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Biomedical subjects

Y Inoue

Publications and source records attributed to Y Inoue.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources
PubMed2001

Up-regulation of upstream stimulatory factors by protein malnutrition and its possible role in regulation of the IGF-binding protein-1 gene.

Protein malnutrition drastically induces the expression of the IGF-binding protein-1 (IGFBP-1) gene. We have previously shown that the region between -77 and -112 bp upstream of the rat IGFBP-1 gene contributes to the response of this gene to amino acid limitation. In an attempt to elucidate the basis of the responsiveness of this putative amino acid response unit (AARU), we searched the nucleus of the rat liver for a trans-acting factor whose binding to AARU was dependent on protein nutrition. Liver nuclear extracts of rats fed a protein-free diet and of those fed a control diet were compared by EMSA using the AARU as probe. One of the protein-probe complexes underwent a drastic increase after dietary protein deprivation. Assays using specific antibodies and several competitor oligonucleotides led to identification of the protein composing the complex as upstream stimulatory factor-1 (USF) and USF-2. The binding site of the USF proteins in the AARU turned out to be a CACGGG sequence that was homologous to the consensus USF-binding sequence (E box; CANNTG). Further, Western blot analyses showed that a protein-free diet caused significant increases in USF-1 and USF-2 levels. Thus, elevated expression of the IGFBP-1 gene under protein malnutrition can be attributable to increased binding of USF to its promoter, which results from increased USF levels. The data suggest that the changes in these ubiquitously distributed transcription factors play an important role in the nutritional regulation of expression of mammalian genes.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

The relationship between plasma high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels and cholesteryl ester transfer protein activity in six species of healthy experimental animals.

Plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations are regulated by plasma cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) in humans. The aim of this study was to ascertain the relationship between plasma HDL-C and plasma CETP activities in mouse, rat, dog, hamster, rabbit and monkey. In this study, the plasma HDL-C levels were highest in dogs and lowest in rabbits among the six species. Plasma CETP activities were higher in hamsters, rabbits and monkeys compared to mice, rats and dogs. The present study shows that there are species differences in HDL-C and CETP activity in six species of healthy experimental animals, with the six species being separated into two types. The first type showed a high HDL-C/TC ratio with low or absent CETP activity, and included mouse, rat and dog, whereas the second type showed a low HDL-C/TC ratio and high CETP activity, and included hamster, rabbit and monkey. The present study also shows that there is a strong relationship between plasma HDL-C levels and CETP activity in high CETP activity animals and that the relationship between the HDL-C/TC ratio and CETP activity is an important factor in all animals, regardless of CETP activity level.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Haemorrhagic hepatic cyst: a differential diagnosis of cystic tumour.

A 63-year-old man was found on ultrasound examination to have a hepatic cystic mass with a mural nodule, which was mildly enhanced on contrast enhanced CT and MRI. At surgery, the cystic fluid was haemorrhagic and histological examination of the mural nodule demonstrated an organized haematoma. This case is of interest in that an apparent mural nodule was present in a non-neoplastic cyst. Haemorrhagic hepatic cyst with an organized haematoma should be included in the differential diagnosis of cystic neoplasms.

Cysts↗
PubMed2001

Induction of phagocyte oxidase components during human myeloid differentiation: independent protein expression and discrepancy with the function.

We investigated the content of four components of the O2(-)-producing enzyme (p47, p67, p22, and gp91) and the O2(-)-producing capacity in human myeloid cell lines. The content of the four components of the phagocyte oxidase was minimal before differentiation induction. During differentiation, expression of p22 and gp91 was at consistently low levels, even when the O2(-)-producing capacity was equivalent to that of normal neutrophils. On the other hand, p47 was consistently and rapidly induced to the level comparable to normal neutrophils. The results indicate that low expression of p22 and gp91 is sufficient to obtain normal O2- production, and that p47 might play an important regulatory role in the functional differentiation.

Cell Differentiation↗
PubMed2001

Purification and characterization of maltose phosphorylase from Bacillus sp. RK-1.

Bacillus sp. RK-1 was isolated as a bacterium that produced maltose phosphorylase (MPase) in the culture supernatant. Screening was done from among about 400 isolates that could grow at 55 degrees C in a medium containing maltose as the sole carbon source. The enzyme was purified to an electrophoretically homogeneous state and some properties were investigated. The Mr of the enzyme was estimated to be 170 kDa by gel filtration and 88.5 kDa by SDS-PAGE, suggesting that it consisted of two identical subunits. The enzyme showed optimum activity around pH 6.0-7.0 and the optimum temperature was about 65 degrees C. The enzyme was stable in the range of pH 5.5-8.0 after keeping it at 4 degrees C for 24 h and retained the activity up to about 55 degrees C after keeping it for 15 min. This is the first report about an MPase that could be produced in the culture supernatant. Furthermore, these investigations showed that this MPase is one of the most thermostable ones reported so far.

