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Biomedical subjects

T Kikuchi

Publications and source records attributed to T Kikuchi.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Inhibitory factors of serum opsonic activity in serum from patients with chronic renal failure.

We investigated the mechanism of impaired serum opsonic activity in patients suffering from chronic renal failure (CRF). Prehemodialysis pooled serum from CRF patients was fractionated using Sephadex G-50 gel chromatography, and the effects of the obtained fractions on serum opsonic activity were examined using luminol-dependent chemiluminescence responses. Number 25-30 fractions in the prehemodialysis serum contained factors that may inhibit serum opsonic activity. The presumed molecular weight of these fractions is between 300 and 2800 daltons. These findings indicate that the inhibitory factors of serum opsonic activity may belong to middle molecules.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

[Hansen's disease and nephropathy as its sequence].

Nephropathy as the sequences of Hansen's disease before and after the introduction of chemotherapy was compared referring to the report by Hayashi in 1943 and the summary of the autopsy reports from 1978 to 1981 at National Hansen's disease hospital Zenseien. Unlike the high rates of tuberculosis as the cause of death before the introduction of chemotherapy (41.3%) those thereafter decreased to be negligible. On the other hand the comparison of the rates of nephropathy with the same way as that of tuberculosis was impossible since the description about nephropathy by Hayashi was not sufficient to characterize each nephropathy since he included arteriolitis, glomerulonephritis and interstitial nephritis together in the term of nephritis. Death rate due to nephritis among Hansen's disease patients according to Hayashi at that time was 21.2% which was twice as many comparing to that in the other cases. According to the report about the cases of Zenseien those reported to have glomerulonephritis was 37.3% though those were not necessarily listed as the cause of death. Also the nephropathy including fibrinoid angitis with occasional microaneurysmal dilatation of afferent arteries, glomerulitis, sclerosis and stricture of efferent arteries likewise ischemic acute tubular necrosis possibly as the result of these angiopathy seemed to be present. These vascular changes partially resemble to that of microscopic periarteritis nodosa but seems to be common in the smaller arteries. In conclusion, unlike the case of tuberculosis the rate of nephritis including glomerulitis, arteriolitis and interstitial nephritis as Hayashi used as his criteria does not seem to have decreased. Therefore, the critical analysis of the nephropathy especially of that relating to the arteriolitis should be done to obtain the knowledge to suppress its occurrence.

Arteritis↗
PubMed1997

[Open heart surgery without blood transfusion for complete atrioventricular septal defect associated with tetralogy of Fallot].

Open heart surgery without blood transfusion was successfully performed in two patients with complete atrioventricular septal defect associated with tetralogy of Fallot. The postoperative hemodynamics and respiratory status were uneventful in both patients (central venous pressure after ICU admission: 13.7 cmH2O and 11.5 cmH2O, intubation time after surgery: 9 hours and 11 hours). Autologous blood donation immediately after induction of anesthesia and minimization of bypass circuit were effective methods for open heart surgery without blood transfusion, particularly in cyanotic patients requiring prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass for intracardiac repair.

Blood Transfusion, Autologous↗
PubMed1997

[Comparison of echograms by a microscanner and histological findings of the common bile duct, in vitro study].

To confirm the relationship between the layer structure of the common bile duct by a microscanner (MS) and its histological features, we performed a study using the pinning method with needles and catgut. The locations of 67 needles inserted at random depths in 29 slices of the resected common bile duct from 18 patients were confirmed both by a MS and a microscope. The wall of the common bile duct was delineated as a two- (42 points) or three-layer structure (25 points); "low and high" or "high, low, and high echoic layers" from the mucosal side. A fibrotic layer (ss 1) was often (56/67 points, 16/18 patients) seen in the subserosa (ss) containing nerves and vessels larger than 100 mu in diameter. Among the 51 needle echoes demonstrated in the inner hypoechoic layer, 2 were located in the mucosa (m), 12 in the fm, 19 in the af, 17 in the ss 1, and 1 in the fatty layer of the ss (ss 2). Five of the 6 needles in the outer hyperechoic layer were in the ss 2, and 1 was in the pancreatic parenchyma (pa). Four of the 8 needles at the border between the inner hypoechoic layer and the outer hyperechoic layer histologically corresponded to fm, af, ss 1, and pa, respectively, and the other four corresponded to ss 2. From these results, we conclude that the inner hypoechoic layer contains not only m, fm, and af, but also ss 1. Therefore, this should be kept in mind for the preoperative assessment of the depth of bile duct carcinoma by MS.

