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Biomedical subjects

M Fujimaki

Publications and source records attributed to M Fujimaki.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Inhibitory effects of fluorinated pyrimidines, 5'-DFUR, UFT and T-506, in a model of hepatic metastasis of mouse colon 26 adenocarcinoma-assessment of inhibitory activity and adverse reactions at the maximum tolerated dose.

The effects of fluorinated pyrimidines, 5'-DFUR, UFT and T-506, on a mouse model of hepatic metastasis were assessed in regard to inhibitory activity and adverse reactions at the maximum tolerated dose. The model was prepared by injecting the mouse colonic cancer cell line, colon 26, into the portal vein of CDF1 mice. At the treatment regimens employed for 5'-DFUR (1.0 mmol/kg/day, p.o., daily from days 1 to 7), UFT (0.1 mmol/kg/day, p.o., daily from days 1 to 7), and T-506 (0.074 mmol/kg/day, i.v., days 1, 4, 7, and 10), complete inhibition of hepatic metastasis was obtained in six out of seven mice (85.7%) with 5'-DFUR, and in five out of six mice (83.3%) with T-506. Significant inhibition of hepatic metastasis was not achieved with UFT (3/7, 42.9%). 5'-DFUR and T-506 showed the highest rate of inhibition of hepatic metastasis, suggesting that these drugs would be effective for the prophylactic treatment of metastatic disease. 5'-DFUR and UFT exhibited mild adverse reactions such as loss of body weight.

Adenocarcinoma

Anticarcinogenic action of apple pectin on fecal enzyme activities and mucosal or portal prostaglandin E2 levels in experimental rat colon carcinogenesis.

Pectin is a partially methoxylated polymer of galacturonic acid obtained from fruits. Among pectin, apple pectin exerts stronger bacteriostatical action on Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus faecalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli in comparison with citrus pectin. In this study, we used water-soluble methoxylated pectin from apple. The diet, supplemented by 20% apple pectin, significantly decreased the number of tumors and the incidence of colon tumor. PGE2 level in distal colonic mucosa in 20% apple pectin fed rats were lower than those in basal diet fed rats. Fecal beta-glucuronidase activities in the apple pectin fed group, which has been considered a key enzyme for the final activation of Dimethylhydrazine metabolism to carcinogens in the colonic lumen, were signifieantly lower than those in control group at initiation stage of carcinogenesis. In the case the concentrations of beta-glueosidase and azoreductase were also decreased. The effect of apple pectin on the colon carcinogenesis may partially depend on PGE, concentration decrease in colonic mucosa and on the type of pectin, also related to fecal enzyme activities.

Animals

Free ileocolon transfer after hypopharyngo-laryngo-cervical esophagectomy for speech rehabilitation.

Patients with carcinoma of the hypopharynx or the cervical esophagus usually undergo total laryngectomy with hypopharyngo-esophagectomy and, consequently, lose the power of speech. Therefore, a reconstruction method which would enable speech rehabilitation is desirable following this type of procedure. Free ileocolon transfer consists of colo-esophagostomy, pharyngo-colostomy, ileo-tracheotomy, vascular anastomosis under a microscope, and permanent tracheostomy. In this method, the colon functions as the alimentary tract, while the ileum and ileocecal valve can produce sounds. We evaluated the results in live patients with free ileocolon transfer following hypopharyngo-laryngo-cervical esophagectomy. Although there was no case of direct operative death, one patient died from cancer progression. Four patients are still alive at from 18 to 36 months after operation. Postoperatively, stenosis of the colo-esophaogostomy appeared in two patients, but there was no case of anastomotic breakdown or any other major complication. Speech rehabilitation was good, and there was no misswallowing into the airway. We think that free ileocolon graft is one of the more preferable procedures following hypopharyngo-laryngo-cervical esophagectomy.

Aged

Effect of endogenous hypergastrinemia on carcinogenesis in the rat esophagus.

We surgically prepared a hypergastrinemia model in rats and studied the effects of hypergastrinemia on chemically induced carcinogenesis in the esophagus. Operations were performed on 5-week-old male Donryu rats as follows: (1) truncal vagotomy plus pyloroplasty (group V), (2) segmental gastrectomy plus pyloroplasty (group G), (3) antrectomy (group A), and (4) no operation (group C) as a control. From the age of 6 weeks, the animals were given 0.003% N-methyl- N-amylnitrosamine (MAN) solution as drinking water for 8 weeks. After 20 weeks of MAN administration, the animals were bled and killed. The average serum gastrin levels in groups V and G were significantly higher than those groups C or A. There were significant differences between C and V in the incidence of carcinoma, and between V and A in the incidence of carcinoma including severe dysplasia. The incidence of histologically identified lesions per animal was determined, and significant differences were observed between C and both V and G in the incidence of carcinoma including severe dysplasia. Furthermore, we also detected gastrin receptors in the esophageal lesions produced by the oral administration of MAN to rats. The results of the present study suggest that endogenous hypergastrinemia has a positive influence on chemically induced carcinogenesis in the rat esophagus.

