PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

K Nagamatsu

Publications and source records attributed to K Nagamatsu.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Covalent binding of morphine to isolated rat hepatocytes.

Incubation of [3H]morphine with isolated hepatocytes caused covalent binding of [3H]-morphine to hepatocellular proteins. Sulfhydryl compounds protected against morphine-induced toxicity and decreased covalent binding. Analysis of covalently bound proteins in the cytosol by electrophoresis indicated that covalently bound radiolabel was associated with macromolecules greater than 25 kDa and increased throughout the incubation. In contrast, covalent binding to the particulate fraction was highly selectively associated with three protein bands of 50-53 and 33 kDa. Covalent binding of morphine to particulate fraction proteins was observed in hepatocytes which exhibited cellular damage. We conclude that the covalent binding of morphine to protein is associated with morphine-induced cytotoxicity.

Animals

Dynamic light scattering studies on hydrodynamic properties of fibrinogen-fibronectin complex.

A high molecular weight 'cryogel' was obtained as insoluble complexes by cold incubation at near-freezing temperatures from heparinized plasma of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. After the cryogel was solubilized at 37 degrees C, 1:1 complex of fibrinogen and fibronectin was purified at room temperature by affinity chromatography on a gelatin-Sepharose 4B. Hydrodynamic properties of the complex were investigated as a function of temperature and NaCl concentration using a dynamic light scattering. The diffusion coefficients of the complex at 20 degrees C decreased with increasing of NaCl concentration as free fibronectin. The complex appears to be a more compact form at low ionic concentration, which is associated with conformational changes of fibronectin. The diffusion coefficient of the complex at 20 degrees C in 0.05 M TrisHCl(pII7.4) containing 0.5 M NaCl was estimated as 8.5 x 10(-8) cm2s-1. The complex did not dissociate over the temperature range from 20 to 37 degrees C. The diffusion coefficients of the complex decreased significantly at 12 degrees C and 40 degrees C. The thermal denaturation of fibrinogen molecule in the complex was observed at 40 degrees C. The CONTIN analysis of the light scattering data showed that the complex associated to form higher aggregates at 15 degrees C, but not at near-freezing temperature. The equilibrium between the complex and higher aggregates appeared reversible.

Diffusion

Chorea-acanthocytosis: abnormal composition of covalently bound fatty acids of erythrocyte membrane proteins.

Phospholipid class, peak profile of each phospholipid class, loosely bound fatty acids, covalently (tightly) bound fatty acids of the erythrocyte membranes, and plasma fatty acids were investigated using high-performance liquid chromatography in six patients with chorea-acanthocytosis and 14 age- and sex-matched normal control subjects. Additionally, six patients with Huntington's disease were included as disease control subjects in the study of covalently bound fatty acids. Study of covalently (tightly) bound fatty acids in erythrocyte membrane proteins after alkaline hydrolysis, hitherto undescribed in chorea-acanthocytosis, revealed that palmitic acid (C16:0) was significantly increased and stearic acid (C18:0) was decreased in the patients with chorea-acanthocytosis. Analyses for total covalently bound fatty acids disclosed that palmitic and docosahexaenoic (C22:6) acids were increased and stearic acid was decreased in chorea-acanthocytosis. Phospholipid class (phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, sphingomyelin, and phosphatidylserine) and peak profile of each phospholipid class from the erythrocyte membranes did not differ between the patients with chorea-acanthocytosis and the control subjects. Of the loosely bound fatty acids, linoleic acid (C18:2) was significantly decreased in those with chorea-acanthocytosis, which seemed to be nonspecific.

Acanthocytes

Purification and some properties of a thermostable metal proteinase produced by Thermomicrobium sp. KN-22 strain.

An extreme thermophile that produces a heat-stable proteinase was isolated from hot-spring water and classified as Thermomicrobium sp. KN-22 (growth temperature, 50-83 degrees C; and optimum growth temperature, 70 degrees C). The proteinase was purified from the culture broth of this strain by fractionation with ammonium sulfate, chromatography on columns of DEAE-cellulose and CM-Sepharose CL-6B, and HPLC on TSKgel CM-5PW. The purified enzyme gave a single band on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and a single peak after HPLC (yield 8.8%). The enzyme had maximum activity at pH 8.5 and at 75 degrees C and it was stable up to 60 degrees C. The molecular weight of the enzyme was 35,000 by SDS-PAGE. Since the enzymatic activity was completely inhibited by EDTA, o-phenanthroline, and phosphoramidon, it appears that the enzyme is a metal proteinase.

