Publications by authors named "Yuka Ichikawa-Shindo"

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a life-threatening lung condition characterized by widespread inflammation and pulmonary edema. Adrenomedullin (AM), a bioactive peptide with various functions, is expected to be applied in treating ARDS. Its functions are regulated primarily by two receptor activity-modifying proteins, RAMP2 and RAMP3, which bind to the AM receptor calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CLR).

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Adrenomedullin 2 (AM2; also known as intermedin) is a member of the adrenomedullin (AM) peptide family. Similarly to AM, AM2 partakes in a variety of physiological activities. AM2 has been reported to exert protective effects on various organ disorders; however, its significance in the eye is unknown.

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AM knockout (AM-/-) and RAMP2 knockout (RAMP2-/-) proved lethal for mice due to impaired embryonic vascular development. Although most vascular endothelial cell-specific RAMP2 knockout (E-RAMP2-/-) mice also died during the perinatal period, a few E-RAMP2-/- mice reached adulthood. Adult E-RAMP2-/- mice developed spontaneous organ damage associated with vascular injury.

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Pulmonary fibrosis is an irreversible, potentially fatal disease. Adrenomedullin (AM) is a multifunctional peptide whose activity is regulated by receptor activity-modifying protein 2 (RAMP2). In the present study, we used the bleomycin (BLM)-induced mouse pulmonary fibrosis model to investigate the pathophysiological significance of the AM-RAMP2 system in the lung.

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Adrenomedullin (AM) is a peptide hormone with multiple physiological functions, which are regulated by its receptor activity-modifying proteins, RAMP2 and RAMP3. We previously reported that AM or RAMP2 knockout (KO) (AM-/-, RAMP2-/-) is embryonically lethal in mice, whereas RAMP3-/- mice are apparently normal. AM, RAMP2, and RAMP3 are all highly expressed in the heart; however, their functions there are not fully understood.

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Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of visual impairment. Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor drugs used to treat AMD carry the risk of inducing subretinal fibrosis. We investigated the use of adrenomedullin (AM), a vasoactive peptide, and its receptor activity-modifying protein 2, RAMP2, which regulate vascular homeostasis and suppress fibrosis.

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Tumor metastasis is a primary source of morbidity and mortality in cancer. Adrenomedullin (AM) is a multifunctional peptide regulated by receptor activity-modifying proteins (RAMPs). We previously reported that the AM-RAMP2 system is involved in tumor angiogenesis, but the function of the AM-RAMP3 system remains largely unknown.

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Lymphedema is a chronic condition caused by disruption of lymphatic vessels, which often occurs after invasive surgery. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a 37-amino acid peptide produced by alternative splicing of the primary transcript of the calcitonin/CGRP gene (Calca). CGRP was initially identified as a neuropeptide released primarily from sensory nerves and involved in regulating pathophysiological nociceptive pain.

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Central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) is an intractable disease that causes visual acuity loss with retinal ischemia, hemorrhage, and edema. In this study, we developed an experimental CRVO model in mice and evaluated the therapeutic potential of the pleiotropic peptide adrenomedullin (ADM) and its receptor activity-modifying protein 2 (RAMP2). The CRVO model, which had phenotypes resembling those seen in the clinic, was produced by combining i.

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There is a marked increase in the incidence of visceral adiposity and insulin resistance among women following menopause. Adrenomedullin (AM) is an endogenous peptide first identified as a vasodilator, but now known to exert a variety of physiological effects. RAMP3 is a receptor activity-modifying protein that binds to the AM receptor (calcitonin receptor-like receptor).

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Adrenomedullin (AM), a member of the calcitonin peptide superfamily, is a peptide involved in both the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and circulatory homeostasis. Its receptor, calcitonin receptor-like receptor (CLR), associates with an accessory protein, receptor activity-modifying protein (RAMP). Depending upon which the three RAMP isoforms (RAMP1-3) it interacts with, CLR functions as a receptor for AM or other calcitonin family peptides.

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Background: Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a 37-amino acid peptide and produced by alternative splicing of the transcript of the calcitonin/CGRP gene. Originally identified as a strong vasodilatory and hypotensive peptide, CGRP is now known to be a pleiotropic molecule distributed in various organs, including the brain.

Method: In this study, we used CGRP knockout mice (CGRP-/-) to examine the actions of endogenous CGRP during cerebral ischemia.

