Faculty Profiles - WADA Jun

Papers - WADA Jun

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A Case of Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum with juvenile-onset hypertension. Reviewed

Katsuyoshi Katayama, Haruhito A Uchida, Aya Takehara, Jun Wada

Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan) 2024.4

Reduced Immunogenicity of COVID-19 Vaccine in Obese Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study. Reviewed

Hiroko Takahashi, Jun Eguchi, Mayu Watanabe, Masanori Nakayama, Jun Wada

Acta medica Okayama 78 ( 2 ) 185 - 191 2024.4

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

The global pandemic of coronavirus infection 2019 (COVID-19) was an unprecedented public health emergency. Several clinical studies reported that heart disease, lung disease, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and obesity are critical risk factors for increased severity of and hospitalization for COVID-19. This is largely because patients with these underlying medical conditions can show poor immune responses to the COVID-19 vaccinations. Diabetes is one of the underlying conditions most highly associated with COVID-19 susceptibility and is considered a predictor of poor prognosis of COVID-19. We therefore investigated factors that influence the anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG antibody titer after three doses of vaccination in patients with type 2 diabetes. We found that obesity was associated with low anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG antibody titers following three-dose vaccination in type 2 diabetics. Obese patients with type 2 diabetes may have attenuated vaccine efficacy and require additional vaccination; continuous infection control should be considered in such patients.

DOI： 10.18926/AMO/66927

Effects of HIF-PHD inhibitors in kidney development Reviewed International journal

Soichiro Haraguchi, Kenji Tsuji, Hiroyuki Nakanoh, Kazuhiko Fukushima, Shinji Kitamura, Jun Wada

Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation 39 ( 8 ) 1368 - 1370 2024.3

The first presentation of a case of nail-patella syndrome newly diagnosed at the onset of rheumatoid arthritis: a case report. Reviewed International journal

Kazuya Matsumoto, Yoshinori Matsumoto, Shoichi Nawachi, Yosuke Asano, Yu Katayama, Yoshia Miyawaki, Takayuki Katsuyama, Eri Katsuyama, Yoshihisa Nasu, Ken-Ei Sada, Jun Wada

BMC musculoskeletal disorders 25 ( 1 ) 139 - 139 2024.2

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

BACKGROUND: Nail-patella syndrome (NPS) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder that is characterized by dysplasia of the nails, hypoplasia and/or dislocation of the patella and the presence of iliac horns. Using the CARE guidelines, we present the first reported case of NPS that was newly diagnosed at the onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). CASE PRESENTATION: A 74-year-old man was admitted to our hospital due to an 8-month history of arthralgia in bilateral wrists, elbows and fingers. He had a past history of glaucoma and left patella dislocation that had been operatively recentered at the age of 15 years. Laboratory data showed elevated levels of serum C-reactive protein and rheumatoid factor and an elevated titer of anti-SS-A antibodies, while estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), titers of other antibodies and the results of a urinary test were normal. An X-ray showed deformity of bilateral radial heads and the right elbow, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of his hands showed synovitis and erosion in the multiple swollen joints of the wrists and fingers. In addition to these typical features of RA, he had bilateral thumb nail dysplasia with mild hypoplasia of bilateral patellae and iliac horns as shown by the X-ray. He was diagnosed as having autosomal dominant disorder NPS co-existing with RA and he was treated with methotrexate in combination with an oral Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, leading to induction of remission. CONCLUSIONS: We have presented a rare case of NPS that was newly diagnosed at the onset of RA. Clinical and radiographic findings of NPS are highlighted in this case report for diagnosing NPS on the basis of typical manifestations.

DOI： 10.1186/s12891-024-07242-2

A Multicenter, Open-Label, Single-Arm Trial of the Efficacy and Safety of Empagliflozin Treatment for Refractory Diabetes Mellitus with Insulin Resistance (EMPIRE-01). Reviewed International journal

Yushi Hirota, Yasumasa Kakei, Junta Imai, Hideki Katagiri, Ken Ebihara, Jun Wada, Junichi Suzuki, Tatsuhiko Urakami, Takashi Omori, Wataru Ogawa

Diabetes therapy : research, treatment and education of diabetes and related disorders 15 ( 2 ) 533 - 545 2024.2

