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Biomedical subjects

M Hatano

Publications and source records attributed to M Hatano.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Precise measurement of dp elastic scattering at 270 MeV and three-nucleon force effects

The cross section, the deuteron vector A(d)(y) and tensor analyzing powers A(ij), the polarization transfer coefficients K(y('))(ij), and the induced polarization P(y(')) were measured for the dp elastic scattering at 270 MeV. The cross section and A(d)(y) are well reproduced by Faddeev calculations with modern data-equivalent nucleon-nucleon forces plus the Tucson-Melbourne three-nucleon force. In contrast, A(ij), K(y('))(ij), or P(y(')) are not described by such calculations. These facts indicate the deficiencies in the spin dependence of the Tucson-Melbourne force and call for extended three-nucleon force models.

Journal Article↗

Emergency abdominal surgery in patients aged 80 years and older.

The outcome of emergency abdominal surgery in elderly patients remains unsatisfactory. We studied factors contributing to the outcome of abdominal emergency surgery in elderly patients, particularly in those aged 80 years and older. Subjects were 61 patients aged 80 years and older (group A) and 108 patients aged from 65 to 79 years (group B) who underwent emergency abdominal surgery between 1983 and 1997. Complications were significantly higher in group A than in group B, with respiratory failure the most common postoperative complication. Mortality rate within 30 days after surgery was also higher in group A (9.8%) than in group B (3.3%). Complications and mortality did not differ significantly between those with and without preexisting concomitant disease in group A. Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) was seen in 35 patients in group A and 50 in group B. Severe complications occurred in 62.5% of group A with preoperative SIRS. Mortality in those with SIRS was significantly higher than those without. SIRS is thus a feasible predictor of poor outcome in patients aged 80 years and older who have emergency abdominal surgery and in those aged from 65 to 79 years. Patients with SIRS should initially receive minimal treatment whenever possible, rather than be overtreated, until their conditions stabilize.

Abdomen↗

HCV-core protein accelerates recovery from the insensitivity of liver cells to Fas-mediated apoptosis induced by an injection of anti-Fas antibody in mice.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major etiologic agent of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. The aim of this study was to elucidate pathological effects of HCV-core protein on liver cells. METHODS: We have generated transgenic mice carrying HCV-core cDNA (Px-core) and pathologically examined livers of Px-core mice. RESULTS: HCV-core protein was detectable in livers from lines 5 (C5) and 8 (C8) of Px-core transgenic mice. Since chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis precede hepatocellular carcinoma in patients with HCV infection, we tried to examine the effect of repetitive injection of a small dose of anti-Fas antibody in the transgenic mice. Surprisingly, an initial injection of anti-Fas antibody induced resistance of liver cells to the second injection of anti-Fas antibody in both Px-core and littermate control mice. The insensitivity of liver cells induced in the control mice continued for more than 24 weeks after the first injection but was broken within 1 week after partial hepatectomy. However, the sensitivity was restored in the Px-core mice within 12 weeks after the injection. CONCLUSION: HCV-core protein in liver cells may affect persistence of Fas-mediated liver cell injury.

Animals↗

Impairment of B lymphopoiesis in precocious aging (klotho) mice.

Inactivation of the klotho gene in mice results in multiple disorders that resemble human aging after 3 weeks of age. Because hematopoiesis, especially B lymphopoiesis, is affected in humans and mice by aging, we analyzed the hematopoietic state in homozygous klotho (kl/kl) mice. The kl/kl mice showed thymic atrophy and a reduced number of splenocytes. These mice had almost the normal number of myeloid cells, erythroid cells, IL-3-responsive myeloid precursors and colony forming units in spleen (CFU-S) in bone marrow (BM), but had a substantially decreased number of B cells in BM and peripheral blood as compared with wild-type mice. IL-7-responsive B cell precursors and all of the maturation stages of B cells in BM were also reduced. However, the function of hematopoietic stem cells including their capacity of B lymphopoiesis in vivo and in vitro was normal. Early B cell development was also normal in neonates and young kl/kl mice until 2 weeks old without aging phenotypes. RT-PCR analysis revealed that the level of IL-7 gene expression was significantly reduced in freshly isolated kl/kl BM cells. However, injection of IL-7 in kl/kl mice could not rescue the B lymphopenia. These findings indicate that Klotho protein may regulate B lymphopoiesis via its influence on the hematopoietic microenvironment.

