

We examined the distribution of the myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms (I, IIa, IIx) of the leg muscles of three groups of men and women (40 +/- 8y) that completed unilateral lower limb suspension only (ULLS), ULLS plus resistance exercise (ULLS+RE), or RE only (RE) for 5 weeks. Muscle biopsies were obtained pre and post from the vastus lateralis of all three groups and the soleus of the ULLS group. Distributions of all three MHC isoforms in the vastus lateralis were unchanged (p<0.05) from pre to post with ULLS. The soleus muscle, which contained no measurable IIx isoform, was also unchanged (p< 0.05) from pre to post ULLS. These results suggest that the percent distribution of the MHC isoforms per unit muscle protein in both the vastus lateralis and soleus does not change during the first five weeks of simulated microgravity. Further, resistance exercise during five weeks of ULLS or ambulation does not appear to alter the MHC distribution per unit muscle protein of the vastus lateralis.

It had been hypothesized and recently shown that the exposure to gravitational unloading brought out to sufficient accumulation of Ca2+ in the myoplasm of soleus muscle fibers. Some authors believe that this dramatic Ca2+ accumulation induces the muscle protein degradation (including cytoskeletal proteins) by means of Ca 2(+)-activated proteases. For instance, the loss of giant sarcomeric cytoskeletal protein titin which is believed to determine the elasticity properties of muscle fibers, may contribute to the fiber stiffness decrease under unloading conditions. The study was designed to test the hypothesis suggesting that intracellular Ca2+ binding by means of EDTA administration would allow to attenuate hypogravity-induced atrophic changes including changes in myofibrillar proteins of skeletal muscle fibers.

Increased mechanical stress induced by stretch is an important growth stimulus in skeletal muscle. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are an important family of endogenous, protective proteins. HSP90 and HSP70 families show elevated levels under beat stress. Mechanical stress, such as physical exercise, is known to induce not only muscular hypertrophy but also the elevation of HSPs expression in skeletal muscle. The purpose of this study was to determine whether heat stress facilitates the stretch-induced hypertrophy of skeletal muscle cells. Cultured rat myotubes (L6) were plated on collagenized Silastic membranes and incubated at 41 degrees C for 60 and 75 minutes (heat shock). Following the incubation, the cells were subjected two-second stretching and four-second releasing for 4 days at 37 degrees C. Protein concentrations in the homogenates and pellets of the cultured skeletal muscle cells increased under heat shock and/or mechanical stretching. The protein concentration of cells following mechanical stretching following heat shock was significantly higher than that following either heat shock or mechanical stretching alone. HSP72 in supernatants and HSP90 in pellets increased under heat shock and/or mechanical stretching. HSP90 in supernatants decreased following heat shock and/or mechanical stretching. Changes in HSPs and cellular protein concentrations in stressed cells suggest that the expression of HSPs may be closely related with muscular hypertrophy.

The effects of 5 weeks of unilateral lower limb suspension (ULLS) and flywheel resistance exercise (RE) on skeletal muscle protein composition were examined in thirty-one subjects (40 +/- 8y), divided into three groups: ULLS, ULLS+RE, and RE. Pre and post biopsy samples were examined for protein concentration, myosin heavy chain (MHC) and actin concentration. VL protein concentration of the three groups did not change. Soleus protein concentration following ULLS decreased (p<0.05). MHC and actin content of the VL and soleus were unaltered. Muscle mass changed from pre to post: ULLS -11% (VL), -11% (soleus), both p<0.05; ULLS+RE +9%, p<0.05; RE +6%, P<0.05. Therefore, the increase or decrease in VL muscle mass over 5 weeks occurred while maintaining protein, MHC and actin. However, soleus muscle atrophy occurred at the expense of other muscle proteins, since MHC and actin were maintained and protein concentrations decreased.

