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Biomedical subjects

T Hongo

Publications and source records attributed to T Hongo.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Nutritional assessment of a group of Japanese elementary school children in Tokyo: with special emphasis on growth, anemia, and obesity.

Anthropometric data, nutrient intake data, and blood biochemical parameters were analyzed for 66 elementary school children living in Tokyo, Japan, and their nutritional status was evaluated focusing on three problems: (1) zinc nutriture and growth, (2) anemia with iron deficiency, and (3) lipid nutriture and obesity. The subjects' mean energy and protein intakes met the recommended levels for Japanese children. However, their zinc intake levels were inadequate at 7.2, 8.3, and 8.5 mg in grades 2 (mean age: 8 yr), 4 (10 yr), and 6 (12 yr), respectively. Mean serum zinc concentration was 0.82 +/- 0.15 microgram/ml; the percentages of subjects who showed serum zinc concentration lower than 0.68 microgram/ml, the lower limit of the normal serum zinc concentration, were 28.6, 15.4, and 5.0% in grades 2, 4, and 6, respectively. These serum zinc concentrations indicated the existence of marginal zinc deficiency in some children, particularly in grade 2, though it was not severe enough to retard growth. Their iron intake levels (8.2, 10.2, and 10.2 mg for grades 2, 4, and 6, respectively) in combination with the proportion of iron intake from animal foods (37%) were judged to be adequate because no children showed serum ferritin, serum iron, or transferrin saturation levels lower than the criteria levels recommended for iron deficiency. Moreover, no definitely anemic children were found. Daily lipid intakes were 65.7, 74.5, and 78.3 g in grades 2, 4, and 6, respectively, and the mean percentage of energy intake from lipid to total energy intake, 32%, exceeded the level recommended. Mean serum total cholesterol concentrations and the percentage of subjects with elevated cholesterol levels (greater than or equal to 200 mg/dl) were high compared with the reported values. Means of the body mass index (BMI) and Rohrer Index (RI) for the subjects were slightly higher than Japanese standards. With these parameters for obesity, triglycerides and atherogenic index were positively correlated and HDL cholesterol and HDL cholesterol percentage to total cholesterol were negatively correlated.

Anemia, Hypochromic↗

Specific binding of antibodies to platelet-activating factor (PAF) as demonstrated by thin-layer chromatography/immunostaining.

The specificity of rabbit antibodies produced by injection of 1-O-(15'-carboxypentadecyl)-2-N,N-dimethylcarbamoyl-sn-glycero-3- phosphocholine bovine serum albumin (BSA) conjugates was examined by a thin-layer chromatography (TLC/immunostaining method. Phosphatidylcholine (PC), lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPC), lyso platelet-activating factor (lysoPAF), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylserine (PS), sphingomyelin (SM), phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidic acid (PA) and cardiolipin (CL) were not immunostained. Among several synthetic PAF-related compounds, the antibodies only bound to PAF agonists which have the activity to induce washed rabbit platelet aggregation. The results suggest that the binding sites of the antibodies on the PAF molecule are the acetyl group at the sn-2 position and the choline moiety at the sn-3 position of glycerol, both of which are essential for exerting the biological function of PAF and for binding to the PAF receptors located on cellular membranes.

Animals↗

Radioimmunoassay for platelet-activating factor.

A radioimmunoassay (RIA) for measurement of platelet-activating factor (PAF) was developed. At a final antiserum dilution of 1:640, the lowest detection limit of PAF was 0.1 pmol (50 pg). The standard curve obtained was suitable for measurement of PAF in amounts ranging from 0.1 pmol to 30 pmol. The antiserum showed high specificity. Cross-reaction for lysoPAF, lysophosphatidylcholine and long-chain phosphatidylcholines was very low (less than 0.025%). 1-Palmitoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine cross-reacted slightly (6.25%). PAF exogenously added to macrophage suspensions was quantitatively determined by RIA after solvent extraction and high-performance liquid chromatographic separation. RIA was also used to estimate PAF formation after stimulation of rabbit alveolar macrophages in suspension with calcium ionophore A23187.

