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T Kono

Publications and source records attributed to T Kono.

At least 271 records · Page 15Linked to original sources

Cyclic GMP-dependent stimulation of the membrane-bound insulin-sensitive cAMP phosphodiesterase from rat adipocytes.

The insulin-sensitive cAMP phosphodiesterase (phosphodiesterase) in rat adipocytes is a membrane-bound low Km enzyme that can be recovered in a crude microsomal fraction (Fraction P-2). The action of this enzyme to hydrolyze cAMP is known to be inhibited by cGMP; nevertheless, it was found in our present study that under selected conditions, the enzyme can also be stimulated by cGMP as well as some other nucleotide derivatives. The maximum cGMP-dependent stimulation was observed when the enzyme in Fraction P-2 was incubated with 10 microM cGMP for 5-20 min at 37 degrees C in the presence of Mg2+, washed, and then assayed in the absence of added cGMP. The level of this stimulation was close to, but less than, that achieved by insulin in intact cells. The actions of the cGMP- and insulin-stimulated enzymes to hydrolyze labeled cAMP were inhibited in an identical manner by cilostamide (Ki = 0.10 microM), griseolic acid (Ki = 0.19 microM), unlabeled cAMP (Km = 0.20 microM), and cGMP (Ki = 0.16 microM), all added to the assay system. Also, the basal, insulin-stimulated, and cGMP-activated enzymes were identically inhibited by a polyclonal antibody raised against a purified membrane-bound low Km phosphodiesterase from bovine adipose tissue. When the same antibody was used for the Western blot analysis of Fraction P-2, it immunoreacted with a single band of protein (165 kDa). These observations indicate that the insulin-sensitive phosphodiesterase in rat adipocytes can be stimulated with 10 microM cGMP and that this stimulation is detectable only after the nucleotide has been eliminated since the enzyme would be strongly inhibited by the nucleotide if the latter exists in the assay system. It is proposed that the insulin-sensitive phosphodiesterase, which is often referred to as a Type IV enzyme, is functionally similar to the Type II enzymes that are known to be stimulated by a low concentration of cGMP and inhibited by higher concentrations of the same nucleotide.

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗

Interleukin-2 receptor beta chain gene: generation of three receptor forms by cloned human alpha and beta chain cDNA's.

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) binds to two distinct receptor molecules, the IL-2 receptor alpha (IL-2R alpha, p55) chain and the newly identified IL-2 receptor beta (IL-2R beta, p70-75) chain. The cDNA encoding the human IL-2R beta chain has now been isolated. The overall primary structure of the IL-2R beta chain shows no apparent homology to other known receptors. Unlike the IL-2R alpha chain, the IL-2R beta chain has a large cytoplasmic region in which a functional domain (or domains) mediating an intracellular signal transduction pathway (or pathways) may be embodied. The cDNA-encoded beta chain binds and internalizes IL-2 when expressed on T lymphoid cells but not fibroblast cells. Furthermore, the cDNA gives rise to the generation of high-affinity IL-2 receptor when co-expressed with the IL-2R alpha chain cDNA.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Ligand-dependent selection of the receptor gene: segregation of IL-2 binding activity and anti-Tac reactivity by a single amino acid alteration in the Tac antigen (p55).

The Tac antigen (p55, CD25) is a 55 kDa glycoprotein that binds interleukin 2 at low affinity (Kd congruent to 10-50 nM). Expression of the Tac antigen is induced in the activated human T cells to constitute the functional, high-affinity IL-2 receptors (IL-2Rs) (Kd congruent to 10 pM) in conjunction with p70-75. A monoclonal antibody, anti-Tac, recognizes this molecule and inhibits the binding of IL-2 to both high- and low-affinity IL-2Rs. This observation indicates that IL-2 and anti-Tac binding sites are located close to each other within the Tac molecule. In this report, by utilizing a novel approach, we selected cDNAs encoding the Tac antigen variants whose reactivity with anti-Tac is greatly reduced, while retaining their IL-2 binding activity. Each of the mutant cDNAs contained a point (G----A) mutation resulting in an amino acid substitution at the particular amino-terminal portion of the Tac molecule (Asp-4). These results demonstrate that N-terminal amino acid Asp-4 is involved in the epitope recognized by anti-Tac, and that IL-2 binding site and anti-Tac binding site are structurally separable from each other in the Tac molecule.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Human interleukin 2 (IL 2) receptor beta chain allows transduction of IL 2-induced proliferation signal(s) in a murine cell line.

