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Biomedical subjects

K Aihara

Publications and source records attributed to K Aihara.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Nizofenone, a neuroprotective drug, suppresses glutamate release and lactate accumulation.

It was investigated whether nizofenone, 2'-chloro-2-(2-diethylaminomethyl-1- imidazolyl)-5-nitrobenzophenone fumarate, shows neuroprotective effect by inhibiting glutamate release and lactate accumulation in rats. Nizofenone (10 mg/kg i.p.) significantly inhibited neuronal cell death in the hippocampus CA1 pyramidal cells 7 days after 15 min of ischemia caused by 4-vessel occlusion. The extracellular level of glutamate and lactate increased in the hippocampus during ischemia. Upon reperfusion, the glutamate level decreased rapidly but, in contrast, the lactate level increased further and reached a maximum at 15 min following reperfusion. Nizofenone (10 mg/kg i.p.) completely inhibited the ischemic glutamate increase and post-ischemic lactate increase. These results suggest that the inhibition of ischemic release of glutamate and post-ischemic accumulation of lactate could contribute greatly to the neuroprotective effect of nizofenone.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1994

Effects of NG-monomethyl-L-arginine, indomethacin, and aspirin on the vasodepressor response to low doses of endothelin-1 and endothelin-3 in rats.

Low doses (< or = 100 pmol/kg) of endothelin-1 (ET-1) and endothelin-3 (ET-3) elicited a fall in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and a dose-related reduction in hindquarter vascular resistance in anesthetized rats. The depressor response to low doses of ET-1 or ET-3 was short-lived (about 10 sec) and reversible. High doses (> or = 200 pmol/kg) of ET-1 and ET-3 elicited a biphasic response; an initial fall in MAP followed by a gradual increase in MAP. The pressor response to large doses of ET-3 was less than that to large doses of ET-1. On the other hand, the depressor response to low doses of ET-3 was similar to that to low doses of ET-1. Both ET-1 and ET-3 at low doses exhibited primarily a vasodilatory activity. Pretreatment with NG-monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA), a compound that inhibits nitric oxide (NO) production by endothelial cells, attenuated the hypotensive and hindquarter vasodilating effects of low doses of these isopeptides, indicating that the hindquarter vasodilating responses to these peptides depend upon the release of NO from endothelial cells. On the other hand, pretreatment with either aspirin or indomethacin did not alter the hypotensive or the hindquarter vasodilating effects of either ET-1 or ET-3, indicating that cyclooxygenase products may not be involved in the vasodepressive mechanisms of these peptides. L-NMMA attenuated the vasodilating effects of these peptides, but did not completely inhibit the response, suggesting that NO production by endothelial cells plays only a partial role in the vasodilation of ET in vivo.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1994

[Interleukin-1 in cancer therapy].

The therapeutic potentials of interleukin-1 (IL-1) in the cancer therapy are supposed to be; 1) anti-tumor activity, 2) immunostimulating activity, and 3) hematopoietic activity. We observed that IL-1 beta revealed a directly cytostatic activity to certain tumor cells in vitro. Intratumoral or subcutaneous injection of IL-1 beta caused a complete regression and lifespan elongation of tumor-bearing mice by augmenting of the anti-tumor effects mediated by host immune responses indirectly. We have observed IL-1 beta to accelerate the recovery of the numbers of granulocytes and platelets by inducing the production of colony stimulating factors, and by stimulating the hemopoietic progenitor cells. In the phase II clinical study, IL-1 beta was proved to be effective against cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL). In the hematopoietic stimulating activity of IL-1 beta, it was reported in many clinical cases that IL-1 beta accelerated the recovery of the numbers of granulocytes and platelets in myelosuppressed patients.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Biochemical and pharmacological properties of a newly synthesized proton pump (H+/K(+)-ATPase) inhibitor, TY-11345 in experimental animals.

