吉田 優

BACKGROUND: Claudins have been demonstrated to be associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), but the specific role of claudin-2 in colorectal inflammation remains undefined. AIMS: We aimed to determine the role of claudin-2 in TNFα-induced colorectal inflammation. METHODS: We used claudin-2 (-/-) mice to assess the role of claudin-2 in colon. The mice were intraperitoneally injected with 3 μg of recombinant murine TNFα, and the NF-κB signaling and mRNA expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines and myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) were evaluated. Moreover, in claudin-2 (-/-) mice, colitis was induced by the administration of dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). The involvement of claudin-2 in colorectal inflammation was also investigated using the Caco-2 human colon adenocarcinoma cell line, and the expression of claudin-2 was downregulated using claudin-2 siRNA. RESULTS: TNFα-induced colorectal inflammation via NF-κB signaling activation was enhanced in claudin-2 (-/-) mice compared with that in claudin-2 (+/+) mice. MLCK expression level in the colon tissue of claudin-2 (-/-) mice treated with TNFα was enhanced in comparison to that of the claudin-2 (+/+) mice. DSS-induced colitis was more severe in the claudin-2 (-/-) mice than in the claudin-2 (+/-) mice. In in vitro experiments, the decreased expression of claudin-2 enhanced the expressions of IL-6, IL-1β and MLCK. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings concerning the role of claudin-2 in epithelial inflammatory responses enrich our collective understanding of mucosal homeostasis and intestinal diseases such as IBD. Furthermore, the results of this study indicate that claudin-2 and MLCK are potential therapeutic targets for treatments against intestinal disease.

Identifying population structure forms an important basis for genetic and evolutionary studies. Most current methods to identify population structure have limitations in analyzing haplotypes and recombination across the genome. Recently, a method of chromosome painting in silico has been developed to overcome these shortcomings and has been applied to multiple human genome sequences. This method detects the genome-wide transfer of DNA sequence chunks through homologous recombination. Here, we apply it to the frequently recombining bacterial species Helicobacter pylori that has infected Homo sapiens since their birth in Africa and shows wide phylogeographic divergence. Multiple complete genome sequences were analyzed including sequences from Okinawa, Japan, that we recently sequenced. The newer method revealed a finer population structure than revealed by a previous method that examines only MLST housekeeping genes or a phylogenetic network analysis of the core genome. Novel subgroups were found in Europe, Amerind, and East Asia groups. Examination of genetic flux showed some singleton strains to be hybrids of subgroups and revealed evident signs of population admixture in Africa, Europe, and parts of Asia. We expect this approach to further our understanding of intraspecific bacterial evolution by revealing population structure at a finer scale.

AIM: To study gastric mucosal interleukine-8 (IL-8) mRNA expression, the cytotoxin-associated gene A (cagA) mutation, and serum pepsinogen (PG) I/II ratio related risk in Thai gastric cancer. METHODS: There were consent 134 Thai non-cancer volunteers who underwent endoscopic narrow band imaging examination, and 86 Thais advance gastric cancer patients who underwent endoscopic mucosal biopsies and gastric surgery. Tissue samples were taken by endoscopy with 3 points biopsies. The serum PG I, II, and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody for H. pylori were tested by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. The histopathology description of gastric cancer and non-cancer with H. pylori detection was defined with modified Sydney Score System. Gastric mucosal tissue H. pylori DNA was extracted and genotyped for cagA mutation. Tissue IL-8 and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) mRNA expression were conducted by real time relative quantitation polymerase chain reaction. From 17 Japanese advance gastric cancer and 12 benign gastric tissue samples, all were tested for genetic expression with same methods as well as Thai gastric mucosal tissue samples. The multivariate analysis was used for the risk study. Correlation and standardized t-test were done for quantitative data, P value < 0.05 was considered as a statistically significant. RESULTS: There is a high non cagA gene of 86.8 per cent in Thai gastric cancer although there are high yields of the East Asian type in the positive cagA. The H. pylori infection prevalence in this study is reported by combined histopathology and H. pylori IgG antibody test with 77.1% and 97.4% of sensitivity and specificity, respectively. The serum PG I/II ratio in gastric cancer is significantly lower than in the non-cancer group, P = 0.045. The serum PG I/II ratio of less than 3.0 and IL-8 mRNA expression ≥ 100 or log10 ≥ 2 are significant cut off risk differences between Thai cancer and non-cancer, P = 0.03 and P < 0.001, respectively. There is a significantly lower PGI/II ratio in Japanese than that in Thai gastric cancer, P = 0.026. Serum PG I/II ratio at cut off less than 3.0 and IL-8 mRNA expression Raw RQ > 100 or log10 > 2 are significantly difference between Thai cancer group when compared to non-cancer group, P = 0.013 and P < 0.001, respectively. In the correlation study, low PG I/II ratio does not associate with chronic atrophic gastritis severity score in Thais non-cancer cases. However, there is a trend, but not significant convert correlation between IL-8 mRNA expression level and low PG I/II ratio in Thai positive H. pylori infection. The high expression of IL-8 gene demonstrates a poorer prognosis by stage and histology. CONCLUSION: Predominant gastric mucosal IL-8 mRNA expression level, H. pylori infection, and low PG I/II ratio are relative risks for Thai gastric cancer without correlation with cagA mutation.

