Biomedical subjects

Wataru Aoi

Publications and source records attributed to Wataru Aoi.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Inhibitory effect of fermented milk on delayed-onset muscle damage after exercise.

Milk fermented with a starter containing Lactobacillus helveticus and Saccharomyces cerevisiae is drunk on a daily basis by many people in Japan and has several beneficial effects. We studied the influence of this fermented milk product on muscle damage after prolonged exercise in rats. Wistar rats were divided into four groups: rested controls, rested rats given fermented milk diet, exercised rats and exercised rats given fermented milk diet. After 3 weeks of acclimatization, both exercise groups were made to run on a treadmill at 26 m/min for 60 min. Exercise increased the serum creatine kinase level, as well as myeloperoxidase activity and the level of thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances in the gastrocnemius muscle after 24 h. These changes were ameliorated by intake of fermented milk. An increase of CINC-1 was also ameliorated by fermented milk. Furthermore, milk diet increased the mRNA and protein levels of protective proteins such as antioxidants and chaperone proteins. These results indicate that fermented milk can ameliorate delayed-onset muscle damage after prolonged exercise, which is associated with an increased antioxidant capacity of muscles.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Exercise and functional foods.

Appropriate nutrition is an essential prerequisite for effective improvement of athletic performance, conditioning, recovery from fatigue after exercise, and avoidance of injury. Nutritional supplements containing carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals have been widely used in various sporting fields to provide a boost to the recommended daily allowance. In addition, several natural food components have been found to show physiological effects, and some of them are considered to be useful for promoting exercise performance or for prevention of injury. However, these foods should only be used when there is clear scientific evidence and with understanding of the physiological changes caused by exercise. This article describes various "functional foods" that have been reported to be effective for improving exercise performance or health promotion, along with the relevant physiological changes that occur during exercise.

Athletic Injuries↗

PubMed2006

Aldosterone-induced abnormal regulation of ENaC and SGK1 in Dahl salt-sensitive rat.

Aldosterone plays a crucial role in controlling mineral balance in our body. The mechanism of aldosterone has been reported to elevate renal Na+ reabsorption by stimulating expression of epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) and also activate an ENaC-regulating protein kinase, serum and glucocorticoid-regulated kinase 1 (SGK1). However, it is unknown whether aldosterone shows its stimulatory action on ENaC and SGK1 under an abnormal, salt-sensitive hypertensive condition. To clarify this point, we studied how aldosterone regulates expression of ENaC and SGK1 in Dahl salt-sensitive (DS) rat that shows hypertension with high salt diet. RNA and protein were extracted from the kidney 6 h after application of aldosterone (1.5 mg/kg body weight) subcutaneously injected into adrenalectomized DS and Dahl salt-resistant (DR) rats. Aldosterone decreased mRNA expression of beta- and gamma-ENaC in DS rat unlike DR rat, while aldosterone increased alpha-ENaC mRNA expression in DS rat similar to DR rat. Further, we found that aldosterone elevated SGK1 expression in DR rat, but not in DS rat. These observations indicate that ENaC and SGK1 are abnormally regulated by aldosterone in salt-sensitive hypertensive rats, suggesting that disturbance of the aldosterone regulation would be one of factors causing salt-sensitive hypertension.

Aldosterone↗

PubMed2005

Cyclosporin A treatment upregulates Id1 and Smad3 expression and delays skeletal muscle regeneration.

