Calciphylaxis, nowadays called calcific uremic arteriolopathy (CUA), is a rare but life-threatening syndrome characterized by systemic medial calcification and arterial occlusion of the arterioles, leading to skin necrosis. Actually, the pathogenesis of CUA is complex and poorly understood. The vast majority of published cases presented with ulcers. We present a 71-year-old male who was referre...

Cinnamomum verum is used to make the spice cinnamon and has been used as a traditional Chinese herbal medicine. We evaluated the effects and the molecular mechanisms of cuminaldehyde (CuA), a constituent of the bark of Cinnamomum verum, on human lung squamous cell carcinoma NCI-H520 cells. Specifically, cell viability was evaluated by colorimetric assay; cytotoxicity by LDH release; apoptosis w...

We report the discovery of a simple system through which variant pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase/tRNA(CUA Pyl) pairs created in Escherichia coli can be used to expand the genetic code of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In the process we have solved the key challenges of producing a functional tRNA(CUA Pyl) in yeast and discovered a pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase/tRNA(CUA Pyl) pair that is orthogonal in yeast....

Background. Calcific uremic arteriolopathy (CUA) or calciphylaxis though generally noted for its high mortality, recent case reports have shown promising results using single agent therapies. However, it is not clear whether combination therapeutic agents will improve course of the disease. Objective. To determine clinical outcome in subjects with CUA on multimodal treatment. Methods. All patie...

Changes in hemoglobin oxygenation and oxidation state of the CuA centre of cytochrome oxidase were measured with full spectral near infrared spectroscopy simultaneously with phosphorus metabolites using nuclear magnetic resonance 31P spectroscopy at high time resolution (10 seconds) during transient anoxia (FiO2 = 0.0 for 105 seconds) in the newborn piglet brain. During the onset of anoxia, the...

Introduction of a yeast suppressor tRNA (ytRNA(Phe)(CUA)) and a mutant yeast phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (yPheRS (T415G)) into an Escherichia coli expression host allows in vivo incorporation of phenylalanine analogues into recombinant proteins in response to amber stop codons. However, high-fidelity incorporation of non-natural amino acids is precluded in this system by mischarging of ytRNA(P...

Hospital Physician January 2007 31 C alcific uremic arteriolopathy (CUA), also called calciphylaxis, is a disorder of small-vessel calcification associated with the development of progressive cutaneous plaques and ulcers due to ischemia. This painful condition occurs primarily in patients with chronic kidney disease and is seen especially in those with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) who are und...

Suppressor tRNAs are useful tools for determining identity elements which define recognition of tRNAs in vivo by their cognate aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. This study was aimed at the isolation of active amber tRNA(Asn). Nineteen mutated tRNA(Asn)CUA having amber suppressor activity were selected by an in vivo genetic screen, and all exclusively inserted glutamine. From analysis of the different...

Calcific uremic arteriolopathy (CUA) is a rare and potentially fatal disorder of calcification involving subcutaneous small vessels and fat in patients with renal insufficiency. We describe the successful use of intravenous sodium thiosulfate (STS) for the treatment of CUA in two patients. The first case was complicated by the development of a severe anion gap metabolic acidosis, which was acco...

We just click: Genetic incorporation of a cyclopropene amino acid CpK (see scheme) site-specifically into proteins in E. coli and mammalian cells was achieved using an orthogonal aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase/tRNA(CUA) pair (CpKRS/MbtRNA(CUA)). Cyclopropene exhibited fast reaction kinetics in the photoclick reaction and allowed rapid (ca. 2 min) labeling of proteins.