PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

F Takeuchi

Publications and source records attributed to F Takeuchi.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources

Purification of L-kynurenine 3-hydroxylase by affinity chromatography.

NADP immobilized on agarose is able to adsorb L-kynurenine 3-hydroxylase. The enzyme is released from the adsorbent by passage of a buffer containing 0.5 mM NADP through the column. L-Kynurenine 3-hydroxylase was purified 26-fold with a yield of 12% from mitochondrial outer membrane with a procedure involving DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B, Sephacryl S-200 chromatography and NADP-agarose affinity chromatography. This monooxygenase was a homogeneous protein, giving a monomeric molecular weight of 145,000, which had neither any significant NADPH diaphorase activity nor cytochrome b5-like haem protein. However, the enzyme did not show affinity for a column with L-kynurenine coupled to the gel with a suitable spacer group, and AMP did not serve as an effective ligand in an affinity resin.

Animals↗

Isolation of L-dynurenine 3-hydroxylase from the mitochondrial outer membrane of rat liver.

Outer membrane preparations of rat liver mitochondria were isolated, after the mitochondria had been prepared by mild digitonin treatment under isotonic conditions. L-Kynurenine 3-hydroxylase [EC 1.14.13.9] was solubilized on a large scale from outer membrane by mixing with 1% digitonin or 1% Triton X-100, followed by fractionation into a minor fraction I and a major fraction II by DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. The distribution of total L-Dynurenine 3-hydroxylase was roughly 20 and 80% in fraction I and II, respectively. Fraction I consisted of crude enzyme loosely bound to anion exchanger. In the present investigation, fraction I was not used because of its low activity and rapid inactivation. In contrast, fraction II consisted of crude enzyme with high activity, excluded from DEAE-cellulose column chromatography in the presence of 1 M KC1. In addition, fraction II was purified by Sephadex G-200 gel filtration and DEAE-Sephadex A-50 column chromatography with linear gradient elution, adding 1 M KC1 and 1% Triton X-100 to 0.05 M Tris-acetate buffer, pH 8.1. After isoelectric focusing, the purified enzyme preparation was proved to be homogeneous, since the L-kynurenine 3-hydroxylase fraction gave a single band on disc gel electrophoresis. The molecular weight of this enzyme was estimated to be approximately 200,000 or more by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and from the elution pattern on Sephadex G-200 gel filtration. A 16-Fold increase of the enzyme activity was obtained compared with that of the mitochondrial outer membrane. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was determined to be pH 5.4 by Ampholine isoelectric focusing.

Animals↗

Tryptophan metabolism in various nutritive conditions.

In phenylalanine administered rat, tryptophan chiefly metabolized to xanthurenic acid and in nicotinic acid administration to 5-hydroxy indole acetic acid mainly. MAO reaction inhibited by quinoline compound and the inhibition of kynurenine aminotransferase activity through the injection of epinephrine or serotonin were observed. And also the induction of tryptophanpyrrolase in starvation was discussed.

Animals↗

Neuromagnetic responses elicited by auditory stimuli in dichotic listening.

We measured N1m and P2m components of the magnetic field responses that were elicited by random series of a tone burst given to the left ear and a monosyllabic speech sound given to the right ear. The magnetic responses had smaller amplitudes and/or longer peak latencies of the N1m and the P2m when the stimulus was preceded by a stimulus at the same ear than when preceded by a stimulus at the different ear. This reduction of the response by preceding stimulation of the same ear was significant over the hemisphere contralateral, but not ipsilateral, to the ear stimulated. The peak latencies of N1m and P2m were significantly longer in the response over the hemisphere contralateral than ipsilateral to the stimulated ear.

Acoustic Stimulation↗

Mobility function of the elderly living with their children and its relation to the home health care system in Tokyo.

Most elderly in Japan prefer living with their children once their spouse passes away. In comparison with western countries, home health care systems have developed quite differently in Japan. The traditional practice of the elderly living with their children is, however, changing. In 1989 we carried out a mail questionnaire survey focused on the relationship between mobility functions of the elderly living in Tokyo and their rate of living with family members. The subjects for the present analysis were 2368 widows and widowers. Under the group category 'independent in long walks', 72.8% were living with their families. With a decrease in mobility functions, this percentage rose to 81.1 and 84.6, although it decreased to 50.9 in the group with severely impaired mobility functions. The need to develop effective social services for families housing their parents is discussed.

Activities of Daily Living↗

Mode of inheritance of HLA-DRB1 shared epitope in Japanese familial rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the mode of genetic contribution of the HLA-DR shared epitope (SE) to the pathogenesis of familial cases of Japanese rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Fifty-three unrelated Japanese RA families that had more than 2 affected sibs were selected. The HLA-DR shared epitope typing was carried out by the PCR method and PCR-SSCP (single stranded DNA conformation polymorphism) method. Affected sib pair analysis was carried out using the MAPMAKER/SIB 2.0 program. The mode of inheritance was also calculated based on the sharing of genes identical by descent (IBD) between siblings in each of the 53 affected sib-pairs (propositus and the 2nd affected sib). RESULTS: The maximum LOD score of HLA-DR was 0.437, and the sharing of 2 IBDs, 1 IBD, and no IBDs between affected sibs were 0.330, 0.500, and 0.170, respectively. The sharing distribution of IBD was confirmed to be compatible with the dominant or additive mode since the observed gene frequency of SE was 0.255. CONCLUSION: The HLA-DR shared epitope participated in the pathogenesis of familial cases of Japanese RA. The SE contributes to this pathogenesis in either the dominant or additive mode of inheritance.

