Development of DACN-NHS-ester and DACN-maleimide, and their application for the synthesis of artificial hybrid biomolecules.

DACN-NHS-ester and DACN-maleimide were developed as molecular connectors and applied for the synthesis of artificial hybrid biomolecules in two steps, including, step 1: connection to a corresponding molecule the NHS ester or maleimide unit, followed by step 2: connection to a corresponding azido-containing molecule DACN unit by copper-free-alkyne-azide-cycloaddition.

A new species of dendrochirotid holothuroid from deep water of southern Japan, with the erection of a new genus, Satsumaocnus (Echinodermata: Holothuroidea: Dendrochirotida: Cucumariidae: Colochirinae).

A new dendrochirotid sea cucumber, Satsumaocnus kaiyomarui gen. nov., sp.

Establishment of coral-algal symbiosis requires attraction and selection.

Coral reef ecosystems are based on coral-zooxanthellae symbiosis. During the initiation of symbiosis, majority of corals acquire their own zooxanthellae (specifically from the dinoflagellate genus Symbiodinium) from surrounding environments. The mechanisms underlying the initial establishment of symbiosis have attracted much interest, and numerous field and laboratory experiments have been conducted to elucidate this establishment.

Narrower grid structure of artificial reef enhances initial survival of in situ settled coral.

The initial factors that cause a decline in the survival of in situ settled corals remain poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrated through field experiments that the design of artificial grid plates may influence the initial survival of Acropora corals, with narrower grids being the most effective. In fact, grid plates with a 2.

Cellular ATP synthesis mediated by type III sodium-dependent phosphate transporter Pit-1 is critical to chondrogenesis.

Disturbed endochondral ossification in X-linked hypophosphatemia indicates an involvement of P(i) in chondrogenesis. We studied the role of the sodium-dependent P(i) cotransporters (NPT), which are a widely recognized regulator of cellular P(i) homeostasis, and the downstream events in chondrogenesis using Hyp mice, the murine homolog of human X-linked hypophosphatemia. Hyp mice showed reduced apoptosis and mineralization in hypertrophic cartilage.

[Role of the type 3 sodium-dependent phosphate transporter in the calcification of growth plate chondrocytes].

Phosphate is a second most abundant mineral next to calcium. The facts that hypophosphatemia is associated with the retardation of skeletal development and phosphate levels increase during endochondral ossification suggest that phosphate plays a role in cartilage differentiation. The type 3 sodium-dependent phosphate transporter (NPT3) expressed in growth plate chondrocytes transports extracellular phosphates into the cells.

A novel alternative splicing isoform of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 bZIP factor (HBZ-SI) targets distinct subnuclear localization.

Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) is associated with prior infection with human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1); however, the mechanism by which HTLV-1 causes adult T-cell leukemia has not been fully elucidated. Recently, a functional basic leucine zipper (bZIP) protein coded in the minus strand of HTLV-1 genome (HBZ) was identified. We report here a novel isoform of the HTLV-1 bZIP factor (HBZ), HBZ-SI, identified by means of reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) in conjunction with 5' and 3' rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE).

Distribution of 10 periodontal bacteria in saliva samples from Japanese children and their mothers.

Objective: We analyzed the distribution of 10 periodontal bacteria species (Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythensis, Prevotella intermedia, Prevotella nigrescens, Campylobacter rectus, Eikenella corrodens, Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, Capnocytophaga ochracea, Capnocytophaga sputigena, and Treponema denticola) in children, and then compared their distribution in those children and their mothers, with special attention given to three of the species known as the red complex (P. gingivalis, T. forsythensis, and T.

Dentinal defects in Hyp mice not caused by hypophosphatemia alone.

