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Biomedical subjects

Y Akamatsu

Publications and source records attributed to Y Akamatsu.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1992

Sphingolipids are essential for the growth of Chinese hamster ovary cells. Restoration of the growth of a mutant defective in sphingoid base biosynthesis by exogenous sphingolipids.

We previously isolated a temperature-sensitive Chinese hamster ovary cell mutant (strain SPB-1) with thermolabile serine palmitoyltransferase, which is involved in the first step of sphingolipid synthesis (Hanada, K., Nishijima, M., and Akamatsu, Y. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 22137-22142). In this study, sphingolipid-deficient culture medium was used to examine the effect of exogenous sphingolipids on the cell growth of SPB-1. When cultivated in the sphingolipid-deficient medium, SPB-1 cells ceased growing at non-permissive temperatures. Under these conditions, de novo sphingolipid synthesis ceased in the SPB-1 cells, resulting in a decrease in levels of sphingomyelin and ganglioside sialyl lactosylceramide (GM3), whereas the parental CHO-K1 cells grew logarithmically with normal sphingolipid synthesis. Exogenous sphingosine restored the contents of both sphingomyelin and GM3 in the SPB-1 cells near to the parental levels through metabolic utilization and allowed the mutant cells to grow even at the non-permissive temperature. Similarly, exogenous sphingomyelin restored the sphingomyelin levels and only partly the GM3 levels and also suppressed the temperature-sensitivity of the SPB-1 cell growth. In contrast, exogenous glucosylceramide, which restored the GM3 levels but not the sphingomyelin levels, failed to suppress the temperature sensitivity of the SPB-1 cell growth. Combination of exogenous sphingomyelin with ceramide, glucosylceramide, GM3, or sphingoid bases did not show any synergistic or additive effect on the SPB-1 cell growth enhancement, compared with sphingomyelin alone. The results indicated that the temperature sensitivity of the SPB-1 cell growth was due to the lack of cellular sphingolipids, possibly that of sphingomyelin.

Acyltransferases↗
PubMed1992

The changing pattern of the splenic lymphocyte subsets in tumor-bearing mice after oral treatment with OK-432.

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of oral administration of OK-432 on the tumor growth of tumor-bearing mice. In addition, the changing pattern of the splenic lymphocyte subsets of tumor-bearing mice was evaluated by flow cytometry. OK-432 at a dose of 0.1, 1 or 10 KE was administered orally every 3 days or every other day for 30 days to subcutaneously Meth A tumor-inoculated mice. The tumor growth was significantly inhibited in the 1 KE every 3 days group, in the 1 KE every other day group and in the 10 KE every 3 days group. In the 10 KE every other day group, OK-432 inhibited the tumor growth on days 10 and 20, while the agent did not show a marked inhibitory effect on day 30. The percentages of splenic L3T4-positive cells and splenic asialo GM1-positive cells were significantly increased in the 1 KE every other day group, while the Lyt2+/Thy1.2+ ratio was decreased. On the other hand, in the 10 KE every other day group, OK-432 showed no effect on the percentages of splenic L3T4-positive cells and Lyt2+/Thy1.2+ ratio on days 20 and 30. Our results suggest that the antitumor effect of oral administration of OK-432 may be correlated with the changing pattern of L3T4-positive cells and Lyt2+/Thy1.2+ ratio.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed1992

[Combination chemotherapy with 254-S, ifosfamide and peplomycin for advanced or recurrent cervical cancer].

