Implications of FoxP3-positive and -negative CD4(+) CD25(+) T cells in Graves' ophthalmopathy.

Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO) is a common manifestation of Graves' disease (GD); however, its pathogenesis is not well understood. Recently, the dysregulation of regulatory T cells (Tregs) has been thought to be closely associated with the pathogenesis and clinical symptoms of autoimmune disease. We therefore evaluated whether T cell subsets, including Tregs, are associated with GO pathogenesis and clinical symptoms.

Implication of intracellular localization of transcriptional repressor PLZF in thyroid neoplasms.

Background: Promyelocytic leukaemia zinc finger (PLZF) is a transcriptional repressor that was originally isolated from a patient with promyelocytic leukaemia. PLZF also affects key elements for cell cycle progression, such as cyclin A, and can affect the tumourigenicity of various cancers. Thus far, the behaviour of PLZF in thyroid carcinoma remains unclear.

Autoantibody against WD repeat domain 1 is a novel serological biomarker for screening of thyroid neoplasia.

Background: Thyroid nodules are common among adults, and accurate diagnosis is critical in for management decisions. Ultrasound and fine needle aspiration cytology are the most common methods to evaluate nodules, but they are not practical for screening large numbers of patients because of cost and time considerations.

Objective: The aim of this study was to isolate an autoantibody to tumour antigen, WD repeat domain 1 (WDR1), and evaluate its diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for thyroid neoplasms.

Different distribution of Cav3.2 and Cav3.1 transcripts encoding T-type Ca(2+) channels in the embryonic heart of mice.

We investigated the distribution of T-type Ca(2+) channel mRNAs in the mouse embryonic heart. Cav3.2, but not Cav3.

Addition of losartan to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors improves insulin resistance in patients with chronic heart failure treated without β-blockers.

Background: Angiotensin II and insulin resistance (IR) have clinical implications in the pathophysiology of chronic heart failure (CHF). However, it is still unclear whether the combination of an angiotensin-receptor blocker and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) improves IR in CHF patients who do not receive β-blockers. Thus, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of losartan on glucose metabolism and inflammatory cytokines in CHF patients treated with ACEI but not β-blockers.

Metaboli-Net: online groupware system providing counseling guidance for patients with metabolic syndrome.

This study presented a newly developed online groupware system, Metaboli-Net, to yield counseling guidance on diet and exercise to patients with metabolic syndrome. A distinctive feature adopted in the system to maintain the retention rate of patients was the social network service (SNS) that enables the patients to share their dietary and relevant health information with other participants in the same group on the network. A pilot study was conducted to prove the effectiveness of the system in improving the patient's lifestyle and dietary health awareness.

Effect of losartan and benzbromarone on the level of human urate transporter 1 mRNA.

Both an angiotensin II receptor blocker, losartan (CAS 124750-99-8) and a serum urate lowering agent, benzbromarone (CAS 3562-84-3) exert a uricosuric action by inhibiting urate transporter 1 (URAT1). A recent clinical trial indicated that losartan could reduce the level of serum urate in hypertensive patients treated with urate lowering agents, suggesting the different mode of action of losartan from benzbromarone. In the present study, the effect of losartan and benzbromarone on the level of URAT1 mRNA was determined in transfected HEK293 cells.

Effects of a low-dose antihypertensive diuretic in combination with losartan, telmisartan, or candesartan on serum urate levels in hypertensive patients.

Background: A combination therapy of a low-dose antihypertensive diuretic with an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) may have unfavorable effects on serum urate levels.

Methods: Forty-two hypertensive patients without hyperuricemia (18 men and 24 women, mean age 65 years) were randomly divided into three groups. Each of the group was allocated to a combination therapy with losartan (LOS; CAS 124750-99-8; 50 mg/day)/hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ; CAS 58-93-5; 12.

[Calcium antagonists: current and future applications based on new evidence. The mechanisms on lowering serum uric acid level by calcium channel blockers].

In hypertensive subjects, their serum uric acid levels tend to be higher because of decreasing urinary secretion or overproduction of uric acid. Among calcium channel blockers (CCBs) , long acting nifedipine and cilnidipine reveal serum uric acid lowering action. They decrease the production of uric acid precursor in skeletal muscles under anaerobic condition induced by hypertension or insulin resistance.

Uric acid-lowering treatment with benzbromarone in patients with heart failure: a double-blind placebo-controlled crossover preliminary study.

Background: Hyperuricemia is common in chronic heart failure (CHF), and it is a strong independent marker of prognosis. Upregulated xanthine oxidase (XO) activity and impaired renal excretion have been shown to account for increased serum uric acid (UA) levels in CHF. Therapeutic interventions with allopurinol to reduce UA levels by XO inhibition have been shown to be beneficial.

A simple risk score to predict in-hospital death of elderly patients with acute decompensated heart failure--hypoalbuminemia as an additional prognostic factor.

Background: Risk stratification for elderly patients with acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF) may help clinicians to select the appropriate therapy and raise the quality of care.

Methods And Results: The present study enrolled 349 patients aged over 65 years who were hospitalized with ADHF from January 2004 to October 2008. Five independent prognostic factors were identified by multivariate logistic regression analysis, and each factor was assigned a number of points proportional to its regression coefficient: prior heart failure hospitalization (2 points), sodium or=35 mg/dl (2 points), albumin View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Usefulness of three-dimensional echocardiography in assessing right ventricular function in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension.