We investigated the effects of the nematic and smectic A (SmA) phase structures of liquid crystalline matrices on the viscoelastic properties of microparticle/liquid-crystal composite gels. The storage (G') and loss (G '') moduli of the gels were largely increased in gels containing SmA matrices with a layered molecular assembly. However, the critical strain at which the gel state transformed into the sol state by the application of mechanical strain showed no significant changes with variation in the liquid crystal phase of the matrix. These results indicate that the introduction of a layered molecular assembly could be effective for rigidification of composite gels, while maintaining their critical strains. However, the composite gels tended to show a metastable state when SmA matrices were used because G' and G '' of the gels were close to each other in the entire frequency region. This behavior was in contrast to the gels with nematic matrices, which showed a larger value in G' than that in G ''. The metastable state of gels with SmA matrices was also reflected in the frequency dependence of G' and in the deterioration of the recovery of the gel state after mechanical breakdown. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

BACKGROUND: A metabolomic approach using umbilical cord blood from infants at birth has not been studied widely yet. AIM: We examined changes in metabolite levels in umbilical cord blood at birth via gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS)-based metabolomics, with the aim of achieving a detailed understanding of fetal stress during labor. STUDY DESIGN: All procedures were reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board of Kobe University School of Medicine. This was a cohort study of pregnant women based in Palmore Hospital, which is located in an urban area of Japan, and was carried out between December 2010 and May 2011. SUBJECT: Umbilical cord arterial blood samples were obtained from 41 infants immediately after delivery. OUTCOME MEASURES: Metabolites in the blood samples were measured using GC/MS to investigate whether the delivery method (spontaneous onset of labor, induction of labor or elective cesarean section) affected the metabolite profile in umbilical cord blood. RESULTS: Elective cesarean section without labor led to lower levels of isoleucine, fructose, mannose, glucose, allose, glucuronic acid, inositol and cysteine in comparison with vaginal delivery following spontaneous labor and without medication. CONCLUSION: It is proposed that the stress associated with labor be involved in alterations in the levels of metabolites, particularly saccharides such as glucose, in umbilical cord blood.

Metabolomics has recently undergone rapid development; however, metabolomic analysis in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is not a common practice. We analyzed the metabolite profiles of preoperative CSF samples from 32 patients with histologically confirmed glioma using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). We assessed how alterations in the metabolite levels were related to the World Health Organization (WHO) tumor grades, tumor location, gadolinium enhancement on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and the isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutation status. Sixty-one metabolites were identified in the CSF from glioma patients using targeted, quantitative and non-targeted, semi-quantitative analysis. The citric and isocitric acid levels were significantly higher in the glioblastoma (GBM) samples than in the grades I-II and grade III glioma samples. In addition, the lactic and 2-aminopimelic acid levels were relatively higher in the GBM samples than in the grades I-II glioma samples. The CSF levels of the citric, isocitric, and lactic acids were significantly higher in grade I-III gliomas with mutant IDH than in those with wild-type IDH. The tumor location and enhancement obtained using MRI did not significantly affect the metabolite profiles. Higher CSF levels of lactic acid were statistically associated with a poorer prognosis in grades III-IV malignant gliomas. Our study suggests that the metabolomic analysis of CSF from glioma patients may be useful for predicting the glioma grade, metabolic state, and prognosis of gliomas.

Lipid peroxidation products are known to cause toxicity by reacting with biologically significant proteins, but the inducing role of peroxidation products has been not noted to produce degenerative disease-related eicosanoids. Here, 9-oxononanoic acid (9-ONA), one of the major products of peroxidized fatty acids, was found to stimulate the activity of phospholipase A2 (PLA2), the key enzyme to initiate arachidonate cascade and eicosanoid production. An exposure of fresh human blood to the atmosphere at 37°C accumulated 9-ONA, increasing peroxide value and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in the blood. The lipid peroxidation was accompanied by significant increases of PLA2 activity and thromboxane B2 (TxB2) production, which is a stable metabolite of thromboxane A2 (TxA2) and a potent agonist of platelet aggregation. These events were abolished by standing the blood under nitrogen. The addition of organically synthesized 9-ONA resumed the activity of PLA2 and the production of TxB2. Also, 9-ONA induced platelet aggregation dose-dependently. These results indicated that 9-ONA is the primary inducer of PLA2 activity and TxA2 production, and is probably followed by the development of diseases such as thrombus formation. This is the first report to find that a lipid peroxidation product, 9-ONA, stimulates the activity of PLA2.

As new organic materials for rewritable photopatterning, 2-anthroyl and 9-anthroyl ester compounds were synthesized. Their bulk-phase changes (we use "bulk-phase change" as complete phase change in a mass of a material neither in a surface nor in a small quantity in this study) triggered by photodimerization under melting conditions (melt-photodimerization) and subsequent thermal back reactions were investigated. All the anthroyl compounds exhibited melting points lower than ca. 160 degrees C, and they were nearly quantitatively converted to the corresponding photodimers by UV irradiation at temperatures of similar to 5 degrees C higher than their respective melting points. We found that there were two kinds of bulk-phase change behaviors through the photoreaction. Two of the anthroyl compounds remained isotropic and lost fluidity during the melt-photodimerization. The obtained photoclimers exhibited robust solid-state amorphous phases at room temperature. In contrast, the other three anthroyl compounds showed crystallization during the melt-photodimerization. The resulting photodimers changed from isotropic to crystalline phases, even at high temperature. Various experiments revealed that the bulk phase of the photodimers was affected not by the existence of regioisomers but by their fluidity at the photoirradiation temperature. The latter three photoclimers retained enough fluidity, reflecting their high molecular mobilities at the photoirradiation temperature at which the isothermal crystallization occurred. The other two products were not able to crystallize due to low fluidity, resulting in amorphous phases. We also found that all the photodimers reverted to the corresponding monomers by thermal back reaction and recovered their initial photochemical and thermal properties. Using these reversible bulk-phase changes of the anthroyl compounds, we successfully demonstrated rewritable photopatterning in not only negative images but also positive ones, based on the optical contrast between the ordered and disordered phases.

