The effect of Lactobacillus helveticus fermented milk on sleep and health perception in elderly subjects.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of Lactobacillus helveticus fermented milk on sleep and health perception in elderly healthy subjects. SUBJECTS: The study included 29 healthy elderly subjects aged 60-81 years. METHODS: Prospective, randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled, with a crossover design. The study included two intervention periods of 3 weeks each, separated by a 3-week washout period. Subjects took 100 g of fermented milk drink or a placebo drink (artificially acidified milk) daily in the first supplementary period and the other drink in the second supplementary period. For each period, we measured sleep quality by means of actigraphy and a sleep questionnaire, and assessed the quality of life (QOL) by SF-36 health survey. RESULTS: There was a significant improvement in sleep efficiency (P=0.03) and number of wakening episodes (P=0.007) in actigraph data after intake of fermented milk, whereas no significant changes were observed for the placebo. Fermented milk did not improve the SF-36 scores significantly from the baseline period. In the GH domain (general health perception) of the SF-36, however, there was marginal improvement as compared to the baseline period. Although the difference between fermented milk and placebo was not statistically significant for any of the sleep or QOL parameters, fermented milk produced slightly greater mean values for many parameters. CONCLUSION: This short-term (3-week) intervention study indicates that Lactobacillus helveticus fermented milk may have a more favorable effect on improving sleep in healthy elderly people as compared with placebo.

Effect of forskolin on the expression of claudin-5 in human trophoblast BeWo cells.

Trophoblasts, a cell type found in the placenta, play a pivotal role in the function of the placenta as a barrier between the maternal fluid and the fetus. Recently, claudin, a 24-kDa transmembrane protein, was identified as being responsible for the barrier function of epithelia. In the present study, we investigated the expression profiles of claudin and the changes in expression during the differentiation of BeWo human trophoblast cells. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting demonstrated the expression of claudin-1, -3, -4, and -5 in BeWo cells. Forskolin, which induces the differentiation of BeWo cells from cytotrophoblast-like cells into syncytiotrophoblast-like cells, reduced slightly the expression of claudin-5. This is the first report to show changes in claudin-5 in forskolin-treated BeWo cells.

Short communication: Effects of Lactobacillus helveticus-fermented milk on the differentiation of cultured normal human epidermal keratinocytes.

Effects of Lactobacillus helveticus-fermented milk whey on the differentiation of normal human epidermal keratinocytes were studied. Analysis using real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction revealed that addition of Lactobacillus helveticus-fermented milk whey to the culture medium enhanced mRNA expression of keratin 10, an early differentiation marker, as well as involucrin, a late differentiation marker. Whey of artificially acidified milk, prepared by the addition of dl-lactic acid to milk instead of fermentation, also promoted expression of both markers, but Lactobacillus helveticus-fermented milk whey was more effective in increasing expression of those markers. These results indicate that milk whey has the potential to induce multiple stages of keratinocyte differentiation and that fermentation with Lactobacillus helveticus increases that activity. Furthermore, we examined the expression of profilaggrin, which increases with epidermal terminal differentiation, and found that Lactobacillus helveticus-fermented milk whey enhanced expression of profilaggrin mRNA in a dose-dependent manner. Expression also occurred to a greater extent than with artificially acidified milk whey or other whey samples prepared with several lactic acid bacterial species. Because the proteolytically processed form of profilaggrin, filaggrin, is very important for normal epidermal hydration and flexibility, our results indicate that Lactobacillus helveticus-fermented milk whey has the potential to enhance the production of filaggrin-related natural moisturizing factor, because of its effect on the induction of epidermal differentiation, and is expected to be a useful skin moisturizing agent.

1,2,4,5-Tetraoxacycloalkanes: synthesis and antimalarial activity.

In this short review the methods of preparation of novel 1,2,4,5-tetraoxacycloalkanes and the related peroxides are summarized, with the emphasis on the usefulness of 1,1-bishydroperoxides as the precursor. Also, their antimalarial activities in vitro and in vivo are discussed.

Comparison of transgene expression mediated by several Fiber-modified adenovirus vectors in trophoblast cells.

