Biomedical subjects

T Itoh

Publications and source records attributed to T Itoh.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

PubMed2001

General pharmacological properties of Sho-seiryu-to (TJ-19) extracts.

The general pharmacological properties of TJ-19 extracts were orally investigated in various experimental animals. TJ-19 extracts showed no effect on general behavior and on central nervous system such as spontaneous locomotor activity, proconvulsant and anti-convulsant responses, analgesic activity, body temperature and hexobarbital sleeping time at all doses of 0.5, 1 and 2 g/kg in mice. Further, TJ-19 extracts showed no effect on contractile responses of isolated guinea pig ileum induced by acetylcholine, histamine and BaCl2 at concentrations of 10(-6), 10(-5), and 10(-4) g/ml. TJ-19 extracts, however, increased the respiratory rate, heart rate, blood pressure, systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, and decreased the blood flow in dogs at all doses of 0.5, 1 and 2 g/kg via duodenal administration. Further, TJ-19 extracts decreased the interval of PR and QT of EKG parameters in dogs at doses of 1 and 2 g/kg. TJ-19 extracts increased the intestinal transport of charcoal meal in rats at doses of 1 and 2 g/kg. TJ-19 increased the urinary Na+ excretion at all doses of 0.5, 1, and 2 g/kg, and increased the urinary K+ and Cl- excretion at 1 and 2 g/kg, although it showed no effect on urine volume output in rats. These data suggest that TJ-19 stimulates the sympathetic nervous system function at a pharmacological dose of under 0.5 g/kg, and has possibility to increase the intestinal peristalsis and urinary electrolyte excretion at higher doses.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Molecular cloning of a cDNA encoding a bovine growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF-9) and expression of GDF-9 in bovine ovarian oocytes and in vitro-produced embryos.

Growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF-9), a member of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily, is known to be expressed specifically in ovaries of various mammalian species and to be important for normal follicular development in mice. In the present study, a cDNA encoding for bovine GDF-9 was isolated and characterized, and expression of GDF-9 mRNA in ovarian oocytes and in-vitro-derived embryos was examined. Isolation of bovine GDF-9 was achieved using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with primers based on an ovine GDF-9 cDNA sequence. A 1385 bp cDNA encodes a deduced 453-amino acid sequence which contains the proregion (318 residues) and the mature protein (135 residues) portion. The deduced amino acid sequence of bovine GDF-9 is 98 and 93% identical to ovine GDF-9 and human GDF-9 in the mature portion of the molecule, respectively. Results from reverse transcription (RT)-PCR analysis detected bovine GDF-9 mRNA in preantral follicles (150-200 microm in diameter), early antral follicles (400-800 microm in diameter), and immature oocytes, whereas no detectable PCR signal was observed in cumulus/granulosa cells. In addition, bovine GDF-9 mRNA continued to be expressed in developing embryos up to the 8-cell stage, but was undetectable at the blastocyst stage. These findings give rise to new possibilities regarding an additional physiological role of GDF-9 in early embryonic development as well as in the development of follicles.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2001

CD4 T cells monospecific to ovalbumin produced by Escherichia coli can induce colitis upon transfer to BALB/c and SCID mice.

Although some animal models suggest an involvement of CD4 T cells reactive to luminal microbial antigen(s) for the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), direct linkage between microflora-driven clonal expansion of CD4 T cells and the development of colitis has not been well studied. Here, BALB/c and SCID mice were given CD4 T cells purified from Rag-2(-/-) mice crossed to transgenic mice expressing TCR specific to ovalbumin (OVA) then administered with antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli producing OVA (ECOVA) or LacZ (ECLacZ) via the rectum. The ECOVA-inoculated BALB/c and SCID mice developed a subacute colitis with microscopic features of distortion of crypt architecture, loss of goblet cells, and focal infiltration by mononuclear cells in the lamina propria (LP) and submucosa. Expanding OVA-specific CD4 T cells were detected in colonic follicles of mice with ECOVA. Early in colitis, OVA-specific CD4 T cells producing IFN-gamma predominate in the LP of the colon, which was followed by an emergence of OVA-specific CD4 T cells producing IL-4 and IL-10 at a later time point. Co-transfer of an IL-10-secreting OVA-specific CD4 T cell line prevented colitis. Thus, an expansion of CD4 T cells monospecific to OVA, an antigen non-cross-reactive to colonic tissue, can mediate both induction and inhibition of the colitis which was associated with hyperplasia of lymph follicles.

