Biomedical subjects

Y Saeki

Publications and source records attributed to Y Saeki.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Imaging immediate-early and strict-late promoter activity during oncolytic herpes simplex virus type 1 infection and replication in tumors.

An increasing number of oncolytic viruses have been developed and studied for cancer therapy. In response to needs for non-invasive monitoring and imaging of oncolytic virotherapy, several different approaches, including a positron emission tomography-based method, a method using secreted marker peptides, and optical imaging-based methods, have been reported. Among these modalities, we utilized the luciferase-based bioluminescent assay/imaging systems to determine the kinetics and dynamics of a productive viral infection. The replication cycle of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is punctuated by a temporal cascade of three classes of viral genes: immediate-early (IE), early (E) and late (L) genes. U(L)39- and gamma(1)34.5-deleted, replication-conditional HSV-1 mutants that express firefly luciferase under the control of the IE4/5 or strict-late gC promoters were generated. These oncolytic viruses were examined in cultured cells and a mouse tumor model. IE promoter- and strict-late promoter-mediated luciferase expression was confirmed to indicate viral infection and replication, respectively. Incorporation of a strict-late promoter-driven luciferase cassette into oncolytic HSV-1 vectors would be useful for assessing tumor oncolysis in preclinical tumor treatment studies.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Development of a rapid method to generate multiple oncolytic HSV vectors and their in vivo evaluation using syngeneic mouse tumor models.

Replication-conditional herpes simplex virus (HSV)-based vectors have great potential in the treatment of various types of cancers including brain tumors. HSV mutants lacking the U(L)39 gene and both copies of the gamma(1)34.5 gene (e.g. MGH1, G207) have been demonstrated to possess oncolytic effects as well as potent anticancer vaccination effects without compromising safety. Such mutants thus provide optimal templates to produce novel oncolytic HSV vectors for cancer gene therapy applications. In order to accomplish quick and efficient construction of oncolytic HSV vectors, a novel BAC-based method designated as 'HSVQuik system' was developed. This system sequentially utilizes two different site-specific recombination systems to introduce virtually any transgene cassettes of interest into the deleted U(L)39 locus (Flp-FRT in Escherichia coli) and to release the vector genome sequence from the procaryotic plasmid backbone (Cre-loxP in Vero cells). Taking advantage of the HSVQuik system, we constructed three oncolytic HSV vectors that express mouse IL4, CD40 ligand and 6CK, respectively. In vivo therapeutic experiments using two luciferase-labeled syngeneic mouse brain tumor models revealed that expression of these immunomodulators significantly enhanced antitumor efficacy of oncolytic HSV. The HSVQuik system, together with luciferase-labeled tumor models, should expedite the process of generating and evaluating oncolytic HSV vectors for cancer gene therapy applications.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Single-channel recordings of TREK-1 K+ channels in periodontal ligament fibroblasts.

The periodontal ligament (PDL) works as a suspensory ligament when external mechanical stress is placed on the teeth. PDL fibroblasts, the principal cells in the PDL, are responsible for many PDL functions. We hypothesized that mechanosensitive ion channels are present in human PDL fibroblasts, which are capable of responding to mechanical stress during normal function of the tissue. Using patch-clamp techniques, we detected mechanosensitive TREK-1 K+ channels (a member of the two-pore-domain K+ channel family), whose single-channel conductance was 104 pS in symmetrical K+-rich solutions. The open probability of the channel was low in the quiescent state, but it was strongly increased by the induction of membrane stretch. Arachidonic acid also enhanced the channel activity. RT-PCR and immunocytochemical observations showed the expression of TREK-1 K+ channels in PDL fibroblasts. The results suggest that the activation of TREK-1 K+ channels by masticatory stress contributes to the hyperpolarization of PDL fibroblasts.

Cells, Cultured↗

PubMed2005

Knocking out ubiquitin proteasome system function in vivo and in vitro with genetically encodable tandem ubiquitin.

