Complete genome sequence of Opitutales bacterium strain ASA1, isolated from soil

We present the complete genome of Opitutales bacterium ASA1, isolated from soil. The genome is 5,821,695 bp with 4,638 protein-coding sequences. The genome data suggest that this strain belongs to the class Opitutae of the phylum Verrucomicrobiota, and its genome has six unique biosynthetic gene clusters associated with secondary metabolites.

Draft genome sequence of a docosahexaenoic-acid-producing marine protist, thraustochytrid strain 12B

We sequenced the draft genome of thraustochytrid strain 12B. This strain shows a high production of polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as docosahexaenoic acid. The draft genome sequence of approximately 65 Mbp will provide insights into metabolic engineering to improve the production of polyunsaturated fatty acids in the microorganism.

Molecular evolution of Cypridina noctiluca secretory luciferase for production of spectrum-shifted luminescence-emitting mutants and their application in nuclear receptor-reporter assays

Luciferase is a popular enzyme used for biological analyses, such as reporter assays. In addition to a conventional reporter assay using a pair of firefly and Renilla luciferases, a simple multicolor reporter assay using multiple firefly or beetle luciferases emitting different color luminescence with a single substrate has been reported. Secretory luciferases have also been used for convenient sample preparation in reporter assays; however, reporter assay using secretory luciferase mutants that emit spectrum-shifted luminescence have not yet been reported. In this study, we generated blue- and red-shifted (-16 and 12 nm) luminescence-emitting Cypridina secretory luciferase (CLuc) mutants using multiple cycles of random and site-directed mutagenesis. Even for red-shifted CLuc mutant, which exhibited relatively low activity and stability, its enzymatic activity was sufficiently high for a luciferase assay (3.26 × 106 relative light unit/s), light emission was sufficiently prolonged (half-life is 3 min), and stability at 37°C was high. We independently determined the luminescence of these CLuc mutants using a luminometer with an optical filter. Finally, we replaced the commonly used reporters, firefly and Renilla luciferases used in a conventional nuclear receptor-reporter assay with these CLuc mutants and established a secretory luciferase-based single-substrate dual-color nuclear receptor-reporter assay.

Pinellic Acid Isolated from Quercetin-rich Onions has a Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-Alpha/Gamma (PPAR-α/γ) Transactivation Activity

Quercetin, a flavonol, is a functional compound that is abundant in onions and is known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. Quercetin and its glucoside are known to function as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) ligands and showed high PPAR-α transactivation activity but little PPAR-γ transactivation activity in some reports. In this study, we demonstrated that an aqueous extract of a quercetin-rich onion cultivar increased transactivation activities not only of PPAR-α but also of PPAR-γ. We isolated (9S,12S,13S)-(10E)-9,12,13-trihydroxyoctadec-10-enoic acid (pinellic acid) obtained from the aqueous extract using PPAR-γ transactivation as an index. Furthermore, it was revealed that pinellic acid could transactivate PPAR-α. Our findings are the first report mentioned showing that trihydroxyoctadec-10-enoic acids showed PPAR-α/γ transactivation activities.

Pyruvate enhances oral tolerance via GPR31

CX3CR1 high myeloid cells in the small intestine mediate the induction of oral tolerance by driving regulatory T (Treg) cells. Bacterial metabolites, e.g., pyruvate and lactate, induce a dendrite extension of CX3CR1 high myeloid cells into the intestinal lumen via GPR31. However, it remains unclear whether the pyruvate-GPR31 axis is involved in the induction of oral tolerance. Here, we show that pyruvate enhances oral tolerance in a GPR31-dependent manner. In ovalbumin (OVA)-fed Gpr31-deficient mice, an OVA-induced delayed-type hypersensitivity response was substantially induced, demonstrating the defective induction of oral tolerance in Gpr31-deficient mice. The percentage of RORγt+ Treg cells in the small intestine was reduced in Gpr31-deficient mice. In pyruvate-treated wild-type mice, a low dose of OVA efficiently induced oral tolerance. IL-10 production from intestinal CX3CR1 high myeloid cells was increased by OVA ingestion in wild-type mice, but not in Gpr31-deficient mice. CX3CR1 high myeloid cell-specific IL-10-deficient mice showed a defective induction of oral tolerance to OVA and a decreased accumulation of OVA-specific Treg cells in the small intestine. These findings demonstrate that pyruvate enhances oral tolerance through a GPR31-dependent effect on intestinal CX3CR1 high myeloid cells.

Integrin CD11b provides a new marker of pre-germinal center IgA + B cells in murine Peyer's patches

Activated B cells can enter germinal centers (GCs) for affinity maturation to produce high-affinity antibodies. However, which activated B cells will enter GCs remains unknown. Here, we found a small population of CD11b⁺IgA⁺ B cells located outside of GCs in murine Peyer’s patches (PPs). After injection of the CD11b⁺IgA⁺ PP B cells into a PP of a recipient mouse, they entered GCs forty hours later. They expressed GC surface markers and pre-GC B cell genes, suggesting that CD11b provides a novel surface marker of pre-GC IgA⁺ B cells in murine PPs. Furthermore, independently of dendritic cell activation, CD11b expression on B cells can be induced by bacterial antigens, such as pam3CSK4 and heat-killed Escherichia coli in vitro. In addition, mice orally administered with pam3CSK4 or heat-killed E. coli increased the number of PP GC B cells within two days, and enhanced the mucosal antigen-specific IgA response. Our results demonstrate that the induction of CD11b on B cells is a promising marker for selecting an effective mucosal vaccine adjuvant.

Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase (PARP) is Critically Involved in Liver Ischemia/reperfusion-injury

BACKGROUND

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is a DNA-repairing enzyme activated by extreme genomic stress, and therefore is potently activated in the remnant liver suffering from ischemia after surgical resection. However, the impact of PARP on post-ischemic liver injury has not been elucidated yet.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We investigated the impact of PARP on murine hepatocyte/liver injury induced by hypoxia/ischemia, respectively.

RESULTS

PJ34, a specific inhibitor of PARP, markedly protected against hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced cell death, though z-VAD-fmk, a pan-caspase inhibitor similarly showed the protective effect. PJ34 did not affect H/R-induced caspase activity or caspase-mediated cell death. z-VAD-fmk also did not affect the production of PAR (i.e., PARP activity). Therefore, PARP- and caspase-mediated cell death occurred in a mechanism independent of each other in H/R. H/R immediately induced activation of PARP and cell death afterwards, both of which were suppressed by PJ34 or Trolox, an antioxidant. This suggests that H/R-induced cell death occurred redox-dependently through PARP activation. H/R and OS induced nuclear translocation of apoptosis inducing factor (AIF, a marker of parthanatos) and RIP1-RIP3 interaction (a marker of necroptosis), both of which were suppressed by PJ34. H/R induced PARP-mediated parthanatos and necroptosis redox-dependently. In mouse experiments, PJ34 significantly reduced serum levels of AST, ALT & LDH and areas of hepatic necrosis after liver ischemia/reperfusion, similar to z-VAD-fmk or Trolox.

CONCLUSION

PARP, activated by ischemic damage and/or oxidative stress, may play a critical role in post-ischemic liver injury by inducing programmed necrosis (parthanatos and necroptosis). PARP inhibition may be one of the promising strategies against post-ischemic liver injury.

Right ventricular longitudinal strain with CMR can more accurately estimate right ventricular functional reserve in rats with pulmonary arterial hypertension

Background

Right ventricular (RV) function is an important prognostic factor in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Recently, CMR has become an attractive modality for follow up and providing prognosis in the patients, and strain has been used as a newer parameter to assess contractile properties of ventricle. It has not yet been established, however, whether RV strain with CMR can estimate RV functional reserve in the patients with PAH.

Purpose

We focused on CMR imaging of RV, investigating whether RV longitudinal strain can estimate RV functional reserve using a rat model with PAH.

Method

Rats were given a subcutaneous injection of 60 mg/kg monocrotaline (MCT-rats) or solvent (Ctr-rats). Four weeks after the injection, 25% of MCT-rats died due to RV failure. In the survivors of MCT- (n=19) and Ctr-rats (n=5), retrospective ECG-gated cine MR (16 phases/beat) was imaged with a 7T scanner. Subsequently, we measured RV pressure (RVP) via right internal jugular vein and dissected trabeculae (length = 1.45±0.07 mm, width = 334±27 μm, thickness = 114±6 μm) from RVs. We calculated weight ratio of RV free wall to left ventricle (LV) by RV/(LV+septum). Trabeculae were electrically stimulated with 2-s stimulus intervals, and force was measured using a silicon strain gauge (0.7 mM extracellular Ca2+, 24°C). To determine contractile properties of RV muscle, dF/dt was calculated. Using CMR imaging, we measured RV ejection fraction (RVEF) and RV longitudinal strain (RVLS). To modulate RVP, we intravenously injected 5 nmol endothelin-1 (ET-1) and again measured RVEF and RVLS.

Results

MCT-rats showed higher systolic RVP (62.5±16.6 vs. 25.9±1.86 mmHg, p<0.01) and higher weight ratio of RV (0.60±0.03 vs. 0.28±0.02, p<0.05). In CMR imaging, MCT-rats showed lower RVEF (36.1±11.2 vs. 64.8±8.4%, p<0.001) and lower RVLS (−18±9 vs. −30±1%, p<0.05). In trabeculae from RVs, MCT-rats showed lower developed force and lower dF/dt (p<0.01). Correlation between RVLS and dF/dt was higher (n=20, r=0.53, p<0.05) than that between RVEF and dF/dt (r=0.24). In addition, RVLS and dF/dt had already been decreased in 5 MCT-rats with relatively preserved RVEF (>50%), suggesting that RVLS decreases earlier than RVEF in MCT-rats. Ten minutes after the injection of ET-1, RVP was increased from 49.4±7.9 to 57.9±6.4 mmHg in MCT-rats (n=6). In MCT-rats with preserved RVEF and decreased RVLS, the increase in RVP chiefly decreased RVEF while it did not change RVLS and RVEF in Ctr-rats, meaning that RV functional reserve had been decreased in MCT-rats. In trabeculae, developed force and dF/dt were increased after the addition of 0.1 μM ET-1 in MCT- (n=11, p<0.01) and Ctr-rats (n=4, p<0.01).

Conclusion

These results suggest that in rats with PAH, RVLS obtained from CMR can estimate RV functional reserve earlier and more accurately than RVEF. Therefore, RV strain with CMR may become an important parameter to assess RV functional reserve in patients with PAH.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding source: Public grant(s) – National budget only. Main funding source(s): Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists

Effects of royal jelly on bone metabolism in postmenopausal women: a randomized, controlled study

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of royal jelly (RJ) supplementation on bone metabolism in postmenopausal women.

METHODS

This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Seventy-two healthy postmenopausal women aged 45-60 years within 5 years after menopause were randomized into two groups: women in the RJ group (n = 36) received capsules containing dried RJ (equivalent to 3000 mg of fresh RJ); and women in the placebo group (n = 36) received placebo daily for 6 months. Bone mineral density (BMD) of the lumbar spine (L2-L4) and left proximal femur, hip structural analysis (HSA) of the left hip, and bone turnover markers were measured.

