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Biomedical subjects

K Noda

Publications and source records attributed to K Noda.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

A prospective study of hepatitis C virus infection after needlestick accidents.

There have been few prospective studies of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection after needlestick accidents in hospital employees. In the present study, the prevalence and features of HCV infection after needlestick accidents were evaluated prospectively measuring serum HCV-RNA. Subjects were 56 employees who had HCV needlestick accidents. To monitor the development of hepatitis, the serum ALT levels and HCV-related seromarkers, such as first generation anti-HCV (RIA), second generation anti-HCV (PHA) and HCV-RNA (RT-PCR) were measured every month for at least 12 months after the accidents. Three of 56 (5.4%) recipients developed HCV infection. HCV-RNA was detected in all three recipients within 4 months after the exposure, and second-generation HCV antibody was detected in two of three recipients. The detection of HCV-RNA was earlier than that of HCV antibody. Two of three HCV-infected recipients developed type C acute hepatitis and one of two received interferon therapy; however, the other case received no medication. The detection of HCV-related seromarkers and the elevation of ALT levels were transient in these three recipients: thus, none developed chronic hepatitis. In conclusion, HCV infection developed in 5.4% of recipients within 4 months after HCV accidents. All of these HCV-infected recipients showed fair prognosis. HCV-RNA was a beneficial parameter for early detection of HCV infection.

Accidents, Occupational↗

[Bacteriological studies of travellar's diarrhoea. 5) Analysis of enteropathogenic bacteria at Osaka Airport Quarantine Station from January 1992 through September 3rd, 1994].

During the last 2 years and 8 months before the closure of Osaka Airport Quarantine Station (from Jan. 1992 to Sep. 3, 1994), a total of 7,421,909 overseas travellers were quarantined. 15,919 reported themselves of suffering from diarrhoea. Bacteriological examination of a total of 6,031 individuals' stools were performed. 1) Various enteropathogenic bacteria were isolated from 31.2% of the stools examined. Isolated species were as follows: Plesiomonas shigelloides, 1,127 cases (59.9%); Vibrio parahaemolyticus, 293 cases (15.6%); Salmonella spp., 262 cases (13.9%); Shigella spp., 235 cases (12.5%); Aeromonas sobria, 93 cases (4.9%); V. cholerae non-O1, 69 cases (3.7%). 2) The enteropathogenic bacteria were isolated through out the year without any seasonal variation. 3) The major regions where the travellers were infected with the pathogens are as follows: V. cholerae non-O1 (NAG Vibrio) and enteropathogenic Escherichia coli, South-East and South-West Asia; Vibrio other than NAG, South-East and East Asia; Shigella, widely distributed but especially in India; P. shigelloides and Salmonella, widely distributed. 4) 2 strains of toxigenic (cholera toxin-producing) V. cholerae O139 were isolated from patients who had visited Indonesia and Thailand, respectively. 5) In 320 cases (17%), plural enteropathogenic bacteria were isolated from single patients, suggesting a high frequency of the mixed infections. 6) Among Shigella strains, S. sonnei were isolated the most, followed by S. flexneri (24.7%), S. boydii (8.8%) and S. dysenteriae (2.9%). 7) Among Salmonella serovers, Salmonella Enteritidis was isolated the most frequently (39 cases, 14.1%). 8) 218 (91.6%) of 238 Shigella strains and 103 (37.6%) of 276 Salmonella strains were resistant to one or more drugs tested (SM.CP.TC.KM.ABPC.NA.OFLX). 9) All of the 22 V. cholerae O1 strains were Ogawa, E1 Tor. Among them, 19 were toxigenic strains and 3 were non-toxigenic. 10) O4:K8 was the most frequently isolated serover of V. paraemolyticus. 87.4% of all V. parahaemolyticus strains were positive with thermostable direct hemolysin (TDH) gene, and 12.6% of them were positive with TDH-related hemolysin (TRH) gene by DNA-probe methods.

Diarrhea↗

Fluorescent estimation of H2O2-induced changes in cell viability and cellular nonprotein thiol level of dissociated rat thymocytes.

