A new subset of CD103+CD8alpha+ dendritic cells in the small intestine expresses TLR3, TLR7, and TLR9 and induces Th1 response and CTL activity

CD103(+) dendritic cells (DCs) are the major conventional DC population in the intestinal lamina propria (LP). Our previous report showed that a small number of cells in the LP could be classified into four subsets based on the difference in CD11c/CD11b expression patterns: CD11c(hi)CD11b(lo) DCs, CD11c(hi)CD11b(hi) DCs, CD11c(int)CD11b(int) macrophages, and CD11c(int)CD11b(hi) eosinophils. The CD11c(hi)CD11b(hi) DCs, which are CD103(+), specifically express TLR5 and induce the differentiation of naive B cells into IgA(+) plasma cells. These DCs also mediate the differentiation of Ag-specific Th17 and Th1 cells in response to flagellin. We found that small intestine CD103(+) DCs of the LP (LPDCs) could be divided into a small subset of CD8α(+) cells and a larger subset of CD8α(-) cells. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that CD103(+)CD8α(+) and CD103(+)CD8α(-) LPDCs were equivalent to CD11c(hi)CD11b(lo) and CD11c(hi)CD11b(hi) subsets, respectively. We analyzed a novel subset of CD8α(+) LPDCs to elucidate their immunological function. CD103(+)CD8α(+) LPDCs expressed TLR3, TLR7, and TLR9 and produced IL-6 and IL-12p40, but not TNF-α, IL-10, or IL-23, following TLR ligand stimulation. CD103(+)CD8α(+) LPDCs did not express the gene encoding retinoic acid-converting enzyme Raldh2 and were not involved in T cell-independent IgA synthesis or Foxp3(+) regulatory T cell induction. Furthermore, CD103(+)CD8α(+) LPDCs induced Ag-specific IgG in serum, a Th1 response, and CTL activity in vivo. Accordingly, CD103(+)CD8α(+) LPDCs exhibit a different function from CD103(+)CD8α(-) LPDCs in active immunity. This is the first analysis, to our knowledge, of CD8α(+) DCs in the LP of the small intestine.     

Detoxification of furfural in Corynebacterium glutamicum under aerobic and anaerobic conditions

The toxic fermentation inhibitors in lignocellulosic hydrolysates raise serious problems for the microbial production of fuels and chemicals. Furfural is considered to be one of the most toxic compounds among these inhibitors. Here, we describe the detoxification of furfural in Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC13032 under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Under aerobic culture conditions, furfuryl alcohol and 2-furoic acid were produced as detoxification products of furfural. The ratio of the products varied depending on the initial furfural concentration. Neither furfuryl alcohol nor 2-furoic acid showed any toxic effect on cell growth, and both compounds were determined to be the end products of furfural degradation. Interestingly, unlike under aerobic conditions, most of the furfural was converted to furfuryl alcohol under anaerobic conditions, without affecting the glucose consumption rate. Both the NADH/NAD⁺ and NADPH/NADP⁺ ratio decreased in the accordance with furfural concentration under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. These results indicate the presence of a single or multiple endogenous enzymes with broad and high affinity for furfural and co-factors in C. glutamicum ATCC13032.     

The amino acid sequence of pancreatic α-amylase from the ostrich, Struthio camelus

The amino-acid sequence of α-amylase isolated from the pancreas of the ostrich, Struthio camelus was determined. The α-amylase (OPA) consisted of 497 amino acid residues with pyroglutamic acid at the N-terminus and no oligosaccharide. Amino acid identity between OPA and chicken, porcine and human pancreatic α-amylases individually, was found to be 88, 82 and 86%, respectively.     

Synthesis and Duplex-Forming Property of Oligonucleotides Bearing a Novel Polyamine-Modified Intercalator at the Terminal or the Internal Position

Novel oligonucleotides bearing a polyamine-intercalator conjugate modified at the terminal or the internal position were reported. These modified oligonucleotides showed duplex-stabilization effect, and the thermodynamic analysis and the salt concentration dependency of the duplex stability revealed that the polyamine moiety also acted as the duplex stabilizer by neutralization of the phosphate negative charge.     

