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Biomedical subjects

Akira Imamura

Publications and source records attributed to Akira Imamura.

15 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2007

Synaptotagmin XI as a candidate gene for susceptibility to schizophrenia.

Synaptotagmin XI (Syt11) is a member of the synaptotagmin family, which is localized in cells either in synaptic vesicles or the cellular membrane, and is known to act as a calcium sensor. The Syt11 gene is located on chromosome locus 1q21-q22, which was previously reported as a major susceptibility locus of familial schizophrenia. Here, we present evidence for an association between the number of 33-bp repeats in the promoter region of the Syt11 gene and schizophrenia. We found that the transcriptional activity of the gene is affected by the number of 33-bp repeats, which include an Sp1 binding site, suggesting that the excessive expression of Syt11 can be associated with schizophrenia. Another (single nucleotide) polymorphism in the Syt11 5'UTR region, where the potent transcription factor YY1 can bind, also affects the transcriptional activity of Syt11.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2006

Global hypomethylation of peripheral leukocyte DNA in male patients with schizophrenia: a potential link between epigenetics and schizophrenia.

Genetic and epigenetic factors can potentially alter susceptibility to psychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia. In order to explore the effect of epigenetics on the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, we examined the global methylation level of leukocyte DNA from 210 patients with schizophrenia (124 males and 86 females) and 237 healthy subjects (108 males and 129 females). Methylated deoxycytidine (mC) content in peripheral leukocyte DNA was measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). We confirmed in the healthy subjects our previous finding that there are sex-dependent differences in mC content (males>females; beta=0.319, p<0.001), in addition to the effect of age (beta=-0.141, p=0.022). We therefore used multiple regression to analyze the data from all subjects by sex, with age as a co-variant. In males, a tendency was observed toward lower mC content in patients than in controls (beta=-0.115, p=0.075), with a significant effect of age (beta=-0.212, p<0.001). This difference was more prominent in younger individuals. In females, no effect of age or disease status on mC content was observed. These results established that there is significant sex-dependent difference in the mC content of human peripheral leukocyte DNA, and raise the possibility that alterations in DNA methylation state are present in patients with schizophrenia.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2006

t(8;21) acute myeloid leukaemia cells are dependent on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/VEGF receptor type2 pathway and phosphorylation of Akt.

Several anti-angiogenic drugs have recently been clinically tested for haematological malignancies. To improve the efficacy of molecular target therapy against angiogenic molecules in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), we examined the dependency of AML cells on the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)/VEGF receptor type2 (VEGFR2) system by using VEGFR2 kinase inhibitor. Nineteen patient AML samples were cultured with or without VEGFR2 kinase inhibitor. All four t(8;21) viable AML cells showed significant reductions when treated with VEGFR2 kinase inhibitor, although VEGFR2 kinase inhibitor did not affect the cell proliferation of five t(15;17) AML samples. Other AML cases showed variable responses. VEGFR2 kinase inhibitor greatly suppressed the growth of Kasumi-1, a t(8;21) cell line in a dose-dependent manner through induction of apoptosis, but did not show any significant influence on NB4, a t(15;17) cell line. In addition, VEGFR2 kinase inhibitor potentiated the growth inhibitory effect of cytarabine in Kasumi-1. Finally, it was shown that the Akt phosphorylation was augmented by VEGF(165) in Kasumi-1, which was abrogated by VEGFR2 kinase inhibitor. NB4 showed undetectable Akt phosphorylation even with VEGF(165). These data demonstrated that t(8;21) AML cells are dependent on VEGF through VEGFR2, resulting in the phosphorylation of Akt.

Acute Disease↗
PubMed2005

Genomewide high-density SNP linkage analysis of 236 Japanese families supports the existence of schizophrenia susceptibility loci on chromosomes 1p, 14q, and 20p.

