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Biomedical subjects

T Nagata

Publications and source records attributed to T Nagata.

At least 397 records · Page 22Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Determination of pyrimethamine and sulphadimethoxine residues in eggs by high performance liquid chromatography.

1. Laying hens were given food containing per kg diet: 1 mg pyrimethamine, 10 mg sulphadimethoxine (SDM) or 1 mg pyrimethamine with 10 mg SDM, for 14 days. Residues in the eggs were determined by high performance liquid chromatography. 2. Pyrimethamine was mainly found in yolk. Its concentration was slightly higher when it was given with SDM. 3. The concentrations of SDM in eggs were not different when it was given alone or in combination with pyrimethamine. 4. After withdrawal, pyrimethamine residues decreased below the detection limit (0.02 mg/kg) in the yolk after 11 to 12 d and in the albumen after 2 to 3 d. SDM in yolk fell below the detection limit (0.01 mg/kg) on day 7, whereas in albumen it was not detectable after 2 to 3 d.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

The induction of cataracts by HIV-1 in transgenic mice.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the tissue specificity of the expression of HIV-1 genes in an animal and its pathological effects on these tissues. DESIGN AND METHODS: Transgenic mice carrying a defective HIV-1 genome were bred in order to overcome the host-range barrier of this virus. RESULTS: mRNA specific to the transgene was detected in the eyes and the spleen, and, in smaller quantities, in the thymus and the brain. Interestingly, many of the transgenic mice developed cataracts at 3-6 months of age. Swelling and vacuolation of the lens fiber cells were marked, but the epithelial cells of the lens were less affected. HIV antigens were detected in the lens fiber cells and the retina by immunological staining. Accumulation of large amounts of p24 Gag antigen was demonstrated in the affected lens by immunoblot analysis, while negligible Env or other viral proteins was detected. Although accumulation of the Gag protein was also detected in the skin and the brain, no apparent abnormality was observed in these tissues. CONCLUSIONS: Preferential expression of the HIV genes in the eyes, skin, brain and lymphoid tissues was demonstrated. The accumulation of the Gag protein is suggested to have detrimental effects on lens fiber cells, causing cataracts.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1992

Reduced bone density and major hormones regulating calcium metabolism in anorexia nervosa.

Bone density of lumbar vertebrae (L2 to L4) and the whole body in 29 patients with anorexia nervosa were measured by dual photon absorptiometry, and the results were compared with those of 10 age-matched normal controls. The patients had significantly lower bone mineral density (BMD) in L3 and L2-4 than controls. However, there was no difference in whole-body BMD. L3 and L2-4 BMD was positively correlated with body weight and was negatively correlated with duration of illness and amenorrhea. Patients who had been more active 6 months before the time of the study had significantly higher L3 BMD than the less active patients. Most patients had an abnormally low serum estrogen level, whereas the mean serum levels of thyroid hormone (T3, T4), cortisol, calcitonin, parathyroid hormone and vitamin D were within the normal range. No correlation was found between L3 or L2-4 BMD and the levels of these hormones. These results suggest that severe weight loss, low physical activity, longer duration of amenorrhea and deficiency of estrogen contribute to bone loss in patients with anorexia nervosa, whereas calcium-regulating hormones such as parathyroid hormone, calcitonin and vitamin D are unlikely to be a primary contributor to bone loss.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Phospholipase A2 in rat gingival tissue.

Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) is a proinflammatory enzyme in the synovial fluids of all--and sera of some--patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Due to the similarities in pathogenesis between rheumatoid arthritis and periodontitis, we sought to study the enzymatic properties of PLA2 in periodontal tissue. In this study, we demonstrated PLA2 activity in rat gingival tissue, about 80% of which was present in the cytosolic fraction. We characterized the cytosolic PLA2 enzyme with respect to substrate specificity, sensitivity to detergent, Ca2+ ion dependency and optimum pH. We found that phosphatidylethanolamine, rather than phosphatidylcholine, was the preferred substrate, the Ca2+ ion was essential for the expression of PLA2 activity, the enzyme was active over a broad pH range, with the optimum at pH 9.0, and sodium-deoxycholate inhibited the enzyme activity strongly in a concentration-dependent manner. These results are consistent with those which have been obtained with synovial fluid PLA2 and suggest that gingival PLA2 may be involved in the pathogenic processes of gingivitis and periodontitis.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1992

Regulatory effect of thromboxane A2 on proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells from rats.