Amino Acid Sequence

[A family of Machado-Joseph disease with a patient having frequent apnea in all day].

One male and two female cases in a family of Machado-Joseph disease were reported. Two cases showed typical symptoms that are characterized by bulging eyes, ophthalmoplegia, dystonia, ataxia, spasticity of extremities and amyotrophy, and were consistent with Type II (Rosenberg et al). But another one lacked diversity of the symptoms, showing mainly progressive cerebellar ataxia for over 10 years. We pointed out the existence of a new type of MJD case exhibiting only progressive cerebellar ataxia over a long period. A female patient had dyspnea and insomnia after 20 years in her clinical course, and central sleep apnea was revealed by respiratory monitor. But, the apnea and irregular respiration appeared in both awake and sleep stages. We described the importance of attention to the apnea as a new complication of Machado-Joseph disease.

Adult

[Isolation of children with attention deficit disorder in their classrooms].

The isolation of children with attention deficit disorder (ADD) among peers was examined by conducting sociometric tests in 28 classrooms to which ADD children belonged. The conclusions are as follows: 1. Among ADD children, 39.3% were classified as isolated children who received no Social Choice votes, a proportion that was significantly higher than normal controls. 2. Results suggests that isolation was correlated with such characteristics of ADD children as higher grade in school, later first consultation and lower IQ levels. 3. Classroom characteristics which correlated with isolation of ADD children were larger number of children per class and stronger class cohesion. It is thought that reducing the number of children in each class will be effective in preventing isolation of ADD children. 4. The possibility of an association between assessment of parents for social relationships of ADD children and their isolation exists and needs to be assessed. The authors emphasize the need for ADD children to have support in their interpersonal relationships, and discuss ways of intervention to prevent their being isolated in their classrooms.

Age Factors

Morphine enhances the phosphorylation of a 58 kDa protein in mouse brain membranes.

Morphine and [D-Ala2,D-Leu5]enkephalinamide enhance the phosphorylation of a 58 kDa protein in mouse brain synaptosomal membranes. The enhancement of phosphorylation was inhibited by naloxone, an antagonist of morphine. The phosphorylated 58 kDa protein was retained on wheat-germ-agglutinin-agarose and morphinone-Affi-Gel 401 columns and biospecifically eluted out from the columns with N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and naloxone respectively. These results suggest a strong possibility that the opiate-binding protein undergoes phosphorylation by endogenous protein kinase. Since the molecular mass of a mu-type opioid receptor in mouse brain is suggested to be 58 kDa, coincident with those of rat brain and neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid cells, it is conceivable that the phosphorylated 58 kDa protein is a mu-type receptor.

Animals

Nasu-Hakola disease (membranous lipodystrophy). Clinical, histopathological and biochemical studies of three cases.

We report 3 cases of Nasu-Hakola disease found in 2 families. These cases had identical clinical features with progressive spastic paraplegia and severe dementia after adolescence. They had no history of any skeletal symptoms, but roentgenographs of their bones presented characteristic evidence of polycystic osteodysplasia. All cases revealed not only manifestations of this condition in the central nervous system, but also peripheral neuropathy with axonal degeneration. The membranous structures in the adipose tissues appeared histochemically to be composed of a kind of compound glycolipid or glycoprotein. Histopathologically, the biopsied rectum showed the infiltration of many histiocytes in the mucosa and ultrastructurally, the granules in these histiocytes showed many membrane-bound vacuoles of different sizes. Interestingly, the histochemical reactivity of the material in the granules was very similar to that of membranous structures in adipose tissues. In the biochemical analysis of lipids in affected adipose tissues, no marked abnormalities were found in the patients. Nasu-Hakola disease is not a typical form of lysosomal storage disease, because lysosomal enzyme activities remain normal and there is no accumulation of urinary oligosaccharides and lipids, no vacuolation of lymphocytes, and no hepatosplenomegaly. However, histochemical findings suggest that the lysosomes may be secondarily involved in this disease, and that the formation of membranous structures might be related to the disturbance of glycolipid or glycoprotein metabolisms.

