Biomedical subjects

H Itoh

Publications and source records attributed to H Itoh.

At least 685 records · Page 38Linked to original sources

PubMed1995

Interaction stabilizing tertiary structure of bacteriorhodopsin studied by denaturation experiments.

The structural stability of bacteriorhodopsin was studied by denaturation experiments, using aliphatic alcohol as denaturants. The disappearance of a positive peak at 285 nm of the circular dichroism spectra, the change in the intrinsic fluorescence decay time, and the decrease of the regeneration activity bacteriorhodopsin indicated the denaturation of the tertiary structure of this protein at a methanol concentration of about 3 M. The circular dichroism band at 222 nm was unchanged by the denaturation. It was concluded that the alcohol-denatured state in water was similar to the molten globule state of soluble proteins, in which only the tertiary structure was destroyed. Solvent substitution from water to hexane did not cause denaturation of bacteriorhodopsin. However, further addition of alcohol destroyed the secondary as well as the tertiary structures. Comparing the alcohol effects of bacteriorhodopsin in water to that in hexane, the dominant interactions for the structure formation of this protein could be revealed: the hydrophobic interaction that arose from the structure of water is essential for the stability of membrane spanning helices, while the interaction which binds the helices is polar in nature.

Alcohols↗

PubMed1995

Endothelium-dependent relaxation in response to adenosine diphosphate is impaired under poor runoff conditions in the canine femoral artery.

To examine whether poor distal runoff conditions of the canine femoral artery modulates endothelium-dependent relaxations, we developed a poor distal runoff limb in the canine right femoral artery (poor runoff group). The left femoral artery was used as a control. Endothelium-dependent responses were examined in vitro. The rings of femoral artery were obtained from dogs pretreated with 6 weeks of poor distal runoff. In the control, flow rate and tau-variation were 79.1 ml/min and 214.2 dynes/cm2, respectively. In the poor runoff group, the flow rate and tau-variation were 27.4 ml/min and 52.7 dynes/cm2. There were significant differences between the two groups. In the rings taken from the control group contracted with norepinephrine, adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and A23187 caused endothelium-dependent relaxations. In the poor runoff group, the endothelium-dependent relaxations in response to ADP were impaired, while A23187 caused comparable endothelium-dependent relaxations. Direct relaxations in response to sodium nitroprusside were comparable between the two groups. These experiments indicate that under poor runoff conditions, the endothelium-dependent relaxations to ADP are impaired without changing the properties of the smooth muscle cells. This dysfunction of the endothelium under conditions of abnormal flow may accelerate a loss of late patency of the reconstructed arteries.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗

PubMed1995

Eicosapentanoic acid reduces the intimal thickening of autogenous vein grafts and enhances endothelium-derived relaxing factor.

The present study examined the effect of purified eicosapentanoic acid (EPA) on intimal thickening of an autogenous vein graft. In addition, experiments were performed to determine whether EPA supplementation would alter the endothelium-dependent responses of the reversed vein graft. Segments of femoral veins were grafted into the femoral arteries of dogs. Six dogs received regular chow (control group) and six other dogs regular chow with 1500 mg/day 90.0% pure EPA (EPA group). At 6 weeks after surgery, the vein grafts were removed from the dogs, cut into rings, and suspended in organ chambers for isometric tension recording. In some rings, the endothelial cells were removed. When the rings taken from the control group were contracted with norepinephrine, adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and A23187 caused endothelium-dependent relaxations. In the EPA group, the endothelium-dependent responses to ADP were significantly augmented, while A23187 caused comparable endothelium-dependent relaxations. Direct relaxation in response to sodium nitroprusside was comparable between the two groups. Intimal thickening of the grafts in the control group (29.0 +/- 1.8 microns) was significantly (P < 0.05) greater than in the EPA group (12.5 +/- 1.8 microns). These results suggest that EPA enhances the release of endothelium-derived relaxing factor in autogenous vein grafts. This may be one of the effects of EPA in reducing the intimal thickening of autogenous vein grafts.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

The role of middle ear effusions and epidermal growth factor in cholesteatoma formation in the gerbilline temporal bone.

