Inhibition of an Allergen-Antibody Reaction Related to Japanese Cedar Pollinosis Using DNA Aptamers Against the Cry j 2 Allergen.

Japanese cedar pollinosis is one of the most prevalent allergies in Japan. Reducing the allergen content of pollen plays a major role in the alleviation of allergy symptoms. Aptamers, oligonucleotides with an affinity for specific molecules, have great potential for reducing allergic activity.

DNA aptamers against the Cry j 2 allergen of Japanese cedar pollen for biosensing applications.

Sensing pollen allergens is required to prevent allergic disorders such as pollinosis. Aptamers, which bind to specific molecules, offer great potential as useful tools for detecting pollen allergens as measures against allergic disorders. Here, we report the identification of DNA aptamers binding to Cry j 2, one of the major allergens in Japanese cedar pollen, and the histochemical sensing of Cry j 2 in ruptured Japanese cedar pollen.

Isolation and expression of the retinoid X receptor from last instar nymphs and adult females of the soft tick Ornithodoros moubata (Acari: Argasidae).

Retinoid X receptors (RXR) exist broadly from invertebrates to vertebrates, and play essential roles in physiological processes of these organisms. In arthropods, RXRs form a complex with the ecdysteroid receptor (EcR) and ecdysteroids to mediate the regulation of ecdysis and reproduction. Compared to EcR, RXR and its homologue ultraspiracle (USP) are much less well understood.

Impaired LPS-induced signaling in microglia overexpressing the Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein N-terminal domain.

Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP) plays important roles in TCR signaling, but its roles in signal transduction in innate immune cells have not been well characterized. As microglia are the primary immune effector cells in the brain, WASP may possibly have important roles in microglial activation, such as production of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines and neurotoxic factors. Here, we established a microglial cell line from WASP dominant-negative transgenic (Tg) mice overexpressing the N-terminal enabled/vasodilator-stimulated phosphoprotein homology 1 (EVH1) domain.

Identification and expression analysis of an actin gene from the soft tick, Ornithodoros moubata (Acari: Argasidae).

Actin genes are found in all living organisms and highly conserved in various animals as shown by numerous studies on actin gene expression and function. Because of this ubiquitous nature of actin, it is often used as an internal control in gene expression studies. To clarify the suitability of actin gene as an internal control in soft ticks, isolation and expression analyses of an actin gene from Ornithodoros moubata was performed.

Ecdysteroid hormone titer and its relationship to vitellogenesis in the soft tick, Ornithodoros moubata (Acari: Argasidae).

A blood meal is required for reproduction in most argasid female ticks. The blood meal appears to stimulate an organ in the posterior end to produce a fat body stimulating factor (FSF), which is thought to be an ecdysteroid, to induce vitellogenin (Vg) synthesis. In this study, the relationship of vitellogenesis and ecdysteroids was investigated by measuring Vg and ecdysteroid titers while observing oocyte development and oviposition in mated and virgin females.

Microglial cell line established from prion protein-overexpressing mice is susceptible to various murine prion strains.

Several lines of evidence suggest that microglia have important roles in the pathogenesis of prion diseases. Here, we establish a novel microglial cell line (MG20) from neonatal tga20 mice that overexpress murine prion protein. After exposure to Chandler scrapie, we observed the replication and accumulation of disease-associated forms of the prion protein in MG20 cells up to the 15th passage.

Intrabodies against the EVH1 domain of Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein inhibit T cell receptor signaling in transgenic mice T cells.

Intracellularly expressed antibodies (intrabodies) have been used to inhibit the function of various kinds of protein inside cells. However, problems with stability and functional expression of intrabodies in the cytosol remain unsolved. In this study, we show that single-chain variable fragment (scFv) intrabodies constructed with a heavy chain variable (V(H)) leader signal sequence at the N-terminus were translocated from the endoplasmic reticulum into the cytosol of T lymphocytes and inhibited the function of the target molecule, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein (WASP).

Inhibitory effects of U73122 and U73343 on Ca2+ influx and pore formation induced by the activation of P2X7 nucleotide receptors in mouse microglial cell line.

P2X7 receptors are ATP-gated ion channels and play important roles in microglial functions in the brain. Activation of P2X7 receptors by ATP or its agonist BzATP induces Ca2+ influx from extracellular space, followed by the formation of non-selective membrane pores that is permeable to larger molecules, such as fluorescent dye. To determine whether phospholipase C (PLC) is involved in the activation of P2X7 receptors in microglial cells, U73122, a specific inhibitor of PLC, and its inactive analogue U73343 were examined on ATP and BzATP-induced channel and pore formation in an immortalized C57BL/6 mouse microglial cell line (MG6-1).

Antibacterial hemoglobin fragments from the midgut of the soft tick, Ornithodoros moubata (Acari: Argasidae).

Midgut contents of Ornithodoros moubata showed strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. A combination of reversed-phase chromatography and mass spectrometric analysis was used to isolate two antibacterial peptides from the tick midgut lumen. Partial amino acid sequences by Edman degradation of these two peptides showed they are identical with the 1-11 and 3-19 portions of rabbit a hemoglobin.