Calcium restriction for 28 days markedly and negatively influences bone mineral density of the femur and lumbar vertebrae regardless of the high-fat diet ingestion in young adult male rats.

Calcium (Ca) is necessary for bone calcification, and Ca deficiency leads to decreased bone mineral density (BMD). Epidemiological studies have reported a correlation between Ca intake and BMD. Although the influences of Ca deficiency on BMD have been reported, the effects of Ca restriction on bone during high-fat diet ingestion remain unclear.

Vitamin D restriction and/or a high-fat diet influence intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity and serum endotoxin concentration, increasing the risk of metabolic endotoxemia in rats.

Vitamin D insufficiency induces calcification disorder of bone or a decrease in bone mineral density, increasing the risk of fracture. Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, a differentiation marker for intestinal epithelial cells, is regulated by vitamin D. It has also been suggested that ALP may prevent metabolic endotoxemia by dephosphorylating lipopolysaccharide.

Characterization and Structure of Alternatively Spliced Transcript Variant of Human Intestinal Alkaline Phosphatase (ALPI) Gene.

Intestinal-type alkaline phosphatase (IAP) is expressed at a high concentration in the brush border membrane of intestinal epithelial cells and is known to be a gut mucosal defense factor. In humans, a single gene (ALPI) for IAP has been isolated, and its transcription produces two kinds of alternatively spliced mRNAs (aAug10 and bAug10). Recently, we discovered that vitamin D up-regulated the expression of both types of human IAP alternative splicing variants in Caco-2 cells.

Twenty-eight days of vitamin D restriction and/or a high-fat diet influenced bone mineral density and body composition in young adult female rats.

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is associated with the risk of osteoporosis, and also influences skeletal muscle functions. Recently, we reported that a high-fat diet with vitamin D restriction decreased bone mineral density (BMD) in young adult male rats. Therefore, we hypothesized that vitamin D restriction and/or a high-fat diet would influence BMD in young adult female rats.

A high-fat diet in the presence of vitamin D deficiency status is associated with a negative influence on calcaneal quantitative ultrasound parameters in young adults: a cross-sectional study.

Vitamin D deficiency and a high-fat diet are considered health problems worldwide. The aims of this study were to examine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency in young adults, factors related to the vitamin D status, and the influence of vitamin D deficiency and/or a high-fat diet on bone parameters. Here, we investigated the hypothesis that a high-fat diet in the presence of a vitamin D-deficient status would have a more negative influence on bone parameters than a normal-fat diet with such a status.

Influence of dietary vitamin D deficiency on bone strength, body composition, and muscle in ovariectomized rats fed a high-fat diet.

Objective: Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a greater risk for osteoporosis and also influences skeletal muscle functions. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of vitamin D restriction on ovariectomized (OVX) rats fed a high-fat diet.

Methods: Twenty-four 13-wk-old female rats were ovariectomized, and another 6 received a sham operation (Sham).

Vitamin D-restricted high-fat diet down-regulates expression of intestinal alkaline phosphatase isozymes in ovariectomized rats.

Intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) is expressed at a high concentration in the brush border membrane of intestinal epithelial cells. Intestinal alkaline phosphatase controls bacterial endotoxin-induced inflammation by dephosphorylating lipopolysaccharide and is a gut mucosal defense factor. Previously, we reported that IAP activity in the duodenum was significantly decreased in male rats receiving a high-fat diet with vitamin D restriction.

1-alpha,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D up-regulates the expression of 2 types of human intestinal alkaline phosphatase alternative splicing variants in Caco-2 cells and may be an important regulator of their expression in gut homeostasis.

Vitamin D insufficiency is associated with a greater risk of osteoporosis and also influences skeletal muscle functions, differentiation, and development. The principal function of vitamin D in calcium homeostasis is to increase the absorption of calcium from the intestine, and the level of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, a differentiation marker for intestinal epithelial cells, is regulated by vitamin D. Intestinal-type ALP is expressed at a high concentration in the brush border membrane of intestinal epithelial cells, and is known to be affected by several kinds of nutrients.

Menaquinone-4 (vitamin K) up-regulates expression of human intestinal alkaline phosphatase in Caco-2 cells.

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) hydrolyzes several monophosphate esters into inorganic acid and alcohol. In humans, 4 kinds of ALP isozymes have been identified: tissue-nonspecific ALP, intestinal ALP, placental ALP, and germ cell ALP. Intestinal ALP is expressed at a high concentration in the brush border membrane of intestinal epithelial cells and is known to be affected by several kinds of nutrients, such as lipids, but the physiological function of intestinal ALP has remained elusive.

