Changes in fatigue,autonomic functions,and blood biomarkers due to sitting isometric yoga in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome

Background

In a previous randomized controlled trial, we found that sitting isometric yoga improves fatigue in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) who are resistant to conventional therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate possible mechanisms behind this finding, focusing on the short-term fatigue-relieving effect, by comparing autonomic nervous function and blood biomarkers before and after a session of isometric yoga.

Methods

Fifteen patients with CFS who remained symptomatic despite at least 6 months of conventional therapy practiced sitting isometric yoga (biweekly 20 min practice with a yoga instructor and daily home practice) for eight weeks. Acute effects of sitting isometric yoga on fatigue, autonomic function, and blood biomarkers were investigated after the final session with an instructor. The effect of a single session of sitting isometric yoga on fatigue was assessed by the Profile of Mood Status (POMS) questionnaire immediately before and after the session. Autonomic nervous function (heart rate (HR) variability) and blood biomarkers (cortisol, DHEA-S, TNF-α, IL-6, IFN-γ, IFN-α, prolactin, carnitine, TGF-β1, BDNF, MHPG, and HVA) were compared before and after the session.

Results

Sitting isometric yoga significantly reduced the POMS fatigue score (p?<?0.01) and increased the vigor score (p?<?0.01). It also reduced HR (p?<?0.05) and increased the high frequency power (p?<?0.05) of HR variability. Sitting isometric yoga increased serum levels of DHEA-S (p?<?0.05), reduced levels of cortisol (p?<?0.05) and TNF-α (p?<?0.05), and had a tendency to reduce serum levels of prolactin (p?<?0.1). Decreases in fatigue scores correlated with changes in plasma levels of TGF-β1 and BDNF. In contrast, increased vigor positively correlated with HVA.

Conclusions

A single session of sitting isometric yoga reduced fatigue and increased vigor in patients with CFS. Yoga also increased vagal nerve function and changed blood biomarkers in a pattern that suggested anti-stress and anti-inflammatory effects. These changes appear to be related to the short-term fatigue-relieving effect of sitting isometric yoga in patients with CFS. Furthermore, dopaminergic nervous system activation might account for sitting isometric yoga-induced increases in energy in this patient population.

Trial registration

University Hospital Medical Information Network (UMIN CTR) UMIN000009646. Registered Dec 27, 2012.

     

Uptake of nitrogen and production of kainic acid by laboratory culture of the red alga Digenea simplex

The red alga Digenea simplex was cultured with various culture media to clarify the nutritional conditions to produce kainic acid (KA ). Unlike the domoic acid‐producing red alga Chondria armata , D. simplex was insensitive to excessive manganese, and grew best (mean growth rate approximately 800% for 25 days) in modified PES medium (mPES ; seawater + nitrate, phosphate, iron, trace metals, vitamins, and 2‐[4‐(2‐hydroxyethyl)‐1‐piperazinyl]‐ ethanesulfonic acid) prepared with autoclaved seawater. Liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry analysis of the algal extracts revealed that the KA content of the explants cultured with mPES or N·P·Fe medium (seawater + nitrate, phosphate, and iron) was somewhat higher than that of wild specimens (1748–2378 μg g^?1 vs 1562 μg g^?1). The ¹H‐nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum of the KA extracted and purified from pooled explants was indistinguishable from the previously reported KA spectrum. When D. simplex was cultured for 6 weeks with medium in which NaNO ₃ of mPES was replaced by Na¹⁵NO ₃, the ratio of ²¹⁴KA to total measured KA (^totalKA = ²¹³KA + ²¹⁴KA ) in the cultured explants (0.1 at the beginning of culture) gradually increased to 2.5, indicating that D. simplex produces KA in proportion to its growth under the condition in which sufficient nitrogen source is available.     

Calmodulin‐like skin protein protects against spatial learning impairment in a mouse model of Alzheimer disease

Humanin and calmodulin‐like skin protein (CLSP) inhibits Alzheimer disease (AD)‐related neuronal cell death via the heterotrimeric humanin receptor in vitro . It has been suggested that CLSP is a central agonist of the heterotrimeric humanin receptor in vivo . To investigate the role of CLSP in the AD pathogenesis in vivo , we generated mouse CLSP‐1 transgenic mice, crossed them with the APPswe/PSEN1dE9 mice, a model mouse of AD, and examined the effect of CLSP over‐expression on the pathological phenotype of the AD mouse model. We found that over‐expression of the mouse CLSP‐1 gene attenuated spatial learning impairment, the loss of a presynaptic marker synaptophysin, and the inactivation of STAT3 in the APPswe/PSEN1dE9 mice. On the other hand, CLSP over‐expression did not affect levels of Aβ, soluble Aβ oligomers, or gliosis. These results suggest that the CLSP‐mediated attenuation of memory impairment and synaptic loss occurs in an Aβ‐independent manner. The results of this study may serve as a hint to the better understanding of the AD pathogenesis and the development of AD therapy.

