Mouse uterine epithelial apoptosis is associated with expression of mitochondrial voltage-dependent anion channels,release of cytochrome C from mitochondria,and the ratio of Bax to Bcl-2 or Bcl-X

The release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, which is regulated by Bcl-2 family members and is considered to take place through voltage-dependent anion channels (VDACs) on the outer membranes of mitochondria, results in activation of effector caspases, such as caspase-3, which induce apoptosis. We studied the involvement of the mitochondrial apoptosis pathway in uterine epithelial apoptosis. Estradiol-17beta pellets were implanted into ovariectomized mice and removed 4 days later (Day 0). The apoptotic index (percentage of apoptotic cells) of the luminal epithelium increased markedly, peaking on Day 2, whereas that of the glandular epithelium increased much less. Expression of VDAC1, 2, and 3 mRNAs increased in the luminal epithelium in correlation with the apoptotic index of the luminal epithelium. No increases in VDAC1, 2, and 3 mRNA levels were observed in the stroma or muscle, where no apoptosis occurs. VDAC1 protein levels in the uterus also correlated well with the apoptotic index of the luminal epithelium. In addition, the apoptotic index showed good correlation with the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, activation of caspase-3, which was immunohistochemically detected only in the epithelium, and the mRNA and protein ratios of Bax:Bcl-2 and Bax:Bcl-X in the uterus. The present results suggest that the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria, which is regulated by Bcl-2 family members, plays a role in uterine epithelial apoptosis after estrogen deprivation. The increase in VDAC expression may facilitate the release of cytochrome c during apoptosis.     

Protective effects of flavonoids on the cytotoxicity of linoleic acid hydroperoxide toward rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells

The protective effects of nine flavonoids, including apigenin, eriodictyol, 3-hydroxyflavone, kaempherol, luteolin, quercetin, rutin, and taxifolin (Table 1), on the cytotoxicity of linoleic acid hydroperoxide (LOOH) toward rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells were examined. The cytotoxicity was assessed by the trypan blue exclusion test and so-called MTT assay. When cells were preincubated with each flavonoid prior to LOOH exposure, quercetin, 3-hydroxyflavone, or luteolin decreased LOOH cytotoxicity toward undifferentiated cells, while only luteolin decreased efficiently LOOH cytotoxicity toward differentiated cells. On the other hand, when cells were coincubated with each flavonoid and LOOH, kaempherol, eriodictyol, quercetin, 3-hydroxyflavone, luteolin, or taxifolin decreased LOOH cytotoxicity toward undifferentiated and differentiated cells. On both preincubation prior to LOOH exposure and coincubation with LOOH, luteolin acted as the most efficiently protective agent against LOOH cytotoxicity. Further, these flavonoids showed protective effects on coincubation rather than preincubation. Flow cytometry using the fluorescence probe 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate revealed that LOOH increases the intracellular level of reactive oxygen species in undifferentiated cells in a dose-dependent manner, and that desferrioxamine mesylate suppresses the LOOH-induced increase in the level. These flavonoids suppress the LOOH-induced increase. Further, the protective effect of flavonoids on LOOH cytotoxicity correlates with the suppression of the LOOH-induced increase. These results suggest that such flavonoids are beneficial for neuronal cells under oxidative stress.     

Phenotype-based identification of mouse chromosome instability mutants

There is increasing evidence that defects in DNA double-strand-break (DSB) repair can cause chromosome instability, which may result in cancer. To identify novel DSB repair genes in mice, we performed a phenotype-driven mutagenesis screen for chromosome instability mutants using a flow cytometric peripheral blood micronucleus assay. Micronucleus levels were used as a quantitative indicator of chromosome damage in vivo. Among offspring derived from males mutagenized with the germline mutagen N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea (ENU), we identified a recessive mutation conferring elevated levels of spontaneous and radiation- or mitomycin C-induced micronuclei. This mutation, named chaos1 (chromosome aberration occurring spontaneously 1), was genetically mapped to a 1.3-Mb interval on chromosome 16 containing Polq, encoding DNA polymerase theta. We identified a nonconservative mutation in the ENU-derived allele, making it a strong candidate for chaos1. POLQ is homologous to Drosophila MUS308, which is essential for normal DNA interstrand crosslink repair and is unique in that it contains both a helicase and a DNA polymerase domain. While cancer susceptibility of chaos1 mutant mice is still under investigation, these data provide a practical paradigm for using a forward genetic approach to discover new potential cancer susceptibility genes using the surrogate biomarker of chromosome instability as a screen.     

Fasting-induced suppression of pulsatile luteinizing hormone secretion is related to body energy status in ovariectomized goats

