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Biomedical subjects

S Fukuda

Publications and source records attributed to S Fukuda.

At least 361 records · Page 20Linked to original sources

[Plasma cell interstitial pneumonia as a manifestation of multicentric Castleman's disease].

A 12-year-old boy was admitted to our hospital because of abnormal shadows on a chest radiograph, slight fever, and superficial lymphadenopathy. Laboratory examination showed anemia (Hb 9.9 g/dl) and hyperimmunoglobulinemia (IgG 5469 mg/dl) without M protein. A chest CT scan showed bilateral diffuse shadows and bilateral hilar lymphadenopathy. Biopsy specimens of an inguinal lymph node and a lung showed many lymphoid follicles with germinal centers, and marked infiltration of mature plasma cells in the interfollicular area without destruction of follicular structures. The polyclonality of the plasma cells was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. The patient was not treated because these results excluded malignant disease and he was asymptomatic. At the age of 17 years, he was admitted to our hospital again because of dyspnea and a tendency to bleed. Interstitial pneumonia, hyperimmunoglobulinemia (IgG 13900 mg/dl), and anemia (Hb 6.6 g/dl) were found, along with thrombocytopenia (2.5 x 10(4)/mm3) and proteinuria. The serum interleukin-6 level was high: 177 pg/ml. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid contained many plasma cells. Therapy with corticosteroids and immunosuppressant medication was effective. Our diagnosis was plasma cell interstitial pneumonia as a manifestation of multicentric Castleman's disease.

Adolescent↗

[Head and neck cancer].

Phase II study of nedaplatin (NDP), a new derivative of cisplatin, was completed in 1990, so this agent is now commercially available. NDP is very effective for head and neck cancer. Out of the 90 evaluable patients, CR was achieved in 11 patients and PR in 27 with a response rate of 42%. A new combination chemotherapy containing NDP, especially NDP + 5-FU, was clinically tried. Furthermore concurrent NDP and radiotherapy will be tried in the near future. Phase II study of S-1 (tegafur + CDHP + Oxo) and taxotere (TXT), however, is ongoing. The results obtained so far are almost satisfactory. The aouthor also adopted several new agents which were presented at the ASCO meeting (1993-1997): taxol (TXL), taxotere (TXT), topotecan, amonafide, vinorelbine and thymitaq. Response rates of these agents were as follows: TXL: 26-37%, TXT: 27-41%, topotecan: 0-27%, vinorelbine: 6.7-12.5%, thymitaq: 18.2% and amonafide: 3.6%. So TXL and TXT are very effective for head and neck cancer. In terms of combination chemotherapy, response rates are 33-71% in TXL + CDDP, 23-62% in TXL + CBDCA, 78% in TXT + CDDP and 75% in TXT + CDDP + 5-FU. Concurrent radiotherapy and chemotherapy including new agents are interesting and important issues. Two kinds of protocol were adopted, 5-FU + HU + TXL + RT and TXL + CBDCA + RT. Both protocols are responsive to squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. But severe local toxicity (stomatitis) and bone marrow suppression pose problems.

Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic↗

[A case of post-radiation constrictive pericarditis developing 12 years after radiation therapy].

A 70-year-old woman underwent radical mastectomy for carcinoma of the left breast in 1982. Postoperative radiation therapy was given in a total dose of 50 Gy for parasternal and left subclavian nodes. Symptoms of heart failure such as exertional dyspnea, facial edema, and hepatomegaly manifested in 1992. Cardiac catheterization revealed marked elevation of mean right atrial pressure and right ventricular end-diastolic pressure. The pressure wave form of the right ventricle showed the so called "dip and plateau" feature. Pericardiectomy without using extracorporeal circulation was performed in 1994. Operative findings and pathological study results were compatible with radiation-induced constrictive pericarditis. She rapidly recovered from heart failure after this operation, and has done very well to date.

Aged↗

Cloning and sequencing of a cluster of genes encoding novel enzymes of trehalose biosynthesis from thermophilic archaebacterium Sulfolobus acidocaldarius.

