Expression of active and inactive recombinant soluble trehalase using baculovirus-silkworm expression system and their glycan structures.

Silkworm soluble trehalase was expressed as a fusion protein with an N-terminal or C-terminal hexahistidine tag in a baculovirus-silkworm expression system and assayed for enzymatic activity. Only N-terminally tagged trehalase showed a high activity. This study is the first to report in vitro functional expression of recombinant insect soluble trehalase.

Light stimulation triggered expression of genes coding for vacuolar proton-pump enzymes V-ATPase and V-PPase in buckwheat.

Although coloration in plants is ascribable to both the accumulation of anthocyanin pigments in vacuoles and to the acidification of vacuolar pH, the environmental factors causing the decrease in vacuolar pH are unknown. We found that blue-light irradiation of buckwheat seedlings using light-emitting diodes caused reddening on the surface of the hypocotyls. It has also been reported that light stimulation induces an accumulation of anthocyanin pigments.

Pregnancy-associated thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura with anti-centromere antibody-positive Raynaud's syndrome.

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), scleroderma renal crisis (SRC), and hemolysis, elevated liver enzyme levels, and a low platelet count (HELLP) syndrome display common symptoms that include microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and renal failure. Therefore, it is important to distinguish between them because their treatments vary: however, the differential diagnosis is sometimes difficult. We report a 32-year-old woman who was referred to our department for further examination of microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and a slightly elevated serum creatinine level with anti-centromere antibody-positive Raynaud's syndrome in the early puerperal period.

Unique properties and reactivity of high-valent manganese-oxo versus manganese-hydroxo in the salen platform.

To gain an understanding of oxidation reactions by Mn(III)(salen), a reaction of Mn(III)(salen) with m-chloroperoxybenzoic acid in the absence of a substrate is investigated. UV-vis, perpendicular- and parallel-mode electron paramagnetic resonance, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy show that the resulting solution contains Mn(IV)(salen)(O) as a major product and Mn(IV)(salen)(OH) as a minor product. Mn(IV)(salen)(O) readily reacts with 4-H-2,6-tert-Bu(2)C(6)H(2)OH (homolytic bond dissociation energy of an OH bond, BDE(OH) = 82.

The use of tacrolimus for recurrent lupus enteritis: a case report.

Introduction: Patients with lupus enteritis sometimes experience recurrence. In such cases, the addition of cyclophosphamide to the treatment regimen is recommended. However, an appropriate treatment has not been established in cases where cyclophosphamide failed to prevent the disease.

[Intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) as a new biomarker for intestinal diseases].

Fatty acid binding protein (FABP) is one of the intracellular proteins, with a low molecular weight of approximately 15 kDa, that plays important roles in the transportation and metabolism of long-chain fatty acids. FABP family proteins could be used as tissue specific injury marker based on the following characteristics of FABP: (1) a soluble protein in the cytoplasm, (2) high tissue specificity, (3) abundance in the tissue, and (4) low molecular weight. Among the FABP family proteins, intestinal fatty acid-binding protein(I-FABP) is specifically and abundantly present in epithelial cells of the mucosal layer of the small intestinal tissue.

The endoplasmic reticulum stress-inducible protein, Herp, is a potential triggering antigen for anti-DNA response.

Anti-dsDNA Abs are highly specific indicators of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and play a pathogenic role in lupus nephritis. Human anti-dsDNA Abs are most likely generated by an Ag-driven mechanism. However, the Ag responsible for triggering anti-dsDNA Ab production has not been identified.

A functional analysis of GABARAP on 17p13.1 by knockdown zebrafish.

Array-based comparative genomic hybridization identified a 2.3-Mb microdeletion of 17p13.2p13.

Transcriptional changes in CiFT-introduced transgenic trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata L. Raf.).

Ectopic expression of a Flowering Locus T (CiFT) from Citrus confers an early flowering phenotype on trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata L. Raf.).

Telomeres and immunological diseases of aging.

A defining feature of the eukaryotic genome is the presence of linear chromosomes. This arrangement, however, poses several challenges with regard to chromosomal replication and maintenance. To prevent the loss of coding sequences and to suppress gross chromosomal rearrangements, linear chromosomes are capped by repetitive nucleoprotein structures, called telomeres.