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

INTRODUCTION: Insulin resistance syndrome and lipoatrophic diabetes are characterized by severe insulin resistance and are often refractory to treatment. Trials assessing the efficacy of antidiabetes drugs for these rare conditions have been limited, however. Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, which lower glycemia independently of insulin action, have shown efficacy for type 2 diabetes with insulin resistance. We here investigated the efficacy and safety of the SGLT2 inhibitor empagliflozin for treatment of insulin resistance syndrome and lipoatrophic diabetes. METHODS: The trial was conducted at five academic centers in Japan and included seven patients with insulin resistance syndrome and one patient with lipoatrophic diabetes. Participants received 10 mg of empagliflozin daily. If the hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level was ≥ 7.0% (52 mmol/mol) after 12 weeks, the dose was adjusted to 25 mg. The study duration was 24 weeks, and the primary outcome was the change in HbA1c level by the end of the treatment period. Safety evaluations were performed for all participants. RESULTS: By the end of the 24-week treatment period, the mean HbA1c level for all eight patients had decreased by 0.99 percentage points (10.8 mmol/mol) (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 1.38 percentage points, 6.6 to 14.9 mmol/mol) and the mean fasting plasma glucose concentration had declined by 63.9 mg/dL (3.55 mmol/L) (95% CI 25.5 to 102.3 mg/dL, 1.42 to 5.68 mmol/L). Continuous glucose monitoring revealed a reduction in mean glucose levels from 164.3 ± 76.1 to 137.6 ± 46.6 mg/dL (9.13 ± 4.23 to 7.65 ± 2.59 mmol/L) as well as an increase in the time in range (70-180 mg/dL) from 58.9 ± 36.1% to 70.8 ± 18.3%. Seventeen mild adverse events were recorded in five individuals throughout the study period. No severe events were reported. The mean body mass showed a slight decrease and the mean serum ketone body concentration showed a slight increase during treatment. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that empagliflozin shows a certain level of efficacy and safety for treatment of insulin resistance syndrome and lipoatrophic diabetes. TRIAL REGISTRATION: jRCTs2051190029 and NCT04018365.

DOI： 10.1007/s13300-023-01526-x

Late-onset renal variant Fabry disease with R112H mutation and mild increase in plasma globotriaosylsphingosine: a case report. Reviewed International journal

Keiko Tanaka, Hitoshi Sugiyama, Hiroshi Morinaga, Akifumi Onishi, Katsuyuki Tanabe, Haruhito A Uchida, Hiroki Maruyama, Jun Wada

Frontiers in medicine 11 1383309 - 1383309 2024

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Fabry disease (FD) is an X-linked disorder resulting in a deficiency of α-galactosidase A (GLA) activity. The R112H mutation of GLA is relatively common in Japanese FD patients, characterized by a late-onset phenotype, almost normal to mild lyso-Gb3 elevation, and mild clinical symptoms, despite low GLA activity. This is due to the structural features of the R112H GLA protein. We herein report the case of a 42-year-old male patient with late-onset FD with a R112H mutation. The patient exhibited only renal involvement with no other organ damage and was successfully treated with galactosidase beta and subsequent migalastat for approximately 10 years. Especially, migalastat was clinically effective in normalizing plasma lyso-Gb3 levels and inhibiting the progression of renal damage associated with FD. Therefore, the use of migalastat in the FD patients with R112H mutation is highly recommended based on this case report.

DOI： 10.3389/fmed.2024.1383309

Inhibition of Amino Acids Influx into Proximal Tubular Cells Improves Lysosome Function in Diabetes. Reviewed International journal

Yuzuki Kano, Satoshi Yamaguchi, Koki Mise, Chieko Kawakita, Yasuhiro Onishi, Naoko Kurooka, Ryosuke Sugawara, Haya Hamed Hassan Albuayjan, Atsuko Nakatsuka, Jun Eguchi, Jun Wada

