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Biomedical subjects

S Nishijima

Publications and source records attributed to S Nishijima.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Prolonged inhibition of cholesterol synthesis by atorvastatin inhibits apo B-100 and triglyceride secretion from HepG2 cells.

Atorvastatin is a new HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor that strongly lowers plasma cholesterol and triglyceride (TG) levels in humans and animals. Since previous data indicated that atorvastatin has prolonged inhibition of hepatic cholesterol synthesis, we tested whether this longer duration of inhibitory effect on cholesterol synthesis decreased hepatic lipoprotein secretion in vitro. We used the HepG2 hepatoma cell line to: (1) determine the time required until levels of secreted apo B-100 and TG declined significantly, (2) examine the relation to the mass of cellular cholesteryl ester (CE) and (3) test microsomal triglyceride transfer protein (MTP) activity which leads to decreased apo B-100 production. Although atorvastatin significantly inhibited cholesterol synthesis in HepG2 cells regardless of treatment duration (1, 14 or 24 h), it did not inhibit TG synthesis. Apo B-100 and TG secretion were unchanged after 1-h atorvastatin treatment, but declined significantly after 24-h treatment. Atorvastatin treatment also reduced cellular CE mass, exhibiting both time- and dose-dependency. Mevalonolactone, a product of HMG-CoA reductase, attenuated the inhibitory effects of atorvastatin. Atorvastatin strongly reduced mRNA levels of MTP, whereas it did not inhibit MTP activity as measured by TG transfer assay between liposomes. Simvastatin also induced treatment- and time-dependent reductions in apo B-100, whereas the MTP inhibitor BMS-201038 exhibited no time dependency, instead inhibiting this variable even on 1-h treatment. These results indicate that reduced apo B-100 secretion caused by atorvastatin is a secondary result owing to decreased lipid availability, and that atorvastatin's efficacy depends on the duration of cholesterol synthesis inhibition in the liver.

Anticholesteremic Agents↗
PubMed2001

Glyoxylate determination in rat urine by capillary electrophoresis.

Oxalate is important in the study of renal stone formation and is derived from the endogenous metabolism of glyoxylate. The aim of this study was to determine urinary glyoxylate levels by capillary electrophoresis (CE). Urine specimens were obtained from 25 male Wistar rats (16 rats intravenously injected with 10 mg or 20 mg glyoxylate and nine controls) by bladder puncture 1 h after administration of glyoxylate or saline. Urinary glyoxylate was measured by CE using an electrolyte composed of 5 mmol/L pyridinedicarboxylic acid and 0.5 mmol/L cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (pH 5.6 and 11.0). The mean +/- SD urinary glyoxylate concentration was 43.1 +/- 14.7 micromol/L in control rats, 722.8 +/- 165.5 micromol/L in rats given 10 mg of glyoxylate and 1290.0 +/- 470.8 micromol/L in rats given 20 mg of glyoxylate. The mean +/- SD recovery after spiking 675.7 micromol/L of glyoxylate into 16 urine specimens was 98.82 +/- 12.81%. When the reproducibility of urinary glyoxylate determination was assessed, the intra-assay coefficient of variation (CV) ranged from 1.38 to 2.59% and the inter-assay CV ranged from 2.94 to 6.69%. Capillary electrophoresis enables sensitive and reproducible determination of urinary glyoxylate levels in rats. This method appears to be suitable for laboratory use and has the advantage of determining glyoxylate and several other urinary anions simultaneously.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Teratogenic effects of bis-diamine on early embryonic rat heart: an in vitro study.

BACKGROUND: Bis-diamine induces cardiac defects, including conotruncal anomalies in rat embryos when the agent is administered to the mother. To evaluate the teratogenic effects and mechanism of bis-diamine, we performed morphological and immunohistochemical analyses of early rat embryos cultured in medium containing bis-diamine. METHODS: The embryos were removed from mother rats on gestational day 10.5 and cultured in medium containing 1 mg of bis-diamine for 6 hr. The embryos were then cultured in medium only for another 6, 12, 18, and 42 hr, corresponding to embryonic day (ED) 11.0, 11.25, 11.5, and 12.5, respectively. Some embryos from the same mothers were used as controls and were cultured in medium only for the corresponding periods to the embryos exposed to bis-diamine. Some mother rats were given a single oral dose of 200 mg of bis-diamine on gestational day 10.5. Embryos from these pregnant rats were removed 6 hr after the oral administration of bis-diamine, and were also cultured in medium only for 6, 12, 18, and 42 hr. RESULTS: No cardiac abnormalities were detected in the controls at any stage of development. Thirty-three of 51 (65%) embryos exposed to bis-diamine and 15 of 20 (75%) embryos removed from bis-diamine-administered mothers showed abnormal cardiac development, including dilated ventricle, elongation of outflow tract, and pericardial defect on ED 11.5. Four of six (67%) embryos exposed to bis-diamine, and five of seven (71%) removed from bis-diamine-administered mothers also presented almost the same cardiac abnormalities on ED 12.5. No cardiac abnormalities were detected in bis-diamine-treated embryos before ED 11.5. In addition, the expression of neural cell adhesion molecule (N-CAM) was examined using immunohistochemical methods. Fewer N-CAM immunoreactive cells were detected in the third and fourth aortic arches in the bis-diamine-treated embryos than in controls on ED 11.5. However, more N-CAM immunoreactive cells were detected in the bis-diamine-treated embryos than in controls on ED 12.5. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that bis-diamine induces cardiac anomalies by delaying the migration of neural crest cells into the heart and by disturbing the proliferation of pericardial precursor during early cardiac development.

