Anti-angiogenic effects of thalidomide: expression of apoptosis-inducible active-caspase-3 in a three-dimensional collagen gel culture of aorta

The anti-angiogenic properties of thalidomide have led to the use of the agent as a remedy for multiple myeloma. Nevertheless, the anti-angiogenic moiety of thalidomide remains unidentified. In this study we examined the anti-angiogenic effects of thalidomide in an in vitro model using a three-dimensional collagen gel culture. Angiogenesis was significantly inhibited when the culture was treated with thalidomide plus cytochrome P-450 (CYP2B4), and the migrating cells and tubules were positive for active-caspase-3 in an accompanying immunohistochemical investigation. Transmission electron microscopic observation also confirmed that active-caspase-3-positive cells demonstrated apoptotic characteristics. This study is the first to morphologically demonstrate the effect of thalidomide in directly inducing the apoptosis of new tubules and migrating cells on a three-dimensional collagen gel culture of aorta. Taken together with earlier findings, our new results indicate that the thalidomide-induced inhibition of angiogenesis involves apoptosis in addition to the suppression of TNF- and inhibition of cell migration from aorta explants, i.e., the factors important for capillarogenesis.     

Photooxidative Damage in Photosynthetic Activities of Chromatium vinosum

The capacity of photosynthetic CO₂ fixation in the anaerobic purple-sulfur bacterium, Chromatium vinosum is markedly impaired by strong illumination (9 × 10⁴ lux) in the presence of 100% O₂. In the absence of HCO₃⁻, decline in activity occurred gradually, with about 40% of the initial activity remaining after a 1-hour incubation. The addition of 50 millimolar HCO₃⁻ to the incubation medium resulted in a measurable delay (about 30 minutes) of the inactivation process. Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase activity and light-dependent O₂ uptake (electron flow) or crude extracts prepared after pretreatment of the bacterial cells with O₂ and light were not affected but the photophosphorylation capacity of either bacterial cells or chromatophores was drastically reduced. The inhibition of photophos-phorylation in the chromatophore preparations was significantly reduced by the addition of either an O₂⁻ scavenger, Tiron, or an ¹O₂ scavenger, α-tocopherol. These results suggest that the active O₂ species, O₂⁻ or ¹O₂, might take part in the observed inactivation.

The pretreatment of the bacteria with O₂ and light inhibited CO₂ assimilation through the Calvin-Benson cycle, while relatively stimulating the formation of aspartate and glutamate. It also inhibited the conversion of glycolate to glycine, resulting in a sustained extracellular excretion of glycolate. The inactivation of photosynthetic CO₂ fixation by intact cells was enhanced by low temperature, KCN, or methylviologen addition during the pretreatment with O₂ and light. The mechanism(s) of O₂-dependent photoinactivation of photosynthetic activities in Chromatium are discussed in relation to the possible role of photorespiration as a means of producing CO₂ in the photosynthetic system.

     

Effect of light fluctuations on photosynthesis and metabolic flux in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

In nature, photosynthetic organisms are exposed to fluctuating light, and their physiological systems must adapt to this fluctuation. To maintain homeostasis, these organisms have a light fluctuation photoprotective mechanism, which functions in both photosystems and metabolism. Although the photoprotective mechanisms functioning in the photosystem have been studied, it is unclear how metabolism responds to light fluctuations within a few seconds. In the present study, we investigated the metabolic response of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 to light fluctuations using ¹³C-metabolic flux analysis. The light intensity and duty ratio were adjusted such that the total number of photons or the light intensity during the low-light phase was equal. Light fluctuations affected cell growth and photosynthetic activity under the experimental conditions. However, metabolic flux distributions and cofactor production rates were not affected by the light fluctuations. Furthermore, the estimated ATP and NADPH production rates in the photosystems suggest that NADPH-consuming electron dissipation occurs under fluctuating light conditions. Although we focused on the water–water cycle as the electron dissipation path, no growth effect was observed in an flv3-disrupted strain under fluctuating light, suggesting that another path contributes to electron dissipation under these conditions.     

Reduction of tertiary amine N-oxides by liver preparations: function of aldehyde oxidase as a major N-oxide reductase

Reduction of tertiary amine N-oxides to the corresponding amines by liver preparations was investigated with imipramine N-oxide and cyclobenzaprine N-oxide under anaerobic conditions. Rabbit liver cytosol in the presence of an electron donor of aldehyde oxidase exhibited a significant N-oxide reductase activity which is comparable to the activity of the liver microsomes supplemented with NADPH. Rabbit liver aldehyde oxidase also exhibited the N-oxide reductase activity in the presence of its electron donor, indicating that the activity observed in the liver cytosol is due to this cytosolic enzyme. Furthermore, the tertiary amine N-oxide reductase activity of liver cytosols from rats, mice, hamsters and hogs was demonstrated by comparison with that of liver microsomes from these mammalian species.     

