Vascular endothelial growth factor and Kaposi's sarcoma cells in human skin grafts.

Human cancer cells often produce tumors in animal models that incompletely reproduce the histology of the parental tumor. Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) cells, in particular, have not produced durable angiogenic lesions in animal models that resemble those of KS in humans. We investigated the contribution of transformed KS cells, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and human skin tissue on tumor development in a human skin graft/mouse model.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infections in alcoholics.

Approximately 400,000 individuals in the United States are co-infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and it is likely that almost one in two of these subjects consumes alcohol. The majority of these patients suffer an accelerated course of liver disease as manifested by the onset of cirrhosis within 5 to 10 years of developing HCV infection, as well as an increased risk of developing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It is thought that chronic alcohol abuse mediates liver damage as a result of increased production of free radicals and proinflammatory cytokines.

Tumorigenesis and aberrant signaling in transgenic mice expressing the human herpesvirus-8 K1 gene.

Background: The K1 gene of human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8; also known as Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus) encodes a transmembrane signaling protein that elicits cellular activation events. To evaluate the potential role of K1 in HHV-8-associated pathogenesis, we produced transgenic mice expressing the HHV-8 K1 gene under the transcriptional control of the simian virus 40 promoter.

Methods: Three independent heterozygous transgenic K1 mouse lines were generated from founder mice.

Ethanol decreases the efficiency of phosphorylation of thymidine kinase in a human T-lymphocytic cell line.

Background: Thymidine kinase (TK) and thymidylate kinase (TMPK) are the two rate-limiting enzymes in the cascade of activation of the anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) drug 3'-azido-3'-deoxythymidine (AZT) to its active triphosphate form. We examined the effect of ethanol and a combination of ethanol and AZT on TK and TMPK activities in human Jurkat T cells.

Methods: Jurkat T cells were exposed to 0.

Comparison of the clinical profile and outcome for squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the distal esophagus and cardia in India.

This retrospective review aimed to assess the clinical profile and outcome of squamous cell carcinoma as compared with adenocarcinoma of the lower third of esophagus and cardia following a transhiatal esophagectomy. A total of 169 patients were analyzed retrospectively in this series from 1989 to 1994. There were 100 patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and 69 patients with adenocarcinoma (ADC).

Tyrosine cross-links: molecular basis of gluten structure and function.

The formation of the large protein structure known as "gluten" during dough-mixing and bread-making processes is extremely complex. It has been established that a specific subset of the proteins comprising gluten, the glutenin subunits, directly affects dough formation and breadmaking quality. Glutenin subunits have no definitive structural differences that can be directly correlated to their ability to form gluten and affect dough formation or breadmaking quality.

alpha-thiocyanation of carbonyl and beta-dicarbonyl compounds using (dichloroiodo)benzene-lead(II) thiocyanate.

The combination reagent (dichloroiodo)benzene and lead(II) thiocyanate in dichloromethane effects oxidation of various enol silyl ethers, ketene silyl acetals, and beta-dicarbonyl compounds, thereby providing an efficient and convenient method for alpha-thiocyanation of carbonyl and beta-dicarbonyl compounds.

Inhibition of hematopoietic progenitor cell proliferation by ethanol in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 tat-expressing transgenic mice.

Background: A number of hematological abnormalities are associated with both human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection and alcohol abuse. There is little information on how alcohol abuse might further influence the survival and growth of hematopoietic progenitors in HIV-infected individuals in the presence of immune system abnormalities and anti-HIV drugs. Because there is evidence that viral transactivator Tat itself can induce hematopoietic suppression, in this study we examined the role of ethanol as a cofactor in transgenic mice that expressed HIV-1 Tat protein.

Glycosuria in organophosphate and carbamate poisoning.

Objective: Puzzled by the observation of occurrence of transient glycosuria in several patients admitted with organophosphate and carbamate compound poisoning, we undertook a critical analysis of this observation.

Methods: Of the fifty-one consecutive patients admitted to the intensive care unit with organophosphate and carbamate compound poisoning, in 23 subjects the nature of the compound consumed was known; these were studied. The occurrence and duration of glycosuria, its magnitude, associated hyperglycemia if any, and correlation thereof were recorded.

Human herpesvirus 8 K1-associated nuclear factor-kappa B-dependent promoter activity: role in Kaposi's sarcoma inflammation?

Background: The growing number of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infections worldwide and the increasing use of immunosuppressive modalities for organ transplantation have contributed to an epidemic of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS), which has been etiologically linked to human herpesvirus 8 (HHV8) or KS-associated virus. Since the onset of the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome epidemic, inflammation has been recognized as an essential component of KS pathology. HHV8 bears a gene (K1) encoding a transmembrane protein with an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif.

Structural effects of O-glycosylation on a 15-residue peptide from the mucin (MUC1) core protein.

To study the effect of O-glycosylation on the conformational propensities of a peptide backbone, the 15-residue peptide PPAHGVTSAPDTRPA (PPA15) from the MUC1 protein core and its analogue PPA15(T7), glycosylated with alpha-N-acetylgalactosamine on Thr7, were prepared and investigated by NMR spectroscopy. The peptide contains both the GVTSAP sequence, which is an effective substrate for GalNAc-T1 and -T3 transferases, and the PDTRP fragment, which is a well-known immunodominant epitope recognized by several anti-MUC1 monoclonal antibodies. Useful structural results were obtained in water upon decreasing the temperature to 5-10 degrees C.

Human Kaposi's sarcoma cell-mediated tumorigenesis in human immunodeficiency type 1 tat-expressing transgenic mice.

Background: The human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) transactivator (Tat) protein has been linked to the development and course of Kaposi's sarcoma (KS) associated with acquired immunodeficiency disease syndrome (AIDS-KS). Tat is an 86-101 amino-acid protein encoded by two exons. To evaluate the growth-promoting effects of Tat in AIDS-KS in vivo, we developed transgenic mice expressing the one-exon-encoded 72 amino-acid protein (Tat(72)) and the two-exon-encoded 86 amino-acid protein (Tat(86)).

Structure of a paralytic peptide from an insect, Manduca sexta.

Paralytic peptide 1 (PP1) from a moth, Manduca sexta, is a 23-residue peptide (Glu-Asn-Phe-Ala-Gly-Gly-Cys-Ala-Thr-Gly-Tyr-Leu-Arg-Thr-Ala-Asp-Gly-Arg -Cys-Lys-Pro-Thr-Phe) that was first found to have paralytic activity when injected into M. sexta larvae. Recent studies demonstrated that PP1 also stimulated the spreading and aggregation of a blood cell type called plasmatocytes and inhibited bleeding from wounds.

Determination of structural elements related to the biological activities of a potent decapeptide agonist of human C5a anaphylatoxin.

The structural features related to the biologic activities of a potent, response-selective decapeptide agonist of human C5a, YSFKPMPLaR (C5a65-74, Y65, F67, P69, P71, D-Ala73), were identified by NMR analysis in H2O, DMSO and TFE. This investigation showed that the KPM residues in H2O and the SFKPM residues in DMSO exhibited an extended backbone conformation, whereas a twisted conformation was found in this region in TFE. In H2O, the C-terminal region (PLaR) adopted a distorted type II beta-turn or a type II/V beta-turn.