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Biomedical subjects

H Kitani

Publications and source records attributed to H Kitani.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

[Asthma classification by score calculated from clinical findings and examinations. Comparison between clinical diagnosis and score diagnosis].

Asthma classification by clinical symptoms and signs (clinical diagnosis) was compared with the classification by score calculated from clinical findings and examinations (score diagnosis) in 25 patients with bronchial asthma. 1. Ten subjects classified as Ia (simple bronchoconstriction type) by clinical diagnosis were divided into 6 cases with expectoration of less than 49 ml a day and 4 cases with expectoration of between 50 and 99 ml. The level of serum IgE and number of eosinophils in BALF were significantly higher in the latter cases than in the former cases. The cases whose expectoration was from 50 to 99 ml a day were classified as Ib (bronchoconstriction with hypersecretion type) by score diagnosis. 2. The six subjects who were classified as type Ib by clinical diagnosis were also evaluated as type Ib by score diagnosis. 3. Nine of the 10 subjects classified as type II by clinical diagnosis were evaluated as type II by score diagnosis. One case, whose score was under 12 points, was evaluated as questionable type II by score diagnosis.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Secretion of polypeptides related to epidermal growth factor and insulinlike growth factor I by a human teratocarcinoma cell line.

To identify polypeptide growth factors for human teratocarcinoma cells, we studied the malignant ovarian teratoma-derived cell line, PA-1, that grew autonomously in serum-free medium. Medium conditioned by undifferentiated PA-1 cells strongly stimulated proliferation of the mouse mammary tumor cell line, GR 2H6, which is responsive to epidermal growth factor (EGF) and insulinlike growth factor-I (IGF-I). After ammonium sulfate precipitation, PA-1 conditioned medium was analyzed by anion exchange chromatography and bioassay of elution fractions on GR 2H6 cells that were grown in medium deficient in either EGF or insulin. The results demonstrated that PA-1 CM contained factors that can substitute for EGF and IGF-I in stimulating growth of GR 2H6 cells. Western blots of peak mitogenic fractions revealed low molecular weight polypeptides that were immunoreactive with either anti-EGF or anti-IGF-I antibodies. Indirect immunofluorescence staining of PA-1 cells with monoclonal antibodies localized receptors for each growth factor, and binding of human EGF and IGF-I to these cells was quantified by radioreceptor assays. Secretion of factors closely related to EGF and IGF-I by PA-1 cells under serum-free conditions may provide a novel model system to study molecular mechanisms of autocrine growth stimulation in teratocarcinomas.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Isolation and characterization of mouse neural precursor cells in primary culture.

Primary cultures of mouse neural precursor cells were established by enzymatic dissociation of embryonic Day 10 fetal heads followed by negative selection of non-neural contaminating cells. The latter were allowed to attach and spread on a plastic substrate under conditions that permitted neural precursor cells to remain suspended in the culture medium. The resulting neuroepithelial cell enriched suspension then was plated on dishes coated with poly-D-lysine. Growth of fibroblastic cells was inhibited in a selective medium. Cell proliferation was measured by immunoperoxidase staining of nuclei after bromodeoxyuridine labeling. The proportion of labeled cells declined from 50% on Day 1 until Day 5 when it approached zero, and after 7 days in culture a fourfold increase in cell number was achieved in medium containing 1% fetal bovine serum, transferrin, insulin, cholera toxin, and sodium selenite. Differentiation of neural precursor cells was studied by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy for the appearance of neuron- and astrocyte-specific cytoskeletal proteins at successive intervals in culture. Cells bearing neuritic processes and expressing neurofilaments as well as microtubule-associated protein 2 were present in low numbers on Day 1, increasing through Day 14. Stellate cells with morphologic features of astrocytes and immunoreactive for glial fibrillary acidic protein were not detected until Day 5 and did not become abundant until Day 11. No differences in morphology or immunocytochemical staining characteristics were found between neural precursor cells processed by enzymatic dissociation of whole fetal heads and those recovered by manual dissection of fetal neuroepithelia. The large number of neural precursor cells obtained by this rapid, simple method makes possible the production of mass cultures for molecular analysis of the regulatory factors that control proliferation and differentiation during early development of the mouse central nervous system.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Specific IgE, IgG and IgG4 antibodies against house dust mite in patients with bronchial asthma.

