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Biomedical subjects

E Iwata

Publications and source records attributed to E Iwata.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Effects of repeated cyclosporin A administration on iminodipropionitrile-induced dyskinesia and TRE-/CRE-binding activities in rat brain.

To clarify the involvement of immunophilin ligands in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of dyskinesia, we examined the effects of repeated administration of cyclosporin A (CsA) on rat dyskinesia induced by repeated injection of iminodipropionitrile (IDPN 100 mg/kg, i.p., for 7 days). The addition of CsA treatment (5 mg/kg, s.c., 1 h before each IDPN injection) exacerbated IDPN-induced dyskinesia. In the group treated with both CsA and IDPN, the concentration of dopamine was significantly increased in the striatum and nucleus accumbens compared with the group treated with IDPN alone. Furthermore, in the electrophoretic mobility shift assay, the injection of CsA + IDPN increased binding activities of transcription factors to the TPA (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate)-responsive element (TRE) and to the cAMP response element (CRE) in the striatum and nucleus accumbens, compared with those in rats treated with IDPN alone. The levels of D1-receptor mRNA in the striatum were significantly decreased in the IDPN-treated rats but were at the control level in the rats given CsA + IDPN. These findings suggest that the behavioral aggravation of the IDPN-induced dyskinesia caused by CsA administration may be due to the acceleration of the pre- and post-synaptic dopaminegic systems via activation of transcription factors which bind upstream to tyrosine hydroxylase and D1-receptor genes, and that the immunophilin binding agents such as CsA are involved in this aggravated dyskinesia.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid↗

Late-onset lipid peroxidation and neuronal cell death following transient forebrain ischemia in rat brain.

We previously reported that iron deposition was seen in the cerebral cortex and hippocampal CA1 area late after transient forebrain ischemia generated by four-vessel occlusion in rats. Iron deposition in the hippocampal CA1 area was coupled with delayed pyramidal cell death, while that in the cerebral cortex was not accompanied by neuronal death or atrophy until 6 months after ischemia. Iron is involved in the formation of free radicals, thus contributing to lipid peroxidation. To elucidate whether this iron has deleterious effects on neurons, we investigated changes in the levels of lipid peroxidation and resulting neuronal damage in this ischemia model. The level of malondialdehyde plus 4-hydroxynonenal as major decomposition products of lipid peroxidation, monitored for 6 months beginning just after 30 min of transient forebrain ischemia, was significantly increased in the cerebral cortex at 6 months, and in the striatum from 1 week to 6 months compared to that in sham-operated controls. Histological changes were also examined up to 1 year after reperfusion by immunohistochemical methods. In contrast with the hippocampus and striatum, the cerebral cortex did not develop severe neuronal cell death and atrophy until 1 year after the ischemic insult. We showed that lipid peroxidation took place not only immediately after ischemia-reperfusion but also late after the ischemic insult in regions where iron was deposited, and we showed that neuronal cell death in the cerebral cortex appeared extremely late, suggesting that iron-mediated lipid peroxidation may be of importance in some slowly progressive forms of neurodegeneration.

Age of Onset↗

Different effects of oxidative stress on activation of transcription factors in primary cultured rat neuronal and glial cells.

We compared the cytotoxic effects of oxidative stress on neuronal and glial cells in vitro by examining the cell viability and changes in DNA-binding activities of transcription factors, AP-1 and CREB, using Trypan blue exclusion and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), respectively. Neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) and H2O2 reduced the viability of both types of cells in time- and concentration-dependent manner. Both neurotoxins dose-dependently decreased DNA-binding activities in neuronal cells. The results of cell viability assay suggested that these changes may reflect the reduction in neuronal cell viability. In contrast, both reagents increased DNA-binding activities in glial cells, although they decreased cell numbers. These results suggest that the effects of oxidative stress on transcription factors is different in neuronal and glial cells. We also examined the effect of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) on 6-OHDA- or H2O2-induced changes in DNA-binding activities. In neuronal cells, pre-treatment with BDNF prevented the decrease in DNA-binding activities induced by 6-OHDA or H2O2. In glial cells, the effect of BDNF on oxidative stress-induced changes in DNA-binding activities in the 6-OHDA-treated group were opposite to those in H2O2-treated group. Our results suggest that 6-OHDA and H2O2 may exert their cytotoxic mechanisms through different signal transduction systems.

