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Biomedical subjects

E Suzuki

Publications and source records attributed to E Suzuki.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1999

[Two cases of silicosis exhibiting MPO-ANCA associated disorder].

We reported two cases of silicosis exhibiting MPO-ANCA associated disorder. Case 1 was a 69 year-old man with silicosis and chronic interstitial pneumonia. He was admitted because of fever, dry cough, left chest pain, dyspnea and body weight loss. He was diagnosed as acute exacerbation of interstitial pneumonia, pericarditis and gastrointestinal bleeding. Case 2 was a 67 year-old man with silicosis. He repeated attack of fever, hoarseness, dysphagia and headache. The cell counts of cerebrospinal fluid increased and the thickness of cerebellar tent and left dura mater was observed in the brain MRI. Therefore, he was diagnosed as pachymeningitis and neuropathy of cranial nerves. Both cases were complicated by silicosis and the laboratory findings showed high serum levels of P-ANCA, ANA and rheumatoid factor and inflammatory responses, indicating they were suspected vasculitis. The two cases were treated by steroid and immunosuppressive therapy and had good clinical response. Silicosis may affect multiple organ involvement associated with P-ANCA.

Aged↗
PubMed1999

History of Kyoto Pharmaceutical University.

The origin of Kyoto Pharmaceutical University dates back to the year 1884, when the German School of Kyoto was founded in Kamigyo Ward. Those who established this school were disciples of Rudolf Lehmann, who came to Japan in 1869 and was employed as a teacher of German and mathematics by Kyoto Prefecture in the following year. After he had taught in Ogakusha, or the European Learnings School, and other prefectural schools in Kyoto, he moved to Tokyo in 1882. Soon after the establishment of the German School of Kyoto, the Pharmaceutical Department was set up as an additional course. In 1890, this department was closed and a new school named the Pharmaceutical School of Kyoto was established. This school developed into Kyoto Pharmaceutical College in 1919 and then to Kyoto Parmaceutical University in 1949 after the Second World War.

History, 19th Century↗
PubMed1998

Determination of perfluorinated carboxylic acids in biological samples by high-performance liquid chromatography.

This paper describes a method for the quantitative determination of perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs), perfluorohexanoic acid (C6-PFCA), perfluoroheptanoic acid (C7-PFCA), perfluorooctanoic acid (C8-PFCA), perfluorononanoic acid (C9-PFCA) and perfluorodecanoic acid (C10-PFCA), in biological samples. PFCA in liver homogenates was extracted as an ion pair with tetrabutylammonium (TBA) ion into organic solvent, then the PFCA was derivatized with 3-bromoacetyl-7-methoxycoumarin (BrAMC) and quantified by HPLC with fluorescence detection. This method is applicable for the studies on tissue accumulation and elimination of PFCAs in animals after the administration.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Endothelium-independent and -dependent vasoactivity of 6-nitronorepinephrine.

Vasoactivities of 6-nitronorepinephrine were investigated using rat aorta. 6-Nitronorepinephrine (> 100 microM) caused dose-dependent contraction in both endothelium-intact and -denuded aorta, although the latter showed greater contraction than the former. Prazosin (> 3 nM), an alpha1-adrenoceptor antagonist, attenuated significantly the 6-nitronorepinephrine-induced contractions, thereby suggesting the alpha1-adrenoceptor involvement. Aortic rings prepared from reserpine-pretreated rats showed the 6-nitronorepinephrine-induced a contraction to the extent similar to those from untreated rats, suggesting that endogenous norepinephrine does not play a role in the 6-nitronorepinephrine-induced contraction. 6-Nitronorepinephrine (> 10 microM) potentiated norepinephrine-induced contraction only in the presence of endothelium. The augmentation was attenuated by catalase (1200 U/ml). H2O2 (10-300 microM) augmented the norepinephrine-induced contraction only in the endothelium-intact rat aortic rings. 6-Nitronorepinephrine attenuated significantly acetylcholine-induced relaxation. Catalase prevented the 6-nitronorepinephrine-induced inhibition of the acetylcholine-induced relaxation. These results suggest that 6-nitronorepinephrine has a weak alpha1-adrenoceptor agonistic property and that the endothelium-dependent potentiation by 6-nitronorepinephrine of the norepinephrine-induced contraction is mediated through production of H2O2.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1998

Phenotypic changes in peripheral blood monocytes of cynomolgus monkeys acutely infected with simian immunodeficiency virus.

