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Biomedical subjects

Y Kitajima

Publications and source records attributed to Y Kitajima.

At least 145 records · Page 8Linked to original sources
PubMed1992

Phorbol ester- and calcium-induced reorganization of 180-kDa bullous pemphigoid antigen on the ventral surface of cultured human keratinocytes as studied by immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy.

The hemidesmosome is an adhesion structure of the epidermal-dermal junction in keratinocytes. When keratinocytes migrate laterally or upward to differentiate, they must control the formation and disintegration of the hemidesmosomes. When keratinocytes are cultured in low-calcium (below 0.1 mM) medium, all cells behave like basal cells, adhere to the culture dish, and proliferate without differentiation. The calcium addition induces the differentiation. A bullous pemphigoid antigen, 180-kDa BPA, has been shown to be a component of the hemidesmosome. Using a monoclonal antibody to the 180-kDa BPA and a human squamous cell carcinoma cell line (DJM-1 cells), the fate of hemidesmosomes was studied after the addition of calcium to low-calcium-grown cells and 12-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) to high-calcium (1.87 mM) grown cells by immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy. The antigen was distributed evenly as fine dots on the entire ventral surface of low-calcium cells, whereas they formed a peculiar, concentric ring or arch arrangement on the ventral surface of high-calcium cells. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed the deposits of gold particles at sites on the membrane surface, where some filamentous or electron-dense materials were associated, although the complete structure of hemidesmosomes was not formed. They deposited directly onto the membrane surface in low-calcium cells and with a distance of 20-50 nm from the membrane surface in high-calcium cells. The calcium addition caused a profound reduction of the 180-kDa BPA-positive area for 30 to 120 min and then formed the high-calcium-ring pattern after 4 to 6 h. A similar calcium response was seen in normal human keratinocytes. TPA (16 nM) treatment caused disintegration of the ring pattern in high-calcium DJM-1 cells. This was inhibited with a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor. H7 (20 microM). These results suggest that the hemidesmosome is a dynamic structure and PKC can be one of the major factors in controlling the hemidesmosome, since it is known that the low-high calcium shift induces a calcium influx and a PKC activation, and TPA activates PKC in keratinocytes.

1-(5-Isoquinolinesulfonyl)-2-Methylpiperazine↗
PubMed1992

Different effects of pemphigus antibody and plasmin on the distribution of keratin intermediate filaments and desmoplakins between cultured oral and epidermal keratinocytes.

In order to clarify the molecular mechanism of blister formation in oral mucosa in pemphigus vulgaris (PV) comparing with that in epidermis, we analyzed the effects of PV serum on the distribution of keratin intermediate filaments (KIFs) and desmoplakins in oral as well as epidermal cultured keratinocytes by immunofluorescence microscopy using anti-keratin and anti-desmoplakin I/II monoclonal antibodies. After incubation with PV serum for 96 h at 37 degrees C, clusters of anti-keratin positive dots were formed around the nucleus in some of the keratinocytes from normal gingiva and soft palate but not in keratinocytes from tongue and skin, and desmoplakins also changed their distribution from linear arrangement at cell-cell contacts to clusters of dots around the nucleus in gingiva but not in epidermal keratinocytes. The dotted structures similar to those induced by pemphigus serum were formed also by incubation with human plasmin in gingival keratinocytes. However, no dot-formation of keratins was induced in these cells after incubation with trypsin. Furthermore, in epidermal keratinocytes, no keratin-dot formation was observed even after incubation with plasmin or trypsin. These results suggest that the dotted structures of KIFs caused by PV serum and plasmin might be a feature characteristic for the response of oral keratinocytes to PV serum and that there are some distinct differences in susceptibility to, and mode of, bulla formation between oral epithelium and epidermis.

Antibodies↗
PubMed1992

Control of the distribution of hemidesmosome components in cultured keratinocytes: Ca2+ and phorbol esters.