     

Structural analysis of the phototactic transducer protein HtrII linker region from Natronomonas pharaonis

Halobacterial pharaonis phoborhodopsin [ppR, also called Natronomonas pharaonis sensory rhodopsin II (NpSRII)] is a phototaxis protein which transmits a light signal to the cytoplasm through its transducer protein (pHtrII). pHtrII, a two-transmembrane protein that interacts with ppR, belongs to the group of methyl-accepting chemotaxis proteins (MCPs). Several mutation studies have indicated that the linker region connecting the transmembrane and methylation regions is necessary for signal transduction. However, the three-dimensional (3D) structure of an MCP linker region has yet to be reported, and hence, details concerning the signal transduction mechanism remain unknown. Here the structure of the pHtrII linker region was investigated biochemically and biophysically. Following limited proteolysis, only one trypsin resistant fragment in the pHtrII linker region was identified. This fragment forms a homodimer with a Kd value of 115 microM. The 3D structure of this fragment was determined by solution NMR, and only one alpha-helix was found between two HAMP domains of the linker region. This alpha-helix was significantly stabilized within transmembrane protein pHtrII as revealed by CW-EPR. The presence of Af1503 HAMP domain-like structures in the linker region was supported by CD, NMR, and ELDOR data. The alpha-helix determined here presumably works as a mechanical joint between two HAMP domains in the linker region to transfer the photoactivated conformational change downstream.     

Phosphate metabolism during diel vertical migration in the raphidophycean alga, Chattonella antiqua

The ecological advantage of diel vertical migration on the nutrition and accumulation of Chattonella antiqua, which is one of the dominant red-tide forming phytoplankton species in the Seto Inland Sea of Japan, was examined using a large axenic culture tank, in which vertical stratification of salinity, temperature and nutrients was maintained, analogous to natural conditions observed when red tides occur. C. antiqua was capable of migrating through very sharp salinity and temperature gradients. At night the species migrated to the deep nutrient-rich water and assimilated nutrients. During the daytime it migrated to the nutrient-depleted surface water and used the accumulated nutrients for photosynthesis. Nitrogen uptake was synchronized with phosphate uptake. ³¹P-NMR spectroscopy during the migration experiment revealed that C. antiqua has the capability of nocturnal phosphate uptake in the deep nutrient-rich water, but no capability of synthesizing polyphosphate, which was considered to be the intracellular phosphate pool. These findings were compared with those reported for another raphidophycean, Heterosigma akashiwo. Although both species carry out vertical migration and nocturnal nutrient uptake, only H. akashiwo has the capability of making an intracellular polyphosphate pool. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Human umbilical cord-derived cells can often serve as feeder cells to maintain primate embryonic stem cells in a state capable of producing hematopoietic cells

Clinical application of human embryonic stem (ES) cells will require the establishment of methods for their culture, either in the presence or absence of human-derived feeder cells. We have tested the ability of non-immortalized cultured cells derived from human umbilical cord (HUC cells) to support ES cell culture. A primate ES cell line that had been established and maintained with mouse embryonic fibroblasts was cultured on HUC cells for >3 months (HUC-maintained ES cells). These cells retained their expression of alkaline phosphatase, SSEA-4, Oct-3/4, and to a lesser extent Nanog, but did not express Rex-1. Nevertheless, HUC-maintained ES cells could produce ectoderm-, mesoderm- and endoderm-derived cells in teratomata that they formed in immunodeficient mice. We show that HUC-maintained ES cells could give rise to hematopoietic cells, although this ability of HUC cells varied among HUC cell populations derived from different neonates. HUC cells are promising as human material with which to maintain ES cells in a state that retains their ability to produce mature cells, including hematopoietic cells.     

Potent antagonists of the CCR2b receptor. Part 3: SAR of the (R)-3-aminopyrrolidine series

SAR studies were conducted around lead compound 1 using high-throughput parallel solution and solid phase synthesis. Our lead optimization efforts led to the identification of several CCR2b antagonists with potent activity in both binding and functional assays [Compound 71 CCR2b Binding IC(50) 3.2 nM; MCP-1-Induced Chemotaxis IC(50) 0.83 nM; Ca(2+) Flux IC(50) 7.5 nM].     

RCAI-17, 22, 24-26, 29, 31, 34-36, 38-40, and 88, the analogs of KRN7000 with a sulfonamide linkage: their synthesis and bioactivity for mouse natural killer T cells to produce Th2-biased cytokines

RCAI-17, 22, 24-26, 29, 31, 34-36, 38-40, and 88, the analogs of KRN7000 with a sulfonamide linkage instead of an amide bond, were synthesized to examine their bioactivity for mouse natural killer (NK) T cells. RCAI-17, 22, 24-26, 29, 31, 34-36, and 88 are the aromatic sulfonamide analogs, while RCAI-39 and 40 are the aliphatic ones. RCAI-38 is a C-galactoside analog of RCAI-26, which is the p-toluenesulfonamide analog of KRN7000. According to their bioassay, these sulfonamide analogs were shown to be the stimulants of mouse NKT cells to induce the production of Th2-biased cytokines in vitro, while RCAI-38 did not induce any cytokine production.