Insulin and insulin-like growth factors induce expression of angiotensin type-2 receptor in vascular-smooth-muscle cells.

Angiotensin type-2 receptor (AT2) is abundant in fetal tissues, including aorta, and its expression level declines after birth. In the present study, the regulation of its expression was studied in cultured vascular-smooth-muscle cells (VSMC). The maximum number of binding sites of AT2 increased in VSMC after they were cultured without serum in the presence of insulin, which was essential for its expression.

Differential inducibility of angiotensin II AT2 receptor between SHR and WKY vascular smooth muscle cells.

Although the fetal aorta expresses a substantial amount of angiotensin II type 2 receptors, the expression level of angiotensin II type 2 receptors in the adult aorta and cultured vascular smooth muscle cells is very low or even absent. Prolonged serum depletion (6 to 8 days) with a supplement of insulin, transferrin and sodium selenite induced angiotensin II type 2 receptors and mRNA in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells from Wistar Kyoto rats. Insulin was found to be essential for the induction of the receptor.

Transcription of the rat angiotensin II type 2 receptor gene.

The promoter region of the rat angiotensin II type 2 receptor gene was cloned and the nucleotide sequences were determined. A computer homology search for a 1.2 Kb promoter region showed that there are several consensus cis DNA elements such as C/EBP, NF-IL6, GRE and AP1 in this region.

Secondary carnitine palmitoyltransferase deficiency in chronic renal failure and secondary hyperparathyroidism.

A 14-year-old girl, having mental and growth retardation with end stage renal disease, was affected by a stroke-like attack. The attack was associated with transient low density areas at both sides of the parietal portion on head CT. Lactic acidosis, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, angina pectoris-like attacks, hypertension and hyperparathyroidism were also observed and they were supposedly due to mitochondrial cytopathy.

Gene targeting in mice reveals a requirement for angiotensin in the development and maintenance of kidney morphology and growth factor regulation.

Elevated levels of endogenous angiotensin can cause hypertensive nephrosclerosis as a result of the potent vasopressor action of the peptide. We have produced by gene targeting mice homozygous for a null mutation in the angiotensinogen gene (Atg-1-). Postnatally, Atg-1- animals show a modest delay in glomerular maturation.

Multiple growth factors modulate mRNA expression of angiotensin II type-2 receptor in R3T3 cells.

Previous studies showed that angiotensin II type-2 receptor (AT2) sites were increased when R3T3 cells were growth arrested and decreased when they were stimulated with fibroblast growth factor or serum. We examined the effects of several other growth factors on the expression of AT2 mRNA to clarify the relation between the AT2 receptor and growth factors. R3T3 cells were cultured in the medium containing 10% FCS until they were confluent and then serum was removed.

Effects on blood pressure and exploratory behaviour of mice lacking angiotensin II type-2 receptor.

There are two major angiotensin II receptor isoforms, AT1 and AT2. AT1 mediates the well-known pressor and mitogenic effects of angiotensin II, but the signalling mechanism and physiological role of AT2 has not been established. Its abundant expression in fetal tissues and certain brain nuclei suggest possible roles in growth, development and neuronal functions.

Adenosine triphosphate stress echocardiography in the detection of myocardial ischemia.

The purpose of this study was to assess feasibility and safety in the diagnosis of coronary artery in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease and myocardial ischemia using adenosine triphosphate (ATP) stress echocardiography. ATP, a product of human myocardial tissue, is more potent than adenosine in increasing coronary blood flow. Like adenosine, ATP also has a short half-life (<10 s).

Expression, genomic organization, and transcription of the mouse angiotensin II type 2 receptor gene.

Although the rat angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2) was cloned and shown to be a member of the seven transmembrane domain-type receptor family, its signaling mechanism and biological roles have not been established. To acquire additional information on the structure and functions of AT2 genomic DNA, we cloned the mouse AT2 gene and examined its expression, transcription, and genomic organization. The amino acid sequence of the mouse AT2 cDNA showed a 98.

Transcriptional regulation of the mouse angiotensin II type 2 receptor gene.

The promoter region of the mouse angiotensin II type 2 receptor gene was cloned, and the nucleotide sequences were determined. A computer homology search for a 1.5-kb promoter region showed that there are several consensus cis DNA elements such as C/EBP, NF-IL6, and AP-1 in this region.

Developmental expression of renal angiotensin II receptor genes in the mouse.

The cellular distribution of angiotensin II type 1 (AT1) and type 2 (AT2) receptor mRNA was examined in mouse kidneys at several embryonic stages (12 to 18 days; 19 days = full term) and up to three weeks after birth by in situ hybridization. The expression of both AT1 and AT2 mRNAs appeared simultaneously at 14 days of gestation. However, their distributions were contrasting: AT1 mRNA was expressed in mature glomeruli and maturing S-shaped bodies throughout the stages examined.

Cloning, expression and regulation of angiotensin II receptors.

