In Vitro and In Silico Studies on Angiotensin I-Converting Enzyme Inhibitory Peptides Found in Hydrophobic Domains of Porcine Elastin.

One of the most striking aspects of the primary structure in the hydrophobic domains of the tropoelastin molecule is the occurrence of the VAPGVG repeating sequence. Since the N-terminal tripeptide VAP of VAPGVG showed a potent ACE inhibitory activity, the ACE inhibitory activity of various derivatives of VAP was examined in vitro. The results showed that VAP derivative peptides VLP, VGP, VSP, GAP, LSP, and TRP exhibited potent ACE inhibitory activities, while the non-derivative peptide APG showed only weak activity.

Structural requirements essential for elastin coacervation: favorable spatial arrangements of valine ridges on the three-dimensional structure of elastin-derived polypeptide (VPGVG)n.

The elastin precursor tropoelastin possesses a number of polymeric peptides with repeating 3-9 mer sequences. One of these is the pentapeptide Val-Pro-Gly-Val-Gly (VPGVG) present in almost all animal species, and its polymer (VPGVG)n coacervates just as does tropoelastin. In the present study, in order to explore the structural requirements essential for coacervation, (VPGVG)n and its shortened repeat analogs (VPGV)n, (VPG)n, and (PGVG)n were synthesized and their structural properties were investigated.

Elastin peptides prepared from piscine and mammalian elastic tissues inhibit collagen-induced platelet aggregation and stimulate migration and proliferation of human skin fibroblasts.

We obtained pure elastin peptides from bovine ligamentum nuchae, porcine aorta, and bonito bulbus arteriosus. The inhibitory activity of these elastin peptides on platelet aggregation induced by collagen and the migratory and proliferative responsivenesses of human skin fibroblasts to these elastin peptides were examined. All of bonito, bovine, and porcine elastin peptides found to inhibit platelet aggregation, but bonito elastin peptides showed a higher inhibitory activity than bovine and porcine elastin peptides did.

Involvement of fibronectin and matrix metalloproteinases in airway smooth muscle cell migration for the process of airway remodeling.

Background: Airway remodeling is a repair process occurring after airway injury; its primary histopathological features are subepithelial fibrosis and smooth muscle thickening of the bronchi. These histopathological changes are considered to occur due to bronchial smooth muscle cells (bSMC) that secrete extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, which work as chemoattractants and influence cell migration. Therefore, we examined the interaction between bSMCs and ECM proteins in vitro for understanding the remodeling process in the bronchi.

Purification, characterization and biological activities of a garlic oligosaccharide.

A novel oligosaccharide was purified from garlic (Allium sativum L.) bulbs via hot water extraction, ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography. The molecular weight of the oligosaccharide was determined to be 1800.

Immunochemical and immunohistochemical studies on distribution of elastin fibres in human atherosclerotic lesions using a polyclonal antibody to elastin-derived hexapeptide repeat.

A polyclonal antibody to elastin-derived hexapeptide repeat, H-(Val-Gly-Val-Ala-Pro-Gly)(3)-NH(2), was prepared in order to investigate the differences between elastin fibres in intimal hyperplasia and media in human atheroscleroic lesions. The hexapeptide repeat and alpha-elastin were recognized by this polyclonal antibody in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), but other elastin-derived peptides such as tetrapeptide repeat, pentapeptide repeat and nonapeptide were not. In the series of hexapeptide repeats, H-(VGVAPG)(n)-NH(2) where n is 1-7, the polyclonal antibody reacted strongly with oligomers (n = 3-7) and weakly with dimer (n = 2), but not with monomer (n = 1).

Induction of macrophage migration through lactose-insensitive receptor by elastin-derived nonapeptides and their analog.

Elastin, one of the extracellular matrix components, is present in tissues requiring extensibility and resilience such as the aorta, lungs, ligaments and skin. Degradation of elastin is observed in diseases such as atherosclerosis, emphysema and metastasis. It has been suggested that degraded elastin-derived peptides interact with a variety of cell types and are involved in development of diseases.

