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Biomedical subjects

T Endo

Publications and source records attributed to T Endo.

At least 1,099 records · Page 61Linked to original sources

Physical properties and barrier functions of synthetic glyceroglycolipids.

Four glyceroglycolipids containing dipalmitylglycerol were synthesized. The thermotropic behavior and barrier function of aqueous suspensions of these glyceroglycolipids were studied. The gel to liquid crystalline phase transition temperatures of these glycolipids were higher than that of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine. The interaction between headgroups in glyceroglycolipids might be stronger than that in dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine. Diglycosyl dipalmitylglycerols could form liposomes and function as a barrier against water-soluble small molecules (glucose, UmP, and H+) when assayed below their phase transition temperatures, like dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine liposomes. The fundamental properties of glyceroglycolipid membranes so far examined were rather similar to those of phospholipid membranes, with the exception that the permeability rate of water through glycolipid membranes was higher than that through phospholipid membranes. This property might cause the apparent sensitivity difference between liposomes prepared from glycolipids and those from phospholipids to amphotericin B.

Amphotericin B↗

Molecular properties and functions in vitro of chicken smooth-muscle alpha-actinin in comparison with those of striated-muscle alpha-actinins.

alpha-Actinin purified from chicken gizzard smooth muscle was characterized in comparison with alpha-actinins from chicken striated muscles, or fast-skeletal muscle, slow-skeletal muscle, and cardiac muscle. The gizzard alpha-actinin molecule consisted of two apparently identical subunits with a molecular weight of 100,000 on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, as do striated-muscle alpha-actinins. Its isoelectric points in the presence of urea were similar to the striated-muscle counterparts. Despite these similarities, distinctive amino acid sequences between smooth-muscle alpha-actinin and striated-muscle alpha-actinins were revealed by peptide mapping using limited proteolysis in SDS. Gizzard alpha-actinin was immunologically distinguished from striated-muscle alpha-actinins. Gizzard alpha-actinin formed bundles of gizzard F-actin as well as of skeletal-muscle F-actin, but could not form any cross-bridges between adjacent actin filaments under conditions where skeletal-muscle alpha-actinin could. Temperature-dependent competition between gizzard alpha-actinin and tropomyosin on binding to gizzard thin filaments was demonstrated by electron microscopic observations. Gizzard alpha-actinin promoted Mg2+-ATPase activity of reconstituted skeletal actomyosin, gizzard acto-skeletal myosin, and gizzard actomyosin. This promoting effect was depressed by the addition of gizzard tropomyosin. These findings imply that, despite structural differences between gizzard and striated-muscle alpha-actinin molecules, they function similarly in vitro, and that gizzard alpha-actinin can interact not only with smooth-muscle actin (gamma- and beta-actin) but also with skeletal-muscle actin (alpha-actin).

Actinin↗

Intermolecular interaction between glycolipids and glycophorin on liposomal membranes.

The haptenic activity of Forssman glycolipid was affected by glycophorin, and the interaction of glycophorin with lectins was also affected by the glycolipids, when both glycophorin and Forssman glycolipid or globoside were incorporated into the same phosphatidylcholine liposomes. Glycophorin incorporated into phospholipid membranes could interact with lectins, whereas that in glyceroglycolipid membranes could not. These findings suggest that glycophorin and glycolipids may interact, affecting the conformation of their sugar residues, probably through a carbohydrate-carbohydrate interaction. Such an interaction may cause suppression or stimulation of the reactivity of glycoconjugates with lectins or antibodies. Lactosylceramide showed only a slight effect on the interaction between glycophorin and lectins. We suggest that the structure of the sugar residues as well as the lateral distribution of molecules was important for the intermolecular interaction.

Animals↗

Bile acid synthesis by long-term cultured cell line established from human hepatoblastoma.

Bile acids in the spent medium for the cell culture were analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography and gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to determine whether human hepatoblastoma cell line could synthesize bile acids. Cholic, chenodeoxycholic, and lithocolic acids were found in the culture medium, and a portion of chenodeoxycholic acid and all of lithocholic acid were sulfated. Since the cells had been cultured in serum-free medium, it is clear that the bile acids were newly synthesized and sulfated by the cultured cells. Chenodeoxycholic acid was the main bile acid in the medium, suggesting that the cell line might predominantly synthesize chenodeoxycholic acid. On the other hand, the cells had fetal or hepatoma characters such as marked alpha-fetoprotein production. These results suggest that fetal or hepatoma type bile acid metabolism might occur in the cell line, and that the established cell line could be an useful in vitro model for the study of bile acid metabolism in hepatoma.

