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T Sano

Publications and source records attributed to T Sano.

At least 307 records · Page 17Linked to original sources

Human diploid fibroblast cell culture medium contains a factor that increases cytosolic Ca2+ and stimulates prostaglandin synthesis by cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells.

Previously, we demonstrated that conditioned medium (CM) from cultures of human diploid fibroblast cells contains a factor that stimulates the production of prostacyclin (PGI2) by cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC). To study the mechanism by which CM stimulates PGI2 production, we measured the effect of removal of extracellular calcium (Ca2+) on the concentration of cytosolic Ca2+ and on the production of 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha (6-keto-PGF1 alpha), a stable metabolite of PGI2. The CM-induced production of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha was dependent on extracellular Ca2+ and did not require nascent protein synthesis. Application of CM to BAEC induced a transient increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration that was dependent on extracellular Ca2+. Bradykinin induced the production of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha by BAEC. However, bradykinin induced an increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in the presence or absence of extracellular Ca2+. Voltage dependent Ca2+ channel blocker (verapamil, diltiazem) did not inhibit either the CM-induced increase in cytosolic Ca2+ or the production of 6-keto-PGF1 alpha by BAEC. These data suggest that CM increases the cytosolic Ca2+ concentration and stimulates PGI2 production by BAEC. The increase in cytosolic Ca2+ concentration occurred via the influx of extracellular Ca2+ independent of L-type Ca2+ channels blocked by verapamil or diltiazem.

6-Ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha↗

Pleuropulmonary blastoma: fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis indicating trisomy 2.

We report a case of pleuropulmonary blastoma occurring in the right upper lobe and pleura of a 29-month-old boy. Histologically, the tumor was composed of undifferentiated mesenchymal cells with occasional rhabdomyoblastic and chondroid differentiation. Immunohistochemical analysis showed vimentin immunoreactivity in most of the tumor cells, myoglobin, desmin, and actin in the rhabdoid cells, and S-100 protein in the chondroid cells. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis showed trisomy 2 and normal chromosomal copy numbers for chromosomes 7, 12, 17, 18, and X in the majority of the tumor cell nuclei. The identification of trisomy 2 in the current pleuropulmonary blastoma confirms a previous cytogenetic finding of chromosome 2 abnormality with cultured metaphase cells of a similar case, indicating that the acquisition of an additional chromosome 2 copy in pleuropulmonary blastoma is a nonrandom chromosomal alteration and that pleuropulmonary blastoma is cytogenetically distinct from pulmonary blastoma in which chromosome 2 is bisomic. It is also suggested that pleuropulmonary blastoma may have an intimate tumorigenetic relationship with embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma.

Actins↗

Mild and moderate hypothermia provide better protection than a burst-suppression dose of thiopental against ischemic spinal cord injury in rabbits.

BACKGROUND: Controversy exists over the efficacy of different methods for protecting the spinal cord against experimental ischemic injury. Therefore, the authors compared the protective effects of thiopental with those of hypothermia (35 degrees C and 32 degrees C) on hindlimb motor functions and histopathology after transient spinal cord ischemia. METHODS: Twenty-seven New Zealand white rabbits were assigned to one of the four groups: a thiopental-normothermia group (burst-suppression dose of thiopental; esophageal temperature = 38 degrees C; n = 7), a halothane-mild hypothermia group (halothane, 1%; esophageal temperature = 35 degrees C; n = 7), a halothane-moderate hypothermia group (halothane, 1%; esophageal temperature = 32 degrees C; n = 6), and a halothane-normothermia group (halothane, 1%; esophageal temperature = 38 degrees C; n = 7). The animals were then subjected to 20 min of spinal cord ischemia produced by occlusion of the aorta distal to the origin of left renal artery. Hindlimb motor function was observed for 48 h after reperfusion. Histopathology of the lumbar spinal cord also was examined. RESULTS: All animals in the halothane-mild hypothermia and halothane-moderate hypothermia groups were neurologically normal 48 h after ischemia. There was no statistical difference in the final neurologic status and histopathology between the thiopental-normothermia and halothane-normothermia groups. However, the final neurologic status and histopathology in both groups were worse than in the halothane-mild hypothermia or halothane-moderate hypothermia groups. There was a strong correlation between the final neurologic status and the numbers of normal neurons in the anterior spinal cord. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that mild and moderate hypothermia protects against ischemic spinal cord injury in rabbits, and a burst-suppression dose of thiopental does not offer any advantage over halothane.

Anesthetics, Intravenous↗

Why is cyclooxygenase-2 expressed in neuroendocrine cells of the human alimentary tract?

