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Biomedical subjects

K Kikuchi

Publications and source records attributed to K Kikuchi.

At least 721 records · Page 40Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Serum concentration of procollagen type I carboxyterminal propeptide in localized scleroderma.

BACKGROUND AND DESIGN: Recently, we reported that the serum procollagen type I carboxyterminal propeptide (P1CP) level of patients with systemic sclerosis was elevated and correlated with disease severity. In this study, the serum level of P1CP was measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 39 patients with localized scleroderma and in 30 control subjects. RESULTS: The mean P1CP level in the patients was significantly higher than that in the normal control subjects. In 30% of the patients with localized scleroderma, the serum P1CP level was considered to be elevated (> 305 ng/mL; ie, 2 SDs above the mean control value). The mean serum P1CP level in the patients with generalized morphea was significantly higher than in the patients with morphea or linear scleroderma. In addition, the serum P1CP level in the patients with localized scleroderma was correlated with the number of sclerotic lesions, and it was negatively correlated with the duration of the disease. Anti-single-stranded DNA antibody and antihistone antibody were detected significantly more frequently in the patients with elevated P1CP than in the patients with normal P1CP. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that the serum P1CP level is a useful indicator of disease severity in patients with localized scleroderma, as it has been found to be in those with systemic sclerosis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

[Hodgkin's disease with a giant thymic cyst].

An asymptomatic 26-year-old male was admitted to our hospital for examination of an abnormal mediastinal shadow on chest X-ray. Chest CT showed a large mass in the anterior mediastinum with marked para-aortic lymph node enlargement. The mass consisted mostly of multiloculated low-density areas surrounded by a rim of enhancing parenchymal tissue. Both the cystic tumor and surrounding lymph nodes were resected. The tumor measured 18 x 10 x 2 cm and contained about 450 ml of straw colored fluid. Pathological examination revealed a thymic cyst, the wall of which was composed of Hodgkin's lymphoma cells and nodular sclerotic lesions containing many lacunar cells and Reed-Sternberg cells.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

[The usefulness of combined measurements of transcranial Doppler sonogram and somatosensory evoked potentials during hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass].

Serial and simultaneous measurements of the blood flow velocity of the middle cerebral artery (MCA-V) by transcranial Doppler sonography (TCD) and somatosensory evoked potentials (SEP) were performed in 7 adult patients during hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). CPB was instituted by alpha-stat blood gas management until the rectal temperature stabilized at 24 to 28 degrees C and gas management was converted from alpha to pH-stat by adding 4-7% of CO2 gas into the oxygenator for 10 minutes. MCA-V during hypothermic CPB by alpha-stat management was identical with normothermic prebypass MCA-V. However it significantly increased after pH-stat conversion, suggesting that CO2 reactivity was preserved even in the hypothermic situation above 24 degrees C of body temperature. Latency of all wave components of SEP and central conduction time (CCT) prolonged and wave voltages decreased as the body temperature dropped and SEP waves almost completely recovered following the temperature resumed to the prebypass temperature. There were no significant changes developed in latency and wave forms of SEP by conversion of the blood gas management from alpha-stat to pH-stat. The combined technique of TCD and SEP for detecting the real time changes of cerebral blood flow and brain function is considered to be useful to minimize the brain damage during open heart surgery.

Blood Flow Velocity↗
PubMed1994

[Cerebellar hemangioblastoma associated with fatal intratumoral hemorrhage: report of an autopsied case].

Intracranial hemorrhage associated with brain tumors is rate, but when present, it is often seen in malignant tumors such as glioblastoma and metastasis, and in meningiomas. Hemangioblastomas, benign vascular tumors, rarely develop fatal intracerebral hemorrhage. We thus documented an uncommon case of cerebellar hemangioblastoma associated with massive hemorrhage, the cause of which was thoroughly examined during autopsy. A 69-year-old man was transferred to our Service because of swallowing disturbance and dysarthria. The patient was known to have a cerebellar hemangioblastoma and hydrocephalus, for which VP shunt had been placed. Two weeks after admission he suddenly became comatose and eventually died of progressive herniation. At autopsy it was shown that the brain was edematous and covered with subarachnoid blood clots. The tumor was found involving the cerebellar vermis and the right hemisphere, protruding upward from the superior surface of the cerebellum. Horizontal sections through the cerebellum disclosed a well circumscribed tumor with adjacent hematomas involving the vermis and brain stem. The pathological diagnosis was hemangioblastoma and varix-like abnormal vessels were observed within the tumor. The sites of hematoma and tumor adjacent to the tentorial incisura and the history of VP shunting may suggest that upward herniation played a significant role in rupture of the abnormal vessels, which then led to the devastating hemorrhage in this particular case.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

Gene expression of protein phosphatases in rat ascites hepatoma cell lines.