Aging↗

[The effects of ACE inhibitor treatment and ACE gene polymorphism on erythropoiesis in chronic hemodialysis patients].

Aggravation of anemia in chronic renal failure patients by angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) has been attributed to the inhibition of angiotensin II which facilitates erythropoietin(Epo) production. This study was aimed at evaluating whether ACEIs aggravate anemia in maintenance hemodialysis patients and to investigate the influence of ACE gene polymorphism on erythropoiesis in these patients. Ninety-one hemodialysis patients were divided into 2 groups, based on whether or not they were administered ACEIs, into the ACEI group(n = 24) and the non-ACEI group(n = 67), and comparisons were made of the doses of recombinant human Epo(rHuEpo) administered, the hematocrit(Hct) and the plasma Epo concentrations. Among the patients in the non-ACEI group, only 17 did not receive rHuEpo, while all of the patients in the ACEI group received rHuEpo. The average dose of rHuEpo was 102.7 +/- 45.4 IU/kg/week in the ACEI group and 57.8 +/- 55 IU/kg/week in the non-ACEI group and the difference between the two groups was statistically significant. A statistically significant difference in the Hct was also observed between the two groups: the mean Hct in the ACEI group was 28.7 +/- 2.9% while that in the non-ACEI group was 31.1 +/- 3.7%. The plasma Epo concentrations were significantly lower in the ACEI group than in the non-ACEI group. No significant differences in the rHuEpo dose and Hct were observed between the three ACE genotype classes in either the ACEI or the non-ACEI group, however, there was a significant difference among the three genotypes in the non-ACEI group in regard to the plasma Epo concentrations; patients with the DD genotype had higher concentrations than those with the DI or II genotypes. These data suggest that anemia in maintenance hemodialysis patients is worsened by ACEIs as a result of the suppression of Epo production. Although it has been suggested that the endogenous Epo concentrations in maintenance hemodialysis patients are associated with ACE gene polymorphism, no significant influence of the ACE genotype on the rHuEpo dose or Hct was evident. Therefore, it is possible that exacerbation of anemia by ACEIs in the patients receiving rHuEpo is a result of an inhibited bone marrow response to Epo.

Adult↗

An enhancer element for expression of the Ncx (Enx, Hox11L1) gene in neural crest-derived cells.

The murine Ncx (Enx, Hox11L1) gene is specifically expressed in a neuronal subset of neural crest-derived tissues. In attempts to elucidate the regulatory DNA element of the tissue-specific expression, we sequenced the 5'-flanking region of the Ncx gene. The transcriptional initiation site was determined at 297 nucleotides (-297) upstream from the ATG start codon (+1). A retinoic acid response element was located on the region between -1163 and -1150. Transient transfection assays with the 5'-flanking sequences fused to the luciferase gene showed that the region between -1387 and -1368 was crucial for the tissue-specific enhancer activity. Furthermore, nuclear proteins extracted from neural crest-derived cells such as murine and human neuroblastoma cells bind to the DNA region between -1387 and -1368. This DNA element was also conserved in the 5'-flanking region of the human NCX gene. Our observations strongly suggest that the DNA element (between -1387 and -1368) contributes to tissue-specific expression of the Ncx gene in murine and human species.

Animals↗

Expression of a murine homologue of the inhibitor of apoptosis protein is related to cell proliferation.

The inhibitor of apoptosis (IAP) proteins form a highly conserved gene family that prevents cell death in response to a variety of stimuli. Herein we describe a newly defined murine IAP, designated Tiap, that proved to be a murine homologue of human survivin based on sequence comparison. TIAP has one baculovirus IAP repeat and lacks a C-terminal RING finger motif. TIAP interacted with the processed form of caspase 3 and inhibited caspase-induced cell death. Histological examinations revealed that TIAP is expressed in growing tissues such as thymus, testis, and intestine of adult mice and many tissues of embryos. In in vitro studies, TIAP was induced in splenic T cells activated with anti-CD3 antibody or Con A, and the expression of TIAP was up-regulated in synchronized NIH 3T3 cells at S to G2/M phase of the cell cycle. We propose that during cell proliferation, cellular protective activity may be augmented with inducible IAPs such as TIAP.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Hepatitis C virus structural proteins induce liver cell injury in transgenic mice.

