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Biomedical subjects

M Hirano

Publications and source records attributed to M Hirano.

At least 325 records · Page 18Linked to original sources

A new variant Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (Val7-->Glu) deduced from lymphocyte mRNA sequences from Japanese patients with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

We have identified a new mutant Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) deduced from the nucleotide sequences of peripheral blood lymphocyte mRNA from Japanese patients with familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS). Sequence analysis of reverse transcriptase-initiated PCR amplified mRNA revealed a heterozygosity indicative of one normal allele and one variant allele with a T-->A transversion. This base change led to replacement of valine by glutamic acid at position 7 of 153-residue SOD1 molecule, and produced a new restriction site for Alu I in the exon 1. Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis confirmed the linkage of this mutation with this type of FALS. Both enzymatic activity and protein of the SOD1 were reduced in red blood cells from the patient.

Adult↗

Energy migration in allophycocyanin-B trimer with a linker polypeptide: analysis by the principal multi-component spectral estimation (PMSE) method.

Energy migration processes in allophycocyanin-B trimer with a linker polypeptide were analyzed using the principal multi-component spectral estimation (PMSE) method, which does not require assumption of component number, decay function, or the spectral band shape. We determined the number of spectral components showing independent kinetic behavior by the eigen-value of an auto-correlation matrix, and further the spectra of the components and their rise and decay curves. Two decay components were resolved at 20 degrees C: one corresponded to the decay of one type of beta-84 chromophore, and the other to the decay from the thermally equilibrated state between another type of beta-84 chromophore and the alpha-allophycocyanin B chromophore. An additional slow decay process was resolved at -196 degrees C. We also compared the component spectra obtained using the PMSE method with the decay-associated spectra obtained using the global analysis.

Cyanobacteria↗

Characterisation of an anti-ulcer pectic polysaccharide from leaves of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer.

Structural characterisation of an anti-ulcer polysaccharide (GL-BIII), purified from leaves of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer, was studied. Methylation analysis indicated that GL-BIII consisted mainly of terminal Arap, 4- or 5-substituted Ara, 2,4-disubstituted Rha, 4- and 6-substituted Gal, and 3,6-disubstituted Gal. Single radial gel diffusion using beta-glucosyl-Yariv antigen indicated that GL-BIII contained a small proportion of a beta-(1-->3,6)-galactan moiety. GL-BIII also contained terminal, 4-substituted, and 3,4-disubstituted GalA, and terminal and 4-substituted GlcA. Base-catalysed beta-elimination suggested that some 2-substituted Rha in GL-BIII was attached to position 4 of a 4-substituted uronic acid. Both mild acid hydrolysis and endo-alpha-(1-->4)-polygalacturonase digestion of GL-BIII did not give fragments consisting mainly of GalA. Methylation analysis and GC-MS analysis of acidic oligosaccharides liberated by partial acid hydrolysis indicated that GL-BIII contained a GalA-(1-->4)-Rha unit in addition to longer acidic units consisting of 2-substituted Rha and 4-substituted GalA. Lithium-mediated degradation of GL-BIII followed by borohydride reduction gave small amounts of fractions containing long and intermediate neutral oligosaccharide-alditols and a large amount of a fraction containing short oligosaccharide-alditols. The long neutral oligosaccharide-alditol fraction mainly comprised 4- or 5-substituted Ara, terminal Galf, 6-substituted Glc, and 2-substituted Man, whereas the intermediate oligosaccharide-alditol fraction consisted mainly of terminal and 6-substituted Galp, 6-substituted Glc, and 2-substituted Man. Methylation analysis and GC-MS analysis of the short oligosaccharide-alditol fraction suggested that it contained at least 14 kinds of di- to tetra-saccharide-alditols such as Gal-(1-->2)-Rha-ol, Gal-(1-->4)-Rha-ol, Ara-->Ara-ol, and Ara-->Ara-->Ara-ol.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗

[Malignant lymphoma].

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Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

Effect of phencyclidine on dopamine release in the rat prefrontal cortex; an in vivo microdialysis study.

