Kyushu University Academic Staff Educational and Research Activities Database
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Eikichi Ihara Last modified date:2023.12.06

Associate Professor / Department of Medicine and Bioregulatory Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University
Department of Clinical Medicine
Faculty of Medical Sciences


Graduate School
Undergraduate School


Homepage
https://kyushu-u.elsevierpure.com/en/persons/eikichi-ihara
 Reseacher Profiling Tool Kyushu University Pure
http://www.intmed3.med.kyushu-u.ac.jp/english/
Department of Medicine and Bioregulatory Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, .
Academic Degree
MD, PhD
Country of degree conferring institution (Overseas)
No
Field of Specialization
Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal motility
ORCID(Open Researcher and Contributor ID)
0000-0002-7070-6610
Total Priod of education and research career in the foreign country
04years00months
Outline Activities
Outline of research:
Coordinated regulation of gastrointestinal (GI) motility contributes to general health and wellness when functioning normally but is also associated with morbidity and mortality when dysfunctional. Alterations in GI motility with resultant changes in transit can contribute to abdominal pain, intestinal cramping, diarrhea, constipation and urgency to defecate.The GI smooth muscle itself plays an important role in gastrointestinal (GI) motility. In overt inflammatory conditions of the bowel, such as infectious colitis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), there have been longstanding observations of altered motility and impaired function of the GI smooth muscle. While the inflammatory mediators are known to affect GI smooth muscle and impaired gastrointestinal motility, it still remains to be investigated how the inflammatory mediators affects GI smooth muscle. The research goals are to those mechanisms which possibly lead to generation of novel therapeutics for patients with GI motility disorders.
Education:
I give lectures on gastroenterology and metabolic gastroenterology to medical students in kyushu university. I also instruct, supervise and evaluate their clinical trainings. Alternatively, I teach gastroenterological endoscopy and radiology to gastroenterology trainees.
Research
Research Interests
  • Elucidation of underlying pathogenesis of esophageal achalasia
    keyword : esophageal achalasia
    2023.04~2023.10.
  • Etiology and pathogenesis of esophageal motility disorders and their novel treatments
    keyword : Esophageal motility disorder, high-resolution manometry
    2016.04~2021.03.
  • The underlying mechanisms of regulation of lower esophageal sphincter tone.
    keyword : Lower esophageal sphincter、Mechanism of smooth muscle contraction、Myogenic tone regulation、Rho kinase
    2016.04~2021.03.
  • To elucidate the pathogenesis of Gastroesophageal reflux disease
    keyword : High resolution manometry、Esophageal impedance-pH monitoring、Gastroesophageal reflux disease、Esophageal motility disorders
    2016.04~2021.03.
  • The underlying mechanisms by which intestinal inflammation associated with various gastrointestinal (GI) disorders impairs contractile function of intestinal smooth muscle and GI motility.
    keyword : altered GI motility, intestinal smooth muscle, intestinal inflammation
    2016.04~2021.03.
Academic Activities
Reports
1. Ihara E, Akiho H, Nakamura K, Turner SR, MacDonald JA, MAPK signaling pathways represent a possible ideal target for generation of novel therapeutics for patients with gastrointestinal motility disorders. , World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol 2:19-25, 2011.07.
2. Akiho H, Ihara E, Nakamura. K, Low-grade inflammation plays a pivotal role in gastrointestinal dysfunction in irritable bowel syndrome. , World J Gastrointest Pathophysiol 1:97-105, 2010.07.
3. Ihara E and MacDonald JA, The regulation of smooth muscle contractility by zipper-interacting protein kinase. , Can J Physiol Pharmacol 85: 79-87., 2007.07.
Papers
1. Hamada, Shohei; Ihara, Eikichi; Ikeda, Hiroko; Muta, Kazumasa; Ogino, Haruei; Chinen, Takatoshi; Tanaka, Yoshimasa; Ogawa, Yoshihiro, Clinical Characterization of Vonoprazan-Refractory Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, DIGESTION, 10.1159/000503340, 102, 2, 197-204, 2021.02.
2. Minoda, Yosuke; Ihara, Eikichi; Komori, Keishi; Ogino, Haruei; Otsuka, Yoshihiro; Chinen, Takatoshi; Tsuda, Yasuo; Ando, Koji; Yamamoto, Hidetaka; Ogawa, Yoshihiro, Efficacy of endoscopic ultrasound with artificial intelligence for the diagnosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumors, JOURNAL OF GASTROENTEROLOGY, 10.1007/s00535-020-01725-4, 55, 12, 1119-1126, 2020.12.
