Eicosapentaenoic Acid Suppresses the Proliferation of Synoviocytes from Rheumatoid Arthritis

Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) is essential for normal cell growth, and may play an important role in inflammatory and autoimmune disorders including rheumatoid arthritis. We investigate that EPA could suppress the proliferation of fibroblast like synoviocytes in vitro. We treated synoviocytes with 1 to 50 µM EPA and measured cell viabilities by the modified MTT assay. We sorted the number of them in sub G1 stage by fluorescence-activated cell sorting caliber. And we stained them by light green or Hoechst 33258, and investigate microscopic appearance. The cell viabilities were decreased at 30 µM, 40 µM, and 50 µM of EPA comparing to 0 µM of EPA. The half maximal concentration of synoviocytes inhibition was approximately 25 µM. At day 1 and day 3, cell number was also decreased at 50 µM EPA comparing to control. FACS caliber indicated the number of synoviocytes in sub G1 stage did not increase in each concentration of EPA. Hoechst staining indicated normal chromatin pattern and no change in a nuclear morphology both in EPA treated synoviocytes and in untreated synoviocytes. These findings suggest that EPA could suppress the proliferation of synoviocytes in vivo dose dependently and time dependently, however, the mechanism is not due to apoptosis

Feedback Control of the Arachidonate Cascade in Osteoblastic Cells by 15-deoxy-Δ12,14-Prostaglandin J2

15-deoxy-Δ12,14-prostaglandin J2 (15d-PGJ2) and an anti-diabetic thiazolidinedione, troglitazone (TRO) are peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ ligands, which regulate immuno-inflammatory reactions as well as adipocyte differentiation. We previously reported that 15d-PGJ2 can suppress interleukin (IL)-1β-induced prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis in synoviocytes of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). IL-1 also stimulates PGE2 synthesis in osteoblasts by regulation of cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and regulates osteoclastic bone resorption in various diseases such as RA and osteoporosis. In this study, we investigated the feedback mechanism of the arachidonate cascade in mouse osteoblastic cells, MC3T3-E1 cells, which differentiate into mature osteoblasts. Treatment with 15d-PGJ2 led to a significant increase in IL-1α-induced COX-2 expression and PGE2 production in a dose dependent manner. The effect of 15d-PGJ2 was stronger than that of TRO. However, it did not affect the expression of COX-1. In addition, cell viability of MC3T3-E1 cells was not changed in the condition we established. This means that 15d-PGJ2 exerts a positive feedback regulation of the arachidonate cascade of PGE2 in osteoblastic cells. These results may provide important information about the pathogenesis and treatment of bone resorption in a variety of diseases such as RA and osteoporosis

Effects of alkalization therapy on hepatocellular carcinoma: a retrospective study

BackgroundIn hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, is difficult to prevent recurrence even when remission is achieved. In addition, even with the advent of drugs that are effective for the treatment of HCC, a satisfactory extension of patient survival has not been achieved. To overcome this situation, we hypothesized that the combination of alkalization therapy with standard treatments will improve the prognosis of HCC. We here report the clinical results of HCC patients treated with alkalization therapy at our clinic.Patients and methodsPatients with HCC treated at Karasuma Wada Clinic (in Kyoto, Japan), from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2020 were analyzed. Overall survival (OS) from both the time of diagnosis and the start of alkalization therapy for each patient was compared. The mean urine pH was also calculated as a surrogate marker of tumor microenvironment pH, and OS from the start of alkalization therapy was compared between patients with a mean urine pH of ≥ 7.0 and those with a mean urine pH of < 7.0.ResultsTwenty-three men and six women were included in the analysis, with a mean age at diagnosis of 64.1 years (range: 37–87 years). Seven of the 29 patients had extrahepatic metastases. Patients were divided into two groups according to their mean urine pH after the initiation of alkalization therapy: 12 of the 29 patients had a mean urine pH of ≥ 7.0, and 17 had a mean urine pH of < 7.0. The median OS from diagnosis was 95.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI] = 24.7-not reached), and from the start of alkalization therapy was 42.3 months (95% CI = 8.93-not reached). The median OS from the start of alkalization therapy in patients with a urine pH of ≥ 7.0 was not reached (n = 12, 95% CI = 3.0-not reached), which was significantly longer than that in patients with a pH of < 7.0 (15.4 months, n = 17, 95% CI = 5.8-not reached, p < 0.05).ConclusionsThe addition of alkalization therapy to standard therapies may be associated with more favorable outcomes in HCC patients with increased urine pH after alkalization therapy

