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N Sugihara

Publications and source records attributed to N Sugihara.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

A rapid and quantitative detection system for Streptococcus mutans in saliva using monoclonal antibodies.

A new semiquantitative enumeration system was developed to detect Streptococcus mutans in saliva. Using species-specific monoclonal antibodies, the system quickly detected salivary S. mutans in 30 min and classified the results into three levels. In this study, saliva samples collected from 28 young adults aged between 22 and 24 years were subjected to the monoclonal antibody-based detecting system and selective medium-based detecting methods. The results generated from the PCR-confirmed culture method indicated the mean salivary S. mutans counts at level 1, 2 and 3 were 5.7 x 10(4), 1.3 x 10(5) and 3.4 x 10(6) CFU/ml, respectively. The differences between level 3 and 1 and level 3 and 2 were statistically significant (one-way ANOVA; p < 0.01). The results generated from the system were consistent with the data generated from two culture-based commercial products.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Low asialoglycoprotein receptor expression as markers for highly proliferative potential hepatocytes.

Development of a reliable method to isolate highly proliferative potential hepatocytes will provide insight into the molecular mechanisms of liver regeneration, as well as proving crucial for the development of a biohybrid artificial liver. The aim of this study is to isolate highly proliferative, e.g., progenitor-like, hepatocytes. To this end, we fractionated hepatocytes expressing low and high levels of the asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGP-R) based on the difference in their adhesion to poly[N-p-vinylbenzyl-O-beta-d-galactopyranosyl-(1-->4)-d-gluconamide] (PVLA), and examined the proliferative activity and gene expression of these fractionated hepatocytes. The results showed that approximately 0.5 to 1% of the total number of hepatocytes, which showed low adhesion to PVLA, expressed low levels of the ASGP-R, while the rest of hepatocyte population with high adhesion to PVLA expressed high levels of the ASGP-R. Interestingly hepatocytes with low ASGP-R expression levels had much higher DNA synthesizing activity (i.e., are much more proliferative) than those with high ASGP-R expression levels. Moreover, hepatocytes with low ASGP-R expression levels expressed higher levels of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R), CD29 (beta1 integrin) and CD49f (alpha6 integrin) and lower levels of glutamine synthetase than those with high ASGP-R expression. These findings suggested that hepatocytes with low adhesion to PVLA due to their low ASGP-R expression could be potential candidates for progenitor-like hepatocytes due to their high proliferative capacity; hence, the low expression of the ASGP-R could be a unique marker for progenitor hepatocytes. The isolation of hepatocytes with different functional phenotypes using PVLA may provide a new research tool for a better understanding of the biology of hepatocytes and the mechanisms regulating their proliferation and differentiation in health and disease.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Anti- and pro-oxidative effects of flavonoids on metal-induced lipid hydroperoxide-dependent lipid peroxidation in cultured hepatocytes loaded with alpha-linolenic acid.

Lipid hydroperoxide (LOOH)-dependent lipid peroxidation was induced in alpha-linolenic acid (LNA)-loaded hepatocytes by adding Fe, Cu, V, or Cd ions at concentrations from 20 to 500 microM. The effects of structurally related flavonoids at concentrations from 10 to 500 microM on the lipid peroxidation were examined. The results with regard to each flavonoid subclass are as follows: (i) Flavonols such as myricetin, quercetin, fisetin, and kaempferol, but not morin, showed dose-dependent antioxidative activity against metal-induced lipid peroxidation at all metal concentrations. Myricetin, quercetin, and fisetin were the most effective antioxidants, although their efficacies depended on the metal ion. Kaempferol and morin had antioxidative activity equal to the other flavonols in the presence of Cu ions, but were much less effective for the other three metal ions. (ii) Flavones, luteolin, apigenin, and chrysin were antioxidative at low Fe concentrations, but were pro-oxidative at high Fe concentrations. Luteolin exhibited antioxidative activity similar to that of catechol-containing flavonols in the presence of the other three metal ions. Apigenin and chrysin also acted as pro-oxidants with V or with all metal ions, respectively. (iii) Taxifolin, a flavanone, also showed both anti- and prooxidative activity, depending on Fe concentrations, but with other metal showed only antioxidative activity ions. (iv) Epigallocatechin, a flavanol, was antioxidative with all metal ions, and its activity was similar to that of catechol-containing flavonols. The various effects of flavonoids on metal-induced lipid peroxidation in LNA-loaded hepatocytes is discussed with regard to the change in redox potential of flavonoid-metal complexes.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Lipid peroxidation induced by adriamycin in linolenic acid-loaded cultured hepatocytes.

