Dairy consumption has a partial inverse association with systolic blood pressure and hypertension in populations with high salt and low dairy diets: cross-sectional data analysis from the Iwaki Health Promotion Project.

The prevalence of hypertension in Japan remains high, owing to the high salt content of the typical Japanese diet. Dairy-based foods may reduce blood pressure and hypertension risk. However, dairy consumption is low in Japan, and the relationships between dairy intake and blood pressure or the mechanisms by which dairy products affect blood pressure are not fully understood.

Selenoprotein-mediated redox regulation shapes the cell fate of HSCs and mature lineages.

The maintenance of cellular redox balance is crucial for cell survival and homeostasis and is disrupted with aging. Selenoproteins, comprising essential antioxidant enzymes, raise intriguing questions about their involvement in hematopoietic aging and potential reversibility. Motivated by our observation of messenger RNA downregulation of key antioxidant selenoproteins in aged human hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and previous findings of increased lipid peroxidation in aged hematopoiesis, we used selenocysteine transfer RNA (tRNASec) gene (Trsp) knockout (KO) mouse model to simulate disrupted selenoprotein synthesis.

Nrf2 induction potency of plant-derived compounds determined using an antioxidant response element luciferase reporter and conventional NAD(P)H-quinone acceptor oxidoreductase 1 activity assay.

Objective: Various plants have been reported to contain compounds that promote the transcriptional activity of Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) to induce a set of xenobiotic detoxifying enzymes, such as NAD(P)H-quinone acceptor oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), via the antioxidant response element (ARE). While conventional methods for evaluating Nrf2 induction potency include measurement of NQO1 activity, an ARE luciferase reporter assay was recently developed to specifically assess Nrf2 induction potency of compounds of interest. In this study, we compared the abilities of these two assays to evaluate and determine Nrf2 induction potency of plant-derived compounds.

Association between NF-E2-related factor 2 polymorphism and age-related hearing loss in the general Japanese population from the Iwaki health promotion project.

Background: Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the () gene might be associated with several diseases. In the animal models, NRF2 has been reported to be associated with the age-related hearing loss (ARHL). However, the effect of SNPs on ARHL in the general population has not been reported.

Association between sex hormones and erectile dysfunction in men without hypoandrogenism.

In addition to testosterone, various endocrine hormones, such as dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) and estradiol, may be involved in erectile function. However, the role of these sex hormones in the erectile function of men without hypoandrogenism remains unclear. This cross-sectional study included 398 community-dwelling men without hypoandrogenism.

Dairy consumption, bone turnover biomarkers, and osteo sono assessment index in Japanese adults: A cross-sectional analysis of data from the Iwaki Health Promotion Project.

Purpose: Dairy foods are nutritional sources of calcium, phosphorus, protein, and other nutrients that improve bone health. However, the effects of dairy consumption on bone biomarkers in the Japanese population remain unclear. This study explored the association between dairy consumption and bone biomarkers in Japanese adults.

Emerging Role of GCN1 in Disease and Homeostasis.

GCN1 is recognized as a factor that is essential for the activation of GCN2, which is a sensor of amino acid starvation. This function is evolutionarily conserved from yeast to higher eukaryotes. However, recent studies have revealed non-canonical functions of GCN1 that are independent of GCN2, such as its participation in cell proliferation, apoptosis, and the immune response, beyond the borders of species.

Role of calpain-5 in cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury.

Background: Ischemia and reperfusion (I/R) injury exacerbate the prognosis of ischemic diseases. The cause of this exacerbation is partly a mitochondrial cell death pathway. Mitochondrial calpain-5 is proteolyzed/autolyzed under endoplasmic reticulum stress, resulting in inflammatory caspase-4 activation.

Does the Protective Effect of Zinc on Telomere Length Depend on the Presence of Hypertension or Type 2 Diabetes? Results from the Iwaki Health Promotion Project, Japan.

Telomeres, repeated TTAGGG sequences at chromosomal ends, shorten with age and indicate cellular lifespan. Zinc can protect against telomere damage through its anti-oxidative effect. Meanwhile, telomere shortening was correlated with metabolic diseases of hypertension and type 2 diabetes.

Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species, Insulin Resistance, and Nrf2-Mediated Oxidative Stress Response-Toward an Actionable Strategy for Anti-Aging.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced mainly by mitochondrial respiration and function as signaling molecules in the physiological range. However, ROS production is also associated with the pathogenesis of various diseases, including insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). This review focuses on the etiology of IR and early events, especially mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) production in insulin-sensitive tissues.

Individual health-disease phase diagrams for disease prevention based on machine learning.

Early disease detection and prevention methods based on effective interventions are gaining attention worldwide. Progress in precision medicine has revealed that substantial heterogeneity exists in health data at the individual level and that complex health factors are involved in chronic disease development. Machine-learning techniques have enabled precise personal-level disease prediction by capturing individual differences in multivariate data.

Definition of a Dietary Pattern Expressing the Intake of Vegetables and Fruits and Its Association with Intestinal Microbiota.

Daily dietary habits directly or indirectly influence the intestinal microbiota, and the resulting changes in its composition and metabolic activity alter the health conditions of the host. Although many studies have analyzed the association between individual nutrients/food items and intestinal microbiota, the assessment of the diet and intestinal microbiota from a macroscopic perspective has not yet been performed in Japan. Therefore, we focused on vegetables and fruits and aimed to identify dietary patterns of high intake of these foods and to examine their relationship with the intestinal microbiota.

