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Biomedical subjects

H Yamane

Publications and source records attributed to H Yamane.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Direct intracerebral invasion from skull metastasis of large cell lung cancer.

A 56-year-old Japanese woman was referred to us for the treatment of lung cancer. On admission, the patient showed multiple bone metastases, including the skull, without brain metastasis. During chemoradiotherapy for the primary tumor and bone metastasis involving the thoracic spine, she suffered a fatal intracerebral hemorrhage. Since the patient had no risk factors for intracerebral hemorrhage, the skull bone metastasis was thought to be responsible for this event. At autopsy, penetration of the metastatic tumor from the skull bone into the dura, with direct invasion of the brain tissue, was confirmed histologically. A hematoma also was identified at the same site adjacent to the skull bone metastasis. To our knowledge, direct tumor invasion to the brain from a skull metastasis of non-small cell lung cancer has not been previously reported.

Biopsy↗

Asialo GM1-positive cells in mouse cochlea.

The presence of ganglio-N-tetraosylceramide (asialo GM1)-positive cells in mouse cochlea was tested for using an immunohistochemical method with an anti-asialo GM1 antibody which reacts with natural killer cells and macrophages in mouse. Only a few asialo GM1-positive cells were present on the surface of the scala tympani of the basal turn near the collecting venules. Transmission electron microscopic study showed the internal structure of these cells to be that of macrophages. These findings suggest that asialo GM1-positive cells function as resident type macrophages against invasion by pathogens of the mouse cochlea.

Animals↗

Induction of free radicals in the cochlea by an aminoglycoside antibiotic.

Free radicals are known to cause damage to biological tissues. We used histochemical methods to examine the emergence of free radicals in kanamycin (KM)-treated guinea pig cochlea. As a preliminary in vitro study, the emergence of free radicals was observed in guinea pig cochlea incubated with KM. In an in vivo study, KM was placed on the guinea pig round window membrane and the emergence of free radicals was observed over time. The emergence of free radicals was observed along the luminal membrane and hair bundles of outer hair cells. The appearance and disappearance of free radicals in the cochlea coincided with the transport of KM into the inner ear. These findings suggest that the emergence of free radicals could be attributed to the administration of KM.

Animals↗

Induction of IL-12 p40 messenger RNA expression and IL-12 production of macrophages via CD40-CD40 ligand interaction.

The mechanism of IL-12 production has been studied by stimulating macrophages or B cell lines with LPS, Staphylococcus aureus, or phorbol diester. However, since IL-12 plays an important role in the activation of T cells interacting with APC, it is important to study the mechanism of IL-12 production induced by T helper cell-APC interaction. We and others have demonstrated that IL-12 is produced in cultures where Th1 cells are stimulated with Ag or APC. In the present experiments, we studied a role of CD40-CD40 ligand (CD40L) interaction in IL-12 production and obtained the following results: 1) incubation of normal Th1 clone with APC in the presence of Ag induced IL-12 p40 and p35 mRNA accumulation and IL-12 production, and the addition of anti-CD40L blocked the p40 mRNA accumulation and IL-12 production but not p35 mRNA accumulation; 2) when Th1 clone from a CD40L-deficient mouse was used in the incubation, p35 mRNA accumulation was induced, but neither p40 mRNA accumulation nor IL-12 production was induced; 3) CD40L+ Th1 clone, or insect cell membrane expressing mouse CD40L, induced p40 mRNA accumulation and IL-12 production but not p35 mRNA accumulation. These results indicate that the CD40-CD40L interaction plays a critical role in IL-12 p40 mRNA accumulation and bioactive IL-12 production and that p35 mRNA accumulation was regulated via a different mechanism than CD40-CD40L interaction. Most of the cells producing IL-12 were Mac-1+ macrophages.

Animals↗

Involvement of several protein kinases in the phosphorylation of p47-phox.

