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Biomedical subjects

M Ando

Publications and source records attributed to M Ando.

At least 1,027 records · Page 57Linked to original sources

Formaldehyde dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas putida: a zinc metalloenzyme.

The NAD+-dependent formaldehyde dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas putida C-83 was found to contain 4 gram atoms of zinc per mol, corresponding to 2 gram atoms of zinc per subunit monomer. Treatment of the enzyme with o-phenanthroline resulted in removal of 1 gram atom of zinc per subunit and caused a complete inactivation of the enzyme. The activity lost was restored by the addition of zinc ions, by which the zinc content was also reversed to almost the same level as that of the native enzyme. Another zinc atom that was resistant to metal chelator-treatment was liberated from the enzyme only after the irreversible denaturation of the enzyme. These results indicate that the formaldehyde dehydrogenase of P. putida is a zinc metalloenzyme and one of two zinc atoms per subunit participates in the catalytic activity of the enzyme, another zinc being presumably involved in maintaining the native conformation of the enzyme. Treatment of the enzyme with bipyridine also caused a reversible inactivation of the enzyme, but the zinc content remained unchanged. The spectrophotometric analysis indicated that the formation of a enzyme-Zn-bipyridine complex took place. Incubation of the enzyme with p-chloromercuribenzoate also resulted in a complete loss of the activity. These results suggest that an intrinsic zinc and sulfhydryl group together with NAD+ participate in the dehydrogenation reaction of substrate by the enzyme.

Aldehyde Oxidoreductases↗

Effects of various forms of stimulation on the content of enolase isozymes and S-100 protein in superior cervical sympathetic ganglia excised from rats.

Contents of the three forms (alpha alpha, alpha gamma, and gamma gamma) of enolase isozymes and S-100 protein in superior cervical sympathetic ganglia (SCG) excised from rats were determined by the sensitive method of enzyme immunoassay, after application of various forms of stimulation, during incubation for 3 h at 37 degrees C in vitro. The amounts of the three forms of enolase isozymes and of S-100 protein in the SCG were not altered by preganglionic or postganglionic stimulation (10 Hz) or by the addition of acetylcholine (1 mM) or a high concentration of K+ (70 mM) to the incubation medium. Norepinephrine (NE; 50 microM), as well as isoproterenol (200 microM) or 3,4-dihydroxy phenylethylamine (dopamine; 200 microM), increased the ganglionic alpha alpha and alpha gamma enolase content to 1.5 to 2.0 times the control level, whereas NE tended to slightly decrease the gamma gamma enolase content. The increase in the alpha isozymes did not appear until after 2 to 3 h of incubation with this agent as a result of an increase in protein synthesis. Propranolol, an adrenergic antagonist, partly inhibited the NE-induced increase in both alpha alpha and alpha gamma enolases. NE and its agonists also considerably increased the S-100 protein level in the SCG; however, the effect developed within half an hour of incubation as a result of the conversion of the bound S-100 protein to the water-soluble form, and did not greatly increase thereafter. Cyclic AMP (1 mM) produced the same kind of increase in the ganglionic S-100 protein content as NE did.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acetylcholine↗

Effects of denervation and axotomy on nervous system-specific protein, ornithine decarboxylase, and other enzyme activities in the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion of the rat.

