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Biomedical subjects

Hiroyuki Yamamoto

Publications and source records attributed to Hiroyuki Yamamoto.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources

Synthesis, stability, and spectroscopic and electronic properties of three benzocyclohepta[alpha]azulenylium ions.

Novel pi-systems, three benzocyclohepta[alpha]azulenylium ions, 7a-c, are synthesized, and their stability and properties have been characterized in terms of the position of the benzo-annulation and compared with those of the parent cyclohepta[alpha]azulenylium ion 4. Benzocyclohepta[6,7-alpha]azulenylium ion (7a) (p K R+ = 7.3, E red = -0.567 V vs Ag/Ag+) and benzocyclohepta[6,5-alpha]azulenylium ion (7b) (p K R+ = 5.1, E red = -0.482 V vs Ag/Ag+), which are annulated with benzene on the position having a high bond order of 4, are not appreciably destabilized compared with cyclohepta[alpha]azulenylium ion (4) (p K R+ = 7.3, E red = -0.458 V vs Ag/Ag+). On the other hand, benzocyclohepta[7,6-alpha]azulenylium ion (7c) (p K R+ = 1.6, Ered = -0.197 V vs Ag/Ag+) is considerably destabilized, probably due to enhanced contribution of the quinoid structure of the benzene ring, which is annulated on the position having a low bond order of the cyclohepta[alpha]azulenylium ion moiety. Furthermore, the cations 7a and 7b are more stable than 12,13-dihydrobenzocyclohepta[7,6-alpha]azulenylium ion (25) (p K R+ = 4.8, E red = -0.513 V vs Ag/Ag+), which is a dihydrogenated compound of 7a, while 7c is less stable than 25. These features are reflected in the considerable red shift of the longest absorption maximum of the electronic spectrum of 7c, as compared with those of 4, 7a, and 7b, and in the chemical shifts of the protons and their coupling constants of the (1)H NMR spectra. Furthermore, the (1)H NMR spectra and electronic spectra of 5H-benzocyclohepta[6,7-alpha]azulen-5-one (8a) and 7H-benzocyclohepta[6,5-alpha]azulen-7-one (8b) in acidic media have also been studied to clarify the spectral characteristics similar to those of 7a and 7b.

Journal Article↗

Growth stress controls negative gravitropism in woody plant stems.

In the shoots of woody plant species, reaction-wood fibers are formed on the upper or lower side of the secondary xylem of a leaning trunk or branch wherever large, internal growth stress is generated. Negative gravitropic movement in woody plant stems is proposed to be the result of growth stress generated in the reaction-wood tissue. This study examines the interaction between bending moment due to increasing self-weight and recovery moment resulting from asymmetric growth stress, and tests a hypothesis that describes the relationship based on the structural mechanics "beam theory". Simulations of observed tree branch morphology of Magnolia kobus DC., Juniperus chinensis L., Abies saccharinensis Fr. Schum., and Prunus spachiana Kitamura f. spachiana cv. Plenarosea showed that (i) the growth stress generated in the reaction wood is sufficient to counteract the gravitropic response to increasing self-weight, and (ii) the specific directional angle of the shoot apex or preferred angle of the elongation zone plays an important role in controlling the spatial shape of the branch stem that is peculiar to plant species with large growth stress generated in the reaction-wood tissue.

Abies↗

Mucin phenotype and microsatellite instability in early multiple gastric cancers.

