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N Tanahashi

Publications and source records attributed to N Tanahashi.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Double-cleavage production of the CTL epitope by proteasomes and PA28: role of the flanking region.

BACKGROUND: Proteasomes are known to produce major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I ligands from endogenous antigens, and the gamma-interferon-inducible proteasome activator PA28 has been thought to play an important role in the generation of immunodominant MHC ligands by proteasomes. Several attempts have been made to show that proteasomes have the ability to yield cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) epitopes effectively from model polypeptides derived from viral and intracellular proteins in vitro, but their antigen processing mechanism is poorly understood. RESULTS: Proteasomes produce the tumour rejection antigen precursor peptide pRL1b (SIIPGLPLSL), but not pRL1a (IPGLPLSL), bound to the H-2Ld molecule, from synthetic peptides covering the CTL epitope. This double cleavage production of pRL1b by proteasomes seemed to depend on the length of the flanking regions adjacent to either end of the CTL epitope, in which their successive deletions caused the almost complete prevention of pRL1b excision. The newly identified PA28 collaborates with proteasomes for efficient production of pRL1b, by promoting not only single cleavage of all susceptible peptides, but also dual cleavage in some peptides harboring certain characteristic lengths. CONCLUSION: The flanking regions outside pRL1b of suitable length appear to be essential for the correct CTL epitope production, possibly functioning as anchors to trap target peptides for proteasomal degradation. We propose a novel mechanism for dual-cleavage excision of immunodominant epitopes by proteasomes and PA28.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Molecular properties of the proteasome activator PA28 family proteins and gamma-interferon regulation.

BACKGROUND: Recent cDNA cloning of two homologous proteasome activators, PA28 alpha and PA28 beta, indicated the presence of a structurally related third protein, Ki antigen, but a functional relationship between Ki antigen and the two PA28 proteins is unknown. Accumulating evidence has implicated an important role for PA28 in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-restricted antigen processing pathway. Recently, an immunomodulatory cytokine gamma-interferon (gamma-IFN) was found to increase greatly the messages for PA28 alpha and PA28 beta, but not Ki antigen, in human cells. RESULTS: Ki antigen was co-immunoprecipitated with the 20S proteasome by anti-proteasome antibody, and associated reversibly with the 20S proteasome, as observed for PA28 alpha and PA28 beta. Therefore, Ki antigen was renamed PA28 gamma. Anti-PA28 gamma antibody, however, did not immunoprecipitate PA28 alpha and PA28 beta. gamma-IFN caused an almost complete loss of the PA28 gamma protein in cells without affecting its mRNA level, whereas the levels of both mRNA and protein for PA28 alpha and PA28 beta were coordinately upregulated by gamma-IFN. Finally we showed that the human chromosomal genes of PA28 alpha and PA28 gamma were located on 14q11.2 and 17q21.32-21.33, respectively. CONCLUSION: PA28 gamma (equivalent to Ki antigen) is a new member of the PA28 family proteins. It exists as a unique homopolymer under non-denaturing conditions. gamma-IFN was found to induce the expression of PA28 alpha and PA28 beta, whereas it caused almost complete loss of the PA28 gamma protein in cells. The reciprocal expression of the PA28 family proteins may imply their involvement in distinct biological processes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Yeast counterparts of subunits S5a and p58 (S3) of the human 26S proteasome are encoded by two multicopy suppressors of nin1-1.