Interleukin 2 (IL 2) delivers cell growth signal by virtue of its interaction with the high-affinity receptor complex, which consists of two distinct IL 2-binding molecules: the IL 2 receptor alpha (IL 2R alpha) and beta (IL 2R beta) chains. Unlike many known growth factor receptors, neither of the IL 2R chains seems to contain a tyrosine kinase domain. In this report, we have shown that the human IL 2R beta chain expressed in a murine IL 3-dependent, non-lymphoid cell line can transduce IL 2-induced cell proliferation signal(s) in combination with the autologous mouse IL 2R alpha chain. This observation should provide a tool to dissect IL 2-induced signal transduction pathway in lymphoid and non-lymphoid cells.

Animals↗

Development of single blastomeres from four- and eight-cell mouse embryos fused into the enucleated half of a two-cell embryo.

Single blastomeres from four- and eight-cell mouse embryos were fused into the enucleated halves of two-cell embryos, and the ability of these reconstituted embryos to develop in vitro and in vivo was examined. The proportion of these reconstituted embryos developing to blastocysts was 74% (60/81) when four-cell embryo blastomeres were used as nuclei donors and 31% (57/182) when eight-cell embryo blastomeres were used. Eight complete sets of the quadruplet-reconstituted embryos developed to blastocysts, and five live young (9%, 5/57) were obtained after transfer; however, none of the live young were clones. Although when using blastomeres from eight-cell embryos no complete set of eight developed to blastocysts, sextuplets were obtained. The blastocysts, however, failed to produce live young after transfer. In assessing the outgrowths, it was found that 43% of those derived from reconstituted embryos using blastomeres from four-cell embryos had an inner cell mass (ICM); however, outgrowths derived from reconstituted embryos using blastomeres from eight-cell embryos lacked an ICM. These results suggest that the genomes of four- and eight-cell nuclei introduced into the enucleated halves of two-cell embryos are reversed to support the development of the reconstituted embryo.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Production of bovine tetraploid embryos by electrofusion and their developmental capability in vitro.

Optimal conditions of electrofusion for blastomeres of two-cell bovine embryos to produce tetraploid embryos were investigated. The high fusion rate (73-95%), viability, and developmental capacity were obtained under a field strength of 1.0 kV/cm with direct current pulses of 10 or 25 microseconds duration applied twice. Cytological study showed that 78.6% (11/14 embryos) of embryos exposed to electrofusion had tetraploid chromosome sets and the others were diploid or hexaploid. The tetraploid embryos had the capability to develop up to morulae stage in vitro.

Animals↗

Development of chimaeric two-cell mouse embryos produced by allogenic exchange of single nucleus from two- and eight-cell embryos.

Synchronous or asynchronous chimaeras were produced by transplanting a single nucleus of two- and eight-cell embryos from CD-1xCD-1 or BALB/CxBALB/C albino strains into one enucleated blastomere of a late F1 (C57/BLxCBA) x F1 two-cell embryo. The cytoplasmic volume of the blastomere was reduced in some instances by 50%. These chimaeric embryos were cultured in vitro and transferred to pseudopregnant recipients. The distribution of each component to the pups and to the day-10 embryos after transfer to recipients was determined by examining their coat color and by glucose phosphate isomerase analysis, respectively. The contribution of progeny of the nuclear-transplanted cell with nonreduced cytoplast to the pups was 83% when synchronous; this proportion decreased to 43% when asynchronous because the progeny tended to migrate to the trophoblast and/or to the primitive endoderm. When the recipient cytoplast was reduced by 50%, the contribution of the nuclear-transplanted cell progeny to the pups was 79% when synchronous and 80% when asynchronous. This shows that allogenic exchange of a single nucleus at the two-cell stage by nuclear transfer is an effective procedure for producing highly asynchronous mouse chimaeras and suggests that larger and advanced blastomeres tend to be excluded from the inner cell mass of the embryo, but smaller, advanced blastomeres do not.

