Published papers

Mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs) are classically known to be expressed in the distal collecting duct of the kidney. Recently it was reported that MR is identified in the heart and vasculature. Although MR expression is also found in the brain, it is restricted to the hippocampus and cerebral cortex under normal condition, and the role played by MRs in brain remodeling after cerebral ischemia remains unclear. In the present study, we used the mouse 20-min middle cerebral artery occlusion model to examine the time course of MR expression and activity in the ischemic brain. We found that MR-positive cells remarkably increased in the ischemic striatum, in which MR expression is not observed under normal conditions, during the acute and, especially, subacute phases after stroke and that the majority of MR-expressing cells were astrocytes that migrated to the ischemic core. Treatment with the MR antagonist spironolactone markedly suppressed superoxide production within the infarct area during this period. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR revealed that spironolactone stimulated the expression of neuroprotective or angiogenic factors, such as basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), whereas immunohistochemical analysis showed astrocytes to be cells expressing bFGF and VEGF. Thereby the incidence of apoptosis was reduced. The up-regulated bFGF and VEGF expression also appeared to promote endogenous angiogenesis and blood flow within the infarct area and to increase the number of neuroblasts migrating toward the ischemic striatum. By these beneficial effects, the infarct volume was significantly reduced in spironolactone-treated mice. Spironolactone may thus provide therapeutic neuroprotective effects in the ischemic brain after stroke.

To directly investigate whether a monosynaptic connection exists between neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) and sympathetic preganglionic neurons (SPNs), we used simultaneous extracellular recordings of RVLM neurons and whole-cell patch-clamp recordings of SPNs at the Th2 level and analyzed them by spike-triggered averaging. We averaged 200 sweeps of membrane potentials in SPN triggered by the spikes in the RVLM neuron. No clear postsynaptic potentials were detected in the averaged wave of SPNs before angiotensin II (Ang II) superfusion, whereas during superfusion with Ang II (6 micromol/L) on the medulla oblongata side alone excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) were clearly found in the SPN of 3 out of 10 pairs at 40 +/- 1 ms after the averaged triggering spike in the RVLM neuron. We consider them to be monosynaptic EPSPs, because 1) the averaged EPSPs exhibited a sharp rise time, 2) the onset latency of the averaged EPSPs in the SPNs after the trigger spike in the RVLM was the same as the latency of the antidromic action potentials in the RVLM neurons in response to electrical stimulation of the SPNs, and 3) the amplitude of the averaged EPSPs was over 2 mV. In summary, combining simultaneous recording and spike-triggered averaging allowed us to demonstrate a monosynaptic excitatory connection between a single RVLM neuron and a single SPN in the thoracic spinal cord. Such connections provide the basis for the maintenance of sympathetic tone and the integrative reflex that relays through the RVLM. The results explain the mechanism by which Ang II in the RVLM area increases peripheral sympathetic activity and blood pressure.

Recent reports indicated that tissue renin-angiotensin system (RAS) was upregulated and angiotensin II type 1 receptor signaling plays crucial roles in ocular inflammation and neovascularization; however, the precise mechanism for activating tissue RAS had not been defined until recently. (Pro)renin receptor, a recently identified molecule existing in the major organs but not in the circulation, has attracted growing attention as an activator of tissue RAS. When the handle region of the prorenin prosegment binds to (pro)renin receptor, prorenin undergoes a conformational change to its enzymatically active state without the conventional proteolysis of the prorenin prosegment. Systemic treatment with a peptide with the structure of the handle region (handle region peptide; HRP), which competitively binds to (pro)renin receptor as a decoy peptide and inhibit the nonproteolytic activation of prorenin, resulted in the suppression of retinal inflammation and neovascularizaion in the rodent models. Retinal expression of RAS-related inflammatory and angiogenic molecules, such as intercellular adhesion molecule-1, monocyte chemotactic protein-1, and vascular endothelial growth factor, was also suppressed with application of HRP. These findings demonstrate that nonproteolytically activated prorenin plays a significant role in the ocular inflammation and neovascularization.

