著者

Takeru Takahashi Yasuharu Goto

出版者

The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

雑誌

BPB Reports (ISSN:2434432X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.5, no.2, pp.21-23, 2022 (Released:2022-04-05)

参考文献数

10

---

Fluconazole and dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers (DCCBs) are simultaneously used in clinical practice. Although fluconazole can increase the blood levels of DCCBs by inhibiting CYP3A4, there are only a few reports regarding the effects of interaction of these drugs on blood pressure. Based on electronic medical records, we conducted a retrospective study of blood pressure in hospitalized patients treated with fluconazole while receiving amlodipine and nifedipine. The mean blood pressure over 3 days, specifically 2 days before starting fluconazole treatment and the first day of fluconazole treatment (day 1), was used as the reference value to compare the mean blood pressure calculated every 3 days after day 1 until day 13. Most of the 26 patients included in the study had underlying hematologic malignancies. The average age of patients was 71.8 years. Twenty-one patients received amlodipine and five received nifedipine. The combination of DCCBs and fluconazole was associated with a significant decrease in blood pressure on day 11–13 (p < 0.01). The mean difference in overall systolic blood pressure was −15.8 mmHg (95% CI: −21.1 to −10.4). Therefore, the combination of fluconazole and DCCBs might potentiate the antihypertensive effect of DCCBs, and caution should be exercised when using them for lowering blood pressure.

著者

Tomoyuki Nakada Kiyoshi Konishi

出版者

The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

雑誌

BPB Reports (ISSN:2434432X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.6, no.3, pp.81-86, 2023 (Released:2023-05-12)

参考文献数

36

---

Irradiation with 405-nm visible violet LED light without additional photosensitizers decreased the viability of the aggressive periodontopathic bacterium Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans. The number of CFU/mL decreased linearly on a logarithm chart versus irradiation time, with a 1-log reduction time of 1.32 min. The antimicrobial photodynamic effect of 405-nm LED light involved inhibition of the activity of membrane-bound cytochrome bd, a terminal quinone: oxygen oxidoreductase, and quinol peroxidase, a terminal quinone:H2O2 oxidoreductase. The 405-nm LED irradiation reduced minus oxidized difference spectrum showed that the 640-nm peak (α-peak of heme d) completely disappeared, and the height of the 556-nm (α-peak of hemes b and c) and Soret band (425 nm; γ-peak of hemes b, c, and d) was reduced to approximately half of the peak heights of non-irradiated controls. Survival of bacteria-injected silkworm larvae was also examined. Fifth-instar silkworm larvae were almost completely killed by approximately 40 h after bacterial injection, but almost all silkworm larvae irradiated with 405-nm LED light (20 mW/cm2 for 5 min, energy density: 6 J/cm2) survived, similar to controls not injected with bacteria, indicating that 405-nm LED light killed the injected bacteria. The bactericidal effect of 405-nm blue-light on A. actinomycetemcomitans is primarily due to disruption of cytochrome bd oxidase and quinol peroxidase of the respiratory chain.

著者

Yoshito Ikeda Mizuki Kawakami Yasuyuki Yamada Masayuki Munekane Kohei Sano Takahiro Mukai Taiho Kambe Nobukazu Shitan

出版者

The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

雑誌

BPB Reports (ISSN:2434432X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.6, no.3, pp.108-114, 2023 (Released:2023-06-14)

参考文献数

24

---

Zinc is an essential nutrient with important biological functions, and its deficiency can lead to several diseases. The zinc transporter families, ZIP and ZNT, play essential roles in regulating zinc homeostasis and dynamics in the body and cells. Specifically, ZIP4 is the primary zinc transporter responsible for zinc absorption in the small intestine. Previous studies have shown that Panax ginseng (P. ginseng) extract can promote mouse Zip4 expression, and ginsenosides, including Rc and Re, enhance zinc uptake. However, the effects of other metabolites present in P. ginseng extract remain unclear. Therefore, we fractionated P. ginseng extract using chloroform, ethyl acetate, and n-butyl alcohol, and evaluated the effect of each fraction on zinc uptake using mouse Hepa and Hepa/MRE-Luc cells that stably expressed luciferase under the promoter of metal-responsive elements. Luciferase activity assays demonstrated that the chloroform (F1), ethyl acetate (F2), and n-butyl alcohol (F3) fractions increased cellular zinc uptake. In particular, F1 fraction was found to induce Zip4 mRNA and protein expressions, which significantly enhanced zinc uptake. Ginsenosides were mainly present in the F2 and F3 fractions, indicating that metabolites other than ginsenosides in the F1 fraction would enhance zinc uptake by inducing Zip4 mRNA and protein expressions. Our study offers novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying zinc uptake by P. ginseng.

