Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Y Yamaguchi

Publications and source records attributed to Y Yamaguchi.

At least 235 records · Page 13Linked to original sources

Recombinant tissue factor pathway inhibitor reduces lipopolysaccharide-induced pulmonary vascular injury by inhibiting leukocyte activation.

Tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) is an important physiologic inhibitor of the extrinsic pathway of the coagulation system. We investigated whether recombinant TFPI (rTFPI) could reduce pulmonary vascular injury by inhibiting leukocyte activation in rats given lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Pre- or posttreatment of animals with rTFPI significantly inhibited LPS-induced pulmonary vascular injury, as well as coagulation abnormalities. rTFPI significantly inhibited increases in lung tissue levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant, and myeloperoxidase. Expression of TNF-alpha messenger RNA in the lung after LPS administration was significantly reduced by rTFPI administration. However, neither DX-9065a, a selective inhibitor of Factor Xa, nor recombinant Factor VIIa treated with dansyl-glutamylglycylarginyl-chloromethyl ketone, a selective inhibitor of Factor VIIa, had any effects on LPS-induced pulmonary vascular injury despite their potent anticoagulant effects. rTFPI significantly inhibited TNF-alpha production by LPS-stimulated monocytes in vitro. rTFPI also significantly inhibited several formyl-Met-Leu-Phe-induced neutrophil functions, as well as increases in the expression of CD11b and CD18 on the neutrophil cell surface in vitro. Additionally, rTFPI inhibited increases in levels of intracellular calcium, a second messenger of neutrophil activation, in formyl-Met-Leu-Phe-stimulated neutrophils in vitro. These results strongly suggested that rTFPI reduces pulmonary vascular injury by inhibiting leukocyte activation, as well as coagulation abnormalities in rats given LPS.

Animals↗

Identification and functional analysis of mutations in the hepatocyte nuclear factor-1alpha gene in anti-islet autoantibody-negative Japanese patients with type 1 diabetes.

Mutations in the hepatocyte nuclear factor-1alpha (HNF-1alpha) gene are the cause of maturity-onset diabetes of the young type 3 (MODY 3), which is characterized by a severe impairment of insulin secretion and early onset of the disease. Although the majority of patients with type 1 diabetes have type 1A, immune-mediated diabetes, there is a significant percentage of the patients who have no evidence of an autoimmune disorder at the onset of disease. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of MODY 3 in antiislet autoantibody negative patients with type 1 diabetes. From a large population-based sample of unrelated Japanese patients with type 1 diabetes, 28 patients who lacked autoantibodies to glutamic acid decarboxylase, islet cell antigen 512/insulinoma-associated antigen-2, phogrin (phosphate homolog of granules of insulinoma)/insulinoma-associated antigen-2beta, and insulin at the onset of type 1 diabetes were examined by PCR-based direct sequencing of the 10 exons, flanking introns, and the promoter region of the HNF-1alpha gene. Two (7.1%) of 28 autoantibody-negative patients with type 1 diabetes were identified as carrying mutations in the HNF-1alpha gene. One patient carried a frameshift mutation (Pro379fsdelCT) in exon 6, and another patient carried a novel 2-bp substitution at nucleotides +45 (G to A) and +46 (C to A) from the transcriptional site of the promoter region. These mutations were identified in heterozygous form and were not identified in 64 unrelated healthy control subjects or 54 unrelated islet autoantibody-positive patients with type 1 diabetes. Functional analysis of the mutant HNF-1alpha gene indicated that the Pro379fsdelCT mutation had no transcriptional trans-activation activity and acted in a dominant negative manner. The +45/46 GC to AA mutation in the promoter region showed reduced promoter activity by 10-20% compared to the wild-type sequence. In conclusion, about 7% of Japanese diabetic patients lacking antiislet autoantibodies initially classified as having type 1 diabetes could have diabetes caused by mutations in the HNF-1alpha gene.

Adolescent↗

Argadin, a new chitinase inhibitor, produced by Clonostachys sp. FO-7314.

A new chitinase inhibitor, designated as argadin (1), was isolated from the cultured broth of a fungal strain FO-7314. The strain was identified as Clonostachys sp. from the morphological characteristics. Argadin was purified from the cultured mycelium by a combination of cation exchange, adsorption and gel filtration chromatographic methods. The structure of argadin was elucidated as cyclo(Nomega-acetyl-L-arginyl-D-prolyl-homoseryl-histidyl-L- 2-aminoadipyl) in which homoseryl gamma-methylene bonded to histidyl alpha-amino residue. The IC50 value of argadin against Lucilia cuprina (blowfly) chitinase was 150 nM at 37 degrees C and 3.4 nM at 20 degrees C. Argadin arrested the moult of cockroach larvae upon injection into the ventral abdominal part.

Animals↗

Peroxynitrite-generating species: good candidate oxidants in aqueous extracts of cigarette smoke.

Cigarette smoking is a well-known risk factor for atherosclerosis, but the mechanism of the adverse biological effect of smoking remains to be established. Cigarette smoke contains high concentrations of free radicals and oxidants. We show here that cigarette smoke extracts (CSE), prepared by bubbling the gas phase of smoke into phosphate-buffered saline, could convert tyrosine to 3-nitrotyrosine. The tyrosine nitration terminated 6 h after incubating tyrosine with CSE at 37 degrees C. These results indicate that the active oxidants in CSE are peroxynitrite-generating species like 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1), suggesting that they modify plasma lipoproteins and contribute to the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.

Arteriosclerosis↗

Identification of L-inositol and scyllitol and their distribution in various organs in chrysanthemum.

