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Biomedical subjects

Y Okano

Publications and source records attributed to Y Okano.

At least 289 records · Page 16Linked to original sources
PubMed1985

Phospholipid (diacyl, alkylacyl, alkenylacyl) and fatty acyl chain composition in murine mastocytoma cells.

The phospholipids from murine mastocytoma FMA3 and P-815 clone cells were quantitatively analyzed, and the major glycerophospholipids were examined for their fatty acyl chain distribution. In these cells, the content of histamine was less than 1/100 of normal mouse mast cells, and FMA3 cells had 1.5-fold as much histamine content as P-815 cells. The predominant phospholipid species of both mastocytoma FMA3 and P-815 were choline-containing glycerophospholipids (48%) and ethanolamine-containing glycerophospholipids (29%). The remaining minor constituents were sphingomyelin (6%, 7%), phosphatidylinositol (7%, 5%), phosphatidylserine (2%, 5%), cardiolipin (4%, 3%), and phosphatidic acid (2%, 1% for FMA3 and P-815, respectively). The choline-containing glycerophospholipids consisted of high amounts of 1-O-alkyl-2-acyl type (31%, 25%) and 1,2-diacyl type (63%, 66%) and a smaller amount of 1-O-alk-1'-enyl-2-acyl type (7%, 8%). In contrast, ethanolamine-containing glycerophospholipids were characterized by high contents of 1-O-alk-1'-enyl-2-acyl type (36%, 31%) and 1,2-diacyl type (55%, 58%), and a lower level of 1-O-alkyl-2-acyl type (12% and 11% for FMA3 and P-815, respectively). Unlike choline-containing glycerophospholipids and sphingomyelin that were rich in palmitic acid, ethanolamine-containing glycerophospholipids, phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylinositol showed a high proportion of stearic acid in the overall fatty acid composition. The content of arachidonic acid was highest in phosphatidylinositol. Sphingomyelin had a large amount of long chain and polyunsaturated fatty acids. In both choline- and ethanolamine-containing glycerophospholipids, the predominant fatty acids in the sn-1-position were palmitic, stearic, and oleic acid.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acetylglucosaminidase↗
PubMed1984

Cytohistologic diagnosis of neoplasms of the liver by ultrasonically guided fine-needle aspiration biopsy.

A procedure was developed for obtaining both cytologic and histologic specimens from patients suspected of having hepatic malignancy at the time of ultrasonically guided liver aspiration biopsy using a 22-gauge needle of 0.4 mm inner diameter. The fine needle and the syringe used were heparinized before use to avoid blood coagulation in the materials obtained. With heparinized needle and syringe it was possible to centrifuge the materials obtained and make good smears containing abundant tumor cells, and to obtain small tissue specimens. Histologic specimens obtained with the heparinized needle were fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde, postfixed in 1.0% osmium tetroxide, and embedded in epoxy Epon resin. Ultrathin sections were made and usually stained with Azan-Mallory stain. In 41 patients suspected of having hepatic malignancy, a correct diagnosis was made by a combination of these examinations. The sensitivity of this procedure for hepatic malignancy was 100%, and the specificity was 95.7%. Therefore, this procedure is a very reliable method for diagnosis of hepatic malignancy.

Aged↗
PubMed1984

Quantification by selected ion monitoring of pipecolic acid, proline, gamma-aminobutyric acid and glycine in rat brain.

A procedure for the simultaneous analysis of brain pipecolic acid, proline, gamma-aminobutyric acid and glycine--amino acids with potent inhibitory actions on the central nervous system--was developed. The identification and quantification of the amino acids were performed with a gas chromatographic--mass spectrometric--computer system using deuterium-labelled amino acids as the internal standards. After separation of the amino acids by high-performance liquid chromatography, the methyl ester heptafluorobutyryl derivatives were prepared. The lower limit of quantification for this method is at the picomole level. The usefulness of this chromatographic procedure has been demonstrated by measurement of trace amounts of pipecolic acid in rat brain.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Effects of dibutyryl cyclic AMP and forskolin on phospholipid biosynthesis in thrombin-stimulated human platelets.

