[A case of pancreas carcinoma observed reflux of the bile juice on cut surface of the pancreas].
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Adenocarcinoma↗
Biomedical subjects
T Kodama
Publications and source records attributed to T Kodama.
Determination of mRNA levels of cholesterol biosynthesis enzymes and LDL receptor using ribonuclease protection assay.
We designed a rapid method for determining mRNA content of cholesterol biosynthesis enzymes and LDL receptor (LDLR) using a ribonuclease protection assay (RPA). 32P-labeled cRNA fragments for genes of human LDLR and the enzymes HMG-CoA synthase (HMGS), HMG-CoA reductase (HMGR), mevalonate kinase (MK), farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase (FPPS), and squalene synthase (SQS) were prepared by in vitro transcription. Total RNA prepared from HepG2 cells was hybridized with the cRNA probe and the hybridized mRNA was determined under protection from RNase digestion. Probe content used in this assay was excess in determining the desired mRNA in total RNA, and surplus probes were completely digested using RNase under standard conditions. When cells were cultured in DMEM supplemented with 10% fetal calf serum (FCS), mRNA levels of FPPS, SQS, and LDLR were about 4- to 7-fold higher than those of HMGS, HMGR, and MK. On incubation with DMEM supplemented with 10% lipoprotein-deficient serum (LPDS) for 8 h, all messenger RNA levels increased 1.5- to 3.5-fold. In addition, when the HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor compactin was added to 10% LPDS-DMEM, these levels increased even further and the change in mRNA level seemed to differ between the enzymes and LDLR. From these results, we conclude that RPA is a useful method for determining the very small amount of mRNA level of cholesterol biosynthesis enzymes and LDLR in the cell.
Base Sequence↗
[Helicobacter pylori in intractable gastric ulcer and cagA gene].
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Antigens, Bacterial↗
The 5' coding sequence of IL-2 receptor alpha chain mRNA mediates mRNA stabilization by HTLV-1 Rex.
The interleukin-2 receptor alpha chain (IL-2R alpha) is a T-cell growth factor receptor and is known to be induced in helper T cells by infection with human T-cell leukaemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1). The Rex protein of HTLV-1 has been shown to stabilize IL-2R alpha mRNA. Although the 3' untranslated region of many RNA has been regarded as a key element for stabilization, we found that the first 300 bases of the IL-2R alpha protein coding sequence were necessary for stabilization of the mRNA. As the first 201 bases were not sufficient for this effect, we conclude that the bases at position 201-300 downstream of the AUG start are important for stabilization.
Cell Culture Techniques↗
[Liver abscess (solitary liver abscess, multiple liver abscess, subcapsular liver abscess].
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Diagnosis, Differential↗
[Study of pancreatic duct pressure in the biliary tract and pancreatic diseases: endoscopic pressure determination of the pancreatic duct].
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Adult↗
Oxidation-induced aggregation of rabbit low-density lipoprotein by azo initiator.
Oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) has been considered as an important step in the early pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. We investigated the oxidative modification of LDL by a water-soluble azo-initiator AAPH (2,2,-azo-bis(2-amidinopropane).2HCl) and analyzed the uptake of AAPH-oxidized LDL with mouse peritoneal macrophages. Oxidative modification of LDL by AAPH was similar to the modification induced by copper in regard to the degree of oxidation and formation of aggregated LDL. The aggregated oxidized (AO-) LDL was fractionated by gel permeation chromatography and compared with the monomeric oxidized (MO-) LDL to make clear their characterization. The results of binding, cell association, and degradation with macrophages indicated that both AO- and MO-LDL were bound and endocytosed by macrophages. The cross competition experiment showed that nonreciprocal competition existed among MO-LDL, AO-LDL, and monomeric acetylated (MAc-) LDL. By the sterol accumulation experiment in macrophages with the various types of modified LDL, the cellular sterol accumulation was shown as the following order, AO-LDL > MAc-LDL > MO-LDL. These results indicated that the oxidation by AAPH can induce the aggregation of LDL and that the AO-LDL contribute to lipid accumulation into macrophages more than the MO-LDL.
Acetylation↗
Elevated blood pressure and craniofacial abnormalities in mice deficient in endothelin-1.
The endothelin-1 (ET-1) gene was disrupted in mouse embryonic stem cells by homologous recombination to generate mice deficient in ET-1. These ET-1-/- homozygous mice die of respiratory failure at birth and have morphological abnormalities of the pharyngeal-arch-derived craniofacial tissues and organs. ET-1+/- heterozygous mice, which produce lower levels of ET-1 than wild-type mice, develop elevated blood pressure. These results suggest that ET-1 is essential for normal mouse development and may also play a physiological role in cardiovascular homeostasis.
Animals↗
Pro-gastrin-releasing peptide(31-98) is a specific tumor marker in patients with small cell lung carcinoma.
Gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) is a specific and an actively secreted product of small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) cells. Based on this observation, we attempted to develop a new approach for early detection of SCLC and for monitoring therapeutic response in SCLC patients. Recombinant human ProGRP(31-98), a region common to three types of human ProGRP molecules, was synthesized, and a convenient radioimmunoassay system was developed; in this assay, the minimum detectable amount in serum was 10 pM when 0.1 ml of unextracted serum was used. Serum levels of immunoreactive ProGRP(31-98) were measured in 247 normal subjects, 180 patients with nonmalignant pulmonary diseases, 231 patients with non-SCLC, and 140 patients with SCLC. The percentages of subjects with the level greater than 10 pM in normal subjects and patients with nonmalignant pulmonary diseases and with non-SCLC were 1.2, 2.2, and 3.0%, respectively. In contrast, 76% of patients with SCLC had elevated levels; the positive rates in SCLC patients with limited and extensive diseases were 73 and 79%, respectively, indicating that the serum Pro-GRP(31-98) level could serve as a reliable tumor marker in SCLC patients, even at a relatively early stage of this disease. Moreover, changes in the serum ProGRP(31-98) showed excellent correlation with the therapeutic responses in SCLC patients. These results indicate that the determination of serum ProGRP(31-98) levels plays an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of SCLC patients.
Biomarkers, Tumor↗
Stabilization of interleukin-2 receptor alpha chain mRNA by HTLV-1 Rex in mouse L cells: lower amounts of Rex do not stabilize the mRNA.
T cell growth factor receptor, interleukin-2 receptor alpha chain (IL-2R alpha) is constitutively expressed on human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1) infected T cells. We have established L cell lines which express both IL-2R alpha and the Rex protein of HTLV-1. We found that IL-1R alpha mRNA is stabilized in a cell line, Ltk/1-2a, which expresses a high amount of the Rex protein. In the presence of lower amounts of Rex, stabilization of the mRNA was not observed. These results may well explain the mechanism by which most of the lymphocytes infected with HTLV-1 escape from malignant transformation.
Animals↗
Spinal epidural abscess with gadolinium-enhanced MRI: serial follow-up studies and clinical correlations.
We reviewed serial MRI with and without gadolinium-DTPA in eight patients with spinal epidural abscess and correlated the findings and the clinical manifestations. In four patients, diffuse abscesses spanned four vertebral bodies or more; the others had focal abscesses associated with osteomyelitis and/or diskitis. In three of the four patients with diffuse abscesses, MRI (NCMRI) showed diffuse encasement of the subarachnoid space. Contrast-enhanced MRI (CEMRI) demonstrated linear enhancement surrounding unenhanced pus. In the four patients with focal abscesses, CEMR delineated the inflammatory process more clearly than NCMR. On follow-up studies, decrease in abscess size and better visualization of the subarachnoid space correlated with clinical improvement in both diffuse and focal abscesses. Despite clinical improvement, contrast enhancement persisted in the disk or epidural space of three patients, and was thought to represent chronic granulomatous change or postsurgical scar. CEMR is very valuable for the initial diagnosis of an epidural abscess, particularly if it involves lengthy segments. During follow-up, CEMR can document responses to therapy, and provide information for determining appropriate treatment.
Abscess↗
Development of transient thyroid disease and reaction during treatment of chronic hepatitis C with interferon.
Six of 50 (12%) patients with chronic hepatitis C who were treated with interferon developed thyroid disease or an autoimmune thyroid reaction while undergoing treatment. One patient developed silent thyroiditis, with an increase in serum triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), free T3, free T4, and markedly suppressed thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, accompanied by the appearance of both antithyroglobulin (TgAb) and antimicrosomal antibodies (McAb). One patient developed hypothyroidism in association with moderately elevated TSH levels and high titers of McAb. TSH, TgAb, and McAb levels returned to the initial values at least 4 months after the end of interferon treatment (9 months of follow up). Four patients whose TgAb and/or McAb levels were elevated during treatment with interferon had been diagnosed as having subclinical autoimmune thyroiditis; however, their thyroid function remained in the normal range. These results suggested that treatment with interferon can cause a transient autoimmune thyroid reaction and disease as a side effect.
Autoantibodies↗
A case of metastatic chondrosarcoma of the stomach.
A case of metastatic chondrosarcoma of the stomach in a 34-year-old female is reported. This patient had been diagnosed as having chondrosarcoma of the right knee and was operated on in 1984. Thereafter, there was repeated local recurrence and operations were performed on multiple metastases, including those of the lung, brain, ovary and spleen. In September, 1990, the patient was readmitted because of advanced anemia. Gastroendoscopy disclosed a firm elevated lesion with central irregular erosion. Histologically, there was cellular atypical cartilage with pleomorphic chondrocytes, which showed the same staining reactions as those in the primary lesion. Therefore this case was diagnosed as metastatic chondrosarcoma. This may be the first documentation of a case of gastric metastasis of chondrosarcoma.
