Elsevier Sci Ltd. Acta Medica Okayama 0021-9290 42 13 2009 Mechanical stretch stimulates integrin ��V��3-mediated collagen expression in human anterior cruciate ligament cells 2097 2103 EN Tomonori Tetsunaga Takayuki Furumatsu Nobuhiro Abe Keiichiro Nishida Keiji Naruse Toshifumi Ozaki Biomechanical stimuli have fundamental roles in the maintenance and remodeling of ligaments including collagen gene expressions. Mechanical stretching signals are mainly transduced by cell adhesion molecules such as integrins. However, the relationships between stress-induced collagen expressions and integrin-mediated cellular behaviors are still unclear in anterior cruciate ligament cells. Here, we focused on the stretch-related responses of different cells derived from the ligament-to-bone interface and midsubstance regions of human anterior cruciate ligaments. Chondroblastic interface cells easily lost their potential to produce collagen genes in non-stretched conditions, rather than fibroblastic midsubstance cells. Uni-axial mechanical stretches increased the type I collagen gene expression of interface and midsubstance cells up to 14- and 6-fold levels of each non-stretched control, respectively. Mechanical stretches also activated the stress fiber formation by shifting the distribution of integrin ��V��3 to the peripheral edges in both interface and midsubstance cells. In addition, integrin ��V��3 colocalized with phosphorylated focal adhesion kinase in stretched cells. Functional blocking analyses using anti-integrin antibodies revealed that the stretch-activated collagen gene expressions on fibronectin were dependent on integrin ��V��3-mediated cellular adhesions in the interface and midsubstance cells. These findings suggest that the integrin ��V��3-mediated stretch signal transduction might have a key role to stimulate collagen gene expression in human anterior cruciate ligament, especially in the ligament-to-bone interface. No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Academic Press Inc Elsevier Science Acta Medica Okayama 0006-291X 402 2 2010 Combined use of bFGF and GDF-5 enhances the healing of medial collateral ligament injury 329 334 EN Kenta Saiga Takayuki Furumatsu Aki Yoshida Shin Masuda Shota Takihira Nobuhiro Abe Toshifumi Ozaki Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and growth and differentiation factor (GDF)-5 stimulate the healing of medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury. However, the effect of isolated and combined use of bFGF/GDF-5 remains still unclear. We investigated cellular proliferation and migration responding to bFGF/GDF-5 using rabbit MCL fibroblasts. Rabbit MCL injury was treated by bFGF and/or GDF-5 with peptide hydrogels. Gene expression and deposition of collagens in healing tissues were evaluated. bFGF/GDF-5 treatment additively enhanced cell proliferation and migration. bFGF/GDF-5 hydrogels stimulated Col1a1 expression without increasing Col3a1 expression. Combined use of bFGF/GDF-5 stimulated type I collagen deposition and the reorganization of fiber alignment, and induced better morphology of fibroblasts in healing MCLs. Our study indicates that combined use of bFGF/GDF-5 might enhance MCL healing by increasing proliferation and migration of MCL fibroblasts, and by regulating collagen synthesis and connective fiber alignment. No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

���R��w�� Acta Medica Okayama 0030-1558 123 1 2011 �G�O�\���x�ё��� 53 55 EN Nobuhiro Abe No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Okayama University Medical School Acta Medica Okayama 0386-300X 52 4 1998 Evaluation of Rheumatoid Arthritis Using a Scoring System Devised from Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Rheumatoid Knees 211 224 EN Kazuhiro Takeuchi Hajime Inoue Yoshiki Yokoyama Masuo Senda Yusuke Ota Nobuhiro Abe Keiichiro Nishida Article 10.18926/AMO/31296 <p>We studied the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of 120 knees in 86 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and of 14 unaffected knees in 12 control cases. We also developed a scoring system as a quantitative analysis method. We divided the MRI into 10 items, and classified the severity of the symptoms into 4 grades (score 0 to 3). The average total score increased according to the radiographic grade. Soft tissue lesions were clearly detected, even in the early stages of RA. Items such as synovial proliferation showed a high score even in the early stages, suggesting that it was the initial symptom of RA. The score also showed a correlation with the inflammatory signs. These results suggest that this scoring system is very sensitive and yields a good reflection of RA activity. We demonstrated that this system is simple and convenient for routine diagnostic use. We further demonstrated that it is useful for following the advancement of RA and for evaluating the response to treatment.