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M Tsujioka

Publications and source records attributed to M Tsujioka.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Relationships between baseline serum leptin levels and 2-year changes in body mass index, blood pressure and metabolic parameters in Japanese male adolescents and middle-aged men.

We and others have reported that serum leptin levels are positively correlated with body mass index (BMI), blood pressure and heart rate (HR) in cross-sectional clinical studies. However, only a few longitudinal studies have focused on the relationships between leptin, BMI and blood pressure. The present study was performed to elucidate the relationships between baseline serum leptin levels and 2-year changes in BMI, blood pressure, HR and metabolic parameters in 314 Japanese male adolescents aged 16-17 years and in 225 Japanese men aged 30-63 years. Height, weight, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), HR, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), serum lipids [total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerols (TG), high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)], uric acid (UA), insulin and leptin levels were measured in the morning after an overnight fast. In the male adolescents, serum leptin levels in 1996 (log[leptin'96]) were significantly correlated with BMI, SBP, mean blood pressure and HR in 1998 (r=0.40, 0.13, 0.11 and 0.14, respectively). The percentage change in BMI per year (DeltaBMI) was negatively correlated with log[leptin'96], even after adjustment for baseline BMI (r=-0.12, P=0.030). In men aged 30-63 years, log[leptin'96] was also positively correlated with BMI'98, SBP'98, DBP'98, FPG'98, TC'98, log[TG'98], LDL-C'98 and UA'98 (all P<0.05), and negatively correlated with HDL-C'98, DeltaBMI, DeltaFPG, DeltaTC and DeltaLDL-C. The relationship between log[leptin'96] and DeltaTC was significant, even after adjustment for initial BMI (r=-0.15, P=0.023). These findings therefore suggest that serum leptin levels are correlated with subsequent decreases in BMI and TC in Japanese men.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2001

Spatial expression patterns of genes involved in cyclic AMP responses in Dictyostelium discoideum development.

The spatial expression patterns of genes involved in cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) responses during morphogenesis in Dictyostelium discoideum were analyzed by in situ hybridization. Genes encoding adenylyl cyclase A (ACA), cAMP receptor 1, G-protein alpha2 and beta subunits, cytosolic activator of ACA (CRAC and Aimless), catalytic subunit of protein kinase A (PKA-C) and cAMP phosphodiesterases (PDE and REG-A) were preferentially expressed in the anterior prestalk (tip) region of slugs, which acts as an organizing center. MAP kinase ERK2 (extracellular signal-regulated kinase-2) mRNA, however, was enriched in the posterior prespore region. At the culmination stage, the expression of ACA, CRAC and PKA-C mRNA increased in prespore cells in contrast with the previous stage. However, no alteration in the site of expression was observed for the other mRNA analyzed. Based on these findings, two and four classes of expression patterns were catalogued for these genes during the slug and culmination stages, respectively. Promoter analyses of genes in particular classes should enhance understanding of the regulation of dynamic and coordinated gene expression during morphogenesis.

Animals↗
PubMed2000

Determinants for the development of hypertension in adolescents. A 6-year follow-up.

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed to evaluate the determinants of elevated blood pressure (BP) in adolescents. DESIGN AND METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated the BP and anthropometric data in 419 Japanese students (268 males and 151 females) during high school and university. Their annual health records were analysed for BP, heart rate, height and body weight between the ages of 15 and 21 years. RESULTS: The number of hypertensive students did not vary significantly during the 6 years. Concerning changes in BP categories according to the modified JNCVI classification between the ages of 15 to 21 years, 150 males kept a normal BP (keeping normal BP group); 39 males developed high BP (developing high BP group); 37 males kept high BP (keeping high BP group); and 42 males became normal BP (becoming normal BP group). The majority of females (n = 144, 95.4%) were included in the keeping normal BP group. In male students, both the keeping and becoming normal BP groups, especially the latter, showed a significant decrease in heart rate over the 6 years, while the other two groups showed no change. The height and body weight of each of the four groups showed a significant increase, but the body mass index (BMI) of the males in the becoming normal BP group did not increase over the 6 years. Body weight and BMI at the age of 15 years in the male keeping normal BP group were significantly below that of the other three groups; this difference persisted at the age of 21 years. Furthermore, male university students who showed a BP above 'high-normal' at the age of 21 years exhibited a significantly higher BP, heart rate, body weight and BMI than did the normotensives, when they were high school students. Stepwise regression analysis of the data showed that the best predictors of BP at the age of 21 years were the initial high school BP and BMI levels and changes in BMI and heart rate during the 6-year period for male students. CONCLUSION: Results indicate that the BP and BMI during high school and the changes in BMI and heart rate from high school to university influenced the BP at the age of 21 years in male students. Data indicate that information on the prevention and management of hypertension including weight control should begin early, especially in male adolescents.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Participation in school sports clubs and related effects on cardiovascular risk factors in young males.

