Yeast phosphoglyceric acid mutase-modifying enzyme.
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Amino Acids↗
Biomedical subjects
R Sugimoto
Publications and source records attributed to R Sugimoto.
Isolation of dermatophytes from house dust on a medium containing gentamicin and flucytosine.
Dermatophytes are usually isolated from house dust by using actidione-chloramphenicol Sabouraud glucose medium (ACS medium). We have prepared a new medium, 5FC medium, by adding gentamicin sulphate (GS) and 5-fluorocytosine (5FC) to ACS medium to achieve more efficient isolation of dermatophytes from house dust. 5FC medium was more effective in isolating dermatophytes than ACS medium or ACS medium supplemented with GS alone. Trichophyton rubrum could be grown from 13 out of 19 house dust samples from the homes of patients with tinea pedis (68.4%), and T. mentagrophytes could be grown from 17 out of 21 (81.0%). Two of 20 house dust samples from the home of a control family without dermatophytosis grew only one colony of dermatophytes in 5FC medium; the rest of the samples showed no growth. The number of colonies isolated on 5FC medium was much higher than on ACS medium (5.3 vs. 2.0 for T. rubrum and 17.2 vs. 2.1 for T. mentagrophytes). In addition, the size of the isolated colonies was much larger than that on ACS medium. Thus, 5FC medium can be regarded as a useful tool for isolating dermatophytes from various contaminated samples.
Anti-Bacterial Agents↗
Metachronous multicentric occurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma after surgical treatment - clinicopathological comparison with recurrence due to metastasis.
This study investigated clinicopathological features of patients with recurrence of metachronous multicentric occurrence by comparison with patients with recurrence due to metastasis. In 177 patients, recurrences after curative surgical treatment were classified into recurrence due to metastasis according to criteria based on imaging findings. This group consisted of 35 patients. Among the rest of the patients, 59 underwent fine needle biopsies for recurrent tumor and, in these patients, a classification of recurrence of metachronous multicentric occurrence was made based on the histological findings of primary and recurrent tumor. This group consisted of 33 patients. The estimated incidence for recurrence of metachronous multicentric occurrence was 44.8% to total total patients. Metachronous multicentric occurrence frequently developed in patients with anti-HCV antibody and an early stage of primary tumor. In 80% of the patients who had recurrent tumor of multicentric origin, the recurrence developed within 3 postoperative years. The survival rate in patients with metachronous multicentric occurrence was significantly higher than that in patients with recurrence due to metastasis. Conclusively, the incidence of patients with recurrence of metachronous multicentric occurrence was high, but the prognosis for these patients was significantly better than that for patients with recurrence due to metastasis.
Aged↗
Beta-lipoproteins influence the serum level of hepatitis C virus.
Low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) has been proposed as a candidate receptor for hepatitis C virus (HCV). According to previous reports, free beta-lipoproteins in a human serum may regulate the rate of hepatocyte infection by competing with the virus. Therefore, serum HCV levels should be regulated by the rise and fall of serum beta-lipoproteins since the infection rate of virions influences HCV replication in hepatocytes and release of virions by hepatocytes. In this study, we examined the relationship between serum beta-lipoproteins and HCV-antigen (Ag) levels in patients with chronic type C hepatitis. Patients were selected based on strict criteria to eliminate other factors that might influence serum HCV levels. Serum concentrations of beta-lipoproteins and HCV-Ag were measured two or more times within 3 months for each patient. The result showed that HCV-Ag levels were negatively correlated with the increased beta-lipoproteins. The results support the concept that LDLR is a HCV receptor and that beta-lipoproteins competitively inhibit the infection of hepatocytes with HCV through the LDLR.
Binding, Competitive↗
Analysis of HBs antigen negative variant of hepatitis B virus: unique substitutions, Glu129 to Asp and Gly145 to Ala in the surface antigen gene.
We analyzed the surface gene (S gene) of a hepatitis B virus (HBV) isolate with mutations of envelope protein that rendered it undetectable by both a monoclonal hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and polyclonal HBsAg radioimmunoassay (RIA). Sequencing of independently cloned products of HBV polymerase chain reaction revealed several point mutations within the S gene. Rare substitution was identified both at positions 129 (glutamine to asparagine) and at position 145 (glycine to alanine) in the 'a' determinant region, which is considered to be within a larger antigenic area known as the major hydrophilic region (MHR). A computer-assisted analysis of protein secondary structure could not find any significant difference between this mutant and wild-type HBsAg. However, the substitution of substitution glycine to alanine at position 129 introduce a putative glycosylation site (Asn-Gly-Thr), which may interfere with the antigenicity of HbsAg. Also, HBV variant with substitution at position 145 (Gly to Ala) has been recently reported to be antigenically altered and to show impaired recognition by polyclonal hepatitis B hyperimmune globulin in vitro. These genetic mutations in the S gene inside MHR may allow to escape detection by standard HBsAg assays.
Amino Acid Sequence↗
Serum leptin levels in patients with nonalcoholic chronic liver disease.
BACKGROUND/AIMS: The elevated serum leptin level of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis has been reported, however, the precise mechanism is still unknown. Leptin expression and protein synthesis have also been detected in activated hepatic stellate cells in cell cultures, which play a major role in hepatic fibrosis. We evaluated the serum leptin levels of patients with nonalcoholic liver diseases including cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis. We also investigated the hepatic clearance of leptin by determining the serum leptin level in blood samples obtained from the portal and hepatic veins. METHODOLOGY: The serum leptin level of 44 patients with nonalcoholic chronic liver disease (male/female = 21/23, cirrhosis/chronic hepatitis = 30/14) and 40 control subjects (male/female = 20/20) was determined in blood samples obtained from the antecubital vein by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We also assessed the relationship between the leptin level and various biochemical tests of liver function. Additionally, we determined the leptin levels in the portal and the hepatic venous blood (nonalcoholic cirrhosis = 10, nonhepatic disease = 4). RESULTS: There were positive correlations between the serum leptin level and body mass index among males and among females in the liver disease group and in the control group. However, the serum leptin level of the liver disease group and control group did not differ significantly. Among the 44 liver disease patients, only the serum cholesterol level was significantly correlated with the serum leptin level after adjusting for sex and body mass index by multiple regression analysis. Furthermore, the leptin level in hepatic venous blood was significantly lower than that in portal venous blood. However, the ratio of [leptin level in hepatic venous blood]/[leptin level in portal venous blood] in the cirrhosis group, and that in the nonhepatic disease group, did not significantly differ. CONCLUSIONS: The serum leptin level of patients with nonalcoholic liver diseases is not elevated. On the other hand, the serum leptin level of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis has been reported to be elevated. The difference in the serum leptin level of patients with nonalcoholic liver disease and that of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis may be due to a difference in factors such as the levels of cytokines or sex steroids, and/or nutrition. Furthermore, it is likely that leptin is cleared in part by the portosystemic circulation through the liver.
Adult↗