Tatsuya Iwata

Relationship between overactive bladder and irritable bowel syndrome: a large‐scale internet survey in Japan using the overactive bladder symptom score and Rome III criteria

There is known to be an association between overactive bladder (OAB) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). The study investigates the association between OAB and IBS using an internet‐based survey in Japan. It is the first to investigate the prevalence and severity of OAB in the general population using the OAB symptom score questionnaire.

Increased expression of mRNAs for microtubule disassembly molecules during nerve regeneration.

The mRNA expression of the microtubule disassembly molecules (SCG10, stathmin, SCLIP and RB3) in response to nerve injury was examined using a rat hypoglossal nerve injury model. After nerve injury prominent increase in mRNA expression of SCG10, stathmin and RB3 was observed, while only slight increase in SCLIP mRNA was observed in injured motor neurons. The increase in SCG10 and RB3 mRNA expression was quicker than that of stathmin and SCLIP. All the elevated signals decreased gradually to control levels by 4 weeks after nerve injury.

Developmental alteration of nerve injury induced glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) receptor expression is crucial for the determination of injured motoneuron fate

Axotomy‐induced neuronal death occurs in neonatal motoneurons, but not in adult rat. Here we demonstrated that during the course of postnatal development, nerve injury induced down‐regulation of the glial cell line‐derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) receptor GFRα1 in axotomized hypoglossal motoneurons of rat are gradually converted to the adult up‐regulation pattern of response. The compensatory expression of GFRα1 specifically in the injured motoneurons of neonates by adenovirus succeeded in rescuing the injured neurons without an application of growth factors. To the contrary, the nuclear antisense RNA for GFRα1 expression accelerates the axotomy‐induced neuronal death in pups. These findings suggest that the receptor expression response after nerve injury is critical for the determination of injured motoneuron fate.

Inhibition of Ras extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK) mediated signaling promotes ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) expression in Schwann cells

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) can prevent injury‐induced motor neuron death. However, it is also evident that expression of CNTF in Schwann cells is suppressed during nerve regeneration. In this report, we have addressed the mechanism underlying the down‐regulation of CNTF expression in injured nerves using a mouse Schwann cell line IMS32 and mouse sciatic nerve. In IMS32 cells, activation of the Ras extracellular‐signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) pathway by adenoviral vector‐mediated expression of dominant active MEK1 did not alter a basal level of CNTF expression, whereas inhibition of the Ras‐ERK pathway by using adenoviral vectors resulted in a marked increase in CNTF expression. This inverse relation between before and after axotomy was also observed in mouse sciatic nerve. In the axotomized sciatic nerve, the phosphorylated ERK was markedly increased; in contrast, the expression of CNTF was markedly decreased. These findings suggest that an inactive state of ERK is crucial for the CNTF expression in Schwann cells, and that activation of ERK following nerve injury critically influences the expression of CNTF. This might well explain why CNTF is highly expressed in quiescent Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system, and also why CNTF is not abundant in axotomized nerves or cultured Schwann cells in which the proliferation signal is obviously active.

Association of ED with chronic periodontal disease

To examine the relationship between chronic periodontal disease (CPD) and ED, the interview sheet including the CPD self-checklist (CPD score) and the five-item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) was distributed to 300 adult men who received a comprehensive dental examination. Statistical analyses were performed by the Spearmans rank correlation coefficient and other methods. Statistical significance was accepted at the level of P<0.05. The interview sheets were collected from 88 men (response rate 29.3%, 50.9±16.6 years old). There was a statistically significant correlation between the CPD score and the presence of ED (P=0.0415). The results in the present study suggest that ED is related to the damage caused by endothelial dysfunction and the systematic inflammatory changes associated with CPD. The present study also suggests that dental health is important as a preventive medicine for ED.

Micturition-suppressing region in the periaqueductal gray of the mesencephalon of the cat

The periaqueductal gray (PAG) of the mesencephalon has been implicated to be involved in the control of micturition. We investigated the micturition-suppressing region in the PAG of the cat. Decerebrated 27 adult cats were used. A microelectrode was inserted stereotaxically into the PAG, and a region was searched where electrical stimulation suppressed isovolumetric bladder contractions. Simultaneous stimulation of the pontine micturition center (PMC) and micturition-suppressing region in the PAG was performed before and after an injection of bicuculline (GABA(A) blocker) into the PMC. The micturition-suppressing region was found at the dorsolateral margin of the rostral PAG. Bladder contractions were not provoked by simultaneous stimulation of the PMC and micturition-suppressing region in the PAG. However, after bicuculline injection into the PMC, partial bladder contractions were provoked by simultaneous stimulation of the PMC and the micturition-suppressing region in the PAG. These results suggest that the dorsolateral margin of the rostral PAG includes the micturition-suppressing region that seems to have neural connections with the PMC. GABA is assumed to be one of the neurotransmitters that are involved in the PMC inhibition from the micturition-suppressing region in the PAG.

