Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

H Hayashi

Publications and source records attributed to H Hayashi.

At least 595 records · Page 33Linked to original sources

Regulation of bradykinin-stimulated cation entry into endothelial cells by tyrosine kinase.

In endothelial cells, bradykinin stimulates the release of intracellular Ca2+, which is followed by the entry of extracellular Ca2+ into the cells. However, the mechanism underlying the Ca2+ entry is not well understood. To investigate the possible implication of tyrosine kinases in bradykinin-mediated Ca2+ signaling in endothelial cells, cultured porcine aortic endothelial cells were loaded with fura-2/AM, and Mn2+ influx into the cells was determined by the quenching of fluorescence intensity of fura-2 at 360 nm excitation. The tyrosine kinase inhibitors genistein and herbimycin A attenuated not only Ca2+ influx but also Mn2+ influx from the extracellular space without affecting the release of Ca2+ from internal stores in bradykinin-treated cells. In contrast to tyrosine kinase inhibitors, the tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor vanadate stimulated Ca2+ influx as well as Mn2+ influx. On the other hand, both an inactive analog of genistein, daidzein, and an inhibitor of diacylglycerol (DAG) kinase, ethylene glycol dioctanoate, were without effect on [Ca2+]i following the stimulation of agonist. These findings suggest that tyrosine kinase is involved in the regulation of cation influx in endothelial cells.

Animals↗

[Analysis of flushing response to alcohol and drinking behavior in Japanese male students].

The purpose of this study is to clarify the relationship between hereditary predisposition and social-psychological factors in terms of drinking behavior of Japanese male students. The subjects were 123 male students who belonged to athletic clubs of K university in 1993. Regular drinking was evaluated as "drinking at home or with intimate friends" and party drinking as "drinking at club parties". On the two drinking occasions, the frequency and amount of drinking, and social drinking behavior were evaluated. Problem drinking behavior was investigated by a modified version of Aoyama's questionnaire (1984). Low Km aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) activity was evaluated by the facial flushing response to alcohol and the ethanol patch test. Evaluable results of the ethanol test as well as replies of the questionnaire were obtained from 109 students. Twenty-three students positive for both the facial flushing response to alcohol and the ethanol patch test were considered to be flushers, and 42 negative for both to be non-flushers. The non-flushers consumed a higher amount of alcohol than the flushers did on drinking occasions at home or with intimate friends. The number of problem drinking behavior items in the non-flushers was significantly higher than that in the flushers and increased with the amount and frequency of drinking. The ratio of students who had inappropriate drinking motivations, began to drink by themselves, or continued to offer alcohol to drinkers showing flushing even when they declined it, was significantly higher in the non-flushers than in the flushers. In addition, non-flushers showing such social drinking behavior drank more than those not showing such behavior. The frequency of positive or inappropriate drinking behavior was significantly lower in the flushers than in the non-flushers. However, the amount and frequency of drinking and problem drinking behavior were similar in the flushers and non-flushers. These results indicate that social drinking behavior of non-flushers influences not only themselves but also other drinkers, and that drinking of flushers is strongly influenced by social factors.

Adult↗

Synthesis and biological activities of indolactone-V, the lactone analogue of the tumor promoter (-)-indolactam-V.

The tumor promoter (-)-indolactam-V (1) exists in two stable conformers (twist and sofa) due to isomerization of the amide group. Indolactone-V (2), the lactone analogue of 1, has been synthesized to investigate the effects of the amide group on its conformation and biological activities. Indolactone-V (2) existed only as the inactive sofa-like conformer, indicating that the amide group of 1 plays a critical role in formation of the active twist conformation.

Carcinogens↗

Essential pathway of reentry in the canine model of atrial flutter. Analysis using radiofrequency ablation.

