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Biomedical subjects

K Sugisaki

Publications and source records attributed to K Sugisaki.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

[A case of pulmonary sarcoidosis with circulatory insufficiency of segmental and subsegmental branches of pulmonary arteries].

A 50-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital on April 4, 1992, because of progressive worsening of dry cough and exertional dyspnea. Moderate hypoxemia and obstructive ventilatory impairment were present. Her chest roentgenogram and CT films showed thickened bronchovascular bundles in the absence of significant parenchymal fibrosis. Transbronchial lung biopsy revealed the formation of noncaseous epithelioid cell granulomas. Pulmonary perfusion scintigraphy showed multiple perfusion defects predominantly in the upper lung fields. Pulmonary ventilation scintigraphy showed a normal pattern. After administration of prednisolone for 3 months, her chest roentgenogram and CT films demonstrated marked decrease of infiltrates, but there was no improvement of hypoxemia and perfusion defects on pulmonary perfusion scintigraphy. Pulmonary angiography revealed multiple stenoses and occlusions of segmental and subsegmental branches of pulmonary arteries. Long-term steroid treatment will be necessary for this rare form of pulmonary sarcoidosis to prevent the development of pulmonary hypertension.

Female↗

[A case of chronic asthma with emphysematous change in a middle-aged woman].

A 32-year-old woman with chronic asthma is presented. She had suffered from dyspnea and breathlessness on exertion for 7 years. Her chest X-ray film on admission showed marked emphysematous changes and chest CT scan revealed low attenuation areas, however she was a non-smoker and had no previous childhood respiratory problems. She was administered prednisolone to treat the wheezing attack and hypoxemia. After treatment, her lung function and hypoxemia improved, but low attenuation areas of the chest CT scan remained unchanged. These facts suggest the possibility that bronchial asthma which is controlled poorly for a long time, may cause emphysematous change of the lung.

Adult↗

[Immunohistochemical analysis of T-lymphocyte subsets on the sarcoid lymph nodes using the computerized analytic system for the light microscopic figures: the relation to the histological maturation stages of the lymph nodes].

Lymph nodes obtained from 19 patients with sarcoidosis were classified into four groups according to their histological maturation stages, which were the early stage, the former mature stage, the late mature stage and the healing stage. Immunohistochemical analysis of CD4 positive cells and CD8 positive cells were performed using monoclonal antibodies to these lymph nodes. Then the number of the positive cells per square millimeters of a granuloma was estimated using a computerized analytic system for light microscopic figures. The number of CD4-positive cells per square millimeter of a granuloma was almost constant from the early stage to the mature stage, but inclined to decrease in the healing stage; on the other hand, the number of CD8-positive cells per square millimeter of granuloma decreased extremely in the mature stage, compared with the early stage and the healing stage. Moreover the CD4/CD8-positive cell ratio in granulomas, calculated from these data, was elevated in the mature stage, compared with the early and the healing stages. From the above results, the CD4/CD8-positive cell ratio in a granuloma was demonstrated to be a valuable index for evaluating the histological activity of the granuloma of sarcoid lymph nodes. Furthermore, the decrease of CD8-positive cells in mature stage granuloma was considered to be related to the maturation of the epithelioid cell granulomas in sarcoidosis.

Computers↗

Effects of gene dosage on the expression of human growth hormone cDNA in Escherichia coli.

Gene dosage effects on the foreign protein production in Escherichia coli have been analyzed with the expression vectors containing one, two and four tandemly arranged human growth hormone cDNAs under various culture conditions. In a limited synthetic culture medium, a proportional relationship was observed between the number of the integrated cDNA and the amount of human growth hormone produced. With a culture medium rich in the nutrients, however, no such relationship was observed. These results suggest that, under the limited culture conditions, high-level expression of a foreign gene can be achieved by tandemly joined multiple copies of cDNA.

Blotting, Western↗

[Non-aromatizing androgen 19-hydroxylase in human fetal organs].

19-hydroxyandrostenedione (19-OH A), known for many years as an obligatory intermediate of estrogen biosynthesis, has recently been found to be an amplifier of aldosterone action and in itself a hypertensinogenic steroid (J. Steroid Biochem., 16; 329, 1982). To search the presence of a non-aromatizing andorgen 19-hydroxylase in fetal organs, metabolism of labeled androstenedione(A) in fetal adrenal, liver, lung, brain and kidney was studied. 19-hydroxylase activity was calculated by the amounts of 19-OH A formed from A. The tissue homogenate was incubated with [4-14C]A and NADPH for different periods of time under air. The product, [4-14C] 19-OH A with added carrier standard [6,7-3H] 19-OH A was separated and purified by TLC, acetylation and TLC to constant 3H/14C ratio. The identity of the product was established by C.C.D. and by GC-MS analysis of purified product 19-AcOA in a larger scale adrenal incubation of non-labeled A. 19-hydroxylase activity was 0.9 pmol/min/mg protein for adrenal, but there was a negligible quantity of 19-OH A in lung, brain and kidney. Estrogen production was also assayed by 3H-water method using [1 beta-3H, 4-14C] A (3H/14C = 69.9). No detectable amount of estrogen was found in incubation of any homogenate except for liver. These results indicate that the non-aromatizing 19-hydroxylase activity in fetal adrenal gland is much higher than that in other organs. This is the first report to demonstrate the presence of 19-hydroxylase in human fetal adrenal tissue. It is suggested that 19-OH A secreted from fetal adrenal may also be associated with serum concentration of fetal circulation.

