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Biomedical subjects

K Yamagata

Publications and source records attributed to K Yamagata.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Macrophages and dendritic cells infiltrating islets with or without beta cells produce tumour necrosis factor-alpha in patients with recent-onset type 1 diabetes.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Type 1A diabetes results from autoimmune destruction of pancreatic beta cells. We examined the involvement of TNF-alpha and IL-1beta, as well as of T cells, macrophages and dendritic cells, in the destruction of beta cells in patients with recent-onset type 1 diabetes. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We obtained pancreatic biopsy specimens from six patients with recent-onset type 1 diabetes and analysed these by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: T cell infiltration was less common in islets without beta cells (12.5 [0-33.3]%) than in those with beta cells (46.0 [17.4-83.3]%), while macrophages and dendritic cells showed a similar extent of infiltration into islets both with or without beta cells. TNF-alpha was detected in 25.0 (4.3-46.9)% of macrophages and 11.8 (0-40.0)% of dendritic cells infiltrating the islets in samples from each patient, but not at all in T cells. IL-1beta was detected in 1.8 (0-11.3)% of T cells infiltrating the islets with beta cells, while it was found in 19.2 (0-35.3)% of macrophages or 10.7 (0-31.3)% of dendritic cells infiltrating the islets in samples from each patient (all values median [range]). CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Macrophages and dendritic cells infiltrate the islets and produce inflammatory cytokines (TNF-alpha and IL-1beta) during the development of type 1A diabetes.

Adolescent↗

Risk factors for chronic kidney disease in a community-based population: a 10-year follow-up study.

The purpose of this study was to explore risk factors affecting the incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in general population. We conducted a 10-year follow-up study with 123 764 (male: 41 012, female: 82 752) adults aged 40 years and over who received community-based annual examinations. The primary outcome for the analysis was the development of CKD during the follow-up period. Predictors for the development of CKD were obtained by the significant hazard ratios (HR) in Cox regression model by sex. During the follow-up period, 4307 subjects (male: 2048, female: 2259) developed CKD stage I or II, and 19 411 subjects (male: 4257, female: 15 154) developed CKD stage III or higher. The baseline-adjusted predictor of developing CKD included age, glomerular filtration rate, hematuria, hypertension, diabetes, serum lipids, obesity, smoking status, and consumption of alcohol. Treated diabetes in male subjects, and treated hypertension, systolic blood pressure >160 mm Hg and/or diastolic blood pressure >100 mm Hg, diabetes, and treated diabetes in female subjects were associated with more than a doubling of the HR. For the development of CKD stage III or higher, proteinuria of >or= + +, and proteinuria and hematuria were associated with more than a doubling of the HR in male subjects. The prevalence of newly developed CKD over 10 years was 23 718 subjects (19.2%) in adults. This study suggested that not only hypertension and diabetes but also several metabolic abnormalities were independent risk factors for developing CKD.

Adult↗

Glutamate reduces secretion of l-serine in astrocytes isolated from stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats.

In the CNS, l-serine (l-Ser) plays an essential role in neuronal survival by evoking a variety of biological responses in glial cells. Initially, we examined whether glutamate, hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), interleukin-1 (IL-1) beta, and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) induce the secretion of l-Ser in astrocytes isolated from Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY). The secretion of l-Ser was significantly induced with glutamate and SNP in cultured astrocytes. Next, to gain insight into the involvement of l-Ser in glutamate-induced neuroprotection, we compared the secretion of l-Ser in astrocytes isolated from stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) and normotensive rats, WKY. We also examined the mRNA expression of the enzyme that produces l-Ser, 3-phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH), and a neural amino acid transporter, ASCT1, in the cultured astrocytes. A dose-dependent study of glutamate in astrocytes of SHRSP indicated differences in the secretion of l-Ser, and gene expression of PHGDH and ASCT1, compared with levels in the WKY astrocytes. We demonstrated that both the secretion and the gene expression were significantly attenuated in glutamate-treated astrocytes from SHRSP. Cerebral ischemia in SHRSP induced a massive efflux of glutamate, causing delayed neuronal death in region CA1 of the hippocampus. The results suggest that the attenuated secretion of l-Ser in astrocytes is involved in neuronal vulnerability and survival in SHRSP during the production of glutamate, as the secretion of l-Ser, which is stimulated by glutamate, is closely related to the protective effect against glutamate-mediated neurotoxicity. We conclude that glutamate and SNP up-regulate the secretion of l-Ser in primary astrocytes. Secretion of l-Ser is regulated in astrocytes in response to glutamate and nitric oxide and may correspond to the level of l-Ser needed for neuronal survival during brain insults such as ischemic stroke in SHRSP.

