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Biomedical subjects

S Mitsuhashi

Publications and source records attributed to S Mitsuhashi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Competitive protein binding assay for activin A/EDF using follistatin determination of activin levels in human plasma.

A sensitive and specific protein binding assay for activin A/EDF (activin) was developed using follistatin as a binding protein and [125I] labelled activin as a tracer. As 50% acetonitrile (CH3CN) separated free and follistatin-bound activin, plasma pretreated with an equal volume of CH3CN was used as the assay sample and B/F separation was also done with 50% CH3CN. The recovery of the assay was 85.0% and its sensitivity was 0.5 ng/ml. Crossreactivity with inhibin A was 1.8%. The mean plasma level of follistatin-free activin in normal subjects was 1.3 +/- 0.7%. (M +/- SD) ng/ml. Plasma free activin levels were generally elevated in patients with chronic renal failure or hematological diseases associated with anemia.

Activins

Inactivation of new carbapenem antibiotics by dehydropeptidase-I from porcine and human renal cortex.

The stability of the new carbapenem antibiotics, panipenem, meropenem and LJC 10,627, against porcine and human renal dehydropeptidase-I (DHP-I) was compared with that of imipenem. The order of stability to hydrolysis by renal DHP-I was: LJC 10,627 greater than meropenem greater than panipenem greater than imipenem. After incubation of the drugs with porcine or human enzyme at 30 degrees C for 4 h, the percentages of residual activity were as follows: LJC 10,627, 73.7% and 95.6%, respectively; meropenem, 0.2% and 28.7%, respectively; panipenem, 0% and 4.3%, respectively; and imipenem, 0% and 0.1%, respectively. These results demonstrate that LJC 10,627 has extremely high stability against renal DHP-I.

Animals

Comparative in-vitro activity of RP 59500 against clinical bacterial isolates.

The activity of RP 59500 against Gram-positive cocci was determined by an agar dilution method and compared with that of erythromycin, cefotaxime and ampicillin. Of the 344 clinical isolates tested, none was resistant to RP 59500; this compound was active both against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and against macrolide-resistant Gram-positive cocci. The bactericidal activity of RP 59500 was confirmed by killing curve determinations.

Ampicillin

Comparative in vitro activities of a new quinolone, OPC-17116, possessing potent activity against gram-positive bacteria.

The in vitro antibacterial activity of OPC-17116, a new fluoroquinolone, against a wide variety of clinical isolates was evaluated and compared with those of ciprofloxacin, ofloxacin, and norfloxacin. OPC-17116 showed potent broad-spectrum activity against gram-positive and -negative bacteria. The activity of this compound against gram-positive bacteria was higher than those of other quinolones, and its activity against gram-negative and anaerobic bacteria was roughly comparable to those of other quinolones. OPC-17116 had potent activity against important pathogens of respiratory tract infections such as Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Haemophilus influenzae, and Branhamella catarrhalis. The MICs of this compound against 90% of these organisms, except for methicillin-resistant S. aureus, ranged from less than or equal to 0.006 to 3.13 micrograms/ml. OPC-17116 at more than one-half the MICs was bactericidal against clinical isolates of S. aureus, Escherichia coli, K. pneumoniae, and P. aeruginosa. The activity of OPC-17116 was decreased by several culture conditions such as acidic pH, high concentration of Mg2+ ions, and inoculum size of 10(7) CFU/ml. OPC-17116 inhibited the supercoiling activity of DNA gyrases from E. coli KL-16 and S. aureus SA113 (50% inhibitory concentrations, 0.19 and 23.0 micrograms/ml, respectively). The amount of OPC-17116 accumulation was higher than that of other quinolones in S. aureus.

Anti-Infective Agents

In vitro activity of T-3761, a new fluoroquinolone.

