Plakevulin A induces apoptosis and suppresses IL-6-induced STAT3 activation in HL60 cells.

(+)-Plakevulin A (1), an oxylipin isolated from an Okinawan sponge Plakortis sp. inhibits enzymatic inhibition of DNA polymerases (pols) α and δ and exhibits cytotoxicity against murine leukemia (L1210) and human cervix carcinoma (KB) cell lines. However, the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC) value for cytotoxicity significantly differed from those observed for the enzymatic inhibition of pols α and β, indicating the presence of target protein(s) other than pols.

Anti-hepatitis C Virus Activity of Juglorubin Derivatives.

Juglorubin is a natural dye isolated from the culture of Streptomyces sp. 3094, 815, and GW4184. It has been previously synthesized via the biomimetic dimerization of juglomycin C, a plausible genetic precursor.

Real-time intelligent classification of COVID-19 and thrombosis via massive image-based analysis of platelet aggregates.

Microvascular thrombosis is a typical symptom of COVID-19 and shows similarities to thrombosis. Using a microfluidic imaging flow cytometer, we measured the blood of 181 COVID-19 samples and 101 non-COVID-19 thrombosis samples, resulting in a total of 6.3 million bright-field images.

Long-term effects of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccinations on platelets.

There is a global concern about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines associated with platelet function. However, their long-term effects on overall platelet activity remain poorly understood. Here we address this problem by image-based single-cell profiling and temporal monitoring of circulating platelet aggregates in the blood of healthy human subjects, before and after they received multiple Pfizer-BioNTech (BNT162b2) vaccine doses over a time span of nearly 1 year.

Massive image-based single-cell profiling reveals high levels of circulating platelet aggregates in patients with COVID-19.

A characteristic clinical feature of COVID-19 is the frequent incidence of microvascular thrombosis. In fact, COVID-19 autopsy reports have shown widespread thrombotic microangiopathy characterized by extensive diffuse microthrombi within peripheral capillaries and arterioles in lungs, hearts, and other organs, resulting in multiorgan failure. However, the underlying process of COVID-19-associated microvascular thrombosis remains elusive due to the lack of tools to statistically examine platelet aggregation (i.

Poly(ornithine)-based self-assembling drug for recovery of hyperammonemia and damage in acute liver injury.

Oligo-peptides, including monomeric amino acids, have received much attention as bioactive molecules and drugs. One of the biggest problems of these compounds, however, is their very short bioavailability due to instant metabolism and rapid excretion. To solve this problem, we newly designed a poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-block-polypeptide self-assembling based drug for the treatment of acute liver injury.

The Smallest Reported Malignant Struma Ovarii: A Case Report.

Introduction: Malignant struma ovarii is a rare neoplasm. It is usually asymptomatic and not commonly diagnosed preoperatively. In addition, there is currently no established diagnostic and therapeutic approach for malignant struma ovarii.

Nivolumab-induced thyroid dysfunction lacking antithyroid antibody is frequently evoked in Japanese patients with malignant melanoma.

Background: Nivolumab, an anti-programmed cell death-1 monoclonal antibody, has improved the survival of patients with malignant melanoma. Despite its efficacy, nivolumab inconsistently induces thyroid dysfunction as an immune-related adverse event (irAE). This study aimed to evaluate nivolumab-induced thyroid dysfunction to determine the risks and mechanisms of thyroid irAEs.

Disruption of mitochondrial fission in the liver protects mice from diet-induced obesity and metabolic deterioration.

Aim/hypothesis: Mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) physically interact by close structural juxtaposition, via the mitochondria-associated ER membrane. Inter-organelle communication between the ER and mitochondria has been shown to regulate energy metabolism and to be central to the modulation of various key processes such as ER stress. We aimed to clarify the role of mitochondrial fission in this communication.

A nanocarrier system for the delivery of nucleic acids targeted to a pancreatic beta cell line.

Pancreatic β cells secrete insulin in response to glucose levels and thus are involved in controlling blood glucose levels. A line of pancreatic β cells "MIN6" has been used in studies related to the function of β cells and diabetes therapy. Regulating gene expression in MIN6 cells could accelerate these studies, but an efficient method for the transfection of nucleic acids targeted to MIN6 cells is required.

[Effect of capecitabine therapy on the blood levels of antiepileptic drugs - report of two cases].

We report the cases of 2 breast cancer patients who received capecitabine(CAP)and concomitant anticonvulsant therapy with either phenytoin(PHT)or valproate(VPA)for brain metastasis. The effect of CAP on the blood levels of the 2 anticonvulsants was different and it depended on the variation in metabolism of each drug. Case 1 involved a 59-year-old woman with recurrent breast cancer.

Alveolar soft part sarcoma in brain with cardiac metastasis: a case report.

Alveolar soft part sarcoma (ASPS) is a rare soft tissue neoplasm. The coexistence of ASPS with cardiac metastasis is quite rare, in particular. In general, the sarcoma is a malignant disease and grows very fast.

Lhermitte-Duclos disease with cervical paraspinal arteriovenous fistula.

A 38-year-old man presented with a dysplastic cerebellar gangliocytoma associated with a paraspinal arteriovenous fistula (AVF) at the upper cervical portion. Neuroimaging examination indicated the diagnosis of Lhermitte-Duclos disease. The patient was treated by embolization of the AVF followed by partial resection of the cerebellar tumor.

Chemical, metabolic and immunological characterization of gangliosides of human glioma cells.

