Biomedical subjects

Y Etoh

Publications and source records attributed to Y Etoh.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed1997

Serum levels of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and the expression of ICAM-1 mRNA in uterine cervical cancer.

The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the serum level of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (sICAM-1) in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix. Serum levels of sICAM-1 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in patients with cervical cancer (stage 0 through IV). Expression of mRNA in tumor tissues was evaluated by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Serum level of sICAM-1 in patients with advanced-stage (II-IV) or recurrent cervical cancer was found to be increased significantly. Expression of ICAM-1 mRNA was observed in most tumor tissues. Results suggest that sICAM-1 is shed from the cancerous tissue in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix.

Carcinoma, Squamous Cell↗

PubMed1997

No significant changes in levels of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA by competitive polymerase chain reaction in blood samples from patients with chronic HCV infection.

To determine if levels of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA change over a several-year period, we quantified the amount of HCV RNA by competitive polymerase chain reaction. The population studied included 44 residents of a rural area with chronic HCV infection, 39 had chronic hepatitis C and 37 were patients on hemodialysis. All these Japanese patients had HCV RNA of genotype II. Blood samples were collected once a year from 1992 to 1995. From 1993 to 1995 between the groups, there was no significant difference in change of HCV RNA levels of 44 residents with chronic HCV infection, with and without liver dysfunction, nor was there any change in the 31 hemodialysis patients from 1992 to 1995. The HCV RNA levels in the 25 with chronic hepatitis who did not respond to interferon-alpha during 1992-1993 returned to pretreatment levels after the cessation of interferon treatment. In two of six hemodialysis patients who were infected with HCV during this observation period, HCV RNA was eliminated within one year, and the remaining four became HCV carriers. HCV RNA levels in the latter rose rapidly after infection and were sustained at a high level throughout the study period. Thus, HCV RNA level did not change remarkably during a three-year period, a finding which supports that it does not correlate with deterioration of liver damage and aging of HCV carriers.

Carrier State↗

PubMed1997

[A case of complete remission of gastric endocrine cell carcinoma with multiple bone metastasis by combination chemotherapy and high-dose chemotherapy with autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation].

A 31-year-old man was admitted to our hospital complaining of epigastric discomfort and severe lumbago. An upper gastrointestinal endoscopy revealed several submucosallike tumors. Histologic examination of biopsy specimens confirmed the presence of endocrine cell carcinoma. Gallium scintigraphy and CT revealed multiple bone metastasis. He was treated with 6 cycles of combination chemotherapy consisting of CDDP, etoposide, CPA, EPI and VCR. Both gastric tumors and bone metastasis completely disappeared. After 7 cycles of the chemotherapy, he was treated with HDCT with PBSCT. There was no severe complication. This result suggested that the combination of conventional chemotherapy and HDCT with PBSCT was useful in cancer patients with poor prognoses, such as advanced gastric endocrine cell carcinoma.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Expression of activin A in human keratinocytes at early stages of cultivation.

Activins are members of the TGF-beta superfamily and are classified into 3 types: activin A, which consists of a homodimer of betaA, activin B, which consists of a homodimer of betaB, and activin AB, which consists of a heterodimer of betaAbetaB. We studied the expression of activin mRNAs by RT-PCR in normal human epidermis, cultured keratinocytes, and DJM-1 cells (a squamous cell carcinoma line). We could detect only activin A mRNA (betaA) in normal human epidermis. In cultured keratinocytes and DJM-1 cells, activin betaA mRNA was observed at 4 h but not at 96 h after plating. Activin A activity was detected in the conditioned medium of DJM-1 cells within 48 h. In addition, although follistatin mRNA was not observed in human epidermis in situ, it was transiently expressed in cultured cells at 4 h after plating. These findings suggest that the expression of these molecules in keratinocytes is associated with cell proliferation. In an in vitro tissue injury model, activin A was observed at the wound edge, where cell migration and proliferation may be activated. In DJM-1 cells cultured for 92 h, betaA mRNA was observed 4 h after injury treatment. These findings suggest that activin A acts as a potent inducer of proliferation in vitro, at least in keratinocytes.

Activins↗

PubMed1996

Serum levels of cytokeratin 19 fragments in cervical cancer.

Serum levels of a cytokeratin 19 fragment, Cyfra 21-1, were measured using an immunoradiometric assay in 33 women before initial treatment and in 8 women with recurrent tumor. The serum level of Cyfra 21-1 was significantly increased in women with tumors of advanced stage (FIGO) and those with recurrence. The incidence of positivity for Cyfra 21-1 tended to increase with tumor spread. Compared with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) antigen, the sensitivity of Cyfra 21-1 was comparable to that of SCC antigen. The serum level of Cyfra 21-1 and that of SCC antigen showed a positive correlation. While the use of the serum Cyfra 21-1 level may be limited in cervical cancer by its relatively low sensitivity, a combination assay of Cyfra 21-1 and SCC antigen may be useful in the diagnosis and follow-up of patients with cervical squamous cell carcinoma.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Long term survey of hepatitis C virus infection in hemodialysis units in Fukuoka, Japan.

