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Biomedical subjects

Yasuyoshi Ouchi

Publications and source records attributed to Yasuyoshi Ouchi.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Analysis of estrogen receptor alpha signaling complex at the plasma membrane.

There is accumulating evidence that the estrogen receptor (ER) can transduce specific signals at the plasma membrane. We tried to clarify the biological function of ER as a signaling molecule by identifying proteins that interact with the membrane-localized ER. The activation function 1 and 2 (AF-1 and AF-2) domains of ERalpha with or without the membrane-targeting sequence were stably expressed in the breast cancer cell line, MCF-7. The level of tyrosine phosphorylation of AF-2 was significantly elevated by the membrane localization. By mass-spectrometry analysis, alpha- and beta-tubulins and heat shock protein 70 were identified as the AF-1-associated proteins. Of these, tubulins are associated only with membrane-targeted AF-1.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗

Inhibitory effect of low-dose estrogen on neointimal formation after balloon injury of rat carotid artery.

The current regimens of hormone replacement therapy for postmenopausal women, estrogen combined with progestogen, have failed to show beneficial effects for the prevention of atherosclerotic disease. Although the relatively higher dose of estrogen contained in those regimens exerted adverse effects, there are few data examining a lower dose of estrogen in an atherosclerosis model. Therefore, we investigated experimentally whether lower doses of estrogen could inhibit neointimal formation after balloon injury of the rat carotid artery. Ten-week-old Wistar rats were subjected to ovariectomy or sham-operation (n=7). Four days after ovariectomy, rats were implanted with an osmotic mini-pump containing 17-beta estradiol (0.2, 1, 2, 10 and 20 microg/kg/day; n=6, 4, 8, 6 and 5, respectively) or placebo (n=10). After 3 days of hormone therapy, balloon injury was performed in the left common carotid artery. Neointimal formation was histologically evaluated 2 weeks after injury. Cross-sectional intimal area and the ratio of intimal area to medial area were dose-dependently reduced by estrogen replacement compared with those in ovariectomized rats without estrogen replacement. The effects of estrogen replacement were identical to those of an angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker, candesartan. Interestingly, the effect was significant even in rats receiving lower doses of estrogen, in which plasma estradiol concentrations were not increased and the hyperplastic response of the uterus was minimal. These results suggest the efficacy of low-dose estrogen therapy for the protection of atherosclerosis.

Animals↗

Caveolin-1, Id3a and two LIM protein genes are upregulated by estrogen in vascular smooth muscle cells.

Estrogen has diverse effects on the vasculature, such as vasodilation, endothelial growth and inhibition of vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation and migration. However, little is known about the genes that are regulated by estrogen in the vascular wall. Wistar rats were ovariectomized or sham-operated (Sham group), and 2 weeks after the operation, were subjected to subcutaneous implantation of placebo pellets (OVX + V group) or estradiol pellets (OVX + E group). Endothelium-denuded aortic tissue was examined 2 weeks after implantation. By applying high-density oligonucleotide microarray analysis, the expression of approximately 7000 genes was analyzed. Among the genes with different expression levels between the OVX + E group and the OVX + V group, those that have been reported to be expressed in the vasculature or muscle tissue, were chosen. Finally, four genes, caveolin-1, two LIM proteins (enigma and SmLIM) and Id3a, were identified. Microarray as well as real-time polymerase chain reaction showed that the expression levels of these genes were significantly higher in the OVX + E group than in the OVX + V group. To clarify whether estrogen directly upregulates these genes in the vascular wall, Northern blot analysis was performed using cultured rat VSMC. Addition of 100 nmol/L estradiol for 24 hours increased the mRNA levels of all four genes. Although the precise mechanism remains unclear, regulation of these genes by estrogen might contribute to its effect on VSMC.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗

14-3-3sigma is down-regulated in human prostate cancer.

The 14-3-3sigma is a negative regulator of the cell cycle, which is induced by p53 in response to DNA damage. It has been characterized as an epithelium-specific marker and down-regulation of the protein has been shown in breast cancers, suggesting its tumor-suppressive activity in epithelial cells. Here we demonstrate that 14-3-3sigma protein is down-regulated in human prostate cancer cell lines, LNCaP, PC3, and DU145 compared with normal prostate epithelial cells. Immunohistochemical analysis of primary prostate cells shows that the expression of 14-3-3sigma protein is epithelial cell-specific. Among prostate pathological specimens, > 95% of benign hyperplasia samples show significant and diffuse immunostaining of 14-3-3sigma in the cytoplasm whereas < 20% of carcinoma samples show positive staining. In terms of mechanisms for the down-regulation of 14-3-3sigma in prostate cancer cells, hypermethylation of the gene promoter plays a causal role in LNCaP cells as 14-3-3sigma mRNA level was elevated by 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine demethylating treatment. Intriguingly, the proteasome-mediated proteolysis is responsible for 14-3-3sigma reduction in DU145 and PC3 cells, as 14-3-3sigma protein expression was increased by treatment with a proteasome inhibitor MG132. Furthermore, tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand enhances 14-3-3sigma gene and protein expression in DU145 and PC3 cells. These data suggest that 14-3-3sigma expression is down-regulated during the neoplastic transition of prostate epithelial cells.