Bile Duct Neoplasms↗
PubMed1997

[Levels of matrix metalloproteinase-3 and urokinase-type plasminogen activator in knee synovial fluids from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis].

The objective of this study is to determine the levels of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) in knee synovial fluids from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA). Knee synovial fluids were collected from patients with RA and OA. Concentrations of MMP-3 were determined by enzyme immunoassay using a pair of monoclonal antibodies against human proMMP-3, and activities of uPA were measured by immunocapture assay using a polyclonal antiserum against human uPA. The median concentration of MMP-3 in synovial fluids was 97.5 +/- 82.6 micrograms/ml (range 1.06-336 micrograms/ml) for RA group and 20.5 +/- 11.3 micrograms/ml (range 6.19-42.8 micrograms/ml) for OA group. Levels of MMP-3 were significantly higher in RA group than in OA group. The median activity of uPA in synovial fluids was 0.053 +/- 0.052 i.u./ml (range 0.003-0.187 i.u./ml) for RA group and 0.072 +/- 0.059 i.u./ml (range 0.006-0.169 i.u./ml) for OA group. No significant difference of uPA activity was observed between RA and OA group. Significant correlation of the levels of MMP-3 with those of uPA was observed in RA group, however not in OA group. The increased levels of MMP-3 in synovial fluids in RA group may reflect an elevated matrix degrading activity due to joint inflammation. The significant correlation of MMP-3 with uPA in RA group suggests that MMP-3 could degrade cartilage matrix more actively in conjunction with PA-plasmin system than MMP-3 alone.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

[Open heart surgery without homologous blood transfusion for tetralogy of Fallot--use of hydroxyethyl starch diminishes the necessity of protein transfusion].

To avoid any blood or protein transfusions, we employed 6% hydroxyethyl starch in 0.9% saline (saline HES) during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) for intracardiac repair in 24 consecutive patients with Tetralogy of Fallot (TF). The postoperative course has been satisfactory (central venous pressure 9.5 +/- 1.2 cmH2O, duration of intubation after surgery 4.4 +/- 1.5 hours), and all patients but one did not require transfusion therapy during their hospital stay. We conclude that intracardiac repair without transfusions is feasible in almost all patients with TF, when substituting saline HES for blood or proteins.

Blood Proteins↗
PubMed1997

Cytokeratin-19 fragment (CYFRA 21-1) in bladder cancer.

The present study was designed to evaluate the role of the cytokeratin-19 fragment (CYFRA 21-1) as a tumor marker in bladder cancer. The bladder cancer cell line JMSU1 was used in the preclinical study. Subjects comprised 120 healthy volunteers, 20 patients with benign bladder diseases including acute cystitis and bladder stones, 12 patients with chronic renal failure, and 117 patients with histologically confirmed primary bladder cancer. CYFRA 21-1 concentrations were measured by a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The preclinical study in vitro and in vivo showed that JMSU1 produced and released CYFRA 21-1 in the culture supernants and serum of JMSU1-bearing nude mice. The cutoff level was set at 3.5 ng/ml (mean + 3 SD) by the analysis in the healthy volunteers. Under this condition, sensitivity was 0% in benign bladder diseases, 83% in chronic renal failure, and 41.9% in bladder cancer. Serum CYFRA 21-1 levels increased significantly as tumor stage advanced or tumor grade increased. A serial follow-up study demonstrated that patients with progressive showed a gradual increase in serum CYFRA 21-1 levels while patients who responded to the treatments had a marked decrease in serum CYFRA 21-1 levels. Higher serum CYFRA 21-1 levels were related to poor survival. The present study suggest that serum CYFRA 21-1 is a useful marker to monitor the clinical course of bladder cancer and to provide prognostic information.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Suppression of matrix metalloproteinase-3 synthesis by interleukin-4 in human articular chondrocytes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of interleukin-4 (IL-4) on IL-1 induced matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 (TIMP-1) production by human articular chondrocytes. METHODS: Monolayer cell culture of chondrocytes was obtained from human articular cartilage from patella within 24 h after death. MMP-3 and TIMP-1 protein levels were determined by ELISA. MMP-3 activity was assayed as caseinase activity. Amounts of MMP-3 and TIMP-1 mRNA were measured by Northern blot analysis. RESULTS: IL-4 suppressed IL-1 stimulated MMP-3 protein and enzyme activity. Moreover, IL-4 suppressed IL-1 induced MMP-3 mRNA. In contrast, IL-4 did not alter the level of TIMP-1 protein and mRNA. CONCLUSION: IL-4 may be implicated as a protective mediator of joint destruction seen in inflammatory arthritis.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

Matrix metalloproteinase-3 production by human degenerated intervertebral disc.