Animals

Induction of c-fos protooncogene transcription and apoptosis by delta 12-prostaglandin J2 in human Pl-21 myeloid leukemia and RC-K8 pre-B lymphoma cells.

delta 12-prostaglandin J2 (PGJ2) is a dehydration product of PGD2 and thought to be the most potent antitumor agent among prostaglandin compounds. We examine the cytotoxic effects of PGJ2 on the cell growth of leukemia/lymphoma cells. PGJ2 inhibited the growth of both human PL-21 myeloid leukemia and RC-K8 pre-B lymphoma cells in culture in a dose-dependent manner with fragmentation of nucleus and formation of apoptotic body. Agarose gel electrophoresis revealed DNA ladder formation in the cells treated with PGJ2. Furthermore, PGJ2 induced a rapid and transient expression of apoptosis-related protooncogene, c-fos, in both cells. The gene transcriptional rate was remarkably increased approximately 3.3-fold in PGJ2 treated cells, but the stability of c-fos mRNA was not significantly changed. Inhibition of de novo protein synthesis with cycloheximide increased c-fos mRNA stability but not abrogated PGJ2-induced c-fos transcription. These data suggest that PGJ2 can induce apoptosis of human leukemia/lymphoma cells and the rapid activation of c-fos protooncogene transcription in which de novo protein synthesis is not required.

Antineoplastic Agents

Inhibitory effect of a traditional Chinese medicine, Juzen-taiho-to, on progressive growth of weakly malignant clone cells derived from murine fibrosarcoma.

We have investigated the inhibitory effect of oral administration of Juzen-taiho-to, a Kampo (Chinese herbal) medicine, on progressive growth of a mouse fibrosarcoma. Spontaneously regressive QR-32 tumor cells were able to grow progressively in vivo when coimplanted s.c. with a foreign body, gelatin sponge, whereas QR-32 cells alone gradually grew for over 15 days after inoculation and thereafter regressed for up to 25 days. Oral administration of Juzen-taiho-to (40 mg/day/mouse) for 7 days after inoculation of QR-32 cells with gelatin sponge resulted in significant inhibition of tumor growth and prolongation of the survival of the tumor-bearing mice. This growth-inhibitory effect of Juzen-taiho-to observed on day 25 was dose-dependent over the dose range from 4 to 40 mg/day. Treatment with Juzen-taiho-to for 7 days before tumor inoculation with gelatin sponge also significantly suppressed tumor growth examined on day 25, as did the administration of bismuth subnitrate, which is well known to induce metallothionein, an antioxidant. On the other hand, inoculation of progressed tumor cells (QRsP) resulted in growth without gelatin sponge, leading to death in syngeneic mice. Administration of Juzen-taiho-to for 7 days after inoculation of QRsP cells resulted in a decrease of the tumor growth and prolongation of the survival of mice, but the effect was less than that on the growth of QR-32 regressor tumor after coimplantation with gelatin sponge. These results suggest that the inhibitory effect of Juzen-taiho-to is partly associated with prevention of gelatin sponge-elicited progressive growth, probably mediated by endogenous factors including antioxidant substances, in addition to the augmentation of host-mediated antitumor activity.

Administration, Oral

Recognition of poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl saccharide chains on iron-oxidized erythrocytes by human monocytic leukemia cell line THP-1 differentiated into macrophages.

The cells of the human monocytic leukemia cell line THP-1 differentiated into macrophages bound to human erythrocytes oxidized with adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP)-Fe3+ chelate (ADP/Fe3+) in the absence of serum. The binding was prevented when the cells were treated with ADP/Fe3+ in the presence of antioxidants, indicating that oxidation of the cells is responsible for the increased susceptibility to the THP-1 cell binding. Galactose, fucose, mannose and mannan partially inhibited the binding. Glycoproteins containing poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl saccharide chains such as band 3 glycoprotein isolated from human erythrocyte membrane and lactoferrin, and their oligosaccharides, strongly inhibited the binding. On the other hand, glycoproteins with non-poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl saccharide chains such as glycophorin A isolated from the erythrocyte membrane, fetuin and alpha 1-acid glycoprotein, little or partially inhibited the binding. The inhibitory activity of band 3 oligosaccharides and lactoferrin oligosaccharides was little affected by treatment with endo-beta-galactosidase, which specifically cleaves poly-N-acetyllactosamine to shorter oligosaccharides. Removal of the nonreducing terminal region of the saccharide chains of band 3 on the erythrocyte surface by treatment of the cells with endo-beta-galactosidase resulted in a decrease in the susceptibility of the cells to the THP-1 cell binding. These results suggest that THP-1 cells which have been differentiated into macrophages bind the oxidized erythrocytes primarily through the recognition of poly-N-acetyllactosaminyl saccharide chains of band 3, and the site of the recognition exists in the nonreducing terminal region of the saccharide chains. Clustering of band 3 molecules is proposed as a possible alteration of oxidized erythrocyte membrane which promotes the interaction of the saccharide receptor on THP-1 cells with the saccharide chains of band 3 on erythrocytes.