Animals↗

Dantrolene sodium reverses the increase in cAMP response element and TPA responsive element DNA-binding activity in the rabbit brain following haloperidol administration and heat stress.

Using electrophoretic mobility-shift assay (EMSA), we examined DNA-binding activity of cAMP response element (CRE), onto its responsive element CRE, as well as TPA responsive element (TRE) in the medial hypothalamus and striatum of the experimental rabbits administered with haloperidol under heat stress exposure and studied the effects of dantrolene sodium to the transcriptional factor. In EMSA with nuclear extracts from the rabbit brain, the DNA-binding activities of CRE and TRE in medial hypothalamus and striatum increased following haloperidol and heat stress. These increases were maintained by coadministration with atropine. The treatment with dantrolene sodium markedly reversed such increases. The alterations of activities of these transcriptional factors may reflect the therapeutic effect of dantrolene sodium.

Animals↗

Alterations of cAMP response element-binding activity in the aged rat brain in response to administration of rolipram, a cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase inhibitor.

Transcription factor, cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), which is phosphorylated by cAMP-dependent kinase via an increase in cAMP, and regulates gene transcription by binding to the cAMP response element (CRE) on target genes. We examined age-dependent alterations in the DNA-binding activity of CREB in rat brain regions, and the effects of rolipram, a cAMP-specific phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor on the CRE-binding activity by electrophoretic mobility-shift assay (EMSA). A marked age-dependent decrease in the CRE-binding activity was shown in all brain regions examined, especially in the basal forebrain, the striatum and the hippocampus. Furthermore, CRE-binding activities in the basal forebrain of both young-adult and aged rats significantly increased 2 h after rolipram administration (1 mg/kg, i.p.), and the rolipram treatment recovered the decreased CRE-binding activity in the aged rats. The saturation experiment in EMSA also revealed that rolipram reversed the decrease in the maximum CRE-bindings in the basal forebrain with aging. Since the 5' upstream region of the rat choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) gene contains CRE, and ChAT-positive neurons in the basal forebrain project to the frontal cortex and the hippocampus, rolipram may exert its previously reported ameliorating effect on the age-related reductions of ChAT activities in the frontal cortex and the hippocampus by phosphorylating CREB in the basal forebrain with activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase via inhibition of PDE.

Afferent Pathways↗

Neurotrophin-3 increases the DNA-binding activities of several transcription factors in a mouse osteoblastic cell line.

In the mouse osteoblastic cell line MC3T3-E1, the signaling responses of several DNA-binding proteins induced by the treatment of neurotrophin-3 were examined using electrophoretic mobility shift assay. Neurotrophin-3 increased binding activities in nuclear extracts of MC3T3-E1 cells to TPA-responsive element (TRE), cyclic AMP-responsive element (CRE) and serum-responsive element (SRE), but not binding activity in the nuclear extracts to c-Myc binding DNA element. Competition experiments revealed that the binding activity to TRE in the nuclear extracts of neurotrophin-3-treated MC3T3-E1 cells was entirely inhibited by the both unlabeled TRE and CRE probes. On the other hand, the binding activity to CRE was abolished by the unlabeled CRE probe but not by the same amount of unlabeled TRE probe. Moreover, immunodepletion/supershift assay using antibodies directed to Fos, Jun and CREB proteins, showed that the binding activities to TRE and CRE in the nuclear extracts were derived in part from these proteins.

Animals↗

Preventive effects of bifemelane hydrochloride on decreased levels of muscarinic acetylcholine receptor and its mRNA in a rat model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion.

Changes in muscarinic acetylcholine receptor (mACh-R) binding and muscarinic cholinergic m1 receptor (m1-R) mRNA levels were determined in a rat model of cerebral hypoperfusion in which hypoperfusion was induced by permanent bilateral occlusion of the common carotid arteries. After 6 weeks of hypoperfusion, mACh-R binding activity was significantly reduced in the frontal cortex (79.0 percent, P <0.01), striatum (74.2 percent, P < 0.01) and hippocampus (78.6 percent, P < 0.01), and the m1-R mRNA levels in the frontal cortex (86.6 percent, P < 0.05) and striatum (89.4 percent, P < 0.05) compared with sham-operated control. Repeated administration of bifemelane hydrochloride (15 mg/kg/day, p.o., once a day from the day of operation for 6 weeks) prevented the hypoperfusion-induced loss of mACh-R binding and m1-R mRNA levels above described. Since the central cholinergic systems play an important role in learning and memory, these findings suggest that bifemelane hydrochloride is useful to treat and/or prevent vascular dementia which is closely related to cerebral hypoperfusion.