Addition of more than 10 microM of adriamycin to cultured rat hepatocytes loaded with alpha-linolenic acid (linolenic acid-loaded hepatocytes) caused marked lipid peroxidation as measured by an accumulation of malondialdehyde during a 9 hr incubation. After addition of 50 microM of adriamycin to linolenic acid-loaded hepatocytes, malondialdehyde accumulation significantly increased at 3 hr, followed by cellular reduced glutathione decrease and lactate dehydrogenase leakage after 6 hr. Inhibition of adriamycin-induced lipid peroxidation by addition of N,N'-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine or alpha-tocopherol, both lipid radical scavengers, or deferoxamine, which is a Fe ion chelator, prevented both glutathione decrease and lactate dehydrogenase leakage, indicating that lipid peroxidation caused cellular damage to linolenic acid-loaded hepatocytes exposed to adriamycin. The effect of SKF 525-A, which is a cytochrome P450 inhibitor, on adriamycin-induced lipid peroxidation and on 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase activity was determined by 6 hr incubation of linolenic acid-loaded cells. Addition of SKF 525-A suppressed adriamycin-induced lipid peroxidation comparably with its 7-ethoxy-coumarin 0-deethylase inhibitory activity. These results suggest that cytochrome P450 contributes to the one-electron bioreduction of adriamycin into its semiquinone radical in rat hepatocytes.

7-Alkoxycoumarin O-Dealkylase↗
PubMed1998

Effect of potassium sorbate on cellular GSH level and lipid peroxidation in cultured rat hepatocytes.

Change in cellular reduced glutathione (GSH) level was examined after the addition of 1-10 mM potassium sorbate (SA-K) to cultured rat hepatocytes. The cellular GSH content was decreased to the lowest level at 6 h after the addition of SA-K, and then gradually returned to the normal level except for hepatocytes exposed to 10 mM SA-K. Although the decrease in GSH level was not associated with lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage in hepatocytes exposed to SA-K up to the concentration of 5 mM, cell injury was caused in cells exposed to 10 mM SA-K. When eicosapentaenoic acid was added in conjunction with various concentrations of SA-K to hepatocytes, peroxidation of the fatty acid was accelerated in parallel with the decrease in cellular GSH level. The enhanced lipid peroxidation in the hepatocytes co-exposed to SA-K and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) induced the development of cell injury. These results suggest that hepatocytes exposed to SA-K become susceptible to oxidative stress such as lipid peroxidation.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Cytotoxicity of food preservatives in cultured rat hepatocytes loaded with linolenic acid.

We investigated the ability of eight food preservatives to induce lipid peroxidation in normal and alpha-linolenic acid (LNA)-loaded cultured rat hepatocytes. On the addition of sodium dehydroacetate (DHA-Na), potassium sorbate (SA-K) or thiabendazole (TBZ) to the cell culture, lipid peroxidation, assessed in terms of the production of malondialdehyde (MDA), was induced in LNA-loaded cells, but not in normal cells. At the low concentrations, induction of lipid peroxidation in LNA-loaded cells was highest with TBZ, whereas at high concentrations DHA-Na greatly induced lipid peroxidation. The occurrence of lipid peroxidation in LNA-loaded cells was accompanied by a decrease in cellular GSH levels with the three preservatives and by a decrease in cellular protein-SH levels with DHA-Na and TBZ. Furthermore, cell injury, measured by the release of LDH, was produced in LNA-loaded cells exposed to DHA-Na and SA-K. The addition of TBZ caused substantial cell injury in normal cells, and even greater injury in LNA-loaded cells. The prevention of lipid peroxidation in LNA-loaded hepatocytes by addition of an antioxidant, N,N'-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine (DPPD) almost completely prevented DHA-Na- and SA-K-induced cell injury, and reduced TBZ-induced cell injury. The addition of diphenyl (DP), o-phenylphenol (OPP) or butyl p-hydroxybenzoate (BHB) caused severe cell injury, in association with a marked decrease in cellular levels of both of GSH and protein-SH in both groups of cells. However, lipid peroxidation was not detectable in either group of cells exposed to these preservatives. Sodium propionate (PA-Na) and sodium benzoate (BA-Na) had little effect on any cytotoxic parameter in either group of cells.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Effects of metal ions on lipid peroxidation in cultured rat hepatocytes loaded with alpha-linolenic acid.

