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S Kagawa

Publications and source records attributed to S Kagawa.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

[A surgically treated case of ventrally exophytic pontine glioma].

A surgically treated case of ventrally exophytic pontine glioma is reported. A 49-year-old woman, complaining of dysarthria, dysphagia and gait disturbance, was admitted to our department. Her past history included bronchial asthma. Plain skull x-p and tomography revealed destruction of the dorsum sellae and upper clivus. CT demonstrated an enhanced oval mass at the ventral side of the upper brainstem. The mass was severely compressing the brainstem dorsally. MRI revealed a low-intensity band between the tumor and the brainstem. Dynamic MRI demonstrated a pattern of rapid increasing and slow reduction. Cerebral angiogram demonstrated a paradoxical sign that pontine branches were located anterior to the basilar artery. The finding demonstrated that the tumor was an intraaxial mass. The first operation was performed by the orbitofrontomalar approach. On the trans-sylvian route, the tumor was removed partially with CUSA and neuronavigation system. Its histology was astrocytoma grade III. Radiation therapy was added. The patient's symptoms aggravated again. On the second operation, the transtemporal route with tentorial resection was chosen. Under a wide visual field, intracapsular subtotal resection of the tumor was performed. Interferon therapy was added. She was discharged to her home with no neurological deficits. Ventrally exophytic pontine glioma is very rare. Low-intensity band of MRI, a sign of extraaxial mass, was visualised in our case. On the other hand, cerebral angiogram demonstrated a paradoxical sign. This sign suggested that the tumor originated from the brainstem. With update skull base surgery and neuronavigation system, surgical therapy of ventrally exophytic pontine glioma is safe and effective.

Brain Neoplasms↗
PubMed1995

[Expression of CD44 variant form in human renal cell carcinoma].

To examine whether renal cell carcinoma display altered CD44 expression we performed reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis of CD44 in the tissues resected from 19 patients with renal cell carcinoma and 6 renal cancer cell lines. To detect the CD44 variants, we utilized the RT-PCR Southern blot method reported by Matsumura et al. In 12 of 17 (70.6%) cases, about a 700 base pairs band was emphasized in cancerous tissues compared with normal kidney. Moreover, we found that this isoform is the CD44 variant sharing only exon v10. Examination by Northern blot analysis has revealed that all tumors express a higher level of CD44 variants sharing exon v10. Our findings suggest that this variant form plays some roles in renal cell carcinoma.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1995

[Localization of primary hyperparathyroidism in US, CT, MRI and scintigraphy].

A value of preoperative localization tests for primary hyperparathyroidism is controversial. Many preoperative localization studies such as ultrasound, computed tomography scanning, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and radionuclide scanning have been proposed to facilitate unilateral neck exploration and to improve the surgical success rate. The accuracy of these investigations, however, has not approached that of an experienced parathyroid surgeon. All imaging techniques were not evaluated for small glands weighting less than 250 mg. But these tests showed high sensitivity and specificity for tumors weighting more than 1 g.

Humans↗
PubMed1995

[DNA polymorphisms in strains of Staphylococcus aureus. I. Usefulness of coagulase gene as an epidemiological marker].

In this study, we report the genotyping of Staphylococcus aureus by restriction enzyme digestion of the nested PCR products of coagulase gene from clinical strains of 83 MRSA (methicillin-resistant S. aureus) and 23 MSSA (methicillin-sensitive S. aureus). Using Alu I restriction enzyme, a total of 106 strains could be classified into 19 different restriction patterns, arbitrarily designated the genotypes 1 to 19 for strains. The DNA patterns of the PCR coagulase gene products were visualized by ethidium bromide after 2% agarose gel electrophoresis and hybridized with alkaline-phosphatase labeled probe. Because of unique sequences of the coagulase gene containing 81-bp tandem repeats and Alu I recognition sites, most of clinical strains had bands in multiples of 81 bp which allowed easy discrimination among isolates. The deduced DNA fragment sizes ranged from approximately 80 to 900 bp, and the numbers of DNA fragments generated were 2 to 9. Eighteen of the 20 MRSA strains taken from the patients hospitalized in 1991 belonged to the genotypes 2 and 3, and 27 of the 29 MRSA strains taken from patients in 1992 belonged to the genotypes 1, 2 and 3, suggesting the possibility of nosocomial outbreaks caused by these strains. In conclusion, this coagulase gene restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) technique will be useful for epidemiological evaluations of nosocomial MRSA infections.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1995