The Japanese Schizophrenia Sib-Pair Linkage Group (JSSLG) is a multisite collaborative study group that was organized to create a national resource for affected sib pair (ASP) studies of schizophrenia in Japan. We used a high-density single-nucleotide-polymorphism (SNP) genotyping assay, the Illumina BeadArray linkage mapping panel (version 4) comprising 5,861 SNPs, to perform a genomewide linkage analysis of JSSLG samples comprising 236 Japanese families with 268 nonindependent ASPs with schizophrenia. All subjects were Japanese. Among these families, 122 families comprised the same subjects analyzed with short tandem repeat markers. All the probands and their siblings, with the exception of seven siblings with schizoaffective disorder, had schizophrenia. After excluding SNPs with high linkage disequilibrium, we found significant evidence of linkage of schizophrenia to chromosome 1p21.2-1p13.2 (LOD=3.39) and suggestive evidence of linkage to 14q11.2 (LOD=2.87), 14q11.2-q13.2 (LOD=2.33), and 20p12.1-p11.2 (LOD=2.33). Although linkage to these regions has received little attention, these regions are included in or partially overlap the 10 regions reported by Lewis et al. that passed the two aggregate criteria of a meta-analysis. Results of the present study--which, to our knowledge, is the first genomewide analysis of schizophrenia in ASPs of a single Asian ethnicity that is comparable to the analyses done of ASPs of European descent--indicate the existence of schizophrenia susceptibility loci that are common to different ethnic groups but that likely have different ethnicity-specific effects.

Chromosomes, Human, Pair 1↗
PubMed2005

Placenta growth factor stimulates the growth of Philadelphia chromosome positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells by both autocrine and paracrine pathways.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and its associated molecule, placenta growth factor (PlGF) are now known to support normal hematopoiesis, and leukemia cell growth. In this study, expression of VEGF and PlGF in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells was examined by real time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in 20 patient samples. Expression of PlGF was more intense in Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph(+)) ALL than in Ph(-) ALL cases. On the other hand, expression level of VEGF was not different between Ph(+) and Ph(-) cases. Then, PlGF was added to the two ALL cell lines, CRL1929 (Ph(+)), and Nalm6 (Ph(-)). The PlGF stimulated the growth of CRL1929 in time- and dose-dependent manners, although the growth of Nalm6 was not affected by PlGF. The growth stimulation of CRL1929 by PlGF was confirmed by the increase of S phase cells. And the growth promoting effect of PlGF on CRL1929 was cancelled by simultaneous addition of VEGFR1/Fc (which binds to PlGF and abrogates its function), but was not cancelled by VEGFR2/Fc (which does not bind to PlGF). Then, addition of VEGFR1/Fc to the simple culture of CRL1929 demonstrated growth inhibitory effect. These observations demonstrated that PlGF stimulates the growth of Ph(+) ALL cells by both autocrine and paracrine pathways. Finally, PlGF-VEGFR1 loop might be a therapeutic target to improve the prognosis of Ph(+) ALL.

Autocrine Communication↗
PubMed2004

A new localization scheme for the elongation method.

A different localization scheme for the elongation method is developed based on regional molecular orbitals. This scheme is more efficient and more accurate than the previous one especially for covalently bonded systems with strongly delocalized pi electrons. Ab initio test calculations have been performed on three model systems: water chains, polyglycine, and cationic cyanine chains. The dependence on the size of the starting clusters and the effect of the basis set are investigated. Our results are compared with conventional ab initio calculations and it is found in all cases that the error per added unit levels off to a satisfactorily small value as long as the starting cluster is sufficiently large.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

Autocrine pathway of angiopoietins-Tie2 system in AML cells: association with phosphatidyl-inositol 3 kinase.