At present, the 26S proteasome-specific inhibitor is not available. We constructed polyubiquitin derivatives that contained a tandem repeat of ubiquitins and were insensitive to ubiquitin hydrolases. When these artificial polyubiquitins (tUbs, tandem ubiquitins) were overproduced in the wild-type yeast strain, growth was strongly inhibited, probably because of inhibition of the 26S proteasome. We also found that several substrates of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway were stabilized by expressing tUbs in vivo. tUbs containing four units or more of the ubiquitin monomer were found to form a complex with the 26S proteasome. We showed that tUb bound to the 26S proteasome inhibited the in vitro degradation of polyubiquitinylated Sic1 by the 26S proteasome. When tUB6 (six-mer) messenger RNA was injected into Xenopus embryos, cell division was inhibited, suggesting that tUb can be used as a versatile inhibitor of the 26S proteasome.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Preparation of ubiquitinated substrates by the PY motif-insertion method for monitoring 26S proteasome activity.

For analysis of the mechanism of the 26S proteasome-mediated protein degradation in vitro, the preparation of well-defined substrate, the ubiquitinated proteins, of the 26S proteasome is inevitable. However, no method has been available to ubiquitinate a given protein. Here, we propose a relatively simple method for preparation of the ubiquitinated substrates using HECT-type ubiquitin ligase Rsp5, termed the PY motif-insertion method. The principle of this method is that the PY motif, known as the Rsp5-binding motif, is inserted into protein to be ubiquitinated by Rsp5. In this communication, we describe that Sic1 was successfully ubiquitinated by the PY motif-insertion method and demonstrate that Sic1 thus ubiquitinated was degraded by the purified yeast 26S proteasome.

Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel↗

PubMed2004

Chestnut bur-shaped aggregates of chrysotile particles enable inoculation of Escherichia coli cells with plasmid DNA.

In the present study, Escherichia coli cells exhibited antibiotic resistance after transformation with exogenous plasmid DNA adsorbed onto chrysotile particles during agar-exposure. We previously demonstrated penetration of E. coli by chrysotile particles during agar-exposure. To further investigate the mechanism by which transformation of E. coli is achieved through the use of chrysotile fibers, the interaction between E. coli cells and chrysotile was examined during agar-exposure. Dispersion of chrysotile particles within the chrysotile solution was analyzed by flow cytometry. A suspension containing E. coli cells expressing blue fluorescence protein and chrysotile particles was exposed to agar using stirring apparatus, which allowed a constant vertical reaction force to be applied to the surface of the gel. Fluorescence microscopy was then used to illustrate the adsorption of fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated DNA oligomers to chrysotile. Larger aggregates were observed when increasing concentrations of chrysotile were added to the solution. With prolonged exposure, during which surface moisture diffused into the agar gel, greater concentrations of chrysotile were observed on the agar surface. In addition, chrysotile aggregates exceeding 50 microm developed on the agar surface. They were shaped like a chestnut bur. The chrysotile aggregates penetrated the cell membranes of adherent E. coli cells during agar-exposure due to sliding friction forces generated at the interface of the agar and the stirring stick. E. coli cells thus acquired plasmid DNA and antibiotic resistance, since the plasmid DNA had been adsorbed onto the chrysotile particles. The inoculation of plasmid DNA into E. coli cells demonstrates the usefulness of chrysotile for E. coli transformation.

Agar↗

PubMed2004

Infectious delivery of the 132 kb CDKN2A/CDKN2B genomic DNA region results in correctly spliced gene expression and growth suppression in glioma cells.

The expression of genes from genomic loci can be relatively complex, utilizing exonic, intronic and flanking sequences to regulate tissue and developmental specificity. Infectious bacterial artificial chromosomes (iBACs) have been shown to deliver and express large genomic loci (up to 135 kb) into primary cells for functional analyses. The delivery of large genomic DNA inserts allows the expression of complex loci and of multiple splice variants. Herein, we demonstrate for the first time that an iBAC will deliver and correctly express in human glioma cells the entire CDKN2A/CDKN2B genomic region, which encodes for at least three important cell-cycle regulatory proteins (p16(INK4a), p14(ARF) and p15(INK4b)). Two of these proteins are expressed from overlapping genes, utilizing alternative splicing and promoter usage. The delivered locus expresses each gene at physiological levels and cellular responses (apoptosis versus growth arrest) occur dependent on cellular p53 status, as expected. The work further demonstrates the potential of the iBAC system for the delivery of genomic loci whose expression is mediated by complex splicing and promoter usage both for gene therapy applications and functional genomics studies.

