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Biomedical subjects

H Taguchi

Publications and source records attributed to H Taguchi.

At least 487 records · Page 27Linked to original sources
PubMed1983

Peroxidase catalysed aerobic degradation of 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin at physiological pH.

The aerobic degradation of 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin at neutral pH is catalysed by peroxidase (EC 1.11.1.7) and provides quinonoid 7,8-dihydro(6H)biopterin which readily loses the side chain to yield 7,8-dihydro(3H)pterin. The latter is in equilibrium with trace amounts of 6-hydroxy-5,6,7,8-tetrahydropterin (covalent hydrate) which is irreversibly oxidised to quinonoid 6-hydroxy-7,8-dihydro(6H)pterin, and this finally rearranges to 7,8-dihydroxanthopterin. Spectroscopic evidence (ultraviolet, 1H NMR and 13C NMR) is presented for the reversible addition of water across the 5,6-double bond of 7,8-dihydro(3H)pterin. The intermediate quinonoid 6-hydroxy-7,8-dihydro(6H)pterin is a good substrate for dihydropteridine reductase (EC 1.6.99.7) with a Km of 16.3 microM and kcat of 22.5 s-1. The rate of aerobic degradation (oxidation and loss of the side chain) of natural (6R)-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin is several times slower than the rate for the unnatural (6S) isomer. By using a modified assay procedure the kinetic parameters for dihydropteridine reductase are as follows: with (6R)-7,8-dihydro(6H)biopterin Km = 1.3 microM and kcat = 22.8 s-1; with (6S)-7,8-dihydro(6H)biopterin Km = 13.5 microM and kcat = 51.6 s-1; and with (6RS)-7,8-dihydro(6H)neopterin Km = 19.2 microM and kcat = 116 s-1.

Aerobiosis↗
PubMed1983

Natural infection in non-human primates with adult T-cell leukemia virus or a closely related agent.

A total of 703 sera from 10 species of monkeys were examined for the presence of antibodies to adult T-cell leukemia (ATL)-associated antigens (ATLA). ATLA represent core protein(s) of ATL virus (ATLV) and ATLV-determined polypeptides. Anti-ATLA antibodies were found in all seven macaque species tested but not in three non-macaque species. The frequencies of seropositive macaques ranged from 10 to 50%. In three macaque species (Japanese monkeys, rhesus monkeys, and crab-eating monkeys) in which sufficient numbers of animals were studied, more females than males were anti-ATLA positive and the antibody-positive rate increased with age. In Japanese monkeys, over 70% were seropositive after the age of 10 years. A family study of Japanese monkeys suggested maternal transmission of ATLV or a closely related agent. These seroepidemiological features are consistent with those of Japanese in the ATL-endemic area. Three of 10 rhesus monkeys were found to be anti-ATLA-positive 13 days after arrival in Japan, suggesting that they had been infected with ATLV in Indonesia where they were captured. Thus, ATLV appears to be prevalent among several macaque species as well as in man, and its pathogenetic role in these non-human primates should be explored in relation to ATL in man.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Bulimia nervosa complicated by deficiency of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors.

A 28-year-old woman manifested a hemorrhagic tendency caused by a deficiency of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors. Her condition was diagnosed as bulimia nervosa in view of a previous history of anorexia nervosa and episodes of self-induced vomiting and purging. There were no remarkable lesions in her alimentary system. In treatment of bulimia nervosa, attention should be given not only to the loss of body fluids and electrolytes, but also to the possibility of a deficiency of vitamin K-dependent coagulation factors.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Findings of trigonelline demethylating enzyme activity in various organisms and some properties of the enzyme from hog liver.

Trigonelline demethylating enzyme activity was found widely in animals, plants and microorganisms. Very high enzyme activity of this enzyme was detected in hog liver. Properties of the hog liver enzyme were investigated. Optimum pH for the enzymic reaction was observed at 8.5. The Km value for trigonelline was calculated at 2.77 mM. Addition of any cofactor is not required for the reaction The enzyme activity was inhibited by heavy metal ions. The reaction product was identified as nicotinic acid. Proposed enzyme reaction mechanism and the role of this enzyme in biosynthesis and metabolism of NAD are discussed.

Alkaloids↗
PubMed1983

Km and kcat. values for [6,6,7,7-2H]7,8(6H)-dihydropterin and 2,6-diamino-5-iminopyrimidin-4-one with dihydropteridine reductase.

The Km and kcat. values for [6,6,7,7-2H]7,8(6H)-dihydropterin and 2,6-diamino-5-iminopyrimidin-4-one were determined for dihydropteridine reductase (EC 1.6.99.10) from two sources. The parameters of the pterin are of the same order as those of the most effective substrates of dihydropteridine reductase. The Km values of the pterin are one order of magnitude smaller than those of the pyrimidinone, although the kcat. values are of the same order.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Immunoagglutination of type-C virus particles in a human T-cell line by serum supplementation from patients with adult T-cell leukemia.

A T-cell line, MT-2, derived from human cord blood lymphocytes by cocultivation with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) cells is a continuous producer of type-C virus particles. Electron microscopy of MT-2 cells cultured for 1-3 weeks in medium containing 10% ATL patients' sera revealed agglutination of type-C virus particles within the electron-dense deposits in the extracellular spaces. No such agglutination occurred in control cultures supplemented with normal human or fetal calf serum. These results provide direct evidence for the specific reactivity of ATL patient's sera with type-C virus particles in the MT-2 cell line at the ultrastructural level.

