Kiyohide Kojima

Autonomic dysfunctions in dementia with Lewy bodies

Abstract. Twenty-nine cases of both clinically and neuropathologically diagnosed dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) were retrospectively examined for autonomic symptoms. Twenty-eight cases showed some kind of autonomic dysfunction. Urinary incontinence (97 %) and constipation (83 %) were the two most common. Although urinary retention and episodic hypotension causing syncopal attacks were less common, the frequency was still high (28 % each). There were 18 cases (62 %) with severe autonomic failure. These 28 cases showed similar tendencies, with no significant differences between the subtypes of DLB (brainstem, limbic, and neocortical types or common and pure forms). We found that DLB of all pathological subtypes exhibits some kind and level of autonomic symptoms.

Proteases of macrophages in rat peritoneal exudate, with special reference to the effects of actinomycete protease inhibitors

Abstract The glycogen-induced macrophages in rat peritoneal exudate were separated from most other nucleated cells by means of a glass bead column. The lysate of the glass-adhering cells was subjected to characterization of its proteolytic activities using several specific protease inhibitors, recently discovered from the culture media of actinomycetes. The hemoglobin-hydrolyzing activity at pH 4.0 was strongly inhibited by pepstatin, a pepsin (EC 3.4.4.1) inhibitor. The caseinolytic activity at pH 7.0 was sensitive to chymostatin, a chymotrypsin (EC 3.4.4.45) inhibitor. In addition to these two major proteases, i.e. , cathepsin D (EC 3.4.4.23) and chymotrypsin-like enzyme, there are two other minor proteolytic activities. One is active at acidic pH and sensitive to leupeptins, a trypsin (EC 3.4.4.4) inhibitor, and the other is active at neutral pH and sensitive to Hg 2+ but not to leupeptins.

Distribution of Rat C5a Anaphylatoxin Receptor

The anaphylatoxin, complement 5a (C5a), plays a key role in mediating various inflammatory reactions following complement activation. Several investigators have reported that C5a receptor (C5aR) is expressed in non‐myeloid cells under certain conditions or in different cell lines. In our study, the abundance of C5aR‐positive myeloid cells in rats depended on the organs examined. C5aR was usually expressed at the site of exposure to pathogens, such as in salivary gland or lung, and was up‐regulated in liver in the inflammatory state induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administration. Furthermore, the increased expression of C5aR antigen was not accompanied by an increase in C5aR mRNA in Kupffer cells following LPS challenge.

Mutual Relationship between Antibiotics and Resting Spores of Bacillus subtilis: Binding of Cyclic Polypeptide and Aminoglycoside Antibiotics to Spores and Their Inhibitory Effect on Outgrowth and Vegetative Growth

Not only cyclic polypeptide antibiotics such as polymyxin B, colistin and gramicidin S but also aminoglycoside antibiotics such as streptomycin, kanamycin, gentamicin and kanamycin derivatives combined with the resting spores of Bacillus subtilis and inhibited outgrowth or vegetative growth after germination. All the antibiotics other than gramicidin S were released from the resting spores and their inhibitory action was reversed by the addition of Ca2+ and Fe3+. As the above antibiotics have free amino (or guanidine) groups in common, it was assumed that such groups play an important role in binding of the antibiotics to the resting spores. Moreover, it was shown that protamine and poly‐l‐lysine were also bound to the resting spores and were released from them by Ca2+. On the other hand, free carboxyl groups had been demonstrated in the outermost surface of the resting spores in a previous study. Thus, we assume that the mode of binding of the antibiotics to the resting spores may be due to the formation of reinforced ionic bonds between amino (or guanidine) groups in the antibiotics and carboxyl groups on the spore surface.

Potential neural progenitor cells in fetal liver and regenerating liver

From unfractionated embryonic mice liver cells, appreciable amount of spherical bodies containing nestin-positive cells were generated in the presence of neuronal growth factors. Following cultivation on poly-d-lysine/laminin-coated slips, approximately 70% of the cells expressed neuronal markers, and 16% had long processes. Functional analysis of these long-process-bearing cells with the whole-cell patch clamp method showed an inward current in response to glutamate, GABA, and serotonin as the neuronal characteristics. Furthermore, regenerating liver in adult mice also contained nestin-positive cells to the same extent as fetal liver. Regenerating liver could have potential as a source of neural cells for autologous transplantation.

Stimulation of neuronal cells by culture supernatant of T lymphocytes triggered by anti‐CD3 mAb followed by propagation in the presence of interleukin‐2

Performance status (PS) frequently improves occurs in cancer patients who have been infused with their own lymphokine‐activated killer T cells (LAK‐T). In the present study, a culture supernatant of LAK‐T (LAK‐T sup) administered to 8‐week‐old rats caused neurogenesis as evidenced by increased 5‐ethynyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine staining of brain tissues. Intravenous injection of granulocyte‐macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM‐CSF), a major cytokine in LAK‐T sup, had a similar effect. Furthermore, LAK‐T sup induced Ca++ increase in rat hippocampal brain slices that was detected in neuronal cells by emission of Fluo‐8 NW at 520 nm. The same effect was observed with an rGM‐CSF solution. GM‐CSF may activate neuronal cells by stimulating the glial cells that surround and attach to them. If so, GM‐CSF and LAK‐T sup may improve the motor neurons of patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The neurogenerative effect of GM‐CSF in LAK‐T sup may also help improve brain function in aged adults including those with dementia such as Alzheimers disease.