Time-transient process of magnetically induced growth of nematic domains in a biological macromolecular liquid crystal.
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Journal Article↗
Biomedical subjects
Y Sano
Publications and source records attributed to Y Sano.
Polymorphic distribution and molecular diversification of mitochondrial plasmid-like DNAs in the genus Oryza.
Four kinds of circular plasmid-like DNA, designated B1, B2, B3 and B4, have been found in the mitochondria of rice (Oryza sativa L.). We analyzed the distribution of families of plasmid-like DNAs homologous to those of O. sativa in 40 strains of the genus Oryza with AA, BB, BBCC, CC, CCDD and EE genomes. Plasmid-like DNAs were observed only strains having AA, CC and CCDD genomes. The distribution patterns of strains with AA genome were highly polymorphic. We amplified the plasmid-like DNAs from strains with the AA genome by PCR and examined restriction fragments length polymorphisms (RFLPs). RFLPs were detected among families of plasmid-like DNA amplified from different strains. This result indicated that some mutations, such as base substitutions and the insertion or deletion of a small fragment of DNA, had occurred and had accumulated during the differentiation of strains with an AA genome.
Base Sequence↗
Mitochondrial plasmid-like DNAs of the B1 family in the genus Oryza: sequence heterogeneity and evolution.
Four kinds of circular plasmid-like DNA, designated B1, B2, B3 and B4, have been found in the mitochondria of Oryza sativa L. with an AA genome. Three novel B1-homologous mitochondrial plasmid-like DNAs, designated, M1, M2 and M3, were isolated in the present study from strains with CC and CCDD genomes in the genus Oryza. We cloned and sequenced these DNAs and found that the sequences of these molecules have wide regions of homology. B1, M2 and M3 each lack about 300 bp of a region that is present in M1 and small repeats were found at the sites of deleted sequences. Therefore, we propose the hypothesis that the B1 family differentiated from a common ancient molecule that was similar to M1 via, probably, slipped mispairing during DNA replication at several stages in the evolution in the genus Oryza.
Base Sequence↗
Distribution of menaquinone-4, a therapeutic agent for osteoporosis, in bone and other tissues of rats.
[14C]Menaquinone-4 was administered orally once daily at a dose of 4 mg/kg for ten days to female rats of different ages to determine its blood and tissue distribution with particular attention to its distribution in bone. Animals aged 10 and 30 months were either ovariectomized or sham-operated as a control, and young rats aged 7 weeks were used as untreated controls. Blood concentrations of radioactivity at 24h after each dose during repeated administration increased daily and approached a steady rate by the seventh dose. Higher concentrations of radioactivity in blood (plasma) were observed in older animals than in the younger ones, but there was little difference between ovariectomized rats (OVX rats) and sham-operated rats (Sham rats). In tissue samples collected at 1.5 h after administration, the liver, adipose tissue, spleen and adrenals showed higher concentrations of radioactivity than the other organs and the plasma. IN bone tissues, the bone marrow (BM) and cancellous tissue (CT) of the femur showed radioactivity concentrations which were higher than that in the plasma, and these increased during repeated administration. Finally, at 24 h after the last dose, the concentrations of radioactivity in bone tissues of older animals (BM, 5,807.2 ng eq/g; CT, 5,264.8 ng eq/g in OVX rats aged 10 months and BM, 11,479.3 ng eq/g; CT, 4,023.0 ng eq/g in OVX rats aged 30 months) were several times higher than those in younger animals (BM, 2,771.6 ng eq/g; CT, 890.2 ng eq/g in 7-week-old untreated rats). The values in OVX rats were also higher than those in Sham rats. Furthermore, micro autoradiography studies of femur sections from OVX rats indicated that [14C] Menaquinone-4 localized in cancellous tissue where bone is known to be actively remodelled. The concentrations of radioactivity in cancellous tissue and bone marrow of OVX rats aged 10 and 30 months were comparable to the pharmacologically effective concentrations of Menaquinone-4 (10(-6)-10(-5) M) in in vitro studies on bone formation. These findings suggest that orally administered Menaquinone-4 distributes specifically into the bone tissues of ovariectomized rats and this is consistent with its effect as a therapeutic agent for osteoporosis.
