Dupuytren's contracture-associated SNPs increase SFRP4 expression in non-immune cells including fibroblasts to enhance inflammation development

Dupuytren's contracture (DC) is an inflammatory fibrosis characterized by fibroproliferative disorders of the palmar aponeurosis, for which there is no effective treatment. Although several genome-wide association studies have identified risk alleles associated with DC, the functional linkage between these alleles and the pathogenesis remains elusive. We here focused on two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with DC, rs16879765 and rs17171229, in secreted frizzled related protein 4 (SFRP4). We investigated the association of SRFP4 with the IL-6 amplifier, which amplifies the production of IL-6, growth factors and chemokines in non-immune cells and aggravates inflammatory diseases via NF-κB enhancement. Knockdown of SFRP4 suppressed activation of the IL-6 amplifier in vitro and in vivo, whereas the overexpression of SFRP4 induced the activation of NF-κB-mediated transcription activity. Mechanistically, SFRP4 induced NF-κB activation by directly binding to molecules of the ubiquitination SFC complex, such as IkBα and βTrCP, followed by IkBα degradation. Furthermore, SFRP4 expression was significantly increased in fibroblasts derived from DC patients bearing the risk alleles. Consistently, fibroblasts with the risk alleles enhanced activation of the IL-6 amplifier. These findings indicate that the IL-6 amplifier is involved in the pathogenesis of DC, particularly in patients harboring the SFRP4 risk alleles. Therefore, SFRP4 is a potential therapeutic target for various inflammatory diseases and disorders, including DC.

Type XVII collagen interacts with the aPKC-PAR complex and maintains epidermal cell polarity

Type XVII collagen (COL17) is a transmembrane protein expressed in the basal epidermis. COL17 serves as a niche for epidermal stem cells, and although its reduction has been implicated in altering cell polarity and ageing of the epidermis, it is unknown how COL17 affects epidermal cell polarity. Here, we uncovered COL17 as a binding partner of the aPKC-PAR complex, which is a key regulating factor of cell polarity. Immunoprecipitation-immunoblot assay and protein-protein binding assay revealed that COL17 interacts with aPKC and PAR3. COL17 deficiency or epidermis-specific aPKCλ deletion destabilized PAR3 distribution in the epidermis, while aPKCζ knockout did not. Asymmetrical cell division was pronounced in COL17-null neonatal paw epidermis. These results show that COL17 is pivotal for maintaining epidermal cell polarity. Our study highlights the previously unrecognized role of COL17 in the basal keratinocytes.

Epithelial-specific histone modification of the miR-96/182 locus targeting AMAP1 mRNA predisposes p53 to suppress cell invasion in epithelial cells

Background

TP53 mutations in cancer cells often evoke cell invasiveness, whereas fibroblasts show invasiveness in the presence of intact TP53. AMAP1 (also called DDEF1 or ASAP1) is a downstream effector of ARF6 and is essential for the ARF6-driven cell-invasive phenotype. We found that AMAP1 levels are under the control of p53 (TP53 gene product) in epithelial cells but not in fibroblasts, and here addressed that molecular basis of the epithelial-specific function of p53 in suppressing invasiveness via targeting AMAP1.

Methods

Using MDA-MB-231 cells expressing wild-type and p53 mutants, we identified miRNAs in which their expression is controlled by normal-p53. Among them, we identified miRNAs that target AMAP1 mRNA, and analyzed their expression levels and epigenetic statuses in epithelial cells and nonepithelial cells.

Results

We found that normal-p53 suppresses AMAP1 mRNA in cancer cells and normal epithelial cells, and that more than 30 miRNAs are induced by normal-p53. Among them, miR-96 and miR-182 were found to target the 3′-untranslated region of AMAP1 mRNA. Fibroblasts did not express these miRNAs at detectable levels. The ENCODE dataset demonstrated that the promoter region of the miR-183-96-182 cistron is enriched with H3K27 acetylation in epithelial cells, whereas this locus is enriched with H3K27 trimethylation in fibroblasts and other non-epithelial cells. miRNAs, such as miR-423, which are under the control of p53 but not associated with AMAP1 mRNA, demonstrated similar histone modifications at their gene loci in epithelial cells and fibroblasts, and were expressed in these cells.

