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Biomedical subjects

K Fujisawa

Publications and source records attributed to K Fujisawa.

At least 163 records · Page 9Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Improvement of hyperlipidemia and proteinuria without noticeable growth retardation by feeding a methionine and threonine supplemented low-casein diet to nephritic rats.

We have previously demonstrated that low-casein diets supplemented with cystine and threonine reduced hyperlipidemia and proteinuria in nephritic rats without noticeable protein malnutrition. In the present study, we examined whether or not a low-casein diet supplemented with methionine, sulfur amino acid other than cystine, and threonine would ameliorate the symptoms without protein malnutrition in rats with nephrotoxic serum nephritis by feeding experimental diets for 10 days. A methionine-threonine-supplemented 8.5% casein diet (8.5 CMT), when compared with a basal 20% casein diet, improved hypoalbuminemia as well as hyperlipidemia and proteinuria without noticeable growth retardation and fatty liver induction in nephritic rats. Fecal bile acid excretion and microsomal cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity were enhanced by 8.5CMT feeding. These results suggest that amino acid-balanced low protein diet would have a beneficial effect on the symptoms of nephritis. They also suggest that the hypocholesterolemic action of 8.5CMT may be, at least in part, due to increased fecal bile acid excretion accompanied by elevated microsomal cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Intracerebral infiltration by monoclonal plasmacytoid cells in Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia--case report.

A 68-year-old female presented with Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia with infiltration into the cerebral parenchyma manifesting as increased confusion, memory loss, and disorientation. She had a past history of Waldenstrom's macroglobulinemia treated 3 years before. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a high intensity area on T2-weighted images in the left frontal lobe extending to the corpus callosum which was well enhanced by gadolinium-diethylenetriaminepenta-acetic acid. Direct infiltration of neoplastic cells was confirmed by biopsy. Immunohistochemical examination showed that mature plasmacytoid cells in the cerebral parenchyma were immunoglobulin M and lambda light chain antigen positive, but immature lymphocytes in Virchow-Robin space were negative. Monoclonal proliferation was confirmed by southern blot analysis. She became symptom free and the size of the lesion was dramatically reduced after 40 Gy irradiation. She showed no evidence of recurrence 3 years after irradiation. As no effective chemotherapy regimen for Bing-Neel syndrome has been established, irradiation is worth considering when neuroimaging suggests intracranial infiltration of neoplastic cells.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

[Cataract epidemiology survey in the three climatically different areas in Japan--prevalence of cataracts and types of lens opacification].

A cataract epidemiology study of 1,615 subjects from three climatically different places in Japan, village S in Hokkaido, town M in Noto and village Y in Okinawa, was conducted by one study group. Cataract diagnosis and grading of cataracts were objectively done with a photo-documentation system. The percentages of cataracts of over grade I classified by the Japanese Cooperative Cataract Epidemiology Study Group were 46.6%, 64.6% and 38.0% in village S, town M, and village Y, respectively. Those in their 50s, 60s, and 70s in the above places were 24.3%, 51.1% and 71.4% (village S), 38.4%, 65.3% and 84.6% (town M), and 25.2%, 42.9% and 65.4% (village Y), respectively. Cortical cataract was the most common, followed by nuclear and subcapsular types. Although the highest percentage of nuclear cataracts was seen in the subjects of village Y, subcapsular cataract was seen almost equally in the three areas. Lens transparency changes were evaluated by the light scattering intensities in the lens layers through photographed images. Intensity increased with ageing either linearly or exponentially.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

A histocytological study of the rat hair follicle--an appraisal of a monocellular layer ("middle root sheath") between inner and outer root sheaths.

