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"@id": "https://www.theworldfolio.com//interviews/maruhachi-muramatsu-expands-dashis-horizons/6721/" }
"headline": "Maruhachi Muramatsu Expands Dashi’s Horizons"
a traditional Japanese stock and adapting it for modern dishes
Maruhachi Muramatsu is enhancing the taste and improving the healthiness of dishes in both Japan and abroad
Can you please introduce yourself and tell us about your company
the fifth-generation president of Maruhachi Muramatsu
Our company was founded in 1868 and have specialized in dashi (Japanese soup stock)
crafted from seafood-based ingredients like katsuobushi (dried bonito)
we have been primarily engaged in B2B business
growing alongside the development and expansion of the food industry
we will continue to expand our business globally that delivers “deliciousness
and peace of mind” to people around the world
we’ve seen Japanese food-related exports increase
This has been consolidated overseas by the growing popularity of Japanese restaurants
which grew from 55,000 in 2013 to more than 200,000 today
How do you account for this substantial rise in Japanese food exports
Why is now the time for washoku to shine internationally
But there’s more to it—three key factors truly set it apart
perfectly balanced with delicate and harmonious flavors
it’s celebrated for being low in calories while providing excellent nutritional balance
tourists who experience Japanese food during their visit often seek it out once they return home
Our dashi products have flourished in step with the global rise of Japanese dining culture
The government is trying to push food-related exports even further
with very ambitious targets of JPY 5 trillion worth of exports by 2030 being set
are these targets achievable in that time frame
what are some of the opportunities that these targets provide your firm
health-promoting seafood and superfoods like matcha
as well as functional and health-focused foods
achieving the 5 trillion yen market goal feels entirely within reach
this is an exciting opportunity to introduce the wonders of dashi to the world
A key factor driving this potential is the global rise in diabetes
often linked to obesity caused by excessive calorie consumption
Diabetes contributes to numerous health issues
emphasizing the need for dietary improvements
By incorporating katsuobushi or kombu-based dashi into not only Japanese cuisine but also Western and international dishes
sugar and salt usage can be reduced without sacrificing delicious flavor
With its unique ability to enhance natural tastes
dashi serves as a powerful ingredient for creating healthier
Japan is expecting 27 million inbound tourists by the end of 2024
While other Asian nations are aware of Japanese food and really enjoy it
Have you noticed any changes in this during this recent post-COVID tourism boom
Will inbound tourism be the key to achieving the JPY 5 trillion target
The appreciation of Japanese cuisine is growing globally
with Japanese restaurants flourishing across the United States and Europe
We sell dashi and plant-based ramen soups to these restaurants
and our sales have been steadily increasing
many professional chefs are already well-acquainted with dashi
and we are eager to see its recognition expand further among the general public
the Culinary Institute of America’s Napa Valley branch hosted the Worlds of Flavor International Conference and Festival Japan
This event brought together 30 to 40 Japanese chefs and provided an exceptional platform for Japanese manufacturers to showcase products like soy sauce and dashi
we believe in the equal importance of steady
grassroots efforts to promote and sell our products
Just like the major soy sauce manufacturers
we remain dedicated to consistently advancing the reach of dashi through hard work and perseverance
they spoke about the importance of getting French or American chefs to create recipes that match the local market but use Japanese ingredients
Is this something that interests your company in terms of your dashi
To encourage the use of traditional Japanese seasonings like miso overseas
it’s crucial to adapt recipes to align with each country’s unique food culture
as Marukome has demonstrated so effectively
catering to dietary preferences and religious practices is vital
Dashi made from kombu or shiitake mushrooms is incredibly versatile and can be embraced by people all around the world
We are also actively exploring new ingredients to develop innovative dashi varieties
While dashi is commonly used in savory dishes
katsuobushi or kombu dashi can elevate the flavor of sweet red bean paste (anko)
and kombu dashi adds incredible depth to risotto
I had the chance to enjoy miso soup made with shiitake mushroom dashi—it was remarkably delicious
As global palates become more diverse and menus expand
I am confident this will lead to further market growth and exciting opportunities
| | | Previous Next
Japan faces some serious issues with its aging and declining population
efforts abroad are now being hindered by China’s blanket ban on the import of seafood
China accounted for 22% of seafood exports in 2022
which are the key overseas markets for your products that you are looking to target
China undeniably wields immense purchasing power
It’s essential for us to prioritize markets with strong purchasing capacity
we are preparing to expand into Southeast Asia and
explore opportunities in Africa and South America
we must carefully evaluate legal risks and determine whether we have the capabilities to succeed in these markets
I’ve seen major seasoning manufacturers enter the African market by offering products in small
affordable portions and educating local consumers on their use
our limited overseas staff makes it challenging to implement at present
we plan to partner with local companies or continue focusing on high-purchasing-power markets for now
Many of our clients are global food processors who purchase our dashi
and distribute them in markets like the United States and Southeast Asia
Although we don’t yet have our own overseas sales bases
this segment continues to show promising growth
We saw that your company’s research not only covers the culinary industry but also the biopharmaceutical industry
what are some of the specific products that you are developing for the biopharmaceutical industry
Chinese hamster ovary cells are cultured to create specific substances
and katsuo extracts are used as yield-improving additives in this process
we are deeply involved in researching and producing functional materials for health foods
and swallowing disorders demand innovative approaches
and actively participating in academic conferences
we will conduct clinical trials focused on the elderly
striving to contribute to society with products that promote longer
So much of the food we are consuming these days is flavored with artificial or processed flavors such as MSG
is really focused on natural foods and natural ingredients that bring taste to the forefront
What are the advantages of your natural flavors over these artificial or processed ones in terms of taste
Our products are founded on natural resources like seafood
which form the basis of seasonings rich in diverse flavor and aroma compounds
These elements combine to create a complex and enjoyable sensory experience
we have honed techniques to maximize the potential of these ingredients while continuously developing innovative applications to meet our customers’ needs
are highly cost-effective and deliver impactful results
By skillfully utilizing the strengths of both
we ensure we fulfill the diverse demands of our customers
major chain restaurants use a central kitchen to distribute all of their dishes
Is your dashi something that can work overseas where they don’t work on a central kitchen model
For restaurants and facilities that require authentic dashi
Many in the industry face challenges such as labor shortages and the need to reduce working hours
While preparing dashi traditionally was once standard
it has become increasingly difficult to manage
It is a high-pressure extracted dashi filled into Tetra Gemina® Aseptic Packages
enabling any establishment to create authentic dashi in just 10 seconds
eliminating waste and the need to discard unused dashi
traditional dashi preparation often generates leftover residue
which requires additional disposal effort—an issue entirely avoided with Handy Broth
Handy Broth is widely used across washoku restaurants
Its versatility also makes it a great addition to Western and ethnic cuisines
enhancing the natural flavors of each dish's ingredients
Your company recently engaged in M&A activities to acquire Higuchi kaisan(樋口海産) and AmakusaSeafoods(天草シーフーズ)
Why did you choose these two food acquisitions
is this an area you wish to continue expanding in
The company we acquired specializes in producing roasted flying fish (yakia-go) and dried sardines (niboshi)
with exceptional strength in raw material procurement
Climate change is altering sea temperatures
leading to shifts in the types of fish available and the decline of certain species
Enhancing our raw material procurement capabilities is vital
and we will continue to explore acquisitions of upstream companies with expertise in seafood sourcing
We are also keenly interested in companies with advanced processing technologies
We have received a proposal from a kombu processing company in Hokkaido to join our group
We will further strengthen our efforts related to kombu
a number of food-related companies are looking to plant-based foods as a way of achieving their SDGs while offering customers healthy alternatives
We’ve seen that your business is no different
With declining fish stocks and the global rise in vegetarianism
we are focused on developing dashi using non-seafood ingredients
kombu remains an essential dashi ingredient
but rising sea temperatures have led to a yearly decline in kombu harvests
Strengthening our kombu sourcing and product development is a priority
and we dream of introducing both kombu and katsuobushi dashi to gourmets around the globe
non-seafood dashi like kombu and shiitake mushrooms have long been a staple
We are advancing research into these resources while also exploring agricultural ingredients
With our expertise in producing seasonings from agricultural products
we also handle several contract manufacturing projects in this area
These plant-based seasonings cater to diverse religious dietary needs
and we are committed to furthering their development
we collaborate with a partner company in Indonesia that holds halal certification
and we are exploring joint product development initiatives to strengthen our offerings
A majority of your business is currently B2B
Do you plan to develop any direct B2C products in the future
we have also established a modest presence in B2C markets
selling through department stores and select shops
The feedback and requests we receive directly from consumers are invaluable
offering insights that we actively incorporate into the development of our B2B products
Imagine that we come back on the very last day of your presidency and have this interview all over again
What goals or dreams do you hope to achieve by the time we come back for that new interview
The transition to the next generation of leadership is not far off
my primary objective is to reorganize our group’s manufacturing facilities
I aim to complete the restructuring of our equipment to produce health-functional materials and seasonings using new technologies
we can build a production system capable of serving diverse prospective customers worldwide
delivering even greater flavor and health benefits across the globe
Fish and agricultural products often generate significant waste
including unused scraps or produce undervalued due to imperfections
we strive to transform these materials into high-value products
I hope to focus on contributing to the local community
My vision includes renovating our old warehouses and offices to create spaces for chefs and artists
aiming to foster a vibrant and lively community
To read more about Maruhachi Muramatsu, check out this article about them
For more information, please visit their website at: https://www.08m.co.jp/
To read more about Maruhachi Muramatsu, check out this article about them
For more information, please visit their website at: https://www.08m.co.jp/
The Worldfolio provides business, industrial and financial news about global economies, with a focus on understanding them from within.
Dior’s creative and image director of makeup
gives Vogue an exclusive look into the models’ makeup for the historic show
Photo: Kyoko MuramatsuWe aimed for a very pure
natural finish and used different nuances of pink in the makeup to match the skin tones of the various models
we used a soft pastel pink blush as eyeshadow—to give a watercolour-like effect
a deep Bordeaux color imitated the deep color of a flower in bloom
as if the color had been blended with water
Photo: Kyoko MuramatsuThe pink eye is inspired by Japanese cherry blossoms
the blush color is placed under the eye and blended out to create a natural
I made it look more free and bold—as if it were at one with the skin
Photo: Kyoko MuramatsuI used a brown waterproof liner—not to outline the eyes, but to deepen the shadows. To do this, I placed the ink a little further away from the corner of the eye, as if I were extending the shadow created by the eyelid. Brown mascara is lightly applied to the outer corner lashes only
and I chose the color because it blends naturally with the eye
Photo: Kyoko MuramatsuWe actually only had light communication, actually: “Here’s what’s going to happen next.” Normally, the show is held first, followed by the look, and then campaign shoots, but this time we did the opposite. The look and campaign shoots were already completed before the show. Because I knew the show would be held in Japan in the spring
I naturally thought of cherry blossoms and pink
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Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the white matter degeneration. Although changes in blood lipids are involved in the pathogenesis of neurological diseases, the pathological role of blood lipids in ALS remains unclear.
These results suggested that the reduction of FFAs in the plasma is a pathogenic biomarker for ALS in the early stages, and supplying a deficiency in FFAs is a potential therapeutic approach for ALS by preventing oligodendrocyte cell death.