Clinicopathologically, multiple gastric cancers (MGCs) are reported to involve predominantly intestinal-type adenocarcinoma and frequently to be associated with severe intestinal metaplasia. However, there are few reports concerning the characteristic biomarkers of early MGCs. The aim of our study was to identify the cellular lineage defined by mucin phenotypes and the relationships among mucin phenotypes, background mucosa and microsatellite instability (MSI) of early MGCs. We examined mucin phenotypes of 63 surgically resected carcinomas from 25 patients with early MGCs and 39 early solitary gastric cancers (SGCs) by immunohistochemical analysis using a panel of monoclonal antibodies. MSI and the degree of intestinal metaplasia (IM) on the background mucosa were also examined. In early MGCs, the incidence of cancer exhibiting the gastric phenotype (G-type) was 59% (37 of 63 cancers), which was higher than that in early SGCs (23%, 9 of 39 cancers). There was a significant difference between the distributions of mucin phenotypes in early MGCs and early SGCs (p = 0.001). Whereas half of the G-type cancers in early MGCs were related to severe IM, none of the G-type cancers in early SGCs were related to severe IM. In the early MGCs, MSI was observed in 21 of 63 cancers (33.3%). In contrast, MSI was observed in only 3 of the 39 (7.7%) early SGCs, indicating a significant difference between these 2 groups (p < 0.01). Our results suggest that the characteristic features of early MGCs are the gastric mucin dominant phenotype and high frequency of MSI.

Aged↗

Effects of diltiazem and MK-801 on morphine analgesia and pharmacokinetics in mice.

The effects of diltiazem, an L-type calcium channel blocker, and MK-801, a non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist on morphine analgesia and pharmacokinetics were examined in mice. Mice received a subcutaneous injection of morphine (3.2 mg/kg) 30 min after a subcutaneous injection of diltiazem or MK-801. Diltiazem (20-60 mg/kg) potentiated morphine analgesia and increased serum morphine levels in a dose-dependent manner. MK-801 (0.3 mg/kg) significantly attenuated morphine analgesia but had no significant effect on serum or brain morphine levels. These results suggest that a modification of morphine metabolism is involved, at least in part, in the ability of diltiazem to enhance morphine analgesia, whereas MK-801 attenuates morphine analgesia without affecting morphine pharmacokinetics.

Analgesia↗

Inactivation of p57KIP2 by regional promoter hypermethylation and histone deacetylation in human tumors.

To clarify the role of DNA methylation in the silencing of the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p57KIP2 seen in certain tumors, we investigated the methylation status of its 5' CpG island in various tumor cell lines and primary cancers. Dense methylation of the region around the transcription start site was detected in 1 out of 10 colorectal, 2 out of 8 gastric, and 6 out of 14 hematopoietic tumor cell lines and in 5 out of 35 (14%) gastric, 6 out of 20 (30%) hepatocellular, and 2 out of 18 (11%) pancreatic cancers; 7 out of 25 (28%) acute myeloid leukemia cases also showed methylation of the p57KIP2 gene, which strongly correlated with the CpG island methylator phenotype (P<0.001). Detailed mapping revealed that dense methylation of the region around the transcription start site (-300 to +400), but not of the edges of the CpG island, was closely associated with gene silencing. 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine, a methyltransferase inhibitor, restored expression of p57KIP2, and chromatin immunoprecipitation using anti-histone H3 and H4 antibodies showed histone to be deacetylated in cell lines where p57KIP2 was methylated at the transcription start site. Regional methylation and histone deacetylation thus appear to be crucially involved in the silencing of p57KIP2 expression in human tumors.

Acetylation↗

Preparation and characterization of DNA films induced by UV irradiation.

Large amounts of DNA-enriched materials, such as salmon milts and shellfish gonads, are discarded as industrial waste. We have been able to convert the discarded DNA to a useful material by preparing novel DNA films by UV irradiation. When DNA films were irradiated with UV light, the molecular weight of DNA was greatly increased. The reaction was inhibited by addition of the radical scavenger galvinoxyl suggesting that the DNA polymerization with UV irradiation proceeded by a radical reaction. Although this UV-irradiated DNA film was water-insoluble and resistant to hydrolysis by nuclease, the structure of the DNA film in water was similar to non-irradiated DNA and maintained B-form structure. In addition, the UV-irradiated DNA film could effectively accumulate and condense harmful DNA-intercalating compounds, such as ethidium bromide and acridine orange, from diluted aqueous solutions. The binding constant and exclusion number of ethidium bromide for UV-irradiated DNA were determined to be 6.8 +/- 0.3 x 10(4) M(-1) and 1.6 +/- 0.2, respectively; these values are consisted with reported results for non-irradiated DNA. The UV-irradiated DNA films have potential uses as a biomaterial filter for the removal of harmful DNA intercalating compounds.

