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Biomedical subjects

K Tsukuda

Publications and source records attributed to K Tsukuda.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Insulin secretion from isolated rat islets induced by the novel hypoglycemic agent A-4166, a derivative of D-phenylalanine.

A derivative of D-phenylalanine, A-4166, reportedly evokes a more rapid and short-lived hypoglycemic action in vivo than any of the currently available sulfonylureas. This novel oral hypoglycemic agent is structurally different from sulfonylureas. Therefore, studies were designed to elucidate the mechanisms by which A-4166 stimulates insulin secretion. Insulin release from incubated or perifused rat islets was dose-dependently stimulated by 10 to 200 mumol/l A-4166, in the presence of 2.8 mmol/l glucose. Both A-4166 and tolbutamide evoke a prompt rise in insulin secretion followed by a sustained gradually decreasing release from perfused islets in the presence of low glucose, although A-4166 appeared to be more sensitive than tolbutamide to subthreshold glucose concentration. Diazoxide abolished the initial release and blunted sustained release. Removing calcium from the perifusate abolished insulin release within 15 minutes. A-4166 inhibited [3H]-glibenclamide binding to HIT cell membranes and 86Rb efflux from ATP-depleted or diazoxide-treated cells. These results suggest that the insulin release induced by A-4166 is relevant to this agent occupying the tolbutamide binding sites. Therefore, one possible mechanism accounting for the more rapid and short-lived hypoglycemic action of A-4166 in vivo, as compared with tolbutamide, may involve the reported differences in the bioavailability of A-4166.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗

Role of the C terminus in histamine H2 receptor signaling, desensitization, and agonist-induced internalization.

To evaluate the role of the histamine H2 receptor C terminus in signaling, desensitization, and agonist-induced internalization, canine H2 receptors with truncated C termini were generated. Wild-type (WT) and truncated receptors were tagged at their N termini with a hemagglutinin (HA) epitope and expressed in COS7 cells. Most of the C-terminal intracellular tail could be truncated (51 of 70 residues, termed T308 mutant) without loss of functions: cAMP production, tiotidine binding, and plasma membrane targeting. In fact, the T308 mutant produced more cAMP than the WT when cell-surface expression per cell was equivalent. Pretreatment of cells with 10(-5) M histamine desensitized cAMP productions via WT and T308 receptors to similar extents. Incubation of cells expressing WT receptors with 10(-5) M histamine reduced cell-surface anti-HA antibody binding by approximately 30% (by 30 min, t1/2 approximately 15 min), but did not affect the Bmax of tiotidine in membrane fractions, which represents total receptor amounts, suggesting that WT receptors were internalized from the cell surface. In contrast, no internalization was observed with T308 receptors following histamine treatment. A mutant with a deletion of the 30 C-terminal amino acids, termed T329, was functional but was as potent as the WT in terms of cAMP production. Apart from being desensitized by histamine, the internalization of the receptor was indistinguishable from that of the WT. Internalization was observed in the T320 but not in T313 mutant, narrowing the region involved in internalization to that between Glu314 and Asn320 (ETSLRSN). Of these seven residues, either Thr315, Ser316, or both, were replaced with Ala. Thr315 and Ser316 are conserved among species. The mutation at Thr315 (but not that at Ser316) abolished internalization. Taken together, these results demonstrate that Thr315 is involved in agonist-induced internalization. Furthermore, the finding that T308 receptors were desensitized in the absence of internalization suggests that internalization and desensitization are meditated by independent mechanisms.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Screening of patients with maternally transmitted diabetes for mitochondrial gene mutations in the tRNA[Leu(UUR)] region.

