Yoshitaka Maki

STIMULATORY EFFECTS OF SUBSTANCE P ON NEURITE EXTENSION AND CYCLIC AMP LEVELS IN CULTURED NEUROBLASTOMA CELLS

Abstract— Synthetic substance P initially increased cyclic AMP levels and subsequently induced neurite extension in cultured neuroblastoma N 18 cells. The magnitude of these effects depended on the concentration of fetal calf serum (FCS) in the culture medium, being more evident in the presence of a lower (0.1%) concentration of FCS.

Pharmacological profile of AA-861, A 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor

AA-861, a selective 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor, suppressed A23187-induced formations of 5-HETE and LTB4 in rat peritoneal macrophages. Immunologically-stimulated generation of SRS-A was also inhibited in guinea pig lung and rat peritoneal cavity. AA-861 had no effects on histamine release from rat mast cells or passive cutaneous anaphylaxis in rats. Essentially no antagonistic activity to LTD4 or histamine was observed. This compound exerted an obvious inhibition of allergic bronchoconstriction in guinea pigs and a moderate reduction of carrageenin-induced paw edema and pleurisy in rats. These findings suggest that SRS-A plays an important role in asthmatic and inflammatory reactions.

Mechanism of action of an antiallergic agent, amlexanox (AA-673), in inhibiting histamine release from mast cells: acceleration of cAMP generation and inhibition of phosphodiesterase

Amlexanox markedly inhibits histamine release from rat mast cells. To clarify the mechanism of this inhibition, we investigated the effect of amlexanox on cAMP content, which, when increased, inhibits histamine release in rat peritoneal mast cells. At concentrations of 10(-8)-10(-6)M, amlexanox or isoproterenol increased the cAMP content of mast cells over that of control cells about 2-fold. When the mast cells were incubated with 10(-8), 10(-7) and 10(-6) M of amlexanox combined with 10(-7) M isoproterenol, the cAMP contents were synergistically increased 15-, 60- and 88-fold, respectively. 3-Isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) at 10(-6)-10(-4) M increased the cAMP content 1.7-3.8-fold, and a combination of 10(-4) M IBMX and 10(-7) M isoproterenol synergistically increased the cAMP content 41-fold. A combination of amlexanox and IBMX synergistically increased the cAMP content 19-fold. The increase in cAMP content, when amlexanox and isoproterenol were combined, was transient; it peaked at 0.5 min after the drugs were administered, then decreased to 20-30% of the peak value about 2 min later. Pretreatment of mast cells with amlexanox reduced the effect of the combination of amlexanox and isoproterenol, indicating tachyphylaxis; pretreatment with IBMX had no such effect. The cAMP content of macrophages was also increased by amlexanox, but when combined with isoproterenol or PGE2, the effect was additive. Amlexanox inhibited cAMP phosphodiesterase in rat mast cells; its IC50 value was 1.4 X 10(-5) M, and its inhibitory activity was half that of IBMX.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Spinal antinociceptive effects of adenosine compounds in mice

The effects of injecting ATP, ADP, AMP, adenosine and adenine intrathecally on the pain response induced by the injection of substance P (10 ng/mouse) intrathecally were studied. All the compounds except adenine inhibited the pain response in a dose-related manner. The ED50 values of ATP, ADP, AMP and adenosine were 2.10, 0.93, 0.88 and 0.48 micrograms/mouse, respectively. Pretreatment with theophylline at a dose of 100 mg/kg p.o. markedly diminished all the antinociceptive effects. The effect of adenosine was not affected by s.c. injection of naloxone. These results suggest the existence of adenosine receptors which modulate spinal nociceptive sensory processing, independently of the endogenous opiate system.

Mechanism of the Action of Amoxanox (AA-673), an Orally Active Antiallergic Agent

Amoxanox inhibited immunologically stimulated and LTD4-induced bronchoconstriction in laboratory animals. Amoxanox, like DSCG, inhibited rat IgE-mediated PCA and histamine release from rat peritoneal mast cells, and suppressed immunologically stimulated or calcium ionophore A23187-induced SRS-A generation in rat peritoneal cavity and guinea pig lung fragments. This compound also reduced the contractile response of guinea pig lung parenchymal and ileal strips to LTD4, but did not significantly affect the response of the ileum to either histamine or acetylcholine. Therefore, the antiallergic action of amoxanox seems to be associated with inhibition of chemical mediator release and antagonistic activity on SRS-A.

Possible role of cyclic AMP in gastric and secretion in rat. Activation of carbonic anhydrase

Abstract 1. 1. Administration of theophylline and gastric acid stimulants, such as histamine, tetragastrin and carbachol, increased the adenosine 3′:5′-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) level 2–3-fold as comparred with the control. 2. 2. N 6 -2′-O- Dibutyryl cyclic AMP (dibutyryl cyclic AMP) stimulated gastric acid secretion and activity of carbonic anhydrase in rat gastric mucosa. 3. 3. In vitro addition of cyclic AMP ( 10 −5 −10 −7 M ) to the supernatant fraction (cytosol) of rat gastric mucosa caused a concentration dependent potentiation of carbonic anhydrase activity. It is considered that this activation was mediated through protein kinase activation.

