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Biomedical subjects

C Kawai

Publications and source records attributed to C Kawai.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources

Persistent uptake of indium-111-antimyosin monoclonal antibody in patients with myocardial infarction.

Indium-111(111In)-antimyosin scintigraphy was investigated in 27 patients with myocardial infarction. 111In-antimyosin Fab was administered intravenously, and planar and single photon emission computed tomographic images were obtained 48 hours later. Uptake of 111In-antimyosin was present in 9 of 10 patients (90%) studied within 6 days of infarction. During the second week positive scans were seen in 16 of 16 patients (100%) including 13 (81%) who had normal creatine kinase levels. The mechanism of persistent positive antimyosin images in the subacute stage of myocardial infarction remains to be clarified. 111In-antimyosin scintigraphy may be useful as a noninvasive method for the detection of myocardial injury late and early after a suspected acute myocardial infarction.

Adult↗

Protective effect of verapamil in ischemic porcine hearts: analysis of ultrastructural and metabolic changes using in vivo 31P-NMR spectroscopy.

To assess the protective effect of verapamil on ischemic myocardium, the changes in high energy phosphates, inorganic phosphate, and intracellular pH were serially and quantitatively measured in ischemic porcine hearts without collateral circulation using 31P-NMR spectroscopy, together with ultrastructural examination. Twenty-six farm pigs weighing 11 to 14 kg were anesthetized with fluothane and were divided into control (C) group and verapamil pretreatment (V) group. In V group 0.2 mg/kg of verapamil was administered for 20 mins before occlusion of the anterior descending coronary artery. 31P-NMR spectra were serially obtained throughout the experiment, and ultrastructural examination was done at 20-min occlusion and at 120-minute occlusion in each group. At 10-min ischemia, creatine phosphate was significantly preserved in V group (C/V = 11 +/- 4%/16 +/- 5% P less than 0.05). At 20 min ischemia, ATP was significantly preserved (C/V = 60 +/- 9%/73 +/- 8% P less than 0.05), and intracellular pH was significantly higher in V group (C/V = 6.4 +/- 0.2/6.6 +/- 0.1 P less than 0.05). Morphologically, clumping of the nuclear chromatin, mitochondrial swelling and decrease in glycogen were milder in V group at 20 min ischemia. However, these beneficial effects disappeared at 120 min ischemia. Thus pretreatment with verapamil attenuated depletion of high energy phosphates, progression of acidosis, and ultrastructural changes. There was no significant difference of rate pressure product and regional blood flow between hearts with and without pretreatment of verapamil. Therefore, this protective effect may be due to the energy sparing effect or other direct subcellular effect of verapamil on ischemic myocyte.

Angiography↗

The viral genome in experimental murine Coxsackievirus B3 myocarditis: a Northern blotting analysis.

The presence of viral genomes in the murine heart in experimental coxsackievirus B3 myocarditis was investigated by Northern blotting analysis. Four-week-old C3H/He mice were inoculated with coxsackievirus B3. After sacrifice, the hearts were divided into 3 parts. Total RNA was extracted from one part of the heart. The other two parts were used for investigation of histopathology and of virus titer by plaque assay. The 32P-labeled cDNA probe was derived from the 5' end sequence of the coxsackievirus B3 genome. Northern blot autoradiograms of heart RNA were positive for viral RNA until day 7 and negative after day 10 and in control (uninfected) hearts. Positive autoradiograms always had the strongest signal at about 7.4 kilobase, corresponding to the size of the complete genome of the virus. The viral genomes were detected earlier than the appearance of the histopathologic changes in the murine heart. This type analysis of the viral genome in the murine myocardium may be useful in evaluating the effects of specific drugs on experimental viral myocarditis at the level of the viral genome.

Animals↗

Pharmacokinetics of indium-111-labeled antimyosin monoclonal antibody in murine experimental viral myocarditis.

