Background: Exercise training induces various adaptations in skeletal muscles. However, the mechanisms remain unclear. Purpose: Therefore, we conducted 2D-DIGE proteomic analysis, which has not yet been used for elucidating adaptations of skeletal muscle after low-intensity exercise training (LIT). Methods: For five days, rats performed LIT, which consisted of two 3-h swimming exercise with45-m rest between the exercise bouts. 2D-DIGE analysis was conducted on epitrochlearis muscles excised eighteen hours after the final training exercise. Results: Proteomic profiling revealed that, out of 681 detected and matched spots, 22 proteins exhibited changed expression by LIT compared with sedentary rats. All proteins were identified by MALDI-TOF/MS. Conclusion: The proteomic 2D-DIGE analysis following LIT identified expressions of skeletal muscle proteins, includingATPsynα, UQCRC1, dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase, dihydrolipoamide acetyltransferase, that were not previously reported to change their expressions after exercise-training.

Objective : To investigate the safety and effects of long-term administration of denopamine, β-1 stimulant, on the activities of daily living in heart failure patients.
Design : Case-series.
Methods : One hundred forty patients with mild to moderate chronic heart failure were administered denopamine at dose of 5 to 10 mg three times daily for 24 weeks. Concomitant circulatory system drugs such as digitalis, diuretics, vasodilator drugs, etc., were used without changing the administration method and dose. However, the use of a concomitant β-blocker was prohibited.
Results : Following administration of denopamine, the NYHA cardiac function classification improved by one degree or more in 50 patients (35.7%). The body weight decreased significantly from 54.9± 10.2kg (mean±SD) before administration to 54.0±10.2kg after administration (P<0.05), and the cardiothoracic ratio also decreased from 58.0±7.3% to 56.6±7.2% (P<0.001). No significant changes were observed in the heart rate, systolic blood pressure, or diastolic blood pressure. The activities of daily living improved by one level or more for 49 patients (51.6%). There were 36 withdrawal or dropout cases (patients' own convenience : 12 cases ; complications/accidental symptoms : 7 cases) during the investigation period. Four patients (2.9%) exhibited adverse reactions.
Conclusion : Denopamine seemed to improve the quality of life, which is one of the therapeutic purposes for patients with chronic cardiac failure. A large-scale study including investigation of the long-term prognosis for such patients needs to be performed.

To evaluate the effects of acupuncture on the immune system, the leukocyte, monocytes, lymphocyte and lymphocyte surface markers, CD2, CD4, CD8, CD11b, CD16, CD19 and CD56 in the peripheral blood of seventeen healthy volunteers were counted. The leukocyte above CD⁺ cell counts significantly increased after acupuncture. The results indicate that acupuncture may regulate the immune system and can increase the activity of cellular and humoral immunity and NK cell.
According to the percentage of lymphocytes or granulocytes, volunteers were divided into two types, those with more than 70% of granulocyte were recognized as G type and those with more than 40% of lymphocyte were divided into L type. Interestingly, before and after the treatment of acupuncture, the number of granulocytes and lymphocytes had a negative relationships. Namely we found an increase in the lymphocytes as well as a decrease in the granulocytes in the G type. On the other hand in the L type, we found an increase in the granulocytes and a decrease in the lymphocytes. Therefore we suggest that acupuncture can enhance the activity that maintains the balance of the immune function.

We have simultaneously proved that cell populations taking charge of immunity in human peripheral blood can be regulated quantitatively by acupuncture. Now we investigated the effect of acupuncture qualitatively on cytokine production by lymphocyte cells in human peripheral blood.
The number of IL-1β, IL-4 and IFN-γ containing cells, which are closely associated with macrophage, humoral immunity and cellular immunity respectively, were measured by FACScan. We found a significant increase in IFN-γ containing cells after acupuncture. According to this result together with previous results, the enhancement of CD4⁺ and CD56⁺ cell counts, the treatment of acupuncture can promote the activity of cellular immunity as well as NK cell.

Glycosylation of the Fc region of IgG has a profound impact on the safety and clinical efficacy of therapeutic antibodies. While the biantennary complex-type oligosaccharide attached to Asn297 of the Fc is essential for antibody effector functions, fucose and outer-arm sugars attached to the core heptasaccharide that generate structural heterogeneity (glycoforms) exhibit unique biological activities. Hence, efficient and quantitative glycan analysis techniques have been increasingly important for the development and quality control of therapeutic antibodies, and glycan profiles of the Fc are recognized as critical quality attributes. In the past decade our understanding of the influence of glycosylation on the structure/function of IgG-Fc has grown rapidly through X-ray crystallographic and nuclear magnetic resonance studies, which provides possibilities for the design of novel antibody therapeutics. Furthermore, the chemoenzymatic glycoengineering approach using endoglycosidase-based glycosynthases may facilitate the development of homogeneous IgG glycoforms with desirable functionality as next-generation therapeutic antibodies. Thus, the Fc glycans are fertile ground for the improvement of the safety, functionality, and efficacy of therapeutic IgG antibodies in the era of precision medicine.
Animals ; Antibodies, Monoclonal ; adverse effects ; pharmacokinetics ; therapeutic use ; Glycosylation ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Protein Engineering ; methods ; Receptors, Fc ; chemistry ; metabolism ; Treatment Outcome