Reversal of acquired cisplatin resistance by modulation of metallothionein in transplanted murine tumors

Background: The platinum‐based chemotherapeutic agent cisplatin is involved in a broad spectrum of activities against human systemic malignancies. However, acquired resistance to cisplatin reduces its clinical efficacy. Elucidation of the molecular basis of cisplatin resistance is required to improve the effectiveness of cisplatin. In the present study, the mechanism of acquired resistance to cisplatin was studied in C3H mice inoculated with MBT‐2 murine bladder tumor cells.

Bladder function in 17β-estradiol-induced nonbacterial prostatitis model in Wister rat.

ObjectivesTo investigate bladder function in a model of nonbacterial prostatitis (NBP) induced in castrated rats by 17β-estradiol injection.MethodsTen-month-old male Wistar rats were divided into two groups, sham and NBP (both Nxa0=xa08). NBP was induced by castration followed by daily subcutaneous injection of 17β-estradiol for 30xa0days. On the 31st day after surgery, we investigated (1) voiding behavior, (2) bladder blood flow (BBF), (3) prostate and bladder weight, and proinflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and CXCL1) levels and (4) bladder contractile responses to electrical field stimulation (EFS), carbachol and KCl.Results(1) Voiding behavior (average micturition volume, total urine volume and number of micturitions) and (2) BBF were not significantly different between the sham and NBP groups. (3) NBP led to a significant decrease in prostatic weight and increase in proinflammatory cytokine levels in the prostate, but NBP did not cause a significant change in bladder weight or proinflammatory cytokine levels in the bladder. (4) Bladder contractile forces in response to EFS, carbachol and KCl were not significantly affected by NBP.ConclusionsIn this rat model, NBP did not cause a significant change in the level of proinflammatory cytokines in the bladder and affect bladder function.

Effects of Chronic Treatment With Cilostazol, a Phosphodiesterase 3 Inhibitor, on Female Rat Bladder in a Partial Bladder Outlet Obstruction Model

OBJECTIVEnTo investigate whether bladder dysfunction after bladder outlet obstruction (BOO) could be altered by treatment with cilostazol, a phosphodiesterase 3 inhibitor (PDE3i).nnnMETHODSnTwelve-week-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 5 groups: groups 1 and 2, sham-operated rats and groups 3-5, BOO rats. Group 1 and 3 rats were given normal diet, group 2 and 5 rats were given high-dose PDE3i diet, and group 4 rats were given low-dose PDE3i diet. PDE3i was given within diet from the day of surgery. Four weeks after BOO, the bladder was excised and dissected into 4 longitudinal strips for isometric organ-bath assay. Contractile responses of bladder strips to electrical field stimulation (EFS), carbachol, and potassium chloride (KCl) were determined for each group.nnnRESULTSnBOO induced a significant increase in bladder weight in groups 3-5 compared with groups 1 andxa02. PDE3i treatment did not affect bladder weight in sham or BOO rats. Contractile forces in response to EFS, carbachol, and KCl in group 3 were about 20%-40% of those in group 1. Contractile responses to EFS or KCl in PDE3i-treated BOO rats were not significantly different from those in group 3. Only high dose of PDE3i treatment in BOO rats caused a statistically significant increase in the response to carbachol compared with groupxa03.nnnCONCLUSIONnPDE3i has a small but significant protective effect on the contractile dysfunction induced by a 4-week BOO in rats, although the increase in bladder mass was not altered. PDE3i could be axa0useful protection against contractile dysfunction of the obstructed bladder.

MP59-05 ANALYSIS OF FACTORS AFFECTING POST-OPERATIVE SPLIT RENAL FUNCTION AFTER PARTIAL NEPHRECTOMY USING R.E.N.A.L. NEPHROMETRY SCORE

RESULTS: 399 physicians completed the survey with 37% and 34% completing urologic oncology and endourology fellowships respectively. Answers to a question about the best oncologic treatment for 4-10cm RCC included: PN and RN are equal (56%), the best treatment is unknown (38%), and PN was inferior to RN (6%). Geographic location was the only predictor of response (p1⁄40.01). In case scenarios, the decision to offer PN rather than RN for a peripheral exophytic mass was influenced by comfort level with partial nephrectomy (p1⁄40.02). Open vs. MIS approach depends on comfort level and fellowship type. Oncology trained surgeons were more likely to offer open PN; OR 1.95, p1⁄40.003 and endourology fellowship graduates being more likely to offer MIS; OR 3.27, p<0.0001. Surgeon perception that they received adequate training in complex PN is predictive of offering PN for a centrally located RCC (p1⁄40.001). Academic practitioners are more likely to offer PN (p1⁄40.03). In addition, those completing training after 2001 are more likely to offer MIS (p1⁄40.02) and respondents who completed an oncology fellowship were more likely to offer PN to unhealthy patients (p1⁄40.03). CONCLUSIONS: Expert opinion about the best treatment for 410cm RCC varies significantly, with 70% of respondents willing to enroll patients in a randomized clinical trial comparing partial to radical nephrectomy in 4-10cm RCC.