Administration, Rectal↗

PubMed2001

Turgor pressure regulation and the orientation of cortical microtubules in Spirogyra cells.

Microtubules (MTs) of cells of Spirogyra sp. were depolymerized by treatment with amiprophos-methyl (APM) for 1 h and then reorganized in 0.30 M mannitol solution. The reorganized MTs after 1.5 h incubation showed an oblique/longitudinal orientation and then became transversely oriented as the incubation was prolonged. During this incubation, the osmotic pressure of cells was measured by the plasmolysis method. The cell osmotic pressure increased with time. The calculated turgor pressure at 1.5 h was 0.11 M (mannitol equivalent) and, at 13.5 h, 0.25 M. Similar changes in MT orientation and recovery of the turgor pressure were also observed in 0.30 M sorbitol solution. These results suggest that the MT orientation may be correlated with the turgor pressure. Among fresh water algae sensitive to a saline environment, this Spirogyra was the first species shown to have a turgor regulating mechanism, although the recovery of turgor pressure was incomplete. The recovery of turgor pressure in mannitol solutions was also observed without APM treatment.

Chlorophyta↗

PubMed2001

Natronobacterium nitratireducens sp. nov., a aloalkaliphilic archaeon isolated from a soda lake in China.

Two novel haloalkaliphilic archaea, strains C231T and C42, were isolated from a soda lake in China. Cells of the two strains were rod-shaped and gram-negative and colonies were bright red. They required at least 2.5 M NaCl for growth, with an optimum at 3.5 M NaCl, and grew over a pH range from 8.0 to 10.5, with an optimum at pH 8.5. Hypotonic treatment with less than 1.5 M NaCl caused cell lysis. They had similar polar lipid compositions, possessing the diphytanyl (C20:C20) and phytanyl-sesterterpanyl (C20:C25) diether derivatives of phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerophosphate methyl ester and a minor phospholipid, PL1. No glycolipids were detected. Comparison of 16S rDNA sequences and morphological features placed them in the genus Natronobacterium. Detailed phenotypic characterization and DNA-DNA hybridization studies revealed that the two strains belong to a new species in the genus Natronobacterium, for which the name Natronobacterium nitratireducens sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is C231T (= AS 1.1980T = JCM 10879T).

China↗

PubMed2001

G2/M-phase-specific transcription during the plant cell cycle is mediated by c-Myb-like transcription factors.

Plant B-type cyclin genes are expressed specifically in late G2- and M-phases during the cell cycle. Their promoters contain a common cis-acting element, called the MSA (M-specific activator) element, that is necessary and sufficient for periodic promoter activation. This motif also is present in the tobacco kinesin-like protein gene NACK1, which is expressed with timing similar to that of B-type cyclin genes. In this study, we show that G2/M-phase-specific activation of the NACK1 promoter also is regulated by the MSA element, suggesting that a defined set of G2/M-phase-specific genes are coregulated by an MSA-mediated mechanism. In a search for MSA binding factors by yeast one-hybrid screening, we identified three different Myb-like proteins that interact specifically with the MSA sequence. Unlike the majority of plant Myb-like proteins, these Myb proteins, NtmybA1, NtmybA2, and NtmybB, have three imperfect repeats in the DNA binding domain, as in animal c-Myb proteins. During the cell cycle, the level of NtmybB mRNA did not change significantly, whereas the levels of NtmybA1 and A2 mRNAs fluctuated and peaked at M-phase, when B-type cyclin genes were maximally induced. In transient expression assays, NtmybA1 and A2 activated the MSA-containing promoters, whereas NtmybB repressed them. Furthermore, expression of NtmybB repressed the transcriptional activation mediated by NtmybA2. Our data show that a group of plant Myb proteins that are structurally similar to animal c-Myb proteins have unexpected roles in G2/M-phase by modulating the expression of B-type cyclin genes and may regulate a suite of coexpressed genes.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed2001

Observations of vibration shape of AT-cut quartz resonator including electric twins.