Kidney360 5 ( 2 ) 182 - 194 2023.12

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

BACKGROUND: Inhibition of glucose influx into proximal tubular cells (PTCs) by sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors revealed prominent therapeutic impacts on diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Collectrin (CLTRN) serves as a chaperone for the trafficking of neutral amino acid transporters in the apical membranes of proximal tubular cells. We investigated the beneficial effects of reduced influx of amino acids into proximal tubular cells in diabetes and obesity model of Cltrn-/y mice. METHODS: Cltrn+/y and Cltrn-/y mice at 5 weeks of age were assigned to standard diet- (STD) and streptozotocin and high fat diet-treated (STZ-HFD) groups. RESULTS: At 22-23 weeks of age, body weight and HbA1c levels significantly increased in STZ-HFD-Cltrn+/y compared to STD-Cltrn+/y; however, they were not altered in STZ-HFD-Cltrn-/y compared to STZ-HFD-Cltrn+/y. At 20 weeks of age, urinary albumin creatinine ratio (UACR) was significantly reduced in STZ-HFD-Cltrn-/y compared to STZ-HFD-Cltrn+/y. Under the treatments with STZ and HFD, the Cltrn gene deficiency caused significant increase in urinary concentration of amino acids such as Gln, His, Gly, Thr, Tyr, Val, Trp, Phe, Ile, Leu and Pro. In proximal tubular cells in STZ-HFD-Cltrn+/y, the enlarged lysosomes with diameter of 10 μm or more were associated with reduced autolysosomes, and the formation of giant lysosomes was prominently suppressed in STZ-HFD-Cltrn-/y. Phospho-mTOR and inactive form of phospho-TFEB were reduced in STZ-HFD-Cltrn-/y compared to STZ-HFD-Cltrn+/y. CONCLUSIONS: The reduction of amino acids influx into proximal tubular cells inactivated mTOR, activated TFEB, improved lysosome function, and ameliorated vacuolar formation of PTCs in STZ-HFD-Cltrn-/y mice.

DOI： 10.34067/KID.0000000000000333

Kidney Veno-Muscular Characteristics and Kidney Disease Progression: A Native Kidney-Biopsy Study. Reviewed International journal

Kenji Tsuji, Hiroyuki Nakanoh, Kensaku Takahashi, Takafumi Morita, Yizhen Sang, Kazuhiko Fukushima, Natsumi Matsuoka-Uchiyama, Yasuhiro Onishi, Haruhito A Uchida, Shinji Kitamura, Jun Wada

Kidney medicine 5 ( 12 ) 100733 - 100733 2023.12

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

RATIONALE & OBJECTIVE: Assessment of kidney biopsies provides crucial information for diagnosis and disease activity, as well as prognostic value. Kidney-biopsy specimens occasionally contain veno-muscular complex (VMC), which consists of muscle tissues around the kidney venous system in the corticomedullary region. However, the role of VMC and the clinical significance of VMC variants are poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated kidney prognostic values of VMC variants. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: Among 808 patients who underwent a kidney biopsy from 2011 to 2019, 246 patients whose kidney biopsy specimens contained VMC were enrolled. PREDICTORS: VMC variants; inflammatory-VMC (an infiltration of ≥80 inflammatory cells/mm2-VMC area) and VMC hypertrophy (hyper-VMC, a VMC average width ≥850 μm), and the interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy (IFTA) score. OUTCOMES: A decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥40% from the baseline or commencement of kidney replacement therapy. ANALYTICAL APPROACH: Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Among 246 patients with data on VMC, mean baseline eGFR was 56.0±25.6 ml/min per 1.73 m2; 80 had high inflammatory-VMC, and 62 had VMC hypertrophy. There were 51 kidney events over median follow-up of 2.5 years. We analyzed 2 VMC variants. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that eGFR negatively correlated with the presence of both inflammatory-VMC and hyper-VMC. A Cox proportional hazards analysis revealed that inflammatory-VMC (but not hyper-VMC) was independently associated with the primary outcome after adjustments for known risk factors of progression, including proteinuria, eGFR, and the interstitial fibrosis/tubular atrophy (IFTA) score (hazard ratio, 1.97; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-3.91). LIMITATIONS: Single-center study and small sample size. CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of inflammatory-VMC provides additional kidney prognostic information to known indicators of kidney disease progression in patients who undergo kidney biopsy. PLAIN-LANGUAGE SUMMARY: Assessment of kidney biopsies provides crucial information for diagnosis, disease activity, and prognostic value. Kidney-biopsy specimens occasionally contain veno-muscular complex (VMC), which consists of muscle tissues around the kidney venous system. Currently, the role of VMC in kidney health and diseases and the clinical significance of VMC variants are poorly understood. In the present study, we have shown that an infiltration of ≥80 inflammatory cells/mm2-VMC area (inflammatory-VMC) is independently associated with kidney disease progression after adjustments for known risk factors of progression. Therefore, assessment of inflammatory-VMC provides additional kidney prognostic information to known indicators of kidney disease progression in patients who undergo kidney biopsy.