The molecular signaling pathway linked to muscle regeneration has not yet been identified. Previously, we demonstrated that mice treated with cyclosporin A (CsA), a calcineurin inhibitor, failed to regenerate normally after muscle damage. Using reverse transcription (RT)-PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis, we investigated whether the amounts of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT), myocyte-enhancer factor 2 (MEF2), the MyoD family, Id-1, and Smad3 change in the regenerating muscle after CsA treatment. Adult male ICR mice were subjected to a bupivacaine injection into the tibialis anterior muscle, and were treated with either CsA (25 mg/kg) or vehicle once daily. They were killed at 1, 2, 4, 6, 9 and 14 days post injury. RT-PCR analysis did not show a significant difference in MEF2s, MyoD and myogenin mRNA levels in the regenerating muscle in either placebo- and CsA-administered mice. In contrast, a significant increase in MRF4 mRNA was seen in CsA-administered mice compared to the placebo-treated mice at 4 and 9 days post surgery. In CsA-treated mice, the level of Id1 mRNA was elevated at day 9 relative to the placebo-treated mice. After 6 days, the CsA-treated mice possessed more abundant proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and cyclin D1 protein in many satellite cells and/or myoblast-like cells in the regenerating muscle. The amount of myostatin, TGF-beta2 and Smad3 mRNA and proteins was increased more markedly in the mice treated with CsA. After 9 days, many satellite cells and/or myoblasts showed apparent co-localization of both MyoD and Smad3 in CsA-, but not in placebo-, treated mice. Our results demonstrated that CsA treatment upregulates Id1 and Smad3 expression and delays skeletal muscle regeneration in vivo.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Effect of exercise on hepatic gene expression in rats: a microarray analysis.

Exercise has various beneficial effects on liver function, enhancing both nutrient metabolism and antioxidant capacity. To explore the molecular mechanisms underlying these changes, we used a high-density cDNA microarray containing probe sets for 2,845 genes to analyze changes of gene transcription in the livers of rats after 4 weeks of running exercise. In comparison with sedentary animals, 105 genes were up-regulated and 86 genes were down-regulated, including genes with unknown functions. In addition, we detected an increase of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase and protein and of the protein for signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (stat3), corresponding to the increase of these mRNAs shown by microarray analysis. These results indicate that long-term exercise can alter liver function via changes of gene expression, especially the genes encoding signal transduction proteins such as p38 and stat3.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Oxidative stress and delayed-onset muscle damage after exercise.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced during exercise may be involved in delayed-onset muscle damage related to inflammation. To investigate this hypothesis, we studied whether oxidative stress increases nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-kappaB and chemokine expression in skeletal muscle using myotube L6 cells. We also assessed whether prolonged acute exercise could increase these parameters in rats. In L6 cells, H(2)O(2) induced nuclear translocation of p65 and increased the expression of cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant-1 (CINC-1) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), whereas preincubation with alpha-tocopherol limited the increase in these proteins. Sprague Dawley rats were divided into the following groups: rested control, exercised, rested with a high alpha-tocopherol diet, and exercised with a high alpha-tocopherol diet. After 3 weeks of acclimation, both exercise groups ran on a treadmill at 25 m/min for 60 min. Exercise increased nuclear p65, CINC-1, and MCP-1 in gastrocnemius muscle cells, but these changes were ameliorated by the high alpha-tocopherol diet. Increases in myeloperoxidase and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substrates were ameliorated by a high alpha-tocopherol diet, as were the histological changes. Neutrophil activity was not altered by either exercise or a high alpha-tocopherol diet. These results indicate that delayed-onset muscle damage induced by prolonged exercise is partly related to inflammation via phagocyte infiltration caused by ROS and that alpha-tocopherol (an antioxidant) can attenuate such inflammatory changes.

Active Transport, Cell Nucleus↗

PubMed2004

Flavonoid-induced reduction of ENaC expression in the kidney of Dahl salt-sensitive hypertensive rat.

Flavonoid, a plant extract, exhibits various biological actions. Dietary flavonoid intake is reported to reduce an elevated blood pressure, however the mechanism is unknown. The epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) in the kidney plays a key role in the regulation of blood pressure by contributing to the Na+ reabsorption in renal tubules. Thus, we investigated the effect of quercetin, a flavonoid, on ENaC mRNA expression in the kidney of hypertensive Dahl salt-sensitive rats. Dahl salt-sensitive rats of 8 weeks were acclimated for 1 week in a metabolic cage and were subsequently kept for 4 weeks under four different conditions: (1) normal salt diet (0.3% NaCl), (2) normal salt diet with quercetin (10 mg/kg/day), (3) high-salt diet (8% NaCl), and (4) high-salt diet with quercetin. Quercetin diminished the alphaENaC mRNA expression in the kidney associated with reduction of the systolic blood pressure elevated by high-salt diet, suggesting that one of the mechanisms of the flavonoid's antihypertensive effect on salt-sensitive hypertension would be mediated through downregulation of ENaC expression in the kidney.

