Biomedical subjects
Publications and source records attributed to N Fujii.
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The effects of the Ca2+, Mg2+, Zn2+, Cd2+, Hg2+ and Mn2+ on the conformation of calmodulin (CaM) have been tested by using 400 MHz 1H NMR. In the aromatic region of the spectrum of CaM with a one molar ratio of cation per CaM, Zn2+, Cd2+, Hg2+ and Mn2+ induced spectral changes which were very similar to those seen for Ca2+. However, the Mg2+-induced change was different. These results are consistent with our pharmacological findings on divalent cations.
Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a novel peptide amide of 37 amino acid residues, which was first identified as the product of alternative processing of RNA transcripts of the calcitonin gene in humans and rats. Using 125I-human CGRP (hCGRP) as the binding ligand and hCGRP or salmon calcitonin (sCT) as the specific inhibitor of binding, it was examined how the receptor-like binding sites distribute among rat tissues including the nervous system, which is already known to contain binding sites in discrete regions. Some visceral organs (liver, spleen and lung) and possibly the bone marrow of Wistar male rats (8-10 weeks old) were found to be relatively rich in these binding sites. The following parameters were calculated by Scatchard analysis of binding data for the cerebellum, spleen and liver; KD (nM) and Bmax (fmol/mg protein) were 0.61 and 408, 1.08 and 858, and 0.89 and 356, respectively. In these three tissues, both hCGRP and sCT were able to completely suppress the specific binding; the IC50s (nM) of hCGRP for the cerebellum, spleen and liver were 2.57, 2.29 and 3.02, respectively, and the IC50s (microM) of sCT 2.69, 0.41 and 1.78, respectively. The results obtained herein strongly suggest the physiological function of CGRP in these visceral organs including bone marrow.
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The activities of the interferon-induced enzyme 2'-5' oligoadenylate synthetase in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were determined in patients with viral hepatitis. Increased levels of the enzyme were found in patients with acute type B hepatitis at the early phase and also in those with chronic type B hepatitis at the active stage. The levels of this enzyme activity were not significantly increased in patients with acute type A hepatitis or in those with acute type non A non B hepatitis. However, in two patients with acute type A hepatitis the levels of this enzyme were elevated shortly at the onset. These results support the hypothesis that an endogenous interferon response in patients with acute type A hepatitis and in those with acute type B hepatitis may be instrumental in the modulation of these types of hepatitis virus infections. Whereas hepatitis non A non B virus replication in patients with acute type non A non B hepatitis may be associated with poor interferon response. The activities of the enzyme in peripheral blood mononuclear cells were determined in patients with chronic type B hepatitis during interferon therapy. Increased levels of the enzyme were found in all patients during interferon therapy. This increase correlated well with the decreased DNA-polymerase activities. The data also showed that assay of this enzyme activity is useful to determine the optimal dosage and means of interferon therapy for chronic type B hepatitis.
Seventeen patients with benign prostatic hypertrophy were treated with 50 mg allylestrenol per day for a long period of time (mean: 37.7 weeks), and subjective and objective findings, transrectal ultrasonotomography, urodynamics, serum lipids and hormone levels were examined. Improvement rates of subjective and objective findings were 42.9-92.9%. A significant decrease in weight and diameter (antero-posterior, lateral) of the prostate was observed, but the difference in the height of the prostate was not significant. Increase in intravesical pressure was observed in 9 out of 14 cases (64.3%) and the decrease in area under the urethral pressure curve at functional profile length was observed in 6 out of 11 cases (54.5%). Slight increase of the serum lipid levels was observed in a few cases, but in many cases the fluctuation was within normal range. Although clear decrease in the testosterone levels was seen, decrease of libido and potency was observed in only one case (5.9%). No other side-effect was found. The overall efficacy rate was 58.8%, and clinical usefulness of Allylestrenol on benign prostatic hypertrophy was confirmed.
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Neuromedin C, the smaller molecular form of gastrin releasing peptide (GRP [18-27]), has been recently identified from canine intestinal muscle and porcine spinal cord. This study was conducted to determine if this newly identified peptide retains biological activity on canine pancreas in vivo. Intravenous injection of graded doses of synthetic Neuromedin C caused a marked increase of systemic blood pressure and initial reduction of pancreatic blood flow in eleven anesthetized dogs, as measured by Laser Doppler Flowmetry. Flow volume and protein output of pancreatic juice were also increased by Neuromedin C in a dose-related manner in six dogs. These results suggest that this peptide is one of the biologically active forms of mammalian bombesin-like peptides and may possess physiological significance as a novel neuropeptide.
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