We investigated the effects of the newly synthesized proton pump inhibitor TY-11345, (+/-)-2-[(4-methoxy-6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-5H-cyclohepta[b]pyridin- 9-yl)sulfinyl]-1H-benzimidazole sodium salt, on gastric mucosal proton pump (H+/K(+)-ATPase) activity, gastric acid secretion and gastro-duodenal lesions in experimental animals. TY-11345 potently inhibited H+/K(+)-ATPase activity in isolated rabbit gastric mucosal microsomes; and the inhibitory effect was enhanced under weak acid conditions, the IC50 (concentrations that inhibit the enzyme activity by 50%) being 5.8 microM and 9.9 microM at pH 6.0 and pH 7.4, respectively. In Ghosh & Schild rats, intravenous injection of TY-11345 significantly inhibited gastric acid secretion stimulated by tetragastrin; the effect of TY-11345 was twice as potent as that of omeprazole. In pylorus ligated rats, TY-11345 inhibited basal gastric acid secretion by both the intraduodenal and oral routes, with ED50 values of 1.2 and 4.0 mg/kg, respectively. These effects were 9 and 5 times more potent than those of omeprazole, respectively. Moreover, the antisecretory effect of TY-11345 persisted for more than 24 hr in pylorus ligated rats. In experimental ulcer models, TY-11345 prevented the formation of water-immersion stress, ethanol or indomethacin-induced gastric lesions and mepirizole-induced duodenal lesions in rats. The antiulcer effects of TY-11345 were 3 to 15 times more potent than those of omeprazole. These results suggest that TY-11345 has potent antisecretory and antiulcer effects which are exerted by suppression of H+/K(+)-ATPase activity in gastric parietal cells, so that TY-11345 should be useful for the clinical treatment of peptic ulcer diseases.

Acetates↗
PubMed1993

Purification and characterization of recombinant human macrophage colony-stimulating factor expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells.

We expressed human macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells by introducing an expression plasmid coding for a 554-amino-acid M-CSF precursor and dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene, and by amplifying the sequence. A cell line was obtained that secreted approximately 200,000 units/ml after 6 days in culture. The expressed recombinant human M-CSF (rhM-CSF) primarily consisted of two molecular species, a main 80-90 kD M-CSF as a homodimer and a molecular form higher than 150 kD. Purification of a main rhM-CSF gave an apparently homogeneous protein disulfide-bonded from 42-kD subunits, but one of the purified rhM-CSFs was composed of two subunit species with molecular masses of 44 and 42 kD. These purified rhM-CSFs had substantially the same specific activity (1 to 4 x 10(7) units/mg protein). Deglycosylation experiments with the latter rhM-CSF using chemical (trifluoromethanesulfonic acid) and enzymatic methods found a terminal neuraminic acid in addition to N- and O-glycosylation, but the two subunit species did not coalesce into a single molecule.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Application of corrosion cast method for scanning electron microscopic observation of mouse embryo vasculature.

We described a method for making vascular corrosion casts of mouse embryos and applied it to study the vasculature of the whole body mouse embryo at 13.5 days (body length 9-11 mm) to 18.5 days (body length 18-23 mm), as well as that of its respective organs. The Mercox resin was perfused via the umbilical vessels using a special needle made by pulling the hematocrit tube (caliber 100-200 microns). The specimens were treated with 10% NaOH, rinsed, dried, coated with gold and observed under a scanning electron microscope. Visceral organs of a 13.5 day embryo were rather immature, but the liver vasculature was relatively well developed. In a 15.5 day embryo, the whole body vasculature was relatively well developed and the features of respective organs could be identified. In a 18.5 day embryo, almost all organs and extremities were well developed, but sensory organs in some parts showed immature development.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Effects of Y-20811, a thromboxane A2 synthetase inhibitor, on experimentally induced coronary thrombosis in anesthetized dogs.