Apoptosis↗

PubMed2003

Decrease in serum nucleotide pyrophosphatase activity in ankylosing spondylitis.

OBJECTIVE: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a prototype of a group of rheumatic diseases referred to as spondyloarthropathy. AS patients show marked ectopic ossification in the spine, occasionally resulting in so-called bamboo spine. Although a strong association with HLA-B27 has been reported, its aetiology remains undetermined. Another rheumatic disease, ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine (OPLL), demonstrates ectopic ossification of the spinal ligaments very similar to that of AS. Recently, nucleotide pyrophosphatase (NPPS) was implicated in the aetiology of OPLL: an Npps mutation was found to cause OPLL in mice, and an association between a polymorphism of the human NPPS gene and OPLL was identified. The clinical similarities between AS and OPLL led us to hypothesize that NPPS may also be implicated in the aetiology of AS. To elucidate the role of NPPS in the pathogenesis of AS, we examined serum NPPS activity and the possible association of the NPPS gene with AS. METHODS: Forty-four Japanese patients with AS, 43 patients with OPLL, and age- and sex-matched normal volunteers took part in this study. We determined serum NPPS activity using high-performance liquid chromatography and examined the association between AS and NPPS using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the NPPS gene. RESULTS: Serum NPPS activity in AS patients was significantly decreased compared with the controls (P < 0.0001). However, there was no association between AS and NPPS gene SNPs. CONCLUSION: NPPS is implicated in the pathogenesis of AS.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Effects of diet consistency on the myosin heavy chain mRNAs of rat masseter muscle during postnatal development.

To study the effects of diet consistency on the fiber phenotypes of rat masseter (1-70 days of age), the mRNAs of myosin heavy chain isoforms (MHC embryonic, neonatal, I, IIa, IId/x and IIb) were measured in total RNA preparations from masseters of hard-diet group (HDG) and soft-diet group (SDG) by competitive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). With respect to the time course of the transition of each MHC mRNA expressed as a percentage relative to the maximum mean, the soft diet facilitated early (9 days after weaning) expression of IId/x and IIb isoforms, and also a decline in the expression of neonatal and IIa isoforms. The expression of neonatal, IIa and IId/x isoforms at 70 days of age was significantly (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.01, respectively) lower in SDG than in HDG, indicating a higher relative composition of the IIb isoform in the SDG. Embryonic MHC mRNA had disappeared by 14 days of age (i.e. before weaning at 19 days). No MHC I mRNA was observed in any masseter studied. These results suggest that in the rat a soft diet facilitates an even more MHC IIb-rich phenotype in the masseter muscle than a hard diet.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Postnatal changes in the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunits in rat masseter muscle.

No published study on synaptogenesis in masseter muscle has focused on the shift of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) from the embryonic type (alpha(2)-, beta-, gamma- and delta-subunits) to the adult-type (alpha(2)-, beta-, epsilon- and delta-subunits) and the elimination of nAChRs outside the neuromuscular junction. To identify the time course of the nAChR transitions in rat masseter muscle between 1 and 63 days of age, the expression of delta-, epsilon- and gamma-subunit mRNAs was analysed by competitive polymerase chain reaction in combination with reverse transcription. The expression of the delta-subunit was high between 1 and 7 days of age, then decreased by 95% (P<0.0001) between 7 and 28 days, suggesting that the nAChR elimination occurs during this period. The quantity of the epsilon-subunit increased by approximately 600% (P<0.0001) between 1 and 21 days of age, whereas the quantity of the gamma-subunit decreased by 85% (P<0.0001) during the same period. This result indicates that the nAChR type shift is terminated at 21 days of age. The feeding behaviour of the rats inevitably changed from suckling to biting after 19 days of age, because they were weaned at that age. As the nAChR type shift was terminated soon after weaning, the termination could be related to the change in feeding behaviour. However, it might also be the case that nAChR elimination is not directly related to the change in feeding behaviour, as the elimination continued at the same rate for 9 days after weaning (from 19 to 28 days of age).

Animals↗

PubMed2002

The role of TNF-alpha in the pathogenesis of inflammation and joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA): a study using a human RA/SCID mouse chimera.

