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Biomedical subjects

H Yanagawa

Publications and source records attributed to H Yanagawa.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Redox ribonucleosides. Isolation and characterization of 5-hydroxyuridine, 8-hydroxyguanosine, and 8-hydroxyadenosine from Torula yeast RNA.

Three hydroxyribonucleosides catalyzing the oxido-reduction of NADH and K3F3(CN)6 were purified from Torula yeast RNA by a series of steps including sodium dodecyl sulfate/phenol extraction, nuclease P1 digestion, alkaline phosphatase digestion, anion-exchange chromatography, and high performance liquid chromatography on an ODS column. Analysis by fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometry and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy led to identification of the redox ribonucleosides as 5-hydroxyuridine, 8-hydroxyguanosine, and 8-hydroxyadenosine. Their mass spectra, chromatographic behavior, UV spectra, NMR spectra, and IR spectra were identical to those from natural and synthetic sources. Oxidoreduction activities were specific for K3Fe(CN)6 as the oxidant and NADH as the reductant; and their magnitudes decreased in the order 5-hydroxycytidine, 5-hydroxyuridine, 8-hydroxyguanosine, and 8-hydroxyadenosine. The fact that these nucleosides have redox activities suggests new functional roles for RNAs as catalysts.

Adenosine↗
PubMed1992

Spontaneous formation of helical structures from phospholipid-nucleoside conjugates.

Phospholipid-nucleoside conjugates containing two myristoyl groups and a nucleotidyl group, collectively designated as dimyristoyl-5'-phosphatidylnucleosides, were enzymatically synthesized and their self-organization, morphology, and physicochemical properties investigated. The dimyristoyl-5'-phosphatidylnucleosides spontaneously assembled to form various types of helical strands. Neutral and alkaline solutions of dimyristoyl-5'-phosphatidyladenosine (DMPA) produced multihelical strands. The multihelical strand consisted of several single helical strands of approximately 50 A in diameter and helical pitch approximately 100 A. DMPA produced cigar-like scrolls (tubular structures) in acidic solution, which consisted of many double-helical strands aligned parallel to each other. Diacyl-5'-phosphatidyladenosine with a shorter chain length as long as an alkyl group, dilauroyl-5'-phosphatidyladenosine (DLPA), didecanoyl-5'-phosphatidyladenosine (DDPA), and dioctanoyl-5'-phosphatidyladenosine (DOPA) formed extended tape structures having double-helical strands aligned parallel. Dimyristoyl-5'-phosphatidylcytidine (DMPC) produced network structures at an early stage, which were slowly transformed into multihelical strands. The multihelical strands contained some single-helical strands of approximately 55 A in diameter and helical pitch approximately 150 A. DMPA produced no definite helical structure in acidic solution but rather large lamellar structures. Dimyristoyl-5'-phosphatidyluridine (DMPU) produced crystalline platelet structures of approximately 1000 A in width in both alkaline and acidic solution. A 1:1 mixture of DMPA and DMPU formed a new hybrid helical strand having a wide and thick ribbon structure of approximately 300 A in diameter and helical pitch approximately 2000 A. The formation of different helical strands and effects of chain lengths of alkyl groups and a nucleotidyl group in phospholipid-nucleoside conjugates on that of helical strands in aqueous solution are discussed.

Aniline Compounds↗
PubMed1992

Mortality among children with Kawasaki disease in Japan.

