The Tohoku Journal of Experimental Medicine
Online ISSN : 1349-3329
Print ISSN : 0040-8727
ISSN-L : 0040-8727
Volume 144, Issue 2
Displaying 1-12 of 12 articles from this issue
  • MINORU YASUJIMA, P. GEOFFREY MATTHEWS, COLIN I. JOHNSTON
    1984 Volume 144 Issue 2 Pages 107-117
    Published: 1984
    Released on J-STAGE: August 31, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    YASUJIMA, M., MATTHEWS, P.G. and JOHNSTON, C.I. Bradykinin Receptors in Rat Uterine Smooth Muscle: Studies Using Radiolabeled Ligand Binding. Tohoku J. exp. Med., 1984, 144 (2), 107-117 Direct binding of 125I-Tyr8-bradykinin to a microsomal fraction prepared from rat uterine smooth muscle, showed an apparent dissociation constant (KD) at 29°C of 5.0×10-10M calculated from kinetic studies and 6.6×10-10M from Scatchard plot analysis. The binding of 125I-Tyr8-bradykinin was reversible and saturable, and demonstrated high specificity for Tyr8-bradykinin, bradykinin and Lys-bradykinin, but was not displaced by unrelated peptides angiotensin I, angiotensin II, Arg8-vasopressin and oxytocin. The binding sites were copurified by differential centrifugation and on a discontinuous sucrose density gradient with 5'-nucleotidase activity, a plasma membrane marker enzyme. Prolonged intravenous infusion of bradykinin (5 nmol/h for 2 days) induced a 20% decrease in the number of bradykinin binding sites without a change in the equilibrium dissociation constant. The present results demonstrate that receptors mediating the effect of bradykinin on rat uterine smooth muscle are situated on plasma membranes and the regulation of the receptors is in part under the control of endogenous bradykinin levels.
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  • MINORU YASUJIMA, P. GEOFFREY MATTHEWS, COLIN I. JOHNSTON
    1984 Volume 144 Issue 2 Pages 119-127
    Published: 1984
    Released on J-STAGE: August 31, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    YASUJIMA, M., MATTHEWS, P.G. and JOHNSTON, C.I. Hypotensive Effect of Captopril and Decreased Rat Uterine Brad ykinin Receptors. Tohoku J. exp. Med., 1984, 144(2), 119-127-To determine the role of local bradykinin at the level of the vascular smooth muscle receptors in the hypotensive effect of captopril, we assessed the effects of prolonged intravenous infusions for up to 7 days of bradykinin (0.1μg/min) and captopril (1.7μg/min) on systolic blood pressure and uterine bradykinin receptors in normotensive rats. Bradykinin infusion was associated with a transient fall in systolic blood pressure at Day 1 (117.5±2.8 mmHg vs. 125.8±1.7, p<0.05) and returned to control levels by Day 3. Following captopril infusion there was a similar but more persistent fall in systolic blood pressure (115.3±2.4mmHg vs. 125.8±1.7, p<0.01 at Day 1 and 111.0±2.4mmHg vs. 125.0±1.9, p<0.001 at Day7). After 2 days of bradykinin infusion the number of bradykinin receptors was decreased (39.9±2.1fmol/mg protein vs. 49. 9±2.4, p<0.01) and returned to controls at Day 7, while captopril infusion induced a prolonged decrease (42.3±1.8fmol/mg protein vs. 49.9±2.4, p<0.05 at Day 2 and 38.8±2.4fmol/mg protein vs. 44.5±1.3, p<0.05 at Day 7). Present results suggest that the increased vascular tissue level of bradykinin can contribute directly to the acute hypotensive effect of captopril. However, it may play only a minor role for the chronic hypotensive effect of captoppiln.
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  • NAOKI FUKUSHIMA, NOBUO MATSUURA, YACHIYO NOHARA, HIROKO FUJITA, MACHIK ...
