Evaluation of Medication Adherence Among Prevalent Users in Hypertension, Dyslipidemia, and Diabetes Using Health Insurance Claims: A Population-Based Cohort Study in Japan.

PURPOSE: Hypertension (HT), dyslipidemia (DL), and diabetes mellitus (DM) are major risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Despite the wide availability of medications to reduce this risk, poor adherence to medications remains an issue. The aim of this study is to evaluate medication adherence of prevalent users in these disease medications (HT, DL, DM) using claims data. Factors associated with non-adherence were also examined. METHODS: Of 7538 participants of the Tsuruoka Metabolomics Cohort Study, 3693 (HT: 2702, DL: 2112, DM: 661) were identified as prevalent users of these disease medications. Information on lifestyle was collected through a questionnaire. Adherence was assessed by a proportion of days covered (PDC) and participants with PDC ≥0.8 were defined as adherent. Predictors of non-adherence were determined by performing multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: Medication adherence differed by treatment status. Among those without comorbidities, those with HT-only showed the highest adherence (90.2%), followed by those with DM-only (81.2%) and those with DL-only (80.8%). Factors associated with non-adherence in each medication group were skipping breakfast and poor understanding of medications among those with HT medications, females, having comorbidities, having a history of heart disease, and drinking habit among those with DL medications, and good sleep quality and skipping breakfast among those with DM medications. CONCLUSION: While participants showed high medication adherence, differences were observed across medication groups. The identified predictors of non-adherence could help target those in need of adherence support.

Study Profile of the Tsuruoka Metabolomics Cohort Study (TMCS).

The Tsuruoka Metabolomics Cohort Study (TMCS) is an ongoing population-based cohort study being conducted in the rural area of Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. This study aimed to enhance the precision prevention of multi-factorial, complex diseases, including non-communicable and aging-associated diseases, by improving risk stratification and prediction measures. At baseline, 11,002 participants aged 35-74 years were recruited in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture, Japan, between 2012 and 2015, with an ongoing follow-up survey. Participants underwent various measurements, examinations, tests, and questionnaires on their health, lifestyle, and social factors. This study uses an integrative approach with deep molecular profiling to identify potential biomarkers linked to phenotypes that underpin disease pathophysiology and provide better mechanistic insights into social health determinants. The TMCS incorporates multi-omics data, including genetic and metabolomic analyses of 10,933 participants, and comprehensive data collection ranging from physical, psychological, behavioral, and social to biological data. The metabolome is used as a phenotypic probe because it is sensitive to changes in physiological and external conditions. The TMCS focuses on collecting outcomes for cardiovascular disease, cancer incidence and mortality, disability and functional decline due to aging and disease sequelae, and the variation in health status within the body represented by omics analysis that lies between exposure and disease. It contains several sub-studies on aging, heated tobacco products, and women's health. This study is notable for its robust design, high participation rate (89%), and long-term repeated surveys. Moreover, it contributes to precision prevention in Japan and East Asia as a well-established multi-omics platform.

Scale development and validation of perimenopausal women disability index in the workplace.

BACKGROUND: Menopausal disorders include obscure symptomatology that greatly reduce work productivity among female workers. Quantifying the impact of menopause-related symptoms on work productivity is very difficult because no such guidelines exist to date. We aimed to develop a scale of overall health status for working women in the perimenopausal period. METHODS: In September, 2021, we conducted an Internet web survey which included 3,645 female workers aged 45-56 years in perimenopausal period. We asked the participants to answer 76 items relevant to menopausal symptomatology, that were created for this study and performed exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses for the scale development. Cronbach's alpha, receiver operating characteristic analysis, and logistic regression analysis were used to verify the developed scale. RESULTS: Approximately 85% participants did not have menstruation or disrupted cycles. Explanatory factor analysis using the maximum likelihood method and Promax rotation identified 21 items with a four-factor structure: psychological symptoms (8 items, α = 0.96); physiological symptoms (6 items, alpha = 0.87); sleep difficulty (4 items, alpha = 0.92); human relationship (3 items, alpha = 0.92). Confirmatory factor analyses found excellent model fit for the four-factor model (RMSR = 0.079; TLI = 0.929; CFI = 0.938). Criterion and concurrent validity were confirmed with high correlation coefficients between each of the four factors, previously validated menopausal symptom questionnaire, and Copenhagen Burnout Inventory scales, respectively (all ps < 0.0001). The developed scale was able to predict absenteeism with 78% sensitivity, 58% specificity, and an AUC of 0.727 (95%CI: 0.696-0.757). Higher scores of each factor as well as total score of the scale were more likely to be associated with work absence experience due to menopause-related symptoms even after adjusting for Copenhagen Burnout Inventory subscales (all ps < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: We found that the developed scale has high validity and reliability and could be a significant indicator of absenteeism for working women in perimenopausal period.

