Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Kitabatake

Publications and source records attributed to M Kitabatake.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Effects of inhaled nitric oxide in rats with chemically induced pulmonary hypertension.

To determine the model animal with pulmonary hypertension in which nitric oxide (NO) inhalation reduces pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP), we examined the inhalation of 20-100 ppm NO gas on normal rats and rats with monocrotaline induced pulmonary hypertension. In the control group, mean PAP showed no change after spontaneous breathing of NO at the concentration of 20 to 100 ppm for 5 min. On the contrary, in both the severe (mean PAP > 40 mmHg) and moderate (mean PAP < 40 mmHg) pulmonary hypertensive groups, NO inhalation produced a prompt reduction of the mean PAP which had been elevated by monocrotaline. 20 ppm NO inhalation reduced mean PAP from 64.4 +/- 3.7 mmHg to 56.2 +/- 4.4 mmHg (mean +/- SEM, P < 0.01) in the severe pulmonary hypertensive group, from 31.0 +/- 2.0 mmHg to 24.2 +/- 0.9 mmHg in the moderate pulmonary hypertensive group (mean +/- SEM, P < 0.05). The onset of the reduction of mean PAP occurred within 30 sec after the start of NO inhalation and maximum reduction occurred within 4 min. 20 ppm NO inhalation significantly reduced mean PAP, and mean PAP was reduced dose-dependently at the concentration of 20 to 60 ppm and reaction to NO was almost constant at the concentrations of over 60 ppm.

Administration, Inhalation↗

A simplified method for generating step-wise deletions using PCR.

A simple and general method is described for the generation of ordered deletions for DNA sequencing. Nicked plasmids, the substrates for step-wise digestion by exonuclease III, are obtained after the self-ligation of PCR products with phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated primers and plasmid DNAs as template. The method is suitable for use with any plasmid vector and for generation of deletion clones with deletions in both possible directions.

Base Sequence↗

Procedure for evaluating changes in respiratory symptoms of experimentally asthma-induced guinea pigs by a personal computer.

An automated system was developed for evaluating changes in respiratory symptoms in guinea pigs over a long period with a personal computer. The data on breathing curves obtained with a body plethysmograph were analyzed to determine respiratory rate, expiration/inspiration ratio, ventilation ratio, and other parameters. With this system, respiratory changes in guinea pigs, such as increase or decrease of respiratory rate, expiration/inspiration ratio, and ventilation ratio, and death of animals could be easily observed. Investigation of delayed respiratory response to Candida albicans in sensitized guinea pigs and of the effects of SO2 or NO2 exposures on its response was carried out using this system. Respiratory changes in delayed respiratory response were mostly increased respiration rate and succeeding expiratory prolongation being noted just before death. In the influences of SO2 or NO2 exposure on delayed respiratory response, increase of respiratory rate in NO2 and expiratory and inspiratory prolongation in SO2 were found. This system should prove useful for evaluating changes in respiratory symptoms due to toxic agents, medicines, and air pollutants in small animals.

Animals↗

Effects of exposure to sulfate aerosols and antigen on breathing curve patterns of guinea pigs.

We investigated the effects of ammonium sulfate aerosols on asthmatic dyspnea (immediate type) induced by repeated inhalation of a mixture of bovine serum and egg albumin and on the nonspecific responsiveness of the airway tract to acetylcholine. Guinea pigs were exposed to sulfate aerosol in concentrations of 0.2, 0.4, and 2.0 mg/m3 and to 0.2 mg/m3 sulfate aerosol combined with 0.1 ppm of SO2. The exposure time was 2 h/d, 5 d/wk, 38 times in all. The animals were successively exposed to aerosol (for 2 h) and, after 30 min, to the spraying of albumin solution 3 times per week, 7 or 9 times in all. Breathing curves were continuously recorded by a body plethysmograph system during the sensitization periods. The experiments showed that the degree of asthmatic dyspnea in guinea pigs was increased by the exposure to aerosol, and that there is a quantitative relation between the severity of the dyspnea and extent of the exposure. Exposure in the combination with SO2 showed no effect at the concentration studied. Following the exposure experiment, each group of animals was exposed to the spraying of acetylcholine. The sensitivity to acetylcholine increased at aerosol concentrations of 0.4 and 2.0 mg/m3.

Acetylcholine↗

Biochemical characterization of scleroderma-inducing glycosaminoglycan.

The scleroderma-inducing N-sulfated glycosaminoglycan previously isolated by us from the urine of patients with systemic scleroderma was further purified: it was biochemically characterized by low O-sulfation and relative high N-sulfation. Consistent with this finding, desulfated and N-resulfated heparin, which had a similar composition to the urine-derived scleroderma-inducing glycosaminoglycan, induced a significant degree of sclerotic fibrosis in the skin of mice which had received intraperitoneal injections of it, whereas N-desulfated heparin with contrasting sulfation to it failed to cause any significant change in the skin.

Animals↗

Significant increase of urinary low-sulfated heparan-sulfate-related protein in patients with severe systemic scleroderma.

