A comprehensive search for mutations in the PKD1 and PKD2 in Japanese subjects with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease

To elucidate the genotypic and phenotypic characteristics of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) in Japanese populations, we performed a comprehensive search for mutations in PKD1 and PKD2 in 180 Japanese ADPKD patients from 161 unrelated families. We identified 112 (89 PKD1 and 23 PKD2) mutations within 135 families. Patients with PKD2 mutations account for 23.6% of all Japanese ADPKD families in this study. Seventy-five out of the 112 mutations have not been reported previously. The estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline was significantly faster in patients with PKD1 mutations than in those with PKD2 mutations (-3.25 and -2.08 ml min(-1)  year(-1) for PKD1 and PKD2, respectively, p < 0.01). These results indicate that mutations within PKD1 and PKD2 can be linked to most of the cases of Japanese ADPKD, and the renal function decline was faster in patients with PKD1 mutations than in those with PKD2 mutations also in the Japanese ADPKD. We also found that PKD2 mutations were more frequent in Japanese ADPKD than that in European or American ADPKD.

The crystal structure of novel chondroitin lyase ODV-E66, a baculovirus envelope protein

Chondroitin lyases have been known as pathogenic bacterial enzymes that degrade chondroitin. Recently, baculovirus envelope protein ODV-E66 was identified as the first reported viral chondroitin lyase. ODV-E66 has low sequence identity with bacterial lyases at <12%, and unique characteristics reflecting the life cycle of baculovirus. To understand ODV-E66's structural basis, the crystal structure was determined and it was found that the structural fold resembled that of polysaccharide lyase 8 proteins and that the catalytic residues were also conserved. This structure enabled discussion of the unique substrate specificity and the stability of ODV-E66 as well as the host specificity of baculovirus.

The crystal structure of novel chondroitin lyase ODV-E66, a baculovirus envelope protein

Chondroitin lyases have been known as pathogenic bacterial enzymes that degrade chondroitin. Recently, baculovirus envelope protein ODV-E66 was identified as the first reported viral chondroitin lyase. ODV-E66 has low sequence identity with bacterial lyases at <12%, and unique characteristics reflecting the life cycle of baculovirus. To understand ODV-E66's structural basis, the crystal structure was determined and it was found that the structural fold resembled that of polysaccharide lyase 8 proteins and that the catalytic residues were also conserved. This structure enabled discussion of the unique substrate specificity and the stability of ODV-E66 as well as the host specificity of baculovirus.

Crystal structure of human tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase-2 reveals the mechanism of protein tyrosine sulfation reaction

Post-translational protein modification by tyrosine-sulfation plays an important role in extracellular protein-protein interactions. The protein tyrosine sulfation reaction is catalyzed by the Golgi-enzyme called the tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase (TPST). To date, no crystal structure is available for TPST. Detailed mechanism of protein tyrosine sulfation reaction has thus remained unclear. Here we present the first crystal structure of the human TPST isoform 2 (TPST2) complexed with a substrate peptide (C4P5Y3) derived from complement C4 and 3’-phosphoadenosine-5’-phosphate (PAP) at 1.9Å resolution. Structural and complementary mutational analyses revealed the molecular basis for catalysis being an S_N2-like in-line displacement mechanism. TPST2 appeared to recognize the C4 peptide in a deep cleft by using a short parallel β-sheet type interaction, and the bound C4P5Y3 forms an L-shaped structure. Surprisingly, the mode of substrate peptide recognition observed in the TPST2 structure resembles that observed for the receptor type tyrosine kinases.

An automated rapid detection system using the quenching probe method for detecting interleukin 28B and inosine triphosphatase single nucleotide polymorphisms in chronic hepatitis C

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the interleukin 28B gene (IL28B) are good pretreatment predictors of anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy with interferon. SNPs of the inosine triphosphatase (ITPA) gene are associated with reduced haemoglobin levels during treatment with ribavirin. The i-densy™ (Arkray, Inc.), which is based on the quenching probe (QP) method, automatically detects target genes in blood samples by fluorescence quenching within 100 min. Using a QP and primer set, a gene amplification response is generated that can quickly and easily detect a specific gene's arrangement by fluorometry. The present study was conducted to compare the utility of i-densy (QP method) with that of conventional direct sequencing (DS) for detecting SNPs in the IL28B and ITPA genes in chronic hepatitis C patients. Between June 2011 and January 2012, 73 consecutive patients underwent genotyping of IL28B, and 54 patients underwent genotyping of ITPA. All of the patients were seropositive for HCV-RNA. The IL28B and ITPA genotypes were tested for bi-allelic polymorphisms in rs8099917 (T/T, T/G and G/G; minor allele, G) and rs1127354 (C/C, C/A and A/A; minor allele, A), respectively. The results obtained with the QP method were identical to those obtained with the conventional DS method. The frequency of the IL28B genotypes TT, GT and GG were 74%, 24.7% and 1.4%, respectively, and those of the ITPA genotypes CC, AC and AA were 68.5%, 29.6% and 1.9%, respectively. These results indicate that the i-densy using the QP method can automatically, quickly and easily identify genotypes of IL28B and ITPA.

