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Biomedical subjects

T Nosaka

Publications and source records attributed to T Nosaka.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

The post-transcriptional regulator Rex of the human T-cell leukemia virus type I is present as nucleolar speckles in infected cells.

The rex-encoded protein (Rex) of human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) is responsible for the cytoplasmic accumulation of incompletely spliced mRNAs that encode the virion structural proteins. Rex is known to be located predominantly in the cell nucleoli in transient transfections or in the isolated nuclei of HTLV-I-infected cells. However, precise location of Rex under physiological conditions has not been determined unequivocally. Here we report that Rex is primarily located as intranucleolar speckles in HTLV-I-infected cells, except for a few nucleoplasmic speckles. This is in contrast to the more diffuse nucleolar distribution of the rev-encoded protein (Rev) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), the functional homologue to Rex, in HIV-1-infected cells. Accumulation of Rev is associated with disruption of nucleolar structure and cell death, whereas Rex does not have these effects. The difference in distribution of Rex and Rev within the nucleoli may reflect the difference of toxicity toward the host cells. Involvement of the nucleolus in processing of certain mRNAs is also discussed.

Animals↗

[Malignant mediastinal lesions with invasion to the superior vena cava].

Four patients underwent resection of mediastinal malignant tumors with invasion to the superior vena cava. Two patients had invasive thymoma, one seminoma, and one metastatic mediastinal lymph nodes of unknown origin. Prior to resection of the tumor, an ePTFE graft was anastomosed between the innominate vein and the right atrium to maintain the venous drainage from the brain and the upper extremities. In two patients, the superior vena cava was reconstructed by patch angioplasty after the tumor with a part of the vena cava was safely resected. One patient died of acute respiratory failure, but the other three are alive and well without any evidence of graft obstruction. This safe and useful method in order to prevent cerebral congestion during and after resection of the tumor.

Adult↗

Transcriptional regulation of basic fibroblast growth factor gene by p53 in human glioblastoma and hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Mutations of the p53 gene are found in various human cancers. The frequency of its mutation is reported to increase during tumor progression in most tumors. In human gliomas, mutations of the p53 gene are found in about one-third of the malignant forms and in few of the benign ones, indicating their possible involvement in tumor progression. On the other hand, we have recently shown that basic fibroblast growth factor (basic FGF) plays a crucial role in tumor progression as an autocrine growth factor in tissues of human gliomas. Therefore, we hypothesized that p53 might regulate the promoter activity of the basic FGF gene, which has several GC boxes and no typical TATA box. In this study, cotransfection assays using human glioblastoma and hepatocellular carcinoma cells and establishment of stable cell lines expressing mutant-type p53 were performed. The basic FGF gene promoter was demonstrated to be regulated by p53 at the transcriptional level and its basal core promoter was found to be responsive to p53. Expression of endogenous basic FGF was also demonstrated to be activated by mutant type p53. Wild-type p53 repressed gene expression of the basic FGF and its mutant activated it in vitro, implying one of the possible pathways in tumor progression.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗

[The relationship between hepatoma and portal vein].

Hepatic cells receive dual blood supply of the arterial and portal systems, but hepatoma has been thought to be supplied completely by hepatic artery. However, transcatheter hepatic artery embolization (TAE) has not been able to damage hepatoma entirely. For the study on the relationship between hepatoma and portal vein, I gave intraportal infusions of bromodeoxyuridine. (BrdU), an analogue of thymidine, to 10 patients with hepatoma at the time of surgery, and counted BrdU-positive nuclei immunohistochemically using the anti-BrdU monoclonal antibody. The labeling index, or percentage of BrdU-labelled cells, was 2.0 +/- 1.1% (mean +/- SD) in the cases without TAE and 11.9 +/- 4.2% in the other after TAE. On the other hand, examining the specimens with Microfil injected into the portal branch showed the distribution of portal branches in the hepatoma by radiograph or microscope. It is concluded that hepatoma does not receive arterial blood supply alone but the portal vein participates in vascular distribution of hepatoma, and the participation gets larger after TAE. It is suggested that this finding could be of great importance in planing treatment of patients with hepatoma.