</p> No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Okayama University Medical School Acta Medica Okayama 0386-300X 62 3 2008 Novel magnetic resonance imaging evaluation for valgus instability of the knee caused by medial collateral ligament injury 185 191 EN Hisanori Ikuma Nobuhiro Abe Youichiro Uchida Takayuki Furumatsu Kazuo Fujiwara Keiichiro Nishida Toshifumi Ozaki Original Article 10.18926/AMO/30974 <p>Instability of the knee after the medial collateral ligament (MCL) injury is usually assessed with the manual valgus stress test, even though, in recent years, it has become possible to apply magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to the assessment of the damage of the ligament. The valgus instability of 24 patients (12 isolated injuries and 12 multiple ligament injuries) who suffered MCL injury between 1993 and 1998 was evaluated with the Hughston and Eilers classification, which involves radiographic assessment under manual valgus stress to the injured knees. We developed a novel system for classifying the degree of injury to the MCL by calculating the percentage of injured area based on MRI and investigated the relationship between this novel MRI classification and the magnitude of valgus instability by the Hughston and Eilers classification. There was a significant correlation between the 2 classifications (p=0.0006). On the other hand, the results using other MRI based classification systems, such as the Mink and Deutsch classificaiton and the Petermann classification, were not correlated with the findings by the Hughston and Eilers classification in these cases (p0.05). Since MRI is capable of assessing the injured ligament in clinical practice, this novel classification system would be useful for evaluating the stability of the knee and choosing an appropriate treatment following MCL injury.</p> No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Okayama University Medical School Acta Medica Okayama 0386-300X 60 3 2006 Decreased levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor relevant to the ossification disturbance in femoral heads spontaneous hypertensive rats. 141 148 EN Takamitsu Komiyama Keiichiro Nishida Masanori Yorimitsu Hideyuki Doi Shinichi Miyazawa Ai Kitamura Aki Yoshida Yoshihisa Nasu Nobuhiro Abe Toshifumi Ozaki Article 10.18926/AMO/30749 Ossification disturbance in femoral head reportedly is seen in the Spontaneously Hypertensive rats (SHR) between ages of 10 and 20 weeks. We investigated serum and tissue levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in SHR relevant to the ossification disturbance and osteonecrosis of the femoral head. Serum levels of IGF-1 and VEGF were significantly lower in SHR than in Wistar Kyoto rats (WKY) at weeks 5, 10, 15 and 20 (p&#60;0.005). The incidence of histological ossification disturbance of the femoral head was higher in SHR (59%) than in WKY (40%) at week 20. Lower serum and local levels of VEGF in SHR appeared to be related to the incomplete ossification of the femoral heads. Immunohistochemical study showed significantly lower numbers of IGF-1 and VEGF positive chondrocytes in the femoral epiphyseal cartilage of SHR than in those of WKY at weeks 10, 15 and 20. Our results suggest that local and/or systemic levels of IGF-1 and VEGF between ages of 5 and 20 weeks might play roles in the pathogenesis of ossifi cation disturbance of the femoral head in SHR. No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Okayama University Medical School Acta Medica Okayama 0386-300X 50 2 1996 Femoral neck fracture following avascular necrosis of the femoral head. 111 117 EN Masaaki Usui Hajime Inoue Shigehumi Yukihiro Nobuhiro Abe Article 10.18926/AMO/30487 <p>&#60;P&#62;Four cases of femoral neck fracture following avascular necrosis of the femoral head were studied histologically. All four patients were women who had received steroid therapy, three of them for systemic lupus erythematosus and the other for idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. Two types of fracture were found according to the site and the mechanism of fracture. One was at the junction between the necrotic bone and the repairing bone, and it can thus be regarded as a stress fracture. The other type of fracture commenced at the superior portion of the junction between the femoral head and neck, which was weak due to the repair reaction. The fracture line extended to the inferior cortex of the femoral neck, as often occurs in the elderly. In one patient, the femoral neck fracture was the first sign of avascular necrosis of the femoral head. &#60;/P&#62;</p> No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Acta Medica Okayama 1994 The complete primary structure of the long form of mouse �� 1 (�\) collagen chain and its expression during limb development EN Nobuhiro Abe No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.