The pharmacokinetics of indium-111-labeled antimyosin monoclonal antibody Fab were investigated with use of murine experimental viral myocarditis as a model. The biodistribution of indium-111-labeled antimyosin antibody Fab on days 3, 5, 7, 14, 21 and 28 after encephalomyocarditis virus inoculation demonstrated that myocardial uptake increased significantly on days 5, 7 and 14 (maximum on day 7) in infected versus uninfected mice (p less than 0.001). In vivo kinetics in infected mice on day 7 demonstrated that the heart to blood ratio reached a maximum 48 h after the intravenous administration of indium-111-labeled antimyosin Fab, which was considered to be the optimal time for scintigraphy. The scintigraphic images obtained with indium-111-labeled antimyosin Fab demonstrated positive uptake in the cardiac lesion in infected mice. The pathologic study demonstrated that myocardial uptake correlated well with pathologic grades of myocardial necrosis. High performance liquid chromatography revealed the presence of an antigen-antibody complex in the circulation of infected mice after the injection of indium-111-labeled antimyosin Fab. This antigen bound to indium-111-labeled antimyosin Fab in the circulation might be whole myosin and this complex may decrease myocardial uptake and increase liver uptake. It is concluded that indium-111-labeled antimyosin monoclonal antibody Fab accumulates selectively in damaged heart tissue in mice with acute myocarditis and that indium-111-labeled antimyosin Fab scintigraphy may be a useful method for the visualization of acute myocarditis.

Animals↗

Protective effects of nipradilol, isosorbide dinitrate, and bunazosin on coronary artery constriction induced by intracoronary injection of acetylcholine in pigs.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Protective effects of nipradilol, a newly synthesised vasodilating beta adrenoceptor antagonist, isosorbide dinitrate, and bunazosin on coronary artery constriction induced by intracoronary injection of acetylcholine were determined by coronary arteriography and compared in vivo in pigs. DESIGN: Acetylcholine (12.5, 25, 50, 100 and 200 micrograms) was given into the right coronary artery under left ventricular pacing to maintain constant systemic haemodynamics. Percentage narrowing of the major epicardial coronary artery was used as an indicator of constriction of the large coronary arteries, and the time required for the contrast medium to reach the posterior descending coronary artery from the ostium of the right coronary artery (blood flow delay) was used as an indicator of constriction of the small coronary arteries. SUBJECTS: 15 farm pigs weighing 80 to 90 kg were used. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: A marked blood flow delay of over 7.0 s (control: less than or equal to 1.8 s) with less than 34% narrowing of the epicardial major coronary artery was observed in 13 of 15 pigs with 12.5-50 micrograms of acetylcholine, and in the other two pigs with 100 micrograms of acetylcholine. When marked blood flow delay occurred, the perfused right ventricular myocardium became macroscopically anaemic (ischaemic). Over 75% narrowing of the major epicardial coronary artery was induced in six of the 15 pigs, and over 50% narrowing in 12, with marked blood flow delay with 100 to 200 micrograms of acetylcholine. However, after intracoronary infusion of 10 micrograms of nipradilol, acetylcholine induced narrowing in the epicardial major coronary artery was significantly reduced from 44-79% in control to 19-37% despite 200 micrograms of acetylcholine, though the time delay in coronary blood flow did not change significantly. By pretreatment with intracoronary isosorbide dinitrate (2.5 mg), the percent narrowing of the large coronary artery and the time delay in coronary blood flow were significantly reduced (narrowing from 32-84% to 10-27%; time delay from 7.6-41.6 s to 2.7-22.7 s). Pretreatment with intracoronary bunazosin, an alpha 1 adrenoceptor antagonist (100 micrograms), showed no protective effect on narrowing of the epicardial major coronary artery or blood flow delay. CONCLUSIONS: Isosorbide dinitrate prevents coronary artery constriction induced by acetylcholine in swine. Nipradilol prevents large, but not small, coronary artery constriction, probably through a direct nitrate like vasodilating action.

Acetylcholine↗

The role of oxidized low density lipoprotein in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.

Recently, it has been suggested that oxidized low density lipoprotein (LDL) plays an important role in atherogenesis by facilitating the accumulation of lipids in macrophages. In vitro studies from our laboratory have shown that oxidized LDL is recognized not only by a specific receptor, but also by a receptor which recognizes both oxidized LDL and acetyl LDL. Probucol, originally developed as an antioxidant, prevents the oxidative modification of LDL in vitro. Our recent studies show that probucol prevents the progression of atherosclerosis in homozygous WHHL rabbits in vivo without any changes in plasma LDL cholesterol levels. These results strongly suggest that oxidative modification of LDL could occur in vivo and probucol could slow the progression of atherosclerosis, especially the foam cell-rich fatty streak lesions, without changing plasma cholesterol levels.