The influence of forskolin, an adenylate cyclase activator, and of dibutyryl cyclic AMP (Bt2cAMP) on [3H]glycerol incorporation into glycerolipids was investigated in human platelets. It was found that preincubation with 2.5 mM Bt2cAMP produced a 2-4-fold increase in thrombin-induced incorporation into phospholipids compared to platelets activated by thrombin alone. Pretreatment with forskolin, which increased cellular cAMP content, also resulted in an increase in thrombin-stimulated [3H]glycerol incorporation into phospholipids. These findings demonstrate that a rise in platelet cAMP can accentuate thrombin-induced de novo synthesis of phospholipids from [3H]glycerol. Since the content of cellular cAMP was correlated with its ability to inhibit platelet activation monitored by serotonin release, it seems likely that glycerolipid, in particular phospholipid biosynthesis, is involved in controlling platelet activation by thrombin.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

Alterations in erythrocyte membrane lipids in abetalipoproteinemia: phospholipid and fatty acyl composition.

Scanning electron microscopic observation revealed that there were wide variations including typical acanthocytes in morphology of erythrocytes from a patient with abetalipoproteinemia. The erythrocyte membrane phospholipids and cholesterol contents from a patient was higher by 25% compared to an age-matched control subject. Analysis of phospholipid composition of red blood cells showed an increase of sphingomyelin (25.1----30.1%) with a concomitant decrease of lecithin (27.5----21.0%). Thus, the sphingomyelin/lecithin ratio was increased dramatically (0.91----1.43). As for fatty acyl chain composition of main phospholipids, an increased percentage of palmitic acid and docosahexaenoic acid and a decreased proportion of arachidonic acid and lignoceric acid were observed for sphingomyelin. There was an increment of palmitic acid which was accompanied with a decrease of linoleic acid in lecithin. On the other hand, no significant difference was shown in the fatty acid composition of phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine plus phosphatidylinositol between a patient and control.

Abetalipoproteinemia↗
PubMed1984

Characterisation of centromere (kinetochore) antigen reactive with sera of patients with a scleroderma variant (CREST syndrome).

Anticentromere (kinetochore) antibody is the marker antibody in CREST syndrome, but the precise molecular composition of the partner antigen has been poorly defined. This report describes for the first time a procedure for the successful extraction and biochemical characterisation of the centromere antigen molecule. The centromere antigen was extracted with 4M NaCl solution. The molecular weight of the partner antigen of the centromere antibody was determined to be 70 000 daltons by the SDS-PAGE and immunoblotting methods. A Sephacryl S-300 column experiment confirmed these results. Centromere antigenic activity was preserved at pHs between 3 and 11 and was resistant to three enzymes, trypsin, RNase, and DNase.

Adult↗
PubMed1984

The importance of delayed imaging in the study of hepatoma with a new hepatobiliary agent.

Concentration of Tc-99m(Sn)-N-pyridoxyl-5-methyltryptophan (Tc-99m PMT), a biliary agent, in hepatic tumors was studied with delayed hepatobiliary imaging in 23 patients with histologically verified hepatocellular carcinomas. All 23 showed filling defects on liver images obtained with Tc-99m tin colloid. In the images taken 5 hr after Tc-99m PMT injection, ten cases showed increased uptake in the carcinoma, six nearly normal uptake, and seven decreased uptake. In those showing the increased uptake of Tc-99m PMT in the tumor, the ratio of the radioactivity in the lesion to that in the adjacent liver parenchyma (T/L ratio) increased progressively with time for 5 hr after injection. These results indicate that delayed Tc-99m PMT images, obtained 5 hr after injection, are useful in assessment of uptake of the radioactivity by hepatocellular carcinoma.

Biliary Tract↗
PubMed1984

Serial estimation of anti-RNP antibody titers in systemic lupus erythematosus, mixed connective tissue disease and rheumatoid arthritis.

Anti-nuclear ribonucleoprotein (RNP) antibody titers were estimated serially in 19 anti-RNP antibody-positive patients, which included 10 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 6 patients with mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) and 3 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Counterimmunoelectrophoresis was used for antibody detection and a calf thymus extract was utilized as an antigen. Anti-RNP antibody titers in most patients with MCTD and RA did not fluctuate significantly, whereas those in patients with SLE fluctuated by more than a four-fold serum dilution. The anti-RNP antibody titers in SLE seemed to correlate with disease activity. Previous reports have stated that anti-RNP antibody titers do not fluctuate easily throughout the disease course. The present report shows that they do fluctuate in patients with SLE. The use of high dose of steroids in SLE might be responsible for the fall in antibody titer.