Animals↗

A 7-34 analog of the parathyroid hormone-related protein has potent antagonist and partial agonist activity in vivo.

The biological properties of a new synthetic analog of parathyroid hormone-related protein [PTHrP-(7-34)NH2] were examined in vivo using a well characterized thyroparathyroidectomized (TPTX) rat model. The phosphaturic and urine cyclic AMP response induced by infusion of PTHrP-(1-34)NH2 (0.16 nmol/h) was inhibited by 70% (P less than 0.01, n = 6) by co-infusion of PTHrP-(7-34)NH2 at a 10-fold molar excess (1.6 nmol/h). The 7-34 PTHrP analog also antagonized the PTHrP-(1-34)NH2-induced hypercalcemia and rises in blood 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D concentrations. However, when infused alone at a higher dose rate (8 nmol/h), PTHrP-(7-34)NH2 displayed significant PTH agonist activity. This profile contrasts to that of [Tyr-34]bPTH-(7-34)NH2 which is comparatively less potent (10-20-fold) with respect to its antagonist activity but has no appreciable agonist activity in vivo.

Animals↗

Angiotensin-induced hypertension chemotherapy in children with advanced solid tumors.

Angiotensin-induced hypertension chemotherapy (IHC) was investigated in six children with the following advanced malignancies: hepatocellular carcinoma, extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma, sacrococcygeal malignant teratoma, small round cell tumor of the chest wall, hepatoblastoma and osteogenic sarcoma. Partial response was achieved in three of these patients, two showed no change, and in one IHC was used as adjuvant chemotherapy. The side effects of IHC were minimal and tolerable. Angiotensin-IHC may provide a new approach to pediatric cancer chemotherapy.

Adolescent↗

Development of the low impedance points in the auricular skin of experimental peritonitis rats.

Electrical impedance of the auricular skin was measured in experimental peritonitis rats. Constant voltage pulses (10ms, 4V) were applied to the skin, then the impedance was estimated. Low impedance points were gradually increased after the operation for 7-14 days then they returned to the control level. The pseudo-sweating responses accompanied by the development of peritonitis were also observed. Histological study could not find any sweat glands in the auricular skin. These results suggest that the activation of the sweat glands is not the major cause of the formation of the low impedance points. Other possibilities of these phenomena were discussed.

Acupuncture Points↗

Abundant expression of parathyroid hormone-related protein in primary rat aortic smooth muscle cells accompanies serum-induced proliferation.

Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP), which is responsible for producing hypercalcemia in patients with humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy, has recently been identified in several normal tissues. Because PTHrP, like parathyroid hormone (PTH), is known to exhibit vasodilatory properties, we investigated the expression and regulation of PTHrP mRNA in cultured rat aortic smooth muscle cells (SMC). We report here that PTHrP mRNA is expressed in SMC and is markedly induced by serum in a time- and concentration-dependent fashion. Addition of 10% fetal calf serum to serum-deprived, confluent cells, resulted in a marked induction of PTHrP mRNA by 2 h with a peak at 4-6 h. PTHrP was detected in SMC by immunocytochemistry and radioimmunoassay of conditioned medium, and was shown to be up-regulated within 24 h after the addition of serum. The serum induction of PTHrP mRNA was blocked by actinomycin D and by cycloheximide indicating the need for protein synthesis to evoke the serum effect on PTHrP gene transcription. In addition, treatment with dexamethasone, which has been previously shown to reduce the constitutive expression of PTHrP in human cancer cells, also blunted the serum induction of PTHrP mRNA in SMC. Treatment of quiescent cells with the serum mitogens platelet-derived growth factor or insulin-like growth factor-I had no effect on PTHrP, whereas the vasoactive peptides endothelin, norepinephrine and thrombin stimulated PTHrP expression. Exogenous addition of recombinant PTHrP-(1-141) had no significant effect on SMC DNA synthesis as measured by [3H]thymidine incorporation. In summary, the abundance of PTHrP mRNA and the characteristics of its regulation in SMC suggest a major role for PTHrP as a local modulator in vascular smooth muscle.

