Biomedical subjects

N Fujisawa

Publications and source records attributed to N Fujisawa.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1999

Inhibitory effects of transforming growth factor-beta1 pretreatment on experimental pulmonary metastasis of MCS-1 Chinese hamster mesenchymal chondrosarcoma cells.

Recent studies have suggested that transforming growth factor(TGF)-beta1 acts as a multifunctional regulator of cell growth, and also modifies tumor progression and metastasis. In the present study, we investigated the effects of TGF-beta1 on the proliferation and experimental pulmonary metastasis of MCS-1. MCS-1 are undifferentiated type cloned tumor cells established from a mesenchymal chondrosarcoma which spontaneously occurred in the soft tissue of a female Chinese hamster. MCS-1 cells were pretreated with TGF-beta1 (0, 0.05, 0.5, 2, 10 ng/ml) for 72 hours in a medium containing 1% fetal bovine serum, then tested for in vitro growth by the MTT method, in vivo growth by subcutaneous inoculation into athymic nude mice (1 x 10(6) cells/mouse) and experimental pulmonary metastasis by injection into the lateral tail vein of athymic nude mice (5 x 10(4) cells/mouse). TGF-beta1 significantly inhibited in vitro growth of MCS-1, depending on its concentrations, and also experimental metastasis with maximal inhibition at 0.5 or 2 ng/ml treatment compared to untreated controls. TGF-beta1, however, was ineffective for in vivo subcutaneous growth of MCS-1. These results indicated that TGF-beta1 might be an inhibitor of metastasis of mesenchymal chondrosarcomas including other types of non-epitherial cartilage or bone formation tumors.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Staphylococcal enterotoxin A-induced injury of human lung endothelial cells and IL-8 accumulation are mediated by TNF-alpha.

Staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA), a superantigen produced by some strains of Staphylococcus aureus, causes a variety of clinical manifestations ranging from food poisoning to shock. S. aureus can also be associated with the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome, and SEA has been shown to cause an inflammatory reaction in the lung. Therefore, we examined possible interactions between SEA, PBMCs, polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs), and normal human lung microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC-L), as well as the role of these interactions on the secretion of IL-8. Injury to HMVEC-L, as measured by the release of 51Cr, increased significantly when HMVEC-L were incubated with SEA and PBMCs. IL-8 was secreted by both PBMCs and HMVEC-L. The accumulation of IL-8 in the culture medium of HMVEC-L was increased by SEA in a dose-dependent manner and was directly related to the number of PBMCs present. Although neither anti-human IL-8 nor IL-1 mAb inhibited HMVEC-L cytotoxicity, anti-human TNF-alpha mAb inhibited both the cytotoxicity and IL-8 accumulation completely. When HMVEC-L were incubated with supernatants from SEA-treated PBMCs, HMVEC-L cytotoxicity was comparable with HMVEC-L incubated with SEA and PBMCs at the same time. Although high concentrations of purified PMNs induced HMVEC-L lysis in a dose-dependent manner, the effect of PMNs was not changed in the presence of SEA. These findings suggest that TNF-alpha secreted by SEA-stimulated PBMCs plays a leading role in HMVEC-L injury.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

PubMed1998

Necrotizing fasciitis caused by Vibrio vulnificus differs from that caused by streptococcal infection.

We reviewed the clinical record of all patients admitted to Saga Medical School Hospital during the most recent 10 years and found that 17 (0.03%) were diagnosed as having necrotizing fasciitis. Bacteriological examination demonstrated that Vibrio vulnificus was the pathogen responsible in five patients (29%). The disease caused by V. vulnificus occurred in the warmer half of the year. All of the patients had underlying chronic liver dysfunction, and three of them had previously consumed raw seafood. In these patients, the predominant skin lesions were oedema and subcutaneous bleeding, such as ecchymosis and purpura, while superficial necrosis was not recognized. Three patients died of systemic complications. By contrast, all of the five patients with necrotizing fasciitis caused by Streptococcus pyogenes had the disorder in winter, and only one of them had chronic liver dysfunction. In skin lesions, subcutaneous bleeding was rare but necrosis was seen often. Despite the high incidence of systemic complications, no patients with streptococcal necrotizing fasciitis died. These findings suggest that the clinical features of necrotizing fasciitis caused by V. vulnificus are different from those of necrotizing fasciitis caused by classical pathogens, and that the two should be differentiated as early as possible to improve the prognosis.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1998

[A case of hypoxemic acute bronchiolitis presenting with diffuse nodular shadows caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae].