Volume 17 - 2023 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fncel.2023.1081190
This article is part of the Research TopicOligodendrocytes: From Their Development to Function and DysfunctionView all 10 articles
Introduction: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by the white matter degeneration
Although changes in blood lipids are involved in the pathogenesis of neurological diseases
the pathological role of blood lipids in ALS remains unclear
Methods and results: We performed lipidome analysis on the plasma of ALS model mice
mutant superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1G93A) mice
and found that the concentration of free fatty acids (FFAs)
including oleic acid (OA) and linoleic acid (LA)
An in vitro study revealed that OA and LA directly inhibited glutamate-induced oligodendrocytes cell death via free fatty acid receptor 1 (FFAR1)
A cocktail containing OA/LA suppressed oligodendrocyte cell death in the spinal cord of SOD1G93A mice
Discussion: These results suggested that the reduction of FFAs in the plasma is a pathogenic biomarker for ALS in the early stages
and supplying a deficiency in FFAs is a potential therapeutic approach for ALS by preventing oligodendrocyte cell death
global changes in systemic lipid metabolites at the early stages of ALS progression and their links to CNS pathogenesis remain unclear
we hypothesized that alterations in circulating lipids in ALS may affect oligodendrocyte function
thereby mediating the early pathogenesis of ALS
we conducted a non-targeted lipidomic analysis of circulating lipids in the plasma of SOD1G93A mice and found a robust decrease in subsets of FFAs
In primary cultured murine oligodendrocytes
OA/LA inhibited excitotoxic oligodendrocyte death through FFAR1
Systemic LA/OA administration before disease onset ameliorated OL and MN deaths in SOD1G93A mice
All experimental procedures were approved by the Committee on the Ethics of Animal Experiments of the National Institutes of Neuroscience
National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry (2021013R2)
Postnatal day 1 (P1) C57BL/6J mice were obtained from Tokyo Laboratory Animals Science
that is express a G93A mutant form of human SOD1 were obtained from Jackson Laboratory (#002726) and heterozygous (SOD1G93A) males were bred with wild-type (WT) female C57BL/6J mice (Japan SLC)
Offspring were ear punched and genotyped using PCR with following primers: Human/Mouse Sod1 forward
CAGCAGTCACATTGCCCARGTCTCCAACATG; Human Sod1 reverse
CCAAGATGCTTAACTCTTGTAATCAATGGC; Mouse Sod1 reverse
Mice not expressing the transgene were used as WT littermate controls
Mice were housed in an air-conditioned room at 22°C with a 12-h light–dark cycle
The mice were fed standard chow diets (CE-2
CLEA Japan) and water under ad libitum conditions
Female SOD1G93A mice were intraperitoneally administered with linoleic acid-oleic acid-albumin (10.6 mg/kg
Sigma-Aldrich) or bovine serum albumin (BSA; 1.25 g/kg
Sigma-Aldrich) twice a week between P60 and P100
Cardiac blood was collected via cardiac puncture from P60
mixed with one-hundredth of 1.3% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid-2K/0.9% saline
and centrifuged at 1,200 rpm for 15 min at 4°C
The supernatant was collected as plasma and stored at -80°C until using
Untargeted and unbiased lipidomic analysis were conducted at Human Metabolome Technologies Inc
Primary cultures of oligodendrocytes were obtained from mice at P1 as previously described (Hamaguchi et al., 2019)
The forebrains were dissected and minced with fine scissors in ice-cold phosphate-buffered saline (PBS)
The minced tissues were dissociated with 0.25% trypsin (15090–046
After neutralization with Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium (DMEM; 12800082
Thermo Fisher Scientific) containing 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS; F7524
cells were centrifuged at 1,500 rpm for 10 min
and filtered through a 70 μm nylon cell strainer
Cells were then plated on poly-L-lysine (PLL; P2636
Sigma-Aldrich)-coated 10-cm dishes at a density of 5 × 105 cells/dish and maintained at 37°C with 5% CO2 in 10% FBS-DMEM
cells were washed with PBS and the remaining cells were treated with 0.05% Trypsin-PBS at 37°C for 3 min
The detached cells were filtered through a 40 μm nylon cell strainer and plated into non-coated dishes and incubated at 37°C for 30 min
the non-adherent cells were collected and plated into PLL-coated 96 well glass-bottom plate (5866-960
IWAKI) at a density of 5 × 104 cells/well in culture medium
consisting of DMEM/Nutrient Mixture F-12 Ham medium (DMEM/F12; D0547
USA) supplemented with 1 mM sodium pyruvate (S8636
10 ng/ml platelet-derived growth factor-AA (315-17
and 10 ng/ml basic fibroblast growth factor (450-33
For the purification of oligodendrocytes progenitor cells (OPCs)
detached cells were treated with CD140a (PDGFRα) Microbead kit (130-101-547
Germany) and the OPCs were plated onto PLL-coated 96-well glass plate at a density of 5.0 × 104/well in culture medium
We confirmed that 90.26 ± 0.93% of cells in the culture were labeled by Olig2
using immunocytochemical analysis (data not shown)
and dead cells were stained with 1 μg/mL Propidium Iodide (PI; 169-26281
Cells were fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde (PFA
Germany) in PBS at room temperature for 30 min
followed by permeabilization and blocking with blocking solution (0.1% Triton X-100 and 3% BSA in PBS) for 1 h at room temperature
the cells were incubated with the primary antibody
rat anti-myelin basic protein (MBP) antibody (AB7349
and rabbit anti-Cleaved caspase-3 (CC3; #9661
USA) at 1:1000 dilution in the blocking solution overnight at 4°C
Primary antibody was detected by the Alexa Fluor 488-conjugated donkey antibody against rat IgG (Thermo Fisher Scientific) diluted with blocking solution at 1:500
Nuclei were stained with 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI
Images were acquired using a confocal laser-scanning microscopy (FV3000
Japan) with a 20×/0.75 objective lens
the percentage of PI+ MBP+ cells in MBP+ cells were calculated from more than 50 MBP+ cells using ImageJ software (National institute of health)
total RNA was isolated from cultured oligodendrocytes using the TRIzol reagent (10296010
cDNA was synthesized using the High-Capacity cDNA Reverse Transcriptase Kit (4368814
Real-time qRT-PCR was performed using KAPA SYBR Fast Master Mix (7959397001
USA) with the following primer pairs: Ffar1 forward
PCR conditions included one cycle at 95°C for 30 s
followed by 39 cycles of 95°C for 5 s and 60°C for 45 s
A melting analysis was carried out following PCR to monitor amplification specificity
Relative mRNA expression was normalized against Gapdh mRNA levels in the same samples and calculated by the Δ/Δ-Ct method
Mice were transcardially perfused with 4% PFA in PBS
Lumbar spinal cords were post-fixed with 4% PFA in PBS overnight at 4°C and then immersed in 30% sucrose in PBS at 4°C
Tissues were embedded in optimal cutting temperature compound (Tissue-Tek
sliced into 30 μm sections and mounted on Adhesive Glass Slides (Matsunami Glass)
Sections were permeabilized with 0.1% Triton X-100 in PBS and blocked with 3% normal donkey serum in PBS for 1 h at room temperature
The sections were incubated with primary antibodies overnight at 4°C and then incubated with fluorescently labeled secondary antibodies for 1 h at room temperature
The following primary antibodies were used: rabbit anti-CC3 (#9661
mouse anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP; G3893
goat anti-choline acetyltransferase (ChAT; AB144P
Alexa Fluor 488-conjugated donkey antibodies against rabbit
Alexa Fluor 568-conjugated donkey antibodies against mouse or goat IgG
and Alexa Fluor 647-conjugated donkey antibody against rabbit IgG (Thermo Fisher Scientific
Oligodendroglial cell death were evaluated with percentage of CC3+ CC1+ Olig2+ cells in CC1+ Olig2+cells and neuronal cell death were evaluated with the number of ChAT+ cells in the anterior horn using ImageJ
fluorescence intensity of GFAP and Iba1 in the anterior horn was normalized to its area using ImageJ
The grip strength test for OA/LA or BSA-treated SOD1G93A mice were performed twice a week between P60 and P100
The mice were placed on a grid attached to grip strength meter (Bio-GS3; Bioseb)
The tail was pulled until the mouse released the grid
and the maximum value (given by gram) from 10 trials was recorded
All statistical values are presented as mean values ± standard error of mean (SEM). The number of samples analyzed is given for each experiment. Significant differences were determined with Student’s t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey–Kramer test, or two-way ANOVA followed by Sidak’s multiple comparison tests. All data were analyzed using Excel 2019 (Microsoft) or EZR (Kanda, 2013)
These facts prompted us to investigate whether OA and LA are involved in ALS pathogenesis
Free fatty acid (FFA) concentration is reduced in the plasma of SOD1G93A mice
The plasma was obtained from WT or SOD1G93A mice at P60 and P100
and subjected to mass spectrometry for lipid analysis
(A) Kaplan–Meier curve showing the probability of SOD1G93A mice without tremor symptoms (n = 9)
(B–D) A heat map showing the z-score of each fatty acid (B)
and lysophosphatidic acid (D) in the plasma
The rows and columns represent lipids and samples
Graph indicating the relative concentration of oleic acid (OA) (E)
The error bars represent mean ± SEM (n = 4 for each group)
assessed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey–Kramer test for panel (E)
These results suggested that OA/LA prevent excitotoxicity-induced OL death
FFAR1 is a candidate molecule that regulates oligodendrocyte cell death
(A) Representative images show the fluorescence of PI (red) and immunocytochemistry for MBP (green) of primary oligodendrocytes treated with vehicle
(B) Graph indicating the percentage of PI+ MBP+ cells in MBP+ cells (vehicle: n = 6
(C) Graph showing the percentage of PI+ MBP+ cells in MBP+ cells of primary oligodendrocyte culture transfected with siRNA library followed by treatment with glutamate + OA + LA (n = 3 for each)
(D) Plot indicating the –log10 (p-value) and log2 (fold change) of PI+ MBP+ cell percentage compared with control siRNA in each siRNA treatment (n = 3 for each group)
(E) Relative expression of Ffar1 mRNA in primary oligodendrocytes after control or Ffar1 siRNA treatment (n = 3 for each group)
(F) The percentage of PI+ MBP+ cells in MBP+ cells after Control or Ffar1 siRNA treatment (n = 3 for each group)
assessed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey–Kramer test for panels (B–D)
and by two-sided Student’s t-test for panels (E,F)
These results suggest that OA/LA prevents excitotoxic cell death in oligodendrocytes via FFAR1
indicating that OA/LA directly supported oligodendrocyte survival via FFAR1
OA and LA inhibit glutamate-induced oligodendrocyte apoptosis via FFAR1
(A) Representative images show the fluorescence of PI (red) and immunocytochemistry for MBP (green) of purified primary oligodendrocytes treated with vehicle
(B) Graph showing the percentage of PI+ MBP+ cells in MBP+ cells assessed from panel (A) (Vehicle: n = 4
(C) Representative images showing the fluorescence of PI (red) and immunocytochemistry for MBP (green) in purified primary oligodendrocytes treated with control siRNA or Ffar1 siRNA in the presence of glutamate with or without OA/LA
(D) Graph showing the percentage of PI+ MBP+ cells in MBP+ cells (Control siRNA in glutamate: n = 4
and Ffar1 siRNA in glutamate + OA/LA: n = 4)
(E) Representative images showing fluorescence of immunocytochemistry for CC3 (cyan) and MBP (green) of purified primary oligodendrocytes treated with vehicle
(F) Graph showing the percentage of CC3+ MBP+ cells in MBP+ cells assessed from panel (E) (vehicle: n = 4
(G) Representative images showing the fluorescence of immunocytochemistry for MBP (green) and CC3 (cyan) of purified primary oligodendrocytes treated with control siRNA or Ffar1 siRNA in the presence of glutamate with or without OA/LA
(H) Graph showing the percentage of CC3+ MBP+ cells in MBP+ cells assessed from panel (G) (Control siRNA in glutamate: n = 4
assessed by one-way ANOVA followed by Tukey–Kramer test for panels (B,F)
and two-way ANOVA followed by Sidak’s multiple comparison tests for panels (D,H)
suggesting that the protective effect of OA/LA on oligodendrocyte also contributed to mitigating the ALS pathology
OA and LA prevent the OL loss in SOD1G93A mice
(A) Representative images show the immunohistochemistry for CC1 (green)
and Ffar1 (cyan) in the spinal cord section of SOD1G93A at P100
(B) Representative images indicate immunohistochemistry for CC1 (green)
and CC3 (cyan) in the spinal cord of Vehicle or OA + LA injected SOD1G93A mice at P100
White arrows indicate CC1+ Olig2+ CC3+ cells
(C) Graph shows the number of CC1+ Olig2+ CC3+ cells per mm2 (n = 4 for each group)
(D) Graph shows the number of CC1+ Olig2+ cells per mm2 (n = 4 for each group)
(E) Graph showing the gram of grip strength (vehicle: n = 3
*P < 0.05 assessed by two-sided Student’s t-test for panel (C) and two-way ANOVA followed by Sidak’s multiple comparison test for panel (E)
confirming the successful treatment of OA/LA in vivo
these results suggest that OA/LA also have a protective effect on MNs
OA and LA prevent the degeneration of MNs in SOD1G93A mice
(A) Representative images show the immunohistochemistry for ChAT in the spinal cord section
(B) The graph shows the number of ChAT+ cells per section (vehicle: n = 5
(C–F) Representative images show the immunohistochemistry for Iba1 (green
Graphs show the relative fluorescence intensity of Iba1 (D) and GFAP (F)
*P < 0.05 assessed by two-sided Student’s t-test
we applied global lipidomic analyses to identify circulating lipids that mediate ALS pathogenesis
We identified a robust decrease in circulating FFAs
OA/LA inhibited excitotoxic oligodendrocyte cell death via the cell surface receptor FFAR1
We also observed that the systemic administration of OA/LA ameliorated the loss of OLs and MNs in SOD1G93A mice
Although we could not detect SCFAs in our analysis
changes in the gut microbiome in ALS may also affect the systemic lipidome
Further investigations in peripheral organs are needed to elucidate the mechanism by which circulating FFAs levels decrease
transfection of Ffar4 siRNA did not influence the anti-apoptotic effect of OA/LA on OLs
the anti-apoptotic role of FFAR4 might be differently regulated in cell types depending on the downstream signaling molecules they express
Further investigation is needed to elucidate the mechanism regulating the protection of OLs by OA/LA
Further investigation is needed to elucidate the prospect of astrocyte-mediated oligodendrocyte cell death suppression by OA/LA
Recent advantages of lipidomic analysis have revealed global changes in lipids in neurological diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease (Galper et al., 2022), Alzheimer’s disease (Proitsi et al., 2017), and multiple sclerosis (Gonzalo et al., 2012) in addition to ALS
Further evaluation of the multiple roles of FFA in the pathogenesis of CNS diseases
may contribute to unveiling novel molecules that can serve as both biomarkers and therapeutic targets for CNS pathologies with abnormal lipid metabolism
The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be made available by the authors
The animal study was reviewed and approved by the Committee on the Ethics of Animal Experiments of the National Institutes of Neuroscience
RM wrote the manuscript and supervised the project
All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version
This work was supported by a Grant-in-Aid of Scientific Research (B) from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Sciences to RM (22H02962) and AMED under Grant Number 23wm0525016 to RM
We thank the Human Metabolome Technologies Inc.
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations
Any product that may be evaluated in this article
or claim that may be made by its manufacturer
is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher
The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fncel.2023.1081190/full#supplementary-material
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Investigation of the freely available easy-to-use software “EZR” for medical statistics
Degeneration and impaired regeneration of gray matter oligodendrocytes in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Apelin deficiency accelerates the progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Free fatty acids inhibit serum deprivation-induced apoptosis through GPR120 in a murine enteroendocrine cell line STC-1
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Karen is a consultant in the Macroeconomics
Trade and Investment Global Practice at the World Bank
joined the World Bank in 2018 as a summer intern in Brazil
where she has led and contributed to global
and country-specific studies spanning all world regions
She is particularly interested in the role that policy can play in shaping the trade-development nexus
Karen holds a MA in International Economics and International Affairs with specializations in Development Economics
and Latin American Studies from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies
sailor accused of slamming into and injuring five people near a popular beach two years ago was suffering from delirium and not in control of his actions
Petty Officer 2nd Class Daniel Krieger was suffering from acute alcohol intoxication
higher brain dysfunction and delirium when he collided with the group July 9
director of Rokubancho Mental Clinic in Tokyo and a part-time lecturer on neuropsychiatry at Keio University
According to the World Health Organization
“acute alcohol intoxication” requires dysfunctional behavior and at least one of seven additional symptoms
The definition is “just a guideline” and does not encapsulate the “essence of the symptoms,” he testified
Krieger’s condition resulted from his excess consumption of alcohol and a prior brain injury
a defense witness at Krieger’s trial in the Yokosuka Branch of Yokohama District Court
Krieger testified May 13 that he drank 10-20 alcoholic drinks the day of the incident
Muramatsu concluded it was impossible for Krieger to control his behavior “because he was under a significantly altered state of consciousness,” he testified
Prosecutors pored over Muramatsu’s 44-page report
questioning whether Krieger could have lied during Muramatsu’s interviews
and whether Muramatsu would reach a different conclusion had he reviewed video footage of Krieger’s police interview
Muramatsu testified that he didn’t believe Krieger had lied to him
and that his conclusion was based on the facts of the case and clinical symptoms
Krieger is charged with four counts of bodily injury from the July 2022 incident
Prosecutors allege he slammed into the group on the streets of Zushi
a popular beach town near Yokosuka Naval Base
the most severely injured a 33-year-old man with multiple sprained vertebrae and a 58-year-old woman with a broken upper jaw
broken nasal bone and other facial injuries
21 recommended charging Krieger with the bodily injury on all five people
decide formal charges under Japan’s criminal justice system
a logistics specialist assigned to the guided-missile destroyer USS Milius
and his attorneys do not deny the allegations but say a previous brain injury and his heavy intoxication that day should absolve him of criminal liability
Krieger suffered a brain hemorrhage after intervening in a fight at a train station in Yokosuka
he became increasingly irritable and forgetful
and a final hearing is tentatively scheduled Sept
Shunsuke Muramatsu didn’t want a job that required him to wear a suit after he graduated
So he landed a job in the music business in eighties Tokyo at CBS/Sony Group Inc
– known today as Sony Music Entertainment (Japan)
“I’ve always liked entertainment,” says Mr
when asked to reflect on his long career at the company and in Japan’s record business
the world’s second-largest after the United States
a wholly-owned subsidiary of Japan-headquartered technology and entertainment giant Sony Group Corporation
was originally founded as CBS Sony Records in Tokyo in 1968 as a JV between Sony Group Corporation and Columbia Broadcasting System Inc
SMEJ’s own history is deeply intertwined with Japan’s physical music business
Its predecessor CBS Sony Records started manufacturing records (Simon & Garfunkel’s The Graduate Official Soundtrack was the first) and started making cassette tapes that same year
after the compact disc had been co-developed by Sony and Phillips in the late seventies
CBS Sony Records started manufacturing CDs and released the first-ever commercial CD in Japan: Billy Joel’s 52nd Street
Remarkably, in spite of music streaming’s global growth and dominance in most mature markets, more than 40 years after SMEJ first started manufacturing CDs, the format still reigns supreme in the Japanese market
“We believe physical CDs and other disc products are filled with all sorts of creativity
from the aesthetics to packaging specs and bonus features,” says Muramatsu
“The physical products are an embodiment of what is in the artists’ minds
and as such will hold value to the consumers and fans.”