Aging↗
Fate of orthotopic corneal allografts in eyes that cannot support anterior chamber-associated immune deviation induction.
PURPOSE: Corneal allografts placed in human eyes at high risk often fail, and immune rejection is thought to be a major pathogenic factor. To understand the immunologic factors responsible for rejection in this instance, the authors have created "high-risk" eyes in mice by inducing corneal neovascularization. The authors then examined the fate of orthotopic corneal grafts placed in these beds and assessed the development of donor-specific delayed hypersensitivity (DH) in recipient mice. METHODS: Three interrupted sutures were placed in the central cornea of recipient BALB/c mice to induce corneal neovascularization. Two weeks later, when corneal vessels occupied more than two quadrants of the cornea, mice received orthotopic corneal grafts from donor mice expressing alloantigens encoded by major and minor histocompatibility loci. Corneal allografts were evaluated by slit-lamp examination after grafting, and recipient mice were examined at the time of the rejection to determine whether they had acquired DH to alloantigens expressed on the corneal grafts. RESULTS: Compared to grafts placed in normal eyes, a much higher incidence of rejection was observed among corneal allografts placed in neovascularized eyes (96.7% versus 46.7%). Moreover, grafts in neovascularized beds were rejected much more swiftly (2 weeks versus > 3 to 4 weeks). Rejection of corneal allografts in high-risk eyes coincided temporally with development of intense donor-specific DH, and the specificity of this immune response was directed solely at minor H antigens (not major histocompatibility complex-encoded antigens) on the graft. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that eyes rendered high risk by virtue of corneal neovascularization fail to provide immune privilege for orthotopic corneal allografts. In this circumstance, the grafts rapidly induce intense donor-specific DH that is readily detectable within 2 weeks of engraftment, at which time the grafts are acutely and universally rejected. The recipient DH response is directed exclusively at minor H antigens on the graft, which is consistent with the view that neovascularization creates graft beds in which recipient antigen-presenting cells infiltrate the graft and carry antigenic information by lymphatics to draining lymph nodes. In this manner, anterior chamber-associated immune deviation is avoided, and potentially allodestructive DH is promoted.
Acute Disease↗
Characterization of cell-mediated immune responses elicited by orthotopic corneal allografts in mice.
PURPOSE: Corneal allografts placed orthotopically induce a unique and unusual response in recipient mice. More orthotopic corneal allografts are accepted indefinitely than similar skin allografts. Of the rejected corneal grafts, class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-incompatible grafts are rejected less frequently than grafts that express only minor histocompatibility complex (minor H) or MHC plus minor H alloantigens. To describe the spectrum of T cells activated (or not) by orthotpic corneal grafts, the authors examined the development of delayed hypersensitivity (DH) to donor-specific alloantigens. METHODS: Recipient BALB/c mice received orthotopic corneal allografts from donor mice that were MHC incompatible at MHC loci only, multiple minor H loci only, or MHC plus multiple minor H loci. These groups of mice were examined to determine when alloantigen-specific DH developed. RESULTS: The authors report that all mice, whether they accept or reject grafts, acquire donor-specific DH within 4 weeks of engraftment. This reactivity is primarily directed at minor H, rather than MHC-encoded, alloantigens. Through time, spontaneous DH reactivity disappears in all mice, and thereafter, donor-specific DH can be induced by cognate immunization only in mice that have rejected their cornea grafts. CONCLUSIONS: These results can be explained in the context of "direct" and "indirect" pathways of allorecognition. Because normal corneas lack passenger leukocytes, the potential for direct recognition of alloantigens on orthotopic corneal grafts is small. Therefore, T cells activated by orthotopic corneal allografts must recognize donor-derived antigens primarily on recipient antigen presenting cells, that is, through the indirect pathway of allorecognition. Because minor H antigens are the dominant cellular proteins in grafts, it is proposed that minor H determinants are the most immunogenic alloantigens in orthotopic corneal grafts because they are the major source of peptides that will be loaded onto recipient class II molecules for T-cell recognition. We further predict that long-term acceptance of corneal allografts is promoted when recipient mice acquire anterior chamber associated immune deviation (impaired and suppressed DH) directed at minor H alloantigens of the grafts.
