TMEM135 links peroxisomes to the regulation of brown fat mitochondrial fission and energy homeostasis.

Mitochondrial morphology, which is controlled by mitochondrial fission and fusion, is an important regulator of the thermogenic capacity of brown adipocytes. Adipose-specific peroxisome deficiency impairs thermogenesis by inhibiting cold-induced mitochondrial fission due to decreased mitochondrial membrane content of the peroxisome-derived lipids called plasmalogens. Here, we identify TMEM135 as a critical mediator of the peroxisomal regulation of mitochondrial fission and thermogenesis.

Lipid Regulators of Thermogenic Fat Activation.

The global prevalence of obesity continues to increase, suggesting a need for alternative treatment approaches. Targeting brown fat function to promote energy expenditure represents one such approach. Brown adipocytes and the related beige adipocytes oxidize fatty acids and glucose to generate heat and are activated by cold exposure or consumption of high-calorie diets.

Poisonous Caterpillar-Inspired Chitosan Nanofiber Enabling Dual Photothermal and Photodynamic Tumor Ablation.

As caterpillars detect the presence of predators and secrete poison, herein, we show an innovative and highly effective cancer therapeutic system using biocompatible chitosan nanofiber (CNf) installed with a pH-responsive motif that senses tumor extracellular pH, pH, prior to delivering dual-modal light-activatable materials for tumor reduction. The filamentous nanostructure of CNf is dynamic during cell interaction and durable in blood circulation. Due to its amine group, CNf uptakes a large amount of photothermal gold nanoparticles (AuNPs, >25 wt %) and photodynamic chlorin e6 (Ce6, >5 wt %).

Tumor cell-on fluorescence imaging agent using hyaluronate dots.

We report here the use of near-infrared fluorescent dye-labelled hyaluronate (HA) dot named HDFc for tumor imaging. We took advantage of the unique auto-quenching characteristic that occurs when the fluorescent dye molecules are in close proximity to one another under ordinary conditions. However, when the HDFc is located in tumor cells, the tumor cell-specific enzyme (e.

Dendritic Cell-Targeted pH-Responsive Extracellular Vesicles for Anticancer Vaccination.

Immunotherapy can potentially treat cancers on a patient-dependent manner. Most of the efforts expended on anticancer vaccination parallel the efforts expended on prototypical immunization in infectious diseases. In this study, we designed and synthesized pH-responsive extracellular vesicles (EVs) coupled with hyaluronic acid (HA), 3-(diethylamino)propylamine (DEAP), monophosphoryl lipid A (MPLA), and mucin 1 peptide (MUC1), referred to as HDEA@EVAT.

Peroxisome-derived lipids regulate adipose thermogenesis by mediating cold-induced mitochondrial fission.

Peroxisomes perform essential functions in lipid metabolism, including fatty acid oxidation and plasmalogen synthesis. Here, we describe a role for peroxisomal lipid metabolism in mitochondrial dynamics in brown and beige adipocytes. Adipose tissue peroxisomal biogenesis was induced in response to cold exposure through activation of the thermogenic coregulator PRDM16.

pH-responsive hyaluronate-anchored extracellular vesicles to promote tumor-targeted drug delivery.

pH-Responsive drug vehicles targeting the specific extracellular pH of tumors have served as potent tools to overcome the limitation (e.g., low tumor seletivity) in antitumor drug delivery system.

pH-Responsive hyaluronated liposomes for docetaxel delivery.

In this study, we report pH-responsive liposomes consisting of hydrogenated soy phosphatidylcholine (HSPC) as a lipid, hyaluronic acid (HA) grafted with functional 3-diethylaminopropyl (DEAP) groups (hereafter denoted as HA-g-DEAP) as a pH-responsive polymer, and docetaxel (DTX) as an antitumor drug. DTX-loaded HSPC liposomes were prepared via a conventional liposome manufacturing procedure and then were decorated with HA-g-DEAP (HA-g-DEAP, HA-g-DEAP, and HA-g-DEAP, according to the molar conjugate ratio of DEAP to HA) in an aqueous solution (pH 7.4), by sonication.

PexRAP Inhibits PRDM16-Mediated Thermogenic Gene Expression.

How the nuclear receptor PPARγ regulates the development of two functionally distinct types of adipose tissue, brown and white fat, as well as the browning of white fat, remains unclear. Our previous studies suggest that PexRAP, a peroxisomal lipid synthetic enzyme, regulates PPARγ signaling and white adipogenesis. Here, we show that PexRAP is an inhibitor of brown adipocyte gene expression.

