Structural analysis of N-linked oligosaccharide of mitogenic lectin-B from the roots of pokeweed (Phytolacca americana)

The structure of an asparagine (N-) linked oligosaccharide of pokeweed lectin-B (PL-B) and the amino acid sequences around two glycosylation sites were identified. The pyridylamino (PA) oligosaccharide prepared from PL-B was eluted as a single peak on both reversed-phase (RP-) HPLC and size-fractionation (SF-) HPLC, and its structure was estimated to be Man alpha 1-->6(Man alpha 1-->3)(Xyl beta 1-->2) Man beta 1-->4GlcNAc beta 1-->4(Fuc alpha 1-->3)GlcNAc by a combination of component analysis, successive exoglycosidase digestions, IS-MS analysis, and 500 MHz 1H-NMR. Two tryptic glycopeptides were isolated from the reduced and S-pyridylethylated PL-B after gel filtration followed by RP-HPLC, indicating the presence of two glycosylation sites in PL-B. The amino acid sequences around the two glycosylation sites were determined to be Cys-Gly-Val-Asp-Phe-Gly-Asn(CHO)-Arg.

Purification and substrate specificity of an endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase from pea (Pisum sativum) seeds

An endo-beta-N-acetylglucosaminidase was purified to homogeneity from the seeds of pea (Pisum sativum). The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 41,669 Da by MALDI-TOF MS analysis and its isoelectric point to be 4.3 by isoelectric focusing. The enzyme was stable at pH 4-7 and at 25-50 degrees C, and had the highest activity toward Man6GlcNAc2-PA at pH around 7.0. Oligomannose type sugar chains (Man9-6GlcNAc2-PA) and a hybrid type sugar chain (GlcNAc1Man5GlcNAc2-PA) were most favored substrates followed by Man5GlcNAc2-PA, Man3GlcNAc2-PA, and GlcNAc2Man3GlcNAc2-PA, but xylose-containing sugar chains (Man4-3Xyl1GlcNAc2-PA and Man3Fuc1Xyl1GlcNAc2-PA) or a biantennary complex type sugar chain (Gal2GlcNAc2Man3GlcNAc2-PA) could not be hydrolyzed by the enzyme. The Km values of the enzyme for Man5GlcNAc2-PA, Man6GlcNAc2-PA, and Man9GlcNAc2-PA were 0.40 mM, 0.25 mM, and 0.32 mM, respectively.

Purification and some properties of a beta-xylosidase and an alpha-fucosidase from apple snails (Pomacea canaliculata)

beta-Xylosidase and alpha-fucosidase were purified from the viscera of apple snails (Pomacea canaliculata) using ammonium sulfate precipitation, hydrophobic chromatography on Butyl-Toyopearl, gel filtration on Sephacryl S-300, and Q-Sepharose column chromatography. beta-Xylosidase and alpha-fucosidase are glycoproteins and their molecular masses were estimated to be approximately 85 kDa and 54 kDa by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and assumed to be about 96 kDa and 230 kDa from their sedimentation coefficients, respectively, indicating that the former is a monomer and the latter has a tetrameric structure. beta-Xylosidase is stable at pH 4-10 and its optimum pH toward pNP-beta-D-xyloside is around 3.6, while alpha-fucosidase is fairly stable at 65 degrees C and pH 4-10, and its optimum pHs toward pNP-alpha-L-fucoside are around 3.2 and 5.2. beta-Xylosidase released a xylose residue from Xylbeta1->2Manbeta1->4GlcNAcbeta1->4(Fucalpha1-> 3)GlcNAc-PA and Manalpha1->6(Manalpha1->3)(Xylbeta1->2)Manbeta1- >4GlcNAcbeta1->4(Fucalpha1->3)GlcNAc-PA, but not from GlcNAcbeta1->2Manalpha1->6(GlcNAcbeta1->2Manalpha1+ ++->3)(Xylbeta1->2)Manbeta1->4GlcNAcbeta1-> 4(Fucalpha1->3)GlcNAc-PA, while alpha-fucosidase released a fucose residue from these three PA-oligosaccharides.