A population-based urinary and plasma metabolomics study of environmental exposure to cadmium.

BACKGROUND: The application of metabolomics-based profiles in environmental epidemiological studies is a promising approach to refine the process of health risk assessment. We aimed to identify potential metabolomics-based profiles in urine and plasma for the detection of relatively low-level cadmium (Cd) exposure in large population-based studies. METHOD: We analyzed 123 urinary metabolites and 94 plasma metabolites detected in fasting urine and plasma samples collected from 1,412 men and 2,022 women involved in the Tsuruoka Metabolomics Cohort Study. Regression analysis was performed for urinary N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), plasma, and urinary metabolites as dependent variables, and urinary Cd (U-Cd, quartile) as an independent variable. The multivariable regression model included age, gender, systolic blood pressure, smoking, rice intake, BMI, glycated hemoglobin, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, alcohol consumption, physical activity, educational history, dietary energy intake, urinary Na/K ratio, and uric acid. Pathway-network analysis was carried out to visualize the metabolite networks linked to Cd exposure. RESULT: Urinary NAG was positively associated with U-Cd, but not at lower concentrations (Q2). Among urinary metabolites in the total population, 45 metabolites showed associations with U-Cd in the unadjusted and adjusted models after adjusting for the multiplicity of comparison with FDR. There were 12 urinary metabolites which showed consistent associations between Cd exposure from Q2 to Q4. Among plasma metabolites, six cations and one anion were positively associated with U-Cd, whereas alanine, creatinine, and isoleucine were negatively associated with U-Cd. Our results were robust by statistical adjustment of various confounders. Pathway-network analysis revealed metabolites and upstream regulator changes associated with mitochondria (ACACB, UCP2, and metabolites related to the TCA cycle). CONCLUSION: These results suggested that U-Cd was associated with metabolites related to upstream mitochondrial dysfunction in a dose-dependent manner. Our data will help develop environmental Cd exposure profiles for human populations.

[Validity assessment of self-reported medication use in a pharmacoepidemiologic study by comparison with prescription record review].

