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Biomedical subjects

K Konno

Publications and source records attributed to K Konno.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1979

Myosin-linked calcium regulation in squid mantle muscle. Light-chain components of squid myosin.

As reported by Kendrick-Jones et al. (1976), myosin from squid mantle muscle contains two types of light-chain components, different in size but similar in net charge. We were able to separate the two types of light chains by a five-step procedure, yielding LC-1 (17,000 daltons) and LC-2 (15,000 daltons). It was found that squid mantle LC-1 and LC-2 function exactly like SH-light chains and EDTA-light chains of scallop adductor myosin, respectively. In functional tests, we used "desensitized" myosin of scallop adductor muscle, simply because "EDTA washing" removed neither LC-1 nor LC-2 from squid mantle myosin. The removal and recombination of light chains were examined by gel electrophoresis, and Ca or Sr sensitivity was determined by measuring the Mg-ATPase activity of skeletal acto-scallop or squid myosin. It was found that EDTA washing readily released the EDTA-light chains of scallop myosin completely, and that the EDTA-washed scallop myosin was capable of regaining its full content of EDTA-LC as well as its full sensitivity to calcium. We also found that as regards combining with, and conferring calcium sensitivity on the EDTA-washed myosin of scallop adductor, squid mantle LC-2 could effectively replace scallop adductor EDTA-LC. In addition, calcium or strontium ions were found to induce changes in the UV absorption spectrum of scallop adductor EDTA-LC, although the apparent binding constants estimated from the difference spectrum were too low to account for the Ca or Sr sensitivity of scallop actomyosin-ATPase. The divalent cations also induced changes in the UV absorption spectrum of squid LC-2, and the apparent binding constants estimated from the difference spectrum were sufficiently high (1.5 X 10(5) M-1 for Ca binding, and 1.6 X 10(3) M-1 for Sr binding) to account for the Ca and Sr sensitivities of squid mantle myosin B-ATPase. The findings with scallop adductor myosin are in conflict with those reported by Kendrick-Jones et al., and must be accounted for in formulating the molecular mechanism of myosin-linked calcium regulation in molluscan muscles.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗
PubMed1979

Significance of the quantification and demonstration of hyaluronic acid in tissue specimens for the diagnosis of pleural mesothelioma.

Hyaluronic acid in pleural tissues from patients with mesothelioma, carcinoma, and asbestosis of the lung was quantified by using specific glycosaminoglycan-degrading enzymes. In all cases of pleural mesothelioma, the quantity of hyaluronic acid in mg/g of dry tissue was at least 0.10 mg, whereas carcinomatous pleural tissue and pleura in asbestosis contained 0.02 to 0.03 mg/g of dry tissue.

Asbestosis↗
PubMed1979

Bronchogenic carcinoma producing ectopic steroid hormones.

A patient with steroid hormones or androgen producing bronchogenic adenocarcinoma was presented. Clinically he had a mediastinal mass and bilateral multiple pulmonary nodules which showed a rapid growth despite cancer chemotherapy. At postmortem examination, radioimmunoassay of the tumor tissue revealed androgen and their precursors. The mitochondria of the tumor cells resembled those of cells in the zona reticularis of the adrenal cortex.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Effect of aminophylline on regional perfusion distribution in the lungs.

Using ten normal dogs, the right upper lobe of the lung was isolated in vivo by a balloon catheter and was artificially ventilated with nitrogen, air, 60% oxygen in nitrogen, and 60% oxygen and 20% carbon dioxide in nitrogen, while the rest of the lungs maintained a spontaneous breathing of ambient air. Aminophylline did not show a vasodilating action under severe alveolar hypoxia (PAO2: ca. 40 mmHg); on the contrary, it seemed to potentiate hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction. When the regional alveolar oxygen tension became less hypoxic (PAO2: ca. 70 mmHg) or higher than that in the rest of the lungs which spontaneously breathed ambient air, aminophylline showed a definite vasodilating action. Aminophylline also showed a vasodilating action in alveolar hypercapnia in the presence of alveolar hyperoxia.

