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Biomedical subjects

T Korenaga

Publications and source records attributed to T Korenaga.

36 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Formation of farnesal and 3-hydroxy-2,3-dihydrofarnesal from farnesol by protoplasts of Botryococcus braunii.

Farnesal and 3-hydroxy-2,3-dihydrofarnesal (3-hydroxy-3,7,11-trimethyl-6,10-dodecadiene-1-al) were formed from farnesol when the alcohol was incubated with the protoplast of Botryococcus braunii B race strain. This fact suggests the existence of farnesal hydratase in the alga. Feeding experiments showed that both farnesal and 3-hydroxy-2,3-dihydrofarnesal were efficiently incorporated into botryococcenes, triterpenoid hydrocarbons of the alga.

Carbon Radioisotopes↗

Biosynthesis of prenyl diphosphates by cell-free extracts from mammalian tissues.

When assayed by the conventional method for prenyltransferase using a combination of [1-14C]isopentenyl and geranyl diphosphates, 100,000 x g supernatants of homogenates of rat liver and brain catalyzed the formation of geranylgeranyl diphosphate at a much lower rate than that of farnesyl diphosphate. Surprisingly, however, the formation of geranylgeranyl diphosphate in incubations of [1-14C]isopentenyl diphosphate alone with these enzyme systems was comparable to that of farnesyl diphosphate. Addition of dimethylallyl diphosphate to the same enzyme systems in the presence of [1-14C]isopentenyl diphosphate resulted in a marked increase in the rate of formation of farnesyl diphosphate, while the rate of formation of geranylgeranyl diphosphate was saturated. Metabolic labeling of rat liver and kidney slices with [5-3H]mevalonic acid revealed that the major prenyl residue of the detectable prenylated proteins was actually the geranylgeranyl group. Coupled with the previous finding that geranylgeranyl diphosphate accumulates during metabolic labeling of rat liver slices with [2-3H]mevalonic acid [Sagami, H., Matsuoka, S., and Ogura, K. (1991) J. Biol. Chem. 266, 3458-3463], these results indicate that the rate of de novo synthesis of geranylgeranyl diphosphate from mevalonic acid is comparable to that of farnesyl diphosphate.

Animals↗

Geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase catalyzing the single condensation between isopentenyl diphosphate and farnesyl diphosphate.

Geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase was purified 191-fold from bovine brain by Mono Q column chromatography followed by preparative isoelectric focusing electrophoresis and Superose 12 gel filtration. The synthase had a pI value at 6.0, and it was made free of farnesyl diphosphate synthase, the pI of which was 5.1. The partially purified enzyme catalyzed the formation of geranylgeranyl diphosphate from isopentenyl diphosphate and farnesyl diphosphate with the Km values for isopentenyl diphosphate and farnesyl diphosphate being 14 and 0.8 microM, respectively. Dimethylallyl diphosphate and geranyl diphosphate were poor substrates with velocities of only 0.003 and 0.03, respectively, relative to that of farnesyl diphosphate. These results indicate that geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase catalyzes a single condensation between isopentenyl diphosphate and farnesyl diphosphate and that farnesyl diphosphate is the common intermediate at the branch point for the synthesis of geranylgeranylated proteins as well as cholesterol, ubiquinone, dolichol, and farnesylated proteins. The enzyme required Mg2+ or Mn2+ for maximum activity. Octylglucoside showed a stimulatory effect on the enzyme activity.

Alkyl and Aryl Transferases↗

[Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of dialysis access shunts].

Sixteen balloon angioplasties were performed in 10 patients with upper-extremity dialysis access shunts. The initial success rate was 80% (12/15). Of the initial successes, 58% (7/12) were patent at six months and 13% (1/8) at one year. In nine cases, repeat PTA was necessary. The mean interval of patency was about four months. The longest interval was two and a half years. The complication of thrombosis of the loop shunt during PTA was successfully treated by fibrinolytic therapy.

Adult↗

Studies on geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase from rat liver: specific inhibition by 3-azageranylgeranyl diphosphate.

Geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase from rat liver was separated from farnesyl diphosphate synthase, the most abundant and widely occurring prenyltransferase, by DEAE-Toyopearl column chromatography. The enzyme catalyzed the formation of E,E,E-geranylgeranyl diphosphate (V) from isopentenyl diphosphate (II) and dimethylallyl diphosphate (I), geranyl diphosphate (III), or farnesyl diphosphate (IV) with relative velocities of 0.09:0.15:1. 3-Azageranylgeranyl diphosphate (VII), designed as a transition-state analog for the geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase reaction, was synthesized and found to act as a specific inhibitor for this synthase, but not for farnesyl diphosphate synthase. Diphosphate V and its Z,E,E-isomer (VI) also inhibited geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase, but the effect was not as striking as that of the aza analog VII. Specific inhibition of geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase by VII was also observed in experiments with 100,000g supernatants of rat brain and liver homogenates which contained isopentenyl diphosphate isomerase and prenyltransferases including farnesyl diphosphate synthase as well as geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase. For farnesyl:protein transferase from rat brain, however, the aza compound did not show a stronger inhibitory effect than E,E,E-geranylgeranyl diphosphate.

