Search results for "Wester"
showing 10 items of 1157 documents
Differential apolipoprotein(a) isoform expression in heterozygosity is an independent contributor to lipoprotein(a) levels variability
2003
Abstract Background and methods : Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels represent an independent risk factor for cardio- and cerebrovascular diseases. Since lipoprotein(a) levels show a wide variability even in subjects with similar apolipoprotein(a) isoforms, we investigated the contribution of apolipoprotein(a) heterozygosity to lipoprotein(a) variance. Lipoprotein(a) levels, apolipoprotein(a) isoforms identification and expression, and the correlation with other lipo-apolipoprotein parameters have been investigated in 628 subjects >18 years of age. Results : In our study, 246 subjects were found heterozygous for apolipoprotein(a) isoforms. Lipoprotein(a) levels were higher in females. About 40% …
Endothelin receptor B in trabecular meshwork
2007
Abstract Endothelin-1 (ET-1), the most potent vasoconstrictor known to date, seems to be involved in the pathogenesis of primary open angle glaucoma. ET-1 was found in different tissues of the eye and in high concentrations in the aqueous humour. The effects of ET-1 are mediated by two receptors, ET-A receptor (ET-AR) and ET-B receptor (ET-BR), which are both expressed in bovine trabecular meshwork (TM). ET-1 induced contraction of TM predominantly by activation of ET-AR. This study analyzes the role of ET-BR in TM function and investigates the synthesis of ET-1 by human TM (HTM) cells. The effect of IRL-1620, a specific ET-BR agonist, on contractility of bovine TM (BTM) was investigated wi…
Expression pattern of the Brachyury and Tbx2 homologues from the sponge Suberites domuncula.
2005
Background information. T-box transcription factors are a large family of transcriptional regulators involved in many aspects of embryonic development. In a previous report, we described the isolation and genomic characterization of two T-box genes from the siliceous sponge Suberites domuncula: a Brachyury homologue, Sd-Bra, and a Tbx2 homologue, Sd-Tbx2. Elucidation of the genomic structure of Sd-Bra allowed us to demonstrate the existence of two different isoforms, resulting from alternative splicing. Moreover, we demonstrated that the shorter isoform exists in two different glycosylation states. Results. In the present study, we demonstrate a differential subcellular localization of the …
Differential sensitivity of rat hepatocyte CYP isoforms to self-generated nitric oxide.
2001
AbstractEarly loss of P450 in rat hepatocyte cultures appears directly related to nitric oxide (NO) overproduction. This study investigates the influence of endogenously generated NO (or NO-derived species) on the relative expression of cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoforms in rat hepatocytes. Our results support the view that loss of P450 holoenzyme in culture is the ultimate consequence of a NO driven process, activated during the common hepatocyte isolation procedure, that leads to an accelerated and selective degradation of specific CYP apoproteins. Under conditions in which NO and peroxynitrite formation is operative, changes in the level of specific CYP isoforms result in a significant alter…
Potential Functional Significance of Brain-Type and Muscle-Type Nitric Oxide Synthase I Expressed in Adventitia and Media of Rat Aorta
1999
Abstract —Skeletal muscle and myocardium express μNOS I, an elongated splice variant of neuronal-type nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS I), and NOS III, endothelial-type NO synthase, respectively. This study was designed to elucidate whether vascular smooth muscle also contains a constitutively expressed NO synthase isoform. In the rat, μNOS I contains an insert of 102 nucleotides after nucleotide 2865 of the cDNA, yielding a protein of 164 kd. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction with primers flanking this insert and with insert-specific primers indicated that endothelium-denuded rat aorta expresses both brain-type NOS I and μNOS I. RNase protection analyses with an antisense RNA…
Application of an ectopic expression system for the selection of protein-isoform-specific antibodies. The monoclonal antibody K1 C3 is specific for t…
1993
Monoclonal antibodies were raised against a fusion protein consisting of a fragment of 141 amino acids of the C-terminal region of the rat brain voltage-gated K(+)-channel protein (RCK1) and the lambda N protein (fusion protein I). Selection of K(+)-channel-specific hybridoma cell lines was performed by means of an ELISA employing a fusion protein consisting of the K(+)-channel-specific peptide sequence and glutathione S-transferase (fusion protein II). For final selection of RCK1 isoform-specific antibodies, a panel of Xenopus oocytes was employed, each injected with cRNA coding for a specific RCK isoform (RCK 1, 2, 4 or 5). Several days after injection, cryosections of embedded oocytes we…
Differential Distribution of Harmonin Isoforms and Their Possible Role in Usher-1 Protein Complexes in Mammalian Photoreceptor Cells
2003
PURPOSE. Human Usher syndrome is the most common form of combined deafness and blindness. Usher type I (USH1), the most severe form, is characterized by profound congenital deafness, constant vestibular dysfunction, and prepubertal onset retinitis pigmentosa. Previous studies have shown that the USH1-proteins myosin VIIa, harmonin, and cadherin 23 interact and form a functional network during hair cell differentiation in the inner ear. The purpose of the present study was to analyze the molecular and cellular functions of these USH1 proteins in the mammalian retina. METHODS. Antibodies to USH1 proteins were generated and used in Western blot analysis of subcellular photoreceptor fractions a…
Expression of synapsin I gene in primary cultures of differentiating rat cortical neurons
1995
Synapsin I is a neuron-specific protein which is present in two isoforms, Ia and Ib. In the last few years this protein has been demonstrated to play a central role in the regulation of neurotransmitter release and synaptic plasticity. In this paper the developmental expression of this protein has been investigated in primary neuronal cultures from fetal rat brain cortices. The presence of thyroid hormone in the culture medium stimulates an early expression of the protein without exerting any effect at the level of mRNA transcription and accumulation. These observations implicate a T3-dependent regulation of this neuron-specific gene at the level of mRNA translation. © 1995 Plenum Publishin…
Baculoviral display of functional scFv and synthetic IgG-binding domains.
2000
Viral vectors displaying specific ligand binding moities such as scFv fragments or intact antibodies hold promise for the development of targeted gene therapy vectors. In this report we describe baculoviral vectors displaying either functional scFv fragments or the synthetic Z/ZZ IgG binding domain derived from protein A. Display on the baculovirus surface was achieved via fusion of the scFv fragment or Z/ZZ domain to the N-terminus of gp64, the major envelope protein of the Autographa californica nuclear polyhedrosis virus, AcNPV. As examples of scFv fragments we have used a murine scFv specific for the hapten 2-phenyloxazolone and a human scFv specific for carcinoembryonic antigen. In pri…
Cholesterol and Amyloid-β: Evidence for a Cross-Talk between Astrocytes and Neuronal Cells.
2011
Accumulating data supports the concept that alterations of cholesterol metabolism might influence the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD), a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptides in the brain. Changes in the neuronal production of Aβ have been described as a function of cholesterol levels, thus suggesting a causal link between cholesterol homeostasis dysregulation and AD pathogenesis. Under physiological conditions, cholesterol uptake in the brain is efficiently prevented by the blood-brain barrier, and mature neurons are thought to rely on glial cells for their cholesterol supply. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis t…