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Biomedical subjects

T Tani

Publications and source records attributed to T Tani.

At least 199 records · Page 11Linked to original sources

Antioxidative effects of phenylethanoids from Cistanche deserticola.

The acetone-H2O (9:1) extract from the stem of Cistanche deserticola showed a strong free radical scavenging activity. Nine major phenylethanoid compounds were isolated from this extract. They were identified by NMR as acteoside, isoacteoside, 2'-acetylacteoside, tubuloside B, echinacoside, tubuloside A, syringalide A 3'-alpha-rhamnopyranoside, cistanoside A and cistanoside F. All of these compounds showed stronger free radical scavenging activities than alpha-tocopherol on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and xanthine/xanthine oxidase (XOD) generated superoxide anion radical (O2-.). Among the nine compounds, isoacteoside and tubuloside B, whose caffeoyl moiety is at 6'-position of the glucose, showed an inhibitory effect on XOD. We further studied the effects of these phenylethanoids on the lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes induced by enzymatic and non-enzymatic methods. As expected, each of them exhibited significant inhibition on both ascorbic acid/Fe2+ and ADP/NADPH/Fe3+ induced lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes, which were more potent than alpha-tocopherol of caffeic acid. The antioxidative effect was found to be potentiated by an increase in the number of phenolic hydroxyl groups in the molecule.

Animals↗

Expression of megakaryocytic and erythroid properties in human leukemic cells.

Previous studies have suggested that megakaryocytes and erythrocytes may share a common precursor cell. However, studies on the commitment to erythroid and megakaryocytic lineages have been hampered by the lack of suitable human leukemic cell lines having this kind of bipotential differentiation capability. We investigated the coexpression of megakaryocytic and erythroid markers in human leukemic cell lines as well as the capability of these cells to further differentiate upon exposure to differentiation-inducing agents. We report that the JK-1 cell line, previously characterized as a typically erythroid cell line with spontaneous differentiation to red cells, actually coexpressed megakaryocytic cell surface antigens and erythroid spectrins. We also report that the JK-1 cells could be induced to differentiate along the megakaryocytic lineage by treatment with 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA). The other cell lines studied variably expressed megakaryocytic and erythroid antigens, the DAMI and CMK cells predominantly megakaryocytic properties and the T-33 and K562 cells some erythroid markers, whereas the HEL cells expressed markers for both lineages of differentiation. Our results suggest that the JK-1 cell line represents an immature cell population that has not yet been committed to either of the two lineages of differentiation. The JK-1 cell line might provide a useful tool for further studies on the transcriptional regulation of erythroid and megakaryocytic phenotypes and for studies on the commitment to these lineages of differentiation. Our results also suggest that the leukemic cell lines show a considerable plasticity in the expression of properties normally specific for distinct lineages of differentiation.

Antigens, CD↗

[Effects of thromboxane A2 on chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in the rat].

