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Biomedical subjects

T Sakane

Publications and source records attributed to T Sakane.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Transfer of "Pseudomonas riboflavina" (Foster 1944), a gram-negative, motile rod with long-chain 3-hydroxy fatty acids, to Devosia riboflavina gen. nov., sp. nov., nom. rev.

The taxonomic position of "Pseudomonas riboflavina" was studied by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and chemotaxonomic methods. This organism is a gram-negative, strictly aerobic rod and has a DNA guanine-plus-cytosine content of 61.4 mol%; the major isoprenoid quinone is ubiquinone 10, and the unusual cellular fatty acids 3-hydroxytetracosenoic acid (3-OH 24:1) and 3-hydroxyhexacosenoic acid (3-OH 26:1) are the major 3-hydroxy cellular fatty acids. A phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA sequences revealed that "P. riboflavina" IFO 13584T (T = type strain) occupies an independent position in the alpha subclass of the Proteobacteria. On the basis of our data, we propose that "P. riboflavina" IFO 13584T should be transferred to the genus Devosia gen. nov. as Devosia riboflavina sp. nov., nom. rev.

Base Sequence

Excessive function of peripheral blood neutrophils from patients with Behçet's disease and from HLA-B51 transgenic mice.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the role played by HLA-B51 in the neutrophil hyperfunction of Behçet's disease, we determined the superoxide production by purified peripheral blood neutrophils from Behçet's disease patients, from HLA-B51 positive healthy individuals, and from HLA-B51 transgenic mice. METHODS: Neutrophil function was evaluated by flow cytometric analysis, detecting the conversion of 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate into dichloroflurescein, induced by superoxide in the neutrophils. RESULTS: A significant correlation between the neutrophil hyperfunction and the possession of HLA-B51 phenotype, regardless of the presence of the disease, was observed in humans. FMLP-stimulated neutrophils (without in vitro priming) from HLA-B51 transgenic mice, but not those from HLA-B35 transgenic mice or from nontransgenic mice, produced substantial amounts of superoxide. CONCLUSION: The HLA-B51 molecule itself may be responsible, at least in part, for neutrophil hyperfunction in Behçet's disease.

Animals

Streptococcus oralis previously identified as uncommon 'Streptococcus sanguis' in Behçet's disease.

The relation between the biochemical and serological properties of 'Streptococcus sanguis' was studied to characterize the strains isolated from dental plaque of patients with Behçet's disease and controls. Seven reference and 100 clinical strains preserved by the Behçet's Disease Research Committee of Japan were identified using established criteria and differentiated with antisera against Strep. oralis ATCC 10557, Strep. sanguis ATCC 10556 and 'Strep. sanguis' ST7, compatible with the criteria. Uncommon serovars (serotypes) KTH-1 (= ATCC 49298), KTH-2 (= ATCC 49296), KTH-3 (= ATCC KTH-4 (= ATCC 49297) and B220 (serovar KTH-1) with both IgA1 protease and neuraminidase (sialidase) were identified as Strep. oralis, whereas common serovars ST3 with IgA1 protease alone and ST7 without both enzymes were identified as Strep. sanguis and Strep. gordonii, respectively. Isolates previously ranked as uncommon serovars were identified as Strep. oralis, whereas the rest ranked as common serovars were identified as the same species as those of the grouping strains. A soft-agar technique was available for species identification except for Strep. oralis serovar KTH-1 reacting with the antiserum against Strep. gordonii ST7. The frequency of isolation of Strep. oralis was higher in Behçet's disease (52%) than in controls (38%), but no difference was observed between the properties of the two groups of isolates. Strep. oralis virulence factors may be involved in breach the mucosal barrier in patients with specific reactivity to these antigens and inducing Behçet's disease.

Behcet Syndrome

Characterization of drug transport through tight-junctional pathway in Caco-2 monolayer: comparison with isolated rat jejunum and colon.

