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Biomedical subjects

Y Nishio

Publications and source records attributed to Y Nishio.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources

Human chorionic gonadotropin-alpha gene is transcriptionally activated by epidermal growth factor through cAMP response element in trophoblast cells.

The purpose of this study was to analyze the mechanism of transcriptional activation of human chorionic gonadotropin-alpha (hCGalpha) gene by epidermal growth factor (EGF) in trophoblast cells. We stably transfected hCGalpha promoter-chloramphenicol acetyltransferase constructs into Rcho-1 trophoblast cells and monitored the promoter activities. -290-base pair hCGalpha promoter containing a tandem repeat of cAMP response element (CRE) was activated by EGF in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Deletion analysis of hCGalpha promoter suggested an involvement of CRE in EGF-induced hCGalpha transcriptional activation. Moreover, the hCGalpha promoter, of which both CREs were mutated, did not respond to EGF. These results indicate that EGF activates the hCGalpha gene transcription through CRE. Although EGF did not alter the amount of CRE-binding protein (CREB), EGF induced CREB phosphorylation. We next examined the mechanism of CREB phosphorylation by EGF. Protein kinase C inhibitors (H7, staurosporin, and chelerythrine) inhibited EGF-induced CREB phosphorylation, whereas either mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-1 inhibitor (PD98059) or protein kinase A inhibitor (H8) showed no effect. Furthermore, H7 and staurosporin but not H8 inhibited hCGalpha promoter activation by EGF. In conclusion, EGF promotes hCGalpha gene transcription via the CRE region probably by phosphorylating CREB mainly through the protein kinase C pathway in trophoblast cells.

Dose-Response Relationship, Drug↗

Autocrine inhibition of leptin production by tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) through TNF-alpha type-I receptor in vitro.

The aim of this study was to find factors which regulate m-leptin secretion during pregnancy. Mouse parametrial adipocytes from day 13 of pregnancy were cultured with or without mouse placental lactogen (mPL)-I, mPL-II, or mouse tumor necrosis factor-alpha (mTNF-alpha) and mouse-leptin (m-leptin) concentration in the medium was assessed by RIA. Up to four days of mPL-I or mPL-II treatment did not affect m-leptin secretion. However, mTNF-alpha, which is produced by adipocytes, significantly inhibited m-leptin secretion in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Antibody to mTNF-alpha completely blocked the inhibitory effect of mTNF-alpha on m-leptin secretion. mTNF-alpha significantly inhibited the expression of m-leptin messenger RNA. Agonistic polyclonal antibody directed against the mTNF-type-I receptor (mTNF-RI) significantly inhibited m-leptin secretion, but the anti-mTNF-RII antibody did not change m-leptin secretion. Moreover, human TNF-alpha (h-TNF-alpha) also inhibited human-leptin (h-leptin) secretion by cultured human adipocytes collected from the subcutaneous fat of pregnant women. These results suggest that TNF-alpha, which is secreted by adipocytes, inhibits m-leptin secretion through mTNF-RI and suggest the presence of an autocrine or paracrine regulation of leptin secretion in human and mouse adipose tissue in vivo.

Adipocytes↗

Role of the CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-alpha transcription factor in the glucocorticoid stimulation of p21waf1/cip1 gene promoter activity in growth-arrested rat hepatoma cells.

