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Biomedical subjects

H Takayama

Publications and source records attributed to H Takayama.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Synthesis, biological evaluation, and conformational analysis of A-ring diastereomers of 2-methyl-1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) and their 20-epimers: unique activity profiles depending on the stereochemistry of the A-ring and at C-20.

All eight possible A-ring diastereomers of 2-methyl-1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (2) and 2-methyl-20-epi-1, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (3) were convergently synthesized. The A-ring enyne synthons 19 were synthesized starting with methyl (S)-(+)- or (R)-(-)-3-hydroxy-2-methylpropionate (8). This was converted to the alcohol 14 as a 1:1 epimeric mixture in several steps. After having been separated by column chromatography, each isomer led to the requisite A-ring enyne synthons 19 again as 1:1 mixtures at C-1. Coupling of the resulting A-ring enynes 20a-h with the CD-ring portions 5a,b in the presence of a Pd catalyst afforded the 2-methyl analogues 2a-h and 3a-h in good yield. In this way, all possible A-ring diastereomers were synthesized. The synthesized analogues were biologically evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. The potency was highly dependent on the stereochemistry of each isomer. In particular, the alpha alpha beta-isomer 2g exhibited 4-fold higher potency than 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (1) both in bovine thymus VDR binding and in elevation of rat serum calcium concentration and was twice as potent as the parent compound in HL-60 cell differentiation. Furthermore, its 20-epimer, that is, 20-epi-alpha alpha beta 3g, exhibited exceptionally high activities: 12-fold higher in VDR binding affinity, 7-fold higher in calcium mobilization, and 590-fold higher in HL-60 cell differentiation, as compared to 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (1). Accordingly, the double modification of 2-methyl substitution and 20-epimerization resulted in unique activity profiles. Conformational analysis of the A-ring by (1)H NMR and an X-ray crystallographic analysis of the alpha alpha beta-isomer 2g are also described.

Animals↗

Molecular cloning, genomic structure, chromosomal localization, and alternative splice forms of the platelet collagen receptor glycoprotein VI.

Glycoprotein VI (GPVI) is the major collagen receptor underlying platelet activation. We cloned the full-length cDNA for GPVI (GPVI-1) and its two isoforms (GPVI-2 and -3) from phorbol-ester-stimulated CMK cells. The GPVI-1 cDNA was identical in the coding region with the cDNA that has recently been reported to belong to the immunoglobulin superfamily. The GPVI gene consisted of 8 exons spanning over 23 kbp and was mapped on the chromosome 19q13. 4. The promoter of GPVI gene lacked TATA and CAAT boxes and had multiple transcription start sites like other megakaryocytic genes. When COS-7 cells were cotransfected with the GPVI isoforms and Fc receptor gamma chain, Fc receptor gamma chain was associated with GPVI-1 and -2 but did not affect the GPVI expression levels. GPVI-1 and -2 could bind the collagen-related peptide, which exhibits triple-helical and polymeric structure of collagen to activate platelets via GPVI.

Alternative Splicing↗

A concise and efficient route to 2alpha-(omega-hydroxyalkoxy)-1alpha,25-dihydroxyvi tam in D3: remarkably high affinity to vitamin D receptor.

[reaction: see text]A convenient and potentially valuable synthetic approach to the novel 2alpha-functionalized 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1alpha,25(OH)2D3] derivatives (1a-c), which are the C2-epimer of ED-71 and its analogues, has been developed. The C2alpha-modified ring A precursors (1,7-enynes 16, n = 0, 1, and 2) were constructed stereoselectively starting from D-glucose in high yield. In the synthesized 2alpha-(omega-hydroxyalkoxy)-1alpha,25(OH)2D3 derivatives, 1a and 1b showed a greater binding affinity to vitamin D receptor (VDR), up to 1.8 times that of the native hormone.

Animals↗

Syntheses and biological evaluation of novel 2alpha-substituted 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 analogues.

Novel 2alpha-substituted 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 analogues were efficiently synthesized and their biological activities were evaluated. 2alpha-Methyl-1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (2), whose unique biological activities were previously reported, was modified to 2alpha-alkyl (ethyl and propyl) and 2alpha-hydroxyalkyl (hydroxymethyl, hydroxyethyl, and hydroxypropyl) analogues 3-7 by elongation of the alkyl chain and/or introduction of a terminal hydroxyl group. 2alpha-Hydroxypropyl-1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (7) exhibited an exceptionally potent calcium-regulating effect and a unique activity profile.

