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Biomedical subjects

M Okada

Publications and source records attributed to M Okada.

At least 1,225 records · Page 68Linked to original sources

Induction of blood coagulation factor VIII by sodium butyrate in Balb/c 3T3 cells.

Balb/c 3T3 cells have long been used in cell biological studies. When cells were treated with 2 mM sodium butyrate they became flattened and their nuclei became small relative to the cytoplasm. Electron micrographically, intracellular organellae developed significantly: the number of mitochondria increased and membranous structures, namely the rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus, developed markedly. Blood coagulation factor VIII was induced in the presence of 2 mM sodium butyrate in a cell sonicate, but not in culture medium. The amount of this factor was almost 100-fold that in the nontreated cells 4 days after culture initiation, indicating that the cloned Balb/c 3T3 cells were of endothelial origin.

Animals↗

Bilateral adrenalectomy worsens gastric mucosal lesions induced by indomethacin in the rat. Role of enhanced gastric motility.

The mechanism by which bilateral adrenalectomy worsens indomethacin-induced gastric lesions was investigated in rats. In sham-operated rats subcutaneously administered indomethacin produced gastric lesions at doses of 10 mg/kg body wt or greater, in association with lowering of blood glucose levels. In a parallel study, indomethacin induced gastric hypermotility at the same dose levels but had no effect on acid output or mucosal blood flow even at 25 mg/kg body wt. Adrenalectomy (2 wk) itself significantly reduced the blood glucose levels (approximately 50%) and markedly potentiated the ulcerogenic and motility responses caused by indomethacin; the ED50 values dropped to approximately 10 times lower than those in sham-operated rats. Both acid output and mucosal blood flow were significantly reduced by adrenalectomy, but these values were increased after indomethacin treatment (3 mg/kg body wt). The ulcerogenic and motility responses caused by indomethacin were significantly reduced by acute infusion of glucose (25% wt/wt, 1.2 ml/h) intravenously in both sham-operated and adrenalectomized rats, and by subcutaneous administration of hydrocortisone acetate (10 mg/kg body wt for 2 wk) in the latter group. When the motility and the ulcer score were determined in the same animals, a highly significant relationship was found between these two factors in both sham-operated and adrenalectomized rats. These results suggest that (a) the increased gastric motility may be a key element in the pathogenesis of indomethacin-induced lesions and in the mechanism for aggravation of the lesions and in the mechanism for aggravation of the lesions by adrenalectomy, and (b) abrasion of adrenal glands by inducing hypoglycemia may sensitize the system to indomethacin and increase gastric motility.

Adrenalectomy↗

Central depletion of dopamine in rats by 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridine.

Effects of 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridine(MPP+), a putative neurotoxic metabolite of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine(MPTP), on the contents of dopamine were examined in the various regions of the rat brain. Under anesthesia with pentobarbital sodium and flunitrazepam, MPP+ 150 micrograms/rat was intracerebroventricularly infused for 5 hours, at 30 micrograms/100 microliters/hr. Seven days later, the contents of dopamine, but not those of noradrenaline and activities of choline acetyl transferase in the brain were found to be significantly decreased, as compared to findings in the respective controls. The MPP+-induced depletion of dopamine was most evident in the striatum (38% of control). Contents of dopamine in the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area were not significantly affected by MPP+. These results are interpreted to mean that intracerebroventricular continuous infusion of MPP+, in a relatively low concentration, induces a moderate but relatively specific disruption of central dopaminergic nerve terminals in rats, presumably by the selective accumulation of this neurotoxic agent into these nerve terminals.

1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium↗

The relationship between the radiological and clinical features in patients with Crohn's disease.

A study has been made of 93 Japanese patients with Crohn's disease who had not undergone bowel resection at the time of diagnosis during the years 1969 to 1983. Ninety had longitudinal ulcers or a cobblestone appearance or both of the small intestine or colon or both on double contrast barium examination. The incidence of longitudinal ulcers in the small intestine was significantly higher than in the colon (P less than 0.001). Conversely the incidence of cobblestoning was higher in the colon than in the small intestine (P = 0.065). In patients with longitudinal ulceration, there was significantly lower Crohn's disease activity index (CDAI), ESR, and C-reactive protein. Patients with cobblestoning had a significantly higher CDAI, ESR and C-reactive protein, and significantly lower values of albumin, cholesterol in serum, serum iron, haemoglobin, and relative body weight. Our findings indicate that cobblestoning closely correlates with the disease activity of Crohn's disease, and that longitudinal ulceration has a negative correlation. Moreover, our results suggest that the high incidence of cobblestoning and low incidence of longitudinal ulcers in the colon and the reverse in the small intestine reflects the fact that colonic involvement renders the disease more severe than small intestine involvement only.

