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K Anzai

Publications and source records attributed to K Anzai.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

De novo design, synthesis, and characterization of a pore-forming small globular protein and its insertion into lipid bilayers.

The question of how to design a water-soluble globular protein remains. We report here the synthesis of a native-like and pore-forming small globular protein (SGP, 69 amino acid residues). The protein was designed to have four helices: a Trp-containing short hydrophobic helix in the middle surrounded by three Tyr-containing long basic amphiphilic helices. Size-exclusion chromatography and CD measurements indicated that in buffer solution SGP is monomeric with a 50% helical structure. SGP did not completely denature even at high temperature (90 degrees C) and at relatively high Gu x HCl concentration so that the denaturant concentration at the midpoint of the transition is 5 M. Dye binding studies and fluorescence energy transfer experiments showed that SGP possesses a hydrophobic binding site and its Trp of the central helix is present at a relatively hydrophobic region and accepts the energy from Tyr(s) in other amphiphilic helices, indicating that SGP takes a stable globular-like structure in aqueous solution. From the depth-dependent fluorescent studies using egg PC liposomes containing n-doxyl fatty acids and brominated phospholipid as quenchers, it was found that the hydrophobic central alpha-helix is able to enter spontaneously into the lipid bilayers and the Trp in the central alpha-helix is located at about the middle of the alkyl chain in the outer layer of the phospholipid bilayer. The peptide is also able to increase the membrane permeability with two modes of current (basal current and single ion channel) in planar phospholipid bilayers, indicating the spontaneous insertion of the protein into the lipid bilayer (basal current) and then the formation of a uniform size of channel pore (14 pS). SGP is useful as a basic and starting model to find good amino acid sequences that fold to a desired protein structure and to search translocation mechanisms from aqueous solution into lipid bilayers.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

In vivo electron paramagnetic resonance studies on oxidative stress caused by X-irradiation in whole mice.

The effect of x-irradiation on the reduction rates of nitroxyl radicals was examined in whole mice using in vivo EPR. One hour after irradiation, the reduction rates of nitroxyl increased up to 15 Gy irradiation, but decreased over this dose. The enhancement of the reduction rate of nitroxyl was suppressed by preadministration of a radioprotector, cysteamine, suggesting that the enhancement of nitroxyl reduction is related to the radiation damage. Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) in liver homogenate were increased by x-irradiation, indicating that x-irradiation induced oxidative stress in mice. Endogenous antioxidant, alpha-tocopherol, and the activities of antioxidative enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase, and glutathione peroxidase were not induced by x-irradiation under these experimental conditions. Eventually the nitroxyl reduction in whole mice should be enhanced by the oxidative stress due to x-irradiation. An in vivo EPR system probing the nitroxyl reduction should be applicable to the noninvasive study on the oxidative stress caused by radiation.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Hydroxyl and superoxide anion radical scavenging activities of natural source antioxidants using the computerized JES-FR30 ESR spectrometer system.

Free radical scavenging activities of water-soluble extracts from some natural sources, health foods, and antioxidant substances were measured using the JES-FR30 JEOL spectrometer. The objective was to develop a standardized method whereby comparison could be made between the radical scavenging activities of complex mixtures. Scavenging of hydroxyl radical was determined using DMPO. Activity was calibrated using a standard material, L-ascorbic acid 2-[3,4-dihydro-2,5,7,8-tetramethyl-2-(4,8,12-trimethyltridecyl)-2H -1- benzopyran-6yl-hydrogen phosphate] potassium salt (EPC-K1), an analog of vitamin C and vitamin E which is water soluble and stable at room temperature. The order of greatest hydroxyl radical scavenging activity was green tea extract, pine bark extract (Pycnogenol), Ginkgo Biloba extract (EGb 761), a flavonoid blend of several fruit and vegetable extracts (GNLD), and Bio-Normalizer (Sun-O Corp). Activity was determined after treatment of samples with ascorbic acid oxidase. This treatment revealed the presence of ascorbate in some natural extracts and commercial preparations. The pine bark extract was the most heat resistant and had ascorbate-like activity in the preparations. Scavenging of superoxide anion was determined using the spin trap, 5,5-dimethyl-1-pyrroline-N-oxide (DMPO), and analyzed by comparison with a standard curve made with superoxide dismutase. Comparison of the water solubilized components of natural source antioxidants showed that filtrates fractionated using centrifuge type Millipore filter tubes (M.W. < 100,000; M.W. < 10,000) also had almost the same SOD-like activity. Samples were also treated with ascorbate oxidase or by heating (100 degrees C for 10 min). The order of activity, from greatest to least, was Ginkgo biloba extract EGb 761, pycnogenol, beta-catechin, tea and BioNormalizer.

