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Biomedical subjects

Y Habu

Publications and source records attributed to Y Habu.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Antimetastatic effect of NK1+ T cells on experimental haematogenous tumour metastases in the liver and lungs of mice.

Depletion of both natural killer 1.1+ (NK1+) intermediate alpha beta T-cell receptor (int T) cells and NK cells by in vivo treatment with anti-NK1 antibody greatly increased hepatic metastases of intravenously injected EL4 cells as well as pulmonary metastases of 3LL cells in C57BL/6 mice. However, depletion of NK cells alone by anti-asialo GM1 (AGM1) antibody treatment did not increase the metastases in either organ. Interleukin-12 (IL-12) administration into mice induced strong cytotoxicities of NK cell-depleted liver and lung mononuclear cells (MNC) comparable to those without NK-cell depletion and inhibited metastases in either organ. In contrast, in both NK cell- and NK1+ int T-cell-depleted mice, IL-12 could not induce cytotoxic activity of liver and lung MNC and metastases in both organs increased with or without IL-12 treatment. These results confirmed the fact that NK+ int T cells are more potent antitumour effectors than NK cells against experimental haematogenous tumour metastases.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Identification of new chalcone synthase genes for flower pigmentation in the Japanese and common morning glories.

New cDNA sequences for chalcone synthase (CHS), a key enzyme in the flavonoid biosynthesis, were obtained from the Japanese and common morning glories; they are more closely related to other CHS sequences than the six previously described CHS genes from the same plants. The newly isolated CHS-D gene is abundantly expressed in the pigmented flower buds, while its expression is drastically reduced in the white flower buds. Thus CHS-D appears to produce major CHS transcripts for flower pigmentation.

Acyltransferases↗
PubMed1996

Fibronectin harbors anticell adhesive activity.

Effect of fibronectin (FN) fragment derived from the carboxyl-terminal heparin-binding (Hep 2) domain on cell adhesion was studied. A 30-kDa Hep 2 fragment showed no significant effect on adhesion of Mardin Darbyn caine kidney (MDCK) cells to FN substrate, whereas after exposure to urea, the Hep 2 fragment suppressed the MDCK cell adhesion to FN in an incompetitive fashion. This anti-cell adhesive Hep 2 fragment preferentially inhibited the RGD (Arg-Gly-Asp)-dependent cell adhesion to FN. No significant binding of the Hep 2 fragment with FN was detected. Additionally, data of flow cytometry showed the presence of specific binding site for the Hep 2 fragment on MDCK cell surface. These results indicate that the Hep 2 domain of FN has a cryptic molecular region having the anti-cell adhesive activity that is probably transduced by a putative cell surface receptor.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1996

A gene encoding a major Kunitz proteinase inhibitor of storage organs of winged bean is also expressed in the phloem of stems.

Winged bean Kunitz chymotrypsin inhibitor (WCI) accumulates abundantly in seeds and tuberous roots, and small amounts of the WCI protein and mRNA can also be detected in stems. In this study, we analyzed the localization of the WCI protein in stems of winged bean. The results demonstrated that the WCI protein was localized in sieve tubes. Furthermore, we showed that the 5' region of the WCI-3b gene, which exhibited strong transcriptional activity in developing seeds, also promoted transcription of a reporter gene in the phloem of stems of transgenic tobacco.

Fabaceae↗
PubMed1996

Reevaluation of clinical features of ischemic colitis. Analysis of 68 consecutive cases diagnosed by early colonoscopy.

BACKGROUND: Ischemic colitis (IC) is generally considered a disease of elderly patients who have associated diseases. The aim of the present study was to reevaluate the clinical features of IC. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical characteristics, background, and endoscopic and histologic changes in 68 consecutive patients (16 men and 52 women) with this disease diagnosed by early colonoscopy. RESULTS: The patients' age ranged from 22 to 98 years (mean, 55 years). Twenty-three patients (34%, including 19 women) were less than 50 years of age. The classical predisposing factors were not discernible in patients younger than 50. Chronic constipation and prior history of abdominal surgery were common in both young and old patients. Early colonoscopy (especially by the 3rd day from onset) showed endoscopic and histologic findings consistent with the characteristics of IC. CONCLUSIONS: IC is not limited only to the elderly, and it should be considered in the differential diagnosis of colitis with melena in younger patients, especially females, who do not have any predisposing factors. Chronic constipation and prior history of abdominal surgery were commonly associated in both young and old patients. Early colonoscopy, especially by the 3rd day from the clinical onset, is essential for the accurate diagnosis of IC.

Abdomen↗
PubMed1996

[A preliminary study of percutaneous ethanol injection therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma: evaluation of the ethanol diffusion area by the ethanol mixed with gadolinium].