Bacillus↗
PubMed2001

Increased retinal blood flow in patients with Graves' disease: influence of thyroid function and ophthalmopathy.

OBJECTIVE: Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO), resulting from the inflammation of retro-orbital tissue, is one of the major complications of Graves' disease (GD). We investigated the clinical usefulness of the measurement of retinal blood flow (RBF) in the evaluation of GO and its activity. MEASUREMENT: RBF was quantitated by pulsed Doppler mode at just below the branch of central retinal artery, from which the resistance index (RI) was calculated. PATIENTS: Forty-seven euthyroid GD patients and 70 gender- and age-matched normal controls were measured for RI to investigate the effect of GO on RBF. To investigate the effect of hyperthyroidism, 20 GD patients were measured for RI changes during antithyroid drug (ATD) therapy. Furthermore, 17 GD patients with clinically overt GO were measured for RI changes during treatment with glucocorticoid plus retro-orbital radiation. RESULTS: RI and exophthalmos showed a significant positive correlation in 47 treated euthyroid GD patients without clinically overt GO (r=0.307, P<0.05), but not in 70 age- and sex-matched normal subjects (r=0.185, P=0.161). Furthermore, RI, but not exophthalmos, significantly correlated with serum TSH receptor antibodies, an indicator for the disease activity of GO. ATD therapy significantly reduced RI in GD patients from 0.719+/-0.041 in the hyperthyroid state to 0.661+/-0.051 in the euthyroid state, but not to the levels observed in normal subjects having the similar exophthalmos (0.640+/-0.049). The fractional reduction of RI during ATD therapy significantly correlated with those of pulse pressure and ultrasonographic distensibility in carotid artery, but not with those of serum vascular injury markers. In 17 GD patients with clinically overt GO, all four patients having adipose tissue enlargement but not extraocular muscle hypertrophy (inactive GO) showed RI within the mean +/- 1 s.d. for treated GD patients without GO. In the other 13 GD patients having extraocular muscle hypertrophy (active GO), four and eight patients showed RI outside mean +/- 2 s.d. and mean +/- 1 s.d. respectively. Treatment with glucocorticoid plus radiation moved RI in 8 out of 10 patients toward the mean values of GD patients without GO, in spite of little improvement of exophthalmos. CONCLUSIONS: It was suggested that GD patients showed altered retinal hemodynamics, possibly resulting either from the cardiovascular effect of hyperthyroidism or from retro-orbital inflammation, particularly in extraocular muscle.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Loss of nuclear localization of the S100C protein in immortalized human fibroblasts.

It is well known that cancer develops through a multistep process. In vitro transformation studies of normal human cells have shown that the immortalization step is critical for neoplastic transformation of cells. Furthermore, studies of cell fusion between normal and immortalized cells have indicated that the normal phenotype is dominant and the immortal phenotype is recessive. Thus we looked for cellular proteins that were down-regulated in immortalized human cells by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis to elucidate the mechanisms of immortalization of human cells. We found that the S100C protein was down-regulated in immortalized cells. This protein was localized in the cytoplasm of cells at the semiconfluent stage, while at the confluent stage it moved into the nuclei of normal cells but not into those of immortalized cells. Microinjection of an S100C antibody into normal confluent cells diminished the level of nuclear S100C protein, resulting in DNA synthesis. Taken together, loss of nuclear localization of the S100C protein, which may be related to DNA synthesis, is thought to be one of the mechanisms of immortalization.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2001

Seromucous cells in human sublingual glands: examination by immunocytochemistry of lysozyme.

This study examined the occurrence and morphological features of serous-type cells in human sublingual gland, using immunocytochemistry for lysozyme. Lysozyme-positive cells usually formed demilunes and occasionally their own acini. They were also found among cells of an intercalated duct and in its immature acinus consisting of a small number of secretory cells. All these serous cells could be classified as seromucous cells because they simultaneously revealed reactivity for mucus, i.e., a periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) and a periodic acid-thiocarbohydrazide-silver proteinate (PA-TCHSP) reaction under the light- and electron-microscope, respectively. Immunogold labeling of lysozyme in the seromucous cells was distributed on variously sized secretory granules. These usually possessed a single electron-dense spherule in an electron-lucent matrix, while granules of a homogenous structure were also present. Lysozyme-positive cells filled with large, lucent secretory granules could hardly be morphologically distinguished from the lysozyme-negative mucous cells; they corresponded to "intermediate" cells designated under the light microscope. All "immature" secretory cells with only a few secretory granules were also lysozyme-positive seromucous cells. The present study demonstrated that the seromucous cells in the human sublingual glands conform closely with those in the human labial glands (MIYAZAKI et. al., 1998).