We investigated the ability of various redox-active metal ions to induce lipid peroxidation in normal and alpha-linolenic acid-loaded (LNA-loaded) cultured rat hepatocytes. Lipid peroxidation was estimated by the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the culture medium. At low concentrations induction was highest with ferrous ions (Fe), whereas at high concentrations, vanadium (V) and copper ions (Cu) had the greatest effect on both groups of hepatocytes. With any one of the three metal ions, the extent of lipid peroxidation in LNA-loaded hepatocytes was several times greater compared to normal cells. In addition, upon the addition of Fe or V, LNA-loaded hepatocytes were injured whereas normal cells were not. The addition of Cu caused substantial cell injury in normal hepatocytes, and even greater injury in LNA-loaded cells. The prevention of lipid peroxidation in LNA-loaded hepatocytes by addition of an antioxidant like N,N'-diphenyl-p-phenylene-diamine (DPPD) almost completely prevented Fe- and V-induced cell injury, and reduced Cu-induced cell injury. alpha-Tocopherol behaved in a way similar to but less effective than DPPD. .OH radical scavengers such as mannitol and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) had no effect on lipid peroxidation induced by any metal ions in LNA-loaded hepatocytes. Addition of cadmium ions (Cd), which required the lowest concentration to cause cell injury, induced a slight increase in lipid peroxidation in normal hepatocytes, but did not induce lipid peroxidation to the same extent as seen in LNA-loaded cells treated with any of the three metal ions already mentioned. The inhibition of lipid peroxidation by DPPD scarcely protected LNA-loaded hepatocytes from Cd-induced cell injury. None of the other metal ions including aluminum (Al), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), nickel (Ni), lead (Pb), and tin (Sn) ions, effectively induced lipid peroxidation in either group of hepatocytes, except cobalt ions (Co), which had a peroxidative effect in LNA-loaded cells only.

Aluminum↗
PubMed1995

High susceptibility to paraquat-driven lipid peroxidation of cultured hepatocytes loaded with linolenic acid.

Rat hepatocytes cultured without (normal cells) and with 1 mM alpha-linolenic acid-bovine serum albumin complex (alpha-linolenic acid [LNA]-loaded cells) for 12 hr were challenged with paraquat at concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 5 mM. The addition of paraquat to normal hepatocytes induced a relatively low level of lipid peroxidation as measured by the accumulation of malondialdehyde in the medium, even at a high paraquat concentration that caused severe cell injury. LNA-loaded hepatocytes markedly underwent lipid peroxidation on addition of paraquat, with a rise in the malondialdehyde accumulation beginning at the lowest concentration used (0.01 mM). The enhanced lipid peroxidation induced in LNA-loaded hepatocytes by the addition of paraquat was accompanied by the occurrence of cell injury at noncytotoxic paraquat concentrations for normal cells. Of further importance was that in LNA-loaded cells, lipid peroxidation promptly occurred after the addition of paraquat and was followed by the loss of cell viability. Addition of antioxidants such as N,N'-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine and alpha-tocopherol with paraquat prevented lipid peroxidation in both normal and LNA-loaded hepatocytes but protected only the latter cells from cell injury. Neither lipid peroxidation nor cell injury in either group of hepatocytes was prevented by the presence of .OH scavengers such as mannitol and dimethyl sulfoxide. In addition, paraquat-driven lipid peroxidation in LNA-loaded hepatocytes was promoted by the addition of ascorbate but was rather suppressed by the addition of H2O2. In conclusion, it is likely that the addition of paraquat induced Fe(++)-lipid hydroperoxide-dependent lipid peroxidation that led to lethal cell injury in LNA-loaded hepatocytes.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

High peroxidative susceptibility of fish oil polyunsaturated fatty acid in cultured rat hepatocytes.

The peroxidative susceptibility in cultured rat hepatocytes of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and other polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) with different numbers of double bonds was examined. Lipid peroxidation was evaluated using a newly developed HPLC procedure which includes the determination of malondialdehyde (MDA). Following exposure to 0.25-1.0 mM EPA adsorbed to BSA (EPA-BSA), cultured hepatocytes produced MDA in the fatty acid concentration- and incubation time-dependent manner. The rate of MDA production by hepatocytes varied greatly with the degree of PUFA unsaturation, and ranked as follows: docosahexaenoic acid > EPA > arachidonic acid > alpha-linolenic acid = gamma-linolenic acid > linoleic acid > oleic acid. Prolonged exposure of cultured hepatocytes to 1.0 mM EPA-BSA resulted in substantial leakage of LDH into the medium. The cell injury was associated with the loss of cellular GSH and protein thiol groups. Cotreatment of the EPA-supplemented hepatocytes with a GSH-depleting agent, diethylmaleate, promoted the cellular protein thiol loss and LDH leakage. An iron chelator, deferoxamine, and other antioxidants such as N,N-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine and gamma-tocopherol efficiently prevented MDA production and consequently LDH leakage in the EPA-supplemented hepatocytes. These results show that peroxidative deterioration in excess of GSH-dependent defense mechanisms may occur in hepatocytes loaded with highly peroxidizable fish oil PUFA.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Effect of cumene hydroperoxide on lipid peroxidation in cultured rat hepatocytes supplemented with eicosapentaenoic acid.

