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Biomedical subjects

K Fujimori

Publications and source records attributed to K Fujimori.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1998

Characterization of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol and anandamide antinociception in nonarthritic and arthritic rats.

Little is known about the effectiveness of delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and anandamide in blocking mechanical nociception. Even less is known about their antinociceptive efficacy in chronic inflammatory arthritis induced by Freund's complete adjuvant. The hypothesis was tested that THC and anandamide elicit antinociception in the paw pressure test, and that arthritic rats would exhibit a different response. In nonarthritic rats, THC- and anandamide-induced antinociception lasted 90 min and 15 min, respectively, while antinociception lasted 90 min and 30 min, respectively, in arthritic rats. Area under the curve calculations revealed no effect of arthritis on THC- and anandamide-induced antinociception. Another hypothesis was that paw pressure thresholds in arthritic rats reflect chronic cannabinoid receptor stimulation due to elevations in free anandamide levels. Yet, the CB1 receptor antagonist SR141716A failed to alter paw pressure thresholds in either nonarthritic or arthritic rats. Further investigation revealed that SR141716A significantly blocked THC antinociception, with no effect on anandamide. Thus, anandamide's effects did not result from CB1 receptor stimulation, and any potential contribution of endogenous anandamide in arthritis was not revealed. Finally, THC and anandamide appear to release an as yet unknown endogenous opioid, because naloxone significantly blocked their effects. This study indicates that anandamide and THC may act at different receptor sites to modulate endogenous opioid levels in mechanical nociception.

Analgesics↗
PubMed1998

Clinical factors that affect blood gases in non-smoking women with chronic liver disease.

Chronic liver disease is often accompanied by hypoxaemia. We investigated the clinical factors that were related to the arterial oxygen tension (PaO2) in 40 women, all non-smokers with chronic liver disease. They were positive for hepatitis C virus (HCV) antibody and had no evidence of cardiopulmonary disease. Arterial blood was collected from patients at rest (> 15 min) for analysis of blood gases. We determined the correlation between blood gas tension and the clinical variables, i.e. the presence or absence of skin manifestations such as cutaneous spider nevi and palmar erythema, the presence or absence of splenomegaly, vital capacity, forced expiratory volume in one second, V25/body height, serum alanine aminotransferase (AST), serum asparate aminotransferase (ALT), serum cholinesterase, serum gamma-globulin/total protein, excretion of indocyanine green at 15 min (15-min retention rate, ICG level), blood level of ammonia, blood level of endotoxin, plasma level of glucagon and the serum level of type IV collagen-7S. The mean level of PaO2 was 78 +/- 11 (range: 43-95) torr. The mean alveolar-arterial oxygen tension gradient (A-aDO2) was 19 +/- 13 (range: 2-60) torr. Multiple regression analysis used PaO2 and A-aDO2 as objective variables, and the clinical findings as explanatory variables. The explanatory variables that were significantly correlated with blood gas values were ICG level, blood level of endotoxin and presence of skin manifestations. The ICG level showed a high correlation with blood gas values; the ICG level increased, the PaO2 decreased (r = -0.69), while the A-aDO2 showed a high positive correlation (r = +0.78, P < 0.001). Findings suggest that a reduction in hepatic blood flow and hepatocellular function interfere with the inactivation of vasoactive substances such as endotoxin by the liver, leading to the development of skin manifestations, the dilatation of intrapulmonary capillaries and the induction of hypoxaemia.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Isolation and characterization of a histidine biosynthetic gene in Arabidopsis encoding a polypeptide with two separate domains for phosphoribosyl-ATP pyrophosphohydrolase and phosphoribosyl-AMP cyclohydrolase.

Phosphoribosyl-ATP pyrophosphohydrolase (PRA-PH) and phosphoribosyl-AMP cyclohydrolase (PRA-CH) are encoded by HIS4 in yeast and by hisIE in bacteria and catalyze the second and the third step, respectively, in the histidine biosynthetic pathway. By complementing a hisI mutation of Escherichia coli with an Arabidopsis cDNA library, we isolated an Arabidopsis cDNA (At-IE) that possesses these two enzyme activities. The At-IE cDNA encodes a bifunctional protein of 281 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 31,666 D. Genomic DNA-blot analysis with the At-IE cDNA as a probe revealed a single-copy gene in Arabidopsis, and RNA-blot analysis showed that the At-IE gene was expressed ubiquitously throughout development. Sequence comparison suggested that the At-IE protein has an N-terminal extension of about 50 amino acids with the properties of a chloroplast transit peptide. We demonstrated through heterologous expression studies in E. coli that the functional domains for the PRA-CH (hisI) and PRA-PH (hisE) resided in the N-terminal and the C-terminal halves, respectively, of the At-IE protein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1998

[Effects of oxatomide, H1-antagonist, on postinfectious chronic cough; a comparison of oxatomide combined with dextromethorphan versus dextromethorphan alone].