Gene expression of protein phosphatases 1 alpha, 1 gamma 1, 2A alpha, and 2C alpha in 14 rat ascites hepatoma cell lines was studied by Northern blot hybridization. The expression of PP1 alpha and PP2C alpha was increased and decreased, respectively, in all of the ascites hepatoma (AH) cells compared to rat liver, whereas the expression of PP1 gamma 1 and PP2A alpha was increased in about 50% of them. Relative gene expression was affected by several factors, such as harvest time, transplantation rate, percentage of free cells, and sex; the first factor was more important than the others. Relative gene expression of PP1 alpha had a negative correlation with harvest time, whereas gene expression of PP1 gamma 1 and PP2A alpha had a nonlinear (hyperbolic) correlation with harvest time. We suggest that there is a relationship between growth rate and expression of protein phosphatase genes. Our data also suggest that PP1 gamma 1 mRNA is positively controlled by PP2A alpha mRNA.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

[Assessment of QOL in cancer drug therapy using 22-item questionnaire].

In order to integrate quality of life as the end point in the cancer drug therapy, a questionnaire form has been developed over the past four years by a Grant-in-Aid for Cancer Research from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, Japan. Fifty-one items generated by questionnaires were forwarded to oncologists, nurses, psychologists and 121 patients. Then questionnaires were scaled down to 36 items based upon factor analysis considering correlation to State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS). These 36 items were administered to 536 patients. Finally, a 22-item questionnaire was completed by rechecking correlations with PS, STAI, SDS and Cronbach's alpha. It includes such components as physical activities (6 items), psychological (5 items) and social variables (5 items), symptoms (5 items) and global well-being (1 item: face scale). In our treatment of G. I. cancer by chemotherapy, NC patients showed improvement (+1.56 score), especially in physical functions (+2.43 score), but with slight deterioration (-0.25 score).

Female↗
PubMed1994

[The effect of suramin on human lung cancer cell line in vitro].

Recently, several investigators reported the effects of suramin, a drug used in the treatment of trypanosomiasis, onchocerciasis, and an inhibition of the binding of some growth factors to cell surface receptors. In present study, therefore, we examined the effects of epidermal growth factor(EGF) and suramin on cell proliferation and cell cycle kinetics of an established cell line from human lung cancer(PC-13). EGF showed a stimulatory effect on cell proliferation of PC-13, suggesting EGF behaves as a growth factor of PC-13. On the other hand, suramin inhibited the stimulatory effect of EGF to PC-13 in a dose dependent manner. In addition, it was also observed that suramin inhibits the cell cycle progression from G0/G1 phase to S phase. These results indicate that suramin may withhold the cell proliferation and cell growth via suppression of the EGF cell stimulatory effects.

Cell Cycle↗
PubMed1994

Immunotherapy for Stewart-Treves syndrome. Usefulness of intrapleural administration of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes against massive pleural effusion caused by metastatic angiosarcoma.

We describe a 56-year-old woman with Stewart-Treves syndrome who had severe dyspnea from a pleural effusion caused by metastatic angiosarcoma in the right lung. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) in the pleural effusion were cultured and expanded in vitro in the continuous presence of recombinant interleukin 2 with periodic stimulation by CD3 antibody. The expanded TIL were administered intrapleurally seven times at 1- to 4-week intervals in combination with intravenous infusion of recombinant interleukin 2. A panel of T-cell clones was also obtained from TIL. Immunotherapy dramatically improved the patient's dyspnea and pleural effusion. A CD4+ T-cell clone and a CD8+ T-cell clone established from TIL had specific cytotoxicity to the tumor cells.

