Detection of new metabolites of risperidone in the solid tissues and body fluids obtained from two cadavers by high resolution tandem mass spectrometry

Risperidone (Ris) is a second-generation antipsychotic that belongs to the chemical class of benzisoxazole derivatives. 9-Hydroxy (9OH-) Ris is well known among the six reported metabolites of Ris and had been examined using not only blood but also other matrices, but the other five metabolites reported such as benzisoxazole ring-cleaved Ris (c-Ris) and c-9OH-Ris had been detected only in blood, urine and feces. In the present work, large peaks of c-Ris and c-9OH-Ris were detected in the liver, kidney, cerebrum, blood, pericardial fluid, bile and urine obtained from two cadavers. There is a potential that c-Ris and c-9OH-Ris will be good markers to prove Ris consumption in forensic toxicology cases. For example, the peak ratios of c-Ris against the parent Ris in the kidney and blood were as high as 3.9 and 3.6 in cadaver 1; and 7.0 and 7.9 in cadaver 2, respectively. In addition to the previously reported six metabolites, five new metabolites such as dehydrogenated-Ris, 7-keto-Ris and three benzisoxazole ring-cleaved metabolites were disclosed in the present work, and the pathways for the totally eleven metabolites detected in human solid tissues and body fluids have also been proposed, because such pathways were neither reported nor discussed previously.

Prenatal vitamin D deficiency alters immune cell proportions of young adult offspring through alteration of long-term stem cell fates

Vitamin D deficiency is a common deficiency worldwide, particularly among women of reproductive age. During pregnancy, it increases the risk of immune-related diseases in offspring later in life. However, exactly how the body remembers exposure to an adverse environment during development is poorly understood. Herein, we explore the effects of prenatal vitamin D deficiency on immune cell proportions in offspring using vitamin D deficient mice established by dietary manipulation. We found that prenatal vitamin D deficiency alters immune cell proportions in offspring by changing the transcriptional properties of genes downstream of vitamin D receptor signaling in hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells of both the fetus and adults. Our results suggest the role of cellular differentiation properties of the hematopoiesis as the long-term memories of prenatal exposure at the adult stage. Moreover, further investigations of the associations between maternal vitamin D levels and cord blood immune cell profiles from 75 healthy pregnant women and their term babies also confirm that maternal vitamin D levels in the second trimester significantly affect immune cell proportions in the babies. This highlights the importance of providing vitamin D supplementation at specific stages of pregnancy.

Single-molecule RNA-FISH analysis reveals stochasticity in reactivation of latent HIV-1 regulated by Nuclear Orphan Receptors NR4A and cMYC

HIV-1 eradication strategies require complete reactivation of HIV-1 latent cells by Latency Reversing Agents (LRA). Current methods lack effectiveness due to incomplete proviral reactivation. We employed a single-molecule RNA-FISH (smRNA-FISH) and FISH-Quant analysis and found that proviral reactivation is highly variable from cell-to-cell, stochastic, and occurs in bursts and waves, with different kinetics in response to diverse LRAs. Approximately 1-5% of latent cells exhibited stochastic reactivation without LRAs. Through single-cell RNA-seq analysis, we identified NR4A3 and cMYC as extrinsic factors associated with stochastic HIV-1 reactivation. Concomitant with HIV-1 reactivation cMYC was downregulated and NR4A3 was upregulated in both latent cell lines and primary CD4 + T-cells from aviremic patients. By inhibiting cMYC using SN-38, an active metabolite of irinotecan, we induced NR4A3 and HIV-1 expression. Our results suggest that inherent stochasticity in proviral reactivation contributes to cell-to-cell variability, which could potentially be modulated by drugs targeting cMYC and NR4A3.

Catalytic-dependent and -independent roles of TET3 in the regulation of specific genetic programs during neuroectoderm specification

