Publications by authors named "Shin Tsunekawa"

Individuals suffering from diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) experience debilitating symptoms such as pain, paranesthesia, and sensory disturbances, prompting a quest for effective treatments. Dipeptidyl-peptidase (DPP)-4 inhibitors, recognized for their potential in ameliorating DPN, have sparked interest, yet the precise mechanism underlying their neurotrophic impact on the peripheral nerve system (PNS) remains elusive. Our study delves into the neurotrophic effects of DPP-4 inhibitors, including Diprotin A, linagliptin, and sitagliptin, alongside pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), Neuropeptide Y (NPY), and Stromal cell-derived factor (SDF)-1a-known DPP-4 substrates with neurotrophic properties.

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Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is a common condition. Many potential etiologies of OH have been identified, but in clinical practice the underlying cause of OH is often unknown. In the present study, we identified a novel and extraordinary etiology of OH.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigated the effectiveness of two simplified diagnostic tests (DPNCheck™ and CV) for diagnosing diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) compared to traditional nerve conduction studies.
  • A total of 167 diabetes patients participated, with 36.5% classified as having moderate to severe DPN based on established severity criteria.
  • Results showed that the new tests provided a reliable predictive formula with strong diagnostic accuracy, indicating they could enhance DPN diagnosis and make it more accessible for patients.
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Aims: We aimed to identify patients who would benefit from basal insulin-supported oral therapy (BOT) with a glinide and an α-glucosidase inhibitor (a fixed-dose combination tablet of mitiglinide 10 mg and voglibose 0.2 mg) in Japanese type 2 diabetic patients.

Methods: Patients who were hospitalized to improve hyperglycemia received basal-bolus insulin therapy.

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Aims: Muscle atrophy is a diabetic complication, which results in a deterioration in glycemic control in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) individuals. The psoas muscle mass index (PMI) is a reliable indicator for estimating whole-body muscle mass. We aimed to examine the relationship between clinical parameters and the PMI to clarify the mechanism underlying muscle atrophy in diabetes.

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Morphological analysis of peripheral nerves in mouse models can be used to characterize the pathophysiology of peripheral nerve disease, but obtaining high-quality electron micrographs can be challenging. Here, we present a protocol to obtain electron micrographs of mouse peripheral nerves. We detail the procedures of sampling, fixation, and embedding of peripheral nerves.

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Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) includes symptoms of thermosensory impairment, which are reported to involve changes in the expression or function, or both, of nociceptive TRPV1 and TRPA1 channels in rodents. In the present study, we did not find changes in the expression or function of TRPV1 or TRPA1 in DPN mice caused by STZ, although thermal hypoalgesia was observed in a murine model of DPN or TRPV1 mice with a Plantar test, which specifically detects temperature avoidance. With a Thermal Gradient Ring in which mice can move freely in a temperature gradient, temperature preference can be analyzed, and we clearly discriminated the temperature-dependent phenotype between DPN and TRPV1 mice.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) protects Schwann cells from oxidative stress and reduces harmful effects caused by tert-butyl hydroperoxide (tBHP), which decreases cell survival.
  • * DHA treatment lowers excessive autophagy activation from oxidative stress while partially restoring normal cellular functions, suggesting its potential to help combat cell death in diabetic neuropathy, but further testing in living organisms is needed.
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(1) Background: Protein stimulates the secretion of glucagon (GCG), which can affect glucose metabolism. This study aimed to analyze the metabolic effect of a high-protein diet (HPD) in the presence or absence of proglucagon-derived peptides, including GCG and GLP-1. (2) Methods: The response to HPD feeding for 7 days was analyzed in mice deficient in proglucagon-derived peptides (GCGKO).

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β cells have a limited capacity for regeneration, which predisposes towards diabetes. Here, we show that, of the MYC family members, Mycl plays a key role in proliferation of pancreatic endocrine cells. Genetic ablation of Mycl causes a reduction in the proliferation of pancreatic endocrine cells in neonatal mice.

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Glucose-responsive ATP-sensitive potassium channels (K) are expressed in a variety of tissues including nervous systems. The depolarization of the membrane potential induced by glucose may lead to hyperexcitability of neurons and induce excitotoxicity. However, the roles of K in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) are poorly understood.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Researchers measured waiting times in various stages of hospital visits and surveyed patients about their perception of the wait and satisfaction levels.
  • * Results indicated that perceived waiting time significantly influenced satisfaction, with those feeling they waited longer scoring lower in satisfaction compared to those who felt their wait was shorter.
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Although diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) is a frequent diabetic complication, no effective therapeutic approach has been established. Glucagon is a crucial hormone for glucose homeostasis but has pleiotropic effects, including neuroprotective effects in the central nervous system. However, the importance of glucagon in the peripheral nervous system (PNS) has not been clarified.

