PubMed HealthSearch

Biomedical subjects

N Horie

Publications and source records attributed to N Horie.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Identification of cellular differentiation-dependent nuclear factors that bind to a human gene for thymidylate synthase.

Three nuclear factors were identified that interact with sequences in the 5'-upstream region of the human thymidylate synthase gene. Two of these factors interact with a sequence around the initiation codon of the thymidylate synthase gene. The amounts of these two factors changed dramatically as human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells differentiated into macrophage-like cells by the treatment with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3. The change was closely correlated with the decrease in the amount of thymidylate synthase mRNA during the differentiation. These findings suggest that the specific nuclear factors are involved in the regulation of the expression of human thymidylate synthase gene during the differentiation of HL-60 cells.

Base Sequence

Regulatory sequences clustered at the 5' end of the first intron of the human thymidylate synthase gene function in cooperation with the promoter region.

A human thymidylate synthase (TS) minigene containing 5'- and 3'-flanking sequences, all the exons, and only intron 1 showed a normal frequency of stable transformation when transfected into TS-negative mutant cells, whereas minigenes in which intron 1 was replaced by intron 2 or deleted in the above construct showed only a few percent of the above frequency. Introduction of intron 1 into the above intronless or intron 2 minigene restored the transforming activities regardless of its position and orientation. Deletion analysis revealed two positive and one negative regulatory sequences in the 5' end of intron 1, each of which seemed to bind specific proteins as shown by gel shift analysis. Intron 1 also stimulated expression of a TS promoter-CAT gene construct but not that of an SV40 promoter-CAT gene construct. These results indicate that the multiple regulatory sequences clustered in intron 1 stimulate TS gene expression in concert with the 5'-flanking sequences.

Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic

Highly selective synthetic inhibitors with regard to plasma-kallikrein activities.

The synthetic inhibitors of plasma kallikrein (PK) were found, which are called PKSI-1007, PKSI-0180 and PKSI-0527 in our laboratories. (1) The inhibitors inhibited PK competitively with D-Pro-Phe-Arg-pNA and the Ki values obtained were considerably small, 10(-6) M-10(-7) M. However, the Ki values for glandular kallikrein (GK), plasmin (PL), thrombin (TH) and factor Xa (FXa) were larger. In particular, a selectivity of PKSI-0527 towards PK was very high and the toxicity was weak (i.v. LD50 for mice is over 100 mg/kg). (2) The inhibitors were effective (a) to prevent the bradykinin formation in the kaolin-activated human plasma and the acid-treated ascites taken from the mice bearing Sarcoma 180, (b) to prolong the coagulation time by contact activation, and (c) to inhibit the enhancement of ADP-platelet aggregation by PK. The results indicated that the some PKSI-inhibitors will be much useful for the basic studies, furthermore they deem to be even promising towards the clinical application.

Amino Acid Sequence

Identification and characterization of an L1 family sequence with a very long open reading frame in the third intron of the human thymidylate synthase gene.

A long L1 repetitive sequence (3.6 kilobase pairs) was found in the third intron of the human thymidylate synthase gene. This L1 family sequence is unique in that it possesses the longest open reading frame (1.7 kilobase pairs) of all L1 family members identified in sequences associated with specific genes that have been cloned thus far. Furthermore, the amino acid sequence deduced from the open reading frame of the L1 sequence was found to be highly homologous (90%) to that encoded by a known human teratocarcinoma L1 RNA species, and to contain several blocks of sequences homologous to ones in RNA-dependent DNA polymerases of various origins.

Amino Acid Sequence

Effect of physical training on thrombotic tendency in rats: decrease in thrombotic tendency measured by the He-Ne laser-induced thrombus formation method.

The effect of physical training on thrombotic tendency was assessed in rats. Exercise was done on a flat treadmill for 30 min at a rate of 1,400 m/h (submaximal speed), 5 times a week for either 1.5 or 3 months. The thrombotic tendency was measured by the He-Ne laser-induced thrombus formation method in microvessels of mesentery, i.e. measurement of the number of laser irradiations necessary to induce stasis of blood flow by occlusive thrombus formation. An increase in the number of irradiations necessary to induce occlusive thrombus formation was observed in arterioles, but not in venules after physical training for 1.5 and 3 months.

Animals

A novel lysine-substituted nucleoside in the first position of the anticodon of minor isoleucine tRNA from Escherichia coli.