The present study was undertaken to examine whether the oxidative effect of organic hydroperoxide on cultured rat hepatocytes is enhanced by eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). The cells were pretreated with 0.8 mM EPA which was complexed to bovine serum albumin (EPA-BSA) for 4 h, and then challenged to cumene hydroperoxide (CMHP). By the addition of CMHP to the cell culture, lipid peroxidation estimated as production of malondialdehyde (MDA) was provoked to a much greater extent in the EPA-loaded hepatocytes than in the non-loaded cells. The CMHP treatment also resulted in more severe cell injury in association with the decrease in intracellular levels of glutathione and protein thiols in the EPA-loaded cells as compared with results in the non-loaded cells. The addition of antioxidants such as N,N'-diphenyl-p-phenylenediamine (DPPD), promethazine and gamma-tocopherol to the culture medium prevented the CMHP-induced oxidative injury effectively for the EPA-loaded cells but had little effect for the non-loaded cells. The potency of other unsaturated fatty acids with different numbers of double bonds in enhancing the CMHP-induced lipid peroxidation and injury was also examined. The deleterious effects of CMHP were little affected by unsaturated fatty acids with one or two double bonds but were markedly intensified by those with more than 4 double bonds. These data showed that the supplementation with highly unsaturated fatty acids makes the cells susceptible to the drug-induced oxidative stress.

Albumins↗
PubMed1994

Type IV collagen in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Basement membrane of myocytes from patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy who died suddenly, seemed to be discontinuous by immunohistochemical methods. With the use of the sandwich immunoassay technique, we determined the frequency of type IV collagen and its influence on functional abnormality in 31 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and controls. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy exhibited significantly increased serum type IV collagen compared with controls. A significant correlation was observed between serum type IV collagen and fractional shortening (r = -0.42 p < 0.05), and end-diastolic volume (r = 0.40 p < 0.05), DT (r = -0.50 p < 0.05). These data suggest that serum type IV collagen enhances clusters of cell-surface type IV collagen, including an alteration of the cytoskeleton, which may account for functional abnormalities in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Considering the fact that microscopic examination is unable to resolve the structure of the myocardial basement membrane, measurement of serum type IV collagen is thought to be useful in the diagnosis of myocardial basement membrane injury and the progression of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Aged↗
PubMed1993

Asymmetrical septal hypertrophy in patients with hypertension: a type of hypertensive left ventricular hypertrophy or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy combined with hypertension?

To determine whether asymmetrical septal hypertrophy (ASH) in patients with essential hypertension (HT) is a type of hypertensive left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy or hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) combined with HT, we investigated a group of 7 hypertensive patients with ASH compared with 12 HCM patients and 10 healthy controls using radionuclide angiography and right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy. The LV time-volume curve and its first and second derivative curves were constructed from cardiac output and time-activity curves constructed by combined forward and reverse-gating from the R wave. The LV wall thickness and ejection fraction were significantly greater in both the HT and HCM groups than in the control group, whereas there were no differences in these indices between the HT and HCM groups. Rapid filling volume index and rapid filling fraction showed significantly lower values in the HCM group than in the control group (p < 0.005). In contrast to the HCM group, these indices in the HT group did not differ from those in the control group. The time to peak filling rate was prolonged in the control, hypertension, and HCM groups in increasing order. Histopathological study revealed a higher incidence of myocardial cell disarray in the HCM than in the HT group. The above results suggest that ASH in hypertensive patients is a type of hypertensive LV hypertrophy.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1993

Assessment of autonomic nervous activity by heart rate spectral analysis in patients with variant angina.