Breast Neoplasms↗
PubMed1994

[A case of traumatic diaphragmatic hernia repaired 40 years after the injury].

A 65-year-old male complaining dyspnea on exertion and epigastric discomfort was diagnosed to have left traumatic diaphragmatic hernia elsewhere and referred to Keio university Hospital for treatment. He had thoracicio-abdominal trauma which was conservatively treated, 40 years ago. Because he was symptomatic and the possibility of future strangulation could not be denied, surgical repair of the hernia was performed. The defect in the diaphragm was too large to be directly sutured and it was repaired with GORE-TEX patch. The gastric fundus partially prolapsed in the paraesophageal region, but the diaphragm was repaired quite satisfactorily otherwise. Pulmonary function and dyspnea on exertion improved.

Aged↗
PubMed1994

[Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia associated with cerebral arteriovenous fistula and multiple cerebral arteriovenous malformations: case report].

Hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT), or Rendu-Osler-Weber disease, is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by a triad of mucocutaneous and visceral telangiectasia, recurrent epistaxis and familial history. We reported a rare case of HHT associated with pulmonary and cerebral arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) and multiple cerebral arteriovenous malformations (AVM). The roles of multimodality therapies including artificial embolization, feeder clipping and stereotactic radiosurgery for these multiple cerebrovascular dysplasia in HHT were discussed. In particular the usefulness of radiosurgery to obliterate AVM was emphasized. It is especially useful for multiple AVM's associated with HHT. A 7-year-old boy had presented himself at another hospital 2 years previously with cyanosis of the lips and fingers on exertion. He was diagnosed as having pulmonary AVG and underwent surgery. His mother had suffered from epistaxis in her adolescence, and was then highly suspected as having HHT. She underwent surgical removal of a left fronto-parietal AVM at the age of 16 years. The family history then prompted the patient to have a brain CT done, which eventually demonstrated an abnormal enhancing mass at the left frontal region. He was transferred to our service for further evaluation. Left carotid angiograms demonstrated an AVF supplied by a dilated anterior internal frontal artery of the anterior cerebral artery (ACA), draining directly into the vein of the corpus callosum with a large aneurysmal dilatation, and then draining further into the straight sinus via the vein of Galen. In addition, right carotid angiograms revealed three small AVM's fed by the median artery of the corpus callosum, and the middle internal frontal and paracentral arteries of the right ACA, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Arteriovenous Fistula↗
PubMed1993

70 kDa heat shock cognate protein is a transformation-associated antigen and a possible target for the host's anti-tumor immunity.

We previously investigated a novel heat-inducible transformation-associated cell surface Ag that is expressed on the activated H-ras oncogene-transformed rat fibrosarcoma W31, but not its parental nontransformed fibroblast WFB. This Ag was detected by mAb 067. Herein, we characterized the molecular nature of the Ag by using anti-heat shock protein (HSP) mAb. The accumulated data indicated that the cell surface expression of Ag was clearly enhanced by several stressors, such as TNF, L-azetidine-2-carboxylic acid, and sodium arsenite. The immunoprecipitate made with mAb 067 and W31 cell lysates reacted with anti-rat 70 kDa heat shock cognate (HSC) mAb, TG5E, indicating that 067-defined Ag may be a rat 70 kDa HSC. Because this Ag seemed to be one of the transformation-associated Ag of WFB, we further studied whether it could play an important role in the host's anti-tumor immunity. Peripheral T cells of rats primed with live BCG showed cytotoxicity to W31 but not to WFB. Because the possibility existed that HSP may interact with certain populations of T cells, we focused on the reactivity of CD4-CD8- double negative T (DNT) cells against 067-defined molecule. DNT cells from spleen and PBL of live BCG-primed rats showed the cytotoxicity against W31 cells. This cytotoxicity was completely blocked by mAb 067 and anti-CD3 mAb. However, it was not blocked by mAb R48B1 and 109, which detect the MHC class I nonpolymorphic determinant and a target molecule of the cytolysis by poly I:C-induced NK cells, respectively. Furthermore, brefeldin A was able to block the cytotoxicity against W31 targets by DNT cells, but not by NK cells. These data suggest that 70 kDa HSC may be a tumor Ag and may act as a presenting molecule perhaps complexed with cellular peptides to certain DNT cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Real time measurement of nitric oxide produced ex vivo by luminol-H2O2 chemiluminescence method.