The quantitative and phenotypic changes of peripheral blood monocytes during the acute stage of simian immunodeficiency virus infection were investigated. We inoculated intravenously three cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) with 100 TCID50 of SIVmac239 and collected whole blood twice a week until 35 days postinoculation. We found that the relative number of monocytes in peripheral blood leukocytes significantly increased at 7-17 days postinoculation. This increase was concomitant with the peak of primary SIV antigenemia. To determine if the monocytes observed during the acute stage were phenotypically altered, they were periodically examined for the expression of surface markers (i.e., CD11b, CD14, CD16, CD29, D32, CD56, CD62L, CD64, CD80, and MHC-II-DR) by flow cytometry. The results showed that the expression levels of CD14 and CD56 on most of the monocytes were remarkably reduced at 7-17 days postinoculation, and a new subpopulation, CD14lowCD16+CD80+ monocytes, was clearly detected at 10 days postinoculation. These results indicate that the phenotypic alteration of peripheral blood monocytes occurs during the primary SIV infection.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1998

GATA-6 induces p21(Cip1) expression and G1 cell cycle arrest.

GATA transcription factors represent a family of highly conserved zinc finger proteins with tissue-specific expression patterns. Previous studies have shown that GATA-6 is expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and rapidly down-regulated when VSMCs are induced to proliferate. Here we investigated whether the GATA-6 transcription factor can modulate cellular proliferation. Transient transfection with a GATA-6 expression vector inhibited S-phase entry in VSMCs and in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) lacking both p53 alleles. The GATA-6-induced growth arrest correlated with a marked increase in the expression of the general cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitor p21. In contrast to p53-deficient MEFs and VSMCs, MEFs null for both p21 alleles were refractory to the GATA-6-induced growth inhibition. These data demonstrate that elevated GATA-6 expression can promote the quiescent phenotype in VSMCs.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Establishment of an apoptosis-resistant and growth-controllable cell line by transfecting with inducible antisense c-Jun gene.

F-MEL cells were transfected with the c-jun antisense gene located downstream of a glucocorticoid-inducible MMTV promoter, and the obtained cells were named c-jun AS cells. When the c-jun AS cells were treated with dexamethasone (DEX) in DMEM supplemented with 10% serum, the growth of the cells was completely suppressed for a duration of 16 days with a high cell viability exceeding 86%. The c-jun expression in the c-jun AS cells was suppressed moderately in the absence of DEX and strongly in the presence of DEX. The c-jun AS cells grew well and reached a density of 10(6) cells/mL without supplementation of any serum components. Viability was greater than 80% after the cells had been cultured for 8 days in the absence of DEX. The c-jun AS cells stayed at a constant cell density and high viability above 80% for 8 days when they were cultured in the presence of DEX under serum deprivation. In contrast, the wild type F-MEL cells were unable to grow and died by apoptosis in 3 days under serum deprivation. Internucleosomal cleavage of DNA, a landmark of apoptosis, was clearly detectable. Thus the c-jun AS cell line that is resistant to apoptosis induced by serum deprivation and can reversibly and viably be growth-arrested was established. A dual-signal model was proposed to explain the experimental result, the interlinked regulation of apoptosis, and growth by c-jun.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

The Microwave Spectrum of n-Butyraldehyde Oxime.

The microwave spectrum of n-butyraldehyde oxime was observed in the frequency region 26.5-40 GHz. Four rotational conformers were found to exist in the gas phase; among these, two conformers belonged to the (E)-geometrical isomer and the other two to the (Z)-geometrical isomer. The microwave spectrum attributed to one of these two rotational conformers of (E)-butyraldehyde oxime was analyzed, and its rotational constants for the ground vibrational state were determined: A = 15883(379), B = 1269.97(1), C = 1251.60(1) MHz. The conformational structure of the molecule is discussed, referring to the rotational constants obtained and the ab initio molecular orbital calculation. Copyright 1998 Academic Press.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Enzymic and chemical O-methylation of a 4-hydroxyestrone N-acetylcysteine conjugate.