“Physical products are an embodiment of what is in the artists’ minds
As Muramatsu explains in our interview below
while he doesn’t see physical music’s value in Japan losing its dominant position any time soon
he’s also hopeful about music streaming’s growth and coexistence with the enduring popularity of CDs
SMEJ is split into three business units: the Artist & Music Business Group
the Visual & Character Business Group and Entertainment Solution Business Group
Muramatsu explains that the three business groups
“are not independent but rather work together organically
successfully creating a healthy variety of different IPs and solutions
also offering users an assortment of methods to enjoy the various IPs”
and as a producer in the A&R department at the music company
He was then appointed as a regional promotion manager in 1999
and says it was in this role that he “realized the importance of putting together a good team,” which was “a major turning point” for him in his professional career
Muramatsu says he was catapulted into the leadership position at the company’s record label division Sony Music Records (now Sony Music Labels)
“losing money despite having the longest history within SMEJ”
with the next turning point in his career arriving when Sony Music Records signed Japanese rock band ORANGE RANGE to its gr8
I’ll quit’,” remembers Muramatsu
“It actually grew to achieve sales of almost 3 million units.”
It actually grew to achieve sales of almost 3 million units.”
He adds: “Whether it be the artists or staff
I have always found the people fascinating and as I continued to work on turning around labels which were struggling
I feel like this is the reason that we have been able to make stars from many artists who remain active today.”
In addition to the company’s music operations
SMEJ is a powerhouse in visual entertainment across various anime projects and games
with its Visual & Character Business Group housing anime giant Aniplex
As Muramatsu notes in our conversation below
SMEJ is becoming increasingly interested in how the global popularity of anime can serve as a gateway for Japanese artists to reach wider audiences around the world
With this in mind, just last month, SMEJ teamed up with US-based (and Sony Group-owned) anime streaming platform Crunchyroll to license its music content outside of Japan on Crunchyroll’s new music and content hub
Other ambitious non-traditional music activities from SMEJ include major virtual talent projects – one of which, VEE, is described on the website as “the largest virtual talent development and management project in history”
SMEJ also launched a global talent audition last year for real-life creators to work as virtual characters via the Tokyo-based ‘PRISM Project’. On PRISM Project’s website, it’s referred to as “a multinational VTuber agency from the future”.
Muramatsu is confident about SMEJ’s positioning and future in it
“The spectrum of online and offline solutions we offer makes us an all-around and unique entertainment company and gives us a distinctive character that we share with no other company in the Japanese entertainment market,” he says
Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) CEO Shunsuke Muramatsu shares his thoughts on virtual talent
and the unique challenges Japan faces as the world’s second-largest recorded music market…
founded in 1968 as a joint venture between what was then Sony Corporation and CBS Inc.
and as such it has the longest history of all the entertainment businesses within the Sony Group
manufacturing and distribution of discs and media such as CDs
live streaming of online concerts and events
The spectrum of online and offline solutions we offer makes us an all-around and unique entertainment company and gives us a distinctive character that we share with no other company in the Japanese entertainment market
being part of Sony Group gives us invaluable access to other businesses within the group including the latest technology and unique solutions
and we can hopefully continue to grow as a company that generates emotional experiences utilizing a blend of technology and entertainment
A music trend possibly unique to Japan with potential outside of the country may be the Vocaloid culture
Music production using Vocaloids started in the early 2000s
adding the participation of illustrators and animators
and more recently actual singers posting cover versions on the internet
Each in this trinity plays a vital part in this unique method of music production
and relies heavily on what we call community DIY
or the role of the community and ecosystem in creating the music
Japanese anime has garnered a worldwide following and Japan’s 2D (two-dimensional) entertainment has a promising global future
The latest developments in Vocaloid music have seen much variety and diversification
with an emergence of creators with global potential
SMEJ opened a Web-based platform called “MECRE” for creators to interact
now over 7,000 utilizing the DIY community
SMEJ serves as headquarters for approximately 20 group companies including subsidiaries
and carries out management and administrative operations for the group
as well as assisting with creating new businesses
The 20 group companies are split into three business groups
“Artist & Music,” “Visual & Character,” and “Entertainment Solution,” cooperating as necessary to develop the value and appeal for IPs derived from the creative work generated with artists and creators
In a market where CDs still carry substantial weight
being able to take initiative in the manufacturing process allows us to accommodate the creativity of artists and record labels
There may indeed be times when meeting the specific needs of the artist may not be efficient or easy
will reach the fans’ hearts and ultimately reflect positively on and contribute to the business
I dare say this may even be the reason the physical product market continues in Japan
the share of physical music in 2022 was 65.8%
with the production for physical products increasing
with live events having been held at restricted capacity due to COVID-19 precautions
Although I do think this is likely a temporary phenomenon
I don’t believe that the physical market will suddenly disappear as we have seen in some other countries
“Fans in Japan are particularly loyal to each artist
and many also have a collector’s mindset
making them partial to the physical product.”
The reason for this is that fans in Japan are particularly loyal to each artist
making them partial to the physical product
with cumulative growth at 125% between January and December 2022
In comparison to the per capita of countries that are leaders in streaming
we want to reach around 30 million paid subscribers in Japan
There are people outside of Japan who like Japanese music from the 1980s
and “city pop” is now a genre that is being sampled globally
and there has been a shift to a digital and borderless world
and before we knew it the Japanese music market had become what we call a Galapagosized
certainly on the individual artist level but also for J-Pop in its entirety would be our biggest challenge
In 2022, there was a live event in Saudi Arabia with performances by artists from SACRA MUSIC, the SMEJ label for those who are extending the range of their activities not only in Japan but also overseas. And YOASOBI
an artist whose work fits well with 2D media
also had their first performance for a festival in Jakarta
where the audience was singing along the Japanese lyrics with the artist
“Japanese anime is serving as an important gateway to introducing Japanese music.”
I have to believe that a crucial step for further promoting global development will certainly be identifying the countries and regions with the higher potential for it to take off
Another point is that many of the tracks with listeners outside of Japan are in some way connected to anime
and Japanese anime is serving as an important gateway to introducing Japanese music and further on the opportunity for hits
SMEJ started providing video content to Crunchyroll mainly for artists who have repertoire associated with anime
Crunchyroll has been part of Sony Group since 2021
and is one of the largest anime streaming services in the world
Crunchyroll is optimistic and eager to take on this initiative
ready with product development and marketing plans to help SMEJ artists reach a wider audience around the world
I honestly could not have predicted that VTubers would grow to be so significant in the entertainment realm
there is no way to know how much bigger it will become over the next few years
However, I’m convinced that it will become much bigger. Japan currently counts over 20,000 VTubers, and our “VEE” VTuber project auditions in 2021 received over 18,000 entries at the time
Although there are many who aspire to be VTubers
it seems there are still many obstacles that do not make it an easy path nor accessible to everyone
If ongoing advances in technology help resolve the issues
becoming a VTuber will be possible for more people
It also feels like a type of entertainment that would work well with other recent developments like the metaverse and Web 3.0
and with opportunities to further reach countries around the world beyond Japan and North America
TikTok has a vital role in creating the current hit tracks in Japan
whether it be the development of new talent or catalogue repertoire
many of the new artists who suddenly appear in the charts originally went viral on TikTok
“TikTok has a vital role in creating the current hit tracks in Japan.”
since the nature of the platform is for users to go through vast amounts of content instantaneously
an artist with one hit may not necessarily have a follow-up hit
the focus on hits originating from individuals pursuing a social media presence as well as special-interest communities will increase
This means understanding the persona and analytics of the audience on social media becomes a key part in the breaking hit of an artist or track
In addition to honing their social media presence
communication from the artists themselves becomes a critical piece in the process
and so the record company also needs updated literacy in the effective use of social media including precautions and strategies to handle negatively viral situations
Looking at what kinds of entertainment saw increased demand and not during the COVID-19 pandemic
games and video content grew dramatically while music only met fair expectations
With various kinds of entertainment competing for the consumers’ discretionary time
I’m concerned that the number of hours devoted to music has not increased as much
I have always believed in music as an amazing supporting role in our lives
Back when music was always there as part of the important page in our lives
it meant that hearing a song might bring you back memories of those special moments
now that we all have music at our fingertips
I once again want music to be fully integrated into our lives and make frequent appearances as the amazing supporting role of life
SoundExchange was independently formed in 2003 to build a fairer
and more efficient music industry through technology
The only organization designated by the U.S
government to administer the Section 114 sound recording license
SoundExchange collects and distributes digital performance royalties on behalf of 700,000 music creators and growing.Music Business Worldwide
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The first trailer for upcoming indie anime Tadaima o Kaesu Tabi was released last week on director Takashi Muramatsu‘s YouTube channel
who is voiced by VTuber Asano Ruri (Ruri is also a voice actor under the Crocodile agency)
According to one of the texts in the trailer
she sets out on a journey to search for her memories
Muramatsu (Aozora to Akizora, Omoide wo Hakobu Uta) says he has been working on Tadaima o Kaesu Tabi, including as animator, composer, and editor, for four years. A crowdfunding campaign on Motion Gallery was held to help fulfill three goals: screening the anime in Tokyo’s Shimokita Ekimae Cinema K2 mini-theater via Motion Gallery’s Short Film Biotope program
producing life-sized cutouts of the VTuber cast members and postcards
It raised 446,500 yen (~US$2,888) out of its 100 thousand yen goal
The schedule on the crowdfunding page lists a Winter 2024 release for the anime
Want to keep up with our anime and anime-adjacent news stories? Subscribe to our newsletter, where you can get updates on our user-voted anime chart rankings as well
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Part of The Claremont Colleges
The stars aligned when she relaunched the apparel and home-accessories boutique she co-owns on Beacon Hill.
Ahead, the shopkeeper shares more of what inspires her. ›
Wine is an essential part of my life, as it is an essential part of civilized culture. Nicolas Haegeli, wine manager at Gordon’s in Waltham, has guided me into acquiring the taste for earthy, rich-bodied Bordeaux. At present I’m drinking 2015 Chateau La Vieille Cure Fronsac.
We are able to connect with nature through the burning of these elegant sticks of incense. “Murmure de la Forêt,” [which translates to] “whisper of the forest,” blends sandalwood, peppery cistus, patchouli, clove, vetiver, and a touch of raspberry. You will feel transported into another realm.
Gemstones are healing for the spirit, but to apply them on the face is absolute decadence. Éminence Organic’s “Charcoal Exfoliating” gel cleanser is made with malachite; the “Camellia Glow” solid face oil is made with pink tourmaline; and the “Turmeric Energizing” treatment is made with citrines. All three combined will make your skin feel completely ecstatic.
Louiza Babouryan’s [designs incorporate] tulle, organza, and ruffles: three elements that make my heart sing. They are comfortable, dressy yet casual, and freeing. I am inspired by these fabrics to teach, educate, and show women how to feel their absolute best all of the time.
The magical properties of these gemstones, such as raising your inner vibration and clearing the mind and chakras, are only a couple of the elements that they offer in healing when worn. These naturally formed quartz crystals are mined in Herkimer, New York, and are not very easy to find.
What I’m EatingStuffed artichokes are my go-to food, with ground beef, herbs, garlic, breadcrumbs, and Parmesan cheese. They are a bit tedious, but the preparation is a skill and an art.
What I’m ReadingUnder the Light of the Italian Moon by Jennifer Anton is an inspiration of a true love story during the rise of fascism and World War II. Reading this jogs my memories of what little I knew about my Italian grand-parents and their ancestry.
What I’m Listening toI love heavier music that sounds like it’s coming from a church, especially during colder months, but right now French-Egyptian artist and instrumentalist Ashraf Moawad has my attention, as he layers soulful tunes of the Eastern world with electronic melodies of the West.
What I’m WearingMy Joseph Brooks–designed bracelets have black tourmaline for grounding, peridot for motivation, and garnet for energy balancing. Having the colors on my wrist inspires me every moment of the day.
What I’m BuyingI buy Comme des Garçons “Series 3 Incense: Avignon” eau de toilette whenever I’m in Paris, capturing the essence of my trip in one spray. The notes of vanilla, cedarwood, and ambrette resonate with me after dusk when the environment turns even more seductive.
On the Market: A Weston Mansion with an Indoor Basketball Court and Two-Story Tube Slide
Boston’s Swankiest New Address? The Ritz-Carlton Residences at South Station Tower
On the Market: A Swanky Vermont Retreat Where Don Draper Would Definitely Hide
©2025 Boston Globe Media Partners, LLC
2025Maruhachi Muramatsu are broadening the appeal of dashi and taking it international
As ingredients make the base of a beautiful meal
authentic dishes are an ingredient in the base of culture
Rich experiences through cuisine speak to our common understanding of culture
Like cuisine as part of the basis of culture
Dashi is the basis for many of Japan’s most popular culinary dishes
have specialized in dashi for over 150 years
primarily engaging with food manufacturers and kitchens and culinary artists to produce the staples of Japanese cuisine
As Japanese food exports continuing to grow, the Japanese Government has set an ambitious JPY 5 trillion target
which fifth generation president Zempachi Muramatsu sees as achievable
achieving the 5 trillion-yen market goal feels entirely within reach,” he says
The health benefits and versatility of dashi are its greatest strength
with health-conscious diets on the rise both domestically and globally
dashi can be used to reduce the salt and sugar content of dishes
Muramatsu says that dashi isn’t limited to Japanese cuisine
“With its unique ability to enhance natural tastes
yet equally delicious meals.” Dashi isn’t limited to savory foods either and Mr
Muramatsu says the company is actively exploring new ingredients to create new flavors
He describes how Kombu dashi complements the flavor of sweet red bean paste (anko) and adds “incredible depth” to a risotto
This variety of flavor is possible through high quality and diverse
which when combined create a complex and enjoyable experience
“We have honed techniques to maximize the potential of these ingredients while continuously developing innovative applications to meet our customers’ needs.” By combining their natural ingredients and the umami flavor of dashi
Maruhachi Muramatsu supplies these products to restaurants both domestically and abroad
Muramatsu says that they offer solutions to kitchens that require authentic dashi
can make precise amounts of authentic dashi in just 10 seconds
Saving labor in particular is an important differentiator in Japan
where the domestic workforce continues to shrink
With the domestic market continuing to shrink
With Japanese restaurants flourishing in foreign countries and Japanese food increasing in popularity around the world
Maruahachi Muramatsu is well positioned to capitalize
Muramatsu says that many foreign chefs are already well acquainted with dashi
and he is eager to see that recognition diffuse into the public
this recognition has been advantageous for Maruhachi Muramatsu
“We sell seafood-based dashi and plant-based ramen soups to these restaurants
and our sales have been steadily increasing.” But beyond Japanese restaurants
the versatility of dashi has proven to be the key to finding new markets
“To encourage the use of traditional Japanese seasonings like miso overseas
it’s crucial to adapt recipes to align with each country’s unique food culture,” Mr
With plant-based diets on the rise and religious diets common in international markets
kombu and shiitake-based dashi are also finding vital channels for increased growth
“As global palates become more diverse and menus expand
I am confident this will lead to further market growth and exciting opportunities.”