Nin1p, a component of the 26S proteasome of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is required for activation of Cdc28p kinase at the G1-S-phase and G2-M boundaries. By exploiting the temperature-sensitive phenotype of the nin1-1 mutant, we have screened for genes encoding proteins with related functions to Nin1p and have cloned and characterized two new multicopy suppressors, SUN1 and SUN2, of the nin1-1 mutation. SUN1 can suppress a null nin1 mutation, whereas SUN2, an essential gene, does not. Sun1p is a 268-amino acid protein which shows strong similarity to MBP1 of Arabidopsis thaliana, a homologue of the S5a subunit of the human 26S proteasome. Sun1p binds ubiquitin-lysozyme conjugates as do S5a and MBP1. Sun2p (523 amino acids) was found to be homologous to the p58 subunit of the human 26S proteasome. cDNA encoding the p58 component was cloned. Furthermore, expression of a derivative of p58 from which the N-terminal 150 amino acids had been removed restored the function of a null allele of SUN2. During glycerol density gradient centrifugation, both Sun1p and Sun2p comigrated with the known proteasome components. These results, as well as other structural and functional studies, indicate that both Sun1p and Sun2p are components of the regulatory module of the yeast 26S proteasome.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Prognostic value of admission blood pressure in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage. Keio Cooperative Stroke Study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Patients with acute stroke on admission to the hospital are often found to have high blood pressure. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the prognostic value of admission blood pressure in patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage, including putaminal, thalamic, subcortical, cerebellar, and pontine hemorrhage. METHODS: A total of 1701 patients with intracerebral hemorrhage of the putamen (n = 776; mean +/- SD age, 58 +/- 14 years) thalamus (n = 538; 63 +/- 12 years), subcortex (n = 153; 61 +/- 16 years), cerebellum (n = 110; 64 +/- 11 years), and pons (n = 124; 59 +/- 13 years) were examined. The mean blood pressure on admission in patients with a fatal outcome was compared with that in patients who survived. RESULTS: The mean age in each patient group (putaminal, thalamic, subcortical, cerebellar, and pontine hemorrhage) with fatal outcome was older than that with nonfatal outcome, while ANCOVA indicated no correlation between age and blood pressure on admission or age and volume of hematoma. The mean arterial blood pressure on hospital admission was 126.9 +/- 25.8 mm Hg (+/-SD) in cases of putaminal. 127.4 +/- 22.6 mm Hg in thalamic, 116.4 +/- 20.6 mm Hg in subcortical, 123.5 +/- 23.9 mm Hg in cerebellar, and 133.0 +/- 26.0 mm Hg in pontine hemorrhage. The mean blood pressure on admission in patients with a fatal outcome among those with putaminal (136.0 +/- 36.3 mm Hg) and thalamic (133.2 +/- 22.1 mm Hg) hemorrhage was significantly higher than that in those with a nonfatal outcome (123.8 +/- 20.6 mm Hg for putaminal, 101.6 +/- 22.5 mm Hg for thalamic) (P < .01). No correlation between mean blood pressure and outcome was observed in the patients with subcortical (116.5 +/- 22.2 mm Hg for nonfatal, 114.9 +/- 22.0 mm Hg for fatal outcome), cerebellar (125.2 +/- 22.2 mm Hg, 116.9 +/- 28.8 mm Hg), and pontine (129.9 +/- 23.8 mm Hg, 136.0 +/- 27.7 mm Hg) hemorrhage. The volume of hematoma on admission in patients with fatal outcome with putaminal (58.2 +/- 24.4 mL), thalamic (27.0 +/- 13.1 mL), subcortical (32.9 +/- 14.4 mL), and cerebellar (31.4 +/- 28.6 mL) hemorrhage was greater than that in those with nonfatal outcome (20.8 +/- 11.4 mL, 7.1 +/- 4.8 mL, 18.3 +/- 10.6 mL, and 8.1 +/- 4.2 mL, respectively; P < .01), while no correlation between volume of hematoma and outcome was observed in patients with pontine hemorrhage. CONCLUSIONS: The above data suggest that an increased mean blood pressure and volume of hematoma on admission in putaminal and thalamic hemorrhage were related to increased mortality, while in patients with subcortical, cerebellar, and pontine hemorrhage, the mean blood pressure was not related to the clinical outcome.

Age Factors↗

Superacute phase blood pressure elevation may relate to massive hematoma in hypertensive putaminal hemorrhage.