BACKGROUND: To improve the prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer, more accurate serum diagnostic methods are required. We used serum metabolomics as a diagnostic method for pancreatic cancer. METHODS: Sera from patients with pancreatic cancer, healthy volunteers, and chronic pancreatitis were collected at multiple institutions. The pancreatic cancer and healthy volunteers were randomly allocated to the training or the validation set. All of the chronic pancreatitis cases were included in the validation set. In each study, the subjects' serum metabolites were analyzed by gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and a data processing system using an in-house library. The diagnostic model constructed via multiple logistic regression analysis in the training set study was evaluated on the basis of its sensitivity and specificity, and the results were confirmed by the validation set study. RESULTS: In the training set study, which included 43 patients with pancreatic cancer and 42 healthy volunteers, the model possessed high sensitivity (86.0%) and specificity (88.1%) for pancreatic cancer. The use of the model was confirmed in the validation set study, which included 42 pancreatic cancer, 41 healthy volunteers, and 23 chronic pancreatitis; that is, it displayed high sensitivity (71.4%) and specificity (78.1%); and furthermore, it displayed higher sensitivity (77.8%) in resectable pancreatic cancer and lower false-positive rate (17.4%) in chronic pancreatitis than conventional markers. CONCLUSIONS: Our model possessed higher accuracy than conventional tumor markers at detecting the resectable patients with pancreatic cancer in cohort including patients with chronic pancreatitis. IMPACT: It is a promising method for improving the prognosis of pancreatic cancer via its early detection and accurate discrimination from chronic pancreatitis.

Supercritical fluid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (SFC/MS/MS) with methylation was used for the simultaneous profiling of diverse polar lipids in a mixture. A high throughput, high resolution analysis of nineteen classes of polar lipids including phospholipids, lysophospholipids, and sphingolipids was performed in 6 min. Methylation by trimethylsilyl-diazomethane suppressed peak tailing and improved detection sensitivity of phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidic acid (PA), lysophosphatidylserine (LPS), lysophosphatidylinositol (LPI), lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), ceramide-1-phosphate (Cer1P), sphingosine-1-phosphate (So1P), and sphinganine-1-phosphate (Sa1P). The limits of detection for PS, PA, LPS, LPI, LPA, Cer1P, So1P, and Sa1P were enhanced 7.5-, 26.7-, 600-, 116.7-, 500-, 75-, 3000-, and 4500-fold, respectively. Global qualitative and quantitative analysis of not only the high-abundance species but also the low-abundance species in the polar lipids was achieved. When the method was applied to mouse liver, 4 PSs, 24 PAs, 3 lysophosphatidylethanolamines, 11 LPSs, 6 lysophosphatidylglycerols, 4 LPIs, 13 LPAs, 7 sphingomyelins, 11 Cer1Ps, So1P, and Sa1P were additionally analyzed. Furthermore, the quantification of various molecular species in each polar lipid was carried out.

BACKGROUND: We aimed to clarify the lifestyle factors associated with erosive esophagitis and non-erosive reflux disease (NERD) in a Japanese population. METHODS: Among 886 subjects who underwent health screening, we selected, according to their scores on the FSSG (frequency scale for symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease; GERD) questionnaire and the findings of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy, 138 subjects with erosive esophagitis (EE), 148 subjects with NERD (absence of esophagitis, FSSG score ≥8, and acid reflux-related symptoms score ≥4), and 565 control subjects (absence of esophagitis and FSSG score ≤7). We compared clinical characteristics and various lifestyle factors in these three groups. RESULTS: The lifestyle factors significantly associated with NERD compared with findings in the control group were intake of egg (odds ratio [OR] 1.89, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-3.50), sleep shortage (OR 2.44, 95% CI 1.54-3.88), and strong psychological stress (OR 1.77, 95% CI 1.18-2.62). In male subjects, current smoking (OR 2.06, 95% CI 1.13-3.74; OR 1.87, 95% CI 1.09-3.20) was a significant risk factor for both NERD and EE. Moreover, alcohol >200 kcal/day (OR 3.99, 95% CI 1.03-15.55) and intake of a large quantity of food at supper (OR 7.85, 95% CI 1.66-37.05) were significant risk factors for EE in subjects with hiatal hernia. Intake of a large quantity of food at supper (OR 2.09, 95% CI 1.06-4.13) was more common in the NERD group than in the EE group. CONCLUSIONS: There were differences in the associated lifestyle factors between patients with NERD and those with EE, and there was also a gender-related difference between these groups.

In our previous study, it was found that linoleoyl ethanolamide (LE) is present in sake lees, which are produced as a byproduct during the making of Japanese sake. LE is a fatty acid ethanolamide, which have been demonstrated to exert a variety of biological functions, and in this study, the anti-inflammatory effects of LE were examined using in vitro cell culture and in vivo animal experiments. In mouse RAW264.7 macrophages, LE suppressed the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6. In addition, LE inhibited LPS-induced increases in the levels of cyclooxygenase enzyme-2 and prostaglandin E(2), which are indicators of inflammation. The inhibitory effect of LE on the release of TNF-α was stronger than that of dipotassium glycyrrhizinate, which is widely used in external human skin care treatments. LE also suppressed the LPS-induced activation of Toll-like receptor 4 signaling and nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65. In a contact dermatitis animal model, applying LE to affected ear skin ameliorated 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene-induced contact dermatitis and pro-inflammatory cytokine expression at inflamed sites. These results indicate that LE exerts anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting NF-κB signaling, and LE is proposed to be a useful therapeutic agent against contact dermatitis.

Oral food intake influences the morphology and function of intestinal epithelial cells and maintains gastrointestinal cell turnover. However, how exactly these processes are regulated, particularly in the large intestine, remains unclear. Here we identify microbiota-derived lactate as a major factor inducing enterocyte hyperproliferation in starvation-refed mice. Using bromodeoxyuridine staining, we show that colonic epithelial cell turnover arrests during a 12- to 36-h period of starvation and increases 12-24 h after refeeding. Enhanced epithelial cell proliferation depends on the increase in live Lactobacillus murinus, lactate production and dietary fibre content. In the model of colon tumorigenesis, mice exposed to a carcinogen during refeeding develop more aberrant crypt foci than mice fed ad libitum. Furthermore, starvation after carcinogen exposure greatly reduced the incidence of aberrant crypt foci. Our results indicate that the content of food used for refeeding as well as the timing of carcinogen exposure influence the incidence of colon tumorigenesis in mice.