These opportunities exist beyond the humble dashi with Maruhachi Muramatsu’s R&D division making strides in functional foods and pharmaceutical sectors
Muramatsu says that they are committed to tackling global health challenges
dementia and swallowing disorders by contributing to research
publishing findings and participating in academic conferences
Muramatsu hopes that their dashi goes beyond and contributes to the betterment of the world
With rising sea temperatures affecting ingredients and processing generates waste
he hopes that Maruhachi Muramatsu can contribute meaningfully to its SDGs and a sustainable future
To hear more from President Zempachi Muramatsu of Maruhacchi Muramastu, check out this interview with him
Maruhachi Muramatsu are broadening the appeal of dashi and taking it international
industrial and financial news about global economies
with a focus on understanding them from within
Metrics details
a member of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily
is an attractive target for muscle disease therapy because of its role as a negative regulator of muscle growth and strength
we describe a novel antibody therapeutic approach that maximizes the potential of myostatin-targeted therapy
that specifically binds the latent form of myostatin and inhibits its activation
GYM329 reduces or “sweeps” myostatin in the muscle and plasma
Compared with conventional anti-myostatin agents
GYM329 and its surrogate antibody exhibit superior muscle strength-improvement effects in three different mouse disease models
We also demonstrate that the superior efficacy of GYM329 is due to its myostatin specificity and sweeping capability
we show that a GYM329 surrogate increases muscle mass in normal cynomolgus monkeys without any obvious toxicity
Our findings indicate the potential of GYM329 to improve muscle strength in patients with muscular disorders
a new therapeutic approach with better efficacy is needed
By repeating this “capture-and-release cycle,” the engineered antibody can reduce the amount of antigen outside the cell
we report the generation and in vivo characterization of an antibody we named GYM329
which has myostatin-specific blockade and sweeping capabilities
we analyzed the effects of GYM329 and its functional equivalent in mouse models of muscle disease
We further demonstrated the effects of GYM329 and its surrogate in cynomolgus macaques
We demonstrate that this antibody exhibits better muscle strength improvement activity than conventional anti-myostatin agents
showing that GYM329 is a potent novel agent for the treatment of muscle diseases
Anti-latent myostatin antibodies were generated in rabbits by alternatively immunizing the animals with recombinant human and mouse latent myostatin to enrich cross-reactive clones
Screening of B cell supernatants from the immunized rabbits through a binding assay identified clones that specifically bind the latent and not the mature myostatin
They were then functionally screened through the Smad3/4-binding elements-driven secreted alkaline phosphatase (SEAP) reporter gene assay
We assessed the candidate antibodies’ inhibitory activity against BMP1-mediated activation of myostatin
and MST1032 was finally selected as the lead antibody based on its strong activity
Generation of the anti-latent myostatin sweeping antibody
(A) Summary of the characteristics engineered into GYM329
(B) Surface plasmon resonance analysis illustrating pH-dependent binding of GYM329 to latent myostatin
Binding of GYM329 to human latent myostatin was monitored at pH 7.4 in the association phase (0 to 180 s) and dissociation of GYM329 from latent myostatin at either pH 6.0 or 7.4 were assessed in the dissociation phase (from 180 s)
The sensorgram was normalized by adjusting the latent myostatin binding response to ‘100.’ RU: resonance unit
(C) Inhibitory effects of GYM329 on latent myostatin
Latent myostatin or latent GDF11: 3 nmol/L; mature GDF11 or mature myostatin: 5 ng/mL
GYM329 had stronger affinity to FcRn than IgG1 in acidic conditions
This is indicative of a long serum half-life for GYM329 as there is more efficient FcRn-mediated recycling of the internalized antibody from the endosome
as observed in other engineered antibodies with the same property
The mouse surrogate of GYM329 (GYM-mFc) strongly increases muscle strength and muscle mass in three mouse models of muscle disease
Changes in (A) whole-body muscle mass and (B) appendicular grip strength 4 weeks after antibody injection in mdx mice (n = 5–6 per group)
Changes in (C) whole-body muscle mass and (D) appendicular grip strength 4 weeks after antibody injection in aged mice (n = 9–10 per group)
(E) Hindlimb muscle weights after 2 weeks of hindlimb suspension in the muscular atrophy model
and soleus) were collected and weighed 2 weeks after treatment
(F) Changes in hindlimb grip strength after pre-treatment with the antibodies in the muscular atrophy model
Data represent the changes in hindlimb grip strength during 2 weeks of the hindlimb suspension period
Data represent mean ± SEM (n = 5–6 per group)
Williams’ test compared with the vehicle (150 mmol/L NaCl
Much weaker grip strength enhancement was seen at the high bimagrumab dose (100 mg/kg)
and no enhancement was observed in mice treated with landogrozumab and domagrozumab
GYM-mFc had the most potent effects on muscle mass and muscle strength of all the tested anti-myostatin agents
the mechanism of action of all these conventional antibodies includes simple neutralization
while GYM329 has a sweeping function that reduces antigen levels by forcing internalization via FcγRs
GDF11 signaling blockade negatively affects muscle strength in the muscular atrophy model
(A) Changes in hindlimb grip strength 2 weeks after treatment (n = 5–6 per group)
and gastrocnemius) were isolated and weighed (n = 5–6 per group)
(B) Inhibitory activities of antibodies against mature GDF11 or mature myostatin; 5 ng/mL of mature GDF11 (square) or mature myostatin (circle) was used for the reporter gene assay
(C) Changes in hindlimb grip strength over three days
Recombinant GDF11 or myostatin were administered (i.p.) on day 0
Data represent mean ± SEM (n = 6 per group)
***P < 0.001 with Tukey test performed without the non-suspension group
did not have any suppressive effects on muscle strength reduction
these data suggest that GDF11 and myostatin act in opposing directions in terms of muscle strength enhancement
where inhibition of GDF11 signaling negatively impacts muscle strength enhancement
(D) Confocal imaging of whole mounts of the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) in the muscular atrophy model
Pro-/latent myostatin localized in the extracellular space of the skeletal muscles was labeled by the anti-pro-myostatin/latent myostatin antibody
followed by the secondary anti-rabbit-IgG Alexa Fluor 568 (red)
Representative confocal images of muscles from the non-suspension (left) and hindlimb suspension group (vehicle treatment
(E) Plasma concentration–time curve of total myostatin in normal mice after administration of GYM329 or hMST1032-hIgG1
GYM329 or hMST1032-hIgG1 was intravenously injected into normal mice on day 0
Total plasma myostatin concentration was measured by the electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (n = 6
Total myostatin is the C-terminal domain of myostatin including both antibody-bound and unbound
Values < 1 ng/mL were considered to be below the limit of quantification (BLQ)
the superior activity of GYM329 in this experiment is not due to differences in antibody exposure
the sweeping function of GYM329 and its myostatin specificity contributed to its superior activity
with lower binding activity to FcγRI and FcγRIII
The IC50 of GYM-cyFc against BMP1-mediated activation of cynomolgus myostatin in vitro was determined to be 0.199 μg/mL
which is comparable to the IC50 of GYM329 against the activation of human latent myostatin (0.182 μg/mL)
These data suggest that GYM-cyFc is a functional equivalent of GYM329 that may be used for studies in cynomolgus monkeys
and reduces total myostatin levels in cynomolgus monkeys
(A) Muscle section area determined by MRI are presented as the sum of the area of the quadriceps femoris
and 55 (8 weeks) from the administration (i.v.) of the first dose of GYM-cyFc
GYM-cyFc was administered every 4 weeks for 2 months
From the results of anti-drug antibody (ADA) and pharmacokinetic analyses
ADA-positive animals were excluded (vehicle group: n = 6; 1.25 mg/kg dose: n = 9; 2.5 mg/kg dose: n = 6; and 5 mg/kg dose: n = 5)
Williams’ test for multiple comparisons to the vehicle group
(B) The rates of increase in bodyweight relative to baseline after the 1st administration of GYM-cyFc into cynomolgus monkeys
Williams test for multiple comparisons to the vehicle group (*: 1.25 mg/kg; #: 2.5 mg/kg; and $: 5 mg/kg)
(C) Plasma concentration–time curve of total myostatin
Values under 0.25 ng/mL were considered to be below the limit of quantification (BLQ)
both antibodies failed to improve physical performance (in the Timed Up and GO
which is relevant for enhancing the patients’ quality of life
new therapeutic approaches that are more effective in improving patient physical function are still needed
we attempted to examine the possible advantages of myostatin-specific blockade
We also hypothesized that incomplete neutralization of myostatin function in muscle tissues
probably due to high levels of myostatin in the muscle microenvironment and poor antibody penetration
is another issue for conventional anti-myostatin agents
We aimed to overcome this problem by generating an antibody with a sweeping function to reduce myostatin levels in the muscle
we generated GYM329 and surrogate antibodies that specifically inhibit myostatin signaling and possess the sweeping function
We have demonstrated that GYM329 and its surrogates exhibit superior ability to enhance muscle strength compared to three clinically evaluated anti-myostatin agents
These superior effects were seen in three different muscle wasting disease mouse models
and a hindlimb suspension-induced atrophy model
which demonstrates the potency of this antibody in treating muscular diseases
Although these findings suggest possible differential signaling mechanisms between myostatin and GDF11
Further investigation of the molecular mechanism of GDF11 in the musculature would deepen our understanding of muscle growth and strength regulation
Although they have shown that their antibody has the capacity to increase muscle mass in vivo using a steroid-mediated atrophy mouse model
they did not compare the effects of their antibody with those of anti-mature myostatin antibodies that have GDF11 cross-reactivity
Our study is therefore the first to demonstrate the advantages of myostatin-specific blockade in treating muscle diseases
we hypothesize that the sweeping of myostatin occurs in these cells
although further investigation is needed to confirm this hypothesis
Reduction of myostatin via the sweeping function would enable GYM329 to block myostatin signaling more completely even with limited antibody penetration into the muscles
which could explain why GYM329 exhibited more potent effects
Additional studies on the distribution of GYM329 and the status of myostatin signaling blockade in the muscle microenvironment are necessary to confirm this hypothesis
Although muscle function analysis was not performed in the study using cynomolgus monkeys due to technical limitations
obvious muscle increment was observed in the monkeys treated with the GYM329 surrogate
In the preliminary analysis of safety in the same experiment
no obvious toxicological effects were observed
Total plasma myostatin was also strongly reduced by the GYM329 surrogate antibody
demonstrating that the sweeping function works in different species
the superior effect of GYM329 is more evident in muscle strength improvement than in muscle mass increment
This characteristic is important for the treatment of patients with disorders such as muscular dystrophy or atrophy
because recovery of physical function is considered the most desirable benefit of therapy
GYM329 is potentially beneficial to patients with muscle diseases
the findings we present here justify a clinical evaluation of GYM329 for improving physical function in patients suffering from muscle dysfunction
Binding kinetics of the antibodies against human
or mouse latent myostatin were assessed at pH 7.4 and 6.0 at 25 °C using the Biacore T200 (GE Healthcare Life Sciences
Antibodies were captured onto the Biacore sensor chip CM5 (GE Healthcare Life Sciences) and immobilized with protein L (BioVision)
or mouse latent myostatin was prepared by two-fold serial dilutions (2 nmol/L to 32 nmol/L)
The sensor surface was regenerated using Glycine 1.5 (10 mmol/L glycine–HCl
Kinetic parameters at pH 7.4 were determined by fitting the sensorgrams to the 1:1 binding model using the Biacore T200 Evaluation Software
The pH-dependent binding ability of the antibodies to latent myostatin was evaluated by comparing the dissociation phases of the sensorgrams at pH 7.4 and at pH 6.0
Further details are described in the Supplementary Materials
A reporter gene assay was used to assess the biological activity of active myostatin or GDF11 in vitro
The detection of bioactive myostatin was achieved by monitoring the activation of activin type 1 and 2 receptors in HEK-Blue TGF-β cells (InvivoGen
which stably express Smad3/4-binding elements (SBE)-inducible SEAP as the reporter gene
The quantity of SEAP was measured using QUANTI-Blue (InvivoGen)
HEK-Blue TGF-β cells were maintained according to the manufacturer’s instructions
The culture medium was changed to the assay medium (DMEM with 0.1% bovine serum albumin (BSA)
and cells were seeded into 96-well plates before assays
or mouse latent myostatin was incubated with 250 ng/mL recombinant human BMP1 (R&D Systems
MN) and various concentrations of anti-latent myostatin antibody at 37 °C overnight
The sample mixtures were then added to the cells
cell supernatants were collected and mixed with QUANTI-Blue
and optical density at 620 nm was measured using a colorimetric plate reader
5 ng/mL of mature myostatin or mature GDF11 was added to cells with various concentrations of antibodies for 24 h
This study was conducted according ARRIVE guidelines (https://arriveguidelines.org/)
All procedures associated with this study were reviewed and approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) in Chugai Pharmaceutical Co.
The test facility is accredited by the Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC)
Animal care and experiments were performed according to the animal husbandry policy of Chugai Pharmaceutical Co.