The purpose of this study was to assess the role of the autonomic nervous system in the pathogenesis of coronary artery spasm in patients with variant angina. We evaluated cardiac sympathetic and parasympathetic activity from the power (logarithmic scale) of the low-frequency (approximately 0.04 to 0.12 Hz) and the high-frequency (approximately 0.22 to 0.32 Hz) spectral components of heart rate variability with Holter monitoring in seven patients with nocturnal variant angina and in 11 healthy men who served as control subjects. None of the patients had organic coronary artery stenosis as determined by angiography. Low-frequency and high-frequency logarithmic values were calculated for each 5-minute period from 30 minutes before to immediately before each angina attack. The logarithmic low-frequency value during the 5-to-0-minute period was greater than the low-frequency values during most of the other periods (p < 0.05 - p < 0.01). The logarithmic high-frequency values during the 10-to-5-minute and 5-to-0-minute periods were greater than those during the 30-to-25-minute period (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). These data indicate that parasympathetic activity increased during the 10 minutes before attacks of nocturnal variant angina, whereas sympathetic activity with vagal modulation increased during the 5 minutes before such attacks. The same pattern of changes in heart rate variability was found in the absence of ST-segment elevation in patients and in control subjects. So this phenomenon was not just associated with coronary spasm and variant angina. It is suggested that circadian variation in disease activity is also associated with spontaneous attacks.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Increased left atrial chamber stiffness in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate left atrial chamber stiffness and its influence on left atrial and left ventricular functions in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. DESIGN: Prospective study. SETTING: Department of internal medicine in a university teaching hospital. PATIENTS: Five control subjects, six patients with essential hypertension, and 11 patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. INTERVENTIONS: Measurement of left atrial pressure by a tip micromanometer and of real-time left atrial volume from left atrial cineangiograms. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Left atrial stiffness constant determined by fitting the ascending limb of the v loop of the left atrial pressure-volume relation to an exponential curve. RESULTS: The mean (SD) left atrial chamber stiffness constant was significantly larger in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy than in controls (0.063 (0.018) v 0.041 (0.006), p < 0.05) and was correlated with left ventricular wall thickness (r = 0.560, p < 0.01). Left atrial reservoir volume (left atrial emptying volume before atrial contraction) was significantly smaller in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy than in the controls (7.3 (2.1) v 12.5 (4.4) ml/m2, p < 0.01) and was inversely correlated with the left atrial chamber stiffness constant (r = -0.598, p < 0.01). The cardiac index was inversely correlated with the left atrial chamber stiffness constant (r = -0.542, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Left atrial chamber stiffness was increased in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and this affected the left atrial reservoir function. This may in turn have affected cardiac output.

Atrial Function, Left↗
PubMed1993

Collagen remodelling in myocardia of patients with diabetes.

AIMS: To investigate collagen remodelling in the interstitium of the heart in patients with diabetes. METHODS: Immunohistochemical study of the biopsied myocardium using type specific anticollagen antibodies (I, III, IV, V, VI) was performed in 12 patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and six non-diabetic patients. There was no history of hypertension or coronary artery stenosis in any of the patients. RESULTS: Noticeable accumulations of collagen types I, III, and VI in the myocardial interstitium were recognised in both groups, but little accumulation of types IV or V was found. Types I and III mainly stained in the perimysium and perivascular region, while type VI predominantly stained in the endomysium. There was no disease specific accumulation of collagen in diabetes mellitus. The percentage of total interstitial fibrosis in the myocardium was significantly higher in the diabetic group than in the control group (p < 0.05). Although the percentages of collagen types I and VI did not differ between the two groups, the percentage type of III was significantly higher in the diabetic group than in the controls (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Collagen remodelling mainly as a result of an increase in collagen type III in the perimysium and perivascular region, occurs in the hearts of patients with diabetes.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Abdominal aortic aneurysms in familial hypercholesterolemia--case reports.

Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is a genetic disease characterized by high serum cholesterol levels and premature coronary atherosclerosis. Hypercholesterolemia is one of the factors promoting the arteriosclerotic process and is a major cause of aortic aneurysm. Few data are available, however, about abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) in patients with FH. In this study, the clinical and angiographic characteristics of AAAs found in patients with FH were investigated. Thirty-one cases (23 men, 8 women, aged fifty +/- fourteen years) were examined by coronary angiography, thoracic and abdominal aortography, and clinical data. Abdominal aortography detected abdominal aneurysms in 8 cases (26%), all of whom were men, including 4 cases (50%) that were complicated by diabetes mellitus. The abdominal aneurysm patients manifested severe coronary atherosclerosis, severe abdominal aortic irregularity, and higher blood pressure than the nonaneurysm FH patients. These findings suggest that AAAs are an important and prevalent feature in FH, especially in men with diabetes mellitus and high blood pressure.

Adult↗