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Biomedical subjects

T Nishihara

Publications and source records attributed to T Nishihara.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
PubMed1987

Comparative antigenicity of spore coat proteins from Bacillus species using antibody to spore coat proteins of Bacillus megaterium.

Spore coat proteins obtained by extraction with sodium dodecylsulfate/dithiothreitol from six Bacillus spores were compared by immunoblot analysis using antibodies to spore coat proteins from two strains of B. megaterium. Although the extract from spores of each strain had heterogenous proteins with various molecular weights, there were some bands which cross-reacted with specific antibodies from B. megaterium spores. Specific antibody to 48K protein from B. megaterium ATCC 12872 cross-reacted with 17K protein from B. megaterium ATCC 19213, 13K protein from B. cereus and 50K protein from B. subtilis 60015 and B. subtilis NRRL B558. Also, specific antibody to 22K protein from the same strain cross-reacted with 22K and 17K proteins from B. megaterium ATCC 19213 and 13K protein from B. cereus T. Specific antibody to 17K protein from B. megaterium ATCC 19213 reacted with 22K and 19K proteins in addition to 17K protein of own strain, and it was cross-reactive with 16K protein from B. megaterium ATCC 12872, 19K and 27K proteins from B. thiaminolyticus, 13K protein from B. cereus.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed1987

Hepatitis-associated aplastic anemia with systemic plasmacytosis.

An autopsy case of hepatitis associated aplastic anemia was presented. A 58-year-old Japanese female with non-A, non-B hepatitis was admitted on August 2, 1983. Moderate grade of fever and hemorrhagic diathesis appeared on September 16, when hepatitis was evaluated as being under resolving. The peripheral blood and bone marrow findings were consistent with aplastic anemia. Since infection was suggested by increased levels of serum gammaglobulin and CRP, treatment with antibiotics as well as prednisolone and blood transfusion was initiated. Since September 21, gradual tenderness and edema on the right lower abdominal wall appeared. She died on October 3. On postmortem examination, systemic plasmacytosis with lymphadenopathy and septic monilial infection was revealed. Numerous plasma cells were atypical, but were immunohistochemically proved to be polyclonal. The bone marrow showed a massive and diffuse plasma cell proliferation with extremely scarce myeloid cells and megakaryocytes. There was a large granulomatous lesion with monilial infection in the wall of the ileocecum. By these findings, systemic plasmacytosis was suspected to be due to chronic monilial infection. The pathogenesis of systemic plasmacytosis in aplastic anemias and in other diseases were discussed with relation to the present case.

Anemia, Aplastic↗
PubMed1987

Occurrence in Bacillus megaterium of uridine 5'-diphospho-N-acetylgalactosamine and uridine 5'-diphosphogalactosamine, intermediates in the biosynthesis of galactosamine-6-phosphate polymer.

We isolated two galactosamine derivatives from Bacillus megaterium sporulating cells by lectin affinity chromatography followed by DEAE-Sephadex A-25 chromatography. From chemical analyses and measurements of these compounds, it was determined that one was uridine 5'-diphospho-N-acetylgalactosamine and that the other was uridine 5'-diphosphogalactosamine. They appeared in the middle stage of sporulation and disappeared during the period when galactosamine-6-phosphate is deposited on the forespore surface. These results suggest that uridine 5'-diphospho-N-acetylgalactosamine and uridine 5'-diphosphogalactosamine are intermediates in the biosynthesis of the galactosamine-6-phosphate polymer, a backbone structure of the exosporium.

Bacillus megaterium↗
PubMed1986

Isolation and characterization of a lectin from the cortical granules of Xenopus laevis eggs.

A cortical granule lectin was isolated from eggs of the South African clawed toad Xenopus laevis. The lectin was released from the cortical granules by activation of dejellied eggs with the Ca2+ ionophore A23187. The lectin was purified by affinity chromatography with its natural ligand, the egg jelly coat, chemically coupled to a Sepharose matrix. The purified lectin was homogeneous by the criteria of isoelectric focusing (pI = 4.6), immunodiffusion, and immunoelectrophoresis but existed in two different molecular weight isomers as determined by sedimentation velocity ultracentrifugation and disc gel electrophoresis. Molecular weights of the isomers were determined by ultracentrifugation, disc gel electrophoresis, and gel filtration and found to be 539,000 and 655,000. Chemically, the lectin was a metalloglycoprotein, composed of 84.0% protein, 15.8% carbohydrate, and 0.19% calcium. No unusual types or amounts of amino acids were present. The carbohydrate moiety was composed of fucose, mannose, galactose, glucosamine, galactosamine, and sialic acid. The monosaccharide specificity of the lectin was investigated with the sugar inhibition of the precipitin reaction in gels. The lectin was specific for D-galactosyl sugars with the configuration at carbon atoms 2-4 of primary importance.

