Bone morphogenetic protein signaling in articular chondrocyte differentiation

Articular chondrocytes progressively undergo dedifferentiation into a spindle-shaped mesenchymal cellular phenotype in monolayers. Chondrocyte dedifferentiation is stimulated by retinoic acid. On the other hand, bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs) stimulate differentiation of chondrocytes. We examined the mechanism of effects of BMP in chondrocyte differentiation with use of a recombinant adenovirus vector system. Constitutively active forms of BMP type I receptors (BMPR-IA and BMPR-IB) and those of activin receptor-like kinase (ALK)-1 and ALK-2 maintained differentiation of chondrocytes in the presence of retinoic acid. The BMP receptor-regulated signaling substrates, Smad1/5, weakly induced chondrocyte differentiation; the effects of Smad1/5 were enhanced by BMP-7 treatment. Inhibitory Smad, Smad6, blocked increase of expression of chondrocyte markers by BMP-7 in a dose-dependent manner. SB202190, a p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor, inhibited this effect of BMP-7; however, since SB202190 suppressed phosphorylation of Smad1/5, this may be due to blockade of BMP receptor activation. These results together strongly suggest that induction of chondrocyte differentiation by BMP-7 is regulated by Smad pathways.     

Cloning and analysis of the telomere and terminal inverted repeat of the linear chromosome of Streptomyces griseus

Cloning and sequencing of the telomere of Streptomyces griseus revealed five palindromic sequences in the terminal 116 nucleotides, all of which can make a hairpin loop structure. However, the end sequence cannot form the foldback secondary structure that is common in Streptomyces telomeres and is suggested to be necessary for terminal replication. Both inside ends of the terminal inverted repeat (TIR) were also cloned and sequenced. The results confirmed the size of the TIR to be 24 kb and identified two almost identical open reading frames that might have been involved in the formation of the TIR.     

Molecular cloning and immunohistochemical localization of ubiquitin C-Terminal hydrolase expressed in testis of a teleost,the Nile Tilapia,Oreochromis niloticus

We previously produced four monoclonal antibodies to testicular proteins of a teleost, the Nile tilapia. One of the monoclonal antibodies, TAT(Testicular Antigen of Tilapia)-10, recognizes a Mr=27,000 protein (27 kD protein), which is present in A and early B type spermatogonia, spermatids, and spermatozoa in testis. In order to clarify the function of this protein, molecular cloning was conducted. The cDNA for the 27 kD protein contains a complete open reading frame encoding 220 amino acid residues. The predicted amino acid sequence of the 27 kD protein was homologous to those of the ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolases (UCH) reported in mammals. The measurement of the ubiquitin-releasing activity of the recombinant 27 kD protein revealed that the protein is the active form of UCH. Northern blot analysis showed that the UCH mRNA was expressed in ovary and brain in addition to the testis. Immunohistochemical study showed that, in brain, UCH was localized especially on the olfactory organ including the olfactory bulb and olfactory epithelium in olfactory rosetta, suggesting the involvement of the protein in chemoreceptive function. In the Tilapia ovary, UCH localized especially in pre-vitellogenic oocytes, suggesting that the enzyme activity could be important in oocyte growth. This is the first report for the cDNA cloning and cellular localization of UCH in fish. J. Exp. Zool. 293:368-383, 2002.     

Depletion of FGF acts as a lateral inhibitory factor in lung branching morphogenesis in vitro

Previous studies have shown that the interaction of positive and inhibitory signals plays a crucial role during lung branching morphogenesis. We found that in mesenchyme-free conditions, the lung epithelium exerted a lateral inhibitory effect on the neighbouring epithelium via depletion of fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1). Contrary to previous suggestions, bone morphogenetic protein 4 could not substitute for the inhibitory effect. Based on of this observation, we used a reaction-diffusion model of the substrate-depletion type to represent the initial phase of in vitro branching morphogenesis of lung epithelium, with depletion of FGF playing the role of lateral inhibitor. The model was able to account for the effects of the FGF1 concentration, extracellular matrix degradation and different subtypes of FGF on morphogenesis of the lung bud epithelia. These results suggest that the depletion of FGF may be a key regulatory component in initial phase of branching morphogenesis of the lung bud epithelium in vitro.     