[Basic study on relationship between estimated rate constants and noise in FDG kinetic analysis]

For accurate estimation of the rate constants in 18F-FDG dynamic study, the shape of the estimation function (phi) is crucial. In this investigation, the relationship between the noise level in tissue time activity curve and the shape of the least squared estimation function which is the sum of squarred error between a function of model parameters and a measured data is calculated in 3 parameter model of 18F-FDG. In the first simulation, by using actual plasma time activity curve, the true tissue curve was generated from known sets of rate constants ranging 0.05 < or = k1 < or = 0.15, 0.1 < or = k2 < or = 0.2 and 0.01 < or = k3 < or = 0.1 in 0.01 step. This procedure was repeated under various noise levels in the tissue time activity curve from 1 to 8% of the maximum value in the tissue activity. In the second simulation, plasma and tissue time activity curves from clinical 18F-FDG dynamic study were used to calculate the phi. Results are: (1) In the noise-free case, because the global minima is separated from neighboring local minimums, it was easy to find out the optimum point. However, with increasing noise level, the optimum point was buried in many neighboring local minima. Making it difficult to find out the optimum point. (2) The optimum point was found within 20% of the convergence point by standard non-linear optimization method. (3) The shape of phi for the clinical data was similar to that with the noise level of 3 or 5% in the first simulation. Therefore direct search within the area extending 20% from the result of usual non-linear curve fitting procedure is recommended for accurate estimation of the constants.

Relapsing polychondritis presented as inner ear involvement

We report a rare case of relapsing polychondritis with an initial symptom of inner ear involvement. This 53-year-old Japanese man experienced a hearing difficulty, tinnitus in both ears, and dizziness of sudden onset, but lacked auricular chondritis at that time, which is the most frequent finding in relapsing polychondritis. Thus it was difficult to reach a correct diagnosis. Steroid therapy, with oral prednisolone 15 mg daily, was effective. Almost two months after we began the steroid therapy, the patient complained of losing interest in his work and reported a hallucination vision on the TV screen, so the dose of prednisolone was decreased to 10 mg. The hallucinations then disappeared, but the serum level of C-reactive protein increased highly. To reduce the dose of prednisolone, we tried low-dose oral methotrexate. However, we had to discontinue it when the patient experienced severe vomiting and diarrhoea. As adjuvant therapy, we then administered Sho-saiko-to, Chinese herbal medicines with few side effects. Symptoms and laboratory abnormalities then improved markedly.

Polymorphonuclear leukocyte lysosomal proteases, cathepsins B and D affect the fibrinolytic system in human umbilical vein endothelial cells

To clarify the physiological role played by neutrophil lysosomal protease in cultured human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), we studied the effects of cathepsins B and D released from activated polymorphonuclear leukocytes on the fibrinolytic system in HUVEC. Cathepsins B and D reduced the antigens of tissue-type plasminogen activator, and they increased both the antigens and the activity of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1. These results suggest that cathepsins B and D are involved in the thrombotic tendency, since they inhibited the fibrinolytic system in cultured HUVEC.

Blood pressure and its regulation in spontaneously hypertensive rats bred on the lowest sodium diet for normal growth

To investigate the effects of dietary sodium restriction from conception to adulthood on blood pressure and its regulatory mechanisms, male offspring were derived from inbreeding in spontaneously hypertensive rats fed a diet containing sodium of 175 mumol/g food (control) or 22 mumol/g (low sodium), which is the least sodium content for normal growth. While urinary sodium excretion was markedly less, the low sodium diet did not inhibit body growth and failed to blunt the development of hypertension. Neither plasma catecholamine concentration nor depressor response to hexamethonium was different between the two groups at any age examined (8, 12, and 20 weeks). Plasma renin concentration was not elevated, whereas urinary excretion of aldosterone was increased at any age in the low sodium group compared with that in the control group. Other sets of rats were fed a diet containing sodium of 175 mumol/g plus mefruside (a diuretic) of 0.001% in the same manner as in the other two groups. Urinary sodium excretion per creatinine was higher than in the other groups. The diuretic treatment inhibited body growth and suppressed adult blood pressure. While the sympathetic function was not affected, both plasma renin concentration and urinary excretion of aldosterone were elevated. These results indicate that dietary sodium restriction with the least sodium for normal growth from conception cannot blunt either the sympathetic nervous function or the development of hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats. Aldosterone appears to play an important role in maintaining sodium homeostasis under the dietary sodium restriction.