Hair follicles of male Wistar rats in the anagen stage were examined by light and electron microscopy. A distinct monocellular layer was identified between the Henle's layer and the outer root sheath (ORS). In the lower part of the ORS, this cell layer is more closely bound to the inner root sheath (IRS) than to the ORS, while in the upper half the situation is reversed. Electron density and staining property of this layer are gradually changed according to regions of the hair follicle which may indicate the metabolic conditions of the organism. The origin of this layer can be traced back to the germinal matrix directly facing the neck of the hair papilla. Findings are also reported about the gaps formed between the cells of Henle's layer after keratinization and about the contact formed between the cells of Huxley's layer and the cells of this monocellular layer through these gaps. Our observation reported in this study strongly suggests that this layer belongs neither to the IRS nor to the ORS, but that it represents an independent layer of cells. Therefore we propose to name this layer the "middle root sheath." This middle root sheath may serve the following three functions: 1) alleviation of intrinsic friction generated by colliding cell dynamics between the IRS and the ORS, 2) deterrence of keratinization of the ORS after exfoliation of the IRS and 3) secretion and excretion of metabolites.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Diffuse leukodystrophy with a large-scale mitochondrial DNA deletion.

An 8-year-old girl with progressive ataxia and bulbar palsy showed diffuse white-matter lesions in the occipital to parietal lobes on magnetic resonance imaging. Since she had slightly elevated lactate in the cerebrospinal fluid, a muscle biopsy was done which revealed scattered ragged-red fibres and focal cytochrome c oxidase deficiency. Southern blot and polymerase-chain-reaction analyses revealed a large-scale mitochondrial DNA deletion, which was 6990 base-pairs in length with 6 base-pair (-TCATCG-) direct repeats at the junctions. Mitochondrial DNA mutation should be considered as one of the candidate causes for diffuse leukodystrophy in children.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Capillary blood flow velocity measurements in cystoid macular edema with the scanning laser ophthalmoscope.

Using a scanning laser ophthalmoscope, we calculated the velocity of retinal blood flow in a juxta-foveolar capillary during the course of cystoid macular edema after partial central retinal vein occlusion in a 53-year-old woman. The mean velocity of the fluorescent dots in the macular capillary of the right eye with cystoid macular edema was 1.59 +/- 0.08 mm/sec at the initial examination. Despite the systemic administration of indomethacin (75 mg/day for three weeks), best-corrected visual acuity decreased from 20/30 to 20/70, and the velocity became 0.82 +/- 0.13 mm/sec. Prednisolone (30 mg/day orally for one week) improved the cystoid macular edema, and the velocity was 0.96 +/- 0.06 mm/sec 12 days after initiation of the drug. The velocity gradually improved; one year later it was 1.65 +/- 0.17 mm/sec and visual acuity was 20/22. Velocity in the left eye, which did not have cystoid macular edema, was 2.16 +/- 0.16 mm/sec. Thus, scanning laser ophthalmoscopy proved useful for measuring the velocity of retinal blood flow.

Blood Flow Velocity↗
PubMed1994

Effects of low casein and fish oil on hyperlipidemia and proteinuria in nephritic rats.

The effects of amino acid-fortified low casein and fish oil (FO) diets on hyperlipidemia and proteinuria were studied in rats with nephrotoxic serum nephritis. After an antiserum injection, rats were maintained for 14 d on four different experimental diets: a 20% casein diet containing corn oil (CO) or FO, or an 8% casein diet supplemented with cystine plus threonine containing CO or FO. The 8% casein diets reduced urinary protein excretion in nephritic rats without inducing severe growth retardation or fatty liver compared with the basal 20% casein diets. Both the 8% casein diet and the FO diet decreased serum cholesterol, triglyceride and phospholipid levels in nephritic rats, and nonesterified fatty acid levels were decreased by FO feeding. In nephritic animals, hepatic cholesterol synthesis was decreased by the 8% casein diets compared with the 20% casein diets, and tended to be reduced by FO feeding between groups at the same casein levels. No effect of diet was observed on fatty acid synthesis among the nephritic rats. FO administration to the nephritic animals suppressed fecal steroid excretion. While lipoprotein lipase activity was unchanged among the nephritic rats, hepatic triglyceride lipase activity was reduced by either the 8% casein or FO diet. The results suggest that the hypolipidemic action of low casein diets may, at least in part, be due to reduced hepatic cholesterol synthesis and suppressed triglyceride secretion from the liver. They also suggest that the hypolipidemic action of FO may, at least in part, be due to reduced hepatic cholesterol synthesis and decreased fatty acid mobilization from peripheral adipose tissue.