The effects of Y-20811, a selective inhibitor of thromboxane A2 (TXA2) synthetase, on blood flow and local levels of immunoreactive thromboxane B2 (i-TXB2) and 6-keto prostaglandin F1 alpha (i-6-keto PGF1 alpha) in the coronary artery were investigated in the canine model of coronary thrombosis. Thrombosis was induced by applying an electric current to the intraluminal surface of the coronary artery. The plasma levels of i-TXB2 and i-6-keto PGF1 alpha were measured distal to the electrode. In the control group, coronary blood flow decreased and finally stopped 207 +/- 53 min (mean +/- S.E.M., n = 5) after the start of current application. The level of i-TXB2 rose before the coronary occlusion. Coronary blood flow did not change significantly in the Y-20811-treated group (1 mg/kg i.v.). The level of i-TXB2 decreased and remained significantly lower than that in the control group. The level of i-6-keto PGF1 alpha tended to increase slightly in the Y-20811-treated, but not in the control group. The weight of the thrombus in the Y-20811-treated group was significantly less than that in the control group (P less than 0.01). These results suggest that Y-20811 prevents coronary thrombosis by the inhibition of TXA2 production around the electrically injured lumen of the coronary artery.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha↗
PubMed1992

A novel method to analyse response patterns of taste neurons by artificial neural networks.

Despite several notions on the gustatory code proposed over three decades, investigators have not yet reached a consensus. This paper describes a new approach to analyse gustatory neural activities. Three-layer neural networks were trained by the back-propagation learning algorithm, to classify the neural response patterns to four basic taste qualities. The discrimination by the trained networks on taste qualities in the response patterns of rat chorda tympani fibres (CT) and cortical taste neurons (CN) was consistent both with the correlation analysis and with behavioural experiments. By examining the connection weights of each neuron, some input neurons representing CN were 'pruned' without deteriorating the ability of the network to discriminate taste. This characteristic of the network is contrary to a previous hypothesis, that taste neurons are of equal importance in the neural coding.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

The antihypertensive effect of 2-alkynyladenosines and their selective affinity for adenosine A2 receptors.

We examined the affinity for adenosine receptors and the antihypertensive effects of 2-alkynyladenosines, especially 2-hexynyladenosine (2-H-Ado) and 2-octynyladenosine (2-O-Ado). The order of decreasing affinity of 2-H-Ado, 2-O-Ado, and other agonists tested for A1 receptors was N6-cyclopentyladenosine (CPA) greater than N6-cyclohexyladenosine (CHA) greater than N6-R-phenylisopropyladenosine (R-PIA) greater than 2-chloroadenosine (CADO) = 5'-N-ethylcarboxamideadenosine (NECA) greater than N6-S-phenylisopropyladenosine (S-PIA) greater than 2-H-Ado greater than 2-O-Ado greater than 2-phenylaminoadenosine (CV-1808), and that for A2 receptors was 2-H-Ado greater than 2-O-Ado = NECA greater than CADO greater than CV-1808 greater than R-PIA greater than CPA greater than CHA greater than S-PIA. The Ki values of 2-H-Ado and 2-O-Ado for [3H] NECA binding to A2 receptors were 4.1 and 12.1 nM, respectively, and those for [3H]CHA binding to A1 receptors were 146 and 211 nM, respectively: the affinity of 2-H-Ado and 2-O-Ado for A2 receptors was about 36- and 17-fold higher than their affinity for A1 receptors. Injection of 2-H-Ado and 2-O-Ado (0.03-100 micrograms/kg) decreased the blood pressure of anaesthetized spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). A slight decrease in heart rate was observed after i.v. injection of 100 micrograms/kg 2-H-Ado and 2-O-Ado. A potent and long-lasting antihypertensive effect was also observed after oral administration of 2-H-Ado and 2-O-Ado to conscious SHR.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adenosine↗
PubMed1991

Relations between contractile responses and beta-adrenoceptors in gastric fundus of diabetic rats.