Animals↗

Lipoproteins are inhibitors of endothelium-dependent relaxation of rabbit aorta.

The present study was performed to investigate plasma inhibitors of endothelium-dependent relaxation other than hemoglobin and low-density lipoprotein (LDL). We purified an inhibitor that contained a protein of 28,000 Da from human plasma by ammonium sulfate precipitation and serial chromatography. NH2-terminal sequence analysis revealed the protein to be homologous with human apolipoprotein A-I (Apo A-I), a major apolipoprotein of high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), LDL, and HDL obtained from rabbit plasma reversed endothelium-dependent relaxation of rabbit aorta induced by acetylcholine (ACh) and A23187 but did not inhibit relaxations induced by nitroglycerin or nitric oxide. These inhibitory activities were lost by delipidation of lipoproteins, and there were no differences in the inhibitory activity among these three lipoproteins on the basis of phospholipid concentration. Moreover, phospholipids such as phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylinositol, and sphingomyelin reversed relaxations by ACh and A23187. Thus all lipoproteins inhibit endothelium-dependent relaxation, and this nonspecific inhibition seems to be due to the inhibition of production or release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor by phospholipids in the lipoprotein complex.

Animals↗

Prostaglandin I2 half-life regulated by high density lipoprotein is decreased in acute myocardial infarction and unstable angina pectoris.

To investigate the prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) half-life regulated by high density lipoprotein (HDL) in patients with coronary artery disease (CAD), we determined the stability of PGI2 and serum apolipoprotein A-I (Apo A-I) and apolipoprotein A-II (Apo A-II) levels in four age-matched groups of patients: controls (n = 17), angina pectoris (n = 18), unstable angina pectoris (n = 17), myocardial infarction (n = 19) (acute phase, 3.6 +/- 1.7 hours from onset; subacute phase, 75 +/- 15 hours from onset in the same patients). Serum PGI2 half-life and total serum Apo A-I levels were lower in the CAD group than in the control group. PGI2 was least stable in patients with unstable angina and the acute phase of myocardial infarction. In these patients, the molar ratio of Apo A-I to Apo A-II and HDL-associated Apo A-I levels were decreased, and free Apo A-I levels were increased. After in vitro incubation of HDL with increasing amounts of Apo A-II, Apo A-I in HDL was displaced by Apo A-II, with the parallel decrease in stability of PGI2. Free Apo A-I cannot stabilize PGI2. HDL-associated Apo A-I, whose amount is affected by Apo A-II, stabilized PGI2 and correlated well with stability of PGI2 in patients with CAD and control patients. Decreased PGI2 half-life may play an important role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and thrombus formation in the coronary arteries, especially thrombus formation during an acute coronary event.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha↗

Left ventricular regional wall stress in dilated cardiomyopathy.

Left ventriculography with simultaneous pressure micromanometry was performed in 11 normal control subjects and 17 patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Left ventricular silhouettes in the right anterior oblique projection were divided into eight areas, and regional wall stress was computed by Janz's method in each area excluding the two most basal areas. Wall stress was higher in DCM patients than in control subjects (p less than 0.01). The percent area changes from end diastole to end systole in each area were lower in DCM patients than in control subjects (mean for six areas, 22 +/- 14% versus 54 +/- 9%, respectively, p less than 0.01), but the coefficient of variation for the percent area changes in the six areas of the left ventricle in DCM patients was greater than that in control subjects (32 +/- 17% versus 15 +/- 4%, respectively, p less than 0.01), indicating regional differences in hypokinesis. There was a significant negative correlation between end-systolic regional wall stress and percent area change (r = -0.60 to -0.86, p less than 0.05) in each area. Thus, excessive regional afterload may play an important role in causing regional hypokinesis in DCM.

Cardiomyopathy, Dilated↗

Increased hydrolysis of cholesteryl ester with prostacyclin is potentiated by high density lipoprotein through the prostacyclin stabilization.

