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Biomedical subjects

Y Fukuhara

Publications and source records attributed to Y Fukuhara.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

GM1-gangliosidosis: tandem duplication within exon 3 of beta-galactosidase gene in an infantile patient.

A 23-nucleotide tandem duplication (GGACCTTGAAAGTACTC-GGGACC) was found within exon 3 of the beta-galactosidase gene in a patient with infantile-form GM1-gangliosidosis, which generated a premature stop codon after translation of 36 amino acids. Homologous sequences at the area of duplication suggested that the mutation resulted from an unequal crossover. A single base substitution 316Trp----Cys was found in the other allele. Family study showed that the duplication was transmitted from his father and the base substitution from his mother.

Base Sequence

Oncotic pressure regulates gene transcriptions of albumin and apolipoprotein B in cultured rat hepatoma cells.

The mechanism of the accelerated syntheses of albumin and apolipoprotein B (apo B) in response to decreased oncotic pressure was investigated in cultured rat hepatoma H4-II-E cells. Addition of dextran (mol wt 6-9 x 10(4)) to the culture medium decreased the levels of albumin and apo B mRNAs in an oncotic pressure-dependent manner. The reductions of both mRNAs were attenuated with increase in the molecular weight of dextran, which resulted in a decrease in oncotic pressure. Addition of macromolecule increased the viscosity in medium; however, alteration of viscosity appeared not to correlate with albumin and apo B mRNA levels. Transcriptional run-on assays with isolated nuclei from dextran-treated vs. untreated hepatoma cells indicated that the changes in steady-state mRNA levels were mainly controlled at the transcriptional step. Treatment with cycloheximide increased albumin mRNA to the basal level, which was effectively suppressed by dextran, and resulted in superinduction of apo B mRNA. These changes occurred primarily at the transcriptional step. These results suggest that regulations of the expressions of the albumin and apo B genes for adaptive increases in the mRNAs may require the continued synthesis of a labile protein(s) or a limiting transcription factor(s). We conclude that oncotic pressure plays an important role in regulation of expression of the albumin and apo B genes at the transcriptional step.

Animals

[Drug-induced acid-base disorders].

Drug-induced acid-base disorders may be classified into four categories with respect to the mechanism. 1. Metabolic acidosis is induced by a large acid loads incurred from exogenous sources (e.g. NH4Cl, or toxin ingestion) or endogenous acid production (e.g. generation of ketoacids or lactic acids by alcohol or phenformin) or base loss (e.g. abuse of laxatives). 2. Metabolic alkalosis results from exogenous bicarbonate loads (e.g. milk-alkali syndrome) or effective extracellular fluid contraction, potassium depletion plus hyperaldosteronism (e.g. vomiting, diuretics, or licorice). 3. Renal tubular acidosis is induced by the drugs which mainly impair proximal and/or distal tubules (e.g. vitamin D, NSAID, acetazolamide or amphotericin B). 4. Respiratory acidosis or alkalosis results from drug-induced respiratory center depression or neuromuscular impairment (e.g. anesthetic, sedative overdosage or curare) or hyperventilation (salicylates, paraldehyde, epinephrine, or nicotine).

Acid-Base Imbalance

Stimulatory effect of thrombin on endothelin-1 production in isolated glomeruli and cultured mesangial cells of rats.

To determine whether endothelin-1 (ET-1) is released in close proximity to its binding sites on glomerular mesangial cells, and also to elucidate the regulatory factors responsible for its release, we measured immunoreactive ET-1 (ir-ET-1) in the incubation media of isolated glomeruli and cultured mesangial cells of rats using enzyme immunoassay under both basal and thrombin-stimulated conditions. ir-ET-1 was released time-dependently, from isolated glomeruli and cultured mesangial cells. Thrombin (2 U/ml) stimulated the release from both preparations. The release of immunoreactive big endothelin-1 (ir-big ET-1), which was assayed by using enzyme immunoassay, was also time-dependent, and the release was increased by thrombin (2 U/ml; at 4 h, 8 h, and 24 h) in cultured mesangial cells. The releases of big ET-1 and its converted product ET-1 from mesangial cells, an established target for ET-1, suggests that ET-1 acts as an autocrine factor for the cells.

Animals

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in late-onset variant of Fabry disease with high residual activity of alpha-galactosidase A.

A new variant form of Fabry disease with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy of late onset is reported. Two unrelated male hemizygotes of this disease first presented with signs and symptoms of cardiomyopathy after 50 years of age. Cultured lymphoblastoid cells showed significantly higher residual alpha-galactosidase A activities than in the patients with classical phenotypic expressions.

Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic

Clinical and molecular heterogeneity in hereditary beta-galactosidase deficiency.

Results of a molecular analysis of GM1-gangliosidosis and galactosialidosis in our laboratory are briefly reviewed. A common single base substitution was found in adult/chronic form of GM1-gangliosidosis among heterogeneous beta-galactosidase gene mutations, and restriction site analysis was successfully performed for diagnosis of homozygotes and heterozygotes. All adult galactosialidosis patients had a common mutation at a splice junction which caused skipping of an exon of the protective protein/carboxypeptidase gene. An artificial restriction site was introduced in this case and applied to diagnosis of this disease. The heterogeneous gene mutations were compared and correlated with phenotypic manifestations in these two diseases.

