Biomedical subjects

T Aoyagi

Publications and source records attributed to T Aoyagi.

527 records · Page 30Linked to original sources

PubMedDate not supplied

Creatine kinase isoforms in the seminal plasma and the purified human sperm.

In previous conventional reports sperm and seminal plasma were not well separated and therefore it was highly probable that isoform (CK-BB) of seminal plasma was determined together with that of sperm. The authors developed a method to purify sperm specimen free from seminal plasma. Human sperm was purified by means of the continuous-step density gradient centrifugation with an inner column and the subsequent modified swim-up procedure. CK isoforms in the purified sperm and the seminal plasma were analyzed by ion exchange chromatography and electrophoresis. The purified sperm contained mitochondrial CK-MiMi as well as cytosolic CK, of which isoform was almost occupied by CK-MM but CK-BB was not detected. On the other hand, CK isoform in the seminal plasma was detected as CK-BB alone. CK activity in human sperm and seminal plasma were 2.0 +/- 0.7 x 10(-6) IU/10(6) sperm and 661 +/- 360 IU/L, respectively. CK activity in the seminal plasma gave no correlation with the semen parameters.

Cell Separation↗

PubMedDate not supplied

The role of peroxynitrite in cyclooxygenase-2 expression of rheumatoid synovium.

OBJECTIVE: Reactive oxygen intermediates play an important role in the inflammatory processes of rheumatoid arthritis. Cyclooxygenase-2 is an inducible form of an enzyme involved in prostanoid biosynthesis. This study linked peroxynitrite (ONOO-) to the signaling pathways that induce COX-2. RESULTS: Exposure of rheumatoid synovial cells to peroxynitrite resulted in COX-2 protein expression in a dose-dependent manner. RT-PCR analysis also demonstrated that COX-2 mRNA was induced in peroxynitrite-treated rheumatoid synovial cells. Dexamethasone markedly inhibited this peroxynitrite-mediated COX-2 expression at therapeutic concentrations. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that oxidant stress is an important inducer of COX-2 in rheumatoid synovium. This induction may contribute to the amplification of prostanoids in the rheumatoid inflammatory process.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Abnormality of the post-proline-cleaving enzyme activity in mice with systemic lupus erythematosus-like syndrome.

Previous studies indicated the importance of hydrolytic enzymes in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. In the present study, we examined the activities of such enzymes in various organs of the hybrids of the New Zealand Black and New Zealand White mouse (NZB/W mouse) as a laboratory model of human systemic lupus erythematosus. Of the 18 enzymatic activities tested, the activities of the post-proline-cleaving enzyme showed a particular behavior in the spleen of NZB/W mouse. The enzymatic activity progressively increased with age in contrast to the reverse tendency in the control. This phenomenon was not found in any organs other than the spleen. The activity of this enzyme showed a high level of correlation to that of proline-iminopeptidase in most organs tested from control animals. However, these correlations were almost completely absent in the spleen of NZB/W mice. This may suggest an important pathogenetic role for the post-proline-cleaving enzyme in immunological disturbances in this model animal.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Inhibition of tumor cell invasion in the Boyden chamber assay by a mannosidase inhibitor, mannostatin A.

An alpha-mannosidase inhibitor, mannostatin A, from Streptoverticillium verticillus var. quintum inhibited chemotactic invasion of mouse B16/F10 melanoma cells in the Boyden chamber assay. It also inhibited in vitro invasion of K-ras-NIH3T3 cells. Mannostatin A did not inhibit the growth of either cell line at the concentration effective to inhibit invasion. Addition of mannostatin A to the cultured B16/F10 or K-ras-NIH3T3 cells inhibited cellular alpha-mannoside activity specifically. Mannostatin A-treated B16/F10 cells also showed decreased metastatic activity in vivo in C57Bl/6 mice.

3T3 Cells↗

PubMedDate not supplied

An occurrence of avian tuberculosis in hooded merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus).

Two imported male hooded mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus) were introduced into a zoological aviary in Japan, and one of them died 10 mo later. Postmortem revealed numerous white yellowish nodules of various sizes in the liver. Two large nodules were also observed below the right lung and on the top of the left kidney. Histopathologically, a large number of tubercles with acid-fast bacilli were seen in the liver. The amyloid was deposited in the connective tissue of the tubercles. Bacteriologically, Mycobacterium avium serovar 1 was isolated from the liver.

Animals↗