Medical Sciences Commons^™

Osteopontin: A Bridge Between Bone And The Immune System, Ellen M. Gravallese

Ellen M. Gravallese

The molecular mechanisms underlying the putative role of osteopontin in the chronic inflammatory disease rheumatoid arthritis are unclear. A study in a murine model of arthritis now demonstrates that a specific antibody directed against the exposed osteopontin epitope SLAYGLR is capable of preventing inflammatory cell infiltration in arthritic joints.

Mast Cell Stabilization Decreases Cardiomyocyte And Lv Function In Dogs With Isolated Mitral Regurgitation., Betty Pat, Cheryl Killingsworth, Yuanwen Chen, James D Gladden, Greg Walcott, Pamela C Powell, Thomas Denney, Himanshu Gupta, Ravi Desai, Michael Tillson, A Ray Dillon, Louis J Dell'italia

Ravi V Desai MD

BACKGROUND: Mast cells are increased in isolated mitral regurgitation (MR) in the dog and may mediate extracellular matrix loss and left ventricular (LV) dilatation. We tested the hypothesis that mast cell stabilization would attenuate LV remodeling and improve function in the MR dog.

METHODS AND RESULTS: MR was induced in adult dogs randomized to no treatment (MR, n = 5) or to the mast cell stabilizer, ketotifen (MR + MCS, n = 4) for 4 months. LV hemodynamics were obtained at baseline and after 4 months of MR and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed at sacrifice. MRI-derived, serial, short-axis …

Chymase Inhibition Prevents Fibronectin And Myofibrillar Loss And Improves Cardiomyocyte Function And Lv Torsion Angle In Dogs With Isolated Mitral Regurgitation., Betty Pat, Yuanwen Chen, Cheryl Killingsworth, James D Gladden, Ke Shi, Junying Zheng, Pamela C Powell, Greg Walcott, Mustafa I Ahmed, Himanshu Gupta, Ravi Desai, Chih-Chang Wei, Naoki Hase, Tsunefumi Kobayashi, Abdelkarim Sabri, Henk Granzier, Thomas Denney, Michael Tillson, A Ray Dillon, Ahsan Husain, Louis J Dell'italia

Ravi V Desai MD

BACKGROUND: The left ventricular (LV) dilatation of isolated mitral regurgitation (MR) is associated with an increase in chymase and a decrease in interstitial collagen and extracellular matrix. In addition to profibrotic effects, chymase has significant antifibrotic actions because it activates matrix metalloproteinases and kallikrein and degrades fibronectin. Thus, we hypothesize that chymase inhibitor (CI) will attenuate extracellular matrix loss and LV remodeling in MR.

METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied dogs with 4 months of untreated MR (MR; n=9) or MR treated with CI (MR+CI; n=8). Cine MRI demonstrated a >40% increase in LV end-diastolic volume in both groups, consistent with …

Transcriptional Regulatory Network Analysis During Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transformation Of Retinal Pigment Epithelium., Craig H Pratt, Rajanikanth Vadigepalli, Praveen Chakravarthula, Gregory E Gonye, Nancy J Philp, Gerald B Grunwald

Rajanikanth Vadigepalli

PURPOSE: Phenotypic transformation of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells contributes to the onset and progression of ocular proliferative disorders such as proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR). The formation of epiretinal membranes in PVR may involve an epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) of RPE cells as part of an aberrant wound healing response. While the underlying mechanism remains unclear, this likely involves changes in RPE cell gene expression under the control of specific transcription factors (TFs). Thus, the purpose of the present study was to identify TFs that may play a role in this process. METHODS: Regulatory regions of genes that are differentially regulated during …

Monte Carlo Simulations And Measurement Of Dna Damage From X-Ray-Triggered Auger Cascades In Iododeoxyuridine (Iudr), S. Karnas, V. Moiseenko, E. Yu, P. Truong, J. Battista

Edward Yu

We investigated the DNA damage from Auger electrons emitted from incorporated stable iodine (127I), following photoelectric absorption of external x-rays. The effectiveness of the Auger electrons in producing DNA double-strand breaks (DSB) was determined theoretically, using Monte Carlo simulations of the radiation physics and chemistry, and was shown to be in reasonable agreement with DNA damage measured using the comet assay. The DSB yields were measured in CHO cells for 60Co (as a non-Auger-promoting radiation) and for tungsten-filtered 100 kVp x-rays capable of producing Auger electron emission. The theoretical study showed that on average, 2.5 Auger electrons were emitted for …

Optimal Photon Energies For Iudr K-Edge Radiosensitization With Filtered X-Ray And Radioisotope Sources, S. Karnas, E. Yu, R. Mcgarry, J. Battista

Edward Yu

The purpose of this work is to determine the most physically effective radiation energy for K-edge absorption of x- or gamma-rays by iododeoxyuridine (IUdR) on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells. Brachytherapy sources (Sm-145, I-125, Yb-169 and Am-241) and x-ray beams (30 kVp, 100 kVp and 100 kVp with gold, gadolinium, lead or tungsten filtration) were investigated for their preferential absorption qualities by IUdR sensitized DNA. The 30 kVp, 100 kVp and 100 kVp with tungsten filtration were then used to irradiate CHO cells, with or without IUdR incorporation (i.e. 10(-5) M of IUdR for 3 days). Radiation absorption calculations were …

Vitamin D And Parotid Gland Function In The Rat, C. Peterfy, A. Tenenhouse, E. Yu

Edward Yu

1. We previously reported that parotid gland secretion is decreased in rats deprived of vitamin D (Glijer, Peterfy & Tenenhouse, 1985). In the present study we examine whether this effect is a direct result of the absence of vitamin D or due to the secondary systemic effects of vitamin D deficiency. 2. Offspring of rats maintained on a calcium-supplemented (1.2%), vitamin-D-deficient diet were weaned onto the same diet and examined after 8 weeks. Using this method it was possible to maintain serum calcium and parathyroid hormone concentrations within normal limits. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D3) was not detectable, but 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D …

Uptake, Storage And Secretion Of 5-Hydroxytryptamine And Its Amino Acid Precursor By Dispersed Rat Pancreas Acinar Cells, Ligia Stern, A. Tenenhouse, E. Yu

Edward Yu

Rat pancreas acinar cells contain 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT; 10.86 +/- 2.52 ng/i.u. amylase), all of which can be accounted for by the 5-HT recovered from the zymogen granule fraction of these cells (10.70 +/- 3.06 ng/i.u. amylase). When incubated with [14C]5-HT dispersed acinar cells take up the amine and concentrate it in zymogen granules. These cells will also take up [14C]5-HTP (5-hydroxytryptophan), decarboxylate it and store the [14C]5-HT so produced in zymogen granules. 5-HTP itself is not taken up by the granules. 5-HT is incorporated into zymogen granules early in their formation; no amine is accumulated by mature zymogen granules and …