Effects of citalopram on jaw-closing muscle activity during sleep and wakefulness in mice.

In this study, we investigated the effects of chronic administration of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) citalopram on sleep/wake cycles and masseter (jaw-closing) muscle electromyogram (EMG) activity over a 24-h period. From the dark to the light period, the times of wakefulness decreased, while those of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and REM sleep increased. Citalopram did not induce major alterations in the temporal changes of sleep-wake distributions, except for leading to a decrease in the time of NREM sleep during the light period and an increase in the durations of REM sleep episodes. Moreover, citalopram did not modify mean masseter EMG activity during any of the vigilance states and did not affect the temporal changes related to the shifts between dark/light periods. However, citalopram increased the time engaged in masseter EMG activation during NREM sleep in the second and the first halves of the dark and light periods, respectively. These results suggest that chronic citalopram treatment does not affect the temporal changes of sleep-wake distributions, but has a limited facilitatory influence that fails to increase the number of epochs of high levels of masseter muscle activation.

Dark/light transition and vigilance states modulate jaw-closing muscle activity level in mice.

Bruxism is associated with an increase in the activity of the jaw-closing muscles during sleep and wakefulness. However, the changes in jaw-closing muscle activity across states of vigilance over a 24-h period are unclear. In this study, we investigated the effects of dark/light transition and sleep/wake state on EMG activity of the masseter (jaw-closing) muscle in comparison with the activity of the upper trapezius muscle (a neck muscle) over a 24-h period in mice. The activities of the masseter and neck muscles during wakefulness were much greater than during non-REM and REM sleep. In contrast, the activities of both muscles slightly, but significantly, decreased during the transition period from dark to light. Histograms of masseter activity during wakefulness and non-REM sleep showed bimodal distributions, whereas the neck muscle showed unimodal activation in all states. These results suggest that the activities of jaw-closing and neck muscles are modulated by both sleep/wake state and dark/light transition, with the latter being to a lesser degree. Furthermore, even during non-REM sleep, jaw-closing muscles display bimodal activation, which may contribute to the occurrence of exaggerated aberrant muscle activity, such as sleep bruxism.

Survivin-responsive conditionally replicating adenovirus kills rhabdomyosarcoma stem cells more efficiently than their progeny.

BACKGROUND: Effective methods for eradicating cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are highly tumorigenic and resistant to conventional therapies, are urgently needed. Our previous studies demonstrated that survivin-responsive conditionally replicating adenoviruses regulated with multiple factors (Surv.m-CRAs), which selectively replicate in and kill a broad range of cancer-cell types, are promising anticancer agents. Here we examined the therapeutic potentials of a Surv.m-CRA against rhabdomyosarcoma stem cells (RSCs), in order to assess its clinical effectiveness and usefulness. METHODS: Our previous study demonstrated that fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) is a marker of RSCs. We examined survivin mRNA levels, survivin promoter activities, relative cytotoxicities of Surv.m-CRA in RSC-enriched (serum-minus) vs. RSC-exiguous (serum-plus) and FGFR3-positive vs. FGFR3-negative sorted rhabdomyosarcoma cells, and the in vivo therapeutic effects of Surv.m-CRAs on subcutaneous tumors in mice. RESULTS: Both survivin mRNA levels and survivin promoter activities were significantly elevated under RSC-enriched relative to RSC-exiguous culture conditions, and the elevation was more prominent in FGFR3-positive vs. FGFR3-negative sorted cells than in RSC-enriched vs. RSC-exiguous conditions. Although Surv.m-CRA efficiently replicated and potently induced cell death in all populations of rhabdomyosarcoma cells, the cytotoxic effects were more pronounced in RSC-enriched or RSC-purified cells than in RSC-exiguous or progeny-purified cells. Injections of Surv.m-CRAs into tumor nodules generated by transplanting RSC-enriched cells induced significant death of rhabdomyosarcoma cells and regression of tumor nodules. CONCLUSIONS: The unique therapeutic features of Surv.m-CRA, i.e., not only its therapeutic effectiveness against all cell populations but also its increased effectiveness against CSCs, suggest that Surv.m-CRA is promising anticancer agent.

IL-12 and IL-18 induction and subsequent NKT activation effects of the Japanese botanical medicine Juzentaihoto.

In this study, we first measured some cytokine concentrations in the serum of patients treated with Juzentaihoto (JTT). Of the cytokines measured interleukin (IL) -18 was the most prominently up-regulated cytokine in the serum of patients under long term JTT administration. We next evaluated the effects of JTT in mice, focusing especially on natural killer T (NKT) cell induction. Mice fed JTT were compared to control group ones. After sacrifice, the liver was fixed, embedded and stained. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) observations were performed. Although the mice receiving the herbal medicine had same appearance, their livers were infiltrated with massive mononuclear cells, some of which were aggregated to form clusters. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that there was abundant cytokine expression of IL-12 and IL-18 in the liver of JTT treated mice. To clarify what the key molecules that induce immunological restoration with JTT might be, we next examined in vitro lymphocyte cultures. Mononuclear cells isolated and prepared from healthy volunteers were cultured with and without JTT. Within 24 hours, JTT induced the IL-12 and IL-18 production and later (72 hours) induction of interferon (IFN)-gamma. Oral administration of JTT may induce the expression of IL-12 in the early stage, and IL-18 in the chronic stage, followed by NKT induction. Their activation, following immunological restoration could contribute to anti-tumor effects.