Biomedical subjects

Hiroko Fujii

Publications and source records attributed to Hiroko Fujii.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

A novel application of myocardial contrast echocardiography to evaluate angiogenesis by autologous bone marrow cell transplantation in chronic ischemic pig model.

OBJECTIVES: We investigated the feasibility of myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE) to evaluate regional perfusion after bone marrow cell transplantation. BACKGROUND: The myocardial microvessels improved by cell transplantation are too small to visualize with conventional angiography. METHODS: Fourteen mini-pigs from the Nippon Institute for Biological Science were used. The proximal left anterior descending coronary artery was ligated. One month later, nine pigs survived. Six pigs received autologous cell transplantation into the left ventricular anterior wall: bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMNCs) (n = 3) and bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) (n = 3). The other three pigs received saline (control group, n = 3). The pigs were sacrificed one month later. Myocardial contrast intensity (MCI) with a contrast agent was measured using the SONOS 5500 system (Philips). Capillary density (CD) and MCI were measured at four areas: anteroseptum (nontransplanted infarct area), anterior wall (transplanted infarct area), septum (border zone), and lateral wall (normal). We compared the anteroseptum with the anterior wall by MCI and CD. RESULTS: In the BMMNC and BMSC subsets, the CD of the anterior wall was higher than that of the anteroseptum (p < 0.001). There was a linear relation between MCI and CD (acoustic unit [AU2] = 0.234 CD + 0.010, r = 0.92, p < 0.001). At one month after cell transplantation, MCI of the anterior wall increased in the BMMNC and BMSC subsets (p < 0.05), although it did not change in the control group. The ratio of wall thickness (systole/diastole) in the transplanted infarct area was larger than that in the nontransplanted infarct area (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial contrast echocardiography is useful to evaluate regional perfusion, which was enhanced by bone marrow cell transplantation.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Antiproliferative constituents from Umbelliferae plants VI. New ursane-type saikosaponin analogs from the fruits of Bupleurum rotundifolium.

The MeOH extract of the fruits of Bupleurum rotundifolium showed inhibitory activity against human gastric adenocarcinoma (MK-1) cell growth (GI(50): 6.25 microg/ml). From this extract, 10 new ursane-type triterpene glycosides viz. three 3-O-triosides (called rotundifoliosides A, I, and J) of 13beta,28-epoxy-3beta,16alpha-dihydroxyurs-11-ene, two (G and H) of 13beta,28-epoxy-3beta,16alpha,23-trihydroxyurs-11-ene, two (E and F) of 13beta,28-epoxy-3beta,16alpha,21beta-trihydroxyurs-11-ene, two (B and C) of 3beta,11alpha,16alpha,28-tetrahydroxyurs-12-ene, and one (D) of 3beta,11alpha,28-trihydroxy-15alpha,16alpha-epoxyurs-12-ene were isolated in addition to 16 new oleanane-type triterpene glycosides (rotundiosides J-Y), echinocystic acid 3-O-sulfate and 3 known oleanane-type triterpene glycosides (rotundiosides A, F and G). The isolation, structures and antiproliferative activity of the new ursane-type triterpene glycosides against MK-1, human uterus carcinoma (HeLa), and murine melanoma (B16F10) cell lines are described with some comments on the structural requirements for their activity.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

[Relationship between aging and vitamin E].

We investigated the pathophysiological significance in biomembranes of the redox dynamics of Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) which is lipophilic radical scavenger related to aging or pathologic status such as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus or primary hyperlipidemia. Vitamin E eliminates lipid peroxyl radicals by the peroxidation chain reaction of the membrane lipid, and it becomes Vitamin E radical. Furthermore, the Vitamin E radical becomes Vitamin E quinone which is an oxidic metabolite of Vitamin E. Therefore, it was needed to determine the alpha-tocopherol and alpha-tocopherolquinone simultaneously to evaluate the antioxidative status of alpha-tocopherol in biomembranes exactly. For this purpose, we developed the assay method for the simultaneous determination of the two substances using HPLC system. Then we applied this method to basic and clinical research. 1) For the simultaneous determination of alpha-tocopherol and alpha-tocopherolquinone, highly-sensitive measurement system by HPLC-multiple coulometric ECD was developed. This system is useful to estimate the redox dynamics of alpha-tocopherol in biomembranes. 2) The utilization rate of alpha-tocopherol in the erythrocyte membrane of 10- to 120-week-old rats was significantly increased, whereas alpha-tocopherol uptake in the erythrocyte membrane decreased age-dependently. Furthermore, a significant increase in lipid hydroperoxide content and a marked decrease in the fluidity of the erythrocyte membrane were seen with age. 3) There was a strongly significant positive correlation between age and the utilization rate of alpha-tocopherol in the erythrocyte membrane of healthy volunteers aged between 23 and 103. 4) The alpha-tocopherol uptake in erythrocyte membrane was significantly lower in elderly non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus patients (average 68.1 years old) than in healthy subjects (average 71.8 years old). 5) The utilization rate of alpha-tocopherol in erythrocyte membrane and the alpha-tocopherol uptake in erythrocyte membrane were significant lower in elderly patients with primary hyperlipidemia (average 74.1 years old) compared to healthy subjects (average 71.2 years old). These findings suggest that the redox dynamics of alpha-tocopherol in biomembranes should be investigated with special regard to the onset, aggravation and complications of several diseases or aging as a result of oxidative stress. In addition redox dynamics were suggested to be useful to evaluate the grade of aging.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Mitochondrial control of cell death induction by sodium 5,6-benzylidene-L-ascorbate.

Previous studies have demonstrated the dramatic antitumor activity of sodium 5,6-benzylidene-L-ascorbate (SBA). However, the molecular mechanism of this antitumor action is unclear. We investigated the changes in the fine structures of a human submandibular gland carcinoma cell line, HSG, during the cell death induced by SBA. When HSG cells were incubated for 6 hours with non-cytotoxic concentrations of SBA, changes in the mitochondria, such as the disassembly of cristae and decrease in the electron density, were discrenible. At cytotoxic concentrations, the swelling and vacuolization of the mitochondria became apparent, while the nuclear architecture including the profile and ratio of heterochromatin and euchromatin and thickness of the nuclear membrane were intact. These data suggest that the mitochondria, not the nucleus, may be the target organelle of SBA, and support the ability of SBA to induce non-apoptotic cell death in HSG cells.

Antineoplastic Agents↗