RESULTS

Although women in the placebo group experienced a significant loss of BMD and deterioration in HSA parameters of the femur, no significant differences were found in these parameters in women in the RJ group. The levels of total procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP) and tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase decreased significantly in the placebo group; however, the total P1NP level, a marker of bone formation, was not significantly different in the RJ group at postintervention compared with baseline.

CONCLUSION

RJ consumption may ameliorate decreases in femoral BMD and strength in postmenopausal women.

Functional production of human antibody by the filamentous fungus Aspergillus oryzae

Background

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) as biopharmaceuticals take a pivotal role in the current therapeutic applications. Generally mammalian cell lines, such as those derived from Chinese hamster ovaries (CHO), are used to produce the recombinant antibody. However, there are still concerns about the high cost and the risk of pathogenic contamination when using mammalian cells. Aspergillus oryzae, a filamentous fungus recognized as a GRAS (Generally Regarded As Safe) organism, has an ability to secrete a large amount of proteins into the culture supernatant, and thus the fungus has been used as one of the cost-effective microbial hosts for heterologous protein production. Pursuing this strategy the human anti-TNFα antibody adalimumab, one of the world's best-selling antibodies for the treatment of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, was chosen to produce the full length of mAbs by A. oryzae. Generally, N-glycosylation of the antibody affects immune effector functions such as antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) via binding to the Fc receptor (FcγR) on immune cells. The CRISPR/Cas9 system was used to first delete the Aooch1 gene encoding a key enzyme for the hyper-mannosylation process in fungi to investigate the binding ability of antibody with FcγRIIIa.

Results

Adalimumab was expressed in A. oryzae by the fusion protein system with α-amylase AmyB. The full-length adalimumab consisting of two heavy and two light chains was successfully produced in the culture supernatants. Among the producing strains, the highest amount of antibody was obtained from the ten-protease deletion strain (39.7 mg/L). Two-step purifications by Protein A and size-exclusion chromatography were applied to obtain the high purity sample for further analysis. The antigen-binding and TNFα neutralizing activities of the adalimumab produced by A. oryzae were comparable with those of a commercial product Humira^®. No apparent binding with the FcγRIIIa was detected with the recombinant adalimumab even by altering the N-glycan structure using the Aooch1 deletion strain, which suggests only a little additional activity of immune effector functions.

Conclusion

These results demonstrated an alternative low-cost platform for human antibody production by using A. oryzae, possibly offering a reasonable expenditure for patient's welfare.

P838Is multi-biomarker combination approach comparable to the GRACE risk score for short-term mortality prediction in acute myocardial infarction cases?

Introduction

The Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events (GRACE) score is said to be a superior predictor of mortality in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients, and same applies to biochemical parameters as N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (N-BNP), Troponin-T (TnT) and high-sensitivity C- reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels.

Purpose

We validated that whether each or combination of biochemical parameters are comparable to GRACE score or not for mortality prediction in AMI patients.

Method

We investigated about clinical background including The GRACE score, above parameters and in-hospital mortality in 754 AMI patients (mean age 66±13y/o, 609 ST-elevated AMI cases) received emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) successfully during 8 years in a single center retrospectively. Combination of biochemical parameters are derived from N-BNP, TnT and hs-CRP by logistic regression analyses. We compared The GRACE score with each or combination of biochemical parameters between survival (SG) and non-survival group (nSG) on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.

Result

In-hospital mortality was 6.8%. The GRACE score (106±33 versus 161±32; p<0.005) and N-BNP level (2458±7058 versus 8880±11331pg/ml; p<0.005) were significantly lower in SG than nSG. Area under the ROC curve about in-hospital mortality of The GRACE score were higher (0.868) than N-BNP (0.787; p=0.007), TnT (0.613; p<0.005), hs-CRP levels (0.614; p<0.005) and multi-biomarker combination (0.742; p=0.016) as Figure 1.

Area under the curve of the composite with the GRACE score and multi-biomarker is not increased compared with the GRACE score alone (0.868 versus 0.865; p=n.s.).

Figure 1

Conclusion

The GRACE score is a superior predictor about in-hospital mortality than each or combination of biochemical parameters in AMI patients. Multi-biomarker combination dose not refine the accuracy of the GRACE score.

P1865Incidence and predictors of invasively-treated pericardial effusion during catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation in Japan

Purpose and method

Japanese Heart Rhythm Society requested electrophysiology centers to register the data of patients who underwent catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) in designated eight months from 2011 to 2017. We assessed the incidence and predictors of pericardial effusion (PE) as an early complication of AF ablation.

Results

More than two hundred EP centers reported the data of 13,233 AF ablation cases (age; 64.2±10.7 years, male; 72.6%, paroxysmal AF; 63.4%). Clinically significant complications occurred in 601 subjects (4.5%). Critical PE occurred in 116 patients (0.8%), while six of them required open-chest surgery. Overall complication rate did not show significant changes. In contrast, incidence of PE declined over time (2012:1.2%, 2017:0.5%, p=0.003). Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that seven factors were related with higher incidence of PE. Among these factors, primary extra-PV ablation and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) were more remarkably associated with higher rate of PE (PVI[−] vs. PVI[+]= 9.0% vs. 0.8%, OR 12.3, p<0.001; HCM: [+] vs. [−] = 2.6% vs. 0.8%, OR 3.26, p=0.001). Comorbidity of coronary artery disease (CAD) and use of CARTO system were related with lower PE rate (CAD: [+] vs [−] = 0.2% vs. 0.9%, OR 0.22 [p=0.034], CARTO: [+] vs [−] = 0.7% vs. 1.2%, OR 0.52 [p=0.001]). None of cryobaloon ablation, gender, type of AF, center volume, periprocedural oral anticoagulant, or left atrial diameter was significantly related with the occurrence of PE.