    1984 Volume 144 Issue 2 Pages 129-138
    Published: 1984
    Released on J-STAGE: August 31, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    FUKUSHIMA, N., MATSUURA, N., NOHARA, Y., FUJITA, H., ENDO, M., ABE, K., KOSAKA, S. and SATOMI, S. A Case of Insulin Resistance Associated with Acanthosis Nigricans. Tohoku J. exp. Med., 1984, 144 (2), 129-138-We described here a 12-year-old male patient with the syndrome of insulin resistance and acanthosis nigricans type A. Insulin levels at fasting state and after glucose loading were 149±63μU/ml (mean±S.D.) and over 1, 000μU/ml respectively, while the fasting level of blood glucose was 77.7±8.9mg/ml (mean+S.D.). A marked resistance to exogenous insulin was observed. Circulating levels of insulin antagonists such as growth hormone, cortisol and glucagon were within the normal range. Proinsulin was less than 5% of the radioimmunoassayable insulin. No insulin antibody or antireceptor antibody was detected. Insulin binding to mononuclear cells was decreased to about 50% of the controls. Analysis of membrane receptors demonstrated the normal average affinity, dissociation kinetics and negative cooperativity with a decreased number of receptors. After two days fasting, plasma IRI levels decreased to 27μU/ml, while insulin binding kinetics were not affected; which suggests that the receptor decrease was not secondary to hyperinsulinemia. These findings indicate that the decreased number of receptors was one of the causes for insulin resistance in this patient.
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  • TAKAYOSHI TODA, YUMIKO TODA, FRED A. KUMMEROW
    1984 Volume 144 Issue 2 Pages 139-142
    Published: 1984
    Released on J-STAGE: August 31, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    TODA, T., TODA, Y. and KUMMEROW, F.A. Spontaneous Aortic Lesions in Marine Turtles. Tohoku J. exp. Med., 1984, 144 (2), 139-142 Marine turtles were found to have gross aortic aneurysmal dilations and multiple, raised grayish-white plaques which resembled both the aortic lesions of Marfan's syndrome in humans and those induced by chemical manipulation in animals. Smooth muscle cells in these aortic lesions displayed considerable functional as well as morphological similarity in their response to environmental injury in both turtles and humans.
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  • JUN WATANABE, FUMIO UMEDA, TARO WASADA, HIROSHI IBAYASHI
    1984 Volume 144 Issue 2 Pages 143-150
    Published: 1984
    Released on J-STAGE: August 31, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    WATANABE, J., UMEDA, F., WASADA, T. and IBAYASHI, H. Effect of Prostaglandin Synthetase Inhibitors on Platelet Aggregation and Thromboxane Production in Diabetes Mellitus. Tohoku J. exp. Med., 1984, 144 (2), 143-150-Platelet aggregation is known to be increased in diabetes mellitus, and the enhanced thromboxane production has been shown to be one of the causes of such abnormal platelet function. To investigate which step is activated in diabetic prostaglandin metabolism, three specific inhibitors of prostaglandin synthetases were used in this study, which were mepacrine, indomethacin and imidazole. Platelet aggregation induced by collagen was significantly increased accompanying enhanced thromboxane production in diabetics with proliferative retinopathy compared with age matched controls. Platelet aggregation in diabetics with proliferative retinopathy was less inhibited by the addition of each inhibitor compared with controls. However, there was no difference in inhibitory pattern of platelet aggregation among the three inhibitors. In addition, thromboxane production during aggregation in diabetics with proliferative retinopathy was significantly greater than that in controls by the addition of each inhibitor. Inhibitory patterns of thromboxane production did not differ among the addition of three inhibitors. It is concluded that enhanced thromboxane production resulting in enhanced platelet aggregation would be related to diabetic vascular complications. This abnormal prostaglandin production can be due to the activation of general steps in prostaglandin metabolism in diabetic platelets, not of a specific enzyme.
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  • KAN-ICHI SOH, AKIRA YAJIMA, NOBUYOSHI OZAWA, YOICHI ABE, TOSHIFUMI TAK ...
    1984 Volume 144 Issue 2 Pages 151-163
    Published: 1984
    Released on J-STAGE: August 31, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    SOH, K., YAJIMA, A., OZAWA, N., ABE, Y., TAKABAYASHI, T., SATO, S., SOU, S. and SUZUKI, M. Chromosome Analysis in Couples with Recurrent Abortions. Tohoku J. exp. Med., 1984, 144 (2), 151-163-Chromosome analysis using a G-Banding technique was performed in 35 couples (70 individuals) with a history of two or more spontaneous abortions of unknown cause. Among these individuals, 5 (7%) showed balanced translocations, all of whom were female. The outcome of 31 pregnancies of 10 balanced translocation carriers was as follows: Ten of the offspring had normal phenotypes (32%), 5 (16%) were born with chromosomal abnormalities and 16 (52%) were spontaneously aborted.