The effect of energy status on the response of luteinizing hormone (LH) pulse frequency to acute short-term energy deficiency created by fasting in estradiol-treated ovariectomized Shiba goats was studied in two experiments. In experiment 1, eight goats whose mean body weight (BW) was 25.6 +/- 5.8 (mean +/- S.D.)kg were fed 500 g hay cubes daily for 1 week. Then they were fasted for 3 days. Blood samples were collected for 4 h at 6 min intervals on the last day of feeding, first, second and third day of fasting for LH analysis. The goats were divided into light (<24 kg, n = 4) and heavy (> or =24 kg, n = 4) groups for data analysis. There was no difference in LH pulse frequency between the last day of feeding and each day of fasting in the heavy group. LH pulse frequency was significantly (P < 0.05) suppressed on the second day (3.3 +/- 1.3 pulses/4 h) and on the third day (2.3 +/- 1.9 pulses/4 h) relative to the day prior to fasting (4.8 +/- 1.5 pulses/4 h) in the light group. In experiment 2, BW plus a body mass index (gBMI: (body weight (kg)/withers height (m)/body length (m)) x 10) were measured to define energy status. Nine goats (BW, 25.6 +/- 5.8 kg) were fed 500 g hay cubes daily for a week and then fasted for 3 days. Then they were divided into two groups offered either a maintenance (n = 4) or a restricted (n = 5) level of feeding for 4 weeks. The restricted level of feeding was 30% of maintenance requirement based on the BW recorded weekly. The feeding level was then adjusted to maintain BW for a further week followed by 3 day fasting for restricted animals. Blood samples were collected for 6 h at 10 min intervals on the day prior to fasting and on third day of fasting before and after the dietary manipulation. BW (26.6 +/- 2.2 to 26.8 +/- 3.8 kg) and gBMI (8.4 +/- 0.4 to 7.8 +/- 0.3) remained constant over the period prior to fasting for the maintenance animals but were significantly lower (P < 0.05) after 4 weeks for the restricted goats (BW, 26.3 +/- 2.1 to 21.5 +/- 2.4 kg; gBMI, 8.4 +/- 0.9 to 6.9 +/- 0.7). There was no significant difference in the LH pulse frequency between feeding and fasting day in both sampling periods in the maintenance group. In the restricted group, LH pulse frequency was not suppressed by fasting in the first sampling period (6.8 +/- 2.9 to 5.2 +/- 2.5 pulses/6 h), whereas it tended to be suppressed (4.8 +/- 3.1 to 1.6 +/- 2.3 pulses/6 h; P < 0.06) and was significantly (P < 0.05) correlated to body weight (r = 0.70) and gBMI (r = 0.81) after the dietary manipulation. These results suggest that the suppressive effect of short-term energy restriction (fasting) on pulsatile LH secretion is related to body energy status.     

In vitro cultivation of spermatocysts to matured sperm in the silkworm Bombyx mori

Bombyx spermatogonia are bipotential, producing nucleate eupyrene sperm and anucleate apyrene sperm. An in vitro cultivation of spermatocysts of Bombyx mori from spermatocytes to matured sperm was established. The present experiment made clear that: (i) spermatocysts must be isolated; (ii) constant shaking at 45 r.p.m. was necessary; and (iii) the addition of Bombyx hemolymph (BH) was indispensable for successful cultivation. In the absence of BH, spermatogenesis proceeded normally for 2 or 3 days and, thereafter, spermatocytes and sperm bundles began to degenerate. The best results for normal eupyrene spermatogenesis were obtained when culture medium containing BH of the corresponding stage was used in every exchange of the medium at 72 h intervals. None or only a small number of apyrene sperm bundles was produced by this culture system when spermatocysts from larval testes were used, although eupyrene spermatogenesis proceeded normally to form matured, or squeezed, sperm bundles.     

Priming effects of novel nonsteroidal progesterone receptor modulators CP8816 and CP8863 on the development of adenomyosis in the mouse uterus

The possibility of therapeutic application of novel nonsteroidal progesterone receptor modulators CP8816 and CP8863 for preventing the development of uterine adenomyosis was investigated in mice. First priming effects of CP8816 on 17beta-estradiol (E2)-induced cell division in uterine tissues were examined. As a result, pretreatment with CP8816 or progesterone significantly suppressed the elevation of the mitotic activity in the luminal epithelial cells of mice treated with E2 later. Priming with CP8816 had little effect on the stromal cells, but progesterone priming caused an increase of stromal mitotic activity in mice treated with E2 later. To evaluate the inhibitory effect of these compounds on the development of adenomyosis induced experimentally by pituitary grafting, 7-week-old female mice were isografted with a single anterior pituitary in the uterus and divided into four groups. Two groups of mice were given daily subcutaneous injections of 1 mg of CP8816 or the vehicle alone for 6 weeks from the day after the grafting. Remaining two groups of mice were given oral administration of 1 mg of CP8863 or the vehicle only for 5 weeks starting one week after the grafting. The incidence of adenomyosis was significantly lower in the groups of mice treated with CP8816 and CP8863 than in the respective control groups. The mechanism by which CP compounds inhibited the development of adenomyosis might be related to their priming effects, i.e., their inhibitory effect on epithelial cell division and lack of effect on stromal cell division after subsequent exposure to E2.     

Association of meteorological and day-of-the-week factors with emergency hospital admissions in Fukuoka, Japan

We carried out a statistical study of the influence of meteorological and day-of-the-week factors on the intrinsic emergency patients transported to hospitals by ambulance. Multiple piecewise linear regression analysis was performed on data from 6,081 emergency admissions for 1 year between April 1997 and March 1998 in Fukuoka, Japan. The response variable was the daily number of emergency patients admitted with three types of disease: cerebrovascular, respiratory and digestive diseases. The results showed that the number of emergency patients admitted daily with cerebrovascular disease was significantly associated with temperature on the day of admission and whether the day was Sunday. As it became colder than 12 degrees C, emergency admissions of patients with cerebrovascular disease increased drastically, reaching a plateau at 4 degrees C. On the 3rd and 7th days after the temperature fell below 10 degrees C, the daily admission of patients with respiratory disease significantly increased. We also observed a weak association between emergency admissions of patients suffering from digestive disease and rising barometric pressure on the day of admission.