Animals↗

Unloading effects of vasodilators on peripheral circulation and cardiac hemodynamics in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Effects of three representative vasodilators on peripheral and cardiac hemodynamics were studied in 20 patients with heart failure due to acute myocardial infarction (PCWP greater than 18 mmHg, C1 greater than 2.20 L/min/m2) using venous occlusion plethysmography and a Swan-Ganz catheter. Sublingual isosorbide dinitrate (ISDN) significantly increased calf venous capacitance (CVC) from 5 to 60 min (p less than 0.01) and calf blood flow (CBF) in the initial 15 min (p less than 0.05), while simultaneously lowering PCWP (p less than 0.05) and central venous pressure (p less than 0.05). Calf vascular resistance (CVR), cardiac index, blood pressure, and total systemic peripheral resistance (TSPR) were not affected significantly. Nitroglycerin ointment (NGO) significantly decreased CVR (p less than 0.05) and increased CVC (p less than 0.05) from 60 to 240 min, simultaneously with lowering of PCWP (p less than 0.01), central venous pressure (p less than 0.05), and TSPR (p less than 0.05). Oral prazosin (Pz) increased CBF (p less than 0.01) and CVC (p less than 0.05) from 60 to 240 min, simultaneously with significant lowering of PCWP (p less than 0.01) and TSPR (p less than 0.05), resulting in increased stroke work index (p less than 0.05). These data confirm that ISDN predominantly causes capacitance vessel dilatation and reduce excessive venous return, while Pz and NGO dilate not only capacitance vessels but also resistance vessels, consequently reducing systemic vascular resistance and resulting in increased peripheral blood flow and cardiac performance. It was observed that the higher the base-line calf vascular resistance rose, the better the response to the vasodilator treatment appeared in terms of a decrease in calf vascular resistance.

Adult↗

[Effect of vinpocetine (TCV-3B), a vasodilator agent, on cyclic nucleotide metabolism].

Effect of a novel compound, 14-ethoxycarbonyl-(3 alpha, 16 alpha-ethyl)-14,15-eburnamenine (vinpocetine, TCV-3B), on the cyclic nucleotide metabolism and in vitro response of a vascular strip was investigated. The concentration of vinpocetine producing relaxation of the canine basilar arterial strip induced by 30 microM arachidonate peroxide was 3 microM. Cyclic GMP content in the vascular strip increased dose-dependently by addition of vinpocetine, and 2.5-fold elevation of cyclic GMP content in the vascular strip was observed by 10 microM vinpocetine. Administration of vinpocetine concentrations ranging from 1 to 100 microM did not produce a significant increase in cyclic AMP of the vascular strip. Vinpocetine did not stimulate guanylate cyclase, but selectively inhibited Ca2+-calmodulin dependent phosphodiesterase (Ca2+-PDE). Increase in cyclic GMP by vinpocetine is due to inhibition of Ca2+-PDE because Ca2+-PDE is known to hydrolyze cyclic GMP preferentially. Our results suggest that vinpocetine, a selective Ca2+-PDE inhibitor, produces relaxation of the vascular strip by the increase in cyclic GMP.

Adenylyl Cyclases↗

Urinary and fecal keto bile acids in liver cirrhosis.

The urinary and fecal bile acids of thirteen male patients with liver cirrhosis were analyzed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to obtain information on their keto bile acid excretion. 3 alpha-Hydroxy-12-keto-5 beta-cholanoic, 3 alpha,12 alpha-dihydroxy-7-keto-5 beta-cholanoic, 3 alpha,7 alpha-dihydroxy-12-keto-5 beta-cholanoic and 3 alpha-hydroxy-7,12-diketo-5 beta-cholanoic acids were found in the urine of ten patients. In four of these patients, keto bile acids were the main bile acids excreted in the urine. However, the ratios of fecal keto bile acids to the total fecal bile acids in these four patients were similar to those in the other six patients whose urinary excretion of keto bile acids was low. Three of the four patients had clinical abnormalities, such as ascites, esophageal varices or a history of hepatic encephalopathy, that may indicate advanced liver dysfunction and/or presence of collateral circulation. These findings suggest that the occurrence of keto bile acids in the urine might be ascribed to the escape of these acids from reduction to hydroxy-forms in the liver, not to bacterial over-production in the intestine. However, the mechanism and significance of the presence of keto bile acids in the urine are still unknown.

Adult↗

Developmental modification and hybridization of allelic acid phosphatase isozymes in homo- and heterozygotes for the Acp- 1 locus in rice.

