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Biomedical subjects

T Mikami

Publications and source records attributed to T Mikami.

At least 487 records · Page 27Linked to original sources

Expression of the A antigen (gp57-65) of Marek's disease virus by a recombinant baculovirus.

A recombinant baculovirus expressing the A antigen (A Ag) of Marek's disease virus (MDV) was constructed. In Spodoptera fruiperda (Sf) cells infected with the recombinant virus, A Ag expression was localized to the cell surface. Only a small amount of recombinant A Ag was detected in the culture supernatant of infected Sf cells, but authentic A Ag is mainly secreted into the culture supernatant of MDV-infected chicken embryo fibroblasts. Cell surface-associated recombinant A Ag seemed to be slightly larger than authentic A Ag, whereas the secreted recombinant A Ag seemed to be smaller. The recombinant A Ag was shown to be reactive with the sera of MDV-infected chickens by immunodiffusion studies and ELISA. Sera of chickens immunized with recombinant A Ag formed a precipitin line with the culture supernatant of MDV-infected chicken embryo fibroblasts in an immunodiffusion test. These results indicate that the recombinant A Ag expressed by the recombinant baculovirus retains the antigenic and immunogenic properties of the authentic A Ag.

Animals↗

Analysis of the protective effect of the haemagglutinin-neuraminidase protein in Newcastle disease virus infection.

The role of immune responses to haemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein in protection against a Newcastle disease virus (NDV) infection was investigated using a recombinant vaccinia virus expressing HN (HN-RVV). Live HN-RVV replicated in chickens and completely protected them from lethal infection with virulent NDV. Inactivated HN-RVV also protected chickens when administered with adjuvant but not when administered without adjuvant. However, large amounts of the inactivated HN-RVV (100-fold excess) without adjuvant provided protection. Specific antibodies against the HN protein of NDV were detected in sera from survivors but not from dying birds. However, the kinetics of antibody responses in chickens inoculated with live HN-RVV and inactivated HN-RVV were considerably different. These results clearly confirm that immune response(s) solely to the HN protein of NDV can provide chickens with protection against NDV challenge, and show that the presence of antibodies to the HN protein correlates significantly with the protection from NDV infection at least in HN-immunized chickens.

Animals↗

Measurements of dental cast profile and three-dimensional tooth movement during orthodontic treatment.

We have developed a system for measuring three-dimensional profiles of dental casts and three-dimensional tooth movement during orthodontic treatment. The profile measurement is based on the triangulation method which detects a laser sport on a cast using an image sensor. The system is computer-controlled and designed to achieve the depth and lateral resolutions of 0.05 and 0.1 mm, respectively, within a depth range of 25 mm. We have applied our system to measuring three-dimensional movement of teeth, including rotations, during orthodontic treatment. The movements have been obtained by means of three-dimensional registration of tooth profiles using a computer between casts serially taken at different stages of the treatment. Measurements over periods of 41 to 190 days on patients have revealed that this technique is capable of quantifying the difference in movements due to orthodontic therapeutics.

Computer Graphics↗

Detection of Bacillus cereus flagellar antigen by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

A serological typing scheme of Bacillus cereus has been developed by immunochemical analyses of flagellar antigen using an agglutination method. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the classification of flagellar serotype of Bacillus cereus had greater sensitivity. 10-500 times, than that of agglutination method. The specificity of flagellar antigen and antibody was determined by immunogold electron microscopy and ELISA inhibition assay. Application of ELISA is useful for the detection of the small amounts and many kinds of antigen-antibody reactions.

Agglutination Tests↗

Molecular cloning of a novel isolate of feline immunodeficiency virus biologically and genetically different from the original U.S. isolate.

The Japanese isolate (TM1 strain) of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) which replicates in a feline CD4 (fCD4)-positive lymphoblastoid cell line (MYA-1 cells) was molecularly cloned from extrachromosomal closed circular DNA. The restriction map of the clone, termed pFTM 191 complete genome (CG), showed a considerable difference from that of the U.S. isolate (Petaluma strain) of FIV. The sequence homology in the long terminal repeat between the TM1 and Petaluma strain was 82%. The pFTM 191 CG was biologically active after transfection into Crandell feline kidney cells which were permissive for replication of FIV Petaluma. However, the progeny virions could not reinfect fCD4-negative Crandell feline kidney cells but could infect fCD4-positive MYA-1 cells. When a specific-pathogen-free cat was inoculated with the virus derived from the pFTM 191 CG, the cat seroconverted within 8 weeks postinoculation and FIV was reisolated at 4, 8, and 20 weeks postinoculation. These results indicate the infectivity of the pFTM 191 CG in vivo.

Animals↗

Identification of feline immunodeficiency virus rev gene activity.