The transfer of genes of interest is a useful method for studying placental biology. Recombinant adenovirus (Ad) vector is an efficient vector for transgene expression. An interaction between the fiber of Ad and the coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor on the cell membrane is the first step in infection. We previously developed fiber-modified Ad vectors and showed that they improved transgene activity in several cell lines when compared to wild-type vector. In the present study, we examined the ability of three fiber-modified Ad vectors to transduce human choriocarcinoma cell lines (JEG-3, JAR and BeWo) and rat trophoblast cell lines (Rcho-1, TR-TBT 18d-1 and TR-TBT 18d-2). We compared the transgene efficacy of wild-type Ad-L2 vector, Ad-RGD(HI)-L2 vector containing an Arg-Gly-Asp motif, Ad-K7(C)-L2 vector containing a 7-tandem lysine motif, and Ad-RGD(HI)K7(C)-L2 vector containing both motifs in the fiber. We used the luciferase gene as a reporter gene. In the human and rodent trophoblast cell lines, Ad-RGD(HI)-L2 had the greatest infectious potential, followed by Ad-RGD(HI)K7(C)-L2, Ad-K7(C)-L2 and Ad-L2. Compared to the amount of luciferase produced by wild-type vector, Ad-RGD(HI)-L2 mediated 8.1-fold the amount of luciferase in JEG-3 cells, 13.5-fold in JAR cells, 76.8-fold in BeWo cells, 5.0-fold in Rcho-1, 19.4-fold in TR-TBT 18d-1 and 15.0-fold in TR-TBT 18d-2. These results indicate that Ad-RGD(HI) is a potential recombinant Ad vector for transgene expression in some trophoblast cell lines.

Synthesis and antimalarial activity of novel medium-sized 1,2,4,5-tetraoxacycloalkanes.

CsOH- or Ag(2)O-mediated cycloalkylation of (alkylidene)bisperoxides 3 and 1,n-dihaloalkanes (n = 3-8) provided the corresponding medium-sized 1,2,4,5-tetraoxacycloalkanes 4-8 in moderate yields. Subsequent evaluation of the antimalarial activity of the cyclic peroxides 4-8 in vitro and in vivo revealed that 1,2,6,7-tetraoxaspiro[7.11]nonadecane 4a has considerable potential as a new, inexpensive, and potent antimalarial drug.

Halonium ion-mediated reaction of unsaturated hydroperoxy acetals. Competition between the formation of cyclic peroxides and the migration of the methoxy (or hydroxy) group.

Monoozonolyses of dienes 2 in methanol gave in each case the corresponding unsaturated alpha-methoxy hydroperoxides 3. Capture of 2-alkyl-substituted cyclohexanone oxides by methanol was highly diastereoselective, thereby providing exclusively the hydroperoxides derived from attack by methanol from the less hindered face of the carbonyl oxide intermediates. Halonium ion-mediated reactions of the hydroperoxides 3 gave the novel methoxy- or hydroxy-migrated products, together with the expected halogen-substituted 1, 2-dioxanes and/or 1,2-dioxepanes, the composition of the product mixture being a function of the halogenating agent utilized and the structure of 3.

Synthesis and antimalarial activity of cyclic peroxides, 1,2,4,5, 7-pentoxocanes and 1,2,4,5-tetroxanes.

A variety of 1,2,4,5,7-pentoxocane and 1,2,4,5-tetroxane derivatives were prepared as potential peroxide antimalarial agents. In both series of cyclic peroxides, the steric and electronic effects of the substituents attached to the peroxide ring exert a remarkable influence on the antimalarial activity. For some cyclic peroxides, which were found to be highly effective in vitro, the study in vivo has been also conducted.

Leukocyte emigration in normal calves and calves with leukocyte adhesion deficiency.

The emigration of leukocytes from calves with beta 2 integrin deficiency (BLAD) into bronchoalveolar spaces and scraped tissues was compared to that of normal calves. Polymorphonuclear neutrophils were found in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from BLAD-affected calves showing chronic pneumonia. The neutrophils were complement receptor type 3 (CR3)-negative when characterized by flow cytometric analysis using anti-CD18 monoclonal antibody. Chemiluminescent response mediated by CR3 in neutrophils isolated from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from BLAD-calves showed similar findings obtained from CR3-deficient neutrophils. Neutrophils from normal calves migrated into scraped tissue which was prepared in an upper gluteal surface area, whereas few leukocytes from calves with BLAD migrated to the scraped tissue, evaluated by skin window (Rebuck) method. These findings confirmed the extravasation of CR3-deficient leukocytes into bronchoalveolar lumen in BLAD calves, and demonstrated in vivo characteristics of extravasating property of normal and CR3-deficient neutrophils into scraped tissues.

The extracts from rat submandibular glands induce the erythroid differentiation of K-562 cells.

The extracts from rat submandibular glands (SMGs) induced erythroid differentiation of K-562. The activity was non-dialysable and abolished by heat, trypsin or 2-mercaptoethanol. Follistatin, which neutralizes the erythroid differentiation factor (EDF), had no effects on this activity. Analysis by gel chromatography and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis-isoelectric focussing showed that the characteristics of this substance were different from those of erythropoietin, TGF-beta 1, EDF, stem cell factor and insulin-like growth factor-1. These results suggest the presence of a novel substance in rat SMGs which induces erythroid differentiation of K-562.

