| 1. |
- Chou, Meng-Yun, et al.
(författare)
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Oxidation-specific epitopes are dominant targets of innate natural antibodies in mice and humans.
- 2009
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Ingår i: The Journal of clinical investigation. - 1558-8238. ; 119:5, s. 1335-49
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the accumulation of oxidized lipoproteins and apoptotic cells. Adaptive immune responses to various oxidation-specific epitopes play an important role in atherogenesis. However, accumulating evidence suggests that these epitopes are also recognized by innate receptors, such as scavenger receptors on macrophages, and plasma proteins, such as C-reactive protein (CRP). Here, we provide multiple lines of evidence that oxidation-specific epitopes constitute a dominant, previously unrecognized target of natural Abs (NAbs) in both mice and humans. Using reconstituted mice expressing solely IgM NAbs, we have shown that approximately 30% of all NAbs bound to model oxidation-specific epitopes, as well as to atherosclerotic lesions and apoptotic cells. Because oxidative processes are ubiquitous, we hypothesized that these epitopes exert selective pressure to expand NAbs, which in turn play an important role in mediating homeostatic functions consequent to inflammation and cell death, as demonstrated by their ability to facilitate apoptotic cell clearance. These findings provide novel insights into the functions of NAbs in mediating host homeostasis and into their roles in health and diseases, such as chronic inflammatory diseases and atherosclerosis.
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| 2. |
- Meng, Wen-Jian, et al.
(författare)
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Novel mutations and sequence variants in exons 3-9 of human T Cell Factor-4 gene in sporadic rectal cancer patients stratified by microsatellite instability
- 2007
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Ingår i: World Journal of Gastroenterology. - 1007-9327 .- 2219-2840. ; 13:27, s. 3747-3751
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aim: To establish the role of human T Cell Factor-4 (hTCF-4) gene exons 3-9 mutation status in association with sporadic rectal cancer with microsatellite instability (MSI). Methods: Microsatellite markers were genotyped in 93 sporadic rectal cancer patients. Eleven cases were found to be high-frequency MSI (MSI-H). Sequence analysis of the coding region of the exons 3-9 of hTCF-4 gene was carried out for the 11 MSI-H cases and 10 controls (5 microsatellite stability (MSS) cases and 5 cases with normal mucosa). The sequencing and MSI identification were used. Results: Several novel mutations and variants were revealed. In exon 4, one is a 4-position continuous alteration which caused amino acid change from Q131T and S132I (391insA, 392 G > A, 393 A > G and 395delC) and another nucleotide deletion (395delC) is present in MSI-H cases (5/10 and 4/10, respectively) but completely absent in the controls. Conclusion: Novel mutations in exon 4 of hTCF-4 gene were revealed in this study, which might be of importance in the pathogenesis of sporadic rectal cancer patients with MSI-H. © 2007 WJG. All rights reserved.
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| 3. |
- Zhang, Li-Fang, et al.
(författare)
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Proteomic analysis of plasma membranes of cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC 6803 in response to high pH stress.
- 2009
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Ingår i: Journal of Proteome Research. - Washington, D.C. : American chemical society. - 1535-3893 .- 1535-3907. ; 8:6, s. 2892-902
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Cyanobacteria are unique prokaryotes possessing plasma-, outer- and thylakoid membranes. The plasma membrane of a cyanobacterial cell serves as a crucial barrier against its environment and is essential for biogenesis of cyanobacterial photosystems. Previously, we have identified 79 different proteins in the plasma membrane of Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC 6803 based on 2D- and 1D- gels and MALDI-TOF MS. In this work, we have performed a proteomic study screening for high-pH-stress proteins in Synechocystis. 2-D gel profiles of plasma membranes isolated from both control and high pH-treated cells were constructed and compared quantitatively based on different protein staining methods including DIGE analysis. A total of 55 differentially expressed protein spots were identified using MALDI-TOF MS and MALDI-TOF/TOF MS, corresponding to 39 gene products. Twenty-five proteins were enhanced/induced and 14 reduced by high pH. One-third of the enhanced/induced proteins were transport and binding proteins of ABC transporters including 3 phosphate transport proteins. Other proteins include MinD involved in cell division, Cya2 in signaling and proteins involved in photosynthesis and respiration. Furthermore, among these proteins regulated by high pH, eight were found to be hypothetical proteins. Functional significance of the high-pH-stress proteins is discussed integrating current knowledge on cyanobacterial cell physiology.
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| 4. |
- Zhao, Guang-Jiu, et al.
(författare)
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Photoinduced intramolecular charge transfer and S-2 fluorescence in thiophene-pi-conjugated donor-acceptor systems : Experimental and TDDFT studies
- 2008
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Ingår i: Chemistry - A European Journal. - : Wiley. - 0947-6539 .- 1521-3765. ; 14:23, s. 6935-6947
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Experimental and theoretical methods were used to study newly synthesized thiophene-pi-cojugated donor-acceptor compounds, which were found to exhibit efficient intramolecular charge-transfer emission in polar solvents with relatively large Stokes shifts and strong solvatochromism. To gain insight into the solvatochromic behavior of these compounds, the dependence of the spectra on solvent polarity was studied on the basis of Lippert-Mataga models. We found that intramolecular charge transfer in these donor-acceptor systems is significantly dependent on the electron-with-drawing substituents at the thienyl 2-position. The dependence of the absorption and emission spectra of these compounds in methanol on the concentration of trifluoroacetic acid was used to confirm intramolecular charge-tranfer emission. Moreover, the calculated absorption and emission energies, which are in accordance with the experimental values, suggested that fluorescence can be emitted from different geometric confirmations. In addition, a novel S-2 fluorescence phenomenon for some of these compounds was also be observed. The fluorescence excitation spectra were used to confirm the S-2 fluorescence. We demonstrate that S-2 fluorescence can be explained by the calculated energy gap between the S-2 and S-1 states of these molecules. Furthermore, nonlinear optical behavior of the thiophene-pi-conjugated compound with diethylcyanomethylphosphonate substituents was predicted in theory.
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