The in vitro activity of T-3761, a new fluoroquinolone antimicrobial agent which has an oxazine ring structure with a cyclopropyl moiety at C-10, was compared with those of other agents against 2,854 clinical isolates. T-3761 had a broad spectrum of activity and had potent activity against gram-positive and -negative bacteria. The MICs of T-3761 against 90% of the methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-susceptible and -resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Clostridium spp. tested were 0.39 to 6.25 micrograms/ml. Its activity was comparable to those of ciprofloxacin and ofloxacin and four- to eightfold greater than those of norfloxacin and fleroxacin, but its activity was two- to eightfold less than that of tosufloxacin. Some isolates of ciprofloxacin-resistant S. aureus (MIC of ciprofloxacin, greater than or equal to 3.13 micrograms/ml) were still susceptible to T-3761 (MIC of T-3761, less than or equal to 0.78 micrograms/ml). The MICs of T-3761 against 90% of the streptococci and enterococci tested were 3.13 to 100 micrograms/ml. Its activity was equal to or 2- or 4-fold greater than those of norfloxacin and fleroxacin, equal to or 2- or 4-fold less than those of ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin, and 4- to 16-fold less than that of tosufloxacin. The activity of T-3761 against gram-negative bacteria was usually fourfold greater than those of norfloxacin, ofloxacin, and fleroxacin. Many isolates which were resistant to nonfluoroquinolone agents, such as minocycline- or imipenem-resistant S. aureus, ceftazidime-resistant members of the family Enterobacteriaceae, gentamicin- or imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and ampicillin-resistant Haemophilus influenzae and Neisseria gonorrhoeae, were susceptible to T-3761. The MBCs of T-3761 were either equal to or twofold greater than the MICs. The number of viable cells decreased rapidly during incubation with T-3761 at one to four times the MIC. At a concentration of four times the MIC, the frequencies of appearance of spontaneous mutants resistant to T-3761 against S. aureus, Escherichia coli, Serratia marcescens, and P. aeruginosa were 2.2 x 10(-8) to less than or equal to 1.2 x 10(-9). The 50% inhibitory concentrations of T-3761 for DNA gyrases isolated from E. coli and P. aeruginosa were 0.88 and 1.9 micrograms/ml, respectively.

Anti-Infective Agents

In vitro activity of E1040 against imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains.

E1040 showed the most potent activity (MIC for 90% of strains, 6.25 micrograms/ml) among beta-lactams tested against 70 strains of imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Two strains showed high-level resistance to E1040; one strain produced a type II oxyiminocephalosporin-hydrolyzing beta-lactamase (group 3), and the other produced an enzyme similar to a type II penicillinase (OXA-1). Both beta-lactamases contributed to resistance to E1040.

Anti-Bacterial Agents

In vitro properties of the newer quinolones.

Table 5 summarizes the activity of the newer quinolones against various bacteria including intracellular bacteria and the other microorganisms. In this table, the overall MIC ranges of NFLX, ENX, OFLX, and CPFX, for susceptible isolates of each bacteria are schematically presented. The newer quinolones are considered to have sufficient activity against gram-negative enteric bacteria, N. gonorrhoeae, and H. influenzae and Legionella spp. Since OFLX and CPFX show only moderate activity against staphylococci, streptococci, and P. aeruginosa, improvement is expected. As shown in Table 3, TFLX and the recent investigational quinolones such as SPFX and KB-5246 show higher and promising activity against gram-positive bacteria. However, further studies are needed with longer periods to indicate whether these newer agents will be able to stop the increase of quinolone-resistant staphylococci. Furthermore, the activity of the newer quinolones against obligate anaerobes such as clostridia and bacteroides are considered to be insufficient for clinical use. Whether it will be possible to synthesize quinolones with anti-anaerobic activity sufficiently for clinical treatment is uncertain. Although Mycobacterium tuberculosis is susceptible to the newer quinolones, other mycobacteria are somewhat less susceptible to this class of agents. In addition, the newer quinolones have adequate activity against mycoplasma, chlamydia and rickettsia. From a microbiological viewpoint the prospects for the newer quinolones would be primarily to find agents that have higher anti-staphylococcal and anti-streptococcal activity. Secondly, agents possessing superior activity against obligate anaerobes such as Bacteroides spp. and Clostridium spp. are expected to synthesize. Furthermore, it may be possible to synthesize compounds that are sufficiently active for clinical use against atypical mycoplasma, chlamydia, and rickettsia.

