Macro- and microscopic anatomy of the digestive tract in the red-eared slider (Emydidae: Trachemys scripta elegans).

The red-eared sliders (Emydidae: Trachemys scripta) is characterised by a high adaptability to a variety of environment and threatens the habitat of Japanese native species. The ability to digest a variety of diets may attribute to the high adaptive capacity of this species to various environments, however, the digestive morphology remains scarcely described in red-eared sliders. In this study, we investigated the macro- and microscopic anatomy of the esophagus, stomach, small intestine, and large intestine in red-eared sliders.

Peroxisome Proliferator Activator α Agonist Clofibrate Induces Pexophagy in Coconut Oil-Based High-Fat Diet-Fed Rats.

Peroxisomes are crucial for fatty acid β-oxidation in steatosis, but the role of pexophagy-the selective autophagy of peroxisomes-remains unclear. This study investigated the effects of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPARα) agonist clofibrate on pexophagy in a coconut oil-based high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hepatocarcinogenesis model. Rats were divided into four groups: control, clofibrate, HFD, and HFD with clofibrate.

Infection pattern of male-killing viruses alters phenotypes in the tea tortrix moth Homona magnanima.

Male-killing is a microbe-induced reproductive manipulation in invertebrates whereby male hosts are eliminated during development. In the tea tortrix moth Homona magnanima, Osugoroshi viruses 1‒3 (OGVs), belonging to Partitiviridae induce male-killing. The infection patterns of OGVs are diverse; however, how the influence of these patterns of host phenotypes remains largely unknown.

Anorectal Remodeling in the Transitional Zone with Increased Expression of LGR5, SOX9, SOX2, and Keratin 13 and 5 in a Dextran Sodium Sulfate-Induced Mouse Model of Ulcerative Colitis.

Although hyperplasia of the anorectal transitional zone (TZ) has been reported in mouse models of ulcerative colitis, the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not fully understood. We characterized keratin subtypes and examined the expression of stem cell markers in the TZ. Dextran sodium sulfate-treated mice showed abnormal repair of the anorectal region, which consisted of mixed hyperplastic TZ and regenerating crypts.

Therapeutic effects of an ALK inhibitor, brigatinib, on lung large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma with EML4-ALK fusion.

A 64-year-old light-smoking woman was clinically diagnosed with lung large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) with a metastatic brain tumor. An Oncomine Dx Targeted Test using metastatic brain tissue revealed that the patient's lung cancer cells had an EML4-ALK rearrangement. Patients with LCNEC and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangements are rare, and there is currently no standard treatment.

Systemic AL kappa chain amyloidosis in a captive Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus).

Systemic amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis is an infrequent disease in which amyloid fibrils derived from the immunoglobulin light chain are deposited in systemic organs, resulting in functional impairment. This disease has been notably uncommon in animals, and nonhuman primates have not been reported to develop it. In this study, we identified the systemic AL kappa chain amyloidosis in a captive Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) and analyzed its pathogenesis.

Structural basis for the recognition of α-1,6-branched α-glucan by GH13_47 α-amylase from Rhodothermus marinus.

Glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 13 is among the main families of enzymes acting on starch; recently, subfamily 47 of GH13 (GH13_47) has been established. The crystal structure and function of a GH13_47 enzyme from Bacteroides ovatus has only been reported to date. This enzyme has α-amylase activity, while the GH13_47 enzymes comprise approximately 800-900 amino acid residues which are almost double those of typical α-amylases.

Detecting acquired V-Raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 V600E mutation associated with osimertinib resistance in epidermal growth factor receptor-mutant lung adenocarcinoma: A case report.

Osimertinib has demonstrated efficacy as the first- and second-line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene mutations. However, EGFR-mutant NSCLC cells often acquire resistance to osimertinib. V-Raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF) mutation (BRAF V600E) was detected in a re-biopsy (LC-SCRUM-TRY testing) of a patient with advanced lung adenocarcinoma who was resistant to osimertinib treatment.