Agglutination↗
PubMed1983

A new fluorometric assay method for quinolinic acid.

A new fluorometric assay method for quinolinic acid is introduced in this study. Quinolinic acid-hydrazine complex, a stable fluorescent compound, is formed after heating quinolinic acid with hydrazine at 215-220 degrees C for 2 min. Fluorescence excitation and emission maxima of the complex are at 285 and 380 nm, respectively. This assay method is rapid and rather sensitive. It takes about 30 min to ascertain the amount of quinolinic acid as low as 50 ng. Specificity of this method is high among biological compounds. An ultrasensitive assay method for quinolinic acid (as low as 20 pg) with diphenylhydrazine instead of hydrazine is also found. After separating the quinolinic acid-diphenylhydrazine complex from residual diphenylhydrazine, this ultrasensitive assay method may be practically applicable.

Chromatography, Thin Layer↗
PubMed1983

Heat-stable extracellular proteolytic enzyme produced by Thermus caldophilus strain GK24, an extremely thermophilic bacterium.

Proteolytic activity was detected in the culture supernatant of a newly isolated, extremely thermophilic bacterium belonging to the genus Thermus, and tentatively named T. caldophilus sp. n. strain GK24. The enzyme activity continued to increase for at least three days after cells reached the stationary phase of growth. Purification of the proteolytic enzyme was tried with ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration, and ion exchange chromatography. The most purified enzyme fraction thus obtained appeared to be homogeneous in a chromatographic analysis, but still had seven bands of proteins on sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Treatment of the protease with denaturing reagents or organic solvents did not alter the chromatographic profile and the purified enzyme sample showed a large sedimentation coefficient of about 11S. The optimal pH of the hydrolytic activity of the enzyme was observed at around 7.8 for casein and 7.2 for N-carbobenzoxy-L-leucyl-L-tyrosinamide (Z-Leu-Tyr-NH2). The enzyme was stable in the pH range of 5 to 11 for 1 day at 4 degrees C or for 1 h at 70 degrees C. The enzyme sample showed a maximal activity at 90 degrees C and had an extreme stability toward treatment by heat and denaturing reagents. The enzyme sample was inactivated almost completely by diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP), but not by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) or ethylene glycol-bis(beta-aminoethyl ether)N,N'-tetraacetic acid (EGTA). From these results, the enzyme seems to be a serine protease, and not to be a metallo-enzyme such as thermolysin. The enzyme also was hydrolytic active toward an ester compound, N-benzoyl-L-tyrosine ethyl ester (BTEE), but not toward N-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester (BAEE).

Cell Membrane↗
PubMed1983

A comparison of measurements of serum free T3 concentration by equilibrium dialysis, free T3 index, and T3:TBG ratio in thyroidal and non-thyroidal illnesses.

The present study was undertaken and compare the methods for measuring free T3 (FT3) by equilibrium dialysis, free T3 index (FT3I), and T3:T4-binding globulin (T3/TBG) in 40 healthy subjects, 26 patients with hyperthyroidism, 36 patients with hypothyroidism, 16 women in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, 5 euthyroid subjects with low TBG, and 24 patients with non-thyroidal illnesses (NTI) with normal or low serum T3 concentration. Both FT3I and T3/TBG correlated significantly with FT3 (r = 0.98, P less than 0.001 and r = 0.92, P less than 0.001, respectively) when the data from all subjects were analyzed together. When each group was analyzed separately, FT3I still correlated significantly with FT3 in all groups (r = 0.67-0.97) except in the NTIs with low T3 (r = 0.18). The correlation of T3/TBG with FT3 was also significant in all groups (r = 0.60-0.88) other than the euthyroid with low TBG (r = 0.32) and NTIs with low T3 (r = 0.04). Both FT3I and T3/TBG values agreed well with the FT3 level in hyper- and hypothyroid subjects. In euthyroidism with abnormal TBG level, FT3I agreed well with FT3. However, T3/TBG gave a falsely lower FT3 when the TBG level was high, and a falsely higher FT3 when the TBG was low. In NTIs with normal T3, both FT3I and T3/TBG agreed well with FT3, but FT3I and T3/TBG values were all subnormal in NTIs with low T3, where FT3 ranged from normal to subnormal. These data suggest that 1) both FT3I and T3/TBG may be equally useful for an assessment of FT3 level in hyper- and hypothyroidism, 2) FT3I may be superior to T3/TBG in euthyroidism with abnormal TBG concentration in serum, and 3) neither FT3I nor T3/TBG may be valid for an indirect measure of FT3 in NTIs with low serum concentration of T3.

Adult↗
PubMed1983

Transformation of rabbit lymphocytes with T-cell leukemia virus.

Co-cultivation of rabbit lymphocytes with a human cell line carrying adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) virus (ATLV) resulted in the establishment of an ATLV-producer rabbit cell line. This cell line expressed ATL-associated antigens and reacted with antisera to the structural proteins of human T-cell leukemia virus which is identical or closely related to ATLV.

Animals↗