4-Quinolones

Radioimmunoassay of growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) with a polyclonal antibody against synthetic GHRH(1-29)-Gly4-Cys-NH2: method and clinical studies.

A radioimmunoassay (RIA) for growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) using a polyclonal antibody against synthetic GHRH(1-29)-Gly4-Cys-NH2 has been developed. The antiserum (RBM105) showed full cross-reactivity with GHRH-(1-44)NH2, GHRH-(1-40)OH, GHRH-(1-37)OH and GHRH-(3-44)NH2, and probably recognized the region of Ala4 to Lys12 of GHRH. Since the sensitivity of the GHRH RIA was 1.5 pg/tube, the lowest detectable plasma level was 5 ng/l when an extract of 0.3 ml of plasma per tube was used. On gelfiltration chromatography, the GHRH immunoreactivity of normal plasma was eluted in the same position as synthetic GHRH. The plasma GHRH concentration in healthy subjects was 20.5 +/- 6.5 ng/l (mean +/- SD), and in patients with hypothalamic disorders was 17.4 +/- 2.0 ng/l. In contrast, the plasma GHRH level in hemodialysis-dependent, chronic renal failure (CRF-HD) patients (38.7 +/- 13.1 ng/l) was significantly higher than normal. The acromegalic patients were 24.3 +/- 11.9 ng/l, except for one patient with ectopic GHRH syndrome (990 ng/l): his plasma GHRH level reached 7,100 ng/l during operation, and then decreased logarithmically to 70 ng/l after 6 h. Somatostatin at concentrations of 10 and 1,000 nmol/l significantly suppressed (GHRH release) from primary culture cells of the GHRH-producing tumor from 17.3 +/- 0.92 ng/2 x 10(5) cells to 9.98 +/- 3.61 and 4.32 +/- 1.01 ng/2 x 10(5) cells, respectively after 48 h. These data indicate that this GHRH RIA is useful for determining the plasma GHRH concentration in normal and diseased states and also for in vitro studies of GHRH release.

Acromegaly

In vitro synergistic activity between meropenem and other beta-lactams against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

The in vitro activity of meropenem, a carbapenem antibiotic, combined with eight other beta-lactams against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was tested. The MICs of these antibiotics alone ranged from 12.5 to 1,600 micrograms/ml for the 25 clinical isolates of MRSA studied. All combinations with meropenem exhibited marked synergy as determined by the checkerboard method. The MICs in combinations of meropenem with other beta-lactams were reduced to 1/4-1/64 those of the antibiotics alone. No antagonism was observed for any of the combinations of meropenem with other beta-lactams. Synergism between meropenem and cefpiramide was the highest among the combinations tested, the geometric mean of the fractional inhibitory concentration index for this combination being 0.237. This combination also demonstrated strong bactericidal activity, the MBCs decreasing to 1/16-1/64 of those for the agents alone. In terms of the fractional inhibitory concentration index, this was the most effective combination against MRSA highly resistant to meropenem alone with synergism for 85% (81/95) of the strains. In addition, synergism of imipenem with cephalosporins against MRSA was demonstrated. The affinity of meropenem and cefpiramide for MRSA penicillin-binding protein (PBP) 2' was very low, and the combination of both antibiotics showed an additive increase in affinity for this protein, but not a synergistic increase. Thus, the mechanism of synergism did not seem to be related to affinity for PBP2'. It is possible that there is another factor besides PBP2' which increases the resistance that the combinations inhibit the unknown factor.

Anti-Bacterial Agents

Factors influencing the uptake of norfloxacin by Escherichia coli.

The effect of cyanide, arsenate, Mg++ or EDTA on the uptake of norfloxacin in Escherichia coli was measured. Uptake of norfloxacin was suppressed by either 0.1 mM MgSO4 or 0.1 mM EDTA, while the presence of 0.1 mM MgSO4 increased the minimum suppressive concentration of EDTA from 0.1 to 0.2 mM. Increased uptake in the presence of 10 mM cyanide was observed, but the addition of 10 mM arsenate had no significant effect. Concentration of norfloxacin in bacterial cells was observed even when uptake was suppressed by the addition of 10 mM EDTA. Uptake in mini-cells was comparable to that in whole cells. These results suggest that the uptake of norfloxacin in E. coli, in addition to influx by simple diffusion and energy-dependent efflux, is influenced by binding of norfloxacin to the cell surface as a result of chelating activity to Mg++, together with an unknown concentration step resulting from binding to cell components other than the chromosome.

