Biosynthesis of capsinoid is controlled by the Pun1 locus in pepper

Pungency in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) has unique characteristics due to the alkaloid compound group, capsaicinoids, which includes capsaicin. Although capsaicinoids have been proved to have pharmacological and physiological effects on human health, the application of capsaicinoids has been limited because of their pungency. Capsinoids found in non-pungent peppers share closely related structures with capsaicinoids and show similar biological effects. Previous studies demonstrated that mutations in the p-AMT gene were related to the production of capsinoids; however, the pathway of capsinoid synthesis has not yet been fully elucidated. In this study, we performed genetic analysis to determine the mechanism of capsinoid synthesis using a F6 recombinant inbred line population. In this population, the presence/absence of capsinoids co-segregated with the genotype of the Pun1 locus, without exception. In addition, we screened the patterns of capsinoid synthesis and the correlation between the Pun1 locus and capsinoid synthesis in p-AMT mutant accessions. In Capsicum germplasms, we selected amino-acid-substituted mutants in the PLP binding domain of the p-AMT gene. Capsinoids were not synthesized with the recessive pun1 gene, regardless of the p-AMT genotype, and no relationship was found between p-AMT mutant type and capsinoid content. We concluded that the Pun1 gene, which is responsible for capsaicinoid synthesis, also controls capsinoid synthesis.     

Gender-Specific Metabolomic Profiling of Obesity in Leptin-Deficient ob/ob Mice by 1H NMR Spectroscopy

Despite the numerous metabolic studies on obesity, gender bias in obesity has rarely been investigated. Here, we report the metabolomic analysis of obesity by using leptin-deficient ob/ob mice based on the gender. Metabolomic analyses of urine and serum from ob/ob mice compared with those from C57BL/6J lean mice, based on the ¹H NMR spectroscopy in combination with multivariate statistical analysis, revealed clear metabolic differences between obese and lean mice. We also identified 48 urine and 22 serum metabolites that were statistically significantly altered in obese mice compared to lean controls. These metabolites are involved in amino acid metabolism (leucine, alanine, ariginine, lysine, and methionine), tricarbocylic acid cycle and glucose metabolism (pyruvate, citrate, glycolate, acetoacetate, and acetone), lipid metabolism (cholesterol and carnitine), creatine metabolism (creatine and creatinine), and gut-microbiome-derived metabolism (choline, TMAO, hippurate, p-cresol, isobutyrate, 2-hydroxyisobutyrate, methylamine, and trigonelline). Notably, our metabolomic studies showed distinct gender variations. The obese male mice metabolism was specifically associated with insulin signaling, whereas the obese female mice metabolism was associated with lipid metabolism. Taken together, our study identifies the biomarker signature for obesity in ob/ob mice and provides biochemical insights into the metabolic alteration in obesity based on gender.     

Mutation at Intronic Repeats of the Ataxia-Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM) Gene and ATM Protein Loss in Primary Gastric Cancer with Microsatellite Instability

Ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) is a Ser/Thr protein kinase that plays a critical role in DNA damage-induced signaling and initiation of cell cycle checkpoint signaling in response to DNA-damaging agents such as ionizing radiation. We have previously reported the ATM protein loss by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 16% of human gastric cancer (GC) tissue. We hypothesized that ATM gene intron mutations targeted by microsatellite instability (MSI) cause ATM protein loss in a subset of GC. We studied mononucleotide mutations at the intron of ATM gene, ATM IHC and MSI in GC. Ten human gastric cancer cell lines were studied for the ATM gene mutation at introns, RT-PCR, direct sequencing, and immunohistochemistry. GC tissues of 839 patients were analyzed for MSI and ATM IHC. Among them, 604 cases were analyzed for the ATM mutations at introns preceding exon 6, exon 10 and exon 20. Two human GC cell lines (SNU-1 and -638) showed ATM intron mutations, deletion in RT-PCR and direct sequencing, and ATM protein loss by IHC. The frequencies of ATM mutation, MSI, and ATM protein loss were 12.9% (78/604), 9.2% (81/882) and 15.2% (134/839), respectively. Analysis of associations among MSI, ATM gene mutation, and ATM protein loss revealed highly co-existing ATM gene alterations and MSI. ATM intron mutation and ATM protein loss were detected in 69.3% (52/75) and 53.3% (40/75) of MSI positive GC. MSI positivity and ATM protein loss were present in 68.4% (52/76) and 48.7% (37/76) of GC with ATM intron mutation. ATM mutation and ATM protein loss had characteristics of old age, distal location of tumor, large tumor size, and histologic intestinal type. Our study might be interpreted as that ATM gene mutation at intron might be targeted by MSI and lead to ATM protein loss in a selected group of GC.     

