Comparative analysis of strategies to prepare electron sinks in aquatic photoautotrophs

Photosynthesis Research - While subject to illumination, photosystem I (PSI) has the potential to produce reactive oxygen species (ROS) that can cause photo-oxidative damage in oxygenic...     

Quantitation and sensory properties of three newly identified pyroglutamyl oligopeptides in sake

Three new peptides: (pGlu)L-ethyl, (pGlu)LFGP-ethyl and (pGlu)LFNP-ethyl, were identified in the search for pyroglutamyl oligopeptide ethyl esters in sake. The ethyl esterified peptides in sake were quantitated using stable isotope dilution analysis and additional quantitation of (pGlu)L was performed using an external standard method. The concentrations of (pGlu)L-ethyl and (pGlu)L in 33 commercial sake samples ranged from 0.16 to 1.57 mg/L and 1.49 to 7.55 mg/L, respectively. The sensory properties of the pyroglutamyl oligopeptide ethyl esters and corresponding non-esterified peptides were examined: the estimated difference threshold of (pGlu)L (2.0 mg/L) and (pGlu)L-ethyl (0.267 mg/L) was exceeded in 32 and 26 samples, respectively. Estimated thresholds of (pGlu)LFGP-ethyl and (pGlu)LFNP-ethyl were often lower than the levels in quantitated sake samples. The sensory effects of these pyroglutamyl dipeptides on a model sake quality may be negative because of their unpleasant taste, however, (pGlu)LFNP-ethyl may be positive because of its mild taste.     

Pre-existing glomerular immune complexes induce polymorphonuclear cell recruitment through an Fc receptor-dependent respiratory burst: potential role in the perpetuation of immune nephritis

In immune complex (IC) diseases, FcR are essential molecules facilitating polymorphonuclear cell (PMN) recruitment and effector functions at the IC site. Although FcR-dependent initial tethering and FcR/integrin-dependent PMN accumulation were postulated, their underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We here addressed potential mechanisms involved in PMN recruitment in acute IC glomerulonephritis (nephrotoxic nephritis). Since some renal cells may be recruited from bone marrow (BM) lineages, reconstitution studies with BM chimeras and PMN transfer between wild-type (WT) and FcR-deficient mice (gamma(-/-)) were performed. Severe glomerular damage was induced in WT and W gamma chimeras (BM from WT to irradiated gamma(-/-)), while it was absent in gamma(-/-) and gamma W chimeras (gamma(-/-) BM to WT). Moreover, WT PMN transfer, but not gamma(-/-) PMN, reconstituted the disease in gamma(-/-), indicating that FcR on resident cells is not a prerequisite for PMN recruitment in this disease. Surprisingly, transferred WT PMN were recruited coincidentally with NF-kappa B activation and TNF-alpha overexpression even in glomeruli with preformed IC (nephrotoxic Ab administered 3 days previously), suggesting that PMN can initially be recruited via its own FcR without previous chemoattractant release. Furthermore, H(2)O(2) inhibition by catalase attenuated the acute WT PMN recruitment and the induction of NF-kappa B and TNF-alpha much more than integrin (CD18) blockade, indicating a role for the respiratory burst before integrin-dependent accumulation. In coculture experiments with IC-stimulated PMN and glomeruli, PMN caused acute glomerular TNF-alpha expression predominantly via FcR-mediated H(2)O(2) production. In conclusion, glomerular IC, even preformed, can cause PMN recruitment and injury through PMN FcR-mediated respiratory burst during initial PMN tethering to IC.     