DOI： 10.1016/j.xkme.2023.100733

Preventive effect of culture supernatant of epithelial-like peritoneal mesothelial cells on peritoneal fibrosis. Reviewed International journal

Kensaku Takahashi, Kenji Tsuji, Hiroyuki Nakanoh, Kazuhiko Fukushima, Shinji Kitamura, Jun Wada

Peritoneal dialysis international : journal of the International Society for Peritoneal Dialysis 44 ( 3 ) 8968608231213577 - 8968608231213577 2023.11

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Peritoneal fibrosis (PF) is a primary reason for discontinuing peritoneal dialysis, which involves characteristic changes of peritoneal mesothelial cells (PMCs). We previously reported preventive effects of implanting human epithelial-like PMCs (P-Epi) for mouse PF caused by mechanical peritoneum scrapings. In the present study, we analysed the preventive effects of culture supernatant of P-Epi in PF. Concentrated culture supernatant of P-Epi or human fibroblast-like PMCs (P-Fibro) or vehicles was injected into nude mice that had undergone mechanical scraping of the parietal and visceral peritoneum, and thickness and amount of adhesions were analysed. Although increased peritoneal adhesions and peritoneum thickening were observed in the vehicle-injected positive control group compared to the sham operation group, fewer number of adhesions and less thickness were observed in the mice treated with culture supernatant of P-Epi, but not P-Fibro, compared to the vehicle-injected positive controls. Immunofluorescent analysis revealed that the expression of extracellular matrix, type I collagen and fibronectin, was lower in the mice treated with culture supernatant of P-Epi than in the vehicle-injected positive controls. In addition, exosomes from P-Epi significantly reduced transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-induced expressions of type I collagen and fibronectin in 3T3 fibroblast cells. Collectively, culture supernatant of P-Epi has preventive effects on PF, thus cell therapy is not necessarily required. Further exploration of substances secreted by P-Epi and their protective mechanisms could lead to the development of therapeutic strategies to limit PF.

DOI： 10.1177/08968608231213577

Neutrophil Elastase Inhibition by Sivelestat (ONO-5046) Attenuates AngII-induced Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms in Apolipoprotein E-Deficient Mice. Reviewed International journal

Yoshiko Hada, Haruhito A Uchida, Shugo Okamoto, Nozomu Otaka, Katsuyoshi Katayama, Venkateswaran Subramanian, Alan Daugherty, Jun Wada

American journal of hypertension 37 ( 5 ) 349 - 357 2023.11

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

BACKGROUND: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an arterial disease characterized by dilatation of the aortic wall. It has been suggested that neutrophil counts and neutrophil elastase activity are associated with AAA. We investigated whether a neutrophil elastase (NE) inhibitor, sivelestat (Siv), had a protective effect against angiotensin II (AngII)-induced AAAs. METHODS: Male apolipoprotein E-deficient mice were assigned into 3 groups: Vehicle+saline, AngII+saline, and AngII+Siv. All mice were administered intraperitoneally with either Siv or vehicle twice daily after AngII infusion. RESULTS: In the 4-week AngII infusion study, plasma NE concentration (p=0.041) and its activity (p=0.011) were elevated by AngII. These increases were attenuated by Siv (concentration:p=0.010, activity:p=0.027). Further, plasma elastase activity was closely correlated with aortic width (R=0.6976, p<0.001). In the 1-week AngII infusion study, plasma and tissue elastase activity increased by AngII (plasma:p=0.034, tissue:p<0.001), but were reduced by Siv (plasma:p=0.014, tissue:p=0.024). AngII increased aortic width (p=0.011) but was attenuated by co-administration of Siv (p=0.022). Moreover, Siv decreased the incidence of AAAs (p=0.009). Elastin fragmentation induced by AngII was reduced by Siv. Many inflammatory cells that were either CD68 or Gr-1 positive were observed in the AngII+saline group, whereas few inflammatory cells were accumulated in the AngII+Siv group. MMP-2 and MMP-9 were enhanced by AngII, but were reduced by Siv. In vitro, MMP-2 activity was induced by human NE (medium:p<0.001, cells:p=0.001), which was attenuated by co-incubation of Siv in medium (p<0.001) and protein of human aortic smooth muscle cells (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: Siv attenuated AngII-induced AAA through the inhibition of NE.

