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M Asamoto

Publications and source records attributed to M Asamoto.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Increasing development of pepsinogen-altered pyloric glands and adenocarcinoma in glandular stomach of analbuminemic rats.

The susceptibility of pepsinogen-altered pyloric glands (PAPG) and neoplastic glandular stomach lesions induced by N-methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) and catechol or sodium cholate in Nagase analbuminemic rats (NAR) was compared to Sprague-Dawley rats (SD). Male NAR and SD rats were given a single dose of 80 mg/kg body weight of MNNG by gastric intubation and, 2 weeks later, fed basal diet containing 0.8% catechol or 0.3% sodium cholate for 18 weeks. The animals were killed at the end of week 20 or after maintenance on basal diet at week 60. The number of pepsinogen-altered pyloric glands at week 20 was significantly (P < 0.001) higher in NAR fed either catechol or sodium cholate compared with SD rats. At week 60, adenomatous hyperplasias and adenocarcinomas were observed in 7 (88%; P < 0.01) and 3 (38%; P < 0.01) of 8 NAR fed catechol and in 4 (22%) and 0 of 18 SD rats, respectively. The results show that the frequency of PAPG in NAR and SD rats is related to the susceptibility to glandular stomach carcinoma. PAPG is a useful endpoint lesion for evaluation of gastric carcinogenicity in a 20-week carcinogenicity test, and NAR are sensitive for glandular stomach carcinogenesis.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Clofibrate-induced neoplastic development in the rat liver is associated with decreased connexin 32 expression but not with a co-ordinated shift in expression of marker enzymes.

Altered enzyme phenotype and expression of connexin 32 (Cx32), a gap junction protein were studied during the development of rat liver tumors induced by the non-genotoxic carcinogen, clofibrate. (1) In contrast to previous findings for nitrosamine-induced lesions, preneoplastic enzyme-altered foci (EAF) and neoplastic nodules (NN) lacked any clear association with degree of altered enzyme expression because of an almost complete negativity for GST-P and GGT. (2) Immunohistochemically demonstrated Cx32 spots on the hepatocyte membranes showed a clear decrease in clofibrate-induced lesions. (3) Naturally occurring EAF demonstrating GST-P and/or GGT positivity did not show a significant decrease of Cx32 counts suggesting a reversible nature. Therefore, the Cx32 decrease appears closely linked to progression of hepatocarcinogenesis irrespective of the enzyme phenotype of neoplastic focal lesions and the carcinogens used for their induction.

Animals↗

Cell proliferation and advancement of hepatocarcinogenesis in the rat are associated with a decrease in connexin 32 expression.

The expression of connexin 32 (Cx32), a major liver gap junction protein, after partial hepatectomy (PH) and during development and progression of hepatocarcinogenesis was studied in the rat. Cx32 was quantitatively analyzed by counting immunohistochemically demonstrated protein spots on the membranes of hepatocytes. Livers were sequentially examined after PH to assess the correlation with cell proliferation. For the analysis of different stages in carcinogenesis, Cx32 was assayed in N-ethyl-N-hydroxyethylnitrosamine-induced enzyme altered foci (EAF), hyperplastic nodules (HN), hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC), pulmonary metastatic HCC and transplanted HCC in relation to their degree of altered enzyme expression. Cx32 showed: (i) a rapid decrease after PH to its lowest levels during and 12 h after the S phase of cell proliferation when 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) labeling indices were examined; (ii) a progressive decrease from early preneoplasia EAF to HN and HCC, values for pulmonary metastatic and transplanted HCC being 0; (iii) clearly inverse correlations with increased BrdU index and degree of altered enzyme expression in HN, indicating that these, with the lowest Cx32 count, are closest to HCC. Therefore, the observed decrease appears linked to cell proliferation and progression of hepatocarcinogenesis, providing a reflection of cellular independence and growth advantage.

Animals↗

neu is not involved in N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]-formamide-induced bladder carcinoma or 2-amino-4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)thiazole transformation of rat bladder epithelial cells.