[Detection of human cytomegalovirus DNA by nested polymerase chain reaction].

Detection of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) DNA from peripheral blood and urine specimens taken from renal transplant and bone marrow transplant recipients was examined by using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results by the PCR were compared with those of healthy subjects. Oligonucleotide primers were used to amplify the immediate-early (IE) and the late antigen (V) genes of CMV. Amplified DNA products were identified by 2% agarose gel electrophoresis and by Southern hybridization with alkaline phosphatase-labeled probes. Twenty eight blood specimens from 118 healthy subjects were positive for the V gene fragment of CMV, whereas the IE gene fragment was more associated with a negative result (116 of 118 specimens). When amplified with mixed primer pairs, no blood and urine specimens simultaneously produced the PCR products of two separate CMV genes. In the case of transplant patients, however, 50 of 139 blood specimens and 34 of 117 urine specimens were positive with the V primers, and 23 blood and 17 urine specimens were positive with the IE primers. Using mixed primer pairs, amplification of two CMV genes was detected in 14 blood and 10 urine specimens. In three cases of bone marrow transplant recipients, amplification of two CMV genes was detectable prior to anti-CMV IgM development. From these results, we suggest that detection of CMV-DNA by nested PCR with mixed primer pairs may be a valuable tool for diagnosing CMV infections.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Improved method for detection and subtyping of HCV.RNA by nested polymerase chain reaction].

Amplification of hepatitis C virus RNA (HCV.RNA) by the reverse transcription nested polymerase chain reaction (RT-nested PCR) has been successfully applied to the detection for HCV.RNA in blood and its subtyping. Primers in the 5'-noncoding region (5'-NC) for detecting HCV.RNA and type-specific primers in the core region for subtyping HCV were used in this study. When 20 cycles of amplification with outer primers and another 20 cycles with inner primers were employed, good results were obtained in both specificity and sensitivity of nested PCR, especially by a single tube method. Of 755 subjects suspected of being infected with HCV, HCV.RNA was detectable in 488 (80.3%) of 608 subjects who were positive for HCV antibody and in 70 (47.6%) of 147 subjects who were negative; the total detection ratio was 73.9%. The distributions of HCV subtypes, designated as I, II, III, IV and mixed type (II+III, II+IV and III+IV), were 0, 85.0, 6.1, 4.8 and 4.0% respectively. Additionally, sensitivity in subtyping HCV.RNA was more improved by a single tube method. Using two primer sets (A:#32/#48 and B: #33/#48) prepared within the 5'-NC region, it was shown that the positivity of HCV.RNA was increased. Of 315 subjects, 232 (73.2%) were positive for HCV.RNA with both of A and B primer sets, and 20 or 22 were positive with either A or B primer set, thus indicating that a combination of these two primer sets increased the detection ratio of HCV.RNA approximately to 80%.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1995

[Detection of Mycoplasma pneumoniae by using polymerase chain reaction and nonradioactive DNA probes].

