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Biomedical subjects

K Konishi

Publications and source records attributed to K Konishi.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Differential changes in the concentrations of cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC)-1 and CINC-2 in exudate during rat lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation.

Recently we have purified four neutrophil chemotactic factors from conditioned medium of rat granulation tissue. Two chemokines besides cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 (CINC-1, formerly called CINC) and CNC-3/macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) were novel chemoattractants, designated as CINC-2 alpha and CINC-2 beta. In the present report, we developed an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) specific for CINC-2. The biotin-streptavidin sandwich ELISA for CINC-2 beta detected CINC-2 alpha and CINC- 2 beta equally well between 1 ug/mI and 300 ng/ml, but did not show cross-reactivity with CINC-1 and CINC-3. The concentrations of CINC-1 and CINC-2 in the exudate during rat lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation were determined. The CINC-1 concentration in the exudate reached a maximum at 4 h after LPS injection, whereas the CINC-2 level steadily increased up to 8 h. The number of infiltrated cells in the exudate increased linearly until 6 h and gradually up to 8 h. Increase in the cell number was correlated with total concentrations of CINC-1 and CINC-2. The results suggest that CINC-2 as well as CINC-1 plays an important role in accumulation of neutrophils into the inflammatory lesion of LPS- induced inflammation in rats.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Prolapse of the small intestine through a ruptured vagina caused during sexual intercourse: report of a case.

We report herein the rare case of a 56-year-old woman who suffered vaginal rupture into the peritoneal cavity during sexual intercourse, through which the small intestine prolapsed out from the vaginal opening. The patient had undergone abdominal hysterectomy 4 years earlier. An emergency laparotomy was performed which revealed rupture in the posterior fornix of the vagina and peritonium through which prolapse of the small intestine had occurred. The prolapsed intestine was pulled back into the pelvic cavity, and the vagina and peritonium were repaired. Macroscopically, the operative findings revealed no inflammatory changes or evidence of malignancy in the abdominal cavity. Thus, although rare, a ruptured vagina caused by sexual intercourse should also be considered in the field of surgery, even when a middle-aged woman presents with acute abdominal symptoms without a history of any other traumatic episode.

Coitus↗
PubMed1996

Strangulation ileus resulting from encasement of a loop of the small intestine by the great omentum, caused by abnormal adhesion.

We treated a patient with a mechanical ileus resulting from encasement of a loop of the small intestine by the great omentum, caused by abnormal adhesion. Apart from its occurrence postoperatively with laparotomy, strangulation of small intestine into the omentum is very rare, and its occurrence without underlying disease, except in children, has not been documented previously.

Aged↗
PubMed1996

A stress-sensitive chemokinergic neuronal pathway in the hypothalamo-pituitary system.

Recently we found that cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant influenced anterior pituitary hormone release in vitro. These observations prompted us to investigate the possibility of the existence of cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant in the hypothalamus. Immunohistochemistry showed that cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-like immunoreactivity existed in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus, the supraoptic nucleus, both the internal and the external layers of the median eminence and the posterior pituitary. Since the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus plays a pivotal role in response to stressful stimuli, we examined the effect of a single episode of immobilization stress on cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant messenger RNA expression in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus. Immobilization stress induced strong hybridization signals of cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant messenger RNA in the parvocellular and magnocellular subdivision of the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus within 15 min, and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-like immunostaining intensity in the posterior pituitary started to increase around the periphery of the posterior lobe at 30 min after stress and extended to the whole lobe at 1 h after stress. The increase in the serum cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant in response to stress showed a kinetically biphasic pattern. A first phase occurred within 15 min which may be due to an immediate release of stored cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant in the neurohypophysis, since hypophysectomy completely blocked this phase. A second phase may reflect the release of newly synthesized cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus and/or peripheral cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant, since hypophysectomy could not reduce this phase. These data suggest that cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus was immediately synthesized in response to stress, and then released into the peripheral blood via the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system, revealing the presence of a stress-sensitive chemokinergic neuronal pathway in the hypothalamo-pituitary system.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Role of vasopressin V2 receptor in acute regulation of aquaporin-2.