Enhanced c-erbB-2/neu expression has been linked with a poor prognosis in human bladder cancer. Previous reports have shown that a point mutation at nucleotide T2012 in the coding region of the transmembrane domain of the rat gene is sufficient to confer transformation potential on this gene. We examined the comparative levels of p185neu as well as the sequence around the hotspot (T2012) of the neu gene of rat bladder cells transformed by 2-amino-4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)thiazole (ANFT) or established in culture from N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]formamide (FANFT)-induced rat bladder tumors. We concluded that increased p185neu expression did not correlate significantly with tumorigenicity. No alterations in nucleotide sequences of the neu gene were observed in either in vitro model.

Animals↗

Neu is not involved in N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]formamide- induced bladder carcinoma or 2-amino-4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)thiazole transformation of rat bladder epithelial cells.

Enhanced c-erbB-2/neu expression has been linked with a poor prognosis in human bladder cancer. Previous reports have shown that a point mutation at nucleotide T2012 in the coding region of the transmembrane domain of the rat gene is sufficient to confer transformation potential on this gene. We examined the comparative levels of p185neu as well as the sequence around the hotspot (T2012) of the neu gene of rat bladder cells transformed by 2-amino-4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)thiazole (ANFT) or established in culture from N-[-4-(-5-nitro-2-furyl)-2- thiazolyl]formamide (FANFT)-induced rat bladder tumors. We concluded that increased p185neu expression did not correlate significantly with tumorigenicity. No alterations in nucleotide sequences of the neu gene were observed in either in vitro model.

3T3 Cells↗

Prohibitin gene is overexpressed but not mutated in rat bladder carcinomas and cell lines.

Prohibitin was isolated as a candidate antiproliferating gene in rat liver cells, and it has been suggested as a tumor suppressor gene in human breast cancer. We investigated the steady state level of prohibitin mRNA in rat bladder cell lines and in rat bladder carcinoma induced by N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]formamide (FANFT) and sodium saccharin, as well as the protein level in rat bladder epithelial cells. We also examined the prohibitin gene for mutations using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and direct sequencing methods. All rat bladder tumors investigated and several cell lines had unexpectedly increased steady state levels of prohibitin mRNA compared with that of normal rat bladder or liver. The prohibitin protein was easily detected by Western blotting in all cell lines regardless of their malignant status or growth rate. However, PCR-SSCP and direct sequencing analysis showed no mutations in the prohibitin gene. These results These results indicate that prohibitin overexpression, but not mutations, may be involved in the early stage of rat bladder carcinogenesis.

Animals↗

A comparison of the effects of sodium saccharin in NBR rats and in intact and castrated male F344 rats.

High doses of sodium saccharin (NaSac) increase proliferation in the bladder of the rat, with a male preponderance. The possibility that alpha 2u-globulin is involved in its mechanism of action was evaluated by feeding it at 7.5% of the diet to NCI-Black-Reiter (NBR) male rats, which do not synthesize liver-derived alpha 2u-globulin. NaSac affected urinary parameters similarly in F344 and NBR male rats, but NBR rats consumed more water leading to greater urinary volume. NaSac produced less proliferation in NBR than in intact F344 rats, with intermediate changes in castrated F344 males, which had intermediate urinary alpha 2u-globulin levels.

Alpha-Globulins↗

Mutations and expression of the p53 gene in rat bladder carcinomas and cell lines.

Abnormalities of the p53 gene are frequently observed in human tumors, including urinary bladder carcinoma, suggesting that p53 plays an important role in human carcinogenesis. However, its role in rat bladder carcinogenesis is unclear. We investigated p53 gene mutations and expression in rat urinary bladder carcinogenesis in vivo and in vitro. Fifteen urothelial cell lines, including six untransformed (nontumorigenic) ones, six transformed (tumorigenic) in vitro, and three derived from tumors induced in vivo, were examined for p53 expression by immunochemical analysis and for p53 mutations; in addition, 81 rat bladders were analyzed immunohistochemically for p53 expression, and 23 rat bladder tumors were analyzed for p53 mutations. Four cell lines had mutations in the p53 gene. Two of these were missense point mutations, and the other two were splicing mutations. On the other hand, no mutations were found in the bladder tumors induced in rats. By immunoprecipitation with PAb240, which is supposed to be specific for mutant p53, we detected mutations in three of the cell lines; PAb240 did not react with wild-type p53. However, in all cell lines and in growing populations of primary cultured bladder urothelial cells, p53 expression was detected immunohistochemically or by western blotting using PAb240 or PAb 421 monoclonal antibodies. In a high percentage of transitional cell carcinomas, wild-type p53 expression was detected by immunohistochemical analysis with PAb240. These results suggest that p53 gene mutations may not occur frequently in rat bladder carcinogenesis in vivo but may occur in vitro and that p53 overexpression detected immunohistochemically is common and may be related to cell proliferation rather than to the presence of mutations in rat bladder carcinogenesis.

