The rapid survey method of chemical contamination in floods caused by Typhoon Hagibis by combining in vitro bioassay and comprehensive analysis.

A novel comprehensive assessment system, consisting of a bioassay and chemical analysis, was developed to quickly evaluate the human health risk posed by toxic chemicals discharged due to natural disasters. To analyze samples quickly, a yeast-two-hybrid assay (Y2H) and GC-MS equipped with an automated identification and quantification system (AIQS-GC) were employed for the bioassay and chemical analysis, respectively. Since the analysis of 1000 substances by AIQS could be finished within two days following the Y2H assay for screening, this method would complete the risk assessment within three days.

Establishment and directed differentiation of induced pluripotent stem cells from glycogen storage disease type Ib patient.

Glycogen storage disease type Ib (GSDIb) is caused by a deficiency in the glucose-6-phosphate transporter (G6PT), which leads to neutrophil dysfunction. However, the underlying causes of these dysfunctions and their relationship with glucose homeostasis are unclear. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) hold a great promise for advances in developmental biology, cell-based therapy and modeling of human disease.

Differentiation of human induced pluripotent stem cells into functional enterocyte-like cells using a simple method.

  Human induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells were differentiated into the endoderm using activin A and were then treated with fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) for differentiation into intestinal stem cell-like cells. These immature cells were then differentiated into enterocyte-like cells using epidermal growth factor (EGF) in 2% fetal bovine serum (FBS). At the early stage of differentiation, mRNA expression of caudal type homeobox 2 (CDX2), a major transcription factor related to intestinal development and differentiation, and leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (LGR5), an intestinal stem cell marker, was markedly increased by treatment with FGF2.

Glycome diagnosis of human induced pluripotent stem cells using lectin microarray.

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can now be produced from various somatic cell (SC) lines by ectopic expression of the four transcription factors. Although the procedure has been demonstrated to induce global change in gene and microRNA expressions and even epigenetic modification, it remains largely unknown how this transcription factor-induced reprogramming affects the total glycan repertoire expressed on the cells. Here we performed a comprehensive glycan analysis using 114 types of human iPSCs generated from five different SCs and compared their glycomes with those of human embryonic stem cells (ESCs; nine cell types) using a high density lectin microarray.