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Biomedical subjects

M Abe

Publications and source records attributed to M Abe.

At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Cytotoxic effect of conjugated trienoic fatty acids on mouse tumor and human monocytic leukemia cells.

The cytotoxicity of fatty acids from seed oils containing conjugated linolenic acids (CLN) was studied. Fatty acids from pomegranate, tung, and catalpa were cytotoxic to human monocytic leukemia cells at concentrations exceeding 5 microM for pomegranate and tung and 10 microM for catalpa, but fatty acids from pot marigold oil had no effect at concentrations ranging up to 163 microM. The main conjugated fatty acids of pomegranate, tung, catalpa, and pot marigold were cis(c)9,trans(t)11,c13-CLN (71.7%), c9,t11,t13-CLN (70.1%), t9,t11,c13-CLN (31.3%), and t8,t10,c12-CLN (33.4%), respectively. Therefore, the cytotoxicities of fatty acids from pomegranate, tung, and catalpa were supposed to be due to 9,11,13-CLN isomers. To elucidate the cytotoxicity of these CLN, we separated each CLN isomer from the fatty acid mixtures by high-performance liquid chromatography and analyzed its cytotoxicity. The cytotoxicities of c9,t11,c13-CLN, c9,t11,t13-CLN, and t9,t11,c13-CLN were much stronger than that of t8,t10,c12-CLN. Therefore, the higher cytotoxicity of fatty acids from pomegranate, tung, and catalpa than those from pot marigold would be derived from the different activities of 9,11,13-CLN and 8,10,12-CLN. Since there was little difference in the cytotoxicities of c9,t11,c13-CLN,c9,t11,t13-CLN, and t9,t11,c13-CLN, it is suggested that the cis/trans configuration of 9,11,13-CLN isomers had little effect on their cytotoxic effects. The mechanism of the cytotoxicity of the four fatty acids above may involve lipid peroxidation, because the order of toxicity of the fatty acids was consistent with their susceptibility to peroxidation in aqueous phase. This was supported by the decrease in the cytotoxicity of the fatty acids by addition of butylated hydroxytoluene.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Endoscopic findings of radiation esophagitis in concurrent chemoradiotherapy for intrathoracic malignancies.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The incidence and extent of radiation esophagitis were assessed endoscopically in patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Eighty-two patients who received thoracic radiotherapy for lung, thymic, or esophageal cancer were investigated endoscopically from July 1991 to the end of 1997. Among them, 23 esophageal cancer patients were treated with radiation alone, and the others were treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Esophageal endoscopy was performed during or just after radiotherapy. The presence of radiation esophagitis was assessed and assigned an endoscopic score (i.e. grade 0 for normal, 1 for erythema, 2 for erosion or sloughing, 3 for ulcer, hemorrhage, or stricture). The symptomatic grade was assessed using the RTOG (Radiation Therapy Oncology Group) acute radiation morbidity score. RESULTS: A correlation was seen between endoscopic and RTOG scores. However, even some patients with RTOG grade 0 to 1 had endoscopic grade 3 esophagitis. Endoscopic grade 3 was observed in 16 (27.1%) patients in the concurrent chemoradiotherapy group, whereas it did not occur in any patient in the radiation alone group (P=0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that (1) RTOG score correlates closely to esophageal mucosal damage, and (2) more severe esophagitis occurs in those undergoing concurrent chemoradiotherapy than those undergoing radiotherapy alone [corrected].

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Induction of cytokine production and proliferation of memory lymphocytes by murine liver dendritic cell progenitors: role of these progenitors as immunogenic resident antigen-presenting cells in the liver.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Many pathogenic organisms, including hepatotrophic viruses enter the liver and induce an immune response, but there is little information about the immunogenic resident antigen-presenting cells. The aim of this study was to determine whether dendritic cells in the liver are immunogenic antigen-presenting cells. METHODS: Liver dendritic cell progenitors were enriched from normal C57BL/6 mice by culturing non-parenchymal cells with granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor for 7 days. Then the surface antigen (MHC class II, CD86) expression, endocytic capacity, ability to induce cytokines, and the proliferation of memory lymphocytes were investigated. RESULTS: Freshly enriched liver dendritic cell progenitors exhibited an immature phenotype and failed to stimulate allogenic T cells. However, the progenitors underwent maturation following exposure to antigens such as hepatitis B surface antigen and keyhole limpet hemocyanin. The progenitors then became strong stimulators of allogenic T cells, supported the production of interleukin-12 and interferon-gamma, and induced the proliferation of antigen-specific memory lymphocytes. CONCLUSIONS: Dendritic cell progenitors are immunogenic resident antigen-presenting cells in the liver. Simultaneous investigation of both tolerogenic and immunogenic resident antigen-presenting cells may provide insights into the pathogenesis of persistent infection and autoimmmune diseases of the liver.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Inhibition effects of gangliosides G(M1), G(D1a) and G(T1b) on base-catalyzed isomerization of prostaglandin A(2).