Amino Acids↗
PubMed1986

Inhibition of interleukin 2 production and expression of the interleukin 2 receptor by plasma from acquired immune deficiency syndrome patients.

Plasmas from acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and AIDS-related complex (ARC) patients were screened for their ability to inhibit mitogen-induced proliferation of normal human lymphocytes. Plasmas from 67% of the individuals examined contained significant suppressive activity. Additional studies on the mechanism of action of the plasma inhibitor demonstrated that it functions as a nonlymphotoxic inhibitor of interleukin 2 production by stimulated human lymphocytes, and that this activity is accompanied by suppression of expression of the cell surface receptor for interleukin 2. A more detailed understanding of the action of this activity may aid in the design of therapy to minimize the contribution of this agent to the immune anergy observed in these patients.

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome↗
PubMed1986

Appearance of uridine 5'-diphospho-N-acetylglucosamine-4-epimerase during sporulation of Bacillus megaterium.

In a biosynthetic study of the spore coat of Bacillus megaterium ATCC 12872 spore with galactosamine phosphate as a major component of the outer coat, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and enzyme immunoassay were applied for the measurement of UDP-N-acetylglucosamine-4-epimerase [EC 5.1.3.7] activity and the enzyme protein concentration, respectively. The new HPLC system using an ion-pair (or anion-exchange) column allowed us to determine successfully the enzyme activity and its application, proving that the specific activity of the enzyme in the cells increased at the later stage of sporulation. This increase in activity was parallel to the induction of enzyme protein synthesis, which was detected by sandwich enzyme immunoassay using antiserum to the purified enzyme. These results suggested that the regulation of this enzyme is at the genetic level and it plays an important role in the outer coat synthesis in the later sporulation stage of B. megaterium.

Bacillus megaterium↗
PubMed1986

Primary gastric lymphoma with intranuclear inclusions. An immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study.

Two patients with primary gastric lymphoma, diffuse lymphoma, a plasmacytoid variant of small cell type, with numerous intranuclear inclusions, are reported. In both cases, biopsy and surgical specimens showed diffuse proliferation of lymphoid cells having plasmacytoid features at different steps of maturation in lamina propria and submucosal layer. The cytoplasm of the lymphoma cells was stained with anti-IgM, anti-kappa chain, and anti-J chain antibodies by avidin-biotin peroxidase complex technique. A number of intranuclear inclusions in the lymphoma cells were diastase-resistant PAS positive, and also stained with anti-IgM, anti-kappa chain, and anti-J chain antibodies, suggesting a monoclonal situation. In an ultrastructural study of the first case, the inclusions were round and composed of amorphous materials surrounded by a single membrane. In many lymphoma cells, the perinuclear cisternal space was dilated and filled with materials similar to those within both inclusions and rough endoplasmic reticulum. A direct communication between the perinuclear space and the inclusion was demonstrated in some cells, suggesting the perinuclear cisternal origin of these inclusions.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

[Pharmacokinetics and toxicity of intrathecal administration of recombinant interleukin 2].

In order to contribute to the development of adoptive immunotherapy against malignant brain tumors, the pharmacokinetics and toxicity of intrathecally administered recombinant interleukin-2 in dogs and human patients were analyzed. The pharmacokinetics showed that a high concentration of IL-2 was maintained in the intrathecal cavity in both dogs and human (t1/2 = 1.41 and 1.68 hours, respectively) after administration. However, no activity of IL-2 was detected in the cerebrospinal fluid after the systemic administration of rIL-2 in one dog. No meningitis, ventriculitis or degeneration of neurons was seen histopathologically in dogs 3 weeks after the intrathecal administration of rIL-2 (200 units). A high concentration of IL-2 in the tumor cavity was maintained for a very long time (t1/2 = 14.8 hours) after the intratumoral administration of rIL-2 in one of the patients. Although low-grade fever and mild headache were sometimes observed after the intrathecal administration of rIL-2 in patients, there was no other side effect mentioned. Intrathecal or intratumoral administration of rIL-2 appeared to be an valuable procedure which should be evaluated in conjunction with adoptive immunotherapy against malignant brain tumors.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

Germinability of coat-lacking spores of Bacillus megaterium.

Upon treatment with acid, the germinability of both intact and coat-lacking spores of Bacillus megaterium ATCC 19213 exhibited similar features. Namely, when the spores previously germinated by alanine in the presence of phosphate buffer were converted to H-spores by treatment with nitric acid, germination proceeded at a very low speed in a same germination medium. When H-spores converted to Ca-spores by treatment with calcium acetate and subsequently germinated, germination proceeded at a speed higher than that of native spores and occurred even in the absence of buffer. These results suggest that the site of exchangeable cations concerned with germinability must not exist in the coat.

