| 1. |
- Guo, Xiao-Hua, et al.
(författare)
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Advanced glycation end products induce actin rearrangement and subsequent hyperpermeability of endothelial cells
- 2006
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Ingår i: APMIS : acta pathologica, microbiologica, et immunologica Scandinavica. - : Wiley. - 1600-0463 .- 0903-4641. ; 114:12, s. 874-883
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- This study aimed to determine the effects of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) on endothelial cytoskeleton morphology and permeability, and to detect the underlying signaling mechanisms involved in these responses. Cultured endothelial cells (ECs) were exposed to AGE-modified human serum albumin (AGE-HSA), and EC cytoskeletal changes were evaluated by observing fluorescence of F-actin following ligation with labeled antibodies. Endothelial permeability was detected by measuring the flux of TRITC-albumin across the EC monolayers. To explore the signaling pathways behind AGE-induced EC alteration, ECs were treated with either soluble anti-AGE receptor (RAGE) IgG, or the MAPK inhibitors PD98059 and SB203580 before AGE-HSA administration. To further elucidate possible involvement of the ERK and p38 pathways in AGE-induced EC changes, adenovirus-carried recombinant constitutive dominant-negative forms of upstream ERK and p38 kinases, namely MEK1(A) and MKK6b(A), were pre-infected into ECs 24 h prior to AGE-HSA exposure. AGE-HSA induced actin cytoskeleton rearrangement, as well as EC hyperpermeability, in a dose and time-dependent manner. The effects were attenuated in cells pretreated with anti-RAGE IgG, PD98059 or SB203580, respectively. EC pre-infection with MEK1(A) and MKK6b(A) also alleviated the effect of AGEs. Furthermore, adenovirus-mediated administration of activated forms of either MEK1 or MKK6b alone induced rearrangement of F-actin and hyperpermeability. The results indicate that ERK and p38 MAPK play important roles in the mediation of AGE-induced EC barrier dysfunction associated with morphological changes of the F-actin.
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| 2. |
- Krisinger, Michael, et al.
(författare)
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Mouse recombinant protein C variants with enhanced membrane affinity and hyper-anticoagulant activity in mouse plasma.
- 2009
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Ingår i: The FEBS Journal. - : Wiley. - 1742-464X. ; 276, s. 6586-6602
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Mouse anticoagulant protein C (461 residues) shares 69% sequence identity with its human ortholog. Interspecies experiments suggest that there is an incompatibility between mouse and human protein C, such that human protein C does not function efficiently in mouse plasma, nor does mouse protein C function efficiently in human plasma. Previously, we described a series of human activated protein C (APC) Gla domain mutants (e.g. QGNSEDY-APC), with enhanced membrane affinity that also served as superior anticoagulants. To characterize these Gla mutants further in mouse models of diseases, the analogous mutations were now made in mouse protein C. In total, seven mutants (mutated at one or more of positions P(10)S(12)D(23)Q(32)N(33)) and wild-type protein C were expressed and purified to homogeneity. In a surface plasmon resonance-based membrane-binding assay, several high affinity protein C mutants were identified. In Ca(2+) titration experiments, the high affinity variants had a significantly reduced (four-fold) Ca(2+) requirement for half-maximum binding. In a tissue factor-initiated thrombin generation assay using mouse plasma, all mouse APC variants, including wild-type, could completely inhibit thrombin generation; however, one of the variants denoted mutant III (P10Q/S12N/D23S/Q32E/N33D) was found to be a 30- to 50-fold better anticoagulant compared to the wild-type protein. This mouse APC variant will be attractive to use in mouse models aiming to elucidate the in vivo effects of APC variants with enhanced anticoagulant activity.
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| 3. |
- Zhong, Jun, et al.
(författare)
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Bio-nano interaction of proteins adsorbed on single-walled carbon nanotubes
- 2009
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Ingår i: Carbon. - : Elsevier BV. - 0008-6223 .- 1873-3891. ; 47:4, s. 967-973
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We applied X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy to investigate the adsorption of proteins onto single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Specific XANES spectral features such as peptide C=O bonds in proteins were recognized and found to be affected by the corresponding aromatic structure of SWCNTs. Experimental data combined with first-principle calculation of the investigated nano-complex allow the understanding of adsorption mechanism and reveal that an interface interaction occurs leading to precise structural distortions of proteins. The study also demonstrates that XANES is a powerful tool to characterize structural details of proteins at the interface of complex systems.
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