Novel dual-reporter transgenic rodents enable cell tracking in animal models of stem cell transplantation

In the present study, we have established a novel transgenic mouse and transgenic rats with dual reporters of EGFP and ELuc. In these transgenic (Tg) rodents, both GFP fluorescent and luciferase luminescent signals were ubiquitously detected in the heart, liver, kidney and testis, while only the GFP signal was detected in the brain. This expression system is based on a P2A linked EGFP/ELuc protein allowing both signals to be generated simultaneously. Microscopy experiments, FCM, and luciferase assays showed strong expression in freshly isolated ADSCs from Tg rodents upon transplantation of Tg rat-derived ADSCs into wild-type-mice. The ELuc transgene signal was observed and traced in vivo, and EGFP positive cells could be recovered from ELuc positive tissues in engraftment sites of wild-type mice for multiple analysis. These dual reporter Tg rodents are a useful reconstituted model system of regenerative medicine and are a valuable tool to study stem cells.     

Imidazopyridine derivatives as potent and selective Polo-like kinase (PLK) inhibitors

A novel class of imidazopyridine derivatives was designed as PLK1 inhibitors. Extensive SAR studies supported by molecular modeling afforded a highly potent and selective compound 36. Compound 36 demonstrated good antitumor efficacy in xenograft nude rat model.     

An ocular cysticercosis in Bali, Indonesia caused by Taenia solium Asian genotype

An ocular cysticercosis case of a nine-year-old Balinese girl in Indonesia is reported. She presented with redness and pain in the left eye and showed a cysticercus in the anterior chamber in December 2010. Morphological feature of the cysticercus removed from the anterior chamber indicated that it was an immature cysticercus of Taenia species with no hooklets. However, mitochondrial DNA analysis using a piece of histopathological specimen revealed it a cysticercus of Taenia solium Asian genotype. Serology by immunoblot and ELISA highly specific to cysticercosis was negative.     

Efficiency of serum copper/zinc ratio for differential diagnosis of patients with and without lung cancer

We examined serum copper (Cu), serum zinc (Zn), and the serum copper/zinc ratio (Cu/Zn) in 162 patients. All of them were seen to have an abnormal shadow in the chest X-ray films, that is, 109 patients with lung cancer (LC) and 53 patients with no lung cancer (NLC). The mean Cu and Cu/Zn in LC patients were significantly higher than those in NLC patients (p<0.05). In LC patients, Cu and Cu/Zn were higher and Zn was lower in advanced tumors than early ones. There was a significantly clear relation between Cu or Cu/Zn and the tumor (T) stages. When the relative risk (RR) of LC was estimated, it was seen that the higher Cu and Cu/Zn became, the higher RR became. Furthermore, we showed the sensitivity of the receiver operator characteristic of the test (ROC) curve for Cu, Cu/Zn, and carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) to diagnose LC, as explained in a paragraph of methods.The determinations of Cu, Zn, and Cu/Zn are simple and inexpensive. They also appear to have a great diagnostic value in determining the local invasion of LC and as a screening test in the high-risk patients for LC.     

Developmental genetic profiles of glutamate receptor system,neuromodulator system,protector of normal tissue and mitochondria,and reelin in marmoset cortex: Potential molecular mechanisms of pruning phase of spines in primate synaptic formation process during the end of infancy and prepuberty (II)

This is the second report of a series paper, which reports molecular mechanisms underlying the occurrence of pruning spine phase after rapid spinogenesis phase in neonates and young infant in the primate brain. We performed microarray analysis between the peak of spine numbers [postnatal 3 months (M)] and spine pruning (postnatal 6 M) in prefrontal, inferior temporal, and primary visual cortices of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). The pruning phase is not clearly defined in rodents but is in primates including the marmoset. The differentially expressed genes between 3 M and 6 M in all three cortical areas were selected by two-way analysis of variance. The list of selected genes was analyzed by canonical pathway analysis using “Ingenuity Pathway Analysis of complex omics data” (IPA; Ingenuity Systems, Qiagen, Hilden, Germany). In this report, we discuss these lists of genes for the glutamate receptor system, G-protein-coupled neuromodulator system, protector of normal tissue and mitochondria, and reelin. (1) Glutamate is a common neurotransmitter. Its receptors AMPA1, GRIK1, and their scaffold protein DLG4 decreased as spine numbers decreased. Instead, GRIN3 (NMDA receptor) increased, suggesting that strong NMDA excitatory currents may be required for a single neuron to receive sufficient net synaptic activity in order to compensate for the decrease in synapse. (2) Most of the G protein-coupled receptor genes (e.g., ADRA1D, HTR2A, HTR4, and DRD1) in the selected list were upregulated at 6 M. The downstream gene ROCK2 in these receptor systems plays a role of decreasing synapses, and ROCK2 decreased at 6 M. (3) Synaptic phagosytosis by microglia with complement and other cytokines could cause damage to normal tissue and mitochondria. SOD1, XIAP, CD46, and CD55, which play protective roles in normal tissue and mitochondria, showed higher expression at 6 M than at 3 M, suggesting that normal brain tissue is more protected at 6 M. (4) Reelin has an important role in cortical layer formation. In addition, RELN and three different pathways of reelin were expressed at 6 M, suggesting that new synapse formation decreased at that age. Moreover, if new synapses were formed, their positions were free and probably dependent on activity.     

