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Biomedical subjects

S Katoh

Publications and source records attributed to S Katoh.

At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources

Isomerization of 6-lactoyl tetrahydropterin by sepiapterin reductase.

Isomerization of 6-1'-oxo-2'-hydroxypropyl tetrahydropterin (6-lactoyl tetrahydropterin) to 6-1'-hydroxy-2'-oxopropyl tetrahydropterin has been attributed to sepiapterin reductase. The activity is N-acetylserotonin-insensitive and has a well defined pH optimum of 8.6. The product of the reaction was detected on a HPLC chromatogram by means of electrochemical oxidation at 200 mV according to Smith and Nichol (J. Biol. Chem. 261, 2725-2737 (1986]. The C2'-keto structure of the product was confirmed by 1H-NMR spectroscopy.

Alcohol Oxidoreductases↗

Immunohistochemical studies on the roles of substance P in the rat hypothalamus: possible implication in the hypothalamic-hypophysial-gonadal axis.

The hypothalamic neurons containing substance P (SP) were examined immunohistochemically in rats with a normal estrous cycle or persistent estrus (PE), in pregnancy and in lactating state. In PE animals, the neurons increased in number 1 week after ovariectomy, but then decreased and disappeared. During pregnancy, there were many SP neurons at an early stage but later they gradually decreased in number and disappeared. Consequently, during lactation no SP neurons were evident. The external layer of the median eminence (ME) contained many immunolabeled nerve terminals. In the ME prepared by a freeze-drying technique and immunostained with gold-labeled IgG by the postembedding procedure, the immunolabeled terminals were seen to contain large cored vesicles (50-100 nm) labeled with gold and unlabeled small clear vesicles (30-50 nm). In normal cycling rats, the terminals contained large cored vesicles in diestrus, small clear vesicles in estrus, and both in proestrus. In PE rats, the terminals contained only small clear vesicles, but the cored vesicles appeared after ovariectomy. In the early stage of pregnancy, the terminals contained only small clear vesicles, but the large cored vesicles appeared in late pregnancy and during lactation. These findings present further evidence that the hypothalamic SP neurons are involved in the hypothalamic-hypophysial-gonadal axis in rats.

Animals↗

Differential immunolabeling for electron microscopy of diverse peptidergic neurons.

We describe a simple and reliable method for differential immunolabeling of pre- and post-synaptic signal peptides at the ultrastructural level. Hypothalamic tissues of rats, including the suprachiasmatic nucleus, were cut on a Vibratome. Visualization of the immunolabeling of somatostatin (SRIH) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) was performed with avidin-biotin-peroxidase-diaminobenzidine (DAB). The end product of the DAB to VIP was further silver-intensified in a physical processing using silver nitrate, and the silver grains were finally substituted for gold. DAB-labeled SRIH fibers synapse on gold-labeled VIP perikarya and dendrites in the suprachiasmatic nucleus.

Animals↗

Functional linkage between phycobilisome and reaction center in two phycobilisome oxygen-evolving photosystem II preparations isolated from the thermophilic cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp.

Photosystem II oxygen-evolving preparations with attached phycobilisomes were isolated from the thermophilic cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. with beta-octylglucoside or digitonin. Fluorescence emission spectra of the two preparations determined at 77 K largely lacked a far red band which originates from photosystem I. The spectrum of the digitonin preparation was otherwise similar to that of intact cells, whereas the beta-octylglucoside preparation showed a pronounced band at 687 nm, which is considered to be emitted from phycobilisomes. The relative yield of phycobilin fluorescence was similar between the digitonin preparations and the cells but was considerably larger in the beta-octylglucoside preparations at room temperature. The quantum yield of ferricyanide photoreduction determined with light which is absorbed mainly by phycobiliproteins was 0.85 for the digitonin preparation and 0.57 for the beta-octylglucoside preparation. The results indicate that excitation energy is transferred from phycobilisomes to photosystem II reaction centers in the digitonin preparation as efficiently as in intact cells, while a significant portion of light energy harvested by phycobilisomes is not utilized by the primary photochemistry in the beta-octylglucoside preparation. Digitonin and beta-octylglucoside preparations had 65 and 48 chlorophyll a molecules per photosystem II reaction center, respectively. The beta-octylglucoside preparation contained twice as much phycocyanin and allophycocyanin per photosystem II reaction center as the digitonin preparation, which has a phycobiliprotein-to-photosystem II reaction center ratio very similar to that of cells. It is concluded that whereas the beta-octylglucoside preparation contains a considerable amount of free phycobilisomes, all phycobilisomes present in the digitonin preparation are physically and functionally linked to photosystem II reaction center complexes.

Cell Fractionation↗

Immunocytochemical evidence for synaptic regulation of paraventricular vasopressin-containing neurons by substance P.

Employing a combination of pre-embedding peroxidase-antiperoxidase-labeling for substance P (SP) and postembedding immunogold labeling with protein A-colloidal gold-anti-arginine vasopressin (AVP) complex, we demonstrated immunoreactive SP containing nerve fibers, which terminate synaptically on the perikarya, contained gold-labeled secretory granules in the magnocellular paraventricular nucleus of rats. The perikarya were also synapsed with unlabeled nerve fibers. It is concluded that SP plays a role as an axosomatic neurotransmitter in diverse synaptic controls of vasopressinergic neurons.

Animals↗

Immunoelectron microscopic observations of hypothalamic TRH-containing neurons in rats.

