Functional mapping of the activity of the R region in the human T-cell leukemia virus type I long terminal repeat to increase gene expression

We previously demonstrated the activity of the R fragment in the long terminal repeat of human T-cell leukemia virus type I for elevation of the level of gene expression. In this study, the fragment was deleted with BAL31 nuclease to determine its functional domain. Series of the shortened R fragments were linked to the simian virus 40 promoter unit, which regulated expression of a reporter gene. Examination with the R fragments deleted from the 5 and 3 ends showed that borders of the functional domain were mapped within nucleotide positions 458 to 473 for the 5 end and nucleotide positions 559 to 594 for the 3 end, respectively. Thus we conclude that a 136-base-pair fragment corresponding to the second half of the R region was sufficient to allow elevation of the level of gene expression.     

A medaka gene map: the trace of ancestral vertebrate proto-chromosomes revealed by comparative gene mapping

The mapping of Hox clusters and many duplicated genes in zebrafish indicated an extra whole-genome duplication in ray-fined fish. However, to reconstruct the preduplication chromosomes (proto-chromosomes), the comparative genomic studies of more distantly related teleosts are essential. Medaka and zebrafish are ideal for this purpose, because their lineages separated from their last common ancestor approximately 140 million years ago. To reconstruct ancient vertebrate chromosomes, including the chromosomes of the vertebrate ancestor of humans from 450 million years ago, we mapped 818 genes and expressed sequence tags (ESTs) on a single meiotic backcross panel obtained from inbred strains of the medaka, Oryzias latipes. Comparisons of linkage relationships of orthologous genes among three species of vertebrates (medaka, zebrafish, and human) indicate the number and content of the chromosomes of the last common ancestor of ray-fined fish and lobe-fined fish (including humans), and the extra whole genome duplication event in the ray-fin lineage occurred in the common ancestor of perhaps all teleosts.     

Clinical features of oral allergy syndrome to plant foods allergens in Kanto regions]

BACKGROUND: Recently, it is recognized that the patients of oral allergy syndrome (OAS) to fruits are increasing. However, there are little knowledges of the background, character, and seriousness about these patients in Kanto regions. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the clinical features of OAS patients to plant origin foods in Kanto regions. METHODS: The patient, who visited Sagamihara National Hospital from 2000 to 2005 and developed some allergic symptoms to plant origin foods, were studied by a questionary survey. RESULTS: As for the 42 subjects, average age are 36 years old, male:female=8:34, merger of other allergic disease is 35 allergic rhinitis of 42 subjects (83%), 34 of asthma (81%), 14 of atopic dermatitis (33%). The causes of OAS symptoms are 32 rose-family fruits, 34 non-rose family fruits, 14 vegetables, 11 nuts, 2 grains subjects. As for the symptom, only in the oral and pharynx symptoms are found in 12, the systemic symptoms is 29, anaphylaxis is 11 subjects. Allergic rhinitis preceded on the 90% subjects with pollinosis, very high rate. On the other hand, the 20% of all subjects have no symptoms of allergic rhinitis. CONCLUSION: A nasal catarrh symptoms went ahead in most of the OAS subjects in Kanto regions. In addition, considering from some patients have no black alder pollinosis and/or are allergic to many non-rose-family fruits at high frequency, there might be a broad cross-reactivity between many pollens other than alder and plant origin foods.     

Nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin in intestinal-type gastric carcinoma: correlation with early tumor invasion

Mutation of the adenomatous polyposis coli gene, which is known to be an early event in the carcinogenesis of intestinal-type gastric carcinoma, leads to accumulation of beta-catenin. In addition, beta-catenin has been found to activate down stream signaling molecules in the wingless/Wnt pathway. In this study, the clinical significance of nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin was evaluated in gastric carcinoma. Immunohistochemical staining showed nuclear localization in 16 (12%) of 139 (94 intestinal-type and 45 diffuse-type) gastric carcinomas, and all 16 lesions with nuclear staining were intestinal-type adenocarcinomas. Of the 16 cases, 15 were in the early clinical stage. In the remaining case, the lesion had invaded the subserosal layer and showed strong nuclear staining at the invasive front. In 14 of the 16 cases with nuclear localization, there were no abnormal mobility shifts detected using polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformational polymorphism analysis. This was confirmed using direct sequencing analysis, which revealed the wild-type sequence in the 12 cases tested. Nuclear accumulation of beta-catenin did not correlate with lymph node metastasis or 5-year survival. These findings suggest that high intranuclear levels of beta-catenin protein play an important role in early tumor growth and may function in initiation of invasive processes in intestinal-type gastric carcinoma.     

HLA-B40, B18, B27, and B37 allele discrimination using group-specific amplification and SSCP method

We developed a system for discriminating HLA-B40, B18, B27, and B37 alleles using a two-step PCR method followed by SSCP analysis. Fragments (0.8 kb) including exon 2, intron 2, and exon 3 were amplified in the first PCR. We used two sets of primers, one specific for HLA-B60-related alleles and the other specific for HLA-B6l-related, B18, B27, and B37 alleles. No amplifications of other class I genes or pseudogenes were observed. In the second PCR, exon 2 and exon 3 were amplified separately, using diluents of the first PCR products as templates. HLA-B6l-related, B18, B27, B37, and B60-related alleles were clearly discriminated in the SSCP analysis of the second PCR products. In a population study in which B6l alleles were analyzed, B^*4003 was detected in two Japanese individuals in addition to two B6l alleles previously reported to occur in Japanese, B^*4002 and B^*4006. The relative frequencies of B^*4002, B^*4006, and B^*4003 in Japanese were 58, 35, and 6%, respectively. The individuals having B^*4003 are the first non-South Americans in whom this allele has been detected. The SSCP banding patterns of 18 HLA-B60-positive Japanese population samples were identical to those of a B^*40012 sample for both exon 2 and exon 3. We also demonstrated that the B37 allele occurring in some Japanese is B^*3701.     

