Ying Zheng

Publications (20)35.73 Total impact

• Article: A strategy for the improvement of the bioavailability and anti-osteoporosis activity of BCS IV flavonoid glycosides through the formulation of their lipophilic aglycone into nanocrystals.

  Yan Li, Shaoping Sun, Qi Chang, Lei Zhang, Gengnan Wang, Weixing Chen, Xiaoqing Miao, Ying Zheng
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  ABSTRACT: Epidemium-derived flavonoid glycosides are widely used for preventing osteoporosis, but they generally showed poor membrane permeability and oral absorption. To solve above problems, their bioactive lipophilic aglycone (ICT) was selected and successfully developed into nanocrystal (ICTN) by antisolvent-precipitation method. Parameters in preparation of ICTN were firstly optimized, followed by morphology, crystallinity, adsorption of stabilizers on ICT surface and dissolution characterizations. Pharmacokinetic study in rat and anti-osteoporosis activities of serum withdrawn after oral administration of ICTN to rat were evaluated on mouse osteoblastic cell in vitro. Consistent with its good performance in stabilizing the ICT nanosuspension, atomic force microscope showed that HPMC has adequate adsorption on ICT surface than other stabilizers. Needle-shaped crystals (~ 220 nm in diameter) with good short-term stability at 4°C and high drug loading (~90%) were produced when 0.16 ml of the ICT acetone solution (10 mg/ml) was injected quickly into 2 ml of HPMC solution (0.02%, w/w) under ultrasonication for 10 sec at room temperature. Thermal analysis demonstrated that the majority of the particles are in the crystalline forms similar to the unformulated ICT. ICTN showed faster dissolution rate, significantly increased and faster absorption, supported by the increased AUC0-36h, Cmax and reduced Tmax than raw suspension after oral administration (p<0.05). Compared to blank serum, enhanced proliferation and differentiation activities were observed when incubation serum withdrawn after oral administration of ICTN in rat with osteoblast MC3T3-E1 cells. The present delivery system could provide a new promising strategy for BCS IV glycoside of flavonoids or other natural products by formulation of their bioactive lipophilic aglycone forms to enhance oral absorption and in-vivo bioactivity.
  Molecular Pharmaceutics 05/2013; · 4.78 Impact Factor
• Article: HSPA5 Forms Specific Complexes with Copper.

  Yongchang Qian, Bingchao Meng, Xuchu Zhang, Ying Zheng, Robert Taylor, Evelyn Tiffany-Castiglioni
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  ABSTRACT: Our previous study indicated that Hspa5 directly interacts with copper (Cu) to maintain Cu homeostasis in astrocytes. In this study, we explored the possibility that Cu forms a specific complex with Hspa5 by assaying stoichiometric binding of Cu and other metals to recombinant human HSPA5 (rh-HSPA5) in silico. Spectrophotometric analysis showed that incubation of rh-HSPA5 with Cu but not with Fe, Mn, Zn, or Pb in the presence of ascorbic acid produced an absorbance peak at 470 nm. Furthermore, the absorbance peak was absent when bovine serum albumin was incubated with Cu and when another recombinant protein YWHAZ-14-3-3-Zeta carrying a 6× histidine tag identical to the tag in the rh-HSPA5 was incubated with Cu. The absorbance peak produced by Cu and rh-HSPA5 was abolished by EDTA treatment and was stabilized at pH levels above 6.5. Assay of the stoichiometry of metal binding to the purified rh-HSPA5 showed that one molecule of the rh-HSPA5 could chelate 1 or 2 Cu, 13 iron (Fe), 5 zinc (Zn) and 10 lead (Pb) ions but not manganese (Mn). These data further support our previous finding that HSPA5 specifically forms a complex with Cu to help maintain Cu homeostasis.
  Neurochemical Research 11/2012; · 2.24 Impact Factor
• Article: Oral absorption and excretion of icaritin, an aglycone and also active metabolite of prenylflavonoids from the Chinese medicine Herba Epimedii in rats.

