Mochida Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd

About: Mochida Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd is a company organization based out in Tokyo, Japan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Eicosapentaenoic acid & Antigen. The organization has 785 authors who have published 687 publications receiving 14972 citations. The organization is also known as: mochida seiyaku kabushiki gaisha.

Fas ligand in human serum

Abstract: The Fas ligand (FasL), a member of the tumor necrosis factor family, induces apoptosis in Fas–bearing cells. The membrane–bound human FasL was found to be converted to a soluble form (sFasL) by the action of a matrix metalloproteinase–like enzyme. Two neutralizing monoclonal anti–human FasL antibodies were identified, and an enzyme–linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for sFasL in human sera was established. Sera from healthy persons did not contain a detectable level of sFasL, whereas those from patients with large granular lymphocytic (LCL) leukemia and natural killer (NK) cell lymphoma did. These malignant cells constitutively expressed FasL, whereas peripheral NK cells from healthy persons expressed FasL only on activation. These results suggested that the systemic tissue damage seen in most patients with LGL leukemia and NK–type lymphoma is due to sFasL produced by these malignant cells. Neutralizing anti–FasL antibodies or matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors may be of use in modulating such tissue damage.

Localization of PDGF-B protein in macrophages in all phases of atherogenesis.

Abstract: Lesions of atherosclerosis occur in the innermost layer of the artery wall and consist primarily of proliferated smooth muscle cells surrounded by large amounts of connective tissue, numerous lipid-laden macrophages, and varying numbers of lymphocytes. Growth-regulatory molecules may be involved in intimal accumulation and proliferation of smooth muscle cells responsible for the occlusive lesions of atherosclerosis. Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) B-chain protein was found within macrophages in all stages of lesion development in both human and nonhuman primate atherosclerosis. Thus macrophages may play a critical role in the disease by providing PDGF, a potent chemotactic and growth-stimulatory molecule, to the intimal smooth muscle cells.

Essential roles of the Fas-Fas ligand pathway in the development of pulmonary fibrosis

Abstract: The Fas ligand is predominantly expressed in activated T lymphocytes and is one of the major effector molecules of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. Previously, we found excessive apoptosis of epithelial cells and infiltrating lymphocytes expressing Fas ligand mRNA in the lung tissue of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. Here we demonstrated that the administration of a soluble form of Fas antigen or anti-Fas ligand antibody prevented the development of this model and that lpr and gld mice were resistant against the induction of pneumopathy. These results suggest that the Fas-Fas ligand pathway plays an essential role in the development of pulmonary fibrosis and that preventing this pathway could have therapeutic value in lung injury and fibrosis.

Increased Adiponectin Secretion by Highly Purified Eicosapentaenoic Acid in Rodent Models of Obesity and Human Obese Subjects

Abstract: Objectives— Fish oil rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) or n-3 PUFAs have been shown to reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease. Here we investigated the effect of highly purifi...