We have developed a procedure to simultaneously estimate cell viability and the cellular level of nonprotein thiol (presumably glutathione) using two fluorescent dyes, 5-chloromethylfluorescein (5CMF) and ethidium, and rat thymocytes. Diethylmaleate and N-ethylmaleimide reduced, respectively, the intensity of 5CMF fluorescence to 0.23 and 0.1, relative to the control. Incubation with buthionine sulfoximine, an inhibitor of glutathione synthesis, decreased the intensity of 5CMF fluorescence to 0.61. Results indicate that 5CMF fluorescence can be attenuated by agents that decrease the level of cellular nonprotein thiols, suggesting that 5CMF fluorescence is utilized for estimating the level of cellular glutathione. Hydrogen peroxide (10 microM to 3 mM) reduced the intensity of 5CMF fluorescence in a dose-dependent manner and increased the number of thymocytes stained with ethidium (presumably dead cells or cells with compromised membranes) at concentrations of 300 microM or greater. Reduction of cellular glutathione level seems to precede cell death in which oxidative stress is involved.

Animals↗

Effects of 20 alpha-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and its inhibitors on canine osteosarcoma cell growth in vitro.

Cytotoxic effect of progesterone on the neoplastic cells was investigated using POS cells, a cell line established from a spontaneous osteosarcoma in a dog. The 20 alpha-HSD activity of POS cells was 0.85 +/- 0.26 NADPH nmol/min mg protein, demonstrating that a considerable activity was present in this tumor cell. When progesterone was added to the medium and cultured for 48 hr, progesterone dose-dependently inhibited the cell growth, showing that progesterone was cytotoxic on this osteosarcoma cells in vitro. In order to assure the role of 20 alpha-HSD on the cell growth, various concentrations of four types of steroid derivatives, STZ 20, 23, 25, and 26, potent inhibitors of 20 alpha-HSD, were added to the medium with 0.1 microM progesterone. Then, the POS cell growth was more strongly inhibited, which may suggest that the cytotoxicity of progesterone was enhanced by inactivation of 20 alpha-HSD by STZs. From these results, POS osteosarcoma cells have 20 alpha-HSD, which might play an important role in tumor cell growth against the cell toxicity of progesterone.

20-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases↗

Effects of cisplatin on erythropoietin production in rats.

The effects of cisplatin on erythropoietin (EPO) production were investigated in comparison with the effects of phenylhydrazine in rats. Cisplatin (4.5 mg/kg i.p. bolus) decreased red blood cell count (RBC), hematocrit (Hct) and hemoglobin concentration (Hgb) for 14 days after dosing. These decreases were accompanied with increases of blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (s-CRE). Both serum EPO concentration and kidney EPO mRNA content were significantly decreased in cisplatin-treated rats. On the other hand, phenylhydrazine (10 mg/kg p.o. once a day for 8 days) decreased RBC, Hct and Hgb, and increased serum EPO concentration and kidney EPO mRNA content. Phenylhydrazine had little effect on BUN or s-CRE. These results suggest that a suppression of EPO production is involved in the pathophysiology of cisplatin-induced renal anemia and that measurement of serum EPO concentration and kidney EPO mRNA content is available for distinguishing renal anemia from hemolytic anemia.

Anemia↗

Study design and statistical analysis of toxicokinetics: a report of JPMA investigation of case studies.

In 1994, the Japanese Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA) conducted a questionnaire survey on case studies of toxicokinetics which were recently conducted its member companies. The present paper summarizes study designs and results of data analysis of 102 cases of repeated oral dose toxicity studies with dogs, monkeys, rats or mice. The statistical analysis of toxicokinetic data introduced in this paper, e.g. log-transformation of concentration data, analysis of variance and regression analysis, may be useful in clarifying the comprehensive effects of test doses, duration of repeated dosing, and sex of test animal on the systemic exposure. Suggestions are made on how experimental design can aid the efficient conduct of toxicokinetic studies in the face of limits on the number of animals.

Animals↗

Induction of antinuclear antibody after interferon therapy in patients with type-C chronic hepatitis: its relation to the efficacy of therapy.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of antinuclear antibody (ANA) and interferon (IFN)-induced ANA has been documented in patients with chronic hepatitis C. In the present study we evaluated whether the induction pattern of ANA after IFN therapy is related to the efficacy of IFN therapy. METHODS: Forty-four patients with chronic hepatitis C were enrolled. Autoimmune hepatitis was excluded in all. ANA was measured every month before, during, and for 6 months after IFN therapy (total dose, 336-480 M units). RESULTS: Eight of the 44 (18%) patients were positive for ANA before IFN therapy (group I). In group I six of the eight ANA-positive patients showed an increase in ANA titers during the therapy. Twenty-two of 36 (61%) ANA-negative patients turned positive for ANA, with titers of 1:80 or less during IFN therapy (group II). In 14 of the 36 (39%) ANA-negative patients ANA remained negative throughout the therapy (group III). The rates of sustained responders with a negativity of serum hepatitis C virus RNA and with normal alanine aminotransferase levels for at least 6 months after the cessation of therapy in groups I, II, and III were 25%, 23%, and 21%, respectively, giving no significant difference in the efficacy of therapy. No serious side effect was observed during the therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of IFN frequently produced an induction of ANA or an increase in its titer, which did not affect the efficacy of IFN therapy.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗

[Phase II study of paclitaxel (BMS-181339) in patients with ovarian cancer by 3-hour intravenous infusion].

