Egg-Cracking Vibration as a Cue for Stink Bug Siblings to Synchronize Hatching

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Effects of ozone nano-bubble water on mucositis induced by cancer chemotherapy

No effective, reliable treatment for stomatitis associated with cancer therapy has been established. This study focused on the its effectiveness of ozone nano-bubble water (ONBW) for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced stomatitis. Oral mucositis was induced in 14-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats (N = 21). The animals were randomly divided into 3 groups: 7 without treatment (control); 7 treated with physiological salt solution (saline); and 7 treated with ONBW. Animals were weighed on Days 7, 9, 11, and 16. Stomatitis grade evaluation and bacterial count measurements were performed before rinsing in all animals 3, 5, and 10 days after acetic acid irritation (Days 9, 11, and 17 respectively). Weight loss after stomatitis creation was observed in all groups, with significant differences between the control and ONBW groups and between the saline and ONBW groups on Day 16. The stomatitis grade did not worsen during the experimental period in any group, with the lowest grades in the ONBW group on Days 11 and 16. Significant differences were identified between the control and ONBW groups and between the saline and ONBW groups on Days 11 and 16. Oral bacterial counts tended to decrease over time in all three groups, with the greatest decrease in the ONBW group, followed by the saline group. The decrease in the bacterial count was steepest in the ONBW group. Rinsing out the oral cavity with ONBW decreased bacterial counts and encouraged the healing of oral chemotherapy-induced stomatitis. ONBW may be an effective treatment for chemotherapy-induced stomatitis.     

Optimization and validation of a high-performance liquid chromatographic method with UV detection for the determination of pyrrole-imidazole polyamides in rat plasma

A simple and sensitive high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method utilizing UV detection was developed for the determination of plasma pyrrole (Py)-imidazole (Im) polyamides in rats and applied to the pharmacokinetic study of compounds. After deproteinization of plasma with methanol, Py-Im polyamides were analyzed with a reversed-phase TSK-GEL ODS-80TM (4.6 mmx15.0 cm TOSOH Co., Japan) column maintained at 40 degrees C. The mobile phase solvent A was 0.1% acetic acid and the solvent B was HPLC-grade acetonitrile (0-10 min, A: 100-20%, B: 0-80% linear gradient; 10-15 min, A: 40%, B: 60%). The flow rate was 1.0 ml/min. The detection wavelength was set at 310 nm. The method was used to determine the plasma concentration time profiles of Py-Im polyamides after intravenous injection.     

A novel glucokinase regulator in pancreatic beta cells: precursor of propionyl-CoA carboxylase beta subunit interacts with glucokinase and augments its activity

A glucokinase regulatory protein has been reported to exist in the liver, which suppresses enzyme activity in a complex with fructose 6-phosphate, whereas no corresponding protein has been found in pancreatic beta cells. To search for such a protein in pancreatic beta cells, we screened for a cDNA library of the HIT-T15 cell line with the cDNA of glucokinase from rat islet by the yeast two hybrid system. We detected a cDNA encoding the precursor of propionyl-CoA carboxylase beta subunit (pbetaPCCase), and glutathione S-transferase pull-down assay illustrated that pbetaPCCase interacted with recombinant rat islet glucokinase and with glucokinase in rat liver and islet extracts. Functional analysis indicated that pbetaPCCase decreased the K(m) value of recombinant islet glucokinase for glucose by 18% and increased V(max) value by 23%. We concluded that pbetaPCCase might be a novel activator of glucokinase in pancreatic beta cells.     

14-3-3 is involved in p75 neurotrophin receptor-mediated signal transduction

The low affinity neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) has been shown to mediate the apoptosis signaling to neural cells. However, the specific mechanisms of intracellular signal transduction of this process are largely unknown. To understand p75NTR-mediated signal transduction, we previously identified a protein that interacts with the intracellular domain of p75NTR, and we named it p75NTR-associated cell death executor (NADE). To elucidate further the signaling mechanisms utilized by p75NTR and NADE, we screened for NADE-binding protein(s) with the yeast two-hybrid method, and we identified 14-3-3epsilon as a NADE-binding protein in vivo. To examine whether 14-3-3epsilon affects the induction of p75NTR-mediated apoptosis, wild type or various deletion mutant forms of 14-3-3epsilon were co-expressed in HEK293, PC12nnr5, and oligodendrocytes. Interestingly, transient expression of the mutant form of 14-3-3epsilon lacking the 208-255 amino acid region blocked nerve growth factor-dependent p75NTR/NADE-mediated apoptosis, although this mutant form of 14-3-3epsilon continued to associate with NADE. These results suggest that 14-3-3epsilon plays an important role in the modulation of nerve growth factor-dependent p75NTR/NADE-mediated apoptosis.     

A novel mammalian nuclear protein similar to Schizosaccharomyces pombe Prp1p/Zer1p and Saccharomyces cerevisiae Prp6p pre-mRNA splicing factors

We have cloned a novel 100-kDa mammalian protein, which was recognized by an anti-peptide antibody against an epitope-containing nuclear localization signal of NF-kappaB p65 subunit. Predicted amino acid sequence of the protein is similar to those of yeast splicing factors, Prp1p/Zer1p of Schizosaccharomyces pombe and Prp6p of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Among these proteins, tetratrico peptide repeat (TPR) motif, which mediates protein-protein interactions, is conserved, whereas leucine zipper motif is found only in the 100-kDa protein. Indirect immunofluorescent staining showed that the 100-kDa protein localized in the nucleus in HeLa cells.     

Effect of 13-hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acid on the supply of arachidonic acid for prostaglandin synthesis from arachidonoyl-CoA mediated by the cytosolic or microsomal acyl-CoA hydrolase in rabbit kidney medulla

The effects of 13-hydroperoxyoctadecadienoic acid (13-HPODE) on the cytosolic or microsomal acyl-CoA hydrolase (ACH) activity in rabbit kidney medulla and on the ACH-mediated prostaglandin (PG) formation from arachidonoyl-CoA (AA-CoA) were examined. 13-HPODE (10, 20, and 50 microM) had no effect on the cytosolic ACH activity but significantly inhibited the activity of the microsomal enzyme (43-57% inhibition). PG formation was measured as follows: AA-CoA (20 nmol) was preincubated with the cytosolic or microsomal fraction (as the source of ACH) in the presence or absence of 13-HPODE for 5 min at 37 degrees C, followed by incubation with the microsomal fraction (as the source of PG-synthesizing enzymes), hydroquinone and reduced glutathione for 5 min at 37 degrees C, and the PGs formed were measured by HPLC, with use of 9-anthryldiazomethane for derivatization. 13-HPODE reduced the PG formation when the microsomal fraction, but not the cytosolic fraction, was used as the source of ACH (10, 20, and 50 microM; 28-55% inhibition). These results suggest that 13-HPODE may modulate PG levels in rabbit kidney medulla by inhibiting the microsomal ACH activity.