The effects of belonging to sports clubs on male high school students was evaluated. The relationships between the type and extent of school-based exercise were examined in conjunction with percent body fat, blood pressure (BP), and other key metabolic parameters. A total of 264 male Japanese high school students (age range: 17-18 years old) were studied. Percent body fat was measured and blood was collected in the fasting state during a routine health check. Subjects were divided into two groups. The exercise (E) group (n=150) included students who had belonged to a sports club during the past 2 years. The non-exercise (NE) group (n=114) included students who did not belong to a sports club during the past 2 years. The body mass index was significantly greater in group E (21.7 +/- 2.3 (SD) kg/m2) than in group NE (20.7 +/- 2.6 kg/m2, p < 0.01). However, the percent body fat in group E (13.6 +/- 3.4%) was significantly lower than that in group NE (14.9 +/- 3.8%, p < 0.01). The diastolic BP and heart rate in group E (64 +/- 7 mmHg, 70 +/- 11/min) were significantly lower in group E than in group NE (66 +/- 8 mmHg, p < 0.05; 76 +/- 14/min, p < 0.01). The serum triglyceride level was significantly lower, and the HDL cholesterol level was higher in group E than in group NE. The homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) index, used as an index of insulin resistance, was similar in the two groups. However, the level of the HOMA index was significantly lower among the 62 subjects in group E who preferred highly dynamic exercise (1.50 +/- 0.46) than it was among those in group NE (1.66 +/- 0.49, p < 0.05). Results indicate that belonging to sports clubs influences the BP and lipid profiles of adolescent males, as well as their percent body fat. In view of the reduction of cardiovascular risk factors, it is recommended that even young males practice regular exercise, especially aerobic exercise.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Effects of body weight control on changes in blood pressure: three-year follow-up study in young Japanese individuals.

Numerous epidemiological studies have shown a close relationship between obesity and hypertension. However, there have been few reports on the relationship between changes in the body weight and blood pressure of lean to normal-weight young subjects. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of body weight control on blood pressure in lean to obese young Japanese individuals in a 3-year follow-up study. University students (3,558 males and 1,418 females, aged 18.6+/-0.8 in 1994) were classified into 4 groups according to the baseline body mass index (BMI), and were followed up for 3 years. Among male students, changes in body weight were significantly correlated with changes in blood pressure during the 3 years in all 4 BMI groups, and the correlation coefficient was larger in the group with higher baseline BMI. Positive correlations between changes in body weight and changes in heart rate were noted only in the obese and mildly-obese groups. Also in female students, positive correlations were observed between changes in body weight and changes in blood pressure in lean to obese groups. However, no correlations between changes in body weight and changes in heart rate were noted in any of the female groups. To summarize, close correlations were observed between changes in body weight and those in blood pressure during the 3 years in both male and female university students. These findings suggest the importance of body weight control not only in obese but also in normal to mildly-obese young subjects in reducing or preventing an increase in blood pressure. There could be, however, a gender difference in the effects of body weight change on heart rate.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

A unique talin homologue with a villin headpiece-like domain is required for multicellular morphogenesis in Dictyostelium.

Molecules involved in the interaction between the extracellular matrix, cell membrane and cytoskeleton are of central importance in morphogenesis. Talin is a large cytoskeletal protein with a modular structure consisting of an amino-terminal membrane-interacting domain, with sequence similarities to members of the band 4.1 family, and a carboxy-terminal region containing F-actin-binding and vinculin-binding domains [1] [2]. It also interacts with the cytoplasmic tail of beta integrins which, on the external face of the membrane, bind to extracellular matrix proteins [3]. The possible roles of talin in multicellular morphogenesis in development remain largely unexplored. In Dictyostelium, a eukaryotic microorganism capable of multicellular morphogenesis, a talin homologue (TALA) has previously been identified and shown to play an important role in cell-to-substrate adhesion and maintenance of normal elastic properties of the cell [4] [5] [6]. Here, we describe a second talin homologue (TALB) that is required for multicellular morphogenesis in the development of Dictyostelium. Unlike any other talin characterised to date, it contains an additional carboxy-terminal domain homologous to the villin headpiece.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1999

Sexual differences in relationships between birth weight or current body weight and blood pressure or cholesterol in young Japanese students.

