Usp-1

Arabidopsis UDP-sugar pyrophosphorylase (AtUSP) is a broad substrate enzyme that synthesizes nucleotide sugars. The products of the AtUSP reaction can act as precursors for the synthesis of glycolipids, glycoproteins, and cell wall components including pectin and hemicellulose. AtUSP has no close homologs in Arabidopsis and its biological function has not been clearly defined. We identified two T-DNA insertional mutant lines for AtUSP, usp-1 and usp-2. No homozygous individuals were identified and progeny from plants heterozygous for usp-1 or usp-2 showed a 1:1 segregation ratio under selection...

MHR3 is an ecdysone-inducible transcription factor whose expression in both Manduca sexta epidermis and the Manduca GV1 cell line is induced by 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) in vitro. There are four putative ecdysone response elements (EcRE) in the 2.6-kb flanking region of the MHR3 promoter. The most proximal, EcRE1, is necessary for activation of the promoter by 20E in the GV1 cells because the mutation of EcRE1 caused the loss of responsiveness to 20E. Previous studies showed that EcR-B1/USP-1 bound only to EcRE1 and high levels of this complex increased the 20E-induced activation, whereas the presence of high USP-2 prevented this increased activation...

Tebufenozide and methoxyfenozide have been previously shown to significantly reduce fecundity and cause vitellogenin accumulation in hemolymph of the codling moth Cydia pomonella L. In the present study, the effects of these ecdysone agonists, tebufenozide and methoxyfenozide, on the expression of ecdysone receptor (EcR), ultraspiracle protein (USP) and other proteins in the ovaries of C. pomonella L., were investigated at both the translational and/or transcriptional levels with an aim to elucidate the mechanisms by which the fecundity was reduced...

Embryonic stem cells are totipotent cells derived from the inner cell mass of blastocysts. Recently, the development of appropriate culture conditions for the differentiation of these cells into specific cell types has permitted their use as potential therapeutic agents for several diseases. In addition, manipulation of their genome in vitro allows the creation of animal models of human genetic diseases and for the study of gene function in vivo. We report the establishment of new lines of murine embryonic stem cells from preimplantation stage embryos of 129/Sv mice...

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of several calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) preparations in root canal dentin infected with Enterococcus faecalis. Roots of extracted bovine incisors were prepared to standardized cylindrical test specimens of 5 mm in height; the smear layer was removed, and the specimens were incubated for 24 h at 37 degrees C in bacteriological culture medium that contained 7.0 x 10(4) colony forming units per milliliter of E. faecalis. The specimens were mounted in individual 4-mm diameter culture wells, and the test material was applied to fill the canal lumen...

MHR3, a homolog of the retinoid orphan receptor (ROR), is a transcription factor in the nuclear hormone receptor family that is induced by 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) in the epidermis of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta. Its 2.7-kb 5' flanking region was found to contain four putative ecdysone receptor response elements (EcREs) and a monomeric (GGGTCA) nuclear receptor binding site. Activation of this promoter fused to a chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) reporter by 2 micrograms of 20E per ml in Manduca GV1 cells was similar to that of endogenous MHR3, with detectable CAT by 3 h...

Insect molting and metamorphosis are orchestrated by ecdysteroids with juvenile hormone (JH) preventing the actions of ecdysteroids necessary for metamorphosis. During the molt and metamorphosis of the dorsal abdominal epidermis of the tobacco hornworm, Manduca sexta, the isoforms involved in the ecdysone receptor (EcR)/Ultraspiracle (USP) complex change with the most dramatic switch being the loss of USP-1 and the appearance of USP-2 during the larval and pupal molts. We show here that this switch in USP isoforms is mediated by high 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and that the presence of JH is necessary for the down-regulation of USP-1 mRNA...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: We have previously shown that 17beta-estradiol reduces infarction volume in female rats. The present study determined whether single injection or chronic implantation of estrogen confers neuroprotection in male animals with middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and whether there is an interaction with endogenous testosterone. METHODS: Male Wistar rats were treated with 2 hours of reversible MCAO. In protocol 1, acute versus chronic estrogen administration was examined in groups receiving the following: Premarin (USP) 1 mg/kg IV, immediately before MCAO (Acute, n=13, plasma estradiol=171+/-51 pg/mL); 7 days of 25 microg (E25, n=10, 10+/-3 pg/mL) or 100 microg 17beta-estradiol (E100, n=12, 69+/-20 pg/mL) by subcutaneous implant; or saline (SAL, n=21, 3+/-1 pg/mL)...