The preceding paper (Cha, H. H., Cram, E. J., Wang, E. C., Huang, A. J., Kasler, H. G., and Firestone, G. L. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 0000-0000(478563) defined a glucocorticoid responsive region within teh promoter of the p21 CDK inhibitor gene that contains a putative DNA-binding site for the transcription factor CCAAT/ enhancer binding protein-alpha (C/EBP alpha). Wild type rat BDS1 hepatoma cells as well as as4 hepatoma cells, which express antisense sequences to C/EBP alpha and ablate its protein production, were utilized to investigate the role of this transcription factor in the glucocorticoid regulation of p21 gene expression. The stimulation of p21 protein levels and promoter activity, as well as inhibition of CDK2-mediated retinoblastoma protein phosphorylation, by the synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone, required the expression of C/EBP alpha. Overexpression of C/EBP alpha in as4 cells rescued the dexamethasone responsiveness of the p21 promoter. Site-directed mutagenesis of the p21 promoter revealed that dexamethasone stimulation of p21 promoter activity required the C/EBP consensus DNA-binding site. Furthermore, in glucocorticoid receptor-defective EDR1 hepatoma cells, dexamethasone failed to stimulate C/EBP alpha and p21 protein expression and promoter activities. Our results have established a functional link between the glucocorticoid receptor signaling pathway that mediates a G1 cell cycle arrest of rat hepatoma cells and the transcriptional control of p21 by a cascade that requires the steroid induction of C/EBP alpha gene expression.

Animals↗

Effect of intragastric administration of beta-endorphin on thyrotropin-releasing hormone and somatostatin release into gastric lumen of rats.

The neuropeptides beta-endorphin (BE), thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), and somatostatin (SOM) in the gastric mucosa have the capacity to regulate gastric function. To clarify the possible role of BE in the interactions of neuropeptides and gastric acid secretion we investigated the effect of the intragastric administration of BE on TRH and SOM release into the gastric lumen. BE (100ng/kg) induced an immediate decrease in TRH release and a reciprocal increase in SOM release into the gastric lumen, followed by the suppression of gastric acid secretion. When various doses of BE (0-500ng/kg) were administered, changes in TRH and SOM occurred in a dose-dependent manner. Pretreatment with naloxone dihydrochloride (5 mg/kg, intraperitoneally) completely inhibited the BE-induced changes in the release of these peptides. These findings suggest that BE has a paracrine effect on TRH and SOM release into the gastric lumen through opioid receptors, and that these interactions may be involved in the regulation of gastric acid secretion.

Animals↗

Effects of parent Shamo cocks on the histochemical properties of M. iliotibialis lateralis and M. supracoracoideus on their crossbred broilers.

1. Four Shamo (a Japanese game bird) cocks showing different characteristics in the histochemical properties of M. iliotibialis lateralis (ITL) were crossed with White Rock hens to produce male and female crossbred broilers of the 4 lines (90 d of age). Normal broilers (56 d) were used, for comparison. 2. Histochemical properties of ITL and M. supracoracoideus (SC) were compared among the crossbred lines and normal broilers. Myofibres were divided into Types II R, II I and II W showing high, moderate and low reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide dehydrogenase (NADH-DH) activities, respectively. 3. In the ITL of the crossbred cockerels, the percentage of Type II R and II I fibres decreased and conversely Type II W increased in comparison to those in the Shamo. 4. Sex differences of the histochemical properties were recognised only in the ITL of the crossbred, in which the percentage of Type II R fibres was greater in the male. 5. The different characteristics of the parent Shamo cocks were reproduced only in the different fibre type composition of the ITL muscle in the crossbred cockerels. 6. The histochemical features of fibre type seemed to develop with bird age, particularly subsarcolemmal accumulation of formazan granules (indicating high NADH-DH activity) in Type IIR fibres. 7. Breed, line, sex and age differences in the histochemical properties were demonstrated clearly in ITL but not in SC.

Age Factors↗

Crosstalk between the interleukin-6 (IL-6)-JAK-STAT and the glucocorticoid-nuclear receptor pathway: synergistic activation of IL-6 response element by IL-6 and glucocorticoid.