The patient was a 60-year-old man with encephalopathy without liver cirrhosis. CT angiography revealed a patent ductus venosus between the anterior segmental branch of the portal vein and the middle hepatic vein. Coils were framed in the patent ductus venosus and then used to fill in the frame. After treatment, transarterial portography showed that the shunt flow of the ductus venosus had decreased significantly. After one day, the patient's disturbance of consciousness disappeared. Our case involved the adult-onset of a patent ductus venosus, which is extremely rare. This case is the first in which coil embolization was successfully achieved in a noncirrhotic elderly patient with a patent ductus venosus.

Once lipids are oxidized, various volatiles are produced by cleavage of the fatty acid side chain. Considering the variety of lipids present in the body, a large number of possible volatiles might originate from oxidized lipids. However, only specific volatiles such as aldehydes are exclusively examined in current studies, and there is no reported method for the exhaustive analysis of all volatiles. We developed a sensitive analytical method for the detection of all possible volatiles for multimarker profiling, applying a new extraction method called in-tube extraction. Oxidized phosphatidyl choline standards were prepared in vitro and analyzed in order to determine the potential variety of volatiles. Over 40 compounds, including alcohols, ketones, and furanones, were identified in addition to the aldehydes reported previously. Based on this result, we applied our analytical method to mouse plasma and identified 12 volatiles, including 1-octen-3-ol, which is correlated to disease states. To determine the volatile profile after oxidation, we oxidized plasma in vitro under various conditions and identified 27 volatiles, including 1-octen-3-ol and benzaldehyde. The generation capacity of each volatile was different. This method allows sensitive and exhaustive analysis of various volatiles in addition to aldehydes.

BACKGROUND: Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) has come to be widely performed for reduced invasiveness; however, its safety in patients with co-morbidities is not fully examined. We aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of gastric ESD with co-morbidities categorized according to ASA Physical Status Classification. METHODS: Two hundred and forty patients of ASA 1 (no co-morbidities), 268 of ASA 2 (mild), and 19 of ASA 3 (severe) were treated by ESD for gastric neoplasms. We retrospectively compared clinicopathological features and treatment results of these three groups. RESULTS: Cases (by percent) treated with anticoagulant/platelet agents were more common in the higher ASA grades (ASA 1, 5.8%; ASA 2, 29.1%; ASA 3, 31.6%; P < 0.0001). There were no significant differences in case numbers treated under guideline criteria, curative resection (ASA 1, 79.6%; ASA 2, 79.9%; ASA 3, 78.9%), or complications related to the ESD procedure (e.g., postoperative bleeding, perforation, thermal injury). By a patient risk prediction model on surgery, i.e., P-POSSUM, morbidity was halved, and no patients died compared to a predicted death rate of 0.5-2%; however, total and complications unrelated to ESD procedure (e.g., aspiration pneumonia, ischemic heat attack) were more common in higher ASA grades (ASA 1, ASA 2, ASA 3: 15.4, 23.9, 26.3%, respectively, P = 0.014; 0.4, 7.1, 0%, respectively, P = 0.00087). Deviation rates from clinical pathway were more frequent and hospital stay (days) longer in higher ASA grades (ASA 1, ASA 2, ASA 3: 11.3, 17.9, 26.3%, respectively, P = 0.014; 8, 8, 9%, respectively, P = 0.0053). CONCLUSIONS: ESD is an efficient treatment for gastric neoplasms with co-morbidities. However, additional caution is required because co-morbidity is a risk factor for both total complications and complications unrelated to the ESD procedure, and may cause deviations in the clinical course and prolonged hospital stay.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is an effective treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that can occasionally lead to the shortening of life expectancy. We aimed to make a new and more accurate prognostic model taking into account the course of disease after TACE. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We performed a prospective cohort study involving 100 HCC patients who underwent TACE at Kobe University Hospital. Indirect calorimetry and blood biochemical examinations were performed before and 7 days after TACE. Time-dependent and time-fixed factors associated with 1-year mortality after TACE were assessed by multivariate analyses. A predictive model of 1-year mortality was established by the combination of odds ratios of these factors. Multivariate analyses showed that the ratio of non-protein respiratory quotient (npRQ) (7 days after/before TACE) and Cancer of Liver Italian Program (CLIP) score were independent factors of 1-year mortality after TACE (p = 0.014 and 0.013, respectively). Patient-specific 1-year mortality risk scores can be calculated by summarizing the individual risk scores and looking up the patient-specific risk on the graph. CONCLUSIONS: The short-term reduction of npRQ was a time-dependent prognostic factor associated with overall survival in HCC patients undergoing TACE. CLIP score was a time-fixed prognostic factor associated with overall survival. Using the prediction model, which consists of the combination of time-dependent (npRQ ratio) and time-fixed (CLIP score) prognostic factors, 1-year mortality risk after TACE would be better estimated by taking into account changes during the course of disease.

