Inhibition by 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 of activin A-induced differentiation of murine erythroleukemic F5-5 cells.

1alpha,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1alpha,25-(OH)2D3) and other vitamin D3 (VD3) analogs enhanced the inhibitory effect of Activin A on murine erythroleukemia (MEL) cell proliferation and differentiation in a dose-dependent manner. 1alpha,25-(OH)2D3 inhibited differentiation more potently than proliferation by one order of magnitude. The VD3 analog study demonstrated either effect of VD3 on MEL cells via vitamin D receptor (VDR), as evidenced from the close relationship with the reported affinities for VDR.

[Effects of long-term administration of alfacalcidol on bone mass and bone metabolism in patients with primary osteoporosis--comparison with calcium preparations].

Long-term administration of active vitamin D3 can reduce the loss of bone mass and the incidence of fractures in Japanese whose intake of calcium (Ca) is low. In a crossover study, we examined the safety and efficacy of 1 alpha (OH)D3 and combination therapy with a Ca preparation. We measured bone mass, the incidence of fractures and bone metabolism in 33 elderly patients with a high risk of fracture (mean age: 77.

Hydrolysis of AMPPNP by the motor domain of ncd, a kinesin-related protein.

AMPPNP was found to be hydrolyzed by the motor domain of ncd (the product of a Drosophila gene, non-claret disjunctional), a kinesin-related protein. This hydrolysis could be monitored by 31P NMR spectroscopy and by an assay of phosphate, one of the products of the hydrolysis. The rate was approximately 0.

A case of membranous glomerulonephritis associated with gastric cancer.

We describe a patient with gastric cancer and membranous glomerulonephritis (MGN). The patient, a 61-year-old male, was admitted to our Hospital in May, 1996, because of proteinuria and hyperlipidemia persisting for a year. Laboratory examination filled the criteria of nephrotic syndrome and renal biopsy revealed MGN of stage II.

[Minimally invasive technique for mitral valve repair--the importance of intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography].

A 65-year-old male with mitral regurgitation was scheduled for the mitral valve repair by means of minimally invasive technique. The technique, which requires a 10-cm right parasternal incision, offers minimal discomfort, less postoperative pain, quick functional recovery and excellent cosmetic healing. However, the intraoperative monitoring by the transesophageal echocardiography was required to evaluate the mitral valve function and to confirm the complete removal of air from the apex of the left ventricle and right upper pulmonary vein due to the small operative field.

Renal function and insulin resistance as determinants of plasma leptin levels in patients with NIDDM.

Plasma leptin level is known to correlate with the degree of obesity. To determine the influences of renal function and insulin resistance on plasma leptin concentrations, we measured plasma leptin concentrations and performed the euglycaemic hyperinsulinaemic clamp studies in 57 patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus with a wide range of renal function. In simple regression analyses, plasma leptin concentration showed significant positive correlations with percentage of body fat measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, body mass index, waist to hip ratio and fasting plasma insulin.

Atherogenic lipoprotein changes in the absence of hyperlipidemia in patients with chronic renal failure treated by hemodialysis.

We compared plasma lipid and lipoprotein parameters between 210 chronic renal failure patients treated by hemodialysis and 223 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects to examine whether atherogenic lipoprotein changes were present in hemodialysis patients in the absence of hyperlipidemia. The hemodialysis group showed higher levels of plasma triglycerides, very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) cholesterol, and intermediate density lipoprotein (IDL) cholesterol and a lower level of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol of the hemodialysis group was not elevated but their LDL was significantly more triglyceride-enriched than that of controls.

Parathyroid hormone-related peptide as a local regulator of vascular calcification. Its inhibitory action on in vitro calcification by bovine vascular smooth muscle cells.

In the present study, we investigated the role of parathyroid hormone-related peptide (PTHrP) in vascular calcification by using an in vitro calcification model. We demonstrated that the expression of PTHrP decreased in the progression of bovine vascular smooth muscle cell (BVSMC) calcification and that inhibition of calcification by etidronate (EHDP) and levamisole restored PTHrP secretion, suggesting that the expression of PTHrP is associated with calcification. PTHrP (1-34) and PTH (1-34) dose-dependently inhibited BVSMC calcification.

Intrarenal hemodynamic abnormalities in diabetic nephropathy measured by duplex Doppler sonography.