  Qi Chang, Geng-Nan Wang, Yan Li, Lei Zhang, Chang You, Ying Zheng
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  ABSTRACT: Icaritin (ICT) is a main aglycone and also active intestinal metabolite of prenylflavonoids from the Chinese medicine Herba Epimedii. In the present study, the oral absorption and excretion of this compound was investigated using rats for exploring its fate in the body, so as to better understanding its in vivo pharmacological activities. The free (parent) and total (parent plus conjugated metabolites) ICT concentrations in rat plasma, urine and bile, after intravenous (i.v.) and oral administration both at 5mg/kg, were determined before and after enzymatic hydrolysis with β-glucuronidase/sulphatase, respectively, by a HPLC-UV method. The results showed that free ICT plasma concentration after i.v. dose was rapidly decreased with average t(1/2, λ) of 0.43 h, while the total ICT concentration was decreased slowly with t(1/2, λ) of 6.86 h. The area under the curve of ICT conjugated metabolites was about 11-fold higher than that of free ICT. The majority of ICT in the body was excreted from the bile with 68.05% of dose over 8 h after i.v. dosing, in which only 0.15% was in parent form. While very little amount of ICT was excreted from the urine with 3.01% of dose over 24 h, in which the parent form was 0.62%. After oral administration, very little amount of parent ICT was detected only in 0.5, 1 or 2 h plasma samples with the concentration less than LOQ, however, its total plasma concentration after enzymatic hydrolysis treatment was at relative high level with average maximum concentration of 0.49 μg/ml achieved at 1h post dose. The oral bioavailability of ICT was 35% of dose, estimated by its total plasma drug concentrations. It is concluded that ICT can be easily absorbed into the body, and then rapidly conversed to its conjugated metabolites, and finally removed from the body mainly by biliary excretion.
  Phytomedicine: international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology 07/2012; 19(11):1024-8. · 2.17 Impact Factor
• Article: Enhanced cyclic stability of CO2 adsorption capacity of CaO-based sorbents using La2O3 or Ca12Al14O33 as additives

  Cong Luo, Ying Zheng, Ning Ding, Chuguang Zheng
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  ABSTRACT: To improve the stability of CaO adsorption capacity for CO2 capture during multiple carbonation/calcination cycles, modified CaO-based sorbents were synthesized by sol-gel-combustion-synthesis (SGCS) method and wet physical mixing method, respectively, to overcome the problem of loss-in-capacity of CaO-based sorbents. The cyclic CaO adsorption capacity of the sorbents as well as the effect of the addition of La2O3 or Ca12Al14O33 was investigated in a fixed-bed reactor. The transient phase change and microstructure were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FSEM), respectively. The experimental results indicate that La2O3 played an active role in the carbonation/calcination reactions. When the sorbents were made by wet physical mixing method, CaO/Ca12Al14O33 was much better than CaO/La2O3 in cyclic CO2 capture performance. When the sorbents were made by SGCS method, the synthetic CaO/La2O3 sorbent provided the best performance of a carbonation conversion of up to 93% and an adsorption capacity of up to 0.58 g-CO2/g-sorbent after 11 cycles. Key wordsCO2 Capture–CaO–Adsorption Capacity–Carbonation/Calcination Cycles–Sol-gel-combustion-synthesis (SGCS)
  Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering 05/2012; 28(4):1042-1046. · 0.99 Impact Factor
• Article: Antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities of polysaccharides from moxa (Artemisia argyi) leaf

