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Biomedical subjects

N Toyoda

Publications and source records attributed to N Toyoda.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Mutational analysis of BRCA1 gene in ovarian and breast-ovarian cancer families in Japan.

We analyzed the alteration of BRCA1 in DNA obtained from 83 individuals of 13 Japanese site-specific ovarian cancer families and 6 breast-ovarian cancer families. Six germline mutations were detected in 7 families, which consisted of 4 breast-ovarian cancer and 3 site-specific ovarian cancer families, by single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis, followed by direct sequence determination. The mutations included three frameshifts, two nonsense mutations, and one missense mutation causing loss of a zinc-binding motif. The frequency of loss of heterozygosity at the microsatellite markers on the BRCA1 gene was 57% (8 of 14 cases) in site-specific ovarian cancer families, and 100% (6 of 6 cases) in breast-ovarian cancer families. All tumors of the patients carrying a mutation of BRCA1 showed deletion of wild-type alleles, implicating BRCA1 as a tumor suppressor gene. These results suggest that germline mutations of the BRCA1 gene play an important role in the carcinogenesis of breast and/or ovarian cancer in a majority of breast-ovarian cancer families and in some site-specific ovarian cancer families.

Adult↗

Pregnancy and delivery in patients with von Willebrand's disease.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the obstetrical problems that are encountered in women with von Willebrand's disease (vWD). METHODS: Case histories of 6 women whose pregnancies were complicated by vWD were reviewed retrospectively over an 11-year period. The disease had been diagnosed before pregnancy in only 2 cases. The 6 women had a total of 10 deliveries, 3 induced abortions, and 1 spontaneous abortion. RESULTS: Although all 6 women had Type-I vWD, their laboratory data and bleeding symptoms varied. The 10 full-term deliveries were all vaginal. Heat-treated concentrated Factor-VIII preparations were administered in 2 cases, in both of which abortions were induced during the 2nd trimester. Genital bleeding persisted in the second case, so that the administration of Factor VIII was repeated, and the patient underwent uterine curettage on the 12th day after abortion. Desmopressin was administered before the early induction of abortion in 1 case. The patient with persistent genital bleeding after spontaneous abortion received Factor VIII for 5 consecutive days. CONCLUSION: Bleeding problems occurred about 1 week after delivery or at the time of induced abortion in the 6 women with vWD. Thus, such patients require special care during pregnancy.

Abortion, Induced↗

Intrinsic ureteric involvement by endometriosis: a case report.

Endometriosis occasionally involves the urinary tract, and a ureteral obstruction from this order constitutes a rare variant with serious consequences. Intrinsic ureteric involvement by endometriosis is an exceedingly rare event. This case report describes intrinsic ureteric involvement by endometriosis. The case involved 47-year-old woman, gravida 4, para 2, who had a 4-year history of dysmenorrhea and hypermenorrhea. An intravenous pyelogram showed a right hydronephrosis. She underwent a total abdominal hysterectomy and a right ureteroureterostomy. A pathologic examination revealed complete obstruction of the right ureter by intrinsic intramural endometriosis. We conclude that because ureteral endometriosis, especially intrinsic endometriosis, is usually silent and results in a high rate of renal loss before recognition, physicians should have a hightened awareness of this uncommon but serious manifestation of endometriosis.

Endometriosis↗

Structure-activity relationships for thyroid hormone deiodination by mammalian type I iodothyronine deiodinases.

