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Biomedical subjects

M Okada

Publications and source records attributed to M Okada.

At least 685 records · Page 38Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Degenerative spermatocyte, a novel gene encoding a transmembrane protein required for the initiation of meiosis in Drosophila spermatogenesis.

We have identified a novel Drosophila gene, degenerative spermatocyte (des), that may be required for the initiation of meiosis in spermatogenesis. In des mutant testes, the primary spermatocytes become mature in size but degenerate without initiating meiotic chromosome condensation in their nuclei. We have mapped the locus of the des gene at 26A on the left arm of the second chromosome, and identified two related, differentially spliced transcripts (des-1, des-2) from the locus. The genomic DNA fragment encoding both transcripts is able to rescue the des phenotype when introduced into mutant flies. The expression of the des-1 transcript is significantly suppressed in the des mutant testes, whereas expression of the des-2 transcript is undetectable in both wild-type and mutant testes, indicating that the des-1 transcript encodes the des function in spermatogenesis. The des-1 transcript is selectively expressed in primary spermatocytes during normal spermatogenesis. The nucleotide sequence of the des-1 transcript predicts that it encodes a novel transmembrane protein. These results raise the possibility that the des gene product may be required for interactions between primary spermatocytes and surrounding somatic cells.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Low stringency hybridization study of the dopamine D4 receptor revealed D4-like mRNA distribution of the orphan seven-transmembrane receptor, APJ, in human brain.

We recently reported that the density of mRNA for the dopamine D4 receptor was extremely low in human cerebral cortex but unexpectedly higher in the corpus callosum and spinal cord both of which contain substantial white-matter area. Under low stringency conditions, Northern blot analysis using the D4 probe detected cross-hybridized mRNAs having a similar distributional profile to the D4 mRNA in human brain regions, suggesting the mRNA distributional profile is not peculiar to the D4 receptor. Homology screening revealed one of the mRNAs to be an orphan seven-transmembrane receptor, APJ, abundantly expressed in the corpus callosum and spinal cord. In porcine spinal cord the APJ mRNA was detected at a higher level in white-matter rather than in gray-matter area. These data suggest that a group of seven-transmembrane receptors, including the D4 and APJ receptor, is preferentially expressed in the white-matter area probably in non-neuronal glial cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

A novel heme protein that acts as a carbon monoxide-dependent transcriptional activator in Rhodospirillum rubrum.

The gene coding for a carbon monoxide-dependent transcriptional activator (cooA) in Rhodospirillum rubrum has been expressed in E. coli, and the recombinant CooA has been purified. CooA contains b-type heme which may act as a CO sensor in vivo. CO-bound CooA was formed when reduced CooA was reacted with CO, but not in the case of oxidized CooA. CooA is the first example of the heme protein acting as a DNA-binding transcriptional activator.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Inactivation of a novel neuropeptide Y/peptide YY receptor gene in primate species.

Neuropeptide Y (NPY), peptide YY (PYY), and pancreatic polypeptide (PP) belong to a family of structurally related peptides which have numerous functions in both neural and endocrine signaling. By homology screening, we cloned a novel gene sharing the highest homology with the NPY Y1 receptor gene from humans, rabbits, and several other species. This novel gene of rabbit encodes a functional NPY/PYY receptor, designated Y2b, which prefers NPY13-36 rather than [Leu31,Pro34]NPY despite its higher identity with the Y1 receptor. Although, at low levels, mRNA was detected in the tissues and brain regions, including hypothalamus. Further, sequence data revealed that this gene is the orthologue of the recently cloned mouse novel NPY receptor, Y5. However, our study demonstrates that the receptor function of this gene has been inactivated in primates by a frameshift mutation occurring early in primate evolution. This novel NPY receptor represents the first neurotransmitter receptor identified that has universally lost its receptor function in primate species. Interestingly, despite its inactivation in humans, the transcripts were abundantly detected in the heart and skeletal muscle, suggesting a novel function of the human gene.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Mice with disrupted GM2/GD2 synthase gene lack complex gangliosides but exhibit only subtle defects in their nervous system.

