Biomedical subjects

H Tsukagoshi

Publications and source records attributed to H Tsukagoshi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

Selective loss of nigral neurons in Alzheimer's disease: a morphometric study.

Loss of neurons from the substantia nigra (SN), which is sometimes observed in Alzheimer's disease (AD), was quantitatively analyzed in 10 cases of presenile AD and 19 age-matched controls. On sections from the upper and lower portions of the SN, the pigmented zone (zona compacta) and the non-pigmented zone (zona reticulata) were delineated, and these zones were partitioned into quarters: medial, mid-medial, mid-lateral and lateral. This approach clarified topographical preference of neuronal depletion in the SN of AD; namely (1) pigmented neurons were more severely affected than non-pigmented neurons, (2) neuronal depletion was more marked in the lower SN (-38%, P less than 0.001), where the pigmented neurons in the medial quarter were most severely affected (-51%, P less than 0.001), (3) in the upper SN (neuronal loss: -21%, P less than 0.01), the pigmented neurons in the mid-medial quarter were most severely affected (-43%, P less than 0.01). These findings suggest that some groups of nigral neurons are primarily involved in presenile AD. Gallyas staining after bleaching of melanin pigments uncovered a large number of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) mainly in the pigmented zone, especially in the medial quarter. A large number of NFTs, scarse senile plaques, and substantial depletion of neurons form an unique combination of Alzheimer pathology in the SN not well recognized so far.

Aged↗

PubMed1992

Immunocytochemical study of dystrophin in cultured mouse muscle cells by the quick-freezing and deep-etching method.

Dystrophin, the protein product of the Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) gene, is deficient in patients with DMD and in mdx mice. It is immunocytochemically localized in skeletal muscle sarcolemma. However, little is known about the three-dimensional ultrastructural localization of dystrophin and its relationship with other cytoskeletal proteins. We found that dystrophin is localized irregularly, just underneath the plasma membrane in normal cultured mouse myotubes, by using the quick-freezing and deep-etching (QF-DE) method; it was found to be closely linked to actin-like filaments (8-10 nm in diameter), most of which were decorated with myosin subfragment 1, and was attached to the cytoplasmic side of the plasma membrane. These results suggest that dystrophin might play an important role in the preservation of cell membrane stability by connecting actin cytoskeletons with the cytoplasmic side of the plasma membrane.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Interferon-gamma in cerebrospinal fluid without pleocytosis in scrub typhus.

We detected immunoreactive interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) both in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and in serum of 5 patients with scrub typhus, one with meningitis and 4 other cases with neither CSF pleocytosis nor blood-CSF barrier dysfunction. Our data suggest intrathecal synthesis of IFN-gamma without pleocytosis which implies occult cerebral involvement in scrub typhus.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Cortical activity-associated negative myoclonus.

A patient with myoclonus epilepsy had 2 types of negative myoclonus as well as positive myoclonus at rest. One type followed a large EMG discharge at the end of continuous contraction and the other did not. Both types of negative myoclonus and positive myoclonus were preceded by EEG activity, predominantly distributed in the contralateral central region. It is suggested that an abnormal activity around the motor cortex suppresses a voluntary contraction as well as induces myoclonus. Clonazepam was markedly effective on both positive and negative myoclonus.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Elevated levels of peripheral-blood, naturally occurring aliphatic polyamines in bronchial asthmatic patients with active symptoms.

The levels of peripheral-blood, naturally occurring aliphatic polyamines, such as putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, from 21 bronchial asthmatic patients (11 atopics and 10 nonatopics) were measured by postcolumn derivatization high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. None of the patients, except the 44-year-old woman in the case report below, were given prednisolone, and they were instructed to take only regular medication during the tests. Blood was drawn from the patients in a fasting state, and the polyamine levels were compared between the times when they were free of asthmatic symptoms and when they had mild spontaneous attacks. Nine (5 atopics and 4 nonatopics), 6 (3 atopics and 3 nonatopics), and 4 (3 atopics and 1 nonatopic) out of 20 patients, when they had relatively mild asthmatic attacks, showed higher putrescine, spermidine, and spermine levels, respectively, than those of normal healthy control subjects. The levels of peripheral blood polyamines from a 44-year-old atopic bronchial asthmatic woman, who was admitted to the hospital with severe asthmatic attacks, were measured serially, and the putrescine and spermidine levels were found to be elevated during the asthmatic attacks, returning to normal levels in parallel with the clinical course. These data may suggest a role for naturally occurring aliphatic polyamines in bronchial asthma.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Glycyrrhizin (licorice)-induced hypokalemic myopathy. Report of 2 cases and review of the literature.