Conclusions

Incidence of critical PE decreased recently. HCM and primary extra-PV ablation were outstanding predictors of critical PE.

Growth activation of influenza virus by trypsin and effect of T-705 (favipiravir) on trypsin-optimized growth condition

Influenza virus is activated by proteolytic cleavage of hemagglutinin by trypsin. After determining the optimal trypsin concentration, intracellular and extracellular influenza A/PR/8/34 (H1N1) and A/Victoria/361/2011 (H3N2) virus productions were compared in cultures treated with T-705 (favipiravir) and GS 4071 (an active form of oseltamivir). Although both drugs efficiently inhibited extracellular viral RNA release in a dose-dependent manner, T-705 inhibited it to the level of the inoculum without trypsin treatment, while GS 4071 inhibited it to a final level 10 times higher than that without trypsin. T-705 inhibited intracellular viral RNA production to the level of input virus in both trypsin-treated and untreated cells. In contrast, GS 4071 dose-dependently inhibited intracellular viral RNA production in cells treated with trypsin but allowed viral RNA synthesis. The level of maximum inhibition by GS 4071was 10 times higher than that of cells without trypsin and 1,000 times greater than the inoculum titer in cells without trypsin. T-705 inhibited both intracellular and extracellular virus production 1,000 and 10 times more strongly, respectively, than GS 4071. T-705 has powerful anti-influenza activity in the absence of trypsin and even in the trypsin-optimized growth condition, suggesting the therapeutic advantage in treatment of influenza complicated with bacterial pneumonia. Keywords: influenza; T-705; Tamiflu; trypsin; bacterial trypsin-like protease.

Extracts of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) fruits improve liver steatosis and injury in mice by preventing lipid accumulation and cell death

Bilberry has been reported to have anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We studied the effect of bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus L.) fruits extracts (BEs) on the pathogenesis caused by lipid accumulation in fatty liver and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). 5 μg/ml of BEs was enough to suppress lipid accumulation in the fatty liver model of the mouse hepatic AML12 cells. BEs increased cell viability and anti-oxidant capacity, presumably by activating (phosphorylating) Akt/STAT3 and inducing MnSOD/catalase. BEs also significantly reduced Rubicon and induced p62/SQSTM1, possibly contributing to reduce cellular lipids (lipophagy). When the mice were fed supplemented with BEs (5% or 10%, w/w), hepatic steatosis, injury, and hypercholesterolemia/hyperglycemia were significantly improved. Furthermore, histological and cytokine studies indicated that BEs possibly suppress hepatic inflammation (hepatitis) and fibrosis. Therefore, BEs improved liver steatosis and injury, and potentially suppress fibrosis by suppressing inflammatory response, which therefore may prevent the progression of fatty liver to NASH.

Carboxypeptidase Y activity and maintenance is modulated by a large helical structure

Yeast carboxypeptidase Y (CPY) is a serine protease with broad substrate specificity. Structurally, CPY belongs to the α/β hydrolase fold family and contains characteristic large helices, termed the V‐shape helix, above the active site cavity. Four intramolecular disulfide bonds are located in and around the V‐shape helix. In this study, mutant CPYs were constructed in which one of these disulfide bonds was disrupted. Mutants lacking the C193–C207 bond located at the beginning of the V‐shape helix aggregated easily, while mutants lacking the C262–C268 bond located at the end of the V‐shape helix displayed decreased hydrolytic activity. The results indicate that the V‐shape helix is involved in CPY catalysis and in maintenance of its conformation.

Positive End-expiratory Pressure Ventilation Increases Extravascular Lung Water Due to a Decrease in Lung Lymph Flow

Positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) is used to improve gas exchange, increase functional residual capacity, recruit air spaces, and decrease pulmonary shunt in patients suffering from respiratory failure. The effect of PEEP on extravascular lung water (EVLW), however, is still not fully understood. This study was designed as a prospective laboratory experiment to evaluate the effects of PEEP on EVLW and pulmonary lymph flow (QL) under physiologic conditions.

Twelve adult sheep were operatively prepared to measure haemodynamics of the systemic and pulmonary circulation, and to assess EVLW. In addition, the lung lymphatic duct was cannulated and a tracheostomy performed. The animals were then mechanically ventilated in the awake-state without end-expiratory pressure (PEEP 0). After a two-hour baseline period, PEEP was increased to 10 cmH2O for the duration of two hours, and then reduced back to 0 cmH2O. Cardiopulmonary variables, QL, and arterial blood gases were recorded intermittently; EVLW was determined two hours after each change in PEEP.

The increase in PEEP resulted in a decrease in QL (7±1 vs 5±1 ml/h) and an increase in EVLW (498±40 vs 630±58 ml; P<0.05 each) without affecting cardiac output. As PEEP was decreased back to baseline, QL increased significantly (5±1 vs 10±2 ml/h), whereas EVLW returned back to baseline.

This study suggests that institution of PEEP produces a reversible increase in EVLW that is linked to a decrease in QL.

Rigorous control of vesicle-forming lipid pKa by fluorine-conjugated bioisosteres for gene-silencing with siRNA

While the influence of pK_a provided by amine-containing materials in siRNA delivery vectors for use in gene-silencing has been widely studied, there are little reports in which amine pK_a is controlled rigorously by using bioisosteres and its effect on gene-silencing. Here, we report that amine pK_a could be rigorously controlled by replacement of hydrogen atom(s) with fluorine atom(s). A series of mono- and di-amine lipids with a different number of fluorine atoms were synthesized. The pK_a of the polyamine lipids was shifted to a lower value with an increase in the number of fluorine atoms. The optimal pK_a for high gene-silencing efficiency varied according to the number of amine residues in the polyamine lipid. Whereas the endosomal escape ability of mono-amine lipid-containing lipid vesicles (LVs) depended on the pK_a, that of all tested di-amine lipid-containing LVs showed equal membrane-destabilizing activity. LVs showing moderately weak interactions with siRNA facilitated cytoplasmic release of siRNA, resulting in strong gene-silencing. These findings indicate that appropriate amine pK_a engineering depending on the number of amines is important for the induction of effective RNA interference.

