Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: UNIPROT:P06889 (Mol)
 630,302 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Silicon is present in plants in amounts equivalent to those of such macronutrient elements as calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, and in grasses often at higher levels than any other inorganic constituent. Yet except for certain algae, including prominently the diatoms, and the Equisetaceae (horsetails or scouring rushes), it is not considered an essential element for plants. As a result it is routinely omitted from formulations of culture solutions and considered a nonentity in much of plant physiological research. But silicon-deprived plants grown in conventional nutrient solutions to which silicon has not been added are in many ways experimental artifacts. They are often structurally weaker than silicon-replete plants, abnormal in growth, development, viability, and reproduction, more susceptible to such abiotic stresses as metal toxicities, and easier prey to disease organisms and to herbivores ranging from phytophagous insects to mammals. Many of these same conditions afflict plants in silicon-poor soils-and there are such. Taken together, the evidence is overwhelming that silicon should be included among the elements having a major bearing on plant life.
Annu Rev Plant Physiol Plant Mol Biol 1999 Jun
PMID:SILICON. 1501 22

Porous silicon (PS) films were investigated by Raman, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopies using different laser excitations: 488.0, 514.5, 632.8, and 782.0 nm. The analysis of the first-order and second-order Raman spectra have shown that the band gaps of the PS films are indirect as in the bulk c-Si. The Raman phonon and the PL spectra as well as the spectral distribution of the linear polarisation degree (LPD) of PS layers have shown to be dependent on the laser excitation energy. This dependence cannot be explained within the quantum confinement model. A mechanism for the PL emission in PS layers is presented in which the radiative recombination of electron-hole pairs occurs in localised centres (the Si-O-SiR moieties) at the pore/crystallite interface. These quasi-molecular centres are Jahn-Teller active, i.e. the radiative recombination is a phonon-assisted phenomena. The adsorption of gas molecules on the porous silicon surface was studied throughout photoluminescence quenching effect. The adsorption experiments were performed at 10(-6) bar of pressure using gas molecules of organic solvents. In all these cases, the PL intensity was recovered after gas desorption. The PL quenching effect was explained in the sense of electron transfer mechanism (ET).
Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc 2004 Apr
PMID:Photoluminescence quenching effect on porous silicon films for gas sensors application. 1508 24

We have studied aspects of the molecular background to immune complement activation on solid surfaces. Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) sensor surfaces were modified by means of spin coating with polystyrene (PS) or sputtering of silicon dioxide (SiO2). The IC activation on modified QCM-D surfaces was investigated by incubation in serum, followed by determinations of the amounts of bound C3 fragments (C3c) at the surface. Determinations of soluble C3a and soluble C5b-9 complex (sC5b-9) were made with enzyme immunoassay (EIA) method. We found that IC activation was high on PS surfaces, independent of the method used for measurements. On the SiO2 surfaces, IC activation was generally lower, but still detectable with anti-C3c as well as sC5b-9 and C3a determinations. Pre-coating the surfaces with a layer of IgG resulted in that IC activation became very high on PS surface, while the IC response remained low on SiO2 surfaces. The lower level of IC activation on the SiO2 surfaces was explained by a low surface concentration of IgG as measured with QCM-D. This was a result of the high reversibility of the IgG protein adsorption as well as absence of sufficient conformational changes of adsorbed IgG molecules. The QCM-D method was as sensitive as the C3a and sC5b-9 determinations to reveal surface associated IC-activation on these model surfaces. Additional advantages of the QCM-D method are the broad dynamic measurement window, i.e. the high precision and the ability to perform time resolved measurements and the ease of making different surface modifications.
Mol Immunol 2005 Mar
PMID:Immune complement activation on polystyrene and silicon dioxide surfaces. Impact of reversible IgG adsorption. 1560 15