From favorable results with 254-S, a new cisplatin analogue, single administration, we have conducted a clinical study to investigate the efficacy of combination of 254-S, ifosfamide and peplomycin, each of which has a different dose limiting factor. A total of 45 patients, including 22 patients with stage III and IV cervical cancer and 23 cases with recurrent cervical cancer, were treated with at least two courses of 254-S (100mg/m2, iv. Day 1), ifosfamide (1,500mg/body, iv. Day 1-5) and peplomycin (5mg/body, im. Day 1-6), and tumor response was evaluated clinically and by CT scanning. The response rate obtained in patients with advanced disease was 81.8% (PR = 17, CR = 1) and that in cases with recurrence was 60.9% (PR = 12, CR = 2). Myelosuppression was the dose limiting factor. In the 121 courses, grade 3 and 4 of leucopenia and thrombocytopenia were observed with an incidence of 44% and 32%, respectively and DIC occurred in 3 cases with poor PS though they recovered after reducing the 254-S dose to 80 mg/m2. The other toxicities were mild except for alopecia. Anaphylaxia was observed in a case at the second administration though the patient recovered in 15 minutes. There was no death. As to prognosis, a significant prolongation of survival period was observed in recurrent cases and 4 cases are alive (NED) after one and a half year. In the advanced cases, until now 3 cases of stage IV have died from the disease. We have concluded that this regimen is effective as a neoadjuvant chemotherapy for advanced cervical cancer and useful for the treatment of recurrent cervical cancer.

Adenocarcinoma↗
PubMed1991

Synthesis of a 3-ether analogue of lipid A.

Lipid A 3-ether analogues were synthesized from allyl 2-deoxy-4,6-O-isopropylidene-2-trifluoroacetamido-alpha-D-glucopyr anoside and 3,4,6-tri-O-acetyl-2-trifluoroacetamido-alpha-D-glucopyranosyl bromide. The compound lost completely the endotoxic activity.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

A Chinese hamster cDNA encoding a protein essential for phosphatidylserine synthase I activity.

A phosphatidylserine-auxotrophic mutant of cultured Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, PSA-3, is defective in phosphatidylserine synthase I activity. Transfection of PSA-3 cells with a cDNA expression library of CHO-K1 (the parent of PSA-3) yielded a phosphatidylserine-prototrophic transformant with normal phosphatidylserine synthase I activity. Using a cDNA segment retrieved from the transformant as a probe, a cDNA clone (pssA) responsible for phosphatidylserine prototrophy was isolated from the original cDNA library by colony filter hybridization. Introduction of the pssA cDNA into PSA-3 cells restored the phosphatidylserine content, and the resultant transformant exhibited 15-fold higher specific phosphatidylserine synthase I activity than CHO-K1 cells. The nucleotide sequence of the pssA cDNA contained a single long open reading frame capable of encoding a protein of 471 amino acid residues with several putative membrane-spanning domains. Our results indicated that the pssA cDNA encodes an integral membrane protein essential for phosphatidylserine synthase I activity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Functional reconstitution of sphingomyelin synthase in Chinese hamster ovary cell membranes.

Sphingomyelin synthase (phosphatidylcholine:ceramide phosphocholinetransferase) activity in the membranes of Chinese hamster ovary cells was found to be detectable with a fluorescent ceramide analog, containing a short acyl chain, as a substrate. We developed a method for the functional reconstitution of sphingomyelin synthase in detergent-treated membranes. Treatment of membranes with 1.5% octyl glucoside in the absence of exogenous phosphatidylcholine resulted in almost complete loss of sphingomyelin synthase activity, even after removal of the detergent by dialysis. In contrast, membranes treated with the detergent in the presence of exogenous phosphatidylcholine showed partial activity and, after dialysis of this mixture, enzyme activity was restored to almost the same level as the activity in dialyzed intact membranes. The effects of various lipids on enzyme activity in this reconstitution system suggested that L-alpha-phosphatidylcholine was the environmental lipid essential for the functional reconstitution of the enzyme. Furthermore, diacylglycerol was suggested to serve as an inhibitory regulator of sphingomyelin synthesis.

4-Chloro-7-nitrobenzofurazan↗
PubMed1991

Transforming growth factor-beta 1 stimulates glucose uptake and the expression of glucose transporter mRNA in quiescent Swiss mouse 3T3 cells.

Transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) is a multifunctional polypeptide that regulates the proliferation and differentiation of various types of animal cells. TGF-beta 1 stimulated glucose uptake and the expression of a brain-type glucose transporter (GLUT1) mRNA in quiescent mouse 3T3 cells. TGF-beta 1 also synergistically stimulated these activities when given together with calf serum, phorbol ester, fibroblast growth factor, or epidermal growth factor. The increases in glucose uptake and the GLUT1 mRNA level were induced by picomolar concentrations of TGF-beta 1 within 3 h of stimulation, reached a peak between 6 and 9 h, and then decreased gradually to basal levels before an increase in DNA synthesis. The stimulation of GLUT1 mRNA expression was completely abolished by actinomycin D, but was not affected by cycloheximide, suggesting that new protein synthesis was not required for the expression of GLUT1 mRNA. TGF-beta 1 had little mitogenic activity and did not affect serum-induced DNA synthesis in quiescent 3T3 cells. However, it stimulated DNA synthesis synergistically when given with fibroblast growth factor, epidermal growth factor, phorbol ester, or insulin. These results suggest that TGF-beta 1 mediates the stimulation of glucose uptake, GLUT1 mRNA expression, and DNA synthesis via a pathway(s) and cellular components distinct from those for other growth factors. The possible role of the TGF-beta 1-induced stimulation of glucose transport activity in the control of mouse fibroblast proliferation is also discussed.

3T3 Cells↗
PubMed1991

A cloned gene encoding phosphatidylserine decarboxylase complements the phosphatidylserine biosynthetic defect of a Chinese hamster ovary cell mutant.

A phosphatidylserine-auxotrophic mutant of cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells, PSA-3, manifests a defect in phosphatidylserine synthase I activity (Kuge, O., Nishijima, M., and Akamatsu, Y. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 5790-5794). We cloned a Chinese hamster gene, designated pssC, which was able to transform the PSA-3 cell line to a phosphatidylserine prototroph. The resultant transformant contained phosphatidylserine in normal amounts but remained defective in phosphatidylserine synthase I activity, indicating that pssC is a suppressor gene. Using the genomic fragment of pssC as a probe, a cDNA clone of pssC was isolated, and its nucleotide sequence was determined. A computer search through a protein data bank revealed that pssC had homology with the Escherichia coli psd gene encoding the proenzyme of phosphatidylserine decarboxylase at the amino acid level. Introduction of the cloned pssC gene into PSA-3 resulted in a 2-fold increase in phosphatidylserine decarboxylase activity. When the pssC cDNA was placed downstream of the yeast GAL1 promoter and introduced into yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells, the phosphatidylserine decarboxylase activity increased in a galactose-dependent manner. These results indicate that pssC encodes phosphatidylserine decarboxylase. The mechanism by which pssC complements the defect of PSA-3 in phosphatidylserine biosynthesis is discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

A lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-resistant mutant isolated from a macrophagelike cell line, J774.1, exhibits an altered activated-macrophage phenotype in response to LPS.

A bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-resistant mutant was isolated from murine macrophagelike cell line J774.1. The mutant showed selective resistance to LPS and lipid A and was almost 10(5)- to 10(6)-fold more resistant than the parent; it grew even in the presence of 1 mg of Escherichia coli O55:B5 LPS per liter, whereas the parent did not grow with less than 10 ng of LPS per milliliter. We next examined the mutant for activation of various functions of macrophages on LPS treatment. This LPS-resistant mutant secreted interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor almost as effectively as the parent did. The mutant cells also changed transiently from a round to a spread form; however, they became round again afterwards. The mutant cells secreted less arachidonic acid in response to LPS. These results also suggest that this LPS-resistant mutant responds to LPS and shows activation of some macrophage functions. However, this mutant did not exhibit elevation of O2- generation or H2O2 generation after LPS treatment. Also, treatment of the mutant cells with murine recombinant gamma interferon was partly able to correct the defect in O(2-)-generating activity in response to LPS, suggesting that this defect is probably due to some of the LPS signal pathways. This implies that there is some correlation between O2- metabolism in LPS-activated macrophages and decreases in cell growth and viability.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

A temperature-sensitive mammalian cell mutant with thermolabile serine palmitoyltransferase for the sphingolipid biosynthesis.