An in vitro methodology which mimics in vivo human upper gastrointestinal transit was developed. The transit tolerance of potentially probiotic Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species was determined by exposing washed cell suspensions at 37 degrees C to a simulated gastric juice (pH 2.0), containing pepsin (0.3% w/v) and sodium chloride (0.5% w/v), and a simulated small intestinal juice (pH 8.0), containing pancreatin USP (1 g l-1) and sodium chloride (5 g l-1), and monitoring changes in total viable count periodically...

The rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) near its femoral origin is a common injury of the knee and can lead to lesions of the meniscus due to instability and to early gonarthrosis. One procedure applied in current orthopaedic practice to prevent such impairment of knee joint function is ACL repair reinforced with a synthetic intraarticular ligament. In this study we used twelve knees of cadavers and after sectioning the ACL in each repaired it according the Marshall technique with USP 1 PDS II sutures...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

We have previously identified and characterized a 97K secretory glycoprotein (uterine secretory protein-1:USP-1) synthesized and secreted by rat uterine epithelial cells under estrogen stimulation. We now have analyzed the qualitative and quantitative effects of antiestrogens (tamoxifen and LY117018) on the induction of USP-1 biosynthesis when administered alone or combined with 17 beta-estradiol (E2). By radioimmune precipitation assay of [35S]methionine-labeled uterine luminal fluid proteins, it was shown that tamoxifen and LY117018 could weakly induce USP-1 compared with E2...

Previous study in this laboratory revealed that estrogen stimulates synthesis and secretion of 97K glycoprotein [uterine secretory protein-1 (USP-1)] in rat uterine epithelial cells. In the present communication, the effects of progesterone and antiprogesterone (RU 38486) on estrogen-stimulated USP-1 biosynthesis were investigated. Ovariectomized rats were treated with estrogen for 4 days to induce USP-1 synthesis and secretion. Then, progesterone and RU 38486 were injected sc. After 6 and 12 h of treatment, uterine luminal fluid proteins were labeled for 6 h by direct administration of [35S]methionine into uterine lumen...

An estrogen-inducible 97-kilodalton (kDa) secretory glycoprotein, designated as uterine secretory protein (USP)-1, synthesized by rat uterine epithelial cells was identified and characterized. Uterine luminal fluid (ULF) proteins were labeled by direct administration of [35S]methionine into uterine lumen of rats. Incorporation of [35S]methionine into ULF proteins was negligible in ovariectomized rats. However, when 17 beta-estradiol (E2) was administered in the ovariectomized rat as sc paraffin pellets, a marked increase of [35S]methionine incorporation was noted after 2 days of treatment, showing that the de novo synthesis and secretion of ULF proteins were induced by E2...

The long-term stability of alloplastic ligament prostheses depends on various parameters, on including the quality of the biologic fixation in the bone tissue. Biomechanical and histological tests were therefore performed to examine the stability obtained with five different alloplastic and non-resorbable ligament substitute materials following stress-free implantation into the distal femur and proximal tibia of Wistar rats. The materials were: a filament of the PTFE ligament prosthesis, PTFE suture material (Goretex), polyethylene terephthalate (Mersilene), polyethylene (Braun-Dexon) and polybutylene terephthalate (Miralene)...

Previously described procedures for the culture of immature rat uterine epithelium (UE) allowed the cells to proliferate to confluence and develop morphological and functional polarity. The present study describes the transition from culture of UE cells in serum to a serum-free defined medium. This was accomplished with no significant alteration in the ability of UE cells to attain morphological and functional polarity. In defined medium, which contained estrogen (2.5 x 10(-9) M), UE cells proliferated to confluence, demonstrated separation of apical and basal plasma membrane domains, and displayed preferential secretion of proteins and proteoglycans from the apical surface...