DOI： 10.1093/ajh/hpad107

Infliximab biosimilar-induced lupus nephritis: A case report. Reviewed International journal

Kenta Shidahara, Takayuki Katsuyama, Kei Hirose, Kazuya Matsumoto, Shoichi Nawachi, Takato Nakadoi, Yosuke Asano, Yu Katayama, Yoshia Miyawaki, Eri Katsuyama, Mariko Takano-Narazaki, Yoshinori Matsumoto, Ken-Ei Sada, Jun Wada

Modern rheumatology case reports 8 ( 1 ) 74 - 76 2023.10

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

We present a case of microhematuria, proteinuria and hypocomplementemia that developed in a 55-year-old female who was being treated with an infliximab biosimilar (IFX-BS) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Renal biopsy showed lupus nephritis (ISN/RPS classification class IV+V). Treatment with the IFX-BS was discontinued, and treatment with prednisolone, hydroxychloroquine and abatacept was started, resulting in clinical remission of lupus nephritis and RA. Although tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inhibitors are known to induce production of autoantibodies, symptoms are usually limited to skin involvement or arthritis, and renal complications are rare. Physicians should be aware of the risk of lupus nephritis and carefully monitor patients for the development of renal involvement during treatment with TNF-α inhibitors.

DOI： 10.1093/mrcr/rxad061

Kidney outcomes associated with haematuria and proteinuria trajectories among patients with IgA nephropathy in real-world clinical practice: The Japan Chronic Kidney Disease Database. Reviewed International journal

Yuichiro Yano, Hajime Nagasu, Hiroshi Kanegae, Masaomi Nangaku, Yosuke Hirakawa, Yuka Sugawara, Naoki Nakagawa, Jun Wada, Hitoshi Sugiyama, Toshiaki Nakano, Takashi Wada, Miho Shimizu, Hitoshi Suzuki, Hiroyuki Komatsu, Naoki Nakashima, Kaori Kitaoka, Ichiei Narita, Hirokazu Okada, Yusuke Suzuki, Naoki Kashihara

Nephrology (Carlton, Vic.) 29 ( 2 ) 65 - 75 2023.10

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

AIM: Among patients with Immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy, we aimed to identify trajectory patterns stratified by the magnitude of haematuria and proteinuria using repeated urine dipstick tests, and assess whether the trajectories were associated with kidney events. METHODS: Using a nationwide multicentre chronic kidney disease (CKD) registry, we analysed data from 889 patients with IgA nephropathy (mean age 49.3 years). The primary outcome was a sustained reduction in eGFR of 50% or more from the index date and thereafter. During follow-up (median 49.0 months), we identified four trajectories (low-stable, moderate-decreasing, moderate-stable, and high-stable) in both urine dipstick haematuria and proteinuria measurements, respectively. RESULTS: In haematuria trajectory analyses, compared to the low-stable group, the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) (95% confidence interval [CI]) for kidney events were 2.59 (95% CI, 1.48-4.51) for the high-stable, 2.31 (95% CI, 1.19-4.50) for the moderate-stable, and 1.43 (95% CI, (0.72-2.82) for the moderate-decreasing groups, respectively. When each proteinuria trajectory group was subcategorized according to haematuria trajectories, the proteinuria group with high-stable and with modest-stable haematuria trajectories had approximately 2-times higher risk for eGFR reduction ≥50% compared to that with low-stable haematuria trajectory. CONCLUSION: Assessments of both haematuria and proteinuria trajectories using urine dipstick could identify high-risk IgA nephropathy patients.

