Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

M Minami

Publications and source records attributed to M Minami.

At least 397 records · Page 22Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic studies of recombinant human leukotriene A4 hydrolase complexed with bestatin.

Recombinant human leukotriene A4 hydrolase complexed with bestatin, an inhibitor of metalloprotease, has been crystallized by the hanging drop vapor diffusion method using 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 6.5) and 50 to 54% saturated ammonium sulfate. The orthorhombic crystals belong to the space group I222 or I2(1)2(1)2(1) with unit cell dimensions of a = 273.6 A, b = 261.3 A and c = 52.9 A. They diffract beyond 2.5 A resolution and a native data set up to 3 A resolution has been collected on an imaging plate Weissenberg camera using synchrotron radiation.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Differential expression patterns of mRNAs for members of the fibroblast growth factor receptor family, FGFR-1-FGFR-4, in rat brain.

We have examined the region-specific expression of mRNAs for four members of rat FGF receptor family, FGFR-1, FGFR-2 FGFR-3, and FGFR-4, in rat brain by in situ hybridization. The FGFR-1, FGFR-2, and FGFR-3 mRNAs were expressed widely but differentially in the brain. However, the FGFR-4 mRNA was not expressed in the brain. The FGFR-1 mRNA was strongly expressed in several regions including the hippocampus, cerebellum, and pedunculopotine tegmental nucleus. The FGFR-2 mRNA expression was high in the choroid plexus, and moderate in the fiber-rich regions (the corpus callosum, external capsule, and internal capsule) and the olfactory bulb. The FGFR-3 mRNA was expressed diffusely in the brain. We have also examined the cellular localization of these mRNAs in the brain. Although the FGFR-1 mRNA was expressed preferentially in neurons, the FGFR-2 and FGFR-3 mRNAs were expressed preferentially in glial cells. The present findings that the FGFR-1, FGFR-2, and FGFR-3 mRNAs were expressed widely but with region- and cell-specificity in the brain indicate that these receptors have different roles in the brain.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

In situ hybridization study of mu- and kappa-opioid receptor mRNAs in the rat spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia.

Distributions of mu- and kappa-opioid receptor mRNAs in the lumbar spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia of the adult rat were examined using the in situ hybridization technique. In the lumbar spinal cord, mu-opioid receptor mRNA was expressed intensely in laminae I, II and VIII. On the other hand, kappa-opioid receptor mRNA was expressed intensely in laminae I and II, and moderately throughout laminae III-VIII. In the dorsal root ganglia, mu-opioid receptor mRNA was intensely expressed and kappa-opioid receptor mRNA was expressed in a smaller number of cells than mu-opioid receptor mRNA.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Neurochemical profiles in cerebrospinal fluid of stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats.

The purpose of the present study was to evaluate stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) neurochemically by determining the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of acetylcholine (ACh), norepinephrine (NE) and serotonin (5-HT) as an index of central neuronal activity. The CSF ACh levels of 15- to 20-week-old SHRSP were significantly lower than those of age-matched Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) both under the urethane/alpha-chloralose anesthesia and in freely moving conditions. The difference in the CSF ACh levels between SHRSP and WKY was more marked at 30-40 weeks. Sustained changes were not observed in the CSF NE and 5-HT levels. Thus, the progressive dysfunction in the central cholinergic system may characterize the pathophysiological state of this animal model with cerebral lesions caused by continuous high blood pressure.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid↗
PubMed1994

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for hippuric acid: its potential application for biological monitoring of toluene exposure.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for hippuric acid (HA) was developed using polyclonal anti-HA antibodies. Anti-HA antibodies were obtained by immunizing rabbits with N-benzoyl-cysteine (B-Cys) or N-alpha-benzoyl-lysine (B-Lys). An antibody with highest reactivity to HA was obtained from anti-B-Lys antiserum by affinity chromatography with B-Cys-Sepharose. The ELISA system was composed of solid-phase B-Cys, anti-HA antibody, and horseradish peroxidase-conjugated anti-rabbit immunoglobulin antibody. The detection limit of the ELISA for HA was around 1 microgram/ml. The urinary HA concentration determined by the ELISA system correlated well with that obtained by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The ELISA system was considered to be useful in the biological monitoring of toluene exposure, and to be more advantageous than time-consuming HPLC, especially when measuring a large number of samples.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Cloning, heterologous expression, and localization of a novel crystal protein gene from Bacillus thuringiensis serovar japonensis strain buibui toxic to scarabaeid insects.

