Author
Chao Zhang
Other affiliations: West Virginia University, University of Oklahoma, Rice University ...read more
Bio: Chao Zhang is an academic researcher from Beihang University. The author has contributed to research in topics: Medicine & Materials science. The author has an hindex of 127, co-authored 3119 publications receiving 84711 citations. Previous affiliations of Chao Zhang include West Virginia University & University of Oklahoma.
Topics: Medicine, Materials science, Computer science, Physics, Graphene
Papers published on a yearly basis
Papers
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TL;DR: O surto do novo coronavÃrus (COVID-19) em Wuhan, China, iniciado em dezembro de 2019, evoluiu para se tornar uma pandemia global A.
6,850 citations
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TL;DR: The structure-guided discovery of PLX4032 (RG7204), a potent inhibitor of oncogenic B-RAF kinase activity, and a remarkably high 81% response rate in metastatic melanoma patients treated at an oral dose of 960 mg twice daily are described, demonstrating that BRAF-mutant melanomas are highly dependent on B- RAF kinases activity.
Abstract: B-RAF is the most frequently mutated protein kinase in human cancers.1 The finding that oncogenic mutations in BRAF are common in melanoma2 followed by the demonstration that these tumors are dependent on the RAF/MEK/ERK pathway3 offered hope that inhibition of B-RAF kinase activity could benefit melanoma patients. Herein, we describe the structure-guided discovery of PLX4032 (RG7204), a potent inhibitor of oncogenic B-RAF kinase activity. Preclinical experiments demonstrated that PLX4032 selectively blocked the RAF/MEK/ERK pathway in BRAF mutant cells and caused regression of BRAF mutant xenografts.4 Toxicology studies confirmed a wide safety margin consistent with the high degree of selectivity, enabling Phase 1 clinical trials using a crystalline formulation of PLX4032.5 In a subset of melanoma patients, pathway inhibition was monitored in paired biopsy specimens collected before treatment initiation and following two weeks of treatment. This analysis revealed substantial inhibition of ERK phosphorylation, yet clinical evaluation did not show tumor regressions. At higher drug exposures afforded by a new amorphous drug formulation,4,5 greater than 80% inhibition of ERK phosphorylation in the tumors of patients correlated with clinical response. Indeed, the Phase 1 clinical data revealed a remarkably high 81% response rate in metastatic melanoma patients treated at an oral dose of 960 mg twice daily.5 These data demonstrate that BRAF-mutant melanomas are highly dependent on B-RAF kinase activity.
1,641 citations
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TL;DR: Because RAF inhibitors do not inhibit ERK signalling in other cells, the model predicts that they would have a higher therapeutic index and greater antitumour activity than mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK) inhibitors, but could also cause toxicity due to MEK/ERK activation.
Abstract: Tumours with mutant BRAF are dependent on the RAF-MEK-ERK signalling pathway for their growth. We found that ATP-competitive RAF inhibitors inhibit ERK signalling in cells with mutant BRAF, but unexpectedly enhance signalling in cells with wild-type BRAF. Here we demonstrate the mechanistic basis for these findings. We used chemical genetic methods to show that drug-mediated transactivation of RAF dimers is responsible for paradoxical activation of the enzyme by inhibitors. Induction of ERK signalling requires direct binding of the drug to the ATP-binding site of one kinase of the dimer and is dependent on RAS activity. Drug binding to one member of RAF homodimers (CRAF-CRAF) or heterodimers (CRAF-BRAF) inhibits one protomer, but results in transactivation of the drug-free protomer. In BRAF(V600E) tumours, RAS is not activated, thus transactivation is minimal and ERK signalling is inhibited in cells exposed to RAF inhibitors. These results indicate that RAF inhibitors will be effective in tumours in which BRAF is mutated. Furthermore, because RAF inhibitors do not inhibit ERK signalling in other cells, the model predicts that they would have a higher therapeutic index and greater antitumour activity than mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK) inhibitors, but could also cause toxicity due to MEK/ERK activation. These predictions have been borne out in a recent clinical trial of the RAF inhibitor PLX4032 (refs 4, 5). The model indicates that promotion of RAF dimerization by elevation of wild-type RAF expression or RAS activity could lead to drug resistance in mutant BRAF tumours. In agreement with this prediction, RAF inhibitors do not inhibit ERK signalling in cells that coexpress BRAF(V600E) and mutant RAS.