14-3-3 Proteins↗

Platelet-activating factor receptor develops airway hyperresponsiveness independently of airway inflammation in a murine asthma model.

Lipid mediators play an important role in modulating inflammatory responses. Platelet-activating factor (PAF) is a potent proinflammatory phospholipid with eosinophil chemotactic activity in vitro and in vivo. We show in this study that mice deficient in PAF receptor exhibited significantly reduced airway hyperresponsiveness to muscarinic cholinergic stimulation in an asthma model. However, PAF receptor-deficient mice developed an eosinophilic inflammatory response at a comparable level to that of wild-type mice. These results indicate an important role for PAF receptor, downstream of the eosinophilic inflammatory cascade, in regulating airway responsiveness after sensitization and aeroallergen challenge.

Animals↗

Protein phosphatase 5 is a negative regulator of estrogen receptor-mediated transcription.

Estrogen receptors (ERs) are transcription factors that can be modulated by both estrogen-dependent and growth factor-dependent phosphorylation. A yeast two-hybrid screening identified a serine/threonine protein phosphatase (PP5) as an interactant of ERbeta (1-481), a dominant negative ERbeta mutant. Glutathione S-transferase pull-down assays, mammalian two-hybrid assays, and immunoprecipitation studies showed that PP5 directly binds to both ERalpha and ERbeta via its tetratricopeptide repeat domain. E domains of ERalpha and ERbeta, without containing activation domain core regions in transcription activation function 2, were required for the binding to PP5. In ERalpha-positive breast cancer MCF7 cells, estrogen- and epidermal growth factor-dependent phosphorylation of ERalpha on serine residue 118, a major phosphorylation site of the receptor, was reduced by expressing PP5 but enhanced by PP5 antisense oligonucleotide. Estrogen-induced transcriptional activities of both ERalpha and ERbeta and mRNA expression of estrogen-responsive genes, including pS2, c-myc, and cyclin D1, were suppressed by PP5 but enhanced by PP5 antisense oligonucleotide. A truncated PP5 mutant consisting only of its tetratricopeptide repeat domain acted as a dominant negative PP5 that enhanced serine residue 118 phosphorylation of ERalpha and transactivations by ERalpha and ERbeta. We present the first evidence that PP5 functions as an inhibitory regulator of ER phosphorylation and transcriptional activation in vivo.

Estrogen Receptor alpha↗

Association of a single-nucleotide polymorphism in low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 gene with bone mineral density.

Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5) is an important regulator of osteoblast growth and differentiation, affecting peak bone mass in vertebrates. Here, we analyzed whether the LRP5 gene was involved in the etiology of postmenopausal osteoporosis, using association analysis between bone mineral density (BMD) and an LRP5 gene single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP). Association of an SNP in the LRP5 gene at IVS17-1677C > A (intron 17) with BMD was examined in 308 postmenopausal Japanese women (65.2 +/- 9.6 years; mean +/- SD). The subjects bearing at least one variant A allele (CA + AA; n = 142) had significantly lower Z scores for total body and lumbar BMD than the subjects with no A allele (CC; n = 166) (total body, 0.08 +/- 1.09 versus 0.50 +/- 1.03; P = 0.0022; lumbar spine, -0.42 +/- 1.43 versus -0.02 +/- 1.42; P = 0.013). These findings suggest that the LRP5 gene is a candidate for the genetic determinants of BMD in postmenopausal women, and this SNP could be useful as a genetic marker for predicting the risk of osteoporosis.

Aged↗

[TGF-beta].

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Animals↗

[Right or wrong of the hormone replacement therapy involving osteoporosis].

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) is replacement of depleted endogenous estrogen for postmenopausal women. Usually progestin is used in combination to avoid endometrial proliferation. As for bone metabolism, estrogens exert bone protective effect through inhibition of bone absorption. HRT has been shown to improve bone mineral density and to lower the risk of osteoporotic bone fracture. However, recent clinical studies proved that HRT not only raise the risk of breast cancer, but also increase the incidence of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. Other than the treatment of postmenopausal vasomotor symptoms, the benefit of HRT is thought to be hard to outweigh its risk. To resolve this problem, low dose HRT and SERM (Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulator) regimens are under investigation. The evidences of androgen replacement for aged men are not accumulated enough to verify its effects and long term safety.