To assess its possible role in the pathophysiology of intervertebral disc degeneration, we investigated the production of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) using human intervertebral disc explant culture. Five normal and 10 degenerated disc specimens were used. The levels of MMP-3 released in the medium were measured with use of an enzyme immunoassay. The results showed that the level of MMP-3 in the degenerated group (0.57 microg/ml/mg wet weight; n = 10) was significantly higher than that of the control group (0.29 microg/ml/mg wet weight; n = 5) (p < 0.05). Immunostaining of MMP-3 revealed that the ratio of positive staining cells in the degenerated group was greater than that of the control group. These observations suggest that MMP-3 produced by human intervertebral disc may be involved in the intervertebral disc degeneration, particularly in the initiation of matrix degradation of intervertebral disc.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Solubilization and reconstitution characteristics of the carrier protein(s) responsible for the transport of ceftibuten, a substrate for the oligopeptide transporters, in rat renal brush-border membrane.

Optimal procedures for the reconstitution of the transport activity of ceftibuten, a dianionic beta-lactam antibiotic, from rat kidney brush-border membrane were developed. The uptake activity into reconstituted proteoliposomes appeared to be particularly sensitive to the extraction conditions, and to the lipid composition used for reconstitution. Changes in the concentration of octyl glucoside significantly affected the extraction of ceftibuten transport activity, and optimal extraction was achieved at a concentration of 60 mM. Optimal reconstitution was achieved using a lipid composition of asolectin, cholesterol and phosphatidylserine in a w/w percent ratio of 60:30:10, respectively, and with a lipid-to-protein ratio of 10. The uptake of ceftibuten into the resulting proteoliposomes showed temperature and pH dependency, was inhibitable by a range of cephem antibiotics, oligopeptides and the organic anion PAH, and was trans-stimulated by cephalexin and dipeptides. This reconstitution system will likely prove useful in future studies on the functional analysis of the peptide transport system in a purified form.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity in the cochlear lateral wall of the gerbil.

We examined Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity in four regions of the gerbil cochlear lateral wall by measuring intracellular Na+ concentration ([Na+]i). The application of 1 mM ouabain and removal of external K+ caused a most striking increase in [Na+]i of the suprastrial fibrocytes, followed by the stria vascularis and the type II fibrocytes, but no detectable response in the type I fibrocytes. These results may imply the potency of the Na+,K(+)-ATPase activity. The high values of the resting [Na+]i in these cells under perilymph-like solution returned to the [Na+]i within physiological values after exposure to low-Na+ conditions similar to endolymph. Our results are interpreted in the light of recent morphological findings with regard to the roles in the secretion of K+ into endolymph of several cell types within the lateral wall.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) production by astrocytoma cells and its effect on tumor growth.

We investigated the expression of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), G-CSF mRNA, and G-CSF receptor mRNA in astrocytoma cell lines, G-CSF in astrocytoma cyst fluid, and the effect of recombinant G-CSF on the proliferation of astrocytoma cells in vitro and in vivo. We first examined supernatants from astrocytoma cell lines for the presence of G-CSF by ELISA. G-CSF was expressed by 6 of 14 astrocytoma cell lines constitutively, and, was detected after stimulation with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) in four of eight cell lines which did not produce G-CSF constitutively. G-CSF mRNA was detected by reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in all cell lines studied, suggesting that astrocytoma cells have the potential to produce G-CSF. We also analyzed the presence of G-CSF by ELISA in five astrocytoma cyst fluids. G-CSF was detected in one case. Although, in vitro study, the growth of glioma cells was not affected by rG-CSF, in a mouse model, the administration of G-CSF significantly shortened the time to tumor appearance and accelerated tumor growth. These data suggest that G-CSF has a stimulatory effect on the proliferation of astrocytoma cells in vivo through the mediation of host factors.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Fine structural changes of muscle spindles in the gracile axonal dystrophy mutant mouse.

Fine structural changes of muscle spindles in the extensor digitorum longus of the gracile axonal dystrophy mutant mouse were studied from 20 to 120 postnatal days. Degenerative nerve endings in muscle spindles were first recognized at 20 postnatal days. The sensory nerve endings were usually swollen with decrease of cell organelles, and the cytoplasm was electron-lucent. At 50 postnatal days, atrophic nerve endings were frequently observed in the narrow spaces between the indented cell membrane of intrafusal muscle cells and the basement membrane. In addition to degenerative and atrophic changes, regenerative axons showing fine sprouts (with or without Schwann cell projections) appeared in the sensory nerve endings at this time. At 80 postnatal days, sensory nerve endings frequently showed dystrophic changes characterized by axonal dilatation with accumulations of neurofilaments, tubulovesicular structures, mitochondria and myelin-like figures. These findings suggest that axonal transport in the sensory nerve endings is impaired in this mutant mouse. Motor nerve endings were usually well preserved and normal structures even at 80 postnatal days. Intrafusal fibrosis, decrease in number of sensory nerve endings and atrophy of intrafusal muscle fibres were clearly recognized by 100 days of age.

