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Biomedical subjects

Y Ito

Publications and source records attributed to Y Ito.

At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

Organochlorine and organotin compounds in Caspian seals (Phoca caspica) collected during an unusual mortality event in the Caspian Sea in 2000.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides and organotin compounds were determined in the blubber and liver of Caspian seals (Phoca caspica) found stranded on the coast of the Caspian Sea during an outbreak of canine distemper virus (CDV) in 2000. Among organochlorines analyzed, DDTs were the most dominant contaminants with concentrations ranging from 6.3 to 470 microg/g on a lipid-weight basis. Caspian seals collected in 2000 during the epizootic had higher concentrations of organochlorines than healthy individuals sampled in 1998. However, the blubber layer was generally thinner in the seals collected in 2000 than those in the previous surveys. Although compositions of organochlorine pesticides in seals suggested that the contamination status in the Caspian Sea is improving, the levels found in Caspian seals in 2000 were comparable to those in other marine mammals that have suffered from epizootics. This implies that the present status of contamination found in Caspian seals poses a risk of immunosuppression. Concentrations of butyltin compounds in livers of seals ranged from 0.49 to 17 ng/g on a wet-weight basis and octyltin compounds were below limit of detection in all the samples analyzed, suggesting less contamination by organotin compounds in the Caspian Sea.

Algorithms↗
PubMed2002

Cell death and proliferation in Nd-YAG laser, electrocautery, and scalpel wounds on mice skin.

The purpose of this study is to compare cell death and proliferation in laser, electrocautery and scalpel wounds on the mice epidermis. Wounds were examined by transmission electron microscopy, the detection of free 3'-OH DNA ends and immunohistochemistry of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) and keratinocyte growth factor receptor (KGFR). Reepithelization was first observed 5 days after scalpel and laser incisions and 7 days after electrocautery incision. Ultrastructurally, keratinocytes in both electrocautery and laser wounds showed similar post-apoptotic necrotic changes. Interestingly, dividing cells were often observed 3 days after laser incision. Apoptotic index in electrocautery wounds was higher than in laser wounds, although there was no significant difference in the PCNA expression level between them. The expression of iNOS, KGF and KGFR in laser wounds was more intense than in electrocautery wounds. In scalpel wounds, keratinocytes did not show significant changes in morphology or of markers of cell death and proliferation during the observation period. Therefore, the increase in the number of dividing cells and in the expression level of iNOS, KGF and KGFR may induce earlier and thicker reepithelization in laser wounds than in electrocautery and scalpel wounds.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Apoptosis and cell proliferation of small intestinal villi in mitomycin C-treated rats.

Mitomycin C (MMC) therapy often causes toxicity affecting the small intestine. We investigated the relationship between pathological manifestations and cell death, or the proliferation of small intestinal villi in rats treated with MMC. The length of the villi, apoptosis, and cell proliferation were evaluated in the small intestine at 3, 7, and 11 days after MMC treatment by the TUNEL method, BrdU-immunohistochemistry, and transmission electron microscopy. In MMC-treated rats, the body weight decreased until day 7 and recovered from day 8, while most rats had watery stools from days 4 to 7. The villi were the shortest on day 7 and were still shorter on day 11 than in the control group. The highest incidence of TUNEL-positive cells in the small intestinal crypts was observed on day 3, and the number decreased thereafter to reach the control level on day 11. The percentage of BrdU-labeled cells was the highest on day 3 and the lowest on day 7, but recovered to the control level on day 11. The clinical symptoms caused by MMC treatment are consistent with the changes of villous length that reflect the viability of stem cells in the small intestinal crypts about 4 days earlier.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Elevated plasma level of differentiation inhibitory factor nm23-H1 protein correlates with risk factors for myelodysplastic syndrome.

