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Biomedical subjects

K Horiuchi

Publications and source records attributed to K Horiuchi.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
PubMed1984

The functional origin of bacteriophage f1 DNA replication. Its signals and domains.

The origin of DNA replication of bacteriophage f1 functions as a signal, not only for initiation of viral strand synthesis, but also for its termination. Viral (plus) strand synthesis initiates and terminates at a specific site (plus origin) that is recognized and nicked by the viral gene II protein. Mutational analysis of the 5' side (upstream) of the origin of plus strand replication of phage f1 led us to postulate the existence of a set of overlapping functional domains. These included ones for strand nicking, and initiation and termination of DNA synthesis. Mutational analysis of the 3' side (downstream) of the origin has verified the existence of these domains and determined their extent. The results indicate that the f1 "functional origin" can be divided into two domains: (1) a "core region", about 40 nucleotides long, that is absolutely required for plus strand synthesis and contains three distinct but partially overlapping signals, (a) the gene II protein recognition sequence, which is necessary both for plus strand initiation and termination, (b) the termination signal, which extends for eight more nucleotides on the 5' side of the gene II protein recognition sequence, (c) the initiation signal that extends for about ten more nucleotides on the 3' side of the gene II protein recognition sequence; (2) a "secondary region", 100 nucleotides long, required exclusively for plus strand initiation. Disruption of the secondary region does not completely abolish the functionality of the f1 origin but does drastically reduce it (1% residual biological activity). We discuss a possible explanation of the fact that this region can be interrupted (e.g. f1, M13 cloning vectors) by large insertions of foreign DNA without significantly affecting replication.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1984

Histone acetylation and deacetylation of nuclei from sea urchin Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus embryos during early stages of development.

Nuclei were isolated from sea urchin (Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus) embryos during early stages of development, and the rates of histone acetylation and deacetylation were examined. Histone acetylation was measured in the presence of 6 mM sodium n-butyrate, a potent inhibitor of deacetylase, and in the absence of the inhibitor. The deacetylation activity was estimated from the difference between the rates with and without the inhibitor. The activities of the acetylation and the deacetylation, and the ratio of deacetylation to acetylation were unchanged during the stages between early blastula and gastrula. Autoradiographic analysis of acetylated histones showed that all of the internal histones of the nucleosomes were acetylated and that no apparent difference was found in the pattern of the acetylated fractions during the stages compared.

Acetylation↗
PubMed1984

The origin of DNA replication of bacteriophage f1 and its interaction with the phage gene II protein.

The origin of DNA replication of bacteriophage f1 consists of two functional domains: 1) a "core region", about 40 nucleotides long, that is absolutely required for viral (plus) strand replication and contains three distinct but partially overlapping signals, a) the recognition sequence for the viral gene II protein, which is necessary for both initiation and termination of viral strand synthesis, b) the termination signal, which extends for 8 more nucleotides on the 5' side of the gene II protein recognition sequence, c) the initiation signal that extends for about 10 more nucleotides on the 3' side of the gene II protein recognition sequence; 2) a "secondary region", 100 nucleotides long, required exclusively for plus strand initiation. Disruption of the "secondary region" does not completely abolish the functionality of the f1 origin but does drastically reduce it (1% residual biological activity). This region, however, can be made entirely dispensable by mutations elsewhere in the phage genome.

Bacteriophages↗
PubMed1984

Promotion of collagen production by human fibroblasts with gastric cancer cells in vitro.

To elucidate the histogenesis of gastric scirrhous cancer, the promotion of collagen production by normal human skin fibroblasts (HSF-1) with human gastric cancer cells (KATO-III, MKN-45 and MKN-28) was investigated by direct coculture and parabiotic culture. Argyrophilic collagenous fibers were demonstrated among fibroblasts on both direct cocultures and parabiotic cultures of the fibroblasts with gastric cancer cells. Microscopic examination showed that these fibers appeared earlier and were more abundant and thicker in direct cocultures and parabiotic cultures than in single cultures of fibroblasts. Gastric cancer cells in single or parabiotic culture did not form argyrophilic fibers. For quantitative proof of the promotion of collagen production by fibroblasts with gastric cancer cells, hydroxyproline produced by fibroblasts was measured. Much higher fibroblast hydroxyproline values were obtained in parabiotic cultures with gastric cancer cell lines than in single cultures of HSF-1. Moreover, the rate of collagen synthesis by HSF-1 was much higher than that of any gastric cancer cell line tested. These results demonstrate that gastric cancer cells enhance collagen production by fibroblasts in vitro. This finding suggests that they may produce a factor promoting fibroblast collagen synthesis and that this may contribute to the formation of stromal collagen in human gastric scirrhous cancer.

