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Y Kojima

Publications and source records attributed to Y Kojima.

At least 433 records · Page 24Linked to original sources

Increased erythrocyte catalase activity in patients with hyperthyroidism.

Levels of human erythrocyte catalase activity were determined in 38 patients with thyroidal dysfunction. In patients with hyperthyroidism, erythrocyte catalase activities were found to be higher than the levels of normal subjects (P less than 0.001). In hypothyroidism, erythrocyte catalase activities were of the same order as those of normal subjects. Significantly high positive correlation was found between erythrocytes catalase activity and the levels of thyroxine (r = 0.5794, n = 36, P less than 0.001), and slight positive correlation was detected between catalase activity and the levels of triiodothyronine (r = 0.3978, n = 33, P less than 0.05). A decreased erythrocyte catalase activity was observed when erythrocytes lysate was incubated with thyroid hormones. It was suggested that erythrocyte catalase activity had close relationship with thyroid state, however, direct effect of thyroid hormones were not observed on erythrocyte catalase assay system in vitro.

Adult↗

Effects of backbone structures and stereospecificities of lipid A-subunit analogues on their biological activities.

Among chemically synthesized analogues corresponding to the nonreducing sugar part of lipid A, we have found an analogue (GLA-27) which exhibits Limulus, mitogenic, polyclonal B cell activation (PBA), interferon-inducing, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-inducing activities but not pyrogenic activity. The structure of GLA-27 comprises 4-O-phosphono-D-glucosamine with tetradecanoyl and 3-tetradecanoyloxytetradecanoyl (C14-O-(C14] groups as the 3-O- and 2-N-acyl substituents, respectively. Derivatives of GLA-27 with different backbone structures, such as the 1-deoxy, 3-epimeric, 3-amino, and 1-deoxy-3-epimeric derivatives of glucosamine, were chemically synthesized, and their mediator-inducing activities such as interferon- and TNF-inducing activities were investigated in comparison with their B cell activation activities including mitogenic and PBA activities. Among these derivatives, a derivative with a 1-deoxyglucosamine backbone (GLA-40) exhibited stronger B cell activation activities than those of GLA-27 while the mediator-inducing activities of GLA-40 were weaker than those of GLA-27. In addition to these derivatives, stereoisomers of GLA-27 which possess the (R) and (S) forms of C14-O-(C14) as the 2-N-acyl substituent were also synthesized and their biological activities compared. The (S) isomer exhibited much stronger mediator-inducing activities than the (R) isomer. On the other hand, B cell activation activities of the (R) isomer were strong and those of the (S) isomer weak. These results clearly demonstrate that mediator-inducing activities and B cell activation activities can be selectively expressed by modifying the structures of lipid A analogues.

Animals↗

Reduction of acetohexamide by rabbit heart cytosol.

The acetohexamide reducing activity of cytosol of rabbit heart was compared with that of rabbit liver or kidney. The heart exhibited an approximately 2-fold higher activity than either the liver or kidney. Both aldehyde and ketone reductases may contribute to the reduction of acetohexamide by cytosol of rabbit heart. It is noteworthy that the heart is an important organ reducing acetohexamide.

Acetohexamide↗

Cryopreservation of mouse pancreatic islets. Effects of fast cooling on islet B cell function and on the outcome of islet transplantation.

In most previous studies of cryopreserved isolated pancreatic islets, a slow cooling rate has been employed. We recently observed that faster cooling (5 degrees C/min) resulted in better functional islet preservation than cooling at 0.5 degrees C/min. We found that a culture period after the collagenase isolation of the islets, but prior to freezing, is crucial for the preservation of the islet B cell function. In the present investigation the function of isolated mouse pancreatic islets cooled in Hanks' solution supplemented with 2 M dimethylsulphoxide was compared with that of nonfrozen, cultured islets prepared from the same donors. The islets were cultured in RPMI 1640 + 10% calf serum for 3 days before freezing, and for 3 days after rapid thawing at 37 degrees C. Islets were cooled at rates of 5, 15, or 25 degrees C/min to 70 degrees C and then plunged into liquid nitrogen. All three groups of cryopreserved islets responded with insulin secretion when challenged with high glucose concentrations in batch-type incubations. In further experiments it was found that glucose-stimulated (pro)insulin biosynthesis in islets frozen at 25 degrees C/min was the same as that in the controls. Similar observations were made with respect to glucose-stimulated insulin release in perifusion experiments. However, a 30% reduction in insulin content was observed in the rapidly frozen islets. There was no difference in the replicatory capacity of the islets cells in vitro, as determined by an autoradiographic technique, between control islets and islets cooled at 5 degrees C or 25 degrees C/min. Intrasplenic implantation of 600-800 cryopreserved syngeneic islets into alloxan-diabetic mice led to complete or partial normalization of the hyperglycemia in seven of nine mice. When splenectomy was performed in five animals the serum glucose concentrations increased promptly. We conclude that relatively rapid cooling rates may be useful for cryopreservation of isolated pancreatic islets.

Animals↗

Increased lipoperoxide value and glutathione peroxidase activity in blood plasma of type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic women.

The lipoperoxide values and glutathione peroxidase activity in blood plasma, along with the glutathione peroxidase, catalase and cupro-zinc superoxide dismutase activities in erythrocytes were investigated in 60 women with Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus and in 71 healthy women. The mean lipoperoxide value and the mean plasma glutathione peroxidase activity in the diabetic patients were significantly higher than those in the control subjects (lipoperoxide p less than 0.001, plasma glutathione peroxidase activity p less than 0.01). The plasma glutathione peroxidase activities did not, however, correlate with the plasma lipoperoxide values. The erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase activity was approximately ten times higher than that of the plasma glutathione peroxidase activity, nor did they correlate with each other. In contrast to the findings of other authors on the activities of the protective enzymes in erythrocytes against oxidative damage, there were no significant differences of erythrocytes glutathione peroxidase, catalase and superoxide dismutase activities between diabetic and control women.

Adult↗