Lactic acid induces HSPA1A expression through ERK1/2 activation.

Heat shock protein (HSP) A1A protects cells from various stressors. The concentrated liquid of the traditional Japanese rice black vinegar Kurozu increased HSPA1A expression in normal rat liver RLN-10 cells. Lactic acid, the primary component of concentrated Kurozu, induced HSPA1A expression in a concentration-dependent manner.

Association of blood pressure and dietary intake of Japanese vinegared side dishes, in community-dwelling Japanese: A cross-sectional study.

Objective: Vinegar has been reported to have a hypotensive effect. We aimed to investigate the relationship between the consumption of vinegar-based side dishes and blood pressure.

Research Methods & Procedures: This cross-sectional study included 746 individuals (257 men and 489 women) aged ≥40 years from Tarumizu, Kagoshima, Japan.

Relationship between Oral Hypofunction, and Protein Intake: A Cross-Sectional Study in Local Community-Dwelling Adults.

Few studies have investigated the relationship between nutritional status and comprehensive assessment of oral hypofunction, especially protein intake-related sarcopenia. Thus, we explored these relationships in a large-scale cross-sectional cohort study using the seven-item evaluation for oral hypofunction and Diet History Questionnaire for nutritional assessment. We used the data from 1004 individuals who participated in the 2019 health survey of the residents of Tarumizu City, Kagoshima Prefecture, Japan for analysis.

Association of Protein and Magnesium Intake with Prevalence of Prefrailty and Frailty in Community-Dwelling Older Japanese Women.

We examined the association between nutrient intake and prefrailty. Data from 815 older people (63% women) who participated in a community-based health check survey (Tarumizu Study) were analyzed. Prefrailty were defined using five parameters (exhaustion, slowness, weakness, low physical activity, and weight loss).

The Association between Dietary Variety and Physical Frailty in Community-Dwelling Older Adults.

The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the association between diet variety and physical frailty in community-dwelling older adults. Data of 577 older adults (mean age: 74.0 ± 6.

The Induction of Heat Shock Protein 70 after Oral Administration of Concentrated Brewed Rice Vinegar Kurozu in Mice.

Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) is induced by various stresses. Since HSP70 has a protein refolding activity and an anti-inflammatory activity, the HSP70 induction will help cells from harmful acute stresses. Feeding a diet containing concentrated brewed rice vinegar Kurozu (CK) diet for 5 wk resulted in an increase of HSP70 in the brains of mice.

Effect of dietary fermented mushroom bed on egg production in laying hens.

Egg productivity is declined by stress. It has been reported that some food supplements can improve the egg productivity due to a reduction of environmental stress. We evaluated the effect of fermented waste mushroom bed (FWMB) as a dietary additive on egg productivity.

The Brewed Rice Vinegar Kurozu Increases HSPA1A Expression and Ameliorates Cognitive Dysfunction in Aged P8 Mice.

Kurozu is a traditional Japanese rice vinegar. During fermentation and aging of the Kurozu liquid in an earthenware jar over 1 year, a solid residue called Kurozu Moromi is produced. In the present study, we evaluated whether concentrated Kurozu or Kurozu Moromi could ameliorate cognitive dysfunction in the senescence-accelerated P8 mouse.

Positive Association of Plasma Homocysteine Levels with Cardio-Ankle Vascular Index in a Prospective Study of Japanese Men from the General Population.

Aim: Observational studies have reported that elevated homocysteine (Hcy) levels are associated with the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, interventions that lower Hcy do not provide a corresponding risk reduction. Therefore, the causal role of Hcy in CVD remains unclear.

Growth suppression and cell death by pyridoxal is dependent on p53 in the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7.

Vitamin B6 compound, pyridoxine (PN), has shown antitumor action. Our previous experiments showed that PN induces expression of insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 to arrest proliferation and induce cell death. This induction is inhibited by the p53-specific inhibitor pifithrin-α.

Plasma homocysteine concentrations in novel microminipigs.

A novel microminipig has been recently developed for use in biomedical research. In the present study, age- and sex-related differences, as well as 24-h fluctuations in plasma total homocysteine concentrations (tHcy), were investigated in these microminipigs. tHcy (mean±SD) was 10.

Low pyridoxine concentrations enhance lipopolysaccharide-stimulated gene expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase in RAW264.7 cells.

Pyridoxal (PL) has been shown to suppress lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced gene expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Commonly used cell culture media contain extremely high concentrations of pyridoxine (PN) compared to total serum levels of vitamin B6. Therefore, we evaluated how physiological concentrations of PN influence LPS-stimulated gene expression of COX-2 and iNOS.

Decomposition of insoluble and hard-to-degrade animal proteins by enzyme E77 and its potential applications.