Peripheral arterial diseases are caused by arterial sclerosis and impaired collateral vessel formation, which are exacerbated by diabetes, often leading to leg amputation. We have reported that an activation of the natriuretic peptides/cGMP/cGMP-dependent protein kinase pathway accelerated vascular regeneration and blood flow recovery in murine legs, for which ischemia had been induced by a femoral arterial ligation as a model for peripheral arterial diseases. In this study, ip injection of carperitide, a human recombinant atrial natriuretic peptide, accelerated blood flow recovery with increasing capillary density in ischemic legs not only in nondiabetic mice but also in mice kept upon streptozotocin-induced hyperglycemia for 16 wk, which significantly impaired the blood flow recovery compared with nondiabetic mice. Based on these findings, we tried to apply the administration of carperitide to the treatment of peripheral arterial diseases. The study group comprised a continuous series of 13 patients with peripheral arterial diseases (Fontaine's classification I, one; II, five; III, two; and IV, five), for whom conventional therapies had not accomplished appreciable results. Carperitide was administrated continuously and intravenously for 2 wk to Fontaine's class I-III patients and for 4 weeks to class IV patients. The dose was gradually increased to the maximum, with the patient's systolic blood pressure being kept above 100 mm Hg. Carperitide administration improved the ankle-brachial pressure index, intermittent claudication, rest pain, and ulcers. In conclusion, this study showed a therapeutic potential of carperitide to treat peripheral arterial diseases refractory to conventional therapies.

BACKGROUND: We demonstrated that mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells-derived vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGF-R2) positive cells could differentiate into both endothelial cells (EC) and mural cells (MC), and termed them as vascular progenitor cells (VPC). Recently, we have established a method to expand monkey and human ES cells-derived VPC with the proper differentiation stage in a large quantity. Here we investigated the therapeutic potential of human VPC-derived EC and MC for vascular regeneration. METHODS AND RESULTS: After the expansion of human VPC-derived vascular cells, we transplanted these cells to nude mice with hindlimb ischemia. The blood flow recovery and capillary density in ischemic hindlimbs were significantly improved in human VPC-derived EC-transplanted mice, compared to human peripheral and umbilical cord blood-derived endothelial progenitor cells (pEPC and uEPC) transplanted mice. The combined transplantation of human VPC-derived EC and MC synergistically improved blood flow of ischemic hindlimbs remarkably, compared to the single cell transplantations. Transplanted VPC-derived vascular cells were effectively incorporated into host circulating vessels as EC and MC to maintain long-term vascular integrity. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that the combined transplantation of human ES cells-derived EC and MC can be used as a new promising strategy for therapeutic vascular regeneration in patients with tissue ischemia.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although subcortical vascular dementia, the major subtype of vascular dementia, is caused by a disruption in white matter integrity after cerebrovascular insufficiency, no therapy has been discovered that will restore cerebral perfusion or functional cerebral vessels. Because adrenomedullin (AM) has been shown to be angiogenic and vasoprotective, the purpose of the study was to investigate whether AM may be used as a putative treatment for subcortical vascular dementia. METHODS: A model of subcortical vascular dementia was reproduced in mice by placing microcoils bilaterally on the common carotid arteries. Using mice overexpressing circulating AM, we assessed the effect of AM on cerebral perfusion, cerebral angioarchitecture, oxidative stress, white matter change, cognitive function, and brain levels of cAMP, vascular endothelial growth factor, and basic fibroblast growth factor. RESULTS: After bilateral common carotid artery stenosis, mice overexpressing circulating AM showed significantly faster cerebral perfusion recovery due to substantial growth of the capillaries, the circle of Willis, and the leptomeningeal anastomoses and reduced oxidative damage in vascular endothelial cells compared with wild-type mice. Vascular changes were preceded by upregulation of cAMP, vascular endothelial growth factor, and basic fibroblast growth factor. White matter damage and working memory deficits induced by bilateral common carotid artery stenosis were subsequently restored in mice overexpressing circulating AM. CONCLUSIONS: These data indicate that AM promotes arteriogenesis and angiogenesis, inhibits oxidative stress, preserves white matter integrity, and prevents cognitive decline after chronic cerebral hypoperfusion. Thus, AM may serve as a strategy to tackle subcortical vascular dementia.

The handle region peptide (HRP), a (pro)renin receptor (P)RR blocker, did not prevent the acute nephropathy occurring 2 weeks after clipping in renovascular hypertensive rats. This study was performed to examine the effects of HRP, its scramble peptide, or a saline vehicle on slowly progressive nephropathy occurring in the kidneys of two-kidney, one-clip Goldblatt hypertensive rats. At 2 weeks after clipping, the renal morphology in the clipped and non-clipped kidneys was similar in the three groups of rats. At 12 weeks after clipping, however, the glomerulosclerosis index (GI) and the tubulointerstitial damage (TD) of the non-clipped kidneys of the HRP-treated rats were significantly lower than those of vehicle-treated rats, although the GI and the TD were similar in the rats treated with scramble peptide and vehicle. The GI and the TD of the clipped kidneys were similar in the three groups of rats at 12 weeks after clipping. In the non-clipped kidneys at 12 weeks after clipping, activated prorenin levels, angiotensin II levels and transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta mRNA levels of HRP-treated rats were significantly lower than those of vehicle-treated rats, although they were similar in the non-clipped kidneys from the rats treated with scramble peptide and vehicle. In the clipped kidneys at 12 weeks after clipping, activated prorenin levels, angiotensin II levels and TGF-beta mRNA levels were similar in the three groups of rats. These results suggest that the ((P)RR)-dependent activation of prorenin contributes to the pathogenesis of slowly progressive nephropathy in the intact kidney in a rat model of renovascular hypertension.

