PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

Yoichi Nabeshima

Publications and source records attributed to Yoichi Nabeshima.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Correlation between hyperphosphatemia and type II Na-Pi cotransporter activity in klotho mice.

Recent studies have demonstrated that klotho protein plays a role in calcium/phosphate homeostasis. The goal of the present study was to investigate the regulation of Na-P(i) cotransporters in klotho mutant (kl/kl) mice. The kl/kl mice displayed hyperphosphatemia, high plasma 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) levels, increased activity of the renal and intestinal sodium-dependent P(i) cotransporters, and increased levels of the type IIa, type IIb, and type IIc transporter proteins compared with wild-type mice. Interestingly, transcript levels of the type IIa/type IIc transporter mRNA abundance, but not transcripts levels of type IIb transporter mRNA, were markedly decreased in kl/kl mice compared with wild-type mice. Furthermore, plasma fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23) levels were 150-fold higher in kl/kl mice than in wild-type mice. Feeding of a low-P(i) diet induced the expression of klotho protein and decreased plasma FGF23 levels in kl/kl mice, whereas colchicine treatment experiments revealed evidence of abnormal membrane trafficking of the type IIa transporter in kl/kl mice. Finally, feeding of a low-P(i) diet resulted in increased type IIa Na-P(i) cotransporter protein in the apical membrane in the wild-type mice, but not in kl/kl mice. These results indicate that hyperphosphatemia in klotho mice is due to dysregulation of expression and trafficking of the renal type IIa/IIc transporters rather than to intestinal P(i) uptake.

Animals↗

Klotho insufficiency causes decrease of ribosomal RNA gene transcription activity, cytoplasmic RNA and rough ER in the spinal anterior horn cells.

The klotho gene was identified in 1997 as the gene whose severe insufficiency (kl/kl) causes a syndrome resembling human aging, such as osteoporosis, arteriosclerosis, gonadal atrophy, emphysema, and short life span in a mouse strain. Regarding the gait disturbance reported in kl/kl mice, the present study examined the spinal cord of kl/kl mice, and revealed decreases in the number of large anterior horn cells (AHCs), the amount of cytoplasmic RNA, the number of ribosomes and rough endoplasmic reticulum (rER), and the activity of ribosomal (r) RNA gene transcription without significant loss of the total number of neurons in the ventral gray matter. Increased immunostaining of phosphorylated neurofilament in the AHCs and of glial fibrillary acidic protein in reactive astrocytes in the anterior horn of kl/kl mice were also observed. On the other hand, the posterior horn was quite well preserved. The results suggest that the kl/kl insufficiency causes atrophy and dysfunction of the spinal AHCs through decreased activity of rRNA gene transcription, which may reduce the amount of cytoplasmic RNA and the number of ribosomes and rER. These findings resemble those found in the spinal cord of patients with classic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The results show that klotho gene insufficiency causes dysfunction of the protein synthesizing system in the AHCs, and might indicate the klotho gene is involved in the pathological mechanism of classic ALS. The kl/kl is a new animal model of AHC degeneration, and may provide clues to understanding the etiology of classic ALS.

Animals↗

Mouse Snail family transcription repressors regulate chondrocyte, extracellular matrix, type II collagen, and aggrecan.

Snail family genes are conserved among species during evolution and encode transcription factors expressed at different stages of development in different tissues. These genes are involved in a broad spectrum of biological functions: cell differentiation, cell motility, cell cycle regulation, and apoptosis. However, little is known about the target genes involved in these functions. Here we show that mouse Snail family members, Snail (Sna) and Slug (Slugh), are involved in chondrocyte differentiation by controlling the expression of type II collagen (Col2a1) and aggrecan. In situ hybridization analysis of developing mouse limb demonstrated that Snail and Slug mRNAs were highly expressed in hypertrophic chondrocytes. Inversely, the expression of collagen type II mRNA disappeared during hypertrophic differentiation. Snail and Slug mRNA expression was down-regulated during differentiation of the mouse chondrogenic cell line ATDC5 and overexpression of exogenous Snail or Slug in ATDC5 cells inhibited expression of collagen type II and aggrecan mRNA. Reporter analysis revealed Snail and Slug suppressed the promoter activity of Col2a1, and the E-boxes in the promoter region were the responsible element. Gel shift assay demonstrated the binding of Snail to the E-box. Because type II collagen and aggrecan are major functional components of extracellular matrix in cartilage, these results suggest an important role for Snail-related transcription repressors during chondrocyte differentiation.