Evidence for the early recruitment of T-cell receptor gamma delta+ T cells during rat listeriosis

We have previously reported that heat-shock protein (hsp) 60-reactive T-cell receptor (TCR)gamma delta+ T cells appear in the peritoneal cavity during the early stage of infection with Listeria monocytogenes in mice. In this study, we examined the kinetics of TCR gamma delta+ T cells during listeriosis in F344 rats by flow cytometry using a V65 monoclonal antibody (mAb) directed to a constant determinant of rat TCR gamma delta chains. TCR gamma delta+ T cells significantly increased in the peritoneal cavity on day 6 and then decreased by day 10 after infection, in parallel with the kinetics of hsp60 expression in the peritoneal macrophages during listeriosis in F344 rats. Most of the early appearing TCR gamma delta+ T cells were of the CD4- CD8 alpha beta+ CD5+ lymphocyte function-associated antigen (LFA)-1 alpha high CD45RC- interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) alpha- phenotype, although a significant fraction of the TCR gamma delta+ T cells expressed CD8 alpha only. The increase in TCR gamma delta+ T cells during listeriosis was prominent in F1 (F344 x Lewis) rats but only marginal in Lewis rats, which was correlated with the expression level of hsp 60 in the peritoneal macrophages. The peritoneal TCR gamma delta+ T cells in naive F344 rats appeared to proliferate significantly in response to recombinant hsp 60 (rhsp 60) derived from Mycobacterium bovis bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG). These results imply that the early appearance of hsp 60-reactive TCR gamma delta+ T cells during listerial infection can be generalized across species.

Spectral analysis of beat-to-beat intervals of the fetal heart obtained by Doppler ultrasound

Fetal heart rate monitoring has been widely used for the early investigation of the fetal outcome in current clinical settings. Interpretation of fetal heart rate tracing is sometimes indecisive, especially when the fetus is premature. In contrast to adults, the frequency analysis of fetal heart rate fluctuations has been unsuccessful. In this study, we succeeded in nonstationary frequency analysis of fetal heart rate fluctuations, using noninvasive Doppler ultrasound to measure beat-to-beat intervals of fetuses. We used an autoregressive method based on a 24-cycle stationarity. A dual peak was observed in the range of 0-0.125 cycles/beat from at least 20 weeks of gestation which increased in the resting state with gestational age. The peak area increased remarkably with fetal movement. The integrated value of the peak area will provide a powerful approach to the understanding of the development of fetal autonomic function and to a new fetal monitoring.

Beta-catenin expression in human cancers

Cell-cell adhesion in tissue is mainly regulated by homotypic interaction of cadherin molecules, which are anchored to the cytoskeleton via cytoplasmic proteins, including alpha- and beta-catenin. Although we previously demonstrated that alpha-catenin is crucial for cadherin function in vivo, little is known about the role of beta-catenin. We examined the expression of beta-catenin in human carcinoma samples along with normal tissue (esophagus, stomach, and colon) by immunostaining using our antibody for beta-catenin. Normal epithelium strongly expressed beta-catenin. However, beta-catenin expression was frequently reduced in primary tumors of the esophagus (10 of 15, 67%), stomach (9 of 19, 47%), and colon (11 of 22, 50%). From an immunoprecipitation study, we found that beta-catenin forms a complex with E-cadherin not only in the normal epithelium but also in cancerous tissues. In coexpression patterns of E-cadherin and beta-catenin, 43 (77%) of the 56 tumors showed a similar expression of both molecules, whereas the other 13 tumors (23%) showed positive staining for E-cadherin and reduced expression of beta-catenin. These findings suggest that beta-catenin forms a complex with E-cadherin in vivo and down-regulation of beta-catenin expression is associated with malignant transformation.

