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Biomedical subjects

M Ikeda

Publications and source records attributed to M Ikeda.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Single subunit structure of the human thyrotropin receptor.

We have produced rabbit antibody against a synthetic peptide corresponding to N-terminal region of the extracellular domain of human thyrotropin receptor (hTSH-R) (N peptide, aminoacid residues 29-57). Western blot analysis revealed that N-peptide antibody recognized recombinant hTSH-R stably expressing in CHO-K1 cells as a mol. wt. about 104 kDa regardless in the presence or absence of disulfide-reducing agent. The band was not detected in untransfected CHO-K1 cells and no band was also stained by the antibody absorbed with N-peptide. In a reducing condition, the antibody also bound the rat receptor from FRTL5 cells as the same molecular size (104 kDa). These results clearly indicate that TSH-R is composed of a single subunit and that two subunit model for the TSH-R may reflect artifactual proteolytic cleavage of the receptor during membrane preparation.

Amino Acid Sequence

Reduced functions of intracellular Ca2+ in aggregation, secretion and protein phosphorylation of permeabilized platelets from stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Aggregation, secretion and 47kDa protein (P47) phosphorylation by various agonists such as thrombin, ADP and ionophore A23187 were markedly reduced in platelets from stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) compared with those of age-matched Wistar Kyoto rat (WKY) platelets, suggesting defective functions of intracellular Ca2+ in SHRSP platelets (Tomita et al. Hypertension 1989; 14: 304-315). To clarify the mechanism of the platelet hypofunctions, saponin permeabilized platelets were prepared to compare the responses of platelets from both rats in varying concentrations of extracellular Ca2+. The leakage of lactate dehydrogenase from saponin (15 micrograms/ml)-treated platelets was approx. 5% of total activity; the degree of the leakage in both platelets did not differ. In saponin-treated platelets, extracellular Ca2+ alone did not induce either aggregation or secretion in both strains. However, in the presence of 1-oleoyl-2-acetylglycerol (10 micrograms/ml), Ca2+ dose dependently stimulated both aggregation and secretion. Under this condition, Ca2+ sensitivity of aggregation, secretion and P47 phosphorylation in SHRSP platelets were significantly reduced compared with those in WKY platelets. These results strongly suggest that intracellular Ca2+ functions are impaired in SHRSP platelets.

Animals

A correlative study of calcium channel antagonist binding and local neuropathological features in the hippocampus in Alzheimer's disease.

[3H]PN200-110 binding sites were studied by means of quantitative autoradiography in hippocampal sections of patients with Alzheimer's disease and age-matched control subjects. Choline acetyltransferase activity, plaque, tangle and cell densities were also determined in the same tissue samples used for autoradiographic studies. Quantitative autoradiographic analysis of [3H]PN200-110 binding in control hippocampus revealed a heterogeneous pattern similar to that described in rodents, being particularly high in the dentate gyrus. In Alzheimer's disease, [3H]PN200-110 binding was markedly reduced in the subiculum (control = 9.85 +/- 1.41 pmol/g; Alzheimer = 3.41 +/- 0.54 pmol/g, mean +/- S.E.M., P less than 0.001). In the subiculum there was a disproportionate reduction of [3H]PN200-110 binding in comparison to cell loss in Alzheimer's disease. The activity of choline acetyltransferase in the hippocampus was markedly reduced in Alzheimer's disease (controls 6.9 +/- 1.0; Alzheimer 2.7 +/- 0.9 nmol/h/mg protein, mean +/- S.E.M., P less than 0.01). There was a strong correlation between choline acetyltransferase activity and [3H]PN200-110 binding in the subiculum. [3H]PN200-110 binding did not correlate with plaque density in the subiculum. The discrete reduction and preservation of [3H]PN200-110 binding in the present study is consistent with the pattern of selective cellular vulnerability in the hippocampal region in Alzheimer's disease.

Aged

[Cutaneous thermal-cooling and -warming detection thresholds in distal extremities of normal subjects].

The cutaneous thermal-cooling and -warming detection thresholds were evaluated on the dorsal side of the right distal forearm and on the dorsum of the right foot in 134 normal subjects (66 men and 68 women) without sensory symptoms and signs, aged from 11 to 87 years by using a Thermal Threshold Tester (Vickers Medical International, England). The normative data for the clinical evaluation of the severity and the pathologic process of the sensory disturbance of the patients were obtained. The data obtained included 1) the mean of each threshold and 2) its upper limit value of 95% confidence interval for each decade. The mean of each threshold was significantly increased with aging (P less than 0.0001). Therefore, the cutaneous thermal-cooling and -warming detection thresholds of the patients with sensory disturbances should be compared with the normative data adjusted for the age of each subject obtained in this study. Based on the evaluation, repeated six times for three weeks, of each threshold of six volunteers (ages from 21 to 66), high reliability of each threshold (intraclass correlation coefficient from 0.78 to 0.96) was observed.