High plasma prorenin levels predict the onset of microvascular complications, such as albuminuria/proteinuria,in diabetic patients. In diabetic rats with elevated plasma prorenin levels, treatment with HRP, which competitively inhibits the binding of prorenin to the (pro)renin receptor [(P)RR] as a decoy peptide, significantly prevented the development of albuminuria/proteinuria and glomerulosclerosis, suggesting that (P)RR-bound prorenin plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. Recently, the presence of (P)RR in podocytes, which represent one of the glomerular filtration barriers, has been reported. Although podocytes are subjected to both high glucose levels and mechanical stretching caused by glomerular hyperfiltration under diabetic conditions, the expression of (P)RR is reportedly regulated by high glucose levels in in vitro mesangial cells and the in vivo kidneys of diabetic rats, whereas mechanical stretching is up-regulated by (P)RR expression in human podocytes. In addition, prorenin treatment not only leads to the generation of intracellular angiotensin (Ang)II, but also activates the phosphorylation of ERK via (P)RR in a manner that acts independently of AngII in human podocytes. Thus, the upregulation of prorenin and (P)RR in podocytes as a result of glomerular hyperfiltration might play an important role in the development of albuminuria/proteinuria via the generation of intracellular AngII and the stimulation of (P)RR-dependent intracellular signals. Further inquiry regarding podocyte (P)RR intracellular signal transduction will be needed to develop a new therapeutic approach targeting podocyte (P)RR in patients with diabetic nephropathy.

Hypertension is a known risk factor for arteriosclerosis, and causes both atherosclero= sis of medium-large arteries and arteriolosclerosis of the arterioles. Elevated blood pressure causes damage to the endothelium and vascular wall through both mechanical and humoral factors. We and others have shown that inhibition of the renin-angiotensin system at a 'critical period' during the development of hypertension results in a permanent suppression of hypertension in animal models. We have also reported that high-dose renin-angiotensin inhibition results in regression of hypertension, possibly by regression of renal arteriolar hypertrophy. These results suggest that understanding the process of arterial remodeling may play a key role in the development of new strategies for prevention and regression of hypertension and arteriosclerosis.

The development of obesity involves multiple mechanisms. Here, we identify adipocyte signaling through the guanosine triphosphatase Rho and its effector Rho-kinase as one such mechanism. Mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) showed increased Rho-kinase activity in adipose tissue compared to mice fed a low-fat diet. Treatment with the Rho-kinase inhibitor fasudil attenuated weight gain and insulin resistance in mice on a HFD. Transgenic mice overexpressing an adipocyte-specific, dominant-negative form of RhoA (DN-RhoA TG mice) showed decreased Rho-kinase activity in adipocytes, decreased HFD-induced weight gain, and improved glucose metabolism compared to wild-type littermates. Furthermore, compared to HFD-fed wild-type littermates, DN-RhoA TG mice on a HFD showed decreased adipocyte hypertrophy, reduced macrophage recruitment to adipose tissue, and lower expression of mRNAs encoding various adipocytokines. Lipid accumulation in cultured adipocytes was associated with increased Rho-kinase activity and increased abundance of adipocytokine transcripts, which was reversed by a Rho-kinase inhibitor. Direct application of mechanical stretch to mature adipocytes increased Rho-kinase activity and stress fiber formation. Stress fiber formation, which was also observed in adipocytes from HFD-fed mice, was prevented by Rho-kinase inhibition and in DN-RhoA TG mice. Our findings indicate that lipid accumulation in adipocytes activates Rho to Rho-kinase (Rho-Rho-kinase) signaling at least in part through mechanical stretch and implicate Rho-Rho-kinase signaling in inflammatory changes in adipose tissue in obesity. Thus, inhibition of Rho-Rho-kinase signaling may provide a therapeutic strategy for disrupting a vicious cycle of adipocyte stretch, Rho-Rho-kinase signaling, and inflammation of adipose tissue that contributes to and aggravates obesity.

