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Biomedical subjects

A Koyama

Publications and source records attributed to A Koyama.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Imaging of hydroperoxides in a rat glomerulus stimulated by puromycin aminonucleoside.

BACKGROUND: To determine the locus of the increased oxidation induced by puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN), we imaged hydroperoxides in glomeruli stimulated by PAN in vivo and in vitro. METHODS: Dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) in cells makes dichlorofluorescein, a substance that fluoresces when reacted with hydroperoxides. Fluorescence was detected using a photon detection video camera connected to a microscope. Two kinds of isolated glomeruli of Wistar rats were examined. One was the glomerulus obtained from rats on the seventh day following the injection of PAN. In this case, glomeruli were incubated in a buffer containing 5 mM DCFH-DA. Another was the glomerulus collected at 30 minutes after a large amount of DCFH-DA was intravenously injected. These glomeruli were incubated with either PAN or phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) in Krebs-Henseleite bicarbonate buffer. RESULTS: The images from the glomeruli treated by PAN in vivo resemble pictures of a galaxy by telescope. When the glomeruli were treated by PAN in vitro, two localized points appeared in each glomerulus after 15 minutes of incubation with PAN, and after 75 minutes of incubation, the fluorescence spread throughout the glomerulus. When glomeruli were incubated with PMA, two points that gave a very strong fluorescence were observed in each glomerulus, but they did not spread throughout the glomeruli. In both experiments, glomeruli without stimulants did not fluoresce. CONCLUSION: Increases in hydroperoxides were observed in the glomeruli from rats made nephrotic by exposure to PAN, and were also observed in glomeruli following 15 minutes of incubation with PAN in vitro.

Animals↗

Formation of guanidinosuccinic acid, a stable nitric oxide mimic, from argininosuccinic acid and nitric oxide-derived free radicals.

Guanidinosuccinic acid (GSA) is noted for its nitric oxide (NO) mimicking actions such as vasodilatation and activation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. We have reported that GSA is the product of argininosuccinate (ASA) and some reactive oxygen species, mainly the hydroxyl radical. We tested for GSA synthesis in the presence of NO donors. ASA (1 mM) was incubated with NOR-2, NOC-7 or 3-morpholinosydomine hydrochloride (SIN-1) at 37 degrees C. GSA was determined by HPLC using a cationic resin for separation and phenanthrenequinone as an indicator. Neither NOR-2 or NOC-7 formed GSA. SIN-1, on the other hand, generates NO and the superoxide anion which, in turn, generated peroxynitrite which was then converted to the hydroxyl radical. Incubation of ASA with SIN-1 leads, via this route, to GSA. When ASA was incubated with 1 mM SIN-1, the amount of GSA produced depended on the incubation time and the concentration of ASA. Among the tested SIN-1 concentrations, from 0.5 to 5 mM, GSA synthesis was maximum at 0.5 mM and decreased with increasing concentrations of SIN-1. Carboxy-PTIO, a NO scavenger, completely inhibited GSA synthesis. SOD, a superoxide scavenger, decreased GSA synthesis by 20%, and catalase inhibited GSA synthesis only by 12%; DMSO, a hydroxyl radical scavenger completely inhibited GSA synthesis in the presence of SIN-1. These data suggest that the hydroxyl radical derived from a combination of NO and the superoxide anion generates GSA, a stable NO mimic. Meanwhile, synthesis of GSA by NO produces reactive oxygen and activates the NMDA receptor that generates NO from GSA, suggesting a positive feed back mechanism.

Argininosuccinic Acid↗

Endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene polymorphism in intron 4 affects the progression of renal failure in non-diabetic renal diseases.