Animals↗

Flow-injection analysis for malondialdehyde in plasma with the thiobarbituric acid reaction.

A simple, precise, and rapid method to measure plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) was developed by use of solvent extraction--flow-injection analysis. The reagent solution, containing thiobarbituric acid (TBA), 5 g/L in 100 mL/L phosphoric acid, and extraction solvent (methylisobutyl ketone, MIBK) were propelled with a double-plunger micropump at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min, and 20 microL of sample was introduced into the reagent stream. After TBA-MDA reactant was extracted into MIBK, the organic phase was continuously separated by a successive phase-separation system equipped with two phase separators, and the absorbance of the TBA-MDA reactant was measured at 532 nm. This approach resulted in excellent sensitivity, a CV of < 1.5%, a good correlation with the conventional manual method, and a sampling frequency of 7 samples/h, suggesting that this semiautomated method is suitable for measuring plasma MDA.

Animals↗

[Fracture of percutaneously inserted IVC filters--two cases of Günther's filter].

During the period from 1988 to 1990, percutaneous insertion of Günther vena caval filters were performed in ten patients in our institution. In two of them, fracture and partial migration of anchoring limbs were observed. Günthter's filter is an attractive device for interventional radiologist because of its technical ease of percutaneous placement and relative stability within the vein. However, our experience suggests that this device is not entirely safe and reliable. The patients should be carefully followed up with a possibility of distal migration in mind. Further structural improvement seems necessary.

Adult↗

Whole body intravenous digital subtraction angiography.

A new type of intravenous digital subtraction angiography using an extra large field size is reported. Excellent image quality of large field size enables better evaluation of widespread vascular disease and eliminates the need for repeated injections of contrast material in almost all patients.

Angiography↗

Sensitive spectrophotometric determination of nitrite in human saliva and rain water and of nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere.

A new simple, sensitive, and selective spectrophotometric method was developed for the determination of nitrite. The method is based on the reaction of nitrite with sulfathiazole in acidic medium to form a diazonium cation, which is subsequently coupled with N-(1-naphthyl)ethylenediamine dihydrochloride to form a highly stable, violet azo dye. The reaction product has an absorption maximum at 546 nm and obeys Beer's law over a nitrite range of 0.054-0.816 microg/mL. The molar absorptivity of the colored compound is 4.61 x 10(4) L/mol x cm). The detection limit is 12.1 microg/L. The relative standard deviation is 0.85% for 5 determinations of nitrite at 0.27 microg/mL. The reproducibility and validity of the proposed method are discussed in the present paper. The simplicity of the method is demonstrated by the high stability of the azo-dye product as well as the short time required for its complete formation in a reaction at room temperature without pH control or extra extraction. The sensitivity of the method is shown by the successful determination of nitrite in human saliva and rain water, and of nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere. The results compare favorably with those obtained by the reference method. The selectivity of the method is indicated by its freedom from most interferences, even at high concentrations of nitrate (500 microg/mL).

Air Pollutants↗

MR imaging of the breast with Gd-DTPA enhancement: comparison with mammography and ultrasonography.

The accuracy of MR imaging with Gd-DTPA enhancement was compared with mammography and ultrasonography in 52 patients with clinically palpable benign and malignant breast masses (36 carcinomas, 2 malignant phyllodes tumors, 7 fibroadenomas, 7 cysts). On dynamic MR imaging, carcinomas and fibroadenomas were discriminated by their different dynamic enhancement profiles. In carcinomas, signal intensity increased rapidly, reaching a peak or plateau within 2 min after the injection of contrast medium. In fibroadenomas, signal intensity showed a much slower continuous increase without ceasing until about 8 min after injection. Malignant phyllodes tumors showed a dynamic enhancement profile identical to that of benign fibroadenomas. MR imaging correctly identified 84% of malignant tumors, 86% of fibroadenomas, and 100% of cysts, and was substantially more accurate in tissue characterization than mammography. The results of ultrasonography were highly similar to those of MR imaging. However, no single modality was infallible, and the three modalities were complementary rather than competitive. Considering the high cost and long examination time of MR imaging, mammography supplemented by ultrasonography seems to be the method of choice in the diagnosis of breast lesions. Nevertheless, MR imaging can add important information when the results of mammography and ultrasonography are insufficient or contradictory.

Adenofibroma↗