To investigate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of diabetes mellitus caused by mitochondrial gene mutations in the tRNA[Leu(UUR)] region, a known 'hot spot' for pathogenic mutations, we screened 440 diabetic patients with diabetic mothers for 11 mitochondrial gene mutations reported in mitochondrial neuromuscular disorders; nucleotide pairs (np) 3250, 3251, 3252, 3254, 3256, 3260, 3271, 3291, 3302 and 3303 in addition to an A to G transition at np 3243. The dot-blot hybridization method using 32P-labelled sequence-specific oligonucleotides as probes was used. One subject carrying a T to C transition at np 3271 and seven carrying the A to G transition at np 3243 were identified, while none of the other diabetic patients screened had these mutations in the tRNA[Leu(UUR)] region. The patient with the 3271 mutation, a 39-year-old male, had excellent glycaemic control with diet alone and had neither hearing impairment nor symptoms suggesting mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS). Thus, among patients with maternally transmitted diabetes, the prevalence of the 3271 mutation was approximately one-seventh that of the 3243 mutation, and other mutations are even more rare in the mitochondrial tRNA[Leu(UUR)] region.

Adult↗

Prevalence of the Trp64Arg missense mutation of the beta3-adrenergic receptor gene in Japanese subjects.

Prompted by the recent findings that a tryptophan to arginine (Trp64Arg) mutation in the beta3-adrenergic receptor gene was associated with an earlier onset of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) in Pima Indians, with abdominal obesity and insulin resistance in Finns, and with an increased capacity to gain weight in French whites, we studied the prevalence of this mutation in 231 diabetic and 95 nondiabetic Japanese subjects and assessed its contribution to the development of obesity and NIDDM. The allelic frequencies of the mutation were 0.18 in diabetic and 0.23 in nondiabetic subjects, showing no significant difference between the two groups (P = .067). In nondiabetic subjects, body mass index (BMI) did not differ between those with and without the mutation (22.2 +/- 3.5 v 21.4 +/- 3.2 kg/m2, P = .252). In NIDDM subjects, BMI at the time of study and maximal BMI before the start of treatment did not differ between those with and without the mutation (22.8 +/- 2.6 v 23.2 +/- 3.7 kg/m2, P = .678, and 24.7 +/- 2.6 v 24.9 +/- 3.1 kg/m2, P = .277). Homozygotes for the mutation did not have trends to have increased BMI in either diabetic or nondiabetic subjects. The age at diagnosis of NIDDM also did not differ between the two groups (48.8 +/- 9.9 v 47.8 +/- 12.5 years, P = .796). Fasting serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels and systolic and diastolic blood pressure before the start of treatment did not differ between NIDDM subjects with and without the mutation. In conclusion, although the Trp64Arg mutation is not uncommon in Japanese, it does not appear to be associated with obesity, NIDDM, age at diagnosis of NIDDM, or dyslipidemia. Our results suggest that the mutation has minor effects, if any, on the development of obesity and NIDDM in Japanese.

Adult↗

Quantitative analysis of cyclin D1 messenger RNA expression in head and neck squamous cell carcinomas.

Cyclin D1 is thought to play a critical role in the G1/S phase transition of the cell cycle. Amplification of this gene has been reported in several types of human neoplasms including breast, lung, esophageal, and head and neck tumors. In this study, we have analyzed the relative level of expression of cyclin D1 messenger RNA (mRNA) in fresh specimens of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), and investigated the concordance of the overexpression of cyclin D1 mRNA with gene amplification. Levels of cyclin D1 mRNA were analyzed by a modified method of competitive reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and levels of cyclin D1 gene amplification were evaluated by Southern blot hybridization in a series of 23 matched normal mucosas and HNSCC. Overexpression of cyclin D1 mRNA was observed in 10 of 23 cases (43.5%) of HNSCC, ranging from 2 to 50-fold higher than the normal control. Twelve of 23 cases could be evaluated by Southern blot hybridization, and gene amplification was found in only 2 of 12 cases (16.7%). These findings suggest that cyclin D1 plays an important role in tumorigenesis of HNSCC, and gene amplification is not one of the major mechanisms for overexpression of cyclin D1.

Aged↗

Human urinary macrophage colony-stimulating factor reduces the incidence and duration of febrile neutropenia and shortens the period required to finish three courses of intensive consolidation therapy in acute myeloid leukemia: a double-blind controlled study.