BACKGROUND: Nitric oxide is a very potent regulator of intrarenal haemodynamics and is thought to be an important factor in the deterioration of renal function. Our study sought to verify the hypothesis that endothelial nitric oxide synthase (ecNOS) gene polymorphism in intron 4 might have some relevance to progression in chronic renal failure. METHODS: We studied the frequencies of gene polymorphism of ecNOS intron 4 in patients with end-stage renal disease (302 cases) and compared it with that of healthy subjects (248 cases). ecNOS genotypes were determined by the polymerase chain reaction, followed by agarose gel electrophoresis. RESULTS: Two alleles of ecNOS intron 4, labelled a and b could be detected; a has four and b has five tandem 27-bp repeats. The frequencies of ecNOS4b/b, ecNOS4b/a, ecNOS4a/a genotypes were 81.0% (201/248), 19. 0% (47/248), 0.0% (0/248) in the control group, and 74.8% (226/302), 23.5% (71/302), l.7% (5/302) in all the patients, 72.7% (168/231), 25.1% (58/231), 2.2% (5/231) in the group with end-stage renal diseases, excluding diabetic nephropathy (non-DM group), and 81.7% (58/71), 18.3% (13/71), 0.0% (0/71) in diabetic nephropathy (DM group) respectively. The frequency of the ecNOS4a (ecNOSb/a, and ecNOSa/a) in all the patients and in the non-DM group were significantly higher than that in the control group (P=0.021; P=0. 0096 respectively). In contrast, there was no significant difference in the frequencies of ecNOS genotypes between the DM group and the control group (P=0.81). CONCLUSION: Among the frequencies of ecNOS intron 4 gene polymorphism, a allele displayed a significantly higher frequency in cases with end-stage renal failure (ESRF) not caused by diabetic nephropathy. ecNOS gene polymorphism in intron 4 appears, therefore, to affect the progression of renal failure in non- diabetic renal diseases, but the same conclusion could not be drawn in diabetic nephropathy.

Adult↗

Hemodialysis neutropenia correlates with a decreased filterability and an increase in the number of cytoplasmic actin filaments in peripheral blood neutrophils, which is preceded by a decrease in the number of surface expression of L-selectin.

In order to clarify the precise cellular mechanism of hemodialysis neutropenia, we examined the changes in the viscoelasticity of peripheral blood neutrophils using both the micropore and the microchannel filtration methods, and the changes in the neutrophil surface expression of Mac-1, L-selectin and sialyl Lewis X and the cytoplasmic expression of the actin filaments using a flow cytometric analysis during a dialysis session. Five patients with chronic renal failure were selected who showed a nadir leukocyte count in peripheral blood at 30 min after the initiation of the dialysis session. The neutrophil count also reached a nadir at 30 min and thereafter returned to almost the predialysis level by 180 min. Both the micropore filtration time and the microchannel passage time, which reflect the viscoelasticity of the peripheral blood neutrophils, correlated inversely with the neutrophil count. At the nadir of neutropenia, the neutrophils were observed to have become both adhesive and viscoelastic. The actin filaments in the neutrophil cytoplasm gradually increased in number from the start of dialysis, reaching a peak level at 30 min, and thereafter decreasing to predialysis levels. The Mac-1 expression continuously increased up from 30 min until the end of dialysis. The L-selectin expression first decreased at 15 min, but thereafter returned to predialysis levels within 60 min. The SLex expression did not change throughout the course of the session. These results thus indicated the neutrophil counts during a dialysis session to inversely correlate with the viscoelasticity of the neutrophils expressed by the micropore filtration time or microchannel passage time, which possibly depends on the contents of cytoplasmic actin filaments. In addition, the shedding of L-selectin from neutrophil surface may also be involved in the first step of hemodialysis neutropenia.

Actin Cytoskeleton↗

The outer membrane protein I of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, a possible pollutant of dialysate in hemodialysis, induces cytokines in mouse bone marrow cells.

The finding of outer membrane protein I (OprI) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in hemodialyzers used by patients with end-stage renal failure led us to study the possible role of OprI as cytokine inducer. However, there are few reports on the biological activity of OprI, because it is difficult to obtain highly purified OprI. In this study, we attempt to establish a procedure for the efficient purification of OprI, which does not include lipopolysaccharide, from the bacterial culture broth, not hemodialyzers, to demonstrate that OprI is a potent cytokine inducer. From bacterial culture broth (1 liter), P. aeruginosa PAO1, which was confirmed previously by the sequence coding, was separated by centrifugation, high-performance liquid chromatography, and disk electrophoresis. Mouse bone marrow cells were stimulated by purified OprI, and the supernatants of the culture were analyzed by several enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. The tumor necrosis factor alpha production stimulated by purified OprI was confirmed and degraded within 24 h. Furthermore, interleukin (IL) 1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor were also induced by OprI despite the absence of lipopolysaccharide. We conclude that OprI has the potential to induce tumor necrosis factor alpha production in mouse bone marrow cells and that tumor necrosis factor alpha contributes to the induction of inflammatory cytokines, namely IL-1alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6, and granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor, while lipopolysaccharide has little effect on these cells. These results suggest the presence of a pathway of inflammatory signal transduction triggered by OprI. In addition, OprI is possibly one of the harmful dialysate pollutants in hemodialysis patients besides the well-known lipopolysaccharide.