Protein kinases are stimulated during the microbicidal responses of neutrophils. In particular, the activation of protein kinase C causes the phosphorylation of p47-phox, one of the cytosolic components of NADPH oxidase. Phosphorylated p47-phox was accumulated not only by PMA treatment, but also by calyculin A treatment. However, p47-phox phosphorylated by calyculin A treatment lost its ability to activate NADPH oxidase. Several protein kinases were activated by calyculin A treatment. Furthermore the phosphorylation sites of p47-phox by calyculin A treatment were different from those by PMA treatment. These results indicated that calyculin A-activated kinases phosphorylated p47-phox at the site different from that phosphorylate by protein kinase C, resulting in suppression of NADPH oxidase activation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Molecular cloning and characterization of a cDNA encoding the gibberellin biosynthetic enzyme ent-kaurene synthase B from pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima L.).

The first committed step in the formation of diterpenoids leading to gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis is the conversion of geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGDP) to ent-kaurene. ent-Kaurene synthase A (KSA) catalyzes the conversion of GGDP to copalyl diphosphate (CDP), which is subsequently converted to ent-kaurene by ent-kaurene synthase B (KSB). A full-length KSB cDNA was isolated from developing cotyledons in immature seeds of pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima L.). Degenerate oligonucleotide primers were designed from the amino acid sequences obtained from the purified protein to amplify a cDNA fragment, which was used for library screening. The isolated full-length cDNA was expressed in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein, which demonstrated the KSB activity to cyclize [3H]CDP to [3H]ent-kaurene. The KSB transcript was most abundant in growing tissues, but was detected in every organ in pumpkin seedlings. The deduced amino acid sequence shares significant homology with other terpene cyclases, including the conserved DDXXD motif, a putative divalent metal ion-diphosphate complex binding site. A putative transit peptide sequence that may target the translated product into the plastids is present in the N-terminal region.

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases↗

2-Deoxy-2-fluoro-D-glucose as a functional probe for NMR: the unique metabolism beyond its 6-phosphate.

Epimeric conversion of 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) to its 2-epimer 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-mannose (FDM) proved by 19F NMR has been shown to reflect the brain activity. To examine the feasibility of FDG as a new NMR probe for in vivo functional monitoring, we studied here the fundamental NMR properties of metabolites, spectral assignments, and reliability of NMR quantification. Metabolites confirmed in brain besides FDM-6-phosphate were as follows: FDG-1-phosphate, FDG-1,6-bisphosphate, FDM-1-phosphate, FDM-1,6-bisphosphate, and FDG and FDM derivatives of nucleotide diphosphate. NMR quantification of these metabolites was evaluated in comparison with the method of 18F-labeled FDG. In the NMR functional study using FDG, where a high dose is inevitable, the dose dependence of uptake was investigated. FDG uptake in mouse brain was shown to be in the range of interpretation using the biochemical parameters of enzymes for glucose uptake as long as a dose of < 200 mg/kg was used.

Animals↗

Sphingosine inhibition of NADPH oxidase activation in a cell-free system.

The effects of sphingoid bases, sphingosine and dihydrosphingosine, which are protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors, on NADPH oxidase were examined in a cell-free system. The bases inhibited cell-free activation of NADPH oxidase by arachidonic acid at lower concentration than N-acetylsphingosine. Thus, positive charge in the molecules may play a critical role in inhibition of the oxidase. Sphingosine did not change the Km value for NADPH, but shifted the optimum concentration of arachidonic acid for activation of the oxidase. Moreover, sphingosine suppressed the translocation of p47-phox, one of the cytosolic components of the oxidase, to the membrane fraction, suggesting that the base inhibits the assembly of the components.

Animals↗

Analysis of cumene (isopropylbenzene) degradation genes from Pseudomonas fluorescens IP01.