Adult↗

Novel internal promoter/enhancer of HTLV-I for Tax expression.

The transcription initiation signals in retroviruses lie within the long terminal repeat (LTR) sequences. We have found a new transcriptional promoter in a central portion of the genome of human T-cell leukaemia virus type I (HTLV-I). The transcription start site is located just upstream to the ATG codon of the transcriptional trans-activator molecule, tax protein (Tax). The internal promoter may provide a new insight into gene expression of HTLV-I. The mechanism of leukaemogenesis by the defective HTLV-I is also discussed. Furthermore, we have identified two repeats of a novel enhancer sequence AGTTCT, which are located around the initiation site. We call the sequence HIRE (HTLV-I Internal Regulatory Element).

Animals↗

Molecular diversity of calpastatin in human erythroid cells.

According to differences in mobility on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, calpastatins (inhibitor proteins of the calcium-dependent proteinase calpain) are classified into the tissue type (100-120 kDa) and the erythrocyte type (70 kDa), which lacks the amino-terminal domains (domains L and 1). We investigated the molecular diversity of calpastatin in human hematopoietic cells by Western-blot analysis and by the reverse-transcription-polymerase-chain reaction method. While the mononuclear and polymorphonuclear cells in peripheral blood showed the tissue type (110 and 114 kDa), a cell line of erythroid cells (JK-1) showed both the tissue type (110 kDa) and the erythrocyte type (70 kDa) at approximately equal ratios. When the lysate of JK-1 cells was incubated in the presence of ATP, the 110-kDa form was degraded much faster than the 70-kDa form. In human erythrocytes, the 110-kDa form was identified as the tissue type by an antibody recognizing domain L, and this form was also present in addition to the predominant 70-kDA form. JK-1 cells, as well as nucleated cells in peripheral blood, contained calpastatin mRNA with exon-3-deleted. Glioblastoma and fibroblast cell lines expressed the nondeleted calpastatin mRNA in addition to the deletion type, and they showed bands corresponding to 117 kDa as well as 110 and 114 kDa. The 117-kDa band was detectable by an anti-exon 3 peptide antibody. These results suggest that diversity among the tissue type calpastatins is caused by both alternative splicing and post-translational processing whereas the apparent conversion from the tissue type to the erythrocyte type is caused by proteolytic processing.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Cytotoxic activity of rev protein of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 by nucleolar dysfunction.

The rev protein (Rev) of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is known as a post-transcriptional regulator of viral gene expression. It is located in the cell nucleolus. Transiently expressed Rev caused nucleolar ballooning and deformity with aberrant accumulation of rRNAs, and de novo synthesis of rRNAs decreased dramatically in these cells. However, similarly expressed rex protein (Rex) of the human T-cell leukemia virus type I, which is a functional homologue to Rev, did not affect nucleolar structure and function. Rev expression resulted in cell death with nucleolar destruction in an inducible cell line. Analysis of Rev mutants revealed that both the nucleolar targeting signal of Rev and the multimerization domain are prerequisites to the nucleolar disintegration by Rev. Human T-cells acutely infected with HIV-1 contained nucleoli which were deformed and filled with Rev, but chronically infected cells had intact nucleoli. Involvement of Rev in cytopathic effects in HIV-1 infection is discussed.

Base Sequence↗

Effects of physical exercise on the elasticity and elastic components of the rat aorta.

To evaluate the effects of exercise on aortic wall elasticity and elastic components, young male rats underwent various exercise regimes for 16 weeks. In the exercised rats, the aortic incremental elastic modulus decreased significantly when under physiological strain. The aortic content of elastin increased significantly and the calcium content of elastin decreased significantly in the exercised group. The accumulated data from the exercised and sedentary groups revealed that the elastin calcium content was related positively to the incremental elastic modulus. We concluded that physical exercise from an early age decreases the calcium deposit in aortic wall elastin and that this effect probably produced in the exercised rats a distensible aorta.

