Biomedical subjects

Y Hashimoto

Publications and source records attributed to Y Hashimoto.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1992

Differentiation-inducing activity of retinoic acid isomers and their oxidized analogs on human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells.

Retinoidal activity of retinoic acid isomers [all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA), 9-cis-retinoic acid (9CRA) and 13-cis-retinoic acid (13CRA)] and their oxidized derivatives [19-hydroxy and 19-oxo derivatives of ATRA (19-hydroxy-ATRA and 19-oxo-ATRA), 19-oxo derivative of 9CRA (19-oxo-9CRA), and 19-hydroxy derivative of 13CRA (19-hydroxy-13CRA)] was evaluated by means of a human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cell differentiation induction assay. All the compounds examined showed this activity with ED50 values of 2-30 nM, which are in accordance with their binding activity to nuclear retinoic acid receptors (RARs).

Binding, Competitive↗

PubMed1992

Role of acetylcholinesterase in airway epithelium-mediated inhibition of acetylcholine-induced contraction of guinea-pig isolated trachea.

To seek evidence for the involvement of acetylcholinesterase activity in the modulatory influence of the airway epithelium, we examined responses to acetylcholine (ACh), bethanechol, histamine or KCl in isolated epithelium-intact and epithelium-denuded guinea-pig trachealis preparations. The concentration-response curves to ACh were shifted 26-fold to the left by epithelial denudation but the contractile response to KCl was not altered. The response to histamine in epithelium-denuded preparations increased 4-fold with no attenuation in the presence of physostigmine (30 nM). Physostigmine (30 nM) potentiated the response to ACh in epithelium-intact tissues more (about 26-fold) than in epithelium-denuded tissues (about 3.5-fold). Thus, in the presence of physostigmine removing the epithelium had only a slight effect (not statistically significant) on the potency of ACh to contract the trachea. Removing the epithelium had no effect on the potency of bethanechol, a muscarinic receptor agonist that is not a substrate for cholinesterases. Physostigmine itself contracted the trachealis muscle but the pD2 values and maximum responses in epithelium-intact and denuded preparations were not significantly different. The frequency-response curves to electrical field-stimulated cholinergic contractions were unaffected by removing the epithelium. In conclusion, the principal mechanism by which the epithelium inhibits contraction of guinea-pig trachea to exogenously applied ACh is via epithelium-derived acetylcholinesterase activity.

Acetylcholine↗

PubMed1992

Stabilization of a protein by removal of unfavorable abnormal pKa: substitution of undissociable residue for glutamic acid-35 in chicken lysozyme.

Glu35 in chicken lysozyme has an abnormally high pKa (6.1) partly due to the hydrophobic environment provided by Trp108. The relationship between protein stability and abnormal pKa was investigated in detail by using mutant lysozymes in which Glu35 was replaced by undissociable residues and an oppositely ionizable residue. It was found that lysozyme was stabilized at alkaline pH range by the replacement of Glu35 with an undissociable residue, Gln (E35Q lysozyme) or Al (E35A lysozyme). On the other hand, when Glu35 was replaced by His (E35H lysozyme), which could have an opposite charge to Glu by ionization, the introduced His35 was found to have an abnormally low pKa (3.6), leading to the destabilization of lysozyme at acidic pH. These observations are completely consistent with the situation that the environment around Glu35 is highly hydrophobic and therefore the placement of either a positive or negative charge in such an environment leads to destabilization of lysozyme. These observations also indicate that the replacement of an acidic residue having abnormally high pKa or a basic residue having abnormally low pKa by an undissociable residue is a very efficient and general method for stabilization of a protein.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Binding selectivity of rhizoxin, phomopsin A, vinblastine, and ansamitocin P-3 to fungal tubulins: differential interactions of these antimitotic agents with brain and fungal tubulins.