Animals↗

Analysis of galactosyltransferase activity in rat gastric mucosa using crude mucosal homogenate.

Mucus glycoprotein is one of the major components of gastric mucus which plays an important role in mucosal defensive mechanisms as a mucus-bicarbonate barrier. Analysis of the mucus glycoprotein synthesis is a useful tool for evaluating gastric mucosal defensive factors. UDP-galactosyltransferase (UDP-Gal-T) is one of the regulating enzymes for the synthesis of the mucus glycoprotein. In the present paper, we studied assay methods for UDP-Gal-T activity in rat gastric mucosa using radiolabeled UDP-galactose and two different kinds of acceptor proteins, namely ovomucoid and asialomucin, and analyzed effects of antisecretory agents on the UDP-Gal-T activity. We used crude supernatants of homogenized scrapings of the fundic part of rat stomach as an enzyme preparation and determined optimal conditions. In each acceptor, Mn2+ and the non-ionic detergent Triton X-100 were required for the enzyme activity. With each acceptor molecule, the type of glycosidic linkages of galactose was beta-type linkage. With asialomucin as an acceptor, UDP-Gal-T activities of rat gastric mucosa decreased after intraperitoneal administration of antisecretory agents, while change of the enzyme activity was not observed with ovomucoid as an acceptor.

Animals↗

In vitro chemosensitivity of lymphoblasts at relapse in childhood leukemia using the MTT assay.

Lymphoblasts from 21 previously untreated patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 31 patients in relapse were tested for chemosensitivity. Blast cells were cultured with 22 anticancer drugs for 4 days and assayed by MTT dye using a scanning microplate photometer. The percent cytotoxicity index (%CI) and LD50 (micrograms/ml) were calculated for each drug. The mean absorbances (+/- S.D.) of 1 x 10(5) cells in the untreated group and relapsed groups in control wells were 0.219 (+/- 0.126) and 0.385 (+/- 0.147), respectively (p less than 0.01). Cells in the untreated group were more sensitive in vitro to vincristine, prednisolone, L-asparaginase (L-ASP), vinblastine, 5-fluorouracil, epirubicin, bleomycin (BLM), and etoposide (VP16) with respect to the %CI value and to L-ASP, VP16, BLM, and mitoxantrone with respect to the LD50 value than those in the relapsed groups. In contrast, no significant differences were observed for the other 13 drugs. There was also a significant difference in sensitivity within the relapsed group--13 having good clinical response and 15 showing no response to chemotherapy--with regard to four drugs, mitomycin C, neocarzinostatin, L-ASP, and teniposide. Cells in the relapsed group had more heterogeneous chemosensitivity than those in the untreated group, and divided into sensitive and resistant types, but large interindividual differences existed. The MTT assay and LD50-drug resistance percentile curves are useful for the selection of effective drugs in both untreated and relapsed patients with acute leukemia.

Acute Disease↗

Research into changes in canine maxillary trabecular bone orientation after tooth extraction.

This paper described the morphological changes in the trabecular bone orientation of the jaw bone due to reduction in the applied functional pressure. All teeth on the right side of the upper and lower jaws were extracted from canine specimens. Experimental periods were set at 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, and 13 months after tooth extraction. The trabecular bone orientation was measured by an image analyzer as morphometrical parameters. The loss of teeth changed the support system for functional pressure, resulting in the marked disordering of the trabecular bone orientation.

Alveolar Process↗

An in vitro chemosensitivity test for the screening of anti-cancer drugs in childhood leukemia.