During immunohistochemical studies of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) on human colon cancers, many strong COX-2-immunoreactive cells scattered in the bottom of the crypt of normal colon mucosa were unexpectedly noticed. COX-2-immunoreactive cells were morphologically very similar to neuroendocrine cells and were confirmed immunohistochemically to be positive for chromogranin A or serotonin. Moreover, COX-2-immunoreactive neuroendocrine cells were observed not only in the large intestine, but also in the stomach, duodenum and small intestine. The role of COX-2 expression in neuroendocrine cells of the human alimentary tract was speculated.

Blotting, Western↗

Quantitative, non-invasive assessment of ventricular septal defect shunt flow by measuring proximal isovelocity surface area on colour Doppler mapping.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the proximal isovelocity surface area (PISA) method could be applied to estimate the magnitude of ventricular septal defect (VSD) shunt flow. DESIGN: Prospective analysis of clinical, echocardiographic, and angiographic data. SETTING: University hospital. PATIENTS: 14 children with VSD. METHODS: Colour Doppler images of VSD shunt flow were obtained in parasternal long axis view, four chamber view or both, adjusted to provide the best imaging of flow. The VSD shunt flow rate and shunt volume were calculated as follows: shunt flow rate (SFR) = 2 pi r2 V/BSA in ml/s/m2; shunt volume = SFR x shunt duration time. The shunt volume, shunt fraction, and pulmonary to systemic flow ratio (Qp:Qs) were confirmed by cardiac catheterisation. RESULTS: There was a correlation between shunt variables determined by PISA and those by catheterisation, including shunt volume (r = 0.78, P = 0.001) and shunt fraction (r = 0.74, P = 0.003). Qp:Qs was also significantly correlated with SFR (r = 0.79, P = 0.0007). The SFR was significantly different between the four patients with Qp:Qs < 2.0 (mean (SD) 54 (33) ml/s/m2) and the 10 patients with Qp:Qs > 2.0 (186 (69) ml/s/m2) (P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that the PISA method is a reliable non-invasive investigation for the quantitative assessment of VSD shunt flow and provides important information for decisions regarding surgical repair.

Cardiac Catheterization↗

Endogenous carbon monoxide suppression stimulates bile acid-dependent biliary transport in perfused rat liver.

This study aimed to investigate whether carbon monoxide (CO), a product of heme oxygenase that degrades protoheme IX, serves as an endogenous modulator for biliary transport. To that end, effects of zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP), a heme oxygenase inhibitor, on the biliary transport were tested in perfused rat liver. Perfusion of 1 microM ZnPP abolished detectable levels of CO in the venous perfusate and increased bile acid-dependent bile output accompanying an increased secretion of bile salts. The ZnPP-induced choleresis coincided with a reduction of tissue guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) levels and a decrease in vascular conductance. On administration of 2.5 microM CO, ZnPP-elicited choleresis, decreases in vascular conductance, and cGMP levels were all attenuated. Treatment with 1 microM 8-bromoguanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (8-BrcGMP) partly attenuated the ZnPP-induced choleresis in concert with repression of vascular conductance. Furthermore, treatment of the liver with methylene blue, a guanylate cyclase inhibitor, evoked a choleresis similar to that induced by ZnPP. Thus endogenous CO suppression stimulates the biliary transport in part through a cGMP-dependent mechanism.

Animals↗

Purification, characterization, and localization of a novel trypsin-like protease found in the human airway.

A novel trypsin-like protease was purified to homogeneity from the sputum of patients with chronic airway diseases, by sequential chromatographic procedures. The enzyme migrated on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to a position corresponding to a molecular weight of 28 kDa under both reducing and non-reducing conditions, and showed an apparent molecular weight of 27 kDa by gel filtration, indicating that it exists as a monomer. It had an NH2-terminal sequence of Ile-Leu-Gly-Gly-Thr-Glu-Ala-Glu-Glu-Gly-Ser-Trp-Pro-Trp-Gln-Val-Ser-Leu- Arg-Leu, which differed from that of any known protease. Studies with model peptide substrates showed that the enzyme preferentially cleaves the COOH-terminal side of arginine residues at the P1 position of certain peptides, cleaving Boc-Phe-Ser-Arg-4-methylcoumaryl-7-amide most efficiently and having an optimum pH of 8.6 with this substrate. The enzyme was strongly inhibited by diisopropyl fluorophosphate, leupeptin, antipain, aprotinin, and soybean trypsin inhibitor, but hardly inhibited by secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor at 10 microM. An immunohistochemical study indicated that the enzyme is located in the cells of the submucosal serous glands of the bronchi and trachea. These results suggest that the enzyme is secreted from submucosal serous glands onto the mucous membrane in patients with chronic airway diseases.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Inactivation of the tumor suppressor gene on 11q13 in brothers with familial acrogigantism without multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1.