Cytokines and steroid hormones use different sets of signal transduction pathways, which seem to be unrelated. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) uses JAK tyrosine kinase and STAT (signal transducer and activator of transcription) transcription factor. Glucocorticoid binds glucocorticoid receptor (GR), which is a member of the steroid receptor superfamily. We have studied the crosstalk between the IL-6-JAK-STAT and glucocorticoid-nuclear receptor pathways. IL-6 and glucocorticoid synergistically activated the IL-6 response element on the rat alpha2-macroglobulin promoter (APRE)-driven luciferase gene. The exogenous expression of GR enhanced the synergism. The exogenous expression of dominant negative STAT3 completely abolished the IL-6 plus glucocorticoid-induced activation of the APRE-luciferase gene. Tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT3 stimulated by IL-6 alone was not different from that by IL-6 plus glucocorticoid. The protein level of STAT3 was also not increased by glucocorticoid stimulation. The time course of STAT3 tyrosine phosphorylation by IL-6 plus glucocorticoid was not different from that by IL-6 alone. The synergism was studied on the two other IL-6 response elements, the junB promoter (JRE-IL-6) and the interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1) promoter (IRF-GAS) which could be activated by STAT3. The synergistic activation by glucocorticoid on the IL-6-activated JRE-IL-6 and the IRF-GAS-driven luciferase gene was not detected. Glucocorticoid did not change the mobility of IL-6-induced APRE-binding proteins in a gel shift assay. These results suggest that the synergism was through the GR and STAT3, and the coactivation pathway which was specific for APRE was the target of glucocorticoid.

DNA-Binding Proteins↗

Altered activities of transcription factors and their related gene expression in cardiac tissues of diabetic rats.

Gene regulation in the cardiovascular tissues of diabetic subjects has been reported to be altered. To examine abnormal activities in transcription factors as a possible cause of this altered gene regulation, we studied the activity of two redox-sensitive transcription factors--nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) and activating protein-1 (AP-1)--and the change in the mRNA content of heme oxygenase-1, which is regulated by these transcription factors in the cardiac tissues of rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Increased activity of NF-kappaB and AP-1 but not nuclear transcription-activating factor, as determined by an electrophoretic mobility shift assay, was found in the hearts of 4-week diabetic rats. Glycemic control by a subcutaneous injection of insulin prevented these diabetes-induced changes in transcription factor activity. In accordance with these changes, the mRNA content of heme oxygenase-1 was increased fourfold in 4-week diabetic rats and threefold in 24-week diabetic rats as compared with control rats (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). Insulin treatment also consistently prevented changes in the mRNA content of heme oxygenase-1. The oral administration of an antioxidant, probucol, to these diabetic rats partially prevented the elevation of the activity of both NF-kappaB and AP-1, and normalized the mRNA content of heme oxygenase-1 without producing any change in the plasma glucose concentration. These results suggest that elevated oxidative stress is involved in the activation of the transcription factors NF-kappaB and AP-1 in the cardiac tissues of diabetic rats, and that these abnormal activities of transcription factors could be associated with the altered gene regulation observed in the cardiovascular tissues of diabetic rats.

Animals↗

Oxidized lipoproteins found in patients with NIDDM stimulate radical-induced monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 mRNA expression in cultured human endothelial cells.

Although oxidized low density lipoprotein (LDL) exists in plasma from diabetic patients, there are few studies on its biological activity. Thus, we investigated the biological potency of LDL plus intermediate density lipoprotein fraction isolated from 12 non-diabetic and 24 non-insulin-dependent diabetic subjects of similar age and body mass index, in order to induce monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) mRNA expression in cultured human endothelial cells. MCP-1 mRNA content in the cells exposed to the lipoproteins isolated from the diabetic patients was significantly higher than that from the control subjects (p < 0.001). The increment of MCP-1 mRNA content was positively correlated with not only HbA1c (r = 0.58, p < 0.0001) but also lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) content in the lipoprotein (r = 0.46, p < 0.005) and was negatively correlated with diene formation lag time as a marker of oxidizability of the lipoprotein (r = -0.33, p < 0.05). Treatments of the cells with either 50 mumol/l probucol, 50 mumol/l alpha-tocopherol, or 0.1 mmol/l deferoxamine suppressed the increase in MCP-1 mRNA content induced by diabetic lipoproteins, respectively. Furthermore, the diabetic lipoproteins activated nuclear transcription factor NF-kappa B in the cells, which was inhibited by pre-treatment of cells with 50 mumol/l probucol. These data indicate that oxidatively modified lipoproteins found in diabetic plasma stimulate MCP-1 gene expression in endothelial cells. The LPC content which reflects oxidative modification of lipoprotein is at least a possible marker of biological activity to increase an atherogenic cytokine in endothelial cells.

