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Biomedical subjects

N Yoshida

Publications and source records attributed to N Yoshida.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources

Role of oxygen radical and lipid peroxidation in indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal injury.

Nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs such as aspirin and indomethacin are known to induce gastric mucosal damage including bleeding, ulceration, and perforation in humans and animals. Although it has been proposed that a deficiency of endogenous prostaglandins due to inhibition of cyclooxygenase by the drug is involved in these effects, the exact pathogenic mechanism remains to be elucidated. It has recently been proposed that neutrophil- and oxygen radical-dependent microvascular injuries may be important prime events that lead to mucosal injury induced by nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. Lipid peroxidation mediated by oxygen radicals, especially hydroxyl radicals, plays a crucial role in the development of the gastric mucosal injury induced by indomethacin. Both allopurinol, an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase, and neutrophil depletion by intraperitoneal injection of antineutrophil antibody significantly attenuates indomethacin-induced gastric injury. In this paper, we have reviewed the recent data that assess the role of oxygen radical and lipid peroxidation in the pathogenesis of indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal injury in rats and humans.

Alanine↗

In vitro studies indicating antioxidative properties of rebamipide.

Rebamipide is the first anti-gastric ulcer and antigastritis drug that not only increases endogenous prostaglandin in gastric mucosa but also scavenges oxygen-derived free radicals and inhibits their production. In the present paper, we have reviewed the antioxidative and antiinflammatory properties of rebamipide mainly demonstrated by in vitro studies. The study, using the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spin trapping technique, showed that superoxide production was inhibited by rebamipide when isolated human neutrophils were stimulated with opsonized zymosan or Helicobacter pylori water extract in a dose-dependent manner. Chemiluminescence generated from neutrophils activated by H. pylori or formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine was also decreased by the treatment with rebamipide. Rebamipide, at concentrations of 10(-5) and 10(-6) M, reduced the adherence of neutrophils to endothelial cells as well as the CD18 expression on neutrophils induced by H. pylori water extract. The EPR study also demonstrated the direct hydroxyl radical scavenging activity of rebamipide, and a kinetic study showed that the second-order rate constant for the reaction between rebamipide and hydroxyl radical was 2.24 x 10(10) M(-1)/s(-1). The inhibitory effect of rebamipide on lipid peroxidation induced by a free radical initiator was also demonstrated by the in vitro system using rat gastric mucosal homogenates. These data indicate that rebamipide offers a potential for protection against reactive oxygen- and activated neutrophil-associated gastric mucosal injury by scavenging hydroxyl radical and inhibiting neutrophil activation or lipid peroxidation.

Alanine↗

Rebamipide protects against indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal injury in healthy volunteers in a double-blind, placebo-controlled study.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate rebamipide in the prevention of indomethacin-induced gastric mucosal injury in healthy volunteers. Twenty healthy males (mean age 21.8 years, range 20-26) participated. This is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. The 20 subjects were randomized to either indomethacin 25 mg three times a day and placebo three times a day or indomethacin and rebamipide 100 mg three times a day for seven days. Endoscopy was performed at baseline and again after the treatment. In the placebo group, eight of 10 subjects (80%) developed symptoms compared to three of seven (43%) in the rebamipide group. The incidence of gastric lesions was 70% in the placebo group, which was significantly higher than that in the rebamipide group (14%). The lipid peroxide levels in the mucosa of the gastric body significantly increased in the placebo group. This increase was not inhibited by rebamipide. Myeloperoxidase activity in the gastric mucosa tended to increase in the placebo group, but tended to decrease in the rebamipide group. These results indicate that rebamipide may be an effective prophylaxis against indomethacin-induced gastropathy in humans.

Adult↗

[Neutrophil-endothelial cell interactions in gastrointestinal diseases].

The adherence of neutrophils to the endothelium is a crucial early event in the inflammatory and immunological reaction. Neutrophil-endothelial cell interactions are known to be mediated by adhesion molecules that are expressed on each cell. Among the adhesion molecules expressed on leukocytes, the CD11/CD18 integrin family plays a major role in the adhesion and transendothelial migration of neutrophils. The two most extensively characterized endothelial cell adhesion molecules are intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and E-selectin. These adhesion molecules are involved in the pathogenesis of several digestive diseases such as Helicobacter pylori, non steroidal anti inflammatory drug- or stress-induced gastric mucosal injury, inflammatory bowel diseases.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗

Identification of a single phosphorylation site within octopus rhodopsin.