To examine prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and liver dysfunction in hemodialysis units, we surveyed markers for HCV infection and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in hemodialysis patients. 204 hemodialysis patients (111 men and 93 women; mean age, 53 +/- 12 years) in four hemodialysis units in Fukuoka, Japan were investigated. All serum samples were tested for antibody to HCV (anti-HCV) by second-generation enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA). HCV RNA was detected to identify present HCV infection in the anti-HCV-positive patients by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using primers deduced from the 5'-noncoding region. Liver dysfunction was defined as an elevated concentration of serum ALT (above 36 IU/liter) tested by a multiple autoanalyser. 105 patients (51.5 percent) were initially positive for anti-HCV, 95 (90.5 percent) of whom were also positive for HCV RNA. Ten became positive for anti-HCV in hemodialysis units during the observation, eight (80 percent) of whom had sustained HCV viremia. The route of transmission of HCV was not clear, but two of these patients had received blood transfusions. Of 95 patients with HCV viremia, 43 (45.3 percent) had had liver dysfunction at least once. In conclusion, HCV infection continues to occur in hemodialysis units not through blood transfusion and many of them become HCV carriers. Liver dysfunction was found in about a half of HCV-infected hemodialysis patients during the observation.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Hepatitis C virus RNA levels determined by branched DNA probe assay correlated with levels assessed using competitive PCR.

OBJECTIVE: To search for comparative differences, levels of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA were examined by branched DNA (bDNA) probe assay and by competitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR). METHODS: The study population included 234 patients (chronic hepatitis 146, cirrhosis 36, hepatocellular carcinoma 52), all of whom were positive for HCV RNA, as determined by PCR. We quantified HCV RNA levels of all serum samples by both bDNA probe and competitive PCR. RESULTS: HCV RNA was detected in serum samples by bDNA assay in 142 (60.7%) of the 234 patients; this rate was significantly higher in 106 (73.6%) of the 144 patients in genotype II than in 20 (41.7%) of 48 of genotype III and in 16 (38.1%) of 42 of genotype IV (p < 0.001, respectively). The median HCV RNA levels by bDNA assay (x 10(6) eq/ml) were 0.1, 0.1, 0.4, 1.4, and 5.3 among patients with HCV RNA levels < 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 respectively, by competitive PCR (logarithmic transformation copy numbers/50 microliters). A significant correlation was found between HCV RNA levels by bDNA and competitive PCR (r = 0.5747, p < 0.001). There was a correlation among patients of genotype II and genotype III but not genotype IV. CONCLUSION: We recommend bDNA assay for use in clinical practice because the procedure is not difficult and is less contamination-prone. The HCV RNA levels determined using this assay correlated with those examined by competitive PCR.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed1995

The extracts from rat submandibular glands induce the erythroid differentiation of K-562 cells.

The extracts from rat submandibular glands (SMGs) induced erythroid differentiation of K-562. The activity was non-dialysable and abolished by heat, trypsin or 2-mercaptoethanol. Follistatin, which neutralizes the erythroid differentiation factor (EDF), had no effects on this activity. Analysis by gel chromatography and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis-isoelectric focussing showed that the characteristics of this substance were different from those of erythropoietin, TGF-beta 1, EDF, stem cell factor and insulin-like growth factor-1. These results suggest the presence of a novel substance in rat SMGs which induces erythroid differentiation of K-562.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

IgE-mediated allergy to spider mite, Panonychus citri in occupationally exposed individuals.

This paper is the first report on allergy caused by a spider mite, Panonychus citri. Some of fruitgrowers cultivating Citrus junos were manifested immediate allergic symptoms by farming, especially by harvest. By examining C. junos trees, we found the trees cultivated by the fruitgrowers were infested with P. citri. Twelve subjects complaining of immediate allergic symptoms were examined by intradermal test and RAST using allergen extracts prepared from P. citri and Dermatophagoides spp. In intradermal test, ten out of twelve showed a positive response to P. citri and twelve positive to D. farinae. Positive RAST to P. citri were obtained in seven of twelve. Six of them also had positive RAST to D. farinae and D. pteronyssinus. In ELISA inhibition using a serum from Case 4, the inhibition with P. citri extract reached to 92% at the highest concentration used but at the same concentration D. farinae and D. pteronyssinus extracts did not inhibit the binding of specific IgE antibodies to allergen of P. citri. In Case 7, the extracts of P. citri, D. farinae and D. pteronyssinus inhibited at the same concentration 94%, 81%, and 87%, respectively. These results lead to the following conclusions: Seven subjects positive to P. citri in intradermal test and RAST are sensitized to P. citri. P. citri has a specific allergenic determinant in addition to a common determinant with Dermatophagoides spp.