Trehalose biosynthesis genes, treZ, treX and treY, encoding maltooligosyltrehalose trehalohydrolase (TreZ), glycogen debranching enzyme (TreX), and maltooligosyltrehalose synthase (TreY) have been cloned from the thermophilic archaebacterium Sulfolobus acidocaldarius ATCC33909. The amino-acid sequences deduced from treZ, treX and treY are composed of 556, 713 and 720 amino-acid residues, respectively. TreZ and TreY are 33-40% homologous to the corresponding enzymes from Arthrobacter sp. Q36. We have proposed that the biosynthesis of trehalose in Sulfolobus occurs via the actions of the three enzymes encoded by treZXY.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Construction of biotinylated firefly luciferases using biotin acceptor peptides.

A cDNA for a thermostable mutant of Luciola lateralis (a Japanese firefly) luciferase was fused with either a gene for an artificial biotin acceptor peptide No. 84 [P. J. Schatz (1993) Bio/Technology 11, 1138-1143] or a gene for the carboxyl-terminal 87 residues of Escherichia coli biotin carboxyl carrier protein. The fused genes, when introduced into separate E. coli, directed the expression of luciferases that were able to bind with streptavidin. We purified them and showed that their specific activities and thermal stabilities remained unchanged. We also found that more than 95% of each fusion protein was biotinylated, suggesting that the biotin holoenzyme synthetase in the host cells worked efficiently. Using the biotinylated luciferases, we developed a highly sensitive bioluminescent enzyme immunoassay system.

Animals↗

U50,488H-induced pressor effect in the ovine foetus is mediated by sympathetic activation and vasopressin.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism behind the increase in blood pressure observed after intravenous administration of U50,488H (trans-3,4-dichloro-N-[2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)cyclohexyl]benzeneacetamide), a selective Kappa-opioid receptor agonist, to the ovine foetus. Intravenous administration of U50,488H (1.0 mg/kg) to the foetus resulted in an immediate increase in foetal blood pressure which lasted 15 min. Pretreatment with phentolamine (1.0 mg/kg i.v.) completely blocked the immediate (1-4 min) pressor effect of U50,488H, but not the subsequent increase in blood pressure after 5 min. In contrast, pretreatment with the vasopressin antagonist ([beta-mercapto-beta, beta-cyclopentamethylene-propionyl)-O-Me2-Tyr,Arg8]vasopressin, 0.06 mg/kg) did not affect the immediate pressor effect of U50,488H, but completely blocked the latter increase in blood pressure after 4 min. These data suggest that the immediate increase in blood pressure caused by U50,488H was mediated by sympathetic activation which was then further sustained by a release of vasopressin.

3,4-Dichloro-N-methyl-N-(2-(1-pyrrolidinyl)-cycloh↗

Heteroallelic missense mutations of the galactosamine-6-sulfate sulfatase (GALNS) gene in a mild form of Morquio disease (MPS IVA).

Morquio disease (MPS IVA) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by a deficiency of N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfate sulfatase (GALNS) activity. Patients commonly present in early infancy with growth failure, spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia, corneal opacification, and keratan sulfaturia, but milder forms have been described. We report on a patient who grew normally until age 5 years. Her keratan sulfaturia was not detected until adolescence, and she now has changes restricted largely to the axial skeleton. She has experienced only mildly impaired vision. At age 22, thin-layer chromatography of purified glycosaminoglycans showed some keratan sulfaturia. GALNS activity in fibroblast homogenate supernatants was 20 +/- 5% of controls (as compared to 5 +/- 3% of controls in severe MPS IVA, P < .003). Kinetic analysis of residual fibroblast GALNS activity in patient and parents revealed decreased K(m) and increased Vmax in the mother and daughter, but not in the father, compatible with compound heterozygosity. GALNS exons were amplified from patient genomic DNA and screened by SSCP. Two missense mutations, a C to T transition at position 335 (predicting R94C) and a T to G transversion at position 344 (predicting F97V), were found on sequencing an abnormally migrating exon 3 amplicon. Digestion of the amplicon with FokI and AccI restriction enzymes (specific for the R94C and F97V mutations, respectively) confirmed heterozygosity. In fibroblast transfection experiments, heterozygous R94C and F97V mutants independently expressed as severe and mild GALNS deficiency, respectively. We interpret these findings to indicate that our patient bears heteroallelic GALNS missense mutations, leading to GALNS deficiency and mild MPS IVA. Our findings expand the clinical and biochemical phenotype of MPS IVA, but full delineation of the genotype-phenotype relationship requires further study of native and transfected mutant cell lines.