DOI： 10.1111/nep.14250

Role of glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored high-density lipoprotein binding protein 1 in hypertriglyceridemia and diabetes. Reviewed

Naoko Kurooka, Jun Eguchi, Jun Wada

Journal of diabetes investigation 14 ( 10 ) 1148 - 1156 2023.10

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

In diabetes, the impairment of insulin secretion and insulin resistance contribute to hypertriglyceridemia, as the enzymatic activity of lipoprotein lipase (LPL) depends on insulin action. The transport of LPL to endothelial cells and its enzymatic activity are maintained by the formation of lipolytic complex depending on the multiple positive (glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored high-density lipoprotein binding protein 1 [GPIHBP1], apolipoprotein C-II [APOC2], APOA5, heparan sulfate proteoglycan [HSPG], lipase maturation factor 1 [LFM1] and sel-1 suppressor of lin-12-like [SEL1L]) and negative regulators (APOC1, APOC3, angiopoietin-like proteins [ANGPTL]3, ANGPTL4 and ANGPTL8). Among the regulators, GPIHBP1 is a crucial molecule for the translocation of LPL from parenchymal cells to the luminal surface of capillary endothelial cells, and maintenance of lipolytic activity; that is, hydrolyzation of triglyceride into free fatty acids and monoglyceride, and conversion from chylomicron to chylomicron remnant in the exogenous pathway and from very low-density lipoprotein to low-density lipoprotein in the endogenous pathway. The null mutation of GPIHBP1 causes severe hypertriglyceridemia and pancreatitis, and GPIGBP1 autoantibody syndrome also causes severe hypertriglyceridemia and recurrent episodes of acute pancreatitis. In patients with type 2 diabetes, the elevated serum triglyceride levels negatively correlate with circulating LPL levels, and positively with circulating APOC1, APOC3, ANGPTL3, ANGPTL4 and ANGPTL8 levels. In contrast, circulating GPIHBP1 levels are not altered in type 2 diabetes patients with higher serum triglyceride levels, whereas they are elevated in type 2 diabetes patients with diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy. The circulating regulators of lipolytic complex might be new biomarkers for lipid and glucose metabolism, and diabetic vascular complications.

DOI： 10.1111/jdi.14056

Role of Semaphorin 3A in Kidney Development and Diseases. Reviewed International journal

Yizhen Sang, Kenji Tsuji, Hiroyuki Nakanoh, Kazuhiko Fukushima, Shinji Kitamura, Jun Wada

Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) 13 ( 19 ) 2023.9

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Kidney diseases are worldwide public health problems affecting millions of people. However, there are still limited therapeutic options against kidney diseases. Semaphorin 3A (SEMA3A) is a secreted and membrane-associated protein, which regulates diverse functions, including immune regulation, cell survival, migration and angiogenesis, thus involving in the several pathogeneses of diseases, including eyes and neurons, as well as kidneys. SEMA3A is expressed in podocytes and tubular cells in the normal adult kidney, and recent evidence has revealed that excess SEMA3A expression and the subsequent signaling pathway aggravate kidney injury in a variety of kidney diseases, including nephrotic syndrome, diabetic nephropathy, acute kidney injury, and chronic kidney disease. In addition, several reports have demonstrated that the inhibition of SEMA3A ameliorated kidney injury via a reduction in cell apoptosis, fibrosis and inflammation; thus, SEMA3A may be a potential therapeutic target for kidney diseases. In this review article, we summarized the current knowledge regarding the role of SEMA3A in kidney pathophysiology and their potential use in kidney diseases.

DOI： 10.3390/diagnostics13193038

MicroRNAs as Biomarkers and Therapeutic Targets for Acute Kidney Injury. Reviewed International journal

Kenji Tsuji, Hiroyuki Nakanoh, Kazuhiko Fukushima, Shinji Kitamura, Jun Wada

Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) 13 ( 18 ) 2023.9

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a clinical syndrome where a rapid decrease in kidney function and/or urine output is observed, which may result in the imbalance of water, electrolytes and acid base. It is associated with poor prognosis and prolonged hospitalization. Therefore, an early diagnosis and treatment to avoid the severe AKI stage are important. While several biomarkers, such as urinary L-FABP and NGAL, can be clinically useful, there is still no gold standard for the early detection of AKI and there are limited therapeutic options against AKI. miRNAs are non-coding and single-stranded RNAs that silence their target genes in the post-transcriptional process and are involved in a wide range of biological processes. Recent accumulated evidence has revealed that miRNAs may be potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets for AKI. In this review article, we summarize the current knowledge about miRNAs as promising biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets for AKI, as well as the challenges in their clinical use.