Complementary DNAs for angiotensin II type 1 receptor isoforms AT1A and AT1B were cloned by expression cloning from bovine adrenal and rat vascular smooth muscles. Human AT1 receptor was also cloned. Seven transmembrane structures emerged.

Angiotensin II receptors: cloning and expression.

To identify the mechanisms of action of isoforms angiotensin II receptors (AT1A, AT1B, and AT2) and to overcome the difficulties encountered in attempts to purify the receptors, we have expression-cloned their cDNAs from bovine and rat sources and isolated human cDNA and rat and human genomic DNA. The AT1A and AT1B cDNAs were found to encode respective receptor proteins with 359 amino acid residues, whereas, AT2 encodes a 363 amino acid residue receptor protein. Both AT1 and AT2 were found to conform with the seven transmembrane receptor structural motif, but showed only 32% amino acid residue identity to each other.

Molecular cloning and expression of the gene encoding human angiotensin II type 2 receptor.

The gene of human angiotensin II type 2 (AT2) receptor was isolated from a genomic DNA library prepared from human placenta. The coding region of the human AT2 receptor gene was contained in a single exon coding segment of the gene indicating an intronless structure of the coding region. The amino acid sequence of human AT2 receptor deduced from its nucleotide sequence has 363 amino acids and shows a high degree of sequence identity to rat and mouse receptor sequences.

Cloning of the cDNA and the genomic DNA of the mouse angiotensin II type 2 receptor.

Of the two major isoforms of the angiotensin II receptors, type 1 (AT1) and type 2 (AT2), little is known about the structure and features of AT2. We cloned a mouse AT2 cDNA from a mouse fetus cDNA library and an AT2 genomic DNA from a 129SV mouse genomic DNA library. The amino acid sequence of the mouse AT2 (363 residues) deduced from a mouse cDNA clone showed seven membrane-spanning domains.

Childhood multiple sclerosis: MR images and clinical variations in four Japanese cases.

We report four Japanese cases of multiple sclerosis (MS) starting during childhood. In three of them, onset occurred in the prepubertal period. Case 1 showed a rare clinical condition: the patient presented with Devic disease, and 2 years later she was complicated by chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP).

Molecular and genetic analyses of two patients with Pearson's marrow-pancreas syndrome.

Pearson's syndrome, a rare and fatal disorder characterized by refractory sideroblastic anemia and pancreatic insufficiency in infancy, is classified into mitochondrial cytopathies. To understand the molecular and genetic bases of this disorder, we have investigated the mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymes and the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in two Japanese patients with Pearson's syndrome. Immunoblot analysis from various tissues showed the different grades of defects in the subunits of respiratory enzyme complexes.

Regulation of the expression of human C epsilon germline transcript. Identification of a novel IL-4 responsive element.

Transcriptional regulation for Ig H chain germline transcripts induced by cytokines is a topic of recent interest for the understanding of the mechanism of class switch recombination. Among human B cell lines examined, we have found that a human IgM-producing B cell line, DND39 (EBV negative) expressed germ-line transcripts of epsilon constant gene (C epsilon) when stimulated with IL-4. In our study, the regulatory element responsible for the expression of IL-4-induced human C epsilon germ-line transcript was determined using DND39 cells.

Fatal infantile mitochondrial encephalomyopathy with complex I and IV deficiencies.

A 4-month-old male infant had a fatal infantile mitochondrial disease associated with cardiomyopathy. He had elevated lactate concentrations in blood and cerebrospinal fluid and an increased lactate/pyruvate ratio. Histochemical analysis of muscle biopsy revealed several ragged-red fibers on modified Gomori trichrome stain and mildly decreased cytochrome c oxidase (complex IV) activity.

The effect of cytokines and mitogens on the induction of C epsilon germline transcripts in a human Burkitt lymphoma B cell line.

IL-4 is known to induce a 1.8 kb constant epsilon (C) transcript in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). This is a C germline or 'sterile' transcript which is encoded by a germline exon (I) located 5' of the epsilon switch (S) region and the four C germline exon including 3' untranslated region.

[Analysis of pyrophillitosis by high-resolution computed tomography].

High-resolution computed tomography (HR-CT) was performed on 20 patients with pyrophilitosis. Small nodular opacities in these patients could be divided by HR-CT into two types, namely, tiny irregular branching structures (TIB) and small round opacities (SRO). TIB had a centrilobular distribution and were characteristic of pyrophillitosis.

Analysis of acylcarnitines in maternal urine for prenatal diagnosis of glutaric aciduria type 2.

The urinary acylcarnitine profiles of two mothers whose first children were diagnosed to have glutaric aciduria type 2 (multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenation deficiency, electron transfer flavoprotein (ETF) deficiency) were analysed in the second pregnancy. Large volumes of tigrylcarnitine and isovalerylcarnitine and a little glutarylcarnitine were detected. Each fetus was also diagnosed to be abnormal by enzyme activity and immunoassay of ETF protein.