Drug transport through the tight-junctional pathway in Caco-2 monolayer was studied by examining the relationship between its permeability to hydrophilic drugs and membrane conductance. Compared with the rat isolated jejunum or colon, Caco-2 monolayer displayed high electrical resistance and low conductance, as well as low permeability to sulfanilic acid and FITC-dextran (M.W. 4000). However, there was a linear relationship between the drug permeability and partial Cl- ion conductance for Caco-2 monolayer, rat jejunum and colon. Hence, the permeability to those drugs per unit of Cl- conductance is similar in the three membranes, suggesting that the size (radius) of the tight-junctional pathway in the three membranes is similar. In addition, when the electrical resistance of Caco-2 monolayer was reduced to the same level as that of the jejunum or colon by pretreatment with disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetate, its permeability to FITC-dextran became significantly higher than that of other membranes. Accordingly, the high resistance and the low permeability of Caco-2 monolayer compared with rat intestinal membrane may be due to structural differences between the membranes, rather than a difference in the tightness of the junction.

Animals

Taxonomic study of bacteria isolated from plants: proposal of Sphingomonas rosa sp. nov., Sphingomonas pruni sp. nov., Sphingomonas asaccharolytica sp. nov., and Sphingomonas mali sp. nov.

The taxonomic positions of 10 strains of 3-ketolactose-forming bacteria which were isolated from the roots of plants (Rosa sp., Psychotria nairobiensis, Ardisia crispa, Prunus persica, and apple trees) were investigated. The DNA base compositions of these strains ranged from 64.0 to 65.7 mol%, the isoprenoid quinone of each strain was ubiquinone 10, 3-hydroxy fatty acids were lacking in the cellular fatty acids of these organisms, and all of the strains contained a sphingolipid with the long-chain base dihydrosphingosin. These are characteristics of the genus Sphingomonas. On the basis of morphological, physiological, and chemotaxonomic characteristics, together with DNA-DNA hybridization and 16S ribosomal DNA sequence comparison data, we propose the following four new species of the genus Sphingomonas: Sphingomonas rosa (type strain, IFO 15208) for the strains isolated from rose plants and formerly named [Agrobacterium rhizogenes]; Sphingomonas pruni (type strain, IFO 15498) for the strains isolated from Prunus persica; and Sphingomonas asaccharolytica (type strain, IFO 15499) and Sphingomonas mali (type strain, IFO 15500) for the strains isolated from apple trees. Two strains which were isolated from Psychotria nairobiensis and formerly named [Chromobacterium lividum] were identified as Sphingomonas yanoikuyae strains.

DNA, Bacterial

Induction of differentiation into monocyte/macrophage cell lineage of a human eosinophilic leukaemia cell line EoL-1 by simultaneous stimulation with tumour necrosis factor-alpha and interferon-gamma.

Human myeloid leukaemia cell lines have been shown to differentiate into distinct cell lineages in vitro in response to several differentiation-inducing agents. A human eosinophilic leukaemia cell line, EoL-1, has been shown to differentiate into mature eosinophilic granulocytes by treatment with the culture supernatant of a human T-cell line, HIL-3. In this study we have studied whether the EoL-1 cell line has potential to differentiate into cell lineage other than eosinophils. We found that EoL-1 cells cultured in the presence of tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha (10 u/ml) and interferon (IFN)-gamma (1000 u/ml) for 2-4 d differentiated into macrophage-like cells in morphology, and expressed CD14 antigen on their cell surface. It is possible that the small subpopulation of EoL-1 cells which contains non-specific esterase (NSE) activity may be preferentially differentiated by TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma. To clarify this issue, we have cloned the EoL-1 cell line and obtained NSE negative and positive sublines. Both EoL-1 sublines differentiated into monocyte/macrophage-like cells, because: (a) EoL-1 sublines were induced to express CD14 antigen, and (b) they attached firmly to the plastic wells; (c) after differentiation they became strongly positive for NSE staining, and secreted TNF-alpha in response to the stimulation with lipopolysaccharide; and (d) they exhibited potent phagocytic activity. Therefore, we found that the EoL-1 cell line has the ability to differentiate not only into mature eosinophilic cells but also into monocyte/macrophage cell lineage, suggesting that EoL-1 cells represent immature cells with ability to differentiate into multiple cell lineages.

