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Volume 196 (2002)
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- Issue 3 Pages 99-
- Issue 2 Pages 53-
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Volume 196, Issue 3
March
Displaying 1-13 of 13 articles from this issue
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Regular Contributions
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SHIGEKI UJIIE, HIROAKI KIKUCHIArticle type: Others
Subject area: Others
2002 Volume 196 Issue 3 Pages 99-109
Published: 2002
Released on J-STAGE: April 19, 2004
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSTo determine the relation between serum selenium (Se) values and the development of cancer, we compared serum Se levels among cancer patients, non-cancer patients, and healthy adults. Serum Se values in cancer patients were examined with respect to primary cancer sites separately. We tracked non-cancer patients and healthy people for 5 years after serum collection to examine whether low Se status is a risk factor for cancer. The mean serum Se values in cancer patients were significantly lower than in non-cancer patients. This difference, however, failed to exist in women 50 years of age and less. In the examination of serum Se values with respect to organs with primary cancer, mean serum Se values for 6 organs were significantly lower than those in non-cancer patients and healthy people. However, female breast cancer patients showed a higher value. During the 5 year follow up, patients who developed cancer had lower values than that in subject who remained non-cancer and sex differences were absent. We were unable to rule out low Se status as a possible risk factor for cancer, a result supported by our 5-year follow-up. In distribution of non-cancer patients classified by serum Se values, the proportion of patients with low serum Se values (80 ppb or less) was relatively high (12%). If low Se status increases the risk of cancer, low Se status as a risk factor for cancer should be considered even in Japan, where Se intake is sufficient.View full abstractDownload PDF (793K) -
ISAMU YANAGISAWA, SHIZUO TORIIArticle type: Others
Subject area: Others
2002 Volume 196 Issue 3 Pages 111-121
Published: 2002
Released on J-STAGE: April 19, 2004
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSSince a bromine compound with REM-sleep-inducing and anti-choline esterase activities have been isolated from human cerebrospinal fluid, and was identified as 1-methylheptyl γ-bromoacetoacetate, the compound was chemically synthesized. It was found that this compound was composed with three forms, i.e., a keto-form, an enol-form that changed gradually from keto-form by tautomerism, and a stable six-membered ring form (=cyclic r-Br) converted from enol form, when it was chemically synthesized. In addition, it was found that the six-membered ring form of this bromine compound was present in the human blood. However, in this case, the keto-form and the enol-form were not detected. When 14C-butyrate was injected to rats, it was incorporated into the bromine compound in the blood of the animal and the bromine compound formed was found to be present mainly as the six-membered ring form. From these results, the mechanism for the formation of bromine compounds in human and animal blood were deduced.View full abstractDownload PDF (656K) -
YUICHIROU YAHATA, KIYOSHI AOYAGI, KUNIHIKO OKANO, ITSURO YOSHIMI, YOSU ...Article type: Others
Subject area: Others
2002 Volume 196 Issue 3 Pages 123-129
Published: 2002
Released on J-STAGE: April 19, 2004
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSThe present study was designed to investigate the influence of modifiable risk factors (body weight and lifestyle) for bone loss on bone mineral density (BMD). We examined age-specific changes in metacarpal BMD, and its associations with body mass index and lifestyle among 532 community-dwelling postmenopausal Japanese women. Measurements of the second metacarpal BMD were obtained from the hand radiographs using computer-assisted radiographic absorptiometry. Body height and weight were measured, and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. Physical activity index was calculated using validated questionnaire. Daily calcium intake and amount of ingested alcohol were estimated by semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. Current smoking status was obtained by questionnaire. Metacarpal BMD decreased significantly with increasing age. Simple correlation analysis indicated that metacarpal BMD correlated significantly with BMI and physical activity index. On the other hand, metacarpal BMD did not correlate with calcium intake and alcohol drinking. Metacarpal BMD in current smokers was not different from that in non-smokers. Multiple regression analysis showed that increasing age was associated with decreased metacarpal BMD and greater BMI increased metacarpal BMD. However, physical activity, calcium intake, alcohol drinking and current smoking were not significant determinants of metacarpal BMD. Our findings suggest that maintenance of adequate body mass (prevention for leanness) is important for prevention of postmenopausal bone loss.View full abstractDownload PDF (508K) -
