AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a master regulator of cellular metabolism, is a potential target for type 2 diabetes. Although extensive in vitro studies have revealed the complex regulation of AMPK, much remains unknown about the regulation in vivo. We therefore developed transgenic mice expressing a highly sensitive fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based biosensor for AMPK, called AMPKAR-EV. AMPKAR-EV allowed us to readily examine the role of LKB1, a canonical stimulator of AMPK, in drug-induced activation and inactivation of AMPK in vitro. In transgenic mice expressing AMPKAR-EV, the AMP analog AICAR activated AMPK in muscle. In contrast, the antidiabetic drug metformin activated AMPK in liver, highlighting the organ-specific action of AMPK stimulators. Moreover, we found that AMPK was activated primarily in fast-twitch muscle fibers after tetanic contraction and exercise. These observations suggest that the AMPKAR-EV mouse will pave a way to understanding the heterogeneous responses of AMPK among cell types in vivo.

Background and purpose:Various complications consequent on disordered calcium and phosphate homeostasis occur frequently in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Particularly, vascular calcification has high morbidity and mortality rates. There is a clear need for a better CKD model to examine various aspects of this disordered homeostasis. Experimental approach: Oral dosing with adenine induced CKD in rats in only 10 days. Serum calcium, phosphate and parathyroid hormone were measured and calcification in aorta was assessed histologically. The effects of varying phosphorus content of diet or treatment with phosphate binders or active vitamin D3 on these parameters were examined. Key results: After adenine dosing, significant hyperphosphatemia, hypocalcemia and secondary hyperparathyroidism (2HPT) were observed during the experimental period of 15 weeks. Aortic calcification was detected in only some of the animals even at 15 weeks (~40%). Treatment with vitamin D3 for 18 days, even at a low dose (100 ng·kg -1 , 3-4 times week -1 , p.o), caused aortic calcification in all animals and increases in serum calcium levels up to the normal range. The vitamin D3-induced calcification was significantly inhibited by phosphate binders which lowered serum phosphate levels and the calcium ¥ phosphate product, although serum calcium levels were elevated. Conclusions: These data suggest that rats dosed orally with adenine provide a more useful model for analysing calcium/ phosphate homeostasis in severe CKD. Controlling serum calcium/phosphate levels with phosphate binders may be better than vitamin D3 treatment in hyperphosphatemia and 2HPT, to avoid vascular calcification.

Early acute rejection in LDLT is significantly associated with antidonor T cell antibody formation in ABO-compatible cases. This suggests a definite role for donor-specific humoral immunity in acute rejection. Rejection episodes without antidonor antibodies may suggest graft injury by pure cellular immunity, or possibly the presence of humoral immunity triggered by antigens not present on donor T cells.

Background: Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) is used to differentiate between calcification and iron deposits. Few studies have examined the relationship between CT attenuation values and magnetic susceptibility in such materials. Purpose:To assess the relationship among metal concentration, CT attenuation values, and magnetic susceptibility in paramagnetic and diamagnetic phantoms, and the relationship between CT attenuation values and susceptibility in brain structures that have paramagnetic or diamagnetic properties. Materials and Methods:In this retrospective study, CT and MRI with QSM were performed in gadolinium and calcium phantoms, patients, and healthy volunteers between June 2016 and September 2017. In the phantom study, we evaluated correlations among metal concentration, CT attenuation values, and susceptibility. In the human study, Pearson and Spearman correlations were performed to assess the relationship between CT attenuation values and susceptibility in regions of interest placed in the globus pallidus (GP), putamen, caudate nucleus, substantia nigra, red nucleus, dentate nucleus, choroid plexus, and hemorrhagic and calcified lesions.Results: Eighty-four patients (mean age, 64.8 years 6 19.6; 49 women) and 20 healthy volunteers (mean age, 72.0 years 6 7.6; 11 men) were evaluated. In the phantoms, strong linear correlations were identified between gadolinium concentration and CT and MRI QSM values (R 2 = 0.95 and 0.99, respectively; P , .001 for both) and between calcium concentration and CT and MRI QSM values (R 2 = 0.89 [P = .005] and R 2 = 0.98 [P , .001], respectively). In human studies, positive correlations between CT attenuation values and susceptibility were observed in the GP (R 2 = 0.52, P , .001) and in hemorrhagic lesions (R 2 = 0.38, P , .001), and negative correlations were found in the choroid plexus (R 2 = 0.53, P , .001) and in calcified lesions (R 2 = 0.38, P = .009). Conclusion:CT attenuation values showed a positive correlation with susceptibility in the globus pallidus and hemorrhagic lesions and negative correlation in the choroid plexus and calcified lesions.

SUMMARYActivation of human natural killer (NK ) cells involves sequential events including cytokine production and induction of cell surface molecules, resulting in the enhancement of cytolytic activity. To delineate the activation process of NK cells, we generated murine monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against YT, a human large granular lymphocyte/natural killer (LGL/NK ) cell line. Among the mAbs reactive with YT cells, one mAb, termed 2B9, was noted because of the lack of reactivity with most of the human T-and B-cell lines tested. In fresh peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC ), however, the majority of cells expressing this antigen (Ag) were T cells but not CD16+ nor CD56+ NK cells. Since YT cells showed an activated phenotype expressing interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor a chain, we examined whether 2B9 Ag could be induced on normal human peripheral blood NK cells by cytokines known to activate NK cells. The 2B9 Ag was induced on NK cells by IL-2, IL-12 or IL-15 while no induction was observed by interferon-c (IFN-c). Biochemical analysis showed that anti-2B9 mAb recognized a 115 kDa molecule in YT cells. A cDNA clone encoding the 2B9 Ag was isolated from a cDNA expression library of YT cells and its sequence was identical to CD26 cDNA although it was not of full length. Transient expression of the 2B9 cDNA on COS-7 cells revealed that this cDNA encodes the antigenic epitope(s) recognized by anti-2B9 mAb as well as Ta1, an anti-CD26 mAb. These results showed that the 2B9 Ag is identical to CD26, and demonstrated that CD26 is an activation antigen on CD16+ CD56+ NK cells inducible by IL-2, IL-12 or IL-15.