Fifty-nine cases of glycyrrhizin (licorice)-induced hypokalemic myopathy (GIHM), 2 females treated in our departments (85 and 73 years old) and 57 cases reported in the literature were studied, and conditions leading to the onset, factors, clinical manifestations, laboratory assessments, muscle biopsy findings, treatment and outcome were discussed. The 59 GIHM cases comprised 32 men, 25 women and 2 patients without record of sex; the average age was 55.2 years. In many cases, conditions leading to the onset of GIHM were habitual licorice ingestion, ingestion of antituberculosis agents containing licorice and long-term ingestion of licorice-containing agents for chronic gastritis, chronic hepatitis or chronic dermatitis. The combined use of hypotensive diuretic agents increased the risk of GIHM in an overwhelming number of cases. The main clinical symptom was flaccid quadriplegia in almost all cases, with muscle pain in 32.2% and peripheral dysesthesia in the extremities, manifested mainly by numbness (27.1%). Laboratory findings included a mean serum K+ value of 1.98 mEq/l (56 GIHM cases), a mean creatine kinase of 5,385.7 IU/l (n = 30), a mean blood aldosterone concentration of 2.92 ng/dl (n = 30; normal: 2.0-13.0 ng/dl) and a mean plasma renin activity of 0.17 ng/ml/h (n = 27; normal: 0.8-4.4 ng/ml/h). Muscle biopsy was performed in 17 of the 59 cases with resultant findings of myopathic changes consisting mainly of phagocytosis, necrotic fibers, vacuolar degeneration, together with sporadic neurogenic changes. Complete cure was attained in 57 of the 59 cases of GIHM by discontinued ingestion of glycyrrhizin (licorice) and potassium supplement.

Aged↗

PubMed1992

Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease presenting meningoencephalitis. Report of a case with magnetic resonance imaging.

A 40-year-old Japanese woman, formerly diagnosed as having Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease (VKH), developed a consciousness disturbance. There were nuchal rigidity and mild right facial weakness. Ophthalmological findings were compatible with VKH. Lumbar puncture revealed moderate pleocytosis. MRI showed multiple focal lesions. This case verifies parenchymatous involvement of CNS in VKH.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Asymptomatic homozygous gene carrier in a family with type I familial amyloid polyneuropathy.

Type I familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) is a molecular disorder with a mutation of the transthyretin (TTR) gene, and most patients previously examined were reported to be heterozygous for this mutant gene. In the present study a rapid and easy DNA diagnostic method employing the polymerase chain reaction revealed an asymptomatic homozygous TTR gene carrier in a Japanese family with type I FAP. The level of the variant TTR (methionine instead of valine at position 30) in his serum was much higher than that usually found in type I FAP patients. However, the histological findings of the biopsied rectum and abdominal fat tissues failed to demonstrate amyloid deposits, and the autonomic nerves from his rectal mucosa were normally preserved. Moreover, his 72-year-old mother (a TTR gene heterozygote) was supposed to start amyloid deposition in her late sixties. It is suggested that in addition to the mutant TTR gene some other factors control the development of the disease.

Aged↗

PubMed1992

Human peripheral blood hypodense eosinophil proteins are more labeled with 32P than the normodense eosinophil proteins.

Peripheral blood eosinophils from patients with atopic dermatitis and normal healthy controls were isolated on a Percoll gradient and were incubated with [32P]orthophosphoric acid. After stopping the reaction, SDS/PAGE was performed and autoradiographs were prepared to determine the incorporation of 32P into proteins. Eosinophils developed at least 14 protein bands below 66.2 kDa by SDS/PAGE and the differences of the protein staining patterns between hypodense and normodense eosinophils were present. In the autoradiographs five distinct radioactive bands were observed below 31 kDa. 32P incorporation into the bands of hypodense eosinophils was stronger than that of normodense eosinophils, suggesting possible involvement of protein phosphorylation in the activation process of human eosinophils.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

TIAs in a spontaneously dissecting aneurysm of the internal carotid artery--a case report.

A spontaneous internal carotid artery dissection of an aneurysmal form is reported. The patient, a fifty-eight-year-old man, had manifested recurrent transient left hemiparesis, dysesthesia of the left upper limb, and dysarthria for three months. After administration of ticlopidine, the transient ischemic attacks completely disappeared. Three months later, the follow-up angiographic study revealed the same form of dissection in the same portion as compared with the initial study. Conservative therapy was successful.

