Hyperleptinemia suppresses aggravation of arthritis of collagen-antibody-induced arthritis in mice.

Background: Leptin is an adipocytokine produced by adipocytes and controlling body weight. It is unclear whether leptin works as a proinflammatory or an anti-inflammatory cytokine. We investigated the effects of hyperleptinemia on leptin transgenic (LepTg) mice in terms of cartilage destruction, bone destruction, joint synovitis, and serum cytokine levels by using a mouse model of collagen-antibody-induced arthritis (CAIA).

A calcium-deficient diet in pregnant, nursing rats induces hypomethylation of specific cytosines in the 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-1 promoter in pup liver.

Prenatal undernutrition affects offspring phenotype via changes in the epigenetic regulation of specific genes. We hypothesized that pregnant females that were fed a calcium (Ca)-deficient diet would have offspring with altered hepatic glucocorticoid-related gene expression and altered epigenetic gene regulation. Female Wistar rats ate either a Ca-deficient or control diet from 3 weeks before conception to 21 days after parturition.

Down-regulation of hepatic phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase expression in magnesium-deficient rats.

Many epidemiological studies have reported the link between magnesium deficiency and metabolic syndrome. We examined whether magnesium deficiency in rats induces changes in glucocorticoid metabolism. Twelve-week-old, female Wistar rats were weaned onto a very low-magnesium diet or a control diet for two weeks.

Upregulation of hepatic 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-1 expression in calcium-deficient rats.

Background: Many epidemiologic studies have reported a link between calcium (Ca) deficiency and metabolic syndrome. In this study, we examine Ca deficiency in rats and whether changes in glucocorticoid metabolism are induced.

Methods: Twelve-week-old female Wistar rats were weaned onto a very-low-Ca diet (low-Ca group) or a control diet (control group) for 2 weeks.

Magnesium deficiency in pregnant rats alters methylation of specific cytosines in the hepatic hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-2 promoter of the offspring.

Prenatal under-nutrition involves changes in the epigenetic regulation of specific genes. Maternal magnesium (Mg) deficiency affects maternal glucocorticoid metabolism, but the mechanisms underlying changes in glucocorticoid homeostasis of offspring are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of feeding pregnant rats a Mg-deficient diet (0.

Development of superporous hydroxyapatites and their examination with a culture of primary rat osteoblasts.

When the usage of hydroxyapatite (HAp) was first approved at clinics by the Kouseishou (Japanese FDA) as a bone substitute (APACERAM), the upper limit of pore content was set at 60%. Cells play an important role in bone repair, especially in regeneration therapy, but on using these HAps, the cells cannot penetrate deeply into them because their inside pores rarely connect. To promote cell penetration into the inside of the HAps, we have developed superporous HAps (HAp-Ss).

Preparation of a cDNA library and preliminary assessment of 1400 genes from mouse growth cartilage.

Cartilage is an inconvenient tissue for the isolation of mRNA, and this has hampered studies of its component mRNAs conducted to date. Here, we describe the preparation of a good quality cDNA library from mouse growth cartilage (mGC). A total of 1.

Assessment of an ectopic bone formation system with implantation of pelleted rat primary growth cartilage cells.

To assess the ectopic bone formation system, growth cartilage (GC) cells were implanted to ectopic sites, and the effect of the implanting sites and gender of animals on bone formation were examined. Each 5 x 10(5) batch of GC cells from young rat ribs was pelleted, cultured in calcification medium, and implanted to ectopic sites (in a peritoneal cavitiy or on subcutaneous muscle) in female or male rats. The implanted pellets formed bone after 3-4 weeks at the ectopic sites.

A monoclonal antibody distinguishes growth cartilage from other types of cartilage: a new probe for osteogenic cartilage.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were raised by injection of a homogenate of cultured growth cartilage (GC) cells from young rabbit ribs. These mAbs were examined by immunohistochemical staining for their reactivity to paraffin sections of rabbit tissues. The results showed that an mAb reacted preferentially with late hypertrophic and calcified costal GC zones.

Osteogenic activity of growth cartilage examined by implanting decalcified or devitalized ribs and costal cartilage zone, and living growth cartilage cells.

The formation of cartilage prior to bone in an endochondral bone formation process suggests that some osteogenic factors exist in the cartilage. This osteogenic activity of cartilage or cartilage cells was examined by implanting ribs and costal cartilage zone into a subcutaneous pocket of abdominal wall, or the growth cartilage (GC) cells into a peritoneal cavity. Rib segments of young (four-week-old) rabbits and rats were decalcified (DCed) in 0.

Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies against rabbit growth cartilage.

Growth cartilage (GC) cells of young rabbits were cultured in vitro and their homogenates were injected into mice. Hybridomas were prepared by the cell fusion technique between the myeloma cells and the spleen cells of the immunized mice. Monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) were produced by the hybridomas in the peritoneal cavities of the mice, and some of these, temporarily named MoAbs A, B, D, N, P, and S, were studied.

Effect of direct current on cultured growth cartilage cells in vitro.

Cultured growth cartilage cells of young rabbits were stimulated by three levels (10, 1, and 0.1 microA) of constant direct current (DC). The effect of DC was examined by measuring the activities of proteoglycan synthesis (uptake of [35S]sodium sulfate and toluidine blue staining) and DNA synthesis (uptake of [3H]thymidine).

Formation and catalytic activity of high molecular weight soluble polymers produced by heating amino acids in a modified sea medium.

Eighteen protein amino acids with milk casein composition were heated in a modified sea medium. Marigranules were formed in the precipitates and soluble polymers were formed in the supernatant. Time course of the reaction (ultraviolet spectra, the concentration of metal ions, and the concentration of amino acids in the supernatant) were measured.

Polymers produced by heating an amino acid mixture in sea water enriched with transition elements.

A mixture of eighteen protein amino acids was heated in sea water medium enriched with transition metal ions. Small granules were obtained as precipitates. Both dialyzable polymers and undialyzable polymers were obtained from the supernatant.

Macromolecules and the origin of life.

From our knowledge of present day organisms, it is hard to imagine a living assembly, even at its most primitive stage, without macromolecules. In order to look for the macromolecules which possibly participated in the assembly of the primitive organisms, the reaction and formation of polymers in HCN under irradiation of ultraviolet ray of 184.9 nm.