Biochemistry↗

Quantum phase transition of the randomly diluted heisenberg antiferromagnet on a square lattice

Ground-state magnetic properties of the diluted Heisenberg antiferromagnet on a square lattice are investigated by means of the quantum Monte Carlo method with the continuous-time loop algorithm. It is found that the critical concentration of magnetic sites is independent of the spin size S, and equal to the two-dimensional percolation threshold. However, the existence of quantum fluctuations makes the critical exponents deviate from those of the classical percolation transition. Furthermore, we found that the transition is not universal, i.e., the critical exponents significantly depend on S.

Journal Article↗

Cell death-associated translocation of plasma membrane components induced by CTL.

In the very early stages of target cell apoptosis induced by CTL, we found that fluorescence of labeling probes of the target plasma membrane, such as N-(3-triethylammoniumpropyl)-4-(p-dibutylaminostyryl)pyridin ium dibromide (FM1-43), was translocated into intracellular membrane structures including nuclear envelope and mitochondria. This translocation was associated with the execution of CTL-mediated killing, because neither the CTL-target conjugation alone nor the binding of noncytotoxic Th2 clone with target cell was sufficient to provoke the process. Although FM1-43 translocation was observed in perforin-mediated cytotoxicity, examinations with several other dyes failed to detect the evidence for membrane damages that may cause influx of the dye. Moreover, the translocation was also observed in Fas-dependent apoptosis. These data indicate that the translocation precedes the damage of plasma membrane and intracellular organella in the course of apoptotic cell death and may represent the existence of a membrane trafficking that mediates the translocation of plasma membrane components in the early onset of apoptotic cell death.

Animals↗

Novel ring A stereoisomers of 2-methyl-1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) and 2-methyl-20-epi-1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3): transactivation of target genes and modulation of differentiation in human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cells.

We evaluated the biological activity of two sets of ring A stereoisomers of 2-methyl-1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (2-methyl-1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3)) and 2-methyl-20-epi-1alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (2-methyl-20-epi-1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3)) in terms of the following: transactivation of a rat 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3)-24-hydroxylase gene promoter including two vitamin D response elements (VDREs) and a human osteocalcin gene promoter including a VDRE in transfected human osteosarcoma (MG-63) cells; a vitamin D receptor (VDR)-mediated response using a VDR-GAL4 one-hybrid luciferase reporter system and a retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRalpha)-mediated response using an expressed VDR/RXRalpha-GAL4 modified two-hybrid luciferase reporter system in transfected human epitheloid carcinoma, cervix (HeLa) cells; and modulation of cell surface CD11b antigen expression in human leukemia (HL-60) cells. All the diastereomers of both analogues exhibited unique biological activity profiles depending upon the configurations of the C-1 and C-3 hydroxyl groups, the C-2 methyl group in ring A, and the C-20 methyl group in the side chain. Of the eight possible diastereomers of the 2-methyl analogues, 2alpha-methyl-1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) was the most potent and exhibited comparable or even greater biological potency than 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3). Of the eight possible diastereomers of the 2-methyl-20-epi analogues, 2alpha-methyl-20-epi-1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) was the most potent and exhibited 100- to 200-fold higher transcriptional potencies than 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) and exceptionally high cell regulatory activities. 2beta-methyl-20-epi-1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) was nearly as potent as its 2-epimer, 2alpha-methyl-20-epi-1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3), whereas its 20-epimer, 2beta-methyl-1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3), was almost completely biologically inactive. In these respects, it can be postulated that the double modification of 2-methyl substitution and 20-epimerization to 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) induces remarkable changes in a VDR/RXRalpha/VDRE-mediated signaling response and greatly enhances biological activity. The other striking finding was that 2beta-methyl-20-epi-3-epi-1beta,25(OH)(2)D(3) is transcriptionally more active than 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) despite lacking the 1alpha-hydroxyl group, which was believed to be essential for expressing VDR-mediated gene transcription. Since the C-20 natural counterpart, 2beta-methyl-3-epi-1beta,25(OH)(2)D(3), was almost completely biologically inactive, 20-epimerization is probably responsible for activation of gene expression. Although earlier extensive structure-activity studies of vitamin D analogues showed stereochemistry at the C-1, C-3, and C-20 of 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3) to be the key structural motif for vitamin D action, our results clearly demonstrated that stereochemistry at the C-2 is also an important structural motif for vitamin D action and imply that 2-methyl substitution possibly induces conformational changes in ring A depending upon the combinations of configurations of the C-1 and C-3 hydroxyl groups with C-20 stereochemistry. Consequently, several of these analogues exhibit exceptionally high or unexpected biological activities at the molecular and cellular levels. These results suggest that 2-methyl substitution together with alterations of stereochemistry in both ring A and the side chain of 1alpha, 25(OH)(2)D(3) will provide useful analogues for structure-activity studies and development of therapeutic agents with unique biological activity profiles.