To develop an animal model of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, transgenic mice carrying part of the HCV cDNA (C980) encoding HCV-core and envelope proteins under control of the mouse class I major histocompatibility complex gene (H-2K) regulatory region were produced. HCV-C980 RNA and HCV-core protein were present in livers from line H36 as determined by RNase protection assay and immunostaining, respectively. More than 40 animals from line H36 were examined histologically. Most of these H36 mice after 10 months of age developed spontaneous focal infiltration of lymphocytes, hepatocyte necrosis, degeneration, and altered foci with mitotic hepatocytes. These pathological lesions were absent in livers from the age-matched control littermates. Liver cells from these H36 mice were sensitive to damage induced by intravenous administration of an anti-Fas antibody. It is suggested that HCV-C980 proteins by themselves may be one causative agent of liver cell injury in subjects with HCV infection.

Animals↗

The role of Bcl6 in mature cardiac myocytes.

OBJECTIVE: The Bcl6 gene encodes a sequence-specific transcriptional repressor and is ubiquitously expressed in adult murine tissues including heart muscle. The objective of this study was to examine the role of Bcl6 in cardiac myocytes. METHOD: We developed Bcl6-deficient (Bcl6-/-) mice and histologically examined hearts from these mice. RESULTS: Massive myocarditis with eosinophilic infiltration occurred in Bcl6-/- mice after 4-6 weeks of age. Since expression of the Bcl6 gene was induced in normal cardiac myocytes after 2 weeks of age and thereafter detected through adulthood, loss of Bcl6 in mature cardiac myocytes may be related to the induction of eosinophilic myocarditis. To examine the effects of eosinophils from Bcl6-/- mice on normal hearts, bone marrow cells from Bcl6-/- mice were adoptively transferred into sublethally irradiated RAG1-deficient mice. Although massive eosinophilic infiltration was detected in conjunctivas and spleens from the chimeric mice, myocarditis was never observed. Electron microscopic analysis of cardiac myocytes from Bcl6-/- mice revealed a spectrum of degenerative changes prior to eosinophilic infiltration. CONCLUSION: Bcl6 maynot be essential for the maturation of cardiac myocytes but may play a role in protecting mature cardiac myocytes from eosinophilic inflammation.

Adoptive Transfer↗

[Relationship between renal function and morphometric assessment in chronic glomerulonephritis].

In an attempt to reveal a correlation between the degree of glomerular hypertrophy, interstitial damage, and hemodynamic parameters in chronic nephritis, the glomerular area (GA) and proportion of interstitial area (IA%) were determined quantitatively with an image analyzer, and the effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) and filtration fraction (FF) were determined simultaneously. The subjects were 12 patients with focal glomerulosclerosis (FGS) and 12 patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN), all of whom had a similar glomerular filtration rate (GFR). The GFR was 58.6 +/- 11.4 ml/min/1.48 m2 in the FGS group and 53.9 +/- 13.1 ml/min/1.48 m2 in the IgAN group, and the difference between the two groups was not significant. On the other hand, ERPF was significantly lower and FF was significantly higher in the FGS group than in the IgAN group. GA was significantly higher in the FGS group than in the control group (10 kidney donors), and GA in the IgAN group was equivalent to that in the control group. IA% was almost equal in the FGS and IgAN groups, and significantly higher in both groups than in the control group. Although GA was not correlated with GFR in the two groups, it tended to be positively correlated with FF in the FGS group, and the correlation between GA and FF reached statistical significance when the IgAN group was combined with the FGS group. The above findings suggest that the pattern of progression of the glomeruli and interstitial lesions and of the intrarenal hemodynamics involved in them may differ in the FGS and IgAN groups. However, since ERPF significantly decreased in the FGS group, even though IA% was the same in both groups, the possibility that ERPF was functionally decreased in the FGS group cannot be ruled out.

Adult↗

Non-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors may mediate the transmission of emetic signals between visceral vagal afferents and the solitary nucleus in dogs.