Inhibition of GABAA receptor chloride channel by quinolones and norfloxacin-biphenylacetic acid hybrid compounds

Receptor binding studies have shown that the combination of some new quinolone antibacterial agents with 4-biphenylacetic acid (BPAA), a metabolite of fenbufen, inhibits GABAA receptors. In order to elucidate further the mechanism of these drug interactions, the effect of quinolone antibacterial agents on muscimol-stimulated 36Cl- uptake in rat cerebral cortical synaptoneurosomes was investigated in the absence or presence of BPAA. In the absence of BPAA, quinolones such as norfloxacin (NFLX) and enoxacin attenuated muscimol-stimulated 36Cl- uptake at 10 microM and above. In combination with 10 microM BPAA, the inhibitory effect of these drugs was potentiated and there was a parallel shift of the inhibition curves to the left for these drugs. BPAA alone (1 and 10 microM) did not affect basal or muscimol-stimulated 36Cl- uptake. Hybrid molecules of NFLX and BPAA were synthesized and their inhibitory potency was also investigated. Inhibition curves of muscimol-stimulated 36Cl- uptake revealed that a hybrid with a -CONH(CH2)3- chain between NFLX and BPAA (flexible structure) (1 nM-20 microM) inhibited muscimol-stimulated 36Cl- uptake more potently than did the combination of NFLX (10 nm-100 microM) and 10 microM BPAA. In contrast, another hybrid linked by -CONH-(stretched structure) exhibited a weak inhibitory effect at 10 microM. These results suggest that quinolones in combination with BPAA bind to GABAA receptors, thus inhibiting Cl- channel activity, and that the inhibitory potency of quinolones may be enhanced by an intermolecular interaction with BPAA.

Olfactory evoked potentials produced by electrical stimulation of the olfactory mucosa

We stimulated the olfactory mucosa electrically and elicited evoked potentials in rabbits. A bipolar stimulating electrode was placed on the olfactory region of the nasal mucosa via an anterior naris non-invasively. Evoked potentials were detected from the surface of a head. In most instances they were composed of triphasic negative-positive-negative peaks, the latencies of these peaks were about 25, 40, and 65 ms, respectively. This peak complex seemed to originate in the olfactory bulb. This method is non-invasive and is applicable to studying the olfactory system in animals and also in humans.

Synthesis and antibacterial activity of 2-(isoxazolidinio-5-yl)carbapenem derivatives

The synthesis and antibacterial activity of the title compounds having an isoxazolidine ring at the C-2 position are described. These derivatives were synthesized by the 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction of nitrone with 2-vinyl carbapenems. This 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction proceeded regioselectively to give diastereomeric isomers of 2(-isoxazolidin-5-yl)carbapenems. It was ascertained that the antibacterial activity of 1 beta-methylcarbapenem derivatives was superior to that of the corresponding 1H-carbapenem derivatives, and between the 2-(isoxazolidin-5-yl)-1 beta-methylcarbapenems the antibacterial activity of the 5'R-isomer was slightly better than that of the 5' R-isomer slightly better than that of the 5' S-isomer.

