Neutrophil phagocytosis is down-regulated by nucleotides until encounter with pathogens.

Extracellular nucleotides such as ATP, ADP, UTP, UDP and UDPG can trigger intracellular signal transduction via purinergic (P2Y) receptors, and their interaction induces a wide range of biological effects in various cells. In this study, we investigated P2Y expression and the effects of nucleotides on chemotaxis and phagocytosis in human neutrophils. RT-PCR detected broad expression of P2Y subfamilies in neutrophils, as well as monocytes.

Association study of RGS2 gene polymorphisms with panic disorder in Japanese.

Genetic factors for panic disorder have been consistently observed in family and twin studies. Regulators of G-protein signaling (RGS) is a family of proteins that negatively regulate the intracellular signaling of G protein-coupled receptors such as dopamine and serotonin receptors. RGS2, one of the RGS families, has been suggested to plays a role in anxiety and/or aggressive behavior.

A putative cis-acting polymorphism in the NOS1 gene is associated with schizophrenia and NOS1 immunoreactivity in the postmortem brain.

Schizophrenia is a devastating neurodevelopmental disorder whose genetic influences remain elusive. Recent genome-wide scans revealed that rare structural variants disrupted multiple genes in neurodevelopmental pathways, which strongly implicate nitric oxide (NO) signaling in schizophrenia. NO acts as a second messenger of N-methyl-D aspartate receptor activation, which further interacts with both dopaminergic and serotonergic pathways.

Common genetic variations in TPH1/TPH2 genes are not associated with schizophrenia in Japanese population.

Alteration of serotonin transmission in the brain of patients with schizophrenia has been reported in postmortem brain studies, cerebrospinal fluid studies, and pharmacological challenges. Although a genetic association of tryptophan hydroxylase isoform 1 (TPH1), the rate-limiting enzyme in serotonin synthesis, with schizophrenia has been suggested by recent systematic meta-analyses, the newly identified neuronal isoform TPH2 is more relevant to the central nervous system and the association of TPH2 gene with schizophrenia has been much less explored. We, therefore, explored the association of TPH2 gene with schizophrenia using a case-control study of 720 Japanese populations and also tried to replicate the association of the TPH1 rs1800532 (A218C) single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) with schizophrenia.

Expression of Kruppel-like factor 5 gene in human brain and association of the gene with the susceptibility to schizophrenia.

Genome-wide gene expression analysis using DNA microarray technology is a potential tool to search for unexpected genes that have a susceptibility to schizophrenia. We carried out a microarray analysis in the postmortem prefrontal cortex and found that the expression of the KLF5 gene, whose locus is on 13q21, was down-regulated in schizophrenia patients. This result was confirmed by a Western blot analysis.

Association analysis of the glycogen synthase kinase-3beta gene in bipolar disorder.

Glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK3beta) is a target of lithium as well as sodium valproate, both of which are effective mood stabilizing prophylatics/treatments for bipolar disorder, a highly heritable psychiatric disorder. Though it is not clear whether the mood stabilizing effects of these drugs act directly through GSK3beta, it is a good candidate for mediating at least part of lithium's action, and is an aetiological candidate gene for the disease itself. Recently, a potential locus for bipolar disorder was reported on chromosome 3q, close to 3q13.

Three-layered synthetic pericardial substitutes reduce postoperative pericardial adhesions.

Background: The development of postoperative pericardial adhesions increases the risk of cardiac reoperations. The purpose of this study was to test a new pericardial substitute (UBE sheet; UBE Industries, Ltd, Tokyo, Japan) that consists of 3 layers, namely, a middle layer of polyester inserted between 2 layers of silicone-urethane copolymer.

Methods: Before implantation into the animals, platelet adhesion to the UBE sheet was evaluated in vitro.

Novel missense polymorphism in the regulator of G-protein signaling 10 gene: analysis of association with schizophrenia.

Dysfunction of neuronal signal transduction via G-protein has previously been speculated to be involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Regulator of G-protein signaling (RGS) is a protein that acts as a GTPase-activator for Galpha protein. A total of 33 Japanese patients with schizophrenia were screened for mutations in the coding region of the RGS10 gene, and a novel missense polymorphism (Val38Met) in the RGS domain was detected.

Serotonin transporter regulatory region polymorphism is associated with anorexia nervosa.

Several lines of evidence support possible serotonin transporter (5-HTT) involvement in modulating eating disorders (ED). The 5-HTT gene is a good candidate for genetic studies on the course of ED, despite controversy concerning the association between polymorphism in the 5-HTT gene promoter region (5-HTTLPR) and ED. Comparison of 5-HTTLPR distribution in 195 female Japanese ED patients and 290 age- and gender-matched control subjects facilitated examining the association between the course of the disease and 5-HTTLPR in 138 of 195 ED subjects.