Animals↗

Extent and zonal distribution of prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia in patients with prostatic carcinoma in Japan: analysis of whole-mounted prostatectomy specimens.

BACKGROUND: Prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN), an intraluminar proliferation of epithelial cells in ducts and acini, is divided into high-grade (HGPIN) and low-grade (LGPIN), based on morphologies. HGPIN is considered to be a putative precursor of prostatic adenocarcinoma (PCA). Information on PIN has been limited in Japan, because PIN had not been regarded as a precursor lesion for PCA. METHODS: In this study, extent and zonal distribution of PIN together with its relationship with PCA were examined in totally embedded radical prostatectomy specimens obtained from 70 patients with PCA. Fifty-three patients received androgen deprivation therapy (castrated) and remaining 17 did not (noncastrated). RESULTS: Frequency of HGPIN in noncastrated cases (76%) was much higher than that in castrated cases (26%) (P < 0.001). LGPIN showed the same tendency, but the difference was smaller. Difference in mean number of HGPIN in noncastrated and castrated cases (12.0 and 6.4, respectively) was more marked than in LGPIN (6.4 and 5.1, respectively). Reduction rate of mean size in HGPIN (26%) by the androgen deprivation therapy was larger than in LGPIN. When evaluated in noncastrated cases, the coexistence of PCA and HGPIN was found in 76% of cases in the nontransition and 53% in the transition zone. Close association of PCA and PIN (</=2 mm distance between lesions) was more frequently found in HGPIN (55% of lesions) than in LGPIN (37%) (P < 0.05). Frequency of close association of HGPIN with PCA was 65% in the nontransition and 35% in transition zone. CONCLUSIONS: The present study from Japan supports the etiological importance of HGPIN in the development of PCA. The effect of androgen deprivation therapy is much more marked in HGPIN than in LGPIN.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Evidence that 2-arachidonoylglycerol but not N-palmitoylethanolamine or anandamide is the physiological ligand for the cannabinoid CB2 receptor. Comparison of the agonistic activities of various cannabinoid receptor ligands in HL-60 cells.

We examined the effect of 2-arachidonoylglycerol, an endogenous cannabinoid receptor ligand, on the intracellular free Ca(2+) concentrations in HL-60 cells that express the cannabinoid CB2 receptor. We found that 2-arachidonoylglycerol induces a rapid transient increase in intracellular free Ca(2+) concentrations in HL-60 cells. The response was affected by neither cyclooxygenase inhibitors nor lipoxygenase inhibitors, suggesting that arachidonic acid metabolites are not involved. Consistent with this notion, free arachidonic acid was devoid of any agonistic activity. Importantly, the Ca(2+) transient induced by 2-arachidonoylglycerol was blocked by pretreatment of the cells with SR144528, a CB2 receptor-specific antagonist, but not with SR141716A, a CB1 receptor-specific antagonist, indicating the involvement of the CB2 receptor but not the CB1 receptor in this cellular response. G(i) or G(o) is also assumed to be involved, because pertussis toxin treatment of the cells abolished the response. We further examined the structure-activity relationship. We found that 2-arachidonoylglycerol is the most potent compound among a number of naturally occurring cannabimimetic molecules. Interestingly, anandamide and N-palmitoylethanolamine, other putative endogenous ligands, were found to be a weak partial agonist and an inactive ligand, respectively. These results strongly suggest that the CB2 receptor is originally a 2-arachidonoylglycerol receptor, and 2-arachidonoylglycerol is the intrinsic natural ligand for the CB2 receptor that is abundant in the immune system.