  Min-Bo Lan, Yan-Hong Zhang, Ying Zheng, Hui-Hui Yuan, Hong-Li Zhao, Feng Gao
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  ABSTRACT: The purpose of the current study was to characterize the polysaccharides isolated from the moxa (Artemisia argyi) leaf and investigate their bioactivities. The molecular weights of the purified polysaccharides were at a range from 6,000 to 10,000 Da and consisted mostly of carbohydrates (>90%), mainly the monosaccharide of xylose, arabinose, mannose, and glucose. The isolated polysaccharides were further fractionated to form 4 subfractions and all of the subfractions exhibited high antioxidant capability on both hydroxide (IC50 ranging from 8 to 18 μg/mL) and superoxide anion radicals (IC50 ranging from 10 to 30 μg/mL). The moxa leaf polysaccharides were also capable of enhancing the Concanavallin A (ConA)-induced T cell proliferation, but not the lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-induced B cell proliferation in the in vitro immunological tests. Furthermore, the polysaccharides also strongly facilitate ConA-induced secretion of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) in a dose-dependent manner. The results suggested that the moxa leaf polysaccharides may have potential applications as antioxidants and immune enhancers. Keywordsmoxa leaf–polysaccharides–isolation–antioxidation–immunomodulation
  Food science and biotechnology 04/2012; 19(6):1463-1469. · 0.49 Impact Factor
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  Available from: Yongchang Qian

  Article: Induction of 78 kD glucose-regulated protein (GRP78) expression and redox-regulated transcription factor activity by lead and mercury in C6 rat glioma cells

  Yongchang Qian, M. Hadi Falahatpisheh, Ying Zheng, Kenneth S. Ramos, Evelyn Tiffany-Castiglioni
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  ABSTRACT: Lead (Pb) and mercury (Hg) are widespread environmental contaminants that induce prominent neural toxicity. Although the brain is not the major Pb and Hg depot in the body, these metals preferentially accumulate in astroglia to exert toxic effects. In this study, we examined the effects of Pb acetate and HgCl2 on the expression of GRP78, a molecular chaperone in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that may provide cytoprotection in response to cellular stresses in the C6 rat glioma cell line. We also evaluated the DNA binding activities of several redox-regulated transcription factors in metal-treated cells. Our results showed that mRNA levels of GRP78 were up-regulated by Pb and Hg at 0.1 and 1 μM, but down-regulated at higher concentrations (10 μM). GRP78 protein levels increased in a concentration- and time-dependent manner in Pb and/or Hg-treated cells. Pb increased protein binding to the GST-Ya antioxidant/electrophile response element (ARE/EpRE) and to the NF-kB consensus binding sequence of the cytomegalovirus 2 (CMV2) promoter, but decreased protein binding to the Ha-ras ARE/EpRE or to the c-fos 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) response element (TRE). In contrast, Hg activated DNA binding by all redox-regulated transcription factors. These studies shed some light on the molecular mechanisms of Pb and Hg toxicity in C6 rat glioma cells and suggest that GRP78 and oxidative stress may participate in the neurotoxic response to these metals.
  Neurotoxicity Research 04/2012; 3(6):581-589. · 3.51 Impact Factor
• Article: Formulation Development and Bioavailability Evaluation of a Self-Nanoemulsified Drug Delivery System of Oleanolic Acid

  Jia Xi, Qi Chang, Chak K. Chan, Zhao Yu Meng, Geng Nan Wang, Jia Bei Sun, Yi Tao Wang, Henry H. Y. Tong, Ying Zheng
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  ABSTRACT: This study aims to formulate and evaluate bioavailability of a self-nanoemulsified drug delivery system (SNEDDS) of a poorly water-soluble herbal active component oleanolic acid (OA) for oral delivery. Solubility of OA under different systems was determined for excipient selection purpose. Four formulations, where OA was fixed at the concentration of 20mg/g, were prepared utilizing Sefsol 218 as oil phase, Cremophor EL and Labrasol as primary surfactants, and Transcutol P as cosurfactant. Pseudo-ternary phase diagrams were constructed to identify self-emulsification regions for the rational design of SNEDDS formulations. Sefsol 218 was found to provide the highest solubility among all medium-chained oils screened. Efficient self-emulsification was observed for the systems composing of Cremophor EL and Labrasol. The surfactant to cosurfactant ratio greatly affected the droplet size of the nanoemulsion. Based on the outcomes in dissolution profiles, stability data, and particle size profiles, three optimized formulations were selected: Sefsol 218/Cremophor EL/Labrasol (50:25:25, w/w), Sefsol 218/Cremophor EL/Labrasol/Transcutol P (50:20:20:10, w/w), and Sefsol 218/Cremophor EL/Labrasol/Transcutol P (50:17.5:17.5:15, w/w). Based on the conventional dissolution method, a remarkable increase in dissolution was observed for the SNEDDS when compared with the commercial tablet. The oral absorption of OA from SNEDDS showed a 2.4-fold increase in relative bioavailability compared with that of the tablet (p < 0.05), and an increased mean retention time of OA in rat plasma was also observed compared with that of the tablet (p < 0.01). These results suggest the potential use of SNEDDS to improve dissolution and oral bioavailability for poorly water-soluble triterpenoids such as OA.
  AAPS PharmSciTech 04/2012; 10(1):172-182. · 1.43 Impact Factor
• Article: Analysis of intercellular calcium signaling using microfluidic adjustable laminar flow for localized chemical stimulation.