Antioxidants↗
PubMed1997

Direct evidence for the contribution of B cells to the progression of insulitis and the development of diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice.

The non-obese diabetic (NOD) mouse is an excellent animal model of autoimmune diabetes associated with insulitis. The progression of insulitis causes the destruction of pancreatic beta cells, resulting in the development of hyperglycemia. Although it has been well documented that T cells are required for the development of insulitis and diabetes in NOD mice, the importance of B cells remains unclear. To clarify the role of B cells in the pathogenesis of NOD mice, we therefore generated B cell-deficient NOD (B-NOD) mice. Surprisingly, none (of 13) of the B-NOD mice developed diabetes by 40 weeks of age, while the control littermates with B cells (B+NOD) suffered from a high proportion (43 of 49) of diabetes. The insulin reactivity of B+NOD mice was significantly impaired, while the B-NOD mice showed a good insulin response, thus suggesting the pancreatic beta cell function to be well preserved in B-NOD mice. Although B-NOD mice did develop insulitis, the extent of insulitis was significantly suppressed. These data thus provide the direct evidence that B cells are essential for the progression of insulitis and the development of diabetes in NOD mice.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

[Immunodeficiency and carcinogenesis in patients with chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection].

Three adult patients with chronic active Epstein-Barr virus infection (CAEBV) had high anti-EBV-VCA antibody, positive anti-EA, low anti-EBNA and were associated with systemic lymphadenopathies and immunosuppression. The case 1 and 2 had elevated serum immunoglobulin levels, and recurrent infections, and case 3 showed pancytopenia. These 3 cases developed both EBV and latent membrane protein (LMP) positive malignant histiocytosis, EBV positive but LMP negative plasmacytoma, and EBV negative acute myelogeneous leukemia, respectively. It was suggested that CAEBV belonged to high risk groups for the development of malignant neoplasms. Since HLA of the case 1 and his father was identical, we conducted a in vitro cytotoxicity test using EBV transformed autologous B lymphocytes, K562 cells, and Raji cells to clarify the association of immunosuppression and HLA. The case 1 showed a low level of specific cytotoxicity to autologous EBV transformed B cells, while his parents were negative for the specific cytotoxicity. The patient and his parents developed inducible cytotoxicity to all targets after in vitro incubation of peripheral mononuclear cells with recombinant interleukin 2 (rIL-2) for 7 days. The patient and his mother showed lower enhancement of cytotoxicity, while HLA identical father could induce good cytotoxic activity to all targets as well as normal controls, indicating that a low IL-2 induced cytotoxic activity observed in CAEBV was independent of HLA associated immunoregulation at least in the case 1. Further studies are required to clarify the exact mechanisms responsible for the development of CAEBV.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

The effects of substituents introduced into 9-aminoacridine on frameshift mutagenicity and DNA binding affinity.

Some derivatives of 9-aminoacridine (1) were synthesized, and their frameshift mutagenicity and DNA binding affinity were studied. The introduction of a methyl group into the acridine ring of 1 reduced the mutagenic activity and the intercalative DNA binding affinity, while the introduction of chlorine increased them. Halogenated derivatives of 1 showed higher toxicity against Salmonella typhimurium TA1537.

