Biomedical subjects

N Mori

Publications and source records attributed to N Mori.

At least 343 records · Page 19Linked to original sources

PubMed1995

Interleukin-4 inhibits the production of interleukin-1 by adult T-cell leukemia cells.

Freshly isolated leukemic cells from patients with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) produce high levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1), which is believed to play an important role in neutrophilia, elevation of C-reactive protein, osteolytic bone lesions, hypercalcemia, and fever in ATL. However, relatively little is known regarding the regulatory mechanism of IL-1 production in ATL. Interleukin-4 (IL-4) affects the monocytes- and neoplastic cells-mediated cytokine production. In this study, we investigated the effect of IL-4 on IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta production by ATL cells in vitro. IL-4 was found to markedly inhibit the release of IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta into the conditioned medium in a dose-dependent manner. Northern blot analysis of steady-state IL-1 mRNA demonstrated that IL-4 treatment of ATL cells resulted in a reduction of IL-1 mRNA. These results support the notion that ATL cells spontaneously produce IL-1 alpha and IL-1 beta; however, such production can be inhibited by the immunomodulating agent, IL-4. IL-4 may play an important regulatory role in the production of IL-1 in ATL.

Aged↗

PubMed1995

Protocadherin Pcdh2 shows properties similar to, but distinct from, those of classical cadherins.

Cell adhesion and several other properties of a recently identified cadherin-related protein, protocadherin Pcdh2, were characterized. A chimeric Pcdh2 in which the original cytoplasmic domain was replaced with the cytoplasmic domain of E-cadherin was expressed in mouse L cells. The expressed protein had a molecular mass of about 150 kDa and was localized predominantly at the cell periphery, as was the wild-type Pcdh2. In a conventional cell aggregation assay, the transfectants showed cell aggregation activity comparable to that of classical cadherins. This activity was Ca(2+)-dependent and was inhibited by the addition of anti-Pcdh2 antibody, indicating that the chimeric Pcdh2, and probably the wild-type Pcdh2, has Ca(2+)-dependent cell aggregation activity. Mixed cell aggregation assay using L cells and different types of transfectants showed that the activity of Pcdh2 was homophilic and molecular type specific and that Pcdh2 was transfectants did not aggregate with other types of transfectants or with L cells. In immunoprecipitation, the chimeric Pcdh2 co-precipitated with a 105 kDa and a 95 kDa protein, whereas wild-type Pcdh2 co-precipitated with no major protein. Pcdh2 was easily solubilized with non-ionic detergent, in contrast to the case of classical cadherins. On immunofluorescence microscopy, the somas of Purkinje cells were diffusely stained with anti-human Pcdh2 antibody. Mouse Pcdh1 and Pcdh2 were mapped to a small segment of chromosome 18, suggesting that various protocadherins form a gene cluster at this region. The present results suggest that Pcdh2, and possibly other protocadherins as well as protocadherin-related proteins such as Drosophila fat, mediate Ca(2+)-dependent and specific homophilic cell-cell interaction in vivo and play an important role in cell adhesion, cell recognition, and/or some other basic cell processes.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Changes in IgA and metals in serum and urine of human volume hypertension.

In this study, disturbance of immune response as a pathogenic mechanism for human volume hypertension was investigated and compared to nephritis in its correlation with the metals such as zinc, iron and aluminum as environmental factors. Urinary gamma-GTP excretions in patients with nephritis or hypertension were higher than in healthy people, whereas the plasma renin activity in these patients were lower on the average than in healthy individuals. Hypertensive patients participating in this study were diagnosed as the volume hypertension type from our clinical and other results. The serum IgM and IgA levels in renal patients showed a tendency to be lower than in the healthy people used as control. Urinary IgA excretion in hypertensive patients was increased in association with increasing excretions of aluminum and/or iron into urine. The values of regression coefficients in the urine samples for aluminum and iron vs. IgA, respectively, were very high at r = 0.900 (n = 9, p < 0.05) and 0.736 (n = 9, p < 0.05). These correlations were shown to be very useful indicators in diagnosing volume hypertension. Moreover, hypertensive patients in this study were demonstrated to have a high regression coefficient (r = -0.702, n = 7; p < 0.05) for calcium vs. renin in the serum. In the hypertension, augmentation of serum calcium significantly decreased plasma renin activity.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Studies on the quantitative autoradiography. II. Radioluminography for quantitative autoradiography of 3H.