A restrospective clinical investigation has been performed to elucidate the relationship between hematoma size in putaminal hemorrhage and blood pressure (BP) changes during the immediate post-hemorrhagic phase in the emergency room (ER). Thirty-seven adult patients brought to the emergency department by ambulance within 6 hours after onset of symptoms with a confirmed diagnosis of acute putaminal hemorrhage on CT have been involved. Two BP measurements during the superacute phase in the ER have been studied: immediately after arrival at the ER (BP-I), and immediately prior to CT examination (BP-II). Patients have been divided into 6 categories: 1) those whose BP decreased with treatment (D+), 2) those whose BP decreased without treatment (D-), 3) those whose BP increased in spite of treatment (I+), 4) those whose BP increased without treatment (I-), 5) those whose BP remained unchanged in spite of treatment (U+), and 6) those whose BP remained unchanged without treatment (U-). Hematoma size has been compared among 5 categories (D+, D-, I-, U+, U-) using factorial ANOVA (analysis of variance). The hematoma sizes have been found to be (D+) 54 +/- 44 ml, (D-) 22 +/- 25 ml, (I-) 102 +/- 58 ml, (U+) 11 +/- 5 ml, (U-) 21 +/- 9 ml (mean +/- S.D.), respectively. (I-) has been significantly larger than any of the other categories (p < 0.001 - 0.05). Additional ANOVA has shown that BP-II in category (I-) was significantly higher than that of the other categories. Patients with putaminal hemorrhage whose BP was elevating during the superacute phase in the ER were shown to have massive hematomas.

Acute Disease↗

[Clinical features of 5 cases of tuberculous meningitis--with special reference to brain CT and MRI findings].

We evaluated the clinical features of 5 cases of tuberculous meningitis who had been admitted to our department from 1987 to 1994. Three patients were male and two were female. Their age ranged from 17 to 74 years old. All cases were examined by both CT and MRI before and during antituberculous treatment. Before the treatment, CT scan revealed abnormal findings such as nodular lesion suggesting tuberculoma, subarachnoid contrast enhancement or cerebral infarction in 2 cases, while MRI revealed abnormal findings such as inflammatory lesions with Gd-enhancement in 4 out of 5 patients. During the treatment, all abnormal findings except cerebral infarction disappeared. No abnormal findings were detected by CT. MRI and SPECT in one case who showed right hemiparesis and motor aphasia. In summary, CT scan could demonstrate abnormal findings in only a small portion of patients with tuberculous meningitis. One the other hand, MRI revealed various abnormal findings in most patients, and could reveal some lesions which could be responsible for the symptoms of patients. In a few patients, however, MRI could not show any lesion in spite of obvious focal neurological signs. MRI is considered to be useful for detecting the lesions in most patients with tuberculous meningitis, although its findings are not always specific for the disease.

Adolescent↗

Intravascular substance P dilates cerebral parenchymal vessels through a specific tachykinin NK1 receptor in cats.

The role of substance P in the cerebral parenchymal circulation was examined in 19 anesthetized cats. The local cerebral blood volume in the temporoparietal cortex was measured by our photoelectric method. Cerebral blood volume reflects the cumulative dimensions of the parenchymal microvessels. Intravenous injection of 0.01, 0.1, and 1 mg/kg FK888 (N2-[(4R)-4-hydroxy-1-(1-methyl-1H-indol-3-yl) carbonyl-L-prolyl]-N-methyl-N-phenylmethyl-3-(2-naphthyl)-L-alaninamide) , a selective tachykinin NK1 receptor antagonist, had no significant effects (compared to the vehicle, ethanol) on cerebral blood volume and mean arterial blood pressure. Intracarotid injection of 1, 10, 100 pmol/kg, and 1 nmol/kg substance P increased cerebral blood volume (P < 0.01) in a dose-dependent manner (maximal increase of 6.5% at 5 min). Following injection of 1 nmol/kg substance P, cerebral blood volume was initially reduced, possibly due to the marked fall in mean arterial blood pressure (P < 0.01). The cerebral blood volume increase elicited by 1 nmol/kg substance P was strongly blocked (P < 0.05) by prior injection of 1 mg/kg FK888. However, the depressor effect of 1 nmol/kg substance P (-24 +/- 4 mm Hg at 30 s, P < 0.01) was partially inhibited (P < 0.01) by FK888. We conclude that endogenous substance P may not have a significant role in the maintenance of resting tone of cerebral parenchymal vessels. Intravascular substance P, however, dilates the small microvessels through a specific tachykinin NK1 receptor and could be involved in the development of pathologic processes such as migraine headache.