Conclusion

Histone modifications of certain miRNA loci, such as the miR-183-96-182 cistron, are different between epithelial cells and non-epithelial cells. Such epithelial-specific miRNA regulation appears to provide the molecular basis for the epithelial-specific function of p53 in suppressing ARF6-driven invasiveness.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12964-018-0302-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Necessity of p53-binding to the CDH1 locus for its expression defines two epithelial cell types differing in their integrity

TP53 mutation (i.e., loss of normal-p53) may evoke epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), which was previously attributed to loss of certain miRNAs. However, not all epithelial cells undergo EMT upon TP53 mutation, and the p53-miRNA axis may not fully explain p53 function in epithelial integrity. We here show two modes of epithelial integrity: one involves p53-binding to a nucleotide region and the other does not. In the former, p53 binds to the CDH1 (encoding E-cadherin) locus to antagonize EZH2-mediated H3K27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) to maintain high levels of acetylation of H3K27 (H3K27ac). In the latter, the same locus is not highly acetylated at H3K27, and does not allow p53-binding, nor needs to antagonize EZH2. We moreover demonstrated that although the CDH1 locus in the p53-independent cells, but not in fibroblasts, becomes high-H3K27ac by butyrate and allows p53-biniding, their CDH1 expression does not become dependent on p53. Our results identified novel modes of the epithelial integrity, in which the same epithelial-specific gene locus exhibits different requirement for p53 with different histone modifications among different epithelial cells to warrant its expression.

Frequent overexpression of AMAP1, an Arf6 effector in cell invasion, is characteristic of the MMTV-PyMT rather than the MMTV-Neu human breast cancer model

Background

The small GTPase Arf6 and its downstream effector AMAP1 (also called ASAP1/DDEF1) constitute a signaling pathway promoting cell invasion, in which AMAP1 interacts with several different proteins, including PRKD2, EPB41L5, paxillin, and cortactin. Components of this pathway are often overexpressed in human breast cancer cells, to be correlated with poor prognosis of the patients, whereas overexpression of the Arf6 pathway did not correlate with the four main molecular classes of human breast tumors. In this pathway, receptor tyrosine kinases, including EGFR and Her2, activate Arf6 via GEP100. MMTV-PyMT mice and MMTV-Neu mice are well-established models of human breast cancer, and exhibit the early dissemination and the lung metastasis, by utilizing protein tyrosine phosphorylation for oncogenesis. PyMT-tumors and Neu-tumors are known to have overlapping gene expression profiles, which primarily correspond to the luminal B-type of human mammary tumors, although they differ in the time necessary for tumor onset and metastasis. Given the common usage of protein tyrosine phosphorylation, as well as the frequent use of these animal models for studying breast cancer at the molecular level, we here investigated whether mammary tumors in these mouse models utilize the Arf6-based pathway for invasion.

Methods

Expression levels of Arf6, AMAP1, and GEP100 were analyzed in PyMT-tumors and Neu-tumors by western blotting. Expression of Arf6 and AMAP1 was also analyzed by immunohistochemistry. The involvement of AMAP1 in invasion, and the possible correlation of its high expression levels with cancer mesenchymal properties were also investigated.

Results

We found that PyMT-tumors, but not Neu-tumors, frequently overexpress AMAP1 and use it for invasion, whereas both types of tumors expressed Arf6 and GEP100 at different levels. High levels of the AMAP1 expression among PyMT-tumor cells were frequently correlated with loss of the epithelial marker CK8 and also with expression of the mesenchymal marker vimentin both at the primary sites and at sites of the lung metastases.

Conclusions

PyMT-tumors appear to frequently utilize the Arf6-based invasive machinery, whereas Neu-tumors do not. Our results suggest that MMTV-PyMT mice, rather than MMTV-Neu mice, are useful to study the Arf6-based mammary tumor malignancies, as a representative model of human breast cancer.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12964-017-0212-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Zingiberis Siccatum Rhizoma, the active component of the Kampo formula Daikenchuto, induces anti-inflammatory actions through α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor activation

BACKGROUND

We previously reported that Daikenchuto (DKT), a gastrointestinal prokinetic Japanese herbal (Kampo) medicine used for the treatment of postoperative ileus (POI), has characteristic potent anti-inflammatory activity. This effect may be partly mediated by the activation of α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). In this study, we identified the specific herbs in DKT that induce anti-inflammatory action.

METHODS

The herbal components of DKT were individually administered orally to each mouse four times before and after intestinal manipulation (IM) was carried out on the distal ileum. The anti-inflammatory activity of each crude drug was subsequently evaluated using immunohistochemical analyses of relevant molecules.

KEY RESULTS

Treatment with Zingiberis Siccatum Rhizoma (ZSR) but not the other components inhibited the infiltration of cluster of differentiation 68 (CD68)-positive macrophages as effectively as DKT treatment. Selective α7nAChR antagonists, such as methyllycaconitine citrate, or transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) antagonists, such as HC-030031, significantly inhibited the amelioration of macrophage infiltration by ZSR. The inhibition of macrophage infiltration by ZSR was abolished in both α7nAChR and 5-hydroxytryptamine 4 receptor (5-HT₄ R) knockout mice.

CONCLUSIONS & INFERENCES

Daikenchuto-induced anti-inflammatory activity, which was mediated by inhibiting macrophage infiltration in POI, is dependent on the effects of ZSR. Zingiberis Siccatum Rhizoma activates TRPA1 channels possibly in enterochromaffin (EC) cells to release 5-HT, which stimulates 5-HT₄ R in the myenteric plexus neurons to release ACh, which in turn activates α7nAChR on macrophages to inhibit inflammation in POI.