The bioactivity of thyroid hormone is determined to a large extent by the monodeiodination of the prohormone T4 by the hepatic selenoenzyme type I iodothyronine deiodinase (IDI), i.e. by outer ring deiodination (ORD) to the active hormone T3' or by inner ring deiodination (IRD) to the inactive metabolite rT3. IDI also catalyzes the IRD of T3 and the ORD of rT3' both to T2, as well as the deiodination of different iodothyronine sulfates, e.g. IRD of T3S and ORD of T2S. Previous studies have indicated important differences in catalytic specificity between dog IDI (dID1) and human ID1 (hID1), in particular with respect to the ORD of rT3. This study was done to investigate the relationship between structure and catalytic function of this enzyme by comparing the deiodination of T4, T3, rT3, T3S, and T2S by native dID1 and hID1 in liver microsomes as well as by recombinant wild-type, chimeric and mutated d/hID1 enzymes expressed in HEK293 cells. With both native and recombinant wild-type enzymes, the substrate specificity was T3S > T2S approximately rT3 approximately T4 > T3 for dID1, and rT3 > > T2S approximately T3S > T4 approximately T3 for hID1. Whereas ORD of T4 and of T4, T3, and T3S showed relatively little variation between the different d/hID1 constructs, large differences were found for the ORD of rT3 and T2S. Both reactions were favored by the presence of the amino acids G, E and, in particular, F, present in hID1 at positions 45, 46, and 65, instead of the dID1 residues N, G, and L, respectively. However, although ORD of rT3 was not affected by the presence (hID1) or absence (dID1) of the TGMTR(48-52) sequence, the ORD of T2S was markedly inhibited by the presence of this sequence. Therefore, we have identified structural elements in ID1 that have substrate-specific impacts on deiodination. Our results suggest the specific interaction of the mono-substituted inner ring of the substrates rT3 and T2S but not the disubstituted inner ring of T3, T3S, or T4, with the aromatic ring of F65 in Id1, perhaps by pi-pi interactions.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Changes in ovarian expression of tissue-type plasminogen activator and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 messenger ribonucleic acids during ovulation in rat.

We investigated the time course and localization of ovarian tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 (PAI-1) expression during the ovulatory period in rat by RNase protection assay and in situ hybridization. Immature female Wistar rats were injected with 25 IU pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG), followed 50 h later by 25 IU human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). Levels of tPA mRNA were low before hormone treatment and after PMSG treatment. After hCG treatment, tPA mRNA levels increased rapidly, the first peak at 4 h after hCG treatment and reached a maximum just prior to ovulation, 12 h later, before declining again. PAI-1 mRNA was barely detectable before hormone treatment but was transiently induced by hCG treatment, reaching peak levels after 4 h. Subsequently, PAI-1 mRNA levels decreased until early luteinization. The expression of tPA mRNA 4 h after hCG treatment occurred mainly in the follicular thecal-interstitial cells, but was barely detectable in the granulosa cells, whereas 12 h after hCG treatment it was maximal in the granulosa cells of the large follicles destined to ovulate. PAI-1 mRNA was expressed mainly in ovarian stromal tissue and in the thecal external interstitial cells encapsulating the follicles at 4 h after hCG treatment. These results suggest that the temporal regulation of tPA biosynthesis after hCG induction depends on the cell types and size classes in the various ovarian compartments. PAI-1 may be produced by the stormal tissue and the thecal external interstitial cells and is perhaps implicated in structural changes during follicular growth, ovulation and luteinization.

Animals↗

Coexistence of an autonomously functioning thyroid nodule in a patient with Graves' disease: an unusual presentation of Marine-Lenhart syndrome.

A 44-year-old woman developed hyperthyroidism due to the coexistence of Graves' disease and an autonomously functioning thyroid nodule (AFTN). Anti-thyrotropin receptor antibody (TRAb) was strongly positive (83.2%), and a thyroid scan initially showed diffuse uptake of Tc-99m pertechnatate in both lobes and further increased uptake in accordance with the right lobe nodule. The nodule in the right lobe was histologically diagnosed as thyroid follicular adenoma. After she was maintained in a euthyroid state by treatment with Methymazole (MMI), thyroid uptake of Tc-99m in the nodule became lower and was slightly suppressed by T3 administrations probably due to its dependence on TSH. Subtotal thyroidectomy was performed and she subsequently became euthyroid with negative TBII activity. It is concluded that she had a coexisting functioning nodule with Graves' disease (Marine-Lenhart syndrome) and that the nodule changed from hot to cool along with the anti-thyroid treatment, unlike usual cases of this syndrome showing a cold nodule on the initial imaging under the hyperthyroid state. Repeated Tc-99m pertechnatate thyroid scans were helpful in evaluating the reaction of MMI and TSH in both lesions separately in the present case.

Adenoma↗

The structure of the coding and 5'-flanking region of the type 1 iodothyronine deiodinase (dio1) gene is normal in a patient with suspected congenital dio1 deficiency.

