Microsatellite polymorphism in the human heme oxygenase-1 gene promoter and its application in association studies with Alzheimer and Parkinson disease

Oxidative stress has been suggested to be involved in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer disease (AD) and Parkinson disease (PD). Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), a key enzyme in heme catabolism, also functions as an antioxidant enzyme. Here, we show that a (GT)_n repeat in the human HO-1 gene promoter region is highly polymorphic, although no particular alleles are associated with AD or PD. This newly identified genetic marker should allow us to study the possible involvement of HO-1 in certain human diseases. Received: 5 November 1996 / Accepted: 18 February 1997     

Role of Platelet-Actlvatlng-Factor (PAF) on Cellular Responses after Stimulation with Leptospire Lipopolysaccharide

Leptospire lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulated the adherence of polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Enhanced PMN adherence in response to leptospire LPS can be mediated by platelet-activator-factor (PAF), because a PAF antagonist reduced adherence. Leptospire LPS also induced the adherence platelets or U937. The second experiment involved leptospire LPS elicited platelet aggregation in a PMN-platelet mixture, because leptospire LPS stimulated human PMN but not the human platelets. The platelet response was observed only in the mixture system and was inhibited by a PAF antagonist. PAF could be an important pathogenic factor in human leptospirosis.     

Breast Milk Is Not a Significant Source for Early Epstein-Barr Virus or Human Herpesvirus 6 Infection in Infants: A Seroepidemiologic Study in 2 Endemic Areas of Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type I in Japan

In order to evaluate the possibility of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) transmission via breast milk, a total of 331 serum specimens collected from bottle-fed and breast-fed children and their mothers, in 2 endemic areas of human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) in Japan, were assayed for antibodies to EBV and HHV-6. The seroprevalences of EBV and HHV-6 were over 95% both in the mothers of bottle-fed children and in those of breast-fed children. The seroprevalence of EBV at 12–23 months of age was 54.5% (36/66) and 55.8% (24/43) in breast-fed children and bottle-fed children, respectively. The seroprevalence of HHV-6 at 12–23 months of age was 90.9% (60/66) and 93.0% (40/43) in breast-fed children and bottle-fed children, respectively. No difference was observed between the seroprevalences of EBV and HHV-6 in breast-fed and bottle-fed children at 12–23 months of age. Our seroepidemiologic data indicate that breast milk is not a significant source of early EBV or HHV-6 infection in infancy.     

Partial Sequences of Large Subunit Ribosomal DNA of a New Yeast Species,Trichosporon domesticum and Related Species

We determined the partial sequences of large subunit rDNA of a new yeast species, Trichosporon domesticum, which was isolated from the house of a summer-type hypersensitivity pneumonitis patient. Phylogenetically, T. domesticum was positioned in the taxonomic group containing T. montevideense and T. brassicae, which indicated an identical serotype. A phylogenetic relationship among all species of the genus Trichosporon which belong to the basidiomycetous yeast is clarified.     

Japanese maple (Acer palmatum var. Matsumurae, Aceraceae) recruitment patterns: seeds, seedlings, and saplings in relation to conspecific adult neighbors

We analyzed the spatial patterns among seeds, seedlings, saplings, and conspecific adult trees of the cool-temperate tree species Acer palmatum var. Matsumurae in a conifer-hardwood mixed forest in northern Japan, using two models that consider the influence of each adult within the neighborhood of the offspring. The results showed that recruitment patterns of each stage could be characterized and that significant shifts occur between successive stages. Sound seeds were more widely dispersed than unsound seeds; the mean dispersal distance (MDD) was 41.5 m for sound seeds, but only 12.6 m for unsound seeds. Most seedlings were located near conspecific adult trees, with a MDD of 14.3 m. Saplings, however, were more dispersed away from conspecific adult trees, with an MDD of more than 35 m. Light and gap distributions did not strongly affect the spatial distribution of the offspring; most saplings were located under nonconspecific canopies. These results suggest that the recruitment pattern of Japanese maple offspring is strongly affected by conspecific adult neighbors, rather than by light and gap distributions, with close proximity to conspecific adult trees reducing the growth and survival of seedlings during the transition to saplings.     

Formation of a phragmosome-like structure in centrifuged protonemal cells of Adiantum capillus-veneris L.

A phragmosome (PS) is a transvacuolar aggregation of cytoplasm that develops in the plane of future cytokinesis and is found specifically in highly vacuolated cells. Although protonemal cells of Adiantum capillus-veneris L. usually do not form a PS, a PS-like structure developed at the site of a preprophase band (PPB) of microtubules (MTs) when the nucleus and endoplasm were displaced from the division site by centrifugation, leaving a PPB in the cortical cytoplasm. The PS-like structure contained endoplasmic MTs, F-actin, oil droplets and mitochondria. The structure did not develop when the cells were centrifuged before the formation of a PPB. Application of amiprophos-methyl (APM) before development of the PPB strongly inhibited the formation of the PS-like structure after centrifugation. The PS-like structure was dispersed after cytokinesis which occurred in the region of the displaced nucleus. Treatment with APM after the formation of the PS-like structure arrested the cell cycle at the M phase and inhibited the degradation of this structure. These results suggest that development of a PS-like structure is associated both with the formation of a PPB and with the stage of the cell cycle. Received: 9 July 1996 / Accepted: 12 September 1996     

Serum boron concentration from inhabitants of an urban area in Japan

Boron (B) levels were determined in the serum of 980 healthy inhabitants living in an urban area of Japan by means of inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry (ICPES). The results showed a log-normal distribution of serum B for both sexes, although there are age-related differences. In male subjects, serum B increases rapidly up to 49 yr of age, reaching a plateau between ages 50 and 69 yr old, followed by a gradual increase up to 70 yr or older. Female subjects exhibit a gradual increase up to the age of 70 yr old. The reference value for male and female subjects was 79.8 μg/L and 67.9 μg/L, and the reference interval was 33.3–191.2 μg/L and 29.5–154.9 μg/L, respectively. The obtained reference value and interval of the nonexposed group may be useful for health screening for B exposure, either for people living in regions with high levels of B in the environment, or for workers who are exposed to this element.     

Association of mouse sorting nexin 1 with early endosomes.

Sorting nexin 1 (SNX1) is a protein that binds to the cytoplasmic domain of plasma membrane receptors. We found that mouse sorting nexin 1 (SNX1) (521 amino acid residues) could partially rescue a yeast vam3 mutant defective in docking/fusion of vacuolar membranes. In mammalian cells, SNX1 is peripherally associated with membrane structures and localized immunochemically with EEA1, a marker protein of early endosomes. These results suggest that SNX1 regulates endocytic trafficking of plasma membrane proteins in early endosomes. Gel filtration of cell lysates and the purified recombinant protein, together with two-hybrid analysis, indicated that SNX1 self-assembles into a complex of approximately 300 kDa.