The effect of phencyclidine (PCP) on the extracellular dopamine levels in the rat prefrontal cortex was investigated using an in vivo brain dialysis technique. PCP increased extracellular dopamine levels in the prefrontal cortex of freely-moving rats after the systemic (7.5 mg/kg i.p.) or the local injection (100 microM and 500 microM). The local injection of MK-801, which is a more selective and potent NMDA receptor antagonist than PCP also increased the extracellular dopamine levels (from 10 microM to 100 microM). These results suggest that part of the effect of PCP is attributable to its antagonist effect on the NMDA receptor.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid↗

Structural studies of endopolygalacturonase-resistant fragments of an antiulcer pectin from the roots of Bupleurum falcatum L.

The endo-alpha-(1-->4)-polygalacturonase-resistant fractions (PG-1, PG-2, and PG-3) from an antiulcer pectin (Bupleuran 2IIc), isolated from the roots of Bupleurum falcatum L., were further analysed by lithium degradation. The results indicated that PG-1 contained a small proportion of long, branched arabinosyl chains and a large proportion of short, neutral oligosaccharide chains. GLC-MS analysis showed that, after methylation the short, neutral oligosaccharide fraction consisted of at least 22 kinds of di- to tetra-saccharide alditols, such as Gal-(1-->4)-Rha-ol (a major component), Ara-(1-->4)-Rha-ol, Glc-(1-->4)-Rha-ol, Ara-->Ara-->Ara-ol, and Ara-->Ara-->Ara-->Ara-ol (minor components) in addition to heteroglycosyl alditols. After deesterification, PG-2 and PG-3 were digested with endo-alpha-(1-->4)-polygalacturonase again, and the enzyme-resistant intermediate size fraction (PG-2') was purified. Component sugar analysis indicated that PG-2' contained 2-Me-Fuc, 2-Me-Xyl, apiose (Api), aceric acid (AceA), 3-deoxy-D-lyxo-heptulosaric acid (Dha), and 3-deoxy-D-manno-2-octulosonic acid (Kdo) in addition to Rha, Fuc, Ara, Xyl, Man, Gal, Glc, GalA, and GlcA. Lithium degradation of PG-2' gave mainly a pentosyl-->6-deoxyhexosyl-->6-deoxyhexosyl-->pentitol fragment, with some neutral di- and tri-saccharide alditols, including a pentosyl-->deoxyhexitol. Methylation analysis of these degradation products indicated that they contained terminal Rha, Araf, Fuc, Xyl, and Gal, 4-linked Rha, 3-linked Fuc, 3-linked Ara, and 3'-linked Api. Bupleuran 2IIc was eluted as essentially a single peak on gel filtration on Sepharose CL-6B. The neutral sugar content of the successive fractions increased with increasing molecular weight, but each fraction also contained, in addition to Rha, Ara, and Gal, 2-Me-Fuc, 2-Me-Xyl, and Api.

Animals↗

Mitochondrial encephalomyopathies: clinical and molecular analysis.

The classification of mitochondrial encephalomyopathies relied upon clinical, biochemical, and histological features until the discovery of mitochondrial DNA defects in 1988. Since then, an outburst of molecular genetic information has aided our understanding of the pathogenesis and the classification of these heterogeneous disorders. Novel concepts of maternal inheritance, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) heteroplasmy, tissue distribution, and threshold have explained many of the clinical characteristics. The discovery of point mutations, large-scale mtDNA deletions, duplications, and autosomally inherited disorders with multiple mtDNA deletions have revealed new genetic phenomena. Despite our rapidly expanding understanding of the molecular genetic defects, many questions remain to be explored to fill the gap in our knowledge of the relationship between genotype and clinical phenotype.

DNA, Mitochondrial↗

Histological and microradiographic evaluation of hydrated and hardened alpha-tricalcium phosphate/calcium phosphate dibasic mixtures.