Intermittent Hypoxia Can Aggravate Motor Neuronal Loss and Cognitive Dysfunction in ALS Mice

Background

Patients with ALS may be exposed to variable degrees of chronic intermittent hypoxia. However, all previous experimental studies on the effects of hypoxia in ALS have only used a sustained hypoxia model and it is possible that chronic intermittent hypoxia exerts effects via a different molecular mechanism from that of sustained hypoxia. No study has yet shown that hypoxia (either chronic intermittent or sustained) can affect the loss of motor neurons or cognitive function in an in vivo model of ALS.

Objective

To evaluate the effects of chronic intermittent hypoxia on motor and cognitive function in ALS mice.

Methods

Sixteen ALS mice and 16 wild-type mice were divided into 2 groups and subjected to either chronic intermittent hypoxia or normoxia for 2 weeks. The effects of chronic intermittent hypoxia on ALS mice were evaluated using the rotarod, Y-maze, and wire-hanging tests. In addition, numbers of motor neurons in the ventral horn of the spinal cord were counted and western blot analyses were performed for markers of oxidative stress and inflammatory pathway activation.

Results

Compared to ALS mice kept in normoxic conditions, ALS mice that experienced chronic intermittent hypoxia had poorer motor learning on the rotarod test, poorer spatial memory on the Y-maze test, shorter wire hanging time, and fewer motor neurons in the ventral spinal cord. Compared to ALS-normoxic and wild-type mice, ALS mice that experienced chronic intermittent hypoxia had higher levels of oxidative stress and inflammation.

Conclusions

Chronic intermittent hypoxia can aggravate motor neuronal death, neuromuscular weakness, and probably cognitive dysfunction in ALS mice. The generation of oxidative stress with activation of inflammatory pathways may be associated with this mechanism. Our study will provide insight into the association of hypoxia with disease progression, and in turn, the rationale for an early non-invasive ventilation treatment in patients with ALS.     

Intra-Genomic Variation in the Ribosomal Repeats of Nematodes

Ribosomal loci represent a major tool for investigating environmental diversity and community structure via high-throughput marker gene studies of eukaryotes (e.g. 18S rRNA). Since the estimation of species’ abundance is a major goal of environmental studies (by counting numbers of sequences), understanding the patterns of rRNA copy number across species will be critical for informing such high-throughput approaches. Such knowledge is critical, given that ribosomal RNA genes exist within multi-copy repeated arrays in a genome. Here we measured the repeat copy number for six nematode species by mapping the sequences from whole genome shotgun libraries against reference sequences for their rRNA repeat. This revealed a 6-fold variation in repeat copy number amongst taxa investigated, with levels of intragenomic variation ranging from 56 to 323 copies of the rRNA array. By applying the same approach to four C. elegans mutation accumulation lines propagated by repeated bottlenecking for an average of ~400 generations, we find on average a 2-fold increase in repeat copy number (rate of increase in rRNA estimated at 0.0285-0.3414 copies per generation), suggesting that rRNA repeat copy number is subject to selection. Within each Caenorhabditis species, the majority of intragenomic variation found across the rRNA repeat was observed within gene regions (18S, 28S, 5.8S), suggesting that such intragenomic variation is not a product of selection for rRNA coding function. We find that the dramatic variation in repeat copy number among these six nematode genomes would limit the use of rRNA in estimates of organismal abundance. In addition, the unique pattern of variation within a single genome was uncorrelated with patterns of divergence between species, reflecting a strong signature of natural selection for rRNA function. A better understanding of the factors that control or affect copy number in these arrays, as well as their rates and patterns of evolution, will be critical for informing estimates of global biodiversity.     

hESC Expansion and Stemness Are Independent of Connexin Forty-Three-Mediated Intercellular Communication between hESCs and hASC Feeder Cells

Background

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) are a promising and powerful source of cells for applications in regenerative medicine, tissue engineering, cell-based therapies, and drug discovery. Many researchers have employed conventional culture techniques using feeder cells to expand hESCs in significant numbers, although feeder-free culture techniques have recently been developed. In regard to stem cell expansion, gap junctional intercellular communication (GJIC) is thought to play an important role in hESC survival and differentiation. Indeed, it has been reported that hESC-hESC communication through connexin 43 (Cx43, one of the major gap junctional proteins) is crucial for the maintenance of hESC stemness during expansion. However, the role of GJIC between hESCs and feeder cells is unclear and has not yet been reported.

Methodology/Principal Findings

This study therefore examined whether a direct Cx43-mediated interaction between hESCs and human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) influences the maintenance of hESC stemness. Over 10 passages, hESCs cultured on a layer of Cx43-downregulated hASC feeder cells showed normal morphology, proliferation (colony growth), and stemness, as assessed by alkaline phosphatase (AP), OCT4 (POU5F1-Human gene Nomenclature Database), SOX2, and NANOG expression.

Conclusions/Significance

These results demonstrate that Cx43-mediated GJIC between hESCs and hASC feeder cells is not an important factor for the conservation of hESC stemness and expansion.     