Adolescent

Ceruletide, a CCK-like peptide, attenuates dopamine release from the rat striatum via a central site of action.

Ceruletide (CLT), a cholecystokinin-like peptide was given subcutaneously or via the perfusate to rats to clarify the site of action (peripheral vs. central location) of CLT, using in vivo microdialysis techniques. Striatal dopamine (DA) release induced by haloperidol (HPD) was significantly inhibited by subcutaneously administered CLT (160 micrograms/kg) when given with a perfusate containing 15 mM K+. Subdiaphragmatic vagotomies failed to block the inhibitory effect of CLT. CLT (10(-15)-10(-11) M) locally applied, via a dialysis tube, produced an inhibitory effect on HPD-induced DA release in the striatum in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect of CLT given subcutaneously on DA release was antagonized by both locally applied proglumide and systemically administered L-365,260. These findings suggest that systemically administered CLT can directly act on the striatal neurons via CCK-B receptors and produce an inhibitory effect on DA release in the striatum under appropriate depolarization.

Animals

Heterogeneous responses of recombinant human thyrotropin receptor to immunoglobulins from patients with Graves' disease.

Non-thyroid mammalian cells, CHO-K1 cells, stably expressing human thyrotropin receptor (CHO-TSH-R cells) were used for the assay of thyroid stimulating antibody (TSAb) activities of IgGs from 24 patients with Graves' disease and we compared them with the values obtained in porcine thyroid cells. A significant positive correlation was observed between the results given by CHO-TSH-R cells (hTSAb) and porcine thyrocytes (pTSAb) (r = 0.94, p less than 0.001). However, we found that hTSAb values of IgGs from 5 patients were extremely different from their hTSAb values. Four out of these 5 IgGs showed strong pTSAb activity but exhibited a weak or negative hTSAb activity. Conversely, one out of 5 autoantibodies was very strong for hTSAb but its pTSAb was low. These heterogeneous responses of recombinant hTSH-R to Graves' IgGs suggest that there exist different types of TSAb and also that the epitope(s) for TSAb may be different from case to case.

Animals

Mapping of the cochlear nucleus subregions in the rat with neuronal Fos protein induced by acoustic stimulation with low tones.

To explore the mode of appearance of Fos, a gene product of proto-oncogene c-fos, in the cochlear nucleus, a pure tone was given to rats and Fos was detected by immunohistochemistry. Following low-tone stimuli applied with moderate ranges of sound intensity, neurons with Fos-label occurred band-like in the ventral subregions of the dorsal cochlear nucleus. Organization of low-to-high tones in the ventral-to-dorsal orientation became visible at the caudal level. Several other subnuclei consistently exhibited Fos with no topographic pattern. Neurons interspersed in the adjoining vestibulocochlear nerve were also found to elicit Fos. Low-tone stimuli with very high sound intensity led to a rather widespread distribution of Fos, making the tone-specific distribution less visible.

Acoustic Stimulation

Reduced dietary cadmium intake in past 12 years in a rural area in Japan.

To examine possible reduction in dietary cadmium (Cd) intake, 24-h duplicates of diet were collected twice in the same village in north-eastern Japan, once in 1976-1977 (71 samples) and then in 1989 (198 samples) and analyzed for Cd contents. The statistical analysis by sex and age decade showed that there has been a significant (P less than 0.01-0.05, depending on sex and age) reduction in Cd intake during this 12-year period. The intake by men at 30-59 years was 28.8 micrograms/day (as a geometric mean of 41 samples) in 1976-1977 and 20.8 micrograms/day in 1989, indicating some 28% reduction, whereas the value for women of the same age range was 24.9 micrograms/day in 1976-1977 and 15.7 micrograms/day in 1989, with a reduction by 37%. A similar reduction in Cd contents was observed in cooked rice samples collected in 1980 and 1990 in the vicinity of the study field. Probable reasons for the improvement are discussed.

Adult

Improvement of reconstitution of the Cl(-)-translocating ATPase isolated from Acetabularia acetabulum into liposomes and several anion pump characteristics.