Animals were housed in a temperature- and humidity-controlled room with food and water ad libitum
Whole-body muscle mass was measured using a body composition analyzer based on Time Domain Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (TD-NMR
Whole-body muscle mass was calculated by multiplying muscle mass (%) by bodyweight and dividing by a hundred
Grip strength tests were performed using a digital force meter (GPM-100B
Before administration of therapeutic agents on day 0
whole-body muscle mass of all animals was measured by TD-NMR
and appendicular and hindlimb grip strength were measured by a grip strength meter
the animals were selected and allocated to each dosing group so that there was no variation in each group (6 animals per group)
each dosing solution was administered at 10 mL/kg of bodyweight (antibody solutions: intravenous
i.v.; GDF11 and myostatin solutions: intraperitoneal
pH 6.0) was also administrated intravenously to the 6 mice in the control group
The antibody injection studies in the hindlimb suspension had a duration of 1 or 2 weeks as indicated in the figure legends
and the GDF11 and myostatin injection study lasted for 3 days
and extensor digitorum longus from both limbs were isolated and weighed
The GDF11 study was performed twice independently
and seventy-nine-week-old male C57BL/6J (aged mice
Charles River Laboratories Japan) mice were used (10 animals per group) for the DMD model and the aged mouse study
The observation duration was 4 weeks after antibody injection in both studies
Change in whole-body muscle mass or grip strength was determined by subtracting the value on the last day from it on day 0
The concentration of total myostatin and antibodies were measured by electrochemiluminescence (ECL) immunoassay
and each concentration was calculated based on the calibration curve using the analytical software SoftMax Pro (Molecular Devices
pH 2.5) was added to diluted mouse plasma samples to dissociate mature myostatin from bound proteins (such as propeptide and follistatin)
The samples were applied into MULTI-ARRAY 96-well plates and incubated with immobilized anti-mature myostatin antibodies
biotinylated anti-mature myostatin antibodies were added and incubated
After incubation with sulfo-tagged streptavidin
the signal was detected using MESO SECTOR S600 (Meso Scale Discovery
For measurement of antibody concentration in plasma
diluted plasma samples were applied onto plates (MULTI-ARRAY 96-well) with immobilized anti-human IgG (I9885
AL) was added and incubated for 1 h at room temperature
the signal was detected using MESO SECTOR S600
The cynomolgus macaques were housed at Shin Nippon Biomedical Laboratories
This study was approved by the IACUC and was performed in accordance with the animal welfare regulations at SNBL
which is accredited by AAALAC International
Three-year-old female cynomolgus monkeys (36 animals in total) were used
or 5 mg/kg was administered intravenously every 4 weeks for 2 months (a total of 3 times per dose level) to 10 female monkeys per group
pH 6.0) was also administrated intravenously to 6 female monkeys as the control group
The effects of GYM-cyFc on muscle mass in three muscle groups (quadriceps femoris
and erector spinae) were investigated via MRI (MAGNETOM Allegra
Germany) at day 0 (baseline) and at weeks 4 and 8
Blood samples were drawn from the left femoral vein before each dosing
The concentrations of total myostatin and antibodies were measured by the ECL immunoassay as performed in the mouse studies
R&D systems Inc.) as the primary antibody and GAPDH (D16H11
Cell Signaling Technology) as the internal control
Quantifications were performed with Image-J ver
To detect extracellular latent myostatin secreted locally around the skeletal muscles
whole-mount EDL muscles were obtained from suspended hindlimb SCID mice
EDL muscles were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde (FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation
muscles were washed in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) three times (5 min each wash)
and incubated with blocking buffer (1% BSA
FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation in PBS) for 2 h at room temperature
Anti-latent myostatin antibody (MST1098-rabbit IgG generated in-house and confirmed to not be cross-reactive to GYM329 (data not shown)) was used as the primary antibody
MST1098-rabbit IgG (1 μg/mL) was diluted with blocking buffer
and the samples were incubated with the primary antibody for more than 24 h at 4 °C
After washing with PBS three times (15 min each wash)
Thermo Fisher Scientific) diluted with blocking buffer
and the samples were incubated for 24 h at 4 °C
The samples were then washed with PBS three times (15 min each wash)
6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) was used for nuclear staining
Images were obtained using a Nikon A1 confocal microscope (Nikon
The Z-series images were captured with 1.225 μm step size
The images were then flattened into a single image for each location using the Nikon software (NIS-elements software)
Red areas in individual images were analyzed using Image-J
NC) was used for group allocation prior to administration
All statistical analyses were performed with JMP software (Williams’ test
Statistical significance was assigned for P < 0.05 (Student’s t-test and Tukey test) or P < 0.025 (Williams’ test); results are shown as Mean and SEM or SD
All data associated with this study are present in the main text or the Supplementary Materials
Materials are available from Chugai Pharmaceutical Co.
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We thank all the research assistants at Chugai Pharmabody Research Pte
We thank Chugai Research Institute for Medical Science
This study was funded by Chugai Pharmaceutical Co.
performed antibody generation and antibody engineering
provided supervisory support and contributed to the critical discussion of this study
All authors reviewed and gave their final approval for the manuscript
All authors are employees of Chugai Pharmaceutical Co.
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As the baby boomer generation reaches old age
the number of people with Alzheimer’s disease and types of dementia is expected to skyrocket
these diseases will place uneven burden on individuals and families in underrepresented populations
gender and socioeconomic groups who have received less attention in aging research.
A new program at the University of Illinois Chicago called the Center for Health Equity in Cognitive Aging will address these gaps by funding research
mentoring early-career faculty and connecting UIC to a national network in this area
the center will focus not just on the care that persons with dementia receive
but also the experiences and challenges of their care providers
paid caregivers and health care professionals.
because it happens in the home and in private spaces,” said Muramatsu
“Making the invisible visible is critical for people to recognize and address inequity in the health and well-being of people with or at risk for dementia
It’s important for researchers from diverse backgrounds and perspectives to uncover diversity in lived experiences of people deeply affected by the progression of the disease.”
Funded by a $3 million grant from the National Institute of Aging, the Center for Health Equity in Cognitive Aging is the newest of 18 Resource Centers for Minority Aging Research across the U.S.
and the first in a Midwestern urban area.
“This network means that we can provide opportunities not just within UIC
but also link scientists to the outside world so they have access to leaders in the field from all over the nation,” said Bhatt
professor of physical therapy and rehabilitation sciences
this center’s strength lies in amalgamating behavioral health promotion and population-science approaches for advancing dementia care and caregiving research.”
The center’s Scientist Program accepted three pilot projects in its first round, and the second call for solicitations is open until Jan. 31
The opportunity is available to researchers from all corners of UIC
“This center is about social and behavioral science research on aging and that needs to include all of our departments and colleges,” Muramatsu said
“This is an opportunity for us to really work with all parts of campus and engage researchers who may be doing aging research without knowing it
That is the real strength of UIC; it has everything.”
Uncovering the links between culture and cognitive health
The first cohort of funded researchers and pilot projects demonstrates the critical work that the Center for Health Equity in Cognitive Aging hopes to accomplish.
Kelechi Ibe-Lamberts
clinical associate professor of community health sciences in the School of Public Health
considers himself a “1.5-generation” Nigerian American
growing up in Africa before moving to the U.S
That life experience informs his research interest on individuals who feel their identity draws from the cultures of their former and current countries.
His study will combine focus groups and surveys of caregivers for people with dementia
gathering information to build interventions tailored and beneficial to these transnational communities
And by tapping into the national network of aging research centers
he hopes the results will propagate broadly.
“I would love to be able to use this information to inform physicians about some of the barriers and the uniqueness of transnational African immigrants in their practices and identities and how it plays a role in their day-to-day life and actions and choices,” Ibe-Lamberts said
“I want to use this study to be a springboard for pushing the agenda of improving the aging resources for African immigrants that are here in the U.S.
especially those that are planning to stay here and potentially die here.”
Jennifer Kwok
assistant professor of health policy and administration in the School of Public Health
will draw upon her background in economics to examine the health and financial burdens on spouses and other caregivers
She will use datasets from the Health and Retirement Study
the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and the U.S
Census Bureau to analyze this population and characterize the potential needs of caregivers to help inform policies.
one of the things we don’t really know all that much about is the impact of cognitive impairment and dementia on spouses
and how that varies across different racial and ethnic minority populations,” Kwok said
“Having this information will be useful for us to figure out how we can help people with caregiving.”
Dalmina Arias, clinical assistant professor of occupational therapy in the College of Applied Health Sciences, will use her pilot funding to expand an existing intervention to new populations. IPROACTIF, a primary care-based program developed by Mansha Mirza at UIC
connects older adults with chronic health conditions such as hypertension and diabetes with occupational therapists that assess their home environment
needs and goals to try and prevent hospitalization.
Arias will adapt the program for Spanish-speaking patients and families
going beyond translation to tailor strategies for cultural differences around food
family caregiving and use of health care resources
with making this ambitious work feel possible.
“I can’t emphasize enough how valuable it is having these connections and this opportunity so early in our careers,” Arias said.
That echoes the mission of the program as it begins its first five-year term
“For assistant professors wanting to pursue scholarship
and without proper mentorship they cannot launch themselves into research careers,” Bhatt said
“We want to build an environment of shared mentoring and advancing science in this field.”
The Center for Health Equity in Cognitive Aging is supported by the National Institute on Aging of the National Institutes of Health (P30AG083255). For more information and to get involved, visit the Center for Health Equity in Cognitive Aging website.
aging, Alzheimer's disease, Dementia, health equity
Haruki Muramatsu will begin his defence of the PDC Asian Championship title on Saturday in Manila - watch this weekend on PDCTV
the 48-player field for this year's event have now been confirmed - as 16 players joined players from the PDC Asian Tour Order of Merit and a series of international qualifiers
A $100,000 prize fund is on offer in the event
alongside places in the Mr Vegas Grand Slam of Darts for the eventual champion and the Paddy Power World Darts Championship for both finalists
Muramatsu was last year's champion and will be seeded fifth for the 2024 event
with seeding based on the PDC Asian Tour Order of Merit and headlined by Philippines stars Alexis Toylo and Lourence Ilagan
2022 Asian Championship winner Christian Perez will be bidding to recapture the title
while iconic Singapore ace Paul Lim is also in action
Saturday's first of two days of action will feature the round-robin stage
before the group winners then progress to play in the last 16
The PDC Asian Championship will be streamed on PDCTV for all subscribers worldwide
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Volume 3 - 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fdmed.2022.864406
This article is part of the Research TopicInsights in Regenerative Dentistry: 2021View all 5 articles
Regenerative endodontic cell-homing procedures are frequently performed on injured immature teeth diagnosed with pulp necrosis and/or apical periodontitis
The representative histological finding after those procedures is cementum-like tissues filling in the root canal but details of the healing process remain unknown
We investigated that healing process histologically using a mouse in situ model
Regenerative endodontic procedures were experimentally performed on noninfected maxillary first molars of 6-week-old male C57BL/6 mice
after which the healing process was investigated using histology and immunohistochemistry
Immediately after the regenerative endodontic cell-homing procedures
blood clots were seen in the root canals that disappeared over time
the blot clot in the root canal was replaced by granulation tissue
cementum-like tissues were filled in the root canals
while the amount of fibrous tissue was reduced
positive reactions for periostin were seen in the fibrous tissue in the root canal
positive reactions for nestin were not detected in the root canal
CD31-positive cells with a luminal structure were also observed in the fibrous tissue around the apex and around the newly formed cementum-like tissues in the root canal
we have established an in situ mouse model of regenerative endodontic procedures
The results of this study suggest that periodontal ligament cells and vascular endothelial cells grow into the root canals from the apex
and participate in the formation of cementum-like tissues with angiogenesis during the healing process of regenerative endodontic procedures
small animals are easy to handle and more economical
one problem with experimental models using large animals is that it is difficult to perform detailed histological investigations during the healing process over time
the process of cell migration into the root canal and new hard tissue formation that was added to the root canal wall and the apical region has not been fully elucidated
establishing a small animal model that can easily elucidate histological changes over time is necessary
developed a mouse experimental model of regenerative endodontics
The purpose of this study was to elucidate the involvement of migrating cells into the root canal immunohistochemically and the formation of hard tissue added to the root canal wall and the apical region
All animal experiments were performed according to the Guidelines for the Treatment of Animals at the Tokyo Dental College (Approval No
which still had thin root dentin with wide root apex
Seven mice were used at each time point for histological and immunohistochemical analyses
thirty-four mice that had their temporary seals removed during the postoperative course and had root canal infection or apical lesions were excluded
The experimental group was a group in which blood clots were formed on the mesial root of the right maxillary first molar (M1) and then covered and filled
The untreated left maxillary first molars on the opposite side were used as a control
The procedure was performed according to the method of Xu et al. (29)
General anesthesia was administered intraperitoneally using a mixed anesthetic of medetomidine hydrochloride (0.3 mg/kg
After the operative field was disinfected with ethanol
endodontic access opening into the pulp chamber was performed on the mesial occlusal surface of M1 using a round-type carbide bur (Zipperler; VDW GmbH
The dental pulp of the mesial root canal was mechanically removed with a #6 K-file (MANI
Japan) under a surgical microscope (Stemi 508; Zeiss
and was chemically cleaned with 10% sodium hypochlorite solution (Neo Cleaner; Neo Dental Chemical Products Co.