The ten-eleven-translocation family of proteins (TET1/2/3) are epigenetic regulators of gene expression. They regulate genes by promoting DNA demethylation (i.e., catalytic activity) and by partnering with regulatory proteins (i.e., non-catalytic functions). Unlike Tet1 and Tet2, Tet3 is not expressed in mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) but is induced upon ESC differentiation. However, the significance of its dual roles in lineage specification is less defined. By generating TET3 catalytic-mutant (Tet3m/m) and knockout (Tet3-/-) mouse ESCs and differentiating them to neuroectoderm (NE), we identify distinct catalytic-dependent and independent roles of TET3 in NE specification. We find that the catalytic activity of TET3 is important for activation of neural genes while its non-catalytic functions are involved in suppressing mesodermal programs. Interestingly, the vast majority of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) in Tet3m/m and Tet3-/- NE cells are hypomethylated. The hypo-DMRs are associated to aberrantly upregulated genes while the hyper-DMRs are linked to downregulated neural genes. We find the maintenance methyltransferase Dnmt1 as a direct target of TET3, which is downregulated in TET3-deficient NE cells and may contribute to the increased DNA hypomethylation. Our findings establish that the catalytic-dependent and -independent roles of TET3 have distinct contributions to NE specification with potential implications in development.

Clinical features of sleep apnea syndrome and cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis

BACKGROUND

Complications of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have been reported in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). Patients with sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) due to OSA also show cognitive decline, with similar clinical characteristics to that manifested in MS. SAS due to OSA is a treatable condition, and the associated cognitive decline is expected to improve. This study investigates clinical features of SAS in people living with MS and contribute to improve cognitive dysfunction of MS.

METHODS

A case-control study was conducted. Cognitive functions were evaluated by the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) and the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test 2 (PASAT-2) and 3 (PASAT-3). The Respiratory Event Index (REI) was measured using Out of Center Sleep Testing (OCST). We defined subjects with REI ≥ 5 as OSA and divided participants into two groups with or without SAS due to OSA. Cognitive and respiratory characteristics were statistically compared between patients with MS and healthy controls.

RESULTS

We enrolled 67 people living with MS and 31 age- and sex-matched controls. OCST detected OSA in people living with MS and controls, and the prevalence rates were 28.4 % and 25.8 %, respectively. REI values (5.2 ± 7.9 vs 3.9 ± 5.2, p = 0.509) and number of participants with REI ≥ 5 (19 vs 8, p = 0.793) were similar between the MS and control group. The SDMT, PASAT-2, and PASAT-3 scores were significantly lower in the MS group than the control group (p < 0.001, p = 0.001, and p < 0.001, respectively). The interaction effect of MS and SAS on cognitive function was not significant in the SDMT (p = 0.078), but in the PASAT-2 (p = 0.043) and PASAT-3 (p = 0.020).

CONCLUSION

This study revealed the prevalence rates of SAS in Japanese people living with MS and the usefulness of OCST for detection of SAS. This study also revealed that concomitant SAS can facilitate cognitive decline in people living with MS. These findings suggest that an appropriate intervention for OSA can be beneficial for people living with MS with cognitive decline.

Egr1 is a sex-specific regulator of neuronal chromatin, synaptic plasticity, and behaviour

Sex differences are found in brain structure and function across species, and across brain disorders in humans1-3. The major source of brain sex differences is differential secretion of steroid hormones from the gonads across the lifespan4. Specifically, ovarian hormones oestrogens and progesterone are known to dynamically change structure and function of the adult female brain, having a major impact on psychiatric risk5-7. However, due to limited molecular studies in female rodents8, very little is still known about molecular drivers of female-specific brain and behavioural plasticity. Here we show that overexpressing Egr1, a candidate oestrous cycle-dependent transcription factor9, induces sex-specific changes in ventral hippocampal neuronal chromatin, gene expression, and synaptic plasticity, along with hippocampus-dependent behaviours. Importantly, Egr1 overexpression mimics the high-oestrogenic phase of the oestrous cycle, and affects behaviours in ovarian hormone-depleted females but not in males. We demonstrate that Egr1 opens neuronal chromatin directly across the sexes, although with limited genomic overlap. Our study not only reveals the first sex-specific chromatin regulator in the brain, but also provides functional evidence that this sex-specific gene regulation drives neuronal gene expression, synaptic plasticity, and anxiety- and depression-related behaviour. Our study exemplifies an innovative sex-based approach to studying neuronal gene regulation1 in order to understand sex-specific synaptic and behavioural plasticity and inform novel brain disease treatments.