A fifty year-old female who had previously been well presented with a productive cough and a high fever. Her initial chest X-ray film showed no abnormal lung shadows. Despite partial improvement of the fever and the serum level of acute phase reactant (CRP) in response to intravenous administration of piperacillin, she complained of increasing severity of cough and dyspnea. Follow-up chest X-ray films taken five days after therapy with piperacillin showed diffuse nodular shadows in the mid-to-lower lung fields bilaterally. Chest CT scan disclosed diffuse miliary nodules at the lung periphery and thickening of bronchovascular markings. Chest auscultation revealed late inspiratory coarse crackles and expiratory wheezing, and the patient's arterial oxygen tension was 61 mmHg. Suspected of suffering from primary atypical pneumonia, she was started on therapy with intravenous minocyclin (200 mg/day), two days after treatment her symptoms began improving significantly. Anti-mycoplasma antibody was found to be x 1280, and cold hemoagglutinin x 1024, establishing the diagnosis of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. The patient's condition completely recovered following a one week treatment with minocyclin. We concluded that her respiratory infection was caused by piperacillin-sensitive mico-organism, and also Mycoplasma pneumoniae which brought about hypoxic acute bronchiolitis to the patient.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1997

A synthetic peptide inhibitor for alpha-chemokines inhibits the growth of melanoma cell lines.

Melanoma growth stimulatory activity (MGSA/GROalpha) is a 73 amino acid peptide sharing sequence characteristics with the alpha-chemokine superfamily. MGSA/GROalpha is produced by diverse melanoma cell lines and reported to act as an autocrine growth factor for the cells. We tested the binding of MGSA/GROalpha to melanoma cell lines, Hs 294T and RPMI7951, and found that these cells could bind to MGSA/GROalpha but not to interleukin-8. Recently, we defined a novel hexapeptide, antileukinate, which is a potent inhibitor of binding of alpha-chemokines to their receptors on neutrophils. When antileukinate was added to melanoma cells, it inhibited the binding of MGSA/ GROalpha. The growth of cells from both melanoma cell lines was suppressed completely in the presence of 100 microM peptide. The cell growth inhibition was reversed by the removal of the peptide from the culture media or by the addition of the excess amount of MGSA/GROalpha. The viability of Hs 294T cells in the presence of 100 microM peptide was > 92%. These findings suggest that MGSA/GROalpha is an essential autostimulatory growth factor for melanoma cells and antileukinate inhibits their growth by preventing MGSA/GROalpha from binding to its receptors.

Cell Division↗

PubMed1997

On the etymology of "pancreas".

It is said that the pancreas was described first by Herophilus of Chalcedon in about 300 BC, and the organ was named by Rufus of Ephesus in about 100 AD. However, it is an established fact that the word pancreas had been used by Aristotle (384-322 BC) before Herophilus. In Aristotle's Historia Animalium, there is a line saying "another to the so-called pancreas." It is considered that the words "so-called pancreas" imply that the word pancreas had been popular at the time of Aristotle, but it had not been authorized yet as an anatomical term. However, the word pancreas presumably has been accepted as an anatomical term since Herophilus.

History, Ancient↗

PubMed1997

[Usefulness of enhanced computed tomography in the diagnosis of pulmonary thromboembolism].

Pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) was diagnosed in 22 patients at Saga Medical School between 1981 and 1994. Enhanced computed tomography (CT) was done in 8 patients, and filling defects in the central pulmonary artery were identified in 6. Parenchymal shadows (wedge shaped shadows, subpleural consolidation, or nodular shadow's) were noted in 5. When enhanced CT was done during acute severe respiratory failure in 3 patients, pulmonary artery filling defects were found in all. These findings suggest that enhanced CT is useful as a diagnostic tool for acute PTE with respiratory failure. Electron beam CT may be a sensitive and specific means of diagnosing PTE because it can be done quickly and without breath-holding. We conclude that enhanced CT should be used as the first diagnostic procedure in patients with severe respiratory failure who may have PTE.

Adult↗

PubMed1997

[Status asthmaticus treated with inhaled isoflurane and intravenous isoproterenol].