Japan) and 3% ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) solution (Smear Clean; Nishika
The #6 K-file was then approached via the mesial root canal and bleeding from the outside of the apical foramen was initiated
Hemostasis was done using a sterile article point to form a blood clot
The upper part of the blood clot (just below the root canal orifice) was covered with mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) cement (Bio MTA cement
and the cavity was sealed with adhesive resin cement (Super-Bond
perfusion fixation with 4% paraformaldehyde in 0.1 M phosphate buffer (PFA; pH 7.4) was performed transcardially
and the dissected upper jaws were immersed for 24 h in the same fixative
After decalcification with 10% EDTA for 1 week at 4°C
the tissues were trimmed at the midline of the palate with a razor and embedded into the paraffin with the midline facing the bottom
The paraffin block was cut from the palatal side and the 4-μm-thick serial sagittal sections were prepared
The sections were stained with Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) and were observed and photographed using a universal photographic microscope (UPM Axiophoto2
antigen activation treatment was performed using the microwave method
the slides were microwaved at 70°C continuously for 20 min using a microwave processor (Microwave Processor MI-77
Japan) and then were reacted at room temperature for 30 min
a 10 mM sodium citrate buffer (pH 6.0) was used
and for the anti-periostin and anti-CD31 antibodies
The sections were immersed in 3% hydrogen peroxide in methanol for 30 min to inactivate endogenous peroxidase
After blocking with 3% bovine serum albumin (BSA; Sigma-Aldrich
they were incubated with an anti-nestin antibody (dilution 1:300; anti-nestin monoclonal antibody
an anti-periostin antibody (dilution 1:500; anti-periostin antibody
and an anti-CD31 antibody (dilution 1:500; anti-CD31 antibody
After washing in phosphate buffered saline (PBS) three times
the sections were incubated with horseradish peroxidase (HRP) conjugated secondary antibody (EnVision TM+ Dual Link System-HRP
a 3,3′-diaminobenzidine-tetrahydrochloride (DAB) solution (ImmPACT® DAB
The sections were counterstained with Mayer's hematoxylin solution for 60 s and then were observed and photographed using a photographic microscope (UPM Axiophoto2
the sections were incubated with 3% BSA instead of the primary antibodies
We measured the root length and width of the mesial roots of the maxillary M1 in each group postoperatively. The root length was set as the distance from the mesial cement-enamel junction to the apical foramen and was measured at the longest distance. Measurement of root width was carried out according to the method of Lee et al. (30)
The root width included the root dentin and cementum in the mesial and distal walls was measured at the widest site
If the apex foramen or root canal was obliterated
the full width of the root from the mesial wall to the distal wall was measured
then half of the value was designated as the root width
the length and the width of untreated roots were measured
The time course for measuring those parameters was selected from 7 to 28 days postoperatively
All quantitative data in the experimental group and the untreated control group are expressed as the mean and SD of each group
Analysis software (IBM SPSS 27.0 J for Windows; SPSS Japan
Japan) was used for statistical processing and a p < 0.05 is considered significant
Statistical analysis of each measurement item was performed as follows: At each postoperative time
2 groups were compared between the experimental group with the control group
After confirming the normality of the data and the uniformity of the homogeneity of variance
Student's t-test was performed on the comparison between the two homoscedastic groups
The root canal wall and the apical foramen became thicker over time
The mineralized tissue obliterated the root canal and apical closure was seen
We confirmed that the root canal wall and the mineralized tissue were continuous and filled with the mineralized tissue rather than the existing dentin wall
no pulp- or dentin-like structures characterized by the presence of polarized odontoblast-like cells adjacent to the dentin-like tissue that had dentinal tubes were seen
Histological evaluation of the postoperative healing process
(A) One hour post the regenerative endodontics procedure
The pulp tissue of the mesial root was removed and no odontoblasts were found
The root canal was filled with blood clot-like structures containing erythrocyte components
Periodontal ligament tissue around the apex showed debris of torn tissue and partial hemorrhage
Dark brown granules are MTA cement (white asterisk)
(B) Higher magnification of the black box area in (A)
(C) One day post the regenerative endodontics procedure
a decrease of blood clot-like structures was observed in the mesial root canal and around the apex
Although a decrease in erythrocytes was found around the apex
(D) Higher magnification of the black box area in (C)
Ingrowth of fibrous tissue from the apex is seen
(E) Three days after the regenerative endodontics procedure
Further reduction of blood clot-like structures was seen in the root canal and around the apex
and the root canal was filled with loose fibrous tissues
(F) Higher magnification of the black box area in (E)
Spindle-shaped fibroblast-like cells (black asterisk) were observed from the apex instead of blot clots
(G) Seven days post the regenerative endodontics procedure
No blood clot-like structures were observed in the root canal
and dense fibrous tissues with vessels were seen in the root canal
(H) Higher magnification of the black box area in (G)
Dilated vessels were observed in the root canal (arrowhead)
(I) Fourteen days post the regenerative endodontics procedure
Newly formed mineralized tissue was observed in the root canal
Mineralized tissue was added adjacent to the apex and the root canal wall
and was also found directly beneath the MTA cement
The area of fibrous connective tissue in the root canal was narrowing
(J) Higher magnification of the black box area in (I)
The newly formed mineralized tissue in the root canal contained cellular components (black arrow)
(K) Twenty-one days post the regenerative endodontics procedure
the mineralized tissue added to the root canal wall and the root width around the apex increased over time
(L) Higher magnification of the black box area in (K)
Extensive mineralized tissue was seen in the root canal and cellular components were present in the matrix
(M) Twenty-eight days post the regenerative endodontics procedure
Bone-like or cementum-like mineralized tissue was widespread in the root canal wall and apex over time
(N) Higher magnification of the black box area in (N)
The apical foramen was closed by the addition of mineralized tissue
Cells were embedded in the matrix of the mineralized tissue (white arrow) (Scale bars = 200 μm in A
Representative IHC-stained images of the experimental group at 3 days
Nestin: (A,B); Periostin: (C,D); CD31: (E,F)
(A) No nestin-positive cells were observed in the mesial root canal or around the apex
No cells showing a nestin-positive reaction were found around the fibroblast-like cells growing from the apex
(C) Localization of periostin-positive cells was markedly observed in the mesial root canal and the PDL area around the apex
Periostin-positive cells were observed around the spindle-shaped fibroblast-like cells growing in the root canal from the periapical tissue
(E) Positive cells showing immunoreactivity to CD31 were markedly observed in the PDL region around the mesial root
and directly under the gingival epithelium
Spindle-shaped vascular endothelial cells showing immunoreactivity to CD31 (black arrow) were observed near the apex of the root canal (Scale bars = 200 μm in A
Representative IHC-stained images of the experimental group at 7 days
No cells showing a nestin-positive reaction were observed in the immature granulation tissue that filled the root canal
(C) Periostin-positive cells were markedly observed in the mesial root canal and in the surrounding PDL region
A marked periostin-positive reaction was observed in the periapical fibrotic connective tissue and in the immature granulation tissue that filled the root canal
(E) CD31-positive reaction was observed in the immature granulation tissue of the mesial root canal
spindle-shaped vascular endothelial cells (arrowhead) and new blood vessels with a luminal structure (black arrow) were observed that were positive for CD31 (Scale bars = 200 μm in A
Representative IHC-stained images of the experimental group at 14 days
(A) No cells showing a nestin-positive reaction were observed in the root canal and periapical tissues
No cells showing nestin-positive reaction were observed around the newly formed mineralized tissue in the root canal
(C) A marked periostin-positive reaction was observed in the PDL region around the mesial root and in the newly formed calcified tissue in the root canal
a marked periostin-positive reaction was observed around the newly formed mineralized tissue and in cells embedded in the matrix of the cementum-like hard tissue
(E) CD31-positive reaction was observed in the center area of the root canal
The presence of a new blood vessel with a lumen-like structure showing a CD31-positive reaction (black arrow) was observed at the center area of the root canal (Scale bars = 200 μm in A
In both the control and the experimental groups, gradual root development was observed over time (Figure 5)
The root length of the untreated control group became elongated from 890 to 950 μm over time
the root length of the experimental group became elongated from 860 to 940 μm over time
The root length in the control group was significantly higher than in the experimental group at 7 and 14 days but there was no significant difference between the two groups at 21 and 28 days
Comparison of postoperative root elongation between the experimental and the untreated control groups at 7
In both the untreated control and the experimental groups with blood clots
gradual root elongation was observed over time
The root length of the control group became elongated from 890 to 950 μm over time
The root length in the control group was significantly higher than in the experimental group at 7 and 14 days
there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups at 21 and 28 days (n = 7 per group)
In both the control and the experimental groups, a gradual increase in root width was observed over time (Figure 6)
The root width in the untreated control group increased from 380 to 450 μm
and the root width in the experimental group increased from 410 to 530 μm
There was not a statistically significant difference in the root width between the control group and the experimental group at 7 days but the root width in the experimental group was significantly thicker than in the control group at 14
Comparison of postoperative root width between the experimental and the control groups at 7
gradually thickened roots were observed over time
The root width in the control group increased from 380 to 450 μm
and that in the experimental group increased from 410 to 530 μm
There was not a statistically significant difference in the root width between the two groups at 7 days
the root width in the experimental group was significantly thicker than in the control group at 14
This is the first report detailing histological findings during the healing process of regenerative endodontics over time as far as we know
These results should allow the identification of the origin of cells associated with the healing process using gene-altered mice in the future
the mineralized tissue contains cells in the matrix and would be osteoid but the tissue is continuous with the cellular cementum at the apex along the root canal wall
cementum does not contain vessels in the matrix
and our immunohistochemical finding also shows the newly formed mineralized tissue does not contain CD31 positive blood vessels in the matrix
our results suggest that the mineralized tissue is cementum-like hard tissue
Angiogenesis is necessary for tissue regeneration or repair to supply oxygen and eliminate waste products
Although regenerative endodontics has been called pulp revascularization
angiogenesis during the procedure has not well been investigated histologically
We assessed the localization of CD31-positive cells to detect endothelial cells and confirmed that CD31-positive vascular cells had grown in from the apex
CD31-positive cells with a vascular luminal structure were observed in the root canal and around the mineralized tissue over time
The histological replacement of blot clots with fibrous tissues with vessels is well described in the earlier reports but was not characterized
The results of this study show histological evidence of that replacement process during the wound healing after the procedure
This study identified new vessels that had grown in from the apical tissue and were observed adjacent to newly mineralized tissue
These findings imply that the ingrowth of vessels contributes not only to angiogenesis but also to the formation of newly mineralized tissue during the wound healing process
Further study is needed to further clarify the mechanism involved
Increased root width ensures that the root is held firmly by the PDL and alveolar fossa
we think that the new structure with an increase in root width results in resistance to external stress
which leads to the prevention of root fracture
and occlusal force of the mice were different from those of humans and dogs
The point is a limitation of the fracture resistance
we have established a new animal model of regenerative endodontics using mice
We demonstrated histological and immunohistochemical findings after the procedure in detail
The results of this study suggest that blood clots are replaced by PDL cells (periostin-positive cells) and that vessels around the apex have grown into the root canal
the fibrous tissue derived from PDL cells formed newly cementum-like mineralized tissue in the root canal and the apex over time
These results serve as a basis for understanding the healing process after the regenerative endodontics procedure in detail and should contribute to further investigations of the procedure in the future
The animal study was reviewed and approved by Animal Experiment Committee at Tokyo Dental College (approval number: 302101)
All authors have read and agreed with submitting the article
by a Private University Research Branding Project from MEXT of Japan (Multidisciplinary Research Center for Jaw Disease (MRCJD); Archiving Longevity and Sustainability by Comprehensive Reconstruction of Oral and Maxillofacial Functions)
Shin-ichi Iwaya (Iwaya Dental Clinic) for their helpful discussion
The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fdmed.2022.864406/full#supplementary-material
Treatment of the immature tooth with a non-vital pulp and apical periodontitis
PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Therapy for the divergent pulpless tooth by continued apical formation
PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Long-term calcium hydroxide as a root canal dressing may increase risk of root fracture
Intrusive luxation of 60 permanent incisors: a retrospective study of treatment and outcome
Prognosis of luxated non-vital maxillary incisors treated with calcium hydroxide and filled with gutta-percha
Mahidol study 1: comparison of radiographic and survival outcomes of immature teeth treated with either regenerative endodontic or apexification methods: a retrospective study
Revascularization of an immature permanent tooth with apical periodontitis and sinus tract
Revascularization of immature permanent teeth with apical periodontitis: new treatment protocol
Revascularization of an immature permanent tooth with periradicular abscess after luxation
Efficacy of revascularization to induce apexification/apexogensis in infected
Regenerative endodontic treatment (revascularization) for necrotic immature permanent molars: a review and report of two cases with a new biomaterial
Pulp revascularization of immature teeth with apical periodontitis: a clinical study
Functional dental pulp regeneration: Basic research and clinical translation
Regenerative endodontics: a review of current status and a call for action
Regenerative endodontic procedures: Clinical outcomes
PubMed Abstract | CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar
Clinical and radiographic outcomes of immature teeth treated with different treatment protocols of regenerative endodontic procedures: a retrospective cohort study
Histological findings of revascularized/revitalized immature permanent molar with apical periodontitis using platelet-rich plasma
and histological observation of a human immature permanent tooth with chronic apical abscess after revitalization treatment
Histologic and immunohistochemical findings of a human immature permanent tooth with apical periodontitis after regenerative endodontic treatment
Histologic outcomes of uninfected human immature teeth treated with regenerative endodontics: 2 case reports
Pulp revascularization of immature dog teeth with apical periodontitis
Histologic characterization of regenerated tissues in canal space after the revitalization/revascularization procedure of immature dog teeth with apical periodontitis
Tissue engineering strategies for immature teeth with apical periodontitis
Histologic characterization of engineered tissues in the canal space of closed-apex teeth with apical periodontitis
Histologic analysis of the influence of a gelatin-based scaffold in the repair of immature dog teeth subjected to regenerative endodontic treatment
Histologic examination of teeth with necrotic pulps and periapical lesions treated with 2 scaffolds: an animal investigation
Effect of residual bacteria on the outcome of pulp regeneration in vivo
Systemically transplanted bone marrow-derived cells contribute to dental pulp regeneration in a chimeric mouse model
The role of angiogenesis and pulpal healing in tooth replantation and allograft transplantation
Impact of remnant healthy pulp and apical tissue on outcomes after simulated regenerative endodontic procedure in rat molars
Histologic study of a human immature permanent premolar with chronic apical abscess after revascularization/revitalization
Histologic findings of a human immature revascularized/regenerated tooth with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis
Comprehensive characterization of 2 immature teeth treated with regenerative endodontic procedures
PERIOSTIN: role in formation and maintenance of dental tissues
Effects of various thicknesses and levels of mineral trioxide aggregate coronal plugs on nanoleakage and fracture resistance in revascularization: an in vitro study
Evaluation of the delivery of mesenchymal stem cells into the root canal space of necrotic immature teeth after clinical regenerative endodontic procedure
Perivascular niche of postnatal mesenchymal stem cells in human bone marrow and dental pulp
Decision-making and management of immature permanent teeth with crown fractures in small animals- a review
and Biomechanical Evaluation of Combined Application of Platelet-rich Fibrin with Blood Clot in Regenerative Endodontics
Effect of mineral trioxide aggregate plug location on root development in regenerative endodontic procedure
Keywords: regenerative endodontic procedures
Jung H-S and Muramatsu T (2022) Periodontal Ligament Cells Are Involved in the Formation of Intracanal Cementum-Like Tissue After Regenerative Endodontic Procedures: A Mouse in situ Model
Received: 28 January 2022; Accepted: 06 April 2022; Published: 11 May 2022
Copyright © 2022 Komada, Mitomo, Ikarashi, Shimono, Jung and Muramatsu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY)
*Correspondence: Takashi Muramatsu, dG11cmFtYXRAdGRjLmFjLmpw
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Jichi Children’s Medical Center in Tochigi Prefecture
Four gene-therapy clinical trials starting in 2020 will make use of improved delivery viruses from Jichi Medical University to tackle serious neurological disorders
Adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors are viruses used to deliver gene therapies to different cells
They are considered one of the field’s most effective delivery tools
AAVs show particular promise in the treatment of neurological disorders
and aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) deficiency
and ability to cross the blood–brain barrier
much research has focused on establishing the safety and long-term efficacy of AAV vector-mediated gene therapies
including navigating problems such as ectopic gene expression and long-term persistence
“We have seen remarkable results from clinical trials using AAV vectors for AADC gene transfer,” says Shin-ichi Muramatsu
and a professor in Jichi Medical University’s Neurology Department
“Children with AADC deficiency at a hospital in Taiwan showed improvement in motor function
while other patients in Japan have also shown recovery of swallowing and respiratory functions
Increased uptake of an aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase tracer after a gene-therapy clinical trial
Such successes have contributed to the growing recognition of gene therapies as viable treatment strategies in Japan
Clinical trials starting in 2020 for neurological conditions
GM2 gangliosidosis and spinocerebellar ataxia type 1 have been approved for funding by the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED)
Muramatsu points out that Jichi Medical University — including the aforementioned AADC work by Takanori Yamagata’s group at Jichi’s paediatric hospital — is currently the only Japanese centre conducting clinical studies using AAV vectors
Muramatsu has been at the forefront of this area for decades
while working as a visiting associate at the National Institutes of Health (NIH)
and subsequently developed other vectors for tissue-specific targeting
he has been working on optimizing AAV vectors for haemophilia B and for liver-directed gene therapies
and has led pre-clinical studies on rare diseases including Niemann Pick Disease Type C and ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency
“We are also now exploring ways to combine AAV vectors with gene-editing tools such as CRISPR/Cas9,” he says
Such hybrid technologies could overcome the capacity limitation (roughly 4.5 kilobases) of AAV vectors and eventually help treat a wider range of diseases associated with larger genes
such as haemophilia A and Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Although developing gene therapies involves balancing safety interests
The hozaki higan yaezakura is a rare species found growing in Muramatsu Park with countless blossoms on each branch
The park was built in 1906 in commemoration of the Russo-Japanese military campaign
so efforts are being made by the city of Gosen to preserve is proud and beautiful heritage for future generations
is held when the blossoms are at their best
With its spacious grounds and many attractions
Muramatsu Park is an ideal destination for a leisurely hanami outing
Sakura 100: Japan’s Best Blossoms
Japan’s position as a center for monozukuri has been weakening
against the backdrop of the remarkable growth of China
which has positioned manufacturing as a national priority
there are still many companies in Japan that can boast of a top share of their given markets
One of those is the flute-maker Muramatsu Inc
The gold flutes made by the company enjoy a huge share of the domestic and overseas markets
“Our market share seems to be around 50% or 60%
although I’m not sure of the exact figure,” explains the company’s president and CEO
a student in Europe conducted a study that found that around 60% of the flutists in professional orchestras were using our flutes.”
