Objective: Vascular function testing and microarray analysis were performed to evaluate the physical effects of cassis (Ribes nigrum L.) juice in women.
Methods: In healthy women (Study I: n=21, age 53.6±3.6 years, BMI 24.2±3.9; Study II: n=40, age 47.4±8.8 years, BMI 22.4±3.9) assigned to one of four cassis groups (polysaccharide (PS) content: 0, 50, 125, and 250 mg) or a water control group (duration of intake: 2 to 8 weeks), the following parameters were assessed: for vascular function, blood pressure, thermographically measured body surface temperature, CAVI (cardio-ankle vascular index), ABI (ankle-brachial pressure index), accelerated plethysmography, and FMD (flow-mediated dilation) were determined. In the PS 250 mg (n=3) and water (n=4) groups, total RNA was extracted from blood collected before and 2 weeks after the study to perform gene expression analysis using Human Whole Genome 4 × 44K kit (Agilent).
Results: Cassis juice (PS content: 125 to 250 mg) (n=16) increased body fat percentage (+2.5%, p=0.011), decreased systolic (121.3±15.8 mmHg at baseline, −4.8%, p=0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (76.9±11.2 mmHg at baseline, −5.9%, p=0.001), and increased FMD blood flow (p=0.004), upper limb temperature (+0.23±0.47ºC, p=0.011), and lower limb temperature (+0.55±0.50ºC, p‹0.001). The percentage increase in lower limb temperature was dependent on PS (p‹0.05) and polyphenol (p‹0.01) contents. In gene analysis, inhibition of expression of α-adrenoceptor ADRA1D and thromboxane A2 receptor TBXA2R was prominent. Pathway analysis revealed significant accumulation of less frequently expressed genes (CACNA1B, GJB3, etc.) in the “Ca regulation in the cardiac cell” pathway (p=0.006). No serious adverse events occurred during the study.
Conclusion: Cassis juice induced limb peripheral vasodilatation, increase in blood flow, and decrease in blood pressure. The microarray analysis showed inhibited expression of genes of α-adrenoceptor, thromboxane A2 receptor and Ca channel, and an inhibited pathway of Ca influx into vascular smooth muscle. Couppled with the fact that vascular endothelium plays a role in vasodilatation associated with various mRNA expressions, it is suggested that cassis juice may improve the function of endothelial cells.

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Objective: Double filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) removal of LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) and other pathogenic substances in the blood has attracted attention as an effective treatment of arteriosclerotic lesions. We conducted a controlled open-label study to understand the physical and mental effects of DFPP.
Methods: Seven (7) male patients with borderline hyper-LDL-C (134.0±41.1 mg/dL) were assigned to a DFPP group (age 43.0±5.3 years, BMI 26.0±4.5) and 7 others were assigned to a control group (age 39.1±11.4 years, BMI 28.9±8.1). The observation period was 8 weeks. Patients in the DFPP group received DFPP twice. The evaluation included the Anti-Aging QOL Common Questionnaire (AAQol) and the blood vessel tests of Pulse wave velocity (PWV) and ankle-brachial index (ABI).
Results: Among physical symptoms in AAQol, “tired eyes,” “blurry eyes,” “stiff shoulders,” and “feeling of ill-health” significantly decreased after 8 weeks in the DFPP group. Hematology revealed that hemoglobin (+3.6%, p=0.047), total protein (+4.1%, p=0.019), and albumin (+4.9%, p=0.018) were maintained at higher levels after 8 weeks in the DFPP group than the control group. Despite LDL-C removal, the hepatic steatosis index ALT (+5.7%, p=0.008) and lipid metabolism index LDL-C (+11.6%, p=0.012) were apparently higher in the DFPP group. Endocrinology showed a decreasing trend of DHEA-s (−13.7%, p=0.003), increasing trend of cortisol (+27.5%, p=0.005), and increasing trend of progesterone (+50%, p=0.030) in the DFPP group compared with the control group. High-sensitivity CRP tended to decrease in the DFPP group compared with the control group (−26.5%, p=0.030). There was no significant change in PWV or ABI in the DFPP group. No serious adverse events were caused by DFPP.
Conclusion: LDL-C removal by DFPP might suppress inflammation and improve tissue environment in visceral adipose and liver tissues with fatty deposits.

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Objective: Both aerobic exercise level and body composition are associated with aging. In addition, lower aerobic exercise level and excess of body fat are risk for atherosclerosis. Therefore, the link between maximal oxygen uptake and anthropometric, body composition parameters was investigated.
Subjects and Methods: We used data for 300 Japanese (150 men: 44.2±14.1 years, 150 women: 44.4±14.1 years) in a cross sectional analysis. Maximal oxygen uptake was measured by breath-by-breath method and body composition was evaluated by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA).
Results: Maximal oxygen uptake was significantly decreased with age over the age of 40. Body fat percentage measured by DEXA was significantly correlated with maximal oxygen uptake (men: r=−0.622, women: r=−0.604). In addition, the significant relationships between body fat percentage and clinical parameters i.e. triglyceride, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, blood sugar, insulin and homeostasis model assessment (the HOMA index) were also noted.
Conclusion: Lower maximal oxygen uptake may be characteristic in subjects with higher body fat percentage and aerobic exercise should be recommended for preventing lifestyle-related disease.

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