The moyamoya disease susceptibility variant RNF213 R4810K (rs112735431) induces genomic instability by mitotic abnormality

Moyamoya disease (MMD) is a cerebrovascular disease characterized by occlusive lesions in the Circle of Willis. The RNF213 R4810K polymorphism increases susceptibility to MMD. In the present study, we characterized phenotypes caused by overexpression of RNF213 wild type and R4810K variant in the cell cycle to investigate the mechanism of proliferation inhibition. Overexpression of RNF213 R4810K in HeLa cells inhibited cell proliferation and extended the time of mitosis 4-fold. Ablation of spindle checkpoint by depletion of mitotic arrest deficiency 2 (MAD2) did not shorten the time of mitosis. Mitotic morphology in HeLa cells revealed that MAD2 colocalized with RNF213 R4810K. Immunoprecipitation revealed an RNF213/MAD2 complex: R4810K formed a complex with MAD2 more readily than RNF213 wild-type. Desynchronized localization of MAD2 was observed more frequently during mitosis in fibroblasts from patients (n = 3, 61.0 ± 8.2%) compared with wild-type subjects (n = 6, 13.1 ± 7.7%; p < 0.01). Aneuploidy was observed more frequently in fibroblasts (p < 0.01) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) (p < 0.03) from patients than from wild-type subjects. Vascular endothelial cells differentiated from iPSCs (iPSECs) of patients and an unaffected carrier had a longer time from prometaphase to metaphase than those from controls (p < 0.05). iPSECs from the patients and unaffected carrier had significantly increased mitotic failure rates compared with controls (p < 0.05). Thus, RNF213 R4810K induced mitotic abnormalities and increased risk of genomic instability.     

Isolation and Identification of Novel Terpene Lactones from Quince Fruit (Cydonia oblonga Mill., Marmelo)

A glucoamylase gene has been cloned from a Rhizopus genomic DNA library using synthetic oligonucleotides corresponding to the amino acid sequence of the glucoamylase. Since this glucoamylase gene was not expressed in yeast cells, we have cloned a glucoamylase gene from a cDNA library prepared from Rhizopus mRNA. Sequence analysis of both glucoamylase genes revealed that the genomic gene contained 4 intervening sequences and the cDNA gene lacked 145 nucleotides corresponding to the N-terminal region. The glucoamylase consists of 604 amino acids including a putative signal peptide and its molecular weight was calculated to be 65,000. The glucoamylase gene to be expressed in yeast cells was constructed by recombination of both genes. The yeast cells containing this constructed glucoamylase gene secreted the glucoamylase into the culture fluid and grew at almost the normal rate on a medium containing starch as the sole carbon source.     

Evidence for a role of Collapsin response mediator protein-2 in signaling pathways that regulate the proliferation of non-neuronal cells

Collapsin response mediator protein-2 or Crmp-2 plays a critical role in the establishment of neuronal polarity. In this study, we present evidence that apart from its functions in neurodevelopment, Crmp-2 is also involved in pathways that regulate the proliferation of non-neuronal cells through its phosphorylation by regulatory proteins. We show that Crmp-2 undergoes dynamic phosphorylation changes in response to contact inhibition-induced quiescence and that hyperphosphorylation of Crmp-2 occurs in a tumor. We further suggest that de-regulation of Crmp-2 phosphorylation levels at certain amino acid residues may lead to aberrant cell proliferation and consequently, tumorigenesis.     

DNA methylation-dependent epigenetic regulation of dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 2 gene in trophoblast cell lineage

Trophoblast cell lineage is established through the first cellular differentiation in mammalian embryogenesis, and its developmental potential is restricted to the extraembryonic tissues contributing solely to the placenta. Several lines of evidence suggest a relative lack of importance of DNA methylation in gene regulation in the extraembryonic tissues when compared with embryonic ones. Here we analyzed the dynamics of epigenetic status in the upstream region of mouse Ddah2 gene, which was found to be specifically repressed in a stem cell population of trophoblast cell lineage. We found a tissue-dependent differentially methylated region in the regulatory region of the Ddah2 gene. This region was hypermethylated in trophoblast stem cells and was hypomethylated in differentiated cells both in vivo and in vitro. This change was well correlated with Ddah2 expression. In addition, in vitro methylation confined to the differentially methylated region was sufficient to repress promoter activity in the reporter assay. Furthermore, a repressive pattern of histone modifications was formed around the differentially methylated region in undifferentiated trophoblast stem cells with repressed Ddah2. Our data suggest that DNA methylation-mediated chromatin remodeling is involved in the regulation of the Ddah2 gene expression and thus is important even in trophoblast cell lineage.     

Importance of the icmN gene in the growth of Legionella pneumophila in amoebic cells at low temperature

Legionella pneumophila grows in amoebae and has achieved the ability to grow at various temperatures, although the mechanisms controlling this ability remain poorly understood. The Icm/Dot type IVB secretion system is composed of more than 25 proteins and is known to be essential for intracellular growth. The role of the icmN gene in intracellular multiplication and the effects of culture temperatures on it are not precisely understood. We conducted our investigation using an icmN mutant made by gene replacement mutagenesis. Intracellular growth of the mutant was impaired both in mammalian macrophages and amoeba at 37?°C. In particular, intracellular growth in amoebae was completely impaired at 25?°C. It was found that genes from icmN to icmC formed an operon, i.e., icmN, -M, -L, -E, -G, -C,, and the promoter activity of the icmN operon was stronger at 25 than at 37?°C. It was suggested that icmM and its downstream genes had a secondary promoter that enables icmN mutant grow in amoebae at lower temperatures and macrophages at 37?°C. These results show that the icmN promoter has a low temperature inducible nature, and gene products of the icmN operon require high expression for bacterial proliferation at low temperatures within amoeba.     

