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Biomedical subjects

T Tsujita

Publications and source records attributed to T Tsujita.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Characterization of the promoter region, first ten exons and nine intron-exon boundaries of the DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit gene, DNA-PKcs (XRCC7).

The gene, DNAPKcs (XRCC7), for the human DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) is a strong candidate that complements a severe combined immunodeficiency (scid) and hypersensitivity to ionizing radiation in mice. We constructed a cosmid library from a previously identified, X RCC7-covering YAC clone (943G4). From the library, we isolated three cosmid clones containing the 5'-region of XRCC7. Sequence analysis with primer walking on a 6.3-kb segment of these cosmids identified the promoter region, the first ten exons and nine intron-exon boundaries of XRCC7. The promoter region contains several potential Sp1 protein-binding sites and a high G+C content but no TATA or CCAAT boxes. These findings are consistent with the TATA-less housekeeping gene promoter and provides the basis for transcriptional regulatory studies. Since nine other exons spanning an 8-kb segment are already known, a total of 19 exons in the gene have been identified. The cosmids isolated and the primer sets designed in the present study are useful for mutation analysis in patients with a SCID phenotype.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1997

G1 phase accumulation induced by UCN-01 is associated with dephosphorylation of Rb and CDK2 proteins as well as induction of CDK inhibitor p21/Cip1/WAF1/Sdi1 in p53-mutated human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells.

UCN-01 (7-hydroxyl-staurosporine) was originally isolated as a Ca2+- and phospholipid-dependent protein kinase C selective inhibitor and now is being developed as an anticancer agent. Results from our and other laboratories have suggested that UCN-01 induces preferential G1-phase accumulation in several human tumor cell lines tested. To elucidate this mechanism, we examined the effects of UCN-01 on several cell cycle-regulatory proteins critical for G1-S-phase transition in p53-mutated human epidermoid carcinoma A431 cells. After 24 h exposure at around 50% growth-inhibitory concentrations (IC50s), 260 and 520 nM, UCN-01 induced the accumulation of pRb (the dephosphorylated retinoblastoma protein form). The protein expression of cyclin A but not cyclin E was markedly reduced and that of cyclin D1 was partially reduced under the same condition. UCN-01 also showed the concentration-dependent inhibitions of the activity of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) using histone H1 and pRb as substrates in vitro (IC50, 530 and 640 nM, respectively). In addition, CDK2 activities of the cells pretreated with UCN-01 for 24 h at 260 and 520 nM were markedly inhibited, giving IC50s of far less than 260 nM. When the same cell lysates were analyzed by Western blotting for CDK2, the lower band (e.g., active and phosphorylated CDK2) was remarkably reduced, in accordance with the reduced activity. Furthermore, UCN-01 induced the expression of the CDK inhibitor p21 protein and its complex formation with CDK2 after 24 h exposure at 260 and 520 nM, whereas the expression level was very low or undetectable in untreated or DNA-damaged cells. The increase of p21 mRNA levels was also induced under the same condition. UCN-01 further increased luciferase activities in A431 cells transiently transfected with p21 promoter-luciferase reporter plasmid after 24 h exposure at 260 and 520 nM. UCN-01 also increased the expression of the CDK inhibitor p27 protein after 24 h exposure at 260 and 520 nM. These results suggest that G1-phase accumulation induced by UCN-01 is associated with dephosphorylation of Rb and CDK2 proteins as well as induction of CDK inhibitors p21 and p27.

Alkaloids↗
PubMed1997

Molecular mapping of a translocation breakpoint at 14q13 in a patient with mirror-image polydactyly of hands and feet.