Arsenates

Transferable imipenem resistance in Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

We isolated an imipenem-resistant strain, GN17203, of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The strain produced a beta-lactamase that hydrolyzed imipenem. The beta-lactamase was encoded by a 31-MDa plasmid, pMS350, which belongs to incompatibility group P-9. The plasmic conferred resistance to beta-lactams, gentamicin, and sulfonamide and was transferable by conjugation to P. aeruginosa but not to Escherichia coli. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 28,000, and the isoelectric point was 9.0. The enzyme showed a broad substrate profile, hydrolyzing imipenem, oxyiminocephalosporins, 7-methoxycephalosporins, and penicillins. The enzyme activity was inhibited by EDTA, iodine, p-chloromercuribenzoate, CuSO4, and HgCl2 but not by clavulanic acid or sulbactam.

Conjugation, Genetic

Mechanisms of clinical resistance to fluoroquinolones in Staphylococcus aureus.

Mechanisms of Staphylococcus aureus resistance to fluoroquinolones were characterized. Subunit A and B proteins of DNA gyrase were partially purified from fluoroquinolone-susceptible strain SA113 and resistant isolate MS16405, which was 250- to 1,000-fold less susceptible to fluoroquinolones such as ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, temafloxacin, and sparfloxacin than SA113 was. The supercoiling activity of the gyrase from SA113 was inhibited by the fluoroquinolones, and the 50% inhibitory concentrations of the drugs correlated well with their MICs. In contrast, the gyrase from MS16405 was insensitive to inhibition of supercoiling by all of the quinolones tested, even at 800 micrograms/ml. Combinations of heterologous gyrase subunits showed that subunit A from MS16405 conferred fluoroquinolone resistance, suggesting that an alteration in gyrase subunit A is a cause of the fluoroquinolone resistance in MS16405. Uptake of hydrophilic fluoroquinolones such as ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin by MS16405 was significantly lower than that by SA113. Furthermore, this difference was abolished by the addition of an energy inhibitor, carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, suggesting that an alteration in an energy-dependent process, such as an active efflux of hydrophilic quinolones, may lead to decreased drug uptake and hence to increased resistance to fluoroquinolones in MS16405. These findings suggest that the fluoroquinolone resistance in MS16405 is due mainly to an alteration in subunit A of DNA gyrase and may also be associated with an alteration in the drug uptake process.

4-Quinolones

Mechanisms of clinical resistance to fluoroquinolones in Enterococcus faecalis.

About 10% of 100 clinical isolates of Enterococcus faecalis were resistant to greater than or equal to 25 micrograms of norfloxacin, ofloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and temafloxacin per ml. In this study, the DNA gyrase of E. faecalis was purified from a fluoroquinolone-susceptible strain (ATCC 19433) and two resistant isolates, MS16968 and MS16996. Strains MS16968 and MS16996 were 64- to 128-fold and 16- to 32-fold less susceptible, respectively, to fluoroquinolones than was ATCC 19433; MICs of nonquinolone antibacterial agents for these strains were almost equal. The DNA gyrase from ATCC 19433 had two subunits, designated A and B, with properties similar to those of DNA gyrase from other gram-positive bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis and Micrococcus luteus. Inhibition of the supercoiling activity of the enzyme from ATCC 19433 by the fluoroquinolones correlated with their antibacterial activities. In contrast, preparations of DNA gyrase from MS16968 and MS16996 were at least 30-fold less sensitive to inhibition of supercoiling by the fluoroquinolones than the gyrase from ATCC 19433 was. Experiments that combined heterologous gyrase subunits showed that the A subunit from either of the resistant isolates conferred resistance to fluoroquinolones. These findings indicate that an alteration in the gyrase A subunit is the major contributor to fluoroquinolone resistance in E. faecalis clinical isolates. A difference in drug uptake may also contribute to the level of fluoroquinolone resistance in these isolates.

Adenosine Triphosphate