Crystal phase of fibrous calcium phosphates prepared with sodium alginate

This study investigated the effects of preparation conditions on the crystal phase of the fired fiber prepared with sodium alginate. Hydroxyapatite, Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2, hereafter referred to as HA, was only formed in fiber fired at 900 degrees C under proper conditions. There was no significant difference in the crystal phase of the fired fibers prepared using different sodium alginate concentrations and syringe nozzle diameter, although fiber diameters were enlarged with increasing in either. No effects of phosphate type on the crystal phase of the fired fiber were found, but the aging time and the rinsing time had great effects. Sodium calcium phosphate, NaCaPO4, and HA were formed when the aging time was shorter than 5 min. Chlorapatite, Ca5Cl(PO4)3, and HA were formed when the rinsing time was shorter than 3 sec, and HA was formed when the rinsing time was 5 min to 1 hour, beta-TCP, beta-Ca3 (PO4)2, and HA were formed when the rinsing time exceeded 2 weeks.

ITI (inter-alpha trypsin inhibitor) phenotyping by immunogold staining

Polymorphism of Inter-alpha-Trypsin Inhibitor (ITI) was investigated in 685 unrelated Japanese individuals by isoelectric focusing followed by electroblotting and immunogold silver staining. The allele frequency estimates were ITI*1 = 0.455 +/- 0.013, ITI*2 = 0.516 +/- 0.013, ITI*3 = 0.028 +/- 0.0045 and ITI*4 = 0.001 +/- 0.001 and the phenotype frequencies fitted the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The ITI system could be regarded as a potential genetic marker in paternity testing and anthropological studies.

Determination of the beta-blocker carteolol in human plasma by a sensitive gas chromatographic-negative-ion chemical ionization high-resolution mass spectrometric method

A specific and sensitive gas chromatographic-high-resolution mass spectrometric method for the determination of 5-(3-tert.-butylamino-2-hydroxy)propoxy-3,4-dihydrocarbostyril (carteolol), which is a beta-blocker giving depression of intraocular pressure, was developed to elucidate the pharmacokinetics of its ophthalmic application. Carteolol has been determined by high-performance liquid chromatography but with less satisfactory sensitivity. Carteolol was derivatized with pentafluorobenzoyl (PFB) amide followed by dimethylethylsilyl (DMES) ether, resulting in a high negative-ion current. The PFB-DMES derivative of carteolol was determined by the gas chromatography-negative-ion chemical ionization mass spectrometry (GC-NICI-MS) using selected-ion monitoring at low and high mass spectrometric resolution. the detection limit was less than 100 fg when the fragment ion was monitored at m/z 552.2067 in the NICI mode using methane as a reagent gas. The quantification limit of carteolol in human plasma with this method was less than 30 pg/ml. The proposed GC-MS method is considered to have sufficient specificity and sensitivity to study the pharmacokinetics of carteolol used as an ophthalmic solution.

Inhibitory effect of some oxygenated stigmastane-type sterols on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate-induced inflammation in mice

The oxygenated stigmastane-type sterols stigmastane-3 beta, 6 alpha-diol, stigmastane-3 beta, 6 beta-diol, 7 alpha-hydroxysitosterol and its diacetyl derivative, 7 beta-hydroxysitosterol and its diacetyl derivative, 7-oxositosterol, 4 beta-hydroxysitosterol, and stigmast-4-ene-3 beta, 6 beta-diol were evaluated with respect to their anti-inflammatory activity against 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced inflammation in mice. All of the sterols, with the exception of 7 alpha-hydroxysitosterol and its diacetyl derivative, were found to possess marked inhibitory activity. The 50% inhibitory dose of these compounds for TPA-inflammation (1 microgram) was 0.5--1.0 mg/ear.

[Ultrasound biomicroscopic imaging diagnosis of the anterior segment of the eye with high-frequency ultrasonic diagnostic equipment]