1,599 citations
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1,447 citations
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TL;DR: PLX4720, a 7-azaindole derivative that inhibits B-RafV600E with an IC50 of 13 nM, defines a class of kinase inhibitor with marked selectivity in both biochemical and cellular assays and represents the entire discovery process from initial identification through structural and biological studies in animal models to a promising therapeutic for testing in cancer patients bearing B- RafV 600E-driven tumors.
Abstract: BRAF(V600E) is the most frequent oncogenic protein kinase mutation known. Furthermore, inhibitors targeting "active" protein kinases have demonstrated significant utility in the therapeutic repertoire against cancer. Therefore, we pursued the development of specific kinase inhibitors targeting B-Raf, and the V600E allele in particular. By using a structure-guided discovery approach, a potent and selective inhibitor of active B-Raf has been discovered. PLX4720, a 7-azaindole derivative that inhibits B-Raf(V600E) with an IC(50) of 13 nM, defines a class of kinase inhibitor with marked selectivity in both biochemical and cellular assays. PLX4720 preferentially inhibits the active B-Raf(V600E) kinase compared with a broad spectrum of other kinases, and potent cytotoxic effects are also exclusive to cells bearing the V600E allele. Consistent with the high degree of selectivity, ERK phosphorylation is potently inhibited by PLX4720 in B-Raf(V600E)-bearing tumor cell lines but not in cells lacking oncogenic B-Raf. In melanoma models, PLX4720 induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis exclusively in B-Raf(V600E)-positive cells. In B-Raf(V600E)-dependent tumor xenograft models, orally dosed PLX4720 causes significant tumor growth delays, including tumor regressions, without evidence of toxicity. The work described here represents the entire discovery process, from initial identification through structural and biological studies in animal models to a promising therapeutic for testing in cancer patients bearing B-Raf(V600E)-driven tumors.
1,295 citations
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TL;DR: There is, I think, something ethereal about i —the square root of minus one, which seems an odd beast at that time—an intruder hovering on the edge of reality.
Abstract: There is, I think, something ethereal about i —the square root of minus one. I remember first hearing about it at school. It seemed an odd beast at that time—an intruder hovering on the edge of reality.
Usually familiarity dulls this sense of the bizarre, but in the case of i it was the reverse: over the years the sense of its surreal nature intensified. It seemed that it was impossible to write mathematics that described the real world in …
33,785 citations
01 May 1993
TL;DR: Comparing the results to the fastest reported vectorized Cray Y-MP and C90 algorithm shows that the current generation of parallel machines is competitive with conventional vector supercomputers even for small problems.
Abstract: Three parallel algorithms for classical molecular dynamics are presented. The first assigns each processor a fixed subset of atoms; the second assigns each a fixed subset of inter-atomic forces to compute; the third assigns each a fixed spatial region. The algorithms are suitable for molecular dynamics models which can be difficult to parallelize efficiently—those with short-range forces where the neighbors of each atom change rapidly. They can be implemented on any distributed-memory parallel machine which allows for message-passing of data between independently executing processors. The algorithms are tested on a standard Lennard-Jones benchmark problem for system sizes ranging from 500 to 100,000,000 atoms on several parallel supercomputers--the nCUBE 2, Intel iPSC/860 and Paragon, and Cray T3D. Comparing the results to the fastest reported vectorized Cray Y-MP and C90 algorithm shows that the current generation of parallel machines is competitive with conventional vector supercomputers even for small problems. For large problems, the spatial algorithm achieves parallel efficiencies of 90% and a 1840-node Intel Paragon performs up to 165 faster than a single Cray C9O processor. Trade-offs between the three algorithms and guidelines for adapting them to more complex molecular dynamics simulations are also discussed.
29,323 citations
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28,685 citations
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TL;DR: Wang et al. as discussed by the authors used univariable and multivariable logistic regression methods to explore the risk factors associated with in-hospital death, including older age, high SOFA score and d-dimer greater than 1 μg/mL.
20,189 citations
28 Jul 2005
TL;DR: PfPMP1)与感染红细胞、树突状组胞以及胎盘的单个或多个受体作用,在黏附及免疫逃避中起关键的作�ly.
Abstract: 抗原变异可使得多种致病微生物易于逃避宿主免疫应答。表达在感染红细胞表面的恶性疟原虫红细胞表面蛋白1(PfPMP1)与感染红细胞、内皮细胞、树突状细胞以及胎盘的单个或多个受体作用,在黏附及免疫逃避中起关键的作用。每个单倍体基因组var基因家族编码约60种成员,通过启动转录不同的var基因变异体为抗原变异提供了分子基础。
18,940 citations