Animals↗

PubMed2004

Prevention of diabetic nephropathy by treatment with astaxanthin in diabetic db/db mice.

Oxidative stress is implicated as an important mechanism by which diabetes causes nephropathy. Astaxanthin, which is found as a common pigment in algae, fish, and birds, is a carotenoid with significant potential for antioxidative activity. In this study, we examined whether chronic administration of astaxanthin could prevent the progression of diabetic nephropathy induced by oxidative stress in mice. We used female db/db mice, a rodent model of type 2 diabetes, and their non-diabetic db/m littermates. The mice were divided into three groups as follows: non-diabetic db/m, diabetic db/db, and diabetic db/db treated with astaxanthin. Blood glucose level, body weight, urinary albumin, and urinary 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) were measured during the experiments. Histological and 8-OHdG immunohistochemical studies were performed for 12 weeks from the beginning of treatment. After 12 weeks of treatment, the astaxanthin-treated group showed a lower level of blood glucose compared with the non-treated db/db group; however, both groups had a significantly high level compared with the db/m mice. The relative mesangial area calculated by the mesangial area/total glomerular area ratio was significantly ameliorated in the astaxanthin-treated group compared with the non-treated db/db group. The increases in urinary albumin and 8-OHdG at 12 weeks of treatment were significantly inhibited by chronic treatment with astaxanthin. The 8-OHdG immunoreactive cells in glomeruli of non-treated db/db mice were more numerous than in the astaxanthin-treated db/db mice. In this study, treatment with astaxanthin ameliorated the progression and acceleration of diabetic nephropathy in the rodent model of type 2 diabetes. The results suggested that the antioxidative activity of astaxanthin reduced the oxidative stress on the kidneys and prevented renal cell damage. In conclusion, administration of astaxanthin might be a novel approach for the prevention of diabetes nephropathy.

8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine↗

PubMed2004

Laser capture microdissection/GeneChip analysis of gene expression in glomerular cells in diabetic db/db mice.

UNLABELLED: Although the gene expression patterns during the development of diabetic nephropathy have been studied in both rodent models and humans, only a small portion of the mRNAs expressed in the mesangium or in glomerular cells has been characterized. In the present study we report larger groups of transcripts displaying significant expression modulation in glomerular cells obtained from the early phase of diabetic nephropathy. METHODS: We used 12-week-old female db/db mice, a rodent model of type 2 diabetes, and their non-diabetic db/m litter-mates. Glomerular cells were obtained from the kidneys of mice by laser capture microdissection. Preparation of cRNA and target hybridization were performed according to the Affymetrix GeneChip Eukaryotic Small Sample Target Labeling Assay Protocol (Version II). The gene expression profile was determined by the mouse Expression Set 430A GeneChip. RESULTS: By comparison between db/m and db/db mice, 649 probes that increased in expression with the induction of diabetes and 340 probes that decreased in diabetic kidneys were identified. Although some of these genes have previously been shown to play an important role in diabetic nephropathy, the large majority of them have never been demonstrated to be regulated during the development of nephropathy. CONCLUSIONS: Although the precise involvement of these genes in diabetic nephropathy remains to be clarified, the data presented here will aid in the identification of genes that play a significant role in this pathological condition.

Animals↗

PubMed2003

Astaxanthin limits exercise-induced skeletal and cardiac muscle damage in mice.

