Toshinori Fujino

A longitudinal study of the effect of vitamin K2 on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women a comparative study with vitamin D3 and estrogen-progestin therapy.

OBJECTIVES To investigate the effect of vitamin K2 treatment for a year on spinal bone mineral density (BMD) in postmenopausal women, comparing with vitamin D3 hormone replacement therapy and to determine the factors which affect the efficacy of vitamin K2 therapy. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Seventy-two postmenopausal women were randomized into four groups and treated with respective agents. Before the therapy, 6 and 12 months after the treatment, their lumbar spine BMD were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. The rates of change in BMD (delta BMD) were calculated. Correlations of BMD with age, year since menopause and the initial BMD were determined. RESULTS Vitamin K2 suppressed the decrease in spinal BMD as compared with no treatment group. BMD in women treated with vitamin K2 was inversely correlated with their age (r = -0.54; P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Vitamin K2 therapy may be a useful method for preventing postmenopausal spinal bone mineral loss. In addition, the therapy should be started early in postmenopausal period.

The development of hypercalcemia in a patient with an ovarian tumor producing parathyroid hormone-related protein

Hypercalcemia developed in a 34‐year‐old woman with a clear cell carcinoma of the ovary. Osseous involvement with the tumor cells was not present. Primary hyperpara‐thyroidism was absent. Operative partial resection of the metastatic supraclavicular lymph node, followed by radiation therapy, decreased her serum calcium concentrations. This case belongs to the category of humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy (HHM). Detection of a significant quantity of immunoreactive parathyroid hormone‐related protein (PTH‐rP) in the metastatic lymph node suggested that the HHM of the patient was induced by PTH‐rP produced by the tumor. From a review of 17 cases of ovarian tumors showing HHM‐like morbidity, it was found that clear cell carcinoma and cystadenocar‐cinoma were the major types of ovarian tumors associated with HHM.

Menopausal status influences the relationship between serum ghrelin levels and fat mass in healthy women

Objective: To examine the relationships of fasting serum ghrelin levels to bone mass index (BMI) and body fat mass, focusing on the effects of menopausal status and changes in fat distribution in women after menopause. Design: An observational study. Patients: Fifty-nine pre-menopausal and 31 post-menopausal healthy Japanese women volunteers were enrolled in the present study. Measurements: Total and regional body fat mass weight was measured by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry. Serum ghrelin was measured. Relationships of serum ghrelin levels to weight, BMI, total body and regional fat mass weight were separately examined in post-menopausal and pre-menopausal women. Results: Serum ghrelin levels were significantly inversely correlated with weight (r=−0.377, p<0.05, Pearson’s correlation test), right arm fat mass (r=−0.408, p<0.05), left arm fat mass (r=−0.386, p<0.05), trunk fat mass (r=−0.361, p<0.05) and total body fat mass (r=-0.383, p<0.05) in the post-meno-pausal women but not in pre-menopausal women. Conclusions: Menopausal status may influence the relationship between serum ghrelin levels and fat mass in healthy women.

Apoptosis in placentas from human T-lymphotropic virus type I–seropositive pregnant women: a possible defense mechanism against transmission from mother to fetus

OBJECTIVE The mechanism by which the placenta serves as the barrier against mother-to-fetus transmission of microorganisms remains to be elucidated. Programmed cell death, apoptosis, is considered a cellular defense mechanism against infection. The hypothesis of this study is that apoptosis of human T-lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I)-infected placental villous cells is involved in the defense mechanism against mother-to-fetus transmission of HTLV-I. METHODS Apoptosis was compared in term placentas from eight HTLV-I-seropositive pregnant women and eight HTLV-I-seronegative pregnant women by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine nick end-labeling method. In addition, an in vitro cocultivation with an HTLV-I-infected lymphocyte cell line (MT-2 cells) was performed to examine whether placental villous cells were infected with HTLV-I and apoptosis was induced. RESULTS The incidence of apoptosis-positive cells (nuclei) in placentas from the HTLV-I-seropositive pregnant women was higher than in the HTLV-I-seronegative pregnant women (P < .02). Cocultivation with MT-2 cells showed that trophoblast cells were able to be infected with HTLV-I and that apoptosis was induced in the placental villous cells. CONCLUSION HTLV-I infection induces apoptosis in the placenta. We speculate that apoptosis may be involved in the defense mechanism of the placenta against mother-to-fetus transmission of HTLV-I.

Ultrashort‐Time FISH for Identification of the Sex of Peripheral‐Blood Lymphocytes and Preimplantation Embryos

Objective: The aim of this study was to shorten the time required for sex determination using peripheral‐blood lymphocytes and blastomeres of human preimplantation embryos by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).

Characterization of Macrophages Isolated from the Maternal Surface of Human Term Placenta by a New Method of Urokinase Treatment

Objectives: This study was performed to establish a new method for isolating macrophages from the maternal surface of human term placenta by urokinase treatment and to characterize their immunological functions.

Immunotherapy with Husband's Leukocytes to Primary Habitual Aborters and Autoantibodies in Their Sera

Objective: This study was performed to determine whether primary habitual aborters have an autoimmunological tendency and whether immunotherapy with leukocytes induces autoantibodies in their sera.