Aminophylline↗
PubMed1979

A biological study on hot-water extract from delipidated Mycobacterium bovis strain BCG.

The biological activity of a hot-water extract from delipidated BCG, designated as HSA (Hot-water Soluble Adjuvant), was investigated. The HSA did not induce hyperreactivity to bacterial endotoxin. The hot-water extract from which nucleic acids had been removed by streptomycin (SM-HSA) was found to enhance the delayed-type hypersensitivity as evidenced by the results of footpad reaction of mice. The HSA and SM-HSA could be injected to mice by an intraperitoneal route for 20 consecutive days without undesirable side effects. A comparative study was made on the effects of HSA in relation to the duration and doses of treatment with HSA using the ddI mice inoculated with Sarcoma-180. The most remarkable effect was observed when 0.25 mg of HSA had been injected for 20 consecutive days. Also SM-HSA was found to exert antitumor activity when applied in the same manner as above. These results suggest that the presence of nucleic acids is not related to the biological and antitumor activities of the hot-water extract.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗
PubMed1979

The effect of bleomycin on prolyl hydroxylase and DNA chain breakage: structure-activity relationship.

The activity of purified prolyl hydroxylase (proline, 2-oxoglutarate dioxygenase, EC 1.14.11.2) was enhanced about 3-fold by addition of bleomycin in the assay mixture. Various members of the bleomycin family, their derivatives and degradation products were investigated for activities against prolyl hydroxylase together with their activities of DNA chain breakage to determine relationships between the structure of bleomycin and its various actions. All the bleomycins with various terminal amine parts and desamide bleomycin stimulated the enzymatic activity but did not exhibit an effect on DNA chain breakage. The stimulatory activity of bleomycin was not decreased by hydrolysis with 0.3 N H2SO4 at 80 degrees C for 6 hours, conditions which liberates the sugar moiety, but was eliminated by hydrolysis with 6 N HCl at 105 degrees C for 24 hours. In contrast both treatments decreased the DNA chain breakage activity of bleomycin. Optical spectral studies revealed that all the bleomycins and their hydrolysates which stimulated the prolyl hydroxylase activity made complexes with ferrous ion, one of the cofactors of this enyzme.

Bleomycin↗
PubMed1979

[Biosynthesis of hyaluronic acid in parietal pleura of the rabbit (author's transl)].

The parietal pleura of rabbits was incubated with 14C-glucosamine. It was found that 14C-glucosamine was incorporated into the fraction of crude glycosaminoglycans. Then the crude glycosaminoglycans were fractionated by using specific mucopolysaccharide-lyases (hyaluronidase from streptomyces hyalurolytics, chondroitinase AC and chondroitinase ABC). As a result, evidence was obtained that hyaluronic acid was synthesized in parietal pleura and was released into the surroundings.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Effect of Propionibacterium acnes on the cellular immune responses to tumor-specific antigens on malignant rat liver cells.

The effect of Propionibacterium acnes on the cellular immune responses to tumor-specific membrane antigens was investigated by microcytotoxicity assays (MA) and 51Cr release assays (CRA) with use of mesenteric lymph node cells (LNC) of syngeneic BD IV and BD VI rats. BD rat liver cell lines transformed in vitro by chemical carcinogens were used as target cells with tumor-specific antigens. By MA, the LNC from rats that were inoculated with malignant liver cells under the adjuvant effect of heat-killed P. acnes showed significant cytotoxic response to the target cells but not to nonmalignant liver cells. By CRA, these LNC did not show specific cytolysis to the malignant liver cells. Assays with various target cells derived from BD rat liver and inhibition tests with syngeneic and xenogeneic antisera against tumor-specific antigens on the malignant liver cells proved that LNC reacted with tumor-specific individual or tumor-specific cross-reacting antigens on the malignant liver cells. Cytotoxic responses against the malignant liver cells were not demonstrated even by MA with use of the LNC from rats inoculated with either the malignant liver cells or P. acnes alone. LNC from the rats inoculated with both nonmalignant liver cells and P. acnes were not cytotoxic to malignant or nonmalignant liver cell lines.

Animals↗