Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

H Abe

Publications and source records attributed to H Abe.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2004

A polymorphism of DRD2 gene and brain atrophy in methamphetamine psychosis.

Our group, Ujike et al., recently reported that the A1 allele of TaqI A polymorphism of the dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) gene, associated with transient psychosis, significantly differs from that of patients with prolonged psychosis in methamphetamine psychosis. Therefore, we examined the association between the TaqI A polymorphism of the DRD2 gene and the brain MRI view for patients with methamphetamine psychosis. The subjects underwent brain MRI scans using the FLAIR method. Genotyping was performed by PCR-RFLP methods using genomic DNA extracted from peripheral blood by the phenol method. Ten subjects had the A1/A2 genotype, eleven subjects had the A2/A2 genotype, and no subject had the A1/A1 genotype. The domain size, including the thalamus and basal ganglia that were inside each side of the putamens, did not differ between the three groups (the A1/A2-group, the A2/A2-group, and the young healthy person group). In the comparison based on this domain, the temporal lobe tended to narrow in the A2/A2-group compared to the A1/A2-group (P = .06). The other domain (cerebrum, corpus callosum, etc.) showed no difference between the A1/A2-group and the A2/A2-group. It is suggested that in methamphetamine psychosis the TaqI A polymorphism not only regulates prolongation of psychosis symptoms but also influences the form of the temporal lobe.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Phosphatidylserine receptor cooperates with high-density lipoprotein receptor in recognition of apoptotic cells by thymic nurse cells.

The thymus contains many apoptotic cells that arise from the process of positive and negative selection. Both thymic macrophages and thymic nurse cells/nursing thymic epithelial cells (nursing TECs), non-professional phagocytes, recognize and ingest apoptotic cells without inflammation or tissue damage. Previously we reported that human scavenger receptor class B (SR-B1) is involved in recognition of apoptotic thymocytes by nursing TECs. In this study, we examined the expression and role of a phosphatidylserine receptor (PSR). This receptor is believed to participate in the clearance of apoptotic cells. PSR was strongly expressed in nursing TECs. Transforming growth factor-beta augmented the expression of PSR leading to enhanced binding of apoptotic cells to nursing TECs. In nursing TECs, suppressed expression of human SR-B1 with anti-PSR antibody decreased binding of apoptotic thymocytes to nursing TECs. Our results suggest that both PSR and SR-B1 are expressed in nursing TECs and these receptors appear to play a major role in the clearance of apoptotic cells from the thymus.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Genomic sequence of a 320-kb segment of the Z chromosome of Bombyx mori containing a kettin ortholog.

The sex chromosome constitution of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, is ZW in the female and ZZ in the male. Very little molecular information is available about the Z chromosome in Lepidoptera, although the topic is interesting because of the absence of gene dosage compensation in this chromosome. We constructed a 320-kb BAC contig around the Bmkettin gene on the Z chromosome in Bombyx and determined its nucleotide sequence by the shotgun method. We found 13 novel protein-coding sequences in addition to Bmkettin. All the transposable elements detected in the region were truncated, and no LTR retrotransposons were found, in stark contrast to the situation on the W chromosome. In this 320-kb region, four genes for muscle proteins (Bmkettin, Bmtitin1, Bmtitin2, and Bmprojectin) are clustered, together with another gene (Bmmiple) on the Z chromosome in B. mori; their orthologs are also closely linked on chromosome 3 in Drosophila, suggesting a partial synteny. Real-time RT-PCR experiments demonstrated that transcripts of 13 genes of the 14 Z-linked genes found accumulated in larger amounts in males than in female moths, indicating the absence of gene dosage compensation. The implications of these findings for the evolution and function of the Z chromosome in Lepidoptera are discussed.

Amino Acid Motifs↗
PubMed2003

Identification of c-Jun as bcl-2 transcription factor in human uterine endometrium.