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  • HAJIME HOSHI, KOZO YOSHIDA, KAEKO KAMIYA, HIROSHI AIJIMA
    1984 Volume 144 Issue 2 Pages 165-181
    Published: 1984
    Released on J-STAGE: August 31, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    HOSHI, H., YOSHIDA, K., KAMIYA, K. and AIJIMA, H. Reconstruction of Lymph Follicles in the Mouse Popliteal Lymph Node after X-Irradiation Damage. Tohoku J. exp. Med., 1984, 144(2), 165-181-In order to suppress possible “de novo” formation of follicles in the node after irradiation, animals to be irradiated received surgical operations to block the afferent lymphatics to the popliteal node on one side, the corresponding node on the other side left intact. 600R whole body X-irradiation severely destroyed lymph follicles in the nodes of both sides, but the number of follicles in the node on either side recovered toward normal by 3 weeks after irradiation, regardless of whether they contained germinal centers or not. In animals exposed to 1, 000R whole body X-irradiation and infused with bone marrow cells, no lymph follicles were observed in the nodes on day 9. If such treated animals were given 1.0×108 lymph node cells on day 5, lymph follicles were reconstructed in the nodes of both sides on day 9. In animals irradiated with 1, 000 R to the lower half of the body, the number of follicles in the node on either side remained comparable to that of the unirradiated control node. The results favor the interpretation that although X-irradiation destroys the lymphoid elements of the follicles, the stromata of follicles persist and preserve the ability to collect small lymphocytes, and that lymph follicles are reconstructed at the sites of the stromata persisting from damaged follicles.
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  • FUMIAKI MARUMO
    1984 Volume 144 Issue 2 Pages 183-188
    Published: 1984
    Released on J-STAGE: August 31, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    MARUMO, F. Guanylylimidodiphosphate Enhances the Vasopressin- and Vasotocm-Induced Osmotic Water Flow with No Effect on the Sodium Transport of the Frog Bladder. Tohoku J. exp. Med., 1984, 144 (2), 183-188-The effects of guanylylimidodiphosphate [Gpp (NH) p] on the vasopressin- and vasotocin-induced osmotic water flow and sodium transport across the bladder of the frog, Rana catesbiana, were examined. Gpp (NH) p enhanced both the vasopressin-and vasotocin-induced water flow, while it did not affect that of the sodium transport. These results suggest that the neurohypophysial hormone-induced water flow is regulated by the guanine nucleotide regulatory site of the adenylate cyclase, while the sodium transport is not regulated at the regulatory site.
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  • SEIKI MATSUNO, TOMOZO EJIRI, MASAO KOBARI, HIDEMI YAMAUCHI, TOSHIO SAT ...
    1984 Volume 144 Issue 2 Pages 189-202
    Published: 1984
    Released on J-STAGE: August 31, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    MATSUNO, S., EJIRI, T., KOBARI, M., YAMAUCHI, H. and SATO, T. Effects of Immunosuppressive Acidic Protein on DMBA-Induced Pancreatic Cancer in Rats. Tohoku J. exp. Med., 1984, 144 (2), 189-202-In order to determine the effect of immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP) on the formation of pancreatic carcinoma, rats of the Sprague-Dawley strain were embedded with 7, 12-dimethyl-benzanthracene (DMBA) in the pancreas with and without administration of IAP. In these animals, the growth of pancreatic cancer was studied both immunologically and histologically. Tumor was induced in 51 animals (85%) of 60 treated with embedding of 1mg DMBA alone. Tumors began to appear from the 16th week after the embedding. Among animals in which tumor was induced, tubular adenocarcinoma and pleomorphic carcinoma accounted for 55% of the cases. When administration of IAP was combined, the period required for development of tumor was shortened. It became shorter with increases in the dosage and frequency of administration of IAP. In animals which received IAP in a mean dose of 75mg/kg the area showing cancerous changes appeared as early as at the 8th week after the embedding of DMBA. A significant increase in the volume of tumors was seen in the group treated with IAP as compared to the group not treated with IAP. Animals which received IAP in increasing doses and frequencies showed an accelecrated increase in the volume of the tumors which underwent cancerous changes. IAP was eliminated from the serum of rats within 72hr after the administration, and acid protein was clearly recovered from the serum when tumors proliferated. These findings indicate that the acceleration of carcinogenesis in DMBA-induced pancreatic carcinoma may be attributable to the immunosuppressive effect of IAP administered and tend to be dependent on the dosage and frequency of its administration in the early phase of tumor induction.
