Internal architecture, origin-insertion site, and mass of jaw muscles in Old World hamsters

The jaw muscle (i.e., masticatory, suprahyoid, and extrinsic tongue) anatomy and mass were examined in four genera of Old World hamsters (cricetine murids), Mesocricetus, Cricetulus, Tscherskia, and Phodopus. The masseter was the largest and most complicated of the muscles examined. In the superficial layer, a few ventral fibers form a small medially turned portion with an insertion site more similar to those of sciurids than of other murids. In Mesocricetus, the superficial layer has a discrete anteroventral portion that has not been reported for other murid rodents. Examination of the fiber attachment sites indicated that the deep layer contains four parts and the medial layer contains three parts. The deep layer originates from two aponeuroses that are firmly connected to each other at their anterior ends and lie along the zygomatic arch. The aponeurosis of insertion for the deep layer is situated along the masseteric ridge and the dorsal border of the angular process, but is absent in its middle part, consistent with reports in two relatives, sigmodontine and arvicoline murids. In cricetine murids, unlike in other rodents, fibers insert on the dorsal narrow strip of the posterior mandibular aponeurosis, not on its broad medial aspect. The relative mass of some masticatory and suprahyoid muscles is related to body mass. Small species (Cricetulus and Phodopus) have relatively larger masseter and mylohyoid muscles and smaller temporalis and geniohyoid muscles than large species (Mesocricetus and Tscherskia).     

Isolation of putative glycoprotein gene from early somatic embryo of carrot and its possible involvement in somatic embryo development

Somatic embryogenesis is a unique process in plant cells. For example, embryogenic cells (EC) of carrot (Daucus carota) maintained in a medium containing 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) regenerate whole plants via somatic embryogenesis after the depletion of 2,4-D. Although some genes such as C-ABI3 and C-LEC1 have been found to be involved in somatic embryogenesis, the critical molecular and cellular mechanisms for somatic embryogenesis are unknown. To characterize the early mechanism in the induction of somatic embryogenesis, we isolated genes expressed during the early stage of somatic embryogenesis after 2,4-D depletion. Subtractive hybridization screening and subsequent RNA gel blot analysis suggested a candidate gene, Carrot Early Somatic Embryogenesis 1 (C-ESE1). C-ESE1 encodes a protein that has agglutinin and S-locus-glycoprotein domains and its expression is highly specific to primordial cells of somatic embryo. Transgenic carrot cells with reduced expression of C-ESE1 had wide intercellular space and decreased polysaccharides on the cell surface and showed delayed development in somatic embryogenesis. The importance of cell-to-cell attachment in somatic embryogenesis is discussed.     

Centrally administered orexin-A activates corticotropin-releasing factor-containing neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus and central amygdaloid nucleus of rats: possible involvement of central orexins on stress-activated central CRF neurons

We examined the effects of centrally administered orexin-A on corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-containing neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and the central amygdaloid nucleus (CeA) of rats, using dual immunostaining for CRF and Fos. Ninety minutes after intracerebroventricular administration of orexin-A, approximately 96% and 45% of CRF-containing neurons expressed Fos-like immunoreactivity (LI) in the PVN and the CeA, respectively. We also examined the effects of immobilized stress and cold exposure on orexin-A-containing neurons in the rat hypothalamus using dual immunostaining for orexin-A and Fos. After immobilized stress for 20 min and cold exposure at 4 degrees C for 30 min, approximately 24% and 15% of orexin-A-containing neurons expressed Fos-LI, respectively. These results suggest that orexins in the central nervous system may be involved in the activation of central CRF neurons induced by stress.     

Binding activity of H-Ras is necessary for in vivo inhibition of ASK1 activity

H-Ras is well known as one of the essential components of Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK cascade, which is a critical prosurvival signaling mechanism in most eukaryotic cells. Ras targets Raf/MEK/ERK cascade by integrating and transmitting extracellular signals from growth factor receptors to Raf, leading to the propagation of signals to modulate a serious of cellular survival events. Apoptosis signal-regulating kinasel (ASK1) serves as a general mediator of cell death because it is responsive to a variety of death signals. In this study, we found that H-Ras interacted with ASK1 to cause the inhibition of both ASK1 activity and ASKl-induced apoptosis in vivo, which was reversed only partially by addition of RafS621 A, an antagonist of Raf, whereas MEK inhibitor, PD98059, and PI3K inhibitor, LY294002, did not disturb the inhibitory effect of H-Ras on ASK-1-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, by means of immunoprecipitate and kinase assays, we demonstrated that the interaction between H-Ras and ASK1 as well as the inhibition of ASKI activity were dependent on the binding activity of H-Ras. These results suggest that a novel mechanism may be involved in H-Rasmediated cell survival in addition to the well established MEK/ERK and PI3K/Akt kinase-dependent enhancement of cell survival.     