A potent neuromedin U receptor 2-selective alkylated peptide

Neuromedin U (NMU) mediates various physiological functions via NMUR1 and NMUR2 receptors. NMUR2 has been considered a promising treatment option for diabetes and obesity. Although NMU-8, a shorter peptide, has potent agonist activity for both receptors, it is metabolically unstable. Therefore, NMU-8 analogs modified with long-chain alkyl moieties via a linker were synthesized. An octadecanoyl analog (17) with amino acid substitutions [αMePhe¹⁹, Nle²¹, and Arg(Me)²⁴] and a linker [Tra-γGlu-PEG(2)] dramatically increased NMUR2 selectivity, with retention of high agonist activity. Subcutaneous administration of 17 induced anorectic activity in C57BL/6J mice. Owing to its high metabolic stability, 17 would be useful in clarifying the physiological role and therapeutic application of NMU.     

Longitudinal analysis of VP7 gene of group A human rotavirus G2P[4] strains circulating in the pre‐vaccine era in Sapporo,Japan from 1991 to 2011

Sequence analysis of the VP7 gene in 23 group A human rotavirus G2P[4] strains obtained during 1991–2011, that is, the pre‐vaccine era, in Sapporo, Japan showed considerable genetic diversity, mainly in variable regions. Recent G2P[4] epidemic strains were located in sublineage IVa with a distinctive substitution of D96N. This study provides background data on the genetic variability of G2P[4] rotavirus‐VP7 gene prior to the widespread use of rotavirus vaccines in Japan.     

Origin of initial burst in activity for Trichoderma reesei endo-glucanases hydrolyzing insoluble cellulose

The kinetics of cellulose hydrolysis have long been described by an initial fast hydrolysis rate, tapering rapidly off, leading to a process that takes days rather than hours to complete. This behavior has been mainly attributed to the action of cellobiohydrolases and often linked to the processive mechanism of this exo-acting group of enzymes. The initial kinetics of endo-glucanases (EGs) is far less investigated, partly due to a limited availability of quantitative assay technologies. We have used isothermal calorimetry to monitor the early time course of the hydrolysis of insoluble cellulose by the three main EGs from Trichoderma reesei (Tr): TrCel7B (formerly EG I), TrCel5A (EG II), and TrCel12A (EG III). These endo-glucanases show a distinctive initial burst with a maximal rate that is about 5-fold higher than the rate after 5 min of hydrolysis. The burst is particularly conspicuous for TrCel7B, which reaches a maximal turnover of about 20 s(-1) at 30 °C and conducts about 1200 catalytic cycles per enzyme molecule in the initial fast phase. For TrCel5A and TrCel12A the extent of the burst is 2-300 cycles per enzyme molecule. The availability of continuous data on EG activity allows an analysis of the mechanisms underlying the initial kinetics, and it is suggested that the slowdown is linked to transient inactivation of enzyme on the cellulose surface. We propose, therefore, that the frequency of structures on the substrate surface that cause transient inactivation determine the extent of the burst phase.     

Leaf-litter nitrogen concentration in hinoki cypress forests in relation to the time of leaf fall under different climatic conditions in Japan

Leaf-litter nitrogen concentration was investigated for 17 hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa Endlicher) forests in the Kochi region on the Pacific Ocean side and the Kyoto region on the Sea of Japan side in Japan where both the amount of precipitation and frequency of typhoon attacks differ between regions. Leaf properties were predicted from climatic, stand, and soil properties by multiple regression analysis. Fresh-leaf nitrogen was higher in the Kyoto than Kochi regions and was higher where soil C/N ratio is lower. The time of leaf-fall, i.e., 50% of the annual leaf fall, showed a difference of 86 days among the forests and occurred earlier in forests at higher altitudes. The time of leaf-fall at higher altitudes was earlier due to the higher susceptibility to strong winds from typhoons. Leaf-litter nitrogen concentration of annual leaf-fall or winter leaf-fall was lower when the time of leaf-fall occurred later. The results indicate that nitrogen resorption is proficient when leaf-fall occurs later, leading to lower leaf-litter nitrogen concentration.     

Genetic analysis of the DNA-dependent protein kinase reveals an inhibitory role of Ku in late S-G2 phase DNA double-strand break repair

Two major complementary double-strand break (DSB) repair pathways exist in vertebrates, homologous recombination (HR), which involves Rad54, and non-homologous end-joining, which requires the DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK). DNA-PK comprises a catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) and a DNA-binding Ku70 and Ku80 heterodimer. To define the activities of individual DNA-PK components in DSB repair, we targeted the DNA-PKcs gene in chicken DT40 cells. DNA-PKcs deficiency caused a DSB repair defect that was, unexpectedly, suppressed by KU70 disruption. We have shown previously that genetic ablation of Ku70 confers RAD54-dependent radioresistance on S-G(2) phase cells, when sister chromatids are available for HR repair. To test whether direct interference by Ku70 with HR might explain the Ku70(-/-)/DNA-PKcs(-/-/-) radioresistance, we monitored HR activities directly in Ku- and DNA-PKcs-deficient cells. The frequency of intrachromosomal HR induced by the I-SceI restriction enzyme was increased in the absence of Ku but not of DNA-PKcs. Significantly, abrogation of HR activity by targeting RAD54 in Ku70(-/-) or DNA-PKcs(-/-/-) cells caused extreme radiosensitivity, suggesting that the relative radioresistance seen with loss of Ku70 was because of HR-dependent repair pathways. Our findings suggest that Ku can interfere with HR-mediated DSB repair, perhaps competing with HR for DSB recognition.