ARF1 recruits RAC1 to leading edge in neutrophil chemotaxis

BACKGROUND

The small GTPase ARF1 mediates membrane trafficking mostly from the Golgi, and is essential for the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR)-mediated chemotaxis of neutrophils. In this process, ARF1 is activated by the guanine nucleotide exchanger GBF1, and is inactivated by the GTPase-activating protein GIT2. Neutrophils generate the Gβγ-PAK1-αPIX-GIT2 linear complex during GPCR-induced chemotaxis, in which αPIX activates RAC1/CDC42, which then employs PAK1. However, it has remained unclear as to why GIT2 is included in this complex.

RESULTS

We investigated the association between ARF1 and RAC1/CDC42 during the fMLP-stimulated chemotaxis of HL60 cells. We found that the silencing of GBF1 significantly impaired the recruitment of RAC1 to the leading edges, but not PAK1, αPIX, RAC2, or CDC42. A significant population of RAC1 colocalized with ARF1 at the leading edges in stimulated cells, whereas fMLP activated both ARF1 and ARF5. Consistently, the silencing of ARF1, but not ARF5, impaired the recruitment of RAC1, whereas the silencing of RAC1 did not affect the recruitment of ARF1 to the leading edges.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results indicated that the activation of ARF1 triggers the plasma membrane recruitment of RAC1 in GPCR-mediated chemotaxis, which is essential for cortical actin remodeling. Thus, membrane remodeling at the leading edges appears to precede actin remodeling in chemotaxis. Together with the fact that GIT2, which inactivates ARF1, is an integral component of the machinery activating RAC1, we proposed a model in which the ARF1-RAC1 linkage enables the regulation of ARF1 by repetitive on/off cycles during GPCR-mediated neutrophil chemotaxis.

Accelerated anaerobic release of K, Mg and P from surplus activated sludge for element recovery and struvite formation inhibition

Accelerated release of potassium (K), magnesium (Mg) and phosphorus (P) from surplus activated sludge (SAS) was investigated to develop a new system for the recovery of the elements. Anaerobic cultivation of SAS during 24 h released 78% of K and about 50% of Mg and P from SAS more effectively compared to aerobic cultivation (K: 40%, Mg: 15%, P: 15%). Furthermore, the addition of sodium acetate as an organic carbon source remarkably accelerated the release of K, Mg and P from SAS under anaerobic condition. However, no increase in the maximum release efficiencies was observed. The elements released from SAS could be transferred to separate liquid with the existing mechanical thickener and be recovered as MgKPO₄ by some additional process. Furthermore, the removal of the elements from SAS would inhibit the formation of struvite causing the blockage of sludge transport pipe after anaerobic digestion process of thickened sludge.

High expression of EPB41L5, an integral component of the Arf6-driven mesenchymal program, correlates with poor prognosis of squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue

Background

Squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue (tongue SCC) is a major subtype of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), which is an intractable cancer under current therapeutics. ARF6 and its effector AMAP1 are often overexpressed in different types of cancers, such as breast cancer and renal cancer, and in these cancers, AMAP1 binds to EPB41L5 to promote invasion, metastasis, and drug resistance. EPB41L5 is a mesenchymal-specific protein, normally induced during epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) to promote focal adhesion dynamics. Similarly to breast cancer and renal cancer, the acquisition of mesenchymal phenotypes is the key process that drives the malignancy of HNSCC. We previously showed that the overexpression of AMAP1 in tongue SCC is statistically correlated with the poor outcome of patients. In this study, we examined whether tongue SCC also expresses EPB41L5 at high levels.

Results

Immunohistochemical staining of clinical specimens of tongue SCC demonstrated that high expression levels of EPB41L5 statistically correlate with poor disease-free survival and poor overall survival rates of patients. The tongue SCC cell line SCC-9, which overexpress Arf6 and AMAP1, also expressed EPB41L5 at high levels to promote invasiveness, whereas the weakly invasive SCC-25 cells did not express EPB41L5 at notable levels. Among the different EMT-associated transcriptional factors, ZEB1 was previously found to be most crucial in inducing EPB41L5 in breast cancer and renal cancer. In contrast, expression levels of ZEB1 did not correlate with the expression levels of EPB41L5 in tongue SCC, whereas KLF8 and FOXO3 levels showed positive correlations with EPB41L5 levels. Moreover, silencing of EPB41L5 only marginally improved the drug resistance of SCC-9 cells, even when coupled with ionizing radiation.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that activation of the cancer mesenchymal program in tongue SCC, which leads to EPB41L5 expression, closely correlates with the poor prognosis of patients. However, ZEB1 was not the major inducer of EPB41L5 in tongue SCC, unlike in breast cancer and renal cancer. Thus, processes that trigger the mesenchymal program of tongue SCC, which drives their malignancies, seem to be substantially different from those of other cancers.