Chronic hypoxia (10% O2 for 2-3 weeks) causes pulmonary hypertension and vascular remodeling in the rat. To study the role of thromboxase A2 in chronic hypoxic pulmonary hypertension, the hemodynamic effects of intravenous administration of a thromboxane analogue (STA2) were measured in chronic hypoxic (H) and normoxic (N) Sprague-Dawley rats. During anesthesia baseline pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) was higher in H rats (34.6 +/- 1.0 mmHg) than in N rats (18.4 +/- 1.2 mmHg). Intravenous STA2 (0.3 microgram) acutely increased pulmonary artery pressure by 74% +/- 11% (25 +/- 4 mmHg) in H rats and by 47% +/- 2% (9 +/- 1 mmHg) in N rats, which indicates that both the absolute and relative acute pulmonary vasoconstriction caused by STA2 were greater in H rats. The changes in systemic arterial pressure caused by STA2 were smaller than the changes in pulmonary arterial pressure both in H rats (11% +/- 3%) and in N rats (17% +/- 3%). Lungs were isolated and perfused with saline, and the vasoconstrictive response to 0.05 microgram of STA2 in lungs (14.5 +/- 2.4 mmHg) from H rats was greater than the response to 0.1 microgram of STA2 (5.6 +/- 1.3 mmHg) in lungs from N rats. To examine whether blockade of calcium channels could suppress the vasoconstrictor response to STA2, the effects of the calcium channel blocker nicardipine hydrochloride on vasoconstriction caused by STA2 were measured in H and N rats. In vivo, the blockade of calcium channels suppressed the increase in pulmonary artery pressure caused by STA2. This suppression was greater in H rats (56% +/- 11%) than in N rats (25% +/- 4%). Similar results were obtained with isolated perfused lungs. Blockade of calcium channels suppressed the vasoconstriction caused by STA2 and this suppression was greater in H rats than in N rats. The finding that thromboxane A2 induced greater vasoconstriction in H rats than in N rats indicates that thromboxane A2 may play an important role in pulmonary hypertension, and suggests that blockade thromboxane A2 may benefit some patients with primary and secondary pulmonary hypertension. Furthermore, the finding that suppression of thromboxane-induced vasoconstriction by blockade of calcium channels was greater in H rats than in N rats indicates that such treatment may also benefit some patients.

Animals↗

Alpha 6 beta 4 integrin and newly deposited laminin-1 and laminin-5 form the adhesion mechanism of gastric carcinoma. Continuous expression of laminins but not that of collagen VII is preserved in invasive parts of the carcinomas: implications for acquisition of the invading phenotype.

We studied the expression and distribution of different laminin chains, the alpha 6 beta 4 integrin and type VII collagen, i.e., components of the epithelial adhesion complex, in gastric carcinomas and in suggested preneoplastic stages of this malignancy. Intestinal-type gastric carcinomas showed strong reactivity for laminin alpha 1, alpha 3, beta 1, and beta 3 chains, the components of laminin-1 and -5, at the interface between malignant cells and tumor stroma. The reactivities were continuous throughout the carcinomas, even in structures invading through the smooth muscle layers of the gastric wall. The expression of different laminin chains was accompanied by strong polarized reactivity for the alpha 6 beta 4 integrin, which is a receptor for both laminin-1 and laminin-5. Collagen type VII was only occasionally present at sites showing reactivity for laminin-5 and was totally absent from the cell islands invading through the gastric wall. Intestinalized gastric epithelium showed a similar expression pattern of laminins and the alpha 6 beta 4 integrin as the gastric carcinomas. Our results suggest that gastric carcinomas use the alpha 6 beta 4 integrin and newly deposited laminin-1 and -5, accompanied by the disappearance of type VII collagen, as their mechanism of adhesion during the invasion through surrounding tissues. Unlike in previous studies, the reactivity for the laminin-5 protein was not restricted to the invading cells but surrounded the malignant glandular structures throughout the tumor. Our results also show that both intestinal-type gastric carcinoma, and intestinal metaplasia mimic the gastric surface epithelium in the expression pattern of laminins and the beta 4 integrin subunit. This supports previous studies proposing a pathogenetic sequence from intestinal metaplasia to gastric carcinoma.

Antigens, Surface↗

Expression of E- and N-cadherin in renal cell carcinomas, in renal cell carcinoma cell lines in vitro and in their xenografts.