Adenosine Diphosphate

[A case of breast cancer with metastasis of multiple organs showing marked efficacy of medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA)].

The patient, a 55-year-old female, was diagnosed as having right breast cancer (T1aN2M1, Stage IV) with metastasis of multiple organs (lung, pleura, bone, mediastinal and unilateral axillary lymph nodes) when she underwent tumorectomy. Postoperative adjuvant therapy was performed using oral administration of MPA (800 mg/day). After 3 months of this treatment, metastatic lesions in the lung and pleura had disappeared. After 37 months, complete remission (CR) was evaluated in the multiple lesions of bone metastasis. She achieved a complete remission (CR) by this treatment lymph nodes metastasis in both mediastinum after 24 months and unilateral axillae after 15 months. Complete response time was 38 months in both lung and pleura, 15 months in bone metastasis, 15 months in mediastinal lymph nodes, 24 months in unilateral ones. Normalization of tumor markers was acquired after 7 months of this hormonal therapy. This CR condition continues at present without severe complications.

Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal

Inhibitory effect of a synthetic prostacyclin analogue, beraprost, on urokinase-type plasminogen activator expression in RC-K8 human lymphoma cells.

Plasminogen activation by urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) is implicated in tumor invasion and metastasis by the breakdown of extracellular matrix. We have recently demonstrated the inhibitory effect of cAMP on uPA gene transcription in RC-K8 human lymphoma cells (Biochim Biophys Acta 1268: 293-9, 1995). Prostacyclin produced by endothelial cells is shown to increase cellular cAMP levels by activating adenylate cyclase. We, therefore, examined the effect of a stable analogue of prostacyclin, Beraprost, on uPA production in RC-K8 cells. uPA activity gradually increased in the conditioned medium with time. Beraprost (0.1 nM-1.0 microM) inhibited uPA accumulation in a dose-dependent manner without affecting cell viability. Fibrinzymography demonstrated that high and low molecular forms of uPA were present in the conditioned medium and that after Beraprost-treatment all forms of uPA decreased and no PA/PA inhibitor complex was present. Northern blot analysis revealed that after exposure to Beraprost, uPA mRNA levels increased transiently and then rapidly decreased to below control levels. Treatment with Beraprost resulted in a rapid activation of cellular cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). Beraprost completely negated uPA gene expression induced by phorbol myristate acetate, an activator of protein kinase C (PKC). These results suggest that Beraprost inhibits uPA production by suppressing uPA gene expression through the PKA pathway and that PKA-mediated signals are dominant in uPA gene expression as compared to those medicated by PKC. This inhibition of uPA expression by a prostacyclin analogue may be an important fact to explain the mechanism of anti-metastatic effects of prostacyclin.

Enzyme Inhibitors

Effect of hyperthermia on proliferation and deviation of carcinoembryonic antigen and squamous cell carcinoma-related antigen of human esophageal carcinoma cells in culture.

As a basic study of hyperthermia on malignant tumors, we investigated the kinetics of proliferative activity and the values of tumor markers carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and squamous cell carcinoma-related antigen (SCC) in a human esophageal carcinoma cell line, SGF-4, following a change of culture temperature. The temperature range allowing cultured SGF-4 cells to proliferate was from 37 degrees C to 40 degrees C. In an experiment examining the recovery of proliferative activity, no proliferative activity was observed after the cultured cells were exposed to 42 degrees C for 72 hours. The values of CEA and SCC as tumor markers were found to be increased in association with the cell damage due to the change of temperature. These markers could thus be useful as indicators for evaluations of hyperthermia therapy effectiveness.

Aged

Protein kinase activity-dependent inhibition of urokinase-type plasminogen activator gene transcription by cyclic AMP in human pre-B lymphoma cell line RC-K8.

