Associations between Dietary Variety and Frailty in Community-Dwelling Older People Who Live Alone: Gender Differences.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate the influences of living arrangements on the association between dietary variety and frailty by gender in community-dwelling older people. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study. SETTING: Nishinomiya city, Hyogo prefecture, Japan. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 4,996 randomly selected community-dwelling older people aged 65 years and older and living in Nishinomiya City. MEASUREMENTS: Survey questionnaires were distributed via mail. The frailty score was evaluated by the 5-item frailty screening index. Dietary variety was assessed using the dietary variety score developed for the general older Japanese population. RESULTS: A total of 2,764 community-dwelling participants aged ≥ 65 years responded to the questionnaires. After excluding missing data, 1,780 participants were included in the study analysis. The frailty scores in older men living alone were significantly higher than those in older men living with someone (P < 0.001). The dietary variety scores in older men living alone were significantly lower than those in older men living with someone (P < 0.001). However, differences in the frailty and dietary variety scores between living alone and living with someone were not were observed in older women (P = 0.360 and P = 0.265, respectively). In the multivariable regression analysis, the associations between dietary variety score and frailty score in living alone (ß= -0. 271, P = 0.011) were stronger than those in living with someone in the case of older men (ß= -0.131, P = 0.045). Similar associations between dietary variety and frailty were presented in older women living alone than in those living with someone (ß -0.114, P = 0.002; ß -0.088, P = 0.012, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Older men who live alone had higher frailty score and lower dietary variety. The associations between dietary variety and frailty were different according to living arrangements in both older men and older women.

Relationship between Economic Security and Self-Rated Health in Elderly Japanese Residents Living Alone.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between economic security and self-rated health for elderly Japanese residents living alone. DESIGN: A secondary analysis of a cross-sectional study. SETTING: N City, H. Prefecture, Japan. PARTICIPANTS: Survey questionnaires were distributed to 2,985 elderly residents living alone, aged ≥70 years, of which, 1,939 (65.0%) were returned and treated as valid responses. MEASUREMENTS: The survey included questions about gender, age, number of years spent in N City, self-rated health, economic security, number of years spent living alone, reason for living alone, life satisfaction, cooking frequency, frequency of seeing a doctor, long-term care service usage, as well as whether they enjoyed their lives, participated in social organizations. RESULTS: Of the respondents, 1,563 (80.6%) reported that they were economically secure, and 376 (19.4%) responded that they were insecure. The odds ratio predicting poor self-rated health for the economically insecure participants was significantly high (odds ratio: 3.19, 95%, Confidence Interval (CI): 2.53-4.02, and P < 0.001). Similarly, the adjusted odds ratio for poor self-rated health was significantly high for the economically insecure participants in multivariate analyses controlling for factors such as age, gender, cooking frequency, and social participation (adjusted odds ratio: 2.21, 95%, CI: 1.70-2.88, and P < 0.001). Furthermore, a similar trend was observed in stratified analyses based on gender and age groups. CONCLUSION: Economic security predicted self-rated health independently of confounders, including social participation and cooking frequency, among the elderly Japanese living alone in communities.

Hypoxia stimulates release of the soluble form of fas ligand that inhibits endothelial cell apoptosis.

Fas ligand (FasL), an apoptosis-inducing cytokine, is constitutively expressed on endothelial cells (EC). Here, we report that the soluble form of FasL (sFasL) is released from EC and inhibits hypoxia-induced EC apoptosis. For hypoxia experiments, human EC were exposed to low oxygen tension in airtight chambers flushed with preanalyzed gas mixtures (1% oxygen, 5% CO2, 94% N2) at 37 degrees C. Exposure of cultured EC to hypoxia transiently increased FasL mRNA and protein levels. The maximum increase was observed at 3 and 6 hours after exposure to hypoxia, respectively. Although sFasL protein was not detected in the supernatant from EC without hypoxia, sFasL protein level in the supernatant was transiently increased from 6 hours and disappeared again at 24 hours after the exposure to hypoxia. Interestingly, the supernatant from hypoxia-exposed EC inhibited EC apoptosis induced by hypoxia, which was abolished by a neutralizing antibody against FasL. In addition, incubation with KB8301, an inhibitor of metalloproteinase, suppressed the release of sFasL from EC and enhanced hypoxia-induced apoptosis in EC. Furthermore, exogenously added recombinant sFasL inhibited hypoxia-induced apoptosis. These findings indicate that sFasL released from EC may inhibit hypoxia-induced EC apoptosis. Therefore, the shedding of FasL could be a new therapeutic target in regulating hypoxia-induced EC injury.