We describe the application of the biomolecular interaction (BIA) technique to detection of the interaction between protein (e.g., c-Jun) and DNA (e.g., two AP-1 motifs from bcl-2 promoter), compared with immunohistochemistry (IHC) of c-Jun. The specific binding assay for the interaction of c-Jun and activating protein-1 (AP-1) motifs was performed using a Biacore 2000 system. Intense immunoreactivity of c-Jun in glandular cells of the human uterine endometrium was observed in the proliferative phase, while c-Jun in stromal cells was expressed throughout the menstrual cycle. In contrast to the IHC of c-Jun, the specific binding of c-Jun to two separate AP-1 motifs in the bcl-2 promoter region was detected only in nuclear extracts of glandular cells, but not in stromal cells, during the proliferative phase. These results indicate that, while transmitting various signals, c-Jun enhances the transcription level of bcl-2, which in turn keeps glandular cells alive and proliferating in normal human endometrium during the proliferative phase. Moreover, the method involving real-time biomolecular interactions such as DNA-protein binding is novel for the study of transcription factors when combined with IHC.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Ultrastructural differences in bovine morulae classified as high and low qualities by morphological evaluation.

Bovine morulae collected from superovulated cows were classified into four groups (excellent, good, fair, poor) using morphological evaluation under a phase contrast microscope. The number of blastomeres in morulae classified as excellent and good (high quality) was significantly higher than the number in fair and poor (low quality) morulae. The ultrastructure of morulae in each group was compared. In morulae classified as excellent and good, two characteristic cell types could be identified by the electron density of their cytoplasm and by their ultrastructural features. One type (presumptive trophoblast cells) was located in the peripheral layer of the embryo mass, was generally characterized by low electron density of cytoplasm, and possessed numerous cellular organelles such as mitochondria and Golgi apparatus and had numerous microvilli projecting into the perivitelline space. The other type (presumptive embryonic cells) was located in the interior of the embryo mass and distinguished by cytoplasm that stained more densely than that of the lighter-appearing cells. The darker-appearing cells generally possessed fewer organelles than the lighter cells, but many lysosome-like structures were present in the cytoplasm. All high quality morulae contained well-developed mature nucleoli. Many embryos classified as fair contained both types of cells, while cells in some fair and most poor quality morulae could not be distinguished by the electron density of their cytoplasm and ultrastructural features. The morulae classified as fair and poor showed less well-developed junctional complexes between cells, less well-developed apical microvilli on the blastomeres, and contained large numbers of lipid droplets, vesicles, immature mitochondria, and nucleoli with low transcriptional activity. This study demonstrates conspicuous differences in the ultrastructural features between the high quality and the low quality morulae, suggesting that these ultrastructural features may reflect the various physiological anomalies observed in previous studies.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

The effect of W chromosome origin on sex-chromosome pairing in ZZWW tetraploid females of the domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori, and the congenic wild silkworm, Bombyx mandarina.

To analyze the degree of pairing of the Z and W chromosomes in ZZWW tetraploid female silkworms that have the W chromosomes of the domesticated silkworm, Bombyx mori, and those of the wild silkworm, Bobyx mandarina, we induced two types of ZZWW tetraploid female silkworms (Cr4n, Wr4n) through cold treatment of the eggs. The Wr4n female is congenic to the Cr4n female for W chromosomes; namely, the W chromosomes of the Wr4n female are derived from those of B. mandarina. Each of the sex ratios (female/male) in filial triploids from the Cr4n females was shown to be in the range of 3.9-5.3 (4.6 as an average of six cases). On the other hand, each of the sex ratios (female/male) in filial triploids from the Wr4n females was shown to be in the range of 6.2-9.0 (6.9 as an average of nine cases). The results of a t-test indicated that the difference in sex ratios in the two groups is highly significant (at the 0.1% level). These results suggest that, in the meiosis of the ZZWW tetraploid female, the frequency of pairing of the W chromosome of B. mandarina and the Z chromosome of B. mori is lower than that of the pairing of the W and Z chromosomes of B. mori. Furthermore, the t-test results are evidence that the W chromosomes have undergone significant evolutional change.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Spasmolytic effects of colforsin daropate on serotonin-induced pulmonary hypertension and bronchoconstriction in dogs.