Adult↗

PubMed1994

[Hypotensive action of human renin inhibitor KRI-1314 in the common marmoset].

The possibility of using KRI-1314, a new cyclohexylnorstatine derivative, as an antihypertensive drug was examined using common marmosets. KRI-1314 strongly inhibited plasma renin activity (PRA) in both humans and marmosets, with a 50% inhibitory concentration of 4.7 x 10(-9) and 6.9 x 10(-9) M, respectively. In anesthetized marmosets, the increase in both blood pressure and PRA induced by bolus intravenous injection of RH-renin (0.15 microgram/kg) was suppressed by constant intravenous infusion of KRI-1314 (0.01 and 0.1 mg/kg/min) in a dose-dependent manner. In the sustained hypertension induced by continuous intravenous infusion of RH-renin (0.1 microgram/kg/min), a dose-dependent hypotensive response was produced by bolus intravenous injection of KRI-1314 (0.03-3 mg/kg). In the sodium-depleted model, whose PRA was increased by a two-week low-sodium diet coupled with furosemide loading, both intravenous injection (0.1-3 mg/kg) and oral administration (10 and 30 mg/kg) of KRI-1314 to anesthetized and conscious animals, respectively, lowered blood pressure dose-dependently with PRA suppression. The hypotensive activity of orally administered KRI-1314 (30 mg/kg) was almost equal to that of orally administered captopril (1 mg/kg). KRI-1314 did not affect heart rate in any of the experiments. These results indicate that the potent human renin inhibitor KRI-1314 may become an orally effective drug for treating renin-dependent hypertension.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed1993

Campylobacter showae sp. nov., isolated from the human oral cavity.

Nine Campylobacter-like strains were isolated from human gingival crevices and characterized. These strains were gram-negative, straight rods that were motile by means of multiple unipolar flagella. They were asaccharolytic and preferred an anaerobic atmosphere rather than a microaerophilic atmosphere for growth, and their growth was stimulated by formate and fumarate. These strains were biochemically similar to Campylobacter curvus and Campylobacter rectus, but were clearly distinguishable from these organisms by the number of flagella (two to five flagella at one end of the cell), by being catalase positive, by their whole-cell protein profiles, by their Western blot (immunoblot) patterns, and on the basis of DNA-DNA homology data. They could also be differentiated from the other species of the genus Campylobacter. The nine Campylobacter-like strains were compared with two strains (FDC 286 and VPI 10279) representing a previously described but unnamed Wolinella sp. The nine isolates and strains FDC 286 and VPI 10279 were found to be members of a single species. The 16S rRNA sequences of two strains of the newly identified species were compared with the rRNA sequences of 21 reference Campylobacter, Wolinella, and Helicobacter species in order to generate a phylogenetic tree. We propose the name Campylobacter showae for the newly identified strains; strain SU A4 (= ATCC 51146) is the type strain of this new species.

Bacterial Proteins↗

PubMed1993

KRI-1314: an orally effective inhibitor of human renin.

Biochemical and pharmacological properties of KRI-1314, a newly synthesized, low molecular weight (M.W.: 690) renin inhibitor, were investigated in vitro and in vivo. The novel amino acid norstatine, which is shorter in chain length than the well-known statine, was incorporated into KRI-1314 as a tetrahedral transition-state analogue for the Leu10-Val11 scissile peptide in the renin substrate. KRI-1314 more strongly inhibited plasma renins from primates than those from dogs, rabbits, guinea pigs and rats. KRI-1314 competitively inhibited highly-purified human renin with a Ki value of 9.9 x 10(-10) M. KRI-1314 strongly inhibited the tissue renin-like activities of various organs from Japanese monkeys, with IC50 values on the order of 10(-8) M. KRI-1314 was also very stable in various tissue homogenates from Japanese monkeys. Both intravenous (from 0.25 to 3 mg/kg) and oral (10 and 30 mg/kg) administration of KRI-1314 to anesthetized and conscious sodium-depleted Japanese monkeys, respectively, significantly lowered the blood pressure and plasma renin activity without affecting the heart rate. In Japanese monkeys, KRI-1314 was continuously detected in the plasma up to at least 7 hr after oral administration of 10 and 30 mg/kg. These results demonstrate that KRI-1314 is a highly potent, primate-selective and long-lasting oral renin inhibitor with a blood pressure lowering effect.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed1992

Activin synergistically increased c-jun mRNA in P19 embryonal carcinoma cells in the presence of retinoic acid.