Objectives　Although self-reported questionnaires are widely used to collect information on medication use in epidemiological studies, their validity for studies involving older adults has not been sufficiently assessed. This study evaluated the validity of self-reported medication use using questionnaires in comparison with drug notebooks.Methods　The study enrolled 370 older community dwellers who participated in an aging sub-study survey of the Tsuruoka Metabolomics Cohort Study between April 2019 and March 2021. Medication use was assessed by comparing self-reported questionnaire data with drug notebook records. We analyzed medications used for hypertension, dyslipidemia, myocardial infarction, angina, diabetes, rheumatism, osteoporosis/metabolic bone disease, constipation, anxiety/depression, dementia, asthma, allergy, thrombosis, and thyroid disease. Moreover, gastrointestinal (GI) medications, steroids, and antipyretic analgesics were assessed, and data on injectable medications for osteoporosis/metabolic bone disease was collected. Using drug notebook records, we identified regular medication users by assessing whether they had received oral medication prescriptions covering over 28 days and took the medication within the 90 days preceding the day of their survey. To define medication categories, we used Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification codes. Sensitivity, specificity, and kappa statistics were calculated for each medication using drug notebooks as standards. Those who did not bring their drug notebooks on the day of the survey were defined as non-medication users.Results　The mean age (standard deviation) of the 370 participants (146 men and 224 women) was 73.3 (4.0) years. The sensitivity and specificity for each medication were as follows: hypertension (0.97, 0.97), dyslipidemia (0.93, 0.98), myocardial infarction (0.24, 0.99), diabetes (0.94, 1.00), rheumatism (1.00, 1.00), osteoporosis/metabolic bone disease (0.82, 0.99), constipation (0.71, 0.98), GI conditions (0.63, 0.97), anxiety/depression (0.36, 1.00), dementia (0.67, 1.00), asthma (0.67, 0.98), allergy (0.57, 0.99), thrombosis (0.88, 0.98), steroids (0.80, 0.99), thyroid disease (1.00, 1.00) and antipyretic analgesics (0.75, 0.96).Conclusions　Although sensitivity and specificity differed by medication categories, the results of our population-based cohort study suggested that self-reported questionnaires on medication use among older adults are valid, especially for medications with high sensitivity (≥ 0.8).

The Associated Factors of Low Birthweight Among Term Singletons in Japan: A Pregnancy Birth Registry Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Progress in reducing the global low birthweight (LBW) has been insufficient. Although the focus has been on preventing preterm birth, evidence regarding LBW in term births is limited. Despite its low preterm birth prevalence, Japan has a higher LBW proportion than other developed countries. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of LBW in term singleton births and its associated factors using a national database. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data of neonates registered in the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology Successive Pregnancy Birth Registry System who were born 2013-2017. Exclusion criteria included stillbirths, delivery after 42 gestational weeks, and missing data. Logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the maternal and perinatal factors associated with LBW in term singletons using the data of 715,414 singleton neonates. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of LBW was 18.3%, and 35.7% of LBWs originated from singleton term pregnancies. Multiple logistic regression analyses indicated that both modifiable and non-modifiable factors were independently associated with LBW in term neonates. The modifiable maternal factors included pre-pregnancy underweight, inadequate gestational weight gain, and smoking during pregnancy, while the non-modifiable factors included younger maternal age, nulliparity, hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, cesarean section delivery, female offspring, and congenital anomalies. CONCLUSION: Using the Japanese pregnancy birth registry data, more than one-third of LBWs were found to originate from singleton term pregnancies. Both modifiable and non-modifiable factors were independently associated with LBW in term neonates. Prevention strategies on modifiable risk factor control will be effective in reducing LBW worldwide.

Metabolomics profiles alterations in cigarette smokers and heated tobacco product users.

BACKGROUND: Heated tobacco products (HTPs) have gained global popularity, but their health risks remain unclear. Therefore, the current study aimed to identify plasma metabolites associated with smoking and HTP use in a large Japanese population to improve health risk assessment. METHODS: Metabolomics data from 9,922 baseline participants of the Tsuruoka Metabolomics Cohort Study (TMCS) were analyzed to determine the association between smoking habits and plasma metabolites. Moreover, alterations in smoking-related metabolites among HTP users were examined based on data obtained from 3,334 participants involved from April 2018 to June 2019 in a follow-up survey. RESULTS: Our study revealed that cigarette smokers had metabolomics profiles distinct from never smokers, with 22 polar metabolites identified as candidate biomarkers for smoking. These biomarker profiles of HTP users were closer to those of cigarette smokers than those of never smokers. The concentration of glutamate was higher in cigarette smokers, and biomarkers involved in glutamate metabolism were also associated with cigarette smoking and HTP use. Network pathway analysis showed that smoking was associated with the glutamate pathway, which could lead to endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis of the vessels. CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed that the glutamate pathway is affected by habitual smoking. These changes in the glutamate pathway may partly explain the mechanism by which cigarette smoking causes cardiovascular disease. HTP use was also associated with glutamate metabolism, indicating that HTP use may contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease through mechanisms similar to those in cigarette use.