Gangliosides, sialic acid-containing glycosphingolipids, are abundant in the vertebrate (mammalian) nervous system. Their composition is spatially and developmentally regulated, and gangliosides have been widely believed to lay essential roles in establishment of the nervous system, especially in neuritogenesis and synaptogenesis. However, this has never been tested directly. Here we report the generation of mice with a disrupted beta 1,4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (GM2/GD2 synthase; EC 2.4.1.92) gene. The mice lacked all complex gangliosides. Nevertheless, they did not show any major histological defects in their nervous systems or in gross behavior. Just a slight reduction in the neural conduction velocity from the tibial nerve to the somatosensory cortex, but not to the lumbar spine, was detected. These findings suggest that complex gangliosides are required in neuronal functions but not in the morphogenesis and organogenesis of the brain. The higher levels of GM3 and GD3 expressed in the brains of these mutant mice may be able to compensate for the lack of complex gangliosides.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Novel AMPA receptor antagonists: synthesis and structure-activity relationships of 1-hydroxy-7-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)-6-nitro-2,3(1H,4H)- quinoxalinedione and related compounds.

As part of our study of novel antagonists at the alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate (AMPA) subtype of excitatory amino acid (EAA) receptors and the pharmacophoric requirements of the receptor, we designed and synthesized a series of 1-substituted 6-imidazolyl-7-nitro-, and 7-imidazolyl-6-nitroquinoxalinediones, as well as related compounds, 6a-j, 7, 11a-e, 15, and 17, which are 1- and 4-substituted analogues of 1 (YM90K), and evaluated their activity to inhibit [3H]AMPA binding from rat whole brain. On the basis of their structure-activity relationships (SAR), we deduced that the amide proton of the imidazolyl-near side of the quinoxalinedione nucleus is not essential for AMPA receptor binding, whereas that of the imidazolyl-far amide is. Further, the receptors possess size-limited bulk tolerance for their N-substituents on the imidazolyl-near amide portion. Moreover, we found that introduction of a hydroxyl group at the imidazolyl-near amide portion causes a severalfold improvement in AMPA receptor affinity over unsubstituted derivatives. Among the compounds, 1-hydroxy-7-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)-6-nitro-2,3(1H,4H)-quinoxalinedione (11a) showed high affinity for AMPA receptor with a Ki value of 0.021 microM, which is severalfold greater than that of 1 and NBQX (2) (1,Ki = 0.084 microM; 2,Ki = 0.060 microM). Compound 11a also showed over 100-fold selectivity for the AMPA receptor than for the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor and the glycine site on NMDA receptor.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Control of calcium oscillations by phosphorylation of metabotropic glutamate receptors.

Stimulation of two metabotropic glutamate-receptor subtypes, mGluR1 and mGluR5, triggers the release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores through the inositol-(1,4,5) trisphosphate (InsP3) pathway. Here we report that glutamate induces single-peaked intracellular Ca2+ mobilization in mGluR1alpha-transfected cells but elicits Ca2+ oscillations in mGluR5a-transfected cells. The response patterns of the intracellular Ca2+ increase depend upon the identity of a single amino acid, aspartate (at position 854) or threonine (at position 840), located within the G-protein-interacting domains of mGluR1alpha and mGluR5a, respectively. Pharmacological and peptide mapping analyses indicated that phosphorylation of the threonine residue at position 840 of mGluR5a by protein kinase C (PKC) is responsible for the generation of Ca2+ oscillations in mGluR5a-expressing cells. To our knowledge this is the first evidence that PKC phosphorylation of G-protein-coupled receptors is important in producing oscillations in intracellular Ca2+ signalling.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1996

Protective effect of MK-801 on the anoxia-aglycemia induced damage in the fluorocitrate-treated hippocampal slice of the rat.

We investigated electrophysiological responses induced by ischemia-like insult (anoxia and aglycemia, AA) in the rat hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells in an in vitro slice preparation devoid of glial metabolism. In the slice treated with fluorocitrate (100 microM), a glia-specific metabolic inhibitor, 10 min AA induced hyperexcitation as evidenced by an appearance of multiple population spikes evoked by stimulation of the Schaffer collateral/commissural pathway in the CA1 region prior to elimination of the response. Readministration of oxygen and glucose failed to restore the population spike amplitude. Intracellular recordings revealed that 10 min AA induced slow EPSPs with relative long duration. The induction of the slow EPSPs was followed by a rapid membrane depolarization with a large amplitude. When the fluorocitrate-treated slice was exposed to MK-801 (10 microM), a non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, 10 min AA failed to induce either the hyperexcitation of synaptic responses or the rapid depolarization. Furthermore, synaptic responses were fully restored after readministration of oxygen and glucose. In contrast, neither the synaptic hyperexcitation nor the rapid depolarization was observed during 10 min AA in the hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells of the control slice. In addition, an irreversible synaptic failure associated with AA was not induced in the control slice. These results strongly suggest that fluorocitrate increases NMDA receptor-dependent AA-induced damage in the hippocampal slice by interfering glial spatial buffering of K+.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Characterization of YM90K, a selective and potent antagonist of AMPA receptors, in rat cortical mRNA-injected Xenopus oocytes.

