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Biomedical subjects

J Nishimura

Publications and source records attributed to J Nishimura.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

Absence of correlation between cytotoxicity and drug transport by P-glycoprotein in clinical leukemic cells.

Development of resistance to cytotoxic agents is a common problem in the treatment of acute leukemia. In cell lines having multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotype, a decrease in the intracellular accumulation of drugs has been closely related to the overexpression of P-glycoprotein/mdr1 genes. We analyzed the relationship between the cytotoxicity of adriamycin (ADR) in vitro, intracellular accumulation of ADR, and the expression of P-glycoprotein on fresh leukemic cells from 19 patients at their initial presentation and from 9 relapsed patients. Pretreatment patients showed significantly higher ratio of complete remission than relapsed patients, and mean value of IC50 for adriamycin in initial presentation was higher than at relapse. But we found no significant relationship between in vitro cytotoxicity and drug transport. In addition, only 2 of the 5 relapsed patients examined by monoclonal antibody C219 expressed the P-glycoprotein. These results suggest that the acquisition of clinical drug resistance may involve various mechanisms other than the reduction of drug accumulation with P-glycoprotein expression.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem

Naloxone injected into the preoptic region has hypophysiotropic and seizurogenic actions in rats.

The effects of microinjection of naloxone, an opiate receptor antagonist, into the medial preoptic area (MPO) and diagonal band of Broca (DBB) on luteinizing hormone (LH) and prolactin (PRL) secretion were examined in the intact male rat and female rat in diestrus 1. In both the male and female rats, the injection of 50 micrograms naloxone at 1300 h produced an acute, two- to three-fold increase in serum LH, attaining the peak at 20 min. The PRL concentration in the female 20 min-2 h after the injection was significantly lower than in the saline-injected rat. In the male rat, naloxone caused a decrease in the PRL concentration in the late afternoon when a small rise occurred in the saline-injected rat, although it caused no immediate changes. In addition to these hypophysiotropic effects, naloxone injected in the MPO and DBB unexpectedly had seizurogenic actions. More than 40% of the animals of both sexes given an injection of naloxone had behavioral seizures, which began after about 20 min and were repeated intermittently at 15-20 min intervals through the sampling period of 6 h. In the LH and PRL response to naloxone, there was no significant difference between animals with and without seizure response in both sexes. The results suggest that in the preoptic opioid system there is no difference according to sex in the control of LH, and only a small one, if any, in the control of PRL. Further, on the basis of previous reports, there is a GABAergic system in the preoptic region, that is antagonized by naloxone and causes the activation of cortical neuronal activity.

Animals

Silver ion triggers Ca2+ release from intracellular store sites in saponin-treated HL-60 cells.

We examined the effect of silver ion on Ca2+ mobilization from intracellular stores in permeabilized HL-60 cells using a filtration method and 45Ca2+. In HL-60 cells preloaded with Ca2+ in the presence of ATP, micromolar concentrations of AgNO3 elicited marked Ca2+ release within 1 min. The AgNO3-induced Ca2+ release was not affected by the free Ca2+ concentration in the medium. Equivalent concentrations of AgNO3 inhibited energy-dependent Ca2+ uptake as well as oxalate-supported Ca2+ uptake. In passive Ca2+ release experiments when ATP was completely depleted in the solution, AgNO3 also triggered Ca2+ release. Sulfhydryl protecting agents such as 2-mercaptoethanol, dithiothreitol, and glutathione (reduced form) blocked the AgNO3-induced Ca2+ release. From these results, we conclude that the apparent Ca2+ release induced by AgNO3 is mainly due to inhibition of the Ca2+ pump with increased permeability for Ca2+ and partly due to a direct effect on the Ca2+ release channel, probably by modification of sulfhydryl groups on these proteins.

Calcium

[A high serum level of interleukin-6 in a patient with aggressive multiple myeloma].