Adolescent↗

Cloning of the cDNA for human IFN-gamma-inducing factor, expression in Escherichia coli, and studies on the biologic activities of the protein.

We have recently reported that a novel molecule, murine IFN-gamma-inducing factor (IGIF) produced by mouse liver cells, possesses potent biologic activities, including the induction of IFN-gamma production by spleen cells and the enhancement of NK cell cytotoxicity. In this paper, we report on the isolation of human IGIF cDNA clones from normal human liver cDNA libraries using murine IGIF cDNA as a probe. The amino acid sequence deduced from the human cDNA clones indicated a 193-amino acid precursor peptide and revealed 65% homology with that of murine IGIF. The amino acid sequence of IGIF also included an IL-1 signature-like sequence. Subsequently, the cloned cDNA was expressed in Escherichia coli, and preliminary studies on the biologic activities of the recombinant protein were performed. The recombinant human IGIF induced IFN-gamma production by mitogen-stimulated PBMC and enhanced NK cell cytotoxicity, in a manner similar to murine IGIF. In addition, recombinant human IGIF also augmented granulocyte-macrophage-CSF production and decreased IL-10 production, but had no effect on IL-4 production by Con A-stimulated PBMC. Based on these pleiotropic effects of IGIF, we propose that this novel cytokine be designated as IL-18.

Adult↗

O-glycosylated species of natural human tumor-necrosis factor-alpha.

Tumor-necrosis factor-alpha, produced by human B-cell lymphoblastoid cell line BALL-1, was expressed as four protein bands on SDS/PAGE analysis. It may have been glycosylated, based on the fact that the heavier two of the four bands disappeared after neuraminidase treatment. Sugar composition analyses revealed that the tumor necrosis factor-alpha contained galactose, N-acetylgalactosamine and N-acetylneuraminic acid as sugar components. To prepare sugar chains, tumor necrosis factor-alpha was treated with alkaline borodeuteride and the oligosaccharide-alditols liberated were fractionated by gel-filtration chromatography on a Bio-Gel P-4 column, followed by normal-phase HPLC. Three oligosaccharide-alditols were obtained, and the structures of two of them were identified by methylation analysis and exoglycosidase digestion. The structures of these oligosaccharide-alditols were Gal beta 1-3(NeuAc alpha 2-6)GalNAcol and Gal beta 1-3GalNAcol (GalNAcol, N-acetylgalactosaminitol). The structure of the remaining oligosaccharide-alditol was determined to be NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal1-3GalNAcol by composition and methylation analyses. About 20% of tumor necrosis factor-alpha was found to be 0-glycosylated, based on the results of the sugar composition and structure analyses. An amino acid sequence analysis of the glycosylated peptides was performed after Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease digestion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha had been completed, and it was proved that the 0-glycosylation site of tumor necrosis factor-alpha was Ser 4.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

HLA DRB1 and DQB1 alleles and haplotypes influencing the progression of hepatitis C.

Some HLA class II alleles and haplotypes were examined by restriction fragment length polymorphism of corresponding DNA fragments amplified by the polymerase chain reaction in 117 patients with chronic hepatitis C in Japan. The prevalence rates were compared between patients and 1216 controls and in 67 patients with liver cirrhosis, of whom 20 had hepatocellular carcinoma and 50 patients with chronic hepatitis who did not have cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Notably, DRB1*0405 (49% [95% confidence range 38-60%] vs. 26% [16-40%]; P < 0.05, relative risk [rr] = 2.8) and DQB1*0401 (43% [33-54%] vs. 22% [13-34%]; P < 0.05, rr = 2.1) were detected more frequently in patients with cirrhosis than in those without cirrhosis. By contrast, DRB1*0901 (11% [6-19%] vs. 28% [18-40%]; P < 0.05; rr = 0.3) and DQB1*0303 (11% [6-19%] vs. 36% [25-49%]; P < 0.01; rr = 0.2) were detected less frequently in patients with cirrhosis than those without cirrhosis. Accordingly, the DRB1*0405-DQB1*0401 haplotype was more common (43% [33-54%] vs. 22% [13-34%]; P < 0.05; rr = 2.7), while the DRB1*0901-DQB1*0303 haplotype was less common (9% [4-17%] vs. 28% [18-40%]; P < 0.05; rr = 0.3) in patients with cirrhosis than in those without cirrhosis. These results suggest that there would be HLA class II alleles and haplotypes which may be associated with an accelerated or slower progression of chronic hepatitis C towards cirrhosis and eventually to hepatocellular carcinoma.