3. Keita Fukaura, Yoichiro Iboshi, Haruei Ogino, Eikichi Ihara, Kazuhiko Nakamura, Yuichiro Nishihara, Kei Nishioka, Takatoshi Chinen, Tsutomu Iwasa, Akira Aso, Ayako Goto, Kazuhiro Haraguchi, Hirotada Akiho, Naohiko Harada, Yoshihiro Ogawa, Mucosal Profiles of Immune Molecules Related to T Helper and Regulatory T Cells Predict Future Relapse in Patients with Quiescent Ulcerative Colitis, Inflammatory bowel diseases, 10.1093/ibd/izy395, 25, 6, 1019-1027, 2019.05, Background: T helper (Th)- and regulatory T (Treg) cell-related immune molecules are implicated in ulcerative colitis (UC). However, the association between their mucosal expression during remission and the subsequent clinical course of UC is unknown. Methods: The expression of cytokines and transcription factors related to Th1, Th2, Th17, and Treg in endoscopic mucosal biopsy specimens from 40 UC patients in clinical remission and 9 controls was measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The relationship between their expression patterns, as stratified by Mayo Endoscopic Subscore (MES), and any future relapse was evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Six of 40 patients (baseline MES 0/1/2, 22/14/4) experienced a relapse during the study period (median, 37 months). At baseline, even in the MES0 patients, the interleukin (IL)-17A of the patients was significantly upregulated in comparison with controls (P = 0.0351). Future relapse was associated with a higher baseline expression of IL-17A, IL-17F, and IL-21 in MES0/1, and the upregulation of IL-17F and IL-21 remained statistically significant when limited to MES0 patients. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that as a single marker, a higher IL-21 level best grouped patients with an increased risk of relapse (P = 0.0042). Furthermore, a multivariate model that consisted of IL-21 and T-bet showed an even greater value (P = 0.0001). Conclusions: The profiles of Th/Treg-related gene expression in the colonic mucosa are altered, even during clinical and endoscopic remission of UC, with a detectable Th17-predominant profile predicting future relapse. This association might represent latent immune dysregulation during disease quiescence and has the potential to be utilized to improve patient care..
4. Bai Xiaopeng, Yoshimasa Tanaka, Eikichi Ihara, Katsuya Hirano, Kayoko Nakano, Mayumi Hirano, Yoshinao Oda, Kazuhiko Nakamura, Trypsin induces biphasic muscle contraction and relaxation via transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 and neurokinin receptors 1/2 in porcine esophageal body, European Journal of Pharmacology, 10.1016/j.ejphar.2017.01.004, 797, 65-74, 2017.01.
5. Ihara E, Chappellaz M, Turner SR, MacDonald JA, Contribution of Protein kinase C and CPI-17 signaling pathways to hypercontractility in murine experimental colitis. , Neurogastroenterol Motil, 24, e15-26, 2012.01.
6. Ogino H, Nakamura K, Ihara E, Akiho H, Takayanagi R, CD4+CD25+ Regulatory T Cells Suppress Th17-Responses in an Experimental Colitis Model. , Dig Dis Sci , 57, 497-500, 2011.01.
7. Ihara E, Beck PL, Chappellaz M, Wong J, Medlicott SA and MacDonald JA, Mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways conribute to hypercontractility and increased Ca2+-sensitization in murine experimental colitis. , Mol Pharmacol, 75, 1031-1041, 2009.07.
8. Ihara E, Hirano K, Hirano M, Nishimura J, Nawata H, Kanaide H, Mechanism of down-regulation of L-type Ca2+ channel in the proliferating smooth muscle cells of rat aorta. , J Cell Biochem, 10.1002/jcb.10295, 87, 2, 242-251, 2002.07.
9. Ihara E, Hirano K, Derkach DN, Nishimura J, Nawata H, Kanaide H, The mechanism of bradykinin-induced endothelium-dependent contraction and relaxation in the porcine interlobar renal artery. , Br J Pharmacol, 10.1038/sj.bjp.0703141, 129, 5, 943-952, 2000.07.
10. Derkach DN, Ihara E, Hirano K, Nishimura J, Takahashi S, Kanaide H, Thrombin causes endothelium-dependent biphasic regulation of vascular tone in the porcine renal interlobar artery. , Br J Pharmacol 2000;131, 10.1038/sj.bjp.0703737, 131, 8, 1635-1642, 2000.07.