Recombinant Escherichia coli strains harboring pAG1, pAG2, pKBB100, and pKBB101 were cloned by using antiserum constructed against 130-kDa crystal protein antigen of Bacillus thuringiensis serovar japonensis strain Buibui. DNAs in the recombinant strains hybridized to the 26-base oligonucleotide probe corresponding to N-terminal amino acids of the 130-kDa crystal protein of strain Buibui. Cultures of the recombinant strains were toxic to larvae of the cupreous chafer, Anomala cuprea. Furthermore, the production of the 130-kDa polypeptide was demonstrated in the cells harboring pAG1 and pAG2 by immunoblot analysis with antiserum against the 130-kDa crystal protein. Southern hybridization analysis showed that the 130-kDa crystal protein gene is located on the chromosomal DNA of strain Buibui. On the other hand, DNA probes derived from cryIA(a) and cryIIIA genes did not hybridize to the DNA of strain Buibui.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Plication of paralyzed hemidiaphragm after right sleeve pneumonectomy.

Right diaphragmatic plication was performed in a 62-year-old man who underwent right sleeve pneumonectomy and then required prolonged mechanical ventilation owing to right diaphragmatic paralysis. The plication was very effective in allowing him to be weaned from the ventilator. The transdiaphragmatic pressure, the ratio of gastric to esophageal pressure swing, and the work of breathing per liter of ventilation improved remarkably after plication. Our experience indicates the beneficial effect of such a plication on contralateral lung function from the standpoint of clinical and respiratory mechanics.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗
PubMed1994

Imaging tumors of the minor salivary glands.

Magnetic resonance imaging evaluations of nine histopathologically confirmed minor salivary gland tumors were made retrospectively and compared with evaluations of images obtained by computed tomography. All tumors had low-to-intermediate T1 signal intensities and intermediate-to-high T2 signal intensities. Malignant tumors had an irregular margin in all but one case. Benign tumors invariably had well-defined margins. In terms of tumor margination, the magnetic resonance imaging findings correlated well with the histopathologic findings. Magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated the internal architecture of the minor salivary gland tumors multidirectionally and was superior to computed tomography in this respect and in the ability to locate the tumors.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1994

Molecular cloning and in situ hybridization histochemistry for rat mu-opioid receptor.

We cloned a cDNA for the rat mu-opioid receptor from a rat thalamus cDNA library. The deduced amino-acid sequence of rat mu-opioid receptor consists of 398 residues with the features shared by the members of the G-protein coupled receptor family, and is 59% and 60% identical with those of rat kappa-opioid and mouse delta-opioid receptors, respectively. Northern blot analysis showed that expression of mu-opioid receptor mRNA was intensive in the thalamus, striatum, hypothalamus and pons-medulla, moderate in the hippocampus and midbrain, and slight in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum. More detailed distribution of the mRNA in the rat brain was examined using the in situ hybridization technique. Intense expression of mu-opioid receptor mRNA was observed in the internal granular and glomerular layers of the olfactory bulb, caudate putamen, nucleus accumbens, medial septum, diagonal band, medial preoptic area, several nuclei of thalamus, amygdala, interpeduncular nucleus, medial raphe nucleus, inferior colliculus, parabrachial nucleus, locus coeruleus, nucleus solitary tract and ambiguus nucleus. Furthermore, mu-opioid receptor mRNA was moderately expressed in the hippocampus, globus pallidus, ventral pallidus, arcuate hypothalamic nucleus, supramammillary nucleus, superior colliculus, periacqueductal gray, and several nuclei of lower brain stem, including raphe magnus nucleus, reticular gigantocellular nucleus and lateral paragigantocellular nucleus.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

An in situ hybridization study on interleukin-1 beta mRNA induced by transient forebrain ischemia in the rat brain.

Expression of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) mRNA in the rat brain after transient forebrain ischemia was investigated by in situ hybridization histochemistry. Thirty min after the start of recirculation, IL-1 beta mRNA was induced in the several brain regions, including the olfactory bulb, cerebral cortex, hippocampus, striatum and thalamus where neuronal degeneration was reported to be observed after transient forebrain ischemia. The hybridization signals were observed both on the glial cells and around the vascular walls.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Localization of type I interleukin-1 receptor mRNA in the rat brain.

The distribution of type I interleukin-1 receptor (IL-1R1) mRNA in the rat brain was examined by in situ hybridization technique. IL-1R1 mRNA was expressed in several brain regions including the anterior olfactory nucleus, medial thalamic nucleus, posterior thalamic nucleus, basolateral amygdaloid nucleus, ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus, arcuate nucleus, median eminence, mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus, motor trigeminal nucleus, facial nucleus and Purkinje cells of the cerebellum. Furthermore, we identified neuronal expression of IL-1R1 mRNA using simultaneous detection (double in situ hybridization) of IL-1R1 mRNA with neuron specific enolase mRNA. In addition to the expression in neuronal cells, IL-1R1 mRNA was also expressed on the vascular walls and the epithelial cells of the choroid plexus and the ventricles. These findings suggest the possibility that IL-1 produces its multiple effects on the central nervous system through the actions not only on neuronal cells but also on endothelial and epithelial cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Rat FGF receptor-4 mRNA in the brain is expressed preferentially in the medial habenular nucleus.