The process of obtaining 3H-autoradiographic (ARG) images has been expected for a long time. A few X-ray films with no protection layer are commercially available, however, they do not give a reliable image which can be quantitated and can give good contrast. We tried to fabricate a 3H-type sensor which has no protection layer on a highly sensitive sensor, and called it Imaging plate (IP). The IP is composed of one of the specially designed photo-stimulable phosphors containing of BaFX: Eu2+(X = Cl, Br or I) crystals. Results indicated a good contrast and reliable whole-body ARG image of 3H-labelled glucose with trial IP, which has never been obtained with any X-ray films even if these were subjected to a long exposure time. The ARG image can be displayed by either black-and-white hard copy or a colored one with the digital display representing relative intensity of photostimulated luminescence (PSL) without back ground (BG) or relative intensity concentration ((PSL-BG)/S), where S was equivalent to 100 pixels (1 mm2). Similarly to the experimental results of 14C, the linear relationship relative intensity and radioactivity of the 3H standard sources was demonstrated with a very wide range of 10(2) to 10(5) dpm/mg upon the exposure for 7d. Also the relationship between relative intensity and relative exposure (radioactivity x exposure time) was linear within the latitude of relative intensity 10(1) to 10(5) (PSL-BG). The trial IP was particularly effective for the quantitative autoradiography of TLC plates.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Absorption↗

PubMed1995

Radiation-induced lymphomas in MSM, (BALB/cHeA x MSM) F1 and (BALB/cHeA x STS/A) F1 hybrid mice.

M.MOL-MSM (MSM) mice derived from Mus musculus molossinus progenitors showed extreme resistance to the induction of lymphomas following whole-body X-irradiation with four doses of 1.7 Gy. (BALB/cHeA x MSM) F1 mice between a high lymphoma strain, BALB/cHeA and the MSM showed a high incidence of radiation-induced lymphomas which was quite similar to that in BALB/cHeA mice, but the latent period was prolonged in the hybrids. Susceptibility in incidence was dominant over resistance in these crosses. Incidences of (BALB/cHeA x MSM)F1 hybrids irradiated with four doses of 2.5 Gy X-rays were 77% in females and 88% in males. F1 hybrids between BALB/cHeA and another resistant strain STS/A, (BALB/cHeA x STS/A) F1, also showed a high level of susceptibility, that is, lymphoma incidence was 64% in females and 63% in males. The mean latent period in the (BALB/cHeA x STS/A) F1 hybrids was similar to that in (BALB/cHeA x MSM) F1 hybrids. As all cases of tumors developed in F1 hybrids are informative concerning the detection of the loss of heterozygosity in the loci depending on the combination of two parental strains, the radiation-induced lymphomas obtained from (BALB/cHeA x MSM) F1 and (BALB/cHeA x STS/A) F1 hybrids could be useful for fine analysis of the genetic alterations involved in lymphomagenesis.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

CD34-positive blastoma in a patient with idiopathic myelofibrosis.

We report CD34-positive "blastoma" which developed in a patient with idiopathic myelofibrosis (IMF). A 48-year-old woman was diagnosed as having essential thrombocythemia, then the disease had transformed into IMF 41 months later. Finally, a subcutaneous tumor, composed of blastic cells positive for CD34 but negative for lineage-specific antigens, developed without any evidence of systemic leukemia transformation.

Antigens, CD34↗

PubMed1995

Clinical evaluation of catheter-related fungemia and bacteremia.