Tumor responsiveness to statins requires overexpression of the ARF6 pathway

The mevalonate pathway results in the prenylation of small GTPases, which are pivotal for oncogenesis and cancer malignancies. However, inhibitors of this pathway, such as statins, have not necessarily produced favorable results in clinical trials. We recently identified properties of statin responders, together with the underlying molecular mechanisms and simple biomarkers to predict these responders.

ZEB1 induces EPB41L5 in the cancer mesenchymal program that drives ARF6-based invasion, metastasis and drug resistance

Onset of the cancer mesenchymal program is closely associated with cancer malignancy and drug resistance. Among the different epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated transcriptional factors, ZEB1 has a key role in inducing the mesenchymal phenotypes and stem cell-like properties of different breast cancer cells. ARF6 and its effector AMAP1 are frequently overexpressed in breast cancer cells, and promote invasion, metastasis and drug resistance. EPB41L5 is induced during EMT, and mediates the disruption of E-cadherin-based cell–cell adhesion and the promotion of focal adhesion dynamics. Here we show that EPB41L5 is an integral component of the ARF6-based pathway, which is induced by ZEB1. We found that EPB41L5 is expressed at high levels in malignant breast cancer cells and binds to AMAP1. ZEB1 induced EPB41L5 both in cancer cells and normal cells. This relationship was recaptured with The Cancer Genome Atlas RNASeq data set, and correlated with the poor outcome of the patients. In contrast, diversified events, such as tumor growth factor β1 stimulation, expression of SNAI1 and TP53 mutation, can each cause the induction of ZEB1 and EPB41L5, depending on the cellular context. Our results demonstrated that the ZEB1-EPB41L5 axis is at the core of the cancer mesenchymal program that drives ARF6-based invasion, metastasis and drug resistance of significant populations of primary breast cancers, and is tightly correlated with the poor outcomes of patients.

P53- and mevalonate pathway-driven malignancies require Arf6 for metastasis and drug resistance

Drug resistance, metastasis, and a mesenchymal transcriptional program are central features of aggressive breast tumors. The GTPase Arf6, often overexpressed in tumors, is critical to promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition and invasiveness. The metabolic mevalonate pathway (MVP) is associated with tumor invasiveness and known to prenylate proteins, but which prenylated proteins are critical for MVP-driven cancers is unknown. We show here that MVP requires the Arf6-dependent mesenchymal program. The MVP enzyme geranylgeranyl transferase II (GGT-II) and its substrate Rab11b are critical for Arf6 trafficking to the plasma membrane, where it is activated by receptor tyrosine kinases. Consistently, mutant p53, which is known to support tumorigenesis via MVP, promotes Arf6 activation via GGT-II and Rab11b. Inhibition of MVP and GGT-II blocked invasion and metastasis and reduced cancer cell resistance against chemotherapy agents, but only in cells overexpressing Arf6 and components of the mesenchymal program. Overexpression of Arf6 and mesenchymal proteins as well as enhanced MVP activity correlated with poor patient survival. These results provide insights into the molecular basis of MVP-driven malignancy.

A novel phthalimide derivative, TC11, has preclinical effects on high-risk myeloma cells and osteoclasts

Despite the recent advances in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), MM patients with high-risk cytogenetic changes such as t(4;14) translocation or deletion of chromosome 17 still have extremely poor prognoses. With the goal of helping these high-risk MM patients, we previously developed a novel phthalimide derivative, TC11. Here we report the further characterization of TC11 including anti-myeloma effects in vitro and in vivo, a pharmacokinetic study in mice, and anti-osteoclastogenic activity. Intraperitoneal injections of TC11 significantly delayed the growth of subcutaneous tumors in human myeloma-bearing SCID mice. Immunohistochemical analyses showed that TC11 induced apoptosis of MM cells in vivo. In the pharmacokinetic analyses, the C_max was 2.1 μM at 1 h after the injection of TC11, with 1.2 h as the half-life. TC11 significantly inhibited the differentiation and function of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive multinucleated osteoclasts in mouse osteoclast cultures using M-CSF and RANKL. We also revealed that TC11 induced the apoptosis of myeloma cells accompanied by α-tubulin fragmentation. In addition, TC11 and lenalidomide, another phthalimide derivative, directly bound to nucleophosmin 1 (NPM1), whose role in MM is unknown. Thus, through multiple molecular interactions, TC11 is a potentially effective drug for high-risk MM patients with bone lesions. The present results suggest the possibility of the further development of novel thalidomide derivatives by drug designing.