To study the process of aural cholesteatoma formation, we used gerbilline temporal bones to examine histologically the early stages of spontaneous cholesteatomas associated with experimentally induced otitis media with effusion (OME) following electric cauterizations of the eustachian tube. Epidermal growth factor (EGF) was then localized immunohistochemically in the pars flaccida of normal ears and the forming spontaneous cholesteatomas. Findings in the ears with the early spontaneous cholesteatomas were effusion inside the pars flaccida and hypertrophy and hyperkeratosis of the pars flaccida. Findings in the ears with experimental OME involved an effusion in the whole middle ear cavity as well as hypertrophy and hyperkeratosis in both the pars flaccida and pars tensa. The incidence of ear drum changes was higher in the experimental OME group than in control animals without cauterization. EGF was localized in the mucous layer of normal drums, the mucous layer and lamina propria of drums with hypertrophy alone, and all layers in drums with hypertrophy and hyperkeratosis. EGF was especially positive in the cytoplasms of transformed cuboidal cells. These findings suggest that EGF within the transformed mucous layer may play an important role as a biochemical factor in developing cholesteatomas.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Thymoma: tumour type related to expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF), EGF-receptor, p53, v-erb B and ras p21.

As clinicopathological features may not be sufficient to predict the progression of thymoma, we have carried out what we believe to be the first immunohistochemical study describing the relationship between the different types of thymoma and the tumour stage, on the one hand, and the expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF), EGF-receptor (EGFR), p53, v-erb B and ras p21, on the other. The positive rates versus histological types and Masaoka's clinical stages in the 47 cases were as follows: p53 (non-invasive thymoma: 41.7%; malignant thymoma category I: 82.4%; malignant thymoma category II: 83.3%), EGF (non-invasive thymoma: 4.2%; malignant thymoma category I: 11.8%; malignant thymoma category II: 33.3%) and EGFR (non-invasive thymoma: 8.3%; malignant thymoma category I: 35.3%; malignant thymoma category II: 66.7%); p53 (stages I and II: 51.7%; stages III and IV: 77.8%), EGF (stages I and II: 3.4%; stages III and IV: 22.2%) and EGFR (stages I and II: 13.8%; stages III and IV: 44.4%). These data suggest that p53 may be implicated in the initial stages of tumorigenesis and that increased expression of EGF and EGFR may play a role in thymoma progression.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Characterization of the 5'-flanking region and chromosomal assignment of the human brain natriuretic peptide gene.

Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a cardiac hormone that occurs predominantly in the ventricle, and synthesis and secretion of BNP are greatly augmented in patients with congestive heart failure and in animal models of ventricular hypertrophy. In order to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the human BNP gene expression in the heart, the human BNP gene was isolated from a size-selected genomic minilibrary. The 1.9-kb human BNP 5'-flanking region (-1813 to +110) contained an array of putative cis-acting regulatory elements. Various lengths of the cloned 5'-flanking sequences were linked upstream to the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene, and their promoter activities were assayed. The 1.9-kb promoter region showed a high-level CAT activity in cultured neonatal rat ventricular cardiocytes. When the CT-rich sequences (-1288 to -1095) were deleted, the high-level activity was reduced to approximately 30%. The 399-bp BNP 5'-flanking region (-289 to +110) showed approximately 10% activity of the 1.9-kb region. Furthermore, using human-rodent somatic hybrid cell lines, the BNP gene was assigned to human chromosome 1, on which the atrial natriuretic peptide gene is localized. The present study leads to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms for the human BNP gene expression in the heart.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Late graft failure of autologous vein grafts for arterial occlusive disease: clinical and experimental studies.

