Can you provide me with published research conducted by Dr. Wentz?
Much of the research performed by Dr. Wentz and his laboratories (Gull Labs and USANA) is privately funded and has not been published. Below are a few abstracts from published studies conducted by Dr. Wentz and other USANA scientists. All other USANA clinical research can be found at: https://askthescientists.com/qa/usana-clinical-research/
Preobrazhensky S, Malugin A, Wentz M. Flow cytometric assay for evaluation of the effects of cell density on cytotoxicity and induction of apoptosis. Cytometry. 2001;43(3):199-203.
BACKGROUND: We used a flow cytometric assay, which allows us to perform precise measurements within a wide range of cell concentrations to study the effect of the density of cultured cells on their sensitivity to cytotoxic compounds. METHODS: To measure cytotoxic action, cells are plated in a 96-well plate at a density ranging from 700 to 100,000 cells/ml and are allowed to grow for 72 h in the presence of various concentrations of a cytotoxic agent. To quantitate the number of surviving cells, each sample is analyzed in a flow cytometer with equal acquisition time. Viable cells are identified by light scattering characteristics identical to those for untreated cells. To estimate the amount of viable, apoptotic, or necrotic (late apoptotic) cells, the samples are stained with Annexin V and propidium iodide. RESULTS: Using this method, we found that the cytotoxicity of ascorbic acid for malignant lymphoid CEM-C7 cells can be increased significantly when cell density decreases, reaching a value that is typically lower than the normal physiological concentration of ascorbic acid in blood. CONCLUSION: The flow cytometric analysis described in this study can be useful in comparing the effects of cell density on the cytotoxic action of various compounds.
Preobrazhensky S, Trakht I, Chestkov V, Wentz M. Monoclonal antibody-based immunoassay for evaluation of lipoprotein oxidation. Anal Biochem. 1995;227(1):225-34.
Numerous reports indicate that the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) can significantly change its metabolic and physiological properties. Most methods for evaluation of LDL oxidation require isolation of lipoprotein, making the procedure laborious and increasing the probability of artifactual modification of LDL. In this paper we describe an immunochemical approach which can be used to measure the oxidation of isolated LDL and apoprotein B in unfractionated serum and to evaluate the effects of antioxidants on these processes. The procedure is based on differential recognition by monoclonal antibodies of native and oxidized lipoproteins. The results obtained with our assay indicate a strong correlation between the changes of apo B epitope expression during oxidation and the formation of conjugated dienes, changes in lipoprotein electrophoretic mobility, and interaction with fibroblast and macrophage receptors. The sensitivity of apo B to oxidation varies greatly among serum samples obtained from individual donors. These differences do not correlate with the differences in sensitivity to oxidation of LDL isolated from the blood samples of the same donors. It is also shown that apo B oxidation in serum can be progressively inhibited in the presence of increasing amounts of various antioxidants.
Mazumder P, Chuang HY, Wentz MW, Wiedbrauk DL. Latex agglutination test for detection of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii. J Clin Microbiol. 1988;26(11):2444-6.
A resurgence of interest in Toxoplasma gondii has occurred because this coccidian parasite causes lethal infections in immunologically compromised hosts and is responsible for at least 3,000 congenitally infected infants in the United States annually. Thus, rapid, specific, and inexpensive serologic tests are required for routine screening of patients, especially pregnant women. We have developed a latex agglutination test for antibodies to T. gondii which utilizes covalently coupled T. gondii antigens. When compared with an indirect immunofluorescence assay, the latex test had a sensitivity of 94% and specificity of 100%. Compared with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, the latex test had 86% sensitivity and 100% specificity. When testing samples which exhibited nonspecific polar staining by the immunofluorescence assay, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay had a 50% false-positive rate, whereas the latex agglutination test yielded no false-positive results. Thus, the latex agglutination test provided an efficacious method for routine serological screening for antibodies to T. gondii.
