Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

K Yagi

Publications and source records attributed to K Yagi.

At least 541 records · Page 30Linked to original sources
PubMed1986

Molecular evolution of mammalian lactate dehydrogenase-A genes and pseudogenes: association of a mouse processed pseudogene with a B1 repetitive sequence.

A mouse genomic clone containing a lactate dehydrogenase-A (LDH-A) processed pseudogene and a B1 repetitive element was isolated, and a nucleotide sequence of approximately 3 kb was determined. The pseudogene and B1 element are flanked by perfect 13-bp repeats, and the B1 sequence starts at 14 nucleotides 3' to the presumptive polyadenylation signal of the pseudogene. The nucleotide sequences of the LDH-A genes and processed pseudogenes from mouse, rat, and human were compared, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed. The rate and pattern of nucleotide substitutions in the LDH-A pseudogenes are similar to previously reported results (Li et al. 1984). The average rate of nucleotide substitutions in the LDH-A pseudogenes is 4.3 X 10(-9)/site/year. The substitutions of C----T and G----A are most frequent, and A----G substitutions are relatively high. The rate of synonymous substitutions in the LDH-A genes is 5.3 X 10(-9), which is not significantly higher than the average rate of 4.7 X 10(-9) for 35 mammalian genes. The rate of nonsynonymous substitutions in the LDH-A genes is 0.20 X 10(-9), which is considerably lower than the average rate of 0.88 X 10(-9) for 35 mammalian genes. Thus, the mammalian LDH-A gene appears to be highly conserved in evolution.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Functional partial epilepsies in childhood.

Out of the 314 children with partial epilepsies below the age of 15 who had been followed for more than 5 years, 122 children with functional partial epilepsies (FPE) were the subjects of this study. The specific modality of interictal EEG findings reminiscent of that of the Rolandic spikes (Dalla Bernardina, 1982, 1984) was compared between functional and organic partial epilepsies. The results were: 1) One hundred and twenty-two patients were found to have FPE out of a total of 314 patients (39%). 2) Fifty-five patients were diagnosed as typical benign epilepsy of children with centro-temporal EEG foci (BECCT) of the 122 functional cases (45%). The remaining 67 patients who defied the diagnostic criteria of BECCT were; 9 cases with frontal EEG focus (7%), 11 cases with central and/or midtemporal EEG foci (9%), 10 cases with occipital EEG focus (8%) and 14 cases with multiple foci (11%). 3) Unfavorable seizure control was observed in cases with frontal foci (44%) and with multiple EEG foci (64%) compared with those whose EEG focus was located in the centro-midtemporal area, (including BECCT; 98%) and in the occipital region (80%). 4) It was noteworthy that the recurrent interictal spikes similar to those of the Rolandic spikes (Dalla Bernardina) were found in more than 50% of the patients not only with functional but with organic partial epilepsies. Our results, at least at the present time, appear to indicate that the recurrent spikes never did signify the benignancy of the seizure prognosis. The importance of differential diagnosis of BECCT from FPE was specifically stressed.

Brain↗
PubMed1986

Synthesis and secretion of protein by hepatocytes entrapped within calcium alginate.

The ability of entrapped hepatocytes to secrete plasma proteins was examined for the purpose of developing a biological artificial liver. Hepatocytes were isolated from adult rat liver by perfusion with collagenase. Isolated hepatocytes were entrapped within calcium alginate. The entrapped cells induced tyrosine aminotransferase (TAT) in the presence of dexamethasone and dibutyryl-cyclic AMP and retained the ability to induce TAT for 7 days. Moreover, entrapped cells could synthesize and secrete a biologically active form of coagulation Factor II, prothrombin. Two plasma proteins, lecithin: cholesterol acyltransferase and cholinesterase, were also secreted into the medium. Thus, hepatocytes within calcium alginate showed liver-specific characteristics, and these activities were almost comparable with those of monolayer-cultured cells.