Vascular smooth muscle maintains the levels of Bcl-2 in endothelial cells.

Endothelial cells (ECs) play important roles in maintaining vascular homeostasis. Therefore, dysregulation of EC apoptosis may be involved in the mechanism of atherogenesis. Since recent evidence has shown that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), an EC-specific growth factor, is released from vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), we examined whether VSMCs can modulate EC apoptosis using a coculture system. Incubation of ECs with high levels of nitric oxide (NO) released by N-ethyl-2-[1-ethyl-2-hydroxy-2-nitrosohydrazino]-ethanamine, a NO releasing agent, resulted in apoptosis in association with decreased levels of Bcl-2, and increased levels of Bax, an accelerator of aoptosis. Exogenously added VEGF partially inhibited apoptosis and alterations of these bcl-2 family proteins induced by NO. On the other hand, NO-induced apoptosis and down-regulation of Bcl-2 in ECs were almost completely inhibited by coculturing with VSMCs. However, these inhibitory effects by VSMCs were suppressed by a neutralizing antibody against VEGF. In addition, overexpression of Bcl-2 prevented from NO-induced apoptosis in ECs. These findings indicate that VSMCs protect ECs from NO-induced apoptosis through inhibiting down-regulation of Bcl-2. Thus, vascular smooth muscle which releases EC survival factors including VEGF may play important roles in maintaining the levels of Bcl-2 in ECs.

Elevated expression of type VIII collagen gene in the atherosclerotic plaque of the ApoE-deficient mouse.

The proliferation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) is a key event in the development of atherosclerosis. To compare the nature of SMCs from advanced atherosclerotic lesions and normal aortic segments, we established SMC lines from plaque-containing portions (P) and non-plaque portions (NP) of aortas of apolipoprotein-E-deficient mice. Differential display showed several transcripts that were differentially expressed in P and NP lines. One of the transcripts whose expression was elevated in P lines compared to their NP counterparts was for type VIII collagen. Type VIII collagen transcripts were also readily detectable by RT-PCR in RNA isolated from plaques freshly dissected from apolipoprotein-E-deficient mice, but not in RNA isolated from the normal part of the aorta or from adventitia. In situ hybridization showed localization of Col8alpha1 transcripts near the luminal surface of the plaque. Thus, differential production of type VIII collagen in SMCs from atherosclerotic plaques continues when the cells are maintained in culture.

Low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein gene polymorphisms and risk for late-onset Alzheimer's disease in a Japanese population.

Low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor-related protein (LRP) gene polymorphisms located in the 5' region and in exon 3, and the apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotype were determined in 100 Japanese patients affected by late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD). We matched 246 controls for age and found no association between the polymorphism located in the 5' region of the LRP gene. The distribution of LRP exon 3 genotypes and alleles did not differ between AD and the control groups. However, the frequency of T allele in the Alzheimer's group having APOE-epsilon4 was lower than that in the control group having APOE-epsilon4, but it was only marginally significant (p = 0.022). Age of onset was significantly younger in the patients with CC genotype than those carrying the T allele (p = 0.03), and this trend was more evident among non-APOE-epsilon4 carriers (p = 0.008). These results support the possibility that ApoE and LRP may contribute to the development of AD.

Negative feedback regulation of activated macrophages via Fas-mediated apoptosis.

Apoptosis is a critical event for eliminating activated macrophages. Here we show that Fas-mediated apoptosis may participate in the mechanism of negative feedback regulation of activated macrophages. Cytokine-activated macrophages released high levels of nitric oxide (NO) that induced apoptosis in macrophages themselves. This NO-induced macrophage apoptosis was inhibited by a Fas-Fc chimeric molecule that binds to Fas ligand (FasL) and prevents its interaction with endogenous cell surface Fas. High levels of NO stimulated the release of the soluble form of FasL that was inhibited by a matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor KB-8301. High levels of NO also upregulated the expression of Fas mRNA in macrophages. In addition, macrophages isolated from Fas-lacking mice were resistant to NO-induced apoptosis. Finally, inhibition of apoptosis by a caspase inhibitor augmented peroxide production from activated macrophages. These findings suggest that high levels of NO released from activated macrophages may promote the Fas-mediated macrophage apoptosis that may be a negative feedback mechanism for elimination and the downregulation of activated macrophages in the vessel wall.