Immunohistochemical localization of aggresomal proteins in glial cytoplasmic inclusions in multiple system atrophy

AIMS

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is pathologically characterized by the formation of α-synuclein-containing glial cytoplasmic inclusions (GCIs) in oligodendrocytes. However, the mechanisms of GCI formation are not fully understood. Cellular machinery for the formation of aggresomes has been linked to the biogenesis of the Lewy body, a characteristic α-synuclein-containing inclusion of Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Here, we examined whether GCIs contain the components of aggresomes by immunohistochemistry.

METHODS

Sections from five patients with MSA were stained immunohistochemically with antibodies against aggresome-related proteins and analysed in comparison with sections from five patients with no neurological disease. We evaluated the presence or absence of aggresome-related proteins in GCIs by double immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy.

RESULTS

GCIs were clearly immunolabelled with antibodies against aggresome-related proteins, such as γ-tubulin, histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) and 20S proteasome subunits. Neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions (NCIs) were also immunopositive for these aggresome-related proteins. Double immunofluorescence staining and quantitative analysis demonstrated that the majority of GCIs contained these proteins, as well as other aggresome-related proteins, such as Hsp70, Hsp90 and 62-kDa protein/sequestosome 1 (p62/SQSTM1). Immunoelectron microscopy demonstrated immunoreactivities for γ-tubulin and HDAC6 along the fibrils comprising GCIs.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicate that GCIs, and probably NCIs, share at least some characteristics with aggresomes in terms of their protein components. Therefore, GCIs and NCIs may be another manifestation of aggresome-related inclusion bodies observed in neurodegenerative diseases.

First demonstration of MC-EDFA-repeatered SDM transmission of 40 x 128-Gbit/s PDM-QPSK signals per core over 6,160-km 7-core MCF

We demonstrate the first 7-core multicore erbium-doped fiber amplified (MC-EDFA) transmission of 40 x 128-Gbit/s PDM-QPSK signals over 6,160-km 7-core multicore fiber (MCF). The crosstalk (XT) from all of the other 6 cores of a MC-EDFA and a 55-km length MCF are about -46.5 dB and -45.6 dB at center core, respectively. The core-to-core rotation approach at every amplified span is used to average the XT of all cores. The averaged optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) after 6,160-km transmission is 15.6 dB with 0.1 nm resolution bandwidth. The Q-factor of all 40 channels surpasses the threshold of the forward-error-correction of 6.4 dB with 1 dB margin after 6,160 km. The total net capacity is 28.8 Tbit/s per fiber and achieved capacity-distance product is 177 Pbit/s.km per fiber. We confirmed the feasibility of MC-EDFA repeatered systems for trans-oceanic transmission.

An aeration control strategy for oxidation ditch processes based on online oxygen requirement estimation

A feedforward-feedback aeration control strategy based on online oxygen requirements (OR) estimation is proposed for oxidation ditch (OD) processes, and it is further developed for intermittent aeration OD processes, which are the most popular type in Japan. For calculating OR, concentrations of influent biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) and total Kjeldahl nitrogen (TKN) are estimated online by the measurement of suspended solids (SS) and sometimes TKN is estimated by NH4-N. Mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) and temperature are used to estimate the required oxygen for endogenous respiration. A straightforward parameter named aeration coefficient, Ka, is introduced as the only parameter that can be tuned automatically by feedback control or manually by the operators. Simulation with an activated sludge model was performed in comparison to fixed-interval aeration and satisfying result of OR control strategy was obtained. The OR control strategy has been implemented at seven full-scale OD plants and improvements in nitrogen removal are obtained in all these plants. Among them, the results obtained in Yumoto wastewater treatment plant were presented, in which continuous aeration was applied previously. After implementing intermittent OR control, the total nitrogen concentration was reduced from more than 5 mg/L to under 2 mg/L, and the electricity consumption was reduced by 61.2% for aeration or 21.5% for the whole plant.