Structural Colored Balloon Composed of Temperature-Responsive Polymers Showing LCST Behavior

Structural colored balloons (SCBs) consisting of polymer thin film developed structural color by thin-layer interference on the shell. Thermoresponsive SCBs were prepared with poly(diethylene glycol monomethyl ether methacrylate)- co-poly( N-phenylacrylamide), which shows lower critical solution temperature (LCST) behavior. When cooling gelatin aqueous solution in which osmotic pressure was not operated, only hydration of the copolymer progressed due to LCST transition. The optical path length of the SCB increased due to swelling by water and subsequently decreased due to dissolution. The structural color changed according to the change in optical path length. In cold pure water, in addition to the hydration, osmotic pressure was operated to induce an influx of the outer solvent and the resulting diameter change also affected the shell thickness. The structural color change was analyzed to reveal that the dissolution of the polymer had significant effect on the developed structural color.

The membrane phospholipid cardiolipin plays a pivotal role in bile acid adaptation by Lactobacillus gasseri JCM1131T

Bile acids exhibit strong antimicrobial activity as natural detergents, and are involved in lipid digestion and absorption. We investigated the mechanism of bile acid adaptation in Lactobacillus gasseri JCM1131^T. Exposure to sublethal concentrations of cholic acid (CA), a major bile acid in humans, resulted in development of resistance to otherwise-lethal concentrations of CA by this intestinal lactic acid bacterium. As this adaptation was accompanied by decreased cell-membrane damage, we analyzed the membrane lipid composition of L. gasseri. Although there was no difference in the proportions of glycolipids (~70%) and phospholipids (~20%), adaptation resulted in an increased abundance of long-sugar-chain glycolipids and a 100% increase in cardiolipin (CL) content (to ~50% of phospholipids) at the expense of phosphatidylglycerol (PG). In model vesicles, the resistance of PG vesicles to solubilization by CA increased with increasing CL/PG ratio. Deletion of the two putative CL synthase genes, the products of which are responsible for CL synthesis from PG, decreased the CL content of the mutants, but did not affect their ability to adapt to CA. Exposure to CA restored the CL content of the two single-deletion mutants, likely due to the activities of the remaining CL synthase. In contrast, the CL content of the double-deletion mutant was not restored, and the lipid composition was modified such that PG predominated (~45% of total lipids) at the expense of glycolipids. Therefore, CL plays important roles in bile acid resistance and maintenance of the membrane lipid composition in L. gasseri.

Photo-Activatable Akt Probe: A New Tool to Study the Akt-Dependent Physiopathology of Cancer Cells

Akt is commonly overexpressed and activated in cancer cells and plays a pivotal role in cell survival, protection, and chemoresistance. Therefore, Akt is one of the target molecules in understanding characters of cancer cells and developing anticancer drugs. Here we examined whether a newly developed photo-activatable Akt (PA-Akt) probe, based on a light-inducible protein interaction module of plant cryptochrome2 (CRY2) and cryptochrome-interacting basic helix–loop–helix (CIB1), can regulate Akt-associated cell functions. By illuminating blue light to the cells stably transfected with PA-Akt probe, CRY2-Akt (a fusion protein of CRY2 and Akt) underwent a structural change and interacted with Myr-CIBN (myristoylated N-terminal portion of CIB1), anchoring it at the cell membrane. Western blot analysis revealed that S473 and T308 of the Akt of probe-Akt were sequentially phosphorylated by intermittent and continuous light illumination. Endogenous Akt and GSK-3β, one of the main downstream signals of Akt, were also phosphorylated, depending on light intensity. These facts indicate that photo-activation of probe-Akt can activate endogenous Akt and its downstream signals. The photo-activated Akt conferred protection against nutritional deprivation and H₂O₂ stresses to the cells significantly. Using the newly developed PA-Akt probe, endogenous Akt was activated easily, transiently, and repeatedly. This probe will be a unique tool in studying Akt-associated specific cellular functions in cancer cells and developing anticancer drugs.

Detection of Necroptosis in Ligand-Mediated and Hypoxia-Induced Injury of Hepatocytes Using a Novel Optic Probe-Detecting Receptor-Interacting Protein (RIP)1/RIP3 Binding

