Chronic kidney disease after 5/6 nephrectomy disturbs the intestinal microbiota and alters intestinal motility.

Organ-organ crosstalk is involved in homeostasis. Gastrointestinal symptoms are common in patients with renal failure. The aim of this study was to elucidate the relationship between gastrointestinal motility and gastrointestinal symptoms in chronic kidney disease.

Transient forebrain ischemia induces impairment in cognitive performance prior to extensive neuronal cell death in Mongolian gerbil ().

In Mongolian gerbils, bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) for several minutes induces ischemia, due to an incomplete circle of Willis, resulting in delayed neuronal cell death in the Cornet d'Ammon 1 (CA1) region of the hippocampus. Neuronal cell death in the hippocampus and changes in behavior were examined after BCCAO was performed for 5 min in the gerbils. One day after BCCAO, the pyramidal neurons of the CA1 region of the hippocampus showed degenerative changes (clumped chromatin in nuclei).

A novel spontaneous mutation of BCAR3 results in extrusion cataracts in CF#1 mouse strain.

A substrain of mice originating from the CF#1 strain (an outbred colony) reared at Osaka Prefecture University (CF#1/lr mice) develops cataracts beginning at 4 weeks of age. Affected mice were fully viable and fertile and developed cataracts by 14 weeks of age. Histologically, CF#1/lr mice showed vacuolation of the lens cortex, swollen lens fibers, lens rupture and nuclear extrusion.

Maternal protein restriction that does not have an influence on the birthweight of the offspring induces morphological changes in kidneys reminiscent of phenotypes exhibited by intrauterine growth retardation rats.

Severe restriction of maternal protein intake to 6-8% protein diet results in intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), low birthweight and high risk of metabolic syndrome in the adult life of the offspring. However, little information is available on the effects of maternal protein restriction on offspring under the conditions that does not have an influence on their birthweight of the offspring,. In the present study, pregnant rats were kept on a diet consisting of either 9% (low-protein, Lp rats) or 18% (normal-protein, Np rats) protein by weight/volume/etc.

Effects of maternal subtotal nephrectomy on the development of the fetal kidney: A morphometric study.

The present study was designed to explore if maternal subtotal (5/6) nephrectomy affects the development of fetal rat kidneys using morphometric methods and examining whether there are any apoptotic changes in the fetal kidney. To generate 5/6 nephrectomized model rats, animals underwent 2/3 left nephrectomy on gestation day (GD) 5 and total right nephrectomy on GD 12. The fetal kidneys were examined on GDs 16 and 22.

Hereditary and histologic characteristics of the CF1/b cac mouse cataract model.

A substrain of mice originating from the CF1 strain (an outbred colony) reared at Osaka Prefecture University (CF1/b cac mice) develops cataracts beginning at 14 d old. Affected mice were fully viable and fertile and had developed cataracts by 22 d of age. The incidence of cataracts did not differ between male and female mice.

Infusion of growth hormone into the hippocampus induces molecular and behavioral responses in mice.

Growth hormone (GH) has been implicated in a variety of brain functions, including neural development, cognition, and neuroprotection. The biological effects of GH are known to rely on the binding of GH to the GH receptor (GHR), yet the resulting signals in the brain remain poorly understood. The present study investigated the effects of hippocampal infusions of recombinant GH and a GHR antagonist on the expression of immediate early genes (IEGs) and behavioral responses in mice.

Dynamics and reproductive effects of complement factors in the spontaneous abortion model of CBA/J×DBA/2 mice.

The complement system is one component of innate immunity that could participate in fetal loss. We have already reported that adipsin, a complement activator in the alternative pathway, is stably expressed in the placenta and that an increase in this expression is related to spontaneous abortion. However, complement inhibitor Crry was concurrently expressed in the placenta, and the role of complement factors during pregnancy was not clear.

Expression of transforming growth factor β and fibroblast growth factor 2 in the lens epithelium of Morioka cataract mice.

