Intracellular dynamics of ubiquitin-like 3 visualized using an inducible fluorescent timer expression system.

Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) secreted via multivesicular bodies (MVBs)/late endosomes and mediators of cell-cell communication. We previously reported a novel post-translational modification by ubiquitin-like 3 (UBL3). UBL3 is localized in MVBs and the plasma membrane and released outside as sEVs, including exosomes.

Mutations of the KLF1 gene detected in Japanese with the In(Lu) phenotype.

Background: In(Lu) is characterized by a reduced expression of antigens in the Lutheran blood group system as well as other blood group antigens. Mutations of the erythroid transcription factor, KLF1, have been reported to cause the In(Lu) phenotype, and we investigated Japanese In(Lu) to estimate the prevalence of the phenotype and KLF1 polymorphism.

Study Design And Methods: Blood samples were screened by monoclonal anti-CD44 and the In(Lu) phenotype was confirmed by tube tests including adsorption and elution tests using anti-Lu and anti-Lu .

A new ABCG2 null allele with a 27-kb deletion including the promoter region causing the Jr(a-) phenotype.

Background: The high-prevalence antigen Jr(a) is carried on the ATP-binding cassette transporter ABCG2. The ABCG2 gene consists of 16 exons and its translation start codon is located on the second exon. Although the occurrence of the Jr(a-) phenotype is rare, several ABCG2 null alleles have been reported.

Biological and oncogenic properties of p53-deficient salivary gland epithelial cells with particular emphasis on stromal-epithelial interactions in tumorigenesis.

Objective: To understand the salivary gland pathobiology, we established an immortalized duct/basal cell line (MSE) from the submandibular glands of p53-deficient mice.

Methods: A variety of culture assays and xenograft experiments were conducted. Cellular characteristics were analyzed using histological, immunohistochemical, ultrastructural, and molecular techniques.

Possible involvement of oxidative stress in salivary gland of patients with Sjogren's syndrome.

Objective: To determine the involvement of oxidative stress in the salivary gland of patients with Sjogren's syndrome (SS).

Methods: Oxidative damage to the gland was measured by 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) and hexanoyl-lysine (HEL) using the SS saliva. In addition, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and mitochondrial glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (m-GOT), both general markers for cell damage, were also analyzed.

Functional analysis of an established mouse vascular endothelial cell line.

Background: In vitrostudies using cell lines are useful for the understanding of cellular mechanisms. The purpose of our study is to develop a new immortalized aortic vascular endothelial cell (EC) line that retains endothelial characteristics and can facilitate the study of ECs.

Methods: A mouse aortic vascular EC line (MAEC) was established from p53-deficient mouse aorta and cultured for over 100 passages.

Up-regulated PAR-2-mediated salivary secretion in mice deficient in muscarinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes.

Protease-activated receptor-2 (PAR-2) is expressed in the salivary glands and is expected to be a new target for the treatment of exocrine dysfunctions, such as dry mouth; however, the salivary secretory mechanism mediated by PAR-2 remains to be elucidated. Therefore, mechanism of the PAR-2-mediated salivary secretion was investigated in this study. We found that a PAR-2 agonist peptide, SLIGRL-OH, induced salivary flow in vivo and dose-dependent increase in [Ca(2+)](i) submandibular gland (SMG) acinar cells in wild-type (WT) mice and mice lacking M(3) or both M(1) and M(3) muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs), whereas secretions in PAR-2 knockout (PAR-2KO) mice were completely abolished.

Ultrastructural spectrum of solitary fibrous tumor: a unique perivascular tumor with alternative lines of differentiation.

Eight tumors diagnosed as solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) of the oral cavity were studied. Histologic spectrum was entirely comparable with the extrapleural SFT of other sites. One tumor had glomus tumor-like foci.

Balloon cell nevus of the soft palate: an immunohistochemical and ultrastructural study.

An ultrastructural analysis of oral balloon cell nevus of intramucosal type complemented with an immunohistochemical study was performed for the first time. The lesion was composed of large balloon cells with an admixture of small nevus cells and melanophages at the periphery. Balloon cells showed cytoplasmic accumulation of vacuoles of varying sizes and the presence of microgranular and vacuolated melanosomes were found.

Rare vascular proliferations of the oral mucosa.

Benign vascular lesions-malformative, reactive, and neoplastic-are fairly common in the oral soft tissues; nevertheless, extravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia and sinusoidal hemangioma have not been reported in this location. To our knowledge, a single case of intraoral spindle cell hemangioma has appeared in the literature. This report deals with histopathological features of these rare vascular proliferations involving the oral mucosa.