Adult↗
Histogenesis of hyperplastic polyps of the stomach in terms of cellular proliferation.
We investigated the histogenesis of hyperplastic polyps of the stomach, in terms of cellular proliferation, by studying endoscopically removed and gastrectomized human gastric polyps either labeled with bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) by in vitro flash labeling techniques or labeled in an isolated organ circulation system, in both of which, perfluorochemical artificial blood was employed. Immunohistochemistry with antibodies against BrdU and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) was simultaneously employed. The generative cell zone of pedunculated and semipedunculated polyps was markedly expanded compared with that of the background mucosa, and this change also appeared in sessile polyps, although to a lesser degree. Enhanced proliferative activity was observed in both epithelial and stromal cells in areas of erosion. Our results demonstrate that the initial change in the histogenesis of hyperplastic polyps is an expansion of the generative cell zone, followed by interstitial edema and stromal cell proliferation, and that erosion can facilitate these changes. No correlation was found between the size of the polyps and the labeling indices. This finding explains, in part, the diversity of chronological changes in the size and shape of hyperplastic polyps.
Aged↗
High-titer immune responses elicited by recombinant vaccinia virus priming and particle boosting are ineffective in preventing virulent SIV infection.
Eighteen rhesus monkeys were vaccinated with recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing SIVmac antigens in 3 separate rounds of experiments. Twelve of the monkeys were primed with a trivalent vaccinia virus recombinant expressing Gag, Pol, and Env polypeptides that can assemble into SIV pseudovirion particles and boosted with SIV particles in adjuvant. Four of the monkeys were primed with different vaccinia virus recombinants expressing env or gag+env followed by SIV particle boosts; two received vaccinia virus recombinants alone (env or env+gag). Despite the induction of vigorous immune responses, 17 of 18 rhesus monkeys became infected on challenge with a low dose of virulent SIVmac. The single protected animal was one of three challenged with homologous cloned SIV exactly matched to the clone used for construction of trivalent vaccinia virus recombinant and particles. Vaccination may have diminished SIV burdens and rates of CD4+ cell declines in some of the animals, but vaccinated/challenge/infected animals eventually developed fatal disease similar to control animals. These results highlight the extreme difficulty in achieving vaccine protection against virulent SIVmac infection even under idealized laboratory conditions.
Animals↗
Catalytically active species for CeCl3-induced DNA hydrolysis.
Cerium(III) chloride efficiently hydrolyzes DNA at pH 7 under aerobic conditions. A titration study showed that Ce(III) is oxidized to Ce(IV) in the reaction mixture and the resultant Ce(IV) is responsible for the DNA hydrolysis.
Catalysis↗
Metabolic and energetic aspects of the growth response of Streptococcus rattus to environmental acidification in anaerobic continuous culture.
Streptococcus rattus, a serotype b strain of mutans streptococci, was grown in an anaerobic glucose-limited chemostat. The molar growth yield of glucose [Yglucose, g dry wt (mol glucose)-1] together with the maximum growth yields (Ymax) and maintenance coefficients for glucose utilization and calculated ATP generation were estimated as a function of pH. When the pH was lowered from 7.0 to 5.0, Yglucose decreased, with a concomitant gradual change in the composition of the end product from a mixture of formate, acetate and ethanol to one mostly of lactate. Whereas the Ymax for glucose decreased without any change in the Ymax for ATP on acidification, both of the maintenance coefficients markedly increased. Kinetic and immunochemical examinations indicated the presence of an F1F0-type proton-translocating ATPase in the membrane fraction prepared from bacterial cells grown under acidic conditions; no detectable level of the enzyme was found in cells grown at neutral pH. However, when incubated with glucose under non-growing conditions, these acid-adapted and unadapted cells showed an insignificant difference in the ability to maintain the intracellular pH alkaline relative to the acidic environments. These results suggest that the organism responds and adapts to environmental acidification by sacrificing some energy cost in terms of both the efficiency of glucose utilization to generate ATP and the extra maintenance required to continue biomass production as efficiently as under neutral pH.
Adenosine Triphosphate↗
Visual prognosis in patients with Behçet's disease receiving colchicine, systemic corticosteroid or cyclosporin.
We reviewed retrospectively the charts of 36 patients (72 eyes) with Behçet's disease. The visual acuities in 21 patients receiving colchicine (group A) gradually decreased with time. The visual acuities in 9 patients receiving colchicine and systemic corticosteroid (group B) gradually decreased after the onset of the disease and were significantly worse than those in group A 10 and 15 years after onset. The visual acuities in 6 patients receiving colchicine and cyclosporin (group C) gradually decreased, and their visual acuity scores were similar to those in group A.
Adult↗