BACKGROUND: We have previously found that agents increasing intracellular cAMP levels of smooth muscles, such as PDE3 inhibitors, aminophylline and prostaglandin E1, produce both bronchodilation and pulmonary vasodilation in serotonin-induced pulmonary hypertension and bronchoconstriction models. In the present study we have simultaneously evaluated the spasmolytic effects of colforsin daropate, a novel forskolin derivative, on serotonin-induced pulmonary hypertension and bronchoconstriction. METHODS: Ten mongrel dogs were anesthetized with pentobarbital. The pulmonary hypertension and bronchoconstriction were elicited with serotonin (10 microg/kg + 1 mg x kg(-1) x h(-1)) and assessed as percentage changes in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and bronchial cross-sectional area (BCA) (basal = 100%). Initially, the relaxant effects of colforsin daropate (0-300 microg/kg) were determined. The PVR and BCA were assessed before and 30 min after serotonin infusion began and 5 min after each dose of colforsin daropate. To determine whether colforsin daropate-induced relaxation is independent of plasma catecholamine, propranolol 0.4 mg/kg was given following colforsin daropate 300 microg/kg i.v. RESULTS: Colforsin daropate reversed both pulmonary hypertension and bronchoconstriction dose-dependently: -logED50 (95% confidence intervals, mean ED50) for pulmonary hypertension and bronchoconstriction 5.44 (5.08-5.80, 3.6 microg/kg) and 4.90 (4.06-5.20, 12.5 microg/kg), respectively. However, colforsin daropate (>or= 30 microg/kg) produced a more pronounced systemic than pulmonary vasodilation. Although colforsin daropate (>or= 30 microg/kg) significantly increased plasma catecholamines, propranolol did not reverse the relaxant effects. CONCLUSIONS: Colforsin daropate may attenuate bronchoconstriction and pulmonary hypertension. In addition, as beta-blockade did not change the attenuation, the relaxant effects may be independent of plasma catecholamines.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Eradication rates of clarithromycin-resistant Helicobacter pylori using either rabeprazole or lansoprazole plus amoxicillin and clarithromycin.

BACKGROUND: The resistance of Helicobacter pylori to clarithromycin has become one of the primary reasons for eradication failure. AIM: To compare the eradication rates of triple therapy using amoxicillin (A), clarithromycin (C) and rabeprazole (R) or lansoprazole (L) against clarithromycin-sensitive and clarithromycin-resistant strains. METHODS: Two hundred and ninety-five patients were randomly divided into four groups and treated for 1 week: 147 cases were treated with RAC, i.e. 49 cases with R20C400 (10 mg R + 750 mg A + 200 mg C, twice daily), 48 cases with R40C400 (20 mg R + 750 mg A + 200 mg C, twice daily) and 50 cases with R40C800 (20 mg R + 750 mg A + 400 mg C, twice daily); 148 cases with treated with LAC (30 mg L + 750 mg A + 200 mg C, twice daily). RESULTS: According to intention-to-treat and per protocol analyses, the eradication rates were 88% and 91% with RAC and 78% and 81% with LAC; the eradication rates with R20C400, R40C400 and R40C800 were 94%, 81% and 86%, respectively, in the intention-to-treat analysis. In addition, the eradication rates for clarithromycin-sensitive strains with RAC and LAC were 98% and 89%, respectively, and for clarithromycin-resistant strains with RAC and LAC were 8.1% and 0%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The eradication rate was significantly higher with RAC than LAC. The eradication rate for clarithromycin-resistant strains was low in both groups, and an improved eradication rate could not be achieved by changing the dose of clarithromycin or proton pump inhibitor.