Micellar inhibition effect of gangliosides on a degradation of drug was investigated, where ganglioside G(M1) (GM1), G(D1a) (GD1a) and G(T1b) (GTlb) whose sialic acid residue is one, two and three, respectively, were used. The base-catalyzed isomerization of prostaglandin A(2) (PGA(2)) to prostaglandin B(2) (PGB(2)) was chosen as a model experiment. The rate for the isomerization of PGA(2) was determined by measuring the concentration of PGA(2) (and PGB(2)) with a high-performance liquid chromatography. Gangliosides micelles inhibited the isomerization of PGA(2). The inhibition effect of GT1b micelles was larger than that of GD1a micelles. This result would be due to the larger absolute value of surface potential of GT1b micelles, which brings about a larger electrostatic repulsion between micellar surface and OH(-). The terminal sialic acid residue of ganglioside was effective to inhibit the isomerization of PGA(2). GM1 micelles without terminal sialic acid residue but with large aggregation number exhibited a superior steric shielding effect rather than an electrostatically repulsive effect. The inhibition effect of GM1 micelles was enhanced by the mixed micellization with the other ganglioside with a terminal sialic acid residue. GM1-GD1a or GM1-GT1b mixed micelles remarkably inhibited the isomerization of PGA(2). The physiological activity of PGs in the biological membranes containing gangliosides was also discussed.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2001

Demonstration of downregulation of alpha-smooth muscle actin in interferon-gamma-treated myofibroblast by a novel cell-capture enzyme immunoassay.

We developed a simple method for determining the relative amount of alpha-smooth muscle actin (alphaSMA) produced in fibroblasts. The principle of the method is based on an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for alphaSMA in microcultured fibroblasts. The optimized protocol of the assay is as follows. Human fibroblasts were cultured with transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFbeta1) in a microtiter plate and directly immobilized on the plate. The alphaSMA produced was labeled and subjected to indirect enzyme immunoassay using alkaline phosphatase, and optical density was measured. Semiquantitativeness was confirmed using various numbers of cells in which alphaSMA production was induced by treatment with TGFbeta1. The assay simply demonstrated that interferon-gamma (INF-gamma) inhibited the production of alphaSMA in an established cell line and that in primary cultured cells originated from the contractile nodule. Since the assay is simple and semi-quantitative, it is useful for elucidating the mechanism of contractile diseases and screening a large number of substances that have an inhibitory effect on the change in activity of myofibroblasts.

Actins↗
PubMed2001

cDNA microarray analysis of the gene expression profile of VEGF-activated human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the most important factors that stimulate angiogenesis and vascular permeability. To clarify the role of VEGF, we analysed a human cDNA chip containing 7267 human genes to identify genes induced by VEGF in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). One hundred thirty-nine cDNAs, including ninety-nine previously known and forty poorly characterized or novel sequences, were increased more than two-fold by VEGF within twenty-four hours of stimulation. Among them, only five are known to regulate angiogenesis: cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2), heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor, early growth response 1 (EGR 1), CYR61, and angiopoietin 2. Fifty-three genes induced within the first two hours were thought to be directly induced by VEGF. Of these, Down syndrome candidate region 1 (maximum induction = 6.1-fold) was the most profoundly induced, followed by Mifl (KIAA0025; 5.5-fold), COX2 (4.7-fold), EGR 3 (3.7-fold), EGR 2 (3.2-fold), bactericidal/permeability-increasing protein (3.1-fold), and CD1B antigen, b polypeptide (3.1-fold). In addition to the genes mentioned above, there were many poorly characterized or novel genes induced by VEGF. Further analysis of these genes may aid in the elucidation of the molecular mechanisms of angiogenesis or vascular permeability stimulated by VEGF.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2001

Induction of collagenase-2 (matrix metalloproteinase-8) gene expression by interleukin-1beta in human gingival fibroblasts.