To evaluate the ethanol diffusion area after Lipoidalization in 3 patients with advanced HCC treated by Lipoidalization-PEIT combination therapy, 99.9% ethanol mixed with Gadolinium was used for PEIT (Gd-PEIT). T1-weighted MR images wear obtained 1 hr after Gd-PEIT. The area of homogeneous hyperintense change on T1-weighted MR images was taken to be the ethanol diffusion area. In all 3 patients, homogeneous hyperintensity throughout the tumor over the capsule was recognized on T1-weighted MR images after treatment. The results suggests that T1-weighted MR images after Gd-PEIT provide a valuable tool by which to directly evaluate the ethanol diffusion area for advanced HCC treated by Lipoidalization followed by PEIT.

Carcinoma, Hepatocellular↗
PubMed1994

Transcriptional activities of a winged bean Kunitz chymotrypsin inhibitor gene promoter in stable and transient expression systems.

Sequential deletions of the promoter region of the WCI-3b gene, which encodes the major chymotrypsin inhibitor of winged bean, were constructed and their expression was analyzed in transgenic tobacco plants and in bombarded winged bean seeds. In transgenic tobacco plants, a critical promoter region which is important for high levels of expression in seeds was identified, but deletion of this region had essentially no effect when bombarded into winged bean seeds.

Chymotrypsin↗
PubMed1994

Direct transfer of plasmid DNA from intact yeast spheroplasts into plant protoplasts.

We developed a polyethylene glycol (PEG)-mediated direct DNA transfer method from intact Saccharomyces cerevisiae spheroplasts into Arabidopsis thaliana protoplasts. To monitor the DNA transfer from yeast to plant cells, beta-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter gene in which a plant intron was inserted was used as a reporter. This intron-GUS reporter gene on a 2 microns-based plasmid vector was not expressed in yeast transformants, while it expressed GUS activity when the plasmid DNA was introduced into plant cells. When a mixture of 1 x 10(8) of S. cerevisiae spheroplasts harboring the plasmid and 2 x 10(6) of A. thaliana protoplasts was treated with PEG and high pH-high Ca2+ solution (0.4 M mannitol, 50 mM CaCl2, 50 mM glycine-NaOH pH 10.5), GUS activity was detected in the extract of the plant cells after a three-day culture. The GUS activity was higher than that of a reconstitution experiment in which the mixture of 1 x 10(8) of S. cerevisiae spheroplasts which did not carry the reporter gene, 2 x 10(6) of A. thaliana protoplasts and the same amount of the reporter plasmid DNA as that contained in 1 x 10(8) of S. cerevisiae spheroplasts, was treated with PEG and high pH-high Ca2+ solution. Moreover, the GUS gene expression was resistant to micrococcal nuclease treatment before and during PEG treatment. From these results, we concluded that plasmid DNA can be directly transferred from intact yeast spheroplasts to plant protoplasts by a nuclease-resistant process, possibly by the cell fusion.

Arabidopsis↗
PubMed1993

Ubiquitous nuclear proteins bind to 5' upstream region of major Kunitz chymotrypsin inhibitor gene in winged bean.

Winged bean Kunitz chymotrypsin inhibitor (WCI) accumulates abundantly in seeds and tuberous roots of winged bean plant. In seeds, the WCI mRNA is observed transiently during seed maturation period. The WCI is encoded by a multigene family and the major WCI (WCI-3) is encoded by two nearly identical genes (WCI-3a and WCI-3b genes), in which nucleotide sequences in the 1.1 kb 5' flanking regions are about 99% homologous to each other and the transcribed regions are completely identical. Here we report the detection of two types of nuclear proteins which bind to the multiple sites in the 5' upstream region of the WCI-3a gene. One of the proteins, band 1-forming protein, also bound to cauliflower mosaic virus 35S (CaMV35S) promoter, but another protein, band 3-forming protein, did not. DNaseI footprinting analysis showed that these proteins bound to AT-rich upstream regions in the WCI-3a gene. Addition of poly(dA-dT)-poly(dA-dT) to the binding reaction inhibited the formation of the retarded bands, while poly(dI-dC)-poly(dI-dC) did not. In various organs and throughout seed maturation period, proteins with invariable binding specificities were detected, and these binding proteins met some operational criteria for high-mobility-group (HMG) proteins. These results suggest that leguminous seed AT-binding proteins reported on several seed storage protein genes may be HMG-like proteins which are present ubiquitously in plant organs.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1993

[A clinical decision analysis to assess therapeutic modalities for symptomatic gallstones with respect to patient's quality of life and cost-effectiveness].

A clinical decision analysis was performed to assess new therapeutic modalities for symptomatic gallstones with respect to patient's quality of life (QOL) and cost-effectiveness. A decision tree-based state transition model (Markov approach) implemented to simulate a five-year period of follow-up was constructed. Non-surgical treatments were superior to surgery in enhancing patient's QOL. This advantage was dependent upon the efficacy of non-surgical treatments (stone clearance rate) and patient's age. The optimal candidates were patients with a single radiolucent stone less than 2 cm in diameter for extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL), and patients with multiple floating stones for oral dissolution, respectively, especially in the elderly. ESWL was less cost-effective than laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). ESWL was superior to LC in enhancing patient's utility, but more expensive than LC. LC was economically cost-effective and superior to open cholecystectomy in enhancing patient's QOL for all eligible patients. LC appears to be the therapeutic modality of first choice for the majority of patients with symptomatic gallstones. In conclusion, the results of our analysis suggest the followings. Non-surgical treatments have an advantage over surgery in enhancing patient's QOL and are acceptable alternatives to surgery on the basis of their optimal indications and laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the new standard therapeutic modality in the treatment of symptomatic gallbladder stones.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Analysis of differential accumulation of winged bean Kunitz chymotrypsin inhibitor mRNA species by a sequence-specific termination method.

