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Biomedical subjects

M Asano

Publications and source records attributed to M Asano.

At least 451 records · Page 25Linked to original sources

Contractile effects of Bay k 8644, a dihydropyridine calcium agonist, on isolated femoral arteries from spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Agonist actions of methyl-1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethyl-3-nitro-4-(2-trifluoromethylphenyl)- pyridine-5-carboxylate (Bay k 8644) were investigated in femoral and mesenteric arteries from 6-week-old spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), and data compared with findings in normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKYs). The addition of Bay k 8644 produced a dose-dependent contraction in SHR femoral artery with a pD2 value of 8.55. Maximum contraction induced by this agonist (1 X 10(-7) M) was comparable to the maximum developed by K+-depolarization. Bay k 8644 was much less effective in eliciting the contractile responses on WKY femoral artery. Contractile responses of mesenteric and tail arteries to Bay k 8644 were weak and were not significantly different between SHR and WKY. Thoracic aorta was sensitive to the contractile response to Bay k 8644, but the sensitivity was not significantly different between SHR and WKY. Increased responsiveness to exogenously applied K+ was also observed in SHR femoral artery as compared to WKY. Contractile responses of SHR femoral artery to Bay k 8644 were antagonized competitively by nifedipine (pA2 = 8.36), a dihydropyridine Ca++ antagonist, but noncompetitively by diltiazem, a non-dihydropyridine Ca++ antagonist. When the effect of nifedipine on the dose-response curve for Bay k 8644 was determined in WKY femoral artery, there was a similar extent of rightward displacement of the dose-response curve to that seen in SHR. Nifedipine was less efficacious in relaxing the contractile response to Bay k 8644 compared to the contractile response to K+ in SHRs femoral arteries.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

3-Pyridinecarboxylic acid, 1,4-dihydro-2,6-dimethy↗

[A case of malignant degeneration of benign cystic teratoma of the ovary].

A case of malignant degeneration of benign cystic teratoma of the ovary is reported. Almost all cases of malignant degeneration in the literature are squamous cell carcinomas, and other varieties or mixed malignancies are rare. But in this case, the tumor contained squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma separately. The focus of the adenocarcinoma looked like an embryonal structure of the intestine. Immunohistochemically, CEA is positive in both malignancies, but AFP is only in adenocarcinoma. These findings suggest that the pathogenesis of adenocarcinoma is different from that of squamous cell carcinoma arising in benign cystic teratoma of the ovary.

Adenocarcinoma↗

SV40 vector with early gene replacement efficient in transducing exogenous DNA into mammalian cells.

An early replacement SV40 vector, SV40-Mu beta, was constructed by replacing part of the early genes of the virus with mouse interferon-beta (IFN-beta) cDNA. Upon transfection of COS-7 cells with this DNA, transducing viral particles were produced, which could infect various cells and cause efficient production of mouse IFN-beta. The viral stock contained no detectable wild-type SV40. The IFN production after the virus infection was very high in monkey kidney cells, but less so in human epithelial cells, and low in mouse, pig, hamster cells and in human lymphocytes. The efficiency of introduction of the DNA to monkey kidney cells was compared with that by the calcium phosphate precipitation method, and the viral vector was found to be more efficient by a factor of several tens to hundreds.

Animals↗

Detection of malathion in a victim by gas chromatography/negative ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry.

We experienced an autopsy case in which a 53-year-old woman committed suicide by ingesting allegedly a certain agricultural chemical. The blood and stomach contents, after extraction with acetonitrile and chloroform, were subjected to analysis by gas chromatography (GC)/negative ion chemical ionization (CI) mass spectrometry (MS). By total ion monitoring in the negative CI mode, a large peak appeared. The mass spectrum of the peak showed a strong anion at m/z 157, suggesting the presence of an organophosphorus pesticide. By measuring its spectrum in the positive electron impact (EI) mode, it was identified as malathion. The selected ion monitoring in the negative CI mode showed that the malathion peak was not interfered with by any impurities, and its background was very low. The sensitivity in the negative CI mode was about 5-10 times higher than that in the positive EI mode. Our data show that the GC/negative ion CI MS is useful for both screening and sensitive quantitation of organophosphorus pesticides.

Female↗

Sequential changes in blood concentrations of fuels in relation to arterial blood ketone body ratio after 70% hepatectomy in rabbits.

The changes in arterial blood levels of glucose, free fatty acids, ketone bodies, and amino acids were investigated after 70% hepatectomy in rabbits in relation to the changes in adenylate energy charge of the remnant liver and ketone body ratio of arterial blood. Hepatic energy charge decreased to 0.767 +/- 0.008 within 24 h (p less than 0.001), and arterial blood ketone body ratio decreased to 0.415 +/- 0.041 within 12 h (p less than 0.001). Plasma free fatty acid concentrations increased to about twice the original values within 12 h (p less than 0.01), total amino acid concentrations also doubled within 24 h (p less than 0.01), and blood glucose levels decreased to below 100 mg/dl at 12 and 24 h (p less than 0.05). Afterward, at 96 h postoperatively (p.o.), blood ketone body ratio and energy charge levels were restored to near normal levels with the normalization of blood glucose, plasma free fatty acids, and plasma amino acids. These findings suggest that the decreased energy charge of the remnant liver concomitant with a fall in blood ketone body ratio may be the basis of the sequential changes in the blood concentration of fuels after massive hepatectomy.

