Biomedical subjects

Yumiko Nakagawa

Publications and source records attributed to Yumiko Nakagawa.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Estrogen-related receptor expression in placenta throughout gestation.

Estrogen receptor (ER) alpha and beta mRNA levels increased from the first to the second trimester and then decreased until normal term delivery. Estrogen-related receptor (ERR) alpha, beta and gamma mRNA levels gradually increased up to the second trimester and then comparatively rapidly increased until normal term delivery. ERRs can bind to the steroid receptor coactivator family without any ligands and drive transcription activity of the target genes. The manner of ERR and ER gene expressions might show a competitive interaction associated with the use of common cofactors. It is speculated that the up-regulation of ERRs is related to placental growth after the down-regulation of ERs because of the remarkably high concentration of estrogens for ERs from the second trimester until delivery.

Base Sequence↗

PubMed2004

Uterine contractions might increase heart preload in the recipient fetus in early-onset twin-twin transfusion syndrome: an ultrasound assessment.

OBJECTIVES: Uterine contractions (UC) in twin pregnancy are often experienced, yet the effects of UC in twin-twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) remain to be clarified. The recipient heart preload condition and the effects of UC were evaluated and the final objective was to clarify the effects of tocolysis. METHODS: Firstly, the preload indexes (PLIs) and cardiothoracic area ratios (CTARs) were analyzed on both fetuses of 10 TTTS cases, aged from 14 to 28 gestational weeks in stage III/IV cases for evaluating the preload condition. Then, the PLIs in the presence and absence of UC in the recipient fetuses were determined to evaluate the difference. RESULTS: The PLIs of the recipient and the donor fetuses were 0.78 +/- 0.34 (n = 163) and 0.35 +/- 0.13 (n = 71) respectively. The CTARs were 30.2 +/- 6.1 (n = 62) and 23.4 +/- 5.4 (n = 62) respectively. The PLIs in the absence and presence of UC in the recipient fetuses were 0.69 +/- 0.29 and 0.99 +/- 0.38 (n = 35). All above comparisons showed highly significant differences (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: The recipient fetuses have signs of cardiac dilatation and a high-preload condition. UC transiently further raises high-preload conditions of the recipient fetus. Thus, tocolysis may be necessary for management in cases of early-onset severe TTTS.

Dilatation, Pathologic↗

PubMed2004

Drastic decrease of progesterone receptor form B but not A mRNA reflects poor patient prognosis in endometrial cancers.

OBJECTIVES: Progesterone receptor (PR) has been recognized as an important factor that correlates with success of endocrine treatment and patients' prognoses in endometrial cancers (EC). This study was designed to determine the clinical implications of expression of PR form A (PR-A) and B (PR-B) in EC. METHODS: We have quantified the mRNA levels of total PR (PR-AB) and PR-B by real-time RT-PCR in 120 EC and 40 normal endometria (NE). We then analyzed the correlation between expression levels of each receptor and clinical characteristics including clinical stages, histological grades, depth of myometrial invasion and patients' prognoses. RESULTS: Although the expression level of PR-B is correlated with that of PR-A, the expression pattern of PR-B classified according to clinical characteristics was different from that of PR-A. We found that high PR-B mRNA levels but not PR-A mRNA levels correlated significantly with survival, independent of clinical characteristics including clinical stages, histological grades and depth of myometrial invasion. Percentage of PR-B to total PR (B/AB) in EC is widely distributed and the ratios of middle B/AB group (0.15 < B/AB < 0.35) are 75% in NE, 47% in surviving cases of EC and 18% in dead cases of EC at 5 years, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These results taken together indicate that PR-B may have a different function from PR-A and the intact coordinate expression of PR isoforms was disrupted in EC, especially in poor prognostic case. The measurement of PR isoforms has prognostic value in EC.

Adult↗