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are the principle enzymes that initiate degradation of collagen. We examined the role of MMPs during alveolar wall fibrosis and fibrotic nodule formation from silica exposure. Rats were exposed to filtered air or 15 mg/m(3) silica by inhalation for 5 days/wk, 6 h/day. Lungs were preserved by intratracheal instillation of fixative at 20, 40, 60, 79, and 116 days of exposure. Additional groups were fixed after 20, 40, and 60 days of exposure followed by 36 days of recovery. The number of nodules, defined by a collagenous core and a bounding cell layer detached from the alveolar wall, was determined by morphometry. Lungs showed increased alveolar wall collagen and fibrotic nodules at 79 and 116 days of exposure with increased collagenase and gelatinase activity. The number of nodules per lung in exposed groups increased from 619 +/- 447 at 40 days to 13,221 +/- 1,096 at 116 days (means +/- SE, n = 5). No nodules were seen in control lungs. Silica-exposed rats with a 36-day recovery in filtered air showed enhanced MMP activity over exposure to silica for the same duration with no recovery. MMP-2 and MMP-9 were significantly elevated in alveolar macrophages after 40-day exposure. Stromelysin expression was demonstrated in alveolar macrophages and cells within fibrotic nodules. TIMP-1 expression was not significantly altered. In summary, MMP activity was upregulated at 40 days of silica exposure and progressively increased during ensuing fibrotic responses. Early expression of stromelysin was found in fibrosing alveolar walls and fibrotic nodules.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2005 Apr
PMID:Matrix metalloproteinase induction in fibrosis and fibrotic nodule formation due to silica inhalation. 1560 51

Luminescent silicon dioxide nanoparticles (R-SiO2) with size of 50 nm containing Rhodamine 6G (R) were synthesized by sol-gel method. In the presence of Pb(Ac)2 as a heavy atom perturber, the particle can emit intense and stable room temperature phosphorescence signal of R, respectively, on polyamide membrane, with the lambda(ex)(max)/lambda(em)(max) = 470/635 nm for R. Our research indicates that the specific immune reaction between goat-anti-human IgG antibody labeled with R-SiO2 and human IgG can be carried on polyamide membrane quantitatively, and the phosphorescence intensity was enhanced after the immunoreactions. Thus, a new method of solid substrate room temperature phosphorescence immunoassay (SS-RTP-IA) for the determination of human IgG was established basing on antibody labeled with the nanoparticles containing binary luminescent molecules. The linear range of this method is 0.0624-20.0 pg spot(-1) of human IgG (corresponding concentration, 0.156-50.0 ng mL(-1); sample volume, 0.40 microL spot(-1)). The regression equations of working curves are delta I(p) = 88.16. + 16.79 m(IgG) (pg spot(-1)) (485/646 nm, r = 0.9997). Detection limits calculated by 3Sb/k are 0.017 pg spot(-1). For samples containing 0.156 and 50.0 ng mL(-1) of IgG, we measured repeatedly for 11 times, RSDs are 3.9 and 2.8%, respectively. This method is sensitive, accurate and of high precision.
Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc 2005 Mar
PMID:Determination of human IgG by solid substrate room temperature phosphorescence immunoassay based on an antibody labeled with nanoparticles containing Rhodamine 6G luminescent molecules. 1568 98

A method of assessing chemosensitivity of tissue utilizing tissue fluorescence and image analysis was implemented to provide a rapid and quantitative means of assessing the effect of drugs on tissue metabolic activity and proliferative capacity. The fluorescent microscopic image captured by a silicon-intensified target (low-light-detecting) camera and linked to an image- processing unit was measured for fluorescent brightness and tumor image area. An established rodent model served to characterize the system's ability to measure serially the tumor's metabolic activity and growth. Further studies on fresh human tumors were conducted with a novel topoisomerase II inhibitor, NC-190. Tumor image area and fluorescent brightness were measured 24 h pretreatment, 48 h posttreatment, and 48 h post-drug removal. Fifty-five percent (28/51) of fresh human tumors showed sensitivity to 48-h exposure to 10, 30, or 100 microM NC-190. The potential benefit of this technique is the ability to predict the response of tumors to chemotherapeutic agents as a laboratory tool for preclinical drug evaluation and clinically prior to the commencement of therapy.
Methods Mol Med 2005
PMID:Image analysis using the fluorochromasia assay to quantify tumor drug sensitivity. 1590 36

Silicon sensor technologies, developed during the 1990s, allow measurement of extracellular chemical changes related to cell metabolism. Exposition of tumor cells in vitro to anticancer drugs modifies cell metabolism, making it possible to detect on-line with sensor chips patterns of metabolic activity, which depend on drug sensitivity, or drug resistance of the cells. Sensor devices are composed of an incubation chamber with a sensor chip and a fluidic system for medium supply. Basically, two sensor types are available: (1) monosensor systems to detect extracellular acidification; and (2) multisensor arrays for many parameters such as pH, oxygen consumption, and impedance. Two companies have developed such systems: Molecular Devices (USA) and Bionas (Germany). In this chapter, in addition to operation of the sensor devices, we describe techniques for tissue (tumor and non-tumor) preparation. Basically, three procedures are described: (1) tissue dissociation and further cultivation on the sensor chip or on Transwell inserts; (2) preparation of tissue slices (300 microm thick) and attachment to the sensor chip or to inserts, and (3) cultivation of cells in dialysis tubes, a procedure necessary for nonadherent cells and cell suspensions to avoid their washing away. Evaluation of results and selection of controls are also discussed.
Methods Mol Med 2005
PMID:Application of silicon sensor technologies to tumor tissue in vitro: detection of metabolic correlates of chemosensitivity. 1591 76