4-Hydroxyestrone N-acetylcysteine conjugate (4-OHE1-2SR) is considered to be an important compound for monitoring the in vivo formation of catechol estrogen quinones, an intermediary in estrogen carcinogenicity. This article describes the selective synthesis of isomeric monomethyl ethers of 4-OHE1-2SR utilizing the formation of a seven-membered ring lactone by dehydration with acetic anhydride. Using these authentic specimens, enzymic and chemical O-methylation were examined. Enzymic O-methylation, using a rat liver cytosolic fraction, of 4-OHE1-2SR gave its 3-methyl ether as the sole product, while preferential O-methylation of 4-hydroxyestrone (4-OHE1) at the C-4 position was confirmed under the same conditions. Methylation of 4-OHE1-2SR with diazomethane gave initially carboxylate methylation, then the corresponding 3-methyl ether almost exclusively, while methylation of 4-OHE1 also gave its 3-methyl ether preferentially. However, much more rapid formation of the 3-methyl ether was observed with 4-OHE1-2SR than with 4-OHE1 itself. These results show that the hydroxy group at the C-3 position of 4-OHE1-2SR is more reactive than that at the C-4 position, both chemically and enzymatically.

Acetylcysteine↗
PubMed1998

Alteration in the contents of unsaturated fatty acids in dnaA mutants of Escherichia coli.

DnaA protein, the initiator of chromosomal DNA replication in Escherichia coli, has a high affinity for acidic phospholipids containing unsaturated fatty acids. We have examined here the fatty acid composition of phospholipids in dnaA mutants. A temperature-sensitive dnaA46 mutant showed a lower level of unsaturation of fatty acids (ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids) at 42 degrees C (non-permissive temperature) and at 37 degrees C (semi-permissive temperature), but not at 28 degrees C (permissive temperature), compared with the wild-type strain. Plasmid complementation analysis revealed that the dnaA46 mutation is responsible for the phenotype. Other temperature-sensitive dnaA mutants showed similar results. On the other hand, a cold-sensitive dnaAcos mutant, in which over-initiation of DNA replication occurs at low temperature (28 degrees C), showed a higher level of unsaturation of fatty acids at 28 degrees C. Based on these observations, we discuss the role of phospholipids in the regulation of the activity of DnaA protein.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed1998

Alteration in levels of unsaturated fatty acids in mutants of Escherichia coli defective in DNA replication.

We previously reported that mutations in the dnaA gene which encodes the initiator of chromosomal DNA replication in Escherichia coli caused an alteration in the levels of unsaturated fatty acids of phospholipids in membranes. In this study, we examined fatty acid compositions in other mutants which are defective in DNA replication. As in the case of temperature-sensitive dnaA mutants, temperature-sensitive dnaC and dnaE mutants, which have defects in initiation and elongation, respectively, of DNA replication showed a lower level of unsaturation of fatty acids (ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids) compared with the wild-type strain, especially at high temperatures. On the other hand, temperature-sensitive mutants defective in cellular processes other than DNA replication, such as RNA synthesis and cell division, did not show a lower level of unsaturation of fatty acids compared with the wild-type strain. These results suggest that the inhibition of DNA replication causes a lower level of unsaturation of fatty acids in Escherichia coli cells.

Bacterial Proteins↗
PubMed1998

Dynamic structures of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor proteins studied by normal mode analysis: two domain-type motions in low frequency modes.

In this study, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF) proteins were chosen as subjects for normal mode analysis. As helical cytokines with a four helix bundled type topology, they were classified into long chain and short chain groups by Sprang and Bazan. Normal mode calculations were also carried out with leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and growth hormone (GH) as members of the long chain group and GCSF and IL-2 and IL-4 as members of the short chain group. For the GCSF families it was found that the fluctuations in the helical region are smaller than in the loop region, and it is clear that on the whole the smaller fluctuation residues belong to a large hydrophobic core region. Thus, it can be imagined how the receptor binding sites approach the receptor within the normal time-scale of pico seconds. In addition, two similar domain-type motions in low frequency modes were found with proteins in the long chain group, although we never observed any sequence similarity in the two separate two-domain regions in each protein of the long chain group. On the other hand, these two domain-type motions were not clear in proteins of the short chain group.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

Tertiary structural models of human interleukin-6 and evaluation by comparison with X-ray and NMR structures.

Tertiary structure models of interleukin-6 were constructed using a routine prediction method based on the X-ray crystal structures of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (GCSF) and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF). Those models were evaluated using a sequence-structure compatibility (3D-1D) method program Compass and a limited amount of NMR distance information when it was concluded that the model based on GCSF (IBGC) was preferable to that from LIF (Sumikawa et al., FEBS Lett., 404, 234 (1997)). We evaluated the quality of this model (IBGC) by comparing with X-ray (Somers et al., EMBO., 16, 989 (1997)) and NMR (Xu et al., J. Mol. Biol., 268, 468 (1997)) structures. Consequently, normal mode calculations were carried out for this model, giving conformation fluctuations similar to the C alpha deviation pattern between X-ray and NMR structures.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1998

Physiological role of L-ascorbic acid in rats exposed x887p6arette smoke.

