Characterization and Cofactor Binding Mechanism of a Novel NAD(P)H-Dependent Aldehyde Reductase from Klebsiella pneumoniae DSM2026

( Cheng Wei Ma ),( Le Zhang ),( Jian Ying Dai ),( Zhi Long Xiu ) 한국미생물 · 생명공학회 2013 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.23 No.12

During the fermentative production of 1,3-propanediol under high substrate concentrations, accumulation of intracellular 3-hydroxypropionaldehyde will cause premature cessation of cell growth and glycerol consumption. Discovery of oxidoreductases that can convert 3- hydroxypropionaldehyde to 1,3-propanediol using NADPH as cofactor could serve as a solution to this problem. In this paper, the yqhD gene from Klebsiella pneumoniae DSM2026, which was found encoding an aldehyde reductase (KpAR), was cloned and characterized. KpAR showed broad substrate specificity under physiological direction, whereas no catalytic activity was detected in the oxidation direction, and both NADPH and NADH can be utilized as cofactors. The cofactor binding mechanism was then investigated employing homology modeling and molecular dynamics simulations. Hydrogen-bond analysis showed that the hydrogen-bond interactions between KpAR and NADPH are much stronger than that for NADH. Free-energy decomposition dedicated that residues Gly37 to Val41 contribute most to the cofactor preference through polar interactions. In conclusion, this work provides a novel aldehyde reductase that has potential applications in the development of novel genetically engineered strains in the 1,3-propanediol industry, and gives a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in cofactor binding.

Tetrandrine Exerts a Radiosensitization Effect on Human Glioma through Inhibiting Proliferation by Attenuating ERK Phosphorylation

Ma, Ji-wei,Zhang, Yong,Ye, Ji-cheng,Li, Ru,Wen, Yu-Lin,Huang, Jian-xian,Zhong, Xue-yun The Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology 2017 Biomolecules & Therapeutics(구 응용약물학회지) Vol.25 No.2

Tetrandrine (Tet), a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid, has been reported to have a radiosensitization effect on tumors. However, its effects on human glioma and the specific molecular mechanisms of these effects remain unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that Tet has a radiosensitization effect on human glioma cells. It has been hypothesized that Tet has a radiosensitization effect on glioma cells by affecting the glioma cell cycle and DNA repair mechanism and that ERK mediates these activities. Therefore, we conducted detailed analyses of the effects of Tet on the cell cycle by performing flow cytometric analysis and on DNA repair by detecting the expression of phosphorylated H2AX by immunofluorescence. We used western blot analysis to investigate the role of ERK in the effect of Tet on the cell cycle and DNA repair. The results revealed that Tet exerts its radiosensitization effect on glioma cells by inhibiting proliferation and decreasing the expression of phosphorylated ERK and its downstream proteins. In summary, our data indicate that ERK is involved in Tet-induced radiosensitization of glioma cells via inhibition of glioma cell proliferation or of the cell cycle at G0/G1 phase.

A Robust Direction-selectable Edge-based Panel Cutting-Line Detection Algorithm

Wei Li(이위),Hakil Kim(김학일),Cheng-Bin Jin(김성빈),Mingjie Ma(마명걸),Qiongxiu Li(이경수),Jong-Hee Kim(김종희),Xuenan Cui(최학남) 대한전자공학회 2016 대한전자공학회 학술대회 Vol.2016 No.6

This paper proposes three robust detection algorithms for locating the cutting line in an image captured by a panel-cutting system. All of the proposed methods contain two stages: edge detection and line fitting. A designed step-edge operator is applied to detect edges in the search direction of interest depending on the intensity concentration. Meanwhile, the proposed line-fitting algorithm is able to precisely fit a line by minimizing the summation of L1 distance from each detected edge point to the fitted line. As the result, all of the proposed methods achieve accuracy of more than 85%. Going one step further, full-scale edge detection (FSED) obtains the best performance at 99.05%, which is evaluated by using a variety of real-world images.

Moderately Hypofractionated Conformal Radiation Treatment of Thoracic Esophageal Carcinoma

Ma, Jin-Bo,Wei, Lin,Chen, Er-Cheng,Qin, Guang,Song, Yi-Peng,Chen, Xiang-Ming,Hao, Chuan-Guo Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.8

Aims: To prospectively assess the efficacy and safety of moderately hypofractionated conformal radiotherapy in patients with thoracic esophageal cancer. Methods and Materials: From Sept. 2002 to Oct, 2005, 150 eligible patients with T2-4N0-1M0 stage thoracic esophageal squamous cell cancers were enrolled to receive either conventional fractionated radiation (CFR) or moderately hypofractionated radiation (MHR) with a three-dimensional conformal radiation technique. Of the total, 74 received moderately hypofractionated radiation with total dose of 54-60Gy/18-20fractions for 3.5-4 weeks in the MHR arm, and 76 received conventional radiation with total dose of 60Gy/30 fractions for 6 weeks in the CFR arm. Concurrent chemotherapy comprised of paclitaxel and cisplatin. Safety was evaluated, and local control and overall survival rates were calculated. Results: Statistically significant differences between the CFR versus MHR arms were observed in local/regional failure rate (47.3% v 27.0%, P=0.034) and the percentage of patients with persistent local disease (26.3% v 10.8%, P=0.012). But 3 and 5-year overall survival rates (43.2%, 38.8% v 38.2%, 28.0%, respectively) were not different between the two arms (P=0.268). There were no significant differences in the incidences of grade 3 or higher acute toxicities (66.3% v 50.0%) and late complications rates (27.0% v 22.4%) between the MHR and CFR arms. Conclusions: Moderately hypofractionated, three-dimensional radiation treatment could improve the local control rate of esophageal cancer and potentially increase patients' survival.