Analysis of Variance↗

Submandibular abscess caused by Salmonella.

Salmonella species represent uncommon causative agents in focal infections of the head and neck. This article presents a rare case of Salmonella submandibular abscess in a 59-year-old patient with diabetes mellitus, chronic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis. The patient was successfully treated with drainage of the abscess and oral administration of quinolone. An immunocompromised condition can be a critical predisposing factor for Salmonella submandibular abscess.

Abscess↗

A prospective study to evaluate a new dental management protocol before hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

Pre-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) dental treatment is essential to prevent serious infections from oral sources during immunosuppression, in patients who undergo HSCT therapy. This study was planned to establish a dental management protocol for such patients. Forty-one patients scheduled for HSCT to treat hematological malignancies were consecutively enrolled in the prospective trial. The dental status of all patients was evaluated by clinical and radiographic examination at a median of 47 days before the commencement of HSCT therapy. Thirty-six patients had one or more dental diseases; the remaining five had none. Caries was found in 26 patients, apical periodontitis in 19, marginal periodontitis in 24 and a partially erupted third molar in 11. Our policy is to preserve patients' teeth whenever possible, and therefore minimal dental intervention was planned. Treatment was completed for all 36 patients with dental pathologies, before the conditioning regimen began. All patients received the scheduled HSCT therapy without alteration, interruption or delay, and did not show any signs or symptoms associated with odontogenic infection while they were immunosuppressed. This protocol, therefore, appears to be appropriate for the pre-HSCT dental treatment of patients with hematological diseases.

Adolescent↗

Mitochondrial dysfunction in focal segmental glomerulosclerosis of puromycin aminonucleoside nephrosis.

Focal segmental glomerular sclerosis (FSGS) is a major renal complication of mitochondrial (mt) cytopathies. The present study was designed to investigate the possibility of mtDNA lesion accumulation in podocytes, which are a primary pathogenic site of FSGS, during the development of glomerulopathy in puromycin aminonucleoside nephrosis (PAN). Two renal pathological phases of PAN, nephrosis phase and FSGS phase were studied. We investigated the expression of mt proteins, the copy number of a 4834 base-pair deletion (del-mtDNA), and total mtDNA content by real-time polymerase chain reaction, as well as the mRNA expression levels of the mt transcription factor A (mtTFA) and the nuclear respiratory factor-1 (NRF-1) in glomeruli. The mtDNA encoded cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COX I) protein level was identical to control in nephrosis phase, however, a 45% reduction was seen in FSGS phase. Intraglomerular del-mtDNA was 16-21 times higher than controls in both phases, but the proportion of this mutation was <1% of total mtDNA. The copy number of total mtDNA at nephrosis phase increased up to 241%, whereas, it decreased to 34% at FSGS phase in glomeruli. The mRNA expression of both mtTFA and NRF-1 was upregulated at nephrosis phase, but mtTFA was downregulated at FSGS phase. A reduction in mtDNA copy number resulted in reduced levels of COX I in glomeruli at FSGS phase, suggesting that mt dysfunction by mtDNA depletion potentially plays a key role in the pathogenesis of FSGS in PAN.