A minor species of isoleucine tRNA (tRNA(minor Ile)) specific to the codon AUA has been isolated from Escherichia coli B and a modified nucleoside N+ has been found in the first position of the anticodon (Harada, F., and Nishimura, S. (1974) Biochemistry 13, 300-307). In the present study, tRNA(minor Ile)) was purified from E. coli A19, and nucleoside N+ was prepared, by high-performance liquid chromatography, in an amount (0.6) A260 units) sufficient for the determination of chemical structures. By 400 MHz 1H NMR analysis, nucleoside N+ was found to have a pyrimidine moiety and a lysine moiety, the epsilon amino group of which was involved in the linkage between these two moieties. From the NMR analysis together with mass spectrometry, the structure of nucleoside N+ was determined as 4-amino-2-(N6-lysino)-1-(beta-D-ribofuranosyl)pyrimidinium ("lysidine"), which was confirmed by chemical synthesis. Lysidine is a novel type of modified cytidine with a lysine moiety and has one positive charge. Probably because of such a unique structure, lysidine in the first position of anticodon recognizes adenosine but not guanosine in the third position of codon.

Anticodon

Proteolytic enzymes in human eccrine sweat: a screening study.

Thermally induced human eccrine sweat was collected both by simple scraping (SS) and by a polyethylene sweat collector that covered the Vaseline-coated skin of the back to minimize epidermal contamination (CS, clean sweat). Using synthetic chromogenic Kabi S-series substrates, we demonstrated a variety of proteases in both SS and CS, the former being higher than the latter to varying extents. The higher enzyme activity in SS is mainly due to epidermal contamination because abundant protease activity was eluted from the nonperspiring stripped and unstripped skin in vivo and from the stripped stratum corneum itself. The electrophoretic separation of sweat protein has shown that CS contains at least 7 and SS 15 gelatinolytic proteinases. Although some CS proteinases could be derived from the sweat duct, the sweat secretory coil itself is responsible for at least two proteinases at 78 and 25 kilodaltons. The identity and function of these enzymes remain to be studied.

Caseins

Two tRNAIle1 species from an extreme thermophile, Thermus thermophilus HB8: effect of 2-thiolation of ribothymidine on the thermostability of tRNA.

From Thermus thermophilus HB8 grown at 65 degrees C, two major tRNAIle species have been purified by column chromatography and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The nucleotide sequence of one of these two tRNAIle1 species (tRNAIle1a) has been determined to be pGGGCGAUUAGCUCAGCUGmGUDAGAGCGCACGCCUGAUt6AAGCGUGAGm7GUCGGUGGs2T psi CAm1AGUCCACCAUCGCCCACCAOH. The nucleotide sequence of the other species (tRNAIle1b) is found to be the same as that of tRNAIle1a except for the modification in position 54; tRNAIle1a has s2T(54) while tRNAIle1b has T(54). The melting temperature of tRNAIle1a is as high as 86.2 degrees C while that of tRNAIle1b is 83.3 degrees C. The single replacement of an oxygen atom (2-carbonyl oxygen) of T(54) by a sulfur atom significantly contributes to the thermostability of the tRNAIle1a species. In addition, the methylation of G(18) and A(58) possibly contributes to the thermostability of T. thermophilus tRNAIle1a and tRNAIle1b species.

Base Sequence

Variation in activities of non-plasmin fibrinolytic proteinase and plasminogen-activator in the lung and spleen induced by bacterial endotoxin in rats with special reference to the effects of MD-805.

The behavior of direct fibrinolytic (non-plasmin) proteinase activity and plasminogen-activator activity in the lung and spleen was investigated in rats after a single intravenous injection of bacterial endotoxin, and the influence of thrombin inhibitors on the effects of the endotoxin was assessed. The non-plasmin fibrinolytic activity was markedly increased following a decrease of plasminogen-activator in the lung. In addition, variations in hematological parameters, i.e. a decrease of platelet count, fibrinogen level and antithrombin III, and an increase of blood urea nitrogen and euglobulin fibrinolytic activity, were induced by the injection, indicating the occurrence of disseminated intravascular coagulation. In comparative studies on the effects of the endotoxin injection and thrombin infusion, in the lung and spleen an increase of fibrinolytic proteinase activity was induced in a similar manner; the plasminogen-activator activity in the lung was decreased by the endotoxin injection but not decreased by the thrombin infusion. In prevention studies with heparin and MD-805, the latter was found to prevent the decrease of either fibrinogen or platelet count. However, the former failed to prevent the decrease of platelet count although that of the fibrinogen level was prevented. Heparin and MD-805 exerted no preventive effect on the endotoxin-induced variations of proteinase activity and plasminogen-activator activity in the lung.

Animals

[Clinical evaluation of lenampicillin in the treatment of superficial suppurative skin and soft tissue infection. A double-blind study comparing amoxicillin].