H1 antihistamines have been shown to have antitussive effects in patients with asthma and postnasal drip. In Japan, no study has been performed to determine whether orally administered oxatomide, H1 antihistamine, can reduce the chronic cough seen in patients with post-upper-airway infection (postinfection). Patients who had chronic cough of more than three weeks' duration and a history of post-upper-airway infection took part in the study. None had any history of nasal disease, gastroesophageal reflux, bronchial asthma, or other chronic pulmonary disease. All patients were non-smokers, and none used ACE inhibitors. They had normal CRP concentrations, peripheral white blood cell and eosinophil counts, serum IgE concentrations, titers of cold agglutinins and antibodies to Mycoplasma pneumoniae, chest roentgenograms, and respiratory function tests. A prospective randomized, open design was used. The effect of one week of treatment with dextromethorphan (D) or with D plus oxatomide (D + O) on the severity of cough, as estimated by cough diary, were examined. Twenty-two patients entered the study, and 20 were eligible for efficacy and side-effect analyses. Nine patients receiving D and 11 receiving D + O completed the protocol. Patients' characteristics before the start of the study, such as severity and duration of cough, and laboratory data, were not significantly different between the two groups. From trial day 5 to 7, improved rates of cough were significantly higher with D + O than with D alone (p < 0.05). Combination therapy with oxatomide and dextromethorphan reduces subjective perception of cough as estimated by cough diary. These results suggest that oxatomide, H1 antihistamine may improve chronic cough in patients with post-upper-airway infection.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

[A pilot phase II study of combination therapy with oxatomide, an antihistamine, plus dextromethoraphan and bakumondo-to, an herbal drug, in patients with postinfectious persistent cough].

Previously, we reported the effectiveness of treatment with oxatomide (O), an antihistamine, plus dextromethorphan (D), and that of Bakumondo-to (B), an herbal drug that inhibits the activation of C-fibers, in patients with persistent coughing after upper-airway infection. In this study, we evaluated the efficacy and side effects of combination therapy (O + D + B) in patients with postinfectious persistent cough. Patients who had been coughing for more than three weeks and had a history of upper-airway infection took part in the study. None had any history of nasal disease, gastroesophageal reflux, bronchial asthma, or other chronic pulmonary disease. All patients were non-smokers, and none used angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. All had normal chest roentgenograms and normal pulmonary function. The following hematological data were obtained before treatment: peripheral eosinophil counts. CRP levels, serum IgE concentrations, and titers of cold agglutinins and antibodies to Mycoplasma pneumoniae. The effects of one week of treatment with O + D + B on the severity of coughing, as estimated with a cough diary, were examined. Thirty-six patients entered the study, but only 18 with normal hematological findings who satisfied the study criteria were eligible for efficacy and side-effect analyses. Cough scores decreased significantly from 5.1 +/- 2.4 (range, 2-9) to 1.2 +/- 1.9 (range, 0-6), and the rate of cough disappearance was 50%. Two patients reported slight drowsiness. Therapy with O + D + B reduced perception of coughing as estimated with a cough diary. These results suggest that this therapy (O + D + B) may be useful in patients with postinfectious persistent cough.

Adrenergic beta-Agonists↗
PubMed1998

Characterization of Bacillus sp. endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase and its application to deglycosylation of hen ovomucoid.

A bacterial strain isolated from soil and identified as a Bacillus species produced two endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidases in the culture broth when it was cultivated on medium containing only hen ovomucoid. Almost no production of the enzymes occurred when the bacterium was grown on glucose medium. The two endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidases, named Endo-BI and Endo-BII, were separated and purified to homogeneity by preparative gel electrophoresis after partial purification by column chromatography on DEAE-resins. Endo-BI hydrolysed oligosaccharides of both hen ovalbumin and ovomucoid. In contrast, Endo-BII could act only on oligosaccharides of hen ovalbumin and showed almost no activity towards those of hen ovomucoid. Deglycosylation of hen ovomucoid was performed with the partly purified endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase preparation, with the aid of contaminating beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase. The deglycosylated ovomucoid exhibited no changes in trypsin inhibitory activity but was very unstable to heat treatment in comparison with native ovomucoid. These results suggest that oligosaccharides of ovomucoid have an important role in the stabilization of the protein against heat.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Enhancement of synaptic transmission by HPC-1 antibody in the cultured hippocampal neuron.

To clarify the function of HPC-1/syntaxin 1A in the mammalian central synapse, the effects of intracellularly applied antibody on the synaptic transmission were examined at the autapse of the cultured rat hippocampal neuron. Intracellularly applied antibody against HPC-1/syntaxin 1A (IgG, 0.3 mg ml(-1)) during whole-cell recording enhanced the autaptic excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC). Pre-immune IgG (0.3 mg ml(-1)) showed no effect. The amplitude-distribution of an asynchronous EPSC was not affected by administration of this antibody, indicating that the increase in the amplitude of the evoked EPSC was attributable to an increase in transmitter release from the presynaptic terminal HPC-1/syntaxin 1A could be involved in suppressing as well as facilitating process of the exocytosis at the mammalian central synapse.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Neurocrescin: a novel neurite-outgrowth factor secreted by muscle after denervation.

