Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2006. / Title from first page of PDF file (viewed Feb 18, 2009). Includes bibliographical references.

Cheng, Tat Cheung. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 181-188). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese.

Wang, Jia. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2013. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 99-115). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese.

隨著社會發展, 各種病毒、環境致癌物, 以及不健康食等多種因素導致諸種頑症高發, 並以人類獲得牲免疫缺陷綜合症(艾滋病)和各種腫瘤為代表。從天然產物, 特別是傳統中藥中, 篩選藥用有效成分是治療這類疾病的有效途徑之一。研究發現, 核糖體失活蛋白, 核糖核酸酶, 凝集素, 蛋白酪抑制劑等具有良好的藥用開發前景。本論文著重於從不同植物種于中篩選藥用蛋白, 並對其藥用機制進行研究。 / 是吹研究共純化出六種藥用蛋白。第一, 從苦瓜種子中純化出一種二型核糖體失活蛋白MCL。體外細胞試驗和體內裸鼠試驗顯示MCL 能夠有效抑制鼻咽癌細胞CNE-l 和CNE-2 生長。第二, 苦瓜種于中一個新的核糖核酸酪RNase MC2被分離出來。RNase MC2 通過調控半胱氨酸依賴性細胞死亡蛋白晦(Caspase)信號途徑和絲裂原活化蛋白激酶(MAPKs) 信號途徑誘導乳腺癌MCF-7 細胞凋亡。第三, 從宮粉羊蹄甲種子中提取一種具有抑制腫瘤細胞生長的蛋白酪抑制劑BvvTI 。第四, 從紅花羊蹄甲種子中提取出一與BvvTI 類似的具有抗腫瘤生長的蛋白酶抑制劑BPLTI。 第五，特長秋紫莢豆中存在一個血液凝集素EAPl。EAPL具有制止HIV-l 逆轉錄酶活性, 抗腫瘤, 誘導一氧化氮生成功效。第六, 從另外一種四季豆, 藍虎王, 中提取出一個血液凝集素BTKL。BTKL 通過誘導肝癌HepG2細胞出現DNA 斷裂, 細胞核破壞, 升高線粒體膜通透性, 誘導一氧化氮和細胞因予的表達, 從而導致其凋亡。 / 總之, 上述實驗結果表明, 這六種蛋白具有一定的藥用前景, 可以作為治療艾滋病和不同腫瘤的候造藥物或者候選輔助藥物。進一步體內實驗和臨床實驗評價其療效值得開展。 / Viral pathogens, environmental carcinogens, and unhealthy diets cause severe damage to humans, leading to the acquirement of different stubborn diseases exemplified by AIDS/HIV and neoplasms. Screening of new drugs from natural products, especially from traditional Chinese medicine, provides a promising strategy for these patients. Proteins with potential medicinal applications include ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs), ribonucleases, lectins, protease inhibitors and others. The intent of this research proposal is to isolate and characterize proteins with therapeutic potential from plant seeds. / In this project, six medicinal proteins of different origins have been purified by liquid chromatography. One of them is Momordica charantia lectin (MCL), which is a type 11 RIP from the seeds of bitter gourd (M. charantia, BG), with antitumor activity toward human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo. We have purified a new ribonuclease, named RNase MC2, from BG seeds. It selectively induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells associated with caspase pathways induction and MAPKs activation. Two Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitors, termed BvvTI and BPLTI, have been purified and characterized from the seeds of Bauhinia variegata var. variegata, and B. purpurea L., respectively. EAPL, a lectin with anti-HIV-l reverse transcriptase, antitumor, and nitric oxide (NO) inducing activities was purified from seeds of Phaseolus vulgaris cv. Extralong autumn purple bean. Finally, BTKL is a new P. vulgaris lectin that induced selective toxicity on human liver carcinoma Hep G2 cells. / In conclusion, the above results evince that these proteins are good candidates for the exploration of anti-HIV and/or antitumor drugs or adjuvants. Further research on their efficacies in in vivo as well as clinical trials is warranted. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Detailed summary in vernacular field only. / Fang, Fei. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2012. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 162-187). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese. / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / 中文摘要 (CHINESE ABSTRACT) --- p.iii / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.iv / PUBLICATIONS --- p.v / LIST OF ABBREViATIONS --- p.ix / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.x / LIST OF TABLES --- p.xii / Chapter CHAPTER1 --- GENERAL INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- Prelude --- p.2 / Chapter 1.2 --- Literature review of bitter gourd --- p.4 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Anti-diabetic property of BG --- p.5 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Anti-HIV activity of BG --- p.15 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Antitumor activity of BG --- p.18 / Chapter 1.2.4 --- Looking forward --- p.25 / Chapter 1.2.5 --- Conclusions --- p.29 / Chapter 1.3 --- Research rationale, design, and brief results --- p.35 / Chapter CHAPTER2 --- PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF RIBOSOME INACTIVATING PROTEIN --- p.39 / Chapter 2.1 --- Momordica charantia lectin, a type 11 ribosome inactivating protein, exhibits antitumor activity toward human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo --- p.40 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Introduction --- p.40 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Materials and methods --- p.42 / Chapter 2.1.3 --- Results --- p.46 / Chapter 2.1.4 --- Discussion --- p.59 / Chapter CHAPTER 3 --- PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF RIBONUCLEASE --- p.64 / Chapter 3.1 --- RNase MC2: A new Momordica charantia ribonuclease that selectively induces apoptosis in breast cancer cells associated with MAPKs activation and caspase pathways induction --- p.66 / Chapter 3.1.1 --- Introduction --- p.66 / Chapter 3.1.2 --- Materials and methods --- p.67 / Chapter 3.1.3 --- Results --- p.69 / Chapter 3.1.4 --- Discussion --- p.79 / Chapter CHAPTER 4 --- PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PROTEASE INHIBITORS --- p.84 / Chapter 4.1 --- Bauhinia variegata var variegata trypsin inhibitor: from isolation to potential medicinal applications --- p.86 / Chapter 4.1.1 --- Introduction --- p.86 / Chapter 4.1.2 --- Materials and methods --- p.86 / Chapter 4.1.3 --- Results --- p.89 / Chapter 4.1.4 --- Discussion --- p.97 / Chapter 4.2 --- A potential human hepatocellular carcinoma inhibitor from Bauhinia purpurea L.seeds: From purification to mechanism exploration --- p.99 / Chapter 4.2.1 --- Introduction --- p.99 / Chapter 4.2.2 --- Materials and methods --- p.100 / Chapter 4.2.3 --- Results --- p.101 / Chapter 4.2.4 --- Discussion --- p.112 / Chapter CHAPTER 5 --- PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MEDICINAL LECTINS --- p.114 / Chapter 5.1 --- A Lectin with Anti-HIV-l Reverse Transcriptase, Antitumor and Nitric Oxide Inducing Activities from Seeds of Phaseolus vulgaris cv Extra-long Autumn Purple Bean --- p.116 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Introduction --- p.118 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Materials and methods --- p.119 / Chapter 5.1.3 --- Results --- p.123 / Chapter 5.1.4 --- Discussion --- p.132 / Chapter 5.2 --- A new Phaseolus vulgaris lectin induces selective toxicity on human liver carcinoma Hep G2 cells --- p.136 / Chapter 5.2.1 --- Introduction --- p.136 / Chapter 5.2.2 --- Materials and methods --- p.137 / Chapter 5.2.3 --- Results --- p.138 / Chapter 5.2.4 --- Discussion --- p.150 / Chapter CHAPTER6 --- CONCLUSION AND FUTURE PERSPECTiVES --- p.154 / Chapter 6.1 --- Conclusions --- p.156 / Chapter 6.2 --- Future perspectives --- p.159 / References --- p.162