In the Morioka cataract (MCT) mice, lens opacity appears at 6 to 8 weeks of age, and swollen lens fiber is electron-microscopically observed at 3 weeks after birth. The present study was designed to characterize the expression of transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) in the lens epithelium of the MCT mice. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the expression of TGFβ in the lens epithelium of the MCT mice was stronger than that of the wild-type ddY mice at 2 and 4 weeks after birth.

Effects of transient forebrain ischemia on the hippocampus of the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus): an immunohistochemical study.

In the Mongolian gerbil, bilateral common carotid artery occlusion (BCCAO) for several minutes induces ischemia and delayed neuronal cell death in the CA1 region of the hippocampus due to their incomplete Circle of Willis. In the present study, the expression of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), its receptors (FGFR1 and FGFR2), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and isolectin B4 (ISLB4) was investigated by immunohistochemical and lectin-binding methods after BCCAO was performed for 5 min in gerbils. One day after BCCAO, the pyramidal cells of the CA1 region of the hippocampus showed degenerative changes and lowered expression of FGF2, FGFR1, and FGFR2.

Inhibition of nitric oxide production and inducible nitric oxide synthase expression by a polymethoxyflavone from young fruits of Citrus unshiu in rat primary astrocytes.

Abnormal activation of astrocytes (e.g., the overproduction of cytokines and nitric oxide) is relevant to neurodegenerative disease.

An increase in apoptosis and reduction in αB-crystallin expression levels in the lens underlie the cataractogenesis of Morioka cataract (MCT) mice.

We examined the morphological changes in fibers, localization of apoptotic cells, and protein expression of αB-crystallin in the lens of Morioka cataract (MCT) mice, a novel cataract model. Using a scanning electron microscope, swollen lens fibers and enlarged spaces between lens fibers were observed in the lens of 3-week-old MCT mice. At 2 weeks of age (before cataract), the single-strand DNA (ssDNA)-positive (indicating apoptosis) cell ratio of the lens epithelium was significantly higher in MCT than in wild-type ddY mice.

Effects of low protein intake on the development of the remaining kidney in subtotally nephrectomized immature rats: expression of inducible and endothelial NO synthase.

We examined the effects of low protein intake on the development of the remaining kidney in subtotally (5/6) nephrectomized immature rats. Three-week-old rats were kept on a diet containing either 12% protein (Lp rats) or 18% protein (Np rats) for 4 or 8 weeks after subtotal nephrectomy (SUNx). In Western blot analysis, the endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) protein expression of the Lp rats was significantly higher than that of the Np rats at 4 weeks after SUNx.

Elevation of adipsin, a complement activating factor, in the mouse placenta during spontaneous abortion.

The complement system is thought to be precisely regulated during pregnancy. We have examined specific gene profiles in mouse placentas causing spontaneous abortion and found notable up-regulation of adipsin, a complement activating factor. The aim of the present study was to determine the basic kinetics and localization of adipsin in the placenta and the difference in complement activity between normal placentas and placentas of abortuses.

Regulation of complement activity via the alternative pathway in placentas of mouse spontaneous abortions.

Placental complement has the potential to induce autologous embryo injury. We have previously found a significant elevation of adipsin, an activating factor of the alternative complement pathway, in mouse placentas from spontaneous abortions. The present study was aimed to evaluate regulation of the alternative complement pathway in placentas of mouse spontaneous abortions.

DNA microarray analysis in a mouse model for endometriosis and validation of candidate factors with human adenomyosis.

Gene expression profiling can be of benefit in identifying critical factors in the process of disease initiation and development. However, in endometriosis it has proven difficult to identify common genes between DNA microarray studies, presumably because of tissue homogeneity in lesions and diversity in the patients' conditions. We attempted DNA microarray analysis in a mouse model for endometriosis with stable lesions and a homogeneous genetic background.