Quartz crystal resonators, including electric twins, are investigated. Electric twins are artificially formed in the usual AT-cut quartz crystal resonantor before the deposition of electrodes. We have directly observed that vibrations generated at electrodes propagate into the outside region isotropically, but cannot propagate into the region of electric twin.

Letter↗

PubMed2001

Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric carcinoma in Japanese Brazilians and non-Japanese Brazilians in São Paulo.

The proportion of Epstein-Barr virus-associated gastric carcinoma (EBV-GC) was examined in 149 Japanese-Brazilian and 151 non-Japanese-Brazilian gastric-carcinoma cases using in situ hybridization (ISH) assay to detect EBV-encoded small RNA (EBER), and the results were compared with our referent Japanese data. We found that 4.7% of cases in Japanese Brazilians were EBER-positive. This frequency was slightly lower than that of the referent Japanese, among whom 6.2% of 2038 gastric-carcinoma cases were EBER-positive. On the other hand, the non-Japanese-Brazilian series showed a significantly higher proportion of EBV-GC (11.2%) than the referent group did (P = 0.01). Although EBV-GC was predominant in males among non-Japanese Brazilians (M / F = 3.6, P = 0.047), as was the case in Japanese (M / F = 2.7), Japanese Brazilians did not show such a male predominance. The sex-ratio difference between the Japanese Brazilians and Japanese was statistically significant (P = 0.005). In conclusion, the present study in Japanese Brazilians and Japanese yielded no evidence suggesting any change in the frequency of EBV-GC caused by migration, except the absence of male predominance, which was observed both in Japanese and non-Japanese Brazilians.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2001

Case of metastatic breast cancer from esophageal cancer.

Metastasis to the breast from extramammary malignancies is rare. This is the third case report of metastatic breast cancer from esophageal cancer. We report the clinical, radiographic, and pathologic findings of a 57-year-old woman who underwent esophagectomy for esophageal cancer and developed metastatic cancer 2 years later. Pathologic examination of a resected specimen of the breast revealed squamous cell carcinoma invading the mammary glands. Estrogen receptor and axillary lymph node metastasis were negative with immunostaining. She is alive 6 months after the modified radical mastectomy.

Breast Neoplasms↗

PubMed2001

Identification of a novel T-cell epitope in soluble egg antigen of Schistosoma japonicum.

Identification of T-cell epitopes harbored in soluble egg antigen (SEA) of Schistosoma japonicum and study of the immunological properties are essential for understanding the immunopathology and the control of schistosomiasis. As a follow-up to our previous work, the 66- to 80-kDa fragment from SEA was partially digested with protease, fractionated by reverse-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography, and found to be carrying a peptide which stimulated proliferation and gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) production of Th1 clones specific to SEA. Sequence analysis showed that the peptide was composed of 12 amino acids lined up as DLAVELAYLGNL. A synthetic homologue induced proliferation and IFN-gamma and interleukin-2 (IL-2) production, but not IL-4 or IL-6 production, by the Th1 clones as well as by the spleen cells from SEA-immunized mice, thus indicating that the peptide carries a Th1 epitope of SEA.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Localization of c-di-GMP-binding protein with the linear terminal complexes of Acetobacter xylinum.