Voltage-dependent Ca channels are classified into several subtypes based on the isoform of their alpha1 subunits. Traditional Ca channels blockers (CCBs), including nifedipine and amlodipine, act predominantly on L-type Ca channels, whereas novel CCBs such as efonidipine, benidipine and azelnidipine inhibit both L-type and T-type Ca channels. Furthermore, cilnidipine blocks L-type and N-type Ca channels. These CCBs exert divergent actions on renal microvessels. L-type CCBs preferentially dilate afferent arterioles, whereas both L-/T-type and L-/N-type CCBs potently dilate afferent and efferent arterioles. The distinct actions of CCBs on the renal microcirculation are reflected by changes in glomerular capillary pressure and subsequent renal injury: L-type CCBs favor an increase in glomerular capillary pressure, whereas L-/T-type and L-/N-type CCBs alleviate glomerular hypertension. The renal protective action of L-/T-type CCBs is also mediated by non-hemodynamic mechanisms, i.e., inhibition of the inflammatory process and inhibition of Rho kinase and aldosterone secretion. Finally, a growing body of evidence indicates that T-type CCBs offer more beneficial action on proteinuria and renal survival rate than L-type CCBs in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Similarly, in CKD patients treated with renin-angiotensin blockers, add-on therapy with N-type CCBs is more potent in reducing proteinuria than that with L-type CCBs, although no difference is found in the subgroup with diabetic nephropathy. Thus, the strategy for hypertension treatment with CCBs has entered a new era: treatment selection depends not only on blood pressure control but also on the subtypes of CCBs.

Since renin inhibition interferes with the first and rate-limiting steps in the renin-angiotensin system, the renin step is a very attractive target for lowering blood pressure and minimizing target-organ damage. The newly developed direct renin inhibitor aliskiren has several attractive characteristics: it definitively reduces plasma renin activity among inhibitors of the renin-angiotensin system, is remarkably specific for human renin, exhibits a long half-life in plasma comparable to that of amlodipine, and has a high affinity for renal glomeruli and vasculature. Although these characteristics suggest the clinical usefulness and safety of aliskiren, several problems remain unsolved. Why does aliskiren have beneficial effects on the heart and kidneys of patients treated with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and/or angiotensin II type 1-receptor blockers (ARBs)? Is the blood-pressure-lowering effect of aliskiren dependent on the plasma renin activity? Does aliskiren exert a possible adverse effect via (pro)renin receptor-dependent intracellular signals? Here, we review the characteristics and usefulness of aliskiren and discuss the current issues associated with this direct renin inhibitor.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: This study was conducted to determine the effect of telmisartan on the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), a novel blood pressure (BP)-independent marker for arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients. METHODS: One hundred consecutive hypertensive patients were randomly assigned either to a group treated with calcium channel blocker (CCB)-based therapy or a group treated with telmisartan-based therapy. Clinical and biological parameters were then measured before and 12 months after the start of this study. RESULTS: CAVI, the logarithm of urinary albumin excretion, and BP were reduced significantly after telmisartan-based therapy. The decreases in 24-hour diastolic BP and daytime systolic BP associated with telmisartan-based therapy were significantly greater than those associated with CCB-based therapy. Both therapies significantly and similarly decreased the clinical BP, 24-hour systolic BP, daytime diastolic BP and serum levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. No significant differences in the metabolic parameters were observed between the two therapies. CONCLUSION: Telmisartan-based therapy had beneficial effects on arterial stiffness assessed by CAVI, albuminuria, 24-hour BP and metabolism compared with CCB-based therapy. Since these markers are known to influence the future risk of cardiovascular events, telmisartan could be a useful drug for hypertensive patients.

OBJECTIVE: Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) is known to arrest autoimmune diabetes development in non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice. However, CFA alone cannot induce effective remission in diabetic NOD mice. Previously, we reported that anti-CXC chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) antibody can promote beta-cell proliferation in NOD mice. In the present study, we aimed to examine whether anti-CXCL10 plus CFA treatment can effectively reverse autoimmune diabetes development. METHODS: Systemic supply of anti-CXCL10 antibody by CXCL10 DNA vaccination in combination with CFA injection was performed in new-onset diabetic NOD mice. Remission rate of diabetes, histological characteristics of residual insulitis lesions, residual beta-cell mass, and regulatory T cell population in local pancreas were examined. RESULTS: A high frequency of diabetes reversal was observed after combination treatment with anti-CXCL10 plus CFA. In mice showing diabetes reversal, residual beta-cell mass was significantly increased, and some beta-cells were in a proliferative state. Although systemic cytokine profiles were unaffected, the frequency of "hybrid regulatory T cells", i.e. regulatory T cells expressing CXCR3, was significantly increased in local pancreatic lesions. This was possibly associated with the regulation of anti-islet autoimmunity. CONCLUSIONS: Anti-CXCL10 plus appropriate immune adjuvant therapy arrested, and reversed, type 1 diabetes development.