We analyzed the exon-intron structure of the human type 1 deiodinase gene (dio1) and compared it with that of a patient with suspected congenital type 1 deiodinase (D1) deficiency. The hdio1 gene is identical in exon-intron arrangement to the mouse gene, with coding sequences and a selenocysteine insertion sequence (SECIS) element contained in four exons. There were no mutations in the sequences of exons 1-4 of the patient's genomic DNA. Functional studies by transient expression techniques showed no difference in basal promoter activity or T3 responsiveness between the patient's and the normal dio1 gene. A structural abnormality in the dio1 gene is not a likely explanation for this patient's D1-deficient phenotype.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Thyroid cell proliferation-inhibiting activity in serum of patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis.

To investigate the possible humoral factor(s) influencing thyroid cell activity in chronic renal failure, we measured serum activity which stimulates or inhibits the [3H]thymidine incorporation by using a cultured functioning rat thyroid cell line (FRTL-5 cells) in 17 patients on hemodialysis and 19 healthy controls. Polyethylene glycol-treated serum was centrifuged and FRTL-5 cells were cultured with the supernatant. Thyroid stimulating activity was determined by [3H]thymidine incorporation after incubation for 72 h. There was no significant difference in [3H]thymidine incorporation between cultures incubated with patient and normal serum, suggesting the absence of the stimulating activity. But when patient serum was added to cultures together with 20 or 50 microU/ml of TSH, the TSH-stimulated increase in [3H]thymidine incorporation was significantly decreased, indicating the presence of thyroid inhibiting activity, which possibly inhibits the thyroid cell growth. This activity was not significantly altered by hemodialysis. No significant correlation was observed between this activity and serum levels of thyroid hormones or the iodine concentration. Patients on hemodialysis therefore have serum thyroid inhibiting activity which is nondialysable, differs from iodine, and could influence the thyroid cell growth.

Adult↗

Plasma free thyroxine (FT4) concentrations during hemodialysis in patients with chronic renal failure: effects of plasma non-esterified fatty acids on FT4 measurement.

Plasma free T4 (FT4) concentrations could be increased during hemodialysis in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) because an increase in non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) could interfere with the binding of T4 to thyroxine-binding globulin. To evaluate the effect of hemodialysis on the FT4 concentration in patients with CRF, we measured the FT4 in 39 patients with CRF by four assay methods including equilibrium dialysis, the 125I-T4 analog method and enzyme immunoassay. The addition of the fatty acid sodium oleate to normal pooled sera led to a marked increase in FT4 as measured by equilibrium dialysis (Model FT4). A moderate increase in the serum FT4 concentration also was observed with an IMX enzyme immunoassay kit, whereas the Coat-A-Count analog method demonstrated no interference by sodium oleate. The mean serum FT4 prior to hemodialysis measured by equilibrium dialysis did not differ significantly from that in the normal control, although those measured by analog methods (Coat-A-Count and Amerlex) and IMX were subnormal. The FT4 by IMX were albumin-dependent, and the values decreased as the samples were serially diluted, but Model FT4 was not affected by the albumin level or the serial dilution. FT4 by Model FT4 showed a marked increase beginning 10 min after the start of dialysis, and it correlated well with the plasma concentration of NEFA and the NEFA/albumin molar ratio. The other three assay methods, including one which is not affected by NEFA, did not show a change in FT4 at 10 min, but a significant increase of 11 to 17% was observed by the end of dialysis. The TSH concentration decreased significantly during hemodialysis. These data suggest that (1) the low serum FT4 in hemodialysis patients measured by some immunoassay methods may be an underestimation due to the low albumin level; (2) FT4 actually increases during hemodialysis due to the actual increase in NEFA, although the marked increase in FT4 during hemodialysis as measured by equilibrium dialysis is an overestimation due to the in vitro generation of NEFA; and (3) one should beware of aberrations in thyroid hormone parameters during hemodialysis and potential complications.

Dialysis↗

Pup contact induces the expression of long form prolactin receptor mRNA in the brain of female rats: effects of ovariectomy and hypophysectomy on receptor gene expression.

