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Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is one of the most toxic inorganic arsenic compounds. In this study, we examined the effects of long-term (7 days) exposure to low dose (5 μM) ATO on a human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line, Huh-7. Along with apoptosis accompanied by secondary necrosis though GSDME cleavage, we observed enlarged and flattened cells adhering to the culture dish and surviving even after exposure to ATO. An increase in cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 levels as well as positive staining for senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity were observed in ATO-treated cells, indicating cellular senescence. Screening for both ATO-inducible proteins by MALDI-TOF-MS analysis and ATO-inducible genes by DNA microarray analysis showed a marked increase in filamin-C (FLNC), an actin cross-linking protein. Interestingly, the increase in FLNC was observed in both dead and surviving cells, suggesting that the upregulation of FLNC by ATO occurs in both apoptotic and senescent cells. Small interference RNA-mediated knock down of FLNC resulted in not only a reduction of senescence-associated enlarged morphology of the cells, but also an exacerbation of cell death. Taken together, these results suggest a regulatory role of FLNC in the execution of senescence as well as apoptosis during ATO exposure., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Toshihiko Aki and Koichi Uemura report financial support was provided by Japan Society for the Promotion of Science., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Umpolung reactions of imines, especially the asymmetric reactions, have been extensively studied as they provide access to important chiral amines in an efficient manner. The reactions studied range from simple Michael reactions to several kinds of other reactions such as the aza-benzoin reaction, aza-Stetter reaction, addition with MBH carbonate, and Ir-catalysed allylation. Herein, we report the first umpolung alkylation reaction of α-iminoesters with alkyl halides mediated by iminophosphorane as an organic superbase. The desired products were obtained in up to 82% yield with almost perfect regioselectivities. The key to the regioselectivity of this reaction was the use of 4-trifluoromethyl benzyl imines as a substrate. The products were successfully derivatised into the more functionalised molecules in good yields.

Object: The goal of this study was to clarify the pathogenesis of myelopathy in patients with ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) based on the relationship between static compression factors and dynamic factors., Methods: There was a total of 247 patients, including 167 patients who were conservatively followed for a mean of 11 years and 2 months and 80 patients who had myelopathy at initial consultation and underwent surgery. The changes in clinical symptoms associated with OPLL in the cervical spine were examined periodically. During the natural course of OPLL in the cervical spine, 37 (22%) of 167 patients developed or suffered aggravated spinal symptoms. All of the patients with a space available for the spinal cord (SAC) less than 6 mm suffered myelopathy, whereas the patients with an SAC diameter of 14 mm or greater did not. No correlation was found between the presence or absence of myelopathy in patients whose SAC diameter ranged from 6 mm to less than 14 mm. In patients with myelopathy whose minimal SAC diameter ranged from 6 mm to less than 14 mm, the range of motion of the cervical spine was significantly greater., Conclusions: These results indicate that pathological compression by the ossified ligament above a certain critical point may be the most significant factor in inducing myelopathy, whereas below that point dynamic factors may be largely involved in inducing myelopathy.

The operative mortality and short-term (average 20 months) survival of 100 surgically or medically treated patients, who had coronary artery disease with poor left ventricular function, were examined. One hundred patients with myocardial infarction and radionuclide-documented left ventricular dysfunction (LVEF at rest less than or equal to 40%) were subjects of this study; 85 patients among them underwent simultaneous coronary arteriography. Fifty-six patients whose average age was 59.7 years, and an average LVEF was 30.0%, were treated medically; 44 patients with an average age of 56.0 years, and an average LVEF of 30.9%, were treated surgically, 41 with bypass grafts, two with left ventricular surgery, and one with both these procedures. The medically treated patients consisted of four groups. Group I comprised 15 patients, in whom coronary angiography was contraindicated. Their average age was 67.1 and an average LVEF was 26.2%, Group II, included six patients, who had no indication for surgery because of severely diseased distal coronary arteries. This group had an average age of 57.5 years and an average LVEF of 22.5%. There were one with two-vessel disease and five with three-vessel disease. Group III included five surgical candidates who refused surgery. Their average age and an LVEF were 67.0 and 35.0%, respectively. In this group, there were one with two-vessel disease and four with three-vessel disease. Group IV, comprised 22 patients who did not need surgical therapy. Their average age was 55.3 and average LVEF was 32.5%. They included 22 with one-vessel disease, seven with two-vessel disease and one with three-vessel disease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

The requirement of Ca2+ for the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdInsP2) or the accumulation of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) in macrophages stimulated with fMet-Leu-Phe was examined using [32P]Pi or [3H]inositol-labeled cells. The dependence on Ca2+ of inositol-trisphosphate phosphatase was also examined. The application of 1 X 10(-8) M fMet-Leu-Phe caused a rapid decrease in the amount of PtdInsP2 to 70% of the control within 10 s, and the decrease was reverted to the control level by prolonged incubation. The decrease in the amount of PtdInsP2 accompanied the accumulation of phosphatidic acid and of InsP3, indicating that the loss of PtdInsP2 is due to phosphodiesteric breakdown. The dose-dependence of fMet-Leu-Phe or its analog on the hydrolysis of PtdInsP2 was much the same as that of the increase in intracellular free Ca2+ concentration in macrophages. The loss of PtdInsP2 as induced by fMet-Leu-Phe was similarly observed in macrophages treated with ionophore A23187 in the absence of external Ca2+ for 10 min. InsP3 was degraded by the particulate or cytosol fraction prepared from macrophages, and the activity of inositol-trisphosphate phosphatase in the particulate fraction was higher than that in the cytosol fraction. The enzyme in the cytosol fraction required Mg2+ for activity, and was activated by free Ca2+ concentrations ranging from 10(-7) to 10(-6) M in the presence of 1 mM MgCl2.

Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) releases Ca2+ from the non-mitochondrial Ca2+ store site of various types of cells. To study the mechanisms of the Ca2+ release from the store site, the effect of InsP3 on the passive Ca2+ release and influx, and the active Ca2+ uptake in the presence of oxalate, was examined using saponin-treated guinea pig peritoneal macrophages. InsP3 stimulated the passive Ca2+ release and influx. Although InsP3 slightly inhibited the active Ca2+ uptake in the presence of oxalate, it seems unlikely that the Ca2+ release by this agent is caused by the inhibition of the Ca2+ uptake, because the addition of apyrase or hexokinase (which removes ATP within 30 s, so that no more Ca2+ can be accumulated) or vanadate (which inhibits the Ca2+ uptake) resulted in very slow release of Ca2+. These results suggest that the Ca2+ permeability of the Ca2+ store membrane is increased by InsP3. InsP3 did not cause an increase in the Ca2+ permeability of phospholipid vesicles (liposomes), indicating that this agent may bring about Ca2+ release by a specific effect on the physiologically relevant Ca2+ channels or carriers in the non-mitochondrial Ca2+ store site. The passive Ca2+ release by InsP3 was enhanced by ATP and an unhydrolyzable ATP analogue, 5'-adenylyimidodiphosphate, but not by ADP or AMP. The passive Ca2+ release by InsP3 was observed even at 0 degree C.

The involvement of GTP-binding protein in inositol phospholipid metabolism in guinea pig peritoneal exudate macrophages stimulated with the chemoattractant N-formyl-Methionyl-Leucyl-Phenylalanine (fMLP) was examined. The GTP analog, guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (GTP gamma S) caused a dose-dependent increase in the formation of inositol triphosphate in membranes of macrophages. This effect was specific for GTP and its analog. fMLP-induced inositol phospholipid turnover was markedly inhibited by the prior exposure of macrophages to 100 ng/ml of pertussis toxin (PT). Likewise, the pretreatment of macrophages with 100 ng/ml of PT evoked the inhibition of the increase in the intracellular free Ca2+ concentration and the spreading of macrophages induced by fMLP. These actions of PT were not associated with an alteration in the cellular concentration of cyclic AMP. Incubation of the membranes of macrophages with [32P]NAD and PT resulted in the ADP-ribosylation of a 41,000 Da protein. This ADP-ribosylation was diminished by the prior incubation of the membranes with 100 microM GTP gamma S plus 1 mM MgCl2, indicating that the 41,000 Da protein may be the alpha subunit of a GTP-binding protein. Moreover, there was a parallel between the time course of the ADP-ribosylation of intact macrophages by PT and the inhibition of the increase in intracellular free Ca2+ concentration as well as of the enhancement of the spreading of macrophages. These results suggest that the 41,000 Da protein, a GTP-binding protein, mediates the fMLP-stimulated inositol phospholipid metabolism.

Severe hemoglobinuria was observed in a case with abdominal aortic aneurysm on the 23rd postoperative day. The typical continuous murmur was heard on the right upper chest, and IADSA revealed an A-V fistula connecting between the right subclavian artery and the internal jugular vein. This A-V fistula was thought to have been caused by an inadvertent arteriopuncture during the central venous cannulation at the time of the operation. Poloxamer 188 (a non-ionic surfactant) and haptoglobin were given intravenously, and they proved to be quite effective in improving intravascular mechanical hemolysis and hemoglobinuria. A division of the A-V fistula was done successfully, which was facilitated by the median sternotomy combined with the extension of the skin incision to the neck. It cannot be overemphasized that utmost care should be taken to prevent any complication at the time of the central venous cannulation.

Coronary artery bypass surgery was performed in three cases of hemodialysis-dependent patients. Extracorporeal ultrafiltration method (ECUM) during cardiopulmonary bypass was useful to control water and electrolyte balance. Partial blood reperfusion (PBR) method was employed in post-operative hemodialysis, which proved to be effective not only to minimize hemodynamic deterioration but also to prevent the induction of bleeding tendency. Hemofiltration on the first post-operative day would be recommendable in poor-risk patients to eliminate excessive intravascular fluid which is returned from the third space.

D-myo-inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate (InsP3) is a putative intracellular second messenger for the mobilization of Ca2+ from intracellular stores, in particular, the endoplasmic reticulum. Specific binding sites on the endoplasmic reticulum may participate in the InsP3-induced release of Ca2+ from the Ca2+ pool. To examine the specific binding sites on the endoplasmic reticulum, we synthesized an arylazide derivative of InsP3 for photoaffinity labelling; InsP3 coupled to p-azidobenzoic acid (InsP3-pAB) using N,N'-carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) was obtained at a 9-11% yield. Here, we report that InsP3-pAB, but not an arylazide derivative of inositol-1,4-bisphophate (Ins(1,4)P2), causes the irreversible inhibition of InsP3-induced release of Ca2+ in saponin-permeabilized photo-irradiated macrophages. The irreversible inhibition by InsP3-pAB after photo-irradiation was prevented by a 10-fold excess of unmodified InsP3.