The Hyp mouse is a murine homolog of human X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets and displays hypo-mineralization in bone and dentin due to a defect of the phosphate-regulating gene with homology to endopeptidase on the X chromosome (Phex) gene. It has long been considered that the bone and dentin defects in Hyp mice are caused by hypophosphatemia alone, however, several recent studies have indicated the possibility that intrinsic defects are present in Hyp mice osteoblasts. Further, we previously found a hyper-expression of osteocalcin (OC) mRNA in Hyp mouse odontoblasts and suggested the possibility of the presence of intrinsic defects.

Hyper-expression of osteocalcin mRNA in odontoblasts of Hyp mice.

The Hyp mouse is a murine homologue of human X-linked hypophosphatemia that displays hypo-mineralization in bone and dentin. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the defect in Hyp mice leads to alterations in the expression of dentin matrix proteins that may be associated with the hypo-mineralization changes in the tissues. Quantitative RT-PCR analyses showed that expression of the osteocalcin gene in Hyp mice tooth germ samples was significantly higher than in wild-type mice, whereas the gene expressions of osteonectin, osteopontin, dentin matrix protein 1, and type I collagen in both types of mice were similar.

A synthetic peptide fragment of human MEPE stimulates new bone formation in vitro and in vivo.

Unlabelled: Matrix extracellular phosphoglycoprotein (MEPE) was proposed as a candidate for the phosphaturic hormone phosphatonin. We found that a synthetic peptide fragment of MEPE containing the RGD and SGDG sequence stimulated new bone formation in vitro and in vivo.

Introduction: Matrix extracellular phosphoglycoprotein (MEPE) was recently identified as a candidate for the phosphaturic hormone phosphatonin, which has been implicated in disturbed phosphate metabolism, rickets, and osteomalacia associated with X-linked hypophosphatemic rickets (XLH) and oncogenic hypophosphatemic osteomalacia (OHO).

Resveratrol induces downregulation in survivin expression and apoptosis in HTLV-1-infected cell lines: a prospective agent for adult T cell leukemia chemotherapy.

Resveratrol, a phytoalexin found in grapes and wine, has been shown to exhibit a wide range of pharmacological properties and is believed to play a role in the chemoprevention of human cancer. Resveratrol has also been shown to induce antiproliferation and apoptosis of several leukemia cell lines. In the present study, we investigated the effect of resveratrol in adult T cell leukemia.

Helicobacter pylori induces matrix metalloproteinase-9 through activation of nuclear factor kappaB.

Background & Aims: Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), enzymes capable of degrading extracellular matrix components, are believed to be active in connective tissue remodeling associated with various physiologic processes and in pathologic conditions. The aim of this study was to analyze the molecular mechanism responsible for Helicobacter pylori-mediated MMP expression.

Methods: Expression of MMP messenger RNA and MMP activity were assessed by reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction and zymography, respectively.

[Beta-lactamase activity and susceptibilities to antibiotics among some species of bacteria isolated from medical institution between December 1999 and February 2000].

We studied the beta-lactamase activity and susceptibilities to antibiotics in 604 strains among 10 species of bacteria isolated from 10 medical institutions in Tottori and Shimane Prefectures between December 1999 and February 2000. beta-Lactamase activity was measured by the nitrocefin test and penicillinase/cephalosporinase activities were measured by acidometry. beta-Lactamase activity was detected in 72.

Possible involvement of aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) in adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) leukemogenesis: constitutive activation of AhR in ATL.

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 is the etiologic agent of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), although the precise mechanism involved in the transformation process has not yet been defined. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that can influence cell proliferation and differentiation. We investigated the expression and activation of AhR in ATL.

Multiple gammac-receptor expression in adult T-cell leukemia.

Constitutive expression of the IL-2 receptor (IL-2R) on adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) cells and the presence of permanent IL-2-dependent ATL cell lines indicate that the signal transduction system via IL-2R is a key element for the development of this disease. IL-2R is a member of the common gamma-chain (gammac)-receptor family and shares gamma with IL-4R, IL-7R, IL-9R, and IL-15R. In addition to IL-2R, ATL cells express IL-15R and respond to IL-15.