DJM-1 cells (a human squamous cell carcinoma cell line) grown in low Ca2+ medium did not form cell-cell junctions of desmosome-keratin intermediate filament (KIF). When they were shifted to normal (high) Ca2+ medium, rapid translocation of desmoplakins from the cytosol to the plasma membrane to form desmosomes and reorganization of 180 kd-hemidesmosome proteins were induced almost simultaneously. In correlation with these morphological responses, the Ca2+ shift caused a breakdown of inositol phospholipids, a formation of diacylglycerol (DAG) and inositol trisphosphate (IP3), protein kinase C (PKC) activation, and Ca2+ influx. 12-0-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-treatment of low Ca(2+)-grown DJM-1 cells also caused desmosome formation in association with PKC activation. These TPA effects were cancelled with PKC inhibitors, 1-(5-isoquinolinylsulfomyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H7) and staurosporine. Treatment with other PKC-activating agents, phorbol-12,13-butyrate (PDBu) and diaoctanoylglycerol (DOG), also induced desmosome formation. TPA-treatment of normal Ca(2+)-grown cells collapsed the organized distribution of the 180 kd-hemidesmosome protein and appeared to detach this protein from the cell-matrix adhering sites. This effect was also inhibited by H7. These results suggest that PKC activation plays important roles in upregulation of cell-cell junctions and downregulation of cell-matrix junctions in association with differentiation of keratinocytes.

Calcium↗
PubMed1991

Detection of human leucocytes by cyclic voltammetry and its application to monitoring of allergic reaction.

Cyclic voltammetry was applied to the detection of human leucocytes and the monitoring of allergic reactions. A basal plane pyrolytic graphite electrode with attached leucocytes on a porous nitrocellulose membrane filter was employed as a working electrode. An anodic peak current appeared at 0.33 V versus the saturated calomel electrode (SCE) when the potential of the working electrode was scanned in the range of 0-1.0 V versus SCE. This peak current was attributed to the electrochemical oxidation of serotonin. When egg white was added to leucocytes obtained from patients who were allergic to egg, the peak current decreased owing to degranulation of leucocytes leading to serotonin release. The peak current decreased with increasing allergen concentration in the range of 5-50 micrograms ml-1. Leucocytes did not respond to other allergens such as soybean, milk and dinitrophenylated bovine serum albumin (DNP-BSA).

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Monoclonal antibodies recognizing amino-terminal and carboxy-terminal regions of human aldolase A: probes to detect conformational changes of the enzyme.

Three monoclonal antibodies (MAbs1A2, 3C5, and 4C2) for human aldolase A [EC 4.1.2.13] were established. MAbs1A2, 3C5, and 4C2 were shown to belong to subclasses IgM, IgG1, and IgG2a, respectively. None of the MAbs inhibits aldolase A activity. Their epitopes were mapped in detail on the molecule by examining the reactivities of the MAbs to chimeric proteins between aldolases A and B [Kitajima et al. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 17493-17498] in ELISA and to the CNBr-cleaved fragments of aldolase A in immuno-blotting. MAbs1A2 and 3C5 reacted with sites located within amino acid residues 306-363 at the C-terminal region of the enzyme. MAb4C2 recognized an epitope of the enzyme present within amino acid residues 34-108 at the N-terminal region. In a competitive binding assay, MAbs1A2 and 3C5 competed with each other for binding to the antigen and also interfered with the binding of MAb4C2, whereas MAb4C2 failed to inhibit the binding of MAbs1A2 and 3C5 to the antigen. MAb3C5 showed a species-specificity in the reaction with the antigen; it reacted with human and rabbit aldolase A with similar reactivity but not at all with the rat and mouse enzymes, which differ from the human and rabbit enzymes in two amino acid residues at positions 328 and 348. Reactivities of MAbs to aldolase A were further examined with engineered enzymes containing an amino acid substitution.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Lipocortin I (annexin I) is preferentially localized on the plasma membrane in keratinocytes of psoriatic lesional epidermis as shown by immunofluorescence microscopy.