11. Ihara E, Hirano K, Nishimura J, Nawata H, Kanaide H, Thapsigargin-induced endothelium-dependent triphasic regulation of vascular tone in the porcine renal artery. , Br J Pharmacol, 10.1038/sj.bjp.0702821, 128, 3, 689-699, 1999.07.
Presentations
1. Hata Y, Hamada Y, Wada M, Ikeda H, Komori K, Ogino H, Ihara E, Akiho H, Ogawa Y, Usefulness of barium esophagram with newly developed wave appearance in screening tool for esophageal motility disorders., Digestive Disease Week 2020, 2020.05.
2. Nishihara Y, Ogino H, Tanaka M, Ihara E, Chinen T, Nishioka K, Ikeda H, Hayashi Y, Okuno H, Fukaura K, Nakayama J, Akiho H, Ogawa Y., Transcriptome analysis reveals that microbiota in the intestinal mucosal is related with the severity and clinical course of ulcerative colitis., Digestive Disease Week 2020, 2020.05.
3. Ihara E, Muta K, Bai X, Hamada S, Ikeda H, Komori K, Ogino H, Chinen T, and Ogawa Y., Elevation of basal EGJ pressure is associated with low-efficacy of acotiamide for the patients with EGJ outflow obstruction., Digestive Disease Week, 2019.05.
4. Ikeda H, Ihara E, Hamada S, Muta K, Fukaura K, Otsuka Y, Hata Y, Mukai K, Komori K, Ogino, H Chinen T and Ogawa Y., Impaired esophagogastric junction recessive relaxation plays a central role in esophageal motility disorders associated with systemic scleroderma., Digestive Disease Week, 2019.05.
5. Hamada S, Ihara E, Muta K, Ikeda H, Mukai K, Otsuka Y, Hata Y, Ogino H, Takatoshi Chinen and Ogawa Y., Significant difference in the proportion of underlying diseases between conventional proton pump inhibitors and vonoprazan refractory gastroesophageal refluc disease., Digestive Disease Week, 2019.05.
6. Bai X, Ihara E, Otsuka Y, Ogino H, Akiho H, Nakamura K and Ogawa Y., Nicotine caused the dual regulation of tone in the porcine lower esophageal sphincter through excitatory and inhibitory enteric innervation., Digestive Disease Week, 2018.06.
7. Hamada S, Ihara E, Muta K, Fukaura K, Ogino H, Bai X, Mukai K, Otsuka Y, Komori K, Hata Y, Aso A, Iwasa T, Ochiai T, Akiho H, Nakamura K and Ogawa Y., The esophageal intraluminal baseline impedance differentiates reflux hypersensitivity from NERD., Digestive Disease Week, 2018.06.
8. Minoda Y, Osoegawa T, Itaba S, Aso A, Iwasa T, Ogino H, Harada N, Ihara E, Nakamura K and Ogawa Y., Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration v.s. a mucosal incision-assisted biopsy for gastric submucosal tumors: a randomized comparative study., Digestive Disease Week, 2018.06.
9. Muta K, Ihara E, Hamada S, Fukaura K, Bai X, Otsuka Y, Ogino H, Bai X, Mukai K, Komori K, Hata Y, Mukai K, Komori K, Iwasa T, Akiho H, Nakamura K and Ogawa Y., Mucosally expressed protease-activated receptor2 and transient receptor potential vanilloid1 are associated with functional heartburn., Digestive Disease Week, 2018.06.
10. Muta K, Ihara E, Fukaura K, Bai X, Hata Y, Ogino H, Ochiai T, Nakamura K and Ogawa Y., Both incomplete LES relaxation and premature contraction of esophageal body are characteristics of dry swallow., Digestive Disease Week, 2018.06.
11. Otsuka Y, Bai X, Ihara E, Kazuhiko Nakamura, Ogawa Yoshihiro, Rho kinase-associated myogenic contraction compensates for reduced force induced by release after stretching in the porcine lower esophageal sphincter., Digestive Disease Week 2017, 2017.05.
12. Hata Y, Ihara E, Fukaura K, Muta K, Bai X, Tsutomu Iwasa, Aso A, Kazuhiko Nakamura, Ogawa Yoshihiro, Esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction is discriminated from achalasia by esophageally expressed cytokine profiles using linear discriminant analysis., Digestive Disease Week 2017, 2017.05.
13. Muta K, Ihara E, Fukaura K, Bai X, Ochiai T, Tsutomu Iwasa, Aso A, Kazuhiko Nakamura, Lower esophageal sphincter (LES) receptive relaxation is indispensable for successful LES relaxation in wet swallowing., Digestive Disease Week 2017, 2017.05.