Acridine Orange↗

UV-irradiated DNA matrixes selectively bind endocrine disruptors with a planar structure.

DNA has unique chemical properties and is readily purified from salmon milts and shellfish gonads. DNA has few commercial uses and is generally discarded as an industrial waste. Recently, we prepared water-insoluble and nuclease-resistant DNA-films by UV irradiation. The DNA-films removed DNA-intercalating compounds. Here, we immobilized double-stranded DNA onto porous glass beads by UV irradiation and prepared DNA-immobilized glass bead columns. The DNA-immobilized columns effectively accumulated more DNA-intercalating materials than the DNA-films. The DNA-immobilized columns bound endocrine disruptors with a planar structure, such as dioxin-derivatives, polychlorobiphenyl (PCB)-derivatives, and benzo[a]pyrene. Bisphenol A and diethylstilbestrol, which lack a planar structure, did not bind to the DNA-immobilized columns. These results suggest that DNA-immobilized glass bead columns could selectively remove chemical compounds with a planar structure by intercalation into the double-stranded DNA. DNA-immobilized glass beads and DNA-films prepared by UV irradiation have the potential to serve as useful biomaterials for medical, engineering, and environmental applications.

Binding Sites↗

Sensitivity to Alternaria alternata toxin in citrus because of altered mitochondrial RNA processing.

Specificity in the interaction between rough lemon (Citrus jambhiri Lush.) and the fungal pathogen Alternaria alternata rough lemon pathotype is determined by a host-selective toxin, ACR-toxin. Mitochondria from rough lemon are sensitive to ACR-toxin whereas mitochondria from resistant plants, including other citrus species, are resistant. We have identified a C. jambhiri mitochondrial DNA sequence, designated ACRS (ACR-toxin sensitivity gene), that confers toxin sensitivity to Escherichia coli. ACRS is located in the group II intron of the mitochondrial tRNA-Ala and is translated into a SDS-resistant oligomeric protein in C. jambhiri mitochondria but is not translated in the toxin-insensitive mitochondria. ACRS is present in the mitochondrial genome of both toxin-sensitive and -insensitive citrus. However, in mitochondria of toxin-insensitive plants, the transcripts from ACRS are shorter than those in mitochondria of sensitive plants. These results demonstrate that sensitivity to ACR-toxin and hence specificity of the interaction between A. alternata rough lemon pathotype and C. jambhiri is due to differential posttranscriptional processing of a mitochondrial gene.

Base Sequence↗

Aberrant methylation and histone deacetylation of cyclooxygenase 2 in gastric cancer.

Cyclooxygenase 2 plays a critical role in the development of gastrointestinal cancers in both human and animal models. About 80% of the gastric cancer showed a high level of expression of cyclooxygenase 2, but a subset of cases do not express without unknown reason. Aberrant methylation of CpG island of COX-2 was examined by using a series of gastric cancer cell lines and primary gastric cancers. Two out of 8 cell lines (25%) and 11 out of 93 (12%) primary cancers showed aberrant methylation of the 5' region of COX-2. Methylation of COX-2 was closely associated with loss of expression and treatment of methylation inhibitor, 5-deoxy-2'-azacytidine restored the expression of COX-2. A combined treatment of 5-deoxy-2'-azacytidine and a histone deacetylese inhibitor, trichostatin A, restored re-expression of the gene synergistically and chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis revealed that histone of methylated COX-2 promoter is deacetylated, indicating the role of cytosine methylation and histone deacetylation in the silencing of the gene. These results indicate that a subset of gastric cancer with COX-2 methylation evolves through the pathway that is independent of COX-2 expression and that COX-2 inhibitor may not be useful to induce apoptosis in these cases.

Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic↗

Differential involvement of the hypermethylator phenotype in hereditary and sporadic colorectal cancers with high-frequency microsatellite instability.