TETSUO SAKAI, RITSUKO SATO, HITOSHI MIZUNO, HIDEO MATSUO, AKIRA NOMURA ...Article type: Others
Subject area: Others
2002 Volume 196 Issue 3 Pages 131-138
Published: 2002
Released on J-STAGE: April 19, 2004
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSA carcinogen-induced increase in a protein kinase activity was found in cell nuclei of rat liver. The enzyme was extracted from isolated nuclei with a hypotonic buffer, retained to an anion-exchange column, eluted with 0.15 M NaCl containing solution and to be measured for the activity with casein as the substrate, showing a nature of a casein kinase. The change in the activity during the course of aging was studied with 5-, 10-, and 50-week old Wistar male rats. The activity was highest in 5-week-old rat but decreased in 10- and 50-week-old animal. A hepatocarcinogen, thioacetamide, induced an increase in activity in 10-week old rats but rather decreased in 5- and 50-week-old rats. Aging suppresses the activity of this unique enzyme. Thioacetamide abolishes this suppression resulting in an increase in the activity of the enzyme at a certain stage of aging.View full abstractDownload PDF (863K) -
JUNKO CHIBA, MASAKO KUSUMOTO, SHINICHI SHIRAI, KYOKO IKAWA, SEIZABURO ...Article type: Others
Subject area: Others
2002 Volume 196 Issue 3 Pages 139-149
Published: 2002
Released on J-STAGE: April 19, 2004
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSFluoride (F) and aluminum (Al) are both ingested daily in water, foods, and pharmaceuticals. Owing to the strong chemical affinity between F and Al, these elements can interact in biological systems. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the influence of F ingestion on Al excretion in humans. Six healthy volunteers ingested 100 ml of distilled water at 6 : 00 a.m. on day 1 (control period) and the same volume of sodium fluoride solution containing 5 mg of F at 6 : 00 a.m. on day 2 (test period). A schedule for meals and for blood and urine collection was followed for the two successive days. The concentration of F was measured with an F-electrode, and Al was determined by ion-pair RP-HPLC with its complexation with 8-quinolinol. The mean concentration of serum F peaked within 30 minutes after ingestion of F and rapidly decreased thereafter, reaching baseline 24 hours later. In control period, there was no increase of Al concentration in serum in 24 hours. In test period, Al concentration in serum did not increase significantly compared with those in control serum. Although some variation was observed among subjects, cumulative amounts of F and Al excreted in urine during the test period were significantly higher than those during the control period. The results suggest that absorbed F enhanced urinary Al excretion and that the Al in urine may be, at least in part, derived from endogenous tissues.View full abstractDownload PDF (654K) -
XIAO-PING YANG, SHIGETOSHI CHIBAArticle type: Others
Subject area: Others
2002 Volume 196 Issue 3 Pages 151-155
Published: 2002
Released on J-STAGE: April 19, 2004
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSThe periarterial nerve electrical stimulation at 4 and 10 Hz induced a monophasic vasoconstriction of the canine splenic artery in a pulse number-related manner (1-30 pulses). The responses at 4 Hz were not significantly affected by 0.1 μM prazosin, but abolished by 1 μM α, β-methylene ATP. Prazosin (0.1 μM) partially but significantly inhibited responses at 10 Hz, and the remaining responses were blocked by 1 μM α, β-methylene ATP. It indicates that the monophasic vasoconstrictor response to short pulses of stimulation at a low frequency is mediated by P2X-receptors, whereas the response at a high frequency may be due to activation of not only P2X-receptors but also α1 adrenoceptors.View full abstractDownload PDF (329K) -
SATOAKI CHIDA, YOICHI SHIMADA, TOSHIKI MATSUNAGA, MINEYOSHI SATO, KAZU ...Article type: Others
Subject area: Others
2002 Volume 196 Issue 3 Pages 157-165
Published: 2002
Released on J-STAGE: April 19, 2004
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSThe subjects in this study were ten patients with accessory nerve palsy after radical neck dissection. All the primary diseases that accounted for radical neck dissection were malignant tumors located at the head or neck. Every patient received occupational therapy and underwent evaluations before and after the therapy. The data we collected included the existence of resting pain and motion pain, and the active and passive range of motion during shoulder flexion and abduction. The occupational therapy programs were not adequately effective for resting and motion pain, however, every patient gained independence for activities of daily living and housekeeping activities. The occupational therapy significantly improved the patient’s shoulder elevation in all movements; although, the active abduction was always significantly poor compared with flexion. In the meantime, there were no significant differences between passive shoulder flexion and abduction at all times. We can therefore understand that the accessory nerve palsy especially affects active shoulder abduction induced by the trapezius paralysis. Occupational therapy is an effective treatment for the improvement of shoulder function, however, the occupational therapy has limited effectiveness for coping with the pain.View full abstractDownload PDF (944K) -