In humans, the isthmus in the low right atrium between the tricuspid annulus and the inferior vena cava or the coronary sinus ostium is a well-established target of catheter ablation of common atrial flutter. In the canine model of atrial flutter with a Y-shaped incision, the tricuspid annulus was thought to constitute the essential reentrant pathway. The present study was designed to determine whether the supravalvular tissue around the tricuspid annulus is essential to atrial flutter in the canine model with an intercaval obstacle on the basis of the results of radiofrequency ablation. Epicardial approach of radiofrequency ablation was tested in 4 groups of dogs. Group A (5 dogs): Single application of radiofrequency energy (20 W) for 5 sec to the mid right atrial free wall. Group B (9 dogs): One to two applications to the tricuspid annulus. A ligature was also placed encircling the tricuspid annulus from the supravalvular atrial tissue to the subvalvular ventricular tissue. Group C (9 dogs): Linear transverse applications to the mid right atrial free wall between the tricuspid annulus and the intercaval obstacle. Group D (10 dogs): The isthmus between the inferior vena cava and the tricuspid annulus was ablated. After the experiment, the heart was excised for anatomical and histological studies. Atrial flutter was never abolished in all dogs in Groups A and B. A ligature encircling the tricuspid annulus also failed to terminate atrial flutter in 2 dogs tested. In contrast, atrial flutter was successfully abolished in 6 dogs (67%) of Group C and in 7 dogs (70%) of Group D. Total energy delivered was significantly higher in Group C than in Group D (364 +/- 133 versus 139 +/- 65 joules, p < 0.003). The total energy required for successful ablation was related to the cross sectional area of the ablation site (r = 0.55, p < 0.05). These results indicate that the tricuspid annulus is not an essential part of the reentrant pathway in the canine model of atrial flutter with an intercaval obstacle. The entire atrial tissue between the anatomical barriers could be involved in the reentrant pathway, and should therefore be ablated transmurally for successful ablation.

Animals↗

Fragments of amyloid beta induce apoptosis in vascular endothelial cells.

Injury to cells that was triggered by fragments of amyloid beta protein (A beta) was studied in human vascular endothelial cells. A fragment of A beta containing amino acids 25-35 promoted cell death, but fragments of A beta containing amino acids 31-35 and 35-25 did not have such an effect. The fragment of A beta containing amino acids 25-35 induced cell death that was characterized as programmed cell death (apoptosis) in view of the accompanying morphological changes, the fragmentation of DNA, and the requirement for protein synthesis.

Amyloid beta-Peptides↗

Suppression of apoptosis by inhibition of phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C in vascular endothelial cells.

In order to clarify the role of phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC) in the regulation of apoptosis in vascular endothelial cells (VEC), we investigated the effects of D609, a specific inhibitor of PC-PLC, on apoptosis that was induced by deprivation of fibroblast growth factor (FGF) and serum and also by rattlesnake venom. The early morphological changes (detachment of cells from dishes) and the fragmentation of DNA, which is a specific feature of apoptotic cell death, were clearly inhibited by D609 in these two apoptosis-inducing systems. Moreover, the production of diacylglycerol (DAG), which was stimulated in apoptotic VEC, was suppressed by D609. The effects of D609 on the activity of PC-PLC and on apoptosis of VEC were dose-dependent. Our results indicate that PC-PLC is involved in the apoptosis-inducing signal pathway in VEC and, that DAG, produced from phosphatidylcholine (PC), might be an important mediator in this signal-transduction pathway. Our results also suggest that rattlesnake venom, a strong promoter of apoptosis in VEC, might induce apoptosis by stimulating PC-PLC and, furthermore, that PC-PLC might play a significant role in anchorage-dependent signal transduction in VEC.

Apoptosis↗

Relationships between phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C and integrins in cell-substratum adhesion and apoptosis in vascular endothelial cells.