Superovulatory response in Japanese Black cows receiving a single subcutaneous porcine follicle-stimulating hormone treatment or six intramuscular treatments over three days

To reduce labor for superovulation treatment by twice-daily intramuscular (im) administration of FSH for more than 3 to 4 days, we investigated the superovulatory responses of Japanese Black cows to porcine FSH (pFSH) used as a single subcutaneous (sc) administration at two different doses in two different volumes of saline. In experiment 1, 20 Armour units (AU) of pFSH dissolved in either 10 mL (treatment A; n = 14) or 50 mL (treatment B; n = 14) of saline was administered subcutaneously in the neck region. In experiment 2, 30 AU of pFSH dissolved in either 10 mL (treatment C; n = 15) or 50 mL (treatment D; n = 15) of saline was administered subcutaneously in the neck region. The control animals in experiment 1 (n = 14) and experiment 2 (n = 15) received 20 AU of pFSH administered intramuscularly twice daily in decreasing doses for more than 3 days. In experiment 1, mean (±SEM) numbers of CL (15.4 ± 2.5, 18.1 ± 3.4, and 17.2 ± 2.6), total number of ova and embryos (12.9 ± 1.4, 15.9 ± 3.5, and 16.2 ± 2.8), and transferable embryos (7.5 ± 2.0, 10.4 ± 2.8, and 8.0 ± 2.1) did not differ among treatments A, B, and control. In experiment 2, mean (±SEM) numbers of CL (20.5 ± 4.3, 20.4 ± 2.7, and 20.1 ± 3.4), total number of ova and embryos (21.7 ± 4.2, 17.3 ± 3.4, and 16.5 ± 3.2), and transferable embryos (8.1 ± 1.6, 9.3 ± 2.2, and 9.5 ± 1.9) did not differ among treatments C, D, and control. Although there were no differences in serum pFSH concentrations among the three treatments at each of the time points in experiment 1, in experiment 2, the serum pFSH concentration at 6 and 8 hours after pFSH administration in treatment C (3.1 ± 0.8, 2.7 ± 0.5 ng/mL, mean ± SEM) was significantly greater (P < 0.05) than in the control (0.7 ± 0.1, 1.1 ± 0.2 ng/mL). At 10 hours after administration, the pFSH concentration had decreased and there were no differences among the three treatments at subsequent time points. These results suggest that increasing the volume of saline or the dose of pFSH does not affect the absorption pattern of pFSH administered as a single sc administration. In conclusions, single sc administration of pFSH at a dose of 20 or 30 AU dissolved in 10 or 50 mL of saline is able to induce a superovulatory response comparable with that obtained by twice-daily im administration in Japanese Black cows.

Acquired expression of NFATc1 downregulates E-cadherin and promotes cancer cell invasion

NFATc1 is a transcription factor that regulates T-cell development, osteoclastogenesis, and macrophage function. Given that T cells, osteoclasts, and macrophages in the tumor microenvironment are thought to modulate tumor progression, tumor cells may acquire NFATc1 expression through fusion with these NFATc1-expressing normal cells. We here revealed that a small proportion of tumor cells in human carcinoma specimens expressed NFATc1. To investigate the consequences of NFATc1 acquisition by tumor cells, we established A549 and MCF7 cell lines expressing a constitutively active form of NFATc1 (NFATc1CA) in an inducible manner. The expression of NFATc1CA promoted cancer cell invasion in association with changes in cell morphology. Analysis of gene expression and RNA interference experiments revealed that NFATc1CA suppressed E-cadherin expression by upregulating the transcriptional repressors Snail and Zeb1 in a manner independent of TGF-β signaling. Induced expression of NFATc1CA also downregulated E-cadherin expression and increased invasive activity in tumor xenografts in vivo. Our results thus suggest that the acquisition of NFATc1 expression contributes to tumor progression.

Possible role of IRTKS in Tks5-driven osteoclast fusion

Podosomes and invadopodia seen in osteoclasts and cancer cells, respectively, are actin-rich membrane protrusions. We recently demonstrated that an adaptor protein, Tks5, which is an established regulator of invadopodia in cancer cells, drives osteoclast-osteoclast fusion as well as osteoclast-cancer cell fusion by generating circumferential podosomes/invadopodia. This finding revealed an unexpected potential of podosomes/invadopodia to act as fusion-competent protrusions. Fusion of biological membranes involves the intricate orchestration of various proteins and lipids. Recent literature suggests the importance of membrane curvature formation in lipid bilayer fusion. In this study, we investigated the expression of Bin-Amphiphysin-Rvs161/167 (BAR) domain superfamily proteins, which have membrane deforming activity, during osteoclastogenesis. We found that IRTKS was specifically induced during osteoclast fusion and interacted with Tks5, suggesting the role of IRTKS in the formation of fusion-competent protrusions via its BAR domain.