CD11 Antigens

Low serum levels of dehydroepiandrosterone may cause deficient IL-2 production by lymphocytes in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

The principal cause of IL-2 deficiency, a common feature of both murine lupus and human SLE, remains obscure. Recent studies of our own as well as others have shown that dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), an intermediate compound in testosterone synthesis, significantly up-regulates IL-2 production of T cells, and that administration of exogenous DHEA or IL-2 via a vaccinia construct to murine lupus dramatically reverses their clinical autoimmune diseases. Thus, we have examined serum levels of DHEA in patients with SLE to test whether abnormal DHEA activity is associated with IL-2 deficiency of the patients. We found that nearly all of the patients examined have very low levels of serum DHEA. The decreased DHEA levels were not simply a reflection of a long term corticosteroid treatment which may cause adrenal atrophy, since serum samples drawn at the onset of disease, which are devoid of corticosteroid treatment, also contained low levels of DHEA. In addition, exogenous DHEA restored impaired IL-2 production of T cells from patients with SLE in vitro. These results indicate that defects of IL-2 synthesis of patients with SLE are at least in part due to the low DHEA activity in the serum.

Adult

Direct drug transport from the rat nasal cavity to the cerebrospinal fluid: the relation to the molecular weight of drugs.

To clarify the relationship between the direct transport from the rat nasal cavity to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the molecular weight of the drug, the transport of fluorescein isothiocyanate-labelled dextran (FD) with various molecular weights was investigated. FDs (average molecular weights 4,400 (FD4); 9,400 (FD10); 18,900 (FD20); 40,500 Da (FD40)) were administered nasally or intravenously to rats, and the concentrations in the plasma and the CSF were measured and compared. None of the FDs were detected in the CSF after intravenous administration. However, FD4, FD10 and FD20 were observed to appear in the CSF after nasal administration, whereas the concentration in the plasma was much lower than that after intravenous administration. FD40 was not detected even after nasal administration. In addition, the concentration of these FDs in the CSF decreased with the increase in the molecular weight of FDs. These findings show that drugs with a molecular weight up to at least 20,000 Da can be directly transported from the nasal cavity to the CSF and that the transport of FDs to the CSF is dependent on their molecular weights.

Administration, Intranasal

Gastrointestinal absorption of peptide drug: quantitative evaluation of the degradation and the permeation of metkephamid in rat small intestine.

The intestinal absorption of metkephamid (MKA), an analog of natural [Met]enkephalin, was investigated by means of vascular perfusion of the rat small intestine. Most of the MKA administered to the jejunal loop was degraded in the lumen by enzymatic hydrolysis, whereas only 0.3 to 1.2% of it was absorbed into the vascular flow. This means that enzymatic degradation is a major barrier against the intestinal absorption of MKA. The absorption of MKA was divided into two steps, degradation and permeation, and is expressed as clearance from the intestine. The degradation clearance (CLd) of MKA was 60- to 200-fold higher than the permeation clearance (CLp), indicating the rapid hydrolysis of MKA before absorption. The absorbed fraction of MKA increased with increasing luminal MKA concentration, mainly due to an increase in CLp rather than a decrease in CLd. MKA was degraded not only before absorption but also during permeation across the intestinal epithelium. Three kinds of enzyme inhibitors were co-administered with MKA into the intestinal loop. Puromycin, an aminopeptidase M inhibitor, markedly enhanced MKA absorption by both decreasing CLd and increasing CLp, indicating the predominant role of this enzyme in MKA degradation. Bestatin, another aminopeptidase M inhibitor, also effectively suppressed the degradation of MKA before absorption, whereas it only slightly increased CLp. It was further found that bestatin was less effective in inhibiting MKA hydrolysis during permeation. Thiorphan, an enkephalinase inhibitor, had no effect on MKA absorption.

Amino Acid Sequence

[A phase II study of FK506 (tacrolimus) on refractory uveitis associated with Behçet's disease and allied conditions].