BACKGROUND AND METHODS: It is not certain whether patients with Kawasaki disease have a higher death rate than the age-matched healthy population. We therefore undertook a study to investigate this question. Between July 1982 and December 1988, 53 collaborating treatment centers collected data on all patients who had an unequivocal new diagnosis of Kawasaki disease; patients who had recurrent disease or whose first visit to the treatment center occurred more than 14 days after the onset of symptoms were excluded. Patients were followed from the time of the first visit to the treatment center until December 31, 1989, or until death, whichever occurred first. The expected number of deaths was calculated from Japanese vital-statistics data and compared with the number observed. RESULTS: Of 4676 patients who met the eligibility criteria, 4608 (98.5 percent) were followed through either the end of the study or the date of death. Thirteen patients (10 boys and 3 girls) died during the study period. The number of deaths expected was 7.61 (ratio of observed to expected deaths, 1.71; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.91 to 2.92). The ratio was 2.04 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.98 to 3.76) for boys and 1.11 (95 percent confidence interval, 0.23 to 3.23) for girls. During the acute phase of the disease (the first two months after onset), the ratios of observed to expected deaths were higher: 9.86 overall (95 percent confidence interval, 3.95 to 20.31), 13.33 for boys (95 percent confidence interval, 4.89 to 29.07), and 3.85 for girls (95 percent confidence interval, 0.10 to 21.42). After the acute phase, however, both sexes had ratios of observed to expected deaths that were lower than 1, and the difference from the control population was not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: The mortality rate among boys with Kawasaki disease in Japan is twice that among healthy boys of the same age, and most deaths occur within two months of diagnosis. The mortality rate among girls with the disease appears similar to that among healthy girls, although the numbers are very small.

Child, Preschool↗
PubMed1992

IL-6 in malignant pleural effusions and its augmentation by intrapleural instillation of IL-2.

The levels and activities of endogenous IL-6 in malignant pleural effusions due to lung cancer before and during daily intrapleural instillations of recombinant IL-2 were examined by enzyme immunoassay and bioassay using an IL-6-dependent murine hybridoma cell line MH60.BSF2. Before therapy, malignant pleural effusions contained various levels of IL-6. Daily intrapleural instillation of recombinant IL-2 for treatment of malignant pleurisy resulted in significant augmentation of the levels and activities of IL-6 in the pleural effusions. On fractionation of the pleural effusion by chromatography, one major peak of material with a mol. wt of 24 kD showed IL-6 activity. In contrast, no significant level of tumour necrosis factor-alpha or IL-1 beta was detectable in pleural effusions before or during local IL-2 therapy. These data suggest that IL-2 is an important regulatory factor of secondary IL-6 production.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1992

[Study of yearly changes in intractable disease patients receiving financial aid for treatment].

Yearly changes of intractable disease patients receiving financial aid for treatment were observed for 24 intractable disease patients from 1983 to 1987. The results obtained were as follows. 1. The number of intractable disease patients receiving financial aid for treatment increased from 1983 to 1987 for 23 of the diseases. Only the number of SMON patients did not increase. 2. Medical care expenditures for these patients also increased since 1983. Greater increases for in-patients than for out-patients were seen for Huntington's chorea and Behcet's disease, while larger increases were seen for out-patients with Parkinson's disease, Scleroderma.dermatomyositis.primary multiple myositis, Buerger's disease, and others. 3. The proportion of national health insurance holders among intractable disease patients was 42.1% as compared with 34.7% among total national patients. The proportion was especially higher for Huntington's chorea (64.6%), Parkinson's disease (64.1%) and SMON (59.4%) patients.

Behcet Syndrome↗
PubMed1992

[Characteristics of medical institutions visited by 30 intractable disease patients receiving financial aid for treatment].

In order to determine the characteristics of medical institutions which patients with 30 intractable diseases visited, we analyzed data of a nationwide survey conducted by the Epidemiology of Intractable Diseases Research Committee in 1989. Each of 47 prefectural governments in Japan reported information of all patients with 30 intractable diseases who received financial aid for the diseases between April 1988 and March 1989. Information collected about each patient consisted of identification numbers, which included the disease code, sex, age, the code of the municipality where the patient lived, the medical institution which treated the patient, etc. Out of 173,637 patients whose information was reported by prefectural governments, we used data of 159,910 patients whose medical institutions were reported completely. The results can be summarized as follow: 1) Of the 159,910 patients, 8.6 percent visited medical institutions outside of the prefectures where the patients lived. Many patients living in prefectures located close to large cities, such as Tokyo, visited medical institutions in large cities. 2) The proportion of patients who visited hospitals of medical schools was 27.9 percent. 3) Patients who were affected by diseases causing physical disabilities such as SMON and malignant rheumatoid arthritis tended to visit medical institutions located in their neighborhoods and were treated in small hospitals or clinics. Old patients had the same tendency as patients with such diseases. 4) Although the number of patients receiving aid in 1988, whose data we analyzed in the current study, was larger than that in 1984, the proportion of patients visiting medical institutions outside of the prefecture where the patients lived, and the proportion of patients visiting hospitals of medical schools were nearly equal to those in 1984.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