Aquaporin-2 (AQP-2) has been shown to be a vasopressin-sensitive water channel in collecting duct (CD) cells of the kidney. To prove the role of the vasopressin V2 receptor (V2R) in the regulation of intracellular AQP-2 shuttling, we examined the acute effects of vasopressin and V2R antagonist on the distribution of AQP-2 in the cells. Normal Wistar rats were given continuous infusions of vasopressin, vasopressin V2R antagonist (OPC31260), or both. The kidneys were then processed for immunofluorescent studies with an affinity-purified specific antibody to AQP-2. One hour after the infusion of the V2R antagonist, AQP-2 staining was diffusely distributed in the CD cells from the cortex to the inner medulla. This tendency was not changed by the concomitant infusion with vasopressin. Vasopressin infusion without antagonist, however, induced intensified AQP-2 staining of the apical membrane in the CD cells. The ratio of the fluorescence intensity of the apical to subapical region was determined by confocal laser microscopy. In the inner medulla, this ratio was significantly increased in the vasopressin treatment group (2.26 +/- 0.76) as compared to the V2R antagonist group (1.03 +/- 0.34) and the combined treatment group (0.84 +/- 0.43). The increase in the ratio was also demonstrated in the cortex and the outer medulla in the vasopressin-treated group. In addition, Northern blotting studies clearly revealed that mRNA of AQP-2 in the vasopressin-treated group was increased when compared to the combined treatment animals. Our present results reveal that localization and gene expressions of AQP-2 are acutely regulated via vasopressin V2R.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Endotoxin activates a chemokinergic neuronal pathway in the hypothalamo-pituitary system.

Cytokines play a critical role in the cascade of events that cause septic shok. One regulatory system suggested to be important in controlling inflammatory response is the neuroendocrine axis. One of the chemokines is cytokine induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC), which was first described as an immuno-modulator of peripheral tissue in inflammatory responses. To assess further the contribution of the chemokine to the central nervous system, we performed immunohistochemistry on rat brains and found strong CINC-like immunoreactivity in the posterior pituitary gland. Treatment with bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide; LPS) markedly enhanced CINC-like immunoreactivity in the posterior pituitary. Before the LPS challenge, signal for CINC mRNA was undetectable in the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN). The LPS challenge induced strong hybridization signals of CINC mRNA in the parvocellular and magnocellular subdivision of the PVN within 15 minutes (min) and peaked at 30 min. The LPS challenge provoked no observable change in the supraoptic nucleus. These studies demonstrate the presence of an endotoxin-sensitive chemokinergic neuronal pathway in the hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system and this newly-described pathway will provide a novel information to understand another possible neuralimmune mechanism.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Antihypertensive agents and renal protection: calcium channel blockers.

This study defines the nature of the renal protective effects of calcium channel blockers (Ca blockers) and the effects of the Ca blocker, amlodipine, compared to those of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), enalapril, on the progression of renal injury in 5/6 nephrectomized spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) fed a high-salt diet. Furthermore, we studied the effects of various Ca blockers on the glomerular afferent and efferent arterioles using the isolated perfused hydronephrotic kidneys of six-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats. In the first study, forty 6-week-old male SHRs which underwent 5/6 nephrectomy were equally divided into five groups. One group received no therapy. In two groups, therapy was started at four weeks post-nephrectomy, one with amlodipine and the other with enalapril. In the remaining two groups, amlodipine or enalapril therapy was started at eight weeks postnephrectomy. Amlodipine was more effective than enalapril in reducing proteinuria and glomerulosclerosis in the group that was started on drug therapy eight weeks after surgery. In the second study, at concentrations of 10(-6) to 10(-9) M, nifedipine, nicardipine and amlodipine dilated the afferent, but not the efferent, arteriole preconstricted with angiotensin II. On the other hand, efonidipine and manidipine clearly dilated angiotensin II-induced constriction of both the afferent and efferent arterioles. These results indicated that Ca blockers are effective at reducing renal injury in 5/6 nephrectomized SHR, and that they are more effective than ACEI in advanced stages of renal injury. The observation that only certain Ca blockers can dilate the efferent arteriole suggests that the renal protective effect of Ca blockers is not necessarily dependent on the dilation of the efferent arterioles.

Amlodipine↗
PubMed1996

[Hand-mouth coordination in the low-risk preterm infants in preterm period].

The spontaneous motor activity of 20 low-risk preterm babies was filmed and their arm and hand movements were subjected to a comparative analysis of the interrelation between hand, head, eye and mouth movements. This analysis revealed that preterm babies can move the hand to mouth directly and the mouth and eye were open in 'anticipation' of arrival of the hand. This movement was associated with ipsilateral head orientation. This little-known coordination may have an important implication for the theory of intersensorimotor relation and for the origin of intentionality.

Humans↗
PubMed1996

[Case of MPO-ANCA positive interstitial pneumonitis and necrotizing, crescentic glomerulonephritis].