We applied the MTT dye reduction assay to the anti-cancer drug sensitivity test using short-term microplate cultures. Blast cells were cultured with approximately 25 anti-cancer drugs for 4 days. After cultivation, MTT dye was placed in each well, and the formazans generated by living cells were dissolved in acidified isopropyl alcohol. The absorbance of each well was measured at a scanning microplate photometer. When we made the table of the cytotoxicity index (CI) that was classified into anti-cancer drugs and concentrations for each leukemic sample, it was possible to compare efficacy with different drugs and to select the effective ones. Retrospectively, the in vitro results were compared with the clinical responses of the 34 patients (26 of acute lymphocytic leukemia [ALL] and eight of acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia [ANLL]) who were treated by combination chemotherapy. The following results were obtained: true-positive rate, 78.1%; true-negative rate, 57.1%; and predictive accuracy, 74.4%. Therefore, the MTT assay-CI table might serve as a reliable tool for the selection of effective chemotherapy in patients with acute leukemia.

Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols↗

The synthetic human parathyroid hormone-related protein is inhibited by a parathyroid hormone antagonist in rats in vivo.

The structure of a novel protein, parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP), secreted by human tumors associated with hypercalcemia has recently been determined. Administration of a synthetic fragment of this protein in vivo reproduces features of the clinical paraneoplastic syndrome of humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy and produces biologic responses closely similar to those obtained with parathyroid hormone (PTH). A PTH antagonist designed to reversibly occupy PTH receptors inhibited major actions of the tumor peptide in vivo, including phosphaturia, urinary cAMP excretion, and increased serum ionized calcium. These studies indicate that PTHrP and PTH mediate their bioactivities through shared receptors in vivo and establish a potential specific mechanism-based approach utilizing PTH antagonists for the therapy of tumor-associated hypercalcemia.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Constitutive expression of a vitamin D 1-hydroxylase in a myelomonocytic cell line: a model for studying 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D production in vitro.

The capacity of the v-myc-transformed, chicken myelomonocytic cell line HD-11 to metabolize 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25-OHD3) was examined. HD-11 cells produced and secreted a metabolite of 25-OHD3 that was bound with high affinity by receptor for 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2D3]. On normal-phase HPLC, this metabolite cochromatographed with authentic 1,25-(OH)2D3 in both hexane- and methylene chloride-based solvent systems. The 25-OHD3 1-hydroxylation reaction was substrate saturable with a Km of 73 nM 25-OHD3 and a maximal velocity of 167 fmol per 10(6) cells per h. This reaction was inhibited by ketoconazole, a recognized inhibitor of cytochrome P450 mixed-function oxidases including the authentic, renal 25-OHD3 1-hydroxylase. On the other hand, HD-11 cell 1,25-(OH)2D3 production was not affected by the antioxidant DPPD, a known inhibitor of free radical-generated 1,25-(OH)2D3. In addition to synthesizing 1,25-(OH)2D3, this monocyte-macrophage cell line also has the potential to be a target for the hormone; HD-11 cells express high-affinity receptor for 1,25-(OH)2D3 (Kin = 0.06 nM).

25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 1-alpha-Hydroxylase↗

Spatial patterns of reflex evoked by pressure stimulation of the foot pads in cats.