Changes in Smoking Habits and Behaviors Following the Introduction and Spread of Heated Tobacco Products in Japan and Its Effect on FEV1 Decline: A Longitudinal Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Heated tobacco product (HTP) use in Japan has rapidly increased. Despite this rapid spread, little is known about the health effects of HTP use. We conducted a longitudinal cohort study to investigate the change in smoking habits following the spread of HTP use and its effect on forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) decline. METHODS: Participants consisted of a resident population (n = 2,612; mean age, 67.7 years) with FEV1 measurement in 2012-2014 and 2018-2019, and a worksite population (n = 722; mean age 49.3 years) without FEV1 data. Participants were categorized as combustible cigarette-only smokers, HTP-only users, dual users, past smokers, and never smokers. The association between smoking group and the change in smoking consumption over a mean 5.6 years was examined. Differences in annual FEV1 change between smoking groups were examined in the resident population. RESULTS: Prevalence of HTP-only and dual users in 2018-2019 was 0.8% and 0.6% in the resident population, and 5.0% and 1.9% in the worksite population, respectively. The overall number of tobacco products smoked/used increased in dual users compared to baseline, but not in others. Annual FEV1 decline in dual users tended to be greater than that in cigarette-only smokers (16; 95% confidence interval, -34 to 2 mL/year after full adjustment). Participants switching to HTP-only use 1.7 years before had a similar FEV1 decline as cigarette-only smokers. CONCLUSIONS: HTP use, including dual use, is prevalent even in a rural region of Japan. Dual users appear to smoke/use tobacco products more and have a greater FEV1 decline. Tobacco policy should consider dual use as high-risk.

Validity Assessment of Self-reported Medication Use for Hypertension, Diabetes, and Dyslipidemia in a Pharmacoepidemiologic Study by Comparison With Health Insurance Claims.

BACKGROUND: Although self-reported questionnaires are widely employed in epidemiologic studies, their validity has not been sufficiently assessed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the validity of a self-reported questionnaire on medication use by comparison with health insurance claims and to identify individual determinants of discordance in the Tsuruoka Metabolomics Cohort Study. METHODS: Participants were 2,472 community-dwellers aged 37 to 78 years from the Tsuruoka Metabolomics Cohort Study. Information on lifestyle and medications was collected through a questionnaire. Sensitivity and specificity were determined using health insurance claims from November 2014 to March 2016, which were used as a standard. Potential determinants of discordance were assessed using multivariable logistic regression. RESULTS: The self-reported questionnaire on medication use showed high validity. Sensitivity and specificity were 0.95 (95% CI, 0.93-0.96) and 0.97 (95% CI, 0.96-0.98) for antihypertensive medications, 0.94 (95% CI, 0.91-0.97) and 0.98 (95% CI, 0.98-0.99) for diabetes medications, and 0.84 (95% CI, 0.82-0.87) and 0.98 (95% CI, 0.97-0.99) for dyslipidemia medications, respectively. Males without high education and those who currently smoke cigarettes were found to be associated with discordant reporting which affected sensitivity, especially those with medication use for dyslipidemia. CONCLUSIONS: In this population-based cohort study, we found that the self-reported questionnaire on medication use was a valid measure to capture regular medication users. Sensitivity for dyslipidemia medications was lower than those for the other medications. Type of medication, sex, education years, and smoking status influenced discordance, which affected sensitivity in self-reporting.

Blood Metabolite Signature of Metabolic Syndrome Implicates Alterations in Amino Acid Metabolism: Findings from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) and the Tsuruoka Metabolomics Cohort Study (TMCS).