A multicenter open study was conducted to investigate optimum dose schedule of FK506 on refractory uveitis associated with Behçet's disease and allied conditions. Fifty-three patients (41 with Behçet's and 12 with allied conditions) were enrolled in this study. A daily oral dose of FK506 was initially 0.05, 0.1, 0.15 or 0.2 mg/kg, but adjusted in more than half patients during the study based on clinical conditions of patients and/or adverse effects of FK506. The improvement rate of initial daily dose as well as final improvement rate were evaluated in the study. The improvement rate of initial daily dose was increased dose-dependently; 37.5% with 0.05 mg/kg initial daily dose group, 60.0% with 0.1 mg/kg, 91.7% with 0.15 mg/kg and 78.6% with 0.2 mg/kg. The final improvement rate was 76.5%. In patients with Behçet's disease, ocular symptoms improved in 30 (75.0%) of 40 patients evaluable for efficacy and the frequency of ocular attacks was significantly reduced. In eight (66.7%) of 12 patients with Behçet's disease in whom cyclosporin treatment had been failed, their ocular symptoms improved by FK506. Main adverse reactions of FK506 were renal impairment (28.3%), neurologic symptoms (22.6%), gastrointestinal symptoms (20.8%), hypomagnesemia (28.3%), hyperkalemia (13.2%), and hyperglycemia (13.2%. Most of the adverse effects disappeared or ameliorated after FK506 dose reduction or withdrawal from FK506 therapy. It seems that the incidence of the adverse effects depends on the dosage of FK506. The lower dosage (0.05 and 0.1 mg/kg) caused a relatively small number of adverse effects, and the higher dosage (0.15 and 0.2 mg/kg) caused them more frequently. Through level is recommended to maintain between 15-25 ng/ml during early days of treatment based on the safety and efficacy. It is also recommended that a initial daily dose is 0.15 mg/kg on the basis of the efficacy and safety results, and then adjusted based on symptoms of patients and whole blood through level of FK506.

Administration, Oral

Usage of a novel class of germ-line Ig variable region gene for cationic anti-DNA autoantibodies in human lupus nephritis and its role for the development of the disease.

It has been shown that cationic anti-DNA autoantibodies have nephritogenic potential in murine models of lupus nephritis. We have recently reported the close relationship between the presence of cationic anti-DNA Abs and the development of lupus nephritis in humans. To investigate underlining mechanisms responsible for the production of pathogenic autoantibodies, we have isolated a cDNA clone (SC17) encoding cationic anti-DNA Ab of human systemic lupus erythematosus with severe nephritis that was present at the onset of disease but disappeared after disease remission with corticosteroids. We have also cloned a counterpart Ig VL germ-line gene (SG3) from purified neutrophils of the patient and found the presence of replacement mutations only in the CDR of SC17. Surprisingly, predicted isoelectric point (pI) of deduced protein encoded by SG3 was the most cationic one among those encoded by previously reported human V kappa germ-line genes in the DNA database. These results raise the possibility that the use of specific germ-line genes may confer a cationic charge on the anti-DNA Ab, whereas somatic mutations induce affinity maturation of anti-DNA Ab in human lupus nephritis. Anti-DNA Ab-secreting B cells, but not DNA nonbinding B cells of the same patient, constitutively expressed SC17 mRNA. This mRNA is also expressed by B cells from a vast majority of patients at the onset of disease or exacerbation of lupus nephritis. However, the mRNA is absent in B cells from patients with lupus nephritis during disease remission, systemic lupus erythematosus patients without renal involvements, and normal individuals. It is suggested that the SC17 mRNA expression of B cells is rather restricted to systemic lupus erythematosus patients with active renal involvements.

Adolescent

Kinetic analysis of the drug permeation process across the intestinal epithelium.

The rat intestinal lumen and the blood vessel were simultaneously perfused to study drug permeation across the intestinal epithelium. On the basis of drug disappearance from the intestinal lumen and its appearance into the vascular outflow, the mean time required for permeation across the intestinal membrane (MPT) and the permeation clearance (CLp) were calculated. MPT values of water, antipyrine, propranolol, imipramine and mannitol, varied from 0.45 min to 9.91 min depending on their physicochemical property. From both MPT and CLp, five drugs were classified as being (i) highly and rapidly absorbed (water, antipyrine), (ii) highly but slowly absorbed (propranolol, imipramine) and (iii) low and slowly absorbed (mannitol). Permeation profiles of these drugs were analyzed based on the diffusion model which defined the parameter for each permeation process, i.e. partitioning to and diffusion through the epithelium and clearance into the blood flow. Propranolol and imipramine partitioned into the membrane at a higher level than the other drugs. However, the clearance of both drugs from the epithelium was extremely slow, suggesting that this process is the rate-limiting step in their permeation. On the other hand, the rate-limiting step in the permeation of water and antipyrine was found to be the diffusion process in the epithelial layer.

Animals

Direct drug transport from the rat nasal cavity to the cerebrospinal fluid: the relation to the dissociation of the drug.

