Professor : Nobuyuki Yanagihara, PhD

Society for Neuroscience
Japanese Pharmacological Society
The Japanese Circulation Society
The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan
Japanese Society for Food Factors

1)      The mechanism of regulation in catecholamine biosynthesis and release: the involvement of protein kinases in the activation of tyrosine hydroxylase

2)      The effects antipsychotic drugs and anesthetics on norepinephrine transporter functoin and its protein synthesis

3)      Disturbances in catecholamine synthesis, release and reuptake by xenoestrogens

4)      The relationships among nervous, endocrine and immune system: the fuzzy-set cloning of lymphocyte-derived factors

5)      Pharmacological research and molecular cloning of plasma membranes of estrogen receptor

6)      The research and identification of pharmacologically effective substances derived from plant herbs

The research of catecholamines is very important to understand the physiological and pathological processes of many diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, Parkinson’s disease, and psychiatric disorders etc.　The present research is as follows.

[Department of Pharmacology 3/30/2006]

1.               Yanagihara N., Liu M., Toyohira Y., Tsutsui M., Ueno S., Shinohara Y., Takahashi K., Tanaka K. (2006) Stimulation of catecholamine synthesis through unique estrogen receptors in the bovine adrenomedullary plasma membrane by 17b-estradiol. BBRC, 339:548-553

2.               Yanagihara N., Toyohira Y., Ueno S. et al (2005) Stimulation of catecholamine synthesis by environmental estrogenic pollutants. Endocrinol. 146: 265-272

3.               Toyohira Y., Kubo T., Watanabe M., Uezono Y., Ueno S., Shinkai K., Tsutsui M., Izumi I., and Yanagihara N. (2005) Selective blockade of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors by pimobendan, a drug for the treatment of heart failure: reduction of catecholamine secretion and synthesis in adrenal medullary cells. Naunyn-Schimiedeberg’s Arch. of Pharmacology, 371:107-113

4.               Ueno S., Tsutsui M., Toyohira Y., Minami K., Yanagiara N. (2004) Sites of positive allosteric modulation by neurosteroids in ionotropic g-aminobutyric acid recptor subunits. FEBS Letters 566: 213-217

5.               Horiuchi M., Tsutsui M., Tasaki H., Morishita T., Suda O., Nakata S., Nihei S., Miyamoto M., Kouzuma R., Okazaki M., Yanagihara N., Adachi T., Nakashima Y. (2004)  Upregulation of vascular extracellular superoxide dismutase in patients with acute coromary syndromes. Arterioscler Thromb Vas Biol., 24: 106-111

6.               Suda O., Tsutsui M., Morishita T., Tasaki H., Ueno S., Nakata S., Tsujimoto T., Toyohira Y., Hayashida Y., Sasaguri Y., Ueta Y., Nakashima Y., Yanagihara N. (2004) Asymmetric dimethylargine produces vascular lesions in endotherial nitric oxide synthase-deficient mice: Involvement of rennin-angiotensin system and oxidative stress.  Arterioscler Thromb Vas Biol., 24: 1682-1688

7.               Yanagihara N., Toyohira Y., Tanaka K. et al (2003) Disturbances in catecholamine synthesis, release and reuptake by xenoestrogens. J. UOEH. 25: 169-179

8.               Toyohira Y., Utsunomiya K., Ueno S., Minami K., Uezono Y., Yoshimura R., Tsutsui M., Izumi F., Yanagihara N. (2003) Inhibition of the norepinephrine transporter function in cultured bovine adrenal medullary cells by bisphenol A. Biochemical Pharmacology 65: 2049-2054

9.               Kawada Y., Ueno S., Asayama K., Tsutsui M., Utsunomiya K., Toyohira Y., Morisada N., Tanaka K.,  Shirahata A., Yanagihara N. (2003) Stimulation of catecholamine synthesis by orexin-A in bovine adrenal medullary cells throush orexin receptor1. Biochemical Pharmacology 66:141-147

10.           Tsutsui M., Ueno S., Toyohira Y., Yangihara N. (2002) Structure and function of nitric oxide synthases. Tanpakushitsu Kakusan Koso 47: 2024-2031

11.           Morishita T., Tsutsui M., Yanagihara N. et al. (2002) Vasculoprotective roles of neuronal nitric oxide synthase. FASEB J. 16: 1994-1996

12.           Koshimizu T.-A., Ueno S., Yanagihara N. et al. (2002) Heteromultimerization modulates P2X receptor functions through participating extracellular and C-terminal subdomains. J. Biol. Chem. 277: 46891-46899

13.           Shiraishi M., Shibuya I., Yanagihara N. et al. (2002) A neurosteroid anesthetic, alphaxalone, inhibits nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in cultured bovine adrenal chromaffin cells. Anest. Analg. 95: 900-906

14.           Hiwatashi Y., Kurahashi Y., Yanagihara N. et al. (2002) Glucocorticoid inhibits expression of V-1, a catecholamine biosynthesis regulatory protein, in cultured adrenal medullary cells. FEBS Lett. 528: 166-170

15.           Suda O., Tsutsui M., Morishita T. et al. (2002) Long-term treatment with Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester causes arteriosclerotic coronary lesions in endothelial nitric oxide synthase-deficient mice. Circulation 106:1729-1735

16.           Kajiwara K., Yanagita T., Yanagihara N. (2002) Differential effects of short and prolonged exposure to carvedilol on voltage-dependent Na+ channels in cultured bovine adrenal medullary cells. J. Pharmacol. Exp.Ther.  302: 212-218