Animals↗

Transient mutism after posterior fossa surgery.

An 8-year-old girl developed mutism after removal of a vermian medulloblastoma. The mutism was not accompanied by long tract signs or cranial nerve palsy. The girl started to regain her speech 2 weeks postoperatively, showing marked improvement 2 months after the operation, after passing through a dysarthric phase. Magnetic resonance imaging showed only normal postoperative changes without abnormalities of dentate nuclei or supranuclear region. Nineteen similar cases of transient mutism following cerebellar operations have been reported in the literature, most of them with a delayed postoperative onset. In all patients the recovery of speech started to appear 4 days to 4 months postoperatively, and all patients passed through a monotonous, dysarthric phase. The absence of long tract or other brain stem signs, together with the presence of dysarthria during the recovery of speech, suggested a cerebellar cause of the transient mutism. Various hypotheses advanced to explain the pathogenesis of this speech disorder are analyzed.

Cerebellar Neoplasms↗

Increased gap junctional intercellular communication capacity and connexin 43 and 26 expression in rat bladder carcinogenesis.

Many reports have suggested that gap junctional intercellular communication or gap junction proteins (connexins) could have tumor suppression characteristics. We investigated gap junctional intercellular communication capacity and connexin 26, 32 and 43 mRNA expression in four rat bladder cell lines and the results were compared to their tumorigenicity. We also examined connexin expression in rat bladder carcinomas induced by 3,2'-dimethyl-4-aminobiphenyl or N-ethyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine (EHBN) and in normal bladders. There was clear tendency that cell lines with greater communication had stronger tumorigenicity and more expression of connexin 26 or 43. We could not detect connexin 32 in these cell lines. In normal bladder tissue, connexin 43 expression was barely detectable and there was no detectable connexin 26. However, in rat bladder carcinomas, especially the EHBN-induced carcinomas, abundant expression of both connexins was observed. These results indicate that increased gap junctional intercellular communication capacity or increased connexin(s) expression may give a growth advantage in rat bladder carcinogenesis.

Aminobiphenyl Compounds↗

Mitogenic effects of propoxur on male rat bladder urothelium.

Propoxur produces bladder tumors in rats, but not other species. The hyperplastic and tumorigenic effects do not occur if urinary pH is lowered by administering propoxur in a semi-synthetic diet or co-administering it with ammonium chloride (NH4Cl). We fed propoxur at 8000 p.p.m. in Altromin 1321 diet to male Wistar rats for 4 weeks, with or without NH4Cl as 10,000 p.p.m. of the diet. The urine of rats fed control diet with or without propoxur had a relatively high urinary pH (approximately 8); the addition of NH4Cl lowered the urinary pH by approximately 0.5-1.0 units. There was no evidence of urinary calculi or amorphous precipitate nor was there an increase in microcrystals or formation of different crystals than occur in normal rat urine. Propoxur produced hyperplasia of the urothelium, as observed by light and scanning electron microscopy, and increased the labeling index for proliferating cell nuclear antigen. These effects were significantly inhibited by co-administration with NH4Cl. There was no evidence of urothelial necrosis. Thus, the hyperplasia appears to result from a direct mitogenic effect of propoxur or a metabolite on the urothelium, rather than from toxicity and consequent regeneration. Based on the present study and previous investigations, the urothelial effects of propoxur in the rat are dependent on high urinary pH and high administered doses, factors which need to be incorporated into any mechanistic model for the chemical and into any extrapolation to potential effects in humans.

