[in Japanese]

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Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) and sphingosine 1-phospahte (S1P) are gaining much attention as a lysophospholipid intercellular mediator, because they exert divergent effects on various cells, such as a regulation of cell proliferation, contraction or movement, via the same family of G protein-coupled receptors formerly called as EDGs. Of particular interest is the fact that plasma concentrations of LPA and S1P are very close to those causing various responses in vitro. However, their clinical significance is not clarified yet. In the cultured cells, LPA stimulates proliferation and contraction and inhibits apoptosis in rat hepatic stellate cells, and inhibits proliferation in rat hepatocytes. S1P also stimulates proliferation and con traction via SIP receptor S1P₂ in rat hepatic stellate cells, and inhibits proliferation via S1P₂ in rat hepatocytes. Because hepatic stellate cells play a pivotal role in liver fibrogenesis, these in vitro findings raise a possibility that LPA and S1P could act as a stimulator of liver fibrosis and an inhibitor of liver regeneration. In evaluating a role in vivo, plasma LPA level was revealed to be increased in patients with chronic hepatitis C in relation to the grade of liver fibrosis and in rats with acute liver injury with toxin or surgery in relation to its severity. Plasma LPA level was also correlated with serum autotaxin activity. Whether the increase of plasma LPA level might be merely a result or a cause of liver fibrosis should be further clarified. On the other hand, in S1P₂-deficient mice the wound healing response of hepatic myofibroblast proliferation to acute liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride was reduced, suggesting that S1P₂ might trigger hepatic wound healing. Clinical significances of LPA and S1P should be further investigated.

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Background Anti-cytokine therapy is an effective therapy for rheumatoid arthritis. To know the kinetics of cytokine expression, we investigated mice with arthritis induced by anti-type II collagen monoclonal antibody (anti-CII Abs) plus lipopolysaccharide (LPS).
Methods BALB/c mice (7 weeks' age) were injected i. v. with anti-CII Abs 2mg/mouse and 3 days later injected i. p.with 50μg of LPS. Mice developed arthritis, and the cytokine expressions in extracted legs were determined by RT-PCR. Serum cytokine concentrations were measured using ELISA. In addition, both sets of data were compared with those of TNF gene-deficient mice.
Results After induction of arthritis in wild-type mice, mRNA expression of TNF-α increased early, followed by IL-18. IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA expressions rose comparatively later. TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 concentrations in the serum reflected the level of their mRNA expressions. Interestingly, serum IL-18 level showed two distinct peaks, at early and later phase. In contrast, arthritis did not develop in TNF-α-deficient mice, and no elevation of IL-1β or IL-6 in either serum or tissue mRNA was observed at any time point. Further, no increase in tissue mRNA levels was seen in TNF-α-deficient mice, however, there was a significant increase in serum IL-18 concentrations in the later phase.
Conclusion This study demonstrates that mRNA levels of TNF-α and IL-18 in both serum and joint tissue are increased, in the early phase with different patterns in mice with arthritis induced by anti-CII Abs plus LPS; IL-1β and IL-6 levels also increased in the later phase. The results using TNF-α-deficient mice indicate that TNF-α might play a crucial role as a key upstream molecule in the cytokine network of early inflammatory arthritis, and that TNF-αmight trigger the synthesis of several other cytokines.

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We demonstrated the serum sample treated with neuraminidase and protease by agarose gel electrophoresis, and calculated the activity of bone-type alkaline phosphatase (BAP) fraction. From the result, high-molecular-mass intestinal alkaline phosphatase (HIAP) takes place to overlapping with the activity of BAP fraction. The protease-treated and non-treated samples were both subjected to agarose gel electrophoresis. Data showed a decrease in BAP in the α₂β region and increase in normal-molecular-mass intestinal alkaline phosphatase in the β region were as HIAP positive. Therefore, the serum sample used for the isozyme measurement on the agalose gel electrophoresis, the protease treatment may be essential. Resulting that a good correlation (r=0.982) was found between the BAP activity determined by the mentioned-above electrophoresis method using a protease treatment, and the BAP activity determined by the ELISA method.

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This guideline describes the procedure of reliability evaluation on hemoglobin Alc (HbAlc) measurement to meet the traceability chain in HbAlc reference systern in Japan. The accuracy of routine measurement procedures shall be validated by manufacturers according to manufacturer's standard operating procedures. Routine laboratories shall maintain accuracy of measurement based on the manufacturer's validation.
The accuracy of measurement is expressed by uncertainty estimated according to ISO Guide 33. Performance evaluation of routine measurement procedures should be based on the measurements which are composed of ten runs of measurement a day or two runs of measurements per day and continue to ten days against the evaluation material in this guideline. The material to be used for the performanceevaluation for HbAlc measurement (QRM HbAlc) is prepared and distributed by HECTEF Standard Reference Center. This material has five concentration levels and assigned values by using JSCC reference measurement procedure using KO500 method calibrated by JCCLS CRM-004.
Validation criterion is determined for each evaluation procedure. These criteria suggest how manufacturer's validation should maintain traceability to the working reference material (JCCLS CRM-004). The internal quality control system in the routine measurement laboratory is required to maintain ±0.2% (JDS value) as an uncertainty.

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Japan has been hit by many food safety and false labeling scandals based on dishonesty and/or falsehood. The nature of the Japanese public as “being too trusting” tends to make matters worse and accelerates a mindset of abnormal precaution as food scandals shatter the “food safety myth. ” In fact, this leads people to pursue a zero-risk attitude towards food safety which is scientifically unobtainable. Other food concerns involve ethical issues of food distribution. For example, the over-importing of food from developing nations puts a strain on the developing nation to feed its own people. Another example would be health damage (nausea and/or diarrhea) caused after trying a poorly researched diet as aired on one of Japan's health food TV programs. Clinical chemists have worked together and contributed much to the realm of food safety together with clinicians, but their role should be expanded to include not only the field of analytical chemistry, but to also include the sociological and philosophical aspects of food and food distribution. This requires the proposal of a new term “ESCAOLOGY. ” The concept of a Virtual Institute for Escaology is also proposed in order for clinical chemists to work together in full cooperation.

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