This study was designed to examine the relationships between birth weight or current body weight and blood pressure (BP) or cholesterol in 178 Japanese high school students (98 male, 80 female, age 15-16 yr). All subjects were born after a full-term pregnancy (gestational age > or = 38 wk) with a birth weight > or = 2,500 g; these data were obtained from routine obstetrical records. At a health check-up, nurses used an automatic device to perform two consecutive BP measurements with each subject in a sitting position after resting for at least 5 min. Serum total and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels were measured. Birth weight was not related to BP, but was inversely related to serum total cholesterol in both males (r= -0.241, p < 0.05) and females (r= -0.351, p < 0.01). Current body weight was significantly related to systolic BP (r=0.369, p<0.01), diastolic BP (r=0.216, p<0.05), and HDL cholesterol level (r= -0.224, p < 0.05) in males, but not in females. Although no relationship was demonstrated between birth weight and BP level in young Japanese students without intrauterine growth retardation, an inverse relationship between birth weight and serum total cholesterol level was found. There was a gender difference in the relationship between current body weight and either BP or HDL cholesterol in these subjects.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

The obese gene product, leptin: possible role in obesity-related hypertension in adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: The mechanism of the association between obesity and hypertension is not clear. The recently discovered obese gene product, leptin, the levels of which increase in obese subjects, has been shown to reduce food intake and increase sympathetic nervous system activity in animal studies. The present study was undertaken to elucidate the relationship between blood pressure and factors related to obesity, including leptin, in different age groups. METHODS: The subjects were 348 Japanese male adolescents (15-17 years old) and 165 men (40-59 years old) not taking medication for hypertension, diabetes mellitus or hyperlipidaemia. Height, weight, blood pressure, heart rate, plasma glucose, lipid profiles, serum insulin and leptin levels were measured in the morning after an overnight fast RESULTS: Body mass index (BMI), serum leptin level and the homeostasis model insulin resistance index increased in the order of blood-pressure category (i.e. normotensive < high normal < hypertensive) in both the male adolescents and the middle-aged men. In addition, simple linear regressions revealed that both systolic and diastolic blood pressure correlated significantly with serum leptin and the insulin resistance index in both groups. Even after adjustment for age and BMI, the correlation of mean blood pressure with leptin remained in the obese adolescents (r2 = 0.390, P = 0.02). The heart rate also correlated with leptin in the adolescents (r = 0.18, P< 0.001), but not in the middle-aged subjects (r = 0.04). Even after adjustment for age and BMI in adolescents, serum leptin correlated significantly with heart rate. CONCLUSION: These results suggest a role for leptin in obesity-related hypertension, especially in adolescents.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1998

Long-term changes in clinic blood pressure in patients with white-coat hypertension.

BACKGROUND: White-coat hypertension, defined as hypertensive blood pressure values in a clinical setting but normal self-measured blood pressures, is relatively common among young patients but long-term spontaneous changes in clinic blood pressure in these patients with white-coat hypertension have not been assessed. DESIGN: A prospective study, with two clinical examinations (with a 5-year interval between the examinations).METHODS: We examined 188 male patients (mean age 16 years) with clinic blood pressures > 140/90 mmHg at baseline by determining clinic and home blood pressures, heart rates, heights and weights. These parameters were re-examined 5 years later. White-coat hypertension (n = 139) was defined as an average home blood pressure < 130/90 mmHg.RESULTS: A decrease in clinic systolic blood pressure to < 140 mmHg during the 5-yea follow-up was observed in 101 of the 139 patients with white-coat hypertension (73%) and 26 of the 49 patients with sustained hypertension (53%, P < 0.02). There was no difference between clinic heart rates and body mass indices at baseline of the patients who remained hypertensive in the clinic and those who became normotensive. Both the white-coat and the sustained hypertensive patients who remained hypertensive had higher baseline home blood pressures and an increase in body mass index during the 5-year period and maintained the baseline clinic heart rate, whereas those who became normotensive exhibited a reduction in clinic heart rate and maintained the baseline body mass indexd. The clinic systolic blood pressure at 5-year follow-up was correlated significantly to the clinic and home systolic blood pressures at baseline, the heart rate and body mass indexd at 5-year follow-up and the changes in bodyh mass index during the 5-year period. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of clinic systolic blood pressures < 140 mmHg during the 5-year period among patients with white-coat hypertension was higher than that among those with sustained hypertension. The clinic and home blood pressures at baseline and body mass indices and clinic heart rates at 5-year follow-up were related to the clinic systolic blood pressures at 5-year follow-up. These results suggest that control of body weight is important in the management both of young patients with white-coat hypertension and of those with sustained hypertension.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1992