Collagenase-2 (matrix metalloproteinase-8 or MMP-8) is synthesized mainly by polymorphonuclear neutrophils and plays a crucial role in inflammatory periodontal tissue destruction. We tested the effect of interleukin(IL)-1beta, a proinflammatory cytokine, on collagenase-2 gene expression in cultured human gingival fibroblasts and also compared this effect with IL-1beta-induced changes in collagenase-1 and -3 gene expression. By a combination of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Southern analysis, IL-1beta was found to dose-dependently induce gene expression for collagenase-1, -2, and -3 in gingival fibroblasts. Although collagenase-2 mRNA was the least abundant among the three collagenase mRNAs tested in the cultured fibroblast system, addition of 1 ng/ml IL-1beta significantly increased collagenase-2 gene transcription within 6 h, and maximal stimulation was maintained for 12 to 48 h. Significant mRNA induction was observed with as little as 0.1 ng/ml IL-1beta. IL-1beta was also found to increase the stability of collagenase-2 mRNAs after transcription arrest was induced by an RNA polymerase inhibitor. Stimulation of collagenase-2 mRNA expression by IL-1beta was prevented by pretreatment with cycloheximide, an inhibitor of protein synthesis. These results indicate that IL-1beta increased mRNA expression for collagenases including collagenase-2 in gingival fibroblasts. The findings also suggest that enhancement of collagenase-2 mRNA expression by IL-1beta involves both protein synthesis and suppression of mRNA degradation.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed2001

Analysis of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene variable region of CD5-positive and -negative diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

We analyzed nucleotide sequence and intraclonal diversity of the rearranged immunoglobulin heavy chain gene variable region (VH gene) of CD5+ and CD5- diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) to clarify the cell origin of de novo CD5+ DLBCL. Ten cases of CD5+ DLBCL and 29 cases of CD5- DLBCL were analyzed. The frequencies of somatic mutation were 0.7 to 12.9% (average, 6.2%) in CD5+ DLBCL and 2.0 to 25.9% (average, 11.1%) in CD5- DLBCL. The ongoing mutation rate was estimated from the number of further single base-substitutions, expressed as a percentage of the total number of nucleotides in 10 cloned PCR products for each case (%). The averages of the ongoing mutation rate of CD5+ DLBCL (four cases) and CD5 DLBCL (seven cases) were 0.051% and 0.197%, respectively. The rate of CD5+ DLBCL was significantly lower than that of CD5- DLBCL (t-test, P = 0.024). These data may indicate that the cell origin of CD5+ DLBCL is different from that of CD5- DLBCL. CD5 is not an activated antigen in DLBCL, but a specific marker of the B1 subset of the B cells, and de novo CD5+ DLBCL may therefore be derived from this unique subset.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Usefulness of lanoconazole (Astat) cream in the treatment of hyperkeratotic type tinea pedis. Comparative study of monotherapy and combination therapy with 10% urea ointment (Pastaron).

Hyperkeratotic type tinea pedis is a refractory type of superficial dermatomycosis. Treatment for hyperkeratotic type tinea pedis is mainly with oral antimycotics, such as griseofulvin, and healing is generally considered to be difficult with only topical antimycotics. In this randomized comparative study, the usefulness of a topical application of 1% lanoconazole cream (Astat) monotherapy (group I) was compared with that of combination therapy with 1% lanoconazole cream and 10% urea ointment (Pastaron) (group II) in a series of patients with hyperkeratotic type tinea pedis. The clinical improvement rates (percentage of 'marked improvement' plus 'moderate improvement') was 70.0% in group I and 95.7% in group II. The fungal eradication rate was 5.0% in group I and 43.5% in group II after 4 weeks of treatment, and was 70.0% and 95.7% after 12 weeks of treatment, respectively. The usefulness rate (percentage of 'very useful' plus 'useful') was 70% in group I and 95.7% in group II. Both lanoconazole monotherapy and the combination therapy with 10% urea ointment were highly effective and safe. Both treatments should be recommended for patients with hyperkeratotic type tinea pedis for whom an oral treatment is not appropriate or for whom a sufficient improvement with oral medications cannot be expected.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed2001

Butenafine hydrochloride (Mentax) cream for the treatment of hyperkeratotic type tinea pedis and its transfer into the horny layer, with or without concomitant application of 20% urea ointment (Keratinamin).