Prolactin receptor (PRL-R) mRNA expression levels in the female rat brain (cerebrum) during pup contact stimulation were determined by the reverse transcription-PCR method. The high expression levels of long form PRL-R mRNA found in the brain of lactating rats were markedly reduced by removal of pups, and long form PRL-R mRNA levels were recovered by resumption of pup contact. Interestingly, pup contact stimuli of nulliparous virgin rats also markedly induced long form but not short form PRL-R mRNA expression in the brain in 1.3 days, together with the expression of maternal behaviour. In ovariectomized (OVX) or hypophysectomized (HYPOX) virgin rats, or in OVX plus HYPOX virgin rats, however, brain long form PRL-R mRNA was not significantly induced by pup contact stimuli for as long as 7 days, while maternal behaviour was fully expressed in these rats after 7 days of pup contact. The in situ hybridization experiments revealed that the long form PRL-R mRNA induced in virgin rats in contact with pups or in lactating rats was localized in the epithelial cells of the choroid plexus. No significant increase in mRNA was detected in other regions of the brain, such as the hypothalamus or cortex, in these maternal female rats. These results suggest that pup contact induces the expression of long form PRL-R mRNA in the choroid plexus of the brain in the presence of female sex steroid and pituitary hormones for the rapid expression of maternal behaviour. Our studies also suggested that maternal behaviour can be expressed in OVX or HYPOX rats after exposure to pups for 7 days without any significant increase in brain PRL-R mRNA expression.

Animals↗

[An epidemiological study of malformations in infants delivered from diabetic mothers].

The purpose of this study is to investigate the risks of delivery of malformed infants in diabetic mothers in comparison with those in non-diabetic mothers and to clarify risk factors for malformation due to maternal diabetes. The delivery records available at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mie University School of Medicine between 1979 and 1992 showed 103 mothers with diabetes mellitus among 4,353 pregnancies. The incidence of malformation in infants born to diabetic mothers was 9.7%, and it was 2.5% overall. By logistic regression analysis of all mothers in this series, diabetes as well as maternal age, and fetal age were shown to be significant risk factors for malformation. A further logistic model for diabetic mothers revealed that a younger age of the mother at the time of labour, low fetal age, older age at onset of diabetes, previous history of pregnancies, and an Hemoglobin A1 (HbA1) level higher than 9% were independent risk factors, among which HbA1 (>9%) showed the highest odds ratio of 24. Careful management is therefore needed to reduce the risk of malformation in pregnancy of diabetic mothers.

Adult↗

Topological analysis of the integral membrane protein, type 1 iodothyronine deiodinase (D1).

Type 1 iodothyronine deiodinase (D1) is a microsomal selenoenzyme which catalyzes deiodination of thyroxine to 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine. Immunoblotting showed that endogenous hepatic, renal, and transiently expressed D1 remains in microsomes after pH 11.5 treatment. In vitro translation studies using pancreatic microsomes identified a single transmembrane domain with a cytosolic carboxyl-terminal catalytic portion. The transmembrane domain is located between conserved basic amino acids at positions 11 and 12 and a group of charged residues at positions 34-39. A transiently expressed D1 protein in which residues 2-25 were deleted was inactive and not integrated into membranes. Activity was not restored by replacing these residues with transmembrane domains from a cytochrome P450 or type 3 deiodinase enzyme despite their incorporation into membranes. Elimination of the positive charges at positions 11 and 12 reduced the amount of transiently expressed protein by 70%, but the enzyme formed was catalytically normal. Similar results were found after conversion of the Lys-27 in the transmembrane domain to Met or Glu. We conclude that the amino terminus of D1 contains uncleaved signal and stop transfer sequence properties. In addition, positively charged residues at positions 11, 12, and 27 are required for optimal formation of the protein but not for catalysis.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

The effect of alpha 1-blocking vasodilator on fetal growth and uteroplacental blood flow in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats.

For largely unknown reasons, severe diabetes mellitus in pregnant rats results in fetal growth retardation. In order to clarify the mechanism of this phenomenon, the relationship between the fetal growth and the uteroplacental blood flow, and the fetal serum insulin and IGF-1 concentrations were studied in streptozotocine-induced diabetic and control pregnant rats. As compared to control rats, diabetic rats had significantly reduced uteroplacental blood flow, and the mean body weight of the fetuses was significantly lower. Treatment of diabetic rats with an alpha1-blocking vasodilator, urapidil, restored uteroplacental blood flow and fetal body weight without affecting hyperglycemia. There was no significant difference between diabetic and normal rats with respect to insulin and IGF-1 concentrations in fetal plasma, although the mean value was slightly lower in the diabetic. We conclude that reduced uteroplacental blood flow is a major factor in the establishment of fetal growth retardation in diabetic pregnancies.

Animals↗

Breast cancer metastatic to uterine leiomyoma: a case report.

