The Tohoku journal of experimental medicine
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Feb 2009
Blockade of glutamate release from microglia attenuates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system. Despite a variety of anti-inflammatory or immunomodulation drugs including interferon-beta are effective to reduce relapse risk, most patients have progressive neurological deterioration due to axonal degeneration. Accumulation of activated microglia is a pathological hallmark of active MS lesion. ⋯ Here we show that the gap junction blocker carbenoxolone (CBX) and the glutaminase inhibitor 6-diazo-5-oxo-L-norleucine (DON) decreased glutamate release from activated microglia and rescued neuronal death in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. In EAE mice, treatment with CBX or DON also attenuated EAE clinical symptoms. Thus, blockade of glutamate release from activated microglia with CBX or DON may be an effective therapeutic strategy against neurodegeneration in MS.
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Dec 2008
Antiapoptotic mechanisms of Chinese medicine formula, Guan-Xin-Er-Hao, in the rat ischemic heart.
Considerable evidence indicates that apoptosis plays a critical role in acute myocardial infarction. We have previously shown that Guan-Xin-Er-Hao (GXEH), a Chinese medicine formula, attenuates postischemia myocardial apoptosis. The present study was designed to determine the mechanisms by which GXEH exerts its antiapoptotic effect. ⋯ Thus, the antiapoptotic mechanisms of GXEH may involve the mitochondrial cytochrome c-mediated caspase-3 activation in cardiomyocytes after acute myocardial infarction. Taken together, GXEH tilted the balance between Bax and Bcl-2 toward an antiapoptotic state, decreased mitochondrial cytochrome c release, reduced caspase-9 activation, and attenuated subsequent caspase-3 activation and postischemic myocardial apoptosis in rats. GXEH may be used as a promising agent for future treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Dec 2008
Smoking, earlier menarche and low parity as independent risk factors for gynecologic cancers in Japanese: a case-control study.
During recent decades, the incidence of gynecologic cancers, i.e., cancers of the cervix, endometrium and ovary, has increased in Japan. However, risk factors of gynecologic cancers have not been fully clarified in Japan. To investigate common and site-specific risk factors among gynecologic cancers, we conducted a hospital-based case-control study. ⋯ The results indicate that smoking is a major risk factor of cervical cancer. In addition, hormonal factors, which are related to early onset of menarche and low parity, are common risk factors for endometrial and ovarian cancers. The increase in female smokers and the decrease in fertility rate may contribute to the increase in gynecologic cancer incidence in Japan.
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Nov 2008
Clinical TrialImprovement in medication compliance and glycemic control with voglibose oral disintegrating tablet.
Good compliance with hypoglycemic therapy is important for diabetes treatment, since positive relationship between medication compliance and glycemic control has been reported. To improve medication compliance, the oral disintegrating tablet technology that facilitates drug administration without water has been employed in various drugs, including voglibose, an alpha glucosidase inhibitor. In the present survey, we investigated safety profile of voglibose oral disintegrating tablet (VODT), and whether treatment with VODT results in improvement of medication compliance and glycemic control. ⋯ Medication compliance was improved after switching to VODT in 28.4% of patients who missed taking tablets more than one time a week during CVT treatment. A significant decrease in HbA(1C) levels was observed in patients whose medication compliance was improved after switching to VODT (P = 0.033), but there was no significant reduction in HbA(1C) levels in patients whose medication compliance did not change. In conclusion, the present survey suggests that the safety profile of VODT is comparable with that of CVT, and switching from CVT to VODT has positive impact on medication compliance which may lead to an improvement in glycemic control.
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Nov 2008
Clinical TrialLow visual acuity is associated with the decrease in postural sway.
Vision contributes to upright postural control by providing afferent feedback to the cerebellum. Vision is generally classified into central and peripheral vision, but little is known about the respective role of central and peripheral vision for postural control with different visual acuity levels. This study examined the influence of visual acuity and visual field conditions on upright posture. ⋯ The low visual acuity group decreased their sway amplitude in antero-posterior direction using central plus peripheral visual information, but the high visual-acuity group did not. The high frequency sway was significantly smaller in the low visual-acuity group than that in the high visual-acuity group under the no vision and central vision conditions. These findings suggest the necessity of considering participants' visual acuity in examining the role of the visual information from the central and peripheral visual fields.