Animals↗

cDNA cloning and functional analysis of the p97 subunit of the 26S proteasome, a polypeptide identical to the type-1 tumor-necrosis-factor-receptor-associated protein-2/55.11.

Molecular cloning of cDNA for a new regulatory subunit, designated p97, of the human 26S proteasome showed that the polypeptide consists of 908 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 100184 Da and an isoelectric point of 4.94. Computer analysis showed that p97 is very similar to type-1 tumor-necrosis-factor (TNF)-receptor-associated protein (TRAP)-2 and 55.11, both of which were identified recently as binding proteins of the cytoplasmic domain of type-1 TNF receptor by yeast two-hybrid screening. This finding suggests that the 26S proteasome might serve as a mediator molecule in the TNF signaling pathway in cells. Computer-assisted similarity analysis also revealed the high sequence similarity of p97 with a yeast protein whose function is yet unknown, the gene for which is here termed NAS1 (non-ATPase subunit 1). Disruption of NAS1 resulted in several phenotypes, including lethality and temperature-sensitive growth, depending on the genetic background of the cells used. The human p97 cDNA suppressed the growth defect of nas1 disruptant cells, when expressed from single-copy or multi-copy vectors, indicating that p97 is functionally equivalent to yeast Nas1p. Culturing of the temperature-sensitive nas1 cells at the restrictive temperature promoted the accumulation polyubiquitinated cellular proteins, implying that the 26S proteasome requires a functional Nas1p subunit for ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis. These results indicate that p97/Nas1p plays an important regulatory role in the function of the 26S proteasome.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Proteasome pathway operates for the degradation of ornithine decarboxylase in intact cells.

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is degraded in an ATP-dependent manner in vitro by the 26 S proteasome in the presence of antizyme, an ODC destabilizing protein induced by polyamines. In the present study we examined whether the proteasome catalyses ODC degradation in living mammalian cells. Lactacystin, the most selective proteasome inhibitor, strongly inhibited the degradation of ODC that had been induced in hepatoma tissue-culture (HTC) cells by refeeding with fresh medium. Furthermore the inhibitor inhibited the rapid degradation of ODC that had been induced by hypotonic shock. Interestingly, hypertonic shock was found to increase the proportion of OD present as a complex with antizyme (the ratio of ODC-antizyme complex to total ODC). Cycloheximide, which partly inhibited rapid ODC degradation caused by hypertonic shock, also part inhibited the increase in the ratio of ODC-antizyme complex total ODC. These results suggest that a common ODC degradation pathway, namely the antizyme-dependent and 26 proteasome-catalysed ODC degradation pathway, is also operating in intact cells for osmoregulated ODC degradation.

Acetylcysteine↗

Newly identified pair of proteasomal subunits regulated reciprocally by interferon gamma.

Interferon (IFN) gamma induces replacements of the proteasomal subunits X and Y by LMP7 and LMP2, respectively, resulting in an alteration of the proteolytic specificity. We found a third pair of proteasome subunits expressed reciprocally in response to IFN-gamma. Molecular cloning of a cDNA encoding one subunit designated as Z, downregulated by IFN-gamma, showed that it is a novel proteasomal subunit with high homology to MECL1, which is markedly induced by IFN-gamma. Thus, IFN-gamma induces subunit replacements of not only X and Y by LMP7 and LMP2, respectively, but also of Z by MECL1, producing proteasomes responsible for immunological processing of endogenous antigens. When processed from their precursors, three pairs of the 10 homologous, but distinct, beta-type subunits of eukaryotic proteasomes, that is, X/LMP7, Y/LMP2, and Z/MECL1, have an NH2-terminal threonine residue, assumed to be part of a catalytic center. These findings suggest that the altered molecular organization of the proteasome induced by IFN-gamma may be responsible for acquisition of its functional change.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Protein and gene structures of 20S and 26S proteasomes.