PURPOSE: To determine whether macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) reduces the incidence and duration of febrile neutropenia during three courses of intensive consolidation therapy and whether it shortens time to complete consolidation therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: In 198 adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in complete remission (CR), M-CSF (8 x 10(6) U/d) or placebo was administered from 1 day after the end of each consolidation chemotherapy for 14 days. RESULTS: The duration and incidence of febrile neutropenia was significantly reduced by 34% (P = .00285) and 17% (P = .02065), respectively, in 88 assessable patients in the M-CSF group compared with those in 94 assessable patients in the placebo group. Patients in the M-CSF group had 565 days and 133 episodes of febrile neutropenia during 7,901 days at risk, while patients in the placebo group had 977 days and 185 episodes during 9,077 days at risk. The median period required to finish the three courses of consolidation therapy was 93 days in the M-CSF group, which was significantly shorter than 110 days in placebo group (P = .0050). In the M-CSF group, the recovery of neutrophils and platelets was significantly faster (P = .0348 and P = 0.0364, respectively), the administration of systemic antimicrobial agents tended to be less (P = .0839), and the frequency of platelet transfusion (P = .0259) and the total volume of transfused platelets (P = .0292) were significantly less. However, there was no significant difference in the disease-free survival. CONCLUSION: M-CSF significantly reduced the incidence and duration of febrile neutropenia during the intensive consolidation therapy, and shortened the time to complete consolidation chemotherapy in AML.

Acute Disease↗

Polyclonal B cell chronic lymphoproliferative disease with hairy cell morphology: a case report and clonal studies.

We describe a patient who has a chronic polyclonal B lymphocyte proliferation with a hairy-cell appearance. A 48-year-old Japanese woman with marked splenomegaly, systemic lymphadenopathy, and leukocytosis was referred to out hospital. Laboratory examination revealed marked polyclonal IgG hypergammaglobulinemia. Morphologic examination of the patient's peripheral blood, including May-Giemsa staining and scanning electron microscopy, showed a monotonous proliferation of hairy-appearing mature lymphocytes. An immunophenotypic study revealed an expansion of cells with mature B cell antigens positive for CD11c; however, light-chain restriction was not seen. The lack of both immuno-globulin heavy-chain and T cell receptor gene rearrangements by Southern blot analysis indicated the polyclonal nature of the proliferating B cells. This was confirmed further by a clonal analysis of the patient's lymphocytes using an X-chromosome-linked restriction fragment polymorphism within the X-linked phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) gene. Since chronic B cell lymphoproliferation with a hairy cell appearance has not been described previously, this case might be extremely rare, and has important implication for the pathogenesis of mature B cell lymphoproliferative diseases, including hairy cell leukemia.

B-Lymphocytes↗

Auditory findings in patients with maternally inherited diabetes and deafness harboring a point mutation in the mitochondrial transfer RNA(Leu) (UUR) gene.

Five patients with sensorineural hearing loss, who harbored a point mutation in the mitochondrial transfer RNA (tRNA) gene tRNA(Leu) (UUR), from five unrelated family pedigrees were examined. In these families diabetes and deafness were maternally inherited. Bilateral hearing was more severely impaired at higher frequencies. Audiometric test results revealed that hearing loss involved the cochlea. Hearing gradually deteriorated; the progression rate ranged from 1.5 to 7.9 dB per year. Proportion of mutant mitochondrial DNAs (mtDNAs) in the leukocytes was not related to the rate or degree of hearing loss, although hearing loss appeared at a younger age in patients with higher heteroplasmy. We speculate that after the proportion of damaged mtDNAs, mostly as a result of mutation, exceeds the expression threshold for deficiencies in mitochondrial protein synthesis and oxygen consumption, a drop in adenosine triphosphate level could lead to an imbalance of ion concentration, resulting in cell death in the cochlea.

Adult↗

[Axillo-iliac bypass grafting for reoperation of graft stenosis after aortic arch reconstruction of type B interruption of the aortic arch: two cases report].