We investigated the regulatory effects of the vasoconstrictor thromboxane A2 on the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) from Wistar-Kyoto rats using 9,11-epithio-11,12-methano-thromboxane A2 (STA2), a stable analogue of thromboxane A2. STA2 dose dependently increased incorporation of [3H]thymidine into DNA in randomly cycling VSMC and significantly shortened the doubling time. Cell cycle analysis revealed that the increased cell cycle progression was primarily due to a rapid transition from the DNA synthetic (S) to the G2/mitotic (M) phase. Moreover, STA2 enhanced protein synthesis in VSMC during the G2/M phase, whereas the protein synthesis was unaffected in the G0/G1 period. In fact, STA2 prompted the cells in G2/M phase to synthesize actin, a major cytoskeleton protein. Conversely, inhibition of protein synthesis by puromycin retarded the transition from S to G2/M. In addition, depolymerization of the actin molecules by cytochalasin D offset the quick progression to the G2/M phase by STA2. These data indicate that thromboxane A2 stimulates the cell cycle progression in VSMC primarily through a rapid transition from S to G2/M. This enhanced progression is attributable partly to a rapid buildup of the cytoskeleton proteins during the G2/M period.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

H-2RIIBP expressed from a baculovirus vector binds to multiple hormone response elements.

H-2RIIBP is a member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily that binds to the region II enhancer of major histocompatibility complex class I genes. Based on its homology with Drosophila XR2C/CF1, H-2RIIBP may play a role in development. By using a baculovirus expression system, a large amount of recombinant H-2RIIBP was produced. The recombinant protein accumulated in the nucleus of insect cells. A series of monoclonal antibodies reacting with the recombinant H-2RIIBP was then generated. A DNA-protein immunoprecipitation assay was developed with these antibodies, enabling the DNA-binding specificity of H-2RIIBP to be distinguished from that of an endogenous region II binding factor expressed in uninfected insect cells. We show that H-2RIIBP binds to estrogen response elements with an affinity comparable to that for the region II enhancer. H-2RIIBP also bound to some, but not all, thyroid hormone response elements and retinoic acid response elements, albeit at a lower affinity. Binding to these elements was demonstrated without exogenous addition of a ligand. The H-2RIIBP binding specificity determined by this assay was in agreement with the specificity assessed by Southwestern and gel mobility shift assays. Furthermore, methylation interference assays indicated that H-2RIIBP recognizes the conserved hormone response motif GG(T/A)CA. Taken together, these data demonstrate that H-2RIIBP is capable of binding to hormone response elements of a variety of genes. They suggest that H-2RIIBP may exert a pleiotropic function.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1992

Immunohistochemical and histopathological study of experimental rabies infection in mice.

An immunohistochemical and histopathological study using the ABC technique was carried out to examine time-sequential virus spread in the central nervous system (CNS) of mice after inoculation with the CVS strain of fixed rabies virus by different routes; intracerebral (ic), intraocular (io), intranasal (in), intramuscular (im) and subcutaneous (sc). Only the ic and io inoculations caused fatal infections, so that detailed analysis was conducted on mice inoculated by these two routes. In ic-inoculated mice, viral antigens were detected mainly in neurons in the cerebral cortex and in the pyramidal cells and granular cells of the hippocampus. After io inoculation, viral antigen was first detected in the trigeminal nerve ganglia, following which it spreads to the cerebral cortex and cerebellum. In the hippocampus only a few cells were viral antigen-positive at the early stage after io inoculation. There were no inflammatory lesions or Negri bodies in the CNS of mice infected by either route. This suggests that clinical signs such as ataxia or depression leading to death may be due to the direct effect of the virus on the functions of neural cells, but not to inflammatory reactions. The ABC method will be useful for the early diagnosis of suspected patients or animals to have the disease when conventional histopathological and immunofluorescent antibody techniques can not detect lesions or viral antigens.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

A case of hypersensitivity syndrome resembling Langerhans cell histiocytosis during phenobarbital prophylaxis for convulsion.

