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Biomedical subjects

N Taniguchi

Publications and source records attributed to N Taniguchi.

At least 505 records · Page 28Linked to original sources

[Ceftriaxone as a single agent in empirical therapy of infection in patients with hematologic disorders. Hanshin Infection Study Group].

For seventy episodes of infection in hematologic disorders mostly during the phase of severe granulocytopenia, a trial was designed to evaluate the efficacy of a new third-generation cephalosporin, ceftriaxone (CTRX). The regimen consisted mainly of drip infusion of CTRX 2 g every 12 hours. The overall response rate achieved was 54.3 percent. Two episodes of an outpatient with malignant lymphoma were effectively treated by CTRX at a dose of 2-4 g once a day, reflecting its long biological half-life. Gastrointestinal symptoms, hypersensitivity reactions and elevation of hepatic enzyme levels occurred rarely (6.4 and 5.1 percent of the patients, respectively), and these abnormalities were mild and reversible. Thus, CTRX may be recommended as an effective monotherapy in the treatment of infections in immunocompromised patients with hematologic disorders.

Adolescent↗

Inhibition against CFU-C and CFU-E colony formation by soluble factor(s) derived from hairy cells.

The inhibitory effect by hairy cell conditioned medium (HCCM) on the growth of granulocyte and erythrocyte colony forming cells was studied in vitro. The percent inhibition of CFU-C formation by HCCM from four hairy cell leukemia (HCL) patients ranged from 36% to 76%, while no inhibition was observed with conditioned medium (CM) obtained from three B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) patients nor from two normal controls. HCCM inhibited specially the growth of rG-CSF responding stem cells. The hairy cell-derived colony inhibitory factor from HCCM was nondialyzable, fairly stable to heat treatment, and trypsin sensitive. Its maximal inhibitory activity against granulopoiesis was observed in the fractions of 5,000 to 6,000 daltons. Moreover HCCM inhibited CFU-E colony formation but not BFU-E. These results indicate that hairy cells produce a factor that inhibits granulopoiesis and erythropoiesis in vitro. This factor may play a role in neutropenia and anemia observed in HCL.

Culture Media↗

The primary structure of human gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase.

A cDNA hybridizable to that of rat gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) was cloned from a cDNA library of human fetal liver. The insert of the cDNA clone contained 1866 bp consisting of an open reading frame (ORF) of 1709 bp (569 amino acids (aa), N-terminal portion truncated) and a 135-bp 3'-untranslated region followed by a polyadenylated tail. In parallel, amino acid sequences of N-terminal portions of heavy and light chains of a purified human GGT were determined. Two stretches of amino acid sequences identical to the N-terminal sequences of heavy and light chains were found in the ORF. We therefore concluded that the clone is a cDNA for human GGT. From the amino acid sequence deduced from cDNA, the heavy and the light chains of the purified enzyme are estimated to be composed of 351 aa (Mr 38,336) and of 189 aa (Mr 20,000), respectively. The heavy chain is preceded by a signal peptide of at least 29 aa presumed to be cleaved by bromelain treatment. Six putative N-glycosylation sites are present in the heavy subunit region and one in the light subunit region. Primary structure and hydrophobicity profile are closely similar to those of rat GGT.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A method for the determination of N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase III activity in rat tissues involving HPLC.

A fluorescence assay method for UDP-GlcNAc:glycopeptide beta 1-4 N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (Gn T-III) has been developed involving a pyridylaminated sugar as a substrate. A fluorescent sugar chain, in which the reducing end of the GlcNAc beta 1-2Man alpha 1-6(GlcNAc beta 1-2Man alpha 1-3)Man beta 1-4GlcNAc beta 1-4GlcNAc has been aminated with 2-aminopyridine, is incubated with an enzyme sample, and then the fluorescent product with a bisecting N-acetylglucosamine is separated by reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography and quantitated with a fluorescence detector. This assay method was found to be sensitive enough for the detection of 0.1 pmol of a reaction product. This assay is a reliable alternative to the use of a radiolabeled substrate and can be used for assaying N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase activity in crude extracts of various rat tissues. The kinetic experiments were carried out using crude enzyme extracts from the rat kidney. The enzyme has a pH optimum of 6.25 and requires Mn2+. The Km values for UDP-GlcNAc and a sugar acceptor substrate were found to be 3.1 mM and 190 microM, respectively. The enzyme activity in the rat kidney was higher than those in the other tissues examined.