Late graft failure following arterial reconstructive surgery, especially after infrainguinal reconstruction, remains a major concern for vascular surgeons. To more effectively predict the outcome of reconstructed arteries, we herein propose an intraoperative flow waveform analysis which correlates well with the long-term patency rate of grafts. According to this flow waveform analysis, late graft failure was occasionally seen in grafts with type II waveforms when poor distal runoff vessels had been shown by the preoperative arteriogram. Next, to investigate which events occurring in autologous vein grafts under abnormal hemodynamics may contribute to late graft failure, a distal poor-runoff model was made in the canine femoral artery. In this review, we present the results of our investigation on autologous vein grafts using this poor-runoff model. We also relate our recent findings on the function of regenerated endothelium in autologous vein grafts.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

A 10-year survivor with unresectable hepatic metastases from sigmoid colon carcinoma treated with regional chemotherapy.

We treated a man with unresectable hepatic metastases from sigmoid colon carcinoma who has since survived for more than 10 years. A sigmoidectomy with lymph node dissection was performed and a continuous hepatic arterial infusion of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) with intermittent infusion of mitomycin C (MMC) was administered for about 3 months after this operation. The total doses of 5-FU and MMC were 16 g and 84 mg, respectively. Tegafur also was administered orally at a dose of 600 mg/day for about 8 months. The carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) level (which had reached 4,409 ng/ml preoperatively) normalized 4 months after surgery, and still remains normal. Very few patients with unresectable hepatic metastases survive for 5 or more years. However, regional chemotherapy can be effective in some patients.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed1995

Serum antibody against Helicobacter pylori assayed by a new capture ELISA.

We developed a highly specific detection technique for serum antibody, using a monoclonal antibody to a specific antigen of Helicobacter pylori. A monoclonal antibody preparation that reacted with the 54-kDa molecule of H. pylori antigens was obtained. Using this preparation, an antigen-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was established by fixation of the monoclonal antibody, followed by reaction with sonicated whole cell antigens. The serum antibody titers of patients with gastritis and peptic ulcers were significantly higher than control titers, and the antibody titer correlated with the histological severity of gastritis. Patients positive for H. pylori by bacterial culture had higher titers than H. pylori-negative patients. Our new ELISA may be useful for the diagnosis of H. pylori infections and for evaluation of the severity of gastric inflammation.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗

PubMed1995

Induction and intracellular localization of a 72-kDa heat shock protein in rat gastric mucosa after water-immersion stress.

We investigated the expression and changes in the intracellular localization of a 72-kDa heat shock protein (HSP72) in rat gastric pyloric and fundic mucosa before and after water-immersion stress. Severe mucosal damage was found in the fundic mucosal area of the stomach after this stress. However, no mucosal lesion developed in the pyloric mucosal area. HSP72 in both the soluble and insoluble fractions of the pyloric and the fundic mucosal areas was significantly increased after water-immersion stress, peaking 6h after the initiation of the stress. The increase in HSP72 was more significant in the pyloric mucosal area than in the fundic mucosal area under both normal and stress conditions. The increase of HSP72 in the pyloric mucosal cells occurred prior to the formation of the mucosal lesions, whereas the increase of HSP72 in the fundic mucosal cells was observed after ulcer formation. An immunohistochemical study showed that HSP72 was constitutively expressed in the cytoplasm of the gastric mucosal cells, and that the intranuclear induction of HSP72 was remarkably intense in the pyloric mucosal cells, especially in the proliferative zone, compared with the fundic mucosal cells. Our results may suggest that HSP72 has an important cytoprotective function in gastric mucosal cells and that there is a "biophysical" difference between pyloric and the fundic mucosal cells.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Significance of aminopyrine breath test as a parameter of hepatic functional reserve in 40% partial hepatectomy of rats with CCl4-induced liver injury.