IRSp53 mediates podosome formation via VASP in NIH-Src cells

Podosomes are cellular “feet,” characterized by F-actin-rich membrane protrusions, which drive cell migration and invasion into the extracellular matrix. Small GTPases that regulate the actin cytoskeleton, such as Cdc42 and Rac are central regulators of podosome formation. The adaptor protein IRSp53 contains an I-BAR domain that deforms membranes into protrusions and binds to Rac, a CRIB motif that interacts with Cdc42, an SH3 domain that binds to many actin cytoskeletal regulators with proline-rich peptides including VASP, and the C-terminal variable region by splicing. However, the role of IRSp53 and VASP in podosome formation had been unclear. Here we found that the knockdown of IRSp53 by RNAi attenuates podosome formation and migration in Src-transformed NIH3T3 (NIH-Src) cells. Importantly, the differences in the IRSp53 C-terminal splicing isoforms did not affect podosome formation. Overexpression of IRSp53 deletion mutants suggested the importance of linking small GTPases to SH3 binding partners. Interestingly, VASP physically interacted with IRSp53 in NIH-Src cells and was essential for podosome formation. These data highlight the role of IRSp53 as a linker of small GTPases to VASP for podosome formation.

Regulation of osteoclasts by membrane-derived lipid mediators

Osteoclasts are bone-resorbing cells of monocytic origin. An imbalance between bone formation and resorption can lead to osteoporosis or osteopetrosis. Osteoclastogenesis is triggered by RANKL- and IP3-induced Ca²⁺ influx followed by activation of NFATc1, a master transcription factor for osteoclastogenic gene regulation. During differentiation, osteoclasts undergo cytoskeletal remodeling to migrate and attach to the bone surface. Simultaneously, they fuse with each other to form multinucleated cells. These processes require PI3-kinase-dependent cytoskeletal protein activation to initiate cytoskeletal remodeling, resulting in the formation of circumferential podosomes and fusion-competent protrusions. In multinucleated osteoclasts, circumferential podosomes mature into stabilized actin rings, which enables the formation of a ruffled border where intensive membrane trafficking is executed. Membrane lipids, especially phosphoinositides, are key signaling molecules that regulate osteoclast morphology and act as second messengers and docking sites for multiple important effectors. We examine the critical roles of phosphoinositides in the signaling cascades that regulate osteoclast functions.

Tks5-dependent formation of circumferential podosomes/invadopodia mediates cell-cell fusion

Tks5, a master regulator of invadopodia in cancer cells, is also crucial for osteoclast cell–cell fusion.

Osteoclasts fuse to form multinucleated cells during osteoclastogenesis. This process is mediated by dynamic rearrangement of the plasma membrane and cytoskeleton, and it requires numerous factors, many of which have been identified. The underlying mechanism remains obscure, however. In this paper, we show that Tks5, a master regulator of invadopodia in cancer cells, is crucial for osteoclast fusion downstream of phosphoinositide 3-kinase and Src. Expression of Tks5 was induced during osteoclastogenesis, and prevention of this induction impaired both the formation of circumferential podosomes and osteoclast fusion without affecting cell differentiation. Tyrosine phosphorylation of Tks5 was attenuated in Src^−/− osteoclasts, likely accounting for defects in podosome organization and multinucleation in these cells. Circumferential invadopodia formation in B16F0 melanoma cells was also accompanied by Tks5 phosphorylation. Co-culture of B16F0 cells with osteoclasts in an inflammatory milieu promoted the formation of melanoma–osteoclast hybrid cells. Our results thus reveal an unexpected link between circumferential podosome/invadopodium formation and cell–cell fusion in and beyond osteoclasts.

Temporal evolution of exposure to mercury in riverside communities in the Tapajós basin, from 1994 to 2010

Our objective was to evaluate the temporal evolution of mercury exposure in two riverside communities, Barreiras and São Luiz do Tapajós, downstream of gold mining areas in the Tapajós basin, Brazilian Amazon. The quantification of mercury in hair sample was made by atomic absorption spectrophotometry in the period between 1994 and 2010. In São Luiz do Tapajós the mercury exposure varied, in log units, from the peak of 1.21 ± 0.03 μg/g in 1996 to 1.16 ± 0.07 μg/g in 2007. Mercury exposure in Barreiras varied, in log units, from 1.25 ± 0.04 μg/g in 1994 to 1 ± 0.03 μg/g in 2010, peaking in 1995 at 1.25 ± 0.06 μg/g. Total mercury concentration found in both communities had no statistical differences across the years (p > 0.05) and they were higher than non-mercury exposed communities in Brazil and in South America. We concluded that the mercury exposure in the Tapajós basin is more than regulatory levels or higher than the general population.

Antidepressant-like Effect of l-perillaldehyde in Stress-induced Depression-like Model Mice through Regulation of the Olfactory Nervous System

Perillae Herba (a leaf of Perilla frutescens) has been prescribed as one of the component herbs in certain Kampo (Japanese herbal) medicines that are used clinically for the improvement of depressive mood. l-Perillaldehyde (PAH) is a major component in the essential oil containing in Perillae Herba, but its antidepressant-like effect has not been reported. To clarify the antidepressant-like effect of PAH, the inhaled effect of PAH on stress-induced depression-like model mice prepared by subjection to a combination of forced swimming and chronic mild stresses was investigated. The degree of the depression-like state was measured by the animal's duration of immobility using a forced swimming test. Inhalation of PAH (0.0965 and 0.965 mg/mouse/day, 9 days) significantly shortened the duration of immobility of the depression-like model mice and did not affect locomotor activity. However, another odor substance, cinnamaldehyde containing in Cinnamomi Cortex, exhibited no reduction in the immobility. The reduction in the immobility induced by the inhalation of PAH was prevented on anosmia-induced mice prepared by intranasal irrigation with zinc sulfate. These results suggest that the inhalation of PAH shows antidepressant-like activity through the olfactory nervous function.