Animals↗

Pancreatic beta and alpha cells are both decreased in patients with fulminant type 1 diabetes: a morphometrical assessment.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: We have previously reported that fulminant type 1 diabetes is characterised by an absence of diabetes-related antibodies and a remarkably abrupt onset. However, little is known about the mechanism of beta cell destruction in this diabetes subtype, and to obtain insights into the aetiology of the disease, we investigated residual endocrine cells and the expression of Fas and Fas ligand in fulminant type 1 diabetes. METHODS: Residual beta and alpha cells were morphologically assessed in pancreatic tissue obtained by biopsy from five patients with recent-onset fulminant type 1 diabetes and five patients with recent-onset typical autoimmune type 1 diabetes. In addition, the expression of Fas and Fas ligand was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: In fulminant type 1 diabetes, beta and alpha cell areas were decreased significantly, compared with autoimmune type 1 diabetes and control subjects. In contrast, the alpha cell area was not decreased significantly in autoimmune type 1 diabetes, compared with that in control subjects. No Fas expression in islets and Fas ligand expression in CD3(+) cells in the exocrine pancreas were found in the fulminant type 1 diabetic patients who underwent this evaluation. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Our study showed that beta and alpha cells are damaged in fulminant type 1 diabetes. In addition to the lack of Fas and Fas ligand expression, the results suggest that the mechanism of beta cell destruction in fulminant type 1 diabetes is different from that in autoimmune type 1 diabetes.

Acidosis↗

Risk factors for postoperative delirium in patients undergoing head and neck cancer surgery.

This study was carried out to determine risk factors for delirium after major head and neck cancer surgery. The postoperative experience of 38 patients who underwent major head and neck cancer surgery and were managed in the high care unit was retrospectively examined by reviewing their medical records. Delirium was defined as confusion and abnormal behavior that interfered with postoperative recovery. Postoperative delirium occurred in 10 patients (26.3%) who all had stage IV cancer, flap reconstruction, an operative time of more than 10 h, blood transfusion of more than 4 units or infusion of more than 5000 ml, which together suggested the risk of delirium increased significantly with extensive surgery. Delirium occurred less frequently in patients with minor tranquilizer use for postoperative sleep disorder. Multivariative analyses showed an operative time of >10 h and no use of minor tranquilizer as significant factors for increasing the incidence of delirium, with odds ratios (95% confidence interval) of 11.4 (1.5-83.8) and 9.8 (1.5-66.0), respectively.

Adult↗

Zonal necrosis prevented by transduction of the artificial anti-death FNK protein.

Protection of cells from necrosis would be important for many medical applications. Here, we show protein transduction domain (PTD)-FNK therapeutics based on protein transduction to prevent necrosis and acute hepatic injury with zonal death induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). PTD-FNK is a fusion protein comprising the HIV/Tat PTD and FNK, a gain-of-function mutant of anti-apoptotic Bcl-x(L). PTD-FNK protected hepatoma HepG2 from necrotic death induced by CCl4, and additionally, increased the apoptotic population among cells treated with CCl4. A concomitant treatment with a pan-caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK (N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Val-Ala-Asp-fluoromethylketone), which alone could not prevent the necrosis, protected these cells from the apoptosis. When pre-injected intraperitoneally, PTD-FNK markedly reduced zonal liver necrosis caused by CCl4. Moreover, injection of PTD-FNK accompanied by Z-VAD-FMK suppressed necrotic injury even after CCl4 administration. These results suggest that PTD-FNK has great potential for clinical applications to prevent cell death, whether from apoptosis or necrosis, and organ failure.

Adenosine Triphosphate↗

Comparison of the intubating laryngeal mask airway and laryngeal tube placement during manual in-line stabilisation of the neck.