We constructed 16 deletion mutants from an infectious molecular clone of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and a reporter plasmid carrying the bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) gene to identify the rev transactivator activity of the virus. Cotransfections of various mutants and the rev reporter clone bearing a portion of FIV env in addition to the CAT gene revealed that the sequence important for the augmentation of CAT production was located in three separate parts of the virus genome. This enhancement was FIV specific in that the human retrovirus rev and rex gene products did not activate the reporter. The phenotypic properties of an FIV proviral mutant containing a small deletion in the genome were similar to those of rev mutants derived from primate immunodeficiency viruses. These results indicate that FIV, like the other lentiviruses, contains the rev gene in its genome.

Animals↗

Effect of withdrawal of respiratory CO2 oscillations on respiratory control at rest.

We examined the effect of sudden withdrawal of respiratory oscillations of arterial PCO2 (CO2 oscillations) at resting metabolic rate on the control of respiration in 11 anesthetized paralyzed vagotomized dogs in normoxic normocapnia. A double-lumen endotracheal tube was inserted so that the left and right lungs were ventilated independently. By alternately ventilating each lung, we could completely abolish CO2 oscillations without affecting the mean blood gas levels (withdrawal of CO2 oscillations). The CO2 oscillation was calculated from arterial pH oscillation measured by a rapidly responding intra-arterial pH electrode. Respiratory center output was monitored by use of a moving time average of the phrenic neurogram. A 3-min period of withdrawal of CO2 oscillations was bracketed by two control periods (simultaneous ventilation of lungs for 3 min) to avoid the confounding effect of the baseline drift in the respiratory center output. The amplitude of the CO2 oscillations in the control was 2.33 +/- 0.89 (SD) Torr. When the difference in the mean level of arterial PCO2 between the control and withdrawal of CO2 oscillations was minimized (-0.09 +/- 0.54 Torr; P greater than 0.25), we found negligible change in the minute phrenic activity during withdrawal of CO2 oscillations (-0.02 +/- 6.11% of the control, P greater than 0.98, n = 49; 99% confidence interval -2.36 to 2.32%). Thus we conclude that the maintenance of normal respiration at rest is not critically dependent on a phasic afferent input to the respiratory center arising from respiratory CO2 oscillations.

Animals↗

[Uptake and intracellular metabolism of ferritin by primary cultured rat hepatocytes].

The uptake and intracellular metabolism of radiolabeled ferritin in rat hepatocytes were investigated. A receptor assay performed by incubating isolated hepatocytes with 125I-labeled ferritin at 37 degrees C for 1 h revealed 37,000 ferritin binding sites/cell with an affinity constant (Ka) of 1.8 X 10(9) M-1. The hepatocytes preincubated with 125I-labeled ferritin at 37 degrees C for 1 h were further incubated in a ligand-free medium at 37 degrees C for 4 h, and then the distribution of the label in the subcellular fractionations of hepatocytes was analyzed by 30% Percoll density gradient centrifugation. The label was transported from the plasma membrane fraction to the lysosome/mitochondria fraction and the cytosol fraction. Meanwhile, both of trichloroacetic acid (TCA)-soluble and TCA-precipitable 125I in the incubation medium increased with the incubation time. In order to study the intracellular metabolism of endocytosed ferritin, the hepatocytes preloaded with 59Fe-125I-double labeled ferritin were incubated at 37 degrees C for 4 h in the ligand-free medium containing 100 mumol/l chloroquine (a lysosomal metabolic inhibitor) or 10 mmol/l sodium cyanide (a mitochondrial metabolic inhibitor). Chloroquine increased TCA-precipitable 125I in the medium with a corresponding decrease in TCA-soluble 125I. However, no effect with sodium cyanide was observed. Radioactivities in the incubation medium were then divided into two components by HPLC gel filtration. One had a molecular weight similar to intact ferritin, 98% of which reacted to an anti-rat liver ferritin antiserum, while the other had a molecular weight of less than 1,000, 25% of which reacted to the antiserum. Chloroquine increased the amounts of intact ferritin released into the medium and decreased the degraded fragments. These results suggest two pathways of the endocytosed ferritin in hepatocytes; one is a degradation of ferritin in lysosome, which results in a storage of iron in the cells and an excretion of degraded peptides outside the cells, and the other is exocytosis of intact ferritin from the cells by a similar mechanism to "diacytosis" proposed for asialoglycoprotein.

Animals↗

The early pathogenesis in chicken inoculated with non-pathogenic serotype 2 Marek's disease virus.

