JaLCDOI 10.18926/AMO/30420
FullText URL fulltext.pdf
Author Nishioka, Keiko| Ogawa, Teruhiro| Saito, Chisato| Nishioka, Satoko| Nakagawa, Fumio| Ohomichi, Takuya| Masuda, Yu|
Abstract

In 15 patients with Japanese cedar pollinosis and 10 healthy control subjects, levels of major basic protein (MBP), eosinophil cationic protein (ECP), and arylsulfatase B (As) in the nasal secretions were examined before and after challenge with Japanese cedar pollen extract. The MBP and ECP levels in the patients were significantly higher 30 min after challenge than those before challenge (P < 0.005). MBP and ECP levels after challenge were significantly higher in the nasal secretions of patients than in the controls (MBP: P < 0.01, ECP: P < 0.05). The level of As after challenge was significantly higher in the nasal secretions of patients than in the controls. These results suggest that eosinophils activate or modify the immediate, nasal allergic reaction and have a role in regulating immunological responses.

Keywords major basic protein eosinophil cationic protein arylsulphatase B pollinosis allergic rhinitis
Amo Type Article
Publication Title Acta Medica Okayama
Published Date 1995-02
Volume volume49
Issue issue1
Publisher Okayama University Medical School
Start Page 29
End Page 33
ISSN 0386-300X
NCID AA00508441
Content Type Journal Article
language English
File Version publisher
Refereed True
PubMed ID 7762407
Web of Science KeyUT A1995QK32500005
JaLCDOI 10.18926/AMO/30419
FullText URL fulltext.pdf
Author Yamauchi, Takayoshi| Ogura, Toshio| Oishi, Tetsuya| Harada, Kazushi| Hashimoto, Masami| Mimura, Yukari| Asano, Naoko| Ota, Zensuke| Kageyama, Jingo|
Abstract

To elucidate the effect of the arginine vasopressin (AVP) system in vivo, especially V1 and V2 activity, on blood pressure, we measured the acute changes in blood pressure and heart rate after AVP, OPC-21,268 (a V1 receptor antagonist), and OPC-31,260 (a V2 receptor antagonist) were injected intravenously in anesthetized spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats at the age of 15 weeks. Compared with the control period, single injection of AVP 5 ng/kg significantly increased systolic blood pressure in WKY rats without a concomitant increase in heart rate, but there was no significant increase in blood pressure in SHR. In contrast, single injection of either OPC-21,268 3 mg/kg or OPC-31,260 3 mg/kg did not affect blood pressure or heart rate in either SHR or WKY rats. Injection of AVP after the administration of OPC-31,260 induced a greater increase in blood pressure in SHR than in WKY rats, whereas injection of AVP after the administration of OPC-21,268 did not induce any clear increase in blood pressure in SHR or WKY rats. These results suggest that SHR have enhanced pressor activity mediated by V1 receptors and that this increase may be due to an increase in their number. In conclusion, enhancement of V1 activity may contribute to the development of high blood pressure in SHR.

Keywords vasopressin V1 and V2 receptor antagonist hypertension pressor response OPC-31260
Amo Type Article
Publication Title Acta Medica Okayama
Published Date 1995-02
Volume volume49
Issue issue1
Publisher Okayama University Medical School
Start Page 53
End Page 59
ISSN 0386-300X
NCID AA00508441
Content Type Journal Article
language English
File Version publisher
Refereed True
PubMed ID 7762410
Web of Science KeyUT A1995QK32500008
JaLCDOI 10.18926/AMO/30418
FullText URL fulltext.pdf
Author Ogawa, Norio|
Abstract

In the fields of psychiatry and neurology, the dopaminergic system is one of the most important neurotransmitter systems in the brain. Whereas pharmacological and biochemical studies had initially indicated two subclasses of dopamine receptors (DA-R), recent progress in molecular biology techniques has led to the identification of five distinct genes of DA-Rs (D1-R-D5-R) and splice variants. The gene products are classified into the D1-R family (D1-R and D5-R) and D2-R family (D2-R, D3-R and D4-R) based on their structure and pharmacological features. This review summarizes the structure, localization, function and pharmacology of DA-R subtypes on the basis of knowledge obtained during the past few years. The genes encoding the D1-R family have no intron and the D2-R family genes have introns. The distributions of mRNAs encoding these five DA-R subtypes in the brain were different from their respective receptors. The localization of DA-R subtypes to particular brain regions and specific pharmacological profiles of DA-R subtypes allow new insights to be made into the mechanism of action of DA in the control of psychiatric and motor functions. The availability of detailed information about DA-R subtypes will not only clarify their roles in the brain, but will probably also lead to the development of new therapeutic drugs with more specific actions.