[The prevalence of diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance studied by 75 gram oral glucose tolerance test in a rural island population].

A mass health examination was performed to assess the glucose tolerance of inhabitants of the island of Ojika, in the Goto islands, Nagasaki prefecture Japan. There were 554 males and 820 females older than 34 years who participated in the mass health examination, a response rates of 42 percent and 52 percent for males and females respectively. Serum glucose levels after overnight fasting and at 2 hours after a 75 gram oral glucose tolerance were used with WHO criteria to classify individuals. Among these subjects, the prevalence of diabetes mellitus increased with age, with a prevalence of diabetes mellitus of around 10 percent in the older subjects. The prevalence for males was higher than that for females. Prevalences of impaired glucose tolerance were roughly in the 15-25 percent range and did not show clear differences among different age groups and sexes. From a questionnaire survey of all island inhabitants, it was considered that the degree of bias of the results was small, if any. The true prevalence for all the inhabitants may be a little larger than the observed prevalence of these subjects.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

[Induction of tumor cell killing by human alveolar macrophages and its regulation by IL-4].

The present study was undertaken to examine the effects of IL-4 on induction of cytotoxic killer activity and on production of antitumor mediators by human monocytes and alveolar macrophages (AM). The spontaneous tumoricidal activity of AM was slightly suppressed by IL-4. Addition of IL-4 to cultures of AM or monocytes with endotoxin resulted in dose-dependent suppression of their cytotoxic activity against A375 and its variant cells resistant to IL-1 and TNF-alpha. IL-4 inhibited the production of IL-1 and TNF-alpha by AM at the protein and mRNA levels. Oxygen radical production was also suppressed by treating AM with IL-4. IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) was also produced by monocytes stimulated with LPS, but not with IL-4. Marked up-regulation by IL-4 of IL-1ra production in LPS-stimulated monocytes was observed at both the mRNA and protein levels. These findings suggest that IL-4 may be important in down-regulation of antitumor activation of human monocyte-macrophages, not only directly through inhibition of production of antitumor effector molecules, but also indirectly through up-regulation of production of IL-1ra.

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1992

[Induction by local injections of IL-2 of antitumor effector cells and secondary production of cytokines in malignant pleural effusion].

The present study was undertaken to examine the effects of intrapleural administration of IL-2 on induction of cytotoxic killer cells and on secondary production of cytokines in malignant pleural effusions. During daily local administration of IL-2, significant in vivo induction of cytotoxic activity was observed after 3-7 days, followed by a decrease in this activity in pleural mononuclear cells (MNC) to almost zero by day 15. IL-4 suppressed induction of IL-2-inducible killer cells from MNC in blood and pleural effusion, but significantly augmented the killer induction from pleural effusion MNC obtained after local 7-day administration of IL-2. Before therapy, malignant pleural effusions contained various levels of IL-6 and M-CSF, but no IL-4 or IFN-gamma. Daily intrapleural instillation of IL-2 resulted in significant augmentation of the levels of IL-4, IL-6, IFN-gamma and M-CSF. Chromatographical fractionation of the pleural effusion showed only one major peak with a MW of 24 kD, which had IL-6 activity. The level of the latent form of TGF-beta also increased during local IL-2 therapy. In contrast, significant levels of TNF (alpha, beta), IL-1 beta or IFN-alpha were not detectable in pleural effusions before or during therapy. These data suggest that IL-2 is an important inducer of secondary production of various cytokines in vivo, responsible for up- or down-regulation of induction of IL-2-inducible killer activity.

