Publications by authors named "Nozomi Sachi"

Lipid mediator, palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) has recently attracted attention as a potential therapeutic option for various inflammatory autoimmune diseases. It has been reported that PEA exerts an inhibitory effect on inflammation triggered by PRRs, particularly Toll-like receptors expressed on myeloid antigen-presenting cells. However, the precise role of PEA in T cell development and function has not yet been elucidated.

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Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a refractory inflammatory disorder of the intestine, which is probably triggered by dysfunction of the intestinal epithelial barrier. Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) secreted by colon epithelial cells protects against intestinal inflammation by exerting anti-protease and anti-microbial activities. Daikenchuto (DKT) is one of the most commonly prescribed Japanese traditional herbal medicines for various digestive diseases.

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Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is a zoonotic protozoan parasite that causes congenital toxoplasmosis, including fetal death, abortion, stillbirth, morphological abnormalities, and premature birth. Primary T.

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A 35-year-old man with fever and diarrhea visited our hospital because of white string-like fecal excretion. Based on a morphological examination of the excreted object, a Diphyllobothrium infection was suspected. Additionally, Gram staining of a fecal sample revealed Campylobacter infection.

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Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an incurable chronic autoimmune disease affecting the central nervous system (CNS). Although IL-17-producing helper T (Th17) cells are thought to be one of the exacerbating factors in MS, the underlying pathogenic mechanism is incompletely understood. TNF receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) deficient T cells exhibited enhanced Th17 cell differentiation, however, the physiological relevance of TRAF6 in T cells remains unknown.

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Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) plays a pivotal role in the induction of inflammatory responses not only in innate immune cells but also in non-immune cells, leading to the activation of adaptive immunity. Signal transduction mediated by TRAF6, along with its upstream molecule MyD88 in intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) is crucial for the maintenance of mucosal homeostasis following inflammatory insult. The IEC-specific TRAF6-deficient (TRAF6ΔIEC) and MyD88-deficient (MyD88ΔIEC) mice exhibit increased susceptibility to DSS-induced colitis, emphasizing the critical role of this pathway.

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Although excessive immune responses by Th17 cells, a helper T cell subset, are implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the mechanism by which its localization in an inflamed colon is regulated remains unclear. Chemokines and their receptors are involved in the pathogenesis of IBD, however, the relative significance of each receptor on Th17 cells remains unknown. We generated C-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) knockout (KO) and CCR6 KO mice in the syngeneic background using the CRISPR/Cas9 system and found that the phenotypes of experimental colitis worsened in both mutant mice.

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Multiple sclerosis is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system attacks the nerve myelin sheath. The balance between pathogenic Th17 cells and regulatory Treg cells, both of which express the chemokine receptor CCR6 is critical for determining disease activity. It has been postulated that CCL20, the cognate ligand of CCR6, produced by the blood-brain barrier attracts these immune cells to the central nervous system (CNS).

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Article Synopsis
  • * Saireito, a traditional Japanese herbal medicine, was tested on mice with antibiotic-induced dysbiosis to determine its effects on leaky gut and intestinal barrier integrity over a 28-day period.
  • * Results showed that Saireito significantly reduced symptoms like fecal occult bleeding and cecum enlargement, while enhancing intestinal barrier function and improving gut microbiota diversity, suggesting its potential as a treatment for conditions like ulcerative colitis.
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CD8 cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and CD4 helper T (Th) cells play a critical role in protective immune responses to tumor cells. Particularly, Th9 cells exert anti-tumor activity by producing IL-9. TNF receptor (TNFR)-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) is an adaptor protein that mediates the signals from both the TNFR superfamily and Toll-like receptors (TLRs).

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Article Synopsis
  • Lipid mediators, like PEA (palmitoylethanolamide), are important for both starting and resolving inflammation, particularly in response to TLR (Toll-like receptor) signaling.
  • In lupus-prone mice, levels of PEA were found to be significantly lower, and its supplementation was found to suppress the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and enhance immune responses.
  • PEA not only reduced inflammation and serum IL-6 levels in treated mice but also shows potential as a new treatment focus for inflammatory diseases.
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Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder in the intestine, and the dysfunction of intestinal epithelial barrier (IEB) may trigger the onset of IBD. Secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI) is a serine protease inhibitor that has been implicated in the tissue-protective effect in the skin and lung. We found that SLPI was induced in lipopolysaccharides-treated colon carcinoma cell line and in the colon of dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-treated mice.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Anisakidosis occurs when people eat marine fish, like chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus), infected with Anisakis parasites without cooking or freezing them properly
  • - The study identifies different species of Anisakis in S. japonicus depending on where the fish are caught, with Anisakis simplex s.s. prevalent in Sekisaba and South Oita, while A. pegreffii is found in Nagasaki Prefecture
  • - Sekisaba has a significantly lower prevalence of Anisakis compared to the other areas, suggesting it may represent a unique stock of S. japonicus.
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Chikungunya fever is a mosquito-borne disease cause of persistent arthralgia. The current diagnosis of Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) relies on a conventional reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay. Reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) is a rapid and simple tool used for DNA-based diagnosis of a variety of infectious diseases.

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Background: Both environmental and genetic factors have been implicated in the induction of autoimmune disease. Therefore, it is important to understand the pathophysiological significance of the gut microbiota and host genetic background that contribute to an autoimmune disease such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We have previously reported that mice deficient for suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 (SOCS1), in which SOCS1 expression was restored in T and B cells on an SOCS1 background (SOCS1Tg mice), developed systemic autoimmune diseases accompanied by spontaneous colitis.

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Article Synopsis
  • * The study found that using ampicillin and vancomycin led to increased inflammation, cell death in the colon, and changes in gut bacteria and metabolites, specifically a drop in protective substances like butyric acid.
  • * Supplementing with glutamic acid or its precursor helps reduce inflammation and cell death in the colon, suggesting it could be a potential treatment for antibiotic-induced colitis.
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Sialadenitis is an inflammatory condition affecting the salivary glands including the parotid, submandibular, and sublingual glands. There are several different types of sialadenitis, each with different sites of predilection. However, the pathogenic mechanism underlying the tissue specificity of sialadenitis is largely unknown.

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Zika fever, a mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by Zika virus (ZIKV), is an epidemic disease for which no effective therapy has been established. The recent outbreaks of ZIKV in Brazil and French Polynesia have been linked to a considerable increase in the incidence of fetal microcephaly and other diseases such as Guillain-Barre syndrome. Because there is currently no specific therapy or vaccine, the early exploitation of a method to prevent expansion of ZIKV is a high priority.

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