Liver injury is often observed in various pathological conditions including posthepatectomy state and cancer chemotherapy. It occurs mainly as a consequence of the combined necrotic and apoptotic types of cell death. In order to study liver/hepatocyte injury by the necrotic type of cell death, we studied signal-regulated necrosis (necroptosis) by developing a new optic probe for detecting receptor-interacting protein kinase 1 (RIP)/RIP3 binding, an essential process for necroptosis induction. In the mouse hepatocyte cell line, TIB-73 cells, TNF-α/cycloheximide (T/C) induced RIP1/3 binding only when caspase activity was suppressed by the caspase-specific inhibitor z-VAD-fmk (zVAD). T/C/zVAD-induced RIP1/3 binding was inhibited by necrostatin-1 (Nec-1), an allosteric inhibitor of RIP1. The reduced cell survival by T/C/zVAD was improved by Nec-1. These facts indicate that T/C induces necroptosis of hepatocytes when the apoptotic pathway is inhibited/unavailable. FasL also induced cell death, which was only partially inhibited by zVAD, indicating the possible involvement of necroptosis rather than apoptosis. FasL activated caspase 3 and, similarly, induced RIP1/3 binding when the caspases were inactivated. Interestingly, FasL-induced RIP1/3 binding was significantly suppressed by the antioxidants Trolox and N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), suggesting the involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in FasL-induced necroptotic cellular processes. H₂O₂, by itself, induced RIP1/3 binding that was suppressed by Nec-1, but not by zVAD. Hypoxia induced RIP1/3 binding after reoxygenation, which was suppressed by Nec-1 or by the antioxidants. Cell death induced by hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) was also improved by Nec-1. Similar to H₂O₂, H/R did not require caspase inhibition for RIP1/3 binding, suggesting the involvement of a caspase-independent mechanism for non-ligand-induced and/or redox-mediated necroptosis. These data indicate that ROS can induce necroptosis and mediate the FasL- and hypoxia-induced necroptosis via a molecular mechanism that differs from a conventional caspase-dependent pathway. In conclusion, necroptosis is potentially involved in liver/hepatocyte injury induced by oxidative stress and FasL in the absence of apoptosis.

In Vitro and in Vivo Grafting of Xeno Pig Fetal Liver Fragments Using Ultrafiltration Membrane

Transplantation of xeno fetal liver fragments (FLF) could be an alternative or supplementary therapy for acute and chronic liver failure not resolved by routine medical therapies. However, the xenografts themselves are rejected by the host immune system. To overcome these problems, immunoisolate capsules with various cutoff points, from 50,000 (YM30) to 500,000 (ZM500) were tested for their protective effects on FLF graft survival. In an in vitro study, the capsule with the smallest cutoff size (YM30) had an excellent protective effect on the grafts it contained, and showed the lowest GOT values in the culture supernatant and the normal histological structure. In an in vivo study using rats, the same capsule enabled a FLF graft to survive as long as 21 days, even with severe IgG deposition on and within the graft. In another in vivo study, which used beagle dog, however, it did not improve the natural course of survival of the graft, which had totally degenerated by day 7. In conclusion, 1) Immunocapsules, especially those with the smallest cutoff values, impeded the infiltration of the (xeno) humoral attacking factor, but the blocking effect was not complete, as shown by the immunoglobulin (IgG) deposit on the grafts they contained. 2) The FLFs with capsules survived longer than those without capsules—only in rats, not in beagles. This difference may be attributable to the difference of the extent of humoral or nutritional response to the xenografts.

Dough and Breadmaking Properties of Wheat Flour Substituted by 10% with Germinated Quinoa Flour

Dough physical properties and baking quality of wheat flour substituted by 10% with non germinated quinoa flour (control), 24-h, 48-h and 72-h germinated quinoa flours were studied. The stability time and valorimeter value of the control and 24-h germinated quinoa flour substituted wheat flours were significantly longer and higher than those of 48-h and 72-h samples. The 10% substitution of germinated quinoa flour for wheat flour made distinctly harder dough than that of the control. The low amount of total and inner gas generations was observed for the 48-h and 72-h samples, as compared with those of the control and 24-h germinated quinoa samples. SEM observations showed that the gluten matrix of the control and 24-h germinated quinoa flour substituted wheat dough seemed to be more extended and more dispersed than those of 48-h and 72-h samples. The loaf volume of bread made from 24-h germinated quinoa flour substitution for wheat flour was the largest among the germinated samples; however, no significant differences were observed between the control and 24-h samples.

Antiviral Agents of Plant Origin. Antiherpetic Activity of Acacetin

The effect of acacetin isolated from Scoparia dulcis and several related flavonoids on herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) was studied in vitro by the method of plaque yield reduction. Among these compounds, acacetin was shown to be the most potent agent and caused dose-dependent inhibition of virus replication. Acacetin had a weak virucidal activity at higher concentrations. Analysis of early events following infection showed that attachment of the virus to host cells and penetration were unaffected by acacetin. Acacetin was found to exert strong inhibition of protein synthesis in virus-infected cells but not in uninfected cells. The transcription of immediate-early genes and translation of their transcripts were in particular almost stopped by acacetin even at a lower concentration. These selective effects can be attributed mainly to the antiviral activity of acacetin.

Bacterial Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids: Their Biosynthetic Genes, Functions, and Practical Use

The nutritional and pharmaceutical values of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) such as arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids have been well recognized. These LC-PUFAs are physiologically important compounds in bacteria and eukaryotes. Although little is known about the biosynthetic mechanisms and functions of LC-PUFAs in bacteria compared to those in higher organisms, a combination of genetic, bioinformatic, and molecular biological approaches to LC-PUFA-producing bacteria and some eukaryotes have revealed the notably diverse organization of the pfa genes encoding a polyunsaturated fatty acid synthase complex (PUFA synthase), the LC-PUFA biosynthetic processes, and tertiary structures of the domains of this enzyme. In bacteria, LC-PUFAs appear to take part in specific functions facilitating individual membrane proteins rather than in the adjustment of the physical fluidity of the whole cell membrane. Very long chain polyunsaturated hydrocarbons (LC-HCs) such as hentriacontanonaene are considered to be closely related to LC-PUFAs in their biosynthesis and function. The possible role of LC-HCs in strictly anaerobic bacteria under aerobic and anaerobic environments and the evolutionary relationships of anaerobic and aerobic bacteria carrying pfa-like genes are also discussed.