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is the causative agent of primary atypical pneumoniae, and two distinct groups (I and II) have been established. Serological tests are relatively insensitive and the diagnosis by culture is time-consuming. This study was therefore undertaken to detect and to identify M. pneumoniae on culture media and in throat swab specimens by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and hybridization probes conjugated to alkaline phosphatase (Alp). Primer pairs were selected for amplification of DNA fragments in the C to D, F, G and I to J regions of the M. pneumoniae cytadhesin P1 genes. Amplified DNA fragments were visualized by staining with ethidium bromide after 2% agarose gel electrophoresis and by Southern hybridization with Alp-labeled probes. No amplification of the P1 genes was seen with any of five related Mycoplasma species, the others from M. pneumoniae. In all of 30 clinical isolates on PPLO medium, M. pneumoniae was detected with the F and G primer pairs, giving 100% of sensitivity. Of 69 throat swab specimens, 25 were positive with the F primer pairs, and 23 positive with the Gen Probe test. From these results, we conclude that the PCR with F or G primer pairs can be adapted as a practical method for the rapid diagnosis of M. pneumoniae infections.

Adhesins, Bacterial↗
PubMed1995

Nitric oxide mediated metallothionein induction by lipopolysaccharide.

The roles of calcium and/or of the other cellular transduction pathways, and of nitric oxide (NO) on the induction of metallothionein (MT) mRNA by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been studied in rat primary cell culture, using inhibitors of protein kinase pathways (H-7, W-7 and TMB-8) and NO production inhibitors (L-NAME, PTIO). LPS exposure led to a rapid increase of MT-mRNA and a peak level revealed 2.5-fold induction as compared to control for 6h incubation at a dose of 3.0 mg/L. A dose of 5.0 and 10.0 mg/L of LPS also provided the same level of MT-mRNA induction. The inhibition of MT induction by LPS was observed with L-NAME, PTIO, but not H-7, W-7. These findings indicate that the alteration of cellular calcium concentration and distribution does not relate to the induction of MT-mRNA by LPS in hepatocytes and that protein kinase C and calmodulin dependent protein kinase pathways have not contributed to MT-mRNA induction by LPS. Finally, the present results show that NO plays an important role in MT induction by LPS.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Expression of CD44 splice variants in bladder cancer.

BACKGROUND: Recently, it was noted that CD44 participates in a wide variety of cell-cell or cell-matrix interactions including tumor metastasis and the altered expression of CD44 splice variants is helpful in the diagnosis of colon and breast cancer. The purpose of the study was to investigate altered expression of CD44 in bladder cancer. METHODS: Thirty-three surgical specimens of 22 patients and seven bladder cancer cell-lines were analyzed by various methods including RT-PCR-Southern blotting. Northern blotting, and flow-cytometric analysis. RESULTS: In RT-PCR analysis, the hematopoietic variant and numerous additional variants were detected in all cell-lines and almost all surgical specimens. In three out of seven cell-lines of bladder cancer (42.9%), especially numerous larger bands (ladder pattern) were detected using RT-PCR. These three cell-lines expressed a smaller quantity of CD44 mRNAs and CD44 molecules than the other four cell-lines. In eighteen out of 22 (81.8%) bladder cancer specimens, we detected larger variants that exceed 1500 base pairs, compared with the detection in four out of eleven (36.4%) visually normal mucosa specimens (P < 0.05). However, there was no correlation between the expression of the larger variants and clinicopathological features. CONCLUSION: The quantitative and qualitative change of CD44 variants were demonstrated in bladder cancer.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

Morphological effects of glycosaminoglycans on calcium oxalate monohydrate crystals.

The effects of individual glycosaminoglycan (GAG) species on calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) crystal growth were studied in vitro by the observation of crystal morphology grown in a supersaturated calcium oxalate solution in the presence of GAGs using optical and scanning electron microscopes. GAGs affected the morphology of COM crystals differently depending on the species. The growth rates of the crystals formed in the presence of chondroitin-6-sulfate (ChS-C) were higher in length and lower in width and thickness than those of control crystals. The incorporation of dermatan sulfate or heparin into the crystals formed in the presence of these GAGs was revealed by X-ray microanalysis, whereas ChS-C was not detected in the crystals grown with it. The experiment using dicarboxylates, as a simple model of GAG molecules, showed that a distance between the side groups was important for their morphological effects. These findings suggested that the different effects of GAGs on the crystal morphology resulted from the differences in their interaction modes with COM crystal faces, that is, the differences in their binding behavior, their inhibition modes of crystal growth, and other roles played after binding to the crystals.

