Effect of Alcohol Drinking on Gene Expression of Hepatic O6-Methylguanine DNA Methyltransferase in Chronic Liver Diseases

O⁶-methylguanine DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) is a repair protein that transfers methyl groups from O⁶-methylguanine to a cysteine acceptor in its own molecule, and restores DNA to its undamaged state. If left unrepaired, O⁶-methylguanine can pair with either a thymine or a cytosine, causing a C-G to T-A transition, which is considered to be one of the molecular mechanisms of both mutagenesis and carcinogenesis. The expression of MGMT mRNA in liver tissue was quantitatively assessed by the competitive reverse transcrip-tion-polymerase chain reaction method in patients with chronic liver diseases with or without alcohol drinking. MGMT mRNA expression was 1.4 ± 0.9 pg/μg RNA in control livers. Its expression in chronic hepatitis was 3.8 ± 0.7 in alcoholics and 2.7 ± 0.8 in nonalcoholics, which were not statistically different. MGMT mRNA expression in liver cirrhosis was significantly low, compared with that in chronic hepatitis, and 0.8 ± 0.3 in alcoholics and 0.5 ± 0.1 in nonalcoholics, which also were not significantly different. The present study shows that MGMT mRNA was not decreased in patients with chronic liver diseases with alcohol drinking, compared with those without alcohol drinking.     

Genetic Analysis of Non-Hydrogen Sulfide-Producing Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium and S. enterica Serovar Infantis Isolates in Japan

Whole-genome sequencing of non-H₂S-producing Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium and S. enterica serovar Infantis isolates from poultry meat revealed a nonsense mutation in the phsA thiosulfate reductase gene and carriage of a CMY-2 β-lactamase. The lack of production of H₂S might lead to the incorrect identification of S. enterica isolates carrying antimicrobial resistance genes.     

Evidence for Reactivation of Human Herpesvirus 6 in Generalized Lymphadenopathy in a Patient with Drug-Induced Hypersensitivity Syndrome

The present case provides direct evidence of human herpesvirus 6 reactivation in resected lymph node tissue in a patient with drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome. This case clearly demonstrates that appropriate pathological evaluation of lymphadenopathy for drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome, which mimics malignant lymphoma in clinical, radiological, and pathological findings, is required.     

Effect of temporary school closure due to COVID-19 on musculoskeletal function in elementary school children

Objective: In 2020, coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) became the cause of a pandemic. In response, the Japan Sports Agency issued warnings about secondary damage to health, such as the threat to physical and mental well-being due to the lack of exercise in this situation. In this study, we report on cross-sectional and longitudinal examinations of standing trunk flexion to evaluate how temporary long-term school closures affected musculoskeletal function in elementary school students.Patients and Methods: All children in one public elementary school in T-city during the school years 2019 and 2020 were included in this study. A digital forward flexion meter was used to measure standing trunk flexion.Results: In this study, 284 (284/289: 98.3%) and 266 (266/274: 97.1%) children in school years 2020 and 2019, respectively, were found to have valid data for cross-sectional analysis. The standing trunk flexion did not show significant differences between grades or sexes. In the longitudinal analysis, the results of the comparison of standing trunk flexion in children for two consecutive years revealed significant differences only between grades 3 and 4 (P<0.05) and between girls in grades 3 and 4 (P<0.01), but no significant differences in other grades or among boys or girls were observed.Conclusion: Initially, we expected that there would be a difference in the results of functional assessment using standing trunk flexion depending on the period of absence from school. However, the results of this study showed no significant changes in standing trunk flexion. Moreover, since children’s musculoskeletal functions may be affected by various factors during the COVID-19 pandemic, they should be carefully monitored in the future.     

Chronic active hepatitis with hepatitis B virus DNA and antibody against e antigen in the serum. Disturbed synthesis and secretion of e antigen from hepatocytes due to a point mutation in the precore region

Some patients with type B chronic active hepatitis have a high titer of hepatitis B virus DNA despite antibody against e antigen in the serum. Clones of hepatitis B virus were propagated from the sera of seven patients with this disease, and the precore region was sequenced. Essentially all clones (128/131 or 98%) showed a point mutation from guanine to adenine at nucleotide 83, converting codon 28 for tryptophan (TGG) to a stop codon (TAG); the second guanine-to-adenine point mutation at nucleotide 86 was identified in only 29 clones from two patients. In patients followed up since they had hepatitis B e antigen, a shift from guanine to adenine was observed at nucleotide 83 along with the seroconversion to the antibody to e antigen. The precore-region product is required for the synthesis and secretion of e antigen from hepatocytes. A point mutation from guanine to adenine at nucleotide 83 observed in the seven patients, therefore, would be responsible for disturbed secretion of e antigen.     

Age-related expression analysis of mouse liver nuclear protein binding to 3′-untranslated region of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Period2</Emphasis> gene

In mammals, both circadian rhythm and aging play important roles in regulating time-dependent homeostasis. We previously discovered an age-related increase element binding protein, hnRNP A3, which binds to the 3′-untranslated region (UTR) of blood coagulation factor IX (FIX). Here, we describe other members of this protein family, hnRNP C and hnRNP H, which bind to the 3′-UTR of the mouse circadian clock gene Period 2 (mPer2). RNA electrophoretic mobility shift assays using a ³²P-labeled Per2 RNA probe coupled with two-dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by MALDI-TOF/MS peptide mass fingerprint analysis was used to analyze these proteins. Western blotting suggested that the total expression of these proteins in mouse liver cell nuclei does not increase with age. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis analysis of age-related protein expression showed that many isoforms of these proteins exist in the liver and that each protein exhibits a complex age-related expression pattern. These results suggest that many isoforms of proteins are regulated by different aging systems and that many age regulation systems function in the liver.