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Biomedical subjects

S Nakai

Publications and source records attributed to S Nakai.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources

Immunologic and molecular characterizations of T cell-derived T cell activating factor.

Culture supernatants from several subclones of a human T hybrid line (24A) stimulated with PMA showed co-stimulatory activity in the proliferation of Con A-stimulated murine thymocytes, but did not show any IL 2 activity. Some subclones did not show co-stimulatory activity even when stimulated with PMA, excluding the possibility of a carry-over effect. The factor found in the culture supernatants increased IL 2 production in normal T cells stimulated with a suboptimal concentration of PHA. The factor also induced IL 2 production in a T hybrid clone, T-394.1, when the latter was stimulated with a suboptimal concentration of mitogens, indicating a direct effect by this T cell-derived factor on mitogen-stimulated T cells inducing IL 2 production. This factor also induced the generation of other lymphokines such as BCDF and IFN-gamma. Northern blot analysis showed that the factor induced an increase in mRNA for IL 2 as well as IL 2 receptor. These results indicated that T cells could secrete a factor with IL 1-like activity. However, Northern blot analysis showed that mRNA from a T hybrid clone does not cross-react with cDNA for IL 1 (beta) derived from human monocytes.

Animals↗

Effects of near-ultraviolet light on mutations, intragenic and intergenic recombinations in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The effects of far (254 nm) and near (290-350 nm) ultraviolet (UV) light on mutations, intragenic and intergenic recombinations were compared in diploid strains of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. At equivalent survival levels there was not much difference in the induction of nonsense and missense mutations between far- and near-UV radiations. However, frameshift mutations were induced more frequently by near-UV than by far-UV radiation. Near-UV radiation induced intragenic recombination (gene conversion) as efficiently as far-UV radiation and the induced levels were similar in both radiations at equitoxic doses. A strikingly higher frequency was observed for the intergenic recombination induced by near-UV radiation than by far-UV radiation when compared at equivalent survival levels. Photoreactivation reduced the frequency only slightly in far-UV induced intergenic recombination and not at all in near-UV induction. These results indicate that near-UV damage involves strand breakage in addition to pyrimidine dimers and other lesions induced, whereas far-UV damage consists largely of photoreactivable lesions, pyrimidine dimers, and near-UV induced damage is more efficient for the induction of crossing-over.

Cell Survival↗

Chylothorax--a rare complication after anterior and posterior spinal correction. Report on six cases.

The authors observed six cases of chylothorax of 2,000 operations for spinal deformities performed in the past 5 years: in one case of VDS, two Harrington operations, and three anterior strut graft operations. Chylothorax resulted from direct injury to the lymphatic system in four cases of anterior spinal surgery. One of the Harrington cases had a previous history of spontaneous chylothorax that had been managed surgically. The other cases of chylothorax observed after a Harrington operation was bilateral and probably caused by the central venous catheter. All cases were treated conservatively, and the duration of the chylothorax varied from 1 to 18 days.

Adolescent↗

Interleukin 2 inhibits in vitro growth of human T cell lines carrying retrovirus.

Four human T cell lines, TL-Mor, TL-Su, TL-TerI, and TL-OmI, carrying human T cell leukemia virus (HTLV), were established previously. TL-Mor, TL-Su, and TL-TerI were derived from interleukin 2 (IL-2)-dependent parental cell lines cloned from peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) of three healthy HTLV carriers, while TL-OmI was directly established from PBL of a patient with adult T cell leukemia. These four TL cell lines grow autonomously without IL-2. When they were cultured in the presence of IL-2, their growth was inhibited after a few days. This growth inhibition depended on the dose of IL-2, and the effective dose significantly promoted growth of their parental IL-2-dependent cell lines. The growth inhibition is demonstrated to be due to specific binding of IL-2 to receptors on the TL cells.

Cell Line↗

Dose-response relationship of gamma-ray-induced reciprocal translocations at low doses in spermatogonia of the crab-eating monkey (Macaca fascicularis).

The yield of translocations induced by acute gamma-irradiation at low doses (0.25 and 0.50 Gy) in the crab-eating monkey's (Macaca fascicularis) spermatogonia was examined. The frequencies of translocations per cell were 0.53% at 0.25 Gy and 1.07% at 0.50 Gy. Over the low dose range from 0 to 1 Gy, the dose-response relationship for translocation yield was a linear one with a regression coefficient of 1.79 X 10(-2). To estimate the sensitivity to the induction of translocations in the crab-eating monkey's spermatogonia, the slope of the regression line was compared with those in other mammalian species. Consequently, over the low dose range below 1 Gy, the sensitivity of the crab-eating monkey's spermatogonia to translocation induction was similar to several mammalian species, the mouse. Chinese hamster, and the rabbit, but significantly higher than that of the rhesus monkey and lower than that of the marmoset.

Animals↗

Structure modification and functionality of whey proteins: quantitative structure-activity relationship approach.

According to the original idea of quantitative structure-activity relationship, electric, hydrophobic, and structural parameters should be taken into consideration for elucidating functionality. Changes in these parameters are reflected in the property of protein solubility upon modification of whey proteins by heating. Although solubility is itself a functional property, it has been utilized to explain other functionalities of proteins. However, better correlations were obtained when hydrophobic parameters of the proteins were used in conjunction with solubility. Various treatments reported in the literature were applied to whey protein concentrate in an attempt to obtain whipping and gelling properties similar to those of egg white. Mapping simplex optimization was used to search for the best results. Improvement in whipping properties by pepsin hydrolysis may have been due to higher protein solubility, and good gelling properties resulting from polyphosphate treatment may have been due to an increase in exposable hydrophobicity. However, the results of angel food cake making were still unsatisfactory.