Rapid lifestyle and dietary changes have contributed to a rise in the global prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), which presents a potential healthcare crisis, owing to its association with an increased burden of multiple cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Prior work has identified the role that genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors can play in the prevalence of MetS. Metabolomics is an important tool to study alterations in biochemical pathways intrinsic to the pathophysiology of MetS. We undertook a metabolomic study of MetS in serum samples from two ethnically distinct, well-characterized cohorts-the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) from the U.S. and the Tsuruoka Metabolomics Cohort Study (TMCS) from Japan. We used multivariate logistic regression to identify metabolites that were associated with MetS in both cohorts. Among the top 25 most significant (lowest p-value) metabolite associations with MetS in each cohort, we identified 18 metabolites that were shared between TMCS and BLSA, the majority of which were classified as amino acids. These associations implicate multiple biochemical pathways in MetS, including branched-chain amino acid metabolism, glutathione production, aromatic amino acid metabolism, gluconeogenesis, and the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Our results suggest that fundamental alterations in amino acid metabolism may be central features of MetS.

Blood Metabolite Signatures of Metabolic Syndrome in Two Cross-Cultural Older Adult Cohorts.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) affects an increasing number of older adults worldwide. Cross-cultural comparisons can provide insight into how factors, including genetic, environmental, and lifestyle, may influence MetS prevalence. Metabolomics, which measures the biochemical products of cell processes, can be used to enhance a mechanistic understanding of how biological factors influence metabolic outcomes. In this study we examined associations between serum metabolite concentrations, representing a range of biochemical pathways and metabolic syndrome in two older adult cohorts: The Tsuruoka Metabolomics Cohort Study (TMCS) from Japan (n = 104) and the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging (BLSA) from the United States (n = 146). We used logistic regression to model associations between MetS and metabolite concentrations. We found that metabolites from the phosphatidylcholines-acyl-alkyl, sphingomyelin, and hexose classes were significantly associated with MetS and risk factor outcomes in both cohorts. In BLSA, metabolites across all classes were uniquely associated with all outcomes. In TMCS, metabolites from the amino acid, biogenic amines, and free fatty acid classes were uniquely associated with MetS, and metabolites from the sphingomyelin class were uniquely associated with elevated triglycerides. The metabolites and metabolite classes we identified may be relevant for future studies exploring disease mechanisms and identifying novel precision therapy targets for individualized medicine.

The efficacy of preoperative positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) for detection of lymph node metastasis in cervical and endometrial cancer: clinical and pathological factors influencing it.

OBJECTIVE: We studied the diagnostic performance of (18)F-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography in cervical and endometrial cancers with particular focus on lymph node metastases. METHODS: Seventy patients with cervical cancer and 53 with endometrial cancer were imaged with (18)F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography before lymphadenectomy. We evaluated the diagnostic performance of (18)F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography using the final pathological diagnoses as the golden standard. RESULTS: We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value of (18)F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography. In cervical cancer, the results evaluated by cases were 33.3, 92.7, 55.6 and 83.6%, respectively. When evaluated by the area of lymph nodes, the results were 30.6, 98.9, 55.0 and 97.0%, respectively. As for endometrial cancer, the results evaluated by cases were 50.0, 93.9, 40.0 and 95.8%, and by area of lymph nodes, 45.0, 99.4, 64.3 and 98.5%, respectively. The limitation of the efficacy was found out by analyzing it by the region of the lymph node, the size of metastatic node, the historical type of tumor in cervical cancer and the prevalence of lymph node metastasis. CONCLUSION: The efficacy of positron emission tomography/computed tomography regarding the detection of lymph node metastasis in cervical and endometrial cancer is not established and has limitations associated with the region of the lymph node, the size of metastasis lesion in lymph node and the pathological type of primary tumor. The indication for the imaging and the interpretation of the results requires consideration for each case by the pretest probability based on the information obtained preoperatively.

Clinicopathologic analysis with immunohistochemistry for DNA mismatch repair protein expression in synchronous primary endometrial and ovarian cancers.