Urine Proteomics Link Complement Activation with Interstitial Fibrosis/Tubular Atrophy in Lupus Nephritis Patients

BACKGROUND

Intrarenal complement activation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of tubulointerstitial fibrosis in lupus nephritis (LN) based on prior animal studies. The assembly of the membrane attack complex (MAC) by complement C5b to C9 on the cell membrane leads to cytotoxic pores and cell lysis, while CD59 inhibits MAC formation by preventing C9 from joining the complex. We hypothesize that complement activation and imbalance between complement activation and inhibition, as defined by increased production of individual complement components and uncontrolled MAC activation relative to CD59 inhibition, are associated with interstitial fibrosis and tubular atrophy (IFTA) in LN and correlate with the key mediators of kidney fibrosis- transforming growth factor receptors beta (TGFRβ), platelet-derived growth factor beta (PDGFβ) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor beta (PDGFRβ).

METHODS

We included urine samples from 46 adults and pediatric biopsy-proven lupus nephritis patients who underwent clinically indicated kidney biopsies between 2010 and 2019. We compared individual urinary complement components and the urinary C9-to-CD59 ratio between LN patients with moderate/severe IFTA and none/mild IFTA. IFTA was defined as none/mild (<25% of interstitium affected) versus moderate/severe (≥ 25% of interstitium affected). Proteomics analysis was performed using mass spectrometry (Orbitrap Fusion Lumos, Thermo Scientific) and processed by the Proteome Discoverer. Urinary complement proteins enriched in LN patients with moderate/severe IFTA were correlated with serum creatinine, TGFβR1, TGFβR2, PDGFβ, and PDGFRβ.

RESULTS

Of the 46 LN patients included in the study, 41 (89.1%) were women, 20 (43.5%) self-identified as Hispanic or Latino, and 26 (56.5%) self-identified as Black or African American. Ten of the 46 (21.7%) LN patients had moderate/severe IFTA on kidney biopsy. LN patients with moderate/severe IFTA had an increased urinary C9-to-CD59 ratio [median 0.91 (0.83-1.05) vs 0.81 (0.76-0.91), p=0.01]. Urinary C3 and CFI levels in LN patients with moderate/severe IFTA were higher compared to those with none/mild IFTA [C3 median (IQR) 24.4(23.5-25.5) vs. 20.2 (18.5-22.2), p= 0.02], [CFI medium (IQR) 28.8 (21.8-30.6) vs. 20.4 (18.5-22.9), p=0.01]. Complement C9, CD59, C3 and CFI correlated with TGFβR1, PDGFβ, and PDGFRβ, while C9, CD59 and C3 correlated with TGFβR2.

CONCLUSION

This study is one of the first to compare the urinary complement profile in LN patients with moderate/severe IFTA and none/mild IFTA in human tissues. This study identified C3, CFI, and C9-to-CD59 ratio as potential markers of tubulointerstitial fibrosis in LN.

Olfactory and taste dysfunctions caused by COVID-19: a nationwide study

BACKGROUND

Olfactory dysfunctions (OD) and taste dysfunctions (TD) are widely recognized as characteristic symptoms of COVID-19; however, the frequency and mode of occurrence has varied depending on the viral mutation. The prevalence and characteristics of OD/TD in Japan have not been definitively investigated. The purpose of this study is to assess the prevalence of OD/TD in Japan during the Alpha variant epidemic, and measure symptom prolongation at 6 months and 1 year later following initial infection.

METHODS

Patients treated for COVID-19 between February to May 2021 were evaluated for OD/TD symptoms and provided with a QOL questionnaire. Olfactory tests and taste tests were performed using Open Essence and Taste Strips, respectively.

RESULTS

Among the 251 COVID-19 patients who participated, 119 underwent both olfactory and taste tests. Prevalence of subjective OD and TD at the time of survey was 57.8% and 40.2%, respectively. After 12 months, the prevalence fell to 5.8% for OD and 3.5% for TD. Among the OD/TD patients, 36.6% experienced parosmia, and 55.4% experienced parageusia. Prevalence of parosmia and parageusia was higher at 6 and 12 months than at the time of survey. Patients with long-lasting disease reported qualitative dysfunctions and scored significantly higher in food-related QOL problems. Most patients who were aware of their hyposmia had low scores on the olfactory test (83.1%). In contrast, only 26.7% of patients who were aware of their hypogeusia had low scores on the taste test.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of COVID-19-related OD and TD at the time of survey was 57.8% and 40.2%, respectively. Subjective symptoms of OD and TD persisted for one year in 5.8% and 3.5% of patients, respectively. More than half of the patients with OD or TD complained of qualitative dysfunction and a decrease in their QOL related to eating and drinking. Most patients with TD did not have true TD, but rather developed flavour disorders associated with OD. This conclusion is supported by the finding that patients with subjective OD had low scores on the olfactory test, whereas most patients with subjective TD had normal scores on the taste test.

