Mechanism of aluminium tolerance in Cyanidium caldarium

Cyanidium caldarium, an acidophilic, thermophilic red alga, specifically tolerates Al. The tolerance increases at lower culture temperatures. The intracellular Al concentration is kept at low levels, especially when the cells are cultured at lower temperatures. Lower Al incorporation accounts for the Al tolerance in this alga. Fe incorporation antagonizes the Al incorporation, implying that Fe transporters incorporate Al ions. Treatment with an uncoupler, carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone, increases the intracellular concentration of Al. These results support the hypothesis that Al ions taken up by the algal cells are exported by an energy-dependent mechanism.     

A soluble form of Siglec-9 provides an antitumor benefit against mammary tumor cells expressing MUC1 in transgenic mice

Tumor-associated MUC1 binds to Siglec-9, which is expected to mediate tumor cell growth and negative immunomodulation. We hypothesized that a soluble form of Siglec-9 (sSiglec-9) competitively inhibits a binding of MUC1 to its receptor molecules like human Siglec-9, leading to provide antitumor benefit against MUC1-expressing tumor, and generated transgenic mouse lines expressing sSiglec-9 (sSiglec-9 Tg). When mammary tumor cells expressing MUC1 were intraperitoneally transplanted into sSiglec-9 Tg, tumor proliferation was slower with the lower histological malignancy as compared with non-transgenic mice. The sSiglec-9 was detected in the ascites caused by the tumor in the sSiglec-9 Tg, and sSiglec-9 and MUC1 were often colocalized on surfaces of the tumor cells. PCNA immunohistochemistry also revealed the reduced proliferation of the tumor cells in sSiglec-9 Tg. In sSiglec-9 Tg with remarkable suppression of tumor proliferation, MUC1 expressions were tend to be reduced. In the ascites of sSiglec-9 Tg bearing the tumor, T cells were uniformly infiltrated, whereas aggregations of degenerative T cells were often observed in the non-transgenic mice. These results suggest that sSiglec-9 has an antitumor benefit against MUC1-expressing tumor in the transgenic mice, which may avoid the negative immunomodulation and/or suppress tumor-associated MUC1 downstream signal transduction, and subsequent tumor proliferation.     

High-performance liquid chromatographic measurement of urocanic acid isomers and their ratios in naturally light-exposed skin and naturally shielded skin

We have developed methods for sampling and extraction of trans-urocanic acid and cis-urocanic acid from human skin, and subsequent high-performance liquid chromatographic measurement of these isomers. Sampling involves applying cellophane adhesive tape to the skin for 10 s. Urocanic acid isomers were completely extracted by immersing the tape in KOH solution. The HPLC column was a Tosoh ODS 80_TS (250×4.6 mm I.D., 7 μm average particle size) eluted with 20 mM potassium dihydrogenphosphate containing 1 g/l sodium heptanesulphonate (pH 3.7)–acetonitrile (93:7, v/v) at a flow-rate of 1.0 ml/min. The isomers were detected by UV absorbance at 264 nm. This technique was used to analyze the ratio of trans-urocanic acid/cis-urocanic acid on human skin at various sites on the body. It was found that the ratio was low in naturally light-exposed skin and high in naturally shielded skin.     

Regulation of 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3 production by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3 and synthetic human parathyroid hormone fragment 1–34 in a cloned monkey kidney cell line (JTC-12)