Immunolocalization of aromatase in human minor salivary glands of the lower lip with primary Sjogren's syndrome

The enzyme aromatase Is Involved In the conversion of androgens to estrogens and in the modulation of various androgenlc and estrogenlc actions. Abnormalities of estrogen metabolism have been postulated to play roles in the development and/or pathophyslology of Sjdgren's syndrome. In the present study, aromatase was immunolocal-ized In 75 cases of Inflammatory disorders of human minor salivary glands of the lower lip. These included cases of primary Sjögren's syndrome (19 cases), of chronic slaladenitis (34 cases) and of mucous extravasation cysts (22 cases), in order to clarify the possible involvement of in situ estrogen production in primary Sjögren's syndrome. Aromatase Immunoreactlvlty was detected In myoepithelial cells of acini and in interstitial cells adjacent to acini and ducts In 13/19 (68%) cases of primary Sjögren's syndrome. In contrast, aromatase expression was detected In only six of 34 (18%) cases of chronic sialadenttis and in seven of 22 (32%) cases of mucous extravasation cyst. These results suggest that Increased aromatase expression in minor salivary glands with primary Sjogren's syndrome in premenopausal women may be involved in the biological features of primary Sjogren's syndrome through the production of estrogens in situ and possibly through the aggravation of the inflammatory reaction.     

Determination of medullasin levels for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis

Medullasin levels in granulocytes of patients with neurological diseases and healthy volunteers were determined by the enzyme immunoassay using mouse monoclonal antibodies against human medullasin and o-phenylenediamine-H2O2 as the detection system of the enzyme activity. One hundred twenty-one out of 159 patients with multiple sclerosis (76.1%) showed positive results (above means of normals + 2SD) in this test, while only 16.9% (24/142) of patients with non-inflammatory neurological diseases had positive results. This enzyme immunoassay method for medullasin is considered to be an useful paraclinical test for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.     

ASK1 is essential for endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced neuronal cell death triggered by expanded polyglutamine repeats

Expansion of CAG trinucleotide repeats that encode polyglutamine is the underlying cause of at least nine inherited human neurodegenerative disorders, including Huntington's disease and spinocerebellar ataxias. PolyQ fragments accumulate as aggregates in the cytoplasm and/or in the nucleus, and induce neuronal cell death. However, the molecular mechanism of polyQ-induced cell death is controversial. Here, we show the following: (1) polyQ with pathogenic repeat length triggers ER stress through proteasomal dysfunction; (2) ER stress activates ASK 1 through formation of an IRE1-TRAF2-ASK1 complex; and (3) ASK1(-/-) primary neurons are defective in polyQ-, proteasome inhibitor-, and ER stress-induced JNK activation and cell death. These findings suggest that ASK1 is a key element in ER stress-induced cell death that plays an important role in the neuropathological alterations in polyQ diseases.     

Nucleotide sequence of dengue type 3 virus genomic RNA encoding viral structural proteins

Complementary DNAs to the 5 proximal region of the dengue virus type 3 RNA were cloned into bacterial plasmids and the nucleotide sequence of 3,000 bases from the 5 terminus of the genome were determined by DNA and RNA sequencing methods using dideoxy chain-termination reactions. Comparison of the nucleotide sequence thus obtained with those of other flavivirus genomes revealed significant homology existing in nucleotide sequence of the flavivirus genomes. When we compared amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence with those of other flaviviruses, this genome region was found to include sequences encoding three viral structural proteins C, M, and E and a part of the viral nonstructural protein NS1 in this order in addition to the 5-noncoding sequence. The characteristics and functions of these proteins were discussed based on the deduced amino acid sequences and their hydrophobic profiles. The genetic relationship of flaviviruses was also discussed based on the genetic variation observed in their genomes.     

Preparation and physicochemical properties of compression-molded keratin films

The S-sulfo keratin was extracted from wool and was then spray-dried to give S-sulfo keratin powder. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis showed that the glass transition temperature of S-sulfo keratins became lowered with the increase of moisture content, while perfectly dried S-sulfo keratin powder did not give thermal transition in the temperature range 30-130 degrees C. The compression molding of the S-sulfo keratin powder supplemented with one-tenth weight of water afforded a plastic-like transparent proteinous film above the glass transition temperature. The film obtained from the powder without water addition or compression molded below glass transition temperature partly remained powdery. The film compression molded at 120 degrees C gave the maximum ultimate strength and Young's modulus, 27.8 +/- 2.9 and 1218 +/- 80 MPa, respectively. Obtained film was insoluble and slightly swelled in water, but, in the presence of reducing agent, the film significantly swelled at pH 7.0 and even dissolved at pH 9.0, suggesting the relevance of abundant disulfide linkage. The film supported the mammalian cell adhesion and proliferation, demonstrating the biocompatibility of S-sulfo keratin films.