Alginates↗
PubMed1986

Effect of x-ray irradiation on lipid peroxide levels in the rat submandibular gland.

We examined the effect of local x-ray irradiation on the changes in the lipid peroxide level in submandibular gland, liver, and blood plasma. Rats five weeks of age received a single low dose of 3 Gy x-ray irradiation to their neck regions. The lipid peroxide level in the submandibular gland was significantly enhanced at seven days after irradiation, as was the level in the blood plasma at two hours, seven and 14 days after irradiation. The lipid peroxide level in the liver decreased, as compared with levels in the controls. There was a slight tendency for acinar cells of the submandibular gland to show pyknosis and anomalous nuclei within three days after irradiation. These results suggest that radiation injury results in an elevation of the lipid peroxides in the submandibular gland, and an increased level in the blood.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Potentiation of vasopressin secretion by footshocks in rats.

Effects of footshocks (FS) on antidiuretic hormone (vasopressin, VP) in the plasma were studied in rats. Continuously applied FS of 60 s period with 5 ms pulses at 50 Hz frequency significantly increased VP as well as adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) in the plasma in a time- and shock intensity-dependent manner. Contrarily, the 50 Hz FS of 2 s period as repeated intermittently at every 15 s for over the period of 2, 10, and 30 min were much less effective for increasing plasma VP, whereas these intermittent FS increased plasma ACTH to an extremely high level. During the inter-shock intervals of 13 s between successive two shock periods rats exhibited a "freezing" behavior. Hypertonic saline or urethane injected I.P. immediately after termination of the intermittent FS significantly increased VP as well as ACTH in the plasma. These data clearly indicate that FS potentiate VP secretion and suggest the possibility that emotional stress may suppress the noxious stimuli-induced VP secretion.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1986

Suppression of vasopressin secretion by classically conditioned stimuli in rats.

The possibility that emotional stress suppresses footshock-induced secretion of antidiuretic hormone (VP) was tested in rats by a classical conditioning paradigm. As a training trial, rats received a flash and a brief sound (2 kHz, 0.5 s) as conditioned stimuli (CS) followed by footshocks (FS, 5 ms pulses of 3 mA intensity, 50 Hz) for 1 s period as unconditioned stimuli. Rats were trained by 100 trials repeated at an interval of 6 s. A various length of time after the training, rats were tested by CS repeated at an interval of 15 s for the period of 120 s and FS of 60 s period, which started 60 s after the CS onset. Testing CS further augmented FS-induced increase in plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) but suppressed FS-induced increase in plasma VP in a time-dependent manner. The CS also increased the degree of an inhibition of motor behavior known as "freezing" behavior. Augmentation of ACTH response and suppression of VP response to testing FS were dependent on the training shock intensity. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that VP secretion is potentiated by physical but suppressed by emotional stress.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Parvocellular neurosecretory neurons: converging inputs after saphenous nerve and hypovolemic stimulations in the rat.

Effects of saphenous nerve stimulation and hemorrhage on discharge activity of parvocellular neurosecretory (PC) cells of the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN) were studied in anesthetized rats. The PC cells were identified in the PVN with the criteria that units recorded in the PVN showed an antidromically conducted spike after median eminence but not after posterior pituitary stimulation of 0.45 mA intensity and were demonstrated histologically to be located in the parvocellular regions of the PVN. Saphenous nerve stimulation at 4 Hz repetition and of 3 mA intensity increased the discharge rate of 13 of the 52 PC cells tested. These excited cells exhibited a synaptically mediated excitation during post-stimulus period on peristimulus time histograms constructed during 1 Hz stimulation. Hemorrhage (4 ml/kg b.w.) activated 7 of the 10 PC cells tested which had been excited by saphenous nerve stimulation. Both saphenous nerve stimulation and hemorrhage increased immunoreactive adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) in the plasma in the anesthetized rats. These data support the view that synergistic potentiation of ACTH secretion reported to occur after noxious and hypovolemic stimuli depends at least in part on the interaction between afferent neural signals originating from noxious and cardiovascular receptors on their way up to corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-secreting PVN neurons.