著者

Miki Nagata Mayumi Tsuji Tatsunori Oguchi Yutaro Momma Tetsuhito Nohara Hideaki Ohashi Naohito Ito Ken Yamamoto Yuko Udaka Akiko Sasaki Yuji Kiuchi Satoshi Numazawa

出版者

The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

雑誌

BPB Reports (ISSN:2434432X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.4, no.6, pp.206-213, 2021 (Released:2021-12-27)

参考文献数

41

被引用文献数

2

---

Dementia is expected to affect an increasing number of patients with global aging populations. About 70% of all dementia is related to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Overaccumulation of amyloid-β protein (Aβ) in the brain forms senile plaques, one of the main features of neurodegeneration in AD. However, there are few drugs available to specifically inhibit senile plaque formation. Fucoidan, a sulfated polysaccharide derived from brown algae, has various bioactivities, such as anti-tumoral and anti-obesity effects. This study aimed to clarify the mechanism underlying the protective effect of fucoidan against Aβ-induced neurotoxicity in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. Cell viability and Aβ-induced cytotoxicity were measured by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, calcein AM, and ethidium homodimer-1. Aβ-induced oxidative stress was evaluated through reactive oxygen species (ROS), cell membrane phospholipid peroxidation, mitochondrial ROS, and Mn-SOD, a mitochondrial radical scavenger. In addition, mitochondrial membrane permeability transition, and ATP concentration were evaluated. Fucoidan significantly improved Aβ-reduced cell viability. With respect to oxidative stress, Aβ exposure increased ROS, lipid peroxidation, and mitochondrial ROS, while fucoidan significantly suppressed these changes. Fucoidan also suppressed the decline in mitochondrial permeability transition and ATP caused by Aβ. Therefore, through its numerous antioxidant activities, fucoidan might have a neuroprotective role in preventing Aβ-induced neurotoxicity.

著者

Takekatsu Shibata Ryuta Urakawa Chikako Ono Yukihiro Akeda Takayoshi Sakai Shigeto Hamaguchi Kiyoto Takamori Tsuyoshi Inoue Kazunori Tomono Kiyoshi Konishi Yoshiharu Matsuura

出版者

The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

雑誌

BPB Reports (ISSN:2434432X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.4, no.3, pp.78-84, 2021 (Released:2021-05-26)

参考文献数

39

被引用文献数

7

---

Matching transformation system (MA-T) is an on-demand aqueous chlorine dioxide solution. It is a disinfectant developed to maximize the safety of chlorine dioxide radical in water and its effectiveness against various microorganisms. In this study, we examined the safety and effectiveness of MA-T for its use in various infectious disease countermeasures, including severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and consider if MA-T can be implemented in society. To validate the safety of MA-T, we conducted safety tests and efficacy tests in accordance with GLP-based reliability criteria. To evaluate the efficacy, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) confirmation tests against various bacteria, and virus inactivation test against various viruses including SARS-CoV-2 by TCID50 method were performed. The results of safety tests showed that MA-T was at least as safe as Japanese tap water. As a result of efficacy tests for microorganisms, MA-T was effective against many bacteria. Efficacy tests for virus showed that MA-T inactivates SARS-CoV-1, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), rotavirus A (RV-A), hepatitis C virus (HCV), dengue virus (DENV), and hepatitis B virus (HBV). MA-T also inactivated 99.98% of SARS-CoV-2, which is equivalent to ethanol for disinfection. MA-T has proven to be a safe and effective disinfectant. MA-T is a next-generation disinfectant that has the potential to be safer and more effective than conventional chlorine disinfectants and other disinfectants. It also proved to be an effective disinfectant against SARS-CoV-2, which is currently causing pandemic all over the world.