Effect of continuous circular capsulorhexis and intraocular lens fixation on the blood-aqueous barrier.

Permeability across the blood-aqueous barrier to fluorescein was estimated fluorophotometrically in pseudophakic eyes for which a continuous circular capsulorhexis was performed. The permeability index was significantly higher in the in-the-bag fixations than in the out-of-the-bag fixations at 3 and 6 months after surgery, when only bilateral cases were enrolled. Damage to the barrier in eyes with the in-the-bag fixations was attributable to the broad attachment of optics to the anterior capsule, because a positive linear regression was obtained between the permeability index and the doughnut-shaped contact area in eyes with the in-the-bag fixations. The permeability index in eyes with the in-the-bag fixations was as low as that in eyes with the out-of-the-bag fixations when the contact area was small. These results indicate an unfavorable effect of the in-the-bag fixation with broad contact of the optics with the anterior capsule and, thus, suggest either an in-the-bag fixation with a large capsulorhexis or an out-of-the-bag fixation.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Differential expression of an orphan receptor COUP-TFI and corepressors in adrenal tumors.

Recently, it has been shown that CYP17 gene transcription is activated by SF-1 (Steroidogenic Factor-1) binding to a cyclic AMP-responsive sequence within the promoter region of the gene, whereas it is inhibited by COUP-TF (Chicken Ovalbumin Upstream Promoter-Transcription Factor) binding to the sequence. We have shown that transcriptional repression by COUP-TFI is mediated by corepressors, N-CoR (nuclear receptor corepressor) and SMRT (silencing mediator for retinoid and thyroid hormone-receptor). Therefore, we compared the expression of COUP-TFI, N-CoR and SMRT in non-hyperfunctioning adrenocortical adenomas and normal adrenal glands. We found significantly higher expression of COUP-TFI mRNA in non-hyperfunctioning adenomas (n=5, 227+/-18%) than in normal adrenals (n=5, 96+/-4%). Interestingly, the pattern of N-CoR and SMRT expression was different compared with COUP-TFI expression. These data suggest that COUP-TFI, N-CoR, and SMRT may play a differential role in steroid biosynthesis of non-hyperfunctioning adenomas.

Adenoma↗
PubMedDate not supplied

The possible role of apoptosis-suppressing genes, bcl-2 and mcl-1/EAT in human adrenal tumors.

The expression levels of bcl-2, mcl-1/EAT, and bax were examined by Northern blot analysis and semi-quantitative RT-PCR method in 25 adrenal tumors, including seven adrenal pheochromocytomas (PHE), seven aldosterone-producing adenomas (APA), four adrenal cortisol-producing adenomas (CS), one deoxycorticosterone-producing adenoma (DOC) and six non-hyperfunctioning adrenal cortical adenomas (NF). Northern blot analysis revealed both bcl-2 and mcl-1/EAT mRNAs in all of the adrenal tumors. The expression levels differed greatly among the tumor samples. Mcl-1/EAT mRNA levels were enhanced in APA and CS compared with those in NF. In contrast, bcl-2 levels in NF were higher than in other tumors. Our results suggest that deregulation of such apoptosis-suppressing genes may contribute to the multistep tumorigenesis of human adrenal tumors and that mcl-1/EAT, one of the bcl-2 family genes, has a different role from that of bcl-2 in such pathways.

Adrenal Gland Neoplasms↗