High-frequency microsatellite instability (MSI-H) due to defective DNA mismatch repair occurs in the majority of hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancers (HNPCCs) and in a subset of sporadic malignant tumors. Clinicopathologic and genotypic features of MSI-H colorectal tumors in HNPCC patients and those in sporadic cases are very similar but not identical. Correlation between the MSI phenotype and aberrant DNA methylation has been highlighted recently. A strong association between MSI and CpG island methylation has been well characterized in sporadic colorectal cancers with MSI-H but not in those of hereditary origin. To address the issue, we analyzed hereditary and sporadic colorectal cancers for aberrant DNA methylation of target genes using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. DNA methylation of the MLH1, CDKN2A, MGMT, THBS1, RARB, APC, and p14ARF genes was found in 0%, 23%, 10%, 3%, 73%, 53%, and 33% of 30 MSI-H cancers in HNPCC patients and in 80%, 55%, 23%, 23%, 58%, 35%, and 50% of 40 sporadic colorectal cancers with MSI-H, respectively. Cases showing methylation at three or more loci of six genes other than MLH1 were defined as CpG island methylator phenotype-positive (CIMP +), and 23% of HNPCC tumors and 53% of sporadic cancers with MSI-H were CIMP+ (P = 0.018). Differences in the extent of CpG island methylation, coupled with the differential involvement of several genes by methylation, in HNPCC tumors and sporadic MSI-H colorectal cancers may be associated with diverging developmental pathways in hereditary and sporadic cancers despite similar MSI-H phenotypes.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Analysis of gene expression in human colorectal cancer tissues by cDNA array.

BACKGROUND: The development and progression of cancer are accompanied by complex changes in patterns of gene expression. The purpose of this study was to clarify the relevance of macroarray analysis of human colorectal cancer tissues. METHODS: Hybridization of cDNA macroarray filters on which 550 genes had been spotted was performed with biotin-labeled cDNA targets that were prepared from mRNA extracted from 20 pairs of colorectal cancer and corresponding noncancerous tissues. Expression of differentially expressed genes was further studied by semiquantitative RT-PCR. RESULTS: Fourteen (2.5%) of the 550 genes were differentially expressed and up- or downregulated in cancer tissues by at least threefold compared with matched noncancerous tissues in 10 or more of the 20 patients. The genes that were upregulated in cancer tissues were associated with transcription, cell cycle, growth factor receptor, cell adhesion, extracellular matrix-degrading enzymes, and angiogenesis, and the downregulated genes were those involved in apoptosis and immune recognition. Semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis of these differentially expressed genes gave results consistent with those by cDNA array analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Although the macroarray used in this study contained only a small number of genes, our results support the feasibility and usefulness of this approach to study variation in gene expression patterns in human colorectal cancer tissues. The results also suggest the possibility of a diagnostic application of cDNA macroarrays in daily clinical settings.

Biopsy, Needle↗

Cyclic stretch upregulates interleukin-8 and transforming growth factor-beta1 production through a protein kinase C-dependent pathway in alveolar epithelial cells.

OBJECTIVE: Positive-pressure mechanical ventilation can injure the lung, causing oedema and alveolar inflammation, which is termed 'ventilator-induced lung injury' (VILI). We postulated that cyclic stretch upregulates the release of cytokines, which may cause lung damage, and explored which cytokines were released after cyclic stretch in type II alveolar epithelial cells (A549). METHODOLOGY: To test this hypothesis, A549 cells were cultured on a silicoelastic membrane and interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-8, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor, activin, transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1, insulin-like growth factor-2 and tumour necrosis factor-alpha mRNA and protein were assessed after stimulation of the cells by cyclic stretch. RESULTS: Cyclic stretch induced activation of protein kinase C and resulted in the release of IL-8 and TGF-beta1 from A549 cells. CONCLUSIONS: The release of IL-8 and TGF-beta1 from alveolar epithelial cells may be a contributing factor in alveolitis associated with VILI.

Blotting, Western↗

Classification of Barrett's epithelium by magnifying endoscopy.

