Biomedical Research-tokyo最新文献

We previously reported that tenascin-X (Tnxb) aggravates hepatic fibrosis in mice fed a high-fat and high-cholesterol diet with high levels of phosphorus and calcium (HFCD). In this study, we investigated Tnxb expression in livers with fibrosis caused by administration of a methionine-chorine-deficient (MCD) diet in mice. Whole transcriptome analysis showed that Tnxb was one of the genes with increased expression in livers of MCD diet-fed mice compared with that in livers of normal diet (ND)-fed mice. In microarray and subsequent microRNA (miRNA) network analyses, miR-378a-5p and miR-486-5p were identified in livers of MCD diet-fed mice as downregulated miRNAs, which have their predicted target sites in the 3' untranslated region of Tnxb mRNA and might suppress the translation of Tnxb mRNA. RT-qPCR analyses of livers of MCD diet-fed mice compared with livers of ND-fed mice verified the upregulation of Tnxb and fibrosis-triggering genes and conversely the downregulation of miR-378a-5p and miR-486-5p. Overexpression of miR-378a-5p and miR-486-5p resulted in decreased level not only of the FLAG-tagged fibrinogen-like domain of Tnxb protein (FLAG-mTNX-FG) but also of endogenous Tnxb protein in murine cultured cells. These results indicate that expression of Tnxb is regulated by miR-378a-5p and miR-486-5p in hepatic fibrosis following MCD diet feeding.

Racial and ethnic differences in the prevalence of patent foramen ovale have been suggested, but there are insufficient data to confirm the situation. Studies have also not investigated detailed morphological changes in the fossa ovalis by age. This study therefore aimed to clarify the characteristics of the fossa ovalis and determine the frequency of patent foramen ovale in Japanese people, using materials from forensic autopsies. A total of 359 hearts were obtained during forensic autopsies (from 223 males and 136 females, aged from 0 to 94 years). Overall, prevalence of patent foramen ovale was 12.5%, but it was significantly higher among those under 20 years old (66.7% in males, 38.5% in females). The area of the fossa ovalis linearly increased with age in both sexes. The prevalence of patent foramen ovale was lower in Japanese adults than previously found in either White or Black people. The ratio of the area of the fossa ovalis to the heart weight was nearly constant.

Distribution of endomorphin-1 (EM-1) was immunohistochemically investigated in the rat cranial sensory ganglia. Small to medium-sized neurons in the trigeminal (TG), petrosal (PG), and jugular ganglia (JG) expressed EM-1-immunoreactivity. However, EM-1-immunoreactive (-ir) neurons were infrequent in the nodose ganglion. In the brainstem, EM-1-ir varicose fibers were detected in the superficial layer of the medullary dorsal horn and the caudal part of the nucleus tractus solitarius. By trichrome immunofluorescence analysis, approximately 70% of EM-1-ir neurons were also immunoreactive for transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) in all the examined ganglia. Additionally, 56.8% of EM1-ir TG neurons and approximately 30% of EM-1-ir PG and JG neurons showed calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-immunoreactivity. By a retrograde tracing method, several TG, PG, and JG neurons innervating the facial and external ear canal skin expressed EM-1-immunoreactivity. However, EM-1-ir neurons innervating the tooth pulp, circumvallate papilla, and pharynx were relatively rare. Thus, EM-1 expression and its coexistence with TRPV1 and CGRP in the cranial sensory neurons may depend on their various peripheral targets. EM1-ir neurons probably project to the superficial layer of the medullary dorsal horn and caudal part of the nucleus tractus solitarius. EM-1 may be involved in nociceptive transmission from the skin.