2-Pyridinylmethylsulfinylbenzimidazoles↗
PubMed2002

Nested retrotransposons on the W chromosome of the wild silkworm Bombyx mandarina.

The W chromosome of the silkworms Bombyx mori or B. mandarina is recombinationally isolated from the Z chromosome and the autosomes. We previously characterized a female-specific randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), designated W-Yamato, derived from the W chromosome of the wild silkworm Bombyx mandarina. To further analyse the W chromosome of B. mandarina, we obtained a lambda phage clone that contains the W-Yamato RAPD sequence and sequenced the 16.7 kb DNA insert. We found that this DNA comprises a nested structure of at least seven elements: six retrotransposons and one transposable element-like sequence. The transposable element-like sequence is inserted into a micropia-like retrotransposon (Karate). The Karate and the non-long terminal repeat (non-LTR) retrotransposon BMC1 are inserted into a 412-like retrotransposon (Judo). Furthermore, this Judo, and two non-LTR retrotransposons (Kurosawa and Kendo) are inserted into a Pao-like retrotransposon (Yamato). These results indicate that the retrotransposons inserted into the W chromosome are not efficiently removed but accumulate gradually as strata without recombination.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

[Esophagopericardial fistula occurring at the 22nd years after operation for achalasia presenting as myopericarditis].

We describe a case of pneumopericardium that resulted from esophagopericardial fistula occurring at the 22nd years after operation for achalasia in a 52-year-old male. Atypical features on initial examination suggested myopericarditis or congestive heart failure. A chest roentgenogram and computed tomography revealed development of pneumopericardium. Subsequent emergent pericardiocentesis relieved cardiac tamponade and enabled us to diagnose pyopneumopericardium and esophagopericardial fistula in postoperative period. The esophagopericardial fistula was surgically closed. However, the patient died 2 weeks postoperation of hemorrhage from duodenal ulcer. Autopsy confirmed the pre-mortem diagnosis of esophagopericardial fistula without evidence of malignancy. Early diagnosis and subsequent treatment appears to be most important. This case report reinforces the difficulty of this diagnosis and perhaps the need for clinical awareness and inclusion of this entity in a differential diagnosis.

Cardiac Tamponade↗
PubMed2002

[Bacillary angiomatosis in an adult infected with HIV-1 at an early stage of immunodepression in Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire].

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-associated bacillary angiomatosis has rarely been described in Africa. We report here the first case in Côte d'Ivoire. Although in industrialised countries bacillary angiomatosis has been described in patients with low CD4 count, this episode occurred in the first year following HIV-seroconversion in an adult patient with more than 500 CD4 cells per cubic millimetre. Symptoms rapidly and totally disappeared under erythromycin treatment, although with a relapse two years after the end of the first episode. In Africa where people living with HIV often present chronic cutaneous lesions, bacillary angiomatosis may be under-diagnosed. Bacillary angiomatosis must be systematically considered in face of lesions similar to Kaposi's sarcoma. Improving knowledge on symptoms of bacillary angiomatosis in Africa should lead to better treatment and a better estimation of its true frequency which may be underestimated.

AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections↗
PubMed2001

Highly alpha- and beta-selective radical C-glycosylation reactions using a controlling anomeric effect based on the conformational restriction strategy. A study on the conformation-anomeric effect-stereoselectivity relationship in anomeric radical reactions.