We report the case of an 18-year-old man with status asthmaticus who was treated with inhaled isoflurane and intravenous isoproterenol. The patient was intubated and mechanical ventilation was began immediately after admission to the hospital. He received intravenous methylprednisolone and aminophyline, and frequent inhalation of isoproterenol aerosol. However, his respiratory status deteriorated: peak inspiratory pressure increased markedly, and right pneumothorax, right lower lobe atelectasis, and hypotension developed. He was then given isoflurane by inhalation and a continuous intravenous infusion of isoproterenol, which was followed by marked improvement in his respiratory and hemodynamic status. Isoflurane can be effective in patients with status asthmaticus, and it does not increase the arrhythmogenicity of catecholamines. Intravenous administration of isoproterenol can also be useful in the treatment of patients with status asthamticus. The combination of isoflurane with intravenous isoproterenol may be useful when status asthmaticus is hard to control with conventional therapy.

Administration, Inhalation↗

PubMed1997

[Two cases of acetaminophen-induced pneumonitis].

This paper deals with two patients with acetaminophen-induced pneumonitis. A 64-year-old woman suffered from mastitis while being treated by corticosteroid therapy for phemphigoid. She was administered antibiotics and acetaminophen. However, her fever continued and she subsequently developed dyspnea and interstitial pneumonia. The other patient, a 70-year-old woman, was treated with corticosteroid for lower motor neuron disease. Anti-GM1-IgM antibodies were positive in her serum. She developed wet cough and mild fever. During treatment with antibiotics and acetaminophen, her illness was complicated by dyspnea and interstital pneumonia. As a result of histological findings of transbronchial lung biopsy specimens showing interstitial infiltration of mononuclear cells, as well as clinical courses in which cessation of acetaminophen directly lead to the improvement of interstitial pneumonia, both patients were diagnosed to have acetaminophen-induced pneumonitis. The peumonitis responded well to steroid therapy. In vitro culture of peripheral lymphocytes showed stimulated proliferation by acetaminophen in both patients. These findings suggest that allergic mechanism was involved in the pathogenesis of the pneumonitis. Underlying immunological disorders may have enhanced the occurrence. Although acetaminophen is one of the most popular drugs because of a very low incidence of side effects, this drug should be applied carefully, especially with patients who have such immunological disorders.

Acetaminophen↗

PubMed1995

[Clinical bacteriological analysis of Vibrio vulnificus infection--a report of five case].

Clinical features in Vibrio infection are generally represented by gastrointestinal involvements such as food poisoning, and its prognosis is usually good. However, Vibrio vulnificus infection not uncommonly causes serious problems including sepsis, necrotizing fasciitis of the extremities, and other conditions, sometimes resulting in fatal outcome. In the present study, we analyzed clinical microbiological aspects of five cases with V. vulnificus infection. All the strains of V. vulnificus isolated in five patients are oxidase-positive Gram negative rods presenting comma-like configuration, which were yielded on TCBS agar forming green colonies; they were grayish-white in color and viscous in texture on 5% sheep blood agar, identification of bacteria were done using VITEK AMS (BioMérieux). Piperacillin and third-generation cephalosporins were found to have bactericidal activities against these strains. All five cases we experienced have primary ailments, and three cases out of the five had taken perishable sea-food before showing disease symptoms. V. vulnificus has two infection channels; one is external wound and the other is oral intake. The latter is said that it may become serious. This has a rather short period from the starting the symptoms to death, and there is high death rate. For life-saving, it is inevitably necessary to dose an effective antibacterial medicine in the early stage. If we suspect this bacteria in the test laboratory, it is important to report this to the clinical doctor. In other words, this is one of the bacteria that needs prompt treatment and further microbiology testing.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

[Experimental pulmonary metastasis of Chinese hamster mesenchymal chondrosarcoma cell lines].

Pulmonary metastases of chinese hamster mesenchymal chondrosarcoma cell lines, MCS-1 (undifferentiated type) and MCS-8 (differentiated type), were examined by intravenous transplantation into athymic nude mice. The incidence of pulmonary metastasis of MCS-1 was 100% and that of MCS-8 was 33% at the 23rd day after transfer. Mean number of metastatic nodules in the lung was 41 in the former and only 3 in the latter. Mean survival time of mice with MCS-1 injection (5 x 10(4) cells) was 27 days and that with MCS-8 (5 x 10(4) cells) was 48 days after transfer. At the 42nd day after transfer of MCS-8, however, the incidence of pulmonary metastasis was 100%. These data suggest that the tumor growth rate in the metastatic lesion, as well as the affinity to the target organ, is very important for evaluation of experimental metastasis.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

Mouse Ly-gene haplotypes and subcutaneous regression of Ehrlich ascites tumor.

