Biomedical subjects

K Umetsu

Publications and source records attributed to K Umetsu.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed1996

[On the origin of extra bands at MCT118 typing].

In order to probe the origin of extra bands that appear frequently in MCT118 typing, we examined the extra bands by Dual PCR, Asymmetric PCR and PCR-SSCP method. It is conceivable that two extra bands of 16-18 type are DNA heteroduplexes that result from 16 and 18 allele bands at mutual cross-annealing. The extra bands can easily take the higher-order structure due to a non-complimentary sequence of bases. Consequently, the distances that extra bands travel in electrophoresis depend on a gel composition. Because the extra bands can be distinguished from the original allele bands by electrophoresis using different gel composition, it will not become an obstacle at the typing.

Chromosomes, Human, Pair 1↗

PubMed1996

[DNA analysis of a case of so-called blood group chimerism].

A 46-year-old woman who has three children, whose red blood cells exhibit a dual population of groups A and B, was investigated. Her lymphocytes had an XX/XY karyotype and Y chromosome markers were detected from buccal cells and hair root cells in DNA analysis. Three bands were detected in D1S80 VNTR locus (MCT118), two bands from father and one from mother. Her ABO genotype should be genetically AO, however, the PCR-RFLP method revealed a pattern of BO genotype. From these findings, it is concluded that she is a so-called dispermic chimera which is the result of the fertilization by two sperms and that DNA analysis is useful for distinguishing between twin and dispermic chimerism.

ABO Blood-Group System↗

PubMed1996

[An alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency allele PI*Siiyama found in a disputed paternity case].

An incompatible mother-child pair was found in an alpha-1-antitrypsin (PI) system in a disputed paternity case. By the isoelectric focusing, the PI type of the mother and the child were confirmed PI M1 and PI M2, respectively. Testing of many other genetic markers could not exclude her motherhood. Therefore, the mother and the child were inferred to be heterozygous carriers of a PI deficiency allele. PCR-SSCP analysis of exon 2 suggested that the PI types of the mother and the child are heterozygous M1-Siiyama and M2-Siiyama, respectively.

Alleles↗

PubMed1995

Unusual aspirations in fire death.

In fire death cases the usual aspiration in the trachea and bronchi is soot, and this provides indisputable evidence that the decedent had inhaled smoke and had thus been alive in the fire. In some fire death cases, however, fire fighting material such as water or the material in the fire extinguisher, or some foreign bodies such as small metallic pieces of the melted window-frame, may be seen in the trachea and bronchi, and these unusual aspirations may provide the evidence that the decedent had been alive for a while in the flame.

Adult↗

PubMed1995

Molecular basis of inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain H1 (ITIH1) polymorphism.

A genetic polymorphism of the inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor heavy chain H1 (ITIH1) was analyzed at the nucleic acid level. Three common alleles, ITIH1*1, ITIH1*2 and ITIH1*3, were characterized by mutations at codons 551 and 561 in exon 14. ITIH1*1 was characterized by GAG (Glu) at codon 551 and CAG (Gln) at codon 561, ITIH1*2, by GTG (Val) and CGG (Arg), and ITIH1*3, by GAG (Glu) and CGG (Arg).

Alpha-Globulins↗

PubMed1995

Characterization of mutants of the vitamin D-binding protein/group-specific component: molecular evolution of GC1A2 and GC1A3, common in some Asian populations.

A well defined polymorphism of vitamin D-binding/group-specific component (GC) residues in exon 11. To characterize the molecular basis of GC*1A2 and GC*1A3, common in some Asian populations, we analyzed all coding exons amplified by the polymerase chain reaction. GC*1F was divided into GC*1FC and GC*1FT by a C-T transition in the third nucleotide of the codon (TGC/T) for cysteine283 in exon 8. The sequencing of exons 8 and 11 showed that GC*1A2 and GC*1A3 had occurred on a GC*1FC genetic background. They also shared a substitution of cysteine (TGC) for arginine (CGC) at position 429 in exon 11. GC*1A2 was characterized by having glycine (GGC) instead of serine (AGC) at position 335 in exon 9. GC*1A2 evolved from GC*1FT by three mutational events, i.e. GC*1FT-->GC*1FC-->GC*1A3-->GC*1A2. No evidence was obtained for the existence of the duplicated gene GC*1F.1A2 suggested by isoelectric focusing (IEF) of serum samples. The idea that the characteristic banding pattern of GC*1F.1A2 after IEF results from partial formation of a disulfide bond in the additional cysteine at position 429 is discussed.

Alleles↗

PubMed1995

Genetic polymorphism of the H1 subunit of inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor.

Inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor (ITI) consists of 3 subunits (H1, H2 and L) which are encoded by 3 distinct genes. We attempted to prepare the subunit-specific monoclonal antibodies to identify the subunit carrying ITI polymorphism. Three monoclonal antibodies which were specific against each of these 3 subunits (ITI H1, ITI H2 and ITI L) were selected. ITI types could be detected by anti ITI H1 antibody, but not by anti ITI H2 or anti ITI L antibodies. From the result, it was proved that ITI polymorphism originates from the ITI H1 gene products, therefore we propose to call this system ITI H1 polymorphism.