Rats with CCl4-induced liver injury underwent partial (40%) hepatectomy. The [14C]aminopyrine breath test (ABT) values in rats with CCl4-induced liver injury were reduced by 34% compared with those in rats with normal liver. Preoperative ABT values clearly discriminated between survivors and those that died following 40% partial hepatectomy in rats CCl4-induced liver injury (P < 0.05). Hepatic protein synthesis was remarkably enhanced in CCl4-induced liver injury compared with normal liver (P < 0.001), and this was inversely correlated with ABT values (P < 0.001). These data show that the enhanced hepatic protein synthesis could induce a decrease of hepatic functional reserve. ABT seems to be a useful preoperative test for predicting surgical mortality following hepatectomy.

Alanine Transaminase↗

PubMed1995

New design of N-isopropyl-p-[123I]iodoamphetamine (123I-IMP) lung imaging in the patient with lung cancer.

N-isopropyl-p-[123I]iodoamphetamine (123I-IMP) was injected intravenously into primary non small cell lung carcinoma patients (n = 17). The average pixel count ratios of the cancerous area to the whole lung was measured in the initial and delayed images. In the initial image, this ratio was less than 1.0 for the entire group of patients, and was thought to reflect decreased blood flow in the cancerous tissues. The rate of counts within a ROI in the delayed image to counts in the same ROI in the initial image was also calculated and called the remain rate. The remain rate (delayed count/initial count) was significantly higher in the cancerous area than in the whole lung (0.65 +/- 0.30, median 0.62, 0.38 +/- 0.05, median 0.38, p < 0.01). This observation was thought to be due to a relative decrease in the blood flow and the accumulation of IMP, which forms pools within the alveolar spaces of the cancerous areas. The image prepared with the remain rate revealed a hot image in the cancerous regions, even when this was not apparent in the delayed image. The remain rate image may therefore be useful in the identification of cancerous areas in lung tissue if it is used in comparison with the initial image.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

A physical fitness model of older adults.

Physical fitness for young people is viewed as a multidimensional construct, in that it consists of specific components such as strength, mobility, balance, flexibility, and stamina. This study examined whether this structure underlying physical fitness is also relevant to older adults. A 10-item performance test, which was assumed to assess six components of physical fitness, was administered to 69 healthy volunteers ranging in age from 61 to 83 years. A covariance structure model was applied to the test data: the second-order factor was Physical Fitness, and the first-order factors were Strength, Walking, Balance, Flexibility, Stamina, and Manual Speed which were assumed to be measured based on the ten observed variables. Goodness-of-fit index (GFI) of the model was acceptable (GFI = 0.93). While four factors relating to basic motor performances (Strength, Walking, Balance, and Manual Speed) had loadings more than 0.62 to Physical Fitness, Flexibility and Stamina had less than 0.35. It was suggested for elderly people that strength, mobility, balance, and speed components of physical fitness were highly correlated and explainable by a single factor, while flexibility and cardiorespiratory endurance were to be measured by use of specific measures.

Aged↗

PubMed1995

The structure underlying physical performance measures for older adults in the community.

A 6-item physical performance test assessing hand strength/speed, mobility, and balance was administered to 678 elderly people from a Japanese community (age 65-89). A second-order covariance structure model applied to the data revealed that three factors in observed variables (Hand Power, Walking, and Balance) had loadings more than 0.8 on a single higher-order factor, Basic Motor Ability (BMA). The BMA score, or "Physical Performance Age (PPA)", of the individual was calculated on the basis of this model as a unidimensional summary score of physical performances. The PPA predicted the self-reported levels of competence and physical activity with greater accuracy than age alone. The PPA also differentiated those at the high end of the functional spectrum, and thereby not identifiable by use of ordinary self-reported functional measures. The results suggest that a short physical performance battery assessing physical functioning is useful in community-based studies of aging.

Aged↗

PubMed1995

Goblet cell hyperplasia induced by Strongyloides venezuelensis-infection in Syrian golden hamster, Mesocricetus auratus.