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

A solitary bronchial papilloma with malignant changes.

We describe a case of solitary papilloma of the bronchus and provide a review of 38 similar cases reported in Japan. A 70-year-old man complained of cough and sputum. Chest X-rays and CT scans revealed atelectasis of the right middle lobe. On bronchoscopy, a polypoid tumor was found at the orifice of the bronchus of the right middle lobe. The tumor was histologically diagnosed as a squamous papilloma with moderate atypia. Because of elevated tumor markers and the reported high incidence of malignant changes in papillomas, the tumor was endoscopically resected by electrosurgical snare. While this procedure resulted in improvement of atelectasis, the chest CT taken subsequently revealed a mass adjacent to the resected polypoid tumor in the middle lobe bronchus. Percutaneous needle biopsy followed by histopathological examination confirmed the tumor to be a squamous cell carcinoma. Only three cases of malignant changes in papillomas have been previously reported in Japan. Electrosurgical snare, which allows the identification of tissue at the tumor base, should be the treatment of choice rather than YAG laser surgery.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

A rare case of eosinophilic pleuritis due to sparganosis.

A rare form of sparganosis with eosinophilic pleural effusion is reported. A 62-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with left pleural effusion, and diagnosed immunologically as having sparganosis. Eosinophilia was seen in both peripheral blood and pleural effusion. The level of interleukin (IL)-5 was elevated in the pleural effusion, but not in peripheral blood. The patient was treated successfully with three consecutive doses of praziquantel (75 mg/ kg/day). After the treatment, the antibody titer in serum decreased and the eosinophil number in the peripheral blood returned to the normal level. Thus, sparganosis should be included in the differential diagnosis for eosinophilic pleuritis. The immunoserological screening test using multiple-dot ELISA is helpful to identify the causative pathogen.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Massive rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure after acetonitrile exposure.

A case of systemic rhabomyolysis after acetonitrile exposure is reported. A 35-year-old previously healthy man suffered from vomiting, convulsion and consciousness loss 15 hours after exposure to acetonitrile. Since acetonitrile is known to be metabolized into cyanide, antidote therapy against cyanide poisoning was given. On admission, pain and all-over muscle swelling were marked. Although the initial therapy was effective, rhabdomyolysis and then acute renal failure developed. Renal function improved very slowly after six weeks of hemodialysis, but atrophy of the muscles remained. The rhabdomyolysis may have been caused by toxicity of the cyanide itself in combination with hypoxia and convulsion.

Acetonitriles↗
PubMed2001

[Cytomegalovirus antigenemia assay as a useful tool for early diagnosis and therapy for cytomegalovirus infections in three cases with collagen diseases].

We report here three cases of collagen diseases with cytomegalovirus infections. (1) A 21-year-old female, who had been diagnosed as systemic lupus erythematosus, lupus nephritis and lupus peritonitis, had fever. Cytomegalovirus antigenemia (CMV-Ag) assay was 10/8 positive. (2) A 33-year-old female, who had been diagnosed as Wegener glanulomatosis, had fever and liver dysfunction. CMV-Ag assay was 933/896 positive. (3) A 64-year-old female, who had been diagnosed as microscopic polyangitis, had fever, liver dysfunction and pneumonia. CMV-Ag assay was 6/2 positive. They were considered to be complicated with CMV infections. We could make early diagnoses of CMV infection by using CMV-Ag assay and treat them with anti-CMV therapy effectively.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

An unusual middle fossa interdural epidermoid tumor. Case report.

The authors report an unusual case of an intracranial, interdural epidermoid tumor and cyst in a 72-year-old woman who presented with longstanding, mild numbness over her right cheek. She was initially treated conservatively, but on follow-up review the mass was found to have grown and evidence of hemorrhage was present, and therefore a subtotal resection was performed. This case should probably be classified as a paratrigeminal, interdural epidermoid cyst; this is the first known report in which magnetic resonance and computerized tomography images of such an entity are presented and discussed.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Reactivation of liver-specific gene expression in an immortalized human hepatocyte cell line by introduction of the human HNF4alpha2 gene.

An immortalized human hepatocyte cell line (OUMS-29) was established from fetal liver by transfection with the SV-40 large T antigen gene that has certain liver-specific functions such as albumin production and enzyme activities of CYP1A1, 1A2, and 2E1. To make OUMS-29 cells express other liver-specific functions, the human hepatocyte nuclear factor 4alpha2 (HNF4alpha2) gene was introduced into the cells, because this gene was found to be markedly down-regulated. The transduced HNF4alpha2 was overexpressed in the nuclei of the transfected cells, and its DNA-binding activity was also detected. The liver-specific genes such as apolipoprotein AI, CII, CIII, blood coagulation factor X, alpha1-antitrypsin, and HNF1alpha were up-regulated. Thus, this cell line is expected to be a useful tool for studying the differentiated human hepatocyte functions.