Statins suppress oxidized low density lipoprotein-induced macrophage proliferation by inactivation of the small G protein-p38 MAPK pathway

Inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (statins) ameliorate atherosclerotic diseases. Macrophages play an important role in the development and subsequent stability of atherosclerotic plaques. We reported previously that oxidized low density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL) induced macrophage proliferation through the secretion of granulocyte/macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and the consequent activation of p38 MAPK. The present study was designed to elucidate the mechanism of the inhibitory effect of statins on macrophage proliferation. Mouse peritoneal macrophages were used in our study. Cerivastatin and simvastatin each inhibited Ox-LDL-induced [(3)H]thymidine incorporation into macrophages. Statins did not inhibit Ox-LDL-induced GM-CSF production, but inhibited GM-CSF-induced p38 MAPK activation. Farnesyl transferase inhibitor and geranylgeranyl transferase inhibitor inhibited GM-CSF-induced macrophage proliferation, and farnesyl pyrophosphate and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate prevented the effect of statins. GM-CSF-induced p38 MAPK phosphorylation was also inhibited by farnesyl transferase inhibitor or geranylgeranyl transferase inhibitor, and farnesyl pyrophosphate and geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate prevented the suppression of GM-CSF-induced p38 MAPK phosphorylation by statins. Furthermore, we found that statin significantly inhibited the membrane translocation of the small G protein family members Ras and Rho. GM-CSF-induced p38 MAPK activation and macrophage proliferation was partially inhibited by overexpression of dominant negative Ras and completely by that of RhoA. In conclusion, statins inhibited GM-CSF-induced Ras- or RhoA-p38 MAPK signal cascades, thereby suppressing Ox-LDL-induced macrophage proliferation. The significant inhibition of macrophage proliferation by statins may also explain, at least in part, their anti-atherogenic action.     

A CD36-related Transmembrane Protein Is Coordinated with an Intracellular Lipid-binding Protein in Selective Carotenoid Transport for Cocoon Coloration

The transport pathway of specific dietary carotenoids from the midgut lumen to the silk gland in the silkworm, Bombyx mori, is a model system for selective carotenoid transport because several genetic mutants with defects in parts of this pathway have been identified that manifest altered cocoon pigmentation. In the wild-type silkworm, which has both genes, Yellow blood (Y) and Yellow cocoon (C), lutein is transferred selectively from the hemolymph lipoprotein to the silk gland cells where it is accumulated into the cocoon. The Y gene encodes an intracellular carotenoid-binding protein (CBP) containing a lipid-binding domain known as the steroidogenic acute regulatory protein-related lipid transfer domain. Positional cloning and transgenic rescue experiments revealed that the C gene encodes Cameo2, a transmembrane protein gene belonging to the CD36 family genes, some of which, such as the mammalian SR-BI and the fruit fly ninaD, are reported as lipoprotein receptors or implicated in carotenoid transport for visual system. In C mutant larvae, Cameo2 expression was strongly repressed in the silk gland in a specific manner, resulting in colorless silk glands and white cocoons. The developmental profile of Cameo2 expression, CBP expression, and lutein pigmentation in the silk gland of the yellow cocoon strain were correlated. We hypothesize that selective delivery of lutein to specific tissue requires the combination of two components: 1) CBP as a carotenoid transporter in cytosol and 2) Cameo2 as a transmembrane receptor on the surface of the cells.     

Protein folding by the effects of macromolecular crowding

Unfolded states of ribonuclease A were used to investigate the effects of macromolecular crowding on macromolecular compactness and protein folding. The extent of protein folding and compactness were measured by circular dichroism spectroscopy, fluorescence correlation spectroscopy, and NMR spectroscopy in the presence of polyethylene glycol (PEG) or Ficoll as the crowding agent. The unfolded state of RNase A in a 2.4 M urea solution at pH 3.0 became native in conformation and compactness by the addition of 35% PEG 20000 or Ficoll 70. In addition, the effects of macromolecular crowding on inert macromolecule compactness were investigated by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy using Fluorescence-labeled PEG as a test macromolecule. The size of Fluorescence-labeled PEG decreased remarkably with an increase in the concentration of PEG 20000 or Ficoll 70. These results show that macromolecules are favored compact conformations in the presence of a high concentration of macromolecules and indicate the importance of a crowded environment for the folding and stabilization of globular proteins. Furthermore, the magnitude of the effects on macromolecular crowding by the different sizes of background molecules was investigated. RNase A and Fluorescence-labeled PEG did not become compact, and had folded conformation by the addition of PEG 200. The effect of the chemical potential on the compaction of a test molecule in relation to the relative sizes of the test and background molecules is also discussed.     

Mal3, the fission yeast EB1 homologue, cooperates with Bub1 spindle checkpoint to prevent monopolar attachment

Bipolar microtubule attachment is central to genome stability. Here, we investigate the mitotic role of the fission yeast EB1 homologue Mal3. Mal3 shows dynamic inward movement along the spindle, initial emergence at the spindle pole body (SPB) and translocation towards the equatorial plane, followed by sudden disappearance. Deletion of Mal3 results in early mitotic delay, which is dependent on the Bub1, but not the Mad2, spindle checkpoint. Consistently, Bub1, but not Mad2, shows prolonged kinetochore localization. Double mutants between mal3 and a subset of checkpoint mutants, including bub1, bub3, mad3 and mph1, but not mad1 or mad2, show massive chromosome mis-segregation defects. In mal3bub1 mutants, both sister centromeres tend to remain in close proximity to one of the separating SPBs. Further analysis indicates that mis-segregated centromeres are exclusively associated with the mother SPB. Mal3, therefore, has a role in preventing monopolar attachment in cooperation with the Bub1/Bub3/Mad3/Mph1-dependent checkpoint.