Animals↗

Phosphorylation of beta-glucuronidases from human normal liver and hepatoma by cAMP-dependent protein kinase.

beta-Glucuronidases purified from human hepatoma and from normal liver could serve as a substrate for a cAMP-dependent protein kinase. The rate of phosphorylation reaction of the hepatoma beta-glucuronidase was rapid, whereas that of the normal liver beta-glucuronidase was slow and much lower. Stoichiometry of phosphorylation was 4.3 and 0.46 mol of phosphate/mol of the beta-glucuronidase from the hepatoma and normal liver, respectively. Tryptic peptide mapping of 32P-labeled beta-glucuronidase from hepatoma identified two distinct phosphopeptides (X and Y). The peptide from hepatoma hydrolase was phosphorylated predominantly at the X, while the peptide Y was the major phosphopeptide in the hydrolase of normal liver. Analysis of phosphoamino acids revealed two sites, phosphoserine and phosphothreonine. beta-Glucuronidase from hepatoma consisted of a major subunit with molecular mass of 64,000 (64 kDa) and a minor subunit with 76 kDa, whereas the hydrolase from normal liver had almost exclusively 64 kDa subunit. 32P-labeled beta-glucuronidase indicated that the 64 kDa subunit was phosphorylated both in hepatoma and normal liver beta-glucuronidases.

Amino Acids↗

High expression of an N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase III in 3'-methyl DAB-induced hepatoma and ascites hepatoma.

Ascites hepatoma AH-66 and 3'-Me-DAB-induced hepatoma of rats contain highly active N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase III (GnT-III) which catalyzes the addition of N-acetylglucosamine through a beta 1-4 linkage (bisecting N-acetylglucosamine) to the beta-linked mannose of the trimannosyl core of asparagine-linked sugar chains, whereas normal rat liver contains very little. The high activity was also detected in fetal rat liver, newborn rat liver, hyperplastic nodules and various transplantable hepatomas.

Aging↗

Elevated activity and increased mannose-6-phosphate in the carbohydrate moiety of cathepsin D from human hepatoma.

A significant elevation of cathepsin D activity was observed in six human hepatoma tissues as compared to 12 normal human livers. In isoelectric focusing experiments, cathepsin D purified from normal liver exhibited three different forms, with isoelectric points of 5.6, 6.1, and 6.7, while cathepsin D purified from hepatoma contained another five to six more acidic forms in addition to the forms observed in normal liver cathepsin D. When the tumor enzyme was treated with endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H followed by isoelectric focusing, the acidic components disappeared and were converted to forms identical to those of the normal liver cathepsin D. Determination of the mannose-6-phosphate content showed that hepatoma cathepsin D contains twice as much mannose-6-phosphate as normal liver cathepsin D. Peptide mapping and amino acid analysis showed that the protein moiety of cathepsin D from hepatoma is almost identical with that from normal liver. These findings indicate that the appearance of acidic variants in hepatoma cathepsin D is mainly due to changes in the oligosaccharide chains of the enzyme, which are closely associated with the increase of mannose-6-phosphate in the tumor enzyme.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗

Interindividual changes in volume of distribution of cefazolin in newborn infants and its prediction based on physiological pharmacokinetic concepts.

The purpose of this study was to investigate factors affecting the volume of distribution of cefazolin (a beta-lactam antibiotic) in newborn infants with bacterial infections, and to propose a method for predicting the volume of distribution at steady state per body weight (Vdss/BW). Cefazolin and tobramycin (an aminoglycoside) were simultaneously given to newborn infants (aged 2 to 28 d), and plasma concentration-time data were analyzed on the basis of model-independent moment analysis. The Vdss/BW values ranged from 0.212 to 0.373 L/kg for cefazolin and from 0.384 to 0.541 L/kg for tobramycin. The unbound fraction of cefazolin in plasma (fp) fluctuated widely, from 0.22 to 0.83, among patients. The Vdss/BW value for cefazolin was characterized by both large extracellular water volume and a remarkable change in fp, and could be predicted as a function of fp using physiological pharmacokinetic concepts. Moreover, interindividual changes in the unconjugated bilirubin:albumin molar ratio were predominantly responsible for the individual variation in the fp values of cefazolin in newborn infants.