We compared the placement of the laryngeal tube (LT) with the intubating laryngeal mask airway (ILMA) in 51 patients whose necks were stabilised by manual in-line traction. Following induction of anaesthesia and neuromuscular blockade, the LT and ILMA were inserted consecutively in a randomised, crossover design. Using pressure-controlled ventilation (20 cmH(2)O inspiratory pressure), we measured insertion attempts, time to establish positive-pressure ventilation, tidal volume, gastric insufflation, and minimum airway pressure at which gas leaked around the cuff. Data were compared using Wilcoxon signed-rank tests; p < 0.05 was considered significant. Insertion was found to be more difficult with the LT (successful at first attempt in 16 patients) than with the ILMA (successful at first attempt in 42 patients, p < 0.0001). Time required for insertion was longer for the LT (28 [23-35] s, median [interquartile range]) than for the ILMA (20 [15-25] s, p = 0.0009). Tidal volume was less for the LT (440 [290-670] ml) than for the ILMA (630 [440-750] ml, p = 0.013). Minimum airway pressure at which gas leak occurred and incidence of gastric insufflation were similar with two devices. In patients whose necks were stabilised with manual in-line traction, insertion of the ILMA was easier and quicker than insertion of the LT and tidal volume was greater with the ILMA than the LT.

Adult↗

Intubating laryngeal mask airway allows tracheal intubation when the cervical spine is immobilized by a rigid collar.

BACKGROUND: An intubating laryngeal mask airway (ILMA) facilitates tracheal intubation with the neck in neutral position, which is similar to the neck position maintained by a rigid cervical collar. However, a cervical collar virtually obliterates neck movement, even small movements that normally facilitate airway insertion. We therefore tested the hypothesis that the ILMA will allow tracheal intubation even in patients wearing a rigid cervical collar. METHODS: We performed blind tracheal intubation via an ILMA under general anaesthesia in 50 patients with a rigid Philadelphia collar in place undergoing cervical spine surgery and 50 general surgical patients. Time required for intubation, intubation success rate, and numbers and type of adjusting manoeuvres used were recorded. RESULTS: Inter-incisor distance was significantly smaller (4.1 (0.8) vs 4.6 (0.7) cm, mean (sd), P<0.01) and Mallampati scores were significantly greater (P<0.001) in the patients with collars. ILMA insertion took longer (30 (25) vs 22 (6) s), more patients required two insertion attempts (15 vs 3; P<0.005), and ventilation adequacy with ILMA was worse (P<0.05) in collared patients. However, there were no significant differences between the collars and control patients in terms of total time required for intubation (60 (41) vs 50 (30) s), number of intubation attempts, overall intubation success rate (96 vs 98%), or the incidence of intubation complications. CONCLUSIONS: Blind intubation through an ILMA is thus a reasonable strategy for controlling the airway in patients who are immobilized with a rigid cervical collar.

Adolescent↗

T130I mutation in HNF-4alpha gene is a loss-of-function mutation in hepatocytes and is associated with late-onset Type 2 diabetes mellitus in Japanese subjects.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: Mutations in hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF)-4alpha gene cause a form of maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY1). The T130I mutation is a rare missense mutation, which affects a conserved amino acid in a DNA binding domain. This mutation can be found in the general population, so this variant alone does not cause MODY. However, its significance in the development of late-onset Type 2 diabetes is not known. METHODS: We screened 423 unrelated Japanese patients with late-onset Type 2 diabetes and 354 unrelated non-diabetic control subjects for the T130I mutation in the HNF-4alpha gene. The transactivation ability of T130I-HNF-4alpha was assessed using reporter gene assay. RESULTS: The frequency of the T130I mutation was higher in Type 2 diabetic patients ( p=0.015, odds ratio 4.3, 95%CI 1.24-14.98) than control subjects. The serum HDL-cholesterol concentration was lower in Type 2 diabetic patients with the T130I mutation compared with those without this mutation ( p=0.006). Reporter gene analysis showed that T130I-HNF-4alpha transcriptional activity was not impaired compared with wild-type HNF-4alpha in Hela and MIN6 cells, but it was reduced in HepG2 and primary cultured mouse hepatocytes (27-78% of wild type, p<0.05). CONCLUSION/INTERPRETATION: Our findings suggest that T130I-HNF-4alpha is a loss-of-function mutation in hepatocytes and that this mutation is associated with late-onset Type 2 diabetes in Japanese subjects. The T130I mutation in the HNF-4alpha gene might be involved in the development of Type 2 diabetes in the Japanese population.

