Identification of Castasterone,Typhasterol and Teasterone from the Pollen of Zea mays

From the pollen of Zea mays, three brassinosteroids, castasterone, typhasterol and teasterone, were identified by GC/MS and/or ¹H NMR. Their concentrations in the pollen were shown by GC/SIM to be about 120 μg/kg fr.wt. (castasterone), 6.6 μg/kg fr.wt. (typhasterol) and 4.1 μg/kg fr.wt. (teasterone). It was also found that the anther contained a fairly large amount of brassinosteroids by a bioassay.     

Synergistic Taste Effects of Some New Ribonucleotide Derivatives

Taste effects of six newly synthesized ribonucleotide derivatives, i.e., disodium salts of 2-methyl-5′-inosinic acid · 6H₂O, 2-ethyl-5′-inosinic acid · 1.5H₂O, 2-N-methyl-5′-guanylic acid · 5.5H₂O, 2-N-dimethyl-5′-guanylic acid · 2.5H₂O, 2-methylthio-5′-inosinic acid · 6H₂O and 2-ethylthio-5′-inosinic acid · 2H₂O, were studied. Stimulus thresholds (detection thresholds) of these derivatives ranged from about 0.02 to 0.006 g/100ml. Flavor-enhancing activities of them were 2.3 to 8.0 times larger than that of disodium 5′-inosinate · 7.5H₂O IMP) in the synergistic effect with monosodium glutamate. Furthermore, the quality of taste of all the derivatives was recognized to be the same kind to that of IMP.     

Torsin Mediates Primary Envelopment of Large Ribonucleoprotein Granules at the Nuclear Envelope

1. Download : Download full-size image

     

Glutathione maintenance is crucial for survival of melanocytes after exposure to rhododendrol

Rhododendrol is a phenolic compound that shows a tyrosinase‐dependent toxicity for melanocytes and occasionally induces a vitiligo‐like skin depigmentation. The post‐tyrosinase mechanisms determining melanocyte death or survival, however, are far from clear. Here, we find that rhododendrol treatment leads to a reduction in the levels of cellular glutathione but also induces a cellular antioxidant response that eventually increases glutathione levels. We further find that rhododendrol toxicity is enhanced when glutathione levels are experimentally reduced and alleviated when glutathione levels are increased. Hence, it appears that the size of the preexisting glutathione pool along with the capacity to supply glutathione via the antioxidant response determines whether melanocytes survive or die after rhododendrol exposure. It is conceivable, therefore, that rhododendrol‐induced leukoderma depends on the capacity to maintain appropriate glutathione levels and that enhancement of glutathione levels may preserve a patient's melanocytes and potentially help in repigmentation.     

NOTCH3 Is Induced in Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts and Promotes Angiogenesis in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Recent studies have shown that Notch signaling is involved in many types of cancers, including oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs). However, the role of Notch signaling in the tumor microenvironment is not yet fully understood. In this study, we investigated the roles of NOTCH3 signaling in cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) in OSCCs. Immunohistochemical study of 93 human tongue OSCC cases indicated that about one third of OSCCs showed NOTCH3 expression in CAFs, and that this expression significantly correlated with tumor-size. In vitro study showed that OSCC cell lines, especially HO1-N-1 cells stimulated NOTCH3 expression in normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs) through direct cell-to-cell contact. Immunohistochemical and morphometric analysis using human OSCC samples demonstrated that NOTCH3 expression in CAFs significantly correlated with micro-vessel density in cancer stroma. In vitro angiogenesis assays involving co-culture of NHDFs with HO1-N-1 and human umbilical endothelial cells (HUVECs), and NOTCH3 knockdown in NHDFs using siRNA, demonstrated that HO1-N-1 cells significantly promoted tube formation dependent on NOTCH3-expression in NHDFs. Moreover, NOTCH3 expression in CAFs was related to poor prognosis of the OSCC patients. This work provides a new insight into the role of Notch signaling in CAFs associated with tumor angiogenesis and the possibility of NOTCH3-targeted molecular therapy in OSCCs.     

IL-25, IL-33 and TSLP receptor are not critical for development of experimental murine malaria

IL-25, IL-33 and TSLP, which are produced predominantly by epithelial cells, can induce production of Th2-type cytokines such as IL-4, IL-5 and/or IL-13 by various types of cells, suggesting their involvement in induction of Th2-type cytokine-associated immune responses. It is known that Th2-type cytokines contribute to host defense against malaria parasite infection in mice. However, the roles of IL-25, IL-33 and TSLP in malaria parasite infection remain unclear. Thus, to elucidate this, we infected wild-type, IL-25^?/?, IL-33^?/? and TSLP receptor (TSLPR)^?/? mice with Plasmodium berghei (P. berghei) ANKA, a murine malaria strain. The expression levels of IL-25, IL-33 and TSLP mRNA were changed in the brain, liver, lung and spleen of wild-type mice after infection, suggesting that these cytokines are involved in host defense against P. berghei ANKA. However, the incidence of parasitemia and survival in the mutant mice were comparable to in the wild-type mice. These findings indicate that IL-25, IL-33 and TSLP are not critical for host defense against P. berghei ANKA.     

Urinary excretion of uric acid,allantoin, and 8-OH-Deoxyguanosine in uricase-knockout mice

ABSTRACT

Although uricase-knockout (Uox KO) mice are reported to develop uric acid (UA) nephropathy, those that mature without severe nephropathy could be useful for research into purine metabolism in humans. In this study, we measured the urinary excretion of creatinine, UA, allantoin, and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) collected from Uox KO mice housed in metabolic cages. UA and allantoin were determined using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry and creatinine and 8-OHdG were measured with a commercial kit. Uox KO mice excreted significantly higher levels of UA than wild-type mice (C57BL/6), while the excretion of allantoin was significantly lower. Urinary allantoin was detected in Uox KO mice despite a lack of uricase, which is the same as in humans. In contrast to the elevated levels of UA, the daily excretion of 8-OHdG, an oxidative stress marker, was lower in Uox KO mice. UA is thought to act as an anti-oxidizing agent in humans; thus, these results show that Uox KO mice are potential animal models for research into human purine metabolism.     

Septicemia from Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG,from a Probiotic Enriched Yogurt,in a Patient with Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation

Probiotics and Antimicrobial Proteins - Probiotic-rich foods are consumed without much restriction. We report here, a case of septic shock caused by yogurt derived Lactobacillus species in a...     

Analysis of finger vein variety in patients with various diseases using vein authentication technology

In finger vein authentication technology, near‐infrared rays penetrate the finger and are absorbed by the hemoglobin in blood. The veins appear as dark areas. The finger vein pattern images of patients with various diseases were acquired; a new evaluation method applying image processing technique (“E value”) was developed, and it was examined whether the patterns have any characteristics differentiating them from those of healthy volunteers. As a result, low E values appeared in systemic sclerosis, mixed connective tissue disease, Sjögren's syndrome, and polymyositis/dermatomyositis. No statistical reduction in E value was shown in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, pernio (without rheumatic diseases), arteriosclerosis obliterans, diabetes, hypertension, hypothyroidism and alopecia areata. This technology could be used for screening and evaluation of some diseases and their conditions with impaired peripheral venous circulation. E value may be useful as an indicator of venous circulation.      

A Mammalian Mitophagy Receptor,Bcl2-L-13, Recruits the ULK1 Complex to Induce Mitophagy

1. Download high-res image (273KB)
2. Download full-size image