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Biomedical subjects

Hideaki Sowa

Publications and source records attributed to Hideaki Sowa.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed2002

Expression of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) in multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma is a plasma cell neoplasia often associated with multiple skeletal lesions and hypercalcemia. Several cytokines, including interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-beta (TNF-beta), derived from myeloma cells are thought to accelerate osteoclastic bone resorption and cause hypercalcemia through a paracrine mechanism. We report on a case of a 69-year-old man with multiple myeloma associated with hypercalcemia and advanced osteolytic lesions. After bisphosphonate treatment and MP (melphalan and prednisolone) therapy, the patient's serum calcium level was successfully but transiently recovered to the normal range. Biochemical analysis showed a remarkable increase in serum parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP; 3.7 pmol/L) and IL-6 (22.0 pg/mL). On the other hand, parathyroid hormone and 1alpha,25(OH)2 vitamin D3 were suppressed. By immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization on aspiration-biopsied bone marrow clot sections, PTHrP mRNA and protein were detected in the cytoplasm of myeloma cells. The rate of PTHrP-positive myeloma cells was estimated to be at least one-third. Since PTHrP can, as an endocrine factor, systemically act on bone and kidney, hypercalcemia in this case might have been caused through both local osteolytic hypercalcemia and humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy mechanisms.

Aged↗
PubMed2002

Smad3 promotes alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralization of osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells.

Transforming growth factor (TGF) beta is abundantly stored in bone matrix and appears to regulate bone metabolism. Although the Smad family proteins are critical components of the TGF-beta signaling pathways, the roles of Smad3 in the expression of osteoblastic phenotypes remain poorly understood. Therefore, this study was performed to clarify the roles of Smad3 in the regulation of proliferation, expression of bone matrix proteins, and mineralization in osteoblasts by using mouse osteoblastic cell line MC3T3-E1 cells stably transfected with Smad3. Smad3 significantly inhibited [3H]thymidine incorporation and fluorescent intensity of the MTT-dye assay, compared with empty vector. Moreover, Smad3 increased the levels of type I procollagen, osteopontin (OPN), and matrix Gla protein (MGP) mRNA in Northern blotting. These effects of Smad3 mimicked the effects of TGF-beta on the same cells. On the other hand, Smad3 greatly enhanced ALP activity and mineralization of MC3T3-E1 cells compared with empty vector, although TGF-beta inhibited ALP activity and mineralization of wild-type MC3T3-E1 cells. A type I collagen synthesis inhibitor L-azetidine-2-carboxylic acid, as well as osteocalcin (OCN), significantly antagonized Smad3-stimulated ALP activity and mineralization of MC3T3-E1 cells. In conclusion, this study showed that in mouse osteoblastic cells, Smad3 inhibited proliferation, but it also enhanced ALP activity, mineralization, and the levels of bone matrix proteins such as type I collagen (COLI), OPN, and MGP. We propose that Smad3 plays an important role in osteoblastic bone formation and might help to elucidate the transcriptional mechanism of bone formation and possibly lead to the development of bone-forming drugs.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗
PubMed2002

Plasma lipids and osteoporosis in postmenopausal women.

Many clinical studies have shown that osteoporosis is associated with atherosclerosis and cardiovascular death. Although both high plasma levels of low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and low plasma levels of high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) are known to be risk factors for atherosclerosis, it is unclear whether such lipid derangements are also associated with the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. In this study, we evaluated the relationships between plasma levels of total C, LDL-C, HDL-C, or triglyceride (TG) versus bone mineral density (BMD) at the lumbar spine, femoral neck, radius, or total body as well as the presence of vertebral fractures in 214 Japanese postmenopausal women (age range, 47-86 years, mean 62.7). Multiple regression analysis was performed between BMD at each skeletal site versus each lipid level adjusted for age, years after menopause, body mass index (BMI), and %fat. Plasma LDL-C levels were significantly and inversely correlated with the absolute values of both one-third radial (1/3R) and distal radial (UDR) BMD (p<0.01), and tended to be inversely correlated with the absolute values of L-BMD (p=0.051). In contrast, plasma HDL-C levels were significantly and positively correlated with the absolute values of L, 1/3R and UDR BMD (p<0.05). On the other hand, plasma TG levels were significantly lower in women with vertebral fractures than in those without fractures (97.0+/-36.5 vs. 126.4+/-65.8 mg/dl, mean+/-SD, p<0.05). When multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed with the presence of vertebral fractures as a dependent variable and each lipid level adjusted for age, years after menopause, BMI, and %fat as independent variables, TG alone was selected as an index affecting the presence of vertebral fractures (odds ratio: 0.51, 95% confidential interval: 0.29-0.89 per SD increase, p<0.05). Our study showed that plasma LDL-C and HDL-C levels were inversely and positively correlated with both R- and L-BMD values, respectively, while low plasma TG levels were associated with the presence of vertebral fractures in postmenopausal women. Thus, plasma lipids might be related to bone mass and bone fragility, and might be the common factor underlying both osteoporosis and atherosclerosis.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Ghrelin modulates the downstream molecules of insulin signaling in hepatoma cells.

Ghrelin was identified in the stomach as an endogenous ligand specific for the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R). GHS-R is found in various tissues, but its function is unknown. Here we show that GHS-R is found in hepatoma cells. Exposure of these cells to ghrelin caused up-regulation of several insulin-induced activities including tyrosine phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), association of the adapter molecule growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 with IRS-1, mitogen-activated protein kinase activity, and cell proliferation. Unlike insulin, ghrelin inhibited Akt kinase activity as well as up-regulated gluconeogenesis. These findings raise the possibility that ghrelin modulates insulin activities in humans.

Animals↗