Adolescent

Parathyroid hormone enhances gentamicin uptake by opossum kidney cells but not by LLC-PK1 cells.

Parathyroidectomy is proposed to be protective against gentamicin nephrotoxicity in rats. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of bovine PTH(1-34) on gentamicin accumulation in cultured kidney epithelial cell lines, opossum kidney (OK) cells which possess PTH receptors and LLC-PK1 cells which are devoid of PTH receptors. Ten days after seeding, the culture medium was exchanged for medium containing 1 mM gentamicin and bovine PTH. The cell gentamicin concentration was measured by a substrate-labeled fluorescence immunoassay (TDA gentamicin kit). Gentamicin uptake was accelerated by bovine PTH in OK cells but not in LLC-PK1 cells. The enhancing effect of bovine PTH seems to be mediated by a cAMP-dependent process. The results suggest that PTH accelerates gentamicin accumulation in renal tissues and potentiates gentamicin nephrotoxicity.

Animals

Aclacinomycin, an anti-leukemic anthracycline, impairs human neutrophil functions.

The effects of aclacinomycin, an anti-leukemic anthracycline, on human neutrophil functions were investigated. The release of superoxide (O2-) in neutrophils stimulated by opsonized zymosan, myristate, or phorbol myristate acetate was inhibited by aclacinomycin in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The phagocytosis of yeast particles and oil droplets, and membrane potential changes stimulated by phorbol myristate acetate were also inhibited by aclacinomycin. On the other hand, the O2(-)-producing enzyme (NADPH oxidase) in the particulate fraction prepared from myristate-stimulated neutrophils was not affected by aclacinomycin. When high concentrations of aclacinomycin (10-100 micrograms/ml) were employed, significant inhibition of O2- release, phagocytosis, and membrane potential changes was observed within 5 min. Phagocytic activity was also inhibited when neutrophils were preincubated for 13 h at 37 degrees C with a low concentration (40 ng/ml) of aclacinomycin, which could be obtained by intravenous administration of 20 mg aclacinomycin. Myristate-induced O2- release was not impaired by cytosine arabinoside (2-800 micrograms/ml), vincristine (0.1-100 micrograms/ml), adriamycin (25-100 micrograms/ml), or daunomycin (5-75 micrograms/ml) when the cells were preincubated with these drugs for 5 min at 37 degrees C. These findings suggest that aclacinomycin inhibits the respiratory burst by impairing the activating system of NADPH oxidase and phagocytic activity.

Aclarubicin

Human beta-galactosidase gene mutations in GM1-gangliosidosis: a common mutation among Japanese adult/chronic cases.

Molecular analysis of the human beta-galactosidase gene revealed six different mutations in 10 of 11 Japanese GM1-gangliosidosis patients. They were the only abnormalities in each allele examined in this study. A 165-nucleotide duplication (positions 1103-1267) was found in two infantile patients, producing an abnormally large mRNA; one patient was probably a homozygote, and the other was a heterozygote of this mutation. The other two infantile patients had different mutations; a 123 Gly(GGG)----Arg(AGG) mutation in one patient and a 316 Tyr(TAT)----Cys(TGT) mutation in the other. A 201 Arg(CGC)----Cys(TGC) mutation, eliminating a BspMI site, was detected in a late-infantile/juvenile patient; the restriction-site analysis of amplified genomic DNA confirmed his heterozygosity for this mutation. A 51 Ile(ATC)----Thr(ACC) mutation was found in all five adult/chronic patients examined in this study. It created a SauI site, and restriction-site analysis confirmed that four patients were homozygous mutants. The other was a compound heterozygote for this mutation and another 457 Arg(CGA)----Gln(CAA) mutation. These mutant genes expressed markedly decreased or completely deficient enzyme activities in beta-galactosidase-deficient human fibroblasts transformed by adenovirus-SV40 recombinants. We conclude that gene mutations are heterogeneous in GM1-gangliosidosis but that the 51 Ile(ATC)----Thr(ACC) mutation is common among the Japanese adult/chronic cases. Genotype-phenotype correlations in GM1-gangliosidosis are briefly discussed.

Adolescent

Human beta-galactosidase gene mutations in morquio B disease.

Three different beta-galactosidase gene mutations--a 273Trp----Leu (mutation F) in both families, 482Arg----His (mutation G) in one family, and 509Trp----Cys (mutation H) in the other family--were identified in three patients with Morquio B disease who were from two unrelated families. Restriction-site analysis using StuI, Nsp(7524)I or RsaI confirmed these mutations. In human fibroblasts, mutation F expressed as much as 8% of the normal allele's enzyme activity, but the other mutations expressed no detectable enzyme activity. We conclude that the unique clinical manifestations are specifically associated with mutation F, a common two-base substitution, in this disease.

Amino Acid Sequence