Turbidimetric kinetic assay is currently used for plasma endotoxin measurement. In our previous study, we reported that its measurement accuracy was not high. Because many endotoxins in the blood exist in the bound state to or are taken up by leukocytes, we developed a measurement method that used leukocyte-rich plasma. This method significantly increased the accuracy of endotoxin measurement. In this study, we investigated whether newly developed automated bioluminescence method can be used to measure endotoxins using LRP. Blood was collected from 24 patients with suspected bacterial infection upon their arrival at our hospital and 8 healthy individuals.　Comparison of measurement times revealed that the automated bioluminescence method required 20 min in all cases. This time was significantly shorter than that for the turbidimetric kinetic assay method. Comparing of the endotoxin levels revealed a significant correlation between the values from both methods. In addition, the automated bioluminescence method tended to show higher values. Considering measurement time and accuracy, the automated bioluminescence method may be an excellent diagnostic tool for infectious diseases.

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Osteoporosis in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is an important issue for maintaining quality of life in patients with PD because osteoporosis is a risk factor of fracture. Bone metabolism is influenced by sex, age, nutrition and physical activity. Therefore, match-controlled studies of these influences are necessary to investigate the pathogenesis of osteoporosis in PD. In this study, we recruited 50 consecutive PD patients and sex- and age-matched 50 patients at the chronic stage of cerebrovascular disease (CVD) as disease controls who had the same body mass index and modified Rankin scale. Osteoporosis was evaluated with bone mineral density (BMD) and bone turnover markers. PD showed lower BMD, higher tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP) , higher total homocysteine and lower active vitamin D (VD) than CVD. Comparing between PD with osteoporosis and CVD with osteoporosis, PD with osteoporosis showed lower VD. Comparing between PD with and without osteoporosis, PD with osteoporosis showed female dominancy, lower body mass index, higher unified PD rating scale part IV, higher Hoehn and Yahr stage, higher type 1 collagen cross-linked N-telopeptide and TRACP. This study suggests that enhanced bone resorption, VD-mediating bone remodeling failure, and disease severity are evident in patients with osteoporosis in PD, excepting other known risks for osteoporosis.

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In this study, we compared differences in the concentration of trace elements in breast milk in women after vaginal and caesarean section deliveries and evaluated the association between the concentration of trace elements in breast milk and infant growth over the first post-natal month. The concentration of the following trace elements was quantified using inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry: manganese, cobalt, nickel, copper, zinc, selenium, rubidium, strontium, and molybdenum. The concentration of trace elements was compared between transitional milk and mature milk in 52 women, 26 each after vaginal and caesarean section delivery. Only the concentration of manganese was higher in the vaginal delivery than caesarean section delivery group. The concentration of all trace elements was higher in transitional than mature milk. The concentration of zinc and strontium in mature milk was positively associated with greater neonate height and weight growth rates, per day, over the first post-natal month. Therefore, when concentrations of trace elements in breast milk are within normal limits, a relatively higher concentration of zinc and strontium in mature milk may enhance infant growth during the neonatal period.

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Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells is associated with ocular fibrotic conditions such as proliferative vitreoretinopathy and wet/neovascular type age-related macular degeneration. Upon transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) stimulation, myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTF-A) is translocated from the cytoplasm into the nucleus via Rho activation to promote EMT in various cells. However, it is unknown whether the Rho/MRTF pathway is involved in the EMT of TGF-β-induced RPE cells. In this study, TGF-β2 led to an increase in mRNA expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), a biomarker of EMT, and type I collagen, repressed by MRTF-A knockdown, in human retinal pigment epithelial (ARPE-19) cells. CCG-203971, an MRTF-A inhibitor, also downregulated the mRNA expression ofα-SMA and type I collagen in TGF-β2-treated ARPE-19 cells via a reduction in MRTF-A nuclear translocation. Moreover, Y-27632, a Rho-associated protein kinase inhibitor, inhibited the expression ofα-SMA and type I collagen and suppressed the translocation of MRTF-A to the nucleus in TGF-β-treated ARPE-19 cells. These results suggest that the Rho/MRTF pathway plays an important role in the EMT of TGF-β-induced RPE cells.

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