We devised an in situ assay method for the activity of serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT) that catalyzes the first step in sphingolipid biosynthesis and isolated a temperature-sensitive mutant of Chinese hamster ovary cells with thermolabile SPT. This mutant stopped growing at 40 degrees C after several generations, although the cells grew at 33 and 37 degrees C at rates similar to those of the parent. The SPT activity in cell homogenates of the mutant grown at low temperatures was 4-8% of that in the parent homogenates. When the cells were cultured for several generations at 40 degrees C, the activity in the mutant homogenate became negligible. When cell homogenates were incubated at 45 degrees C before enzyme assay, mutant SPT was more markedly inactivated than parental SPT, indicating that mutant SPT had become thermolabile. The rates of de novo synthesis of sphingolipids in the mutant were much slower at 40 degrees C than at lower temperatures, in contrast to those in the parent. The sphingomyelin content in the mutant cultivated at 40 degrees C for several generations was also less than that at low temperatures. These results indicate that SPT functions in the main pathway for sphingolipid biosynthesis. The temperature-sensitive growth of the mutant defective in sphingolipid synthesis suggests that sphingolipid(s) plays an essential role in cell growth.

Acyltransferases↗
PubMed1990

Chinese hamster ovary cell mutants defective in myo-inositol transport.

By means of an in situ colony autoradiographic assay for the incorporation of [14C]inositol into the trichloroacetic acid-insoluble fraction, we have isolated a mutant of cultured Chinese hamster ovary cells defective in inositol transport, named mutant 648. Through comparison of the inositol uptake activity of 648 cells with that of the parental cells with various concentrations of inositol and sodium, it has been demonstrated that Chinese hamster ovary cells possess a sodium-dependent transport system for inositol, and that 648 cells lack this system. The sodium-dependent uptake is inhibited by 2,4-dinitrophenol and ouabain, and the intracellular concentration of inositol exceeds the extracellular concentration during the uptake period, indicating that it is active transport, at least partially driven by the sodium gradient generated by Na+,K(+)-ATPase. The apparent Km for inositol has been estimated to be 12.0 microM. It is inhibited by hyperglycemic concentration of D-glucose in a competitive fashion.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

A novel enzymatic decarboxylation of oxalic acid by the lignin peroxidase system of white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium.

Oxidation of veratryl alcohol by lignin peroxidase (LiP) was potently inhibited by oxalic acid. The inhibition analysis with Lineweaver-Burk plots clearly showed that the type of inhibition is non-competitive. The enzymatic oxidation of veratryl alcohol in the presence of 14C-oxalic acid yielded radioactive carbon dioxide. The results indicate that the apparent inhibition of LiP is caused by reduction of the veratryl alcohol cation radical intermediate back to the substrate level by oxalate, which is concomitantly oxidized to carbon dioxide.

Benzyl Alcohols↗
PubMed1990

Cytotoxic effects of aflatoxin B1 and its association with cellular components in chicken embryo primary cultured cells.