Bone tissue response to pre-hardened alpha-tricalcium phosphate (alpha-TCP) and calcium phosphate dibasic (DCPD) mixture by hydration was studied histologically and microradiographically after implanting on the inferior aspect of the mandible in rabbits. In 1-month implants, new bone formation was observed along the surface of the material near the host bone, and connection of new and host bone through thin bone bridges was seen in some places. In 3-month implants, newly formed bone filled the greater part of the gap between material and host bone, and in 6-month implants, it surrounded almost all the surface of the material. New bone was in direct contact with the material in all implant periods. The bone response was essentially consistent with that to hydroxyapatite (HA). Resorption of the material was noticed in 3- and 6-month implants. It was concluded that pre-hardened alpha-TCP/DCPD mixture has good biocompatibility with bone tissue equal to HA and that it resorbs when implanted in rabbit. Further research should be performed to evaluate the material changes of resorption and formation of the white zone.

Animals↗

Translocation (3;21)(q26;q22) in treatment-related acute leukemia secondary to acute promyelocytic leukemia.

We performed cytogenetic studies in a patient with treatment-related acute leukemia (t-AL) to identify the associated chromosomal changes. Metaphase analysis revealed a t(3;21)(q26;q22) translocation. Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) had been diagnosed 4 years earlier and the patient had received intensive induction chemotherapy and sequential post-induction therapy that included agents that targeted DNA-topoisomerase II (topo II). This case suggests an association between previous therapy with topo II inhibitors and development of t-AL associated with a balanced aberration involving the 3q26 and 21q22 bands.

Acute Disease↗

Functional studies on MEL-14+ and MEL-14- T cells in peripheral lymphoid tissues.

Functions of MEL-14+ T cells and MEL-14- T cells in peripheral lymphoid tissues were analyzed and compared. The MEL-14- T cells, representing a minor subpopulation of spleen and lymph node T cells, generated considerably higher mixed lymphocyte reaction and mitogen responses than the MEL-14+ T cells in any lymphoid tissues studied. Furthermore, upon stimulation with ConA the MEL-14- CD8+ T cells produced significantly larger amounts of IL-2 and IFN-gamma than MEL-14+ CD8+ T cells did. A similar but less marked observation was obtained with the CD4+ T cell population. Furthermore, when B10.BR mice were immunized with AKR (Mls-1a) spleen cells, the proportion of the Mls-1a reactive V beta 6+ T cells from draining lymph nodes increased and a substantial proportion of the increasing V beta 6+ T cells was shown to be MEL-14-. The present findings on the whole indicate that MEL-14- T cells in the peripheral lymphoid tissues are at functionally high levels and may represent memory cells which have been previously stimulated in vivo.

Animals↗

Interference between normal vibrato and artificial stimulation of laryngeal muscles at near-vibrato rates.

A stabilized tremor hypothesis for vocal vibrato is investigated. The stabilizer is assumed to be a mechanical oscillator that may contain reflex loops. Artificial stimulation of the cricothyroid muscle in one subject showed a well-defined resonance curve of this peripheral oscillator at approximately 5.0 Hz. Combined artificial stimulation with natural vibrato showed that the vibrato could be entrained by a peripheral stimulus, provided the two frequencies are separated by no more than approximately +/- 0.5 Hz. This suggests that vibrato frequencies are not "hard-wired" centrally, even though a collection of centrally generated tremors may serve as excitation to the peripheral oscillator.

Electric Stimulation↗

Acoustic analysis of functional dysphonia: before and after voice therapy (accent method).

Ten patients who were referred to a speech pathologist for functional voice disorders were treated with voice therapy using the accent method. The vocal folds were normal except in three females who had moderate bilateral nodules. The voices were analyzed acoustically before and after treatment. Of the parameters tested, pitch perturbation quotient, amplitude perturbation quotient, normalized noise energy for 1-4 kHz, and fundamental frequency showed significant improvement.

Adolescent↗

Polyclonal antibody against a complement-activating pectin from the roots of Angelica acutiloba.

