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Y Nagamura

Publications and source records attributed to Y Nagamura.

71 records · Page 4Linked to original sources

Cholesterol uptake of isolated rat hepatocytes is accelerated by several kinds of phosphatidylcholine.

Uptake of cholesterol by isolated rat hepatocytes in a serum-free medium was remarkably enhanced by dispersion with several kinds of phosphatidylcholine. Of the various phosphatidylcholines tested, dilinoylphosphatidylcholine had the strongest accelerating effect, while dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine was the weakest. The abilities to accelerate cholesterol uptake were in proportion to the content of unsaturated fatty acid in the phosphatidylcholine used. It was confirmed by electron microscopy that there is no relation between the size of the cholesterol-phosphatidylcholine complex and uptake. These data suggest that recognition of unsaturated fatty acids in phosphatidylcholine by isolated cells enhances uptake of cholesterol.

Animals↗

Mode of L-tryptophan uptake into rat hepatocytes via trypsin-sensitive high-affinity transport system.

The effect of trypsin treatment on the mode of L-tryptophan uptake (L- and T-transport systems) into hepatocytes was investigated in comparison with that of L-leucine (L-type system) using isolated rat hepatocytes. L-Tryptophan uptake occurred via at least two saturable (one high-affinity and one low-affinity) and one non-saturable components in intact hepatocytes, while L-leucine was taken up via one saturable and one non-saturable component. Hepatocytes whose surface had been digested with trypsin lost only the high-affinity component of the two saturable L-tryptophan transport systems, while they retained the saturable component for L-leucine transport (Km = 3.3 mM). Km values for the trypsin-sensitive (high-affinity) and -insensitive (low-affinity) components of L-tryptophan uptake were 14 microM and 2.1 mM, respectively. However, inhibition studies with some substrates of the L-, T- and both transport systems as inhibitor demonstrated that L-tryptophan uptake via these two components could not be classified in terms of the T- and L-systems. The present results indicate the presence of a carrier with a very high affinity for L-tryptophan in rat hepatocytes.

Animals↗

Cinnabarinic acid formation in Malpighian tubules of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. Participation of catalase in cinnabarinic acid formation in the presence of manganese ion.

Cinnabarinic acid was formed from 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid during incubation with a soluble fraction from Malpighian tubules of the silkworm, Bombyx mori, in the presence of manganese ion. The enzyme having this activity was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography. Enzyme activity was accompanied by parallel catalase activity at all steps of purification; the two activities could not be separated from each other. The purified protein was concluded to be catalase. Manganese was shown to be present in 0.1 mM concentration in Malpighian tubules of Bombyx mori. These findings suggest that in Malpighian tubules catalase participates in the formation of cinnabarinic acid. A possible mechanism for the formation of cinnabarinic acid from 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid by catalase in the presence of manganese ion is proposed.

Animals↗

Cinnabarinate formation in malpighian tubules of the silkworm. Bombyx mori: reaction mechanism of cinnabarinate formation in the presence of catalase and manganese ions.

The formation of cinnabarinate in the presence of manganese ions and catalase was investigated spectrophotometrically. The absorption peak of cinnabarinate at 460 nm appeared only in a reaction system containing manganese ions and catalase. If catalase was omitted, a new absorption peak at 360 nm was observed while the absorption peak of cinnabarinate reached a plateau. Furthermore, in the presence of hydrogen peroxide, the absorption spectrum of cinnabarinate changed; catalase suppressed this absorption change. We conclude that in the course of cinnabarinate formation in the presence of manganese ions hydrogen peroxide is produced, which decomposes cinnabarinate. Catalase prevents the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide, which results in the steady increase of cinnabarinate. Cinnabarinate formation by manganese ions shows an initial lag phase. This lag phase disappeared by preincubating 3-hydroxyanthranilate under aerobic conditions. Incubation of 3-hydroxyanthranilate resulted in the generation of superoxide anions. When both manganese ions and superoxide anions were present, the lag phase of cinnabarinate formation disappeared. In the process of cinnabarinate formation, manganese ions serve to dismutate superoxide anions, as does superoxide dismutase; manganese (II) ions were oxidized to manganese (III) ions by superoxide anions. From these results we have proposed a mechanism of cinnabarinate formation catalysed by manganese ions.

3-Hydroxyanthranilic Acid↗

Xanthommatin formation in rat liver mitochondria and its inhibition by respiratory chain substrates.

3-Hydroxykynurenine is condensed to xanthommatin by cytochrome c and cytochrome oxidase in rat liver mitochondria. In intact mitochondria the reaction is inhibited by respiratory chain substrates. However, this was not the case with preincubated mitochondria or with isolated cytochrome c and cytochrome oxidase. The inhibition of xanthommatin formation in native mitochondria by succinate was abolished by addition of antimycin A or malonate, whereas the inhibition by citrate, glutamate or fumarate was not impaired by antimycin A or amobarbital. However, after preincubation of mitochondria at 37 degrees C for 30 min the inhibition disappeared in these cases too. It is suggested that the inhibition by succinate is due to the supply of reduced cytochrome b which competes with 3-hydroxykynurenine for ferricytochrome c, while the other respiratory chain substrates inhibit xanthommatin formation only in the case of intact mitochondria by a yet unknown mechanism. These inhibition mechanisms prevent xanthommatin formation in rat liver mitochondria, even though 3-hydroxykynurenine is synthesized in the outer mitochondrial membrane.

Amino Acids↗

Congenital methaemoglobinaemia due to NADH methaemoglobin reductase deficiency: successful treatment with oral riboflavin.

A Japanese family with congenital methaemoglobinaemia is described. The family pedigree was compatible with autosomal recessive type of inheritance. The increased methaemoglobin concentration was ascribed to the red cell NADH diaphorase deficiency associated with the almost complete lack of one of the two peaks of the diaphorase activity as separated by DEAE Sephadex column chromatography. The NADH diaphorase and NADH methaemoglobin reductase deficiency was limited to the red cells. The methaemoglobin content in the blood of the propositus was 17.8% and isoelectric focusing analysis on a polyacrylamide gel plate showed that the haemoglobin consisted of 65.2% oxyhaemoglobin (alpha 2+ beta 2+)2, 29.6% half-oxidized forms, 20.9% (alpha 3+ beta 2+)2 and 8.7% (alpha 2+ beta 3+)2, and 3% full-oxidized methaemoglobin (alpha 3+ beta 3+)2. Oral administration of riboflavin 120 mg/d resulted in a gradual but significant decrease in the level of the met-form haemoglobins in parallel with a gradual increase in the red cell flavin content. Riboflavin is considered to be effective by activating the NADPH diaphorase (NADPH flavin reductase) system and appears to be useful for the treatment of congenital methaemoglobinaemia.

Administration, Oral↗