Anti-fatigue effect of an enzymatically derived deer velvet extract through muscle damage recovery and improvement of antioxidant levels.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Deer velvet (DV) has been extensively used in traditional Oriental medicine to treat various diseases. Its pharmacological spectrum encompasses tonicity, longitudinal bone growth of adolescence, blood retention, hemopoiesis facilitation, enhancement of organ function, physical function improvement, and augmentation of physical vitality. Among its myriad effects, DV notably exhibits anti-fatigue properties; however, its specific mode of action is yet to be fully elucidated.

Targeting GABA Receptors Improves Post-Stroke Motor Recovery.

Ischemic stroke remains a leading cause of disability worldwide, with limited treatment options available. This study investigates GABA receptors as novel pharmacological targets for stroke recovery. The expression of 1 and 2 mRNA in mice were determined in peri-infarct tissue following photothrombotic motor cortex stroke.

Application of hematoxylin reagent for sperm cell separation in sexual crime evidence.

Seminal evidence obtained from a sexual crime scene provides clues for solving a case through forensic analysis. However, most evidence collected from sexual crime scenes is a mixture of sperm cells and vaginal discharge. Therefore, separating the sperm cells from the seminal evidence is very important.

Ultravist Induces the Expression of MCP-1 and VCAM-1 in IL-4-Stimulated HUVECs.

The goal of the present study focused on the adverse reaction of contrast medium (CM) via the induction of inflammatory molecules in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Ultravist-induced monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) gene expression was markedly increased in interleukin-4 (IL-4)-pretreated HUVECs in a time- and dose-dependent manner and was paralleled by concomitant production of MCP-1 and VCAM-1 proteins. MCP-1 and VCAM-1 gene expression by Ultravist in combination with IL-4 was mediated by the c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK1/2) signaling pathway.

A molecular mechanism of nickel (II): reduction of nucleotide excision repair activity by structural and functional disruption of p53.

Nickel is a major carcinogen that is implicated in tumor development through occupational and environmental exposure. Although the exact molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis by low-level nickel remain unclear, inhibition of DNA repair is frequently considered to be a critical mechanism of carcinogenesis. Here, we investigated whether low concentrations of nickel would affect p53-mediated DNA repair, especially nucleotide excision repair.

Identification of female-specific blood stains using a 17β-estradiol-targeted aptamer-based sensor.

Blood stain evidence obtained from a violent crime scene provides decisive clues that can enable a case to be solved through forensic analyses such as genetic identification. However, collected samples usually contain a mixture of biological material from different sources, making genetic identification difficult. To address this issue, we developed an activatable aptamer sensor targeting 17β-estradiol for detection of female-specific blood in mixed samples.

Comparative Analysis of Clinical Samples Showing Weak Serum Reaction on AutoVue System Causing ABO Blood Typing Discrepancies.

Background: ABO blood typing in pre-transfusion testing is a major component of the high workload in blood banks that therefore requires automation. We often experienced discrepant results from an automated system, especially weak serum reactions. We evaluated the discrepant results by the reference manual method to confirm ABO blood typing.

A Protective Mechanism of Visible Red Light in Normal Human Dermal Fibroblasts: Enhancement of GADD45A-Mediated DNA Repair Activity.

The phototherapeutic effects of visible red light on skin have been extensively investigated, but the underlying biological mechanisms remain poorly understood. We aimed to elucidate the protective mechanism of visible red light in terms of DNA repair of UV-induced oxidative damage in normal human dermal fibroblasts. The protective effect of visible red light on UV-induced DNA damage was identified by several assays in both two-dimensional and three-dimensional cell culture systems.

Optimal difference test sequence and power for discriminating soups of varying sodium content: DTFM version of dual-reference duo-trio with unspecified tetrad tests.

As sodium reduction has become very important in the food industry, various types of unspecified duo-trio tests have been studied to improve its efficiency for studying samples with high sodium content, and a constant-saltier-reference duo-trio test with dual reference, one reference in the first position and the second reference in the middle between the two test stimuli (DTFM), has been recommended. For the duo-trio test, a 'comparison of distance' (COD) strategy has been generally assumed. Yet, theoretically for DTFM, the 2-AFC reminder (2-AFCR) τ-strategy is also possible, which would make DTFM more efficient than the unspecified tetrad test.

Clinical performance of the Sofia™ Influenza A+B FIA in adult patients with influenza-like illness.

The Sofia™ Influenza A+B FIA demonstrated 74.0% sensitivity and 95.4% specificity for influenza A in patients with influenza-like illness in 2012-2013 season.

Endocrine-disrupting Chemicals: Review of Toxicological Mechanisms Using Molecular Pathway Analysis.

Endocrine disruptors are known to cause harmful effects to human through various exposure routes. These chemicals mainly appear to interfere with the endocrine or hormone systems. As importantly, numerous studies have demonstrated that the accumulation of endocrine disruptors can induce fatal disorders including obesity and cancer.

Undetactable levels of genotoxicity of SiO2 nanoparticles in in vitro and in vivo tests.

Background: Silica dioxide (SiO2) has been used in various industrial products, including paints and coatings, plastics, synthetic rubbers, and adhesives. Several studies have investigated the genotoxic effects of SiO2; however, the results remain controversial due to variations in the evaluation methods applied in determining its physicochemical properties. Thus, well characterized chemicals and standardized methods are needed for better assessment of the genotoxicity of nanoparticles.

Dictyostelium discoideum Ax2 as an Assay System for Screening of Pharmacological Chaperones for Phenylketonuria Mutations.