Two of three brothers (the second and third brothers) and their uncle (their mother's brother) presented acrogigantism without multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN 1). An invasive macroadenoma was found in the second brother, and it was histologically confirmed as a sparsely granulated GH cell adenoma. Two distinct microadenomas were found in the third brother, and these were histologically diagnosed as a mixed GH cell and PRL cell adenoma and a sparsely granulated GH cell adenoma, respectively. The loss of heterozygosity (LOH) was analyzed in two adenomas (GH cell adenoma from the second brother and a mixed GH cell and PRL cell adenoma from the third brother) by determining microsatellite polymorphisms of DNAs from tumors and patients' leukocytes. The LOH was found on the chromosome 11q13, whereas LOH was not detected on 1p31-36, 2p, 3p, 4, 5, 6p, 7, 8, 9p21-22, 12p, and 19q13 in both pituitary adenomas examined. The haplotype analysis showed that the same haplotype on 11q13 was found in their mother and the unaffected first brother as well as in the affected uncle and two brothers. The deleted alleles on chromosome 11q13 in the tumors of two affected brothers were, however, restricted to those transmitted from their unaffected father. These data suggest that inactivation of the MEN 1 gene or other tumor suppressor genes on chromosome 11q13 plays an important role for the development of our familial acrogigantism without MEN 1.

Adenoma↗

Infrequent mutations of p27Kip1 gene and trisomy 12 in a subset of human pituitary adenomas.

To study the etiologic roles of genes on chromosome 12 for the pituitary tumorigenesis of adenomas, mutations of the p27Kip1 gene and allelic ratios of 18 microsatellite markers on the entire chromosome 12 were studied in 33 pituitary adenomas. The p27Kip1 gene on chromosome 12p12-p13 encoding an inhibitor of complexes between cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases is supposed to function as the tumor suppressor gene. Among 31 sporadic and 2 familial pituitary adenomas, PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism analysis detected three polymorphic changes but no tumor-specific mutations of the p27Kip1 gene. Genotyping of 18 microsatellite markers on the entire chromosome 12 detected the uniformly decreased allelic ratios ranging from 54-66% in 8 of 33 pituitary adenomas (24%), although no loss of heterozygosity was detected. Fluorescence in situ hybridization confirmed trisomy 12 in all 5 available samples out of these 8 samples. Based on these, we conclude that not mutations of the p27Kip1 gene, but trisomy 12 may be etiologically important in a subgroup of pituitary adenomas.

Adenoma↗

A case of nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma resembling so-called silent corticotroph adenoma.

It has been indicated that some subsets of clinically nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma exhibit immunohistochemical and ultrastructural features of somatotroph or corticotroph cells, which are described as silent somatotroph and corticotroph adenomas, respectively. We here describe a 70-year-old woman with nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma presenting with visual disturbance. None of the pituitary hormones show abnormal finding. Magnetic resonance imaging study revealed a pituitary tumor which developed inferiorly into the sphenoidal sinus. Tumor resection was performed by a transsphenoidal approach, and resulted in a partial resection of the tumor. The specimen indicated chromophobic adenoma. Immunohistochemical examination revealed a characteristic distribution pattern of cytokeratin staining for ACTH cell adenoma, although immunostaining for ACTH was only weakly positive. After the operation, only ACTH secretion was impaired, requiring replacement therapy with glucocorticoid. Bromocriptine was administered in order to prevent the recurrence of the tumor. It remains to be elucidated whether the present case could be classified as silent corticotroph adenoma, which was originally indicated to have aggressive characteristics, i.e., progressive visual defect, high incidence of infarction and frequent recurrence.

Adenoma, Chromophobe↗

The results of transsphenoidal surgery for 44 consecutive acromegalic patients.