Hematopoietic cells and endothelial cells are mutually correlated in their development and growth. Various angiogenic factors, such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietins (Angs), are thought to be associated with leukemia cell growth. In this study, we examined if the Angs-Tie2 autocrine pathway works in primary AML cells or not by using soluble Tie2-Fc, which inhibits Angs from binding to Tie2 receptor. After 48 h of culture with Tie2-Fc, nine AML cells from 19 examined samples were not influenced by Tie2-Fc (group A), while AML cells from remaining 10 patients demonstrated remarkable reduction of cell number by Tie2-Fc treatment (group B). Tie2 receptor, upon binding to Angs, are known to activate phosphatidyl-inositol 3 kinase (PI3 kinase). Then, we examined the effect of LY294002, a potent PI3 kinase inhibitor, on primary AML cells. Cell number reduction effect by the treatment of LY294002 was much more prominent in cells of group B than of group A. In addition, extent of cell number reduction by Tie2-Fc and LY294002 was quite well correlated. These observations demonstrated that cells from a part of AML were dependent on autocrine Angs-Tie2 pathway. This notion was further supported by the study of two AML cell lines, KG-1 and HL-60: the growth of KG-1 was suppressed by Tie2-Fc, and also by anti-Tie2 antibody, which inhibits receptor-ligand interaction, while that of HL-60 was not suppressed by Tie2-Fc or anti-Tie2 antibody. Our results will help to explore the angiogenesis-oriented or endothelial cell-mediated therapy for leukemia.

Angiopoietins↗
PubMed2004

Acute promyelocytic leukemia with drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome associated with Epstein-Barr virus infection.

We report a case of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) with drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection. A 33-year-old woman was admitted because of APL. After complete remission was obtained with the use of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), intensive chemotherapy was administered. She developed high grade fever and severe systemic erythematous eruptions followed by cervical lymphoadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, hepatitis and hypotension in a state of myelosuppression during consolidation chemotherapy. Systemic corticosteroids alleviated the symptoms. Since an anti-EB VCA IgM antibody titer was continuously positive, persistent infection of EBV was suspected. In this case, EBV infection may have contributed to the development of drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗
PubMed2003

Novel strategy for molecular imprinting of phenolic compounds utilizing disulfide templates.

A molecularly imprinted polymer was synthesized by using allyl phenyl disulfide as a template. The mixture of allyl phenyl disulfide, divinylbenzene, and 2,2'-azobis(isobutyronitrile) in chloroform was polymerized by UV irradiation for 24 h at 5 degrees C and further 3 h at 80 degrees C. The disulfide bonds of the resulting polymer were reductively cleaved by NaBH(4) in methanol to give thiol groups in the binding sites. The polymer selectively recognized phenol rather than thiophenol. In chromatographic study using polymer-packed columns, the retention factor of the IP for phenol was 5.60 and that of a reference polymer was 4.20. The higher retention for phenol was supported by ab initio calculation.

Disulfides↗
PubMed2003

Aplastic anaemia associated with a Philadelphia chromosome and monosomy 7 during immunosuppressive therapy.

We describe a patient who presented with aplastic anaemia associated with the Philadelphia (Ph1) chromosome during immunosuppressive therapy and who subsequently developed myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with monosomy 7. Initially the patient had hypocellular fatty marrow without leukaemic blasts or dysplastic features. Chromosome analysis showed 46, XY, t(9;22)(q34;q11) during immunosuppressive therapy, but no leukaemic transformation was detected. The patient showed gradual haematologic improvement and became transfusion independent. Thereafter, bone marrow dysplasia with monosomy 7 progressed following transfusion independence. These findings indicate that multiple cytogenetic evolutions occur in aplastic anaemia during immunosuppressive therapy, and that Ph1 chromosome may play a role in bone marrow suppression rather than development of leukaemia.

Anemia, Aplastic↗
PubMed2002

HLA class I distribution in Japanese patients with schizophrenia.

Several Caucasian studies and one Japanese study have observed associations between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I specificities, including A24 (9) and A26 (10) and schizophrenia. Most of those studies were conducted in 1970s and early 1980s, when the typing technique of HLA was not adequately reliable. Also, an operational diagnostic system was not employed in many of the studies. The present study investigated frequencies of HLA-A specificities in schizophrenia patients (ICD-10 and DSM-III-R, n=98) and sex-matched healthy controls (n=392) from population in the southwestern part of Japan. HLA-B and -C specificities were studied in addition. Frequencies of subjects possessing A24 and A26 were not different between the patients and controls (54% and 24% in the patients and 62% and 24% in the controls, respectively). No significant difference was found in frequencies of other class I (A, B, and C) specificities between the patients and the controls. Thus, the present study provided no evidence for an association between the HLA class I specificities, including A24, A26, and others, and schizophrenia in the Japanese population.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Augmented expression of P-gp/multi-drug resistance gene by all-trans retinoic acid in monocytic leukemic cells.