We have examined the cytotoxicity and cellular incorporation of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in several types of established and primary cultured cells. The inhibition of DNA synthesis by AFB1 at 1 microgram/ml was about 0-30% in the established cell lines, including human hepatic cells. In chicken primary hepatocytes, however, DNA synthesis as well as RNA and protein syntheses were strongly inhibited by much lower concentrations of AFB1, e.g., 0.1 microgram/ml. In contrast, chicken primary fibroblasts showed almost no significant response to the toxin. Microsomal cytochrome P-450 activities in hepatic tissues were 10-20-fold higher than those in fibroblastic tissues. The amount of [3H]AFB1 incorporated into acid-insoluble materials in the primary hepatocytes was also 10-100-fold more than that in the primary fibroblasts. However, a significant amount of AFB1, which was enough to induce cytotoxic effects on the primary hepatocytes, could be incorporated into the primary fibroblasts when the concentrations of AFB1 were increased. Characterization of the AFB1-associated cellular components showed that most of them were DNA, RNA, and proteins in the primary hepatocytes, while in the primary fibroblasts a large portion of the incorporated AFB1 was recovered from lipid fractions. In addition, the selective binding of [3H]AFB1 to several proteins was observed only in the primary hepatocytes. The possible role of the AFB1-binding proteins are also discussed.

Aflatoxin B1↗
PubMed1990

Isolation of a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-resistant mutant, with defective LPS binding, of cultured macrophage-like cells.

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-resistant mutants which did not respond to LPS were isolated from a macrophage-like mouse cell line, J774.1. Unlike the parental J774.1 cells, these mutants grew even in LPS added medium as well as in normal growth medium without any morphological changes. Assay of 125I-LPS binding to the cell monolayers revealed that one of these LPS-resistant mutants (LR-9) was strikingly defective in LPS-binding activity. Scatchard plot showed that LR-9 cells lacked the high affinity binding sites which were present in J774.1. The high affinity binding was inhibited by addition of excess unlabeled LPS, lipid A, lipid IVA (tetraacyl-beta(1'-6)-linked D-glucosamine disaccharide-1,4'-bisphosphate), and lipid X (2,3-diacylglucosamine 1-phosphate) and sensitive to proteinase K. LPS enhanced O2- generation and the release of arachidonic acid in J774.1 cells but not in LR-9 cells. Other stimulants such as zymosan and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate, however, induced the release of arachidonic acid in LR-9 cells as well as in J774.1 cells. LPS-photocross-linked assay allowed the identification of 65- and 55-kDa LPS-binding proteins in the membrane fraction of J774.1 cells. Both of the bands were not detectable in that of LR-9 cells and disappeared by competing with unlabeled LPS or lipid X. These results show that one or both of the two LPS-binding proteins might relate to the specific membrane receptor for LPS.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Isolation and characterization of Chinese hamster ovary cell mutants defective in glucose transport.

Cultured Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells possess an insulin-sensitive facilitated diffusion system for glucose transport. Mutant clones of CHO cells defective in glucose transport were obtained by repeating the selection procedure, which involved mutagenesis with ethyl methanesulfonate, radiation suicide with tritiated 2-deoxy-D-glucose, the polyester replica technique and in situ autoradiographic assaying for glucose accumulation. On the first selection, we obtained mutants exhibiting about half the glucose uptake activity of parental CHO-K1 cells and half the amount of a glucose transporter, the amount of which was determined by immunoblotting with an antibody to the human erythrocyte glucose transporter. The second selection, starting from one of the mutants obtained in the first-step selection, yielded a strain, GTS-31, in which both glucose uptake activity and the quantity of the glucose transporter were 10-20% of the levels in CHO-K1 cells, whereas the responsiveness of glucose transport to insulin, and the activities of leucine uptake and several glycolytic enzymes remained unchanged. GTS-31 cells grew slower than CHO-K1 cells at both 33 and 40 degrees C, and in a medium containing a low concentration of glucose (0.1 mM), the mutant cells lost the ability to form colonies. All the three spontaneous GTS-31 cell revertants, which were isolated by growing the mutant cells in medium containing 0.1 mM glucose, exhibited about half the glucose uptake activity and about half the amount of glucose transporter, as compared to in CHO-K1 cells, these characteristics being similar to those of the first-step mutant. These results indicate that the decrease in glucose uptake activity in strain GTS-31 is due to a mutation which induces a reduction in the amount of the glucose transporter, providing genetic evidence that the glucose transporter functions as a major route for glucose entry into CHO-K1 cells.

Animals↗