The medaka genome: why we need multiple fish models in vertebrate functional genomics.

Medaka (Oryzias latipes) is widely used in research in the fields of biology, medicine, environmental science and fisheries. Zebrafish and medaka are well established as genetic model systems in which large-scale mutagenesis has been successfully performed, and for which EST data, BAC libraries, and fine linkage maps have been accumulated. Among rayfinned fish, there is a large evolutionary distance between medaka and zebrafish.

Isoform-specific increases in murine skeletal muscle peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator-1alpha (PGC-1alpha) mRNA in response to beta2-adrenergic receptor activation and exercise.

Adrenergic receptor (AR) activation increases expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR)-gamma coactivator 1alpha (PGC-1alpha) mRNA, which may promote mitochondrial biogenesis in skeletal muscles. An AR-activated increase in PGC-1alpha mRNA was observed in exercise. PGC-1alpha mRNA is considered a single transcript (PGC-1alpha-a); however, a transcript search of PGC-1alpha in expressed sequence tag libraries revealed that two novel isoforms of PGC-1alpha mRNA, named PGC-1alpha-b and PGC-1alpha-c, were expressed in mice tissues.

A new design for free flap reconstruction of the tongue and oropharynx.

Radical resection of tongue and oropharyngeal carcinomas often results in complex defects that are challenging to reconstruct. Furthermore, remaining function should not be disturbed by the reconstruction. We introduce a new flap design and monitored swallowing and speech following reconstruction of complex oral defects.

Serum autoantibody to sideroflexin 3 as a novel tumor marker for oral squamous cell carcinoma.

The purpose of this study is to establish a tumor marker that can be applied for the early detection and follow-up of oral cancer patients. Employing the proteomic approach using MALDI TOF-MS, 2-DE, patient's sera and culturing cell lines, the serum autoantibodies (autoAbs) were screened and the serum levels were estimated by ELISA. Targeting the tumor cell invasion into the surrounding stromal tissues, MRC-5 human fibroblasts were employed as the target cells and a mitochondrial membrane protein, sideroflexin 3 (SFXN3), was identified.

Effect of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha ligands in the interaction between adipocytes and macrophages in obese adipose tissue.

Objective: This study was designed to examine the effect of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha (PPAR-alpha) ligands on the inflammatory changes induced by the interaction between adipocytes and macrophages in obese adipose tissue.

Methods And Procedures: PPAR-alpha ligands (Wy-14,643 and fenofibrate) were added to 3T3-L1 adipocytes, RAW264 macrophages, or co-culture of 3T3-L1 adipocytes and RAW264 macrophages in vitro, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) mRNA expression and secretion were examined. PPAR-alpha ligands were administered to genetically obese ob/ob mice for 2 weeks.

[A case of triple negative recurrent breast cancer successfully treated with capecitabine+docetaxel combination chemotherapy].

A 73-year-old woman underwent pectoralis-preserving mastectomy for left breast cancer (papillotubular carcinoma, f, T2, ly0, v0, N1 (21/21), T2N1M0 (Stage IIB), ER (-), PgR (-), HER2 (-)) in August 2004. It was called a triple negative breast cancer. She received systemic chemotherapy using AC followed by paclitaxel.

DNA damage-induced ubiquitylation of RFC2 subunit of replication factor C complex.

Many proteins involved in DNA replication and repair undergo post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation and ubiquitylation. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA; a homotrimeric protein that encircles double-stranded DNA to function as a sliding clamp for DNA polymerases) is monoubiquitylated by the RAD6-RAD18 complex and further polyubiquitylated by the RAD5-MMS2-UBC13 complex in response to various DNA-damaging agents. PCNA mono- and polyubiquitylation activate an error-prone translesion synthesis pathway and an error-free pathway of damage avoidance, respectively.

Regulation of SREBP1c gene expression in skeletal muscle: role of retinoid X receptor/liver X receptor and forkhead-O1 transcription factor.

Sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c (SREBP1c) is a master regulator of lipogenic gene expression in liver and adipose tissue, where its expression is regulated by a heterodimer of nuclear receptor-type transcription factors retinoid X receptor-alpha (RXRalpha) and liver X receptor-alpha (LXRalpha). Despite the potential importance of SREBP1c in skeletal muscle, little is known about the regulation of SREBP1c in that setting. Here we report that gene expression of RXRgamma is markedly decreased by fasting and is restored by refeeding in mouse skeletal muscle, in parallel with changes in gene expression of SREBP1c.

En bloc petrosectomy for malignant tumors involving the external auditory canal and middle ear: surgical methods and long-term outcome.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe a method for resecting malignant tumors originating in the external auditory canal or middle ear and requiring en bloc resection of the petrous bone.

Methods: Between 1995 and 2005, the authors performed en bloc petrosectomy for 18 malignant tumors in 9 male and 9 female patients, ranging in age from 15 to 74 years. Fourteen tumors originated in the external ear, 2 in the middle ear, and 2 in the parotid gland.

Development of a convenient in vitro fertilization method using interspecific hybrids between Oryzias latipes and Oryzias curvinotus.

Medaka is a small Asian freshwater teleost and has been an excellent model for fertilization studies for more than 50 years. Therefore, experimental procedures for in vitro fertilization (IVF) and cryopreservation of sperm are well established. In contrast, since the eggs or early embryos can not be cryopreserved, many females are killed to obtain unfertilized eggs for IVF.

Foxo1 represses expression of musclin, a skeletal muscle-derived secretory factor.