A newly cloned serotype 2 Marek's disease virus (MDV), strain ML-6, was inoculated via the nasal cavity in specific-pathogen-free chicks to examine early virus replication and the expression of Marek's disease (MD)-related antigens. Following inoculation, viral intracellular antigens (VIAs) were detected in lymphoid organs (bursas and spleens) between 5 and 14 days post inoculation (PI), in feather follicles between 14 and 30 days PI, and in lungs at 3 days PI by the immunohistopathological staining of avidin-biotin-peroxidase complex method. But, very few VIAs were expressed in the thymuses between 5 and 14 days PI. However, MD tumor-associated surface antigens were not detected in any organs. Viruses were isolated from separated spleen cells at 14 and 30 days PI. Fluorescent antibodies of convalescent sera were also detected after 10 days PI. As most of the VIAs were detectable in B-cells in bursas and spleens. B-cells were considered to be the main first target cells for the serotype 2 MDV infection.

Animals↗

Homologous and heterologous antibody responses of mice immunized with purified feline herpesvirus type 1 and canine herpesvirus glycoproteins.

The three glycoproteins each of feline herpesvirus type 1 (FHV-1) and canine herpesvirus (CHV) were purified by affinity chromatography using glycoprotein-specific monoclonal antibodies and used individually or in combination in immunizing mice to determine their relative immunogenicity. All the glycoproteins induced detectable virus neutralizing antibodies to the homologous virus but FHV-1 gp143/108 and its cross-reacting counterpart, CHV gp145/112, elicited the highest titers not only to the homologous virus but to the heterologous virus as well. The production of ELISA antibodies after glycoprotein immunization was variable, while hemagglutination-inhibiting antibodies were produced by only 1 out of 10 FHV-1 gp60-inoculated mice. In general, the antibody titers induced by CHV glycoproteins were lower than those by FHV-1 glycoproteins. These results indicate that these glycoproteins may be useful as subunit vaccines against FHV-1 and CHV infections.

Animals↗

Establishment and characterization of a thymidine kinase deficient avian fibroblast cell line derived from a Japanese quail cell line, QT35.

An avian thymidine kinase deficient (TK-) fibroblast cell line (QTTK-) was established from a Japanese quail cell line, QT35, and characterized the biological properties. QTTK- could grow in the presence of 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BUdR, 100 micrograms/ml) and not in the growth medium with hypoxanthine-aminopterin-thymidine. Compared to QT35 cells, the 3H-thymidine incorporation of the QTTK- cells and the TK activity of the cell extract significantly decreased to 0.3% and 0.5%, respectively. In the thymidylate synthetase activity, the karyotype, and the sensitivities to either fowlpox virus (FPV) or herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT), OTTK- cells were similar to the parental QT35 cells. Since QTTK- cells were permissive to FPV and HVT infections and these viruses could not grow in the presence of 50 to 75 micrograms/ml of BUdR, QTTK- cells may be useful for the construction of recombinant FPV and HVT that have foreign genes within the TK gene of the virus genome.

Aminopterin↗

[Establishment of ACNU-resistant rat gliosarcoma cell lines and their characteristics].

One of the most serious problems in cancer chemotherapy is the acquired drug resistance of tumor cells. In order to investigate the mechanism of acquired resistance to 1-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl)methyl-3-(2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea hydrochloride (ACNU), nine resistant cells were isolated from rat gliosarcoma 9L cells and characterized. ACNU-resistant cells were easily isolated after a single treatment even with low-dose ACNU (5 micrograms/ml). However, in spite of repeatedly high-pressure dose of ACNU, more than 30 fold increase to parental 9L cell resistance was not achieved. At this time, further increase in selection pressure resulted in cell death. The resistant ratios of these resistant cells were stable in the absence of ACNU for more than 1 year. Luria and Delbrück's fluctuation test indicated that the appearance of ACNU-resistant cells occurred spontaneously at a rate of (4.40-8.02) x 10(-7)/cell/generation. In karyotypic analysis, the mode was higher in the resistant cells than in 9L cells, but a homogeneously staining region or double minute chromosome, which was considered to be a result of gene amplification, was not observed. In growth kinetics, all the resistant cells except R1 and R12 cells had higher saturation density and plating efficacy than parental 9L cells. These findings seemed to be due to cellular modification associated with ACNU resistance.

Animals↗

Cross-resistance patterns in ACNU-resistant glioma sublines in culture.

