Caspase-1 deficiency promotes high-fat diet-induced adipose tissue inflammation and the development of obesity.

Kimura H, Karasawa T, Usui F, Kawashima A, Endo Y, Kobayashi M, Sadatomo A, Nakamura J, Iwasaki Y, Yada T, Tsutsui H, Kasahara T, Takahashi M.

Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab. 2016 Nov 1;311(5):E881-E890. doi: 10.1152/ajpendo.00174.2016.

NLRP3 Deficiency Reduces Macrophage Interleukin-10 Production and Enhances the Susceptibility to Doxorubicin-induced Cardiotoxicity.

Kobayashi M, Usui F, Karasawa T, Kawashima A, Kimura H, Mizushina Y, Shirasuna K, Mizukami H, Kasahara T, Hasebe N, Takahashi M.

Sci Rep. 2016 May 26;6:26489. doi: 10.1038/srep26489.

Immunoproteasome subunit LMP7 Deficiency Improves Obesity and Metabolic Disorders. 

Kimura H, Usui F, Karasawa T, Kawashima A, Shirasuna K, Inoue Y, Komada T, Kobayashi M, Mizushina Y, Kasahara T, Suzuki K, Iwasaki Y, Yada T, Caturegli P, Takahashi M.

Sci Rep. 2015 Oct 30;5:15883. doi: 10.1038/srep15883.

NLRP3 Deficiency Improves Angiotensin II-Induced Hypertension But Not Fetal Growth Restriction During Pregnancy.

Shirasuna K, Karasawa T, Usui F, Kobayashi M, Komada T, Kimura H, Kawashima A, Ohkuchi A, Taniguchi S, Takahashi M.

Endocrinology. 2015 Nov;156(11):4281-92. doi: 10.1210/en.2015-1408.

Role of NLRP3 Inflammasomes for Rhabdomyolysis-induced Acute Kidney Injury.

Komada T, Usui F, Kawashima A, Kimura H, Karasawa T, Inoue Y, Kobayashi M, Mizushina Y, Kasahara T, Taniguchi S, Muto S, Nagata D, Takahashi M.

Sci Rep. 2015 Jun 5;5:10901. doi: 10.1038/srep10901.

Oligomerized CARD16 promotes caspase-1 assembly and IL-1β processing.

Karasawa T, Kawashima A, Usui F, Kimura H, Shirasuna K, Inoue Y, Komada T, Kobayashi M, Mizushina Y, Sagara J, Takahashi M. 

FEBS Open Bio. 2015 Apr 23;5:348-56. doi: 10.1016/j.fob.2015.04.011. eCollection 2015.

Letter by Usui et al regarding article, "Inhibition of interleukin-1β decreases aneurysm formation and progression in a novel model of thoracic aortic aneurysm".

Usui F, Kobayashi M, Takahashi M.

Circulation. 2015 Apr 7;131(14):e399. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.114.013988.

NLRP3 protein deficiency exacerbates hyperoxia-induced lethality through Stat3 protein signaling independent of interleukin-1β.

Mizushina Y, Shirasuna K, Usui F, Karasawa T, Kawashima A, Kimura H, Kobayashi M, Komada T, Inoue Y, Mato N, Yamasawa H, Latz E, Iwakura Y, Kasahara T, Bando M, Sugiyama Y, Takahashi M.

J Biol Chem. 2015 Feb 20;290(8):5065-77. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M114.603217.

Inflammasome activation by mitochondrial oxidative stress in macrophages leads to the development of angiotensin II-induced aortic aneurysm.

Usui F, Shirasuna K, Kimura H, Tatsumi K, Kawashima A, Karasawa T, Yoshimura K, Aoki H, Tsutsui H, Noda T, Sagara J, Taniguchi S, Takahashi M.

Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 2015 Jan;35(1):127-36. doi: 10.1161/ATVBAHA.114.303763.

Nanosilica-induced placental inflammation and pregnancy complications: Different roles of the inflammasome components NLRP3 and ASC.

Shirasuna K, Usui F, Karasawa T, Kimura H, Kawashima A, Mizukami H, Ohkuchi A, Nishimura S, Sagara J, Noda T, Ozawa K, Taniguchi S, Takahashi M.

Nanotoxicology. 2015;9(5):554-67. doi: 10.3109/17435390.2014.956156.

Interferon-tau attenuates uptake of nanoparticles and secretion of interleukin-1β in macrophages.

Hara K, Shirasuna K, Usui F, Karasawa T, Mizushina Y, Kimura H, Kawashima A, Ohkuchi A, Matsuyama S, Kimura K, Takahashi M.

PLoS One. 2014 Dec 8;9(12):e113974. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0113974. eCollection 2014.

NLRP3 regulates neutrophil functions and contributes to hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury independently of inflammasomes.

Inoue Y, Shirasuna K, Kimura H, Usui F, Kawashima A, Karasawa T, Tago K, Dezaki K, Nishimura S, Sagara J, Noda T, Iwakura Y, Tsutsui H, Taniguchi S, Yanagisawa K, Yada T, Yasuda Y, Takahashi M.

J Immunol. 2014 May 1;192(9):4342-51. doi: 10.4049/jimmunol.1302039.

ASC in renal collecting duct epithelial cells contributes to inflammation and injury after unilateral ureteral obstruction. 

Komada T, Usui F, Shirasuna K, Kawashima A, Kimura H, Karasawa T, Nishimura S, Sagara J, Noda T, Taniguchi S, Muto S, Nagata D, Kusano E, Takahashi M.

Am J Pathol. 2014 May;184(5):1287-98. doi: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2014.01.014.

Critical role of caspase-1 in vascular inflammation and development of atherosclerosis in Western diet-fed apolipoprotein E-deficient mice.