The binding of four potent antimitotic agents, rhizoxin (RZX), phomopsin A (PMS-A), ansamitocin P-3 (ASMP-3), and vinblastine (VLB), to tubulins from RZX-sensitive and -resistant strains of Aspergillus nidulans, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae was investigated. Mycelial extracts to which RZX could bind contained beta-tubulin with Asn as the 100th amino acid residue (Asn-100) in all cases, and those without affinity for RZX contained beta-tubulins with either Ile-100 or Val-100. Though PMS-A shares the same binding site as RZX and ASMP-3 on porcine brain tubulin (Asn-100), only ASMP-3 bound Asn-100 fungal tubulins in a competitive manner with respect to RZX. PMS-A and VLB, which strongly bind to porcine brain tubulin, did not bind to any of the fungal mycelial extracts examined. The results indicate differential interactions of these antimitotic agents with brain and fungal tubulins.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Two thrombin-activated Ca2+ channels in human platelets.

The regulation of extracellular Ca2+ entry into fura-2-loaded human platelets was examined following stimulation with thrombin. In the presence of external Ca2+, stimulation of platelets with thrombin resulted in a rapid increase, followed by a plateau, in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i). Pretreatment with wortmannin, a specific inhibitor of myosin light chain kinase, suppressed only the plateau phase and had no effect on the initial rapid increase in [Ca2+]i. In Ca(2+)-free EGTA buffer, thrombin induced a transient and relatively small increase in [Ca2+]i caused by Ca2+ release from internal stores. When Ca2+ was added subsequently to the Ca(2+)-free medium within 10 min after thrombin activation, a marked increase in [Ca2+]i was seen, reflecting thrombin-stimulated external Ca2+ entry. With the Ca(2+)-free medium, wortmannin did not affect either the Ca2+ mobilization from the internal stores or the rapid external Ca2+ entry at early time points (within 5 s) after thrombin stimulation, whereas it significantly inhibited Ca2+ entry when Ca2+ was added later (at 3 min). Wortmannin inhibition of this late Ca2+ entry and that of 20-kDa myosin light chain phosphorylation after thrombin stimulation were dose- and preincubation time-dependent and correlated well with each other. These results suggest that two different channels are responsible for Ca2+ entry in human platelets at the early and late phases of thrombin stimulation and that the channel responsible for the late phase of Ca2+ entry may be activated by a mechanism involving myosin light chain kinase.

Androstadienes↗

PubMed1992

Molecular cloning and expression of rat liver N-heparan sulfate sulfotransferase.

N-Heparan sulfate sulfotransferase catalyzes the transfer of sulfate from 3'-phosphoadenosine 5'-phosphosulfate to the nitrogen of glucosamine in heparan sulfate. The enzyme has been previously purified to apparent homogeneity from rat liver (Brandan, E., and Hirschberg, C. B. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 2417-2422). We have now cloned the rat liver enzyme using the following strategy: (a) the amino acid sequence was obtained from tryptic peptides of the purified protein, (b) mixed oligonucleotides were generated based on the sequence of the tryptic peptides, (c) a polymerase chain reaction fragment was obtained using mixed oligonucleotide interprimer amplification of cDNA, and (d) this fragment was used to screen rat liver lambda gt 10 and lambda ZAP libraries. Three clones were obtained, one of which seems to contain the complete coding sequence of the N-heparan sulfate sulfotransferase (N-HSST). Evidence that the cDNA clone corresponds to the previously purified and characterized N-HSST was the following: (a) the predicted sequence of the N-HSST contains all of the 11 tryptic peptides obtained from the purified protein, (b) when a cDNA containing the sequence coding for the N-HSST was introduced in a eukaryotic expression vector and transfected in COS-1 cells, the enzyme activity was expressed 9-fold over controls, and (c) the characteristic of the predicted protein fits with the purified protein in terms of molecular weight, membrane localization, and its being an N-linked glycoprotein. The size of the longest cDNA isolated is 4.1 kilobases, which is in close agreement with the 4.2-kilobase size of one of the mRNA observed in Northern analyses. In addition, messages of 7.0 and 8.5 kilobases were also observed, suggesting that a large portion is untranslated. The latter messages were the major mRNA species detected.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1992

Anticardiolipin antibodies in NZW x BXSB F1 mice. A model of antiphospholipid syndrome.