Lipocortin I (LPC-I, also called annexin I) is a 35-kD protein that binds phospholipids and actin in a Ca(++)-dependent manner. It is also a major substrate for EGF receptor/kinase and protein kinase C, and a putative inhibitor of phospholipase A2, which produces chemical mediators to cause inflammation. Psoriasis (PS) is an inflammatory skin disease characterized by a rapid turnover of keratinocytes and a defect in keratinization with increased activities of phospholipase C and A2, and EGF receptor. To understand the mechanism of the PS lesion formation and the function of LPC-I, its distribution was studied in the epidermis of PS, subacute eczema and normal skin, and in tumor cells of seborrheic keratosis and Bowen's disease. This study involved immunofluorescence and immunoblotting using affinity-purified polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies specific to LPC-I and to its Ca(++)-bound form. In normal, nonlesional PS and subacute eczema epidermis, LPC-I was detected mainly in the cytoplasm of the suprabasal cells, although it was on the inner aspects of the plasma membrane in some parts of the granular layer. In lesional epidermis of PS, it was localized mainly on the inner aspects of the plasma membrane, but not in the cytoplasm of the whole suprabasal cells as the Ca(++)-bound form, indicating a preferential localization on the plasma membrane. This membrane-binding of LPC-I was also observed in seborrheic keratosis, but not in Bowen's disease. These results suggest that the binding of LPC-I to the plasma membrane occurs actually in living cells, plays a role, not necessarily disease specific, in the PS lesion formation, and has some relevance to normal or abnormal differentiation of keratinocytes.

Annexins↗
PubMed1991

Unusual form of melanocytic nevus associated with Turner's syndrome.

An 11-year-old girl with Turner's syndrome developed a combined nevus on the back. The examination of the excised specimen revealed the combination of common compound nevus and a component of Spitz's nevus. Numerous melanocytic nevi are a feature of Turner's syndrome, but this appears to be the first case of a combined nevus with Spitz's component.

Back↗
PubMed1991

Structure-activity relationships of alpha-human atrial natriuretic peptide (alpha-hANP) analogs: role of charged groups in alpha-hANP.

To determine whether the addition of a methylene unit in the side chain of the Asp or Arg residue in alpha-human atrial natriuretic peptide (alpha-hANP) influences its biological activity, analogs of alpha-hANP, [Glu13]-alpha-hANP (7-28) (1), [Aad13]-alpha-hANP (7-28) (2), and [Harn]-alpha-hANP(7-28) (where n is any possible combination of 11, 14 and 27) (3-9), where the original Asp or Arg residue was replaced by a homo-amino acid, were synthesized by the solid-phase synthesis method. All the analogs were evaluated for their receptor binding, cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) accumulation activity in rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), and for vasorelaxant activity employing rat aorta. 1 and 2 were 0.9 and 0.03 times as potent as alpha-hANP (7-28), respectively, in binding. Har-containing analogs (3-9) were as potent as alpha-hANP (7-28) in binding. Among the Har-containing analogs, [Har11,14]-alpha-hANP (7-28) (6) and [Har11,27]-alpha-hANP (7-28) (7) were remarkably vasorelaxant active, being 4.2 and 5.3 times potent than alpha-hANP (7-28), respectively, in spite of relatively lower cGMP accumulation activity in the case of 7. The roles of the chargeable amino acid residues in biological activity are discussed.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1991

Difference in pressor responses to NG-monomethyl-L-arginine between conscious and anesthetized rats.

NG-Monomethyl-L-arginine (L-NMMA; 0.1-10 mg/kg, i.v.), a selective inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis derived from L-arginine, elicited a greater increase in blood pressure in urethane/alpha-chloralose- and pentobarbital-anesthetized rats than in conscious Wistar rats. The pressor response to phenylephrine was almost equivalent in both conscious and anesthetized rats. These findings suggest that the experimental conditions (anesthetized or conscious) modify the spontaneously released NO's contribution to blood pressure regulation in vivo.

Anesthetics↗
PubMed1991

Characterization of ligand-binding properties and selectivities of three rat tachykinin receptors by transfection and functional expression of their cloned cDNAs in mammalian cells.