Elucidation of Softening Mechanism in Rinse Cycle Fabric Softeners. Part 1: Effect of Hydrogen Bonding

Most softening agents, such as rinse cycle fabric softeners, used by consumers at home contain cationic surfactants that have two long alkyl chains as their main component. The softening mechanism on fibers, especially cotton, has not yet been scientifically established, despite the market prevalence of fabric softeners for decades. One explanation for the softening effect is that the friction between fibers is reduced. According to this explanation, the fiber surfaces are coated by layers of alkyl chains. Because of the low coefficient of friction between alkyl chain layers of low surface energy, the fibers easily slide against one another yielding softer cotton clothing. However, no direct scientific evidence exists to prove the validity of this explanation. The softening mechanism of cotton yarn is discussed in this paper. Bending force values of cotton yarn treated with several concentrations of softener are measured by bend testing, and cotton and polyester yarns are compared. Results indicate that increases in cotton yarn hardness after natural drying are caused by cross-linking among inner fibers aided by bound water. This type of bound water has been known to exist even after 2 days of drying at 25 °C and 60 % relative humidity. Yarn dried in vacuo is soft, similar to that treated with softener. Thus, some of the softening effect caused by fabric softeners on cotton can be attributed to the prevention of cross-linking by bound water between cotton fibers.

p62/SQSTM1 plays a protective role in oxidative injury of steatotic liver in a mouse hepatectomy model

AIMS

Liver injury and regeneration involve complicated processes and are affected by various physio-pathological factors. We investigated the mechanisms of steatosis-associated liver injury and delayed regeneration in a mouse model of partial hepatectomy.

RESULTS

Initial regeneration of the steatotic liver was significantly delayed after hepatectomy. Although hepatocyte proliferation was not significantly suppressed, severe liver injury with oxidative stress (OS) occurred immediately after hepatectomy in the steatotic liver. Fas-ligand (FasL)/Fas expression was upregulated in the steatotic liver, whereas the expression of antioxidant and anti-apoptotic molecules (catalase/MnSOD/Ref-1 and Bcl-2/Bcl-xL/FLIP, respectively) and p62/SQSTM1, a steatosis-associated protein, was downregulated. Interestingly, pro-survival Akt was not activated in response to hepatectomy, although it was sufficiently expressed even before hepatectomy. Suppression of p62/SQSTM1 increased FasL/Fas expression and reduced nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor-2 (Nrf-2)-dependent antioxidant response elements activity and antioxidant responses in steatotic and nonsteatotic hepatocytes. Exogenously added FasL induced severe cellular OS and necrosis/apoptosis in steatotic hepatocytes, with only the necrosis being inhibited by pretreatment with antioxidants, suggesting that FasL/Fas-induced OS mainly leads to necrosis. Furthermore, p62/SQSTM1 re-expression in the steatotic liver markedly reduced liver injury and improved liver regeneration.

INNOVATION

This study is the first which demonstrates that reduced expression of p62/SQSTM1 plays a crucial role in posthepatectomy acute injury and delayed regeneration of steatotic liver, mainly via redox-dependent mechanisms.

CONCLUSION

In the steatotic liver, reduced expression of p62/SQSTM1 induced FasL/Fas overexpression and suppressed antioxidant genes, mainly through Nrf-2 inactivation, which, along with the hypo-responsiveness of Akt, caused posthepatectomy necrotic/apoptotic liver injury and delayed regeneration, both mainly via a redox-dependent mechanism.

Catenisphaera adipataccumulans gen. nov., sp. nov., a member of the family Erysipelotrichaceae isolated from an anaerobic digester

An obligately anaerobic bacterium, designated strain GK12(T), was isolated from an anaerobic digester in Fukagawa, Hokkaido Prefecture, Japan. The cells of strain GK12(T) were non-motile, non-spore-forming cocci that commonly occurred in chains. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain GK12(T) was affiliated with the family Erysipelotrichaceae in the phylum Firmicutes and showed 91.8 % sequence similarity to the most closely related species, Faecalicoccus acidiformans. The strain grew at 30-50 °C (optimally at 40 °C) and at pH 5.5-8.5 (optimally at pH 7.5). The main end product of glucose fermentation was lactate. Yeast extract was required for growth. The strain contained C14 : 0, C14 : 0 1,1-dimethoxyalkane (DMA), C16 : 0 DMA and C18 : 0 DMA as the major cellular fatty acids (>10 % of the total). The polar lipid profile was composed of phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylinositol and an unidentified phospholipid. The whole-cell sugars were galactose, rhamnose and ribose. The cell-wall murein contained alanine, glutamic acid, lysine, serine and threonine, but not diaminopimelic acid. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 47.7 mol%. Based on phenotypic, phylogenetic and chemotaxonomic properties, a novel genus and species, Catenisphaera adipataccumulans gen. nov., sp. nov., is proposed to accommodate strain GK12(T) ( = NBRC 108915(T) = DSM 25799(T)).

Role of fatty acid synthase in the development of Dictyostelium discoideum

Fatty acids are fundamental cellular components, and provide essential building blocks for membrane biosynthesis. Although the use of gene knockout mutants is a robust method for examining the function of specific cellular metabolic networks, fatty acid synthase knockout mutants are extremely difficult to isolate. In the Dictyostelium discoideum genome, we found two putative fatty acid synthase genes, and we created a knockout mutant for one of them to examine the physiological consequences. In this study, we found that a continuous fatty acid supply was necessary for normal development, and the fatty acid synthase knockout mutant showed severe developmental delay. This developmental defect was corrected in chimeras composed of wild type cells and knockout mutant cells (3:7, respectively). The knockout mutant also showed aberrant expression of fatty acid biosynthesis genes. These results showed that D. discoideum needs correct fatty acid synthesis for normal development.