Loxoprofen Sodium, a Non-Selective NSAID, Reduces Atherosclerosis in Mice by Reducing Inflammation

Recently, it is suggested that the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) may contribute to the occurrence of cardiovascular events, while the formation of atherosclerotic lesions is related to inflammation. Loxoprofen sodium, a non-selective NSAID, becomes active after metabolism in the body and inhibits the activation of cyclooxygenase. We fed apoE−/− mice a western diet from 8 to 16 weeks of age and administered loxoprofen sodium. We measured atherosclerotic lesions at the aortic root. We examined serum levels of cholesterol and triglycerides with HPLC, platelet aggregation, and urinary prostaglandin metabolites with enzyme immune assay. Atherosclerotic lesion formation was reduced to 63.5% and 41.5% as compared to the control in male and female apoE−/− mice treated with loxoprofen sodium respectively. Urinary metabolites of prostaglandin E2, F1α, and thromboxane B2, and platelet aggregation were decreased in mice treated with loxoprofen sodium. Serum levels of cholesterol and triglycerides were not changed. We conclude that loxoprofen sodium reduced the formation of early to intermediate atherosclerotic lesions at the proximal aorta in mice mediated by an anti-inflammatory effect

The association between the reduction of body weight and new-onset type 2 diabetes remission in middle-aged Japanese men: Population-based Panasonic cohort study 8

AimThis study aimed to investigate the association between change in body weight (BW) and type 2 diabetes remission in Japanese men with new-onset type 2 diabetes.MethodsThis study enrolled 1,903 patients with new-onset type 2 diabetes between 2008 and 2013 from a medical health checkup program conducted by the Panasonic Corporation, Osaka, Japan. The baseline was defined as the year of new-onset diabetes. We assessed the type 2 diabetes remission five years after baseline and the association between the change in BW and type 2 diabetes remission using logistic regression analyses. To evaluate the predictive performance of the change in BW, we employed the receiver operating characteristic curves and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC).ResultsThe BW loss was associated with type 2 diabetes remission in the participants with a BMI ≥25 kg/m2 but not in the participants with a BMI <25 kg/m2. The odds ratios were 1.96 (95% CI: 1.19–3.29) and 3.72 (95% CI: 2.14–6.59) in the participants with a loss of 5–9.9% and loss of ≥10% for five years, respectively, in the participants with a BMI ≥25 kg/m2 (reference; stable group [0.9% gain to 0.9% loss]). The AUC and cut-off values for the rate of change in BW for type 2 diabetes remission were 0.59 and 5.0%.DiscussionBody weight loss of ≥5% effectively achieved diabetes remission in Japanese men with a BMI ≥25 kg/m2 and new-onset type 2 diabetes

Oral Exposure to Polystyrene Microplastics of Mice on a Normal or High-Fat Diet and Intestinal and Metabolic Outcomes

マイクロプラスチックの経口摂取が高脂肪食条件下での代謝障害を悪化させる. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2023-02-24.[Background:] Microplastics (MPs) are small particles of plastic (≤ 5mm in diameter). In recent years, oral exposure to MPs in living organisms has been a cause of concern. Leaky gut syndrome (LGS), associated with a high-fat diet (HFD) in mice, can increase the entry of foreign substances into the body through the intestinal mucosa. [Objectives:] We aimed to evaluate the pathophysiology of intestinal outcomes associated with consuming a high-fat diet and simultaneous intake of MPs, focusing on endocrine and metabolic systems. [Methods:] C57BL6/J mice were fed a normal diet (ND) or HFD with or without polystyrene MP for 4 wk to investigate differences in glucose tolerance, intestinal permeability, gut microbiota, as well as metabolites in serum, feces, and liver. [Results:] In comparison with HFD mice, mice fed the HFD with MPs had higher blood glucose, serum lipid concentrations, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) activity scores. Permeability and goblet cell count of the small intestine (SI) in HFD-fed mice were higher and lower, respectively, than in ND-fed mice. There was no obvious difference in the number of inflammatory cells in the SI lamina propria between mice fed the ND and mice fed the ND with MP, but there were more inflammatory cells and fewer anti-inflammatory cells in mice fed the HFD with MPs in comparison with mice fed the HFD without MPs. The expression of genes related to inflammation, long-chain fatty acid transporter, and Na⁺/glucose cotransporter was significantly higher in mice fed the HFD with MPs than in mice fed the HFD without MPs. Furthermore, the genus Desulfovibrio was significantly more abundant in the intestines of mice fed the HFD with MPs in comparison with mice fed the HFD without MPs. Muc2 gene expression was decreased when palmitic acid and microplastics were added to the murine intestinal epithelial cell line MODE-K cells, and Muc2 gene expression was increased when IL-22 was added. [Discussion:] Our findings suggest that in this study, MP induced metabolic disturbances, such as diabetes and NAFLD, only in mice fed a high-fat diet. These findings suggest that LGS might have been triggered by HFD, causing MPs to be deposited in the intestinal mucosa, resulting in inflammation of the intestinal mucosal intrinsic layer and thereby altering nutrient absorption. These results highlight the need for reducing oral exposure to MPs through remedial environmental measures to improve metabolic disturbance under high-fat diet conditions