Serum levels of total IgE, specific IgE, IgG and IgG4 against house dust mite were measured in mite-sensitive asthma patients receiving immunotherapy with house dust. Serum levels of total IgE, mite specific IgE and IgG did not significantly change during the course of hyposensitization. Increased levels of mite specific IgG4 were observed in patients during immunotherapy. The increase in specific IgG4 was dependent on the total dose of house dust administered in both children (r = 0.636, p less than 0.001) and adults (r = 0.629, p less than 0.01). However, the increase of specific IgG4 in adults was not as apparent as in children. These results might suggest that mite specific IgG4 is a useful immunological marker in the immunotherapy for allergic asthma, and that IgG4 antibody acts as a blocking antibody in atopic bronchial asthma.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1990

The "recall effect" in radiotherapy: is subeffective, reparable damage involved?

It has been proposed that lethal mutations among the progeny of a surviving cell could be the basis for the recall effect when chemotherapy is applied subsequent to the repair of normal-tissue injury resulting from a course of radiation therapy. Because radiotherapy is usually multifractionated, the possibility exists that repair of heritable injury of this type could occur between fractions as is the case for sublethal damage. To examine this possibility, the endpoint small-colony formation was used--an endpoint which integrates the effects of a number of radiation-induced aberrancies including lethal mutations--and low-dose-rate irradiation. It was found that, even after net surviving fractions comparable to those sought in radiotherapy were reached, little damage remained expressible as a deficiency in the size of the colony generated from a surviving cell. We conclude that the damage expressible as a lethal mutation is reparable and therefore the recall effect must be attributed to some other cellular mechanism.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

[Clinical characteristics of bronchial asthma in the elderly in relation to cell component in the airways].

Cellular responses in the airways of bronchial asthma, which might be affected with aging, were compared between 28 elderly (60 years old or more) and 28 younger (40 years old or less) patients with bronchial asthma. The cellular responses were observed to differentiate 500 cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), excluding epithelial cells. The average frequency of each type of cell in the BALF of the elderly asthmatics was 65.7% for macrophages, 15.5% for lymphocytes, 8.9% for neutrophils and 9.5% for eosinophils. In the younger asthmatics the average frequency was 61.8% for macrophages, 17.1% for lymphocytes, 4.1% for neutrophils and 16.1% for eosinophils. A significant increase in the frequency of neutrophils in BALF of the elderly cases was observed in steroid-dependent intractable asthmatics compared to the younger cases (p less than 0.05). An increase in frequency of eosinophils in the younger cases was also observed, although the difference in the frequency was not significant between the elderly and the younger intractable cases. A significant difference in the frequency of each type of cell in the clinical type of bronchial asthma was not present between the elderly and the younger cases. However, the frequency of neutrophils in elderly cases was significantly increased in Ib. bronchospasm + hypersecretion type compared to Ia. bronchospasm type (p less than 0.05), and was more elevated in II. bronchiolar obstruction type (p less than 0.01). The frequency of neutrophils was markedly more increased in the elderly cases with poor prognosis than in the younger cases (p less than 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1990

[Characteristic of cell components in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in patients with bronchial asthma classified by clinical symptoms].