Characterization and alteration of product specificity of Beijerinckia indica subsp. indica β-fructosyltransferase.

The trisaccharide 1-kestose, a major constituent of fructooligosaccharide, has strong prebiotic effects. We used high-performance liquid chromatography and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to show that BiBftA, a β-fructosyltransferase belonging to glycoside hydrolase family 68, from Beijerinckia indica subsp. indica catalyzes transfructosylation of sucrose to produce mostly 1-kestose and levan polysaccharides.

Cleavage of the Jaw1 C-terminal region enhances its augmentative effect on the Ca2+ release via IP3 receptors.

Jaw1 (also known as IRAG2), a tail-anchored protein with 39 carboxyl (C)-terminal amino acids, is oriented to the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum and outer nuclear membrane. We previously reported that Jaw1, as a member of the KASH protein family, plays a role in maintaining nuclear shape via its C-terminal region. Furthermore, we recently reported that Jaw1 functions as an augmentative effector of Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum by interacting with the inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (IP3Rs).

Jaw1/LRMP is associated with the maintenance of Golgi ribbon structure.

Jaw1/LRMP is a membrane protein that is localized to the endoplasmic reticulum and outer nuclear membrane. Previously, we revealed that Jaw1 functions to maintain nuclear shape by interacting with microtubules as a Klarsicht/ANC-1/Syne/homology (KASH) protein. The loss of several KASH proteins causes defects in the position and shape of the Golgi apparatus as well as the nucleus, but the effects of Jaw1 depletion on the Golgi apparatus were poorly understood.

Recombinant lectin Gg for brain imaging of glycan structure and formation in the CNS node of Ranvier.

The nodes of Ranvier are unmyelinated gaps in the axon, important for the efficient transmission of action potentials. Despite the identification of several glycoproteins involved in node formation and maintenance, glycans' structure and formation in the node remain unclear. Previously, we developed a recombinant lectin from the Clostridium botulinum neurotoxin complex, specific to the galactose and N-acetylgalactosamine terminal epitopes (Gg).

Structural basis for proteolytic processing of Aspergillus sojae α-glucosidase L with strong transglucosylation activity.

An α-glucosidase from Aspergillus sojae, AsojAgdL, exhibits strong transglucosylation activity to produce α-1,6-glucosidic linkages. The most remarkable structural feature of AsojAgdL is that residues 457-560 of AsojAgdL (designated the NC sequence) is not conserved in other glycoside hydrolase family 31 enzymes, and part of this NC sequence is proteolytically cleaved during its maturation. In this study, the enzyme was expressed in Pichia pastoris, and electrophoretic analysis indicated that the recombinant enzyme, rAsojAgdL, consisted of two polypeptide chains, as observed in the case of the enzyme produced in an Aspergillus strain.

Jaw1/LRMP increases Ca influx upon GPCR stimulation with heterogeneous effect on the activity of each ITPR subtype.

Ca influx upon G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) stimulation is observed as a cytosolic Ca concentration oscillation crucial to initiating downstream responses including cell proliferation, differentiation, and cell-cell communication. Although Jaw1 is known to interact with inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor (ITPRs), Ca channels on the endoplasmic reticulum, the function of Jaw1 in the Ca dynamics with physiological stimulation remains unclear. In this study, using inducible Jaw1-expressing HEK293 cells, we showed that Jaw1 increases Ca influx by GPCR stimulation via changing the Ca influx oscillation pattern.

Enzymatic and structural characterization of β-fructofuranosidase from the honeybee gut bacterium Frischella perrara.

Fructooligosaccharide is a mixture of mostly the trisaccharide 1-kestose (GF), tetrasaccharide nystose (GF), and fructosyl nystose (GF). Enzymes that hydrolyze GF may be useful for preparing GF from the fructooligosaccharide mixture. A β-fructofuranosidase belonging to glycoside hydrolase family 32 (GH32) from the honeybee gut bacterium Frischella perrara (FperFFase) was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified.