Antisynthetase syndrome: Pulmonary computed tomography findings of adult patients with antibodies to aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases

AbstractObjectivesTo describe the pulmonary CT findings in patients with anti-ARS-antibody-positive interstitial lung disease (anti-ARS-ILD)MethodsThe CT findings of 64 patients with anti-ARS-ILD were retrospectively reviewed. The images were retrospectively reviewed independently by 2 chest radiologists, and the final decision on the CT findings was made by a third chest radiologist.ResultsThere were 16 male and 48 female patients, aged 54.2±13.4 years. Sixteen patients had anti Jo-1, 24 had anti-EJ, 9 had anti-PL-7, 7 had anti-PL-12, 5 had anti-KS, and 3 had anti-OJ antibodies. Overall, 63 patients (98.4%) had CT findings predominantly in the lower lobe; 61 patients (95.3%) showed peripheral opacities, and 47 patients (73.4%) showed peribronchovascular opacities. Ground-glass attenuation, consolidation, and reticulation showed similar distribution patterns. Regarding detailed CT findings, 89.1% of patients had lower volume loss, 76.6% had interlobular septal thickening, and 67.2% had thickening of bronchovascular bundles. The final radiologic diagnoses were as follows: inconsistent with usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) in 63 patients (98.4%), which included nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) in 35 patients (55.6%), organizing pneumonia (OP) in 4 patients (6.3%), and OP with fibrosis in 22 patients (34.9%).ConclusionsThe characteristic CT findings of patients with anti-ARS-ILD were areas of ground-glass attenuation and reticulation, predominantly distributed as lower and peribronchovascular lesions, which is compatible with NSIP. One-third of patients showed OP with fibrosis

15-Deoxy-Δ12,14 Prostaglandin J2 Reduces the Formation of Atherosclerotic Lesions in Apolipoprotein E Knockout Mice

AIM: 15-deoxy-Δ¹²,¹⁴ prostaglandin J₂ (15d-PGJ₂) is a ligand of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) having diverse effects such as the differentiation of adipocytes and atherosclerotic lesion formation. 15d-PGJ₂ can also regulate the expression of inflammatory mediators on immune cells independent of PPARγ. We investigated the antiatherogenic effect of 15d-PGJ₂. METHODS: We fed apolipoprotein (apo) E-deficient female mice a Western-type diet from 8 to 16 wk of age and administered 1 mg/kg/day 15d-PGJ₂ intraperitoneally. We measured atherosclerotic lesions at the aortic root, and examined the expression of macrophage and inflammatory atherosclerotic molecules by immunohistochemical and real-time PCR in the lesion. RESULTS: Atherosclerotic lesion formation was reduced in apo E-null mice treated with 15d-PGJ₂, as compared to in the controls. Immunohistochemical and real-time PCR analyses showed that the expression of MCP-1, TNF-α, and MMP-9 in atherosclerotic lesions was significantly decreased in 15d-PGJ₂ treated mice. The 15d-PGJ₂ also reduced the expression of macrophages and RelA mRNA in atherosclerotic lesions. CONCLUSION: This is the first report 15d-PGJ₂, a natural PPARγ agonist, can improve atherosclerotic lesions in vivo. 15d-PGJ₂ may be a beneficial therapeutic agent for atherosclerosis