Aim: Paracrine interaction between macrophages and adipocytes in obese visceral fat tissues is thought to be a trigger of chronic inflammation. The immunomodulatory effect of the short chain fatty acid, butyric acid, has been demonstrated. We hypothesize that sodium butyrate (butyrate) attenuates inflammatory responses and lipolysis generated by the interaction of macrophages and adipocytes. Methods: Using contact or transwell co-culture methods with differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes and RAW264.7 macrophages, we investigated the effects of butyrate on the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and the release of free glycerol, free fatty acids (FFAs) into the medium. We also examined the activity of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappa B) and the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in co-cultured macrophages, as well as lipase activity and expression in co-cultured adipocytes. Results: We found increased production of TNF-alpha, MCP-1, IL-6, and free glycerol, FFAs in the co-culture medium, and butyrate significantly reduced them. Butyrate inhibited the phosphorylation of MAPKs, the activity of NF-kappa B in co-cultured macrophages, and suppressed lipase activity in co-cultured adipocytes. Lipase inhibitors significantly attenuated the production of TNF-alpha, MCP-1 and IL-6 in the co-culture medium as effectively as butyrate. Butyrate suppressed the protein production of adipose triglyceride lipase, hormone sensitive lipase, and fatty acid-binding protein 4 in co-cultured adipocytes. Pertussis toxin, which is known to block GPR41 completely, inhibited the anti-lipolysis effect of butyrate. Conclusion: Butyrate suppresses inflammatory responses generated by the interaction of adipocytes and macrophages through reduced lipolysis and inhibition of inflammatory signaling.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. It is unknown whether β-1,3;1,6-glucan can induce immune suppressive effects. Here, we study intestinal anti-inflammatory activity of Lentinula edodes-derived β-1,3;1,6-glucan, which is known as lentinan. Dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice were used to elucidate effects of lentinan in vivo. In the cellular level assessment, lentinan was added into a co-culture model consisting of intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells and LPS-stimulated macrophage RAW264.7 cells. Ligated intestinal loop assay was performed for assessing effects of lentinan on intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) in vivo. Oral administration of lentinan (100 µg/mouse) significantly ameliorated DSS-induced colitis in body weight loss, shortening of colon lengths, histological score, and inflammatory cytokine mRNA expression in inflamed tissues. Lentinan reduced interleukin (IL)-8 mRNA expression and nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation in Caco-2 cells without decreasing of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α production from RAW264.7 cells. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that surface levels of TNF receptor (TNFR) 1 were decreased by lentinan treatment. A clathrin-mediated endocytosis inhibitor, monodansylcadaverine, canceled lentinan inhibition of IL-8 mRNA expression. Moreover, lentinan inhibited TNFR1 expression in Caco-2 cells in both protein and mRNA level. Lentinan also inhibited TNFR1 mRNA expression in mouse IECs. These results suggest that lentinan exhibits intestinal anti-inflammatory activity through inhibition of IL-8 mRNA expression associated with the inhibition of NF-κB activation which is triggered by TNFR1 endocytosis and lowering of their expression in IECs. Lentinan may be effective for the treatment of gut inflammation including IBD.

Aim: Paracrine interaction between macrophages and adipocytes in obese visceral fat tissues is thought to be a trigger of chronic inflammation. The immunomodulatory effect of the short chain fatty acid, butyric acid, has been demonstrated. We hypothesize that sodium butyrate (butyrate) attenuates inflammatory responses and lipolysis generated by the interaction of macrophages and adipocytes. Methods: Using contact or transwell co-culture methods with differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes and RAW264.7 macrophages, we investigated the effects of butyrate on the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and the release of free glycerol, free fatty acids (FFAs) into the medium. We also examined the activity of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappa B) and the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) in co-cultured macrophages, as well as lipase activity and expression in co-cultured adipocytes. Results: We found increased production of TNF-alpha, MCP-1, IL-6, and free glycerol, FFAs in the co-culture medium, and butyrate significantly reduced them. Butyrate inhibited the phosphorylation of MAPKs, the activity of NF-kappa B in co-cultured macrophages, and suppressed lipase activity in co-cultured adipocytes. Lipase inhibitors significantly attenuated the production of TNF-alpha, MCP-1 and IL-6 in the co-culture medium as effectively as butyrate. Butyrate suppressed the protein production of adipose triglyceride lipase, hormone sensitive lipase, and fatty acid-binding protein 4 in co-cultured adipocytes. Pertussis toxin, which is known to block GPR41 completely, inhibited the anti-lipolysis effect of butyrate. Conclusion: Butyrate suppresses inflammatory responses generated by the interaction of adipocytes and macrophages through reduced lipolysis and inhibition of inflammatory signaling.

We investigated the effects of liquid-crystal (LC) alignments on photoinduced motions of microparticles at air-LC interfaces of azobenzene-doped LC films. In homeotropically aligned LC films, the lattice spacings of pseudo-hexagonal structures of microparticles site-selectively exhibited reversible expansion or contraction on alternating irradiation with ultraviolet and visible light. The particle motions were probably driven by photochemical deformation of LC surfaces. In homogeneously aligned films, alternating irradiation induced macroscopic convective flows followed by rapid gathering or dispersion of linear chains of microparticles. Particle motions were significantly influenced by LC alignments as well as the light wavelength. (C) 2012 The Japan Society of Applied Physics

OBJECTIVE: Helicobacter pylori is known to affect the host's nutritional status. This study was performed to elucidate the relationship between H. pylori status and the dynamics of the ghrelin system, in the context of ghrelin O-acyltransferase (GOAT) expression. METHODS: We conducted a clinical study of 30 subjects focusing on the following points: 1) the effects of H. pylori infection on the concentrations of circulating ghrelin isoforms and on ghrelin and GOAT mRNA expression in the gastric mucosa, and 2) the effects of H. pylori eradication on the same parameters. RESULTS: The plasma acyl-ghrelin and desacyl-ghrelin concentrations of 16 H. pylori positive participants were significantly lower than those of 14 H. pylori negative controls. The acyl-ghrelin/desacyl-ghrelin ratio was not significantly different between the H. pylori positive and H. pylori negative participants. The levels of ghrelin and GOAT mRNA in the gastric mucosa were significantly lower in the H. pylori positive participants than in the H. pylori negative controls. In 11 subjects in whom H. pylori eradication was successful, their plasma acyl-ghrelin levels tended to increase after H. pylori eradication, but the difference was not significant; however, their plasma desacyl-ghrelin levels were significantly reduced. Although gastric ghrelin mRNA expression increased significantly after H. pylori eradication, gastric GOAT mRNA expression tended to increase but was not significantly altered. CONCLUSION: H. pylori status might affect the host's nutritional status through changes in the plasma levels of ghrelin isoforms and the gastric expression levels of ghrelin and GOAT mRNA.