Adolescent↗

Identification of human apolipoprotein E variant gene: apolipoprotein E7 (Glu244,245----Lys244,245).

Apolipoprotein E (apoE) is one of the protein moieties of the human serum lipoproteins. Three major isoforms of apoE (apoE2, apoE3, and apoE4) and minor variant isoforms (apoE1, apoE5, and apoE7) have been detected by isoelectric focusing. In this study we have cloned the apoE7 gene from a patient with the apoE3/E7 phenotype associated with hypertriglyceridemia and diabetes mellitus. DNA sequencing revealed that the apoE7 gene has two base substitutions (G----A) changing Glu244,245----Lys244,245, compared with the apoE3 gene. The replacement of the two amino acids is consistent with the result of isoelectric focusing of the apoE7 isoprotein, which shifts to four positively charged units compared with the apoE3 isoprotein.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Molecular cloning of a human apolipoprotein E variant: E5 (Glu3----Lys3).

Two types of apoE alleles from a genomic DNA library of a subject with the apoE2/E5 phenotype have been cloned. One of these alleles encodes an apoE isoprotein having cysteine, arginine, and cysteine at positions 112, 145, and 158 of mature apoE isoproteins, respectively, indicating an epsilon apoE2 allele. The other allele encodes a different isoprotein, having cysteine, arginine, and arginine at each of the above positions, respectively. In addition, this allele has a base substitution (G----A) which causes the substitution of lysine for glutamic acid at position 3 near the NH2-terminus of the mature apoE. This allele is a new variant, the epsilon apoE5 allele.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Purification and characterization of membrane-bound inositolpolyphosphate 5-phosphatase.

Membrane-bound inositolpolyphosphate 5-phosphatase was solubilized and highly purified from a microsomal fraction of rat liver. Its physiochemical and enzymological properties were compared with those of highly purified preparations of two types of soluble enzyme (soluble Type I and Type II) from rat brain. The molecular masses of the membrane-bound and soluble Type I enzymes were 32 kDa, while that of soluble Type II enzyme was 69 kDa, as determined by molecular sieve chromatography. The membrane-bound and soluble Type I enzymes showed similar broad peaks on isoelectric focusing (pI 5.8-6.4), while soluble Type II enzyme showed multiple peaks in the region between pI 4.0-5.8. All three enzymes required divalent cation for activity. Mg2+ was the most effective for both the membrane-bound and soluble Type I enzymes, while Co2+ enhanced soluble Type II enzyme activity about 1.5-fold relative to Mg2+ at 1 mM. The optimal pH of both the membrane-bound and soluble Type I enzymes was 7.8, while that of soluble Type II was 6.8. The Km values for inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] of all three enzymes were similar (5-8 microM), but those for inositol 1,3,4,5-tetrakisphosphate [Ins(1,3,4,5)P4] were quite different, the Km values of membrane-bound and soluble Type I enzymes being 0.8 microM, while that of soluble Type II was 130 microM. These similarities between the membrane-bound and soluble Type I enzymes suggest that these two molecules may be the same protein, and that concentrations of Ins(1,4,5)P3 and Ins(1,3,4,5)P4, both of which are considered to play critical roles in the regulation of intracellular Ca2+-concentration, may be differently regulated by two functionally distinct enzymes.

Animals↗

C6 glioma cells produce basic fibroblast growth factor that can stimulate their own proliferation.

