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Biomedical subjects

T Endo

Publications and source records attributed to T Endo.

At least 595 records · Page 33Linked to original sources

Distribution of glycosylation abnormality among serum IgG subclasses from patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

IgG from patients with rheumatoid arthritis possess significantly fewer galactose residues in its sugar chains. We made an attempt to analyze the distribution of a galactosylation defect among IgG subclasses by immunoassay using PVL, a recently described lectin specific for N-acetylglucosamine (GlcNAc). A distinct difference between RA and normal controls was present in IgG2 (P = 0.0007). A less remarkable but significant difference was seen in IgG1 (P = 0.0118) and in IgG4 (P = 0.022). A significant difference was not observed in IgG3 (P = 0.169). The possible relationship between such a glycosylation abnormality and RF production was discussed.

Adult↗

SV40 large T antigen reinduces the cell cycle in terminally differentiated myotubes through inducing Cdk2, Cdc2, and their partner cyclins.

Terminally differentiated skeletal muscle myotubes are arrested in G0 phase of the cell cycle and are unable to be released from this arrest by stimulation with mitogens including serum and growth factors. To inspect a possibility of reversing the quiescence at the G0 phase, we have exploited the mouse skeletal muscle cell line C2SVTts11, which is a clone of C2 cells transfected with the SV40 T antigen gene (encoding thermolabile large T and wild-type small t) fused to an inducible promoter. When the large T is induced in the myotubes, the terminally differentiated cells reenter the cell cycle and proceed to S and M phases. To elucidate how large T forces the myotubes to traverse each phase of the cell cycle, we examined the expression and activity of Cdk2 and Cdc2, which in complex with cyclin A and cyclin B are essential for S and M phases, respectively in undifferentiated cells. The levels of their mRNAs and proteins and histone H1 kinase activity, which was ascribed to Cdc2-cyclin B, were high in the proliferating myoblasts but gradually decreased during terminal differentiation. In contrast, they were reinduced in the myotubes reentering the cell cycle. Stimulation of the myotubes with serum failed to evoke these factors. These results indicate that large T, but not mitogens, is able to drive terminally differentiated myotubes to pass each phase of the cell cycle through eliciting these factors as do mitogens on proliferating undifferentiated cells. Since large T is a nuclear protein, signals generated by the protein in the nucleus are likely to be sufficient to induce each phase of the cell cycle in the terminally differentiated cells.

Animals↗

Effects of anti-progesterone compound RU486 on ovulation in immature mice treated with PMSG/hCG.

The effects of RU486, a competitive antagonist of progesterone, on ovulation were studied in PMSG/hCG-treated immature mice. PMSG/hCG was administered to 3-week-old female mice to induce ovulation. A dose of 0.5 mg of RU486 was administered 3 h before hCG injection, simultaneously with hCG injection, or 3, 4.5, 6, 7.5 or 9 h after hCG administration. The lowest number of ovulated eggs was observed in the group given RU486 6 h after hCG injection. Although the mean number of ovulated eggs was only 4.4 in this group, it was increased to 25.7 by supplementary administration of 2.0 mg of progesterone. It was demonstrated that RU486 had inhibitory effects on ovulation, and the inhibition could be prevented by supplementary administration of progesterone.

Animals↗

Double-contrast barium enema study with computed radiography: assessment in detection of colorectal polyps.

Feasibility and diagnostic performance of digital radiography in gastrointestinal imaging have not been fully investigated. We performed double-contrast barium enema study with computed radiography (CR-DCBE) on a routine basis, and the efficacy of this system for detection of colorectal polyps was investigated. The files of 76 patients, who had undergone both CR-DCBE and colonoscopy, were reviewed by two observers who were blinded to the colonoscopic findings. The radiation dose of CR-DCBE was reduced to 50% of conventional film-screen system. By using colonoscopic findings as a reference, the sensitivity and positive predictive value for colorectal polyps were 66% to 71% and 32% to 41%, respectively. There was no significant interobserver difference. The use of postprocessing with gray-scale reversal and edge enhancement did not significantly improve the results. The sensitivity for polyps smaller than 1 cm was comparable with published data of conventional film-screen systems. Our preliminary results show that CR-DCBE has an acceptable sensitivity for detection of colorectal polyps. It is suggested that the use of CR is a promising approach to digital gastrointestinal radiography.

Adult↗

Extended palmar advancement flap with V-Y closure for finger injuries.