Animals↗

Expression of mRNA encoding neurotrophic factors and its regulation in a hybrid neuronal cell line.

In a cultured hybrid neuronal cell line (BIM) which was produced between human neuroblastoma cells (IMR32) and thymidine auxotrophs (B3T) of rat nerve-like cells (B103), the mRNAs encoding ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) and neurotrophins were detected by the polymerase chain reaction method. The conditioned medium of BIM cells enhanced choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) activity in septal neurons and survival of ciliary ganglion neurons. The mRNA expression of CNTF and neurotrophins in BIM cells was differently regulated by the stimulation with cAMP, FGF and retinoic acid. These data suggest multiple regulation and collaboration of neurotrophic factors.

Animals↗

Age-related changes in composition of transcription factor, AP-1 complex in the rat brain.

We examined age-related changes in composition of transcription factor, activator protein-1 (AP-1) which binds to TPA responsive element (TRE) in the non-stimulated rat brain, using electrophoretic mobility-shift assay with immunodepletion/supershift assay. The total TRE-binding activity in the frontal cortex and the hippocampus of the aged rats markedly decreased to 66% and 43%, respectively, and TRE-bindings of AP-1 in both regions also decreased to 82% and 66%, respectively, with aging. Jun-Jun dimers accounted for approximately half of the total TRE-bindings and 80-90% of the AP-1 bindings, while there were fewer Fos-Jun dimers, in both examined regions of the non-stimulated adult. The proportion of active Fos-Jun heterodimers in the frontal cortex increased to up to half of the AP-1 bindings in the aged rats, indicating that cortical AP-1-related transcription may increase with aging even under the non-stimulated condition. In the hippocampus, inactive Jun-Jun homodimers became predominant in AP-1 with aging. This regional diversity of age-related changes in the composition of AP-1 in the brain may be related to changes or dysfunction in neuronal signal transduction in the aged.

Aging↗

Cyclosporin A prevents ischemia-induced reduction of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors with suppression of microglial activation in gerbil hippocampus.

We previously reported the late onset reduction of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (LORMAR) which begins 7 days after a 5-min period of experimentally induced forebrain ischemia in the gerbil hippocampus. This study demonstrated that post-ischemic administration of cyclosporin A (CsA) reduced LORMAR 10 days after 5 min of forebrain ischemia in the gerbil hippocampus, suggesting that immunosuppression by CsA may reduce damage to the cholinergic system after ischemia. Microglia positive for HLA-DR class II antigen which presented in the hippocampal CA1 area, the region most vulnerable to ischemia, were also reduced by CsA. CsA may suppress microglial activation especially with regard to the antigen-presenting function, and LORMAR may be attenuated by this modulation of microglial function.

Animals↗

Effects of single cyclosporin A pretreatment on pentylenetetrazol-induced convulsion and on TRE-binding activity in the rat brain.

Using electrophoretic mobility-shift assay (EMSA), we examined changes in DNA-binding activities of transcriptional factor-activated protein-1 (AP-1), which is a Fos-Jun protein complex, onto its responsive element TRE in the hippocampus and amygdaloid nucleus of rats stimulated with pentylenetetrazol (PTZ) injection, and also investigated the effects of a single administration of the immunosuppressant cyclosporin A (CsA). In EMSA with nuclear extracts from the rat brain, the TRE-binding activity of AP-1 in the hippocampus and amygdaloid nucleus markedly increased 2 h after the PTZ injection (75 mg/kg, i.p.). These PTZ-induced increases of the TRE-binding protein in these regions were completely suppressed, by pretreatment with CsA (5 mg/kg, s.c.) 1 h before the PTZ injection. In addition, the administration of CsA significantly ameliorated PTZ-induced convulsion. This therapeutic effect of single CsA pretreatment may be based, in part, on the effects on the TRE-binding activity of AP-1 in the brain. Since single pretreatment of CsA in the present study had no effect on the PTZ-induced induction of c-fos mRNA, c-jun mRNA, Fos protein nor Jun protein, the inhibitory effects of single CsA administration on PTZ-induced TRE-binding activity in the brain may be related to the effects of CsA on AP-1 itself. These results suggest that an immune response via activation of transcriptional factor in the brain tissue is involved in the convulsion.