We investigated the ligand-binding properties and selectivities of rat substance P, substance K and neuromedin K receptors by transfection and functional expressions of the cDNAs for these receptor subtypes in monkey kidney COS cells. Selective radioligand binding analysis of both substance P and substance K receptors revealed the presence of high-affinity and low-affinity components which are governed primarily by the difference in rates of dissociation of the ligand-receptor complex. The two affinity components were interconvertible by the presence and absence of a guanine nucleotide, suggesting the involvement of a G protein in the two affinity states. The ligand bindings of the three receptors were inhibited in different potencies by naturally occurring tachykinins and a series of carboxyl-terminal fragments containing a common tachykinin sequence, and this comprehensive analysis indicated that a high and selective affinity of each of the tachykinin receptors is governed by interaction with several key amino acids under recognition of the fundamental core sequence of the tachykinin peptides. The potencies and selectivities of several synthetic agonists and an antagonist for the three receptors were also examined, and senktide was found to be a highly selective and potent agonist for neuromedin K receptor. This investigation thus indicates the detailed properties and binding selectivities characteristic of the three tachykinin receptors and also the usefulness of this receptor expression system for examination and development of a new receptor agonist or antagonist.

Animals↗
PubMed1991

[Cytoskeletal disorders in human keratinocytes--epidermolysis bullosa simplex].

The cytoskeletons possibly related to pathogenesis in skin disease may be limited to keratin intermediate filaments (KIF) in epidermal keratinocytes. Keratins are divided into two subclasses; 11 acidic (type I) keratins and 8 basic (type II) keratins. Combination of equimolar amounts of type I and type II can form KIF. KIFs in human epidermal basal cells consist of a pair of type I and type II keratins specifically synthesized in the basal cells, and those in spinous cells contain two pairs of keratin; a pair of basal cell keratin and another pair of keratin specific for suprabasal cells. In the first section, molecular biology and differentiation of keratins are reviewed. In the second section, epidermolysis bullosa simplex (EBS) was introduced from the view point of abnormal organization of KIFs. In the epidermis of EBS, clefts are induced in the basal cells by minor trauma or frictions consequently to produce bullae. Electron microscopy reveals small spherical aggregations of tonofilaments (KIFs) in the basal cells. In biopsies, these KIF aggregations might be caused by artifacts during procedures for biopsies, so that, in order to avoid these artifacts, we studied the KIF organization in cultured keratinocytes from a patient by immunofluorescence using anti-keratin antibodies and electron microscopy. Anti-keratin antibodies revealed a formation of small droplet-like aggregations of KIFs in many cultured cells adhering to the culture bottles, which were also suggested by electron microscopy. From these observations, it is suggested that the abnormal organization (droplets) of KIFs might be one of intrinsic factors for the pathogenesis of EBS.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Cells, Cultured↗
PubMed1990

Importance of hydrophobic residues in alpha-human atrial natriuretic peptide (alpha-hANP) for vasorelaxant activity.

To investigate the roles of the hydrophobic residues in the ANP molecule on biological activities, we synthesized a series of analogs containing various phenylalanine-homologs in position 8 or methionine-homologs in position 12. Among the analogs [pCl-Phe8]-alpha-hANP(7-28) was 4.8 times as potent as alpha-hANP(7-28) in cGMP accumulation and 3.5 times as potent in vasorelaxant activity. All the analogs showed nanomolar affinity to the receptor. In contrast, vasorelaxation and cGMP accumulation activity of the analogs ranged widely. These results suggest that these hydrophobic residues in the cyclic core are critical for vasorelaxant activity rather than for the "apparent receptor binding", and that these residues may possibly discriminate the "bioactive receptor" which is coupled to guanylate cyclase from the non-coupled receptor.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Construction and properties of active chimeric enzymes between human aldolases A and B. Analysis of molecular regions which determine isozyme-specific functions.