Mirror hands and feet (MIM, 135750) is a rare congenital anomaly, and mirror-image polydactyly is considered to be a variant of mirror hands and feet. To our knowledge, seven patients with the disorder have been reported in the literature. Parent-to-child transmission was reported in two families, which may indicate a single-gene defect inherited in an autosomal dominant fashion. We had previously encountered a boy with mirror-image polydactyly whose karyotype showed 46,XY,t(2;14) (p23.3;q13) de novo. We hypothesized that at least one of the putative genes responsible for the determination of an anterior-posterior limb pattern is disrupted by a translocation breakpoint. In this study, we identified a yeast artificial chromosome clone spanning a translocation breakpoint at 14q13, and the breakpoint was confirmed to be located between two loci, AFM200ZH4 and D14S306, within a genetic distance of 0.6 cM.

Chromosome Mapping↗
PubMed1997

Norepinephrine-induced lipolysis in rat fat cells from visceral and subcutaneous sites: role of hormone-sensitive lipase and lipid droplets.

Norepinephrine-induced lipolysis was examined in visceral (epididymal and omental) and subcutaneous (abdominal and femoral) fat cells in rats. Hormone-induced lipolysis was considerably higher in the visceral fat cells than in the subcutaneous cells. A higher hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL) activity was present in the visceral than in the subcutaneous fat cells. Endogenous lipid droplets were prepared from rat visceral (epididymal and omental) and subcutaneous (abdominal and femoral) fat cells and norepinephrine-induced lipolysis was examined in a cell-free system consisting of the lipid droplets prepared from fat cells from each site and a fixed amount of HSL from rat epididymal adipose tissue. In this cell-free system, norepinephrine induced a higher rate of lipolysis with lipid droplets from the visceral than from the subcutaneous fat cells. These findings suggest that the difference in norepinephrine-induced lipolysis between visceral and subcutaneous fat cells may be due to the differences in HSL activity and lipid droplet character at each site.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1997

Effects of intravenous anesthetics on the contraction and response of rat trachea to phosphatidylinositol.

Some intravenous anaesthetics have significant effects on the tonicity of airway smooth muscle. There are evidences for a direct relationship between airway smooth muscle contraction and phosphatidylinositol (PI) response. The aims of this study were to clarify 1) the effects of anaesthetics on the cholinergically induced contraction, and 2) the relationship between the effects on the PI response and the contraction. Rat tracheal rings or slices were incubated in Krebs-Henseleit solution containing 5.5 microM carbachol (CCh) in the presence of varying doses of anaesthetics. Thiamylal, fentanyl, ketamine and midazolam all attenuated the CCh-induced contraction. On the other hand, thiamylal augmented inositol monophosphate (IP1) accumulation, whilst ketamine, midazolam and morphine did not have the effect, and fentanyl significantly attenuated IP1 accumulation. These data suggest that airway smooth muscle can be relaxed by intravenous anaesthetics, and that the relaxing effects are not always dependent on the PI system.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1996

Coenzyme A-independent monoacylglycerol acyltransferase from rat intestinal mucosa.

Rat intestinal mucosa contains high diacylglycerol-synthesizing activity (monoacylglycerol acyltransferase (MGAT) activity) due to monoacylglycerol and fatty acid, independently of coenzyme A and ATP. MGAT activity was purified from rat intestinal mucosa by successive chromatography separations on DEAE-cellulose, CM- Sephadex, and anti-IgG-Sepharose against rat pancreatic lipase. The enzyme was electrophoretically homogeneous, and its molecular weight was 49,000, which is identical with that of rat pancreatic lipase. Immunoblotting analysis with antibody against rat pancreatic lipase showed one immunoreactive protein with an estimated molecular weight of 49,000. The activity of the purified enzyme was completely inhibited by addition of the antibody. Using immunocytochemical techniques, it was found that immunoreactive protein against rat pancreatic lipase was uniformly distributed within the absorptive cells of the intestine but was absent from the microvillar membrane. The MGAT activity of intestinal mucosal homogenate was inhibited by about 65% by addition of antibody against rat pancreatic lipase. Trioleoylglycerol- and dioleoylglycerol-hydrolyzing activities of the purified enzyme and pancreatic lipase were inhibited by addition of intestinal mucosa extract. These results suggest that pancreatic lipase is present in intestinal absorptive cells and that it may contribute to resynthesis of diacylglycerol from monoacylglycerol and fatty acids in these cells.