OBJECTIVE: Synchronous primary endometrial and ovarian cancers have been an important topic in clinical medicine because it is sometimes difficult to distinguish whether there are 2 primary tumors or a single primary tumor and an associated metastasis. In addition, although these tumors are recommended for either immunohistochemistry for DNA mismatch repair (MMR) proteins or a microsatellite instability test in the Bethesda guidelines as Lynch syndrome-associated cancers, few studies have completed these analyses. In this study, we characterized the clinicopathologic features and the expression pattern of MMR proteins in synchronous primary endometrial and ovarian cancers. METHODS: Clinicopathologic features and the expression pattern of MMR proteins (MLH1, MSH2, and MSH6) were characterized and analyzed in 32 synchronous primary endometrial and ovarian cancers. RESULTS: Most synchronous cancers are endometrioid type (endometrioid/endometrioid) (n = 24, 75%), grade 1 (n = 19, 59.4%), and diagnosed as stage I (n = 15, 46.9%) in both endometrium and ovary. It is worth mentioning that 75% of the patients (n = 24) had endometriosis, which was more common (n = 21, 87.5%) in endometrioid/endometrioid cancers, whereas only 3 cases (37.5%) were of different histology (P = 0.018). Loss of expression of at least 1 MMR protein was observed in 17 (53.1%) of the endometrial tumors and in 10 (31.3%) of ovarian tumors. Only 4 cases (12.5%) that had specific MMR protein loss showed the same type of loss for both endometrial and ovarian tumors, in which 3 of the cases were losses in MLH1. One case showed concordant MSH6 protein loss, although the cases did not meet the Amsterdam criteria II. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that most synchronous primary endometrial ovarian cancers are not hereditary cancers caused by germ line mutations but rather sporadic cancers.

Drug repositioning for gynecologic tumors: a new therapeutic strategy for cancer.

The goals of drug repositioning are to find a new pharmacological effect of a drug for which human safety and pharmacokinetics are established and to expand the therapeutic range of the drug to another disease. Such drug discovery can be performed at low cost and in the short term based on the results of previous clinical trials. New drugs for gynecologic tumors may be found by drug repositioning. For example, PPAR ligands may be effective against ovarian cancer, since PPAR activation eliminates COX-2 expression, arrests the cell cycle, and induces apoptosis. Metformin, an antidiabetic drug, is effective for endometrial cancer through inhibition of the PI3K-Akt-mTOR pathway by activating LKB1-AMPK and reduction of insulin and insulin-like growth factor-1 due to AMPK activation. COX-2 inhibitors for cervical cancer may also be examples of drug repositioning. PGE2 is induced in the arachidonate cascade by COX-2. PGE2 maintains high expression of COX-2 and induces angiogenic factors including VEGF and bFGF, causing carcinogenesis. COX-2 inhibitors suppress these actions and inhibit carcinogenesis. Combination therapy using drugs found by drug repositioning and current anticancer drugs may increase efficacy and reduce adverse drug reactions. Thus, drug repositioning may become a key approach for gynecologic cancer in drug discovery.

Carcinogenic mechanisms of endometrial cancer: involvement of genetics and epigenetics.

Endometrial cancer is increasing worldwide and the number of patients with this disease is likely to continue to grow, including younger patients. Many endometrial cancers show estrogen-dependent proliferation, but the carcinogenic mechanisms are unknown or not completely explained beyond mutations of single oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Possible carcinogenic mechanisms include imbalance between endometrial proliferation by unopposed estrogen and the mismatch repair (MMR) system; hypermethylation of the MMR gene hMLH1; mutation of PTEN, ß-catenin and K-ras genes in type I endometrial cancer and of HER-2/neu and p53 genes in type II endometrial cancer; hypermethylation of SPRY2, RASSF1A, RSK4, CHFR and CDH1; and methylation of tumor suppressor microRNAs, including miR-124, miR-126, miR-137, miR-491, miR-129-2 and miR-152. Thus, it is likely that the carcinogenic mechanisms of endometrial cancer involve both genetic and epigenetic changes. Mutations and methylation of MMR genes induce various oncogenic changes that cause carcinogenesis, and both MMR mutation in germ cells and methylation patterns may be inherited over generations and cause familial tumorigenesis. Determination of the detailed carcinogenic mechanisms will be useful for prevention and diagnosis of endometrial cancer, risk assessment, and development of new treatment strategies targeting MMR genes.