Membrane lipids in invadopodia and podosomes: key structures for cancer invasion and metastasis

Invadopodia are extracellular matrix (ECM)-degrading protrusions formed by invasive cancer cells. Podosomes are structures functionally similar to invadopodia that are found in oncogene-transformed fibroblasts and monocyte-derived cells, including macrophages and osteoclasts. These structures are thought to play important roles in the pericellular remodeling of ECM during cancer invasion and metastasis. Much effort has been directed toward identification of the molecular components and regulators of invadopodia/podosomes, which could be therapeutic targets in the treatment of malignant cancers. However, it remains largely unknown how these components are assembled into invadopodia/podosomes and how the assembly process is spatially and temporally regulated. This review will summarize recent progress on the molecular mechanisms of invadopodia/podosome formation, with strong emphasis on the roles of lipid rafts and phosphoinositides.

319 SUPEROVULATORY RESPONSE IN JAPANESE BLACK CATTLE BY A SINGLE SUBCUTANEOUS ADMINISTRATION OF PURE FOLLICLE-STIMULATING HORMONE DISSOLVED IN SALINE

The objective of this study was to evaluate the superovulatory response to a single SC administration of pFSH (Antrin R-10) dissolved in saline in Japanese Black cattle. Forty Japanese Black cows were divided into 5 groups. All cows received a progesterone releasing intravaginal device (PRID) at a random stage of the oestrous cycle except the day of oestrus (Day 0). Superovulatory treatments were initiated on Day 4 with single SC administration of 20 AU pFSH dissolved in 10 mL of saline (Group A) or 50 mL of saline (Group B), or 30 AU pFSH dissolved in 10 mL of saline (Group C) or 50 mL of saline (Group D). Conventional superovulatory treatment (Group E) was also initiated on Day 4 with 20 AU pFSH in decreasing doses in IM administration twice a day for 3 days (5/5, 3/3, and 2/2 in the am/pm). Each administration was carried out in the neck region. For oestrus induction, all animals were treated with prostaglandin F2α (750 μg of cloprostenol) on Day 4, and then the PRID was removed on Day 6 in the morning. The GnRH (10 μg of buserelin) was administrated at 31 h after PRID removal to induce ovulations. The cows were artificially inseminated at 24 h after GnRH treatment, and embryos were recovered 7 days after the insemination. Blood samples were collected at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 24, 31, 48, 55, 72, and 79 h after the first pFSH administration, and serum pFSH concentration was measured using time-resolved fluorescence immunoassay. Percentage data were arcsine transformed before analysis, and one-way ANOVA was used for statistical analysis (P < 0.05). There were no significant (P > 0.05) differences among groups in the number of corpus luteum, total number of ova/embryos, number of transferable embryos, and percentage of transferable embryos. The concentrations of pFSH in serum increased in all groups 2 h after each administration and reached a peak at 8 h in Groups A and C, at 10 h in Groups B, D, and E, and then in all groups it decreased gradually. The concentrations of pFSH in serum decreased to the base level (the level at 0 h) in Group A at 55 h and in Group C at 72 h after the first pFSH administration. At 79 h, serum pFSH was still detected in Groups B, D, and E. These results suggest that the single SC administration of 20 AU pFSH that is the same dose as the conventional treatment is able to induce a superovulatory response comparable to that of conventional treatment in Japanese Black cattle. Table 1.Superovulatory responses (mean ± SE) in different treatment groups

Ostwald ripening in nanoalloys: when thermodynamics drives a size-dependent particle composition

Ostwald ripening has been broadly studied because it plays a determinant role in the evolution of cluster size during both chemical and physical synthesis of nanoparticles. This thermoactivated process causes large particles to grow, drawing material from the smaller particles, which shrink. However, this phenomenon becomes more complex when considering the coarsening of metallic alloy clusters. The present experimental and theoretical investigations show that the relative composition of CoPt nanoparticles can be strongly modified during high temperature annealing and displays a size-dependent behavior. This compositional change originates from the higher evaporation rate of Co atoms from the nanoparticles. More importantly, this effect is expected in all alloy clusters containing species with different mobilities.