Histological studies on early oogenesis in barfin flounder (Verasper moseri)

There is much information on oogenesis from the resumption of the first meiotic division to oocyte maturation in many vertebrates; however, there have been very few studies on early oogenesis from oogonial proliferation to the initiation of meiosis. In the present study, we investigated the histological changes during early oogenesis in barfin flounder (Verasper moseri). In fish with a total length (TL) of 50mm (TL 50mm fish), active oogonial proliferation was observed. In TL 60mm fish, oocytes with synaptonemal complexes were observed. Before the initiation of active oogonial proliferation, somatic cells which surrounded a few oogonial germ cells, started to proliferate to form the oogonial cysts that accompanied oogonial proliferation. In TL 70mm fish, however, the cyst structure of the oocyte was gradually broken by the invagination of somatic cells, and finally the oocyte became a single cell surrounded by follicle cells. Upon comparison of nuclear size, DNA-synthesizing germ cells could be divided into two types: small nuclear cells and large nuclear cells. Based on histological observation, we propose that the small nuclear cells were in the mitotic prophase of oogonia and the large nuclear cells were in the meiotic prophase of oocytes, and that the nuclear size increases upon the initiation of meiosis.     

Immobilized culture of nonadherent cells on an oleyl poly(ethylene glycol) ether-modified surface

Microarrays of living cells are an emerging tool in systems such as reverse transfection. These studies are limited to adherent cells partly because of the difficulty of cell immobilization. Using a newly developed reagent, the biocompatible anchor for membrane (BAM), we show herein the rapid and strong attachment of living nonadherent cells and adherent cells on BAM-modified surfaces. Normal cellular growth was observed for over 7 days on BAM-modified surfaces. We expect this methodology to greatly expand the scope of current cell microarray technology.     

Chemokine receptor inhibitor,Antileukinate, suppressed ovalbumin-induced eosinophilic inflammation in the airway

Accumulating evidence suggests that eosinophils play an important role in the pathogenesis of allergic diseases. An eosinophil-active chemokine, eotaxin, and its receptor, C-C chemokine receptor 3, are particularly attractive as novel targets of immunological intervention for the disease. In this study, we examine the effects of a hexa-peptide (Ac-RRWWCR-NH(2)), Antileukinate, which we have previously defined as a potent inhibitor of CXC chemokine receptor 1 and 2, on eotaxin in vitro and in vivo. Antileukinate inhibited the binding of 125I-labeled human eotaxin to human eosinophils with an IC(50) of approximately 10 microM and eosinophil chemotaxis to human eotaxin was significantly inhibited by 10 microM of Antileukinate. We examined the effects of Antileukinate on eosinophil accumulation induced by intraperitoneal administration of murine eotaxin, and confirmed that Antileukinate is also active in the murine system. When Antileukinate was tested in ovalbumin-induced airway inflammation model in vivo, Antileukinate significantly inhibited eosinophil accumulation and allergen-induced increase in total protein in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids. Furthermore, Antileukinate suppressed fibrous thickening of submucosal tissue induced by chronic antigen challenge. These results suggest that eotaxin is involved in the pathogenesis of eosinophilic airway inflammation, and that Antileukinate may be a promising tool to control allergic diseases.     

Synthesis of 4'-C-ethynyl and 4'-C-cyano purine nucleosides from natural nucleosides and their anti-HIV activity

Purine 2'-deoxynucleosides bearing an ethynyl or a cyano group at C-4' of the sugar moiety were synthesized from the corresponding 2'-deoxynucleosides. These compounds exhibited very potent anti-HIV activity, and remained active against drug resistant HIV strains.