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  • RIKURO SASAKI, TEIJI KOBAYASI, TADASHI KUROKAWA, DAISUKE SHIBUYA, SHOZ ...
    1984 Volume 144 Issue 2 Pages 203-210
    Published: 1984
    Released on J-STAGE: August 31, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    SASAKI, R., KOBAYASI, T., KUROKAWA, T., SHIBUYA, D. and TERO-KUBOTA, S. Significance of the Equilibrium Constant between Serum Ascorbate Radical and Ascorbic Acids in Man. Tohoku J. exp. Med., 1984, 144 (2), 203-210-The spin concentration of ascorbate radical in human serum was examined and the existence of the stable equilibrium between the spin concentration of serum ascorbate radical and concentrations of ascorbic acids in healthy subjects was found. The value of the equilibrium constant was independent of age and sex. The administration of ascorbic acid caused the convergence of these values which were scattered within certain ranges in healthy volunteers. The values of the equilibrium constant increased in many patients with various diseases and returned to normal level with improvement of symptoms. These indicate that the equilibrium constant can be used as a clinical index to reflect metabolic state involving ascorbic acid as the radical scavenger.
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  • NOBUAKI FURUHASHI, YOSHINOBU TACHIBANA, OSAMU SHINKAWA, MASUNORI HIRUT ...
    1984 Volume 144 Issue 2 Pages 211-215
    Published: 1984
    Released on J-STAGE: August 31, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    FURUHASHI, N., TACHIBANA, Y., SHINKAWA, O., HIRUTA, M., TAKAHASHI, T. and TANAKA, M. Simultaneous and Serial Measurement of Serum Levels of Human Placental Lactogen, Beta-Human Chorionic Gonadotropin and Unconjugated Estriol Levels in Pregnant Women. Tohoku J. exp. Med., 1984, 144(2), 211-215 -Serum levels of human placental lactogen (hPL), beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG) and unconjugated estriol (E3) were measured simultaneously and serially in regular menstrual late pregnant women (155 samples) by radioimmunoassay. The peak of β-hCG level was shown at 37 weeks' gestation. After that, there was a moderate decline of the β-hCG level. Serum hPL showed the peak at 30 weeks' gestation. The level of unconjugated E3 rose toward 41 weeks' gestation. In the 155 samples, there were significant positive correlations among these hormone levels. Also, there were highly significant positive correlations between placental weight and these three hormone levels. Only unconjugated E3 level which was obtained within a week before the onset of labor had a significant positive correlation with birth weight. These data suggest that even in late pregnancy, maternal β-hCG makes a peak and may change parallel with hPL and unconjugated E3. Only the unconjugated E3 level may be affected by fetal growth.
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  • MAMORU ISEMURA, HIROSHI MUNAKATA, MASASHI KOSAKAI, MINORU NOMOTO, YUTA ...
    1984 Volume 144 Issue 2 Pages 217-218
    Published: 1984
    Released on J-STAGE: August 31, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    ISEMURA, M., MUNAKATA, H., KOSAKAI, M., NOMOTO, M., AOYAGI, Y., ICHIDA, F., NAGAI, H., MOTOMIYA, M. and YOSIZAWA, Z. Extraction of Fibronectin from Human Normal and Cirrhotic Livers. Tohoku J. exp. Med., 1984, 144 (2), 217-218 -Tissue-associated fibronectin was extracted with 4M urea from human normal and cirrhotic livers. The results of rocket immunoelectrophoresis indicated that the amount of fibronectin in cirrhotic liver was twice as much as that in normal liver. The collagen content was much higher in cirrhotic than in normal livers. These data suggested an important role of fibronectin in tissue fibrosis.
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