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Biomedical subjects

H Yasuda

Publications and source records attributed to H Yasuda.

At least 415 records · Page 23Linked to original sources

The effect of alpha-tocopherol as an antioxidant on the oxidation of membrane protein thiols induced by free radicals generated in different sites.

Azo compounds enable us to generate peroxyl radicals by thermal decomposition at a constant rate and at a desired site, that is, water-soluble compounds produce initiating radicals in an aqueous phase and lipid-soluble compounds initiate the oxidation within the membrane-lipid layer. Using these radicals generated in different sites, we oxidized red blood cell ghost membranes to study the relationships between alpha-tocopherol depletion, initiation of lipid peroxidation, and protein damage. When radicals were generated in the aqueous phase, the loss of membrane protein thiols was observed concurrently with the consumption of membrane tocopherol and after tocopherol was exhausted the peroxidation of membrane lipids occurred. On the other hand, when radicals were initiated within the lipid region, the oxidation of thiols and the formation of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances were suppressed to give an induction period until tocopherol fell below a critical level. Our results indicate that the surface thiols of extrinsic proteins may compete with alpha-tocopherol for trapping aqueous radicals and spare tocopherol to some extent, whereas the oxidation of intrinsic buried thiols may commence due to lipid-derived radicals produced after tocopherol was consumed. In conclusion, alpha-tocopherol in the membrane can break the free radical chain efficiently to inhibit the lipid peroxidation. However, the effect of tocopherol on the inhibition of membrane protein damage, exhibited by the loss of thiols and the formation of high-molecular-weight proteins, would be different depending on the site of initial radical generation.

Amidines↗

A fibroblast-derived tumor cytotoxic factor/F-TCF (hepatocyte growth factor/HGF) has multiple functions in vitro.

We previously demonstrated that a tumor cytotoxic factor(F-TCF) purified from the culture broth of human embryonic lung diploid fibroblast, IMR-90 cells was one of the human hepatocyte growth factors (hHGFs). In the present report, we demonstrate its biological functions. F-TCF showed moderate cytotoxicity on human tumor cell lines KB, BG-1, MCF-7 and Hs913 T, and strong cytotoxicity on mouse tumor cell lines Sarcoma 180, Meth A sarcoma and P388. On the contrary, F-TCF was a potent mitogen not only for adult rat hepatocytes, but also for human endothelial cells, HUVEC and human melanocytes. Moreover, F-TCF induced the differentiation of premyelocyte leukemia, HL-60 cells into morphologically granulocyte-like cells. These biological functions suggest that F-TCF is an effector molecule responsible for inflammation and repair in injured tissues including tumor and liver.

Animals↗

Platelet aggregation induced by platelet-activating factor is suppressed by cystine protease inhibitor.

The effect of NCO-700, a cystine protease inhibitor, on platelet-activating factor-induced platelet aggregation was determined. A newly synthesized cystine protease inhibitor (calcium-activated neutral protease and cathepsin B inhibitor), NCO-700 (bis[ethyl (2R, 3R)-3-[(S)-methyl-1-[4-(2,3,4- trimethoxyphenylmethyl) piperazine-1-ylcarbonyl]butylcarbonyl]oxiran-2-carboxy late]sulfate), inhibited platelet-activating factor-induced platelet aggregation. The inhibition was dependent on the preincubation time with NCO-700 and on the concentration of the inhibitor. The release of serotonin was also inhibited almost completely by the 20-min preincubation with 10(-4) M NCO-700. Leupeptin also inhibited platelet-activating factor-induced platelet aggregation. But calcium-activated neutral protease inhibitor did not inhibit it. These observations suggest that NCO-700-sensitive protease(s) such as cystine protease may contribute to platelet aggregation induced by platelet-activating factor.

Animals↗

Effect of coenzyme Q10 on structural alterations in the renal membrane of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats.

To test the hypothesis that structural abnormalities exist in the kidney membrane of spontaneously hypertensive rats, we examined the effect of long-term administration of coenzyme Q10 on membrane lipid alterations in the kidney of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP). As compared with normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats, renal membrane phospholipids, especially phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine, decreased and renal phospholipase A2 activity was enhanced with age in untreated SHRSP. Treatment with coenzyme Q10 attenuated the elevation of blood pressure, the membranous phospholipid degradation, and the enhanced phospholipase A2 activity. These results suggest that one factor contributing to the progress of hypertension is a structural membrane abnormality that alters the physical and functional properties of the cell membrane, and coenzyme Q10 might protect the renal membrane from damage due to hypertension in SHRSP.

Animals↗

Calpain is activated during hypoxic myocardial cell injury.