Animal Feed↗
PubMed1994

Factors affecting the efficiency of peripheral blood stem cell collection in children treated with chemotherapy and G-CSF.

This retrospective study attempts to clarify the optimal timing for peripheral blood stem cell (PBSC) collection after conventional chemotherapy followed by granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) administration. Leukapheresis was performed 32 times in nine children with various cancers during bone marrow recovery phase following transient pancytopenia after chemotherapy. (On two occasions, leukapheresis was excluded because many leukemic blasts were included). When the number of white blood cells (WBC) exceeded 1.8 x 10(10)/L after administration of G-CSF (200 micrograms/m2, continuous infusion), many more CD34+ cells were contained in the collected peripheral mononuclear cells (P > 0.02) and a sufficient number of PBSC for transplantation (> or = 10 x 10(8) CD34+ cells/kg) was obtained after one run in 15 of 17 leukapheresis sessions. In contrast, sufficient PBSC were obtained only in one of 13 runs of leukapheresis when the number of WBC was < 1.8 x 10(10)/L. The number of WBC on the day when PBSC were collected correlated with collected nuclear cell number (r = 0.60), but not with the CD34+ cell ratio. The ratio was higher only when both platelets and reticulocytes increased in parallel with WBC. We conclude that sufficient PBSC collection is possible after conventional chemotherapy using G-CSF, when hematopoietic recovery is parallel, without the use of high-dose chemotherapy.

Antigens, CD↗
PubMed1994

Early onset of cecal perforation in neonatal, recto-sigmoid type Hirschsprung's disease.

Hirschsprung's disease has been considered to cause intestinal perforation in rare cases. Even if a perforation occurs, the majority of cases are associated with the long-segment or total colonic type. Our case developed the perforation in the neonatal period in spite of being of the recto-sigmoidal type, and it affected the cecum. We do not have a good explanation for this condition. However, the pathological examination of the specimens of the perforated cecum revealed some necrosis (ulceration, subcutaneous hemorrhage, congestion and severe edema) which was considered to be caused by ischemia, secondary to a localized vascular accident in the wall of the distended intestine.

Age of Onset↗
PubMed1994

Discrimination of human HLA-DRB1 alleles by PCR-SSCP (single-strand conformation polymorphism) method.

A single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) method has been adopted for discrimination of human HLA-DRB1 alleles. This method enabled the detection of DNA polymorphisms including point mutations at a variety of positions in the DNA fragments of the HLA-DRB1 gene. A total of 27 HLA-DRB1 alleles from 172 healthy donors were analysed using a combination of PCR-SSCP with group-specific amplifications. Application of a small amount of amplified and denatured DNA to non-denaturing electrophoresis followed by silver staining resulted in distinct banding patterns. Samples possessing a single allele in each amplification group showed two-band patterns which correspond to the sense and antisense strands, while heterozygotes in the same group or a mixture of two single-type samples showed four-band patterns. All of the analysed alleles were discriminated in each DRB1 group. The method described here may be somewhat complicated for routine typing of HLA-DRB1 alleles. However, it is useful in the screening of "new' alleles as well as the donor-recipient molecular matching of HLA class II genes for various purposes, e.g. selection of bone marrow transplant donors.

Alleles↗
PubMed1994

Reduction of hypercholesterolemia and proteinuria in nephritic rats by low-meat-protein diets.