Adult↗

Association of CTLA-4 with systemic sclerosis in Japanese patients.

OBJECTIVE: The contribution of CTLA-4 alleles to the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc) was studied in Japanese patients. METHODS: CTLA-4 typing in 2 dimorphic sites, +49 A/G and -308 C/T, was carried out in 62 SSc patients and 107 normal subjects by the PCR-RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) method. HLA-DRB1*15 and *08 genotyping were carried out by the PCR-SSCP (simple-stranded DNA conformation polymorphism) method. RESULTS: In SSc the frequency of the +49A allele increased slightly (40.3%), but was not significant. In SSc with diffuse scleroderma and SSc with anti-topoisomerase I antibody, the +49A also increased (43.8%, and 48.0%, respectively) but again was not significant. A significant increase in the +49A was not observed in SSc with HLA-DRB1*1502 or ORB1*0802. In contrast, the +49A had significantly increased in SSc with the anti-RNP antibody [52.9%, p = 0.0337, Odds ratio (OR) = 2.27 (95% confidential interval (CI) = 1.09-4.71)]. HLA-DRB1*1502 and *0802 had no influence on the association of anti-RNP antibody with the +49A. The +49AA genotype increased significantly in SSc without lung fibrosis [31.8%, p = 0.0456, OR = 3.37 (CI = 1.16-9.87)], especially in limited SSc without lung fibrosis [33.3%, p = 0.0319, OR = 3.62 (CI = 1.16-11.29)]. The dimorphism at -308 did not associate with SSc. CONCLUSION: In Japanese scleroderma, the +49A allele of CTLA-4 increased in the presence of SSc with the anti-RNP antibody.

Abatacept↗

The genetic contribution of the TNFa11 microsatellite allele and the TNFb + 252*2 allele in Japanese RA.

OBJECTIVES: The contribution of the microsatellite polymorphisms of TNFa and TNFb, and the TNFB + 252 (TNFB) dimorphism to the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was studied among Japanese patients. METHODS: The TNFa and TNFb microsatellite polymorphisms, and the TNFB dimorphism were determined in Japanese RA patients and normal subjects using electrophoresis followed by specific PCR amplification. HLA-DRB1*04 typing was carried out by the PCR-SSCP method. RESULTS: The allele frequency of TNFa11 showed a significant increase in RA with DRB1*0405 when compared to that in RA without DRB1*0405 (28.5% Vs 12.9%, respectively, p = 0.022). An association analysis indicated that TNFa11 was not primary, but secondary to the increase in HLA-DRB1*0405, because TNFa11 showed a strong positive association with HLA-DRB1*0405 in Japanese controls. The slight increase in the TNFb4 allele observed in RA with DRB1*0405 (50.0%) may be reflective of the increase in TNFa11 and DRB1*0405. In RA with DRB1*0405, the allele frequency of TNFB*2 significantly increased compared to that of normal controls (75.0% Vs 55.3%, respectively, p = 0.007) and compared to that of RA without DRB1*0405 (45.0%, p = 0.001). No significant positive association of TNFB*2 with HLA-DRB1*0405 or TNFa11 in Japanese controls might suggest that the increase in the TNFB*2 allele might not be secondary to the increase in DRB1*0405, and that TNFB*2 might contribute additively to DRB1*0405-positive RA in Japanese. CONCLUSION: TNFB*2 may contribute additively to Japanese RA with HLA-DRB1*0405, while TNFa11 and TNFb4 are not independent genetic markers of RA among Japanese.

Alleles↗

Inhibitory effects of gold sodium thiomalate on DNA polymerase alpha.

The usefulness of gold compounds in the therapy of rheumatoid arthritis is well established, however, the pharmacological mechanisms of the compounds are still unclear. In this report, effects of gold compounds on DNA synthesis were examined. Gold sodium thiomalate inhibited DNA synthesis in the HeLa "nuclei system" as well as in the enzyme reaction using DNA polymerase alpha. More precisely, gold sodium thiomalate inhibited the activity of DNA polymerase alpha using activated DNA, poly[d(A-T)] or poly[d(G-C)] for the template, but did not inhibit the activity of DNA polymerase I with each template. The compound had also no inhibitory effect on DNA polymerase beta or gamma. On the other hand, auranofin inhibited the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into HeLa DNA but did not inhibit DNA synthesis in the HeLa "nuclei system". The inhibition of DNA polymerase alpha activity by gold sodium thiomalate was competitive with poly(dA).oligo(dT) for template but noncompetitive with dTTP. Thus, gold sodium thiomalate is a potent and specific inhibitor of DNA polymerase alpha and this inhibitory effect could play an important role in the therapeutic and pharmacological effects of gold sodium thiomalate.

Auranofin↗

A gouty family with increased phosphoribosylpyrophosphate synthetase activity: case reports, familial studies, and kinetic studies of the abnormal enzyme.

Two male patients with urate overexcretion and clinical gout in a family showed activity of phosphoribosylpyrophosphate (PRPP) synthetase in erythrocyte lysates (3.1-fold) greater than that found in normal subjects. Hemolysates from 5 female persons in this family contained (2.7-fold) increased enzyme activity suggesting X-linked dominant transmission of the abnormality. Increased maximal velocity of the enzyme, aberrant protein pattern in polyacrylamide electrophoresis, and increased thermolability in purified enzyme suggested that this enzyme is a mutant one. From these findings, it was assumed that the characteristics of this enzyme were different from 4 previously reported enzymes.

Adenosine Diphosphate↗