14. Muta K, Ihara E, Fukaura K, Bai X, Tanaka Y, Iwasa T, Aso A, Tsuchida O, Ochiai T, Kazuhiko Nakamura, Mechanisms of acotiamde-sensitive impaired lower esophageal sphincter accommodation in patients with esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction. , Digestive Disease Week 2016, 2016.05.
15. Bai X, Ihara E, Tanaka Y, Hirano K, Hirano M, Kazuhiko Nakamura, Involvement of different subtypes of receptor in prostaglandin E2-induced motile function in lower esophageal sphincter and esophageal body smooth muscle. , Digestive Disease Week 2016, 2016.05.
16. Bai X, Ihara E, Tanaka Y, Hirano K, Hirano M, Kazuhiko Nakamura, Akiho H, Trypsin induced a transient contraction via a PAR2/TRPV1/neurokinin receptors pathway in circular smooth muscle of porcine esophageal body., Digestive Disease Week 2016, 2016.05.
17. Ihara E, Fukaura K, Muta K, Tanaka Y, Bai X, Iwasa T, Aso A, Akiho H, Kazuhiko Nakamura, Protease-activated receptor expression in the esophagus is associated with esophageal mucosal integrity and esophageal motility function., Digestive Disease Week 2016, 2016.05.
18. Muta K, Ihara E, Fukaura K, Bai X, Tanaka Y, Nakamura K, Ochiai T, Tsuchida O, Akiho H, Takayanagi R, Actiamide has the potential to become a promising treatment for patients with esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction., Digestive Disease Week 2015, 2015.05.
19. Tanaka Y, Ihara E, Muta K, Fukaura K, Mukai K, Bai X, Nakamura K, Akiho H, Takayanagi R, Clinical characteristics associated with function of esophageal motility: A retrospective analysis of 97 patients., Digestive Disease Week 2015, 2015.05.
20. Fukaura K, Ihara E, Muta K, Tanaka Y, Bai X, Nakamura K, Takayanagi R, The cytokine expression patterns of esophageal mucosa are associated with esophageal motility function in human., Digestive Disease Week 2015, 2015.05.
21. Bai X, Ihara E, Tanaka Y, Hirano K, Hirano M, Akiho H, Nakamura K, Takayanagi R, Endogenous H2S contributes to myogenic tone generation in lower esophageal sphincter: Possible involvement of Na+/Ca2+ exchanger., Digestive Disease Week 2015, 2015.05.
22. Ihara E, Fukaura K, Muta K, Tanaka Y, Bai X, Kazuhiko Nakamura, Ryoichi Takayanagi, Expression levels of cytokines, including IL-23, IL-1β, and IFN-γ, in esophageal mucosa are strongly predictive of esophageal body contractility in human., Canadian Digestive Disease Week, 2015.03.
23. Osoegawa T, Ihara E, Kazuhiko Nakamura, Kubo H, Aso A, Niina Y, Sawamura N, Hijioka M, Igarashi H, Ito T, Tanaka M, Ryoichi Takayanagi, Usefulness and safety of endoscopic ultrasonography-guided drainage for postoperative pancreatic fistulas., 22nd United European Gastroenterology Week, 2014.10.
24. Xiaopeng Bai, Yoshimasa Tanaka, Eikichi Ihara, Katsuya Hirano, Mayumi Hirano, Kazuhiko Nakamura, Hirotada Akiho, Ryoichi Takayanagi, Different contractile and relaxant effects of trypsin in phasic smooth muscle of the esophageal body and the tonic lower esophageal sphincter., Digestive Disease Week, 2014.05.
25. Kazumasa Muta, Eikichi Ihara, Xiaopeng Bai, Yoshimasa Tanaka, Kazuhiko Nakamura, Hirotada Akiho, Ryoichi Takayanagi, Acotiamide, a novel prokinetic drug reduces both esophageal body contractility and the tone of the lower esophageal sphincter., Digestive Disease Week, 2014.05.
26. Yoshimasa Tanaka, Eikichi Ihara, Katsuya Hirano, mayumi hirano, Kazuhiko Nakamura, Hirotada Akiho, Ryoichi Takayanagi, Trypsin induced biphasic contraction and relaxation in the porcine lower esophageal sphincter., Digestive Disease Week, 2013.05.