Evaluation of a New Tumor Necrosis Factor-α-Inducing Membrane Protein of Helicobacter pylori as a Prophylactic Vaccine Antigen

Background: Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α‐inducing protein (Tipα) is a newly identified carcinogenic factor present in Helicobacter pylori. Tipα has the unique function of inducing TNF‐α production by gastric cells in vitro and is assumed to be related with the development of gastritis and gastric cancer. We investigated the effects of vaccination with Tipα against H. pylori infection and analyzed the immune responses. Methods: C57BL/6 mice were immunized via the intranasal route with CpG, recombinant Tipα + CpG, and recombinant del‐Tipα (a mutant of Tipα) + CpG. Eight weeks after the mice were infected with H. pylori (5 × 10⁷ CFU), the number of colonizing bacteria in the stomach was calculated, and the histological severity of gastritis was evaluated. Levels of Tipα‐specific IgG and IgA antibodies in mouse serum were measured by an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Local production of cytokines including Interleukin (IL)‐10, TNF‐α and Interferon (IFN)‐γ in gastric mucosa was also measured by real time‐PCR. Results: Levels of Tipα‐specific antibodies were significantly higher in Tipα‐immunized and del‐Tipα‐immunized mice than in the infection control group. The numbers of colonizing bacteria were significantly reduced in Tipα‐immunized mice (4.29 × 10⁵ CFU/g) and del‐Tipα immunized mice (2.5 × 10⁵ CFU/g) compared with infection control mice (5.7 × 10⁶ CFU/g). The levels of IFN‐γ and IL‐10 were significantly higher in del‐Tipα‐immunized mice than the infection control group. Conclusion: Vaccinations with Tipα and del‐Tipα were effective against H. pylori infection. The inhibition of H. pylori colonization is associated mainly with Th1 cell‐mediated immunity.     

Dysregulation of the Norepinephrine Transporter Sustains Cortical Hypodopaminergia and Schizophrenia-Like Behaviors in Neuronal Rictor Null Mice

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) complex 2 (mTORC2) is a multimeric signaling unit that phosphorylates protein kinase B/Akt following hormonal and growth factor stimulation. Defective Akt phosphorylation at the mTORC2-catalyzed Ser473 site has been linked to schizophrenia. While human imaging and animal studies implicate a fundamental role for Akt signaling in prefrontal dopaminergic networks, the molecular mechanisms linking Akt phosphorylation to specific schizophrenia-related neurotransmission abnormalities have not yet been described. Importantly, current understanding of schizophrenia suggests that cortical decreases in DA neurotransmission and content, defined here as cortical hypodopaminergia, contribute to both the cognitive deficits and the negative symptoms characteristic of this disorder. We sought to identify a mechanism linking aberrant Akt signaling to these hallmarks of schizophrenia. We used conditional gene targeting in mice to eliminate the mTORC2 regulatory protein rictor in neurons, leading to impairments in neuronal Akt Ser473 phosphorylation. Rictor-null (KO) mice exhibit prepulse inhibition (PPI) deficits, a schizophrenia-associated behavior. In addition, they show reduced prefrontal dopamine (DA) content, elevated cortical norepinephrine (NE), unaltered cortical serotonin (5-HT), and enhanced expression of the NE transporter (NET). In the cortex, NET takes up both extracellular NE and DA. Thus, we propose that amplified NET function in rictor KO mice enhances accumulation of both NE and DA within the noradrenergic neuron. This phenomenon leads to conversion of DA to NE and ultimately supports both increased NE tissue content as well as a decrease in DA. In support of this hypothesis, NET blockade in rictor KO mice reversed cortical deficits in DA content and PPI, suggesting that dysregulation of DA homeostasis is driven by alteration in NET expression, which we show is ultimately influenced by Akt phosphorylation status. These data illuminate a molecular link, Akt regulation of NET, between the recognized association of Akt signaling deficits in schizophrenia with a specific mechanism for cortical hypodopaminergia and hypofunction. Additionally, our findings identify Akt as a novel modulator of monoamine homeostasis in the cortex.     

Concerted action of lactate oxidase and pyruvate oxidase in aerobic growth of Streptococcus pneumoniae: role of lactate as an energy source

Streptococcus pneumoniae was shown to possess lactate oxidase in addition to well-documented pyruvate oxidase. The activities of both H(2)O(2)-forming oxidases in wild-type cultures were detectable even in the early exponential phase of growth and attained the highest levels in the early stationary phase. For each of these oxidases, a defective mutant was constructed and compared to the parent regarding the dynamics of pyruvate and lactate in aerobic cultures. The results obtained indicated that the energy-yielding metabolism in the wild type could be best described by the following scheme. (i) As long as glucose is available, approximately one-fourth of the pyruvate formed is converted to acetate by the sequential action of pyruvate oxidase and acetate kinase with acquisition of additional ATP; (ii) the rest of the pyruvate is reduced by lactate dehydrogenase to form lactate, with partial achievement of redox balance; (iii) the lactate is oxidized by lactate oxidase back to pyruvate, which is converted to acetate as described above; and (iv) the sequential reactions mentioned above continue to occur as long as lactate is present. As predicted by this model, exogenously added lactate was shown to increase the final growth yield in the presence of both oxidases.