Cytokines↗
PubMed1992

[Analysis of factors influencing the recent decline in birth rate in Tokyo].

This study was undertaken in an attempt to find factors which affected the recent declining birth rate in Tokyo. Vital statistics of the female population, age 20-39, for the period of 1970 through 1985 for Tokyo were compared to national averages. Indices examined were birth rate, percentage of married women, birth rate for married women, and birth rate for married women by live birth order. Results thus obtained were as follows: 1. Birth rates for females aged 20-24 and 25-29 were largely dependent on percentages of married women rather than birth rates for married women both in Tokyo and in the nation as a whole, while the birth rates for females aged 30-34 and 35-39 were more dependent on birth rates for married women. 2. Percentages of married women aged 20-24 and 25-29 decreased during the observation period both in Tokyo and in the nation as a whole. 3. Birth rates for married women aged 30-34 and 35-39 dropped in the first 5 or 10 years of observation in both groups as a result of the reduction in high order live births. Thereafter, the decline changed to an upturn trend. 4. Yearly changes of birth rate, percentage of married women, birth rate for married women, birth rate for married women by live birth order, and birth rate of first child for married women appeared to have the same timing both in Tokyo and in Japan as a whole in each age category.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Interleukin-4 as a potent down-regulator for human alveolar macrophages capable of producing tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-1.

The effects of recombinant human interleukin-4 (IL-4) on the production of interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF alpha) by human alveolar macrophages (AM) and autologous peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were examined. AM and PBM were obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage and centrifugal elutriation, respectively, from healthy donors. The production of IL-1 (alpha and beta) and TNF alpha by human AM and PBM were quantitated by enzyme immunoassays (EIA). When activated with LPS, AM secreted much more TNF alpha, but less IL-1 beta than PBM. The production of IL-1 (alpha and beta) by activated AM and autologous PBM was suppressed dose-dependently by IL-4. The inhibitory effect of IL-4 was greatest when it was added to AM or PBM simultaneously with LPS or within 3 h after LPS. The suppressive effect of IL-4 was completely neutralized by pretreatment with rabbit anti-IL-4 antiserum. IL-4 also suppressed the production of IL-1 and TNF alpha by monocyte-derived macrophages. As measured by thymocyte co-stimulation assay, the production of cell-associated IL-1 was inhibited by coculture of AM plus LPS with IL-4. Northern blot analysis showed suppression by IL-4 of expression of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) for IL-1 and TNF alpha in LPS-stimulated AM. We conclude that IL-4 is a potent down-regulator for human alveolar macrophages capable of producing IL-1 and TNF alpha.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

A characteristic change in infant mortality rate decrease in Japan.

Changes in infant mortality rate (IM) in Japan were observed over a 41-year period, since the end of the Second World War (1947-1987). Both neonatal mortality rate (NM) and infant mortality rate excluding neonatal deaths (IEN) were measured. It was observed that IM had considerably decreased during the observation period. A decrease of IEN contributed greatly to this fall till the 1960s and less so since the 1970s. The slope of the decrease of NM became steeper after entering the 1980s compared with that of IEN, and this contributed to the decrease of IM in this period. In order to analyse this phenomenon, detailed observations were made of the causes of death. On studying three of the major causes of infant deaths in Japan (congenital anomalies, birth trauma and perinatal asphyxia, and injuries and poisoning) it was found that there was only a small annual difference in the number of deaths due to congenital anomalies compared with the much greater difference seen with the other two causes; therefore, improvement of mortality rate by congenital anomalies seemed difficult because the efficacy of improvement of medical treatment and care are already approaching their limits. For a further reduction of IM in the future, improvement of perinatal care and prevention of injuries are considered to be essential.

Cause of Death↗
PubMed1991

Interleukin-4 downregulates interleukin-6 production by human alveolar macrophages at protein and mRNA levels.