The two types of proteasomes with apparent sedimentation coefficients of 20S and 26S consist of a number of heterogeneous polypeptides and are unusually large protein complexes of approximately 750 kDa and 2000 kDa, respectively. The 26S proteasome is a cylindrical caterpillar-shaped complex with a symmetrical assembly of a four-layered central 20S proteasome and two terminal 22S regulators each with a V-like structure. The central core and the terminal structures are formed by multiple polypeptides with molecular masses of 21-31 kDa and 28-112 kDa, respectively. We have been studying their detailed structures by protein-chemical and molecular biological techniques. In this review, we summarize the structural features of eukaryotic 20S and 26S proteasomes. We also discuss the possible function(s) of the terminal multi-protein regulator complex based on current information.

Animals↗

Swift transformation and locomotion of polymorphonuclear leukocytes and microglia as observed by VEC-DIC microscopy (video microscopy).

The detailed assembly used by us for video-enhanced contrast-differential interference contrast (VEC-DIC) microscopy (video microscopy is first described. Employing such video microscopy, we then examined the morphological changes occurring during locomotion and activation processes of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) and microglia at an almost electron microscopic magnification. Upon contacting the substratum, PMNL transformed into a polarized ameboid shape and crawled extending pseudopodia, as has been well documented previously. The PMNL sometimes displayed a peculiar locomotion as if they were stepping on "tiny legs", or sliding on a treadmill of cell membrane. Cultured microglia were observed to exist in 4 forms; ramified, reactive, villous, and ameboid. Microglia in the reactive form pivoted, circled and crawled on the astroglial cell layer using their transparent lamellipodia with no morphological changes in their cell body. Unlike PMNL, reactive microglia exhibited no agitated movements of their intracellular organelles, including granules and cytosol, during locomotion. Lamellipodia on the undersurface of the cell body touching the cell layer adhesively, appeared to serve as the locomotive apparatus. When activated, both floating PMNL and microglia of villous form assumed an ameboid shape within a few seconds. Microglia occasionally swam in the medium waving their lamellipodia towards a target object (e.g. zymosan A particles), remodelling to an amorphous ameboid form and covering up the target. We attempt to discuss such swift morphological changes from the standpoint of thermodynamic potential of Gibbs free energy which is stored within the cells.

Cell Movement↗

Aspirin improves the enhanced erythrocyte aggregability in patients with cerebral infarction.

We examined the effect of aspirin on the enhanced erythrocyte aggregability in 19 patients with cerebral infarction during the chronic phase. Aspirin (81 mg/day) was administered for 8 weeks. The rate of erythrocyte aggregation (aggregability) was measured using the whole-blood erythrocyte aggregometer developed by us (Am. J. Physiol. 251, H1205-H1210, 1986) before, and at 4 and 8 weeks after initiation of the aspirin administration. Concomitant measurements were made of certain blood factors such as the hematocrit, albumin-globulin (A/G) ratio and fibrinogen concentration. The erythrocyte aggregation rates before, and at 4 and 8 weeks were 0.154 +/- 0.019/s, 0.144 +/- 0.020/s, and 0.143 +/- 0.020/s, respectively. The erythrocyte aggregation rates at 4 and 8 weeks were significantly (P < 0.05, Bonferroni's modified t-test) lower than that before aspirin administration. Although the hematocrit value and A/G ratio were not changed at 4 and 8 weeks after the initiation of aspirin, the concentration of fibrinogen were significantly (P < 0.05) reduced at 4 weeks. The above results suggest that aspirin can improve the enhanced erythrocyte aggregability in patients with cerebral infarction during the chronic phase.

Adult↗

-Clinical features of 10 cases of tuberculous meningitis--with special reference to patient's delay and doctor's delay.