Blood Proteins↗

Physical training and fasting erythrocyte activities of free radical scavenging enzyme systems in sedentary men.

Effects of 10 weeks of physical training on free radical scavenging enzyme systems in erythrocytes were investigated in 7 sedentary healthy male students. The training consisted of running over 5 km, 6 times/week. Their maximum oxygen uptake and 12 min walk-run performance increased significantly after training. Of the antioxidant enzyme systems examined in the erythrocytes, both catalase activity and concentration and total glutathione reductase (GR) activity also showed significant increases following the training. The erythrocyte GR activity coefficient also increased significantly. These results suggest that chronic aerobic exercise increases riboflavin requirements and has some positive effects on antioxidative processes.

Adolescent↗

Hepatoma-associated alterations of serum alpha 1-antitrypsin in hereditary hepatitis LEC rats as a new animal model of liver disease.

1. The LEC rats, a novel animal model of hepatitis and liver tumor, were found to have charge variants of serum alpha 1-antitrypsin (alpha 1AT) at the stage of liver tumor as judged by isoelectric focusing. 2. Treatment of the sera with neuraminidase showed that acidic variants of alpha 1AT in LEC rats seemed to be highly sialylated forms. 3. The concentration and enzymatic activity of serum alpha 1AT in LEC rats were not affected before the onset of hepatitis and even during the development of fulminant hepatitis and hepatocarcinogenesis. This indicates that hereditary hepatitis and subsequent liver tumor in LEC rats do not appear to be associated with alpha 1AT deficiency.

Animals↗

Comparison of adriamycin induced immunomodulation with that of the noncardiotoxic anthracycline 5-iminodaunorubicin.

Adriamycin (ADM) has been shown to modulate a variety of host immune responses. Although the mechanism(s) for this activity is not known, it has been suggested that free radical compounds generated during ADM metabolism act at the membrane level to alter immune cell function. The generation of free radical metabolites is also believed to be responsible for the cardiotoxic potential of ADM. 5-Iminodaunorubicin (IDM) is a non-cardiotoxic anthracycline analog which undergoes minimal free radical metabolism. In the present study the immunomodulatory capacity of IDM was compared to that of ADM. It was found that IDM and ADM had similar augmenting effects on cytolytic T-cell activity and that this correlated with: (1) Fc-dependent phagocytosis by spleen cells; and (2) the elimination or inhibition of an adherent regulatory cell in the spleen. The natural killer response was either unaffected (fresh NK) or slightly inhibited (cultured NK) by both drugs except moderate dose IDM which resulted in marked augmentation of cultured NK.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

Malignant ameloblastoma with pulmonary metastasis and hypercalcemia. Report of an autopsy case and review of the literature.

A case of malignant ameloblastoma with hypercalcemia in a 67-year-old Japanese woman is presented. The tumor of the maxilla was removed and diagnosed as a follicular ameloblastoma. The tumor recurred in the lower orbita-zygoma region, and multiple tumors of the lungs and hypercalcemia were detected eight months after the second operation. The recurrent tumor resembled the primary tumor but was less well differentiated. Autopsy revealed widespread lung metastasis of the malignant ameloblastoma, nephrocalcinosis, and sigmoid colon cancer. Histologic examination showed the metastatic ameloblastoma to be composed of nests and strands of basaloid and spindle-shaped cells surrounded by columnar cells arranged in palisade formation, with focal areas of squamous differentiation and occasional cystic degeneration. Only two cases of malignant ameloblastoma with hypercalcemia have previously been reported. This is the first case of malignant ameloblastoma with hypercalcemia and sigmoid colon cancer. In addition, prostaglandin E2 assay revealed that ameloblastoma produces prostaglandin E2, which results in hypercalcemia.