Forty-five patients were divided into two groups: group I, 23 patients, treated with butenafine hydrochloride (Mentax) cream alone, and group II, 22 patients, treated with butenafine hydrochloride and 20% urea ointment (Keratinamin) to evaluate the usefulness of the treatments. We also measured the transfer of these drugs to the horny layer in some patients. The clinical improvement rate of dermatological symptoms (marked improvement + improvement) was 91.3% in group I, 100% in group II, with therapeutic effects evident earlier in group II than in group I. The mycological eradication rate was found to be 47.4% in group I, 50.0% in group II after 4 weeks of treatment, and 81.8 and 87.5% at 12 weeks thereaftcr. respectively, with no adverse reactions found. The clinical utility rate (markedly useful + useful) was 91.3% in group I and 86.4% in group II. These results demonstrate that application of butenafine hydrochloride alone was extremely effective for the treatment of hyperkeratotic-type tinea pedis and that combination application with urea ointment resulted in an earlier improvement of dermatological symptoms. The concentration of butenafine in the horny layer from healthy volunteers reached a steady state in both groups I and II at 2 weeks after the application, with a lower concentration found in group II (about 70 ng mg(-1)) than in group I (about 100 ng,mg(-1)). Although some variations in concentration were found in case by case, patients in whom the treatment was determined to be 'markedly effective and effective' showed the increase in concentration of the drug in the lesional horny layer to be directly proportional to the number of days of treatment, with a lower concentration found in group II than in group I. This trend was also seen in healthy volunteers.

Administration, Topical↗
PubMed2001

Interleukin-1 beta enhances and interferon-gamma suppresses activin A actions by reciprocally regulating activin A and follistatin secretion from bone marrow stromal fibroblasts.

Activin A is a multi-functional cytokine with a potent stimulation on erythroid cell differentiation in the bone marrow. The actions of activin A are determined by a balance of the levels of activin A and its inhibitor, follistatin (FS). However, the regulation of its actions in the bone marrow has been unclear. Here we show that bone marrow-derived stromal fibroblasts are the major source of activin A and FS in the bone marrow, and that the production of activin A is enhanced by interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), whereas interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) inhibits the secretion of activin A by stromal fibroblasts. Concomitantly, IL-1beta as well as LPS inhibits and IFN-gamma stimulates FS secretion from stromal fibroblasts. Thus, these cytokines potently regulate activin A actions by reciprocal modulation of activin A and FS secretion from stromal fibroblasts. Because activin A exhibits anti-inflammatory effects in various tissues, up-regulation of activin A actions by IL-1beta and endotoxin in the bone marrow may play a protective role against inflammatory processes as well as anaemia. The present results also suggest that the inhibitory effect of IFN-gamma on erythropoiesis is mediated at least in part by a suppression of activin A actions in bone marrow.

Activins↗
PubMed2001

Peripheral blood T-cell responses to pyruvate dehydrogenase complex in primary biliary cirrhosis: role of antigen-presenting dendritic cells.

Patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) are usually characterized by the presence of antibody to pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) in the sera and PDC-specific T cells in the liver. However, most of the patients with PBC do not show peripheral blood T cells response to PDC. In this study, we re-evaluated the peripheral blood T cell responses to PDC in PBC using antigen-presenting dendritic cells (DCs). Twenty-four patients with PBC (AMA-positive: 16; AMA-negative: 8) and 13 normal controls were enrolled in the study. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and highly enriched populations of T cells were stimulated with either only PDC or DCs plus PDC or PDC-pulsed DC plus PDC. Antibodies to different components of PDC were estimated by an immunoblotting technique. PBMC from only one out of ten AMA-positive PBC patients proliferated when cultured with only PDC. However, peripheral blood T cells from ten out of ten AMA-positive PBC patients and three out of ten AMA-negative PBC patients, but none of the five normal controls showed PDC-specific proliferation when cultured with PDC-pulsed DCs. Two of these three AMA-negative PBC patients, although negative for AMA, were positive for antibodies to other components of PDC. PDC-specific T cells are present in the peripheral blood from most of the patients with PBC. This is the first report on the effectiveness of antigen-pulsed DCs for the elucidation of autoantigen-specific immune response in human autoimmune diseases.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Comparative study of maxillary complete dentures constructed of metal base and metal structure framework.

