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Biomedical subjects

M Arima

Publications and source records attributed to M Arima.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

[Copper level and metallothionein-like Cu-binding protein in cultured skin fibroblasts from patients with Menkes' disease and Wilson's disease].

Copper concentration, intracellular copper distribution, and inducibility of metallothionein-like metal-binding protein (MLP) by copper or cadmium addition to culture medium were compared among three types of skin fibroblasts derived from patients with Menkes' disease and Wilson's disease, both exhibiting genetic defects of copper metabolism, and from normal subjects (control). Skin fibroblasts were cultivated in Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum and antibiotics in 5% CO2 at 37 degrees C. Cells were harvested with rubber-policeman, washed twice with phosphate-buffered saline, pH 7.2, suspended in deionized water, and homogenized. The homogenate from each cell type was used to determine the concentration of copper by atomic absorption spectrophotometry employing graphite-rod atomizer after lyophilization, ashing in HNO3, and coprecipitation with zirconium. Intracellular copper concentration was elevated in Menkes' cells (420 ng Cu/mg of protein) and Wilson's cells (217 ng Cu/mg of protein) than in control cells (90.0 ng Cu/mg of protein), although one of four Wilson's strains showed normal copper level (70.5 ng Cu/mg of protein). Cytosol copper concentration was 5.8-fold higher in Menkes' cells but only 1.3-fold in Wilson's cells than in control cells, and cytosol copper accounted for only 35% of total intracellular copper in Wilson's cells as compared with 68% and 52% in Menkes' and control cells, respectively. These suggest that accumulated copper in each cell type is differently distributed within cells; in Menkes' cells exclusively into cytosol, but in Wilson's cells into particulates rather than cytosol. Elution profiles from Sephadex G-75 columns indicated that most of copper had bound to MLP in Menkes' cells, though no Cu-MLP was detectable in Wilson's or control cells under these experimental conditions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adolescent↗

Adverse effect of maternal caffeine ingestion on fetal cerebrum in rat.

This study was undertaken to determine whether maternal caffeine ingestion is or is not a risk factor in fetal cerebral development using experimental rat models. Pregnant rats of the Wistar strain were given 0.04% caffeine in drinking water before and/or during pregnancy for various numbers of days. Control rats received water for the same periods. There was no reduction of maternal body weight, fetal body weight or fetal total brain weight. Low fetal cerebral weight and placental weight were observed when dams were given caffeine before mating for long times and/or throughout pregnancy. DNA, RNA and protein contents per cerebrum were also reduced in fetuses from dams given caffeine throughout pregnancy or for the last 6 gestational days. Cerebral DNA and protein contents as expressed per wet weight were higher and significantly lower respectively in the fetuses from dams given caffeine throughout pregnancy when compared to controls. Activity of thymidine kinase was not significantly decreased in caffeine-treated fetuses. There was a positive correlation between maternal serum and fetal cerebral caffeine levels. Additionally a negative correlation between maternal caffeine levels and fetal survival rates which decreased in litters from dams given caffeine throughout pregnancy was demonstrated. Our rat model indicates maternal caffeine ingestion during pregnancy is associated with reduction of fetal cerebral weight and protein content without reduction of body weight.

Animals↗

Zinc supplementation in ethanol-treated pregnant rats increases the metabolic activity in the fetal hippocampus.

As a possible preventative measure for brain dysfunction in the fetal alcohol syndrome, the effect of zinc supplementation together with ethanol on the fetal cerebrum, especially the hippocampus, was investigated. Female rats of an ethanol group and a control group received 30% ethanol and water, respectively. During pregnancy half of both groups received 0.01% zinc together with ethanol or water. Fetuses on gestational day 21 were examined biochemically and ultrastructurally. Administration of zinc with ethanol resulted in an increased cerebral weight and cerebral RNA content compared to administration of ethanol alone. However, these better results did not reach those of controls without ethanol. In the cytoplasm of hippocampal neurons from dams only given zinc with ethanol confronting cisternae were frequently observed between the rough endoplasmic reticulum and the rough endoplasmic reticulum or the nuclear envelope. Although the functional roles of the confronting cisternae were not definite, it is reasonable to conclude that the confronting cisternae were a repair mechanism of zinc against the inhibitory effect on RNA and protein syntheses of ethanol. This study shows evidence of prevention of the brain dysfunction on ethanol treatment.

Animals↗

Tuberous sclerosis: proline and hydroxyproline contents in serum.

The serum levels of proline and hydroxyproline were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography using the post-labeled method with o-phthalaldehyde and sodium hypochlorite in 30 patients of tuberous sclerosis (TS) and compared with those in 32 pathological control subjects of similar age. No significant difference in the levels of serum free hydroxyproline was observed between TS and controls in any age group. In the age group of 9 to 18 years, TS showed significantly higher mean free proline levels in serum than controls with a difference of about 50 mumol/L. In both groups of TS and controls, total and free levels of hydroxyproline from ethanol-extractable serum showed similar age-dependent curves with peak values at age 12 years, and there was also no difference in the 2 levels between the 2 groups. It is suggested that this higher free proline level in TS with the autosomal dominant trait may be explained as the abnormal regulation of proline metabolism.

Adolescent↗

Partial purification and properties of acid sphingomyelinase from rat liver.