Cystatin 10, a novel chondrocyte-specific protein,may promote the last steps of the chondrocyte differentiation pathway

This study attempts to characterize cystatin 10 (Cst10), which we recently identified as a novel protein implicated in endochondral ossification. Expression of Cst10 was specific to cartilage, localized in the cytosol of prehypertrophic and hypertrophic chondrocytes of the mouse growth plate. In the mouse chondrogenic cell line ATDC5, Cst10 expression preceded type X collagen expression and increased in synchrony with maturation. When we compared ATDC5 cells transfected with Cst10 cDNA with cells transfected with a mock vector, hypertrophic maturation and mineralization of chondrocytes were promoted by Cst10 gene overexpression in that type X collagen expression was observed earlier, and alizarin red staining was stronger. On the other hand, type II collagen expression and Alcian blue staining, both of which are markers of the early stage of chondrocyte differentiation, were similar in both cells. Overexpression of the Cst10 gene also caused fragmentation of nuclei, the appearance of annexin V, a change in the mitochondrial membrane potential, and activation of caspases. These results strongly suggest that Cst10 may play an important role in the last steps of the chondrocyte differentiation pathway as an inducer of maturation, followed by apoptosis of chondrocytes.     

Functional cooperation among Ras, STAT5, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase is required for full oncogenic activities of BCR/ABL in K562 cells.

BCR/ABL tyrosine kinase generated from the chromosomal translocation t(9;22) causes chronic myelogenous leukemia and acute lymphoblastic leukemia. To examine the roles of BCR/ABL-activated individual signaling molecules and their cooperation in leukemogenesis, we inducibly expressed a dominant negative (DN) form of Ras, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and STAT5 alone or in combination in p210 BCR/ABL-positive K562 cells. The inducibly expressed DN Ras (N17), STAT5 (694F), and DN phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (Delta p85) inhibited the growth by 90, 55, and 40%, respectively. During the growth inhibition, the expression of cyclin D2 and cyclin D3 was suppressed by N17, 694F, or Delta p85; that of cyclin E by N17; and that of cyclin A by Delta p85. In addition, N17 induced apoptosis in a small proportion of K562, whereas 694F and Delta p85 were hardly effective. In contrast, coexpression of two DN mutants in any combinations induced severe apoptosis. During these cultures, the expression of Bcl-2 was suppressed by N17, 694F, or Delta p85, and that of Bcl-XL by N17. Furthermore, although K562 was resistant to interferon-alpha- and dexamethasone-induced apoptosis, disruption of one pathway by N17, 694F, or Delta p85 sensitized K562 to these reagents. These results suggested that cooperation among these molecules is required for full leukemogenic activities of BCR/ABL.     

Surface ��-1,3-Glucan Facilitates Fungal Stealth Infection by Interfering with Innate Immunity in Plants

Plants evoke innate immunity against microbial challenges upon recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), such as fungal cell wall chitin. Nevertheless, pathogens may circumvent the host PAMP-triggered immunity. We previously reported that the ascomycete Magnaporthe oryzae, a famine-causing rice pathogen, masks cell wall surfaces with α-1,3-glucan during invasion. Here, we show that the surface α-1,3-glucan is indispensable for the successful infection of the fungus by interfering with the plant''s defense mechanisms. The α-1,3-glucan synthase gene MgAGS1 was not essential for infectious structure development but was required for infection in M. oryzae. Lack or degradation of surface α-1,3-glucan increased fungal susceptibility towards chitinase, suggesting the protective role of α-1,3-glucan against plants'' antifungal enzymes during infection. Furthermore, rice plants secreting bacterial α-1,3-glucanase (AGL-rice) showed strong resistance not only to M. oryzae but also to the phylogenetically distant ascomycete Cochlioborus miyabeanus and the polyphagous basidiomycete Rhizoctonia solani; the histocytochemical analysis of the latter two revealed that α-1,3-glucan also concealed cell wall chitin in an infection-specific manner. Treatment with α-1,3-glucanase in vitro caused fragmentation of infectious hyphae in R. solani but not in M. oryzae or C. miyabeanus, indicating that α-1,3-glucan is also involved in maintaining infectious structures in some fungi. Importantly, rapid defense responses were evoked (a few hours after inoculation) in the AGL-rice inoculated with M. oryzae, C. miyabeanus and R. solani as well as in non-transgenic rice inoculated with the ags1 mutant. Taken together, our results suggest that α-1,3-glucan protected the fungal cell wall from degradative enzymes secreted by plants even from the pre-penetration stage and interfered with the release of PAMPs to delay innate immune defense responses. Because α-1,3-glucan is nondegradable in plants, it is reasonable that many fungal plant pathogens utilize α-1,3-glucan in the innate immune evasion mechanism and some in maintaining the structures.     