The technique of using volar advancement flaps with V-Y closure to the fingers is described. It is possible to perform volar flap advancements up to 15 mm and use V-Y closures in the distal palm, avoiding a skin graft. This method is based on knowledge of the vascular anatomy of the finger dorsum, to avoid devitalising dorsal skin. This method was applied to 14 fingers of 13 patients including finger amputations, claw nail deformities, and skin defects of the middle phalanx. Favourable results were observed.

Adolescent↗

Disruption of the first extracellular loop of thyrotropin receptor prevents ligand binding.

In order to understand the function of the first extracellular loop of the human thyrotropin receptor (hTSHR), each of two peptides of nine amino acids was inserted into the first extracellular loop of hTSHR. hTSHR cDNA was subcloned into the eukaryotic expression vector, pRc/CMV (hTSHR/pRc/CMV). B-hTSHR/pRc/CMV, a mutant hTSHR cDNA which encodes a hydrophilic peptide insert (AGTTRRVAI) and C-hTSHR/pRc/CMV which encodes a hydrophobic peptide insert (ATVLVVPMI) between +486 Ileu and +487 Asp of hTSHR were transfected into Chinese hamster ovary cells to generate the B-1 and C-6 cell lines, respectively. Neither thyrotropin (TSH) nor thyroid stimulating antibody (TSAb) stimulated cAMP production by B-1 or C-6 cells. An 125I-TSH binding assay showed that neither cell line bound TSH. Our data demonstrated that these mutations impaired both TSH binding and cAMP production. This evidence suggests that the first extracellular loop of hTSHR may have a crucial role in the TSH- and TSAb-dependent signal transduction.

Animals↗

Significance of pH on differentiation of human erythroid cell lines.

As physiological factors and compounds, BSA and/or higher pH of the culture medium could induce the erythroid differentiation of cells. Optimum pH values of the culture medium for higher spontaneous differentiation of KU-812 and K562 cells after 7 days cultivation were 7.5 and 7.6, respectively. The synergistic effects on the differentiation were observed by exposure to hemin under the higher pH condition. In the presence of BSA, 25% of KU-812 and 40% of K562 cells became benzidine positive. Synergistic effects of BSA and the higher pH of the medium were also observed.

Cell Differentiation↗

Carbohydrate heterogeneity of human myeloma proteins of the IgA1 and IgA2 subclasses.

Comparative studies of the N-linked carbohydrate chains of human myeloma proteins of the IgA1 and IgA2 subclasses were performed. The N-linked carbohydrate chains were released by hydrazinolysis from the polypeptide backbone, converted to radioactive oligosaccharides by sodium borotritide reduction after N-acetylation and separated into one neutral and two acidic fractions by paper electrophoresis. The acidic oligosaccharides were completely converted to neutral oligosaccharides by sialidase treatment, indicating that they were sialyl derivatives. The neutral and sialidase-treated acidic oligosaccharides were further fractionated by Bio-Gel P-4 column chromatography. Structural studies of each oligosaccharide by sequential exoglycosidase digestion and methylation analysis revealed that human myeloma IgA proteins contained significant amounts of biantennary complex-type carbohydrate chains in addition to a small amount of the high mannose-type. The results indicated that the oligosaccharide structures of human IgA1 and IgA2 display a high degree of heterogeneity not only in the number of carbohydrate chains, but also in their composition.

Anions↗

Structural studies of the N-linked sugar chains of human rhodopsin.

Human rhodopsin is a glycoprotein containing two N-linked sugar chains. After the isolation and purification of rhodopsins from human retinas, structural studies of their N-linked sugar chains were performed. The sugar moieties, quantitatively released as oligosaccharides from the polypeptide backbone by hydrazinolysis, were converted to radioactive oligosaccharides by reduction with NaB3H4 after N-acetylation. As indicated by high-voltage paper electrophoresis, > 96% of the sugar chains were free of sialic acid and the remaining were sialylated derivatives. Structural studies of each oligosaccharide by lectin affinity column chromatography, and sequential exoglycosidase digestion in combination with methylation analysis, revealed that almost all of the oligosaccharides were hybrid-type sugar chains. While the major oligosaccharide species of bovine and human rhodopsin are identical, in contrast to the sugar chains of bovine rhodopsin, human rhodopsin also contains sialylated isomers and a high concentration of a galactosylated isomer. These results suggest that species-specific processing of the sugar chains of rhodopsin occurs.