  Jian Sun, Ying Zheng, Xiaojun Feng, Wei Du, Bi-Feng Liu
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  ABSTRACT: The propagation of intercellular calcium signals provides a mechanism to coordinate cell population activity, which is essential for regulating cell behavior and organ development. However, existing analytical methods are difficult to realize localized chemical stimulation of a single cell among a population of cells that are in close contact with one another for studying the propagation of calcium wave. In this work, a microfluidic method is presented for the analysis of contact-dependent propagation of intercellular calcium wave induced by extracellular ATP using multiple laminar flows. Adjacent cells were seeded ∼300 μm downstream the intersection of a Y-shaped microchannel with negative pressure pulses. Consequently, the lateral diffusion distance of the chemical at cell locations was limited to ∼26 μm with a total flow rate of 20 μL min(-1), which prevented the interference of diffusion-induced cellular responses. Localized stimulation of the target cell with ATP induced the propagation of intercellular calcium wave among the cell population. In addition, studies on the spread of intercellular calcium wave under octanol inhibition allowed us to characterize the gap junction mediated cell-cell communication. Thus, this novel device will provide a versatile platform for intercellular signal transduction studies and high throughput drug screening.
  Analytica chimica acta 04/2012; 721:104-9. · 4.31 Impact Factor
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  Available from: Yongchang Qian

  Article: Involvement of the molecular chaperone Hspa5 in copper homeostasis in astrocytes.

  Yongchang Qian, Ying Zheng, Robert Taylor, Evelyn Tiffany-Castiglioni
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  ABSTRACT: Copper (Cu) ion availability in tissues and cells must be closely regulated within safe limits by Cu transporters and chaperones. Astrocytes play key roles in metal homeostasis and distribution in the brain that are only partially understood. The purpose of this study was to define the role that the protein chaperone Hspa5, also known as Grp78, plays in Cu homeostasis in astrocytes. First passage cultures of primary astrocytes from neonatal rats and cultures of the C6 rat glioma cells were used as models. We found that the level of Cu accumulation in astrocyte cultures increased with Cu concentrations in the medium, and Cu treatment significantly reduced cellular levels of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and zinc (Zn). Cu accumulation specifically induced protein expression of Hspa5 but not metallothioneins (MTs) in astrocytes. In C6 cells, Hspa5 was identified as one component of a Cu-binding complex and shown to directly bind Cu. However, the level of Hspa5 expression was not proportional to Cu accumulation in astrocytes and C6 cells: astrocytes expressed low protein levels of Hspa5 compared to C6 cells but accumulated significantly more Cu than did C6 cells. Consistent with this finding, astrocytes expressed a lower level of the Cu-extruding protein Atp7a than did C6 cells, and depletion of Hspa5 by RNA interference resulted in significantly increased Cu accumulation and induction of MT1/2 expression. These data demonstrate that Hspa5 is involved in Cu homeostasis in astrocytes but not as a Cu storage protein.
  Brain research 02/2012; 1447:9-19. · 2.46 Impact Factor
• Article: Determination of metal interactions with the chaperone Hspa5 in human astrocytoma cells and rat astrocyte primary cultures.