Influences of dietary vitamin D restriction on bone strength, body composition and muscle in rats fed a high-fat diet: involvement of mRNA expression of MyoD in skeletal muscle.

Vitamin D insufficiency is associated with a greater risk of osteoporosis and also influences skeletal muscle functions, differentiation and development. The present study investigated the influences of vitamin D restriction on the body composition, bone and skeletal muscle in rats fed a high-fat diet. Sprague-Dawley strain male rats (11weeks old) were divided into four groups and fed experimental diets: a basic control diet (Cont.

Effects of Fok-I polymorphism in vitamin D receptor gene on serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase and calcaneal quantitative ultrasound parameters in young adults.

Several genes have been implicated as genetic determinants of osteoporosis. Vitamin D receptor (VDR) is an intracellular hormone receptor that specifically binds to the biologically active form of vitamin D, 1-alpha, 25- dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1, 25(OH)2D], and mediates its effects. One of the most frequently studied single nucleotide polymorphisms is the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) Fok-I (rs2228570).

Peyer's patches and mesenteric lymph nodes cooperatively promote enteropathy in a mouse model of food allergy.

Background And Objective: To improve the efficacy and safety of tolerance induction for food allergies, identifying the tissues responsible for inducing intestinal inflammation and subsequent oral tolerance is important. We used OVA23-3 mice, which express an ovalbumin-specific T-cell receptor, to elucidate the roles of local and systemic immune tissues in intestinal inflammation.

Methods And Results: OVA23-3 mice developed marked enteropathy after consuming a diet containing egg white (EW diet) for 10 days but overcame the enteropathy (despite continued moderate inflammation) after receiving EW diet for a total of 28 days.

Effects of gamma-glutamyl carboxylase gene polymorphism (R325Q) on the association between dietary vitamin K intake and gamma-carboxylation of osteocalcin in young adults.

Introduction: It has been demonstrated that single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) (R325Q, 974G>A) in the gamma-glutamyl carboxylase (GGCX) gene is associated with the bone mineral density (BMD). In the present study, we investigated the effect of GGCX polymorphism (974G>A) on the correlations among the vitamin K in-take, level of serum vitamin K, and ratio of undercarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) to intact osteocalcin (OC) in healthy young Japanese subjects.

Methods: Healthy young adult subjects (n=189) were genotyped for the poly-morphism, and we measured the levels of serum vitamin K, intact OC, ucOC, and dietary nutrient intakes.

A study of the association between serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase and serum phosphorus concentration or dietary phosphorus intake.

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) hydrolyzes a variety of monophosphate esters into phosphoric acid and alcohol at a high optimum pH (pH 8-10). Human ALPs are classified into four types: tissue-non specific (TNSALP, liver/bone/kidney), intestinal, placental, and germ cell types. Based on studies of hypophosphatasia (HPP), which is a systemic bone disease caused by the presence of either one or two pathologic mutations in ALPL that encodes TNSALP, TNSALP was suggested to be indispensable for skeletal mineralization.

Associations between serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase activity, biochemical parameters, and functional polymorphisms of the tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase gene in a Japanese population.

Introduction: We had demonstrated that single nucleotide polymorphism (787T>C) in the tissue-nonspecific ALP (TNSALP) gene was associated with the bone mineral density (BMD). BMD was the lowest among TNSALP 787T homozygotes (TT-type) and highest among TNSALP 787T>C homozygotes (CC-type) in postmenopausal women. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the TNSALP genotype on associations among serum bonespecific alkaline phosphatase (BAP), serum calcium, and phosphorus in healthy young Japanese subjects.

Spatiotemporal disorder in the axial skeleton development of the Mesp2-null mouse: a model of spondylocostal dysostosis and spondylothoracic dysostosis.

Spondylocostal dysostosis (SCDO) is a genetic disorder characterized by severe malformation of the axial skeleton. Mesp2 encodes a basic helix-loop-helix type transcription factor that is required for somite formation. Its human homologue, Mesp2, is a gene affected in patients with SCDO and a related vertebral disorder, spondylothoracic dysostosis (STDO).

Retention of bone strength by feeding of milk and dairy products in ovariectomized rats: involvement of changes in serum levels of 1alpha, 25(OH)2D3 and FGF23.