Expression and characterization of a class III alcohol dehydrogenase gene from Gluconobacter frateurii in the presence of methanol during glyceric acid production from glycerol

Some acetic acid bacteria have been shown to produce large amounts of glyceric acid (GA) from glycerol, which is a by-product of biodiesel fuel (BDF) production. Previously, a Gluconobacter strain was found that produced decreased amounts of GA from glycerol in the presence of methanol, a major ingredient of raw glycerol derived from the BDF industry. Thus, a comparative transcriptome analysis of Gluconobacter frateurii NBRC103465 was performed to investigate changes in gene expression during GA production from glycerol in the presence of methanol. Cells grown with methanol showed upregulated expression of a class III alcohol dehydrogenase homolog (adhC(Gf)) and decreased GA production. adhC(Gf) was cloned and expressed heterologously in Escherichia coli, and the presence of an additional protein with an approximate molecular mass of 39 kDa in the cytosol of the recombinant E. coli cells was identified by SDS-PAGE. Activity measurements of the cytosol revealed that the translational product of adhC(Gf) exhibited formaldehyde dehydrogenase activity in the presence of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide and glutathione. Gluconobacter frateurii cells grown in 1% methanol-containing glycerol were found to have fivefold higher formaldehyde dehydrogenase activity than cells grown without methanol, suggesting that adhC(Gf) in G. frateurii cells functions in the dissimilation of methanol-derived formaldehyde.

Change in product selectivity during the production of glyceric acid from glycerol by Gluconobacter strains in the presence of methanol

To enhance the value-added use of methanol-containing raw glycerol derived from biodiesel fuel production, the effect of methanol supplementation on glyceric acid (GA) production by Gluconobacter spp. was investigated. We first conducted fed-batch fermentation with Gluconobacter frateurii NBRC103465 using raw glycerol as a feeding solution. GA productivity decreased with increasing dihydroxyacetone (DHA) formation when the raw glycerol contained methanol. The results of this experiment and comparative experiments using a synthetic solution modeled after the raw glycerol indicate that the presence of methanol caused a change in the concentrations of GA and DHA, two glycerol derivatives produced during fermentation. Other Gluconobacter spp. also decreased GA production in the presence of 1% (v/v) methanol. In addition, purified membrane-bound alcohol dehydrogenase (mADH) from Gluconobacter oxydans, which is a key enzyme in GA production, showed a decrease in dehydrogenase activity toward glycerol as the methanol concentration increased. These results strongly suggest that the observed decrease in GA production by Gluconobacter spp. resulted from the methanol-induced inhibition of mADH-mediated glycerol oxidation.

Dose-saving isolation procedure in percutaneous ethanol sclerotherapy for venous malformations

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of an isolation technique during ethanol injection sclerotherapy for venous malformations (VMs) in the head and neck region.

METHODS

The subjects were 23 patients with 35 VM lesions in the head and neck, treated between 1999 and 2012. The mean lesion area was 3.75 ± 3.09 cm(2) (±standard deviation). We confirmed the contour of the lesions to be treated on a fully filled image on direct injection cisternography, and observed patterns of communicating drainage to systemic veins. The cisterns were evacuated by squeezing and were isolated by manual compression of the communicators. Ethanol (94.5%) with a contrast agent was then injected into both isolable and unisolable lesions, up to a total volume of 1 mL/cm(2), avoiding complications. We investigated the relationship between lesion size and injected ethanol dose, and also dose per unit area.

RESULTS

Both manual evacuation by compression and isolation were performed in 20 (57.1%) isolable lesions, but not in 15 unisolable lesions. The mean injected ethanol dose was 0.65 ± 0.31 mL/cm(2) overall, 0.70 ± 0.32 in isolable and 0.59 ± 0.30 in unisolable lesions (NS). However, the injected ethanol dose was significantly lower for lesions sized >6 cm. Complete to near-complete shrinkage was observed in all isolable lesions, and in 60% of unisolable lesions (P < 0.05). Clinical outcome seemed unrelated to the injected ethanol dose or the dose per unit area. There was one case of recurrence and one complication in the unisolable lesions. No further relapses or complications were observed during the follow-up period of 38.6 ± 12.3 months.

CONCLUSIONS

Clinical outcome was related to the isolability not to the injected dose. The isolation appears useful for improving the safety and effectiveness of ethanol sclerotherapy for VM.

Amphibacillus indicireducens sp. nov., an alkaliphile that reduces an indigo dye

Two indigo-reducing alkaliphilic strains, designated strain C40T and strain N214, were isolated from a fermented Polygonum Indigo (Polygonum tinctorium Lour.) liquor sample aged for 10 months and obtained from Date City, Hokkaido, Japan. 16S rRNA gene sequence phylogeny suggested that strains C40T and N214 were members of the genus Amphibacillus with the closest relative being Amphibacillus xylanus JCM 7361T (97.5 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with strain C40T), which is the only strain having a 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity higher than 97 % with strain C40T. Cells of strain C40T were Gram-stain-positive, facultatively anaerobic, straight rods that were motile by means of peritrichous flagella. The strains grew between 17 and 39 °C (optimum, 35 °C) and in the pH range of 9.0–12.0. No isoprenoid quinone was detected and the DNA G+C content was 37.5–37.7 mol%. The whole-cell fatty acid profile mainly consisted of iso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C15 : 0. DNA–DNA hybridization of strain C40T with Amphibacillus xylanus JCM 7361T revealed a DNA–DNA relatedness value of 10±3 %. Owing to the differences in phenotypic characteristics and phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, as well as DNA–DNA relatedness data from reported species of the genus Amphibacillus , the isolates merit classification as a novel species in the genus Amphibacillus , for which the name Amphibacillus indicireducens sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is C40T ( = JCM 17250T = NCIMB 14686T). An additional strain of the species is N214. An emended description of the genus Amphibacillus is provided.