Purification, characterization, and sequencing of antimicrobial peptides, Cy-AMP1, Cy-AMP2, and Cy-AMP3, from the Cycad (Cycas revoluta) seeds.

Novel antimicrobial peptides (AMP), designated Cy-AMP1, Cy-AMP2, and Cy-AMP3, were purified from seeds of the cycad (Cycas revoluta) by a CM cellulofine column, ion-exchange HPLC on SP COSMOGEL, and reverse-phase HPLC. They had molecular masses of 4583.2 Da, 4568.

[Acute lymphoblastic leukemia presenting with calcineurin-inhibitor induced pain syndrome after a second allogeneic bone marrow transplantation].

A 42-year-old woman was referred to us for the treatment of relapsed Philadelphia-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph+ALL), which had been maintained in complete remission for seven years after an allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (allo-BMT) from an unrelated donor. She received remission-reinduction chemotherapy combined with imatinib mesylate. After the documentation of the molecular remission of Ph+ALL, she underwent the second allo-BMT from another unrelated donor.

Apoptosis in perforated cornea of a patient with graft-versus-host disease.

Case Report: Although ocular complications associated with graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) can include corneal dysfunction, corneal perforation is not common. We report the presence of apoptotic cells in a perforated cornea of a patient with GVHD. A 72-year-old man with the angioimmunoblastic type of malignant lymphoma developed chronic GVHD after allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation.

Mutations in telomerase catalytic protein in Japanese children with aplastic anemia.

Recent studies indicate that a subset of patients with apparently acquired aplastic anemia (AA) have mutations in genes for telomerase ribonucleoprotein complex components. We looked for mutations in telomerase RNA (TERC) and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) in 96 Japanese children with acquired AA and in 76 healthy controls. No mutations in TERC were found in any subjects.

Proposals for wastewater treatment by applying flocculating activity of cross-linked poly-gamma-glutamic acid.

Cross-linked poly-gamma-glutamic acid (C-L gamma-PGA) markedly purified polluted water collected from rivers and ponds by flocculation and precipitation. This effect of C-L gamma-PGA occasionally required pretreatment with polyaluminum chloride (PAC). Components of polluted water in rivers or ponds are generally thought to be clay minerals, microorganisms and chemical compounds.

Physicochemical properties of cross-linked poly-gamma-glutamic acid and its flocculating activity against kaolin suspension.

Cross-linked poly-gamma-glutamic acid (C-L gamma-PGA) was prepared with gamma-PGA irradiated with gamma-ray at various kGy values. The physicochemical properties including viscosity and water absorption capacity were compared between C-L gamma-PGA and several typical flocculating agents. The viscosity of C-L gamma-PGA increased with the dose of gamma-irradiation, although the water absorption capacity of C-L gamma-PGA did not, which showed a maximum of 1005.

Flocculating activity of cross-linked poly-gamma-glutamic acid against bentonite and Escherichia coli suspension pretreated with FeCl3 and its interaction with Fe3+.

Cross-linked poly-gamma-glutamic acid (C-L gamma-PGA) at 5 microg/ml flocculated bentonite suspension pretreated with polyaluminum chloride (PAC) at 2 microg/ml Al3+-PAC to a transparency of approximately 30% after 30 min and more than 90% after 4 h, while Al3+ concentration in the upper phase of the suspension decreased with incubation time. When pretreated with FeCl3 at 16 microg/ml Fe3+-FeCl3, similar results were obtained. In the case of Escherichia coli suspension, the combination of C-L gamma-PGA and FeCl3 demonstrated a more marked flocculating activity with a satisfactory transparency occurring after 30 min of treatment, accompanied by a decrease in residual Fe3+ concentration.

Signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 augments the transcriptional activity of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha in granulocyte colony-stimulating factor signaling pathway.

The Janus kinase (Jak)-Stat pathway plays an essential role in cytokine signaling. Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) promotes granulopoiesis and granulocytic differentiation, and Stat3 is the principle Stat protein activated by G-CSF. Upon treatment with G-CSF, the interleukin-3-dependent cell line 32D clone 3(32Dcl3) differentiates into neutrophils, and 32Dcl3 cells expressing dominant-negative Stat3 (32Dcl3/DNStat3) proliferate in G-CSF without differentiation.

The lipocalin 24p3, which is an essential molecule in IL-3 withdrawal-induced apoptosis, is not involved in the G-CSF withdrawal-induced apoptosis.

Many hematopoietic cells undergo apoptosis when deprived of specific cytokines. Lipocalin 24p3, reported to be induced in hematopoietic cells by interleukin 3 (IL-3) depletion, induces hematopoietic cell apoptosis despite the presence of IL-3. As granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) depletion also induces the apoptosis of G-CSF-dependent cell line cells, we examined the effect of 24p3 on the apoptotic function induced by G-CSF depletion.

Intracellular signal transduction of interferon on the suppression of haematopoietic progenitor cell growth.

Interferon (IFN)-alpha and IFN-gamma suppress the growth of haematopoietic progenitor cells. IFN-alpha activates Janus kinase-1 (Jak1) and Tyrosine kinase-2 (Tyk2), followed by the phosphorylation of the signal transducers and activators of transcription, Stat1 and Stat2. IFN-gamma activates Jak1 and Jak2, followed by the activation of Stat1.

Cutting edge: tyk2 is required for the induction and nuclear translocation of Daxx which regulates IFN-alpha-induced suppression of B lymphocyte formation.

IFN-alpha inhibits B lymphocyte development, and the nuclear protein Daxx has been reported to be essential for this biological activity. We show in this study that IFN-alpha inhibits the clonal proliferation of B lymphocyte progenitors in response to IL-7 in wild-type, but not in tyk2-deficient, mice. In addition, the IFN-alpha-induced up-regulation and nuclear translocation of Daxx are completely abrogated in the absence of tyk2.

Therapy-related chronic myelogenous leukaemia following autologous stem cell transplantation for Ewing's sarcoma.

A 17-year-old Japanese woman with Ewing's sarcoma was initially treated with conventional chemotherapy and local irradiation, and then with high-dose chemotherapy supported by autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. Four years later she was diagnosed with chronic myelogenous leukaemia (CML). The BCR/ABL fusion gene was detected in both peripheral blood and bone marrow cells by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, but not in the harvest product of peripheral blood stem cells which were infused at the time of transplantation.

Partial impairment of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and IL-18 signaling in Tyk2-deficient mice.

Tyk2 is activated in response to interleukin-12 (IL-12) and is essential for IL-12-induced T-cell function, including interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) production and Th1 cell differentiation. Because IL-12 is a stimulatory factor for natural killer (NK) cell-mediated cytotoxicity, we examined whether tyk2 is required for IL-12-induced NK cell activity. IL-12-induced NK cell activity in cells from tyk2-deficient mice was drastically reduced compared to that in cells from wild-type mice.