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Obesity is a pathological state related to various lifestyle-related diseases, such as diabetes and dyslipidemia, that may be prevented through the development of anti-obesity treatments. Lipid accumulation in cells could be affected by vitamin E ester α-tocopheryl succinate (TS), which has various biological activities, such as anti-cancer effect, via activation of cell signaling pathways, although the antioxidative activity of TS is lost due to esterification of the phenolic OH group. In this study, we found for the first time that TS significantly suppressed lipid accumulation in mouse 3T3-L1 adipocytes. TS treatment reduced the amount of triglycerides in the culture medium, and inhibited activity of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, a marker of lipid synthesis. Furthermore, TS accelerated lipolysis. Treatment of adipocytes with TS for 24 h induced no significant cytotoxicity. In TS-treated cells, phosphorylation of Akt, which is involved in fatty acid synthesis via sterol regulatory element-binding proteins (SREBP), was prevented, while levels of phosphorylated protein kinase A (PKA) did not change. Taken together, these results suggest that vitamin E ester TS can suppress lipid accumulation in adipocytes by regulating lipid metabolic cell signaling.

The efficacy of infliximab (IFX) and adalimumab (ADA) for treating Behçet's syndrome (BS) and sarcoidosis has not been compared adequately.We reviewed the medical records of patients with uveitis diagnosed at Tokyo Medical University Hospital and compared the efficacy of IFX and ADA for BS and the efficacy of ADA for sarcoidosis and BS.68 patients in IFX group and 63 patients in ADA group were analyzed. In BS patients, IFX and ADA were both effective in improving uveitic macular edema (UME). ADA improved UME in BS but not in sarcoidosis patients. The efficacy of ADA in reducing doses of corticosteroids and glaucoma medications was better in sarcoidosis than in the BS group.Both IFX and ADA are efficacious in improving UME in BS patients. The reason that ADA improves UME better in BS than in sarcoidosis may be due to the difference in pathogenesis between these diseases.

Purpose: We investigated the changes in etiology of uveitis at the Uveitis Clinic of Tokyo Medical University Hospital in recent years.Methods: Medical records of patients with uveitis diagnosed between 2011 and 2017 (Group A) and between 2001 and 2007 (Group B) were reviewed.Results: 1,587 patients in group A and 1,507 patients in group B were analyzed. For noninfectious uveitis, frequencies of Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada disease, intraocular lymphoma (IOL) and iridocyclitis in young girls increased, while those of sarcoidosis and Behcet's disease decreased in the recent era. For infectious uveitis, herpetic iridocyclitis, ocular toxoplasmosis, ocular syphilis, and bacterial endophthalmitis increased, while acute retinal necrosis and ocular toxocariasis decreased. Unclassified uveitis decreased, whereas infectious uveitis and IOL increased due to the availability of new diagnostic tests.Conclusion: Etiologies of uveitis have changed over the years. Further development of novel tests and diagnostic criteria would increase definitive diagnosis for unclassified uveitis. (147/150 words).

α-Tocopheryl succinate (TS) is a succinic acid ester of a well-known natural antioxidant α-tocopherol (α-T). Physicochemical characteristics of TS are entirely different from the original compound α-T. TS becomes vesicles via forming a lamella structure. Furthermore, although the antioxidative activity of α-T is lacked by esterification of phenolic hydroxyl (OH) moiety with succinate, TS has versatile biological functions, such as inhibition of cholinesterase activity, inhibition of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) activation, enhancement of lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide production, and anticancer effect. Especially, we expect TS as a novel anticancer agent. TS nanovesicle shows significant anticancer activity in vitro and in vivo. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase produces superoxide which mediates the anticancer activity of TS. Moreover, it suggests that TS activates protein kinase C via direct interaction. Based on the analysis of structure and activity relationship, it ensures that succinate moiety of TS plays a vital role in anticancer activity. This review introduces the detail and mechanism of versatile biological functions of TS.

The aim of this study was to clarify the intracellular β2-adrenergic receptor signaling specificity in mouse slow-twitch soleus and fast-twitch tibialis anterior (TA) muscles, resulting from single-dose β2-agonist clenbuterol treatment and acute exercise. At 1, 4, and 24 h after single-dose treatment with clenbuterol or after acute running exercise, the soleus and TA muscles were isolated and subjected to analysis. The phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) increased after single-dose clenbuterol treatment and acute exercise in the soleus muscle but not in the TA muscle. Although there was no change in the phosphorylation of Akt after acute exercise in either muscle, phosphorylation of Akt in the soleus muscle increased after single-dose clenbuterol treatment, whereas that in the TA muscle remained unchanged. These results suggest that p38 MAPK and Akt pathways play a functional role in the adaptation to clenbuterol treatment and exercise, particularly in slow-twitch muscles.