A 52-year-old man was admitted to our hospital in July 1995, because of intermittent claudication, paresthesia on foot and gross hematuria. Chest radiograph in 1988 revealed bilateral interstitial shadows and proteinuria had been pointed out since 1992. On admission, chest X-ray and computed tomography showed diffuse interstitial shadow, however it had not been changed for several years. Laboratory tests revealed elevated level of erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, immunoglobulin, rheumatoid factor, IgG-rheumatoid factor, and immune complex. Serum MPO-ANCA were positive. Although serum creatinine level and renal function test were normal, renal biopsy demonstrated crescentic formation and necrotizing vasculitis. Immunofluorescence and electron microscopy demonstrated no remarkable deposit in glomerulus. A diagnosis of microscopic polyarteritis necrotizing and crescentic glomerulonephritis (NCGN) was made. Treatment was initiated with 30 mg of prednisolone, followed by marked improvement of intermittent claudication, and decreased titer of serum MPO-ANCA. Previous reports have demonstrated the association of MPO-ANCA with rapidly progressive NCGN, microscopic polyarteritis, and occasionally pulmonary hemorrhage recognized as pulmonary-renal syndrome. However, the present case suggests the possibility that another disease subset may also be associated with MPO-ANCA, which is characterized by interstitial pneumonitis and slowly progressive glomerulonephritis.

Antibodies, Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic↗
PubMed1995

Preparation of 13C-labeled polyunsaturated fatty acids by an arachidonic acid-producing fungus Mortierella alpina 1S-4.

Three types of 13C-labeled polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) were produced in mycelia of an arachidonic acid-producing fungus, Mortierella alpina 1S-4, when grown with 13C-labeled glucose or fatty acid methyl esters. We analyzed them by negative-ion fastatom bombardment mass spectrometry. (i) PUFA in mycelia grown with [1-(13)C]glucose or [2-(13)C]glucose was a mixture of molecules containing zero to six labeled carbons. The content of 13C in the total carbon atoms of PUFA, such as arachidonic (20:4 omega 6), dihomo-gamma-linolenic (20:3 omega 6), gamma-linolenic (18:3 omega 6), and linoleic (18:2 omega 6) acids, in the mycelia grown with [1-(13)C]-glucose or [2-(13)C]glucose was about 11 or 15%, respectively. More than 80% of these PUFA had more than one 13C atom. (ii) When the fungus was grown with [U-13C]glucose, the content of PUFA molecules, all carbons of which were 13C-labeled, was about 20%. The percentage of 13C in PUFA from [U-13C]glucose was 78-83%, over 98% of which had more than one 13C atom. The 13C atoms in the labeled fatty acids formed from 13C-labeled glucose were thought to be distributed at random by a two carbon-unit. (iii) The 13C atom of PUFA in mycelia grown with 1-(13)C-labeled fatty acid methyl esters was highly localized. More than half of the 20:4 omega 6 molecules had only one 13C atom at C-3, C-5, or C-7 when the fungus was grown with methyl [1-13c]stearate, methyl [1-(13)C]palmitate, or methyl [1-(13)C]-myristate, respectively.

Arachidonic Acid↗
PubMed1995

Recombinant production and biological properties of rat cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractants, GRO/CINC-2 alpha, CINC-2 beta and CINC-3.

Recently we found four cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractants, CINC-1, CINC-2 alpha, CINC-2 beta and CINC-3/macrophage inflammatory protein 2 (MIP-2), in conditioned medium of granulation tissue obtained from carrageenin-induced inflammation in rats [Nakagawa, H., Komorita, N., Shibata, F., Ikesue, A., Konishi, K., Fujioka, M. & Kato, H. (1994) Biochem. J. 301, 545-550]. In the present report, we describe recombinant production of CINC-2 alpha, CINC-2 beta and CINC-3 in Escherichia coli, and biological properties of these chemokines. Neutrophil chemotactic activities of CINC-2 alpha and 2 beta in vitro were the same as the activity of CINC-1. CINC-3 had an activity comparable to other CINCs, but showed a decrease at high concentrations. Stimulation of neutrophils with CINCs induced an increase in intracellular [Ca2+] dose-dependently. CINC-3 was more potent than the other CINCs and still induced an increase in intracellular [Ca2+] in rat neutrophils stimulated first with other CINCs. CINC-2 alpha, CINC-2 beta and CINC-3 induced a comparable response to CINC-1 in the release of cathepsin G from rat neutrophils. Injection of CINC-2 alpha, 2 beta and 3 into preformed air-pouch on the back of rat induced infiltration of neutrophils to an extent similar to that caused by the injection of CINC-1. These data indicate CINC-2 alpha, 2 beta and 3 as well as CINC-1 are chemoattractants specific for neutrophil in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Expression of leukocyte chemotactic cytokines in myocardial tissue.