With purified preparations of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), we studied the effect of its growth-promoting activity on C6 glioma cells. We also examined with its antibody whether the cultured glioma cells could produce it. It was shown that bFGF stimulated the DNA synthesis and proliferation of C6 glioma cells in serum-free medium, and that the activity was potentiated by heparin, the bFGF concentrations for half-maximal stimulation being 0.2 and 5 ng/ml in the presence and absence of heparin, respectively. This effect of heparin was dose-dependent and was half-maximal at 0.5 microgram/ml. Next, we raised the antiserum against bFGF and detected a single immunoreactive band from extracts of C6 glioma cells by immunoblot analysis. The immunoreactive substance was partially purified on a heparin-Sepharose column and was shown to stimulate the DNA synthesis of C6 glioma cells. On the basis of its immunoreactivity, molecular weight, affinity for heparin, and growth-promoting activity, this substance was identified as bFGF. The content of bFGF in the cells was elevated as the cell density increased, but no immunoreactivity was detected in the conditioned medium of the cells. These results suggest that C6 glioma cells produce and store bFGF which is potent in stimulating their own growth.

Animals↗

Spontaneous regression of primary malignant lymphoma of the stomach in two nontreated Japanese.

Two patients with primary malignant lymphoma underwent spontaneous regression. One was a 40-year-old woman with a large ulcerating tumor on the greater curvature of the gastric antrum. This tumor shrank spontaneously, leaving only a small shallow ulcer. The resected specimen showed a minute focus of malignant lymphoma in the ulcer base. The other was a 73-year-old man who had a tumor with central ulceration on the posterior wall of the gastric antrum. Endoscopic biopsy revealed a malignant lymphoma. This tumor disappeared 60 days later. The patient refused surgery and remains well with no evidence of recurrent disease at this writing, 44 months later. Although there have been several case reports of spontaneous regression, partial or complete, of gastric malignant lymphoma, our cases seem to be the ones best proven.

Adult↗

Knowledge representation and compilation for symptom-disease-test relationships.

A method that represents and compiles expert knowledge for choosing diagnostic tests is presented. Usually, physicians inquire into the patient's complaints, examine him/her physically, and on the assumption of a specific disease or impaired organ system, choose a certain group of laboratory tests designed to examine this assumption. After checking the test results, they may perform another set of tests for further differential diagnosis. This step is repeated until they obtain the final diagnosis. In the proposed method, this knowledge is categorized into three relations. The relation SD is defined on domains symptom/sign and disease, the relation DT is on disease and diagnostic test, and the relation DD is on disease and disease where the first attribute (column) in each relation, respectively, is a primary key, that is, there exists precisely one value, and the second is a set of values. We show that redundant tuples can be reduced or decomposed by checking whether or not there exist tuples whose set of diagnostic tests are equivalent to that of other tuples or are a subset of others. Finally, we can obtain a preferable set of diagnostic tests for given symptoms/signs by using the join of SD and DT, and for further diagnosis, the join of DD and DT is applicable.

Computer Simulation↗

Enhancement of therapeutic effect of interleukin-2 on spontaneous pulmonary metastases of Lewis lung carcinoma by killer helper factor associated with increased induction of killer activity.

Killer helper factor (KHF) was previously found to be produced by a human T cell hybridoma, 24A . CA2. We studied the therapeutic effects of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and KHF on the inhibition of pulmonary metastases of syngeneic Lewis lung carcinoma (3LL) in C57BL/6N mice. Multiple subcutaneous (sc) injections of IL-2 plus KHF had significantly more effect than injections of IL-2 alone in inhibiting spontaneous pulmonary metastases and prolonging survival of the mice. The effect of KHF with IL-2 on induction of lymphokine (IL-2)-activated killer (LAK) activity against P-29 cells was examined in the murine system. Spleen cells generated LAK activity after incubation for 4 days with more than 500 U/ml of IL-2. In contrast, KHF alone did not render spleen cells cytotoxic. The combination of these lymphokines at subthreshold concentrations, however, resulted in significant in vitro induction of LAK activity. The LAK activity of splenocytes incubated with IL-2 plus KHF was maximal after 4 days, and persisted for longer than that of cells treated with IL-2 alone. The LAK cells induced by KHF plus IL-2 were also cytotoxic to FBL and YAC-1 cells. Moreover, spleen cells of mice bearing lung metastases could be induced to the cytotoxic state by sc injections of IL-2 plus KHF. These results indicate that combination treatment with IL-2 and the new lymphokine KHF should be useful clinically in inducing LAK activity for inhibition of pulmonary metastases.

Animals↗

Is the augmentation of K+-evoked intrasynaptosomal Ca2+ concentration due to the influx of Ca2+ in rat brain synaptosomes?