Dietary antioxidants may attenuate oxidative damage from strenuous exercise in various tissues. Beneficial effects of the antioxidant astaxanthin have been demonstrated in vitro, but not yet in vivo. We investigated the effect of dietary supplementation with astaxanthin on oxidative damage induced by strenuous exercise in mouse gastrocnemius and heart. C57BL/6 mice (7 weeks old) were divided into groups: rested control, intense exercise, and exercise with astaxanthin supplementation. After 3 weeks of exercise acclimation, both exercise groups ran on a treadmill at 28 m/min until exhaustion. Exercise-increased 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal-modified protein and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine in gastrocnemius and heart were blunted in the astaxanthin group. Increases in plasma creatine kinase activity, and in myeloperoxidase activity in gastrocnemius and heart, also were lessened by astaxanthin. Astaxanthin showed accumulation in gastrocnemius and heart from the 3 week supplementation. Astaxanthin can attenuate exercise-induced damage in mouse skeletal muscle and heart, including an associated neutrophil infiltration that induces further damage.

8-Hydroxy-2'-Deoxyguanosine↗

PubMed2003

Three new quassinoids, ailantinol E, F, and G, from Ailanthus altissima.

Three new quassinoids, ailantinol E (1), ailantinol F (2), and ailantinol G (3), and related compounds were isolated from Ailanthus altissima grown in Taiwan. Their structures were elucidated from spectral evidence. Each new quassinoid was evaluated for its antitumor promoting effects against Epstein-Barr virus early antigen activation introduced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate in Raji cells. The new quassinoids were found to show potent activity without showing any cytotoxicity. The screening for inhibitors against nitric oxide donor action was also conducted using the new quassinoids and some standard samples.

Ailanthus↗

PubMed2002

Inhibitory effect of stabilized analogues of glycoglycerolipids on Epstein-Barr virus activation and mouse skin tumor promotion.

Nine new synthetic compounds, structurally related to the most active glycoglycerolipid analogues carrying a hexanoyl chain, were tested for their anti-tumor-promoting activity using a short-term in vitro assay for Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) activation. All these compounds, in which the ester function is replaced by different metabolically more stable groups, were almost as active as their ester reference compounds in inhibiting the EBV activation promoted by the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Two of these, devoid of any functionality on the lipophilic chain, when tested in an in vivo two-stage carcinogenesis test, exhibited marked inhibitory effects on mouse skin tumor promotion.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Cancer chemopreventive effect of quassinoid derivatives. Introduction of side chain to shinjulactone C for enhancement of inhibitory effect on Epstein-Barr virus activation.

A series of shinjulactone C (1) derivatives (2-8) were synthesized and evaluated for their anti-tumor promoting effects against Epstein-Barr virus early antigen activation introduced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate in Raji cells. The succinate and 3',3'-dimethylsuccinate derivatives of 1 exhibited higher inhibitory effects than 1. From the point of view of structure-activity relationships, the succinate derivatives (2, 4) demonstrated better potency than the glutarate derivatives (3, 5-8). As substituted moieties of 3'-position became bulky, the inhibitory effects of the glutarate derivatives (7, 8) significantly decreased.

Antigens, Viral↗

PubMed2002

Anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor-promoting effects of cucurbitane glycosides from the roots of Bryonia dioica.

Seven new triterpene glycosides, bryoniosides A-G (1-7), have been isolated along with two known triterpene glycosides, cabenoside D (8) and bryoamaride (9), from a methanol extract of the roots of Bryoniadioica. The structures of 1-7 were determined on the basis of spectroscopic and chemical methods. Six compounds, 2, 3, 5, and 7-9, and 11 compounds, 1-9, bryodulcosigenin (10), and bryosigenin (11), respectively, were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced inflammation (1 microg/ear) in mice and on Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation induced by TPA. All compounds tested showed marked anti-inflammatory effects, with 50% inhibitory doses (ID(50)) of 0.2-0.6 mg per ear. In addition, all of the compounds tested except for compound 5 showed potent inhibitory effects on EBV-EA induction (100% inhibition at 1 x 10(3) mol ratio/TPA).

Animals↗