A 12-kDa ribonuclease was purified from Pleurotus sajor-caju . The ribonuclease inhibited fungi growth and two species of bacteria, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. It reduced the viability of hepatoma and leukemia cells and inhibited translation in a cell-free rabbit reticulocyte lysate system. / A 13-kDa lectin was isolated from Collybia veultipes. Its N-terminal sequence shows some similarity to other fungal immunomodulatory proteins. It stimulated [3H-methyl] thymidine uptake by mouse splenocytes and inhibited proliferation of leukemia cells. / A 14.4-kDa antifungal protein was purified from Agrocybe cylindracea . It exerted antifungal activity but lacked inhibitory activity against bacteria when tested up to 300 muM. It attenuated the activity of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase. / A 17-kDa hemolysin was purified from Pleurotus eryngii. It exhibited cytotoxicity toward leukemia cells but not toward fungi. It exhibited antibacterial activity against Bacillus species. / A 27.5-kDa antifungal protein, with an N-terminal sequence similar to heat shock protein and endoglucanase, was purified from Lentinula edodes. It inhibited fungal growth and exerted an inhibitory activity on HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and proliferation of leukemia cells. / A 7-kDa ubiquitin-like protein was purified from Agrocybe cylindracea . It showed antiproliferative activity on leukemia and hepatoma cell lines, and enhanced nitric oxide production in murine peritoneal macrophages. / An 18-kDa lectin, with an N-terminal sequence similar to some lectins and fungal immunomodulatory proteins, was isolated from Ganoderma capense. It exhibited potent mitogenic activity toward mouse splenocytes, and antiproliferative activity toward leukemia and hepatoma cells. / Mushrooms produce a variety of proteins with interesting biological activities. They include lectins, antifungal proteins, ribonucleases, ubiquitin-like proteins, hemolysins and other peptides. / This study demonstrates that different types of defense proteins with diverse biological activities are produced by mushrooms. Some overlap is observed in the spectra of biological activities of the same type of defense proteins. The results of protein characterization provide crucial information for future genetic manipulation in agricultural and food industries. Studies of the in vitro action of the abovementioned defense proteins on fungi, bacteria, viral enzyme, immune cells and cancer cells indicate that the proteins are potentially exploitable drug agents. / Ngai Hung-kui. / "July 2005." / Adviser: Ng Tzi Bun. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 67-01, Section: B, page: 0012. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 228-294). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.