In order to understand the mechanism by which VEC control cell-substratum adhesion and apoptosis, we investigated relationships between PC-PLC and the integrins that are normally expressed in VEC. We found that promotion of cell-substratum adhesion by suppression of PC-PLC was almost completely blocked by a monoclonal antibody (mAb) against integrin beta1, and was partially blocked by a mAb against intergrin beta3. The production of diacylglycerol (DAG) which was inhibited by suppression of PC-PLC activity, was increased by mAbs against intergrin beta1 and beta3. When the mAb against integrin beta4 was added to the seeding medium, cell-substratum adhesion and spreading of cells were triggered, but the activity of PC-PLC was unaffected by this mAb. Furthermore, when both the mAb against integrin beta4 and a specific inhibitor (D609) of PC-PLC were present in the seeding medium, cell-substratum adhesion and spreading were promoted to a greater extent than when either of these agents was present alone. These data suggest that integrins beta1 and beta3 might regulate cell-substratum adhesion and apoptosis via a PC-PLC-dependent pathway, while integrin beta4 might regulate these phenomena via PC-PLC-independent pathway. These findings provide the first evidence of relationships between PC-PLC and integrins in cell-substratum adhesion and apoptosis.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Cloning of the enomycin structural gene from Streptomyces mauvecolor and production of recombinant enomycin in Escherichia coli.

A genomic DNA library from the enomycin (ENM) producer, Streptomyces mauvecolor, was screened for the ENM structural gene (enm) by use of a segment of the phenomycin gene (phm) as the probe, and a plasmid, pENI, was constructed. By primer-walking along the insert, a 573 bp DNA sequence that contain an ORF corresponding to preENM was determined. The deduced amino acid composition of ENM was close to that previously reported (MIZUNO, S.; K. NITTA & H. UMEZAWA: Mode of action of enomycin, an antitumor antibiotic of high molecular weight. I. Inhibition of protein synthesis. J. Biochem. 61: 373 approximately 381, 1967). The producer cells expressed enm during an ENM-productive fermentation. An enm-expression plasmid, pENE 1, was constructed, with which E. coli AD202 was transformed. The transformant produced a fusion protein consisting of glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and ENM. The genetically engineered ENM (rENM) inhibited the growth of Hela cells in vitro. Comparison of the base sequence spanning enm with that spanning phm showed that the structural genes were conserved more extensively than were the flanking regions, though the genes were unlikely to be essential to the lives of the producers.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

[Evaluation of three-dimensional CT angiography (3D-CTA) for the diagnosis of cerebral vasospasm].

We evaluated the usefulness of three-dimensional CT angiography (3D-CTA) for the diagnosis of cerebral vasospasm following subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Eleven patients with SAH who were suspected of having cerebral vasospasm on the basis of their clinical symptoms were examined by 3D-CTA with a spiral CT scanner after an intravenous bolus administration of contrast medium. 3D-CTA revealed vasospastic changes of the cerebral vessels in eight patients. Conventional angiography was performed in six patients immediately after the 3D-CTA examination, and demonstrated the cerebral vasospasm. In eight patients, a second 3D-CTA was performed with the same technique one week after the first 3D-CTA examination. The second 3D-CTA showed the cerebral vessels without vasospastic change. In conclusion, 3D-CTA is a promising, minimally invasive strategy for the assessment of cerebral vasospasm.

Cerebral Angiography↗

Arrhythmia and electrical heterogeneity during prolonged hypoxia in guinea pig papillary muscles.

To investigate the mechanism of late arrhythmias in myocardial ischemia, effects of prolonged substrate-free hypoxia or hypoxia with glycolytic inhibition on action potentials of guinea pig papillary muscles were studied. During substrate-free hypoxia, the action potential duration (APD) shortened until 120-210 min, and there was recovery of the APDs thereafter. Surface mapping after prolonged hypoxia showed various APDs in single muscles. Hypoxia with glycolytic inhibition (20 mM 2-deoxyglucose) caused the recovery of APDs after 90 min. The double-microelectrode method confirmed different APDs and action potential configurations (electrical heterogeneity) in these conditions. There were triggered activities as a result of delayed afterdepolarizations, an indication of Ca2+ overload after prolonged hypoxia. There was also conduction delay between two recording sites. It was shown, for the first time, that triggered activities, recovery of APDs, electrical heterogeneity, and conduction delay appear after prolonged hypoxia. It is suggested that electrical heterogeneity and conduction delay caused by cell-to-cell uncoupling may predispose cardiac tissue to reentrant arrhythmias during ischemia.