Role of Leukotrienes in Rat Reversed Passive Arthus Pleurisy and the Effect of AA-861, a 5-Lipoxygenase Inhibitor

In studies of the role of leukotrienes in inflammatory reactions, the induction of rat reversed passive Arthus pleurisy (a type III allergic reaction) was employed. Increases of exudate volume, vascular permeability, and migration of inflammatory cells in the pleural cavity were observed. The vascular permeability was enhanced biphasically during 0-30 min (early response) and during 3-6 h (late response) after induction of the pleurisy. The infiltration of inflammatory cells, mainly polymorphonuclear leukocytes, into the cavity increased and reached a maximum 6 h after the pleurisy was induced. Leukotriene B4 (LTB4), 5-monohydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (5-HETE), and slow-reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A), consisting of LTC4, LTD4 and LTE4, were detected in the exudate by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography during the early response. The contents of LTC4 reached a maximum 10 min after the challenge, followed by a rapid decrease within 1 h. The rise and decay of LTC4 correlated with the increase in vascular permeability during the early phase. AA-861, a 5-lipoxygenase inhibitor, given intrapleurally inhibited the increase in vascular permeability, cell migration, and generation of leukotrienes during the early phase of the pleurisy. These results indicate that products of the 5-lipoxygenase pathway, such as LTC4 and LTB4, may play an important role as chemical mediators in the inflammatory reaction.

Inhibition by amoxanox (AA-673) of the immunologically, leukotriene D4- or platelet-activating factor-stimulated bronchoconstriction in guinea pigs and rats.

We studied the effects of amoxanox (AA-673) on allergic asthma and spasmogen-induced bronchoconstriction in guinea pigs and rats. Amoxanox given orally or parenterally inhibited allergic asthma mediated by IgE, IgG1, or heterologous IgG in guinea pigs and by IgE in rats. This compound also reduced leukotriene D4- and platelet-activating factor-induced bronchoconstriction in guinea pigs, strongly suggesting an antagonistic activity against slow reacting substance of anaphylaxis (SRS-A). Histamine- or acetylcholine-induced bronchoconstriction was not significantly affected by amoxanox. These antiasthmatic effects of amoxanox seem to be associated with an inhibition of the release of chemical mediators such as histamine and SRS-A and with an antagonism against SRS-A.

The Antiallergic Agent Amoxanox Suppresses SRS-A Generation by Inhibiting Lipoxygenase

Amoxanox has potent antiallergic activity because it inhibits the release of chemical mediators such as histamine and leukotrienes. We studied the in vitro effect of amoxanox on arachidonic acid metabolism, including the lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase pathways. Amoxanox inhibited calcium ionophore A23187-induced formation of 5-HETE, LTB4, SRS-A (LTC4, LTD4 and LTE4), and 12-HETE in rat peritoneal resident monocytes. These results indicate that amoxanox inhibits 5- and 12-lipoxygenases. The compound, however, did not affect the formation of TXB2 or 6-keto-PGF1 alpha in guinea pig lung fragments and PGE2 or PGF2 alpha in bovine seminal vesicles, suggesting that it did not inhibit cyclooxygenase. These results show that the antiallergic action of amoxanox is associated, at least in part, with the reduction of leukotrienes due to the inhibition of lipoxygenases.

Actions of antisecretory agents on proton transport in hog gastric microsomes.

The properties of K+-stimulated ATP hydrolysis (K+-ATPase) and vesicular accumulation of H+ (H+ accumulation) in hog gastric microsomes were investigated. The microsomes consisted of smooth surfaced vesicular particles, 70-300 nm in diameter. Both the activities of ATPase and the vesicular accumulation of H+ were stimulated by K+ in the presence of Mg2+, and enhanced by the K+-ionophore, valinomycin. However, there were differences in regulation of K+-ATPase and H+ accumulation by K+ ions, i.e. K+ at concentrations higher than 10 mM decreased K+-ATPase activity but further enhanced H+ transport. This observation suggests that the two reactions are partly independent. The H+ accumulation was inhibited by omeprazole, fenoctimine, spermine, and NaSCN, but not by cimetidine, prostaglandin E2, and atropine. The inhibitory effect of omeprazole on H+ accumulation paralleled the inhibition of K+-ATPase, while fenoctimine, spermine, and NaSCN suppressed H+ accumulation, without inhibiting K+-ATPase, under appropriate concentrations. In addition, the spontaneous diffusion of H+ across the microsomal membrane was markedly enhanced by fenoctimine, but not by the other agents used. These results indicate that omeprazole inhibits H+ accumulation by inhibiting K+-ATPase, fenoctimine suppresses H+ accumulation mainly by increasing the loss of accumulated H+ from the microsomal vesicles, spermine and NaSCN reduce H+ accumulation by inhibiting the transport of H+ into microsomal vesicles.