Attenuation of UVB-induced sunburn reaction and oxidative DNA damage with no alterations in UVB-induced skin carcinogenesis in Nrf2 gene-deficient mice.

UV radiation is an important environmental factor in the pathogenesis of skin aging and cancer. Many harmful effects of UV radiation are associated with generation of reactive oxygen species. Cellular antioxidants prevent the occurrence and reduce the severity of UV-induced photoaging and diseases of the skin.

The combination of ubiquitous transcription factors AP-1 and Sp1 directs keratinocyte-specific and differentiation-specific gene expression in vitro.

Previous studies of epidermal-specific gene promoters suggested that a limited set of transcription factors regulate keratinocyte-specific and differentiation-specific gene expression in the epidermis. In the present study, we investigated the functional importance of AP-1- and Sp1-binding elements in the determination of cell type-specific and differentiation-specific gene expression by transient transfection into undifferentiated and differentiated keratinocytes as well as into various non-epidermal cell lines. Synthesized short AP-1- and/or Sp1-binding elements were inserted into a minimal reporter vector, and the artificial promoter containing both AP-1 and Sp1 elements showed high levels of transcriptional activity only when transfected into differentiated keratinocytes.

Staphylococcal cell membrane antigen, a possible antigen in post-methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection nephritis and IgA nephropathy, exhibits high immunogenic activity that is enhanced by superantigen.

Background: The post-methicillin resistant Staphlylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection nephritis is a progressive glomerulonephritis that occurs following Staphylococcus aureus infection. It has been assumed that staphylococcal superantigens and other cellular antigens are necessary for the development of post-MRSA infection nephritis, and we have previously identified a staphylococcal cell membrane antigen (GenBank, accession number; BAB41819.1) as a possible antigen in post-MRSA infection nephritis.

Yin-yang 1 negatively regulates the differentiation-specific transcription of mouse loricrin gene in undifferentiated keratinocytes.

Loricrin is a major component of the epidermal cornified cell envelope, and is expressed only in terminally differentiated keratinocytes. This cell differentiation-specific expression pattern suggests specific suppression of loricrin gene expression in undifferentiated keratinocytes as well as its activation in differentiated keratinocytes. We identified a negative regulatory sequence element in the first intron of the mouse loricrin gene involved in suppression of loricrin gene expression in undifferentiated keratinocytes.

Staphylococcus aureus cell envelope antigen is a new candidate for the induction of IgA nephropathy.

Background: IgA nephropathy is the most common form of glomerulonephritis worldwide. We previously reported a novel form of glomerulonephritis with glomerular IgA deposits following methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infection.