Acyltransferases↗
PubMed1996

Physical map of a YAC contig containing the region of the human gene (HYRC) complementing hyper-radiosensitivity of the scid mouse mutation.

We previously mapped the putative human HYRC (the hyper-radiosensitivity of the scid mutation, complementing gene) to human chromosome 8q11.1 by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using Alu-based PCR products from a mouse-human scid radiation cell hybrid (RD15/5) as probes. From a cosmid library constructed from RD15/5, 57 cosmid clones containing human DNA inserts were isolated. 18 of which were mapped to 8q11. Based on the sequences of plasmid subclones of the 18 cosmids, five novel sequence-tagged-sites (STSs) were made. By a screening of the CEPH-YAC library with these STSs, five yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) clones were isolated. All these YAC clones were confirmed not to be chimeric by FISH, but two of them showed deleted human insert DNAs. Using the other 3 non-deleted YACs, we constructed a physical map covering the HYRC region. We confirmed that the recently isolated gene (the DNA-PKcs gene) which is a strong candidate for HYRC is located within the present contig and spans less than 200 kb. This map will be useful for the analysis of the genomic structure of the DNA-PKcs gene and for isolation of other complementing genes in the HYRC region.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Beta-Adrenergic receptors in rat fat cells and their relationship with lipolysis.

Norepinephrine stimulated lipolysis in rat fat cells while (-)-alprenolol completely inhibited this lipolysis. (-)-Alprenolol competed for (-)-[3H] dihydroalprenolol (DHA) binding sites on rat fat cells. The specific (-)-[3H]DHA binding sites identified by competition with (-)-alprenolol were found to be transferred to the solubilized supernatant during preparation of endogenous lipid droplets from the fat cells. Although the lipid droplets did not exhibit specific (-)-[3H]DHA binding, norepinephrine induced lipolysis in a cell-free system consisting of the lipid droplets and hormone-sensitive lipase (HSL). Norepinephrine-induced lipolysis in the cell-free system was inhibited by propranolol and (-)-alprenolol, but not by phenoxybenzamine. The lipolytic action of norepinephrine and the anti-lipolytic actions of propranolol and (-)-alprenolol disappeared after sonication of the lipid droplets in the cell-free system. These results suggest that the adrenergic receptor concerned with lipolysis in fat cells may not be a specific (-)-[3H]DHA binding site, but may be closely related to the lipid droplets.

Adipocytes↗
PubMed1996

Isolation of a cosmid clone corresponding to an inv(21) breakpoint of a patient with transient abnormal myelopoiesis.

Transient abnormal myelopoiesis (TAM) is a leukemoid reaction occurring occasionally on Down syndrome (DS) newborn infants. It has been hypothesized that "disomic homozygosity" in 21-trisomic cells plays an important role in the genesis of TAM, and the putative TAM gene was suggested to be mapped at a 21q11 region. We encountered a DS-associated TAM infant with a 47,XY,inv(21)(q11.1q22.13),+inv(21)(q11.1q22.13) karyotype. On the basis of another presumption that in this patient the putative TAM gene is disrupted by the break, we tried to isolate a breakpoint DNA. FISH analysis with cosmid clones corresponding to various sequence-tagged-site (STS) markers mapped at around 21q11.1-q11.2, we confirmed that the proximal breakpoint of the inv(21) was located between two STSs, G51E07 and D21S215, the latter locus being consistent with the previous tentative mapping. After construction of a cosmid contig encompassing between the two markers, we have isolated a cosmid clone corresponding to the proximal breakpoint of the inversion. This breakpoint was located near a previously identified duplicated region that is homologous to the sequence at 21q22.1. The isolated cosmid clone is useful for analysis of other TAM patients and for a search for a transcript at or flanking the breakpoint.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Studies on the inhibition of pancreatic and carboxylester lipases by protamine.

