Publications by authors named "Masahiro Ueda"

Activation of brown and beige fat biogenesis promotes metabolic health in rodents and humans, but typically requires cold exposure or pharmacological activation of β-adrenergic receptors, which may pose cardiovascular risks. Dietary intervention represents a clinically viable alternative strategy to induce beige cells and thus enhance metabolic health, though the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we identified specific microbiota members in both mice and humans that promote browning of white adipose tissue (WAT) and ameliorate metabolic disorders in the context of a low-protein diet (LPD).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Anatomical representation of site-specific clustering of biomolecules is a powerful way of predicting a potential interaction among signaling cascades and orchestrating molecular functions in cells and organs. The greater the number of molecules visualized simultaneously, the deeper we can understand each molecule's role in cellular metabolism and function. In the present study, we investigated site-specific localization of small biomolecules in the slug using Space and Time Coherent Mapping (STCM), a key technology in matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight imaging mass spectrometry.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The single-molecule tracking of transmembrane receptors in living cells has provided significant insights into signaling mechanisms, such as mobility and clustering upon their activation/inactivation, making it a potential screening method for drug discovery. Here we show that single-molecule tracking-based screening can be used to explore compounds both detectable and undetectable by conventional methods for disease-related receptors. Using an automated system for a fast large-scale single-molecule analysis, we screen for epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) from 1134 of FDA approved drugs.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Persistent colonization and outgrowth of potentially pathogenic organisms in the intestine can result from long-term antibiotic use or inflammatory conditions, and may perpetuate dysregulated immunity and tissue damage. Gram-negative Enterobacteriaceae gut pathobionts are particularly recalcitrant to conventional antibiotic treatment, although an emerging body of evidence suggests that manipulation of the commensal microbiota may be a practical alternative therapeutic strategy. Here we isolated and down-selected commensal bacterial consortia from stool samples from healthy humans that could strongly and specifically suppress intestinal Enterobacteriaceae.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Single-molecule imaging in living cells is an effective tool for elucidating the mechanisms of cellular phenomena at the molecular level. However, the analysis was not designed for throughput and requires high expertise, preventing it from reaching large scale, which is necessary when searching for rare cells that induce singularity phenomena. To overcome this limitation, we have automated the imaging procedures by combining our own focusing device, artificial intelligence, and robotics.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Eukaryotic cells exhibit random migration in the absence of extracellular directional cues. This random migration acts as basal motility for various migratory responses such as chemotaxis. The self-organization of random motility requires the internal signals that determine the anterior side of the migrating cell be generated spontaneously from the intrinsic activities of intracellular signaling networks.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Left-right (LR) asymmetry is crucial for animal development, particularly in Drosophila where LR-asymmetric morphogenesis of organs hinges on cellular-level chirality, termed cell chirality. In this species, two class I myosins, Myosin1D (Myo1D), and Myosin1C (Myo1C), respectively determine dextral (wild type) and sinistral (mirror image) cell chirality. Previous studies demonstrated Myo1D's ability to propel F-actin in leftward circles during in vitro gliding assays, suggesting its mechanochemical role in defining dextral chirality.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Although the issue of home medical care and pharmacists remains widespread, much of the discussion has concentrated on its state in urban areas. We believe that it is necessary to consider the state of home health care in medium-sized regions, that is separate from its urban form, with a population of approximately 100000. Thus, we conducted a qualitative study in Hikone City, Shiga Prefecture, to identify factors that impede pharmacists involved in home medical care.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-mediated signal transduction controls cell growth and proliferation. The signaling pathway is regulated so that it is activated only by external EGF stimuli, but the mechanisms that prevent EGF-independent spontaneous activation of EGFR-mediated signaling are unknown. Here we report cholesterol depletion activates EGFR-mediated signaling without EGF.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The plasma membrane is widely regarded as the hub of the numerous signal transduction activities. Yet, the fundamental biophysical mechanisms that spatiotemporally compartmentalize different classes of membrane proteins remain unclear. Using multimodal live-cell imaging, here we first show that several lipid-anchored membrane proteins are consistently depleted from the membrane regions where the Ras/PI3K/Akt/F-actin network is activated.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Persistent colonization and outgrowth of pathogenic organisms in the intestine may occur due to long-term antibiotic usage or inflammatory conditions, which perpetuate dysregulated immunity and tissue damage. Gram-negative gut pathobionts are particularly recalcitrant to conventional antibiotic treatment, though an emerging body of evidence suggests that manipulation of the commensal microbiota may be a practical alternative therapeutic strategy. In this study, we rationally isolated and down-selected commensal bacterial consortia from healthy human stool samples capable of strongly and specifically suppressing intestinal .