This study clarifies the effect of exposure to cigarette smoke on L-ascorbic acid (AsA) metabolism and on the activities of drug-metabolizing enzymes. Male Wistar rats were used. The test rats (group T) were exposed to side-stream smoke from cigarette for 2 h every day for 25 days. During the experimental period, the excreted amount of AsA in the urine from group T was higher than that from the control group (group C). At the end of the experimental period, the AsA content of the plasma and tissues, the liver cytochrome P-450 content and the activities of drug-metabolizing enzymes in group T were each higher than those in group C.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Clinical features of polymyositis/dermatomyositis with steroid-resistant interstitial lung disease.

Polymyositis and dermatomyositis (PM/DM) without creatine kinase (CK) elevation shows a poor prognosis. PM/DM is complicated with interstitial lung disease (ILD), some of which progress rapidly. To clarify the clinical features of PM/DM from the viewpoint of ILD progression, the clinical data of 25 PM/DM patients with ILD were reviewed. They were classified as responders or non-responders. The patients whose ILD responded to steroid therapy and elicited good clinical courses were termed as responders. On the other hand, the patients who had rapidly progressive ILD resistant to steroid therapy were considered as non-responders. The patients diagnosed to have DM were likely to be steroid-resistant. The non-responder group revealed significantly high aspartate aminotransferase (AST), low CK, low white blood cell (WBC), and low absolute lymphocyte counts in their peripheral blood. High CK/AST may be a favorable predictor of the disease. The percentages of lymphocytes in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were increased in both groups. However, the percentages of two responders with low CK/AST were lower than those of three non-responders. A steroid-resistant ILD group with PM/DM may be clinically different from a steroid-responsive ILD group.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Contents of erythorbic acid in the tissues of guinea pigs intraperitoneally administered erythorbic acid.

The contents of ascorbic acid (AsA) and erythrobic acid (ErA) in the tissues of guinea pigs intraperitoneally injected with AsA and/or ErA were determined to learn the difference in their retention in the tissues. After 10 d of AsA depletion, the guinea pigs were intraperitoneally injected with 5 mg of AsA, or 5 mg of ErA, or 5 mg of each. At day 5 of repletion, the guinea pigs were killed and liver, adrenal glands, spleen, and kidneys were removed. AsA and ErA in these tissues were measured by using HPLC. The contents of AsA in the tissues of only the AsA-injected guinea pigs were similar to those of the AsA- + ErA-injected guinea pigs. The contents of ErA in the tissues of the ErA-injected guinea pigs were higher than those of the AsA- + ErA-injected guinea pigs, but apparently lower than the contents of AsA in the AsA-injected guinea pigs. ErA was scarcely retained in the tissues of guinea pigs.

Adrenal Glands↗
PubMed1998

[Effects of oxatomide, H1-antagonist, on postinfectious chronic cough; a comparison of oxatomide combined with dextromethorphan versus dextromethorphan alone].

H1 antihistamines have been shown to have antitussive effects in patients with asthma and postnasal drip. In Japan, no study has been performed to determine whether orally administered oxatomide, H1 antihistamine, can reduce the chronic cough seen in patients with post-upper-airway infection (postinfection). Patients who had chronic cough of more than three weeks' duration and a history of post-upper-airway infection took part in the study. None had any history of nasal disease, gastroesophageal reflux, bronchial asthma, or other chronic pulmonary disease. All patients were non-smokers, and none used ACE inhibitors. They had normal CRP concentrations, peripheral white blood cell and eosinophil counts, serum IgE concentrations, titers of cold agglutinins and antibodies to Mycoplasma pneumoniae, chest roentgenograms, and respiratory function tests. A prospective randomized, open design was used. The effect of one week of treatment with dextromethorphan (D) or with D plus oxatomide (D + O) on the severity of cough, as estimated by cough diary, were examined. Twenty-two patients entered the study, and 20 were eligible for efficacy and side-effect analyses. Nine patients receiving D and 11 receiving D + O completed the protocol. Patients' characteristics before the start of the study, such as severity and duration of cough, and laboratory data, were not significantly different between the two groups. From trial day 5 to 7, improved rates of cough were significantly higher with D + O than with D alone (p < 0.05). Combination therapy with oxatomide and dextromethorphan reduces subjective perception of cough as estimated by cough diary. These results suggest that oxatomide, H1 antihistamine may improve chronic cough in patients with post-upper-airway infection.

Adult↗