Sayaka Sugimoto

Development and evaluation of FSSG: frequency scale for the symptoms of GERD.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to produce a simplified questionnaire for evaluation of the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).MethodsA total of 124 patients with an endoscopic diagnosis of GERD completed a 50-part questionnaire, requiring only “yes” or “no” answers, that covered various symptoms related to the upper gastrointestinal tract, as well as psychosomatic symptoms. The 12 questions to which patients most often answered “yes” were selected, and were assigned scores (never = 0; occasionally = 1; sometimes = 2; often = 3; and always = 4) to produce a frequency scale for symptoms of GERD (FSSG). Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of the FSSG questionnaire were evaluated in another group of patients with GERD and non-GERD. The usefulness of this questionnaire was evaluated in 26 other GERD patients who were treated with proton pump inhibitors for 8 weeks.ResultsWhen the cutoff score was set at 8 points, the FSSG showed a sensitivity of 62%, a specificity of 59%, and an accuracy of 60%, whereas a cutoff score of 10 points altered these values to 55%, 69%, and 63%. The score obtained using the questionnaire correlated well with the extent of endoscopic improvement in patients with mild or severe GERD.ConclusionsThis new questionnaire is useful for the objective evaluation of symptoms in GERD patients.

Diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease using a new questionnaire

Background and Aim: An early and accurate evaluation by a general practitioner is needed to screen out non‐gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) patients. A recent questionnaire (QUEST) highlighted problems with specificity and complexity, so the aim of the present study was to design a simplified questionnaire.

Sp1 Is a Co-activator with Ets-1, and Net Is an Important Repressor of the Transcription of CTP:Phosphocholine Cytidylyltransferase α

Phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis via the CDP-choline pathway is primarily regulated by CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase (CT) encoded by the Pcyt1a and Pcyt1b genes. Previously, we identified an Ets-1-binding site located at -49/-47 in the promoter of Pcyt1a as an important transcriptional element involved in basal CTα transcription (Sugimoto, H., Sugimoto, S., Tatei, K., Obinata, H., Bakovic, M., Izumi, T., and Vance, D. E. (2003) J. Biol. Chem. 278, 19716-19722). In this study, we determined whether or not there were other important elements and binding proteins for basal CTα transcription in the Pcyt1a promoter, and if other Ets family proteins bind to the Ets-1-binding site. The results indicate the formation of a ternary complex with Ets-1 binding at -49/-47 and Sp1 binding at -58/-54 of the Pcyt1a promoter that is important for activating CTα transcription. When nuclear extracts of COS-7 cells expressing various Ets family repressors were incubated with DNA probes, binding of Net to the probes was observed. Net dose-dependently depressed the promoter-luciferase activity by 98%, even when co-expressed with Ets-1. RNA interference targeting Net caused an increase of endogenous CTα mRNA. After synchronizing the cell cycle in NIH3T3 cells, CTα mRNA increased at the S-M phase corresponding to an increase of Ets-1 mRNA and a decrease of Net mRNA. These results indicated that Net is an important endogenous repressor for CTα transcription.

Postprandial water intake inhibits gastric antral motility with increase of cholecystokinin in humans

Objective. The effects of postprandial water intake on the gastrointestinal tract have not been systematically investigated in humans. Material and methods. In 8 healthy volunteers, the gastric antral pressure was measured with a strain gauge transducer, while the esophageal and lower esophageal sphincter pressures were measured with an infused catheter with a Dent sleeve. The esophageal pH at 5 cm above the lower sphincter was measured with a microglass electrode. A standard test meal (560 kcal) was eaten and 500 ml water was ingested 1 h later. The plasma cholecystokinin level was assessed at 4-min intervals. As a control, the same study was done on another day with sham water intake. Results. At 4 min after water intake, there was a significant decrease in gastric antral motility and a significant increase in the plasma cholecystokinin level. Water intake also significantly increased the occurrence of gastroesophageal reflux. Conclusions. The rapid increase in cholecystokinin after water intake may be initiated by a feedback mechanism related to inflow of fatty chyme into the duodenum that inhibits gastric antral activity.

Numerical modification of the Los Angeles classification of gastroesophageal reflux disease fails to decrease observer variation

Background:  We previously reported that a new endoscopic classification of gastroesophageal reflux disease, the Los Angeles classification, showed considerable observer variation depending on the experience of the endoscopist. In the present study, we evaluated some modifications of the classification to determine whether we could decrease observer variation.