A phase II study of Paclitaxel in patients with ovarian cancer by 3-hour intravenous infusion was undertaken by a cooperative study group of 30 institutes. Of 66 cases enrolled, 57 cases were evaluable for efficacy, and 63 cases were evaluable for safety. In spite of the fact that all cases for efficacy evaluation were previously treated with chemotherapy including platinum-based drugs, 2 cases of complete response (CR) and 15 cases of partial response (PR) were observed, with a response rate of 29.8% (The 95% confidence interval of response rate was 18.4-43.4%). Paclitaxel also showed 28.2% (11/39) response rate in patients refractory to treatment by platinum-based drugs. Histologically, the response rates were 28.9% (11/38) in serous adenocarcinoma, 40.0% (2/5) in clear cell adenocarcinoma and 25.0% (1/4) in mucinous adenocarcinoma. As the major laboratory abnormalities, leukopenia, neutropenia and decrease in hemoglobin were observed with incidence rates of 98.4% (62/63), 95.2% (59/62) and 85.7% (54/63), respectively. However, these abnormalities were clinically manageable by either withdrawal of medication, administration of antibiotics, G-CSF or metachysis etc. In addition, thrombocytopenia, elevation in GOT and GPT were seen with moderate incidence. Peripheral neuropathy was a major adverse symptom with an incidence of 79.4% (50/63), followed by alopecia, myalgia, arthralgia and fever. However, the majority of these adverse reactions were less than grade 3. From these findings, we confirmed that 3-hour intravenous infusion of Paclitaxel was a clinically useful chemotherapeutic agent in patients with ovarian cancer.

Adult↗

[A case of leiomyomatosis in pelvic lymph nodes].

We report a rare case of leiomyomatosis in iliac lymph nodes, which was found in a woman operated with a diagnosis as keratinizing epidermoid carcinoma of the cervix. A 39-year-old Japanese female, married, who had received hormonal therapy in her past history, visited the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Kinki University Hospital, with a chief complaint of bloody discharge. Colposcopy and biopsy suggested a diagnosis of keratinizing epidermoid carcinoma of the cervix. A radical hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with pelvic lymph nodes dissection was performed. Histopathological examination showed a keratinizing epidermoid carcinoma of the cervix. An intramural leiomyoma nodule (0.5cm in diameter) was detected in the fundus of the uterus. Histopathologically, this was a typical benign leiomyoma. The lymph nodes were free of neoplasms. But bilateral iliac lymph nodes were enlarged up to soybean size. Microscopically, the iliac lymph nodes contained a large amount of well differentiated smooth muscle tissue (11/30). Immunohistochemical investigation showed a positive reaction for smooth muscle actin and desmins in the spindle cells proliferated in the lymph nodes; no cytokeratin positivity was detected. Leiomyomatosis of lymph node may rise through metaplasia of intranodal decidua or endometriosis by myofibroblasts or smooth muscle cells, reflecting the multipotentiality of the pelvic subcoelomic mesenchyme that can be found in the peripheral sinus of lymph nodes.

Adenocarcinoma, Papillary↗

[An early phase II study of gemcitabine hydrochloride (LY 188011). Gemcitabine Cooperative Study Group for Early Phase II].