Adipose Tissue

Conformational change of the L-shaped tRNA(Phe) molecule.

Fluorophore of proflavine was introduced onto the 3'-terminal ribose moiety of yeast tRNA(Phe). The distance between the fluorophore and the fluorescent Y base in the anticodon of yeast tRNA(Phe) was measured by a singlet-singlet energy transfer. Conformational changes of tRNA(Phe) with binding of tRNA(2Glu), which has the anticodon UUC complementary to the anticodon GAA of tRNA(Phe), were investigated. The distance obtained at the ionic strength of 100 mM K+ and 10 mM Mg2+ is very close to the distance from x-ray diffraction, while the distance obtained in the presence of tRNA(2Glu) is significantly smaller. Further, using a fluorescent probe of 4-bromomethyl-7-methoxycoumarin introduced onto pseudouridine residue psi 55 in the T psi C loop of tRNA(Phe), Stern-Volmer quenching experiments for the probe with or without added tRNA(2Glu) were carried out. The results showed greater access of the probe to the quencher with added tRNA(2Glu). These results suggest that both arms of the L-shaped tRNA structure tend to bend inside with binding of tRNA(2Glu) and some structural collapse occurs at the corner of the L-shaped structure.

Nucleic Acid Conformation

Ultrastructural demonstration of Maclura pomifera agglutinin binding sites in the membranocystic lesions of membranous lipodystrophy (Nasu-Hakola disease).

This paper reports three cases of membranous lipodystrophy (Nasu-Hakola disease) in two families and studies the carbohydrate components of membranocystic lesions in all three cases, using twelve kinds of lectins labelled by horseradish peroxidase (HRP). Maclura pomifera agglutinin (MPA), which specifically binds alpha-D-galactose residues, strongly stained typical membranocystic lesions, whereas the other lectins did not. However, Helix pomatia agglutinin (HPA), which specifically binds to N-acetyl-D-galactosamine (GalNAc), stained the membranes of degenerated adipose cells. These were thought to appear during the initial or early stage of the membranocystic lesions. This suggests that a change of carbohydrate residues occurs during the formation of the membranocystic lesions. We also investigated the lectin binding sites at the ultrastructural level using MPA-HRP colloidal gold (CG) conjugate. In the well developed membrane, CG particles were arranged regularly along the minute tubular structures. On the other hand, there were a few irregularly spaced CG particles on the thinner membranes and also on the membranes of the degenerating adipose cells. No CG particles labelled the cell membranes of normal adipose cells. The presence of alpha-D-galactose residues in the membranocystic lesions is demonstrated for the first time at the electron microscopic level.

Adipose Tissue

Production and characterization of high-affinity monoclonal antibodies against morphine.

Twelve hybridoma cell lines producing MAbs against morphine were established by using morphine hemisuccinate-conjugated bovine serum albumin as an immunogen. The MAbs belonged to the IgG1 subclass with kappa- or lambda-chains. The association constants of the antibodies ranged from 4.6 x 10(8) to 4.7 x 10(10) (M-1). These antibodies revealed slightly different cross-reactivities with various agonistic opiates and antagonists. In general, the antibodies were strongly cross-reactive with the opiate agonists, codeine, ethylmorphine, dihydromorphine and dihydrocodeine, while their cross-reactivities with norcodeine and the opiate antagonists, naloxone and naltrexone, were weak. The cross-reactivities with dihydromorphinone, dihydrocodeinone, naloxone, naltrexone, dextromethorphan and homatropine varied from clone to clone. Interestingly, certain MAbs displayed weak but significant cross-reactivities with the synthetic opiate, meperidine. However, none of the antibodies was cross-reactive with the opioid peptides, beta-endorphin, Met-enkephalin, and D-Ala2-D-Leu5-enkephalinamide. Radioimmunoassay for morphine using one of the antibodies (MOR 131.5.13) was shown to be sufficiently sensitive (IC50 = 0.1 nM) for the purposes of forensic analysis of morphine. This set of monoclonal anti-opiate antibodies is assumed to be suitable for analyzing the structure-function relationship in the hapten-antibody interaction, since the antibodies revealed similar but not identical cross-reactivities with various morphine related compounds.

Animals