Pranidipine enhances the action of nitric oxide released from endothelial cells.

Nitric oxide (NO) synthesis in vascular endothelium of patients with hypertension is altered. Calcium antagonists have been shown to improve endothelial function in hypertensive patients. Here we report that pranidipine, one of the latest long-acting calcium antagonists in the dihydropyridine group, enhances the actions of NO released from endothelial cells (ECs). Pranidipine significantly enhanced cGMP accumulation in vascular smooth muscle cells cocultured with ECs, whereas amlodipine and nifedipine had no significant effects. In addition, pranidipine also suppressed basal and thrombin-stimulated endothelin-1 production from ECs. Pranidipine also enhanced cGMP accumulation in rat aortic segments with endothelium but not in endothelium-denuded vessels. In contrast, pranidipine had no effect in the presence of N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine, an inhibitor of NO synthesis. Pranidipine did not affect the basal expression of endothelial NO synthase in ECs. However, pranidipine upregulated the activity of superoxide dismutase in ECs. These findings suggest that pranidipine enhances NO action through inhibition of superoxide-induced NO decomposition in the vessel wall. Thus, pranidipine may be useful in the treatment of impaired endothelial function in patients with hypertension.

Reduction of risk of pneumonia associated with use of angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitors in elderly inpatients.

Pneumonia is a major direct cause of death in the elderly. Although aspiration based on a reduced cough reflex is one of the causes of pneumonia in the elderly, there are few studies of angiotensin-I converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors), which are antihypertensive drugs that induce cough, as a factor influencing the incidence of pneumonia in institutionalized elderly subjects. To assess the effect of ACE inhibitors and dihydropiridine calcium-channel blockers on the incidence of pneumonia, we conducted a hospital-based case-control study. Cases were 55 pneumonia patients aged > or = 65 years during a 1-year period. The controls were elderly subjects, frequency matched to the cases by age and gender (n = 220). Data were collected on known risk factors and on medication for hypertension, consisting of ACE inhibitors, calcium-channel blockers, and nonantihypertensive medication. The significance of differences in risk factors was analyzed using univariate and multivariate comparisons of cases and controls. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, the relative risk estimates for pneumonia were 0.38 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.15-0.97) and 1.84 (95% CI, 0.89-3.78) for ACE inhibitors and calcium-channel blockers, respectively, relative to nonantihypertensive medication. The preventive effect of ACE inhibitors on pneumonia was apparent in long-acting ACE inhibitor users (0.24; 95% CI, 0.07-0.88). We conclude that ACE inhibitor use is an independent factor reducing risk of pneumonia among elderly inpatients.

Expression of parathyroid hormone/parathyroid hormone-related protein receptor in vascular endothelial cells.

The parathyroid hormone (PTH)/PTH-related protein (PTHrP) receptor has been reported to be expressed in many tissues, including vascular smooth-muscle cells (VSMCs), but it has not been identified in vascular endothelial cells. To determine whether vascular endothelial cells can express the PTH/PTHrP receptor, its gene expression was examined in simian virus 40-transformed rat lung vascular endothelial cells (TRLECs) by the reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results in TRLEC, with rat VSMCs and kidney as controls, showed identical 741-bp products. Furthermore, incubation with PTHrP[1-34] reduced the thrombin-stimulated endothelin-1 (ET-1) expression in TRLECs. Our results demonstrate that vascular endothelial cells can express the PTH/PTHrP receptor and therefore are also a target tissue for PTHrP.

Endothelin-1 enhances nitric oxide-induced cell death in cultured vascular smooth-muscle cells.

Increased expression of endothelin-1 (ET-1) immunoreactivity is demonstrated in the active atherosclerotic plaque. Here we show that both ETA and ETB receptors are expressed in rat vascular smooth-muscle cells (VSMCs). ET-1 binding to ETB receptors enhances nitric oxide-induced cell death in VSMCs. These findings suggest that ET-1 may participate in the mechanism of cell death (apoptosis) in the plaque through activation of ETB-mediated pathways and that a selective ETB receptor antagonist could be useful in preventing acute plaque alterations, such as plaque rupture.