Alanine↗

Pleiotropic phenotypic expression in cybrids derived from mouse teratocarcinoma cells fused with rat myoblast cytoplasts.

Cybrid clones were isolated by fusing mouse embryonal carcinoma (PCC4) cells with cytoplasts of rat myoblastic cells (L6TG X CAPr). Although some clones were similar to PCC4 (Type II), a high proportion (88%) were differentiated; the differentiated cells had a mesh-like arrangement (Type I) or were flat with many projections (Type III). Protein patterns of both Type I and Type III cells changed markedly from that of PCC4 cells. Type III cells lacked alkaline phosphatase and expressed endo A and B proteins predominantly. One Type III clone produced alpha-fetoprotein and plasminogen activator (visceral endoderm-like), while another clone consisted of trophectodermal cell-like giant cells. Therefore it was shown that introduction of the somatic cell cytoplasm induces differentiation of teratocarcinoma stem cells, suggesting a cytoplasmic element (or elements) regulating gene expression.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Cloning of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase gene from a cyanobacterium, Anacystis nidulans, in Escherichia coli.

The phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase gene (ppc) from Anacystis nidulans, a cyanobacterium (blue-green alga), was cloned in Escherichia coli. Chromosomal DNA of A. nidulans was partially digested with Sau3AI, and the obtained DNA fragments were ligated in the BamHI site of pBR322. The hybrid plasmids were first transformed into E. coli K802 (hsdR-, hsdM+) to obtain the gene bank of A. nidulans. The bank consisted of about 12,000 clones. These hybrid plasmids were then transformed into E. coli PCR1 (ppc2-, recA1-, hsdR+, hsdM+), and the transformants were selected by complementation of the ppc mutation (phenotype of glutamate requirement). In the cell-free extracts of E. coli strains having the cloned ppc gene, PEPCase activities were detected, but their properties were different from those of the E. coli enzyme. Analysis by subcloning showed that the ppc gene was included in a DNA fragment 3,500 base pairs long and the maxicell method revealed that the molecular weight of the gene product was about 108,000. It is suggested that the ppc gene is expressed in E. coli mainly by read-through transcription, being initiated by the promoter of tetracycline-resistance gene of pBR322, but the significant expression in reversed orientation of the cloned ppc gene indicates that the gene includes a promoter capable of functioning in E. coli cells.

Carboxy-Lyases↗

Cardiovascular pharmacology of nicardipine in animals.

The haemodynamic, antianginal and antihypertensive effects of nicardipine, a vascular selective calcium antagonist, were studied in experimental animals. In the canine isolated coronary artery, nicardipine relaxed potassium-induced contraction and suppressed 3,4-diaminopyridine-induced rhythmic contractions more effectively than nifedipine, verapamil or diltiazem. In anaesthetised rats, nicardipine prevented the elevation of ST segment induced by intracoronary injection of methacholine. In anaesthetised dogs, nicardipine produced a greater vasodilatation in vertebral, carotid, and coronary vessels than in mesenteric, femoral, and renal vessels and did not affect myocardial oxygen consumption. In conscious monkeys, nicardipine given intravenously lowered blood pressure and gave rise to reflex tachycardia but did not prolong the A-V conduction time. Nicardipine given orally lowered blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), renal hypertensive rats (RHR), and deoxycorticosterone acetate/salt hypertensive rats (DOCA/Salt), as well as in normotensive rats. Long-term treatment with nicardipine given orally for 12 weeks effectively lowered high blood pressure in the three types of hypertensive rats, reduced cardiac hypertrophy in SHR and DOCA/Salt rats, and prevented mortality from stroke in DOCA/Salt rats. Combined treatment with nicardipine and a beta-adrenoceptor blocking agent (indenolol) showed an antihypertensive effect similar to that obtained with nicardipine alone. Conscious renal hypertensive dogs given repeated oral administration of nicardipine for 14 days did not develop tolerance to the hypotensive activity of nicardipine. Under the same conditions, tolerance to hydralazine developed within 4 days.

Animals↗

Acidic cysteine proteinase inhibitor in seminal plasma.

A cysteine proteinase inhibitor with acidic isoelectric point (pI = 4.7-5.0) was found in human seminal plasma. Its apparent molecular mass is 16 kDa. It inhibits cysteine proteinases like ficin, cathepsin H, cathepsin B and papain. The inhibitory activity of seminal plasma against ficin is almost the same as that of human serum.

Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors↗