Calcium Oxalate↗
PubMed1994

cDNA cloning and interferon gamma down-regulation of proteasomal subunits X and Y.

Proteasomes are the proteolytic complex responsible for major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-restricted antigen presentation. Interferon gamma treatment increases expression MHC-encoded LMP2 and LMP7 subunits of the proteasome and decreases expression of two proteasome subunits, named X and Y, which alters the proteolytic specificity of proteasomes. Molecular cloning of complementary DNAs encoding X and Y showed that their proteins are proteasomal subunits with high amino acid similarity to LMP7 and LMP2, respectively. Thus, interferon gamma may induce subunit replacements of X and Y by LMP7 and LMP2, respectively, producing proteasomes perhaps more appropriate for the immunological processing of endogenous antigens.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Replacement of proteasome subunits X and Y by LMP7 and LMP2 induced by interferon-gamma for acquirement of the functional diversity responsible for antigen processing.

Proteasomes catalyze the non-lysosomal, ATP-dependent selective breakdown of ubiquitinated proteins and are thought to be responsible for MHC class I-restricted antigen presentation. Recently, we reported that gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) induced not only marked synthesis of the MHC-encoded proteasome subunits LMP2 and LMP7, but also almost complete loss of two unidentified proteasome subunits tentatively designated as X and Y in various human cells. Here, we show that subunit X is a new proteasomal subunit highly homologous to LMP7, and that subunit Y is identical to the LMP2-related proteasomal subunit delta. Thus, IFN-gamma appears to induce subunit replacements of X and Y by LMP7 and LMP2, respectively, producing 'immuno-proteasomes' with the functional diversity responsible for processing of endogenous antigens.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Gypsy phenylketonuria: a point mutation of the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene in Gypsy families from Slovakia.

A direct mutational analysis of the phenylalanine hydroxylase gene (PAH) in Gypsy families with phenylketonuria (PKU) has not yet been presented. However, they obviously represent a group at high risk for this inherited disease. We analyzed the PAH loci of 65 Gypsies originating from Eastern Slovakia by a combination of PCR amplification, direct sequencing and ASO hybridization. These studies uncovered 10 "classical PKU" patients to be homozygous for a R252W (CGG-TGG) transition, and 29 heterozygous carriers of this mutation. Fifteen control Caucasoid PKU patients from the Czech and Slovak Republics were selected. In this group we detected R252W mutation in two subjects (6.67% of all mutant alleles). Both were compound heterozygous for two different mutations. Previous haplotype studies of Welsh Gypsies with PKU were uninformative in the determination of heterozygosity. ASO hybridization served us effectively for the consequent analyses in Gypsy PKU-related families and to identify the carriers among the unrelated subjects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Immunoglobulin binding factor: a new tumor marker for prostatic tumors.

Human seminal plasma contains an immunoglobulin gamma binding factor (IgBF) with an estimated molecular weight of 16 kD under reducing condition. IgBF was detected only in the prostate, including benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) and neoplasm. The present study was performed to determine whether IgBF is a useful prostatic marker. Serum IgBF levels were measured in patients with prostatic tumors and in control patients without tumor by radioimmunoassay. Serum prostatic-specific antigen (PSA), the standard prostatic marker, was also determined. Serum IgBF levels in patients with prostate cancer were significantly higher than those in age-matched controls (P < 0.05). Also, patients with BPH tended to have elevated IgBF levels than the controls, although the values were not statistically significant. In control patients, serum IgBF levels increased with advancing age. There was no correlation between serum levels of IgBF and PSA in patients with prostate cancer. Using cut-off level at 28.5 ng/ml (2 S.D. above the mean IgBF level of age-matched control), the sensitivities were 41.2% (7/17) for prostate cancer, 23.1% (6/26) for BPH, and 5.6% (1/18) for control patients. In conclusion, serum IgBF is a useful marker in the diagnosis of patients with prostatic tumor, and in evaluating the course of treatment.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Prophylactic chemotherapy with intravesical instillation of adriamycin and oral administration of 5-fluorouracil after surgery for superficial bladder cancer. The Japanese Urological Cancer Research Group for Adriamycin.