  Evelyn Tiffany-Castiglioni, Yongchang Qian, Rola Barhoumi, Ying Zheng
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  ABSTRACT: Molecular chaperones assist the folding of nascent proteins during translation into their correct conformations. Neurotoxic metals such as copper (Cu) and lead (Pb) may produce a deficiency in chaperone function that compromises protein secretion and exacerbates protein aggregation, potentially promoting neurodegenerative diseases that exhibit protein aggregation. Because astrocytes function as depots in the brain for certain metals, including Cu and Pb, the interaction of metals with chaperones in these cells is of interest. Furthermore, Pb and Cu bind strongly to the molecular chaperone heat shock 70 kDa protein Hspa5, also known as glucose-regulated protein 78 (Grp78) or immunoglobulin-binding protein (BiP). This chapter describes methods for expressing fluorescent chimeric proteins in astrocytes and astrocytoma cells in order to examine the metal-induced cytosolic redistribution of Hspa5, as well as associated effects on the secretion of interleukin-6 (IL-6).
  Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.) 01/2011; 758:29-48.
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  Available from: korea.ac.kr

  Article: Enhanced cyclic stability of CO 2 adsorption capacity of CaO-based sorbents using La 2 O 3 or Ca 12 Al 14 O 33 as additives

  Cong Luo, Ying Zheng, Ning Ding, Chuguang Zheng
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  ABSTRACT: To improve the stability of CaO adsorption capacity for CO 2 capture during multiple carbonation/calcination cycles, modified CaO-based sorbents were synthesized by sol-gel-combustion-synthesis (SGCS) method and wet phys-ical mixing method, respectively, to overcome the problem of loss-in-capacity of CaO-based sorbents. The cyclic CaO adsorption capacity of the sorbents as well as the effect of the addition of La 2 O 3 or Ca 12 Al 14 O 33 was investigated in a fixed-bed reactor. The transient phase change and microstructure were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FSEM), respectively. The experimental results indicate that La 2 O 3 played an active role in the carbonation/calcination reactions. When the sorbents were made by wet physical mixing method, CaO/Ca 12 Al 14 O 33 was much better than CaO/La 2 O 3 in cyclic CO 2 capture performance. When the sorbents were made by SGCS method, the synthetic CaO/La 2 O 3 sorbent provided the best performance of a carbonation conversion of up to 93% and an adsorption capacity of up to 0.58 g-CO 2 /g-sorbent after 11 cycles.
  Korean J. Chem. Eng. 01/2011; 28:1042-1046.
• Article: Development and Performance of CaO/La2O3 Sorbents during Calcium Looping Cycles for CO2 Capture

  Cong Luo, Ying Zheng, Ning Ding, Qilong Wu, Guan Bian, Chuguang Zheng
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  ABSTRACT: The calcium looping cycles method has been identified as an attractive method for CO2 capture during coal combustion and gasification processes. However, it is well-known that the capture capacity of CaO undergoes a rapid decrease after mutiple cycles. In order to improve the stability of CO2 capture capacity in CaO, this paper focuses on the development and performance of the synthetic CaO/La2O3 sorbents for calcium looping cycles.The sorbents were synthesized by three different methods: dry physical mixing, wet chemistry, and sol−gel combustion synthesis (SGCS). Their multicyclic CO2 capture capacity and the effect of the additive La2O3 were investigated in a fixed bed reactor system. The results indicate that the additive of La2O3 plays a positive role in the carbonation/calcination reactions, and the SGCS-made synthetic sorbent is composed of ultrafine well-dispersed hollow structured particles which are beneficial to the gas-phase diffusion on the surface area and can prevent small CaO particles from agglomeration effectively. As a result, the novel synthetic sorbent with the molar ratio of Ca to La of 10:1 made by the SGCS method provides the best performance of a carbonation conversion of 72% under mild calcination conditions and a carbonation conversion of 36% under severe calcination conditions (high temperature and high CO2 concentration) after 20 cycles.
  09/2010;
• Article: Valproate reversibly reduces neurite outgrowth by human SY5Y neuroblastoma cells.