The goblet cell response was examined in the jejunum of the Syrian golden hamster, Mesocricetus auratus, following infection with an intestinal helminth, Strongyloides venezuelensis. After subcutaneous inoculation with 3000 infective larvae (L3), the number of adult worms in the small intestine remained stable up to day 20 and then decreased. Before infection, the number of goblet cells in the jejunum was about 70/10 villi. The number of goblet cells slowly increased, though not significantly, until day 20 post-infection, and then rapidly increased with an inverse relationship to the worm burden. By day 43, when adult worms were almost completely expelled, the number of goblet cells was about 3-fold higher than that of control animals. Similar vigorous goblet cell hyperplasia has not been reported in Strongyloides spp. infection in other experimental animals. Histochemical study revealed that goblet cells in the jejunum of Syrian golden hamsters, unlike those of other experimental animals, produced and released highly sulfated mucins.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Significance of detection of enterovirus RNA in myocardial tissues by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

Enteroviruses are known to have association with human myocarditis and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). We screened biopsy specimens from patients with active myocarditis or DCM, and myocardial tissues from autopsy cases without cardiac diseases using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) gene amplification. Positive enteroviral signals were demonstrated from 4 of 5 patients with active myocarditis (80%), 7 of 42 patients with DCM(17%) and 3 of 27 autopsies (11%). Out of 7 PCR positive patients with DCM, 3 cases showed hypertrophy and disarray of cardiocytes, fibrosis in the interstitium, and a few inflammatory infiltrates. The remaining 4 cases with DCM and 3 PCR positive autopsy cases did riot exhibit histological findings compatible with those in myocarditis. Our results support the observations that enteroviruses are common aetiologic agents of myocarditis, and some cases of DCM. Our results also suggest the possibility that in some cases enteroviruses may persist in the myocardium without causing apparent pathological changes.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Rapid gastric emptying and pathological changes of vagus nerve in the spontaneously diabetic Chinese hamster.

To estimate autonomic neuropathy in the spontaneously diabetic Chinese hamster, which is an established strain for the non-obese non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus model, gastric emptying and morphometric analysis of the vagus nerve were studied in 12-month-old spontaneously diabetic Chinese hamsters (duration of diabetes was 9 months). Gastric emptying was determined by the phenol red method. Vagus was obtained from just above the diaphragm. Morphometric analysis of myelinated fibers was performed light-microscopically using semi-thin sections and unmyelinated fibers were studied electron-microscopically using ultra-thin sections. Gastric emptying of spontaneously diabetic Chinese hamster was significantly increased compared with control (86.6 +/- 1.9 vs. 51.2 +/- 3.4, P < 0.01). Myelinated fibers of the spontaneously diabetic Chinese hamster were not different from control animals, while the size of unmyelinated fibers in the spontaneously diabetic Chinese hamster was significantly decreased. These data suggest that pathological changes in unmyelinated fibers, which consist mainly of afferent fibers, might play a role in gastric motor dysfunction in the spontaneously diabetic Chinese hamster.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Muscle activation in the elbow-forearm complex during rapid elbow extension.

Normal human subjects performed extensions of the elbow from an initial position to a visually defined target as rapidly and accurately as possible at different angular amplitudes (9 degrees-54 degrees) and at a constant amplitude (36 degrees) under various additional instructions. Joint angle, angular acceleration, and electromyograms (EMGs) from agonist (triceps lateralis), antagonist (biceps), and antebrachial muscles were recorded. EMGs of the antagonistic muscles showed reciprocal activation of the first triceps, and then the biceps, which was followed by the second triceps activation and coactivation of both muscles. Movement amplitude changed the reciprocal activation, whereas the coactivation was unaltered. Additional instructions changed the coactivation in amplitude, initiation, and termination, whereas the reciprocal activation was relatively preserved. Under these conditions, EMGs of antebrachial muscles were always linked with the coactivation in amplitude and timing but not with the reciprocal activation. The linkage suggests that antebrachial muscle activation serves as an indicator of the coactivation. From the indicator, we infer that the coactivation initiates from the beginning of the rapid movements and changes during the dynamic movement phase.

Adolescent↗