The case of a two-year-old girl with generalized histiocytosis, probably induced by phenobarbital, is reported. Symptoms, including intermittent fever, systemic lymphadenopathy, maculopapular skin eruption and hepatosplenomegaly, suggested Langerhans cell histiocytosis. Laboratory examinations revealed leukocytosis with lymphocytosis and eosinophilia and a high LDH serum level, while GOT and GPT were within normal ranges. Cytological studies of lymph node and pleural effusion specimens revealed proliferation and infiltration of Langerhans cell histiocytes with eosinophilia. No histiocyte proliferation was observed in the bone marrow or skin. The clinical manifestations shown by the patient were, however, transient, and improved spontaneously after the discontinuation of phenobarbital. The case was considered to be one of phenobarbital hypersensitivity syndrome based on clinical course and laboratory findings. The mechanism and differential diagnosis of the syndrome are discussed.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1992

A radioautographic study on RNA synthesis in aging mouse spleen after 3H-uridine labeling in vitro.

EM radioautographic study on RNA synthesis in aging mouse spleen was conducted after 3H-uridine labeling in vitro. The localization of radiolabelled precursor was used to determine the site of RNA synthesis. The site of the radiolabelled uridine uptake was localized in the haematopoietic cells, particularly in the lymphoblasts. In the labelled cells, most of the silver grains were localized in the nucleus, specifically in the euchromatin. Few cytoplasmic organelles such as the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum were labelled with 3H-uridine. Silver grains were also observed over the nucleoli. The labeling index was expressed as the percentage of labelled cells over the total number of cells counted. The labeling index increased from day one after birth and progressively until the 14th day. Thereafter, the labeling index decreased gradually until the 10th month. A significant difference of p less than 0.05 was noted. In all the EMRAG analyzed, it was observed that the number of silver grains per cell increased proportionally with the labeling index. The result of the quantitation of the changes in RNA synthesis correlated well with the maturational development/aging of the animal.

Aging↗
PubMed1992

[Trace analysis for drugs and poisons in human tissues].

Despite continuous developments of analytical techniques in terms of sensitivity and accuracy, uncountable increase in number of chemical substances are brought into the field of forensic sciences to be analyzed. Based on the idea that progress in analytical technique to cope with the change of situation is always required, a research team including 10 members was organized to set up the most advanced methods at present to analyze the important drugs and poisons in biological materials for forensic purposes. Stimulant drugs such as methamphetamine and amphetamine were studied on the improvement of extraction procedure prior to mass spectrometric analysis. A conventional solvent extraction method was replaced by an extraction technique using Extrelut column. The technical procedure was simplified and the accuracy of measurement was improved. The changes in CO-Hb concentration in the whole blood in storage was examined with regard to the lapse of time and temperature, where a differential spectrophotometry was used. Useful information could be obtained from practical aspects. Analytical conditions of gas chromatography were revised on volatiles including alcohols, especially as to column conditions. The use of capillary column was recommended for sensitivity and peak separation. The optimum conditions for detecting barbiturates in the blood were examined. The combination of Sep-pak C18 cartridge with a capillary column for gas chromatography using nitrogen phosphorus detection was found preferable. Mass spectrometry of various kinds of local anesthetics was studied. Quantitative analysis of the drugs was examined on gas chromatography with a surface ionization detector. Three types of insecticides including organophosphorus, chlorinated and fluorine compounds were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in order to establish a sensitive and selective method. The detection limits, calibration and reproducibility were examined. Herbicide, paraquat, was examined on the sensitivity, recovery, required time and costs in connection with methods of pretreatment and analytical procedure. A secondary spectrophotometry was found useful practically. Antimony in biological tissues was analyzed, using a flameless atomic absorption spectrometer with carbon tube atomizer. The time for analysis was reduced, and sensitivity was improved. Immunoassay method was examined from general aspects on drugs and hormones. Using antibodies specific to haptens, the dynamics of such antigens as drugs and hormones in the body tissues were observed. Interfering substances at the time of toxicological analysis were checked in order to obtain reliable information. Exact identification was found possible by using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. As described above, the research was made from the practical aspects of forensic toxicology, and meaningful results could be obtained from each study.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Postmortem changes of triazolam concentrations in body tissues.