We measured plasma nm23-H1 level (nm23-H1), a differentiation inhibitory factor, by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in patients with aplastic anemia (AA) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). The nm23-H1 in AA was not significantly elevated when compared to normal subjects (6.66 +/- 1.20 ng/ml vs 5.13 +/- 0.81 ng/ml; P = 0.274). In contrast, MDS patients had significantly high levels of nm23-H1 compared not only to normal subjects (11.16 +/- 1.42 vs 5.13 +/- 0.81 ng/ml; P = 0.0004) but also to those of the AA group (11.16 +/- 1.42 ng/ml vs 6.66 +/- 1.20 ng/ml; P = 0.018). In the MDS group of patients, no significant difference was observed in the nm23-H1 levels between patients with refractory anemia (RA) and RA with excess blasts (RAEB)/RAEB in transformation (10.71 +/- 1.61 ng/ml vs 9.24 +/- 2.66 ng/ml; P = 0.672). Of the patients with RA, patients with low risk according to the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) had significantly low levels of nm23-H1 compared to those of IPSS INT-1 level cases (6.40 +/- 1.36 ng/ml vs 13.05 +/- 2.50 ng/ml; P = 0.0028), suggesting that nm23-H1 may be useful as a prognostic marker for MDS, especially in low risk patients.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2002

Eradication of Helicobacter pylori infection induces an increase in body mass index.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between H. pylori infection and body mass indices is controversial. AIM: To investigate the relationship between H. pylori infection and body indices, and to examine the effect of H. pylori eradication therapy on body indices. METHODS: Nine-hundred and thirty-two employees of an industrial corporation were examined for H. pylori infection and body mass indices. Three hundred and two H. pylori-positive cases diagnosed with chronic gastritis by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy or radiography underwent eradication therapy. Body mass indices, serum total cholesterol levels and symptom scores were obtained before and at 12 months after eradication therapy. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in body weight, body mass index (BMI) or serum total cholesterol level between the H. pylori-positive and H. pylori-negative groups. However, body weight and BMI increased significantly 12 months after eradication of H. pylori infection. In contrast, there was no significant difference in body weight and BMI 12 months after eradication therapy in the non-eradication group. Serum total cholesterol levels did not change after eradication therapy in either the eradication or non-eradication groups. CONCLUSION: Eradication of H. pylori infection induced an increase in BMI in industrial workers with chronic gastritis in Japan.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Effects of the concomitant administration of tamsulosin (0.8 mg) on the pharmacokinetic and safety profile of intravenous digoxin (Lanoxin) in normal healthy subjects: a placebo-controlled evaluation.

A 20-day, nonrandomized, open-label, placebo-controlled study was performed to investigate whether concomitant administration of tamsulosin (0.8 mg) affects the pharmacokinetic and safety profile of intravenous digoxin (0.5 mg) in healthy subjects. Ten healthy subjects aged 21-39 years received a single oral dose of placebo on study days 1-8 and tamsulosin on days 9-18. Tamsulosin was initiated at 0.4 mg/day and the dose was increased to 0.8 mg/day from day 11. On days 2 and 15, subjects received a single intravenous dose of digoxin (0.5 mg). Safety monitoring was carried out throughout the study. Following digoxin administration, blood was drawn and urine collected over a 96-h period for pharmacokinetic determinations. Plasma tamsulosin concentrations were measured at regular intervals after dosing on day 15. The digoxin pharmacokinetic parameters with and without concomitant tamsulosin were compared. No significant difference was observed, and no irregularity was found in the plasma tamsulosin concentration data. Six subjects experienced adverse events while receiving placebo and seven while on tamsulosin. The most frequent adverse event was mild dizziness reported by four subjects. Moderate chest pain was reported in two subjects, but this was not considered to be related to the administration of the study medications. Some significant changes in vital signs were observed; however, none was accompanied by symptoms of medical concern. These changes were not temporally related to the administration of study drugs. Thus, concurrent administration of digoxin with tamsulosin did not produce any change in the pharmacokinetics of digoxin and the safety profile was acceptable. As reflected in the prescribing information for tamsulosin, no adjustment in tamsulosin dosing is required when it is administered concomitantly with digoxin.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2002

[Clinical study of double primary cancer involving the lung in resected cases].

