Lamellar Structure in Alanine-Glycine Copolypeptides Studied by Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy: A Model for the Crystalline Domain of Silk Fibroin in Silk II Form.

silk fibroin (SF) fibers with excellent mechanical properties have attracted widespread attention as new biomaterials. However, the structural details are still not conclusive. Here, we propose a lamellar structure for the crystalline domain of the SF fiber based on structural analyses of the Ala Cβ peaks in the C cross-polarization/magic angle spinning NMR spectra of (Ala-Gly) ( = 9, 12, 15, and 25) and C selectively labeled (Ala-Gly) model peptides.

Japanese phase I study of GC33, a humanized antibody against glypican-3 for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

GC33 is a humanized mAb against human glypican-3 (GPC3). In the first-in-human study carried out in the USA, GC33 was well tolerated and showed preliminary antitumor activity in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma. This study aimed to assess the safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetic characteristics of GC33 in Japanese patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma.

Cloning and characterization of grpE in Acetobacter pasteurianus NBRC 3283.

The grpE gene in Acetobacter pasteurianus NBRC 3283 was cloned and characterized, to elucidate the mechanism underlying the resistance of acetic acid bacteria to the stressors existing during acetic acid fermentation. This gene was found to be located in tandem with two related genes, appearing on the genome in the order grpE-dnaK-dnaJ. A sigma(32)-type promoter sequence was found in the upstream region of grpE.

Thermal effects in high-power CW second harmonic generation in Mg-doped stoichiometric lithium tantalate.

We investigated thermal behaviors of single-pass second-harmonic generation of continuous wave green radiation with high efficiency by quasi-phase matching in periodically poled Mg-doped stoichiometric lithium tantalate (PPMgSLT). Heat generation turned out to be directly related to the green light absorption in the material. Strong relation between an upper limit of the second harmonic power and confocal parameter was found.

Growth arrest and apoptosis induced by quercetin is not linked to adipogenic conversion of human preadipocytes.

Quercetin is involved in several biological activities including inhibition of cell growth and induction of apoptosis in cancer cells. However, it is unclear and unknown whether quercetin influences cell maturation. We examined the effect of quercetin on the growth and differentiation of human preadipocyte cells AML-I.

Induction of apoptosis by new ent-kaurene-type diterpenoids isolated from the New Zealand liverwort Jungermannia species.

Some diterpenoids show various biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anti-HIV and anti-tumor activity. Previously, we have focused our research on the apoptosis-inducing properties of diterpenoids and found that some ent-kaurene-type diterpenoids induced apoptosis in human leukemia HL-60 cells. In this study, we have investigated the induction of apoptosis in HL-60 cells by the novel ent-kaurene-type diterpenoids, jungermannenones A (JA), B (JB), C (JC) and D (JD), isolated from the New Zealand liverwort Jungermannia species.

Expression of the gonadal p450 aromatase gene of Xenopus and characterization of the 5'-flanking region of the aromatase gene.

Investigation by RQ-RT-PCR revealed that transcription of the p450 aromatase gene is activated at stage 50, when sex determination of the female begins, and that aromatase gene expression is also activated by exogenously administrated estradiol. In order to determine the molecular basis underlying the specific activation of aromatase gene expression during sex differentiation and in response to exogenous estradiol, we isolated the 5'-flanking fragment of the gene and characterized the promoter sequence. We demonstrated binding sequences to a specific trans-activating factor upstream of the p450 aromatase promoter II, the cAMP response element binding protein/activating transcription factor family, and steroidogenic factor-1.

Activation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase during ent-11alpha-hydroxy-16-kauren-15-one-induced apoptosis in human leukemia HL-60 cells.

Kaurene-type diterpenes possess various biological activities including antitumor and anti-inflammatory effects. Indeed, we have found that an ent-kaurene diterpene, ent-11alpha-hydroxy-16-kauren-15-one (KD), induced apoptosis via caspase-8 activation in human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells. However, the mechanism of caspase-8 activation by KD is not clear.

An ent-kaurene diterpene enhances apoptosis induced by tumor necrosis factor in human leukemia cells.

Some antitumor agents, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and camptothecin (CPT), often cause resistance of tumor cells to antitumor agents through activation of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) pathway that leads to up-regulation of anti-apoptotic proteins. Therefore, co-treatment of an inhibitor of the NF-kappa B pathway with antitumor agents is a useful strategy for chemotherapy. Here we report that ent-11 alpha-hydroxy-16-kauren-15-one (KD) selectively inhibits NF-kappa B-dependent gene expression due to treatment with TNF-alpha.

Kaurene diterpene induces apoptosis in human leukemia cells partly through a caspase-8-dependent pathway.

Defects in apoptosis signaling pathways contribute to tumorigenesis and drug resistance, and these defects are often a cause of failure of chemotherapy. Thus, a major goal in chemotherapy is to find cytotoxic agents that restore the ability of tumor cells to undergo apoptosis. We previously found that an Ent-kaurene diterpene, Ent-11alpha-hydroxy-16-kauren-15-one (KD), induced apoptosis in human promyelocytic leukemia HL-60 cells.

A comparison of apoptosis and necrosis induced by ent-kaurene-type diterpenoids in HL-60 cells.

We previously reported that ent-11alpha-hydroxy-16-kauren-15-one (KD) induces apoptosis through a caspase-dependent pathway and the induction of apoptosis is dependent on its enone group in human leukemia cells. Here we investigated the abilities of some KD-related compounds with enone group (Fig. 1) to induce apoptosis and to activate some caspases.