Acid sphingomyelinase was purified approximately 5,200-fold from the mitochondria-lysosome-enriched particles of rat liver by sequential chromatography on DEAE-cellulose, octyl-Sepharose, Sephacryl S-300, Concanavalin A-Sepharose, and CM-cellulose. The specific activity of this highly purified enzyme was 3.2 mmol per hr per mg protein. The enzyme was active against 2-hexadecanoylamino-4-nitrophenylphosphorylcholine, but bis-4-methylumbelliferyl-phosphate and bis-p-nitrophenyl-phosphate were poor substrates. The preparation was free of Mg2+-dependent neutral sphingomyelinase and eight lysosomal enzymes except for the trace amount of acid phosphatase and beta-galactosidase. Apparent molecular weight of the enzyme was 200,000, estimated by Sephadex G-200 filtration in 0.1% Triton X-100. Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed three major bands corresponding to molecular weights of 45,600, 44,500, and 40,000 with several minor bands. Characterization of the enzyme revealed almost the same properties as those of human tissues reported by other investigators, including pH optimum, requirement of Triton X-100, effects of metal divalent cations, phosphate ion, EDTA, some thiol blocking reagents, and amphophilic drugs.

Animals↗

Predictability of renal allograft prognosis during rejection crisis by ultrasonic Doppler flow technique.

Using the ultrasonic Doppler technique, renal blood flow was measured in 67 patients who underwent living related renal transplantation from January, 1976 to December, 1979. In 58 of 67 cases, 81 acute and 9 chronic rejection episodes occurred. In the initial stage of acute rejection, there are no particular changes in the pattern of systolic blood flow and by contrast marked changes of diastolic flow. The disappearance of the diastolic phase is indicative of an advanced stage of rejection, the reappearance indicative of recovery from rejection, and persistent loss accompanied by changes of systolic flow indicative of an unfavorable prognosis of rejection. In chronic rejection, there are rapid changes of neither systolic nor diastolic flow though the acceleration time in the systolic phase lengthens gradually. The ultrasonic Doppler flow technique for blood flowmetry of a transplanted kidney is a useful means of knowing the prognosis of rejection and provides an index for corticosteroid bolus therapy.

Adolescent↗

Hypoglycemia in the fetal alcohol syndrome in rat.

As a treatable cause of central nervous system dysfunctions in the fetal alcohol syndrome, ethanol-induced hypoglycemia was studied in experimental rat models. Female Wistar rats were divided into ethanol and control groups. Before mating and during pregnancy, the ethanol group received 30% ethanol (E), or E with 20% sucrose (S) or 20% glucose (G), and the control group received water (W), or W with S or G. Pregnancies were terminated on gestational day (gd) 15, 18, and 21 by cesarean section or by spontaneous delivery. Dams and offspring were weighed and examined for several biochemical factors. Maternal blood glucose levels were higher on gd 15, but significantly lower on gd 18 and 21 in the ethanol group than in the control group. The fetal blood glucose levels were correlated with maternal blood glucose levels on gd 21. Maternal serum insulin levels were lower on gd 15 and 18 in the ethanol group than in the control group. The body and cerebral weights were significantly lower on gd 15, 18, 21 and postnatal day 1 in the ethanol offspring than in the controls. Administration of S or G with E during pregnancy resulted in no better effects on fetal biochemical development and blood glucose levels than administration of E alone. In this work we demonstrated hypoglycemia only in the late gestational and perinatal periods in experimental rat models, which may cause the high perinatal mortality and growth retardation in the fetal alcohol syndrome.

Animals↗

Immunohistochemical and biochemical studies on collagen types in angiofibromas and shagreen patches from patients with tuberous sclerosis.

The distribution of collagen types in angiofibroma and shagreen patch from patients with tuberous sclerosis was examined biochemically and immunohistochemically by indirect immunofluorescence microscopy using type-specific anti-collagen antibodies. Types I and III collagens were distributed in the interstitium of whole tumor tissues of angiofibriomas and a shagreen patch, showing relatively fine fibers at the periphery and large bundles in the center. No significant difference in the distribution of type I and III collagens was observed. Densitometric analysis of gel electrophoresis patterns of collagens solubilized from the skin by limited pepsin digestion revealed that both type I and III collagens were the main constituents of the diseased regions of the skin with tuberous sclerosis, and the ratio of type I collagen/type III collagen was relatively constant, which was not contradictory to the results of immunofluorescence microscopy. The presence of an unidentified component, probably type V collagen, was observed in the angiofibroma tissue from one patient with tuberous sclerosis.

Adolescent↗

Prevention possibility for brain dysfunction in rat with the fetal alcohol syndrome--low-zinc-status and hypoglycemia.

As a treatable cause of CNS dysfunctions in the fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), low-zinc-status in addition to hypoglycemia has been investigated in experimental rat models. During the premating period female rats of an ethanol group and a control group received 30% ethanol (E) and water (W), respectively. During pregnancy, some of both groups received zinc or nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide (NAD) or nicotinamide throughout pregnancy and glucose for gestational day (gd) 15 to 19 with E or W. Independent of maternal blood glucose levels, maternal insulin levels were lower on gd 15 and 18 in the ethanol group than in the control one. A decrease in the activity of carbonic anhydrase in the hippocampal area on postnatal day (pd) 1 was observed in the ethanol group. Administration of zinc with E resulted in a better effect on fetal total body weight and on preventing resorption, mean fetal body weight and protein content in the cerebrum than administration of E alone. Administration of glucose only in the late gestational period resulted in a better effect on fetal cerebral weight than administration of E alone, with a decrease in the litter size. Administration of zinc with E during pregnancy resulted in higher maternal serum zinc levels, without an increase in fetal cerebral zinc content, than administration without zinc with E. There was a positive correlation between fetal body ethanol levels and maternal blood ethanol levels, and a negative correlation between fetal body ethanol levels and fetal total body weight. The beneficial effect of supplementary zinc on fetal growth may possibly help preventing the CNS dysfunctions of FAS, but it is important that the effect was not good compared to the control without E.

Animals↗