Amides↗

Diffusion-weighted imaging demonstrates transient cytotoxic edema involving the corpus callosum in a patient with diffuse brain injury.

Reversible T2 hyperintense signal abnormality in the corpus callosum, although frequently seen after diffuse brain injury, has not been well clarified. With some accumulated evidence, we report a case of diffuse brain injury in a 24-year-old man. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated T2 hyperintense signals in the trunk and the splenium of the corpus callosum 12 days postinjury. Echo-planar diffusion-weighted imaging was also performed on the same day, which revealed decreased diffusion (hyperintense signals) in the same site and almost the same size as T2 hyperintense signals. T1-weighted images were normal. Neuropsychological examination of the patient did not show callosal syndrome, namely hemialexia, unilateral agraphia and unilateral apraxia. Repeat MRI on day 20 demonstrated a signal decrease of both T2-weighted images and diffusion-weighted images (DWI) in the lesion. Follow-up MRI at 6 months showed complete resolution of the T2 signal abnormalities and of the corresponding decreased diffusion. Considering that diffusion-weighted imaging showed transient decreased diffusion, the lesion in the corpus callosum indicated the existence of cytotoxic edema. Also, transient DWI hyperintensity, namely cytotoxic edema, in the trunk and the splenium of the corpus callosum does not necessarily reveal callosal deficits.

Adult↗

Efficient synthesis and biological evaluation of all A-ring diastereomers of 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 and its 20-epimer.

An improved synthesis of the diastereomers of 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1) was accomplished utilizing our practical route to the A-ring synthon. We applied this procedure to synthesize for the first time all possible A-ring diastereomers of 20-epi-1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (2). Ten-step conversion of 1-(4-methoxyphenoxy)but-3-ene (6), including enantiomeric introduction of the C-3 hydroxyl group to the olefin by the Sharpless asymmetric dihydroxylation, provided all four possible stereoisomers of A-ring enynes (3). i.e., (3R,5R)-, (3R,5S)-, (3S,5R)- and (3S,5S)-bis[(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)oxy]oct-1-en-7-yne, in good overall yield. Palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling of the A-ring synthon with the 20-epi CD-ring portion (5), (E)-(20S)-de-A,B-8-(bromomethylene)cholestan-25-ol, followed by deprotection, afforded the requisite diastereomers of 20-epi-1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (2). The biological profiles of the synthesized stereoisomers were assessed in terms of affinities for vitamin D receptor (VDR) and vitamin D binding protein (DBP). HL-60 cell differentiation-inducing activity and in vivo calcium-regulating potency in comparison with the natural hormone.

Animals↗

Artoindonesianin C, a new xanthone derivative from Artocarpus teysmanii.

A new xanthone derivative, artoindonesianin C (1), was isolated from Artocarpus teysmanii, together with two known prenylated flavonoids, cycloartobiloxanthone and artonin J. The structure of artoindonesianin C (1) was determined on the basis of MS and NMR evidence and by comparison with known related compounds.

Animals↗

Iron enhances hepatitis C virus replication in cultured human hepatocytes.

BACKGROUND: Iron overload in the presence of increasing concentrations of iron is one of the indicators of poor response to interferon therapy in chronic hepatitis C. In order to analyze the effect of iron on hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication, we measured replication in an HCV-infected cell line. METHODS AND RESULTS: Cells from a non-neoplastic HCV-infected human hepatocyte line (PH5CH8) susceptible to HCV infection and supportive of HCV replication were used in this study. The replication of HCV RNA was measured by reverse transcription-nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nested PCR). PH5CH8 cell viability was measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. PH5CH8 cells were incubated with 0, 1, 10, 50, and 100 microM of FeSO4 at 37 degrees C with 5% CO2. Forty-eight hours after iron supplementation, the quantity of HCV RNA in the cells incubated in 50 and 100 microM of FeSO4 was approximately ten times that of the cells with no iron supplementation. Similar changes were observed beginning at 12 h from supplementation with FeSO4 and continued for at least 72 h after supplementation. MTT assay indicated that iron did not have cytotoxic effects on the PH5CH8 cells. CONCLUSION: Iron enhances HCV replication in a hepatocyte cell line. The results suggest that iron deposition in hepatocytes could facilitate HCV infection in the liver.

Cell Line, Transformed↗

Role of serum soluble Fas/soluble Fas ligand and TNF-alpha on response to interferon-alpha therapy in chronic hepatitis C.