Animals↗
[A case of advanced gastric remnant carcinoma with Virchow's metastasis treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (low dose CDDP + 5-FU) followed by surgical resection].
The patient was a 64-year-old woman. At hospitalization she had gastric remnant carcinoma with Virchow's and paraaortic lymph node metastases, extensive local infiltration and obstructive jaundice. The lesions were considered nonresectable, and the patient was placed on neoadjuvant chemotherapy consisting of low-dose CDDP and 5-FU, which resulted in the disappearance of Virchow's and paraaortic lymph node metastases. She was considered to have a partial response (PR) and underwent lower esophageal resection, total remnant gastrectomy and splenectomy. Eight months after surgery, however, she died of disseminated carcinomatosis of bone marrow. Since this therapy was associated with only slightly adverse events (< or = Grade 1), this treatment modality appears to be safe. However, further studies will be necessary to identify what type of recurrence is responsive to this therapy and to evaluate its effect on patient survival.
Adenocarcinoma↗
Immunochemical aspects of lipopolysaccharide of Vibrio cholerae O139 Bengal, a new epidemic strain for recent, fast-spreading cholera in the Indian subcontinent.
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Animals↗
Immunoenzymometric analysis for expression and shedding of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 on human endothelial cells stimulated with cytokines or lipopolysaccharide.
Unstimulated endothelial cell (EC) cultures express low levels of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and their expression can be enhanced by inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF). Three monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) highly reactive with TNF-stimulated human ECs were established and defined to recognize a 95 kDa cell surface protein specifically expressed on cytokine-activated ECs, which was immunochemically identified as ICAM-1. The quantitative immunoassay of soluble and insoluble ICAM-1 could be performed with two different MoAbs. Secretion of fibronectin or the von Willebrand factor, was not significantly enhanced with TNF stimulation. Cellular expression of ICAM-1 was drastically induced by TNF or interleukin-1 stimulation, and the moderate expression with delayed-action was observed only by lipopolysaccharide stimulation. A maximal amount of soluble ICAM-1 was released from ECs stimulated only by TNF, apparently in a dose dependent manner, but no significant release of ICAM-1 was induced by thrombin interleukin-2, or lipopolysaccharides. Released levels of soluble ICAM-1 from interleukin-1-stimulated ECs were apparently diminished as compared with those from TNF-stimulated cells. These results suggest that release of soluble ICAM-1 from EC surfaces can be most significantly enhanced by TNF-specific signaling, and prospectively, should be a sensitive indicator of intravascular inflammation in acute endothelium injury.
Antibodies, Monoclonal↗
N-glycosylation of erythropoietin is critical for apical secretion by Madin-Darby canine kidney cells.
Erythropoietin (Epo) has three N-linked carbohydrate chains at positions 24, 38, and 83 in its 166-amino acid residues. When the human wild-type Epo was expressed in the polarized Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) epithelial cells, Epo was preferentially secreted from the apical domain. The polarized secretion was perturbed by the treatment of the cells with tunicamycin, suggesting the involvement of N-linked carbohydrate chains in the apical sorting mechanism in MDCK cells. Replacement of asparagine residues at all N-glycosylation sites of Epo with glutamine by site-directed mutagenesis resulted in roughly equal secretion from apical and basolateral domains. Comparative studies on MDCK clones expressing the mutant Epos lacking one or two of the three N-glycosylation sites in every possible combination showed that the N-linked carbohydrate chain at position 38 is critical for the polarized secretion. Nocodazole, a microtubule-disrupting drug, reversed the polarized secretion of the wild-type Epo from the apical to basolateral preference with little change in the total secretion. Hepatocyte growth factor, a scatter factor known to induce the tubule-like structure of MDCK cells, caused almost equal secretion of the wild-type Epo into the apical and basolateral sides, although the tight junctions of MDCK cells remained intact.