E- and N-cadherins are proteins involved in intercellular adhesion and are localized, e.g., in the adherens junctions of epithelial cells. Kidney tubules express these molecules in a distinctive pattern, the expression of N-cadherin being restricted to proximal tubules and that of E-cadherin to distal tubules and collecting ducts. Renal cell carcinomas (RCCs) and oncocytomas are considered to originate from these tubular epithelia. To find out whether cadherins could serve as markers for a cellular origin of these tumors, we studied the expression of E- and N-cadherins in RCCs and oncocytomas, in cell lines derived from RCCs as well as in tumors grown in nude mice. Most RCCs co-expressed E- and N-cadherins, as did 2 of the 4 cell lines studied. The expression pattern did not correlate with the histological grade of the tumors, and even the least differentiated tumors, as well as metastases, showed expression of cadherins. Renal oncocytomas expressed E-cadherin but not N-cadherin, which is in line with previous studies that have proposed a collecting duct origin for these tumors. Papillary renal neoplasms, a separate entity usually not classified as RCC, expressed neither of the cadherins studied despite the abundant expression of beta-catenin. Our results suggest that most RCCs co-express the characteristic adhesion molecules of both proximal and distal tubules, which makes it questionable whether the origin of these tumors can be reliably located to any distinct part of the renal tubule. Our results also suggest that in RCCs the increased histological grade is not directly associated with changes in the expression of either of the cadherins, indicating other mechanisms underlying the deficient capacity to form polarized tubular structures.

Aged↗

Trunk muscle strength in and effect of trunk muscle exercises for patients with chronic low back pain. The differences in patients with and without organic lumbar lesions.

STUDY DESIGN: Trunk muscle strength and the effect of trunk muscle exercises on chronic low back pain were investigated in patients with chronic low back pain. OBJECTIVE: Patients with chronic low back pain include those with organic lumbar lesions and those without such lesions. This study analyzed the differences in trunk muscle strength and effect of trunk muscle exercises between these two groups of patients. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Previous studies have reported lower trunk muscle strength in patients with chronic low back pain and higher efficacy of trunk muscle exercises for treating chronic low back pain. However, no analysis have yet been done of differences in these parameters between patients with chronic low back pain with and without organic lumbar lesions. METHODS: One-hundred-twenty-three patients with chronic low back pain and 126 healthy individuals without low back pain (control group) underwent trunk muscle strength evaluation. The patients were further divided into two groups-- those in group 1 had detectable organic lumbar lesions and those in group 2 had no detectable organic lesions. Seventy-two of these patients performed trunk muscle exercises and the correlation between improvement in low back pain and increase in trunk muscle strength was analyzed. RESULTS: Trunk flexor and extensor strengths were significantly lower in both groups. However, the flexor/extensor ratio of maximum torque was significantly higher in group 1 than in the control group, but was not significantly different between group 2 and the control group. Trunk muscle exercises reduced low back pain in both groups, but were more effective in group 2 than in group 1. The degree of correlation between increase in trunk muscle strength and improvement of low back pain also was higher in group 2 than in group 1. CONCLUSION: This difference in flexor/extensor ratio may have been due to reduced extensor strength resulting from neurogenic muscle weakness induced by the organic lumbar lesions in group 1. The exercise-associated increase in trunk muscle strength did not completely eliminate the low back pain induced by the organic lumbar lesions in group 1. However, increasing trunk muscle strength was extremely effective in patients of Group 2, in which decreased trunk muscle strength was a major factor in chronic low back pain.

Adolescent↗

Tenascin and fibronectin isoforms in human renal cell carcinomas, renal cell carcinoma cell lines and xenografts in nude mice.

We studied the expression of tenascin (Tn) and isoforms of fibronectin (Fn) in human renal cell carcinomas (RCC) and oncocytomas, in RCC cell lines and in their s.c. implanted xenografts in nude mice. In well-differentiated RCCs and oncocytomas extra-domain A (EDA)-Fn and Tn immunoreactivities were confined to the basement membranes and blood vessels, while in less-differentiated RCCs they were also widely seen in the stroma, correlating with the morphological differentiation of the tumor. Expression of EDB-Fn and oncofetal (onc)-Fn was very scarce in most of the RCCs and oncocytomas. Western blotting results demonstrated the predominance of the M(r) 190,000 Tn subunit in most RCCs. Among the 4 RCC cell lines, 3 showed Tn in the extracellular matrix. As xenografts, they formed moderately or poorly differentiated tumors, with abundant Tn. Three of the RCC cell lines also showed secretion of EDA-Fn and 2 of them secretion of onc-Fn and EDB-Fn into the culture medium, while in xenografts there was a strong expression of all Fn isoforms. In xenografts, the expression of Tn closely recapitulated that seen in clinical tumors and in the cell lines in vitro, while the expression of Fn isoforms in cultured cells and their xenografts was highly discordant.