We aimed to clarify the relationship between drug dissociation (sulphisomidine) and its direct transport from the nasal cavity to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Rat nasal cavities were perfused in a single pass system with buffers (pH 5.5, 6.5, 7.4, 8.7 and 9.4). Plasma and CSF were collected and the concentration of sulphisomidine was measured. Nasal clearance increased with the increase in the un-ionized fraction of the drug. The ratio of the drug concentration in CSF to that in the nasal perfusion fluid (the index of the degree of the drug transport from the nasal cavity to CSF), was changed in accordance with the un-ionized fraction of drug. These results show that both the nasal absorption and the drug transport conform to the pH partition theory.

Absorption

Preferential adsorption of cationic anti-DNA antibodies with immobilized polyanionic compounds, dextran sulfate.

It has been shown that cationic anti-DNA antibodies have nephritogenic potential in murine models of lupus nephritis. More recently, we have reported that there is a close relationship between the presence of circulating cationic anti-DNA antibodies and the development of lupus nephritis in humans, and that the cationic anti-DNA antibodies bind to heparan sulfate, a major glycosaminoglycan in glomerular basement membrane, much better than neutral anti-DNA antibodies. This suggests that cationic anti-DNA antibodies of the IgG class may be responsible for development of nephritis in vivo in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. In this study, we first studied reactivity of anti-DNA antibodies with a panel of glycosaminoglycans in vitro using ELISA methods, and found that anti-DNA antibodies cross-react with dextran sulfate, hyaluronic acid and chrondroitin sulfate. The reactivity and selectivity of dextran sulfate with anti-DNA antibodies was confirmed by in vitro immunoadsorption of the patient's sera with dextran sulfate-fixed column; incubation of auto-antibody-positive sera with dextran sulfate cellulose column removed anti-DNA, but not anti-RNP, anti-Sm, anti-SSA and anti-SSB antibodies from the sera in vitro. Of note is that dextran sulfate cellulose column absorbed exclusively, if not all, cationic anti-DNA antibodies in their sera. Nonspecific binding of total immunoglobulins as well as total proteins to the column was marginal. It has been suggested that cationic anti-DNA antibodies in sera of patients with refractory lupus nephritis could be efficiently removed by apheresis using dextran sulfate column.

Adolescent

Occurrence of tertiary and quaternary branched polyamines in thermophilic archaebacteria.

Polyamines of thermophilic archaebacteria were analysed by high-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography. Thermoplasma acidophilum and Thermoplasma volcanium ubiquitously contained spermidine and spermine. Four species of Sulfolobus, S. acidocaldarius, S. solfataricus, S. metallicus and S. shibatae, two species of Acidianus, A. brierleyi and A. infernus, and Metallosphaera sedula, contained norspermidine and norspermine in addition to spermidine and spermine, but quantitative distribution profiles were species-specific. A tertiary tetra-amine, N4-aminopropylspermidine, and a quaternary penta-amine, N4-bis(aminopropyl)spermidine, were detected as a major polyamine in three species of Thermococcus, T. celer, T. litoralis and T. stetteri, and two Pyrococcus species, P. furiosus and P. woesei. This is the first report on the occurrence of branched polyamines in archaebacteria.

Archaea

Constitutive expression of IL-6 receptors and their role in the excessive B cell function in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Excessive B cell function including autoantibody production is a common feature of SLE and considered to be intimately associated with spontaneous lymphokine secretion by themselves. To clarify roles of IL-6/IL-6 receptor autocrine activation pathway in autoantibody production observed in patients with SLE, we studied expression and function of IL-6 receptors in comparison with those of IL-2 receptors, Tac on SLE B cells. IL-6 receptors and IL-2 receptors have been detected on B cells in the blood without any in vitro stimuli in most patients with SLE. The introduction of anti-IL-6 receptor antibody, which inhibits binding to the receptors of IL-6, and anti-IL-2 receptor antibody, anti-Tac to the cultures of SLE B cells resulted in potent inhibition of spontaneous production of polyclonal Ig and anti-DNA autoantibodies. In addition, fresh SLE B cells secreted high levels of IL-6 without any in vitro stimuli. These results indicate that constitutive expression of IL-6 receptors on B cells in conjunction with spontaneous IL-6 production by B cells induces autocrine B cell activation, which may lead to B cell hyperactivity and autoantibody secretion in SLE patients. Dysregulation of B cell activity observed in patients with SLE could thus be, at least in part, independent of T cell help.

Adolescent