The inhibitory potencies of 6-(1H-imidazol-1-yl)-7-nitro-2,3(1H,4H)-quinoxalinedione hydrochloride (YM90K), 2-3,dihydroxy-6-nitro-7-sulfamoyl-benzo(F)quinoxaline (NBQX) and 1-(4-amino-phenyl)-4-methyl-7,8-methyl-endioxyl-5H-2,3-benzodiazep ine (GYKI 52466) at excitatory amino acid receptors were examined in rat cortical mRNA-injected Xenopus oocytes using a two-electrode voltage clamp. Schild analysis of YM90K and NBQX inhibition of kainate currents yielded pA2 values of 6.83 +/- 0.01 and 7.24 +/- 0.01, respectively. GYKI 52466 reduced the maximum kainate response and increased the kainate EC50 in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting that the antagonism of AMPA receptors by GYKI 52466 is mixed competitive and non-competitive for kainate. Schild analysis of YM90K and NBQX inhibition of kainate currents in the presence of 30 microM cyclothiazide yielded pA2 values of 6.62 +/- 0.03 (slope: 1.02 +/- 0.01) and 7.10 +/- 0.02 (slope: 1.00 +/- 0.02), respectively, consistent with competitive antagonism. Cyclothiazide potentiated the AMPA response as well as the kainate response and increased the apparent Hill coefficients in a concentration-dependent manner. The potency of YM90K to inhibit AMPA-induced current could be reduced by increasing the concentration of cyclothiazide. We showed that YM90K is a potent and competitive antagonist for AMPA receptors and the apparent affinity of competitive antagonists was reduced by cyclothiazide. Cyclothiazide can affect the interaction between receptors and both agonists and antagonists, suggesting that it might allosterically alter the affinity of agonists and competitive antagonists for their binding site on the AMPA receptor complex.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen in neurones: induction by u.v. irradiation.

Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) plays a pleiotropic role in DNA replication, excision repair of injured DNA and apoptosis. We found that PCNA protein is expressed predominantly in CA3 pyramidal neurones in hippocampal slices cultured from 1-week-old rats. Immunoblotting analysis revealed that this PCNA expression is enhanced by u.v. irradiation with no effect on neuronal viability. These results suggest that expression of PCNA in non-proliferating central neurones is associated with repair of injured DNA.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Adenosine A1 and A2 receptors modulate extracellular dopamine levels in rat striatum.

To clarify differences in the operating mechanisms of adenosine receptor subtypes (A1 and A2), striatal extracellular dopamine levels under various conditions were determined by in vivo microdialysis. Adenosine (50 microM) as well as the selective A1 agonist, 2-chloro-N6-cyclopentyladenosine (CCPA; 1 microM) decreased striatal extracellular dopamine levels, while the selective adenosine A1 antagonist, 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dimethylxanthine (CPT; 50 microM) and caffeine (100 microM) increased striatal extracellular dopamine levels. A selective A2a agonist, 2-[4-(2-carboxyethyl)phenethylamino]-5'-N-ethylcarboxamideadeno sine (CGS21680; 10 microM), a selective A2 agonist, N6-[2-(3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-(methylphenyl)ethyl]adenosine (DPMA; 5 microM) and a selective A2 antagonist, 3,7-dimethyl-1-propargylxanthine (DMPX; 10 microM), did not affect extracellular dopamine levels. When the A1 receptor was blocked by CPT, extracellular dopamine levels were increased by adenosine and DPMA, decreased by caffeine as well as DMPX, and unaffected by CGS21680. These results indicate that the stimulatory effects of the A2 receptor on striatal extracellular dopamine levels are masked by the inhibitory effects of the A1 receptor.