Antibodies, Antinuclear↗
PubMed1984

[Pharmacological effects of brovanexine hydrochloride (BR-222) on the respiratory tract system, particularly on the respiratory tract fluid, mucociliary transport and cough].

Pharmacological effects of brovanexine hydrochloride (BR-222), a new expectorant, on the respiratory tract system was studied in comparison with that of bromhexine hydrochloride. 1. When doses ranging from 5 to 40 mg/kg of BR-222 were given orally (p.o.) or intraduodenally (i.d.) to rats, rabbits and dogs, it caused a significant increase in the output volume of respiratory tract fluid (RTF). It was almost as potent as bromhexine, but its pattern of increasing RTF was different from that of bromhexine. The increase in the serous ingredient of RTF after BR-222 administration seemed to be more remarkable than that after bromhexine treatment, though both drugs had no influences on the component ratio of glucose or protein in the RTF of dogs. 2. BR-222 at 10 and 20 mg/kg (i.d.) showed a tendency to reduce the viscosity of RTF in anesthetized dogs and so did bromhexine. A dose of 10 mg/kg (i.d.) of BR-222 also showed a tendency to reduce the viscosity of sputum obtained from the SO2-exposed rabbits. 3. A dose of 6 mg/kg (i.m.) of BR-222 caused a significant increase in the mucociliary transport rate in unanesthetized pigeons; in contrast with this, bromhexine caused a slight decrease. 4. Both drugs given orally showed no antitussive effects when examined by the "coughing dog" method.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Significance of carcinoembryonic antigen levels and cytology of pure pancreatic juice in diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

The diagnostic accuracies of measurement of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and analysis of the cytologic characters of pure pancreatic juice were assessed in 16 control subjects, 20 patients with pancreatitis and 22 patients with pancreatic cancer. Pure pancreatic juice was collected from the pancreatic duct by endoscopic cannulation using a duodenofiberscope after intravenous administration of secretin. The pancreatic fluid was centrifuged and the supernatant was used for CEA assay, while the cell pellet was examined cytologically. Abnormally high CEA levels in the pure pancreatic juice were significantly more frequent in patients with pancreatic cancer; an increased CEA concentration in the pancreatic juice was found in 68.2% of the patients. The location of the cancer had no influence on the CEA level of the pancreatic juice, but the level tended to be high when the tumor had distant metastases. Positive cytologic findings were obtained in specimens of pure pancreatic juice of 68.2% of the patients with pancreatic cancer. Positive cytologic results were more frequent in patients with carcinoma of the head of the pancreas than in those with carcinoma of the body or tail, and those with localized tumors had the lowest yield of positive cytologic results. For sensitive tests, it was necessary to collect pure pancreatic juice containing no contrast medium. High CEA levels and positive cytological results were significantly more frequent in pancreatic juice obtained 10 to 20 minutes after secretin stimulation than in those collected immediately after stimulation. Correct diagnosis of malignancy was made by CEA assay alone or by cytological examination alone in 68.2% of the patients examined, while a combination of these methods raised the diagnostic rate to 86.4%.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1983

Pharmacological studies on dl-glaucine phosphate as an antitussive.