Although right ventricular (RV) function is an important determinant of morbidity and mortality in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH), there have been no clinically validated quantification methods to date. The first derivative of RV pressure (dP/dt) is a good index of contractility, but it depends on preload. dP/dt divided by end-diastolic volume (EDV), that is, dP/dt/EDV, on the other hand, is an index of contractility relatively independent of preload.

Appropriate use of nasal continuous positive airway pressure decreases elevated C-reactive protein in patients with obstructive sleep apnea.

Background: C-reactive protein (CRP) is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Furthermore, it has been reported that levels of CRP are increased in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The aim of this study was to examine the effects of long-term therapy with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) on CRP levels and to investigate whether compliance with nCPAP therapy more effectively attenuated markers of systemic inflammation in patients with OSA.

Pendrin is a novel autoantigen recognized by patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases.

Context: Pendrin is an apical protein of thyroid follicular cells, responsible for the efflux of iodide into the follicular lumen via an iodide-chloride transport mechanism. It is unknown whether pendrin is recognized by autoantibodies.

Objective: Our objective was to examine the prevalence of pendrin antibodies in autoimmune thyroid diseases and compare with that of thyroglobulin, thyroperoxidase, TSH receptor, and sodium iodide symporter antibodies.

Changes of HCN gene expression and I(f) currents in Nkx2.5-positive cardiomyocytes derived from murine embryonic stem cells during differentiation.

Changes in the expression of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide (HCN)-gated channels and I(f) currents during the differentiation of embryonic stem cells into cardiac cells remain unknown. We examined changes of HCN genes in expression and function during the differentiation of Nkx2.5-positive cardiac precursor cells derived from mouse ES cells using cell sorting, RTPCR, immunofluorescence and whole cell patch-clamp techniques.

[How do we set the standard value of serum uric acid levels?].

In most medical facilities in Japan, either uricase-catalase or uricase-peroxidase method has been adopted as a sensitive determination of serum uric acid concentration. However, the values obtained from the same patients at different time points are often variable with those methods. Accelerated generation of uric acid and impaired excretion in the kidney are promoted by several dietary factors, such as foods with higher content of sugars (fructose and xylitol), fat and purine bases, and by alcohol consumption, starvation and dehydration.

Age-related BM-MNC dysfunction hampers neovascularization.

Although ischemia-induced neovascularization is reportedly impaired with aging, the effect of aged-bone marrow mononuclear cells (BM-MNCs) on neovascularization has not been investigated. The neovascularization capacity of BM-MNCs obtained from 8-week-old mice (young) was compared to those obtained from 18-month-old mice (old), both in vivo and in vitro. Neovascularization in ischemic limbs was significantly impaired in old mice.

Status of uric acid management in hypertensive subjects.

Hyperuricemia in hypertensive subjects has been considered one of risk factors of cardiovascular diseases. We investigated the status of uric acid management in 799 hypertensive subjects (432 females and 367 males; mean age 70.9 years) managed by 43 doctors (19 cardiologists and 24 noncardiologists; 25 private practice doctors and 18 hospital doctors).

Remote reperfusion lung injury is associated with AMP deaminase 3 activation and attenuated by inosine monophosphate.

Background: Remote reperfusion lung injury occurs in patients with vascular occlusion and surgical procedures. Inosine monophosphate (IMP) produced by adenosine monophosphate deaminase (AMPD) 3 is involved in the remote reperfusion injury. The purpose of the present study was to identify whether IMP administration attenuated the remote reperfusion lung injury in a skeletal muscle ischemia-reperfusion model.

Allopurinol reduces neointimal hyperplasia in the carotid artery ligation model in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Uric acid and oxidative stress promote cardiovascular diseases, including atherosclerosis and hypertension. Xanthine oxidase, through which uric acid is generated, is a free-radical generating enzyme. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether allopurinol, an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase activity, affects vascular remodeling and vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation.

Plasma levels of uridine correlate with blood pressure and indicators of myogenic purine degradation and insulin resistance in hypertensive patients.

Background: The relationship between plasma uridine levels and blood pressure (BP), and indicators of muscular purine degradation and insulin resistance (IR) has been evaluated in hypertensive (HT) patients.

Methods And Results: In 36 HT patients and 10 normotensive subjects, seated BP was measured, and blood samples were drawn after overnight fast. In 18 of the HT patients, the semi-ischemic forearm test was performed to examine the release of hypoxanthine, ammonium and lactate.

Catabolism of adenine nucleotides favors adenosine production following exercise in patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: Adenosine 5'-triphosphate is catabolized to adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP), which is further degraded by 2 pathways: deamination to inosine 5'-monophosphate and ammonia by AMP deaminase, or dephosphorylation to adenosine and inorganic phosphate by 5'-nucleotidase. Because adenosine is believed to be cardioprotective and we have reported that ammonia production decreased after exercise in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), we determined if plasma adenosine levels after exercise increases in patients with CHF.

Methods And Results: Maximal ergometer exercise tests with expired gas analysis were performed in 51 patients with CHF (age = 61 +/- 2 years, New York Heart Association [NYHA] class I/II/III = 19/18/14) and 20 age-matched normal controls.