Cytotoxic action of leukocytes may be involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory heart muscle disorders. We investigated the expression of rat leukocyte chemotactic cytokines--cytokine induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC) and JE--in cultured neonatal rat cardiac myocytes; CINC belongs to the interleukin 8 (IL-8) family and JE is a homologue of human monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1). In Northern blot analysis, CINC and JE transcripts were not clearly observed in unstimulated rat cardiac myocytes. However, their expression was clearly observed after exposure to tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha; 100 U/ml) for 2-6 h. We then evaluated IL-8 and MCP-1 mRNA expression in human endomyocardial biopsy specimens from seven patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy by polymerase chain reaction analysis. Both IL-8 and MCP-1 mRNA transcripts were recognized in all patients studied. These results show for the first time that leukocyte chemotactic cytokines, IL-8 and MCP-1, are expressed in myocardial tissue, which might contribute to the pathogenesis of inflammatory heart muscle disorders.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Interaction of indole and tryptophan derivatives with sodium dodecyl sulfate micelles measured with ultraviolet absorption and fluorescence quenching.

The distribution of indole and tryptophan derivatives between sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) micellar and aqueous phases was analyzed using conventional methods of ultraviolet (UV) absorption spectroscopy and measurement of fluorescence quenching by succinimide. On the assumption of a simple pseudo-phase equilibrium between both phases the distribution coefficient was easily obtained by the measurement of the ratio Rpv of the absorbance intensity in the peak to that in the valley of the UV spectra or the fluorescence quenching constant Ksv. The possibilities and limitations of utilizing the ratio of the collisional quenching constant estimating from the Ksv value in the micellar phase to that in the aqueous phase for a measure of polarity of the microenvironment around the tryptophan derivatives in the SDS micelle is discussed in comparison with the Rpv values for the UV spectra. The indole ring in the derivatives in the SDS micelle is localized near or on the micelle-water interface with its imino group directed toward the aqueous phase. Thus it can serve as a feasible model for interpreting the distribution coefficients and Rpv values obtained for the various indole and tryptophan derivatives.

Indoles↗
PubMed1995

Expression of cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant in rat cardiac myocytes.

Accumulation and adhesion of leukocytes to cardiac myocytes play important roles in the pathogenesis of inflammation-mediated myocardial injury such as ischaemia/reperfusion and myocarditis. The involvement of leukocyte chemotactic factors has been speculated in these processes. We investigated the expression of cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant (CINC) in rat cardiac myocytes. CINC is a rat equivalent of human interleukin-8. On exposure to interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), cultured neonatal rat cardiac myocytes released appreciable levels of CINC both dose- and time-dependently. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and lipopolysaccharide also significantly increased CINC accumulation in the culture supernatant. CINC mRNA expression was not observed in unstimulated myocytes, however, the expression was markedly induced by exposure to IL-1 alpha with a peak elevation at 3 h. Potent chemotactic activity for neutrophils was detected in the supernatant of cultured rat cardiac myocytes by stimulation with IL-1 alpha. This IL-1 alpha-induced chemotactic activity was significantly inhibited by polyclonal anti-CINC antiserum. Addition of dexamethasone, genistein, actinomycin D or cycloheximide significantly suppressed the IL-1 alpha-induced CINC accumulation. Under hypoxia (95%N2 + 5%CO2), CINC accumulation was increased in a time-dependent manner, and reoxygenation after hypoxia further intensified CINC accumulation. This hypoxia reoxygenation-induced CINC expression was significantly inhibited by pretreatment with dexamethasone. In conclusion, inflammatory stimuli induce the expression of CINC in rat cardiac myocytes, which may lead to myocardial injury via accumulation and activation of neutrophils.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

[Study on azithromycin in treatment of diffuse panbronchiolitis].

In the treatment of diffuse panbronchiolitis, azithromycin (AZM), a new macrolide antibiotic with 15-membered lactone ring, was studied for its efficacy and safety. AZM, 250 mg, was intermittently administered to a total of 60 patients twice a weeks, for 3 months as a rule, and its efficacy was clinically evaluated in 52 patients and the safety in 55. The rate of efficacy was 84.6% (44/52). Clinical findings 12 weeks after the start of administration showed a decrease in sputum volume in 30 of 46 patients and amelioration of dyspnea on exertion in 23 of 46 patients, and no worsening of symptoms was observed in the patients. Vital capacity (4/22), FEV1.0 (6/21), cold agglutination reaction (22/28), and CRP (16/36) were also improved. The rate of eradication of organisms isolated from the sputum except for indigenous organisms was 39.5% (15/38); 4 of the 22 strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa were eradicated. Adverse reactions were observed in 4 of the 55 patients (7.3%), 1 patient each with rash, itching, diarrhea, and a gastric symptom (heavy feeling in the stomach). 4 of the 54 patients (7.4%) exhibited abnormal changes in clinical laboratory test values values. These were an increase in eosinophil count in 2, elevation of GOT in 1, and elevation of Al-P in 1. These adverse reactions and abnormal changes in laboratory tests were mild or moderate. Therefore, long-term intermittent administration of AZM, twice a week, is expected to have the same effect in the treatment of diffuse panbronchiolitis as long-term small-dose administration of 14-membered macrolides such as erythromycin and clarithromycin, whose effects have already been established.

Adolescent↗