A 58-year-old female was admitted to our hospital because of anemia in March 1987. Monoclonal protein (IgA, kappa) was detected and a diagnosis of multiple myeloma was made. Partial remission was obtained after VAD therapy with alpha-interferon. In December 1989, she was readmitted because of a pathological fracture of the left humerus. A white blood cell count was 4400/microliters with 30% myeloma cells and the urine protein (Bence Jones protein) was 26 g/day. Systemic chemotherapy was not effective. She developed pleural and pericardial effusions, bone mass, disturbance of consciousness and died of respiratory failure only 3 months after readmission. The pleural and pericardial fluids contained many myeloma cells. c-myc gene rearrangement was detected in myeloma cells obtained from the pleural fluid using c-myc exon1 and exon2 probes. The levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) measured by ELISA was 107.4 pg/ml in serum, 56.2 pg/ml in pleural fluid and 780.0 pg/ml in pericardial fluid. Because of the lack of any overt infectious focus, the level of IL-6 appears to have been related to aggressive proliferation of myeloma cells. It was of interest that C-reactive protein, induced by IL-6, was a good marker reflecting disease activity.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols

Two bcr/abl fusion gene products, P210bcr/abl and P190bcr/abl, are equally sensitive to the protein tyrosine phosphatase of mature granulocytes.

Two bcr/abl fusion gene products with tyrosine kinase activity have been found in two phenotypes of Philadelphia chromosome (Ph1)-positive leukemia. P210bcr/abl (P210) is associated with Ph1-positive chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), while P190bcr/abl is associated with Ph1-positive acute leukemia. We compared the susceptibility of 32Pi-labeled P210 from K-562 cells and P190 from MR-87 cells to protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase). PTPase, present in the lysate of mature granulocytes from CML patients as well as in the lysate of these cells from normal subjects, effectively dephosphorylated the CML-associated P210 and the acute leukemia associated P190. This PTPase activity was specifically inhibited by ZnCl2; it was not present in lymphocyte lysates, and was not inhibited by neutralization with anti-CD45 antibody. Since P210 and P190 were equally sensitive to the PTPase, the difference in leukemic phenotypes associated with the expression of these two tyrosine kinases cannot be explained by the differential dephosphorylation of P210 and P190.

Cellular Senescence

Calpain and kininogen mediated inflammation.

On the basis of previous findings that N-acetyl nonapeptide from the human calpain I large subunit has chemotactic activity for neutrophils, more than 30N-acetyl and unmodified peptides which have N-terminal amino acid sequences of the large and small subunits of calpains I and II were synthesized and their chemotactic activity was estimated. In addition to the above N-acetyl nonapeptide from the calpain I large subunit, an unmodified nonapeptide from the calpain II large subunit and several N-acetyl peptides of different lengths from the small subunit showed chemotactic activity. Furthermore, when calpain was incubated with either high molecular weight or low molecular weight kininogen, kinin liberation occurred with simultaneous inhibition of calpain by kininogen. These data suggest that chemical mediators generated from the calpain-kininogen system may participate in migration and accumulation of neutrophils to the inflammatory locus.

Amino Acid Sequence

Energetic aspects of the regulation of Ca++ sensitivity of permeabilized rabbit mesenteric artery: possible involvement of a second Ca++ regulatory system in smooth muscle contraction.