Micro-imaging displays of the anterior segment of the eye, such as of the anterior chamber angle, iris, ciliary body, ciliary zonule of Zinn, and anterior surface of the crystalline lens, were obtained in human eyes in vivo by means of a recently developed, high-frequency, high-resolution ultrasonic diagnostic unit (30 MHz). Much clearer displays than conventional ultrasonic imaging displays (5-15 MHz) were obtained, showing improved resolution, and greater morphologic diagnostic information was provided. Displays considered useful for making measurements were also provided. The subjects were 20 normal volunteers (35 eyes), 36 patients with glaucoma (58 eyes), 6 patients with uveal diseases (6 eyes), and 28 patients with pseudophakia (32 eyes). The equipment used was a model UX-02 ultrasonic diagnostic unit (RION), and the transducer was the three-element annular array type. The frequency was 30 MHz, the resolution was below 50 microns, and tissue penetration was 6 mm. This method enabled close ultrasound biomicroscopic imaging observations of details of the anterior and posterior chambers of the eyes in vivo and was also useful for clinical diagnosis and elucidation of the cause of glaucoma of various types. It also for the first time enabled evaluation of the position of fixation of an intraocular lens loop in the pseudophakic eyes containing an intraocular lens.

An unseasonable winter outbreak of echovirus type 30 meningitis

During the winter of late October, 1990 to March, 1991, echovirus type 30 meningitis affected 10 children aged 3-9 years of age in Mikuni, Japan. Five patients presented with constipation, four had diarrhoea, while five complained of severe abdominal pain, in addition to typical symptoms and signs compatible with aseptic meningitis. Echovirus type 30 was isolated from the CSF of nine, from the faeces of 10, and from the throats of eight children. All showed a significant antibody response to echovirus type 30 in paired samples of serum. Antigenic variation and thermostability of a representative isolate indicated some changes in virus structural proteins, possibly reflecting an altered tropism for tissues in the gastrointestinal tract.

In vivo induction of apoptosis by influenza virus

Intranasal exposure of mice to influenza virus led to cell death in bronchial/bronchiolar epithelial cells, alveolar cells and lymphoid cells. These cells displayed fragmentation of nuclei and chromatin condensation. Nick end-labelling of DNA in situ confirmed that such apoptotic cells had fragmented DNA. These results suggest that the influenza virus induces apoptosis in vivo.

Inhibition of experimental metastasis of human adenocarcinoma by cilostazol, a platelet phosphodiesterase inhibitor

Cilostazol, an inhibitor of platelet phosphodiesterase, was used to inhibit the platelet aggregating potential and metastasis of human adenocarcinoma cell lines. In vitro platelet aggregation potential of HAL8 and HAL33 cell lines was inhibited by cilostazol in a concentration dependent manner. Fatal acute thromboembolism of nude mice induced injection of HAL8 and HAL33 cell was completely inhibited by cilostazol/10 mg/kg p.o. Retention of injected (125)IdUrd-labeled cells in the lungs was also inhibited by cilostazol pretreatment. Cilostazol given 2 h before cell injection inhibited by 87 and 100% respectively, experimental lung metastasis of HAL8 and HAL33. Cilostazol given 72 h after cell injection had no effect on HAL8 and HAL33 metastasis. These results show that platelet aggregation of HAL8 and HAL33 cells play an important role in metastatic systems and that cilostazol inhibits human cancer metastasis.

[Intratumoral pharmacokinetics following intraarterial administration of MCNU in patients with malignant gliomas]

This clinical study was undertaken to examine intratumoral (i.t.) pharmacokinetics after intraarterial (i.a.) administration of MCNU (80mg/m2) in 5 patients with glioblastoma (GB) and 2 with anaplastic astrocytoma (AA). After resection or stereotactic biopsy of the cystic lesion, an Ommaya reservoir was placed into the tumor cavity in all patients. The distribution of MCNU in blood was compatible with a two-compartment model, and the half life of the alpha-phase and beta-phase was 4.1 minutes and 160.4 minutes, respectively. MCNU was detected in the i.t. fluid in 5 cases, 4 of GB and 1 of AA. The concentration of i.t. MCNU gradually increased during the 5 to 30 minutes after i.a. injection to a level about 20.0% of its blood concentration. However, no MCNU was detected in patients showing partial response (3 of GB and 1 of AA) or no change (1 of GB) after the i.a. infusion of MCNU during maintenance chemotherapy. These results suggests that MCNU may transfer into the tumor tissues. Further investigation is warranted.