The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) receptor family consists of four members, FGFR-1, FGFR-2, FGFR-3 and FGFR-4, that are closely related receptor tyrosine kinases. We examined the expression of rat FGFR-4 mRNA in the brain by in situ hybridization and compared it with that of the mRNAs for other FGF receptors. In contrast with FGFR-1, FGFR-2 and FGFR-3 mRNAs which are expressed widely in the brain, the FGFR-4 mRNA in the brain is expressed preferentially in the medial habenular nucleus neurons. The present finding indicates that FGFR-4 has a function specific to the medial habenular nucleus.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

PreS1 deleted variants of hepatitis B virus in patients with chronic hepatitis.

Defective hepatitis B virus lacking 183 bases of the 3'-terminus part of the preS1 region was found in the sera of two patients with chronic hepatitis B virus infection. Results of sequencing analysis of samples with or without polymerase chain reaction yielded the same result, proving that this deletion was not due to an artifact obtained during polymerase chain reaction. One of the deletion ends lay in TCAGG that appeared five times in the genome of subtype adr and the other end was identified as TCAGG in direct repeats of the genome. The mutated hepatitis B virus became predominant in one patient's serum only after consecutive interferon therapy, suggesting that the deleted part might play a role in viral elimination from the circulation.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Characterization of larvicidal toxin protein from Bacillus thuringiensis serovar japonensis strain Buibui specific for scarabaeid beetles.

The delta-endo toxin proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis which kill the larvae of various scarabaeid beetles such as Anomala cuprea, A. rufocuprea and Popillia japonica were purified by DEAE ion exchange chromatography. A protein with a molecular size of 130 kDa was purified. During the purification a minor peak was also detected which was estimated to be 67 kDa by SDS-PAGE. Both 130 and 67 kDa proteins showed larvicidal activity against A. cuprea. The lethal concentration of the 130 kDa protein which killed 50% of the larvae tested (LC50) against A. cuprea was 2 micrograms g-1 compost. A comparison by SDS-PAGE of the V8 protease digestion pattern of the 130 and 67 kDa larvicidal proteins showed that proteolytic resistant core peptides of approximately 60 kDa molecular size were resulted. The N-terminus amino acid sequence of the 130 and 67 kDa proteins was determined to be NH2-XXPNNQNEYEIIDAL and NH2-XSRNPGTFI, respectively, which is not identical to the sequence of CryIA, CryIB, CryIC and CryIII proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Characterization of human airway epithelial cell leukotriene A4 hydrolase.

We have previously shown that human airway epithelial cells contain leukotriene A4 (LTA4) hydrolase activity. To characterize this activity further, airway epithelial cells, cultured to confluence, were disrupted by sonication and were fractionated at 15,000 and 100,000 x g. Enzymatic activity was assessed by incubating fractions with 15 microM LTA4 at 37 degrees C for 15 min. LTA4 hydrolase activity was present in the 15,000 x g and the 100,000 x g supernatants and was inactivated by heating at 56 degrees C or by pronase, as is the case for neutrophil LTA4 hydrolase. However, the epithelial cell enzyme had a slower time course for product generation and demonstrated a different dose-response relationship to substrate when compared with the neutrophil. Kinetic analysis revealed nonlinear plots for epithelial data, most consistent with an enzyme that has multiple active sites. Immunoblotting, performed with anti-neutrophil LTA4 hydrolase antibody, recognized two bands in epithelial cell 15,000 x g supernatant (M(r) of 69,000 and 110,000-115,000). When resolved by gel filtration chromatography, only the M(r) 69,000 protein had enzymatic activity. Anion exchange chromatography of epithelial cell samples revealed that LTA4 hydrolase and aminopeptidase activity did not co-elute, whereas one of three peaks of aminopeptidase activity did co-elute in chromatograms of neutrophil samples. Immunoblots of proteolytic digests of partially purified M(r) 69,000 protein from epithelial cells and neutrophils revealed different immunoreactive bands. The digest of the M(r) 110,000-115,000 protein revealed no immunoreactive bands. Repeat kinetic analysis on 179-fold purified epithelial LTA4 hydrolase again revealed that it lacked significant aminopeptidase activity and retained its unique kinetic properties.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

CD13 Antigens↗
PubMed1994

Two cases of scimitar variant.

The scimitar sign is characteristic of partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage into the inferior vena cava (IVC). We encountered two variant cases of scimitar sign. In one case, the scimitar vein entered both the IVC and the left atrium (LA) without any intracardiac shunts. Surgical repair was made by simple ligation of the scimitar vein to correct the left to right shunt. Retrograde balloon occlusion angiography of the scimitar vein was diagnostic. In the other case, the scimitar vein showed a meandering course, and then drained into the LA without any connection with the IVC, and surgical intervention was not required.

Adult↗