Abnormalities, Drug-Induced↗
PubMed2000

Three new scalarane sesterterpenoids from the Okinawan sponge Hyrtios erectus.

Three new scalarane sesterterpenoids-hyrtiolide (1), 16-hydroxyscalarolide (2), and 12-deacetyl-Delta(17)-hyrtial (3), were isolated from Okinawan sponge Hyrtios erectus, along with scalarolide (4) and 12-deacetylhyrtial (5). The structures of new compounds 1-3 were determined by spectroscopic analysis and chemical conversions. Compounds 3 and 5 showed antiproliferative activity toward KB cells.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

The bacteriology of acne vulgaris and antimicrobial susceptibility of Propionibacterium acnes and Staphylococcus epidermidis isolated from acne lesions.

We examined the species of bacteria aerobically and anaerobically isolated from 30 acne lesions and determined antimicrobial susceptibilities of Propionibacterium acnes (P. acnes) and Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis) using nine antimicrobial agents. Among the bacteria isolated, S. epidermidis was most dominant. Both P. acnes and S. epidermidis were isolated from half of the acne lesions. The MIC of seven antimicrobials (ampicillin, erythromycin, roxithromycin, clindamycin, tetracycline, minocycline, nadifloxacin) against P. acnes was under 3.13 micrograms/ml. There were very few resistant strains of P. acnes, but many of S. epidermidis. More than 30% of the S. epidermidis isolates were resistant to erythromycin, roxithromycin, and clindamycin. After long-term systemic antibiotic therapy, the resistant strains of S. epidermidis increased, but P. acnes resistance was still limited. When we use antimicrobial agents for the treatment of acne, it should be noticed that not only P. acnes but also S. epidermidis in the acne lesions may acquire resistance to antimicrobials.

Acne Vulgaris↗
PubMed1999

[Folliculitis].

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Diagnosis, Differential↗
PubMed1999

[Carbuncle].

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Carbuncle↗
PubMed1999

[Furuncle].

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Anti-Infective Agents↗
PubMed1999

[The effects of propofol anesthesia with or without the use of nitrous oxide on the intraoperative involuntary movement, the postoperative awareness and vomiting].

The authors investigated the effect of anesthesia with nitrous oxide and propofol on intraoperative involuntary movement, muscle relaxant usage, postoperative nausea and vomiting, the total amount of propofol used, and recovery time from anesthesia. Eighty-eight patients for gynecological surgery were randomly divided into group PE: propofol/epidural (n = 44), and group PEG: propofol/epidural/nitrous oxide (n = 44). The frequency of postoperative nausea and vomiting were assessed at 24-h postoperatively by blinded observers. There were significant decreases of the mean amounts of propofol and muscle relaxant used between group PEG and group PE. The authors found no correlation between the use of nitrous oxide and intraoperative involuntary movement, subsequent development of postoperative quality of awareness, recovery time, nausea and vomiting. We recommend PEG method for gynecological surgery rather than PE from an economical viewpoint because it is associated with the reduction of mean propofol and muscle relaxant used.

Adult↗
PubMed1998

Hypocholesterolemic effects of the LDL receptor gene transcriptional upregulator CP-230821.

CP-230821 is a novel, potent LDL receptor gene transcriptional upregulator which decreases total plasma cholesterol level. Interestingly, this plasma LDL decrease does not alter hepatic lipid contents. A series of experiments was undertaken to study the molecular biology of this phenomenon. Twelve hours after CP-230821 treatment, the transcriptional activity and mRNA level of the LDL receptor gene in HepG2 cells were increased by 264% and 426%, respectively. Although treatment with the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor compactin also increased LDL receptor gene transcription and mRNA, CP-230821 did not increase the level of HMG-CoA reductase gene transcription or mRNA. These results indicate that LDL receptor gene activity may play an important role in the decrease of plasma LDL level. These results further suggest that the LDL receptor gene and the HMG-CoA reductase gene are not strictly coordinately controlled.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Pyodermia chronica glutealis complicated by acromegalic gigantism.