Compensatory renal growth in uninephrectomized immature rats: proliferative activity and epidermal growth factor.

Compensatory response to uninephrectomy in immature animals is stronger compared with that in adult ones and the response is due mainly to renal cell proliferation. The present study explored to show the growth pattern of the remaining kidney immediately after uninephrectomy in immature rats with special reference to proliferating activity and epidermal growth factor (EGF). Immunolocalizations of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and EGF in immature rat kidney were examined during the first three days after uninephrectomy.

Novel cataract mouse model using ddY strain: hereditary and histological characteristics.

A novel cataract model was identified in the ddY strain (outbred colony) reared at Osaka Prefecture University. Opacity appeared as a white pinpoint focus in the unpigmented eyes of cataract mice at 6 weeks of age. All mice, fully viable and fertile, were bilaterally affected by the time they were 10 weeks of age.

Distinct role of growth hormone on epilepsy progression in a model of temporal lobe epilepsy.

Temporal lobe epilepsy is a common form of pharmacoresistant epilepsy, in which epileptogenic foci propagate to other regions of the brain from the area of the initial insult. The present study focused on epileptogenesis, that is, the development of the first foci inducing seizures in amygdala-kindled mice, a model of temporal lobe epilepsy, to find the molecular process promoting the formation of epileptogenic networks. The expression of growth hormone (GH) was up-regulated along neural circuits during the epileptogenesis, while there was no difference in the pituitary gland.

Spontaneous endometrial hyperplasia in the uteri of IL-2 receptor beta-chain transgenic mice.

We found frequent and spontaneous proliferation of glandular epithelium and dilated cysts in the uteri of interleukin-2 receptor (IL2R) beta-chain transgenic (Tg2Rbeta) mice. The aim of this study was to examine the involvement of IL2R beta-chain in the pathogenesis of endometrial hyperplasia (EH). Mouse uteri and serum were collected from Tg2Rbeta and normal littermates (NL), which were classified into three groups according to age.

ER-stress caused by accumulated intracistanal granules activates autophagy through a different signal pathway from unfolded protein response in exocrine pancreas cells of rats exposed to fluoride.

In rat exocrine pancreas cells, fluoride treatment causes autophagy resulting from intracisternal granule accumulation. Excessive autophagy might promote a type of programmed cell death different from apoptosis. To clarify how fluoride-induced autophagy and subsequent cell death occurs, we investigated morphological and biochemical changes in exocrine pancreas cells of rats subcutaneously injected with NaF saline solution at 20 mg/kg dose twice daily for 4 days.

Effects of leukemia inhibitory factor on lectin-binding patterns in the uterine stromal vessels of mice.

Lectin histochemistry was performed on mouse uteri to determine what effects leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) has on carbohydrate epitope expressions at the time of implantation. Twenty-two biotinylated lectins were used in this study. Following injection of LIF, specific binding to the apical surface of the uterine glandular epithelium (GE) was recognized by six lectins.

Effects of low protein intake on the development of the remaining kidney in subtotally nephrectomized immature rats: apoptosis and epidermal growth factor.

Effects of low protein intake on the development of the remaining kidney in subtotally (5/6) nephrectomized immature rats were examined. Three week-old weaning rats were kept on a diet containing either 12% (Lp rats) or 18% (Np rats) protein for 4 or 8 weeks after subtotal nephrectomy. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration was determined at 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks after 5/6 nephrectomy.

The Rho kinase inhibitor fasudil inhibits tumor progression in human and rat tumor models.

The ability of cancer cells to undergo invasion and migration is a prerequisite for tumor metastasis. Rho, a Ras-related small GTPase, and the Rho-associated coiled coil-containing protein kinases (Rho kinases, ROCK1 and ROCK2) are key regulators of focal adhesion, actomyosin contraction, and thus cell motility. Inhibitors of this pathway have been shown to inhibit tumor cell motility and metastasis.