Influence of chloroplastic photo-oxidative stress on mitochondrial alternative oxidase capacity and respiratory properties: a case study with Arabidopsis yellow variegated 2

Mitochondrial alternative oxidase (AOX), the unique respiratory terminal oxidase in plants, catalyzes the energy-wasteful cyanide (CN)-resistant respiration. Although it has been demonstrated that leaf AOX is up-regulated under high-light (HL) conditions, the in vivo mechanism of AOX up-regulation by light is still unknown. In the present study, we examined whether the photo-oxidative stress in the chloroplast modulates mitochondrial respiratory properties, especially the AOX capacity, using Arabidopsis leaf-variegated mutant yellow variegated 2 (var2) and exposing plants to HL. var2 mutants lack FtsH2 metalloprotease required for the repair of damaged PSII. Indeed, var2-1 suffered from photo-oxidative stress even before the HL treatments. While the activities of tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes and cytochrome c oxidase in var2-1 were almost identical to those in the wild type, the amount of AOX protein and the CN-resistant respiration rate were higher in var2-1. Real-time PCR analysis revealed that HL treatment induced the expression of some energy-dissipating respiratory genes, including AOX1a, NDB2 and UCP5, more strongly in var2-1. Western blotting using var2-1 leaf extracts specific to green or white sectors, containing functional or non-functional photosynthetic apparatus, respectively, revealed that more AOX protein was induced in the green sectors by the HL treatment. These results indicate that photo-oxidative stress by excess light is involved in the regulation of respiratory gene expression and the modulation of respiratory properties, especially the AOX up-regulation.     

New Preclinical Antimalarial Drugs Potently Inhibit Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 1b RNA Replication

Background

Persistent hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes chronic liver diseases and is a global health problem. Although new triple therapy (pegylated-interferon, ribavirin, and telaprevir/boceprevir) has recently been started and is expected to achieve a sustained virologic response of more than 70% in HCV genotype 1 patients, there are several problems to be resolved, including skin rash/ageusia and advanced anemia. Thus a new type of anti-HCV drug is still needed.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Recently developed HCV drug assay systems using HCV-RNA-replicating cells (e.g., HuH-7-derived OR6 and Li23-derived ORL8) were used to evaluate the anti-HCV activity of drug candidates. During the course of the evaluation of anti-HCV candidates, we unexpectedly found that two preclinical antimalarial drugs (N-89 and its derivative N-251) showed potent anti-HCV activities at tens of nanomolar concentrations irrespective of the cell lines and HCV strains of genotype 1b. We confirmed that replication of authentic HCV-RNA was inhibited by these drugs. Interestingly, however, this anti-HCV activity did not work for JFH-1 strain of genotype 2a. We demonstrated that HCV-RNA-replicating cells were cured by treatment with only N-89. A comparative time course assay using N-89 and interferon-α demonstrated that N-89-treated ORL8 cells had more rapid anti-HCV kinetics than did interferon-α-treated cells. This anti-HCV activity was largely canceled by vitamin E. In combination with interferon-α and/or ribavirin, N-89 or N-251 exhibited a synergistic inhibitory effect.

Conclusions/Significance

We found that the preclinical antimalarial drugs N-89 and N-251 exhibited very fast and potent anti-HCV activities using cell-based HCV-RNA-replication assay systems. N-89 and N-251 may be useful as a new type of anti-HCV reagents when used singly or in combination with interferon and/or ribavirin.