Radioimmunoassay with an antibody produced against urinary low-sulfated heparan-sulfate-related protein was devised and used to screen the heparan sulfate level in the urine of patients with systemic scleroderma. Patients with diffuse scleroderma, and patients also showing polymyositis/dermatomyositis had elevated values, whereas the value in patients with acrosclerotic scleroderma did not differ from that of the control population. In addition, an increase in this protein was associated with the positivity of anti-Scl-70 antibody. These findings suggest an important role for low-sulfated heparan sulfate in the pathobiology of severe systemic scleroderma.

Adult↗

Increased activity of oligo-2',5'-adenylate synthetase in Down's syndrome and epilepsy.

The level of oligo-2',5'-adenylate synthetase activity is a good marker for the response of cells to interferon. This enzyme can polymerize ATP to form oligonucleotides in the presence of double-stranded RNA, i.e. polyinosinate-cytidylate in vitro. The activity of this enzyme in peripheral blood mononuclear leucocytes was significantly increased in Down's syndrome (P less than 0.01) and epilepsy (P less than 0.01) compared with that in healthy controls, but the increase of activity was not significant in multi-infarct dementia (MID) (P greater than 0.05). Although the patients with Down's syndrome showed higher levels of this enzyme activity than the controls, interferon activity was never detected in the circulation. In addition, the serum of patients with Down's syndrome lacked the capacity to induce this enzyme in NC-37 and FL cells, and furthermore it was shown that the inhibitor of interferon activity was not found in the serum of patients. This discrepancy in Down's syndrome may be the result of the hypersensitivity of cells to interferon. On the contrary, interferon activity (32 IU/ml) was detectable in the circulation of one patient with epilepsy, and the serum of this patient had the capacity to induce this enzyme in NC-37 and FL cells.

2',5'-Oligoadenylate Synthetase↗

Biotransformation of nitric oxide, nitrite and nitrate.

Biotransformation of NO, nitrite and nitrate was investigated in rats and mice in a 15NO inhalation experiment and intraperitoneal injection experiments of 15N-nitrite and 15N-nitrate, and the following results were obtained: (1) Rats were forced to inhale 15NO (145 ppm, 123 minutes) or were given an intraperitoneal injection of 15N-nitrite (2 mg animal-1 as 15N) or 15N-nitrate (2mg animal-1 as 15N), and determination of 15N recovery in urine was made up to 48 h later. The results were 55, 53 and 78% of the inhaled or injected 15N, respectively. (2) 15N-nitrate in the urine was converted into a 6-nitro derivative of 3,4-xylenol and its identification and quantitative determination were made by the GC-MS method. As to 15N-urea in the urine, identification and quantitative determination were made by the urease method. 15N was present in the urine of rats after 15NO inhalation in the form of NO3- and urea. 75 and 24% respectively. In the urine of rats injected with 15N-nitrite, about 20% of unidentified 15N-compounds not discovered in the inhalation experiment was found. The content of 15N-urea in the urine after injection with 15N-nitrate was lower than that after injection with 15N-nitrite. (3) When 15N-nitrite (0.617 mg animal-1 as 15N) was injected intraperitoneally in mice, 60.7, 7.8 and 0.3% of the injected 15N were found in the urine, feces and exhaled gas (NO, NO2 and NH3 in the gas were caught) up to 48 h after injection respectively, and 1.6% was found in the body 48 h after injection, but the remaining 30% of 15N could not be recovered.

Animals↗

Immunohistochemical demonstration of proteoglycans in the skin of patients with systemic sclerosis.

Skin proteoglycan was demonstrated by an immunofluorescent technique using an antibody against bovine cartilage proteoglycan, after the cross-reactivity of human proteoglycan with the antiserum had been confirmed. Normal skin exhibited specific fluorescence mainly in the blood vessels as well as in the subepidermal area. The clinically uninvolved skin of systemic sclerosis (SS) revealed no features different from those of normal skin. However, the vascular proteoglycan deposition of early systemic sclerosis was later replaced by deposition between the collagen fibres, which appeared to progress centrifugally in parallel to the increase in the skin sclerosis, suggesting a vascular initiation of the skin lesion. Sclerotic skin was characterized by random deposition between the collagen fibres. Immunoelectron microscopic studies suggested that the random proteoglycan deposition reflected uncontrolled local accumulation of proteoglycan in the interfibrillar matrix around irregularly arranged collagen fibrils.

Adult↗

Detection of sclerosis-inducing glycosaminoglycan in the skin of an amine-induced experimental skin sclerosis.

The presence of sclerosis-inducing glycosaminoglycan in the skin was confirmed in an experimental skin sclerosis induced by a chemical compound. An experimental skin sclerosis was first produced in the mouse with bis(4-amino-3-methylcyclohexyl)methane. Out of glycosaminoglycans isolated from the slightly changed skin of this experimental skin sclerosis, the one having a heparan sulfate-like structure was able to again induce sclerotic skin changes in another mouse. The chemical composition of this sclerosis-inducing glycosaminoglycan was somewhat similar to that of the scleroderma-inducing glycosaminoglycan isolated previously from the urine of patients with systemic scleroderma.

Animals↗