Amygdala↗

Involvement of protein kinase C in Ca(2+)-signaling pathways to activation of AP-1 DNA-binding activity evoked via NMDA- and voltage-gated Ca2+ channels.

Stimulation of cultured cerebellar granule cells with N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) or kainic acid (KA) leads to activation of activator protein-1 (AP-1) DNA-binding activity, which can be monitored by an increase in 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA)-responsive element (TRE)-binding activity, in concert with c-fos induction. For this increase in TRE-binding activity, Ca2+ influx across the plasma membrane is essential. Treatment of cells with an intracellular Ca2+ chelator, BAPTA-AM, abolished this increase. Close correspondence between the dose-response curves of 45Ca2+ uptake and TRE-binding activity by NMDA or KA suggested that Ca2+ influx not only triggered sequential activation of Ca(2+)-signaling processes leading to the increase in TRE-binding activity, but also controlled its increased level. Stimulation of non-NMDA receptors by KA mainly caused Ca2+ influx through voltage-gated Ca2+ channels, whereas stimulation of NMDA receptors caused Ca2+ influx through NMDA-gated ion channels. The protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors staurosporine and calphostin C inhibited the increase in TRE-binding activity caused by NMDA and KA at the same concentration at which they inhibited that caused by TPA. Furthermore, down-regulation of PKC inhibited the increase in TRE-binding activity by NMDA and KA. Thus, a common pathway that includes PKC could, at least in part, be involved in the Ca(2+)-signaling pathways for the increase in TRE-binding activity coupled with the activation of NMDA- and non-NMDA receptors.

Animals↗

CJ-12,371 and CJ-12,372, two novel DNA gyrase inhibitors. Fermentation,isolation, structural elucidation and biological activities.

A fermentation broth of an unidentified fungus (N983-46) was found to produce DNA gyrase inhibitors, CJ-12,371 (1) and CJ-12,372 (2). Following isolation by solvent extraction and silica gel and ODS (reverse phase) chromatographies, the structures were determined to be novel spiro-ketal compounds with S-configuration at position C-1. CJ-12,371 and CJ-12,372 inhibit both DNA supercoiling and relaxation mediated by Escherichia coli DNA gyrase. The interaction of these compounds with DNA gyrase appears to be novel in that the compounds inhibit supercoiling and relaxation without blocking religation; thus, no cleavage intermediate of double strand DNA is observed. Both compounds have antibacterial activity against several species of pathogenic Gram-positive bacteria, with MICs between 25 and 100 micrograms/ml. These results suggest that the antibacterial potency of CJ-12,371 and CJ-12,372 is attributed to the inhibition of DNA gyrase. However, the compounds did not inhibit DNA gyrase selectively, as they also inhibited eukaryotic topoisomerase II-mediated relaxation. Semi-synthetic modifications to the dihydroxy motif in CJ-12,371 altered both gyrase- and topoisomerase II-inhibitory activities, but did not enhance selectivity.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

Cholecystokinin alterations and effects of levodopa administration in the MPTP-treated mouse brain.

To clarify the effects of levodopa administration on MPTP-induced alterations in neuropeptides, we examined the effects of repeated levodopa injections (200 mg/kg i.p.) for 2 weeks starting 4 weeks after 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) treatment (30 mg/kg i.p. twice/day for 5 days) on cholecystokinin-octapeptide (CCK-8), substance P (SP) and thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) concentrations at 6 weeks after the MPTP treatment. In the striatum, CCK-8 significantly but slightly decreased in the MPTP-treated mice, coinciding with the MPTP-induced marked reduction of dopamine (DA). This considerable reduction of striatal CCK-8 may result from the selectivity of MPTP since the mesolimbic DA neurons coexisting with CCK-8 are intact with the MPTP treatment. Furthermore, this MPTP-induced decrease in CCK-8 persisted with repeated levodopa administration; therefore, the ineffectiveness of the levodopa treatment may have been be due to the degeneration of the nigrostriatal DA neurons. SP and TRH contents showed little or no change with levodopa treatment in the MPTP-treated mouse brain. The CCK-8 level decreased in the thalamus+midbrain, hippocampus and hindbrain of the MPTP+levodopa-treated group, although there were no changes in the MPTP-treated controls. These results suggest that DAergic neurons, except those in the nigrostriatum, strongly interact with the CCK neurons in these brain regions.