Postmortem changes of triazolam concentrations in body tissues were examined using rats, in order to find the most suitable tissue samples for toxicological analysis. Triazolam was orally given to rats (5 mg/kg), and then the rats were sacrificed 1 hour after administration. Tissue samples were collected 0, 1 and 2 days after storage at 22-24 degrees C, and the triazolam concentration in each sample was measured using gas chromatography with a nitrogen phosphorus detector. Triazolam concentrations were markedly increased in the spleen, the abdominal muscle, the liver and the kidney, and were slightly increased in the blood and the lung. On the other hand, no changes were observed in the thigh muscle or the brain, and the value in the thigh muscle was similar to those in the blood samples collected immediately after death. The results indicate that triazolam diffuses into the surrounding tissues through the stomach wall after death, so that the thigh muscle and the brain have to be analyzed as well as the blood for a correct diagnosis of triazolam ingestion.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1992

A fatal case of a single stab wound penetrating the small, narrow atlantoaxial interspace.

A 73-year-old woman was found dead with a small wound on the nape of her neck. The wound was oval in shape, measuring about 0.6 cm in length along the major axis, with a slightly irregular margin. The wound injured the medulla oblongata through the atlantoaxial interspace, and reached the left vertebral artery. This wound was found to be the cause of death. The wound depth was 5 cm in length, with the direction of the wound canal from posterior-lower right to anterior-upper left. The size and appearance of the wound corresponded to those of the horizontal section of a skewer used by the assailant. Such a fatal case due to a single stabbing of the medullar oblongata by the chance gliding of a skewer through the small, narrow atlantoaxial interspace is considered to be exceptional.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Light and electron microscopic radioautography of DNA synthesis in the endometria of pregnant-ovariectomized mice during activation of implantation window.

Pregnant mice were ovariectomized at pre-implantation stage and exogenous nidatory estradiol was administered to evaluate the DNA synthesis of the endometrial cells during activation of uterine receptivity for blastocyst implantation. After 0, 3, 6, 12 and 18 hrs. of estradiol treatment, the animals received 3H-thymidine injection, sacrificed 1 hr. later, and the uteri were prepared for light and electron microscopic radioautography. At time 0, no labelled stromal or epithelial cells was found in the endometrium. According to the time-lapse after estradiol induction, a gradual increase of labelled stromal and endothelial cells was seen in the endometrium. The highest labeling index was observed at the antimesometrial side of the implantation sites and the lowest value was found at the interimplantation site. The cells found at mesometrial side of the implantation site showed an intermediate labeling index. Eighteen hrs. after estradiol treatment, the labelled stromal cells found near the implantation chamber resembled the morphology of decidual cells while those labelled cells localized at the interimplantation sites were similar to the fibroblast. The uterine luminal epithelial cells showed low DNA synthesis after estradiol treatment resulting in only a few labelled cells at the interimplantation sites and no labelled cells at the implantation sites. A similar labeling pattern was seen in the glandular epithelium. The distribution of labelled cells seen among the regions of pregnant endometrium under estradiol effect suggest that DNA synthesis related to uterine activation for blastocyst implantation is a focal reaction, where the luminal epithelium does nt proliferate while the stromal and endothelial cells around the conceptus increase the DNA synthesis to prepare the endometrial decidualization.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Acute toxicological studies on paraquat: pathological findings in beagle dogs following single subcutaneous injections.

Sixteen beagles were allocated into 4 groups, each group consisting of 2 males and 2 females, which were injected sc with 1,3,5 or 7 mg paraquat/kg. The beagles were observed for 2 w after the administration. At the end of the observation period all the dying and surviving dogs were studied pathologically. The LD50 was calculated as 1.8 (1.0-6.1) in males and 3.5 (2.4-10.1) mg/kg in females. Clinical laboratory tests showed increases in segmented neutrophils and monocytes, decreases in lymphocytes, slight decreases in chloride, moderate increases in BUN, GOT, GPT and phospholipids, slight increases in uric acid, total protein, creatine, total cholesterol and total bilirubin, and prolonged prothrombin times. Marked edema, congestion and hemorrhage of lungs, as well as slight congestion in various organs, were observed grossly. In histopathological examination, marked pulmonary hemorrhage and congestion, fibroblast-like cells in alveolar septa, breakdown of alveolar walls, thickening of alveolar walls and pleura, mild congestion and degeneration of the liver, and mild degeneration of renal tubules were observed. The cause of death was respiratory distress and renal failure. The surviving animals had mild atelectasis of the lungs. Electromicroscopic examination on the surviving animals revealed the appearance of spindle-shaped cells, proliferation of type II alveolar cells and fibroblasts, mitosis of fibroblasts, and abundant collagen fiber in the lung, calcium deposition, stratification and thickening of basement membranes, and localized necrotic epithelial cells in the proximal tubules of kidneys, and stratification of intramitochondrial cristae of the liver. Pulmonary fibrosis in the switchover stage was present with participation from type II alveolar cells, fibroblasts and myofibroblasts.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

[Anticoagulants preventing pseudo-thrombocytopenia].