Aging↗
PubMed1996

Prediction of location of active sites in biologically active peptides.

In a previous paper we demonstrated that the short-range compact regions in atrial natriuretic factor (alpha-hANF) predicted by the average distance map (ADM) correspond to its active sites [Kikuchi, J. Protein Chem. 11, 579-581 (1992)]. In the present paper we apply the same method to other bioactive peptides and peptidic enzyme inhibitors. We again observe that active sites in each peptide are contained in short-range compact regions predicted by the ADM for the peptide. This demonstrates that the ADM method predicts the possible location of active sites in biologically active peptides in general. The possibility of practical application of the present method to rational drug design is also discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

Clinical significance of DNA ploidy pattern in stage III gastric cancer.

Nuclear DNA contents from stage III gastric cancers of 216 patients undergoing curative resection from 1972 to 1987 were measured by flow cytometry using paraffin-embedded materials. To determine the clinical significance of the DNA ploidy pattern, the correlation between it and conventional clinicopathologic findings was studied and a prognostic factor for gastric cancer was investigated by both univariate and multivariate analysis. Survivals were compared for diploidy and aneuploidy patterns in subclasses of stage III gastric cancer as well. The grade of each clinicopathologic factor showed no differences between diploidy and aneuploidy patients. The multivariate analysis revealed that the p value and Hazard ratio of the DNA ploidy patterns were 0.001 and 2.099, respectively. Consequently, it was a valuable independent prognostic factor that could be used in addition to lymph node metastasis and depth of invasion. For the most advanced subclass of stage III gastric cancer the 5-year survival rate of patients with a diploid tumor was significantly higher than that for those with aneuploid tumor. No difference was observed for the other subclasses. These results indicate that the DNA ploidy pattern is a valuable independent prognostic factor for gastric cancer, and that it is more useful for evaluating the prognosis of patients with more advanced lesions undergoing "curative resection."

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Pathological study of Japanese quail embryo with acid alpha-glucosidase deficiency during early development.

A pathological study was performed on the tissues of 11 Japanese quail embryos with type II glycogen storage disease (GSD II) between incubation day (ID) 3 and ID 15. Accumulation of glycogen in vacuoles derived from lysosomes was first seen in cardiac muscle at ID 3, in liver at ID 5, in wing muscle at ID 7, and in pectoral muscle at ID 10. The number and size of the glycogen vacuoles gradually increased during development, especially in cardiac muscle. Cytoplasmic glycogen particles, showing the same density as membrane-enclosed glycogen particles, were first seen as masses in cardiac muscle at ID 3, in liver at ID 5, in pectoral muscle at ID 10, and in wing muscle at ID 15. The area of cytoplasm occupied by the glycogen particles increased during development. Myofibrillar degeneration was not seen, although myofibrils appeared in disarray in the early stages, as in normal embryos. This is the first study of the development of embryonic tissues of Japanese quails with GSD II. GSD II in the Japanese quail appears to be clinically analogous to the human late (juvenile)-onset disease, although the disorder starts at very early stages in quail embryos. Therefore, Japanese quails with GSD II can provide a model for elucidating the pathogenetic process of human GSD II.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Furostanol glycosides from bulbs of Allium chinense.

Two new furostanol saponins, named chinenosides II and III, were isolated along with seven known compounds, from the bulbs of Allium chinese G. Don by a combination of silica gel, Diaion HP-20, and octadecylsilanized (ODS) silica gel column chromatographies and preparative HPLC. On the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence, the structures of chinenosides II and III were determined to be 26-O-beta-glucopyranosyl 3 beta,26-dihydroxy-(25R)-5 alpha-furost-20(22)-en-6-one 3-O-beta-xylopyranosyl-(1 --> 4)-[alpha-arbinopyranosyl(1 --> 6) ]-beta-glucopyranoside and 26-O-beta-glucopyranosyl 3 beta,26-dihydroxy-(25R)-5 alpha-furost-20 (22)-en-6-one 3-O-alpha-arabinopyranosyl (1 --> 6)-beta-glucopyranoside, respectively.

Allium↗