Animals↗

Isolation of active ribozymes from an RNA pool of random sequences using an anchored substrate RNA.

To analyze the structure-function relationship of a ribozyme, RNA molecules with cleavage activities were isolated from a pool of RNAs that have a region of 14 random nucleotides for catalysis by a novel in vitro selection method. Active ribozymes from the pool were selected using a substrate RNA anchored to an agarose bead. After 7 or 8 selection cycles, the pool of the selected molecules showed cleavage activity against the substrate RNA. Structures and catalytic activities of the individual selected RNA molecules were then analyzed by cDNA cloning, in vitro transcription and cleavage reactions. All the active ribozymes were found to catalyze the same sequence-specific cleavage reaction as does the hammerhead ribozyme and contain the conserved nucleotide sequences of the hammerhead ribozymes.

Base Sequence↗

Conservative management of idiopathic pneumoperitoneum masquerading as peritonitis: report of a case.

Pneumoperitoneum is most commonly caused by the perforation of a hollow viscus, in which case an emergency laparotomy is indicated. We report herein the case of a patient who presented with the signs and symptoms of peritonitis, but who was found to have idiopathic pneumoperitoneum which was successfully managed by conservative treatment. A 70-year-old man presented with epigastric pain, nausea, and a severely distended and tympanitic abdomen. Abdominal examination revealed diffuse tenderness with guarding, but no rebound tenderness. He was febrile with leukocytosis and high C-reactive protein. Chest X-ray and abdominal computed tomography demonstrated a massive pneumoperitoneum without pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, pneumoretroperitoneum, or subcutaneous emphysema, and subsequent examinations failed to demonstrate perforation of a hollow viscus. Thus, a diagnosis of idiopathic pneumoperitoneum was made, and the patient was managed conservatively, which resulted in a successful outcome. This experience and a review of the literature suggest that idiopathic pneumoperitoneum is amenable to conservative management, even when the signs and symptoms of peritonitis are present.

Aged↗

Natural course of diabetic peripheral neuropathy in spontaneous-onset diabetic Chinese hamsters.

We investigated metabolic and pathological changes in the peripheral nerve of the spontaneous-onset diabetic Chinese hamster. Electrophysiological examination revealed that the motor nerve conduction velocity was significantly decreased at 10 months and afterwards, however, the F-wave latency was significantly increased at 5 months and afterwards. Concerning sciatic nerve contents of sorbitol, myo- and scyllo-inositol, the content of sorbitol was not significantly increased at 5 months, but, myo- and scyllo-inositol were significantly decreased at 5 months and thereafter. At 10 and 15 months, however, sciatic nerve content of sorbitol was significantly increased. On morphological examination, loss of large myelinated fiber and reciprocal increase in degenerative fiber were also seen in sciatic nerve, but not in tibial nerve, at 5 months. At 15 months, these morphological changes were also found in the tibial as well as the sciatic nerve. Thus, we may hypothesize that F-wave latency is useful in the detection of initial diabetic neuropathy, and that the initial pathological changes in diabetic neuropathy of diabetic Chinese hamsters are predominantly found in the proximal site of peripheral nerves.

Aging↗

New phospholipase A2 inhibitor: synthesis and inhibition mechanism of oxazolidinone phospholipid analog.