Exogenous ouabain is accumulated in the adrenals and mimics the kinetics of endogenous digitalis-like factor in rats.

Ouabain has been isolated as an endogenous pathogenetic factor in salt-induced hypertension and has been shown to be rich in the adrenals. In this study, organ accumulation of orally administered [3H]ouabain was examined in rats. Exogenous [3H]ouabain was accumulated in high levels in the adrenals, especially in the zona intermedia, and was not metabolized in the rat. Accumulated [3H]ouabain mimicked the movement of "endogenous" digitalis-like factor, since 1) the plasma [3H]ouabain level decreased in bilaterally adrenalectomized rats, 2) the plasma [3H]ouabain level increased accompanied by a decrease in [3H]ouabain content in the adrenals in reduced renal mass hypertensive rats, and 3) [3H]ouabain levels in plasma and in the adrenals increased in spontaneously hypertensive rats, as compared with those in respective control animals. Moreover, the rat diet contained a relatively high amount of ouabain-like immunoreactivity (OLI), and the ratio of the [3H]ouabain content to OLI in each organ was comparable to that of the daily intake of dietary [3H]ouabain to OLI. Furthermore, high 3H-radioactivities were also observed in the adrenals of rats that ingested [3H]digoxin and [3H]digitoxin. These data suggest that exogenous ouabain, related cardiotonic glycosides of plant origin, or both accumulate in the adrenals and, at least in part, act as "endogenous" digitalis-like factor(s).

Hydrogen peroxide induces up-regulation of Fas in human endothelial cells.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), an oxidant generated by inflammatory cells, is an important mediator of injury of endothelial cells (ECs). Here we show that H2O2 induces up-regulation of the expression of Fas, a death signal, in human ECs in culture. Flow cytometric analysis with a mAb against human Fas showed that incubation for 24 h with H2O2 induced a dose-dependent increase in the level of Fas in ECs. Coincubation with catalase, which rapidly degrades H2O2, inhibited H2O2-induced up-regulation of Fas. H2O2 also induced a dose-dependent increase in Fas mRNA level. A significant increase in Fas mRNA levels was observed from 6 h after stimulation with H2O2. Vanadate, a protein phosphatase inhibitor, significantly enhanced Fas mRNA and protein levels in H2O2-treated ECs. On the other hand, genistein, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, inhibited H2O2-induced Fas mRNA expression. Furthermore, a flow cytometric method with propidium iodide staining and electron microscopic analysis showed that incubation with an agonistic Ab against Fas (anti-Fas IgM) induced apoptosis in H2O2-treated cells. These findings suggest that H2O2 induces up-regulation of Fas in ECs and that activation of protein tyrosine kinase may be involved in the mechanism of H2O2-induced Fas expression. Therefore, Fas-mediated apoptosis may have a pathologic role in H2O2-induced EC injury and thereby provide a new therapeutic target.

Decreased circulating levels of vitamin K and 25-hydroxyvitamin D in osteopenic elderly men.

Changes in the circulating factors participating in involutional osteoporosis have been intensively investigated in women, but little is known about this in men. We investigated the possible participation of circulating factors including testosterone, vitamin D metabolites, and vitamins K1 and K2 in osteopenia in elderly men. In a group of 27 ambulatory men aged 74 +/- 10 years (mean +/- SD; range, 60 to 90), the bone mineral density (BMD) of the second to fourth lumbar vertebrae was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and expressed as a Z score, the age-adjusted BMD value for the Japanese population (mean +/- SD, 0 +/- 1). Although the plasma level of total testosterone significantly decreased with age in the group, it did not significantly correlate with the Z score. However, the plasma levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD), phylloquinone, menaquinone-7 (MK-7), and albumin were significantly positively correlated with the Z score. Moreover, plasma 25-OHD and both phylloquinone and MK-7 were significantly positively correlated in the subjects. These observations suggest that depressed circulating levels of 25-OHD and vitamin K concomitantly and cooperatively participate in osteopenia in elderly men, which may reflect the etiology of the type II moiety of involutional osteoporosis.

Parathyroid hormone-related protein upregulates interleukin-1beta-induced nitric oxide synthesis.