TANAKA Precious Metals (TANAKA) supplies the gold used to make Muramatsu flutes
The company draws on its know-how in the manufacture and processing of precious metals for industrial use to provide Muramatsu with special seamless gold pipes that are manufactured without welding
in the case of commodities produced in large lots
automation is employed for processes like cutting and drawing to improve productivity
but the seamless pipes supplied to Muramatsu are all made using hand-operated machines
This is necessary because Muramatsu requires exquisite precision for its flutes
Since subtle adjustments have to be made for every manufacturing process involved
the work can only be performed by highly skilled craftsmen
The manufacturing process to produce a seamless pipe begins with the melting and casting of the raw precious metal to create a cylindrical ingot
The periphery of this ingot is then shaved down until the circumference is perfectly round
and the inside of the metal is then hollowed out until it is also perfectly round
who is the section chief manager of the Target Processing Section and the Rolling & Drawing Section of the Tomioka plant of TANAKA
“If the work at this stage is not completed in a very precise manner
the finished product will not be a high precision
The person in charge makes minute adjustments down to the tenth of a millimeter to make sure the pipe is perfectly rounded and of uniform thickness."
The hollowed-out gold pipe is many times thicker than the finished flute
So the pipe has to be cold drawn using a draw bench
but tens of times so that little by little it is pulled out to decrease the diameter
The person in charge of this process is Masahiro Minakawa of the Rolling & Drawing Section at the Tomioka plant
“I also rely on the intuition I have built through experience to create a finished pipe that meets the specifications,” he says
Why is it important to have analog-based experience in an age when digitalization and IT technology are advancing so far
One reason is the quality that TANAKA and Muramatsu have continually been raising through their partnership
Tamura explains more about how the approach to quality was developed at Muramatsu: “We receive feedback on the quality of our flutes
but since the music and musical instruments are a world of sensitivity
most of this feedback does not take the form of numerical data
we introduced various types of quality management from what we learned from the verification methods of the flute industry and other sources
and try to use what we can to develop our production techniques.”
There are many manufacturers in Japan and overseas that provide metal pipes
When asked if Muramatsu has ever considered obtaining supplies from a maker other than TANAKA
he immediately responds: “TANAKA is a company that supplies precious metals on a global scale
but at the same time they can respond to high-quality
have a beautiful tone and a luster that is like a work of art
And each one is of course produced by hand
TANAKA has been proud to be able to combine its own industry perspective to the traditional skills involved to create the handcrafted flutes of Muramatsu that have won a loyal following around the world
Metrics details
Clinical evidence has implicated diabetes mellitus as one of the risk factors for the development and progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
the neurotoxic pathway activated due to abnormalities in glucose metabolism has not yet been identified in AD
In order to investigate the relationship between impaired cerebral glucose metabolism and the pathophysiology of AD
SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells were exposed to glyceraldehyde (GA)
GA induced the production of GA-derived advanced glycation end-products (GA-AGEs) and cell apoptosis
decreases in the medium concentrations of diagnostic markers of AD
such as amyloid β 1-42 (Aβ42) and increases in tau phosphorylation
These results suggest that the production of GA-AGEs and/or inhibition of glycolysis induce AD-like alterations and this model may be useful for examining the pathophysiology of AD
are one of the missing links between AD and DM
it currently remains unclear whether reductions in the utilization of glucose lead to the development of AD
total tau and p-tauT181 proteins in culture media as well as the phosphorylation ratio of intracellular tau were then performed in order to determine the involvement of glucose metabolism in the pathophysiology of AD
(a–d) Microscopic images of SH-SY5Y cells after a 24 h treatment with GA at 0 (a)
(e) GA dose-dependently induced cell death in SH-SY5Y cells
(f–i) GA-induced apoptosis was observed by staining with green fluorescent YO-PRO®-1 (g
(f) and (h) show the same visual field of phase contrast images to (g) and (i)
Characterization of GA-induced cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells
(a) GAPDH mRNA levels increased in a dose-dependent manner
(b) Production of GA-AGEs by the GA treatment for 24 h
GA-AGEs were measured by slot blotting analyses with an immunopurified anti-GA-AGE antibody
Graphical representation of GA-AGE bands in the slot blot
(c) Evaluation of lactic acid concentrations after the treatment with GA
SH-SY5Y cells were pre-incubated with ACAC at concentrations of 0
(d) ACAC prevented GA-induced cytotoxicity
ACAC significantly recovered cell death induced by 1 mM GA in a dose-dependent manner
Changes in AD biomarkers after the GA treatment
(a-c) Changes in AD biomarkers of Aβ42 (a)
(d) Intracellular changes in T-tau and P-tau after a 24 h treatment with GA
GA-dose dependently increased P-tau/T-tau after the GA treatment
(e,f) Level changes in other AD biomarkers after the GA treatment
mRNA expression levels were analyzed by real-time PCR after the GA treatment for 24 h
GA significantly increased the levels of VEGF (e) and TGF-β (f) from a GA concentration of 0.7 mM
The present study has three salient results: 1) GA induced the formation of GA-AGEs and exhibited cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells
2) The mechanism underlying GA-induced cell death involved the inhibition of glycolysis and concomitant induction of GAPDH
3) Changes in the levels of AD biomarkers in GA-treated culture media were consistent with those in the CSF of AD patients
these findings may partly explain the clinical link between DM and AD
GA-AGEs are powerful candidate molecules for neurodegeneration in AD
we focused on the mechanism underlying GA-AGE-induced neurotoxicity in the present study
Glu-AGEs were detected in intracellular and extracellular sites
whereas GA-AGEs were only found intracellularly
This discrepancy indicated that the mechanisms underlying the neurotoxicity induced by Glu-AGEs and GA-AGEs differed
suggesting that abnormalities in glycolysis may be involved in the neurotoxicity mechanism
GAPDH inactivation due to intracellular GA production further increases intracellular GA concentrations
resulting in increased GA-AGE production and nerve cell toxicity
GA-AGEs may be one of the general causative agents of the development of neurodegenerative diseases
These findings suggest that high levels of glycation and/or GA may be mimicked by AD CSF alterations and accompanied by numerous neuropathological consequences due to GA-AGEs rather than Glu-AGEs
Although the exact mechanisms underlying the target of GA-AGEs and its downstream signaling pathway currently remain unclear
the measurement of GA-AGE levels in the CSF and/or serum may be a useful biomarker for the early detection of AD
SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells were purchased from ECACC (The European Collection of Cell Cultures)
Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) and ACAC were obtained from Sigma-Aldrich (St
All other chemicals not indicated were purchased from Wako Pure Chemical Industries
Cells were cultured in DMEM on 6-well plates for 24 h
followed by the addition of various concentrations (0
0.7 and 1 mM) of GA and all assays were performed after a further incubation for 24 h
Cell viability was assessed using Cell counting kit-8 (Dojin
Japan) according to the manufacturer’s instructions
Apoptosis was examined by fluorescent microscopy using Vybrant® Apoptosis Assay Kit #4 (Invitrogen Corporation
in which early apoptotic cells were detected with green fluorescent YO-PRO®-1
an aliquot of medium was centrifuged (600 g
4 °C) followed by recentrifugation of the supernatants (21,000 g
4 °C) and the resulting supernatants were used
total tau protein and p-tauT181 protein were examined by ELISA kits (for the tau protein
the kit was obtained from Invitrogen Corporation
Lactic acid concentrations were measured by Determiner-LA (Kyowa Medex
cells were treated with ACAC 15 min before the addition of GA
the anti-GA-AGE antibody specifically recognized unique unknown GA-AGE structures
Cells were harvested and homogenized after being treated for 24 h with GA
An equal amount of protein was applied to a Hybri-SLOT apparatus (Gibco BRL) and transferred to a nitrocellulose membrane (Whatman) by vacuum filtration
After blocking with 3% bovine serum albumin for 1 h at room temperature
samples were incubated with the anti-GA-AGE antibody at 4 °C overnight
followed by incubation with an anti-rabbit IgG antibody (Sigma Aldrich)
Antibody-bound protein bands were detected using a BCIP-NBT Kit and densitometrically analyzed
Total RNA was isolated using ISOGEN (Nippon Gene
Japan) and complementary DNA was synthesized with the Exscript RT reagent kit (Takara Bio Inc.
Real-time RT-PCR was performed using the Smart Cycler II system (Cepheid
USA) and SYBR Premix Ex Taq reagent (Takara Bio Inc.
The following primers were designed to produce mRNA-specific amplification products: β-actin
5′- TCC ACC TTC CAG CAG ATG TGG -3′ and 5′- GCA TTT GCG GTG GAC GAT -3′; GAPDH
5′- TGG GCT ACA CTG AGC ACC AG-3′ and 5′- CAG CGT CAA AGG TGG AGG AG-3′ ; VEGF
5′- TGC AGA TTA TGC GGA TCA AAC C-3′ and 5′- TGC ATT CAC ATT TGT TGT GCT GTA C-3′; TGF-β
5′- GCG TGC TAA TGG TGG AAA CC-3′ and 5′- CGG AGC TCT GAT GTG TTG AAG A-3′
Intracellular concentrations of tau and phosphorylated tau proteins were measured as follows: Cells were dissolved in extraction buffer containing 10 mM Tris HCl (pH 7.4)
0.5% deoxycholate and complete (Roche Diagnostics
supernatants were applied to the ELISA kit
Intracellular protein concentrations were measured using Bradford ULTRA (Expedeon
Data are expressed as the mean ± SD and were examined by a one-way analysis of variance (n = 3 or n = 6)
More than two experiments were performed and similar results were obtained
P values less than 0.05 were considered to be significant
Glyceraldehyde caused Alzheimer’s disease-like alterations in diagnostic marker levels in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells
Involvement of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) in Alzheimer’s disease
Normal and abnormal biology of the beta-amyloid precursor protein
Alternative routes for the formation of immunochemically distinct advanced glycation end-products in vivo
TAGE (toxic AGEs) hypothesis in various chronic diseases
Involvement of the toxic AGEs (TAGE)-RAGE system in the pathogenesis of diabetic vascular complications: A novel therapeutic strategy
Toxic advanced glycation end products (TAGE) theory in Alzheimer’s disease
Advanced glycation end products in Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases
Neurotoxicity of advanced glycation end-products for cultured cortical neurons
CSF markers for incipient Alzheimer’s disease
Cerebrospinal fluid protein biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease
A beta and phosphorylated tau protein for the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease
Assessments of the accumulation severities of amyloid beta-protein and hyperphosphorylated tau in the medial temporal cortex of control and Alzheimer’s brains
Increased intrathecal levels of the angiogenic factors VEGF and TGF-beta in Alzheimer’s disease and vascular dementia
Reduced cerebral glucose metabolism in patients at risk for Alzheimer’s disease
Brain glucose hypometabolism and oxidative stress in preclinical Alzheimer’s disease
The mechanism by which glyceraldehyde inhibits glycolysis
On the mechanism of the inhibition of glycolysis by glyceraldehyde
Diabetes mellitus and risk of Alzheimer disease and decline in cognitive function
Diabetes mellitus and the risk of dementia: The Rotterdam Study
Does insulin dysfunction play a role in Alzheimer’s disease
The role of insulin resistance in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease: implications for treatment
APOE gene and the risk for dementia and related pathologies: The Honolulu-Asia Aging Study
RAGE and amyloid-beta peptide neurotoxicity in Alzheimer’s disease
Advanced Maillard reaction end products are associated with Alzheimer disease pathology
Non-enzymatically glycated tau in Alzheimer’s disease induces neuronal oxidant stress resulting in cytokine gene expression and release of amyloid beta-peptide
Advanced glycation end products contribute to amyloidosis in Alzheimer disease
Cytotoxicity of advanced glycation endproducts is mediated by oxidative stress
Advanced glycation endproducts induce changes in glucose consumption
lactate production and ATP levels in SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells by a redox-sensitive mechanism
Differential effects of “Advanced glycation endproducts” and beta-amyloid peptide on glucose utilization and ATP levels in the neuronal cell line SH-SY5Y
Detection of noncarboxymethyllysine and carboxymethyllysine advanced glycation end products (AGE) in serum of diabetic patients
Immunological evidence that non-carboxymethyllysine advanced glycation end-products are produced from short chain sugars and dicarbonyl compounds in vivo
Glyceraldehyde-derived advanced glycation end products in Alzheimer’s disease
Reduction of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase activity in Alzheimer’s disease and in Huntington’s disease fibroblasts
Subcellular alteration of glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase in Alzheimer’s disease fibroblasts
Role of cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers in clinical trials for Alzheimer’s disease modifying therapies
Increased cerebrospinal fluid levels of transforming growth factor-β1 in Alzheimer’s disease
Increased protein glycation in cerebrospinal fluid of Alzheimer’s disease
Glucagon-like peptide-1 protects hippocampal neurons against advanced glycation end product-induced tau hyperphosphorylation
Possible involvement of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease
Polyol pathway and diabetic peripheral neuropathy
Uptake and metabolism of fructose by rat neocortical cells in vivo and by isolated nerve terminals in vitro
The purification and properties of human liver ketohexokinase
A role for ketohexokinase and fructose-bisphosphate aldolase in the metabolic production of oxalate from xylitol
Positive association between serum level of glyceraldehyde-derived advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and vascular inflammation evaluated by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET)
Download references
This work was supported in part by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) KAKENHI Grant Number 22300264 & 25282029
Graduate School and Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
conducted the research and data management; Y.K.