Cell death during hypoxia rose to 80% after 6 h. Calpain activity increased to 4 units during hypoxia, much higher than the 0.7 units seen in aerobic condition at 6 h. This activity was markedly inhibited by calpain-specific inhibitor I (n-acetyl-leucyle-leucyle-norleucinal). beta-Adrenergic blocking agents and calcium antagonists suppressed the calpain activity and decreased cell death during hypoxia. On the other hand, alpha-adrenergic blocking agents did not affect calpain activity and cell death under hypoxic conditions. These results prove that beta-adrenergic blocking agents and calcium antagonists prevent protein degradation during hypoxic cell injury.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

beta-Lactamase produced by a highly beta-lactam-resistant strain of Bacteroides fragilis: an obstacle to the chemotherapy of experimental mixed infections.

A strain of Bacteroides fragilis, which produces a metallo-beta-lactamase, was inoculated into pouches on the backs of rats together with a beta-lactamase-negative Escherichia coli highly sensitive to beta-lactam antibiotics. The mixed infection rat pouch model was treated with either flomoxef (susceptible to hydrolysis by the beta-lactamase produced by B. fragilis), or cefmetazole (relatively resistant to hydrolysis). In this model of mixed infection flomoxef showed weak in-vivo activity against E. coli, although showing the same strong activity in a model of single infection with E. coli. On the other hand, cefmetazole showed strong activity against E. coli, even in the model of mixed infection. The concentrations of both drugs in the pouches were decreased in infections with the strain of B. fragilis. There was a greater decrease in the concentration of flomoxef than of cefmetazole. Flomoxef was unstable whereas cefmetazole was relatively stable in the pouch exudates that had been infected with B. fragilis. These experimental data suggest that bacteria that produce a metallo-beta-lactamase decrease the in-vivo efficacy of beta-lactam antibiotics against other co-infecting bacteria. Thus, it is suggested that it is important in the chemotherapy of mixed bacterial infections that include these highly resistant beta-lactamase-producing bacteria to use antibiotics that are stable to hydrolysis by these enzymes.

Animals↗

Effect of endothelin on angiotensin converting enzyme activity in cultured pulmonary artery endothelial cells.

We studied the effects of endothelin on angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) in cultured pulmonary artery endothelial cells. ACE activity was increased 2.5-fold by the addition of 1 x 10(-8) mol/l endothelin-1. Endothelin-1 also stimulated calcium influx and phospholipase C activity in a dose-dependent manner. Calcium influx, phospholipase C and ACE activity were suppressed 60-70% in the presence of endothelin-1 (10(-10) to 10(-6) mol/l) by 50 microliters neomycin. These results suggest that ACE was stimulated by endothelin-1 and that its activity may be closely related to phosphatidylinositol turnover stimulated by endothelin-1.

Angiotensin I↗

Effect of protonation on the isomerization properties of n-butylamine Schiff base of isomeric retinal as revealed by direct HPLC analyses: selection of isomerization pathways by retinal proteins.

Alumina adsorption chromatography and ion-pair reversed-phase chromatography were developed to analyze the isomers of unprotonated and protonated n-butylamine Schiff base of retinal (RSB and PRSB), respectively. Photoisomerization starting from the all-trans, 11-cis and 13-cis isomers was traced for RSB in n-hexane, acetonitrile, methanol and 1-butanol, and for PRSB in methanol, acetonitrile and 1-butanol. The quantum yields of photoisomerization for the all-trans, 9-cis, 11-cis and 13-cis isomers were determined for RSB and PRSB in the above solvents except 1-butanol. On the other hand, photoisomerization of isomeric retinal bound (through Schiff base linkage) to bovine serum albumin (RBSA) in aqueous solution (pH 3, 7 and 12) as well as thermal isomerization of RSB (in n-hexane), PRSB (in methanol) and RBSA (in aqueous solution, pH 7) were traced starting from the all-trans, 11-cis, and 13-cis isomers. Protonation of RSB drastically changes the pathway of photoisomerization and increases the quantum yields of isomeric RSB. The solvent polarity increases the quantum yields of RSB differently depending on the configuration. Protonation enhances thermal isomerization also. The results of the above model systems are compared with those of retinal proteins to rationalize their selection of the particular isomerization pathways.

Butylamines↗

Salivary secretion and grooming behaviour during heat exposure in freely moving rats.