Animals↗
Retrotransposition of a plant SINE into the wx locus during evolution of rice.
A new type of plant retroposon, p-SINE1, has been found in the wx locus of rice (Oryza sativa). It has some structural characteristics similar to those of mammalian SINEs, such as members of the Alu or B1 family. In order to estimate the time at which the integration of p-SINE1 into a single locus occurred during rice evolution, we examined the distribution of two members of p-SINE1 in several species of the Oryza genus by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). We found that one member of p-SINE1 (p-SINE1-r2) in the ninth intron of the wx+ gene was present only in two closely related species, O. sativa and O. rufipogon, and was not present in the other species carrying the AA genome within the Oryza genus. This result indicates that p-SINE1-r2 was integrated into the wx locus after O. sativa and O. rufipogon had diverged from other species with the AA genome. In contrast to p-SINE1-r2, another member (p-SINE1-r1) located in the untranslated 5'-region of the wx+ gene was present not only in all species with the AA genome but also in species with a different genome (CCDD). This result suggests that p-SINE1-r1 was integrated into that position prior to the genomic divergence. Thus, it appears that each member of p-SINE1 was retroposed at a specific site at a different time during rice evolution.
Base Sequence↗
Mutagenic effects of nitropyrenes in a soybean test system.
The mutagenic activity of 1-nitropyrene (1-NP), 1,3-dinitropyrene (1,3-DNP), 1,6-dinitropyrene (1,6-DNP) and 1,8-dinitropyrene (1,8-DNP) was assayed in heterozygous soybean plants (Y11y11), based on the appearance of mutational spots (yellow, dark green and twin) on the leaves. 1-NP, 1,3-DNP, 1,6-DNP and 1,8-DNP were direct-acting mutagens in a soybean test system, and mutagenicity was enhanced by addition of pyrene as a precursor. The mutagenicity of dinitropyrenes was enhanced by pretreatment with hepatic microsomal fractions of Aroclor 1254-treated rats. Binary and ternary isomeric mixtures of dinitropyrenes produced synergistic mutational response in the test system. The numbers of yellow and dark green spots per leaf increased by treatment with nitropyrenes. The frequency of twin spots did not change. Nitropyrenes stimulated the induction of forward and reverse mutations in soybeans. The number of light green spots (Y11y11) per leaf on homozygous soybeans (y11y11) increased markedly by treatment with 1-NP, 1,3-DNP, 1,6-DNP, and 1,8-DNP. These nitropyrenes would thus appear to cause point mutation and segmental loss as major effects.
Chi-Square Distribution↗
Self-assembling process of cylindrical virus coat proteins as observed by synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering.
The self-assembly process of cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) protein and tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) protein was examined by the thermodynamic analysis of small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) data. Each polymerization step of the coat proteins was assumed to be specified by a single equilibrium constant, and the equilibrium constant was evaluated by fitting the size and shape of the constituents observed by SAXS to those calculated from an assumed polymerization scheme. The logarithmic plots of the equilibrium constant against the inverse of temperature were fitted with a straight line at each buffer concentration and the thermodynamic quantities were evaluated from its intercept (yielding entropy) and slope (yielding enthalpy). The enthalpy and entropy values of TMV protein were found to be independent of buffer concentration, whereas those of CGMMV protein depended strongly on buffer concentration. In the limit, as ionic strength tends to infinity, both the enthalpy and entropy values of CGMMV protein approach those of TMV protein. The higher negative surface charge of CGMMV protein is considered to be responsible for the formation of stable single-layered disks, and for the slow polymerization process even at higher temperature and higher buffer concentrations.
Biopolymers↗
Nucleotide sequence of RNA 1, the largest genomic segment of rice stripe virus, the prototype of the tenuiviruses.