  Yongchang Qian, Ying Zheng, Evelyn Tiffany-Castiglioni
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  ABSTRACT: Valproate (VPA) is a commonly prescribed mood stabilizer. However, emerging evidence indicates that VPA administration may cause reversible symptoms of Parkinsonism and cognitive decline (P/CD) in some manic patients. The mechanism of this phenomenon is unknown. In this study, we used human SY5Y neuroblastoma cells as a neuronal model to investigate the effects of VPA on neurite outgrowth and neurofilament expression. Data showed that the treatment with VPA at therapeutic plasma levels (0.5 mM) significantly reduced cell proliferation from day 4 through day 6, and neurite outgrowth length from day 1 through day 6. Conversely, VPA had no effect on cell proliferation of human CCF astrocytoma cells but stimulated nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced neurite outgrowth from rat PC12 pheochromocytoma cells. In parallel to these alterations in human SY5Y cells, both mRNA and protein levels of neurofilament 160 (NF160) were significantly reduced, starting at day 2 and day 3, respectively, by the treatment. The inhibition of neurite outgrowth by VPA was completely reversed 2 days after cessation of VPA exposure. Furthermore, NF160 protein levels also rebounded to control levels after VPA removal. NGF application significantly alleviated the inhibition of neurite outgrowth by VPA. These data suggest that VPA-modulated NF160 expression was involved in the inhibition and the reversal of neurite outgrowth in human neuronal cells.
  Brain research 09/2009; 1302:21-33. · 2.46 Impact Factor
• Article: A 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein is involved in the decrease of interleukin-6 secretion by lead treatment from astrocytes.

  Yongchang Qian, Ying Zheng, Deanna Weber, Evelyn Tiffany-Castiglioni
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  ABSTRACT: Interleukin (IL)-6 is a cytokine produced mainly by microglia and astrocytes and plays a pleiotropic role in the central nervous system. In this study, we cloned rat IL-6 cDNA into an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) or a red fluorescent protein (DsRed2) vector and rat 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein (GRP78) cDNA into an EGFP vector to construct IL-6-EGFP, IL-6-DsRed2, and GRP78-EGFP chimeras for the investigation of the mechanism of IL-6 secretion from astrocytes. The data showed that constructed IL-6-EGFP and IL-6-DsRed2 chimeras retained the secretory property, and the secretion of IL-6-EGFP from astrocytes could be attenuated by GRP78 depletion with double-stranded RNA interference. Coexpression of IL-6-DsRed2 and dysfunctional GRP78-EGFP abolished IL-6-DsRed2 secretion, and two chimeric proteins colocalized inside living astrocytes. Coimmunoprecipitation analysis indicated that IL-6 and GRP78 resided in the same complex. The data further revealed that IL-6-EGFP secretion from astrocytes was blocked by the heavy metal lead (Pb) in a concentration-dependent manner. Analysis of the Pb interaction with protein on a Pb-affinity column demonstrated that Pb bound to GRP78 but failed to bind to IL-6. Therefore, these data suggest that IL-6-EGFP or IL-6-DsRed2 chimeras can be used as imaging probes to study IL-6 secretion from living cells, that GRP78 is involved in IL-6 secretion from astrocytes, and that Pb can block IL-6 secretion from astrocytes via targeting GRP78.
  AJP Cell Physiology 10/2007; 293(3):C897-905. · 3.54 Impact Factor
• Article: Differential profiles of copper-induced ROS generation in human neuroblastoma and astrocytoma cells.