OBJECTIVE: In order to elucidate which cytokine preferentially stimulates the synovium in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), we investigated the roles of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) using SCID mice engrafted with human RA tissue (SCID-HuRAg). METHODS: The SCID-HuRAg mice were prepared according to our previously described method. First, SCID-HuRAg mice were treated with chimeric anti-TNF-alpha monoclonal antibody (mAb, 100 microg/mouse) and histological changes were examined 4 weeks after the initial treatment. Secondly, a total of 100 microg of recombinant TNF-alpha or IL-6 (0.6 microg/h) was administered daily to mice using an osmium pump. The histological changes and serum cytokine levels were examined 4 weeks after the initial administration. Human immunoglobulin G (IgG) was administered to mice as a control. RESULTS: Synovial inflammatory cells were significantly decreased after the anti-TNF-alpha mAb treatment; conversely, the degree of synovial inflammation was significantly exacerbated by TNF-alpha administration. The levels of both IL-6 and TNF-alpha in sera were significantly increased by recombinant TNF-alpha administration, while TNF-alpha levels were unchanged by IL-6 administration. This suggests that TNF-alpha controls IL-6 production. Despite the profound changes in inflammation, we found no effects on bone and no articular cartilage damage was produced by TNF-alpha. CONCLUSION: This study provides strong evidence that TNF-alpha is a key molecule in the control of the inflammatory changes that occur in the RA synovium. In addition, TNF-alpha regulates IL-6 production. However, other inflammatory pathways independent of TNF-alpha may contribute to the bone and cartilage damage seen in RA.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Discrete roles of cytokines, TNF-alpha, IL-1, IL-6 in tumor promotion and cell transformation.

Based on our previous results, which pointed to tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) as the essential cytokine in tumor promotion in mouse skin, we present here three principal findings related to the specific roles of TNF-alpha, interleukin-1 (IL-1) and IL-6 in tumor promotion (using TNF-alpha- and IL-6-deficient mice) and in BALB/3T3 cell transformation: i) The previously reported residual tumor promotion by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in TNF-/- mice was confirmed by experiments with TNF+/+ and TNF-/- 129/Svj mice of the same strain, using two-stage carcinogenesis experiments. TPA produced tumors in 100% of TNF+/+ and 78% of TNF-/- mice at 20 weeks, and the average number of tumors per mouse was 11.1 in the former group and 2.1 in the latter. Judging from the expression of various inflammatory cytokine genes in TNF+/+ and TNF-/- mice, the residual tumor promoting activity of TPA in TNF-/- mice may be dependent on expression of IL-1alpha and IL-1beta genes. ii) Tumor promotion by TPA and okadaic acid in IL-6+/+ and IL-6-/- C57/BL6 mice was studied, with TPA producing tumors in 57.1% of IL-6+/+ and 40.0% of IL-6-/- mice at 20 weeks, and okadaic acid in 40.0% of IL-6+/+ and 53.3% of IL-6-/- mice. Thus, there was no significant difference between TPA or okadaic acid tumor promotion in either group. In addition, expression of IL-6 gene in skin of both types of mice suggested that IL-6 is not the essential cytokine in tumor promotion, since it can be replaced by other cytokines. iii) In transformed clones of BALB/3T3 cells induced by TNF-alpha alone, IL-1alpha gene expression was induced after transformation by TNF-alpha had occurred, which did not occur in parental cells. Expression patterns of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-6 and IL-10, along with TGF-beta, were similar in both parental and transformed cells. Considering all these results, we conclude that various cytokines have discrete roles in tumor promotion and cell transformation.