Aminacrine↗
PubMed1996

Neural BC1 RNA in mouse skeletal muscle is a denervation-induced RNA whose expression is developmentally regulated.

We detected neural BC1 RNA in mouse skeletal muscle. The level of BC1 RNA was high in the fetus, but it declined progressively to the adult level as development proceeded. These observations suggest that this RNA is involved in the prenatal development and differentiation of muscles. Although its developmental expression correlates with the fetal period of polyneuronal innervation, BC1 RNA does not seem to play a direct role(s) in synaptogenesis, since its expression was not restricted to the neuromuscular junction. We also demonstrated that the BC1 RNA level in adult muscle was elevated after denervation, suggesting that changes in the activity of muscles or neural factors caused by axotomy, or both may result in BC1 RNA upregulation.

Actins↗
PubMed1996

A voltage-dependent chloride channel from Tetrahymena ciliary membrane incorporated into planar lipid bilayers.

Membrane vesicles from cilia of Tetrahymena thermophila were incorporated into a planar phospholipid bilayer membrane, and single-channel currents across the planar membrane were recorded under voltage-clamp conditions. A novel and reproducible chloride channel was observed when a mixture of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine was used to form the planar lipid membrane but not when acidic phospholipid mixtures such as asolectin or a mixture containing phosphatidylserine. Using symmetrical 100 mM KCl solutions, the single-channel conductance of the fully open state (O1) was 73.1 pS, with sub-level (O2) conductance of 9.0 pS. The permeability ratio Pc1/Pk was calculated as 3.7, according to the Goldman-Hodgkin-Katz current equation. This channel exhibited characteristic voltage-dependent burst activities. With an increase in membrane potential, the lifetimes of both the burst and interburst states decreased. In the burst state, the frequency of transition between the O1 and O2 states was also voltage-dependent, mainly due to the decrease in the lifetime of the O1 state, with an increase in membrane potential. In addition, channel activity was inhibited by indanyloxyacetic acid-94 (IAA-94), an inhibitor of epithelial chloride channels.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

gamma-Hydroxybutyric acid increases intracellular Ca2+ concentration and nuclear cyclic AMP-responsive element- and activator protein 1 DNA-binding activities through GABAB receptor in cultured cerebellar granule cells.

In primary cultures of mouse cerebellar granule cells, a brief stimulation by gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB, 0.1-3 mM) significantly increased the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, gel mobility assay showed that exposure of the cells to GHB also increased nuclear DNA-binding activity specific for the cyclic AMP-responsive element (CRE) and activator protein 1 (AP-1) transcriptional element in a concentration-dependent manner. The concentration range of GHB that increased the DNA-binding activity was essentially the same as the concentration range that elicited the increase in [Ca2+]i. The GHB-induced increases in [Ca2+]i and nuclear DNA-binding activity were antagonized by specific GABAB antagonists such as p-[3-aminopropyl]-p-diethoxymethylphosphinic acid (CGP 35 348) and 3-N-[1-(S)-(3,4-dichlorobenzyl)ethanol-2-(S)-hydroxy-P-benzylphosphin ic acid (CGP 55 845). In addition, the GHB-induced increase in [Ca2+]i was abolished by pretreatment of the cells with islet-activating protein. Furthermore, treatment of the cells with 1,2-bis(2'-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid tetraacetoxymethyl ester (BAPTA-AM) and thapsigargin blocked the GHB-induced increase in nuclear DNA-binding activity. GHB inhibited [3H]baclofen binding to cultured cerebellar granule cells and mouse cerebellar membranes. These results suggest that stimulation of GABAB receptors by GHB activates intracellular Ca2+ stores and that the increased [Ca2+]i resulting from release of stored Ca2+ plays an important role in increasing the CRE- and AP-1 DNA-binding activities in cultured cerebellar granule cells.