The effects of phosphagen concentrations and adenosine-5'-O-(2-thiodiphosphate)(ADP beta S), a nonhydrolyzable ADP analog, on the pCa++ tension relationships were investigated, using alpha-toxin permeabilized rabbit mesenteric artery. The removal of creatine phosphate (CP) greatly affected the Ca++ sensitivity and induced a leftward shift of the pCa++ tension curve. Addition of ADP beta S (10-300 microM) also caused a leftward shift of the pCa++ tension curve. Ca++ solutions (0.3-10 microM) containing 0.1 mM ATP did not induce contraction. However, the addition of CP in the presence of 0.1 mM ATP dose-dependently increased force development which reached a maximum around 3 mM CP. A 10 microM Ca++ solution containing 0.1 mM ATP and 1 mM CP was much more effective in inducing contraction than a 10 microM Ca++ solution containing 1.1 mM ATP alone, although the total concentration of phosphagen (ATP + CP) was the same. Application of 0.1 mM ATP solution containing various concentrations of Ca++ after the maximal Ca+(+)-induced contraction relaxed the tissue, with the higher Ca++ concentrations inducing the faster relaxation. The same pattern of the relaxation was seen when the tissue was pretreated with adenosine-5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) beforehand. The contractile state observed in the Ca+(+)-free solution containing 0.1 mM ATP and 0.1 mM CP was completely relaxed by 1 mM vanadate, consistent with the idea that the sustained contraction was due to accumulation of the actomyosin-ADP complex.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adenosine Diphosphate

Alpha-interferon reduces in vivo phosphorylation of P210bcr/abl protein during hemin-induced erythroid differentiation of K-562 cells.

alpha-Interferon (IFN-alpha) is important in the management of chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). The P210bcr/abl fusion protein, with enhanced tyrosine kinase activity, is implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of the disease. To elucidate the inhibitory mechanism of IFN-alpha on CML cell proliferation, we studied the effect of IFN-alpha on P210bcr/abl in K-562 cells. The phosphorylated level of P210bcr/abl was not altered by treatment with IFN-alpha alone despite its inhibiting cell proliferation. However, when K-562 cells were treated with either a low (5 x 10(2) U/ml) or high (10(4) U/ml) concentration of IFN-alpha in the presence of hemin, P210bcr/abl protein activity decreased through reduction of in vivo phosphorylation, but not through inhibition of de novo protein synthesis. Furthermore, hemoglobin content was increased by IFN-alpha at both low and high concentrations in tandem with hemin-induced erythroid differentiation and the change in P210bcr/abl. These results demonstrate that IFN-alpha synergises hemin-mediated erythroid differentiation as it reduces the in vivo tyrosine phosphorylation of P210bcr/abl in K-562 cells.

Blast Crisis

[Intestinal T-cell lymphoma (so-called malignant histiocytosis of the intestine) complicated by multiple perforations].

We describe a case of intestinal T-cell lymphoma which was histologically diagnosed of malignant histiocytosis of the intestine. A 47-year-old man was admitted to our hospital because of fever and generalized lymphadenopathy. Mild anemia, leukocytosis, positive CRP and a high level of LDH were noted. Pathological finding of the lymph node was compatible with dermatopathic lymphadenopathy with a slight increase in atypical lymphoid cells. At the 14th day after admission, he suffered from abdominal pain and was diagnosed as having perforative peritonitis. In laparotomy, the infiltration of histiocyte-like atypical cells were found around a site of small perforation of the terminal ileum. The findings were compatible with that of malignant histiocytosis of the intestine (MHI). He had recurrent perforations of the small intestine and died of peritonitis and sepsis at the 42nd day. Southern blot analysis of the biopsied lymph node showed TCR-beta gene rearrangement. Some patients diagnosed clinically and pathologically as having MHI may have a T-cell lymphoma like our case.

Histiocytic Sarcoma

Enhanced synthesis of heat shock proteins and augmented thermotolerance after induction of differentiation in HL-60 human leukemia cells.

The effects of the induction of differentiation were investigated on the expression of heat shock proteins (hsps) and thermotolerance. The synthesis of the major hsps in response to heat stress was markedly enhanced in HL-60 human leukemia cells after differentiation. An increased amount of mRNA transcripts for hsp 70 was also noted. In addition, induction of differentiation resulted in acquisition of greater resistance to heat, which may be advantageous since cells in the peripheral blood must survive many stresses.

Blotting, Northern

Neutrophil chemotactic activity of N-terminal peptides from the calpain small subunit.