Animals↗

The surgical reconstruction of fractures and fracture dislocations of the thoraco-lumbar spine.

Sixty patients have undergone surgical reconstruction of the injured thoraco-lumbar spine during the period 1968 to 1978 at the Spinal Unit of the National Murayama Hospital. The aim of treatment of any fracture, dislocation, or fracture-dislocation of the spine is to render it stable and painfree. This is best achieved by reduction and stabilisation of the involved segment of the spinal column. Where the posterior ligaments and intervertebral disc are ruptured healing of these structures with return to normal stability cannot be anticipated. In order to obtain permanent stability at the affected vertebral level we elect to perform anterior intervertebral fusion.

Adult↗

Delta-ray-induced reciprocal translocations in spermatogonia of the crab-eating monkey (Macaca fascicularis).

The yield of translocations induced by delta-rays in the crab-eating monkey (Macaca fascicularis) spermatogonia were studied by cytological analysis in spermatocytes derived from them. The frequencies of translocations were 0.09% at 0 Gy, 1.9% at 1 Gy, 2.5% at 2 Gy and 1.3% at 3 Gy, showing a humped dose-response curve with a peak yield around 2 Gy. No remarkable inter-seasonal or inter-animal variations in the induction of translocation were observed. The frequencies in the crab-eating monkey were significantly higher than those in the same Macaca genus, the rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) (van Buul, 1976, 1980). This inter-species difference in radiosensitivity might be affected by the condition of spermatogonial stem cells at the time of exposure to radiation, depending on the seasonal change in spermatogenetic activity.

Animals↗

Human retrovirus-induced IL-2 receptors and their possible role in transduction of continuous cell growth signal.

The first half of this report describes direct evidence for the interleukin 2 receptor (IL-2R)-inducing ability of human T-cell leukemia/lymphoma virus (HTLV). When an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed human B-cell line, LCL-Kan was infected with HTLV or transfected with plasmid DNA containing defective HTLV genome (long terminal repeat (LTR)-gag-pX-LTR), LCL-Kan cells were altered to express IL-2R which was indistinguishable from that of normal activated T cells. The second half of this paper reports that IL-2 could inhibit proliferation of HTLV-carrying T-cell lines which were spontaneously immortalized from IL-2-dependent cells or peripheral blood cells containing ATL leukemia cells. These results suggest that expression of IL-2R may be induced by HTLV in HTLV-transformed cells, where the IL-2R plays an important role in transduction of continuous cell growth signal.

Cell Division↗

Duplicated immunoglobulin gamma 2a genes in wild mice.

The Japanese wild mouse, Mus musculus molossinus, has duplicated immunoglobulin gamma 2a genes, whereas most of the laboratory-strain mice have single gamma 2a genes. This duplication provides a unique system in which molecular mechanisms of the evolutionary rearrangement of the immunoglobulin gene can be studied. For this purpose it is important to elucidate the organization of the immunoglobulin genes surrounding the duplicated gamma 2a genes. It is also interesting to assess the distribution of this haplotype among the wild mouse population. Partially overlapping chromosomal segments that encompass the gamma 2b, gamma 2a-1, gamma 2a-2, and epsilon genes were isolated from phage libraries containing DNA fragments from M. m, molossinus. The organization of this region has been elucidated as 5'-gamma 2b-(18 kb)-gamma 2a-1-(19 kb)-gamma 2a-2-(14 kb)-epsilon-3'. Both gamma 2a-1 and gamma 2a-2 genes have their own switch regions in the 5' flanking region. Two homology units of 13 kb, each containing the gamma 2a gene, were identified. The homology units alternate with repetitive sequences of low homology, making the location of the recombination site obscure. Seventeen of 31 Japanese and Chinese wild mice screened had duplicated gamma 2a genes, indicating a wide distribution of this genetic event in the Asian wild mouse population. Moreover, three alleles each of the gamma 2b and gamma 2a loci have been observed in this small sample population. An unequal crossing-over event between heterologous haplotypes is proposed to account for the duplication of the gamma 2a gene, and a candidate for one member of the pair was identified among wild mouse haplotypes. These results suggest that the immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene family of the Japanese and Chinese wild mouse subspecies has accumulated not only polymorphic divergence due to point mutations, but also dynamic rearrangements such as gene duplication, during its recent evolution since divergence of these subspecies from the European subspecies about one million years ago.

Animals↗

Structure of the human immunoglobulin C epsilon 2 gene, a truncated pseudogene: implications for its evolutionary origin.

Cloning of the overlapping DNA fragments together with Southern hybridization experiments showed the organization of the human C epsilon and C alpha gene cluster as 5'-C epsilon 2-14 kilobases-C alpha 1----C epsilon 1-13 kilobases-C alpha 2-3'. Comparison of the nucleotide sequences of the C epsilon 1 and C epsilon 2 genes revealed that four deletions have taken place in the C epsilon 2 gene and its flanking regions. The three deleted regions in the 5' side of the C epsilon 2 gene are partially filled with shorter inserted sequences. One of them has removed the CH1 and CH2 exons and a portion of the epsilon switch (S epsilon) region. The S epsilon region and the CH4 exon still retain the functional structures, whereas the CH3 exon has been inactivated by deleting its 5' intervening sequence necessary for splicing. The tetranucleotide T-G-G-G (or T-G-G-C), which is usually found in close proximity of the class-switch recombination sites in mouse myelomas, is located 5' to the three deletion sites. The results imply that the mechanism responsible for the heavy chain class-switch recombination might be relevant to the evolutionary mechanism of creation of the truncated C epsilon 2 gene. The other deletion in the 3' flanking region of the C epsilon 2 gene may be due to slipped mispairing of the short direct repeat (C-C-C-C-C) at both ends.

Base Sequence↗