  Yongchang Qian, Ying Zheng, Liz Abraham, Kenneth S Ramos, Evelyn Tiffany-Castiglioni
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  ABSTRACT: To determine neuronal and glial responses to copper (Cu) elevation in the CNS, human neuroblastoma and astrocytoma cells were used to compare their responses to Cu in terms of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and expression of enzymes responsible for anti-oxidation. Astrocytoma cells, not neuroblastoma cells, were responsive to Cu and Cu elevation was associated with ROS generation. Intracellular Cu levels as determined by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and expression levels of copper-transporting ATPase (ATP7A) and human copper transporter 1 (hCtr1) as detected by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), were comparable in both cell lines. Differences in Cu-induced ROS between two cell lines paralleled superoxide dismutase (SOD)-catalase expression as detected by Western blot analysis. Copper,zinc-SOD (Cu,Zn-SOD) and catalase protein levels were upregulated by Cu in neuroblastoma cells while Cu,Zn-SOD was down-regulated by Cu and catalase level was not changed in astrocytoma cells. Manganese-SOD (Mn-SOD) was not responsive to Cu in either cell line. Furthermore, 78-kDa glucose-regulated protein aggregation and upregulation were observed in Cu-treated astrocytoma cells, but not neuroblastoma cells. These data suggest that neurons use the SOD-catalase system to scavenge Cu-induced ROS while glia rely on the endoplasmic reticulum stress response to compensate for the reduction of ROS scavenging capacity.
  Molecular Brain Research 05/2005; 134(2):323-32. · 2.00 Impact Factor
• Article: The involvement of copper transporter in lead-induced oxidative stress in astroglia.

  Yongchang Qian, Ying Zheng, Kenneth S Ramos, Evelyn Tiffany-Castiglioni
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  ABSTRACT: Lead (Pb), depositing primarily in astroglia in the brain, is a well-known neurotoxicant and a risk factor for neurologic disorders. Pb has been reported to induce oxidative stress by probably the disturbance of copper (Cu) homeostasis in astroglia. Thus, we hypothesized that Pb-induced oxidative stress is initiated by interfering with Cu transporter in astroglia. In this study, we observed Pb-induced oxidative stress as indicated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) augmentation and GRP78 and GRP94 protein induction, and it was parallel to Cu accumulation intracellularly by Pb. To further address Cu transporter as a potential Pb target, a heavy metal-binding (HMB) domain of Cu-transporting ATPase (Atp7a) was overexpressed and purified. Evidence showed that one molecule of HMB chelated 11 Pb ions or seven Cu ions and that Pb competed with Cu for binding to HMB. These findings suggest that Pb-induced oxidative stress results from the impairment of Cu metabolism by Pb targeting of Atp7a.
  Neurochemical Research 05/2005; 30(4):429-38. · 2.24 Impact Factor
• Article: GRP78 compartmentalized redistribution in Pb-treated glia: role of GRP78 in lead-induced oxidative stress.

  Yongchang Qian, Ying Zheng, Kenneth S Ramos, Evelyn Tiffany-Castiglioni
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  ABSTRACT: Glucose-regulated protein of 78 kDa (GRP78) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) molecular chaperone functioning in protein folding, assembly and trafficking. GRP78 also plays a role in protection against cytotoxicity and apoptosis induced by environmental insults. Our previous study showed that lead (Pb) directly targets GRP78 by binding to the protein and increasing GRP78 levels. In this study, the effect of Pb on compartmentalized distribution of GRP78 in living cells was examined. A rat GRP78-EGFP fusion protein and EGFP were transiently expressed in astrocytoma cells exposed to 5 microM Pb acetate or 50 microM CuSO4 and fluorescence signals were captured. Control cells expressing EGFP showed a homogeneous distribution of EGFP that was not changed by Pb or Cu treatment. Cells expressing GRP78-EGFP showed a compartmentalized, non-homogeneous distribution of GRP78-EGFP in the cytosol. The redistribution of GRP78-EGFP fluorescent bodies was observed in cells exposed to Pb for 10 h, but not 5 h. Redistribution was also observed in cells exposed to 50 microM Cu for 5 or 10 h. To assess GRP78 function, GRP78 was depleted with dsRNAi oligos in rat C6 glioma cells. GRP78 depletion significantly increased the sensitivity of cells to Pb exposure as indicated by the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). These data suggest that Pb directly targets GRP78 and induces its compartmentalized redistribution in living cells and that GRP78 plays a protective role in Pb neurotoxicity.
  NeuroToxicology 04/2005; 26(2):267-75. · 3.10 Impact Factor
• Article: Vibrating reed study of the flux line dissipation of ceramic and single-crystal (Ba, K)BiO3