In this study, we developed an assay system for missense mutations in human phenylalanine hydroxylases (hPAHs). To demonstrate the reliability of the system, eight mutant proteins (F39L, K42I, L48S, I65T, R252Q, L255V, S349L, and R408W) were expressed in a mutant strain (pah(-)) of Dictyostelium discoideum Ax2 disrupted in the indigenous gene encoding PAH. The transformed pah- cells grown in FM minimal medium were measured for growth rate and PAH activity to reveal a positive correlation between them.

NAA10 controls osteoblast differentiation and bone formation as a feedback regulator of Runx2.

Runt-related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) transactivates many genes required for osteoblast differentiation. The role of N-α-acetyltransferase 10 (NAA10, arrest-defective-1), originally identified in yeast, remains poorly understood in mammals. Here we report a new NAA10 function in Runx2-mediated osteogenesis.

Human AP endonuclease 1: a potential marker for the prediction of environmental carcinogenesis risk.

Human apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) functions mainly in DNA repair as an enzyme removing AP sites and in redox signaling as a coactivator of various transcription factors. Based on these multifunctions of APE1 within cells, numerous studies have reported that the alteration of APE1 could be a crucial factor in development of human diseases such as cancer and neurodegeneration. In fact, the study on the combination of an individual's genetic make-up with environmental factors (gene-environment interaction) is of great importance to understand the development of diseases, especially lethal diseases including cancer.

Presence of multiple binding sites on α9α10 nAChR receptors alludes to stoichiometric-dependent action of the α-conotoxin, Vc1.1.

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are ligand-gated ion channels involved in fast synaptic transmission. nAChRs are pentameric receptors formed from a combination of different or similar subunits to produce heteromeric or homomeric channels. The heteromeric, α9α10 nAChR subtype is well-known for its role in the auditory system, being expressed in cochlear hair cells.

Base excision DNA repair defect in thioredoxin-1 (Trx1)-deficient cells.

Thioredoxin-1 (Trx1) is an antioxidant enzyme with a protective role in the removal of oxidative stress. We investigated the mechanism by which the redox modulator Trx1 affects base excision repair (BER) activity to understand the protective role of Trx1. We constructed a Trx1 knockdown system to demonstrate the specific mechanism of Trx1 shRNA cells compared with that in the wild type cells, leading to increased cellular susceptibility to a sublethal dose of BER-inducible toxicant, nitrosomethylurea (NMU).

Branched-chain amino acids ameliorate fibrosis and suppress tumor growth in a rat model of hepatocellular carcinoma with liver cirrhosis.

Purpose: Recent studies have revealed that branched-chain amino acids (BCAA) reduce the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in patients with obesity and hepatitis C virus infection by improving insulin resistance (IR). The aim of this study was to examine the anti-cancer and anti-fibrotic effects of BCAA on the development of diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced HCC and liver cirrhosis in a rat model.

Methods: Male SD rats received weekly intraperitoneal injections of DEN (50 mg/kg of body weight) for 16 weeks to induce HCC.

Enhanced redox factor 1 (REF1)-modulated p53 stabilization and JNK1 dissociation in response to selenomethionine.

Aim: p53 is reportedly activated without any genotoxicity through redox modulation of redox factor 1 (REF1). REF1 is documented to modulate the redox status under selenomethionine (SeMet). In this study, we investigated the mechanism of p53 stabilization by SeMet.

A novel chemopreventive mechanism of selenomethionine: enhancement of APE1 enzyme activity via a Gadd45a, PCNA and APE1 protein complex that regulates p53-mediated base excision repair.

Organic selenium compounds have been documented to play a role in cancer prevention. Our previous study showed that selenomethionine (SeMet) induces p53 activation without genotoxic effects including apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. In this study, we investigated the mechanism by which organic selenium compounds promote p53-mediated base excision repair (BER) activity.

Design, Synthesis, and Pharmacological Evaluation of Fluorescent and Biotinylated Antagonists of ρ1 GABAC Receptors.

The ρ1 GABAC receptor is a ligand-gated chloride ion channel that shows promise as a therapeutic target for myopia, sleep disorders, memory and learning facilitation, and anxiety-related disorders. As such, there is a need for molecular probes to understand the role GABAC receptors play in physiological and pathological processes. To date, no labeled (either radioactive or fluorescent) GABAC selective ligand has been developed that can act as a marker for GABAC receptor visualization and localization studies.

A novel role for Gadd45α in base excision repair: modulation of APE1 activity by the direct interaction of Gadd45α with PCNA.

The growth arrest and DNA damage inducible, alpha (Gadd45α) protein regulates DNA repair by interacting with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Our previous study suggested a potential role for Gadd45α in the base excision repair (BER) pathway by affecting apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1 (APE1) protein in addition to its accepted role in nucleotide excision repair (NER). Here, we investigated whether the interaction of Gadd45α with PCNA affects APE1 activity.

Tetrahydropteridines possess antioxidant roles to guard against glucose-induced oxidative stress in Dictyostelium discoideum.

Glucose effects on the vegetative growth of Dictyostelium discoideum Ax2 were studied by examining oxidative stress and tetrahydropteridine synthesis in cells cultured with different concentrations (0.5X, 7.7 g L(-1); 1X, 15.

Altered sugar donor specificity and catalytic activity of pteridine glycosyltransferases by domain swapping or site-directed mutagenesis.

CY-007 and CY-049 pteridine glycosyltransferases (PGTs) that differ in sugar donor specificity to catalyze either glucose or xylose transfer to tetrahydrobiopterin were studied here to uncover the structural determinants necessary for the specificity. The importance of the C-terminal domain and its residues 218 and 258 that are different between the two PGTs was assessed via structure-guided domain swapping or single and dual amino acid substitutions. Catalytic activity and selectivity were altered in all the mutants (2 chimeric and 6 substitution) to accept both UDP-glucose and UDP-xylose.