Activating Transcription Factor 1↗
PubMed1995

Phosphatidylserine-specific transbilayer lipid translocation in synaptosomal plasma membranes from Narke japonica.

We measured the translocation of exogenous radiolabeled phospholipid probes from the outer to the inner leaflet in the synaptosomal plasma membranes from the electric organs of Narke japonica, a Japanese marine ray. These radioactive probes can provide a convenient and highly sensitive means of measuring the translocation kinetics of phospholipids between outer and inner leaflets of biomembranes that are available only with low yield [Anzai et al. (1993) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1151, 69-75]. Translocation kinetics revealed that the behavior of phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and phosphatidylcholine (PC) differed. PS quickly disappeared from the outer leaflet of the bilayer. The translocation of PE and PC was slow and about 80% of the PE- and PC-probes remained in the outer leaflet at 3 h. These results differ from those of translocation in erythrocyte membranes measured using the same probes, where aminophospholipid translocase translocated both PS and PE from the outer to the inner leaflet of the bilayer, although the rate was faster for PS than for PE. In this study, the translocation was apparently PS-specific, and it was inhibited by SH reagent or intrasynaptosomal ATP-depletion. These findings clearly demonstrate that the translocation is driven by an ATP-dependent protein, which has apparent PS-specificity. We suggest that there is a translocase other than erythrocyte-type aminophospholipid translocase in synaptosomal plasma membranes from N. japonica.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1994

Two mode ion channels induced by interaction of acidic amphipathic alpha-helical peptides with lipid bilayers.

In order to investigate the ion permeability and selectivity of ion channel formed by amphipathic alpha-helical peptides, we designed to synthesize an acidic peptide Ac(Leu-Ala-Glu-Leu)3NHCH3 (Glu-4(3)) and its channel property was compared with a basic peptides Arg-4(3) in which Glu in Glu-4(3) was replaced by Arg. Two modes of the conductance change were observed by the interaction of Glu-4(3) with planar lipid bilayers; a steady increase of the conductance with the elapse of time (mode 1) and a spike-like increase of the current (mode 2) appearing with a lag time and overlapping the model current increase. The application of negative membrane potential induced the mode 1 current and the lowering pH decreased it, suggesting that the mode 1 current is caused by slow insertion of Glu-4(3) into the lipid bilayer and then by forming certain unknown bundles like semichannels. Mode 2 was found to be consisted of channel type opened-close current with several different conductances and relatively short opening lifetimes. There was no ion selectivity in the mode 1 current, whereas the mode 2 current was cation selective. The peptide Arg-4(3) has formed a cation-selective ion channel but not shown such two mode current changes. The membrane potential formation experiment in liposomes using DiSC3(5) also showed the cation selectivity for Arg-4(3) and non-ion selectivity for Glu-4(3). The difference between Arg-4(3) and Glu-4(3) was also observed in conformational analysis by CD and in dye-release experiment from liposome. Such difference was discussed in terms of electrostatic interaction between peptides and lipid head groups.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Identification of the 23 kDa subunit of tau protein kinase II as a putative activator of cdk5 in bovine brain.

Tau protein kinase II (TPKII) was reported previously to be composed of a neuron-rich cdc2-related kinase (PSSALRE/cdk5) and 23 kDa subunit. Here we show that the 23 kDa subunit is a putative activator for the kinase activity. Amino acid sequence analysis revealed that the protein was novel and included a partial similarity of amino acids to a cyclin box important for the interaction with cdc2-related kinase. These results suggest that the 23 kDa subunit, but not cyclin, activates cdk5 in neuronal cells, which no longer exhibit cell cycling but are terminally differentiated cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Asymmetrical lipid charge changes the subconducting state of the potassium channel from sarcoplasmic reticulum.