Alleles↗

Mucopolysaccharidosis type I: identification of common mutations that cause Hurler and Scheie syndromes in Japanese populations.

alpha-L-Iduronidase (IDUA) deficiency (mucopolysaccharidosis type I; MPS-I) is an inborn error of lysosomal degradation of glycosaminoglycans that results in storage of undegraded glycosaminoglycans in lysosomes. Previous studies in Caucasian populations showed that (1) homozygosity or compound heterozygosity for the W402X and Q70X mutations are the common causes of MPS-I with a severe form (Hurler syndrome), and (2) the presence of R89Q may lead to a milder phenotype. We studied mutations in the IDUA gene from 19 MPS-I patients, including two pairs of siblings, with various clinical phenotypes (Hurler, 6 cases; Hurler/Scheie, 7 cases; Scheie, 6 cases). We report the presence of two common mutations that account for 42% of the 38 alleles in these patients. One is a novel 5-bp insertion between the thymidine at nt 704 and a cytosine at nt 705 (704ins5), which is seen only in the Japanese population. The other is a missense mutation, R89Q, which is also seen in Caucasians, although uncommonly. In the 19 Japanese MPS-I patients, the 704ins5 mutation accounted for 7 of 38 alleles (18%), while the R89Q accounted for 9 of 38 (24%). No Japanese patient was found to carry the W402X or Q70X alleles, the two most common MPS-I mutations in Caucasians. Homozygosity for the 704ins5 mutation is associated with a severe phenotype, and for the R89Q mutation with a mild phenotype. Compound heterozygosity for these two mutations produced an intermediate phenotype. Haplotype analysis using polymorphisms linked to the IDUA locus demonstrated that each mutation occurs on a different specific haplotype, suggesting that individuals with each of these common mutations derive from common founders. These data continue to document the molecular heterogeneity and racial differences in mutations in MPS-I.

Adult↗

Mucopolysaccharidosis IVA: submicroscopic deletion of 16q24.3 and a novel R386C mutation of N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfate sulfatase gene in a classical Morquio disease.

The N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulfate sulfatase (GALNS) gene, which is responsible for autosomal recessive mucopolysaccharidosis IVA (MPSIVA), has been assigned to the long arm of chromosome 16, subregion 24.3, an area where the adenine phosophoribosyltransferase (APRT) gene and renal dipeptidase (DPEP I) gene are also localized. Molecular genetic studies on a severely affected patient with MPSIVA (Morquio disease), without karyotypic abnormality, revealed a partial submicroscopic deletion of 16q24.3 and a single point mutation on the other allele, with no functional GALNS activity. The patient, his mother, and siblings were hemizygous for GALNS and APRT loci, evidenced by informative RFLP and gene dosage analyses combined with a fluorescence in situ hybridization, utilizing a partial genomic clone of GALNS, but heterozygosity was retained at the DPEP I locus and proximal D16S7. Haplotyping of the family members revealed recombinational events between DPEP I locus and three other polymorphic loci on the paternal chromosome, localizing GALNS gene on the proximal side to DPEP I gene. As estimated from the genetic distance between two flanking markers of proximal D16S7 and distal DPEP I locus, size of the deletion was less than 3Mb. Mother of the boy and two older siblings were asymptomatic, despite this interstitial deletion of the Giemsa-light G band. The remaining paternal allele had no gene rearrangement but GALNS activity was not encoded as Arginine at 386 was replaced with Cysteine (R386C), suggesting this alteration accounts for the severe phenotype. Allelic loss of APRT is frequently observed in cancer tissues, thereby suggesting that the tumor suppressor gene locates near the APRT locus. No family member has evidence of any malignant disease. This study is apparently the first documentation of interstitial deletion of 16q24.3, involving GALNS and APRT genes.

Adenine Phosphoribosyltransferase↗

Interferon-gamma-inducing factor enhances T helper 1 cytokine production by stimulated human T cells: synergism with interleukin-12 for interferon-gamma production.