Immunoreactive TRH-containing neurons and their synaptic associations were studied electron microscopically in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and dorsomedial nucleus (DMH) of the rat hypothalamus. In propylthiouracil (PTU)-treated rats, the immunoreactive cell bodies in the PVN appeared to be activated, showing a hypertrophic perikaryon, well developed Golgi bodies and numerous secretory granules. No such alterations were evident in the TRH neurons in the DMH. These findings suggest that the PVN-TRH neurons are involved in the hypothalamic-hypophysial-thyroid axis. Further, it was shown that unlabeled nerve terminals containing small and large clear vesicles make synaptic contacts with the TRH perikarya in the PVN. Thus it is likely that PVN-TRH neurons are regulated both by thyroid hormones and by other neuronal signals. In the DMH, unlabeled nerve terminals containing small and large clear vesicles, and immunoreactive terminals form synapses with TRH neurons. Thus the DMH-TRH neurons may be under dual neuronal control. It was further noted that in the DMH and PVN, TRH nerve terminals make synaptic contacts with other unlabeled neurons. It is evident that TRH acts as a neurotransmitter or neuromodulator, although the origin of TRH terminals should be elucidated.

Animals↗

Isolation of an intrinsic antenna chlorophyll a-protein from the photosystem I reaction center complex of the thermophilic cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp.

A chlorophyll-protein was isolated from a Synechococcus P700-chlorophyll a-protein complex free from small subunits (CP1-e) by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis after treatment with 2% 2-mercaptoethanol and 2% SDS. In contrast to CP1-e which, when electrophoresed under denaturating conditions, showed two polypeptide bands of 62 and 60 kDa, the chlorophyll-protein contained only the 60-kDa polypeptide and hence is called CP60. The yield of CP60 was maximal with 1-2% SDS and 2-4% sulfhydryl reagents because the chlorophyll-protein was denatured at higher concentrations of the reagents. The absorption spectrum of CP60, which retained more than half of the chlorophyll alpha molecules originally associated with the 60-kDa subunit of the photosystem I reaction center complex, showed a red band maximum at 672 nm and a small absorption band around 700 nm at liquid nitrogen temperature. CP60 emitted a fluorescence band at 717 to 725 nm at 77 degrees K. The temperature dependence of the far red band of CP60 was essentially the same as that of CP1-e between 77 and 273 degrees K. No photoresponse of P700 was detected in CP60. The results suggest that the two polypeptides resolved by SDS-gel electrophoresis from CP1-e are apoproteins of two distinct chlorophyll-proteins and that CP60 represents a chlorophyll-bearing 60-kDa subunit functioning as an intrinsic antenna protein of the photosystem I reaction center complex. It will also be shown that the temperature dependence of the far red fluorescence band is not related to the photosystem I photochemistry.

Chlorophyll↗

Pathological findings of lymphangiectasia of the large intestine in a patient with protein-losing enteropathy.

Lymphangiectasia of the large intestine associated with protein-losing enteropathy is reported. A 33-yr-old man suffered from diarrhea, sometimes mixed with blood. Colonoscopic study revealed reddish and edematous mucosa with multiple flat elevated lesions and giant folds in the localized segment of the rectosigmoid. An intestinal clearance test of alpha 1-antitrypsin revealed the association of protein-losing enteropathy. Operation was performed successfully, resulting in a marked improvement of symptoms and laboratory data, especially serum total protein, albumin, IgG, and Leu-2a-positive cells (suppressor/cytotoxic T cells). Giant folds consisted of the submucosal edema and hyperplasia of the epithelial glands with cystic dilatation of glands, and flat elevated lesions consisted of mucosal and submucosal edema associated with intestinal lymphangiectasia, adipose tissue, and blood capillaries. The population of the Leu-2a-positive cells in the lamina propria and intraepithelial layer was decreased and that of the Leu-3a-positive cells (helper/inducer T cells) in the lamina propria was increased.

Adult↗

Development of tetrahydrobiopterin and GTP cyclohydrolase in salivary glands of rats.

A significant amount of 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), an essential cofactor of tyrosine hydroxylase, and the activity of GTP cyclohydrolase (GTP cycl), the first and rate-limiting enzyme in BH4 biosynthesis, were found in rat salivary glands, in which adrenergic transmitters are localized, from day 4 through 56 after birth. About 90 ng of BH4 per g wet weight were determined in the glands (submandibular and sublingual) of adult rats. The levels of them which were maintained from 2 weeks after birth up to the adult stage correlated with a previous finding in the maintenance of catecholamine concentration during the same stage in rat salivary glands.

Aging↗

A new radioimmunoassay for human chorionic gonadotropin using monoclonal antibody.

A new radioimmunoassay (RIA) for human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) was developed using murine monoclonal antibody to the beta-subunit of hCG (beta-hCG). The IgG fraction of the monoclonal antibody which did not react with 125I-beta-hCG was purified from hybridoma ascites, and covalently coupled to Sepharose 4B. This solid-phase antibody was incubated with standard hCG or serum sampled for 48 hours. The reaction medium was then removed by centrifugation and 125I-beta-hCG and anti-beta-hCG rabbit polyclonal antibody were added to the precipitate. The alcohol precipitation method was used for separating "bound" and "free" forms in the second reaction. The sensitivity for hCG in this assay system was 0.5 mIU/ml serum and the cross-reactivity with human Luteinizing Hormone (hLH) was 0.4%. This assay system was shown to be clinically applicable. Serial serum samples from two patients with trophoblastic disease were assayed and minute amounts of hCG, which could not be determined by conventional assay methods, could be assayed by this new RIA.

Adult↗