BACKGROUND: The specialized columnar epithelium of Barrett's esophagus can be detected by obtaining random or 4 quadrant biopsy specimens at conventional endoscopy. However, little is known about the fine mucosal structure of specialized columnar epithelium. METHODS: Thirty patients with Barrett's esophagus were studied by magnifying endoscopy. The fine mucosal pattern (pit pattern) of 67 regions in Barrett's mucosa was recorded and compared with methylene blue staining. Histologic, mucin immunohistologic, and cell proliferation analyses of biopsy specimens were performed in relation to the pit patterns determined by magnifying endoscopy. RESULTS: Pit pattern was classified into 5 types. Tubular and villous pit patterns were not only characteristics of both specialized columnar epithelium and methylene blue absorption, but also possessed an intestinal mucin phenotype with a high Ki-labeling index, whereas other pit patterns (dot and straight) did not have specialized columnar epithelium and were categorized as the gastric phenotype. The long oval pit pattern had an intermediate phenotype between gastric and intestinal. CONCLUSIONS: The classification of the superficial mucosal appearance of Barrett's epithelium by magnifying endoscopy reflects not only histologic features but also mucin phenotypes.

Aged↗

Thermaerobacter subterraneus sp. nov., a novel aerobic bacterium from the Great Artesian Basin of Australia, and emendation of the genus Thermaerobacter.

A strictly aerobic, thermophilic, gram-positive, spore-producing, rod-shaped bacterium (2.0-10.0 x 0.3 microm), designated isolate C21T, was isolated from a sample collected from an open drain run-off channel of a bore in the Great Artesian Basin of Australia (New Lorne Bore, registered number 17263). Isolate C21T grew optimally at 70 degrees C (temperature range for growth was 55-80 degrees C) and pH 8.5 (pH range for growth was 6.0-10.5), with a generation time of 90 min. The isolate was strictly heterotrophic and grew on yeast extract and/or tryptone as carbon and energy sources. An increase in growth was not observed with carbohydrates (sucrose, cellobiose, glucose, dextrin, amylopectin, chitin, carboxymethylcellulose, xylan, inositol, arabinose, mannose, fructose, gelatin, starch, amylose, galactose, dextrose, xylose, maltose, L-sorbose or raffinose), organic acids (lactic acid, pyruvic acid or benzoic acid) or Casamino acids as sole carbon sources or in the presence of yeast extract and/or tryptone. The G+C content of the chromosomal DNA, as measured by the thermal denaturation method, was 71 mol%. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene of isolate C21T placed it as a member of the phylum Firmicutes, with Thermaerobacter marianensis as the closest relative (similarity value of 98%). However, isolate C21T and T. marianensis differed in a number of key physiological and phenotypic properties and also had a DNA-DNA hybridization value of less than 5%. Based on this evidence, it is proposed that strain C21T be designated Thermaerobacter subterraneus sp. nov. (type strain C21T = ATCC BAA-137T = DSM 13965T).

Australia↗

Enumeration of Legionella CFU by colony hybridization using specific DNA probes.

Oligonucleotide probes and colony hybridization (CH) were applied to enumerate organisms of the genus Legionella in cooling tower water. The CH counts indicated almost the same results as CFU counts in cultivated samples derived from the water. It was concluded that it is possible to substitute the CH procedure for the conventional one.

Colony Count, Microbial↗

Naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal elicits increases in c-fos mRNA expression in restricted regions of the infant rat brain.

This paper is the first report of a genetic index for morphine withdrawal in infant rats. We examined the effects of naloxone (2 mg/kg) on c-fos mRNA levels in brains of infant and adult rats following repeated treatment with morphine (20 mg/kg, once daily for 5 days). One hour after a single administration of naloxone (naloxone challenge), an increase in c-fos mRNA was observed in the olfactory bulb, hypothalamus and medulla oblongata of infant rats, and in the olfactory bulb and hypothalamus, but not in the medulla oblongata of adult rats. The c-fos mRNA levels returned to control levels 6 h after the naloxone challenge. The increase in c-fos mRNA levels was followed by body weight loss in both infant and adult rats. When MK-801, a non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, was co-administered along with morphine, it inhibited the naloxone-induced increases in c-fos mRNA levels in infant rats following repeated morphine administration. These results suggest that physical dependence develops in infant rats following repeated morphine administration and that the increment of c-fos mRNA levels is a useful indicator for naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal in infant as well as in adult rats.

Animals↗