Animals↗

[A case of nephrotic syndrome associated with myasthenia gravis and malignant thymoma].

A 26-year-old woman who presented facial and lower leg edema associated with massive proteinuria was admitted to our hospital in February 1992. Nine months before this admission, she exhibited myasthenia gravis and malignant thymoma, and underwent total thymectomy. On admission, there was no symptom of myasthenia gravis. She was diagnosed as having nephrotic syndrome and the first renal biopsy was performed. The histological findings showed membranous nephropathy. Immunofluorescent microscopy revealed that IgG and C3 were stained in a granular pattern in the periphery, and subepithelial deposits were observed in the basement membrane of the glomerulus by electron microscopy. With the administration of prednisolone, proteinuria disappeared and the nephrotic syndrome remitted. She was admitted again in January 1993 due to proteinuria and lower leg edema following cystitis. The findings of the second renal biopsy were unremarkable. She was administered cyclosporin A to improve the nephrotic syndrome and to reduce the side effects of prednisolone. The proteinuria disappeared again and this effect was dependent on the dose of cyclosporin A. Since the first administration, no symptoms of myasthenia gravis or malignant thymoma have been observed. The relationships among myasthenia gravis, malignant thymoma and nephrotic syndrome were examined. Although the first renal biopsy findings showed membranous nephropathy, from the therapeutic responses of both prednisolone and cyclosporin A, the main course of proteinuria in this case may have been due to minimal change nephrotic syndrome. We consider this case of nephrotic syndrome to be important considering its etiology and the relationship between the histological findings and its clinical course.

Adult↗

[Renal glucosuria and membranous glomerulonephritis in chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy: CIDP].

Glucosuria was detected in a 7-year-old boy by a routine school mass examination in April 1991. The diagnosis of renal glucosuria was made in the affiliated hospital of the University of Tsukuba. The patient developed muscle weakness and gait disturbance in February 1993. Spinal fluid examination revealed a protein level of 62 mg/dl and a cell count of 4/3. Under the diagnosis of Guillain-Barré syndrome, he was treated with i.v. immunoglobulin and oral prednisolone. Although the therapy somewhat improved the symptoms, his muscle strength had not fully recovered at the end of the treatment. In November 1995, the muscle weakness became worse; he could not go up stairs, nor stand upright on one leg. In April 1996, proteinuria was detected in a school mass examination. He was referred to the University Hospital of Tsukuba for a full renal study in March 1997. Renal biopsy revealed global sclerosis in 16 of 19 glomeruli with extensive interstitial fibrosis and mononuclear cell infiltration. A diagnosis of membranous glomerulonephritis was established based on the findings of spikes in PASM staining, weak IgG deposition in the glomerular capillary and subepithelial deposits by electron microscopic study. Additionally, pituitary growth hormone deficiency was found by endocrinological examination. The diagnosis of CIDP was established by fibulal neuron biopsy, which revealed neuronal degeneration and profound demyelinization. The clinical course of the present case was unlike that of the few reported cases of MGN associated with CIDP described in the literature. The initial renal symptom was glucosuria, which started 5 years prior to the onset of proteinuria. Second, glomerulosclerosis was more extensive than that seen in the literature. We surmise that chronic interstitial nephritis of insidious onset was followed by MGN which developed subsequently, probably at the time of the start of proteinuria.

Adolescent↗

Transcortical sensory aphasia following left frontal infarction.