著者

Rina Abe Yuka Yagi Hidenori Tani

出版者

The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

雑誌

BPB Reports (ISSN:2434432X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.6, no.6, pp.226-228, 2023 (Released:2023-12-26)

参考文献数

21

---

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts exceeding 200 nucleotides in length that do not code for proteins. However, they play pivotal roles in various biological processes. The mechanisms by which bacterial infections induce lncRNA expression remain elusive. Our past study, we identified a unique class of lncRNAs with short half-lives, less than 4 h in human HeLa cells. These short-lived lncRNAs include to many regulatory functions, such as HOTAIR, NEAT1, or GAS5. Due to their potential influence on human biology, these short-lived lncRNAs might serve as important markers to gauge the stress from bacterial infections. In this study, we identified three lncRNAs, named MIR22HG, GABPB1-AS1, and IDI2-AS1. Their expression significantly decreased after exposure to lipopolysaccharide, simulating bacterial infection in human A549 cells. Our findings suggest that short-lived lncRNAs react to bacterial infections, with their expression levels dropping notably. We propose that these lncRNAs could act as potential indicators of cellular responses to bacteria.

著者

Toshinori Hirai Chihiro Shiraishi Tomohiro Murata Takuya Iwamoto

出版者

The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

雑誌

BPB Reports (ISSN:2434432X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.4, no.5, pp.170-174, 2021 (Released:2021-10-28)

参考文献数

24

---

The impact of renal impairment on the drug-drug interaction between azathioprine and allopurinol that causes myelosuppression and hepatotoxicity remains unclear. This case series study investigated adverse effects caused by azathioprine owing to drug-drug interaction considering renal impairment. Patients who started the combination therapy of azathioprine and allopurinol at Mie University Hospital between January 2013 and February 2021 were enrolled. The outcome of adverse events associated with azathioprine was assessed according to Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0. The Drug Interaction Probability Scale was used to determine the probability of drug-drug interaction. Of the three patients, two were identified as exhibiting drug-drug interaction with the Drug Interaction Probability Scale > 5 points. They experienced grade 3 myelosuppression or hepatotoxicity with fatigue, after initiation of azathioprine (1.28 and 0.44 mg/kg once daily) and allopurinol (50 mg once daily). They received appropriate dose-adjusted allopurinol according to renal function. Additionally, both patients had the estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Thus, renal impairment might reduce the excretion of oxypurinol, an active metabolite of allopurinol, which certainly enhances the side effects of azathioprine.

著者

Kenjirou Ogawa Takara Karitani Wataru Otsu Kazuo Nishiyama Hisato Kunitake Yo Goto Shota Nomiyama Hideaki Hara Masao Yamasaki

出版者

The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

雑誌

BPB Reports (ISSN:2434432X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.6, no.3, pp.87-97, 2023 (Released:2023-05-26)

参考文献数

29

---

Background: Blue light causes retinal photoreceptor damage via oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. A previous study showed that blueberry stem extract (BStEx) and its active components have cytoprotective effects against blue-light-induced photoreceptor cell damage by suppressing oxidative stress. This study demonstrated the inhibitory effect of BStEx against blue light-induced ER stress in photoreceptor cells. Methods: The photoreceptor cells treated with BStEx or the antioxidant N-Acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) as a positive control were used and then exposed to blue light. The cytoprotective effects of BStEx and NAC were evaluated using CCK-8. The ER stress-related protein expression changes over time, and its levels were measured after each exposure time to blue light in photoreceptor cells treated with BStEx or NAC. Results: BStEx and NAC showed protective effects against blue-light-induced photoreceptor morphological abnormalities and cell damage. Although blue light triggered ER stress factors such as BiP, PERK, ATF6, eIF2α, ATF4, and CHOP, which in turn stimulated cell cycle arrest factors p53 and p21 and upregulation of apoptosis-inducing factors caspase-3. However, BStEx suppressed the increase in expression of BiP, ATF4, ATF6, CHOP, p53, p21, and caspase-3, but not mitochondrial apoptotic factors Bax and cytochrome c. Furthermore, the antioxidant NAC showed similar suppressive effects on BStEx. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that blue light-induced ER stress is primarily caused by oxidative stress, and BStEx might suppress ER stress via an antioxidant effect. The antioxidant NAC contributes to the cell proliferative capacity and suppression of apoptosis in photoreceptor cells.