Usefulness of intraopertive ultrasonography during directional atherectomy using SilverHawk/TurboHawk system.

Purpose: Directional atherectomy (DA) was introduced for the management of infrainguinal arterial stenosis or occlusive lesions. The procedure success rate in the DEFINITIVE LE study was determined using radiologic imaging. The aim of our study was to determine the usefulness of intraoperative ultrasonography (USG) during DA for evaluating the early results of this procedure.

Efficacy of Statin Treatment in Early-Stage Chronic Kidney Disease.

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) represents a major medical challenge and frequently coexists with cardiovascular disease (CVD), which can be treated by statin trerapy. However, whether statin treatment affects renal progression and outcomes in CKD patients remains unclear. We retrospectively reviewed CKD patients at Gachon University Gil Medical Center from 2003-2013.

Design and Characterization of Bioengineered Cancer-Like Stem Cells.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a small subset of cancer cells responsible for maintenance and progression of several types of cancer. Isolation, propagation, and the differentiation of CSCs in the proper stem niches expose the intrinsic difficulties for further studies. Here we show that induced cancer like stem cells (iCLSCs) can be generated by in vitro oncogenic manipulation of mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs) with well-defined oncogenic elements; SV40 LTg and HrasV12 by using a mouse stem virus long terminal repeat (MSCV-LTR)-based retroviral system.

Enhanced thermogenic program by non-viral delivery of combinatory browning genes to treat diet-induced obesity in mice.

Thermogenic program (also known as browning) is a promising and attractive anti-obesity approach. Islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) and irisin have emerged as potential browning hormones that hold high potential to treat obesity. Here, we have constructed a dual browning gene system containing both IAPP and irisin (derived from fibronectin type III domain containing 5; FNDC5) combined with 2A and furin self-cleavage sites.

Combinatorial gene construct and non-viral delivery for anti-obesity in diet-induced obese mice.

The combinatorial peptidergic therapy of islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) and leptin (LEP) analogues was once an optimistic option in treating obese animals and patients. However, the need for frequent administrations and its negative side effects prevent it from being a viable choice. Here, we developed a combinatorial gene therapy of IAPP and LEP, where two genes are inserted into a single plasmid with self-cleaving furin and 2A sites to treat diet-induced obese (DIO) mice.

Natural course of venous malformation after conservative treatment.

Purpose: To investigate the clinical course of patients with venous malformation (VM) treated conservatively.

Methods: We reviewed retrospectively the database of our Congenital Vascular Malformation clinic and interviewed 207 patients with VM, who had been managed only conservatively. The questionnaires asked about changes in size (no change, increase in proportion to growth, increase greater than in proportion to growth, decrease) and changes in symptoms (markedly worse, moderately worse, no change, moderately improved, markedly much improved).

Treatment of arteriovenous malformations involving the hand.

Background: Hand arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) are difficult to treat because of the necessity to maintain function and the high complication rate of treatment. The purpose of this study was to review the treatment of hand AVMs with embolo/sclerotherapy and the surgical procedures at a single institute.

Material And Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records and identified the patients who were referred to the vascular division owing to hand AVMs between 1995 and 2009.

Stem cell therapy in patients with thromboangiitis obliterans: assessment of the long-term clinical outcome and analysis of the prognostic factors.

Background And Objectives: The clinical benefits of stem cell therapy have been reported in patients with peripheral arterial occlusive disease. However, those studies had no standard reporting system to assess the outcomes, so we made a scoring system and assessed the outcomes of the limbs that underwent whole bone marrow stem cell (WBMSC) therapy.

Methods And Results: Between July 4 and June 2009, 90 limbs of 67 patients with symptomatic thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO) were enrolled.

Inactivation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA01 biofilms by hyperthermia using superparamagnetic nanoparticles.

The primary goal of this study was to develop a new strategy to inactivate bacterial biofilms using the thermal stress derived from superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) in an alternating current (AC) magnetic field. A large number of studies have examined the inactivation of bacterial biofilms using antimicrobial agents; however, there have been no attempts to inactivate biofilms by hyperthermia using SPIONs. In this study, a SPION solution was added to Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.

Microheater based on magnetic nanoparticle embedded PDMS.

A microheater was established by embedding magnetic nanoparticles into PDMS (MNP-PDMS). MNP-PDMS generated heat under an AC magnetic field and the temperature was controlled by varying the magnetic particle content and the magnetic field intensity. In this study, the MNP-PDMS chip was demonstrated to amplify the target DNA (732 bp) with > 90% efficiency compared to the conventional PCR thermocycler, and exhibited good performance in regards to temperature control.