GTP-binding proteins in a cyanobacterium Anabaena cylindrica

GTP-binding proteins were detected in a crude extract containing membrane components of Anabaena cylindrica. The crude extract was treated with 1% Lubrol PX and was fractionated by gel filtration. The binding of [35S]GTP gamma S to GTP-binding proteins was prevented in the presence of 0.1 mM GTP and in the presence of 0.1 mM ATP. Six fractions of these GTP-binding proteins, tentatively designated GA1 to GA6, were ADP-ribosylated by pertussis toxin. GA3, GA4 and GA5 had Km values of 10, 60 and 7 nM, respectively. The molecular weights of some of these GTP-binding proteins were reduced after being labelled with [35S]GTP gamma S.     

Effect of historical factors on genetic variation in three terrestrial Cephalanthera species (Orchidaceae) with different breeding system on the Korean Peninsula

Previous studies have shown that levels of genetic diversity in species of the genus Cephalanthera covary with the breeding system. In the southern part of the Korean Peninsula, the three self‐compatible terrestrial orchids Cephalanthera erecta, C. falcata and C. longibracteata flower synchronously in sympatric populations. The food‐deceptive C. falcata with bright yellow flowers is predominantly outcrossing, whereas autogamy is the dominant strategy in both C. erecta and C. longibracteata, whose white flowers do not open fully. We examined genetic diversity (by means of allozymes) of the three species in sympatric populations (600 × 600 m area) in the Yeonwhasan Provincial Park (YPP) and in non‐sympatric populations outside YPP, South Korea. Thirteen out of 20 putative loci were variable across the three species, but there was a complete lack of allozyme variation within each species and we found no evidence of hybridisation. Our results suggest that historical factors, i.e. the Quaternary climate oscillations, have played a major role in determining levels of genetic diversity in the three Cephalanthera species. The Korean populations of C. erecta (a warm‐temperate/temperate element) and C. falcata (a warm‐temperate element) may have been established by a single introduction from a genetically depauperate ancestral population, likely located outside the Korean Peninsula. On the other hand, since C. longibracteata is a boreal/temperate element, it may have survived the Last Glacial Maximum in microrefugia located in low elevation regions within the Peninsula where it has been subjected to population bottlenecks reducing its genetic diversity.     

Effects of bedtime periocular and posterior cervical cutaneous warming on sleep status in adult male subjects: a preliminary study

Sleep and Biological Rhythms - Appropriate warming of the periocular or posterior cervical skin has been reported to induce autonomic or mental relaxation in humans. To clarify the effects of...     

Molecular evolution of group II phospholipases A2

The nucleotide sequences of 13 cDNAs encoding group II phospholipases A₂ (PLA₂ ^S), which are from viperidae snake venoms and from mammalian sources, were aligned and analyzed by phylogenetic trees constructed using various components of the sequences. The evolutionary trees derived from the combined sequences of the untranslated (5 and 3) region and the signal peptide region of cDNAs were in accord with the consequences from taxonomy. In contrast, the evolutionary trees from the mature protein-coding region sequences of cDNAs and from the amino acid sequences showed random patterns. These observations indicated that the mature protein-coding region has evolved through a process differently from the untranslated and signal peptide regions. The trees built from the nucleotide differences at each of three positions of codons in the mature protein-coding region suggested that snakevenom-gland PLA₂ genes have evolved via a process different from mammalian PLA₂ genes. The occurrence of accelerated evolution has been recently discovered in Trimeresurus flavoviridis venom-gland group II PLA₂ isozyme genes (Nakashima et al. 1993, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 90:5964–5968), so the present phylogenetic analysis together with the estimation of nucleotide divergence of cDNAs provides further evidence that snakevenom-group II PLA₂ isozyme genes have evolved by accelerated evolution to gain diverse physiological activities. Correspondence to: M. Ohno