Activin and retinoids, which are involved in the induction and regulation of the early differentiation process in vertebrate embryogenesis, synergistically increased the amount of c-jun mRNA in P19 embryonal carcinoma cells, but activin alone had no effect. Among the retinoids, all-trans-retinoic acid most effectively increased c-jun mRNA. Activin (lng/ml) was sufficient to induce the synergistic increase of c-jun mRNA in P19 EC cells with all-trans-retinoic acid. The synergistic increase of the amount of c-jun mRNA by their cooperative action may be important in vertebrate development.

Activins↗

PubMed1992

Fibrinolytic enzymes in ascites during experimental acute pancreatitis in rats.

The ascites accumulating during acute pancreatitis contain proteases that play a role in the progression of this disease. The proteases of the fibrinolytic system in the ascites were therefore studied in experimental acute pancreatitis induced in rats. Synthetic substrate assay and the fibrin plate method revealed high activities of proteases, including plasminogen activator, in the ascites. The plasminogen activator had a mol wt of about 50,000 by zymography. The plasminogen activator adsorbed on Lys-sepharose from the ascites was observed at the 100,000 mol wt position and in the 50,000-100,000 mol wt range on zymography and appeared at the 50,000 mol wt position after treatment by concentration. Its activity was enhanced by trypsin treatment. In other experiments, when incubated homogenate of normal pancreas lacking in zymographic activity was injected intraperitoneally into healthy rats, the recovered fluid displayed lytic zones between the 100,00 and 50,000 mol wt positions. These findings suggest that the ascites contained plasminogen activator, part of which was released by intrapancreatic substances and was present in the precursor form.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed1992

Induction of dyspnea by aerosol of endothelin-1/histamine or/methacholine in the conscious guinea pig.

The inhalation of aerosol of endothelin-1 (ET-1) induced dyspneal behavior in conscious guinea pigs pretreated with histamine or methacholine inhalation, although it was not observed by the inhalation of ET-1 alone. The dyspneal response to the inhalation of ET-1/histamine was potently inhibited by indomethacin, but it was not affected by nifedipine or diphenhydramine.

Administration, Inhalation↗

PubMed1992

Human recombinant activin-A modulates the steroidogenesis of cultured bovine adrenocortical cells.

The effect of human recombinant activin-A on adrenal steroidogenesis was studied in cultured bovine adrenocortical cells. Activin-A significantly reduced cortisol output from ACTH (10nmol/l)-stimulated adrenocortical cells incubated for 24 hours in a dose-dependent manner (10, 100 and 500ng activin-A/ml suppressed cortisol secretion by 19, 33 and 40%), although no significant effect was observed in the case of 3 h incubation. Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) secretion from ACTH-stimulated adrenocortical cells incubated for 24 h was also decreased by the addition of activin-A in a dose-dependent manner. (10, 100 and 500ng activin-A/ml suppressed DHEA secretion by 22, 56 and 58%). These inhibitory effects of activin-A (100ng/ml) on cortisol and DHEA secretion were partially blocked by the addition of follistatin/FSH-Suppressing Protein (200ng/ml). In contrast, activin-A treatment resulted in no significant decrease in aldosterone secretion. There were no significant effects of activin-A on basal secretions of cortisol, DHEA or aldosterone from adrenocortical cells. These results suggest that activin-A has a direct inhibitory effect on ACTH-stimulated bovine adrenocortical steroidogenesis.

Activins↗

PubMed1991

Effect of erythroid differentiation factor on megakaryocytic differentiation of L8057, a murine megakaryoblastic leukemia cell line.

To assess the potent effect of erythroid differentiation factor (EDF) on megakaryocytopoiesis, effect of EDF on megakaryocytic differentiation of L8057, a murine megakaryoblastic cell line, was examined. EDF potentiated AchE induction of L8057 in a dose dependent manner. The potency of EDF on megakaryocytic differentiation is comparable to that on erythroid differentiation reported previously. The present results suggest that EDF may play a regulatory role in megakaryocytopoiesis as well as in erythropoiesis.

Acetylcholinesterase↗

PubMed1990

Activin/EDF as an inhibitor of neural differentiation.

Activin/EDG, a stimulator of the secretion of follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) from pituitary gland and an inducer of erythroid differentiation for Friend leukemia cells, has since been implicated in a variety of biological roles. Here, we show some novel effects of activin on murine embryonal carcinoma cells (EC cells). First, activin acts as a growth factor on undifferentiated P19 cells, a well characterized EC cell line for the study of mammalian development. Second, activin inhibits the retinoic acid (RA) induced differentiation of P19 cells to neurons and glial cells. The inhibitory effect of activin on neural differentiation, which has yet to be proved in other physiological peptides, is confirmed also on the differentiation of various neuroblastoma cell lines. Our results suggest a possible role of activin as a negative regulator of neural differentiation in mammalian development.

Activins↗