The time courses of changes of three enolase isozymes (alpha alpha, alpha gamma, and gamma gamma), S-100 protein, 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 3'-phosphodiesterase (CNPase), ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), beta-galactosidase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) were examined from 1 to 14 days after cutting of the preganglionic nerve (denervation) or the postganglionic nerve (axotomy) of the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion (SCG) of the rat. The wet weight and protein content in the axotomized SCG increased continuously, to nearly twice those of the denervated SCG for 1-2 weeks after the operations. Among enolase isozymes in the SCG, neuron-specific gamma gamma-enolase decreased rapidly after denervation and stayed at a low level for 2 weeks, whereas the isozyme remained almost unchanged after axotomy. On the contrary, ganglionic alpha alpha-enolase and the alpha gamma-hybrid form increased remarkably to reach a maximum at the second day after axotomy, and remained above control for 1 to 2 weeks; these two enolase isozymes showed little change after denervation. Denervation caused a much larger increase than did axotomy in the ganglionic S-100 protein, an astrocyte-specific protein, during the first week after the operation, while the protein content decreased after 2 weeks of either denervation or axotomy. CNPase, a myelin-associated enzyme, rose suddenly 2 days after axotomy, and remained at a rather high level compared with the denervated ganglion, which showed little variation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

2',3'-Cyclic-Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases↗

Surface morphology and function of human pulmonary alveolar macrophages from smokers and non-smokers.

Pulmonary alveolar macrophages were obtained by saline lavage from 23 healthy male volunteers--10 non-smokers and 13 cigarette smokers. Lavage produced three times as many alveolar macrophages in smokers than in non-smokers. When macrophages from smokers and from non-smokers were incubated in vitro, more cells from smokers adhered to glass, spread out, and showed enhanced nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction. The surface morphology of alveolar macrophages from smokers showed more with a plate like appearance and ridge like membrane surface, while the macrophages from non-smokers were predominantly spherical with ruffles. The proportions of cells which stained highly for beta galactosidase were 55% in smokers and 11% in non-smokers. Thus, in a resting state in vitro, alveolar macrophages from smokers were more active than those from non-smokers. When, however, macrophages from smokers and non-smokers were incubated with immunobeads and with opsonised or non-opsonised BCG, the phagocytic activity and stimulated NBT reduction of alveolar macrophages from smokers were similar to or somewhat less than those of non-smokers.

Adult↗

Congenital anaplastic ependymoma: a case report of familial glioma.

A congenital anaplastic infratentorial ependymoma, occurring in a female infant whose sister also died of brain tumor, is described. The tumor, located in the cerebellum and the fourth ventricle, is characterized by predominantly undifferentiated neuroepithelial cells associated with numerous mitoses, and partially of the cells demonstrating differentiation into ependymal cells and astrocytes. Of special interest is the fact that the elder sister of the patient had also died of a congenital glioma located in the cerebellum and the fourth ventricle, which leads to the discussion about the influences of genetic factors in the development of the familial gliomas as well as about the histogenesis of the tumor examined.

Brain Neoplasms↗

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis induced by Trichosporon cutaneum.

We isolated Trichosporon cutaneum from the houses of patients with hypersensitivity pneumonitis and investigated its possible role as an etiologic agent in 21 cases of the disease. A high titer of anti-T. cutaneum antibody was observed in serum samples from 20 (95.2%) of the 21 patients, but only a low titer was found in less than 9% of the control serum samples. Anti-Cryptococcus neoformans antibody was also observed in the patients' serum samples, but it appeared, in most samples, to be a cross-reaction to T. cutaneum antigen. This was because the anti-C. neoformans antibody was completely absorbed with T. cutaneum, but the anti-T. cutaneum antibody was only partly absorbed with C. neoformans. Besides, no C. neoformans was isolated from the patients' environment. A bronchoprovocation test with T. cutaneum was done on one patient, with a positive result. We also found T. cutaneum in bird droppings containing nutrients for this organism. To our knowledge, this is the first report on hypersensitivity pneumonitis induced by T. cutaneum.

Adult↗

IgM cold-reactive lymphocytotoxin from sera in patients with sarcoidosis.