Clinico-pathological aspects of a residual natal tooth: a case report.

A Japanese girl was referred to Osaka University Dental Hospital for examination of a tooth-like structure that had erupted following spontaneous exfoliation of a natal tooth in the lower left primary central incisor region. The structure had erupted at 6 months of age, and radiographic and clinical examination showed composition of pulp and dentin, but no enamel. On histological examination, the majority of the dentin area had a tubular dentin-like appearance, while the outer area of the root appeared to be composed of an osteodentin-like substance.

The two actin-binding regions on the myosin heads of cardiac muscle.

In the presence of myosin S1 or myosin heads, actin filaments tend to form bundles. The biological meaning of the bundling of actin filaments has been unclear. In this study, we found that the cardiac myosin heads can form the bundles of actin filaments more rapidly than can skeletal S1, as monitored by light scattering and electron microscopy.

Matrix metalloproteinase-9 and vascular endothelial growth factor: a possible link in adult T-cell leukaemia cell invasion.

Plasma from a total of 57 patients with adult T-cell leukaemia (ATL) (acute ATL, 39 patients; lymphoma ATL, one patient; chronic ATL, 15 patients; smouldering ATL, two patients) and 20 healthy controls was analysed for the presence of type IV gelatinase activity with clinical features. A significant elevation of plasma matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) was observed in some ATL patients, particularly in the patients with malignant cell infiltration. MMP-9 was found to be secreted into the conditioned medium from all ATL cell lines examined.

Human T-cell leukemia virus type I Tax transactivates the matrix metalloproteinase-9 gene: potential role in mediating adult T-cell leukemia invasiveness.

Human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) is the etiologic agent of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) and of tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-I-associated myelopathy. Infiltration of various tissues by circulating leukemic cells is a characteristic of ATL. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), which mediate the degradation of the basement membrane and extracellular matrix, play an important role in metastasis and tumor cell dissemination.

Vascular endothelial growth factor and cellular chemotaxis: a possible autocrine pathway in adult T-cell leukemia cell invasion.

Our previous report (T. Hayashibara et al., Leukemia, 13: 1634-1635, 1999) revealed a possible link between high plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) concentration and leukemic cell invasion in adult T-cell leukemia (ATL).

De novo acute myeloid leukemia in the elderly; a consistent fraction of long-term survivors by standard-dose chemotherapy.

To clarify the characteristics of de novo acute myeloid leukemia (AML) among the elderly, we reviewed 112 patients over 60 years old (median age 72 years) who were treated at hospitals in Nagasaki Prefecture with a population of 1.5 million between 1987 and 1994. Reclassification of morphological diagnosis revealed that the proportion of M3 was lower but that of M6 and the incidence of cases with trilineage dysplasia (TLD), known as poor prognostic features, were higher in the elderly than in patients less than 60 years old.

Tooth eruption in a patient with craniometaphyseal dysplasia: case report.

Craniometaphyseal dysplasia (CMD) is a very rare genetic disorder of bone remodeling caused by osteoclast dysfunction. The clinical and radiographical features of oral findings are presented in a sporadic case of CMD in a child (age 10 years, 7 months). An intraoral examination showed severe malocclusions, including anterior crossbite and deep bite.

Lactacystin activates FLICE (caspase 8) protease and induces apoptosis in Fas-resistant adult T-cell leukemia cell lines.

Lactacystin (LC) is a specific inhibitor of the proteasome, and has recently been shown to induce apoptosis in certain cell lines. In the present study, we established Fas-resistant adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) cell subclones RSO4 and RST1 from their parental Fas-sensitive cell lines SO4 and ST1, and examined whether LC can overcome Fas resistance. LC completely inhibited proteasome function as determined by a peptidyl-MCA substrate (LLVY-MCA and LLE-MCA), and induced apoptosis in these cell lines irrespective of Fas sensitivity at low concentrations (approximately 10 microM).