Aortic Dissection↗

PubMed1992

Nicotine-sensitive paresis.

Immediately after a patient with myoclonus epilepsy smoked a nicotine-containing cigarette, tetraparesis and hyperreflexia with ankle clonus developed, but disappeared within several minutes. During paresis, the H-reflex size of the soleus muscle increased, EEG showed more slow waves than before smoking, and the cerebral perfusion increased around the motor cortex as shown by single photon emission CT. A similar effect occurred when the patient chewed nicotine gum, and smoking a cigarette with a high nicotine content induced severe positive and negative myoclonus after the development of tetraparesis. Administration of the C6-type nicotinic antagonist mecamylamine not only countered the smoking effect, but ameliorated the spontaneous positive and negative myoclonus. Mecamylamine may prove useful for the treatment of positive and negative myoclonus in myoclonus epilepsy.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

[Bronchial hyperresponsiveness to histamine induced by intravenous administration of prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) in guinea pigs].

Prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) and thromboxane A2 (TXA2) have been suggested to play important roles in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. In the present study, effects of i.v.-administration of PGD2 on bronchial hyperresponsiveness in guinea pigs were investigated by the measurement of dynamic compliance and dynamic respiratory resistance with formulae which can exclude the effects of changes of the airway wall thickness. With these formulae, the ratio of bronchial smooth muscle constriction by histamine can be estimated as an index of bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Administration of PGD2 induced airway wall edema. The ratio of bronchial smooth muscle constriction by histamine was enhanced with the administration of PGD2. Moreover, TXA2 antagonists, ONO-NT-126 and ONO-8809, inhibited the effect of PGD2 administration.

Airway Resistance↗

PubMed1992

Unilateral facial swelling and exophthalmos in a patient with polyarteritis nodosa.

A patient with polyarteritis nodosa (PN) presenting with exophthalmos and facial swelling, which are rarely found in PN, is reported. The patient, a 27-year-old male, complained of painful facial swelling and diplopia. Physical examinations showed facial swelling around the right orbit and exophthalmos. After admission, he experienced myalgia in both calves. Laboratory studies disclosed leukocytosis and liver dysfunction. Celiac and renal angiograms showed aneurysms. A biopsy specimen of his left calf showed an arterial inflammatory process. The patient was diagnosed as having PN. He had an excellent response to corticosteroids, with prompt improvement.

Adrenal Cortex Hormones↗

PubMed1992

[A case of angiotropic lymphoma diagnosed by adrenal biopsy].

We reported the first case of angiotropic lymphoma diagnosed by adrenal biopsy in Japan. Immunohistochemical study and southern blot hybridization analysis proved it to be B-lymphocyte origin. A 61-year-old man with history of mild hypertension and diabetes mellitus was admitted to our department because of recurrent minor stroke. On admission, general physical findings were normal. Laboratory investigations showed an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate and increased serum lactic dehydrogenase (LDH) level. The serial computed tomographic (CT) scan of the brain showed multifocal abnormal density lesions in bilateral hemispheres. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain demonstrated multiple lesions of increased signal intensity in the brainstem and bilateral hemispheres. A subsequent CT scan of the abdomen revealed swelling of bilateral adrenal glands. Adrenal biopsy was performed. Biopsy samples showed the intravascular proliferation of malignant lymphoma cells, non-Hodgkin, diffuse large cell type. These cells had the immunophenotype of a B cell lymphoma (reactive with the antileukocyte common antigen, anti-MB-1, anti-MB-2 and anti-MX-pan B, and unreactive with the anti-MT-1, anti-UCHL, anti-Ki, anti-kappa, anti-lambda and antifactor-VIII). Southern blot hybridization analysis showed monoclonal rearrangements of the immunoglobulin heavy-chain gene, which strongly suggested a B-lymphocyte origin. Thus, a diagnosis of angiotropic lymphoma was made. As soon as chemotherapy was begun, the patient fell into deep coma. A repeat CT scan of the brain was normal. His clinical status gradually deteriorated, and he died 18 months after his initial symptom. Autopsy, which was limited to the body, revealed characteristic systemic intravascular stagnation of lymphoma cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adrenal Glands↗

PubMed1992

[Cerebellar infarction presenting erotic delusion and delusion of jealousy in the acute phase].