The effects of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) and non-NMDA receptor antagonists MK-801 and NBQX, respectively, on salivary secretion and retching induced by vagal stimulation were studied in decerebrate dogs. Vagal stimulation induced an increase in salivary secretion and fictive retching. Intra-4th ventricular application of vehicle or MK-801 did not change either response, while NBQX completely abolished both responses. These results suggest that non-NMDA receptors mediate both responses in the solitary nucleus.

Anesthesia↗

c-Fos induces apoptosis in germinal center B cells.

We examined the role of c-Fos in the differentiation of mature B cells into IgG-producing cells using transgenic mice carrying the c-fos gene under the control of the IFN-alpha/beta-inducible Mx promoter (Mx-c-fos) or the constitutive H-2Kb promoter (H2-c-fos). Splenic B cells from Mx-c-fos mice were cultured with LPS and rIL-4, and IgG1+ B cells were developed in the culture after day 3. When IFN-alpha/beta was added to the culture from day 2, development of IgG1+ B cells was perturbed, and the number of apoptotic cells increased within 24 h, suggesting that c-Fos induces apoptosis in Ig class-switching B cells. To confirm the effect of c-Fos on B cell differentiation in vivo, H2-c-fos mice were immunized with DNP-OVA. The mice produced primary IgM, but not IgG, anti-DNP Ab in serum and failed to generate germinal centers in spleen. The perturbation of germinal center formation in H2-c-fos mice was rescued by mating them with transgenic mice carrying the bcl-2 gene with the Ig promoter. However, primary IgG1 anti-DNP Ab production was still suppressed in doubly transgenic mice, suggesting that Bcl-2 can delay the time of c-Fos-induced apoptosis in Ig class-switching B cells but cannot rescue the death. Since c-Fos is induced in mature B cells reacted with Ags, and clonal deletion of self-reactive B cells in germinal centers is insensitive to Bcl-2, these results suggest that c-Fos plays a causal role in clonal deletion of germinal center B cells.

Animals↗

An acute experiment on retrograde intestinal peristalsis with emesis using decerebrated dogs.

This acute experiment using decerebrated dogs was a new model for studies of central and peripheral mechanisms of intestinal motility with emesis, and was undertaken to clarify the relationship between intestinal contractions and the retrograde transport of intestinal contents with emesis. Contractility of the small intestine was recorded by five force transducers. Reflux of mannitol solution injected into the small intestine through the proximal duodenum was recorded by a magnetic flow meter. Retching was induced by vagal afferent stimulation, intramuscular apomorphine, or intragastric copper sulfate. Intestinal contractility was enhanced preceding retching caused by these emetic stimuli. Characteristic contractions in the oral direction were observed in the small intestine before and during retching. These contractions originated in the caudal or middle intestine and conducted to the duodenum intermittently, rather than continuously. Reflux of mannitol solution to the proximal duodenum was observed just after the initiation of retching, and was sometimes observed repeatedly during retching. These results suggest that intestinal contents are repeatedly transported to the proximal duodenum during retching by intermittent retrograde contractions. Acute experiments using decerebrated dogs seem to be useful and essential for studies of central and peripheral mechanisms of emesis.

Animals↗

A physiologic role of Bcl-xL induced in activated macrophages.

Activated macrophages produce nitric oxide (NO) that is an important effector molecule for their antimicrobial and antitumor activities. Since this NO is also toxic for themselves, they have self-defense mechanisms. To elucidate the mechanisms in a physiologic condition, expression of bcl-2 family genes were examined in peritoneal macrophages and RAW264 macrophage cell line activated with IFN-gamma and LPS. Bcl-xL, but not bcl-2 and bax mRNA, was highly inducible within 3 h after stimulation. The induction required new protein synthesis, but was independent of effects of synthesized NO. Since activated RAW264 were more resistant to NO-induced apoptosis mediated by the exposure to S-nitroso-N-acetyl-penicillamine (SNAP) than nonactivated RAW264, the inducible Bcl-xL may play a role in the protection from NO toxicity. To confirm the protective function, RAW264 were stably transfected with bcl-xL. Those transfectants activated with IFN-gamma and LPS appeared highly resistant to NO-induced cell death detected within 24 h after stimulation, although their NO production was similar to those of parental RAW264 and neomycin control-transfected cells. Furthermore, bcl-xL transfectants displayed substantial protection from SNAP-induced apoptosis. These results establish a link between self-defense to the synthesized NO and the induction of Bcl-xL in activated macrophages.