Forty-four patients with catheter-related infection admitted to Hokusho Central Hospital between 1985 and 1991 were studied retrospectively. The rate of catheter-related fungemia or bacteremia to all corresponding cases of fungemia and bacteremia increased from 7.7% in 1985 to 28.8% in 1991. The isolated pathogens were Candida parapsilosis (8 strains), Candida tropicalis (6 strains), methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) (6 strains), methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) (5 strains) and Streptococcus epidermidis (3 strains). Bacteremia occurred after catheterization of the femoral vein for a mean duration of 37 days. The period was significantly shorter than that after catheterization of the subclavian vein (56 days). The major isolates from the subclavian vein were Candida spp. (14/17, 82.4%), followed by MRSA (1/17, 5.9%) and MSSA (1/17, 5.9%), while isolates from the femoral vein were Candida spp. (6/16, 37.5%), MRSA (5/16, 31.3%) and MSSA (3/16, 20.8%). Catheter removal alone did not improve the clinical condition, particularly in MRSA bacteremia; the combination of antimicrobial therapy and removal of the catheter was necessary for a better prognosis.

Aged↗

PubMed1995

Changes in calcium distribution in the utricular supporting cells of the guinea pig.

Changes in calcium distribution in cultured utricular supporting cells following streptomycin sulfate (SM) intoxication were investigated by means of an organ culture system using potassium pyroantimonate (PA) precipitation. PA precipitation showed that calcium ions are located in the otoconia and in the secretory granules of the supporting cells. Exposure of the supporting cells to SM increased the number of lysosomes and reduced the secretory granules in the cytoplasm. These lysosomes had many granules containing calcium ion. It is suggested that calcium secretion from the secretory granules was inhibited by SM and that this might lead to reduction of otoconia.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Effect of intravenously applied canrenoate on ampullar endolymphatic potential.

The effect of canrenoate, an aldosterone antagonist, on the ampullar endolymphatic potential (AEP) was examined to assess a possible role for aldosterone in the ampulla. Intravenous administration of canrenoate increased the AEP amplitude in a dose-dependent manner, with a significant reduction of the AEP negative component induced by anoxia. Pretreatment with aldosterone attenuated the AEP change produced by canrenoate. The results suggest that aldosterone may be involved in the modulation of ampullar function.

Aldosterone↗

PubMed1995

Structure-cytotoxicity relationship of tilivalline derivatives.

Tilivalline (TV) possesses a pyrrolo[1,4]benzodiazepine nucleus and an indole substituent in its structure, and is cytotoxic toward mouse leukemia L1210 cells. In order to obtain more effective compounds, we have previously synthesized a variety of TV analogues. In this study, the cytotoxicity of these compounds has been evaluated. Among the compounds tested, the 11-beta-cyano compound, a TV analogue bearing the cyano group instead of the indole group, is approximately 100 times more cytotoxic than TV itself. The alpha-epimer of this cyano compound has about one-hundredth the cytotoxicity of the 11-beta-cyano compound. Structure-cytotoxicity relationships are discussed, including the effects of stereoisomers (alpha and beta) at the 11 position and substitution at the benzene moiety of TV.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Fatal Epstein-Barr virus-associated lymphoproliferative disorder in childhood.

OBJECTIVE: We report five childhood cases of fatal Epstein-Barr virus-associated lymphoproliferative disorder to determine their immunopathologic and immunogenotypic features. DESIGN: Clinicopathologic features are described, using clinical, histologic, immunophenotypic, and genotypic examinations. SETTING: Autopsy cases were performed at Nagoya and Tsukuba university hospitals, Japan. RESULTS: Infiltrating lymphocytes, which were positive for the EBV genome by in situ hybridization, were polymorphic and showed polyclonal immunoglobulin staining in all five cases. Two cases, however, showed genetic clonality of EBV termini. In one case, the clonality was observed only in the spleen, and in the other case, clonal rearrangement of the JH gene was also found. The former case showed none of the morphologic features of neoplasia and presented a morphology similar to virus-associated hemophagocytic syndrome. In the latter case, infiltrating lymphoid cells were much less polymorphous, and nodular masses of the lymphoid cells in colon and lung specimens were observed. CONCLUSION: We suggest that some polyclonal EBV-associated lymphoproliferative disorders develop into polymorphic, but genotypically monoclonal, lymphoproliferative disorders.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1995

Primary gastric Hodgkin's disease. Morphologic, immunohistochemical, and immunogenetic analyses.