Animals↗

p53 mutation is infrequent and might not give a growth advantage in rat bladder carcinogenesis in vivo.

Abnormalities of the p53 gene are frequently observed in human tumors, including urinary bladder carcinoma, suggesting that p53 plays an important role in human carcinogenesis. However, its role in rat bladder carcinogenesis is unclear. In this study, we investigated the presence of p53 mutations in 122 urinary bladder tumors induced in F344 rats in the following carcinogenesis models: (i) 0.2% N-[4-(5-nitro-2-furyl)-2-thiazolyl]formamide (FANFT; 6 weeks) in the diet followed by 3% or 5% sodium saccharin in the diet, 5% sodium ascorbate, 3.12% calcium saccharin (CaSac), 1.34% sodium chloride (NaCl), 5.2% CaSac plus 1.34% NaCl, or basal diet alone (72 weeks); and (ii) 0.2% FANFT, 0.05% N-(4-hydroxybutyl)nitrosamine in the drinking water, N-methyl-N-nitrosourea 20 mg/kg body wt, i.p. twice per week, or basal diet alone (4 weeks), followed by 3% uracil in the diet (20 weeks). Polymerase chain reaction-single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis and direct sequencing were performed for exons 5-8 in the rat p53 gene. We found nine tumors (7.4%) with p53 mutations. Two tumors had two mutations in the p53 gene. The tumors that had p53 mutations were relatively smaller than those that did not have p53 mutations. There were no mutation clusters among the treatments or hot-spots for p53 mutations. These results indicate that p53 mutation is infrequent in bladder carcinogenesis in rats, and when it does occur, it does not appear to provide a growth advantage.

Animals↗

Chemopreventive effects of beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol and five naturally occurring antioxidants on initiation of hepatocarcinogenesis by 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoline in the rat.

Inhibitory effects of naturally occurring antioxidants on the initiation stage of hepatocarcinogenesis were studied. Group 1 rats were given a diet containing beta-carotene (beta-CT, 0.02%), alpha-tocopherol (alpha-TP, 1.5%), glutathione (GLT, 5%), vanillin (VNL, 1%), quercetin (QCT, 1%) or ellagic acid (ELA, 1%), or 3 doses of diallyl sulfide (DAS, 200 mg/kg, i.g.) over an 8-day period. On day 7, the animals received a single dose of 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-f] quinoline (IQ, 100 mg/kg, i.g.), 12 h after two-thirds partial hepatectomy for initiation and 2 weeks thereafter, were placed on promotion regimen comprising phenobarbital (0.05% in diet) and a single dose of D-galactosamine (100 mg/kg, i.p.). Groups 2 and 3 were treated as described for Group 1, but without test material or IQ, respectively. Survivors were killed at week 11 and antioxidant influence was assessed by comparing values for preneoplastic glutathione S-transferase placental form-positive (GST-P+) foci between Groups 1 and 2. All lesions larger than 70 microns in diameter consisting of approximately 5 cells in cross section were counted. Numbers of GST-P+ foci/cm2 in Group 1 were: beta-CT, 7.99; alpha-TP, 8.21; GLT, 9.71; DAS, 10.37; VNL, 10.57; QCT, 11.1; ELA, 12.5 (n = 11-15). All, except ELA, showed a significant decrease as compared with the Group 2 value of 14.54 (n = 15). Only beta-CT showed a significant decrease for the area value. This is the first report to show that beta-CT, alpha-TP, GLT, DAS, VNL, QCT exert inhibitory effects on initiation of hepatocarcinogenesis by the food carcinogen IQ, suggesting that these antioxidants might find application as chemopreventive agents. Furthermore, the current protocol proved practical for the assessment of chemopreventive agents within 11 weeks, a relatively short period.

Allyl Compounds↗

Possible molecular mechanism of loss of homologous and heterologous gap junctional intercellular communication in rat liver epithelial cell lines.