Ehrlich ascites tumor cells (EAT cells) lack most cell surface H-2 antigens and grow in any mouse strain following intraperitoneal injection of 10(5) cells. With subcutaneous injection of 2 x 10(7) cells, however, EAT regressed in C57BL/10 (H-2b), BALB/c (H-2d), NZB (H-2d), A (H-2a) and SJL (H-2s) but progressed and formed a solid tumor in DBA/2 (H-2d), C3H (H-2k), AKR (H-2k), CBA (H-2k) and DBA/1 (H-2q). By genotype analysis, Ly haplotypes of EAT-regressive mouse strains were found to have Ly-1.2 and Ly-2.2 as common features, while EAT-progressive mouse strains had Ly-1.1 (except AKR) and Ly-2.1.

Animals↗

PubMed1994

[Dexamethasone effects of protein synthesis on organ-cultured human trabecular meshwork--autoradiographical, biochemical, and immunohistochemical study].

The effect of dexamethasone (DEX) on organ-cultured human trabecular meshwork (HTM) was evaluated autoradiographically, biochemically, and immunohistochemically. The tissues were obtained from 11 normal postmortem individual eyes, aged 15-84 years. In 2 individuals, 2-week treatment of cultured HTM with DEX (1 x 10(-4) M, 1 x 10(-5) M, 1 x 10(-6) M) induced the expression of 35S-methionine-labelled cell proteins of 40, 55, and 66 kD which were not present in HTM cultures with out DEX treatment. In electron microscopic autoradiography of the same cases, trabecular cells containing numerous intracytoplasmic vacuoles were seen and silver grains were found on microfibrils in the intracytoplasmic vacuoles. In addition, in immunoblot analysis of anti-alpha elastin of the same cases, a 72 kD band representing elastin was seen and DEX treatment showed stronger reactivity than the control. In immuno-electron microscopy of the same cases, elastin was localized on the surface of trabecular cells containing numerous intracytoplasmic vacuoles. In the remaining 9 individuals, there were no significant differences between control and DEX treatment. The alterations in the proteins/glycoproteins and elastin produced by DEX observed in organ-cultured HTM may play a role in the reduction in aqueous outflow facility observed clinically in steroid glaucoma.

Aged↗

PubMed1994

[Study of two cases of active pulmonary tuberculosis complicated by lung cancer].

In this study, we report on two patients diagnosed with active pulmonary tuberculosis who later developed complications of lung cancer. In both instances, lung cancer was not detected until after cessation of tuberculostatic drugs. Both patients were initially considered to be experiencing exacerbation of pulmonary tuberculosis. Patient 1 was a 77-year-old female. A roentgenogram of her chest revealed a cavitary lesion with infiltration into the right lung field. Her sputum tested positive for acid-fast bacilli. Although she was treated with isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (RFP) and streptomycin sulfate (SM), the RFP and INH treatments had to be discontinued due to liver dysfunction. Her general condition was deteriorated, and pleural effusion appeared on a subsequent chest roentgenogram. Primary squamous-cell lung cancer was confirmed by conducting a transbronchial biopsy. Patient 2 was a 59-year-old male. A roentgenogram of his chest revealed multiple cavitary lesions with infiltration into the bilateral lung field. His sputum also tested positive for acid-fast bacilli. Although he was treated with INH, RFP and SM, INH and RFP treatment had to be discontinued due to liver dysfunction and high fever. The shadow infiltrating the left lung field subsided, but a massive shadow appeared in the right lung field. Primary small-cell lung cancer was confirmed after conducting a sputum cytology. The patients was then administered cisplatin and etoposide. Patient 1 was diagnosed with lung cancer five months after being admitted to the hospital, and Patient 2 ten months after admission. Both patients succumbed due to lung cancer at seven and 26 months, respectively.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗

PubMed1993

Cellular and intracellular localization of epsilon-subspecies of protein kinase C in the rat brain; presynaptic localization of the epsilon-subspecies.