Intraterminal free Ca2+ concentration modulates the subsequent release of neurotransmitters. Depolarization of synaptosomes with 29 mM K+ augments cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration, which is triphasic, the peak times being at 10, 60, and 180 s. We examined the characteristics of each elevation of cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration in rat brain synaptosomes which had been preincubated for 3 min with a Ca2+-channel blocker, such as La3+, diltiazem, nifedipine, or verapamil, and under conditions of hypoxia or acidosis. The concentration of free Ca2+ in the quin-2-loaded rat brain synaptosomes was detected fluorometrically. All these elevations were suppressed in the presence of 200 microM EGTA or 100 microM La3+. At the first phase, the elevation of cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration with high K+ stimuli was significantly inhibited by La3+ (20 microM) or by acidosis (pH 6.7). On the other hand, diltiazem, which is a more potent blocker of the release of Ca2+ from the mitochondria, inhibited the increasing cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration at the third phase in a concentration-dependent manner. Hypoxia also showed inhibition at the third phase. These results suggest that the augmentation of high K+-evoked cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration may be due to the influx of extracellular Ca2+. The increase in cytosolic free Ca2+ concentration at the third phase is no doubt linked to the mitochondrial function.

Acidosis↗

Healing process of duodenal ulcers induced by indomethacin plus histamine in rats.

Healing of duodenal ulcers induced by indomethacin + histamine was investigated in rats. Animals were treated with indomethacin (5 mg/kg, s.c., once daily) and histamine (40 mg/kg, s.c., 3 times every 2.5 h after indomethacin treatment) for 2 days under fasting conditions, and they were fed normally thereafter. The duodenal ulcers so induced were confined to the proximal part of the duodenum and penetrated to the muscular mucosa with an incidence of over 80% when determined 32 h after the first injection of indomethacin (day 1). The ulcers became smaller and shallower within 7 days with granulation from the ulcer base, the mucosa grew in from the edges over the surface of granulation tissue, and they had healed almost completely after 15 days with epithelial regeneration from the edge of the ulcers. The healing of ulcers was significantly promoted by a 5-day treatment with an antacid (Al(OH)3) as well as antisecretory agents (omeprazole, cimetidine, propantheline bromide) and 16,16-dimethyl prostaglandin E2 at the dose which produced a potent inhibition of acid output and a marked increase in duodenal alkaline secretion. These results suggest that the duodenal ulcers induced in rats by indomethacin + histamine may provide a useful model for studying the healing process of duodenal ulcers and for the evaluation of the drugs with possible effects on ulcer healing.

Animals↗

Restoration of pole-cell-forming ability to u.v.-irradiated Drosophila embryos by injection of mitochondrial lrRNA.

Screening a cDNA library generated from poly(A) +RNA of Drosophila cleavage embryos, we selected a cDNA clone (pDE20.6). The cDNA hybridized specifically with a poly(A) +RNA that is capable of restoring embryos from u.v.-caused inability of pole cell formation. The RNA hybrid-selected by pDE20.6 was also able to induce pole cells in the anterior region of embryos, if it was coinjected with u.v.-irradiated polar plasm, although the RNA or irradiated polar plasm alone was not effective. Pole cells thus formed in the anterior or in the u.v.-irradiated posterior region were identified by polar granules and nuclear bodies, morphological markers for normal pole cells. Furthermore, the RNA-induced pole cells were able to migrate into gonadal rudiments. The nucleotide sequence of pDE20.6 cDNA insert was highly homologous with the mitochondrial large rRNA (lrRNA) gene, but not with any nuclear DNA sequences. Using pDE20.6 as a primer, a full-length cDNA of mitochondrial lrRNA was generated and cloned. The RNA transcribed in vitro from the cDNA was able to restore pole cell formation. The cDNA hybridized only with a 1.5 kb poly(A) +RNA on a Northern blot. The 1.5 kb RNA sedimented more with the post-mitochondrial (P3) fraction than with the mitochondrial (P2) fraction, while the majority of transcripts from another mitochondrial gene was detected in the P2 fraction.

Animals↗

[Effects of nizatidine, a new histamine H2-receptor antagonist, on gastric acid secretion and various gastric and duodenal lesions in rats: comparison with cimetidine].