AIMS/BACKGROUND: To determine the relationship between host factors and host response to interferon (IFN) therapy, serum soluble Fas (sFas), soluble Fas ligand (sFas ligand), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were analyzed in 41 patients with chronic hepatitis C (CH-C) treated with IFN-alpha. METHODS: Serum levels of sFas, sFas ligand, and TNF-alpha were measured at 0, 4, and 24 weeks of IFN therapy. RESULTS: Eighteen patients were complete responders (CR) and 23 patients were non-responders (NR). Serum levels of sFas and TNF-alpha in patients with CHC were significantly higher than those in healthy controls (p<0.01 and p<0.01, respectively). Serum sFas ligand levels were significantly lower in CH-C patients than in healthy controls (p<0.01). Before IFN therapy, serum levels of sFas in NR were significantly higher than those in CR (p<0.05). At 4 weeks of IFN therapy, serum levels of sFas of CR were significantly elevated compared with levels before IFN therapy (p<0.05). Serum levels of sFas correlated with the histological activity of the liver (p<0.05) and alanine aminotransferase (p<0.05). None of the three parameters, serum sFas, sFas ligand, or TNF-alpha levels, correlated with each other, with HCV-RNA genotype or with serum HCV-RNA load. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that serum sFas levels before IFN therapy were a contributive factor to predict efficacy of IFN therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Serum sFas/sFas ligand and TNF-alpha play a possible role in pathogenesis of CH-C and also in IFN therapy. Serum sFas levels before IFN therapy may be one of the host-related factors used for evaluating the response of CH-C patients to IFN therapy.

Adult↗

Interaction of peptides derived from RecA with single-stranded oligonucleotides containing 5-formyl-2'-deoxyuridine.

We report the first example of chemical cross-linking of 5-formyl-2'-deoxyuridine containing oligonucleotides with oligopeptides through a Schiff base formation. Twenty amino acid residue peptides investigated here were derived from the DNA binding site of RecA protein. We have demonstrated that the lysine residue placed at the 6th or 8th position from the N-terminus of the peptide directly contacts with DNA.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

p53 mutations in prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and concurrent carcinoma: analysis of laser capture microdissected specimens from non-transition and transition zones.

Prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) is characterized by intraluminal proliferation of epithelial cells and is divided into high-grade (HGPIN) and low-grade (LGPIN) lesions. HGPIN is regarded as the most likely precursor of prostatic cancer (PCA). Microdissected DNA selectively extracted from paraffin-embedded sections of 27 cases with PCA were analyzed for p53 mutation in exons 5 - 8 by single-strand conformation polymorphism of polymerase chain reaction-amplified DNA fragments (PCR-SSCP) followed by direct sequencing. These patients received total prostatectomy (27 cases). After a review of histologic sections, DNA was extracted from 193 locations; 111 lesions from 27 cases with HGPIN (75 lesions from non-transition zone and 36 from transition zone), 55 lesions from 27 cases with PCA (30 lesions from non-transition zone and 25 from transition zone), and 27 from 27 benign glands. Analysis revealed 27 mutations of the p53 gene in 24 lesions from 12 cases. Benign glands adjoining PIN and / or PCA had no mutations. All mutations were point mutations: 17 missense, 7 silent, and 2 nonsense. Mutations were detected in 6 cases (22.2%) or 13 of 111 lesions (11.7%) with HGPIN and 8 cases (29.6%) or 11 of 55 lesions (20.0%) with PCA. In a given case, HGPIN and PCA lesions had different p53 mutations from each other, suggesting multiclonal development of prostatic precancerous lesions. The frequency of p53 mutation of PCA was significantly higher in the non-transition zone (33.3%) than in the transition zone (4%), and higher in the stage T3 cases (30.3%) than in the stage T2 cases (4.5%, 1 of 22 lesions) (both P < 0.05). Frequency of p53 mutation of PIN in the non-transition zone (14.7%) was higher than that in the transition zone (5.6%), although the difference was not significant. The frequency rate of p53 mutation in HGPIN close to PCA ( </= 2 mm) was significantly higher (24%) than that in HGPIN lesions > 2 mm from PCA (3%). All these findings indicate that the p53 gene mutations are involved in prostatic carcinogenesis and explain why the non-transition zone is the predominant site of PCA.

Genes, p53↗