Phosphoproteome analysis of synoviocytes from patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Aim: To explore disease-associated molecules in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), we comprehensively analyzed phosphoproteins purified from RA synoviocytes.

Method: Synoviocytes were obtained from three patients with RA and three patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Profiles of phosphoproteins purified from the synoviocytes were compared by two-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) between the RA and OA groups.

Increased expression of S100 calcium binding protein A8 in GM-CSF-stimulated neutrophils leads to the increased expressions of IL-8 and IL-16.

Objectives: In our previous proteomic surveillance, we found that at least 11 proteins in neutrophils were increased more than 2.5-fold by the stimulation of GM-CSF. In this paper, focusing on one of the 11 proteins, S100 calcium binding protein A8 (S100A8), we tried to elucidate the effect of S100A8 and the cooperative effect of S100A8 and GM-CSF on production and secretion of cytokines of neutrophils.

Quality control and monitoring for the isolation process of mesenchymal stem cells and their differentiation into osteoblasts.

We developed a method of quality control and monitoring for the isolation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from bone marrow and their differentiation into osteoblasts. After dividing the cell culture process into five groups based on cell types such as MSCs and osteoblasts, we used microarray analysis to select genes with expression profiles characteristic of each group and quantitative polymerase chain reaction for confirming the expression profiles of these genes. Comparing multiple gene expression profiles per cell from quantitative polymerase chain reaction permitted us to distinguish (1) different groups of cell culture including MSCs and osteoblasts; (2) MSCs that had differentiated cells other than osteoblasts such as chondroblasts, adipocytes, or skin-derived fibroblasts; and (3) desirable MSCs from undesirable MSCs occurring under different culture conditions.

Implication of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor induced neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin in pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis revealed by proteome analysis.

Introduction: In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), synovial fluid (SF)contains a large number of neutrophils that contribute to the inflammation and destruction of the joints. The SF also contains granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF),which sustains viability of neutrophils and activates their functions. Using proteomic surveillance, we here tried to elucidate the effects of GM-CSF on neutrophils.

Crosslinking of the CD69 molecule enhances S100A9 production in activated neutrophils.

Expression of CD69 on neutrophils and generation of anti-CD69 autoantibodies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have been reported. Thus natural ligands for CD69 not yet identified and/or the anti-CD69 autoantibodies possibly affect neutrophils by evoking CD69 signaling, which may further affect joint-composing cells in RA. However, the effect of the CD69 signaling in neutrophils remains largely unclear.

Ribozymes targeting serine/threonine kinase Akt1 sensitize cells to anticancer drugs.

The serine/threonine kinase Akt is a key component of the cellular signaling pathway for survival and drug-resistance in cancer cells. In the present study we confirmed this view by expressing an antagonist of Akt, a dominant negative form of Akt, in HCT116 colon carcinoma cells and observing apoptosis induction in cells in which expression of the mutant protein had been induced. Three isoforms of Akt have been found: Akt1/PKBalpha, Akt2/PKBbeta and Akt3/PKBgamma.