Contractile responses to norepinephrine (NE), and the population of beta-adrenoceptors, were determined in gastric fundus smooth muscle from rats with diabetes induced by streptozotocin (STZ), and age-matched controls. Relaxation and/or contraction of fundus strips of controls and diabetics were induced by 10(-5)M NE. Responses to NE were mainly relaxation in gastric fundus isolated from controls, and contraction in fundus isolated from diabetics. Contraction was blocked by 10(-8) M prazosin and relaxation was blocked by 10(-6) M propranolol. Relaxation by isoproterenol of contraction induced by 10(-6) M acetylcholine was significantly less in fundus from diabetics than in that from controls. The number of beta-adrenoceptors, measured with [125I] iodocyanopindolol as a ligand, was significantly less in gastric fundus membrane isolated from diabetics than in that from controls, but affinity was no different. The level of plasma catecholamine was higher in diabetics than in controls. Results suggest that depression of gastric fundus relaxation and increase of contraction by NE in diabetics could be due to fewer beta-adrenoceptor binding sites caused by down-regulation by higher catecholamine level in diabetic rats.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Experimental studies of moderate temperature burns.

The pathology and characteristics of moderate temperature burns have been investigated in rats with a heating apparatus capable of applying thermal doses varying in temperature and exposure time, to which the responses have been observed both macroscopically and microscopically. The macroscopic examination showed only erythema and greyish necrosis. The microscopic changes were divided into six grades of severity from 0 to 5. From the time-temperature threshold curves made by microscopic observations, the critical temperatures for superficial and deep dermal burns, and full skin thickness burns were 37.8 degrees C, 41.9 degrees C and 47.9 degrees C, respectively. According to the data, almost all commercially available topical heaters are considered hazardous. Susceptibility to thermal injury was markedly increased by compression and ischaemia, the effects of which are thought to be due mainly to rapid heat accumulation (heat damage) and hypoxaemia (hypoxic damage).

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Detection of heat-stable delta 3,delta 2-enoyl-CoA isomerase in rat liver mitochondria and peroxisomes by immunochemical study using specific antibody.

The subcellular distribution of delta 3,delta 2-enoyl-CoA isomerase [EC 5.3.3.8] and the inducing effect of clofibrate, a peroxisomal proliferator, on the enzyme activity were examined in rat liver. From the results of spectrophotometric investigation of the fractions, which were prepared by sucrose discontinuous gradient centrifugation from the light mitochondrial fraction, the isomerase activity was found in the fractions enriched in mitochondria and those enriched in peroxisomes of the control and the clofibrate treated rat livers. The anti-isomerase antibody reacted with both the mitochondrial isomerase and the peroxisomal isomerase, revealing a single band with an apparent molecular weight of 30,000. However, the isomerase was induced by clofibrate administration mainly in the mitochondrial fraction. These results suggest that delta 3,delta 2-enoyl-CoA isomerase is located in the mitochondria and the peroxisomes of the normal rat liver, and that the isomerase in the mitochondria is induced by clofibrate administration.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

Silver staining of nucleolar organizer regions in prostatic lesions.

Variations in the number of silver-stained nucleolar organizer region-associated proteins (AgNORs) were studied in paraffin sections of 42 benign prostatic lesions, comprising four cases of granulomatous prostatitis, five of squamous or transitional metaplasia, eight of atypical and 25 of regular hyperplasia, and 37 of prostatic adenocarcinoma, with their metastases. There was a significant difference between the mean AgNOR counts of the benign and malignant prostatic lesions (1.58 +/- 0.26 v. 4.34 +/- 1.53; P less than 0.01). The mean AgNOR counts significantly increased with increasing Gleason's grade (P less than 0.01) and clinical stage (P less than 0.05) of the tumours. AgNOR counting may contribute to the conventional diagnostic and prognostic indices of cancer of the prostate.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1991

A histological, ultrastructural and immunohistochemical study of superficial temporal arteries and middle meningeal arteries in moyamoya disease.

