Macrophage HIF-1α increases liver tumor

Aims/Introduction: Chronic inflammation of the liver is often observed with obesity or type 2 diabetes. In these pathological conditions, the immunological cells, such as macrophages, play important roles in the development or growth of liver cancer. Recently, it was reported that hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α) is a key molecule for the acquisition of inflammatory M1 polarity of macrophages. In the present study, we examined the effects of altered macrophage polarity on obesity‐ and diabetes‐associated liver cancer using macrophage‐specific HIF‐1α knockout (KO) mice. Materials and Methods: To induce liver cancer in the mice, diethylnitrosamine, a chemical carcinogen, was used. Both KO mice and wild‐type littermates were fed either a high‐fat diet (HFD) or normal chow. They were mainly analyzed 6 months after HFD feeding. Results: Development of liver cancer after HFD feeding was 45% less in KO mice than in wild‐type littermates mice. Phosphorylation of extracellular signal‐regulated kinase 2 was also lower in the liver of KO mice. Those effects of HIF‐1α deletion in macrophages were not observed in normal chow‐fed mice. Furthermore, the size of liver tumors did not differ between KO and wild‐type littermates mice, even those on a HFD. These results suggest that the activation of macrophage HIF‐1α by HFD is involved not in the growth, but in the development of liver cancer with the enhanced oncogenic extracellular signal‐regulated kinase 2 signaling in hepatocytes. Conclusions: The activation of macrophage HIF‐1α might play important roles in the development of liver cancer associated with diet‐induced obesity and diabetes

Greater Efficacy and Improved Endothelial Dysfunction in Untreated Type 2 Diabetes with Liraglutide versus Sitagliptin

Objective:The incretin hormone glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and its analogs, including the glucagonlike peptide 1 receptor agonist liraglutide, use a simple once-daily regimen and can be easily introduced in the outpatient setting. We compared treatment with liraglutide monotherapy and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor monotherapy in patients with untreated type 2 diabetes( T2DM).Methods:This study included 40 outpatients with untreated T2DM who were randomized to receive liraglutide (0.9 mg/day, n=24) or DPP-4 inhibitors (n=16:sitagliptin, 50 mg/day) as initial treatment for 6 months. Glycemic control, urinalysis, blood pressure, body weight, lipid levels, vascular endothelial function, and inflammatory factors were assessed before and after treatment.Results:Significant improvement was observed in HbA1c and fasting blood glucose levels after treatment in both groups;improvements in the liraglutide group were significantly better than in the sitagliptin group. Only the liraglutide group demonstrated significant improvements in blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, urinary albumin excretion, flow-mediated dilatation, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels. Linear regression analysis demonstrated a significant negative relation between change in flow-mediated dilatation and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels.Conclusion:Liraglutide provided significant glycemic control and improved blood pressure, lipid levels, endothelial function, and inflammatory factors in untreated T2DM. In addition to its impact on blood glucose levels, liraglutide may have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system in patients with T2DM

コウレイシャ 2 ガタ トウニョウビョウ カンジャ ニ オケル ニンチ キノウ チョウサ ト ソノ カンレン インシ ニ ツ イテ

目的:2型糖尿病は,認知症発症との関連が報告されている.そこで実際の高齢者2型糖尿病患者において,認知機能が低下している患者の頻度を調査し,また認知機能に影響を与える因子を検討した.方法:2014年2月?4月の間に,入院加療を行った糖尿病多発合併症や心血管病の既往がない2型糖尿病患者64名のうち,60歳以上の高齢者で,臨床研究に同意した35名(男性:23名,女性:12名)を対象とし,Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE)にて認知機能を評価した.認知機能(MMSE score)と年齢,血糖コントロール(HbA1c),血圧,脂質,喫煙歴,糖尿病罹患歴,動脈硬化の指標として,Cardio Ankle Vascular Index(CAVI)に対する相関を検討した.結果:高齢者糖尿病のうち31.4%に認知機能の低下が疑われた.またそれは,年齢,糖尿病罹患歴,CAVI値にMMSE値は単相関を認め,重回帰分析では,糖尿病罹患歴とCAVI値が有意な影響を与えている因子であった.結論:高齢者2型糖尿病における認知機能は,罹患歴や動脈硬化が影響を与える事が示唆され,中年期からの糖尿病管理や動脈硬化抑制が老年期の認知機能障害の発生と関連する可能性が示唆された.Objective:Type 2 diabetes is reportedly associated with the risk of developing dementia. Hence, we surveyed elderly patients with type 2 diabetes to investigate the actual level of cognitive function decline and examine factors that affect cognitive function. Methods:From among 64 patients with type 2 diabetes who underwent inpatient treatment in the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism of Dokkyo Medical University between February and April 2014, we selected as study subjects 35 patients aged ? 60 years(23 men and 12 women)who had no history of multiple diabetic complications or cardiovascular disease. The Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE)was used to assess cognitive function. The correlations of cognitive function(MMSE score) with age, glycemic control(HbA1c), blood pressure, fat, smoking, diabetes history, and cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI)as an index of arteriosclerosis were investigated. Results:Cognitive function decline was suspected in 31.4% of the elderly patients with diabetes. Simple correlations were found between MMSE score and age, diabetes history, and CAVI score. In particular, diabetes history and CAVI score were identified as significant risk factors in a multivariate analysis. Conclusion:Our results suggest that disease history and arteriosclerosis may affect the cognitive function of elderly patients with type 2 diabetes, and that diabetes management and arteriosclerosis control from middle age may be associated with cognitive function in old age