We hypothesized that, because the stereoselectivity of anomeric radical reactions was significantly influenced by the anomeric effect, which can be controlled by restricting the conformation of the radical intermediate, the proper conformational restriction of the pyranose ring of the substrates would therefore make highly alpha- and beta-stereoselective anomeric radical reactions possible. Thus, the conformationally restricted 1-phenylseleno-D-xylose derivatives 9 and 10, restricted in a (4)C(1)-conformation, and 11 and 12, restricted in a (1)C(4)-conformation, were designed and synthesized by introducing the proper protecting groups on the hydroxyl groups on the pyranose ring as model substrates for the anomeric radical reactions. The radical deuterations with Bu(3)SnD and the C-glycosylation with Bu(3)SnCH(2)CH [double bond] CH(2) or CH(2) [double bond] CHCN, using the (4)C(1)-restricted substrates 9 and 10, afforded the corresponding alpha-products (alpha/beta = 97:3-85:15) highly stereoselectively, whereas the (1)C(4)-restricted substrates 11 and 12 selectively gave the beta-products (alpha/beta = 1:99-0:100). Thus, stereoselectivity was significantly increased by conformational restriction and was completely inverted by changing the substrate conformation from the (4)C(1)-form into the (1)C(4)-form. Ab initio calculations suggested that the radical intermediates produced from these substrates possessed the typical (4)C(1)- or (1)C(4)-conformation, which was similar to that of the substrates, and that the anomeric effect in these conformations would be the factor controlling the transition state of the reaction. Therefore, the highly alpha- and beta-selective reactions would occur because of the anomeric effect, which could be manipulated by conformational restriction of the substrates, as expected. This would be the first radical C-glycosylation reaction to provide both alpha- and beta-C-glycosides highly stereoselectively.

Free Radicals↗
PubMed2001

Successful treatment with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator for spontaneous ventricular fibrillation in dilated cardiomyopathy with very high defibrillation thresholds.

A 72-year-old male patient with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy who had shown recurrent episodes of drug refractory ventricular fibrillation underwent implantation of a transvenous implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). Ventricular fibrillation (VF) was induced by a T wave shock at the implantation. However, the ICD device with a maximum energy of 30 J failed to terminate the VF. Reversing defibrillation polarity and/or adding a defibrillation electrode lead at the site of a high superior vena cava were also ineffective. The ICD was programmed to a maximum energy of 30 J when the device sensed spontaneous VF. During the follow-up period of 5 months, two episodes of spontaneous VF were recorded from ICD telemetry, and the ICD device terminated VF successfully with the first therapy shock in both episodes. No previous reports have shown failure to terminate induced VF at implantation of the ICD with successful termination of spontaneous VF during follow-up. Careful follow-up is needed in ICD patients, especially those with very high defibrillation thresholds.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

NMDA and muscarinic blockade in the perirhinal cortex impairs object discrimination in rats.

To determine the possible involvement of NMDA and muscarinic activation of the perirhinal cortex in object discrimination, an NMDA antagonist, D,L-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (AP5), and a muscarinic antagonist, scopolamine (SCP) were injected into the perirhinal cortex of rats. Each drug at the higher dose (AP5 60 mM, SCP 80 mM) significantly decreased correct choices on the retention test of object discrimination. SCP, but not AP5, also significantly increased response latency, but this increase was not necessarily related to the time spent for a choice. These results suggest that activation of both NMDA and muscarinic receptors contributes to object discrimination.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed2001

RGS8 protein is distributed in dendrites and cell body of cerebellar Purkinje cell.

RGS8 was originally identified as an RGS protein specifically expressed in neuronally differentiated P19 cells. We generated a polyclonal antibody specific to rat RGS8 using a synthetic peptide. When nonneural cells (DDT1MF2, CHO, and NIH3T3) transfected with rat RGS8 cDNA were immuno-stained with this antibody, the RGS8 protein was mainly detected in the nuclei. Since RGS8 mRNA was exclusively expressed in Purkinje cells of the cerebellum in the rat brain, we further examined the cellular distribution of the RGS8 protein in Purkinje cells using cultured cerebellar cells and tissue sections of the cerebellum. The RGS8 protein was excluded from the nuclei and distributed in the cell body and dendrites, but not in the axons of Purkinje cells. These results demonstrate the presence of a mechanism controlling the distribution of RGS8 protein in cerebellar Purkinje cells.

3T3 Cells↗