Quantification of risperidone and paliperidone by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in biological fluids and solid tissues obtained from two deceased using the standard addition method

Risperidone (RIS) is an atypical antipsychotic agent and its 9-hydroxylated metabolite named paliperidone (PAL) also has pharmacological properties similar to that of RIS. Quantifications of RIS and PAL in authentic human biological fluids and solid tissues by liquid chromatography (LC)-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) have not been reported yet although those in plasma (and blood) were reported abundantly. In the present work, a quantification method for RIS and PAL based on the standard addition method was devised and validated for the human fluid and solid tissue specimens. RIS and PAL in biological fluids were quantified only after their dilution and deproteinization. The concentrations of RIS and PAL in the heart whole blood, pericardial fluid, stomach contents, bile, urine, liver, kidney and cerebrum were determined for a deceased who had been treated with RIS therapeutically, and also a deceased who had ingested RIS with other drugs intentionally. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the quantification of RIS and PAL by LC-MS/MS in the authentic human tissues and biological fluids.

Percutaneous shunt vessel embolisation with Amplatzer vascular plugs II and IV in the treatment of dogs with splenophrenic shunts: four cases (2019-2022)

OBJECTIVES

To describe the treatment of four dogs with splenophrenic shunts using percutaneous shunting vessel embolisation with Amplatzer vascular plugs II and IV and provide information on their clinical outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Dogs with splenophrenic shunts treated at a veterinary hospital from January 2019 to December 2022 were identified through a medical record search.

RESULTS

Six dogs with splenophrenic shunts were identified. Two dogs were excluded because they were treated with laparoscopic surgery. Four underwent percutaneous shunting vessel embolization with Amplatzer vascular plugs and were included in the case series. A sheath was placed in the left external jugular vein and a balloon catheter was advanced to the shunting vessel under fluoroscopy. Portal vein pressure was confirmed to be within an acceptable range during temporary balloon occlusion. Based on preoperative CT angiography and intraoperative contrast examination, Amplatzer vascular plugs II were selected for two dogs and IV were selected for two dogs. Under fluoroscopy, the plug was deployed into the shunting vessel, and angiography confirmed occlusion. In all cases, the increase in portal pressure after temporary occlusion was within the acceptable range, and complete occlusion of blood flow was possible with a single plug. There were no major procedure-related complications. No dogs developed post-ligation seizures or signs of portal hypertension. In addition, improvements in ammonia values were observed in all cases.

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

Percutaneous splenophrenic shunt embolisation using Amplatzer vascular plugs II and IV is technically feasible in dogs, and assessed by intra-procedure angiography, a single plug completely obstructed blood flow in all dogs. Based on the literature search, this is the first report describing Amplatzer vascular plugs for the treatment of splenophrenic shunts.

Early-life stress and ovarian hormones alter transcriptional regulation in the nucleus accumbens resulting in sex-specific responses to cocaine

Early-life stress and ovarian hormones contribute to increased female vulnerability to cocaine addiction. Here, we reveal molecular substrates in the reward area, the nucleus accumbens, through which these female-specific factors affect immediate and conditioning responses to cocaine. We find shared involvement of X chromosome inactivation-related and estrogen signaling-related gene regulation in enhanced conditioning responses following early-life stress and during the low-estrogenic state in females. Low-estrogenic females respond to acute cocaine by opening neuronal chromatin enriched for the sites of ΔFosB, a transcription factor implicated in chronic cocaine response and addiction. Conversely, high-estrogenic females respond to cocaine by preferential chromatin closing, providing a mechanism for limiting cocaine-driven chromatin and synaptic plasticity. We find that physiological estrogen withdrawal, early-life stress, and absence of one X chromosome all nullify the protective effect of a high-estrogenic state on cocaine conditioning in females. Our findings offer a molecular framework to enable understanding of sex-specific neuronal mechanisms underlying cocaine use disorder.

Surface Properties of Resin Composites and CAD/CAM Blocks After Simulated Toothbrushing

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the surface gloss, surface roughness, and color change of restorative materials after a three-body wear abrasion.