The current study compared the effects of milk, yogurt or whey on the bone strength, body composition and serum biomarkers. Forty 12-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were ovariectomized (OVX), and another nine rats received a sham operation (Sham-Cont). After a 1-week recovery period, the OVX rats were divided into four dietary groups: OVX-control group (OVX-Cont), 17% skimmed milk powder diet group (OVX-Milk), 17% powdered fermented milk diet group (OVX-Yogurt) and 12% whey powder and 6% whey protein extract diet group (OVX-Whey) (n=10 in each group).

Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) or vitamin K2 (menaquinone-4) induces intestinal alkaline phosphatase gene expression.

Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) hydrolyzes a variety of monophosphate esters into inorganic acid and alcohol at a high optimum pH (pH 8-10). Previously, we identified a significant increase of intestinal ALP (IAP) activity in the rat intestine on long-term dietary vitamin K supplementation. However, it was unclear whether the induction of ALP gene expression was caused by vitamin K intake.

Effects of long-term vitamin K(1) (phylloquinone) or vitamin K(2) (menaquinone-4) supplementation on body composition and serum parameters in rats.

Vitamin K is a cofactor for γ-glutamyl carboxylase, which is an essential enzyme for the γ-carboxylation of vitamin K-dependent proteins such as osteocalcin and matrix Gla protein. Although it has been suggested that vitamin K plays an important role in the improvement of bone metabolism, the relationship between dietary vitamin K intake and bone metabolism has not been thoroughly investigated. Moreover, vitamin K is thought to have other actions beyond influencing the γ-carboxylation status.

[Development of oral function and eating habits of infants living in a city area of Japan: in relation to the results of dental health examinations of infants aged 14 months at public health centers].

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between eruption of deciduous teeth and eating habits determined by health examinations of infants.

Methods: We verified eruption of deciduous teeth based on observations of 455 fourteen-month-old infants at health examinations in a ward of Tokyo, and performed a questionnaire survey involving their mothers regarding the hardness of infants' meals and their eating habits. We examined 420 infants excluding 17 whose births were 'pre-term delivery (born at or before 36 weeks)' and 18 whose questionnaire had excessive omissions.

Molecular effects of the tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase gene polymorphism (787T > C) associated with bone mineral density.

Based on studies of hypophosphatasia, which is a systemic skeletal disorder resulting from tissuenonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP) deficiency, TNSALP was suggested to be indispensable for bone mineralization. Recently, we demonstrated that there was a significant difference in bone mineral density (BMD) among haplotypes, which was lowest among TNSALP (787T [Tyr-246Tyr]) homozygotes, highest among TNSALP (787T > C [Tyr246His]) homozygotes, and intermediate among heterozygotes. To analyze protein translated from the TNSALP gene 787T > C, we performed the biosynthesis of TNSALPs using TNSALP cDNA expression vectors.

Functional assay of the mutant tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase gene using U2OS osteoblast-like cells.

Tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) plays a key role in mineralization. A defect in the TNAP gene causes hypophosphatasia, which is characteristic of systemic skeletal hypomineralization. To determine the mineralizing ability of the mutant proteins, we developed a functional assay that uses U2OS osteoblast-like cells.

[Relationships between smoking and eating habits or behavior in male students].

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate relationships between smoking and eating habits or behavior in male students.

Methods: We performed a questionnaire regarding smoking, eating habits, eating behavior, and the frequency of food intake for 277 male students. We also measured bone mass by a quantitative ultrasound device, along with height, weight, body fat, and gripping power.

Nutritional effects of gamma-glutamyl carboxylase gene polymorphism on the correlation between the vitamin K status and gamma-carboxylation of osteocalcin in young males.

Vitamin K is a cofactor for gamma-glutamyl carboxylase (GGCX), which is an essential enzyme for the gamma-carboxylation of vitamin K-dependent proteins such as osteocalcin (OC). Associations among dietary vitamin K intake, vitamin K status, and bone metabolism have not been thoroughly investigated. Recently, it has been reported that single nucleotide polymorphisms of GGCX (R325Q, 974G>A) were associated with age-related bone loss and the kinetic affinity for the substrate.

Effects of dietary lactose on long-term high-fat-diet-induced obesity in rats.

Objective: In this study, we examined the effects of lactose on long-term high-fat-diet-induced obesity in rats.

Research Methods And Procedures: A total of 112 Sprague-Dawley strain female rats (6 weeks old) were divided into four groups: a basic control diet group (Cont), 10% lactose diet group (Lac), high-fat diet group (Fat), and high-fat with 10% lactose diet group (Fat+Lac). After 0, 7, 14, and 84 days from starting the experimental diet, the animals were fasted overnight and killed by bleeding from the abdominal aorta under anesthesia (n = 8 or 9/group).