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Biomedical subjects

H Okubo

Publications and source records attributed to H Okubo.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Purification of C-reactive protein.

A concise method was designed for preparation of C-reactive protein (CRP) from pleural effusion. By addition of L-alpha-lecithin to the pleural effusion in the presence of calcium ions, a flocculence of the CRP-lecithin complex formed. Subsequent treatment of the CRP-lecithin complex with chloroform and sodium citrate buffer enabled extraction of the CRP in the buffer layer. This extracted CRP was further purified by sequential treatment on column chromatography of DEAE cellulose (DE52) and gel filtration using Sephacryl S-300. The isolated protein was proved to be native CRP with a high degree of purity, as determined by electrophoretical and immunological analysis. The yield was 41.8% recovery from the starting material. E1%(280) of the CRP preparation was estimated to be 18.75.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

[Coenzyme Q10 in cancer chemotherapy--experimental studies on augmentation of the effects of masked compounds, especially in the combined chemotherapy with immunopotentiators].

Immunopotentiators may mitigate the depression of immunological function caused by the cancer itself or by chemotherapeutics. However, it has been found that these immunopotentiators reduce the metabolic activity of the host against drugs, including "masked" chemotherapeutics, which might be activated by metabolization in the body. Reported here is the result of serial experiments carried out on the activation of cyclophosphamide (CPM) in tumor-bearing animals, pretreated with phenobarbital, a drug-metabolizing enzyme inducer, and coenzyme Q10, a physiological activator of the electron transfer system in mitochondrias, in combination with immunopotentiators. Female Donryu rats (120 g body weight) implanted with Yoshida Sarcoma cells (YS) (2.5 X 10(6) i.p.) were treated with CPM (160 mg/kg X 1 i.p.), 84 hrs after implantation; the levels of the normustard-like substances (active metabolites of CPM) were serially measured. Some of the animals were also treated with PSK (125 mg/kg X 5 i.p.), a proteinpolysaccharide immunopotentiator obtained from mycelia of the Coriolus vesicolor, or with OK-432 (10 KE/kg X 5 i.m.), a streptococcal immunopotentiator. The results obtained were as follows: The blood levels of the normustard-like substances were lowered, i.e. the CPM activation was depressed in the YS-bearing rats and the depression was markedly intensified by PSK or OK-432 administration. Phenobarbital (40 mg/kg X 3 i.p.) or coenzyme Q10 (5 mg/rat X 5 i.p.) administration could mitigate the depression of the blood levels caused by the immunopotentiators, and the combination of phenobarbital with coenzyme Q10 could recover the blood levels up to those of the YS-bearing control rats, or even higher. YS-implanted (i.p.) rats treated with CPM+ immunopotentiators+coenzyme Q10 survived longer than those treated with CPM+immunopotentiators. These findings suggest the usefulness of coenzyme Q10 for the enhancement of cancer immunochemotherapy using masked compounds combined with immunopotentiators; all the more so, because coenzyme Q10 has also an immuno-stimulating effect, moreover, it presents almost no side effects in clinical application.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

[The propensity to malignant changes in heterozygous moles].

There are at least two mechanisms of origin for complete mole, each with different genetic implications; 1) the fertilization of an empty egg by a haploid sperm and its subsequent duplication (homozygous mole), 2) the fertilization of such an egg by two haploid sperms, which produces an heterozygous constitution of allelic genes (heterozygous mole). The present study was undertaken to investigate whether the difference of origin would determine whether the moles underwent malignant transformation or not. By using of chromosomal, enzymatic and HLA polymorphisms, 35 moles were confirmed to be androgenetic in origin. Among them fifteen homozygous and 4 heterozygous moles were identified. The persistency of high HCG titration of the urine in the mother was observed in all 4 cases from the latter (4/4-100%), though the percentage of the development of sequelae in the former was low (1/15-6.7%). The diagnosis of destructive mole was established in the uterine lesion of 2 heterozygous moles by pathological examination. These two patients had lung metastases. A high incidence of sequelae after the expulsion of heterozygous moles suggests that the heterozygous constitution of allelic genes plays an important role in the process of malignant transformation of trophoblasts.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Purification and immunological determination of alpha 2-macroglobulin in serum from injured rats.

Rat alpha 2-macroglobulin was isolated and purified from the pooled sera of turpentine-injected rats by sequential use of dextran sulphate, DEAE-cellulose and gel filtration chromatography. The final protein product obtained by this procedure proved to be alpha 2-macroglobulin of a high degree of purity based on electrophoretic, immunologic and centrifugal analysis. The alpha 2-macroglobulin preparation also binds stoichiometrically to trypsin preventing subsequent inhibition by protein trypsin inhibitors. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of rat alpha 2-macroglobulin after incubation with trypsin suggested that there are at least two susceptible peptide bonds in the 170,000-dalton alpha 2-macroglobulin subunit. The concentration of alpha 2-macroglobulin in the sera of rats was measured by electroimmuno assay a monospecific antiserum against alpha 2-macroglobulin. Purified alpha 2-macroglobulin was used as a standard. Sera from normal male rats contained 32 +/- 4 micrograms of alpha 2-macroglobulin per ml. To determine the time course of response of alpha 2-macroglobulin to inflammation, rats were subjected to either laparotomy or subcutaneous injection of turpentine. After either type of injury, the concentration of alpha 2-macroglobulin increased rapidly, reaching a maximum value of 110-140 times that of the control value by 24 h. Little difference was noted in responsiveness between the two sexes.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Quantitative development of adherent cell colonies in bone marrow cell culture in vitro.

Quantification of the formation of adherent cell colonies in bone marrow cell culture was attempted. By secondary transfer of the bone marrow cells as a single cell suspension after 4 days' culture of fine marrow fragments, a linear relationship was obtained between the number of adherent cell colonies developing and the number of cells secondarily inoculated into the culture bottle. This suggests that 4 days' culture of the bone marrow cells with close intercellular interactions is sufficient for the 'conditioning' of the cells to develop adherent cell colonies. Activity of such colonies to support haemopoietic stem cell proliferation was also shown.

Animals↗