Adrenal Glands↗

Primary structure of chicken pituitary prolactin deduced from the cDNA sequence. Conserved and specific amino acid residues in the domains of the prolactins.

The perform of chicken prolactin (PRL) deduced from the cDNA sequence contains a signal peptide of 30 amino acid residues followed by a mature PRL of 199 residues. Chicken PRL shows 77, 68, 67, 58, and 31% identity of amino acid sequence with whale, human, ovine, rat, and salmon PRLs, respectively. Elucidation of the primary structure of avian PRL enabled extended analysis of the specific and conserved amino acid residues and domains of the PRL molecules. The mammalian, teleostean, and avian PRLs share 32 common residues, and these conserved residues are observed to cluster in four distinct domains (PD1 to PD4), corresponding to four of five conserved domains of the growth hormones. Of the 32 residues, 8 residues in the PD2 and PD4 domains, including 4 cysteines, are conserved by other members of the growth hormone family, which indicates that these 8 residues may be essential for common structural features of the gene family. On the other hand, 13 other residues distributed among all four domains are conserved almost exclusively in the PRLs, suggesting that these residues are indispensable for specific binding of the PRLs to their receptors.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

[Nutritional support in critically ill patients; with special reference to fat emulsion and carnitine].

Energy metabolism of fat emulsion was studied in rats with septic condition. The results indicate that fat emulsion was rapidly eliminated from the blood stream and metabolized readily even in such condition. Based on these findings, we have actively employed fat emulsion clinically as an energy source of septic patients. In septic rats, it was demonstrated that levels of carnitine decreased and that this decrease was based upon a decrease of synthesis. When carnitine was administered together with fat emulsion, the energy metabolism returned to approximately normal level. This reports also describes the absorption and utilization of orally administered fat in septic rats.

Animals↗

Developmental changes in levels of translatable mRNAs for enolase isozymes in chicken brain.

Using chicken brain mRNAs, alpha and gamma enolase precursors were synthesized in the rabbit reticulocyte cell-free translation system. The product proteins showed molecular weights almost identical to those of the mature subunits. The levels of translatable mRNAs for alpha and gamma subunits were determined by the cell-free translation system and immunoprecipitation with specific antisera, during development of chicken brain. The level of alpha mRNA was high at any developmental stage of the brain. On the other hand, the gamma mRNA level was very low at the early embryonic stage, and increased rapidly during development of the brain. These changes were closely correlated with those of the corresponding enzyme activities, indicating that the levels of enolase activities in developing brain were controlled primarily by the level of the translatable alpha and gamma mRNAs.

Animals↗

Switching in levels of translatable mRNAs for enolase isozymes during development of chicken skeletal muscle.

Developmental changes in the levels of translatable mRNAs for alpha and beta enolase subunits in chicken muscle were determined using the rabbit reticulocyte cell-free translation system. The level of translatable alpha mRNA was decreased gradually during the development of the muscle. On the contrary, the levels of translatable beta mRNA was not detected at early embryonic stage, but increased dramatically after hatching. These changes were closely correlated with those of the corresponding enzyme activities. The results suggest that the developmental changes in the activities of alpha alpha and beta beta enolases in chicken muscle arise as the result of changes in the amount of corresponding mRNAs.

Animals↗

Purification, characterization, and distribution of enolase isozymes in chicken.

Chicken brain enolase was found to show multiple forms (I, II and III) separable by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography, whereas enolase from chicken skeletal muscle showed a single form. Brain enolase I, enolase III and muscle enolase were purified to electrophoretic homogeneity. These three isozymes were dimeric enzymes, each being composed of two identical subunits, alpha, gamma and beta, having molecular weight of 51,000 +/- 600, 52,000 +/- 550 and 51,500 +/- 650, respectively, as determined by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis. Brain enolases I, II and III and muscle enolase had similar catalytic parameters, including almost the same Km values and pH optima. Specific antibodies against brain enolase I, enolase III and muscle enolase, raised in rabbit, showed no cross-reactivity with each other. Antibodies for brain enolases I and III also reacted with brain enolase II, indicating that brain enolase II was the hybrid form (alpha gamma) of brain enolases I (alpha alpha) and III (gamma gamma). Enolases from chicken liver, kidney and heart reacted with the antisera for brain enolase I, but not with those for brain enolase III or muscle enolase. Developmental changes in enolase isozyme distribution were observed in chicken brain and skeletal muscle. In brain, the alpha gamma and gamma gamma forms were not detected in the early embryonic stage and increased gradually during the development of the brain, whereas the alpha alpha form existed at an almost constant level during development. In skeletal muscle, complete switching from alpha alpha enolase to beta beta was observed during the period around hatching.

Animals↗

[Nutritional support in surgery: with special reference to fat emulsion and carnitine].

Energy metabolism of fat emulsion has been studied in rats with various conditions including postoperative catabolism, chronic and acute hepatic dysfunction, diabetes and sepsis. The results indicate that fat emulsion is rapidly eliminated from the blood stream and metabolized readily even in such conditions. Based on these findings, we have actively employed fat emulsion clinically as energy source. In septic rats, it was demonstrated that levels of carnitine decreased and that this decrease was based upon a decrease of synthesis. When carnitine was administrated together with fat emulsion, the energy metabolism returned to approximately normal level. This report also describes the tissue concentrations of carnitine in diabetic rats and the blood and urine concentrations of carnitine in postoperative patients.

Animals↗