An early phase II cooperative study of Gemcitabine Hydrochloride (abbreviated to "gemcitabine" herewith) was conducted in patients with a variety of solid tumors (i.e., lung cancer, gastric cancer, pancreatic cancer, colon/rectum cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian cancer and breast cancer) at 56 institutions. The aim of the first step (Step I) was to investigate the feasibility of gemcitabine in a variety of different solid tumors, including lung cancer regarding efficacy and safety. The aim of the second step (Step II) was as a result of step I (Responses were observed) to continue to investigate the efficacy and safety of gemcitabine in chemonaive patients with non-small cell lung cancer. As a Step I study, gemcitabine was administered once weekly at a dose of 800 mg/m2 for a consecutive 3-week period followed by a week of rest, in multiple courses. Among the 29 eligible patients with lung cancer, partial response (PR) was achieved in 3 patients (25.0%, 95% confidence interval: 5.5-57.2%) out of 12 chemonaive patients. Adverse reactions (grade 3 or higher) seen in 29 patients with lung cancer were neutropenia (27.6%), leukopenia (13.8%), decreased hemoglobin (13.8%), thrombocytopenia (10.3%), malaise (6.9%), anorexia (3.4%), nausea/vomiting (3.4%), diarrhea (3.4%), dyspnea (3.4%) and interstitial pneumonia (3.4%). In other types of solid tumors, PR was achieved in 2 (8.7%) out of 23 eligible patients with cervical cancer and in 1 (5.3%) of 19 eligible patients with ovarian cancer, while the use of analgesics became unnecessary in 1 patient with pancreatic cancer. Incidence as well as severity of main adverse reactions in these patients were comparable to those seen in patients with lung cancer. A Step II study, in which gemcitabine was administered once weekly at a dose of 1,000 mg/m2 to chemonaive patients with non-small cell lung cancer, was conducted, referring to the results of Step I and clinical studies conducted overseas. The results of the Step II study demonstrated PR in 5 (14.3%, 95% confidence interval: 4.8 - 30.3%) out of 35 eligible patients with non-small cell lung cancer and that the main adverse reactions were comparable to those seen in the Step I study, posing no tolerability problems in particular.

Adult↗

[CT-image analysis of resected peripheral adenocarcinomas of the lung less than 1 cm in diameter].

Conventional CT (10-mm thick) and helical thin-section CT (2-mm thick) high-resolution images were obtained to study the relationship between the appearance of small peripheral adenocarcinomas of the lung and pathological findings. Eleven cases in which adenocarcinomas less than 1.0 cm in diameter were resected were retrospectively reviewed. Conventional CT images revealed air spaces within pulmonary nodules in 82% of tumors, an ill-defined margin in 91%, and involvement of vessels in 91%. When these findings are observed in pulmonary nodules, thin-section CT should be used for further examination. Helical thin-section CT images showed inhomogeneous internal attenuation (91%), irregularly undulating margins (91%), and vascular involvement (100%).

Adenocarcinoma↗

Analysis of rat placental plasma membrane proteins by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.

The placenta plays an essential role in fetal growth and the maintenance of pregnancy and its functions are strictly controlled in a stage-specific manner. To gain an insight into placental functions and their regulation, we analyzed the plasma membrane proteins of rat placenta by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D/E). Plasma membrane fractions of the placenta obtained on days 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 of pregnancy were purified by Percoll gradient centrifugation, and subjected to 2D/E analysis. After the proteins on the 2D/E gels had been visualized by silver staining, the patterns on the gels at different stages of pregnancy were compared using image analysis software. Proteins within an isoelectric point (pI) range of 4.0 to 7.0 and a molecular weight (Mw) range of 20-100 kDa were analyzed in detail, and about 800 proteins on average were recognized on each gel. Of these, the expression of 150 proteins was found to change dramatically according to the stage of pregnancy. According to their expression patterns, these proteins were categorized into two groups, Group I and Group II. The proteins belonging to Group I showed a higher intensity of expression on day 12 and disappeared on day 20. They included 119 plasma membrane proteins and were divided into five subgroups. Group II, which consisted of three subgroups, included 31 proteins showing a low or negligible expression on day 12 and higher expression on day 20. Most of the other membrane proteins (about 600) were expressed constantly during pregnancy. On the basis of our data, we constructed a database for plasma membrane proteins of the rat placenta.

Animals↗

Purification and characterization of a new serine proteinase from Bacillus subtilis with specificity for amino acids at P1 and P2 positions.

A proteinase was purified 230-fold to apparent homogeneity from culture filtrates of Bacillus subtilis by a series of column chromatographies on DE52, DEAE-Toyopearl, Cellulofine GC200M, and Mono-Q, using Boc-Ala-Ala-Pro-Ser-pNA as a substrate. The molecular weight of the proteinase was estimated to be 42,000 by SDS-PAGE in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol. Studies on the substrate specificity with peptide p-nitroanilides and natural peptides revealed that this proteinase preferentially hydrolyzed the peptide bond on the carboxyl-terminal side of either serine or alanine residues at the P1 position and hydrophobic bulky amino acids at P2. It was most active at pH 9.5 for the hydrolysis of Boc-Ala-Ala-Pro-Ser-pNA. The enzyme was inactivated by diisopropyl fluorophosphate (DFP), but not by tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethylketone (TPCK) or by EDTA. Based on the reactivity toward substrates and inhibitors, this enzyme differs from elastase- or subtilisin-like proteinase, hence it is a new type of proteinase with specificity for amino acids at P1 and P2 positions.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Interaction of Phe8 of angiotensin II with Lys199 and His256 of AT1 receptor in agonist activation.