Pathologic changes in superficial temporal arteries (STA) and middle meningeal arteries (MMA) biopsied from 15 patients with moyamoya disease (MD) who had undergone cerebro-temporal arterio-synangiosis were studied histologically, ultrastructurally and immunohistochemically. The main pathologic features were: proliferation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) and thickening of the intima, degeneration and destruction of SMCs in the media and intima, and the presence of condensed organelles in necrosed SMCs or the interstitium among SMCs, or both outside and within the elastica interna (EI). The EI had become thin, porous, fragmented and was even absent in some segments. These changes are different from those of other forms of angiopathy, but identical with those at the ends of internal carotid arteries (ICA) reported by us previously, being pathognomonic for MD. These changes in the STA and MMA reveal that MD involves not only the ICA but also the intra- and extracranial branches of external carotid arteries. The medial necrosis of SMCs seems to be the primary injury of the arterial wall in MD. STA tissue blocks from two cases of MD were stained immunohistochemically. By electron microscopy, IgG-, IgM-, and C3-positive granules were observed on the ER of endothelial and intimal cells. Further studies on more cases are needed to determine whether an immunoreaction has occurred in these arteries.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Pharmacological profile of the 2-alkynyladenosine derivative 2-octynyladenosine (YT-146) in the cardiovascular system.

We investigated the cardiovascular effects of 2-octynyladenosine (YT-146), an adenosine A2 agonist, in various mammalian preparations in comparison with adenosine and 2-chloroadenosine. YT-146, when intravenously administered, caused a dose-dependent decrease of blood pressure in anesthetized normotensive rats (with ED30 values of 0.4 micrograms/kg), and YT-146 was 250 times more potent than adenosine. Whereas adenosine and 2-chloroadenosine decreased heart rate at approximately equihypotensive doses, YT-146 had no negative chronotropic effects at h hypotensive doses. Orally given YT-146 (0.1 - 1 mg/kg) produced a potent and long-lasting antihypertensive effect in spontaneously hypertensive rats. YT-146 was 15.9 and 12.5 times more potent than adenosine in producing relaxation of isolated porcine coronary arteries and in increasing dog coronary blood flow, respectively. Although YT-146 was equipotent to adenosine in causing a negative inotropic effect in isolated guinea pig atria, it was less potent than adenosine in producing atrioventricular conduction block in guinea pigs. On the other hand, 2-chloroadenosine was 9.1, 1.8 and 2.4 times more potent than adenosine in lowering blood pressure, relaxing isolated porcine coronary arteries and increasing dog coronary blood flow, respectively. 2-Chloroadenosine was the most potent in producing cardiodepression, i.e., negative inotropy and atrioventricular conduction block in guinea pigs. From these results, we concluded that YT-146 is a potent coronary vasodilator and also a potent, orally active and long-acting hypotensive agent having less cardiac depressant activity.

Adenosine↗
PubMed1991

Nitrendipine facilitates recovery of cerebral blood flow, EEG and metabolites following cerebral ischemia in anesthetized rabbits.

The effect of nitrendipine, an antihypertensive calcium antagonist, on the impairment of cerebral blood flow and EEG observed after 10-min complete cerebral ischemia in anesthetized rabbits was compared with those of nicardipine. The ischemia was produced by neck tourniquet in combination with hypotension (50-60 mmHg). Blood flow was measured by hydrogen-clearance method. Transient reactive hyperemia was observed immediately after the cessation of ischemic procedure, and was followed by a decrease in blood flow in the range of 58-73% of corresponding basal values in the total brain, cortex and thalamus. The postischemic decrease in blood flow was suppressed when nitrendipine (0.3-1 mg/kg) or nicardipine (3-10 mg/kg) was given intraduodenally before ischemia. The postischemic decrease in total intensity and frequency index in EEG recovered rapidly when nitrendipine was pretreated, whereas the recovery of EEG parameters was not obtained by the nicardipine pretreatment. These results suggest that the effect of nitrendipine and nicardipine on the postischemic cerebral blood flow may be due to the inhibition of calcium-induced contraction in cerebral vessels, whereas the discrepancy between the effects of these agents on EEG may not be due solely to the improvement in cerebral circulation. Furthermore, the improvement in postischemic cerebral energy metabolism was confirmed by nitrendipine pretreatment (0.3 mg/kg).

Animals↗