Prostacyclin (PGI2) has been reported to stimulate activities of acid cholesteryl ester hydrolase (ACEH; EC 3.1.1.13) and neutral cholesteryl ester hydrolase (NCEH; EC 3.1.1.13) in the smooth muscle cells leading to a decrease in intracellular cholesteryl ester. Recently, we have found that the half-life of PGI2 was prolonged through stabilization by HDL. HDL is known to have anti-atherogenic properties, although its precise mechanism has not been fully clarified. We therefore hypothesized that HDL can exert anti-atherogenic action by augmenting PGI2-stimulated increases in the activities of ACEH and NCEH. After incubation with PGI2 and HDL, a cell homogenate was made from which the activities of ACEH and NCEH were assessed. HDL significantly augmented the PGI2-induced increase in the activities of both enzymes. This effect of HDL was abolished in the absence of PGI2. Elevated intracellular levels of cyclic AMP were maintained for longer periods by HDL. The increase in both intracellular cyclic AMP levels and enzyme activities disappeared in the presence of an inhibitor of adenylate cyclase, 2'5'-dideoxyadenosine. Radiolabeled smooth muscle cells demonstrated a significant loss in total cholesterol and cholesteryl ester after treatment with PGI2 and HDL, due to the increase in cholesteryl ester hydrolytic activities. These data suggest that HDL enhanced the PGI2-stimulated hydrolysis of cholesteryl ester and augmented the PGI2-induced reduction of cellular cholesteryl ester content by stabilizing PGI2.

Animals↗

Alteration of propranolol pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics by quinidine in man.

The effects of quinidine on pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of propranolol were investigated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled design. Healthy subjects of group A (n = 5) and group B (n = 11) were given oral propranolol (dose: group A 10 mg, group B 20 mg) with placebo or propranolol with quinidine (dose: group A 100 mg, group B 200 mg) on separate occasions. Quinidine induced a significant rise in the plasma concentrations of propranolol, and the area under the propranolol concentration-time curves (AUC) was also increased about 3-fold in both groups, indicative of an alteration of propranolol pharmacokinetics. In order to estimate the pharmacodynamic action of the pharmacokinetic interaction, the change in the heart rate during treadmill exercise testing was studied in group A. A significant inhibition of exercise-induced tachycardia was observed after administration of propranolol alone, but in combination with quinidine an even greater suppression was evident. These results indicate that the coadministration of propranolol and quinidine provides not only the potentiation of quinidine action by propranolol, which has been reported, but also the enhancement of propranolol action by quinidine, due to an increased plasma concentration of propranolol.

Adult↗

111In monoclonal antimyosin antibody imaging: imaging of myocardial infarction and myocarditis.

A new scintigraphic method to detect myocardial necrosis has been developed using antimyosin monoclonal antibody Fab labeled with indium-111. Using this method, we studied 35 patients with myocardial infarction, 5 patients with myocarditis and 3 patients with angina pectoris. 111In antimyosin Fab was administered intravenously and antimyosin images were recorded by planar and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) 48 hours after injection. Planar images showed discrete localization of 111In antimyosin in 25 of 26 patients within 14 days after the onset of acute myocardial infarction. In 14 of these patients creatine kinase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase and lactic dehydrogenase had already normalized. Positive scans were also obtained in 6 of 12 patients between the third week to the ninth year after the onset of the disease. Three patients with acute myocarditis had positive scans 2 and 4 weeks after the onset of the disease. Thus, 111In antimyosin imaging may be a useful noninvasive method for the diagnosis of coronary diseases and myocarditis. Although the mechanism of persistent positive antimyosin images in the chronic stage remains to be clarified, 111In antimyosin scintigraphy holds potential promise as a non-invasive method for the detection of myocardial injury in the subacute to chronic stage as well as in the acute stage.

Adult↗

Kinetic analyses of creatine kinase release patterns in patients with acute myocardial infarction undergoing emergency coronary arteriography.

To quantify the effects of early reperfusion on the size of infarcts, an enzyme indicator was developed: myocardial creatine kinase (CK) release rate (kr), based on a compartmental kinetics model. In 59 patients with acute myocardial infarction (MI) who received intracoronary thrombolysis therapy in the acute phase, the kr showed a good correlation with the flow condition of infarct-related coronary artery and the time required to reach peak enzyme activity. Apparent serum CK disappearance rate (kd') was estimated by using the method of Norris. The kd' was significantly underestimated in patients without reperfusion, suggesting the presence of prolonged enzyme release from the infarcted area. In 22 of 59 patients, who had a first acute anterior MI (left anterior descending arterial lesion), the correction of cumulative enzyme release by myocardial enzyme release (kr) resulted in a closer correlation with chronic phase left ventricular function. Thus, kinetic analyses of serum enzyme release provide a useful means to estimate the infarct size during intracoronary thrombolysis therapy.