We investigated the effects of cAMP on the urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) production in human pre-B lymphoma cell line RC-K8 that is consistently secreting uPA in the conditioned medium. Both Bt2cAMP and PGE1 inhibited the uPA accumulation in a dose-dependent manner. Northern blot analysis and nuclear run-on assay revealed that uPA gene transcription was repressed by Bt2cAMP and the repression was negated by inhibition of de novo protein synthesis by cycloheximide. Pretreatment with H89 (N-[2-(p-bromocinnamyl-amino) ethyl]-5-isoquinoline sulfonamide), a specific cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) inhibitor, strongly inhibited both the PKA activation and the supression of uPA mRNA accumulation induced by cAMP. H85 (N-[2-(N-formyl-p-chlorocinnamyl-amino) ethyl]-5-isoquinoline sulfonamide), which closely resembles H89 in its chemical structure but is not a selective inhibitor of PKA, showed little effect on the regulation of uPA gene regulation by Bt2cAMP. These results suggest that cAMP represses uPA gene transcription in human pre-B lymphoma cells through PKA pathway and in which de novo protein synthesis is required.

Alprostadil

Effects of apple pectin on fecal bacterial enzymes in azoxymethane-induced rat colon carcinogenesis.

Because of the potential significance of colonic bacteria in colon carcinogenesis, we investigated the effect of pectin of different types on fecal bacterial enzymes (beta-glucuronidase, beta-glucosidase and tryptophanase) at various periods of time after feeding rats with pectin-containing diets during azoxymethane-induced colon carcinogenesis. The diet supplemented with 20% apple pectin or 20% citrus pectin decreased the multiplicity of colon tumors, and the number of tumors was significantly decreased in the group fed apple pectin. The incidence of colon tumors in the apple pectin group was lower than that in the control group. The mean tumor size was similar among the three groups. Apple pectin feeding decreased fecal beta-glucosidase and tryptophanase levels. Furthermore, a significant decrease in the activity of beta-glucuronidase was observed in the apple pectin group during the initiation phase. These findings suggest that the protective effect of pectin on colon carcinogenesis may be dependent on the type of pectin and be related to the decrease of beta-glucuronidase activity in the initiation stage of carcinogenesis.

Adenocarcinoma

Immunohistochemical and biochemical detection of low density lipoprotein receptors in cultured rat mesangial cells.

The expression of low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptors by cultured rat mesangial cells was demonstrated using immunohistochemical and biochemical methods. Using a mouse monoclonal anti-human LDL receptor antibody, the immunofluorescence technique was applied to cultured mesangial cells and showed granular staining. Immunoblotting analysis of the membrane fraction of cultured mesangial cells showed a single band with a protein of approximately 130,000 molecular weight. In addition, [125I]LDL binding and the uptake of [125I]LDL by cultured mesangial cells were studied. Binding and uptake both reached an equilibrium after about 30 min of incubation. A 50% reduction in [125I]LDL (20 micrograms protein/ml) binding and uptake occurred when unlabelled LDL was added to cultures at 20-40 micrograms protein/ml. Addition of high density lipoprotein without apoE to the culture medium did not induce competitive inhibition of [125I]LDL binding and uptake by mesangial cells. These findings suggest that cultured mesangial cells have the capacity to express an LDL receptor that regulates the cellular uptake of LDL.

Animals

Possibility of thermosensitive magnetoliposomes as a new agent for electromagnetic induced hyperthermia.

This study examined a possibility of dextran magnetite (DM)-incorporated thermosensitive liposomes, namely thermosensitive magnetoliposomes (TMs), as a new hyperthermic agent. The temperatures of TM suspensions and cancer tumors injected with TM suspensions were efficiently elevated up to 42 degrees C by electromagnetic induced heating at a frequency of 500 kHz under both in vitro and in vivo conditions. Thus, a possibility of TMs for selective hyperthermia was demonstrated. The temperature rises obtained at various concentrations of TMs suggest that approximately 15 mg Fe/cm3 tumor volume is adequate as a therapeutic dose of TMs for efficient selective hyperthermia.

Animals

[REN plot for a graphic expression method of clinical laboratory data statistics].

Laboratory data have been processed statistically on an assumption that they formed a normal distribution curve by themselves or after their transformation. The data of clinical medicine, however, frequently form distributions different from the normal one and thus they are not exactly represented by simple statistics such as mean and standard deviation. We used non-parametric percentiles(pct) as parameters for an improved expression of data distributions. The parameters used in this method are as follows: mean, 50 pct as median, 25 and 75pct as a concentration indicator, 5 and 95pct as a 90 percent central range, 2.5 and 97.5pct as a 95 percent central range, and minimum and maximum data as a distribution range. These indicators were presented on a new form of box-and-whisker plot. This expression was named as REN plot. Our method was compared to the other statistical expression methods using the data of control surveys of Factor IX activity of normal plasmas and prothrombin time of abnormal standard plasmas as well as APTT of abnormal plasma measured for intra-laboratory quality control. It was found that any form of data distribution, normal or abnormal, was precisely expressed in detail and the gradient of data densities were visually plotted by our method. Also neither the median, central range nor distribution range was influenced by extreme values. It was concluded that REN plot was useful expression for the statistical analysis of clinical laboratory data.

Adult