A double-blind controlled clinical study between lenampicillin (LAPC), a newly developed oral ampicillin (ABPC) prodrug, and amoxicillin (AMPC) was conducted for the treatment of suppurative skin and soft tissue infection as grouped in 6 disease types. LAPC or AMPC were orally administered at a daily dose of 1,000 mg, in 4 equally divided doses. Each group was treated for 14 days. The results indicated that LAPC was equal to AMPC in evaluations of effectiveness and usefulness, although incidence of severe side effects was slightly lower in LAPC. The number of cases studied was 235 (115 in the LAPC group, 120 in the AMPC group). Among these, 10 patients (4 in LAPC, 6 in AMPC) were excluded and 12 patients (5 in LAPC, 7 in AMPC) dropped out. Final global improvement rating was evaluated in 213 patients (106 in LAPC, 107 in AMPC). General usefulness rating was evaluated in 215 patients (106 in LAPC, 109 in AMPC), and overall safety rating was evaluated in 231 patients (115 in LAPC, 116 in AMPC). Final global improvement rating of LAPC was, "cured", 55.7% and "cured" and "remarkably improved", 79.2%. The rate increased to 88.7% when "improved" was included. On the other hand, in the AMPC group, "cured" was 50.5%, and "cured" and "remarkably improved" was 76.6%. The rate increased to 91.6% when "improved" was included. No significant difference was found between the 2 drug groups. In overall safety rating of LAPC, "safe" was 93.9%, while in the AMPC group, "safe" was 94.0%. No significant difference was found between the 2 drug groups. Side effects were noted in 2 of 115 patients (1.7%) among the LAPC group and in 5 of 116 patients (4.3%) among the AMPC group. Incidence of severe side effects was slightly lower in LAPC (P less than 0.1). General usefulness rating of LAPC was, "remarkably useful", 56.6% and the rate increased to 86.8% when "useful" was included. In the AMPC group, "remarkably useful" was 51.4%, and increased to 84.4% when "useful" was included. No significant difference was found between the 2 drug groups.

Adult

[Clinical studies on lenampicillin in the therapy of skin and soft tissue infections].

Clinical evaluation of newly developed oral ampicillin prodrug lenampicillin (LAPC, KBT-1585) applied to patients with superficial purulent infection at a dosage of 750 approximately 1,500 mg daily was conducted. Additionally, as part of the basic study, transition of the compound to the human skin tissue was observed. With regard to transition to human skin tissue in 11 presurgery dermatitis cases, 250 mg or 500 mg of LAPC was administered to 2 approximately 3 hours before surgery. Comparison was made between concentrations in serum and in skin tissue. Results in the case of 250 mg application showed serum concentration to be 1.28 approximately 3.32 micrograms/ml, and in skin tissue, 0.13 approximately 0.82 micrograms/g. At 500 mg, serum concentration was found to be 2.23 approximately 10.05 micrograms/ml, with skin tissue concentration at 0.45 approximately 1.34 micrograms/g. Rate of clinical efficacy in the treatment of the 183 cases of superficial purulent infection was 79.2%. By grouping of the infections (Table 3), high efficacy rates were obtained in the second group, at 85.7%; in the third at 88.9%; and in the fourth group at 96.4%. Evaluation of usefulness from the standpoint of safety was 77.6%. Good results were obtained in the third group with 88.9%; and in the fourth group with 96.4%. LAPC's efficacy rates against individual strains of bacteria in simple infection are as follows: Staphylococcus aureus, 74.6%; Staphylococcus epidermidis, 76.3%; GPC, 100%; anaerobes, 87.5%. In polymicrobial infections the rate was 84.6%. The rate of efficacy against all strains of bacteria was 76.0%. Adverse reactions were found in 13 cases (14 incidences) out of 193. The rate of incidence was 7.3%, with allergic response accounting for 5 cases, digestive tract disorders, 7 cases, and mouth odor, 1 case. There were 5 cases (6 incidences) of abnormal deviation of laboratory findings. In all cases, abnormal deviations were mild and their relation to the drug was unclear.

Administration, Oral

Fibrinolytic activity of lung and spleen extracts observed in conventional but not in germ-free rats.

Protease-like activity which split plasminogen-free fibrin was demonstrated in 2 M KSCN extracts of the lung and spleen of conventional rats. The activity was virtually undetectable in tissue extracts from germ-free rats. The extracts from the conventional rat tissues split fibrin and fibrinogen remarkably at neutral pH, but not casein, when examined using fibrin, fibrinogen-agar and casein-agar plates. The fibrinolytic activity was inhibited by STI and DFP, indicating a serine protease nature. The activity was not inhibited by TLCK, t-AMCHA or dansyl-L-arginine-methylpiperidine amide (a selective synthetic thrombin inhibitor, OM189). It was neither activated nor inhibited by cysteine, KCN or iodoacetic acid. The results obtained indicate that the protease-like activity of the lung and spleen extracted with 2 M KSCN from conventional rats has properties which differ from those of trypsin, plasmin, plasminogen-activator, thrombin, and cathepsin A, B and C.

Animals