DOI： 10.3390/diagnostics13182893

The Association of Grit With Burnout Components (Professional Efficacy, Exhaustion, and Cynicism) Among Academic Rheumatologists: The TRUMP 2 -SLE Study. Reviewed International journal

Yoshia Miyawaki, Ken-Ei Sada, Kenta Shidahara, Shoichi Nawachi, Yosuke Asano, Yu Katayama, Keigo Hayashi, Eri Katsuyama, Takayuki Katsuyama, Mariko Takano-Narazaki, Yoshinori Matsumoto, Nao Oguro, Nobuyuki Yajima, Yuichi Ishikawa, Natsuki Sakurai, Chiharu Hidekawa, Ryusuke Yoshimi, Takanori Ichikawa, Dai Kishida, Yasuhiro Shimojima, Jun Wada, Noriaki Kurita

Journal of clinical rheumatology : practical reports on rheumatic & musculoskeletal diseases 29 ( 6 ) 268 - 274 2023.9

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

OBJECTIVES: There is a high prevalence of burnout among rheumatologists. Grit, which is defined as possessing perseverance and a passion to achieve long-term goals, is predictive of success in many professions; however, whether grit is associated with burnout remains unclear, especially among academic rheumatologists, who have multiple simultaneous responsibilities. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the associations between grit and self-reported burnout components-professional efficacy, exhaustion, and cynicism-in academic rheumatologists. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 51 rheumatologists from 5 university hospitals. The exposure was grit, measured using mean scores for the 8-item Short Grit Scale (range, 1-5 [5 = extremely high grit]). The outcome measures were mean scores for 3 burnout domains (exhaustion, professional efficacy, and cynicism; range, 1-6; measured using the 16-item Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey). General linear models were fitted with covariates (age, sex, job title [assistant professor or higher vs lower], marital status, and having children). RESULTS: Overall, 51 physicians (median age, 45 years; interquartile range, 36-57; 76% men) were included. Burnout positivity was found in 68.6% of participants (n = 35/51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 54.1, 80.9). Higher grit was associated with higher professional efficacy (per 1-point increase; 0.51 point; 95% CI, 0.18, 0.84) but not with exhaustion or cynicism. Being male and having children were associated with lower exhaustion (-0.69; 95% CI, -1.28, -0.10; p = 0.02; and -0.85; 95% CI, -1.46, -0.24; p = 0.006). Lower job title (fellow or part-time lecturer) was associated with higher cynicism (0.90; 95% CI, 0.04, 1.75; p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Grit is associated with higher professional efficacy among academic rheumatologists. To prevent burnout among staff, supervisors who manage academic rheumatologists should assess their staff's individual grit.

DOI： 10.1097/RHU.0000000000001989

Pharmacologic inhibition of PARP5, but not that of PARP1 or 2, promotes cytokine production and osteoclastogenesis through different pathways. Reviewed International journal

Yosuke Asano, Yoshinori Matsumoto, Fang He, Takayuki Katsuyama, Eri Katsuyama, Shigetomo Tsuji, Hiroshi Kamioka, Jose La Rose, Robert Rottapel, Jun Wada

Clinical and experimental rheumatology 41 ( 9 ) 1735 - 1745 2023.9

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

OBJECTIVES: PARPs, which are members of the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase superfamily, promote tumorigenesis and tumour-associated inflammation and are thus therapeutic targets for several cancers. The aim of the present study is to investigate the mechanistic insight into the roles PARPs for inflammation. METHODS: Primary murine macrophages were cultured in the presence or absence of the PARP5 inhibitor NVP-TNKS656 to examine the role of PARP5 for cytokine production. RESULTS: In contrast to the roles of other PARPs for induction of inflammation, we found in the present study that pharmacologic inhibition of PARP5 induces production of inflammatory cytokines in primary murine macrophages. We found that treatment with the PARP5 inhibitor NVP-TNKS656 in macrophages enhanced steady-state and LPS-mediated cytokine production through degradation of IκBα and subsequent nuclear translocation of NF-κB. We also found that pharmacologic inhibition of PARP5 stabilises the adaptor protein 3BP2, a substrate of PARP5, and that accelerated cytokine production induced by PARP5 inhibition was rescued in 3BP2-deleted macrophages. Additionally, we found that LPS increases the expression of 3BP2 and AXIN1, a negative regulator of β-catenin, through suppression of PARP5 transcripts in macrophages, leading to further activation of cytokine production and inhibition of β-catenin-mediated cell proliferation, respectively. Lastly, we found that PARP5 inhibition in macrophages promotes osteoclastogenesis through stabilisation of 3BP2 and AXIN1, leading to activation of SRC and suppression of β-catenin, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that pharmacologic inhibition of PARP5 against cancers unexpectedly induces adverse autoinflammatory side effects through activation of innate immunity, unlike inhibition of other PARPs.