Animals↗

Overgrowth of human synovial cells driven by the human T cell leukemia virus type I tax gene.

One of the salient pathological features of rheumatoid arthritis is synovial cell proliferation with bone erosion. Despite extensive investigation, the factors essential for synovial cell proliferation remain to be identified. Recent studies suggest that human T cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) may play an important role in synovial overgrowth observed in patients with one type of chronic inflammatory synovitis. In order to confirm and extend these observations, we have established synovial cell clones (SCCs) from three HTLV-I carriers who demonstrated synovial overgrowth but were otherwise asymptomatic. HTLV-I proviral DNA randomly integrated into the cellular genome was present in 20-30% of SCCs. The SCCs carrying HTLV-I proviral DNA and expressing the tax gene exhibited high levels of proliferative potential. HTLV-I was found to function as a transcriptional trans-activator in these SCCs. Moreover, transfection of the tax expression plasmid into SCCs resulted in the same phenotype of increased proliferation and cytokine expression as exhibited by HTLV-I provirus-carrying and tax-expressing SCCs. These data suggest that tax plays a critical role not only in leukemogenesis but also in synovial overgrowth in humans.

Arthritis↗

Characterization of a novel biphenotypic leukemia cell line, TA-1, with myeloperoxidase and inducible cytoplasmic mu chain: altered rearrangement patterns of antigen receptor genes.

A novel biphenotypic cell line carrying t(9;11)(p22;q23), TA-1, was established from the peripheral blood of a patient with acute undifferentiated leukemia. The TA-1 cells simultaneously expressed lymphoid (CD19, CD20) and myeloid characteristics (CD13, CD33, myeloperoxidase) on the same cells. When the cells were treated with tetraphorbol acetate, cytoplasmic mu chain was induced and the fluorescence intensity of CD13 was increased. These findings suggested that TA-1 cells have a bidirectional maturation capacity, as well as biphenotypic features. Molecular analysis disclosed differences in the rearranged bands, corresponding to one allele of the immunoglobulin heavy chain gene (IgH) and the T cell antigen receptor gamma gene (TCR gamma), between the non-cultured cells and the cell line, while showing identical rearranged patterns of another allele of both these genes and the TCR beta gene. These results suggest that the non-cultured cells and the established cell line have the same clonal origin and that the latter is a clonal descendant of the former.

Acute Disease↗

Phosphorylation of the Rex protein of human T-cell leukemia virus type I.

Rex protein, the posttranscriptional regulator of human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I), is required for the control of viral structural protein expression and virus replication. Rex is a phosphoprotein found predominantly in the cell nucleolus, whose function is thought to be regulated by its nucleolar localization and phosphorylation. Therefore, we investigated the in vivo phosphorylation of Rex protein in more detail. Phosphorylation of Rex occurred in all HTLV-I-infected cell lines examined in vivo, primarily at serine residues and to a very small extent at threonine residues. Treatment of cells with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) led to significant but transient enhancement of the incorporation of [32P]orthophosphate into Rex protein. N-terminal truncation of Rex protein abolished TPA-dependent phosphorylation. Chymotryptic digestion of phosphorylated Rex yielded two phosphopeptides. In vivo phosphorylation sites were identified as serine residues 70 and 177 and threonine residue 174. Serine 70 was a TPA-dependent phosphorylation site within a regulatory domain. We have already shown that the protein kinase C inhibitor H-7 (1-(5-isoquinolinylsulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine) specifically blocked accumulation of viral unspliced gag-pol mRNA. Therefore, the phosphorylation at serine 70 may be involved in the regulation of Rex function in response to extracellular stimuli.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Transforming activity and the level of Tax protein: effect of one point mutation in HTLV-I tax gene.

The transcriptional trans-activator molecule of HTLV-I, Tax, is known to transform rodent fibroblasts. A revertant clone expressing Tax was obtained by treating transformed Rat-I cells harboring a single copy of the tax gene with a mutagen. Sequence analysis of the tax gene of the revertant clone revealed that it had one point mutation at codon 12(CTT----TTT), resulting in a change from Leu to Phe. The colony-forming efficiencies of the cells transfected with the mutant tax gene (mu71 tax) were significantly lower than those transfected with the wild-type by the soft-agar method. This difference was shown to be due to the instability of mu71 Tax.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Intranuclear topological distribution of HIV-1 trans-activators.