NZW x BXSB F1 (W/B F1) male mice develop systemic lupus-like disease, and several autoantibodies, circulating immune complexes, and lupus nephritis become apparent. The abnormally high incidence of degenerative coronary vascular disease with myocardial infarction and thrombocytopenia due to the presence of both platelet-associated antibodies and circulating antiplatelet antibodies in this animal has been reported. We found that W/B F1 male mice produced autoantibodies against cardiolipin (aCL) and that the titer of aCL increases with age. aCL from W/B F1 male mice were mainly IgG and binding activity to cardiolipin was aCL-cofactor (beta 2-glycoprotein I (beta 2-GPI)) dependent. We developed monoclonal aCL from these animals and examined specificity of the autoantibodies. All the mAb used reacted with the negatively charged phospholipids, cardiolipin, phosphatidylserine, and phosphatidylinositol, and some reacted with platelets and DNA. The addition of human or mouse beta 2-GPI enhanced the titer for monoclonal aCL from the W/B F1 mice. From the results of competitive inhibition enzyme immunoassay with monoclonal aCL and purified beta 2-GPI, aCL from the W/B F1 mice recognized the complex of CL and beta 2-GPI. The W/B F1 male mouse may be an appropriate model for use in studies on the pathologic significance of aCL in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Specific inhibition of NGF receptor tyrosine kinase activity by K-252a.

An involvement of protein tyrosine kinase in the transduction of the signals initiated by nerve growth factor (NGF) was investigated. A tyrosine kinase inhibitor, herbimycin, inhibited neurite outgrowth of rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells induced by NGF but not that by dibutyryl-cAMP. Herbimycin and genistein blocked NGF-dependent activation of ras p21 whose essential function in neuronal differentiation has been reported. These observations suggested that tyrosine kinase activity is involved in the signaling pathways. K-252a, by contrast, inhibited NGF-induced but not EGF-dependent activation of ras p21. Tyrosine kinase activity of gp140trk, a constituent of NGF receptor, is activated by NGF for much a longer period compared to the activation of EGF receptor autokinase activity by EGF. We further demonstrated that autophosphorylation of gp140trk is selectively inhibited by K-252a.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗

PubMed1992

Reduction of NGF protein level in rat dorsal hippocampus following administration of kainic acid.

Intraperitoneal administration of kainic acid (KA) into adult rats caused a profound increase in nerve growth factor (NGF) mRNA and a significant reduction of NGF protein level in the hippocampus. Diazepam pretreatment suppressed both. The reduction of NGF level was apparent in the dorsal hippocampus at 2 h after KA administration, but a marked elevation of NGF protein was observed in the ventral hippocampus at 4 h. These results suggest that non-N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor agonists negatively influence NGF synthesis or stimulate NGF protein degradation in the dorsal hippocampus involving the CA1 sector.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Significance of nerve growth factor content levels after transient forebrain ischemia in gerbils.

Involvement of nerve growth factor (NGF) in the pathogenesis of delayed neuronal death (DND) of CA1 neurons in the hippocampus has been suggested. We measured regional changes in the content of tissue NGF of the hippocampus in the Mongolian gerbil after 5 min forebrain ischemia. The NGF content was found to decrease significantly in the CA3 and dentate regions by 32% two days after ischemia. By contrast in the CA1 region, the level of NGF became significantly elevated by 50% two weeks after ischemia or later. The early reduction of NGF content in the afferent area projecting to the CA1 sector might be primarily linked to the pathogenesis of DND, whereas the delayed increase within the CA1 sector might be a secondary local response mainly of reactive astroglia.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Human c-erbB-2 proto-oncogene product as a target for bispecific-antibody-directed adoptive tumor immunotherapy.