Specific labeling of a single row of cellulose-synthesizing complexes (terminal complexes, TC subunits, TCs, or TC arrays) in Acetobacter xylinum by antibodies raised against a 93-kDa protein (the cyclic dignanylic acid-binding protein) has been demonstrated by using the sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-freeze-fracture labeling (FRL) technique. The antibodies to the 93-kDa protein specifically recognized the TC subunits on the protoplasmic fracture (PF) face of the outer membrane in A. xylinum; however, nonlabeled TCs were also observed. Two types of TC subunits (particles or pits) are observed on the PF face of the outer membrane: (i) immunogold-labeled TCs showing a line of depressions (pits) with an indistinct particle array and (ii) nonlabeled TC subunits with a distinct single row of particle arrays. The evidence indicates that the labeling patterns differ with respect to the presence or absence of certain TC subunits remaining attached to the replica after SDS treatment. This suggests the presence of at least two TC components, one in the outer membrane and the other in the cytoplasmic membrane. If the TC component in the outer membrane is preferentially fractured and remains attached to the ectoplasmic fracture face (or outer leaflet) of the outer membrane, subsequent replica formation reveals a pit or depression with positive antibody labeling on the PF face of the outer membrane. If the TC component in the outer membrane remains with the PF face (or inner leaflet) of the outer membrane, the innermost TC component is removed during SDS treatment and labeling does not occur. SDS-FRL of TCs in A. xylinum has enabled us to provide the first topological molecular analysis of component proteins in a cellulose-synthesizing TC structure in a prokaryotic organism.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PubMed2001

Contamination of transplantable human tumor-bearing lines by Helicobacter hepaticus and its elimination.

Helicobacter hepaticus contaminating nonfrozen tumors was transmissible to severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice, but the organism in cryopreserved samples was not. This suggests that H. hepaticus has the ability to spread via biomaterials and that freezing-thawing is able to reduce the numbers of organisms to levels insufficient for subcutaneous infection of SCID mice.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

A rare case of bronchial glomus tumor.

A 48-year-old man was admitted because of bloody sputum in whom a chest computed tomography (CT) scan and fiberoptic bronchoscopy demonstrated a polypoid tumor in the left main bronchus. The tumor was surgically resected, and the pathological and immunohistochemical findings led to diagnosis of the tumor as a bronchial glomus tumor.

Biopsy, Needle↗

PubMed2001

Stimulation effect of galanin-like peptide (GALP) on luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone-mediated luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion in male rats.

Galanin-like peptide (GALP) is a recently isolated hypothalamic peptide which has sequence homology to galanin and binds to galanin receptors with high affinity. It has been shown that GALP neurons are localized in the arcuate nucleus and that GALP-immunoreactive fibers are in close apposition with LHRH neurons in the medial preoptic area (MPA). In the present study, we found that intracerebroventricular (icv) administration of GALP increased the plasma LH level but did not change the levels of other hormones. Concomitantly, accumulation of c-Fos protein was dramatically increased in the nuclei of LHRH-positive cells in the MPA by icv GALP administration. Furthermore, the GALP-induced plasma LH response was completely abolished by pretreatment with Cetrorelix, a LHRH receptor antagonist. On the other hand, GALP did not affect the release of LH, FSH, TSH, ACTH, GH or PRL directly from dispersed rat pituitary cells in vitro. These results strongly suggest a role for GALP in the control of gonadotropin secretion through a hypothalamic mechanism involving the release of LHRH.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

[No relation between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor-induced cough and ACE gene polymorphism, plasma bradykinin, substance P and ACE inhibitor concentration in Japanese patients].