Anti-sera against a complement-activating pectin (AR-2IIb), which was purified from the roots of Angelica acutiloba Kitagawa, were obtained by immunization of rabbits, and a polyclonal anti-AR-2IIb antibody of the IgG class was purified by affinity chromatography on AR-2IIb-immobilized Sepharose and Protein G-Sepharose. Periodate oxidation of AR-2IIb significantly reduced its inhibitory activity on the reactivity of AR-2IIb to anti-AR-2IIb-IgG, but pronase digestion of AR-2IIb did not affect its inhibitory activity. Other pharmacologically active pectins from A. autiloba, Bupleurum falcatum, and Glycyrrhiza uralensis and the complement-activating pectic arabinogalactan from A. autiloba also showed significant inhibitory activities on the reactivity of AR-2IIb to anti-AR-2IIb-IgG, but these inhibitory activities were lower than that of AR-2IIb. Other pectins, polygalacturonic acid, arabinogalactan, galactan, and araban tested had negligible inhibitory activity. Endo-a-(1-->4)-polygalacturonase digestion of AR-2IIb indicated that its "ramified" region (rhamnogalacturonan core possessing neutral oligosaccharide side-chains) contained epitopes for anti-AR-2IIb-IgG, but that 2-keto-3-deoxyoctulosonic acid (KDO)-containing regions and oligogalacturonides obtained from AR-2IIb were not recognized by anti-AR-2IIb-IgG. Although carboxyl-reduction of galacturonic acid in the "ramified" region decreased the inhibitory activity of the "ramified" on its reactivity to anti-AR-2IIb, an acidic tetrasaccharide unit in the rhamnogalacturonan core had negligible inhibitory activity.

Animals↗

Existence of a rhamnogalacturonan II-like region in bioactive pectins from medicinal herbs.

Unusual component sugars such as 2-methylfucose (2-Me-Fuc), 2-methylxylose (2-Me-Xyl), apiose (Api), and aceric acid (AceA) are contained in the bioactive pectins from Bupleurum falcatum, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, and Angelica acutiloba, but not in the other bioactive pectic heteroglycans and arabinogalactans from Chinese and Japanese herbs tested. Each pectin was digested with endo-alpha-(1-->4)-polygalacturonase, and gave two enzyme-resistant fractions, PG-1 (rhamnogalacturonan core with neutral sugar side-chains) and PG-2, and an oligogalacturonide fraction (PG-3) by gel filtration on Bio-gel P-30. The PG-2 fractions commonly consisted of unusual sugars such as 2-Me-Fuc, 2-Me-Xyl, Api, AceA, 3-deoxy-D-lyxo-heptulosaric acid (Dha), and 3-deoxy-D-manno-2-octulosonic acid (Kdo) in addition to Rha, Fuc, Ara, Xyl, Man, Gal, Glc, GalA, and GlcA. Lithium degradation of each PG-2 gave a pentosyl-->6-deoxyhexosyl-->6-deoxyhexosyl-->pentitol fragment as a major oligosaccharide in addition to some neutral di- to trisaccharide alditols. Methylation analysis of the lithium degradation products from each PG-2 also indicated that these oligosaccharide alditols mainly consisted of terminal Rha, Araf, Fuc, Xyl, and Gal, 4-linked Rha, 3-linked Fuc, and 3'-linked Api. HPLC analysis showed that PG-2 had molecular heterogeneity. These results indicate that the bioactive pectins from medicinal herbs commonly consist of the minor KDO-containing region which resembles the rhamnogalacturonan II in plant cell walls.

Carbohydrate Sequence↗

The interaction of small domains between the subunits of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase determines enzyme activity.