The basic protein protamine strongly inhibited hydrolysis of triolein emulsified with soybean phosphatidylcholine (PC) by pancreatic and carboxylester lipases; 10 micrograms/ml protamine, about 1000 times lower than the concentration of bovine serum albumin for the same effect, inhibited triolein hydrolysis completely. This inhibition was not affected by the incubation pH or bile salt concentration. Two other basic proteins, histone and purothionin, also inhibited hydrolysis of triolein emulsified with soybean PC, but they did not inhibit triolein hydrolysis by gastric lipase. When gum arabic was used as an emulsifier instead of soybean PC, these basic proteins did not affect triolein hydrolysis by pancreatic or carboxylester lipases. The effects of protamine on triolein hydrolysis by pancreatic and carboxylester lipases was studied using various phospholipids as emulsifiers. Protamine (10 micrograms/ml) did not inhibit hydrolysis of triolein emulsified with dicaproyl PC (DCPC), phosphatidic acid (PA), or phosphatidylserine (PS) by pancreatic and carboxylester lipases. Conversely, protamine at high concentrations slightly stimulated hydrolysis of triolein emulsified with DCPC or PA. Hydrolysis of triolein-phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) emulsion was inhibited slightly by protamine. The profiles of protamine inhibition of triolein-phosphatidyl-N,N-dimethyl ethanolamine (PDME) and triolein-phosphatidyl-N-monomethyl ethanolamine (PMME) emulsions were intermediate between those of PC and PE emulsions. These results suggest that the phospholipid species, especially choline moieties and fatty acid chain length, affect the lipase inhibitory activity of protamine profoundly. In vivo, oral administration of protamine to rats reduced and delayed the peak plasma triacylglycerol concentration, but neither bovine serum albumin nor an amino acid mixture with an amino acid composition identical to protamine affected plasma triacylglycerol levels.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Fatty acid ethyl ester synthase catalyzes the esterification of ethanol to cocaine.

Fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEE), esterification products of ethanol and fatty acids, have been implicated as mediators of ethanol induced organ damage. It has been shown that FAEE synthase, the enzyme responsible for the formation of FAEE, is present selectively in the organs damaged by ethanol abuse. Cocaethylene is a cocaine metabolite generated in the presence of ethanol which has been established as enhancing cocaine toxicity. In the present study we show that purified FAEE synthase also catalyzes the formation of cocaethylene. A linear relationship (r = 0.998) was demonstrated between the amount of purified FAEE synthase (microgram) and cocaethylene synthesis (nmol/hr). We further showed a correlation (r = 0.804) between the two enzyme activities in selected tissues. These findings provide evidence that purified FAEE synthase has cocaethylene synthetic ability and FAEE synthase may be responsible for a portion of cocaethylene synthesis in vivo.

Acyltransferases↗
PubMed1995

Mechanism of increase in basal lipolysis of enlarged adipocytes in obese animals.

Sonication of rat fat cells caused an increase in lipolysis in the absence of lipolytic hormones (basal lipolysis) and loss of epinephrine responsiveness. Sonication of endogenous lipid droplets from fat cells also induced an increase in lipolysis in the presence of HSL. Addition of phosphatidylcholine to the sonicated lipid droplets reduced the hydrolysis of triglyceride by HSL. These results suggest that the active HSL is already present in the fat cell even in the absence of lipolytic hormone, and phosphatidylcholine on the surface of endogenous lipid droplets causes inhibition toward lipolytic action of HSL. The decrease in the surface phosphatidylcholine concentration in endogenous lipid droplets was proved to cause the increase in basal lipolysis. It is demonstrated that basal lipolysis was elevated in the enlarged fat cells of obese rats by reduction of surface phosphatidylcholine concentration of the endogenous lipid droplets.