Two cases of primary gastric Hodgkin's disease were examined morphologically and immunohistochemically. Immunogenetic studies were also made in one of the cases. Case 1 was diagnosed as nodular sclerosis and case 2 as mixed cellularity Hodgkin's disease. Large atypical mononuclear or multinucleated giant cells were immunohistochemically positive for BerH2, whereas they were negative for LCA, L26, DAKO CD3, MT1, UCHL-1, S100 protein, and MAC387. In case 1, large atypical cells examined immunohistochemically on frozen tissue specimens were positive for Ki-1 and negative for T- and B-cell markers. Southern blot hybridization studies performed on material from case 1 revealed germline configuration of immunoglobulin JH and T-cell-receptor beta-chain genes. To our knowledge, this is the first report in which primary gastric Hodgkin's disease has been studied immunogenetically. Although rare in incidence, the existence of Hodgkin's disease in the stomach must be noted.

Aged↗

PubMed1995

[Successful treatment of acute myelomonocytic leukemia developed from MDS with cytarabine ocfosfate (SPAC)].

A 65-year-old female with acute myelomonocytic leukemia (AMMoL) developed from myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), successfully treated with cytarabine ocfosfate (SPAC) is reported. Ubenimex, calcitriol and corticosteroid had a minor effect on her MDS. Since she had severe anemia and congestive heart failure on developing leukemia, she was treated with oral administration of SPAC, a cytidine deaminase resistant derivative of Ara-C. After the second course of SPAC (200 mg/day, for 14-28 days), marked erythroid bursts were found and she entered complete remission. The samplings of SPAC and its metabolites of SPAC were investigated in 2 cases including this case, but there seemed to be no relation between their content and effects. In AML patients, especially in cases developed from MDS, SPAC might be useful because it can be given orally even in an outpatient.

Aged↗

PubMed1995

Lesion-induced sprouting of commissural/associational axons and induction of GAP-43 mRNA in hilar and CA3 pyramidal neurons in the hippocampus are diminished in aged rats.

Removal of synaptic connections following a partial deafferentation lesion results in a sprouting of remaining afferents that terminate near the denervated area. However, while the ability to form new synapses in response to injury has been reported in both young and aged rats, previous studies have suggested that the injury-induced response in the hippocampus of aged rats may be delayed and/or not as extensive as compared to young adults. Given that growth associated proteins are central for the regulation of neurite outgrowth during both development and regeneration, we were interested in determining if the magnitude and time course of the sprouting response of hippocampal neurons to deafferentation might correlate with induction of growth associated proteins and whether these parameters could be modulated with age. For our studies we used the Holmes fiber stain to determine the expansion of the C/A fiber plexus following denervation and compared the time course of the sprouting response with that observed by in situ hybridization for the neurite outgrowth proteins, growth associated protein-43 (GAP-43), superior cervical ganglion-10 (SCG-10), and neurofilament-68 (NF-68) at various time points after the lesion for each age group. We found that the commissural/associational (C/A) fiber plexus expanded by 45% in young adult rats at 30 and 45 d postlesion and was accompanied by a significant increase in expression of GAP-43 mRNA in both ipsilateral and contralateral hilar and CA3 pyramidal neurons, the cell bodies of origin for the C/A pathway. In contrast, a dampened sprouting response was observed in aged rats at all time points postlesion and coincided with a lack of induction of any of the growth-associated proteins. These results suggest that GAP-43 is involved in outgrowth of C/A axons in the hippocampus in response to a partial deafferentation lesion. However, factors that stimulate neurite outgrowth and upregulate GAP-43 mRNA in response to a partial deafferentation lesion diminish with age.