MINKA YOSHIKAWA, AKIO SUZUMURA, ATSUSHI ITO, TSUKASA TAMARU, TETSUYA T ...Article type: Others
Subject area: Others
2002 Volume 196 Issue 3 Pages 167-177
Published: 2002
Released on J-STAGE: April 19, 2004
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSNitric oxide (NO) is considered to play a crucial role in the development of various pathological processes in the CNS, such as neuronal degeneration, inflammation and demyelination. In order to search for the agents which suppress NO production in the CNS, we examined the effects of one of the agents which elevate cyclic AMP production, phosphodiesterase inhibitors (PDEIs), on NO production by glial cells in vitro. All the types of PDEIs, from type I- to V-specific and non-specific, suppressed the production of NO by mouse microglia and astrocytes stimulated with lipopolysaccharide, in a dose-dependent manner. Suppression of inducible NO synthase by PDEIs was confirmed by the expression of mRNA by RT-PCR. Although it required 10 μM or higher concentration to effectively suppress NO production in vitro, certain combinations of three different PDEIs synergistically suppressed NO production by astrocytes at 1 μM which could be obtained in vivo at usual therapeutic doses. Similary, combinations of three PDEIs at 1 μM synergistically increased intracellular cAMP in astrocytes. The suppressive effects of PDEIs on NO production were abolished by addition of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα). Thus, the main suppression mechanism of NO might be indirect through suppression of TNFα. Since some PDEIs are reported to pass through the blood-brain-barrier, the combination of three PDEIs may be worth trying in neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis, human immunodeficiency virus-related neurological diseases and other neurodegenerative disorders in which NO may play a crucial role.View full abstractDownload PDF (788K) -
NORIKO OHTANI, HARUO OHTANI, MOTOJI OKI, HIROSHI NAGANUMA, HIROSHI NAG ...Article type: Others
Subject area: Others
2002 Volume 196 Issue 3 Pages 179-184
Published: 2002
Released on J-STAGE: April 19, 2004
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSCXC chemokine receptor 1 (CXCR1) is one of the important receptors for CXC chemokines with ELR motif, of which interleukin 8 (IL-8; CXCL8) is representative. To identify the cell type(s) of CXCR1-expressing cells in inflamed stomach and gut tissues, we performed immunoperoxidase method using pre-fixed frozen sections. In chronic gastritis associated with Helicobacter pylori infection (7 cases), CXCR1 was positive in neutrophils (polymorphonuclear leucocytes) in the lamina propria near the neck region and those in pit abscess. In ulcerative colitis (6 cases) and Crohn’s disease (5 cases), CXCR1 was sporadically expressed by neutrophils in the mucosa, and particularly CXCR1+ neutrophils were abundantly distributed in inflammatory granulation tissue in ulcer base. Double staining confirmed co-localization of CXCR1 and neutrophil elastase. Neither CD3+ T lymphocytes nor CD68+ macrophages were positive for CXCR1. Immunoelectron microscopy confirmed the cell surface localization of CXCR1. Neutrophils protect the host from microbial pathogens. However, they also cause damages to host tissues in chronic inflammation. Therefore, our study underscores the importance of CXCR1 expression in inflammatory processes.View full abstractDownload PDF (3334K) -
MAMI AKAZAWA, JUNKO KOSHIBU-KOIZUMI, TOSHIHIKO IWAMOTO, MASARU TAKASAK ...Article type: Others
Subject area: Others
2002 Volume 196 Issue 3 Pages 185-192
Published: 2002
Released on J-STAGE: April 19, 2004
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSWe examined the in vitro effects of 2-amino-4, 4α-dihydro-4α, 7-dimethyl-3H-phenoxazine-3-one(Phx 1)and 3-amino-1, 4α-dihydro-4α, 8-dimethyl-2H-phenoxazine-2-one (Phx 2) on the proliferation of phytohemagglutinin (PHA)- or anti-human IgM-activated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Phx 1 and Phx 2 inhibited the incorporation of 3H-thymidine of PHA-activated PBMC by as much as 75% and 40%, respectively, at a concentration of 40 μM. The inhibition was dependent on the dose of Phx 1 and Phx 2. These results strongly suggest that Phx 1 and Phx 2 inhibit proliferation of T cells, because PHA specifically activates the T cells among PBMC. On the other hand, when PBMC were activated by anti-human IgM, which specifically stimulates B cells, the incorporation of 3H-thymidine was rather increased in the presence of 15.8 μM Phx 1 or Phx 2. However, at a higher concentration of Phx 1 or Phx 2 (50 μM), the incorporation of 3H-thymidine was increased by Phx 1, but was inhibited by Phx 2. These results suggest different effects of Phx 1 and Phx 2 on proliferation of human T and B cells.View full abstractDownload PDF (1023K) -