Antioxidants↗

Cilostazol, a cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor, attenuates the production of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 in response to tumor necrosis factor-alpha in vascular endothelial cells.

The induction of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in vascular endothelial cells is thought to be an initial event in the development of atherosclerotic lesions. Therefore, inhibition of MCP-1 production may exhibit some effects in preventing atherosclerosis. In the present study, we found that 10 microM cilostazol, a cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor, increased the intracellular cAMP content by a twenty-five times of the basal level and resulted in the reduction of basal MCP-1 release by 41% from 168 +/- 11 ng/24 hr/mg protein to 99 +/- 14 ng/24 hr/mg protein (P < 0.001) from cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Furthermore, 10 microM cilostazol also significantly attenuated the dose-dependent increment of MCP-1 production by tumor necrosis factor-alpha. The inhibition was consistent with the reduction of MCP-1 mRNA level, possibly through reduced activation of transcription factor NF-kappa B level. Similarly, 1 mM dibutyryl cAMP inhibited MCP-1 production in endothelial cells. These data suggest that cilostazol inhibits MCP-1 production through increased intracellular cAMP levels and modulation of its expression in vascular endothelial cells.

3',5'-Cyclic-AMP Phosphodiesterases↗

beta-Sitosterolemia with generalized eruptive xanthomatosis.

The clinical features of the first case of a patient with sitosterolemia and generalized eruptive xanthomatosis are described. A six-year-old girl with generalized eruption was referred to the lipid clinic because of the high plasma cholesterol levels determined by the enzymatic method. Neither clinical signs nor results of laboratory examinations appeared to be abnormal, except for the eruption and the increase in the plasma cholesterol concentration. A family survey revealed high plasma cholesterol concentrations in the mother and one of two other siblings. Histological examination showed the eruption to be a xanthoma. Plasma sterol analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography revealed a noticeable increase in plasma plant sterol as well as cholestanol concentrations in the proband and the hypercholesterolemic sibling. The other family members had slightly high plasma sterol concentrations. This is the first case of a sitosterolemic patient with eruptive xanthomatosis. The case indicates that the clinical features of the xanthoma in sitosterolemia are not only tuberous or tendon but also eruptive, and also suggests that sitosterolemia should be considered in the differential diagnosis of hypercholesterolemia in almost every case with tuberous or eruptive xanthoma. The diagnosis is clinically important, since the disease can be treated successfully by diet therapy and bile acid binding resins.

Child↗

Pyruvate improves deleterious effects of high glucose on activation of pentose phosphate pathway and glutathione redox cycle in endothelial cells.