Aging↗

PubMed1995

Human T-cell leukemia virus type I tax transactivates the interleukin-6 gene in human rheumatoid synovial cells.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effect of the human T cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) tax gene on interleukin-6 (IL-6) production and gene transcription in synovial cells, we established the synovial cell line, E-11, from a patient with rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: E-11 cells were transfected with tax expression vector using the calcium phosphate coprecipitation method. IL-6 production and gene expression were investigated by ELISA and Northern blot analysis, respectively. To clarify how tax induces IL-6 gene expression, we used deletion analysis and chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) assay, and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). RESULTS: Transfection of the tax gene induced markedly high levels of IL-6 mRNA. Furthermore, the tax gene strongly transactivated IL-6 gene promoter activity assayed by CAT assay. By using deletion and site specific mutations, we have identified a nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B sequence (positions -73 to -63) which is essential for tax transaction. EMSA demonstrated the induction of specific binding of nuclear extracts to the NF-kappa B sequence by HTLV-I tax. CONCLUSION: The HTLV-1 tax gene may transactivate IL-6 gene in the synovial cells through NF-kappa B and may contribute in the pathophysiology of HTLV-I associated arthritis.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

PubMed1994

Complete Nucleotide Sequence of Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus from JYG Chinese Wild Mice: Absence of Bacterial Insertion Sequences in the Cloned Viral gag Gene.

Mammary tumors of a newly isolated strain of Chinese wild mouse (JYG mouse) harbor exogenous mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV). The complete nucleotide sequence of exogenous JYG-MMTV was determined on the proviral 5' long terminal repeat (LTR)(partial)-gag-pol-env-3' LTR (partial) fragment cloned into a plasmid vector and the cDNA sequence from JYG-MMTV producing cells. Similarly to the other MMTV species the LTR of JYG-MMTV contains an open reading frame (ORF). The amino acid sequence of the JYG-MMTV ORF resembles that of SW-MMTV (92% identity) and endogenous Mtv-7 (93% identity) especially at the C-terminal region. Thus, a functional similarity in T-cell receptor V beta recognition as a superantigen is implicated among these MMTV species. Analysis of the viral gag nucleotide sequence revealed that this gene is not disrupted by the bacterial insertion sequence IS1 or IS2, which have been reported to be present in the majority of the plasmids containing the gag region. Comparison of amino acid sequences of JYG-MMTV with those of BR6-MMTV showed that over 96% of the amino acids of gag, pol, protease and env products are identical. These results suggest the intact nature of the nucleotide sequence of the near full-length MMTV genome cloned in the plasmid.

Journal Article↗

PubMed1994

Cloning of the rat Gadd45 cDNA and its mRNA expression in the brain.

We cloned the rat Gadd45 (growth arrest and DNA damage inducible) cDNA and examined its mRNA induction by gamma-ray irradiation in the rat brain. The rat Gadd45 cDNA sequence was highly homologous to the previously published human and hamster cDNAs, and was partially similar to the 28S rRNA gene. The mRNA encoding rat GADD45 was induced in the brain after gamma-ray irradiation. This finding indicates that Gadd45 is an inducible gene following the ionizing radiation, not only in cultured cells in vitro, but also in animal tissues in vivo.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1994

Antiepileptic effects of inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase examined in pentylenetetrazol-induced seizures in rats.

The effects of intraperitoneal NG-methyl-L-arginine and N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester, specific inhibitors of nitric oxide (NO) synthase, were examined on the pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced seizures in rats. The incidence and latency for the onset of myoclonic jerks, clonic seizures, and tonic generalized extension were observed as specific parameters among PTZ-induced seizures. Both drugs preferentially suppressed the tonic generalized extension and prolonged the latency for the onset of each parameter, suggesting NO has a significant effect on the PTZ-induced seizure.

Amino Acid Oxidoreductases↗