Alpha-adducin G460W polymorphism, urinary sodium excretion, and blood pressure in community-based samples

BackgroundThere is limited evidence on the gene–environmental interaction among α-adducin G460W gene polymorphism, sodium intake, and blood pressure (BP) levels in a general population. One hypothesis is that the association between G460W polymorphism and BP is more evident among persons with higher sodium intake than those with lower sodium intake.MethodsWe conducted a population-based cross-sectional study of 2823 men and women aged 30 to 74 years in a Japanese rural community to examine the association of the α-adducin G460W polymorphism with BP levels stratified by salt intake, as estimated by 24-h urine collection and dietary questionnaire.ResultsThere was no difference in systolic or diastolic BP levels among the GG, GW, and WW groups for women, but for men, mean systolic BP tended to be higher in the WW group than in the GG group. When we stratified men according to sodium excretion/intake, mean systolic BP was significantly higher in the WW group than in the GG group among men with higher urinary sodium excretion (138.8 v 133.6 mm Hg, P = .02) and tended to be higher among men with higher previous sodium intake. No genetic association was found among women or among men with lower urinary sodium excretion or lower sodium intake.ConclusionsThe α-adducin WW genotype was associated with higher systolic BP among men with a higher sodium intake

Amplification of depolarization-induced and ryanodine-sensitive cytosolic Ca2+ elevation by synthetic carbocyclic analogs of cyclic ADP-ribose and their antagonistic effects in NG108-15 neuronal cells

金沢大学大学院医学系研究科We synthesized analogs modified in the ribose unit (ribose linked to N1 of adenine) of cyclic ADP-ribose (cADPR), a Ca2+-mobilizing second messenger. The biological activities of these analogs were determined in NG108-15 neuroblastoma × glioma hybrid cells that were pre-loaded with fura-2 acetoxymethylester and subjected to whole-cell patch-clamp. Application of the hydrolysis-resistant cyclic ADP-carbocyclicribose (cADPcR) through patch pipettes potentiated elevation of the cytoplasmic free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) at the depolarized membrane potential. The increase in [Ca2+]i evoked upon sustained membrane depolarization was significantly larger in cADPcR-infused cells than in non-infused cells and its degree was equivalent to or significantly greater than that induced by cADPR or β-NAD+. 8-chloro-cADPcR and two inosine congeners (cyclic IDP-carbocyclic-ribose and 8-bromo-cyclic IDP-carbocyclic-ribose) did not induce effects similar to those of cADPcR or cADPR. Instead, 8-chloro-cADPcR together with cADPR or cADPcR caused inhibition of the depolarization-induced [Ca2+]i increase as compared with either cADPR or cADPcR alone. These results demonstrated that our cADPR analogs have agonistic or antagonistic effects on the depolarization-induced [Ca2+]i increase and suggested the presence of functional reciprocal coupling between ryanodine receptors and voltage-activated Ca 2+ channels via cADPR in mammalian neuronal cells. © 2005 International Society for Neurochemistry

Extremely low F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose uptake in the brain of a patient with metastatic neuroblastoma and its recovery after chemotherapy : A case report

Commonly, physiological F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) uptake in the brain can be observed in F-18-FDG positron emission tomography. Abnormal uptake of F-18-FDG in the brain suggests disorders of central nervous system. Here, we present a case of extremely low F-18-FDG uptake in the brain of a 4-year-old girl with whole-body metastatic neuroblastoma. Almost missing of physiological F-18-FDG uptake in the brain was ascribed at least partly to the metastatic neuroblastoma. The brain could regain physiological F-18-FDG uptake after chemotherapy