5-hydroxytryptamine synthesis in HL-1 cells and neonatal rat cardiocytes

Some reports showed that serotonergic system might have existed and that 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) was detected in the hamster heart. The source of 5-HT in the heart, however, remains to be fully elucidated. So the present study was designed to define serotonergic system and to clarify which cell could produce 5-HT in the heart. As a result, 5-HT was detected in homogenates of HL-1 cardiomyocytes by high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection, but not in those of neonatal rat non-cardiomyocytes (NMCs). And TPH and AADC mRNAs were expressed in HL-1 cardiomyocytes and neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (MCs), not in NMCs. mRNAs of 5-HT(2A) receptor were detected in both MCs and NMCs, and those of 5-HT(2B) receptor in NMCs. These findings definitively demonstrate that 5-HT is secreted from the myocytes of the heart and strongly implied that 5-HT might play a certain role in cardiac physiology.     

Conversion of diacetyl-C-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)phloroglucinol to spiroketal compounds

Diacetyl-C-(beta-D-glucopyranosyl)phloroglucinol was converted by refluxing in water to spiro(benzofuran-[2H]furan) a new compound, along with spiro(benzofuran-[2H]pyran). The stereochemistry of the quaternary carbon of both spiro compounds had an S-configuration.     

Synthesis and enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis of a radical-masked glycosylated spin-label reagent

N1-Acetoxy-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-4-yl 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha- and -beta-D-glucopyranosides (3-alpha, beta) and N1-acetoxy-2,2,5,5-tetramethylpyrrolin-3-oyl 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-benzyl-alpha- and -beta-D-glucopyranosylamines (9-alpha, beta) were synthesized in good yield by Schmidt's glycosylation method. Their subsequent O-debenzylation was proceeded successfully to give the desired products 1-alpha, and 1-beta in good yield, and 2-alpha in a low yield, without 2-beta by only short-timed hydrogenolysis in the presence of palladium-on-carbon (Pd-C) in a CHCl3-MeOH solvent system that included concentrated HCl. Upon enzyme-catalyzed hydrolysis, only 2-alpha was hydrolyzed by the esterase, while both of 1-alpha and 1-beta were not hydrolyzed by any other enzyme such as lipase. These 2-alpha can likely be used as a new water-soluble radical-masked glycosylated spin-label reagent.     

Major and minor capsid proteins of human polyomavirus JC cooperatively accumulate to nuclear domain 10 for assembly into virions

The human polyomavirus JC (JCV) replicates in the nuclei of infected cells. Here we report that JCV virions are efficiently assembled at nuclear domain 10 (ND10), which is also known as promyelocytic leukemia (PML) nuclear bodies. The major capsid protein VP1, the minor capsid proteins VP2 and VP3, and a regulatory protein called agnoprotein were coexpressed from a polycistronic expression vector in COS-7 cells. We found that VP1 accumulated to distinct subnuclear domains in the presence of VP2/VP3 and agnoprotein, while VP1 expressed alone was distributed both in the cytoplasm and in the nucleus. Mutation analysis revealed that discrete intranuclear accumulation of VP1 requires the presence of either VP2 or VP3. However, VP2 or VP3 expressed in the absence of VP1 showed diffuse, not discrete, nuclear localization. The C-terminal sequence of VP2/VP3 contains two basic regions, GPNKKKRRK (cluster 1) and KRRSRSSRS (cluster 2). The deletion of cluster 2 abolished the accumulation of VP1 to distinct subnuclear domains. Deletion of the C-terminal 34 residues of VP2/VP3, including both cluster 1 and cluster 2, caused VP1 to localize both in the cytoplasm and in the nucleus. Using immunoelectron microscopy of cells that coexpressed VP1, VP2/VP3, and agnoprotein, we detected the assembly of virus-like particles in discrete locations along the inner nuclear periphery. Both in oligodendrocytes of the human brain and in transfected cells, discrete nuclear domains for VP1 accumulation were identified as ND10, which contains the PML protein. These results indicate that major and minor capsid proteins cooperatively accumulate in ND10, where they are efficiently assembled into virions.     

Acceleration of matrix metalloproteinase-1 production and activation of platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta in human coronary smooth muscle cells by oxidized LDL and 4-hydroxynonenal

Increases in matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) at atherosclerotic lesions are involved in the migration of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) into the intima and to the rupture of plaques, being implicated in the progression of atherosclerosis. The present study examined the mechanisms underlying the production of MMP-1, interstitial collagenase-1, induced by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE), factors proposed to play a pivotal role in atherogenesis, in human coronary SMCs. oxLDL promoted the production of MMP-1 with the preceding phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2. Immunoprecipitation of platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFR-beta) revealed that oxLDL induced tyrosine phosphorylation of the receptor. Inhibition of the activation of PDGFR-beta and ERK1/2 resulted in a suppression of the production of MMP-1. Consistently, 4-HNE also elicited the production of MMP-1 with the preceding phosphorylation of PDGFR-beta and ERK1/2. The 4-HNE-induced production of MMP-1 was prevented when the activation of PDGFR-beta and ERK1/2 was inhibited. The present results suggest that the activation of PDGFR-beta and ERK1/2 is involved in the production of MMP-1 in oxLDL- and 4-HNE-stimulated human coronary SMCs.     