The SGLT2 Inhibitor Canagliflozin Prevents Carcinogenesis in a Mouse Model of Diabetes and Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis-Related Hepatocarcinogenesis: Association with SGLT2 Expression in Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The aim of the present study is to investigate the effects of canagliflozin, a selective sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and NASH-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a mouse model of diabetes and NASH-HCC. First, mice aged five weeks were divided into two groups (vehicle group and canagliflozin group) and were treated for three weeks. Then, mice aged five weeks were divided into three groups of nine animals each: the vehicle group, early canagliflozin group (treated from five to nine weeks), and continuous canagliflozin group (treated from five to 16 weeks). Canagliflozin was administered at a dose of 30 mg/kg in these experiments. In addition, the in vitro effects of canagliflozin were investigated using HepG2 cells, a human HCC cell line. At the age of eight or 16 weeks, the histological non-alcoholic fatty liver disease activity score was lower in the canagliflozin-treated mice than in vehicle-treated mice. There were significantly fewer hepatic tumors in the continuous canagliflozin group than in the vehicle group. Immunohistochemistry showed significantly fewer glutamine synthetase-positive nodules in the continuous canagliflozin group than in the vehicle group. Expression of α-fetoprotein mRNA, a marker of HCC, was downregulated in the continuous canagliflozin group when compared with the vehicle group. At 16 weeks, there was diffuse SGLT1 expression in the hepatic lobules and strong expression by hepatocytes in the vehicle group, while SGLT2 expression was stronger in liver tumors than in the lobules. In the in vitro study, canagliflozin (10 μM) suppressed the proliferation of HepG2 cells. Flow cytometry showed that canagliflozin reduced the percentage of HepG2 cells in the G2/M phase due to arrest in the G1 phase along with decreased expression of cyclin D and Cdk4 proteins, while it increased the percentage of cells in the G0/1 phase. Canagliflozin also induced apoptosis of HepG2 cells via activation of caspase 3. In this mouse model of diabetes and NASH/HCC, canagliflozin showed anti-steatotic and anti-inflammatory effects that attenuated the development of NASH and prevented the progression of NASH to HCC, partly due to the induction of cell cycle arrest and/or apoptosis as well as the reduction of tumor growth through the direct inhibition of SGLT2 in tumor cells

Denosumab improves clinical manifestations of hypophosphatemic osteomalacia by adefovir-induced Fanconi syndrome: a case report

Abstract Background Adefovir dipivoxil is a nucleotide analogue that is approved for treatment of chronic hepatitis B. Adefovir dipivoxil is associated with proximal tubular dysfunction, resulting in Fanconi syndrome, which can cause secondary hypophosphatemic osteomalacia. We describe a case of a patient with hypophosphatemic osteomalacia secondary to Fanconi syndrome induced by adefovir dipivoxil concomitantly with osteoporosis in whom clinical symptoms were improved by adding denosumab (a human monoclonal antibody targeting the receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand) to preceding administration of vitamin D3. Case presentation A 60-year-old Japanese man had been receiving low-dose adefovir dipivoxil (10 mg/day) to treat chronic hepatitis B for approximately 5 years. He presented to an orthopedic surgeon with severe pain of the right hip and no trauma history, and fracture of the neck of the right femur was identified. In addition, 99mTc-hydroxymethylene diphosphate scintigraphy revealed significantly abnormal uptake in the bilateral ribs, hips, and knees, and he was therefore referred to our university hospital for evaluation of multiple pathological fractures. We diagnosed hypophosphatemic osteomalacia due to Fanconi syndrome induced by adefovir dipivoxil therapy. Although we reduced the patient’s adefovir dipivoxil dose and added calcitriol (active vitamin D3), he did not respond and continued to complain of bone pain. Several bone resorption markers and bone-specific alkaline phosphatase were also persistently elevated. Therefore, we added denosumab to vitamin D3 supplementation for treatment of excessive bone resorption. Two months after initiation of denosumab, his hip and knee pain was relieved, along with a decrease in serum alkaline phosphatase and some bone resorption markers. Conclusions Although denosumab is not generally an appropriate treatment for acquired Fanconi syndrome, it may be useful for patients who have hypophosphatemic osteomalacia due to adefovir dipivoxil-induced Fanconi syndrome associated with excessive bone resorption. However, clinicians should keep in mind that if denosumab is administered to patients with hypophosphatemic osteomalacia accompanied by excessive bone resorption, adequate vitamin D and/or phosphate supplementation should be done before administration of denosumab