Suppression of renal crystal formation, inflammation, and fibrosis by blocking oncostatin M receptor β signaling.

Oncostatin M (OSM) has pleiotropic effects on various inflammatory diseases, including kidney stone disease. The prevalence of kidney stones has increased worldwide, despite recent therapeutic advances, due to its high recurrence rate, suggesting the importance of prevention of repeated recurrence in the treatment of kidney stone disease. Using a mouse model of renal crystal formation, we investigated the preventive effects of blockade of OSM receptor β (OSMRβ) signaling on the development of kidney stone disease by treatment with a monoclonal anti-OSMRβ antibody that we generated.

Blockade of OSMRβ signaling ameliorates skin lesions in a mouse model of human atopic dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease characterized by severe pruritus and eczematous skin lesions. Although IL-31, a type 2 helper T (Th2)-derived cytokine, is important to the development of pruritus and skin lesions in AD, the blockade of IL-31 signaling does not improve the skin lesions in AD. Oncostatin M (OSM), a member of IL-6 family of cytokines, plays important roles in the regulation of various inflammatory responses through OSM receptor β subunit (OSMRβ), a common receptor subunit for OSM and IL-31.

Essential roles of the cytokine oncostatin M in crosstalk between muscle fibers and immune cells in skeletal muscle after aerobic exercise.

Crosstalk between muscle fibers and immune cells is well known in the processes of muscle repair after exercise, especially resistance exercise. In aerobic exercise, however, this crosstalk is not fully understood. In the present study, we found that macrophages, especially anti-inflammatory (M2) macrophages, and neutrophils accumulated in skeletal muscles of mice 24 h after a single bout of an aerobic exercise.

Comprehensive expression pattern of kin of irregular chiasm-like 3 in the adult mouse brain.

Kin of irregular chiasm-like 3 (Kirrel3), a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, is expressed in the central nervous system during development and in adulthood. It has been reported that Kirrel3 is involved in the axonal fasciculation in the olfactory bulb, the neuronal migration in the pontine nucleus, and the synapse formation in the hippocampal neurons in mice. Although KIRREL3 mutations have been implicated in autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability in humans, the comprehensive expression pattern of Kirrel3 in the adult brain is not fully understood.

Essential roles of oncostatin M receptor β signaling in renal crystal formation in mice.

Oncostatin M (OSM), a member of the IL-6 family of cytokines, has important roles in renal diseases. The relationship between OSM and kidney stone disease, however, remains unclear. To investigate the roles of OSM in the development of kidney stone disease, we generated a mouse model of renal crystal formation using OSM receptor β (OSMRβ)-deficient mice (OSMRβ mice).

Abnormal behaviours relevant to neurodevelopmental disorders in Kirrel3-knockout mice.

In the nervous system, Kirrel3 is involved in neuronal migration, axonal fasciculation, and synapse formation. Recently, genetic links have been reported between mutations in the KIRREL3 gene and increased risk of neurodevelopmental disorders, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability. To elucidate the causal relationship between KIRREL3 deficiency and behavioural abnormalities relevant to neurodevelopmental disorders, we generated global Kirrel3-knockout (Kirrel3) mice and investigated the detailed behavioural phenotypes.

Oncostatin M in the development of metabolic syndrome and its potential as a novel therapeutic target.

Oncostatin M (OSM), a member of the IL-6 family of cytokines, plays an important role in various biologic actions, including cell growth, neuronal development, and inflammatory responses. Recently, we demonstrated the unique relationship between OSM and metabolic syndrome in mice. Mice lacking OSM receptor β subunit (OSMRβ mice) exhibited late-onset obesity.

Oncostatin M is a potential agent for the treatment of obesity and related metabolic disorders: a study in mice.

Aims/hypothesis: Obesity and insulin resistance are closely associated with adipose tissue dysfunction caused by the abnormal recruitment of inflammatory cells, including macrophages. Oncostatin M (OSM), a member of the IL-6 family of cytokines, plays important roles in a variety of biological functions including the regulation of inflammatory responses. In previous reports, we have demonstrated that mice deficient in the OSM receptor β subunit show obesity, adipose tissue inflammation, insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis, all of which are exacerbated by feeding the mice a high-fat diet.

Deficiency of oncostatin M receptor β (OSMRβ) exacerbates high-fat diet-induced obesity and related metabolic disorders in mice.

Oncostatin M (OSM) belongs to the IL-6 family of cytokines and has diverse biological effects, including the modulation of inflammatory responses. In the present study we analyzed the roles of OSM signaling in obesity and related metabolic disorders. Under a high-fat diet condition, OSM receptor β subunit-deficient (OSMRβ(-/-)) mice exhibited increases in body weight and food intake compared with those observed in WT mice.

Lack of oncostatin M receptor β leads to adipose tissue inflammation and insulin resistance by switching macrophage phenotype.

Oncostatin M (OSM), a member of the IL-6 family of cytokines, plays important roles in a variety of biological functions, including inflammatory responses. However, the roles of OSM in metabolic diseases are unknown. We herein analyzed the metabolic parameters of OSM receptor β subunit-deficient (OSMRβ(-/-)) mice under normal diet conditions.

Dynamic expression pattern of leucine-rich repeat neuronal protein 4 in the mouse dorsal root ganglia during development.

A member of leucine-rich repeat neuronal protein (Lrrn) family, Lrrn4, is a type I transmembrane protein and functions as a cell adhesion molecule. In our previous report, Lrrn4 is expressed in a subset of small-sized dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons of the adult mice. In the present study, we investigated the expression pattern of Lrrn4 in the developing DRGs.

Expression pattern of leucine-rich repeat neuronal protein 4 in adult mouse dorsal root ganglia.

A member of leucine-rich repeat neuronal protein family, leucine-rich repeat neuronal protein 4 (Lrrn4), is a type I transmembrane protein. Previously, we have reported that Lrrn4 is expressed in various regions of the central nervous system (CNS) and involved in the memory retention. However, little is known about the role of Lrrn4 in the peripheral nervous system (PNS).

Regulation of AMP-activated protein kinase signaling by AFF4 protein, member of AF4 (ALL1-fused gene from chromosome 4) family of transcription factors, in hypothalamic neurons.

In the hypothalamus, fasting induces a member of the AF4 family of transcription factors, AFF4, which was originally identified as a fusion partner of the mixed-lineage leukemia gene in infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia. However, the roles of AFF4 in the hypothalamus remain unclear. We show herein that expression of AFF4 increased upon addition of ghrelin and fasting in the growth hormone secretagogue receptor-expressing neurons of the hypothalamus.

Site-specific subtypes of macrophages recruited after peripheral nerve injury.

After partial ligation of mouse sciatic nerve, the subtypes of macrophages were examined in the injured nerve and dorsal root ganglia (DRGs). Many M1 macrophages, which were inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS)-positive and arginase-1 (Arg-1)-negative, and neutrophils infiltrated the injured nerve. In contrast, almost all macrophages infiltrating the ipsilateral side of DRGs after the nerve injury were iNOS⁻/Arg-1⁺, M2 type.

Regulation of ghrelin signaling by a leptin-induced gene, negative regulatory element-binding protein, in the hypothalamic neurons.

Leptin, the product of the ob gene, plays important roles in the regulation of food intake and body weight through its receptor in the hypothalamus. To identify novel transcripts induced by leptin, we performed cDNA subtraction based on selective suppression of the polymerase chain reaction by using mRNA prepared from the forebrain of leptin-injected ob/ob mice. One of the genes isolated was a mouse homolog of human negative regulatory element-binding protein (NREBP).

TIM1 is an endogenous ligand for LMIR5/CD300b: LMIR5 deficiency ameliorates mouse kidney ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Leukocyte mono-immunoglobulin (Ig)-like receptor 5 (LMIR5)/CD300b is a DAP12-coupled activating receptor predominantly expressed in myeloid cells. The ligands for LMIR have not been reported. We have identified T cell Ig mucin 1 (TIM1) as a possible ligand for LMIR5 by retrovirus-mediated expression cloning.

Detailed expression pattern of Foxp1 and its possible roles in neurons of the spinal cord during embryogenesis.

A member of winged-helix/forkhead transcription factors, Foxp1, is expressed in the developing spinal cord during mouse embryogenesis. To shed light on the potential role of Foxp1 in neurons of the developing spinal cord, we investigated the detailed expression pattern of Foxp1 between embryonic day (E) 9.5 and E17.

Wnt modulators, SFRP-1, and SFRP-2 are expressed in osteoblasts and differentially regulate hematopoietic stem cells.

Wnt signaling has been implicated in the self-renewal of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). Secreted frizzled-related proteins (SFRPs) are a family of soluble proteins containing a region homologous to a receptor for Wnt, Frizzled, and are thought to act as endogenous modulators for Wnt signaling. This study examined the role of SFRPs in HSC regulation.

Roundabout 4 is expressed on hematopoietic stem cells and potentially involved in the niche-mediated regulation of the side population phenotype.

Roundabout (Robo) family proteins are immunoglobulin-type cell surface receptors that are expressed predominantly in the nervous system. The fourth member of this family, Robo4, is distinct from the other family members in that it is expressed specifically in endothelial cells. In this study, we examined the expression of Robo4 in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and its possible role in HSC regulation.

Expression of kin of irregular chiasm-like 3/mKirre in proprioceptive neurons of the dorsal root ganglia and its interaction with nephrin in muscle spindles.

Kin of irregular chiasm-like 3 (Kirrel3), a mammalian homolog of the kirre gene of Drosophila melanogaster, belongs to the immunoglobulin superfamily. Previously, we have reported that Kirrel3 is expressed in the developing and adult central nervous system. In the present study we investigated the expression of Kirrel3 in the mouse dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and their projection targets.

Characterization of TROY-expressing cells in the developing and postnatal CNS: the possible role in neuronal and glial cell development.

A member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, TROY, is expressed in the CNS of embryonic and adult mice. In the present study, we characterized TROY-expressing cells in the embryonic and postnatal forebrain. In the early embryonic forebrain, TROY was highly expressed in nestin-positive neuroepithelial cells and radial glial cells, but not in microtubule-associated protein 2-positive postmitotic neurons.

Subcellular localization of glucose transporter 4 in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus of ob/ob mice under basal conditions.

Glucose transporter (GLUT) 4 plays an important role in insulin-induced glucose uptake in skeletal muscle and white adipose tissue. Although GLUT4 is abundant in the hypothalamus as well as in these peripheral tissues, little is known about the role of GLUT4 in the hypothalamus. In this study, we examined the subcellular localization of GLUT4 and the activation of insulin signaling pathways in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus of ob/ob mice under basal conditions.