Additional cause for reduced JA-Ile in the root of a Lotus japonicus phyB mutant

Light is critical for supplying carbon for use in the energetically expensive process of nitrogen-fixing symbiosis between legumes and rhizobia. We recently showed that root nodule formation in phyB mutants [which have a constitutive shade avoidance syndrome (SAS) phenotype] was suppressed in white light, and that nodulation in wild-type is controlled by sensing the R/FR ratio through jasmonic acid (JA) signaling. We concluded that the cause of reduced root nodule formation in phyB mutants was the inhibition of JA-Ile production in root. Here we show that the shoot JA-Ile level of phyB mutants is higher than that of the wild-type strain MG20, suggesting that translocation of JA-Ile from shoot to root is impeded in the mutant. These results indicate that root nodule formation in phyB mutants is suppressed both by decreased JA-Ile production, caused by reduced JAR1 activity in root, and by reduced JA-Ile translocation from shoot to root.     

Visual shape representation with geometrically characterized contour partitions

This paper proposes a biologically plausible matching method to recognize general shapes based on contour curvature information. The human visual system recognizes general shapes flexibly in real-world scenes through the ventral pathway. The pathway is typically modeled using artificial neural networks. These network models, however, do not construct a shape representation that satisfies the following required constraints: (1) The original shape should be represented by a group of partitioned contours in order to retrieve the whole shape (global information) from the partial contours (local information). (2) Coarse and fine structures of the original shapes should be individually represented in order for the visual system to respond to shapes as quickly as possible based on the least number of their features, and to discriminate between shapes based on detailed information. (3) The shape recognition realized with an artificial visual system should be invariant to geometric transformation such as expansion, rotation, or shear. In this paper, we propose a visual shape representation with geometrically characterized contour partitions described on multiple spatial scales.     

2,4-Diamino-6-hydroxypyrimidine (DAHP) suppresses cytokine-induced VCAM-1 expression on the cell surface of human umbilical vein endothelial cells in a BH(4)-independent manner

2,4-Diamino-6-hydroxypyrimidine (DAHP) is considered a specific inhibitor of BH(4) biosynthesis and is widely used in order to elucidate the possible biological function of BH(4) in various cells. In the present study, we found that both the synthesis of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH(4)) and expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 (VCAM-1) were increased in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) treated with proinflammatory cytokines. Thus we examined the effects of DAHP to clarify whether BH(4) might be involved in the expression of VCAM-1 in HUVEC. DAHP reduced the levels of both BH(4) and VCAM-1 induced by TNF-alpha and IFN-gamma. However, the dose-response curves of DAHP for the suppression of the VCAM-1 level and that of BH(4) level were markedly different. Supplementation with sepiapterin failed to restore the depressed VCAM-1 level, although it completely restored the BH(4) level. Furthermore, DAHP significantly reduced the VCAM-1 level under the experimental conditions using TNF-alpha alone, which failed to induce BH(4) production. Taken together, these results indicate that DAHP inhibited the expression of VCAM-1 in a BH(4)-independent manner in HUVEC. In the present study, we also found that DAHP significantly suppressed the accumulation of cytokine-induced NF-kappaB (p65) in the nucleus as well as the mRNA levels of VCAM-1 and GTP cyclohydrolase I (GTPCH), the rate-limiting enzyme of BH(4) synthesis. The data obtained in this study suggest that DAHP reduced VCAM-1 and GTPCH protein synthesis at least partially via suppressing the NF-kappaB level in the nucleus of HUVEC.     

Telmisartan prevented cognitive decline partly due to PPAR-gamma activation

Telmisartan is a unique angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) and partial agonist of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-γ. Here, we investigated the preventive effect of telmisartan on cognitive decline in Alzheimer disease. In ddY mice, intracerebroventricular injection of Aβ 1-40 significantly attenuated their cognitive function evaluated by shuttle avoidance test. Pretreatment with a non-hypotensive dose of telmisartan significantly inhibited such cognitive decline. Interestingly, co-treatment with GW9662, a PPAR-γ antagonist, partially inhibited this improvement of cognitive decline. Another ARB, losartan, which has less PPAR-γ agonistic effect, also inhibited Aβ-injection-induced cognitive decline; however the effect was smaller than that of telmisartan and was not affected by GW9662. Immunohistochemical staining for Aβ showed the reduced Aβ deposition in telmisartan-treated mice. However, this reduction was not observed in mice co-administered GW9662. These findings suggest that ARB has a preventive effect on cognitive impairment in Alzheimer disease, and telmisartan, with PPAR-γ activation, could exert a stronger effect.     

Higher mortality in heterozygous neuropilin-1 mice after cardiac pressure overload

We previously identified that neuropilin-1 (NP-1) was a co-receptor of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) and confirmed that NP-1 knockout mice were embryonic lethal due to impairment of vascular development, while VEGF was reported to be involved in the progression of heart failure. However, it is unknown whether NP-1 has any influence on cardiac function, and it also remains poor understood concerning cardiac expression of NP-1 and its interaction with other VEGF receptors in the heart. Here, we first showed that NP-1 heterozygous mice had significantly higher mortality due to either acute or chronic heart failure in response to left ventricular pressure overload. We also observed that NP-1 mRNA and protein were expressed in both neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and adult murine heart. Furthermore, we found that NP-1 formed complexes with VEGFR1 and VEGFR2, respectively, in cardiomyocytes. These findings suggest that NP-1 should play beneficial role in heart failure.     