Alanine↗
PubMed1985

Intrahepatic lymphocyte subpopulation defined by monoclonal antibodies in anti-HBe positive type B chronic active hepatitis.

The composition of the mononuclear cell infiltrates in the liver was studied in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-induced chronic active hepatitis (CAH). Lymphocyte subpopulations as defined by Leu monoclonal antibodies (Leu-1: pan T cell, Leu-2a: cytotoxic/suppressor T cell, Leu-3a: helper/inducer T cell, Leu-7: natural killer/K cells, and Leu 10: B cell) and distribution of both HBsAg and HBcAg in the liver have been evaluated in 10 anti-HBe-positive patients compared to 36 HBeAg-positive ones. In anti-HBe-positive patients, a general decrease of Leu-1+ cells associated with decreased numbers of Leu-2a+ and Leu-3a+ cells were observed in both portal/periportal and lobular areas. In 3 patients who had been seroconverted to anti-HBe longer than 17 months before the time of liver biopsy, there was a tendency toward a more decrease of Leu-2a+ cells and a higher ratio of Leu-3a+/Leu-2a+ cells. In respect of viral replication in the liver, HBcAg and membranous HBsAg was clearly decreased in anti-HBe-positive patients as compared with HBeAg-positive ones. These findings suggest that in patients with CAH, T cell-mediated cytotoxicity to HBV-infected hepatocytes is diminished in accordance with the decrease of active HBV replication shown by seroconversion from HBeAg to anti-HBe.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
PubMed1985

Inhibition of cortex hydrolysis during spore germination by CdCl2.

When the spores of Bacillus megaterium QM B1551 (ATCC 12872) were incubated with 5 mM CdCl2 at 30 C, they underwent the early germination events, such as loss of heat resistance and release of calcium dipicolinate, in the same way as when they were germinated by glucose + KNO3. However, germination by CdCl2 caused no increase in the reducing groups in the cortex and no excretion of glucosamine-containing materials due to the hydrolysis of the cortex peptidoglycan. Addition of CdCl2 at any time during germination by glucose + KNO3 inhibited the release of glucosamine-containing materials from the spores, whereas removal of cadmium from the CdCl2-germinated spores by treatment with cysteine restored the hydrolysis of peptidoglycan. These results suggested that CdCl2 caused the early events of spore germination but prevented the spores from undergoing the events following germination by inhibiting the enzymatic lysis of the cortex peptidoglycan. The conclusion from the study is that cortex degradation is not always required for the initiation of germination.

Bacillus megaterium↗
PubMed1985

Collapse of cortex expansion during germination of Bacillus megaterium spores.

When spores of Bacillus megaterium ATCC 12872 were incubated with CdCl2, they germinated without decomposition of the cortex. Moreover, the volume ratio of cortex to protoplast-plus-cortex, C/(P+C), of the CdCl2-germinated spores was reduced. Incubation of isolated cortex with the divalent compounds Cd2+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ reduced the gel volume to about 1/5 but incubation with a nonionic compounds, glucose, did not. The spores with reduced C/(P+C) were observed in the early period of glucose-induced germination. The time required for a 50% change in cortex morphology to occur was 2.5 min, which corresponds well with the time for 50% loss of heat resistance. This time was shorter than that necessary for release of peptidoglycan fragments and hydrolysis of cortex glycan chains. These data indicate that cortex hydrolysis is not related to the initiation of germination. 50% of the dipicolinic acid, calcium and magnesium were released at 3.4, 4.0, and 2.4 min, respectively. These results suggest that collapse of cortex expansion by the interaction of cortex with dipicolinic acid and cations released from the core, or exogenous ionic germinants is an important step in the initiation of germination.

Bacillus megaterium↗
PubMed1985

Germination of the decoated spores of Bacillus megaterium.

Decoated spores of Bacillus megaterium ATCC 12872 were prepared by extracting the inner coat components with an alkaline solution containing sodium dodecyl sulfate and dithiothreitol (SDS-DTT) from outer coat-deficient mutant spores, which were produced from one of the mutants isolated and named MAE-05 by us. The decoated mutant spores germinated as well as the intact spores of the mutant and the parent, indicating that the outer and inner spore cats cannot be essential structures for the initiation of germination. When the SDS-DTT-treated MAE-05 spores were converted to H-spores by incubation in citrate-phosphate buffer (pH 3.5) at 30 C for 3 hr, they lost their germinability by glucose and KNO3. Ca-spores, prepared by treating H-spores with 10 mM calcium acetate at 37 C for 60 min, regained the germinability. Experiments on the interaction of 45Ca with the cortex and the inner membrane isolated from H-spores suggested that the calcium present in the inner membrane might be related to germinability.

Bacillus megaterium↗