G protein-coupled receptor class C group 5 member B (GPRC5B) is involved in extracellular glucose sensing, glucose metabolism, and insulin resistance. Many cancers require glucose at high concentrations to survive and grow. We have investigated the association between tumour GPRC5B expression and the prognosis for patients with cancer, including head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), using data from The Human Protein Atlas. The 5-year survival rate was significantly reduced in patients with HNSCC, gastric, pancreatic, colorectal, and breast cancers if their tumours exhibited high levels of GPRC5B expression. The role of GPRC5B in glucose metabolism was assessed using six HNSCC cell lines with varying levels of GPRC5B expression. High levels of GPRC5B expression were found to favour rapid cell growth. The viability of an HNSCC cell line with normal and transfected GPRC5B expression was also assessed and no differences were observed under standard culture conditions. However, under glucose-deficient culture conditions, GPRC5B-overexpressing cells exhibited increased viability and reduced apoptosis. The results highlight the association between high GPRC5B expression and poor 5-year survival rates in patients with various cancers, including HNSCC. Furthermore, we have demonstrated that GPRC5B supports cancer cell survival under glucose-depleted conditions and could be a target molecule for cancer therapy.

The present study tried to clarify if mumefural would prevent hyperglycemia, one of the typical symptoms of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), since mumefural is an extract from Japanese apricots preventing hyperglycemia. To clarify if mumefural would prevent T2DM pathogenesis, we used Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty (OLETF) rats, T2DM model. Mumefural diminished hyperglycemia, HOMA-IR and plasma triglyceride concentration in OLETF rats under fasting conditions. In addition, mumefural elevated protein expression of sodium-coupled monocarboxylate transporter 1 (SMCT1) in the distal colon participating in absorption of weak organic acids, which behave as bases but not acids after absorption into the body. Mumefural also increased the interstitial fluid pH around the brain hippocampus lowered in OLETF rats compared with non-T2DM LETO rats used as control for OLETF rats. Amyloid-beta accumulation in the brain decreased in accordance with the pH elevation. On the one hand, mumefural didn't affect plasma concentrations of glucagon, GLP-1, GIP or PYY under fasting conditions. Taken together, these observations indicate that: 1) mumefural would be a useful functional food improving hyperglycemia, insulin resistance and the lowered interstitial fluid pH in T2DM; 2) the interstitial fluid pH would be one of key factors influencing the accumulation of amyloid-beta.

Upregulation of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the brain can help in the prevention and treatment of depression. BDNF is synthesized in various peripheral tissues, as well as in the brain, and can reach the brain via the blood-brain barrier. Therefore, foods that upregulate peripheral BDNF levels may aid in depression management. We previously showed the BDNF-upregulating effect of white foxtail millet (WFM) using the human renal adenocarcinoma ACHN cell line, capable of producing and secreting BDNF. However, whether other varieties of foxtail millet can also upregulate BDNF is unclear. Herein, we examined the effects of red foxtail millet (RFM) on BDNF production in vitro and in vivo. RFM methanol extracts significantly increased BDNF levels in the culture medium of ACHN cells, and the levels were higher than those with WFMtreatment. Serum BDNF concentrations in rats fed a standard diet containing 20% RFM for 5 weeks were significantly higher than those in the control. Furthermore, the butanol fraction of the RFM methanol extract significantly increased BDNF levels in the culture medium of ACHN cells and upregulated BDNF mRNA expression in ACHN cells. Our results suggest that RFM has potential as a food material with BDNF-inducing activity.

A cleft lip, with or without a cleft palate, is a common birth defect caused by environmental factors or genetic mutations. Environmental factors, such as pharmaceutical exposure in pregnant women, are known to induce cleft lip, with or without cleft palate in the child. This study aimed to investigate the protective effect of Sasa veitchii extract (SE) on phenytoin-induced inhibition of cell proliferation in human lip mesenchymal cells (KD cells) and human embryonic palatal mesenchymal cells (HEPM cells). We demonstrated that cell proliferation was inhibited by phenytoin in a dose-dependent manner in both KD and HEPM cells. Co-treatment with SE restored phenytoin-induced toxicity in KD cells but did not protect HEPM cells against phenytoin-induced toxicity. Several microRNAs (miR-27b, miR-133b, miR-205, miR-497-5p, and miR-655-3p) is reported to associate with cell proliferation in KD cells. We measured the seven kinds of microRNAs (miR27b-3p, miR-27b-5p, miR-133b, miR-205-3p, miR-205-5p, miR-497-5p, and miR-655-3p) and found that SE suppressed miR-27b-5p induced by phenytoin in KD cells. Furthermore, co-treatment with SE enhanced the expression of miR-27b-5p downstream genes (PAX9, RARA, and SUMO1). These results suggest that SE protects phenytoin-induced cell proliferation inhibition by modulating miR-27b-5p.

Hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) is a well-recognized inherited cardiac disease. This study was conducted to explore the role of lncRNA ADAMTS9 antisense RNA 1 (ADAMTS9-AS1) in HOCM-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. The serum of HOCM patients was collected. AC16 cells were treated with isoproterenol (ISO) and transfected with oe-ADAMTS9-AS1 vector, miR-185-5p mimic, and lysine acetyltransferase 7 (KAT7) specific small interfering RNA. lncRNA ADAMTS9-AS1, miR-185-5p, KAT7, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in the serum or cells were determine by qRT-PCR or Western blot assay. Cell surface area was observed by Texas Red-Phalloidin staining. Subcellular localization of lncRNA ADAMTS9-AS1 was tested by nuclear/cytoplasmic fractionation assay, with RNA pull-down and dual-luciferase assay to validate gene interactions. lncRNA ADAMTS9-AS1 was downregulated in the serum of HOCM patients and ISO-treated AC16 cells. lncRNA ADAMTS9-AS1 overexpression inhibited ISO-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and reduced levels of ANP and BNP. lncRNA ADAMTS9- AS1 was located in cytoplasm and inhibited miR-185-5p expression through targeted binding. miR-185-5p bound to KAT7 3'UTR and inhibited KAT7 expression. miR-185-5p overexpression and KAT7 knockdown both neutralized the inhibitory role of lncRNA ADAMTS9-AS1 in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. Overall, lncRNA ADAMTS9-AS competitively bound to miR-185-5p to up-regulate KAT7 and thus inhibited cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.

To clarify the role of the aquaporin 5 (AQP5) in salivary secretion, we evaluated acetylcholine (ACh)-induced secretion in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, rats expressing a low level of AQP5 protein (AQP5/low SD) which developed from SD rats, and Wistar/ST rats. The salivary secretion in AQP5/low SD rats in response to infusions of low-dose ACh (60-120 nmol/min) was 27-42% of that in SD rats. By contrast, Wistar/ST rats exhibited comparable secretion to that of SD rats in response to low-doses ACh, despite their low-level expression of AQP5. Experiments using spectrofluorometry and RT-PCR demonstrated no differences in the ACh-induced Ca²⁺ responses or the mRNA expression of muscarinic receptor, Cl^- channel, or cotransporter between these strains. These findings imply that factors other than the function of salivary acinar cells regulates the secretion in response to weak stimuli. Monitoring of the hemodynamics in the submandibular gland revealed that low-doses ACh induced different patterns of the fluctuations in the blood flow in these strains. The blood flow decreased below the resting level in AQP5/low SD rats, but remained mostly above the resting level in Wistar/ST rats. The present study reveals that the contribution of AQP5-dependent transport of water is altered by stimulus intensity and blood flow.

Mice devoid of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 due to gene targeting have been reported to show articular cartilage destruction in the knee joint; however, the phenotype of the mandibular condylar cartilage remains unknown. Thus, in the present study, we investigated the mandibular condyle in Mmp2^-/- mice. We obtained and bred Mmp2^-/- mice from the same source as the previous study, and performed genotyping using genomic DNA extracted from finger snips. The mandibular condyle of Mmp2^-/- mice and wild-type (WT) mice was immunohistochemically examined for the localization of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins (type I and II collagen, and aggrecan), and MMP-9 and MMP-13. No cartilage destruction was observed in the mandibular condyle of Mmp2^-/- mice, and no difference was found in the localization of the ECM proteins between the Mmp2^-/- mice and WT mice. However, the bone marrow cavity in the subchondral bone of the mandibular condyle was more distinct in Mmp2^-/- mice than in WT mice at the age of 50 weeks. Of note, MMP-9 characteristically localized in multinucleated cells in the mandibular condyle in 50-week-old Mmp2^-/- mice. MMP-2 may be involved in the regulation of osteoclast differentiation and the formation of the bone marrow cavity in aged mice.