Membrane lipids in invadopodia and podosomes: key structures for cancer invasion and metastasis

Invadopodia are extracellular matrix (ECM)-degrading protrusions formed by invasive cancer cells. Podosomes are structures functionally similar to invadopodia that are found in oncogene-transformed fibroblasts and monocyte-derived cells, including macrophages and osteoclasts. These structures are thought to play important roles in the pericellular remodeling of ECM during cancer invasion and metastasis. Much effort has been directed toward identification of the molecular components and regulators of invadopodia/podosomes, which could be therapeutic targets in the treatment of malignant cancers. However, it remains largely unknown how these components are assembled into invadopodia/podosomes and how the assembly process is spatially and temporally regulated. This review will summarize recent progress on the molecular mechanisms of invadopodia/podosome formation, with strong emphasis on the roles of lipid rafts and phosphoinositides.

Size and shape effects on the order-disorder phase transition in CoPt nanoparticles

Chemically ordered bimetallic nanoparticles are promising candidates for magnetic-storage applications. However, the use of sub-10 nm nanomagnets requires further study of possible size effects on their physical properties. Here, the effects of size and morphology on the order-disorder phase transition temperature of CoPt nanoparticles (T(C)(NP)) have been investigated experimentally, using transmission electron microscopy, and theoretically, with canonical Monte Carlo simulations. For 2.4-3-nm particles, T(C)(NP) is found to be 325-175 degrees C lower than the bulk material transition temperature, consistent with our Monte Carlo simulations. Furthermore, we establish that T(C)(NP) is also sensitive to the shape of the nanoparticles, because only one dimension of the particle (that is, in-plane size or thickness) smaller than 3 nm is sufficient to induce a considerable depression of T(C)(NP). This work emphasizes the necessity of taking into account the three-dimensional morphology of nano-objects to understand and control their structural properties.

Genetic parameters for preweaning and early growth traits in Berkshire pigs when creep feeding is used

The objective of this study was to find optimal traits for inclusion in selection criteria by estimating genetic parameters for direct genetic, maternal genetic, and common environmental effects for growth traits before 60 d of age and for the number of teats under an open breeding population, and to evaluate genetic relationships for traits at 60 d of age. Records of 2,344 male and 2,204 female purebred Berkshire pigs were analyzed. For BW at 14 d of age and for weaning weight, the heritabilities of a direct genetic effect were greater than those of a maternal genetic effect. This result is contrary to previous results showing a gradual decrease in the maternal genetic effect and an increase in the direct genetic effect up to weaning. The positive genetic correlations between direct and maternal genetic effects for BW at 14 d of age and weaning weight are clearly contrary to other reports. This phenomenon seems to be caused by creep feeding begun just after the birth of the piglets and maintained throughout the preweaning period in this Berkshire population.

Sensitivity and specificity of photopic negative response of focal electoretinogram to detect glaucomatous eyes

AIMS

To determine the sensitivity and specificity of the photopic negative response (PhNR) of the focal electroretinograms (ERG; focal PhNR) to detect glaucomatous eyes with different degrees of visual field defects.

METHODS

One-hundred and fourteen eyes of 114 patients with open angle glaucoma and 42 eyes of 42 normal controls were studied. The focal ERGs were elicited by a 15 degrees stimulus spot centred on the macula, and on the supero-temporal and on the infero-temporal areas of the macula. The receiver operating characteristic curves were determined to obtain optimal cut-off values. Eyes were classified as being glaucomatous when their focal PhNRs were less than the cut-off values in either retinal area (combined criterion).

RESULTS

The focal PhNR amplitudes were significantly reduced with an advance in the stage of glaucoma. In early glaucoma, the sensitivities of the PhNR measured for each retinal area ranged from 58.1% to 80.7%. The sensitivities were significantly increased to 90.6% and 96.9% for the focal PhNR amplitude and the focal PhNR/b-wave amplitude ratio, respectively, when the combined criterion was employed. The specificity was >90%.

CONCLUSIONS

Focal PhNRs have diagnostic ability in detecting early glaucoma with high sensitivity and specificity, especially when the combined criterion is used.

PtdIns(3,4)P2 instigates focal adhesions to generate podosomes

Cell-to-extracellular matrix (ECM) adhesion plays important roles in various biological events, such as proliferation, differentiation and migration. Distinct from other types of adhesion structures (focal complexes, focal adhesions and so on), podosomes and invadopodia are thought to have additional functions beyond attachment, possibly including invasion into the ECM. for podosomes and invadopodia to invade into the ECM, molecules involved in adhesion, actin polymerization and ECM degradation must be recruited to sites of action. Our recent study demonstrated that podosomes form near newly formed focal adhesions via the minimally expressed phosphoinositide PtdIns(3,4) P2-mediated recruitment of the Tks5-Grb2 scaffold, followed by the accumulation of N-WASP. Although this study demonstrated details of molecular interplay during the transformation of focal adhesion, its regulation in the in vivo invasion process remains to be clarified. Here, we discuss the molecular bases of the transformation of focal adhesions to podosomes/invadopodia based on current understanding.