Nucleotide Alteration of Retinoblastoma Protein-Interacting Zinc Finger Gene, RIZ, in Human LeukemiaOSAMU SASAKI, KUNIAKI MEGURO, YASUO TOHMIYA, TADAO FUNATO, SHIGEKI SHI ...Article type: Others
Subject area: Others
2002 Volume 196 Issue 3 Pages 193-201
Published: 2002
Released on J-STAGE: April 19, 2004
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSThe retinoblastoma protein-interacting zinc finger gene (RIZ) is a zinc-finger type DNA binding protein and is postulated as a member of the nuclear protein-methyltransferase superfamily. RIZ gene encodes for two proteins, RIZ1 and RIZ2. While RIZ1 contains the N-terminal PR (PRDI-BF1 and RIZ homologous)-domain, RIZ2 lacks it. RIZ1 is now considered as a tumor suppressor. We analyzed nucleotide alteration of RIZ gene in human leukemia. The results revealed a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), T1704 to A, near the conserved Rb-binding domain, leading to an amino acid change, Asp283 to Glu. Interestingly, 17 of 21 leukemia cell lines are homozygous for the T1704 allele whereas only 2 of 20 normal subjects are homozygous for the allele. In addition, one base pair deletion in the poly (A)9 tract in the coding region near the C-terminal zinc-fingers was identified, resulting in frameshift, in 1 out of 17 leukemia cell lines, but no mutation in samples from 15 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and 6 patients with adult T cell leukemia (ATL). In the PR or SH3 (src homology 3) domain of the RIZ gene, no mutation was found. These findings suggest that RIZ may be a possible target of structural alteration leading to leukemia.View full abstractDownload PDF (844K)
Case Reports
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SHINJI SAKAUE, JUNKO OHMURO, TAKAYUKI MISHINA, HIROKI MIYAZAKI, ETSURO ...2002 Volume 196 Issue 3 Pages 203-211
Published: 2002
Released on J-STAGE: April 19, 2004
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSWe describe a case of diabetes mellitus complicated by neurosensory hearing loss, cardiomyopathy, and sleep apnea syndrome. A 48-year-old man who was admitted for treatment of a lacerated tendon of the right shoulder was also found to require preoperative control of diabetes, a condition that had been diagnosed 4 years earlier. The family pedigree suggested maternal inheritance of diabetes. The patient also had neurosensory hearing loss and the central type of sleep apnea syndrome. His myocardium was hypertrophic and the ultrastructural analysis showed morphologically abnormal mitochondria. On the basis of the apparent characteristic manifestations, we speculated that he had a mitochondrial disease. To elucidate the responsible mutation of mitochondrial DNA, we sequenced the patient’s entire mitochondrial DNA derived from blood leukocytes and found 40 sequence variants. Three of those, 5466 A/G, 7912 G/A, and 10601 T/C, have not yet been reported. Nine of the 40 variants were accompanied by an amino acid replacement, including 5466 A/G. Although we could not determine the most significant mutation, the variants of mitochondrial DNA may have been associated with this patient’s unusually variable clinical manifestations.View full abstractDownload PDF (929K) -
SHINJI OKADA, MIWAKO KIKUCHI, HITOSHI HASEGAWA, MASAAKI ISHIKAWA, ISAO ...2002 Volume 196 Issue 3 Pages 213-218
Published: 2002
Released on J-STAGE: April 19, 2004
JOURNAL FREE ACCESSEffector memory T cells, which are potentially important in the protection against various pathogens, have been shown to be CCR7 negative. We report a case with HIV-1 infection in whom the change in the cell numbers of the subsets of CD4+ T cells, including CCR7 negative memory CD4+ T cells, in peripheral blood was monitored for more than one year after the initiation of highly active antiretroviral therapy. Percentage of each subsets in lymphocytes was measured by triple staining on lymphocyte fraction in flowcytometry. The numbers of total CD4+ T cell, naive T cells, and CCR7 positive memory T cells successfully increased within half a month after the initiation of the therapy. Instead, the recovery of the cell number in CCR7 negative memory T cells delayed, and continued to increase untill 10 months after the initiation of the therapy. It suggests the possibility of delay in recovery of immune systems after the initiation of the therapy in HIV-1-infected patients, despite the prompt recovery of total CD4+ T cells.View full abstractDownload PDF (471K)
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