Insulin-stimulated translocation of the fatty acid transporter CD36 to the plasma membrane is mediated by the small GTPase Rac1 in adipocytes.

Cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) is a scavenger receptor (SR), recognizing diverse extracellular ligands in various types of mammalian cells. Long-chain fatty acids (FAs), which are important constituents of phospholipids and triglycerides, also utilize CD36 as a predominant membrane transporter, being incorporated from the circulation across the plasma membrane in several cell types, including cardiac and skeletal myocytes and adipocytes. CD36 is localized in intracellular vesicles as well as the plasma membrane, and its distribution is modulated by extracellular stimuli.

Impaired Insulin Signaling Mediated by the Small GTPase Rac1 in Skeletal Muscle of the Leptin-Deficient Obese Mouse.

Insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in skeletal muscle is mediated by the glucose transporter GLUT4. The small GTPase Rac1 acts as a switch of signal transduction that regulates GLUT4 translocation to the plasma membrane following insulin stimulation. However, it remains obscure whether signaling cascades upstream and downstream of Rac1 in skeletal muscle are impaired by obesity that causes insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

Regulation of De Novo Lipid Synthesis by the Small GTPase Rac1 in the Adipogenic Differentiation of Progenitor Cells from Mouse White Adipose Tissue.

White adipocytes act as lipid storage, and play an important role in energy homeostasis. The small GTPase Rac1 has been implicated in the regulation of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in white adipocytes. Adipocyte-specific -knockout (adipo--KO) mice exhibit atrophy of subcutaneous and epididymal white adipose tissue (WAT); white adipocytes in these mice are significantly smaller than controls.

Atrophy of White Adipose Tissue Accompanied with Decreased Insulin-Stimulated Glucose Uptake in Mice Lacking the Small GTPase Rac1 Specifically in Adipocytes.

Insulin stimulates glucose uptake in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle by inducing plasma membrane translocation of the glucose transporter GLUT4. Although the small GTPase Rac1 is a key regulator downstream of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) and the protein kinase Akt2 in skeletal muscle, it remains unclear whether Rac1 also regulates glucose uptake in white adipocytes. Herein, we investigated the physiological role of Rac1 in white adipocytes by employing adipocyte-specific knockout (adipo--KO) mice.

Tibial condylar valgus osteotomy (TCVO): Surgical technique and clinical results for knee osteoarthritis with varus deformity.

Tibial condylar valgus osteotomy (TCVO) is an intra-articular proximal tibial osteotomy developed in 1989 and has since been used for the treatment of knee osteoarthritis (OA) associated with genu varum. This article describes the surgical technique and clinical results of TCVO. TCVO can be used for all grades of varus knee OA in patients of any age.

Distal tibial oblique osteotomy for reconstruction of ankle joint congruity and stability.

Teramoto distal tibial oblique osteotomy (DTOO) is a joint-preserving surgery for ankle osteoarthritis (AOA). However, there are few articles on the radiological assessment of DTOO. The purpose of this study was to report the clinical outcomes and radiological evaluations of weight-bearing radiographs before and after DTOO.

Radiological assessments and clinical results of intra-articular osteotomy for traumatic osteoarthritis of the ankle.

Introduction: Traumatic osteoarthritis of the ankle joint caused after malleolar fractures of the ankle and tibial plafond fractures are frequently observed in comparatively young and highly active patients. Since the ankle movement in these patients is in general, comparatively favorable, orthopedists may sometimes have difficulty in deciding on a treatment policy. In our department, when treating traumatic osteoarthritis patients having a movable range within their ankle joints, we proactively applied distal tibial oblique osteotomy (DTOO) developed by Dr.

Correction of equinus deformity by means of a new unconstrained ilizarov frame system.

Purpose: This study aimed to clarify the effectiveness of a novel technique utilizing the new unconstrained Ilizarov frame system by evaluating the clinical outcomes of equinus deformity correction.

Methods: From January 1998 to December 2012, a total of 9 consecutive patients (median age: 33 years) with equinus deformity were treated by using a simple, unconstrained, hinge-less Ilizarov frame, which was developed to correct talar subluxation using an unconstrained frame system. All patients had equinus deformity >30°, although preoperative radiographs showed a congruous ankle joint with no fixed bony deformity.

The guanine nucleotide exchange factor FLJ00068 activates Rac1 in adipocyte insulin signaling.