The location of the most abundant peak of the molecular-ion pattern often differs from the molecular mass published in scientific databases. The location is also distinct from the value expected from average atomic masses. The cause of this phenomenon is a large number of atoms of carbon, sulfur, chlorine, bromine, silicon and boron. This due to the natural isotope abundances of some elements forming organic compounds. A parameter called location of the most abundant peak of an isotopometric cluster (LAPIC) denotes the location of the most abundant (the main) peak of an isotopomeric cluster, which is determined, e.g., by mass spectrometry and can be important for medium- and high-molecular mass compounds. The equations for LAPIC calculation are presented for elements usually observed in organic compounds. The LAPIC with elemental formula helps effectively, e.g., in mass spectra interpretation since the prediction of LAPIC allows the correct connection of the main peak of the investigated ion with the expected ion formula and the mass of the ion considered. This solution can be a substitute for the much more complex method of isotopometric analysis applied in mass spectra interpretation. [Figure: see text]. Differences of the most abundant peak location (Delta LAPIC(C)=f(n)) for carbon aggregates C(n).
J Mol Model 2005 Sep
PMID:Molecular mass and location of the most abundant peak of the molecular ion isotopomeric cluster. 1592 22

Environmental crystalline silica exposure has been associated with formation of autoantibodies and development of systemic autoimmune disease, but the mechanisms leading to these events are unknown. Silica exposure in autoimmune-prone New Zealand mixed (NZM) mice results in a significant exacerbation of systemic autoimmunity as measured by increases in autoantibodies and glomerulonephritis. Previous studies have suggested that silica-induced apoptosis of alveolar macrophages (AM) contributes to the generation of the autoantibodies and disease. Rottlerin has been reported to inhibit apoptosis in many cell types, possibly through direct or indirect effects on PKCdelta. In this study, rottlerin reduced silica-induced apoptosis in bone marrow-derived macrophages as measured by DNA fragmentation. In NZM mice, RNA and protein levels of PKCdelta were significantly elevated in AM 14 wk after silica exposure. Therefore, rottlerin was used to reduce apoptosis of AM and evaluate the progress of silica-exacerbated systemic autoimmune disease. Fourteen weeks after silica exposure, NZM mice had increased levels of anti-histone autoantibodies, high proteinuria, and glomerulonephritis. However, silica-instilled mice that also received weekly instillations of rottlerin had significantly lower levels of proteinuria, anti-histone autoantibodies, complement C3, and IgG deposition within the kidney. Weekly instillations of rottlerin in silica-instilled NZM mice also inhibited the upregulation of PKCdelta in AM. Together, these data demonstrate that in vivo treatment with rottlerin significantly decreased the exacerbation of autoimmunity by silica exposure.
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 2005 Dec
PMID:Effects of rottlerin on silica-exacerbated systemic autoimmune disease in New Zealand mixed mice. 1604 Jun 31

The need for large-scale and high-throughput methods for SNP genotyping has rapidly increased during the last decade. Our system, presented here, combines the highly specific genotyping principle of minisequencing with the advantages of a microarray format that allows highly multiplexed and parallel analysis. Cyclic minisequencing reactions with fluorescently labeled dideoxynucleotides (ddNTPs) are performed in solution using multiplex PCR product as template and detection primers, designed to anneal immediately adjacent and upstream of the SNP site. The detection primers carry unique 5' tag sequences and oligonucleotides complementary to the tag sequence, cTags, are immobilized on a microarray. After extension, the tagged detection primers are allowed to hybridize to the cTags; then the fluorescent signals from the array are measured, and the genotypes are deduced according to the label incorporated. The "array of arrays" format of the system, accomplished by a silicon rubber grid giving separate reaction chambers, allows either 80 or 14 samples to be analyzed for up to 200 or 600 SNPs, respectively, on a single microscope slide.
Methods Mol Med 2005
PMID:Genotyping single-nucleotide polymorphisms by minisequencing using tag arrays. 1615 98


<< Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next >>