Action Potentials↗

[Clinical classification of ALS patients based on the total course of ALS--proposal of respiratory motor paralysis-preceded type and its significance].

Since the motor paralysis occurs in all motor systems in ALS, the clinicopathological findings and care of the patients living beyond the development of respiratory failure must be considered. We have divided the efferent motor systems into four groups, i.e., limb, bulbar, respiratory, and external ocular. In this study, 37 ALS patients were followed for more than two years with respirator, and the onset of motor paralysis in all four systems was observed in each patient. First, we classified the patients into three groups according to the number of paralyzed motor systems observed within six months from the onset of the first motor paralysis, and we discuss the patient's prognosis after the first motor paralysis. Twenty-one patients with paralysis of the respiratory motor system alone were categorized as respiratory paralysis-preceded type ALS (R-type ALS), four patients with paralysis of the bulbar motor system alone as bulbar paralysis-preceded type ALS (B-type ALS), and 12 patients with simultaneous paralysis of two or more motor systems as combined motor system paralysis type ALS (C-type ALS). The results showed that the prognosis of R-type ALS is slow progression and that of C-type ALS, rapid progression. Next, we investigated the time of occurrence of the first motor paralysis of the four motor systems in 37 patients, and we discuss the most vulnerable motor functions in ALS, i.e., the initial clinical presentations in ALS. The most frequent first motor paralysis was of the respiratory motor system, and the initial clinical manifestations in ALS were impairment of fine discriminating voluntary respiratory and limb motor functions. These findings could be explained by the rule of ALS involvements, according to which onto-genetically newer motor functions are lost earlier than the older ones. Based on the findings in this study, we concluded that ALS initially involves the ontogenetically new motor functions in "the first system" proposed by G. Holstege, whose anatomical structure is composed of pre-motoneurons and motoneurons in the brain stem and spinal cord.

Adolescent↗

[Aging and the focal macular electroretinogram].

Focal macular electroretinograms (MERGs) were recorded with a fundus monitor through an infrared television fundus camera in 112 eyes of 112 normal subjects (68 males, 44 females), using three stimulus spots 5 degrees, 10 degrees, and 15 degrees in diameter. The amplitude and the implicit time of the a-wave, h-wave, and oscillatory potentials (OPs), and the ratio of amplitude of the b-wave to the a-wave (b/a ratio) at each stimulus spot were compared in terms of aging and sex. The amplitude of all components decreased significantly (p < 0.01-0.05) after the fifth decade, and there was a tendency for OPs to decrease more than the a-wave and b-wave. There was no significant effect of age on the h/a ratio and the implicit time of each component. The ratio of increase of amplitude to the enlargement of stimulus spot showed no significant changes with age. There was no significant difference in each component in terms of amplitude and implicit time with sex. The decrease of amplitude of all components after the fifth decade suggests aging of the macular cones. The tendency toward decreasing OPs also suggests aging of the inner retina in the macular region. The proportional changes of amplitude recorded with three different sizes of stimulus spots indicate that there is no significant effect of aging on the fovea, parafovea, or perifovea.

Adult↗

Dharmendra antigen but not integral M. leprae is an efficient inducer of immunostimulant cytokine production by human monocytes, and M. leprae lipids inhibit the cytokine production.