The authors declare no competing financial interests
Download citation
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There was a wake and funeral for close relatives
Muramatsu founded his own agency Office Kaoru in 1992
Muramatsu's roles include Tom in One Piece, Pisco and others in Detective Conan, Iou in Naruto Shippūden, Johann Ibrahim Revil in Mobile Suit Gundam, and Vernon Aldo Vimac IV in Chaika the Coffin Princess
Source: Office Kaoru
Male fiddler crabs have one oversized claw
which they use to both attract females and to fight other males for the best breeding burrows on the beach
and crabs will sometimes lose their big fighting claw in the process
Fiddler crabs have the ability to regrow their claw
though the new one will never be as sturdy as the original
Even in their weakened state, the crabs must fight. Yet based on his new research
Muramatsu argues that fiddler crabs are more strategic fighters than we’ve given them credit for: he says they pick battles that account for their handicap
and use a strategy of bluff and counter-bluff to end disputes before they begin
Muramatsu spent days observing crabs tussling on the beach near Wakayama in Japan
He divided the fights into three distinct stages: contact
which may involve some pushing and shoving; interlock
when they grasp each other’s claw in a vicious handshake; and fling
when they try to throw or flip their opponent
Muramatsu found that crabs with regenerated claws tend to engage in fights with opponents with smaller claws
or try to choose opponents whose major claw is on the opposite side
which makes it harder to get a grip and results in a less intense (and potentially less damaging) fight
He thinks this is a sign that the crabs are trying to protect their weakened limbs
Crabs with regenerated claws also act more aggressively during the initial contact stage
bluffing in order to scare off opponents before the contest gets too dangerous
Crabs don’t seem to be able to tell when an opponent has a regenerated claw
But they do seem wise to the possibility of a bluff
Crabs with their original claws still intact will choose same-handed opponents and counter-bluff by persisting in the fight even when facing a larger adversary
a marine biologist from Rutgers University in New Jersey
is not convinced that regenerated claws are weaker than originals
“I wouldn’t be surprised if after the first molt it was weaker
But by the time it has molted several times to get back to its original size
there is no reason it would be weaker,” she says
She also thinks Muramatsu and his colleagues may be reading too much into the crabs’ behavior with their ideas about the bluff and counter-bluff strategies
“They’re attributing more intelligence to crabs than I’ve ever observed,” she says
Muramatsu doesn’t think this behavior can teach us much about crab cognition
he thinks the crabs have two fixed behaviors—protective bluffers
or aggressive counter-bluffers—and losing a claw causes them to switch from one to the other
Part of the and family
Over the past weekend, the grand finale of the 49th Annual Texas Open 9 Ball Championships took place. Hosted by owners Kim and Tracy Sanders
The $20,000 added 9 Ball Open had an entry fee of $200
The double elimination event was races to nine and winner breaks
the nine was racked on the spot with three point rule in effect
the 128 player field was whittled down by Sunday to the final 32
A second players auction was held and when it was over
Two players battled their way through the very tough field to the hot seat match – Ukraine’s Vitaliy Patsura and BCA Hall of Famer Alex Pagulayan
the hot seat match saw Patsura claim his seat in the finals with a 9-5 victory over Pagulayan
Over on the one loss side, Josh Roberts kept Jesus Atencio in his chair with a 9-4 win. John Morra eliminated the always tough Naoyuki Oi 9-5
Morra was ahead with a 5-3 lead until Roberts stepped on the gas
Josh won the last two games and took the win 9-7
The Alex Pagulayan-Josh Roberts match began – each player looking to get into the finals
Alex leaped out to a 5-1 advantage but here came Josh
Alex won the next three games to reach the hill 8-5
here came Josh again to take the next two games
Alex decided to finish it right there and took the match 9-7
He moved on to the finals leaving Josh in third place
Pagulayan would have to defeat Patsura twice to win the tournament
Alex won the first game and Vitaliy won the next three
Then he started to really pull ahead – 5-2
Alex managed to win one more game and then Vitaliy ran out to claim the title!!
While the main event was going on, Sky Woodward took the $500 added Banks Ring Game mini over Raed Shabib and Sakura Muramatsu defeated Jennifer Kraber to win the Ladies Ring 9 Ball Game
The $3,500 added Ladies 9 Ball Division had a full field of 32 players with races to seven
After several matches, room owner Kim Sanders and last year’s third place finisher Sakura Muramatsu battled for the hot seat
Sakura cruised to a 7-3 win to claim her spot in the finals
Kim was sent to the west side to await the victor of the Jennifer Kraber-Michelle Cortez match
Michelle prevailed 7-5 leaving Jennifer in fourth place
Cooling her heels waiting for an opponent didn’t seem to faze Sanders any as she took the match over Cortez 7-4
Sanders would have to defeat Muramatsu twice to win the tournament but it was not to be – Sakura won the final match 7-3
Congratulations to Vitaliy and Sakura for becoming the 2022 Texas Open 9 Ball Champions
thanks again to everyone at Skinny Bob’s for a first class event
Big thanks to the local sponsors – they included Diamond Billiard Products
Thanks to Tournament Director Jason Hill for an exemplary job juggling multiple events
We’d also like to thank Scott Rabon, Larry Schwartz, Raymond Linares and Ray Hansen for their excellent commentary
PoolActionTV would like to thank our fans and sponsors
OH and the Fort Worth Billiards Superstore of Fort Worth
Our next event is the Ten Ball Champions Challenge featuring Roberto Gomez and John Morra
Held at Railyard Billiards & Sports Pub in Louisville
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There are only a handful of known comets where this phenomenon of temporary satellite capture has occurred
and the capture duration in the case of Kushida-Muramatsu
which orbited Jupiter between 1949 and 1961
An international team led by Katsuhito Ohtsuka modeled the trajectories of 18 “quasi-Hilda comets,” objects with the potential to go through a temporary satellite capture by Jupiter that results in them either leaving or joining the “Hilda” group of objects in the asteroid belt
Most of the cases of temporary capture were flybys where the comets did not complete a full orbit
Ohtsuka’s team used recent observations tracking Kushida-Muramatsu over 9 years to calculate hundreds of possible orbital paths for the comet over the previous century
Kushida-Muramatsu completed two full revolutions of Jupiter
making it only the fifth captured orbiter to be identified
“Our results demonstrate some of the routes taken by cometary bodies through interplanetary space that can allow them to either enter or escape situations where they are in orbit around the planet Jupiter,” said Asher
Asteroids and comets can sometimes be distorted or fragmented by tidal effects induced by the gravitational field of a capturing planet or may even impact with the planet
The most famous victim of both these effects was comet D/1993 F2 (Shoemaker-Levy 9)
which was torn apart on passing close to Jupiter and whose fragments then collided with that planet in 1994
Previous computational studies have shown that Shoemaker-Levy 9 may well have been a quasi-Hilda comet before Jupiter captured it
as the most massive planet with the greatest gravity
sucks objects towards it more readily than other planets
and we expect to observe large impacts there more often than on Earth
Comet Kushida-Muramatsu has escaped from the giant planet and will avoid the fate of Shoemaker-Levy 9 for the foreseeable future,” said Asher
The object that impacted Jupiter this July
causing the new dark spot discovered by Australian amateur astronomer Anthony Wesley
even if it did not suffer tidal disruption like Shoemaker-Levy
“Our work has become very topical again with the discovery this July of an expanding debris plume
created by the dust from the colliding object
which is the evident signature of an impact
The results of our study suggest that impacts on Jupiter and temporary satellite capture events may happen more frequently than we previously expected,” said Asher
The team has also confirmed a future moon of Jupiter
which has already orbited Jupiter three times between 1967 and 1985
is due to complete six laps of the giant planet between 2068 and 2086
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The third staging of the PDC Asian Championship will take place in the Philippines in October
as a 48-player field compete for the coveted title across four days of action
The PDC Asian Championship was introduced in 2022
with Christian Perez and Haruki Muramatsu winning the first two editions in Fukuoka and Shimonoseki respectively
This year's showpiece will be staged from October 17-20 in Manila
as the biggest names in Asian darts battle it out in the capital of the Philippines
The top 16 players from the final 2024 Asian Tour Order of Merit will be seeded for this year's PDC Asian Championship
with Order of Merit leader Alexis Toylo set to headline on home soil
2022 runner-up Paolo Nebrida will also feature alongside Japan's Tomoya Goto
Hong Kong's Man Lok Leung and India's Nitin Kumar
while Singapore icon Paul Lim is also poised to be amongst the seeded stars
A series of national qualifying events will also take place to determine qualifying players
while territories without a national qualifier will see their top-ranked player on the PDC Asian Tour Order of Merit secure a spot in the event
The Asian Championship Qualifiers on October 17-18 will then produce the final 16 players (or more if there are places from national qualifying events)
with the final four players from each of the four events qualifying for the main event
The 48 players will compete in a round-robin phase of 16 groups of three on Saturday October 19
with the group winners progressing to play in the last 16
before the tournament concludes with the quarter-finals
semi-finals and final on Sunday October 20
The 2024 PDC Asian Championship will be streamed through PDCTV, with the Asian Series Qualifiers being streamed through PDCTV from the last 16 onwards
the final weekend of the 2024 PDC Asian Tour has now been confirmed
China from October 4-6 in a bumper weekend of action
The PDC Asian Tour returns on August 10-11 with Events 16-18 in Singapore – with coverage to be streamed on PDCTV from 1000 local time on each day
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junior world number one Fan took the first game against Muramatsu
only for the Japanese to hit back in a classic attack-versus-defence encounter and win the next two games
“It was very intense and difficult but what I’m satisfied with was how I reacted when the going got tough,” said Fan after his hard-fought 4-2 (11-8
The turning point came in the fourth game when China called a timeout in a bid to halt Muramatsu’s momentum
“These two days I’ve had problems but I went all out,” said the champion
Liu had no such problems in winning her gold
11-3) in the final and conceding only five games in her seven matches
because I figured out all the difficulties,” she said
who owed her higher ranking to having played more tournaments recently
accepted that she had been second-best: “I feel like I didn’t play well
Zhang and Calderano respectively won USA and Brazil’s first ever Olympic table tennis medals
“I think I did really well because I was able to just calm down when I was losing a few points in a row,” said the American
Women’s singles champion Liu Gaoyang eased to a 3-0 (11-3
11-9) victory over Miyu Kato before men’s singles winner Fan Zhendong recovered from an early hiccup to beat Yuto Muramatsu
sealing the title for China with a game to spare
“I’m not feeling well so I didn’t perform well in my singles match and lost it,” Kato said
We were putting our hope in the mixed doubles and hoping our teamwork could help.”
Her team-mate Muramatsu pushed Fan hard in their match
The Japanese player took the first game and led 8-5 in the second
“Today the points lost were of my own doing,” said Fan following his 3-1 (10-12
“I was relaxed at the start and everything went according to plan
But losing the first game put me in a spot.”
he said: “We didn’t change much because the experience of the singles final had already taught us what game plan to use
Maybe what it did more was calm me down and ready myself for a tiring match.”
with junior world number one Doo Hoi Kem easing past Tamolwan Khetkhuan 3-0 (11-4
11-5) and Hung Ka Tak beating Padasak Tanviriyavechakul 3-1 (8-11
“[This team medal] is more meaningful because we practised for a long time in Hong Kong,” said Doo after collecting her second medal of Nanjing 2014
“The team event means more because there are two people and it also wasn’t easy for him [Hung]
For him to survive the last game wasn’t easy,” he added
and B Palomarez preparing for Fashion Design & Merchandising’s LA Mode fashion show in their studios on the SMC Main Campus on Thursday
Fashion Designers Washington and Palomarez will have their work featured in the show
and Fashion Merchandisers Dillman and Muramatsu are producing the show including promoting it on social media
LA Mode will be held at Barnum Hall in Santa Monica on Thursday
“One day you’re in and the next day you’re out,” a phrase coined by super model Heidi Klum
has been quoted by members of the fashion industry since the saying’s inception during her tenure on the hit reality show Project Runway
These words speak to the demanding and often cut throat aspects of an ever-evolving industry
one that if you’re unable to keep up with you’ll be forgotten
there are those that take this as a challenge and grab the proverbial bull by the horns
Students at Santa Monica College’s (SMC) Fashion Design & Merchandising program are just these people
SMC’s Fashion Design department hosts LA Mode
a runway presentation showcasing the work done by students
Although the official show date isn’t until June 13
students are well underway preparing for the main event
student involvement is shown in the way of show production and fashion design
Students Angela Dillman and Ayano Muramatsu are assisting with production aspects of the show
loves visual arts and expresses her passion through taking candid photographs of the designers and the progress they make with their designs
“These photos will be posted and shown on a video that plays during the show,” said Dillman
Making sure designers meet their design deadlines is also part of Dillman’s responsibilities who acts as a bridge between the students and La Tanya Louis
a fashion professor at Santa Monica College who has produced LA Mode since 2015
a professor of 15 years and the LA Mode collections director
“Right now for this month your deadlines are the designs
the second look complete by next month and then the third and final look,” said Dillman
SMC Fashion Merchandising students Ayano Muramatsu
in the Fashion Design & Merchandising studios on Thursday
discussing production aspects for the department’s upcoming fashion show LA Mode
records a social media video of Fashion Design student Durryl Washington (left)
in the Fashion Design & Merchandising studios at SMC
Washington invites people to the department’s LA Mode fashion show
an international student who moved to Los Angeles two years ago from Japan
works on marketing the show through social media platforms like Twitter
A lot of people can see it and it’s a very good for advertising
It’s very useful for us to promote [LA Mode],” said Maramatsu
“The production team has a lot of different pieces
but it’s great because we help each other to make one big show.”
Palomarez and Durryl Washington are well underway in executing their visions to tangible reality
landed on her life-long love for fashion design after trying both culinary and music theory school
“Fashion is something I’ve always been fascinated with
I just didn’t focus on it as my career until a few years ago”
Being from the desert and having a love for plants
incorporating these elements into her collection
“It’s like taking something that somebody wouldn’t really see beauty in and turning it into something beautiful,” said Palomarez
SMC Fashion Design student B Palomarez works on a design project in the Fashion Design and Merchandising studios at SMC on Thursday
Palomarez’ work will be featured in the department’s upcoming LA Mode fashion show at Barnum Hall in Santa Monica on Thursday
Washington found his place in fashion design after the photography classes he needed were no longer available
Washington took a fashion design sewing class
“This was pretty much a silver lining moment,” said Washington
“I completely fell in love with [fashion design] and now I’m making garments for everyone.” Washington’s process for his design esthetic is to draw inspiration from everywhere
“If you keep your mind in a box you’re only going to stay in that box,” said Washington
Having grown up seeing his mother and grandmother getting ready for work every morning
Washington’s collection is described as “luxury but luxury on a budget
feel really glamourous in and still be comfortable.” With aspirations to own his own label one day and at the same time knowing the pressures of the industry
Updated 4/18/2019 to fix a misquote by Angela Dillman
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PlayLoading... Michaela Haet of Australia dashed the hope of local Nudnida Luangnam 6-0 6-4 to set up the final showdown with Japanese Chihiro Muramatsu, who outlast top seed Harriet Dart of UK 7-6 5-7 7-5, in the US$15,000 Cal-Comp & XYZ Printing ITF Pro Circuit W2 at the True Arena Hua Hin on Friday.
The 18-year-old Haet who came from the qualifying round just like Nudnida proved more solid from the baseline battle which she won in just 68 minutes.
Haet and Muramatsu will play for the first ITF singles title of their career. The lefthanded Japanese won the marathon battle with Dart which consumed up to hour and 5 minutes.
The 18-year-old Japanese will go to the final with a 2-0 head-to-head record over the Australian whom she beat twice in their junior events two years ago.
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