(R)-3-Dodecanoyl-4-phosphatidylcholino-hydroxymethyl-2-oxazolidino ne (7), which is a new glycerophospholipid analog, was synthesized starting from (S)-glycidol through a 4-alkylsilyoxymethyl derivative and N-acyl-4-hydroxymethyl derivative. The cyclic amide analog 7 showed strong inhibitory activity toward both Group I and II PLA25, but the inhibitory potency of 7 was slightly weaker than that of the linear amide analog (R)-1, which had been developed by de Haas et al. (Biochem. Biophys. Acta 1990, 1043, 67). The interactions of 7 with human secretory PLA2 was investigated by computer modeling in comparison with those of the linear amide analog 1. The results of the computer modeling were very compatible with those of the inhibitory activities toward PLA2S, and the both results showed that the binding mode of the oxazolidinone analog 7 was very similar to that of the genuine substrate and was different from that of the linear amide analog 1.

Computer Simulation↗

Surgical treatment guided by spinal cord evoked potentials for tetraparesis due to cervical spondylosis.

Sixteen consecutive patients who were unable to ambulate independently due to cervical spondylotic myelopathy were treated surgically with the guidance of spinal cord evoked potentials (SCEPs). The SCEPs were recorded intraoperatively with needle electrodes inserted into serial cervical intervertebral discs after caudal epidural stimulation. Despite the presence of multiple extradural defects and/or cord compression seen on MRI, anterior decompression followed by fusion was able to be focused on a single level where the distinct change in waveform of the SCEP suggestive of spinal conduction block was revealed. Excellent neurological improvement resulted from the operation and all patients followed up for a period of more than 6 months were found to be ambulatory without walking aids.

Aged↗

Nucleolar accumulation of poly (A)+ RNA in heat-shocked yeast cells: implication of nucleolar involvement in mRNA transport.

Transport of mRNA from the nucleus to the cytoplasm plays an important role in gene expression in eukaryotic cells. In wild-type Schizosaccharomyces pombe cells poly(A)+ RNA is uniformly distributed throughout the nucleoplasm and cytoplasm. However, we found that a severe heat shock blocks mRNA transport in S. pombe, resulting in the accumulation of bulk poly(A)+ RNA, as well as a specific intron-less transcript, in the nucleoli. Pretreatment of cells with a mild heat shock, which induces heat shock proteins, before a severe heat shock protects the mRNA transport machinery and allows mRNA transport to proceed unimpeded. In heat-shocked S. pombe cells, the nucleolar region condensed into a few compact structures. Interestingly, poly(A)+ RNA accumulated predominantly in the condensed nucleolar regions of the heat-shocked cells. These data suggest that the yeast nucleolus may play a role in mRNA transport in addition to its roles in rRNA synthesis and preribosome assembly.

Base Sequence↗

Binding mode of phospholipase A2 with a new type of phospholipid analog having an oxazolidinone ring.

Inhibition of phospholipases A2 (PLA2s) by a new type of monodispersed phospholipid analog, 3-dodecanoyl-4-phosphatidylcholinohydroxymethyl-2-oxazolidinone (oxazolidinone-PC), was investigated by the pH stat assay method using monodispersed 1,2-dihexanoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine (diC6PC) as the substrate. The PLA2s used were those from bovine pancreas and cobra (Naja naja atra) venom (Group I) and from Japanese mamushi (Agkistrodon halys blomhoffii) venom (Group II). This new-type substrate analog was shown to inhibit competitively both types of venom and bovine pancreatic enzymes by binding to the active site in a similar manner to the carboxamide-type analog 2-dodecanoyl-amino-1-hexanol-phosphocholine (amide-PC). The binding of a stereoisomer, (R)-amide-PC, to N. naja atra (Group I) and A. halys blomhoffii (Group II) PLA2s was facilitated by the binding of Ca2+ to the enzymes. On the other hand, the binding of (R)-oxazolidinone-PC to the N. naja atra (Group I) enzyme was found to be independent of Ca2+ binding, while its binding to the A. halys blomhoffii (Group II) enzyme was markedly facilitated by the binding of Ca2+ to the enzyme. The binding of (R)-amide-PC to N. naja atra PLA2 (Group I) was markedly influenced by the ionization state of the catalytic residue His 48, whereas the binding of (R)-oxazolidinone-PC was found to be practically independent of the ionization state of this residue.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Effect of dietary antioxidants on the susceptibility to hepatic microsomal lipid peroxidation in the rat.