Aggrecans↗

Phenotypic analysis of Meltrin alpha (ADAM12)-deficient mice: involvement of Meltrin alpha in adipogenesis and myogenesis.

Meltrin alpha (ADAM12) is a metalloprotease-disintegrin whose specific expression patterns during development suggest that it is involved in myogenesis and the development of other organs. To determine the roles Meltrin alpha plays in vivo, we generated Meltrin alpha-deficient mice by gene targeting. Although the number of homozygous embryos are close to the expected Mendelian ratio at embryonic days 17 to 18, ca. 30% of the null pups born die before weaning, mostly within 1 week of birth. The viable homozygous mutants appear normal and are fertile. Most of the muscles in the homozygous mutants appear normal, and regeneration in experimentally damaged skeletal muscle is unimpeded. In some Meltrin alpha-deficient pups, the interscapular brown adipose tissue is reduced, although the penetrance of this phenotype is low. Impaired formation of the neck and interscapular muscles is also seen in some homozygotes. These observations suggest Meltrin alpha may be involved in regulating adipogenesis and myogenesis through a linked developmental pathway. Heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) is a candidate substrate of Meltrin alpha, and we found that TPA (12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate)-induced ectodomain shedding of HB-EGF is markedly reduced in embryonic fibroblasts prepared from Meltrin alpha-deficient mice. We also report here the chromosomal locations of Meltrin alpha in the mouse and rat.

ADAM Proteins↗

Increased expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 with fibrin deposition in a murine model of aging, "Klotho" mouse.

Although aging accompanies specific pathological changes, including thrombosis and organ sclerosis, the underlying mechanisms of these processes remain to be elucidated. In the present study, we analyzed the gene expression of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), a key molecule in the development of thrombosis, in a murine model of aging, klotho mutant ( kl/kl) mice. Active PAI-1 antigen in plasma and PAI-1 mRNA in several tissues were strikingly elevated in kl/kl mice as compared with wild-type mice. This increased PAI-1 expression was age dependent and linked to the development of ectopic calcification and glomerular fibrin deposition in the kidneys. In situ hybridization analysis of kl/kl mice demonstrated that strong signals for PAI-1 mRNA were localized in renal tubular epithelial cells, cardiomyocytes, adrenal medullar cells, and smooth muscle and endothelial cells in Mönckeberg's arteriosclerotic vessels. Renal glomerular fibrin deposition, as evaluated immunohistochemically, was occasionally observed only in kl/kl mice, and the number of fibrin-positive glomeruli increased as the kl/kl mice aged. These observations suggest that in the process of aging the PAI-1 gene expression is increased, contributing to the development of thrombosis.

Aging↗

Klotho gene polymorphisms associated with bone density of aged postmenopausal women.

Because mice deficient in klotho gene expression exhibit multiple aging phenotypes including osteopenia, we explored the possibility that the klotho gene may contribute to age-related bone loss in humans by examining the association between klotho gene polymorphisms and bone density in two genetically distinct racial populations: the white and the Japanese. Screening of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the human klotho gene identified 11 polymorphisms, and three of them were common in both populations. Associations of the common SNPs with bone density were investigated in populations of 1187 white women and of 215 Japanese postmenopausal women. In the white population, one in the promoter region (G-395A, p = 0.001) and one in exon 4 (C1818T, p = 0.010) and their haplotypes (p < 0.0001) were significantly associated with bone density in aged postmenopausal women (> or = 65 years), but not in premenopausal or younger postmenopausal women. These associations were also seen in Japanese postmenopausal women. An electrophoretic mobility shift analysis revealed that the G-A substitution in the promoter region affected DNA-protein interaction in cultured human kidney 293 cells. These results indicate that the klotho gene may be involved in the pathophysiology of bone loss with aging in humans.

Aged↗

[Ectopic calcification in Klotho mice].

We recently developed a unique short lifespan mouse strain in which a single gene mutation caused multiple aging-related disorders and identified the responsible gene as klotho. The most characteristic phenotypes seem to be caused by abnormalities in calcium metabolism. Furthermore the klotho gene is expressed principally in the important tissues for calcium homeostasis such as distal tubule cells of the kidney, choroid plexus in the brain, and the main cells of the parathyroid gland. Klotho plays a critical role for the regulation of calcium and phosphorus homeostasis by negatively regulating the synthesis of active vitamin D. The deficiency of the klotho gene results in degradation of cells by the activation of calcium dependent proteolysis in kidney, lung, heart and other tissues. Importantly, the increased activation of calcium- dependent proteolysis occurs in tissues of old mice together with the down regulation of klotho gene expression.

English Abstract↗