We obtained the DNA fragments encoding 2-hydroxy-6-oxo-7-methylocta-2,4-dienoic acid (HOMODA) hydrolase in the cumene (isopropylbenzene) degrader Pseudomonas fluorescens strain IP01 via PCR using two synthesized oligonucleotides corresponding to the conserved regions within known meta-cleavage compound hydrolases. Following colony hybridization using the amplified DNA as a probe, a 4.5-kb HindIII fragment was isolated from P. fluorescens IP01. After determining the nucleotide sequence of this fragment, three open reading frames (ORF11 [cumH], ORF12 [cumD], and ORF13) were identified. The deduced amino acid sequence of ORF12 showed homology with meta-cleavage compound hydrolases encoded by the tod, dmp, xyl, and bph operons. Although the product of ORF12 was found to exhibit HOMODA and 2-hydroxy-6-oxohepta-2,4-dienoic acid (HOHDA) hydrolase activities, it did not exhibit 2-hydroxy-6-oxo-6-phenylhexa-2,4-dienoic acid (HOPDA) hydrolase activity. The deduced amino acid sequence of ORF11 showed 40.4% homology with the sequence of todX in Pseudomonas putida F1 (Y. Wang, M. Ralings, D. T. Gibson, D. Labbé, H. Bergeron, R. Brousseau, and P. C. K. Lau, Mol. Gen. Genet. 246:570-579, 1995). The nucleotide sequence of ORF13 and its flanking region showed strong homology (91.0%) with IS52 from Pseudomonas savastanoi (Y. Yamada, P.-D. Lee, and T. Kosuge, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 83:8263-8267, 1982). By characterization of cumH and cumD, the entire cum gene cluster from the cumene-degrader P. fluorescens IP01 (cumA1A2A3A4BCEGFHD) has been identified.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The use of epoxy patch grafts for the repair of experimentally-created diaphragmatic defects in dogs.

Canine pericardium which had been treated with polyepoxy compounds (Denacol EX-313) was used as a patch graft for the correction of experimentally-created diaphragmatic defects in five dogs belonging to the same litter. Clinical, macroscopic and histological examinations were conducted every month up to five months after suturing of the patch graft. Clinical examination of the patch graft showed no apparent abnormalities. Macroscopic examination conducted during autopsy showed that the patch graft maintained adequate elasticity for five months after suturing, the surface of the patch graft was covered with a thin membrane and neovascularization was observed. Histological examination showed that the surface of the patch graft was covered with a thin membrane. Inflammatory tissue reactions were observed at one month, but gradually decreased from the second month onwards. In addition, the patch graft had excellent tissue affinity.

Animals↗

[Clinical investigations of five patients with intracranial lesions presenting tinnitus].

We investigated 5 patients with intracranial lesions. The initial complaint was tinnitus with normal hearing or sight sensorineural hearing loss. The lesions were 2 cerebello-pontine angle meningiomas, 1 cerebello-pontine angle epidermoid cyst, 1 supratentorial falx meningioma and 1 dural arteriovenous malformation at the temporal bone. Because of pulsatile or severe persistent tinnitus, we performed CT and MRI to determine the presence of intracranial lesions. Some patients had an episode of cerebral infarction and the complaint of headache or head heaviness. Quantitative measurement of tinnitus showed a low-frequency character in a pitch-match examination and moderate loudness in loudness balance. In the patients with falx meningioma and dural arteriovenous malformation, the tinnitus character was pulsatile and abnormal blood flow might have affected the peripheral auditory system. On the other hand, in the patients with a cerebello-pontine angle tumor, the tinnitus character was non-pulsatile and compression on the central auditory system by the tumor might have caused the tinnitus.

Adult↗

["Vertigo" the fact analysis of clinical practice by ENT physicians of Chiba Prefecture by "send-out" questionnaires].

Despite the fact that vertigo has been one of the most frequent complaints encountered in daily practice in an ENT outpatient clinic, it is believed to be the most unwelcome subject for ENT physicians. The reasons are diverse; e.g., the understanding of vertigo is still a difficult task for most physicians and requires time-consuming multiple studies. However, answers to those questions, although speculated a posteriori, are yet to be substantiated. Therefore, we have analyzed the data obtained from multiple questionnaires that were addressed to ENT physicians practicing in Chiba Prefecture in November of 1993. However, those who work in publicly run hospitals were excluded from the study. The study included otorhinolaryngologists who were members of the Society of Otorhinolaryngology of Japan. We received filled questionnaire forms from 76 of 155 members (49%). The age ranged from 33 to 82 years (mean 55.8 years, 68 men and 8 women). From these questionnaires, it became apparent that physicians are not necessarily reluctant to see patients with vertigo. Instead, most ENT physicians appeared to be actively paying attention to this symptom and to be making efforts to approach its diagnosis and treatment. Although we are not certain if the data obtained here represent the majority of ENT physicians, the positive attitudes toward the patients with vertigo/dizziness would certainly encourage those of us who are interested in this particular symptom category.