It is well known that some anticoagulants, especially EDTA (ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid), sometimes lead to pseudo-thrombocytopenia due to the aggregation of thrombocytes. We evaluated appropriate anticoagulants that prevent pseudo-thrombocytopenia without affecting other hematological data. In this study, 10 mg EDTA-2K and 1 mg citric acid were added to 1 ml of blood as anticoagulants. Using these anticoagulants (EC method), an aggregation of thrombocytes was clearly inhibited and the platelet counts remained stable in 10 cases with pseudo-thrombocytopenia. This method did not affect the other blood cell counts, the stainability and the morphology of the cells. Since the addition of citric acid to EDTA could prevent the cell volume change induced by the high concentration of EDTA, the micro-hematocrit values were remained unchanged. Hematological data in 20 cases which did not show any pseudo-thrombocytopenia, correlated significantly between the EDTA method and the EC method, and did not change significantly 24 hours after blood sampling. It is concluded that EDTA and citric acid may be a useful combination of anticoagulants for the prevention of pseudo-thrombocytopenia.

Anticoagulants↗
PubMed1992

Simultaneous localization of 3H-thymidine incorporation and acid phosphatase activity in mouse spleen: EM radioautography and cytochemistry.

Simultaneous localization of 3H-thymidine incorporation and acid phosphatase (AcP) activity was undertaken by combined radioautography and cytochemistry in the spleen of mice at different ages. The localization of radiolabelled thymidine was used to determine the site of DNA synthesis (cell proliferation), while AcP activity as a marker for cell lysis/death. For EM radioautography (EMRAG), the tissue sections were incubated in a medium containing 3H-thymidine and processed for radioautography, while the lanthanide-based method for the ultrastructural localization of AcP activity was employed. Quantitation of AcP activity was carried out by X-ray microanalysis. In all tissue sections examined, mostly of the labelled nuclei were observed in the hematopoietic cells. Few mitochondria of these cells were labelled. The labeling index was expressed as the percentage of labelled cells over the total number of counted cells. The labeling indices dropped considerably from day one after birth and progressively until the 10th month. The result of AcP activity correlated well with the result of a previous work (Olea, 1991). The localization of radiolabelled thymidine and AcP activity were not hindered by the simultaneous exposure of the same tissue section to 3H-thymidine and AcP cytochemical media. Interestingly enough, the spleen actively participates both in hematopoiesis and erythrophagocytosis. Prominently, it is most active during the early postnatal life. However, their influence declined considerably at the later stage of life (adult stage).

Acid Phosphatase↗
PubMed1992

Radioautographic study on DNA synthesis of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium of developing mouse embryos.

We report the changes of proliferative activity of the retina and retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) of mouse embryos by detecting cells in the S-phase by light microscopic radioautography using 3H-thymidine. The eyes germs of mouse embryos at the embryonic days 9.5 (E 9.5), E 11.5, E 13.0, E 15.5, E 18.5 of gestational ages, were used for this experiment. Small pieces of the ocular tissues were labelled with 3H-TDR in vitro and light microscopic radioautographs were prepared. The labeling indices of the respective regions of tissues were calculated. Both tissues of retina and RPE showed high percentages of labeling indices from 10% to 50% through the developmental stages. The labeling indices of both tissues in earlier stages were generally higher than those of later stages, and gradually decreased in the later stages. However, the retina and RPE showed different courses of the changes of labeling indices respectively during the embryonic development. In the retina, the labeling indices in the vitreal portions were more than those in the scleral portions during the earlier developmental stages. However, in the later stages, the indices of scleral portions were more than those in the vitreal portions. Comparing the three regions of retina, the labeling indices of the anterior regions were generally higher than those of the equatorial and posterior regions, especially in the vitreal portion. Remarkable differences among three regions were not found in the scleral portion. In the RPE, the labeling indices gradually increased in the anterior region, but decreased in the equatorial and the posterior regions through all the developmental stages. The proliferation of both retina and RPE in the central region occurred earlier than those of the peripheral region.

Animals↗