beta2- and beta3-Adrenoceptor polymorphisms relate to subsequent weight gain and blood pressure elevation in obese normotensive individuals.

High blood pressure (BP) is a major determinant of cardiovascular events in obesity. The beta2- and beta3-adrenoceptor polymorphisms are associated with obesity and hypertension. In the present study, we examine the relationships of beta2- and beta3-adrenoceptor polymorphisms with further weight gain-induced BP elevation in obese subjects. Changes in BP, body weight, total body fat-mass, waist-to-hip ratio, plasma norepinephrine (NE) and leptin levels, and beta2(Arg16Gly)- and beta3(Trp64Arg)-adrenoceptor polymorphisms were measured periodically over a 5-year period in 55 entry obese (body mass index [BMI]> or =25.0 kg/m(2)) normotensive (BP<140/90 mmHg) men. BP elevation and weight gain were defined as > or =10% increases from entry levels over 5 years in mean BP or BMI. Obese subjects with weight gain, BP elevation or weight gain-induced BP elevation had higher frequencies of the Gly16 allele of Arg16GIy and Arg64 allele of Trp64Arg. Subjects carrying the Gly16 or Arg64 alleles had significantly greater total fat-mass and waist-to-hip ratio at entry and over a 5-year period compared to the subjects who did not carry these polymorphisms. Subjects carrying the Gly16 allele had similar levels of plasma NE, higher levels of plasma leptin and a lower slope of the regression lines between plasma leptin and NE levels. Those carrying the Arg64 allele had higher plasma NE levels at entry and over a 5-year period compared to the subjects without the Arg64 allele, but plasma leptin levels and slopes were similar. The findings demonstrate that the Arg64 allele of the beta3-adrenoceptor polymorphisms relates to weight gain-induced BP elevation accompanying high plasma NE (heightened sympathetic activity) in obese men. The Gly16 allele of the beta2-adrenoceptor polymorphisms links to weight gain-induced BP elevation associated with leptin resistance. beta2- and beta3-adrenoceptor polymorphisms could predict the future BP elevation and further weight gain-induced BP elevation in originally obese subjects.     

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy and time-course changes in renal function

Background: Recently, the retraction method has been used to reduce intraabdominal pressure (IAP) during laparoscopic surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine the serial changes in renal function during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) using the retraction method. Methods: Urine output, effective renal plasma flow (ERPF), and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were measured serially in seven patients who underwent LC with 12 mmHg pneumoperitoneum (High-IAP group) and five who underwent LC using the retraction method with 4 mmHg pneumoperitoneum (Low-IAP group). Results: Urine output, ERPF, and GFR were decreased during pneumoperitoneum in the High-IAP group, whereas no significant changes in any of these parameters were observed in the Low-IAP group. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that reduction of IAP to 4 mmHg using the retraction method prevents the transient renal dysfunction caused by prolonged 12 mmHg pneumoperitoneum during LC, suggesting that the retraction method reduces the risk of perioperative renal dysfunction during laparoscopic surgery. Received: 26 March 1996/Accepted: 27 July 1996     

Chronological changes in the complement system in sepsis

The time courses of serum complement levels and the severity of sepsis were compared in two groups of septic patients, one in which the patients survived (surviving group) and one in which they did not (nonsurviving group). The components of the complement system, namely, C3a, C4a, C5a, CH50, C3, C4, and C5, were measured at several points in time after the diagnosis of sepsis had been established. A 2-antibody radioimmunoassay was used to measure C3a, C4a, and C5a; the latex agglutination test was used to measure C3 and C4; nephelometry was used to measure C5; and Meyer's 50% hemolysis method was used to measure CH50. Following the diagnosis of sepsis, the levels of CH50, C3, and C4 were significantly lower in the nonsurviving than the surviving group, while the levels of C3a and C4a were significantly higher in the nonsurviving than the surviving group. The C5a levels were significantly higher in the nonsurviving than the surviving group, although no significant intergroup differences were subsequently noted. These results suggest that the serum levels of C3a, C4a, C5a, CH50, C3, and C4 could serve as indices of the severity of sepsis. Thus, monitoring the complement system may be useful for predicting the outcome of patients with sepsis.     

Regression of Pulmonary and Multiple Skeletal Metastases from Renal Cell Carcinoma by Nephrectomy and Alpha-interferon Therapy: A Case Report

We report a rare case of advanced renal cell carcinoma in apatient who showed complete resolution of metastases to thelung and bones after nephrectomy, partial jejunectomy and subsequentalpha-interferon therapy. The patient was a 54-year-old manwhose right lung and left femur metastases were detected beforenephrectomy. In the seventh week after nephrectomy, a partialjejunectomy was carried out because of the obstructive ileuscaused by intraluminal multiple metastases of the jejunum. Apathological fracture of the metastasized right humerus occurredsubsequently. After four months of intramuscular alpha-interferonadministration (3x106 units/day), however, x-rays revealed thecomplete disappearance of the metastatic lung shadow and a solidunion of the humerus, and there were no tumor cells in the femurspecimen resected at the subsequent reconstruction surgery ofthe left leg. Seven years have passed from onset, and the patientis still alive and disease free.     

Gene polymorphism of myospryn (cardiomyopathy-associated 5) is associated with left ventricular wall thickness in patients with hypertension.

We examined a gene polymorphism of a novel Z-disc-related protein, myospryn (cardiomyopathy-associated 5). We focused on one haplotype block associated with a tag single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) that covered 16 of 27 coding SNPs with linkage disequilibrium (minor allele frequency 0.413). Screening a myospryn polymorphism (K2906N) in a general health check-up of a rural Japanese population revealed an association with cardiac diseases (p=0.0082). In further analysis of the interaction between K2906N and cardiac function in patients, K2906N was associated with the anteroseptal wall thickness of the left ventricle in a recessive model (p=0.0324) and with the ratio of the peak velocity of the early diastolic filling wave to the peak velocity of atrial filling (A/E) (p=0.0278). In an association study based on left ventricular wall thickness, we found a significant difference in the K2906N genotype between controls and patients with cardiac hypertrophy. These results suggest that the K2906N polymorphism could be clinically associated with left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction independent of known parameters. Although the precise mechanism underlying this association remains to be elucidated, treatment with angiotensin II induced an increase in heart myospryn mRNA level in vitro and in vivo. Our results suggest that the polymorphism of myospryn is associated with left ventricular hypertrophy, and an association between a Z-disc protein and cardiac adaptation in response to pressure overload.