Keywords dopamine receptor subtype gene molecular structure localization pharmacology
Amo Type Review
Publication Title Acta Medica Okayama
Published Date 1995-02
Volume volume49
Issue issue1
Publisher Okayama University Medical School
Start Page 1
End Page 11
ISSN 0386-300X
NCID AA00508441
Content Type Journal Article
language English
File Version publisher
Refereed True
PubMed ID 7762403
Web of Science KeyUT A1995QK32500001
JaLCDOI 10.18926/AMO/30417
FullText URL fulltext.pdf
Author Jahan, Israt| Bai, Liyan| Iijima, Mikio| Kondo, Tadashi| Namba, Masayoshi|
Abstract

The establishment of a model system of neoplastic transformation of normal human cells has been attempted with a chemical carcinogen, 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO). In the course of these experiments, it was noticed that immortalization of human cells is a multi-step process involving several mutational genetic events. Thus, chromosomal changes which occurred during the process of immortalization of human fibroblasts were examined. To accomplish immortalization, fibroblasts obtained from an embryo were repeatedly treated with 10-6M4NQO from primary culture to passage 51 (59 treatments in total). Before immortalization, some chromosomes (especially, chromosomes 2, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 15, 19, and 20), were lost at a relatively high frequency. After immortalization, the chromosomes distributed so broadly in the triploid to hypotetraploid region without a distinct modal number or without marker chromosomes that it was difficult to identify the specific chromosomes related to the immortalization of human cells. No specific structural chromosomal changes were detected. Although the significance of such chromosome changes in relation to immortalization is not clear, the loss of some specific chromosomes suggests that genes which are involved in cellular aging and which suppress immortalization may have been lost in the immortalization process.

Keywords human cells chromosomes aging immortalization 4NQO
Amo Type Article
Publication Title Acta Medica Okayama
Published Date 1995-02
Volume volume49
Issue issue1
Publisher Okayama University Medical School
Start Page 25
End Page 28
ISSN 0386-300X
NCID AA00508441
Content Type Journal Article
language English
File Version publisher
Refereed True
PubMed ID 7762406
Web of Science KeyUT A1995QK32500004
JaLCDOI 10.18926/AMO/30416
FullText URL fulltext.pdf
Author Kuwahara, Naoaki| Higashi, Toshihiro| Nouso, Kazuhiro| Ito, Toshio| Tsuji, Takao|
Abstract

Tissue PIVKA-II was examined in 32 hepatocellular carcinomas and 2 metastatic liver tumors using indirect immunofluorescence, and the results were compared with the size, histological grading and serum PIVKA-II level. The specificity of this method was confirmed by the disappearance of reactivity in PLC/PRF/5 cells after the addition of vitamin K to the culture medium. Positive PIVKA-II staining was observed as a clustered or a single cell pattern only in the HCC nodules, but not in the surrounding cirrhotic tissue. PIVKA-II staining was observed in all HCC groups regardless of histological grade. There was no relationship between PIVKA-II staining and the size of HCC. PIVKA-II was detected immunohistochemically even in small HCC of patients whose plasma PIVKA-II levels were below the detection limit. These results suggest that PIVKA-II production is a specific phenotype of HCC regardless of its histological grading and demonstrate that this immunofluorescent PIVKA-II staining is more sensitive and useful than plasma PIVKA-II assay for the diagnosis of HCC.

Keywords hepatocellular carcinoma PIVKA-??immunofluorescent staining tumor marker
Amo Type Article
Publication Title Acta Medica Okayama
Published Date 1995-02
Volume volume49
Issue issue1
Publisher Okayama University Medical School
Start Page 19
End Page 24
ISSN 0386-300X
NCID AA00508441
Content Type Journal Article
language English
File Version publisher
Refereed True
PubMed ID 7762405
Web of Science KeyUT A1995QK32500003
JaLCDOI 10.18926/AMO/30415
FullText URL fulltext.pdf
Author Kaneyuki, Takao| Morimasa, Tadaomi| Shohmori, Toshikiyo|
Abstract

In single treatment study, ethanol was administered intraperitoneally to ICR mice (about 34 g) in the amounts of 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 or 4.0 g/kg body weight. The 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) + homovanillic acid (HVA) concentration in the striatum was elevated with 3.0 and 4.0 g/kg of ethanol. In the hypothalamus, the DOPAC, HVA and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid concentrations were increased after injection of 3.0 and 4.0 g/kg of ethanol. Furthermore, the acetylcholine (ACh) and gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentrations were also increased following the injection of 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 g/kg. To study the effects of repeated administration, mice were injected intraperitoneally with 1.0 or 2.0 g/kg of ethanol once daily for 7 days. The DOPAC + HVA level in the striatum was elevated after injection of 1.0 and 2.0 g/kg of ethanol. The GABA and ACh concentrations in the hypothalamus were decreased after repeated injections of ethanol. These results suggest that ethanol significantly alters the utilization of dopamine, ACh and GABA in the hypothalamus. This may partially explain why ethanol has such profound effects on emotional behavior and mood.

