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Biomedical subjects

K Mikanagi

Publications and source records attributed to K Mikanagi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Clinical aspects of gouty patients in Taiwan.

The mean age of the onset of gout in Taiwan is 49.6 years old. This is very similar to Japan. The female cases made up 5.78% of total cases. This is very similar to the world average of about 5%. As far as laboratory findings are concerned, uric acid had a significant correlation with BUN, creatinine, cholesterol and triglyceride. In our occupation study we found that gout occurs in almost every class of society and no particular group has any immunity.

Adolescent

Selection of human cells having two different types of mutations in individual cells (genetic/artificial mutants). Application to the diagnosis of the heterozygous state for a type of adenine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiency.

We have previously reported the establishment and characterization of B cell lines from patients and family members with various types of adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) deficiencies. These cell lines contain, at the APRT locus, three different alleles (APRT*1, APRT*Q0, and APRT*J) that are clearly distinguishable from each other. From five genetically heterozygous cell lines with two different genotypes (APRT*1/APRTQ0 and APRT*1/APRT*J), we have selected 48 clones resistant to 2,6-diaminopurine. Resistance to this adenine analogue is a characteristic of cells having defects in both of the APRT alleles in individual cells. The mutant clones from a cell line from a complete-type heterozygote had APRT activities close to zero (mean = 0.04 nmol/min per milligram protein) in the cell extracts, while 15 clones from four cell lines from the four Japanese-type heterozygotes had significant enzyme activities (mean = 3.88 nmol/min per milligram protein). Kinetic studies on two of the mutants from two Japanese-type heterozygous cell lines have shown that affinity to substrate 5-phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate was reduced, indicating that APRT in those clones reflected the characteristics of the Japanese-type enzyme. The data presented here indicate that clones we obtained are genetic/artificial mutants, each having a genetic mutation in a single allele (APRT*J or APRT*Q0) and an artificially produced mutation in the other previously functional allele (APRT*1). The present procedure provided the only diagnostic method for Japanese-type APRT heterozygotes (APRT*1/APRT*J).

Adenine Phosphoribosyltransferase

Genetic and clinical studies on 19 families with adenine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiencies.

Adenine phosphoribosyltransferase (APRT) deficiency leading to 2,8-dihydroxyadenine (DHA) urolithiasis has been considered a rare cause of urolithiasis and renal insufficiency. We have examined samples from 19 Japanese families with DHA lithiasis. In 79% of the families, patients only partially lacked hemolysate APRT activities, clearly contrasting with the complete deficiency in all the patients from non-Japanese families so far reported. All patients with DHA lithiasis were homozygotes for defective APRT genes, whether the deficiency was complete or partial. In family studies we found two symptomatic and four asymptomatic homozygous family members. The segregation figures are compatible with the hypothesis of a simple autosomal recessive mode of inheritance. By analyzing the data stored by a large clinical laboratory in Japan, we estimated that 0.00368% of the general population has DHA lithiasis. These data indicate that more than 1% of the general population possess mutant alleles of the APRT gene as heterozygotes. Our present studies indicate that most of the patients with this disease are undiagnosed in Japan, and probably in other countries also.

Adenine

Cross-resistance to ouabain in a murine leukemia cell variant selected for cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II) resistance.

A murine leukemic cell line (R1.1) variant (R1.1/CDDPR-E8) resistant to cis-dichlorodiammineplatinum(II)(CDDP) was also found to be resistant to ouabain, a postulated specific inhibitor of sodium-potassium ATPase. The variant established by the culture of parental cells in step by step increasing concentrations of CDDP, exhibited 11-fold higher resistance to CDDP than the parental R1.1 cells. The present study suggests that a mutational change leading to an alteration in cell membrane characteristics associated with ouabain has also changed the sensitivity of cells against CDDP. Alternatively, the present data may indicate that the cytotoxicity of CDDP is closely linked to its effects on cell membrane.

Animals

Establishment and characterization of B cell lines from individuals with various types of adenine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiencies.

Patients with 2,8-dihydroxyadenine urolithiasis are either completely or partially deficient in adenine phosphoribosyltransferase activities. Patients with partial enzyme deficiencies, all of whom have been found among Japanese, are homozygotes having a unique mutant adenine phosphoribosyltransferase gene (APRT*J) in double dose (Japanese type deficiency). We have established B-cell lines from heterozygotes and homozygotes of complete and Japanese type adenine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiencies as well as normal individuals. Characterization of the cell lines indicated that all homozygous cells were deficient in adenine phosphoribosyltransferase function while all heterozygous and normal cells had functional adenine phosphoribosyltransferase.

Adenine Phosphoribosyltransferase

Evaluation of the severity of hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase deficiency using viable T cells.

Peripheral T cells from 3 Lesch-Nyhan patients, 3 normal subjects, and 3 brothers with hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HGPRT) deficiency but without Lesch-Nyhan syndrome (so-called partial deficiency) have been analyzed. Although these brothers contained HGPRT activities neither in the hemolysates nor in the T cell extracts at levels detectable by the regular radioenzyme assay, the enzyme deficiency had not caused any typical neurological symptoms of the Lesch-Nyhan syndrome. Although the T cells from these brothers were at least 10-fold more resistant to 6-thioguanine than normal T cells, they were more than 30-fold less resistant than the T cells from 3 Lesch-Nyhan patients indicating that there is a clear difference in the severity of the enzyme deficiency between the brothers and the Lesch-Nyhan patients. These data indicate that the long-term T cell culture in the medium containing a purine analog whose toxicity depends on a salvaging enzyme is useful for evaluating the severity of the enzyme deficiency in viable cells.

Adolescent

Relationship between phosphorylation and cytotoxicity of 2-chloroadenosine and 6-methylmercaptopurine riboside in human cells.

2-Chloroadenosine but not 6-methylmercaptopurine riboside was phosphorylated by adenosine kinase negative human B cells, and the adenosine negative cells were resistant to 6-methylmercaptopurine riboside but not to 2-chloroadenosine. Phosphorylation of 6-methylmercaptopurine was totally dependent on adenosine kinase, but 2-chloroadenosine seemed to be phosphorylated by other enzyme(s) as well. The cytotoxicity of both of these analogs depends on the phosphorylation.

2-Chloroadenosine

Myeloscopy, with special reference to blood flow changes in the cauda equina during Lasègue's test.

Myeloscopy has been undertaken in a series of 208 patients without any serious complications. Observations have been made of changes in blood flow in the vessels accompanying the cauda equina during Lasègue's test and in some pathological states. Direct observation of the nucleus pulposus has been achieved and the possibility of the removal of herniated disc material by use of the myeloscope is suggested.

Back Pain