The Japanese Urological Cancer Research Group for Adriamycin has conducted a series of clinical trials to investigate the efficacy and safety of prophylactic intravesical chemotherapy for superficial bladder cancer. In the third trial, reported herein, patients with recurrent bladder cancer or multiple primary cancer were selected and randomized to one of four groups using the envelope method after complete resection of the original tumors. Group A was given Adriamycin alone, group B received oral 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), group C was given Adriamycin and oral 5-FU, and group D served as the control group. Of the 544 patients registered, 331 were evaluable for the purpose of this study. The administration of 5-FU (group B) failed to prevent the recurrence of bladder tumors. Although group C (both Adriamycin and 5-FU) did not fare better than group A (Adriamycin only), Adriamycin was effective in preventing the recurrence of tumors, especially in high-risk patients with recurrent and multiple tumors. The risk of recurrence was reduced to 0.21 (95% confidence interval, 0.10-0.44) relative to the control group. There was no indication of a synergistic effect between 5-FU and Adriamycin. As side effects, cystitis syndrome was observed in 23%-30% of the patients in the Adriamycin groups and mild myelosuppression was observed in the 5-FU groups.

Administration, Intravesical↗
PubMed1994

Interferon-gamma induces different subunit organizations and functional diversity of proteasomes.

To obtain information on the role of proteasomes in the immune system, we examined the effect of a major immunomodulatory cytokine, gamma interferon (IFN-gamma), on the expressions, structures, and functions of proteasomes. IFN-gamma greatly increased the levels of the mRNAs encoding LMP2 and LMP7, putative immuno-proteasome subunits encoded by genes within the class II MHC region, and these two subunits synthesized were assembled completely into the proteasomal multi-subunit complex in various types of human cells. The subunit organization of proteasome changed in response to IFN-gamma stimulation, due to assembly of newly synthesized subunits through up- and down-expressions of at least 6 proteasome genes including LMP2/LMP7 without change in the structure of pre-existing proteasomes. Interestingly, IFN-gamma dramatically stimulated the trypsin-like and chymotrypsin-like activities of the multifunctional proteasome and depressed the peptidylglutamyl-peptide-hydrolyzing activity, without affecting the activity for ATP-, ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis. These results indicate that IFN-gamma modifies not only the structural organization of the proteasome, but also its functions. Based on these findings, we discuss the role in the antigen processing/presentation pathway of proteasomes with functional diversity acquired through alteration of their subunit assembly in response to IFN-gamma stimulation.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗
PubMed1994

Serum levels of a tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-1 (TIMP-1) in bladder cancer patients.

Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMP-1 and -2) are common inhibitors of matrix metallo-proteinases (MMPs), thereby blocking degradation of extracellular matrix components. TIMP-1 and -2 have been reported to exhibit inhibitory activities against tumor invasion and metastasis. We measured the serum TIMP-1 levels in 16 healthy volunteers and in 69 patients with bladder cancer using a sandwich enzyme immunoassay, and evaluated the correlation between serum TIMP-1 levels and clinicopathological features. Patients with bladder cancer showed significantly higher serum TIMP-1 levels (251.1 +/- 96.0 ng/ml; p < 0.01) than those of healthy volunteers (168.5 +/- 33.2 ng/ml), and a positive correlation between the TIMP-1 level and invasion and metastasis was observed. This is considered to be the result of the reactive production of TIMP-1 in cancerous tissues. Thus, serum TIMP-1 levels may become a reliable clinical marker of the progression of bladder cancer.

Adult↗