We report a case of pyodermia chronica glutealis complicated by acromegalic gigantism associated with hyperprolactinemia. The serum prolactin, growth hormone, adrenocorticotropic hormone, and 11-deoxycortisol levels were elevated, but the estradiol and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulphate levels were within normal limits. However, the testosterone level was very low. Histopathologically, we found sinus tracts and scarring in a specimen from the buttocks. We could not immunohistochemically detect clear androgen, growth hormone, or prolactin receptors at any site. The patient was a man with a height of 197 cm and weight of 140 kg, he had clinical features of active acromegaly such as excessive sweating and increased thickness of soft tissue. He was also diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. Under such conditions, bacteria could easily grow and lesions might have been aggravated by the heavy pressure from his weight, a possible causes of his pyodermia chronica glutealis.

Acromegaly↗
PubMed1996

A regulatory mechanism for the balanced synthesis of membrane phospholipid species in Escherichia coli.

The mechanism that assures the balanced synthesis of zwitterionic (phosphatidylethanolamine) and acidic phospholipids (phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin) in Escherichia coli has been examined by genetically manipulating the two enzymes at the biosynthetic branch point, i.e., phosphatidylglycerophosphate synthase, encoded by pgsA, and phosphatidylserine synthase, encoded by pssA. A mutant in which the most part of the pssA gene was replaced with a drug resistance gene lacked phosphatidylserine synthase and phosphatidylethanolamine and required divalent metal ions for growth, as did a previously reported insertion-inactivated pssA mutant. When this mutant harbored a plasmid containing a Bacillus subtilis gene that encodes membrane-bound phosphatidylserine synthase, the phosphatidylethanolamine content was dependent on its activity, in contrast to that with the soluble E. coli counterpart. A defective mutation, pgsA3, caused reductions not only in acidic-phospholipid synthesis but also in phosphatidylethanolamine synthesis, despite the normal level of phosphatidylserine synthase activity. These results, together with previous observations, indicate that phosphatidylserine synthesis requires the membrane-associated form of phosphatidylserine synthase, which is related to the membrane-levels of acidic phospholipids, thus yielding balanced compositions of zwitterionic and acidic phospholipids.

Bacillus subtilis↗
PubMed1995

Activity of eight fluoroquinolones against both methicillin-susceptible and -resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolated from skin infections.

The in vitro susceptibility of Staphylococcus aureus to eight fluoroquinolones, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, enoxacin, ciprofloxacin, lomefloxacin, tosufloxacin, sparfloxacin, and nadifloxacin was established by agar dilution tests, 71 isolates of methicillin-susceptible (MSSA) and 74 isolates of -resistant S. aureus (MRSA) isolated from skin infections. Among all of the fluoroquinolones, nadifloxacin exhibited the lowest MIC for both MSSA and MRSA. In addition, there were no resistant S. aureus, neither MSSA and MRSA, to nadifloxacin. With the exception of nadifloxacin, the incidence of MRSA resistant to fluoroquinolones has gradually increased in recent years. Over half of the MRSA strains were resistant to norfloxacin, ofloxacin, enoxacin, ciprofloxacin, and lomefloxacin.

Anti-Infective Agents↗
PubMed1995

Staphylococcus aureus isolated from nostril anteriors and subungual spaces of the hand: comparative study of medical staff, patients, and normal controls.

An epidemiologic investigation of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) colonization was conducted at Kansai Medical University Hospital between 1990 and 1991. The incidence of nasal and subungual positivity for S. aureus was examined in a total of 156 subjects including inpatients, physicians, and nurses at a ward for dermatology, plastic surgery, and emergency patients, outpatients with atopic dermatitis and other skin diseases, and normal controls. Inpatients were most heavily colonized with MRSA (40.8%), but S. aureus colonization was most frequent in outpatients with atopic dermatitis (95.5%). Not only nostrils, which have been much discussed as a reservoir of S. aureus, but also subungual spaces seemed to be havens of S. aureus. Twelve out of 22 atopic dermatitis patients were positive for S. aureus on skin regions, and coagulase and phage testing showed a correlation between the nasal and skin-colonizing S. aureus. Coagulase type II and phase type NT (not typable) were the predominant types of S. aureus, including MRSA.

Dermatitis, Atopic↗