Role of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Non-Receptor Type 7 in the Regulation of TNF-α Production in RAW 264.7 Macrophages

Protein tyrosine phosphatases play key roles in a diverse range of cellular processes such as differentiation, cell proliferation, apoptosis, immunological signaling, and cytoskeletal function. Protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 7 (PTPN7), a member of the phosphatase family, specifically inactivates mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Here, we report that PTPN7 acts as a regulator of pro-inflammatory TNF-α production in RAW 264.7 cells that are stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) that acts as an endotoxin and elicits strong immune responses in animals. Stimulation of RAW 264.7 cells with LPS leads to a transient decrease in the levels of PTPN7 mRNA and protein. The overexpression of PTPN7 inhibits LPS-stimulated production of TNF-α. In addition, small interfering RNA (siRNA) analysis showed that knock-down of PTPN7 in RAW 264.7 cells increased TNF-α production. PTPN7 has a negative regulatory function to extracellular signal regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and p38 that increase LPS-induced TNF-α production in macrophages. Thus, our data presents PTPN7 as a negative regulator of TNF-α expression and the inflammatory response in macrophages.     

Tumor-infiltrating PD1-Positive Lymphocytes and FoxP3-Positive Regulatory T Cells Predict Distant Metastatic Relapse and Survival of Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma

BACKGROUND: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CRCC) is the most common malignant tumor of the kidney, and the clinical outcome of CRCC is related with the metastatic potential of CRCC. A significant proportion of metastatic CRCC remains incurable. Recently, immunotherapy against specific targets such as programmed death 1 (PD1) has been adapted for fatal cases of CRCC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we aimed to evaluate the potential of tumor-infiltrating PD1-positive lymphocytes or FoxP3-positive regulatory T cells (Tregs) as predictors of the metastatic potential or prognosis of CRCC and investigate possible correlations with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection in 199 cases of CRCC. RESULTS: PD1 positivity, high Treg number, and EBV infection all predicted poor overall survival (OS) by univariate analysis. PD1 positivity and high Treg numbers were also significantly correlated with more distant metastatic relapse (DMR) and poor relapse-free survival (RFS) by univariate analysis. PD1 positivity and high Treg number were independent prognostic indicators for OS. In addition, PD1 positivity was an independent predictor of RFS and DMR. EBV infection was an independent predictor of OS of CRCC. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that intratumoral infiltration of PD1-positive or FoxP3-positive lymphocytes can be used as significant prognostic indicators of CRCC and PD1 positivity could be very helpful in the prediction of latent distant metastasis of CRCCs. Therefore, evaluation of the infiltration of PD-positive cells or Tregs in CRCC may be useful diagnostic tools for the selection of patients who could benefit from PD1- or Treg-based immunotherapy.     

Expression of DBC1 and Androgen Receptor Predict Poor Prognosis in Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma

BACKGROUND: Recently, deleted in breast cancer 1 (DBC1) has been suggested as a poor prognostic indicator of various human cancers and may possibly have a role as a coactivator of androgen receptor (AR). However, their roles in lymphoma are still unknown. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We investigated the effect of the expression of DBC1 and AR in diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Immunohistochemical expression of DBC1 and AR were evaluated in 101 DLBCL samples by tissue microarray. RESULTS: Positive expression of DBC1 and AR was seen in 73% and 70% of DLBCL, respectively. In total DLBCL patients, DBC1 and AR expression were significantly associated with high clinical stage, elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase levels, and high international prognostic index scores, and they predicted shorter overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS) by univariate analysis. DBC1 expression was also an independent prognostic indicator by multivariate analysis (OS, P = .017; RFS, P = .004). Especially, both DBC1 and AR expression significantly correlated with shorter OS and RFS in non-germinal center B cell (non-GCB)-type DLBCL by univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, DBC1 expression was an independent prognostic predictor for OS (P = .035) and AR expression significantly correlated with RFS (P = .005). CONCLUSION: We demonstrate that the expression of DBC1 and AR are significant prognostic indicators for DLBCL patients, especially for unfavorable non-GCB-type DLBCL.     

Protein tyrosine phosphatase controls breast cancer invasion through the expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9

The expression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) produced by cancer cells has been associated with the high potential of metastasis in several human carcinomas, including breast cancer. Several pieces of evidence demonstrate that protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTP) have functions that promote cell migration and metastasis in breast cancer. We analyzed whether PTP inhibitor might control breast cancer invasion through MMP expression. Herein, we investigate the effect of 4-hydroxy-3,3-dimethyl-2H benzo[g]indole-2,5(3H)-dione (BVT948), a novel PTP inhibitor, on 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced MMP-9 expression and cell invasion in MCF-7 cells. The expression of MMP-9 and cell invasion increased after TPA treatment, whereas TPA-induced MMP-9 expression and cell invasion were decreased by BVT948 pretreatment. Also, BVT948 suppressed NF-κB activation in TPA-treated MCF-7 cells. However, BVT948 didn’t block TPA-induced AP-1 activation in MCF-7 cells. Our results suggest that the PTP inhibitor blocks breast cancer invasion via suppression of the expression of MMP-9. [BMB Reports 2013; 46(11): 533-538]