We have previously characterized a series of rat liver epithelial cell lines that exhibit levels of gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) which are inversely related to their levels of expression of transformed phenotypes. Cells of the non-tumorigenic line do not communicate with their tumorigenic counterparts. We have examined the molecular mechanisms involved in this loss of homologous and heterologous GJIC, employing a non-tumorigenic cell line, IAR 20, and a tumorigenic cell line, IAR 6-1. While both cell lines expressed a transcript coding for the gap junction protein, connexin 43 (cx 43), and similar levels of cx 43 protein, they exhibited different phosphorylation states of this protein, revealed by Western analysis. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the non-tumorigenic IAR 20 cell line, but not the tumorigenic IAR 6-1 cells, was able to incorporate cx 43 gap junction plaques extensively into their plasma membranes. When IAR 20 and IAR 6-1 cells were co-cultured, cx 43 proteins were abundant in IAR 20 cells but IAR 20/IAR 20 cell boundaries were cx 43-positive, while IAR 20/IAR 6-1 boundaries were negative. The different phosphorylation state of cx 43 may partially explain the low GJIC of the IAR 6-1 cells and inability to communicate with their non-tumorigenic counterparts, but other mechanisms such as cell-cell recognition processes may also be involved.

Animals↗

Robb-Smith type malignant histiocytosis associated with a mediastinal germ cell tumor.

A 22-year-old Japanese man with a mediastinal germ cell tumor with mixed teratoma and hepatoid alpha-fetoprotein positive, and glandular yolk sac components, also demonstrated widely disseminated malignant histiocytosis involving the lungs, liver, pancreas, spleen, bone marrow and lymph nodes. Sensitivity to chemotherapy was acute and the patient died of disseminated intravascular coagulation syndrome within four months of his initial presentation.

Adult↗

Effects of dietary iron and folate supplementation on the physiological changes produced in weanling rats by sodium saccharin exposure.

Exposure of rats to high dietary levels of sodium saccharin (NaSac) started in utero produce physiological effects at 30 days post-birth that are similar to those found in pups of iron-deficient dams. These similarities suggest that some of the changes due to NaSac are secondary to iron deficiency. The present experiment investigated whether the effects of 7.5% dietary NaSac in the newborn rat could be prevented by dietary iron and/or folate supplementation. The NaSac-related effects prevented by iron supplementation included anaemia, decreased serum iron and folate, increased serum cholesterol and triglyceride and increased serum vitamin E. Folate supplementation prevented NaSac-induced depression of serum folate and increase in serum vitamin E. Although bladder hyperplasia was increased by dietary iron and/or folate supplementation, the majority of the urinary chemistry changes associated with NaSac treatment were not affected. The results show that some physiological changes associated with NaSac treatment in the newborn rat may occur as a consequence of iron deficiency rather than a direct effect of NaSac treatment. These changes may be independent of the urinary and bladder effects, which are not reversed by iron supplementation.

Animals↗

Decreased dimethylnitrosamine-induced O6- and N7-methyldeoxyguanosine levels correlate with development and progression of lesions in rat hepatocarcinogenesis.

Formation and repair of O6-medG and N7-medG (O6- and N7-methyldeoxyguanosine) in glutathione S-transferase-P form (GST-P)-positive liver cell foci, nodules, primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and transplanted hepatocellular carcinoma (TRP) induced by N-ethyl-N-hydroxyethylnitrosamine (EHEN) were immunohistochemically assessed following a single exposure to dimethylnitrosamine (DMN). Male Fischer 344 rats received a 0.1% solution of EHEN as their drinking water for 4 weeks and were maintained on basal diet until week 40, when a single 50 mg/kg body weight dose of DMN was administered intraperitoneally. Nude rats (NIH rnu/rnu) bearing TRP were similarly treated. Sequential killing 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h thereafter revealed significantly decreased indices of cells binding antibodies to O6-medG and N7-medG adducts in GST-P-positive foci and nodules, and particularly HCC and TRP, as compared to background parenchyma values. Similarly, differences between foci/nodules and HCC/TRP were also significant, indicating that decrease in adduct formation is associated with further malignant conversion. The rate of DNA adduct repair in foci and nodules subsequent to the peak found at the 12 h time-point did not appear to be significantly different from that in the surrounding tissue at the dose of DMN studied. The results indicate decreased formation of DMN-associated DNA damage, in line with the known metabolic profile of carcinogen-induced focal liver lesions.

Animals↗