Endothelium-derived relaxing factor, identified as nitric oxide (NO), is derived from a guanidino nitrogen of L-arginine via its metabolism by nitric oxide synthase. A newly developed aqua-chemiluminescence system was used to measure the amount of NO release from the isolated, perfused rat kidney concomitantly with the pressure changes (Kikuchi, K., Nagano, T., Hayakawa, H., Hirata, Y., and Hirobe, M. (1993) Anal. Chem. 65, 1794-1799). In normotensive rats, basal NO release was estimated to be 86 +/- 6 fmol min-1 (g of kidney weight)-1, and endothelium-dependent vasodilators increased NO release with a concomitant pressure reduction. Pretreatment of the kidney with detergents to damage the vascular endothelium diminished the responses of NO and perfusion pressure to acetylcholine, while infusion of authentic NO solution caused an increase in the chemiluminescence and a concomitant decrease in the pressure. The half-life of NO in O2-saturated Krebs-Henseleit buffer was determined as 6.41 s, and the decay constant (Kd) was 0.108 s-1. The measuring system involves a lag time of 15 s after passage of the solution through the kidney, so that the measured value is 13.0% of the true luminal NO concentration in the kidney, up to 400 pM. These observations enabled us to quantitate the degree to which NO released from the rat kidney changes perfusion pressure. Acetylcholine-induced vasodilation and NO release were markedly attenuated in deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt hypertensive rats, in which the endothelium is known to be markedly damaged. Thus, this assay system may make it possible to evaluate the extent of injury to the endothelium in conditions involving vascular damage.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed1993

Structural analysis of the CD3 zeta/eta locus of the rat. Expression of zeta but not eta transcripts by rat T cells.

We analyzed the structure and pattern of expression of rat TCR zeta- and eta-chains to investigate if these components function in activation and development of rat T cells. The rat zeta cDNA contained the complete open reading frame coding for a polypeptide of 164 amino acids and the 5' and 3' noncoding sequences. Comparison of the amino acid sequence to those of mouse and human counterparts revealed a high degree of similarity, more than 85% homology among all three species except for the signal peptide, which was especially high in the cytoplasmic domain including the nucleotide binding site and the possible tyrosine phosphorylation sites. Furthermore, we determined the nucleotide sequences of a rat genomic eta-like sequence located in the 3' region of the rat zeta-gene. Although it showed a high level of nucleotide similarity to mouse and human counterparts, 90.4 and 78.9%, respectively, the deduced polypeptide was very short (only 28 residues) and markedly divergent from the mouse and human eta-specific polypeptides due to frameshift mutations. Transcription of rat zeta was shown to be highly restricted to T cells; abundantly in thymocytes and scarcely in peripheral T cells. Surprisingly, the rat eta transcript could not be detected in any rat tissues so far tested by Northern blot analysis and even by the sensitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction method, whereas it was readily detected in mouse thymus. These findings suggest that the zeta-chain has conserved roles in the TCR assembly and TCR-mediated signaling. However, the eta-chain seems not to be indispensable because of its structural diversity among these three species characterized to date and the apparent lack of eta expression in the rat.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1993

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans: increased growth response to platelet-derived growth factor BB in cell culture.

Dermatofibrosarcoma protuberans (DFSP) is a malignant tumor originating in the dermis. Although it is locally aggressive and recurs unless completely excised, it only rarely metastasizes. In the present study, we established 4 cultured DFSP cell strains, which were almost identical to normal skin fibroblasts when observed under a phase-contrast-microscope, and we observed their responses to various growth factors. DFSP cells showed significantly greater response to platelet-derived growth factor BB(PDGF BB) and transforming growth factor beta 1(TGF beta 1) than normal fibroblasts. We also determined upregulation of PDGF beta receptors in DFSP cells by both 125I PDGF-BB binding assay and immunoblotting analysis. These findings suggest that the interaction between the PDGF-B chain and the overexpression of PDGF beta receptors might play a role in the development of DFSP tumors.

Cell Division↗