A 62-year-old female presented peduncular hallucinosis accompanied with outstanding manifestation of delusion of jealousy and erotic delusion in the acute phase of cerebellar infarction. The delusion seemed to appear as the swollen cerebellum was compressing the tegmentum of brainstem. CT scanning revealed the sequential images of the compression by the swollen cerebellum and deformity of the brainstem and their final recovery. The reason why the patient showed the outstanding delusion that is unusual in the ordinary peduncular hallucinosis is unclear. It might be brought about by the acute hydrocephalus induced by the occlusion of aqueduct.

Cerebellar Diseases↗

PubMed1992

[A case of acute idiopathic pandysautonomia--a histochemical study of sural nerve by acetylcholinesterase staining].

A 30-year-old man had an acute onset of orthostatic lightheadedness, sweating disturbance, paroxysmal cough and loss of potency. These symptoms reached the peak in two weeks, and then remitted very slowly. He was admitted to our hospital for further evaluation when he was 39 years old. Neurological examinations revealed right Horner's syndrome, dry skin and impotence, but neither motor nor sensory system was impaired. No abnormalities were found on routine examinations of the blood and cerebrospinal fluid, motor and sensory nerve velocities, computed tomography and electroencephalography. On sural nerve biopsy, the density of unmyelinated fibers was mildly decreased (13,857/mm2), whereas that of myelinated fibers was normal (7,220/mm2). Autonomic function tests disclosed orthostatic hypotension (-31 mmHg) on tilting, reduced levels of serum noradrenaline and vanillyl mandelic acid, supersensitive responses to noradrenaline infusion and adrenaline eye-dripping, severe sweating impairment and complete absence of sympathetic skin response. On the other hand, Aschner's test, Czermak's test and coefficient variation of R-R intervals were all normal. These results suggested that the chief lesion was located in the postganglionic fiber of sympathetic efferent pathway. We (Hayashi et al, 1990) quantified acetylcholinesterase (AchE)-positive fibers in the specimens of sural nerve biopsy, and reported that the density of AchE-positive fibers was correlated to the function of sympathetic postganglionic fibers. The density of AchE-positive fibers in the present case of acute idiopathic pandysautonomia (AIPD) was severely decreased to 225/mm2 by optical microscopy (control: 5,703 +/- 1,289/mm2), and to 2,996/mm2 by electron microscopy (control: 14,112 +/- 3,987/mm2).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acetylcholinesterase↗

PubMed1992

[Bronchial hyperresponsiveness to histamine induced by intravenous administration of leukotriene C4 (LTC4) and LTD4 in guinea pigs].

Leukotriene (LT) has been suggested to play an important role in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. In the present study, the effects of intravenous administration of LTC4 and LTD4 on bronchial smooth muscle in guinea pigs were investigated by measurement of dynamic compliance and dynamic respiratory resistance using a formula that excludes the effect of differences in airway wall thickness. With this formula, the ratio of bronchial smooth muscle constriction by histamine can be estimated as an index of bronchial hyperresponsiveness. Administration of LTC4 and LTD4 induced airway wall edema. The ratio of bronchial smooth muscle constriction by histamine was significantly enhanced by the administration of LTC4 and LTD4. Moreover, the LT antagonist ONO-1078 inhibited the effect of LTC4 and LTD4 administration. These results suggest that LTC4 and LTD4 can be important mediators affecting bronchial hyperresponsiveness.

Airway Resistance↗

PubMed1991

Developmental study of the expression of dystrophin in cultured human muscle aneurally and innervated with fetal rat spinal cord.

So far there have been no developmental studies including the influences of innervation and contractile activity on the expression of dystrophin in cultured human muscle. We performed immunocytochemical studies of the localization of dystrophin on aneurally cultured non-contracting (AMs) and innervated continuously contracting cross-striated human muscle fibers (ICMs) with fetal rat spinal cord from normal and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) biopsied muscles. In normal AMs, myoblasts and some immature AMs showed negative staining of dystrophin, but many AMs had a patchy (discontinuous) distribution of dystrophin in the subplasmalemmal region and with some granularity near the sarcolemma and in the deeper cytoplasm. In normal ICMs, dystrophin was localized continuously at the inner aspect of the sarcolemmal membrane and some periodic dense patterns were detected in some areas. Both AMs and ICMs from DMD had negative staining of dystrophin. To investigate the muscle contractile activity on the distribution of dystrophin, we paralyzed ICMs with tetrodotoxin (TTX) for two weeks from the first appearance of muscle contractions. In paralyzed innervated muscles (PIMs), dystrophin remained in a patchy (discontinuous) pattern at the inner aspect of the plasmalemma similar to that in AMs. It is strongly suggested that muscle contractile activity plays an important role in the continuous and even distribution of dystrophin at the sarcolemma during development.

Adult↗