Three ACNU-resistant clones (R1, R3, and R12) were isolated from 9L rat glioma cells under selection pressure of ACNU in vitro. The authors have investigated the mechanisms of resistance and characteristics of these clones at the cellular level by studying cross-resistance patterns to chemical and physical agents. Although these resistant sublines showed complete cross-resistance to methyl-chloroethylnitrosourea (MCNU), no cross-resistance was observed for other alkylating agents, while each of the resistant sublines showed partial cross-resistance to structurally dissimilar toxic agents (vinblastine, Adriamycin, and VP-16). No difference in ACNU uptake was observed between 9L and R3 cells, and resistance patterns among alkylating agents suggested that the mechanism of ACNU resistance was specific to bifunctional nitrosoureas. Based on a transport study, this multidrug resistance could be explained by reduced intracellular uptake of these drugs, but there seemed little possibility that membrane P-glycoprotein, which usually is observed in typical multidrug-resistant cells, was expressed in these ACNU-resistant cells because enhanced drug efflux was not found in ACNU-resistant sublines. Significant collateral sensitivity to L-asparaginase indicated that ACNU might disturb the asparagine synthetic pathways by its mutagenic action. The increased level of total glutathione in the resistant sublines may be one mechanism of radiation or ACNU resistance.

Animals↗

Hypersensitivity of rat glioma sublines with acquired ACNU resistance to L-asparaginase.

Cell lines resistant to 1-(4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl)methyl-3- (2-chloroethyl)-3-nitrosourea hydrochloride (ACNU) show a high degree of collateral sensitivity to L-asparaginase. The mechanism for this phenomenon was investigated by comparing the nutritional requirements and asparagine synthetase activity of the resistant sublines to those of parent cells. Nine ACNU-resistant sublines were isolated from rat glioma 9L cells after incubation with various concentrations of ACNU in Ham's F-12 medium. The 9L cells grew independently of asparagine, developing well in asparagine-deficient Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium. In contrast, the growth rates of all nine ACNU-resistant sublines decreased under the same conditions and required the addition of 10(-4) M asparagine for maximum growth. Asparagine synthetase activity in the ACNU-resistant cells was much lower than in the 9L cells, suggesting that the requirement for asparagine in the resistant sublines was due to reduced activity of this enzyme. A growth-inhibition assay showed that the ACNU-resistant sublines were more sensitive to L-asparaginase than 9L cells by up to 2 x 10(5)-fold. These results suggest that L-asparaginase therapy has the potential to become a new approach for treating acquired ACNU resistance.

Animals↗

Fiberoptic ductoscopy of the breast: a new diagnostic procedure for nipple discharge.

A fiberoptic ductoscopy system was successfully developed by means of which we were able to observe the duct cavity of the breast. Two kinds of silicafiberscopes with outer diameters 0.80 and 0.45 mm were used in the present study. Fiberoptic ductoscopy was applied to 52 ducts in 46 patients with nipple discharge for whom no tumor was palpable; the intraductal appearance could be observed in 47 ducts from 41 patients (90.3%). Fourteen ducts from 13 patients were operated upon and were histologically diagnosed as carcinoma (four cases), intraductal papilloma (nine ducts from eight patients) and mastitis (one case). The internal surface of a normal duct was lustrous and smooth. Cancer growing on the surface of a duct wall appeared white and was slightly elevated, forming a bridging structure. The intraductal papillomas formed intraductal solid nodules, being yellow in most cases and red at the site of hemorrhage. Fiberoptic ductoscopy can be used to recognize the growth of minute intraductal lesions in cases of nipple discharge. Clinical endoscopic diagnosis for minute intraductal lesions will make an important contribution to the early detection of cancer and the evaluation of nipple involvement in intraductal carcinoma.

Breast Neoplasms↗

Effects of iron on lipid peroxidation.

To elucidate the effects of iron on lipid peroxidation, three kinds of assays were done. (i) The effects of intravenous injection of single doses of iron dextran (100 mg iron) on lipid peroxidation in various tissues and the blood plasma of rats were examined by the thiobarbituric acid reaction. Malondialdehyde concentrations were significantly elevated in the spleen, heart, and plasma 3 h after injection, whereas significant increases were observed in the liver and adipose tissue at 24 and 48 h, respectively. In the liver and spleen, the elevated malondialdehyde concentrations persisted until Day 28. In contrast, levels were reduced in the heart and adipose tissue within 4 weeks after iron injection. Plasma malondialdehyde concentrations were 70-times that of controls at 24 h after iron injection. The level subsequently decreased sharply by Day 6. In red blood cells, lipid peroxidation was not affected by iron. Malondialdehyde levels were correlated with the iron contents of the liver, spleen, heart, adipose tissue, and plasma (r value range 0.39-0.88, p less than 0.05). Furthermore, there was a strong correlation in the liver and spleen at iron levels below 2,000 micrograms/g (r = 0.94, p less than 0.0001; r = 0.94, p less than 0.0001, respectively). (ii) In vitro experiments demonstrated that the addition of iron as ferric chloride, iron dextran, ferritin, and hemosiderin to normal liver homogenate accelerated malondialdehyde production. However, such increases were less than 10% of those caused by equivalent iron in the liver homogenate of iron treated rats. (iii) Compared to controls, spleens from eight thalassemia patients showed a high level of malondialdehyde and iron.

Adipose Tissue↗