Previous studies have suggested that the two subunits of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase, p85 and p110, function as localizing and catalytic subunits, respectively. Using recombinant p85 and p110 molecules, we have reconstituted the specific interaction between the two subunits of mouse PI 3-kinase in cells and in vitro. We have previously shown that the region between the two Src homology 2 (SH2) domains of p85 is able to form a functional complex with the 110-kDa subunit in vivo. In this report, we identify the corresponding domain in p110 which directs the binding to p85. We demonstrate that the interactive domains in p85 and p110 are less than 103 and 124 amino acids, respectively, in size. We also show that the association of p85 and p110 mediated by these domains is critical for PI 3-kinase activity. Surprisingly, a complex between a 102-amino-acid segment of p85 and the full-length p110 molecule is catalytically active, whereas p110 alone has no activity. In addition to the catalytic domain in the carboxy-terminal region, 123 amino acids at the amino terminus of p110 were required for catalytic activity and were sufficient for the interaction with p85. These results indicate that the 85-kDa subunit, previously thought to have only a linking role in localizing the p110 catalytic subunit, is an important component of the catalytic complex.

3T3 Cells↗

Simultaneous measurement of intracellular Na+ and Ca2+ during K(+)-free perfusion in isolated myocytes.

To study the relationship between intracellular Na+ concentration ([Na+]i) and intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i), guinea pig ventricular myocytes were loaded with both the Na(+)-sensitive probe, sodium-binding benzofuran isophthalate (SBFI), and the Ca(2+)-sensitive probe, fluo 3. [Na+]i was measured from the ratio image at 510 nm when excited at 340/380 nm. [Ca2+]i, expressed as the percent change of corrected fluo 3 fluorescence, was measured at 540 nm when excited at 500 nm. The fluorescent spectra of these probes were sufficiently different to allow for simultaneous measurement. After 30 min perfusion of K(+)-free solution, [Na+]i of rod-shaped cells increased from 6.4 +/- 0.5 to 20.6 +/- 2.6 mM, and [Ca2+]i increased to 256 +/- 36% of the control. [Ca2+]i was higher in spontaneously contracting cells and shortened cells than in rod-shaped cells at similar levels of [Na+]i. When Ca(2+)-free solution or Ni2+ (5 mM) was applied, [Ca2+]i was lower than in cells perfused with K(+)-free solution alone. It was suggested that extracellular Ca2+ and the Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange were involved in the increase in [Ca2+]i. In conclusion, we have developed a new method for the simultaneous measurement of [Na+]i and [Ca2+]i in isolated myocytes, which should be useful to study the relation between [Na+]i and [Ca2+]i.

Aniline Compounds↗

Regulation of [Na+]i and [Ca2+]i in guinea pig myocytes: dual loading of fluorescent indicators SBFI and fluo 3.

To investigate the mechanisms regulating intracellular Na+ and Ca2+ concentrations ([Na+]i and [Ca2+]i, respectively), we monitored both ion concentrations simultaneously using fluorescent probes, Na(+)-binding benzofuran isophthalate (SBFI) and fluo 3, in unstimulated guinea pig ventricular myocytes. After the addition of 500 microM strophanthidin, [Na+]i increased gradually from 6.6 +/- 0.6 to 20.1 +/- 1.6 mM (mean +/- SE) at 50 min. [Ca2+]i, expressed as the percentage change of corrected fluo 3 fluorescence, was kept at the low level during the first 20 min and then began to increase to 447 +/- 81% of the control at 50 min. The addition of 1 microM hexamethylene amiloride prevented the increases in both [Na+]i and [Ca2+]i. The perfusion of Ca(2+)-free solution or 5 mM Ni(2+)-containing solution suppressed the increase in [Ca2+]i. In cells that exhibited spontaneous contractile activities, [Ca2+]i increased further than that in quiescent cells, whereas [Na+]i levels were similar. In the presence of 1 microM ryanodine, both the spontaneous contractile activities and the further increase in [Ca2+]i were eliminated. These findings indicated that 1) the pathway of Na+ entry was mainly through Na(+)-H+ exchange and that the elevated [Na+]i induced Ca2+ entry mediated by the reverse mode of Na(+)-Ca2+ exchange, and 2) the entered Ca2+ triggered the ryanodine-sensitive Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum, causing the dissociation in the relationship between [Na+]i and [Ca2+]i.

Amiloride↗