Total synthesis of two isoflavone C-glycosides: genistein and orobol 8-C-beta-D-glucopyranosides

Genistein and orobol 8-C-beta-D-glucopyranosides (1 and 3) were firstly synthesized in overall yields of 39% and 41% from 2,4-di-O-benzylphloroacetophenone (4), as follows: (1) the formation of the chalcone (6, 7) by aldol condensation of the benzyl-protected C-glycosylphloroacetophenone (5), a key intermediate of the total synthesis of 1 and 3 and synthesized by a C-glycosylation method involving the O-->C glycoside rearrangement of 4 in 96% yield; (2) the formation of isoflavones (10, 11 and 12, 13) by the formation of acetals by oxidative rearrangement of the protected chalcones (8 and 9) using Tl(NO3)3, followed by acid-catalyzed cyclization; (3) a final debenzylation by hydrogenolysis.     

Expression screening of 17q12-21 amplicon reveals GRB7 as an ERBB2-dependent oncogene

Gene amplification is a major genetic alteration in human cancers. Amplicons, amplified genomic regions, are believed to contain "driver" genes responsible for tumorigenesis. However, the significance of co-amplified genes has not been extensively studied. We have established an integrated analysis system of amplicons using retrovirus-mediated gene transfer coupled with a human full-length cDNA set. Applying this system to 17q12-21 amplicon observed in breast cancer, we identified GRB7 as a context-dependent oncogene, which modulates the ERBB2 signaling pathway through enhanced phosphorylation of ERBB2 and Akt. Our work provides an insight into the biological significance of gene amplification in human cancers.     

A new prenylflavonoid isolated from propolis collected in the Solomon Islands

The new prenylflavonoid, solophenol A (1), together with three known compounds, bonannione A (2), sophoraflavanone A (3) and (2S)-5,7-dihydroxy-4'-methoxy-8-prenylflavanone (4), were isolated from propolis collected from Malaita Island in The Solomon Islands. The structure of each compound was determined by spectroscopic methods, including mass spectrometry and 2D NMR. Compound 1 exhibited potent 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical-scavenging activity.     

Differences in Salivary Alpha-Amylase and Cortisol Responsiveness following Exposure to Electrical Stimulation versus the Trier Social Stress Tests

Background

Cortisol is an essential hormone in the regulation of the stress response along the HPA axis, and salivary cortisol has been used as a measure of free circulating cortisol levels. Recently, salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) has also emerged as a novel biomarker for psychosocial stress responsiveness within the sympathetic adrenomedullary (SAM) system.

Principal Findings

We measured sAA and salivary cortisol in healthy volunteers after exposure to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and electric stimulation stress. One hundred forty-nine healthy volunteers participated in this study. All subjects were exposed to both the TSST and electric stimulation stress on separate days. We measured sAA and salivary cortisol levels three times immediately before, immediately after, and 20 min after the stress challenge. The State (STAI-S) and Trait (STAI-T) versions of the Spielberger Anxiety Inventory test and the Profile of Mood State (POMS) tests were administered to participants before the electrical stimulation and TSST protocols. We also measured HF, LF and LF/HF Heart Rate Variability ratio immediately after electrical stimulation and TSST exposure. Following TSST exposure or electrical stimulation, sAA levels displayed a rapid increase and recovery, returning to baseline levels 20 min after the stress challenge. Salivary cortisol responses showed a delayed increase, which remained significantly elevated from baseline levels 20 min after the stress challenge. Analyses revealed no differences between men and women with regard to their sAA response to the challenges (TSST or electric stimulations), while we found significantly higher salivary cortisol responses to the TSST in females. We also found that younger subjects tended to display higher sAA activity. Salivary cortisol levels were significantly correlated with the strength of the applied electrical stimulation.

Conclusions

These preliminary results suggest that the HPA axis (but not the SAM system) may show differential response patterns to distinct kinds of stressors.     

Induction of autophagy by B cell antigen receptor stimulation and its inhibition by costimulation

Autophagy is a major pathway for degradation of cytoplasmic components, and is induced by some apoptotic stimuli mostly in cancer cells under the condition in which apoptosis is blocked. Ligation of the B cell antigen receptor (BCR) induces apoptosis and plays a crucial role in self-tolerance. However, whether BCR ligation induces autophagy is not clear. Here, we demonstrate that autophagosomes are extensively formed in normal mouse B cells as well as the WEHI-231 B cell line upon induction of BCR ligation-induced apoptosis regardless of whether apoptosis is blocked by overexpression of Bcl-2. In contrast, autophagosomes were not formed during apoptosis of spleen B cells cultured with medium alone or in BCR-ligated BAL17 cells which do not undergo apoptosis. Moreover, autophagy is not induced when apoptotic BCR signaling is abrogated by CD40 signaling. These results indicate that autophagy is induced specifically by apoptotic BCR signaling even in unmanipulated normal B cells.