Effects of estrogen replacement on insulin-like growth factor I concentrations in serum and bone tissue and on interleukin 1 secretion from spleen macrophages in oophorectomized rats.

Oophorectomy (OOX) has been known to increase bone turnover, but its precise mechanism is not fully understood. In order to further investigate the mechanism, we determined insulinlike growth factor I (IGF-I) concentrations in serum and bone tissue and interleukin 1 (IL-1) release from spleen macrophages in oophorectomized rats because it has been demonstrated that IGF-I stimulates bone formation and IL-1 stimulates bone resorption. Female 8-week-old Wistar rats were divided into four groups: (1) control, (2) OOX, (3) OOX given estradiol, and (4) control given estradiol. Ten micrograms/kg of 17 beta-estradiol was given daily by subcutaneous injection. After 5 weeks of treatment, IGF-I concentrations in the extract from right femur and in serum were determined by specific radioimmunoassay. IL-1 activity released from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated spleen macrophages was determined by bioassay. IGF-I contents in the femur and IGF-I concentrations in serum in oophorectomized rats were significantly higher than those in control rats. Treatment by estradiol inhibited the increase in IGF-I concentrations both in femur and in serum. IL-1 release from LPS-stimulated spleen macrophages in oophorectomized rats was increased, and treatment by estradiol also inhibited the stimulated IL-1 release. The ash weights and the calcium contents of left femur in oophorectomized rats were lower than those in control rats. These results suggest that both IGF-I and IL-1 may be involved in the mechanism of the regulation of bone turnover in oophorectomized rats.

Production of a specific monoclonal antibody to terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) and the extensive studies of TdT in patients with hematological malignancies.

Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) was purified from calf thymus and a monoclonal antibody-producing clone was produced by the fusion of mouse myeloma cells and spleen cells of mice immunized with the purified enzyme. The antigens recognized by an immunoadsorbent column revealed TdT, whose molecular weight was 62 kDa. The extensive study of TdT in 196 patients with hematological disorders was done. The results from immunofluorescent analysis corresponded well to the results of biochemical assays of this enzyme. This monoclonal antibody will provide a useful means for the survey of leukemia and lymphoma patients.

Characteristics of steroid hormone receptors in cultured MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells and effect of steroid hormones on cell proliferation.

We examined the binding characteristics of three kinds of steroid hormones--estrogen, androgen, and glucocorticoid--in cultured MC3T3-E1 mouse osteoblastic cells by whole-cell binding assay. The binding studies revealed the presence of a single class of high-affinity binding sites for [3H]17 beta-estradiol, [3H]mibolerone (a synthetic androgen), and [3H]triamcinolone acetonide (a synthetic glucocorticoid). The numbers of binding sites for these steroid hormones were found to be 4534 +/- 819, 14312 +/- 1884, and 24898 +/- 655 sites/cell; and the Kd values were 8.57 +/- 0.62 x 10(-10) M, 1.12 +/- 0.19 x 10(-9) M, and 6.08 +/- 1.24 x 10(-10) M, respectively. We also examined the effects of steroid hormones on the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells. 17 beta-estradiol significantly stimulated the proliferation of the cells (130-150% of control). Dihydrotestosterone also significantly stimulated the proliferation of the cells (115% of control); the effect was, however, much less potent than that of 17 beta-estradiol, although the number of binding sites was approximately three times more than that of 17 beta estradiol. Triamcinolone acetonide and dexamethasone had no effect on cell proliferation. These results suggest that estrogen and androgen act directly on osteoblastic cells through a receptor-mediated mechanism, and that androgen is much less potent than estrogen in stimulating the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells.

Effect of parathyroid hormone on release of interleukin 1 and interleukin 6 from cultured mouse osteoblastic cells.

This study was undertaken to examine the possibility that parathyroid hormone promotes the production of interleukin 1 and 6 in MC3T3-E1 osteoblastic cells derived from mouse calvaria. The cells were incubated in serum-free medium with or without synthetic human parathyroid hormone(1-34). The concentrations of interleukin 1 and 6 in the culture medium were determined by using specific bioassay. The cells cultured without parathyroid hormone for 24 hr released both of interleukins, and parathyroid hormone stimulated the release in a dose-dependent manner. When the cells were cultured with 10(-6) M parathyroid hormone, the release of both interleukins from the cells remained higher than control up to 144 hr. These results suggest that interleukin 1 and 6 release stimulated by parathyroid hormone may be involved in the bone resorbing activity of the hormone.