Persistent dry cough is well known as the most common side-effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors. We examined the relationship between a cough and ACE gene polymorphism, plasma bradykinin (BK), substance P (SP) and ACE inhibitor concentrations in patients with hypertension or chronic nephritis. First, ACE genotyping was carried out in 96 patients, 42 with coughs and 54 without coughs, which had been treated with various kinds of ACE inhibitors. However, no significant difference in the ACE genotypes was observed between the two groups. Second, the plasma concentrations of BK, SP and ACE inhibitor were measured in 12 patients, which were treated with trandolapril at a daily dose of 1 mg for 4-33 weeks. In 3 patients, the cough was induced during the trandolapril therapy, while it was induced not in 9 patients. The plasma levels of BK and SP did not significantly change after trandolapril administration in the patients with and without coughs. Between the two groups, there were no significant differences in the plasma levels of BK and SP either before or after the trandolapril therapy. Also the plasma concentrations of trandolapril and trandolaprilat, the active metabolite of trandolapril, did not significantly differ between the two groups. These results suggest that there is no significant relationship between the ACE inhibitor-induced cough and ACE gene polymorphism, plasma BK, SP and ACE inhibitor concentrations in patients with hypertension or chronic nephritis.

Aged↗

PubMed2001

Appropriate indications for the use of a percutaneous cardiopulmonary support system in cases with cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction.

Percutaneous cardiopulmonary support (PCPS) is now available for hemodynamic support in patients with cardiogenic shock, but there are no guidelines for its use. The present study determined the appropriate indications for the use of the PCPS in patients with cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Sixty-four consecutive patients with cardiogenic shock complicating AMI had hemodynamic support with an intraaortic balloon pump (IABP; n=38) and/or PCPS (n=26). The shock score (0-15) was calculated immediately before starting these support systems to quantify the severity of shock. Multivariate logistic regression analysis determined the clinical factors affecting in-hospital mortality. The relationship between in-hospital prognosis and the shock score was also examined in the 2 groups. The most significant factor related to the in-hospital prognosis was the shock score (p=0.0007; OR 2.16, 95% CI: 1.37-3.39). Another related factor was revascularization; however, this relationship did not reach statistical significance (p=0.069; OR 0.06). Among the 13 cases whose shock score was 4-8 (moderate shock), 5 survived in the PCPS group, but only 1 of 19 patients survived in the IABP group (p<0.05). None of the patients in either group whose shock score was more than 9 survived. The severity of shock is the most reliable independent predictor of in-hospital mortality in patients with cardiogenic shock complicating AMI. Using PCPS in patients with moderate cardiogenic shock may improve their in-hospital survival, but it must be used before the shock becomes severe.

Aged↗

PubMed2001

Transient ventricular wall thickening in acute myocarditis: a serial echocardiographic and histopathologic study.

The present study was designed to determine whether the wall thickening seen in acute myocarditis is caused by interstitial edema. The study group comprised 25 patients (idiopathic myocarditis, 17; eosinophilic myocarditis, 8) in whom acute myocarditis was diagnosed histologically and who underwent echocardiography and endomyocardial biopsy during both the acute and convalescent phases. The following echocardiographic parameters were measured: interventricular septum and left ventricular posterior wall thickness, left ventricular end-diastolic dimension, and left ventricular ejection fraction. Based on the myocardial biopsy specimens, the degree of interstitial edema was classified into 3 grades [(-), 1(+), 2(+)] and the transverse diameter of cardiac myocytes was measured using light microscopy. The thickness of both the interventricular septum and left ventricular wall decreased from 14.3+/-3.7 mm and 13.3+/-2.4 mm in the acute phase to 9.7+/-1.7 mm (p<0.001) and 10.2+/-1.7 mm (p<0.0001), respectively, in the convalescent phase. Edema was present in 22 patients (88.0%) in the acute phase, but in the convalescent phase, edema was present in only 7 patients (28.0%), indicating a significant reduction in the degree of edema (p<0.0001). Cardiac myocyte diameter did not differ significantly between the acute (13.6+/-1.1 microm) and convalescent (13.8+/-1.8 microm) phases.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2001

Leiomyosarcoma of the larynx: emergency tracheostomy.

Leiomyosarcoma of the larynx is extremely rare. Histological diagnosis for excluding other tumours remains extremely difficult. A rare case of leiomyosarcoma of the larynx, treated by surgery and radiotherapy, is reported. We discuss the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of leiomysarcoma with a review of the literature.

Aged↗