Role of Nrf2 in 1,2-dichloropropane-induced cell proliferation and DNA damage in the mouse liver.

1,2-Dichloropropane (1,2-DCP) is recognized as the causative chemical of occupational cholangiocarcinoma in printing workers in Japan. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms of 1,2-DCP-induced carcinogenesis remains elusive. The present study investigated cellular proliferation, DNA damage, apoptosis, and expression of antioxidant and proinflammatory genes in the liver of mice exposed daily to 1,2-DCP for 5 weeks, and the role of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) in these responses.

Annual stability of the plasma Aß40/42 ratio and associated factors.

Objective: The plasma Aß40/42 ratio is a biomarker of brain amyloidosis. However, the threshold difference between amyloid positivity and negativity is only 10-20% and fluctuates with circadian rhythms, aging, and APOE-ε4 during the decades of evolution of Alzheimer's disease.

Methods: Plasma Aß40 and Aß42 levels in 1472 participants aged between 19 and 93 years in the Iwaki Health Promotion Project for 4 years were statistically analyzed.

Plasma ApoE4 Levels Are Lower than ApoE2 and ApoE3 Levels, and Not Associated with Plasma Aβ40/42 Ratio as a Biomarker of Amyloid-β Amyloidosis in Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: APOE4 is the strongest risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, limited information is currently available on APOE4 and the pathological role of plasma apolipoprotein E (ApoE) 4 remains unclear.

Objective: The aims of the present study were to measure plasma levels of total ApoE (tE), ApoE2, ApoE3, and ApoE4 using mass spectrometry and elucidate the relationships between plasma ApoE and blood test items.

Human Heme Oxygenase-1 Promoter Activity Is Mediated by Z-DNA Formation.

In recent years, it has been shown that Z-DNA formation in DNA plays functionally significant roles in nucleic acid metabolism, such as gene expression, chromosome recombination, and epigenetic regulation. The reason for the identification of these effects is mainly due to the advancement of Z-DNA detection methods in target genome regions in living cells.The heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) gene encodes an enzyme that degrades an essential prosthetic heme, and environmental stimuli, including oxidative stress, lead to robust induction of the HO-1 gene.

Association of Plasma Lipopolysaccharide-Binding Protein Concentration with Dietary Factors, Gut Microbiota, and Health Status in the Japanese General Adult Population: A Cross-Sectional Study.

The influx of intestinal bacteria-derived lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into the blood has attracted attention as a cause of diseases. The aim of this study is investigating the associations between the influx of LPS, dietary factors, gut microbiota, and health status in the general adult population. Food/nutrient intake, gut microbiota, health status and plasma LPS-binding protein (LBP; LPS exposure indicator) were measured in 896 residents (58.

Association between Advanced Glycation End-Products, Carotenoids, and Severe Erectile Dysfunction.

Purpose: To investigate the association between skin advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) levels, blood antioxidative vitamin and carotenoid concentrations, and severe erectile dysfunction (ED) in community-dwelling men.

Materials And Methods: This cross-sectional study used the 5-Item International Index of Erectile Function to identify 335 community-dwelling men with ED. The accumulation of skin AGEs was assessed noninvasively by measuring skin autofluorescence.

Multiomics and artificial intelligence enabled peripheral blood-based prediction of amnestic mild cognitive impairment.

Background: Since dementia is preventable with early interventions, biomarkers that assist in diagnosing early stages of dementia, such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI), are urgently needed.

Methods: Multiomics analysis of amnestic MCI (aMCI) peripheral blood (n = 25) was performed covering the transcriptome, microRNA, proteome, and metabolome. Validation analysis for microRNAs was conducted in an independent cohort (n = 12).

Protective role of Nrf2 in zinc oxide nanoparticles-induced lung inflammation in female mice and sexual dimorphism in susceptibility.

Background: Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO-NPs) are currently employed in various products such as rubber, paint, and cosmetics. Our group reported recently that Nrf2 protein provides protection against pulmonary inflammation induced by ZnO-NPs in male mice. The current study investigated the effect of Nrf2 deletion on the lung inflammatory response in female mice exposed to ZnO-NPs.

Sulforaphane Increase Mitochondrial Biogenesis-Related Gene Expression in the Hippocampus and Suppresses Age-Related Cognitive Decline in Mice.

Sulforaphane (SFN) is a potent activator of the transcriptional factor, Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2 (NF-E2)-Related factor 2 (NRF2). SFN and its precursor, glucoraphanin (sulforaphane glucosinolate, SGS), have been shown to ameliorate cognitive function in clinical trials and studies. However, the effects of SGS on age-related cognitive decline in Senescence-Accelerated Mouse Prone 8 (SAMP8) is unknown.

Impact of salivary and pancreatic amylase gene copy numbers on diabetes, obesity, and functional profiles of microbiome in Northern Japanese population.

Amylase genes reside in a structurally complex locus, and their copy numbers vary greatly, and several studies have reported their association with obesity. The mechanism of this effect was partially explained by changes in the oral and gut microbiome compositions; however, a detailed mechanism has been unclarified. In this study, we showed their association with diabetes in addition to obesity, and further discovered a plausible mechanism of this association based on the function of commensal bacteria.