P-glycoprotein (P-gp)/multi-drug resistance 1 (MDR1) gene is recognized to be, at least in part, responsible for the refractoriness to chemotherapy of leukemia. The transcriptional mechanism of MDR1 gene is largely unknown. However, recent reports have clarified that early growth response 1 gene (Egr1) positively regulates MDR1 transcription, while Wilms' tumor suppressor gene (WT1) does negative regulation of MDR1 gene expression in 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate treated K562 cells. In addition, Egr1 and WT1 are structurally related transcription factors and bind to quite similar DNA sequences. Our study of mRNA expression profile of Egr1, WT1 and MDR1 in fresh AML samples demonstrated that there are disease-specific patterns. Egr1 mRNA was frequently and strongly expressed in monocytic leukemia cells, especially in AML M4 cells. WT1 mRNA was undetectable in t(8;21) AML cells. mRNA expression of MDR1 was frequent in AML M1 and t(8;21) AML cells, in which the expression level was highest in AML M1 and was low in monocytic leukemia (M4 and M5). Then, expression level of MDR1 was inversely correlated with Egr1. By liquid culture of leukemia cell lines and fresh AML cells with the addition of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA), modulation of P-gp/MDR1 and Egr1 was observed and the pattern of modulation was divided into four groups: (1) blastic AML type, in which distinct expression of P-gp/MDR1 and CD34 was not influenced by ATRA; (2) t(8;21)AML type, in which P-gp/MDR1 expression was augmented by ATRA, while CD34 was kept high; (3) AML M3 type, in which P-gp/MDR1 expression was reduced with granulocytic differentiation by ATRA; (4) monocytic AML type, in which P-gp/MDR1 expression was augmented by ATRA, while CD34 expression decreased, and strong Egr1 expression was downregulated just prior to the augmentation of P-gp/MDR1 expression. WT1 expression was not influenced by the addition of ATRA in each group. Previous reports have suggested that P-gp/MDR1 plays an important role in resistance to chemotherapy, and is recognized as one of the stem cell marker. However, P-gp/MDR1 expression augmented by ATRA, which was observed in monocytic AML, was recognized as a functional molecule of mature monocyte/macrophage, because CD34 expression decreased and CD13 expression increased by ATRA. Finally, expression of P-gp/MDR1 in monocytic leukemia, which was functionally confirmed by Rh123 efflux study, was thought to be closely related to the characteristic modulation of Egr1 expression by ATRA.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem↗
PubMed2002

Paraneoplastic aqueous flare intensity in patients with esophagogastric carcinoma.

A study was conducted of anterior chamber aqueous flare intensity in patients with esophagogastric malignancies. The subjects included 79 patients with upper alimentary tract malignancies (69 scheduled for surgery for the underlining cancer and 10 with metastases), 47 patients with stable ocular sarcoidosis, and 46 age-matched healthy volunteers. A laser cell-flare meter was used to measure flare intensity in patients and healthy controls. The average flare intensity before surgery in patients with cancer was 10.7 +/- 4.9 photon counts/millisecond (pc/ms), which was not statistically significantly different from that in patients with sarcoidosis (11.9 +/- 8.3 pc/ms) but was significantly higher (p < 0.0001) than that in healthy volunteers (4.3 +/- 1.3 pc/ms). The average flare intensity after surgery in patients with carcinomas was 7.5 +/- 2.5 pc/ms, which was significantly (p < 0.0001) lower than the preoperative value. These results suggest that alterations in aqueous flare intensity might represent a paraneoplastic syndrome in patients with esophagogastric carcinoma. If so, measurements of flare intensity may be helpful in the differential diagnosis and evaluation of the disease course of digestive tract cancer.

Aged↗