Alpha-Globulins↗

PubMed1994

Inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor polymorphism. An improved phenotyping procedure and two new alleles.

Serum samples treated with chondroitinase ABC and sialidase were investigated for the detection of inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor (ITI) polymorphism. The improved phenotyping procedure has proved to be the most practical method for ITI phenotyping. The ITI allele frequencies were examined in 2 population samples from Japanese (n = 365) and Thais (n = 150). Three common alleles, ITI*1, ITI*2, and ITI*3 were identified in both populations, but the Thai population showed a higher frequency of ITI*1 and a lower frequency of ITI*3. Two new alleles were found, which were tentatively denoted ITI*Y and ITI*T. The ITI*T allele frequency in Thais was 0.047.

Alleles↗

PubMed1994

A giant mesenteric aneurysm and sudden death.

In sudden death cases, aortic or cerebral artery aneurysms are not infrequent, but a mesenteric artery branch aneurysm has not previously been reported. In the present paper, we describe a case of sudden death from the rupture of a giant mesenteric aneurysm.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

Polymorphisms of complement component I and C1R subcomponent of C1 in nine aboriginal Taiwanese populations.

Complement component I (IF) and C1R subcomponent of C1 (C1R) types were determined by isoelectric focusing and subsequent immunoblotting techniques for 658 individuals from nine aboriginal Taiwanese populations. The frequency of the IF*A allele ranges from 0.075 (Bunun) to 0.430 (Saisiat), and a new variant allele IF*B2 was found to have polymorphic frequency in the Atayal. The frequency of the C1R*1 allele ranges from 0.410 (Yami) to 0.650 (Atayal), and the frequency of the C1R*2 allele ranges from 0.265 (Atayal) to 0.586 (Saisiat). The C1R*5 allele was found in five populations (Atayal, Bunun, Ami, Puyuma, Yami), and the C1R*9 allele was found in two populations (Tsou, Puyuma). The results indicate a remarkable degree of genetic variability among these populations. The variability may reflect long-term genetic and geographic isolation of each population.

Alleles↗

PubMed1993

Purification and characterization of an N-acetyllactosamine-specific lectin from larvae of a moth, Phalera flavescens.

A lectin (Phalera flavescens agglutinin, PFA) of a moth (P. flavescens) has been isolated from hemolymph by DEAE-Toyopearl followed by Cellulofine GCL-1000 chromatography. On size-exclusion chromatography, PFA showed a molecular mass of about 74 kDa, and on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis it was separated into two different subunits, glycosylated 18-kDa and unglycosylated 17-kDa subunits, suggesting that PFA occurs as a heterotetrameric protein. N-Acetyllactosamine and laminin inhibited the hemagglutinating activity of PFA. Studies involving Synsorbs showed that PFA interacts with the Gal beta 1-->4GlcNAc group and that nonsubstituted hydroxyl groups at the C-2 and C-4 positions of the galactose residue were essential for interaction with PFA, whereas substitution at the C-3 position of the galactose did not inhibit the interaction between PFA and sugar chains associated with N-acetyllactosamine. PFA is not mitogenic for native or desialylated mouse thymocytes or splenocytes.

Agglutinins↗

PubMed1993

Sudden death from tourniquet shock.

A fatal case of tourniquet shock is reported. The deceased, a 58-year-old tractor driver, died 12 h after his rescue from an overturned tractor. A 'roll-bar' on the tractor had pinned his left arm for approximately 24 h before his rescue. Histological observations revealed the typical findings of tourniquet shock.

Accidents↗

PubMed1993

Orosomucoid system: 17 additional orosomucoid variants and proposal for a new nomenclature.

There are two forms of orosomucoid (ORM) in the sera of most individuals. They are encoded by two separate but closely linked loci, ORM1 and ORM2. A number of variants have been identified in various populations. Duplication and nonexpression are also observed in some populations. Thus, the ORM system is very complicated and its nomenclature is very confusing. In order to propose a new nomenclature, ORM variants detected by several laboratories have been compared and characterized by isoelectric focusing (IEF) followed by immunoprinting. A total of 57 different alleles including 17 new ones were identified. The 27 alleles were assigned to the ORM1 locus, and the others to the ORM2 locus. The designations ORM*F1, ORM1*F2, ORM1*S and ORM2*M were adopted for the four common alleles instead of ORM1*1, ORM1*3, ORM1*2 and ORM2*1 (ORM2*A), respectively. The variants were designated alpha numerically according to their relative mobilities after IEF in a pH gradient of 4.5-5.4 with Triton X-100 and glycerol. For the duplicated genes a prefix is added to a combined name of two alleles, e.g. ORM1*dB9S. Silent alleles were named ORM1*Q0 and ORM2*Q0 conventionally. In addition, the effects of diseases to ORM band patterns after IEF are also discussed.

Alleles↗

PubMed1993

Restriction fragment length polymorphisms of medicinal plants and crude drugs. II. Analysis of Glehnia littoralis of different geographical origin.

