Induction of the differentiation of human HL-60 promyelocytic leukemia cell line by succinoyl trehalose lipids

Four analogs of succinoyl trehalose lipid-3 (STL-3)with saturated even-number or odd-number carbonchains, and unsaturated or halogenated fatty acidswere examined for their ability to inhibit the growthand induce the differentiation of HL-60 humanpromyelocytic leukemia cells. The optimalconcentration of STL-3 at which such activities wererecognized was closed to the critical micelleconcentration of STL-3. Analog of STL-3 witheven-number or odd-number carbon chain and unsaturatedfatty acids strongly inhibited growth and induced thedifferentiation of HL-60 cells, as evaluated in termsof nitroblue tetrazilium-reducing activity and theappearance of the CD36 antigen. An analog of STL-3with halogenated fatty acids significantly inhibitedproliferation but only induced the differentiation ofHL-60 cells. Our results indicate that the effects ofSTL-3 and its analogs on HL-60 cells depend on thestructure of the hydrophobic moiety of STL-3.These authors contributed equally to this work     

2-Deoxyglucose Incorporation in the Cerebellum of Weaver and Nervous Mutant Mice

Abstract: The 2-deoxyglucose autoradiographic method has been used to study activity in cerebellum of the weaver and nervous mutant mice. Patterns of 2-deoxyglucose incorporation into the cerebral hemispheres from weaver and nervous strains did not differ significantly from those of the controls. In the normal cerebellum, 2-deoxyglucose incorporation was maximal in the granular layer, where mossy fibers form synapses with the dendrites of granule cells. In the cerebellum of nervous mice, which lacks Purkinje cells, the incorporation of the 2-deoxyglucose was maximal in the granular layer, but the incorporation into the molecular layer appeared less than in the control. The incorporation into the cerebellum from weaver, which lacks granule cells, was much higher than that of the control, the maximal incorporation being found in the Purkinje cell layer and in cell masses located in the white matter. These data suggest that the heterologous synapses that mossy fibers or climbing fibers form with the cells in the Purkinje cell layer and the cells in the white matter in the weaver cerebellum are functional.     

Using food network unfolding to evaluate food–web complexity in terms of biodiversity: theory and applications

Food–web complexity often hinders disentangling functionally relevant aspects of food–web structure and its relationships to biodiversity. Here, we present a theoretical framework to evaluate food–web complexity in terms of biodiversity. Food network unfolding is a theoretical method to transform a complex food web into a linear food chain based on ecosystem processes. Based on this method, we can define three biodiversity indices, horizontal diversity (D_H), vertical diversity (D_V) and range diversity (D_R), which are associated with the species diversity within each trophic level, diversity of trophic levels, and diversity in resource use, respectively. These indices are related to Shannon's diversity index (H′), where H′ = D_H + D_V ? D_R. Application of the framework to three riverine macroinvertebrate communities revealed that D indices, calculated from biomass and stable isotope features, captured well the anthropogenic, seasonal, or other within‐site changes in food–web structures that could not be captured with H′ alone.     

Vacuolar morphology of Saccharomyces cerevisiae during the process of wine making and Japanese sake brewing

Although ethanol and osmotic stress affect the vacuolar morphology of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, little information is available about changes in vacuolar morphology during the processes of wine making and Japanese sake (rice wine) brewing. Here, we elucidated changes in the morphology of yeast vacuoles using Zrc1p-GFP, a vacuolar membrane protein, so as to better understand yeast physiology during the brewing process. Wine yeast cells (OC-2 and EC1118) contained highly fragmented vacuoles in the sake mash (moromi) as well as in the grape must. Although sake yeast cells (Kyokai no. 9 and no. 10) also contained highly fragmented vacuoles during the wine-making process, they showed quite a distinct vacuolar morphology during sake brewing. Since the environment surrounding sake yeast cells in the sake mash did not differ much from that surrounding wine yeast cells, the difference in vacuolar morphology during sake brewing between wine yeast and sake yeast was likely caused by innate characters.     