The aim of this study is to explore beta cell dysfunction and its clinical significance in gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). We assessed insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion in a total of 277 Japanese women between 24 and 27 weeks of pregnancy who underwent a 2 h, 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) because of an abnormal result on a 1 h 50 g oral glucose challenge conducted as part of a standard screening for GDM. Insulin sensitivity was evaluated by an insulin sensitivity index derived from OGTT (IS(OGTT)), whereas insulin secretion was calculated as a ratio of the total area under the insulin curve to the total area under the glucose curve (AUC(ins/glu)). Beta cell function in relation to insulin sensitivity (i.e. disposition index) was derived from the product of insulin sensitivity and insulin secretion (i.e. AUC(ins/glu) x IS(OGTT)). In women diagnosed with GDM (n=57), the disposition index was significantly lower than that in those without GDM, irrespective of obesity. The disposition index in women with GDM was significantly correlated with levels of fasting and mean preprandial capillary glucose and HbA1c before initiating insulin therapy (r = -0.45, -0.38, -0.49, respectively). Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between the disposition index and total insulin dosage to achieve glycemic goal (r = -0.41). In conclusion, we demonstrated beta cell dysfunction in Japanese women with GDM irrespective of obesity. The level of beta cell dysfunction in GDM was associated with the severity of glucose intolerance and total insulin dosage required. These findings underpin clinical significance of beta cell dysfunction in GDM.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The role of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the pathogenesis of glomerular injury appears to be complex. To investigate the role of individual MMPs, we examined the course of Adriamycin-induced albuminuria and glomerulosclerosis in mice lacking either a gelatinase (MMP-9) or a collagenase (MMP-13). METHODS: Adriamycin was administered to MMP-9 or MMP-13 knockout (KO) mice. Glomerular injury was assessed by the quantification of albuminuria, the glomerular injury score and type IV collagen immunostaining. RESULTS: Treatment of mice with Adriamycin (18 mg/kg i.v.) resulted in marked albuminuria and glomerulosclerosis reaching a peak at 4-8 weeks. The albuminuria and glomerulosclerosis were significantly (p < 0.05) attenuated in both the MMP-9 KO and MMP-13 KO mice compared to controls. In contrast, treatment of wild-type mice with the broad-spectrum MMP inhibitor doxycycline did not have a beneficial effect on the albuminuria and glomerulosclerosis. CONCLUSION: These results support a role for both gelatinase (MMP-9) and collagenase (MMP-13) in the pathogenesis of glomerular injury in the Adriamycin-induced glomerulosclerosis model. MMP inhibitors with high specificity towards MMP-9 and/or MMP-13 may be potential future candidates to provide more effective therapies to inhibit the development of glomerulosclerosis.

OBJECTIVE: We investigated the efficacy of epalrestat, an aldose reductase inhibitor, for diabetic peripheral neuropathy in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS: A total of 38 type 2 diabetic patients (22 men and 16 women; mean +/- S.E.M. age 63.3 +/- 1.0 years; duration of diabetes 9.6 +/- 0.8 years) with diabetic neuropathy were newly administered 150 mg/day epalrestat (EP group). Motor nerve conduction velocity (MCV), sensory nerve conduction velocity (SCV), and minimum F-wave latency were evaluated before administration of epalrestat and after 1 and 2 years. Serum N(varepsilon)-carboxymethyl lysine (CML) as a parameter of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), lipid peroxide, and soluble vascular cell adhesion molecule (sVCAM)-1 as a parameter of angiopathy were measured before administration and after 1 year. We compared the results with those of 36 duration of diabetes-matched type 2 diabetic patients (mean +/- S.E.M. duration of diabetes 8.2 +/- 0.7 years) as control (C group). RESULTS: The EP group showed significant suppression of deterioration of MCV (P<.01) and minimum F-wave latency (P<.01) in the tibial nerve and SCV (P<.05) in the sural nerve compared to those in the C group after 2 years. There was a significant difference in change in CML level between groups (-0.18 +/- 0.13 mU/ml in the EP group vs. +0.22 +/- 0.09 mU/ml in the C group, P<.05) after 1 year. CONCLUSIONS: Epalrestat suppressed the deterioration of diabetic peripheral neuropathy, especially in the lower extremity. Its effects might be mediated by improvement of the polyol pathway and suppression of production of AGEs.