[Antithrombotic Action of Alcohol in Relation to Platelet Function].

The relationship between alcohol consumption and incident ischemic heart disease and stroke is characterized by a J- or U-shape. This denotes that light drinking has a preventive effect on cardiovascular diseases. Effects of alcohol drinking on lipid metabolism including an increase in HDL cholesterol concentration and a decrease in LDL cholesterol concentration are the main reasons for the anti-atherosclerotic action of alcohol.

Differences in serum and plasma levels of microRNAs and their time-course changes after blood collection.

Background: Serum and plasma are used for measurements of microRNAs (miRNAs) as biomarkers of various diseases. However, no consistent findings have been obtained regarding differences in serum and plasma levels of miRNAs. The purpose of this study was to clarify differences in serum and plasma levels of total miRNAs and their time-course changes after blood collection.

Augmentation by resveratrol of the inhibitory effect of ethanol on platelet aggregation.

Ethanol and resveratrol have been shown to inhibit platelet aggregation. The aim of this study was to determine whether resveratrol has an additional effect on ethanol-induced inhibition of platelet aggregation. Ca entry and subsequent aggregation of human platelets were measured by the fluorescence method and light transmittance method, respectively.

Evidence for Indoxyl Sulfate as an Inducer of Oxidative Stress in Patients With Diabetes.

Background/aim: Indoxyl sulfate is a metabolite of tryptophan and its urinary level reflects the status of bacterial flora in the intestine. Indoxyl sulfate possesses prooxidant properties and is implicated in various diseases including chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular diseases. However, the relation of urinary indoxyl sulfate to oxidative stress is not known.

Data on urinary pteridines as a discriminator of atherosclerotic risk in patients with diabetes.

Presented here are the supplemental data of the research article "Urinary pteridines as a discriminator of atherosclerotic risk in patients with diabetes" [1]. These data provide the first information on variables that affect urinary levels of pteridines (oxidized-form pteridine derivatives) in patients with diabetes mellitus. In linear regression analysis, gender (women vs.

Relationship of urinary liver-type fatty acid-binding protein with cardiovascular risk factors in the Japanese population without chronic kidney disease: Sasayama study.

Background: Urinary liver-type fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) is a well-known marker of proximal tubular impairment. We evaluated the relationship between cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and levels of L-FABP in a cross-sectional community-based study. Participants with normoalbuminuria and normal estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), that is, non-chronic kidney disease (non-CKD), were enrolled in this study.

Resveratrol inhibits Ca signals and aggregation of platelets.

Background: Resveratrol has been shown to inhibit platelet aggregation. However, the mechanism for this action of resveratrol remains to be clarified. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the Ca-related mechanism for the inhibitory action of resveratrol on platelet aggregation.

Inverse association between habitual alcohol drinking and d-dimer in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Alcohol is known to inhibit blood coagulation. Patients with diabetes mellitus are prone to show hypercoagulability. However, it remains to be clarified whether and how habitual alcohol drinking affects coagulability in patients with diabetes.

Inhibition by Ethanol of Shear Stress-Induced Formation of Platelet Thrombi in Whole Blood.

Aims: The risk of thromboatherosclerotic disease is lower in moderate drinkers than in non-drinkers. We investigated the effects of ethanol on platelet aggregation under a condition with shear stress.

Short Summary: Shear stress-induced formation of platelet thrombi is inhibited by ethanol at its attainable concentrations after drinking.

Relationships of oxidized HDL with blood coagulation and fibrinolysis in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Although oxidization of LDL is known to be a crucial step for atherosclerotic progression, the significance of oxidized HDL remains to be clarified. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationships of oxidized HDL with blood coagulation and fibrinolysis in patients with diabetes. The subjects were outpatients with type 2 diabetes (n = 163; median hemoglobin A1c, 6.

Effects of methanol and formic acid on human platelet aggregation.

Background: Although ethanol is known to inhibit platelet aggregation, the effects of another variant of alcohol, methanol, have not been reported. The purpose of this study was to determine whether methanol and its metabolite, formic acid, affect Ca entry into and subsequent aggregation of platelets in vitro.

Methods: Ca entry into and aggregation of human platelets were measured by spectrofluorometry using Fura-2/AM as an indicator and the light transmission method, respectively.

Detection of Subclinical Peripheral Artery Ischemia in Healthy Male Smokers by an Ankle-Brachial Index After Exercise: Sasayama Study.

We investigated the relationship between smoking and the risk of nonnormal (≤0.99) ankle-brachial index (ABI) at rest and after ankle plantar flexion exercise in healthy male community dwellers. A cross-sectional study was performed including 228 Japanese men aged 40 to 64 years without a history of cardiovascular diseases.

Cysteinylated transthyretin as a discriminator of cardiovascular risk in patients with diabetes mellitus.