Keywords ethanol dopamine serotonin ?-aminobutyric acid acetylcholine striatum hypothalamus
Amo Type Article
Publication Title Acta Medica Okayama
Published Date 1995-02
Volume volume49
Issue issue1
Publisher Okayama University Medical School
Start Page 13
End Page 17
ISSN 0386-300X
NCID AA00508441
Content Type Journal Article
language English
File Version publisher
Refereed True
PubMed ID 7762404
Web of Science KeyUT A1995QK32500002
JaLCDOI 10.18926/AMO/30414
FullText URL fulltext.pdf
Author Shi, Qilin| Hashizume, Hiroyuki| Inoue, Hajime| Miyake, Toshiyuki| Nagayama, Noriyuki|
Abstract

Stress distribution in the first carpometacarpal joint was analyzed in 49 cadaveric hands using the finite element method to clarify the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis in the joint. The results of the finite element method analysis were compared with those of the contact pressure distribution in the first carpometacarpal joint of cadaveric specimens using pressure-sensitive film, and with the simple roentgenographical and microradiographical manifestations of spur formation, and with histological findings of osteoarthritis to verify the accuracy of the models of computer simulation models. The comparison of these results showed that osteoarthritic changes of the first carpometacarpal joint were found in areas where stress was concentrated during movement of the joint. The saddle shape of this joint is essentially well-designed for the dispersion of normal stress, however minimal displacement due to instability could easily induce osteoarthritis. Furthermore the shallow trapezial configuration may contribute to the high incidence of osteoarthritis changes. The finite element method helped clarify the relationship between stress patterns and osteoarthritis response.

Keywords carpometacarpal joint onset mechanism of osteoarthritis stress distribution analysis twodimensinoal finite element method pressure-sensitive film
Amo Type Article
Publication Title Acta Medica Okayama
Published Date 1995-02
Volume volume49
Issue issue1
Publisher Okayama University Medical School
Start Page 43
End Page 51
ISSN 0386-300X
NCID AA00508441
Content Type Journal Article
language English
File Version publisher
Refereed True
PubMed ID 7762409
Web of Science KeyUT A1995QK32500007
JaLCDOI 10.18926/AMO/30413
FullText URL fulltext.pdf
Author Zhao, Yuan-Qing| Kinuta, Masahiro| Abe, Tadashi| Yao, Wen-Bin| Ubuka, Toshihiko|
Abstract

The effects of intraperitoneal administration of 2-(4-carboxy-D-gluco-tetrahydroxybutyl)thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (CGUA), a cysteine derivative conjugated with glucuronic acid, on total glutathione and total cysteine contents in rat tissues were investigated. Total glutathione (GSH and GSSG) and total cysteine (cysteine and cystine) were determined by a new method consisting of preparation of S-carboxymethylglutathione (CMSG) and S-carboxymethylcysteine (CMC), respectively, and subsequent analyses with an amino acid analyzer. CGUA was determined by a coloration method employing an acidic ninhydrin reagent. Total cysteine contents in liver, kidney and plasma rapidly increased to 2.3, 2.7 and 6.5 times the levels of the controls, respectively, after CGUA administration at a dose of 5 mmol/kg of body weight. Total glutathione content did not change significantly in the liver or blood except for the kidney with a significant increase during the first 1-h period after administration. CGUA content increased markedly in these tissues, especially in the kidney, and 30% of administered CGUA was excreted in urine within 2h. These results indicate that CGUA is converted into cysteine in vivo, suggesting the usefulness of this compound for protection of the kidney and the liver.

Keywords cysteine glutathione S-carboxymethylglutathione S-carboxymethylcysteine cysteineglucuronic acied
Amo Type Article
Publication Title Acta Medica Okayama
Published Date 1995-02
Volume volume49
Issue issue1
Publisher Okayama University Medical School
Start Page 35
End Page 42
ISSN 0386-300X
NCID AA00508441
Content Type Journal Article
language English
File Version publisher
Refereed True
PubMed ID 7762408
Web of Science KeyUT A1995QK32500006