A number of alleles each specified a set of three major and three minor bands of acid phosphatase (E.C. 3.1.3.2) in wild and cultivated rice strains. Relative intensity of the major bands was found to differ significantly according to the developmental stages of the leaves, suggesting the presence of protein modification genes. In heterozygotes, six parental and three hybrid bands were clearly observed in most of the heterozygotes, but the intensities of the hybrid bands were found to be generally lower than those theoretically expected due to random association of enzyme subunits. The cause of this phenomenon is discussed.

Acid Phosphatase↗

Infection of murine peritoneal macrophages with Toxoplasma gondii exposed to ultraviolet light.

Exposure of Toxoplasma trophozoites to ultraviolet light (UV; 2,539 A) remarkably inhibited intracellular multiplication of the toxoplasmas within cultured mouse peritoneal macrophages. These toxoplasmas possessed the ability to induce normal parasitophorous vacuoles (PV) and underwent gradual degeneration in the PV without participation of host-cell lysosomes. Apparently, the basic conformation of the PV, i.e., the association of mitochondria, rough endoplasmic reticulum, and microtubules of the host cell and the presence of microvillous infoldings, was maintained as seen under the electron microscope even after the toxoplasmas had died within the PV. Even PV, in which debris of the toxoplasmas could be observed, did not show the sign of fusion with ferritin-labeled secondary lysosomes.

Animals↗

Serum, fecal and urinary bile acids in patients with mild and advanced liver cirrhosis.

The levels and compositions of bile acids in the serum, feces and urine were determined by gas chromatography in male patients with mild and advanced stages of liver cirrhosis, defined by usual clinical and laboratory criteria. Increased concentrations of serum bile acids, a decreased ratio of serum cholic acid plus deoxycholic acid/chenodeoxycholic acid plus lithocholic acid, a reduction of fecal bile acids, especially deoxycholic acid, and a reduction in total daily excretion of bile acids were found in patients with advanced cirrhosis. Furthermore, 3 beta-hydroxy-5-cholenoic acid, a presumed intermediate in the alternate pathway of chenodeoxycholic acid synthesis, was found in the urine of patients with very advanced cirrhosis. Such changes were absent in patients with mild cirrhosis except for increased concentration of serum bile acids and decreased excretion of total bile acids. The present study suggests that marked changes in bile acid metabolism occur only in advanced cirrhosis.

Adult↗

Immunoglobulin E (IgE) multiple myeloma: a case report and review of the literature.

A case of immunoglobulin E (IgE) myeloma with clinical features of "classic" myeloma is presented. Skeletal roentgenograms showed osteoporosis and compression fractures of the vertebrae but no osteosclerosis. Protein analyses revealed an M component of the IgE kappa type with a concentration of 3.1 g/dl. Although morphologic examination revealed that the plasma cells were not so differentiated, well-developed Golgi apparatus and abundant rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum were observed. An indirect immunofluorescence technique showed characteristic apple green fluorescence. The E myeloma protein of our patient had no antibody activity. Treatment with melphalan or cyclophosphamide resulted in a decrease in the serum IgE level and in the level of Bence Jones protein in the urine. The clinical and laboratory features of IgE myeloma were summarized and compared with those of other classes of myeloma.

Aged↗

N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide, a calmodulin antagonist, inhibits cell proliferation.

N-(6-Aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide (W-7) and its derivatives are putative calmodulin antagonists that bind to calmodulin and inhibit Ca2+/calmodulin-regulated enzyme activities. Autoradiographic studies using tritiated W-7 showed that this compound penetrates the cell membrane, is distributed mainly in the cytoplasm, and inhibits proliferation of Chinese hamster ovary K1 (CHO-K1) cells. Cytoplasmic [3H]W-7 was excluded completely within 6 hr after removal of [3H]W-7 from the culture medium. N-(6-aminohexyl)-1-naphthalenesulfonamide, an analogue of W-7 that interacts only weakly with calmodulin, proved to be a much weaker inhibitor of cell proliferation. CHO-K1 cells were synchronized by shaking during mitosis and then released into the cell cycle in the presence of 25 microM W-7 or 2.5 mM thymidine for 12 hr. Cell division was observed approximately 6 hr later. The results suggest that the effect of W-7 on cell proliferation might be through selective inhibition of the G1/S boundary phase, which is similar to the effect of excess thymidine. This pharmacological demonstration that cytoplasmic calmodulin is involved in cell proliferation is significant; W-7 and its derivatives may be useful tools for research on calmodulin and cell biology-related studies.

Animals↗