Age of Onset↗

Polyunsaturated fatty acids induce tight junctions to form in brain capillary endothelial cells.

Tight junctions create a rate-limiting barrier to the diffusion of solutes between vertebrate epithelial cells and endothelial cells. They are also controlled within individual cells by a variety of physiologically relevant signals. We investigated the effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids on the formation of tight junctions in brain capillary endothelial cells, monitoring the transepithelial electrical resistance, and analyzed the expression of occludin messenger RNA. Brain-capillary endothelial cells were grown to confluence on filters and exposed to eicosapentaenoic acids, gamma linolenic acid and linoleic acid. Transepithelial electrical resistance was determined with voltage-measuring electrodes. The messenger RNA expression of occludin was quantitated by real-time quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. The basal resistance across monolayers of porcine brain capillary endothelial cells was 83+/-8.1 Omega cm(2). Cells cultured in eicosapentaenoic acids and gamma linolenic acid, but not linolenic acid, displayed a 2.7-fold increase in transepithelial electrical resistance at 10 microM in brain capillary endothelial cells. The expression level of occludin messenger RNA increased markedly immediately after the exposure to eicosapentaenoic acids or gamma linolenic acid. Following an 8 h exposure to exogenous eicosapentaenoic acids or gamma linolenic acid, occludin messenger RNA levels were significantly increased. In addition, the rise in transepithelial electrical resistance induced by eicosapentaenoic acids and gamma linolenic acid was markedly inhibited by the tyrosine kinase inhibitors genistein and PP2 and protein kinase C inhibitor, calphostin C. In contrast, the rise in transepithelial electrical resistance induced by eicosapentaenoic acids and gamma linolenic acid was not inhibited by the PI 3-kinase inhibitor, LY294002. We conclude that eicosapentaenoic acids and gamma linolenic acid increased the transepithelial electrical resistance and the expression of occludin messenger RNA in brain capillary endothelial cells. This gamma linolenic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid induced assembly of tight junction is likely to be regulated by protein kinase C and tyrosine kinase activity.

Animals↗

The activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated (Arc) gene is a new light-inducible early gene in the mouse suprachiasmatic nucleus.

The mammalian circadian system is entrained to the environmental light/dark cycle by shifting the phase of the master clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Accompanying the light-induced phase-shift, a variety of immediate-early genes appears in suprachiasmatic nucleus clock cells, and here, we report the expression of a new immediate-early gene Arc (activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated gene) in mice. Arc messenger RNAs were strongly induced at 30-120 min after the light exposure at subjective night (CT12-CT20) in neurons of the retinorecipient area of the suprachiasmatic nucleus, although their spontaneous expression was absent in usual light-dark cycles and in constant dark conditions. At protein level, ARC appeared not only in the nucleus but also in the perikarya and their processes of the suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons. These findings indicate that Arc is an activity-regulated cytoskeletal gene possibly involved in the light-induced phase-shift of the circadian rhythm.

Animals↗

Glomerular crescents predominantly express cadherin-catenin complex in pauci-immune-type crescentic glomerulonephritis.