Adult↗

Intravenous recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator in patients with acute myocardial infarction--a report from the multicenter thrombolysis trial.

The efficacy and safety of intravenous infusion of human tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA), developed in Japan (TD-2061), were investigated in 205 patients (154 men and 51 women) with evolving myocardial infarction (EMI). TD-2061 was given at a rate of 3.2 to 50 mg over 1 h after angiographic documentation of complete or subtotal (99%) occlusion. Nineteen patients were excluded as they did not meet the inclusion criteria. A total of 186 patients were divided into 6 groups according to the total dose given: Group I, 3.2 mg, 10 patients (pts); Group II, 6.4 mg, 15 pts; Group III, 12.8 mg, 15 pts; Group IV, 25.6 mg, 38 pts; Group V, 33.3 mg, 70 pts; Group VI, 50.0 mg, 38 pts. Ages ranged from 30 to 70 years (mean 60 +/- 1). Coronary angiography was done at 30 min and 1 h. In patients with TIMI grades 0 and 1, reperfusion was accomplished after 1 h in 22% of Group I, 50% of Group II, 64% of Group III, 70% of Group IV, 67% of Group V, and 74% of Group VI patients. Complications were hypotension, nausea and vomiting, bradycardia and bleeding at the puncture site. These findings suggest that clot-selective coronary thrombolysis can be induced in patients with EMI by means of human tissue-type plasminogen activator without concomitant induction of a severe systemic lytic state. The optimal dose for Japanese patients is considered to be 33.3-50.0 mg from the standpoint of reperfusion.

Adult↗

Two types of delayed rectifying K+ channels in atrial cells of guinea pig heart.

Whole-cell clamp experiments revealed the double exponential deactivation of the delayed rectifier K+ current in single guinea pig atrial myocytes. Two types of K(+)-selective channels were identified by applying repolarizing voltage pulses to cell-free patches from atrial cell membrane, where inward-rectifier, ATP-sensitive, and muscarinic K+ channels were all inactivated. Under a symmetrical 150 mM K+ condition, single channel conductances of the channels were 10 and 3 pS. The reversal potential obtained from the unitary current-voltage relation coincided with the equilibrium potential for K+. Ensemble averages of both types of single channel currents showed deactivation kinetics upon hyperpolarizing to potentials between -40 and -120 mV. The more positive the pre-pulse potential, the greater was the peak ensemble current. It is concluded that these two channels are responsible for atrial delayed rectifying K+ currents.

Animals↗

[Magnetic resonance angiography using a magnetic resonance flow tagging technique].

A direct bolus imaging method, which was developed for flow quantitation, was applied to the cervical regions of four normal volunteers to perform magnetic resonance angiography. A transverse section of 10 mm thickness was selectively excited to tag blood flow in the supraclavicular region and a projected image of the tagged bolus viewed in terms of anteroposterior direction was obtained after the echo time (TE). Like cine magnetic resonance imaging, multiple images representing four to 16 cardiac phases were obtained with repeated excitations. With a relatively long TE, ranging from 50 to 200 msec, we advanced tagged blood farther downstream, so as to elongate the visualized bolus along the vessel. Within the visualized bolus, the outer layer close to the vessel wall, where the blood flow velocity was slow, stretched like long tails behind the central part of the bolus producing arrow-head shapes, and the tails were assumed to represent the vascular structure. Bilateral common carotid and vertebral arteries were visualized in each image size approximately 5 cm obtained at the systolic phase. Since prolonged TE yielded less signal intensity, the bolus was not clearly visualized when TE was longer than 100 msec. The cine display of images with multiple cardiac phases produced good evaluations of dynamic changes of pulsatile flow, and this method is expected to be a useful diagnostic tool which combines the capability of flow quantitation with non-invasive angiography. The accuracy of this method in delineating a stenotic lesion was also evaluated using phantom with steady flow, since it is one of the most important capabilities of a clinically used angiographic method.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Angiography↗