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Biomedical subjects

Y Ichiki

Publications and source records attributed to Y Ichiki.

46 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

[A case of pulmonary metastasis from colon cancer successfully treated by 5-FU combined with leucovorin and interferon alpha-2a].

A 58-year-old woman with colon cancer, who had received oral 5-FU over 17 months after right hemicolectomy, was diagnosed as having a recurrence of the disease with multiple pulmonary metastasis. She was treated for 5 days with a combination of continuous infusion of 5-FU 600 mg/m2/day, bolus injection of leucovorin (LV) 20 mg/m2/day, and intramuscular injection of interferon (IFN)-alpha-2a (6.0 x 10(6) U/day, repeated every 3 weeks. The chest X-ray after three cycles showed a decrease in size of metastatic lesions by 51%, indicating a partial response. Correspondingly, the serum levels of CEA and CA 19-9 significantly decreased. There were modest but tolerable side effects such as fever, nausea, diarrhea, stomatitis, and alopecia. The patient has been given oral UFT and LV after discharge, and is still alive with continued improvement of pulmonary lesions even 9 months after initial chemotherapy. Although the detailed synergistic mechanism of 5-FU and IFN has yet to be determined, the addition of IFN, as a biochemical modulator distinct from LV, to the combination of 5-FU and LV, appears to further potentiate the therapeutic efficacy and may be useful for advanced colorectal cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗

Organ distribution and characterization of porcine peptides (VIP, CGRP and PHI) that increase cAMP in rat platelets.

Using an assay for rat platelet cAMP, we investigated the organ distribution of peptides that increase cAMP in rat platelets in porcine tissues. Marked activity was observed in the duodenum, pancreas and brain. By analysis with reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), three major peaks of activity were observed in porcine tissues. The first peak was vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), and the second peak was calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). The third peak of activity was isolated from porcine duodenum. By analysis with a gas phase sequencer and with an amino acid analyzer, this peptide was identified as peptide histidine isoleucine (PHI). In a glucagon-secretin family of neuropeptides, pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) significantly increased platelet cAMP levels in a dose-dependent manner; however, glucagon did not. These results suggest that not only VIP and CGRP but also PHI and PACAP act upon platelets, as well as vascular tissues.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Isolation and characterization of peptides which act on rat platelets, from a pheochromocytoma.

An increase in the cellular concentration of cAMP leads to the inhibition of platelet aggregation. We have been investigating endogenous peptides which inhibit platelet function, using an assay which detects increase in platelet cAMP. Compared with the human adrenal medulla, a pheochromocytoma (PC) contained abundant peptides that elevate platelet cAMP. About 90% of the activity was found in the SP-III fraction which contained strongly basic peptides. From the SP-III fraction, peptides P-1, P-2 and P-3 were purified to homogeneity as endogenous peptides which elevated platelet cAMP. A gas phase sequencer was used to identify these peptides as follows: P-1 = vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP); P-2 = calcitonin gene related peptide-I (CGRP-I); P-3 = CGRP-II. It is well known these peptides are potent vasorelaxants. VIP and CGRP-I significantly increased platelet cAMP levels 15- and 6-fold, respectively. These results suggest that VIP and CGRP-I and -II act upon platelets as well as upon vascular tissue.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

Distribution and molecular form of immunoreactive big endothelin-1 in porcine tissue.

In the present study a specific and sensitive radioimmunoassay for big endothelin-1 was developed. Half maximal inhibition of binding of radioiodinated big endothelin-1 was observed at 58 pg/tube and big endothelin-1 was detectable as low as 2 pg/tube. With this assay, the regional distribution of big endothelin-1 was determined in porcine tissue and compared to the distribution of an immunoreactive endothelin. Considerable amount of immunoreactive big endothelin-1 was observed in the aortic intima (0.84 +/- 0.094 pg/mg wet tissue; mean +/- S.D.) and the lung (0.47 +/- 0.055), but there was a low concentration in other tissue including the kidney inner medulla, which has been shown to be abundant in immunoreactive endothelin. Furthermore the molecular form of immunoreactive big endothelin-1 in aortic intima was found to be big ET-1[1-39], but the molecular form of major immunoreactive big endothelin-1 in the lung is big endothelin-1[22-39] with big endothelin-1[1-39] being minor.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Naegleria: observations on its distribution in east Asia and South America, and electron microscopic studies on cultured trophozoites.

The present study is a survey of the distribution of Naegleria strains in water collected from ponds and rivers. Twenty three strains were isolated and identified as Naegleria fowleri. These strains were examined in culture for temperature tolerance. The five strains among of them were able to survive 32-36 degrees C. The two virulent strains were isolated from above the five strains. The lamellar structures in Naegleria showed positive reaction for acid phosphatase activity.

Amoeba↗

Evaluations of p53 immunoreactivity, nucleolar organizer regions, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen in non-small cell lung carcinoma.

We examined p53 protein expression, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and argyrophilic nuclear organizer regions (AgNOR), in 102 patients with surgically-treated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). p53 positive cases with DO-1 were defined when more than 10% of the tumor cell nuclei were stained. Mean AgNOR count and PCNA LI were 2.80 and 40.7 and there were no significant differences of AgNOR count and PCNA LI between p53 positive and negative cases. We assessed the relationship between the p53 immunoreactivity and various clinical or pathological parameters. p53 positive rate of stage III disease (46.3%) was significantly higher than that of stage II disease (28.6%). The p53 positive rate of squamous cell carcinoma (42.1%) tended to be higher than that of adenocarcinoma (33.9%). In the survival curves of patients with NSCLC according to the p53 immunoreactivity, there was no significant difference between p53 positive and negative cases. Eight potential prognostic parameters (p53 immunoreactivity, AgNOR count, PCNA LI, sex, age, year of operation, histology, and stage) were also estimated, using univariate and multivariate analysis. In univariate analysis, PCNA LI and AgNOR count, and stage were significantly related to shortened survival. In multivariate analysis, PCNA LI, Age, and stage were independently associated with shortened survival of NSCLC patients. PCNA staining may be more useful than p53 and AgNOR staining in assessing the aggressiveness of surgically-treated NSCLC, although the most useful clinical prognostic parameter should be achieved by the combined analysis of several prognostic indicators.

Adult↗