Aged↗

Metabolic predisposition of a novel mutant (LEC rats) to hereditary hepatitis and hepatoma: alterations of the drug metabolizing enzymes.

Previously we established that 'LEC rats' have displayed spontaneous fulminant hepatitis with severe jaundice, which progressed to liver cancer, and a single autosomal recessive gene is responsible for the cause of the diseases. The activities of drug metabolizing enzymes were assayed in livers from LEC and control (LEA) rats at 4 weeks and 3 months before the onset of liver cancer. At 4 weeks the cytochrome P-450 content of the LEC rat livers was 43% of the control (LEA) value. At 3 months the level was 65% of the control. Epoxide hydrolase, gamma-glutamyltranspeptidase and UDP-glucuronyltransferase activities were 2.6-, 6.9- and 2.4-times higher than those in the LEA rats at 4 weeks, respectively, while glutathione S-transferase activity was not significantly different between the two strains. The enzyme changes in the LEC rats are quite similar to those observed in hyperplastic foci and nodules in chemical carcinogenesis of hepatocytes.

Animals↗

Purification and characterization of beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase I from human placenta.

beta-N-Acetylhexosaminidase (hexosaminidase) I, which has an intermediate charge character between those of hexosaminidases A(alpha beta 2) and B[beta beta)2), was purified 1,500-fold from human placenta by procedures including chromatographies on concanavalin A (Con A)-Sepharose and an immunoadsorbent column. The isolated hexosaminidase I was heat-stable, and antigenically cross-reactive to anti-beta chain-IgG but not to anti-alpha chain-IgG. The results of substrate specificity experiments using 3H-labeled natural substrates indicated that the hexosaminidase I hydrolyzed Gb4Cer to Gb3Cer but not GM2 to GM3. The tryptic peptide map of the hexosaminidase I was similar to that of hexosaminidase B, though some differences were observed. The hexosaminidase I after treatment with neuraminidase or endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase H was partly converted to less acidic forms. Treatment of the hexosaminidase I with acid phosphatase did not change the charge character. Therefore hexosaminidase I is an acidic variant form of hexosaminidase B, possibly resulting from sialylation and the presence of phosphodiester bonds at the carbohydrate moiety.

Cross Reactions↗

Establishment of monoclonal antibody to human androgen receptor and its clinical application for prostatic cancers.

Hybrid cell lines were prepared by the fusion of BALB/c myeloma NS-1 cells with the lymphocytes of BALB/c mice that were immunized with partially purified androgen receptor (AR) from human prostates. One of the clones, 5F4, was chosen for detailed specificity analysis. The avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex (ABC) procedure was used for immunohistochemical staining of the 5F4 monoclonal antibody. In human benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) tissues, cytoplasm and nuclei were stained. Of 16 prostatic cancer tissues, 2 were composed of AR-positive cells exclusively, 7 were composed of AR-negative cells, and 7 contained both AR-positive cells and AR-negative cells (mixed). Of nine cases that were AR-positive or mixed, seven cases responded to the hormone therapy, and two were not determined for responsiveness because the patients died early of other diseases. Of seven AR-negative cases, all but one inestimable case had no response to the hormone therapy. Immunohistochemical analysis of AR by using the monoclonal antibody 5F4, was a useful tool for determining androgen dependency of prostatic cancers.

Animals↗

B cell lymphoma showing clinicopathological features of malignant histiocytosis.

This report describes a case of B cell lymphoma, the clinicopathological features of which are quite similar to those of malignant histiocytosis. The clinical features included fever, anemia, and marked hepatosplenomegaly without lymphadenopathy. Histological findings revealed diffuse and noncohesive proliferation of cytologically atypical cells and benign-appearing histiocytes in the splenic red pulp, where the erythrophagocytosis was frequently found. Immunological studies, however, revealed a B cell nature of proliferating atypical cells. Accordingly, the histology of this patient was interpreted as a neoplastic proliferation of B cells accompanied by marked proliferation and activation of the histiocytes.

B-Lymphocytes↗