Takeki Hirano

Serum concentrations of insulin, insulin‐like growth factor(IGF)‐I, IGF binding protein (IGFBP)‐1 and ‐3 and growth hormone binding protein in obese children: fasting IGFBP‐1 is suppressed in normoinsulinaemic obese children

Simple obesity is characterized by normal or accelerated growth in the presence of reduced serum levels of GH, whereas its detailed mechanism remains unknown. We, therefore, evaluated interrelationships among serum levels of insulin, IFG‐I, IGF binding protein (IGFBP)‐1 and ‐3 and growth hormone binding protein (GHBP) in prepubertal obese children.

Serum leptin and insulin concentrations in prepubertal lean, obese and insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus children

To evaluate the relationship between serum levels of leptin and insulin in prepubertal lean, obese and insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) children.

The Japanese Study Group of Insulin Therapy for Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes (JSGIT): initial aims and impact of the family history of type 1 diabetes mellitus in Japanese children

Abstract: The Japanese Study Group of Insulin Therapy for Childhood and Adolescent Diabetes (JSGIT) was established in July 1994 with the chief aim to improve the quality of therapy for type 1 diabetes in children, an entity far less common in Japan than in Europe. We proposed four initial research topics: (i) to determine the current status of medical care and glycemic control in Japanese children with type 1 diabetes mellitus; (ii) to standardize the measurement of hemoglobin A1c; (iii) to establish a registry of a large cohort of patients in order to enable prospective studies to improve the quality of therapy for children with type 1 diabetes in Japan; and (iv) to enable participants of the JSGIT to hold a workshop twice annually.

Serum dipeptidyl peptidase 4 activity in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus.

Abstract Background: It is poorly understood whether dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) activity is altered and how DPP4 contributes to glycemic control in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). Aim: The aim of this study was to measure serum DPP4 activity and to assess its relationships to metabolic variables in T1DM children. Methods: Serum DPP4 activity was determined using a fluorometric assay in 43 T1DM and 26 control children. Results: Serum DPP4 activity was significantly higher in T1DM children than in controls (3.57±0.99 vs. 2.67±0.77 U/mL, p<0.001). In the T1DM children, DPP4 activity was not correlated with HbA1c, blood glucose, or diabetes duration. A significant negative correlation was found between DPP4 activity and serum adiponectin levels in the T1DM group (r=–0.35, p<0.05). Conclusions: Serum DPP4 activity was increased in the T1DM children, whereas it was not associated with glycemic control. Given the negative correlation between serum DPP4 and adiponectin levels, further investigations are warranted to elucidate the role of DPP4 on insulin sensitivity in T1DM children.

Circulating antibodies to common food antigens in Japanese children with IDDM

OBJECTIVE To investigate the humoral immune response to common food antigens in Japanese children with IDDM. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS IgG antibodies to cows milk, β-lactoglobulin, bovine serum albumin (BSA), alpha-lactalbumin, and hens egg ovalbumin were examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in the sera of 33 patients with IDDM, ages 11.8 ± 3.4 years. The data were compared with that of 50 normal subjects, ages 10.3 ± 5.1 years, who acted as control subjects. A positive antibody to a food antigen was defined as an antibody titer greater than the 95th percentile value in normal subjects. RESULTS Children with IDDM had significantly higher median titers of IgG antibodies to β-lactoglobulin and ovalbumin (P = 0.03 and P = 0.0005 respectively). More children with IDDM than control subjects had positive IgG antibody to ovalbumin (21 vs. 6%, P = 0.04). Titers, as well as the number of positive antibodies to other food antigens, including BSA, did not differ between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS Japanese children with IDDM show an enhanced humoral immune response to β-lactoglobulin and ovalbumin, a phenomenon that may be related to the pathogenesis of the disease.

Assignment of the apolipoprotein A-I gene to 11q23 based on RFLP in a case with a partial deletion of chromosome 11, del(11)(q23.3→qter)

SummaryThe XmnI genotype at the apolipoprotein A-I locus was heterozygous in a boy with partial deletion of the long arm of chromosome 11, del(11)(q23.3→qter). The apolipoprotein A-I gene, previously assigned to chromosome region 11q23→q24, has been more specifically localized to 11q23 by excluding the region 11q24→qter.

A fragile X female with Down syndrome

SummaryClinical and cytogenetic aspects of a female infant with trisomy 21 and the fragile X [fra (X)] chromosome are reported. Most of the facial characteristics of the patient are those observed in Down syndrome, but some features such as long face with prominent forehead and lower jaw, and large ears are related to the fra (X) syndrome. The origin of an additional chromosome 21 may be ascribed to maternal first meiotic nondisjunction in our case. It has been suspected that female carriers of the fra (X) chromosome may be predisposed to meiotic nondisjunctional events. However, there is probably no relationship between the two chromosomal abnormalities in our case because of the maternal age at the delivery.

Serum levels of free insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF-binding protein-1 in prepubertal children with idiopathic short stature

The study was performed to evaluate the relationships among serum free and total insulin‐like growth factor (IGF)‐I, IGF‐binding protein‐1 (IGFBP‐1), IGFBP‐3, and insulin concentrations in prepubertal children with idiopathic short stature (ISS).

GROWTH HORMONE DEFICIENCY IN DUBOWITZ SYNDROME

Severe short stature as a result of intra‐uterine growth retardation is one of the characteristics of Dubowitz syndrome. There have been few reports elaborating growth hormone secretory status in this syndrome. A child with Dubowitz syndrome, who was found to have complete growth hormone (GH) deficiency and who responded to growth hormone therapy, is described. This appears to be the first documentation of GH deficiency in this syndrome.

Syndrome of resistance to thyroid hormone in an infant with congenital cytomegalovirus infection.

We describe an infant with congenital cytomegalovirus infection who developed the syndrome of resistance to thyroid hormone at three weeks of age, presenting with elevated thyroxine levels and non‐suppressible thyroid‐hormone‐stimulating hormone secretions without any features of thyrotoxicosis. The resistance was present at the peripheral and pituitary levels and resolved spontaneously by 18 months of age. Cytomegalovirus infee tion was confmed by the positive urine culture of this virus. This case demonstrates for the fit time a possible association of thyroid hormone resistance with congenital cytomegalovirus infection.