著者

Sumihito Togi Misa Togi Satoshi Nagashima Yuichi Kitai Ryuta Muromoto Jun-ichi Kashiwakura Toshiaki Miura Tadashi Matsuda

出版者

The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

雑誌

BPB Reports (ISSN:2434432X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.4, no.2, pp.59-63, 2021 (Released:2021-03-25)

参考文献数

44

被引用文献数

2 4

---

The controlled and moderate oxidative stress such as ozone induces both inflammatory and anti-inflammatory response. This balance is important for homeostasis of living organisms. Furthermore, it has been shown that this conflict response is mainly regulated by two transcriptional factors, nuclear transcriptional factor κB (NF-κB) and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). NF-κB is involved in inflammatory responses by regulating expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and various inflammatory cytokines while Nrf2 is involved in anti-inflammatory responses by controlling expression of numerous antioxidant enzymes such as heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1). We here demonstrate the molecular mechanisms of the crosstalk between NF-κB and Nrf2 activation during the moderate oxidative stress induced by ozone. We first confirmed the activation of NF-κB and Nrf2 signaling during the moderate oxidative stress in HeLa cells. Induction of NF-κB-mediated COX-2 mRNA expression was observed at the early phase after stimulation (30-60 min after ozone treatment). However, induction of HO-1 mRNA expression was observed at the late phase of stimulation (6 h after stimulation). To reveal the crosstalk between NF-κB and Nrf2, we tested whether reduction of NF-κB expression affects ozone-induced Nrf2 activation by knocking down of NF-κB in HeLa cells. Importantly, the HO-1 induction by ozone was remarkably decreased by a reduction in NF-κB expression. These results suggest that the moderate oxidative stress by ozone initially induces NF-κB activation, and this NF-κB activation is required for HO-1 induction at the late phase of the moderate stress.

著者

Mayuka Yamada Midori Suzuki Takuya Noguchi Takumi Yokosawa Yuto Sekiguchi Natsumi Mutoh Takashi Toyama Yusuke Hirata Gi-Wook Hwang Atsushi Matsuzawa

出版者

The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

雑誌

BPB Reports (ISSN:2434432X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.3, no.1, pp.16-21, 2020 (Released:2020-11-26)

参考文献数

27

被引用文献数

4 6

---

Both NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) contribute to cellular defense to various stresses, and have emerged as candidates of therapeutic targets to improve or prevent tissue damage. Cefotaxime (CTX), a third-generation cephalosporin antibiotic, is conceived as a safe drug largely free from side effects. CTX exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity, and thereby, is most commonly prescribed for the treatment of infectious diseases induced by Gram-positive or Gram-negative bacteria. In this study, we unexpectedly found the beneficial properties of CTX that upregulate both Nrf2 and HSP70 to the extent that stress-induced damage is ameliorated. Non-toxic levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) induced by CTX activated the Nrf2 pathway without cytotoxicity, which in turn upregulated HSP70. Interestingly, the cytotoxicity of Fas/CD95 ligand (FasL), a cytotoxic cytokine that strongly induces apoptosis, was significantly ameliorated by pre-treatment with CTX, most likely because of the upregulation of Nrf2 and HSP70. Our results therefore show novel properties of CTX, which raise the possibility that CTX works as a non-toxic therapeutic agent for preventing and repairing tissue damage.