The novel cytokine interferon-gamma-inducing factor (IGIF) augments natural killer (NK) cell activity in cultures of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), similarly to the structurally unrelated cytokine interleukin (IL)-12. IGIF has been found to enhance the production of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) while inhibiting the production of IL-10 in concanavalin A (Con A)-stimulated PBMC. In this study, when anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (mAb)-stimulated human enriched T cells were exposed to IGIF, the cytokine dose-dependently enhanced the proliferation of the cells and this could be completely inhibited by a neutralizing antibody against IL-2 at lower concentrations of IGIF. Neutralizing antibody against IFN-gamma had only insignificant inhibitory effects on T cell proliferation at higher concentrations of IGIF. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) revealed that, like PBMC, T cells exposed to IGIF produced large amounts of IFN-gamma; however, changes in the production of IL-4 and IL-10 were minimal. IGIF, but not IL-12, significantly enhanced IL-2 and GM-CSF production in T cell cultures, as determined by CTLL-2 bioassay and ELISA, respectively; however, both IGIF and IL-12 enhanced IFN-gamma production by the T cells. When T cells were exposed to a combination of IGIF and IL-12, a synergistic effect was observed on the production of IFN-gamma, but not on production of IL-2 and GM-CSF. In conclusion, IGIF enhances T cell proliferation apparently through an IL-2-dependent pathway and enhances Th1 cytokine production in vitro and exhibits synergism when combined with IL-12 in terms of enhanced IFN-gamma production but not IL-2 and GM-CSF production. Based on structural and functional differences from any known cytokines, it was recently proposed that this cytokine be designated interleukin-18.

Adult↗

Cold-induced salt intake in mice and catecholamine, renin and thermogenesis mechanisms.

Cold induces increased intake of salt in mice. To examine involvement of renin and catecholamines, male ICR mice were exposed to cold (7-9 degrees C; 6 h/day; 4 days), and half of them were allowed to choose between water and 0.9% NaCl. Plasma renin activity (PRA) and catecholamine concentrations in plasma, adrenal gland, kidney, brown adipose tissue (BAT) and brain were examined in three phases: for 9 h before exposure to cold, during 6 h of cold exposure and for 9 h after the exposure. The amount of salt intake from NaCl solution and from food, PRA and noradrenaline (NE) concentrations in kidney and medulla oblongata were higher during cold and the 9 h after exposure to cold than during the 9 h before the exposure. These results are consistent with the suggestion that cold induced catecholamine metabolism enhanced activity in the renin-angiotensin system, which played an important role in the arousal of salt appetite. During cold exposure, concentrations of NE and dopamine in BAT were higher in mice with access to NaCl solution than those without NaCl to drink. These results suggest that cold-induced salt intake enhanced non-shivering thermogenesis, and are consistent with our previous report that high salt intake helped to maintain colonic temperature under cold exposure.

Adipose Tissue, Brown↗

Mucopolysaccharidosis IVA: a comparative study of polymorphic DNA haplotypes in the Caucasian and Japanese populations.

Mucopolysaccharidosis IVA (MPS IVA) is an autosomal recessive disorder caused by deficiency of the lysosomal enzyme N-acetylgalactosamine-6-sulphate sulphatase (GALNS). The genetic heterogeneity at the GALNS locus was studied in 62 mutant alleles and 376 normal alleles in the Caucasian population and also in 40 mutant and 100 normal alleles in the Japanese population. For this study, six different restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) at the GALNS locus were analysed to search for the frequency of each RFLP produced by StyI, SphI, RsaI, HaeIII, StuI and HapII restriction endonucleases. We detected a total of 27 haplotypes in the Caucasian and Japanese population. Of these 27 haplotypes, 18 haplotypes were present in the Caucasian population and the most common of these was haplotype 1 (ABHcde) in both mutant and normal alleles. In contrast, in the Japanese population we found 20 of the 27 haplotypes and the most common in mutant and normal alleles was haplotype 2 (abhcDE). Within these two populations a parent in the MPS IVA family has an average probability of greater than 77% (in the Caucasian population 77.27% and in the Japanese population 78.26%) of being heterozygous, and hence informative for linkage, at one or more GALNS RFLP sites. Our results delineate the molecular heterogeneity of MPS IVA haplotypes, as well as their significant interpopulation variation, and make prenatal diagnosis and carrier detection possible in the majority of families with one affected child.

Acetylgalactosamine↗