It is known that exposure to actual or simulated weightlessness is often accompanied by decreased muscle dynamic performance, and increased level of blood lactate accumulation. Decreased mitochondrial content found in fibers of the working muscles is considered to be one of the possible causes for those changes. Studies on oxidative potential of the muscle cell (i.e. capacity of the cell to oxidative energy production) under conditions of altered gravity have been carried out since late 70-ties. It was shown that the relatively short term spaceflight and hindlimb suspension induced significant decrease oxidative enzyme activities and mitochondrial volume density in rat fast muscle. However postural soleus muscle failed to exhibit similar changes, although the absolute mitochondrial content was found to be sufficiently lower after exposure to simulated microgravity. This phenomenon allowed to conclude that the pronounced soleus fiber atrophy masked the proportional absolute decrease in oxidative potential which failed to be revealed as subsequent changes in mitochondrial volume density and oxidative enzyme activity. It is also important, that biosatellite studies exposed considerable changes in mitochondria distribution pattern inside m. soleus fibers: volume density of mitochondria (and, correspondingly, activity of oxidative enzymes) increases (or does not change) in the center of fiber, and decreases at its periphery, in subsarcolemmal area. However the time course of mitochondrial alterations development (particularly during long-duration exposures to real or simulated microgravity) and some peculiarities of the mitochondria distribution were not described yet. Also, materials dealing with simultaneous time-course comparative analysis of mitochondrial characteristics and indices of physiological cost of submaximal exercise are very rare. The present paper is purposed to compare the data, obtained in several experimental studies, allowed to analyze the possible contribution of muscle mitochondria changes to changes in metabolic cost of submaximal exercise and the time-course dynamics of mitochondrial characteristics under conditions of actual or simulated gravitational unloading.

We tested the hypothesis that a reduced stimulation of whole-body protein synthesis by amino acid administration represents a major mechanism for the bed rest-induced loss of lean body mass. Healthy young subjects and matched controls were studied on the last day of a 14-day bed rest or ambulatory period, as part of the overall protocol "Short-term Bed Rest - Integrated Physiology" set up by the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) in co-operation with the European Space Agency. A balanced mixture of essential and non-essential amino acids was intravenously infused in the postabsorptive state for 3 hours at the rate of 0.1 g/kg/hour. The oxidative and non-oxidative (i.e., to protein synthesis) disposal of the infused leucine was determined by stable isotope and mass spectrometry techniques. The clearance of total infused amino acids tended to be greater (P=0.07) in the ambulatory group than in the bed rest group. When leucine clearance was partitioned between its oxidative and non-oxidative (i.e., to protein synthesis) components, the results indicated that the oxidative disposal was not statistically different in the bed rest and in the ambulatory groups. In contrast, the non-oxidative leucine disposal (i.e., to protein synthesis) was about 20% greater (P<0.01) in the ambulatory group than in the bed rest group. In conclusion, these preliminary data suggest that 14-day bed rest impairs the ability to utilise exogenous amino acids for protein synthesis.

The structural-functional organization of cotyledon parenchyma cells of 6-day soybean (Glycine max L.) seedlings that were grown on board the space Shuttle Columbia (STS-87) have been studied. The purafil (KMnO4) was used in the experiment for the removing of some part of ethylene that secretes out from seedlings. There were four variants of the experiment: ground control (+purafil), ground control (-purafil), microgravity (+purafil) and microgravity (-purafil). The electron microscopy, srereological, and pyroantimonate cytochemical methods have been used. It is established the some indices of changes of storage substances in cotyledon parenchyma cells under influence of microgravity. It is displayed in the change of cell ultrastructure, the decrease of relative volume of storage cytoplasmic lipid bodies, a disappearance of storage protein body into vacuole and the redistribution of ionized calcium in cell. It was supposed that microgravity is influenced on the acceleration of storage substances catabolism.