Amino Acids↗

A partial connectin cDNA encoding a novel type of RSP motifs isolated from chicken embryonic skeletal muscle.

A partial cDNA encoding 811 amino acids of connectin (titin), a giant elastic protein of muscle (3,000 kDa), was cloned from a chicken embryonic skeletal muscle cDNA library using antibodies to muscle connectin. The encoded product was the C terminal segment of connectin. The predicted sequences consisted of 5 type II motifs (immunoglobulin C2 type) separated by 5 interdomain insertions. One interdomain insertion had significant homology (RSP) to KSP repeats found in human cardiac C-terminal connectin and another had a high sequence homology to porin (67.7%; 31 amino acids).

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Differential induction of adult and fetal globin gene expression in the human CML cell subline KU-812F/33.

Various chemicals which are known to have positive effects on differentiation of some erythroid cell lines were tested on a human chronic myelogenous leukemia cell line, KU-812F. Succinic acid, 5-azacytidine, daunomycin, and hemin showed a positive effect. Among them, hemin and 5-azacytidine were the most effective inducers for erythroid differentiation of KU-812F cells. Dimethylsulfoxide, cytosine arabinofuranoside, and sodium n-butyrate showed no effect. In addition, subclone KU-812F/33 derived from the KU-812F cell line showed differential expression of the beta- and gamma-globin genes in the presence of either 2 microM 5-azacytidine or 40 microM hemin. Hemoglobin synthesis in differentiated KU-812F/33 cells was analyzed by isoelectric focusing gel electrophoresis, and S1 mapping analysis of beta- and gamma-globin mRNA was performed. After treatment with 5-azacytidine, the beta-globin gene expression was predominantly enhanced (18.75-fold higher level of beta-globin mRNA). After treatment with hemin, the most notable increase was in the gamma-globin gene expression (1.83-fold higher level of gamma-globin mRNA), while no increment of beta-globin was observed.

Azacitidine↗

Facial contour reconstruction in lipodystrophy using a double paddle dermis-fat radial forearm free flap.

Facial lipodystrophy is a relatively rare disease and very little has been reported concerning the reconstruction of this facial deformity compared with Romberg's disease. In this article we report a new surgical procedure using a double paddle radial forearm dermis--fat free flap. By using this unique flap, we could reconstruct soft tissue defects on both cheeks in a one-stage operation using one flap. In the previous conventional procedure, two flaps are required for the reconstruction of bilateral defects on the face. Therefore, we also made a comparison between our flap and the conventional flap with regard to their advantages and disadvantages. Although this is a limited experience, we think using this flap is a preferable method of treating facial lipodystrophy.

Adult↗

Synthesis and antimicrobial activity of dimethyl- and trimethyl-substituted phosphonium salts with alkyl chains of various lengths.

Various phosphonium salts possessing single or double alkyl chains of various lengths (C10 to C18) were prepared as cationic biocides, and their antimicrobial activities against 11 typical strains of microorganisms including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were evaluated. The phosphonium salts with long alkyl chains were found to show high levels of antimicrobial activity. Their activities depended strongly on the molecular structure, and a correlation between antimicrobial activity and molecular structure was observed. In the alkyltrimethylphosphonium salts, the bactericidal activity against S. aureus and Escherichia coli increased with increasing alkyl chain length, and the compound with the longest alkyl chain (C18) killed all the bacterial cells (ca. 10(7) cells per ml) within 30 min of contact at concentrations of 2.8 and 28 microM, respectively. In contrast, the bactericidal activity of dialkyldimethylphosphonium salts was found to decrease as the chain length of the substituents increased. It is significant that the phosphonium biocide containing double decyl groups exhibited the broadest spectrum of activity against microorganisms tested and showed the greatest bacteriostatic activity against MRSA (MIC = 0.78 micrograms/ml). Furthermore, we systematically investigated differences in bactericidal activity between the phosphonium salts and commonly available ammonium salts with the same hydrophobic structure. It was observed that the phosphonium salts showed an advantage over the corresponding ammonium salts in bactericidal activity and killing rate. For example, tetradecyltrimethyl- and didecyldimethylphosphonium chlorides killed all S. aureus organisms (ca. 10(7) cells per ml) within 60 and 30 min of exposure at 28 and 2.8 microM, respectively, while tetradecyltrimethyl- and didecyldimethylammonium chlorides which are representative of the existing cationic disinfectants did not kill all the bacteria even at the longest exposure time (120 min).

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