9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene↗

PubMed2001

Flow cytometric assessment of transduction efficiency and cytotoxicity of herpes simplex virus type 1-based amplicon vectors.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we compared herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) amplicon vector stocks prepared by transient cotransfection with two different BAC-cloned packaging-defective HSV-1 helper genomes, fHSVDeltapacDelta27 and fHSVDeltapac, with respect to transduction efficiency and cytotoxicity. Both fHSVDeltapacDelta27 and fHSVDeltapac are packaging defective because the pac signals have been deleted; fHSVDeltapacDelta27 contains an additional deletion in the HSV-1 ICP27 gene, which increases the safety of the system. METHODS: HSV-1 amplicon pHSVGFP under the control of the HSV-1 immediate-early (IE) 4/5 promotor was packaged into virus particles by transient cotransfection with either fHSVDeltapacDelta27 or fHSVDeltapac DNA. Cultures were infected with the two different vector stocks and examined under the fluorescence microscope and analyzed by flow cytometry over a 5-day period to assess transduction efficiency and cytotoxicity. RESULTS: Both vector stocks, pHSVGFP[fHSVDeltapacDelta27] and pHSVGFP[fHSVDeltapac], efficiently transduced the target cells. Interestingly, the highest mean fluorescence intensities were measured at 1 day after infection, whereas the number of GFP-fluorescent cells reached a peak at day 3 after infection. At day 3 after infection, a slight increase in the number of dead cells was observed in those cultures transduced with high doses of vector stock. Between days 3 and 4 after infection, the number of dead cells increased dramatically in all the cultures, transduced and nontransduced. Only the cultures infected with a high dose of pHSVGFP[fHSVDeltapac] displayed a significant further increase in the number of dead cells between days 4 and 5 postinfection. CONCLUSIONS: Flow cytometry allowed comparison of transduction efficiency and cytotoxicity mediated by the two different amplicon vector stocks. Cultures infected with pHSVGFP[fHSVDeltapacDelta27] were more viable than those infected with pHSVGFP[fHSVDeltapac](P < 0.05). The practical implications of this study are at the level of vector design. Flow cytometry has proven a fast and reliable approach to assess the quality of potential gene transfer vectors prior to their use in (pre) clinical trials.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Enhancement of T helper2 response in the absence of interleukin (IL-)6; an inhibition of IL-4-mediated T helper2 cell differentiation by IL-6.

Functional roles of interleukin (IL-)6 in T cell response were investigated. Mice deficient in IL-6 and wild mice were immunized with antigens (myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein or methylated BSA) and production of IL-4 and interferon (IFN)-gamma by regional lymph nodes was measured. IL-6 deficiency led to an enhancement of IL-4 and an inhibition of IFN-gamma production. Moreover, polyclonal stimulation of spleen T cells from unimmunized IL-6-deficient mice with anti-CD3 plus anti-CD28 antibodies (Abs) demonstrated an enhancement of T helper (Th)(2)responses. The presence of IL-6, however, augmented IL-4 production but it inhibited IFN-gamma expression by spleen T cells in response to polyclonal stimulation and by antigen-primed spleen T cells in response to re-challenge with the antigen. In contrast, the induction of spleen CD4-positive T cells into Th(2)cells in vitro by the anti-CD3 plus IL-4 was completely suppressed by exogenously added IL-6, whereas Th(1)differentiation of T cells by the anti-CD3 plus IL-12 was not inhibited by the presence of IL-6. Thus, these results indicate that IL-6 physiologically could modulate qualitative T cell response and suggest that it augments Th(1)responses partly through its inhibitory capability of IL-4-induced Th(2)differentiation of naive T cells.

Adjuvants, Immunologic↗

PubMed2001

Improved helper virus-free packaging system for HSV amplicon vectors using an ICP27-deleted, oversized HSV-1 DNA in a bacterial artificial chromosome.

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) amplicons are prokaryotic plasmids containing one or more transcriptional units and two cis-acting HSV-1 sequences: a viral origin of DNA replication and a viral DNA cleavage/packaging signal. In the presence of HSV-1 "helper" functions, amplicons are replicated and packaged into HSV-1 virions. Despite recent improvements in packaging methods, stocks of amplicon vectors are still contaminated with replication-competent helper virus at a frequency of 10(-4)-10(-6). To overcome this problem, we report that: (i) genetic modifications of HSV-1 genomes can be routinely achieved in Escherichia coli, either by homologous or site-specific recombination, (ii) a novel HSV-1 bacterial artificial chromosome (fHSVDeltapacDelta27 0+), which has a deletion in the essential gene encoding ICP27 and an addition of ICP0 "stuffer" sequences to increase its size to 178 kb, supports the replication and packaging of cotransfected amplicon DNA without generating replication-competent helper virus (<1 helper virus per 10(8) TU amplicon vectors), and (iii) the resulting amplicon stocks have titers of up to 3-10 x 10(8) TU/ml after concentration. Elimination of replication-competent helper virus from HSV-1 amplicon vector stocks further improves safety in gene transfer applications.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Remission of the renal involvement in a patient with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) after pulse high-dose corticosteroid infusion therapy.