Adenocarcinoma, Scirrhous↗
PubMed1984

Imaging of soft tissue tumors with Tc(V)-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid. A new tumor-seeking agent.

Tumor scintigraphy, using Tc(V)-99m dimercaptosuccinic acid (Tc(V)-DMS) was performed in 58 patients with soft tissue tumors, and the results were compared with that of Ga-67 citrate. Tc(V)-DMS was found to have a sensitivity of 90% for malignant tumors including aggressive fibromatosis compared to that of Ga-67 citrate, which was 56%. However, the specificity of Tc(V)-DMS for these tumors was 71% but with Ga-67 citrate the specificity was 80%. The imaging accuracy in soft tissue tumors with Tc(V)-DMS and Ga-67 citrate was 78% and 71%, respectively. Although the accumulation of Tc(V)-DMS has been detected in some benign soft tissue tumors, the reduced accumulation in inflammatory lesions compared to Ga-67 citrate was recognized, and Tc(V)-DMS could be of great use in the detection of extension or location of malignant soft tissue tumors.

Abscess↗
PubMed1984

Chickenpox vaccination of healthy children: immunological and clinical responses and protective effect in 1978-1982.

A total of 915 normal children without a history of varicella were immunized with a live varicella vaccine (Oka strain) between 1978 and 1982. As clinical reaction after vaccination, fever and or a slight rash was observed in only 10 children. A serological response was observed in all 524 children examined. Of the 854 children who could be followed, 602 children had contact with varicella patients, but extremely mild varicella with a rash developed in only 10 of them. Mild zoster occurred in one child who was admitted to hospital with mycoplasma pneumonia.

Body Temperature↗
PubMed1983

Co-evolution of a filamentous bacteriophage and its defective interfering particles.

Serial passage of bacteriophage f1 at high multiplicities of infection results in the appearance of defective deletion mutants (miniphage) that harbor a tandem reiteration of regions of the f1 genome near the origin of DNA replication. These miniphage interfere with the growth of wild-type f1, and cause a sharp decrease of the viable phage titer. Upon further passage, however, the titer increases again. Viable phage variants (maxiphage) appear which harbor the same tandem reiteration of DNA as the miniphage. The maxiphage are more resistant than the wild type to interference by the miniphage. In the absence of miniphage the maxiphage grow at the same rate as the wild type. The structure of the DNA reiteration gradually changes during further passage. Miniphage and maxiphage follow, in parallel, a similar course of changes in the pattern of reiteration. In miniphage the reiterations change while the deletions are conserved. Serial passage of maxiphage quickly yields miniphage, which harbor a reiteration identical to that of the parental maxiphage. Both reiteration and deletion are relevant to the mechanism of interference by miniphage. Thus serial passage of the filamentous phage affords an experimental system to study evolution of a DNA genome in test tubes. Possible mechanisms of the interference by miniphage are discussed.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1983

Binding of beta-naphthyl triphosphate to human adult hemoglobin accompanying deoxygenation. Investigated by simultaneous measurements of fluorescence, absorbance and partial pressure of oxygen.

Binding of a fluorescent allosteric effector, beta-naphthyl triphosphate (beta-NapP3), to human adult hemoglobin (HbA) at various levels of oxygen saturation were investigated by simultaneous measurements of fluorescence, absorbance and oxygen partial pressure. Amounts of beta-NapP3 bound to HbA were easily estimated from the fluorescence intensities of HbA solutions, because it was previously proved that the fluorescence of beta-NapP3 bound to HbA is completely quenched. Exchange reactions of the above fluorescent allosteric effector with 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate (DPG) were also examined at various levels of oxygen saturation. It was found that beta-NapP3 binds to deoxyHbA tetramer in the molar ratio of 2:1, and that one of the two beta-NapP3 competes with DPG. It was also found that beta-NapP3 binds to completely oxygenated HbA tetramer in the molar ratio of 1:1, and that the bound beta-NapP3 was not released by adding DPG. The binding affinity of beta-NapP3 for the noncompetitive site of completely oxygenated HbA, to which DPG does not bind, was smaller than that for the noncompetitive site of deoxyHbA, to which DPG also does not bind. Furthermore, the correlations between oxygen bindings by HbA and the bindings of beta-NapP3 to HbA in the intermediate stages of deoxygenation were investigated. It was revealed that HbA as a tetramer exists in three conformational states rather than simple two states as Monod, Wyman, and Changeux had proposed.