Apolipoprotein A-I↗
PubMed2001

[Pathogenesis mechanism in ear fullness in otosclerosis].

To clarify the mechanism underlying ear fullness in otosclerosis, we studied the relationship between clinical features and examinations. Subjects were 116 otosclerosis patients (140 ears). The presence or absence of ear fullness was judged from a questionnaire in initial diagnosis or a chart description. Ear fullness was observed in 44 ears (31%) and absent in 96. The averaged air and bone conduction hearing levels (500 Hz-4 k Hz) in initial diagnosis were significantly lower in the group with ear fullness. The difference in averaged hearing was mainly apparent at 2 k Hz and 4 k Hz. The difference in hearing at lower frequencies (125 Hz, 250 Hz, and 500 Hz) and higher frequencies (2 k Hz, 4 k Hz, and 8 k Hz) was significantly larger in the group of ear fullness. From these results, we postulated that ear fullness in otosclerosis is caused by fixation of the stapes. The psychoacoustic abnormal sensation caused by lower input of lower-frequency sound or incomplete fixation of the stapes may cause ear fullness. Further study is needed to clarify the pathogenesis of ear fullness in different ear pathologies.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

[Evaluation of hearing recovery and a grading system established by the Research Group on Sudden Deafness of the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare].

A grading system for sudden deafness has been established by the Research Group on Sudden Deafness of the Japanese Ministry of Health and Welfare. According to this grading system, sudden deafness cases are classified according to the initial hearing level and the vestibular symptoms. Few clinical analyses of sudden deafness cases have been made using this grading system. In this study, 263 sudden deafness cases were classified into 6 groups based on the grading system. All of the cases presented with an initial hearing level of more than 40 dB and underwent treatment within 1 week of the onset of symptoms. The relationship between the grading system and hearing recovery is discussed. Fixed hearing levels with a good prognosis were grades 2b, 2a, 3b, 3a, 4b and 4a. To quantitatively evaluate hearing recovery, the average hearing recovery rate and the percentage of the complete recovery cases were analyzed for each group. Average hearing recovery was ranked into five levels, regardless of the evaluation method. Grades 2b and 3b were the best, and grade 4a was the worst. After grades 2b and 3b, grade 2a was the second best, grade 3a was the third, and grade 4b was the fourth. The cases included in grades 2 and 3 were more strongly effected by whether the cases had vestibular symptoms or not than by their initial hearing levels. When grade 4 cases were classified by their initial hearing level, a large difference existed among grade 4a cases with regard to whether they presented with an initial hearing level of under or more than 100 dB. The hearing recovery of grade 4a cases with an initial hearing level of less than 100 dB was almost the same as that of grade 3a. However, the hearing recovery of grade 4b cases varied only slightly. Consequently, some ranges of initial hearing level exhibited similar degrees of hearing recovery. In cases without vestibular symptoms, the range of initial hearing levels was 40-89 dB. These cases had a 60% chance of complete recovery, and the hearing recovery rate was 80% on average. In cases with vestibular symptoms, the range of initial hearing levels was 60-99 dB. These cases had a 40% possibility of complete recovery, with an average hearing recovery rate of 60%. After comparing the initial grades and the final grades using the same grading system, the majority of grade 2 and 3 cases attained a grade 1 fixed hearing level. However, most grade 4 cases had a grade 3 fixed hearing level.

Hearing↗
PubMed2001

[High-dose rate Iridium-192 brachytherapy with flexible applicator--a trial toward decrease of stress during treatment and improvement of quality of life].

PURPOSE: We tried to improve the materials and methods of high-dose rate Iridium-192 brachytherapy for localized prostate cancer and evaluated the stress during the treatment in 20 patients with whom the therapy was performed. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Rigid applicators made of stainless steel of 1.6 mm in diameter were indwelt with a template as usual for 30 hours in 14 patients (group A). Flexible applicators made of polyoxymethylene rosin (POM) of 2.0 mm in diameter were indwelt without a template for 30 hours after the applicator insertion in 6 patients (group B). We made inquiries about lumbago, inconvenience and necessity of assistant help and sleep in the course of therapy, and urinary incontinence and erectile function after the course of therapy as the QOL. RESULTS: The stress during the course of therapy in the patients of group B was obviously less than that of group A. There were no significant differences in urinary incontinence and erectile function after the course of therapy between group A and B. CONCLUSION: In this study, our trial successfully reduced the stress during the course of therapy in the patients with localized prostate cancer in the course of high-dose rate Iridium-192 brachytherapy.

Aged↗