We report the case of a young female patient with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS). In addition to sicca symptoms she also suffered from progressive renal insufficiency and renal tubular acidosis (RTA). She was treated with three sets of pulse high-dose corticosteroid infusion and subsequent low-dose corticosteroid oral administration. When the efficacy was evaluated about 6 months after the start of the therapy, dramatic improvements were seen with no adverse effects, not only in laboratory tests but also histopathologically, as indicated by the repeat kidney biopsy. This suggests that renal involvements of SS might be reversible in some cases, and that there might be a clinical benefit of pulse high-dose corticosteroid infusion therapy in SS with progressive renal involvement.

Acidosis, Renal Tubular↗

PubMed2001

An infectious transfer and expression system for genomic DNA loci in human and mouse cells.

The recent completion of the human genome sequence allows genomics research to focus on understanding gene complexity, expression, and regulation. However, the routine-use genomic DNA expression systems required to investigate these phenomena are not well developed. Bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs) and P1-based artificial chromosomes (PACs) have proved excellent tools for the human genome sequencing projects. We describe a system to rapidly and efficiently deliver and express BAC and PAC library clones in human and mouse cells by converting them into infectious amplicon vectors. We show packaging and intact delivery of genomic inserts of >100 kilobases with efficiencies of up to 100%. To demonstrate that genomic loci transferred in this way are functional, the complete human hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) locus contained within a 115-kilobase BAC insert was shown to be expressed when delivered by infection into both a human HPRT-deficient fibroblast cell line and a mouse primary hepatocyte culture derived from Hprt-/- mice. Efficient gene delivery to primary cells is especially important, as these cells cannot be expanded using antibiotic selection. This work is the first demonstration of infectious delivery and expression of genomic DNA sequences of >100 kilobases, a technique that may prove useful for analyzing gene expression from the human genome.

Animals↗

PubMed2001

Two configurations of static magnetic fields for treating rheumatoid arthritis of the knee: a double-blind clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of a nonpharmacologic, noninvasive static magnetic device as adjunctive therapy for knee pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). DESIGN: Randomized, double-blind, controlled, multisite clinical trial. SETTING: An American and a Japanese academic medical center as well as 4 community rheumatology and orthopedics practices. PATIENTS: Cohort of 64 patients over age 18 years with rheumatoid arthritis and persistent knee pain, rated greater than 40/100mm, despite appropriate use of medications. INTERVENTION: Four blinded MagnaBloc (with 4 steep field gradients) or control devices (with 1 steep field gradient) were taped to a knee of each subject for 1 week. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The American College of Rheumatology recommended core set of disease activity measures for RA clinical trials and subjects' assessment of treatment outcome. RESULTS: Subjects randomly assigned to the MagnaBloc (n = 38) and control treatment groups (n = 26) reported baseline pain levels of 63/100mm and 61/100mm, respectively. A greater reduction in reported pain in the MagnaBloc group was sustained through the 1-week follow-up (40.4% vs 25.9%) and corroborated by twice daily pain diary results (p < .0001 for each vs baseline). However, comparison between the 2 groups demonstrated a statistically insignificant difference (p < .23). Subjects in the MagnaBloc group reported an average decrease in their global assessment of disease activity of 33% over 1 week, as compared with a 2% decline in the control group (p < .01). After 1 week, 68% of the MagnaBloc treatment group reported feeling better or much better, compared with 27% of the control group, and 29% and 65%, respectively, reported feeling the same as before treatment (p < .01). CONCLUSIONS: Both devices demonstrated statistically significant pain reduction in comparison to baseline, with concordance across multiple indices. However, a significant difference was not observed between the 2 treatment groups (p < .23). In future studies, the MagnaBloc treatment should be compared with a nonmagnetic placebo treatment to characterize further its therapeutic potential for treating RA. This study did elucidate methods for conducting clinical trials with magnetic devices.

Arthralgia↗