Estrogen Replacement Therapy↗

17 beta-estradiol inhibits cardiac fibroblast growth through both subtypes of estrogen receptor.

The effect of 17 beta-estradiol (E2) on the proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs) remains controversial. This study investigated which subtype of estrogen receptor (ER), ER alpha or ER beta, mediated the effect of E2 on CF growth by the gain of function analysis using an adenovirus vector. One hundred nanomoles per liter of E2 attenuated DNA synthesis by up to 10%, and transactivated the estrogen-responsive element determined by luciferase assay in rat neonatal CFs. We constructed replication-deficient adenoviruses bearing the coding region of human ER alpha, ER beta, or the dominant-negative form of ER beta (designated AxCAER alpha, AxCAER beta, and AxCADNER beta, respectively). When CFs were infected with AxCAER alpha or AxCAER beta at multiplicity of infection of 20 or higher, DNA synthesis was decreased by 50% in response to E2 and the effect was abolished by co-infection with AxCADNER beta. Similarly, transcriptional activity of ER in CFs infected with AxCAER alpha or AxCAER beta was markedly enhanced and co-infection with AxCADNER beta abolished the effects. These results suggest that E2 inhibits CF growth and that both ER subtypes mediate the effect comparably and redundantly.

Animals↗

EBAG9/RCAS1 expression and its prognostic significance in prostatic cancer.

Estrogen receptor-binding fragment-associated gene 9 (EBAG9) has been identified as a primary estrogen-responsive gene from MCF-7 human breast cancer cells (Watanabe T, et al., Mol Cell Biol 1998;18:442-9). EBAG9 is identical with RCAS1 (receptor-binding cancer antigen expressed on SiSo cells), which has been reported as a cancer cell surface antigen implicated in immune escape (Nakashima M, et al., Nat Med 1999;5:938-42). In our present study, we examined EBAG9 expression in human prostatic tissues and investigated its prognostic significance in patients with prostatic cancer. EBAG9 expression in normal prostatic epithelial cells and PC-3, DU145 and LNCaP cancer cells was determined by Western blot analysis. Immunohistochemic analysis was performed in 21 benign and 81 malignant prostatic specimens, and patients' charts were reviewed for clinical, pathologic and survival data. EBAG9 was abundantly expressed in the prostate cancer cells compared to the normal epithelial cells. Strong and diffuse immunostaining in the cytoplasm of EBAG9 was found in 44 of 81 (54%) cancerous tissue samples. EBAG9 expression significantly correlated with advanced pathologic stages and high Gleason score (p = 0.0305 and < 0.0001, respectively). EBAG9 was more frequently expressed at sites of capsular penetration (79%) and lymph node metastasis (100%) compared to intracapsular primary tumors (54%) (p = 0.0264 and 0.0048, respectively). Positive EBAG9 immunoreactivity significantly correlated with poor PSA failure-free survival (p = 0.0059). EBAG9/RCAS1 may play a significant role in cancer progression via an immune escape system. Immunodetection of EBAG9/RCAS1 expression can be a negative prognostic indicator for patients with prostatic cancer.

Aged↗

Estrogen receptor beta mediates the inhibitory effect of estradiol on vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation.

OBJECTIVES: It has been demonstrated that 17beta-estradiol (E2) has an inhibitory effect on the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) through an estrogen receptor (ER)-dependent pathway. Both ER subtypes, classical ER (ERalpha) and the newly identified ER subtype (ERbeta), are expressed in VSMCs. However, it remains unknown which receptor plays the critical role in the inhibitory effect on VSMC proliferation. METHODS AND RESULTS: We constructed replication-deficient adenoviruses bearing the coding region of human ERalpha, ERbeta, and the dominant-negative form of ERbeta (designated AxCAERalpha, AxCAERbeta, and AxCADNERbeta, respectively). Prior to infection with the adenoviruses, 100 nmol/l E2 attenuated DNA synthesis by up to 14% and transactivated the estrogen-induced expression of the desired mRNA in rat VSMCs. This was accompanied by increased transcriptional activity of estrogen responsive element in response to E2, and the increase was comparable between AxCAERalpha and AxCAERbeta. When VSMCs were infected with AxCAERbeta at a multiplicity of infection of 5 or higher, DNA synthesis as well as cell number decreased by 50% in response to E2, and the effect was abolished by co-infection with AxCADNERbeta. In contrast, when VSMCs were infected with AxCAERalpha, the reduction in DNA synthesis was minimal. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that ERbeta is more potent than ERalpha in the inhibitory effect on VSMC proliferation.

Adenoviridae↗