Novel protocol to observe the intestinal tuft cell using transmission electron microscopy.

The tuft cell is a chemosensory cell, a specific cell type sharing the taste transduction system with a taste cell on the tongue, of which the existence has been discovered in various tissues including the gastrointestinal tract, gall bladder, trachea and pancreatic duct. To date, electron microscopic approaches have shown various morphological features of the tuft cell, such as long and thick microvilli, tubulovesicular network at the apical side and prominent skeleton structures. Recently, it has been reported that the small intestinal tuft cell functions to initiate type-2 immunity in response to helminth infection.

The N-terminal region of Jaw1 has a role to inhibit the formation of organized smooth endoplasmic reticulum as an intrinsically disordered region.

Jaw1/LRMP is a type II integral membrane protein that is localized at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and outer nuclear membrane. We previously reported that a function of Jaw1 is to maintain the nuclear shape as a KASH protein via its carboxyl terminal region, a component of linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton complex in the oligomeric state. Although the oligomerization of some KASH proteins via the cytosolic regions serves to stabilize protein-protein interactions, the issue of how the oligomerization of Jaw1 is regulated is not completely understood.

Jaw1/LRMP has a role in maintaining nuclear shape via interaction with SUN proteins.

Jaw1/LRMP is characterized as a Type II integral membrane protein that is localized to endoplasmic reticulum, however, its physiological functions have been poorly understood. An alignment of amino acid sequence of Jaw1 with Klarsicht/ANC-1/Syne/homology (KASH) proteins, outer nuclear membrane proteins, revealed that Jaw1 has a partial homology to the KASH domain. Here, we show that the function of Jaw1 is to maintain nuclear shape in mouse melanoma cell line.

Clinical significance of circulating tumor cells in peripheral blood from patients with gastric cancer.

Background: The authors hypothesized that circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients with gastric cancer are associated with prognosis and disease recurrence. In this study, they evaluated CTCs in gastric cancer and clarified the clinical impact of CTCs.

Methods: In total, 265 consecutive patients with gastric cancer were enrolled.

Assessment of sentinel node concept in esophageal cancer based on lymph node micrometastasis.

Purpose: The clinical significance of lymph node micrometastasis remains unclear in patients with esophageal cancer. Therefore, accurate assessment of lymph node status including micrometastasis is important when performing sentinel node (SN) navigation surgery. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the adequacy of SN concept based on lymph node micrometastasis determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in patients with esophageal cancer.

[A case of Lemierre syndrome].

Classic Lemierre syndrome is a septic internal jugular venous thrombophlebitis secondary to oropharyngeal anaerobic infection in adolescents and young adults. Upper respiratory tract infection is the most common antecedent. We report a case of Lemierre syndrome as a rare infectious disease.

Sentinel node navigation surgery is acceptable for clinical T1 and N0 esophageal cancer.

Background: If the sentinel node (SN) concept is established for esophageal cancer, it will be possible to reduce safely the extent of lymphadenectomy. Our objective was to perform SN mapping in esophageal cancer to assess distribution of lymph node metastases with the goal to reduce the need for extensive lymphadenectomy.

Methods: A total of 134 patients who underwent esophagectomy with lymph node dissection were enrolled.

Design and synthesis of peptidomimetic factor VIIa inhibitors.

Selective factor VIIa-tissue factor complex (FVIIa/TF) inhibition is regarded as a promising target for developing new anticoagulant drugs. In previous reports, we described a S3 subsite found in the X-ray crystal structure of compound 2 that bound to FVIIa/soluble tissue factor (sTF). Based on the X-ray crystal structure information and with the aim of improving the inhibition activity for FVIIa/TF and selectivity against other serine proteases, we synthesized derivatives by introducing substituents at position 5 of the indole ring of compound 2.