Biomedical subjects

K Kohara

Publications and source records attributed to K Kohara.

112 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Comparative effects of three sites of renin-angiotensin blockade on the regression of left ventricular hypertrophy in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

The effects of blockade of the renin-angiotensin system at three different sites on regression of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) were investigated in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs). Angiotensin-converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitor, angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) receptor antagonist, renin inhibitor, or the combination of hydralazine and hydrochlorothiazide was administered for 7 days to SHRs to obtain the same decrease in blood pressure. Treatment with ACE inhibitor, AT1 receptor antagonist, or renin inhibitor significantly decreased left ventricular mass. On the other hand, hydralazine administration failed to diminish LVH in SHRs. These findings indicate that blockade of the renin-angiotensin system regressed LVH irrespective of the site of the blockade and independent of hemodynamic changes.

Angiotensin II↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Genetic association between Alzheimer disease and the alpha-synuclein gene.

alpha-Synuclein has been isolated as a component of amyloid in addition to the major A beta peptide in Alzheimer disease (AD). However, there are conflicting reports regarding the association of alpha-synuclein gene polymorphism with AD. Using a novel and common polymorphism in intron 3, we examined the relationship between AD and alpha-synuclein and apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genes in 183 Japanese AD patients and 210 controls. Carriers of the alpha-synuclein deletion (D) allele had a 2.2-fold increased risk of developing AD than noncarriers in women. The odds ratio for the ApoE epsilon 4 and the alpha-synuclein D allele was 11.4 in women. The results showed that the alpha-synuclein gene is associated with sporadic AD in women, independent of ApoE epsilon 4 status.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Increased atrial natriuretic factor secretion after endothelin injection in dogs.

Hemodynamic and hormonal responses to bolus intravenous injections of synthetic porcine endothelin (pET) were examined in anesthetized dogs. There were no significant changes in mean blood pressure (MBP), right atrial pressure (RAP), or plasma atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) concentration in response to 40 pmol/kg of the peptide. However, responses to 400 pmol/kg of the peptide were significant: MBP rose from 114 +/- 6 mmHg (mean +/- SE) to 139 +/- 7 mmHg (p less than 0.01), RAP rose from 5.4 +/- 0.9 mmHg to 7.8 +/- 1.1 mmHg (p less than 0.01), and ANF increased from 45 +/- 10 pg/ml to 277 +/- 33 pg/ml (p less than 0.01). Peak value of RAP was observed 2.6 +/- 0.4 min, while peak of ANF was 11.4 +/- 0.9 min after peptide injection. There was a strongly positive correlation (r = 0.93, p less than 0.01) between the increase in RAP and the increase in ANF in dogs given 400 pmol/kg of pET. These results indicate that exogenously administered pET to anesthetized dogs alters hemodynamics and induces ANP release, and are compatible with a postulate that the ANF release is caused by elevated RAP.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Effects of the angiotensin II receptor antagonist, TCV-116, on blood pressure and the renin-angiotensin system in healthy subjects.

TCV-116 is a new, nonpeptide, angiotensin II type-1 receptor antagonist that acts as a specific inhibitor of the renin-angiotensin system. In this study, 36 healthy male volunteers were administered single and repeated oral doses of TCV-116 to investigate its effects on blood pressure and heart rate, and to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics of the drug. At single doses of 2.5 mg and greater, TCV-116 significantly lowered blood pressure even in normotensive subjects. This hypotensive effect was maintained during repeated administration on a once-daily regimen over an 8-day period. Serum concentration of M-1, an active metabolite of TCV-116, increased in a dose-dependent manner, reaching a peak 3 to 4 hours after administration. An amount of M-1 equivalent to approximately 10% of the administered dose of TCV-116 was excreted in the urine during the first 24 hours following administration. No accumulation of M-1 was observed in subjects receiving repeated administration of TCV-116. No adverse effects were observed except for mild headache in three subjects. These results suggest that the renin-angiotensin system plays a role in the regulation of blood pressure, even in normotensive subjects, and that TCV-116 may prove to be useful in the treatment of hypertension.

Adult↗