A removable denture designed using a three-dimensional cast metal framework (hereafter referred to as the 'structurally designed' denture) could extend denture longevity because it is unbreakable and easy to adjust. The aim of the present clinical study was to compare two types of maxillary removable dentures: conventional dentures and structurally designed denture. One edentulous and five partially dentate patients were fitted with two maxillary dentures made from the same impression and same occlusal relationship. About 20 days after delivery of the denture, masticatory analysis was conducted chewing phase (open, closed, and occluded); coefficients of variation and average variation were calculated. Denture vibration during tapping was then measured using an accelerometer. The patients were also interviewed about comfort, ease of chewing, speech, stability, aesthetics and preference for regular use. For both masticatory movements and denture vibration, there were no significant differences (P>0.1) between the conventional denture and the structural design denture. In evaluating the dentures according to each criteria, the significant superiority of one denture over the other could not be determined. However, all patients subjectively preferred the structurally designed dentures for regular use. According to these findings, structurally designed dentures do not appear to have any particular physiological problems as compared with the conventional dentures.

Acceleration↗
PubMed2001

Identification of a cis-regulatory element for L1 layer-specific gene expression, which is targeted by an L1-specific homeodomain protein.

The Arabidopsis thaliana PROTODERMAL FACTOR1 (PDF1) gene encoding a putative extracellular proline-rich protein is exclusively expressed in the L1 layer of shoot apices and the protoderm of organ primordia. In order to identify essential cis-regulatory sequences required for the L1 layer-specific expression, a series of 5' deletions of the PDF1 promoter were fused to the beta-glucronidase (GUS) gene and introduced into Arabidopsis plants. Our analysis revealed that the minimum region necessary to confer L1-specific expression of PDF1 is confined within a 260-bp fragment upstream of the transcription start site. We identified an 8-bp motif in this region that is conserved between promoter regions of all the L1-specific genes so far cloned, and we designated it the L1 box. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that the L1-specific homeodomain protein ATML1 can bind to the L1 box sequence in vitro. The GUS expression in transgenic plants disappeared when a mutation that abolishes binding of ATML1 was introduced into the PDF1 l1 box sequence of the construct. These results suggest that the L1 box plays a crucial role in the regulation of PDF1 expression in L1 cells and that ATML1 could cooperate to drive L1-specific expression.

Arabidopsis↗
PubMed2001

An autopsy case of hemilaterally dominant and systematic/extensive border zone infarction: sequela of preceding atherosclerotic obstruction of one common carotid artery followed by repeated episodes of systemic hypotension.

A 68-year-old man was admitted to St Marianna University Hospital on account of loss of consciousness with left hemiplegia. During the hospital recovery course with a rehabilitation procedure, the patient's blood pressure was very unstable, fluctuating between high (210/110 mmHg) and low (110/70 mmHg) values accompanied by a fainting sensation. A second stroke of left hemiplegia took place 1 month later. Afterwards, his condition worsened to tetraplegia with dysarthria. Three months later, lung cancer with multiple metastasis including his left neck was found and he died from adynamic ileus 6 months after the onset of the present illness. Autopsy revealed nearly complete atheromatous obstruction and more than 50% stenosis, respectively, of his right common and internal/external carotid arteries. His intracranial arterial trunks and main branches were all patent with localized atherosclerosis of only moderate degree. The pathology of the brain existed predominantly in the right hemisphere in the border zone area between the anterior and middle cerebral arteries systematically with numerous disseminated foci of complete or incomplete necrosis, white matter and gray matter being involved independently. Involvement of centrum semiovale white matter is more extensive and intensive than that of gray matter. Of the gray matter, cerebral cortex as well as striatum, periventricular (the third ventricle) gray and cerebellar cortex was involved. The specific characteristic topography and distribution of the lesions together with their histopathology are described in detail with illustration. It is concluded that this case represents an outstanding example of hemodynamic cerebral circulatory insufficiency doubly caused by hemilateral carotid artery stenosis and repeated episodes of systemic hypotension.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Warthin-like tumor variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma: case report and literature review.

A tumor approximately 4.0 x 3.0 cm in size with a cystic change was observed in the left lobe of the thyroid gland of a 52-year-old woman. The removed tumor had lymph follicle formation with a germinal center. This lymphatic tissue showed papillary and island-like growth; the growths were surrounded by atypical epithelium showing nuclear features of papillary carcinoma. The atypical epithelium had ground-glass nuclei with nuclear grooves, clearly indicating intranuclear cytoplasmic inclusion bodies. No chronic thyroiditis was observed in the background of the patient. Parts of the metastatic lymph nodes had cells with an eosinophilic cytoplasm, clearly showing an intratumor lymph follicle formation, as in the primary lesion. This is a rare case of thyroid papillary carcinoma similar to Warthin's tumor of the salivary gland. Here we present this case, with a review of previously published reports.

Adenolymphoma↗