The effects of low-meat-protein diets on hypercholesterolemia and proteinuria were studied in rats with nephrotoxic serum nephritis. After an injection of nephrotoxic serum, rats were given either a 20% meat-protein diet (20M), an 8.5%-meat-protein diet (8.5M), or a valine-(0.05%)-supplemented 8.5%-meat-protein diet (8.5MV) for 12 days. Urinary protein excreted from the 20M-fed, nephritic control rats increased rapidly and linearly during the initial 3 days, and thereafter the high excretion rate was maintained for up to 12 days. Two low-meat-protein diets (8.5M, 8.5MV) commenced to suppress proteinuria 3 days after feeding and the suppression was preserved during the rest of the experimental periods. Compared with the 20M, both low-meat-protein diets significantly improved hypercholesterolemia induced in this nephritic model. These two diets significantly enhanced the fecal excretion of neutral sterols. They caused neither fatty liver nor severe growth retardation. These effects of 8.5MV were identical to those of 8.5M. The results suggest that low-meat-protein feeding, without amino acid supplementation, improves hypercholesterolemia and proteinuria in nephritis without severe protein malnutrition. The results also suggest that the hypocholesterolemic effect of the low-meat-protein diets may be, at least in part, attributed to increased fecal excretion of steroids.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

[A case of acute renal failure in neuroleptic malignant syndrome associated with rhabdomyolysis--possible contributing role of hyperreninemia].

A schizophrenic woman, aged 45, was admitted complaining of high fever, oliguria, blackish urine, muscle swelling and pain. She had been treated for the past 3 years with haloperidol (8 mg), levomepromazine (150 mg), chlorpromazine (75 mg), lithium carbonate (600 mg), bromocriptine mesilate (7.5 mg), etizolam (1 mg), and flunitrazepam (2 mg), Physical examination revealed her to be an obese and uncommunicatable woman with swelling and weakness of the extremities and abdominal distension without borborygmus. Urine was dark brown and (+) for protein and occult blood. Blood chemistry analysis revealed BUN 71 mg/dl, creatinine 6.8 mg/dl, CPK 143,850 IU and myoglobin 3,980 ng/ml. PRA on the 11th hospital day was 96 ng/ml/hour. This patient fulfilled the Levenson's diagnostic criteria for manifestations of neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS). High PRA did not decrease after cessation of the diuretics. After treatment with dantrolene sodium and 10 treatments with hemodialysis, azotemia disappeared with the start of diuresis. The PRA also decreased to the normal level. Characteristic acceleration of the central sympathetic stimuli in NMS seemed to have induced hyperreninemia, which together with rhabdomyolysis, might have contributed to the development of acute renal failure.

Acute Kidney Injury↗
PubMed1993

ADP-ribosylation of rho p21 inhibits lysophosphatidic acid-induced protein tyrosine phosphorylation and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase activation in cultured Swiss 3T3 cells.

Botulinum C3 exoenzyme was used to specifically ADP-ribosylate and inactivate rho p21, and the effects of rho p21 inactivation on lysophosphatidic acid (LPA)-induced tyrosine phosphorylation were examined in cultured Swiss 3T3 cells. LPA induced a rapid increase in the tyrosine phosphorylation of a number of proteins. Pretreatment of the cells with the C3 exoenzyme caused ADP-ribosylation of rho p21 in the cells and selectively attenuated the phosphorylation of several proteins, including p43 mitogen-activated protein kinase, p125 focal adhesion kinase, and two proteins of 72 and 88 kDa. C3 exoenzyme pretreatment did not block the initial phosphorylation and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinase but suppressed its subsequent rise. In contrast, the enzyme treatment inhibited the induction of phosphorylation of the 72- and 88-kDa proteins and suppressed the basal and LPA-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of p125 focal adhesion kinase. In addition, immunoprecipitation of cell lysates with an antibody directed against the 85-kDa subunit of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) co-precipitated a tyrosine-phosphorylated band of 180 kDa. C3 exoenzyme pretreatment suppressed both the phosphorylation of this band and PI 3-kinase activation associated with LPA stimulation. These findings suggest that rho p21 works as a link between the LPA receptor signal and the subsequent tyrosine phosphorylation and PI 3-kinase activation in these cells.

3T3 Cells↗