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Four resin composites with different filler particle size (Gracefil Flo [GFF, 0.7 μm], Gracefil LoFlo [GFL, 0.25 μm], Gracefil ZeroFlo [GFZ, 0.15 μm], and Gracefil Putty [GFP, 0.3 μm]), two CAD/CAM resin composite blocks with different filler particle size (Cerasmart 300 [CS3, 0.7 μm] and Cerasmart Prime [CSP, 0.3 μm], GC), and one CAD/CAM lithium disilicate glass-ceramic block (Initial LiSi Block [ILS], GC) as a control were evaluated. Twenty slab-shaped specimens were obtained from each material. Ten specimens were subjected to 80,000 toothbrushing strokes and measured for surface gloss (Gloss Unit, GU), surface roughness (Ra, μm), and color (L*, a*, and b* values) before toothbrushing and at every 20,000 strokes. Color differences (ΔL*, Δa*, Δb*, and ΔE00) before and after toothbrushing were calculated. After 80,000 strokes, abraded surfaces were observed using scanning electron microscopy. The other 10 specimens were measured for Vickers microhardness (VHN).

RESULTS

After 80,000 toothbrushing strokes, the mean GU ranged from 60.43 to 16.12 (the highest for ILS and lowest for GFL), and the mean Ra ranged from 0.079 to 4.085 (the lowest for ILS and highest for GFL). At all measuring stages, the calculated ΔE00 values ranged from 0.31 to 0.92 for all materials. The mean VHN ranged from 632.34 to 39.08 (the highest for ILS and lowest for GFZ). The resin composite containing the largest filler particle (GFF) showed significantly lower Ra and higher VHN than other resin composites (GFL, GFZ, and GFP). The CAD/CAM resin composite block containing a smaller filler particle (CSP) retained significantly higher GU than that containing a larger filler particle (CS3). A negative correlation between GU and Ra was detected.

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the findings, toothbrush abrasion induced a decrease in GU and an increase in Ra for all resin-based materials tested. Resin-based materials with larger filler size tended to show lower Ra, while resin-based materials with smaller filler size tended to show a smaller reduction in GU. These were more pronounced for light-cure resin composites than for resin composite blocks for CAD/CAM.

Quantification of olanzapine and its three metabolites by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry in human body fluids obtained from four deceased, and confirmation of the reduction from olanzapine N-oxide to olanzapine in whole blood in vitro

PURPOSE

Quantification of olanzapine (OLZ) and its metabolites such as N-desmethylolanzapine (DM-O), 2-hydroxymethylolanzapine (2H-O) and olanzapine N-oxide (NO-O) in five kinds of human body fluids including whole blood by liquid chromatography (LC)-tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) has been presented; the quantification methods were carefully devised and validated using the matrix-matched calibration and standard addition methods.

METHODS

OLZ and its three metabolites were extracted from 40 μL each of body fluids by two-step liquid-liquid separations. The samples and reagents were pre-cooled in a container filled with ice for the extraction because of the thermal instability of OLZ and its three metabolites especially in whole blood.

RESULTS

The limits of quantification (LOQs) of OLZ and 2H-O were 0.05 ng/mL and those of DM-O and NO-O were 0.15 ng/mL in whole blood and urine, respectively. The concentrations of OLZ and its metabolites in heart whole blood, pericardial fluid, stomach contents, bile and urine were determined for two cadavers and those in whole blood and urine for the other two cadavers. The reduction from NO-O to OLZ was observed at 25 ℃ in whole blood in vitro.

CONCLUSIONS

To our knowledge, this is the first report on the quantification of metabolites of olanzapine in the authentic human body fluids by LC-MS/MS as well as on the confirmation of in vitro reduction from NO-O to OLZ in whole blood that seems to have induced the quick decrease of NO-O.

An optimized approach for multiplexing single-nuclear ATAC-seq using oligonucleotide-conjugated antibodies

BACKGROUND

Single-cell technologies to analyze transcription and chromatin structure have been widely used in many research areas to reveal the functions and molecular properties of cells at single-cell resolution. Sample multiplexing techniques are valuable when performing single-cell analysis, reducing technical variation and permitting cost efficiencies. Several commercially available methods have been used in many scRNA-seq studies. On the other hand, while several methods have been published, multiplexing techniques for single nuclear assay for transposase-accessible chromatin (snATAC)-seq assays remain under development. We developed a simple nucleus hashing method using oligonucleotide-conjugated antibodies recognizing nuclear pore complex proteins, NuHash, to perform snATAC-seq library preparations by multiplexing.