To develop an efficient strategy for the targeting of anti-tumor effector cells, we prepared bispecific antibody (BsAb) containing anti-CD3 and an anti-c-erbB-2 proto-oncogene product. The prepared BsAb specifically reacts with both c-erbB-2-positive tumor cells and CD3+ CTL. Human CD4+ helper/killer T cells, induced from peripheral-blood mononuclear cells by activation with immobilized anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (MAb) plus IL-2, showed no significant cytotoxicity against tumor cells. However, treatment of human CD4+ helper/killer cells with the BsAb caused the induction of specific cytotoxicity against c-erbB-2-positive tumor cells. CD4+ helper/killer cells also produced significant amounts of IL-2 during co-culture with c-erbB-2-positive tumor cells in the presence of the BsAb. Moreover, by combination with the BsAb, CD4+ helper/killer cells showed a strong in vivo anti-tumor effect against c-erbB-2 transfectant or human colon-cancer cells implanted in nude mice. Our results strongly suggest that the c-erbB-2 proto-oncogene product on human tumor cells may be a good target for BsAb-directed adoptive tumor immunotherapy.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

PubMed1992

Enhanced flow velocity increase through the left ventricular inflow tract of patients with isolated aortic regurgitation.

Twenty-five patients with chronic aortic regurgitation (AR), and 12 control subjects were studied using Doppler echocardiography to investigate the effects of AR on transmitral flow. Peak early filling velocities at the levels of the mitral valve tips (E1) and annulus (E2) were measured, and the transmitral flow restriction index (delta E = (E1-E2)/E2) was obtained. Patients with AR were classified into 2 groups according to the ratio of the cross-sectional area of the regurgitant jet to that of the left ventricular outflow tract. Group I had the ratio less than 0.20, and group II had greater than or equal to 0.20. E2 in group II was lower than in control subjects, whereas E1 was not significantly different in any groups. delta E in group II was higher than in group I or in control subjects (p less than 0.05 and 0.01, respectively). delta E showed a significant correlation with the cross-sectional area ratio in all patients with AR (r = 0.70, p less than 0.01) and in group II (r = 0.82; p less than 0.01). Our data suggest that AR restricts early transmitral filling, and that delta E may indicate the increased driving pressure caused by flow restriction and is a useful hemodynamic index of AR.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Base-catalyzed isomerization of retinoic acid. Synthesis and differentiation-inducing activities of 14-alkylated all-trans-, 13-cis-, and 20,14-retro-retinoic acids.

Retinoic acid (1) is isomerized regioselectively by excess amounts of lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) to give 20,14-retro-retinoic acid (3). Alkylation of the intermediate dianion of retinoic acid gave 14-alkylated derivatives of 3. By isomerization of the alkylated retro isomers under basic conditions, several 14-alkyl-all-trans- and -13-cis-retinoic acids were synthesized. The retinoidal activities of these derivatives were examined, based on the ability to induce differentiation of human promyelocytic leukemia cell line HL-60. 20,14-retro-Retinoic acid (3) is 1/50 as active as retinoic acid (1). Although 14-methyl-20,14-retro-retinoic acid (4) is as active as 3, the introduction of a 14-methyl group into all-trans- and 13-cis-retinoic acid resulted in decreased activity. Introduction of bulkier alkyl groups at the C-14 position caused the disappearance of the activity.

Alkylation↗

PubMed1992

Interaction of phomopsin A with porcine brain tubulin. Inhibition of tubulin polymerization and binding at a rhizoxin binding site.

Phomopsin A is an antimitotic cyclic peptide containing a 13-member ring including an ether linkage. It was isolated from the fungus Phomopsis leptostromiformis as the causal agent of lupinosis. Phomopsin A strongly inhibited microtubule assembly (IC50: 2.4 microM). Our study using radiolabeled phomopsin A, prepared biosynthetically by feeding L-[U-14C]isoleucine to the culture of P. leptostromiformis, indicated that at least two binding sites of phomopsin A exist on tubulin on the basis of a Scatchard analysis; i.e. the dissociation constants of a high affinity site (Kd1) and a low affinity site (Kd2) at 37 degrees were determined to be 1 x 10(-8) and 3 x 10(-7) M, respectively. Phomopsin A inhibited the binding of radiolabeled rhizoxin to tubulin with an inhibition constant (Ki) of 0.8 x 10(-8) M. This showed that the high affinity site of phomopsin A is identical to the rhizoxin binding site. The binding of the radiolabeled phomopsin A was also inhibited by rhizoxin and ansamitocin P-3, with an inhibition constant of 10(-7) M, and to a lesser extent by vinblastine. Phomopsin A had no inhibitory effect on colchicine binding to tubulin.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Morphological and northern blot analysis of juxtaglomerular cells in experimental hydronephrotic mice.