DOI： 10.55563/clinexprheumatol/qf55h8

Urinary growth differentiation factor 15 predicts renal function decline in diabetic kidney disease. Reviewed International journal

Toma Oshita, Shun Watanabe, Takafumi Toyohara, Ryota Kujirai, Koichi Kikuchi, Takehiro Suzuki, Chitose Suzuki, Yotaro Matsumoto, Jun Wada, Yoshihisa Tomioka, Tetsuhiro Tanaka, Takaaki Abe

Scientific reports 13 ( 1 ) 12508 - 12508 2023.8

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Sensitive biomarkers can enhance the diagnosis, prognosis, and surveillance of chronic kidney disease (CKD), such as diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Plasma growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15) levels are a novel biomarker for mitochondria-associated diseases; however, it may not be a useful indicator for CKD as its levels increase with declining renal function. This study explores urinary GDF15's potential as a marker for CKD. The plasma and urinary GDF15 as well as 15 uremic toxins were measured in 103 patients with CKD. The relationship between the urinary GDF15-creatinine ratio and the uremic toxins and other clinical characteristics was investigated. Urinary GDF15-creatinine ratios were less related to renal function and uremic toxin levels compared to plasma GDF15. Additionally, the ratios were significantly higher in patients with CKD patients with diabetes (p = 0.0012) and reduced with statin treatment. In a different retrospective DKD cohort study (U-CARE, n = 342), multiple and logistic regression analyses revealed that the baseline urinary GDF15-creatinine ratios predicted a decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) over 2 years. Compared to the plasma GDF15 level, the urinary GDF15-creatinine ratio is less dependent on renal function and sensitively fluctuates with diabetes and statin treatment. It may serve as a good prognostic marker for renal function decline in patients with DKD similar to the urine albumin-creatinine ratio.

DOI： 10.1038/s41598-023-39657-7

Co-occurrence of Three Systemic Diseases: ANCA-associated Vasculitis, Sjögren's syndrome and Sarcoidosis. Reviewed

Kenji Tsuji, Yuka Okuyama, Yosuke Asano, Kimitomo Yamaoka, Shinji Kitamura, Jun Wada

Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan) 62 ( 15 ) 2215 - 2221 2023.8

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV), Sjögren's syndrome (SjS), and sarcoidosis are systemic diseases targeting multiple organs. While a careful differential diagnosis of these diseases is often required, their co-occurrence in the same patient has been previously reported. We herein report a 58-year-old Japanese man diagnosed with the co-occurrence of three systemic diseases (AAV, SjS, and sarcoidosis) in addition to monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), which emphasizes the importance of considering the possible co-occurrence of these diseases as well as their differentiation.

DOI： 10.2169/internalmedicine.0966-22

Immunosuppressive Treatment for an anti-U1 Ribonucleoprotein Antibody-positive Patient with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: A Case Report. Reviewed

Kazuya Matsumoto, Yoshia Miyawaki, Takayuki Katsuyama, Takato Nakadoi, Kenta Shidahara, Kei Hirose, Shoichi Nawachi, Yosuke Asano, Yu Katayama, Eri Katsuyama, Mariko Takano-Narazaki, Yoshinori Matsumoto, Atsushi Mori, Satoshi Akagi, Ken-Ei Sada, Jun Wada

Internal medicine (Tokyo, Japan) 63 ( 5 ) 671 - 676 2023.7

Language：English Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)

A 34-year-old woman with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) was admitted to the hospital. She had been diagnosed with PAH three years earlier and treated with triple vasodilator therapy. She was positive for anti-U1 ribonucleoprotein antibodies but did not show any other symptoms associated with autoimmune diseases. Corticosteroid and cyclophosphamide therapy was administered, suspecting the involvement of immunological pathophysiology. After 3 weeks, the mean pulmonary artery pressure decreased from 50 to 38 mmHg without any change in the vasodilators. Immunosuppressive therapy was effective in this patient with PAH with an anti-U1 ribonucleoprotein-antibody-positive response and might be an option for patients with these specific features.

DOI： 10.2169/internalmedicine.1407-22

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