Direct probing of spin state dynamics coupled with electronic and structural modifications by picosecond time-resolved XAFS.

The first direct observation of the transient spin-state in a disordered magnetic system with time-resolved XAFS is reported. By observing the evolution of the Fe(II) 1s-3d transition, the spin crossover transition from the (1)A(1) low spin state to (5)T(2) high spin state has been directly observed on a picosecond time scale. Moreover, observation of the transient spin state with time-resolved XAFS allows for the investigation of the variations in the electronic state and molecular structure.

Paramagnetic 13C and 15N NMR analyses of the push and pull effects in cytochrome c peroxidase and Coprinus cinereus peroxidase variants: functional roles of highly conserved amino acids around heme.

Paramagnetic (13)C and (15)N nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of heme-bound cyanide ((13)C(15)N) was applied to 11 cytochrome c peroxidase (CcP) and Coprinus cinereus peroxidase (CIP) mutants to investigate contributions to the push and pull effects of conserved amino acids around heme. The (13)C and (15)N NMR data for the distal His and Arg mutants indicated that distal His is the key amino acid residue creating the strong pull effect and that distal Arg assists. The mutation of distal Trp of CcP to Phe, the amino acid at this position in CIP, changed the push and pull effects so they resembled those of CIP, whereas the mutation of distal Phe of CIP to Trp changed this mutant to become CcP-like.

Peripheral T cell lymphoma with a high titer of proteinase-3-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies that resembled Wegener's granulomatosis.

Here, we present a 54-year-old man with proptosis and swelling below the left eyelid. Laboratory findings showed high levels of PR3-ANCA and histological examination of the first biopsy revealed acute inflammation. Together with the findings of MRI, a diagnosis of WG was made.

The keratin-related Ouroboros proteins function as immune antigens mediating tail regression in Xenopus metamorphosis.

Tail resorption during amphibian metamorphosis has been thought to be controlled mainly by a cell-autonomous mechanism of programmed cell death triggered by thyroid hormone. However, we have proposed a role for the immune response in metamorphosis, based on the finding that syngeneic grafts of tadpole tail skin into adult Xenopus animals are rejected by T cells. To test this, we identified two tail antigen genes called ouro1 and ouro2 that encode keratin-related proteins.

Rejuvenating the immune system in rheumatoid arthritis.

In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the aging process of the immune system is accelerated. Formerly, this phenomenon was suspected to be a consequence of chronic inflammatory activity. However, newer data strongly suggest that deficiencies in maintaining telomeres and overall DNA stability cause excessive apoptosis of RA T cells, imposing proliferative pressure and premature aging on the system.

Association of kidney function with coronary atherosclerosis and calcification in autopsy samples from Japanese elders: the Hisayama study.

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease. However, information regarding the histopathologic characteristics of coronary atherosclerosis in individuals with CKD is scarce. This study investigated the relationship between CKD and severity of coronary atherosclerosis in population-based autopsy samples.

Critical role of external axial ligands in chirality amplification of trans-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine in salen complexes.

A series of Mn(IV)(salen)(L)(2) complexes bearing different external axial ligands (L = Cl, NO(3), N(3), and OCH(2)CF(3)) from chiral salen ligands with trans-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine as a chiral scaffold are synthesized, to gain insight into conformational properties of metal salen complexes. X-ray crystal structures show that Mn(IV)(salen)(OCH(2)CF(3))(2) and Mn(IV)(salen)(N(3))(2) adopt a stepped conformation with one of two salicylidene rings pointing upward and the other pointing downward due to the bias from the trans-cyclohexane-1,2-diamine moiety, which is in clear contrast to a relatively planar solid-state conformation for Mn(IV)(salen)(Cl)(2). The CH(2)Cl(2) solution of Mn(IV)(salen)(L)(2) shows circular dichroism of increasing intensity in the order L = Cl < NO(3) << N(3) < OCH(2)CF(3), which indicates Mn(IV)(salen)(L)(2) adopts a solution conformation of an increasing chiral distortion in this order.

[Hospitalized nursing home-acquired pneumonia--comparison with community-acquired pneumonia in older adults].