著者

Musubu Takahashi Ayaka Kubota Tomoya Fujie Yasuhiro Shinkai Yoshito Kumagai Tsuyoshi Nakano Takato Hara Chika Yamamoto Toshiyuki Kaji

出版者

The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

雑誌

BPB Reports (ISSN:2434432X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.4, no.6, pp.175-181, 2021 (Released:2021-11-12)

参考文献数

27

被引用文献数

2

---

Fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) regulates several vascular endothelial cell functions, including proliferation. It has been suggested that the regulation may be modulated by reactive sulfur species (RSS), which are hydrogen sulfide and biomolecules containing persulfide/polysulfide groups. Since RSS promote vascular endothelial cell proliferation, we hypothesized that FGF-2 regulates the levels of RSS-producing enzymes in the cells. Bovine aortic endothelial cells were cultured and treated with FGF-2, and intracellular RSS levels were determined. The expression of RSS-producing enzymes, cystathionine γ-lyase (CSE), cystathionine β-synthase, 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase, and cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase 2, was evaluated, and the intracellular signaling pathway that mediates FGF-2 regulation of RSS accumulation was investigated. We revealed that FGF-2 upregulates the expression of RSS by selectively inducing CSE via the ERK1/2 signaling pathway in vascular endothelial cells. The effect of FGF-2 on the function of vascular endothelial cells may be modulated by intracellular RSS, especially higher-molecular-mass RSS such as protein persulfide, the levels of which are increased by the growth factor.

著者

Takashi Ichiyanagi Masayuki Nashimoto Norihiko Terahara

出版者

The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

雑誌

BPB Reports (ISSN:2434432X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.4, no.4, pp.136-141, 2021 (Released:2021-09-02)

参考文献数

21

被引用文献数

7

---

Ternatins, polyacylated anthocyanins that contain two or more aromatic acyl groups, are found in the petals of butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea L.). We examined the gastrointestinal absorption of ternatins in rats after oral administration of the extract of the butterfly pea petals. Ingested ternatins were absorbed rapidly in the gastrointestinal tract in their original acylated forms. Nine ternatins were detected, together with preternatin A3, in rat blood plasma at 15 min after oral administration. After a single oral dose of 0.0527 mmol/kg ternatin, the maximum plasma concentration and area under the plasma concentration curve for total ternatin was 0.141 ± 0.035 μM and 16.398 ± 1.542 μM·min, respectively, during the 8-h period post-administration. The absorption of ternatins in blood plasma tended to negatively correlate with increasing order of molecular weight; however, ternatins carrying symmetrical substitution patterns and glucosyl terminals on the both side chains at the 3′ and 5′ positions of the aglycone were exceptionally bioavailable.

著者

Yuichi Saito Hiroyuki Okuyoshi Shinsuke Nakamura Wataru Otsu Akihiro Yamaguchi Peter F. Hitchcock Mikiko Nagashima Masamitsu Shimazawa Hideaki Hara

出版者

The Pharmaceutical Society of Japan

雑誌

BPB Reports (ISSN:2434432X)

巻号頁・発行日

vol.3, no.3, pp.92-96, 2020 (Released:2020-11-26)

参考文献数

37

---

Regenerative medicine aims to replenish damaged tissue. Boosting the capacity of intrinsic stem cells to proliferate is one key for successful regeneration. Adult zebrafish possess tissue resident stem and progenitor cells, which contribute to homeostatic growth and tissue regeneration. In the intact retina, Müller glia sporadically divide to generate fate restricted, proliferative precursors. Cell death reprograms Müller glia into stem cells that divide and produce multi-potent retinal progenitors. Using zebrafish, we evaluated the effect of taurine-conjugated bile acid, Tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA) on retinal regeneration. In the intact retina, treatment with TUDCA significantly promotes proliferation of the fate restricted precursors, but has no effect on Müller glia. Following constant light exposure, TUDCA attenuates photoreceptor death, indicating that TUDCA is neuroprotective. Following a stab wound, which initiates death of retinal neurons and reprogramming of Müller glia, treatment with TUDCA significantly increases the number of proliferating cells. In the intact retina, TUDCA-induced proliferation was accompanied by decreased expression of cell cycle inhibitors. These results suggest that TUDCA promotes proliferation of actively-cycling stem and progenitors, identifying TUDCA as a potential reagent to promote regeneration of retinal neurons.