The inhibitory effect of probucol on ferrous-iron-induced microsomal lipid peroxidation was compared to that of alpha-tocopherol and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Male Wistar rats were fed with diets containing 1% probucol, 0.2% BHT or 0.1% alpha-tocopherol for 30 days. There were no effects of dietary antioxidants on growth parameters, although liver weight was significantly higher in the BHT-fed rats. Probucol reduced serum levels of total and free cholesterol, while BHT feeding increased the concentrations of serum thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances, HDL cholesterol and hepatic phospholipid. alpha-Tocopherol had no effect on these parameters. Incorporation of both, probucol and alpha-tocopherol, decreased the susceptibility of microsomes to lipid peroxidation in vitro, while BHT incorporation increased hepatic microsomal lipid peroxidation. These results suggest the possible usefulness of probucol for treatment of both hypercholesterolemia and elevated hepatic microsomal lipid peroxidation, while alpha-tocopherol decreases only an elevated lipid peroxidation. BHT works as a prooxidant.

Animals↗

Myocardial infarct size by serum troponin T and myosin light chain 1 concentration.

The late troponin T (TnT) peak concentration, which is known to be independent of reperfusion of the infarcted zone in acute myocardial infarction (MI), has been suggested to be correlated with clinical estimates of cardiac function and myocardial infarct size. To refine the clinical application of the late TnT peak in infarct sizing, and to examine differences in this estimation in different infarct sites, we measured the serum concentrations of TnT and myosin light chain 1 (MLC1), and compared these values with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) obtained from left ventriculography, and extent score (ES) and severity score (SS) obtained from 201Tl scintigraphy in patients with anterior and inferior myocardial infarction. The late TnT peak concentration was strongly correlated with the MLC1 peak value in patients with anterior MI (r = 0.67, p < 0.05) and in those with inferior MI (r = 0.92, p < 0.0005). Furthermore, there were strong linear correlations between the late TnT peak values and all of the clinical data (LVEF; r = -0.79, p < 0.01, ES; r = 0.75, p < 0.05, SS; r = 0.75, p < 0.05, respectively) in patients with anterior MI. However, these correlations were weak in patients with inferior MI. Similar correlations were observed between MLC1 and the clinical data. Thus, TnT and MLC1 have similar kinetics in the serum at the late phase and can be used to estimate the size of anterior infarct.

Aged↗

Relationship between insufficient redistribution in exercise thallium-201 myocardial single-photon emission computed tomography and reverse redistribution at rest.

It is widely accepted that perfusion defects in 3 to 4-h delayed images in exercise thallium-201 (201Tl) myocardial scintigraphy underestimate the viability of myocardium in the infarct region. In the present study, to examine the contribution of the condition of myocardium which demonstrates reverse redistribution in resting scintigraphy to the insufficiency of redistribution in the 4-h delayed image in exercise scintigraphy, we performed exercise and resting 201Tl myocardial single-photon emission computed tomography in 58 patients with acute myocardial infarction and a single diseased coronary artery. Twenty eight patients demonstrated reverse redistribution (group RR) and 28 showed a fixed defect (group FD) in resting scintigraphy. Redistribution in the 4-h delayed image in exercise scintigraphy was significantly more insufficient in group RR than in group FD (p < 0.01), and the degree of the insufficiency of redistribution in exercise scintigraphy closely correlated with the degree of reverse redistribution in resting scintigraphy (r = 0.79, p < 0.001). We conclude that in patients with acute myocardial infarction, the condition of myocardium which demonstrates reverse redistribution in resting myocardial scintigraphy is related to the insufficiency of redistribution in the delayed image in exercise scintigraphy.

Adult↗