The acidic pharmacophores of selective ligands bind to Lys199 and His256 of the AT1 receptor (Noda, K., Saad, Y., Kinoshita, A., Boyle, T. P., Graham, R. M., Husain, A., and Karnik, S. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 2284-2289). In this report we examine how interactions between these residues and agonists activate inositol phosphate production in transiently transfected COS-1 cells. [Sar1] angiotensin (Ang II) II and [Sar1]Ang II-amide stimulated a 5-fold inositol phosphate response from wild-type AT1 receptor. The peptide antagonist [Sar1,Ile8]Ang II and the non-peptide agonist L-162,313 produced a partial but saturating response. Stimulation of wild-type receptor by [Sar1]Ang II-amide and the mutant K199Q and K199A receptors by [Sar1]Ang II demonstrates that AT1 receptor activation is not critically dependent on the ion-pairing of the alpha-COOH group of Ang II with Lys199. The mutation of His256 produced diminished inositol phosphate response without commensurate change in binding affinity of ligands. The His256 side chain is critical for maximal activation of the AT1 receptor, although isosteric Gln substitution is sufficient for preserving the affinity for Phe8-substituted analogues of [Sar1]Ang II. Therefore, AT1 receptor activation requires interaction of Phe8 side chain of Ang II with His256, which is achieved by docking the alpha-COOH group of Phe8 to Lys199. Furthermore, non-peptide agonists interact with Lys199 and His256 in a similar fashion.

Angiotensin I↗

The docking of Arg2 of angiotensin II with Asp281 of AT1 receptor is essential for full agonism.

The structural model of AT1 angiotensin receptor contains seven-transmembrane alpha-helices with three interhelical loops on either side of the membrane. The angiotensin II binding pocket within the receptor is not clearly defined. We showed earlier that Lys199 in transmembrane-helix-5 of the AT1 receptor binds the COOH-terminal alpha-carboxyl group of angiotensin II (Noda, K., Saad, Y., Kinoshita, A., Boyle, T. P., Graham, R. M., Husain, A., and Karnik, S. S. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 2284-2289). We now show that His183 and Asp281, both located in the extracellular domain of the AT1 receptor, are involved in binding the NH2-terminal Asp1 and Arg2 residues of angiotensin II, respectively. The Asp1/His183 interaction appears to be weak and is unlikely to be important for agonism. But the loss of Arg2/Asp281 interaction leads to partial agonism of the receptor. The action of non-peptide agonists is not affected by Asp281 mutations. These results suggest that several independent interactions between angiotensin II and AT1 receptor are necessary for full agonism. Since L-162,313 the non-peptide agonist of the AT1 receptor is a partial agonist that does not make contact with Asp281, we speculate that the degree of agonism may be increased if it is redesigned to make contacts with Asp281.

Angiotensin II↗

UCN-01, an anti-tumor drug, is a selective inhibitor of the conventional PKC subfamily.

A selective PKC inhibitor, UCN-01, was shown to exhibit anti-tumor activity in vitro and in vivo. We investigated UCN-01 with respect to isozyme-specific PKC inhibition using purified recombinant or rabbit brain PKC isozymes, cPKC alpha, beta and gamma, nPKC delta, epsilon and eta, and a PKC zeta. Of the PKC isozymes examined, cPKC alpha was inhibited by UCN-01 most effectively (Ki = 0.44 nM), suggesting cPKC alpha is the prime candidate for the physiological target of UCN-01. The Ki values of UCN-01 estimated from Dixon plots for cPKC isozymes are approximately 1 nM, whereas the Ki values for nPKC isozymes are about 20 nM. Moreover, the Ki value for aPKC zeta is 3.8 microM. Thus, UCN-01 discriminates between PKC subfamilies. In addition, the inhibitory effects of staurosporine, H7, and calphostin C on aPKC zeta were examined and compared with those for cPKC alpha.

Alkaloids↗