Light-dependent phosphorylation of rhodopsin (Rho) is a first step in the desensitization of the signaling state of the receptor during vertebrate and invertebrate visual transduction. We found that only 358Ser of the photoactivated octopus Rho (oRho*) was phosphorylated by octopus rhodopsin kinase (oRK). Tryptic truncation of the C-terminal PPQGY repeats of oRho that follow the phosphorylation region did not influence spectral or G-protein activation properties of oRho but abolished phosphorylation. Despite significant structural differences between oRK and mammalian RK, these results provide further evidence of the importance of singly phosphorylated species of Rho* in the generation of arrestin binding sites.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Defective adipocyte differentiation in mice lacking the C/EBPbeta and/or C/EBPdelta gene.

To investigate the role of C/EBP family members during adipocyte differentiation in vivo, we have generated mice lacking the C/EBPbeta and/or C/EBPdelta by gene targeting. Approximately 85% of C/EBPbeta(-/-).delta(-/-) mice died at the early neonatal stage. By 20 h after birth, brown adipose tissue of the interscapular region in wild-type mice contained many lipid droplets, whereas C/EBPbeta(-/-).delta(-/-) mice did not accumulate droplets. In addition, the epidydimal fat pad weight of surviving adult C/EBPbeta(-/-).delta(-/-) mice was significantly reduced compared with wild-type mice. However, these adipose tissues in C/EBPbeta(-/-).delta(-/-) mice exhibit normal expression of C/EBPalpha and PPARgamma, despite impaired adipogenesis. These results demonstrated that C/EBPbeta and C/EBPdelta have a synergistic role in terminal adipocyte differentiation in vivo. The induction of C/EBPalpha and PPARgamma does not always require C/EBPbeta and C/EBPdelta, but co-expression of C/EBPalpha and PPARgamma is not sufficient for complete adipocyte differentiation in the absence of C/EBPbeta and C/EBPdelta.

Adipocytes↗

A small molecule CXCR4 inhibitor that blocks T cell line-tropic HIV-1 infection.

Several members of the chemokine receptor family have been shown to function in association with CD4 to permit human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) entry and infection. The CXC chemokine receptor CXCR4/fusin is a receptor for pre-B cell growth stimulating factor (PBSF)/stromal cell-derived factor 1 (SDF-1) and serves as a coreceptor for the entry of T cell line-tropic HIV-1 strains. Thus, the development of CXCR4 antagonists or agonists may be useful in the treatment of HIV-1 infection. T22 ([Tyr5,12,Lys7]-polyphemusin II) is a synthesized peptide that consists of 18 amino acid residues and an analogue of polyphemusin II isolated from the hemocyte debris of American horseshoe crabs (Limulus polyphemus). T22 was found to specifically inhibit the ability of T cell line-tropic HIV-1 to induce cell fusion and infect the cell lines transfected with CXCR4 and CD4 or peripheral blood mononuclear cells. In addition, T22 inhibited Ca2+ mobilization induced by pre-B cell growth stimulating factor (PBSF)/SDF-1 stimulation through CXCR4. Thus, T22 is a small molecule CXCR4 inhibitor that blocks T cell line-tropic HIV-1 entry into target cells.

3T3 Cells↗

Introduction of cyclin B induces activation of the maturation-promoting factor and breakdown of germinal vesicle in growing zebrafish oocytes unresponsive to the maturation-inducing hormone.