Nursing home-acquired pneumonia (NHAP) is a frequent cause of hospital admission and death among residents of long-term care facilities. We studied consecutive patients with NHAP who were admitted to our 358-bed acute care hospital from 2004 to 2007. Patients with NHAP (n = 147) were significantly older (85.

Catalytic reactivity of a meso-N-substituted corrole and evidence for a high-valent iron-oxo species.

It is shown that an iron(III) meso-N-substituted corrole (TBP(8)Cz)Fe(III) (1) (TBP(8)Cz = octakis(4-tert-butylphenyl)corrolazinato), is a potent catalyst for the oxidation of alkenes in the presence of pentaflouroiodosylbenzene (C(6)F(5)IO) as oxidant. In the case of cyclohexene, complex 1 performs on a par with one of the best porphyrin catalysts ((TPPF(20))FeCl), exhibiting rapid turnover and a high selectivity for epoxide (CzFe(III)/C(6)F(5)IO/cyclohexene (1:100:1000) in CH(2)Cl(2)/CH(3)OH (3:1 v:v) gives 33 turnovers of epoxide in <2 min). Reaction rates for 1 are greatly enhanced compared to other Fe or Mn corroles under similar catalytic conditions, consistent with an increase in the electrophilicity of a high-valent iron-oxo intermediate induced by meso-N substitution.

Deficiency of the DNA repair enzyme ATM in rheumatoid arthritis.

In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), dysfunctional T cells sustain chronic inflammatory immune responses in the synovium. Even unprimed T cells are under excessive replication pressure, suggesting an intrinsic defect in T cell regeneration. In naive CD4 CD45RA(+) T cells from RA patients, DNA damage load and apoptosis rates were markedly higher than in controls; repair of radiation-induced DNA breaks was blunted and delayed.

Analysis of acetylene in blood and urine using cryogenic gas chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A method for quantitative analysis of acetylene in blood and urine samples was investigated. Using cryogenic gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), acetylene was measured with isobutane as the internal standard in the headspace method, which revealed a linear response over the entire composite range with an excellent correlation coefficient, both in blood (R = 0.9968, range = 5.

Differences in seasonal expression of flowering genes between deciduous trifoliate orange and evergreen Satsuma mandarin.

To determine differences in seasonal flowering between evergreen and deciduous woody perennials, endogenous expression of flowering-related genes was investigated in Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.) and its close relative, trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf.

Telomerase insufficiency in rheumatoid arthritis.

In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), chronically stimulated T lymphocytes sustain tissue-destructive joint inflammation. Both naïve and memory T cells in RA are prematurely aged with accelerated loss of telomeres suggesting excessive proliferative pressure or inadequate telomeric maintenance. Upon stimulation, RA naïve CD4 T cells are defective in up-regulating telomerase activity (P < 0.

Effect of imidazole and phenolate axial ligands on the electronic structure and reactivity of oxoiron(IV) porphyrin pi-cation radical complexes: drastic increase in oxo-transfer and hydrogen abstraction reactivities.

To study the effect of axial ligands on the electronic structure and reactivity of compound I of peroxidases and catalases, oxoiron(IV) porphyrin pi-cation radical complexes with imidazole, 2-methylimidazole, 4(5)-methylimidazole, and 3-fluoro-4-nitrophenolate as the axial ligands were prepared by ozone oxidation of iron(III) complexes of 5,10,15,20-tetramesitylporphyrin (TMP) and 2,7,12,17-tetramethyl-3,8,13,18-tetramesitylporphyrin (TMTMP). These complexes were fully characterized by absorption, (1)H, (2)H, and (19)F NMR, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) spectroscopy. The characteristic absorption peak of compound I at approximately 650 nm was found to be a good marker for estimation of the electron donor effect from the axial ligand.

[A case of pulmonary aspergilloma successfully treated with transbronchial intracavitary itraconazole].

A 74-year-old woman given a diagnosis of chronic necrotizing pulmonary aspergillosis in February, 2007 was treated by intravenous voriconazole (VRCZ) and her conditions improved. Then it was switched to oral VRCZ and continued treatment. However, a fungus ball remained, and (1-3)-beta-D-glucan values increased, which had previously been within normal limit.