The effect of parathyroid hormone-related protein on interleukin-1beta-induced nitric oxide production was studied in rat vascular smooth muscle cells. Interleukin-1beta time- and dose-dependently enhanced the production of nitrite, a stable metabolite of nitric oxide. Parathyroid hormone-related protein(1-34) alone up to 10(-7) mol/L had no obvious effect, but significantly increased the cytokine-induced nitrite production. RNA analysis revealed that the synergistic effect of parathyroid hormone-related protein(1-34) resulted from a potentiation of the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase and GTP-cyclohydrolase I, the rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of tetrahydrobiopterin, which is a cofactor of nitric oxide synthase. The increased nitric oxide release induced by interleukin-1beta or interleukin-1beta with parathyroid hormone-related protein(1-34) was completely inhibited by coincubation with 3x10(-3) mol/L N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine, a competitive inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, or with 10(-3) mol/L 2,4-diamino-6-hydroxypyrimidine, an inhibitor of GTP-cyclohydrolase I. Endothelin-1 potentiated interleukin-1beta induction of nitric oxide, which might be mediated by endogenous parathyroid hormone-related protein. Neutralization of exogenous or endogenous parathyroid hormone-related protein with antibody attenuated the synergistic effect of parathyroid hormone-related protein, but did not affect interleukin-1beta induction of nitric oxide. These results suggest that locally produced parathyroid hormone-related protein acts as a synergistic regulator upregulating interleukin-1beta-induced nitric oxide synthesis in the cardiovascular system, and thereby may affect vascular tone and/or vascular remodeling after vascular injury in some pathological processes such as atherosclerosis and hypertension.

Interleukin-2 modulates the responsiveness to angiotensin II in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells.

Preincubation with interleukin-2 (IL-2), a T cell-derived cytokine, enhanced the increase in intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) induced by angiotensin II (AII) in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC). IL-2 itself did not affect the basal [Ca2+]i level or the maximal response of [Ca2+]i increase induced by AII. Furthermore, IL-2-induced enhancement was not observed in the absence of extracellular Ca2+, suggesting that IL-2 enhances Ca2+ influx induced by AII. IL-2 also enhanced the stimulation of DNA synthesis induced by AII, although IL-2 alone did not stimulate DNA synthesis. Genistein, an inhibitor of protein tyrosine kinases, significantly inhibited IL-2-induced enhancement of both Ca2+ influx and DNA synthesis induced by AII. A neutralizing antibody against heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) partially inhibited IL-2-induced enhancement of DNA synthesis induced by AII. These findings suggest that autocrine HB-EGF is partially involved in the mechanism of IL-2-induced enhancement of DNA synthesis. On the other hand IL-2 stimulated both glycosaminoglycan (GAG) and prostacyclin syntheses and enhanced the stimulation of both GAG and prostacyclin syntheses induced by AII. Therefore, IL-2 may play important roles in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and vascular disease by modulating the responsiveness to AII in VSMC.

Possible participation of Fas-mediated apoptosis in the mechanism of atherosclerosis.

Apoptosis is a programmed cell death that plays a major role during development, homeostasis, and in many diseases. Recent evidence has demonstrated the death of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) within advanced human atheroma. In the rat balloon-injury model, apoptotic cells were specifically identified in the neointima. The presence of apoptotic cells was demonstrated by in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). To clarify the mechanisms that trigger apoptosis in atherosclerotic lesions, we examined whether cytokines released from macrophages can modulate Fas, a death signal, in cultured human VSMCs. Simultaneous treatment with interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) but not with each cytokine alone induced upregulation of Fas in VSMCs. However, coincubation with NG-monomethyl-L-arginine, an inhibitor of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis, inhibited the upregulation of Fas induced by IL-1 and TNF-alpha. Incubation with sodium nitroprusside, a NO donor, also induced upregulation of Fas in VSMCs. Furthermore, fluorescent nuclear staining with Hoechst 33258 revealed that monoclonal antibody to human Fas significantly enhanced NO-induced apoptotis in VSMCs. These findings suggest that macrophage-derived cytokines can induce upregulation of Fas through a NO-dependent mechanism in VSMCs. Thus, Fas-mediated apoptosis may regulate apoptotic death of VSMCs during atherogenesis.