On the basis of previous findings that N-acetyl nonapeptide from the human calpain I large subunit has chemotactic activity for neutrophils, a series of peptides with the N-terminal sequence of the calpain small subunit were synthesized and their chemotactic activity was examined. Potent activity was found in N-acetyl tetra, hepta, octa, nona and a larger peptide of 13 residues, although N-acetyl tripeptide showed only weak activity and N-acetyl penta and hexa peptides showed almost no activity. Since the small subunit is identical in calpains I and II, the results indicate that both calpains could be precursor proteins of chemotactic factors for neutrophils.

Amino Acid Sequence

The transferrin receptor system is not involved in the pathogenesis of hematological disorders with 3q inversion.

To clarify the idea that an alteration of the transferrin receptor (TF-R) gene, localized to 3q26, may be of pathogenetic significance in hematological disorders with 3q anomaly, we studied the TF-R systems of erythroblasts from both functional and genetic aspects. The patient described here had refractory anemia with an excess of blasts (RAEB), with paracentric inversion, inv(3)(q21q26). The patient had the characteristic findings of micromegakaryocytosis and thrombocytosis, with giant platelets. There was no functional abnormality of TF-R as far as number of binding sites, affinity, molecular weight, or recycling kinetics were concerned. Furthermore, we could not recognize any rearrangement of the TF-R gene with Southern blot analysis. These data suggest that TF-R is not involved in the pathogenesis of leukemogenesis and thrombocytosis of the disease.

Chromosome Inversion

Treatment of platelet-alloimmunization with cyclosporin A in a patient with aplastic anemia.

The development of alloantibodies to platelets is a major problem in the supportive management of thrombocytopenia in patients with severe aplastic anemia. We report here a case of aplastic anemia refractory to platelet transfusion. An immunosuppressant, cyclosporin A, which was used for the therapy of aplastic anemia, modulated alloimmunization to platelets in this patient, followed by repeated platelet transfusion. The treatment reduced platelet alloantibodies detected by anti-human immunoglobulin lymphocytotoxicity test, with change of the CD4/CD8 ratio in T lymphocytes in peripheral blood. These results suggest the usefulness of cyclosporin A for the prevention of platelet alloimmunization.

Adult

Major prognostic factors of Japanese patients with lymphoma-type adult T-cell leukemia.

Fifty-three Japanese patients with the lymphoma-type adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) were analyzed to study the prognostic value of various clinical findings recorded at the time of diagnosis. All patients were positive for human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) antibody and demonstrated monoclonal integration of HTLV-I proviral DNA in their malignant cells. The important individual variables detected in a previous univariate analysis were placed in a multiple regression model to identify the major prognostic factors for survival. This analysis showed that serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), calcium, and total protein levels had a strong predictive relationship with the length of survival (in descending order of importance). Among the 53 patients, 46 were dead at the time of analysis. The cause of death in relation to the duration of survival is also reviewed in this article.

Adult

Mechanisms involved in the development of adriamycin resistance in human leukemic cells.

We have developed three adriamycin (ADR)-resistant K562 sublines with different degrees of resistance. These sublines show a decreased accumulation and an increased efflux of ADR in proportion to the degree of resistance. Two membrane proteins (mol. wt 170,000 and 230,000) reactive with monoclonal antibody against P-glycoprotein were highly expressed in both the K562/ADR200 and the K562/ADR500 subline. Less resistant K562/ADR80 cells contained only small amounts of mol. wt 230,000 protein. Thus, the level of P-glycoprotein expression was not proportionate to the degree of ADR efflux. Verapamil treatment could not completely reverse ADR resistance. No significant change of glutathione-s-transferase activity nor in the level of DNA topoisomerase II was detected in resistant sublines. In our sublines it seems that P-glycoprotein is one of the mechanisms for resistance, but additional mechanisms may be involved.

ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily B, Mem