Killed integral Mycobacterium leprae, Mitsuda antigen, and chloroform-treated M. leprae, Dharmendra antigen (Dh-Ag), have been used for the classification of leprosy patients based on cell-mediated immunity. Heat-killed M. leprae also were used as a component of the Convit vaccine. Human blood monocytes were stimulated with M. leprae or Dh-Ag and their cytokine-inducing ability was compared. Monocytes were cultured in the presence of fresh human serum because of the efficiency of cytokine induction and the phagocytosis of M. leprae have been shown to be optimal in the presence of fresh serum. M. leprae and Dh-Ag were equally phagocytosed by monocytes. Dh-Ag was more potent than M. leprae in the induction of immunostimulatory/proinflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF). In contrast, a comparable level of IL-1ra, an immunosuppressive cytokine, was induced by M. leprae and Dh-Ag. The lipids extracted from M. leprae induced none of these cytokines by monocytes. Nevertheless, when monocytes were pretreated with the lipids followed by stimulation with Dh-Ag, productions of IL-1, IL-6 and TNF were all inhibited in a dose-dependent manner. However, the lipids did not inhibit the cytokine production induced by other stimuli including BCG and lipopolysaccharide. Moreover the lipids did not affect the production of IL-1ra. These results suggest that the lipids from M. leprae are responsible for the poor cytokine-inducing ability of M. leprae, thus favoring their infection. These results also suggest that Dh-Ag rather than integral M. leprae may be useful as a vaccine candidate because Dh-Ag is able to induce a large amount of cytokines from monocytes.

Antigens, Bacterial↗

[Concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor within the subretinal space and vitreous fluid in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment].

To determine the increased production and release of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) from the retina in the eye with non-angiogenic retinal detachment in which relative blood supply disturbance may be present, the concentration of VEGF in subretinal fluid and vitreous fluid collected from the eyes was investigated by enzyme linked immunospecific assay. The average concentration of VEGF was 0.5 +/- 1.1 ng/ml (mean +/- standard deviation) in nine samples of vitreous fluid collected from proliferative retinal detachment, and was 1.2 +/- 1.2 ng/ml in eleven samples of subretinal fluid from rhegmatogenous retinal detachment. The concentration of VEGF in six samples of vitreous fluid from angiogenic diabetic eyes (5.0 +/- 2.8 ng/ml) was significantly higher than in the samples from eyes with retinal detachment. The results suggest that the relative ischemic insult to the detached retina increases the release of VEGF into the vitreous cavity and subretinal space. The increased concentration of VEGF does not induce remarkable angiogenesis since the concentration is lower than the biological threshold, or the effect is modulated by inhibitors.

Adolescent↗

Analysis of p21Waf1/Cip1 expression in normal, premalignant, and malignant cells during the development of human lung adenocarcinoma.

Our studies suggested that adenocarcinoma of the peripheral lung mostly develops by several steps from atypical adenomatous hyperplasia through early adenocarcinoma to overt adenocarcinoma, and that some p53 abnormalities play an important role in this progression. In the present study, we examined by immunohistochemistry the expression of p53-inducible cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21Waf1/Cip1 (p21) in the cells at various developmental stages of lung adenocarcinoma (32 lesions of adenomatous hyperplasia, 14 of early adenocarcinoma, 23 of well differentiated adenocarcinoma, and 17 of moderately or poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma) in comparison with 19 reactive proliferative lesions and analyzed the relationship between p53 and p21 expression. Bronchioalveolar cells in the normal lung expressed very little or no p21 and no p53 expression. In not only reactive but also neoplastic lesions regardless of their developmental stage, the cells expressed p21 at various frequencies. The average labeling indices ranged from 5.4 to 13.8%, and there was no significant difference between any of these categories. The expression of p21, however, tended to be relatively low in moderately and poorly differentiated adenocarcinomas (5.5%) compared to well differentiated adenocarcinomas (12.2%), and high-level p21 expressors (10% < or = positive cells) were more frequent in the latter group (1 of 17 (6%) versus 3 of 23 (35%), P < 0.05), suggesting that p21 expression is affected by the degree of differentiation of the neoplastic cells. Although the correlation was positive between the expression of p21 and p53 in reactive lesions (r = 0.88; P < 0.001), none was found in neoplastic lesions at any step or grade (-0.12 < or = r < or = 0.26). These results indicated that p21 expression depends upon p53 expression in reactive lung cells, whereas p21 expression is at least in part independent of that of p53 from the earliest to the most fully developed step of lung adenocarcinoma tumorigenesis. We concluded that disruption of the p53-dependent cell cycle regulation is a very early event in the tumorigenesis of lung adenocarcinoma.

Adenocarcinoma↗