A series of 44 patients with acromegaly underwent transsphenoidal surgery between 1987 and 1996. The early postoperative mean basal GH level < 5 ng/ml or < 3 ng/ml was achieved in 43 (97.7%) or 38 (86.4%) out of 44 patients, respectively. Preoperative abnormal GH secretory response to TRH, GnRH and oral glucose administration was restored to normal both after surgery and at the time of the final follow-up in all patients whose early postoperative mean basal GH levels were reduced to < 3 ng/ ml, whereas they remained abnormal in those with mean basal GH levels of > or = 3 ng/ml. In contrast, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels, when measured by the extraction method, tended to be reduced gradually to normal between 6 months and 2 years after surgery in some patients with a successful operation. Therefore, 34 (87.1%) out of 39 patients who have been followed up longer than 6 months met the following stringent criteria at the time of the final follow-up: mean basal GH level < 3 ng/ml, a normal IGF-1 level, and normal GH response to TRH, GnRH and oral glucose administration. In this series, the most unfavorable preoperative factor influencing operative outcome is tumor invasion of the cavernous sinus. Our results clearly indicate that selective adenomectomy by transsphenoidal surgery is the therapy of first choice in any patient with acromegaly and that the complete biochemical cure of acromegaly can be achieved in 87% of patients by surgery alone with an acceptable low surgical morbidity.

Acromegaly↗

Restoration of seminiferous tubular function after discontinuation of long-term gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist administration in premature male rats.

We examined whether seminiferous tubular function develops normally after discontinuation of long-term gonadal suppression in premature male rats. Wistar male rats 4 weeks old were subjected to the injection of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gn-RH) agonist or normal saline solution as control for 12 weeks. The rats were sacrificed 0 and 6 weeks after discontinuation of the treatment. Histological examinations of the seminiferous tubules immediately after cessation of the Gn-RH agonist treatment demonstrated a stage-related change in specific germ cells. Seminiferous tubules of Gn-RH agonist-treated rats were narrow and irregular in shape, and contained significantly fewer spermatids and pachytene spermatocytes at stages VII to XIV than those in controls. A complete development of spermatogenesis was histologically observed 6 weeks after cessation of the treatment. Leydig cells became atrophic without any reduction in cell number immediately after the treatment, but Leydig cells grew rapidly and were similar in appearance to those in control rats 6 weeks after cessation of the treatment. Serum testosterone concentrations were noticeably suppressed immediately after cessation of the treatment (P < 0.01 vs. control) and reached a similar level to those of controls 6 weeks after the cessation. Testes weights were significantly lower in Gn-RH agonist-treated rats than in control rats and had not fully developed 6 weeks after cessation of the treatment (P < 0.01 vs. control). These results suggest that the testicular function develops normally after cessation of the long-term gonadal suppression in premature rats, although the increase in testicular weight may be slightly influenced.

Animals↗

Infrequent mutations of p16INK4A and p15INK4B genes in human pituitary adenomas.

The p16INK4A and p15INK4B genes on chromosome 9p21 encode the p16 and p15 inhibitors of cyclin D/cyclin-dependent kinase 4 complexes respectively. Mutations and deletions of the p16INK4A gene have been found in melanomas and many other types of tumors. To assess the role of the p16INK4A and p15NK4B genes in tumorigenesis of the pituitary gland, 31 sporadic pituitary adenomas and 2 pituitary adenomas in familial acrogigantism were examined for loss of heterozygosity on 9p21-22 and screened for mutations in the p161NK4A and p15INK4B genes. To identify pituitary adenomas which had lost 9p21-22, pituitary adenomas were genotyped with markers flanking the p16INK4A and p15INK4B loci. The frequency of mutations in coding regions of the p16INK4A and the p15INK4B genes in pituitary adenomas was determined with polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism analysis and sequencing of variants. Of the 33 pituitary adenomas, two revealed loss of 9p21-22 sequences, but none of them had tumor-specific mutations. We conclude that mutations of the p16INK4A and p15INK4B genes are not required for tumorigenesis of the pituitary gland.

Adenoma↗

Angiotensin-converting enzyme gene insertion/deletion polymorphism and left ventricular hypertrophy in hemodialysis patients.

The relationships between angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene insertion (I) / deletion (D) polymorphism and left ventricular hypertrophy induced by hypertension or idiopathic hypertrophic cardiomyopathy have been studied. However, little is known about the association between this polymorphism and left ventricular hypertrophy induced by volume overload. The relationship between left ventricular hypertrophy and the ACE gene I/D polymorphism was examined in 80 maintenance hemodialysis patients (mean age: 60.1+/-1.4 years). Multivariate regression analysis showed that the left ventricular mass index calculated by M-mode echocardiography was associated with serum creatinine (p = 0.040), male gender (p = 0.027), antihypertensive drug treatment (p = 0.026), weight gain between hemodialysis (p = 0.018) and mean blood pressure after hemodialysis (p=0.010), but not with ACE I/D genotype (p = 0.69). These findings suggest that although hemodialysis patients seem to be under volume overload, ACE genotype may not be involved in their left ventricular hypertrophy. Hypertension and other factors related to renal failure are involved in the left ventricular hypertrophy in chronic hemodialysis patients.

Adult↗