The complete nucleotide sequence of RNA 1, the largest genomic segment of rice stripe virus (RSV), was determined using two sets of overlapping cDNA clones. RNA segment 1 comprises 8970 nucleotides and on the viral complementary sequence has a single long open reading frame coding for a protein of 2919 amino acids with an estimated M(r) of 336860. Amino acid sequence comparisons of the putative protein indicated strong homology (30% amino acid identity over about 1500 residues) with the L protein of the genus Phlebovirus of the Bunyaviridae, but no detectable similarity with other members of the Bunyaviridae. However, weak similarity was detected with the L protein of Tacaribe arenavirus. The highly homologous sequence domain includes the conserved motifs of the putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. The data presented here, along with previous work clearly show significant similarities in genome organization, structure and expression between RSV and members of the genus Phlebovirus of the Bunyaviridae. Taken together, we propose that tenuiviruses should be included in the Bunyaviridae under the genus Tenuivirus.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
A case of chronic GVHD following bone marrow transplantation from a phenotypically HLA-matched unrelated donor.
A 45-year-old male with chronic myelocytic leukemia who received a bone marrow transplantation from a phenotypically HLA-matched unrelated donor developed chronic GVHD on day 100 post transplantation. He developed a slight fever, malaise, hepatic dysfunction and extensive itchy erythema with scaling over his entire body. The inflammatory skin lesion developed into erythroderma in about two weeks. H&E staining of a skin biopsy revealed eosinophilic bodies and a lymphocytic infiltration in the dermis and epidermis, which were compatible with the early phases of chronic GVHD. Immunohistochemistry revealed that keratinocytes expressed dense HLA-DR and ICAM-1 epitopes. Langerhans cells (CD1a+ cells) had disappeared from the epidermis. Many T cells (CD3+ cells) had migrated into the epidermis as well as into the reticular dermis. The majority of the T cells in the epidermis were CD8+ cells, while almost all the T cells in the dermis were CD4+ cells. These immunohistochemical features were similar to those previously reported for acute cutaneous GVHD. Despite the corticosteroid therapy, the eruptions did not disappear. The patient was then treated with whole body bath-methoxsalen (Oxsoralen) plus ultraviolet A (UVA). The bath-psoralen plus UVA therapy was effective in this patient.
Bone Marrow Transplantation↗
[A case of Churg-Strauss syndrome associated with severe leg pain and necrotizing skin lesions].
A 68-year-old woman with bronchial asthma and a history of drug hypersensitivity came to our hospital because of severe pain, swelling, and ecchymoses in the lower extremity. The eosinophil count was 53.5%, therefore Churg-Strauss syndrome was diagnosed and she was given prednisolone (PSL) (30 mg/day). A skin specimen taken the next day showed tissue eosinophilia, acute and subacute necrotizing vasculitis. Immunofluorescence staining showed IgG in the blood vessels. After one month of PSL, biopsy specimens of muscle fiber revealed atrophy of type IIb fibers, and myxomatous degeneration of neuron-fibers. Eosinophilia decreased rapidly after administration of PSL, but the necrotizing lesions of the skin, muscle, and nerve were so severe that she needed orthopedic shoes.
Aged↗
[Clinical usefulness of the combined empirical therapy with flomoxef and fosfomycin for intractable respiratory tract infections. With a background of increasing MRSA incidence].
We conducted a multicenter trial to determine the clinical usefulness of the combined therapy with flomoxef (FMOX) and fosfomycin (FOM) (FF therapy) as an empirical therapy in the treatment of intractable respiratory tract infections, because FF therapy has clinically been proved to be very useful for the treatment of severe infections including MRSA infections. The overall efficacy rate of FF therapy was 69.2%. The efficacy rate for "pneumonia/lung abscess," which occupy the largest portions of respiratory tract infections, was 70.0%, showing a statistically significant difference from the efficacy rate for FMOX alone (56.7%) found in a previous study (P = 0.09 by chi-squared test). Although MRSA was eradicated in only 3 cases (37.5%) including superinfection cases, of 8 patients, from whom MRSA had been isolated as causative organisms, none of our patients were superinfected with MRSA. Thus it has been concluded that FF therapy is clinically very useful when used as an empirical therapy in the treatment of respiratory tract infections.
Aged↗
[Electrophoretic light scattering of biomolecular assemblies].
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Caseins↗