Single-incision laparoscopic colectomy using the Gelport system for early colon cancer

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic surgery has spread quickly during the past twenty years, and has become one of the important treatments in the field of colorectal surgery. Recently, natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) has been studied as the next generation of minimally-invasive surgery, but the feasibility and safety of the NOTES method have not been evaluated. In such a situation, single-incision laparoscopic surgery has attracted interest from surgeons worldwide. However, single-incision laparoscopic colorectal surgery has not yet been standardized.

METHODS

From February 2010, single-incision laparoscopic colectomy was performed for 7 patients presenting with early colon cancer. All procedures were performed by two experts with the License of Endoscopic Surgical Skill Qualification System (ESSQS) of Japan Society for Endoscopic Surgery (JSES) in the field of colorectal Surgery.

RESULTS

We used the Gelport system (Applied Medical, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, USA) as the access port and 3 trocars of different sizes (Ethicon, Inc., Cincinnati, OH, USA). Using this technique, we did not experience any difficulties or use any articulated instruments. All of the present 7 patients underwent the single-incision laparoscopic colectomy successfully and had no complications.

CONCLUSION

Single-incision laparoscopic surgery using the Gelport was performed safely in the present cases. The use of the Gelport as an access port can address the technical difficulty associated with this new technique.

Association of hyposalivation with oral function, nutrition and oral health in community-dwelling elderly Thai

OBJECTIVES

This study was to analyze the association of hyposalivation with oral function, nutritional status and oral health in community-dwelling elderly Thai.

METHOD

The subjects were 612 elderly people (mean age = 68.8, SD 5.9 years). Oral function (tasting, speaking, swallowing and chewing) and Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) were evaluated. Oral examination investigated teeth and periodontal status. Both unstimulated and stimulated whole saliva were collected for 5 minutes.

RESULTS

Among all subjects, 14.4 % were classified within the hyposalivation. Hyposalivation was associated with gender, systemic disease, medication, and smoking. Subjects within the hyposalivation group had a higher number of decayed teeth and a higher prevalence of periodontitis than the normal salivation group (p < 0.05). The hyposalivation group also had a lower number of teeth present and a lower mean MNA score than the normal salivation group (p < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that hyposalivation in both dentate and edentulous subjects was significantly associated with tasting, speaking, swallowing and chewing.

CONCLUSION

This study suggested that hyposalivation is a risk factor not only for dental caries and periodontal disease but also for taste disturbances, speaking problems, swallowing problems, poor chewing ability and malnutrition. Monitoring salivary flow is an important measure in the care of older people.

Crystallization and X-ray diffraction analysis of chondroitin lyase from baculovirus: envelope protein ODV-E66

Baculovirus envelope protein ODV-E66 (67-704), in which the N-terminal 66 amino acids are truncated, is a chondroitin lyase. It digests chondroitin and chondroitin 6-sulfate efficiently, but does not digest chondroitin 4-sulfate. This unique characteristic is useful for the preparation of specific chondroitin oligosaccharides and for investigation of the mechanism of baculovirus infection. ODV-E66 (67-704) was crystallized; the crystal diffracted to 1.8 Å resolution and belonged to space group P6(2) or P6(4), with unit-cell parameters a = b = 113.5, c = 101.5 Å. One molecule is assumed to be present per asymmetric unit, which gives a Matthews coefficient of 2.54 Å(3) Da(-1).

Association of clinical oral health status with self-rated oral health and GOHAI in Japanese adults

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this study was to investigate clinical oral health status relationships that affect quality of life (using the 12-item General Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI)) and self-rated oral health in a community of Japanese residents.

METHODS

459 residents of Yokote City, Japan aged 40-55 years had oral health examinations and completed self-administered questionnaires collecting data on age, gender, GOHAI items and self-rated oral health. Linear regression analysis was performed with GOHAI or self-rated oral health as a dependent variable and gender, age and indicators of oral health status as independent variables.

RESULTS

The GOHAI indicated 42.7% of subjects were concerned about the appearance of their teeth, 30.1% were worried about teeth problems and 27.5% concerned about sensitive teeth. Analyses showed that gender, decayed teeth, oral dryness and missing teeth were significantly associated with variation in GOHAI scores, and that gender, decayed teeth, oral dryness and oral hygiene were significantly associated with variation in self-rated oral health.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that in this sample of Japanese adults aged 40-55 years, decayed teeth and oral dryness affected both GOHAI and self-rated oral health, whereas missing teeth affected GOHAI and oral hygiene affected self-rated oral health. Subjects did not recognise periodontal disease as a quality of life impacting condition or as a health problem.