Cytochrome P450 enzymes catalyze the first step of the metabolism and subsequent elimination of hydrophobic xenobiotics. However, the activity of some isoforms, among them CYP1A1 and CYP2E1, may result in cellular insults such as oxidative stress and activation of procarcinogen compounds into reactive metabolites. The regulation of the expression of these enzymes is therefore important. We have...

The human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) protein Tat binds to cell surface antigens and can regulate cellular responses. Tat has similar immunosuppressive effects as transforming growth factor-/3 (TGFfl) and both inhibit lymphocyte proliferation. TGFfl is expressed by primary human articular chondrocytes and is their most potent growth factor. The present study analyzed the interactions of TG...

A double antibody sandwich enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for chlamydial antigen detection was developed using a monoclonal antibody against lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Chlamydia trachomatis as a coating antibody. Polyclonal rabbit antiserum against partially purified antigen from elementary body (EB) antibody and horse-radish peroxidase conjugated goat anti-rabbit antibody were used as the primary a...

Transformation of chicken embryo fibroblasts by infection with Rous sarcoma virus has been shown to cause disruption of actin filament organization as seen with fluorescence staining techniques. This study is an attempt to use quantitative biochemical techniques to compare actin-related parameters in normal and transformed cells. Normal cells and cells infected with a temperature-sensitive muta...

The major pathologic manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) are joint inflammation and articular cartilage resorption by proinflammatory cytokine-stimulated matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and aggrecanases. The Chinese herbal remedy Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TWHF) is effective for treatment of various types of arthritis. However, mechanisms and targets of its ...

Interactions between macrophages and epithelial cells in the lung may promote a damaging inflammatory response to cigarette smoke toxins. A better understanding of the mechanisms involved in this response may prove useful in the development of treatments or preventative strategies for respiratory diseases associated with exposure to cigarette smoke. To examine this possibility, human epithelial...

Both normal and malignant prostatic epithelial cells in culture secrete urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) into the culture medium. u-PA has been shown to have a direct association with invasive and metastatic potential of many types of cancers. We propose that prostate cancer has the intrinsic ability to invade and metastasize because of its inherent ability to secrete the serine prot...

We prepared monoclonal antibodies specific for fast or slow classes of myosin heavy chain isoforms in the chicken and used them to probe myosin expression in cultures of myotubes derived from embryonic chicken myoblasts. Myosin heavy chain expression was assayed by gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting of extracted myosin and by immunostaining of cultures of myotubes. Myotubes that formed from...

Background: Caspofungin is a new antifungal agent with high-level activity against a number of Candida species including those that are resistant to azoles. Its good safety profile and low nephrotoxicity makes it an attractive drug to treat fungal infections in patients with compromised renal function. However, little is known about the clinical efficacy in the treatment of complicated urinary ...

We analyzed the synthesis of DNA, the rate of cell proliferation, and the expression of milk protein genes in mammary cells grown as primary cultures on or in collagen gels in chemically defined media. We assessed DNA synthesis and cell growth, measured by [aH]thymidine incorporation into acid-insoluble material, DNA content, and cell counts, in a progesteroneand prolactin-containing medium. In...