Regulation of 25-hydroxyvitamin D-3 24-hydroxylase by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3 and synthetic human parathyroid hormone fragment 1–34 (PTH_1–34) was investigated using a cloned monkey kidney cell line, JTC-12. Treatment of the cells with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3 markedly enhanced the conversion of [³H]-25-hydroxyvitamin D-3 into a more polar metabolite. The metabolite was identified as 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3 by normal phase and reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography and periodate oxidation. The 24-hydroxylae activity appeared to follow Michaelis-Menten kintics, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3 treatment increased the $\text{V}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>max</mtext>}}$ of 24-hydroxylase from 33 to 95 pmol/h per 10⁶ cells without affecting the apparent $\text{K}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>m</mtext>}}$ value of the enzyme (220 nM in control vs. 205 nM in 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3 treated cells). The enzyme activity reached a maximum between 4 and 8 h of treatment with 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3. The dose of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3 required to cause a half-maximal stimulation was about 3 · 10^?10 M. The 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3-induced increase in 24-hydroxylase was almost completely inhibited by the presence of 1 μM cycloheximide. Treatment of the cells with PTH_1–34 caused a dose-dependent increase in cyclic AMP production. Half-maximal stimulation of cyclic AMP production was obtained at about 5 · 10^?9 M PTH_1–34. When 2.4 · 10^?9 M PTH_1–34 was added after 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3 treatment, the 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3-stimulated 24-hydroxylase was inhibited to $\text{70.7 ± 2.9\%}$ of control. Higher concentrations of PTH_1–34 caused less inhibition of the enzyme activity. When cyclic AMP was added instead of PTH_1–34, the enzyme activity was also suppressed significantly. These results indicate that, in JTC-12 cells, 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3 stimulates 24-hydroxylase in a dose- and time-dependent manner by increasing the $\text{V}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>max</mtext>}}$ of the enzyme through a mechanism dependent upon new protein synthesis, and suggest that PTH_1–34 inhibits the 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3-induced stimulation of 24-hydroxylase through its effect on cyclic AMP production.     

On the Utility of MIBG SPECT/CT in Evaluating Cardiac Sympathetic Dysfunction in Lewy Body Diseases

BackgroundAbnormal cardiac uptake of ¹²³I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (¹²³I-MIBG) is a diagnostic marker of Lewy body diseases (LBDs), e.g., Parkinson’s disease (PD) and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Planar imaging is generally used to assess cardiac sympathetic dysfunction in ¹²³I-MIBG scintigraphy; however, its clinical utility requires further improvement. We hypothesized that the co-registration of single-photon emission tomography (SPECT) and computed tomography (CT) images would improve the diagnostic accuracy of ¹²³I-MIBG cardiac scintigraphy for LBDs. This study sought to evaluate the effects of SPECT/CT imaging on ¹²³I-MIBG cardiac scintigraphy for diagnosing LBDs.MethodsWe retrospectively investigated data of 54 patients (consecutive 18 patients in each PD, DLB, and idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus [iNPH] groups) who underwent ¹²³I-MIBG cardiac scintigraphy (planar and SPECT/CT) because of suspected LBDs at the Tohoku University hospital from June 2012 to June 2015. We compared the diagnostic accuracies of the conventional planar ¹²³I-MIBG method and SPECT/CT methods (manual and semi-automatic).ResultsIn the conventional planar analysis, ¹²³I-MIBG uptake decreased only in the DLB group compared with the iNPH group. In contrast, the SPECT/CT analysis revealed significantly lower ¹²³I-MIBG uptake in both the PD and DLB groups compared with the iNPH group. Furthermore, a receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed that both the manual and semi-automatic SPECT/CT methods were superior to the conventional planar method in differentiating the 3 disorders.ConclusionsSPECT/CT ¹²³I-MIBG cardiac scintigraphy can detect mild cardiac sympathetic dysfunction in LDBs. Our results suggest that the SPECT/CT technique improves diagnostic accuracy for LBDs.     

Spontaneous Recovery of the Injured Higher Olfactory Center in the Terrestrial Slug Limax

Background

Of all organs and tissues in adult mammals, the brain shows the most limited regeneration and recovery after injury. This is one reason why treating neurological damage such as ischemic injury after stroke presents such a challenge. Here we report a novel mode of regeneration which the slug''s cognitive center, the procerebrum, shows after surgical lesioning in the adult. It is well known that the land slug Limax possesses the capacity to demonstrate conditioned food aversion. This learning ability critically depends on the procerebrum, which is the higher olfactory center in the brain of the terrestrial mollusk.