Effects of dietary Enteromorpha powder on reproduction-related hormones and genes during the late laying period of Zi geese

Ma Wei Qing,Zhao Dan Hua,Cheng Huang Zuo,Wang Si Bo,Yang Ji,Hong Xia Cui,Lu Ming Yuan,Wu Hong Zhi,Xu Li,Liu Guo Jun 아세아·태평양축산학회 2021 Animal Bioscience Vol.34 No.3

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Enteromorpha powder supplementation on reproduction-related hormones and genes in the late laying period of Zi geese. Methods: A total of 312 (1-year-old) Zi geese with similar laying rate were randomly divided into 2 groups with 6 replicates each, each with 21 female geese and 5 male geese. The control group was fed with a basal diet and the test group was fed with a diet containing 3% Enteromorpha powder. The trial period lasted for 7 weeks. Results: Our results showed that the laying rate was improved in the test group at each week of trial (p<0.01), and the levels of estradiol in serum and prolactin in ovary were increased compared with the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion: Based on above results, Enteromorpha powder supplementation at 3% could promote reproductive performance during the late laying period of Zi geese. Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of Enteromorpha powder supplementation on reproduction-related hormones and genes in the late laying period of Zi geese.Methods: A total of 312 (1-year-old) Zi geese with similar laying rate were randomly divided into 2 groups with 6 replicates each, each with 21 female geese and 5 male geese. The control group was fed with a basal diet and the test group was fed with a diet containing 3% <i>Enteromorpha</i> powder. The trial period lasted for 7 weeks.Results: Our results showed that the laying rate was improved in the test group at each week of trial (p<0.01), and the levels of estradiol in serum and prolactin in ovary were increased compared with the control group (p<0.05).Conclusion: Based on above results, <i>Enteromorpha</i> powder supplementation at 3% could promote reproductive performance during the late laying period of Zi geese.

Prognostic Significance of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography (PET)-based Parameters in Neoadjuvant Chemoradiation Treatment of Esophageal Carcinoma

Ma, Jin-Bo,Chen, Er-Cheng,Song, Yi-Peng,Liu, Peng,Jiang, Wei,Li, Ming-Huan,Yu, Jin-Ming Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.4

Aims and Background: The purpose of the research was to study the prognostic value of tumor 18F-FDG PET-based parameters in neoadjuvant chemoradiation for patients with squamous esophageal carcinoma. Methods: Sixty patients received chemoradiation therapy followed by esophagectomy and two 18FDG-PET examinations at pre- and post-radiation therapy. PET-based metabolic-response parameters were calculated based on histopathologic response. Linear regression correlation and Cox proportional hazards models were used to determine prognostic value of all PET-based parameters with reference to overall survival. Results: Sensitivity (88.2%) and specificity (86.5%) of a percentage decrease of SUVmax were better than other PET-based parameters for prediction of histopathologic response. Only percentage decrease of SUVmax and tumor length correlated with overall survival time (linear regression coefficient ${\beta}$: 0.704 and 0.684, P<0.05). The Cox proportional hazards model indicated higher hazard ratio (HR=0.897, P=0.002) with decrease of SUVmax compared with decrease of tumor size (HR=0.813, P=0.009). Conclusion: Decrease of SUVmax and tumor size are significant prognostic factors in chemoradiation of esophageal carcinoma.

Variation of sexual dimorphism and asymmetry in disease expression of inflammatory arthritis among laboratory mouse models with different genomic backgrounds

Wei Dong,Cheng Tian,Z. Galvin Li,David Brand,Yanhong Cao,Xiaoyun Liu,Jiamin Ma,Andy Chai,LindaK.myers,Jian Yan,Karen Hasty,John Stuart,Yan Jiao,Weikuan Gu,Xiaojun Cai 한국실험동물학회 2023 Laboratory Animal Research Vol.39 No.4