Binding Sites↗
PubMed1983

[Experimental and clinical evaluation of cefotetan in pediatrics].

Preclinical and clinical studies were carried out on cefotetan (CTT), a new synthetic cephamycin antibacterial agent. The results are described below. Antibacterial activity The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of CTT, CEZ, CTM and CMZ were determined against clinical isolates of S. aureus, E. coli, K. pneumoniae and P. mirabilis. To CTT S. aureus, showed its sensitivity peak (in the graphic plot of the MIC distribution) at a concentration range of 3.13-6.25 micrograms/ml when a 100-fold dilution of the pathological specimen was employed as the inoculum. These results were inferior to those with CEZ and CTM by 2-4 concentration tubes. The CTT results were also about 2 tubes inferior to the results with CMZ, which is a cephamycin antibiotic. On the other hand, CTT was found to show very strong antibacterial activity against Gram-negative rods. For example, the sensitivity peak of E. coli, occurred at an antibiotic concentration of less than or equal to 0.1-0.2 microgram/ml, regardless of whether the inoculum was the undiluted pathological specimen or the 100-fold dilution thereof. Similar results were obtained in relation to the K. pneumoniae strains: at a CTT concentration of less than or equal to 0.1 microgram/ml, suppression of growth was achieved in 74% of the strains when the inocula were the undiluted specimens, and 86% when the inocula were the 100-fold dilutions thereof. In addition, against P. mirabilis, when the inoculum consisted of the undiluted pathological specimen the MIC peak for CTT occurred at a concentration range of 0.39-0.78 microgram/ml, whereas the peak occurred at 0.2-0.39 microgram/ml when the bacterial inoculum was the 100-fold dilution of the collected specimen. In contrast, CTM showed slightly stronger antibacterial activity than CTT in relation to P. mirabilis; that is, its MIC peak occurred at less than or equal to 0.1-0.2 microgram/ml when the inoculum was the undiluted pathological specimen, and at less than or equal to 0.1 microgram/ml when the bacterial inoculum was the 100-fold dilution. Otherwise, against these 3 species of bacteria, CTT yielded results which were clearly superior to those achieved with the other 3 antibiotics. Absorption and excretion CTT was administered to children at a dosage of 10 mg/kg and 20 mg/kg as a one-shot intravenous injection or as a 1-hour intravenous drip infusion. Thereafter, the serum concentration of the antibiotic was monitored and it excretion rate in the urine was also determined.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Adolescent↗
PubMed1982

67 Ga-labeled human fibrinogen: a new promising thrombus imaging agent.

Gallium-67 labeled fibrinogen was prepared as a new deep-vein thrombus imaging agent, using deferoxamine (DF) as a bifunctional chelating agent. Excellent physicochemical and biological properties of 67 Ga-DF-fibrinogen were obtained. The isotopic clottability was 85.3%. High stability in vivo as well as in vitro was observed. Studies carried out in rabbits with induced thrombi in the femoral vein showed thrombus to blood radioactivity ration of 11.7, comparable to the value estimated with conventional 131I-fibrinogen 24 h after injection. Remarkable visualization of these thrombi with a scintillation camera provided good evidence for the selective mechanism of this new radiopharmaceutical.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Mononuclear and dinuclear complexes of 99mTc.

In the labeling of penicillamine (Pen) with 99mTc, various complexes were detected. Studies of the conditions for differentiating the product formed in order to understand the chemical and biological behavior were carried out. Marked roles of pH and SnCl2 concentration were observed. Controlled delivery of Sn2+ ion was obtained with the tin-adsorbed resin (Sn-resin) developed. Radiopharmaceutical and biological characterization of mononuclear and dinuclear complexes of Tc-Pen, under given sets of labeling condition, were established. Those studies provided a good basis in technetium chemistry which facilitated the development of new Tc-radiopharmaceuticals. Selection of the appropriate ligand offered a stable mononuclear complex of Tc-bleomycin for tumor detection, Tc-Pen-ethyl-ester for blood-element labeling and, above all, development of a bis-thiosemicarbazone derivative as a new bifunctional chelating agent to be coupled to proteins, fatty acids, glucose etc. On the other hand, various cholescintigraphic agents were better conceived of as dinuclear complexes and this created the possibility of generating a new agent, a phthalein derivative, Tc-PC, containing the required coordination environment for the technetium to be bridged in a dinuclear state.

Bleomycin↗