Animals↗

Reperfusion induces sublethal endothelial injury.

BACKGROUND: Endothelial cells are pivotal in regulating thrombosis and hemostasis. In this study, we sought to characterize endothelial dysfunction and endothelial cell injury in vitro after hypoxia/reoxygenation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (ECs) were exposed to 120 min of hypoxia followed by reoxygenation. The release of thrombomodulin (TM) and the production of prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) were measured. Endothelial cell injury in hypoxia/reoxygenation was measured by two assays, the Fura-2 release assay and the 51chromium (51Cr) release assay. RESULTS: TM release from ECs during normoxic incubation was undetectable, while it was slightly increased during hypoxic incubation. After reoxygenation, the release of TM increased, and it became significantly higher at 120 min after reoxygenation compared with hypoxic incubation. The production of PGI2 significantly decreased during hypoxic incubation and further decreased within 30 min after reoxygenation, but returned to normoxic levels at 120 min after reoxygenation. In the Fura-2 release assay, a rapid and significantly greater release of Fura-2 was observed in hypoxia/reoxygenation compared with hypoxic incubation. In the 51Cr release assay which demonstrates cell death, 51Cr release did not increase in hypoxia/reoxygenation. CONCLUSIONS: The present study suggests that 120 min of hypoxia/reoxygenation induces endothelial dysfunction of ECs but does not cause cell death.

Cell Death↗

BAZF, a novel Bcl6 homolog, functions as a transcriptional repressor.

The BCL6 gene, which has been identified from the chromosomal translocation breakpoint in B-cell lymphomas, functions as a sequence-specific transcriptional repressor. We cloned a novel Bcl6-homologous gene, BAZF (encoding Bcl6-associated zinc finger protein). The predicted amino acid sequence of BAZF indicated that the BTB/POZ domain and the five repeats of the Krüppel-like zinc finger motif are located in the NH2-terminal region and the COOH-terminal region, respectively. BAZF associated with Bcl6 at the BTB/POZ domain and localized in the nucleus. Since zinc finger motifs of BAZF were 94% identical to those of Bcl6 at the amino acid level, BAZF bound specifically to the DNA-binding sequence of Bcl6 and functioned as a transcriptional repressor. The repressor activity was associated with both the BTB/POZ domain and the middle portion of BAZF. The 17-amino-acid sequence in the middle portion was completely conserved between BAZF and Bcl6, and the conserved region was critical for the repressor activity. Expression of BAZF mRNA, like that of Bcl6 mRNA, was induced in activated lymphocytes as an immediate-early gene. Therefore, the biochemical character of BAZF is similar to that of Bcl6 although the tissue expression pattern of BAZF differs from that of Bcl6. This is apparently the first report of a gene family whose members encode zinc finger proteins with the BTB/POZ domain.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A neurokinin-1 receptor antagonist reduced hypersalivation and gastric contractility related to emesis in dogs.

The roles of tachykinin neurokinin-1 (NK1) receptors in the induction of fictive retching, hypersalivation, and gastric responses associated with emesis induced by abdominal vagal stimulation were studied in paralyzed, decerebrated dogs. Vagal stimulation induced gradual increases in salivary secretion and activity of the parasympathetic postganglionic fibers to the submandibular gland, relaxation of the gastric corpus and antrum, and fictive retching. However, hypersalivation and increased nerve activity were suppressed and antral contractility was enhanced during fictive retching. An NK1 receptor antagonist, GR-205171, abolished the enhancement of antral contractility and fictive retching but had no effect on corpus and antral relaxation. Hypersalivation and increased nerve activity were inhibited by GR-205171 but were not completely abolished. Reflex salivation by lingual nerve stimulation was unaffected. These results suggest that GR-205171 acts on the afferent pathway in the bulb and diminishes hypersalivation and antral contraction related to emesis as well as fictive retching but does not affect gastric relaxation or hypersalivation induced by the vagovagal, vagosalivary, and linguosalivary reflexes.

Animals↗