We synthesized gel-forming polyelectrolytes having N,N'-(trans-cyclohexane-1,4-diyl)dibenzamide linkages, with chloride, bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)amide, bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide, or tetrafluoroborate anions that could gelatinize a variety of ionic liquids at very low concentrations. The temperatures at which these ionogels transitioned into isotropic fluids were greater than 100 degrees C even at concentrations as low as 5 g/L. In addition, the ionogels exhibited high mechanical strength without a significant loss in their ionic conductivities, along with the rapid recovery.

Phospholipids that contain polyunsaturated fatty acid are easily oxidized by free radicals or oxidants and can yield numerous oxidation species, including positional and structural isomers. However, it is difficult to separate these oxidation products for structural analysis. In this study, a high-resolution separation analytical system based on supercritical fluid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (SFC/MS/MS) was established for the separation and identification of oxidized phosphatidylcholine (PC) isomers derived from esterified linoleic acid or arachidonic acid. Separation of oxidatively modified PC containing hydroxy, epoxy and hydroperoxy groups was achieved by SFC. Positional isomers of hydroxides and epoxides were identified based on MS/MS fragment information. To investigate whether this method is applicable to biological samples, we then analyzed oxidized PC isomers from mouse liver. Oxidized isomers, such as hydroxides, hydroperoxides and epoxides, were simultaneously observed. This method may be a powerful tool for providing further insight into how oxidized phospholipids are produced and are correlated with various diseases.

Cinnamoyl-functionalized liquid-crystalline (LC) compounds having a 4 ''-substituted [1,1';4',1 '']terphenyl (p-terphenyl) as mesogens were synthesized to investigate the abilities of the mesogen to act as a triplet sensitizer. UV (365 nm) irradiation of the LC compound having 4 ''-cyano-p-terphenyl in the crystalline and LC phases regioselectively produced the photodimers with a head-to-tail and a head-to-head cyclobutane unit, respectively. The p-terphenyl thus played the role of triplet sensitizer because the cinnamoyl group does not absorb 365 nm light. Due to the dual functionality of the p-terphenyl as the mesogen and the triplet sensitizer, we successfully performed the photochemical and regioselective cycloaddition to obtain two different LC dimers from one LC monomer. (c) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Novel and effective drugs against acute pancreatitis are required. Therefore, we examined the changes in the metabolite levels in the serum and pancreatic tissue of mice with cerulein- and arginine-induced pancreatitis using gas-chromatography/mass-spectrometry (GC/MS) and investigated whether these alterations affected the severity of acute pancreatitis. In the cerulein-induced pancreatitis model, 93 and 129 metabolites were detected in the serum and pancreatic tissue, respectively. In the L-arginine-induced acute pancreatitis model, 120 and 133 metabolites were detected in the serum and pancreatic tissue, respectively. Among the metabolites, the concentrations of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates and amino acids were altered in pancreatitis, and in pancreatic tissue, the levels of the intermediates involved in the initial part of the TCA cycle were increased and those of the intermediates involved in the latter part of the TCA cycle were decreased. Some metabolites exhibited similar changes in both pancreatitis mouse models, e.g., the levels of glutamic acid and O-phosphoethanolamine were significantly decreased in the pancreatic tissue. Supplementation with glutamic acid and O-phosphoethanolamine attenuated the severity of cerulein-induced acute pancreatitis. Our results suggest that GC/MS-based metabolomics is capable of accurately representing the status of acute pancreatitis, leading to the discovery of therapeutic agents for pancreatitis.

We investigated viscoelastic and photoresponsive properties of the microparticle/liquid-crystal (LC) composite gels. The mechanical strength of the colloidal gels can be widely tuned by varying particle concentrations. With increasing particle concentration, a storage modulus of the particle/LC composite gels increased and reached over 10(4) Pa, showing good self-supporting ability. We demonstrated for the first time that the particle/LC composite gels exhibited rapid and repetitive recovery of the mechanical strength after large-amplitude oscillatory breakdown. In addition, photoresponsive properties of the composite gels were investigated by the cis-trans photoisomerization of the azobenzene compound doped into the host LCs. The photochemical gel-sol transition could be repeatedly induced by changing the phase structure of the host LCs between nematic and isotropic, using the photoisomerization. The particle/LC composite gels can be applied to optically healable materials by the site-selective gel-sol transition based on the photochemical modulation of the phase structures of the host LCs.

BACKGROUND: Transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) is an effective treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that can cause deterioration of liver function. We aimed to make an early predictive model of long-term liver dysfunction after TACE. METHODS: We performed a prospective cohort study involving 109 HCC patients who underwent TACE at Kobe University Hospital. Indirect calorimetry and blood biochemical examinations were performed before and 7 days after TACE. As an indicator of liver function, the Child's score was evaluated before and 3 months after TACE. Patients with and without Child's score deterioration were compared, and the independent risk factors for Child's score deterioration were statistically examined. An early predictive model of Child's score deterioration after TACE was developed using multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: Multivariate analyses showed that the non-protein respiratory quotient (npRQ) and prealbumin (preAlb) ratios (7 days after/before TACE) were independent determinants of Child's score deterioration (p = 0.039 and 0.020, respectively). Decreases of the npRQ and preAlb ratios were significantly related to increases of Child's score 3 months after TACE (p = 0.007 and 0.002, respectively). The following predictive model of Child's score deterioration was developed: exp(-6.383 × npRQ ratio - 3.038 × preAlb ratio + 7.755)/(1 + exp(-6.383 × npRQ ratio - 3.038 × preAlb ratio + 7.755)). The model discriminated well between patients with and without Child's score deterioration (area under the receiver operating curve [ROC]; AUC 0.713; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.613-0.812). The optimal cut-off point for the Child's score was 0.449, and the sensitivity and specificity of the model were 57.1 and 79.1%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Reductions in npRQ and preAlb 7 days after TACE were associated with the long-term deterioration of liver function. With our model, we were able to identify high-risk patients.

