Publications by authors named "Emiko Ohashi"

Previously, we reported that adenosine N1-oxide (ANO), which is found in royal jelly, inhibited the secretion of inflammatory mediators by activated macrophages and reduced lethality in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced endotoxin shock. Here, we examined the regulatory mechanisms of ANO on the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines, with a focus on the signaling pathways activated by toll-like receptor (TLR)4 in response to LPS. ANO inhibited both tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-6 secretion from LPS-stimulated RAW264.

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Background: Adenosine is a potent endogenous anti-inflammatory and immunoregulatory molecule. Despite its promise, adenosine's extremely short half-life in blood limits its clinical application. Here, we examined adenosine N1-oxide (ANO), which is found in royal jelly.

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The sorting machinery in early endosomes is crucial for intracellular homeostasis and signal transduction and its disruption leads to the development of various diseases. In spite of its significance, the molecular mechanism underlying this machinery remains largely unknown. Actin filaments are implicated in intracellular trafficking, including membrane fission at endocytosis, membrane stretching at the Golgi complex, and maturation of endosomes.

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Early endosomes (EEs) are known to be a sorting station for internalized molecules destined for degradation, recycling, or other intracellular organelles. Segregation is an essential step in such sorting, but the molecular mechanism of this process remains to be elucidated. Here, we show that actin is required for efficient recycling and endosomal maturation by producing a motile force.

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Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Tryptanthrin is a compound isolated from Polygonum tinctorium, which is a known folk medicine with various biological activities.

Aim Of The Study: Allergic diseases are initiated by the development of allergen-specific T helper type 2 (Th2) cells and amplified by the degranulation of and cytokine release from basophils and mast cells during an effector phase. We found that Tryptanthrin could down-regulate IL-4 production by Th2 cells, while IFN-γ production by Th1 cells was not affected.

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Amphiphysin 1 is involved in clathrin-mediated endocytosis. In this study, we demonstrate that amphiphysin 1 is essential for cellular phagocytosis and that it is critical for actin polymerization. Phagocytosis in Sertoli cells was induced by stimulating phosphatidylserine receptors.

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