To study the structure/function relationships of human aldolase isozymes, particularly isozyme-specific functions, we constructed Escherichia coli expression plasmids for six BA chimeric enzymes (BA34, BA108, BA137, BA212, BA306, and BA306*), each composed of the N-terminal side of isozyme B and the C-terminal side of isozyme A, and one BAB chimeric enzyme which contains a fragment of isozyme A (residues 213-306) inserted in between the N-terminal and the C-terminal fragments of isozyme B. They were transfected into E. coli, and the generated enzymes were characterized. This study reveals the following. (i) For isozyme A, the C-terminal Tyr-363 and the N-terminal region bearing isozyme group-specific sequences 1-3 and Lys-107 (the C-6 phosphate-binding site) are responsible for the higher catalytic activity toward fructose 1,6-bisphosphate, which is 7 times higher than that of aldolase B. Conversely, an internal region spanning positions 108-212 is required for the lower activity toward fructose 1-phosphate. (ii) For isozyme B, an internal sequence spanning positions 108-212 which includes some isozyme B-specific residues and a postulated C-1 phosphate-binding site (Lys-146 or Arg-148) is responsible for a higher catalytic activity toward fructose 1-phosphate, which is 8-10 times that of isozyme A. The more upstream sequence containing positions 1-107 is responsible for the lower catalytic activity toward fructose 1,6-bisphosphate. (iii) At least residues 212-306, composing a long stretch near the active-site Lys-229 and highly conserved among isozymes A, B, and C, may be required for the basal framework of the aldolase molecule to exhibit the activity common to the three isozymic forms.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Revised structure of the peptide lactone antibiotic, TL-119 and/or A-3302-B.

The peptide lactone antibiotic TL-119 and/or A-3302-B was chemically synthesized in order to confirm the proposed structure. The synthetic compound was different from both natural TL-119 and A-3302-B in their physicochemical properties and in biological activity. Re-examination of the configuration of the constituent amino acid residues in natural TL-119 and/or A-3302-B indicated that natural TL-119 and A-3302-B contains D-aThr instead of the original L-Thr. We tentatively propose a revised structure for TL-119 and/or A-3302-B.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1990

Monoclonal antibodies specific to a Ca2(+)-bound form of lipocortin I distinguish its Ca2(+)-dependent phospholipid-binding ability from its ability to inhibit phospholipase A2.

Lipocortin I, a Ca2(+)-and phospholipid-binding protein without EF-hand structures, has many biological effects in vitro. Its actual role in vivo, however is unknown. We obtained and characterized five monoclonal antibodies to lipocortin I. Two of these monoclonal antibodies (L2 and L4-MAbs) reacted with the Ca(+)-bound form of lipocortin I, but not with the Ca2(+)-free form, both in vivo and in vitro. Lipocortin I required greater than or equal to 10 microM-Ca2+ to bind the two antibodies, and this Ca2+ requirement was not affected by phosphatidylserine. L2-MAb abolished the phospholipase A2 inhibitory activity of lipocortin I and inhibited its binding to Escherichia coli membranes and to phosphatidylserine in vitro. L4-MAb abolished the phospholipase A2 inhibitory activity of lipocortin I, but did not affect its binding to E. coli membranes or to phosphatidylserine. These findings indicated that the inhibition of phospholipase A2 by lipocortin I was not simply due to removal or capping of the substrates in E. coli membranes. Furthermore, an immunofluorescence study using L2-MAb showed the actual existence of Ca2(+)-bound form of lipocortin I in vivo.

Annexins↗
PubMed1990

Novel natriuretic peptide, CNP, potently stimulates cyclic GMP production in rat cultured vascular smooth muscle cells.

The newly identified peptide C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) caused only a slight elevation of cGMP in rat renal glomeruli. In contrast, CNP potently increased cGMP levels in cultured rat vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) and stimulated guanylate cyclase activity in the particulate fraction of the cells. The extent of maximum activation of the enzyme induced by CNP was 4-fold higher than that by human atrial natriuretic peptide (alpha-hANP) while CNP was 4- and 16-fold weaker than alpha-hANP in binding affinity for the putative receptors on VSMC and vasorelaxant activity for rat aorta, respectively. These results indicate that CNP is a potent stimulator of cGMP formation in VSMC but not in glomeruli and pharmacological feature of CNP is distinct from that of ANP.

Amino Acid Sequence↗