The cellular and intracellular localization of the epsilon-subspecies of protein kinase C (PKC) in the rat brain was demonstrated by immunocytochemistry using specific antibodies against epsilon-PKC. The epsilon-PKC-specific immunoreactivity was most abundant in the hippocampal formation, olfactory tubercle and Calleja's islands, was moderate in the cerebral cortex, anterior olfactory nuclei, accumbens nucleus, lateral septal nuclei and caudate-putamen and low in the thalamus and medulla. The epsilon-PKC-immunoreactivity was scanty in the perikarya, except for the pyramidal cells of CA3 region of the hippocampus and the immunoreactivity was mainly present in neuropils and nerve fibers. The distribution of epsilon-PKC immunoreactive neurons was consistent with that obtained by in situ hybridization histochemistry. Electron microscopic observations of the hippocampus revealed that the epsilon-PKC is predominantly present in the cytoplasm of axon and nerve terminals and that this enzyme is associated with mitochondrial membrane and vesicles. These results suggested that epsilon-PKC is probably involved in presynaptic functions in CNS, perhaps even neurotransmitter release.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1993

[Hospital infection with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Saga Medical School Hospital, a rapid increase in coagulase type-VIII strains].

Hospital infection with MRSA has increased in Saga Medical School Hospital. The causative MRSA consisted predominantly of coagulase type-II strain before 1989, but after 1990, coagulase type-VII MRSA increased rapidly. This type-VII strain has marked multiple drug-resistance, and the pattern of drug sensitivity of MRSA in this hospital was different from that of MRSA detected in other facilities, which are clinically serious problems, therefore, we conducted an etiological study of the background of the increase in MRSA infection in our hospital. The results of the study are summarized as follows: 1) The proportions of MRSA (on strain from one patient) to all types of S. aureus detected in the hospital were 26% for 1986, 23% for 1988, 37% for 1989, 30% for 1990 and 60% for 1991. The proportion increased greatly in 1991. 2) Coagulase type VII-MRSA was first detected only in 5 patients in 1989, then it tended to spread, and this type (probably derived from the same strain) accounted for 47% of MRSA infection in patients examined in 1991. 3) The study of the drug sensitivity pattern and etiological survey of the infection showed that coagulase type VII-MRSA prevalent in the hospital consisted of two types: CLDM, and EM-sensitive, IPM/CS, and MINO-resistant and TSST-1 non-producing and enterotoxin non-producing type, and CLDM, and EM-sensitive, IPM/CS, and MINO-resistant and TSST-1 non-producing type with enterotoxin serotype A. 4) Coagulase type VII-MRSA (Probably derived from the same strain) was detected in physicians and nurses working in affected wards and also in the patients's room.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Coagulase↗

PubMed1993

[Isolation of penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae in Saga Medical School Hospital].

A recent nationwide increase in beta-lactams-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae has attracted a great deal of attention. We studied the drug sensitivity of S. pneumoniae isolated from various clinical specimens in Saga Medical School Hospital between April 1988 and December 1991. To determine the drug sensitivity of the strains, we used a micro-dilution method and determined the MIC. Drug resistance was evaluated using MIC of ampicillin (ABPC) as a reference MIC, and the results were roughly classified into the following three groups: sensitive (< or = 0.1 microgram/ml), moderately resistant (0.2-3.13 micrograms/ml) and highly resistant (> or = 6.25 micrograms/ml). The isolation frequency was calculated on the basis of one strain from one patient. No strain of S. pneumoniae with high resistance against ABPC was found in 1988 (94 strains of S. pneumoniae were isolated) and 1990 (115 strains isolated), but one such strain (0.8%) was found among 129 strains isolated in 1989, and 2 such strains (2.4%) among 84 strains isolated in 1991. Moderately resistant strains were isolated at the frequencies of 12.8%, 15.5%, 22.6%, and 21.4% respectively, in 1988, 1989, 1990, and 1991. A sum of the frequencies of "moderately resistant" and "highly resistant" (2.4%) strains was 23.8% in 1991. The frequency of resistant strains is increasing and the intensity of resistance is also being elevated.

Humans↗

PubMed1992

Expression of protein kinase C subspecies in rat retina.

An extract of rat retina was subjected to Mono Q followed by chromatography on hydroxyapatite, and the protein kinase C (PKC) subspecies were identified by immunoblot and biochemical analysis. It was found that, although the relative activities assayed with myelin basic protein as a common phosphate acceptor vary greatly with one another, the alpha-, beta I-, beta II-, gamma-, delta-, epsilon-, zeta-, and another structurally unknown PKC subspecies are expressed in this tissue. Thus, the retina is a unique tissue which expresses most of the PKC subspecies so far identified in mammals.

Animals↗