When treated with 17alpha,20beta-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17alpha,20beta-DP), a natural maturation-inducing hormone in fishes, fully grown zebrafish oocytes are induced to mature via the activation of the maturation-promoting factor (MPF), which consists of cdc2 (a catalytic subunit) and cyclin B (a regulatory subunit). In contrast, 17alpha,20beta-DP is unable to induce growing (previtellogenic and vitellogenic) oocytes to mature. To know the reason growing oocytes fail to mature upon 17alpha,20beta-DP treatment, we investigated changes in the components of machinery responsible for MPF activation during zebrafish oogenesis. Immunoblotting experiments using monoclonal antibodies against cdc2, cyclin B, and cdk7 (an activator of cdc2) have revealed that the concentrations of cdc2 and cdk7 are almost constant during oogenesis. Cyclin B was present in mature oocytes but absent in growing and fully grown immature oocytes. These results, which are identical to those in goldfish, strongly suggest that cyclin B is synthesized from stored (masked) mRNA after 17alpha,20beta-DP stimulation and that its binding to the preexisting cdc2 allows cdk7 to activate MPF. Microinjection of cyclin B protein induced MPF activation and germinal vesicle breakdown in growing oocytes, as well as in fully grown oocytes, indicating that cdk7 present in growing oocytes is already active. Northern blot analysis revealed the presence of cyclin B mRNA in both previtellogenic and fully grown oocytes. These results indicate that, as in fully grown oocytes, growing oocytes are already equipped with the catalytic subunit of MPF (cdc2) and its activator (cdk7) and that the appearance of the regulatory subunit of MPF (cyclin B) is sufficient for initiating maturation. Therefore, the unresponsiveness of growing oocytes to 17alpha,20beta-DP is attributable to a deficiency in the processes leading to cyclin B synthesis, which include 17alpha,20beta-DP reception on the oocyte surface, subsequent signal transduction pathways, and unmasking the stored cyclin B mRNA.

Animals↗

Mechanism of inhibition of the human matrix metalloproteinase stromelysin-1 by TIMP-1.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are zinc endopeptidases that are required for the degradation of extracellular matrix components during normal embryo development, morphogenesis and tissue remodelling. Their proteolytic activities are precisely regulated by endogenous tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). Disruption of this balance results in diseases such as arthritis, atherosclerosis, tumour growth and metastasis. Here we report the crystal structure of an MMP-TIMP complex formed between the catalytic domain of human stromelysin-1 (MMP-3) and human TIMP-1. TIMP-1, a 184-residue protein, has the shape of an elongated, contiguous wedge. With its long edge, consisting of five different chain regions, it occupies the entire length of the active-site cleft of MMP-3. The central disulphide-linked segments Cys 1-Thr 2-Cys 3-Val 4 and Ser 68-Val 69 bind to either side of the catalytic zinc. Cys 1 bidentally coordinates this zinc, and the Thr-2 side chain extends into the large specificity pocket of MMP-3. This unusual architecture of the interface between MMP-3 and TIMP-1 suggests new possibilities for designing TIMP variants and synthetic MMP inhibitors with potential therapeutic applications.

Binding Sites↗

Altered pain perception and inflammatory response in mice lacking prostacyclin receptor.

Prostanoids are a group of bioactive lipids working as local mediators and include D, E, F and I types of prostaglandins (PGs) and thromboxanes. Prostacyclin (PGI2) acts on platelets and blood vessels to inhibit platelet aggregation and to cause vasodilatation, and is thought to be important for vascular homeostasis. Aspirin-like drugs, including indomethacin, which inhibit prostanoid biosynthesis, suppress fever, inflammatory swelling and pain, and interfere with female reproduction, suggesting that prostanoids are involved in these processes, although it is not clear which prostanoid is the endogenous mediator of a particular process. Prostanoids act on seven-transmembrane-domain receptors which are selective for each type. Here we disrupt the gene for the prostacyclin receptor in mice by using homologous recombination. The receptor-deficient mice are viable, reproductive and normotensive. However, their susceptibility to thrombosis is increased, and their inflammatory and pain responses are reduced to the levels observed in indomethacin-treated wild-type mice. Our results establish that prostacyclin is an antithrombotic agent in vivo and provide evidence for its role as a mediator of inflammation and pain.

Animals↗

Failure of parturition in mice lacking the prostaglandin F receptor.

Mice lacking the gene encoding the receptor for prostaglandin F2alpha (FP) developed normally but were unable to deliver normal fetuses at term. Although these FP-deficient mice showed no abnormality in the estrous cycle, ovulation, fertilization, or implantation, they did not respond to exogenous oxytocin because of the lack of induction of oxytocin receptor (a proposed triggering event in parturition), and they did not show the normal decline of serum progesterone concentrations that precedes parturition. Ovariectomy at day 19 of pregnancy restored induction of the oxytocin receptor and permitted successful delivery in the FP-deficient mice. These results indicate that parturition is initiated when prostaglandin F2alpha interacts with FP in ovarian luteal cells of the pregnant mice to induce luteolysis.