Adult↗

[Chemotherapy for small-cell lung cancer].

Here we review the current treatments for small-cell lung cancer. Cisplatin and etoposide, combined with concurrent or alternating thoracic irradiation, have been considered to be the standard therapy for patients with limited disease. Dose-intensive weekly chemotherapy and high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell transplantation have failed to increase survival in patients with extensive disease. Promising new drugs such as irinotecan and taxol may improve survival in patients with extensive disease.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Respiratory burst and tyrosine phosphorylation by vanadate.

We studied involvement of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins in activation of NADPH oxidase in guinea pig neutrophils. Pervanadate, which is the oxidized form of orthovanadate, induced O2- production and protein tyrosine phosphorylation in neutrophils. O2- production induced by pervanadate was more sensitive to the tyrosine kinase-specific inhibitor, ST-638, as compared with the production induced by PMA. On the other hand, staurosporine more selectively inhibited PMA-induced O2- production than pervanadate-induced production. These results indicate that tyrosine kinase, not protein kinase C, is involved in pervanadate-induced O2- production. The tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins were detected in both the cytosol and membrane fractions prepared from pervanadate-induced neutrophils. In order to examine if tyrosine residues of some components of NADPH oxidase were directly phosphorylated, tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins were removed from solubilized membranes prepared from the pervanadate-stimulated neutrophils by immunoprecipitation with an anti-phosphotyrosine anti-body. NADPH oxidase activity in the solubilized membranes was not decreased by the treatment. These findings suggest that the components of NADPH oxidase are not tyrosine-phosphorylated by pervanadate treatment, that tyrosine phosphorylation may be involved in the signal transduction pathway of NADPH oxidase activation by pervanadate, and that this pathway is independent of the activation by protein kinase C.

Alkaloids↗

Hyperphosphorylated p47-phox lost the ability to activate NADPH oxidase in guinea pig neutrophils.

p47-phox is one of the cytosolic activation factors of NADPH oxidase in neutrophils and known to translocate to plasma membranes and function by protein kinase C-phosphorylation. In cytosol fraction, prepared from calyculin A-treated neutrophils, the activity of cytosolic factor to activate NADPH oxidase was more reduced than that from PMA-treated cells. But, p47-phox did not translocate to the membranes, even if p47-phox was hyperphosphorylated in the calyculin A-treated neutrophils. Such hyperphosphorylated p47-phox seemed to lose the activity to constitute NADPH oxidase complex.

Animals↗

Appearance of free radicals in the guinea pig inner ear after noise-induced acoustic trauma.

The emergence of superoxide anion radicals (O2-) in the guinea pig inner ear following acoustic trauma was investigated by histochemical methods. Five minutes after exposure to sound at 120-125 dB SPL for 3 h, an O2- reaction product was detected in the cochlea along the luminal membrane of the marginal cells of the stria vascularis. This reaction product could not be found at 30 min, but reappeared at 2 h. The first appearance of O2- is not explainable by our studies, but the second appearance may be related to recirculation of strial blood flow after blood flow stasis. The present observations raise the possibility that free radicals are produced in the inner ear after acoustic trauma and lead to inner ear damage.

Animals↗

cDNA cloning and characterization of gibberellin-responsive genes in photoblastic lettuce seeds.

Two cDNA clones, cLRG5 and cLRG11, that respond to gibberellin (GA) were isolated from seeds of photoblastic lettuce (Lectuca sativa L. cv. Grand Rapids) by differential screening. Northern blot analysis indicated that the levels of LRG5 and LRG11 mRNAs were raised to slightly higher levels 10 h after the start of GA treatment and the levels were maintained at least for further 8 h, while those in the control seeds gradually decreased. Red light irradiation had effects similar to GA treatment. The cLRG5 insert encodes a putative polypeptide of 380 amino acids that is highly homologous to alcohol dehydrogenases from several higher plants. With regard to the cLRG11 insert, no homologous gene has been reported.

Amino Acid Sequence↗