Among all cases of surgically resected lung cancer, there were 56 cases (16.1%) of double primary cancer. The common sites of the other primary cancer was the stomach (19 cases), followed by large intestine (9 cases), urinary bladder (7 cases) and pharinx-larynx (7 cases). One patient had triple cancers. In all cases of double primary cancer, 46 cases were metachronous, 10 of which were cases of initial lung cancer. The 5-year survival rate of double primary cancer was 39.7%. Good result was obtained in metachronous cases with initial lung cancer. Most of prognosis of double primary cancer was determined by that of lung cancer. In more than half of initial cancer, the second primary cancer was detected by symptoms. So, special attention to the possibility of double primary cancer in patients with resected lung cancer is necessary for improvement of prognosis.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

[Mediastinal signet-ring cell carcinoma of unknown primary site; report of a case].

The question whether the tumor is primary or metastatic sometimes arises in patients with intrathoracic tumor. Especially, adenocarcinoma presents more difficulties in distinguishing primary tumors from secondary or deciding its origin. We reported a case of mediastinal signet-ring cell carcinoma. A 51-year-old female was admitted because of an abnormal shadow during mass screening. Chest X-ray showed a semicircular, well-demarcated shadow on right cardiophrenic angle. Chest computed tomography (CT) revealed a homogeneous mass, approximately 4 cm in diameter. The investigations of whole body failed to reveal any other tumor. At operation, the tumor was adherent to the esophagus but easily resected. Histologically, the tumor was mainly composed of signet-ring cells. Immunohistochemically, surfactant apoprotein (SPA) was strongly demonstrated in tumor cells. SPA is specific to the lung and the tumor was diagnosed as the metastasis in mediastinal lymph nodes. The primary site was considered to exist in lung. But the primary site was not found over 46 months in spite of repeated further examinations.

Carcinoma, Signet Ring Cell↗
PubMed2002

Human single-chain Fv (scFv) antibody specific to human IL-6 with the inhibitory activity on IL-6-signaling.

Human anti-IL-6 antibody may be useful for the immunotherapy of various inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis. Since IL-6 is a growth factor for B cell hybridoma, it is not easy to isolate murine B cell hybridomas producing the anti-IL-6 antibody with the IL-6-signaling inhibitory activity. In this study, the antibody library (Vgamma-Vkappa, Vgamma-Vlambda, Vmu-Vkappa or micro-Vlambda ligated into the pCANTAB 5E phagemid vector) was prepared from peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 20 healthy subjects. The phage display library was panned with an IL-6-coated plastic plate, and the binding specificity was confirmed by ELISA and BIAcore. From the antibody library (Vgamma-Vlambda), five IL-6-specific phage clones were isolated. The effects of the soluble scFvs purified from these phage clones were tested on the growth of the IL-6-dependent human cell line, KT-3. Two of these clones significantly inhibited the growth of KT-3, and three showed no inhibition.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed2001

Protection by tetracyclines against ion transport disruption caused by nystatin in human airway epithelial cells.

Polyene antifungal antibiotics like nystatin form monovalent cation pores on the plasma membrane that perturb the intracellular electrolyte milieu, resulting in cell damage. In the present study, we investigated the effects of tetracyclines (minocycline and tetracycline) on ion transporters disrupted by nystatin in cultured human airway Calu-3 cells. Apical application of nystatin (50 microM) on a monolayer of the cells stimulated Na(+)-K(+) pump activity as estimated by ouabain (1 mM)-sensitive short-circuit current (I(sc)). The nystatin-potentiated I(sc) was inhibited by minocycline (IC(50) = 25 microM) or tetracycline (IC(50) = 150 microM) applied only from the apical (nystatin-treated) side. Nystatin increased monolayer conductance that was reversed by the application of tetracyclines. In contrast, ouabain potentiated the nystatin-induced change in the conductance. Further, Na(+)-glucose transport affected by nystatin was also normalized by tetracyclines from the nystatin-treated side of the membrane. These data suggest that tetracyclines may lower the cell permeability potentiated by nystatin, protecting cells against damage.