Two unidentified soluble carbohydrates were isolated from chrysanthemum (Dendranthema x grandiflorum (Ramat.) Kitamura) leaves using HPLC. The compounds were identified as 1 L-chiro-inositol, called L-inositol (1) and scyllo-inositol, called scyllitol (2) from the results of 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, and CI-MS spectra. L-Inositol and scyllitol were distributed in four cultivars tested. L-Inositol concentration of petals gradually decreased during the flower bud development, but the L-inositol content increased by about 7 times. Scyllitol was detected only at an early stage of flower bud.

Carbohydrate Metabolism↗

Two cases of acute myositis associated with influenza A virus infection in the elderly.

During the influenza epidemic of 1998-1999, we observed two elderly patients with influenza-like symptoms who had evidence of acute myositis with elevated serum enzymes. Influenza A infection was confirmed serologically in either case. The present cases suggest that it is important to distinguish influenzal myositis from other forms of myopathy in the elderly patients.

Acute Disease↗

A case of sinus pause due to the proarrhythmia of pilsicainide.

A 74-year-old man received oral administration of pilsicainide, a pure sodium channel blocker with slow recovery kinetics, to convert paroxysmal atrial fibrillation to sinus rhythm and developed loss of consciousness two days later. The ECG monitoring revealed sinus pause with markedly prolonged PQ interval and QRS width. Two days after the drug was discontinued, the duration of the QRS complex was normalized. This drug is rapidly absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, most of which is excreted from the kidney. The plasma concentration of pilsicainide, although not measured, must have been very high, since his renal function was impaired. When pilsicainide is prescribed in patients with coronary artery disease or renal dysfunction, close attention must be paid to avoid life-threatening arrhythmias due to high plasma concentrations of the drug. This is an interesting case because the proarrhthmia of the drug was not tachyarrhythmia, such as ventricular tachycardia or torsades de pointes, but sinus pause.

Administration, Oral↗

A mediastinal hemangioma, associated with perirenal hemangioma and congenital anomaly of the inferior vena cava.

In a 40-year-old man, a mediastinal hemangioma was discovered intially as a compression of the esophagus by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. Furthermore, perirenal hemangioma and inferior vena cava (IVC) malformation were stimultaneously found. Hemangiomas, which occur in the mediastinal and perirenal area, are extremely uncommon and congenital IVC malformation, like the present case, has not been reported. We review the literature of these vascular abnormalities.

Adult↗

Rapidly progressive polymyositis with elevated antiacetylcholine receptor antibody activity.

We report a 51-year-old woman with polymyositis accompanied by a high titer of antiacetylcholine receptor antibody. The patient presented with weakness of grip strength followed by rapidly progressive dyspnea, which required mechanical ventilation. She was treated with a glucocorticoid and came off the respirator one week later. Antiacetylcholine receptor antibody activity was elevated in the acute phase and decreased during recovery, although other signs of myasthenia gravis were negative. This patient suggested that in cases of rapidly progressive bulbar palsy and limb muscle weakness, it is necessary to include polymyositis associated with elevated antiacetylcholine receptor antibody activity in the differential diagnosis.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents↗

Arisugacins C and D, novel acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and their related novel metabolites produced by Penicilium sp. FO-4259-11.

The mutant of Penicillium sp. FO-4259, an arisugacins A and B producing strain, was found to produce a series of metabolites, designated arisugacins C, D, E, F, G and H, which were structurally related to arisugacins A and B. These compounds were isolated from the culture broth and the physico-chemical and biological properties were examined. The IC50 values of arisugacins C and D against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) were 2.5 microM and 3.5 microM, respectively. However arisugacins E, F, G and H did not inhibit AChE at 100 microM. Though they showed only weak or no activity against AChE compared with arisugacins A and B, they may be useful for the study of the structure-activity relationship.

Cholinesterase Inhibitors↗

Argifin, a new chitinase inhibitor, produced by Gliocladium sp. FTD-0668. I. Taxonomy, fermentation, and biological activities.

A new chitinase inhibitor, named argifin, was isolated from the cultured broth of a fungal strain FTD-0668. The strain was identified as Gliocladium sp. from morphological characteristics. The IC50 value of argifin against Lucilia cuprina chitinase was 3.7 microM. Argifin arrested the moult of cockroach larvae upon injection into the ventral abdominal part.

Animals↗

Disinfectant effects of hot water, ultraviolet light, silver ions and chlorine on strains of Legionella and nontuberculous mycobacteria.

The disinfectant effects on Legionella and nontuberculous mycobacteria of hot water, ultraviolet light, silver ions and chlorine, were evaluated. The bacterial strains Legionella pneumophila ATCC33152 and Mycobacterium avium ATCC25291 and strains of L. pneumophila and M. avium which had been isolated from a 24 h bath, were examined for their resistance to treatments. All strains were killed within 3 min on exposure to hot water at 70 degrees C and exposure to ultraviolet light at 90 mW.s/cm2. The strains of L. pneumophila tested were killed within 6 h on exposure to a solution of silver ions at 50 micrograms/l. The number of viable cells of strains of M. avium fell from 10(5) CFU/ml to 10(3) CFU/ml after exposure to an aqueous solution of silver ions at 100 micrograms/l for 24 h. Chlorine effectively killed strains of Legionella which were exposed to an aqueous solution of chlorine at 2 mg/l within 3 min, but strains of Mycobacterium survived exposure to chlorine at 4 mg/l for more than 60 min.

Chlorine↗