Cold-reactive lymphocytotoxin (CLT) in the sera of patients with sarcoidosis was investigated by a complement-dependent 51Cr-release cytotoxicity assay. CLT activity was present in 19 out of 34 active sarcoidosis patients, but absent from all 6 resolved sarcoidosis patients and from 19 out of 20 healthy control subjects. CLT activity was not correlated with age or sex, degree of lymphopenia, presence of anergy, or with other clinical parameters, but was correlated with the activity of the disease. Lymphocytotoxic activity was greatest at 15 degrees C and negligible at 4 degrees C and 37 degrees C. The CLT in sarcoidosis sera had higher reactivity to B-lymphocytes than to T-lymphocytes. The CLT purified from sarcoidosis serum was identical with the antibody of IgM class. It was cytotoxic for B-lymphocytes but not reactive to T-lymphocytes. These results suggest that an IgM cold-reactive lymphocytotoxin exists in the sera of patients with active sarcoidosis.

Adult↗

A new method for the quantitative standardization of cross-sectional areas of the pulmonary arteries in congenital heart diseases with decreased pulmonary blood flow.

A new angiographic method for quantitative standardization of cross-sectional area of bilateral pulmonary arteries, the PA-index, and retrospective analysis of the PA-index in different types of operative procedures are presented. This study included 40 subjects in the normal control group, 46 patients in the tetralogy group, 26 patients in the Rastelli group, and 15 patients in the Fontan group. The normal value of the PA-index was 330 +/- 30 mm2/BSA and was consistent in a wide range of body surface areas from infancy to adolescence. The PA-index in the tetralogy and Rastelli groups ranged from 100 to 400 mm2/BSA. There were no early deaths in the tetralogy group, but the incidence of low cardiac output was higher in patients with a smaller PA-index, especially when the PA-index was less than 150 mm2/BSA. Low cardiac output was more severe in the Rastelli group. The operative mortality was significantly affected by the PA-index. In the Rastelli group, all of the patients with a PA-index of less than 200 mm2/BSA died, whereas the mortality rate in patients with a PA-index of more than 200 was only 6% (p less than 0.01). The mortality rate was not influenced by any other factors, such as aortic cross-clamp time or age at operation. In the Fontan group, two patients with a PA-index of less than 250 mm2/BSA died of severe heart failure, and 12 of 13 patients with a PA-index of more than 250 survived (p less than 0.01). Our results indicated the validity of the PA-index in predicting the postoperative prognosis of the various entities. In tetralogy, all patients with a PA-index over 100 mm2/BSA can undergo correction safely; in Rastelli operation, those with a PA-index under 200 should have a palliative procedure first, whereas those with a PA-index over 250 can be considered good candidates for the Fontan procedure. The PA-index may also serve a useful guide in comparing surgical results from different institutions with patients having anomalies of varying severity.

Adolescent↗

[External conduit repair for congenital heart diseases].

Between January 1970 and March 1984, external conduit repair was performed in eighty-five consecutive patients for various complex anomalies. The age at operation ranged from 2 months to 47 years, and 41 patients were in an age group of 5 to 9 years. Among 85 complex anomalies, 20 cases of d-transposition with VSD + PS, 33 cases of Tetralogy of Fallot with pulmonary atresia, 11 cases of truncus arteriosus and 11 cases of 1-transposition were included. From January 1970 to December 1975, conduits used were aortic homograft in 1, formalin treated porcine valved conduits in 27, and valved conduits treated with 0.65% glutaraldehyde in 3 and from January 1976 to November 1982, 42 Hancock composite grafts were used. Since December 1982, valved conduits made of preserved pericardium treated with glutaraldehyde were employed. In sixty-one patients survived from operation, actuarial survival rate was calculated as 87% at five years, 82% at ten to fourteen years. However, systolic pressure of right ventricle after repair mostly affected actuarial survival rate which maintained 93% at twelve years in patients with systolic pressure lower than 80 mmHg, and reduced to 65% at fourteen years in patients with that higher than 80 mmHg. Although external conduit repair was valuable for surgical treatment in complex anomalies, proper selection of conduit material, prevention of infectious endocarditis, and pseudoendothelial proliferation in late stage were the problems to be solved in the future.

Adolescent↗