The K+ channel of sarcoplasmic reticulum was incorporated into planar lipid bilayers having various net surface charges. The conductance of both the main-state and substate increased with the increase in negative charges of the membrane and vice versa. The change in the conductance of the substate was larger than that of the main-state. The K+ channel reconstituted into asymmetrical planar lipid bilayers revealed that the effect on the substate was derived from only one half (trans) of the bilayer. The substate of the K+ channel may assume a conformation in which part of the channel located at the trans side is susceptible to some changes induced by the trans surface charge.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Design and synthesis of amphipathic 3(10)-helical peptides and their interactions with phospholipid bilayers and ion channel formation.

It has been reported that a peptide corresponding to the S4 segment in sodium channel protein is able to form voltage-dependent cation-selective ion channels (Tosteson, M. T., Auld, D. S., and Tosteson, D. C. (1989) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 86, 707-710). However, biological and other physical properties remain unexamined. In the present study, three peptides, H-(Ala-Arg-Leu)8-OH (ARL8), H-(Val-Arg-Leu)8-OH (VRL8), and H-(Leu-Arg-Leu)8-OH (LRL8) which were designed on the basis of the S4 segment and expected to form 3(10)-helix, were synthesized and examined with regard to conformational change by the interaction with membranes, membrane perturbation ability, ion channel formation, and antimicrobial activity. According to CD spectra, these peptides were found to form a 3(10)-helical structure in the presence of dipalmitoyl-DL-alpha-phosphatidylcholine/dipalmitoyl-DL-alpha- phosphatidylglycerol (3:1) liposomes. The experiment of the peptide-induced leakage of carboxyfluorescein from liposomes showed that all the peptides had a strong ability to perturb membranes. The peptides were able to form cation-selective ion channels in planar asolectin lipid bilayers. The conductances of the ion channels were small (approximately 2 picosiemens for VRL8 and LRL8 and approximately 23 picosiemens for ARL8), suggesting that the peptides produce narrow pores or wider pores with certain permeable barriers that are a portion of the whole channels. The differences in their conductances depend possibly on the sizes of the side chains of Ala, Val, and Leu residues. However, non of the peptides showed antimicrobial activity (minimum inhibitory concentrations, > 50 micrograms/ml). Here, we present the first evidence that the peptides can form 3(10)-helical structures with long chain lengths in a lipid bilayer environment.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Ion channel activity of a synthetic peptide with a primary structure corresponding to the presumed pore-forming region of the voltage dependent potassium channel.

A 26-mer peptide of which the sequence contains the presumed pore forming region of the Shaker K+ channel (H5 region) was chemically synthesized. The peptide was found to interact and penetrate lipid membranes based on the fluorescence of Trp residues of the peptide in the presence and absence of liposomes. The secondary structure and the ion channel forming ability of the peptide were measured by CD spectroscopy and by a planar bilayer technique, respectively. The secondary structure of the peptide was composed of a mixture of an alpha-helix, beta-sheet, beta-turn, and a random coil. The content of beta-sheet structure was increased by the presence of liposomes. In planar bilayers, the peptide formed anion-selective ion channels with a larger conductance than that of the native Shaker K+ channel. These results suggest that the H5 region of the Shaker K+ channel can penetrate into lipid bilayers and form ion channel structures by itself, but it requires other structural components to reproduce the native characteristics of the K+ channel.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Budd-Chiari syndrome and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) associated plasmacytoma in a patient with chronic active EBV infection.

A 42-year-old Japanese man with chronic active Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection initially responded to treatment with interleukin-2 (IL-2). Six months later he developed thrombosis in the hepatic veins, and Budd-Chiari syndrome associated with severe hepatic damage was diagnosed. He also developed a solitary EBV-positive plasmacytoma in the right femur. Since these rare complications occurred after long-term IL-2 therapy, the possibility that long-term IL-2 therapy might cause Budd-Chiari syndrome and liver damage as well as EBV-associated plasmacytoma is discussed.

Adult↗