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Neointimal hyperplasia is the primary lesion underlying atherosclerosis and restenosis after coronary intervention. We previously described the essential angiogenic function of the adrenomedullin (AM)-receptor activity-modifying protein (RAMP) 2 system. In the present study, we assessed the vasoprotective actions of the endogenous AM-RAMP2 system using a wire-induced vascular injury model.

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Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a bioactive peptide produced by alternative splicing of the primary transcript of the calcitonin/CGRP gene. CGRP is largely distributed in the cardiovascular and nervous systems, where it acts as a regulatory factor. CGRP is also expressed in organs and tissues involved in metabolic regulation, including white adipose tissue (WAT), where its function is largely unknown.

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Diabetic macular edema (DME) is caused by blood-retinal barrier breakdown associated with retinal vascular hyperpermeability and inflammation, and it is the major cause of visual dysfunction in diabetic retinopathy. Adrenomedullin (ADM) is an endogenous peptide first identified as a strong vasodilator. ADM is expressed in the eyes and is up-regulated in various eye diseases, although the pathophysiological significance is largely unknown.

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Aims: Controlling vascular integrity is expected to be a novel therapeutic target of cancers as well as cardiovascular diseases. Adrenomedullin (AM) and its receptor-modulating protein, RAMP2, have been identified as essential mediators of cardiovascular homeostasis. In this study, we used inducible vascular endothelial cell-specific RAMP2 knockout (DI-E-RAMP2(-/-)) mice to clarify the contribution made by the endogenous AM-RAMP2 system to angiogenesis and metastasis.

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Vascular endothelial cells play key roles in maintaining vascular and organ homeostasis. Adrenomedullin (AM), originally identified as a vasodilating peptide, is now recognized to be a pleiotropic molecule involved in both circulatory homeostasis and the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. We have reported that knockout mice deficient in AM or receptor activity-modifying protein 2 (RAMP2), an AM-receptor accessory protein, show vascular endothelial cell deformities that are embryonically lethal.

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Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP; official name CALCA) has a variety of functions and exhibits both angiogenic and anti-inflammatory properties. We previously reported the angiogenic effects of the CGRP family peptide adrenomedullin in oxygen-induced retinopathy; however, the effects of CGRP on ocular angiogenesis remain unknown. Herein, we used CGRP knockout (CGRP(-/-)) mice to investigate the roles of CGRP in ocular vascular disease.

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Adrenomedullin (AM) is a vasoactive peptide that possesses various bioactivities. AM receptors are dimers consisting of CLR with one of two accessory proteins, RAMP2 or RAMP3. The functional difference between CLR/RAMP2 and CLR/RAMP3 and the relationship between the two receptors remain unclear.

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The accessory protein RAMP2 is a component of the CLR/RAMP2 dimeric adrenomedullin (AM) receptor and is the primary determinant of the vascular functionality of AM. RAMP2 is highly expressed in the brain; however, its function there remains unclear. We therefore used heterozygous RAMP2 knockout (RAMP2+/-) mice, in which RAMP2 expression was reduced by half, to examine the actions of the endogenous AM-RAMP2 system in cerebral ischemia.

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Various bioactive peptides have been implicated in the homeostasis of organs and tissues. Adrenomedullin (AM) is a peptide with various bioactivities. AM-receptor, calcitonin-receptor-like receptor (CLR) associates with one of the subtypes of the accessory proteins, RAMPs.

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Adrenomedullin (ADM), originally identified as a vasodilating peptide, is now recognized to be a pleiotropic molecule involved in both the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and circulatory homeostasis. Homozygotes of ADM knockout mice (ADM-/-) were lethal at mid-gestation with abnormalities of vascular development and this finding clarified the angiogenic potency of ADM. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), which has a structure and function similar to that of ADM, has been identified as a family peptide of ADM.

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Adrenomedullin (ADM) is an endogenous peptide first identified as a strong vasodilating molecule. We previously showed that in mice, homozygous knockout of ADM (ADM(-/-)) or its receptor regulating protein, RAMP2 (RAMP2(-/-)), is embryonically lethal due to abnormal vascular development, thereby demonstrating the importance of ADM and its receptor signaling to vascular development. ADM expression in the retina is strongly induced by ischemia; however, its role in retinal pathophysiology remains unknown.

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Neointimal hyperplasia is the primary lesion underlying atherosclerosis and restenosis after percutaneous coronary intervention. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is produced by alternative splicing of the primary transcript of the calcitonin/CGRP gene. Originally identified as a strongly vasodilatory neuropeptide, CGRP is now known to be a pleiotropic peptide widely distributed in various organs and tissues.

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