Adenosine↗
PubMed1996

Impaired development of CD4+ CD8+ thymoyctes by csk-'knock-in' into fyn locus.

p59fyn is one of the Src-family kinases thought to play an important role in signaling through T cell receptor. However, Fyn deficiency has caused no overt defects in vivo on T cell development, nor has it caused any changes in the phosphorylation status of molecules such as ZAP-70 which have been proposed as p59fyn substrates. This could be explained as being due to compensation of Fyn deficiency by other Src-family kinases. Here, we have 'knocked-in' the csk gene, a negative regulator of Src-family kinases, into fyn locus to challenge the problem of redundant functions among Src-family kinases. The csk-'knock-in' mice displayed atrophy of the thymic cortex and impaired development of CD4+ CD8+ thymocytes. This was concomitant with decrease in tyrosine phosphorylation of ZAP-70 and p120cbl.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Vitamin B6 deficiency accelerates metabolic turnover of cystathionase in rat liver.

Although most of cystathionase was found to exist as an inactive apoenzyme in the liver of vitamin B6-deficient rats, the concentrations of the immunoreactive enzyme protein were virtually the same for control and vitamin B6-deficient livers. Under vitamin B6 deficiency, however, the rate of synthesis of cystathionase, measured by incorporation of labeled amino acid into the immunoprecipitated enzyme, was increased severalfold due to an increased level of cystathionase mRNA. Western blot analysis of lysosomal proteins showed that the amount of cystathionase in the lysosomes from the liver of vitamin B6-deficient rats was also increased severalfold. This observation suggests that lysosomes specifically recognize the apocystathionase for sequestration in preference to the holoenzyme. The present study provides the molecular basis for dual roles of vitamin B6 in controlling the metabolic turnover of cystathionase; it regulates synthesis of the enzyme by modulating the expression of cystathionase gene, and it regulates degradation of the enzyme by different susceptibilities of apo- and holoenzymes to lysosomal proteolysis.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

High expression of ganglioside alpha-2,8-sialyltransferase (GD3 synthase) gene in adult T-cell leukemia cells unrelated to the gene expression of human T-lymphotropic virus type I.

Expression of ganglioside alpha-2,8-sialyltransferase (GD3 synthetase; EC 2.4.99.8) gene and gangliosides in human leukemia cells were analyzed. Flow cytometric analysis of various types of leukemia cells using monoclonal antibodies revealed that GD3 was expressed at a moderate level on adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) cells and weakly on T-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia cells. Accordingly, high levels of GD3 synthase mRNA in ATL and low levels in T-cell acute lymphocytic leukemia were demonstrated by semiquantitative reverse transcription-PCR analysis. High-level expression of the GD3 synthase gene in ATL cells was detected in the uncultured state, and was not changed during short-term culture in vitro. This was in contrast with the rapid up-regulation of GM2/GD2 synthase gene, which was observed within 24 h after start of culture after the emergence of human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) gene expression in cultured normal T lymphocytes with or without HTLV-I p40tax protein, GD3 synthase gene was almost equally expressed, whereas GM2/GD2 synthase gene was much more strongly expressed in the p40tax-positive T cells. These findings indicated that the GD3 synthase gene was highly expressed in ATL cells unrelated to HTLV-I genome expression.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed1996

Suppressive effect of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from pigs infected with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae on chemiluminescence of porcine peripheral neutrophils.

Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from pigs experimentally infected with Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae suppressed the chemiluminescence (CL) response of porcine polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN). The suppressive effect was significantly correlated with the concentration of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) in the BALF. Furthermore, purified human PGE2 suppressed the CL response of porcine PMN. The increased level of PGE2 following infection with M. hyopneumoniae may be responsible for the suppression of PMN function in the airway of infected pigs. The decrease of PMN function may be responsible for exacerbation of mycoplasmal pneumonia by secondary infection with pulmonary bacterial pathogens.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Binding of APC to the human homolog of the Drosophila discs large tumor suppressor protein.

The adenomatous polyposis coli gene (APC) is mutated in familial adenomatous polyposis and in sporadic colorectal tumors, and its product binds to the adherens junction protein beta-catenin. Overexpression of APC blocks cell cycle progression. The APC-beta-catenin complex was shown to bind to DLG, the human homolog of the Drosophila discs large tumor suppressor protein. This interaction required the carboxyl-terminal region of APC and the DLG homology repeat region of DLG. APC colocalized with DLG at the lateral cytoplasm in rat colon epithelial cells and at the synapse in cultured hippocampal neurons. These results suggest that the APC-DLG complex may participate in regulation of both cell cycle progression and neuronal function.

Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein↗