1. At neutral (24 degrees C) and at hot (40 degrees C) ambient temperatures (Ta) salivary secretion from the submandibular gland of freely moving rats was recorded, together with simultaneous observation of saliva-spreading behaviour (grooming). 2. At a Ta of 24 degrees C, basal salivary flow was less than 2 microliters/min. When rats were first placed in the experimental chamber, brief grooming bouts often occurred. Transient secretion at more than 10 microliters/min was associated with this grooming, and the rate of salivary flow was positively correlated with the duration of grooming activity. 3. At a Ta of 40 degrees C, grooming appeared frequently and salivary secretion at more than 20 microliters/min continued even between grooming bouts. Threshold rectal temperatures (Tre) for thermally induced grooming (38.2 +/- 0.2 degrees C) and for salivary secretion (38.2 +/- 0.1 degrees C) were similar, and for eleven of sixteen rats the two thresholds coincided. 4. At the threshold Tre both the rate of salivary secretion and the duration of grooming increased in a stepwise fashion. Above the threshold, there was no correlation between the duration of grooming and the rate of salivary flow. 5. Thermally induced salivary secretion and grooming behaviour appear to be controlled by independent mechanisms.

Animals↗

A human alpha-fetoprotein enhancer-binding protein, ATBF1, contains four homeodomains and seventeen zinc fingers.

We have isolated a full-length cDNA encoding a protein (ATBF1) that binds to an AT-rich motif in the human alpha-fetoprotein gene enhancer. The amino acid sequence deduced from the cDNA revealed that this is the largest DNA-binding protein (306 kDa) known to date, containing four homeodomains, 17 zinc finger motifs, and a number of segments potentially involved in transcriptional regulation. Although the exact function of this protein has not been determined, these structural features suggest that ATBF1 plays a transcriptional regulatory role.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Lateral distribution of hypothalamic signals controlling thermoregulatory vasomotor activity and shivering in rats.

The present study explored the laterality of central nervous thermoregulatory control in anesthetized rats by measuring paw skin vasomotor activity and cold-induced shivering in hind leg muscles during unilateral preoptic area and anterior hypothalamus (POAH) warming and electrical stimulation or during unilateral thermal stimulation of abdominal skin. Unilateral POAH warming produced vasodilation on both sides of the body, but vasodilation on the ipsilateral side always either occurred at a lower threshold hypothalamic temperature or was stronger than on the contralateral side. In a cold environment (5 degrees C), shivering was suppressed simultaneously in both hind legs when one side of the POAH was warmed, and shivering reappeared simultaneously on both sides when POAH warming stopped. These results suggest that different thermoregulatory effectors are regulated in a different way by each side of the POAH. Unilateral thermal stimulation of the abdominal skin, on the other hand, affected vasomotor activity and shivering equally on both sides of the body, as previously reported for its influence on salivary secretion. Skin thermal signals from both sides of the body therefore seem to converge before they act on different thermoregulatory effector systems.

Abdomen↗

Phospholipid metabolism in cardiomyopathic hamster heart cells.

We demonstrated that the activities of phosphatidylinositide-specific phospholipase C, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) kinase, and IP3 phosphatase were enhanced in cardiomyopathic hamster hearts (BIO 14.6 and BIO 53.58) in comparison to control hamsters (F1b). Release of both arachidonic acid and prostacyclin was markedly enhanced by norepinephrine in the cardiomyopathic hamsters. Phospholipase C in heart has high substrate specificity to phosphatidylinositol. IP3 production was markedly enhanced in the cardiomyopathic hamsters. We also determined the intracellular calcium concentration, which was higher in BIO 53.58 hamsters than in BIO 14.6 hamsters at 5-20 weeks of age. There was no significant difference in the intracellular calcium level between F1b and BIO 14.6 hamsters at 5 weeks of age. These results suggest that phosphatidylinositol turnover stimulated by norepinephrine may produce high intracellular calcium levels in both BIO 14.6 and BIO 53.58 myocytes. In addition, in BIO 53.58 hamsters, some mechanism such as the sarcoplasmic reticulum, which controls the intracellular calcium level, may deteriorate in function. We concluded from these results that a prolonged high intracellular calcium level may lead to the death of BIO 53.58 myocytes.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha↗

Susceptibility of neonatal lipoproteins to oxidative stress.

We compared peroxidizability of neonatal and adult lipoproteins exposed to oxidative stress initiated by an azo-compound. Oxygen uptake showed a two-phase pattern, with slow oxygen uptake in the first phase and faster uptake in the second phase. During the first phase, tocopherol was consumed progressively, inhibiting lipid peroxidation by scavenging peroxy radicals. After the tocopherol concentration fell below a critical level, extensive propagation of chain oxidative reactions produced the rapid oxygen uptake in the second phase. In the first phase of neonatal lipoprotein oxidation, a faster oxygen uptake was observed and the length of this phase was shorter than in adults. The oxygen uptake rate in the second phase was smaller in the neonatal lipoproteins. In other words, neonatal lipoproteins were more susceptible to oxidative stress than were adult ones when tocopherol remained in lipoproteins, but after tocopherol depletion the reverse was true. These results were consistent with the finding that in neonatal lipoproteins the tocopherol/lipid ratio was significantly lower (length of the inhibitory phase was closely correlated to the lipoprotein tocopherol content). In addition, the average number of active bisallylic hydrogen atoms, which are considered to determine the relative susceptibility of polyunsaturated fatty acids to oxidation, was significantly smaller (oxygen uptake rate in the second phase was closely correlated to the active bisallylic hydrogen number) in neonatal lipoproteins, and the ratio of active bisallylic hydrogen to tocopherol content (which closely correlated to oxygen uptake rate in the first phase) was also significantly lower compared with the adult ratio. Under physiologic conditions, an intensive oxidation of lipoproteins sufficient to cause lipoprotein tocopherol to fall below critical levels is unlikely to occur.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗

A point mutation in C-terminal region of cdc2 kinase causes a G2-phase arrest in a mouse temperature-sensitive FM3A cell mutant.

A mouse temperature-sensitive mutant for cell growth, tsFT210, was characterized. More than 90% of the mutant cells were arrested at the G2 phase at the nonpermissive temperature (39 degrees C). In this mutant, the activity of cdc2 kinase did not increase at the nonpermissive temperature (39 degrees C) but did increase at the permissive temperature (33 degrees C) at the G2/M phase in the cell cycle. The in vitro activity of cdc2 kinase of tsFT210 was more thermolabile than that of wild-type cells. The amount of cdc2 kinase in tsFT210 cells decreased when the cells were incubated at 39 degrees C, but that in wild-type cells did not. Using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a point mutation in cDNA of cdc2 kinase was found in tsFT210, and as a result, the proline of wild-type cdc2 kinase at the 272 amino acid residues from N-terminal methionine changed to serine. During preparation of this paper, the detection of two mutation sites of this mutant was reported (Th'ng, J.P.H., Wright, P.S., Hamaguchi, J., Lee, M.G., Norbury, C.J., Nurse, P., and Bradbury, E.M. (1990). Cell, 63: 313-324); one was the same site as reported here, the other was A-to-G change in the 154th base from base A in initial ATG, and this caused the change of isoleucine to valine in the PSTAIR region of cdc2 kinase. This mutation in the PSTAIR region was not detected by us. The probable reason for this discrepancy was in that Th'ng and his group sequenced a cDNA cloned from the amplified cDNAs by PCR, and did not directly sequence the amplified cDNA as we did.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Flow effects on cultured vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cell functions.

Cultured vascular endothelial cells were exposed to fluid shear stress by means of a rotary-disc shear-loading device, and the physiological effects of the conditioned medium (CM) and the homogenate (HM) of the cells on migration, adhesion and growth of endothelial cells (EC) or smooth muscle cells (SMC) were studied. Effects of shear stress on the production and secretion of collagen, one of the extracellular matrices of EC, were also studied. CM stimulated the adhesion and growth of SMC, but not of EC themselves. The ability to stimulate SMC adhesion and growth was similar in CM obtained from the static and shear-loaded cells. HM of the shear-loaded EC stimulated SMC migration. Further, HM of the shear-loaded EC contained increased amounts of collagen compared with the static EC. These results suggest that: 1) EC produce and secrete accelerators for the adhesion and growth of SMC, 2) EC react to the physical stimulus of fluid shear stress to produce stimulators of SMC migration, and 3) EC produce collagen, the production of which is enhanced by fluid shear stress.

Animals↗

A simple method for the simulation of unbound serum disopyramide concentration in patients.

There were remarkable differences in the serum total and unbound concentrations of disopyramide (DP) and mono-N-dealkyldisopyramide (MND), the major metabolite of DP, among patients with arrhythmias. Serum levels of alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AAG) also varied among the same patients. To predict the unbound DP concentrations, we have obtained the serum concentration-time curves of unbound DP in these patients by means of total DP concentration, DP pharmacokinetic parameters, AAG levels and dissociation constants of DP and MND at specific AAG binding sites. In patients with normal AAG levels, the theoretical values of unbound DP were in good agreement with the measured concentrations. On the other hand, in patients with high AAG levels, the theoretical values could be obtained by correcting the calculated values using both AAG levels of each patient and the equation correlating the unbound DP fraction to AAG concentrations. These findings indicate that patient AAG levels can provide valuable information permitting the rapid estimation of unbound DP concentrations, the pharmacologically active fraction, and the development of effective DP dosage regimens.

Disopyramide↗

Triazole antifungals. IV. Synthesis and antifungal activities of 3-acylamino-2-aryl-2-butanol derivatives.

New triazole compounds were designed and synthesized as potential inhibitors of the fungal cytochrome P-450 14 alpha-demethylase. In testing for antifungal activity against a mouse systemic Candida albicans infection, (2R,3R)-3-acylamino-2-aryl-2-butanol derivatives III exhibited remarkably high efficacy after oral or parenteral administration. The structure-activity relationships of these amidoalcohols were evaluated.

Antifungal Agents↗