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論

Immunohistochemical Examination for the Distribution of Podoplanin-Expressing Cells in Developing Mouse Molar Tooth Germs

We recently reported the expression of podoplanin in the apical bud of adult mouse incisal tooth. This study was aimed to investigate the distribution of podoplanin-expressing cells in mouse tooth germs at several developing stages. At the bud stage podoplanin was expressed in oral mucous epithelia and in a tooth bud. At the cap stage podoplanin was expressed on inner and outer enamel epithelia but not in mesenchymal cells expressing the neural crest stem cell marker nestin. At the early bell stage nestin and podoplanin were expressed in cervical loop and odontoblasts. At the root formation stage both nestin and podoplanin were weakly expressed in odontoblasts generating radicular dentin. Podoplanin expression was also found in the Hertwig epithelial sheath. These results suggest that epithelial cells of developing tooth germ acquire the ability to express nestin, and that tooth germ epithelial cells maintain the ability to express podoplanin in oral mucous epithelia. The expression of podoplanin in odontoblasts was induced as tooth germ development advanced, but was suppressed with the completion of the primary dentin, suggesting that podoplanin may be involved in the cell growth of odontoblasts. Nestin may function as an intermediate filament that binds podoplanin in odontoblasts

雌ラットにおいて生殖腺の状態とエストロゲン環境が視床下部オキシトシン遺伝子発現および血清オキシトシンレベルに及ぼす影響

Oxytocin (OT) and its receptor (OTR) play various roles in the central and peripheral regulation of appetite and body weight. Previously, we have shown that the administration of OT markedly decreased appetite and body weight gain in ovariectomized (OVX) obese rats. In addition, recent studies have shown that the endogenous OT system is also affected by endogenous or exogenous estrogen. In this study, we showed that ovariectomy decreased rats' hypothalamic OT/OTR mRNA and serum OT levels, but did not affect their visceral fat OTR mRNA levels. The chronic administration of estradiol (E2) abrogated these ovariectomy-induced changes; i.e., it increased the rats' hypothalamic OT/OTR mRNA and serum OT levels, and may be associated with reductions in food intake and body weight gain. In addition, acute E2 administration increased the rats' hypothalamic OTR mRNA and serum OT levels, but did not affect their hypothalamic OT mRNA levels. Taken together, these results suggest that endogenous OT and/or OTR expression might be positively regulated by E2 and that the suppressive effects of E2 on appetite and body weight gain might be mediated, at least in part, by the OT system. Thus, we consider that OT might be a target hormone to pursue subsequent interventions of menopause for menopause-induced metabolic disorders

Androgen’s effects in female

The metabolic effects of androgens and their underlying mechanisms in females have been revealed by recent studies. An excess of androgens can have adverse effects on feeding behavior and metabolic functions and induce metabolic disorders / diseases, such as obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes, in women and experimental animals of reproductive age. Interestingly, these effects of androgens are not observed in ovariectomized animals, indicating that their effects might be dependent on the estrogen milieu. Central and peripheral mechanisms, such as alterations in the activity of hypothalamic factors, reductions in energy expenditure, skeletal muscle insulin resistance, and β-cell dysfunction, might be related to these androgens’ effects

A novel PCOS rat model and an evaluation of its reproductive, metabolic, and behavioral phenotypes

Background: Although animal models of PCOS have been used in many studies, none of them can reproduce both the reproductive and metabolic phenotypes of PCOS. In addition, behavioral parameters have not been evaluated in PCOS animal models. Purpose: We tried to produce an improved rat model of PCOS, and the reproductive, metabolic, and behavioral phenotypes of the model rats were evaluated. Methods: Female rats were implanted with silicon tubes containing oil-dissolved dihydrotestosterone (Oil-DHT) as a new PCOS model. Their phenotypes were compared with those of conventional PCOS model rats (DHT), into which tubes containing crystalline DHT were implanted, and non-DHT-treated rats (control). Results: Both the Oil-DHT and DHT rats showed greater body weight gain, food intake, and fat depot weight than the control rats. Furthermore, these groups showed fewer estrous stages and increased numbers of cystic follicles. The DHT rats exhibited lower ovarian and uterine weights than the control rats, whereas no such changes were observed in the Oil-DHT rats. The Oil-DHT and DHT rats showed less locomotor activity in the light phase than the control rats. Conclusions: Our proposed PCOS model reproduced both the reproductive and metabolic phenotypes of PCOS and may have potential for PCOS research

日本におけるペリネイタル・ロス研究に関する文献検討

　国内の文献から，2000年から2011年におけるペリネイタル・ロス研究の動向と課題を検討した．医学中央雑誌Web（Ver.5）をデータベースに，検索キーワードを「流産」，「死産」，「新生児死亡」，「ペリネイタル・ロス」，「看護」とし，前4 つのキーワードをそれぞれ「看護」と合わせ，原著論文として抽出した18件の国内文献を今回の分析対象とした．　その結果，研究対象者は，女性（母親），カップル（夫婦），看護職者・医療施設の3 つに大別された．女性（母親）は9件，カップル（夫婦）は2件，看護職者・医療施設は7 件の文献がそれぞれ抽出された．研究方法は，質的研究が12件，量的研究が6件であった．研究目的は，ペリネイタル・ロス体験やその心理，反応を明らかにしてニーズを捉えるもの，ケアの実際に関するもの，看護職者の心理に関するものであった．　女性（母親）を対象とした研究が多かった背景には，ペリネイタル・ロス体験の当事者であることに加え，その背景，体験の受け止め，ニーズなどが多様であり，長期に渡るフォローの必要性と体験理解のために研究が望まれていた．今回は，男性（父親）のみを対象とした研究は抽出されなかった．また，カップル（夫婦）を対象とした研究は2 件のみであり，ペリネイタル・ロス体験により生じる男女のずれや関係変化，家族としての発達課題が述べられていた．これにより，男性（父親）の体験やカップル（夫婦）単位での喪失体験への理解が必要であることが示された．そして，看護職者もペリネイタル・ロスに対するさまざまな反応があり，看護職者に対するケアへの研究の必要性が示唆された