Winged bean Kunitz chymotrypsin inhibitor (WCI) is encoded by a multigene family and accumulation of its mRNA is restricted in mid-maturation stage seeds and tuberous roots. In this paper, we analyzed the accumulation of mRNA derived from each WCI gene using a novel method: sequence-specific termination analysis. The results demonstrated that the accumulation of each WCI mRNA was differentially regulated in winged bean plants.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed1992

A clinical decision analysis to assess the value of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the treatment of gallstone disease.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has been introduced for gallstone therapy and its use appears currently to be spreading very rapidly. A clinical decision analysis was performed to assess this new technique by quantitative comparison with other therapeutic modalities. A decision tree-based state transition model implemented to simulate a five-year period of follow-up was constructed. Non-surgical treatments were superior to surgical treatments in enhancing both life expectancy and quality-adjusted life expectancy on the basis of the optimal indications; one radiolucent stone < 2 cm for extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy and multiple floating stones for oral dissolution therapy respectively, especially in the elderly. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was superior to open cholecystectomy in enhancing the quality of life for all eligible patients. Sensitivity analysis revealed that a higher incidence of the bile duct injury resulting from laparoscopic cholecystectomy would result in a poorer quality-adjusted life expectancy. The results of the analysis suggest the following. Nonsurgical treatments are acceptable alternatives to surgery on the basis of their optimal indications. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has an advantage over open cholecystectomy in enhancing the patient's utility, and appears to be an attractive therapeutic modality. A proper training program is necessary to ensure the quality of this procedure in order to maintain its advantage.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Structure and regulated expression of Kunitz chymotrypsin inhibitor genes in winged bean [Psophocarpus tetragonolobus (L.) DC].

We analyzed the structure and the expression of Kunitz chymotrypsin inhibitor (WCI) genes in winged bean. WCI was encoded by a multigene family which comprised at least seven members. From their primary structures, four genes (WCI-2, WCI-3a, WCI-3b, and WCI-x) were expected to be functional ones and the other three (WCI-P1, WCI-P2, and WCI-P3) to be pseudogenes. The nucleotide sequences of the WCI-3a and WCI-3b genes were nearly identical, and they encoded the WCI-3 protein, the major chymotrypsin inhibitor in seeds. The WCI-2 gene also encoded the chymotrypsin inhibitor found in seeds and the WCI-x gene was expected to encode an unidentified chymotrypsin inhibitor. WCI messenger RNA and protein accumulated mainly in developing seeds and tuberous roots, small amounts of WCI mRNA being present in stems and pericarps. In seeds, transient accumulation of WCI mRNA was observed during the seed maturation period. These results suggest that the expression of WCI genes is regulated organ-specifically and developmentally in winged bean.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1989

A cytokine, lymphocyte blastogenesis inhibitory factor (LBIF), arrests mitogen-stimulated T lymphocytes at early G1 phase with no influence on interleukin 2 production and interleukin 2 receptor light chain expression.

The function of a human cytokine, lymphocyte blastogenesis inhibitory factor (LBIF), was characterized. To this end, LBIF was purified from crude supernatant of U-937 cells, a human macrophage-like cell line, by using fast protein liquid chromatography (FPLC). We demonstrated here that (a) the LBIF preparation completely inhibited phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated T cell proliferation; (b) however, in PHA-stimulated T lymphocytes LBIF inhibited neither interleukin (IL)2 production nor the expression of IL2 receptor (IL2R) light chain (CD25) which play a critical role for T cell proliferation; (c) LBIF arrested PHA-stimulated T lymphocytes at the G1 phase of cell cycle and inhibited entry into S phase, thus inhibiting lymphocyte proliferation. Wright-Giemsa's staining of the cells showed that PHA/LBIF-stimulated cells were arrested in early G1. In agreement with this result, LBIF strongly inhibited PHA-induced RNA synthesis. Further, LBIF inhibited the induction of the transferrin receptor which is normally expressed at the late G1 phase of the cell cycle. The inhibitory activity of LBIF was reversible. Thus, this study elucidated that LBIF arrests PHA-stimulated T lymphocytes at a point between the stages of IL2 production or IL2R light chain expression (in early G1) and transferrin receptor expression (in late G1). Taken together, these results suggest that there might be a control system of T cell proliferation distinct from the previously reported mechanisms, such as the inhibition of IL2 production or the inhibition of IL2R light chain (CD25) expression, and that LBIF might be an important molecule in the regulation of normal lymphocyte proliferation.

Biological Factors↗