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Aims/introduction: Diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) and diabetic retinopathy (DR) are traditionally regarded as microvascular complications. However, these complications may share similar neurodegenerative pathologies. Here we evaluate the correlations in the severity of DPN and changes in the thickness of neuroretinal layers to elucidate whether these complications exist at similar stages of progression.

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Article Synopsis
  • * A total of 184 participants with type 1 or type 2 diabetes underwent ERG and nerve conduction studies, with the analysis showing a moderate ability of the ERG parameters to predict the severity of DPN.
  • * Findings suggest that the hand-held ERG device correlates well with nerve function measures, indicating its usefulness in evaluating DPN severity, especially in patients without diabetic retinopathy.
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Diabetes is a major risk factor for atherosclerosis and ischemic vascular diseases. Recently, regenerative medicine is expected to be a novel therapy for ischemic diseases. Our previous studies have reported that transplantation of stem cells promoted therapeutic angiogenesis for diabetic neuropathy and ischemic vascular disease in a paracrine manner, but the precise mechanism is unclear.

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Although diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) is the commonest diabetic complication, its pathology remains to be clarified. As previous papers have suggested the neuroprotective effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 in DPN, the current study investigated the physiological indispensability of glucagon gene-derived peptides (GCGDPs) including glucagon-like peptide-1 in the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Neurological functions and neuropathological changes of GCGDP deficient (gcg-/-) mice were examined.

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Aims/introduction: A gold standard in the diagnosis of diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) is a nerve conduction study. However, as a nerve conduction study requires expensive equipment and well-trained technicians, it is largely avoided when diagnosing DPN in clinical settings. Here, we validated a novel diagnostic method for DPN using a point-of-care nerve conduction device as an alternative way of diagnosis using a standard electromyography system.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Distal sensory-motor polyneuropathy is a common diabetic complication, and the study investigates the effects of a new drug, ranirestat, which inhibits the aldose reductase enzyme linked to nerve damage in diabetic rats.
  • - Diabetic rats with existing nerve damage were treated with either ranirestat, another inhibitor (epalrestat), or a placebo, and their nerve function and pain response were measured over six weeks.
  • - Results showed that ranirestat significantly improved nerve conduction velocities, pain response to heat, and promoted nerve growth compared to the placebo, indicating its potential as a therapeutic option for diabetic neuropathy.
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TAR DNA-binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43), encoded by TARDBP, is an RNA-binding protein, the nuclear depletion of which is the histopathological hallmark of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a fatal neurodegenerative disorder affecting both upper and lower motor neurons. Besides motor symptoms, patients with ALS often develop nonneuronal signs including glucose intolerance, but the underlying pathomechanism is still controversial, i.e.

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Aims/introduction: Transplantation of stem cells promotes axonal regeneration and angiogenesis in a paracrine manner. In the present study, we examined whether the secreted factors in conditioned medium of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth (SHED-CM) had beneficial effects on diabetic polyneuropathy in mice.

Materials And Methods: Conditioned medium of stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth was collected 48 h after culturing in serum-free Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM), and separated into four fractions according to molecular weight.

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Article Synopsis
  • Diabetic polyneuropathy (DPN) is a common complication of diabetes, and this study explores the protective effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), like exendin-4 (Ex4), on neuron health in DPN models.
  • Researchers used a specific neuronal cell line (50B11) to test how GLP-1RAs affect cell viability and oxidative stress by exposing the cells to hydrogen peroxide and measuring various effects on cell health.
  • The results showed that GLP-1RAs improved cell viability under oxidative stress conditions without being toxic, activated antioxidant enzymes, and did not change the distribution of certain neuronal markers, suggesting they may help protect peripheral
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Article Synopsis
  • The study aimed to validate a portable nerve conduction study device (NC-stat/DPNCheck™) for diagnosing diabetic polyneuropathy, which typically requires expensive, specialized equipment.
  • 57 diabetes patients underwent tests using both the DPNCheck™ device and a standard electromyography system to compare their effectiveness.
  • Results showed strong correlations between the two methods, indicating that the point-of-care device is reliable and may be a useful tool for evaluating diabetic polyneuropathy.
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The proportion of total deaths due to vascular disease among people with diabetes has declined over the past three decades in both Japan and the USA, whereas other causes of deaths showed different trends between Japan and the USA.

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