Folate (vitamin B(9)) plays key roles in cell growth and proliferation through regulating the synthesis and stabilization of DNA and RNA, and its deficiency leads to lymphocytopenia and granulocytopenia. However, precisely how folate deficiency affects the distribution of a variety of white blood cell subsets, including the minor population of basophils, and the cell specificity of the effects remain unclear. Therefore, we examined the effects of a folate-deficient diet on the circulating number of lymphocyte subsets [T-lymphocytes, B-lymphocytes, and natural killer (NK) cells] and granulocyte subsets (neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils) in rats.Rats were divided into two groups, with one receiving the folate-deficient diet (FAD group) and the other a control diet (CON group). All rats were pair-fed for 8 weeks.Plasma folate level was dramatically lower in the FAD group than in the CON group, and the level of homocysteine in the plasma, a predictor of folate deficiency was significantly higher in the FAD group than in the CON group. The number of T-lymphocytes, B-lymphocytes, and NK cells was significantly lower in the FAD group than in the CON group by 0.73-, 0.49-, and 0.70-fold, respectively, indicating that B-lymphocytes are more sensitive to folate deficiency than the other lymphocyte subsets. As expected, the number of neutrophils and eosinophils was significantly lower in the FAD group than in the CON group. However, the number of basophils, the least common type of granulocyte, showed transiently an increasing tendency in the FAD group as compared with the CON group.These results suggest that folate deficiency induces lymphocytopenia and granulocytopenia in a cell-specific manner.

Diallyl disulfide (DADS) is a major sulfur compound of garlic, and exerts anti-inflammatory, immune-modulatory, and enhancing sympathetic activity effects. However, it still remains unclear how DADS affects the distribution of white blood cell subsets, which is essential to execute effective immune responses and partially regulated by adrenal glucocorticoids. Therefore, we examined the dose-dependent effects of DADS administration on the circulating number of white blood cells (WBCs) and lymphocyte subsets, and plasma corticosterone concentration in rats. Male 10-wk-old Sprague Dawley rats were divided into the DADS-free and DADS-orally administered (dose=10, 20, and 40 mg/kg BW) groups. Blood samples were collected from the tail vein at 0, 1, 2, 4, and 6 h after the administration. DADS administration decreased dose- and time-dependently the circulating number of total WBCs, total lymphocytes, and monocytes. Within the lymphocyte subsets, the circulating number of T-lymphocytes and B-lymphocytes was significantly reduced 4 h after DADS administration in a dose-dependent manner, although that of natural killer (NK) cells was not affected. On the other hand, although DADS administration did not significantly change the circulating number of neutrophils, the circulating number of eosinophils and basophils showed a decreasing tendency after DADS administration. In contrast, plasma corticosterone concentration was increased 2 h after DADS administration in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that DADS administration reduces the circulating number of monocytes and lymphocytes, including especially acquired immune cells, via the action of corticosterone, and the effects are induced in a dose-dependent manner.

We discuss the functional roles of β2-adrenergic receptors in skeletal muscle hypertrophy and atrophy, as well as the adaptive responses of β2-adrenergic receptor expression to anabolic and catabolic conditions. Stimulation of the β2-adrenergic receptor using anabolic drugs increases muscle mass by promoting muscle protein synthesis and/or attenuating protein degradation. These effects are prevented by the downregulation of the receptor. Endurance training improves oxidative performance, partly by increasing β2-adrenergic receptor density in exercise-recruited slow-twitch muscles. However, excessive stimulation of β2-adrenergic receptors negates their beneficial effects. Although preventive effects of β2-adrenergic receptor stimulation on atrophy induced by muscle disuse and catabolic hormones or drugs were observed, these catabolic conditions decreased β2-adrenergic receptor expression in slow-twitch muscles. These findings present evidence against the use of β2-adrenergic agonists in therapy for muscle wasting and weakness. Thus, β2-adrenergic receptors in the skeletal muscles play an important physiological role in the regulation of protein and energy balance.

Background Macular hole formation after anti-vascular endothelial growth factor therapy is a rare complication. We report macular hole formation after intravitreal ranibizumab injection for branch retinal vein occlusion. Case presentation A 63-year-old Asian male was treated with intravitreal ranibizumab injection for chronic macular edema with branch retinal vein occlusion in his right eye. Before treatment, best-corrected visual acuity in his right eye was 20/200. Nine days after injection, a full thickness macular hole developed with reduction of macular edema. After pars plana vitrectomy combined with cataract surgery, the macular hole was successfully closed, and the best-corrected visual acuity in his right eye improved to 20/40. Conclusion The possibility of an infrequent complication like macular hole should be considered for intravitreal ranibizumab for macular edema with branch retinal vein occlusion.