Animals↗

Parthenogenetic activation by electric stimulus of bovine oocytes matured in vitro.

The purpose of this study was to determine the optimal conditions for parthenogenetic activation of in vitro-matured bovine oocytes by electric stimulus in vitro. Oocytes were assigned to a factorial treatment structure with direct current ranging from 0.5 to 1 KW/cm for 25 to 100musec and single or double pulses. The optimal conditions for activation were found to be direct current pulses of 1 KV for 25 musec x 2, under which 84% of stimulated oocytes formed one (70%), two (13%) or three (2%) pronuclei. When the stimulated oocytes were incubated in a culture medium containing cytochalasin B, 80% of the oocytes formed two pronuclei. A proportion of the parthenogenetic oocytes developed to the two-cell stage or higher (27%, 83 312 ) in vitro; however, this was significantly (P<0.001) lower than that of the oocytes fertilized in vitro (46%, 736 1608 ).

Journal Article↗

Structure of the functional interleukin-2 receptor. Evidence for the association of human p55 and murine p75 molecules in a mouse T cell line.

The structural basis of the high affinity interleukin-2 receptor which was previously reconstituted in a cultured murine T cell line, EL4 by expressing either wild-type Tac antigen complementary DNA (cDNA) or a chimeric cDNA was characterized. The chimeric cDNA encodes a membrane portion whose extracellular portion consists of that of Tac antigen whereas transmembrane and cytoplasmic portions consists of those the human insulin beta chain. The Tac antigen/anti-Tac antibody complex was treated by chemical crosslinking reagents, purified by goat anti-mouse immunoglobulin (Ig), and was analysed by SDS-PAGE. We here demonstrated the presence in mouse EL4 transfectants of a novel membrane protein which is closely associated with the products of transfected cDNAs in the absence of interleukin-2. The protein is 75 kDa in size and is detected in cells which express high affinity interleukin-2 receptor but not in cells which only express low affinity interleukin-2 receptor. The transmembrane region and the cytoplasmic region of Tac antigen is not necessary for the formation of the complex consisting of Tac antigen and 75 kDa molecule, indicating that a murine 75 kDa molecule associates with Tac antigen extra-cellularly.

Animals↗

Adenomatoid tumor of the epididymis with special reference to immunohistochemical study of 3 cases.

Three cases of epididymal adenomatoid tumor are presented. The adenoid compositions of the tumors lined by epithelial cells showed a canalicular pattern with large vascular spaces, tubular pattern with glandlike regions or plexiform pattern with connective tissue strands. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated positive cytoplasmic staining for keratin, but negative for carcinoembryonic antigen and factor VIII-related antigen in each neoplastic tissue. These findings support the mesothelial origin of the epididymal adenomatoid tumors.

Adult↗

Effects of induction current and other factors on large-scale electrofusion for pronuclear transplantation of mouse eggs.

In this paper, we describe the procedure of large-scale and efficient electrofusion for pronuclear transplantation in mouse eggs and the tolerance of the eggs for electric stimulus, assessed in vitro and in vivo development. The fusion chamber was arranged in parallel by dielectrodes (30-mm length, 1-mm width, and 2-mm height), and 0.3 M mannitol in distilled water was used as a fusion solution. The agglutination cleavage of enucleated eggs with karyoplast was easily orientated in parallel with electrodes by alternating current between 100 and 500 kHz at 2 and 10 V/mm. Immediately after the orientation, a direct current of 150 V/mm was given for 200 microseconds twice and repeated three times to induce fusion of the enucleated eggs with karyoplast. More than five eggs, at least, can be submitted to electrofusion at the same time. The eggs that were not fused were treated again in the same manner. The proportion of eggs fused with karyoplast was increased by preincubation in M16 medium prior to submitting them to the electrofusion. When the eggs were incubated for 60 min, 80% of them were fused with karyoplast by the first electric treatment; in contrast, only 19% of the eggs were fused if they were submitted to electrofusion directly. It was found that between the CD-1 and F1 strains there was a difference in tolerance of the eggs to electric stimulus and that this was depend on the nuclei but not on cytoplasm.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Cryopreservation of rat blastocysts by vitrification.