Important role of blood rheology in atherosclerosis of patients with hemodialysis.

Concerning a role of blood rheology for atherosclerosis in patients with hemodialysis (HD), little data are available. It may be due to the fact that the method for evaluating rheologic properties of circulating blood has been limited. We examined blood rheology in 118 HD patients by using microchannel array flow analyzer that makes it possible to directly observe the flow of blood cell elements through the microchannel.

Manganese-induced Parkinsonism in a patient undergoing maintenance hemodialysis.

We report a rare case of manganese (Mn)-induced parkinsonism in a patient on maintenance hemodialysis therapy who complained of gait disturbance and dysarthria. His symptoms and abnormal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of the brain were thought to be caused, at least in part, by long-term ingestion of a health supplement (Chlorella extract) that contained 1.7 mg of Mn in the usual daily dose.

LDL-apheresis improves peripheral arterial occlusive disease with an implication for anti-inflammatory effects.

Although it is known that LDL-apheresis improves ischemic limb seen in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease (PAOD), anti-inflammatory effects are not well known. We studied whether or not serum or plasma levels of high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), monocyte chemoatractant protein-1 (MCP-1), or fibrinogen could contribute to favorable effects for ischemic limbs after LDL-apheresis. Twenty-eight patients with PAOD (24 men, 4 women) were enrolled in our study.

High prevalence of occult coronary artery stenosis in patients with chronic kidney disease at the initiation of renal replacement therapy: an angiographic examination.

The prevalence of coronary artery stenosis (CAS) at the initiation of renal replacement therapy (RRT) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and no previous history of angina and/or myocardial infarction (MI) has not been fully elucidated. The prevalence of significant CAS was evaluated in 30 asymptomatic stage 5 CKD patients without a history of angina and/or MI by coronary angiography at the initiation of RRT. The correlations of various parameters with the prevalence of CAS were also examined.

[A case of advanced gastric cancer effectively treated by combined chemotherapy of paclitaxel (TXL) and CDDP].

The patient was a 73-year-old man with unresectable advanced gastric cancer and celiac and supraclavicular lymph node metastases. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy consisting of paclitaxel (TXL) and CDDP was administered. TXL (80 mg/m2) and CDDP (25 mg/m2) was administered weekly on day 1, 8 and 15 as 1 cycle.

Modification of elastin by pentosidine is associated with the calcification of aortic media in patients with end-stage renal disease.

Background: Calcification of the media of arteries is common in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing haemodialysis and is a major cause of arteriosclerosis. The aim of this study was to clarify the role of glycoxidative modification of elastin in the calcification of aortic media in this group of patients.

Methods: Samples of tunica media were obtained from non-atherosclerotic areas of the aortas of cadavers of seven non-diabetic patients with ESRD (age 65.

Possible involvement of increased glycoxidation and lipid peroxidation of elastin in atherogenesis in haemodialysis patients.

Background: Glycoxidation and lipid peroxidation products accumulate in collagen of various tissues in haemodialysis patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that increased glycoxidation and lipid peroxidation of aortic elastin is implicated in the cardiovascular complications, particularly atherosclerosis, of chronic haemodialysis patients.

Methods: Post-mortem aortic samples were obtained from 16 deceased subjects, including chronic haemodialysis patients (group 1 n=6, age 64.

Expression of 36-kDa microfibril-associated glycoprotein (MAGP-36) in human keratinocytes and its localization in skin.

Microfibril-associated glycoprotein-36 (MAGP-36) is a recently isolated elastin-binding protein and considered to be a member of microfibril-associated glycoproteins (MAGPs). We studied the expression of MAGP-36 in cultured normal human keratinocytes and its localization in the skin. MAGP-36 was found to be expressed in cultured human keratinocytes by Western blot and RT-PCR assays.