Intrarenal hemodynamics were studied by duplex Doppler sonography in 112 inpatients with type II diabetes mellitus (DM; 65 males, 47 females, 58 +/- 13 years old). The resistive index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) of the interlobar arteries were calculated. The patients were divided into four groups: group I consisted of patients with urinary albumin excretion (UAE) < 20 micrograms/min (N = 42), group II with 20 < or = UAE < 200 (N = 28), group III with UAE > or = 200 (N = 25), and group IV with serum creatinine > or = 1.

Protein kinase C delta inhibits the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells by suppressing G1 cyclin expression.

To elucidate the physiological role of protein kinase C (PKC) delta, a ubiquitously expressed isoform in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), PKC delta was stably overexpressed in A7r5 cells, rat clonal VSMC. The [3H]thymidine incorporation in A7r5 overexpressed with PKC delta (DVs) was suppressed to 37.1 +/- 16.

Gastric myoelectrical activity in patients with diabetes. Role of glucose control and autonomic nerve function.

Objective: Gastric myoelectrical activity was studied in diabetic patients using electrogastrography (EGG) to elucidate the relationship between glucose control, diabetic autonomic neuropathy (AN), and gastrointestinal motility.

Research Design And Methods: Cutaneous EGG was recorded during 1 h of fasting and 1 h after the ingestion of a standard meal in 57 diabetic patients and 10 healthy subjects. EGG was measured in 12 diabetic patients after glycemic control for 4 weeks.

Osteopontin gene expression and protein synthesis in cultured rat mesangial cells.

It is controversial whether osteopontin (OP) is expressed in glomeruli and involved in glomerular diseases. We examined whether the OP expression is present at gene and protein levels in cultured rat mesangial cells (MCs). Northern blotting revealed a 1.

Effect of polymorphism of apolipoprotein E and angiotensin-converting enzyme genes on arterial wall thickness.

We examined the association between the polymorphism of the apolipoprotein E (apoE) and the ACE genes and the intima-media thickness (IMT) of the carotid and femoral arteries measured using ultrasonography. The values of IMT of each artery were significantly higher in NIDDM patients (n = 356) than in control subjects (n = 235). The E4 allele or the D allele did not affect clinical characteristics, including age, fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, or blood pressure, in NIDDM or control subjects.

Identification of kinesin neck region as a stable alpha-helical coiled coil and its thermodynamic characterization.

The kinesin heavy chain consists of an N-terminal globular domain, referred to as the motor domain, a rod-like middle region, and a C-terminal domain. In this study, the human kinesin neck region, the region adjacent to the motor domain which promotes dimerization, has been investigated. First, we predicted coiled-coil regions including the neck region by our newly devised statistical method.

Positive correlation between levels of IL-1 or IL-2 and 1,25(OH)2D/25-OH-D ratio in synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The present study determined the levels in synovial fluid (SF) of vitamin D metabolites (1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D), 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (24,25(OH)2D) and 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OH-D)), and of the cytokines. We evaluated SF from 21 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 6 patients with osteoarthritis (OA). The levels of vitamin D metabolites in SF, as determined by two different extraction methods, were significantly correlated (p < 0.

History of vitamin D treatment of renal osteodystrophy.

Vitamin D treatment was tried when renal osteodystrophy was first recognized in the early 20th century, using vitamin D2, D3, or dihydrotachysterol. Large doses of vitamin D2 or D3 (150,000-500,000 IU) were prescribed by monitoring serum calcium, phosphate, and alkaline phosphatase. After the discovery of 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol, this compound or 1 alpha-hydroxycholecalciferol was applied to the treatment of renal osteodystrophy.

Comparison of ncd and kinesin motor domains by circular dichroism spectroscopy.

ncd is a microtubule motor protein from Drosophila, having a 40 kDa domain homologous to the kinesin motor domain. In the present study, we investigated the circular dichroism (CD) spectra of the ncd motor domain in comparison with those of the kinesin motor domain. Although the two are about 40% identical in amino acid sequence, and recent X-ray crystallographic studies [Sablin, Kull, Cooke, Vale, and Fletterick (1996) Nature 380, 555-559; Kull, Sablin, Lau, Fletterick, and Vale (1996) Nature 380, 550-555] indicate that their core structures are nearly identical, the far UV CD spectra of ncd and kinesin motor domains, both being monomeric, were considerably different from each other, suggesting a significant difference in the secondary, especially loop structures.