Right axillo-iliac bypass grafting was performed in two females (10 and 14 years old) who had stenosis or obstruction of grafts after reconstruction of the aortic arch in type B interruption. The initial bypass operations were carried out at the age of 5 months and 5 years, with the use of a 5-mm EPTFE graft and a 10-mm Dacron graft. Nine years later, the EPTFE graft was completely obstructed, and the Dacron bypass has stenosis, kink and calcification. To minimize surgical invasion, axillo-iliac extra-anatomical bypass was employed in both patients. 8-mm or 10-mm Hemashield grafts were implanted between the right axillar artery and the right common iliac artery through the intrapleural-preperitoneal route, and favourable results were obtained in both patients. The axillo-iliac bypass is considered to be a beneficial conservative method of reoperation for stenosis after graft reconstruction of the aortic arch in the younger age patients.

Adolescent↗

Late appearance of the Philadelphia chromosome with monosomy 7 in a patient with de novo AML with trilineage myelodysplasia.

We report here a patient with de novo acute myelocytic leukemia with trilineage myelodysplasia (AML/TMDS) in whom cytogenetic analysis was normal at diagnosis and in whom Philadelphia chromosome (Ph1) with monosomy 7 emerged at the terminal stage of the disease. Reverse transcription polymerse chain reaction (RT-PCTR) on the Ph1 positive specimen detected the mRNA encoding p190bcr/abl but did not detect mRNA encoding p210bcr/abl. However, mRNA encoding p190bcr/abl was not detected at diagnosis and or at relapse. These observations support the hypothesis that late-appearing Ph1 and monosomy 7 might be the result of clonal evolution during the course of leukemia, and p190bcr/abl might play a role in the terminal transformation or progression of leukemia.

Acute Disease↗

Human GLUT-2 overexpression does not affect glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in MIN6 cells.

Accumulated evidence suggests that GLUT-2, in addition to its role in glucose transport, may also have other functions in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. As a first step in addressing this possibility, we have engineered MIN6 cells overexpressing human GLUT-2 by transfection with human GLUT-2 cDNA. Stable transformants harboring human GLUT-2 cDNA exhibited an approximately twofold increase in 3-O-methyl-D-glucose uptake at 0.5 and 15 mM. Glucokinase activity or glucose utilization measured by conversion of [5-3H]glucose to [3H]H2O was not, however, altered in the MIN6 cells overexpressing human GLUT-2. Furthermore, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion was not affected by over-expression of human GLUT-2. An abundance of GLUT-2, therefore, does not correlate with the glucose responsiveness of cells in which glycolysis is regulated at the glucose phosphorylating step. These data suggest that GLUT-2 by itself does not have significant functions other than its role in glucose transport in glucose sensing by MIN6 cells.

3-O-Methylglucose↗

[Mitral valve plasty for better long term results].

Between July 1991 and January 1995, 74 patients with pure mitral valve regurgitation (MR) underwent mitral valve plasty (MVP) at out institute. Our procedure includes chordal replacement of the anterior leaflet with PTFE sutures (42 patients). There were one hospital death (1.4%) and two late deaths (2.7%) in this series. Only 2 patients (2.7%) needed valve replacement after unsatisfactory repair during the same operation. Late postoperative doppler echocardiographic study (mean follow-up, 12.0 months) showed less than mild regurgitation in 66 patients (95.7%) of 69 patients who are alive. In April 1993 we decided to complete the repair with no or only trivial regurgitant flow by intraoperative transesophageal echodoppler study (TEE). The results have remarkably improved. Late postoperative echodoppler study revealed less than mild reguritant flow in all 49 patients having undergone mitral valve repair with no or trivial regurgitation by intraoperative TEE. It is clear than the TEE study has contributed to the better quality of mitral valve plasty, and we believe that it is important for better long term results to complete mitral valve plasty with no or only trivial regurgitant flow.

Adult↗

[Treatment of 11 cases of pulmonary arteriovenous fistula].

We have experienced a total of 11 patients operated for pulmonary arteriovernous fistula (PAVF) from 1976 to 1993 consisting of three males and eight females with the average age of 35 years. To reserve the pulmonary function, limited resections were applied for all cases (partial resection in 8, fistula excision in 2, and segmentectomy in one case). The most recent case, a 36-year-old female who had two abnormal shadows on her routine chest X-ray, was diagnosed as PAVF by pulmonary arteriogram. She was treated by fistula excision in the right S8 lesion and embolization in the left S1 + 2 lesion. Because of its unsatisfactory natural course, PAVF should be treated aggressively by surgery and/or by embolization according to the size, shape and localization.