The improved reconstitution of the Mono Q-III fraction, a Cl(-)-translocating ATPase, isolated from Acetabularia acetabulum (Ikeda et al. (1990) Biochemistry 29, 2057-2065) into liposomes rendered transport properties of this enzyme clear. The liposomes were prepared by the reversed-phase method using egg lecithin and cholesterol in a molar ratio of 2:1 and the purified ATPase was incorporated into the liposomes by a dialysis for 3 h. About 80% of the ATPase was incorporated into the liposomes. The weight ratio of the enzyme to lipid was 1:400-600. A sigmoid curve was obtained when the Cl(-)-transport activity of the enzyme was plotted against Cl- concentration. Hill's plot afforded a half-substrate concentration [S]0.5 of 45 mM and a Hill's coefficient n of 2.33. Effects of Br- and F- on the Cl(-)-transport were also examined in the reconstituted system, both halide ions decreased the 36Cl- efflux significantly. These kinetic data are in good agreement with the electrophysiological data presented by Tittor et al. ((1983) J. Membr. Biol. 75, 129-139).

Acetabularia

Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry of hydroxy and non-hydroxy fatty acids as amide derivatives.

A useful method for analyzing fatty acids by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with an atmospheric-pressure chemical-ionization interface system has been developed. The sensitivity of six kinds of palmitamide derivatives monitored by a single ion of [M+H]+ was, in decreasing order: N-n-propylamide greater than anilide greater than N,N-diethylamide, amide greater than N,N-diphenylamide greater than N-1-naphthylamide. Individual fatty acids were identified from a mixture of amide derivatives of authentic fatty acids from C16:0 to C30:0 on a mass chromatogram. This method was used to detect both hydroxy and non-hydroxy fatty acids. Many kinds of fatty acid, including hydroxy fatty acids of the rat brain, were detected in a single run.

Animals

Epitope mapping of anti-recA protein IgGs by region specified polymerase chain reaction mutagenesis.

Monoclonal IgGs were shown to be useful for the specific inhibition of a set of activities of the recA protein, a key protein in homologous genetic recombination. The mapping of the epitopes for these IgGs and site-directed mutagenesis based on the mapping will facilitate location of the functionally active sites on the tertiary structure of the protein, which is being solved by means of physicochemical techniques. We developed a novel technique for region-specified mutagenesis and applied the technique to epitope mapping. Using the polymerase chain reaction in the presence of deoxyinosine triphosphate, we introduced random base substitutions specifically into a region of the recA gene defined by a pair of primers. RecA mutants exhibiting altered antigenicity were selected, in plaque-immunoblotting experiments, from libraries of mutagenized recA genes constructed on the lambda gt11 expression vector. Mutant recA genes were obtained at the frequency of about 10(-2) among the plaques expressing fused recA genes and then each one was expressed as a whole protein, which was characterized by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Analyzing the DNA sequences of the mutant recA genes, we located at the amino acid sequence level the epitopes for two anti-recA IgGs which could not be located in previous studies. One of the antibodies was shown to prevent self-assembly of the recA protein and the other was suggested to inhibit the binding of double-stranded DNA. Thus, the active sites involved in these functions would be located in the space around or near the relevant epitope.

Amino Acid Sequence

Intermediate form of mucopolysaccharidosis type II (Hunter disease): a C1327 to T substitution in the iduronate sulfatase gene.

Hunter disease, an X-linked recessive lysosomal storage disorder, is caused by a deficiency in iduronate sulfatase activity. Sequence analysis of mRNA of fibroblasts of an intermediate phenotype patient showed a single C1327 to T nucleotide transition. This mutation resulted in a substitution of termination codon for normal arginine at position 443 of the peptide sequence. Expression studies with this abnormal cDNA in fibroblasts from the patient revealed a loss of enzymatic activity and instability of the mutated protein. We posturate that this mutation is probably the cause of the intermediate form of Hunter disease.

Base Sequence

Trigeminocerebellar projections to the posterior lobe in the cat, as studied by anterograde transport of wheat germ agglutinin-horseradish peroxidase.

Cerebellar projections of the nucleus interpolaris and oralis of the spinal trigeminal nucleus were studied in the cat by anterograde transport of wheat germ agglutinin conjugated to horseradish peroxidase (WGA-HRP). Injections of WGA-HRP into these nuclei labeled many mossy fiber terminals mainly ipsilaterally in the rostral folium of lobule IX (IXa or IXa + b), the simple lobule, the anterior part (sublobule A) of the paramedian lobule and the posterior part of crus II. Labeled terminals were also seen in the anterior lobe, lobules VI and VII, the anterior part of crus I, and the paraflocculus dorsalis. Projection fields in the horizontal plane of lobules were reconstructed from a series of transverse sections through each folium of lobule IX, the paramedian lobule, and the posterior part of crus II on the ipsilateral side. In sublobule IXa + b, labeled terminals were distributed in five longitudinal areas extending along the apicobasal axis of the sublobule. These five areas were located in the apical two-thirds of the ipsilateral half of the sublobule. Labeled terminals were distributed in five longitudinal areas in sublobule A (the rostral part) of the paramedian lobule. In the posterior part of crus II, four aggregations of labeled terminals were present in cross sections through a lobule. They were distributed in the apicobasal extent of the lobules. The present study indicates that the projection fields of trigeminocerebellar fibers are longitudinally arranged along the apicobasal axis of the cerebellar lobules.