Cell Line↗
PubMed2001

In vitro adaptation of a ligase ribozyme for activity under a low-pH condition.

A ligase ribozyme accelerating a ligation reaction with oligonucleotide under a low-pH condition was selected by in vitro adaptation. A ribozyme active at pH 7 was randomly mutated, and the resultant RNA library was subjected to in vitro adaptation under a low-pH reaction condition. At pH 4, the adapted RNAs reacted with the oligonucleotide substrates about 200 times faster than the original ribozyme. When the ribozyme was cloned and sequenced, 10 of the 30 clones sequenced had identical sequences. The differences in sequence from the original ribozyme were found at four positions in the middle region and at the 3' end. A few sequential differences dominated the activity of the ribozyme under the extreme condition. The adapted ribozyme had one repeating sequence that was critical for the activity.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2001

Detailed characterization of neuroprotection by a rescue factor humanin against various Alzheimer's disease-relevant insults.

A novel factor, termed Humanin (HN), antagonizes against neurotoxicity by various types of familial Alzheimer's disease (AD) genes [V642I and K595N/M596L (NL) mutants of amyloid precursor protein (APP), M146L-presenilin (PS) 1, and N141I-PS2] and by Abeta1-43 with clear action specificity ineffective on neurotoxicity by polyglutamine repeat Q79 or superoxide dismutase 1 mutants. Here we report that HN can also inhibit neurotoxicity by other AD-relevant insults: other familial AD genes (A617G-APP, L648P-APP, A246E-PS1, L286V-PS1, C410Y-PS1, and H163R-PS1), APP stimulation by anti-APP antibody, and other Abeta peptides (Abeta1-42 and Abeta25-35). The action specificity was further indicated by the finding that HN could not suppress neurotoxicity by glutamate or prion fragment. Against the AD-relevant insults, essential roles of Cys(8) and Ser(14) were commonly indicated, and the domain from Pro(3) to Pro(19) was responsible for the rescue action of HN, in which seven residues turned out to be essential. We also compared the neuroprotective action of S14G HN (HNG) with that of activity-dependent neurotrophic factor, IGF-I, or basic FGF for the antagonism against various AD-relevant insults (V642I-APP, NL-APP, M146L-PS1, N141I-PS2, and Abeta1-43). Although all of these factors could abolish neurotoxicity by Abeta1-43, only HNG could abolish cytotoxicities by all of them. HN and HN derivative peptides may provide a new insight into the study of AD pathophysiology and allow new avenues for the development of therapeutic interventions for various forms of AD.

Alzheimer Disease↗
PubMed2001

Isolation and structural analyses of positional isomers of 6(1),6(n)-di-O-(N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl)cyclomaltoheptaose (n=2, 3, and 4) and 6-O-[6-O-(N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl)-N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl]cyclomaltoheptaose.

6-O-[6-O-(N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl)-N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl]cyclomaltoheptaose (beta CD) and three positional isomers of 6(1),6(n)-di-O-(N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminyl)cyclomaltoheptaose (n=2, 3, and 4) in a mixture of products from beta CD and N-acetylglucosamine by the reversed reaction of beta-N-acetylhexosaminidase from jack bean were isolated and purified by HPLC. The structures of four isomers of di-N-acetylglucosaminyl-beta CDs were determined by FABMS and NMR spectroscopy. The degree of polymerization of the branched oligosaccharides produced by enzymatic degradation with bacterial saccharifying alpha-amylase (BSA) was established by LC-MS methods.

Acetylglucosamine↗