Mutation of the APC gene occurs during the early stages of colorectal cancer development. To obtain new insights into the mechanisms underlying the aberrant activation of the Wnt pathway that accompanies APC mutation, we carried out a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-based semiquantitative metabolome analysis. In vitro experiments comparing SW480 cells expressing normal APC and truncated APC indicated that the levels of metabolites involved in the latter stages of the intracellular tricarboxylic acid cycle, including succinic acid, fumaric acid, and malic acid, were significantly higher in the SW480 cells expressing the truncated APC. In an in vivo study, we found that the levels of most amino acids were higher in the non-polyp tissues of APC(min/+) mice than in the normal tissues of the control mice and the polyp tissues of APC(min/+) mice. Ribitol, the levels of which were decreased in the polyp lesions of the APC(min/+) mice and the SW480 cells expressing the truncated APC, reduced the growth of SW480 cells with the APC mutation, but did not affect the growth of SW480 transfectants expressing full-length APC. The level of sarcosine was found to be significantly higher in the polyp tissues of APC(min/+) mice than in their non-polyp tissues and the normal tissues of the control mice, and the treatment of SW480 cells with 50 μM sarcosine resulted in a significant increase in their growth rate. These findings suggest that APC mutation causes changes in energetic metabolite pathways and that these alterations might be involved in the development of colorectal cancer.

Dietary fucoxanthin has been reported to exert several physiological functions, and fucoxanthinol is considered to be the primary active metabolite of fucoxanthin. However, there is no information about the pharmacokinetics of fucoxanthinol in human subjects. In the present study, eighteen human volunteers were orally administered kombu extract containing 31 mg fucoxanthin, and their peripheral blood was collected 5 min before and 0·5, 1, 2, 4, 8 and 24 h after the treatment. Plasma fucoxanthinol concentrations were measured by HPLC, and the pharmacokinetics of fucoxanthinol were as follows: maximum concentration, 44·2 nmol/l; time at maximum concentration, 4 h; terminal half-time, 7·0 h; area under the curve (AUC) for 1-24 h, 578·7 nmol/l × h; AUC(∞), 663·7 nmol/l × h. In addition to fucoxanthinol, we also attempted to detect amarouciaxanthin A, a hepatic metabolite of fucoxanthinol, using HPLC, but it was not present in the volunteers' plasma. On the other hand, a peak that was suspected to represent the cis-isomer of fucoxanthinol was found in the HPLC chromatogram. By comparing the present results with those of a previous study using mice, we found that the bioavailability and metabolism of fucoxanthinol differ between human subjects and mice.

Epoxy carotenoids, which are products of carotenoid oxidation, are potential oxidative stress markers. However, it is difficult to profile epoxy carotenoids owing to their small amount and difficulty in their separation from hydroxy carotenoids. In this study, a high-performance analytical system based on supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) was developed for the simultaneous analysis of carotenoids and epoxy carotenoids. SFC is an effective separation technique for hydrophobic compounds, by which major carotenoids in human serum and their epoxidation products can be analyzed within 20 min. The use of MS/MS increased the sensitivity; the detection limit for each carotenoid was of the sub-fmol order. When the constructed method was applied to biological samples such as human serum and low-density lipoprotein (LDL), the precise detection of the target carotenoids was disturbed by several isomers. However, highly selective detection of epoxy carotenoids was performed by targeting product ions that were generated with a structure-specific neutral loss of 80Da. Furthermore, the sample volume needed for the analysis was only 0.1ml for the serum, indicating the efficiency of this system in performing small-scale analyses. Using the analytical system developed in this study, highly sensitive and selective analysis of epoxy carotenoids could be performed in a short time. These features show the usefulness of this system in application to screening analysis of carotenoid profiles that are easily modified by oxidative stress.

Autophagy has been demonstrated to be associated with the pathogenesis of cancer, but no consensus has been reached about its precise role. Therefore, we investigated whether autophagy in the intestinal epithelium is involved in the pathogenesis of intestinal tumors. To evaluate the relationship between autophagy and intestinal tumors, GFP-LC3-APC(min/+) mice were generated by mating GFP-LC3 transgenic mice with APC(min/+) mice. Autophagy was weakly induced in the intestinal polyp regions of the mice in comparison to their non-polyp regions. Under starved conditions, autophagy was not induced in the polyp regions, whereas it was observed in the non-polyp regions. Then, to examine whether a lack of autophagy in the intestinal epithelium enhances the induction of intestinal tumor, Atg7flox/flox:vil-cre-APC(min/+) mice, in which Atg7 had been conditionally deleted in the intestinal epithelium, were generated by mating Atg7flox/flox:vil-cre mice with APC(min/+) mice. However, there was no significant difference in the number of intestinal polyps between the Atg7flox/flox:vil-cre-APC(min/+) and the corresponding control Atg7flox/flox-APC(min/+) mice. These results indicate that autophagy in the intestinal epithelium is not involved in the pathogenesis of intestinal tumors, and future research should focus on regulating autophagy as a form of cancer therapy.

Sugar alcohol derivatives with multi azobenzene arms are photochemically and isothermally liquefied from a powdered solid upon irradiation with ultraviolet light at room temperature, and then solidified on irradiation with visible light, where the transition between solid and liquid are reversible. These compounds possess similar chemical structures to comb-like liquid crystalline oligomers.