Sex difference has shown in the arthritis diseases in human population and animal models. We investigate how the sex and symmetry vary among mouse models with different genomic backgrounds. Disease data of sex and limbs accumulated in the past more than two decades from four unique populations of murine arthritis models were analyzed. They are (1) interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) deficient mice under Balb/c background (Balb/c KO); (2) Mice with collagen II induced arthritis under DBA/1 background; (3) Mice with collagen II induced arthritis under C57BL/6 (B6) background and (4) A F2 generation population created by Balb/c KO X DBA/1 KO. Our data shows that there is a great variation in sexual dimorphism for arthritis incidence and severity of arthritis in mice harboring specific genetic modifications. For a F2 population, the incidence of arthritis was 57.1% in female mice and 75.6% in male mice. There was a difference in severity related to sex in two populations: B6.DR1/ B6.DR4 (P < 0.001) and F2 (P = 0.023) There was no difference Balb/c parental strain or in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in DBA/1 mice. Among these populations, the right hindlimbs are significantly higher than the scores for the left hindlimbs in males (P < 0.05). However, when examining disease expression using the collagen induced arthritis model with DBA/1 mice, sex-dimorphism did not reach statistical significance, while left hindlimbs showed a tendency toward greater disease expression over the right. Sexual dimorphism in disease expression in mouse models is strain and genomic background dependent. It sets an alarm that potential variation in sexual dimorphism among different racial and ethnic groups in human populations may exist. It is important to not only include both sexes and but also pay attention to possible variations caused by disease expression and response to treatment in all the studies of arthritis in animal models and human populations.

Experimental Study on Sustained-release 5-Fluorouracil Implantation in Canine Peritoneum and Para-aortic Abdominalis

Wei, Guo,Nie, Ming-Ming,Shen, Xiao-Jun,Xue, Xu-Chao,Ma, Li-Ye,Du, Cheng-Hui,Wang, Shi-Liang,Bi, Jian-Wei Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.1

Objective: To observe local and systemic toxicity after sustained-release 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu) implantation in canine peritoneum and para-aortic abdominalis and the changes of drug concentration in the local implanted tissue with time. Methods: 300 mg sustained-release 5-Fu was implanted into canine peritoneum and para-aorta abdominalis. Samples were taken 3, 5, 7 and 10 days after implantation for assessment of changes and systemic reactions. High performance liquid chromatography was applied to detect the drug concentrations of peritoneal tissue at different distances from the implanted site, lymphatic tissue of para-aortic abdominalis, peripheral blood and portal venous blood. Results: 10 days after implantation, the drug concentrations in the peritoneum, lymphatic tissue and portal vein remained relatively high within 5 cm of the implanted site. There appeared inflammatory reaction in the local implanted tissue, but no visible pathological changes such as cell degeneration and necrosis, and systemic reaction like anorexia, nausea, vomiting and fever. Conclusions: Sustained-release 5-Fu implantation in canine peritoneum and para-aortic abdominalis can maintain a relatively high tumour-inhibiting concentration for a longer time in the local implanted area and portal vein, and has mild local and systemic reactions. Besides, it is safe and effective to prevent or treat recurrence of gastrointestinal tumours and liver metastasis.

Abnormal resistanceetemperature characteristic of the melting Bi nanowires

Xue-wei Wang,Chao Ma,Bing-cheng Fang,Zhi-hao Yuan 한국물리학회 2014 Current Applied Physics Vol.14 No.11

There are no reports about the electronic transport behavior of the melting metal nanostructures because the morphology of nanostructures cannot be kept under the melting condition. Here, the electronic properties of the melting Bi nanowires are investigated using the pore confinement of anodic aluminum oxide template. The results indicate that with the increase of temperature the resistance of Bi nanowires has a transition from the positive temperature coefficient of resistance before fusion to the negative one after fusion. Moreover, as the temperature gradually increases, the resistance of the melting Bi nanowires rapidly decreases at first, and then tardily decreases. This research provides fundamental and valuable information for exploring and designing the new electronic devices under the high temperature.

Tetrandrine Exerts a Radiosensitization Effect on Human Glioma through Inhibiting Proliferation by Attenuating ERK Phosphorylation

( Ji-wei Ma ),( Yong Zhang ),( Ji-cheng Ye ),( Ru Li ),( Yu-lin Wen ),( Jian-xian Huang ),( Xue-yun Zhong ) 한국응용약물학회 2017 Biomolecules & Therapeutics(구 응용약물학회지) Vol.25 No.2

Tetrandrine (Tet), a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid, has been reported to have a radiosensitization effect on tumors. However, its effects on human glioma and the specific molecular mechanisms of these effects remain unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that Tet has a radiosensitization effect on human glioma cells. It has been hypothesized that Tet has a radiosensitization effect on glioma cells by affecting the glioma cell cycle and DNA repair mechanism and that ERK mediates these activities. Therefore, we conducted detailed analyses of the effects of Tet on the cell cycle by performing flow cytometric analysis and on DNA repair by detecting the expression of phosphorylated H2AX by immunofluorescence. We used western blot analysis to investigate the role of ERK in the effect of Tet on the cell cycle and DNA repair. The results revealed that Tet exerts its radiosensitization effect on glioma cells by inhibiting proliferation and decreasing the expression of phosphorylated ERK and its downstream proteins. In summary, our data indicate that ERK is involved in Tet-induced radiosensitization of glioma cells via inhibition of glioma cell proliferation or of the cell cycle at G0/G1 phase.