View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • Recent concerns have arisen regarding pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP), making its prevention crucial, with sulfamethoxazole-trimethoprim (ST) being a common and cost-effective prophylactic treatment.
  • A study reviewed data from 162 patients over two years, aiming to identify reasons for ST discontinuation and associated adverse events (AEs), with thrombocytopenia being a significant factor for discontinuation.
  • Findings suggest that factors like age 50+, low lymphocyte count, and low platelet count increase the risk of thrombocytopenia during ST treatment, highlighting the need for regular platelet monitoring to ensure patient safety.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF
Article Synopsis
  • In eukaryotic cells, active Ras signaling plays a crucial role in cell movement by generating an asymmetric concentration of Ras-GTP on the membrane, which helps in forming protrusions called pseudopods.
  • The study reveals that normal metabolism of sphingomyelin, a type of membrane lipid, is essential for this Ras excitability and, consequently, for effective cell motility and responsiveness to directional cues.
  • Blocking sphingomyelin metabolism leads to defects in Ras signaling, decreased motility, and poor directional movement towards chemical attractants, suggesting that sphingomyelin creates a favorable environment for Ras activation and migration.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Glycosylation of proteins and lipids in viruses and their host cells is important for viral infection and is a target for antiviral therapy. Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major pathogen that causes acute and chronic hepatitis; it cannot be cured because of the persistence of its covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) in hepatocytes. Here we found that Pholiota squarrosa lectin (PhoSL), a lectin that specifically binds core fucose, bound to HBV particles and inhibited HBV infection of a modified human HepG2 cell line, HepG2-hNTCP-C4, that expresses an HBV receptor, sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The plasma membrane is widely regarded as the hub of the signal transduction network activities that drives numerous physiological responses, including cell polarity and migration. Yet, the symmetry breaking process in the membrane, that leads to dynamic compartmentalization of different proteins, remains poorly understood. Using multimodal live-cell imaging, here we first show that multiple endogenous and synthetic lipid-anchored proteins, despite maintaining stable tight association with the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane, were unexpectedly depleted from the membrane domains where the signaling network was spontaneously activated such as in the new protrusions as well as within the propagating ventral waves.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The lateral diffusion of transmembrane proteins on plasma membranes is a fundamental process for various cellular functions. Diffusion properties specific for individual protein species have been extensively studied, but the common features among protein species are poorly understood. Here, we systematically studied the lateral diffusion of various transmembrane proteins in the lower eukaryote Dictyostelium discoideum cells using a hidden Markov model for single-molecule trajectories obtained experimentally.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

There is a need for pharmacists to be actively involved in home healthcare through a wide range of collaboration in healthcare and welfare. However, insufficient evidence is available to search for factors that prevent pharmacists from being proactive in home healthcare. In this study, we conducted an extensive questionnaire survey among pharmacists engaged in home pharmacy work who belong to the Hyogo Pharmaceutical Society regarding the current status of pharmacists' work in home medical care and their psychological burden; we also explored the factors that may hinder the future development of home medical care.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Introduction: Various reports have been published regarding adoption of team-based learning (TBL) in pharmacy education. However, there is insufficient published evidence on the effect of student characteristics on student learning outcomes in a TBL curriculum. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effects of pre-study examination results and peer evaluation ratings on learning outcomes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Calcium acts as a second messenger to regulate many cellular functions, including cell motility. In Dictyostelium discoideum, the cytosolic calcium level oscillates synchronously, and calcium waves propagate through the cell population during the early stages of development, including aggregation. In the unicellular phase, the calcium response through Piezo channels also functions in mechanosensing.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

We designed and synthesized non-peptide organic molecular ligands for integrin αβ. Candidate ligands featured amidino analog and carboxy groups as binding sites on either side of a spacer, which consisted of benzophenone or an analog, such as diphenyl sulfide, diphenyl sulfoxide, diphenyl sulfone, or diphenyl ether. Competitive binding assays to integrin αβ with respect to [I]echistatin were used to determine inhibitory activity of the synthetic ligands.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Cancer invasion and metastasis are the major causes of cancer patient mortality. Various growth factors, including hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), are known to promote cancer invasion and metastasis, but the regulatory mechanisms involved are not fully understood. Here, we show that HGF-promoted migration and invasion of breast cancer cells are regulated by CUB domain-containing protein 1 (CDCP1), a transmembrane activator of SRC kinase.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Signaling-biased ligands acting on G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) differentially activate heterotrimeric G proteins and β-arrestins. Although a wealth of structural knowledge about signaling bias at the GPCR level exists (preferential engagement of a specific transducer), little is known about the bias at the transducer level (different functions mediated by a single transducer), partly due to a poor understanding of GPCR kinase (GRK)-mediated GPCR phosphorylation. Here, we reveal a unique role of the Gq heterotrimer as a determinant for GRK-subtype selectivity that regulates subsequent β-arrestin conformation and function.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Microbial lipids provide signals that are responsible for maintaining host health and controlling disease. The differences in the structures of microbial lipids have been shown to alter receptor selectivity and agonist/antagonist activity. Advanced lipidomics is an emerging field that helps to elucidate the complex bacterial lipid diversity.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In this study we self-assembled the four-armed porphyrin hetero dimer capsule Cap4, stabilized through amidinium-carboxylate salt bridges, in CHCl and CHCl. The dimer capsule Cap4 was kinetically and thermodynamically more stable than the corresponding two-armed dimer Cap2. The number of arms strongly influenced their recognition behaviour; guests possessing small aromatic faces (, 1,3,5-trinitrobenzene) preferred residing in the cavity of the two-armed capsule Cap2, rather than in Cap4, both thermodynamically and kinetically; in contrast, large aromatic guests (, 9,10-dibromoanthracene) were encapsulated predominantly by Cap4 because of favourable entropic effects.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

In this study, we synthesized a [2]rotaxane that was both mechanically planar chiral and axially chiral, comprising a symmetrical bis-crown ether featuring a biphenyl moiety (as the macrocyclic component) and a symmetrical bis-ammonium salt (as the dumbbell-shaped component).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF