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Biomedical subjects

M Fukagawa

Publications and source records attributed to M Fukagawa.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Basic and clinical aspects of parathyroid hyperplasia in chronic kidney disease.

Marked parathyroid hyperplasia develops in patients with chronic kidney disease, especially those with long dialysis vintage. Although progression of hyperplasia is associated with downregulation of vitamin D receptor and calcium-sensing receptor, initial abnormality that triggers and maintains parathyroid cell proliferation, as well the critical abnormality for the progression of diffuse hyperplasia to nodular hyperplasia, still remains to be elucidated. It is quite important for the optimal management of renal osteodystrophy to recognize the development of nodular hyperplasia, because the cells in nodular hyperplasia are usually resistant to medical therapy and further treatment of such patients often leads to vascular calcification. For this purpose, size and blood supply of enlarged parathyroid glands have been used as good clinical markers. Furthermore, we have recently shown that the serum fibroblast growth factor 23 level can be used for predicting refractory hyperparathyroidism. Once nodular hyperplasia develops in any of the enlarged parathyroid glands, such patients need to be treated by parathyroid intervention including percutaneous ethanol injection therapy. In addition, as direct vitamin D injection therapy has been shown to induce regression of hyperplasia, it may become possible to reverse or normalize established nodular hyperplasia if we can develop new agents with such effects in the near future.

Anti-Infective Agents, Local↗

Insufficiency of PTH action on bone in uremia.

Abnormal bone turnover and mineral metabolism is observed in patients on dialysis. Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHP) develops in response to mineral metabolism changes accompanying renal failure. As a factor of disease progression, the phenomenon of skeletal resistance to parathyroid hormone (PTH) is observed. With recent advances in the treatment of SHP, over-secretion of PTH can now be controlled. However, blood PTH levels 2 to 3 times higher than normal are considered necessary to maintain normal bone turnover in patients with renal failure. Various causes of skeletal resistance to PTH have been reported, including decrease in PTH receptor in osteoblasts, accumulation of 7-84 PTH fragment, and accumulation of osteoprotegerin. This skeletal resistance to PTH is not only a high-turnover bone accompanying SHP, but may also play a crucial role in the onset of low-turnover bone disease. We have produced a rat model of renal failure with normal level of PTH secretion and analyzed the bone of this model. Our results confirmed that bone turnover is lowered accompanying renal function impairment. We also found that this lowered bone turnover is improved by intermittent administration of PTH. In addition, PTH receptor gene expression is also decreased in low-turnover bone, as is observed in high-turnover bone disease. These findings confirm the presence of skeletal resistance to PTH in low-turnover bone accompanying renal failure. Control of calcium, phosphorus, and PTH levels with the target to maintain normal bone turnover is important in maintaining the quality of life of patients on dialysis.

Animals↗

Cerebral venous thrombosis in adult nephrotic syndrome due to systemic amyloidosis.

Although venous thrombosis is one of the common complications in nephrotic patients, cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) is rarely reported. CVT is so difficult to be detected by conventional diagnostic methods that it is sometimes overlooked despite its potential severity. We report a 79-year-old female with nephrotic syndrome due to systemic amyloidosis who suddenly altered mental status during her hospitalization. The underlying etiology had been not identified by physical examinations, various laboratory data, and repeated computed tomography, and finally she died. The post-mortem examination showed a massive thrombus impacted in intracranial left-sided transverse and sigmoid sinus. This case suggests that CVT can occur in a nephrotic patient who presents unexplained neurological signs and symptoms, which might not be detected only through conventional diagnostic tests.

Aged↗

Maxacalcitol therapy decreases circulating osteoprotegerin levels in dialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism.

BACKGROUND: Osteoprotegerin is a natural glycoprotein which plays a critical role in osteoclast physiology. Elevated levels of circulating osteoprotegerin may account for the development of bone and mineral metabolic abnormalities in uremia. Little is known about the effects of vitamin D therapy on the circulating osteoprotegerin levels in dialysis patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Fifty chronic dialysis patients whose plasma intact PTH levels were greater than 300 pg/ml were analyzed for the study. Following a four-week washout time during which all vitamin D administration was halted, 10 microg of maxacalcitol was intravenously injected thrice a week. RESULTS: The circulating intact PTH, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase and intact osteocalcin levels were significantly lowered, while the serum calcium levels were elevated after the therapy. The osteoprotegerin levels significantly decreased after the therapy (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Maxacalcitol therapy reduced the circulating osteoprotegerin levels and improved secondary hyperparathyroidism. The observed effects were the opposite of those expected from previous in vitro studies. Osteoprotegerin may mediate and/or modify the effect of active vitamin D therapy in dialysis patients.

Calcitriol↗

Normalization of reversed bio-intact-PTH(1-84)/intact-PTH ratio after parathyroidectomy in a patient with severe secondary hyperparathyroidism.

The conventional intact-PTH assay detects both (1-84)-PTH and C-terminal fragments. The newer PTH assays, bio-intact-PTH assay and whole-PTH assay, use an antibody that binds only if the first amino acid is present, making it specific for the complete molecule, (1-84)-PTH. Thus, the intact-PTH concentrations are theoretically higher than bio-intact-PTH concentrations, and the ratio of bio-intact-PTH/intact-PTH is usually less than 1. These findings are observed in normal subjects and patients with primary and secondary hyperparathyroidism. Here we present a hemodialysis patient with severe secondary hyperparathyroidism who was found to have abnormally higher plasma bio-intact-PTH concentrations than intact-PTH concentrations, and the abnormally high biointact-PTH/intact-PTH ratio improved after parathyroidectomy (PTx). The patient was a 67-year-old man on maintenance hemodialysis since 1995. Since 2003, he was found to have high plasma intact-PTH concentrations and two swollen parathyroid glands in the neck. PTx with forearm autograft was performed in October 2003. Before PTx, an abnormally high ratio of bio-intact-PTH/intact-PTH was detected (840 pg/ml/770 pg/ml, > 1), while the same ratio was improved to normal range (100 pg/ml/200 pg/ml, < 1). Recently, a few patients with parathyroid carcinoma have been found to have higher (1-84)-PTH concentrations than intact-PTH concentrations with abnormally high (1-84)-PTH/intact-PTH ratio. Moreover, a new molecular form of PTH distinct from (1-84)-PTH was detected in these patients. We speculate that the resected parathyroid gland in our patient might have produced a new molecular form of PTH that was less well detected by the conventional intact-PTH assay.

Aged↗

The effect of angiotensin receptor blockade ARB on the regression of left ventricular hypertrophy in hemodialysis patients: comparison between patients with D allele and non-D allele ACE gene polymorphism.

OBJECTIVE: It is revealed that LVH is one of risk factors for the development of cardiac complications in long-term HD patients. Therefore, maneuvers to reduce hypertrophy of cardium are very important for improving life prognosis. Angiotensin II receptor blockade (ARB) could reduce LVH in general populations without renal failure. However, no conclusive data has been available regarding the clinical consequences of ARB administration on the regression of LVH in HD patients. Furthermore, it has not clearly determined if ACE gene polymorphism has a possible influential effect on it. This study is conducted to clarify these issues. SUBJECTS AND METHOD: 32 hypertensive patients on regular HD (male/female: 21/11, mean age: 60.5 years, mean duration of HD: 52.8 months) were studied. Patients were classified into two groups according to the different type of ACE gene polymorphism: cases with D allele (DD/ID; D group: n = 13) and those without (II; non-D group: n = 19). All patients were administered ARB (losartan 50 - 100 mg/day) and echocardiography (UCG) was performed at 6-month-interval regularly until the end of observation (24 months). RESULTS: Before the commencement of ARB, no differences were found between the two groups, neither in mean blood pressure (MBP: D group/non-D group: 120 +/- 13 vs. 115 +/- 14 mmHg) nor in left ventricular mass index (LVMI: D/non-D: 172 +/- 41 vs. 165 +/- 41 g/m2). During the 24r-month follow-up, there were significant and similar reductions in MBP in both groups. In respect to LVMI, a significant reduction of LVMI was found in the D group after six months (p < 0.01 vs. basal) with a final reduction rate (FRR) -26 +/- 13%, whereas in the non-D group it was found at 24 months (p < 0.01 vs. basal) with FRR -11 +/- 16% (p < 0.01 vs. D group). There were significant differences between the two groups at all points (p < 0.05 at 6, 18 and 24 months, p < 0.005 at 12 months, respectively). CONCLUSION: It is indicated that ARB could insert a regression effect on LVH predominantly in patients with D allele ACE polymorphism, due partly to factor (s) independent of its anti-hypertensive effect.

Alleles↗

Role of zinc in regulation of protein tyrosine phosphatase activity in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells: zinc modulation of insulin-like growth factor-I's effect.

Zinc, an essential trace element, has been demonstrated to stimulate bone growth in animal and human. The cellular mechanism by which zinc stimulates bone growth has not been fully clarified. The effect of hormone and zinc on protein tyrosine phosphatase activity in osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells was investigated. Cells were cultured for 72 h in medium containing 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) to obtain subconfluent monolayers, and then exchanged to culture medium containing either vehicle, zinc sulfate or various hormones in the absence of 10% FBS. After medium change, cells were cultured for 48 h. Protein tyrosine phosphatase activity in the lysate of cells was significantly increased by culture with zinc (10(-6) - 10(-4) M). The effect of zinc in increasing the enzyme activity was completely blocked by culture with cycloheximide (10(-7 )M), an inhibitor of protein synthesis, or 5, 6-dichloro-l-beta-D- riboifuranosylbenzimidarzole (DRB) (10(-6) M), an inhibitor of translational activity. Addition of calcium chloride (10 microM) into the reaction mixture caused a significant increase in protein tyrosine phosphatase activity; this increase was completely blocked in the presence of trifluoperazine (50 microM), an antagonist of calmodulin. Culture with zinc caused a significant increase in Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein tyrosine phosphatase activity in osteoblastic cells. Protein tyrosine phosphatase activity was significantly raised by culture with parathyroid hormone (human PTH [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33]; 10(-7) M), 17beta-estradiol (10(-7) M), insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I; 10(-8) M) or insulin (10(-8) M). The enzyme activity was not significantly enhanced by the addition of calcium (10 microM) into the reaction mixture. The effect of PTH or IGF-I in increasing protein tyrosine phosphatase activity was completely blocked by culture with DRB. The IGF-I-induced increase in enzyme activity was significantly enhanced by culture with zinc. Such an effect was not seen in the case of PTH. Moreover, the effect of IGF-I in increasing proliferation of osteoblastic cells was significantly enhanced by culture with zinc. The effect of PTH was not enhanced by zinc. This study demonstrates that protein tyrosine phosphatase activity in osteoblastic cells is enhanced by various bone anabolic factors, and that zinc modulates the effect of IGF-I on protein tyrosine phosphatase activity and cell proliferation.

3T3 Cells↗

Percutaneous calcitriol injection therapy (PCIT) for secondary hyperparathyroidism: multicentre trial.

A multicentre trial of percutaneous calcitriol injection therapy (PCIT) was designed to evaluate its clinical usefulness. During a 12-week period, measurement of intact PTH concentration, and other parameters, and ultrasonography were carried out in conjunction with PCIT in 19 haemodialysis patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism and enlarged parathyroid glands (PTGs) that were resistant to vitamin D pulse therapy. Calcijex was injected directly into the PTG three times per week on the patient's non-dialysis days: eight patients received a 2 microg/ml preparation (group A) and 12 received 1 microg/ml (group B). A strong clinical effect was observed in group A compared with group B, which suggests that the effect of calcitriol by direct injection is stronger when there is a higher concentration of calcitriol in the PTG. In group B, the cases with an initial intact PTH concentration <1000 pg/ml and a single enlarged PTG had a good response to the treatment. Concentrations of calcium and phosphate were not significantly changed in either group. All cases had decreased blood flow in the PTG after three episodes of PCIT and, although the size of the PTG was unchanged, or even a little increased, immediately after the treatment, it decreased gradually over 2-6 weeks. PCIT may be effective for comparatively slight secondary hyperparathyroidism, but further investigation is necessary because there were comparatively few cases.

Aged↗

A model for membrane bioreactor process based on the concept of formation and degradation of soluble microbial products.

A mathematical model of soluble microbial products (SMPs) formation-degradation was established based on the activated sludge model no. 1 and was applied to the membrane bioreactor process with high concentration of activated sludge under intermittent aerobic operational condition. The simulation results were in good agreement with the experimental data which indicated that the coefficients used in the model could successfully describe the treatment performance. The most advantage of this modified model over the conventional one was that the significant importance of SMP existence was demonstrated and the model provided an reasonable comprehension for SMP concept. The present study demonstrated that SMPs contributed most to the organic matter in the effluent, and the results coincided well with the observations of many other researchers.

Biodegradation, Environmental↗

Skeletal resistance to pth as a basic abnormality underlying uremic bone diseases.

Skeletal resistance to parathyroid hormone (PTH) was suggested initially as a mechanism of PTH hypersecretion in uremia. Because of the effective suppression of PTH by recently developed therapeutic modalities, this background abnormality has been uncovered and currently recognized as relative hypoparathyroidism in terms of its relation to bone turnover. Thus, PTH levels two to three times greater than normal are usually required to keep bone turnover normal in uremia. Recent studies suggested that PTH activity may be overestimated using the conventional intact PTH assay. In addition, several steps to osteoclastogenesis are suspected to be disturbed in uremia. Additional studies at cellular and molecular levels are needed to establish preventive and therapeutic modalities for this abnormality.

Bone Resorption↗

Comparison of intact PTH assay and whole PTH assay in long-term dialysis patients.

Adynamic bone disease has become a major problem in long-term dialysis patients. It has been suggested that higher levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH) are needed to maintain normal bone turnover in uremia. PTH levels currently are evaluated routinely by intact PTH assay, which may detect inactive 7-84 PTH fragments as well as 1-84 PTH. We examined the efficacy of whole PTH assay, which detects 1-84 PTH exclusively, in 99 nondiabetic patients on maintenance dialysis for more than 10 years, without any residual renal function. PTH levels determined by whole PTH assay were lower than those determined by intact PTH assay in all cases. Serum markers of bone metabolism, such as serum activity of bone alkaline phosphatase, correlated well with whole PTH levels. Because 7-84 PTH has been shown to inhibit the effects of 1-84 PTH, the biologic activity of circulating PTH in uremic patients may be much lower than the values assayed by conventional intact PTH assay. Despite an attempt to correlate 1-84 PTH/7-84 PTH ratio with bone histology, we could find only 1 patient out of 99 with 1-84 PTH/7-84 PTH ratio less than 1, which has been suggested to be indicative of low turnover bone. A cutoff value of this ratio should be set in the future for patients with a long hemodialysis history, with various modes of medical therapy.

Alkaline Phosphatase↗

Osteoprotegerin levels before and after renal transplantation.

Osteoprotegerin (OPG) is a newly identified glycoprotein that belongs to the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily and regulates bone mass by inhibiting osteoclastic bone resorption. The regulatory mechanism of OPG is still unclear after successful renal transplantation (RTX), however, resulting in resolution of uremia. The present study was designed to clarify the potential role of OPG in uremia and after RTX under immunosuppressive therapy. We evaluated circulating OPG levels by measuring them before and after RTX (postoperative days 2, 14, and 28). Our protocol of immunosuppressive drugs was dual therapy using cyclosporine and steroids. Serum OPG was quantitated using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. After successful RTX, serum OPG levels decreased significantly on day 14 and day 28 compared with the baseline level (P < 0.05). Creatinine clearance dramatically increased until day 14 and decreased thereafter. Serum OPG declines for the first 2 weeks after RTX owing to functioning allograft and decreases again for the next 2 weeks because of steroids and possible immunosuppressive agents.

Adult↗

Mutational analysis of the BMP-1 gene in patients with gastroschisis.

BACKGROUND: Gastroschisis is a rare abdominal wall defect. Although the pathogenesis of gastroschisis is unknown, there is some evidence of the genetic etiology of gastroschisis. Recently, a functionally null deletion of the mouse bone morphogenic protein-1 (BMP-1) gene resulted in a phenotype that resembled a human neonate with gastroschisis. BMP-1 thus became the first potential candidate gene for gastroschisis. METHODS: To explore this possibility the authors collected blood samples from 11 patients who had gastroschisis. Mutational analysis of exons 2 to 15 of the human BMP-1 gene was performed using genomic polymerase chain reaction, single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis and direct sequencing methods. RESULTS: No mutation of the human BMP-1 gene was observed in any of these patients. CONCLUSION: Although heterogeneous etiologies might be proposed for gastroschisis, our results provide further evidence of a nongenetic etiology for gastroschisis. J Pediatr Surg 36:885-887.

Bone Morphogenetic Protein 1↗

[PTH and bone metabolism in chronic dialysis patients].

The abnormal metabolism of calcium and bone is one of the most common complications seen in chronic dialysis patients. The activity of PTH has been mainly assessed by intact PTH assay; however, recent data suggest that this assay may overestimate PTH activity by detecting 7-84 PTH fragments in addition to 1-84 PTH molecules(whole PTH). Another issue in this field is that higher levels of PTH are needed to maintain normal bone turnover in uremic patients. Accumulated osteoprotegerin in uremic serum may be responsible for this skeletal resistance to PTH.

Biomarkers↗

[The possibility in parathyroid hormone and gene therapy].

Pathogenesis of parathyroid diseases has been recently elucidated at molecular levels. In uremic hyperparathroidism, it has been revealed that down regulation of vitamin D receptor and calcium sensing receptor plays major roles. In future, correction of such abnormalities of parathyroid cells may become possible by in vivo or ex vivo gene transfer. For this purpose, culture system of physiologically viable parathyroid cells and appropriate vectors need to be established.

English Abstract↗