Rat blastocysts equilibrated with vitrification solution (VS1), consisting of dimethyl sulfoxide, acetamide, propylene glycol, and polyethylene glycol were plunged directly into liquid nitrogen. The embryo suspension are solidified by an extreme elevation in viscosity of solution. The embryos are cryopreserved by vitrification without intra- and extracellular ice formation. The proportion of morphologically normal embryos after cooling and warming was 79% (117/149) and all (48/48) of the embryos cultured were developed to expanded or hatched blastocysts. Normal live young were obtained 41% of the time (28/69) after transfer of the cooled and warmed embryos to pseudopregnant recipients.

Animals↗

Ovicidal effects of vitrification solution and the vitrification-warming cycle and establishment of the proportion of toxic effects on nuclei and cytoplasm of mouse zygotes.

The present study was conducted to compare the resistance of the nuclei with that of the cytoplasm of mouse zygotes to damage during the vitrification-warming cycle using the technique of pronuclear transplantation. Zygotes were collected from the oviduct of superovulated F1 female mice mated with males of the same strain. They were cryopreserved by the vitrification method. After being diluted with glycerol-sucrose PB1 solution, 86% of the recovered zygotes were morphologically normal and 80% of them developed to the two-cell stage in vitro, but the proportion of zygotes which developed to blastocysts was only 27%. When zygotes were exposed to VS1 solution in the same manner as above without cooling, 61% of them developed to blastocysts. In order to examine the source of injury during vitrification, the pronuclei of vitrified zygotes were transferred into enucleated fresh zygotes and vice versa. The developmental rate of blastocysts from vitrified zygotes that were enucleated and fused with pronuclei from fresh zygotes was significantly higher than that of zygotes reconstituted reversely. These findings suggest that nuclei are apparently damaged more than cytoplasm by the vitrification-warming cycle and the toxicity of VS1 solution.

Animals↗

Atrial natriuretic factor in essential hypertension and adrenal disorders.

Patients with untreated essential hypertension had significantly higher plasma atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) levels (92.9 +/- 12.9 pg/ml, mean +/- SE) than those of age-matched controls (37.8 +/- 6.0 pg/ml; p less than 0.01). Plasma ANF levels in essential hypertensive patients showed a significant positive correlation with mean arterial pressure (MAP; r = 0.46, p less than 0.05) and an inverse correlation with plasma renin activity (PRA; r = -0.43, p less than 0.05). Plasma ANF levels after medication showed significant correlation with the decrease in MAP (r = 0.565, p less than 0.05). Patients with primary aldosteronism had significantly higher plasma ANF levels (122.4 +/- 30.2 pg/ml, n = 8) than those of controls (p less than 0.05). The levels returned to normal after extirpation of adrenal tumors. The response of plasma ANF levels in patients with primary aldosteronism to volume expansion with infusion of 2 L of physiological saline in 2 hours was greater than in controls. Such exaggerated response disappeared after surgical treatment. Infusion of angiotensin II (Ang II; 20 ng/kg/min) or norepinephrine (200 ng/kg/min) for 30 minutes to normal volunteers (n = 5) resulted in a rise in MAP (24.9 +/- 3.3 and 15.8 +/- 4.4 mm Hg, respectively) and a twofold increase in plasma ANF level. Infusion of the Ang II antagonist [Sar1, Ile8]Ang II (600 ng/kg/min) for 30 minutes, resulted in a rise in MAP (18.8 +/- 2.1 mm Hg) and more than a twofold increase in plasma ANF level in patients with essential hypertension (n = 6).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adrenal Gland Diseases↗