The mechanism of space flight-induced bone mass loss is unknown. We conducted experiments aboard the Space Shuttle using primary cultured osteoblasts. During flight, quadruplicate cultures were treated with 1 nM of 1alpha,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 for one day, then fixed with guanidine isothiocyanate solution on board. After return to the Earth, the mRNA levels were analyzed by quantitative RT-PCR. Microgravity increased the mRNA levels of JNK, c-Jun N-terminal kinase or stress-activated protein kinase, in rat osteoblasts, as compared to the 1G ground control. Microgravity decreased the mRNA levels of the principal heat shock protein, Hsp 70. JNK is known to play a key role particularly in the stress-activated cell apoptosis. Data suggested apoptotic and anti-apoptotic effects of microgravity on rat osteoblast.

Mechano-sensing in cells is tightly obliged with changes in intracellular free calcium (IFC), regulation of specific genes and activation of specific second messenger systems. To investigate whether single non-professional cells like osteoblasts can detect microgravity through the mechano-sensor, measurements on a sub-orbital rocket and parabolic flights observing the IFC and gene expression were performed. We find that microgravity did neither effect IFC nor gene expression. Thermal and mechanical noise within cells is too high in relation to the change of force due to the change from gravity to microgravity. Complementary force measurements have shown that cells exert high forces on the substrate and that these high forces have to be applied for activation.

Cultured astrocytes were submitted to simulated microgravity using a Fokker clinostat under continuous rotation (60 rpm) for 15', 30', 1h, 20h and 32h. Samples processing included (i) nuclear stainings using Propidium Iodide and 4,6-diamidino-2-phenilindole, dihydro chloride, (ii) immunohistochemical identification of Caspase-7, (iii) identification of DNA fragmentation using the terminal dUTP nick end labelling and (iv) Scanning Electron Microscope analysis. After 30' at simulated microgravity the glial cells showed morphological evidence of apoptosis: cell shrinkage, chromatin condensation, nuclear blebs and fragmentation. The enzyme caspase-7 was present and DNA fragmentation was evident. After 32h the density of the cell population was much lower than that observed in controls.

Previous data obtained from experiments either in space or in clinostats have shown that: a) human T lymphocytes activation is strongly inhibited; b) the distribution of protein kinase C (PKC) in human leukocytes is altered; c) expression of IL-2 and IL-2-R-alpha is altered. In this study we focus our attention on different isoforms of PKC to determine whether microgravity directly affects the activity and subcellular distribution of PKC. This work was carried out with Con A and anti-CD 28 activated human T cells in simulated microgravity conditions in the Random Positioning Machine (RPM). The cellular fractions (nuclear, cytosolic and membrane) extracted were subjected to Western blotting and RT-PCR analysis.

By means of susceptibility experiments on oxygen confined to the pores of a Gelsil substrate we investigated the bulk gamma- beta transition. At low fillings, the transformation is completely suppressed. At higher but still incomplete filling we observe a partial transformation from gamma to beta on cooling and a subsequent inverted transition on heating, i.e. the transformation of gamma-phase material into the beta-phase upon heating. At 100% filling this inversion disappears. We discuss our results on the basis of geometric considerations.

In order to clarify the mechanism of blood coagulation for carbonaceous biomaterials, the plasma rich in platelet was obtaining through the centrifugation of fresh human blood containing anticoagulant. Adhesive tests of platelets to surfaces of DLC, diamond film(DF) and graphite was carried out at 37 degrees C. Then, morphology observation, counting and deformation index calculation of the platelets adhering to surfaces of the three kinds of materials were analyzed by SEM. It has been shown that there is no any platelet on the surface of DLC, but on DF and graphite, a lot of platelets are observed with serious deformation of type III-V. The adhesive amounts of platelet on the surface of graphite are more than those on DF, but deformation index of platelets on the surface of DF is more than that on graphite. Three major conclusions have been obtained through comparative analyses with our previous researches and related literatures: (1) Adhesion, deformation and collection of platelets occurred in succession on material surfaces resulting from protein adsorption are the major mechanism of blood coagulation of carbonaceous materials; (2) Deformation degree of platelets is more important hemocompatibility index than consumption ratio of platelets for carbonaceous materials; (3) The purer the DLC, the better is the hemocompatibility. These conclusions possess important directive function for improving and designing carbonaceous materials used in artificial mechanical heart valves.