Transgenic superroots of Lotus corniculatus can be regenerated from superroot-derived leaves following Agrobacterium-mediated transformation

Super-growing roots (superroots; SR), which have been established in the legume species Lotus corniculatus, are a fast-growing root culture that allows continuous root cloning, direct somatic embryogenesis and mass regeneration of plants under entirely growth regulator-free culture conditions. These features are unique for non-hairy root cultures, and they are now stably expressed since the culture was isolated more than 10 years ago (1997). Attempts to achieve direct and stable transformation of SR turned out to be unsuccessful. Making use of the supple regeneration plasticity of SR, we are reporting here an indirect transformation protocol. Leaf explants, derived from plants regenerated from SR, were inoculated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens strain LBA4404 harboring the binary vector pBI121, which contains the neomycin phosphotransferase II (NPTII) and beta-glucuronidase (GUS) genes as selectable and visual markers, respectively. After co-cultivation, the explants were selected on solidified MS medium with 0.5mg/L benzylamino purine (BAP), 100mg/L kanamycin and 250mg/L cefotaxime. Kanamycin-resistant calli were transferred to liquid rooting medium. The newly regenerated, kanamycin-resistant roots were harvested and SR cultures re-established, which exhibited all the characteristics of the original SR. Furthermore, kanamycin-resistant roots cultured onto solidified MS medium supplemented with 0.5mg/L BAP produced plants at the same rate as control SR. Six months after gene transfer, PCR analysis and histochemical locating indicated that the NPTII gene was integrated into the genome and that the GUS gene was regularly expressed in leaves, roots and nodules, respectively. The protocol makes it now possible to produce transformed SR and nodules as well as transgenic plants from transformed SR.     

Hypotensive activity of novokinin, a potent analogue of ovokinin(2-7), is mediated by angiotensin AT(2) receptor and prostaglandin IP receptor

Novokinin (Arg-Pro-Leu-Lys-Pro-Trp) is a potent hypotensive peptide previously designed based on the structure of ovokinin(2-7) (Arg-Ala-Asp-His-Pro-Phe), a vasorelaxing and hypotensive peptide derived from ovalbumin. Novokinin exhibited an affinity for the angiotensin AT(2) receptor (Ki=7.35 microM). Novokinin significantly lowered systolic blood pressure at a dose of 0.03 and 0.1 mg/kg after intravenous and oral administration, respectively, in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs), and the hypotensive activity was blocked by PD123319, an antagonist of the AT(2) receptor. Novokinin lowered blood pressure in C57BL/6J mice after oral administration at a dose of 50 mg/kg. However, in AT(2) receptor-deficient mice, novokinin did not reduce blood pressure. These results demonstrate that the hypotensive activity of novokinin is mediated by the AT(2) receptor. The hypotensive activity of novokinin in SHRs was completely blocked by indomethacin and CAY10441, an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase and an antagonist of the prostaglandin IP receptor, respectively. These suggest that the hypotensive activity is mediated by prostacyclin and the IP receptor downstream of the AT(2) receptor.     

Critical consideration on the relationship between auxin transport and calcium transients in gravity perception of Arabidopsis seedlings

Plants regulate their growth and morphogenesis in response to gravity field, known as gravitropism. In the early process of gravitropism, changes in the gravity vector (gravistimulation) are transduced into certain intracellular signals, termed gravity perception. The plant hormone auxin is not only a crucial factor to represent gravitropism but also a potential signaling molecule for gravity perception. Another strong candidate for the signaling molecule is calcium ion of which cytoplasmic concentration ([Ca²⁺]_c) is known to increase in response to gravistimulation. However, relationship between these two factors, say which is in the first place, has been controversial. This issue is addressed here mainly based on recent progress including our latest studies. Gravistimulation by turning plants 180° induced a two-peaked [Ca²⁺]_c-increase lasting for several minutes in Arabidopsis seedlings expressing apoaequorin; only the second peak was sensitive to the gravistimulation. Peak amplitudes of the [Ca²⁺]_c-increase were attenuated by the 10 µM auxin transport inhibitor (TIBA) and vesicle trafficking inhibitor (BFA), whereas the onset time and rate of rise of the second peak were not significantly altered. This result indicates that polar auxin transport is not involved in the initial phase of the second [Ca²⁺]_c-increase. It is likely that the gravi-induced [Ca²⁺]_c-increase constitutes an upstream event of the auxin transport, but may positively be modulated by auxin since its peak amplitude is attenuated by the inhibition of auxin transport.Key words: auxin, calcium, gravity perception, gravitropism, pin-formed (PIN) protein, Arabidopsis thaliana     

Helicobacter and Gastric Malignancies

Individuals infected with Helicobacter pylori , a stomach colonizing bacteria, have an increased risk of developing gastric malignancies. The risk for developing cancer relates to the physiologic and histologic changes that H. pylori infection induces in the stomach. In the last year numerous studies have been conducted in order to characterize the association between H. pylori infection and gastric cancer. These studies range from epidemiologic approaches aiming at the identification of environmental, host genetic, and bacterial factors associated with risk of gastric cancer, to molecular and cell biology approaches aiming at understanding the interaction between H. pylori and the transforming epithelial cell. In this review an account of the last year's research activity on the relationship between H. pylori and gastric cancer will be given.     

Detection of Rickettsia helvetica DNA from peripheral blood of Sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) in Japan

Partial nucleotide sequences of the citrate synthase and 17-kDa genes of Rickettsia helvetica were detected from peripheral blood samples of Sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis) in Hokkaido, Japan. Results suggest the presence of a rickettsiemia associated with R. helvetica. This is the first evidence of R. helvetica infection in Sika deer and indicates that this species may represent a potential reservoir host of R. helvetica in Japan.