17.           Hara K., Minami K., Yanagihara N. (2002) Up-regulation of noradrenaline transporter in response to prolonged exposure to ketamine. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's Arch.Pharmacol. 365: 406-412

18.           Shiraishi M., Minami K., Yanagihara N. et al. (2002) Inhibitory effects of tramadol on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in adrenal chromaffin cells and in Xenopus oocytes expressing α7 receptors. Br. J. Pharmacol. 136: 207-216

19.           Ueno S., Minami K., Yanagiohara N. (2001) Structure and function of GABAA receptors: recent studies by site-directed mutagenesis. Tanpakushitsu Kakusan Koso 46: 2042-2051

20.           Shiraishi M., Minami K., Yanagihara N. et al. (2001) Inhibition by tramadol of muscarinic receptor-induced responses in cultured adrenal medullary cells and in Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing cloned M1 receptors. J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther. 299: 255-260

21.           Yoshimura R., Yanagihara N., Hara K. et al. (2001) Dual phases of functional change in norepinephrine transporter in cultured bovine adrenal medullary cells bylong-termtreatment with clozapine. J. Neurochem. 77: 1018-1026

22.           Utsunomiya K., Yanagihara N., Tachikawa E. et al. (2001) Stimulation of catecholamine synthesis in cultured bovine adrenal medullary cells by leptin. J. Neurochem. 76: 926-934

23.           Yanagihara N., Utsunomiya K., Cheah TB. et al (2000) Characterization and functional role of leptin receptor in bovine adrenal medullary cells. Biochem. Pharmacol. 59: 1141-1145

24.           Hara K., Yanagihara N., Minami K. (2000) Dual effects of intravenous anesthetics on the function of norepinephrine transporters. Anesthesiology 93:1329-1335

25.           Yoshimura R., Yanagihara N., Hara K. et al. (2000) Inhibitory effects of clozapine and other antipsychotic drugs on noradrenaline transporter in cultured bovine adrenal medullary cells. Psychopharmacology 149: 17-23

26.           Yanagihara N., Tsutsui M., Miyamoto E. et al (1998) Short-termregulation of catecholamine synthesis by Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. pp243-247, The Adrenal Chromaffin Cell, ed. by Kanno, T. et al., Hokkaido University Press

27.           Yanagihara N., Izumi F., Miyamoto E. et al (1998) Factorsaffecting adrenal medullary catecholamine biosynthesis and release. Carecholamines Bridging Basic Science with Clinical Medicine, ed. by Goldstein D., Advances in Pharmacology, 42: 18-21, Academic Press, New York

28.           Yanagihara N., Hara K., Kajiwara K. et al (1998) Stimulatory effect of lymphocyte-derived factor on catecholamine efflux from cultured bovine adrenal medullary cells. Neurosci. Lett. 243: 25-28

29.           Yanagihara N., Oishi Y., Yamamoto H., et al (1996) Phosphorylation of chromogranin A and catecholamine secretion stimulated by elevation of intracellular Ca2+ in cultured bovine adrenal medullary cells. J. Biol. Chem. 271:17463-17468

30.           Yanagihara N., Minami K., Shirakawa F. et al (1994) Stimulatory effect of IL-1 on catecholamine secretion from bovine adrenal medullary cells. Biochem. Biopysic. Res. Commun. 198: 81-87

31.           Yanagihara N., Toyohira Y., Yamamoto H. et al (1994) Occurrence and activation of Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II and its endogenous substrates in bovine adenal medullary cells. Mol. Pharmacol. 46: 423-430

32.           Yanagihara N., Okazaki M., Terao T. et al (1991) Stimulatory effects of brain natriuretic peptide on cyclic GMP accumulation and tyrosine hydroxylase activity in cultured bovine adrenal medullary cells. Naunyn-Schmiedeberg’s Arch. of Pharmacol. 343: 289-295

33.           Yanagihara N., Tachikawa E., Izumi F. et al (1991) Staurosporine: An effective inhibitor for Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II. J. Neurochem. 56: 294-298

34.           Yanagihara N., Yokota K., Kobayashi H. et al (1990) Sodium/proton exchange in　cultured bovine adrenal medullary cells. J. Neurochem. 54: 1626-1631

35.           Yanagihara N., Yokota K., Wada A. et al (1987) Intracellular pH and catecholamine synthesis in cultured bovine adrenal medullary cells: Effect of extracellular Na+ removal. J.Neurochem. 49: 1740-1746

36.           Yanagihara N., Uezono Y., Koda Y. et al (1987) Activation of tyrosine hydroxylase by micromolar concentrations of calcium in digitonin-permeabilized adrenal medullary cells. Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 146: 530-536

37.           Yanagihara N., Wada A., Izumi F (1987) Effects of a2-adrenergic agonists on carbachol-stimulated catecholamine synthesis in cultured bovine adrenal medullary cells. Biochem. Pharmacol. 36: 3823-3828

38.           Yanagihara N., Tank A W., Langan T A. et al (1986) Enhanced phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase at more than one site is induced by 56mMK+ in rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells in culture. J. Neurochem. 46: 562-568

39.           Yanagihara N., Tank A W., Weiner N. (1984) Relationship between activation and phosphorylation of tyrosine hydroxylase by 56mMK+ in PC12 cells in culture. Mol. Pharmacol. 26: 141-147

40.           Yanagihara N., Isosaki M., Ohuchi T. et al (1979) Muscarnic receptor-mediated increase in cyclic GMP level in isolated bovine adrenal medullary cells. FEBS Lett 105: 296-298