Adolescent↗

Replacement of both tryptophan residues at 388 and 412 completely abolished cytochalasin B photolabelling of the GLUT1 glucose transporter.

A mutated GLUT1 glucose transporter, a Trp-388, 412 mutant whose tryptophans 388 and 412 were both replaced by leucines, was constructed by site-directed mutagenesis and expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells. Glucose transport activity was decreased to approx. 30% in the Trp-388, 412 mutant compared with that in the wild type, a similar decrease in transport activity had been observed previously in the Trp-388 mutant and the Trp-412 mutant which had leucine at 388 and 412 respectively. Cytochalasin B labelling of the Trp-388 mutant was only decreased rather than abolished, a result similar to that obtained previously for the Trp-412 mutant. Cytochalasin B labelling was finally abolished completely in the Trp-388, 412 mutant, while cytochalasin B binding to this mutant was decreased to approx. 30% of that of the wild-type GLUT1 at the concentration used for photolabelling. This level of binding is thought to be adequate to detect labelling, assuming that the labelling efficiency of these transporters is similar. These findings suggest that cytochalasin B binds to the transmembrane domain of the glucose transporter in the vicinity of helix 10-11, and is inserted covalently by photoactivation at either the 388 or the 412 site.

Animals↗

Overexpression of hexokinase I but not GLUT1 glucose transporter alters concentration dependence of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion in pancreatic beta-cell line MIN6.

The recently established pancreatic beta-cell line MIN6 retains the ability to secrete insulin in response to physiological glucose concentrations. To investigate the role of glucose transport and phosphorylation in glucose-stimulated insulin secretion by beta-cells, MIN6 cells were stably transfected with a rabbit GLUT1 glucose transporter cDNA or a rat hexokinase I cDNA cloned in an expression vector. Overexpression of GLUT1 increased 3-O-methylglucose uptake, but did not alter either glucose utilization or glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. In contrast, clones overexpressing hexokinase I exhibited enhanced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion at glucose concentrations below 10 mM with a concomitant increase in glucose utilization. Maximal insulin secretion as well as the maximal rate of glucose utilization were not altered in these clones. Insulin secretion stimulated by 2-ketoisocaproate, a non-glucose secretagogue, was not affected by hexokinase I expression. These results strongly suggest that the glucose phosphorylating step, but not glucose transport step, regulates glucose-stimulated insulin secretion by modulating the glycolytic rate in the beta-cell.

3-O-Methylglucose↗

Mitochondrial diabetes mellitus: prevalence and clinical characterization of diabetes due to mitochondrial tRNA(Leu(UUR)) gene mutation in Japanese patients.

Mutations in the mitochondrial gene were recently identified in a large pedigree of diabetes mellitus and deafness. As the mitochondrial gene is materially inherited, Japanese diabetic patients whose mothers were also diabetic were screened, using peripheral leucocytes, for an A to G transition at nucleotide pair 3243 of the mitochondrial gene, a tRNA(Leu(UUR)) mutation. This mutation was identified in four pedigrees from among 300 unrelated patients who were screened. Diabetes co-segregated with the mutation, except in one young subject, and was maternally inherited. The apparent onset of disease occurred between 11 and 68 years of age. Some of the affected members developed hearing impairment and congestive heart failure due to cardiomyopathy, though generally long after the onset of diabetes, and these patients had therefore not been diagnosed as having a specific form of diabetes. The duration of sulphonyl-urea treatment was not more than 8 years in these pedigrees and affected members were prone to progression to insulin-requiring diabetes. Thus, these patients were secondary sulphonylurea failures. Long-term follow-up revealed that the underlying disorder in affected members is a progressive impairment of insulin secretion. Some were initially diagnosed as having IDDM based on an apparent acute onset in youth and the clinical severity of their diabetes. Others were regarded as having MODY with an aggressive course. The mitochondrial gene mutation or diabetes is not transmitted to all offspring of the affected mothers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