RESULTS

We performed multiplexing snATAC-seq analyses on a mixture of human and mouse cell samples (two samples, 2-plex, and four samples, 4-plex) using NuHash. The analyses on nuclei with at least 10,000 read counts showed that the demultiplexing accuracy of NuHash was high, and only ten out of 9144 nuclei (2-plex) and 150 of 12,208 nuclei (4-plex) had discordant classifications between NuHash demultiplexing and discrimination using reference genome alignments. The differential open chromatin region (OCR) analysis between female and male samples revealed that male-specific OCRs were enriched in chromosome Y (four out of nine). We also found that five female-specific OCRs (20 OCRs) were on chromosome X. A comparative analysis between snATAC-seq and deeply sequenced bulk ATAC-seq on the same samples revealed that the bulk ATAC-seq signal intensity was positively correlated with the number of cell clusters detected in snATAC-seq. Moreover, when we categorized snATAC-seq peaks based on the number of cell clusters in which the peak was present, we observed different distributions over different genomic features between the groups. This result suggests that the peak intensities of bulk ATAC-seq can be used to identify different types of functional loci.

CONCLUSIONS

Our multiplexing method using oligo-conjugated anti-nuclear pore complex proteins, NuHash, permits high-accuracy demultiplexing of samples. The NuHash protocol is straightforward, works on frozen samples, and requires no modifications for snATAC-seq library preparation.

Changes in cerebrovascular disease-related deaths and their location during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan

Objective

The COVID-19 pandemic placed an enormous strain on healthcare systems and raised concerns for delays in the management of patients with acute cerebrovascular events. In this study, we investigated cerebrovascular excess deaths in Japan.

Study design

Vital mortality statistics from January 2012 to May 2022 were obtained from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.

Methods

Using quasi-Poisson regression models, we estimated the expected weekly number of cerebrovascular deaths in Japan from January 2020 through May 2022 by place of death. Estimates were calculated for deaths in all locations, as well as for deaths in hospitals, in geriatric health service facilities, and at home. The age subgroups of ≥75 and <75 years were also considered. Weeks with a statistically significant excess of cerebrovascular deaths were determined when the weekly number of observed deaths exceeded the upper bound of 97.5% prediction interval.

Results

Excess deaths were noted in June 2021 and became more pronounced from February 2022 onwards. The trend was notable among those aged ≥75 years and for those who died in hospitals. With respect to the location of deaths, the excess was significant in geriatric health services facilities from April 2020 to June 2021, while no evidence of excess hospital deaths was observed during the same period.

Conclusions

Beginning in late 2021, excess cerebrovascular deaths coincided with the spread of the Omicron variant and may be associated with increased healthcare burden. In 2020, COVID-19 altered the geography of cerebrovascular deaths, with fewer people dying in hospitals and more dying in geriatric health service facilities and at home.

TRIM27 expression is associated with poor prognosis in sinonasal mucosal melanoma

BACKGROUND

Tripartite motif-containing 27 (TRIM27) has been implicated in the progression of various cancers. However, the role of TRIM27 in sinonasal mucosal melanoma (SNMM) remains poorly understood.

MATERIALS & METHODS

We retrospectively examined 28 patients with SNMM treated with between 2003 and 2021. We undertook immunohistochemical analysis of TRIM27, Ki-67, and p-Akt1 expression in SNMM tissues. We also investigated the relationship between TRIM27 expression and clinical characteristics, prognosis, Ki-67 as a tumor growth potential marker, and p-Akt1 as one of the prognostic factors in mucosal melanoma.

RESULTS

TRIM27 expression was significantly higher in T4 disease than in T3 disease and was higher in stage IV than in stage III. Patients with high-TRIM27 SNMM had a significantly poorer prognosis in terms of overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival.There was also a significantly higher rate of distant metastasis. Univariate analysis for OS revealed that TRIM27 and T classification were significant poor prognostic factors. In addition, the Ki-67 positive score and the p-Akt1 total staining score were significantly higher in the high-TRIM27 group than in the low-TRIM27 group.

CONCLUSIONS

High TRIM27 expression in SNMM was associated with advanced T classification, poor prognosis and distant metastasis. We suggest that TRIM27 has potential as a novel biomarker for prognosis in SNMM.