AIMS: To investigate the expression of the cadherin complex in human crescentic glomerulonephritis to elucidate the role of intercellular adherens junction molecules in crescent formation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Immunostaining revealed cadherin complexes localized in Bowman's epithelial cells, but not in podocytes, of normal human glomeruli. Eight adult cases with myeloperoxidase anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (MPO-ANCA)-related (pauci-immune type) crescentic glomerulonephritis were examined on immunofluorescence microscopy with anti-pan cadherin, p120 catenin, and beta-catenin antibodies. The specimens provided six cellular crescents, 12 fibrocellular crescents, and four fibrotic crescents. Immunofluorescence was semiquantitatively estimated by the rate of the field of localization within the whole area of the crescent, according to the four-grade system [(-) - (++)]. All the tested molecules consisting of the cadherin complex were abundantly observed in cytokeratin-positive epithelial components in crescents, each with an equivalent area of localization. The expression of the cadherin complex was closely associated with that of cytokeratin and both diminished as the crescents developed from cellular to fibrotic. CONCLUSIONS: The cadherin-catenin complex is a specific marker of Bowman's epithelial cells in human glomeruli. The cellular crescents in pauci-immune-type crescentic glomerulonephritis possess adherens junction molecules, indicating a principle parietal epithelial cell phenotype.

Adherens Junctions↗

Plasma adiponectin levels in women with anorexia nervosa.

Adiponectin is a plasma protein exclusively secreted by adipose tissue, which plays a role in modulating lipid and glucose metabolism. The plasma adiponectin concentration shows an inverse correlation with the body mass index in normal and obese individuals, but it has not been investigated in subjects with an extremely low body weight and undernutrition such as anorexia nervosa patients. We investigated plasma adiponectin levels in 21 females with anorexia nervosa. Nineteen healthy females served as the lean control group. The subjects with anorexia nervosa had a significantly lower weight and showed a tendency towards higher adiponectin levels than the control group. No correlation between adiponectin and BMI was found in patients with anorexia nervosa, while a linear negative correlation was seen in lean controls. The patient who showed the lowest adiponectin level reached a life-threatening state and required intravenous feeding in hospital. In association with improved nutrition and weight gain, the adiponectin level increased gradually until the body mass index was about 16 and then decreased subsequently as would be expected in lean normal subjects. These observations suggest that adipose tissue secretes less adiponectin and the adiponectin levels do not show an inverse correlation simply with body mass index in some subjects with severe undernutrition.

Adiponectin↗

Expression profile of MODY3/HNF-1alpha protein in the developing mouse pancreas.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: One subtype of MODY (MODY3) results from the heterozygous mutation of a hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF)-1alpha. The pattern of HNF-1alpha expression in the normal pancreas has not been determined. This study aimed to clarify the profile of HNF-1alpha protein expression in the developing mouse pancreas. METHODS: Double immunofluorescence staining was carried out for HNF-1alpha and pancreatic hormones or transcription factors (PDX-1, Pax6, Isl1, and Nkx2.2). The expression of these transcription factors was also studied in the beta cells of HNF-1 alpha mutant mice. RESULTS: HNF-1alpha was expressed by both endocrine and exocrine cells of the pancreas. Double immunofluorescence staining showed that HNF-1alpha was expressed in the nuclei of alpha cells, beta cells, delta cells, and pancreatic polypeptide (PP) cells. HNF-1alpha was first detected in most pancreatic epithelial cells on embryonic day 10.5 (E10.5), and hormone-positive endocrine cells and amylase-positive cells expressed HNF-1alpha on E15.5. Most of the Pax6-, Isl1-, or PDX-1-positive cells showed co-expression of HNF-1alpha. However, HNF-1alpha immunoreactivity was not observed in 36.0% of Nkx2.2-positive cells. Expression of Nkx2.2, Isl1 and Pax6 seemed to be normal in the beta cells of transgenic mice with dominant negative overexpression of HNF-1alpha. Expression of PDX-1 did not change in the beta cells of pre-diabetic HNF-1 alpha (-/-) mice, but expression was markedly decreased in the diabetic stage. CONCLUSION/INTERPRETATION: HNF-1alpha is expressed by both endocrine cells and exocrine cells of the pancreas from the foetal stage along with other transcription factors, so HNF-1alpha might play a role during development.

Aging↗