We examined the antisecretory and antilesion activities of nizatidine in rats. Male SD or Donryu rats (200-260 g) were used under fasted or fed conditions. Nizatidine, given orally or parenterally (intraperitoneally, subcutaneously or intraduodenally) at 0.3-150 mg/kg, inhibited both basal (pylorus-ligation preparations) and histamine-stimulated gastric acid secretion (acute fistula preparations) in a dose-dependent manner. The potency of nizatidine was 2 to 8 times greater than cimetidine when the ED50 values (mg/kg or mu mole/kg) of each agent were compared. The antisecretory activity of nizatidine, given orally, persisted for more than 3.5 hr, but disappeared 6 hr later. Nizatidine, given orally or subcutaneously at 0.3-150 mg/kg, prevented development of gastric lesions induced by water immersion, pylorus ligation (Shay), histamine, aspirin, or indomethacin in a dose-dependent manner. Duodenal ulcers induced by mepirizole were also markedly prevented with nizatidine. The potency of nizatidine on stress lesions or duodenal ulcers was about 20 or 14 times greater than that of cimetidine, respectively. Nizatidine, given orally 3 times a day for 4 weeks, significantly (P less than 0.05) accelerated the healing of acetic acid-induced gastric ulcers which were delayed by prolonged treatment with indomethacin. These results suggest that nizatidine is a useful drug for the treatment of peptic ulcers in man.

Animals↗

A continuous monitoring of mucosal integrity and secretory activity in rat stomach: a preparation using a lucite chamber.

We assembled a new system using a lucite chamber and rat stomach for simultaneous measurement of transmucosal potential difference (PD) and luminal pH as indicators of the mucosal integrity and the secretory activity, respectively. The biological preparation involved only the glandular mucosa and responded to a variety of mucosal damaging agents by different degrees of PD reduction, pH increases and histological damages. When the mucosa was exposed for 10 min to 1 M NaCl, the reduced PD was restored with time, reaching the baseline values within 2 hr with histological restitution. Titration of gastric effluent showed that after the exposure, acid secretion ceased and a considerable amount of HCO3- was evident in the lumen, followed by re-secretion of acid. These secretory changes corresponded with those of luminal pH; this remained elevated for 1 hr after the exposure and returned to the basal values 2 hr later. The histological restitution as well as the PD recovery after damage were significantly interfered with by indomethacin (5 mg/kg, s.c.) or vasopressin (10 unit/kg/hr, i.v.), respectively, at the dose which inhibited the increased pH responses caused by 1 M NaCl or reduced the mucosal blood flow. These results suggest that this system may be useful for studying physiological changes of gastric mucosa after acute injury and for screening drugs that may have an effect on the repair process.

Animals↗

Mechanisms involved in aggravation of ethanol-induced gastric mucosal lesions in adrenalectomized rats.

Effects of adrenalectomy (AD) on ethanol-induced gastric injury and prostaglandin (PG) protection on the damage were investigated in rats and compared with those of N-ethylmaleimide (NEM), a sulfhydryl (SH) blocker, and diethyl maleate (DEM), a SH depletor. Oral administration of 100% ethanol (1 ml) induced elongated bands of hemorrhagic lesions in the corpus mucosa of sham operated rats, and these lesions were significantly prevented by 16,16-dimethyl PGE2 (dmPGE2, 10 micrograms/kg, s.c.). AD markedly enhanced the mucosal ulcerogenic responses caused by ethanol and abolished the protective effect of dmPGE2; this agent rather worsened the lesions, which appeared throughout the corpus mucosa. AD by itself enhanced the microvascular permeability in the gastric mucosa without any effect on SH contents. These alterations caused by AD were significantly reverted by hydrocortisone treatment (10 mg/kg/day for 2 weeks, s.c.). On the other hand, a single injection of NEM (10 mg/kg, s.c.) similarly enhanced the vascular permeability, worsened the ethanol-induced lesion, and mitigated the protective effect of dmPGE2 without altering mucosal SH contents, while DEM (1 ml/kg, s.c.) significantly reduced the mucosal SH levels and the lesions. These results suggest that AD worsened the mucosal lesions induced by ethanol, probably by enhancing the microvascular permeability, and this action may be due to a lack of steroid secretion but is not directly related to a mucosal SH deficiency.

16,16-Dimethylprostaglandin E2↗