Antitussive effect, toxicity and other related pharmacological properties of dl-1,2,9,10-tetramethoxy-6a,alpha-aporphine phosphate (dl-glaucine phosphate, DL-832) were studied in comparison with those of codeine. Acute toxicity of DL-832 in mice was 2/5 to 7/10 of that of codeine for any routes of i.v., i.p., s.c. and p.o. The antitussive effect as tested by "coughing dog and cat" methods and Domenjoz's method in cats was 1/5 to 4/5 that of codeine, according to the routes administered. Safety margin in antitussive effect was similar to or less than that of codeine. Differing from codeine, levallorphan exerted no influence on the antitussive effect of DL-832. In vitro, DL-832 exerted moderate relaxant actions on normal tone and on contractions induced by histamine and acetylcholine of tracheal muscle. In vivo, it showed a moderate relaxant effect on histamine-induced bronchial constriction. The decrease in the volume of respiratory tract fluid caused by DL-832 was smaller than that by codeine. DL-832 slightly reduced the transportation rate of intratracheal foreign body, although to much lesser extent as compared to codeine. On respiration, blood pressure and heart rate, DL-832 showed depressant effects and moreover it caused changes in ECG. However, all of these effects were similar to and a little weaker than those observed with codeine. DL-832 prolonged hexobarbital sleeping time significantly. Neither analgesic nor anticonvulsant effect was observed. When given in larger doses, DL-832 inhibited intestinal transportation in vivo, although this effect was much weaker than that of codeine. DL-832 showed slight local anesthetic effect.

Anesthetics, Local↗
PubMed1983

Suppression of lymphocyte activation by plasma lipoproteins.

Activation of T-lymphocytes in vitro by the polyclonal mitogen phytohemagglutinin is inhibited by plasma lipoproteins with hydrated densities of less than 1.063 g/ml and which contain the apolipoproteins B (apoB) of hepatic (apoB100) and intestinal (apoB48) origin and apolipoprotein E (apoE). Lipids are not required for suppression of lymphocyte activation. Purified apoE, apoB48, and apoB100 inhibit phytohemagglutinin-induced phospholipid turnover and DNA synthesis. These apolipoproteins share a common role. All are involved with the transport of cholesterol in the aqueous channels of the body, the lymph and blood. However, the absence of a lipid requirement for suppression indicates that the suppressive mechanism is independent of the low-density-lipoprotein receptor pathway, the major pathway through which cells obtain extracellular cholesterol. The suppressive potency of lipoproteins and apolipoproteins in the proliferative phase of polyclonal lymphocyte activation is determined by the ratio of T-lymphocytes to accessory cells (adherent monocytes). Suppression is greatest when the number of monocytes per culture is low and least when the T-cell:adherent cell ratio is about 1:1. Preincubation of lipoproteins directly with adherent cells reduces the ability of the lipoproteins to inhibit lymphocyte proliferation, suggesting that the adherent cels chemically alter the lipoproteins. The physiological importance of the plasma lipoproteins in regulating the immune response of the host will therefore depend on the lymphocyte:monocyte ratio and on the concentration of suppressive lipoproteins in the lymph nodes and spleen.

Apolipoproteins↗
PubMed1983

On the sites of antitussive action of dl-glaucine phosphate.

The sites of antitussive action of dl-1,2,9,10-tetramethoxy-6a,alpha-aporphine phosphate (dl-glaucine phosphate, DL-832) were studied. It was assumed from the following results that DL-832 acts on the cough center per se. a) When DL-832 was given by the routes leading to the brain stem such as the vertebral artery and the cerebello-medullary cistern, far smaller doses were sufficient to obtain the same effect as that by i.v. administration. b) DL-832 showed neither effect on the afferent pathway for cough reflex nor influence on pulmonary stretch receptors. c) It exhibited practically no influence on the efferent pathways for cough reflex, that is, that for innervating respiratory muscle movement as well as that for controlling bronchial muscle tone. d) Decerebration exerted no influence on the antitussive effect. e) DL-832 definitely depressed the potentials of both the recurrent and internal intercostal nerves evoked by the superior laryngeal nerve stimulation. f) In deafferentated and decerebrate cats, DL-832 rather increased the spontaneous discharges of the phrenic nerve, whereas codeine decreased them.

Afferent Pathways↗
PubMed1982

Analysis of endogenous pyrrolidine levels by mass fragmentography.

Pyrrolidine, one of biogenic volatile amines, possesses nicotine-like synaptotropic actions on the nervous systems. In the present study, pyrrolidine levels in the tissues were examined by using mass fragmentographic technique. High concentrations of pyrrolidine were found in the seminal vesicle and lung of rabbits. Only trace amounts of pyrrolidine existed in the brain of mice and rats, although higher concentrations were detected in the brain of rabbits. In the rat brain, however, high levels of pyrrolidine were found in the pineal gland, pituitary gland and corpus striatum.

Animals↗