Background: The cysteine residue on transthyretin (TTR) is susceptible to be oxidized, and serum cysteinylated TTR (Cys-TTR) level is thought to reflect oxidative stress. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the relationship between Cys-TTR and arterial stiffness, a known predictor of cardiovascular disease, in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Methods: The subjects were 105 male outpatients with type 2 diabetes.

Selective induction of anti-inflammatory monocyte-platelet aggregates in a model of pulsatile blood flow at low shear rates.

In patients with cardiovascular abnormalities or immunological disorders, an increased number of circulating leukocyte-platelet aggregates is observed. Leukocyte-platelet aggregates play an essential role in linking the hemostatic and immune systems. High shear stress and pro-coagulant and pro-inflammatory stimulants are known to activate platelets and promote the formation of aggregates.

Potential Biomarker Peptides Associated with Acute Alcohol-Induced Reduction of Blood Pressure.

The purpose of this study was to explore the peptides that are related to acute reduction of blood pressure after alcohol drinking. Venous blood was collected from male healthy volunteers before and after drinking white wine (3 ml/kg weight) containing 13% of ethanol. Peptidome analysis for serum samples was performed using a new target plate, BLOTCHIP®.

Association between serum long-chain n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid profiles and glomerular filtration rate assessed by serum creatinine and cystatin C levels in Japanese community-dwellers.

Background: Plasma concentration of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) has been reported to be associated with renal function in Western populations. However, few studies have investigated the association between serum long-chain n-3 and n-6 PUFA profiles and renal function in a Japanese population with high marine-derived long-chain n-3 PUFA intake.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in 549 Japanese rural community-dwellers aged 40 to 64 years.

[Hairy cell leukemia accompanied by Evans syndrome].

We report a case of Western type hairy cell leukemia (HCL), a very rare leukemia in Japan. In this malignancy, leukemic cells in a peripheral blood film may be missed due in part to accompanying pancytopenia and in part to loss of typical cytoplasmic projections if prepared in a conventional Japanese way using forced air-drying. Our present patient also had a variety of autoantibodies and the clinical picture was primarily that of Evans syndrome (ES), suggesting disturbed immune responses associated with the HCL.

Inhibition of thrombin-induced Ca²⁺ influx in platelets by R59949, an inhibitor of diacylglycerol kinase.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine whether diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) is involved in transplasmalemmal Ca²⁺ influx of platelets.

Methods: Effects of R59949, an inhibitor of diacylglycerol kinase, on intracellular Ca²⁺ concentration ([Ca²⁺](i) ) and mRNA expression of DGK isozymes were investigated using washed human platelet suspensions.

Key Findings: Thrombin-induced increase in [Ca²⁺](i) was significantly inhibited by pretreatment of platelets with R59949, while thapsigargin-induced increase in [Ca²⁺](i) was comparable in platelets with and without R59949 pretreatment.

Attenuated phagocytic activity of monocytes in type 2 diabetic Goto-Kakizaki rats.

The aim of this study was to determine whether phagocytic activity of leukocytes is altered in type 2 diabetes. Goto-Kakizaki (G-K) rats, a genetic model for type 2 diabetes, and Wistar rats (control) were used to analyze the immunological status of phagocytes. Direct analysis of phagocytes was performed using peripheral whole blood.

Diverse effects of ethanol on Ca2+ entry and subsequent aggregation of platelets.

Although alcohol is known to inhibit platelet aggregation, and transplasmalemmal Ca(2+) entry is profoundly involved in platelet aggregation, there has been limited knowledge about the relationship between alcohol and Ca(2+) entry. The purpose of this study was to determine whether and how ethanol in vitro affects Ca(2+) entry through different pathways and the subsequent aggregation of platelets. Thapsigargin, 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol (OAG), and thrombin were used to stimulate human platelets.

Sensitivity of thrombin-induced platelet aggregation to inhibition by ethanol.

Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the concentration of ethanol required for inhibition of thrombin-induced aggregation of human platelets in vitro.

Methods: Three methods, light transmission method, particle counting method using light scattering and screen filtration pressure method using whole blood, were used for evaluation of platelet aggregation.

Results: Thrombin (0.

TRPC4 expression determines sensitivity of the platelet-type capacitative Ca2+ entry channel to intracellular alkalosis.

The present study was designed to analyze the molecular basis of the intracellular pH-dependent capacitative Ca2+ entry (CCE) of human platelets and megakaryocytic cells, specifically to test the hypothesis that members of the classical transient receptor potential (TRPC) protein family are involved in the CCE pathway that is promoted by intracellular alkalosis. Human platelets as well as the tested megakaryocytic cell lines (CMK cells, MEG-01 cells) and HEK293 cells displayed thapsigargin-induced CCE and responded to monensin with comparable elevation in intracellular pH. Promotion of CCE by monensin-induced intracellular alkalosis, however, was profound in mature platelets, moderate in CMK cells and lacking in MEG-01 cells as well as in HEK293 cells.