Regeneration of injured axons at neuromuscular junctions has been assumed to be regulated by extracellular factors that promote neurite outgrowth. We report here the cloning of a novel neurite outgrowth factor, designated neurocrescin, from chick denervated skeletal muscle. A recombinant neurocrescin promoted neurite outgrowth from cultured neurons of spinal cord and telencephalon of chick embryo. It was expressed predominantly in neural tissue and muscle, and was secreted extracellularly after intramolecular cleavage. This truncated form was detected in denervated muscle but not in innervated muscle. Thus, neurocrescin appears to be a novel neurite outgrowth factor that is secreted in an activity-dependent fashion. A highly homologous counterpart was also cloned from mouse brain.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1997

Isolation and characterization of mutations affecting expression of the delta9- fatty acid desaturase gene, OLE1, in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Expression of the delta9- fatty acid desaturase gene, OLE1, of Saccharomyces cerevisiae is negatively regulated transcriptionally and post-transcriptionally by unsaturated fatty acids. In order to isolate mutants exhibiting irregulation of OLE1 expression, we constructed an OLE1p-PHO5 fusion gene as a reporter consisting of the PHO5 gene encoding repressible acid phosphatase (rAPase) under the control of the OLE1 promoter (OLE1p). By EMS mutagenesis, we isolated three classes of mutants, pfo1, pfo2 and pfo3 positive regulatory factor for OLE1) mutants, which show decreased rAPase activity under derepression conditions (absence of oleic acid). Analysis of the transcription of OLE1 in these pfo mutants revealed that pfo1 and pfo3 mutants have a defect in the regulation of OLE1 expression at the transcriptional level while pfo2 mutants were suggested to have a mutation affecting OLE1 expression at a post-transcriptional step. In addition, four other classes of mutants, nfo1, nfo2, nfo3 and nfo4 (negative factor for OLE1) mutants that have mutations causing strong expression of the OLE1p-PHO5 fusion gene under repression conditions (presence of oleic acid), were isolated. Results of Northern analysis of OLE1 as well as OLE1p-PHO5 transcripts in nfo mutants suggested that these mutations occurred in genes encoding global repressors. We also demonstrated that TUP1 and SSN6 gene products are required for full repression of OLE1 gene expression, by showing that either tup1 or ssn6 mutations greatly increase the level of the OLE1 transcript.

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed1997

Diagnostic value of immunochemical fecal occult blood test for small colorectal neoplasms.

This study was designed to assess the diagnostic value of an immunochemical fecal occult blood test for small colorectal adenomas. In a screening program based comparative study, 60 colorectal adenomas under 1 cm (small polyp group), 60 colorectal adenomas 1 cm or larger (large polyp group) and 60 colorectal cancers (cancer group) detected by occult blood screening, and 120 healthy controls (control group), served as subjects. Moreover, 50 small adenomas, 50 large adenomas and 50 cancers detected in out-patient clinics, and 100 controls, served as subjects of a hospital based comparative study. Each of these subjects was tested by an immunochemical occult blood with 3 consecutive days, after removal of these colorectal neoplasms in a screening program based study and before as well as after removal in a hospital based study, and the positivity rate of this test was evaluated among these four groups in the two comparative studies. The positivity rate in a screening program based study was 23% for small polyp group, 8% for large polyp group, 5% for cancer group and 6% for control group, respectively. Significant difference was noted between small polyp and cancer as well as control groups (p <0.01), and between small polyp and large polyp groups (p <0.05). In a hospital based study, however, there was no significant difference in the positivity rate among four groups. These results suggest that high proportion of small polyps detected by fecal occult blood test screening may not be associated with bleeding from adenomas but probably from another gastrointestinal pathology.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1997

The P-OLE1 gene of Pichia angusta encodes a delta 9-fatty acid desaturase and complements the ole1 mutation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

Three PCR-amplified DNA fragments hybridizing with the OLE1 gene encoding delta 9-fatty acid desaturase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were obtained using, respectively, genomic DNAs of one strain each of Kluyveromyces thermotolerans, Pichia angusta and Yarrowia lipolytica as templates. A gene designated P-OLE1 was cloned from the above fragment of P. angusta and sequenced. An open reading frame of P-OLE1 encodes a 49.6-kDa protein consisting of 451 amino acid residues, which shows high identity (62%) and similarity (89%) to that deduced from the OLE1 nucleotide sequence. Expression of P-OLE1 driven by the S. cerevisiae GAP promoter or its own promoter complemented the ole1 mutation of S.cerevisiae. Transcription of P-OLE1 in the native host was suggested to be partially repressed by oleic acid in the medium, as was that of OLE1 in S. cerevisiae and a similar gene in Y. lipolytica, but that of a similar gene in K. thermotolerans was not.

Amino Acid Sequence↗