The patterns of ganglioside profiles were studied in 10 human glioma and one melanoma cell lines. Ganglio-series gangliosides, GM3 (NeuAc alpha2-3Gal beta1-4Glc beta1-Cer) and GM2 (GalNAc beta 1-4 (NeuAc alpha2-3)Gal beta1-4Glc beta 1-1Cer), and a neolacto-series ganglioside, sialylparagloboside (SPG) (NeuAc alpha 2-3Gal beta1-4GlcNAc beta1-3Gal beta1-4Glc beta1-1Cer), were the predominant constituents. The activities of the two key enzymes, GM3 synthetase and lactotriaosyl ceramide (Lc3Cer) synthetase, alone did not account for the ganglioside profile.

Deletion of complex gangliosides of human glioma cells during mitotic cell division.

Glycolipid compositions of the human glioma cell line T98G were studied during each phase of the cell cycle to see if those cell surface molecules are concerned with cell proliferation. In vitro cultured non-synchronized T98G cells are composed of ceramidemonohexoside (CMH), ceramidedihexoside (CDH), ceramidetrihexoside (CTH) and neolactotetraosylceramide (nLc4Cer) as neutral glycolipids, and of sulfatide (CS), gangliosides GM3, GM2, GD1a and several other gangliosides as acidic ones. While total glycolipid content per cellular weight was shown to be increased during the M phase, deletion of complex gangliosides particularly b-series gangliosides was recognized (p < 0.

Cell density regulates crypticity of GM3 ganglioside on human glioma cells.

Human glioma cell line KG-1C contains GM3 ganglioside as its sole glycolipid. The degree of M2590 antibody binding to GM3 was found to be regulated by the cell density; the percentage of positive cells in FACS analysis decreased from approximately 20% to close to none as the cells increased their density from sparse to confluent. The contents of GM3 with different cell densities were consistent, being more than 0.

[Prognosis after total removal of craniopharyngiomas via the frontobasal interhemispheric approach].

Prognosis after total removal of craniopharyngiomas via the frontobasal interhemispheric approach is reviewed. Seventeen patients with craniopharyngiomas were operated on in Sapporo Medical University Hospital between January, 1985 and December, 1993. In eleven patients, lamina terminalis was incised and in the last six patients, it was left intact.

[Clinicopathological findings in symptomatic Rathke's cleft cyst: correlation between enhancement effects on MRI and histopathology of the cyst wall].

We have studied MR images and the histopathology of eight patients with symptomatic Rathke's cleft cysts. Six cases showed visual disturbance and two showed galactorrhea. In five, the cyst fluid had low signal intensity on T1-weighted images and high intensity on T2-weighted images; in 2, the cyst fluid had high intensity on both T1 and T2-weighted images; in 1, the cyst fluid had high intensity on T1-weighted images and low intensity on T2-weighted images.

[A case of calcification of the cervical ligamentum flavum].

We report a case of cervical myelopathy caused by the calcification of the cervical ligamentum flavum. A 42-year-old woman with gait disturbance and an episode of dysuria was transferred to our hospital on June 30, 1994. Neurological examination revealed only a mild right hemiparesis.

[A case of ANCA negative Wegener's granulomatosis with pulmonary giant bulla showing high level of soluble ICAM-1].

This paper reports a rare case of the limited form of Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) with pulmonary giant bulla, which was pathologically identified only in the lung and showed a high level of soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) but not anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA). A 46 year-old male was admitted for the further examination of right anterior chest pain and dyspnea. Chest X-ray and CT examination showed giant bulla accompanied with the invasive lesions in upper lobe of right lung.

Novel modification of ceramide: rat glioma ganglioside GM3 having 3-O-acetylated sphingenine.

A novel O-acetylated GM3 containing 3-O-acetyl 4-sphingenine was isolated with one having a non-acetylated base from transplanted rat glioma tissue. The presence and position of the acetyl group were estimated by one- and two-dimensional proton nuclear magnetic resonance, and fast atom bombardment-mass spectrometries. In addition, the O-acetyl GM3 showed higher immunological activity toward anti-melanoma antibody in the presence of non-acetylated GM3 in complement-dependent liposome lysis than did non-acetylated or acetylated GM3 alone in the liposome, suggesting enhancement of immunological reactivity of the intact tumor cells by a small amount of O-acetyl GM3.

Interleukin 4 enhances ganglioside GD3 expression on the human fibroblast cell line WI-38.

Human fibroblast cell line WI-38 cultured in vitro was treated with a human recombinant IL-4 at concentrations of 1 to 100 U/ml to examine the alteration of glycosphingolipid (GSL) expression of the cells. Neutral GSL of non-treated WI-38 cells consisted of CMH (GlcCer), CDH, CTH, and Gb4Cer; CMH and CTH were the major components. The acidic GSL were composed of GM3 as the predominant component and other minor gangliosides including GD3.

[A case of dural type of histiocytosis X presenting as a mass lesion in the tentorium cerebelli].

Histiocytosis X is a disease of unknown etiology, characterized by a mass of proliferating histiocytes, plasma cells and inflammatory cells foaming a granuloma within the reticuloendothelial elements of any organ in the body. In the central nervous system (CNS), hypothalamic disorder of histiocytosis X is often found, but histiocytosis X in other regions is quite rare. We report a case of a 5-year-old girl with histiocytosis X of the zygoma presenting as a mass lesion in the tentorium cerebelli.