A case is reported of a 51-year-old woman who had a hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy in the same year, following a radical mastoidectomy for breast cancer with metastases to the axillary lymph nodes. Histological examination showed breast cancer metastatic to uterine leiomyoma. The literature about metastasis of extragenital cancer to a leiomyoma is reviewed, and the possible mechanism involved is discussed.

Breast Neoplasms↗

Isolation and characterization of a microbial Arg/Lys carboxypeptidase, carboxypeptidase F.

Carboxypeptidase F was isolated from a fungal strain F-33 and characterized. The enzyme has the ability to release arginine and lysine from the carboxy terminus of peptides, and showed high specific activity against arginine (140 units mg-1 protein). Optimal temperature and pH for the enzyme reaction were 55 degrees C and pH 8.5, respectively. The enzyme possessed a high thermal stability. Native molecular weight was estimated to be approximately 450,000. Enzymatic activity was inhibited by Co2+, Cd2+, chelating agents and thiol inhibitors.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

A novel retinoid X receptor-independent thyroid hormone response element is present in the human type 1 deiodinase gene.

We identified two thyroid hormone response elements (TREs) in the 2.5-kb, 5'-flanking region of the human gene encoding type 1 iodothyronine deiodinase (hdio1), an enzyme which catalyses the activation of thyroxine to 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3). Both TREs contribute equally to T3 induction of the homologous promoter in transient expression assays. The proximal TRE (TRE1), which is located at bp -100, has an unusual structure, a direct repeat of the octamer YYRGGTCA hexamer that is spaced by 10 bp. The pyrimidines in the -2 position relative to the core hexamer are both essential to function. In vitro binding studies of TRE1 showed no heterodimer formation with retinoid X receptor (RXR) beta or JEG nuclear extracts (containing RXR alpha) and bacterially expressed chicken T3 receptor alpha 1 (TR alpha) can occupy both half-sites although the 3' half-site is dominant. T3 causes dissociation of TR alpha from the 5' half-site but increases binding to the 3' half-site. Binding of a second TR to TRE1 is minimally cooperative; however, no cooperativity was noted for a functional mutant in which the half-sites are separated by 15 bp, implying that TRs bind as independent monomers. Nonetheless, T3 still causes TR dissociation from the DR+15, indicating that dissociation occurs independently of TR-TR contact and that rebinding of a T3-TR complex to the 3' half-site occurs because of its slightly higher affinity. A distal TRE (TRE2) is found at bp -700 and is a direct repeat of a PuGGTCA hexamer spaced by 4 bp. It has typical TR homodimer and TR-RXR heterodimer binding properties. The TRE1 of hdio1 is the first example of a naturally occurring TRE consisting of two relatively independent octamer sequences which do not require the RXR family of proteins for function.

Base Sequence↗

Identification of critical amino acids for 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine deiodination by human type 1 deiodinase based on comparative functional-structural analyses of the human, dog, and rat enzymes.

The selenoenzyme, type 1 iodothyronine deiodinase (type 1 DI), catalyzes the activation of thyroxine (T4) to 3,5,3'-triiodothyronine (T3) but 3,3',5'-triiodothyronine (rT3) is the preferred substrate for the human enzyme. Since the dog type 1 DI has a significantly lower affinity for rT3, we cloned the dog type 1 DI to identify amino acids critical for rT3 binding. The Km of the transiently expressed dog enzyme for rT3 5'-deiodination is 25-fold higher than that of the human enzyme. However, the Ki of T4 for rT3 deiodination by dog type 1 DI is only 3-fold higher than that for the human, suggesting that the differences between the two proteins affect binding of rT3 more than that of T4. Comparative competition studies in which rT3 or T4 is used to block covalent bromoacetyl T3 binding to the two proteins support this. Mutational studies showed that the critical differences between the dog (D) and human (H) enzymes are Asn (D) 45 Gly (H), Gly (D) 46 Glu (H), and Leu (D) 60:Phe (H) 65. Substitution of the human residues for those of the dog at these positions causes the predicted changes in the Km (rT3) and vice versa. A Phe65 to Leu mutation alone in the human enzyme increases the Km (rT3) 10-fold. We speculate that Phe65 is especially important for rT3 binding due to an interaction between the tyrosyl ring of rT3 and the aromatic ring of Phe65.

Amino Acid Sequence↗