Animals↗

Efficacy of hyperthermia and polyunsaturated fatty acids on experimental carcinoma.

We investigated the efficacy of hyperthermia and gamma-linolenic acid on experimental carcinoma. This study focused on polyunsaturated fatty acids that are substrates for free radical reactions. Oleic acid, linolenic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, or gamma-linolenic acid was injected into the arteries feeding AH109A carcinoma implanted into rat hind limbs. Among these, gamma-linolenic acid had the greatest effect on tumor tissue lipid peroxidation and demonstrated an antitumor effect. Consequently, gamma-linolenic acid injection into the feeding artery of a tumor was performed immediately prior to hyperthermia. This combination therapy induced a high level of lipid peroxidation in tumor tissue and a significant antitumor effect. Hyperthermia combined with gamma-linolenic acid produces free radical reactions by increasing the radical reaction substrate and may be an effective anticancer modality.

Animals↗

CXCR4/fusin is not a species-specific barrier in murine cells for HIV-1 entry.

Since some murine cells expressing human CD4 fail to internalize HIV-1, another block was thought to be located at the level of viral entry in addition to CD4. Recently, CXCR4 was shown to function as a coreceptor for T cell line-tropic HIV-1 entry. Here we demonstrated that cells expressing murine CXCR4 and human CD4 fused with cells expressing the env proteins derived from T cell line-tropic HIV-1 and were infected with T cell line-tropic HIV-1 strains. In contrast, the same cells were not infected with chimeric clones constructed by substitution of monocyte- or macrophage-tropic strain-derived env region or V3 region into T cell line-tropic HIV-1, indicating V3 loop of envelope protein is required for murine CXCR4mediated HIV-1 entry. We conclude that murine CXCR4 is not a species specific barrier to the entry of T cell line-tropic HIV-1.

3T3 Cells↗

Targeted disruption of the mouse Stat3 gene leads to early embryonic lethality.

Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) proteins have been shown to mediate biological actions in response to cytokines. Stat3, a member of the STAT family, is activated by a variety of cytokines, including the interleukin 6 family of cytokines, leptin, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, and epidermal growth factor. To address the biological function of Stat3, we generated mice deficient in Stat3 by gene targeting. No viable Stat3-deficient mice could be obtained from heterozygote intercross. Analysis of embryos at several gestation times revealed that Stat3-deficient embryos showed a rapid degeneration between embryonic days 6.5 and 7.5, although they developed into the egg cylinder stage until embryonic day 6.0. These results demonstrate that Stat3 is essential for the early development of mouse embryos.

Animals↗

Effects of aminoguanidine on systemic inflammatory response syndrome induced by platelet activating factor and by lipopolysaccharide in rats.

We investigated the effects of aminoguanidine, a relatively selective inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase, on the systemic inflammatory response syndrome induced by platelet activating factor (PAF) and by lipopolysaccharide in rats, with emphasis on NO production in vivo. Aminoguanidine treatment improved survival rates after lipopolysaccharide challenge, whereas it aggravated the lethality caused by PAF. Lipopolysaccharide induced a marked increase in the concentrations of nitrate and nitrite in plasma compared with vehicle administration, and the increase was prevented by aminoguanidine. In contrast, PAF challenge with or without aminoguanidine did not affect the concentrations of nitrate and nitrite in plasma compared with vehicle administration. These results suggest that NO derived from inducible NO synthase is not a major participant in the systemic inflammatory response syndrome induced by PAF. Aminoguanidine is not likely to provide beneficial effects in conditions where PAF is produced and the concentrations of nitrate and nitrite in plasma are not significantly increased.