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗
PubMed1986

Translation of messenger RNA of pig kidney D-amino acid oxidase in a cell-free system.

In vitro synthesis of D-amino acid oxidase [D-amino acid: O2 oxidoreductase (deaminating), EC 1.4.3.3], one of the peroxisomal flavin enzymes, was performed using a rabbit reticulocyte lysate system in order to elucidate the biosynthetic pathway of the enzyme. The apparent molecular weight of the synthesized enzyme protein was the same as that of D-amino acid oxidase purified from pig kidney. On the other hand, the enzyme protein was not detectable when a wheat germ lysate system was used for the translation. Denaturation of pig kidney poly(A)+ RNA with methylmercury hydroxide prior to the translation was found to enhance the synthesis of the enzyme protein. These results suggest a tight conformational structure of the mRNA used.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Opiate receptor binding characteristics of dimeric analogues of mu-selective DAGO-enkephalin.

DAGO-enkephalin ([ D-Ala2, MePhe4, Gly-ol5]enkephalin), a highly selective ligand for mu opiate receptors, was dimerized with a series of alpha,omega-alkanedioic acids (n = 2-12) at the OH-terminus. In the radioligand receptor binding assays with rat brain, most of the DAGO-enkephalin dimers with cross-linking methylene chain n (DEDn) were more potent than DAGO monomer. For delta receptors, affinity of DEDn was maximized with n = 8, which might be related to an optimal distance between two binding sites. For mu receptors, an increase in chain length resulted in a progressive loss of potency. Although all of DEDn are considerably mu-selective, with a mu/delta ratio of 15-50, DEDn exhibited fairly flat binding curves with 15-50% smaller sloped than that of DAGO, suggesting that the dimers interact more strongly with one of the possible two mu binding sites.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Serum lipid peroxide levels of albino rats administered naphthalene.

When naphthalene was administered at a daily dose of 1 g/kg body weight to Wistar strain rats, their serum lipid peroxide levels were increased on the 4th day after the first administration and reached a maximum on the 7th day. This seems to be due to lipid peroxidation in the liver, in which lipid peroxide levels were increased in a similar pattern as those in the serum. The content of reduced glutathione in lenses of naphthalene-administered rats decreased on the 4th day. These results suggest that in naphthalene-induced cataract in albino rats increased lipid peroxides in the bloodstream may play a role in cataractogenesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Effect of adriamycin entrapped by sulfatide-containing liposomes on ovarian tumor-bearing nude mice.

Sulfatide-containing liposomes showed the highest degree of adriamycin entrapment of all the liposomes tested. Adriamycin was bound to the sulfatide anions on the liposomal membrane, inserted into the membrane, and incorporated into the aqueous compartment of the vesicle. Liposome-entrapped adriamycin was maintained at a much higher blood level than free adriamycin, and reached a lower concentration in the heart than did the free drug, which might lead to lower cardiotoxicity of the drug. Incorporation of adriamycin into ovarian tumor transplanted into nude mice was increased when entrapped by the sulfatide-containing liposomes. Liposome-entrapped adriamycin did not induce the drastic loss of body weight which occurred with the free drug. The growth of ovarian tumor was inhibited by liposome-entrapped adriamycin to the same degree as free adriamycin. Having these advantages, sulfatide-containing liposomes could be useful carriers of adriamycin for cancer chemotherapy.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Inhibitory effect of female hormones on lipid peroxidation.

The female hormones estradiol, estrone, and estriol acted as antioxidants in the peroxidation of methyl linoleate by UV irradiation. All of them inhibited the peroxidation of microsomal lipids when they were added to the ADP-Fe3+ peroxidation system of rat liver microsomes. The efficiencies in the microsomal system were in the order of estradiol greater than estriol greater than estrone.

Animals↗