Capillary electrophoresis for analysis of microheterogeneous glutelin subunits in rice (Oryza sativa L.).

Glutelin, the major storage protein of rice seed, consists of microheterogenous subunits and partially exists in a macromolecular form that is polymerized by intersubunit disulfide bonds. In order to analyze the glutelin subunits using high-throughput CE, we first identified a sample preparation procedure suitable for CE. The polymerized glutelin treated with a reductant could not dissociate into its constituent monomer subunits when it was dissolved in an acidic solution.

Identification and variation of glutelin alpha polypeptides in the genus Oryza assessed by two-dimensional electrophoresis and step-by-step immunodetection.

To obtain fundamental information for nutritional improvement of rice (Oryza sativa) seed proteins, the alpha polypeptides of the major storage protein glutelin varied over the genus Oryza were qualitatively and quantitatively characterized with unique methods. The polypeptides were maximally separated by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) composed of nonequilibrium pH gradient gel electrophoresis (NEPHGE) and higher temperature SDS-PAGE. Then the subunit for each polypeptide spot was identified with the sequential immunodetection called a step-by-step detection method, making use of highly subunit-specific antibodies.

Diversity of rice glutelin polypeptides in wild species assessed by the higher-temperature sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and subunit-specific antibodies.

In efforts to find genetic resources with high nutritional value of rice seed, we assessed the diversity of the major storage protein glutelin in 13 wild and 2 cultivated rice species by a unique SDS-PAGE method and subunit-specific antibodies. Maximum separation of microheterogeneous glutelin alpha-polypeptides, which is a prerequisite for the diversity evaluation, could be attained by SDS-PAGE performed at higher temperature (45 degrees C) than the generally employed temperatures (4-25 degrees C). Seven antipeptide antibodies were raised against subunit-specific epitope sequences designed at five sites from four variable regions spanning the glutelin alpha-polypeptides.

Effect of procaterol, a beta(2) selective adrenergic receptor agonist, on airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness.

Background: beta-agonists are frequently used as bronchodilators for asthma as not only a reliever but also a controller, and their utility has increased with the development of long-acting beta(2) selective drugs. Although anti-inflammatory effects of beta(2) selective-agonists have been reported in vitro, side effects on augmentation of airway hyperresponsiveness by chronic use of beta(2) selective-agonists have been described in several reports. In this study, we investigated the effects of procaterol, a second-generation beta(2)-agonist, on airway inflammation in vivo using an antigen-specific murine model of asthma.

The two subfamilies of rice glutelin differ in both primary and higher-order structures.

Rice glutelin, which accounts for 70-80% of the total proteins of the seeds, consists of two nutritionally different subfamilies (A and B types). Although the similarity in primary sequences between the two subfamilies is as high as 60%, we established conditions to discriminate the two subfamilies when low amounts of antigen are analyzed by immunoblot methods. The glutelin alpha polypeptides can be resolved into six bands labeled alpha1 to alpha6 by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE).

Attenuation of airway hyperresponsiveness in a murine asthma model by neutralization of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF).

Asthma is recognized as an inflammatory disease in which various cytokines are involved. Among these, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) is known to play a critical role in the survival of eosinophils and in the activation of antigen-presenting cells (APC). We studied the effects of neutralization of GM-CSF in a murine model of asthma, to elucidate its role in enhanced airway responsiveness and in airway inflammation.

[Usefulness of patient education and quality of life (QOL) evaluation in asthma patients].

Achieving successful treatment of bronchial asthma depends on its control by the patient. We implemented a program of educating asthma patients and conducted a QOL survey to objectively evaluate the patients'conditions. Thirty-nine asthma patients who were receiving treatment with an inhaled corticosteroid [beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) ] on an outpatient basis at our hospital, received instructions on proper drug administration in cooperation with the Pharmacy department of our hospital.

Mutation screening of the muscarinic m2 and m3 receptor genes in asthmatics, outgrow subjects, and normal controls.

Muscarinic receptors are important in the development of airway hyperresponsiveness. In some patients with asthma and in animal models of hyperreactivity, functional abnormalities in these receptors are suggested to contribute to disease. Here, we have screened for single nucleotide polymorphisms in the coding region of human muscarinic m2 and m3 receptor genes using direct fluorescence sequencing.

[A case report of lymphomatoid granulomatosis (LYG) with spontaneous attenuation].

70 years old woman was admitted to our hospital for the evaluation of multiple nodular shadows on chest X-ray. She had no clinical symptoms despite of mild increase of LDH and decrease of PaO2 on laboratory examination. Video associated thoracic surgery was performed to obtain lung tissue for the pathological diagnosis.

Destructive pulmonary embolism in a patient with community-acquired staphylococcal bacteremia.

We report a 17-year-old man with destructive pulmonary embolism caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteremia. The patient was not immunocompromised and had neither underlying diseases nor risk factors, such as concomitant influenza viral infection, which exacerbate staphylococcal infections. The rapid and extensive progression of pulmonary involvement in all lung fields make this a rare case; there have been few reports in the literature describing a similar radiographic appearance in patients with community-acquired staphylococcal bacteremia.