Principal Findings

In the present study, after a 1-month recovery period post-surgical lesioning of the procerebrum we investigated whether the brain of the slug shows recovery from damage. We found that learning ability, local field potential oscillation, and the number of cells in the procerebrum (PC) all recovered spontaneously within 1 month of bilateral lesioning of the PC. Moreover, neurogenesis was enhanced in the lesioned PC. However, memory acquired before the surgery could not be retrieved 1 month after surgery although the procerebrum had recovered from injury by this time, consistent with the notion that the procerebrum is the storage site of odor-aversion memory, or deeply involved in the memory recall process.

Significance

Our findings are the first to demonstrate that a brain region responsible for the associative memory of an adult organism can spontaneously reconstitute itself, and can recover its function following injury.     

Prion protein suppresses perturbation of cellular copper homeostasis under oxidative conditions

Prion protein (PrP) binds copper and exhibits superoxide dismutase-like activity, while the roles of PrP in copper homeostasis remain controversial. Using Zeeman graphite furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy, we quantified copper levels in immortalized PrP gene (Prnp)-deficient neuronal cells transfected with Prnp and/or Prnd, which encodes PrP-like protein (PrPLP/Dpl), in the presence or absence of oxidative stress induced by serum deprivation. In the presence of serum, copper levels were not significantly affected by the expression of PrP and/or PrPLP/Dpl, whereas serum deprivation induced a decrease in copper levels that was inhibited by PrP but not by PrPLP/Dpl. The inhibitory effect of PrP on the decrease of copper levels was prevented by overexpression of PrPLP/Dpl. These findings indicate that PrP specifically stabilizes copper homeostasis, which is perturbed under oxidative conditions, while PrPLP/Dpl overexpression prevents PrP function in copper homeostasis, suggesting an interaction of PrP and PrPLP/Dpl and distinct functions between PrP and PrPLP/Dpl on metal homeostasis. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that PrP, in addition to its antioxidant properties, plays a role in stabilizing cellular copper homeostasis under oxidative conditions.     

Recovery of Fertility in Male Hybrids of a Cross between Goldfish and Common Carp by Transplantation of PGC (Primordial Germ Cell)-Containing Graft

In germ-line chimera, gametes originate from both the donor and recipient. In order to increase the proportion of gametes from the donor, the elimination or reduction of primordial germ cells (PGCs) from the recipient is required. In the present study, histological and genetic analyses were performed in the chimeric fish obtained when sterile goldfish × common carp hybrid and fertile goldfish embryos were used as a recipient and donor, respectively. Chimerism was induced by transplantation of the lower part of the goldfish blastoderm into the hybrid blastoderm at the blastula stage. Neither spermatid nor spermatozoa were observed in the testis of the male hybrid. Motile sperm were obtained from 15 chimeric males by human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) injection. When the sperm of chimeric fish were genetically analyzed, only goldfish-specific repetitive DNA sequences were detected. These results revealed that chimeric fish of the cross between a sterile male hybrid and fertile goldfish produced sperm exclusively derived from the donor goldfish.     

Theoretical research on structures of gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamic acid in aqueous conditions

Even though glutamic acid contains only one more carboxyl group than gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), these neurotransmitters are recognized by their own specific receptors. To understand the ligand-recognition mechanism of the receptors, we must determine the geometric and electronic structures of GABA and glutamic acid in aqueous conditions using the ab initio calculation. The results of the present study showed that the stable structure of GABA was the extended form, and it attracted both cations and anions. Glutamic acid only attracted cations and was stabilized in four forms in aqueous conditions: Type 1 (an extended form), Type 2 (a rounded form), and Types 3 and 4 (twisted forms of Type 1). The former two types had low energy and the energy barrier between them was estimated to be small. These results showed that most free glutamic acid is present as Type 1, Type 2, and transient forms. The present results therefore suggest that the flexibility of the geometric structures of ligands should be taken into account when we attempt to elucidate the mechanism of recognition between ligands and receptors, in addition to the physicochemical characteristics of ligands and receptors.