Total DNA was extracted from leaves of Glehnia littoralis belonging to various geographical strains with different furanocoumarin composition, and digested with restriction enzymes. Hybridization of digoxigenin-labeled probe containing rice ribosomal DNA to the digested DNA showed no difference in the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) profiles among the plants of different geographical origin. It is concluded that genetic diversity among the geographical strains of G. littoralis is so narrow as to be incapable of detecting RFLPs using rDNA as a probe.

DNA↗

PubMed1992

Purification and characterization of a Fuc alpha 1-->2Gal beta 1--> and GalNAc beta 1-->-specific lectin in root tubers of Trichosanthes japonica.

A prominent lectin in the root tubers of Trichosanthes japonica was purified by affinity chromatography on a porcine stomach mucin-Sepharose column and termed TJA-II. The molecular mass of the native lectin was determined to be 64 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and TJA-II was separated into two different subunits of 33 and 29 kDa in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol. The respective subunits contained mannose, N-acetylglucosamine, fucose, and xylose. It was determined by equilibrium dialysis to have two equal binding sites per molecule, the association constant toward tritium-labeled Fuc alpha 1-->2Gal beta 1-->3GlcNAc beta 1-->3Gal beta 1-->4GlcOT being K alpha = 3.05 x 10(5) M-1. The precise carbohydrate binding specificity of immobilized TJA-II was studied using various tritium-labeled oligosaccharides. A series of oligosaccharides possessing Fuc alpha 1-->2Gal beta 1--> or GalNAc beta 1--> groups at their nonreducing terminals showed stronger binding ability than ones with Gal beta 1-->GlcNAc (Glc) groups, indicating that TJA-II fundamentally recognizes a beta-galactosyl residue and the binding strength increases on substitution of the hydroxyl group at the C-2 position with a fucosyl or acetylamino group. This lectin column is useful for fractionating oligosaccharides or glycoproteins containing blood group type 1H, type 2H, and Sd antigenic determinants.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1992

Purification and characterization of a Neu5Ac alpha 2-->6Gal beta 1-->4GlcNAc and HSO3(-)-->6Gal beta 1-->GlcNAc specific lectin in tuberous roots of Trichosanthes japonica.

Two lectins were purified from tuberous roots of Trichosanthes japonica. The major lectin, which was named TJA-II, interacted with Fuc alpha 1-->2Gal beta/GalNAc beta 1-->groups, and the other one, which passed through a porcine stomach mucin-Sepharose 4B column, was purified by sequential chromatography on a human alpha 1-antitrypsin-Sepharose 4B column and named TJA-I. The molecular mass of TJA-I was determined to be 70 kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis. TJA-I is a heterodimer of 38-kDa (36-kDa) and 32-kDa (30-kDa) subunits with disulfide linkage(s), and the difference between 38 and 36 kDa, and between 32 and 30 kDa, is due to secondary degradation of the carboxyl-terminal side. It was determined by equilibrium dialysis that TJA-I has four equal binding sites per molecule, and the association constant toward tritium-labeled Neu5Ac alpha 2-->6Gal beta 1-->4GlcNAc beta 1-->3Gal beta 1-->4GlcOT is Ka = 8.0 x 10(5) M-1. The precise carbohydrate binding specificity was studied using hemagglutinating inhibition assay and immobilized TJA-I. A series of oligosaccharides possessing a Neu5Ac alpha 2-->6Gal beta 1-->4GlcNAc or HSO3(-)-->6Gal beta 1-->4GlcNAc group showed tremendously stronger binding ability than oligosaccharides with a Gal beta 1-->4GlcNAc group, indicating that TJA-I basically recognizes an N-acetyllactosamine residue and that the binding strength increases on substitution of the beta-galactosyl residue at the C-6 position with a sialic acid or sulfate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1992

Five new alleles of plasma Zn-alpha 2-glycoprotein variants phenotyped by isoelectric focusing and immunoblotting in twelve populations.

Human Zn-alpha 2-glycoprotein (ZAG) in plasma samples from twelve populations was tested by immunoblotting after polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing. Eleven ZAG phenotypes produced by one common and nine rare alleles, including five new ones (ZAG*6-ZAG*10), were detected. Additionally, an application of separator IEF with N-2-hydroxyethylpiperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) was found to be useful for discriminating the rare ZAG 7 band.

Alleles↗

PubMed1992

Dissecting intramural haematoma of the coronary artery with intimal tears.

A dissecting intramural haematoma of the coronary artery is an infrequent cause of sudden and unexpected death. Most cases are women and in a significant number of these women, the haematoma occurred at term to 80 days postpartum. Because the intimal rupture and communication with the lumen were not found in most of the cases, the site of rupture has been considered to be a vasa vasorum. The authors report on a case of one woman who was at a later postpartum period (106 days). The microscopic finding of the dissected coronary artery revealed two intimal tears in a section. The case showed that the dissecting intramural haematoma of the coronary artery is caused not only by the rupture of the vasa vasorum but also by the rupture of the intima.

Adult↗