Fluid shear stress plays an important role in many physiological and pathological processes of the cardiovascular system. Being constantly exposed to mechanical shear stress, vascular endothelial cells can sense the changes of blood flow forces and regulate vascular structure and function. Previous studies demonstrated that IL-8 mRNA expression in endothelial cells was modulated by fluid shear stress. To identify the effect of fluid shear stress on IL-8 protein production of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), we employed quantitative sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to measure the IL-8 protein. It was found that the HUVECs not treated with fluid shear stress secreted very little IL-8 in culture media. However, after 1 hour of exposure to shear stress, the secretion of IL-8 increased; at 5 hours of exposure, the seceretion reached the summit; at 8 hours of exposure, the secretion of IL-8 decreased and then remained at a constant level till the end (12 hours) of the experiment. The increase of IL-8 secretion induced by shear stress was time-dependent. The biphasic response of IL-8 protein production was found in experiments in which the shear stress applied was 2.09 dyne/cm2, 4.61 dyne/cm2, and 6.19 dyne/cm2. The IL-8 protein production in response to shear stress was very similar to the IL-8 gene expression in response to shear stress, and had the obvious delay. The induction of IL-8 protein production by fluid shear stress is probably due to the gene expression. This in vitro study demonstrates that the production of IL-8 can be regulated by fluid shear stress. Fluid shear stress induces a biphasic response of human HUVECs' production of IL-8 protein. These observations suggest that the process of the fluid shear stress induced HUVECs' production of IL-8 may play an important role in the genesis and development of both inflammation and atherosclerosis.

The enzyme histochemistry method was used in this experiment to study the biocompatibility of the UV surface modified Dacron. The activity of the enzymes such as ALP, ACP, NADHD and LDH in the tissue surrounding both the modified and unmodified materials after a certain implantation period was semiquantitatively measured. The results showed that the biocompatibility of the surface modified Dacron was as good as that of the unmodified one.

The cDNA encoding the rabbit metallothionein-I was amplified by RT-PCR from the rabbit liver induced by cadmium and cloned into prokaryotic fusion expression vector pQE40. Then it was transformed into Escherichia coli M15. Positive expression clones were detected by colony blotting. Target protein solubility was determined by Western blotting analysis. The optimal induction condition of the level of protein expression with IPTG induction was established by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis and ImageMaster VDS software analysis. The fusion protein can be purified from lysates with Ni-NTA agarose. We found that the fusion protein with apparent molecular weight 32 KD existed in two ways: soluble and insoluble in Escherichia coli. After 1 mM IPTG induction, the level of expression of the fusion protein increased with the prolongation of induction time and reached a peak in 9 h by ImageMaster VDS software analysis, accounting for 57.4% of all the insoluble protein. The purified fusion protein was obtained by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. This fusion protein can be used in further studies on the preparation of MT-I protein and development of protein product.

Protein transduction domains (PTDs) are small cationic peptides that can facilitate the uptake of large, biologically active molecules into mammalian cells. Recent reports have suggested that PTDs may be able to mediate the delivery of cargo to tissues throughout a living organism. Such technology could eliminate the size restrictions on usable drugs, enabling previously unavailable large molecules to modulate in vivo biology and alleviate disease. In this article, we review the evidence that PTDs can be used both to deliver active molecules to pathological tissue in vivo and to treat models of disease such as ischemia, inflammation, and cancer.

The purpose of this study was to obtain an in vitro/in vivo correlation for the sustained release of a protein from poly(ethylene glycol) terephthalate (PEGT)/poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) microspheres.