Cheung, Siu Yuen. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 178-200). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.i / Chinese abstract --- p.iii / Acknowledgements --- p.v / Table of contents --- p.vii / Chapter Chapter One --- General Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1 --- S100 Proteins --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- Structure of S100 proteins --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Possible functions of S100 proteins --- p.4 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- Genomic organization of S100 genes --- p.6 / Chapter 1.1.4 --- Clinical importance of S100 proteins --- p.7 / Chapter 1.2 --- S100A1 Protein --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Possible functions of the S100A1 protein --- p.10 / Chapter 1.2.1.1 --- Regulation of cardiac and skeletal muscle contractility --- p.10 / Chapter 1.2.1.2 --- Functional roles in the central nervous system (CNS) --- p.12 / Chapter 1.2.1.3 --- Other possible functions of the S100A1 protein --- p.13 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- S100A1 knockout mice --- p.14 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Relationships between S100A1 and S100B proteins --- p.16 / Chapter 1.3 --- S100B Protein --- p.18 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Possible functions of S100B protein --- p.19 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- S100B knockout mice --- p.20 / Chapter 1.4 --- RNA interference --- p.22 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Mechanisms of RNA interference --- p.24 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Efficacy and selectivity of siRNA --- p.25 / Chapter 1.4.3 --- siRNA delivery --- p.27 / Chapter 1.5 --- Objective --- p.31 / Figures and legends --- p.34 / Chapter Chapter Two --- S100A1 expression in normal mouse embryos and characterization of S100A1 knockout mouse embryos --- p.40 / Chapter 2.1 --- Introduction --- p.40 / Chapter 2.2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.44 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Mouse strains --- p.44 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- RNA extraction --- p.46 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) --- p.46 / Chapter 2.2.4 --- Protein extraction --- p.48 / Chapter 2.2.5 --- Western blotting --- p.49 / Chapter 2.2.6 --- Immunohistochemical staining --- p.50 / Chapter 2.3 --- Results --- p.53 / Chapter 2.3.1 --- S100A1 mRNA expression in normal mouse embryo --- p.53 / Chapter 2.3.2 --- S100A1 protein expression in normal mouse embryos --- p.55 / Chapter 2.3.2.1 --- Temporal expression of the S100A1 protein --- p.55 / Chapter 2.3.2.2 --- Spatial expression of the S100A1 protein --- p.57 / Chapter 2.3.3 --- Morphological and histological characterization of SI00A1 knockout mouse embryos --- p.60 / Chapter 2.3.4 --- S100B protein expression pattern in Wt and S100A1 KO mouse embryos --- p.62 / Chapter 2.4 --- Discussion --- p.64 / Tables --- p.73 / Figures and legends --- p.76 / Chapter Chapter Three --- Knockdown of S100A1 in S100B in knockout mouse embryos --- p.118 / Chapter 3.1 --- Introduction --- p.118 / Chapter 3.2 --- Materials and Methods --- p.128 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Mouse strains --- p.128 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Short-interfering RNA (siRNA) --- p.129 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- In-uterus surgery --- p.130 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- RNA extraction and RT-PCR --- p.132 / Chapter 3.2.5 --- Immunohistochemical staining of S100A1 and S100B --- p.132 / Chapter 3.3 --- Results --- p.133 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Characterization of S100B knockout mouse embryos --- p.133 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- S100A1 knockdown in S100B wild-type (Wt) mouse embryos --- p.133 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- S100A1 knockdown in S100B knockout (KO) mouse embryos --- p.139 / Chapter 3.4 --- Discussion --- p.146 / Tables --- p.153 / Figures and legends --- p.154 / Chapter Chapter Four --- General Discussion and Conclusions --- p.175 / Reference --- p.178

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Delaware, 2007. / Principal faculty advisor: Abraham M. Lenhoff, Dept. of Chemical Engineering. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Washington, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 63-82).

Not available / text

Understanding the genetic control of gametogenesis is a central goal of developmental biology and is important for treating infertility in humans. An approach to identifying critical genes in mammals is to search for and study homologues of genes known to play key roles in other organisms. In the fly, Drosophila melanogaster, GUS protein is a component of nuage, an electron-dense aggregation in early germ cells, and is required for oocyte development. GUS physically interacts with VASA, an RNA helicase thought to regulate mRNA metabolism. I identified two murine genes, SSB-1 and SSB-4, that are similar to and likely homologues of gus. SSB-1, SSB-4 and GUS each contain two conserved regions, termed the SPRY domain and the SOCS box, respectively. SSB-1 and SSB-4 share about 75% sequence identity and about 70% identity with GUS. Both SSB-1 and SSB-4 RNA and protein were found to be express in mouse ovarian granulosa cells of all stages of folliculogenesis. These cells support oocyte development and also produce steroids. Unexpectedly, SSB-1 and SSB-4 were only weakly or not detectable in oocytes, that contrasts with the expression of GUS in Drosophila oocytes. However, SSB-1 mRNA and protein were expressed in male germ cells; specifically in spermatocytes and spermatids. SSB-1 in spermatids was localized in a specialized structure known as the chromatoid body. Although the function of this structure is not quite clear, it has been compared to nuage, and one of its components is MVH, the murine homologue of VASA. Finally, using RNAi technology, SSB-1 was transiently depleted SSB-1 from a granulosa cell line. These cells showed a transient decrease in expression of the gene encoding P450scc, the rate-limiting enzyme in steroid synthesis. Preliminary results also indicated a decrease in progesterone synthesis. Taken together, these results establish the expression pattern of murine homologues of Drosophila GUS in mouse ovary and testis, reveal it might play function in translation regulation in male spermatogenesis, and identify a potential role in steroidogenesis by ovarian granulosa cells.