1. The spatial patterns of reflexes elicited by localized pressure stimulation of the foot skin were analysed by recording electromyographic activities of various hindlimb muscles or muscle nerve discharges in cats anaesthetized with sodium pentobarbitone. 2. Reflex discharges evoked by stimulation of the central pad occurred mainly in physiological toe extensors located in the foot. Stimulus-response relationships of single motor units revealed characteristically wide ranges of graded response and recruitment. 3. Within the central pad, the strongest excitation was evoked from the central lobe and was distributed to extensors of all four toes. Excitation from the medial and the lateral lobes was usually asymmetrical and weaker in toe muscles of the stimulated side. It is suggested that the weakness was in part due to concomitant inhibition. 4. Stimulation of a toe pad caused marked suppression of central pad-evoked activity of toe extensors with a highly specific spatial pattern. The inhibition was strongest in extensors of its own toe, and gradually weaker in the more distant toes. Weak excitation was occasionally evoked in extensors of the most medial or lateral toes, when the most lateral or the most medial toe-pad, respectively, was stimulated. 5. A similar pattern of relfex to that from the toe pad was evoked from the claw base and the hairy toe dorsum of each digit. 6. Reflex effects, both inhibitory and excitatory, from the central and toe pads, claw bases and toe dorsum were maintained during prolonged stimuli, indicating that slowly adapting receptors contributed to these reflexes. 7. It is concluded that stimulation of localized skin areas of the foot, particularly the pads, evokes highly specialized reflexes, which may be important in controlling movements of individual digits.

Animals↗

Purification and characterization of (H+ + K+)-ATPase from hog gastric mucosa.

A (H+ + K+)-ATPase-enriched membrane fraction derived from the fundic portion of hog gastric mucosa was obtained by a combination of differential and repeated 7% Ficoll gradient centrifugation. The microsomal membrane fraction isolated by repeated 7% Ficoll gradient centrifugation was free of ouabain-sensitive (Na+ + K+)-ATPase, 5'-nucleotidase and succinate dehydrogenase; and it was highly enriched in (H+ + K+)-ATPase and K(+)-stimulated p-nitrophenylphosphatase (p-NPPase). The (H+ + K+)-ATPase had a pH optimum of 7.4 and was stimulated by Tl+, K+, Rb+ and NH4+ with Ka values of 0.0667, 0.526, 0.667 and 3.03 mM, respectively, at this pH. On the other hand, monovalent cations such as Na+, Li+ and (CH3)4N+ as well as divalent cations such as Cu2+, Ca2+, Ba2+, Sr2+ and Cd2+ inhibited this enzyme activity concentration-dependently. Ouabain and oligomycin had no effect, whereas omeprazole, a specific (H+ + K+)-ATPase inhibitor, inhibited this enzyme activity in a pH-dependent manner. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed a major band (greater than or equal to 90% of protein) at 97,400 daltons, which was phosphorylated in the presence of Mg2+ and [gamma-32P]-ATP and dephosphorylated in the presence of K+. The present method was very simple, and the (H+ + K+)-ATPase activity of the microsomal fraction obtained by this method was much higher compared with those obtained by other methods such as free-flow electrophoresis.

Adenosine Triphosphatases↗

Study of the internal structure of the infantile zygomatic bone.

External measurements of the zygomatic bone have been reported, but there are no reports on the internal structure. We studied the internal structure of the zygomatic bone and determined the changes in cortical bone width, cortical bone ratio to total cross-sectional area, and trabecular bone width through six periods of tooth growth and development. Zygomatic bone were fixed in resin and sliced, then the cross-sectional specimens were photographed with soft X-rays. The images were analyzed with an image processor. The specimens included the surrounding cortical bone and its internal spongy substance. The cortical bone width, cortical bone ratio, and trabecular bone width increased significantly from the period of deciduous dentition to the first early period of mixed dentition, but leveled off after that. This indicates that in addition to the growth and development of the zygomatic bone itself, its structure is also affected by the forces generated in the maxilla by mastication.

Bone Density↗

A physiological and morphological study of premotor interneurones in the cutaneous reflex pathways in cats.

Implantation of an HRP-pellet into motor nuclei at the T1 segment resulted in retrograde labelling of laminae V-VII neurones densely at C6-C8 in cats. Electrophysiological experiments showed the presence of neurones in this region that received inputs from skin afferents and cortico- and rubrospinal tracts, sent axons descending in the lateral funiculus, and distributed in the motor nucleus at T1. Termination in T1 motor nuclei was also verified by intra-axonal staining with HRP. The input and output properties of these neurones indicated that they can be premotor neurones of skin reflex pathways to T1 motoneurones.

Animals↗