We recently revealed that myeloid master regulator SPI1/PU.1 directly represses metallothionein (MT) 1G through its epigenetic activity of PU.1, but the functions of MT1G in myeloid differentiation remain unknown. To clarify this, we established MT1G-overexpressing acute promyelocytic leukemia NB4 (NB4MTOE) cells, and investigated whether MT1G functionally contributes to all-trans retinoic acid...

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a rare inherited disorder of phagocytes in which defective production of microbicidal oxidants leads to severe recurrent infections. CGD is caused by mutations in any of 4 genes encoding components of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (reduced form; NADPH) oxidase, the multisubunit enzyme that produces the precursor of these oxidants, superoxide....

Several essential components of NADPH oxidase, including p22phox, gp91phox (nox2) and its homologs nox1 and nox4, p47phox, p67phox, and rac1, are present in the vasculature. We previously reported that p67phox is essential for adventitial fibroblast NADPH oxidase O2- production. Thus we postulated that inhibition of adventitial p67phox activity would attenuate angioplasty-induced hyperplasia. T...

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is known to play an important role in motility of tumor cells. However, the molecular mechanisms associated with HA-promoted melanoma cell motility are not fully understood. Treatment of cells with HA was shown to increase the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in a CD44-dependent manner. Antioxidants, such as N-acetyl-l-cysteine and seleno-l-methionine, prevented ...

Superoxide anions (O2-) are supposedly involved in the pathogenesis of endothelial dysfunction. We investigated whether the enhanced formation of O2- is involved in the attenuation of endothelium-dependent relaxation induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Rats were injected with LPS (10 mg/kg IP), the aorta was removed after 12 or 30 hours, and generation of O2-, H2O2, and ONOO- was measured usin...

We report a novel 3D structure-based method of predicting protein-protein (PP) interaction (PPI) partners. The method involves screening for pairs of tetrahedra representing interacting amino acids at the interface of the PP complex, with one tetrahedron on each protomer*. H-bonds and VDW interactions at the interface of the two interacting protein molecules in the complex are first determined,...

heterogeneous polymerization of vinylidene fluoride (VDF) has been investigated in scCO2 in the presence of different perfuoropolyether surfactants using DECP as free radical initiator. When carboxylate perfluoropolyether was used higher monomer conversions were obtained with respect to precipitation processes. PVDF was collected at the end of the process under the form of a white powder and SE...

F ~hagocytic cells contain a complicated enzyme system, termed NADPH oxidase, that is responsible for the production of toxic oxygen species (1). The enzyme transfers electrons from NADPH to 02, forming O2-, which then can dismutate into H202. Subsequently, other oxygen derivatives, such as hydroxyl radical and hypochlorous acid, may be formed. Collectively, these oxygen products are toxic to c...

BACKGROUND Elevated oxidative stress and superoxide anion formation in vascular cells could promote conversion of LDL to atherogenic oxidized LDL (oxLDL), contributing to endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis. As a major source of vascular superoxide anion formation, an endothelial NAD(P)H oxidase, similar to the leukocyte enzyme, has been identified. METHODS AND RESULTS To elucidate fu...

Organ transplantation owes its spectacular development in recent decades to the introduction of immunosuppressive drugs capable of preventing allograft rejection. However, vasculopathy remains a major cause of long-term graft failure; thus, a better understanding of its mechanisms is required to improve tolerance. Because endothelial dysfunction is an early manifestation of vascular disorders, ...