27. Ihara E, Honda K, Hata Y, Sumida Y, Akiho H, Nakamura K and Takayanagi R., Preoperative tissue sampling of suspected gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors by mucosal incision assisted biopsy., Digestive Disease Week,, 2012.05.
28. Hirotada Akiho, Mitsue Nishiyama, Yohei Tokita, Kazuko Satoh, Hirotada Akiho, Kazuhiko Nakamura, Eikichi Ihara, Ryoichi Takayanagi, Masahiro Yamamoto, IL-17 suppresses RGS4 translocation in primary cultured intestinal smooth muscle cells via IκBζ signaling: an indication of a mechanism of IL-17-induced gut hypermotility., Digestive Disease Week 2012, 2012.05.
29. Kazuko Stoh, Yohei Tokita, Mitsue Nishiyama, Hirotada Akiho, Kazuhiko Nakamura, Eikichi Ihara, Ryoichi Takayanagi, Masahiro Yamamoto, IL-17 is critically involved in post-inflammatory gut hypermotility., Digestive Disease Week 2012, 2012.05.
30. ERK and p38MAPK regulate myosin light chain phosphatase and contribute to carbachol-induced contraction in rat intestinal smooth muscle. .
31. Hypoxia Inducible Factor (HIF-1alpha) Plays a Critical Innate Protective Role in Clostridium Difficile (Cdif) Toxin-Induced Intestinal Injury and Inflammation..
32. Pharmacological stabilization of HIF-1a is protective in a mouse model of clostridium difficile-associated intestinal inflammation..
33. Protein kinase signaling pathways contribute to hypercontractility in murine experimental colitis..
34. Up-regulation of HIF-1alpha is associated with augmented Rho-kinase-mediated contraction of ileal smooth muscle following exposure to Clostridium difficile toxins in a mouse ileal loop model. .
35. Ca2+-sensitization of colonic smooth muscle is altered in a murine experimental colitis model. .
36. Alterations in the contractile properties of ileal smooth muscle exposed to Clostridium difficile toxins: the involvemen.
37. Colonic smooth muscle contractile dysfunction in experimental colitis and its underlying mechanisms. .
38. Protein kinases responsible for Ca2+-independent contraction of intestinal smooth muscle..
39. Exploration of protein kinases responsible for Ca2+-independent, microcystin-induced contraction in intestinal smooth muscle. .
40. The Useful Approach to Obstructing or Stenotic Lesions in the Distal Ileum by Retrograde Ileography. .
41. Endothelium-dependent triphasic regulation of vascular tone induced by bradykinin in the porcine renal artery. .
Membership in Academic Society
  • Canadian Association of Gastroenterology
  • American Gastroenterological Association
  • Canadian Association of Gastroenterology
  • American Gastroenterological Association
  • Japanese Society of Internal Medicine
  • Japanese Society of Gastroenterology
  • Japanese Gastroenterological Endoscopy Society
  • Japanese Gastroenterological Association
  • Japanese Society of Smooth Muscle Research
  • The Japan Esophageal Society
  • American Gastroenterological Association
  • Canadian Association of Gastroenterology
Awards
  • I received an Fukuoka Rinsho Kenkyu Igaku award due to excellent research entitled "Esophageal motility disorders causing non-cardiac chest pain".
  • I was certified as scientific accomplishment of early stage investigator by American Gastroenterological Association at Digestive Disease Week 2016 held in San Diego, U.S.A.
  • Award for the excellent presentation in 52nd annual meeting of Japan Society of Smooth Muscle Research
  • The Pfizer/Smooth Muscle Research Group Post-Doctoral Fellow Research Achievement Award at University of Calgary
  • Post-doctoral award of BMB (Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology) at University of Calgary
  • Candadian Association of Gastroenterology/CIHR/AstraZeneca research initiative award
    (C$ 45,000/year for the salary and C$15,000/year for research allowance, for 3 years)
  • Uehara Memorial Foundation research fellowship (¥3,000,000)
  • Visiting Speaker & Postdoctoral Recruitment Travel Award from Alberta Heritage Foundation for Medical Research (AHFMR)
Educational
Educational Activities
I give lectures on "gastroduodenal ulcer disease" and "functional gastrointestinal disorders and gastroduodenal dysfunction associated with chronic inflammation" to medical students in the third year in Kyushu University. I also give a lecture on "symptomatology of internal medicine including hematemesis, melena, diarrhea, constipation" to medical students in the fourth year in Kyushu University. I am an examiner for medical students for physical examination of abdomen in the fourth year. I instruct, supervise and evaluate the clinical training of medical students in the fourth and fifth year.