Insulin stimulates glucose uptake via the translocation of the glucose transporter GLUT4 to the plasma membrane in adipocytes. Several lines of evidence suggest that the small GTPase Rac1 plays an important role in insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in skeletal muscle and adipocytes. The purpose of this study is to investigate the mechanisms whereby Rac1 is regulated in adipocyte insulin signaling.

Comparison of histopathology and preoperative 18F-FDG-PET/CT of osteomyelitis aiming for image guided surgery: A preliminary trial.

Objective: There are currently no robust methods for accurately localizing the infection focus of osteomyelitis. Accumulation of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) is nonspecific, and it is well-known that it can indicate inflammatory cells and sites of inflammation, and its effectiveness in detecting osteomyelitis has been reported recently. However, the optimal cut-off value for the Standardized Uptake Value (SUV) in detecting the focus of osteomyelitis through 18F-FDG-PET/CT is not known.

A Crucial Role for the Small GTPase Rac1 Downstream of the Protein Kinase Akt2 in Insulin Signaling that Regulates Glucose Uptake in Mouse Adipocytes.

Insulin-stimulated glucose uptake is mediated by translocation of the glucose transporter GLUT4 to the plasma membrane in adipocytes and skeletal muscle cells. In both types of cells, phosphoinositide 3-kinase and the protein kinase Akt2 have been implicated as critical regulators. In skeletal muscle, the small GTPase Rac1 plays an important role downstream of Akt2 in the regulation of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake.

Ankle joint reconstruction by circular frame external fixator for a severely comminuted and contaminated open tibial pilon fracture (AO 43-C3.3). Case report.

A severely comminuted and contaminated open tibial pilon fracture is one of the most challenging fractures we face. Although nowadays conducting multiple operations over various stages is a common treatment option taking into account the possibility of soft tissue damage, a gold standard protocol for severe pilon fractures has not yet been established. This case concerns a 56-year-old gentleman who suffered a severely comminuted and contaminated Gustilo 3b open tibial pilon fracture (AO 43C3.

Involvement of the protein kinase Akt2 in insulin-stimulated Rac1 activation leading to glucose uptake in mouse skeletal muscle.

Translocation of the glucose transporter GLUT4 to the sarcolemma accounts for glucose uptake in skeletal muscle following insulin administration. The protein kinase Akt2 and the small GTPase Rac1 have been implicated as essential regulators of insulin-stimulated GLUT4 translocation. Several lines of evidence suggest that Rac1 is modulated downstream of Akt2, and indeed the guanine nucleotide exchange factor FLJ00068 has been identified as an activator of Rac1.

The Teramoto distal tibial oblique osteotomy (DTOO): surgical technique and applicability for ankle osteoarthritis with varus deformity.

We have devised a medial peri-articular osteotomy, the distal tibial oblique osteotomy (DTOO), and have used this technique since 1994 for ankle osteoarthritis of advanced and late stages associated with varus inclination. This report describes the surgical technique and its applicability. DTOO can be used for cases of varus ankle osteoarthritis with a range of the ankle joint movement of at least 10° or more.

In situ detection of the activation of Rac1 and RalA small GTPases in mouse adipocytes by immunofluorescent microscopy following in vivo and ex vivo insulin stimulation.

Rac1 has been implicated in insulin-dependent glucose uptake by mechanisms involving plasma membrane translocation of the glucose transporter GLUT4 in skeletal muscle. Although the uptake of glucose is also stimulated by insulin in adipose tissue, the role for Rac1 in adipocyte insulin signaling remains controversial. As a step to reveal the role for Rac1 in adipocytes, we aimed to establish immunofluorescent microscopy to detect the intracellular distribution of activated Rac1.

Rac1 Activation Caused by Membrane Translocation of a Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor in Akt2-Mediated Insulin Signaling in Mouse Skeletal Muscle.

Insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in skeletal muscle is mediated by the glucose transporter GLUT4, which is translocated to the plasma membrane following insulin stimulation. Several lines of evidence suggested that the protein kinase Akt2 plays a key role in this insulin action. The small GTPase Rac1 has also been implicated as a regulator of insulin-stimulated GLUT4 translocation, acting downstream of Akt2.

Role for RalA downstream of Rac1 in skeletal muscle insulin signalling.

Insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in skeletal muscle is mediated by the translocation of the glucose transporter GLUT4 from intracellular storage sites to the plasma membrane. The small GTPase Rac1 has been implicated in this insulin signalling, but the mechanism whereby Rac1 stimulates GLUT4 translocation remains obscure. In the present study, we examined the role of the small GTPase RalA downstream of Rac1 in skeletal muscle fibres isolated from genetically modified mice.

Immunofluorescent detection of the activation of the small GTPase Rac1 in mouse skeletal muscle fibers.

The small GTPase Rac1 acts as a molecular switch of intracellular signaling in mammals. For understanding the regulatory mechanism, it is important to identify subcellular locations in which Rac1 is activated following multiple extracellular stimuli. However, it is difficult to detect Rac1 activation in situ in animal tissues, and thus a novel method is highly desirable.

Phospholipase cε, an effector of ras and rap small GTPases, is required for airway inflammatory response in a mouse model of bronchial asthma.

Background: Phospholipase Cε (PLCε) is an effector of Ras and Rap small GTPases and expressed in non-immune cells. It is well established that PLCε plays an important role in skin inflammation, such as that elicited by phorbol ester painting or ultraviolet irradiation and contact dermatitis that is mediated by T helper (Th) 1 cells, through upregulating inflammatory cytokine production by keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts. However, little is known about whether PLCε is involved in regulation of inflammation in the respiratory system, such as Th2-cells-mediated allergic asthma.

Role of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor in Akt2-mediated plasma membrane translocation of GLUT4 in insulin-stimulated skeletal muscle.

The small GTPase Rac1 plays a key role in insulin-promoted glucose uptake mediated by the GLUT4 glucose transporter in skeletal muscle. Our recent studies have demonstrated that the serine/threonine protein kinase Akt2 is critically involved in insulin-dependent Rac1 activation. The purpose of this study is to clarify the role of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor FLJ00068 in Akt2-mediated Rac1 activation and GLUT4 translocation in mouse skeletal muscle and cultured myocytes.

A critical role of the small GTPase Rac1 in Akt2-mediated GLUT4 translocation in mouse skeletal muscle.

Insulin promotes glucose uptake in skeletal muscle by inducing the translocation of the glucose transporter GLUT4 to the plasma membrane. The serine/threonine kinase Akt2 has been implicated as a key regulator of this insulin action. However, the mechanisms whereby Akt2 regulates multiple steps of GLUT4 translocation remain incompletely understood.

The biomechanical effect of increased valgus on total knee arthroplasty: a cadaveric study.

The effects of valgus load on cadaveric knees following total knee arthroplasty (TKA) were investigated using a custom testing system. TKAs were performed on 8 cadaveric knees and tested at 0°, 30°, and 60° knee flexion in both neutral and 5° valgus. Fuji pressure sensitive film was used to quantify contact areas and pressures and MCL strain was determined using a Microscribe digitizing system.

Three key factors affecting treatment results of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound for delayed unions and nonunions: instability, gap size, and atrophic nonunion.

Background: If some predictable factors that affect the treatment results of low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) for delayed union or nonunion could be determined, these might provide us with suggestions for whether LIPUS should be used as an alternative treatment for surgery or an adjuvant therapy after surgery. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to determine what factors affected failure of fracture healing after LIPUS for delayed unions and nonunions.

Methods: A one-year observational retrospective cohort study was conducted with a consecutive cohort of 101 delayed unions and 50 nonunions after long bone fractures that were treated with LIPUS between May 1998 and April 2007.

An MDCK cell culture-derived formalin-inactivated influenza virus whole-virion vaccine from an influenza virus library confers cross-protective immunity by intranasal administration in mice.

It is currently impossible to predict the next pandemic influenza virus strain. We have thus established a library of influenza viruses of all hemagglutinin and neuraminidase subtypes and their genes. In this article, we examine the applicability of a rapid production model for the preparation of vaccines against emerging pandemic influenza viruses.

Akt2 regulates Rac1 activity in the insulin-dependent signaling pathway leading to GLUT4 translocation to the plasma membrane in skeletal muscle cells.

The small GTPase Rac1 plays a pivotal role in insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in skeletal muscle, which is mediated by GLUT4 translocation to the plasma membrane. However, regulatory mechanisms for Rac1 and its role in the signaling pathway composed of phosphoinositide 3-kinase and the serine/threonine kinase Akt remain obscure. Here, we investigate the role of Akt in the regulation of Rac1 in myocytes.