The characteristics of cell components in BALF were examined in three groups of 104 patients with bronchial asthma, classified by clinical symptoms. 1. The frequency of neutrophils in BALF was significantly higher in patients with hypersecretion type (Ib) and in cases with bronchiolar obstruction type (II) than in cases with simple bronchoconstriction type (Ia). 2. A significantly higher proportions of neutrophils in BALF was observed in atopic asthmatics with type Ib than in non-atopic asthmatics with type Ib. 3. More frequency with moderate or high grade of eosinophilia in BALF were observed in cases with type Ib, whether they were atopic or non-atopic type. 4. More frequency with moderate or high grade of neutrophilia in BALF were observed in atopic cases with Ib and in both atopic and non-atopic cases with II. 5. Cases with moderate and high grade of both eosinophilia and neutrophilia in BALF were more frequent in atopic cases with Ib. The results suggest followings--1) both eosinophils and neutrophils participate in hypersecretion of type Ib in atopic cases, and only eosinophils in non-atopic cases. 2) neutrophils participate in bronchiolar obstruction of type II, whether they are atopic or non-atopic cases.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

Flat reversion by okadaic acid of raf and ret-II transformants.

Okadaic acid is a non-phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-type tumor promoter on mouse skin and known to be a potent inhibitor of serine/threonine protein phosphatases. Contrary to expectation from its tumor-promoting activity, okadaic acid was shown to have a potential to revert the phenotypes of cells transformed by raf and ret-II to that of normal cells. Two to 3 days after addition of 8 ng of okadaic acid per ml to the culture medium, raf and ret-II transformants changed to flat cells and gained contact inhibition. The amount of fibronectin, which was decreased in malignant transformed cells, was increased in the flat revertants. Moreover, okadaic acid caused a dose-dependent loss of ability to grow in soft agar. The morphology of the cells reverted to malignant phenotype within 1 week after removal of okadaic acid. The levels of mRNA and protein of activated c-raf in flat revertants were similar to those in parental transformed cells. The level of mRNA of ret-II was also not changed by flat reversion. No induction of flat reversion was observed with okadaic acid tetramethyl ether, an inactive compound, or a phorbol ester, PMA. As okadaic acid is a potent inhibitor of protein phosphatases 1 and 2A, the possibility that these phosphatases are involved in signal transduction from the raf and ret-II oncogenes is suggested.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Analysis of lymphocyte response to chironomid midge antigens in asthmatic and non-asthmatic individuals.

Chironomid antigens are currently one of the important allergens for bronchial asthma in Japan. We evaluated in vitro responses of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) to chironomid antigens and compared these responses with serum IgE levels. PBLs from adult asthmatic patients showed stronger proliferation in response to the extract of adult midges of Chironomus yoshimatsui compared with healthy adults. On the other hand, elevated PBL responses of child asthmatic patients to chironomid antigens were not observed. There was no significant correlation between PBL proliferation and the serum IgE level. Our results might suggest that elevated PBL proliferation in response to chironomid allergens has somehow important pathogenic roles in adult cases although this does not correlate directly with specific IgE production.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

[Immunoallergological studies on chironomid antigen in bronchial asthma].

Immuno-allergological studies on Tokunagayusurika akamusi (TA), a chironomid, were carried out in 217 patients with bronchial asthma. 1. Skin reaction to TA was positive in 72 (33.2%) out of the 217 patients with bronchial asthma. 2. Fifteen (13.8%) of the 109 patients showed a significant amount of histamine release (more than 15%) from basophils stimulated by TA antigen. 3. There was a significant correlation between skin reaction and histamine release by TA antigen. 4. A significant amount of basophil histamine release was observed in young patients, and in those who were under 40 years old of age at the onset of the disease. The serum IgE concentration of these patients was relatively high. 5. There was a significant correlation between basophil histamine release by TA antigen and specific IgE antibody to CTT. 6. There were no significant differences in skin reaction or histamine release by TA antigen between asthmatics in Okayama and Tottori prefectures.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1989

[Clinical studies on steroid-dependent intractable asthma. Comparison between early and late onset of asthma].