1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine↗

Characterization of neurotrophic factors produced by immortalized mouse brain glial cells (VR-2g).

We analyzed the neurotrophic factors secreted by immortalized fetal mouse brain glial cells (VR-2g). Concentrated conditioned medium of VR-2g cells were applied to a gel filtration column and the trophic activities of the fractions were determined by the bioassay method with primary fetal rat striatal neurons. Several peaks of neurotrophic activity were detected, the most prominent of which was found in a fraction of molecular weight 5-7 kDa. In peak fractions of molecular weight 13-26 kDa, molecules reactive to anti-NGF antibodies were detected by Western blotting only in non-reduced condition of SDS-PAGE. Anti-NGF antibodies absorbed 40% of the neurotrophic activities in the conditioned medium of VR-2g cells.

Animals↗

Lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis of some racemic 1-acetoxy-2-arylpropanes.

Racemic 1-acetoxy-2-phenylpropane (12) and 1-acetoxy-2-(2-naphthyl)propane (33) were hydrolyzed with lipase at 35-36 degrees C for 2 and 24 h to give predominantly (S)-2-phenyl-1-propanol (11) and (S)-2-(2-naphthyl)-1-propanol (32), respectively. However, racemic 1-acetoxy-2-(1-naphthyl)propane (25) was recovered intact even when the reaction was carried out for 240 h. On the other hand, the enantioselectivities towards racemic 2-phenyl (16), 2-(p-tolyl) (20), 2-(1-naphthyl) (28), and 2-(2-naphthyl) (36) derivatives of 1-acetoxy-2-propanol were very low.

Hydrolysis↗

Additive induction of Egr-1 (zif/268) mRNA expression in neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid NG108-15 cells via cholinergic muscarinic, alpha 2-adrenergic, and bradykinin receptors.

Administration of carbachol, noradrenaline, and bradykinin induced Egr-1 mRNA expression within 1 h in mouse neuroblastoma x rat glioma hybrid NG108-15 cells. With specific receptor antagonists, the Egr-1 inductions by carbachol and noradrenaline were shown to be mediated via cholinergic muscarinic and alpha 2-adrenergic receptors, respectively. At their saturation levels for Egr-1 induction, the two agonists had additive effects when added together, but no prolongation of the effect on Egr-1 induction was observed. Addition of carbachol or noradrenaline 6 h after primary stimulation with carbachol or noradrenaline did not result in secondary Egr-1 induction, probably because of receptor desensitization. On the other hand, bradykinin consistently had an additive effect on Egr-1 induction, irrespective of the time of its addition, suggesting that the signal pathways for Egr-1 induction by carbachol or noradrenaline and by bradykinin are different. Treatment of cells with pertussis toxin or cholera toxin strongly inhibited Egr-1 induction by carbachol or noradrenaline but only partially inhibited the induction by bradykinin. Thus, the signals transduced in NG108-15 cells by different neurotransmitter receptors appear to have different effects on Egr-1 induction, depending on the times of stimulation and the combinations of receptors stimulated.

Animals↗

Developmental changes in nerve growth factor level in rat serum.

In serum, nerve growth factor (NGF) forms a complex with alpha 2-macroglobulin (alpha 2M), which formation inhibits the immunoreactivity between NGF and its antibodies. For measuring the serum level of NGF, it is thus necessary to liberate NGF from the NGF-alpha 2M complex and prevent reformation of such complex. The pretreatment of rat serum with 1 M guanidine hydrochloride for a few hours and operation of the enzyme immunoassay (EIA) in the presence of guanidine hydrochloride provided a reliable means for determination of the NGF level in serum. By this procedure we followed the serum NGF level in rats developmentally. It increased from prenatal day 2 to postnatal day 5 and decreased slightly at postnatal week 3, thereafter remaining constant throughout adulthood. In pregnant rats, the NGF level in serum increased threefold to fivefold before birth and then decreased rapidly. These data suggest that serum NGF level may reflect the demand for this molecule during establishment of the peripheral nervous system.

Aging↗