Adipocytes↗
PubMed1995

Carbachol, norepinephrine, and hypocapnia stimulate phosphatidylinositol turnover in rat tracheal slices.

BACKGROUND: The intracellular mechanisms involved in the alpha-adrenoceptor- or hyperventilation-induced bronchoconstriction remain unknown. Because there is a direct relationship between phosphatidylinositol (PI) metabolism and airway smooth muscle contraction induced by muscarinic agonists, the authors examined the effects of carbachol (CCh), norepinephrine (NE), and hypocapnia on PI turnover in the airway smooth muscle. METHODS: Rat tracheal slices were incubated in Krebs-Henseleit solution containing LiCl and [3H]myo-inositol in the presence of NE, CCh, or neither. The PCO2 in the solution was 36 +/- 3 mmHg (normocapnia), 19 +/- 2 mmHg (moderate hypocapnia), or 5 +/- 2 mmHg (severe hypocapnia), respectively. [3H]inositol monophosphate (IP1) formed was counted with a liquid scintillation counter. RESULTS: Basal IP1 formed was greater at severe hypocapnia than at normocapnia. Norepinephrine- and CCh-induced IP1 formation were also greater at hypocapnia than at normocapnia. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that CCh, NE, and hypocapnia stimulate PI turnover in the airway smooth muscle, which would cause bronchoconstriction, and hypocapnia also augments NE- and CCh-induced PI turnover, which could cause worsening of exercise-induced asthma and vagotonic asthma, respectively.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Purification and characterization of S-adenosyl-L-methionine: norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase from cultured Coptis japonica cells.

S-adenosyl-L-methionine:norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase (norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase), which catalyzes the transfer of the S-methyl group of S-adenosyl-L-methionine to the 6-hydroxyl group of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-1-[(4-hydroxyphenyl)methyl]-6,7- isoquinolinediol (norcoclaurine), was purified from cultured Coptis japonica cells and its enzymic properties were characterized. Purified norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase had apparent pI 4.7, a native molecular mass of 95 kDa (determined by gel filtration) and subunit molecular mass of 40 kDa (SDS/PAGE). The enzyme did not require a divalent cation for activity, and the addition of Fe2+, Cu2+, Co2+, Zn2+, Mn2+, or Ni2+ at 5 mM severely inhibited enzyme activity. Neither p-chloromercuribenzoate, N-methylmaleimide nor iodoacetamide inhibited enzyme activity at 1 mM. 5,6-Dihydro-9,10-dimethoxybenzo[g]-1,3-benzodioxolo[5,6-a]qu inolizinium (berberine, the end-product of the biosynthetic pathway in which norcoclurine 6-O-methyltransferase catalyzes an intermediate step) also inhibited the activity by 50% at 10 mM. Norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase methylated both (S)-norcoclaurine and (R)-norcoclaurine and (R,S)-norlaudanosoline. Further characterization of substrate-saturation kinetics and product inhibition of the purified enzyme indicated that norcoclaurine 6-O-methyltransferase follows a bi-bi ping-pong mechanism with Km values of 2.23 mM and 3.95 mM for (R,S)-norlaudanosoline and S-adenosyl-L-methionine, respectively, while Ki values for S-adenosylhomocysteine versus S-adenosyl-L-methionine and (R,S)-norlaudanosoline were 2.1 mM and 0.18 mM, respectively.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

The synthesis of fatty acid ethyl ester by carboxylester lipase.