In our previous study (Diabetes 44:520-526, 1995), endothelial cells cultured in high glucose condition showed impairment of an oxidant-induced activation of the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) and a reduced supply of NADPH to the glutathione redox cycle. To gain insight into the mechanisms of this impairment, the protective effect of pyruvate was studied in human umbilical vein endothelial cells cultured in either 5.5 mmol/l glucose (normal glucose [NG] condition) or 33 mmol/l glucose (high glucose [HG] condition). Through pretreatment of cells with 0.2 mmol/l pyruvate for 5-7 days in the HG condition, glucose oxidation through the PPP and total cellular NADPH content in the presence of 0.2 mmol/l H2O2 were increased by 54 (P < 0.05) and 34%, respectively, and glutathione-dependent degradation of H2O2 in HG cells was enhanced by 41% (P < 0.01), when compared with those cells to which pyruvate was not added. The addition of pyruvate significantly reduced the fructose 1,6-bisphosphate (FDP) content and free cytoplasmic NADH/NAD ratio, estimated by increased pyruvate/lactate ratio in NG and HG cells exposed to H2O2. Furthermore, the addition of pyruvate also showed a 46% reduction (P < 0.01) of endothelial cell damage induced by H2O2 in HG cells. These results indicate that abnormalities in PPP activation and glutathione redox cycle activity induced by H2O2 in HG cells are compensated, and that the accentuated reductive stress is improved by an addition of pyruvate. These pyruvate effects are associated with protection against an oxidant-induced endothelial cell injury in the high glucose condition.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

A 570-kb DNA sequence of the Escherichia coli K-12 genome corresponding to the 28.0-40.1 min region on the linkage map.

The 569,750 base pair sequence corresponding to the 28.0-40.1 min region on the genetic map of Escherichia coli K-12 (W3110) was determined. This region includes the replication terminus region and contained at least 549 potential open reading frames. Among them, 160 (29%) were previously reported, 174 (32%) were homologous to other known genes, 102 (18%) were identical or similar to hypothetical genes registered in databases, and the remaining 113 (21%) did not show a significant similarity to any other gene. Of interest was the finding of a large number of genes and gene clusters in and near the replication termination region which had been thought to be genetically silent. Those included a cluster of genes for fatty acid beta-oxidation, the third copy of the pot (spermidine/putrescine transport system) gene cluster, the second dpp (dipeptide transport system) operon, the second dsm (anaerobic dimethyl sulfoxide reductase) operon, a cluster of fim (fimbrial) genes and a DNA helicase-like gene with a high molecular weight. In addition, we found the dnaC- and dnaT-like genes in the cryptic prophage, Rac, and a number of genes originated probably from plasmids.

Chromosome Mapping↗

A 460-kb DNA sequence of the Escherichia coli K-12 genome corresponding to the 40.1-50.0 min region on the linkage map.

The 465,813 base pair sequence corresponding to the 40.1-50.0 min region on the genetic map of Escherichia coli K-12 (W3110) was determined. Analysis of the sequence revealed that this region contained at least 466 potential open reading frames, of which 187 (40%) were previously reported, 105 (23%) were homologous to other known genes, 103 (22%) were identical or similar to hypothetical genes registered in databases, and the remaining 71 (15%) did not show a significant similarity to any other gene. At the 45.2-46.0 min region, we found a very large cluster of about 30 genes, whose functions are involved in the biosynthesis of polysaccharides as the components of outer membranes. In addition, we identified a new asn-tRNA gene, designated asnW, between the asnT and asnU genes and a new lysogenic phage attachment site as the cis-element.

Attachment Sites, Microbiological↗

SHPTP2 serves adapter protein linking between Janus kinase 2 and insulin receptor substrates.

To investigate the role of Janus kinase family (JAK1 and JAK2) in insulin signaling, we assessed their insulin-induced associations with other molecules in the cells overexpressing insulin receptors (HIRc and CHO-IR). After insulin stimulation, pp185 proteins (insulin receptor substrate, IRS) were co-immunoprecipitated with both kinases by alpha JAK1 and alpha JAK2 antibodies. However, JAK2 constitutively associated with pp95 protein (IR beta). Moreover, JAK2 also constitutively bound to a protein tyrosine phosphatase containing Src 2 regions (SHPTP2), but JAK1 did not. In HIRc cells expressing PTPase-negative mutant SHPTP2, no association of JAK2 with either pp185 or pp95 was detected. Thus, SHPTP2 might serve as an adapter protein linking between JAK2 and IRS. These results suggest that JAK1 and JAK2 behave differently and they may constitute a new regulatory component in insulin signaling.

Animals↗