Subcellular localization of human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-1) Tat and Rev was examined using a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). In transfected COS-7 cells, Tat resided exclusively in the perinocleolar region, while Rev infiltrated fully into the nucleoli. The chimeric Tat in which the nucleolar targeting signal was replaced by that of Rev, which retains trans-acting activity of Tat, remained still in the perinucleolar region as wild-type Tat. Perinucleolar distribution of Tat protein suggests the existence of a novel nucleolar architecture that affects transcription.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Maturational stage specific immunoglobulin heavy chain gene rearrangements, determined by D and D upstream region gene structures.

In 43 cases of various B-cell lineage tumors, precise gene structures of rearranged immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) were studied. By Southern-blot analysis of D upstream (5'D) gene of IgH, biallelic rearrangement structures, D-J or V-D-J, were determined and consequently maturational stage specific IgH rearrangement patterns were investigated. B-precursor ALL cases (especially stage IV of Nadler's criteria) have V-D-J rearranged IgH genes on both alleles. In contrast, most of the mature B-cell malignancies, excluding multiple myeloma, have IgH genotype of D-J/V-D-J. In addition, in case of D-J/V-D-J, the D gene used in D-J joining has been speculated by Southern-blot of D genes. So, these approaches for inquiring precise structures of rearranged IgH genes are supposed to provide new information of lymphocyte differentiation and leukemogenesis.

Antigenic Variation↗

Rearrangement patterns of immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) and light chain genes in acute lymphoblastic leukemia and chronic myelocytic leukemia lymphoid crisis cells showing oligoclonal IgH gene rearrangements.

We investigated leukemic cells with multiple immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) gene rearrangements from nine B-precursor cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients and three chronic myelocytic leukemia lymphoid crisis (CML.Ly-BC) patients in order to determine detailed recombination patterns of the variable (V), diversity (D), and joining (J) region genes. Southern blot study, using DNA probes for DQ52 and 5'D region genes, was useful to distinguish VDJ recombination from DJ recombination at the level of each allele. Leukemic cells from seven out of eight CD10-positive ALL patients showed biallelic VDJ recombinations. Rearrangements of Ig kappa genes were found in only one case. Leukemic cells from all of the CML.Ly-BC patients had a DJ/(V)DJ IgH genotype. These findings suggest that the multiple IgH gene rearrangements in B-precursor cell ALL occurred as a consequence of continuing V-(V)DJ rearrangements after neoplastic transformation, and were closely related to the stage of bone marrow B-precursor cell differentiation. Multiple IgH gene rearrangements in CML.Ly-BC might take place earlier in the process of IgH gene rearrangements than is the case in B-precursor cell ALL. In this sense, the genotypic oligoclonality observed in ALL and CML.Ly-BC should be regarded not as 'true', but as 'pseudo' oligoclonal leukemia.

Blast Crisis↗

Multiple carcinoid tumors of the stomach with hypergastrinemia.

A 42-yr-old woman presented with multiple carcinoid tumors in her stomach and a markedly elevated serum gastrin level. Total gastrectomy was performed, and 22 small carcinoid tumors were found in the gastric fundus and body. A high serum gastrin level was revealed in the gastric drainage veins; still more gastrin was detected in the carcinoid tumors by the immunohistochemical method, and many secretory granules were found in the tumor cells with an electron microscope. The fundic gland showed marked atrophy, and there was some conglobation of endocrine cells (ECL cells). This case suggests a hypothetic sequence of anacidity due to atrophic gastritis----hypergastrinemia----proliferation of ECL cells----multiple carcinoids. A search of the Japanese literature revealed that 26 cases of multiple carcinoid tumors in the stomach have been reported so far, and most of them support this hypothesis.

Adult↗