Effects of interleukin-4 (IL-4) on IL-6 production by human alveolar macrophages (AM) obtained by bronchoalveolar lavage from healthy donors was examined at the protein and gene levels. IL-6 production was quantitated by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and bioassay using the IL-6 dependent murine hybridoma cell line MH60.BSF2. Results showed that when activated with LPS, AM released significantly more biologically active IL-6 than blood monocytes. Human rIL-4 significantly suppressed IL-6 production by AM and monocytes stimulated with LPS. Northern blot analysis revealed that IL-4 reduced the expression of IL-6 mRNA in LPS-stimulated AM and monocytes. The inhibitory effect was most pronounced when IL-4 was added with LPS or within the first 4 hr after LPS to AM or monocytes. The suppressive effect of IL-4 was completely neutralized by pretreatment with anti-IL-4 antibody. IL-4 also showed a suppressive effect on IL-6 production by macrophages generated in vitro by maturation of blood monocytes with granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). These observations suggest that IL-4 may play a critical role in in situ regulation of immune responses through suppression of IL-6 production.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Interleukin-2-inducible killer activity and its regulation by blood monocytes from autologous lymphocytes of lung cancer patients.

The ability of blood lymphocytes of newly diagnosed lung cancer patients to respond to interleukin 2 (IL-2) to become IL-2-activated killer (LAK) cells and its regulation by autologous monocytes were examined. LAK activity was measured by 51Cr release assay. The abilities of lymphocytes among blood mononuclear cells (MNC) of subjects of different ages without malignancies to generate LAK activity against NK-cell resistant Daudi cells and lung adenocarcinoma (PC-9) cells were very similar. The LAK activity of blood MNC of lung cancer patients was also nearly the same as that of blood MNC of control subjects. There was no significant difference in IL-2-inducible LAK activity between MNC of patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and those of patients with non-SCLC. Monocytes and lymphocytes were separated from blood MNC on a one-step Percoll gradient. Monocytes of lung cancer patients were found to augment in vitro induction of LAK activity by IL-2 of autologous blood lymphocytes. In contrast, endotoxin-stimulated monocytes suppressed LAK induction of autologous lymphocytes of cancer patients. These findings suggest that administration of IL-2 and LAK cells induced in vitro may be of benefit in the treatment of lung cancer.

Aged↗
PubMed1991

Macrophage colony-stimulating factor activity in malignant pleural effusions. Its augmentation by intrapleural interleukin-2 infusions.

The activity of endogenous colony-stimulating factor (CSF) in malignant pleural effusions of lung cancer patients before and during daily intrapleural infusions of recombinant interleukin-2 (IL-2) was measured quantitatively by colony-forming bioassay and radioimmunoassay (RIA). Before therapy, malignant pleural effusions had various levels of CSF activities, and this CSF activity was neutralized almost completely by anti-M-CSF antibody. RIA also showed that the effusions contained various amounts of M-CSF. Daily intrapleural infusion of recombinant IL-2 caused significant increase in the CSF activities and M-CSF levels in pleural effusions. These results indicate that in vivo treatment with IL-2 induces production of endogenous M-CSF.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Cardiac sequelae of Kawasaki disease in Japan: statistical analysis.

The proportions of Kawasaki disease patients with cardiac sequelae in Japan were analyzed using nationwide survey data from the 6 1/2-year period July 1982 through December 1988. Of 46,864 cases of Kawasaki disease reported in the surveys, 7637 or 16.3% had cardiac sequelae such as dilation or stenosis of coronary arteries, myocardial infarction, and valvar lesions 1 month or more after onset. The prevalence of cardiac sequelae was particularly high in males, infants younger than 1 year, and children older than 5 years of age. In sequential observation, there was no correlation between the prevalence of cardiac sequelae and periods of high or low incidence of the disease. The prevalence of cardiac sequelae overall declined steadily over the observation period, perhaps as a consequence of increasing use of intravenous gamma globulin. However, children older than the age of 5 years manifested increasing prevalence of cardiac sequelae over the observation period, probably as a result of lower rates of intravenous gamma globulin administration.

Child↗