Two right-handed patients who exhibited language disability after left frontal infarction are described. The patients spoke fluently and exhibited excellent repetition ability from the onset of infarction without exhibiting any oral apraxia, but had deficits in auditory comprehension, naming, reading and writing. In both patients, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed infarction in the left inferior frontal gyrus, the middle frontal gyrus and the anterior part of the lower precentral gyrus. Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) revealed decreased blood flow in the same regions as those shown to be infarcted by MRI. The MRI and SPECT findings and the symptoms of these patients suggest that left frontal lesions that encompass Broca's area produce fluent aphasia if the posterior part of the left precentral gyrus or motor cortex remains intact and that lesions anterior to Broca's area and the middle frontal gyrus produce a deficit in auditory comprehension of single words as well as sentences.

Aphasia, Wernicke↗

Polymyalgia rheumatica in a patient with acute tubulointerstitial nephritis due to Sjögren's syndrome.

A 68-year-old Japanese woman with polymyalgia rheumatica associated with acute tubulointerstitial nephritis and subclinical Sjögren's syndrome is described. Gallium scintigraphy showed marked accumulation in both kidneys and the salivary glands. Renal biopsy revealed lymphocytic infiltration in the tubulointerstitium. She was treated with intravenous high-dose methylprednisolone followed by oral prednisolone. Her clinical symptoms improved. This is the first report of this particular association.

Aged↗

Synthesis of creatol, a hydroxyl radical adduct of creatinine and its increase by puromycin aminonucleoside in isolated rat hepatocytes.

Creatol is a hydroxyl radical adduct of creatinine and the precursor of methylguanidine (MG), a uremic toxin. We investigate the synthesis of creatol and MG from creatinine and the effect of substances that affect the hydroxyl radical in isolated rat hepatocytes. In the presence of increasing concentrations of creatinine, rising level of creatol were found after 2 h incubation in Krebs-Henseleit bicarbonate buffer. However, further increase of creatol was not observed after 4 and 6h incubations. On the other hand, MG after 2 h incubation achieved a level of about 50% that of creatol and increased depending on both the creatinine concentration and the incubation period. DMSO, a hydroxyl radical scavenger decreased the generation of creatol and MG by about 50% at 2.5 mM and the inhibition depended on DMSO concentration. Puromycin amino-nucleoside (PAN) increased both by about 170%. These findings demonstrated that hepatocytes synthesize creatol prior to MG and are inhibited by a hydroxyl] radical scavenger. They also show that PAN increased hydroxyl radical generation in tissue cells.

Animals↗

Effects of FK506 on experimental membranous glomerulonephritis induced by cationized bovine serum albumin in rats.

BACKGROUND: There have been no reports on the effect of FK5 06, a new immunosuppressive agent, on experimental membranous glomerulonephritis (MN) induced by an exogenous antigen. Therefore we investigated the effects of FK506 on MN induced by cationized bovine serum albumin (C-BSA) in rats. METHODS: Two weeks after the rats were immunized with 1 mg of C-BSA and Freund's complete adjuvant, they received intravenous injections of 3 mg/kg of C-BSA 3 times weekly for 4 weeks. Rats were divided into four groups: group A (n = 5) received intramuscular injections of 3 mg/kg of FK506 daily for 5 days beginning 2 days before the first immunization; group B (n =4) received 1 mg/kg of FK506 daily for 2 weeks beginning 2 weeks after the first immunization; and group C (n =4) received 1 mg/kg of FK506 daily for 2 weeks beginning 4 weeks after the first immunization. Group D (n = 5) received no FK506 and served as the control group. Rats were sacrificed 8 weeks after the first immunization. RESULTS: Administration of FK506 in the preimmunization stage almost completely suppressed the development of MN in group A. Histological findings in groups B and C were similar to those in group D, the control group. However, urinary protein excretion was significantly lower in group B (24+/-46 mg/day) and C (220+/-44 mg/day) than in group D (330+/-61 mg/day). Expression of intracellular adhesion molecule-1 in glomeruli and the number of leukocyte functioning-associated molecules-1 were significantly decreased in groups A, B, and C compared with the control group. Administration of FK506 was not associated with any significant side-effects or histological abnormalities. The whole-blood trough levels of FK506 in groups B and C were 9.1 ng/ml and 9.2 ng/ml respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy of FK506 was significantly increased when the drug was administered in the early phase of immunization in this model. The present study suggests that FK506 may be useful in patients with intractable nephrotic syndrome such as MN.

Animals↗