Dynamic changes in whole genome DNA methylation, chromatin and gene expression during mouse lens differentiation

BACKGROUND

Cellular differentiation is marked by temporally and spatially coordinated gene expression regulated at multiple levels. DNA methylation represents a universal mechanism to control chromatin organization and its accessibility. Cytosine methylation of CpG dinucleotides regulates binding of methylation-sensitive DNA-binding transcription factors within regulatory regions of transcription, including promoters and distal enhancers. Ocular lens differentiation represents an advantageous model system to examine these processes as lens comprises only two cell types, the proliferating lens epithelium and postmitotic lens fiber cells all originating from the epithelium.

RESULTS

Using whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) and microdissected lenses, we investigated dynamics of DNA methylation and chromatin changes during mouse lens fiber and epithelium differentiation between embryos (E14.5) and newborns (P0.5). Histone H3.3 variant chromatin landscapes were also generated for both P0.5 lens epithelium and fibers by chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by next generation sequencing (ChIP-seq). Tissue-specific features of DNA methylation patterns are demonstrated via comparative studies with embryonic stem (ES) cells and neural progenitor cells (NPCs) at Nanog, Pou5f1, Sox2, Pax6 and Six3 loci. Comparisons with ATAC-seq and RNA-seq data demonstrate that reduced methylation is associated with increased expression of fiber cell abundant genes, including crystallins, intermediate filament (Bfsp1 and Bfsp2) and gap junction proteins (Gja3 and Gja8), marked by high levels of histone H3.3 within their transcribed regions. Interestingly, Pax6-binding sites exhibited predominantly DNA hypomethylation in lens chromatin. In vitro binding of Pax6 proteins showed Pax6's ability to interact with sites containing one or two methylated CpG dinucleotides.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study has generated the first data on methylation changes between two different stages of mammalian lens development and linked these data with chromatin accessibility maps, presence of histone H3.3 and gene expression. Reduced DNA methylation correlates with expression of important genes involved in lens morphogenesis and lens fiber cell differentiation.

[Validation Study on Developed Methods for Anions and Bromic Acid in Various Mineral Waters by Ion Chromatography]

Five kinds of anions namely fluoride, chlorate, chlorite, nitrate and nitrite ions, and bromic acid were determined in various mineral waters (MWs), and the methods were validated. MWs are varying in the degree of hardness and contents of carbonate. When the five anions were measured based on the official method of tap water, the peak shape of fluoride ion in MWs with high degree of hardness was different from the standard solution, making it difficult to determine. The same phenomenon was also observed when bromic acid was measured. In order to achieve accurate determination, five-fold dilution with ultrapure water was carried out on the samples. With the additional step, the abnormal peak of both analytes was improved, and no difference in the retention times between standard and sample solutions was observed. The validation tests were performed using the developed methods with the additional diluting step, and the results of all target substances met the criteria of the guideline on analytical method validation for MW in Japan. Our results suggested that the methods we developed could be useful for the accurate determination of the anions and bromic acid in various MWs on the market.

Symbol digit modalities test predicts decline of off-road driving ability in Japanese patients with multiple sclerosis

BACKGROUND

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic progressing neurological disease with exacerbations and remissions. Patients with MS can show a variety of neurological symptoms. Cognitive decline is noticed as one of them and is related with deterioration of daily life quality in a clinical practice. Driving a car is one of the common activities required in daily life and is also an important issue in MS patients.

METHODS

To clarify the relationship between cognitive function and driving ability in MS patients, the symbol digit modalities test (SDMT) and a driving simulator were evaluated. We enrolled 24 patients with MS (5 males, 19 females, 39.04 ± 8.27 years old) and age- and sex-matched 24 healthy controls (5 males, 19 females, 40.54 ± 9.78 years old) in this study. They underwent the SDMT and also used a driving simulator to measure a total of 12 response values related to driving ability. In order to evaluate the relationship between SDMT and driving ability, MS patients were divided into two groups according to the median SDMT score: group A (SDMT 51 or more) and group B (SDMT less than 51). The data were statistically analyzed among control group, MS group A, and MS group B using Jonkheere-Terpstra trend test and Bonferroni's multiple comparison test.

RESULTS

The group with higher scores on the SDMT tended to have significantly higher driving performance. Multiple comparison analysis among three groups showed that the reaction values for speed of response behavior were significantly higher in MS group B than control group.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed a relationship between driving abilities and SDMT scores. Clinical evaluation using the SDMT may help to detect cognitive decline and to make a decision on driving a car in patients with MS.