Animals↗

Micelle Formation of n-Decyltrimethylammonium Perfluorocarboxylates

Critical micelle concentrations (CMCs) of three ionic surfactants that contain n-decyltrimethylammonium ion as a surfactant cation and bromide, perfluoroacetate, and perfluoropropionate anions as a counterion, respectively, were determined by electrical conductivity at several temperatures. The degrees of counterion binding to micelle were obtained at the same temperatures as the change in CMC with total counterion concentration. Molecular weights of micelles were determined by static light scattering. The change in monomeric surfactant ion concentration with total surfactant concentration was determined by membrane potential measurement. The mass-action model was applied to micelle formation to calculate the three micellization parameters: micellization constant, micelle aggregation number, and number of counterions per micelle. Thermodynamic parameters (DeltaG0, DeltaH0, DeltaS0) of the micelle formations were calculated from the temperature dependence of these parameters. At lower temperatures micellization has been found to be entropy driven, whereas it is enthalpy driven at higher temperatures. For n-decyltrimethylammonium perfluoropropionate, however, the tendency is quite different from those of other surfactants. The micellization parameters also made it possible to evaluate the concentration change of monomeric surfactant ion with total surfactant concentration. The evaluated concentration explains the results from the membrane potential measurement.

Journal Article↗

Change in intracellular Ca2+ is not involved in serotonin-induced meiosis reinitiation from the first prophase in oocytes of the marine bivalve Crassostrea gigas.

In response to the neurohormone serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT), prophase-arrested oocytes of the marine bivalve Crassostrea gigas (oyster) reinitiate meiosis, undergo germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD), and are arrested again at metaphase I. We examined the pharmacological characteristics of 5-HT receptors and the signal transduction pathway following 5-HT stimulation in oyster oocytes. Among 5-HT agonists tested, only alpha-methyl 5-HT, a 5-HT2 agonist, induced GVBD although it was 1000 times less sensitive than 5-HT. The rank order of the potency of 5-HT antagonists to inhibit GVBD was propranolol, cyproheptadine > metoclopramide > mianserin. These results are quite different from those reported for other mollusks, suggesting the presence of unique 5-HT receptors on oyster oocytes. Using the fluorescent Ca2+ dyes fura 2 and calcium green and the pH indicator 1-hydroxypyrene-3,6,8-trisulfonic acid, we examined changes in intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) and intracellular pH (pHi) during 5-HT-induced meiosis reinitiation. 5-HT did not trigger any changes in [Ca2+]i. However, an increase in pHi was observed during the 5-HT-induced meiosis reinitiation. The increased pHi level was rather small before GVBD and not necessary for GVBD, because lowering pHi by sodium acetate seawater (pH 7.0) did not prevent 5-HT-induced GVBD. Measurement of the kinase activity toward a peptide substrate specific to cdc2 demonstrated that maturation-promoting factor (MPF) was activated in accordance with the occurrence of GVBD in response to 5-HT. Therefore, it is likely that in oyster oocytes the signal transduction pathways and intracellular effectors participating in 5-HT-induced meiosis reinitiation via the activation of MPF are insensitive to [Ca2+]i and pHi.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Nontoxic amyloid beta peptide 1-42 suppresses acetylcholine synthesis. Possible role in cholinergic dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease.

We show here that amyloid beta peptide1-42 (Abeta1-42) may play a key role in the pathogenesis of the cholinergic dysfunction seen in Alzheimer's disease (AD), in addition to its putative role in amyloid plaque formation. Abeta1-42 freshly solubilized in water (non-aged Abeta1-42), which was not neurotoxic without preaggregation, suppressed acetylcholine (ACh) synthesis in cholinergic neurons at very low concentrations (10-100 nM), although non-aged Abeta1-40 was ineffective. Non-aged Abeta1-42 impaired pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) activity by activating mitochondrial tau protein kinase I/glycogen synthase kinase-3beta, as we have already shown in hippocampal neurons (Hoshi, M., Takashima, A., Noguchi, K., Murayama, M., Sato, M., Kondo, S., Saitoh, Y., Ishiguro, K., Hoshino, T., and Imahori, K. (1996) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 93, 2719-2723). Neither choline acetyltransferase activity nor choline metabolism was affected. Therefore, the major cause of reduced ACh synthesis was considered to be an inadequate supply of acetyl-CoA owing to PDH impairment. Soluble Abeta1-42 increases specifically in AD brain (Kuo, Y.-M., Emmerling, M. R., Vigo-Pelfrey, C., Kasunic, T. C., Kirkpatrick, J. B., Murdoch, G. H., Ball, M. J., and Roher, A. E. (1996) J. Biol. Chem. 271, 4077-4081). This increase in soluble Abeta1-42 may disturb cholinergic function, leading to the deterioration of memory and cognitive function that is characteristic of AD.

Acetylcholine↗