Animals

Toluene vapor exposure and urinary excretion of hippuric acid among workers in China.

A factory survey was conducted in three provinces in China from 1985 to 1989. The time-weighted average toluene concentrations in breathing zone air were monitored by diffusive sampling, whereas hippuric acid (HA) concentrations in shift-end urine samples were measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Exposed workers (456 men and women) were those for whom toluene (up to 548 ppm toluene) accounted for greater than or equal to 90% of total exposure (by vapor concentration in ppm), whereas 517 nonexposed controls were recruited from the same factories or from factories of the same region. There was a linear correlation between the intensity of toluene exposure and HA concentration in the shift-end urine. Comparison of the results with findings in the literature shows that the toluene-induced increase in urinary HA concentration among workers in China is significantly smaller than the published values, whereas HA concentrations in urine samples from nonexposed controls are comparable to the levels previously reported.

Air Pollutants, Occupational

Comparative evaluation of urinalysis and blood analysis as means of detecting exposure to organic solvents at low concentrations.

One hundred and forty-three workers exposed to one or more of toluene, xylene, ethylbenzene, styrene, n-hexane, and methanol at sub-occupational exposure limits were examined for the time-weighted average intensity of exposure by diffusive sampling, and for biological exposure indicators by means of analysis of shift-end blood for the solvent and analysis of shift-end urine for the corresponding metabolite(s). Urinalysis was also performed in 20 nonexposed control men to establish the "background level." Both solvent concentrations in blood and metabolite concentrations in urine correlated significantly with solvent concentrations in air. Comparison of blood analysis and urinalysis as regards sensitivity in identifying low solvent exposure showed that blood analysis is generally superior to urinalysis. It was also noted that estimation of exposure intensity on an individual basis is scarcely possible even with blood analysis. Solvent concentration in whole blood was the same as that in serum in the case of the aromatics, except for styrene. It was higher in blood than in serum in the case of n-hexane, and lower in the cases of styrene and methanol.

Acetates

Formic acid excretion in comparison with methanol excretion in urine of workers occupationally exposed to methanol.

A semiautomated head-space gas chromatographic (GC) method was developed for measuring formic acid in urine. The method consists of heating 1 ml urine sample in a 20-ml air-tight vial in the presence of 1 ml sulfuric acid and 2 ml ethanol at 60 degrees C for 30 min for ethyl esterification and air-liquid equilibrium, followed by automatic injection of 1 ml head-space air into a flame ionization detector GC. The detection limit was 1 mg/l for formic acid. The method was applied to measure formic acid in the shift-end urine samples from 88 workers exposed to methanol at 66.6 ppm (as geometric mean) and in urine samples from 149 nonexposed controls. Methanol concentrations were also determined. Regression analysis showed that urinary formic acid concentrations, as observed or corrected for either creatinine concentration or specific gravity of urine (1.016), correlated significantly with time-weighted average intensities of exposure to methanol vapor. Men excreted significantly more formic acid than women. Comparison with methanol excretion suggested, however, that urinary formic acid is less sensitive than urinary methanol as an indicator of methanol vapor exposure, primarily because the background level for formic acid (26 mg/l as arithmetic mean, or 23 mg/l as geometric mean) is more than ten times higher than the level for methanol (1.9 mg/l as arithmetic mean, or 1.7 mg/l as geometric mean). After theoretical methanol exposure at infinite concentration, the urinary formic acid/methanol ratio should be about 0.4.

Adult

Absence of blue-yellow color vision loss among workers exposed to toluene or tetrachloroethylene, mostly at levels below occupational exposure limits.

Possible color vision loss was examined with Lanthony's new color test and Ishihara's color vision test in 261 solvent workers and 120 controls (48 men and 72 women). The solvent workers were exposed to either predominantly toluene [46 ppm as geometric mean (GM); 63 men and 111 women], tetrachloroethylene alone (13 ppm; 30 men and 34 women), or a mixture (14 men and 9 women) of tetrachloroethylene (12 ppm) and trichloroethylene (7 ppm). The only instances of color vision loss that were detected in either the exposed workers or the controls were six cases of red-green loss (all in men). These six cases of red-green loss showed an unbiased distribution between the exposed workers and the nonexposed controls.

Adult