The various components making for severe intractable asthma were clinically and allergo-immunologically studied in 90 patients with bronchial asthma, by comparison between early onset and late onset groups. 1. In the early onset asthma group, cases with low serum IgE levels showed a stronger tendency toward severe intractable asthma. 2. Late onset asthma cases with negative skin tests and negative specific IgE antibodies to house dust tended more often to be severe intractable cases. 3. There was no correlation between sensitization by specific antigens (house dust and Candida), especially Candida, and a tendency toward severe intractable asthma. 4. Severe intractable asthma might be caused by bronchospasm in cases under 30 years of age, by bronchospasm plus hypersecretion in cases between 31 and 40 years of age, and by bronchospasm plus bronchiolar obstruction in cases over 40 years of age.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1988

Eosinophilic leucocytes and arylsulfatase activity in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of patients with bronchial asthma.

The arylsulfatase activity and histamine concentration of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were examined in patients with bronchial asthma in relation to the eosinophil count and asthma type (atopic and non-atopic). The BALF arylsulfatase activity and histamine concentration were significantly higher in atopic asthmatics than in non-atopic asthmatics. In atopic asthmatics, the activity of arylsulfatase was significantly increased in patients with a higher eosinophil count (10% or more). However, the BALF histamine concentration did not correlate with the eosinophil count. In non-atopic asthmatics, there was no significant correlation between arylsulfatase activity and the eosinophil count. The results show that arylsulfatase participates in IgE-mediated allergic reactions.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

7,12-Dimethylbenz[a]anthracene plus near-u.v. light initiates DNA damage and repair in Chinese hamster cells.

Earlier results on the photodynamic action of several carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and particularly 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA), have been extended to determine if DMBA + near-u.v. light produces damage to DNA. DMBA by itself (30 min, approximately 24 degrees C) introduces relatively few breaks into genomic DNA. The addition of near-u.v. light, however, inserts large numbers of single-strand breaks in a dose-dependent way. Incubation following exposure initially results in the rapid repair of these breaks. A primary role for DNA damage in photodynamic cell killing is not supported by other observations, however. First, caffeine, an inhibitor of radiation-associated DNA repair processes, has only a minor effect on the oxygen-dependent killing of cells exposed to DMBA + u.v. light. Second, along with the repair of DNA breaks, the insertion of additional breaks becomes evident leading to a massive breakdown of genomic DNA due to an endonucleolytic-like attack. And third, lethally affected cells rapidly lose their surface attachment. Because light induces damage in DNA when DMBA is present, it is likely that DMBA becomes closely associated with DNA. Thus, a starting point for mutagenic and carcinogenic action in the absence of light is suggested although activation of DMBA by a P-450 system does not appear to be a prerequisite of DMBA-DNA association. Still, DNA as such may not be the initial or the primary target for light-induced cell killing. In addition to interacting with DNA, DMBA is sequestered by membranes, suggesting that killing results from an oxygen-dependent release of catabolic enzymes. These enzymes, which may come from lysosomes, degrade DNA but concomitantly release surface-attached cells into the medium.

9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene↗
PubMed1986

Differentiation of lens and neural cells in chicken embryos is accompanied by simultaneous decay of DNA replication machinery.

DNA polymerase alpha was detected in cells of developing chicken embryos by an immunofluorescent method using a monoclonal antibody specific for the high molecular weight polypeptide of chicken DNA polymerase alpha, and DNA polymerase beta was detected using a rabbit anti-chicken DNA polymerase beta antibody. In lens tissue of the 3- to 4-day chicken embryo, fluorescence with anti-DNA polymerase alpha antibody was detected in nuclei of lens epithelial cells but not in nuclei of lens fiber cells which had differentiated from epithelial cells. The localization of cells containing DNA polymerase alpha coincided with the distribution of cells capable of DNA replication as detected by [3H]thymidine autoradiography. Similar results were obtained during the differentiation of neural matrix cells to neuroblasts in the developing neural tube. In contrast to DNA polymerase alpha, DNA polymerase beta was detected in nuclei of both undifferentiated and differentiated cells of these tissues. Since the disappearance of DNA polymerase alpha was very rapid after the onset of differentiation, the DNA replication machinery in which DNA polymerase alpha plays a central role is thought to decay almost simultaneously with the onset of cellular differentiation in these tissues.

Animals↗