We retrospectively evaluated the clinical findings of 10 cases of tuberculous meningitis who had been admitted to our department from 1987 to 1994. Four patients were male and six were female. All of them were Japanese, and their age ranged from 17 to 74 years old. Regarding the patient's delay, nine patients visited a doctor in 1 to 20 days after the onset of headache, and one patient visited a doctor in 14 days after the onset of general malaise. It is suggested that the patient's delay could not be longer than 3 weeks because of progressively worsening symptoms of tuberculous meningitis such as severe headache and fever. The time interval between the first contact of the patient to a doctor and the commencement of antituberculous therapy (doctor's delay), ranged from 14 to 66 days. When the diagnosis of meningitis was obtained based on the findings of the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), focal neurological signs including psychological symptoms, cranial nerve palsies and seizure were noted besides meningeal signs or the disturbance of consciousness in 4 patients. The CSF revealed an increase in cell counts with mononuclear cell dominance in 9 patients, but the findings typical for tuberculous meningitis such as increase in total protein content and a decrease in glucose concentration were obtained in only 5 patients. Mycobacterium tuberculosis had not been detected in all cases when the antituberculous chemotherapy was started. Later, it was found to be positive in the CSF sample from only three patients by culture or polymerase chain reaction (PCR) method. When the antituberculous therapy was completed, meningitis was cured without remaining any symptom or sign in all patients. All patients had no active pulmonary tuberculosis when the meningitis was diagnosed, and only one of them had sequels of lung tuberculosis. Four patients had the past history of tuberculosis, and 1 had the familial history of pulmonary tuberculosis. At the first contact to a doctor, seven patients were diagnosed as having common cold or headache related with fever because of the lack of typical signs of meningitis. Similarly three other patients were initially diagnosed as having meningitis due to viral infection or unknown etiology. In summary, it was difficult to obtain the solid diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis at the initial stage of this disease, since the symptoms and signs at its onset often similar to those of common cold or non-specific headache. Therefore, when we see the patients with subacute onset of headache and fever followed by the meningeal signs, tuberculous meningitis should always be included in the list of diseases requiring differential diagnosis. In addition, when tuberculous meningitis is suspected, the antituberculous therapy should be started without any delay.

Adolescent↗

[Two cases of primary low spinal fluid pressure syndrome with pachymeningeal gadolinium enhancement].

We report two patients with primary low spinal fluid pressure syndrome with pachymeningeal gadolinium enhancement. Case 1 was a 36-year-old man and case 2 was a 29-year-old man. Each case developed postural headache and had no histories of head trauma, craniotomy or lumbar puncture. The spinal fluid pressures were 20 mmH2O in case 1 and 0 mmH2O in case 2 at decubitus position. Cranial MRIs revealed diffuse pachymeningeal enhancement after gadolinium infusion, flattening of the pons, and tight posterior fossa in each case. Their headache spontaneously resolved within a couple of weeks by bed rest and intravenous hydration. Follow-up MRIs which were examined 3 or 4 months later, revealed a remarkable reduction in the degree of pachymeningeal enhancement, flattening of the pons and tight posterior fossa. Primary low spinal fluid pressure syndrome should be included in the differential diagnosis of pachymeningeal enhancement on MRI.

Adult↗

Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and the regulation of cerebral parenchymal vessels.

The role of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the cerebral microcirculation was examined in fourteen anesthetized cats. The local cerebral blood volume (CBV) and blood flow (CBF) in the temporoparietal cortex were measured by our photoelectric method. CBV represents the cumulative dimensions of the parenchymal vascular network. Intracarotid injection of 0.1, 1, and 10 micrograms/kg CGRP8-37, a CGRP antagonist, had no significant effects on CBV and mean arterial blood pressure (MABP). Intracarotid injection of 0.1 and 1 microgram/kg CGRP, but not 0.01 microgram/kg CGRP, increased CBV in a dose-dependent manner (P < 0.05). CBV was initially reduced following 1 microgram/kg CGRP injection, possibly reflecting the marked fall in MABP (P < 0.01) with this dose. Following injection of 0.1 and 1 microgram/kg CGRP, CBF was also increased by +7.3 +/- 7.7 (+10.7%) and +13.1 +/- 4.8 ml/100 g brain/min (+20.4%, P < 0.05) at 15 min. The CBV increase elicited by 1 micrograms/kg CGRP was inhibited (P < 0.05) by preinjection of 10 micrograms/kg CGRP8-37. It is concluded that CGRP has no significant role in the maintenance of resting tone of intracerebral microvessels. However, circulating CGRP dilates the small parenchymal vessels through a specific CGRP receptor, and thereby is involved in the evolution of pathologic conditions.

Animals↗