MicroRNA in cervical cancer: OncomiRs and tumor suppressor miRs in diagnosis and treatment.

Cervical cancer is a female-specific disease with a high incidence and mortality. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are implicated in posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression and in the pathogenic mechanisms of cancer, suggesting their importance in diagnosis and treatment. miRNAs may have roles in the pathogenesis of cervical cancer based on the increases or decreases in several specific miRNAs found in patients with this disease. The miRNAs implicated in cervical cancer are miR-21, miR-126, and miR-143, and clinical application of these miRNAs for diagnosis and treatment is under investigation. Methods for diagnosis of cervical cancer include analysis of changes in the levels of specific miRNAs in serum and determination of aberrant hypermethylation of miRNAs. Supplementation of miR-143 or inhibition of miR-21 activity in vivo may be therapeutic strategy for cervical cancer. Previous approaches to development of siRNA as a drug have provided information for establishment of therapy based on these approaches, and an anti-miR-21 inhibitor has been developed. miRNAs also have effects on drug resistance and may be useful in combination therapy with other drugs.

Reliability of Time-Series Plasma Metabolome Data over 6 Years in a Large-Scale Cohort Study.

Studies examining long-term longitudinal metabolomic data and their reliability in large-scale populations are limited. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the reliability of repeated measurements of plasma metabolites in a prospective cohort setting and to explore intra-individual concentration changes at three time points over a 6-year period. The study participants included 2999 individuals (1317 men and 1682 women) from the Tsuruoka Metabolomics Cohort Study, who participated in all three surveys-at baseline, 3 years, and 6 years. In each survey, 94 plasma metabolites were quantified for each individual and quality control (QC) sample. The coefficients of variation of QC, intraclass correlation coefficients, and change rates of QC were calculated for each metabolite, and their reliability was classified into three categories: excellent, fair to good, and poor. Seventy-six percent (71/94) of metabolites were classified as fair to good or better. Of the 39 metabolites grouped as excellent, 29 (74%) in men and 26 (67%) in women showed significant intra-individual changes over 6 years. Overall, our study demonstrated a high degree of reliability for repeated metabolome measurements. Many highly reliable metabolites showed significant changes over the 6-year period, suggesting that repeated longitudinal metabolome measurements are useful for epidemiological studies.

Association of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease with Arterial Stiffness and its Metabolomic Profiling in Japanese Community-Dwellers.

AIMS: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is known to be associated with atherosclerosis. This study focused on upstream changes in the process by which NAFLD leads to atherosclerosis. The study aimed to confirm the association between NAFLD and the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI), an indicator of subclinical atherosclerosis, and explore metabolites involved in both by assessing 94 plasma polar metabolites. METHODS: A total of 928 Japanese community-dwellers (306 men and 622 women) were included in this study. The association between NAFLD and CAVI was examined using a multivariable regression model adjusted for confounders. Metabolites commonly associated with NAFLD and CAVI were investigated using linear mixed-effects models in which batch numbers of metabolite measurements were used as a random-effects variable, and false discovery rate-adjusted p-values were calculated. To determine the extent to which these metabolites mediated the association between NAFLD and CAVI, mediation analysis was conducted. RESULTS: NAFLD was positively associated with CAVI (coefficients [95% Confidence intervals (CI)]=0.23 [0.09-0.37]; p=0.001). A total of 10 metabolites were involved in NAFLD and CAVI, namely, branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs; valine, leucine, and isoleucine), aromatic amino acids (AAAs; tyrosine and tryptophan), alanine, proline, glutamic acid, glycerophosphorylcholine, and 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate. Mediation analysis showed that BCAAs mediated more than 20% of the total effect in the association between NAFLD and CAVI. CONCLUSIONS: NAFLD was associated with a marker of atherosclerosis, and several metabolites related to insulin resistance, including BCAAs and AAAs, could be involved in the process by which NAFLD leads to atherosclerosis.