  Zhigang Xu, Lance E. De Long, Joseph W. Brill, Ji -Chang Hou, Henryk Drulis, Ying Zheng, David G. Hinks, Michael L. Norton, Horng -Yi Tang, Carolyn P. Brock
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  ABSTRACT: Vibrating reed (VR) and dc and ac magnetic susceptibility measurements were performed on a nominal single crystal of composition (Ba0.64K0.36)BiO3 in an applied magnetic fieldH. Field-cooling and field-sweep data revealed multiple peaks in the reed dissipation 1/Q located below the superconducting transition temperatureT c (29.6 K forH=0). A shoulder or onset (with increasingT) of dissipation appears forT18 K, which may be a signature of a flux lattice melting transition. VR data for dense ceramic samples of composition (Ba0.625K0.375)BiO3 (T c=28.6K) exhibit a relatively narrow and smooth peak in 1/Q that corresponds well to a broad, intermediate-temperature peak in the crystal data. Resistivity experiments demonstrate that the single ceramic peak occurs well below the temperature at which the electrical resistanceR0, suggesting that the higher-temperature crystalline peaks are positioned close to the upper critical field line and may be strongly dependent upon grain size or surface properties. Both ac and dc susceptibility data show no clear evidence for multiple phases or gross compositional inhomogeneities in the crystalline sample. Our results demonstrate that the VR technique is an extremely sensitive method to probe sample inhomogeneities and their role in flux pinning phenomena.
  Journal of Superconductivity 01/1994; 7(5):835-839.
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  Available from: cbsr.ia.ac.cn

  Chapter: Shape And Texture-Based Deformable Models For Facial Image Analysis

  Stan Li, Zhen Lei, Ying Zheng, Zeng-Fu Wang, Aly A. Farag, Jasjit S. Suri, Evangelia Micheli-Tzanakou
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  ABSTRACT: In this chapter we introduce concepts and algorithms of shape- and texture-based deformable models — more specifically Active Shape Models (ASMs), Active Appearance Models (AAMs), and Morphable Models — for facial image analysis. Such models, learned from training examples, allow admissible deformations under statistical constraints on the shape and/or texture of the pattern of interests. As such, the deformation is in accordance with the specific constraints on the pattern. Based on analysis of problems with the standard ASM and AAM, we further describe enhanced models and algorithms, namely Direct Appearance Models (DAMs) and a Texture-ConstrainedASM(TC-ASM), for improved fitting of shapes and textures. A method is also described for evaluation of goodness of fit using an ASM. Experimental results are provided to compare different methods.
  01/1970: pages 91-131;
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  Available from: ia.ac.cn

  Article: Shape And Texture-Based Deformable Models For Facial Image Analysis

  Stan Z Li, Zhen Lei, Ying Zheng, Zeng-Fu Wang
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  ABSTRACT: In this chapter we introduce concepts and algorithms of shape-and texture-based deformable models — more specifically Active Shape Models (ASMs), Active Appearance Models (AAMs), and Morphable Models — for facial image analysis. Such models, learned from training examples, allow admissible deformations under statistical constraints on the shape and/or texture of the pattern of interests. As such, the deformation is in accordance with the specific constraints on the pattern. Based on analysis of problems with the standard ASM and AAM, we further describe enhanced models and algorithms, namely Direct Appearance Models (DAMs) and a Texture-Constrained ASM (TC-ASM), for improved fitting of shapes and textures. A method is also described for evaluation of goodness of fit using an ASM. Experimental results are provided to compare different methods.