Musclin is a novel skeletal muscle-derived secretory factor, whose mRNA level is markedly regulated by nutritional status. In the present study, we investigated the mechanism of musclin mRNA regulation by insulin. In C2C12 myocytes, insulin-induced upregulation of musclin mRNA was significantly decreased by treatment of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, LY294002, and was abolished in C2C12 myocytes stably expressing a constitutively active Foxo1 (Foxo1-3A), suggesting the involvement of Foxo1 in the regulation of musclin mRNA.

Reproducing nonlinear force velocity relation of myocardial tissue by a nonlinear parallel elastic component.

To realize precise simulation of the left ventricular motion, it is important to utilize an accurate myocardial tissue model which can reproduce various characteristics of myocardial tissue contraction. In this study, we show that the nonlinear characteristics of the passive myocardial tissue property is the essential nature of the nonlinear force-velocity relation and present a formulation for hyperelastic physiological tissue property. Experimental results of our myocardial tissue simulation with the hyperelastic material property proposed are in good agreement with the reported force-velocity relation of real tissue.

Macrophage-colony stimulating factor in obese adipose tissue: studies with heterozygous op/+ mice.

Objective: We examined the gene expression of macrophage-colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) in mice with diet-induced obesity and in genetically obese mice. We also examined the effect of decreased M-CSF signaling on the susceptibility to obesity and macrophage recruitment into the adipose tissue of mice.

Research Methods And Procedures: The adipose tissue from mice with diet-induced obesity, obese KKA(y) mice, and ob/ob obese mice was used for RNA preparation.

Intact kinase homology domain of natriuretic peptide receptor-B is essential for skeletal development.

Context: Natriuretic peptide receptor-B (NPR-B, GC-B in rodents; gene name NPR2) is a guanylyl cyclase-coupled receptor that mediates the effect of C-type natriuretic peptide. Homozygous mutations in human NPR-B cause acromesomelic dysplasia, type Maroteaux (OMIM 602875), an autosomal recessive skeletal dysplasia. NPR-B has an intracellular kinase homology domain (KHD), which has no kinase activity, and its functional significance in vivo is currently unknown.

Differences in lectin-binding properties between the common mucosal epithelium and follicle-associated epithelium in the rabbit small intestine.

Differences in sugar distribution between the villous epithelium and follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) were compared using lectins in the rabbit small intestine. In every portion, villous columnar epithelial cells primarily exhibited a positive reaction to the GalNAc, GlcNAc, galactose, and oligosaccharide. In the ileal Peyer's patch (PP), whereas microvillous epithelial cells exhibited positive reactions, M cells tended to be negative.

Role of MAPK phosphatase-1 in the induction of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 during the course of adipocyte hypertrophy.

Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), an important chemokine whose expression is increased during the course of obesity, plays a role in macrophage infiltration into obese adipose tissue. This study was designed to elucidate the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) in the induction of MCP-1 during the course of adipocyte hypertrophy. We examined the time course of MKP-1 and MCP-1 mRNA expression and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation in the adipose tissue from mice rendered mildly obese by a short term high fat diet.

Three cases of sclerosing lipogranuloma: an immunohistochemical study.

Sclerosing lipogranuloma (SLG) is a rare disease that occurs in the male genital region. We report here three cases of SLG, including two of Y-shaped lesions in the penile base forming an intrascrotal mass, as well as a patient with a mass in the epidydimal region. All three lesions histologically exhibited formation of multiple granulomas consisting of multinucleated giant cells and epithelioid cells, in the fibroadipose tissue or around the epidydimis, in association with eosinophil infiltration.

Increased adiponectin secretion by highly purified eicosapentaenoic acid in rodent models of obesity and human obese subjects.

Objectives: Fish oil rich in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) or n-3 PUFAs have been shown to reduce the incidence of coronary heart disease. Here we investigated the effect of highly purified eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on production of adiponectin, the only established antiatherogenic and antiinflammatory adipocytokine, in rodent models of obesity and human obese subjects.

Methods And Results: We demonstrated that EPA increases adiponectin secretion in genetically obese ob/ob mice and high-fat diet-induced obese mice.

FOXO1 regulates the expression of 4E-BP1 and inhibits mTOR signaling in mammalian skeletal muscle.

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is regulated by growth factors to promote protein synthesis. In mammalian skeletal muscle, the Forkhead-O1 transcription factor (FOXO1) promotes catabolism by activating ubiquitin-protein ligases. Using C2C12 mouse myoblasts that stably express inducible FOXO1-ER fusion proteins and transgenic mice that specifically overexpress constitutively active FOXO1 in skeletal muscle (FOXO(++/+)), we show that FOXO1 inhibits mTOR signaling and protein synthesis.

Human scribble accumulates in colorectal neoplasia in association with an altered distribution of beta-catenin.

The loss of epithelial polarity and tissue architecture is a diagnostic feature of malignant tumors. In Drosophila, genetic studies identified 3 neoplastic tumor suppressor genes (nTSGs), and a loss of nTSGs has been shown to result in a disruption of apical-basal polarity and neoplastic growth in epithelial cells. Scribble is one type of the Drosophila nTSGs, which encodes a membrane-associated cytoplasmic protein containing the multi-PDZ domain.

Ganglioside from eel serum high density lipoprotein (HDL) and its role as a ligand for HDL binding protein.

First, we attempted to isolate glycosphingolipids from eel serum HDL. A single ganglioside containing N-acetylneuraminic acid (NeuAc), which is positive with resorcinol and orcinol reactions, was purified. The mobilities of the purified ganglioside and its lyso-form on high performance TLC were similar as those of authentic GM4 and its lyso-form, respectively.