Usui F, Shirasuna K, Kimura H, Tatsumi K, Kawashima A, Karasawa T, Hida S, Sagara J, Taniguchi S, Takahashi M.

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2012 Aug 24;425(2):162-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2012.07.058.

Interleukin-17 deficiency reduced vascular inflammation and development of atherosclerosis in Western diet-induced apoE-deficient mice.

Usui F, Kimura H, Ohshiro T, Tatsumi K, Kawashima A, Nishiyama A, Iwakura Y, Ishibashi S, Takahashi M.

Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2012 Mar 30;420(1):72-7. doi: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2012.02.117.

X-irradiation removes endogenous primordial germ cells (PGCs) and increases germline transmission of donor PGCs in chimeric chickens.

Nakamura Y, Usui F, Miyahara D, Mori T, Ono T, Kagami H, Takeda K, Nirasawa K, Tagami T.

J Reprod Dev. 2012;58(4):432-7. doi: 10.1262/jrd.2012-045.

Critical role of Th17 cells in inflammation and neovascularization after ischaemia.

Hata T, Takahashi M, Hida S, Kawaguchi M, Kashima Y, Usui F, Morimoto H, Nishiyama A, Izawa A, Koyama J, Iwakura Y, Taki S, Ikeda U.

Cardiovasc Res. 2011 May 1;90(2):364-72. doi: 10.1093/cvr/cvq397.

Inflammasome activation of cardiac fibroblasts is essential for myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Kawaguchi M, Takahashi M, Hata T, Kashima Y, Usui F, Morimoto H, Izawa A, Takahashi Y, Masumoto J, Koyama J, Hongo M, Noda T, Nakayama J, Sagara J, Taniguchi S, Ikeda U.

Circulation. 2011 Feb 15;123(6):594-604. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.110.982777.

Viability and Functionality of Primordial Germ Cells after Freeze-thaw in Chickens .

Nakamura Y, Usui F, Miyahara D, Mori T, Watanabe H, Ono T, Takeda K, Nirasawa K, Kagami H, Tagami T.

J Poult Sci. 2011 Jan:48(1):57-63. doi:10.2141/jpsa.010085

Germline replacement by transfer of primordial germ cells into partially sterilized embryos in the chicken.

Nakamura Y, Usui F, Ono T, Takeda K, Nirasawa K, Kagami H, Tagami T.

Biol Reprod. 2010 Jul;83(1):130-7. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod.110.083923.

Efficient system for preservation and regeneration of genetic resources in chicken: concurrent storage of primordial germ cells and live animals from early embryos of a rare indigenous fowl (Gifujidori).

Nakamura Y, Usui F, Miyahara D, Mori T, Ono T, Takeda K, Nirasawa K, Kagami H, Tagami T.

Reprod Fertil Dev. 2010;22(8):1237-46. doi: 10.1071/RD10056.

A Novel Concentrating System of Chicken Stem Cells by Bone Marrow Side Population Cells.

Usui F, Nakamura Y, Yamamoto Y, Tatsumi K, Tominari K, Ono T, Kagami H.

J Poult Sci. 2010 Jan:47(1):53-56. doi:10.2141/jpsa.009052

Analysis of Developmental Changes in Avian DNA Methylation Using a Novel Method for Quantifying Genome-wide DNA Methylation.

Usui F, Nakamura Y, Yamamoto Y, Bitoh A, Ono T, Kagami H.

J Poult Sci. 2009 Oct:46(4):286-290. doi:10.2141/jpsa.46.286

Depletion of Primordial Germ Cells (PGCs) by X-irradiation to Extraembryonic Region of Chicken Embryos and Expression of Xenotransplanted Quail PGCs.

Atsumi Y, Yazawa S, Usui F, Nakamura Y, Yamamoto Y, Tagami T, Hiramatsu K, Kagami H, Ono T.

J Poult Sci. 2009 Apr:46(2):136-143. doi:10.2141/jpsa.46.136

Effects of Busulfan Sustained-release Emulsion on Depletion and Repopulation of Primordial Germ Cells in Early Chicken Embryos.

Nakamura Y, Usui F, Atsumi Y, Otomo A, Teshima A, Ono T, Takeda K, Nirasawa K, Kagami H, Tagami T.

J Poult Sci. 2009 Apr:46(2):127-135. doi:10.2141/jpsa.46.127

Novel system for degeneration of blood vessels by UV irradiation and subsequent regeneration using chick bone marrow cells.

Usui F, Yamamoto Y, Nakamura Y, Ono T, Kagami H.

Cells Tissues Organs. 2009;189(5):348-55. doi: 10.1159/000162494.

Increased proportion of donor primordial germ cells in chimeric gonads by sterilisation of recipient embryos using busulfan sustained-release emulsion in chickens.

Nakamura Y, Yamamoto Y, Usui F, Atsumi Y, Ito Y, Ono T, Takeda K, Nirasawa K, Kagami H, Tagami T.

Reprod Fertil Dev. 2008;20(8):900-7. doi: 10.1071/rd08138.

Migration and proliferation of primordial germ cells in the early chicken embryo.

Nakamura Y, Yamamoto Y, Usui F, Mushika T, Ono T, Setioko AR, Takeda K, Nirasawa K, Kagami H, Tagami T.

 Poult Sci. 2007 Oct;86(10):2182-93. doi: 10.1093/ps/86.10.2182.

A novel method to isolate primordial germ cells and its use for the generation of germline chimeras in chicken.

Yamamoto Y, Usui F, Nakamura Y, Ito Y, Tagami T, Nirasawa K, Matsubara Y, Ono T, Kagami H.

Biol Reprod. 2007 Jul;77(1):115-9. doi: 10.1095/biolreprod.107.061200.