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the developmental changes of the experimental hydronephrotic kidney using immunohistochemical, histoplanimetrical, and Northern blot techniques. At 1 month after ligation of the ureter, a large number of renin-positive cells were detected immunohistochemically even at a dilution of 1:10,000 in this hydronephrotic kidney; however, there were few renin-positive cells in the non-ligated side. At 6 months after ligation, no difference in reactivity for renin between ligated and non-ligated kidneys was demonstrated. In the morphometrical analysis of the renin-positive region, the numerical value of the ligated side was already increased at 2 weeks, reached the highest value at 1 month, and then decreased gradually to almost the same value as the control kidney by the end of the experiment. On the other hand, the value of the non-ligated side decreased immediately after the unilateral ligation, increased later, and finally reached almost the same value as the control kidney. In the Northern blot analysis, the activity of renin mRNA in the ligated side at 1 month after ligation was markedly higher than that in the non-ligated side. However, the difference between the ligated and the non-ligated sides was not demonstrated at 6 months and the value came to be almost the same as in the non-operated kidney.

Animals↗

PubMed1992

Spectral characteristics of rapid off-response in congenital deuteranomaly in one of monozygotic female twins.

The spectral sensitivity of the rapid off-response in the electroretinogram was studied in monozygotic female twins. One case was diagnosed as congenital deuteranomaly, and the other was normal. The log ratio of the sensitivity at 480 nm to the sensitivity at 620 nm (log S480/S620) was within the deutan range in the first case and within the normal range in the second. The two case were determined to be different at the retinal receptor level by study of the rapid off-response. This result of the rapid off-response was consistent with the results of the psychophysical examinations.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Duplicated origin of right vertebral artery with rudimentary and accessory left vertebral arteries.

We observed a rare cerebrovascular anomaly in a patient with brain-stem infarction. Two right vertebral arteries arose from the subclavian artery and communicated directly with each other under the transverse foramen of the fourth cervical vertebra. The left vertebral artery consisted of a rudimentary artery that arose from the left subclavian artery, ran through the transverse foramen of the sixth cervical vertebra and then tapered down to disappear at the fourth/fifth cervical vertebrae, plus a second, accessory artery that arose from a branch of the left thyrocervical trunk, ran through the transverse foramen of the fifth cervical vertebra and tapered off to disappear at the first/second cervical vertebrae.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Cytokine regulation of hemostatic property and IL-6 production of human endothelial cells.

The effects of four inflammatory cytokines, IL-1, TNF, IFN-gamma, and IL-6, were assessed on the following functions of human vascular endothelial cells (EC) in culture: expression of procoagulant activity (PCA), endothelial cell-associated thrombomodulin (TM), and IL-6 production. Both IL-1 and TNF induced PCA, reduced TM, and induced IL-6 production in a dose-dependent manner. IFN-gamma had a weak but significant reducing effect on TM and an inducing effect on IL-6 production, while it had no effect on PCA expression. IFN-gamma, however, when added in combination with either IL-1 or TNF, modulated the effects of these cytokines; INF-gamma inhibited the PCA expression and enhanced the reduction of TM and the production of IL-6, which were induced by either IL-1 or TNF. In contrast, IL-6 had no significant effect on the EC functions studied. These results suggest that both IL-1 and TNF are the major cytokines affecting the EC functions that determine the association between the coagulation and the inflammatory response, and that IFN-gamma affects this phenomenon predominantly through the modification of the effects of these cytokines.

Blood Coagulation Tests↗