Kanazawa Medical University

About: Kanazawa Medical University is a education organization based out in Kanazawa, Japan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Cancer. The organization has 3103 authors who have published 6322 publications receiving 144592 citations. The organization is also known as: Kanazawa ika daigaku.

Cilostazol Reduces Angiographic Restenosis After Endovascular Therapy for Femoropopliteal Lesions in the Sufficient Treatment of Peripheral Intervention by Cilostazol Study

Abstract: Background—It remains unclear whether cilostazol, which has been shown to improve the clinical outcomes of endovascular therapy for femoropopliteal lesions, also reduces angiographic restenosis. Methods and Results—The Sufficient Treatment of Peripheral Intervention by Cilostazol (STOP-IC) study investigated whether cilostazol reduces the 12-month angiographic restenosis rate after percutaneous transluminal angioplasty with provisional nitinol stenting for femoropopliteal lesions. Two hundred patients with femoropopliteal lesions treated from March 2009 to April 2011 at 13 cardiovascular centers were randomly assigned 1:1 to receive oral aspirin with or without cilostazol. The primary end point was 12-month angiographic restenosis rate. Secondary end points were the restenosis rate on duplex ultrasound, the rate of major adverse cardiac events, and target lesion event-free survival. Researchers evaluated all follow-up data and assessed the end points in a blinded fashion. The mean lesion length and refere...

The hepatic vagal reception of intraportal GLP-1 is via receptor different from the pancreatic GLP-1 receptor.

Abstract: Glucagon-like peptide-1 (7-36)amide (tGLP-1), a representative humoral incretin, released into the portal circulation in response to a meal ingestion, exerts insulinotropic action through binding to the tGLP-1 receptor known to be a single molecular form thus far. We previously reported that the hepatic vagal nerve is receptive to intraportal tGLP-1, but not to non-insulinotropic full-length GLP-1-(1-37), through a mechanism mediated by specific receptor to the hormone. In the present study, we aimed to examine how modification of the receptor function alters this neural reception of tGLP-1, by using the specific agonist, exendin-4, and the specific antagonist, exendin (9-39)amide, of the receptor at doses known to exert their effects on the insulinotropic action of tGLP-1. Intraportal injection of 0.2 or 4.0 pmol tGLP-1, a periphysiological and pharmacological dose, respectively, facilitated significantly the afferent impulse discharge rate of the hepatic vagus in anesthetized rats, as reported previously. However, unexpectedly, intraportal injection of exendin-4 at a dose of 0.2 or 4.0 pmol, or of even 40.0 pmol, did not facilitate the afferents at all. Moreover, intraportal injection of exendin (9-39)amide at 100 times or more molar dose to that of tGLP-1, either 5 min before or 10 min after injection of 0.2 or 4.0 pmol tGLP-1, failed to modify the tGLP-1-induced facilitation of the afferents. The present results suggest that the neural reception of tGLP-1 involves a receptor mechanism distinct from that in the well-known humoral insulinotropic action.

MicroRNAs in Kidney Fibrosis and Diabetic Nephropathy: Roles on EMT and EndMT

Abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a family of small, noncoding RNAs that regulate gene expression in diverse biological and pathological processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and carcinogenesis. As a result, miRNAs emerged as major area of biomedical research with relevance to kidney fibrosis. Fibrosis is characterized by the excess deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, which is the end result of an imbalance of metabolism of the ECM molecule. Recent evidence suggests that miRNAs participate in the fibrotic process in a number of organs including the heart, kidney, liver, and lung. Epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and endothelial mesenchymal transition (EndMT) programs play vital roles in the development of fibrosis in the kidney. A growing number of the extracellular and intracellular molecules that control EMT and EndMT have been identified and could be exploited in developing therapeutics for fibrosis. This review highlights recent advances on the role of miRNAs in the kidney diseases; diabetic nephropathy especially focused on EMT and EndMT program responsible for the development of kidney fibrosis. These miRNAs can be utilized as a potential novel drug target for the studying of underlying mechanism and treatment of kidney fibrosis.

Renal protective effects of empagliflozin via inhibition of EMT and aberrant glycolysis in proximal tubules

Abstract: Sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are beneficial in halting diabetic kidney disease; however, the complete mechanisms have not yet been elucidated. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is associated with the suppression of sirtuin 3 (Sirt3) and aberrant glycolysis. Here, we hypothesized that the SGLT2 inhibitor empagliflozin restores normal kidney histology and function in association with the inhibition of aberrant glycolysis in diabetic kidneys. CD-1 mice with streptozotocin-induced diabetes displayed kidney fibrosis that was associated with the EMT at 4 months after diabetes induction. Empagliflozin intervention for 1 month restored all pathological changes; however, adjustment of blood glucose by insulin did not. Empagliflozin normalized the suppressed Sirt3 levels and aberrant glycolysis that was characterized by HIF-1α accumulation, hexokinase 2 induction, and pyruvate kinase isozyme M2 dimer formation in diabetic kidneys. Empagliflozin also suppressed the accumulation of glycolysis byproducts in diabetic kidneys. Another SGLT2 inhibitor, canagliflozin, demonstrated similar in vivo effects. High-glucose media induced the EMT, which was associated with Sirt3 suppression and aberrant glycolysis induction, in the HK2 proximal tubule cell line; SGLT2 knockdown suppressed the EMT, with restoration of all aberrant functions. SGLT2 suppression in tubular cells also inhibited the mesenchymal transition of neighboring endothelial cells. Taken together, SGLT2 inhibitors exhibit renoprotective potential that is partially dependent on the inhibition of glucose reabsorption and subsequent aberrant glycolysis in kidney tubules.