Novel variant of p230 trans-Golgi network protein identified by serum from Sjögren's syndrome patient

Trans-Golgi network (TGN) protein p230 is a peripheral membrane protein associated with the cytoplasmic face of the TGN. TGNp230 is an extensively coiled-coil protein with flexible amino- and carboxyl-terminal ends, associates with non-clathrin-coated vesicles arising from the TGN, and is implicated in vesicle biogenesis. Here we used an autoimmune serum from a patient with S ogren's syndrome to clone partial cDNAs from a human hepatoma HepG2 expression library. The partial cDNAs encoded a novel amino-terminal splice variant of TGNp230. Specific reactivity of the autoimmune serum for p230 is supported by immunofluorescene staining of the Golgi apparatus, immunoblotting of a > 200-kDa HeLa cell protein, and reactivity with a bacterially expressed GST-p230 fusion protein. The alternative splicing occurs within the first proline-rich domain of p230. It comprises a deletion of 30 bp followed immediately by an additional 66 bp absent in the published sequence. RT-PCR analysis indicated that the splicing occurs independently of previously reported carboxyl-terminal splicing, and that this novel splice variant is more frequent than the previously reported p230. The novel splice variant of p230 is also located at the TGN. We propose that p230 splice variants may be implicated in selection of cargo molecules for vesicles arising from the TGN.     

Progress in the 21st century: a Roadmap for the Ecological Society of Japan

The primary goal of the 60th anniversary symposium of the Ecological Society of Japan (ESJ) was to re-examine the role of the Society. The first of five lectures, “Development of Long-term Ecological Research in Japan,” discussed the increasingly important role of long-term and networked research studies. Ecological research in Asia faces many challenges, because Asia features natural and anthropogenic landscapes with highly diverse ecosystems. “Developing Strategies of the Ecological Society of Japan for Worldwide Societies of Ecology with Special Reference to Strategies for Asia” emphasized the role of ESJ in promoting ecological research and outreach in Asia. Ecosystem sustainability is a key issue in both the theory and practice of ecosystem management. A framework concept of an environmental and biodiversity cycle was proposed in the session “Linking Community and Ecosystem Dynamics” for understanding the mechanisms driving the sustainability of ecosystems. Ecosystem services are essential aspects of land use and conservation planning and management. “Integrating Models of Ecosystem Services and Land Use Changes” reviewed recently-developed models that simulate patterns of land-use change and analyze its effects on ecosystem services and also recommended future directions for collaboration among researchers. “Disaster Resilience and Coastal Ecology” highlighted the contributions of ecologists to evaluating the resilience of damaged coastal ecosystems and provided sound proposals to local communities and governments for rehabilitation plans. The past achievements and future directions of ESJ were discussed by the panelists and the audience in “Past and Future of the Ecological Society of Japan.”     

KIT (c-kit oncogene product) pathway is constitutively activated in human testicular germ cell tumors

We investigated the expression of KIT (product of c-kit oncogene), gain-of-function mutations, and activation of its downstream signal transduction in human testicular cancers. KIT was expressed in 88% (22/25) of seminomas and in 44.4% (4/9) of non-seminomas compared to adjacent normal testicular tissue. Nine of the KIT-expressing seminomas had mutations (40.9%; 9/22) in the c-kit gene; two cases in exon 11 and 7 cases in exon 17. Two of these mutations in exon 17 were novel, and the other seven mutations were identical to the already known gain-of-function mutations which cause activation of KIT without ligand stem cell factor. All of the mutant KIT and 53.8% (7/13) of wild-type KIT were phosphorylated (activated) and associated with phosphorylated phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K). Akt was also phosphorylated in these seminomas, suggesting that the KIT-PI3K-Akt pathway is activated in seminoma. These findings suggest that the KIT-PI3K-Akt pathway is constitutively activated in testicular germ cell tumors, due to overexpression of KIT protein and/or gain-of-function mutations in the c-kit gene.