Carboxylester lipase obtained from pig pancreas is associated with fatty acid ethyl ester synthase as judged by their elution in the same fraction from a heparin-Sepharose column, coprecipitations by antibody against purified carboxylester lipase and identical profiles of inhibition by diisopropyl fluorophosphate. Only one polypeptide of molecular mass 74-kDa in purified carboxylester lipase was labeled by immunostaining and affinity labeling with [3H]diisopropyl fluorosphate. Bovine serum albumin decreased the fatty-acid-ethyl-ester-synthesizing activity in a concentration-dependent manner. On incubation of purified carboxylester lipase with trioleylglycerol in an ethanol/water mixture, fatty acid ethyl ester was formed in the presence of a high concentration of bovine serum albumin. The acyltransfer activities from trioleylglycerol to ethanol (ethanolysis) were approximately 25-30 times higher than the acyltransfer activities to water (hydrolysis). When cholesterol was used as an acceptor, acyltransfer activity from trioleylglycerol to cholesterol (cholesterolysis) was also observed. We propose the following mechanism of fatty acid ethyl ester formation from triacyl glycerol. The enzyme attacks triacyl glycerol forming an acyl-enzyme intermediate, and during the deacylation process, alcohol binds to fatty acid as an acceptor. These results suggest that during lipid (triacyl glycerol) degradation, carboxylester lipase contributes to non-oxidative ethanol metabolism in the intestinal lumen.

Acyltransferases↗
PubMed1994

Fatty acid ethyl ester-synthesizing activity of lipoprotein lipase from rat postheparin plasma.

Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) was obtained from rat postheparin plasma by chromatographies on heparin-Sepharose and hydroxyapatite. The enzyme was associated with fatty acid ethyl ester synthase (FAEE synthase) as judged by their co-elution profiles and identical profiles of inhibition by diisopropyl fluorophosphate. Only one polypeptide of molecular weight 57,000 in purified LPL fraction was labeled by affinity labeling with [3H]-diisopropyl fluorophosphate. The FAEE synthase activity of LPL was not affected by addition of apolipoprotein C-II. Digestion of the enzyme with trypsin resulted in almost complete loss of the triolein-hydrolyzing activity without change in FAEE synthase activity. The tributyrin-hydrolyzing activity of LPL was also not affected by addition of apolipoprotein C-II or trypsin digestion. On addition at progressively higher concentrations, bovine serum albumin increased FAEE synthesis to a maximum at 2 mg/ml and at higher concentrations inhibited its activity. On incubation of purified LPL with chylomicrons in an ethanol/water mixture, FAEE was formed in the presence of a high concentration of bovine serum albumin. The specific activity of FAEE synthesis from chylomicrons was about 65 times that from oleic acid. Triolein/gum arabic emulsion was used for identification of reaction products. We propose the following mechanism of FAEE formation from chylomicrons by LPL. The enzyme attacks chylomicrons forming an acyl-enzyme intermediate, and during the deacylation process, ethanol binds to fatty acids as an acceptor. These results suggest that LPL contributes to nonoxidative ethanol metabolism (FAEE formation) through degradation of triglyceride-rich lipoproteins such as chylomicrons.

Acyltransferases↗
PubMed1994

Effects of intravenous anesthetics on phosphatidylinositol turnover in rat cerebral cortical prisms.

Noradrenergic pathways in the brain have been thought to be related to the site of anesthetic action. Norepinephrine (NE) in the central nervous system stimulates phosphatidylinositol (PI) turnover through alpha 1-adrenergic receptors. The present study was designed to examine the effects of intravenous anesthetics on NE-induced PI turnover in rat cerebral cortical prisms. NE-induced inositol monophosphate (IP1) formation was inhibited by droperidol (dose for 50% inhibition [ID50], 0.0258 +/- 0.00023 microM [mean +/- SE]), fentanyl (2.36 +/- 0.0017), diazepam (201 +/- 2.12), and thiamylal (231 +/- 1.94) in a dose-dependent manner, but was not affected by ketamine. Naloxone or flumazenil did not attenuate the inhibitory effect of fentanyl or diazepam on NE-induced IP1 formation. The results suggest that these effects on the PI turnover in the cortex may be related to their pharmacologic properties including the anesthetic action.

Anesthetics, Intravenous↗