Conventional tumor markers are unsuitable for detecting carcinoma at an early stage and lack clinical efficacy and utility. In this study, we attempted to investigate the differences in serum metabolite profiles of gastrointestinal cancers and healthy volunteers using a metabolomic approach and searched for sensitive and specific metabolomic biomarker candidates. Human serum samples were obtained esophageal (n = 15), gastric (n = 11), and colorectal (n = 12) cancer patients and healthy volunteers (n = 12). A model for evaluating metabolomic biomarker candidates was constructed using multiple classification analysis, and the results were assessed with receiver operating characteristic curves. Among the 58 metabolites, the levels of nine, five and 12 metabolites were significantly changed in the esophageal, gastric and colorectal cancer patients, respectively, compared with the healthy volunteers. Multiple classification analysis revealed that the variations in the levels of malonic acid and L-serine largely contributed to the separation of esophageal cancer; gastric cancer was characterized by changes in the levels of 3-hydroxypropionic acid and pyruvic acid; and L-alanine, glucuronoic lactone and L-glutamine contributed to the separation of colorectal cancer. Our approach revealed that some metabolites are more sensitive for detecting gastrointestinal cancer than conventional biomarkers. Our study supports the potential of metabolomics as an early diagnostic tool for cancer.

Autophagy, a ubiquitous degradation pathway, is important for the survival and homeostasis of cells. Previous studies have demonstrated the role of autophagy in host defense against bacterial infection, but the importance of autophagy in the intestinal epithelium for the regulation of bacterial infection has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we showed that the essential autophagy protein Atg7 is required for resistance to Citrobacter rodentium infection in the intestinal epithelium. Infected mice in which Atg7 had been conditionally deleted from the intestinal epithelium exhibited greater clinical evidence of disease and higher expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA in the large intestine. Moreover, C. rodentium clearance was reduced in the Atg7 conditional knockout mice. These results demonstrate that autophagy in intestinal epithelial cells plays an important role in host defense against C. rodentium infection and the regulation of C. rodentium infectious colitis.

We report on a chronic hepatitis C patient who developed hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) 18 years after achieving a sustained virological response (SVR) to interferon therapy. We also review other reports of patients who developed HCC a long time after interferon therapy. The patient was a 67-year-old man with chronic hepatitis C who achieved an SVR to interferon therapy at the age of 49 years in 1992. Eighteen years later, however, a tumor measuring 19 mm in diameter in segment 7 of the liver was found by abdominal ultrasound. The tumor had a typical HCC enhancement pattern by dynamic computed tomography. A moderately to poorly differentiated HCC was confirmed by fine-needle aspiration biopsy. Fibrosis and inflammation in the liver parenchyma improved pathologically from F3A2 to F2A1 according to the New Inuyama Classification. Liver steatosis remained after achieving an SVR and the serum alanine aminotransferase level was persistently slightly elevated. The HCC was treated by transcatheter arterial chemoembolization combined with radiofrequency ablation. Patients with chronic hepatitis C who have achieved an SVR to interferon therapy, and those who have risk factors for the development of HCC, such as being male, of advanced age (<50 years is rare), or with progressive liver fibrosis and steatosis as a hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome, should undergo careful long-term follow-up.

BACKGROUND: Narrow band imaging (NBI) with magnifying endoscopy (NBI-ME) allows the detection of abnormal micro-lesions smaller than 5 mm in diameter in the oro-hypopharynx that could not be visualized previously. The purpose of the present study was to clarify the clinicopathological characteristics of abnormal micro-lesions of the oro-hypopharynx detected by NBI-ME. METHODS: Of the 62 lesions detected by NBI-ME, 40 abnormal micro-lesions in 37 patients were removed by endoscopic treatment and were pathologically evaluated. We reviewed the medical records of patients with these lesions and investigated the relationship between NBI-ME findings and pathological findings. RESULTS: Pathological examination revealed the following: high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (HGIN) in nine (23%) lesions, low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (LGIN) in 22 (55%), pharyngitis in seven (18%) and papilloma in two (5%). Two NBI-ME findings, high microvascular density (MVD) and a brownish area (BA), were recognized more frequently as the grade of malignancy advanced. The likelihood ratio (confidential interval) for having HGIN in the patients with both MVD and BA was 13 (3.62-127). CONCLUSIONS: The pathological diagnosis of abnormal micro-lesions ranged from pharyngitis to HGIN. High MVD and BA may be important findings for grading the malignancy of abnormal micro-lesions.

Recent evidence has suggested that carcinoma is accompanied by the loss of cell polarity. An epithelial cell-specific form of the AP-1 clathrin adaptor complex, AP1B, is involved in the polarized transport of membrane proteins to the basolateral surface of epithelial cells. In our study, we investigated whether AP1B is involved in intestinal tumorigenesis. The cellular polarity of intestinal tumor cells was examined using APC(Min/+) mice as an in vivo model and SW480 cells with a truncating mutation in the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene as an in vitro model by confocal microscopy. Next, the expression of AP1B in intestinal tumor cells was examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blotting. The localization of β-catenin and the expression of AP1B in the tumor tissue of patients with colorectal cancer were evaluated by confocal microscopy and real-time PCR, respectively, and the relationships among cell polarity, AP1B expression and intestinal tumorigenesis were examined. Cellular polarity was lost in intestinal tumor cells, and the expression of AP1B was downregulated. In addition, the reduction in the expression level of AP1B correlated with the nuclear localization of β-catenin in human colorectal cancer. Our study indicates the close associations between AP1B, intestinal tumorigenesis and mutations in the APC gene. This is the first report to reveal the relationships among AP1B, cellular polarity and intestinal tumorigenesis, and achieving a detailed understanding of AP1B will hopefully lead to discovery of therapeutic targets and novel biomarkers for intestinal cancer.