The heterotrimeric G protein subunits Gαqand Gβ1have lysophospholipase D activity

In a previous study we purified a novel lysoPLD (lysophospholipase D) which converts LPC (lysophosphatidylcholine) into a bioactive phospholipid, LPA (lysophosphatidic acid), from the rat brain. In the present study, we identified the purified 42 and 35 kDa proteins as the heterotrimeric G protein subunits Gαq and Gβ1 respectively. When FLAG-tagged Gαq or Gβ1 was expressed in cells and purified, significant lysoPLD activity was observed in the microsomal fractions. Levels of the hydrolysed product choline increased over time, and the Mg2+ dependency and substrate specificity of Gαq were similar to those of lysoPLD purified from the rat brain. Mutation of Gαq at amino acids Lys52, Thr186 or Asp205, residues that are predicted to interact with nucleotide phosphates or catalytic Mg2+, dramatically reduced lysoPLD activity. GTP does not compete with LPC for the lysoPLD activity, indicating that these substrate-binding sites are not identical. Whereas the enzyme activity of highly purified FLAG-tagged Gαq overexpressed in COS-7 cells was ~4 nmol/min per mg, the activity from Neuro2A cells was 137.4 nmol/min per mg. The calculated Km and Vmax values for lysoPAF (1-O-hexadecyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) obtained from Neuro2A cells were 21 μM and 0.16 μmol/min per mg respectively, similar to the enzyme purified from the rat brain. These results reveal a new function for Gαq and Gβ1 as an enzyme with lysoPLD activity. Tag-purified Gα11 also exhibited a high lysoPLD activity, but Gαi and Gαs did not. The lysoPLD activity of the Gα subunit is strictly dependent on its subfamily and might be important for cellular responses. However, treatment of Hepa-1 cells with Gαq and Gα11 siRNAs (small interfering RNAs) did not change lysoPLD activity in the microsomal fraction. Clarification of the physiological relevance of lysoPLD activity of these proteins will need further studies.

The heterotrimeric G protein subunits Gα(q) and Gβ(1) have lysophospholipase D activity.

In a previous study we purified a novel lysoPLD (lysophospholipase D) which converts LPC (lysophosphatidylcholine) into a bioactive phospholipid, LPA (lysophosphatidic acid), from the rat brain. In the present study, we identified the purified 42 and 35 kDa proteins as the heterotrimeric G protein subunits Gαq and Gβ1 respectively. When FLAG-tagged Gαq or Gβ1 was expressed in cells and purified, significant lysoPLD activity was observed in the microsomal fractions. Levels of the hydrolysed product choline increased over time, and the Mg2+ dependency and substrate specificity of Gαq were similar to those of lysoPLD purified from the rat brain. Mutation of Gαq at amino acids Lys52, Thr186 or Asp205, residues that are predicted to interact with nucleotide phosphates or catalytic Mg2+, dramatically reduced lysoPLD activity. GTP does not compete with LPC for the lysoPLD activity, indicating that these substrate-binding sites are not identical. Whereas the enzyme activity of highly purified FLAG-tagged Gαq overexpressed in COS-7 cells was ~4 nmol/min per mg, the activity from Neuro2A cells was 137.4 nmol/min per mg. The calculated Km and Vmax values for lysoPAF (1-O-hexadecyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) obtained from Neuro2A cells were 21 μM and 0.16 μmol/min per mg respectively, similar to the enzyme purified from the rat brain. These results reveal a new function for Gαq and Gβ1 as an enzyme with lysoPLD activity. Tag-purified Gα11 also exhibited a high lysoPLD activity, but Gαi and Gαs did not. The lysoPLD activity of the Gα subunit is strictly dependent on its subfamily and might be important for cellular responses. However, treatment of Hepa-1 cells with Gαq and Gα11 siRNAs (small interfering RNAs) did not change lysoPLD activity in the microsomal fraction. Clarification of the physiological relevance of lysoPLD activity of these proteins will need further studies.

The heterotrimeric G protein subunits Gαq and Gβ1 have lysophospholipase D activity

In a previous study we purified a novel lysoPLD (lysophospholipase D) which converts LPC (lysophosphatidylcholine) into a bioactive phospholipid, LPA (lysophosphatidic acid), from the rat brain. In the present study, we identified the purified 42 and 35 kDa proteins as the heterotrimeric G protein subunits Gαq and Gβ1 respectively. When FLAG-tagged Gαq or Gβ1 was expressed in cells and purified, significant lysoPLD activity was observed in the microsomal fractions. Levels of the hydrolysed product choline increased over time, and the Mg2+ dependency and substrate specificity of Gαq were similar to those of lysoPLD purified from the rat brain. Mutation of Gαq at amino acids Lys52, Thr186 or Asp205, residues that are predicted to interact with nucleotide phosphates or catalytic Mg2+, dramatically reduced lysoPLD activity. GTP does not compete with LPC for the lysoPLD activity, indicating that these substrate-binding sites are not identical. Whereas the enzyme activity of highly purified FLAG-tagged Gαq overexpressed in COS-7 cells was ~4 nmol/min per mg, the activity from Neuro2A cells was 137.4 nmol/min per mg. The calculated Km and Vmax values for lysoPAF (1-O-hexadecyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) obtained from Neuro2A cells were 21 μM and 0.16 μmol/min per mg respectively, similar to the enzyme purified from the rat brain. These results reveal a new function for Gαq and Gβ1 as an enzyme with lysoPLD activity. Tag-purified Gα11 also exhibited a high lysoPLD activity, but Gαi and Gαs did not. The lysoPLD activity of the Gα subunit is strictly dependent on its subfamily and might be important for cellular responses. However, treatment of Hepa-1 cells with Gαq and Gα11 siRNAs (small interfering RNAs) did not change lysoPLD activity in the microsomal fraction. Clarification of the physiological relevance of lysoPLD activity of these proteins will need further studies.