Insoluble and hard-to-degrade animal proteins are group of troublesome proteins, such as collagen, elastin, keratin, and prion proteins that are largely generated by the meat industry and ultimately converted to industrial wastes. We analyzed the ability of the abnormal prion protein-degrading enzyme E77 to degrade insoluble and hard-to-degrade animal proteins including keratin, collagen, and elastin. The results indicate that E77 has a much higher keratinolytic activity than proteinase K and subtilisin.

Live-cell visualization of the trans-cellular mode of monocyte transmigration across the vascular endothelium, and its relationship with endothelial PECAM-1.

In response to atherogenic stimuli, blood monocytes transmigrate across the vascular endothelium not only through endothelial cell-cell junctions (para-cellular) but also through endothelial cells themselves (trans-cellular). The molecular mechanism of the latter is mostly unknown, because it rarely happens, especially in vitro. Although many reports have recognized trans-cellular migration from snapshot images of leukocytes halfway across the endothelium at non-junctional locations, it often produces a false-positive result, because some leukocytes that initiate trans-cellular migration withdraw and return to the apical endothelial surface.

High dose of pyridoxine induces IGFBP-3 mRNA expression in MCF-7 cells and its induction is inhibited by the p53-specific inhibitor pifithrin-α.

It has been reported that supplementation with high-dose vitamin B(6) (B(6)) exerts antitumor effects in rodent models of cancer. However, the mechanism of these effects remains poorly understood. High-dose B(6) also suppresses cell proliferation and induces apoptosis of human breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7 cells.

Homocysteine induced SH-SY5Y apoptosis through activation of NADPH oxidase in U251MG cells.

Epidemiological studies have indicated a correlation between homocysteinemia and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. However, the mechanism by which homocysteine (Hcy) induces neuronal cell death remains unknown. We found that micromolar concentrations of Hcy induced neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cell death only when co-cultured with glioblastoma U251MG cells.

Monocyte trans-endothelial migration augments subsequent transmigratory activity with increased PECAM-1 and decreased VE-cadherin at endothelial junctions.

Background: Although the importance of monocyte trans-endothelial migration in early atherogenesis is well recognized, it is unclear whether and how one transmigration event affects endothelium to facilitate subsequent ones. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that monocyte transmigration alters endothelial junctional organization to facilitate subsequent transmigration.

Methods And Results: When human monocytes were added twice at intervals of ≈30 min to IL-1beta-prestimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells in vitro, significant augmentation of transmigration was observed at the second addition (≈1.

Homocysteine and copper induce cellular apoptosis via caspase activation and nuclear translocation of apoptosis-inducing factor in neuronal cell line SH-SY5Y.

Hyperhomocysteinemia has been implicated in dementia and neurodegenerative disease. Physiological homocysteine concentrations did not result in apoptosis in SH-SY5Y cells in the present study. The apoptosis was recognized in millimolar level of homocysteine.

Change in VEGF expression in mouse mammary gland during reproductive cycle.

During pregnancy, the mammary epithelium and its supporting vasculature undergo extensive growth and proliferation in preparation for lactation, which is thought to be dependent on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). We investigated the expression of VEGF, using immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting, in the mouse mammary gland during the reproductive cycle. Immunohistochemical studies localized VEGF protein predominantly in the cytoplasm of the mammary epithelium and revealed it to be strongly expressed in late pregnancy and early lactation.

Comparisons of uptake and cell surface binding among pyridoxal, pyridoxine, and pyridoxamine in RAW264.7 cells.

Objective: Vitamin B6 (B6) suppresses the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 stimulated by lipopolysaccharide in mouse macrophage RAW264.7 cells. The greatest effect is recognized for pyridoxal (PL) compared with pyridoxamine (PM), pyridoxine (PN), and pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP).

Promoting effects of Chinese pangolin and wild pink medicines on the mammary gland development in immature mice.

The effects of the mixture of crude aqueous extracts from Chinese pangolin and wild pink (C+P), traditional Chinese medicine, on the proliferation and differentiation of mammary gland epithelium in intact and ovariectomized immature mice were investigated by light and electron microscopy and BrdU immunohistochemistry. Although there were no significant differences in mammary gland fat pad and parenchyma areas between the intact experimental groups, the numbers of duct branchings and buds were significantly larger in the C+W treated mice than in the control mice. The ratio of BrdU immunopositive cells to total epithelial cells was higher in C+W treated intact mice.

Immunohistochemical localization of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in mouse mammary gland during reproductive cycle.

Nitric oxide (NO) has been proposed as a mediator of postnatal mammary gland development. We investigated the immunohistochemical localization of three isoforms of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) enzymes, neuronal NOS (nNOS), inducible NOS (iNOS) and endothelial NOS (eNOS), in the mouse mammary gland during reproductive cycle. The NOS isoforms detected in normal mouse mammary glands were the constitutive forms of NOS (nNOS and eNOS).

Transcriptional regulation of indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) by tryptophan and its analogue : Down-regulation of the indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) transcription by tryptophan and its analogue.

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO; EC 1.13.11.