Gicerin,a cell adhesion molecule,promotes the metastasis of lymphoma cells of the chicken

Gicerin is an immunoglobulin superfamily cell adhesion molecule purified from chicken gizzards. This molecule displays an adhesive interaction with a laminin-like protein as well as with gicerin itself. Gicerin appears in embryonic tissues and plays a role in chick development through its cell adhesive properties. An increase in gicerin expression is found in some sporadic tumors of the chicken. To elucidate the possible role of gicerin in tumor progression in chickens, we introduced gicerin cDNA into an endogenous gicerin negative lymphoma MDCC-MSB1 cell line, and subsequently analyzed them for changes in their metastatic potentials. After intravenous implantation of the gicerin transfectants into chickens, the metastatic potential to the lung, liver and kidney was enhanced compared with parental MDCC-MSB1 cells. Self-aggregation activity was increased in gicerin transfectants. In addition, adhesive and migratory activities of the gicerin transfectants to the gicerin ligands were enhanced in vitro. These findings indicate that gicerin can contribute to the malignancy and metastatic properties of lymphoma.This work was supported in part by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (No. 13760210), and a grant for Scientific Research on Priority Areas "Cancer" (No. 12215133), from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sports and Culture, Japan, grants from the Uehara Memorial Foundation and Senri Life Science and a Grant-in-Aid for Advanced Scientific Research from Osaka Prefecture University     

In vivo visualization of subendocardial arteriolar response in renovascular hypertensive hearts

Time-sequential responses to endothelium-dependent and -independent vasodilators and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors were studied in the subendocardial arterioles (Endo) of canine renovascular hypertension (HT) compared with subepicardial arterioles (Epi; both <120 microm) by charge-coupled device intravital microscope. Vascular responses to acetylcholine, papaverine, and cilazaprilat were compared between normotensive (NT) and HT dogs [4 wk and 12 wk of HT (4wHT and 12wHT)]. The acetylcholine-induced vasodilation of Endo in both 4wHT and 12wHT was smaller than that of NT (both P < 0.01 vs. 4wHT and 12wHT), and that of Epi was smaller than that of NT only in 12wHT (P < 0.05). The papaverine-induced vasodilation of Endo, but not Epi, was impaired only in 12wHT (both P < 0.01 vs. NT and 4wHT). Vasodilation by cilazaprilat remained unchanged at 4wHT and 12wHT in both Epi and Endo. In conclusion, at the early stage, the endothelium-dependent response of Endo was impaired, whereas at the later stage, the endothelium-dependent and -independent responses of Endo and the endothelium-dependent response of Epi were impaired. However, the vasodilatory responses to the ACE inhibitor were maintained in both Endo and Epi of HT.     

Effect of high phosphate concentration on osteoclast differentiation as well as bone-resorbing activity

Although high inorganic phosphate (Pi) concentration in culture media directly inhibits generation of new osteoclasts and also inhibits bone resorption by mature osteoclasts, its precise mechanism and the physiological role have not been elucidated. The present study was performed to investigate these issues. Increase in extracellular Pi concentration ([Pi](e)) (2.5-4 mM) concentration dependently inhibited 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) [1,25(OH)(2)D(3)] or parathyroid hormone (PTH)-(1-34)-induced osteoclast-like cell formation from unfractionated bone cells in the presence of stromal cells. Increase in [Pi](e) (2.5-4 mM) concentration dependently inhibited 1,25(OH)(2)D(3)-, PTH-(1-34)-, or receptor activator of NF-kappaB ligand (RANKL) and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF)-induced osteoclast-like cell formation from hemopoietic blast cells in the absence of stromal cells. Increase in [Pi](e) (2.5-4 mM) dose dependently stimulated the expression of osteoprotegerin (OPG) mRNA and increased the expression of OPG mRNA suppressed by PTH-(1-34) or 1,25(OH)(2)D(3) in unfractionated bone cells, while it did not affect RANKL mRNA. Increase in [Pi](e) (2.5-4 mM) concentration dependently inhibited the bone-resorbing activity of isolated rabbit osteoclasts. Increase in [Pi](e) (4 mM) induced the apoptosis of isolated rabbit osteoclasts while it did not affect the apoptosis of osteoclast precursor cells and mouse macrophage-like cell line C7 cells that can differentiate into osteoclasts in the presence of RANKL and M-CSF. These results indicate that increase in [Pi](e) inhibits osteoclast differentiation both by up-regulating OPG expression and by direct action on osteoclast precursor cells. It is also indicated that increase in [Pi](e) inhibits osteoclastic activity at least in part by the direct induction of apoptosis of osteoclasts.     

True hermaphroditism with 46,X,+22p/46,XY and gonadal mosaicism detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization

A Japanese girl was diagnosed as true hermaphroditism with 46,X,+mar/46,XY and the marker chromosome was determined on the short arm of chromosome 22 without alpha-satellite by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and spectral karyotyping (SKY) methods. At birth, she showed intersexual external genitalia, urethral-vaginal fistula and right inguinal hernia. The right gonad was revealed as an ovotestis, and the left was as an undifferentiated testis. The gonadal mosaicism was demonstrated directly in gonadal tissue by interphase FISH.